(Click this link to read)

Lions and Tigers and WMD, Oh My!

Hiking the Abandoned Rails

A Photo Essay in PDF format. Click here to launch the document.

(click the link)

New World Order

The Concept and the Reality.

In my last job I worked as a property inspector that verified the replacement cost of homes for insurance companies. We did not work for a single company, we contracted with many of them nationwide.

In order for me to get this job, I had to take an online training course that was rigorous and timed. I had two weeks to pass 15 tests in order to be accepted. This was a contract job that was supposed to be part-time, where I worked out of my home.

During this training course, they taught us about the corporate culture and how we were supposed to represent the various companies that we worked for. We were also told about the various criteria by which our work would be judged and graded.

The job was to inspect the inside and outside of the insured residence and complete a report online and e-mail it back to the company. We were not to discuss policy or what the company may or may not do with the reports that were filed. We had to wear a tie, be courteous, not swear, etc, etc….

However, when I started actually doing the work, a few things became very clear. We were expected to have a 75% completion rate on cases within 10 working days. We were required to make three phone calls to the insured and attempt to see the house (risk) within 3 days of assignment.

The only problems were these. Most homeowners do not use their phones as a primary form of communications. They no longer have land lines, and they use their cell phones only for family communication and texting. If they see a strange number come up on their cell phone, they don’t answer.

The other problem is that most homes are not owner occupied. While home sales are going up, they are not being purchased by homeowners; they are being purchased by speculator and landlords as rentals, and thereby are managed by property managers. Getting hold of the insured, then finding out their property managers, getting hold of them, who then have to contact the tenants to schedule an appointment sort of blew the whole 75% completion rate in 10 days out of the water.

While this was a nice job, it was supposed to be a part time, work from home deal, and with the various problems I was running into, it was evident that it was a 40+ hour a week job that I was netting less than minimum wage for, so I eventually found something better.

I ran into one of my counterparts as I was starting my new job and discussed how difficult it was to meet the expectations of the company based on the phone / landlord issues. He sort of laughed at me and told me that he usually inspected 8 to 10 hours a DAY with no problem. Stunned I asked him how the hell he was able to schedule so many appointments.

He said it was simple; you call up the insured and leave them a voice mail that states if I can’t see you house in 48 hours your insurance policy will be canceled. Stunned, I reminded him that was against company policy. He laughed and replied, “That is window dressing for the clients, if you want to make money and meet quota you have to knock some heads. Policyholders and Property Managers are idiots.”

I just can’t work this way. I guess I just don’t have what it takes to screw people. But it appears that is what is necessary if you want to work in today’s modern world.

Lucky Dog

Stuart & Sue Headed to Bisbee

Things are really screwed up.  North Korea is causing problems, you can’t get the ATM’s to work on Cyprus, there is snow drifts in the mid-west in Mid-April.  Gun control and gay rights, lets not even go there.

So when something good really does happen, it tends to stand out.  Such is the case of Stuart.  Stuart is a year old, has a tail and four paws.  He is a dog. 

Stuart did not have the best breaks in life.  He was abandoned in Phoenix Arizona on the street, but the previous owner did manage to leave a bowl of water so he wouldn't die of thirst….at least not right away. 

Now I can’t fault the owner.  They may have fallen on hard times, or they may just be supper ass-hole jerks.  I can’t be sure.  But one thing is for sure.  Stuart is a charmer.  I could not imagine a better dog. 

Stuart was found by a kind hearted sole that, unlike the original owner, could not bear to leave him on the street.  He was taken to a No-Kill non-profit animal shelter where he was nursed back to health.  He has been neutered, vaccinated and feed to the point where he is one healthy dog. 

The shelter managed to find him a savior that was willing to take him in.  The only problem was, the new owner is an ex-patriot that lives in Mexico.  So, through a chain of events and some dedicated people Stuart made it to his new home.  Three people coordinated three legs of the trip from the shelter to our house in Phoenix, then to Bisbee, Arizona, and from there south into Mexico to the small town of Banamichi

Stuart spent almost 5 hours with us on the trip from Phoenix to Bisbee and during that time he proved himself to be a wonderful dog.  He did not know where he was going, but had the air about him that he knew he was in good hands.  He somehow knew that his future was bright. 

We hated to see him go.  But we were just the link in a chain.  A very good chain.  So when you hear of how screwed up the world is on the nightly news, or get depressed at how depressing your job can be.  Think of Stuart.  Good things happen.  You just have to be a link in the chain.  

The Fire In The Belly

The Old Office Award Shelf (in my new office)

I haven’t been blogging much recently.  A lot of the bloggers that I used to read don’t blog as much these days either.

Reasons, well….lack of frustration would be one.  Blogging was always a release to the stress and frustration that was ever present in my life.  Take away those factors and the need for ‘therapy’ hasn't been as great. 

In the past, readers will recall, that my job was a constant source of blogging material.  Looking back on that past life, I have come to realize that my employer really was “F’ed Up”.  I mean it really was a bizarre place to work.  Having gotten away from it and looking back, I am amazed at how I lasted there as long as I did.  I will probably be summing up my experiences there in the coming weeks.  As I have often stated, looking back at a problem from a great distance lets you see it in a different light.

With that stress gone, the world is a happier place, and happy people don’t blog as much for therapy..  They can, but when you are happy, you find happy things to do, and don’t need to blow off as much steam. 

I always hoped to turn this blog into a more introspective and contemplative work, where I explored the broader meaning of life through fiction and poetry.  However, that takes a lot more thought and a lot more time to write out.  Like I stated, I am now doing ‘happier’ stuff that leaves less time for writing in that vein. 

So hopefully, this blog has turned a corner.  It won’t nearly as frequent as it once was.  But hopefully better.  

The Nightly Propaganda, with Bryan Williams

"Don't worry honey, there will be a cute animal story on the news right after the commercial"

The news of the last few days is getting me more and more upset. Either the public's fascination with anxiety and stress is becoming overwhelming, or the media is playing to your fears more and more to sell you toothpaste and pharmaceuticals. Just this past week:

The Carnival Triumph Cruise Ship. Ow the humanity! All these whiny little middle class working stiffs are crying and moaning because their floating Motel 6 ran out of air conditioning and free lobster. What they are really whining about is that they paid for something and didn't get their monies worth. This is headline news? We're they ever in danger of drowning?, starving?, immanent death?....No. Even on a stranded cruise ship they were living lives better than the average African or South American. Jeez, grow up people...shit happens. But the media makes one huge deal out of it because of the "human" drama.

The Russian Meteor Disaster. Ow, the sky is falling! Granted this was valid news, and great video to watch, thanks for the update. But the next day...same story, same video...but with experts from community colleges and cults telling us just how bad this could have been and that we might all be killed by space debris at any second! Ow My...Lions & Tigers & Bears!!! Wake up folks, this could have happened at any time in the last 2 million years and there is nothing we can do about it in the future! Why don't you just carry on, you can't prevent hurricanes, earthquakes or volcanoes either. The universe is a dangerous place, if you want to save your children, invest in the space program, don't watch the damn anxiety news shows!

The Illegal Aliens Are Coming, Run For Your Lives! We live 5 miles from the Mexico border. Contrary to what you might hear and read, there isn't a problem with illegal immigrants filing through our front yard or sleeping in our garage. Far from it. Yet every month we see a news story on the national media about columns of drug smugglers filing across ranches in Southern Arizona and how Americans are in fear of their lives. Bullshit. I am sure it exists to a degree, but not to the extent that the media plays it up. Border Patrol agents and law enforcement are thick as thieves where we live. If their are illegals here they sure don't want to stick around. I would be more concerned about the thousands of meth-labs in major metropolitan areas that are cranking out drugs right next door to you, than a few Mexicans sneaking marijuana across the border. The media is whipping up fear to make you vote a specific way and trying to bias your opinion.

Remember, for every news story you see or read in the media, there is an alternate view, but that view isn't backed by folks who want to sell you things you don't need.