From The Depths of Hiding I return

Hello forgetful fans!!

I am dropping a quick note to let you all know, if you still care which I am sure that you do not, that I will be writing again for my blog. Why? Oh I don't know. When? Soon, maybe after my nap today. Why? Again, I don't know so stop asking. Where I have been? Well, I can say that I have been in the witness protection program, but that would be a lie. All I can say is that my absence has been attributed to my writing for another site...a site I stopped writing for awhile back. Why? Well I didn't like the way the site was run and I didn't like how I changed my style to fit their site. To add to my misery, I have recently returned to office work and I am now in the unenviable position of having returned to lowly cubicle squatter. The interesting part is that I have been given a raise and a title...how that happened is beyond me but here I am.

And, during the last year I have been witness to an ceaseless stream of evil office politics to which spurred my return to my safe haven of a site..EVIL OFFICE POLITICS!!!

So, in the coming days and weeks, my dear readers, you can be assured that I will be divulging all the dirty bits and mind games that you have come to need and love.

Yes, I will be filling this site with enough dirty laundry to fill the twelve story glass box of an office I work in.

I do hope you will check back in and keep returning as you once did. I so appreciated your interaction and replies.

Alright have to run..boss is coming to lecture me.

Talk to you all soon.

Where oh where have I been....?

Dear loyal Evil Office readers. I wanted to update you as to my recent MIA status. Well, I can explain it as this: I need to make more money! That's the bottom line, simple and easy to understand. Yes, my resolution was to dive head long into the world of business, that I criticize so callously. You see, I have been ignoring my duties as of late and it has affected me financially. And, to all my broke brothers in arms, I could not sympathize with you more.

So, in an effort to keep my fiscal responsibility in the black, and to treat a certain lady like she should be treated, (right L.? xx) I have to lay off the posting for awhile. Yeah, like there will be many tears.

But never fear! I will be posting, just not as regular. Look for a new post every couple of days. But please keep coming by here, and please also visit my other column at Blogcritics.

I thank you for your patronage, and I hope the new year finds you all well. As for me, I hope the new year finds me rolling naked on the floor over a big pile of money! If that happens, I will definitely post pictures...um, then again, maybe some moments are better left to the imagination.

Peace out....

T.

More Cartoons!!!

Hello everyone. Hope you all had a merry Festivus, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other pagan ritual you secretly indulged in. As for my past days, lets just say they were a mixed bag. Some fun, and some not so fun moments. All I can say is that a few "merry" beverages certainly made all the days bearable.

Anyway, I felt some office humour was well needed for those of us who are not quite ready to slip back into the worn out ass prints on our cubicle chairs. And, here they are:


And yet one more for you to all relate too:



Hoped you like those, now get back to work! Hopefully Evil Office Politics work!

Later

T.

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My Christmas Post...This one's not so Evil.

Loyal Office Politics Readers. First off, I would like to wish all of you Happy Holidays, and all the best in the coming new year.

If there is one thing I would like to give all of you, is the great gift I received some time ago, that has given back to me many, many times over. I was lucky enough to know somebody who had sponsored a child. They had told me the benefits they received from such an action. I was skeptical at first, believing that most of these companies were just in for a profit with little money was actually making it down to the children. But, after some research, and friendly assurances, I decided to make the commitment, and support a needy child.

I was unprepared for the amount of love I have received from my sponsored child, a young eight year old from West Niger, Africa. Zachary sent me a letter not a month after him and I were brought together. This letter, translated on the back, was full of positive, upbeat comments and many thanks for my decision.

Since that day, two years ago, Zachary and I have exchanged many letters and small gifts. Each time I get one of his letters, I am filled with much emotion, and I stop whatever I am doing just to focus on what he has printed. His letters have improved so much, and his enthusiasm is never ending. When I think of him,I can think of no better decision I have made in my life. I honestly feel a bond with him that is akin to blood. He, in some way, is my own.

I am not here to preach to you. I am also not here to tell you which organization I am with, that is something you have to find for yourself. All I am here to do is to tell you that life is about giving, it's about taking what little you may have , and sharing it with people who have less. That is the real gift in life.

So I ask, while you are reading this, to stop for a moment and consider the possibility of making a commitment to someone you have never met. But think seriously before you react, this is a life long decision. You cannot be half way about it. They need you to be a solid foundation for them in a world that is full of hardships.

I may not be with Zachary for many more years, his family is doing better, and are on their way to becoming self sustainable. But, in the years I am in his life, I will consider him my own child. And like many parents who talk about their children, I couldn't be a more proud father.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all.

T.

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14 Truly Evil Companies

I wrote this for Blogcritics, but since I also posted that article here, I thought this follow-up article was also needed.

My last post, "The Apprentice-Randal is Evil", brought about some heated debate. I was glad for the chance to hear your comments, and thoughts, about your concept of evil. For that, I thank you. But, as the comments went on, there was one notion that struck a cord with me: the concept of ethics in the business environment.

Most of us would like to believe that companies are more aware of ethical issues, and are conducting their businesses within such framework. I, also, would like to think that there is some accountability taking place, but, something about the idea of capitalism just won't let me believe that everyone is onboard. Especially big business.

Ethics, to me, seem to be opposed to the idea of capitalism. The concept of a free market seems restricted when wrapped in the tight fabric of ethics. I could be wrong, I'm sure Rodney (a commentor from the last post) would think I am. I just didn't know.

So, as any good researcher would do, I spent some time on the information highway. Now, I am well aware that a large percentage of information on this medium cannot be constituted as "truth", but I am also aware that my local, and national, news source may not be impartial either. News is also a business. And, they, too, must also succeed by any means they feel necessary. So, in saying that, I had to take all information as suspicious.

Now I searched for awhile, and eventually landed on an article titled "Most Wanted Corporate Human Rights Violators of 2005." This title tickled me in my evil spots, so I investigated further.

This article, listed here, went on to outline its findings on the 14 most abusive companies, and the crimes they have been accused of committing. The list is interesting to say the least. Whether or not I believe such accusations is of no relevance. I leave such decisions to you.

What is interesting is that I, personally, have supported a few of these companies on a regular basis. I can even go so far as to say that I have more than paid the salary of at least one executive, at the Coca Cola company, with the amount of their sweet concoctions I have ingested. Sad, I know, but true. (Secretly, I'm still searching for the article that states Coke still puts real Coke into their soft drinks. That I would believe.)

This article, however truthful, did give life to the wooden cogs in my head. I began to ask myself a few questions. Would I support a company who knowingly abused human rights? Would I buy products from a company who used child labor? Would I even take the time to find out what a company was doing outside the borders of this country, if I had a notion it wasn't right?

I would like to think the answers to these questions would be no, no, and yes, but I just don't know. Let's say that I did find out that Coke was indeed guilty of the crimes mentioned in this article. Would it stop me from consuming my daily 300 milliliters of the dark magical syrup? Umm, I guess I could go cold turkey. I mean we are talking human rights here. And because of that, my mild addiction can be cast aside. I am not totally without heart.

What if Wal-Mart was also guilty of the aforementioned human rights violations? Would I stop shopping for bargains there? Yes, I think I could avoid their super box stores, and find a local retailer who doesn't have eight year old kids sewing socks in the back room till all hours of the night. Yes, I could do that.

What if the company, who employed me right now, was conducting illegal activities in another country? Could I separate myself from my handsome salary, and find work with a less evil entity? Could I risk it? That, I don't know. I'm not sure if I could endanger myself, and my livelihood for the sake of morality. Again, sad, but true. I don't think I'm alone, either.

Where is your line? I mean, really, have you ever taken the time to find out exactly how your employer operates? Do you know where all your supplies are manufactured? In what countries? Do you even know where your company profits are going? Are they being rifled into the account of some company, or person, you know to be a criminal, a racist, or a radical? You don't know for sure, do you? Neither do I.

However truthful this article is, we are still left with the ethical dilemma it poses. How far would we go to not support companies who don't have any ethical frame work? And, how far we would let our lives be affected by our ethical beliefs?

I don't have all the answers for you, or for myself. Such things come with investigation, and reflection. The one thing I am sure of is that if I were to see these violations first hand, instead of hearing whispers escaping from third world countries, I would have no choice but to take a stand. That would also mean that I would have to take down the makers of the one thing that gets me through the day. And that is a small price to pay for ethics.

I await your thoughts...

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The Apprentice: Randal IS Evil!

Loyal readers, I watched, with extreme delight, as Randal was awarded a "position" with the Trump organization (not to go off topic, but I think his choice to work on the Atlantic City casino revamp was poor. Good luck pulling that billion dollar bomber out of its nose dive.).

Believe it, or not, I had secretly rooted for Randal all along. No, I'm not a bandwagon jumper. I honestly felt Randal was one of the most talented, and educated, participants ever to grace this reality template. He proved himself week after week, never losing a task he had control of. As for everyone else who participated, I say "blah". Yes, I said blah.

I know, right now you're belly aching "what about Rebecca, and her broken ankle?" For that, I will give her some credit, but, if you want to talk about someone who toughed out a broken ankle, then I give you Bobby Baun. For those of you who don't know, Bob played the overtime period, in game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup finals, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and scored the game winning goal. Then, two days later, played game 7 in its entirety, eventually going on to win the cup, and yes, he did all this with a broken ankle! To me, that's toughing it out. Hobbling around on some crutches, not so much. But, I digress.

The reality is Randal deserved to win. Those of you, who disagree, give your head a shake (preferably close to something sharp). Randal will be an asset to Trump, no doubt. How can I be so sure that Randal was the best choice? Wasn't he too nice to make it in the cannibalistic environment that is New York City? Hah! Randal proved he's got what it takes not even two minutes into his victory.

Trump, in a plotted move, attempted to pull the "everybody feels good" stunt when he inquired to Randal about Rebecca, prodding him to admit that she, too, was deserving of a position with the Trump organization. Randal, in all his post victory glory, was having nothing to do with this sad display. He shut her, and this lame exploit, down tout sweet. And with a chorus of boos ringing in his ears, Randal made it known that there was room for only one apprentice, him. As he put it, "this was The Apprentice, not The Apprenti." And with that, Randal stood, and extended his arms wide in victory. No one was going to dim his spotlight, not the production crew, not even Trump.

Bravo, Randal! Bravo! You, my friend, have shown America the way, the Evil Office way. For this I can only smile, and nod in approval.

I write many articles about this very type of behavior, maybe you've read one? Some of you agree with my Evil rants, rightly so. Some of you make it known, that such behavior, was to be avoided in the workplace, okay, I can see your point. But, some of you even went so far to call these deeds childish, unnecessary, and detrimental to the overall health of an office. To you, I can now laugh louder than before.

Randal proved my point. If you want to play with the big dogs, leave your compassion at the door. There is no room in a business career for it. You want to be compassionate? Find another career. Or, better yet, save the Mother Theresa act for after hours.

Personally, I'm very charitable, but do I bring that into my office? No, my acts of humanity are for my eyes only, not a tool for self promotion. My feet are firmly planted on the ground, not on a soapbox. But, when the office door closes, it's all business.

You can disagree all you want. I know you will. In the end, though, I know that the selfish path is the safest path. Do you honestly think Trump became a millionaire by being compassionate? How about Gates? Anyone who's read his life story knows that theft, manipulation, and greed were his tools to become one of the richest men on the planet. His recent charity, I believe, is a direct result of his marriage. His wife, bless her soul, was able to see through the fog of war, to a higher purpose. But that's easy to do when you're sitting on a pile of gold.

For the rest of us, until the day we can light cigars with hundred dollar bills, you'd better learn that emotional detachment is essential for personal success. The ladder you climb is only one person wide. If compassion drives you to want to stop, and let someone pass, then be prepared to have the soles of their shoes planted firmly in the middle of your face as they leap over you. And, in the end, the pain of my truth hurts a lot less than a wing tip kicking you in the face.

Ramble on.

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Office Cartoons Way Overdue...

It is Wednesday, or, for some of us, Humpday. Now, for those of you who are not feeling the "hump" part of the day, or for those of you who are feeling a little sore in the "hump" area, because of your manager, these toons are for you. Enjoy.


And for another little funny:




Have an Evil Day!

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