Decision Making- It Can Be Painful

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Decision Making- It Can Be Painful

 

“What’s for Dinner?” Even a simple question like that can tip the scales for a person that has been dealing with decision after decision in a non-stop fashion. It is called Decision Fatigue.

It turns out that making decisions is actually very stressful.  As we make hundreds of decisions each day on matters big and small, the cumulative stress adds up.  It’s called decision fatigue, and it can often lead us to shut down and do nothing. With our instant communication and constant information overload, we feel decision fatigue now more than ever. You know it’s gotten bad when deciding whether to “like” something, actually hurts your brain.

There are many factors that lead to this condition. Many refer to some kind of fear. What if I make the wrong decision? What if I want to do something else late? Decisions can be changed and people are allowed to change their choices.

Some fears are based on a person’s lack of abilities or perceived abilities. What if it is too hard and I can do it? People will help. The decision I make could look foolish to other people. So what? Let people take care of themselves first. Failure happens.

Probably the biggest fear may be commitment. What am I getting myself into? Will I ever get out of it? People will step up to the plate if it is too much for you.

We make decisions every day; everything we say and do is the result of a decision, whether we make it consciously or not. For every choice, big or small, there’s no easy formula for making the right decision. The best you can do is to approach it from as many perspectives as possible and then choose a course of action that seems reasonable and balanced at that time.

“Waiting hurts. Forgetting hurts. But not knowing which decision to take can sometimes be the most painful…”  ― José N. Harris

 

The opinions in this blog are those of Tom Knuppel

Google: Friend or Foe?

Tom Knuppel Society
Google: Friend or Foe?

Is Google Justified in Reading Emails?

I asked that question because last week Google informed the Houston police that a man has a database of illegal and pornographic images of children. Now we can all agree that one child predator is off the streets. But are they a friend or foe in going further?

However, what makes us believe they stop there? Nothing. Most people understand that Google will use software to scan email and images in order for them to feed its advertising needs. But many people likely don’t know or were unaware, that the company is also scanning users’ accounts with the purpose of identifying illegal activity.

According to this article in the Washington Post:

While it’s hard to argue with the outcome of this particular case, the news did raise some alarm bells among researchers at the security firm Sophos, who questioned whether Google was stepping outside its place as a company and into the role of a pseudo law enforcement agency. Chester Wisniewski, a senior security researcher at Sophos, said that Google’s “proactive” decision to tip off law enforcement makes “some of us wonder if they’re crossing the line.”

 

Many security firms, including Sophos, occasionally find themselves in a situation where they come across child pornography among the files they scan for clients, and in those cases, those companies report those images to the police. But the difference is that Sophos and other companies don’t actively go looking for these images in their routine scans, as Google appears to have done with the software it uses on customers’ e-mails in the course of routine scanning for ad keywords and malicious software.

 

I think they have overstepped on this one. What do you think?

Friend or Foe?

 

The opinions in this blog belong to Tom Knuppel

Kansas Jayhawks- Strength of Schedule is a WOW.

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Kansas Jayhawks- Strength of Schedule is a WOW.

Kansas Jayhawks- Non-Conference Scheduling Tackles the Big Boys

Bill Self has no qualms about scheduling the best teams in the country to prepare his team for a deep NCAA run. Last season, the Jayhawks had the toughest non-conference schedule as they scheduled six teams that advanced into the postseason. They don’t shy away from strength of schedule.

Now in the 2014-15 season they have not backed off one bit as they face some powerhouse teams like Kentucky, Florida, Utah, Temple, Georgetown and UNLV and then go on to tournaments where they could meet Michigan State, Tennessee, Georgia Teach, Rhode Island or Marquette.

What is Coach Self’s philosophy on scheduling?

He said,

“Obviously, next year’s non-conference will be very challenging. We always play a good schedule, but this past year was rated by many to be about as tough of a non-conference schedule that a team has played in years. Certainly, next year’s schedule will be one of the better non-conference schedules that anyone in America plays, as well. When you think about two teams that were in the Final Four last year with Kentucky and Florida, then you throw in the Orlando Classic, which is loaded, including Michigan State, then on the road at Georgetown and Temple along with other tough non-conference contests like Utah and UNLV, all of those will certainly prepare our guys to make another strong push at a conference championship.”

One of the tools that the NCAA Basketball Committee uses to select and seed teams is the strength of schedule which is a factor in RPI. Kansas’ RPI has checked in at No. 5 or better each of the last five seasons, including No. 1 in 2010 and 2011. The Jayhawks ended 2013-14 at No. 4 in the final RPI.

  • 11/14/2014         UC Santa Barbara             Lawrence, Kan.TBA
  • 11/18/2014         Kentucky                            Indianapolis, Ind.
  • 11/24/2014         Rider                                  Lawrence, Kan.
  • 11/27/2014         TBA                                     Orlando, Fla.
  • 11/28/2014         TBA                                     Orlando, Fla.
  • 11/30/2014         TBA                                     Orlando, Fla.
  • 12/5/2014            Florida                                Lawrence, Kan.
  • 12/10/2014         Georgetown                       Washington, D.C.
  • 12/13/2014         Utah                                     Kansas City, Mo.
  • 12/20/2014         Lafayette                              Lawrence, Kan.
  • 12/22/2014         Temple                                   Philadelphia. Pa.
  • 12/30/2014         Kent State                                Lawrence, Kan.
  • 1/4/2015              UNLV                                       Lawrence, Kan.

MORE teams need to boost their RPI through Strength of Schedule.

Early Season College Football Games to Watch

Tom Knuppel Sports
Early Season College Football Games to Watch

      There are some good non-conference games to pay attention to early in the College Football season.

 

Ole Miss vs. Boise State in Atlanta (Aug. 28)

This is an early peak of Boise State to see if they are a legitimate team again this season against a defensive-minded Ole Miss.

 

Penn State vs. UCF in Dublin, Ireland (Aug. 30, 8:30 a.m., ESPN2):

The James Franklin era begins and Happy Valley is still look for something good to happen. This game is five time zones away but they are facing a team that was 12-1 last year and a Fiesta Bowl winner.

 

Clemson at Georgia (Aug. 30, 5:30 p.m., ESPN):

Probably not as illustrious as last year but a chance to watch Todd Gurley play in the backfield for the Bulldogs and Clemson’s four year quarterback Cole Stoudt getting his chance to start.

 

Florida State vs. Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas (Aug. 30, 8 p.m., ABC):

The national champions return and Jameis Winston can show his stuff against a 10-3 Cowboys team that was depleted due to the draft and graduation.

 

LSU vs. Wisconsin in Houston (Aug. 30, 9 p.m., ESPN):

This is the one I am most looking forward to seeing. It may be the only game Wisconsin loses in the regular season. A neutral site will help the Badgers but the Tigers reloaded and starting a true freshman quarterback Brandon Harris. The defense of LSU will have to be on their game to control the speedy running back, Melvin Gordon, of Wisconsin.

 

Alabama vs. West Virginia in Atlanta (Aug. 30):

This game is currently schedule to be a CBS game.

Calling Boehner’s Presidential Lawsuit What it Really Is

Tom Knuppel Other
Calling Boehner’s Presidential Lawsuit What it Really Is

Let’s Call John Boehner’s Presidential Lawsuit for What it Is?

 

There was a time, and not very long ago, the Republican Party was spouting about frivolous lawsuits but that in not happening today. In fact, they file them and brag about them. Hence, the lawsuit filed against the President of the United States.

John Boehner’s attempt to explain the most frivolous lawsuit ever, his plan to sue President Obama is possibly the most outrageous and frivolous of all. Considering that, by anyone’s account, this has been the most “do nothing” Congress ever. So now, having led the Congress to do nothing, the Speaker plans to sue the president for doing something — and to force taxpayers to pay for it.

There are two reasons that Boehner uses to defend his lawsuit. He had this to say, “In my view, the President has not faithfully executed the laws when it comes to a range of issues, including his health care law, energy regulations, foreign policy and education.” Did you catch the important words in that sentence? He said… “in my view.” Just because it is his view doesn’t make it true.

Secondly, He has not sighted one single example of the President failing to carry out the law. Maybe he didn’t realize that Obama was exercising his authority as commander in chief when he ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe he didn’t know the Supreme Court upheld the regulations on carbon emissions.

The fact of the matter is he can’t cite any specific example of failure to execute that law. He just can’t. Now this is classic and he has accused the President of signing too many executive orders. That is poppycock. He has signed 182 of them. Bush sign 291 by this time in his presidency. FDR totaled 3522 executive orders. The only reason Obama’s signed even one executive order is because the Republican-controlled House refuses to do its job.

So let’s recognize it for what it is. It is a cheap political stunt to mask the embarrassing lack of action on many items by the House. Items like minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance, renewing the Highway Trust Fund and other issues of pressing nature in our country

Instead of suing the president for doing his job as president, we’d all be better off if John Boehner would just do his job as Speaker.

More Pampering for the NBA Players?

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More Pampering for the NBA Players?

NBA Players Looking to Get More Pampering

Sure the season is a grind. I understand the fact that moving around from city to city every few nights can get exhaustive. But let’s face it, NBA players, you have a great life to work with and get well compensated for it.

Now the NBA is considering giving the players more time off at the All-Star break. The season already goes from late October/early November until June for playoff teams. Now a week off makes that go on forever. It is an eight and a half month season.

What do you get now? Well you get first class flying accomodations on high quality airlines, you have your meals paid for, you get five star hotel stays and many more perks in your job. Surely, you can live on four days off in February instead of eight days off.

From the Miami Sun-Sentinel

The move, which would give players seven days off between games in mid-February, would result in an increase of one or two back-to-back sets per team for the coming season, a party familiar with the process said.

  “That’s the model they’re using right now while they’re filling in the schedule,” an NBA source familiar with the process told the Sun Sentinel Friday. “Could they go back and use some of those dates if needed? That’s possible. But the week off looks like what’s going to happen.”

  The release of the 2014-15 NBA schedule has been pushed back into August to allow the league’s television partners to adjust for the dramatic shakeup created by free agency, including the shift of LeBron James from the Miami Heat to Cleveland Cavaliers.

  With the elongated All-Star break, the possibility of then starting the 2015-16 season a week earlier also has been deliberated recently, although that dynamic has yet to gain traction, according to an NBA source familiar with the situation, with such a move potentially requiring an adjustment in the collective-bargaining agreement.

This is for the 2014-15 schedule and it is all about continuing a news cycle for the NBA all year.

It must be tough having those working conditions with the paltry salaries they get.

Politicians Playing Political Ping-Pong Places People in Peril

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Politicians Playing Political Ping-Pong Places People in Peril

Politicians Playing Political Ping-Pong Places People in Peril

Congress will adjourn for a month-long recess so that the Congressional members can go home, meet their constituents and rest up for the next session. Man, oh man, they have to be exhausted from their work which was mainly playing political ping-pong.

How is political ping-pong played? It doesn’t matter who serves but it goes like this: The House sends a volley to the Senate and the Senate smacks it back to the House and the House spikes it to the Senate and it goes on and on. Is there a loser in this game? Yes there is. The American People are the losers as they get nothing done by their representative except lots of smack talking to other members and those in other branches of government.

Here are some other articles and books about Congress and political ping- pong:

MSNBC article from October of 2013

WatchPaul Website from May of 2014

Ping-Pong Diplomacy– Book by Nicholas Griffin

 

It doesn’t matter if your work is done or not. Go ahead, keep the humanitarian border crisis burning longer. We don’t need to solve it til later.

From Houston News: (where border issues have an impact)

Congress is about to go on a month-long break without resolving how to tackle the humanitarian crisis on the Texas-Mexico border.

It appears Congress will adjourn for its August recess next week.

Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar of Laredo, whose congressional district is directly affected by the surge of undocumented children entering the U.S. illegally, said, “We cannot have failure as an option.”

Cuellar emphasized, “We can not do that. It would be very irresponsible for us to do that and we have to stay here until we get it done.”

But House Speaker John Boehner has said he is not optimistic Republicans and Democrats can agree on a solution before the August recess.

The White House says it would be “pretty extraordinary” for Congress to leave town for a month without addressing the issue.

 

Let’s NOT forget, this Congress has already shown us they are capable of some “pretty extraordinary” things.

 

The opinions in this blog belong to Tom Knuppel

“I Am Not A Crook” -Oh Yes You Were

Tom Knuppel Other
“I Am Not A Crook” -Oh Yes You Were

          “I Am Not A Crook” -Oh Yes You Were

Over forty years ago the nation was shaken by allegations that the Watergate complex was broken into and the trail led back to the President of the United States, Richard Nixon.

From the Washington Post 1973:

Declaring that “I am not a crook,” President Nixon vigorously defended his record in the Watergate case tonight and said he had never profited from his public service.

“I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,” Mr. Nixon said.

“People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.”

So how did that turn out?

With that, the beleaguered commander-in-chief painted himself into a corner from which resignation offered his only escape less than a year later.

It was Hoover’s death in 1972 that led directly to Nixon’s downfall. He felt helpless and alone with Hoover gone. He no longer had access to either the Director or the Director’s bank of Personal Files on almost everybody in Washington.

For Nixon, the loss of Hoover led inevitably to the disaster of Watergate. It meant hiring a New Director — who turned out to be an unfortunate pick named L. Patrick Gray, who squealed like a pig in hot oil the first time Nixon leaned on him. Gray panicked and fingered White House Counsel John Dean, who refused to take the rap and rolled over, instead, on Nixon, who was trapped like a rat by Dean’s relentless, vengeful testimony and went all to pieces right in front of our eyes on TV.

It is not new to have a President act in shameful ways.

 

The opinions in this blog are those of Tom Knuppel

Walgreens- Shrewd Business or Corporate Deserters

Tom Knuppel Other
Walgreens- Shrewd Business or Corporate Deserters

Corporate Deserters ?

In the next few weeks, the Walgreens drug store chain may decide to pick up their corporation from its Illinois roots and head off to another country and set up headquarters. President Obama referred to them as corporate deserters? Are they?

Walgreens is considering a merger with Alliance-Boots, a company from Switzerland, after they purchased 45% in it. They would then consider moving their headquarters to the low-taxed country and still maintain their present operations in the United States.

This is called “inversion” and 47 American corporations have done this over the past decade which reeks of no loyalty to the United States. They are only bottom line feeders.

What would this move mean to the bottom line of Walgreens?

Over the next five years, the company could save over $4 billion in taxes that would go to the United States government.  The major reason that the firm could buy a huge stake in a foreign drug chain was its profitability — $2.5 billion last year alone – most of which resulted from its U.S. operations.

This company has benefitting from the U.S. citizens for many years and now want to “take their money and run.” The “inversion” scheme generally involves profitable U.S. corporations buying smaller overseas firms in lower tax countries and then declaring that their headquarters for tax purposes is in the low tax country – even though most of its operations remain in the United States. This trick is exactly the kind of move that is intended to drive down the fraction of overall taxes that are paid from big corporations and other owners of capital and raise the share paid by working people from income earned through their labor.

And to those who excuse the actions of these companies by saying that these companies are just making a “smart” use of the American tax code there are two answers:

 

ü  Change the tax code to eliminate this outrageous loophole;

 

ü  Punish the “corporate deserters” who have built their companies with the benefit of American support and know-how and now want to abandon America so they can avoid paying their fair share of our tax burden.

 

How do you punish “corporate deserters”? Government can do it by cutting off access to federal subsidies and contracts. Consumers can do it – especially with companies like Walgreens – by voting with their dollars and refusing to shop there. Walgreens might be a good place to start, since the company is still contemplating whether the value of its status as an American corporation is worth the money it would forgo by paying its fair share of taxes in the United States.

 

The opinions in this blog belong to Tom Knuppel