Welcome to TishTrek - More than a JOB BLOG.
She's 'Everybody's Daughter' and today she needs all our prayers and warm wishes:
A beautiful and talented 18-year old in my community - Pt. Pleasant, NJ - is fighting for her life & her family has asked only for prayers for their cherished daughter. Please add yours!
Her name is Kristina Marie Corso and she is admired by thousands... If you read this blog; then go to the CaringBridge.org Website her family set up to support her - address below - you will be moved by this young woman's journey and her family's extraordinary response to it.
The family's honest, detailed, raw and brutal description of their daughter's unimaginable medical challenge and their testimony to Kristina's glorious miracles so far will take your breath away.
The FAITH of this family is so beautifully etched and written between each line that reading it is an utterly astonishing experience. I'm 52-years old and I've never, ever experienced or seen anything quite like it...
As I pray for Kristina daily, I honor her remarkable family - her mom Terri, dad Steve and stepmom Sue - for their courage, strength and faith.
Everyday I also ask God to bless her two wonderful brothers and beloved sister. May God give these children strength beyond their years as 'their' beautiful sister Kristina fights to recover. - Amen.
With Upmost respect,
TishTrek
A new journal entry titled Kristina holding steady-Day 11 @ Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,(CHOP).- 16th day of hospitalization was posted on Kristina's CaringBridge website at 5:21:00 PM on Oct 13, 2011.
Read the latest update and show your support at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kristinacorso
Kristina Corso
Welcome | My Story | Journal | Guestbook | Photos | Tributes | Resources
A note from Kristina's family: We cherish your messages. Take a moment to write a note in our guestbook or read entries from other visitors.
The JOURNAL ICON - The family's daily medical update on Kristina's journey-of-miracles...
The GUESTBOOK ICON - Prayers, thoughts and messages for Kristina & her family left by people 'everywhere' to support them during this difficult time...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristina Corso's
Guestbook
Friday, October 14, 2011 11:02 AM
Dear Kristina,
Our thanks to Dad for the latest update! The ovation-of-prayer continues for you in English & Italian! Keep fighting!
There's a wonderful woman in Pt. Beach who restores precious art all over the world. Her multi-year projects have included the White House, Library of Congress, Museum of the American Indian, Gettysburg's Cyclorama; and the Winterthur Museum. She also spent years restoring magnificent paintings on the ceilings of chapels across Florence, Italy. I told her about you and your journey today.
She speaks fluent Italian, so of course she was thrilled to hear that you received the 2011 World Languages Department Award for Italian Studies at Pt. Pleasant Borough High School! When you return home, she'd look so forward to an Italian-ONLY conversation with you anytime! From one Italian-speaking local to another, she's thinking of you...
Through her art, she learned first hand that Italy's celebrations and love for patron saints are shown in the solemn and joyful processions which honor them.
Every town and small village has a patron saint which is honored by its people. Celebrating these special feast days brings renewed 'faith and hope' and is an important aspect of Italian life.
You are a special young woman who learned to love Italy's language & embrace her culture, so may all the patron saints of Italy watch over you and protect you so your journey at CHOP can be fluent from this point forward...
May renewed 'faith & hope' restore precious you to excellent health and return you to your family soon. - Amen.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Ferg and 'A Local' graduate of Pt. Bch HS dedicated to Art Conservation who is praying in Italian! :)
Tish Ferguson
Friday, October 7, 2011 1:43 PM
Hi, Kristina.
Last night, a beautiful e-mail arrived for you from Charlie Brady, a Pt. Pleasant hero and giant in our community who offers light and support to families struggling in the darkness of illness.
Charlie, along with his wonderful family and a group of devoted friends, founded The Carmie Carmie Brady Foundation (www.carmiebradyfoundation.com) to give back and to honor his beloved wife Carmie, who always lived the tenets of Laughing, Loving and Caring and who was the grateful recipient and witness to many miracles over THREE decades!
To help put your journey in perspective, Charlie reminded me of a book he wrote honoring his wife's remarkable life and legacy. In Chapter 25, MIRACLES, he writes, "Carmie was the recipient of numerous miracles during her life. Now she has become the instrument through which God is bestowing many miracles upon her family and friends."
Finally, Charlie asked me to tell you that he and the Carmie Brady Foundation stand ready in the wings if and when Mom and Dad need to call their name.
Love,
'Mrs. Ferg'
Tish Ferguson
Monday, October 3, 2011 11:41 PM
Kristina,
Our prayers are with you... May the strength and love of our community help keep you and your family strong; and may your great gifts and amazing abilities help you dance over this challenge with the music of a fiddler in your heart. Get well soon.
Love - Tish, Harry, Kate & Scott Ferguson
Tish Ferguson
Saturday, October 8, 2011 4:28 PM
Hi, Kristina.
May the bright light of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come keep you warm today!
This morning, I chose to celebrate your December 2010 enchanting performance as 'Silly Sister' in the PPBHS play Charles Dicken's, A Christmas Carol. You and the entire cast did a fantastic job telling the story of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation to images of light, joy, warmth and life. - BRAVO!
Today in real life a very caring person in our community e-mailed me to explain he is trying to reach out to bring some light, joy and warmth to you and your family during this difficult time.
Please ask one of your relatives to call 732-259-2780 or e-mail me @ tish509@comcast.net - so I can pass along his beautiful, humble, time-sensitive and private messge to your remarkable parents. - Thanks.
People everywhere continue to be deeply inspired by you and your fight. Keep up the great work!
Love,
Tish, Harry, Kate and Scott
Ms. Ferg (A certified Performing Arts Wing-Nut since 1972!)
Tish Ferguson
Friday, October 7, 2011 12:33 AM
Kristina,
Nice update - You go girl!
In your 2011 Pt. Pleasant Borough High School yearbook, there was a section starting on page 314 called the 'Senior Bucket List.' On page 316 your entry was #42 and you stated that one dream yet to be fulfilled was to 'write a book.' Little could any of us have imagined that your life would write an indelible story of hope, faith, and love co-authored by the hand of God.
Now stay feisty and keep fighting so I can knock people over to get to the front of the line at your book signing asap!
Love,
Tish, Harry, Kate & Scott Ferguson
(aka: 'Mrs. Ferg' - the lady who always screams, "Bravo!")
Tish Ferguson
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 10:29 AM - A hard day...
Miracles of Jesus: Calming the stormy sea
(Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)
"While Jesus and his disciples were in a boat crossing a lake (possibly the Sea of Galilee), a storm frightened his disciples while Jesus slept. They awoke Jesus, fearful that the storm would harm them. Jesus then miraculously calmed the storm."
The 'extra' prayers of others are with Kristina today.
Tish Ferguson
Sunday, October 9, 2011 12:27 PM
Hi, Kristina.
This morning, after reading the update about the loving calm and quiet now required to foster healing, I said a little prayer as I ran my fingers across that autograph you signed for me.
In 2010, you competed in the incredible Nashville Heritage Festival in Tennessee representing vocal excellence of the highest caliber on behalf of Pt. Pleasant Borough High School. You and all the dedicated members of our Show Choir under Mrs. "B's" direction inspired judges to honor you as one of the top choral groups in the nation! Our community is still proud!! - BRAVO!
The awesome picture I cherish of the PPBHS Show Choir standing on the steps of the Historic Ryman Auditorium (formerly Grand Ole Opry House!) is framed with a mat with all your signatures and it has not left my living room since last year.
I remain humbled by this gift because when I look it, I feel the same delight I experience every time I watch a performance @ the Loren D. Donley Performing Arts Center. Audiences get to applaud wonderful students - like you - sharing talents, God-given abilities, and discipline as you all evolve before our eyes into confident young men and women eager to take on the world.
What we see is 'America's Promise' - the beautiful, talented children of others always striving to share the very best they have to offer. People will continue to pray out here to return the best we have to offer to you and your family, so just rest up and keep fighting. :)
Love,
Mrs. Ferg
Harry, Kate & Scott too!
Tish Ferguson
Thursday, October 13, 2011 1:29 PM
Dear Kristina,
Today, I celebrate your spectacular 2008 performance as Tituba in Arthur Miller's serious play The Crucible!
OMGosh - under the intense direction of Ian Kearns the cast successfully developed complex characters who hit the fundamental themes of intolerance, hysteria, reputation, and compassion out of the park! Excellence on the PPBHS stage left audiences - once again - utterly fascinated as you and the incredible cast brilliantly tackled heavy issues of the universe. - BRAVO!
Three years later, I'm reminded of that particular performance as I share this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and conveniences, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." It's ever so clear how and where you stand during remarkable & complex challenges both on the stage and in life...
Fortunately, from the halls of CHOP a message of faith & hope is echoing across Philly to NJ to Bridge Avenue to Rt 88 to Laurel Drive as your humble family serves as your understudy, sound liaison and light operator throughout this ordeal.
While you rest, heal and sleep in this moment beyond your comfort zone, your family has beautifully choreographed lessons-of-the-heart that dance inside the pages of this on-line journal. We are deeply moved.
Thousands are routing for you and we are filled with reverence & awe every time your parents recite YOUR lines: "Faith sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible." ***
Wishing you healing and continued recovery...
Warm regards,
Tish, Harry, Kate and Scott Ferguson
('Mrs. Ferg' - Admitted Drama Club Groupie!)
*** Quote, Author Unknown
Tish Ferguson
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 7:18 PM
Hi, Kristina. You've got fan mail!
Peter Cancro, the owner & founder of Jersey Mike's Subs and my friend of 40 years, just called for an update on your condition. He asked me to tell you that everyone at Jersey Mike's is cheering you and your family on!
When Peter and his Chief Operating Officer Michael Manzo attended our recent Board of Ed meeting, they very much enjoyed the privilege of honoring you as one of Jersey Mike's Class of 2011 Student Stewards in the State of NJ!
It was the same terrific night they took time to honor your classmates Andrea Berger & John Caliendo while generously donating extra-curricular funds to Pt. Pleasant Borough High School. BRAVO to you & all the heroes of that evening!
As a life-long athlete, successful business executive and champion to many, Peter and his Staff at Jersey Mike's applaud the great role model you are and the inspiration to other students & adults you continue to be especially as you fight on at CHOP! They want you to stay strong and to give it your all until the 'hometown advantage' can be yours again!
Your beautiful picture now hangs with pride on the wall at their local Jersey Mike's store on Bridge Avenue and as a result, Peter has one message for you: No Jersey Mike's Champion ever walks alone.
It's 4th and long... we're all praying the break from ECMO positions you for an awesome first down! Go, Kristina!
Love,
Tish, Harry, Kate, Scott Ferguson (#2 - Everything on it!)
'Mrs. Ferg' (Turkey and Swiss - Hold the onion!)
Tish Ferguson
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 6:40 PM
Kristina,
As Mom & Dad generously shared and so poignantly described the challenges & miracles of your journey, the light of 'God's omnipresence and omniscience' moved all of us. You have inspired us to reflect on Psalm 139, 'To the Choirmaster, A Psalm of David:'
"If I take the wings of morning,
And dwell in the unttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me."
May bright angels guard you from harm as we continue to pray for you and your entire family.
Love - Tish, Harry, Kate & Scott Ferguson
Tish Ferguson
Thursday, October 6, 2011 12:36 PM
Kristina,
We are grateful that you were embraced by calm yesterday - Amen.
This morning, I walked on Arnold Avenue headed to the beach to offer my daily prayers for you & your family. As I passed Harvey Memorial Church next to Dunkin Donuts, my walk was abruptly interrupted by the same astonishing jolt-of-joy I felt every time you and the entire PPBHS Show Choir performed inside that chamber during the Christmas Season. With poinsettias and lovely stain glass windows as a backdrop, your beautiful voice and those of your dear friends always merged as one to create a magnificent poetic echo which deeply touched our hearts. You sounded like a choir of angels; and now we know it was.
Keep fighting! The 'ovation-of-prayer' for you and your family continues!
Love,
Tish, Harry, Kate & Scott Ferguson
('Mrs. Ferg' - Show Choir Groupie!)
Tish Ferguson
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 5:00 PM
Kristina,
CHOP, CHOP - keep going!! God bless your remarkable parents who are the living definition of faith, strength and courage. As your heart rests so your lungs can heal, Mom & Dad's words have inspired thousands of hearts to 'beat-as-one' for you so you can bypass this darkness and return completely to the light of day.
The prayers in 'your' town will not stop until our beloved Pt. Pleasant Borough High School Valedictorian returns home. Under your senior picture in your 2011 yearbook, you wrote, "First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do," (Epictetus). You've always been 'that girl' who knows what to do - so keep fighting Sweetheat!
Love,
Tish, Harry, Kate & Scott Ferguson
(aka: 'Mrs. Ferg' - Performing Arts Groupie!)
Tish Ferguson
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 9:44 AM
Dear Kristina,
The ovation-of-prayer continues for you... Keep fighting!
Fiddler John Conaghan of Pt. Pleasant, whose 88th birthday is on Christmas Day, offers applause to you for that wonderful duet Miracle Of Miracles you & 'Motel' (Chris Kubat) belted out during Fiddler on the Roof outside of Tevya's house on stage seven months ago. - BRAVO!
John and his wife Nadine just heard about your situation so they asked us to re-gift 48 years of their miracles and ship them off to you @ CHOP!
In 1963, John was 40-years old when cancer struck, he was told he had 6 months to live. At age 75, new illness hit; it was 1998 and there was no chance he'd make it home from the hospital. At age 86, you were a witness to his miracles as he played the fiddle he had just 'hand-carved' to celebrate you & the entire PPBHS Show Choir on the Pt. Beach Boardwalk!
At age 87 1/2, John reminded us yesterday that when he sang on the radio at age 7, he was too young to realize that "once artists use their gifts to lift the hearts of others, the musician's blessing lasts a lifetime."
Then he smiled, picked up a four-stringed instrument & a slender stick with horsehairs and played the most beautiful song just for you.
Loving Father...
"In Your love for Your Church
You have given the gift of musical ability
to these men and women of faith.
Bless them as they use their talents for Your glory
and for the good of Your holy people... - Amen." ***
With warm wishes & admiration,
Uncle John -"A Real Fiddler on your Roof" & Aunt Nonnie Conaghan - The Nurse he married 65 years ago!
Mrs. Ferg - (Caravan Mgmt for Elderly Fans who love PPBHS Musicals!)
*** (Quote from Catholicdoorsministry.com - 2007)
Tish Ferguson
Monday, October 10, 2011 2:41 PM
Hi, Kristina.
Many thanks to your parents for sharing on this site that gorgeous photo of you in your cap and gown taken at the Pt. Pleasant Borough High School graduation in June! :)
To YOU - our town's beloved 2011 PPBHS Valedictorian - we say, "BRAVO!" Your excellence as a New Jersey (NJDFL) & PPBHS Forensics Champion came through loud and clear on graduation night! Thank you for the great speech!
Thousands of us listened to your every word after we had packed the bleachers at Al Saner Field to participate in the wonderful hometown send-off celebrating you and the entire Class of 2011! You did a terrific job addressing the crowd!
I can still hear you telling fellow graduates, "This is your moment to make a change... I'm proud of our class," as you noted that a large number of graduates had raised money for worthy causes, as well as had outstanding achievements in academics, the arts and athletics.
Before you left for Drew University, your 'outstanding achievements' throughout high school had left you with so many local admirers you didn't even know...
Today, tens of thousands from everywhere are proud of your iron will and determination @ CHOP! The ovation-of-prayer continues... as your strength and bravery continues to compose an improvised speech never to be forgotten.
Wishing you warmth & rest,
Tish, Harry, Kate, Scott Ferguson
'Mrs. Ferg' - Debate & Forensics Fan
Tish Ferguson
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 12:14 PM
Kristine,
Today, I'm smiling as I recall all the times you stepped onto the stage @ the Loren Donley Performing Art Center @ PPBHS. You lit up our town every time you sang, danced, performed your music, acted and shared the wonderment of who you are. The warmth and awe audiences experienced as we watched you grow one remarkable performance at a time was pure joy! I want you to know that all the fans you inspired in your hometown are joined together now in a wave and ovation-of-prayer to help you keep fighting & to keep your family strong.
Love,
'Mrs. Ferg' - A #1 fan & Scott's mom
Tish Ferguson
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Governor Christie: Wanted - a High School Band!
Welcome to TishTrek - more than THE JOB BLOG!
Help Wanted: We seek a High School Band to appear in a 3-minute YouTube music video which will go VIRAL when people hear our cry as we work to inspire Governor Chris Christie to run for President of the United States of America!
He's not even in the White House yet, and we already have jobs for 100 band members!
Best regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: Tish Ferguson ; rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com ; jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; billoreilly@foxnews.com ; hferguson@unicef.org ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; tish509@comcast.com
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 1:16 AM
Subject: Gov Christie: E-Mail Mgmt @ http://tishtrek.blogspot.com
Dear Team,
Sorry if your computers are smoking, but no worries my passionate e-mails will die down to a minimum. I'm giving the NJ Governor two more days and then I'm moving to YouTube with a NJ High School Band!
I invite you to my blog http://tishtrek.blogspot.com which started in January 2010 as a 'go team' inspiring self-help VirginHealth Miles Step Journey which was lovely until I broke my foot in two places changing a bed skirt; then after the coincidence of borrowing a 'loaner wheelchair' from the local Elks in New Jersey the same week all my cousins arrived from around the country because the 'same' Elks Club was presenting me with a long-planned Citizen of the Year Award! I'm not bragging, I'm trying to say, "See - you can't even make this up; life just happens and we have to go with it." I honestly had no clue I'd be chasing Governor Christie like this one month ago, but as things got worse in the country - I started not sleeping. A force bigger than me screamed use your skills and do 'something!'
In March 2010, I transitioned my blog theme to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG which has been helping and inspiring the unemployed & employment candidates in general. All these Chris Christie pleas for help will be spelled out on the site until he makes a decision, so now I call it TishTrek - "more than" THE JOB BLOG! If Governor Christie says, "no," I'd be grateful if one of you could introduce me to Herman Cain.
You see folks, I can't help the unemployed find jobs if we don't have a leader who has a clue on how to create a single job @ a time like this! Remember the Allen Brothers who President Obama honored during the State of the Union Address because they transformed half of their warehouse somewhere to make solar panels. They hired 6 people using hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars; they said on Fox News today that they could not have hired those 6 people without that funding. Are they kidding us? No.
People are buying what the Allen Brothers are selling because they are getting taxpayer funded subsidies and IRS tax breaks for saving the planet and honestly, I just can't take it anymore. What the heck is the definition of a "winner" or a "champion" in Washington, DC?
OMGosh - a note to my government people: Good gosh - I'm just a global recruiter and I can tell you that the economy just doesn't work like that! How will my children (Kate - 22 and Scott 18) and the generations that follow them ever pay back this debt that is supporting nothing that will bring a long-term benefit or bounce to our country or economy???
On my Blog - my themes are real and routed in reality. It will show you that I'm not a nut, but rather a public servant, loving mom of two, one of eight children, a wife whose been married for 25 years, a female professional whose grandparents were immigrants, a good friend and I'm 'Everybody's Cousin Tish' with a rip-roaring sense of humor! I'm praying Governor Chistie will honor all of us and our country by getting in this race.
My tag-lines are: "Governor Christie didn't go looking for this moment @ this exact time; the moment found him! I know he has the courage, guts and iron will to answer this damn call!" I hope he does. No kidding.
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Phone
Help Wanted: We seek a High School Band to appear in a 3-minute YouTube music video which will go VIRAL when people hear our cry as we work to inspire Governor Chris Christie to run for President of the United States of America!
He's not even in the White House yet, and we already have jobs for 100 band members!
Best regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: Tish Ferguson ; rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com ; jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; billoreilly@foxnews.com ; hferguson@unicef.org ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; tish509@comcast.com
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 1:16 AM
Subject: Gov Christie: E-Mail Mgmt @ http://tishtrek.blogspot.com
Dear Team,
Sorry if your computers are smoking, but no worries my passionate e-mails will die down to a minimum. I'm giving the NJ Governor two more days and then I'm moving to YouTube with a NJ High School Band!
I invite you to my blog http://tishtrek.blogspot.com which started in January 2010 as a 'go team' inspiring self-help VirginHealth Miles Step Journey which was lovely until I broke my foot in two places changing a bed skirt; then after the coincidence of borrowing a 'loaner wheelchair' from the local Elks in New Jersey the same week all my cousins arrived from around the country because the 'same' Elks Club was presenting me with a long-planned Citizen of the Year Award! I'm not bragging, I'm trying to say, "See - you can't even make this up; life just happens and we have to go with it." I honestly had no clue I'd be chasing Governor Christie like this one month ago, but as things got worse in the country - I started not sleeping. A force bigger than me screamed use your skills and do 'something!'
In March 2010, I transitioned my blog theme to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG which has been helping and inspiring the unemployed & employment candidates in general. All these Chris Christie pleas for help will be spelled out on the site until he makes a decision, so now I call it TishTrek - "more than" THE JOB BLOG! If Governor Christie says, "no," I'd be grateful if one of you could introduce me to Herman Cain.
You see folks, I can't help the unemployed find jobs if we don't have a leader who has a clue on how to create a single job @ a time like this! Remember the Allen Brothers who President Obama honored during the State of the Union Address because they transformed half of their warehouse somewhere to make solar panels. They hired 6 people using hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars; they said on Fox News today that they could not have hired those 6 people without that funding. Are they kidding us? No.
People are buying what the Allen Brothers are selling because they are getting taxpayer funded subsidies and IRS tax breaks for saving the planet and honestly, I just can't take it anymore. What the heck is the definition of a "winner" or a "champion" in Washington, DC?
OMGosh - a note to my government people: Good gosh - I'm just a global recruiter and I can tell you that the economy just doesn't work like that! How will my children (Kate - 22 and Scott 18) and the generations that follow them ever pay back this debt that is supporting nothing that will bring a long-term benefit or bounce to our country or economy???
On my Blog - my themes are real and routed in reality. It will show you that I'm not a nut, but rather a public servant, loving mom of two, one of eight children, a wife whose been married for 25 years, a female professional whose grandparents were immigrants, a good friend and I'm 'Everybody's Cousin Tish' with a rip-roaring sense of humor! I'm praying Governor Chistie will honor all of us and our country by getting in this race.
My tag-lines are: "Governor Christie didn't go looking for this moment @ this exact time; the moment found him! I know he has the courage, guts and iron will to answer this damn call!" I hope he does. No kidding.
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Phone
Governor Christie: 99 Reasons for you to RUN!!!
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
We're making progress in our efforts to acquire the talent of NJ Governor Chris Christie for President of the United States of America!
John Podhoretz wrote an awesome column today explaining why the excitement for Chris Christie is swelling and unbelievable - read all about it in the Sunday NY Post!
One day at a time, gang. We'll have jobs for you soon. Stay strong and try to keep a positive attitude! I won't stop writing until we acquire the LEADERSHIP you and the entire country needs! -That's a promise.
Warm regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; letters@nypost.com ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com
Cc: jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; Harry Ferguson ; mgoodwin@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 5:09 PM
Subject: 99 Reasons for Gov Chris Christie to run!
Attention: Richard Bagger
Chief of Staff, Honorable NJ Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Editors, Reporter, Writers & Newspapers I respect and follow!
Wall Street Journal, NY Post, USA TODAY,
Dear Rich,
Can you spell S-O-L-Y-N-D-R-A? U.S. Department of Energy? The Fed? U.S. Treasury? NLRB? EPA? Lending Windows? I'm offering Theodore Roosevelt's 99-year old quote to spell out the definition of 'Solyndra' and to bolster my reasons for my unyielding support for NJ Governor Chris Christie who I hope will run for President of the United States of America.
In his autobiography, Roosevelt wrote, "Behind the ostensible Government sits enthroned an invisible Government, owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics, is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.... This country belongs to the people. Its resources, its business, its laws, its institutions, should be utilized, maintained, or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest." This assertion is explicit. We say directly that "the people" are absolutely to control in any way they see fit, the "business" of the country." ***(Source below signature)
It's ninety-nine years later and our nation confronts the exact same problem as nameless faces have been enthroned Chicago-style by the Obama Administration as an invisible Government with bottomless taxpayer-funded lending windows (No more lending from the Energy Dept until Congress completes Solyndra investigation!!) and accountability to no one. They enjoy unfettered authority to mandate rules & revenue-generating edicts that ensure government-sponsored 'competitive advantage' which favors some businesses/industries over others.
Corporate executives have no clue when the next costly government regulations, taxes, compliance fines, or code enhancements will be mandated, how much they will cost, or what agencies they will come from. Mostly their demands arrive without debate or votes in the U.S. Congress, as crony capitalism rooted in ideology @ its finest is executed with bully-pulpit tactics directed at hard-working fellow Americans - who happen to be business owners. These are the exact kind of issues that are keeping our economy stalled & so many businesses completely frozen in terms of growth and job creation.
Like that job crushing 'elephant in the room' called ObamaCare that arrived without any pricetags, corporations cannot sign one-year leases on facilities or acquire 50 new hires to expand a business unit or reinvigorate product research when 'uncertainty in the form of government mandates' deny them the ability to predict & forecast the COST of doing business for the next 12 months-to-three years, (I've worked for and been an executive member of corporate teams for 24 years and I promise you this is the reality!). Governor Christie understands this and that's why his solutions have been so good for the State of New Jersey.
I'm routing for my former NJ attorney general and current governor who has led NJ with distinction because he gets things done and operates with business integrity, ethics and stellar management courage which frees him up to call things as he sees them. During Governor Christie's September 27th speech at the Reagan Library he said, "The image of the United States is not what it was, it is not what it can be and it is not what it needs to be." As he spoke, it was clear the Governor didn't seek this moment, but the remarkable moment found him. If he's confident he can lead us all in returning the United States to what it needs to be - many will follow. I'm confident that ninety-nine years from now, his quotes, service and commitment to country will be honored & rewarded in our nation's history because he answered this call.
With upmost respect and anticipation, we anxiously await Governor Christie's decision. Thanks for passing my ten e-mails to the governor and I promise to stop writing after he makes a decision, but one more thing: I know there are campaign infrastructure issues, getting grassroot organizations moving and donors to consider, but could you ask the Governor to hurry up! Waiting for this answer is killing us! Thank you, again. :)
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Home
***Quote from: Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919). An Autobiography. 1913.
XV
THE PEACE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
APPENDIX B
THE CONTROL OF CORPORATIONS AND "THE NEW FREEDOM"
We're making progress in our efforts to acquire the talent of NJ Governor Chris Christie for President of the United States of America!
John Podhoretz wrote an awesome column today explaining why the excitement for Chris Christie is swelling and unbelievable - read all about it in the Sunday NY Post!
One day at a time, gang. We'll have jobs for you soon. Stay strong and try to keep a positive attitude! I won't stop writing until we acquire the LEADERSHIP you and the entire country needs! -That's a promise.
Warm regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; letters@nypost.com ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com
Cc: jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; Harry Ferguson ; mgoodwin@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 5:09 PM
Subject: 99 Reasons for Gov Chris Christie to run!
Attention: Richard Bagger
Chief of Staff, Honorable NJ Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Editors, Reporter, Writers & Newspapers I respect and follow!
Wall Street Journal, NY Post, USA TODAY,
Dear Rich,
Can you spell S-O-L-Y-N-D-R-A? U.S. Department of Energy? The Fed? U.S. Treasury? NLRB? EPA? Lending Windows? I'm offering Theodore Roosevelt's 99-year old quote to spell out the definition of 'Solyndra' and to bolster my reasons for my unyielding support for NJ Governor Chris Christie who I hope will run for President of the United States of America.
In his autobiography, Roosevelt wrote, "Behind the ostensible Government sits enthroned an invisible Government, owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics, is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.... This country belongs to the people. Its resources, its business, its laws, its institutions, should be utilized, maintained, or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest." This assertion is explicit. We say directly that "the people" are absolutely to control in any way they see fit, the "business" of the country." ***(Source below signature)
It's ninety-nine years later and our nation confronts the exact same problem as nameless faces have been enthroned Chicago-style by the Obama Administration as an invisible Government with bottomless taxpayer-funded lending windows (No more lending from the Energy Dept until Congress completes Solyndra investigation!!) and accountability to no one. They enjoy unfettered authority to mandate rules & revenue-generating edicts that ensure government-sponsored 'competitive advantage' which favors some businesses/industries over others.
Corporate executives have no clue when the next costly government regulations, taxes, compliance fines, or code enhancements will be mandated, how much they will cost, or what agencies they will come from. Mostly their demands arrive without debate or votes in the U.S. Congress, as crony capitalism rooted in ideology @ its finest is executed with bully-pulpit tactics directed at hard-working fellow Americans - who happen to be business owners. These are the exact kind of issues that are keeping our economy stalled & so many businesses completely frozen in terms of growth and job creation.
Like that job crushing 'elephant in the room' called ObamaCare that arrived without any pricetags, corporations cannot sign one-year leases on facilities or acquire 50 new hires to expand a business unit or reinvigorate product research when 'uncertainty in the form of government mandates' deny them the ability to predict & forecast the COST of doing business for the next 12 months-to-three years, (I've worked for and been an executive member of corporate teams for 24 years and I promise you this is the reality!). Governor Christie understands this and that's why his solutions have been so good for the State of New Jersey.
I'm routing for my former NJ attorney general and current governor who has led NJ with distinction because he gets things done and operates with business integrity, ethics and stellar management courage which frees him up to call things as he sees them. During Governor Christie's September 27th speech at the Reagan Library he said, "The image of the United States is not what it was, it is not what it can be and it is not what it needs to be." As he spoke, it was clear the Governor didn't seek this moment, but the remarkable moment found him. If he's confident he can lead us all in returning the United States to what it needs to be - many will follow. I'm confident that ninety-nine years from now, his quotes, service and commitment to country will be honored & rewarded in our nation's history because he answered this call.
With upmost respect and anticipation, we anxiously await Governor Christie's decision. Thanks for passing my ten e-mails to the governor and I promise to stop writing after he makes a decision, but one more thing: I know there are campaign infrastructure issues, getting grassroot organizations moving and donors to consider, but could you ask the Governor to hurry up! Waiting for this answer is killing us! Thank you, again. :)
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Home
***Quote from: Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919). An Autobiography. 1913.
XV
THE PEACE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
APPENDIX B
THE CONTROL OF CORPORATIONS AND "THE NEW FREEDOM"
Governor Christie: A Laugh Before Running!
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
Yes - TishTrek is a little busy trying to inspire the best qualified talent to take over as the Leader of the Free World. Wish me luck recruiting our next President of the United States of America!
Another letter to the Honorable Chris Christie's Chief of Staff below! You have to give me passion points for trying! This is round-the-clock work, but I'm feeling good about it!!
I'll keep you posted!
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com ; jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; billoreilly@foxnews.com ; hferguson@unicef.org ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; tish509@comcast.com
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 7:15 PM
Subject: Laugh before running! Go, Christie, Go!
Attention: Richard Bagger
Chief of Staff for the Honorable Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Editors, Writers, and Reporters I follow & respect!
Dear Rich,
There are literally thousands of Solyndra-Like Situations that we could end today. I'm offering to join a research team so we can list them all; force rank them; total the spending; report to the nation; and then eliminate the abuse one company/political donor at a time. Let me know if I can help!
Now - In keeping with Governor Chris Christie's terrific sense of humor, I'm asking him to run for the President of the United States of America so he can help us drive President Obama out of the White House and Washington, DC in one of those $40,000.00 Chevy Prius Hybrid Volt electric cars that GM created with $250,000,000.00 of our tax dollars. Yes - that's $250 million in taxpayer-sponsored funds on top of the $51 billion we gave them to reward their 'systemic corporate failures' in the form of Bailout Funds!
OR...
Perhaps the Governor can borrow George Clooney's $109,000.00 Tesla Motors premium electric vehicle which was created with $500,000,000.00 of Uncle Sammy's money. YES - that's a half billion dollars in taxpayer funds. Don't forget to drop by the Energy Department and make sure that George Clooney, Matt Damon and all the other electric car consumers received their $7,500 per purchase taxpayer-funded Alternative Energy Rebates - which are taxpayer rewards we give out when folks do their part to eliminate green gases, etc. in the atmosphere.
Oh and tell Governor Christie to pick up the execs @ that 'special company' who will have to show them where their Electric Car Fueling Stations are which they're 'supposed' to be building with the $130,000,000.00 in taxpayer funds we gave them to participate in the 'contrived' electric biz too.
If the Christie Campaign hyper-focuses on solutions for our economy and shows respect for the citizens who produce the tax dollars that are being funneled through the current 'invisible government' by all those nameless, faceless people, Governor Christie wins in a land-slide! So.... PLEASE Rich - pass this e-mail to Governor Christie and please continue your effort to convince your boss to run for President of the United States of America!
Finally, Brit Hume told Chris Wallace this morning that he wasn't convinced Chris Christie could win over the 'entire' conservative base given Christie's views on civil unions, gun control, etc. My response to Brit is that informed Republicans who can't work, eat or keep their lights on will 'give' on a few issues to 'get' our nation the leadership and help she needs!
Can Chris Christie win?! YES HE CAN because when it comes to the economy, business integrity, ethics, management courage and solutions - Governor Christie's ELECTRIC!
Important Note - October 31, 2007, USA Today reporter Susan Page wrote an article, 'A year before voting, a discontented nation.' I was part of a Gannett voter's panel discussion and Ms. Page wrote the following: Tish Ferguson, 48, a global recruiting manager, (@ Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.) says she "works in a market where we're worried about a recession." I knew during Ms. Page's panel discussion that the 'bubble' called the commercial mortgage-backed securities market was starting to burst; and execs in every financial firm knew that the bad investments banks had been underwriting and passing along to unsuspecting investors had started to spiral out of control. How did I know? I worked @ Citi Capital Markets & Banking and was accountable to Co-CEO's Michael Kline and Tom Maheras and the CMB businesses they co-managed. I had 85 job openings & my two recruiting colleagues had 175 on October 1st, 2007. All 260 jobs (worth approximately $40,600,000.00 in wages) were 'cancelled' on October 15th. The company would spend the next 11 months not hiring in the business/functional areas that caused the financial losses, but rather trying to manage this crisis inside Citi without a government bailout for 11 months.
The public and the media only got to see the end-result of the 'systemic corporate failures' that collapsed Lehman & Bear Stearns & inititated the bailout demands for AIG, Citi, Merrill and all the rest in September 2008. Most of these companies froze growth & hiring plans in an attempt to stop the bleeding & execute damage-control, but they failed and the economy collapsed anyway. Right now, the U.S. can't stimulate growth because the 'root causes' were not solved with TARP, Stimulus Plans, QE Mgmt, Fed policy, or any program the Government tried. Some of the bailout funds are actually being used to hide the slow-bleeding (think toxic mortgage assets not resolved) that never stopped inside these companies because Congress and the Obama Administration allowed many execs who caused their companies to fail decide how they would use the funds. How could the U.S. gov't hand out billions of dollars to hundreds of companies without tying the money to some kind of accountability or a set of standards & goals?
In closing, I've lived inside the job market for 24 years. What happens in the trenches I manage is 'a real-time leading indicator' of what's in store for each company, any economy and our country. I'm pleading with Governor Christie to run for President because right now there are no viable business solutions, no meaningful funding mechanisms, no creative ideas, and absolutely no end in sight for the Government-fueled 'UNCERTAINTY' in the market that is holding our economy and the lives of our citizens hostage. Without jobs, people suffer. Without leadership, the economy is lost and the whole nation suffers. That's it.
Go, Christie, Go!
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Phone
Yes - TishTrek is a little busy trying to inspire the best qualified talent to take over as the Leader of the Free World. Wish me luck recruiting our next President of the United States of America!
Another letter to the Honorable Chris Christie's Chief of Staff below! You have to give me passion points for trying! This is round-the-clock work, but I'm feeling good about it!!
I'll keep you posted!
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com ; wsj.ltrs@wsj.com ; rich.bagger@comcast.net ; susan.page@usatoday.com ; spage@usatoday.com ; jpodhoretz@gmail.com ; billoreilly@foxnews.com ; hferguson@unicef.org ; katecferg@gmail.com ; Scott Ferguson ; tish509@comcast.com
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 7:15 PM
Subject: Laugh before running! Go, Christie, Go!
Attention: Richard Bagger
Chief of Staff for the Honorable Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Editors, Writers, and Reporters I follow & respect!
Dear Rich,
There are literally thousands of Solyndra-Like Situations that we could end today. I'm offering to join a research team so we can list them all; force rank them; total the spending; report to the nation; and then eliminate the abuse one company/political donor at a time. Let me know if I can help!
Now - In keeping with Governor Chris Christie's terrific sense of humor, I'm asking him to run for the President of the United States of America so he can help us drive President Obama out of the White House and Washington, DC in one of those $40,000.00 Chevy Prius Hybrid Volt electric cars that GM created with $250,000,000.00 of our tax dollars. Yes - that's $250 million in taxpayer-sponsored funds on top of the $51 billion we gave them to reward their 'systemic corporate failures' in the form of Bailout Funds!
OR...
Perhaps the Governor can borrow George Clooney's $109,000.00 Tesla Motors premium electric vehicle which was created with $500,000,000.00 of Uncle Sammy's money. YES - that's a half billion dollars in taxpayer funds. Don't forget to drop by the Energy Department and make sure that George Clooney, Matt Damon and all the other electric car consumers received their $7,500 per purchase taxpayer-funded Alternative Energy Rebates - which are taxpayer rewards we give out when folks do their part to eliminate green gases, etc. in the atmosphere.
Oh and tell Governor Christie to pick up the execs @ that 'special company' who will have to show them where their Electric Car Fueling Stations are which they're 'supposed' to be building with the $130,000,000.00 in taxpayer funds we gave them to participate in the 'contrived' electric biz too.
If the Christie Campaign hyper-focuses on solutions for our economy and shows respect for the citizens who produce the tax dollars that are being funneled through the current 'invisible government' by all those nameless, faceless people, Governor Christie wins in a land-slide! So.... PLEASE Rich - pass this e-mail to Governor Christie and please continue your effort to convince your boss to run for President of the United States of America!
Finally, Brit Hume told Chris Wallace this morning that he wasn't convinced Chris Christie could win over the 'entire' conservative base given Christie's views on civil unions, gun control, etc. My response to Brit is that informed Republicans who can't work, eat or keep their lights on will 'give' on a few issues to 'get' our nation the leadership and help she needs!
Can Chris Christie win?! YES HE CAN because when it comes to the economy, business integrity, ethics, management courage and solutions - Governor Christie's ELECTRIC!
Important Note - October 31, 2007, USA Today reporter Susan Page wrote an article, 'A year before voting, a discontented nation.' I was part of a Gannett voter's panel discussion and Ms. Page wrote the following: Tish Ferguson, 48, a global recruiting manager, (@ Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.) says she "works in a market where we're worried about a recession." I knew during Ms. Page's panel discussion that the 'bubble' called the commercial mortgage-backed securities market was starting to burst; and execs in every financial firm knew that the bad investments banks had been underwriting and passing along to unsuspecting investors had started to spiral out of control. How did I know? I worked @ Citi Capital Markets & Banking and was accountable to Co-CEO's Michael Kline and Tom Maheras and the CMB businesses they co-managed. I had 85 job openings & my two recruiting colleagues had 175 on October 1st, 2007. All 260 jobs (worth approximately $40,600,000.00 in wages) were 'cancelled' on October 15th. The company would spend the next 11 months not hiring in the business/functional areas that caused the financial losses, but rather trying to manage this crisis inside Citi without a government bailout for 11 months.
The public and the media only got to see the end-result of the 'systemic corporate failures' that collapsed Lehman & Bear Stearns & inititated the bailout demands for AIG, Citi, Merrill and all the rest in September 2008. Most of these companies froze growth & hiring plans in an attempt to stop the bleeding & execute damage-control, but they failed and the economy collapsed anyway. Right now, the U.S. can't stimulate growth because the 'root causes' were not solved with TARP, Stimulus Plans, QE Mgmt, Fed policy, or any program the Government tried. Some of the bailout funds are actually being used to hide the slow-bleeding (think toxic mortgage assets not resolved) that never stopped inside these companies because Congress and the Obama Administration allowed many execs who caused their companies to fail decide how they would use the funds. How could the U.S. gov't hand out billions of dollars to hundreds of companies without tying the money to some kind of accountability or a set of standards & goals?
In closing, I've lived inside the job market for 24 years. What happens in the trenches I manage is 'a real-time leading indicator' of what's in store for each company, any economy and our country. I'm pleading with Governor Christie to run for President because right now there are no viable business solutions, no meaningful funding mechanisms, no creative ideas, and absolutely no end in sight for the Government-fueled 'UNCERTAINTY' in the market that is holding our economy and the lives of our citizens hostage. Without jobs, people suffer. Without leadership, the economy is lost and the whole nation suffers. That's it.
Go, Christie, Go!
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
732-714-8483 - Phone
Friday, September 30, 2011
NJ Governor Christie: This Moment Called you; you didn't call it! Pls answer.
Welcome to TishTrek - More than a JOB BLOG!
I have joined 'the' giant chorus of people across the United States working to inspire Governor Chris Christie to run for President of the United States of America!
I've been writing to Rich Bagger, Governor Christie's Chief of Staff, all week. Below is the 5th note I sent to-date.
If you feel strongly that someone's moment has arrived, then make it your business to share that belief with the person navigating the life-enhancing decision!
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 2:53 PM
Subject: Gov Christie: The Moment has called you; you didn't call it! Pls Answer the Call.
Attention: Rich Bagger
Chief of Staff, NJ Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Reporters/ Writers I follow & respect @ The NY Post
Rich - Please forward this note to Governor Chris Christie and his wife, Mary Pat. Thank you. - Tish
Dear Governor Christie, Mary Pat and the entire Christie Family,
This is my daily plea to Rich Bagger who I've been asking to inspire and influence you to run for President of the United States of America!
I met you at the Forte Restaurant in Pt. Pleasant and on the Pt. Pleasant Beach Boardwalk when you were campaigning for governor. Many people don't know that Mary Pat lost 658 of her colleagues at Cantor Fitzgerald who were murdered on 9/11; and that your beautiful family did not know her fate that day for 8 long hours. I know your story and I knew many people @ Cantor & other Downtown firms who lost their lives because I've been a global recruiting manager in the financial sector for 24 years. One of my best friends - Marc Mruz - is a Managing Director @ Cantor and he would tell Mary Pat that my plea to you and your family is real and passionate and from the heart...
Together-separately our famililes faced the 9/11 'enormity of horror' as one. To be working moms who witnessed this history; to attend so many funerals; to see our beautiful nation under attack; to watch the unsung heroes like those in the Maritime Industry who brought a half million terrified people to safety for 9 hours straight that day were experiences that reminded all of us to put our families first.
We understand how hard a decision to run for President of the United States is, Governor Christie. We know the kind of sacrifices families have to make when parents run for and win any political office. The prospect of teenagers living in that global fishbowl called the White House would give any family pause. Having said all that, so many of us are hoping that your extraordinary family is strong and courageous enough to consider making these sacrifices for America.
The video below narrated by Tom Hanks shows the largest boatlift in human history! Just look at the faces of those men & women from New Jersey and beyond who became heroes without a moment's notice.
The moment called them, they did not call the moment. That's exactly what's happening to you now, Governor Christie!
Please watch this video; it is my hope that Vincent Ardolino, Captain of the Amberjack V, will inspire you to run for the office of President. Before Captain Ardolino risked all so others could live on 9/11, this is what he said, "I'm the type of person who can't stand by and watch other people suffer..." New Jersey has already learned that you are the same kind of man!
Here’s a remarkable 9/11 New Jersey story many didn't hear about until this video…. (my Aunt Mary sent it to me on 9/19/11 - I had never seen it before)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOrzF7B2Kg&feature=player_embedded#!
Governor Christie - our families connected by this tragedy are the faces of 9/11. All of us who were there that day want to die in peace knowing that leaders who 'get it' and who 'believe in America's exceptionalism' have arrived to put the health, welfare & safety of our great nation, our kids and the generations that follow in the forefront of their decisions. That's it. That's why I'm writing to you.
I'm begging you to become America's Vincent Ardolino - become that hero who refuses to stand by while others suffer. America and her citizens need your leadership, your business integrity, your management courage, and your guts to put our nation back on a track we can all be proud of.
Please answer this call. Thank you.
My 9/11 story commuting on the SeaStreak ferry was published by the Asbury Park Press/ Gannett Newspapers, (One part of it on September 12, 2001 and the rest on the 10th Anniversary - 9/11/11). I've attached it below, so you know that my plea is grounded in reality. God bless your entire family and the United States of America!
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
Thursday, September 8, 2011
10th Anniversary: My 9/11 pen is finally at rest - Amen.
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
God bless all of you and America on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.
The Asbury Park Press/Gannett Newspapers will publish a '9/11 Memories & Recollections' column on Sunday, September 11th, 2011. I'm humbled that a piece I submitted depicting Harry & my ten year journey from 'heart-thumping sadness' @ sea to 'amazing strength' will be included, (I've shared my app contribution below my signature. It means a lot to me for each of you to have it because this is the last time I plan to write about our excruciating 9/11 ferry experience).
I also wanted to share the only photo I've ever come across which successfully captures the less publicized but 'utterly shocking moment(s)' we experienced on the waters surrounding NYC on 9/11. Allow me to explain...
We already knew the United States was under attack, so when our view of the NYC skyline disappeared in the horizon and was replaced - for a time - by clouds of smoke and debris, (exactly as the photo depicts), it led to the agonizing fear that tens of thousands were being killed in the Wall Street area because we knew so many people had not yet made it off the island or out of danger. We had no way of knowing what was going on. Like so many others, we didn't know if the attacks were contained to the WTC area; or if timed explosives were being set off throughout the corridors of Downtown Manhattan; or if approaching passenger planes would be blown out of the sky after the government ordered the air space over NYC 'sanitized.' No one knew what would happen next or how this day would end.
The picture attached above this post - which says 'it all' for many - is from a riveting book called, HERE IS NEW YORK: a democracy of photographs, conceived and organized by Alice Rose George, Gilles Peress, Michael Shulan and Charles Traub, www.hereisnewyork.com, (page 29). I purchased the book at St. Paul's Chapel (211 Broadway, NYC) - the back of 'that' church sits across the street & to the east of the World Trade Center site. It was built in 1766 and miraculously escaped the 9/11 attacks unscathed, (without a crack to a single window). It is the only pre-revolutionary church still standing in Manhattan and it became 'a reverent place' of solace & prayer & reflection for the 9/11 rescue workers.
On the 10th Anniversary, my Harry and I will return to St. Paul's Chapel and once again we will retrace 'our 9/11 voyage' from the Atlantic Highlands in New Jersey to New York City to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives of the 3,000 innocent people who were murdered as we struggled at sea on that fateful day.
We take this incredible journey each year because - as most of you know - our view of 9/11 played out while we were commuting on a ferry. Our SeaStreak Ferry captain navigated with confidence as he passed the eastern tip of Staten Island, with Swinburne & Hoffman Islands to our left and Gravesend Bay to our right. We moved from the lower bay to upper bay by passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. As we raced through New York Harbor watching destruction and fire bellow from our beloved World Trade Center complex, we stared at our beautiful Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island hoping that she too would be safe in the middle of this water. We literally gasped, then I cried as we passed the foot of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Battery Park. We navigated to the right in an effort to get into the East River as quickly as possible.
Our SeaStreak captain explained by radio that it was critical to travel 'towards the danger' to save as many lives as possible. He was 100% right. There were terrified people desperate for help on every pier in the East River and there were thousands more running for their lives towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Our SeaStreak crew helped as many people at Pier 11 as our ferry could hold. We escaped through Buttermilk Channel, that short body of water between Governor's Island and Brooklyn's west coast, and made our way back under the Verrazano Bridge heading south to New Jersey.
While we were in the lower bay, the second tower succumbed to the terrors of our society. After it collapsed, God fervently urged me to look away and I listened. As smoke engulfed NYC, (just like the attached photo shows), I literally turned my body completely around and looked only to the east and the south so the power of the magnificent ocean would give my breaking heart strength. HE encouraged me to use the Sandy Hook landscape that was to my left to counter the view that was so painfully seared and freshly etched in my mind. As I worked to catch my breath, I prayed to HIM and it was HE who embraced me and Harry until we could reach the arms of our children - Kate & Scott, ages 12 and 8 at the time.
After the captain left us in the care of hundreds of volunteers in the Atlantic Highlands, he and all the SeaSteak heroes made 40-plus additional trips to bring thousands of additional commuters from the piers in NYC to safety in New Jersey. They did not stop until this job was done. The determination and courage of the SeaStreak Crew will never be forgotten. Harry and I honor them on this 10th Anniversary and always... our thanks to all.
Before I retire my 9/11 voice, allow me to say this: When I was a teenager, my history teacher - the amazing Mr. Oxenford at Pt. Pleasant Beach High School - taught me that I was accountable for researching, learning, facing, remembering and respecting history. Because of him, I left high school knowing that a failure to understand our nation's history and/or participating in collective apathy will always create conditions and opportunities for any 'history' to repeat itself. I've written about my 9/11 voyage and all the heroes who were within my reach to watch for the last ten years to document the history I saw with my own eyes; that chapter comes to a close on Sunday.
With Mr. Oxenford's inspiring lessons in mind, my 10th Anniversary Prayer is that my children and all citizens who follow them will honor the 3,000 precious lives lost on 9/11 by making it their business to understand what happened to our great country that day and why... Over the last ten years, writing about this experience and sharing it with many of you helped me find peace. On the 10th Anniversary, I offer the attached photo as the 'final word' which proves how far we've come in the past decade and how truly resilient our nation is.
My 9/11 pen is at rest and I am grateful. -Amen.
*** See Asbury Park Press story below that was published:
Warm regards,
TishTrek
******* The Asbury Park Press, Sunday - September 11th, 2011:
My husband and I were commuting on the SeaStreak Ferry when the first plane hit the North Tower. We gasped in horror at sea when the second plane exploded into the South Tower.
As the towering infernos spewed pieces from their silver shells, we reverently bowed our heads knowing each reflection in the sky symbolized a human life that wouldn’t return home that day.
After picking up 300 people fleeing to safety at Pier 11, we escaped to the lower bay-side of the Verrazano Bridge. All eyes were transfixed on the twin towers as they collapsed into those terrifying mushroom clouds which temporarily erased the Downtown skyline from our view. No one spoke.
Our stunned silence was shattered as a passenger yelled, “The Pentagon has been ‘hit’ too!” Some wept; others prayed; anxiety ruled.
The agonizing view of this heartbreaking enormity of horror was interrupted by selfless volunteers who had lined the Atlantic Highlands to help seafaring commuters who were dazed, frozen and bound together by a silence louder than any voice we had ever heard. It was the voice of "terrorism.”
As remarkable strangers comforted & protected others, the hand of God and the voice of "William Wordsworth" prevailed during this decade of recovery and resolve:
"What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind"
— William Wordsworth, (Intimations of Immortality)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have joined 'the' giant chorus of people across the United States working to inspire Governor Chris Christie to run for President of the United States of America!
I've been writing to Rich Bagger, Governor Christie's Chief of Staff, all week. Below is the 5th note I sent to-date.
If you feel strongly that someone's moment has arrived, then make it your business to share that belief with the person navigating the life-enhancing decision!
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: rich.bagger@comcast.net
Cc: gearle@nypost.com ; jmargolin@nypost.com ; apeyser@nypost.com ; letters@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 2:53 PM
Subject: Gov Christie: The Moment has called you; you didn't call it! Pls Answer the Call.
Attention: Rich Bagger
Chief of Staff, NJ Governor Chris Christie
Cc: Reporters/ Writers I follow & respect @ The NY Post
Rich - Please forward this note to Governor Chris Christie and his wife, Mary Pat. Thank you. - Tish
Dear Governor Christie, Mary Pat and the entire Christie Family,
This is my daily plea to Rich Bagger who I've been asking to inspire and influence you to run for President of the United States of America!
I met you at the Forte Restaurant in Pt. Pleasant and on the Pt. Pleasant Beach Boardwalk when you were campaigning for governor. Many people don't know that Mary Pat lost 658 of her colleagues at Cantor Fitzgerald who were murdered on 9/11; and that your beautiful family did not know her fate that day for 8 long hours. I know your story and I knew many people @ Cantor & other Downtown firms who lost their lives because I've been a global recruiting manager in the financial sector for 24 years. One of my best friends - Marc Mruz - is a Managing Director @ Cantor and he would tell Mary Pat that my plea to you and your family is real and passionate and from the heart...
Together-separately our famililes faced the 9/11 'enormity of horror' as one. To be working moms who witnessed this history; to attend so many funerals; to see our beautiful nation under attack; to watch the unsung heroes like those in the Maritime Industry who brought a half million terrified people to safety for 9 hours straight that day were experiences that reminded all of us to put our families first.
We understand how hard a decision to run for President of the United States is, Governor Christie. We know the kind of sacrifices families have to make when parents run for and win any political office. The prospect of teenagers living in that global fishbowl called the White House would give any family pause. Having said all that, so many of us are hoping that your extraordinary family is strong and courageous enough to consider making these sacrifices for America.
The video below narrated by Tom Hanks shows the largest boatlift in human history! Just look at the faces of those men & women from New Jersey and beyond who became heroes without a moment's notice.
The moment called them, they did not call the moment. That's exactly what's happening to you now, Governor Christie!
Please watch this video; it is my hope that Vincent Ardolino, Captain of the Amberjack V, will inspire you to run for the office of President. Before Captain Ardolino risked all so others could live on 9/11, this is what he said, "I'm the type of person who can't stand by and watch other people suffer..." New Jersey has already learned that you are the same kind of man!
Here’s a remarkable 9/11 New Jersey story many didn't hear about until this video…. (my Aunt Mary sent it to me on 9/19/11 - I had never seen it before)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOrzF7B2Kg&feature=player_embedded#!
Governor Christie - our families connected by this tragedy are the faces of 9/11. All of us who were there that day want to die in peace knowing that leaders who 'get it' and who 'believe in America's exceptionalism' have arrived to put the health, welfare & safety of our great nation, our kids and the generations that follow in the forefront of their decisions. That's it. That's why I'm writing to you.
I'm begging you to become America's Vincent Ardolino - become that hero who refuses to stand by while others suffer. America and her citizens need your leadership, your business integrity, your management courage, and your guts to put our nation back on a track we can all be proud of.
Please answer this call. Thank you.
My 9/11 story commuting on the SeaStreak ferry was published by the Asbury Park Press/ Gannett Newspapers, (One part of it on September 12, 2001 and the rest on the 10th Anniversary - 9/11/11). I've attached it below, so you know that my plea is grounded in reality. God bless your entire family and the United States of America!
With upmost respect,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-259-2780 - Cell
Thursday, September 8, 2011
10th Anniversary: My 9/11 pen is finally at rest - Amen.
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
God bless all of you and America on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.
The Asbury Park Press/Gannett Newspapers will publish a '9/11 Memories & Recollections' column on Sunday, September 11th, 2011. I'm humbled that a piece I submitted depicting Harry & my ten year journey from 'heart-thumping sadness' @ sea to 'amazing strength' will be included, (I've shared my app contribution below my signature. It means a lot to me for each of you to have it because this is the last time I plan to write about our excruciating 9/11 ferry experience).
I also wanted to share the only photo I've ever come across which successfully captures the less publicized but 'utterly shocking moment(s)' we experienced on the waters surrounding NYC on 9/11. Allow me to explain...
We already knew the United States was under attack, so when our view of the NYC skyline disappeared in the horizon and was replaced - for a time - by clouds of smoke and debris, (exactly as the photo depicts), it led to the agonizing fear that tens of thousands were being killed in the Wall Street area because we knew so many people had not yet made it off the island or out of danger. We had no way of knowing what was going on. Like so many others, we didn't know if the attacks were contained to the WTC area; or if timed explosives were being set off throughout the corridors of Downtown Manhattan; or if approaching passenger planes would be blown out of the sky after the government ordered the air space over NYC 'sanitized.' No one knew what would happen next or how this day would end.
The picture attached above this post - which says 'it all' for many - is from a riveting book called, HERE IS NEW YORK: a democracy of photographs, conceived and organized by Alice Rose George, Gilles Peress, Michael Shulan and Charles Traub, www.hereisnewyork.com, (page 29). I purchased the book at St. Paul's Chapel (211 Broadway, NYC) - the back of 'that' church sits across the street & to the east of the World Trade Center site. It was built in 1766 and miraculously escaped the 9/11 attacks unscathed, (without a crack to a single window). It is the only pre-revolutionary church still standing in Manhattan and it became 'a reverent place' of solace & prayer & reflection for the 9/11 rescue workers.
On the 10th Anniversary, my Harry and I will return to St. Paul's Chapel and once again we will retrace 'our 9/11 voyage' from the Atlantic Highlands in New Jersey to New York City to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives of the 3,000 innocent people who were murdered as we struggled at sea on that fateful day.
We take this incredible journey each year because - as most of you know - our view of 9/11 played out while we were commuting on a ferry. Our SeaStreak Ferry captain navigated with confidence as he passed the eastern tip of Staten Island, with Swinburne & Hoffman Islands to our left and Gravesend Bay to our right. We moved from the lower bay to upper bay by passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. As we raced through New York Harbor watching destruction and fire bellow from our beloved World Trade Center complex, we stared at our beautiful Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island hoping that she too would be safe in the middle of this water. We literally gasped, then I cried as we passed the foot of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Battery Park. We navigated to the right in an effort to get into the East River as quickly as possible.
Our SeaStreak captain explained by radio that it was critical to travel 'towards the danger' to save as many lives as possible. He was 100% right. There were terrified people desperate for help on every pier in the East River and there were thousands more running for their lives towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Our SeaStreak crew helped as many people at Pier 11 as our ferry could hold. We escaped through Buttermilk Channel, that short body of water between Governor's Island and Brooklyn's west coast, and made our way back under the Verrazano Bridge heading south to New Jersey.
While we were in the lower bay, the second tower succumbed to the terrors of our society. After it collapsed, God fervently urged me to look away and I listened. As smoke engulfed NYC, (just like the attached photo shows), I literally turned my body completely around and looked only to the east and the south so the power of the magnificent ocean would give my breaking heart strength. HE encouraged me to use the Sandy Hook landscape that was to my left to counter the view that was so painfully seared and freshly etched in my mind. As I worked to catch my breath, I prayed to HIM and it was HE who embraced me and Harry until we could reach the arms of our children - Kate & Scott, ages 12 and 8 at the time.
After the captain left us in the care of hundreds of volunteers in the Atlantic Highlands, he and all the SeaSteak heroes made 40-plus additional trips to bring thousands of additional commuters from the piers in NYC to safety in New Jersey. They did not stop until this job was done. The determination and courage of the SeaStreak Crew will never be forgotten. Harry and I honor them on this 10th Anniversary and always... our thanks to all.
Before I retire my 9/11 voice, allow me to say this: When I was a teenager, my history teacher - the amazing Mr. Oxenford at Pt. Pleasant Beach High School - taught me that I was accountable for researching, learning, facing, remembering and respecting history. Because of him, I left high school knowing that a failure to understand our nation's history and/or participating in collective apathy will always create conditions and opportunities for any 'history' to repeat itself. I've written about my 9/11 voyage and all the heroes who were within my reach to watch for the last ten years to document the history I saw with my own eyes; that chapter comes to a close on Sunday.
With Mr. Oxenford's inspiring lessons in mind, my 10th Anniversary Prayer is that my children and all citizens who follow them will honor the 3,000 precious lives lost on 9/11 by making it their business to understand what happened to our great country that day and why... Over the last ten years, writing about this experience and sharing it with many of you helped me find peace. On the 10th Anniversary, I offer the attached photo as the 'final word' which proves how far we've come in the past decade and how truly resilient our nation is.
My 9/11 pen is at rest and I am grateful. -Amen.
*** See Asbury Park Press story below that was published:
Warm regards,
TishTrek
******* The Asbury Park Press, Sunday - September 11th, 2011:
My husband and I were commuting on the SeaStreak Ferry when the first plane hit the North Tower. We gasped in horror at sea when the second plane exploded into the South Tower.
As the towering infernos spewed pieces from their silver shells, we reverently bowed our heads knowing each reflection in the sky symbolized a human life that wouldn’t return home that day.
After picking up 300 people fleeing to safety at Pier 11, we escaped to the lower bay-side of the Verrazano Bridge. All eyes were transfixed on the twin towers as they collapsed into those terrifying mushroom clouds which temporarily erased the Downtown skyline from our view. No one spoke.
Our stunned silence was shattered as a passenger yelled, “The Pentagon has been ‘hit’ too!” Some wept; others prayed; anxiety ruled.
The agonizing view of this heartbreaking enormity of horror was interrupted by selfless volunteers who had lined the Atlantic Highlands to help seafaring commuters who were dazed, frozen and bound together by a silence louder than any voice we had ever heard. It was the voice of "terrorism.”
As remarkable strangers comforted & protected others, the hand of God and the voice of "William Wordsworth" prevailed during this decade of recovery and resolve:
"What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind"
— William Wordsworth, (Intimations of Immortality)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Merkel & the EU: The Bailout or Handcuffs Crisis?
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
I'm a member of the 'Economist' Discussion Group on LinkedIn and this week there were a few questions asked by members on whether or not we felt Germany should be bailing out ailing member countries in the European Union. Some people were interested in understanding what kind of risks these bailouts could carry for Germany and other member companies operating from a position of financial strength right now. Here are my thoughts on this important topic:
Let's start with a 'TishTrek Rule' in the Government Bailout Business which I think is applicable in all countries and companies: If one of the first questions you ask after a major failure or financial collapse is, "Bailout or Handcuffs?" Then there can be NO BAILOUT!
For all other situations where 100% good faith was exercised and excellent work and good intentions delivered an adverse result that systemically harmed the economic system of a country, then by all means it's appropriate to offer solutions which can potentially turn a negative into a positive for all stakeholders.
If the situation warrants handcuffs, you better use them! People who intentionally execute actions to produce adverse results for personal profit & who operate without regard to the stakeholders they are accountable to cannot by enabled. If they have the potential, skills, expertise, willingness and opportunity to repeat this behavior, they will. You cannot fail to mitigate a toxic risk that is guaranteed to repeat itself.
Having said that, let me state in general terms that it is VERY difficult (probably impossible...) to get 17 separate countries with all their unique country-centric inner-workings & local processes in silos (some outdated with no sense of urgency when needed) to agree on 'any issue' never mind try to move all countries to one giant enterprise-wide solution. Kudos to the European Union for trying!
I've been impressed by members of the EU who could pull off agreement on smaller issues, so a lot has been going well! Many admire the progress of EU while watching from across the pond, but can that model work when catastrophic issues & risky financial considerations need fast and appropriate answers? The jury is out.
Having said that, the countries that are still financially sound, (i.e. - still have successful tax revenue-producing companies that create tangible goods which are in high demand the world over; and profits are hitting it out of the park), should have concerns & questions. I'm very familiar with a $69 Billion revenue producing chemical company in Germany that is doing beyond excellent, so could Germany’s country leaders be thinking why must 'our people' carry all this 'dead wood/weight' (i.e. Greece & others) without having the benefit of them doing or guaranteeing 'great things' in return for Germany now or in the future?
Well – perhaps Germany should hang in there and fund solutions 'for a time' (that is - for a time period their country is comfortable with...). Why? Because the good people of other countries helped them out, (i.e. the U.S. used taxpayer funds to make sure Deutsche Bank was paid back 100% on the dollar for billions in subprime risks they took & lost after they were bundled and sold to unsuspecting investors. These particular transactions were run through AIG Financial Products Corp in the UK and later contributed to destroying AIG’s entire company & the U.S. economy).
The great news for Germany is that all the counterparties (including Deutsche Bank) carrying those 'known' risks had been 'insured' through those 'special' counter-party contracts AIGFP execs signed off on. In the end, Deutsche and many other banks in the U.S. & abroad were made whole with U.S. taxpayer dollars when 'our' broader economy collapsed AND AIG found itself with no funds to fulfill these CONTRACTUALLY IRON CLAD commitments.'
The U.S. Fed gave AIG the billions they needed to honor those commitments. Okay, everyone gets it - - certain businesses & transactions in Investment Banking cannot happen without counter-parties teaming up in certain areas of business. BUT some argue that it was wrong for this intentional risk and those contracts to fall on the U.S. taxpayer. Many would not expect the German taxpayer to pick up such a tab especially for companies & countries that are not even members of the EU.
With this history in mind, perhaps it's OKAY and FAIR - for a period of time - that perhaps all member companies of the EU must 'give-to-get?’ But honestly - the whole end-result MUST be determined by what individual countries and their citizens think. It's their money and their country so they should be able to determine what a reasonable period of time is, what level of funding is too much, and whether or not it is ethical to support organizations, countries, corporations, etc which have already knowingly failed every stakeholder - shareholder, client, employee, business partner, and country - they were supposed to be accountable to.
You may ask: How long do we want to reward 'FAILURE' with taxpayer funds and hand government-sponsored 'competitive advantage' to failed companies competing against 'some' number of competitors that brilliantly executed with world class standards?
Others may ask: Why are we agreeing to penalize the HEROES of the Lost Decade who didn't cheat? (i.e. That is those companies whose investors risked their capital and in return the companies they invested in actually succeeded by putting mitigating risk, executing compliance standards, living the tenets of cost-containment; and the interests of shareholders, clients, employees & their countrymen first?
Some might suggest: How about giving taxpayer dollars to companies to honor their excellence, business integrity, accountability; and the fact that their companies never showed up @ a U.S. Fed-Sponsored or EU Lending window with their hands out to survive!
Why not give MetLife Bank & the new ALICO Co, (recently purchased by MetLife from AIG) taxpayer money to lend to small businesses! They've earned it! Chief Investment Officer Steve Kandarian spotted the mortgage-backed securities "BUBBLE" & the serious risk issues that doomed all of our countries in 2005 (that's 6 years ago!) so he and the MetLife management team acted on it. They all - including rating agencies - had the same data Mr. Kandarian had. How each company acted on the data is what created the champions & the losers of the LOST DECADE. Mr. Kandarian was rewarded for putting MetLife's survival 1st when they appointed him President + CEO of MetLife in May 2011, (Isn't that a great story about REWARDING a hero and winner of this Lost Decade?)
My point is that there's a GIANT hidden problem as I see it: Massive systemic risk -in the form of toxic assets and bad employees - is still sitting inside many of these companies our sister-countries are trying to save. So aside from handing lending funds to companies like MetLife to help small businesses grow, we have to focus on the people who willingly took action that failed their companies; and who are now sitting on piles of bailout funds intended for small business growth. I promise they will spend it to dilute toxic assets that are not transparent to us, on bonuses, etc.
We have to fire and/or handcuff more people to learn how they pulled this off: I thought we all agreed that 'smoke-n-mirrors' almost destroyed the world financially?!! Then explain why ‘we’ left the majority of the employees who ‘blew the smoke’ and ‘carried the mirrors’ that harmed us inside these companies? We all missed the opportunity to fire the traders, financial engineers/ analysts, compliance/ risk, and information technology professionals who executed the steps that collapsed their companies. As a result, we remain in terrible financial danger! All employees who touch any part a Financial Trading Transaction from Direct Market Access and Order Mgmt to Clearing Ops should have their career movement monitored by FINRA and/or the equivalent Global Regulatory authorities in other countries, (i.e. A U4 and U5 system should follow everyone). Otherwise, you are firing people who simply walk up the street to my office and get hired in the same exact job in my unsuspecting company.
We ALL targeted THE BIG CEOs like Chuck Prince from Citi for termination. But, I can assure you Mr. Prince never sat in ‘the technology pit’ at the Citigroup Capital Markets & Banking (CMB) Newport Operation in Jersey City, NJ during the firestorm of mortgage fraud & toxic bundling. He didn’t have a clue.
In many companies employees were asked and/or paid to create valuations on toxic mortgage assets using bogus asset valuation models. I know this because a few of my employment candidates walked away from these 'opportunities' with their integrity in tact. Yes – Candidates with PhD’s who were Chartered Financial Analysts were asked by many global leaders to not apply tools, inputs, and required valuation models that are always required to manage the equity, fixed income, and derivative investments for individuals and institutions. Anyone who did this should be banned from the industry; and stripped of their CFA certification. I don’t care if they don’t directly face an investment client or handle the actual assets, their risk assessments, algorithms, and conclusions are critical to every client’s investment strategy and to the ‘survival’ of the financial sector.
Sadly, other employees happily rigged the information technology systems in the 24/7 trading, surveillance, compliance and other transactional areas, (i.e. $10 billion in losses @ UBS and Societe Generale alone…). Does anyone really believe that the CEOs actually knew such things were going on? I don’t believe it, but they’re on the hook anyway for their failures in hiring!
I do think Chuck Prince & other CEOs are guilty of failing to put high caliber talent around them who shareholders could trust to operate with business integrity when no one was watching. They deserved to be fired for that failure alone, but.... every company and country missed the opportunity to eliminate the actual employees & the Trading Services vendors who worked in tandem in the corporate trenches to dupe all. How come so many of these people are still employed? The professionals who operate in this kind of packs are often smarter than most employees inside every Global Regulatory Body on the planet and they know it, (i.e. think SEC and Bernie Madoff).
My worry as a behavioral recruiting expert is that this massive systemic situation means there’s a 100% chance that many of the same employees will repeat the behaviors that harmed us in the first place; and they’ll use Germany’s BAILOUT FUNDS to help them. Some of these folks walk up the street and launch a hedge fund under another name or dive into the unregulated OTC derivatives market and know one can stop them from executing new schemes in a new financial system where they can operate virually undetected as the guy who almost destroyed Citigroup. When U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, acting CEO of Citi after Chuck Prince was booted out, was bounced from Citi in NYC; a week later he was doing his business in his executive office @ Morgan Stanley in Purchase, NJ - Westchester County.
While were on this topic, we’re all fools to bailout any Bank or Investment firm without doing an audit of their vendor management & RFP programs. Make sure they have the tools & processes in place to flag executives inside their companies who are silent clandestine partners in vendor companies that win business to support their company in the following areas: Trading Transactional Services, Buy/Sell Side Compliance, Surveillance & Employee Monitoring Solutions, Clearing Operations, Pre/Post Analytics, Global Connectivity, and Execution and Routing. Employment and Contract Help agencies, Stock Loan partners or other business tied to Liquidity Services, etc. leave corporations wide open for unethical and costly problems because execs create a built-in conflict-of-interest when they own external companies that execute business with the companies that employ them. When they own less than 51% of a company, it conveniently keeps their names off contracts and under the radar of internal corporate controls.
If a vendor relationship allows a Broker/Dealer or Financial Representative to profit off every transaction or gives them a % of every deal inside the company that employs them, it puts the best interest of investors at risk. Clients won’t ‘necessarily’ be offered the ‘best price-best value’ solution or the very best equity financing deal if an Financial Rep is ‘pushing or recommending’ only the external funding partner they own or are tied to while omitting other competitive options for the client that may be available. Any company where the FA enjoys external profits or financial gains that are not transparent to the investor cannot be allowed. How do we do this?
Since this is a systemic and recognized problem in the industry, I suggest we start by regulating the OTC derivatives market just as Presidents Clinton and Obama have suggested we do; then make any ‘vendor policy’ violation by a FINRA licensed professional a felony. The rule has to be: If he/she willingly profits in the procurement of goods, services, tools, technologies, and human resources tied to the trading transactional services which support their clients and/or investors of their firm, they will be banned from doing any kind of business in all corporations that are regulated. We can never stop the waste of taxpayer Bailout Funds unless we end all these financial relationships today.
If the top and most revered government officials in Germany already figured this out, then we should stand with them and say - "No! – That is the great country of Germany has no interest in continuing the charade that rewards on-going failure like the United States has done." More importantly why give an unfair 'continued competitive advantage' to all the losers and cheaters of this decade?
If Chancellor Merkel thinks unworthy recipients are preparing to continue the assault on all people in every country touched by the subprime mortgage / CDO man-made disaster and if she believes such generosity would be robbing the next generation on every continent, then she should say, "NO!"
Every recruiter can tell you that you must have leaders @ ‘every’ level of your company who can look at facts and execute with courage & integrity. That's it. The solutions will grow on people if the manner in which they arrive at a conclusion is FAIR & JUST and most importantly if the solutions they deliver get the job done! - Tish
I'm a member of the 'Economist' Discussion Group on LinkedIn and this week there were a few questions asked by members on whether or not we felt Germany should be bailing out ailing member countries in the European Union. Some people were interested in understanding what kind of risks these bailouts could carry for Germany and other member companies operating from a position of financial strength right now. Here are my thoughts on this important topic:
Let's start with a 'TishTrek Rule' in the Government Bailout Business which I think is applicable in all countries and companies: If one of the first questions you ask after a major failure or financial collapse is, "Bailout or Handcuffs?" Then there can be NO BAILOUT!
For all other situations where 100% good faith was exercised and excellent work and good intentions delivered an adverse result that systemically harmed the economic system of a country, then by all means it's appropriate to offer solutions which can potentially turn a negative into a positive for all stakeholders.
If the situation warrants handcuffs, you better use them! People who intentionally execute actions to produce adverse results for personal profit & who operate without regard to the stakeholders they are accountable to cannot by enabled. If they have the potential, skills, expertise, willingness and opportunity to repeat this behavior, they will. You cannot fail to mitigate a toxic risk that is guaranteed to repeat itself.
Having said that, let me state in general terms that it is VERY difficult (probably impossible...) to get 17 separate countries with all their unique country-centric inner-workings & local processes in silos (some outdated with no sense of urgency when needed) to agree on 'any issue' never mind try to move all countries to one giant enterprise-wide solution. Kudos to the European Union for trying!
I've been impressed by members of the EU who could pull off agreement on smaller issues, so a lot has been going well! Many admire the progress of EU while watching from across the pond, but can that model work when catastrophic issues & risky financial considerations need fast and appropriate answers? The jury is out.
Having said that, the countries that are still financially sound, (i.e. - still have successful tax revenue-producing companies that create tangible goods which are in high demand the world over; and profits are hitting it out of the park), should have concerns & questions. I'm very familiar with a $69 Billion revenue producing chemical company in Germany that is doing beyond excellent, so could Germany’s country leaders be thinking why must 'our people' carry all this 'dead wood/weight' (i.e. Greece & others) without having the benefit of them doing or guaranteeing 'great things' in return for Germany now or in the future?
Well – perhaps Germany should hang in there and fund solutions 'for a time' (that is - for a time period their country is comfortable with...). Why? Because the good people of other countries helped them out, (i.e. the U.S. used taxpayer funds to make sure Deutsche Bank was paid back 100% on the dollar for billions in subprime risks they took & lost after they were bundled and sold to unsuspecting investors. These particular transactions were run through AIG Financial Products Corp in the UK and later contributed to destroying AIG’s entire company & the U.S. economy).
The great news for Germany is that all the counterparties (including Deutsche Bank) carrying those 'known' risks had been 'insured' through those 'special' counter-party contracts AIGFP execs signed off on. In the end, Deutsche and many other banks in the U.S. & abroad were made whole with U.S. taxpayer dollars when 'our' broader economy collapsed AND AIG found itself with no funds to fulfill these CONTRACTUALLY IRON CLAD commitments.'
The U.S. Fed gave AIG the billions they needed to honor those commitments. Okay, everyone gets it - - certain businesses & transactions in Investment Banking cannot happen without counter-parties teaming up in certain areas of business. BUT some argue that it was wrong for this intentional risk and those contracts to fall on the U.S. taxpayer. Many would not expect the German taxpayer to pick up such a tab especially for companies & countries that are not even members of the EU.
With this history in mind, perhaps it's OKAY and FAIR - for a period of time - that perhaps all member companies of the EU must 'give-to-get?’ But honestly - the whole end-result MUST be determined by what individual countries and their citizens think. It's their money and their country so they should be able to determine what a reasonable period of time is, what level of funding is too much, and whether or not it is ethical to support organizations, countries, corporations, etc which have already knowingly failed every stakeholder - shareholder, client, employee, business partner, and country - they were supposed to be accountable to.
You may ask: How long do we want to reward 'FAILURE' with taxpayer funds and hand government-sponsored 'competitive advantage' to failed companies competing against 'some' number of competitors that brilliantly executed with world class standards?
Others may ask: Why are we agreeing to penalize the HEROES of the Lost Decade who didn't cheat? (i.e. That is those companies whose investors risked their capital and in return the companies they invested in actually succeeded by putting mitigating risk, executing compliance standards, living the tenets of cost-containment; and the interests of shareholders, clients, employees & their countrymen first?
Some might suggest: How about giving taxpayer dollars to companies to honor their excellence, business integrity, accountability; and the fact that their companies never showed up @ a U.S. Fed-Sponsored or EU Lending window with their hands out to survive!
Why not give MetLife Bank & the new ALICO Co, (recently purchased by MetLife from AIG) taxpayer money to lend to small businesses! They've earned it! Chief Investment Officer Steve Kandarian spotted the mortgage-backed securities "BUBBLE" & the serious risk issues that doomed all of our countries in 2005 (that's 6 years ago!) so he and the MetLife management team acted on it. They all - including rating agencies - had the same data Mr. Kandarian had. How each company acted on the data is what created the champions & the losers of the LOST DECADE. Mr. Kandarian was rewarded for putting MetLife's survival 1st when they appointed him President + CEO of MetLife in May 2011, (Isn't that a great story about REWARDING a hero and winner of this Lost Decade?)
My point is that there's a GIANT hidden problem as I see it: Massive systemic risk -in the form of toxic assets and bad employees - is still sitting inside many of these companies our sister-countries are trying to save. So aside from handing lending funds to companies like MetLife to help small businesses grow, we have to focus on the people who willingly took action that failed their companies; and who are now sitting on piles of bailout funds intended for small business growth. I promise they will spend it to dilute toxic assets that are not transparent to us, on bonuses, etc.
We have to fire and/or handcuff more people to learn how they pulled this off: I thought we all agreed that 'smoke-n-mirrors' almost destroyed the world financially?!! Then explain why ‘we’ left the majority of the employees who ‘blew the smoke’ and ‘carried the mirrors’ that harmed us inside these companies? We all missed the opportunity to fire the traders, financial engineers/ analysts, compliance/ risk, and information technology professionals who executed the steps that collapsed their companies. As a result, we remain in terrible financial danger! All employees who touch any part a Financial Trading Transaction from Direct Market Access and Order Mgmt to Clearing Ops should have their career movement monitored by FINRA and/or the equivalent Global Regulatory authorities in other countries, (i.e. A U4 and U5 system should follow everyone). Otherwise, you are firing people who simply walk up the street to my office and get hired in the same exact job in my unsuspecting company.
We ALL targeted THE BIG CEOs like Chuck Prince from Citi for termination. But, I can assure you Mr. Prince never sat in ‘the technology pit’ at the Citigroup Capital Markets & Banking (CMB) Newport Operation in Jersey City, NJ during the firestorm of mortgage fraud & toxic bundling. He didn’t have a clue.
In many companies employees were asked and/or paid to create valuations on toxic mortgage assets using bogus asset valuation models. I know this because a few of my employment candidates walked away from these 'opportunities' with their integrity in tact. Yes – Candidates with PhD’s who were Chartered Financial Analysts were asked by many global leaders to not apply tools, inputs, and required valuation models that are always required to manage the equity, fixed income, and derivative investments for individuals and institutions. Anyone who did this should be banned from the industry; and stripped of their CFA certification. I don’t care if they don’t directly face an investment client or handle the actual assets, their risk assessments, algorithms, and conclusions are critical to every client’s investment strategy and to the ‘survival’ of the financial sector.
Sadly, other employees happily rigged the information technology systems in the 24/7 trading, surveillance, compliance and other transactional areas, (i.e. $10 billion in losses @ UBS and Societe Generale alone…). Does anyone really believe that the CEOs actually knew such things were going on? I don’t believe it, but they’re on the hook anyway for their failures in hiring!
I do think Chuck Prince & other CEOs are guilty of failing to put high caliber talent around them who shareholders could trust to operate with business integrity when no one was watching. They deserved to be fired for that failure alone, but.... every company and country missed the opportunity to eliminate the actual employees & the Trading Services vendors who worked in tandem in the corporate trenches to dupe all. How come so many of these people are still employed? The professionals who operate in this kind of packs are often smarter than most employees inside every Global Regulatory Body on the planet and they know it, (i.e. think SEC and Bernie Madoff).
My worry as a behavioral recruiting expert is that this massive systemic situation means there’s a 100% chance that many of the same employees will repeat the behaviors that harmed us in the first place; and they’ll use Germany’s BAILOUT FUNDS to help them. Some of these folks walk up the street and launch a hedge fund under another name or dive into the unregulated OTC derivatives market and know one can stop them from executing new schemes in a new financial system where they can operate virually undetected as the guy who almost destroyed Citigroup. When U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, acting CEO of Citi after Chuck Prince was booted out, was bounced from Citi in NYC; a week later he was doing his business in his executive office @ Morgan Stanley in Purchase, NJ - Westchester County.
While were on this topic, we’re all fools to bailout any Bank or Investment firm without doing an audit of their vendor management & RFP programs. Make sure they have the tools & processes in place to flag executives inside their companies who are silent clandestine partners in vendor companies that win business to support their company in the following areas: Trading Transactional Services, Buy/Sell Side Compliance, Surveillance & Employee Monitoring Solutions, Clearing Operations, Pre/Post Analytics, Global Connectivity, and Execution and Routing. Employment and Contract Help agencies, Stock Loan partners or other business tied to Liquidity Services, etc. leave corporations wide open for unethical and costly problems because execs create a built-in conflict-of-interest when they own external companies that execute business with the companies that employ them. When they own less than 51% of a company, it conveniently keeps their names off contracts and under the radar of internal corporate controls.
If a vendor relationship allows a Broker/Dealer or Financial Representative to profit off every transaction or gives them a % of every deal inside the company that employs them, it puts the best interest of investors at risk. Clients won’t ‘necessarily’ be offered the ‘best price-best value’ solution or the very best equity financing deal if an Financial Rep is ‘pushing or recommending’ only the external funding partner they own or are tied to while omitting other competitive options for the client that may be available. Any company where the FA enjoys external profits or financial gains that are not transparent to the investor cannot be allowed. How do we do this?
Since this is a systemic and recognized problem in the industry, I suggest we start by regulating the OTC derivatives market just as Presidents Clinton and Obama have suggested we do; then make any ‘vendor policy’ violation by a FINRA licensed professional a felony. The rule has to be: If he/she willingly profits in the procurement of goods, services, tools, technologies, and human resources tied to the trading transactional services which support their clients and/or investors of their firm, they will be banned from doing any kind of business in all corporations that are regulated. We can never stop the waste of taxpayer Bailout Funds unless we end all these financial relationships today.
If the top and most revered government officials in Germany already figured this out, then we should stand with them and say - "No! – That is the great country of Germany has no interest in continuing the charade that rewards on-going failure like the United States has done." More importantly why give an unfair 'continued competitive advantage' to all the losers and cheaters of this decade?
If Chancellor Merkel thinks unworthy recipients are preparing to continue the assault on all people in every country touched by the subprime mortgage / CDO man-made disaster and if she believes such generosity would be robbing the next generation on every continent, then she should say, "NO!"
Every recruiter can tell you that you must have leaders @ ‘every’ level of your company who can look at facts and execute with courage & integrity. That's it. The solutions will grow on people if the manner in which they arrive at a conclusion is FAIR & JUST and most importantly if the solutions they deliver get the job done! - Tish
Monday, September 26, 2011
Outsourcing Mom & Dad in 2003: Now what?
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
Dear Friends,
I want to share a letter to the Editor that I wrote in 2003 which I think will surprise you. It gives us all a little something to think about. In 2003, I wrote the following:
Dear Editor,
“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s mind.” - Samuel Adams
The time is now to highlight the critical impact the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to foreign countries is having on the entire U.S. infrastructure and American families in general. I have been professionally engaged in these issues first hand since 1990, so I'd like to bring the country's attention to some startling facts that explain how incredibly rampant the Off-Shore / Outsourced Employment solution has become and how it is 'silently' succeeding at threatening national security, while adversely impacting and undermining American workers and their opportunity to work, prosper and thrive.
The Wall Street Journal reported today, (Wednesday, 11/18/03 - pg 1 and A3) that AT&T Wireless will eliminate 10% of its 30,000 U.S. workers in the areas of customer service and information technology and outsource those positions to India next year.
In July 2003, the Associated Press reported that IBM planned to join hundreds of other corporate market leaders by moving thousands of US-based Information Technology jobs to India and China to reduce costs. IBM, like AT&T Wireless, views this as one of the few ways left to compete with competitors who spent the last twelve years reducing operating expenses by handing 1.5 million jobs to off-shore workers in foreign countries, while successfully eliminating the positions and benefits expenses of U.S. employees working on U.S. soil.
The Wall Street Journal and the Arizona Republic reported the weeks of July 6th and 13th that tens of thousands of Customer Service/ Support, Call Center and Relationship Management jobs will be moving to Off-Shore Staffing Solutions next. This activity has the potential to threaten the economy of entire U.S. cities including Phoenix, AZ and beyond where call center hubs have thrived for years.
Putting these economic issues aside for a minute, we already know that securing confidential data with the help of Information Technology is not a foul-proof business, so how come U.S. corporate computer systems and all the information housed in them are allowed to go to regions of the world considered hot beds for geo-political challenges and terrorism without anyone blinking as much as an eye?
As a consumer, customer, or investor how many companies asked any of us for permission to send all our identity-related data and the systems they are stored in to countries where it is absolutely impossible to conduct a meaningful country-wide criminal or employment background check on the individuals hired to manipulate this data? If you are employed full-time by a financial institution in the U.S., you don't get hired without a full employment, education, credit and criminal background check, so why lower the threshold for foreign hires in foreign lands at a time when our national security is threatened daily?
On the heels of call center displacement are the plans to send pharmaceutical research off-shore to parts of the world where researchers come cheaper by the dozen and where companies are pleased there is no equivalent for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. What will stop individuals dedicated to their vision of 'smarter, faster, cheaper for personal profit' from walking out the door with a formula, replicating efforts and mass producing untested drugs which could then be distributed to unsuspecting people around the globe? Can this be part of a new plan hatched by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry designed to create competitive advantage and to gain market share? Imagine the devastating impact this 'evolving employment solution' could have on New Jersey's economy alone.
The New York Times reported on Sunday, November 16th, 2003 that Massachusetts General Hospital is currently beaming X-rays and MRI scans to India, to be worked on by radiologists there who come nine times cheaper than the experts who are trained in the United States, (i.e. Some instances - $250K vs. $25K per year). Back-office medical work began leaving our shores during the Clinton Administration and there is no end in sight - billing, coding, collections, transcription and claims services. These new arrangements show, as the New York Times put it, "that even medical care, the most intimate and localized of services, is grappling with the globalization that has moved many jobs - first in manufacturing and more recently in white collar work - across the ocean."
How can America stay strong, if we undermine our infrastructure to the point that our skilled and educated citizens are eliminated from the employment equation? How will families keep themselves whole, when parents are being escorted to the door of their jobs by the thousands losing financial security and benefits, while the employment opportunities our children aspire to continue to move to cubicles in India, China and beyond at a minimum current rate of 1.5 million jobs per twelve year period? (These figures do not even include the long history of jobs lost in manufacturing).
The Wall Street Journal estimated that 475,000 non-manufacturing jobs had moved off-shore in the past three years alone with a guarantee that two-thirds of those positions will never return. Are we all too busy to worry about the staggering loss of employment opportunities for U.S. citizens?
Make no mistake, many companies are skipping town and country to bolster bottom lines and circumventing U.S. laws and mandates in the process. There is a rampant corporate practice of eliminating positions held by U.S. citizens over the age of
50, who are then replaced with fresh-faced university graduates from the Asia Pacific region without any practical or business experience. Research proves that at a minimum it is only one sixth the cost-per-hire, per job to engage an off-shore resource, following the elimination of an experienced U.S. worker. Yes, it's cheaper for now, but what ever happened to protecting hard working citizens from age discrimination in this county?
Where are all the executives who used to value and mandate skills and competencies that could only be acquired through 'business experience?' What happened to all the executives who knew how to leverage employee’s skills and experience to compete? As we have observed in this era, when executive pay and year-end bonuses are at stake, there are no limits to the Off-Shore solutions a company will consider.
No surprise in 'The Enron Age' that The Wall Street Journal reports that American workers with life-threatening diseases, some in the middle of medical programs and treatments, are having their jobs eliminated at Polaroid, Bank One and beyond to ensure corporate cost-containment of benefits expenses. If you don't view this grotesque practice as un-American, then you can't know a cancer patient whose job was eliminated so the company could eliminate his/her medical and disability benefits.
Much of this is being allowed and ignored by Democrats and Republicans alike under the tidy headings of Off-Shore, On-Shore, Outsourced and In-sourced Solutions 'mandated' - executives claim - for corporate survival, leaving lots of people asking where the heck is the U.S. Dept. of Labor, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when workers need them? Who's giving Corporate America the free passes to ignore the tenets of U.S. Employment Law and to bypass the 'Americans with Disabilities Act' altogether with employment practices 'disguised' as 'Off-Shore Business Solutions?'
The Off-Shore / Outsourced Employment Solution gained very powerful momentum in the United States when most people weren't even paying attention. For twenty years, when the unions were yelling in the wind about this very issue lots of people didn't care because it wasn't happening in their own employment backyard. In the name of globalization and free trade, (can you say NAFTA?) 'Corporate Americas' Employment Boat' left the dock for unknown off-shore destinations years ago with the blessing of multiple U.S. Presidents and Administrations.
Along the way, executives figured out how to operate their businesses outside of the U.S. infrastructure, unfortunately too many of them evolved as experts who only know how to compete by eliminating the American worker from the equation. Those of us who represent a blue or white collar profession in any industry, owe it to ourselves, our colleagues and our children's futures to weigh in on these issues now or this 'silent killer' of the U.S. job market will continue to prevail with unimaginable consequences.
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Please Note: The unimaginable consequences in the job market that I feared in 2003 started to roll in during the Summer of 2007 for talent in many job categories in the U.S. Market. Honestly - I could have written the letter above in September 2011 because everything I worried about happening to the employment market arrived as a consequence of the Subprime Mortgage/CDO disaster and the economic meltdown which resulted in the current 2010-2011 Recession. Maybe I should have yelled louder back then. I'm sorry I didn't. - My apologies to all.
Dear Friends,
I want to share a letter to the Editor that I wrote in 2003 which I think will surprise you. It gives us all a little something to think about. In 2003, I wrote the following:
Dear Editor,
“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s mind.” - Samuel Adams
The time is now to highlight the critical impact the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to foreign countries is having on the entire U.S. infrastructure and American families in general. I have been professionally engaged in these issues first hand since 1990, so I'd like to bring the country's attention to some startling facts that explain how incredibly rampant the Off-Shore / Outsourced Employment solution has become and how it is 'silently' succeeding at threatening national security, while adversely impacting and undermining American workers and their opportunity to work, prosper and thrive.
The Wall Street Journal reported today, (Wednesday, 11/18/03 - pg 1 and A3) that AT&T Wireless will eliminate 10% of its 30,000 U.S. workers in the areas of customer service and information technology and outsource those positions to India next year.
In July 2003, the Associated Press reported that IBM planned to join hundreds of other corporate market leaders by moving thousands of US-based Information Technology jobs to India and China to reduce costs. IBM, like AT&T Wireless, views this as one of the few ways left to compete with competitors who spent the last twelve years reducing operating expenses by handing 1.5 million jobs to off-shore workers in foreign countries, while successfully eliminating the positions and benefits expenses of U.S. employees working on U.S. soil.
The Wall Street Journal and the Arizona Republic reported the weeks of July 6th and 13th that tens of thousands of Customer Service/ Support, Call Center and Relationship Management jobs will be moving to Off-Shore Staffing Solutions next. This activity has the potential to threaten the economy of entire U.S. cities including Phoenix, AZ and beyond where call center hubs have thrived for years.
Putting these economic issues aside for a minute, we already know that securing confidential data with the help of Information Technology is not a foul-proof business, so how come U.S. corporate computer systems and all the information housed in them are allowed to go to regions of the world considered hot beds for geo-political challenges and terrorism without anyone blinking as much as an eye?
As a consumer, customer, or investor how many companies asked any of us for permission to send all our identity-related data and the systems they are stored in to countries where it is absolutely impossible to conduct a meaningful country-wide criminal or employment background check on the individuals hired to manipulate this data? If you are employed full-time by a financial institution in the U.S., you don't get hired without a full employment, education, credit and criminal background check, so why lower the threshold for foreign hires in foreign lands at a time when our national security is threatened daily?
On the heels of call center displacement are the plans to send pharmaceutical research off-shore to parts of the world where researchers come cheaper by the dozen and where companies are pleased there is no equivalent for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. What will stop individuals dedicated to their vision of 'smarter, faster, cheaper for personal profit' from walking out the door with a formula, replicating efforts and mass producing untested drugs which could then be distributed to unsuspecting people around the globe? Can this be part of a new plan hatched by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry designed to create competitive advantage and to gain market share? Imagine the devastating impact this 'evolving employment solution' could have on New Jersey's economy alone.
The New York Times reported on Sunday, November 16th, 2003 that Massachusetts General Hospital is currently beaming X-rays and MRI scans to India, to be worked on by radiologists there who come nine times cheaper than the experts who are trained in the United States, (i.e. Some instances - $250K vs. $25K per year). Back-office medical work began leaving our shores during the Clinton Administration and there is no end in sight - billing, coding, collections, transcription and claims services. These new arrangements show, as the New York Times put it, "that even medical care, the most intimate and localized of services, is grappling with the globalization that has moved many jobs - first in manufacturing and more recently in white collar work - across the ocean."
How can America stay strong, if we undermine our infrastructure to the point that our skilled and educated citizens are eliminated from the employment equation? How will families keep themselves whole, when parents are being escorted to the door of their jobs by the thousands losing financial security and benefits, while the employment opportunities our children aspire to continue to move to cubicles in India, China and beyond at a minimum current rate of 1.5 million jobs per twelve year period? (These figures do not even include the long history of jobs lost in manufacturing).
The Wall Street Journal estimated that 475,000 non-manufacturing jobs had moved off-shore in the past three years alone with a guarantee that two-thirds of those positions will never return. Are we all too busy to worry about the staggering loss of employment opportunities for U.S. citizens?
Make no mistake, many companies are skipping town and country to bolster bottom lines and circumventing U.S. laws and mandates in the process. There is a rampant corporate practice of eliminating positions held by U.S. citizens over the age of
50, who are then replaced with fresh-faced university graduates from the Asia Pacific region without any practical or business experience. Research proves that at a minimum it is only one sixth the cost-per-hire, per job to engage an off-shore resource, following the elimination of an experienced U.S. worker. Yes, it's cheaper for now, but what ever happened to protecting hard working citizens from age discrimination in this county?
Where are all the executives who used to value and mandate skills and competencies that could only be acquired through 'business experience?' What happened to all the executives who knew how to leverage employee’s skills and experience to compete? As we have observed in this era, when executive pay and year-end bonuses are at stake, there are no limits to the Off-Shore solutions a company will consider.
No surprise in 'The Enron Age' that The Wall Street Journal reports that American workers with life-threatening diseases, some in the middle of medical programs and treatments, are having their jobs eliminated at Polaroid, Bank One and beyond to ensure corporate cost-containment of benefits expenses. If you don't view this grotesque practice as un-American, then you can't know a cancer patient whose job was eliminated so the company could eliminate his/her medical and disability benefits.
Much of this is being allowed and ignored by Democrats and Republicans alike under the tidy headings of Off-Shore, On-Shore, Outsourced and In-sourced Solutions 'mandated' - executives claim - for corporate survival, leaving lots of people asking where the heck is the U.S. Dept. of Labor, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when workers need them? Who's giving Corporate America the free passes to ignore the tenets of U.S. Employment Law and to bypass the 'Americans with Disabilities Act' altogether with employment practices 'disguised' as 'Off-Shore Business Solutions?'
The Off-Shore / Outsourced Employment Solution gained very powerful momentum in the United States when most people weren't even paying attention. For twenty years, when the unions were yelling in the wind about this very issue lots of people didn't care because it wasn't happening in their own employment backyard. In the name of globalization and free trade, (can you say NAFTA?) 'Corporate Americas' Employment Boat' left the dock for unknown off-shore destinations years ago with the blessing of multiple U.S. Presidents and Administrations.
Along the way, executives figured out how to operate their businesses outside of the U.S. infrastructure, unfortunately too many of them evolved as experts who only know how to compete by eliminating the American worker from the equation. Those of us who represent a blue or white collar profession in any industry, owe it to ourselves, our colleagues and our children's futures to weigh in on these issues now or this 'silent killer' of the U.S. job market will continue to prevail with unimaginable consequences.
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Please Note: The unimaginable consequences in the job market that I feared in 2003 started to roll in during the Summer of 2007 for talent in many job categories in the U.S. Market. Honestly - I could have written the letter above in September 2011 because everything I worried about happening to the employment market arrived as a consequence of the Subprime Mortgage/CDO disaster and the economic meltdown which resulted in the current 2010-2011 Recession. Maybe I should have yelled louder back then. I'm sorry I didn't. - My apologies to all.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
President Obama: Act on Root Causes of 'Uncertaintly!'
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
This is an open letter to President Barack Obama & the U.S. Congress:
Please act on root causes of 'uncertainty" to create jobs in the United States of America.
Acknowledge the issues that are causing the 'uncertainty' in the market which put businesses on a path to pause and halt investments, initiatives, business plans and hiring. Then let's commit ourselves to forcing the entire Congress to address them!
1) U.S. corporate tax rates are the highest on the planet and they need to be lowered, (We just surpassed Japan in this regard). This fact is inspiring global companies to expand their business and infrastructure in emerging markets, offshore, etc. - they are researching every option outside of the U.S. where they can find a lower corp tax rate.
2) Any Federal Regulation or mandate accused of being 'Anti-Business' need to be assessed and measured against that charge. If our research concludes that the 'value proposition' of a federal regulation actually has an anti-competition and anti-business purpose which makes it anti-Capitalism, then the regulation needs to be fixed, changed, adjusted, eliminated. If that same regulation is designed so the U.S. government can favor one set of market offerings over others, or favor one company over ten others then we have to make the case to Congress to change such a regulation. Gov't shouldn't have a built-in system to enact mandates that allows it to hand-pick winners and losers. Why would I invest my money in a technology if the U.S. government is going to give my competitors built-in 'competitive advantage' in the form of legislation, waivers, mandates, funding, guarantees of gov't contracts, etc. @ the same time its putting strict limits on how my company can operate,
who I can employ, where my raw materials come from, where my facilities can be built in the U.S., etc. Why would investors risk investment money that has a 100% chance of being 'undermined' or 'lost' by unfair gov't meddling? (i.e. Unions and NLRB vs Boeing and the Unemployed in South Carolina; New and costly EPA Rules vs Profit Margins of already struggling businesses). Finally, any federal mandate like these that alter the playing field and the business landscape and that require our fellow citizens - who happen to be business owners - to pay millions of dollars in mandated upgrades or compliance fines should require the approval of the entire Congress.
3) Face Healthcare Reform without the politics: Honestly, I don't care if you are talking about HillaryCare in 1998/99; or ObamaCare now; or AARPCare tomorrow - Since the current Healthcare Reform Act applies to every citizen in the country - It remains the giant elephant in the Chief Financial Officer's office in every company and that's a problem. The CFO's team is responsible for doing the cost analysis for such programs per employee; forecasting how many employees in each plan category it will apply to for the next 3 to 5 years; what the long-term costs of administering the program will be, etc., etc, etc. I don't know a single employer who has any of these answers yet and that's a big giant problem that is contributing to 'uncertainty.' As employers, we can't calculate or forecast our benefits expenses per employee for a system that was mandated without a pricetag. All the corporate opt-outs that were granted to-date prove this point. Many financially conservative companies will wait years (if they must and some already are...) until they understand whether or not these costs will have an 'adverse impact' on profits or their overall business long-term. Many will not decide to enter new businesses, expand what they're already doing, etc. without financial clarity; Sooo I suggest we all commit to PHASE I in HealthCare Reform: That is only target the help for the people who find themselves with zero medical coverage in the U.S. right now. Until the large-scale issues of ObamaCare are resolved & until there is clarity on COST for the corporations responsible for delivering these programs, there will be no 'certainty,' (Still unknown: Outcome of Supreme Court challenges, costs, costs, costs, how we create catastrophic coverage pools for pre-existing conditions that small businesses could never carry alone without going out of business, etc). This 'damaging uncertainty' will continue to contribute to this 'Lost Decade,' but maybe we can agree on certain first steps that help the uninsured who need help by crafting some kind of Step I Program immediately.
4) Stop the shovel-ready Gov't Spending that rewards FAILURE! Gov't TARP, Stimulus Programs, 'Secret' Lending Arrangements for special clients @ our Fed Window, QE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... vs America's great companies that executed with excellence in 'risk mitigation' and didn't need bailouts. Think about it: Massive amounts of money delivered by our gov't that granted unfair 'competitive advantage' to companies who intentionally failed their shareholders, clients, employees and the economy when they bundled and sold toxic mortgages to unsuspecting investors worldwide, (It was on purpose, unethical and outrageous but Joseph Cassano's AIG Financial Products court case confirmed in 2010 that these acts were not illegal!) Some of America's winning companies were positioned to step in and acquire many of those failing companies that were in a free-fall, but the gov't prohibited that remedy in our free market by handing the losers and cheaters billions of our tax dollars... they gave them the money to continue repeating the behaviors that ruined our economy in the first place. We are either free market capitalists or we are not. Which is it? When we agree what our country believes in, then we can all agree on whether more bailouts that reward failure make sense and is the way to keep going. OR should we put the government stimulus money in the hands of corporate leaders who actually assess risk and act on it to make sure their companies survive.
What are your thoughts? Has anyone passed or changed one single law that now makes it a felony (with mandatory prison time attached) for any executive or FINRA licensed professional who knowingly and willingly fowards toxic assets onto unsuspecting investors ever again. I didn't think so. Wow - there's so much work to do to protect the future, finances & dreams of the generation that will follow us.
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
This is an open letter to President Barack Obama & the U.S. Congress:
Please act on root causes of 'uncertainty" to create jobs in the United States of America.
Acknowledge the issues that are causing the 'uncertainty' in the market which put businesses on a path to pause and halt investments, initiatives, business plans and hiring. Then let's commit ourselves to forcing the entire Congress to address them!
1) U.S. corporate tax rates are the highest on the planet and they need to be lowered, (We just surpassed Japan in this regard). This fact is inspiring global companies to expand their business and infrastructure in emerging markets, offshore, etc. - they are researching every option outside of the U.S. where they can find a lower corp tax rate.
2) Any Federal Regulation or mandate accused of being 'Anti-Business' need to be assessed and measured against that charge. If our research concludes that the 'value proposition' of a federal regulation actually has an anti-competition and anti-business purpose which makes it anti-Capitalism, then the regulation needs to be fixed, changed, adjusted, eliminated. If that same regulation is designed so the U.S. government can favor one set of market offerings over others, or favor one company over ten others then we have to make the case to Congress to change such a regulation. Gov't shouldn't have a built-in system to enact mandates that allows it to hand-pick winners and losers. Why would I invest my money in a technology if the U.S. government is going to give my competitors built-in 'competitive advantage' in the form of legislation, waivers, mandates, funding, guarantees of gov't contracts, etc. @ the same time its putting strict limits on how my company can operate,
who I can employ, where my raw materials come from, where my facilities can be built in the U.S., etc. Why would investors risk investment money that has a 100% chance of being 'undermined' or 'lost' by unfair gov't meddling? (i.e. Unions and NLRB vs Boeing and the Unemployed in South Carolina; New and costly EPA Rules vs Profit Margins of already struggling businesses). Finally, any federal mandate like these that alter the playing field and the business landscape and that require our fellow citizens - who happen to be business owners - to pay millions of dollars in mandated upgrades or compliance fines should require the approval of the entire Congress.
3) Face Healthcare Reform without the politics: Honestly, I don't care if you are talking about HillaryCare in 1998/99; or ObamaCare now; or AARPCare tomorrow - Since the current Healthcare Reform Act applies to every citizen in the country - It remains the giant elephant in the Chief Financial Officer's office in every company and that's a problem. The CFO's team is responsible for doing the cost analysis for such programs per employee; forecasting how many employees in each plan category it will apply to for the next 3 to 5 years; what the long-term costs of administering the program will be, etc., etc, etc. I don't know a single employer who has any of these answers yet and that's a big giant problem that is contributing to 'uncertainty.' As employers, we can't calculate or forecast our benefits expenses per employee for a system that was mandated without a pricetag. All the corporate opt-outs that were granted to-date prove this point. Many financially conservative companies will wait years (if they must and some already are...) until they understand whether or not these costs will have an 'adverse impact' on profits or their overall business long-term. Many will not decide to enter new businesses, expand what they're already doing, etc. without financial clarity; Sooo I suggest we all commit to PHASE I in HealthCare Reform: That is only target the help for the people who find themselves with zero medical coverage in the U.S. right now. Until the large-scale issues of ObamaCare are resolved & until there is clarity on COST for the corporations responsible for delivering these programs, there will be no 'certainty,' (Still unknown: Outcome of Supreme Court challenges, costs, costs, costs, how we create catastrophic coverage pools for pre-existing conditions that small businesses could never carry alone without going out of business, etc). This 'damaging uncertainty' will continue to contribute to this 'Lost Decade,' but maybe we can agree on certain first steps that help the uninsured who need help by crafting some kind of Step I Program immediately.
4) Stop the shovel-ready Gov't Spending that rewards FAILURE! Gov't TARP, Stimulus Programs, 'Secret' Lending Arrangements for special clients @ our Fed Window, QE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... vs America's great companies that executed with excellence in 'risk mitigation' and didn't need bailouts. Think about it: Massive amounts of money delivered by our gov't that granted unfair 'competitive advantage' to companies who intentionally failed their shareholders, clients, employees and the economy when they bundled and sold toxic mortgages to unsuspecting investors worldwide, (It was on purpose, unethical and outrageous but Joseph Cassano's AIG Financial Products court case confirmed in 2010 that these acts were not illegal!) Some of America's winning companies were positioned to step in and acquire many of those failing companies that were in a free-fall, but the gov't prohibited that remedy in our free market by handing the losers and cheaters billions of our tax dollars... they gave them the money to continue repeating the behaviors that ruined our economy in the first place. We are either free market capitalists or we are not. Which is it? When we agree what our country believes in, then we can all agree on whether more bailouts that reward failure make sense and is the way to keep going. OR should we put the government stimulus money in the hands of corporate leaders who actually assess risk and act on it to make sure their companies survive.
What are your thoughts? Has anyone passed or changed one single law that now makes it a felony (with mandatory prison time attached) for any executive or FINRA licensed professional who knowingly and willingly fowards toxic assets onto unsuspecting investors ever again. I didn't think so. Wow - there's so much work to do to protect the future, finances & dreams of the generation that will follow us.
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Friday, September 23, 2011
MetLife's CEO Steven Kandarian: Subprime Era Hero!
Welcome to TishTrek - More than THE JOB BLOG!
Introducing One of TishTrek's Heroes of the Decade: Steven Kandarian!!
Why was Steve Kandarian, MetLife's Chief Investment Officer in 2005, tapped as MetLife's President and CEO in 2011??
Answer: In 2005, "he ACTED when he recognized the commercial mortgage-backed securities market had turned into a bubble, with banks underwriting bad investments and then intentionally passing them along to other investors." Putting MetLife's survival 1st, in 2006 he led a massive sale of risky investments which had become too big a part of MetLife’s overall real estate portfolio.
As a client of MetLife, that's how I define 'leadership.'
Thank you, Sir!
- TishTrek
Introducing One of TishTrek's Heroes of the Decade: Steven Kandarian!!
Why was Steve Kandarian, MetLife's Chief Investment Officer in 2005, tapped as MetLife's President and CEO in 2011??
Answer: In 2005, "he ACTED when he recognized the commercial mortgage-backed securities market had turned into a bubble, with banks underwriting bad investments and then intentionally passing them along to other investors." Putting MetLife's survival 1st, in 2006 he led a massive sale of risky investments which had become too big a part of MetLife’s overall real estate portfolio.
As a client of MetLife, that's how I define 'leadership.'
Thank you, Sir!
- TishTrek
Friday, September 16, 2011
Kweku Adoboli: Rogue UBS Trader or Economic Terrorist?
Welcome to TishTrek - More than a JOB BLOG!
We all know the tag-line: "If you see something, say something."
This morning, my keyboard spoke when I forwarded worrisome concerns regarding UBS Trader Kweku Adoboli to the FBI, Todd Schoenberger @ Landcolt Trading & to reporters @ the New York Post.
I've never been afraid to challenge situations which have the potential to adversely impact fellow citizens. That's why I ask questions; and research answers.
In the end, if a theory or concern is proven unwarranted or wrong through a thorough due diligence process - I'm relieved and grateful. I accept the results & move on...
Having said that, I believe that we're all accountable for taking steps to mitigate risks that put our society and the health, welfare and safety of our fellow man in danger.
See below...
Best regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: tharp@nypost.com ; ptharp@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 8:34 AM
Subject: Kweku Adoboli: Rogue UBS Trader or an Economic Terrorist?
Attention: Paul Tharpe
Cc: John Crudele
Gentlemen:
Is Kweku Adoboli a rogue UBS trader or an economic terrorist? Could UBS's $2 billion trading loss be the result of an intentional act which was executed to support the underpinnings of the London riots? Could other London banks be next? Google www.deepblack.org.uk - "the place where conflict is creative."
deep:black co-founder Petra Hilgers photo blog can be found on www.deepblack.org.uk. Hit NEWS icon @ the top of pg; then hit Petra's Photo Blog which was announced on the site on September 6th in the 2nd bullet. When you reach 'petra hilgers' page, you'll find the anti-corporation picture (Citi & HSBC London office buildings in the background; with a black sheep in the foreground) - it's the third photo down. The site's riot:lyrics goes on to make the compelling case that the uprisings in London are far from over & agitators have lots of targets on their mind. On Aug 18th, the site shared this quote/ comment from one of her followers to inspire followers: "devoid of love - divide us & rule us; looting & destroying; look who got there first." Who do they think looted and destroyed 'us' first? The global banks?
On August 26th, Petra Hilgers posted a rant underneath her photo of the Citi, HCBC London offices which states: "White sheep or black sheep? And who’s the black sheep: the sheep in the foreground? The corporate power in the background? I like the complexity of this image which at a first glance doesn’t seem complex at all. And it makes me think of the discussions all around me about the riots in London: the temptation to divide into black & white and find easy answers when in fact things are so very complex, layered and possibly uncomfortable. I wonder: how many of us find and if only faintly that the word “riot” resonates somewhere deep inside?"
Finally, rogue UBS Trader or economic terrorist? (you decide). In your NY Post article, you write that "experts said it was difficult to pile up huge unauthorized postions with such mundane trading strategies..." I'll take that point a step further. Interview Chief Information Officers in trading execution services and they'll tell you that it's not only difficult, it's almost impossible without some kind of 'collusion' across business/functional areas to execute such trades without notice.
Whatever caused this $2 billion loss, you can be sure that Kweku Adoboli did not act alone. How come UBS order & execution supervisors weren't managing compliance workflow and the technology that helps mitigate risk by identifying questionable transactions & positions? Who ignored the surveillance requirements under Reg NMS, OATS, etc that are specifically designed to protect UBS & its shareholders? UBS is a revered state-of-the-art advanced technology shop with sophisticated data feed solutions that track both market & trade data.
Some of the top technologists, risk managers and compliance professionals on the planet work for UBS, so the lone wolf theory UBS & the media is peddling simply isn't believable.
I'm writing because I'm worried. The global banking system should be worried too.
- Tish
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
We all know the tag-line: "If you see something, say something."
This morning, my keyboard spoke when I forwarded worrisome concerns regarding UBS Trader Kweku Adoboli to the FBI, Todd Schoenberger @ Landcolt Trading & to reporters @ the New York Post.
I've never been afraid to challenge situations which have the potential to adversely impact fellow citizens. That's why I ask questions; and research answers.
In the end, if a theory or concern is proven unwarranted or wrong through a thorough due diligence process - I'm relieved and grateful. I accept the results & move on...
Having said that, I believe that we're all accountable for taking steps to mitigate risks that put our society and the health, welfare and safety of our fellow man in danger.
See below...
Best regards,
TishTrek
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: tharp@nypost.com ; ptharp@nypost.com ; jcrudele@nypost.com
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 8:34 AM
Subject: Kweku Adoboli: Rogue UBS Trader or an Economic Terrorist?
Attention: Paul Tharpe
Cc: John Crudele
Gentlemen:
Is Kweku Adoboli a rogue UBS trader or an economic terrorist? Could UBS's $2 billion trading loss be the result of an intentional act which was executed to support the underpinnings of the London riots? Could other London banks be next? Google www.deepblack.org.uk - "the place where conflict is creative."
deep:black co-founder Petra Hilgers photo blog can be found on www.deepblack.org.uk. Hit NEWS icon @ the top of pg; then hit Petra's Photo Blog which was announced on the site on September 6th in the 2nd bullet. When you reach 'petra hilgers' page, you'll find the anti-corporation picture (Citi & HSBC London office buildings in the background; with a black sheep in the foreground) - it's the third photo down. The site's riot:lyrics goes on to make the compelling case that the uprisings in London are far from over & agitators have lots of targets on their mind. On Aug 18th, the site shared this quote/ comment from one of her followers to inspire followers: "devoid of love - divide us & rule us; looting & destroying; look who got there first." Who do they think looted and destroyed 'us' first? The global banks?
On August 26th, Petra Hilgers posted a rant underneath her photo of the Citi, HCBC London offices which states: "White sheep or black sheep? And who’s the black sheep: the sheep in the foreground? The corporate power in the background? I like the complexity of this image which at a first glance doesn’t seem complex at all. And it makes me think of the discussions all around me about the riots in London: the temptation to divide into black & white and find easy answers when in fact things are so very complex, layered and possibly uncomfortable. I wonder: how many of us find and if only faintly that the word “riot” resonates somewhere deep inside?"
Finally, rogue UBS Trader or economic terrorist? (you decide). In your NY Post article, you write that "experts said it was difficult to pile up huge unauthorized postions with such mundane trading strategies..." I'll take that point a step further. Interview Chief Information Officers in trading execution services and they'll tell you that it's not only difficult, it's almost impossible without some kind of 'collusion' across business/functional areas to execute such trades without notice.
Whatever caused this $2 billion loss, you can be sure that Kweku Adoboli did not act alone. How come UBS order & execution supervisors weren't managing compliance workflow and the technology that helps mitigate risk by identifying questionable transactions & positions? Who ignored the surveillance requirements under Reg NMS, OATS, etc that are specifically designed to protect UBS & its shareholders? UBS is a revered state-of-the-art advanced technology shop with sophisticated data feed solutions that track both market & trade data.
Some of the top technologists, risk managers and compliance professionals on the planet work for UBS, so the lone wolf theory UBS & the media is peddling simply isn't believable.
I'm writing because I'm worried. The global banking system should be worried too.
- Tish
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Monday, September 12, 2011
On 'this' day, Grandma wrote one last lesson...
Welcome to TishTrek - More than a JOB BLOG!
Tuesday - September 13th is the 8th Anniversary which marks the day my mother lost her battle with cigarettes. I'm celebrating her life and my love for her with a renewed message to my kids: "Don't Do As We Did; Just Don't Smoke."
Okay - call the Diet Police! I cheated on my diet Monday... It was my first "David Letterman Stouffer's Mac-and-Cheese Moment" since June. In the end, it didn't even taste that good. And - oh my gosh - Scott got home early from work and caught me in the act!! I felt like 'that kid' with her hand caught in the cookie jar!
So I ask you, why did I do that? I'm telling you, it was that familiar desperate reach for comfort food after an exhausting day and a rough week of memories. When I get exhausted, my will power heads straight for the hills. How about all of you?
Do I actually need a big neon sign on my refrigerator with a warning label that reads, "This kind of repeat behavior has a good chance of putting you in Jersey Shore Medical Center where doctors will break open your chest cavity while they put you on the heart-lung machine so your heart can keep a beat with the help of technology while they clear your clogged arteries. Your arteries will be filled with bad cholesterol from this Mac-and-Cheese you have sent through your system for 30 years?!" Gosh - logic tells us one thing; emotions beat to a drum that will take us off that cliff whenever we're not careful!
Sometimes I think about my own Mom's quest to find peaceful quiet moments during stressful times... She never sought comfort in food, but she grew up in a Salutatory Age of Smoking - meaning smoking was welcomed as an acceptable & fashionable habit which was picked up by lots of teenagers & young adults in the 1940's, 1950's and beyond. In those times, this act was greeted as some kind of tribal right-of-passage that everyone went through on their way to adulthood. And okay - let's join the chorus... Big Tobacco's marketing and advertising campaigns were the best Madison Avenue had to offer in those days! Yes - even that hunk - 'The Marlboro Man' - died of cancer.
Some people could stop the habit on a dime; for others - like Mom - they'd engage in a lifetime-of-trying and they still could not quit. My hazel-blue eyes were fixated on her throughout my elementary school years and I mostly saw the strongest and smartest woman I had ever known. By 8th grade, Mom had all of us convinced that we could become President of the United States if we put our minds to it. Eight kids make for a lot of mouths and egos to feed, but she found time to be everyone else's rock too - a special person so many turned to & called on for help - and I mean "everyone" including friend, stranger and foe alike! If you knew the teens who turned to the embrace and warmth of my parents for help between the 1960's and the 1980's or counted how many actaully lived in our home - your definition of "selfless" would be altered forever.
The term "selfless" would stay with Mom until the day she died. In the early years, it never dawned on me that perhaps she never left enough time or energy for herself... How did she do it, I started wondering when my own kids arrived? At times, could it be that exhaustion, bad news and stressful times impacted the quality of her life too?
This month, Dr. Oz informed his viewing audience that people can take up to 15 years off their life if smoking is the habit that follows them, (i.e. instead of dying at age 65, a non-smoker has a shot at living until 80 years of age!). Can you imagine? You can bet no one was announcing such risks in the 1940's, 50's & 60's when teenagers innocently viewed smoking as a kind of 'right-of-passage' to adulthood.
Having said this, what I do know is that my mom waged a 35-year valiant & silent battle that was really no ones business until she died 8 years ago. I remember her wearing the nicotine patches; literally smoking pipes and cigars; attending hypnosis & smoking cessation courses with her friend Jude at Ocean County College; chewing that special gum; and submersing entire cartons of cigarettes in wastebaskets of water to banish the tangible temptation from our house.
In our living room on Lincoln Avenue, she was ahead of her time as she 'exercised-for-endorphins' to the greatest hits of Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass before there were ever aerobic classes in any neighborhood, (Scott - that's where my love affair with brass instruments started!!). She walked on the beaches in Pt. Pleasant with the best of friends like Barbara Fioretti, Joan Spiegle and her sister, Mary; cleaned our house like a fiend to eliminate the smell of smoke, (I'm talking wall washing & windows open in winter here gang!), etc... I never put these efforts into one paragraph before, but the reality screams that my mother tried very hard so it was no wonder she would warn everyone to simply steer clear of this deadly habit that is so hard for many people to break.
As I anxiously waited for her to survive through multiple vascular surgeries of the leg, neck and beyond, followed by quadruple open heart surgery and abdominal aortic surgery, the painful message regarding nicotine could not be more clear. In an unbelieveable moment, she requested I drive her straight to the 7-11 for cigarettes as the first stop from heart surgery to home. I didn't want to; and I knew others would have made a different decision, but I did it. Mom was sitting in my car with a heart-shaped pillow protecting the giant incision up-and-down her chest and she was suffering. My gosh - It had been hard enough to watch her in this struggle with herself when she was strong, so pushing back when she was physically weak was not an option.
After I purchased those cigarettes, I began to cry because it felt as if the razor-sharp scalpels used to save her life had just etched a message in my gut that I knew one day I would write to honor her and explaining how hard she tried.
The message from Kate and Scott's beloved Grandma was clear: "Don't do as I did; just don't smoke!"
Best regards,
Everybody's Cousin Tish
Quote of the Day: "Where there is a will, there is a way."
- The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
Tuesday - September 13th is the 8th Anniversary which marks the day my mother lost her battle with cigarettes. I'm celebrating her life and my love for her with a renewed message to my kids: "Don't Do As We Did; Just Don't Smoke."
Okay - call the Diet Police! I cheated on my diet Monday... It was my first "David Letterman Stouffer's Mac-and-Cheese Moment" since June. In the end, it didn't even taste that good. And - oh my gosh - Scott got home early from work and caught me in the act!! I felt like 'that kid' with her hand caught in the cookie jar!
So I ask you, why did I do that? I'm telling you, it was that familiar desperate reach for comfort food after an exhausting day and a rough week of memories. When I get exhausted, my will power heads straight for the hills. How about all of you?
Do I actually need a big neon sign on my refrigerator with a warning label that reads, "This kind of repeat behavior has a good chance of putting you in Jersey Shore Medical Center where doctors will break open your chest cavity while they put you on the heart-lung machine so your heart can keep a beat with the help of technology while they clear your clogged arteries. Your arteries will be filled with bad cholesterol from this Mac-and-Cheese you have sent through your system for 30 years?!" Gosh - logic tells us one thing; emotions beat to a drum that will take us off that cliff whenever we're not careful!
Sometimes I think about my own Mom's quest to find peaceful quiet moments during stressful times... She never sought comfort in food, but she grew up in a Salutatory Age of Smoking - meaning smoking was welcomed as an acceptable & fashionable habit which was picked up by lots of teenagers & young adults in the 1940's, 1950's and beyond. In those times, this act was greeted as some kind of tribal right-of-passage that everyone went through on their way to adulthood. And okay - let's join the chorus... Big Tobacco's marketing and advertising campaigns were the best Madison Avenue had to offer in those days! Yes - even that hunk - 'The Marlboro Man' - died of cancer.
Some people could stop the habit on a dime; for others - like Mom - they'd engage in a lifetime-of-trying and they still could not quit. My hazel-blue eyes were fixated on her throughout my elementary school years and I mostly saw the strongest and smartest woman I had ever known. By 8th grade, Mom had all of us convinced that we could become President of the United States if we put our minds to it. Eight kids make for a lot of mouths and egos to feed, but she found time to be everyone else's rock too - a special person so many turned to & called on for help - and I mean "everyone" including friend, stranger and foe alike! If you knew the teens who turned to the embrace and warmth of my parents for help between the 1960's and the 1980's or counted how many actaully lived in our home - your definition of "selfless" would be altered forever.
The term "selfless" would stay with Mom until the day she died. In the early years, it never dawned on me that perhaps she never left enough time or energy for herself... How did she do it, I started wondering when my own kids arrived? At times, could it be that exhaustion, bad news and stressful times impacted the quality of her life too?
This month, Dr. Oz informed his viewing audience that people can take up to 15 years off their life if smoking is the habit that follows them, (i.e. instead of dying at age 65, a non-smoker has a shot at living until 80 years of age!). Can you imagine? You can bet no one was announcing such risks in the 1940's, 50's & 60's when teenagers innocently viewed smoking as a kind of 'right-of-passage' to adulthood.
Having said this, what I do know is that my mom waged a 35-year valiant & silent battle that was really no ones business until she died 8 years ago. I remember her wearing the nicotine patches; literally smoking pipes and cigars; attending hypnosis & smoking cessation courses with her friend Jude at Ocean County College; chewing that special gum; and submersing entire cartons of cigarettes in wastebaskets of water to banish the tangible temptation from our house.
In our living room on Lincoln Avenue, she was ahead of her time as she 'exercised-for-endorphins' to the greatest hits of Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass before there were ever aerobic classes in any neighborhood, (Scott - that's where my love affair with brass instruments started!!). She walked on the beaches in Pt. Pleasant with the best of friends like Barbara Fioretti, Joan Spiegle and her sister, Mary; cleaned our house like a fiend to eliminate the smell of smoke, (I'm talking wall washing & windows open in winter here gang!), etc... I never put these efforts into one paragraph before, but the reality screams that my mother tried very hard so it was no wonder she would warn everyone to simply steer clear of this deadly habit that is so hard for many people to break.
As I anxiously waited for her to survive through multiple vascular surgeries of the leg, neck and beyond, followed by quadruple open heart surgery and abdominal aortic surgery, the painful message regarding nicotine could not be more clear. In an unbelieveable moment, she requested I drive her straight to the 7-11 for cigarettes as the first stop from heart surgery to home. I didn't want to; and I knew others would have made a different decision, but I did it. Mom was sitting in my car with a heart-shaped pillow protecting the giant incision up-and-down her chest and she was suffering. My gosh - It had been hard enough to watch her in this struggle with herself when she was strong, so pushing back when she was physically weak was not an option.
After I purchased those cigarettes, I began to cry because it felt as if the razor-sharp scalpels used to save her life had just etched a message in my gut that I knew one day I would write to honor her and explaining how hard she tried.
The message from Kate and Scott's beloved Grandma was clear: "Don't do as I did; just don't smoke!"
Best regards,
Everybody's Cousin Tish
Quote of the Day: "Where there is a will, there is a way."
- The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
Thursday, September 8, 2011
10th Anniversary: My 9/11 pen is finally at rest - Amen.
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG!
While President Obama was delivering his jobs speech to Congress on television this evening, my focus was elsewhere so I wrote the following:
God bless all of you and America on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.
The Asbury Park Press/Gannett Newspapers will publish a '9/11 Memories & Recollections' column on Sunday, September 11th, 2011. I'm humbled that a piece I submitted depicting Harry & my ten year journey from 'heart-thumping sadness' @ sea to 'amazing strength' will be included, (I've shared my app contribution below my signature. It means a lot to me for each of you to have it because this is the last time I plan to write about our excruciating 9/11 ferry experience).
I also wanted to share the only photo I've ever come across which successfully captures the less publicized but 'utterly shocking moment(s)' we experienced on the waters surrounding NYC on 9/11. Allow me to explain...
We already knew the United States was under attack, so when our view of the NYC skyline disappeared in the horizon and was replaced - for a time - by clouds of smoke and debris, (exactly as the photo depicts), it led to the agonizing fear that tens of thousands were being killed in the Wall Street area because we knew so many people had not yet made it off the island or out of danger. We had no way of knowing what was going on. Like so many others, we didn't know if the attacks were contained to the WTC area; or if timed explosives were being set off throughout the corridors of Downtown Manhattan; or if approaching passenger planes would be blown out of the sky after the government ordered the air space over NYC 'sanitized.' No one knew what would happen next or how this day would end.
The picture attached above this post - which says 'it all' for many - is from a riveting book called, HERE IS NEW YORK: a democracy of photographs, conceived and organized by Alice Rose George, Gilles Peress, Michael Shulan and Charles Traub, www.hereisnewyork.com, (page 29). I purchased the book at St. Paul's Chapel (211 Broadway, NYC) - the back of 'that' church sits across the street & to the east of the World Trade Center site. It was built in 1766 and miraculously escaped the 9/11 attacks unscathed, (without a crack to a single window). It is the only pre-revolutionary church still standing in Manhattan and it became 'a reverent place' of solace & prayer & reflection for the 9/11 rescue workers.
On the 10th Anniversary, my Harry and I will return to St. Paul's Chapel and once again we will retrace 'our 9/11 voyage' from the Atlantic Highlands in New Jersey to New York City to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives of the 3,000 innocent people who were murdered as we struggled at sea on that fateful day.
We take this incredible journey each year because - as most of you know - our view of 9/11 played out while we were commuting on a ferry. Our SeaStreak Ferry captain navigated with confidence as he passed the eastern tip of Staten Island, with Swinburne & Hoffman Islands to our left and Gravesend Bay to our right. We moved from the lower bay to upper bay by passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. As we raced through New York Harbor watching destruction and fire bellow from our beloved World Trade Center complex, we stared at our beautiful Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island hoping that she too would be safe in the middle of this water. We literally gasped, then I cried as we passed the foot of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Battery Park. We navigated to the right in an effort to get into the East River as quickly as possible.
Our SeaStreak captain explained by radio that it was critical to travel 'towards the danger' to save as many lives as possible. He was 100% right. There were terrified people desperate for help on every pier in the East River and there were thousands more running for their lives towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Our SeaStreak crew helped as many people at Pier 11 as our ferry could hold. We escaped through Buttermilk Channel, that short body of water between Governor's Island and Brooklyn's west coast, and made our way back under the Verrazano Bridge heading south to New Jersey.
While we were in the lower bay, the second tower succumbed to the terrors of our society. After it collapsed, God fervently urged me to look away and I listened. As smoke engulfed NYC, (just like the attached photo shows), I literally turned my body completely around and looked only to the east and the south so the power of the magnificent ocean would give my breaking heart strength. HE encouraged me to use the Sandy Hook landscape that was to my left to counter the view that was so painfully seared and freshly etched in my mind. As I worked to catch my breath, I prayed to HIM and it was HE who embraced me and Harry until we could reach the arms of our children - Kate & Scott, ages 12 and 8 at the time.
After the captain left us in the care of hundreds of volunteers in the Atlantic Highlands, he and all the SeaSteak heroes made 40-plus additional trips to bring thousands of additional commuters from the piers in NYC to safety in New Jersey. They did not stop until this job was done. The determination and courage of the SeaStreak Crew will never be forgotten. Harry and I honor them on this 10th Anniversary and always... our thanks to all.
Before I retire my 9/11 voice, allow me to say this: When I was a teenager, my history teacher - the amazing Mr. Oxenford at Pt. Pleasant Beach High School - taught me that I was accountable for researching, learning, facing, remembering and respecting history. Because of him, I left high school knowing that a failure to understand our nation's history and/or participating in collective apathy will always create conditions and opportunities for any 'history' to repeat itself. I've written about my 9/11 voyage and all the heroes who were within my reach to watch for the last ten years to document the history I saw with my own eyes; that chapter comes to a close on Sunday.
With Mr. Oxenford's inspiring lessons in mind, my 10th Anniversary Prayer is that my children and all citizens who follow them will honor the 3,000 precious lives lost on 9/11 by making it their business to understand what happened to our great country that day and why... Over the last ten years, writing about this experience and sharing it with many of you helped me find peace. On the 10th Anniversary, I offer the attached photo as the 'final word' which proves how far we've come in the past decade and how truly resilient our nation is.
My 9/11 pen is at rest and I am grateful. -Amen.
*** See Asbury Park Press submission is below.
Warm regards,
TishTrek
******* The Asbury Park Press, Sunday - September 11th, 2011:
My husband and I were commuting on the SeaStreak Ferry when the first plane hit the North Tower. We gasped in horror at sea when the second plane exploded into the South Tower.
As the towering infernos spewed pieces from their silver shells, we reverently bowed our heads knowing each reflection in the sky symbolized a human life that wouldn’t return home that day.
After picking up 300 people fleeing to safety at Pier 11, we escaped to the lower bay-side of the Verrazano Bridge. All eyes were transfixed on the twin towers as they collapsed into those terrifying mushroom clouds which temporarily erased the Downtown skyline from our view. No one spoke.
Our stunned silence was shattered as a passenger yelled, “The Pentagon has been ‘hit’ too!” Some wept; others prayed; anxiety ruled.
The agonizing view of this heartbreaking enormity of horror was interrupted by selfless volunteers who had lined the Atlantic Highlands to help seafaring commuters who were dazed, frozen and bound together by a silence louder than any voice we had ever heard. It was the voice of "terrorism.”
As remarkable strangers comforted & protected others, the hand of God and the voice of "William Wordsworth" prevailed during this decade of recovery and resolve:
"What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind"
— William Wordsworth, (Intimations of Immortality)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
