My blog recently surpassed another milestone, but this time it was more an indication of interest in a single story than a testament to my feeble vocabulary and lackluster wordsmith capabilities. Last year, on September 10, 2013, my blog proudly passed the 1,000,000 article view mark, having taken just over two years to reach that…
Saskatchewan's Mission Zero: Because One Death is Too Many
I spent much of last week in the mountains of Montana, attending and speaking at the Montana Governors' Conference on Workers' Compensation. It was a great event held at Big Sky Resort; probably one of the most beautiful conference locations I've ever attended. It also provided one of the best safety messages I've ever heard.…
Remembering 9/11, 13 Years Later – An Annual Visual Tribute
Editors Note: We originally posted this tribute in the days following the 9/11 attack in 2001, and it was viewed here by tens of thousands of people. We have re-posted it for every 9/11 anniversary to honor those who perished, and to reaffirm our commitment to “never forget”. Bob’s story below was originally published two…
Shocking SAIF Board Comment and Rocklin Defense Refusal Only Generate More Questions
The SAIF Board of Directors met yesterday in Salem, and to say they rolled out the welcome mat for unhappy employees would be a complete misrepresentation of what I am told occurred. The meeting was held in a room that would only accommodate 60 people, and only around 20 of them were made available for…
Remembering 9/11 – An Annual Visual Tribute
Editors Note: We originally posted this tribute in the days following the 9/11 attack in 2001, and it was viewed here by tens of thousands of people. We have re-posted it for every 9/11 anniversary to honor those who perished, and to reaffirm our commitment to “never forget”. Bob’s story below was originally published…
Possible Rocklin Rejection As Big Day Arrives for SAIF Employees
Today, September 10, 2014, is a big day for SAIF employees angered by the termination of John Plotkin 4 months ago. The SAIF Board of Directors meets today in Salem, at the Parkway Building at 10AM. It is the first time they have done so since Plotkin was summarily terminated in what appears to have…
The Audacity of Dope
For those of you aware of my particular political proclivities, you may be assuming this is a diatribe about current leadership issues within our nation. While my slightly to the right of Attila the Hun fiscal conservatism makes that likely, you would in this case be mistaken. Nor is this a follow up to my…
Underwriting Stupidity
It is certainly a fact that some workplace injuries are unavoidable in that they are caused by unexpected mechanical or equipment failures, technical issues or some other event out of the control of the misfortunate humans involved. But it is also just as certain a fact that many workplace injuries covered by the workers’ compensation…
Do SAIF Board Selections Portend a New Direction For the Embattled Insurer?
On August 25th Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber announced three new appointments to the Board of Directors for SAIF Corporation, the state owned workers' compensation insurance company. This action follows a tumultuous summer for the agency that saw popular CEO John Plotkin terminated after just three short months on the job. Now, information has come forth…
Did Fame Ruin My Blind and Toothless Cat?
David Depaolo and I share some odd coincidences in our lives. Both of us started an online information service for the workers' compensation industry in 1999. Both of us have mothers who had or continue to battle dementia. Both of us had aging fathers who were at one time the caregivers for our ailing mothers.…