Senior Citizens

By Terry Orr

(Thanks Mary for the email)

Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. We know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not try to blame others.

HOWEVER, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it was NOT senior citizens who took:

The melody out of music,

The pride out of appearance,

The courtesy out of driving,

The romance out of love,

The commitment out of marriage,

The responsibility out of parenthood,

The togetherness out of the family,

The learning out of education,

The service out of patriotism,

The Golden Rule from rulers,

The nativity scene out of cities,

The civility out of behavior,

The refinement out of language,

The dedication out of employment,

The prudence out of spending,

The ambition out of achievement or

God out of government and school.

And we certainly are NOT the ones who

eliminated patience and tolerance from

personal relationships and interactions with others!!

And, we DO understand the meaning of

patriotism, and remember those who have fought and died for our country.

Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts, as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts, as the American Flag passes by in a parade!

YES, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN!

I'm the life of the party.....

Even if it lasts until 8 p.m.

I'm very good at opening childproof caps.....

With a hammer.

I'm awake many hours before

my body allows me to get up.

I'm smiling all the time,

because I can't hear a thing you're saying.

I'm sure everything I can't find is

in a safe secure place, somewhere.

I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy,

and that's just my left leg.

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

Yes, I'm a SENIOR CITIZEN

and I think I am having the time of my life!

Now if I could only remember who sent this to me, I wouldn't send it back to them.

Or, maybe I should send it to all my friends anyway.

They won't remember, even if they did send it.

Spread the laughter

Share the cheer

Let's be happy

While we're here.

MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

AND MAY AMERICA

CONTINUE TO THANK GOD!!

Go Green - Recycle Congress!!!!

April is Preventing Animal Cruelty Month

By Terry Orr

What is Animal Cruelty?

Before researching material for this article, I thought the answer would be rather straightforward with little to no gray area. Wrong.  Mspca.org provides this definition:

One definition, sometimes used by judiciary authorities, the MSPCA and other humane law enforcement officials, is found in Blacks Law Dictionary:

Cruelty to Animals. The infliction of physical pain, suffering or death upon an animal, when not necessary for purposes of training or discipline or (in the case of death) to procure food or to release the animal from incurable suffering, but done wantonly, for mere sport, for the indulgence of a cruel and vindictive temper, or with reckless indifference to its pain.

Treat the earth and all that dwell therein with respect

Take from the Earth what is needed and nothing more

Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good

All life is sacred, treat all beings with respect

Take full responsibility for your actions

Granny taught us early in life to respect all God’s creatures. It was ok to fish, hunt, and raise livestock for our food – but also not to waste. Sharing with others is always good and the right thing to do.  As children growing up, we were unaware of the Native American Ten Commandments and any direct link to their way of life – that connection came later in life. 

I believe we all have a responsibility to respect all of his creatures, to take care of them and protect them from abuse.

References and Links:

http://www.mspca.org/programs/cruelty-prevention/animal-cruelty-information/

(All images from Google) 

Equal Pay Day

By Terry Orr

The right of employees to be free from discrimination in their compensation is protected under several federal laws, including the following enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work in the same establishment. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially equal. It is job content, not job titles, that determines whether jobs are substantially equal. Specifically, the EPA provides:

Employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment. Each of these factors is summarized below:

Skill: Measured by factors such as the experience, ability, education and training required to perform the job. The key issue is what skills are required for the job, not what skills the individual employees may have. For example, two bookkeeping jobs could be considered equal under the EPA even if one of the job holders has a master's degree in physics, since that degree would not be required for the job.

Effort: The amount of physical or mental exertion needed to perform the job. For example, suppose that men and women work side by side on a line assembling machine parts. The person at the end of the line must also lift the assembled product as he or she completes the work and place it on a board. That job requires more effort than the other assembly line jobs if the extra effort of lifting the assembled product off the line is substantial and is a regular part of the job. As a result, it would not be a violation to pay that person more, regardless of whether the job is held by a man or a woman.

Responsibility: The degree of accountability required in performing the job. For example, a salesperson who is delegated the duty of determining whether to accept customers' personal checks has more responsibility than other salespeople. On the other hand, a minor difference in responsibility, such as turning out the lights at the end of the day, would not justify a pay differential.

Working Conditions: This encompasses two factors: (1) physical surroundings, such as temperature, fumes and ventilation; and (2) hazards.

 Establishment: The prohibition against compensation discrimination under the EPA applies only to jobs within an establishment. An establishment is a distinct physical place of business rather than an entire business or enterprise consisting of several places of business. However, in some circumstances, physically separate places of business should be treated as one establishment. For example, if a central administrative unit hires employees, sets their compensation and assigns them to work locations, the separate work sites can be considered part of one establishment.

Pay differentials are permitted when they are based on seniority, merit, quantity or quality of production, or a factor other than sex. These are known as "affirmative defenses," and it is the employer's burden to prove that they apply. (Source: SHRM)

From my personal experiences – though somewhat bias – as my working career has been twenty years in the US Navy and then 27 years as a defense contractor.  In both careers – folks were given equal pay for equal jobs as defined above.  However, the second career was terrible regarding the “Glass Ceiling” – primarily due to the ‘ole boy’ brotherhood. A few inroads have been made – but for the most part – that problem still exist.

References and Links:

http://www.shrm.org/LegalIssues/FederalResources/FederalStatutesRegulationsandGuidanc/Pages/EqualPayActof1963.aspx

Common Sense - RIP

LONDON, February 7, 2012

An Obituary printed in the London Times

(Google Image) 

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

• Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
• Why the early bird gets the worm;
• Life isn't always fair; and
• Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, launched a lawsuit and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death:

• by his parents, Truth and Trust,
• by his wife, Discretion,
• by his daughter, Responsibility, and
• by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers:

• I Know My Rights
• I Want It Now
• Someone Else Is To Blame
• I'm A Victim
• Pay me for Doing Nothing

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

(Google Image) 

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.