His name is YJ Draiman, and he wants to be your next Mayor

His name is YJ Draiman, and he wants to be your next Mayor. 

                He’s agreed to let me use his campaign material to introduce him to the readers of this column. He’s aware this is not an endorsement—that other candidates may ask for the same courtesy. He’s OK with that.

   The son of European immigrants, YJ Draiman was born in 1949. He was reared in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from High School, he studied Engineering in New York City. In 1971, he got married and went to work as a Mechanical Engineer in the printing industry.

    In 1975, YJ moved to Chicago where he initially worked as an Administrator in a Healthcare facility. But for most of his adult life, YJ has been a businessman. He rehabilitated apartment buildings, he owned a Real Estate Office, he partnered in a Natural Gas Exploration venture and operated a chain of electronic stores. And in 1984, he started marketing Deregulated natural gas, natural gas futures hedging and Efficiency in Energy, Water, Telecom and Utility Services. He’s been active in this business ever since. He’s been recognized by the Illinois State Commerce Commission as a Utilities Expert.

   In 2005, YJ came to Los Angeles. He resides in Northridge and has lived there ever since.  As a resident of Northridge, he developed an interest in the Northridge East Neighborhood Council (NENC). In 2010 he was elected as a Member of the Council’s Board of Directors. Today, he’s the Secretary and he serves on both the Executive and Finance Committees. Moreover, YJ also represents the NENC on the Northridge Vision Organization. In 2010 YJ was a candidate for Councilman in District 12^th.  YJ is currently working on his PHD in Energy conservation.

   YJ Draiman wants to be your Mayor! He feels his successful business experience has given him the skills, abilities and insights needed to balance the interests of the City’s very diverse communities. In the end, YJ believes all Angelinos (himself included) expect City government to be effective and efficient—to provide excellent services at an affordable price.

   To achieve those goals, YJ is committed to an ambitious jobs program: he’ll bring back those businesses that were forced—by the City’s high tax rate—to leave Los Angeles. Moreover, he’ll actively support the creation of new businesses in renewable energy and energy conservation.

   YJ reminds Angelinos, “Don’t forget that our City normally gets more sunlight than any other city in America. That fact must be used to our advantage. We will determine if it’s feasible to call Los Angeles The Solar City.  We will explore the possibility of turning the whole City into  “The World Capital of Renewable Energy’. That would attract billions of investment dollars to Los Angeles. It would facilitate the start-up of many small, energy-related businesses. It would create jobs and generate tax revenues.”

   But Los Angeles has several problems that demand immediate attention. YJ agrees that the City’s civil service system does not appear to be well-managed. One thing is clear: The people of Los Angeles should not be expected to sit and watch while their leaders spend 60 percent of the City budget to support an under-utilized workforce. And asking budgetary departments to manage themselves—without effective accountability—doesn’t serve the public interest.

   Recently, questions have been raised about the City’s tax collection procedure. It’s speculated that the City regularly fails to collect all the taxes it’s owed. Cynics ask if there’s a connection between City Hall’s annual budget gap and the chronic failure to collect all the taxes owed. YJ doesn’t share that cynicism, but he does think an independent audit may be useful.

   YJ is a family man. He and his wife, Miriam, have two adult sons, David 39 a lead singer for Disturbed and Benjamin, 36 a psychologist. He’s at a point in his life where he feels he can give something back to the country that has treated his family so well. He’d welcome comments/question from those who read this column, and can be reached by e-mail yjdraiman@yjdraiman.org.

Are LA voters angry enough to change the current administration at Los Angeles City Hall???

Are LA voters angry enough to change the current administration at Los Angeles City Hall???

LA voters in the March 2011 Elections voted for incumbents - People do not care, why???

Why do we think LA city election on March 5, 2013 will be any different???

I would think with the poor performance and dismal track record by the current administration, the voters would demand to change the current administration at LA City Hall.

3 of the current LA Mayoral candidates are mostly recycled LA City Council members who have proven themselves unworthy by their repeated failure to solve the City's problems and Council staff members who have demonstrated their loyalty and obedience to their pockets, like well-trained dogs.

The corruption in LA government must be stopped. Public corruption in LA City Hall "pay-to-play''.

The performance of the current administrations borders on criminal neglect.

In order to move forward, we must educate the voters, let them know that the current administration goals are business as usual, there will be no significant changes and the city will be heading into bankruptcy. The escalating costs of pensions and benefits will drain most of the city budget as we head into 2020. The increased taxes and fees on residents and businesses will push people and businesses to leave the city. This again will reduce revenues to the city.

The city must initiate an austerity program. Cut salaries and benefits across the board, increase efficiency and performance. The Police Department should utilize civil service employees for clerical work, not Police Officers. The city must tighten its belt and reduce taxes and fees, streamline bureaucracy. Promote the health of existing businesses and actively go after new businesses. Any city employee who is not performing his job to standards should be put on suspension without pay or benefits and if such action has not improved the workers performance, the worker/employee should be terminated. The city must utilize its most expensive resource, its employees more efficiently, promote a good work environment and reward exceptional performance. People must realize that if they do not do their job, they will have no job and no means of support. The city must streamline management and reduce management costs. A high administrative cost is not prudent and not sustainable. LA's employee costs are one of the highest in the country. We need a change in attitude, and that starts at the top. As they say in good leadership, "follow me".

The main question is, why LA voters don't care, why they are resigned to accept failure and diminishing LA city services.

Can we not find a leader who will motivate City Hall and initiate hard choices to bring the city to financial health?

City elections should be held on the first Tuesday of November with all the other elections to Federal, County & State.

It will reduce costs and increase voter turnout.

The peoples brigade for honest government

YJ Draiman

http://www.yjdraimanformayor.org

PS

"The choice we face in Los Angeles and as a nation is simple: Do we want the clean energy and conservation technologies of tomorrow to be invented in America by American innovators, made by American workers and sold around the world, or do we want to concede those jobs to our competitors?" Asks Energy Specialist YJ Draiman. "We can and must compete for those jobs." In Los Angeles, we have the technology, the climate, the resources and the manpower. Let us proceed with conviction.

YJ Draiman

http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com

If you want to bring LA back to economic prosperity

Elect YJ Draiman for Mayor of LA

Draiman's Plan for Job Creation

 

Draiman's Plan for Job Creation

 

Draiman believes that businesses – not government – are the chief engine of job creation and economic growth in LA. With a particular focus on small and innovative businesses, Draiman will focus on creating an environment that helps businesses to thrive by ending redundant regulations, simplifying the way small businesses interact with City government, and opening City contracts to the best qualified rather than the best connected.

LA’s strength and economic vitality are directly tied to the health and livability of its neighborhoods – communities where people can live, work and stay. Creating healthy communities and neighborhood jobs and investments, require careful planning and systematic implementation. Draiman’s plan will make sure planning efforts are coordinated and backed by sufficient resources to deliver results.

Improve LA's Position as a Global Technology and Education LeaderDraiman knows that continued job growth means supporting innovation and investing in emerging technology and talent. Draiman will support the growth of the technology industry in LA, giving entrepreneurs and technology talent the support they need to innovate, grow and stay in LA.
A campus for technological innovation
Draiman will accelerate LA’s growth as a global hub of technology innovation and start-ups, supporting the establishment of a technology innovation hub to promote collaboration and help technology businesses succeed. Google revolutionized the "technology campus" approach to innovation by providing a centralized work space with access to like-minded innovators, venture capitalists and, most importantly, to good transportation options and great food. Draiman will work with local businesses and investors to create a similar campus in LA. The campus will be close to multiple transit lines and bike infrastructure. Space will be available for businesses that focus on IT and green technologies.
Market LA for the next generation of tech employees and entrepreneurs
Draiman is committed to attracting and keeping the next generation of talent in LA. Working with private sector partners, Draiman will launch an annual recruitment weekend where the best and brightest from city and regional universities are brought to LA for an introduction to local tech companies and the city – to recruit and keep the talent here and out of Silicon Valley. Not just students from the City Colleges of LA, UIC, Northwestern, DePaul and other local schools, but also from Champaign, Purdue, Washington University, Ann Arbor and Madison Wisconsin. The weekend will be built around LA Ideas Week, LA's first annual week-long platform of ideas and innovation. LA Ideas Week will take place at venues throughout the city, featuring great thinkers, doers, and innovators from around the world, descending on LA to help us see the future and to shape it.
Create a “LA Workers of the Future” program
Businesses choose to grow in LA because of a diverse and educated talent pool. Draiman wants to ensure that more LA Public School high school students are given exposure to - and preparation for - viable college and employment options. He will establish a 'LA Workers for the Future' program that partners private businesses with LA's high schools and community colleges, giving students career-specific training they need to create a direct path from school to the workforce or higher education in their chosen area of study.
In addition to their regular course of study, students will have access to classes in technical instruction that will include a curriculum jointly developed with the private sponsor. Each student will also have a guaranteed internship with the program's sponsor between their junior and senior year, and will receive an industry-specific credential or certification upon graduation.
Invest in a skilled workforce that meets employer needs
Job training programs work when they are tailored to the needs of employers, but too many programs are disconnected from employers or the skills and requirements of the workplace. Draiman’s administration will conduct a comprehensive review of all job training programs supported by the City, and require that they are coordinated, have clear performance metrics and direct links to real jobs and employers. As part of the review, Draiman will meet with the CEOs and leadership of the major employers in LA and ask them straightforward questions about what they need from job training programs to hire and retain more LA workers.
Increase support to small businesses by expanding and enhancing the Small Business Improvement Fund
Sometimes, even the strongest small businesses need financial help. Today’s tough economy and highly constrained credit markets have been particularly hard on small neighborhood businesses, making it difficult, if not impossible to invest and grow. Draiman believes in the economic potential of these LA businesses and is ready to help invest in their future by expanding and enhancing the Small Business Improvement Fund (SPIF.) SPIF is a program targeted at small businesses located in TIF districts. The program provides grants up to $150,000 to qualifying small businesses to invest in their facilities. Draiman will increase funding for the SPIF program by $15 million annually. He will increase the cap on grant awards to $200,000, expand eligibility for LA businesses, and allow for progress payments to grant recipients as projects are implemented and reduce match requirements to address the difficulty that many LA businesses are having accessing credit to finance needed improvements.

Themes: Draiman's Plan for Job Creation

Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2013

Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2013
Y.J. "Jay" Draiman. - Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles

YJ Draiman who ran last year for councilmen at District 12 in Los Angeles,

Draiman has formally filed paper to run for Mayor of Los Angeles – March 5, 2013.

Y.J. "Jay" Draiman. - Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles

Draiman is an Energy Efficiency Advocate and the lead elected official with the goal of Energy Conservation for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council - NENC, from Northridge, California. Draiman is also the liaison between the NENC and LADWP. Draiman is known for his advancement of implementing Energy efficiency, Renewable energy and Water conservation in the Los Angeles Area. Draiman is promoting the theme of Made in America, bringing back Los Angeles's industrial base, increase employment and reduce government with fiscal responsibility. Draiman ran for Los Angeles City Council in 2010. A recent ambitious goal by Draiman is to create in Los Angeles an innovative renewable energy zone approach which will create 200,000+ new jobs with billions in investments over the next 5-10 years.

Draiman is a former Real Estate developer with over 20 year’s experience. Draiman has extensive experience in the deregulation of Utilities and implementing energy and water conservation.

In January 1996 Draiman was asked to run for U.S. Senate, but He declined.

Draiman is currently working on his PHD in energy conservation.

                  Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2013

The Seven Responsibilities of Leadership

The Seven Responsibilities of Leadership
1. Set and achieve business goals.
In warfare, a military commander is given the responsibility of achieving victory against the enemy. In business, each executive at every level is given the responsibility to achieve specific, measurable business victories or goals. The inability to get the required results, and to achieve the goals in a timely fashion, is the primary reason for failure, frustration and firing at every level, in every company, large or small.
2. Innovate and market.
Apply the "CANEI Strategy" to your sales and marketing efforts. CANEI stands for "Continuous and Never-Ending Improvement." Never be satisfied. Look for new, better, faster and cheaper ways to market and sell your products, every day, every hour of the day.
3. Solve problems and make decisions.
Whatever title appears on your business card can be crossed out and replaced with the words, "Problem-Solver." This is your real job. In solving problems, think and talk exclusively in terms of solutions. Focus all your attention on the specific actions you can take to solve the problem. Forget about the past and who is to blame. Focus on the future and what actions you can take now.
4. Set priorities and work on key tasks.
One of your key responsibilities is to be working on your most vital task all the time and to assure that everyone who reports to you is also working on their key tasks. Always ask yourself, "What are my highest value activities?" If you could only do one thing all day long, what one task would that be?
5. Concentrate single-mindedly on the one activity that can make the greatest difference.
Write down everything you have to do before you begin. Set priorities using an "ABCDE" system. An "A" task is something very important. An "E" task can be eliminated altogether. You can only get your time and life under control to the degree to which you stop doing certain things. Practice "creative abandonment" with tasks that no longer contribute to accomplishing your most important goals.
6. Perform and get results.
Your ability to get results determines your pay, your promotion, your success and the respect and esteem in which you are held by the people around you. Ask yourself continually, "What results are expected of me?" Whatever your answer, work on these specific results single-mindedly. They are the major determinants of your success.
7. Be a role model for others.
This is perhaps the most important responsibility of leadership. One of the marks of superior executives is that they conduct themselves as though everyone were watching them even when no one is watching. Top people set higher standards for themselves than others would set for them. Perhaps nothing contributes more to unity of command than for subordinates to work under someone they greatly respect and admire. Your commitment to becoming a great person, and to demonstrating your values in your every act, is perhaps the most important quality of leadership.

The responsibility and obligation while in position of leadership

The responsibility and obligation while in position of leadership

Many words in the English language give definition to our conduct as individuals or to the conduct of organizations and agencies of government. Among these words are four that have special importance to those of us who care, have values and are interested in becoming men and women of character. The words are honesty, responsibility, leadership and public trust.
The world we have known has changed rapidly in the last 50 years. The changes were driven by the advent of high technology, instant media coverage and communications which changed the way our society earns its living. The evolution from an industrial society characterized by the blue collar worker, to a society that now makes money by managing information or providing service to others has produced rapid changes more profound than in any other time in human history. These economic/technological changes have also prodded our society to examine virtually every traditionally held belief and custom. In addition every organization, including government, continues to be scrutinized for its relevancy to this new way of earning a living.
I presume who, or what, is to blame for the confusion in today's society. I think it fair to say, however, that we have all had a hand in trashing our traditional values and institutions. It is paradoxical that high technology with all of its great promise to improve our lives, in fact, has been used as the reason for us to create a society that by any historical standard is troubled! Crime in all of its forms, including violence, is at epidemic proportions and the personal conduct of almost a majority of our citizens leaves much to be desired. Our basic institutions such as the family, school, religious institutions and government not only often fail to achieve their objectives, but sometimes, through their muddling, make the problems we face much worse!
In today’s environment it is difficult to overcome the temptations of self-indulgence and overcome the cynicism we have developed and the almost constant challenges to our integrity. Yet, for our own good and the good of our families, we have to examine some fundamental aspects of our lives.
In today’s society we must look beneath the surface of this simple question and throw out answers that suggest material wealth or power. These achievements tend to corrupt and in the final analysis, are meaningless. Instead think of your life as a statement to your children and others of what you learned is most important and enduring about yourself. Integrity, honesty, courage, compassion, fairness, justice, ethical behavior and kindness are the virtues by which you will always be judged as a leader, a parent, or a neighbor.
As a leader you must constantly be on the lookout, not to feel as if you become power itself, and think of yourself as invincible. You are in this position of leadership to serve the people honestly and with integrity. You have to serve as an example of true virtues. Do not let your position of leadership get to your head. People have nothing to fear but fear itself. We must overcome it.
In a world where the competition for economic success has blinded humanity to our values and the cost of economic success has blinded us from adhering to the true precepts of honesty and integrity.
When we are accountable for something within our power or control we are said to be responsible. Since humans have the capacity to make moral decisions, we also have the obligation to make correct decisions or face some consequence.
The concept of responsibility is universal. It is found throughout our human history and is prominent in the thinking of every tribe, village or nation that has ever existed. Responsibility became the anvil that society used to forge acceptable social behavior on the part of its members. It also became a yardstick used by individuals to decide whether their actual behavior matched what they knew was the right thing. This is called conscience.
All societies fashion laws, customs, rituals, religions and taboos to quantify and qualify levels of responsibility for each member or group. A child is not held to the same level of responsibility as an adult. An individual employed by the public is held to a higher standard of behavior than someone employed by a private concern. Although these groups must be held responsible as well, fashioning similar standards for corporations and governments has been more difficult. When people form a group, like they do in building an organizational entity, many of the usual social norms used to pressure individuals will not apply. The social pressure generated by peers, parents, neighbors, religion, and law do not have the same effect on an organization's behavior as they do on an individual. An organization, per se, does not have a conscience. The leaders of the organization provide the conscience of the organization.
Unfortunately, some leaders have concluded that the organization is immune from the usual social pressures, or that they can ignore these pressures while their questionable behavior continues. While this may be expedient or profitable in the short term, eventually most organizations that operate in this fashion lose the trust of the public and are eventually reformed or forced out of existence. This is part of the problem currently facing the corporate structure of our society today.
If the concept of responsibility is to work for nations, individuals or organizations, then appropriate actions must be rewarded and inappropriate behavior corrected or punished. Throughout history, understanding and accepting individual responsibility has been one objective of the legal system, child rearing and the teaching of the religious and education system. Individual responsibility was honored while individuals who did not act in a responsible manner were punished. Depending on the time frame, society used methods for compliance that were Draconian, such as hanging or shunning, forcing an acceptable level of compliance. Society has also used the similar disciplinary measures with rulers who were not responsible. In the case of the king, it was rebellion and beheading. More recently, in the case of Nazi Germany and Japan, it was virtual destruction. In regard to current standards of responsibility, one could argue the nations of Iran, Iraq and Libya are walking on thin ice!
While this degree of punishment on the part of our society might not meet the fainthearted standards of justice held by some "enlightened liberals," harsh measures have always made the point to individuals, organizations and nations that acts have their consequences. Responsibility in behavior is a concept that has certainly stood the test of time.
In North America, currently our different societies are having more difficulty with people, corporations and governmental organizations accepting, evading or denying responsibility. A recent survey by the Ethics Associations suggests that more than half of the present work force commits a serious ethical or criminal violation each year in response to what it claims is pressure on the job. I would not suggest this data, or the voluminous newspaper accounts of the unethical behavior of politicians, sports figures, movie stars, corporate executives and a whole lot of other people who ought to know better, indicate the problem has reached epidemic proportions. But, it has become a problem that needs to be addressed.
What makes the problem more vexing is that it seems more fashionable these days to find someone or something else to blame for our personal and organizational misdeeds. Wouldn't it be refreshing if someone at the White House, the Pentagon, the Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the movie industry stood up and said, "I am responsible for that blunder, I am sorry and I'll try a bit harder." This would require character.
What makes the problem more vexing is that it seems more fashionable these days to find someone or something else to blame for our personal and organizational misdeeds. Wouldn't it be refreshing if someone at the White House, the Pentagon, the Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the movie industry stood up and said, "I am responsible for that blunder, I am sorry and I'll try a bit harder." This would require character.
It could be argued that blaming others is perfectly normal. After all we are human, not angels! However, the good character we try to achieve cannot be attained by blaming others for our shortcomings, nor can individuals achieve lasting success in their personal or organizational lives by using unethical and expedient means while avoiding responsibility when they do wrong.
"The end never justifies the means" is an old cliché several generations seem not to have learned.
Responsibility is not something each individual has a choice. Shortly after birth you get it! You will continue to have more placed upon your shoulders as you grow older, smarter and more reliable. This will continue until your behavior indicates you cannot accept anymore. I hope when taking the oath as a leader you realized you were asking for double or triple the amount of responsibility carried by most other people.
We all know people who try to evade their responsibilities. Few ever fully succeed and most are eventually exposed and punished. Much of the punishment is self-inflicted. Other people may be denied employment, promotions, or fired from their positions. In areas where responsibility is impossible to deny, such as in a school or the athletic field, people who do not accept responsibility usually do poorly. In marriage, a lack of responsibility often leads to divorce, poor parenting and an overall miserable existence.
As a member of the leadership community, we accept additional responsibilities by the nature of our work. We also accept double the consequences if we fail. Responsibility is a pervasive, all-encompassing aspect of our lives. We must face that it is virtually impossible to escape responsibility as a leader – (be it government, corporate or religious, etc.) both on and off the job, particularly if we aspire to a position that requires a significant amount of leadership.
Wouldn't it be easier for us to say to ourselves, "I will be responsible, and I will accept responsibility no matter what the consequences? Period."? It doesn't take any more energy to accept responsibility than to evade it. By accepting responsibility for your character and behavior you must have the courage to be held accountable for your actions. You won't be able to blame mom or dad, the environment, your lack of money, your ignorant supervisor, or other people who just do not understand you. You will have to say, "It is my fault, and I'll try and do better next time." These are tough words to say. Nonetheless, once you are honest with yourself, there is a freedom that comes over you that is exhilarating! No more energy wasted in trying to convince other people you are something you know you are not! No more fear that someone will expose you as a phony. No more time wasted trying to find someone else to blame. No more shopping for the most impressive labels to help bolster your feelings of self-worth.
While this is simple advice, it often is hard to follow. Hell, we are human and we all make mistakes. Shake your head at your own stupidity; laugh at yourself if you can. Decide to try and do better tomorrow. The good Lord knows when I make these mistakes, the first thing I do is to look for the wife, kids, close family and friends. But as we get older and wiser, we realize that we are the problem, not them. Things are better now (but the damage has been done!). This is called being honest with yourself. It is healthy thing to do.
Just remember that individuals who want to be known throughout the leadership and community as people of good character always keep trying to improve themselves. You have to realize, and accept, that to be committed to a higher standard of conduct you will often be called upon lower your values to a more common denominator. You have to be willing to risk all that you have to maintain your commitment to a higher standard. If you are looking for an example of a "tough leader" this would be the type of individual who would best fit the bill.
There have been many articles and books written on the subject of leadership. Personally, I don't think the subject of leadership is that difficult or complex to understand? A leader provides direction, makes decisions, is at times inspiring or insightful, and most importantly, sets a good example for others to follow. To do this entire well an individual needs a commanding knowledge of the job, a strong commitment to the values of honesty, courage, compassion, truth and self-discipline. The leader also needs to be respected. Respect need not arise from fear, but rather from the fact that the leader has the sense to do the right thing and the will to make things happen. All of these personality characteristics allow an individual to objectively gather the facts at hand and make the right decision. Hindsight may later indicate it wasn't the best decision, but given the circumstances at the time of the event, it still was a decision made for the right reasons. This is all we can ask of a leader!
Leaders are made, not born! Leadership is not a gift of genetics, it is a combination of knowledge, personality, and habit--all of which we learn from parents, brothers and sisters, schoolwork, teachers, peers and from the other educational experiences during our lives. Leaders have moral courage, strong wills and an understanding of the concept of responsibility. They have a great deal of self-discipline, confidence in the ability of others and the self-assurance to let others participate in the decision-making process. It is quite possible that a leader not occupy a high position in life.
By contrast, the worst leaders I observed during my career were those who lacked self-confidence, didn't trust anyone and tried to micro-manage every situation. They considered themselves experts in every field and were fonder of talking than listening. Depending on their personalities, they either couldn't delegate or delegated everything. In either case, their strategy was designed to protect themselves above all else. These were not individuals with strong character traits. On the contrary, they were shallow people either hiding behind their rank, their Gucci loafers or their stylized hair cut. When something went wrong they looked for an excuse, a scapegoat or a cover-up to avoid being held responsible.
Yes, many lousy leaders we have all known did not realize that leaders have to take responsibility, sometimes for something they had no control over. Leaders, like ducks, get shot at and sometimes hit. The good ones accept this as part of the territory. The others usually claim they were in the restroom at the time of the incident!
Public trust, is defined as the faith the public has in organizations that are created to protect our basic freedoms. Examples of some of these organizations would be our courts, the military, the legislative and executive branches of government at all levels: public health, social services, and fire and rescue services, as weak as law enforcement organizations. Each citizen has an expectation that public organizations, and each member of the organization, will discharge their duties in a competent manner and not abuse authority granted to them by law. Not only does the citizen pay for these services, but they have relinquished some of their individual freedoms to ensure that the government has the ability to look after their well-being. Consequently, a sworn member of a law enforcement organization is held to a far higher standard of conduct than other public employees because they have been entrusted with great power. An abuse of this power always is a betrayal of the public trust and is seldom tolerated in a democratic society. Hence, the punishment of cops, FBI agents, DEA agents, prosecutors and judges who abuse the powers and privileges granted them by the public is always harsh!
Public trust is a precious commodity not only to organizations in the public sector, but to organizations in the private sector. To be successful in the private sector a corporation has to have the public's trust in the products it sells or the services it provides. Should this trust waver, or be lost, the corporation encounters a serious problem that may include being forced out of business. Why many well-known corporations would jeopardize public trust through their questionable business practices is very hard to understand. Was it demand to show greater profits? Ignorance? Or was it that they all thought the corporation was above the law and the scrutiny of the public? Squandering a company's reputation to make a quick buck is a very high price to pay for a lack of some employee's ethical standards and the lack of oversight of these individuals. Similar problems beset the public sector. Unfortunately, some government organizations do not treat taxpayers as if they were customers. Disrespect, rudeness, inefficiency and abuses of power by government employees are well-documented and not uncommon. Virtually every public organization has employees who abuse the power of their position at the expense of others. However, you can bet that the public, tiring of inefficiency and insensitive behavior of these individuals, will call for heads to roll.
Assuming responsibility for wrongful acts. My sense is that the best damage control is the truth. I would argue that truth is what has always worked best and is what the public wants to hear. Most of the population understand that leaders often run into difficult, demanding and complex situations. Occasionally, government personnel  will make a mistake and do something that may be a violation of policy or law, or perhaps, just a failure to use common sense. All the public requires to sustain its faith in the organization is that reasonable people within the organization give the matter serious consideration and take whatever corrective steps are required.
This takes moral courage on the part of the leader to operate an organization in this fashion. You have given up some of your control of the situation. You have possibly put your job on the line and the troops or the union may initially criticize you for not immediately and vigorously defending them. It is quite probable that a minority of the public will never accept your explanations or actions and will continue their criticism for a long time.
The bottom line is that taking responsibility is what leaders, and directors get paid to do. This is what being a leader, or a duck, is all about.
Tough words -- responsibility, honesty, leadership and public trust. They are even tougher to put into practice and blend into your own character. But if we are successful in building our character into a reflection of what those words mean, the personal reward is worth far more than the effort required. Peace of mind, respect, admiration and the ability to withstand life's curve balls are a few of the benefits of being a person of character. I am still working on my character, and believe me, I still have a long way to go. I hope you also think it is a worthwhile, lifelong endeavor.
Compiled by: YJ Draiman

World class renewable energy innovation enterprise zone revealed for Los Angeles – Proposed by YJ Draiman – rev.4

World class renewable energy innovation enterprise zone revealed for Los Angeles – Proposed by YJ Draiman – rev.4

YJ Draiman welcomes an innovative renewable energy zone approach which will create 200,000+ new jobs over the next 5-10 years.

An ambitious project that will transform the way universities, business and industry collaborate, and establish Los Angeles as a world leader in the research, development and design of next generation renewable energy technology, was announced today, January 31, 2011.  Spearheaded by the Draiman economic development agency, Draiman Enterprise, and National Technology Renewable Energy Zone, will be established in the city of Los Angeles with the Universities of Southern California Technology Innovation Development at its heart.

A large parcel of land will be allocated to set up the renewable energy enterprise zone site, which will be within the boundaries of Los Angeles.  There will be an academic center which will be transformed into a center of excellence for academic research, commercialization and industry collaboration.

The renewable energy zone initiative, which would span further than the confines of the City of Los Angeles and include Southern California, is expected to create 200,000 + new jobs over the next 5-10 years and give a boost to the Los Angeles economy through further industry academia collaboration and inward investment.

Draiman enterprise Chief Executive YJ Draiman said:  “This new vision of the Renewable energy Technology Innovation Center will be the cornerstone of Los Angeles Technology and Renewable Energy Zone.  YJ Draiman’s vision for The Renewable energy Zone is to provide a breeding ground for ambitious companies to harness cutting-edge research, access the best people and develop the products which will shape the renewable energy industry of tomorrow.

“Southern California has already claimed a place on the renewables map attracting energy heavyweights and pioneers in the solar and wind sector and we believe that by establishing this zone we will help reinforce Los Angeles position as a location of choice for the rapidly expanding renewables industry.”
YJ Draiman said: “The Universities in the Los Angeles area’s Technology and Innovation Center is a transformational project for Los Angeles, building on California’s great tradition of innovating new technologies and developments in fields; including energy and engineering while creating and supporting hundreds of jobs.  Through this collaboration, the aim is to quadruple the scale of research program investment in Los Angeles in areas key to economic growth by up to $10 billion + in five to ten years.  “And now, as an integral part of Los Angeles Enterprise’s new Technology and Renewable Energy Zone, which aims to establish Los Angeles as a premier location for inward investment into world-leading technology and renewables research and development, we have the potential to deliver huge economic and social benefits, not only in Los Angeles but nationally and beyond.”

YJ Draiman said:  “The Technology and Innovation for renewable energy zone will help transform Los Angeles and Southern California.  By capitalizing on our leading, industry-relevant research, the renewable energy zone will attract billions of dollars of inward investment to the city of Los Angeles, drive global businesses, create jobs, and support the development of our highly-qualified graduates and postgraduates.  “As a leading technological hub of Universities, they are committed to sharing knowledge to address challenges that affect every area of society, including energy, health, manufacturing and economics.  The renewable energy zone will forge new levels of collaboration between researchers, the public and private sectors to accelerate the pace of research and development and deliver benefit to companies, the economy and Southern California.”  The collaborative approach with the Universities, Los Angeles Enterprise and existing pioneering renewable energy leaders means that companies locating in the zone will have access to government support and some of the world’s best industry and academia in the fields of technology, engineering and energy.  The project represents a supportive government and business environment where companies locating in and around the zone may be eligible for additional support for job creation, innovation and staff development, delivered through various California Enterprise schemes.

When the need arises we will establish facilities within the existing Zone that offer temporary accommodation for prospective tenants until construction of the research center is complete or, if required, a purpose-built industry engagement building is created within the Zone.
Renewable energy Zone is designed to draw on Southern California’s existing competitive advantage by providing the right business environment for the renewables industry to continue to grow and further develop.  Recent announcements from industry leaders have reinforced Southern California’s position as a world leading city in solar, wind research and development.  A leader in energy innovation with unrivalled human and natural resources in renewable energy, Southern California is building on its rich history of oil and gas exploration and developing an infrastructure to cement its position as a world class location for international companies looking to invest in renewable energy and Energy efficiency.

YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles