More About Mike

More About Mike

Well 24 hours have passed since I wrote about my guy Mike. To refresh memory, Mike is Mike Randall of WKBW Channel 7 (ABC) in Buffalo, New York. My recent post was about how Mike had his work hours reduced and his being pushed out of the station.

I talked with Mike, or rather chatted via Facebook. He was flattered that I cared but basically said he was hurt to be shoved aside as he had been, but that it was a fact of life. He was gracious and never once said a negative thing about his employer. In fact he was completely and totally loyal to his employer even though that employer wasn't loyal to him.

Mike Randall is a consummate professional to the very end.

Me on the other hand, well I'm not so generous. I began some research and it appears that I am late to the game. I guess I must have had my head in a hole because all this began in August. From what I am reading, from the various newspaper articles online, various media posts and then the various comments from people it is a case of "so sad goodbye".

Why is it not being screamed that this is blatant discrimination? Why is every person in the area over the age of 50 just letting this happen? Mike Randall is not old, he is in his late 50's, and is a very good weatherman. The main comment from the station management is that the NEW chief meteorologist is better with the weather computers... Mike was working the weather computers before this guy was born!

Sure technology changes but it surely doesn't mean older people can't master it... I get that all the time. Little smirks from younger folk about working the computer... I happen to be great at it, better than most in fact. Yet I didn't attend schools, I did it all the hard way... I worked my way up to what I can do today. I learned by doing... making mistakes, fixing them and going on.

I am a graphic artist, a computer designer and superb typesetter. In the early days I apprenticed and learned my trade (Graphic Arts International Union) when it meant something. When my field began turning to computers, I learned each one as it appeared. When the desktops showed up, I bought one and spent every evening after working a full day, learning this new skill.

I got many different programs and learned each one. I spent hundreds of hours teaching myself the art of drawing on computers, of working with photos, video, flip books and so much more. I taught myself Mac's and PC's. I can work data bases with ease and I am one of the best researchers around. Yet I still get the smirks when I apply for a job...

The... 'how can an old person like you possibly do this kind of work'... smirk.

Well world, guess what... I can, I do and I'm great at it!

Same goes with the likes of Mike Randall. He has been a weatherman for years and he has been a feature reporter for years. He learned his craft by doing, just as I learned mine. He is good at it and he is loved for it. So it comes down to the age... 

Well world age is only a number. Tell me would you prefer your president/prime minister to be 61 or 16??? How comfortable would be be if your surgeon was 25 not 52??? 

Age brings life wisdom... you see things totally differently, from a place of experience. You have learned to balance enthusiasm with measured paces, to balance raw youthful power with careful strategy, to balance the good for one against the greater good for many. 

To willfully discard this life wisdom, this essence of what creates human history... just for youth is wrong, totally wrong.

Why are we so afraid of aging? Is it that we are just afraid of dying and if we put it out of our minds, it won't happen? Well I have news for you world... it happens and will happen to each and every one of us.

Mike Randall is just a weatherman on TV, he is not a super hero or a rock star. What he is, is a person who is being discarded for growing older, yet we all are growing older and we can't stop that fact. What we can do is say enough of taking a segment of our society and pretending they don't exist anymore. I for one will not willing go find an ice flow and disappear and you world... shouldn't let that happen to anyone.

It is wrong to discriminate for race, religion, sex, preference, nationality and yes, it is wrong to discriminate for age.

Mike may want to spend more time doing those "things" he always wanted to do... but I'm sure that was in his retirement plan. He is not retired though, he is still trying to earn a living and caring for his family. Mike has paid his dues, he gave for 30 years. As long as he does his job well Mike deserves to be allowed to continue working. I wonder just how well WKBW management are doing their own jobs?

The Mike Randall's of this world deserve more... as do all who have made it through life to reach this point in time. WKBW is wrong to remove an employee because of how old they are and we need to tell them so. Let them know...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/WKBW-TV/60388086891

Maybe together we can save my guy Mike's job... and maybe our own jobs too!

If you have the time, please let Mike know we are rooting for him! https://www.facebook.com/MikeRandallwkbwtv7