So, finally, the new Men In Black movie has come out. I read the review in the San Francisco Chronicle. I probably will not be seeing this film...but then again I'm not much of a movie goer.
Plus, what story can improve on the one I already wrote seven years ago????
Take a look at the story I posted in 2005 to a fan fiction website portal called Wikia. See what you think. I think it's a much more logical sequel to Men in Black II.
http://fiction.wikia.com/wiki/Sun_of_Zartha
Friday, May 25, 2012
Monday, May 07, 2012
Keep METRO strong
What METRO needs to do
Living in Houston would not be possible if not for the METRO bus and light rail system. I do not own a car, although I do enjoy renting vehicles from time to time, and METRO does an OK job. I have some suggestions for METRO to stay relevant and focused:
1. While expansion of the rail system is critically important for the long-term health of Houston, do not neglect the bus system.
1a. Buses MUST run on time and as scheduled. Slight deviations to account for traffic and/or weather conditions are understandable, but there have been times I have waited as long as 30 additional minutes AFTER the scheduled time of a bus arrival at a stop. This is not just on one bus route, but a few of them.
If a schedule just cannot be adhered to because traffic conditions have worsened, and these conditions are more or less permanent, the schedule needs to be adjusted accordingly to account for the traffic conditions.
1a1. Buses must be properly maintained so they don't break down! If a vehicle has to be taken out of service due to mechanical issues, a replacement coach needs to be implemented on the route immediately.
Now, there is also a part for traffic and street planners in the City of Houston to play, in helping to alleviate traffic conditions by timing street lamps so traffic flows more smoothly during rush hours, and keeping the local streets well maintained. Houston has some of the worst streets in the nation that I am aware of. I got a flat tire about a month ago, just minding my own business and driving a rental car down Lower Westheimer.
1b. The Quickline bus rapid transit system MUST be expanded. It is an awesome service and helps tremendously to cut travel time in the city.
1b1. Extend the current Bellaire Quickline westward to Highway 6, and eastward to serve UH and Magnolia Transit Center.
1b2. New Quickline routes:
482 Westheimer
422 Greenspoint/IAH
456 Airline
446 Gessner
1c. Reinstate the Airport Express, which ran from downtown to IAH via I-45, from 2008 to 2011. The service was great, but suffered from fares that were too high and poor promotional efforts. This is something that can run hourly, using regular buses. The "FlyAway" service in use at Los Angeles International Airport can serve as a great example.
2. Implement 24-hour service on key routes such as the 2 Bellaire, the 102 IAH and the 82 Westheimer. Houston is a 24-hour city and many people work second and third shift jobs. This would be a tremendous help.
3. Implement more service in the north and northwest portions of town. Why is there no service along Bingle Road or Clay Road?
Living in Houston would not be possible if not for the METRO bus and light rail system. I do not own a car, although I do enjoy renting vehicles from time to time, and METRO does an OK job. I have some suggestions for METRO to stay relevant and focused:
1. While expansion of the rail system is critically important for the long-term health of Houston, do not neglect the bus system.
1a. Buses MUST run on time and as scheduled. Slight deviations to account for traffic and/or weather conditions are understandable, but there have been times I have waited as long as 30 additional minutes AFTER the scheduled time of a bus arrival at a stop. This is not just on one bus route, but a few of them.
If a schedule just cannot be adhered to because traffic conditions have worsened, and these conditions are more or less permanent, the schedule needs to be adjusted accordingly to account for the traffic conditions.
1a1. Buses must be properly maintained so they don't break down! If a vehicle has to be taken out of service due to mechanical issues, a replacement coach needs to be implemented on the route immediately.
Now, there is also a part for traffic and street planners in the City of Houston to play, in helping to alleviate traffic conditions by timing street lamps so traffic flows more smoothly during rush hours, and keeping the local streets well maintained. Houston has some of the worst streets in the nation that I am aware of. I got a flat tire about a month ago, just minding my own business and driving a rental car down Lower Westheimer.
1b. The Quickline bus rapid transit system MUST be expanded. It is an awesome service and helps tremendously to cut travel time in the city.
1b1. Extend the current Bellaire Quickline westward to Highway 6, and eastward to serve UH and Magnolia Transit Center.
1b2. New Quickline routes:
482 Westheimer
422 Greenspoint/IAH
456 Airline
446 Gessner
1c. Reinstate the Airport Express, which ran from downtown to IAH via I-45, from 2008 to 2011. The service was great, but suffered from fares that were too high and poor promotional efforts. This is something that can run hourly, using regular buses. The "FlyAway" service in use at Los Angeles International Airport can serve as a great example.
2. Implement 24-hour service on key routes such as the 2 Bellaire, the 102 IAH and the 82 Westheimer. Houston is a 24-hour city and many people work second and third shift jobs. This would be a tremendous help.
3. Implement more service in the north and northwest portions of town. Why is there no service along Bingle Road or Clay Road?
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
We need labor/employment law reform. Bad.
In the spirit of the Occupy movement, I'm putting forth these proposals to reform employment law. Having a job is a good thing, but the relationship between employer and employee has gotten way out of hand and has swung way too much in favor of employers and companies and the "one percent". If left unchecked this disparity, this attitude of "my way or the highway", "you're lucky just to have a job" and "don't let the door hit ya on the way out", etc., and especially "if you don't like it we'll just move our operations offshore", WILL lead to mass civil unrest.
Be advised that none of this AFAIK is current law, just a "wish list".
The following measures need to be applied at the Federal level, for employees in all professions and industries, at all wage and experience levels:
1. Mandate certain perks by Federal labor law:
1a: 30-minute minimum PAID meal break per eight-hour shift.
1b. Two 15-minute PAID rest breaks per eight-hour shift.
1c. 10% minimum shift differential for second and third shift employees.
1d. Reasonable bathroom breaks fully allowed at worker discretion.
1e. Two (2) weeks’ PAID vacation to all employees, full-time or part-time, in all companies of all sizes, effective on hire date. Additional weeks added based on completing certain times of service.
1f. Mandatory cost-of-living wage increases annually regardless of performance.
2. Outlaw "at will" employment.
2a. All companies required to give all employees an employee handbook which is a binding contract.
2b. Temp workers are bound by the employee handbook of the client company while on assignment, not the temp agency.
2c. Temp workers must be hired by client company as a permanent employee within 90 days or be reassigned by temp agency.
2d. Companies cannot use temp agencies to avoid hiring their own workers.
2e. All companies with more than 100 employees must have an in-house human resources department.
2f. Employers must demonstrate “just cause” for taking any and all disciplinary action, including termination.
2g. Employers who terminate or lay off without just cause are subject to fines, and employee can be awarded triple damages.
2h. Mandatory two week written notice of intent to terminate, after 90 days of employment. Failure to provide this notice: mandatory six weeks severance instead of the two weeks (see 3a below).
3. Raise minimum wage to historical level based on 1969 baseline adjusted for inflation.
3a. Mandatory two weeks severance (minimum) to all laid-off workers, and all terminated workers, at final regular rate of pay, regardless of cause. This is in addition to final regular paycheck.
3b. Workers entitled to more severance based on reason for termination.
3c. Tipped workers shall receive the same minimum wage as employees in any other profession/industry, and be treated the same as employees in any other profession/industry for tax purposes.
3d. Minimum wage shall be automatically increased every two years based on Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) standards.
3e. 1969 baseline shall be automatically re-adjusted for inflation every eight years and the result shall be the new baseline minimum wage, unless the prevailing minimum wage is higher.
3f. All employees over the age of 16, in all professions and industries, shall be covered by the minimum wage.
3g. Where an existing state or municipal minimum wage is higher than the new Federal minimum, the existing state or municipal minimum wage shall remain in effect, but must be increased every two years based on (3d), and adjusted at the baseline every eight years based on (3e), with the baseline wage being the wage in effect at first implementation of the existing state or municipal minimum wage statute.
4. Outlaw organized opposition to unions, and outlaw "right to work".
4a. All employees nationwide, regardless of profession and/or industry, shall have the right to join a labor union of their choice.
4b. All employees nationwide shall have the right to collective bargaining, and to be represented individually in regards to any and all work-related issues by a union representative.
4c. All employees nationwide shall have the right to work stoppage actions (strikes), either individually or collectively, without penalty or retaliation on the part of the employer, if needs are not met.
4d. Employees who choose not to join a union are free to do so and seek and/or retain employment; furthermore, any concessions/benefits granted to unionized employees shall be fully extended to non-unionized employees without prejudice or obligation.
4e. Companies that fire workers, retaliate, relocate operations offshore or shut down in face of unionization, or as a result of union-related activities, will be fined, assets seized and paid out to affected employees and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
5. Outlaw demanding online passwords to candidates' social media accounts.
5a. Violators will be fined, affected candidates may sue for damages, and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
6. Outlaw using credit checks to screen applicants for any position that does not involve directly handling currency and/or sensitive financial and/or customer information.
6a. Violators will be fined, affected candidates may sue for damages, and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
7. Terminated employees must be eligible for rehire in the same company after one year (in a different position and/or supervisor) or three years (in the same or comparable position), regardless of reason (unless for a felony conviction).
8. Companies cannot refuse to hire candidates with a felony conviction after three years of release (for jobs that do not involve the reason for the conviction) or seven years (for jobs that do).*
9. Companies may not request information on any arrests or charges of any type that did not result in conviction.
10. Companies may ask "job related" questions about convictions, except those that have been sealed, expunged or statutorily eradicated.
10a. Companies may only consider convictions that occurred within three years from date of conviction, end of parole, or release from prison.
11. US-based companies that move major operations offshore, to circumvent/avoid the costs of hiring American workers, will face tariffs on all products manufactured outside the United States.
12. Full employment shall be the national goal of the United States. The federal government shall be the employer of last resort.
12a. Works Progress Administration (WPA) shall be reinstated as a division of the Department of Labor. As such it will bear the main responsibility for public sector low-income jobs programs.
12b. Job Corps shall be a division of the WPA.
12b.1. Job Corps shall be split into separate youth and adult programs.
12b.2. Adult Job Corps programs shall be residentially based to provide housing for those made homeless by reasons of long-term unemployment.
12b.3 All Adult Job Corps participants shall receive full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, in addition to other basic room, board, clothing and transportation assistance.
12c. Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), including its constituent programs and services, shall be a division of the WPA.
12e. Primary function of the WPA and its programs will be to provide paid employment at or above the minimum wage in a wide variety of jobs, based on national, local and regional needs.
12e.1. The WPA and its programs will have the goal of providing adequate paid civilian employment situations wherever and whenever the private sector cannot or will not provide them.
12f. Secondary function of the WPA and its programs will be to provide education and job skills training in a wide variety of industries, including entrepreneurial training and GED preparation.
12g. Entrepreneurial training shall include access to funding sources and full startup assistance, including office space and access to paid support staff.
12f. Federal employment taxes will increase by one percent to pay for the WPA.
What do you think?
*It is assumed that sentences at least 25 years in length will be given and served for serious felony offenses involving major fraud or for killing someone.
Be advised that none of this AFAIK is current law, just a "wish list".
The following measures need to be applied at the Federal level, for employees in all professions and industries, at all wage and experience levels:
1. Mandate certain perks by Federal labor law:
1a: 30-minute minimum PAID meal break per eight-hour shift.
1b. Two 15-minute PAID rest breaks per eight-hour shift.
1c. 10% minimum shift differential for second and third shift employees.
1d. Reasonable bathroom breaks fully allowed at worker discretion.
1e. Two (2) weeks’ PAID vacation to all employees, full-time or part-time, in all companies of all sizes, effective on hire date. Additional weeks added based on completing certain times of service.
1f. Mandatory cost-of-living wage increases annually regardless of performance.
2. Outlaw "at will" employment.
2a. All companies required to give all employees an employee handbook which is a binding contract.
2b. Temp workers are bound by the employee handbook of the client company while on assignment, not the temp agency.
2c. Temp workers must be hired by client company as a permanent employee within 90 days or be reassigned by temp agency.
2d. Companies cannot use temp agencies to avoid hiring their own workers.
2e. All companies with more than 100 employees must have an in-house human resources department.
2f. Employers must demonstrate “just cause” for taking any and all disciplinary action, including termination.
2g. Employers who terminate or lay off without just cause are subject to fines, and employee can be awarded triple damages.
2h. Mandatory two week written notice of intent to terminate, after 90 days of employment. Failure to provide this notice: mandatory six weeks severance instead of the two weeks (see 3a below).
3. Raise minimum wage to historical level based on 1969 baseline adjusted for inflation.
3a. Mandatory two weeks severance (minimum) to all laid-off workers, and all terminated workers, at final regular rate of pay, regardless of cause. This is in addition to final regular paycheck.
3b. Workers entitled to more severance based on reason for termination.
3c. Tipped workers shall receive the same minimum wage as employees in any other profession/industry, and be treated the same as employees in any other profession/industry for tax purposes.
3d. Minimum wage shall be automatically increased every two years based on Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) standards.
3e. 1969 baseline shall be automatically re-adjusted for inflation every eight years and the result shall be the new baseline minimum wage, unless the prevailing minimum wage is higher.
3f. All employees over the age of 16, in all professions and industries, shall be covered by the minimum wage.
3g. Where an existing state or municipal minimum wage is higher than the new Federal minimum, the existing state or municipal minimum wage shall remain in effect, but must be increased every two years based on (3d), and adjusted at the baseline every eight years based on (3e), with the baseline wage being the wage in effect at first implementation of the existing state or municipal minimum wage statute.
4. Outlaw organized opposition to unions, and outlaw "right to work".
4a. All employees nationwide, regardless of profession and/or industry, shall have the right to join a labor union of their choice.
4b. All employees nationwide shall have the right to collective bargaining, and to be represented individually in regards to any and all work-related issues by a union representative.
4c. All employees nationwide shall have the right to work stoppage actions (strikes), either individually or collectively, without penalty or retaliation on the part of the employer, if needs are not met.
4d. Employees who choose not to join a union are free to do so and seek and/or retain employment; furthermore, any concessions/benefits granted to unionized employees shall be fully extended to non-unionized employees without prejudice or obligation.
4e. Companies that fire workers, retaliate, relocate operations offshore or shut down in face of unionization, or as a result of union-related activities, will be fined, assets seized and paid out to affected employees and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
5. Outlaw demanding online passwords to candidates' social media accounts.
5a. Violators will be fined, affected candidates may sue for damages, and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
6. Outlaw using credit checks to screen applicants for any position that does not involve directly handling currency and/or sensitive financial and/or customer information.
6a. Violators will be fined, affected candidates may sue for damages, and key company officials subject to criminal prosecution.
7. Terminated employees must be eligible for rehire in the same company after one year (in a different position and/or supervisor) or three years (in the same or comparable position), regardless of reason (unless for a felony conviction).
8. Companies cannot refuse to hire candidates with a felony conviction after three years of release (for jobs that do not involve the reason for the conviction) or seven years (for jobs that do).*
9. Companies may not request information on any arrests or charges of any type that did not result in conviction.
10. Companies may ask "job related" questions about convictions, except those that have been sealed, expunged or statutorily eradicated.
10a. Companies may only consider convictions that occurred within three years from date of conviction, end of parole, or release from prison.
11. US-based companies that move major operations offshore, to circumvent/avoid the costs of hiring American workers, will face tariffs on all products manufactured outside the United States.
12. Full employment shall be the national goal of the United States. The federal government shall be the employer of last resort.
12a. Works Progress Administration (WPA) shall be reinstated as a division of the Department of Labor. As such it will bear the main responsibility for public sector low-income jobs programs.
12b. Job Corps shall be a division of the WPA.
12b.1. Job Corps shall be split into separate youth and adult programs.
12b.2. Adult Job Corps programs shall be residentially based to provide housing for those made homeless by reasons of long-term unemployment.
12b.3 All Adult Job Corps participants shall receive full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, in addition to other basic room, board, clothing and transportation assistance.
12c. Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), including its constituent programs and services, shall be a division of the WPA.
12e. Primary function of the WPA and its programs will be to provide paid employment at or above the minimum wage in a wide variety of jobs, based on national, local and regional needs.
12e.1. The WPA and its programs will have the goal of providing adequate paid civilian employment situations wherever and whenever the private sector cannot or will not provide them.
12f. Secondary function of the WPA and its programs will be to provide education and job skills training in a wide variety of industries, including entrepreneurial training and GED preparation.
12g. Entrepreneurial training shall include access to funding sources and full startup assistance, including office space and access to paid support staff.
12f. Federal employment taxes will increase by one percent to pay for the WPA.
What do you think?
*It is assumed that sentences at least 25 years in length will be given and served for serious felony offenses involving major fraud or for killing someone.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Hey Big Oil of Houston! Help this town (and this nation) out! You can afford it!
I just saw an article that states the Big Five US oil companies, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Shell (three of them with corporate HQ here in Houston and all with a significant office/employment presence in this city and area)
"...earned a combined $33.5 billion, or $368 million per day, during the first quarter of 2012. Recall that these companies made a combined record profit of $137 billion in 2011, mostly due to high oil and gasoline prices. Their ongoing huge earnings mean that these companies do not need $24 billion for a decade's worth of tax breaks, particularly since the three American companies pay relatively low effective federal tax rates."
Here's what I have to say about that.
1) These companies (in the oil and gas and ALL industries) need to dramatically increase their hiring nationwide, and especially here in Houston. It would be nice to say I live in Houston and work as a graphic designer or production artist for Shell or Phillips 66 (their separation from ConocoPhillips is effective today, BTW).
2) These companies MUST start paying their true and fair share of Federal corporate income taxes, without loopholes or tax breaks.
3) I'm sure these companies support philanthropic causes here in the Houston area, but with one check, just ONE check, these companies can underwrite and build a major regional homeless services facility in this city similar to what was done in Phoenix. That would help serve a tremendous need in this town and get a lot of folks back on the path of being productive members of society.
"...earned a combined $33.5 billion, or $368 million per day, during the first quarter of 2012. Recall that these companies made a combined record profit of $137 billion in 2011, mostly due to high oil and gasoline prices. Their ongoing huge earnings mean that these companies do not need $24 billion for a decade's worth of tax breaks, particularly since the three American companies pay relatively low effective federal tax rates."
Here's what I have to say about that.
1) These companies (in the oil and gas and ALL industries) need to dramatically increase their hiring nationwide, and especially here in Houston. It would be nice to say I live in Houston and work as a graphic designer or production artist for Shell or Phillips 66 (their separation from ConocoPhillips is effective today, BTW).
2) These companies MUST start paying their true and fair share of Federal corporate income taxes, without loopholes or tax breaks.
3) I'm sure these companies support philanthropic causes here in the Houston area, but with one check, just ONE check, these companies can underwrite and build a major regional homeless services facility in this city similar to what was done in Phoenix. That would help serve a tremendous need in this town and get a lot of folks back on the path of being productive members of society.
The Company Store at Michael Sheldon Reed Design
I have decided to find another way to make a little money. Since I am focusing my design efforts lately towards branding, (and I don't have any real clients yet (hint, hint)) I thought I would be remiss if I didn't practice at least some of what I preach.
With that said...
Come shop the Michael Sheldon Reed Company Store, powered by CafePress.
All kinds of neat things to buy. Things like polo shirts, reusable grocery bags, mugs, shot glasses, iPhone cases.
Each one with this awesome logo right on it. (I've been using this logo ever since I designed it as a class project at the University of Arizona back in 1992.)
Come one, come all. Proceeds will help me take my son out to lunch.
http://bit.ly/IrbJ3b
With that said...
Come shop the Michael Sheldon Reed Company Store, powered by CafePress.
Each one with this awesome logo right on it. (I've been using this logo ever since I designed it as a class project at the University of Arizona back in 1992.)
Come one, come all. Proceeds will help me take my son out to lunch.
http://bit.ly/IrbJ3b
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