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<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">DO
BONUS AND INCENTIVE PLANS REALLY WORK?</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">American
companies differ from European companies in many ways. One significant
way that stands out currently is that European companies prize <i>longevity
of employment</i> over the American value of <i>quality of employment</i>.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Although
it is still easy to find older American companies that have paid everyone approximately
the same three to five percent increase each year just to keep people from leaving,
those companies often found their most productive, efficient and creative
superstars moving on for ten, fifteen or even twenty percent increases with
other employers. However, some of the average employees and most of the
mediocre performers were still around and being paid high above their competitive
wage range due to the compounding of those three percent increases every year. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">However,
American companies have for many years been focusing on pay for performance
or what economists call Merit Pay. And that�s what bonus and incentive plans
are all about.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
most successful companies are perfecting or turning to performance based compensation
and incentive programs. And they do so for many reasons. But most can
be summed up into two categories:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Incentives to expand highly productive or quality goals</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Incentives to correct or improve negative issues</font></p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Are
All Bonuses and Incentives Cash?</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Not
by a long shot. In the �2005 Survey of Motivation and Incentive Applications�
by The Incentive Foundation, They found that:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>83 percent of the respondents use merchandise and or travel in
sales incentive programs</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>72 percent use merchandise or travel in non-sales incentive programs</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>80 percent said that merchandise and travel awards are remembered
longer by the recipients than cash awards.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>The
Foundation of a Good Incentive Plan</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">James
Feldman, founder of a complex of companies focused on incentive and motivation
programs, and Dianne Landsman, editor of MediaTec Publishing (<a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>),
who produced a report on the benefits of incentives, say that the first order
of business must be to understand what motivates your specific group and what
it considers valuable. Otherwise the program cannot be personal or productive.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">They
say that �Most managers make the mistake of assuming that what motivates them,
will motivate everyone�. And that�s just not the case.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">For
example, they say, �Employees with large disposable incomes find free travel
and merchandise very exciting�. Those with less overall income, however,
might find that �free� still costs too much. They are inhibited by the
additional expenses of winning a �free trip� that might include buying new clothes
or a spouse losing income accompanying your employee on the trip. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�Public
recognition�, they say, �is generally a universal motivator�. Most employees
rate �regular recognition of my contribution� as one of the top drivers of employee
engagement. The size or value of the reward is secondary, as long as the
company is diligent in giving recognition when it is due.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
information in that report tells us that although the actual elements of any
incentive program must be based on the character of each corporation, it would
be best to target different categories of employees with incentives rewards
that will appeal to that group. A fairly typical breakdown might be into
these three groups:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Hourly employees</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Middle managers and professionals</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Executives or key leaders</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Hourly employees:</b> Hourly employees are generally not motivated
by travel or luxury merchandise. Their main concern is paying the monthly
bills. The incentives might include cash, but better motivators are:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 1.5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Wingdings">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Gift certificates</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 1.5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Wingdings">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Vouchers to restaurants, movie theatres</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 1.5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Wingdings">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Leisure and sport activities</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 1.5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Wingdings">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Family together activities</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">If
travel is used, it�s best to use a fully hosted travel group, a package that
would include the airfare, hotel, meals and some pre-paid activities.
These are especially valued if they include their peers. These are things
that they might not regularly provide for themselves.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Middle managers and professionals:</b> This includes sales people.
These employees often have equity in their homes, their cars and their careers.
Travel rewards have a much greater appeal to this group because they are more
flexible with their time and their income. Incentives should address their
incomes, education and interests. Flexibility, convenience, individual
travel (as opposed to group travel) and recognition are important. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
3<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Executives:</b> This includes owners. These individuals,
although highly active and busy, have more free time and significant disposable
income. Many travel first class, indulge in fine foods and expect the
best. They prize multiplicity of choice, individual attention, personalized
treatment and recognition of their status. The reward should be
something they would normally have provided for themselves. </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">
</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Although the word �free� is a very compelling word to them, money is not their
great motivator. They can generally provide these things for themselves.
Recognition, high style and travel to expensive places normally not available
to the general public are valued. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
the end, the best plans are uncomplicated, easily explained and understood,
with goals that are attainable, with the clear understanding of what to do to
achieve them and the assurance that the rewards you offer are the rewards that
inspire them.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Do
bonus and incentive plans work? They do if you set them up and run them
right. </font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center">
<font face="Verdana" color="#008000">Have an employment question?</font></h2>
<h3 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><font face="Verdana">Send it to
<a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">
[email protected]</a></font></h3>
<p style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="2">
Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company
identification will be kept confidential.</font></b></p>
<hr>
<h2 align="left"><b><u><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hitchhiking on the Information
Highway</font></u></b></h2>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font
size="4" color="#FF0000">Dateline: June 2007</font></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Note. Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first
of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several
monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information
as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be
released.</font></i></p>
<p> </p>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="3729">
<tr valign="top">
<td width="100%" height="3702">
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
Changing U.S. Workforce</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
world and everything in it is always changing. Nothing in nature
is stagnant; everything is in motion, all the time. To see where
you are going to be in the future, you need only identify where you
are now and the direction in which you are going. Draw a line
from where you are and extend it through the direction you are going
and you will see where you are going to be. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So
much is changing in our American workforce that it is worthwhile to
occasionally look at some those changes we can identify and get a
glance at where we might be. A recently published research by
two Southern California professors, James O�Toole and Ed Lawler entitled
�Work In America� compares the workforce of the early 1970s with today�s
workforce. The authors conducted a similar study in 1973 and
have compared the results.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><b> </b></p>
<div align="left">
<table border="0" width="94%" id="table21" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><b>1973</b></i></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>Most
workers were caucasian, male and working for the employer they
intended to be with for life. One third of all women were secretaries.</i></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="5">2006</font></b></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Women
make up the majority of the workforce and in at least 5 states
Caucasians are in the minority. 70% of all new entrants into
the workforce are women, minorities and immigrants. Women make
up more than half of all supervisors, all new nusiness owners
and college graduates. </font>
<hr>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><b>1973</b></i></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>The
majority of all workers surveyed said that they�re jobs were
�dull, repetitive, seemingly meaningless tasks offering little
challenge� and �are causing discontent among workers of all
levels�</i></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="5">2006</font></b></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
direct contrast to media reports of employee dissatisfaction,
90% of workers report that they are happy or satisfied with
their jobs. Most of the tedious , dull tasks have been automated
or outsourced. Most employees actually state that they are now
happier with their jobs than with their personal lives. A major
part of this increased satisfaction is because women and minorities
have made high strides in career opportunities and pay. </font>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Their
research leads them to believe that the longer hours most
workers put in are actually because they like their jobs and
are more focused on the development, social interactions and
rewards of their work than on family, hobbies or personal
health. Also e-mail and other modern technology has made it
easier to take their work with them.</font></p>
<hr>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><b>1973</b></i></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>Companies
intended to keep their employees forever so they trained them
broadly. They may provide tuition aid for almost any type of
education. They offered more complete benefit packages providing
full medical coverage. They recognized longer years of service
and rewarded that as �loyalty�. Retirement plans had a guaranteed
amount at retirement. It was not a very large retirement but
it was guaranteed.</i></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="5">2006</font></b></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">After
the explosion of technical knowledge in 1981, employees became
more loyal to their technology and careers as the best trained
among them found that their earnings increased tremendously
as they moved on to companies that were more technologically
advanced. Today most companies know if . they train employees
in skills and knowledge outside the companies needs, they�re
more likely to lose them sooner. </font>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Also
today companies are more likely to base pay on performance.
Bonuses Profit sharing and stock ownership plans are tied
to results. And guaranteed retirement amounts have pretty
much been replaced by 401 (k) and savings retirement plans,
which have the potential to make retirees millionaires. </font></p>
<hr>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><b>1973</b></i></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>1973
Unions represented about 25 percent of all U.S. Workers. This
was down from about 35 percent in the late 1940s. The big union
hammers were safety, benefits, job protection and wages</i></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="68" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="5">2006</font></b></font></td>
<td valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2006
Unions today represent about 8 percent of the private industry
workforce and that number continues to go down nationally. As
the government laws that unions demanded resulted in the government
taking most of the control over safety, Benefits, job protection
and wages. The only segment of the American workforce where
union membership is growing is in government workers. As the
number of government workers increases at all levels (federal,
state, county and municipal) so does that segment of union membership.
</font>
<hr>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:60.0pt"> </p>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table17" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="78">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�If your
dream is a big dream, and if you want your life to work on the
high level that you say you do, then there�s no way around doing
the work it takes to get there�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><i>-Joyce
Chapman</i></b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"> </h1>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Changes
In The World Workforce </font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Beyond
the research cited above, there are other changes of interest in today�s
global workforce. Here are a few examples:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Paid
Leave for Dogs </u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
the United Kingdom there is a growing trend toward paid time off to
tend to your pets.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Immigrants
<i>to</i> Ireland?</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Faced
with a booming economy and low unemployment, Ireland will issue its
first green cards to attract workers to their industries such as construction,
health care and financial services. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Maybe
They Don�t Talk Very Well</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Job
cuts in the media were up 88 percent in 2006. This trend is
expected to continue. Actually the heaviest cuts were in the
print media as media organizations shift their focus to electronic
communications, primarily the Internet.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Alaska
Jobs Going Begging</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
main attraction to moving to Alaska has traditionally been the extremely
high wages. However, as the wage rates and salaries in the lower
48 have, in the last 8 years, risen to meet Alaskan wage rates, that
is no longer a big draw. And as their workforce ages and is
beginning to retire its once premium packages can no longer attract
that relocation.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>America
Slipping?</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">As
the media is convincing Americans that we are all working too hard
and need more paid time off, earlier retirements and more fun at work,
it appears that we are actually paying attention. Although we
are still one of the world�s top two most productive nations (Australia
passed us up in 2005), our productivity rate began falling behind
in 2006. We were number six on the productivity growth ladder
behind Finland, Japan, Germany, Britain and France. Although we still
were more productive than all of them, their rate of productivity
growth for 2006 surpassed ours.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<p>
</div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout">
<div align="center">
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table19" height="87" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td height="109" valign="top">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�To become
different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what
we are�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><i>-Eric
Hoffer</i></b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p>
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center"> <b><font size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Women
Hate Marriage?</font></b></h2>
</span>
<div align="center">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:.5in"><b>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">As
we seem to be bashing the media this month, let�s finish up here by
putting in one more jab. The media in print and TV reported
excitedly in January that women no longer seemed to want to be married
due to the confined restriction of marriage and the lack of any need
for men in their lives. The announcements were from a study
conducted by The New York Times wherein they reported that 51 percent
of women, as of 2005, have no spouse. They announced that married
couples in the U.S. are now in a minority. They observed that
women are delighting in their newfound freedom. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
lengthy article quoted several women who felt that the restrictions
and burdens of family life make it a very undesirable choice for women
today. The report suggested that government laws, public policy
and the American workplace should no longer be designed around the
concept of marriage. Reading the headlines and watching the TV sound
bites seemed to announce a revolution against marriage and family.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">However,
Thomas Sowell, an economist, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute
and the author of several books on economics and social issues decided
to read the fine print in the study and discovered something that
was not in the sound bites or had been buried in that fine print.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sowell,
reports that the study included girls from age 16 and up. It
also included women who were widowed and divorced and women whose
husbands were in the military or in prison. At age 16
few girls are married yet. Widowed and divorced women had been
married and many had been so many times. Wives with husbands
in the military and in prison were in fact married. But the
headline �<b>51% of Women Live Without A Spouse</b>� and the first
few quotes from the doomsayers presented a different story.
In reality, Sowell stated, only one fourth of women, including the
16 year olds, have never been married.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sowell
also pointed out the fallacy of another widely accepted media myth,
that more than half of all marriages end in divorce. Those figures,
he reported are based on the comparison between the number of marriages
and the number of divorces in one specific year. In that year,
there were half as many people who filed for divorced as there were
people who married. That, he stated, has no bearing on the vast
numbers of people who are married and who are divorced. In the
following year, there may well be more people who marry than who file
for divorce. The reality, says Sowell, is that far more marriages
last than end in divorce.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table20" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�The family
is the nucleus of civilization�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><i>-Will
Durant</i></b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table></div>
<blockquote><hr width="75%">
<p></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<table border="0" width="33%">
<tr>
<td width="64%" valign="top">
<div style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1; padding-left: 4; padding-right: 4; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1">
<p align="left"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="100%" valign="top">
<h3><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$5.15/hr. (see below)</font></h3>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="13%" valign="middle" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Average
Income:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber4" height="76">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="76">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber5">
<tr>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Hourly</font></b></td>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Weekly</font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber6" height="50">
<tr>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"> <u><font size="-1"><b>May</b></font></u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2006</u></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$16.66</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>May</b></font></u></font></span><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
2007</u></span></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$18.59</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>May</b></font></u><b><u>
2006</u></b><br>
</font></span>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$561.11</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>May</b></font></u><b><u>
2007</u></b></font></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$577.47</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40" colspan="2">
<h3 align="center"><span style="text-decoration: none"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></span></h3>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">One
(1) Person<br>
</font></u></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$10,160</font>
</td>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Family
of Four</font></b></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$19,806</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
</font><table border="0" width="100%">
<b></b><tr>
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<td width="37%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>IRS Mileage Allowance :</b></font></p>
</td>
</font></b><center><b></b><td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><b>
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">48.5</font><font face="Verdana" size="-1">
cents</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
per mile</font></b></div>
<div align="left"><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">20
cents per mile for medical travel or moving purposes</font></b></div>
<div align="left"><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">14
cents per mile for travel for charitable organizations<br>
</font></b></div>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Postage:</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="68%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.39</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.24</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.24</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
</table>
<table border="0" width="98%">
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Population:</u></b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="82%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>World</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">6.5 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%" valign="top">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">300
Million</font>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>One
birth every 8 seconds<br>
One death every 13 seconds<br>
One new immigrant every 30 seconds<br>
Net gain = 1 person every second</i></font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="1" width="99%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr> <b>
<td width="48%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">U.S.
Workforce</font></b></p>
</td>
</b>
<center>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>
<font size="-1">
May
2006</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <u><span style="font-weight:700">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
May
</font></span> </u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
<b> 2007</b></u></font></td>
</b>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">U.S. Civilian Workforce</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">151,051,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">152,762,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font size="-1">Number Employed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">144,045,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
145,943,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Number Unemployed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">7,006,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<font size="-1">6</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">,819,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><span style="text-decoration: none">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Persons Who Currently Want A Job</font></span></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4,679,000</font></span></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4,928,000</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Unemployment Rate</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font size="-1">4.6</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font size="-1">4.5</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">PRODUCTIVITY
OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE</font></b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours
it took to produce it)</font></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1992</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1993</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1994</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.3%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1995</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1996</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1998</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1999</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2000</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2001</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.1%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2002</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2003</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4.5%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font size="-1"><b>2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1">4.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2005</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3.0%</font></span></td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="21"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>