Go, vote, it's Election Day

Go vote, it's Election Day

The Navy wants my daughter, I'm not a fan

Recruiters face challenges without an independent, objective and unbiased military justice system. 

The Navy called yesterday. The man calling asked to speak to my daughter. I said she wasn't available. In reality, he was calling on my cell phone, I was at work. My daughter was at her work. If he had this number she didn't want to talk to him.

I told him I would let her know he called, but based on our conversations, she was not interested.

Instead of asking when a better time to call to talk to her might be, he launched into his script. He wanted to schedule an interview. He wanted her to know what the Navy offered.

Since I knew she wasn't interested, and I could easily imagine what the Navy offered women, I asked how he got this phone number.

He said he was going through old records and it could be she filled out of form asking for more information (not likely), or it was a number received from her high school (more likely).

Then I launched into my script, “As a mom, I'm not sure I want my daughter to go into the service, based on how they treat women,”

The surprise in his voice was palatable, “Why? What have you heard?”

Now it was my turn to be surprised, “Don't you read the news?”

Take a second. Do a Google search. Page after page appears with stories about women in the service who have been assaulted by men in the service and their superiors who refuse to condemn this reprehensible behavior. They protect it. “Boys will be boys.”

I say, “Girls will be moms,” and this mom says, “Based on your reputation, you don't deserve my daughter.”

Your community hasn't earned the right to interview my daughter. First, invest in efforts that criminalize behavior that assaults, harasses, and creates a hostile work environment for the people you are trying to recruit. A career in the military shouldn't mean that women, or men, are unsafe from their fellow service personnel. It shouldn't mean a recruit is subservient to self-serving criminals who continue to assault. It shouldn't push victims into servitude to higher ups willing to cover up abuse.

In an interview with MSNBC, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said one in five military women – and three percent of men, experience unwanted sexual contact. Gillibrand's Military Justice Improvement Act, legislation to assign sexual assault cases to specially trained military prosecutors, fizzled.

The Department of Defense (DOD) released a report in December 2014 on sexual assault in the military. The DOD claimed success because only 19,000 people were assaulted, a whopping 7,000 less than those assaulted in 2012. Digging a little deeper into 2012, shows that of those 26,000 sexual assaults only 3,374 were reported and only 302 were brought to trial.

If you want brilliant people to serve our country. Stop endorsing a playhouse for boys.

Grow up.

Become men.

Clean house.

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Gov. Christie's staff proves one thing: some never grow up

The traffic snarl created by Gov. Chris Christie loyalists proves one thing: some people never grow up.

It is quite possible the majority, maybe even the travelers stuck in the New Jersey jam, felt as mad as the aide who conceived the calamity, but not everyone pulls a wild prank in revenge. Those who do are stuck in their own hell hole of “us vs. them” mentality.

It should be okay for Americans to have differing opinions, in fact that is part of what makes Americans unique – the ability to freely speak about what we do and do not like. It’s not okay, though, to in secret create a clash of values and take it out on a widening circle of folks who have less to do with the source of the anger and more to do about just going to work.

But that widening circle of folks are the ones caught in the cross hairs, everyday. This is 21st Century America, where according to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, power and influence give senators three-day work weeks, and that little bit of business, according to CNN has made most senators millionaires. Who underwrites this gracious lifestyle? The folks stalled in traffic trying to get to work, while another segment of the American population languishes in the losing war against poverty.

The American ride is a bit bumpy, so let's toss in some American ingenuity and use it on the freeway hackers.

Lose their jobs? Ridiculous. Let them keep their jobs, any job. They need to be contributing members of society not on the unemployment dole. But how about a demotion? And take away their transportation options. If the freeway hackers have vehicles, lock them up and put boots on them. Ban the offenders from public transportation and let them walk to work breathing in the noxious fumes of those gunning to their jobs with better sense.

Or, perhaps, they should take their chances hitching a ride.

The world is full of Good Samaritans, and any number who would probably give them a lift. Then, maybe the vendetta seekers would grow up and benefit by rubbing shoulders with true Americans, people who solve problems and not create them.

In your dream job do people yell?

As the political season heats up this PowerPoint presentation uploaded to SlideShare reminded me of local government meetings I attended in 2013, especially this one.

View more on SlideShares from Carol Doane including:

How to sell online advertising... 3 years ago, 16,069 views
Interesting that this one receives the most views, since online advertising that we sell now vs. three years ago is dramatically different and almost inconceivably more complex.


Carol's save a life birthday party three years ago, 12,848 views
This was the first upload and earned a position as TOP FINALIST in the 2010 Social Media Awards of the Pacific Northwest. Although, no trophy came home, it gives great pleasure that the winner's entry continues to have far fewer page views.


It all happened after the tornado two years ago, 2,826 views 
This was a lighthearted take on an online resume. Mid-stream into developing this PowerPoint an interesting event happened which changed the course of a career and is detailed at the end.

Social Media for Writers, three years ago, 2,815 views
Social Media for Writers was presented to the Vancouver Writers Mixer. Today, it seems a bit outdated, which only proves how fluid social media is. Nothing stays the same like change.

Beginners Guide To Advertising, three years ago, 2,753 views
A Beginner's Guide to Print and Online Advertising was developed as training materials for The Columbian Newspaper sales staff.



Cheap is a chance. Don't drown, three years ago, 1,535 views
Cheap is a Chance shows that legacy media, while not offering as robust of an audience as in years past, remains a solid path to a sound marketing programs. Responsive marketing is seldom cheap, and nothing is really free.

Never seen before targeting, eight months ago, 616 views
Never Seen Before Targeting is a quick look at advanced targeting options and a proprietary program offered by KGW Media Group.



In your dream job do people yell, 8 months ago, 416 views
Inspired by government meetings in the wake of the Don Benton hiring by the Clark County Board of Commissioners. There is a place in government for everyone who desires to serve. You just need the right friends, not necessarily the right credentials.

Tips for your end of the year, 1 week ago, 286 views
Tips for Your End of Year Donations offers ideas on how to get the most of the waning minutes of the closing year, which in three words is: share, share, share.

Are you biased? Who gets to vote on that?

'Being human' becomes our excuse when we are fallible and our defense when we are, well, human. I found myself in the unique position of responding to a newspaper story, today. The owner of the start-up that I manage is funding candidates for political office. The implication was that my new employer was biased and that was the reason candidates for office had declined our invitation to participate in a debate.

It was surreal.

The newspaper is my former employer.

You cannot defend that you are not something. You can't defend a negative. How would you prove you're not biased?

What if you are biased?

I would hazard a guess, all of us are biased on some level. We cannot escape that we have our own unique belief systems, value systems, and political leanings. When we find others of like minds we may cluster.

And we may not.

In reality, I don't proclaim my political party, political leanings or political beliefs.

If asked if I support gay rights, gay marriage, gay couples, I will answer, "I support monogomy."

When my friends who are Democrats, ask me to march in the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands to support their candicacy for public office, I move through my inbox and find the email from my Republican friends. I give the same response to both. "Thanks for thinking of me, I'm unable to participate."

Is that right? Is that fair?

I don't know. Chalk it up to being human.

That parade I'll participate in.

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Read the columbian.com article here: Candidates decline to do video for rivals’ donor. Wealthy activist says his website is a fair venue

Or, skip to my comments here: Let the reader decide -- we welcome debate.