We announced the winners of our third annual Workers’ Comp Best Blogs Contest yesterday. I was very pleased and humbled to again have this blog included on the list. I want to thank the judges as well as all the people who nominated my “Cluttered Desk” for their support. Judging criteria for this program includes…
Judging a Book by Its Cover: A Mea Culpa on Face Piercing
We shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but to some degree we all do. I certainly have done so, and probably will continue to. It is, in many ways, human nature. I suppose it is important to recognize that our predispositions and assumptions are not always correct, and that we should acknowledge that fact…
For Old Curmudgeons, Robotic Barista May Be the Start of Something Beautiful
I admit, I am a conservative guy. While I prefer the term “traditional thinker,” some people would call me an old curmudgeon. Sometimes the conflicts between my traditional thinking and current trends manifest themselves in bewildered thought. And for some reason that bewildered thought sometimes arises at just about any local coffee shop. Allow me…
In Washington State and Elsewhere, Bad Guys Deserve a Different Regulatory Agency
I spoke in Washington State last week, providing the Keynote at the 47th Annual Conference of the Washington Self Insurance Association (WSIA). My presentation was followed by Joel Sacks, Director of Washington’s Department of Labor and Industry. Sacks reviewed his agency’s progress toward five goals that were established 6 years ago at the beginning of…
From the Archives: I am in a Protected Class – I Have a Problem with My Brain
Bob is on vacation this week. This post is from the Cluttered Desk archives, and was originally published on May 8, 2012. _______________________________________________ This is quite possibly the first ever, multi-media, interactive thought induction blog post – not just for the industry, but anywhere. In order for you to experience my thoughts as I describe…
From the Archives: Blunder Down Under – Hotel Sex Romp Injury Ruled Compensable
Bob is on vacation this week. This post is from the Cluttered Desk archives, and was originally published on April 20, 2012. _______________________________________________ An Australian woman who was injured having sex in her motel room while on a business trip has been awarded benefits for the injury. The unnamed woman was apparently injured when a…
From The Archives: It's a Bad Day at Work When a Meth Lab Explodes in Your Pants
Bob is on vacation this week. This post is from the Cluttered Desk archives, and was originally published on April 30, 2012. _______________________________________________ This is a tale of a work related incident gone awry. It may be illegal work, but an on the job injury is an on the job injury. Who am I to…
From the Archives: Perhaps a Lack of Awareness, Not Cost Containment, Should Be Employers Biggest Concern
Bob is on vacation this week. This post is from the Cluttered Desk archives, and was originally published on March 20, 2012. _______________________________________________ We’ve all heard the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. It could be truer nowhere else than in the world of workers’ comp, employment risk and…
A Bit of Speaking, A Bit More Vacation
I’m leaving for two weeks’ vacation next week. It will be the longest vacation I’ve taken since starting this company 19 years ago. I’m not sure I will be able to handle it. I am actually speaking at a couple conferences during that time, but that will only occupy a couple of days during those…
Don't Quit Your Day Job: Universal Basic Income Gets a Reality Check
This week it was announced that Finland, which had launched an experiment deploying “Universal Basic Income,” is stopping the project. Universal Basic Income, or UBI, is the socialistic dream of those who envision a more equal world by guaranteeing a base salary for everyone, regardless of whether they work or not. Finland has been testing…