Six Flags Files for Bankruptcy

I just read that Six Flags is going to file for bankruptcy protection. The company hasn't seen profits since 1998... 11 years ago. I've been to Six Flags and it is an enjoyable experience for the most part... other than the waiting in the long lines as the 'fast pass' users blow by you. For those of you who don't know what that is, people get to pay extra for the right to skip ahead in line. Yes, even Six Flags has exploited the line between the "haves" and the "have nots" forcing us to watch the "haves" walk right past you in a separate line. Then, there is the price of food and beverage.

So, what is going on that Six Flags hasn't been able to make it? The balance sheet has been in the red since 1998, so you can't say that it's the current economy that's the issue. I'm sure it didn't help.

The Chicago market has seen a flurry of Six Flags advertising with the tag line "More Flags... More Fun!" After reading the book, "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin, I have to wonder if the Six Flags marketing strategy is out dated. Mass media used to work, but Americans, in general, I think, have lost trust in the news media. Fox News is right-wing. MSNBC is left-wing. These slants in the media may have caused us to not only distrust the news media, but the advertising that goes along with it. Maybe we need to get back to "just the facts."

Now, for Six Flags, it looks like it might become "No Flags... No Fun."

No Respect Shown at Kids Show (as seen in the Daily Herald)

May 31, 2009 

My daughter takes dance lessons through the Lockport Park District. It's a nice program that's purpose is to get kids interested in dance. The kids go to weekly dance lessons to learn dance steps in order to prepare for their big show at the end of the year. That big show was May 21 at Lockport Township High School's Central Campus.

I entered the auditorium right before the show began. The curtains opened and the dancing began. One thing that I instantly noticed was the people in the audience talking. Then I noticed two children chasing each other through the aisles. The parents said nothing.

The row behind me was empty, they ran screaming down the row, then down the aisle, then across another empty row four rows in front of me, then up the other aisle, then back down the row behind me again ... screaming for no apparent reason. Like vultures they circled me, screaming as if to see if there was life in me -- to see if I would move, for if I did not, I probably would have been eaten.

After I had been circled four times, I had had enough and moved to the other side of the auditorium. Unfortunately, my daughter's first performance was happening during the time I was being circled.

On the other side of the auditorium it was a little better. However, a woman with shoes that went "cloppity clop" every time she stepped was walking up and down the aisle beside me during the performances.

Glancing around the room there were people on their cell phones and adults talking to one another as the children were performing on stage.

It's really no wonder a lot of children today have no respect as their parents sure aren't modeling it. There is an etiquette that should be observed at any performance. When the curtain opens, you need to be quiet. When the curtain closes, you may talk to your neighbors. It's really that simple.

Some people would say, "Adam, you don't have to hear them. You WATCH dance. Lighten up!" or "But Adam, it's just a park district performance. It isn't a major play or performance." Tell that to the 5-year-old on the stage for the first time. Tell that to the 7-year-old who put her heart and soul into dancing on stage.

Tell that to the 12-year-old who practiced tirelessly to get her dance moves just right. Tell them that this is "just a park district performance" and not a major production.

Before every performance, I believe that the part district staff should give a quick lesson in theater etiquette. Turn off your cell phones. Talk only when the curtain is closed. If your child is misbehaving, please remove them so that they do not ruin the show for someone else. Parents should lead by example.

I thought the kids did a fantastic job on stage and I would give them an A. The audience as a whole would get a C.

E-mail Adam Woodworth at adam@adamwoodworth.info

Taliban Tactics

I just read a story on-line at Telegraph.co.uk that the Taliban are recruiting teenage boys out of the Swat valley in Pakistan to become suicide bombers.  Recruiting is probably not the right word.  As the Taliban were being forced from the Swat valley, they demanded that residents provide them with one young man from each family for "martyrdom missions."

This is an outrage and a crime against humanity.  

The United States was attacked and we went into Afghanistan to take care of this enemy.  The Iraq sidetrack coupled with Pakistan's lack of effort to keep the Taliban out of their country has only given the Taliban new hope.  Pakistan has finally stepped up to drive the Taliban out... but where will they go next?

Taliban ideology is simply scary and reminiscent of medieval times.  The Crusades come to mind.  The recruitment and killing... no murder... of young boys in the name of ANY religion is wrong.  The Taliban are simply exploiting these children, period... and they must be stopped.

It's a very scary world that we live in.  I'm proud (and glad) that I live in the United States of America.  Let us keep our troops and the victims of these atrocities in our thoughts and prayers.  

School Board Term Ended

For those of you who may not know, my school board term ended earlier this month.  It was a great four years and I am proud to have served the community members living within the boundaries of District 91.  Here were my parting words at my last meeting:

In 2005, I was elected to the board of education.  I had a lot of reasons for wanting to serve in this capacity.  A few years prior I was involved with the passing of a referendum to bring much needed dollars into the district.  So, part of my motivation was to ensure that these new dollars to the district were being spent in accordance with what the referendum committee and school board had promised.  Another reason that I wanted to be on the board had to do with making sure that our school district was doing everything that they could to ensure that a child’s least restrictive environment was in a regular education classroom.  

Over the past four years, our school district has done a lot.  We hired a Special Education Coordinator to focus on our students with disabilities.  We accomplished the life-safety work without having to go to the voters for a tax increase.   Tonight, the board will be discussing hiring someone to focus in on grant dollars, to bring more money into our school.  In my four years on the board, we did not have to go back to the voters with a referendum.   I had the privilege of serving on the district’s negotiations team when negotiating the teachers’ contract.  We, the teacher reps and the board reps, were able to accomplish something that had not been accomplished in years… we were able to get the district’s salary structure back in order.   But even though these are great things for the district, I believe that the real work happens in the classroom.  

I also hope that this board will continue to carry the torch to support the efforts of special education.   I have seen my son, Tyler, flourish under the challenges of learning in a regular ed classroom.  Children in special education should be challenged as any other child, for it is these challenges that truly show us just how much we can accomplish.

There have been times that I have disagreed with my fellow board members.  Even though I may have been a minority vote on a particular issue here and there, I hope that you always saw my willingness to always support the decision of the board even if I was on the other side of the fence on the issue.  It has been a pleasure to work with all of you and a pleasure to work with Donna Gray.

I leave you with an anonymous quote:

"You, as one person, cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do."

 

 

I'm Back

Hello everyone,

It's been quite awhile since my last blog post.  Things have gotten really busy for me at work and home, so the blog had to take a back seat for awhile.  But, I'm back - ready to tackle some of the issues that are on everyone's mind.... no... not American Idol.  

If you have a topic that you think I should blog about, e-mail me at therantings@sbcglobal.net.  

Thanks,

Adam

We Need Jobs That Will Last (As Seen in the Joliet Herald)

With Circuit City, [Linens & Things] and Office Depot closing, the area around the Westfield Louis Joliet mall is starting to take a turn for the worse. I doubt that the stimulus package being proposed in Congress will really do much to help our local economy in the long run.

Republicans claim there is a lot of pork in the bill. Democrats counter that the bill provides a lot of job creation. Both are right, but they are missing the boat on the types of jobs being created.

We are going to repair roads. Fantastic, but what happens when the roads are all repaired or the money runs out? Where do those jobs go? They disappear.

We are going to build a new polar bear exhibit at the zoo. A great idea, but what happens when the exhibit is finished? Where do those jobs go? They disappear.

See the trend? Jobs are created but eventually disappear.

Republicans want more tax cuts in the plan. I like the idea of more money in my pocket, but I don't think tax cuts will fix our problem. With so many Americans behind on mortgage and credit card payments, that extra money will go to the banks, which in turn, aren't lending like they used to.

Now, I'm no economist, but I have an idea -- permanent, sustainable job creation. Most of the projects in the current stimulus plan are ones with clear beginnings and endings. This stimulus package appears to be nothing more than an $850 billion bandage. Sure, a lot of infrastructure projects are desperately needed, but there doesn't seem to be a plan for permanent job creation.

The stimulus package needs to be about creating sustainable, permanent positions.

Let's say ABC Co., in Joliet wants to sell more widgets but can't afford to invest in another staff person. The stimulus bill could provide ABC with money equivalent to one year of salary and benefits to hire a salesperson. That person then makes sales and eventually sustains the position with the revenue brought into the company. Demand for widgets increases, and the factory has to hire another person to keep up with production.

Maybe the increased sales create more administrative work, so an administrative assistant position is needed. This one permanent, sustainable sales position created by the stimulus bill could create other permanent, sustainable jobs.

And those types of jobs are what this country really needs.

Correction:  The original article mentioned "Bed, Bath, and Beyond" as closing when it should have been "Linens & Things."

Arizona Cardinals Dethrone Dallas Cowboys as America's Team

Nobody gave the Arizona Cardinals a chance. Winning what is being called the weakest division in years, the majority of football fans thought that the NFC West had no chance in the playoffs. Time and time again, the Arizona Cardinals were dismissed.

Then, in their first playoff game, the Arizona Cardinals beat the high flying Atlanta Falcons. Experts weighed in with comments like: "they [the Cardinals] were fortunate to have a home game their first week" or "they won't be so lucky next week in Carolina." As the Fox sports team found out, luck had nothing to do with their win in Carolina. Every single commentator picked the Carolina Panthers to win, including Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw. At half-time of that game, the Fox sports team came back with egg on their face. These Arizona Cardinals are the real deal. And, why shouldn't they be? They are playing football well. The play calling is good. The players are doing their jobs. There is no one athlete who is shining. The offensive line is giving players like Warner, Hightower, James and Fitzgerald the ability to do what they need to do. The defense is forcing turnovers. They are truly playing team football.

Isn't that what America is about? Teamwork. Working together to achieve a common goal is the American way. The Arizona Cardinals ARE America's team. Just when everyone considers them down and out, they show us that through hard work and performing as a team - you can achieve what others said you could not.

Key Issue at LTHS is Safety (as seen in the Joliet Herald)

Board members from the Lockport Township High School District recently passed a resolution to place the referendum question back on the ballot for the Feb. 24 primary election. This measure has been rejected by the majority of voters since it was first put on the ballot a couple of years ago. Why is this referendum again being placed on the ballot after being shot down so many times? It's simply because a second high school is needed to ensure the safety of students.

Everyone has an opinion on a second high school. Is it going to be a freshman through senior center? And if so, what are the geographic boundaries? Will Homer Glen eventually "take" this school from Lockport, leaving Lockport residents holding part of the bill? I've heard some Lockport residents ask, "Why would I pay to build a high school for Homer Glen?" This is usually followed up with the comment, "Let them build their own." Let's not forget that Homer Glen residents pay property taxes. Their tax bill includes a line item for the LTHS district. One could argue that THEY are paying for a "Lockport" school, and have been for years. One thing is for sure; there is no shortage of opinions on the details of a new high school.

I believe that there is one core issue on this referendum, and that is safety. This school is overcrowded. Most students and teachers seem to agree. The issue of safety will really begin to play out if a disaster strikes. Where do students go if there is a tornado? How quickly can the school be evacuated in case of fire?

Homer Glen residents should not think that they would be getting their own school. Lockport residents should not think that they could be paying for a new school that their children will never attend. Rather, we all should be looking at this from a standpoint of giving our children a safe environment in which to receive an education. Overcrowding at LTHS is an issue of safety and nothing more.

You may ask, "What about the details?" Is the new building going to be a freshman through senior building or is it just for freshman and sophomores? We, the voters, do need to be concerned with this matter, but not at the expense of doing nothing.

We need to approve this referendum and allow the LTHS board to do what we've elected them to do -- make the hard decisions regarding this issue.

If we don't give the school the resources it needs to address this safety issue, when disaster does strike, we will only have ourselves to blame.