By Daniel B. Kline
As a responsible parent, I try to fill my child up right in the morning with a healthy bowl of Lucky Charms. Filled with vitamins and minerals this seemingly unhealthy combination of sugar, marshmallows, a little grain and some more marshmallows contains both calcium and vitamin D, which, apparently make it good for you.
I am, of course, basing this decision (as I do all my decisions) on the contents of a television commercial. If General Mills (a military hero I assume) says that Lucky Charms will help my child, then who am I to question the wisdom of a multinational corporation?
The good folks at General Mills have been nice enough to spend a lot of money promoting the heretofore unknown health benefits of four of its seemingly less healthy cereals. The quartet, Lucky Charms, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cocoa Puffs all appear to be bad for you and even really irresponsible parents have always known to limit sugary cereal intake.
That appears to have been a mistake that may have robbed my entire generation of its proper doses of vitamin D and calcium. According to the General Mills' sponsored Web site, GrowUpStrong.com, 75% of kids do not get enough of these two important nutrients (which may explain all those kids whose bones just randomly snap on any given day).
Of course, enriched breakfast cereals -- preferably ones with mascots -- are the only logical way to get your child the proper amount of vitamin D and calcium. The site does point out alternate sources for calcium, but declares that vitamin D is hard-to-find and can only be found in such exotic foods as eggs, salmon and tuna.
Eggs? Never heard of them and they can't possibly be a good breakfast food. So, it seems that despite all evidence and common sense, children should, in fact, eat Lucky Charms, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch everyday -- maybe even more than once.
We're talking about a cereal that leaves a sugar residue on your bowl (Cinnamon Toast Crunch). There's one that consists almost entirely of marshmallows (Lucky Charms) and another that drives it's mascot crazy with ecstasy (Cocoa Puffs). The last one, which contains colors not generally seen in nature (Trix), is so intoxicating that its commercial character commits acts of crime to obtain it.
Now, I am in no way a responsible parent when it comes to sugar intake. My six-year-old and I just went to a 10:15 a.m. movie and I would have gladly bought him candy because I believe that a movie requires candy (more sensible than me, he opted for popcorn). I do know, however, that any cereal involving neon colors and a wacky mascot may not be quite as healthy as say, Cheerios or Wheaties.
I'm also reasonably sure that whatever vitamins and minerals he lacks (and this is for a child who eats mostly chicken nuggets and peanut butter) can be obtained from something other than sugary cereals. Realistically, you could add calcium and vitamin D to cotton candy or fried dough, but that would not turn them into health food.
Sugary cereal has its place as a special treat or a way to get through college without spending a lot on food, but it is not part of a normal diet. You can eat sugary cereal and still be healthy, but it is most certainly not a way to be healthy.
I've been cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs and have gone after the Lucky Charms on occasion (in my pre-gluten allergy days). I've dined on the fare made by the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Baker and I've kept that silly rabbits paws off my Trix as well.
I'm guessing that I'm in reasonably good health in spite, not because of that.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Pursuing passion means accepting rejection
By Daniel B. Kline
When someone asks me what I do for a living, I have no satisfying answer to give them. While I’m proud of my “straight” job running a very unique toy and hobby store, there’s a part of me that always wants to answer "writer."
Of course, writing, is not how I make my living at the moment. I’ve made money as a writer, worked full-time as an editor and had a six-figure year as a freelancer, but right now, writing is, at best, a sideline. Still, there’s a romantic part of me, and perhaps an ego-driven part of me, that craves the specialness that identifying myself as a creative person provides.
I never actually intended to stop being a writer first and a business guy second. It just sort of happened as the responsibilities of being a husband, a father and the attendant mortgages and car loans piled up.
At first, the realities of parenthood pushed writing to the backburner. It’s hard to pitch freelance articles and write book proposals when you have a baby keeping you up all night. Then, it became the fact that in addition to loving writing and the associated acclaim, I also love running things -- specifically the toy and hobby store where I currently serve as general manager.
I was a passionate ladder company executive and I’m an insanely devoted toy and hobby store manager. I love the stress of managing people and the joys (and occasional hardships) of dealing with customers. I run a store that people feel connected to – a place that they revel in sharing with their children – and there’s an ego boost from that similar to the one I get when someone recognizes me from something I have written.
Still, though, nothing exactly equals the high of writing something and having it read. I've been more than willing to sacrifice money for attention as a newspaper columnist and that has to speak to my overly-inflated sense of how interesting I am.
Realistically, noboby writes a column about his life for the best part of 20 years without a healthy ego. If I did not believe I was pretty entertaining, it’s unlikely I’d expose my inner workings in who knows how many hundreds of papers and Web sites each week.
On the other hand, that same ego, enjoys being the boss of people and likes the more immediate awards that working in a store offers. Writing can be solitary whereas managing a store involves constantly interacting with people -- which can be invigorating.
For the past six years though, since I left writing and editing as a full-time profession, I have neglected that side of myself and allowed this column to be my only creative endeavor. I could say that's because my business and family takes up much of my time, but that would only be a piece of the story.
Writing in most cases involves rejection. Articles get shot down by editors and book proposals get critiqued by agents then ultimately rejected by publishers. Constant rejection does not help with the aforementioned ego, so not trying helps me maintain my creative vision of myself a lot more readily than trying and failing does.
That ends this year.
So, if you're a book publisher specifically, I'm going to bother you quite a bit this year. If my various proposals fail (nobody likes my idea to write a book where I let the Magic 8 Ball make all my decisions for 12 months) then they fail and I try again.
I'm a businessman, but I'm also a writer. I'm pretty good at both and have never figured out how to combine the two in a job. So, in 2010, I'll work two jobs if I have to, even if one offers more than its fair share of heartbreak and rejection. I've been through that before and, well, at least you're still reading.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
When someone asks me what I do for a living, I have no satisfying answer to give them. While I’m proud of my “straight” job running a very unique toy and hobby store, there’s a part of me that always wants to answer "writer."
Of course, writing, is not how I make my living at the moment. I’ve made money as a writer, worked full-time as an editor and had a six-figure year as a freelancer, but right now, writing is, at best, a sideline. Still, there’s a romantic part of me, and perhaps an ego-driven part of me, that craves the specialness that identifying myself as a creative person provides.
I never actually intended to stop being a writer first and a business guy second. It just sort of happened as the responsibilities of being a husband, a father and the attendant mortgages and car loans piled up.
At first, the realities of parenthood pushed writing to the backburner. It’s hard to pitch freelance articles and write book proposals when you have a baby keeping you up all night. Then, it became the fact that in addition to loving writing and the associated acclaim, I also love running things -- specifically the toy and hobby store where I currently serve as general manager.
I was a passionate ladder company executive and I’m an insanely devoted toy and hobby store manager. I love the stress of managing people and the joys (and occasional hardships) of dealing with customers. I run a store that people feel connected to – a place that they revel in sharing with their children – and there’s an ego boost from that similar to the one I get when someone recognizes me from something I have written.
Still, though, nothing exactly equals the high of writing something and having it read. I've been more than willing to sacrifice money for attention as a newspaper columnist and that has to speak to my overly-inflated sense of how interesting I am.
Realistically, noboby writes a column about his life for the best part of 20 years without a healthy ego. If I did not believe I was pretty entertaining, it’s unlikely I’d expose my inner workings in who knows how many hundreds of papers and Web sites each week.
On the other hand, that same ego, enjoys being the boss of people and likes the more immediate awards that working in a store offers. Writing can be solitary whereas managing a store involves constantly interacting with people -- which can be invigorating.
For the past six years though, since I left writing and editing as a full-time profession, I have neglected that side of myself and allowed this column to be my only creative endeavor. I could say that's because my business and family takes up much of my time, but that would only be a piece of the story.
Writing in most cases involves rejection. Articles get shot down by editors and book proposals get critiqued by agents then ultimately rejected by publishers. Constant rejection does not help with the aforementioned ego, so not trying helps me maintain my creative vision of myself a lot more readily than trying and failing does.
That ends this year.
So, if you're a book publisher specifically, I'm going to bother you quite a bit this year. If my various proposals fail (nobody likes my idea to write a book where I let the Magic 8 Ball make all my decisions for 12 months) then they fail and I try again.
I'm a businessman, but I'm also a writer. I'm pretty good at both and have never figured out how to combine the two in a job. So, in 2010, I'll work two jobs if I have to, even if one offers more than its fair share of heartbreak and rejection. I've been through that before and, well, at least you're still reading.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Without jobs, it's still a recession
By Daniel B. Kline
Good news, America. On a completely meaningless, utterly technical level, the recession has ended. It hasn't ended in a way that means you might get a job anytime soon or in a way where you won't have to to be worrying about money, but under the textbook definition of a recession, it's all over.
I'm personally relieved and plan to go on a spending spree fueled by readily available credit and easily obtainable, lucrative side-jobs. I'll also spend the money I'm saving on my government-sponsored affordable health care and perhaps I'll use a few dollars from my rapidly growing home equity.
Sadly, that does not seem to be the way things are going and even though the recession may be over as far as the politicians and eggheads are concerned, it has not stopped for us regular folks. It seems that the endless government meddling that began under President George Bush and continued under President Barack Obama has resulted in the kind of recovery where regular people do not recover.
The banks are healthier as are the insurance companies. Even the auto manufacturers have a brighter outlook, but regular Americans still face 10% unemployment, rampant underemployment and only dim prospects that things might improve.
I'm sure the unemployed factory workers and former executives now working at Starbucks take great pleasure in the fact that their bankers and insurance agents have nothing to worry about. Of course, they probably had to drop their insurance and are mostly avoiding calls from the bank because they can't afford to make their mortgage payments.
As a nation we have spent billions of dollars on an economic recovery that created no jobs. I'm against government messing with the free market, but if we're going to spend public money on anything shouldn't it be on directly creating jobs?
Instead of boondogles like "cash for clunkers" and giving billions to prop up companies that should have been allowed to go out of business, maybe we could have built some bridges or fixed up our inner cities? Or, if we're going to be in two wars, we should at least go back to bombing Iraq and Afghanistan so American factories can get back to work making more?
Once again, I prefer less government, much lower taxes and letting the free market solve its own problems, but at least public works programs actually stimulate the economy. If we're going to spend government money (i.e. our money) on anything it should be on putting people back to work.
It's absurd to call any efforts to end the economic downturn a success until companies begin to hire. I'm glad that inventories are up 2%, holiday sales showed a slight increase and whatever other meaningless stats politicians throw out in order to pat themselves on the back, but it mean nothing without a drop in unemployment.
The current situation is akin to your doctor telling you that while he can't cure your cancer, he does have a pill that will make you slightly better looking while you die. Real people don't judge the economy based on fancy reports, they judge it based what they can afford.
A mediocre economy is one in which working hard allows you to make ends meet and a good economy is one that allows you to do that, take a vacation and buy some new stuff. It's not complicated. If we have a few dollars we're doing great and if we don't, we aren't.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
Good news, America. On a completely meaningless, utterly technical level, the recession has ended. It hasn't ended in a way that means you might get a job anytime soon or in a way where you won't have to to be worrying about money, but under the textbook definition of a recession, it's all over.
I'm personally relieved and plan to go on a spending spree fueled by readily available credit and easily obtainable, lucrative side-jobs. I'll also spend the money I'm saving on my government-sponsored affordable health care and perhaps I'll use a few dollars from my rapidly growing home equity.
Sadly, that does not seem to be the way things are going and even though the recession may be over as far as the politicians and eggheads are concerned, it has not stopped for us regular folks. It seems that the endless government meddling that began under President George Bush and continued under President Barack Obama has resulted in the kind of recovery where regular people do not recover.
The banks are healthier as are the insurance companies. Even the auto manufacturers have a brighter outlook, but regular Americans still face 10% unemployment, rampant underemployment and only dim prospects that things might improve.
I'm sure the unemployed factory workers and former executives now working at Starbucks take great pleasure in the fact that their bankers and insurance agents have nothing to worry about. Of course, they probably had to drop their insurance and are mostly avoiding calls from the bank because they can't afford to make their mortgage payments.
As a nation we have spent billions of dollars on an economic recovery that created no jobs. I'm against government messing with the free market, but if we're going to spend public money on anything shouldn't it be on directly creating jobs?
Instead of boondogles like "cash for clunkers" and giving billions to prop up companies that should have been allowed to go out of business, maybe we could have built some bridges or fixed up our inner cities? Or, if we're going to be in two wars, we should at least go back to bombing Iraq and Afghanistan so American factories can get back to work making more?
Once again, I prefer less government, much lower taxes and letting the free market solve its own problems, but at least public works programs actually stimulate the economy. If we're going to spend government money (i.e. our money) on anything it should be on putting people back to work.
It's absurd to call any efforts to end the economic downturn a success until companies begin to hire. I'm glad that inventories are up 2%, holiday sales showed a slight increase and whatever other meaningless stats politicians throw out in order to pat themselves on the back, but it mean nothing without a drop in unemployment.
The current situation is akin to your doctor telling you that while he can't cure your cancer, he does have a pill that will make you slightly better looking while you die. Real people don't judge the economy based on fancy reports, they judge it based what they can afford.
A mediocre economy is one in which working hard allows you to make ends meet and a good economy is one that allows you to do that, take a vacation and buy some new stuff. It's not complicated. If we have a few dollars we're doing great and if we don't, we aren't.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
NFL goes for diversity, gets a sham
By Daniel B. Kline
The National Football League had the best of intentions when it enacted the "Rooney Rule," which requires teams to interview a minority candidate when filling a head coach or general manager position. Unfortunately, good intentions and a dollar bill won't buy you a cup of coffee most places and this rule has accomplished little if anything.
Ostensibly, the Rooney Rule causes white team owners and general managers to look for people outside their comfort zones. Even if these candidates don't get hired on the first go round, they get publicity and become familiar to the people doing the hiring.
They also get experience in the interview process and, in theory, just being interviewed might make them a hot commodity which could lead to promotions, new contracts or other perks with their current teams. In addition, since head coaches and general managers often only last a few years, theoretically the minority person given the courtesy interview might get the job on the second pass.
This is a nice idea, but in practice it does not work. In the case of head coaches the vast majority of openings go to either previously successful head coaches (not a lot of minorities there) or "hot" coordinators (not too many minorities there either). Most teams have a strong idea of who they intend to hire before the actual interview as there bodies of work speak for themselves.
In most cases, as we just saw in Washington and in Cleveland, the teams target a well-known football figure (Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan respectively) and make them an offer. The interview is largely to make sure everyone gets along or maybe it helps a team decide which ex-coach or coordinator it wants from a list of two or three.
The Rooney rule interviews largely go to whatever black guy it's convenient to interview. Washington interviewed it's cornerbacks coach even though he had absolutely no chance at the job. They did this because no qualified minority coordinator or credible candidate would interview for a job that everyone knows was Mike Shanahan's to turn down.
Washington could have interviewed P. Diddy and still met the requirements. Realistically, a team could interview it's African American security guard or Bill Cosby then just go and hire the guy they wanted all along.
If the NFL wants to see more black head coaches and general managers then it should make teams apply the Rooney rule when hiring position coaches and front office assistants. The only way there will be qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of the league will be if they work there way up just like white coaches do.
Of course, there has been racism in keeping both pro and college football head coaching jobs largely in the hands of white men. But, even if a handful of owners wanted to hire minority candidates, exactly who should they hire?
More black assistants will lead to more black coordinators which will lead to more black head coaches. That will lead to more black head coaches getting fired which will lead to more black coaches becoming retreads and getting hired again.
Fixing this supposed problem starts at the bottom not at the top. Nobody is helped by obscure position coaches getting courtesy interviews. Instead, if we want real change, then we have to be patient and plant the seeds for change to come.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
The National Football League had the best of intentions when it enacted the "Rooney Rule," which requires teams to interview a minority candidate when filling a head coach or general manager position. Unfortunately, good intentions and a dollar bill won't buy you a cup of coffee most places and this rule has accomplished little if anything.
Ostensibly, the Rooney Rule causes white team owners and general managers to look for people outside their comfort zones. Even if these candidates don't get hired on the first go round, they get publicity and become familiar to the people doing the hiring.
They also get experience in the interview process and, in theory, just being interviewed might make them a hot commodity which could lead to promotions, new contracts or other perks with their current teams. In addition, since head coaches and general managers often only last a few years, theoretically the minority person given the courtesy interview might get the job on the second pass.
This is a nice idea, but in practice it does not work. In the case of head coaches the vast majority of openings go to either previously successful head coaches (not a lot of minorities there) or "hot" coordinators (not too many minorities there either). Most teams have a strong idea of who they intend to hire before the actual interview as there bodies of work speak for themselves.
In most cases, as we just saw in Washington and in Cleveland, the teams target a well-known football figure (Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan respectively) and make them an offer. The interview is largely to make sure everyone gets along or maybe it helps a team decide which ex-coach or coordinator it wants from a list of two or three.
The Rooney rule interviews largely go to whatever black guy it's convenient to interview. Washington interviewed it's cornerbacks coach even though he had absolutely no chance at the job. They did this because no qualified minority coordinator or credible candidate would interview for a job that everyone knows was Mike Shanahan's to turn down.
Washington could have interviewed P. Diddy and still met the requirements. Realistically, a team could interview it's African American security guard or Bill Cosby then just go and hire the guy they wanted all along.
If the NFL wants to see more black head coaches and general managers then it should make teams apply the Rooney rule when hiring position coaches and front office assistants. The only way there will be qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of the league will be if they work there way up just like white coaches do.
Of course, there has been racism in keeping both pro and college football head coaching jobs largely in the hands of white men. But, even if a handful of owners wanted to hire minority candidates, exactly who should they hire?
More black assistants will lead to more black coordinators which will lead to more black head coaches. That will lead to more black head coaches getting fired which will lead to more black coaches becoming retreads and getting hired again.
Fixing this supposed problem starts at the bottom not at the top. Nobody is helped by obscure position coaches getting courtesy interviews. Instead, if we want real change, then we have to be patient and plant the seeds for change to come.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com or befriend him at facebook.com/dankline.
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