You Didn't Ask (But I'm Going to Tell Anyway)

Observations from far and wide:

• So, according to a recent study, spanking children leads to more aggressive adults. Another study suggests that spanked children later have increased risks of sexual problems. My father would beg to differ, whose only concern about spanking was that it leads to a sore hand. His.
  

• Hierarchy and 'silos' are two huge drains on any organization. Productivity, creativity, service, profitability and growth are all undermined. While a rigid hierarchy may be good in the military, and certainly helped Henry Ford's concept of manufacturing, it long ago lost its usefulness. The same with silos. Arbitrary boundaries that become walls separating functions within organizations lead only to poor communication, diminished collaboration, and internal competition. Tell me I'm wrong.

• Beware as the economy improves. Many gainfully-employed people have already begun their search for new jobs. As we've mentioned a number of times here, the manner in which companies have treated their people during these difficult economic times is taking its toll. While there's still some time to prevent the exodus, the clock is ticking. Loudly.
  

• There should be a mechanism to cite cigarette smokers who drop their butts anywhere but in an ashtray or garbage receptacle. My suggestion: An app that forwards a photo of an offender's license plate to the local police who then sends a $250 ticket to the creep. An advanced version of the app will have face recognition capabilities, so those who think it's just fine to drop a butt on the sidewalk will have to pay, too. Think of the revenue-generating possibilities. Another public service from TJOW.
  

• We also need an app to ticket those who drive under the speed limit in any but the slow lane (That's the one on the far right!), or those who avoid merging until the very last moment -- thus causing traffic jams. An app, using GPS technology, that captures date, time, location and speed and forwards this information with the culprit's license plate photo to the appropriate authorities. The ticket for the slow-mergers should be $1,000. (Jail time seems a bit harsh, but I can be persuaded.)
  

• Back to the workplace for a moment. An important equation to keep in mind for anyone interested in being an effective leader: [Communication (timeliness and accuracy) : Performance : Respect]. That is, the timeliness and accuracy of information communicated directly influences the recipient's job performance and, in turn, the recipient's belief that he/she is respected. The implications? Choosing not to share important information hinders a person's ability to perform well and undoubtedly jeopardizes trust -- an essential element in retaining employees. Good news is easy to communicate. But when it comes to bad news, you're doing no one any favors by not talking about it openly or sharing feedback about poor performance. Quite the contrary. And remember: Your employees already know because there are no secrets. Tell me I'm wrong.
  

• Since resigning as Governor of Alaska nearly a year ago, Sarah Palin has reportedly earned over $12 million from her book and speaking engagements. While some may question her intelligence, I, for one, will never do so again. She's clearly a step ahead.
  

• Notice how the widespread anger about Wall Street, the probe of Goldman Sachs and the BP catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico (which is still spewing over 200,000 gallons a day, every day) seems to have quieted the Republican Party? I guess it's hard to scream in support of things that the vast majority of Americans are sick of. A silver lining, to be sure, but one that's coated with an oily muck.

• Given that all of their remedies have failed thus far, BP is now considering stuffing the hole at the bottom of the Gulf with shredded automobile tires and, wait for it, wait for it: golf balls. Yes, my friends, golf balls. No one can make this stuff up.
  

Have fun this week. Please.

Another Bad Week for the Good Guys

Last week we watched as three stories -- one a nightmarish continuation from the prior week -- caused many to ask the question, "Is this your idea of a fun time?" Because it certainly isn't mine.

Let's start where we left off: In the Gulf of Mexico.

Burn, baby, burn. That's apparently a large part of the brilliant plan of BP, the owner of the well and of the oil continuing to spill into the Gulf at about 200,000 gallons a day: Burn it. Reminds one fondly of the days when the Cuyahoga caught fire as a result of the sludge dumped into the river by the local U.S. Steel plant. Remember that, Cleveland? Fun times, no? Well, we're reliving those wild times out in the Gulf, where controlled burning (a wonderful oxymoron, no?) is one approach being taken to deal with the millions of gallons of crude oil gushing from a hole in the gulf's floor 5,000 feet deep.

A call for marshmallows, we're told, went unanswered.

The other major thing BP is doing? Get this: They're planning on 'capping' the hole with a 100-ton dome-like structure and then pumping the oil from the dome into containers on the surface. This, they say, will capture 85% of the oil. If, they say, they can position the dome securely over their broken well. BP spokespeople have reminded us that the well is 5,000 feet beneath the surface and an operation of this type has never before been attempted. Remarkably, BP is making no promises.

This plan sounds suspiciously like something you'd see on a Saturday morning cartoon. (They still have cartoons on Saturday morning, don't they?) Something Wile E. Coyote might drop on the Road Runner? Shipped in a box marked 'Acme 100-ton Well-capping Dome.' And in smaller print, 'Position with care.' And in even smaller print, 'Don't expect this to work.' Looney Tunes, to be sure.

And even if it should work, what about the remaining 15% of the oil? Sorry, BP, that's still a lot of oil on the loose. Assuming 200,000 gallons per day, we're still looking at -- quite literally -- 30,000 gallons every day. Gonna burn that, too?

Let's put this in the 'We Refuse to Learn' column: There have been major oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico before. Namely in 1979, 2005, 2008, and 2009. You think, somewhere along the line, that we'd get smart. No such luck, I guess.

Enough of this! If you must drill, drill in a place where a spill won't have CATASTROPHE written all over it. A place we don't care much about. I'm thinking Arizona. (More on that in a moment.)

Merge, baby, merge. Last week, United Airlines and Continental Airlines announced plans to merge and, in the process, become the world's largest air carrier. The new company will be called 'United Airlines' and the planes will have Continental's logo on their tail. Love that they're sharing.

As a frequent United passenger, I've been receiving information from the company touting the wonderful benefits the merger will provide me, their valued customer. One airline with gazillion routes to cities far and wide, Continental's new fleet of aircraft, superior in-flight service, the opportunity to have access to both frequent flier programs, the joy of being associated with the world's largest carrier.

Oh, pa-lease. Like this is a good thing. Maybe for investors. Certainly not for anyone else.

Here's what they should be telling us:

• Flexibility will decline as routes are consolidated
• Fares will, as a result, increase
• Layoffs -- of support staff (e.g., HR, Finance, IT), management, and in-flight crews in both airlines -- will occur
• Unionized workers will get squeezed, as compensation and benefit plans are 'aligned'
  
• Despite a public declaration that Continental's Houston offices will remain, further downsizing will undoubted occur given that United is headquartered in Chicago
• In-flight service will likely decline given the lack of competition
• It's already difficult to cash in those frequent-flier miles; now it will be nearly impossible
  
• Airports, especially those now serving both United and Continental will certainly take a hit
  

I don't know about you, but I like a real choice when I fly. This merger lowers my degree of freedom by one. And that makes me cranky.

Crash, baby, crash. Who would have ever thought that Greece would be the center of the world's economy? (We're talking modern times. Not when Zeus was roaming the streets looking for trouble.) Yet, here we are. Greece's economic woes are now our economic woes. Need proof? How about the stock market's plunge last week? Nearly 1,000 points down on Thursday, before a 'rally' left the Dow only 348 lower than when the trading day had begun. And that was just Thursday.

Suspicions abound about the cause of Thursday's incredible swing. A human error -- someone pressing a 'B' for billion rather than 'M' for million? Or a computer-generated selling spree? If a computer is ever going to get us, a la the HAL 9000 of 2001: A Space Odyssey fame, this is how it will happen.

And that's just us? What of Greece -- where protests and rioting are widespread in an effort to curb the government's plan to curtail public services. Talk about fun.

On a (somewhat) positive note. A shout-out to Robert Sarver, managing partner of the Phoenix Suns, Arizona's lone professional basketball team. The Suns, who are currently involved in the NBA playoffs, donned jerseys last week to honor a huge portion of their fan base while, simultaneously, protesting Arizona's 'Los papeles, por favor' fascist, racist law. ('Fascist' and 'racist' have been added to clarify which 'Los papeles, por favor' Arizona law we're referring to.)

Always nice to see that the world of sports has an idea of what's going on outside the arena. My strong hope is that the San Francisco Giants will wear their Gigantes jerseys when they next visit Phoenix.

Another bad week. And let's not forget the failed car bombing in Times Square. (Ever get the sense that we're one or two steps behind the bad guys?)

Two bad weeks in a row, and counting. Let's hope it's not a trend.

A Bad Week for the Good Guys

It's been a while since I've ranted. I've tried hard to stay positive, to focus on the possible, and to overlook the mess around us. As hard as it was, I attempted to take the high ground. And while I'm not entirely proud of my avoidance of the issues raging these many weeks, it seemed only appropriate to seek the good, the wholesome, even the joy in all of us.

Well, no more Dr. Nice Guy. This taking the high road is killing me! I haven't even criticized for what seems likes ages. For me, that's like not breathing!

(That stuff last week about airlines? Wasn't that criticism, you ask? No, my child. That was observation. There's a difference.)

But enough is enough. Because at least three things happened last week that bring blood to a boil and beg for -- no, demand -- our scorn. Let's consider each in turn.

Goldman Sachs. How best to put this? A reputable firm with a slimy underbelly? A bank with a strong reputation for integrity undermined by a few unseemly, unethical characters? A highly-successful, brilliantly-managed organization able to profit handsomely even in the most difficult economic times since the crash of 1929?

Those didn't do it for you? Try this: A firm that helped orchestrate the near-collapse of our financial system, mislead their own customers and profited obscenely even while their exploits contributed to the displacement of thousands of homeowners, the near-bankruptcy of dozens of cities and municipalities, and the loss of millions of jobs. More accurately, an investment bank that likely profited as a result of these horrors.

Slime, to be sure.

Lose a pile of money when the stock market fell 50%? Live in a city struggling to meet its budget? Lose your job because of a downturn in the economy? Is your home worth less than the amount you owe on it or, worse, lose your home as a result of a subprime loan? Or are you an innocent bystander, caught in this financial maelstrom?

Please join me in thanking, at least in part, Goldman Sachs.

At long last, their apparent manipulation of the market is becoming more visible. As you undoubtedly know, The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Goldman three weeks ago alleging that the firm defrauded its investors. Their charge? That Goldman executed a series of deals in which the investment bank seems to have sold "exotic mortgage products" that it knew would fail -- indeed bet would fail -- to unwitting investors, many of whom were their own customers.

In English this means that Goldman is suspected of having bet big bucks that the subprime mortgage market -- a market they helped create -- was headed for a nasty fall. The problem -- the possible crime -- was that Goldman was, at the very same time, selling investment products to their customers based on the mortgage market growing.

Defrauding your own customers. Probably not part of Tom Peter's equation for long-term success.

Officials at the U.S. Department of Justice are now reviewing whether the SEC's fraud charges against Goldman warrant a full-scale criminal investigation, according to ABC News. This follows last week's testimony of a number of Goldman Sachs executives before the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. In the meantime, Goldman's shareholders are suing the investment bank about their executive pay practices.

Must be a fun time to be a Goldman Sachs employee. Certainly much more fun than having gotten caught -- like we all did -- in the financial mess the bank helped create.

If true, we're all living through a mess Goldman Sachs helped create. What's the penalty for causing thousands to lose their homes and millions to lose their jobs? Let's hope it's HUGE.

Damn huge.

A Leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Talk about never learning from our mistakes. Officials estimate that the explosion last week of BP's oil rig only 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana is spilling about 5,000 barrels, or 200,000 gallons, a day into the gulf.

200,000 gallons a day. Every day.

At this rate, the disaster, which has already killed 11 humans, could eclipse the 11 million gallons that leaked from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989. Especially since it might take three months to drill a relief well to plug the gushing well. Why so long? Because it's 5,000 feet underwater.

Two hundred thousand gallons a day for 90 days. Sounds like 18,000,000 gallons. About 50 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River.

And, we're told, this was all preventable. Something about fail-safe systems. (Ever read Fail Safe? A very scary book. That system didn't work either.)

How about this for prevention: Stop drilling for oil where ever a spill would be catastrophic. We know that drilling for oil has risks, the biggest being a devastating spill. So, why not get smart for once and stop drilling in places where millions of gallons of oil would create a huge mess? Like in the ocean.

Because you know who will pay for this: Us. In more ways than one.

Damn.

And Then There's Arizona. Where to begin? Last week, the governor of this beautiful state signed a law making the failure to carry immigration documents a crime. It also gave the police broad powers to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally.

Anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Anyone.

To whom might you be referring, Arizona?

Thinking about the Catholics? Blacks? Asians? The GLBT community?

Can't be the Jews, though there was a time when my grandparents had to show their papers. A different time, different circumstances. But the fear was the same.

Wait, Democrats?!?

Oh, Arizona.

It's undoubtedly time to change your state's motto from Ditat Deus (Latin for "God Enriches") to "Your papers, please." Or, more appropriately, given the true intent of the law, "Sus papeles, por favor."

Oh, Arizona. There must be a better way. And we know that a vast majority of you supported this law! You've clearly not be using your SPF 2,000 sunblock. Or wearing a hat.

Because you just made it clear to everyone who supports the Bill of Rights and the Constitution of the United States that you are fascist. A racist one, at that. And, as "bad" goes, being a fascist racist is about as bad as it gets. (Worse than being a sassafras-bivot. Which is really bad. Just ask my sister.)

So much for Spring Training next year. No way am I spending my money on your hotels, restaurants, movies and ball parks. No more parking tickets for me in the great state of Arizona.

Because you've messed up, Arizona. Big time.

Damn!

There's a Charge for That?!?

Just when you thought the 'service' provided by air carriers couldn't fall any farther, along comes Spirit Airlines to prove to us, yet again, that there's always further to fall.

Yes, it's this Spirit Airlines that will, after August 1 of this year, begin charging passengers for carrying a bag on board. (They already charge to check a bag.) The fee to carry your own bag on the plane will be $30/bag if you pay in advance and $45/bag if you pay at the gate. (Members of their discount fare club -- people who pay $39.95 annually for the privilege of getting discounts on Spirit -- will have to pay only $20/bag. Such a deal!)

But wait. There's more!

Spirit also announced, rather quietly, this week that they will also offer what they're calling 'pre-reclined' seating on their planes. What's pre-reclined seating, you ask as did I? Pre-reclined seating is Spirit's spin on seats that don't recline at all. These seats, they say, are lighter, have less moving parts (since they don't move at all!) and will, therefore, require less maintenance and less fuel to fly around.

What they're not telling anyone, though, is that if you have seats that don't move you can squeeze more of those seats into an aircraft cabin. Which, after all, is what Spirit wants to do: Pack each plane with as many people as entirely possible. And eliminating the reclining capability of a seat is one way to do it. All, of course, to increase revenue.

Am I alone in this, or does the image of canned sardines come to mind?

Which, of course, got me thinking. (Something I try not to do too often, as is evident by these posts.)

Rather than fight 'progress' being made by airlines as they struggle to wring ever last dollar from us, why not provide some much-needed help? So what if they're simultaneously draining our good faith, our interest in exploration, and, very sadly, the romance that was once air travel? So what if they're making what was once a luxurious and relaxing mode of transportation into one of the least comfortable, most anxiety-producing, infuriating way to get from one place to another? So what indeed!

I say it's time to help. (I'm a consultant. I'm here to help.)

So, in the spirit of Spirit Airlines, that brash innovator, that champion of the people, that crusader for revenue generation at all costs, we offer the following suggestions to airlines interested in following in Spirit's noble footsteps. Here, then, are our (initial) ideas about ways for airlines to gouge, er, create new revenue streams.

We suggest, most humbly, that airlines charge for:

• Seat belts (like they're going to help if the plane goes down)
  
• Oxygen masks (I mean really. Should everyone get one?)
• Window seats (Oh, wait. Some already charge for this.)
• Aisle seats (Ditto.)
• A working light over your seat (Want to read, sir? That will be $5.)
• Calling for a flight attendant (Need help, ma'am? That will be $5.)
  
• Not sitting next to someone who we might politely refer to as 'super-sized' (defined as anyone who doesn't fit entirely in their own damn seat!)
  
• Not sitting next to someone with a lap baby
• Not sitting next to someone with a loud lap baby
• Not sitting next to someone who is loud, regardless of age
• Not sitting next to someone who wants to talk, even though you're wearing headphones, working feverishly on your computer to meet a deadline and have already said at least 10 times that you've got work to do (Dude, you know who you are!)
• Bathroom usage (With an escalating scale where the fifth minute, say, is far more expensive than the first)
  
• The order in which checked bags are returned
  
• Checked bags being returned at all
• Use of the jet bridge to board the plane, and, of course,
  
• Arriving at your actual destination (Hey, just because they said they were flying to JFK doesn't necessarily mean that they'll land there. There's always LaGuardia, Newark, or, for those unwilling to cough up the dough, the Hudson.)
  

This is just a start. Help us help the airline industry. Offer your suggestions. We'll take our ideas, develop a nice prioritized list, and then shred, burn and otherwise obliterate it so that it never sees the light of day.

If the airlines are hell-bent on screwing us, they'll have to do it all on their own.

The Kindness of Strangers

If there was ever a time for compassion, for giving, this, without doubt, is it.

Millions are out of work; many with unemployment benefits ending soon.

Thousands at home and abroad are still effected by natural disasters.

The Tea Party continues to create hostility wherever it goes, while Rush, Glenn, Bill O. and the rest of the Fox News gang spit venom daily at any and all non-Republicans.

We've become a nation polarized by the colors 'red' and 'blue', a country unable to discuss political differences with any civility.

Goldman Sachs continues to steal us blind.

We have two wars that may never end.

Not to mention a volcanic cloud that threatens to disrupt air travel for weeks.

And if all of that wasn't enough, now we learn that one airline wants to charge for use of its bathrooms while another is planning to charge for carry-on bags. (The nerve!)

Think it's time for a 'time out'?

I do.

But not just any 'time out'. Not a simple respite. No, instead, a game-changing 'time out'.

That game-changer? I propose that we commit to move from hostility, insensitivity, and alienation to compassion, kindness, and giving.

To do so, we will have to commit to lead with our heart instead of our head.

Because here's the deal: We, as humans, have the amazing -- and incredibly useful -- ability to rationalize. Most of us can, and do, justify anything.

Admit it: You know you're good at it. Hell, you're brilliant at it! If you weren't, you'd certainly exercise more, stay away from fatty foods, quit smoking, drive the speed limit, help that co-worker who's struggling, and give a buck to that guy on the street you walk past every day. If there was a Galactic Championship of Rationalization, you'd be in the finals year in and year out. What, you say? You'd win it every year?

Point made.

The problem, though, is that as long as we use our world-class rationalizing skills -- a sophisticated, cognitive skill housed in our brain -- it will be rather effortless for us to continue on our same, insensitive, self-centered path. BUT, if we shift the power from our brain to our heart -- an organ, thankfully, unable to rationalize -- we open the door to wonderful possibilities. Possibilities that include, by definition, having and showing more concern for those around us. Offering to help those in need. Extending a hand to others. Providing kindness, even to strangers.

Yes, even to strangers.

And the not-so-well-kept-secret about helping others? It feels good. Really good. Sometimes for days.

So, let's take that time-out and resume play, so to speak, having made the mid-game adjustment of now leading with our heart. You'll play better, feel better, and, in the process, undoubtedly help someone in need.

Even though we'll probably still avoid exercise, continue to eat fatty foods, and drive too fast. So be it, as long as we begin to provide kindness to strangers.

Start today. You'll feel great.

The Factor of Fear

One of the many joys of my profession is the opportunity to work intimately with people from throughout the world. As a student of human behavior -- and how that behavior can influence the performance of an organization -- it is continually amazing to observe how similar and yet how entirely different people can be. All depending, in no order of importance, on the region or country in which they live, the influence of religion, their socio-political environment, their economy, the 'culture' of their company, their point in the life cycle.

And while many generalizations can be made, one similarity overwhelms all others.

At this moment in time, fear is rampant.

It's so very sad and so very true. Yet, not at all surprising.

And those fears, those powerful feelings of dread which have invaded the reality of many of us during these depressing and uncertain times? Those fears which have found a warm, nurturing home in our hearts and are thus unwilling to leave? Of what fears do I speak?

Here are but a few:

• The fear of losing one's job
• The fear of never again being able to find work
• The fear of losing everything -- possessions, lifestyle, dignity, respect, honor
  
• The fear of getting sick, getting really sick
  
• The fear of more earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters
• The fear of global warming
• The fear of universal health care
• The fear of the Democratic Party
• The fear of the Republican Party
  
• The fear of the Tea Party
• The fear of the impact of Obama's presidency
• The fear of a Palin presidency
  
• The fear of a prolonged economic downturn
• The fear of another market crash
  
• The fear of two never-ending wars
• The fear of terrorism
• The fear of living in poverty in retirement

And those are just the fears people discuss. Imagine what other fears -- rational and otherwise -- lurk in the darkness.

The problem with fear -- an emotion like anxiety, but on powerful steriods -- is that it can either facilitate or debilitate. Fear, in small doses, can actually be helpful in spurring one to action. In larger doses fear may cause one to become immobilized.

Remember back when that term paper was only days from being due? If you experienced fear and turned in a completed paper on time, that's an example of how fear can facilitate action. If you experienced a great deal of fear yet failed to turn in a completed paper on time, that's how fear can immobilize. (Or maybe it was the alcohol.)

So, aside from the feelings of dread -- sometimes overwhelming -- that accompany fear, the larger problem with being afraid is that it can have the debilitating effect of causing you to not do the things you most certainly should do. In short, fear can cause under-performance or even failure. And when that happens, you fall into that horrible, cyclical place where your fear is actually validated.

We have time for an example, one that is, unfortunately, widespread: Worried about losing your job? So fearful, in fact, that you are afraid to do anything that might cause your manager to think ill of you? Like talking openly about how to improve efficiency, providing new ideas to increase quality, challenging those who think things are 'good enough as they are', asking for help when you need it? Whether you lose your job or not as a result is irrelevant. What is relevant is that fear has helped diminish your ability to contribute. Fear has caused you to under-perform. Fear has changed who you are.

And that, psychologically speaking, sucks.

So, I ask that you keep a few things in mind:

1. Fear ebbs in the face of action. Scared? Do something -- anything -- that might undermine what you're afraid of. Afraid you'll never get another job? Double your search efforts.
2. Focus on what you can control. List your fears in descending order of importance, deleting all that you have no power to influence. Forget about those and, instead, attack those that you can control.
   
3. Talk about your greatest fears and how you might attack them. Talking helps. Even if you have no one to talk to, talk to yourself. Out loud. Talk about your fears, one by one, and what you can do to eliminate them. It will help.
4. Develop a plan and execute it. See #1 above. Unless you like feeling fear, do something about it.

Because here's the thing: The emotion of fear can be quite powerful. It can transform the irrational into something that appears fully real.

But -- and this is an important 'but' -- sometimes fear has little or no basis in fact. For, indeed, sometimes a school yard filled with birds is just that: A school yard filled with birds.

If you know what I mean and I hope you do.

Choose Happiness

Is it just me, or have you noticed that the number of people -- adults and children -- looking, sounding, and acting happy these days appears to be on the decline?

Have you seen fewer of those toothy, genuine, bright smiles -- the kind where the eyes sparkle, the face shines and joy exudes radiantly?

Have you heard less laughter, real laughter -- the generous, uninhibited, explosive, contagious kind?

Have you seen a decline in playfulness -- exuberant, energetic, fun play -- in those around you?

Have you watched while accomplishments -- wonderful, amazing, miraculous accomplishments -- are greeted with a matter-of-fact, ho-hum, no-big-deal reaction from those who produced the miracle?

Have you seen less enthusiasm, less ambition, less optimism in those close to you?

Have you noticed how some have actually assumed an 'I-can-accept-being-unhappy-because-it's-too-hard-to-do-otherwise' posture?

I have. And I'm bummed because of it.

I know, I know. I hear you. What's to be happy about?, you ask.

The economy is difficult -- horribly difficult for many -- pressures at work abound (for those fortunate enough to be working), the winter has been oppressive, we've had way too many earthquakes and floods, much too much bad behavior from our elected officials, and seemingly no end to two wars. Everyone knows someone in pain. People are stressed. It's a hard time, a very hard time. And you talk of happiness?

Well, yes. I do.

Because here's the thing: Happiness is what life is about. Happiness doesn't just happen, but is definitely worth the fight. And, most importantly, happiness is a choice.

I say choose happiness. And find it as quickly as you can.

As a public service, here is a set of ideas that might help you begin your road back (assuming, of course, that you need to get back and have opted to do so):

• Take a walk everyday. Start slow and build to a 30-45 minute walk. Walk your neighborhood, then other neighborhoods. Parks are good, as are golf courses. Beaches are fabulous. This is a no-cost activity and no special clothing is required. You'll feel better after the first outing. Watch out, though, because it's habit-forming, but in a very good way. One rule: Say 'hello' to everyone you pass -- even if they're wearing headphones and make no eye-contact. (Someone's got to teach these people some manners and I ask you to help.)
  

• Play something, anything, daily. A musical instrument, a sport, an outdoor game, a board game. No need to play it well. Just play.

• Contact a long-lost friend. Someone you'd love to talk to, see again. The cool thing about this option is that it will brighten the day of two people.

• Find and read a good book. Enjoy trashy novels? Thrillers? Fine literature? Biographies? Short stories? Humor? Cool. It matters not. Just get ye to a library or your local independent bookseller today.

• Sing. One song a day is all we ask. Depending on your talent (you know who you are!), consider doing this alone, while you walk. But sing. Loudly. And with attitude.

• Make someone smile or, better yet, laugh. I'll leave this to your creativity and resourcefulness. But, please, do this every single day. Do not sleep until you've brought a smile or a laugh -- the louder the better -- to someone close to you.
  

These suggestions, of course, do not deal with the causes of unhappiness. (We'll solve our economic woes at another time. Watch out, Wall St.) Instead, the above ideas are tried and true, scientifically-validated methods for increasing joy and, dare we say it?, happiness. Try them. They're sure to make you -- and others around you -- feel better fast.

Because happiness is a choice and we urge you to choose it.