Are You One of the Entitled?

The JetBlue Incident brings up so much more than the meltdown of flight attendant Steven Slater.  Of course he could have handled the situation differently, he did not have to slide down an emergency exit, or swear at the passenger.   Slater however has struck a nerve with the public.  One MOST of us understand.

Missing in this story is what part did the unruly passenger play in what happened?  Reports say the passenger was a problem at the start of the flight from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and was even more of a problem while the jet was going to its gate.

The passenger had to get the bag down because this person was entitled to do so...  You do not agree, just ask the passenger who was probably was in a rush, or just plain did not want to wait its turn to depart the jet and is better than the rest of the passengers!

I was on a flight once and the captain stopped the jet and said FAA regulations say one must be seat belted in until the gate was reached.  And until that occurred, the jet would go nowhere.

We have so many entitled persons in our society.  They use to be called rude.  I do not think the P.C. police would like that.   It happens every day.  You want to leave an elevator but, someone must push their way in.  It is more important they get in, or someone is walking through a door and lets in slam in your face.  Hey they do not have to wait for you.  You are just not that important.

Here in Beverly Hills California; there is an intersection at Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Glen.  There is a right turn lane to go onto Sunset.  It is a long line during the evening rush hour, and every day drivers pull up on the left and EXPECT you to let them cross the solid white line and let them in.  If you do not, THEY have road rage. (Note to the LAPD… You can write tickets daily and fill the City’s coffers).  So many close calls and fender benders happen here.

What is missing in today’s society is something called manners.  Too many people were brought up with the notion it is all about them and to hell with you!!

Maybe we all need to go back and read Miss Manners.  If you have never heard of her, Google her you will find her.  Read about manners and learn something.

Following One’s Own Advice

I wrote a blog about how Diabetics can enjoy a weekend and not compromise one’s health. I was happy with the blog.

A friend of mine who read the blog asked me if I was going to print out my essay and keep it in my pocket.  I laughed and said good idea and left it at that.  I have been thinking about that comment all weekend and you know what, it is a great suggestion.  So great, I am thinking about advice I give, ok maybe I should call them suggestions, and I am looking to see if I practice what I preach. The answer is, not nearly enough!

It is not often people come to me and look for advice.  But when they do, I work hard to make sure what I am saying is useful.  I now will look deeper and see if I am helping myself as well.

Here’s an example:

As parents we tell our children to do this and that, but do we do the same?  Do we practice what we say?  Do we lead by example?

I live over 2000 miles away from my children.  Seeing them regularly is not an option.  When I do see them, it is a real luxury.  I miss hearing from my children.  The silence between calls really hurts.  I cannot express how much I miss them and my grandchildren.  I especially miss hearing about all the little milestones my grandchildren are experiencing. 

I know keeping in contact is not a one way street.  And yet with their busy lives, I expect them to keep in touch with me, to call.

Being busy at work is not an excuse.  I know when I was in my prime, I used the excuse I was busy earning a living.   Now I ask myself, what type of example did I teach?

Parents need to do everything possible to stay in touch with their children, period!  The loneliness I experience is not caused because of a one way street. The loss of family contact in our mobile society can be easily avoided if communication is established when children are young, ask questions, just watch them do silly things, talk to them

One does not need to let their ego get in the way.  Pick up the phone.  Remember kids will have their own opinions; respect them as you would like them to respect your own.  Talk to them, you might learn something.

OK I guess I should print this one out too and practice what I preach.

Getting Through the Weekend as a Diabetic

Here it is another weekend and as a diabetic I must make choices.

1.    What to eat.  Depends if one is eating out or at home.  If you are eating out, make sure the restaurant will make your order diabetic friendly.  Most will but you have to speak up.  It may be smart to call ahead to see if they can accommodate you.  If you are eating at home have fun.  There are many diabetic friendly recipes to choose from.  I personally like to go to dlife   http://www.dlife.com  they have thousands of recipies, and they calculate depending on how many servings you need.

2.    If you want an alcoholic beverage check with your doctor first.  If you have done this DO NOT exceed what is safe for you.  Some doctors say never, others will say yes “but”.   Follow that but.

3.    Many things will affect your blood sugar.  If you are going to exercise make sure you have enough “fuel” in your body so sugars do not drop too low.  Carry glucose tablets with you at all times.

4.    You know your body if things do not seem right, figure out what you should do.  Make sure you have a blood meter with you and check it often.

5.    Make sure the people who are with you know you are diabetic, and have meds (like an insulin pen) with you to compliment the glucose tablets.  Make sure your doctors number is somewhere on your person or in your cell phone, and let a friend or loved one know where you keep that.

6.    HAVE FUN.  One does not have to eat or drink in excess to have fun.   Know your limits, do not exceed them.  I want you back reading my blog next week.  

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!!!

The NCAA SHOULD WAKE UP TO REALITY OR GO AWAY

Read this on my friend Ben Maller’s Website   http://benmaller.com

NCAA wouldn’t let Boise St. coaches attend funeral of dead football recruit

Leave it to the NCAA to regulate how much contact a member school can have with prospective student athletes and their families – even when they are dead. It’s a rule that needs changing. Boise State football recruit Emil Smith died in a July 18 car accident in Hemet, Calif. His brother Dimitri Garcia, 22, also died in the accident. Smith said the Broncos’ coaching staff was influential in his decision to join the Broncos’ 2011 recruiting class. Running backs coach Keith Bhonapha was Smith’s primary recruiter. … But when Smith died, the Broncos’ coaching staff was handcuffed by NCAA rules. Because Smith had not signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) – signing day is in February – Boise State coaches could not comment on Smith. They could not attend his funeral. They could not send flowers. They could not call his grieving parents or any other family members. “There was nothing the school could do,” said Scott Hobbs, Boise State’s assistant athletic director for compliance. — Idaho Statesman

This is asinine, ridiculous, disrespectful, and just plain stupid!!!  With all of the cheating going on in  college football, just ask USC about that, this  outdated organization needs to focus on problems on the field and off the field activities such as paying for homes for players parents.

But not to allow coaches to attend a funeral of a recruit who died, what are they thinking?  The NCAA has also denied players from getting a plane ticket paid by the school to attend funerals of loved ones.

I was told I could take some kids out to dinner, but could not provide transportation!!

Come on NCAA get your priorities straight.  Come up with a division one football championship, you have one in basketball and lower division football.  But the big pay days you guys get from the bowls allows you to ignore what fans and schools actually want.  Investigate allegations of alumni giving financial perks to players and families with more vigor.   It should not happen years after a player is gone.

Stop having rules which do not allow coaches and players to pay their respects to grieving families.    School members you should insist on changes or maybe form a new organization.

NCAA, revamp your outdated ways, or do us all a favor and go away.

Hey Sacramento Wake Up The Clock Is Ticking

Well California here we are August 4th 2010 and still no budget.  Should I be surprised?  This is a yearly joke our elected officials play with the lives of their constituents and there seems to be no end..  State employees are being furloughed on different schedules to make a point the State has no money..  So when you taxpayer, looks for an existing service there is a good chance the service is not available or limited. DMV lines are longer, hours open are shorter; courts are closed on some Wednesdays and open others.  It seems due process of law is being ignored or slipping, or worse yet criminals might be returned to the streets due to court system delays.

So an employee is furloughed and the managers are paid overtime to do their job.  Where is the cost savings to us the taxpayer?   The manager’s salary is more than the furloughed employee.  There is a good chance there is no savings.  This thinking again widens the gap between those who have and those who have not.

From the Governors twitter:

“Every day the CA Legislature fails to pass a budget CA spends $52.3 million we don’t have

July 1st marked the beginning of the new fiscal year without a California budget and every day the CA Legislature fails to pass a budget CA spends $52.3 million we don’t have.

As the eighth largest economy in the world, California's economic stability is vital to the health of the global economy. So whether you live in California or somewhere else, join in and support this request for fiscal responsibility.”

Without an approved budget business taxes go up in California.  Seems like they will, and as taxes go up more companies look to different states to relocate their business to a state that does not tax industry to death and where they can make a profit.   

Even Hollywood has found out it is more cost effective not to film here, but go to other states and Canada where they can get tax breaks or no tax at all.

.
Let us hold those sitting in Sacramento accountable, our taxes pay their salaries and we deserve a budget. Call their offices, email them, and tell them how mad not angry, but how MAD you are!  And if they cannot deliver results, we need to join in and work hard to get the political game players out of office.

I know there are people who care about you and me and want to make California great again!

Losing More Jobs

I would like to begin this blog with part of an article from the L.A. Times on August 3rd.

“The clout of Los Angeles” municipal employees will be put to a test Tuesday when the City Council decides whether to allow outside companies to take over billing duties for the Fire Department’s emergency ambulance service.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has urged the City Council to approve these contracts, saying the department will be left with a $15.9-million hole in its budget unless the plan to automate and outsource billing operations moves forward.

Mayor Villaraigosa’s effort is being vigorously opposed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which contends a private company, Advanced Data Processing Inc., will receive too much of the billing revenue if the contracts are approved.
The union said city officials underestimated the fees that would be collected when they negotiated the agreements.
“They’re just handing over all those net profits to the contractor,” said Cheryl Parisi, executive director of the union's local affiliate.”

Once again the country’s worst Mayor is trying to save the city… could he be clueless not only in this but many other aspects of leading this city.   But let us just deal with outsourcing. Where is the proof that this action will save money and not just give money to someone else at the cost of jobs to American Workers?  What is the return on investment or actual cost saving to the City if this step is taken?     How many years will it take the City to see the savings.   I have heard outsourcing companies using offshore employees.  Of course it seems like there is a cost savings.   There is also the risk of not finding the resource to do the job right in the offshore pool.  The company then comes back and offers the same job to US resources at offshore wage.

 
How bad is outsourcing?  Ask some of the companies who have tried it, how did it work for them?  How much money did they save?   I have heard of one company trying to break their contract.  Why take these steps, because the companies they hired cannot get the job done.  

This is a huge issue mostly being ignored by our politicians and by the media.  There is an ongoing call for companies to add jobs.   I ask, if jobs are added but then sent offshore, where does the US economy gain? 

You and I can do something about this. Call your congressmen and senators, put them on notice. Call companies who outsource and say you will not use their services.

When I call a company and suspect that I am talking to a person located offshore, I asked if they are located in America.  If the answer is no, I ask to be transferred back to an onshore office.  Often times, I have had to ask multiple times, and even then I am not always successful.  So, I hang up and call again with the same request.  I have even had to contact the company who is outsourcing and tell them of my displeasure.

You and I have the ability to keep jobs here in the good ole’ USA, by making noise and hitting companies in their pocketbooks, and the politicians in the ballot box.  MAKE NOISE, KEEP OUR JOBS HERE!!!!

How to Lose Potential Customers

So it is Saturday and I am trying to enjoy the Dodger/Giants baseball game.  I would not think a television commercial could make me so upset.  Well congratulations Audi you did it!

The commercial begins with a man at the checkout line in a grocery store.   The cashier asks “paper or plastic?”   The man replies plastic.   Suddenly the “green police” barge in, smash his head down on the conveyor belt and cuff him.   

The next scene shows a reporter reporting “breaking news” a scene of a  man being arrested for using an incandescent light bulb,  then a traffic stop and only the Audi is green enough to go through.   

Audi you have gone too far!   You have turned us into a Gestapo state.   Hey I understand it is important to try and keep the earth clean.   I recycle my bottles; I try to not waste water and electricity. But do not portray me as criminal if I use plastic bags.

Did Audi executives think this a funny ad?  With all of the tension between the political left and right this is not a funny ad at all.  What I saw was a portrayal of more hostility and division flowing over into everyday life.  After seeing this commercial, I decided not to buy an automobile from a company who thinks they are either being funny or trying to push their political beliefs on me.

After seeing this commercial, I don’t see an Audi car in my future, and I will make as much noise as possible letting this Auto Maker know how dangerous these types of television commercials are.