Cavs, Jason Calacanis 120%, Captain America

By Brian On December 4, 2008 · 30 Comments · In Blackberry, Cars, Cleveland Cavaliers, Misc, Money, Politics, Super Airplane

The Cavs are having a love affair with themselves – they really do seem to like each other.

I love how they blow out who they’re supposed to, and the LeBron sits down for the last 15 minutes of the game – it’s really amazing, and such a sharp contrast from the Coach Mike teams of years past.

I give him credit, along with LeBron. They’ve won me back.

Jason Calacanis, who is like an important internet type person, made a mission statement of sorts for the country’s overall situation.

I love it – you can read it at that link. (Includes a 48-hour work week, so don’t read if you can’t handle.)

The summation is thus – let’s stop whining and worrying, and start working hard and kicking ass again. I don’t swear often, so you know I mean it.

In theory, YES. This is how it should be.

(I don’t know if it actually works in practice on a large scale. The application depends on how far we are down the road to the opening of Mike Judge’s Idiocracy.)

Anyway – this is super broad, but you can think of America’s situation in one of two ways.

It’s either a) a scary time or b) an exciting time – I think it’s b.

While there are doors shutting all over the place, it’s also a time for innovation and creation, so we’ll see what new doors are opened and/or created.

Quick aside on the auto industry. How detailed could their thrown-together-in-10-days “plan” be? Like a bullet point list?

* More energy efficient cars.
* Restructure plant operations.
* Work for $1.

Awesome – exactly how are you going to do the first two? Like, actually explain it.

I guess to me – and yes, I’m remedial – they just figured out they’re weeks away from extinction a month ago? Who’s the head accountant over there?

So apply it to the auto industry – if you’re in the (a) mindset, you’re, “Oh my god – the auto industry! The sky is falling!”

You know how I feel about this – if this is just life support for another six months, then you have to let them die, unless they have these rock-solid plans that you just throw up everywhere from, because they’re such sure things.

Me, I’m in the (b) state of mind on it – what an amazing time for someone to step forward with a new way to produce cars for Americans, by Americans. 2009 could be the year the auto industry in this country changed for the next century.

Maybe I’m like a pollyanna, if I’m using that right, but I think that’s the American way – work hard, innovate, fight back from the lowest depths, etc.

If Captain America were stuck in a 50-foot deep hole, would he sit there and whine and cry for someone to throw him a rope, and then give up and die if nobody did?

No, Captain America would get his super-strong shield, and find a way to use that, combined with his wits and sheer force of will, to get out of that hole himself.

And when he got out, he wouldn’t congratulate himself with a nice bonus – he’d go look for what situation needed his ass-kicking skills next.

Anonymous

Ah, Idiocracy.

Joe: Man, I could really go for a Starbucks, you know.
Frito: Yeah, we’ll I really don’t think we have time for a hand job, Joe.
Josh

Ah, Idiocracy.

Joe: Man, I could really go for a Starbucks, you know.
Frito: Yeah, we’ll I really don’t think we have time for a hand job, Joe.
Wish

I’m sorry but his jerry maguire-like ‘memo’ just doesn’t hold water with the 48 hour work week. His other remarks are pretty chalky though and generally agreed upon.

America doesn’t need to work ‘harder’ they need to work ‘smarter’. At my current job there are processes that take 14 steps that could easily take 2 steps. I’ve been here two months and I’ve begun to slowly expand my work duties into someone else’s workspace so that person can be eliminated if/when job cuts come. In a normal big business setting (not highly volatile start up companies) there is little you can’t do in 30 hours that they are paying you 40 hours for, if that makes sense. The amount of time it has taken to complete a task is completely skewed by older workers who weren’t/aren’t comfortable using the technology, which came about to make things easier. So, instead of using shortcuts on the computer/PDA/etc. like they should, they are ‘working harder’ by taking twice as long to screw it up some other way. I’m a firm believer that Baby Boomers are the main reason for this entire mess.

I think we would be better off going to 4 day work weeks, initially, and forcing people to do their normal workload that way, with 80% of the pay they were receiving. Then, with the three days off people would either have a) time to come up with new ideas (like Google’s 20% deal), because innovation is the impetus to America’s growth in the 20th century or b) get a second job and make more money which funnels into the economy, which allows businesses to hire more people, which allows profits to rise, etc.
http://none Wish

I’m sorry but his jerry maguire-like ‘memo’ just doesn’t hold water with the 48 hour work week. His other remarks are pretty chalky though and generally agreed upon.

America doesn’t need to work ‘harder’ they need to work ‘smarter’. At my current job there are processes that take 14 steps that could easily take 2 steps. I’ve been here two months and I’ve begun to slowly expand my work duties into someone else’s workspace so that person can be eliminated if/when job cuts come. In a normal big business setting (not highly volatile start up companies) there is little you can’t do in 30 hours that they are paying you 40 hours for, if that makes sense. The amount of time it has taken to complete a task is completely skewed by older workers who weren’t/aren’t comfortable using the technology, which came about to make things easier. So, instead of using shortcuts on the computer/PDA/etc. like they should, they are ‘working harder’ by taking twice as long to screw it up some other way. I’m a firm believer that Baby Boomers are the main reason for this entire mess.

I think we would be better off going to 4 day work weeks, initially, and forcing people to do their normal workload that way, with 80% of the pay they were receiving. Then, with the three days off people would either have a) time to come up with new ideas (like Google’s 20% deal), because innovation is the impetus to America’s growth in the 20th century or b) get a second job and make more money which funnels into the economy, which allows businesses to hire more people, which allows profits to rise, etc.
admin

Yeah I like the broad strokes of it more than laying a number out, which I agree is where it kinda falters.

I think the theory of “48 hour work week” in terms of “let’s works harder” is good. Simply staying at work for 48 hours as a general rule doesn’t really mean anything.

When I had my last “real job”, we had a 40 hour week, and I only needed about 10 of them to do what was required of me.
admin

Yeah I like the broad strokes of it more than laying a number out, which I agree is where it kinda falters.

I think the theory of “48 hour work week” in terms of “let’s works harder” is good. Simply staying at work for 48 hours as a general rule doesn’t really mean anything.

When I had my last “real job”, we had a 40 hour week, and I only needed about 10 of them to do what was required of me.
Wish

Right, but with a 48 hour week you’ll get people working like 28 hours instead. They’ll slump through that Saturday because they don’t want to be there. We need to force workers to do complete their workload in less time.
http://none Wish

Right, but with a 48 hour week you’ll get people working like 28 hours instead. They’ll slump through that Saturday because they don’t want to be there. We need to force workers to do complete their workload in less time.
Mr. Rogers

What about merit pay? Wouldn’t it make people more productive/businesses more efficient?
Mr. Rogers

What about merit pay? Wouldn’t it make people more productive/businesses more efficient?
Wish

Then you get into the people who rule on the ‘measurable criteria’ that surround merit pay.

also: Considerable research indicates that merit systems fail to create a perceived relationship between pay and performance and fail to pay better performers more in total compensation.
http://none Wish

Then you get into the people who rule on the ‘measurable criteria’ that surround merit pay.

also: Considerable research indicates that merit systems fail to create a perceived relationship between pay and performance and fail to pay better performers more in total compensation.
admin

Wish said:
Right, but with a 48 hour week you’ll get people working like 28 hours instead. They’ll slump through that Saturday because they don’t want to be there. We need to force workers to do complete their workload in less time.

—–

I think we agree on this point – I’m not wording what I’m trying to say right.
admin

Wish said:
Right, but with a 48 hour week you’ll get people working like 28 hours instead. They’ll slump through that Saturday because they don’t want to be there. We need to force workers to do complete their workload in less time.

—–

I think we agree on this point – I’m not wording what I’m trying to say right.
http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

What the hell is a “human powered search engine”? When I hit enter, will a room of caffeinated librarians start frantically cross checking dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, blogs?
Tom

What the hell is a “human powered search engine”? When I hit enter, will a room of caffeinated librarians start frantically cross checking dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, blogs?
admin

I don’t think it is that but now I wish it was.
admin

I don’t think it is that but now I wish it was.
quiet cardinal

go away… ‘batin!
quiet cardinal

go away… ‘batin!
TVBrain

If I worked harder and smarter, I wouldn’t be reading a blog about planes.

(“Yeah, I got my law degree here.”)
TVBrain

If I worked harder and smarter, I wouldn’t be reading a blog about planes.

(“Yeah, I got my law degree here.”)
http://robgokee.com Rob Gokee

Without delving into detail or controversy, I agree with you plan of letting them figure it out on their own, Brian. I think the money is just life support too.

I just read an MSNBC article about how unhappy BB users are with the Storm. It sounds a lot like the ranting that occurred when the iPhone came out.

Not by coincidence, I was on the B site yesterday looking at the specs for the Bold.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28023023/
http://filmcomposeratlarge.com Rob Gokee

Without delving into detail or controversy, I agree with you plan of letting them figure it out on their own, Brian. I think the money is just life support too.

I just read an MSNBC article about how unhappy BB users are with the Storm. It sounds a lot like the ranting that occurred when the iPhone came out.

Not by coincidence, I was on the B site yesterday looking at the specs for the Bold.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28023023/
Boney

I’m not a fan of the storm, to be honest. I like all the features…

considering it’s my 2nd blackberry (I have one for work too), it doesn’t get as much “run” as my old school sprint blackberry does
Boney

I’m not a fan of the storm, to be honest. I like all the features…

considering it’s my 2nd blackberry (I have one for work too), it doesn’t get as much “run” as my old school sprint blackberry does
Fios

As happy as the Cavs are right now, I still worry Varejao is gone next season, I think he seriously believes the Cavs’ system stifles his offensive potential. He is wrong, but I think he sincerely believes that. Thus I hope the inevitable Wally trade nets a big man.
Fios

As happy as the Cavs are right now, I still worry Varejao is gone next season, I think he seriously believes the Cavs’ system stifles his offensive potential. He is wrong, but I think he sincerely believes that. Thus I hope the inevitable Wally trade nets a big man.
Fios

Also! I’ve seen a couple of studies (which, of course, I am unable to find now) that suggest American workers already exceed the 40 hour work week by quite a bit and further that there is an inverse proportion between exceeding 45 hours and productivity, i.e. the more you exceed that threshold, the less productive you become. I agree that a certain amount of malaise needs to be eliminated in the workplace, I’m just not certain an arbitrary number of hours gets you much. I agree with Wish that companies would be better served to determine how effectively the current work hours are being utilized and working to maximize the current arrangement.
Fios

Also! I’ve seen a couple of studies (which, of course, I am unable to find now) that suggest American workers already exceed the 40 hour work week by quite a bit and further that there is an inverse proportion between exceeding 45 hours and productivity, i.e. the more you exceed that threshold, the less productive you become. I agree that a certain amount of malaise needs to be eliminated in the workplace, I’m just not certain an arbitrary number of hours gets you much. I agree with Wish that companies would be better served to determine how effectively the current work hours are being utilized and working to maximize the current arrangement.