TC, TP and ME

Editor’s Note:
I subscribe to a number of newsletters and blogs. Rarely do I re-print one in its entirety. Bail out and blame wastes a lot of energy, time and money while often not getting the job done. ME and WE get the best results directly!

The gulf oil spill is a real mess. It is still causing a lot of damage, and the estimates are now even higher on how much oil is spewing forth.

Each disaster scenario has these three elements: TC, TP and ME.

TC is the entity that caused the disaster. TC is The Company. In this case it’s the formerly named British Petroleum now known popularly or unpopularly as BP. Some disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes are acts of God harping from above. TC is the big company or entity that caused the thing whether you know all of the true details of the cause or not.

There is a lot of justifiable focus on TC. This time TC appears to have been neglectful in their duties to responsibly do things and thus caused the disaster simply by sloppiness.

Those affected by the disaster have a right to be angry at TC.

Then there’s TP. TP is The President. He is the second target of the mess caused by TC. People get mad at TP because he (or someday she) didn’t act fast enough, decisively enough, intelligently enough or compassionately enough. TP didn’t do what we thought he should do and he didn’t do it when we thought he should do it.

When stuff really goes wrong, people blame TP.

Maybe if TC had done everything right the well could have still blown up. Stuff does happen. Maybe if TP acted with the speed of a Blackbird jet, stuff still would have flowed as fast and gummed and slicked up the environment just as much. Maybe.

The point is, no matter how much we fuss and blame the TCs and TPs during the current and future disasters (for they will come), the only entity whom we really have control over is ME.

What am I (ME, not TC or TP) going to do about it?

In the gulf crisis, people’s incomes have been surely hurt. Fishermen are suffering. The tourist industry is down tremendously because most Americans have cancelled their vacation plans to go to the stricken areas and have decided to go elsewhere.

This is what ME is going to do.

I’m going to the gulf within the next 30 days. I’m going to find one of the worst hit areas. I’m going to book a hotel on the beach. I’m going to look for one with oil on it. I’m going to go to the local restaurants and leave extra big tips because the waiters and waitresses will probably be some of the hardest hit during the crisis. I will leave a large tip in the room for the maid.

I will go along the beach and try to patronize some businesses that have been hard hit by the disaster. My feet may get oily but my soul will feel cleaner. Perhaps, I will put a little watery crude in a jar and bring it back. Like it or not, this is history and I have a chance to be a part of history instead of just watching it on TV.

That’s what ME can do. Not TC or TP – ME!

We can shake our heads and say what a terrible job TC and TP are doing or we can look in the mirror and realize that we can’t change the entire situation but if 5% of Americans took the ME responsibility, together we could ease the plight of many on the coast.

TP asked Americans to vacation in the affected areas. People complained and asked if TP was going to take his family there. It doesn’t matter whether TP takes his family there or not, that’s on TP not ME.

What matters far more is will ME (and you) take the family there.

When The Times invited several eminent authors to write essays on the theme “What’s Wrong with the World?” The great writer G. K. Chesterton’s contribution took the form of a letter. It was the shortest response of any of the great writers.

His full letter is below:

Dear Sirs,

I am.

Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton

President Kennedy said it best, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Ask not what TC and TP are going to do for our stricken countrymen and women. Ask what will ME do.

TC, TP and ME.

Fuss, fuss or act (donate, volunteer, vacation).

Choose

~A MountainWings Original~

>From The Mountain: If you are in an affected area, contact MountainWings on why a MountainWings reader should come to your town. We may publish your story.

I don’t ever recall specifically asking you to forward a MountainWings issue to your friends, but the people in the gulf could use all of the help and encouragement they can get.

Your face (and money) showing up would be a great boost to them. If you can’t go and directly help the people, at least send this issue to people who can and might go. So forward this email or copy and paste the link below to your friends and it may increase the number who go and get oily feet and cleaner hearts.

TC and TP may not be moving as fast as you think they should. You cannot control their speed, but you can sure control the speed of ME.

Thank you for inviting MountainWings into your mailbox. Change a life, give a friend MountainWings. See you tomorrow.

www.MountainWings.com “Wings Over The Mountains of Life” To: Subscribe, Un-Subscribe, Get a Book, T-Shirt, Rate Issues, Tell Friends about MountainWings, Read Past Issues, Donations, Submit a MountainWings Moment or Prayer Request, Set homepage to Daily issue in larger type Go To: http://www.mountainwings.com Click to unsubscribe: http://www.mountainwings.com/remove.html

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Haggling or bargaining is the negotiation process of buying something using less cash than the original asking price. Bargaining is an alternative pricing strategy to fixed prices. Bargaining presents risks.

You may:

• lose out on an item.
• over pay on a item.
• get a great deal
• not like the whole first hand shopping participation
• enjoy the unique buying experience

Some points to ponder:

• If your destination market place is known for price negotiations enjoy the experience. Jump in and learn if is new to you.
• If prices are posted at all they will be inflated and can fluctuate wildly.
• When bargaining, a good starting point is half the requested price.
  • Be sure you really want the bargain.
  • Be firm and ready to walk
  • If vendor can bend at all, he/she will call you back.
  • If you want the object no matter what (that must have, cute, embroidered dress for your grand daughter for example) your strategy changes.
  • If you are not really into bargaining, give it a try – what do you have to lose
• It is best if you have knowledge of the item. I would not know a bargain in jewelry if you hit me over the head with it.
• Sometimes vendors are more like traders and they will be insulted if you don’t try to deal.
• In India, a sign posted with the phrase fixed price indicates that bargaining is not allowed, although quite often this is not the case.
• Do some homework before arrival.
  • Check online, ask your agent, ask your friends or attend ship seminars about the ports if you are cruising. Take it all with a gain of sea salt, there are often ulterior motives involved in recommendations.
  • There are known scams in some pockets so be forewarned and avoid entrapment.
  • Find out what is hot and what to avoid

Sources:

• Wikipedia, Bargaining technical definitions
• Trip Tip – Haggle expands on above tips and more

As a school teacher, I had to pull information from students with leading questions and prompts. As a traveller wishing to take advantage of your friends’ first hand experiences, you have to pull the true meaning from their statements. You’ll love, you’ll hate or any opinions in between are those of your friends and won’t necessarily be parallel with your own wants in a vacation.

Travellers today have information overload. Too many choices and opinions can be confusing especially when contradictions cloud the process. Some of the worst problems can come from listening to your friends advice. It may be genuinely well intentioned but…

My in laws had close friends (veteran visitors to Florida) who insisted they could have a wonderful shared vacations. A hellish two week bus tour ensued. The experienced couple just pulled out a deck of card and insisted on 4 handed whatever every time the bus stopped. They wanted to go nowhere because they had already been and it’s “not that great anyway”. A friendship was lost as well as the vacation.

Quotes that can be very opinionated and biased:

• I hated the room
• There’s nothing to do there
• It’s too expensive
• What a cheap trip
• My wife like it but I hated it
• Don’t worry about pre-booking
• Booze when ever you want it
• Lots of things for the kids to do
• Everything is old and tired looking
• A place for an active vacation or a nightlife

Each person has definite ideas about what they like about destinations or travel.

A Thought
Most people brag about bargains and exaggerate, just like in advertising. You may wonder how their $99 bargain flight is costing you $624! Exaggerating the deal, to make themselves feel better may be misleading. Is it per person, for two, return including taxes? It makes a difference in your perception not necessarily your friend’s deception

Just as a counter point for some of the vague statement above:

• wide variety of rooms, rooms change over time, amenities and exclusions come and go, any accommodation has some advantage to it
• friends mean well, but nothing at all in a city of a million – dig deeper
• What is your definition of expensive?
• Your friends are not going to brag about over spending.
  • Is the cheapest what you really want?
  • What is a reasonable price?
• Compromise – what is a great vacation combination?
• What is your adventure level
  • Hardly ever use public transportation at home – don’t try and adapt to it in a strange land
  • If you are a careful, safety first type with routines galore then pre-book and know what you are getting
  • Adventuresome, hiker, biker, then go for it
  • Are you travelling with kids or elderly?
• Liquid refreshments are a matter of taste and tolerance – be wise, be careful
• Vacationing with different aged children will always be a challenge
• Maybe you like old and tired – relics and antiquities can be an important vacation consideration
• I wanted a place for sitting on the beach and drinking at the beach bar.

Be sure to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Take what your friends say with a grain of salt and ask for details as to why, how, when, what, who to support their feelings.

Don’t dismiss all of your fiends advice and rely completely a trusted travel agent. Don’t get overwhelmed in the process of enjoying a vacation. The best choice is simple, what feels right to you. You won’t be inclined to feel buyer’s remorse about your vacation if you stay true to your principles and desires.

If your choice is not what your friend recommended from their point of view, that’s fine. Tell them maybe they should make a different choice next time.

Canadians Must Have Medical Insurance When Travelling to Cuba

Here is a summary of the new, as of May 1, 2010 requirements for Canadian travellers heading into and out of Cuba. Basically you must have medical insurance to get in and all medical bills must be paid before you are allowed to leave Cuba.

• Travellers must present proof of health insurance in order to enter the country
• Upon arrival, an insurance policy, insurance certificate, or medical assistance card must be presented
• No proof of insurance means you must obtain health insurance from a Cuban insurance company at the airport
• Temporary residents also have to hold valid health insurance policies
• Proof of Canadian provincial health insurance is sufficient to enter Cuba
  • Your provincial plan:
    • may cover only part of the costs Health Insurance
    • will not pay the bill up-front
    • Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses, it may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs
• some private insurers also require the traveller to pay costs up-front and be reimbursed later
• Cuban authorities will not allow anyone with outstanding medical bills to leave the country
• All health insurance policies are recognized, except those issued by U.S. insurance companies
• Some credit cards offer health and travel insurance
  • Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage

Additional tips

• Carry details of your insurance
• Tell your travel agent, a friend or relative, and/or travelling companion how to contact your insurer
• Get a detailed invoice from the doctor or hospital before you return to Canada
• Submit original receipts for any medical services or prescriptions received, most insurance companies will not accept copies or faxes.
• Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. Consult with your insurance carrier and your travel agent to eliminate or minimize losses.

Supplementary travel insurance to top up provincial plans or credit card insurance coverage is always a good idea. Travel insurance policies cover much more than health risks, but the small investment in coverage may make a huge difference in your liability for personal injury. Usually the travel insurance provider, like RBC, will pay all covered risks up front and then sort out the province or credit card coverage for you.

Peace of mind when you travel… Don’t leave home without it.

Sources:

• Canadian Government
• Country Facts and Cultural Information – Cuba

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Now that the worst seems to be over re: Vacationers verses the Volcano, I have collected a few reports on what happened. I would imagine everyone has read/heard  about Iceland’s erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano. No matter how you say it, it was a disaster for many vacationers and business travellers.

I have been reading:

• Glass build-up found in NATO F-16 engine: U.S. official
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Glass build-up from Iceland’s volcanic eruption has been found in an engine of a NATO F-16 fighter plane, a U.S. official said on Monday, underlining the dangers to aircraft of flying through the ash cloud.
  The official did not say which nation’s aircraft had been affected, where it happened or when, but it was the second air force to report problems from the ash cloud — Finland, not a NATO member, reported similar problems on Friday. Read full report here
• Aircraft enginemakers, regulators study ash impact
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Electric Co (GE.N) and other aircraft engine makers and regulators are studying the possibility of formulating limits for safely operating jet engines in volcanic ash, industry and regulatory officials said on Monday. Read full report here
• Beyond airlines – winners and losers with volcanic ash
  At this point, even armchair travelers are familiar with Europe’s volcanic ash saga and the fact that the cloud has basically grounded all flights in the European airspace. News stories on the situation also talk about how much money — perhaps $200 million dollars a day — airlines are losing. Read full report here
• E.U. works on Europe-wide volcanic ash policy, until now, decisions were country-by-country
  Until today, the European decisions forced because of the volcanic ash cloud that has put an end to air traffic over the continent have been on a country-by-country basis. Now that the ash has closed most of Europe’s airspace, the E.U. is debating how to coordinate an emergency European-wide response.
  Read full report here
• European flights remain grounded; airlines question ‘proportionality’ of response
  Volcanic ash from last week’s eruption in Iceland continues to cause dramatic disruption to air traffic in Europe, with many airlines cancelling services for a fifth consecutive day Monday owing to airspace closures but questioning whether EU governments and ATC providers are overreacting.
  Read full report here
• European officials to ease ash-related flight restrictions
  Under growing pressure from industry leaders and stranded travelers, European transportation ministers decided Monday to open more of the continent’s airspace to commercial air traffic despite concern over a lingering cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland. Read full report here
• Flight ban lifted – and now the recriminations begin
  • BA chief attacks government and air safety watchdog
  • Manufacturers change advice on flying in ash clouds
  • Days more of delays to come but end to chaos in sight
  Read full report here
• Week Without Revenue Cost Airines $1.7 Billion
  IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that the Icelandic volcano crisis has cost airlines more than $1.7 billion in lost revenue through Tuesday April 20th – six days after the initial eruption. For a three-day period (17-19 April), when disruptions were greatest, lost revenues reached $400 million per day. Read full report here
• Ash Cloud Reaches North American Coast
  “Up to this point there is no indication that the airspace will be affected (by the ash cloud),” — Randy Mahon, — St John’s airport, Newfoundland.
  The ash cloud from Iceland’s volcanic eruption brushed up against Canada’s Eastern seaboard on Monday, but airlines said domestic flight cancellations were mostly because of fog. Read full report here
• Heathrow Airport finally reopens
  Plans to unclog the skies over Europe by this weekend are getting a boost as London’s Heathrow Airport finally reopens, though the airline industry is complaining bitterly that European Union authorities responded much too slowly to the crisis over volcanic ash. Read full report here
• Volcanic Situation – Behind The Scenes Of A Global Travel Meltdown
  Air Canada V.P. Sales Claude Morin sums up the situation in one succinct line: “Just when we thought we’d seen it all.”
  A volcanic eruption in Iceland has spawned a travel crisis the likes of which the world has never experienced. Airline emergency task forces, flight operations, airport management and governments have been in a group huddle for the last week without much effect. Mother Nature is in charge and the rest of us have to wait. Read full report here
• Fuming airlines demand compensation
  Industry blames European authorities for overreacting to ash threat, costing airlines more than $1-billion; Officials begin to open airspace, but global backlog could take weeks to clear Read full report here
• First leg of Celebrity launch replaced by mercy mission
  The first leg of Celebrity Eclipse’s launch celebrations has been cancelled to allow the ship to pick up 2,000 Brits stranded in Spain.
  Lavish celebrations aboard Celebrity Cruises’ newest vessel had been due to begin on Thursday April 22 following the ship’s arrival in Southampton at 9am today, Tuesday. Read full report here
• Volcano
  Wiki general information on volcanoes. Read full entry here
• Iceland Volcanoes
  More background details on the Iceland situation. Read full entry here

I hope this list will be helpful. It’s probably more than you really wanted to know, but…

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