As human beings, we tend to gravitate toward others who are similar to us. Similar backgrounds. Similar beliefs. Similar values. It’s natural, and it should not be condemned. Can we learn from others who are not like us? Absolutely, and we should. But, that doesn’t mean we should feel guilty or be judged negatively for choosing to spend our valuable time with those who are similar to us. 

Some call this elitism, selectionism, or even racism. I call it instinctive. And, it has nothing to do with the accent of a person’s voice, the origin of a person’s birth, or the color of a person’s skin. Or, at least it shouldn’t. But, if we are being honest, it does have a lot to do with a person’s age, income, education and interests. And, mostly, it has to do with having a common culture. 

I had a business partner many years ago who was smart, creative and talented, but we grew up much differently. He had never mowed a lawn before. Or shoveled a sidewalk. Or run a vacuum cleaner. We had vastly different perspectives on spending money and how to operate a business. The bottom line was that I needed the business to make money, and he didn’t. Needless to say, that relationship didn’t work out. Neither one of us were right or wrong, just different. 

When I meet new people, one of the first things I ask them is what their hometowns are. I can usually find some connection from there. When I lived in Nebraska, that was tougher to do, as I was an “outsider.” I had to find other things to connect with these folks on. Ultimately, I learned that if I wanted to fit in, I had to conform. So, I bought my family University of Nebraska shirts, and I started reading up on “Big Red” football so I could join in on the conversations. It worked. And, even though I had very little interest in Husker football, I enjoyed getting to know many wonderful people and learning about their other interests. 

So, what’s the message? Wanting to be around people like you is natural, but reaching out beyond your immediate circle is important, too. It doesn’t always work out as planned, but if you want to truly connect, you sometimes have to do something that isn’t so natural — conform. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and, as always, thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707

Are poll results news? Look at most any daily newspaper, and those editors clearly say yes.

Even so, some of us are beginning to wonder if the gathering of people’s opinions warrants news coverage at all. 

Don’t get me wrong. We do our own silly polls. You can find one on this newsletter. They are not scientific, or random, or meaningful in any real way — other than being entertaining, we hope. 

But, is it appropriate for the media to publish poll results that might sway public opinion?

Researchers have observed that people will frequently conform to a majority opinion, jumping on the bandwagon to be on the “winning team” of a leading candidate or a popular policy. But, for every study that shows how poll results may impact decisions, there is another showing that they won’t. 

Meanwhile, consider this. If you viewed poll results that said those who wear checkered shirts are 71% more likely to receive a job offer, or not get arrested, or win the lottery (or whatever impacts you), would you consider wearing more checkered shirts? Or, at least think about it the next time you went shopping or picked something out from your closet?

The most logical stuff I have read on this explained that polling itself is not the problem, but the reporting on the poll results is. Makes sense to me. After all, 53% of people surveyed say they refuse to participate in polls. 

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707

Who came up with the 40-hour work week? And why?

According to a 2014 story from NBC News, eight-hour days “became rallying cries in the latter half of the 19th century, as workers in the building trades and similar industries marched together for better conditions.” The article also states that The Ford Motor Company “advanced the idea in 1914, when it scaled back from a 48-hour to a 40-hour workweek after founder Henry Ford believed that too many hours were bad for workers’ productivity.”

Work conditions are much improved thanks to the efforts of many in prior generations. Even so, a growing number of workers today think 40 hours on the clock per week is too much. A generation of workers are often criticized for not being willing to “put in the hours.”

The pandemic certainly didn’t help many employers with this dilemma. The idea of expecting employees to come to the office or work site on time and put in a full eight hours before heading home has seemingly become an idea of the past, at least for some.

With labor shortages aplenty, many some have given in to demands for reduced hours, more vacation and increased benefits because they don’t have a choice. Meanwhile, the companies that do this then often have greater expenses and less output, resulting in a decrease of profits and, ultimately, an increase in the consumers’ cost of the company’s products or services. In other words, inflation. This working-less approach is a vicious circle and one that we all seemingly end up paying for, one way or another.  

Meanwhile, the old adage that the road to success doesn’t have any short cuts will continue to prove to be true. It takes hard work. And 40 hours per week. 

Have a telling Tuesday, and, as always, thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707

Are you a trusting person? Or do expect the worst from seemingly everyone? The answer to that question is most likely related to the last time you were hustled, who you were hustled by, and for how much. 

My father operated a gravel and excavation company, and like most small business owners, he needed to collect payment for services. I asked him if he ever got stiffed, and if so, what he did about it. His answer was simple. He said, “Hustle me once, shame on you. Hustle me twice, shame on me.” His choice of words were a bit different, but you get the idea. 

I have lived by those words. I am generally a trusting person, but I try not to make the same mistakes with the same people twice. If I do, I have nobody to blame but myself.

The unfortunate truth is that there are a lot of hustlers out there, and we most all can become easy prey in certain situations. When we do, we become less trusting of others. That’s a learned response, much like the reason we don’t put our hands on hot coals a second time. 

This might explain why the older that people are, the more cynical they seem to be. Maybe they have been burned more. Hustled more. Cheated more. Chalk it up to experience.

But, doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? Maybe. That’s a roll of the dice and depends on how much of a gambler a person is.

Meanwhile, the world might be a better place if we could all be a bit more trusting — at least the first time. 

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

When was the last time you unfolded a trusty Rand McNally map and used it to determine how to get from Point A to Point B while in your vehicle? I am guessing it has been a while. Most of us now rely on the GPS maps installed on our phones or in our vehicles. They are quicker, easier and we don’t have to figure out how to fold them back together. 

Meanwhile, aside from driving, maps can still be handy. Like when you are at an event or conference and need something that shows everywhere you need to be. Or when you are shopping in an area with multiple locations and want to plan your route. And especially when you are on a ski slope and need to make sure you don’t end up on a black diamond when you were expecting a green.

Not too many years ago, my friend Greg suggested that we print “one of those spiral-bound book of maps.” In the midst of his 7-minute explanation of what it could be, I finally interrupted him and said, “You mean an atlas?” His response was like one of those Gilda Radner “never mind” looks. 

Meanwhile, just a few years ago, we were contacted by a chamber of commerce to create a printed community shopping map. We published it, and, within weeks, they were all gone. They wanted more — and quickly. This printed map was so popular that we decided to do some in other areas, too.

We now publish nine of these community maps, including in Panora and Guthrie Center/Casey.  Other maps include Historic Valley Junction, Winterset, Uptown Ankeny, Ingersoll/Grand Avenues, Beaverdale neighborhood, Drake neighborhood and Historic East Village.

For those who prefer the digital options, we created an online interactive map that is easily used on a phone, showing the same information while also offering details and sale information from area businesses that “pop up” when you touch their icon. Check out all the maps here and “click for interactive map.”

If all that technology is not your thing, and you just want a simple paper map, we understand and we are glad to help. Look for the Panora and Guthrie Center/Casey maps at dozens of retail locations in the area or stop by our office in Guthrie Center at 104 Industrial Road.

Maybe my friend Greg was onto something, or maybe he was just on something. Either way, I keep these trusty maps in my glove box along with my Rand McNally atlas — just in case. And if you are interested in having us publish one of these maps in your community, please contact me to learn how.

Enjoy mapping out your week, and, as always, thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707

A total of $16. That was the profit I made from selling my toys and games at a garage sale my mother had when I was 7 years old. That collection of cash and coins was what I carried with me to our local bank to open my first savings account in 1975. The bank teller even handed me a folded and stapled passport in a plastic sleeve that had the deposit transaction printed on it. A few years went by before I made any additional deposits from my lawn-mowing money, but it was then when I realized what interest was all about. That $16 I deposited had somehow grown. I didn’t understand how, but I liked it. 

I became fascinated — maybe obsessed — with the entire process of making deposits and growing my savings. As I started walking beans and detasseling corn, some bigger dollars began to come in. I felt personal victories with each savings milestone— $100, $200, $300 and so on.  When I turned 15, I started working at a gas station and received a regular paycheck, but the savings process was still the same. I walked up to the bank, deposited my check and fixed my eyes on that passport to see how much I earned in interest. 

Today I realize how minimal the interest on basic savings accounts is, but I also am not much of a risk-taker in the markets. So, I still deposit savings with the passion I had as a kid. Admittedly, with auto-deposits, ATM withdrawals and online banking, I don’t get the same satisfaction I had as a child when gazing at the entire history of my deposits and withdrawals on that printed passport in the bank lobby, but that’s OK.

As for that original bank passport, I still have it stored away in a box, complete with the now-yellowed plastic sleeve and the memory of my first $16.

It seems money is not the only thing I save. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and, as always, thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707