It is obligatory in this business to write a special column, with great feeling and emotion, about holidays like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day. Even if you have to fake it which, trust me, a lot of people do.

The important thing is to wrench the heart of your readers. To show them how deeply you care about the folks being honored, even if your heart really isn’t in it. Maybe you didn’t like your parents (or they you) or you aren’t doing such a hot job as a Mom or Dad. Or you praise our vets and those who have sacrificed even though most of your friends know you are anti-military.

You get the idea. This is, maybe, why some people say you shouldn’t believe everything you read, hear or even see.

Which is why I may be the only one in this biz who is doing a Fourth of July column in late June. But for good, I think, reason:

I really want the maximum number of people to see this, and maybe pass it on to a friend or relative. If it ran on July 4th, most people would be off and miss it. And that would be a shame because it’s a dynamite column, from the heart. I know because I didn’t write it. I’m just the middleman in passing on something I think all of you should hear, or read. It was written in 1973 but it sounds like today.

It’s the tribute of a respected (now deceased) Canadian broadcaster named Gordon Sinclair. It was broadcast on June 5, 1973. The things he talks about are eerily like today (the dollar is down in Europe and Asia, the midwest is flooding, American communities are being flattened by tornadoes. Etc.)

In the 1972 broadcast Mr. Sinclair says he’s sick of people – his fellow Canadians, Brits, Germans, the French, etc. – knocking America. He says this is the most generous country in the world (it was then, still is today.) That we’ve helped them, all of them, time and time again. But when things get tough here, nobody comes to help.

Is it corny? Only 100 percent. But it is also timely. And true. Even if you disagree, I think everybody should read it. Then pass it on to people in the U.S. or Europe or Asia who have hated/envied us for decades.

In his broadcast, which I hope you will read and listen too as well, he says Uncle Sam will recover (we did) from the problems of 1973 which sound a lot like today.

Here’s part of what he wrote and broadcast:

“…Our neighbors have faced it alone and I am one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles.”

Here’s what he said. Reading it is inspiring. Hearing it, in his own words, is even more so. Hope you like it. Check it out by clicking here.

Compared to What?

Most experts in and out of government say the fringe benefit package offered by Uncle Sam, including holidays, vacation time, insurance for life and inflation-protected annuities, is better than just about anything offered in the private sector. But what about pay? Many feds believe they are underpaid just as many of their private sector peers doubt it.

Here are some interesting numbers from the Labor Department. They won’t solve the dispute, but they are official:

Employers spent an average of $28.46 per hour worked for compensation in March 2008. Wages and salaries averaged $19.83 and benefits averaged $8.63. Health insurance was the largest individual benefit cost at $2.26 per hour worked, which accounted for 7.9 percent of total compensation costs.

You can find out more from BLS in the news release by clicking here for the pdf.

Nearly Useless Factoid

If your most commonly used password is something like “password” or “123456” then you’re in good company. Those are the top two most commonly used passwords, according to MentalFloss. What we found surprising is number six on the list. When you can’t use the word “monkey” as a password, maybe we should all just go home.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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