Below are the 4 most recent journal entries recorded in leothecomm's LiveJournal:

Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
11:54 pm	The subservient workforce Management DREAMS of a workforce that is willing to do whatever they need done at the cheapest price possible. A workforce that will come in, keep their mouth shut, do their work and feel honored to take home a minimal amount of money. Not having to shell out ANYTHING in the way of medical benefits makes it a playground to those in power, because as we all know, it's the bottom line that matters most. A good case in point is Michigan's growing Peer Support Specialist movement in the mental health field. The state is REALLY hurting fiscally, and being able to lower costs is a necessity for management. Having the ability to replace high dollar, well educated workers with sweet benefit packages with low dollar, uneducated workers with zero benefits must seem like a bonanza to management, especially if these people are actually able to pull this off. Michigan has been pouring a great deal of energy into developing this movement, and with good reason. Peer Support Specialists are doing excellent work all over the state, for token amounts of pay. Management recruits people who are collecting Social Security Disability benefits, which allows them to make up to $900 per month without any loss in their monthly check. Most PSS's are working for $9-10 dollars an hour at less than 20 hours per week. This keeps the workers with less than benefit earning schedules, and well out of sight of labor unions who would be unwilling to represent workers who are not in a position to pay much in the way monthly dues. ANOTHER bonanza for management! PSS's are often drawn into their positions by the lure of a few extra dollars a month in their pockets and the pride they feel from being able to say they have a job. After all, being away from the house with something to do that doesn't cost any money and actually generates a modicum of income is enticing to them. Having spoken to many PSS's, very few have any reason to want to make any more money, fearing losing their disability checks and the medical coverage that goes with it.  Most of them are unwilling to discuss the possibility of leaving the security of “sucking the big tit” for a REAL job with a living wage and maybe even a health benefit package. They are content with going to training sessions where they are pumped up to believe they are greatest thing since sliced bread, keeping their mouths shut and doing what they are told even when it's counter to what they are supposedly being trained to do. This leaves PSS's in a position of being an excellent source of labor ready to be exploited. Sure, there are many who will either burn out or relapse and leave their positions, but at only a couple of grand a head to train them to be Medicaid billable, management can replace them a whole lot cheaper than bringing in more stable employees who expect more from their jobs (40 hrs and bennies) When approached with this thought of being exploited, many of them merely cower and give the impression that questioning managements line of thinking will somehow “cause trouble” for them. After all, in their world view, having the ability to buy enough food and make their monthly rent is what matters most. It's going to be interesting to see how this PSS movement pans out. Management has already been making promises of full time positions in the future, yet I've only met ONE person out of 50 or so that have been offered a “real” job. Many have gone two to three years riding on the “someday” promise of earning a living wage. If PSS's are truly the wave of the future in mental health, why are they not being hired as full-time employees? It's all about that bottom line folks, and don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. The well being of the consumers may well come second to this “golden” workforce the state is developing. In a place where 40% of the people are paid to watch over the 60% who do the actual work, you can bet that 40% are going to need to cut overhead to justify their positions. Maybe a PSS as a CEO someday? Don't smirk just yet! (Comment on this)
Monday, April 30th, 2007
4:16 pm	Summer of SLACK! (or kill me!) Well, I didn't make it to round 3 of my attempt to become hog with the big nuts, so it looks as if I wont be bombarding my brain all summer on doin' and learnin' new crap.  Guess I'l needing to develop myself personally some more, and pouring my energy into being an artist will do more for me right now than any support group can. Making it to X-Day shouldn't be a problem, although I REALLY wanted hit Starwood and get to know some new weirdo's. An unfortunate scheduling problem took care of that for me, but another X-Day will most certainly cause a reset in my neural pathways. I'm thinking that the movie "Stiff and Jones" MUST be made now, by practically any means necessary! I'm switching from a funk to new energy now, so all I can say is WATCH IT! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 26th, 2007
9:15 pm	Missed "My name is Earl" AGAIN! Ya know, Earl is about the closest thing to reality TV that matches any reality I've ever experienced. Not to say that mine mirrors his, but rather the bumbling mindset that accompanies deciding you need to change some aspect of your life. Although I'm not as apparently as down and out as Earl is, or was I should say, it's the mindset that comes along with the feeling you need to do something spiritual in your life from a simple persons point of view that attracts me. Earl took a simple concept to go along with his simple world view and does his best to make shit right. Sure, he's a bumbling ass, but who amongst us ISN'T at that point in their lives once an epiphany strikes them into action? Looks like he's relatively decent guy that's making a change happen, without too much worry of confronting those he had wronged years after the fact. Talk about strong character, not just from a writers point of view. Many of us, having found the dominant religions to be either unpalatable or otherwise unsavory waddle through this thing in tough straights. We have little to go on many times in the way of inspiration other than sayings and concepts we can pluck out of the counter-cultural flotsam. Earl isn't some messianic figure, but rather something that generates itself out of the "background noise" that pops up in ANY culture. That still doesn't mean his message carries no weight, especially having to carry the burden of selling you a cheeseburger or new car while the message is being presented. Hmmm, sell me a burger or strongly suggest a donation? I'm poor, I'll take the happy meal! (Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
9:18 pm	"Hog with the big Nuts" job, round 2 Went in today to interview for the agencies Recovery Coordinator position and think I did pretty well. This was round 2 of the weeding out process, round one being a questionnaire on my recovery experience. I'll be finding out Friday whether or not I'll be invited to participate in round 3. $30+k with 5 weeks off every year, 11 paid holidays and all the bennies you can throw out there are at stake. Thats going to make a MAJOR lifestyle change for me, and although I've done my best to repress ideas of WANTING things, the thump of a Harley Davidson may once again grace my crotch. I'm feeling like I'm 20 again and working at my old Fed job with the promise of an actual FUTURE in my sights. Too bad Bikers aint Bikers anymore, they're all friggen yuppies trying to live what they wish they could have been when THEY where kids. Kinda reminds me of when I first met my Oncologist. He's in his mid-late 50's and has a bike from what I understand he gets on only 2-3 times a year. During the course of the conversation about it, he mentioned getting it for the "Bad Boy" felling he gets on it. Just could'nt help but ask "Oh yeah? How many Felonies do YOU have under your belt?" He clammed up pretty quick after that. Boy it was a lot nicer when all you had to do was be willing to shell out 1500 bucks for a basket case and have it on the road for like 2500-3000 depending on how much chrome you liked. Anyhow, if it happens, great! If not, I'm sure something else will come down the pike at the agency for me. If not there, somewhere else. One thing IS for sure, I'm really getting tired of being poor now that I have a few dollars extra coming in the house ESPECIALLY during the winter months, not to mention having something to do. (Comment on this)