Jimmy V Week

“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” 

                                Jimmy Valvano, 1993 – announcing the Jimmy V Foundation

December 1-7 is Jimmy V week on ESPN.  You may not know who Jimmy Valvano was, but if you have had the misfortune of knowing someone afflicted with cancer, the odds are he and his life’s mission impacted your life. 

Jimmy Valvano was a successful basketball coach, commentator, and author.  He was a person of strong conviction and personal drive.  At an early age he pulled out white index cards and began to write down his personal goals for life.  He wanted to play high school and college basketball, he wanted to become an assistant coach, go on to become a head coach, cut down the nets in Madison Square Garden and win a National Championship.  At age 36, he was able to pull out those cards and cross off every item on the list.  Throughout his life he developed a personal philosophy which allowed an ordinary man to accomplish the extraordinary.  He was commented, “There are 86,400 seconds in a day.  It is up to you to decide what to do with them.”  Jimmy V chose to cherish and make the most of each one. 

After accomplishing his goals on the basketball court, he explored new directions from writing to commentating.  He was not interested in limiting himself to a single profession.  He embraced diversity in his life and his interests.

In 1993, Jimmy Valvano was given an obstacle that would prove to be his most difficult.  He was diagnosed with cancer.  The cancer proved to be too much for him to personally overcome, but through his vision and passion he has inspired and continues to inspire funding for education and research to cure cancer.  At the time of his diagnosis, cancer was an underfunded and devastating disease.  His charismatic and infectious attitude towards life and easy appeal to people made him an ideal person to raise the awareness of cancer and its impacts on our world and to raise arms to find a way to cure cancer.  While no cure has been found, through continued research many forms of treatment have been developed.  The Jimmy V Foundation has risen over $100 million in the past 18 years to fund cancer awareness and research. 

Jimmy V is an inspiring person.  His attitude towards life, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles is something to admire.   

Below is a video clip from the 1993 ESPY awards when he received the Arthur Ashe award for Courage.  During his speech he announces the Jimmy V Foundation.

Below are highlights from the 1983 National Championship.  It was one of the most exciting endings the tournament has ever seen.

What do you think of Jimmy Valvano, his life and his mission?  Do you have or are you developing a personal philosophy for how you live your life?  If so, would you mind sharing?  Who inspires you to be a better person?  What qualities do they possess you admire?

The End of Twinkies

After 82 years of operations, the Hostess Brands are ceasing operations and liquidating the company as of Friday, November 16^th.  This means no more Twinkies, Ho-Ho’s, Ding Dongs, or Wonder Bread.   The company has requested permission to liquidate its assets and discontinue operations.  This will potentially result in the loss of some 18,500 jobs.

The company has issued a statement on its website explaining why they feel these steps are necessary.  Below is a link:

http://www.hostessbrands.com/Closing.aspx

After filing for bankruptcy for the second time in a decade, the company has approached its workers requesting an 8% pay cut.  The company’s cost structure, which includes salary and pension expenses, is not allowing the company to maintain profitability.  Even though it is the employees which would have to endure the pay cut, it is the unions that negotiate with the company’s management.

Although the company was able to reach an agreement with one of the largest unions, the Teamsters Union, they were unable to reach the same agreement with the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.  The union was unwilling to accept the pay cut blaming managerial issues for the company’s inability to compete.  As a result of no agreement being reached, the management of Hostess has decided to liquidate the company in order to get the most value from its assets.

The company will be closing of 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, approximately 5500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores across the United States.  While 18,500 Hostess employees are expected to lose their jobs, the impact on the other businesses and vendors which work with Hostess will be significant.

What do you know about labor unions?  Under what conditions do you think it is appropriate for management to ask employees to take a pay cut?  Under what conditions do you think it is appropriate for the unions to reject pay cuts?  What is your favorite Hostess snack and why?  

Election 2012

The National Election was held yesterday.  After 18 months of primaries, nomination conventions, debates, print and television ads, it is finally over.  It is time for people to throw away their lawn signs, have billboards removed, and get back to regular commercials trying to sell us products instead of telling us about candidates or issues.

In many ways the 2012 election was very much like every other election.  On a national level, it was two candidates trying to convince the voters why their ideas are better or maybe why the other candidate’s ideas won’t work.  While every election has had its fair share of negative campaigning, 2012 did prove to be one of the more vicious elections.  Some believe it was this viciousness and lack of enthusiasm with either candidate which caused voter turnout to dip lower than 2008 and 2004.  Voter turnout nationally was around 57.5%.

What made 2012 somewhat different was the amount of money spent.  It is estimated between presidential and congressional campaigns close to $5.8 billion was spent.  This number astounds me.  The primary parties responsible for the increase in spending were the numerous Super-PACs (Political Action Committee).   The PACs won a U.S. Supreme Court case (Citizens United vs. Federal Election Committee) which in essence states the spending of money on political campaigns is the equivalent of free speech and should not be regulated or suppressed.  As a result, while direct spending by candidates and political parties was down in 2012, the Super-PAC spending made this the most expensive election in the country’s history.

What do you think of our political process and American politics?  Do you like the ways elections are conducted?  Is there anything you think should be changed about the process?  What is your reaction to the amount of money spent?  Do you think it is money well spent or was it excessive?