When you Google “What are Nettles Good for” among the results that pop up are medicinal, herbal and teas made from the “stinging” plant. “Nettle(also known as Stinging Nettles) has been used for centuries to treat allergy symptoms,” proclaims the HerbalWisdom site. WebMD and the NaturalSociety are among the top results that outline some of the benefits of a plant, the nettle being known as unpleasant to grap the wrong way. It is in that light that the saying from the “Father of Advertising” takes on its meaning.
For all the head aches and heart aches MH faces, the benefits had by grasping (grabbing hold) of them – and solving them! – are immense.
For those who want to bury their heads in the sand, and try the easiest route only? Going from some 372,000 shipments in 1998, to under 50,000 in 2009 (49,717 per U.S. Census data) reminds us what often happens when nagging, nettlesome problems aren’t solved.Leaders Grasp Nettles. Goal Orientation and Problem Solving Pays.
Photos by Mark Simon, from recent NY Housing Association meeting. Tony is scheduled for the Tunica MH Show in 2016, as well as for other events.
Fran Tarkenton, on NewsMax Now TV, discusses his book, “The Power of Failure – Succeeding in the Age of Innovation”
Fran Tarkenton answers the question, which teaches more, success or failure? He shares life lessons. He also comments on the current crop of some of the presidential candidates.
“Every man is captain of his career and there must be cooperation all around if he is to get what he wants out of life.” – Walt Disney
“Everyone needs deadlines. If we didn’t have deadlines, we’d stagnate.” – Walt Disney
What can we add to the immortal words of creative legend and entrepreneur, Walt Disney?
“Learn, Earn, Return.” – Jim Clayton.
There is a hunger in MH for knowledge, understanding and growth.
The top image on the photos at the left is a stock photo, but the one below it, an actual SRO (Standing Room Only) photo from one of those educational events we’ve been privileged to be a part of in MH.
For the hundred or so people packed in that room, there are some 40 to 50+ times that number daily who comes to MHProNews.com.
At the fine recent FL MHA meeting, they had an inspirational speaker to start their day. That’s part of a fine professional educational plan!
Zig Ziglar is right, we need motivation daily, and that’s one reason why we have inspirational articles, this INspiration blog, the Words of Wisdom blog, etc..
As our friend, colleague and supporter, John Bostick at Sunshine Homes says, “Easy doesn’t pay well.” It isn’t the McDonald’s ‘easy’ that pays. Most of those who wanted ‘easy’ left MH years ago. The forward thinkers and doers, they are the fuel our industry needs to progress. MH may not be as ‘easy’ today as in the go-go 90s, but there are some who are more profitable today than they were then. They are routinely those who invest in their careers and businesses, including training and motivation.
Many thanks to each of you for your respective role in the growing world of MH. Together, we advance. Tally-ho!
Tony
Photos by Mark Simon, from recent NY Housing Association meeting. Tony will be presenting again at the 2016 Tunica Manufactured Housing Show, among other upcoming events.
Writer Sam Gerrans argues that America is like a truck being loaded up with Semtex, a highly stable plastic explosive that will explode only if you have the right detonator.
Sam Gerrans, photo credit, Twitter.
1) Gerrans points to the very small part of the population that is involved in agriculture; so if the food chain is disrupted, the store shelves go bare in just a few days.
2) Not unlike MHC leader Sam Zell (see Our Way of Life is Very Much Threatened), Gerrans sees fiat paper money (vs. a gold and silver backed standard) and potential loss of being the world reserve currency as a threat to the U.S.. Gerrans thinks many of our American wars in recent decades are about oil. The world and the people of the U.S., he says, are tired of it.
While that view could be disputed or modified, what is certain is that a loss of imported oil to the U.S. Economy would indeed trigger a series of ‘economic explosions’ in our nation and abroad. Not Gerrans, but others believe that such might be Vladimir Putin’s end goal in Russia filling the vacuum of the U.S. withdraw from the Middle East. What if Russia and Iran controlled the flow of oil out of the Persian Gulf and the Middle East? What if Russia choked that oil off from the U.S. and other western nations?
3) A growing use of mind-altering drugs also creates social risk, Gerrans states. Withdrawal from drugs which have lead to lone wolf attacks on unarmed citizens are cited. What if a disruption in the drug supply chain hit the U.S.? Would we see rapidly escalating violence as a result?
4) A loss of traditional more values. The poverty of the Great Depression in the 1930s did not lead to a huge surge in crime, Gerrans says: “People were brought up with a conception of morals and right and wrong. Frugality and prudence were prized virtues. Communities were generally fairly cohesive.” Not so today, he says, when: “Relative to then, society today is undisciplined, unrealistic and selfish.”
Gerrans points to violence and death in stores on Black Friday to get a discounted item as just one sign of that moral breakdown in America.
Not Gerrans…
Gerrans doesn’t say it, but others do. While the U.S. and North America could be energy independent, we are still not there. We are dependent on OPEC’s oil today, and this is but one of many reasons why true energy independence ought to be a U.S. and North American priority.
Gerrans doesn’t say it, but others do: “Know God, Know Peace. No God? No Peace.” Others point to the fact that when God and traditional moral values are marginalized in society, that historically the ‘god of big government‘ begins to loom ever larger.
Make no mistake, I’m not arguing for all that Gerrans says or believes.But his topic and those 4 points cited above are worthy of serious discussion.
The MH Industry’s members ought to hold themselves to high ethical standards, and must be engaged in the deeply problematic challenges of our time. Indeed, many in MH are.
We can’t fix the world solo, but that is no excuse not to fix that which we are able to be engaged in.
The optimist doesn’t curse the down pour, or look at the rain and deny it exists. The wise optimist looks at the rain, grabs the umbrella and is thankful for the harvest that a tended crop yields following the rains.
America can get through this time, but we must be willing to go below mere surface issues, PC talk and bumper sticker slogans to arrive at solutions that will benefit our society and thus we as professionals. ##
Photos by Mark Simon, from recent NY Housing Association meeting.
“Here’s to the Crazy Ones, The Misfits, The Rebels, The Troublemakers, The Round Pegs in the Square Holes; The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.
They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy ones, we see genius. Because the People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
paraphrasing Steve Jobs, Apple Inc.
The only person’s opinion in sales that counts is the customer.
Best Regards, Steven Lefler Vice President Modular Lifestyles
