Well, since we are at it, you want a clear cogent message. When I speak to reporters, I write down my messages and keep them in front of me and make sure I say my important messages at least twice. This is an advantage for me as if the reporter sees it, I don't appear like a professional, but I am organized and my words are cogent so it works. Now. So for this topic, the message is maybe something like: The intent of the bill is a noble one: to protect our food supply. But the text of the bill, as worded, is unnecessarily burdensome to family farmers. Especially in these economic times. So the important points above: intent is noble protect food supply text needs revision Family farmers will be burdened So much so we don't want to risk any more jobs These 5 bullets show that you get it and are concerned about the consequences, but support the intent. Family Farmers is a powerful metaphor. You want action in this case. Education is for another time. Lawmakers get it. Tell them you want some revisions so Family Farmers are protected. Note also how the OCA text I linked to above is written. And how I differed the style of my sentences in this comment and above. Short sentences for the message. But, you can also use commas for when you explain a topic, so that the tone changes. Commas change voice tone. Short sentences convey a message, something you want to keep in mind, just in case you get an audience. Dan

After working for UCSF for 7 years (not all full time and a maternity leave in there), I moved to another state after doing careful calculations about being "vested" in the Univ of CA retirement plan. "Vesting" was based on 5 years of 40 hr/wk work and I worked 36 hr weeks (3 x 12 hr) and took some time off for grad school and a baby. After I left I was told that I was not vested due to inadequate hours; this was apparently due to a clerical error I had suffered for the first few months I worked there, when they erroneously put me down as a "per-diem" (as opposed to "benefitted") employee. In order to prove that that was in error, I had to provide those paystubs including the one with the "correction". I'm so glad that I had obsessively filed those paystubs for direct deposit in chronological order and was able to put my hand on it, copy it and mail it to them. As a result, I will have several hundred dollars each month in retirement that I wouldn't have otherwise. Retirement's a long way away, but not something to be toyed with. Besides, I'm sure my daughter will laugh at the "measly" $18/hr I was being paid at the time as a new nurse. When my father died, I found sheets of yellow legal paper in his files accounting how much money he had found on the street since the 1950's: "1972 79 cents, 1973 $10.41" etc. Although amusing, it wasn't needed, but all his files were exceedingly better maintained than mine. I am nervous about going to "paperless" systems in case I were to be hit by a truck tomorrow. My mother would need an extensive list of passwords and websites to access my retirement plans (to even know about them) and other accounts. My ex is not a reliable source of info, and doesn't have a clue about what accounts I now have (and wouldn't help her if he knew). You're not supposed to write down those passwords after all. My mother has been made the beneficiary of my retirement accounts, because I know she will properly use the money for my daughter. I will change all of that in 10 years or so when DD is old enough.

I apologize in advance if this is a bit off topic, but I think it's still relevant to the conversation. Years ago, I worked in the mortgage dept of a very large Credit Union who's members were primarily Engineers. At the time I worked there, a recession resulted in a lot of job losses for hundreds of these Engineers and the Credit Union didn't foreclose on one home. Instead, of enforcing the notes, which was our right to do, we organized a Mortgage Assistance program to help members stay in their homes. We did everything from payment reductions, loan modifications or even payment deferrals. The goal was to help make an already stressful situation less stressful. Of course this was long before our current housing crisis, but when I see what's happening today with our banks, their general business practices and/or refusal to help their borrowers, I think about it often. On the flip side, I also work with the foreclosures a lot right now and I seldom ever see a property financed by a Credit Union foreclosing. They may not have participated in some of the riskier loan sales, but local unemployment rates are higher than the national average and it's not unreasonable to assume their average foreclosure rates are high(er) as well. Foreclosure is really the last resort for them even on the loans they service through Freddie and Fannie. I will never go back to a bank.

I still like to see the paper bills. I want to be able to review them and see how many kilowatt hours of electricity I used,how much I spent at Macy's, etc. I then use my free on-line bank account to make the payments. My bank will arrange payments up to 60 days in the future, or a set amount each month if you prefer. For example, I locked in a contract with my heating oil company to deliver home heating oil for $2.49 a gallon until May 2008. Then I go back to regular billing. I save 41 cents postage with each payment. The only bills I still pay with paper checks are my medical bills. Unfortunately, both huuby and I have chronic illnesses , so we have a lot of medical bills. I want those cancelled checks as a permanent record for tax return purposes.