Friday, April 20, 2012

The Industrial Revolution?

Perhaps it's time for Historians to revisit the "Industrial Revolution".

Who profited?

Consider this graphic "Anthracite Combination" and the relationship Banks had with Railroads through their Directorships.

For more information about the railroads and banks visit:

The Dictionary of American History; Railroads, The ERI (Executive Intelligence Review), and scan for "Director" in The History of The First National Bank of Scranton.

If this is a topic that interests you, search www.archive.org, and/or go directly to:

 By JOHN F. MECK, JR.t and JOHN E. MASTENt 
 
THE decade which has just closed witnessed many trying years for railroads and their security holders. The unprecedented number of reorganization proceedings instituted in those ten years, together with various remedial proposals, tended to focus public attention on their problems.These problems necessarily involve the legal framework within which the railroad industry is carried on, an important segment of which is the long term lease. Railroad history has been such that in earlier periods of financial stress the mortgage device has played the conspicuous role,while the part of the lease has been relatively obscure. Between 1930 and 1940, however, with an increasing number of important lessee rail-roads in reorganization under Section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act' or inequity, the lease began to take on greater significance. As a consequence,today many lessees in financial difficulties are realizing that the far-reaching changes which have occurred in transportation may turn the long term lease into a snare and a delusion. Others, still solvent, are exercising greater care in making new leases, and seeking ways and means to modify existing ones. At the same time, holders of securities of lessor companies in many instances are experiencing the acute distress attendant upon the discovery that their securities, hitherto regarded as "gilt-edged," may be worth little more than the paper upon which they are printed.  Continue . . . . . . . . 

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Self Evaluative Vocational Exercise

In times past, men and women arrived at their "vocations" through their "occupations". Today, men and women get their "careers" through their choice of "jobs". A job and an occupation are not the same. The former (a job) is typically done out of need; the latter (an occupation), because of desire.

A career is generally planned and pursued, not always out of desire but, because of circumstances outside one's control. A vocation, however, is (according to its 15th Century Latin definition) one's "call", or "name". To find out if you're on a career path that is consistent with your vocation, give honest, self-reflective responses to the following self evaluative Vocational Exercise.

Consider the following information about the work you've done.  Consider all your work; paid and volunteer, household chores, hobbies, etc.:
The title of the job
I did was:
My tasks and
duties were:

I liked:

I disliked
I learned the
about my “self”:
following
about others:


Last job:







Next job:







Next job:







Etc., etc.:







First job:






What did you learn about your “self”?  Fill in blanks 1 through 5; then insert the words corresponding to the numbers in the “objective” sentence at the bottom of the page.



1. I enjoy working with (people, concepts, data, things, etc.) ____________.



2. My interests are (realistic, investigative, artistic, social enterprising, conventional) ____________.



3. I want to be regarded by my employer as a (planner, influencer, coordinator, etc.) ____________.






5. My abilities are (list as many as apply; cognitive, physical, psychomotor, sensory) ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________.



6. My motivational payoff is (money, power, respect, prestige, impact, etc.) ____________.



My objective is to work with ______1 ______ where I am free to pursue my _____2_______  interests and operate as a _____3_______ in a _____4_______ capacity using my _____5_______, ______5______, and ______5______ abilities which leads to _____6_______.


How do I reach my goal now that I have an objective?

MOBILIZE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES


ANALYZE local PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS

And use this SYSTEMIC First Amendment template to REDRESS the GRIEVANCES IDENTIFIED.