Feb

7

The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong
by Rebecca Haw Allensworth

A bottom-up investigation of the broken system of professional licensing, affecting everyone from hairdressers and morticians to doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, and those who rely on their services.

Pamela Van Giessen writes:

When my dad was suffering from dementia and it was too stressful on him to go places, I called in a podiatrist to take care of his feet and toe nails. I asked the doctor if he could also clip my dad’s fingernails, at least on his right hand which suffered constant trembles from a stroke. I did not feel confident doing it with the tremors.

The podiatrist informed me that he was not licensed to clip fingernails. I asked who was licensed and was told that in IL only manicurists and nurse aids in care homes can clip fingernails. I asked him if he thought it would be a good idea to take my dad to a manicurist (or have one come to dad) given his tremors. Dr said “no, and probably no manicurist wants to trim your dad’s fingernails.”

I called the state licensing board to complain and was told this rule existed for a good reason to protect people like my dad. I told them that this was absurd and not protective of anyone except this bizarre bureaucracy. I was told that I was being disrespectful and they hung up on me. Fortunately the podiatrist took pity on the situation after seeing my dad and broke the rules.

Licensing (and certification) is a racket. It is meant to keep some out and it is also a lucrative racket for states, licensing boards, and non-profit organizations. The CFA Institute makes over $275M annually on the CFA certification (and it costs less than 1/2 that to administer the program).

Sushil Rungta comments:

Agreed! Licensing is a racket and in many instances, unnecessary. Often, it is nothing more than a means to generate revenues for the licensing authority!

Rich Bubb writes:

I completely agree with the 'license Non-sense' of some (ahem) rationales. My basic take is that if some institute was involved, they were rarely better than learning-by-doing types (eg., me). When I was working thru attaining six sigma black belt (SSBB looked good on the resume), the major quality name (withheld) institution was over-hyping their SSBB program only as some sort of easy-to-attain achievement, [but] with their seminars/classes/literature/mentors/videos/etc., only. Truth to tell, I knew so-called 'withheld-name'-SSBB-certified wingnuts that knew nearly 10% of what I'd literally done already. Oftentimes by doing deep research and generally trying to learn more about More.

Henry Gifford provides the NY POV:

In New York City a plumbing license is like a license to print money. More and more work requires a permit, and therefore a license. Hire a licensed plumber for an agreed-on price of $10,000, usually the bill comes in at about double. Hire by the hour and keep careful track of the hours and you still get a bill for double. After you pay you notice the permit is not closed out (signed off by the licensed plumber), which becomes a violation on the property, and a bar to clean title at sale. Want it signed off? Maybe another $10K?

Word is that the number of licenses is fixed - they give them out only at the rate that licensed plumbers die. Applying for a license requires seven years of "experience", which is defined as being an employee of a licensed plumber - basically sons and nephews, someone with ambition who buys a van and tools and goes to work is nobody's employee, thus never can get a license. Then comes the written test.

Not long ago the written test had a drawing of all the drains in a building, with inch sizes marked next to each piece of pipe. The question required calculating how many ounces of lead are required to pour molten lead into all the joints in the drain pipes to connect them - something not done regularly for 50 years at the time of the test. The drawing was a copy of a copy of a copy, not legible - required guessing at the pipe sizes, or else buying the answer for cash.

Then comes the practical test, which not long ago required melting lead pipes together, but without the help of a propane torch or any other torch. Thee equipment supplied is a cast iron kettle and a stove - melt some lead or solder in the kettle, throw the molten lead at the joint, wipe it smooth with an asbestos rag or similar.

I know a guy who got his experience and passed both tests, but the city didn't give him a license. He went to court and sued the city, and after much time and expense finally won - hooray! The judge ordered the city to give him a license. But, last I heard, he still didn't have a license.

Other parts of the US are catching up. Most professional licenses cannot be transferred to another city. A friend of mine in NYC married a guy in Vermont who was a counselor to juvenile delinquents. His experience in Vermont was not transferrable to NY State - he would have to start all over, thus she moved to Vermont.

Does this system benefit anyone but holders of existing licenses, and the powers that be? I don't think so.

Stefan Jovanovich gets historical:

The licensing presumption goes back to the royal charters of the English kings and queens. The sovereign has the (God-given) authority to decide who has the right to practice a trade. The Saddler's Company received theirs from Edward I in 1272.

Gyve Bones writes:

Very interesting account of how the plumbers' trade operates in NYC. It reminded me of Mark Twain's account of how the Pilot's Association formed on the Mississippi River. Samuel Clemens, before he took the pen name "Mark Twain", was a riverboat pilot, and a member of the Association so he knows and tells the story well in Life on the Mississippi. He shows how at first the really good pilots avoided joining the Association out of pride and because they had such a good reputation they didn't need it. And the Association became the refuge of B and C rank pilots… at first. But Twain shows how the Association provided an information edge about the current state of the river conditions which the "outsiders" could not match, and were able to develop a monopoly once the underwriters found that Association pilots were better at avoiding claim losses.

Here's a link to Life on the Mississippi, Chapter XV which contains the story.

I think there are excellent insights in this story how any sort of trade establishes a guild system that protects the trade, creating moats to competition. We see it with doctors, lawyers, undertakers, nail salons, barbers, electricians &c. &c. ad infinitum. Lots of the work of legislatures is creating laws for these associations to institutionalize the moats with the force of law for the various guilds.

The previous chapters detail very interestingly on how riverboat pilots do their jobs, which is a fascinating context if you want a deeper dive. It's one of my favorite books of all time.

Aug

8

I'd add that, in business and socially, don't "hang around" too long past appropriate. If you get the response you are seeking in a meeting, proposal, or discussion be courteous and respectful and get out of there. This is where Costanza had it right (his practice of leaving a meeting on a high note after a good joke). I found this to be a commercially, socially, and romantically valid concept.

Nils Poertner offers:

some may like the list that Gurdjieff gave to his daughter. (a number of overlaps)

Sushil Rungta writes:

I am quite mortified as I post this message but in the spirit of camaraderie posting it even though, in doing so, I am indulging in a little self promotion (totally unintended). I frequently write to my children sharing my experiences and what life has taught me. A very few of these I also publish on LinkedIn and Medium.com. Providing a link to two of these letters:

A Father's Message

12 Lessons from a Father

Hope you like them and please do excuse me for this immodesty.

Aug

7

Essentials

See what you look at. Listen to what you hear. Feel what you feel.

Finding a way to use heart, hand, and mind together leads to joy.

Treat yourself as you would a dear friend.

Don’t lie. Lying tangles up your heart and mind. Lies require more lies, sapping energy.

Much of what is considered normal is wrong or worse.

Turn away from cynicism, intoxication, and callousness.

Read Xenophon’s account of Cyrus to learn about leadership. Read Seneca and Publius to learn how to retain your composure and virtue through Fortune’s ups and downs.

Be trustworthy.

Keep a good reputation.

Don’t talk trash about others behind their backs. That sort of talk has a way of flying like a bird back to the target and can turn people into enemies. Talking trash also makes your companions wonder what you say about them when they’re not around.

Genial curiosity can sometimes defuse bad situations.

Bad behavior is often about them, not you.

Deportment

Good manners reveal strength.

Respecting others as human beings is the essence of good manners. You don’t have to overthink it; good manners are often about little things, such as:

Get to appointments early.

Open doors for people with crutches and watch out for their feet.

Open doors for women and mothers with baby carriages.

If a woman joins you at a table where no seat is empty, give her yours. Pull the seat out for her and help her settle in.

Do not swear. It makes you seem churlish.

Don’t comment on the appearance of others. The exceptions: Tell your wife she looks lovely and tell a friend if his fly is open.

Do not make fun of what another person eats, drinks, or thinks.

Invest in comfortable, well-made clothes. Cheap clothes waste money because they don’t last, and they make people wonder if you will be as careless with them as you are with your own appearance.

Women

As you know, one of your most important roles is to protect women.

Women are vulnerable to falling in love too quickly, because they instinctively want a family. That's true of all women.

Sexually liberated women do not exist. Recognize that women who think they can act like men are prey in a harmful culture. You must protect them.

At Home

Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly.

Light and fresh air are healthy. Keep the windows in your room open if possible.

Follow the one-touch rule: Put things in their places. Put dirty clothes in the hamper. Put dishes in the dishwasher. Throw out papers you don’t need.

An orderly house helps keep life happy and productive.

Gratitude

Gratitude creates happiness. Write down five things you’re grateful for in a notebook every day.

Adulthood

What does it mean to become an adult? In a word: responsibility. Paying rent. Creating and protecting your family. Planning ahead. Making a career. Fulfilling your obligations. Making money. Contributing to freedom, community, earth.

On a higher level, adulthood is the ability to consider two opposing concepts. Adults can deal with ambiguity and subtlety.

Many wise sayings have converses that are equally wise and true. For example, perseverance and endurance are virtues; but the adage “survival is mobility” saved many Jews from the Nazi death camps.

In our modern world, “survival is adaptability” may be more apt. You must become adaptable without losing your soul.

Farewell

With all my love, I send you out into the world, an eagle destined to soar among mountain peaks. Be strong. Don’t forget to call.

-Mom

Vic adds:

beautiful advice - reach out to learn new things and be good to friends. don't be too trusting.

Sushil Rungta writes:

Wonderful lessons. While I loved all, the lessons on respecting others resonate with me the most. How often we behave callously towards others! Sometimes, unintentionally. Here, practicing mindfulness really helps.

Jul

27

Here's a performance of a one-movement sonata for flute and piano I wrote a few years ago.

Traditionally, sonatas were three or four movements. My goal here was to respect that structure, but to do so in a highly compressed format. The piece is built around a recurring pattern (an ostinato) that the flute first "discovers" before it lands in the bass of the piano. The middle section begins with a nod to a more primitive, primal flute. Again, a pattern is discovered that is worked and reworked in counterpoint between the instruments. This little sonata is a pretty solid reflection of my musical aesthetic: I'm striving for a whole that makes sense, but also exploring some extremes.

What I think might be interesting to the group is that some elements of this piece were generated from financial market data. (Think of a GARCH-type process.) Aspects of volatility were allowed to dictate some elements of harmonic density and texture in the piece. I bent this to my overall musical concept as opposed to leaving it bare. (I don't find much engaging in process-driven compositions… they are far more interesting to write and maybe to talk about then to hear, in most cases.)

Sushil Rungta appreciates:

Very much enjoyed it. It was marvelous. Thanks for sharing.

Peter Ringel responds:

Beautiful. TY Adam.

some elements of this piece were generated from financial market data. (Think of a GARCH-type process.)

This seems brilliant. I have no doubt that volatility is deeply human. Sadly, my ear is too poorly trained to understand your translation of this into composition.

Somewhat related: I use order-flow audible sounds during my day-trading. Like the old guys used floor noise. There is a non-regular rhythm to it. For me it is so ingrained now, I feel naked without it. It also helps with not needing to stare at the screen all the time. The Mkt- music will alert me if necessary.

[ Lagniappe: Sonata, pl. sonate; from Latin and Italian: sonare [archaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by suonare], "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian cantare, "to sing"), a piece sung. -Ed ]

Feb

24

Auschwitz Survivor Reveals The Secret To Overcoming Any Obstacle In Life with Dr. Edith Eger.

As a Jew living in Eastern Europe under Nazi occupation, Edith was taken to Auschwitz concentration camp with her parents and sister, at the age of 16. She explains how she found her inner resources, how she came to view her guards as the real prisoners, turn hate into pity and, incredibly, she even describes her horrific experience as ‘an opportunity’. She has liberated herself from the prison of her past through forgiveness.

Sushil Rungta writes:

I am also very fortunate to have met Dr. Eger a few times. Every meeting was illuminating. She really inspires by her story and by her humility. Both her books, The Choice and The Gift are must reads. Coming to the United States when almost 50 years old and accomplishing all that she has is truly remarkable. Also worth noting that her son-in-law is Noble laureate in economics.

Gyve Bones offers:

Last night I watched this dramatized documentary of the life and death of Fr. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Catholic priest who, as a prisoner in Auschwitz, offered his life for the tenth man chosen by the commandant to die in the starvation bunker in retribution for an escape from that cell block. The man was married and had children. Fr. Kolbe stepped out of the assembled ranks, which normally would get a prisoner shot, and asked the commandant if he could take the man’s place. The offer was accepted. He turned the starvation bunker into a chapel, with him leading the nine other men in constant prayer and singing hymns. He was the last one remaining alive, and so the guards dispatched him by injecting carbolic acid into his veins, which makes the CO² bubbles in soda, and causes the heart pump to cavitate and fail.

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