NEWSWEEK is History!!!

Today I received my weekly edition of Newsweek. I have maintained my subscription for approximately thirty years and have always looked forward to each week's articles. One of the long time editors, went to high school with me and I had a certain allegiance, as a result of him being my classmate. I truly valued the content and the way the magazine challenged my intellect.

"Why are Obama's Critics So Dumb?" was today's headline. It literally screamed out from this week's cover, adjacent to a picture of President Obama. This headline was insulting, degrading and sophomoric in nature, to those of us not in favor of Obama. I think, I finally have hit my limit with this magazine and its continued growth of liberal garbage and utter waste of good paper. Over time it has gone from a literal advocate of the real news and has now swung completely to the left and only offers biased adolescent material.

Over the years I have witnessed the destruction, of what was once a valued publication. Newsweek once held prestige and was admired within the industry. Newsweek annually took honors (reference the link below) and became an established Icon of the industry. It has now become a rag that should be placed along side "The Enquirer" and other trash publications at the checkout counter. It currently borders on insanity and contributes no value to the citizens of this or any other country.

In addition, Newsweek advocates have come to expect a bi-annual restructure of the magazine, which in most cases gets farther and farther away from reality and any sense of organization or quality. I am a proponent of change and understand the need to refresh your look and style to cultivate new patrons and hopefully keep the existing endorsers. There becomes a point in time when excessive change becomes delusional and Newsweek is obsessed with altering the layout, whether it is really necessary or not.

A few of the layouts have improved the magazine's overall merit, but in most cases it has decreased the intrinsic value. Some have bordered on obsessive lunacy and have helped destruct the once proud periodical. A subscriber barely has time to adjust to a new theme before a brand new look comes along. It appears as if they hire a new marketing person every six months and their first task is to redesign the magazine's layout.

As I no longer have any interest in receiving a publication that issues articles from the ultimate left and no longer brings any challenge to my intellect, I feel I must let my subscription expire. It is a sad day and I feel like I have lost a arm or a leg. Well.....no maybe a digit. Oh well, it just like losing a hangnail!


http://www.hillmanfoundation.org/node/388

Company Loyalty is Dead!!!

Some days the bear eats you and some days you eat the bear, as Stephen Stills sang. A friend of mine was laid off recently, after dedicating over 20 years of their life, to a company that I worked with, for a few years. Given that I was in the industry for over 30 years and this individual worked for me at one time or another that should narrow it down. Right! I would venture to guess I have worked with a minimum of 10,000 people over the years.

This individual had character and one of the most ethical personifications that exists. I am sure it was a case of "Downsizing" and eliminating salary costs. After a while in the convenience store industry, just like any other employment, age and wages start to catch up with you and you become a liability that corporate has no need to support.

I remember as a child growing up, my mother would get upset with my father for job hopping. In those days, one was expected to stay with a company over their career and bare the fruits of your labor upon retirement. This is complete and unadulterated hogwash these days, as we all know, it simply isn't true. The only consideration is the bottom line for any and all companies.

You may find it odd that I am so upset about a friend losing their position in this particular company, but if you knew this person and the manner they conducted themselves, you would completely understand. This person was a leader, peer and true companion. They could always be relied upon, when I needed advice or just to talk about work or life in general.

We discussed the situation and the person inquired whether I would be a reference. Obviously I will do what ever I can, but the sad truth is that once you leave the industry, you are basically a "persona non grata" and are thought of as a non entity. So....I will gladly be your reference friend, but I am not exactly sure you will receive any benefit from this old man's opinion!

I wish that the opposite were true and companies still had the backbone and gumption to stand up for their employees and people who worked diligently for such a period, were revered and not cast aside. Sadly this is the way of the world and its each bear for themselves!