It's the Culture Stupid

Does it baffle anyone else why 1) politicians can't / won't address the underlying cause for mass shootings in this country and 2) why it takes numerous mass killings to even have this discussion in the first place?

I don't typically get into politics, but I'm not seeing anything posted or reported referring to the underlying problem.

While folks are concerned about the size of their clips (all guns kill people), a lovely smokescreen is being cast on the fact that without cultural change, no change will be accomplished. What causes the phenomenon that breeds people like this? Answer: It has nothing to do with guns - and this is coming from me, and I consider myself quite the liberal. Any culture that uses violence as a means to an end instead of negotiation and cool headedness has horrors like we saw in recent days. Nothing has changed much since we white Americans began colonizing. Granted, we have not always been the aggressor. However, we are still the only country that has dropped not one.. But two atomic bombs. We have gone to war to protect oil interests. We have become the next empire of the world without the land rights. Other countries who's leadership and laws promote agreesion breed homegrown terrorists, suicide bombers, and pussies in general who could stoop to the lows we saw late last week. As most countries demonstrate, when a position of being civil is created at the top through both foreign and domestic policies, the Culture follows. Mahatma's goal was to teach the culture to be strong in the face of opposition without violence. Where has the progress been all these years later? Love, tolerance, forgiveness.. Using our strongest muscle in our entire body, our minds.

Change must start at the top as any quality change management and Six Sigma approach teaches us. It will take generations to change provided we stick to this vision.

My heart goes out to all the kids that lost their lives due to cowardess violence especially at this time of year. All violence is cowardess. It is my hope that our voice will be heard that violence, war, agreesiveness, is never an acceptable answer from anyone within our country. I hope that each reader will always remember, vote, act, teach, and live seeking non-violent intelligent solutions.

Make It Right!

Everyday, I come across projects, processes and programs that need help. I am asked to come in and help build or rebuild programs that the firm relies on for millions in  revenue. I bring my arsenal of tools of experience in many sectors to find those solutions. In many cases, I bring sides of the business that are collaborating for the first time - to me, this isn't rocket science.

The next step is to sell it. Imagine marketing on steroids. We don't just use social media, but we also use all other channels.

How and why is a fixer like me necessary in the first place, and what kind of mindset does one need in terms of business? First, it takes a full knowledge of the rules, regulations and the best practices in the industry to bring a company the competitive advantage. Just as this is important, I find that being a customer advocate is just as important - if not more so. Program disconnects come as a result of not putting in the effort in the beginning to build that level of quality.

Make It Right! It takes so little effort to slow the process down just a little bit to build in the quality into every aspect of a product or service. Think of the thousands of dollars wasted by not doing this! Think of the quality of the end result when building/rebuilding the job and leave absolutely no stone unturned. No excuse.

I take that quality to my home life too. No excuse. I don't believe in one sided relationships or out of convenience. It drives me nuts that a DBE can continually torture mentally my adopted daughter. If there is no quality, it is better to shut the door tight and tell them to go take a hike. In business we are responsible. As members of our families, even more so. When we don't, do not expect for it to last.

Intolerance Hurts

While we haven't brewed awesome Java in awhile, we are still alive and well. We would like to say that the intolerant behavior North Carolina and other states have demonstrated by adding in "Constitutional" amendments segregating any group of people is wrong. There is nothing Christian about hatred. We believe that any group of people has the right to experience the freedoms we all share. We have grown away from one of the greatest sins man has ever known - slavery. And here we find ourselves still debating the common gifts that all people are afforded in this country. This law also imposes the ability for one religion to claim stake on the government's laws of the land. What about the rest of the religions in this country? Separation of church and state was imposed by our founders for a reason. This is why. Our forefathers wanted to get away from religious and taxation tyranny. It also means that the government can't tax religion.

We are thankful to many Charlotte businesses that have taken the stand against discrimination by ensuring that all individuals shall receive equal benefits regardless of status.

If religion wishes to make it's own rules, then do so behind the closed doors of the chapel. More people were killed in the name of Jesus than for any other cause throughout history. As a global nation, we have grown beyond this to realize that persecution is unacceptable by anyone. Isn't that the true message of what He taught? Tolerance, acceptance, love, compassion, selfless service. These ideals are the cornerstone of true spiritualism.

I encourage each of you to draw a line in the sand and take a stand in your personal lives to encourage equality for all people. What one action will you do to show compassion to all people?

- Joe
Proprietor | Caffeine Central

Fang Discrimination

Caffeine Central accepts all people through it's doors. I personally believe in the paranormal. I have my beliefs. Others have theirs. Originally from Coconut Grove, Florida, the village for all walks of life, I hold true to the come as your are mentality found within each of us Grove-ites.

With this being said, I want to introduce Andrew U. Long blond hair, cowboy boots, Hell's Angels Tattoos, and tortoise glasses... Remember those?

Seems normal enough right? How many people would walk up to him and start talking to him? A master carpenter. I encountered him on a job site many years ago. I'm not sure if it was his professional workmanship that intrigued me or the fact that he had fang implants and a bottle of Scope that he drank out of while working. I had to introduce myself as the PM for the site.

What I discovered, as I thought I might, was a highly intelligent guy that had a deep fascination with the unusual. The man could hold a conversation about politics, life, and history. I might add that his breath smelled incredibly minty, too!

Andrew's alternative lifestyle was none of my business, but I had to discover more. In a conversation about history, he discussed his fascination with Transylvania and the loss of his girlfriend to a monastery there. Not thinking about the stereotypical  pun, I instead chose to say I was sorry his girlfriend left him. Why would she leave him?

His response? "I scared her away!" Puzzled.. I looked at him and said, "Scared her?" Andrew holds up both index fingers pointing down like fangs, snarls, and says "Yeah! I scared her away!" OHHH the FANGS! I really did completely forget about the tattoos, the fangs, and the bottle of Scope through our conversation. He was a normal guy with a terrific work ethic.

A month past. A new resource position opened for.. a lead carpenter. While I'm a PM for the site with direct contact with the client, each lead contractor must also have direct contact with the customer. The sad thought must pass through my mind - is this a good perception to demonstrate to a customer? Would this be fang discrimination? EEOC here we come. Sadly, I would never find out due to other circumstances beyond my hiring control.

Andrew was the genuine article. A deep, down-to-Earth gentleman. Would you have approached Andrew? Would you have hired him? While I might have hired him, would the clients have accepted him? My belief is that society judges a book by it's cover, and that society doesn't give good people a chance.