Advocacy for education

Education is a right for every child in our hemisphere.  In my opinion, it evens the playing field.  We are often reminded by great achievements by those who climbed out of despair, poverty or abuse to rise out of the shambles.  Education has a way of doing that.  It is something that we perhaps take for granted.

I often volunteer to help kids in education.  For almost three years I have been volunteering for Junior Achievement, where one is armed with teaching aids, representing major companies in the community as a way of giving back.  The skills covered are economics, budgeting, finance, credit, applying for jobs, understanding expenses and so on.  As volunteers, we are also setting positive examples for kids aged 14 and 15.  

I have also volunteered to prepare and distribute lunches to kids in an elementary school with demographics that show much lower than average household finances.  This was under United Way, another great organization that helps the community thrive.

Recently, our organization, did a fundraiser within our department about a month ago under the charity Stephen's Backpacks  It was set up as a contest among about 10 teams of about 13 individuals on each.  Basically, we were given two backpacks and filled it up with supplies for students, given suggestions by breakdown by group of elementary, junior high and high school (as needs vary).  As our social prime, we also raised funds, some donated filled backpacks, others supplies and others money.  It was a worthwhile cause, helping kids in education.  It helped build team work.  Sprinkled with a little competitive spirit to make it charged.   

I grew up with advocacy for education.  My parents gave each of us the opportunity to go beyond high school to post secondary education.  I was the only one of four to take advantage of it.  It wasn't always easy.  Sure, my tuition, housing was covered while I had to become innovative to get food.  I ended up volunteering on the Yearbook Staff, then moved into the Student Union as its Secretary.  Part of the reward was monthly meetings and afterwards a paid dinner at the cafeteria.  I also was a Floor Senior in the Students' Residence.  There must have been a free meal in their somewhere.  Both allowed me to attend social events for free, and there must have been free food in there as well.  I worked part time for a while but the hours of 5pm to 2am didn't always compliment getting up for 8am classes.  

I am thrilled that my second youngest daughter is attending University.  Her father had tried to take her to the Armed Forces recruitment office to subsidize her education.  I advocated her to follow her passion and dreams.  Both her father and I contributed towards an education fund the moment all three of our children were born.  It certainly helps today.  My daughter says that she knows how lucky she is to be getting an education without the cloud of graduating with massive debt.  She took a gap year off, traveled a lot, played competitive soccer and partied some.  I was always nervous that she would get too used to money and put off going back to school.  

I surveyed lots of friends and associates on the matter.  Was a gap year wise?  Looking back, I can see why she did do it.  She is a January baby, very articulate early, starting preschool in French emersion at age 3.  It wasn't playschool it was PREschool.  Then, she was a year younger at graduation than most of her classmates.  I understand she needed a break before she buckled down and went to school.  She took the time to explore her interests and decided on Fine Arts.  That was after Marine Biology, Meteorology, etc.  

What kids have today in some of the schools is career planning early.  Taking quizzes and skills tests to cross reference attributes with career paths.  She was advised to be a stock broker, given the reason that she was in strong in math and had personal integrity and honesty.  Her dad would have done back flips since he had taken the Canadian Securities Course from interest and built knowledge for investing.

My stepdaughter was all set on going into nursing from the time I met her.  She started work as soon as she could and glided from that into a strong position with a strong organization that provides ongoing on the job training which is not the same as a post secondary education.  We can foresee her working her way up as she has already moved upwards a fair bit for someone her age.  

Our youngest has moved cities, expanded herself and spread her wings.  She is starting to say that she has started to settle on an education direction now.  Communications.  I hope she does.  At least I've learned that they have to make the decision themselves even if the expectation is deep rooted and money set aside.  

The best thing we did, was start from the get go with an education fund.  It allowed the opportunity to always be there to back up the encouragement.  Their father and I met at college but didn't graduate with student loans.  

In the long run.  Education is the distinguishing factor that can set anyone apart.  It takes sacrifice, discipline and intelligence to start and continue.  If our governments really wanted to avoid political positioning by playing with education, they would encourage parent or organization finance for post secondary education for all.  

I understand that many US citizens consider the government paying for things like education and health means gravitating towards a socialist state.  I'd say, put your paranoia aside, it doesn't have to mean you're on the brink of communism.  It simply means that you are investing in your future.  Your children.  Their education.  A better chance of survival and financial security than some of their parents.  Educated households, I would imagine, statistically have less abuse of drugs, alcohol or domestic violence.  

We can break the chain of disfunction by protecting all of our futures by investing in our children's education.  

WE are the WORLD

Incredible share by NASA on latest PIC of #earth.  So breathtaking .... man oh man, isn't it so beautiful?

Which means we're all neighbors.  Absolutely.  Certainly, because we share this vast globe of greenness: trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, fruit, jungles and water: oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, along with mountains made of greatness like Mt. Everest.   

How humble we should feel by the responsibility of this magnitude.  We cannot dwell on our enemies, decease, poverty, climate until it is one gigantic undertaking by ALL people of this world.  She is our home and we often neglect her, so focus on our agenda are we.

We know we host evil and want to abolish it, yet nothing is as important as humanity.  Humanity cannot survive without earth.  Then why do we band together as ONE community under the executives of the universe -- the Sun and the Moon.   Heed the vote to survive.  Listen to the scientists observations.  Watch the educators knowledge. 

Who are we to scoff at what they have been telling us?  Don't we remember that song: "We ARE the WORLD"?  It was a sign of an anthem to be sung.  Not for one color, one culture, one religion, one leader, one information outlet, one idol, one animal, one organism, one food.  For it is this world we live together.  As one.  For eternity. 

Are we abandoning that dream to live in love, health, safety, nutrition, education, religion?  Without this earth.  We are the same:  nothing.  Whether by evaporation, extinction, violence, abandon, or death.  What we are hearing is we cannot go on any longer, never mind much longer, on this path we march jointly.

With deference to our board: the sun and the moon and our people.   Why will we miss that meeting?  Yes perhaps because we have our own agenda, to the exclusion of survival.  It is our world. 

It is our responsibility.  Not one single person alone, but all of us together for one cause:  life.

We are the world

"We Are the World" is a song and 

charity single originally recorded by

 the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide.

Following Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" project in the UK, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Several musicians were contacted by the pair, before Jackson and Richie were assigned the task of writing the song. The duo completed the writing of "We Are the World" one night before the song's first recording session, on January 21, 1985. The historic event brought together some of the most famous artists in the music industry at the time.

The song was released on March 7, 1985, as the only single from the album. A worldwide commercial success, it topped music charts throughout the world and became the fastest-selling American pop single in history. The first ever single to be certified multi-platinum, "We Are the World" received a Quadruple Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. However, the song garnered mixed reviews from journalists, music critics, and the public. Fans enjoyed hearing racially and musically diverse recording artists singing together on one track, and felt satisfied in buying "We Are the World", knowing that the money was going to charity. Other individuals, including many commentators in the rock press, were disappointed that the song did not challenge listeners as to why famines occur in the first place, and felt that the lyrics were self-aggrandizing.

Awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, and a People's Choice Award—the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and merchandise aided the success of "We Are the World" and raised over $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.

Following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 M_w earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Entitled "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.

Happy Fathers Day

Hats off to dads everywhere!  So much attention goes to moms because we are the ones who endure 9 months of pregnancy, give birth and often considered the primary caregivers.

The importance of fathers has been under appreciated by history and stereotypes.  However, most of us know first hand how important our dads are in our lives. 

As life unfolds, we get older and they pass on.  Often it is only then there lingers many wise words and wisdom shared.

I loved my father's stories.  As his elderliness was settling in, he often repeated them.  Then there may have been concern for his forgetfulness and a hint of exasperation on having to hear it again.  Now I look back to realize each time there was  a golden nugget to cherish and learn from.  

I really miss my father.  Yes he was tough when I needed to be taught a lesson.  He certainly displayed strength in difficult circumstances.  I think of him as a hero, handsome man with such dark eyes that did seem to sparkle when he was laughing.  He wasn't a teaser - he left that to my brothers.  He wasn't always there, he was a provider.  He was wise and could drill down to the heart of the matter.

I'm lucky.  I had my father for many many years.  As his body started to betray his vitality, he made up for it by wanting to talk.  He liked when my mom was out so he would call any one of us kids to talk, share those stories but most of all shield us from hurt, mistakes we made, and be brave for us when our own resources were depleting.  He was there when it counted and I needed him most.

As a kid I was disappointed if he didn't come to my skating competitions or tests, yet he always made it to the shows, bursting with pride.  He was important in his job and in those days kids didn't telephone their parents.  The very few times I did,  he would come home and say how impressed everyone was with my articulation or manners.  He was proud and a proud man.

Dads are not knights with armor to protect us against harm.  They have faults, they have weaknesses and life doesn't always hand them everything so they can, in turn, provide for family and hand down to children.  However,  we should respect how important that role is to everyone in society.  We should help those who need help being a father.  Everyone benefits.

I think my dad, for all his accomplishments and a tough journey to get there, appreciated and lived life to be remembered with honor and love.  I know he had regrets and may have had a few unfulfilled wishes.  Yet, he wasn't afraid to stand up for what was right and expected great things to come from all of us kids, and then his grandkids. 

I am happy to have had such a father.  Without him, I wouldn't have learned as much or nourished by his encouragement.

He did a pretty good job.  He matters now as he did back then.  He did leave a legacy and one of them was me.  Yes, I do feel sadness some days and would love to hear one more of those stories.

"A daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men."

~Unknown

 



Speak up or shut up?

You can't help but read about Jian Ghomeshi from Canada.  There is a lot of news surrounding one of our media types named who has plead innocence to numerous allegations of sexual harassment. 

Does speaking up harm your reputation?
It got me to wondering about the women who spoke up.  There is certainly safety in numbers ... being made easier when it wasn't just one whistle blower but several.

Is lodging an official complaint a detriment to your career?  I would imagine that being the first one brave enough to come forward was the trickiest.  Putting oneself up to the microscope is intimidating and scary. 

Unfortunately, society puts that person under a great amount of pressure and scrutiny.  We all see it play out so many times, its no wonder that there is deep reflection and struggle before stepping forward.

For every one person who blows the whistle, how many haven't?  What about the stories that don't come out?  The ones about people who have similar experience but not involve well known figures like Ghomeshi or celebrities like Cosby?

I created a new blog that is a bit more anonymous than one that has a greater audience.  I want to be able to write about things that mattered to me but were not associated with who I worked for or related to my career.  I am quiet about my identity.

Having said that.  I am bothered right now about an announcement I just heard at work.   Recognition in expertise.  Among them, was this young male colleague that made sarcastic offensive comments to me on a regular basis when I first started.  So bad, that those within hearing sucked in their breath, widened their eyes and looked at me to see my reaction.

He thought he was funny when he slighted my height (I'm short), made underhanded jokes about my age (I'm old enough to be his mother) ... you get the picture. 

I was new to the organization so I didn't want to start off my career going under the trouble maker or whiner umbrella.  Even so, the comments cloaked under humor were offensive and he should have been reprimanded. 

I'm not going to judge those within earshot for not doing anything.  They were not the object of this person's sorry humor.  Perhaps maybe they had been and thought I'd be strong enough to do something.  Even though their reaction clearly showed how unacceptable it was.  I didn't cower from him, but nor did I lodge a complaint.  Hind sight, I probably should have.  Not because of the recognition but because he is being set as a positive example.  Little do others know.

I was probably right by standing off and not doing anything, thinking that it will eventually catch up with him, as it often does.  I was wrong to think that it wasn't my place to lodge an official complaint because I have a sense that people who get away with bad things are good at a number of other things. 

I had done something before.  Years back a female junior colleague came to me to confide about a senior male who had more than sexually harassed her, he had abused her.  I was considering leaving anyway thus I only brought it up on my exit interview when asked:  "what could have been prevented to make you decide to stay?".  I honestly told.  Nothing was done.  I was left, the offender stayed for years after.  It came off as sour grapes to smear someone perhaps.  Timing is everything, but the opportunity did present itself to say something.

Further along in my career in a much more senior position, I reported directly to a President of a company.  He was responsible for leading, ensuring signatures and carrying out its Code of Ethics.

During one conversation he voiced concerns about a person allowing personal problems to impact performance.  I thought there was an opening and it was appropriate timing to voice that I thought that this gal was a manager who started a personal relationship with a new hire, was a violation of our Code of Ethics.  I spoke up not using that terminology simply expressing concern because the "victim" was a subordinate, non manager who ended up with a broken family - a wife with a newborn, betrayed,  asked the guy to leave his home.  Looking for a place to live, etc. impacted his work performance poorly.

It was clearly a breach of Code of Ethics everyone signed.  That executive didn't do anything.  One could contemplate it was because the offender had been with him for 15 or so years and he had directly helped her climb in her career.   

Sadly, the anguish expressed was from decreased performance, not whether it breached any code.  Unfortunately, everyone else saw them leave on breaks and sitting in a parked car together.  It sets a tone culturally.  I remember his answer that several young people had met and married at this company.  I didn't argue, I got that he couldn't distinguish the difference in the situations with two consenting adults.

How difficult is it to separate a personal performance with poor judgment.  One can understand where it may come from.  However, companies take a no nonsense stand when drugs or DUI situations arise.  It just seems so much more difficult and sensitive with personal relationships aligning with company policy.

Do I regret bringing it up with my boss?  For my own personal beliefs, absolutely not.  Because I signed the same Code of Ethics the others did, absolutely.  What is the point of having the clause that a boss cannot have an affair with someone he directly manages or is senior to? Regardless of gender.

Sadly, companies pick and choose who they may make examples of.  They may have been considering getting rid of one party anyhow, so they find an excuse to get rid of the person who brought the matter up.  Economy, decline in business, yada yada yada.   Thanks for your contributions, best wishes for your future.

What saddens me most is that the person who is offended enough to try to right a wrong is caused so much anguish. 

One can't contemplate how bad things are going to have to get before someone does something ... sooner than later.

Talking taxes benefits

"In matters of truth or justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same."

~Albert Einstein

A discussion erupted in my home city Calgary recently because a local law enforcement officer was written about because she has gone on record to having to leave our city because topped benefits isn't good enough.  For most Canadians, they are given a percentage of their wage for a certain number of months leading up to and after giving birth.   What topped up benefits means is getting the company or organization to add to that based on tenure and wage -- sometimes in return for the mother to agree to return to her same job, responsibilities, title and wage she had before leaving on maternity.  In addition to  her federal benefits.

An article was posted by MetroNews Calgary inspired me to respond with my own opinion under their comments:

Having your benefits topped up is a dangerous precedent and expensive one.  It is one thing to be pro-women and pro-mothers, I applaud that.  However, we need to take a look at the big picture -- how realistic is it for mothers to gain the same benefits city-wide?  I like the discussion simply because it is about how our taxes are being used.  When I had my THREE kids maternity leave went from 3 months federal benefits to 6 months.  We've come a long way to allowing a year.  However, topping up is not something that every new mom is afforded.  Unless it is legislated for everyone, it shouldn't be an elite squad's right.  Once again, do I have to repeat ... it is our taxes that we're using to support this.  There are far many ways this could be coordinated ... like, child bearing aged moms and pops put into a fund (like we older folks do for retirement) and that fund is used as child benefits.  A la carte, chosen based on needs i.e. maternity or child care.  The young'uns don't want to fit the bill for retirement unless it is their own, then us elders, don't want to fit the bill on what we cannot benefit from.  Perhaps benefits and tax breaks should be chosen by each citizen based on where they need the help?  Just thinking out loud (which is more than I can say for those that come up with buying votes and managing our tax dollars).

Like it or not, we all have to face it that our population is widening between generations with major age gaps.   It is going to become an ever-increasing dilemma to any governing organization trying to please the populous.  When you have a broad gap between Baby Boomers (age 55 plus) and their kids of Gen-X/Melinia (ages 18-35 specifically), you're going to have a nightmare trying to keep everyone happy (and get the votes centered).

I'm just about smack in the middle.  I had my child-bearing years and am now facing the daunting task of looming retirement.  Safe to say, both milestones in life are important.  We need to keep the young people working while the older ones keep saving as much as they can for safekeeping and to avoid being a burden to the tax base in 10 to 15 years.

I was even at the tail end of child extra-curricular tax benefits.  When the Harper government in Canada introduced a tax credit for parents of children who are enrolled in sports mainly were given a break to compensate for fees associated.  I applauded the idea because, although I had had to pay for that on my own, I also recognized that kids who are in sports tend to stay out of trouble which can be a burden on resources and funds.  I always said that being a figure skater for many years, was an expensive way for my parents to keep me out of trouble.  Later on as my skills improved, the cost for ice time, coaching, private lessons, competitions, shows, skates, etc. got really expensive, I got a PT job to contribute.  I think that was a brilliant move on my parents' part because it demonstrated how keen I was to skate because I loved it, not because my parents could afford to give me the best tools to become good at it.

We should all look at the big picture.  If the government funds a select group, the other groups will want their own piece of the benefits.  Like I said, although I don't argue with the many merits of the various tax breaks, I have been disappointed to miss the mark to gain any pay off.

Let's take a look at just voting.  Statistics were given that in Canada only 34% of the age group of 18-24 vote, whereas 65% of the 65 plus age group do.  That is a huge balancing act to be sure.  So what do politicians do?  They appeal to the segment that garners the most votes.  That isn't rocket science.  Then they poll and speculate that they had better appeal to the other age segment that may wake up and realize that their vote can cause change and make a difference in their present lives in their future. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon where you fall, many of the benefits fall in the middle.  The child-bearing, child-rearing age group, child care paying, population.... who get maternity benefits, child care subsidies (in some areas), and parents of kids 8-16 year olds get breaks for being a model parent.  Ironically, my math shows they represent 1% of the voting populous while reaping a good 85% of the tax funding.

Then there is the 18-24 year old group that get breaks to squirrel away to put a down payment on buying a house.  Again, I'm saying that is a good idea because real estate transactions fuel the economy -- buyers get loans from lenders, builders get funds generated by building which sweetens the economy.  When buyers stop buying, the economy rolls to an abrupt halt or swiftly slow downs.

Sounds like a lot of imbalance if you ask me.  Then there is the other part of the equation.  The one group that tends to help the investment community is from the older age segment.  Then investment, gives money for banks and such to lend money.  A different spiral.

If you have two spirals working in opposite ends of the economy it is no wonder the ones in the middle get a lot of dust.  But then again, that is where the government focusses a lot on their funding and tax breaks.

Okay, so I've gone on and one and painted a very real picture.  What do we do?  Seems pretty simple to me.  Take an example from an employee's insurance benefits offered by the best corporations:  you get a certain percentage of your wage to be used as YOU wish it to be used.  You have a say in how much you contribute (usually between 1-5%) which the company matches.  Sounds like the ideal company to work for doesn't it?

I'm getting to my point:  why doesn't the federal government use the same process.  Instead of the expense, studies and pushback on deciding on where tax breaks go, let the individual citizen make the decision themselves.  For example, everyone gets 5% of their wage to go into a federal tax fund/break.  Each individual gets to decide themselves where that fund goes:

• 18-24 year olds into education, saving for a house, starting a business, saving for when they have a child (income top up and child care)
• 25-40 year olds can put it towards putting their kids into sports programs, buying down their mortgage, saving for their retirement
• 40-55 year olds use it for paying off their mortgage, to give them more disposable income to do other things that fuel the economy, like make investments, plan their retirement, buy a vacation property
• 55-65 will hopefully have paid off their mortgage and use the left over funds for investment and planning their retirement
• 65+ are allowed to spend their hard saved cash with little penalties because they do not burden the rest of the tax system, they are rewarded if they help their kids or grand kids buy a house, pay for their education -- all which society benefits from.

Sometimes you can't see the forest because you are only looking at trees.  Let's pressure our politicians and leaders to have more integrity and use our votes to the benefit of everyone, not a select few. 

The onus would then be on citizens to elect those that appeal to the big picture, not greedy with power or backfilling their own agenda. 

Sounds like Utopia to me.  Doesn't sound too difficult to me either.  What may be the most difficult would be to hold ourselves accountable on how we vote, who we vote for, and then only approve those that have the integrity to benefit society as a whole. 

This is not socialist thinking or communism.  We would still be using the democratic process.  The pay off would be when everyone, not a select few, gets a piece of the action and benefits.

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

~George Orwell