Van Wilgen’s Garden Center

Bees are one of the most hardworking and crucial creatures on Earth. They support an essential role in our existence, as they are responsible for pollinating the vast majority of edible plants. It is estimated that over 100,000 plant species would become extinct without pollination from bees. In addition to pollinating flowers and plants, bees provide many of the most nutritious and healthy foods in the world.

Bees are the premier pollinators of the world, and without them, farmers worldwide would experience massive crop failures – especially for orchard fruits, berries, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers – and other bee-pollinated crops. Bees are truly a gardener’s friend. But honeybees are in danger. Their population has declined by nearly 50 percent in the last 50 years. While bee mites and diseases are somewhat the cause, the full reason for the decline is still largely a mystery.

As a home gardener, you can design a garden to support honeybees and attract native bees. Begin by practicing organic gardening techniques. Reduce your treatments of  chemical pesticides, as they destroy all insects, including helpful ones. Even if you use natural pesticides, carefully target plants that really need them.

Second, design a specific garden to be bee-friendly. The most effective feature of a bee-friendly garden is the array of colorful blooms. Bees of all sorts need flowers for both nectar and pollen. Bees prefer large plots of flowers, where they can find plenty of food in one area. Plan for wide borders and beds and fill them with a wide array of flowers that are attractive to bees. It is best to design a multi-season garden, with blooms evident in spring, summer, and early fall.

Typically a bee-friendly garden is less neat and manicured. This garden tends to be inflated with many flowers. There are certain plants that are more attractive to bees. Blue-colored blooms are a dominant attractor to bees. Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ is a bee magnet with bright blue-violet flower spikes on wonderfully fragrant foliage. Thyme, oregano and mints are popular herbs that bees favor. Lavender attracts a wide range of bees. In addition, many flowers in the aster family, such as Daisies and Coreopsis, entice bees. The stunning, yet maintenance-free Purple Coneflower/Echinacea Purpurea attracts bees and butterflies.

 Though your bee garden may not be enormous in size, it can bring you a great deal of accomplishment, while also creating a tranquil past-time watching wildlife respond to your craft. And, if you help save one bee, I am sure it will bee worth it.

Visit the Chamber at www.branfordct.com

Edward F. Lazarus 

Is it too farfetched to believe that the world is too complicated for there to be two (2) positions t to which one must dogmatically adhere?  If we look at US history the political landscape of the United States is littered with former political parties. Not “third parties”, but mainstream parties that elected Presidents only to eventually fade away to wherever dead political parties go. When you decide to align yourself with one of our two mainstream parties, what does one do if you hold collectively the following beliefs: 1. you should not spend more money than you take in (at least without an strong and definitive plan to use this as seed money that insures re-payment)  2, that you believe that there is an inherent responsibility to help people, in need and that it is okay that this will cost money. However you want to ensure that it is done in a manner that enlightens and empowers these individuals as opposed to creating a system that enables and creates a sense of entitlement. 3.. Who do you “sign up” with when you think less government is usually better than more government, But in practice seems to mean less regulations for industries, some of whose policies have harmed the nation. Yet when it comes to individuals and families it appears to be perfectly acceptable to mandate and legislate a course of action on issues that are so deeply personal they profoundly impact these people lives.

So, if you share some of those varieties of beliefs and values, what “major party” should you embrace? Further, so many of today’s complicated issues appear to be decided simply along “partisan lines”. The reason appears not to be on the merits of the issue but to undermine whatever party is currently in power.  If this premise is accurate how can we believe that the serious issues we face today are  being acted on in good faith on behalf of the nation?  Have any of you thought, (to paraphrase a line from Apollo 13: ) “Washington, we have a problem”.

At the end of the day I am pretty sure we all know why these things transpire. My guess is that the American people are not naive and understand what is happening. Getting re-elected, and who is most likely to ensure this, are who gets the best seats.  Everyone else is left to take wahtever might be left.

I wonder if our founding fathers ever conceived of an occupation called “professional politician”. History seems to suggest that they saw public service as a short term, doing your patriotic duty for your country, and never conceived of it as a lifetime career.  I wonder if the real question then becomes; has the time come for systemic change in our political system(s).  Just a cursory review of our system would, I think,  logically ask people to consider some of these items: 1. should there be term limits. 2. should the way we elect a President re-evaluated?  3, Should Congressman serve for more than 2 years so they are not perpetually running for office? 4. Should the President serve for one six year term?   Perhaps we need to remind ourselves that this experiment called democracy, in the context of humankind, is still in its infancy. Sytems come and go. Lest we forget that the experiment of communism essentially came to a halt with the collapse of Soviet Union after only 75-80 years.

Our founding fathers authored a  remarkable document with the wisdom to recognize that times change, thus they added the “elastic clause”, the ability to amend the constitution. There has been much talk of using the amendment process as it relates to social issues. Perhaps we should not be initially focused on adding amendments that reach out and intimately touch the lives of the public. Instead, perhaps we should be looking inward and addressing some of the systemic issues that appear to make our current  government unmanageable.  No matter who or what party is in charge people seem to be asking for change that restores their faith in our nation’s ability to confront the complex issues of our time.  If indeed this is needed it will take people of intelligence and integrity and most of all the courage to question the system of government as we know it as today.  So am I a democrat, a republican, and independent? Personally, I am still looking. Are you?.

 www.branfordct.com

Opinion

The medical delivery system is now a complex system that has reached a tipping point and the results are killing small business.

I am passionate about this subject as a small businessman, as chairman of the Branford EDC, and as teacher of “Starting your own business” with ERACE in Branford High School.

• Critics of the American Medical Association, including economist Milton Friedman, have asserted that the organization acts as a guild and has attempted to increase physicians’ wages and fees limit by influencing limitations on the supply of physicians and non-physician competition. In Free to Choose, Friedman said “The AMA has engaged in extensive litigation charging chiropractors and osteopaths with the unlicensed practice of medicine, in an attempt to restrict them to as narrow an area as possible.”

• Profession and Monopoly, a book published in 1975, is critical of the AMA for limiting the supply of physicians and inflating the cost of medical care in the United States. The book claims that physician supply is kept low by the AMA to ensure high pay for practicing physicians. It states that in the United States the number, curriculum, and size of medical schools are restricted by state licensing boards controlled by representatives of state medical societies associated with the AMA. The book is also critical of the ethical rules adopted by the AMA that restrict advertisement and other types of competition between professionals. It points out that advertising and bargaining can result in expulsion from the AMA and legal revocation of licenses. The book also states that before 1912, the AMA included uniform fees for specific medical procedures in its official code of ethics. The AMA’s influence on hospital regulation was also criticized in the book.

• The AMA and other industry groups predicted an over-supply of doctors and worked to limit the number of new doctors. But recently, the AMA has changed its position, predicting a doctor shortage instead.

September 2, 2009

Maria Storm, Financial Advisor

Raymond James Financial Services

144 North Main Street, Branford, CT  06405

(203) 488-8384

The title of this talk, “A Man is Not a Financial Plan,” suggests I will be talking essentially about the pitfalls of becoming a gold digger and I am sure I could fill my time with reasons why marrying for money is not such a good idea.  But that is not really what I want to talk about today.  My real intention instead is simply to impress upon you the importance of understanding and taking responsibility for your own long term financial well-being and to provide you with some steps to start or enhance the process of planning for your retirement years.

Many of the women I talk to have myriad reasons why they have not yet thought systematically about their retirement.  Some say:

• I know I should be thinking about retirement but I’m just too busy with my business; or
• My husband takes care of our personal finances.  If  I start asking questions, we’ll surely end up fighting; or
• It’s too complicated.  I don’t know where to begin; or most often,
• I know it’s important.  I’ll do something about it next week, I promise.

However, once you realize that 80% to 90% of all women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives,⁽¹⁾ all those excuses seem just that, excuses.

Planning for your financial future is especially important for us because women face external obstacles — largely gender based and beyond our control — that work against accumulating wealth.  Let me share some compelling statistics to see the impact of these obstacles.

First there is the Earnings Gap.

Whatever you attribute the gender earnings gap to — discrimination, different work patterns and priorities for women, choice of jobs — the fact remains that women still earn less than men.

• As of August 2008, the real median earnings of men age 15 and older who worked full-time year round was $45,113.  Women with similar work patterns earned $35,102.⁽²⁾
• The difference in earnings between genders was largest between ages 55 to 64 — generally peak earning years — with women earning about 73% as much as men.⁽³⁾

Then there are work patterns.

• Nearly 25% of all female wage earners in 2007 worked part time, compared with 10% of men, which decreases no only wages but Social Security benefits as well.⁽⁴⁾
• Many employed women act as caregivers for children on one end of the age spectrum and for elderly parents or other relatives on the other end. In fact, women are likely to spend an average of 12 years out of the workforce to meet their caregiver responsibilities. ⁽⁵⁾

Lower wages and interrupted work patterns contribute to Social Security benefits gap.

• Women’s median Social Security income is 70% of men’s ⁽⁶⁾; however,
• Social Security is a major income source for 50% of retired women, while 38% of men rely on it as a major source. ⁽⁷⁾

Most importantly, those same factors contribute to creating the retirement savings gap.

• 25% of women have neither retirement nor other savings, compared with 18% of men.⁽⁸⁾  And of those of us baby boomer women who do save, 58% have less than $10,000 saved for retirement.⁽⁹⁾
• Gender differences in employment patterns and wages result in lower overall retirement savings for women compared to men.  According to one study done in July of 2008, women’s average 401(k) balance was $56,320, almost $47,000 less than men’s.⁽¹⁰⁾

In addition to the economic chasm created by the gaps I’ve just outlined, demographic trends undermine women’s wealth accumulation.  For women, marital status goes hand in hand with economic status and stability.

More specifically, demographic statistics tell us:

• The annual number of marriages in the U.S. per 1,000 adult women declined nearly 50% from 1970 to 2005.⁽¹¹⁾
• ^•          The divorce rate in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 1960 — the lifetime probability of separation or divorce is between 40% and 50% for the average couple marrying for the first time.⁽¹²⁾
• And if you are married and get divorced or your husband dies, your total annual expenditures will be reduced by just 20% on average because you will still to have to pay for on-going fixed expenses such as a mortgage, utilities, etc. ⁽¹³⁾

Finally we need to worry about the fact that women typically live longer than men.

• Women who turned 65 in 2006 can expect to live an average of 20 more years, compared with 17.1 more years for men; ⁽¹⁴⁾ 
• An estimated seven out of 10 women will outlive their husbands. ⁽¹⁵⁾

Let’s distill all of these statistics into one simple addition problem:

Lower lifetime earnings + lower Social Security earnings + lower retirement savings + probable singlehood = the very real risk of outliving your retirement savings.

So let’s talk about some of the ways you can start to address these challenges.

Taking charge starts with three key steps:

• Get organized with an orderly system for managing your finances;
• Create a savings plan to help you prepare for a successful retirement; and
• Educate yourself about the basics of creating a reasonable financial plan.

First, get organized:

Know where your money is and exactly what you have in terms of total assets.  Often, people have assets in several different accounts, sometimes with several different advisors.   Before you can make a proper investment plan, you need to know what the whole elephant looks like.  If you have a trunk here and a big floppy ear there but don’t have the schematic for the entire elephant, you may end up with a very strange looking animal.  More importantly, you may end up with an animal that can’t achieve the tasks you need it to accomplish.

Then, design a monthly savings plan.

The first thing to do is to know where your money goes.  Start by examining your spending habits.  One way is to write down every purchase – yes, even that 50-cent candy bar – for a set period of time.  Then fill out the budget worksheets I have available for you.

Take a good hard look at where your money is going.  You’ll probably find lots of little indulgences that add up over time.  If, for instance, you now stop by Starbucks every day for a latte but could cut that back to 3 times a week, you could save almost $16,000 over the next 15 years.  If you are spending roughly $2500 per year on clothes, shoes etc. and could cut that by just $20/week, you could save close to $35,000 in 15 years and if you go out for lunch every day now but could brown bag it instead 3 days a week, you could save another $52,000 over the next 15 years. ⁽¹⁶⁾  Those three adjustments could total over $100,000 in 15 years before you even factor in compounding!

I know these are essentially meaningless numbers because we all have different habits, but you get the idea.  Just $10 to $20 a week can add up, especially if you start young. Were you to put $20 a week into an investment with an 8% growth rate from age 40 to age 65, you could end up with a nest egg of over $80,000.  Start at age 25, and your nest egg could grow to just over $285,000!  Of course, these are hypothetical examples and do not reflect the performance of any specific investment. ⁽¹⁷⁾  What’s most important is that you build a habit of saving and you remain very disciplined about actually saving the extra money you set aside, not just spending it on something else that seems important at the time.

Then, find out what workplace retirement plan is available to you and contribute as much you can. It’s an easy way to save because your contributions are deducted directly from your pay.  Not only will you be building your proverbial nest egg, you’ll get some short-term benefits, as well. Contributions to a qualified retirement plan, like a 401(k), reduce your taxable income up to a certain amount.  In addition, many employers will match their employees’ contributions up to a certain percentage—increasing the amount that has the potential to grow for retirement.  And if you’re a business owner, set up a plan for your company.  There are multiple options for setting up a plan that suits your needs.

Most employer-sponsored plans allow you to choose from several investment options.  If you have many years to invest or you’re trying to make up for lost time, give special consideration to growth-oriented investments. Historically, stocks have outperformed bonds and short-term instruments over time, although past performance is no guarantee of future results.  However, along with potentially higher returns, growth stocks carry more risk than less volatile investments. 

Finally, you need to make it your mission to learn about investing.  Women represent 47% – nearly half – of all investors and by next year, women will control 60% of wealth in the United States.⁽¹⁸⁾  Several studies of investment behavior have suggested that women often are more successful investors than men.  Compared to men, women investors generally demonstrate more patience with long-term goals; less day-to-day trading activity; greater adherence to plans; and more reliance on professional advice.

These very qualities can create a formula for investment success.   Start by focusing on the fundamentals. Learn how inflation, longevity, tax risk, market volatility, and the unpredictability of financial support systems including Social Security can affect your

investment strategy.   If you can, work with a financial planner to determine how important concepts such as time horizon, risk tolerance and diversification affect your retirement portfolio.

Financial illiteracy is a choice — a bad choice too many women make to their financial detriment. The more you know about money and investing, the greater the control you have over your present and future.  It’s the only way to help yourself overcome the obstacles to wealth creation that women face.

Footnotes

1) The Retirement Journal, Women and Retirement, January 2008

2)  Institute for Women’s Policy Research, August 2008

3)  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2007, October 2008

4)  Ibid.

5)  Social Security Administration, “Women and Social Security” fact sheet, cited in “Women and Caregiving: Facts and Figures,” Family Caregiver Alliance.

6) U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Women Face Challenges in Ensuring Financial Security in Retirement,” October 2007

7) Institute for Women’s Policy Research, “Why Americans Worry About Retirement Security, and Why Women Worry More Than Men,” 2007

8) EBRI, Fast Facts, May 6, 2008

9) www.awomansworth.net, copyright 2007 – 2009, Operation “Girl Talk” Talking Together for Financial Freedom

10) Hewitt Research Shows Women Much Less Prepared to Retire Than Men, Reuters, July 2008

11) Rutgers University, The National Marriage Project, The Status of Our Unions, 2007

12) Ibid.

13) Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, May 2006

14) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Trends in Health and Aging, 2004

15) Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, 2006

16) Latte example assumes the savings of $4.50 per latte, twice per week ($9.00).  Lunch example assumes the savings of $20.00 per week

17) The investment return and principal value of an investment in a mutual fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their actual cost.

18) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2006; FA magazine, August 2008

 For information about the Branford Chamber’s Women in Business Committee call 203-488-5500 or e-mail info@branfordct.com

Where did I put my keys? Or, where did I park my car? For most people, these questions probably sound more than vaguely familiar. That is because aging normally involves a certain degree of memory loss. But what degree is normal, and what is cause for concern?

Over the course of our lives—starting in our 20s—we lose brain cells, a few at a time, causing a normal decline in the brain’s ability to remember. Forgetting the names of people you recently met is fairly common. And from time to time the perfect word you want to use may escape you. But generally the name or word comes to you a little later. That’s normal. However, you may have reason for concern if you forget directions to a place you have been to many times or how to do things you have done often. This could signal the beginning of Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia. (See below “Early Signs of Alzheimer’s”)

Memory loss also can be brought on by reversible conditions, such as:

•    Medication. Side effects can mimic Alzheimer’s symptoms, particularly in the elderly or people whose liver does not eliminate a drug normally. Interactions of drugs also can cause confusion or forgetfulness. To avoid this, share with health care providers a list of all medications you take, including over-the-counter and herbal remedies.

•    Dehydration. As they lose the ability to feel thirst, seniors are especially susceptible to dehydration. Dehydration itself can cause confusion and an increased concentration of medicine in the blood.

•    Head injury. Loss of brain cells even from what may seem like a minor head bump can lead to fuzzy-headedness. If that is the case, see your doctor.

•    Depression. Stress, anxiety and depression can trigger forgetfulness or confusion.

•    Alcohol. Interacting with medicine, alcohol can cause memory loss. Chronic alcoholism can seriously impair mental function by causing a deficiency of thiamin (vitamin B-1).

We can also take an active role in keeping our minds sharp and slowing memory loss. Eating right provides valuable nutrients and exercising improves circulation to the brain. Reading, playing cards, learning new skills, doing puzzles and brain teasers, maintaining an active social life and getting adequate rest also help maintain a fit brain.

Early Signs of Alzheimer’s

The Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com) offers the following as early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:

•    Asking the same questions repeatedly

•    Difficulty remembering common words when speaking

•    Mixing up words — saying “bed” instead of “table,” for example

•    Being unable to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe

•    Misplacing items in inappropriate places, such as putting a wallet in the refrigerator

•    Getting lost while driving on familiar streets

•    Undergoing sudden changes in mood or behavior for no apparent reason

•    Becoming less able to follow directions

Memory Tricks

At www.familydoctor.org, the American Academy of Family Physicians offers tips for helping your memory, such as:

•    Repeat names when you first meet people

•    Put important things, such as keys, in the same place every time

•    Keep lists and a detailed calendar

•    Make associations, such as using landmarks to help you find places

•    Follow a routine

•    Run through the ABC’s in your head to help think of words you are having trouble remembering. “Hearing” the first letter of a word may jog your memory.

•    Exercise your mind and body

 Please share your own experiences on this most difficult issue!

 Patti Urban is the owner of Comfort Keepers, an in-home care agency, located in Guilford and serving the entire CT Shoreline.  For more information, contact 203-453-2100 or visit our website at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/785/.

 Patti Urban, Owner/President

Comfort Keepers

800 Village Walk #117

Guilford, CT  06437

pattiurban@comfortkeepers.com

203.453.2100 phone / 866.608.6674 fax

www.Branfordct.com

George E. Gercken, Ph.D. Consulting Psychologist

 A client of ours for many years, a CEO of a successful business and an impressive athlete in his day, often talks to me about “fundamental laws”. And he even has a Fundamental Law of the locker room. He says that if you enter a locker room after a game or a workout and there is only one other individual in there at the time, odds are quite high that your locker will invariably be located next to that person. Our client recites this somewhat in jest, but sure enough, it does have a certain veracity to it. More to the point, his “Fundamental Laws” got me to thinking about my own experience in working with corporations, large and small, over the past thirty years, and one Fundamental Law or truth has to do with communication. I have witnessed time and again that the more turbulent the world or environment, the less we tend to communicate. The irony of all this is that at a time when we should be communicating more to our employees, clients, and key constituents, we actually are “missing in action”, doing other important stuff, to be sure, but neglecting this all important sustenance of the business world. And so under the banner of “physician heal thyself” I have made a commitment to communicate more frequently with you on issues that are important to you, and hopefully the net effect will help you and your organization to navigate turbulent waters more effectively. Enhanced communication within the workplace has the distinct advantage of improving both morale and productivity. So, what are some simple and practical ways to do this? Bear in mind the following:

1. Communication defies the law of gravity, it does not fall to the earth naturally; it has to be pushed and force-fed. Telling your direct reports will not do it. As talented as they are, they will unconsciously be oxygen thieves. If you have an important communication, you have to ensure that it is distributed to every level of management, with an instruction to deliver the message to the troops.

2. Script your communication care- fully, and make it simple. Do not rely on the spoken word. Spell it out in a script to ensure uniformity and consistency.

3. Be consistent. Set up a system that works for you and stick to it. Doing something once or twice and letting it die will have little or no impact. One of our clients, a very sales-driven organization, does a weekly summary of key business development successes. They do a weekly report via email and it has greatly improved the communication flow.

4. Be creative. Another client, a CEO of a Regulated Utility in the Northeast, does a weekly broadcast voicemail to every employee. He has 60 seconds to get his message across and each week he has a different message. Some weeks it is about customer service, or occupational health and safety, or wellness. The response from the workforce has been superb.

 5. What people lack in fact they will create in fiction. If you are not communicating effectively the rumor mill will be rife with all kinds of incredible, and often harmful, stuff.

6. Employees have an amazing ability to handle bad news. Some leaders tend to hide information on the health of the business fearing employees will react in negative ways. Employees want the truth and will respect you for your honesty.

7. Listening is a key component of effective communication. Another client does an annual “What’s Up” talk with small groups of employees, where he gives them a “here’s what’s happening in the business” summary, and they get to ask any question. He makes it a point to listen more than he talks. It is a time consuming journey for him, but one that pays huge dividends. We do indeed live in a disruptive world, and while we have more technology, gadgets and creature comforts to allow us to “stay connected”, the truth is that more often than not we miss the mark by a country mile. Remember, in turbulent times we need to be communicating more, not less. If we can help you with this in your own organization, give us a call.

The Chamber invites comments on ways in which you improved communication in your businesses.

 G.E. Gercken Associates 209 Montowese Street Branford, Connecticut 06405 Tel: 888-488-4324 info@gercken.com www.gercken.com

Branford Chamber www.branfordchamber.com

 Please share your most creative cost efficiency measure and your businesses green initiatives.  Have they been effective? Have they worked? What would you have done differently?

www.branfordct.com

GOT GAS?  NEED RELIEF?

I was driving home and I noticed a gas station that had been closed for a full year had suddenly re-opened. It was forced to close after their in ground tank ruptured spilling gasoline into the ground of a residential area. While surprised to see it re-opened I was particularly stuck by one of  the “old pumping stations”, now sitting on the side of the road. It l listed last year’s $4.89 price for a gallon of regular gas!  My, how long ago that seems which strikes me as a problem.

While staring at last year’s cost, two thoughts occurred to me immediately. First I flashed back in time to 1973 when Middle Eastern nations belonging to OPEC, (the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries) had engaged in an oil embargo against the United States.  It was shocking, we no longer could “mainline” oil.  I vividly remember waking up at 4 am back in my junior year of college. I needed gas relief. No, not the acid reflux that I now occasionally experience at night, but it was my day to get on the gas line to try and fill my car up before the station ran out. In 1973 if you told me that in 2009 we would still be dependent on oil from OPEC I would tell say you were crazy. Heck, we just landed a man on the moon in 1969! Clearly we would figure out an energy alternative.

Second I thought about last summer. The oil industry “identified’ reasons  that led to the cost of a gallon of gasoline rising to close to $5.00 a gallon.  The causes included;  the  price  of a barrel of oil  skyrocketing to  $153 a barrel,   hurricanes  damaging off shore refining plants, and of course instability in the middle east.  Does anyone still remember  what it cost to fill up your tank? Did anyone really fill their tank completely!

Well, over the last year the price of oil has dropped to $33 a barrel and indeed we began to see the price of gas slowly going down. Good!  Then surprisingly  it began to rise again until it hit about $2.79 a gallon until quite recently  falling off a bit (I just paid $2.59 a gallon).

So, help me understand how this works. No storms that I know of, ample supply of oil being sold at a very cheap price and yet we are still paying prices that were unthinkable even a few years ago. Is it simply supply and demand or are there other forces at work?

So I ask you to share with me  your thoughts:

1. For those of you that are old enough to have sat on those gas lines, do you remember the experience? Please share your “fondest” recollection.
2. Can, someone explain to me how the price of a gallon of gasoline is determined and by whom.
3. Why we are still  dependent on oil?

As always your comments are welcomed and encouraged.

Edward Lazarus

You Can Always Make the Connection with the Branford Chamber at www.BRANFORDCT.COM

Our legislators are at work in Hartford debating a wide variety of bills. Eventually, at the end of the day ( or the session, or special session) they will have to vote on and address the projected muliti-billion dollar budget deficit that is facing the State of CT.

Very few times are you anointed “King of the Forest“, but that honor has just been bestowed on you! However, with it comes responsibility. I propose to you, if you had unlimited control, what would you do to address the myriad of issues facing CT as it relates to our economy?

. Let’s keep it in the “out of the box” brainstorming mantra of:

THERE ARE NO BAD IDEAS- “Hit Us With Your Best Shot!”

For those of you reading this outside of CT, feel free to voice your opinion on issues that may exist on a  national level. I have it on reliable sources that there may be some  there as well.

www.branfordct.com

To learn more About the Branford Chamber Visit www.BRANFORDCT.COM

Charles Erwin Wilson, after a rapidly rising career at General Motors became its CEO in 1941. During World War Two General Motors, large manufacturing businesses became part of the war effort as a major defense contractor. While still CEO of General Motors, President Eisenhower nominated him to be Secretary of Defense in 1953. While pressed about divesting himself of GM stock as a potential conflict of interest, he stated:

“For years I thought what was good for our country was good for General Motors and vice versa. The difference did not exist. Our company is too big. It goes with the welfare of the country.” The quote was subsequently been reported as:  “What is good for General Motors is good for the US”.

In 1944, while serving as director of the War Production Board  he spoke before the Army Ordnance Board he noted to prevent a return to the Great Depression, the United States needed “a permanent war economy.”  This permanent war economy is and was explained by Wilson as the modern military-industrial complex.

In 2009, some 60 years after his quote is William correct, is GM too big to fail? Is it inexorably linked to a healthy US Economy?  Or in a free market, you succeed or fail based on the quality of your product.

Comments ?

Other interesting quotes from Wilson:

“A good boss makes his men realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.”

“It is futile to talk too much about the past… like trying to make birth control retroactive. “

“The price of progress is trouble, and I must be making a lot of progress.”