Friday, May 29, 2009

04 June 2009: An Important Day for World Peace

President Obama will make a speech at the University of Cairo on June 4. The topic? An attempt to convince the Muslims of the world that the West, primarily the United States, is not at war with Islam.

Former President George W. Bush tried to make that case, but failed to do so. Why did he fail? First, after the September 11 attacks, President Bush said, "...this crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take awhile." Second, the fact that his Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, headlined his written war briefings to the President with Biblical quotations, such as, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Referring to a "crusade" and then having Bible quotes embellishing official documents kind of wrecks one's credibility concerning the non-religious aspect of the war. I suspect that history will not be kind to President George W. Bush.

The May 9 Boston Herald carried this story about President Obama's upcoming speech in Egypt:


"President Barack Obama will visit Egypt on June 4 to deliver a long-planned speech aimed at convincing Muslims worldwide that the United States isn’t at war with their faith.

Egypt is a strategic but politically risky choice for such a venue. With more than 83 million people, it’s the most populous nation in the Middle East.

However, the Egyptian government, led by 81-year-old President Hosni Mubarak, is widely criticized for its authoritarian rule, corruption and human rights abuses, issues that are likely to provoke criticism of Obama’s choice to speak there, and that will require him to walk a careful line between promoting democratic values and criticizing his host.

President Bush repeatedly said after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that the United States was not at war with Islam, only terrorists, a message since repeated by Obama.

Obama’s speech is expected to be delivered in Cairo, historically an Arabic center of intellectual thought in the Muslim world, but the location hasn’t been finalized, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Gibbs called Egypt “a country that in many ways represents the heart of the Arab world” and said the speech won’t be aimed at Muslim leaders so much as it will be at the populace.

It represents “a continuing effort by this president and this White House to demonstrate how we can work together to ensure the safety and security and the future well-being through hope and opportunity of the children of this country and of the Muslim world,” he said.

The State Department’s most recent human rights report said that Mubarak’s regime routinely abuses human and political rights, employing torture, detaining hundreds of people without charges or trial, including political opponents, restricting freedom of speech and the press, and rigging elections.

Gibbs acknowledged that “the issues of democracy and human rights . . . are on the president’s mind,” and said “we’ll have a chance to discuss those in more depth on the trip.”

After Egypt, Obama will travel to Germany for a June 5 visit to Dresden and the Buchenwald concentration camp, which a great uncle of his helped to liberate, then on to France on June 6 for the 65th anniversary of D-Day."


I am simultaneously concerned for President Obama's safety, and optimistic that his trip will, at a minimum, plant the seeds of understanding in the minds of Middle Eastern citizens who happen to be of the Islamic faith.

As always, I look for areas of common interest. If his speech goes as planned at the University of Cairo, I can see President Obama reaching out to the students there with some shared concerns that he had, both as a student in the United States, and as a teacher at the University of Chicago. Perhaps a brief comment that students around the world represent this world's future; or a comment in favor of students studying overseas in order to help gain a global perspective on issues. He would then direct his comments to the wider audience.

The shape of the world will be molded, in large part, by how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are resolved. Peaceful and just conclusions will introduce stability and hope for generations to come.

I wish the President a safe and successful trip, and thank him in advance.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Betrayed by General Motors... Twice!

In 1984 I became the owner of a 1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. It had classic looks, ran well, had decent gas mileage (for a mid-size vehicle), and gave me 125,000 miles until, in 1994, it was stolen from a downtown Chicago parking lot, stripped, and used by numerous homeless people as a combination of sleeping quarters, kitchen, and toilet for three weeks before I got a call from the Chicago Police Department that it had been located.

When I saw it, I was amazed at (1) how god-awful it looked and smelled, (2) how close it was to the parking lot from which it had been stolen (about 6 blocks away), and (3) the fact that it had accumulated about 30 parking tickets. Yes, my license plates and city sticker were still attached. But the fact that the police records showed it as a stolen vehicle, and they had my name, address, and phone number, did not prevent cops from ticketing it over and over and over.

Although I've gone off on a tangent, I must finish the story by saying that I submitted my police report, dated prior to the tickets being written, with the tickets to the appropriate administrative agency requesting that all the tickets be voided. The bureaucrats voided 22 of the 30 tickets only, without explanation. When I called and called and got transferred and transferred, I was told not why they had let the other 8 tickets stand, but that I could appeal those 8 'convictions' only by going, in person, to another police agency, posting $300 cash PER DISPUTED TICKET, and then appear in court to plead my case. Perhaps numerous court dates would be required. Each court date would require me to take an entire day off from work.

Justice unaffordable is justice denied! Was I stuck in a Kafka novel? I finally gave up and paid the $240 for the 8 tickets. After the car was 'repaired' and detailed by my auto insurance company, "old dependable" was never quite the same.

In 1995 we bought a 1996 Saturn SL2. It is a small four door sedan that averages 25 MPG in the city and ~30 MPG on the highway. Reading about the Saturn philosophy concerning "no haggle pricing", treating customers as family, focus on customer satisfaction, and the new factory in the U.S. of A. (!) at Spring Hill, Tennessee - a model of union-management cooperation that was to set the pattern not only for the rest of General Motors, but perhaps all U.S. car companies, made me wildly enthusiastic.

The two Saturn dealers we visited were just as advertised. There was no pressure. No haggling over price. The sales staff showed us the wall in the showroom covered with Polaroid photos of new owners picking up their cars, with all the dealership's employees cheering them on. A mechanic in the shop showed us the bulletin board with handwritten letters from satisfied customers.

We showed the saleswoman our 12 year old Oldsmobile trade-in and was offered $100. She said the dealership would not be able to sell it, and would probably have a scrap dealer haul it away. She then told me that I should donate it to the charity of my choice, as it would not only benefit others, but the tax deduction would be more than $100. Since I had acquired the Olds upon my mother's death, from a stroke caused in large part by a 2 pack-a-day unfiltered Camel cigarette habit since age 16, I felt it was appropriate, and appreciated by Mom, to donate it to the Lung Association, which was very glad to get it.

Yes, the day we picked up the Saturn, all the employees at the dealership gathered around and cheered. Our photo was taken and posted on the wall. When taking the car in for regular maintenance, we found that the other customers waiting were like friends. We gushed about what a wonderful buying experience it was; how fair the mechanics were; and how we were all supporting the future of the U.S. automotive industry. Did I mention that during the summer, Saturn dealers would have outdoor barbeques and give free hot dogs, bratwursts, or hamburgers to customers? After all, what's a family for?

As of this posting date, the Saturn has logged 175,000 miles. It's time to get another car. Naturally, I started looking at my local Saturn dealer, in the summer of 2007. I took a hybrid SUV for a test drive. So far, so good. I told the salesperson that it rode well, but I wasn't ready to purchase a new vehicle just yet. My 1996 was in the shop that day for an oil change, and I only wanted to see how a Saturn hybrid performed. He said the price for the SUV was reasonable, but he was going to talk to the manager. I had no intention of buying an SUV, but that was the only hybrid they had available for a test drive that day. But this salesperson hadn't even asked me if I wanted an SUV!

He came back with a serious look and several sheets of paper. He showed me the SUV's manufacturers listed price. Then he wrote in Saturn's monthly sales promotion discount, and also, he almost whispered this, the dealership's special discount. I thanked him, but said again that I wasn't interested this year - maybe next year. He then confided to me some "insider information" about the Saturn line of hybrids: The battery system was currently being bought from Toyota, who had much greater experience with hybrid battery technology, but next year a new system developed by General Motors would be installed, and it was not well tested, and therefore inferior to, the system used in this year's Saturns. Buy now, he said. If you were in my family, I'd tell you the same thing. I politely but firmly declined. He said he would talk to the manager.

He came back five minutes later with another $1000 off the price. I said "No" again, and asked when my car's oil change would be done. He left to check. Ten minutes later he came back with a very serious man who actually had a furrowed brow and almost a scowl on his face. He was introduced as the owner of the dealership. We shook hands. The owner rehashed the reasons why I should buy the SUV today. I again declined. He leaned forward, and I swear to God he actually said this, "So what do I have to do to put you in that SUV today?" I smiled and said, "Give it to me free of charge." I laughed out loud and told him that I could not believe he would use the most overused, hackneyed car salesperson phrase ever invented! Especially at a Saturn dealership! He was not amused. He shook my hand and told me I was making a mistake, but these special discounts would be available one more week for when I changed my mind.

Saturn had changed. For the worse. The philosophy that had drawn me, and hundreds of thousands of other true believers to Saturn, had withered away. The vehicles in Saturn's lineup had gotten bigger, gaudier, racier, and less fuel efficient also.

All these years I've faithfully taken my Saturn only to Saturn dealers for servicing. Two weeks ago, my Service Engine Soon light went on. Right before I had to take a smog test. Since that light would mean an automatic failure of the test, I went to my Saturn dealer. The diagnosis for getting that light to turn off so I could pass the test? Over $1000 in power steering column repairs plus a 30 mile road test to reset five different computers in the car. I said I would think about it. That diagnosis alone cost me $130. As I drove home, I noticed the light had gone off. I pulled into the nearest smog test station, and my almost 14 year old Saturn passed with flying colors. The Service Engine Soon light still has not gone back on again.

Even the service department at Saturn has been corrupted. Hell hath no fury like a Saturn owner scorned. Future service work will be done anywhere but at a Saturn dealer.

Of course the final betrayal was the not so secret news this year that General Motors will kill off the Saturn Division, probably after the 2011 model year. Dealerships will close. Saturn owners will be cast aside and adrift.

Lest we forget, in April of 2004, General Motors put the final nail in the coffin of the Oldsmobile Division, when the final Oldsmobile rolled out of their Lansing, Michigan assembly line. Loyal Olds owners were betrayed.

Hey GM, why don't you give me a heads up on what division you want to trash and burn next so I can buy a new car from it. That's all I'm good for, isn't it? I'm surprised I don't own a Pontiac too.

To recap, from 1984 to today (25 years), I have owned two cars: an Oldsmobile and a Saturn, totaling 300,000 miles. GM has repaid my loyalty with disloyalty. I enthusiastically supported a U.S. automaker. Now I don't care about buying a vehicle from any U.S. manufacturer. Once bitten - twice shy. Twice bitten - as mad as Hell and not going to take it any more!

I still am interested in a hybrid sedan. You know, maybe that hack Saturn salesperson in 2007 did me a favor. I've never forgotten his "insider information" about how well made and dependable Toyota hybrid technology was. And that was two years ago.

Now, let me finish this blog post, so I can do an internet search for Toyota dealers nearby.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Exploring Fujairah

Fujairah is one of seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The term 'emirate' compares roughly to the old term 'shiekhdom'. It is the fourth of the seven that I have written about. To read about the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Ajman, please see my posts dated February 13, 2009, Bye Bye, Dubai?, March 6, 2009, Exploring Abu Dhabi, and April 3, 2009, Exploring Ajman.

Fujairah is a small island (1165 square kilometers; population 108,546). The Fujairah Government Portal web site (FGP) describes the emirate:

"Fujairah holds a unique position in the UAE. It is the only emirate that lies on the eastern side of the UAE, along the Gulf of Oman, while the other six emirates are along the Arabian Gulf. The Emirate derives its name from a spring of water located beneath one of the mountains. The Hajar mountain range that divides the UAE in two, from Ras Al Khaimah to Al Ain has kept Fujairah separated from the rest of the country. The historical importance of Fujairah dates back to the period before the birth of Christ. It was known in the old ages as the land of sea giants. The main cities and villages in Fujairah are Dibba, Murbeh, Qidfa, Al Bidiyah, Masafi and Al-Siji. Fujairah is a land endowed with remarkable beauty."

Granted, this is an official government web site, but just reading that paragraph makes me want to visit Fujairah, and get to know its people, culture, and natural wonders. We in the USA date our history, at most, to 1492 (having eliminated most of the history of the indigenous peoples). Imagine living in Fujairah and tracing your roots back well over 2000 years. I wonder if such a long historical perspective gives the residents a better sense of being centered, and knowing who they are, than we in the USA have. Wouldn't it be great to share a meal with a Fujairah family, and share our ideas and ideals? I'm willing to bet that we would have more in common than you might imagine (maybe along the lines of Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs). See my post on Maslow.

The following excerpt from the FGP describes not only the important strategic value of Fujairah, but also gratefully puts to rest a stereotype that many outsiders have of this area of the world. You'll read about the highways that connect Fujairah to cities in other emirates. Now admit it. Didn't you envisage the emirates as being akin to the images in the film Lawrence of Arabia? Sand dunes followed by sand dunes. You may now consign that stereotype to the dustbin of history. Read on:

"This small community today enjoys modern facilities and conveniences, and is linked by modern highways to all major cities in the United Arab Emirates. Fujairah is a mere 90 minutes drive time from Sharjah, under two hours from Dubai, and just three and a half hours from Abu Dhabi. Its strategic location, which provides easy access to international shipping routes, has played a key role in its development as one of the world's top oil-bunkering ports. Over 40 giant tankers pass through the port daily."

Shall we further deconstruct the stereotype of Arabian lands being sand and sand alone? The Port of Fujairah web site has these tidbits:

"Fujairah is also renowned for its high mountains of multiple colours and deep valleys where water courses flow throughout the year which represent yet another attraction for tourists. There are marine reserves where a variety of beautiful and rare sea creatures live amongst a jungle of coral reefs - another attraction for tourists interested in the diving sport.

Tourists are also attracted by the mineral and healing waters such as those to be found at the Madhab and Gamour springs. The waters of these springs are claimed by natives to heal from rheumatism and some skin diseases. The Wareea's waterfalls are is one of the most beautiful mountainous spots in Fujairah.

The attractions of Fujairah are not merely the rugged mountains, the mild weather or the unspoiled beaches, but tourists interested in relics may also leisurely have a stroll in area dating thousands of years before Christ. The ruins of old fortresses and mosques at Fujairah, Bithna and Bidiya areas provide enormous clues to the spectacular history of the region."

Another, far more vicious stereotype to address and, hopefully, erase. These prior quotes that I found from official Fujairah Government web sites, chosen at random, make references to "...the birth of Christ." and "... years before Christ." The mainstream Fujairah rulers, by using these references to the capital 'C' Christ, are revealing, in a small yet significant way, that their religious beliefs are more tolerant than the Western media portrays them to be. The references to dates could have used the current non-religious scientific acronym BCE (Before Common Era), but instead chose to use Christ. I found this an important bridge between peoples, one that was built by the Fujairah leaders. I thank them for that.

But back to the Port of Fujairah, and how reading about it led me to a connection with my home town - Chicago. On Chicago's far south side is the Port of Chicago. I visited it several times as an adult, and was always impressed by its size, its contribution to industry, and how it displayed the brute strength and diversity of Chicago's economy. Have Fujairah citizens reacted like I did when they first viewed their Port? I'll bet their civic pride ran just as deep as mine whenever we saw our respective Ports. Another bridge between peoples.

One of my first jobs after finishing college was at the U.S. Labor Department. My duties included traveling throughout the Midwest and giving audio-video presentations about a newly passed pension protection law known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The first presentation I made was at a Longshoremans Union Local meeting near the Port of Chicago. A rough, tough crowd to be sure, but one that was overjoyed to hear that their pensions finally had some government-backed protection.

As I continue these monthly explorations of the emirates, I am continually surprised and pleased with the commonalities I find. It hasn't taken much time or research to find them. I'll bet that other folks, in the emirates and elsewhere, are doing the same thing I am. That thought makes me feel good about our world. Technology is expanding communications in ways as yet unimagined. Let's explore.

Friday, May 1, 2009

May Day - History, Reflection, Analysis

Imagine if your work week consisted or 12 hour work days, five to six days a week. Doesn't sound very pleasant, does it? Thanks to the blood, sweat, tears, and deaths of workers, we now enjoy 8 hour work days, 5 days a week. It is the struggle for the 8 hour work day, and more specifically, the struggle in Chicago's Haymarket Square in 1886, that the modern May Day celebrates.

First, a bit of history of the original May Day. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation web site:

"May Day rituals in Britain cropped up with Saxon and Celtic celebrations of the first spring planting.

Only from medieval times, however, did they take on an anti-establishment tone. As May Queens and young bucks danced around the Maypole, local jokers poked fun at priests, lords and local government. (editor's note: Sounds like the roots from which Monty Python's Flying Circus sprung had been firmly planted many centuries before!)

London was at the hub of the action with Mayfair, as the name suggests, playing home to a bawdy 15-day fair surrounding Brookfield Cattle Market. It seems the party surrounding the heifer hawking got pretty wild.

Seventeenth century writer Ned Ward was shocked to find prostitutes doing good business and various booths staging comedies.

The authorities were not amused and a halt was called to proceedings in 1708, although celebrations carried on regardless."

Now, moving forward to the average work week in USA non-agricultural industries in the 1880s. The average was between 60-65 hours, without the perks we take for granted today - paid sick days, paid vacations, Social Security, pensions, health plans, et cetera.

As early as 1866, the USA's first national labor union, the National Labor Union (NLU), had listed as its primary demand the eight hour work day. The NLU's President, William Silvis, died suddenly in 1869, and the NLU followed shortly thereafter.

In 1886, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions (later known as the American Federation of Labor) called for a nationwide strike on May 1 for the 8 hour work day. The strike was peaceful and mostly successful. Those were two reasons that certain owners of certain industries decided to take action.

On May 3, 1886, a rally was being held by striking workers of the McCormick Harvester Works on the south side of Chicago. A nearby lumber company had also been shut down by a strike, so the workers there decided to walk the quarter of the mile to join the rally near the Harvester plant. The purpose was to confront strike-breakers as they left the plant. At the end of the shift, Chicago police, with pistols drawn, ran into the crowd of striking workers. The strikers turned and ran. Six strikers were shot in the back and killed; uncounted others were wounded.

This set the stage for the May 4 rally in Haymarket Square, located just northwest of Chicago's downtown business district. Here again is a description from the British Broadcasting Corporation web site:

"The turnout for the rally at Haymarket Square consisted of some 3000 people, including the then Mayor of Chicago, who wanted to ensure that the rally remained peaceful. There was also a force of 180 police officers mobilised, ready to break up the rally at the first sign of violence.

The first speaker was August Spies, who took the police department to task as murderers. Then Albert Parsons spoke. Near the beginning of his speech, he made it clear that he was not calling on anybody to take any action that night, but was planning on simply stating the facts of the previous day's events. The Mayor made his way out of the crowd and told the police captain that the rally was peaceful and that the mobilised police officers should be put back onto regular duty. After Spies and Parsons had spoken, other, less charismatic, speakers took the platform. It was now about 10 o'clock at night. While Samuel Fielden was speaking, the 180 police officers, with clubs drawn and in military formation, closed in on the remaining participants of the rally. The police captain commanded that the rally 'immediately and peaceably disperse'.

As Fielden was protesting that the rally was peaceful, a bomb exploded in the ranks of the assembled police officers, killing one immediately and wounding 65 others, seven of whom later died of their injuries. The remaining police officers drew their revolvers and fired into the crowd, wounding 200 and killing an unknown number." click here to read more

The farcical trial that followed created mass hysteria in the USA against anarchists, trade unions, and the 8 hour work day.

It wasn't until unions recouped their strength and influence that the 8 hour work day began to be realized. The United Mine Workers fought for, and got, the 8 hour work day in their 1898 contract with the mine owners. Other unions fought tooth and nail to get the 8 hour work day with no cut in pay. Many non-union workers also were given the 8 hour work day by business owners in order to prevent their workers from forming unions.

Amazingly, the 8 hour work day did not become the law of the land (expanding the classes of workers to be covered) until a popular Democratic President, Franklin Roosevelt, and a Democratic Congress, passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938!

And it wasn't until 1962, when a popular Democratic President, John Kennedy, and a Democratic Congress, passed the Work Hours Act, that provided for time and a half pay for work in excess of either 8 hours in one day, or 40 hours in one week.

May 1 has been celebrated around the world as the International Worker's holiday to commemorate the struggle for worker's rights, triggered by the events in Chicago in May, 1886. Why has the country in which those events took place officially shunned the celebration, instead choosing the first Monday in September?

You can 'thank' President Grover Cleveland, who, in 1894, days after he had sent federal troops into a company town south of Chicago, built by George Pullman of the Pullman company (manufacturer of railway passenger cars) to break a strike by workers who were upset that their wages had been repeatedly cut, but the prices in the company stores and rents for their apartments (the only stores and apartments available to them) had not been reduced. Strikebreaker Cleveland choose to separate workers in the USA from the rest of the world's workers by choosing the first Monday in September, rather than May 1 as their Worker's Holiday.

As a personal note, I spent many an hour in Haymarket Square over the years on May 1. When the weather was bad, I was alone. Other years, I saw tourist buses carrying people from many other countries who wanted to be at the spot that is so important in labor history. It made me feel sad that our memories are so short. Sometimes I would close my eyes and imagine I heard the voices of that fateful May 4, 1886. Many think that an agent provocateur, hired by an industry owner who wanted to discredit the 8 hour work day movement, threw the bomb. The actual bomber was never found.

I have also had the privilege of visiting the south side Chicago neighborhood known as Pullman. Old George would have been quite upset to know that his company town, built to be very far away from the wicked Chicago, had finally been incorporated as part of the city. I knew a family who lived in the (now) historical landmark area of Pullman apartments. It was small, but neat. Each apartment shared a wall with its neighbor. As a matter of fact, the owner had an extensive model train set in his basement. Ironic, no? But when I walked alone past the open fields where the factory buildings once stood, I had the eerie sensation that I had been there before. I quickly opened my eyes, got back in my car, and drove home.

So take a moment and reflect upon what workers have sacrificed in the past so that we can have what we have today. Our benefits were not handed to us on a silver platter. Men and women fought and died for them. Let's never forget.