"Slinging Stones..." Blog by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Doing Business with America in America Series Part IV- America and Americans Doing Business Abroad: A Purchase Order for 360,000 Books by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Doing Business with America in America Series Part IV- America and Americans Doing Business Abroad: A Purchase Order for 360,000 Books by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

 Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: A Position of Influence and Great Importance by Mrs. Dorothy Barron at: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com/2011/04/position-of-influence-and-great.html

 A Purchase Order for 360,000 Parents Taking Charge in Education Series 1 Parental Mini-Guide Books!

Yes, such is correct, a gentleman from abroad ordered 360,000 Parental Mini-Guide Books. I had never had so large a book order and certainly not from abroad.

What I Considered Was Needed:

Knowledge of the Export process, confirmation that such was a bona fide offer, the proper or best form of acceptable payment, knowledge of the laws of both countries to insure compliance, a timely process for completion and shipping of the order and a satisfied customer in the hopes of repeat business.

What I Did:

Immediately initiated a Request for Quotes (RFQ) - printing and shipping

Made numerous phone calls- sought the correct process; a step by step process inclusive of all proper documents to ensure that I was in compliance with applicable laws.

Called shipping companies; I recalled shipping companies and was appalled at the information or lack of knowledge some of those individuals displayed. It was evident that one individual was not up to par in Math. According to this individual, shipping 360,000 min-booklets would have cost me 1 million dollars. No one could advise as to what documents would be required. This was ludicrous and unacceptable. These were well established shipping companies- shipping is their business, they do this on a daily basis. When prospective customers call, if you do not have the knowledge, information or are not the correct department, please find such and transfer the prospective customer to someone who does have the knowledge and can assist.

Went to the internet and researched and researched and researched

Purchased from a trusted source an E-book online that finally enlightened me as to what documents were necessary (and if selling above a certain dollar amount).

Picked up the phone and called the President's Office of one well-known shipping company. Once the office heard what I had encountered up to that point, an individual from the company was assigned to assist me and from that point provided exceptional service.

Called US government offices; of which one was the US Export Office. I am still awaiting a return call. Other calls led to being referred to someone else.

Began asking a lot of dumb questions of the buyer from abroad (Ignorance is costly) even after the gentleman kindly explained a number of times the simple process for the selling and purchasing of books - a Pro-Forma Invoice (sales invoice) and bank for a wire transfer sending 70% of the payment directly from one bank to the other.

What I Received:

Information from Book Printing Companies of which I found three to be acceptable and most accommodating for my book printing needs. Two companies based in the United States (one prints here and one prints abroad) and a Canadian company. Speaking of global competitiveness, while both American printing companies were still gathering data, the Canadian company had completed and submitted a very impressive bid along with shipping rates.

A URL Link from one of the shipping companies about various shipping forms and how to complete them.

A call from the Federal Export Office here in Tennessee - If there was one entity of which I would have expected to have been able to advise and provide from the standpoint of policy was this office. As I explained what I sought, the individual began a spiel that he would bet me $15.00 that this was a scam. A bet; based on what? When I inquired as to whether the individual's remark was based on policy or his opinion, the individual launched into a tirade. According to the individual, if I proceeded after he told me…. By this time, I had heard enough. I was not going to be provided with policy from this foolish, inept, inefficient federal government employee. When I asked for the federal number to the US Export Office, he insisted he was the federal government; which was truly a shame.

A non-government entity did perform some general research and advised based on its interpretive findings.

An Official call from the Country abroad, wherein introductions were made and assurance that the offer to purchase my books was a sincere offer.

No Sale of books - the inability to have obtained needed information and in a timely manner in order to make educated decisions was a costly lesson and such is the crux of the entire matter in this situation.

What I Learned:

What should have been a very simple seller-buyer transaction was turned into an "American Fiasco."

Not having crucial information, knowledge or ability to move in an expedited manner will prevent many from being competitive, globally.

If solo and small businesses are to compete competitively in the global market, such is going to entail being provided with knowledge and the correct and legal/policy process of doing business abroad.

This simple transaction required no more than a Pro-forma Invoice, bank information (as the buyer from abroad initially stated) and three shipping forms.

Needed are:

Concise and consolidated information and basic instructions for the export process in a mini-booklet. Such can avoid the aforementioned situation with the federal government employee in the Export Office in Tennessee.

An official Website that keeps track of business scams. It is not good business practice to assume automatically that contact for purchase of a product from a business abroad constitutes a scam.

A support system in place to assists those who desire to do business abroad. Valuable time was wasted because I was constantly referred from one department or agency to another.

May I express my sincere apologies and deepest regrets to the country abroad, individuals within the country as well as those here in the United States who provided quotes and continued interaction regarding this transaction, which was to have been of a substantial amount of money. A sincere thank you to the prospective buyer, the three book printing companies and the shipping company representative for outstanding assistance.

This Series title has been, Doing Business with America in America. How we do business here greatly affect and impact how we do business abroad and hence, the reason for today's blog post titled, America and Americans Doing Business Abroad Pt. 4. America, we cannot continue doing business as usual if we expect to become and/or remain economically competitive and forge global partnerships throughout the world. This concludes this series.

From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

"Slinging Stones… Blog" by Mrs. Dorothy Barron:

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

"Slinging Stones… Blog" by Mrs. Dorothy Barron:

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron

 

Special Post: Homeless Mother Legally Charged in the State of Connecticut for Sending Child to What?

Homeless Mother Legally Charged in the State of Connecticut for Sending Child to What?

According to various media reports, a homeless mother has been legally charged in the State of Connecticut and could face fines and imprisonment because she sought a better education for her child and sent the child to a school of which some opposed. According to the media reports, the mother provided the school with a false address and is being charged with having stolen "public education services." For a moment, let us not entertain the woman desiring a better school for her son; most people see and understand that something is fundamentally wrong with this situation and laws that produce such results.

Let us cut to the chase in this case and look at the issues!

• The mother is homeless; she did not have a permanent address or one temporary address for any length of time. Therefore, by law, she was actually free to either enroll her child in any school within Connecticut or none at all.
• The homeless mother was accused of stealing public (education) services. Was this not a public school? Public education is a free resource to Parents and the child was enrolled in school; therefore, how could she be accused of stealing public education services? Had she been getting duplicate services, such may have been a problem, but the child was not enrolled at two or more locations.
• What school was the homeless mother's child slated to attend; by whose authority and based on what law(s)?
• Most importantly, what about the woman, her parental and her child's rights under the law? What are/were the Parent's rights under the law for seeking alternative choices in Education for her child and in view of the state of education at the school in which her child was slated to attend?
• As for laws that were broken; and the person accused and removed from public housing and whose addressed was used in this case, what are the various laws under housing (federal, state, and local); those that should have applied in this case; applicable to visitors, guest, etc, and were/are they lawful under the United States Constitution?

Will this case set a precedent in which the public school record of every child is to be reviewed to ascertain whether the child is enrolled at his/her assigned school?

According to some media accounts, the woman lives inside a van. Such would prohibit many types of assistance and enrollment of a child at most, if not all schools. Yet, homelessness is and remains a major problem within our society.

What I have discovered is that the poor or impoverished lives in another world; one wherein protection under The Constitution of the United States and similar laws and rules do not exist or apply, until, an impoverished individual attempts to come up out of the abyss of poverty and persists in changing his/her state of being for the better. Jailing is simply a way of punishing and keeping the poor and impoverished in his/her place. I speak from personal experience of being homeless with a school age child and being charged and prosecuted, as well as jailed, because I chose to uphold the law and exercise my rights under the law.

Perhaps, the saddest commentary is that the American Legal and Judicial Systems aver that ignorance of the law is no excuse (when in many cases one has unknowingly broken the law), all while, some within society continue to 1) made sure that the masses remain ignorant of the law and 2) the masses do not have access to study the law due to biasness and discriminatory quotas placed on who can attend law school.

In addition, such cases as the aforementioned of Parents simply trying to give their children the best education possible, the best setting and methods for doing so are some of the very same battles that Parents encountered and fought 20-30 years ago. We deny one child a quality education, today, such will affect and impact all of us directly or indirectly, tomorrow. With a quality education, could this homeless woman's child become one of America's future Scientists, Mathematicians or Engineers?

 

Note: Mrs. Dorothy Barron majored in Pre-law at the University of Tennessee; she made excellent grades in all legal courses and received high commendations from her legal professors on her course work, ability to pursue a legal degree and become an Attorney. She applied to 6 Law Schools: Harvard, Stanford, Thomas Jefferson, Emory, Franklin Pierce and California Berkeley at Boat Hall, but was not accepted.

Mrs. Barron is Founder of Parents Taking Charge in Education; she blogs at: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

 

From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

"Slinging Stones… Blog" by Mrs. Dorothy Barron:

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at  http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron

 

Doing Business with America in America Series Part III- An Actual Business by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Doing Business with America in America Series Part III- An Actual Business by Mrs. Dorothy Barron       

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog Post: Ending the School Year by Mrs. Dorothy Barron http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com/2011/04/ending-school-year-by-mrs-dorothy.html                                                     

                                      
If you recall in Part I of this series, I stated, doing business in America with American companies is good, beneficial and necessary for America’s economy:” However, when a business produces and/or sells poor quality, shoddy and defective merchandise and unwilling to rectify problems, it is just a matter of time before that business will cease to exist.

There are some great companies in America whose quality products and service performance range from very good to exceptional. Unfortunately, the business I speak of (Watkins Manufacturing Corporation) on today is not one of them.

Hydrotherapy is the prescribed treatment for my physical disability; such is too expensive of a treatment to partake of outside the home on a daily basis and therefore, monies were carefully saved and a hydrotherapy spa was purchased. This form of treatment has made it unnecessary for me to take any drugs for pain associated with my physical disability.

I am mindful that most businesses work hard to build and retain their reputations and good customer service and rapport with customers. I have interacted with the company, Watkins Manufacturing Corporation, manufacturer of Hot Springs Portable Spas for almost two years in an effort to get them to rectify the problem of what appears to be my having been provided either a defective spa or a used spa when I purchased a new one. I even contacted Hot Springs Parent Company, MASCO (Taylor, Michigan); I have jumped through the hoops and gone the “nine yards” with Watkins Manufacturing Corporation. I then reported this business to a number of consumer agencies that literally did little or could do nothing more than log the complaint.

Taking these companies through America’s judicial system or a Dispute Resolution process is a joke.  Henceforth, I am doing my own logging of Complaints here at my Blog under a new category titled, “Businesses I No Longer Do Business With.”

Let me recount what occurred (with eight brief points):

In 2009 (April-May), I paid $6,280.65 for a new Hot Springs Jetsetter (hydrotherapy) Spa. Due to my health and inability to service the spa, the dealer offered one-year spa maintenance for an additional $700.00, of which I purchased from the Hot Springs Spa Dealer that sold me the spa. The costs plus taxes for the maintenance contract totaled $7,045.40. When one is impoverished, this is a substantial amount of money.

Approximately, one to two months after purchase, I noticed the appearance and deepening of black streaks on the skirt (wood façade) of the spa; the streaks resembled moldy, rotting wood. According to the manufacturer of my spa (Watkins) and the dealer (Hot Springs), the wood was to reflect and coincide with outdoors and look natural. I was then told the streaks were due to my spa being outside (my spa sits indoors) and then informed that the spa skirts were no longer made from the material of which the company previously used (such was obvious). The streaks deepened and began appearing all over the skirt of the spa.

The unsanitary care and negligence of the spa by the Hot Springs Portable Spas Dealer who had the maintenance contract caused more problems and created health problems for me. Such encompassed their having ignored company guidelines for care of the spa and their unsanitary methods when they maintenance d the spa. When problems arose, such as and resulted in mold problems, the Hot Springs Portable Spas’ dealer and Watkins Manufacturing Corp., blamed and attempted to hold me responsible for the problems. As I reiterated more than once, the purpose of my having purchased a maintenance contract was to have the spa properly maintained. Their cleaning rags were filthy and dirty looking and badly soiled; I have seen cleaner looking rags used in a mechanic shop.  

What was most outstanding, ludicrous and disreputable about this entire situation and all involved - when I went to retrieve the serial number from the paper work, there was not one. Are companies now being allowed to sell new products without providing to the customer actual proof of purchase (product serial number which is imprinted/ embedded on the product at creation)? Watkins Manufacturing Corp, and the dealer attempted to convince me that “JJ2L1037” were/are my model number and serial number combined. This combined alleged model/serial number was affixed to the spa on stick-on stickers and not imprinted/embedded on the spa as serial numbers are on product merchandise when created. The actual serial number on the spa is a much longer number and the written product manual has an area for the product listing of separate model and serial numbers.

Watkins Manufacturing Corp., utilized the same unsanitary Hot Springs Spas dealer to correct the problems. I went in to find them using another dirty soiled rag to wipe down the inside cover of the spa even though the company alleged that they had spoken to the dealer about this issue.

What resulted once the maintenance contract ended? According to the dealer, essentially, I was on my own unless I wanted to purchase another maintenance contract. MASCO continued to refer the problem back to Hot Springs Portable Spas manufacturer, Watkins Manufacturing Corporation and CEO/President, Steve Hammock of Watkins, declared that Hot Springs would take no further action in the matter. I continued to call various entities and filed complaints with various consumer agencies, Better Business Bureaus and others.

Watkins Manufacturing Corp., then sent a Spa Technician (10/14/2010) to my home, who according to Watkins did not find any problems or defects with my Hot Springs Jetsetter Spa or spa components, but did, however suggest the spa pillow and spa cover be replaced (the spa cover and filter cover had mold issues, was viewed, but the filter cover was not replaced). I have included four (4) pictures for your preview. The picture of the unsanitary cloth was removed without my permission from the collection of pictures taken. My question to Watkins Manufacturing Corp, among many others; how can one determine whether or not problems exist with water inside the spa by simply looking at the water and determining that it is okay because the water is clear?

                       

Captions: Streaked Spa Skirt       Streaked Spa Skirt     Back of Spa Pillow    Stick-on label

Watkins Manufacturing Corp., then sent a Water Specialist (February 24, 2011) to my home; the spa cover and pillow had been replaced by Watkins (but not the filter cover). The condition of the filter cover was viewed and commented upon, but not entered in the written assessment report that I received. According to my copy of the water assessment report, the results were normal for water bacteriology.

My solutions to the problems encountered with my Hot Springs Portable Jetsetter Spa- replace the spa, replace the chemicals that were purchased by me and insure that the new spa has full guaranty provisions.  Watkins’ solution - replace the spa cover and spa pillow, which they did and such is why Hot Springs, Inc., is one of the “Businesses I No Longer Do Business With.” Had I been this company, I not only would have complied with the customer’s request, but due to the trouble, problems and negligence the customer encountered, I would have returned the customer’s money as a goodwill gesture.

Businesses, you are in business because of customers. The aforementioned business’ way of conducting business will not cut it. There is a big global market out there. Do not be surprised when Americans begin or continue doing business elsewhere. As the adage says, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat.” Businesses I No Longer Do Business With (Listing of 3):

                                 

      Company                                             Corporate Office

Hot Spring Portable Spa, Inc              Vista, California (Watkins Manufacturer Corp.)

Host Gator                                         Houston, Texas                                  

Toshiba                                             Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; US: Irvine, California

Join me next week as I conclude Doing Business with America in America Series Part IV- America and Americans Doing Business Abroad by Mrs. Dorothy Barron.

From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

“Slinging Stones… Blog” by Mrs. Dorothy Barron: 

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron

 

Doing Business with America in America Series Part 1I- America’s Largest Employer by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

 Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog Post: Refilling Your Pitchers & Recharging Your Batteries by Mrs. Dorothy Barron at http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com/2011/04/refilling-your-pitchers-recharging-your.html  

Today’s post in the Series, Doing Business with America in America Series Part II, America’s Largest Employer briefly looks at The United States Government, for such is America’s largest Employer.

I will share some insights that I have garnered through interaction with and/or from having done business with government. To emphasize the importance and necessity of each and every sector of society‘s involvement in sharing solutions to America‘s problems and challenges, I have listed a blog post titled “Lady on the Ladder” for your reading or review; the link:http://www.dorothybarron.com/slingingstones/2009/11/lady-on-the-ladder-by-mrs-dorothy-barron.html .

I. I want to single out government at the federal level only at this point; why? The federal government is the highest level of government and:

• Sets the tone for the nation,
• Sets the example for the nation
• Has the oversight of all other levels of government
• Affects and impacts how America does business here and abroad

In other words the buck starts at this level and (when all is said and the day is done) the buck should end or stop at/with this level. Some entity has got to take responsibility and become liable for what occurs in this country and who better than government at the highest level.

II. Fiscal Responsibility

America and Americans are faced with budget cuts in the proposed amount of 38 Billion Dollars; the waste, abuse and fraud within government alone could equal this amount. How do I know? I tracked and documented such for quite a number of years.

Our parents raised seven daughters; our father worked two full-time jobs for 30 years and he did not allow waste in any form or fashion. Conserving became habit-forming.

1. A.    When I became a recipient of government services, I was alarmed, appalled and then angry at the waste and abuse I found within government by many within the government. Being a responsible citizen, I noted services received v. cost saving alternatives and presented the information to those within government at various levels. Well, government workers, administrators and officers of government evidently were not use to recipients of government services being so forthcoming or helpful and especially with proven documentation.
   1. The State of Tennessee (Legislature) had a general e-mail or fax number, which allowed one to contact all state legislatures, simultaneously. Such was an ingenious method until it was abruptly disconnected and discontinued.
   2. The federal government passed/passes one from branch to branch and department to department until you are going around in circles confused, dazed, dizzy and exhausted; the objective is to wear you down and out. You generally end up where you started. Foolish me; and I thought I was actually assisting the government. It was more like becoming a government “target!”
2. B.      I will briefly mention one other form of waste and abuse within government, but I preface it by saying, there are many hard working and responsible individuals within government; it is noticed and duly noted. The other form of waste and abuse is the result of too many dysfunctional, non-functioning and unproductive “tenured government employees.” Many are at the top of both job and pay grade scale and for many, the government cannot get rid of them. They become paper-pushers, overseers and present (on the payroll), yet absent (not on the job) government employees. Many check in and check out! They bring nothing to the table and have long lost interest in their jobs; they remain on the government payroll simply to retire with full pension and benefits.  They adversely affect and effect government as a whole; they:

• Shirk and fail to carry their weight (if they have any to carry)
• Drain the budget
• Hamper others zeal, interest and enthusiasm for their jobs
• Negatively reflect and cast aspersion on all of government
• Negatively affect job performance and production
• Negatively impact America, Americans and those doing business in and with America

In America’s race to the top, how fast and far do you think we will get with the aforementioned baggage? America’s largest Employer, the United States Government cannot fail! Change is needed and needed in the right places, foremost.

From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

“Slinging Stones… Blog” by Mrs. Dorothy Barron: 

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron

Doing Business with America in America Series Part 1 by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Doing Business with America in America Series Part 1 by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

 Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog Post: Getting Involved in my Child’s Education and School- Is there a Difference? http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com/2011/04/getting-involved-in-my-childs-education.html

 Doing business in America with American companies is good, beneficial and necessary for America’s economy. Even though America has the tools and Americans the ability and skills to be the best, such has not and in some cases continue not to be used to the advantage of America and its people by some businesses. Let us examine some reasons why:

Ÿ  The production of poor quality and shoddy merchandise

Ÿ  Poor or lack of quality customer service

Ÿ  Profits largely provided to shareholders and not those directly responsible for making the business profitable and successful

Ÿ  Failure to treat employees fair

Ÿ  Off-shore production and cheap labor

Ÿ  Advent of new tools and skills of which Americans were/are not prepared for and/or unable to access

Ÿ  Businesses unwilling to rectify problems in defects and/or defective products

Ÿ  Often inept legal and judicial systems which fail through their actions to uphold the law and/or hold others to the standards of The Law

Such has led many businesses and others to assume that the general public is dumb and/or stupid; such is far from true. Due to one or more of the aforementioned above, some businesses who thought they would never fail now cease to exist. Two such businesses were Eastern Airlines and Bell South. In my opinion, these companies failed for the most part as a result of poor customer service.

While I am on the subject of Customer Service, let me:

Ÿ  Reiterate- “customer service can make or break a business;” if you do not have people who 1) can exemplify the skills or attributes of courtesy, pleasantness, helpfulness; 2) can resolve customer service concerns before they become problems and/or 3) have knowledge of the product (s) inclusive of availability of and quality of products or services, then it is just a matter of time before your business doors will close.

Ÿ  Provide a tip- not every person or prospective customer prefers informality in business. Follow the customer’s lead; if he or she provides you with his/her surname and title, use it! An example: friends and people I have built a rapport with address me by my first name, Dorothy; when doing business, I do not prefer being addressed by my first name, but as Mrs. Barron. Such can make a difference as to whether you get some customers’ business. Those of us who prefer formality may be a dying breed, but we are not all dead, yet (smile)!

The adage and indoctrination by some that “something is better than nothing.” Such is often what those who are considered insignificant and/or indigent hear and too often by those with significant means. Generally, those who buy into this indoctrination are on the short end of the stick and forever recipients of society’s crumbs. America, we need a different mindset, objective and goals if we anticipate out-building, out-educating and leading the rest of the world.

On next week in Part 2 of Doing Business with America in America Series, we will look at the United States largest employer.

Note: As a means of funding some of her volunteer efforts in our schools, Ms. Barron worked in the Retail Industry for five years. Her proficiency at resolving customer concerns and problems and having received record numbers of customer commendations led to the company having created a new management position for her. Mrs. Barron has also worked as an independent Travel Consultant/Agent and spent time flying aboard various airlines.

From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

“Slinging Stones… Blog” by Mrs. Dorothy Barron: 

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron

Working Together and Setting Some Precedents by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Working Together and Setting Some Precedents by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

Parents Taking Charge in Education in Education Blog Post: Dealing with the Problem Child at http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com/2011/04/dealing-with-problem-child-part-2-by.html  

Generally, differences are put aside and individuals, groups and political parties work together to achieve the greater good for the majority of society when at least one of two things occur: 1) there is a sincere endeavor and effort to reach out and put aside differences in order to benefit or serve the greater majority of society or 2) when problems and concerns within society reach crisis proportions.

Three noteworthy happenings took place this past month; I am surprised the media did not promulgate at least two, far and wide. They are as following and in which precedents were set:

I.          Mayors from cities around the country went to Washington, DC; their 2011Annual Winter Conference was held there in March. I did not actually view the conference, but what held and riveted my attention was a Press Conference (via C-SPAN) in which both Democratic and Republican Mayors stood together staunchly and avowed that they had put aside their political differences in order to work together and save their community block grants which were subject to the Federal government’s chopping block. When a few reporters attempted to pit the parties against each other, both parties rose admirably to the challenge and in defense of each other as they remained united. Mayors, who govern at the city level, set a precedent when they put aside their partisan differences and stood together in unison to save their community block grants and community programs. In doing so, this body of government at the local level rose far above the high, federal, divided walls of Congress.

II.         Governors from around the country converged on Washington, DC; wherein their 2011 National Governors' Association Winter Meeting was held in March. The governors did not set a precedent, but what was provided to each governor could certainly be considered one.

Professor Michael Porter was a presenter at the Governor’s Conference (via C-SPAN); he and others had created a high-impact, extensive, in-depth and detailed assessment of each governor’s state inclusive of its assets, strengths, most productive and future resources, etc. Each governor was presented the assessment in the form of a written composite. It appears that such could enable each governor to work smarter and more efficiently within his/her own state in the creation of jobs, as well as in conjunction with other states becoming more competitive from an economic standpoint in the future.

III.       Advise the Advisor is a new Initiative through President Obama’s Administration which allows citizens from the general public to interact or communicate directly with his senior administrators. A few weeks ago, Director, M. Barnes of the Domestic Policy Council requested input on the topic of Helping Students Prepare and Succeed in the 21^st Century from Parents, Teachers and Students. When a summary or overview of the feedback was presented, a precedent had been set. Comments provided by Parents were not at the end of the summary, but “First;” Generally and as it relates to Education, Parents are included or mentioned last, as if an afterthought, if included at all.

A thank you is in order for those above who worked together and were responsible for having set precedents.

C-SPAN as cited above was viewed on Cable TV (March 2011)

 From me, to you

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author

“Slinging Stones… Blog” by Mrs. Dorothy Barron: 

http://dorothybarron.com/slingingstones or

http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones

Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog: http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com

Twitter: Follow Mrs. Barron at  http://twitter.com/mrsdbarron