San Diego versus Seattle

Shot from the Cabrillo National Monument, this shows downtown San Diego and the San Diego Navy Base.

A couple of years ago I was blessed to meet and love and earn the love of a woman who calls San Diego, CA her home town. In the nearly two years since we started seeing each other my girlfriend, Maria Elena, has told me repeatedly of her love for California’s most southern major city. She has repeatedly expressed her desire for us to travel there for a visit and to consider it as a future home when the day comes and should we ever marry.

Many happenings in my life have prevented us from making that trip, including the saving for and recent purchase of my new home in Federal Way, WA. While I always wanted to accommodate Maria Elena’s wish to visit San Diego and meet her family that lives there. I just couldn’t make the time or spend the money; until finally buying my house 2 months ago. We almost immediately scheduled our trip to her home town. And last week we spent a wonderful 6 days there.

Given where I am in life and my circumstances the possibility of moving away from my home state and city, Seattle, is a consideration I’ve long given thought to. As such making some comparison is interesting for me.

First, the most obvious, the weather. While Seattle and the Puget Sound has just endured the worst rainy season in its recorded history San Diego weather is much as advertised. It’s SUNNY! And being right on the ocean its comfortably warm nearly all year-long. Temperatures were in the mid 70s the whole time we were there…and for those reading this at some later time…we were there in late June 2017. Compared to Seattle’s typically dreary June San Diego was a much-needed bit of Wx relief. However, go only a few miles inland from the coast and the heat hits hard. Temperatures were in the mid-90s when we made such a trip our last day visiting and we were only 15-20 miles from the airport in downtown San Diego. Inland from San Diego is desert heat. And it can be oppressive.

The beach at Coronado was beautiful and right across the bay from downtown, a mere 15 minute drive.

The other most noticeable characteristic of San Diego was the lack of traffic congestion. Despite being in and around town all through a busy week during all times of day the closest we came to a traffic jam was nothing more than a traffic slow down…and it was short and brief. We never stopped moving, and very seldom stopped driving at the legal speed limit. This in spite of the fact that 2014 census data shows San Diego with an in-city population more than double that of Seattle. In Seattle, I-5, I-90, and especially I-405 can be clogged to a stand still at nearly any time of the day or night or day of the week. You are literally not certain of a full speed trip unless you’re on the road at 3am. And even then…things happen. I’m telling you it was heaven.

Lastly, like Seattle and all major U.S. cities San Diego has a homeless problem. But unlike Seattle the trash and the filth left by those who CHOOSE to live on the streets is nowhere to be seen in the downtown core. The comparatively minimum amount of street living was only on the downtown’s outer limits. Again, its remarkable given the huge difference in total in-city population.

Whether San Diego, or some other sunny locale will be my future home remains a BIG question. But from my one visit I can say confidently that San Diego’s placing high in nearly all the “Most Livable City” rankings is easy to understand. It’s easy to see why. I shall return.

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June 27, 2017
Categories: Business, National Politics, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on San Diego versus Seattle

On Trump Believe Your Eyes and Ears

trump

I’ve been waiting months to write this blog. But with less than two weeks before the election I can’t wait any longer.

My Washington State election ballot arrived in the mail a few days ago. And as it sits on my desk I still can’t tell you who I’m going to vote for President of the United States. I can tell you who I won’t be voting for. I won’t reward Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton with my vote in spite of the fact that I don’t like, and never have liked her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. To vote for Clinton is to vote for lawlessness and corruption. Trump is a lot of bad things. For the sake of argument, he’s a lot of good things too. But one thing he hasn’t proved to be is criminally corrupt. Clinton can’t say that.

Hillary zombies (i.e. supporters) will argue she hasn’t been charged with anything; to which I say “you really are naive, aren’t you?” If you don’t think powerful, and rich people can’t navigate through a few legal time bombs than you are fearfully in denial. Her husband was a two term President, and the most popular politician in the country with the possible exception of Barrack Obama. The Wikileaks daily email releases of the past month have shown Hillary to be two-faced, hateful of the average American, hateful of Catholics, disdainful of African-Americans, politically petty, and a bold-faced liar. All these are verifiable in her own writing or the writings of her closest Lieutenants. Clinton

My low impression of Clinton was cemented four years ago when she and Obama crafted the most obvious lie of the 2012 Presidential race. They both repeated claimed the Benghazi attacks were sparked by a little watched, little known, poorly produced YouTube video. They told this lie repeatedly to deflect responsibility for the planned terror attack, and their negligence in protecting the four brave Americans who were killed September 11th and 12th, 2012. They told this lie repeatedly for weeks…and then in spite of numerous incidence of making this false claim on camera both Obama and Clinton denied actually saying it. It’s as if they were telling the American people, “These are not the droids you’re looking for.'”.  And the American people bought it. And the media bought it including and especially CNN’s Candy Crowley who inappropriately and incorrectly shut down Mitt Romney’s attack on Obama in this matter during a live televised Presidential Debate.

Disappointingly the Republican electorate looked at 17 mostly well qualified Presidential candidates and ended up choosing Trump as their standard barer. Unfortunately its the huge number of candidates that made Trump’s victory possible. Had there been a more reasonable number like 8-10 people I don’t believe Trump would have come close to receiving the nomination.

But, he has the nomination in spite of unprecedented opposition from the mass media, Democrats, and fellow Republicans. I have to admit persevering in spite of such opposition is admirable. Never has a major party candidate faced such powerful opposition and been left standing. It’s as if Trump is everything he says he is, tough and smart.

He is also the most narcissistic individual most anyone has ever seen. But here is what most people don’t ever say or acknowledge…EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS EVER RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS AN EGOTIST AND TO SOME DEGREE NARCISSISTIC. To run for the most powerful job in the world takes a lot of hubris. You must think well of yourself. You must think that God has placed you on this planet to lead all others. If you don’t feel that way, you have no business seeking the job. That’s where the hypocrisy of the left really bothers me about how they’ve condemned Trump. Clinton has been running for President for at least 25 years. Trump started 1 1/2 years ago. Were he running before then he never would have done or said so many of the outlandish things he said.

On the matter of the outlandish things he has said I have several thoughts.

First, he’s a New Yorker. If you’ve never had business dealings with New Yorker’s you may not understand. I have. Many times. New Yorker’s are unlike any regional group of people in the country. They are IN YOUR FACE. They’re curt. They’re blunt. They’re seemingly uncaring. And they care little about who they roll over if they have to in order to get something done. Obviously, this is a generalization. But I stand by it. I will also say, and a personal (as opposed to a business level) New Yorker’s are some of the collectively most passionate and compassionate people I have ever met. From what I’ve seen, heard, and read…this describes Trump.

Second, much of Trumps most outrageous comments have come when the cameras are rolling or the mic is hot. He made regular appearances on the Howard Stern show, where the host made himself famous by saying and provoking others to say incredible sexual things. In Trump’s case, “when in Rome…”. Trump was the star of his own TV show for years on NBC. Does anyone think NBC corporate is anything but a shill for Hillary Clinton and the hierarchy of the Democratic party? And yet, they employed Trump in his tv show for 11 years!

Thirdly, the audio and video tape that got Trump in the greatest hot water this election season was unearthed from NBC’s deep vault and featured Trump discussing with tv personality Billie Bush his attraction for beautiful women in the most vulgar terms imaginable. While I don’t talk like that I have to say the language wasn’t unimaginable. I’ve heard similar language about women many times from many men. Some were good men. But they spoke very crudely amongst other men when they trusted such conversations would never be heard or relayed to the public or at least any women. That’s what Trump thought at that time I’m sure. And for God sakes, how many who are reading this are aware the audio was edited before being made public. Similar vulgarities spoken by Bush were edited from what most of the public heard or read. Why would such editing occur? Well, obviously to make Trump stand alone as the one and only true PIG between the two individuals. It worked. Most people still haven’t heard Bush’s vulgar comments which encouraged Trump to continue such dialog.

The stench that emanates from Washington D.C. is palpable. And its inescapable without someone who is a tough and true outsider digging in to the sewage to discard it. For this reason above all others I have not eliminated the possibility of voting for Trump.

The other issue in which Trump stands tall for me is illegal immigration. Tough as his words have been they’ve also been frequently mischaracterized. Contrary to what’s become the popular myth, Trump did not call all Mexicans rapists and drug dealers and murderers. He did say Mexico was sending us their worst, their rapists, drug dealers, and murders and I suppose some of them are good people. Trump has correctly said repeatedly that no group is hurt more by illegal immigration than African-Americans. In a narrow sense he’s spot on. On a broader sense I would say no one is hurt more than poor or low-income people. Illegal immigrants are not taking the jobs of doctors, lawyers, CEO’s or well-educated college grads. They’re taking the jobs, the healthcare resources, the education resources, the feeding and housing resources of America’s most humble. And here’s something else that’s important. They broke the law. Once again, its important to point out that, like Trump, I am in this writing, generalizing. It’s perfectly OK to generalize provided you know that you are generalizing. So nobody needs to fire back at me with their examples of high earning, well-educated, honest and hard-working illegal immigrant. Please be adults and not children. And please be honest. There is too much dishonest, red herrings and nonsense in this political campaign.

Lastly, Trump has been in the public eye for over thirty years. He’s been a media darling. And he’s always been outlandish. But until this campaign against the corrupt Clinton Machine he has never been seen as racist, homophobic, misogynistic and less than fabulously wealthy. Believe your eyes. Look at the public Trump of 30 years. If you liked him before the campaign…you still should. He has had his reputation wildly tattered and has shown a love for this country I think is undeniable. But the Democrats have become very good with the game of misdirection, “These are not the droids you’re looking for”.

Hillary Clinton will win my state of Washington. Of this there is no doubt. So it really doesn’t matter who I vote for. So my vote will probably go toward my prayer for a miracle. As I posted a couple of weeks ago I hope neither Trump nor Clinton are ever President of the United States. Clinton is too corrupt. And Trump …well…he’s not knowledgable enough. Period. The only way my prayer could come true (short of the death of both candidates…which I’m not hoping for) is if Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson manages to split the votes in 2-3 states and win their electors with maybe 34-35% of the vote. He could do it in states like New Mexico where he was a two term Governor, Utah, Alaska and possibly Vermont. It won’t happen in Washington. But that is PROBABLY where my vote is going, and my prayer.

October 26, 2016
Categories: Business, National Politics, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on On Trump Believe Your Eyes and Ears

The Warmth of a Father

I just read an outstanding remembrance of a friend and customer’s father who just passed. The story ended with a poignant commentary of how being home and remembering your father takes you back to your childhood. You may be 40, 50, or 60 years old but your father or his memory can make you feel ten again. Then I realized what would have been my father’s 79th birthday comes up next week. He’s been gone 15 years and I still miss him. And I still have the feeling of being a kid again when his memory creeps into my day. Like a beam of sunlight through a window on an otherwise cold day, it brings warmth. I selfishly pray my three kids will feel a warmth after my time comes, God willing, many years from now knowing, like a lot of fathers, I wasn’t perfect but I loved them with all my heart and at every instance since before their birth tried to act in a way that made their lives better, happier.

My Dad as a young, earnest businessman.

My Dad as a young, earnest businessman.


I know in our society, and here on social media, wonderful and deserving Mom’s are spoken of highly, frequently and with great love. But my Mom was seldom part of my life, for many years. I had my Dad. I inherited so much from him. Some good, some not so good. He was a flawed man and much of what I learned from him was what NOT TO DO. But as I’ve written before when 25% of Dad’s deprive their biological children their presence, not to mention their love, my Dad was there. He was always there. Maybe, like me, you had conflicts with your father. Maybe you didn’t like, appreciate or understand his disciplines, or his words or actions. But maybe, just maybe, if he was there, if he attended your soccer games, came home at night, shared Christmas and holidays with you and showed you he cared, even if he didn’t say it, then maybe you can forgive him too.
Here’s a shout out to the Dad’s I’ve been privileged to know who did the right thing and were always there for their kids. You give more than you know by being there. And probably more than your kids know, at least, they don’t until you’re not there anymore.
Thank you P.J. for this sweet beam of sunshine you provided me today.

FB Tower pic w-number

September 22, 2016
Categories: Uncategorized, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on The Warmth of a Father

My New Life Anniversary

Working the mic in Total Broadcasting Service's former studio booth.

Michael Schuett working the mic in Total Broadcasting Service’s former studio booth.

Eleven years ago today, April 15, 2005, I walked into United Broadcasting Sales Company where I had worked for 13 years and handed my manager my resignation. Despite setting individual company sales records and serving as the default unpaid coach of so many new hires and despite company profitability relatively new company owners instituted a new pay plan that slashed everyone’s pay. Mine would have been cut over 35%.

R: 129 G: 255 B: 200 X:39852 Y: 0 S: 421 Zs: 6 Zp: 120 F: 760 I: 0 ImgVer:08.05.07.23

One of the 3 such awards United Broadcasting bestowed upon me.

I had many promises from numerous co-workers to join me in starting a new company, but none followed through. So I was left to fend for myself. Total Broadcasting Service has been like another child to me and grown through tough times, including my divorce. It hasn’t been easy. And despite those tough times and never quite attaining the high income levels I had before I am so proud I walked with wobbly legs to my previous manager’s desk 11 years ago and said I won’t be mistreated and under appreciated by them anymore. The UBSC owners were pissed and threatened me with legal action to stop my entrepreneurial efforts. I believe those threats, in part, scared off my former co-workers.

As it turned out I was the first of many who fled the plantation that United Broadcasting had become. When I quit they employed over 40 sales people. Within 2 months they were down to 13. Nearly all of the top sales people left for another Bellevue company. Many meeting with great success. That Bellevue company no longer exists and my former colleagues have scattered with the wind. United Broadcasting collapsed. It clung to a precarious existence for some 5 years before finally shutting its doors after 30 years in business. A greedy owner and a Liberal (even leftist) narcissistic, and incompetent management tree that believed in taking from their best and giving to their least-capable spelled the company’s doom.

I miss working with the many who became friends. After so many followed my lead and quit I went a while feeling somewhat responsible, since I had been the first. They eased my anxiety on the matter by seemingly improving their lives dramatically after leaving the plantation. I’m glad at least for Facebook to somewhat stay in touch with some of them. I’ve learned that if you don’t value your best people they will find someone else who does; a lesson that translates into personal relationships too, not just business.

R: 129 G: 255 B: 200 X:39852 Y: 0 S: 422 Zs: 4 Zp: 188 F: 838 I: 0 ImgVer:08.05.07.23

Getting into sales allowed me to make a lot more money right away

I’ve also learned that perseverance is omnipotent. Despite friends and my closest family members doubts and lack of support Total Broadcasting Service is coming off two consecutive record-setting sales years and 3 record-setting years out of the past 4 years. The best is yet to come. We’ve built strong relationships with an increasingly large host of fabulous and loyal clients. I’ve hired the truest and most loyal co-worker in Marianne Petersen who continues to grow in her work duties and continues to impress. Thank you Marianne for being such a valuable employee and person in my life.
Marianne atr Shoot

Total Broadcasting Service video Editor/Producer Marianne Petersen

My dream that I pray for is that my efforts will benefit my children and someday even my future grandchildren long after I have sauntered off this mortal coil. With God’s grace we will achieve this goal. And we’ll do it while forging a new journey with new compatriots who bless my life by being in it.
My plans for my life have turned unexpectedly at several points in my 52 years. Like anyone who reads this writing. Today’s anniversary represents one of the most significant switches in directions. If I’d not experienced this dramatic turn, the new turn I’m months into now, would be a lot scarier. So, ultimately, I’m grateful.
Call us for affordable video production, 425-687-0100.

Call us for affordable video production, 425-687-0100.

April 15, 2016
Categories: Business, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on My New Life Anniversary

The Redskins name and my Sammamish Totems

Sammamish Logo

The Seattle Times newspaper announced today that it would join the ever-growing list of publications that will ban use of the name Redskins in future paper and online articles. The news comes one day after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled the name Redskins can no longer enjoy trademark protection because “€œbased on the evidence properly before us … these (trademark) registrations must be canceled because they were disparaging to Native Americans at the respective times they were registered.”.

In the Times article it is pointed out that my high school, Sammamish High School in Bellevue, Washington, is one of many schools and organizations that has a name/mascot derived from Native American culture. Sammamish is “The Totems”. And the article points out that in addition to banning the racial slur Redskins from popular culture, that other sports teams and or schools are being encouraged to ban ALL nicknames derived from Native American culture.  This would include Chiefs, Warriors, Braves, Indians and on and on.

redskins-logo

I’ll admit, somewhat sheepishly, that I honestly never thought of my high school’s nickname as being Native American. Clearly it is. I just never thought about it. Even though the subject of removing the name Redskins and other less offensive Native American nicknames has been in the news for years, I never made the connection. Interestingly (for me) the Time’s article also points out one of the lone remaining school sports names in Washington that carry’s with it some racial over tones toward Native Americans (or any other ethnic group, I guess) is my Dad’s high school alma mater The Bellingham High School Red Raiders. While keeping the nickname the Bellingham School District years ago removed any logo or symbolism associated with Native Americans from its High School, choosing instead on displaying a Hawk in depicting Red Raiders.

So my questions are these: 

1. Should the NFL’s Washington football team change its name from Redskins?

2. Should ALL nicknames with Native American connotations be banned/removed?

3. Am I alone in not giving any thought toward my own school’s nickname…along these lines?

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office admits in its report that only 30% of Native Americans surveyed find the term Redskins offensive. And survey’s of the team’s fans throughout the D.C. area strongly approve of owner Daniel Snyder’s stance to “NEVER change the name”.

My position is not unlike my thoughts about my own Totem’s nickname from my high school days. I’m rather indifferent. I see how the term Redskins can be offensive (who can’t?). But I also feel…INTENT has to play a big part in how a word is used. Nobody in their right mind believes Snyder or anyone associated with the Washington Redskins intends to offend anyone. It’s as if simply writing or saying the “n-word” is offensive; which it is…to a lot of people. I respect that. But I’m going to write it here, now. Nigger. Am I a racist? In the context of how I am using it I would openly and strongly call you an idiot for accusing me of being so. And my African-American wife, children, and friends would defend me; I’m sure. Still the word is offensive because of how it has historically been used, and the frequency with which its been used. The same can be said of the word Redskins. Though nobody with any scruples would use the word in any other way but as a reference to the football team. And such has been the case for decades. You can’t say that about the N-word.

Nonetheless, the tide to remove the name Redskins from the NFL football team is certainly unmistakable; and I predict it will be done in the next 2-3 years. Chalk up another one for political correctness. Still, it’s not something I don’t understand or would strongly argue.

However, to the politically correct wimps who would remove all nicknames, like my Totems, from schools and sports teams I would say, GROW UP. As I already pointed out, INTENT, must be taken into consideration when choosing to be offended otherwise you can find offense in way too many things in this world. The nursery level idiom “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”, comes to mind. I could point out all the other nicknames of some racial derivation…like a lot of people arguing this point do…but I won’t. Because it’s a waste of time.

If someone offends you and does so intentionally or unthinkingly, do something about it. Say something. But if their Intent is non-offensive keep that in mind. When I was young and going to school studying broadcasting I created an audio character with an English accent named “Bueno Mike”. It was a character I used for product commercials. And it was intended to be funny. Bueno Mike was supposed to be an English explorer in the vein of “Stanley and Livingston”. I decided Bueno Mike needed an assistant and innocently came up with a new character I called “Sambo”. This was in 1985. My then-girlfriend, and future wife, was incensed. I had no ill-intent. I was thinking of the restaurant named Sambo’s, and the young Indian character who spun a tiger around a tree and turned him into butter. But my girlfriend couldn’t believe I would use a name so offensive. I admitted I didn’t know that it was offensive to African-Americans. But after she calmed down and explained it to me I didn’t hesitate to ditch the plan and not use the derogatory name. But I have to admit my girlfriends strong first reaction put me on the defensive and I was a little upset. Only through a calmer approach was my mind changed.

What do you think? I’m really interested in hearing from my fellow Sammamish Alums to my 3 earlier questions.

Thanks for visiting. Comments are welcome.

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June 19, 2014
Categories: National Politics, Sports, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on The Redskins name and my Sammamish Totems

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