Now coming from Illinois and having worked for accounting departments, both as an outside consultant and in house employee. Regardless of all that hoopla and poopa about my work experience, their is still one thing about how some cab companies do their accounting practices that have me totally baffled me .

When you buy something you usually get a receipt. When employees pay for gas, trip sheet accounting charges ($4+), line item trip fees($1.50+/trip) and God only knows what else. You never get a damn receipt.

Now from my background, how many different scenarios can you manage to admit to when never giving a receipt for those kinds of transactions. Does that mean they have literally no accountability as to the charges they tell the people. With no receipt they have no accountability to you or to anybody else for that matter. Or maybe they do and I just do not understand it!

The Union people that I spoke to only had the idea that it only mattered when you the driver did their taxes long form. That was the only response they could muster. I am shocked they gave me that kind of answer?

Which brings me to my original thought about my opinion of unions. Why shouldn't unions give you complete access to law libraries that directly and indirectly effect your business. Help compile valuable city , state, national stats that also impact your business information decisions. Are they always giving you all of the right information. Or isn't your brother watching out for you!

What that means to me is a considerable question. Given the uncharted thought that we have given unions some kind of credit or mystical power for being in the business of managing your business with management. Now, one would think that if you put all your eggs all in one basket, that all of you should be watching that basket real good. But no, you really do not know what to do or think either. And then a natural vicious cycle begins.

The paradigm that taxi and livery companies find themselves in, is not always a good place to be. Take the more aggressive companies that selling the road is where they will maximize the future of the company here is Las Vegas and staying in the forefront of gross earnings and in the same future. Service to the local little guy gets minimized and the system fails the local riders.

All dispatch services for the most part are the same all over the world.

Consider the paradigm of a Preacher and MayTag. They made it so that they were both working to put themselves out of business by being so good.

Consider the paradigm of a Taxi Authority that explains that they are there for the drivers as the state constitutions claims it is. And never allows anyone to make comments until the very end of the meeting which could last for 3 or more hours.

Consider the paradigm of any taxi/livery drivers with the demands that the companies make of the drivers here, as shifts are still being constantly blown in almost every company every single day. Working almost 10-12 hours/day, 5-7/days per week and puts up with crap like that, then God help us all.

I have never seen a more confused bunch of people. The culture is setup and arranged. With more and more professionals being pushed into the market place as more companies merge and are sold off and pension funds are being raided legally. Hopefully, that will be good for all of us as more will see through the blinders.

In conclusion:

Why isn't it completely evident that when a business looses it luster as the taxi business has in Las Vegas that there isn't a union that is suppose to be there for it's member to make it easier for transitions into other fields. So that people are not left stranded by low wages they can not control and being regulated to death.

Why is it they just want you to call them a brother when you pay your dues. Well, are we just so jaded about blurred lines created by marketing events constantly being pounded with disinformation regarding what we are suppose to feel about the definitions of families. My brother & sister have always been with me through thick and thin before we became dysfunctional.

Example: Without being labeled Corporate Raiders, major companies across the board are raiding pension funds like a child when the parents are not home and the cookie jar is too tempting.

Almost like a corporate fad, even though they already know insurance rates are at an all time high and wages are moving to lowest levels across the board than they have for so many people, probably in recorded post union history. (per capita)

And oh yes, the economy is picking up as more and more people go back to work for less money. When the fact of the matter is, the country we are so proud of, seems to be nibbling away at all of our financial resources. And they are doing it legally, while our children are fighting a war to allow them to continue nibbling. And "By the Way", The Children are dying for it!

In my humble opinion, it has been the middle class that has made this country strong & great. Albeit, with the unions of old helping that issue along. Ok, so let me get this straight now. You need to pick union leaders as if you are a stock holder in a company. You are going to pick a leader that can navigate you through unseen or unknown waters.  Union members need to be more knowledgeable and unions need to help them be that way. Leaders need to make environments conducive to learning and make the challenge of learning a life saving skill in a culture of almost total uncertainty. When the middle class is finally awoken out of its slumber, watch out, there will not be any stopping it, from coming.

A 9-11 defendant claims that Timothy McVeigh was a hero. click the link and "Check it out"    (At Bloomberg.Net)
" Spencer asked Moussaoui about Timothy McVeigh, who was executed in June 2001 for his role in the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. ``Yes, the greatest American,'' Moussaoui said. Testimony two days ago by Army Lt. Col. John Thurman about his narrow escape from the burning Pentagon building was ``pathetic,'' Moussaoui said. ``I was regretful that he didn't die.'' He also agreed with Spencer's question about whether it was a high calling to participate in the Sept. 11 attacks. ``You'd do it again tomorrow, wouldn't you?'' ``Yes, today,'' Moussaoui said "

To contact the reporters on this story:
Bill Arthur in Washington at barthur@bloomberg.net;
Nadine Elsibai in Washington at nelsibai@bloomberg.net

No one has any answers. Or in a very surrealistic way, they act like they are very optimistic. Oh yeah, and the ones that are really optimistic, are getting paid to be optimistic, or were not born here. Haven't seen it when it was at it's peak and have not seen it erode. Or are at least one of those that are still getting paid. And hopefully we as a nation of sovereign people can learn to make governments compete for your tax money. Turn the marketing of corrupt corporations and government officials on it's ear and find a way to make them compete for your money to improve services.

It may appear that all of the talk & joking is anti government or anti American. If we can set the stage for a more accurate description of our situation and refuse to continue to believe all the hype, maybe somehow in these times we can learn to rebuild the middle class. If diversifying cultures is the answer to world peace, then everyone must make the concerted effort and take advantage of this for the benefit of their families. All American families. Not just one set. With the American public family paychecks being put on the chopping block financially we must find a way to turn things around so that we can all benefit.

When you get time, study the report below or at least learn as much as you can about the industry you work in.

"Making Taxi Service Work in San Francisco"

That's all for now.........

Milestone.