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Local News & Opinion
09.25 State Elections Boards Seeks Volunteers to Help Process Unprecedented Number of Voter Applications Travel
Books, Arts & Education
09.18 Reviewing Danny Schechter's "Plunder: Investigating Our Economic Calamity and the Subprime Scandal" Letters
Ref. : Letters to the editor Open Letters:
09.30 To Joe Biden: Time for Confession 09.28 Open Letter to Senator Barack Obama 09.26 Bailout Package Must be Transparent to the American People 09.18 Possible $2 Million Donation to Support Md. Slots Sends Wrong Message Health & Environment
Media Watching
10.10 Ayers = Keating? 10.02 Project Censored's Media Democracy Advocacy 09.23 Satire: Louella Reads the Baltimore Sun 09.22 CBS Cheats on Tax Coverage 09.10 Post's Post-Convention 'Balancing' Act 09.10 McCain/Palin Campaign Relies on Lazy Thinking and Prejudice to Win 09.10 The Rising Cost of the Iraq 'Surge' US Politics, Policy & Culture
10.09 McCain-Palin Put 'Country Last' 10.07 GOP Judges Aid White House Cover-up 10.07 Voting the Fate of the Nation 10.07 Alaska GOP's Last-Ditch Palin Defense 10.07 Election '08: Here Comes the Sludge 10.02 John McCain v. The Truth 10.02 Drinking at the Public Fountain 10.01 Who won the Mississippi debate? Obama—but for different reasons than you think 09.30 The Shadow of the Pitchfork: Elite Panic Attack as Bailout Goes Bust 09.29 The Resurrectionists: Beltway's Big Money Cultists Bail Out the Dead 09.29 We Have the Money 09.27 Debate Evades Dark Realities 09.26 Alaskan Officials Allege Palin Cover-up 09.24 Don’t Worry, Be Happy 09.24 Text of Draft Proposal for Bailout Plan 09.24 Hey, Government! How About Calling on Us? 09.23 Coming Attractions: War Without End, Amen 09.22 The Evolution of John McCain 09.21 Palin's 'Troopergate' Battle Rages 09.19 Burning the First Amendment 09.15 Subverting Democracy Through Electoral Fraud 09.15 Military Industrial Complex 2.0 09.13 Acceptable Sacrifice: For the Right to Endorse 09.13 Why More Soldiers from Alaska? 09.12 Experience is Over-Rated 09.10 Obama Must Call for Palin's Removal from the Ticket 09.10 9/11 Plus Seven 09.10 Palin's Strange Probe of a Trooper 09.10 Dear Democrats: Integrity Won’t Win this Election US High Crimes
10.09 The Surge That Failed 10.08 The Orwellosphere: Anglo-American Drive to 'Total Security State' Rolls On 10.08 Justice for Yemini Sheik 10.06 The Wounded Shark: 'Good War' Lost, But the Imperial Project Goes On 10.02 U.S. Army Troops To Serve As U.S. Policemen? 09.25 Life on the Ledge 09.16 "Awakening" Into Nightmare: Seeding More Sectarian War in Iraq Economics & Business
10.06 Thinking About Treason 10.06 The Fleecing of America 10.03 Can a bailout succeed? 10.02 Empire of Greed 10.02 No Surprise in the Senate Bailout Vote 10.02 How Wall Street Can Bail Itself Out Without Destroying The Dollar 10.02 The Specter of Wall Street 10.01 We Need to Demand Hearings! 09.30 Surprise! Congress Listened to the Voting Public! 09.29 Thinking About Gyrations 09.29 Grand Theft America 09.26 Seizing America by Withholding the Mother’s Milk of Politics 09.26 Framing the $700 Billion Question 09.26 Bail Out NO, Buy Out YES 09.26 Just Say "No" to Any Immediate Bailout 09.26 Has Deregulation Sired Fascism? 09.25 Don't Fuel the Fire: Fire the Arsonists 09.25 America Pays the Piper, Big Time 09.24 Just Thinking Aloud Here 09.23 What Nobody's Saying: The Bailout Will Kill the Dollar 09.22 Thinking About Escalations 09.18 US Economy: Rudderless and Reeling From Direct Hits 09.18 US Economy: Rudderless and Reeling From Direct Hits 09.17 Creative Destruction: The Solid Core Behind the Financial Crisis 09.16 You Can't Feel Blue About the Economy If You Want To. There Are No Blue Chips Anymore 09.15 Thinking About Spotlights 09.15 U.S. Economy—Temporary Respite, Permanent Decline International
10.10 Another Israeli West Bank Land Grab Scheme 09.26 Annals of Liberation: Sex is Death in a Darkened Land 09.25 New Coup D'Etat Rumblings in Venezuela 09.22 Remembering Edward Said Five Years On 09.20 Filter Tips: Distortion and Demonization on the Iran Beat 09.11 Wall Street and Washington We are a non-profit Internet-only newspaper publication founded in 1973. Your donation is essential to our survival.
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NEWS ANALYSIS:Thinking About Safety
With all the negatives in the news, it is a real pleasure to write about a successful American company that makes quality products for its customers in a safe, supportive, and appreciative environment for its work force.
I’ve been thinking about safety. Actually I’ve been thinking about Rochelle Foods Division, Quality Appreciation Day, products, tours, food, inflatables, BINGO, and Hormel. Last Saturday the Rochelle Foods Division of Hormel Corporation staged their recent biannual Quality Appreciation Day for their employees, employees’ family members and invited guests. It was quite an event here in this part of Illinois; an estimated 3,000 people participated in the festivities. You see, not only is Rochelle Foods the city’s largest employer—with over 860 employees, it is also the largest employer in all of Ogle County. This year’s event was particularly special. It marked the thirteenth consecutive year that Rochelle Foods received the company’s safety award for a year’s production without an accident or employee mishap. This is the longest-running safety record in all of the company’s divisions. It was especially fitting that this most recent event also marked fifteen years to the day when Hormel came to Rochelle—on July 12, 1993. Safety, quality, and value are clearly important hallmarks for Hormel. The Rochelle plant processes and packages deli hams, hot dogs, pre-cooked bacon, sliced bacon, microwavable bacon, and “completes.” The “completes” are vacuum-sealed, single-portion entrees which require no refrigeration and have a shelf life of two years. They are really delicious and are ready to eat after just 90 seconds in your microwave. They could also be prepared in a conventional oven, or “double boiled” on a camp stove. They make a perfect item to stockpile in your pantry for emergencies. "Completes" are currently Hormel’s fastest-growing (and fastest-selling) product line. On two production lines and over two shifts per day, Rochelle Foods generates just over 2 million units of them per week. (They are also produced at Hormel Division sites in Minnesota and Georgia.) Upon entering the main gateson July 12, employees and their guests were treated to a complete tour of the facility. This was not only impressive, it was highly informative. Production was shut down for the event and section supervisors were available throughout to explain the operations and answer all questions. To say the facility was immaculate was an understatement. Everything was as spotless as one would expect from a first-class operation that produces/packages some of America’s most trusted brands of food products. I should also note that as the visitors began their tour, they passed a large display case featuring the many awards, certificates, and trophies won by the plant and its employees. The Rochelle Foods team takes the greatest pride and care in their work, and it shows. After the tour, all guests were treated to a real feast. There were hot dogs (made by Hormel of course), bratwursts from Hormel’s Saag’s Sausage Division in California, BBQed ribs from Hormel’s Lloyd’s Barbeque Division in Minnesota, potato salad, baked beans, fruit salad, cookies, and brownies. The next phase of the event involved the inflatable amusements and pony rides for the children. The kids had a great time scaling this, bouncing on that, crawling over whatever, and sliding down from the summits. There was a jousting unit for those so inclined. The energy, exuberance, and laughter were contagious. Ah... to be that young again—and that flexible. Nearby, there was a “dunk management” tank where participants had the opportunity to soak their bosses. This was the fourth time David Roinas had the Creston Booster Club furnish the equipment and “person power” for the three-plus hours of free BINGO for prizes. These included small kitchen appliances, power tools, electronic games, gift cards, and pre-paid gasoline cards. With all the negatives in the news, it is a real pleasure to write about a successful American company that makes quality products for its customers in a safe, supportive, and appreciative environment for its work force. As a long-time fan of Hormel products, I particularly enjoy two grilled SPAM slices on a hot dog bun with raw onion and a mustard, molasses, and brown sugar glaze. (BTW: In two weeks, Rochelle Foods begins production of SPAM hot dogs!!!) I’m Fred Cederholm and I’ve been thinking. You should be thinking, too. Copyright 2008 Questions, Inc. All rights reserved. Fred Cederholm is a CPA/CFE, a forensic accountant, and writer. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A., M.A. and M.A.S.). He can be reached at asklet@rochelle.net.
Copyright © 2008 The Baltimore News Network. All rights reserved.
Republication or redistribution of Baltimore Chronicle content is expressly prohibited without their prior written consent. Baltimore News Network, Inc., sponsor of this web site, is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed in stories posted on this web site are the authors' own. This story was published on JuLY 15, 2008. |
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