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July 28, 2012

My Life Online.

I don't have one.

A "life online". A Life on the Internet, I mean.

I don't want one, either.

For me, the Net is one rung on the ladder to meeting people, learning, growing and testing your own mettle. A tool for my flesh-and-blood journey--and not ever a destination. If it makes money, all the better. But please don't blog, tweet, Facebook, e-mail, Skype, Four Square or do LinkedIn for the money--because you'll be hatin' life. That's the 2% by-product, if even that.

To do well on the Net, when you need to be in that 'hood, you DO need to like/love other humans, meeting them, learning from them and be curious about them and the worlds they occupy. And, of course, you need to have a serious drive to absorb all those Ideas--both new ones and old verities--that inevitably accompany any new person, place or thing.

You need to be driven, first, about who and what is out there. If at first you can't meet people in person, in the interim, please call or Skype. You need live voices and moving images. And, ultimately, live bodies and all that goes with them. They are the best. This week I had the honor--and fun--of finally meeting Portland's David Sugerman, even it was only over the phone on a Thursday morning when neither of us really had the time.

He is quite a guy, lawyer, native Texan, Warrior, father, husband and Human's Human. Trust me. I know these things. And I will give him a mob name: The SweetMan. If I still did insurance defense work, however, he would scare me incontinent--and I would love fighting him off. Dave Sugerman's a guy who gets his clients in his DNA; his clients, I suspect, hold him in their hearts the same way.

SweetMan, we may not be worthy.

Portland's David F. Sugerman

Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

Happy 33rd Anniversary, Becky Hull and David Gorman.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)

July 27, 2012

Just a Prisoner of Rock 'n' Roll: Eagle Scouts? Huxley? Hemingway? Let's hear from the Real Men.

Keith Relf

Steve Winwood

Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

On The Great Eagle Scout Backlash: Two Great Posts.

I am an Eagle Scout. Generally, and consistently, I have been enormously proud of that. For examples, I "rank" it above my Law Review editor position in law school, seeing my writing published in major newspapers at a young age, making partner in my previous firm or founding Hull McGuire. The more I think about it, being an Eagle Scout is second only to one thing: giving up booze 26 years ago.

So these two pieces written this week interested me greatly. Each post takes a very similar view of the BSA's recent if repackaged stand against openly homosexual scouts within its ranks. Each, however, suggests a different remedy. Me? I am not sure yet about the remedy. Thinking. I can only tell you that I deplore the policy, even while I find it legally unassailable. The two posts:

More Men Join the Ranks of Former Eagle Scout by Maggie Koerth-Baker, the wife of Eagle Scout Chris Baker, at BoingBoing. This is powerful and persuasive--and moving. Let her introduce you to some interesting, and inspiring, Eagle Scouts.

A Word About Awards by defense trial lawyer Eric Mayer, also an Eagle Scout, at his always-sane and thoughtful Unwashed Advocate. It's also powerful and persuasive--and smart. Two excerpts from Mayer, but do read the entire post:

From 2004 to 2010, the published policy of the BSA was as follows:

Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. The conduct of youth members must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law, and membership in Boy Scouts of America is contingent upon the willingness to accept Scouting’s values and beliefs. Most boys join Scouting when they are 10 or 11 years old. As they continue in the program, all Scouts are expected to take leadership positions. In the unlikely event that an older boy were to hold himself out as homosexual, he would not be able to continue in a youth leadership position.

In 2010, this statement disappeared from official publication. In June 2012, they published a much colder explanation:

The BSA policy is: “While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.”

Scouting believes same-sex attraction should be introduced and discussed outside of its program with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting. The vast majority of parents we serve value this right and do not sign their children up for Scouting for it to introduce or discuss, in any way, these topics.

The BSA is a voluntary, private organization that sets policies that are best for the organization. The BSA welcomes all who share its beliefs but does not criticize or condemn those who wish to follow a different path.

*********

Juxtaposing this policy upon the Boy Scout Law, I find, independently, that it is not Friendly, nor Courteous, nor Kind, nor Brave, nor Clean. And, as for Reverent. Anyone who finds themselves moved to tears by the Sermon on the Mount (regardless of religious affiliation or subscriptions) should taste the bile welling in their throats at such blatant and disgusting discrimination by an organization claiming to uphold the highest of moral values.

Next, let me be clear about something else. Do not confuse the organization with the program.

The program is a warm and inviting place where caring and conscientious volunteers facilitate the emotional and physical growth of young men by using a structured learning and leadership environment in order to teach them valuable life skills and lessons. The vast majority of volunteers are dedicated to assisting these kids in becoming good men, regardless of sexuality, religion, or background. One does not need to earn the Eagle Scout award to gain benefit from the program, but the award does recognize significant dedication and work in the program.

The organization is cold. Detached “professionals” operate a not-for-profit organization consisting of nearly 3 million members, paying their higher leadership handsome salaries for sustaining growth and organizational integrity. They receive significant support from christian denominations throughout the US, and the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) make participation largely mandatory for its male youth.

Posted by JD Hull at 09:18 PM | Comments (0)

July 26, 2012

Happy Birthday, Mr. Huxley.

Many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country. The craving for ethyl alcohol and the opiates has been stronger, in these millions, than the love of God, of home, of children; even of life.... Why should such multitudes of men and women be so ready to sacrifice themselves for a cause so utterly hopeless and in ways so painful and so profoundly humiliating?

--Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) in "Drugs That Shape Men's Minds", The Saturday Evening Post, October 18, 1958

Huxley circa 1900.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

Hull McGuire is short-handed this week.

"Ben, bring me everyone."

Posted by JD Hull at 10:33 PM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2012

"Every employer ‘discriminates’. If they didn’t, I’d be working as a Chippendales dancer.”

While much of it will be old hat for American business people (and their lawyers) on the subject of employment discrimination, do see in The Economist "Hiring Hotties: When Can An Employer Prefer the Attractive Over the Homely?". The article is worth reading alone for the quote (in our blog title above) from the Boston Herald op-ed writer. Excerpt:

The [U.S.] federal government has no law forbidding “attractiveness discrimination”. Only a few places do: Washington, DC, and Santa Cruz and San Francisco in California. Instead, lawsuits proceed on the fact that it is usually illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, disability or national origin. Customer preference for a certain “look” cannot be the only basis for such discrimination, or else stores in racist areas could refuse to hire black employees.

In 2004 the EEOC sued Abercrombie & Fitch, a clothing retailer. The company said that its staff’s looks were part of its marketing approach. But in the words of Justine Lisser, an EEOC lawyer, “That look was that you had to be white, young and physically fit. If you were young, physically fit and African-American you’d be in the stockroom.” Abercrombie & Fitch paid $50m to settle the case.

Evelyn Nesbit, Gibson Girl, about 1905.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

Reds in Paris.

Visit Richard Nahem's Eye Prefer Paris where two summers ago Nahem featured photos by his Yank friend Virginia Jones in "Paris Rouge". In capturing both American and French everyday scenes and subjects, Virginia insists on red in almost every photograph--and she does that with taste, strategy and near-perfect pitch. Below is her "Manteau Rouge-Montmartre".

Virginia Jones

Posted by JD Hull at 12:57 AM | Comments (0)

July 24, 2012

Damn. Think I'm Turning Democrat again. I really think so.

I still got my laissez faire mojo working--and it's not even working on me. This time it's not a weak and a lazy mind. It's realities like this that are making me reevaluate things. See in Salon by Andrew Leonard "A New Middle-Class Squeeze". It's subtitled "Need more evidence of middle-class decline and rising poverty? Evidence abounds." And if you live in America right now and you look for "it" on your own--in the cities, and the suburbs of America--you see this anecdotally and qualitatively. Here's your new developing Consumer Power, Jack.

Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)

Two Bunch Palms: Peace, Love, Hot Water, Lithium.

Certainly all about its clients, Two Bunch Palms is an older and vaguely Bohemian resort and spa in Desert Hot Springs, California with a small but famous lithium-laced hot springs grotto. Beautiful, tranquil, quiet, no cell phones. Rabbits, orange and lemon trees, and the aromas of the mineral water streams are everywhere. Everyone is issued a robe. Been here about ten times now--and so with no embarrassment I wander around in my "toga" like a contented mental patient for everything except dinner. 2BP is anything but trendy, slick or networky, and for that reason it's remained popular with the Los Angeles film and European business communities.

It's only ultra-fancy here if you ask for it, and people leave you the hell alone. If you drift into, say, Jeff Bridges, or Dana Delaney, floating around with you in the grotto, you just nod and smile back pleasantly like a Hare Krishna devotee or a Moonie. Nothing more. Not even a super-agent like Ari Gold would have the heart or lack of class to hit up an actor, director or studio exec with a project or an idea in the 2BP grotto. The resort even made its own cameo appearance in Robert Altman's 1992 film, The Player. A great place to relax, think, write, plan and, if you are a Griffin Mill, plot.

Hey, making movies can be murder.

Posted by JD Hull at 12:53 AM | Comments (1)

July 23, 2012

WSJ: The Customer as God? Really? Tell us more, Doc.

In Saturday's WSJ see "The Customer as a God", the new gospel according to Harvard-based David "Doc" Searls, and based on his new book.

Posted by JD Hull at 08:16 PM | Comments (0)

The Real "New Normal"? It's Complexity, Ambiguity, Toil & Elegance. Get used to it.

It's not what you thought--but it could be even better. The real "new normal" is Complexity, Ambiguity, Toil & Elegance. Learn a trade; have a speciality or two. But be prepared to step back and suss the big picture at all times. There are no forms anymore. Get used to it, Jack. The new normal? It's for the un-lazy mind.

Posted by JD Hull at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)

July 22, 2012

At Cross-Culture: The Great French Dream?

See Rebecca Penna's post "Is there such a thing as the French Dream?" at Richard Lewis's Cross-Culture.

...change is definitely on France’s agenda. The recent electoral swing to the left has generated new hope for many, in spite of many of the unpopular changes and reforms that Hollande and his government are about to put into place.

Irrespective of their political beliefs, most of my entourage is relieved to see the back of Sarkozyism and as one person put it, unlike Sarkozy, Hollande actually went to political school so he knows how to govern. This is one of the first cultural gulfs I had to deal with when arriving in France that bounces back at me time and time again. In other words, if you went to the right school, you’re fit for the job. You can have all the potential in the world, but if you don’t have the qualifications, your skills and experience are worth little unless you are given the opportunity to prove otherwise.

And in the employment context I think this still rings very true today. An American friend of mine went for an interview recently at a recruitment agency. When asked what kind of job she would like to apply for, given her experience in a number of senior positions spanning over a 20 year career in France, she explained that there are any number of positions she could fill.

Launching into a justification of the unstable job market today the recruiter explained: “employers are taking fewer and fewer risks and are therefore clinging more and more onto the qualifications of their potential employees as a reliable form of employability. And because of this you don’t really fit into any one particular position.”

Posted by JD Hull at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)