BEWARE OF THE H.R.1 BILL

 

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- It's for the Democrats, not "For the People."

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House Resolution 1 (H.R.1), the "For the People" Act of 2021 was introduced on January 4, 2021 in the 117th Congress By Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-MD-3), and recently passed to the Senate on March 11, 2021. To say this is a controversial bill would be an understatement as this represents major reforms to the way we vote; something many Americans are sensitive to following the 2020 presidential election.

I took time to read through the bill recently. Frankly, it is a kludge obviously written by attorneys. Thank God today's Democrats never had a chance to write the Constitution as they would have made it more voluminous than "War and Peace."

We already know our voting system is far from bulletproof but what is proposed here will weaken it further. Here is a handful of the problems I found with it:

1. The bill provides for voter registration over the Internet, allowing signatures in electronic form. As someone involved with the I.T. community for over 40 years, I see this as opening the floodgates to fraud. Maybe the authors of this bill are unfamiliar with the concept of Internet "hacking." Not only will outsiders be allowed in, but this is a convenient way for the dead to come back to life and vote again.

2. The bill wants every eligible citizen to be registered to vote, whether they want to or not. Let's assume the Democrats pass another bill providing blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants, thereby making them U.S. citizens. This would fill the coffers of votes for years to come.

3. In the bill, it states, "voter registration systems must be updated with 21st Century technologies and procedures to maintain their security." This is laughable as computer technology is prone to security flaws. I would prefer 18th Century technologies instead, e.g., show up in person, prove you are a citizen, sign the rolls, etc.

4. It goes on to say, "The chief State election official of each State shall establish and operate a system of automatic registration for the registration of eligible individuals to vote for elections for Federal office in the State, in accordance with the provisions of this part." This would result in 50 different interpretations for how this is done. Since the Federal government is pressing the issue, why don't they provide a standardized system?

5. The bill promotes the ability for voters to vote by mail. Requesting a legitimate absentee ballot is one thing. Pushing massive voting by mail opens the doors to fraud as found in the 2020 election.

6. Under the bill, no form of identification is required to obtain an absentee ballot. This means anyone can ask for an absentee ballot, be they a citizen or illegal immigrant.

7. The bill proposes Election Day as a Public Holiday, representing yet another day for government employees to have another paid holiday.

8. Contrary to popular belief, the bill does not provide for 16 year olds to vote. However, they can be registered to vote at this time. This hints at the next step of allowing more uninformed voters to vote.

There is nothing in the bill about validating voter identity, verification of signatures, or checking rolls in a uniform manner. This is all about harvesting votes for the Democrats in an unscrupulous manner.

I have always considered the right to vote as a sacred honor, something that should be safeguarded, not given away. If this legislation is passed, it is yet another nail in the coffin to this great Republic. This bill is certainly not "For the People," but rather for an autocratic form of government.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

REINVENTING THE WHEEL

BRYCE ON BUSINESS

- And why we should avoid doing so.

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I'm a big believer or reusing things, particularly if I know something has already proven itself to be a viable solution. As a small example, I maintain a library of templates for such things as word processing and desktop publishing documents, web pages, and simple data base designs. I select a template, and then fine tune it until I get what I want. I find this saves me a lot of time as opposed to developing something from scratch. If I find something else useful along the way, I add it to my library. In the systems world, I have always advocated the sharing and reusing of information resources, such as data and processing components, which I often refer to as "building blocks" for developing systems. It's just a smarter way of operating and, frankly, I don't like to reinvent the wheel with every project I'm working on. Instead, I want to get the job done. If that means reusing something, so be it, regardless of its age; if it works, it works.

I'm not much of a proponent of "throwing the baby out with the bath water," but I know a lot of people who are just the antithesis of this and are constantly reinventing the wheel. I don't know why this is, but I suspect it probably has something to do with human ego. It's kind of like someone saying, "Well, if I didn't think of it, it can't be any good and I'll go and invent one myself." We saw this for years when we sold our "PRIDE" methodology for systems design. We met several people who thought our methodology was nice, but thought they could do it better themselves and invested thousands of dollars trying to reinvent our wheel. Inevitably, such undertakings ended up as disasters and we sold them our product in the end. I always marveled at the amount of time and money these companies wasted in the process though; all because of ego.

Years ago General Motors took some heat for slipping a Pontiac engine into an Oldsmobile chassis. People thought they were getting gypped by getting a "cheap" engine. To me, I thought GM was brilliant. Here we had a company who designed products with interchangeable parts in mind. This allowed them to reduce inventory overhead, integrate their product lines, and still produce quality products less expensively. And I can tell you, there is nothing "cheap" about a Pontiac engine. Nonetheless, the public didn't see it this way.

In the systems world, I think you would be surprised to see how much computer software is thrown out with each release of a product. Instead of reusing program code, a lot of companies simply reinvent the wheel with each release. I find this rather strange and a huge waste of money. Maybe it's because people don't know how to share and reuse component parts; either that or they simply don't want to. Either way, the human tendency to avoid sharing and reusing anything, and reinventing the wheel each go around, leads to increased development costs, which, of course, is inflationary.

Another reason for not sharing is I believe we no longer have a sense of history anymore. We do not study what worked or what didn't years ago, we are only interested in the present. Consequently, this leads people into reinventing a wheel that was invented some time ago.

There have been plenty of tools introduced over the years for standardizing and sharing components; everything from Bill of Material Processors (BOMP) in the manufacturing sector, to Repositories in the I.T. field. You can find such tools in just about every field of endeavor. The technology is certainly available to share and reuse components, but the desire and discipline to do so is not. I can tell you this, sharing and reusing things doesn't happen by itself. It requires a concerted management effort to make it happen. However, if management is oblivious to the problem and doesn't care about the amount of money they waste year after year, then I guess we will be "reinventing the wheel" for a long time to come.

First published: October 29, 2007

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

OUR SENSE OF PROFESSIONALISM

BRYCE ON BUSINESS

- It's about substance versus facade.

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The word "professional" means a person is engaged in a specific activity as one's main paid occupation. Related to this is "professionalism," which is considered the quality of a person's work as it applies to his vocation, e.g.; "You can depend on Jim, he is very professional in his job," or; "Forget about Fred, he's undependable, inconsistent; you know, very unprofessional." I find it interesting the perspectives we have of ourselves as professionals. We all like to believe we are top-notch go-getters, but in reality is this really so? Young people desperately look for recognition from their managers as to the caliber of their work. Many genuinely believe they are highly professional in their work effort. The reality is they are far from it.

Some people believe their sense of professionalism is based on their taste in clothes and grooming, that if they project a certain image, people will develop a high opinion of them. Others believe it is a matter of being regarded as an authority on a specific subject. All of this is just facade. It's not a matter of appearances or being an authority on a subject, but more a matter of your ability to deliver. It means you take your vocation seriously and are committed to success. From this perspective, it is more akin to "class" as applied to workmanship, such as inferior, average, good, and best. The professional thereby embraces best practices on a regular basis. Whereas some people do just enough to get by, the professional consistently produces superior results. Facade is simply not enough, it's all about results. There is nothing more worthless than a person who knows how to do a job, but cannot deliver.

A true professional is considered resourceful, polished, knowledgeable, determined, and above all else, dependable to perform a task to a successful completion. You are the "go-to" person who produces superior results and, in the process, makes it look easy. Even if the task is difficult, you do not complain, you just make it happen. In other words, a true professional goes above and beyond the call of duty on a regular basis.

Instilling a sense of professionalism in an organization is difficult and requires coaching and mentoring. It includes developing a sense of craftsmanship, where methodologies and techniques are taught to the point it is understood; the benefits of performing tasks the right way, and the risks and penalties associated with performing tasks the wrong way. Our sense of professionalism is an inherent part of the corporate culture. The ultimate goal is to develop an esprit de corps whereby the company as a whole possesses the notion of zero tolerance for defects and attaining goals on-time and within budget

I wish it would be possible to certify professionalism, but you cannot, primarily because it is more of an attitude as opposed to a quantifiable technique. Projecting a professional image through fashion and vocabulary is nice and adds to your persona, but if you really want to be recognized as a professional, develop a reputation for delivering quality work products. Consider your approach to work; if you do just enough to get by, you are not there yet.

First published: October 19, 2015

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

 

EVOKING MEMORIES

BRYCE ON LIFE

- How the sense of smell and taste can unleash vivid memories.

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Of all of our senses, smell and taste can trigger vivid emotional memories, even going so far as to making us feel like we are being transported back in time. Sight, sound, and touch are also useful, but smell and taste evokes powerful images for us. I have three personal examples that take me back in time to my youth.

The first involves the use of my taste buds. Lately I've taken to drinking fruit juices late at night. I have orange juice which is usually reserved for breakfast, but I also keep apple and grape juice in the fridge, along with a fruit punch, something I enjoyed in my youth. I usually opt for the diet lite versions of these products as I do not want the sugar, but they are still delicious and I like them particularly cold. When I drink them, the taste takes me back to the early 1960's when I enjoyed such drinks in large tin cans which we would open with "church keys." If I was lucky, I would drink from the can and distinctly remember the taste of the tin which added to its flavor. In particular, the grape drink reminds me of the cheap frozen popsicles we would enjoy during the summertime. Back then, we also poured the grape drink into a Tupperware popsicle maker and froze it. When I consume these drinks today, I am transported back for a few scant seconds where I enjoyed such heavenly drinks.

The second experience involves the use of smell. Sometimes, early in the morning, when I go to retrieve the newspaper in the driveway, the sun is just starting to peek up over the horizon and I can smell the dew on the lawn. It's even better if the grass was freshly cut. It's at this moment when I return to my elementary school in Connecticut where I used to ride my old reliable J.C. Higgins bicycle early to school so my friends and I could play a couple of innings of baseball before the first bell. Our parents could never understand why we wanted to go to school so early, but they chalked it up as a positive sign we liked school. Actually, it was all about baseball. As I smell the morning today, I vividly remember what route I would take to school, how fast I would go on my bike, ever mindful not to let my books and baseball mitt pop out of my front basket.

The third experience also involves smell. You have heard me talk about my fly-fishing excursions in the past, particularly in North Carolina. There is something inspirational about working a stream, something rather peaceful and therapeutic. In my case, when I enter a babbling brook, I am again transported back to the Connecticut of my youth, where we would fish in streams with simple rods and reels, using stringers to secure our catches, and how to clean the fish afterwards. Near to the streams would be fruit trees and we would enjoy apples and peaches. We spent a lot of time in the streams, fishing and swimming, and building forts along the way to stay out of our parents' eyes. It was a glorious time.

Our sense of smell and taste are powerful and a link to our past. It reminds us of the kitchens of our grandparents, certain restaurants, and of events in the past, small or epochal. It's evoked by such simple things as aftershave lotion, burning leaves, pipe tobacco, cooking with charcoal brickets, bacon, burned toast, etc., and suddenly we are transported back to our youth. Sadly, as strong as these memories are, they last but a few precious seconds, which is long enough to remind me how lucky I was to enjoy such experiences.

First published: October 16, 2015

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

WHEN HAVOC STRIKES

BRYCE ON BUSINESS

- What to do when someone loses their cool at the office.

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Every now and then in business, we run into an uncomfortable situation where someone loses their cool and goes bananas. We primarily see this in situations involving the termination of an employee or when a worker blows up under pressure. They may not resort to armed violence, but such distractions can be disruptive and upset the harmony of the office, so we have to deal with it effectively and professionally.

We had a couple of situations like this over the years. The first that comes to mind was an employee who we terminated for poor performance. After being told his services were no longer wanted, he became visibly upset and refused to leave the building. The sheriff's office was summoned who finally escorted him off the premises. After storing his personal items in his car, he stood out in front of our office and began yelling expletives at the company. Fortunately, the sheriff's deputies removed him from the property. They asked if we wanted to press charges. We said, No, we just wanted him removed from the premises. Fortunately, this occurred at the close of business on a Friday, which is the right time to conduct terminations for this very purpose. You never know when a person is going to lose control.

I know of another company in the Tampa Bay area where an employee was terminated and instead of leaving, removed all of his clothes and sat at his desk, naturally making his co-workers uncomfortable as he couldn't possibly be confused as a male model.

Our second incident involved a lawyer who was determined to serve our company with legal papers involving a tenant who had leased space in our building. Prior to his arrival, we received an unexpected tip the attorney was on his way. Learning of this, we locked the front door. Sure enough, the attorney came a few minutes later and tried to enter the building. Realizing the door was locked, he went into a verbal tirade outside demanding entrance. He was so obnoxious, we again called the sheriff's office and had him arrested for trespassing. Interestingly, this marked the end of our legal hassles with our former tenant.

In both of our situations, it was tempting to go outside, confront the person and try to physically remove him from the property. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and we let local law enforcement handle the situation.

Such situations are uncommon, but as a co-worker you should always be cautious when a person goes into a rage. The best thing to do is avoid confrontation, do not engage the person orally or physically, thereby entangling yourself in the problem. Simply walk away and allow management and law enforcement to handle it. In larger corporations there are trained security people to escort them off the property. Smaller companies do not have such a luxury and must rely on local law enforcement.

In the situation of a hostile terminated employee, it is best not to allow him back into the business as he/she may very well want a physical confrontation, possibly even involving gunfire. For the protection of the employees, it is best to keep the building under tight security until the person is off the property.

As to wacko attorneys, they may know the law, but it doesn't mean they will adhere to it. It is wise to keep an eye on everyone coming and going to and from your facility, and keep the telephone number of law enforcement on your Speed Dial list. You never know when havoc will strike.

First published: October 2, 2015

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

WHEN IS IT TIME TO GO?

BRYCE ON LIFE

- An ode to knowing when to depart this world.

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You know it is time to go...
When the Earth has lost its charm, and no longer offers us joy or inspiration.
When we no longer find enjoyment in holidays, anniversaries or birthdays due to repetition.
When we can no longer find happiness in the simple pleasures of life.
When we can no longer contribute and have nothing more to offer.
When we recognize the party is over and cannot dance any longer.
When we are no longer the center of attention and our words fall on deaf ears.
When we can no longer socialize with others due to bitterness, anger or intolerance.
When we have lost too many times, forcing a decline in a will to win.
When we feel mankind has let us down one too many times.
When we have seen it all and done it all.
When there is an absence of love and understanding in the world.
When our bodies fail us once too often, be it mentally or physically.
However, if we spent our lives honorably and productively,
we will meet with God's good graces who will be pleased with our efforts,
and reunite us with our loved ones in the great beyond.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

"CAN I GET SOME HELP HERE?"

BRYCE ON HOSPITALS

- Why I'm not a fan of Mease Countryside Hospital.

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I have discussed the changing medical culture in the past; see (1), (2), (3), (4), (5). Herein I want to describe an actual experience I was involved with recently. Let me preface my remarks by saying I am no stranger to hospital Emergency Rooms having been to several over the years involving loved ones. I have discovered they are not all equal in terms of service and care. Recently, we had a horrible experience with a local hospital. Perhaps you can learn from this.

My elderly mother, who suffers from COPD, recently had been complaining of not being able to breath properly. This is someone who has been on oxygen 24/7 for at least five years, and taken an array of medications, so she is used to hospitals and their procedures. This time, our family doctor recommended I take her to Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor, FL where she should undergo a battery of tests, e.g.; blood test, chest X-ray, Cat-Scan, etc. From this, we hoped to be able to determine a course of action for her to take. We went to Mease Countryside because her primary medical physician is affiliated with it. Prior to this, we had no exposure to the hospital other than to visit friends convalescing.

The hospital was approximately twenty minutes from my Mom's house. So, on a Thursday afternoon, I loaded her into the car where she used her portable oxygen machine to breath. In measuring breathing, the mid-90's is normally a good score, but in the car she was in the low 80's and was having trouble breathing ("wheeze-wheeze"). Nonetheless, I got her to the hospital promptly and brought her to the Emergency Room (ER) entrance, where I placed her in a wheelchair. We then went through the hassle of being checked for COVID-19 and security. After which we waited anxiously in line at the front desk where one woman was alone and tending to another check-in. I thought it strange only one person was there to admit people as this was a fair sized hospital with many people in the waiting area.

When we finally got to the admitting woman, I presented my Mom's ID and insurance cards which she photocopied. I told her my Mom was having trouble breathing and asked if she could please expedite the process ("wheeze-wheeze"). It appeared it didn't matter to her as she processed the admission bureaucratically. My Mom's breathing seemed to be the least of her concerns. After this, she sequestered us in a waiting room where my Mom continued to wheeze. This was scaring me now as nothing seemed to be happening to help her. Finally, a nurse came out and whisked her away behind closed doors which I was not permitted to access. I tried to give the nurse a copy of my Mom's meds and names/numbers of her physicians, but she dismissed me out of hand and refused to take the paper.

I was then left outside the door where I patiently waited for some information as to what was going on. While there, I thought about what had happened. From the time we arrived at the ER to the time she had someone look at her was approximately 25 minutes, an eternity for someone who is having trouble breathing.

I compared this to an incident a month earlier where a friend and I went out to dinner. Before we could order, she sensed something was wrong and thought she was having a stroke. The closest hospital was AdventHealth North Pinellas in Tarpon Springs (aka, "Helen Ellis Memorial"), a part of the AdventHealth system. Knowing it was nearby, I had the hostess help me get her into my car where I rushed her to the hospital at about 6:30pm, taking no more than ten minutes to get there. I got her in a wheelchair and into admissions. I handed the people there (two ladies as I recall) her ID and medical cards, which they scanned and updated their records automatically. Total time to get through admissions, two minutes, tops. She was then immediately treated by physicians.

The differences between the two hospitals was like night and day. One was interested in bureaucracy, the other was interested in patient care. Being an old systems man, I was amazed by the inefficiencies of the Mease Countryside system and seeming indifference to customer service.

After waiting about five minutes for word about my mother, three hospital security guards from Allied Universal Security Systems confronted me. I didn't know what they wanted so I tried chatting with one where I commented on the incompetence in the ER, that I had never seen anything like it before. He told me that my Mom had not passed her COVID-19 test yet, and since I had contact with her I would have to wait. I said fine, and started to return to the waiting room where we were before. "Where are you going?" he said gruffly. This is when I began to notice he was irritated.

"I'm just going into the waiting room like you said," I replied.

"No! You must wait outside, and if you make a scene I will have you banned from the hospital."

I looked bewildered at him and said, "You're kidding?"

No he wasn't, so I turned to leave and began laughing as I had never seen such incompetence in an ER like this before.

After a few minutes, a nurse came outside to ask me questions about my Mom and apologized for the conduct of administration. I told him about the list of meds and doctors I had tried to give the other nurse and he said, "Great, this is exactly what we needed."

I replied, "Hey, I tried." He shook his head in disbelief and returned to the hospital.

After waiting outside for over a half-hour, a doctor called me and asked me to come back inside to see my Mom. When I re-entered, I had to go through the COVID-19 check and security again. This time, the security and staff eyed me suspiciously. I got the impression they were surprised I was being let back in.

My Mom had passed the COVID-19 test (she was negative) and they had completed their battery of tests on her lungs. The attending physician wanted her to spend the night in the hospital. Now, you have to remember why we came here; to get a battery of tests to calculate a strategy. She had undergone the tests and was anxious to go home, but the attending physician insisted she was in bad shape and should spend the night for observation. After discussing the matter with our family physician, we reluctantly agreed and they moved Mom upstairs to a regular room.

The one night turned into five as the medical personnel convinced my mother she was in bad shape. So much so, by the end of her stay the Hosptalist Doctor said she had two options: one, go home, which he didn't recommend, and; two, enter her into a rehabilitation unit (aka, "Nursing Home"). Our fear was that she would go in but never come out. So, over the objections of the medical staff, we elected to take her home. To do so, I had to sign a waiver releasing the medical staff of any liabilities as we were going against their recommendations.

A few of the medical staff became nasty over our decision, "Oh, once you get her home, you'll just have to bring her back here."

Another said adamantly, "This is crazy, you belong in a rehab center."

In other words, it became just as difficult to get Mom out of the hospital as it was to get her in. Maybe they should re-name the hospital to "Fort Knox."

On Mom's first day back at home, she woke up with an oxygen level of 97% which is excellent. She is now regaining her strength after sitting in bed for five days, and she was more relaxed as she wasn't being harassed by the medical staff.

LESSONS LEARNED

If we were to do this over again, I think I would have called 911 and have an ambulance take her to Mease Countryside as it appeared patients arriving in this manner were admitted immediately. I naively believed taking Mom to a hospital myself was better. Then again, maybe there is an incestuous relationship with ambulance companies that I am not aware of.

There are essentially two parts to any hospital, the administrative side, and the medical care side. Again, as an old systems man, I was appalled by how slow it seemed for patients to be admitted, just the antithesis of AdventHealth North Pinellas. Beyond this, there appeared to be an insensitivity in terms of caring for the incoming patients. In my judgement, they were only concerned with bureaucracy and cash-flow, meaning to keep patients in longer to make money.

The medical side was a bit better, but it seemed clear to us some medical people were much better than others. The best doctor there was the pulmonologist (treats lungs) who appeared to be very knowledgeable, gave straight answers, and had a good bed-side manner about him, but he was the exception as opposed to the rule.

Like the administrative side of the hospital, the medical side seemed obsessed with feeding the computer as opposed to providing patient care. Some were good and helpful people, while others had a rather poor bed-side manner. Feeding the computer was of paramount importance and, I believe, is a deterrent to effective patient care. True, AdventHealth North also is consumed by computers as well, but they seem to make a better effort to work with patients.

Interestingly, while waiting to pass "Check Point Charlie" at the main entrance at the start of visiting hours, I heard many other stories of hospital snafus by relatives of other patients. This obviously did not instill a sense of confidence in me. I also found the main switchboard to be impenetrable, thereby blocking me from talking to my mother or medical personnel. I learned quickly to take down telephone numbers of important personnel so I could dial them directly. If you didn't have the number, forget it. It was an eerie blackout that didn't sit well with me.

It was an odd feeling as we finally left Mease Countryside. Both my mother and myself felt like we had escaped, much like the prisoners who tunneled out of the high-security POW camp in the movie, "The Great Escape." As I said, Mom's health and sense of well-being immediately improved and continues to do so. Sorry Colleen, she is doing just fine, but won't be back to have you taunt her.

So, people have asked me would I recommend Mease Countryside. Let me put it this way, if it is between bleeding in the street or going to Mease Countryside, I'll take my chances in the street. That is how turned off I was with their service.

I am not trying to provoke a fight with Mease Countryside, but if nobody speaks up, nothing will change.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on Spotify, WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

WHY TRUMP IS STILL A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- The fight is not over.

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When Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush lost their re-election bids, they quietly faded away and became nothing but footnotes in history. They primarily occupied their time by building their presidential libraries. None considered a second run for the presidency. They had had enough. However, the same cannot be said about former President Trump. Building a library is the last thing on his mind. Retaking the White House and cleaning up the Washington Swamp is of paramount importance to him.

Trump came into office as an outsider, and was pushed out of the nation's capitol through trickery and treachery. He is still a force to be reckoned with and is ready for another fight with the Congressional establishment. Frankly, he is willing to go the distance, even beyond a second term in office. Thank God too, as there is nobody else with the stamina and nerve to take on the Swamp.

Why is Trump still a viable candidate? Simple. Millions of Americans still believe the election was stolen, the Democrats couldn't pin anything on him in the Mueller Investigation and two fake impeachments, and Trump is a fighter. He has learned a lot from his first administration and will likely do things differently, most notably taking out the Congressional garbage who tried to demonize him, and RINOs who didn't cooperate with his agenda. Enough is enough.

A recent Suffolk University/USA TODAY Poll indicates Trump voters are also prepared to turn on those politicians who crossed him. According to the poll, 8 in 10 Trump supporters would be less likely to vote for a Republican candidate who supported Trump's impeachment, as ten did in the House. By a wide 2-1 margin, Trump voters say they want him to run for president again. If he did, 76% would support him for the nomination and 85% would vote for him in a general election. So Trump has the comfort of knowing he has a rather loyal base of followers supporting him. Carter and Bush did not.

There will likely be a backlash to the Democrats running the country. Even though President Biden ran on a platform of "Unity," in two months he has already alienated a lot of people. So much so, there is a good chance the Republicans will take back the House in 2022. In other words, Iranians shouldn't get too comfortable with the United States again, Canadians will get the Keystone XL pipeline back, the southern border wall will be completed, illegal immigrants will be stopped at the border, Obama Care will finally be put out of its misery, jobs will return, and the economy will blossom again.

Trump recently unveiled his intentions at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando on February 28th where he gave the keynote address. Prior to the event, there was considerable speculation about what he would say, such as the future of the GOP, the conservative movement, and President Biden's policy on amnesty and our borders.

Trump came out swinging by making it clear he has no intention of creating a third party which he insisted was fake news. The GOP is his party and he made it clear he would remain in charge.

He went on to challenge President Biden's first month in office, which Trump claimed was the most disastrous in history. In particular, he challenged Biden's record on immigration whereby he cancelled immigration rules and triggered a migration of illegals to the United States, thereby making this a "sanctuary nation."

Trump also warned the CPAC attendees of several other Biden initiatives, such as; challenges to the 2nd Amendment (the right to bear arms); re-involvement with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Accord; closure of the Keystone XL pipeline; reversal on energy independence which he predicted would rise the price of gasoline to $5-$7 per gallon, and; the damaging effect of transgender sports. He also called on Biden to re-open the schools for the sake of our children.

As to the direction of the Republican Party, Trump noted the GOP was still growing, but he insists, "America comes first." He outlined three areas to be addressed in order to win in 2024:

1. ELECTION REFORM - he made it clear, "This election was rigged," which should be a litmus test for the loyalty of all Republicans, particularly those in Congress. He also openly criticized the Supreme Court for not looking into voting irregularities, "The Supreme Court didn't have the guts or courage to address this."

As to his recommendations, he suggested we have only one election day (no extensions), only legitimate absentee ballots (no mail-in voting), Voter ID, Signature matching, and having citizenship verified. Had these steps been implemented, Trump would have likely won the election handily.

2. ENACT LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT CENSORSHIP - In particular, this means disbanding "Big Tech" companies who control social media and ban conservative talk.

3. WEED OUT THE RHINOs - No doubt, the GOP needs strong new leadership. To this end, he openly called out RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), such as Senators Romney, Sass, Collins, Murkowski, Toomey, and certain members of the House, particularly Rep. Liz Cheney. Trump plans on campaigning heavily for conservative Republicans, particularly in primaries, in order to eradicate RINOs from the party. To support this, he touted his endorsement record and how many candidates he helped elect to office.

Trump teased the crowd by saying, "I may decide to beat them (the Democrats) a third time," and, "You haven't seen anything yet," both meaning it is likely he will run again, much to the chagrin of the Democrats and the RINOs who want to lead the party on a different path. In the end, the chances of Trump running for office again is likely as the CPAC attendees gave him an overwhelming 97% approval rating, making it clear he was their man. This was reinforced a couple of times during his speech by the attendees chanting, "We love you!," a positive sign of the attendees' support for the former president.

Trump's numbers at CPAC mirrored the Suffolk University/USA TODAY Poll, mentioned earlier, where 55% of CPAC picked him in a straw poll to be their candidate for president.

By his presentation at CPAC, Trump made it clear he is still firmly in control of the GOP, but this time he is redefining the Republican culture to make sure everyone is pulling on the same oar, both on the campaign trail and, if elected, during his administration. This would be substantially different than his first term where he had to fight not only the Democrats, but the RHINO Congressional leadership, e.g., Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. Trump's message is clear, "Get on board the Trump train or get out of the GOP."

So, will Trump be the candidate in 2024? Certainly. After all, who else has the strength and courage to confront the Washington Swamp? And if he is successful, he will cultivate a new generation of strong Republican leaders to succeed him.

Yes, he is most definitely a force to be reckoned with, as he strikes fear into the hearts of Democrats as well as RINOs. Needless to say, his clean-up America mantra has been wildly embraced by the Trump faithful and will likely play well with the American populace. Now it will be interesting to see how the RINOs and Democrats react.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

FACE-MASKS ARE HERE TO STAY

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- You can thank the government for this.

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As a child of the 1950s, I have seen a lot of changes in terms of safety over the years:

* Back then, nobody wore seat belts in automobiles. Most cars didn't even have them. Today, they are standard equipment, along with air bags. In most states, you can be issued a ticket for not wearing them, but as a kid from a different era, I still resist using them as it doesn't feel natural to me.

* I loved riding my bicycle just about everywhere. I took it to school every day, rode it to my Little League games, to go fishing or visit a neighbor, etc. At that time nobody wore a helmet, and yet I didn't know of anyone falling off their bike and hurting themselves. Today it is a requirement with some states issuing fines for not wearing them. As for me, I refuse to wear a helmet as I never wore one as a child. I still think they look stupid, but people have embraced them as the government enforces their use.

* We rode on skate boards and went down steep driveways, all without helmets and leg or arm pads, none of which existed at the time. If you were going to crash, you simply learned to slow down and fall on grass. It was no big deal. Now it is.

* In Little League, we wore canvass "ear muffs" to protect our heads at the plate. When we would have a pick-up game though, we just wore baseball hats, just like the major leagues. Today, Little League includes full helmets with face guards.

We also played hockey without face masks, including myself as a goalie; we went down winter hills on sleds without any protection; we shot BB guns and slingshots in the fields (and No, we didn't "shoot our eyes out"); we learned to shoot bow and arrows; we lit firecrackers; went fishing and used knives to clean our catch, and; we even played lawn darts (aka, "Jarts"). Remarkably, we all survived unscathed and enjoyed ourselves immensely. In truth, it was a glorious time to be a kid. When I describe this to parents today, they look at me like I have three eyes, that I am some kind of glutton for punishment.

The same is true with surgical face-masks. In the depths of the many influenza outbreaks we have had, very few people wore face-masks. Today, thanks to COVID-19, we are told by our government to wear them everywhere. President Biden wants to send a face-mask to each American and have us wear them until at least 2022. There are also new requirements to wear face-masks on government property, including our national parks.

The question though becomes, "When can we stop wearing them?" There are some medical institutions now questioning the effectiveness of face-masks on COVID-19; others suggest we need to wear multiple layers of face-masks.

My feeling is, face-masks are here to stay. It is now the "new normal," just like seat belts, helmets, and other safety equipment. Even if 100% of the American public was properly vaccinated, we would still be asked to wear face-masks. Why? Because government officials will claim there is a new "strain" of some kind which will likely come and go in perpetuity. So, in all likelihood, the government will never tell us to put the masks away. It is not in their best interest to do so as it represents a form of control and is deemed to be politically correct to wear, particularly among Democrats.

Even if the government declared "the coast is clear," people will likely continue to wear face-masks in supermarkets, social gatherings, at work and school, and wherever. The government has created a new habit, which people will be reluctant to give up. Years from now, you will tell your grandchildren, "I remember when I was a kid, we never wore face-masks, not until the government mandated their use." They will look at you and say, "Wow, you are really old, aren't you?"

You will know face-masks are a permanent fixture of our society when you start seeing television commercials featuring designer masks. They will likely be embraced by the fashion industry who will use it as an excuse for changing our wardrobe. Over time, we'll look like a nation of holdup artists ready to stickup gas stations and convenience stores.

As for me, like I said, I'm a child of the 1950s. I will continue to resist seat belts and helmets. Heck, I'll even play a game of lawn darts if anyone has them. And I have no intention of wearing face-masks 24/7. I guess I like to live on the edge.

(I would like to give a tip of the hat to A.R. in Dunedin for the inspiration for this piece).

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - For a listing of my books, click HERE.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; SVA RADIO - "Senior Voice America", the leading newspaper for active mature adults; or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.