A Mardi Gras Problem

More Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

Something to get you in the mood.

Tillerson Follow Up

It didn't take long. Anyone who has worked in the oil industry, and especially Exxon or Mobil, will not be surprised by the news in the link below. Rex has already started to reorganize his operation and you can tell from the tone of the article (from CBS) that the left is not happy. Do not listen to the warnings coming from the main stream media. They do not understand that it is no longer business as usual. If you read the post on Tillerson below you can see that he gave them fair warning of what he was going to do..

Read about it here.

TBT

I received a text yesterday from an unfamiliar number. It simply read "35 years today". I'm sorry to admit that it took me a few minutes to realize the text was from an old friend and was referring to the sinking of the "Ocean Ranger". Go to this link and read my past blog post.

Thoughts on Tillerson

You don't get to be CEO of a major oil company by being a shrinking violet. I had left the organization before Tillerson took over but I worked for a major oil company for 20 years and I can guess what may soon take place soon at the Department of State. Tillerson rose through an organization that routinely fired the bottom 10% of their staff based on their performance reviews and I expect Tillerson will bring this same results focused business approach to State.

Tillerson's focus as CEO of ExxonMobil was results, schedule and cost. I doubt that that will change. State employees should expect to held responsible for results and should have their resume ready if they do not achieve them. They can also expect to see some changes made. It won't be business as usual.

I point to the following excerpt from Tillerson's speech to State Department Employees with key statements highlighted for emphasis:

"As Secretary, I will deploy the talent and resources of the State Department in the most efficient ways possible. That may entail making some changes to how things are traditionally done in this department. Change for the sake of change can be counterproductive, and that will never be my approach.

But we cannot sustain ineffective traditions over optimal outcomes. I will gather information on what processes should be reformed, and do my part to make sure we are functioning in the most productive and efficient way possible.

Regardless of the circumstances shaping our country or our department, We must all remain focused on the mission at hand before us. I remind you that our undertakings are larger than ourselves or our personal careers."

It is quiet right now at State but I expect you should see sweeping changes soon.

Head Count

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was only able to find 3 people to behead in January. This is a big drop from January last year.

Dinner with Liberals

Youngest grandson, 12 year old P, and I went to Dinner with a Curator at the WW II Museum last night. The topic was US propaganda during the war. Dinner seating was community style with tables set up as 10 tops. We happened to be seated between an elderly Jesuit Priest who also happened to be the retired President of Loyola University and a woman who worked for Sister Helen Prejean of anti death penalty fame. (Don't ask me how that happened. Seating was open) The conversation was interesting and generally focused on history but towards the end of the meal the priest mentioned that he had not met anyone who would admit to voting for Donald Trump. I raised my hand and said, "You have now". Luckily, the presentation started before we could get into any further discussion of politics.

On the way home I told my grandson that the people we were sitting with live in a liberal bubble - a college campus in a majority democratic parish. If our priest friend were to get out to the neighboring parishes he might meet a Trump voter or two.