Sandra asks…
What would you do if you got a letter like this from your boss?
All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You’ve seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I’m sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don’t see is the back story.
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn’t have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70’s. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don’t. There is no “off” button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden — the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations… You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I’ve made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn’t. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I’ve paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don’t pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my “stimulus” check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you’d quit and you wouldn’t work here. I mean, why should you? That’s nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don’t understand … to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and gene
GardenersCardiff answers:
SOME OF YOU SHOULD TRY STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS,I’LL BET YOU COME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE AND ANSWER AFTER YOU DO. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO UNDERSTAND THIS NO EXPLANATION IS NECESSARY,FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T ON EXPLANATION COULD EXPLAIN IT.
Linda asks…
did u know this about WD-40??
I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that some vandal had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck. I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do – probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I ‘ m impressed! WD-40… Water Displacement #40:
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a “water displacement” compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. When you read the “shower door” part, try it. It ‘ s the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It ‘ s a miracle!
1. Then try it on your stovetop… Voila! It ‘ s now shinier than it ‘ s ever been. You ‘ ll be amazed.
2. Here are some more uses:
3. Protects silver from tarnishing.
4. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
5. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
6. Gives floors that ‘ just-waxed ‘ sheen without making it slippery.
7. Keeps flies off cows.
8. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
9. Removes lipstick stains.
10. Loosens stubborn zippers
11. Untangles jewelry chains.
12. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
13. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
14. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
15. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
16. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
17. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
18. Keeps scissors w! orking smoothly.
19. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
20. Gives children ‘ s play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handlin g on riding mowers.
22. Rids a kid rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain (Granddaddy had something there!)
37. Florida ‘ s favorite use is: “cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.”
38. The favorite use in the state of New York –WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it ‘ s a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you ‘ ve discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
44. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for that nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn ‘ t seem to harm the finish and you won ‘ t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
45. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL. Interesting..,
GardenersCardiff answers:
It has been a tough day, you and WD-40 just made it brighter. Thanks!
Michael asks…
Did you know WD-40 could do all this?
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that ‘just-waxed’ sheen without making
it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from
oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble
floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors
in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen
floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks
on flooring. It doesn’t seem to harm the finish and
you won’t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them
off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a
lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if
not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a children’s play gym slide a shine for a
super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for
ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky
noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and
makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open
and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in
vehicles, as well as viny l bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons,
and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and
keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades,
and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the
smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and
knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida’s favorite use is: ‘cleans and removes
love bugs from grills and bumpers.’
38) The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40
protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait
or lures and you will be catching the big one in no
time. Also, it’s a lot cheaper than the chemical
attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep
in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or
lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away
immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls.
Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you’ve discovered that your teenage
daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with
a load of laundry , saturate the lipstick spots with
WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it
would displace the moisture and allow the car to
start.
44) Removes the sticky adhesive off DVD covers.
P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.
To fuzy look at number 36
I am not a salesman
Just a homemaker
I am not getting $$$$$$$
for this
Just dispensing useful information
and hoping it’s true
GardenersCardiff answers:
Whew, I knew it had a lot of uses but this is surprising.. Thanks
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Mark asks…
Looking for a secret cleaning product ?
I found this WD40
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that ‘just-waxed’ sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles a nd doors in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty
tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn’t seem to harm the finish and you won’t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a children’s play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keep s rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off t! he balco ny (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida ‘s favorite use is: “cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.”
38) The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it’s a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you’ve discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.
GardenersCardiff answers:
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
I used to pack it camping to protect my prosthetic foot from rusting out. I was the only kid who had to turn WD40 over to the nurse when they collected our medical bags.
But with newer limbs prosthetists don’t like you using WD40 as it can mess up some expensive components. ( NEVER use it on a Cleg) instead buying one of those canisters of compressed air for cleaning key boards does wonders getting dust and dirt out of tricky spots.
I still use WD40 or 3 in1 oil on my swim leg foot. Even though it’s supposed to be water proof it gets rusty.
Mandy asks…
how about this interesting fact i must thank alan for this ok not my normal stuff but hey jokers we all learn?
Interesting!
A refresher course–who knew?
I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early
one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red
all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason).
I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset
and was trying to figure out what to do. Another neighbor came out and
told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint
beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck.
I’m mpressed!
WD-40 who knew?
Water Displacement #40.
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile
parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego
Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a
water displacement’ compound.
They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it
in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40
that would hurt you… IT IS MADE FROM FISH OIL
When you read the ‘shower door’ part, try it.
It’s the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If
yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It is a miracle!
Then try it on your stovetop… It is now shinier than it has ever been before.
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that “just-waxed” sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dir t and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in omes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car. Removed quickly, with WD-40!
20)
Gives a children’s play gym slide a shinefor a super fast slide
21) Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and lose.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and oher tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bthroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to rlieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida ‘s favorite use is Cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.’
38) Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time
40) Fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch
41) WD-40 is great for removing Crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag
42) If you’ve washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD40 and rewash Lipstick is gone!
43) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and will allow the car to start
44) Keep a can of WD-40 in my kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn.
It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring
Remember, the basic ingredient is FISH OIL
GardenersCardiff answers:
I also use it for my Sliding glass door and my mom used it on her wrist watch (just a little) when it stopped and it run for years.
Carol asks…
Diary of a New Bride?
Monday: Now home from honeymoon and settled in our new home. It’s fun to cook for Tim. Today I made an angel food cake and the recipe said, “Beat 12 eggs separately “. Well, I didn’t have enough bowls to do that, so I had to borrow 12 bowls to beat the eggs in. The cake turned out fine though.
Tuesday: We wanted a fruit salad for supper. The recipe said, “Serve without dressing”. So I didn’t dress. But Tim happened to bring a friend home for supper that night. They both looked so startled when I served them. I think it was the salad.
Wednesday: I decided to serve rice and found a recipe, which said, “Wash thoroughly before steaming the rice”. So I heated some water and took a bath before steaming the rice. Sounded kind of silly in the middle of the day. I can’t say it improved the rice anyhow.
Thursday: Today Tim asked for salad again. I tried a new recipe. It said, prepare ingredients, and then toss on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving.” I hunted all over the place for a garden and when I got one, I tossed my salad into the bed of lettuce and stood over there for over one hour so the dog would not take it. Tim came over and asked if I felt all right. I wonder why? He must be stressed at work; I’ll try and be supportive.
Friday: Today I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said, “Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat it”. Beat it I did, to my mum’s place. There must have been something wrong with the recipe, because when I came back home again; it looked the same as when I left it.
Saturday: Tim went shopping today and brought home a chicken. He asked me to dress it for Sunday. I’m sure I don’t know how hens dress for Sunday. I never noticed back on the farm, but I found an old doll dress and its little cute shoes. I thought the hen looked really cute. When Tim saw it, he started counting to ten. Either he was really stressed because of his work, or he wanted the chicken to dance. When I asked him what was wrong he started crying and shouting out “Why me? Why me?”
It has to be his job.
GardenersCardiff answers:
LOL…. Have a star…
The bride must have been a blonde…that sounds like something my cousin would have done which makes it that much funnier…
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