June
Posted on June 7th, 2009 by Adam Hansen
It’s June and I haven’t posted in how many months? Really? I should do something about that.
More fun Twitter folks
Posted on February 3rd, 2009 by Adam Hansen
When reading my tweets tonight, I noticed a few links to good articles about Twitter. Thought I would share in one post rather than twittering them out one at a time.
50 Twitter Users to Follow for Your Job Search
Exploring Social Media: LeVar Burton Passionate About Social Media
How to be a better Tweeter
Back in September I made a post about Twitter mentioning some people to follow. As more people I know are using it, I find myself recommending more and more interesting users. So here are a more few accounts you may enjoy if you are a fellow Twitterer… Tweeter… Twitteritte?
twitter.com/Foodimentary - Fun food facts
twitter.com/Equal_Exchange
twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ - Shaquille O’Neal
twitter.com/MCHammer - Hammer
twitter.com/frandrescher - Fran Drescher
twitter.com/lessig - Larry Lessig
twitter.com/paulocoelho - Author Paulo Coelho
twitter.com/richardbranson - Sir Richard Branson
twitter.com/BreakingNewz
http://twitter.com/WSJ - The Wall Street Journal
http://twitter.com/dailyhistory - A history fun fact for the day
http://twitter.com/fwdfwdfwd - Great tech links
twitter.com/NTARC - National Terror Alert Response Center
twitter.com/HouseFloor - U.S. House
twitter.com/SenateFloor - U.S. Senate
twitter.com/nprnews - News from NPR
twitter.com/tinybuddha - fun posts that may make you think
Who does a union represent?
Posted on January 29th, 2009 by Adam Hansen
Last week I posed a question to both my union steward and the alternate steward. They agreed that my perspective was correct but we should consult people further up in the union hierarchy to see what, if anything, I might be missing. Since I have not received a satisfactory answer after a week, yesterday I emailed the 9 members of my unionized office hoping to gain any perspective that I am missing.
Knowing that I have a much more diverse group of people who check this blog I have decided to post the email I sent to my fellow AFSCME union members as well. The letter follows…
Since our last union meeting, I have been trying to understand something in regards to the most senior qualified person for a job versus the most qualified person for a job. I am hoping someone can help me. I have discussed this with a couple of people but haven’t really gotten an answer that disagrees with me.
What is wrong with the most qualified person within the office being awarded a position that is up for bid? What incentives are there for anyone to do the best job they can? If the most qualified person is awarded the job, doesn’t that encourage all of us to try to do the best we can and learn as much as we can? It seems to me this would make this a better, more efficient place. The way it is right now, there isn’t much of a reason to do any more that the minimum required.
If I am missing something, please let me know. If you agree with me, we should probably let our union representatives know that too. Thank you for helping me better understand this.
- Adam
I would appreciate any and all perspectives on this situation. I am simply trying to understand why a policy is in place, that from my perspective, isn’t in the best interest of the office, the taxpaying public or even the best interest of the majority of the members of the union.
Leave a comment or feel free to email me. I would love to hear your thoughts.
10,000 hours
Posted on December 21st, 2008 by Adam Hansen
I first heard the concept of 10,000 hours while listening to Michael McAlister’s Infinite Smile podcasts. A quick one line summation would be that one can achieve enlightenment after 10,000 hours of practice. More recently while listening to the Dave Ramsey Show, Dave delivered what seemed to be an unscripted monolouge about becoming an expert in whatever you choose within a year. This concept was basically if you choose to turn off the television and dedicate your spare time to learning, reading and doing activity fits with your topic, you could become a leading expert in many different fields within a year or so. How many books could you read? I have heard what Dave said before but it never really resonated until I heard him talk about it.
Now this morning I am listening to Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak’s No Agenda show and John is talking about the 10,000 hour concept too. I actually pressed pause to come write this because it seems like all signs are pointing me to becoming an expert. (If you believe in things of that sort.) Since hearing Dave talk about it a week or so ago, I have been trying to choose a something. As usual with me, I am having a difficult time narrowing my choices down.
So I have been reading over some of my old goal lists that I have kept for most of my adult life. One thing I keep coming to is within a year becoming healthy enough to run a marathon (and run it of course.) But I wonder if I can make myself stick to it. That would be a serious achievement if I could. I have also been thinking about becoming more of an expert in one of my hobbies or interests; Photography, alternative energy, something in the technolgy space, world affairs, politics, marketing… Well lets just say I have a lot of different interests. Hopefully in the next week or so I can pick one.
A new take on an old problem
Posted on December 18th, 2008 by Adam Hansen
In the city of Toledo and in Lucas County, governmental bodies are having a difficult time figuring out how to effectively run their agencies given a continually shrinking tax base. This seems to be a similar situation that other municipalities are having across the country as well. I have heard numerous times as an employee, if you have any ideas on how to decrease costs, please share them. I have submitted several different ideas over the past year. I just thought of another one but since I am not at work, I thought I would share it here first.
Generally in business, and I assume in governments as well, as budgets are determined if the money that is allocated for that specific line item is not used, then next year that dollar amount will be reduced. The mentality is one of well if you didn’t use it Year 1 you won’t need it Year 2.
How about changing that mentality a bit? The money has been allocated. Consider it gone. If there is anything left over, it is a bonus. If a department works to not use all of that money, instead of taking it away next year, give a percentage of that unused money to the people who found ways to not spend it. Reward your workers for being proactive in watching day to day spending. Perhaps the split is 50% goes back to the main fund and 50% is split among those that worked to save the money.
Imagine a entire company, or city or county, working together toward the same goal. The best way to get that to happen is to feel like they are all on the same team. Not union vs. management but instead if we all do this, then we all win.
Just another thought. Something to ponder. Something to try. The old ways don’t seem to be working very well anyhow. Be daring. Take a chance. Try something new.
A Thought on Bailouts
Posted on December 13th, 2008 by Adam Hansen
Instead of the government directly giving the U.S. auto manufacturer’s bailout money, I mean loans, how about making a provision for the banks that are getting bailout money. In order for these lending institutions to receive any more money, they must process the loans that the auto companies need.
Here is another thought, effective immediately, any new U.S. made vehicle purchase is 100% tax deductible. After all isn’t the sale of vehicles what has traditionally puts the money into the the U.S. auto manufacturer’s business. Hmmm… it helps the consumer and the Big Three. Seems like it might help stimulate the economy a bit too.
If economics can trickle down, can it trickle up too??
A small treat
Posted on December 6th, 2008 by Adam Hansen
I did something I haven’t done in a few years… I bought wine. I am, and have been, on a pretty tight budget for a while that has not allowed room for purchasing wine. While I have been a viewer (or maybe that should be lurker) of Wine Library TV ever since the first mention on Diggnation, I have not been in a position to enjoy the juice that Gary Vaynerchuk has been talking about on the show.
Once upon a time, I was the wine buyer for the small chain of pharmacies. I used to enjoy buying nearly all the specialty merchandise then; wine, beer, cigars, candles, and anything else that would be fun and move in the stores. Since that time I haven’t been in a position to do much in the way of purchasing these things that I enjoyed so much.
On to the purchase… I was at the grocery store and noticed a small case stack of Coppola Classico. They were packaged two bottles for only ten bones. In the past I have bought this for about $9 a bottle so I figured I wasn’t living too large grabbing a couple of bottles for $5 a piece. I haven’t yet popped the cork but plan to do so soon. I remember it as a decent table wine. Hopefully my memory serves me correctly. Funny how something like an extra ten dollars could make such a difference to me.
* Can’t wait until I am debt free so I can free up some cash to try some good wines on a regular basis. * Darn you Cali Lewis and Dave Ramsey!!! 
An American Creed
Posted on October 25th, 2008 by Adam Hansen
I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man
It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.
I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”
By Dean Alfange
______________
*Originally published in This Week Magazine.
Later printed in The Reader’s Digest, October 1952 and January 1954.
The Honorable Dean Alfange was an American statesman born December 2, 1899, in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was raised in upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and attended Hamilton College, graduating in the class of 1922.
via [DaveRamsey.com]
All a Twitter
Posted on September 21st, 2008 by Adam Hansen
It seems like more and more people I know are starting to learn about the Twitter revolution. I have been using the service for about a year and a half now. For those newer to the twitter-verse, I thought I would share a few users that I follow. These aren’t people. They are more like services I find useful to me.This started as an email to one person and then I thought maybe there would be others that would find it interesting.
News
APNews - The AP’s twitter page
cnnbrk - Hot news from CNN
BreakingNewsOn - keeping up on breaking stories
NewsGang - a synthesis of politics and technology news
Space
NASA - It’s NASA. ‘Nuff said.
MarsPhoenix - The Mars Phoenix Lander twitters too.
Politics
BarackObama - a way to keep up with the Obama campaign
McCain_Palin - a way to keep up with the McCain campaign
Deals
amazonmp3 - Amazon’s deal of the day
woot - Tells you the latest deal on woot.com
What are some of your favorite twitter users to follow?
Just a thought for today
Posted on August 24th, 2008 by Adam Hansen
Back in 2003, I started blogging. For a while I was quite consistent then I started to be more spotty in my blogging. I tried the podcasting thing, starting the Yippie Show in 2005 but I just couldn’t be consistent about that either. Now I find myself rarely blogging after setting up my AdamHansen.net domain. Occasionally I share a video or blurb that crosses my RSS reader but rarely do I sit down and actually write. In 2007 I found myself jumping into the micro blogging world. I try to be a little more consistent with my Twittering, Plurking and the likes. Using ping.fm helps me there. All this to say, I have a lot to say but don’t express it.
As I watch the political and entertainment scenes, I think about how public figures lives are combed through to find any sensational newsworthy information. I live a pretty open life. You can easily find most all of my “personal” information online. But at the same time I have tend to self-censor my thoughts and opinions as I don’t want them blown out of porportion or taken out of context to be twisted up.
As we progress in this 21st century things will become more and more open, personally and corporately. As they say, resistance is futile. So I have embraced it but I also keep a lot of things locked up in my head. People don’t want the whole story, they want the juicy one. That is too bad really.
