Buckling Down

I took a drive around Sun Microsystem's offices in Burlington this morning. The company announced last week that it will lay off 15% to 18% of its workforce, which translates to roughly 5000 to 6000 people. It's becoming a tough time out there. The headlines on Friday were along the lines of "high tech sector now feeling the pinch of the economy."

I drove around looking for clues in the parking lot: how many cars were here? Who was working? I somehow thought the parking lot would be full, a buzz in the air. People were going to be let go, and middle managers needed to be working. Instead, the parking lot was empty. It was a quiet Sunday morning. Nothing was stirring except for a few landscaping vehicles. As I circled the large campus, all I was left to ponder was the general vulnerability of any kind of job, including my own "high tech sector" job. The economy isn't taking prisoners.

Voting: An American Experience

On November 4, citizens of the United States of America will elect their next president. I think electing our president is one of the most uniquely American experiences there is. Two men, Barack Obama and John McCain, have been barnstorming this great nation, exhorting us on national television, in rallies, in town meetings, in stump speeches, to vote for one of them. They're working hard not just for my vote; they're working hard for our vote. It's awe-inspiring to me that after all their work, after all their pleadings, it's simply up to the voter to decide. Sure, there's the electoral college, and the battle ground states, and all that campaign money, but in the end, it all boils down to each of us getting into a booth, and inking in our choice. There are countries around the world that do not give their citizens a choice in this matter. We do it every four years. Go out and vote, you American citizens. I'll be right there with all of you on November 4, engaged in this thrilling American experience. Vote!