THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE

This past week the immigration “issue” resurfaced in the Republican Presidential Candidate debates and I was reminded of an article written originally for the New York Times and reprinted recently in the Strib.

Its title, Illegal Immigration is an Outdated Issue, caught my eye and as I read it, I took note of the premise that the immigration crises PEAKED in 2000 and a remarkable story has emerged of how immigrants of the 1990s have been assimilated into our culture. The article cited some incredible facts I had not heard before that supported the author’s suggestion that we need a shift in policy from keeping newcomers out to encouraging migrants and children to integrate into our society.

These were facts I had not heard before and although I did not do any in-depth research, I did do some preliminary fact-checking of sources and found enough validity to repeat below in hopes that at some point the GOP immigration dialog can be reviewed, evaluated, and altered as needed to reflect 2012 ad beyond.

• The total number of immigrants, legal and illegal, arriving in 2000s grew at half the rate of that of the 1990s.
• Since 2008, that population has shrunk to estimate 200,000 annually; and illegal immigrants from Asia have similarily dwindled.
• Some experts estimate NET numbers of Mexicans settling in the US today at ZERO

An important reason cited for the effective disappearance of illegal border crossers from Mexico lies in Mexico’s birth rate.  It has plunged from 6.8 babies per mother in 1970 to 2.1 babies today-very close to that of the US birth rate.  And, that shrinking pool of young adults to meet labor needs has meant less competition for jobs and Mexico so impetus for immigration lessons.

The article continued to explore the facts regarding assimilation and they, too, provided some food for thought.

• Although only a third of immigrants in US today have high school diplomas, by 2030, 80% of children under 10 yrs. old who arrived in the 1990s will have completed high school, and 18% will have bachelor degrees.
• By 2030, immigrant home ownership will rise to 69% for Mexicans and 74% for all immigrants – well above the historical average of Americans.

 

The author sees America’s immigrants and their children as crucial to our future economic growth and offers serval suggestions to alter federal and state policies to focus on developing talents of immigrants and their children so America can remain the world’s richest and most powerful nation for decades to come.

Coming from a point of little real knowledge of the immigration situation, I am in no position to judge the validity of the needed changes, but a need to RETHINK and return to viewing immigrants as vast untapped human resources for our country seems worthwhile to examine.  It is what made us what we are, after all.  Changing the “Immigration Policy” to a revitalized “Immigrant Policy” may just make sense.

THE GRAND OLD PARTY

Whenever I tune into the political discourses surrounding the selection of the 2012 Republican presidential candidate for the 2012 election, I am reminded that this party and the media covering the battle are perhaps the single greatest example of a world refusing to accept that we are now in the SECOND decade of the 21st century.
In 2008, an election based on change and hope and preparation for the future was won by Obama. He won for the message; he won because he used tools from the 21st century to garner support and buy-in; and he won because more people than not were interested in preparing our country to first survive, and then excel in a world that was changing around us. The growing financial crisis and missteps of the early 2000s caused an economic collapse that shifted the emphasis in the short term, but it has not changed the need to reassess and reset how we think. Nor does it mean we can destroy the technological advances of the 20th century that replaced people with robots in factories and created a need for people educated in the ways of the digital age, not the industrial age.
And yet, instead of re-evaluating how to best “catch up”, the GOP seemingly dug in – back to their roots in the mid 19th century as an agrarian culture was slowing transitioning to an industrial age. The topics and comparisons and examples of how things should be done today continually drill down from a time beginning with FDR/Truman and moving to the glory years of Eisenhower, Goldwater and Reagan – reflective of a time 30-80 years ago.
COME ON PEOPLE!! What about life in 2012 has much similarity to life from 1950 to 1990?
Is there a single politician out there who has a plan for collaborative growth that will prepare us to continue our leadership role in the world? Is there a plan that recognizes the rest of the world is using those very technological advances and positions we are so proud of has created a NEW WORLD? Does anyone have a position on how to revise our educational system which was based on needs of an industrial age and flawed thinking about how the brain works and how one learns? Does anyone in that party understand that the world is progressing without us because others listen, reflect and collaborate with one another? Does anyone in that party even TRY to visual a world and a country driven by the exponential growth of technology and new understandings of how things work? And if so, does anyone even attempt a dialogue on what we need to do to prepare?
Over and over, I am amazed about this. As a borderline traditionalist/baby boomer, the only explanation I have for this phenomenon is that dwelling on the past and holding it up as our model wraps us in a euphoria of fond memories of our younger days – days that for some, were days when race and gender prejudice ruled, and religious issues raged…and that was all ok.
But for the good of the country, we can only hope that once the Repos select a candidate, the emphasis will move AWAY from the Good Old Days to what we as a people need to do to catch up with the 21st century, and the GRAND OLD PARTY will have a choice…RETHINK or RETREAT to your smoke-filled rooms of the past and let our country get on with what we need to do to prepare us all for the New World we are already immersed in!

MY KEURIG INSTINCTS PROVEN CORRECT!

After years of buying, using, and then throwing out one version or another of the “Mr. Coffee” style coffee maker, in the early 1990s, I became a convert and invested in a Krups Espresso machine.

It served me well for twenty years, but a couple years ago, it died and I was off on a search for a new alternative….and discovered that in the 20 years, the world of coffee makers had changed significantly!  The popularity of coffee houses, along with normal price inflation had forced the cost of espresso machines skyward.  The new “inexpensive” was in the $400 range; with prices escalating to the thousands.  The only good news was, one had a LOT of choices.

At first, not willing to invest that much money, I searched for alternatives and discovered the coffee pot had been replaced by the Keurig system…it was everywhere.  But space for the pot, as well as a tree of little cups on my countertop was not a welcome option…not to mention my suspicion of what it would taste like.  I imagined it much like the little cups of fake cream seen everywhere plus I wondered how “green” this product was.  A bit of discussion at the store and a tasting and I determined it was not for me… I went home with a brand new Krups –three times the price of the old one, but if it lasted another 20 years, it was worth it right?

WRONG.  It died in a year. So back to the store again – only to find that Keurig had multiplied as had the espresso machines and there were not many other alternatives.

Not wanting either, I finally bought a FARBERWARE Percolator on Overstock.com and now enjoy a fast-brewing, great-tasting, hot cup of coffee every morning – brewed not from a specialty bean, home ground, but from a can of Folgers – just like my mom used to serve!  I love it!

And this morning, the STRIB included an article about that Keurig I was suspicions of…it seems 46% of dollars spent on coffee or espresso makers last year went to the purchase of Keurigs-with consumers opting for convenience  rather than environmental impact. It seems the cups are difficult to recycle –in fact they are not bio-degradable.  Even Keurig is quoted as saying “we understand the impact of the K-cup portion pack waste stream is one of our most significant environmental challenges.” 

In this case, I think some things old should be new again, and the ease, low-cost, and quality of a cup of coffee brewed in a percolator has my vote!

I THINK IT’S CATCHING ON…

Slowly but surely, our collaborative platform for creating interactive experiences that tell client stories is bubbling to the surface in our industry, finally following trends long seen emerging in Europe since the mid-2000s.

Progressive, high-end magazines such as EVENT DESIGN and EVENT MARKETER sponsor industry shows that focus on that transition – and of course, EXHIBITOR’S Gravity Free Design Show remains for me, the Piece de Resistance – although every year I dream of attending and have not made it yet!

And what about PCMA- long the innovative leader on the meeting planning side?  Back in the 80s, the original CLC’s CMP certification program was based on the PCMA “Professional Meetings Management”; that 1985 First Edition was my own study guide when I became one of the first five CMPs in Minnesota. Today, they’ve made the leap, taking risks, experimenting with integrating digital tools, learning lounges, and changing up that old general session in their last couple national conferences.   Industry trades are a-buzz with the result of their efforts and I sense a critical mass is gathering.

The glimmer of hope came last year when our first CRV Experience garnered not only local, national and international press as well as five ISES Star Awards, but in the background, I have continued to worry and fret about the 20^th century thinking that permeates our industry and keeps it mired down in ineffective general sessions and theme parties.

So I was uplifted yesterday when I attended the roll-out of the new sales and marketing efforts of Meet Minneapolis.  They have capitalized on the wave of the future; their market research and marketing plan was impressive-geared to opportunities to move forward.  Their redesign of the website clearly reflects a welcome change.  I’m looking forward to their Annual Meeting in March and to the Meeting Planner’s Seminar in April where the focus seems to be grounded in Creating the Experience.  I left that meeting charged up – committed to being a more active partner supporting their efforts.

And this morning’s Strib added icing to the cake with two feature stories.  Although the first was a report on the comeback of boating in Minnesota, its sub-theme caught my eye.  The show touts a new attraction – an indoor marina, complete with 20 boats “moored” at docks and a waterfront patio with food and live music.  The show producers certainly understand – they have created an experience that puts their Minnesota audience in the midst of a familiar dream – if only they owned a boat!  And they’ve added to that experience an opportunity to get wet with a Flow Rider ride that allows low body surfing, board surfing and wakeboarding in pseudo-waves.  Finally, amidst the lake/river illusion and the Parade of Boats, they have recreated a marine service center right on the floor.  “Fred’s Shed”, an interactive learning center offers tips on installing boat electronics, engine maintenance, upholstery repair with local marine service mechanics on hand to conduct the seminars. This is good stuff!  Although today I am not a boater, I may just have to attend that show – to learn from what they did and witness the energized crowd they will capture.

Finally, there was the “Tres geek” success story of Ralph Lauren as they embrace tech-driven digital marketing strategies- from 24-hour touch-manipulated storefront windows to iPhone apps to 4D events to a strong presence on the internet.  They too, understand.  To be relevant to shoppers, they need to be able to talk to their customers in channels where those customers spend their time.   As Ralph Lauren embraced high-tech interactive experiences, they joined Nordstrom and Tiffany’s and reaped strong sales in an industry that generally did not do so well.  A 14% plus increase in sales and 18% increase in profits is cause for celebration.

Yes, I think the world is catching on!

2011..WHAT A WHIRLWIND

Has it really been seven months since I last posted?

Anothe CRV event for 5000 meant a total of 5 days off between Memorial Day and October 1…significant siblings/spouses health issues…another flood at my home in Edina…and finally a move back to the Mpls  riverfront just before the holidays…and now I am off to physical therapy for a while to repair the damage.

I am so glad to bid 2011 farewell and so grateful for the support of two good  friends JJ and ML who accept me for who I am and were there to hold me up through some very troublesome times…and now I’m looking forward to a better 2012 wherever that takes me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

HOPE AND FEAR

Those of you that know me personally recognize the important role the IRIS – the symbol of HOPE –  plays in my world.

I have a guest bathroom filled with irises…my bedroom walls are hung with iris images – from Monet’s “Field of Irises” to a needlework collection of flowers hanging above the bed with the iris front and center; I often sport an iris pin when I am out and about; and from April to mid June, my home is decorated with irises from living room to dining room to kitchen….in preparation for a regular June visit to the IRIS GARDENS north of the metro area.  And through-out the year, every time I pick up my phone, the luscious blues and purples of my iris wallpapered home screen remind me to remain optimistic.

For me, the IRIS is the counter-weight to balance out a tendency to fall off that cliff of hope into the valley of depression – a state of mind so hard to climb back out of.

So with all that emphasis on hope surrounding me, one would think that it would not have taken me until this week to apply the correlation between hope vs. fear – to the political world we live in today

From Clinton’s roots in Hope, Alabama, to Obama’s Campaign of HOPE that led to the White House –as a moderate with left leanings, I generally relate to the Democratic view of the world……but only Tuesday when I read the STRIB – did I recognize hope as the counter-balance not only to depression but to the FEAR tactics of the far and mid-right Republicans. In her column that day, Gail Rosenblum labeled this state legislative year as the Year of Fear, and so much of that fear was unfounded. As I reviewed the list that forms the legacy of the 2011 MN Legislature, I could not agree more. 

Although elected to address the budget shortfall and temporary fiscal fixes that Pawlenty left behind in his wake, our Republican legislators instead, stuck to rhetoric and chose to lead by fear. 

“Rampant home intruders who should be shot.  Fraudulent voters who must be stopped.  Same-sex couples whose simple desire to love and be loved somehow threatens that right for others….a gun bill designed  to expand citizens’ ability to use deadly force in self-defense…” and this addresses our state’s troubled financial issues how?

  These people need a big bouquet of irises – it might help them find their way through this scary and threatening world in which they think we live.

Why, also on Tuesday, the fear I had been wrestling with that perhaps our summer work project would allude us was proven unfounded.  We learned we would move forward as partners with CRV to create the CRV Exposition. 

Watch for more in the Fall, when long after the delicate papery blooms that inspire me have disappeared…CRV employees will return to campus…Spreading Hope. 

I’m sure the world of irises that surround me right now had something to do with making that come to fruition!

ODE TO MR. “J”

And just when I needed it most – out of an almost forgotten past came rejuvenation and recommitment. Yesterday, I learned a significant influence in my life passed away. And I quote from the shared obituary:

Mr. “J” was passionately dedicated to the power and possibility of education… His educational innovations were many.  He brought the first musical to Staples and the first dinner theatre production to Rochester.  He advised the original creators of the Mantorville melodramas and sat on an early advisory board for the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.  By the late 1960s, he developed what is believed to be the very first high school television studio in the country.  In the 1980s, he left teaching to create the Rochester Instructional Television Studio…His hallmark was pushing his students to achieve…(and) throughout the years, students always found an open door and an even-handed assessment when academic or personal problems found them in need of someone to listen.

The Post Bulletin suggested Mr. “J” gave his students a “taste of success”.  And that taste, for me, was three-theatre filled years of personal accomplishments that taught me much about myself as he pushed me on ever-forward to explore my skills and talents and overall , gave me permission to be ME; then turned me over to Bob Wise at RJC as well as to his friends at the Rochester Community Theatre.

The theatre skills themselves are long-since forgotten; but the passion remains – as does the message I heard over and over from both Mr. “J” and Bob Wise:  In twenty years, no one will care about your grades or academic success.  You will be judged and rewarded on your love of life and how you use your leadership skills.  If only all students in the world has such wise council!

So I am sad for the world but glad for Mr. “J” that his battle with Parkinson’s ended this month.  And thanks to Dave who let me know, I am reminded that this man’s encouraging words captured forevermore in that ’63 Rochord will be there as the push to move me through this stormy time in my life:

As one of the “reliables” of the theatre department, you have been of invaluable help-how can we ever replace you.  Not only has your contribution affected the shows you worked on, but you have established a standard that people will be attempting to attain for years to come.  So you have actually contributed to the shows we will give in the future.  I shall always be grateful to you, but I hope theatre has been its own reward.  Best of luck for bigger and better partys.  – Mr. “J”

If only this kind of support and encouragement were available to every student, our world would be a better place.

And here’s hoping that Mr. “J” is smiling down from heaven – recognizing I may not have delivered all he sought from me, but, yes, I’ve had good luck in delivering “bigger and better partys”!

SUNSHINE PREDICTED TODAY…

And I am so hopeful it will help take me to a better place- if only for a few hours -away from the sorrow, struggles and tears that have been my constant companions in 2011.  I miss being the other me.

I am sincerely grateful to those that as I move thru my personal struggles, have quietly listened and supported and helped me survive- and have not judged, but understood I had no more to give.

And so for them, I need to push through this mountain of sadness and adversity before me…to deal with the issues, put them aside, and rebuild my life…one more time.

Maybe this time, the lessons will be learned, and I can move past those people and things that drain the “me” from this body.  And then I will be back renewed, with energy to support my family, and my passion for the river; and the rest will fall into place… or not.

REJUVENATION

For the last couple weeks, each time I am downtown, I plan some extra time so I can spend a few minutes waking out on the Stone Arch Bridge to the Falls observation point just past the Locks to absorb the power of the rushing water spill over the apron…tumbling, churning and filled with white caps.  As I’ve stood there in awe, shivering, I recommit that somehow, some way, I will be back and can again call the central riverfront not only my passion, but my home once again.  And then, I sadly turn and head back to the West Bank and my car-trying not to dwell on those awful circumstances that took me away from my daily infusion of energy I once received from my beloved riverfront.

So, on Tuesday night as I sat in the St. Anthony Falls Historic District Design Guidelines meeting and learned the MPRB had announced that Water Power Park would reopen the next day, I was ecstatic! No matter the length of the to-do list for the next CRV start-up, I was going to take a break and enjoy the opening day!

So yesterday I made a sandwich, filled my water bottle, donned my walking shoes and headed out for my first trek of the season around the Heritage Trail.

As I came over the bridge from Nicollet Island to East Bank, my eye caught the small patches of brilliant color as the first flowers poked through the dull brown leaves along the pathway and I knew I’d made a good choice to come to the river for lunch.  I needed this!

As I glanced over at Riverplace and the closed Picosa, I was reminded of a small piece I had read in the paper earlier – WILDE ROAST will soon be filling that space- adding more enjoyment to the summer river experience.  It almost diverted me to make a stop upstairs at Sentinel to tell my friends Mary and Kristi how excited I was that my favorite coffee house in the city will now reside in their building – but the mist in the air above the falls beckoned me to keep going along the pathway.

The sun was shining and it was almost 60 degrees; the early birds were dining al fresco at Pracna; the Astor Courtyard was being cleaned; Vic’s and Tugg’s decks still stood empty; and then, there it was -the unlocked gate of Water Power Park.   As I turned in and headed for the bridge that would lead me onto Hennepin Island, I picked up the pace a bit – anxious to get out to the point and become enveloped in the majestic river that runs through our city.

It took me a while, of course, as I had to stop at every observation point along the way to snap a picture and take in the power – and chat a bit with others doing the same.  Somehow we recognized that shared love of the river and openly shared our excitement with each other-as if we were –not strangers- but all good friends- another sign of the power of the river!

I sat on a bench up on the point, ate my sandwich, and committed to myself that somehow, some way, next year this was not going to be a special excursion in from the burbs but an every day experience.  Eventually I turned my back on the scene I wait all year for, returned to Main Street and continued along the trail over the Stone Arch to West Bank and the walk upriver to the post office, Hennepin Ave Bridge and finally my car. 

And then it was a rush to get back- get ready, and head to Apres’ Open House – for a wonderful evening visiting with old friends  in the warehouse filled with wonderful eventscapes, canopies, great food and good conversation  about the upcoming season.

I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the rites of Spring than the wonderful day I had yesterday!

IT MUST BE SPRING

I’ve listened in amazement once again to politicians trying to put together the state budget piecemeal and wondered if ANY ONE in government has ever been in business and done a budget?  I think not; they would know no favorite project gets a green light until viewed in the context of impact on an overall budget.

I’ve  survived the annual winter flurry of conferences  and awards  ceremonies.

I’ve smelled the earth at the Macy’s Flower Show and lunched at the Oak Grill with two dear friends.

I’ve washed my car and immediately covered it with mud as I left the garage and immediately fell into a pothole.

I’ve gotten sprayed by the turbulent Mississippi River as I stood on the Stone Arch Bridge and watched the water tumble over St. Anthony Falls.

I was just startled by a loud crash as the normal winter waterfall of ice off the side of the building collapsed into a mound of ice cubes  just outside my window. 

I’ve had two input sessions with the client contact and tomorrow have scheduled a team start up meeting for CRV 2011-just around the corner, waiting to steal away my summer.

I have filled my house with Easter Eggs and bouquets of irises to signal the hope of a winter soon gone.

I am tired of my winter black and gray attire and yearn for pink.

I am off to the launch of Unveiled Minnesota – a new concept in shows the Wedding Guys are bringing to the Minnesota market this fall.

 SURELY SPRING MUST NOT BE FAR BEHIND!