jrtelfer

[jrtelfer]

What makes a retailer world class? Great products and services at an affordable price?! Everything in one place?! FREE COFFEE?! There may be more to this than meets the eye...

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What does the end of the HBO series Band of Brothers have to do with parrots, organizational psychology, and the current cultural zeitgeist? Click the link to find out... (8 minute read - if you're a little faster than the average)

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The claim that Trump saved two-thirds of the U.S. population from opioid overdose deaths is misleading. Here's why...

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Robert Kennedy Jr.'s tenure as HHS Secretary presents significant drawbacks, including misrepresentation of health facts and the downsizing of vital health programs.

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President Trump's Terrific Tariffs, Oversimplified

Confused about Tariffs? You are not alone. President Trump’s misleading explanation of tariffs on April 2nd, 2025 is leaving many nations, businesses, and people in a state of uncertainty. But one thing is clear: President Trump’s tariffs are terrific. terrific1. of great size, amount, or intensity.2. extremely good; excellent.3. causing terror. Tax Season: Tariffs are government fees charged…

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Mandate Annual Itemized Financial Reports: Why More Fiscal Transparency is Needed in Government & Why Trump, Musk, & DOGE Will NOT Support It

Trump, Musk, and DOGE are rapidly downsizing government. But are these billionaires looking out for the interests of the American people or gutting government to enrich themselves?

If you want to discover what any organization is really about, it may be best to take some colloquial advice and just “follow the money”. Unfortunately, many taxpayers never do. Public businesses and nonprofit organizations have stricter rules for financial reporting. Private and government organizations often neglect the financial details in annual reports if they have them at all. So, even if…

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Government Problems in A Nutshell

Some of the pervasive systemic problems with this nation's bureaucracy include the dispersion of distance, Parkinson's Law (Parkinson, 1980), The Peter Principle (Peter et al., 1969) prospective budgets (Finkler et al., 2017), penalties for under-spending your funding, & other top-down interventions

After seven years of government work, I would argue that the following problems exist in many government organizations: (1) People are promoted until they reach a position where they are incompetent (The Peter Principle) Antidote: Prioritize Passion & Skill over Pay (don’t let your rank force you into a position you don’t like) (2) Work, often unproductive, will be created to fill the time…

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On Missouri's SB72 & SB58: Why Targeting Undocumented Immigrants With No Criminal Record/History is Dangerous & Irresponsible

I discuss my concerns over recent U.S. immigration policies, highlighting the potential detrimental effects of mass deportation and xenophobic legislation on individuals and society. I urge resistance to bills such as Missouri's SB58 and SB72.

While the deportation of undocumented immigrants and violent offenders who have illegally crossed U.S. borders is lawful, I am concerned about the trajectory of these actions. Intruding into churches and other sacred spaces and spending billions of dollars to deport disciplined immigrant and migrant workers is dangerous. The Federal government is wastefully spending taxpayer dollars on activities…

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Are We Alright? - The Irony of Superbowl 59's Game, Ads, & Halftime Show

Super Bowl LIX aimed for historical significance, but much remained unsaid during the festivities. Here's my take on some of the messages behind the messaging...

Superbowl LIX was set to make history. Kansas City had the opportunity to do what the Green Bay Packers did in 1929 through 1931 and 1966 through 1968, win three straight championships. And they would be the only team to do it in the Superbowl era (Brainard, 2025). Then came the game… Well, at least there would be the ads with famous people warning us about loneliness and isolation, wealth and…

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A Letter to My Representative, Senators, and President Petitioning for the Removal of Elon Musk from Unauthorized Government Work

I express frustration with the U.S. Executive Branch, including the suspension of vital foreign aid and funding, and concerns about billionaires like Elon Musk influencing government. I call for the Legislative & Judicial Branches or people to address these issues if the Executive Branch does not.

So this week I was a little frustrated over the some of the news coming out of Washington D.C. and I fired off a letter to Senator Josh Hawley, Congressman Burlison, and Senator Schmitt. I also sent one to President Trump, and I wanted to share that letter with you. Here’s what I said: I live in Springfield, Missouri. I admire Springfield for its low cost of living and low status anxiety. People…

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What Can DOGE Do For You? - career civil servant types, anti-humanitarian budget cuts, & why wasteful government spending is likely to continue

Government needs transparency and people who do the right thing. The current executive branch appears to be targeting left-leaning humanitarian or rescuer types in order to (1) consolidate power and (2) cut spending. But, would mandatory annual itemized financial reports do the job for them?

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Beware of those who speak for God(s):

What do you do when individuals claim to speak for God? Is the statement manipulative, dogmatic, honest, or something else? Why not openly question the validity of personal revelations or at the very least, be wary of those who speak for God(s)?

“I was saved by God to make America great again.” – President Donald J. Trump, January 20, 2025 It comes in a variety of forms: “God told me…”, “I heard God say…”, and “The Lord told me…”. Sometimes it’s more subtle, “God says…”, “The Lord says…”, or “God’s Word says…”. The revelatory form is more disturbing as it suggests the person has a special relationship with God. But they all suggest…

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Do we have a hedgehog problem?

In the Hedgehog and the Fox (1953), Isaiah Berlin speculates on Leo Tolstoy's inner turmoil. The famous Russian author self-sabotaged his own happiness (Valiunas, 1989). Berlin seems to suggest Tolstoy's desire for absolute truth fueled his discontent.

The Hedgehogy Fox: In the Hedgehog and the Fox (1953), Isaiah Berlin speculates on Leo Tolstoy’s inner turmoil. The famous Russian author self-sabotaged his own happiness (Valiunas, 1989). And Berlin suggests Tolstoy’s insatiable desire to find life’s unifying and absolute truth or principle may have been one of the reasons for his persistent discontent. Tolstoy was popular, wealthy, and…

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Naming, Blaming, & Claiming or Litigating: Jay Feinman's Antidote to Delay, Deny, Defend, & Depose

In "Delay, Deny, Defend," Jay M. Feinman analyzes how insurance companies prioritize profits by postponing or denying claims, often using strategies to minimize payouts. He advocates for consumer awareness and legal action against unfair practices.

On Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It by Jay M. Feinman. Jay Feinman is a lawyer, author, and professor who has written four books on law and legal studies. In Delay, Deny, Defend, Feinman explains how insurance companies increase their profits by postponing or refusing payments to their clients. Insurance is a regular payment purposed to…

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On Where The Water Goes by David Owen: The Crisis, Negotiation, & Paradox of Civilization's Most Precious Resource

Hotter average temperatures and overconsumption of water threaten life in the North American Southwest. David Owen's "Where the Water Goes" examines negotiations over Colorado River water as he traces the river's journey from the Rockies to the Pacific.

https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2017/04/06/Where_The_Water_Goes_wide-cd4218688acf8db4779e8149123d6e4547b50237.jpg?s=1400 On Where The Water Goes by David Owen published in 2017. Owen is a journalist who decided to drive from the headwaters of the Colorado River, located in Wyoming and Colorado, to its disappearing delta in Mexico. Gaboardi, Laurie (n.d.) Photo credit. Photo of David Owen.…

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On Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson

On Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson published in two thousand sixteen: What does injustice look like? How does it feel? Heather Ann Thompson is a historian and university professor who has written three books covering protests against racism in America. Her third book won the Pulitzer Prize for chronicling The Attica Uprising of 1971 and its Legacy. It’s 1971, just after the civil…

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the neti neti project 01: voting 2024

The neti, neti project encourages a healthier, wealthier lifestyle through silent action. Emphasizing the concept of "neti, neti" ("not that, not that") encourages acceptance of life's uncertainties and imperfections.

The neti, neti project is a series of videos exploring a healthier and wealthier lifestyle. Neti, neti means “not that, not that”. It is a reminder to accept the constant changes and inherent uncertainties of life. If your life is full of noise and bias, it may be helpful to periodically tell yourself, “not that, not that.” Not that news. Not that idea. Not that person. Not that plan. Not that…