5.14.2008

Jeff the Great Discovers Nike Alumni Network!


If you are one of the tens of thousands thave have worked for Nike, Inc in the past and you are on LinkedIn....there is now a LinkedIn Group for Global Nike Alumni.

If you have Nike listed as a past job in your LinkedIn profile, follow the below link to join the group:


http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/104175/1C7E490D8C95


This shoud be a good way to stay in touch with co-workers and find job opportunities during life after Nike.


-Jeff the Great

5.13.2008

Jeff the Great Raises Money for Cancer Research!


I've written in the past about my brother-in-law, his family and his fight against cancer. On December 20th, 2007 he passed away at the age of 23.
Later this month I will team up with the family and friends of Klinton Boylan to particpate in the 2008 Tacoma Relay for Life. We are walking in rememberence of Klinton and with the goal of raising money for the American Cancer Society.
I would appreciate your support and any and all ways. One way is to make a donation directly to the American Cancer Society through my personal fundraising page: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/jmartens
Thanks for your support. I pray that you and your family will never have to go through what Klinton and his family did.
-Jeff the Great

5.03.2008

Jeff the Great Saves You Money at the Pump!


Pop Quiz: which is more expensive to produce?

1. One hundred units each of 17 different types of MP3 players

or

2. Seventeen hundred of 1 type of MP3 player

Answer: Generally speaking, option #2....just 1 type of MP3 player.

Pretty easy question, huh? If it's that easy, why doesn't our country figure that out in regards to gas production? According to Exxon/Mobil, our country has legislated 17 different formulations of unleaded gasoline as the state and county level.


Take a look above, 17 different formulations with the specialty mixes dominating the most populated areas. There is even a little slice of west Texas with its own type of gas that one one else in the country uses. My home state of Oregon requires 3 different types, and the hardly populated state of Nevada requires 4.

Any wonder why gas prices are so high? The limited (and old) refineries in our country have to produce 17 different types of gas. When one goes offline, another has to retool to make a different type of gas than they usually do. When there may be excess crude on the market or crude at lower prices, not just any refinery can buy it and produce gas for the geography they serve.

Instead of wasting time with Congressional hearings and oil executive questioning, when is someone in government going to stand up and standardize US gas requirements? Does anyone doubt that we could get by with 1, 2 or even up to 4 formulations?

Does the presidential candidate you support plan on changing this if they are elected? If you don't know, you might want to ask.

-Jeff the Great