What do you do with a drunken sailor?

My friend Al Lewis of Dow Jones Newswires has used the term "Drunken Sailor" more than once in describing the free-spending ways of Congress.

I'm always amazed that so many people blame Presidents for fiscal woes when it's Congress that controls spending. Only Congress can pass spending legislation. Granted, this can come with the huge influence of the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania, but it's Congress who spends our money. Like drunken sailors.

So what should we do with all these drunken sailors? The famous sea shanty offers these suggestions:

1. Put them in a longboat 'till they're sober
2. Keep them there and make them bail her
3. Shave their bellies with a rusty razor
4. Put them in bed with the captain's daughter. (Or son as appropriate)

A 5th option certainly would be to throw the bums out. All of them. The system is broken and both political parties have equally contributed to the mess also known as Washington, DC.

What is it about the system that turns the Mr. or Ms. Smith's that go to Washington into Mr. or Ms. Hyde instead? The fact they have to spend most of their waking hours on the phone raising money instead of legislating certainly doesn't help.

But we're accountable as well. We get all involved during election cycles, then let the system work, or in this case, not work until the next cycle. President Reagan famously said, "Trust but verify." When it comes to sending people to Congress I say, "Vote but verify."

Pay attention to what our reprentatives are doing. (Or not doing) Follow the news, learn the issues and above all know the system of representative government. They're our employees. When their work doesn't meet expectations, let them know about it by phone, e-mail or knocking on their district doors.

Be involved 365 days a year. Not just a few days every two years.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

All the news that fits...

I try and start out each morning checking out my favorite news websites. It's good to start the day half-way informed. Normally none of this is blog material, and might not be but hey, it's my blog and I'll blog if I want to.

First out of the gate is this column by my friend and Dow Jones Newswires writer Al Lewis. It's about corporate brown-nosing, i.e. sucking up. Al has a knack for rooting out the problems and foibles of corporate America, and this column is no different. Sucking up works, which ends up with companies not working.

In other news...you might remember the story about a thief who tried to rip-off an iPad from a victim at a mall in Denver, darn near ripping off the victim's thumb at the same time. In an dictment of a lousy legal system, the crook then tried to order a hit on the victim from his jail cell. The crook was allowed access to all the victim's records connected to the case, even his home address. The charges have escalted from theft to attempted murder. But something is wrong with a system that allows criminals to order hits from jail. Something very wrong.

Finally from our "It takes all types to make a world" department, this story about a mother who thought it was funny to take a picture of her 11 month child with a bong. Ha ha! She even posted the picture on Facebook. Surprise, surprise, someone noticed and she got busted. You are what you post.

Maybe some or all of the above will get some conversations started. It's an interesting world.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We get the conversation started about you"

News you can use.

A few online articles caught my attention this morning that I want to share with you. The first is from columnist Al Lewis of Dow Jones Newswires. I've known Al for several years and frankly have no idea what his personal politics are But his points about the recent IPO of Tesla Motors are biting...and hit the mark. He's an equal opportunity shamer and goodness knows there's plenty of shame to go around these days.

Al has an uncanny way of sorting through the hype and delivering facts in a way that make you think...and laugh at the same time. (Ok, maybe cry too)

I should note that I read Al's column on my iPad,* later switching over to this article on Bloomberg Businessweek about the growing use of the device by companies like Wells Fargo and SAP. It took some of these companies years to figure out the iPhone was a must-have for staffers. It took them just weeks to start issuing iPads.

It's no wonder when you see the growing number of iPad Aps that are strictly for business. I recently was talking with a realtor who has a PC-based business and while liking the iPad, was hesitant to buy one because of compatibility. I think she'd like Remote Desktop.

Personally I'm finding more and more business uses for my iPad. Not the least of which it being a great way to demo videos and the like to clients. It's handy in a one-on-one session, and for larger groups you just plug it into a video projector.

Anyways, as Ellen Degeneres would say, a few articles worth sharing with you this morning.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We get the conversation started about you!"
* (I own Apple Stock)