School's Out for Summer, School's Out Forever...

It may not be easy "being green," but it is even harder not having any green. Ask the students who can't afford college, or even the colleges that can't afford to stay open. Just today, Miami-Dade College canceled enrollment drives and capped enrollment. Even smaller colleges like Wesleyan are trimming budgets in anticipation of declining enrollment.

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on
Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes

And what about the new crop of graduates, are they about to cash-in on their investment in higher education? Mmmmmmmm, probably not right away. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one, compared to 51 percent of those graduating in 2007 and 26 percent in 2008.

Even back in jolly ol' England, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reported that nearly half of the UK-based companies surveyed said that they were not planning to recruit those leaving school or college this year. The research comes weeks after a separate survey found that only one university student in five expects to have secured a job by the time they graduate.

Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go, (hold on)
When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on

'Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

And, according to an article in the Washington Independent (referencing the Chronicle for Higher Education), the bubble may be about to burst: With tuitions, fees, and room and board at dozens of colleges now reaching $50,000 a year, the ability to sustain private higher education for all but the very well-heeled is questionable. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, over the past 25 years, average college tuition and fees have risen by 440 percent — more than four times the rate of inflation and almost twice the rate of medical care. Patrick M. Callan, the center’s president, has warned that low-income students will find college unaffordable.

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on

Still, there is reason for hope. President Barack Obama is a supporter of higher education, as is Sonia Sotomayor and Joe Biden (a huge advocate of community college). Likewise, the legislature seems more inclined to act on supporting higher education than it is to act on universal healthcare.  And then there is the glimmer of hope that the worst of the recession may already be behind us. CNNMoney.com reports: The end of the recession is in sight, according to a new survey of leading economists. If you don't believe it, just ask McDonald's.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts. You are not alone 

One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back

Good News for the masses:  The recession is bringing back fat and unhealthy.

According to Ad Age, the recession has reignited Dunkin' Donuts' marketing:

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- With all the fuss about carbs and obesity in recent years, Dunkin' Donuts has been downplaying its namesake product. But no more. As the economy collapsed into chaos last year, the restaurant chain discovered that previously carb-conscious consumers were drifting back to doughnuts as comfort food. Since then, Dunkin Donuts has launched aggressive new campaigns targeting that fried-dough-craving demographic. And its latest -- and largest -- online donut promotion has been a wild success.

And of course, it's not just about our  health.  The recession is also putting a serious kink in the green movement.  As a result, I have a lot of thoughts rolling around in my head, like "How come the people who are already feeling the most pain from the recession, just keep getting screwed?" and "We already have 24 million diabetics in the U.S., do we really want the problem to get worse?" and "If it costs a few cents more to make the environment safer, isn't it worth it?" 

But I think I am too close to this, so I will let Ben remind you of something he said several years ago:

Son look at all the people in this restaurant
What d'you think they weigh?
And out the window to the parking lot
At their SUVs taking all of the space

They give no fuck
They talk as loud as they want
They give no fuck
Just as long as there's enough for them

Gotta get on the microphone down at wallmart
Talk about some shit that's been on my mind
Talk about the state of this great of this nation of ours
Poeple look to your left, yeah look to your right

They give no fuck
They buy as much as they want
They give no fuck
Just as long as there's enough for them

Son look at the people lining up for plastic
Wouldn't you like to see them in the national geographic?
Squatting bare-assed in the dirt eating rice from a bowl
With a towel on their head and maybe a bone in their nose
See that asshole with a peace-sign on his licence plate
Giving me the finger and running me out of his lane

God made us number one because he loves us the best
Well maybe He should go bless someone else for a while, give us a rest
[They give no...]
Yeah and everyone can see
[They give no...]
We've eaten all that we can eat

H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

I have known Dominic Litten for 27 years now. He is an amazing young man, full of passion and energy and kindness. He possesses a brilliant mind that first revealed itself when he was only three years old and began reading a book to me. His sense of humor never fails to bring laughter. His loyalty to those around him - family, friends, neighbors – is legendary and is surpassed only by his humility and thoughtfulness.

This past weekend, I had the sincere pleasure of not only witnessing, but participating in (thank you) a most important day in Dominic's life as he joined in matrimony the beautiful and equally wonderful Beth.  It was a perfect day befitting of a perfect union.

And given that I have known Dominic the entirety of his life and that I have a vested interest in his past, present and future, I offered only one bit of advice on this solemn day: DO NOT TWITTER ON YOUR HONEYMOON.

But did he listen?  No!  For he is Dominic,  lord of the Twitterers.  So was I surprised or even disappointed as I read on my Twitter site that he was in the airport and ready to board the plane for Maui? No.

Instead I acquiesce, I accept, I submit tacitly.  In fact, I have gone a step further and have created a new Twitter National Anthem in Dominic's honor.  Please feel free to sing along to the tune of "O Canada."

O Dominic!

Our blog and Twitter friend!
True king and fan of social messaging.
With open eyes we read your tweets,
The True voice strong and free!
From far and wide, O Dominic,
We wait to read your words.
God keep his hands twittering and free!
O Dominic, we wait for tweets from thee.
O Dominic, we wait for tweets from thee.

If anyone should feel equally moved and so inclined as to likewise honor Dominic, Lord of the Twitterers, I would like to suggest an actual recording of his national anthem uploaded onto YouTube for his viewing pleasure upon his return from Hawaii.  I can't imagine a lovelier wedding gift.

Physicians who live in glass houses...

I was reminded this morning by a dear and respected friend of mine to wake up and smell the coffee.

In case you are wondering, the wake-up call was courtesy of an industry veteran.  She (we will call her Sam) possesses not one, but two Master's degrees – one in business administration and one in e-commerce.  Sam also possesses more than two decades of premium marketing experience with leading global insurance and financial institutions. Sam is brilliant.  In fact, her only weakness (as I have observed over the past 20 years) is her occasional willingness to underestimate her own talent and potential.

The wake-up call came in the form of an innocent (and sarcastic) e-mail that read:

I thought you were switching providers so you could update and redesign [your website]? What gives. No new clients since 2007???

OUCH!  That really hurt; but as my father often observed, the truth often does. Sure enough, our website, which sucks, is so outdated that I refuse to even look at it anymore.

We have successfully planned its overhaul for nearly three years now. Developed a new site map, produced new content and functionality, developed visual and copy concepts, made accommodations to optimize the new site, even talked with several sources to begin the process.

But there it sits, my personal albatross, threatened with extinction, but still alive.

All the while, I have the audacity to preach to others – individuals and organizations – the vital importance of effective communication. Someone ought to  hit me upside the head with a frying pan. Oh, wait, Sam already did that.

Okay, so I am awake. And I am making a public commitment to kill the current Sweeney site; it has already crashed, now it shall burn. And staying with my bird analogy (or is it a metaphor), we will all watch it arise anew like the Phoenix from the ashes.

Thank you Sam.  I am awake. You can put the frying pan away.

Un-Social Media. Un-Thank You Very Much.

I am so very pleased that technology and the Internet have brought us all together.  We are all now united under the happy-happy rainbow of unlimited connectedness.

Seriously?

Have you been on LinkedIn lately?  This is a social site whose primary - if not only - purpose is to share connections.  And more often than not, you are locked out. DO NOT ENTER my connections.  My connections are private.  STAY OUT of my connections. I am collecting my connections until I have more connections than anyone else. Nanner Nanner Neener.

And how about a magazine web site that not only does not provide contact information for the editorial staff...  THEY DO NOT LIST THE EDITORIAL STAFF AT ALL!?  What the F is up with that? BUT WAIT, it gets better.  If you look them up on Burrelle's (one of several incredibly useless media database services), they offer this contact information: editorial@hbinc.com. Really? Thank you very much. That's very helpful. I've just learned nothing. Mighty social of ya!

Why not just hide your magazine under a cloak of invisibility?

And how about companies that refuse to let you find their employees' names, phone numbers or email addresses? DO NOT CONTACT US. We are too busy for you and do not want emails or phone calls. You can search our site until you are blue in the face, but you will not discover anything. LEAVE US ALONE.   But please buy our products and services.   Your business is important to us.

Seems to me - looking over the past decade - that the more access we have through technology – most notably the internet – the harder people and organizations work to hide.   

No one even reads, yet alone responds to email.  No one answers their phone or returns voice mails.  No one acknowledges real mail or faxes (does anyone use fax anymore?).  And God forbid that you show up at someone's office unannounced; you'll be tossed faster than a bean bag at a bachelor party. Even human interaction is being impacted; when's the last time you had a conversation with someone (even your kids) that wasn't interrupted by a text, email or phone call?

Of course, blogging and message boarding and twittering are popular, as are Facebook and MySpace. But really, who (other than teenagers) takes any of this seriously? Do you really know who is writing that blog, leaving that message or twittering you?  And while Facebook and MySpace go to the other extreme, do you really want or need to see photos of your cousin completely drunk and half naked? Do you want to know that your business associate supports the legalization of pot for non-medical use? Do you want to see your daughter's tattoo that you didn't know she had?

So, what's my point?  

Clearly technology has made our lives better in so many ways.  I LOVE technology.  But equally clear is the fact that technology is making our lives worse in so many ways.

I have no answers, just observations. And at this moment, technology is really annoying me.

Happy Holy Days

Last night, my wife an I actually removed ourselves from the house, drove to the local recreation center and walked the outdoor path for about an hour - not for the exercise, but to clear our minds from all the noise.

The TV, the radio, the internet, the iPod, the cell phone, the house phone, the office phone, the instant messages, the text messages, the emails, the elevator discussions, the street corner protests, the grocery story PS system. As they say in Italy, Basta.

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.

Along the way we met a woman who had a great big silver dog whose breed was undiscernable to us. So we asked, "What kind of dog is that?" "A goldendoodle!" she replied. Kathy looked at me and I at her. "Goldendoodle?" we whispered. "It's not gold and what is a doodle?" Then we laughed and kept walking.

Hello lamp-post,
What cha knowin'?
I've come to watch your flowers growin'.
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in' doo-doo,
Feelin' groovy.

Anyway, after a bit more than an hour of walking we worked our way back to the car, drove to the local store and eventually headed home. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Enough to quiet all the voices and rest the mind and get back in touch with ourselves. With our souls.

I've got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.

To everyone of every persuasion, have a blessed, holy and sacred celebration this week.

Tiger Freaking Woods

Golf Schmolf. I am talking Tiger Woods. He is not simply the sport's greatest player, he is the greatest player in sports.

Tiger Freaking Woods.

After nearly a year of being unable to watch a single golf tournament, Tiger finally returned to the game and I returned to the TV. And though his first two performances were something less than spectacular, I kept coming back. Because I knew. It was just a matter of time.

So great is his ability. So great is his passion. So great is his focus. It absolutely captures the imagination and shakes the awe out of everyone watching.

Tiger Freaking Woods. You don't have to like him. You don't even have to like golf. But you must admire the beauty of what this young man does time and time again. He is a role model for any human who wishes to make something of his or her life. The perfect combination of grit and determination, careful study and hard work. Practice and more practice. Focus and fire.

Tiger Freaking Woods. You don't have to like him, but I do. Damn, I love Tiger. I love to see him grimace when he doesn't achieve what he sets out to achieve. And I love to see him smile and fist-pump when he puts it all together.

If there is a better athlete - a more consistent, disciplined and accomplished athlete – please tell me who he or she is. In the meantime, I only have eyes for Tiger Freaking Woods.