General

Subscribe to General via RSS

The Texas jobless rate fell again for the seventh month in a row.  The rate now stands at 7%.  The San Antonio jobless rate also fell to 6.7%.  See San Antonio Express News report.  Of course, the rate fell due to increased hiring in the hotel and restaurant sectors, a low wage sector.  And…

One San Fransisco lawyer’s response to a daylight mugging was to simply follow his thieves.  David Newdorf, a former marathon runner, was walking in downtown San Francisco talking on his cellphone, when one teenager grabbed him in a headlock.  An accomplice then grabbed Mr. Newdorf’s cell phone out of his hand.  As Mr. Newdorf noted…

The Maryland legislature has passed a bill preventing employers from requiring Facebook login information of employees.  See Huffington post.  It was a Maryland employer who attracted attention when it requested login information from some employees.  See my prior post about this topic.  If the Maryland governor signs the bill, then it will become law…

Friending Facebook Blog reports that a teacher’s aide in Michigan was fired when she refused to hand over her Facebook login information.  Kimberly Hester worked for Lewis Cass Intermediate School District in Cassopolis, Michigan.  On her own time, away from school, she posted what she believed to be a humorous picture of a co-worker with…

To join the US Army, a person must be be smart enough, in sufficient physical condition, free of drug use and free of criminal history.  These requirements mean only two out of ten teenagers qualify.  Those who do enlist are often the best in other ways.  The Stars and Stripes news report about one such…

 2LT Clovis Ray was killed in Afghanistan recently.  He grew up in Three Rivers, but here in San Antonio,  He joined the US Army at the relatively late age of 32 after many years as an investment banker.  He worked for Wells Fargo and Wachovia banks here in San Antonio before enlisting and going through…

Employers are more and more reaping the "benefits" of Facebook.  They are asking applcants for their FB passwords or for the opportunity to review the applicant’s Facebook page.  A corrections officer was required to provide his Facebook login information so his superiors could look at his Facebook page as part of his recertification process.  The…

Two researchers studied employee morale via work journals from 238 professionals.  A Harvard business professor and a Harvard psychologist collaborated to find four ways managers can ruin morale:

  1. Stall the worker’s most meaningful projects.  Such as one manager who routinely moved people on and off projects apparently at his whim.
  2. Block progress on goals.  Such

…

Back when I was in Iraq in 2005-06, I heard a story about a soldier in Kirkuk who walked off the premises of FOB Warhorse.  He just went outside the wire unarmed like he was back home and wanted some ice cream.  Leaving the base itself violated all sorts of orders.  But, more importantly, the…

I live here and did not know we have an animal court.  According to an ABA Bar Journal report, we have an animal court to hear cases of pet owners acting irresponsibly.  See ABA Bar Journal report.  The court may be unique.  It targets cases involving animal bites, stray animals and animal vaccinations.  It…