Mar
10

Throwing treats to lapdogs

By Katie Kieffer

gimme my federal hamburgerIf you want to make more money than your private sector peers, get a job in PR or broadcasting for the government.

Warning: You will make more money, but you will lose all creativity, input, control and ownership over your work.

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Mar
08

How Playboy denies men

By Katie Kieffer

Twins_HughHefnerJohn Mayer copycats beware. You may think you are playing the field, but your field is limited. If you’re a Playboy fan, you might be missing out on an entire species of spectacular women. Playboy is not the bare-all industry you thought it was.

You may need to go on a safari and wear your night vision goggles to find the type of woman I describe. She doesn’t have a blaze orange spray tan or flaunt a Playboy Bunny cotton tail. She’s elusive, confident, strong, independent and smart. And, yes, she’s intimidatingly attractive.

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Mar
04

Westminster’s absolute tosh

By Katie Kieffer

British models. Image by Tim Walker for British Vogue.

Across the pond, the ministers of the Crown have a competition going on. A competition with the U.S. Congress. It appears that Westminster is downright determined to show Washington that it can grow government faster.

Her Majesty’s government appears to be a bit threatened by the way American politicians are acting like aristocrats. Keen on maintaining its reputation as the most proper “modern monarchy,” the British government has decided to go off its trolley in a mad attempt to expand its power over citizens.

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Mar
03

Driving bankers to drink

By Katie Kieffer

drivingbankerstodrinkI predict medical professionals will see an uptick in bankers with government-induced drinking addictions. The government is driving bankers into depression. It doesn’t help that bankers have no one to vent to. The public has turned on bankers since the liberal media has painted them as greedy trolls who drove the U.S. into recession.

I want to shed some light on the ways that the government is driving a stake into our economy by attacking banks.

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Mar
01

Hell in Troy

By Katie Kieffer

Helen of Troy by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1863, oil on panel

I’m sure you’ve heard of Helen of Troy from Greek Mythology. After Paris of Troy abducted Helen from her husband, Menelaus, the Greeks launched the Trojan War to win her back. Her beauty and power were undeniable. She crushed and melted the hearts of the strongest men.

In Greek Mythology, heroes were mortals who overcame the fear of death, typically during a heroic battle such as the Trojan War, to achieve “kleos” or glory. Helen of Troy is a Greek myth. “Hell in Troy” is a Greek reality. Let me tell you the tale of Hell in Troy.

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Feb
25

Dumped? Blame Washington

By Katie Kieffer

Dumped? Divorced? Blame WashingtonDoes this sound familiar? You were two peas in a pod. You wanted to grow old together. You never fought. About anything. Except money, that is. Now, the two of you are history.

Quit throwing darts at your ex’s photo. Pull up a chair in my office, and I’ll give you some therapy.

May I trade you a cup of coffee and a tension ball for those darts before we begin?

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Feb
24

Should’ve said no Taylor Tax

By Katie Kieffer

Taylor Swift

Do me a favor and turn on your radio. Wait five minutes and you’ll probably hear a DJ venting about the recording industry’s push for legislation that could effectively tax the next Taylor Swift or T.I. off free local radio.

I think local radio DJs are right to question this proposed legislation, since this hefty “tax” or fee would make it difficult for new artists to emerge. It would work as a financial disincentive for radio stations to take on the risk of featuring new artists.

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Feb
22

Make a ‘Big Trade Up’

By Katie Kieffer

Katie & Amie's 'Big Trade Up.' Art copyright Amie Kieffer 2010.

There is always a better and more efficient way to do things, including donating to charity. During this recession, many non-profits are hurting. Government grants and private donations are beginning to dry up. But, local creative entrepreneurs and real estate professionals, Tony DelDotto of NorthMarq Real Estate and Chad Commers of Roseville Properties, have taken on the challenge of raising funds for charity in a down economy.

The concept is called the Big Trade Up. It raises money for Mind The Future scholarships that help inner-city students graduate from high school and move on to college. I want to promote the Big Trade Up’s goal for two reasons:

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Feb
16

Shred recession to gnar gnar

By Katie Kieffer

Image credit: Red Bull

Wouldn’t it be fun to shred the U.S. recession into oblivion the way a skier shreds the Jackson Hole gnar gnar? It would be as exhilarating as finding a cure to cancer – on an economic level. Well, the U.S. does have a nearly fail-proof template to follow for ending the recession and creating jobs: Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn is often hyped for her amicable personality and good looks. Lost in this hype is the bigger story: the tale of sheer American grit, rugged persistence, sacrifice and goal-focus. Vonn’s story shows that America can shrug off her recession if she acts like a champion.

Many athletes at one point appeared to be all-around champions, and then disappointed, such as Tiger Woods, Mark McGwire and Marion Jones. But, Vonn is the template we’re looking for. Below is her recipe for bouncing out of recession. Let’s rip.

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Feb
15

Whiffed up Olympic politics

By Katie Kieffer

Image credit: The Green Blazer blog

Want to embarrass yourself on the golf course? Whiff, whiff and whiff away. Fail to make contact with the ball and you’ll tee yourself up for a tense round of ridicule from your golfing partners.

Golf may have just whiffed itself into a potentially embarrassing situation during the 2016 Olympics – by participating in the Olympics. Rio de Janeiro is not a great golf town (Chicago is, no thanks to the First Couple), and Rio de Janeiro is where golf will debut as an Olympic sport. Here’s the story of golf’s unhealthy relationship with the Olympics:

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