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Public Employee Protests Just The Beginning

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Local News, Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, State News, Uncategorized on February 28, 2011 at 8:35 pm

By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

A serious uprising is currently in progress against several state legislatures around the country. In capitol buildings around the country public employees are protesting en mass in response to a proposed bill that, among other things, would limit their collective bargaining power.

When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced that there would be an immediate vote on the bill, thousands of teachers, firefighters, nurses and other public workers descended on the capitol and entrenched themselves in dissent.

A similar bill has been introduced in other states, including Ohio, resulting in the same kinds of resistance. In an unprecedented and brilliant political publicity stunt former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland joined the protestors on Thursday, even donning their red-colored clothing. The red clothing is an effort by union members to steer opinion away from the belief that unions are purely democratic organizations.

While protests flare, the democratic members of the Wisconsin legislature fled the state in an effort to stall the vote. Both states are in a serious budget deficit and their republican legislative members are insisting that correcting the disproportionate benefit investment requirements between the public and private sector employees would help to shore up state coffers.

In addition, the Ohio bill would replace negotiated salaries for teachers with merit raises, which is how wage increases are granted in the majority of private sector jobs. Limiting the power of unions to engage in collective bargaining activities on behalf of public employees has sparked rage across the country, and now the Tea Party movement has jumped into the fight, showing the instability and unfocused actions of its organizers.

The Tea Party’s involvement in the collective bargaining debate serves only to contradict its own foundation. The Tea Party movement began because certain groups of conservative Americans were unhappy with the ways in which their legislative representatives were handling their interests in Washington, in effect, limiting their collective bargaining strength.

The point of a union is to work on behalf of its members to bargain with employers for the best possible working conditions and benefits. Representation of a group of constituents, whether they are made up of voters or union members, is essentially the same concept. In Ohio, Governor John Kasich is not only supporting the current bill but also wants even further union limitations.

If balancing the budget is really the problem, perhaps unions and legislators should do a better job at bargaining in the first place. Some salaries for public workers seem totally off balance with the position. The idea that anyone in a public school system, for example, makes a six-figure income should infuriate people more than anything else.

Consider the superintendent of Dayton Public Schools whose salary, as of July 2010, was $150,000. Why? The Ohio governor earns only $145,000, and that’s only the 14th highest in the country. How does running a school system possibly warrant more money than overseeing the operations of an entire state?

Besides the collective bargaining argument, there is also the debate as to whether public workers should be required to contribute as much to their retirement and healthcare plans as their private sector counterparts. The answer to this is a resounding yes. There is no reason that public employees should have their health care or retirement over-subsidized by the taxpayer when those same constituents already provide their paychecks.

Some teachers are underpaid and some are making too much, as do firefighters, police officers and health care providers. But in the end, they are taxpayers too and they should appreciate that everyone else has to ante up for their benefits and forcing the public to pay the majority of it is unreasonable.

There is no question that that there may be inherent union corruption and their power should be reasonably limited to work for the good of lower level employees, not to boost overinflated benefits of a few. Sadly, unions are still a necessary evil in the continuing effort to ensure fair labor practices whether public or private.  That said, if the governors of these troubled states are paying attention, there are only two words to keep in mind: remember Egypt.

Columnist Gery L. Deer is a freelance journalist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.gerydeer.com

Jamestown Firm Offers Resume Help

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Local News, Uncategorized on January 20, 2011 at 2:19 pm

GREENE COUNTY, OH – As hundreds of thousands of Ohioans continue to search for a job, a well written resume can get be the difference between getting the interview and getting shut out. GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing based in Jamestown has just announced an affordable service for those having trouble creating an effective resume.

While a resume will rarely be the determining factor in why an applicant is hired, it is usually the first impression that a potential employer gets of the individual. For as little as $20 per hour, GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing will work one-on-one with clients to help customize a resume to suit the applicant and the desired position.

Owner and managing copywriter of GLD Enterprises, Gery L. Deer, is an award-nominated freelance journalist and business writer. “A resume is one of the most important parts of anyone’s job search and, oddly, it’s also the one document that is reviewed more subjectively than people realize,” Deer said. “There is no way to really know what a human resources professional is going to be looking for, so it’s important that the information is well written, clearly explained and economically worded.”

According to Deer, basic language and communication skills are essential to any job and many resume coaches or free help centers ignore a prime factor in resume development – the writing. “Resume help programs often over emphasize the layout of a resume, or more trivial issues like whether your name should be in bold print,” he said. “We can help the applicant to focus on the wording and content of the document to make it stand out from the competition. The improvement they gain in their communications skills will
also benefit them once they land their new job.”

In addition, help is available for preparing job-specific cover letters and for those job-hunting professionals who require a CV, or curriculum vitae, which is a more expanded listing of academic achievement and work history. For a minimal hourly fee, GLD Enterprises experts can also assist people with the completion of online job applications, which can often be tedious and frustrating.

“If people have patients, and prepare before trying to fill out internet-based job applications, the process will go smoothly, but it is still time consuming. We can help with that,” Deer said. For more information on resume assistance programs call GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing at (937) 902-4857 or visitwww.gerydeer.com.

 

Modern Liberal Society Rewards Self-Destructive Behavior

In Local News, Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized on January 20, 2011 at 2:01 pm

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

Over the last month the rags to riches story of the homeless man with the “golden voice,” Ted Williams, captured national attention. One minute he’s begging for change along a busy intersection in Columbus, and the next he’s being offered high-paying voiceover jobs. The Cleveland Cavaliers even offered Williams his own home at no cost.

During an appearance on The Dr. Phil Show, television host Dr. Phil McGraw asked Williams some tough questions that had to have crossed the minds of millions. Paraphrasing what Dr. Phil said to him, “Ok, so you’ve been in trouble with the law, been on drugs and alcohol, abandoned your wife and children, and now you’re getting a second chance. Why do you think this time will be different?” Williams really had no response.

A few weeks later, Dr. Phil’s concerns are realized when Williams is arrested after a drunken fight with his daughter. He is now in rehab, thanks to some straight talk and a compassionate, if not misplaced intervention by Dr. Phil.

Williams was plucked from homelessness and a life of drugs and drinking and plopped down in the middle of fame and fortune and yet people had some ridiculous idea that he would suddenly change his ways. Why are people so much more willing to help someone with a troubled past than to support people who have stayed on the straight and narrow their entire lives?

For those who work hard their whole lives, struggle to pay the bills, stay away from drugs and booze and do everything they can to secure a home and job, stories like this are extremely frustrating. It seems to some that working hard and staying cleans only means that the breaks will never come.

Modern American (liberal) society seems more and more to look down on the working person and holds the lazy, entitlement-driven, drunken and disorderly in higher regard than ever. Today’s celebrities, for example, are valued not for their talent but for their ability to beat a DUI arrest or drug bust.

Spare the “it’s an addiction” defense. In order to become addicted to something, a person has to start doing it in the first place. It is seriously doubtful that anyone held a gun to Mr. Williams’ head the first time he emptied a bottle of Grey Goose, which he is reported to have been drinking before his latest arrest.

It’s unrealistic and hopelessly optimistic to think that someone with such a long history of destructive behavior is suddenly going to change because he got money and a haircut. In fact, it generally goes the other way. People who are yanked from a sorted existence of their own making only tend to indulge to the extreme when given the opportunity.

So what will become of Mr. Williams? Statistics are against him, unfortunately. Since he did not choose to go to rehab on his own, instead being shamed into the decision on national television, it is unlikely that his recovery will be successful. Adding that he may emerge with more fame and money than was available before his rehab stint, the sudden kick in status from having nothing to getting everything will probably have him seeing the bottom of a bottle sooner than later.

Statistics can be wrong, of course, and the man with the golden voice might just get his life together. After all, not everyone has the opportunity to have Dr. Phil come to their rescue.

For everyone else out there who is working hard and staying clear of temptation, keep it up. It might seem frustrating at times that no bleeding heart do-gooder will ever swoop in to solve your problems for you, but there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. The real trick is to know how to turn it on — hard work, persistence, and faith in yourself.

Gery L. Deer is a freelance columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.gerydeer.com.

Xenia BNI Informational Session Set For Friday at XACC Office

In Business, Local News, Media, Uncategorized on January 12, 2011 at 11:48 am

XENIA, OH – Jim Weghorst, executive director of the Miami Valley region of BNI, or
Business Network International, has announced the formation of new chapter of
the organization in Xenia. Local business professionals are invited to attend a
free informational session beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday January 14 in the
meeting room of the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce office, 334 W. Market Street.
Weghorst will show participants how referral based networking can increase
visibility, credibility and profitability in today’s difficult economic
environment.

The international BNI organization was started in 1985 by professional
networking guru Dr. Ivan Misner and has grown to more than 5,000 chapters
world-wide.  The goal of BNI is to help members develop a profitable,
direct-contact referral network free of internal competition because only one
representative from each profession is allowed per chapter. Through the BNI
structure, a network of professional connections will grow well beyond the core
group and extend small business contacts to unrealized potential customers.

Local writer and public relations consultant Gery L. Deer, of Jamestown, is a
long-time member of the Greater Dayton Professionals Chapter of BNI which meets
in Beavercreek. Deer has served several positions in his chapter’s leadership
team over the years and will be attending Friday’s session to answer questions
and offer a member’s perspective.

“A membership in BNI compliments other networking activities such as chambers of
commerce and service clubs while offering the opportunity to grow by focusing on
the exchange of qualified referrals rather than cold leads,” said Deer. “My
chapter closed 2010 with over a million dollars in referred sales and my hope is
that a chapter in the Xenia area can do the same.”

BNI also offers members access to extensive educational programs in the areas of
business growth and networking. For more information call Jim Weghorst at (513)
314-1236 or go online to www.bni.com.

Jamestown Commercial Writing Firm Announces Re-Launch

In Business, Local News, Media, Uncategorized on December 29, 2010 at 10:39 am

GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing managing copywriter Gery L. Deer at his Jamestown office.

JAMESTOWN – After nearly a year of retooling, the management of GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing in Jamestown is looking forward, and in a new direction. Established in 1998 as a media production and talent referral agency, the company has changed names and focus to concentrate solely on business copywriting and public relations consulting services.

Freelance writer and speaker Gery L. Deer is the managing copywriter and owner of the firm. While much of his early background is in engineering and technology, he has had more than two decades of experience in freelance journalism, public relations and commercial business writing.

“We were already handling a good deal of work in the areas of business writing and public relations, so it wasn’t a difficult transition but it meant redirecting our focus, especially in the new economy,” said Deer. The company has already provided services to major players in the Dayton regional business market including accounting firms, chiropractic clinics, marketing and advertising agencies, construction firms and specialty companies.

No stranger to the business community, Deer has worked with some of the best known organizations such as Standard Register, IBM and Whirlpool Corporation. As a freelance writer, he has provided content and editorial services to every major print publication in the Dayton region and had his share of notoriety.

In 2010 Deer was nominated for the Ohio Public Image Network Award in Media and considered for a Pulitzer Prize in journalism. His weekly, self-syndicated op-ed column, Deer In Headlines, is featured in more than a dozen print and online publications. His work in the entertainment industry spans the gambit from stage to television and includes event development, script consulting, stunt work and variety performance.

“Over the years, nothing proved to be more important to the success of any business than a consistent message,” Deer said. “We work alongside marketing and public relations personnel to bring more focus to a company’s message inside and outside the business.”

Reworking the operation required some outside input, so Deer enlisted the resources available through the Small Business Development Center at Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business. Over three months students from the college were assigned to help analyze the company’s business plan and make adjustments where needed.

The result was a thoroughly different company, complete with a new marketing objective, updated products and a fresh website full of information and testimonials reflecting more than a decade of work in the commercial writing industry.

Thanks to an efficient network of contacts, GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing, nicknamed The Concierge Copywriter ™, will be able to assist companies located anywhere in the country. According to Deer, however, they will focus on the areas of Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio at first.

“The southwest central Ohio region is underestimated and underserved in the areas of business copywriting and media relations, especially the small and medium sized companies,” Deer said. “There are blossoming new industries forming in the wake of a diminishing recession and I believe we can help them grow.”

Deer also noted that the new spin-off firm will operate out of their main office in the studios of GLD Enterprises & Productions in Jamestown. For more information, contact Gery L. Deer by calling (937) 902-4857 or visit www.theconciergecopywriter.com.

Thanks For A Reader’s Kindness

In Local News, Media, Uncategorized on December 26, 2010 at 4:29 pm

DEER IN HEADLINES

By Gery L. Deer

According to the dictionary, kindness is defined as the quality of being warm-hearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic; the tendency to be kind and forgiving; or a kind act. We tend to see more examples of kindness during the Christmas holiday season, but one recent event came without prompting and I am reasonably certain it would have happened any day of the year.

A few weeks ago I was in the office of my mother’s cardiologist just after her routine checkup. As an Alzheimer’s patient, my mom has to have someone to communicate issues to the doctors, report on her condition and relay any problems so the proper care can be administered.

Fortunately, she has been doing well lately and the cardiologist was pleased with her stable condition. As we were preparing to leave, my father and I were trying to help her back into her coat, a task that is challenging enough when she is cooperating but nearly impossible when she decides she doesn’t want to help.

The long, puffy winter coat just wouldn’t go over her arms the way it was supposed to and she insisted on keeping her elbow bent and tightly tucked between the arm of her narrow wheelchair and her side. With her particular brand of dementia, all you can do is wait her out and distract her until she gives in and allows you to put the coat on.

Unlike working with an obstinate child, mom has lost her sense of reasoning so applying logic or some kind of reward system is useless. You just have to be patient. Even so, she was having nothing to do with the right arm of her coat that day.

Just then a woman walked up and asked if we needed help. Her kind, grandmotherly eyes and concerned look told me that dad and I must have looked thoroughly out of our element in dealing with the situation.

Anyone who sees me with my mom can tell you I’m somewhat overprotective. The Alzheimer’s has left her easily startled and mistrusting but she seemed to respond to the woman who bent down to talk to her as she spoke.

“Your problem is you have men doing a woman’s job here,” she said, smiling. Mom grinned back as if she got the joke. I couldn’t have agreed more at that point. As I kept mom distracted the woman managed to work the coat over the bent elbow.

As we finished getting mom bundled for the ride out to the car, the woman said, “Aren’t you the one who writes the column in the paper?” I replied that I do and she told me her name was Louise and that she reads my column in the Xenia Daily Gazette. She apparently heard my name when the nurse called us back for mom’s appointment.

Louise didn’t offer to help because she recognized me; in fact I couldn’t have looked more inept at the moment. She did it to help my mother in a totally selfless act of kindness. To some, helping an old lady in a wheelchair on with her coat on might seem a small gesture. But to me, it is a great statement of the inherent good nature of people.

We live in a coldly cynical world and to have someone step forward to offer help in such a way is more appreciated than most people can understand unless they have been in the situation. We don’t appreciate how easily we do things like put on a coat until we can no longer do them for ourselves. Louise didn’t just help keep my mother warm that day; she also helped to preserve her dignity.

So, I wanted to take this time to offer, from my father and me, the sincerest of thanks to Louise Young of Xenia and to let her know, for what it’s worth, “My mom would have liked you.” And, from my family to yours, and to all Deer In Headlines readers, please have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

 

Hannah’s Treasure Chest Seeks Hosts for Giving Angels Trees

In Local News, Media, Uncategorized on November 17, 2010 at 8:06 am

DAYTON – Local children’s charity Hannah’s Treasure Chest, 124 Westpark Road, Centerville, Ohio, invites local businesses and churches to host Giving Angels trees and be a collection point for gifts and donations to the program.

The Giving Angels program annually provides holiday gifts and necessities to 1500 disadvantaged Miami Valley children aged newborn to 18 through partnership with over 40 agencies in four southwest Ohio counties.

Volunteers from Hannah’s Treasure Chest will collect all donations by December 5 for delivery to partner programs in time for Christmas. To host a tree or sponsor a child, call Pam Merl at Hannah’s Treasure Chest, 937-438-5039, or email info@hannahstreasure.org.

BROTHERS & CO. ENTERTAINERS OFFER TRICKS AND TREATS FOR BEGGARS NIGHT

In Local News, Media, Uncategorized on October 29, 2010 at 10:13 am
The Brothers & Co. Bus, NOAH'S ARK

The Brothers & Co. Bus will be in Jamestown and Cedarville this Saturday with candy for Beggars Night!

Jamestown/Cedarville – Jamestown music and variety group, The Brothers & Co. Entertainers, will hit the road to pass out Halloween candy during Beggars Night hours in Jamestown and Cedarville Saturday evening.

The activity is meant to provide additional entertainment and an additional safe Trick-or-Treat option for the kids and adults while encouraging family-friendly entertainment.

“Offering family-friendly entertainment is a big deal with us,” said Brothers & Co. magician and bass singer Jim Karns of Fairborn. “Bringing the bus into town gives us the opportunity to help kids have a great Halloween night and encourage family activities.”

While candy supplies last, ghosts and goblins can visit The Brothers & Co. bus, Noah’s Ark, in Jamestown between 5:30 and 6:00 PM and in Cedarville from 6:15 until 7:00 PM. The group will also be appearing in concert at the Cedarville Opera House at 7:30 PM on Saturday November 13th. For more information visit the band’s website at http://www.thebrothersandcompany.com.


Halloween: A Night for Treats, Not Tragedies

In Local News, Media, State News, Uncategorized on October 27, 2010 at 10:09 am

(Xenia, OH) – Did you know that on average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween as compared to any other day of the year?

Kids will be out this weekend trick or treating while it is dark – making it harder for drivers to see them and because they’re excited about getting candy, they may not be watching out for cars.

Parents and drivers both need to do their part to help kids stay out of the emergency room on Halloween. Emphasize safe pedestrian behaviors to kids before they go out trick-or-treating.

Parents should also remember that costumes can be both creative and safe, so look for ways to use reflective materials.

Drivers must slow down and watch out for trick-or-treaters, especially around crosswalks and driveways.

Top tips to keep your kids safe on Halloween

For parents and children:

  • Choose light-colored costumes that can be seen in the dark.
  • Decorate your children’s costumes with reflective materials.  Give them flashlights and glow sticks to carry in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
  • Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
  • Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
  • Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
  • Slow down and stay alert – watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
  • Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, so choose non-toxic face paint, make-up, and wigs instead.

For drivers:

  • Slow down in residential neighborhoods and school zones.
  • Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. so be sure to turn on your full headlights.
  • Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
  • Slowly and carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.
  • Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Treats:

While pedestrian safety is a main concern on Halloween, parents and kids should also be careful when dealing with candy. Remind children to only eat treats in original and unopened wrappers.

Beggars Night date and times for Greene County are as follows:

  • Beavercreek and Beavercreek Township       10/30, 6-8pm
  • Bellbrook                                                        10/30, 6-8pm
  • Cedarville                                                       10/30, 5:30-7pm
  • Fairborn                                                          10/30, 6-8pm
  • Jamestown                                                      10/30, 6-7:30pm
  • Xenia                                                              10/30, 6-8pm
  • Yellow Springs                                               10/30, 6-8pm

 

These safety tips have been provided by SafeKids USA.  Learn more at www.safekids.org.   For more information on the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition, call Laurie Fox at 937-374-5669 or email her at lfox@gcchd.org.

 

In Local News on September 20, 2010 at 1:06 pm
DAYTON, OHIO (September 15, 2010) – Comfort Keepers® franchisees across the nation are educating families to WATCH to detect the signs of malnutrition in the growing population of older Americans.
WATCH is a mnemonic that makes it easier to remember the five steps families should remember when observing their loved ones for nutrition problems:
• Watch for physical problems. Look for bruising, dental difficulties, or sudden or sustained weight gain or weight loss.
• Ask seniors about their eating habits. How have their tastes or preferences changed?
• Talk to a doctor. Discuss nutritional needs or problems specific to the loved ones’ unique needs or management of diseases.
• Check with a pharmacist. They can warn you of the potential for drug-food interactions.
• Have your visits during mealtime. This is the best time to observe eating habits first-hand.
Comfort Keepers, a national in-home caregiving network, is working to raise awareness for the growing epidemic of senior malnutrition and undernutrition through a new STOP Senior Hunger campaign. In addition to educating about WATCH, Comfort Keepers franchisees are conducting STOP Senior Hunger food drives, participating in health fairs and sponsoring educational programs.
“The implications of an inadequate diet are serious for seniors,” said Jim Booth, CEO of CK Franchising, Inc., the franchisor of Comfort Keepers. “Family and professional caregivers can help seniors stay nourished by being there to socialize during mealtime, providing transportation and assistance in grocery shopping, and helping with meal preparation.”
Booth said Comfort Keepers® – the name he gives to the thousands of in-home caregivers employed by locally owned and operated franchise office locations nationwide – see first-hand how a lack of adequate nutrition can lead to diminished independence in seniors. Proper nutrition, along with physical fitness and
maintaining an appropriate weight, can help reduce seniors’ risk for falls and diseases, and can improve energy levels, according to the Mayo Clinic.
For more information on senior nutrition, tips for healthy shopping and eating, or for how to find a STOP Senior Hunger event in your community, go to http://www.stopseniorhunger.com.