Happy Birthday to your Mom! She had lunch with her special group of friends. She is lovingly known by one as “Yoda” (from the Star Wars episodes) for all her wisdom. Yeah!
Twice this week I have been involved in a “factory” setting. As you know your Mom and I went to Io-way, yes sir Io-way. Grandson Grant was getting orientation at the University of Iowa (Io-way) State. I can’t get the song that refers to Io-way out of my brain. The city of Ames is a “University” town. During the orientation I was stricken by the number of students passing through the gates of the University on their way to forever. UIS (Iowa State University) is an “education factory”. They bring in young minds (like raw material in a factory), they educate, and they ship students to the world. The system is well organized and believe me it is big business. Construction of new buildings never ends and tuition and State subsidies never end. The business employes most of the citizens of Ames. If not at the University, hotels, restaurants and associated services thrive in Ames. Grandson Grant is now accepted as a raw talent waiting to be transformed on their production line into a desired contributor to society.
My next exposure to a factory was the clinic that does cataract surgery. I was scheduled for an initial consultation this morning. From the time I walked in the door, I had the feeling that I was part of a production line. First I filled out forms. Second my eyesight was retested by a different aide. Then an young doctor did an audit of the health of my eyes. I was given an Ipod to watch a video on my own. I was given my options and costs on cataract removal. I was presented with my 3 options for surgery and “steered into what was right for me”. I made my choice, scheduled the procedures and signed all the insurance forms necessary for everyone to get paid. When I left with my eyes dilated, I couldn’t help but think, “what just happened?”. I had just passed through one of the most efficient eye clinics in the country. They had transformed my eye concerns into a committed profitable venture in two hours. Their profit. My money.
I always think of a factory as a place that makes tangible products, such as motors, pumps or cookies. This week I saw a “mind transformation” factory and a medical procedure juggernaut (a service factory).
Both factories are big business. If you don’t think running a University is big business, you are living on another planet. Vision correction surgery? Dah.
Hang on to your wallets.
Love,
Dad