Discrimination costing companies

You would think that with companies having to pay out a record $365 million in awards to victims of job discrimination, employers might stop foolishly firing or not hiring people over a certain age. Not only are businesses being challenged legally by folks who feel blatantly discriminated against, they are also shooting themselves in the foot by favoring less qualified new hires (cheap help) who often have to be replaced in six months for one reason or another. High turnover is rarely a good thing in business.


Discrimination against anyone in the workplace has been proven to be bad for business for decades, yet the lawsuits keep piling up because certain industries never seem to get the message or think it's cheaper to pay settlements than to invest in proper hiring practices. Now, with so many folks out of work, discrimination against the unemployed is becoming an epidemic. Too many employers are making incorrect assumptions about many well-qualified job candidates based on reasons that are supposed to be against the law. I've seen this happen from all angles in recent years, and I have heard well-intentioned human resource people agonizing over not being able to pursue good job candidates because of pressures from above to steer the search to a certain demographic. And most of the time, those faulty assumptions and shadowy pressures lead to bad personnel decisions that directly impact the quality and quantity of work produced, not to mention the morale of existing employees who might start getting a few gray hairs.


Hiring the best person for the job, regardless of age, race, gender or anything else, still makes the most sense to me and should be the mantra of anyone involved in hiring and staff development.


Baby boomers are a resilient and resourceful group, and would much prefer to work than to collect unemployment or to pitch a tent at an "Occupy" demonstration. But if boomers aren't given a fair chance to hold or compete for jobs (the data indicates folks over 55 are being shut out in the job market at a rate twice as high as younger people), they do seem more willing than ever to fight for their workplace rights in a court of law. And they do appear to be winning those cases.

• Read about some baby boomers opting to leave the U.S.

Good words in gloomy times

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves. One is made of anger, envy, sorrow, regret, self-pity, guilt and resentment. The other is made of hope, peace, love, serenity, empathy, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a while and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee replied, "The one you feed."

Iron men of metal are back

Black Sabbath, the defining heavy metal band from about 150 years ago, is back. These are the original four members. Amazingly, they are all still alive, which is good because I hate it when some oldies rock band does a reunion tour but only has one or two original members left. Why should I pay good money to go listen to what is essentially a cover band or an Ozzy Osbourne impersonator? Yes, I am referring to you Journey, Chicago, Grand Funk Railroad and Jefferson Starship, not to mention countless others who have done reunions with a fraction of the real band members on stage.


I am glad the Sabbath guys decided, after three decades, to crank it up one more time, but I won't go see them perform. Call me "paranoid," but I fear there will be one too many Spinal Tap moments in their shows, and I already have enough of those in my day-to-day life.


I am not sure metal lends itself to senior citizen reunions. Will anyone want to see 70-year-old Metallica members in leather screaming about things that, well, really aren't relevant anymore or are just pathetically redundant? I am still cool with ZZ Top rolling out in white beards (now age appropriate) and playing some great blues=based rock, but I am not as comfortable with the idea of Judas Priest telling me that I "have another thing coming." Heck, at this stage of life, those lyrics are just a form of kicking baby boomers when they're down.


I won't deny any band's right to wheel out the Marshall amplifiers and have some fun in their senior years. There is nothing like playing in front of a live audience at any age, and Sabbath still has a pretty loyal following and, I presume, the chops to pull it off. But please, Ozzy, no biting off the heads of birds or any other critter. Don't even pretend to do it. This isn't 1970. PETA will be all over your case, and I'll just cringe from embarrassment and have to explain myself (and my generation) to people half my age. Just play your music, enjoy the energy from the crowds and don't trash any hotel rooms.

Sobering election results in Va.

Virginia is a strange state. Folks here in the commonwealth elected one of the first black governors (Douglas Wilder) years ago, when it wasn't a popular thing to do elsewhere. It also elected Tea Party darling, Eric Cantor. It has a bunch of famous, intellectual presidents buried in its red-clay soil. Many universities are named after them and other home-grown leaders. Virginia is also the home of some of the least progressive thinkers in U.S. history. It has a warm-and-fuzzy, long-lasting marketing slogan to help boost tourism. And, until recently, it allowed people to smoke in restaurants. You can still carry a gun almost anywhere in the state, and also get one of the best educations available in the world.


Voters are fickle here, too. There seems to be no logic to how or when they vote, or what values they support from year to year. It's a big state with demographics that vary wildly. It's often unpredictable in its politics and legislation. It's local economies are uneven.


Loudoun County, in an area of Northern Virginia that traditionally leans left, now has an entirely Republican Board of Supervisors and a new Republican sheriff. And with the results of one election still pending, Richmond is on the verge of being ruled entirely by Republicans.

Yesterday's election results are disheartening to me, an on-and-off resident of Virginia for over 20 years. I want the state to be more progressive, or at least politically and socially balanced. I am embarrassed by the tobacco industry ruling Richmond for decades. Yet, I admire much of the history and beauty that can be seen throughout the state. It's a great thing to be able to go to a University of Virginia football game in Charlottesville and realize you're on the campus that Thomas Jefferson founded. Head over to Colonial Williamsburg or Yorktown in the Tidewater region and you will likely experience something uniquely Virginian.


But there are no more Jeffersons left in Virginia, only smaller and smaller minds encased in the skulls of leaders who want to make this a state where everyone only looks out for themselves. Our state and local leaders now speak to the wealthy and prey on the emotions of the uninformed. They don't warn of the dangers of greedy corporations, as Jefferson did. They romance big business and call for oil rigs to be constructed off of Virginia Beach. Virginia isn't for lovers anymore. It's for BP, factory farming and big-time lobbyists.


While some of the national results from Election Day are modestly encouraging, I am not feeling so good  about Virginia. It's beginning to feel like a part of the country that is buying into all the Tea Party garbage and "Obama's a socialist" crap. Even Northern Virginia seems to be turning as red as the soil in the southern part of the state, which for an area as diverse as this, is quite alarming.


Over two-thirds of the registered voters did not vote yesterday. If that happens again in 2012, Obama will lose Virginia and empower conservatives in Richmond even more. It probably won't be long before Virginians are smoking up a storm in restaurants again, as the "Don't Tread on Me" slogan replaces the "Virginia is for Lovers" motto.

• GOP declares victory in Virginia Senate

Voters scarce in my town

I voted at around 3 p.m. today in Loudoun County, Va. I had my choice of voting machines. All were vacant at the middle school polling place.


While this was an "off year" in Virginia, there were at least two state races of some significance in my district. For anyone concerned that the commonwealth could turn red in all branches of government, this was not an election to sit out. This was also a good opportunity to send a message to politicians in Richmond and Washington that we don't want to wait until November of 2012 for change. A big turnout in an off year would have helped to deliver that message.


Instead, it appears most people chose not to vote. I will know more tomorrow on the actual voter turnout, but on a spectacularly beautiful Election Day just outside of D.C., I expected to see a few more folks at the voting machines.


I am not judging anyone who didn't vote. Not everyone feels the pain of what has transpired in the last three years the way I and others have. Many people, especially in affluent Northern Virginia, are comfortably numb to most societal problems and therefore don't have my motivation to vote. However, as I grow older I realize that we only have two weapons against injustice -- public demonstrations (like the Occupy movement) and voting. Surrendering either of those options at a critical time in our history, when we are in such decline, seems dangerous.


On the other hand, many people vote based on little more than bumper sticker slogans, outdated stereotypes or self interests, and Fox News soundbites, so maybe low voter turnout isn't all bad.


Click here for more on Loudoun County voter turnout.

"Years to come" a death sentence

The main story headline on The Washington Post home page tonight wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes, but it wasn't a surprise either.


Any longtime unemployed or underemployed person could have told you that the job market shows practically no signs of improving. It's been that way for three years and the unemployed don't need data or comments from the Fed to prove it.


Trying to convince anyone who hasn't directly felt the hardships of unemployment that good jobs are scarce to non-existent is like beating your head against the wall. It's useless and causes severe headaches.


There is a large percentage of people who still don't know why protesters are occupying various cities or why they are angry at Wall Street and Washington. Those sitting in judgment of the occupiers look at the help wanted ads and see plenty of jobs. Just today I heard someone making fun of the demonstrators, saying they should all go get jobs and give the public parks back to the homeless.


It's maddening to hear comments like that from people who haven't missed a beat in their careers through this recession, which for many folks has been more of a severe depression. It's disheartening when I hear these things from people who I know aren't bad or heartless souls. For some reason, they just cling to the old stereotypes about the unemployed. They tend to place the blame where it doesn't belong and grossly underestimate how bad the unemployment situation is for every from white-collar professionals to blue-collar tradesmen. I am sure there must be some psychological explanation for this misinformed, careless attitude in otherwise decent, thoughtful folks. Maybe they have a deep fear of losing their jobs. So to feel more in control of their fates, they place the blame on the unemployed rather than the system that could claim anyone's job on any given day or prevent people from re-entering the workforce. They think that if they just continue to do a good job that everything will work out. Well, that's simply not true anymore.


For guys and gals like me, in my age group and predicament, the Post headline is particularly sobering. The phrase "years to come" is like a death sentence. Years to come puts me in my 60s or pretty damn close to it. How many people do you know who have been hired in their 60s lately, let alone started new careers? One can still be a valuable resource to any employer in their 60s, but try convincing the folks in hiring positions of that fact.


I have read many times that if you got laid off in your 50s during this recession, you may never work again, at least not in a regular, career-oriented job. You might be able to patch together a part-time position here and there, get a contract or consulting gig or two, and get by until Social Security kicks in. In the meantime, you may lose your house and have to give up your health insurance. Pleasantries like vacations are a thing of the past. And once you turn retirement age, what at you going to retire on? Those freelance and part-time paychecks without benefits don't last. They are merely week-to-week or month-to-month funds to survive on. They aren't an ideal option in trying to rebuild nest eggs. Social Security alone won't pay for a used mobile home in swamp, let alone medical bills or other expenses. And if the Republicans get their way, Social Security won't even exist in 10 years.


"Years to come" isn't what I want to hear from the Fed concerning the future of the unemployment epidemic that already feels like an eternity. That phrase tells me that worse days are ahead and that the golden years are going to be a tragic time for millions of Americans. That phrase makes it hard to enjoy the present, too, which in itself is tragic. Maybe it's just time to turn off the news.

Good music, good cause

Click here to go to Neil Young store.

Dude (looks like a mess)

Steven, Steven, Steven ... I don't know whether to believe you or not about your recent "accidental" fall in a bathroom that caused these injuries. What I do know is that I am getting tired of aging rock stars -- musicians I admired in the 1970s -- ending up a mess.


I warned you before about falling down. I'll assume you don't read this blog, but I would imagine you have people around who advise you to be more careful. Apparently, they aren't getting through. 


Sadly, there is a whole generation that only knows Tyler as a judge on American Idol or as the singer on movie soundtracks. People my age know him from his early work, when he and his band Aerosmith turned out great songs like Seasons of Wither. Some of Aerosmith's earliest and least popular songs were actually their best.


As I have said before, I wish rock stars would age more gracefully. I don't need them to wear glittery spandex pants anymore. I don't need big stage productions on platforms they often fall off of in their senior years. I just want to hear the music, perhaps done with a little less theatrics and a lot more soul that often comes with aging. I don't care if you can't hit the high notes anymore. Change the key of the song to fit your aging vocal cords. But please, no more self-induced falling down and not being able to get up.


Tyler, like others inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, have earned the right to finally be themselves. I would hope most fans my age would be content seeing Tyler and his bandmates wearing old jeans, without the eye makeup, just performing their old tunes in a fashion that is age appropriate -- maybe even in an acoustic setting.


Heal up, Steve. Rock 'n' roll still needs you ... just not like this.

A voice from the 1 percent

"Many of the 53% crowd seem quite proud of their Christian faith.  I am not religious myself, but I am reasonably certain that Jesus would not respond to the poor and unemployed with shouts of "Get a job!"  I vividly remember what it was like to be poor. To be concise, it sucked, and my heartfelt sympathies automatically go out to anyone who has to experience it, especially children who are blameless for their circumstances. Whenever I meet someone who has not been as lucky as I have been, I recognize how easily our roles could have been reversed by the random forces of fate. And despite my lack of religion, I instinctively think "There but for the grace of God go I."


The above paragraph was written by someone in the 1 percent. Not a mega-wealthy person, but someone who makes enough money to be economically excluded from the 99 percent. Click here to read the entire text.


Not everyone in the 1 percent is evil or greedy. Many in the top percent want to pay their fair share of taxes in order to create a better society. Some want to hire people and expand their businesses. And few might even see that it is the Republican Party and certain corporate forces that are preventing a more fair and equitable system that would eventually improve the overall economy. I hope more 1 percenters speak out and support the movement to clean up a corrupt system that they have benefitted from but know is morally wrong.


To counter the 99 percent movement and prop up the Tea Party, a new group is forming on the right. They consider themselves in the 53 percent -- which I am still not certain what that number represents or if it's even accurate. Much that comes from the right never checks out factually, but I think their point is that they are employed, tax-paying citizens who want to put themselves above the protesters. To me, it seems the only purpose of this group is to place blame on the unemployed rather than the system that has led to mass layoffs over the last three years. These 53 percent live in an imaginary country based on a world that hasn't existed for decades. To them, everything is just fine. Opportunities for all still exist. All you have to do is work hard and pursue your dreams. Gosh, what a naive view.


Those who followed the rules -- worked hard and were loyal -- found out the system was rigged. Many of them lost their jobs. They are denied re-entry into the workplace because of the lack of openings, age discrimination or skills that are no longer needed. Those who are working are hit with furloughs so that massive bonuses can be paid out to top-level executives. Meanwhile, the people most responsible for the collapse of the economy remain free from prosecution and continue to profit from their unethical practices. 


This doesn't feel like class warfare. This feels like class surrender. Yet, maybe the surrender was premature. There is an awakening in America -- one that hopefully can't be stopped by Wall Street dollars, political liars like Eric Cantor and John Boehner, or even police brutality. It's sadly ironic that police, who have been hit hard by layoffs and flat wages, are turning against the very people protesting to help them get back on track. I wonder if police officers will eventually realize that they are a part of the 99 percent -- part of the population screwed over by some in the 1 percent -- and join the protesters? Imagine how Wall Street and extreme right-wing conservatives will tremble at the site of the blue marching with demonstrators?


I don't think the 53 percent will get much traction, but then again, I never thought the Tea Party would actually sway elections in 2010 and create a Republican field of presidential candidates that is so scary, so intellectually inferior to any presidential field I've ever seen in my lifetime, that it makes me wonder if we are indeed done as a country.


The Occupy Wall Street folks are exposing some ugly truths about America and are ruffling the feathers of those in power who will use groups like the 53 percent and Tea Party to create smoke screens. But the OWS demonstrators have the truth and numbers on their side. They have the data and the facts that show how the political system in this country has catered to the elite at the expense of everyone else. Bad policies drove us into the recession and mass unemployment -- policies created by and for the 1 percent. No amount of b.s. or high-paid lobbying from the far right will be able to extinguish what most of us know to be true intellectually and what we feel in our hearts every single day.


The chart below shows the problem. Since about the Reagan-era, the top one percent (red line) has seen their income skyrocket. Everyone else has been relatively flat. What this chart doesn't show is the timeline of public policies that created the gross advantages for the one percent while everyone else was losing their jobs or not getting raises. That, in a nutshell, is what needs to change and why people are protesting.

Class warfare vs. class surrender. Watch YouTube video

Killing sharks solves nothing

There have been 13 deaths caused by shark attacks worldwide this year. Think about the size of the oceans and the number of human beings on the planet. Now tell me that 13 deaths is a good enough reason to start slaughtering this allegedly protected species.


Humans are unbelievable. Anything that is remotely a threat to us in any way has to be killed without any thought about what that ultimately means to the natural balance of life on land and in the sea. We spend so much time, energy and money chasing the boogie man that we can't see the real threats in our lives each and every day.


Time and time again we imperil ourselves in worse ways in the quest to eliminate rare and unlikely threats. We'll kill every shark in sight because the number of attacks on human beings is up slightly. We'll kill sharks for profit. And we'll kill sharks in order to pound our chests while they hang from a hook.


I presume some people like killing for the sake of killing. It's not a public safety issue with them. There is something primal in certain people who want to dominate all other living things. Even when we don't kill, we abuse various species by putting on animal shows in circuses and rodeos.


When you go into the ocean, there are threats. You might get stung by a jellyfish. You might stub your toe on coral. You might get caught in a riptide and drown. Should we drain the oceans so these things don't happen, thereby depleting our food supply?


Look, if you don't want to feel threatened by a shark, don't go in the water. If you don't want a black bear to bust into your picnic basket, don't go in the forest. But do not destroy the entire ecosystem because you've watched "Jaws" one too many times or have an irrational fear of animals -- critters that will normally will leave us alone if we leave them alone and don't do anything stupid while in their habitats. Animals that directly and indirectly benefit human beings by their mere existence.


We have to stop overreacting to things that are not common threats to our safety and start identifying the things that do endanger us. There is more to fear in the air and water supply -- invisible things -- that should get more of our attention than a shark that is, well, just being a shark. We have more to fear from Corporate America than a wolf roaming through Yellowstone. You want to be scared of something? Be frightened to death by right-wing politicians who want to remove regulations that are in place to keep us safe.


Millions of people die from heart attacks and cancer, yet we somehow want to divert our media attention, public research and dwindling resources to 13 people who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some people want to blindly kill the top predator in the oceans without regard for how that will alter the food chain in ways that could come back to haunt us much more than these 13 deaths.


Yes indeed, humans are unbelievable.