So I was reading the book Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History and one photo in particular caught my eye.
There have been other so called "time traveler" photographs but this seems to top the charts. On page 84 is the following photograph showing Robert Zemeckis staring intently at something he is holding. It appears to be a smartphone, the way he is holding it, the way he's staring down at it. This would explain a lot about how much he knew about the future!
This photograph was taken sometime in 1984.
If you tried everything logical but to no avail, there are two tricks that might get your data working again.
In technical support, the first and foremost steps include restarting your phone (soft reset) and if possible, remove your battery and put it back in (hard reset). If these steps do not get your data working again, then the following two options might help you.
1.1 Bring up your settings and make sure you're on the Networks tab
1.2 Select Mobile Networks
1.3 Select Mobile Data
1.4 Make sure Mobile data is selected to ON
If this does not get the data working, go back to the Networks tab and select Data Manager
2.1 Raise the warning alert limit by tapping and holding the red line. Raise it up to an absurd number like 67 gigabytes. Also toggle the mobile data tab to off and back on.
One of these two steps should solve your issue!
If not, there's always going to the General tab, down to Backup & Reset and Network Settings Reset and or Settings and Mobile Networks and Access Point Names and hitting the context menu and selecting Restore default settings.
Red 11: A film by Robert Rodriguez that you were never meant to see, just like El Mariachi
This is not a review per se as much as a revelation perhaps, the realization that everything comes full circle at some point in life.
In 1996, my college roommates were into movies such as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and when the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez film From Dust til Dawn came out, we saw that as well. It was a good movie. My tastes were a bit different in the old days. In fact, I really didn't see too many movies in the theater. I didn't know anything about Rodriguez at the time so it wasn't until 2004 when his name popped up again.
I was going through a rough time in my life. I ended up discovering the world of paid medical research studies and moving to Austin, Texas. You go in and take some drugs and leave with a check. It wasn't a bad deal at all. It was then when Rodriguez's name surface as a bit of an urban legend. It was purported that he partially financed his first film, El Mariachi at the very research clinic I was at. I had to look up his name on IMDB and was intrigued to find out he co-directed From Dust till Dawn. It was also odd to discover that Office Space, another movie I saw years back that was filmed in Austin.
After 15 years of doing medical research studies, I ended up volunteering for my 4th year at SXSW. I am now a movie lover and enjoy seeing movies at SXSW as you might never see them again. I had often wondered if Rodriguez would ever make a film about medical research but I need wonder no more. During my first run through of the schedule, nothing really stood out. When I had more time on the toilet, I was delighted to see that Robert Rodriguez was premiering a film call Red 11 which was about medical research. He was also giving a preview of his upcoming Film School docuseries on his network El Rey. This series pays homage to his humble beginnings and shows the viewers what it takes to make a film for $7000. At the same time, he decided to actually film a project while it was not intended to be a complete film nor be seen by people. Where had we heard that before? In other words, one could watch this series and shoot a high quality low budget film tomorrow.
Without giving away any plot points to Red 11, this is a film that people like myself and other lab rats (medical research volunteers) will find amusing and funny. However, even people who have never heard of medical research can certainly get into the film. But the real gem is the acting and production. Without knowing that this film was made for $7000, you would have thought it was a big budget film. $5 million maybe? But it goes to show how a lot of creativity and ingenuity can go a long ways.
The biggest thing I enjoy about SXSW is that most directors and key crew are at the premiers and usually answer some questions from the audience. This year it seemed like the hosts fielded most of the questions but it's interesting to hear more about the process of making the films. Robert Rodriguez did not disappoint! During the preview of his docuseries, he shared many tips and tricks for making mesmerizing effects for no budget as he calls it. In an age when many directors opt for special effects and green screen, Rodriguez showed how practical effects are still convincing and budget friendly for the budding filmmaker.
Whether or not this film gets distributed widely, I'd suspect that it will air on his network at some point. If the run time listed was correct, the movie is a tad short in my opinion. Shorter than the original Toy Story. But, Red 11 was actually filmed for roughly $5500 so Rodriguez could certainly shoot a few more scenes, expand on a character or two and still stay under $7000 while getting the movie up to at least 90 minutes which is on the low end of the spectrum.
If you walk a lot like me, you've probably have had this happen to you. You're walking on the sidewalk minding your own business and you hear the light tap of a car horn, not a blaring "get out of the way" horn but "hey, look over here" horn and you look over to see a taxi cab. As you probably have guessed, the driver is trying to aee if you need a taxi which is pretty retarded because if you needed a taxi, you would've flagged one down or called for one. I notice this more in big cities like Chicago or Seattle, especially in the downtown areas. And if you're toting a suitcase or other baggage, you'll have taxis honking all day long.
I have even started to notice this practice with ride share drivers which is against policy to solicit rides outside of the app.
For me, this is quite annoying. It's startling for one and it's just plain annoying when I'm trying to enjoy my walk and get honked at. For pedestrians, being honked at is viewed as fairly aggressive so it's not unusual for me to be pretty ticked off when people honk at me. It's usually to get me out of the way even though I as a pedestrian have the right away in almost 99% of instances. Really, unless I'm jaywalking, I have right of way!
So long rant short, if you're a taxi or ride share driver, don't honk at pederstians. I'm guessing 99% of the time, people flip you off because as I mentioned if we wanted a taxi in the first place, we know how to get one!
MFF 2017 was my first furry convention ever. I was getting ready to start selling my tails but wanted to make sure my tails would fit in. It was a great experience that not only validated my hope to sell tails but also made me realize I wasnt the only furry in the world, not that I had any doubts.
Fast forward a year and a few hit or miss conventions thst I sold at, I had super high hopes for Midwest Furfest 2018. I had several new products and my widest selection of tails to date. But the shear scale of the dealer's den is different when you're setting up your own table. Unfortunately, being from out of state, I'm limited on how much product and display equipment I can bring, especially since I dont have a car either.
But I feel my display was the best it could have been. While I new there were going to be other tail makers, it didn't occur to me that the shear scale would make it hard for customers to navigate. TOO many choices! While my brand is growing, most people werent familiar with me but my fun slogans certainly got some giggles.
Thankfully, I did sell a lot of product ans handed out a lot of business cards so hopefully my name is getting out there.
Check out the photos I took and the video above!
I am looking forward to trying again at Midwest Furfest 2019!
theTAILlor in the Dealer's Den at MFF 2018
Curved tail made by theTAILlor
Ringtail tailmade by theTAILlor
UV Ultra Violet Tail made by theTAILlor
Rosemont Convention Center two days after MFF 2018.
Rosemont Convention Center two days after MFF 2018. The starbucks wasn't even open!
This past week has been quite interesting for me. A few years back, I was interviewed for VICE on HBO regarding clinical research studies or the more affectionate term, lab rats. I thought it was going to air last year but hearing no word, I thought the episode was dead which happens from time to time with news stories. A few weeks ago, I was notified that the episode was very much alive and well and would air mid November.
Since I was interviewed, I had started the process of moving on from the clinical research studies and found myself embracing the world of furries. I have always been one but didn't know there was a real world outlet like meetups and conventions or that there were many others who shared my interests in the anamorphic arts.
I have seen a few stories and documentaries on the subject of furries and most leave a bitter taste in the mouths of furries. Generally, furries shy away from the media and some coverage of furries has been unfavorable. I see it more as a misunderstanding, people not taking the time to research and talk to furries.
But alas, I have ran into this before. Lab rats have a very similar story. Many lab rats don't want the world to know about what they do. So both the lab rat and furry worlds share many similarities and I somehow am a part of both.
I was a lab rat for the better part of 14 years. I still do a few studies a year but not as many as during my heyday. Being a lab rat is quite simple. You sign up, see if you qualify, go in and screen and if everything is good, you do the study. A clinical research study tests medications awaiting approval by the FDA and people like me take the medication; not to see if it works but for the pharmacology data from our blood and other tests.
For the time we spend at the clinic, we can be compensated $200 to $300 per day and studies can last from 1 to 30 days or more.
This life that lab rats live is quite interesting so it's no surprise the media has covered it extensively over the years. I started a website early on to help point people to where the trials were and over time, I more or less became an unofficial expert for clinical research volunteers. This has led me to be interviewed for many news and magazine articles and even appearing in a documentary film. I feel the more information I can share about our world, the less misinformation will be out there. I hope I have dispelled many rumors like the fact that we do know some information about what we're taking. It's not taking a random drug blindfolded like some will have you believe.
Furries have had it harder with the media due to a few unfortunate shows that painted a picture that furries are sexual deviants. Sure, there are some who do that but the vast majority do not. There are furries of all ages from all backgrounds.
Lisa Ling's Furry Nation was an intimate look behind the fur without categorizing furries like many stories have done. We look into lives of 3 people along with some well known people in the furry fandom to see that furries are not any different than the average person.
VICE's look at the lives of lab rats had a similar demeanor. A look at a few people while actually in a study which is rarer than a camera crew getting into a furry con.
Both of these shows literally aired within a few days of each other so I found it quite ironic. And with similar titles, I'm pretty touched to be a part of both worlds.
Yes, the media can be bad at times but the media can also be great. Being a furry or a lab rat is nothing to be ashamed of, granted not everyone wants to be on TV, but we should embrace the media as a way to share, educate and encurage others to be a part of our worlds.
I have now reviewed both pieces!
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6xbebl - Lab Rat Nation
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6xfci3 - Furry Nation
Glows sticks are great for parties, dances, hiking, signaling the city bus, camping or walking the dog at night.
Glow sticks are readily available at outdoor stores, dollar stores and online.
But how do you know if a glow stick has be used or accidentally activated?
Other than the obvious, which is bending the stick, generally you can tell visually.
Can you tell which glow stick has been used? If you chose the bottom one, you would be correct.
Some telltale signs that a stick has been used include:
The tube is bent. As you have to bend the tube to activate it, this is usually the most obvious sign. A straight stick is likely unused. It's pretty rare for a stick to be activated accidentally but if you store it in a bag without any protection to keep it straight, the odds of it bending are greater.
The liquid is flows faster and has more air bubbles. The liquid in new tubes should flow like honey with fewer air bubbles. Also, in a used tube, the color liquid should flow to both ends freely. In a new tube, there will be a clear barrier that forms when flipped.
If you hold the tube up to a light source, a used tube will have cracks inside. A new tube should appear clear.
Why would I even provide this guide?
Why did you search for this?
Ah haha!
But seriously, I sell glow sticks at conventions so this is good information to know so I don't sell bad product.
Other than Hawaii, the state of Alaska is one of the most unique states for transportation. Because of the terrain and the fact that many areas are sparsely populated, the road system is minimal which leaves many areas inaccessible by car. Juneau, the state capital, is the only US capital not connected to a road system. With limited transportation options, everything must come from either air or water based transport. Alaska Airlines has played a large role in aviation in Alaska with many routes serving the remote regions. There are smaller feeder airlines that serve the VERY small and remote areas but Alaska Airlines mainly serves airports large enough to handle mainline jet aircraft.
One of the more unique routes in the Alaska Airlines roster is what's affectionately known as Milk Runs. Because everything must come by air or water, cargo can consist of not just mail and luggage but every day essentials like milk!, produce, dry goods, meats, bookshelves, TVs, car parts, office equipment and more. If it's safe to transport by air, you can bet it's been shipped by Alaska Airlines. Larger items like building materials, furniture, appliances, vehicles and mining equipment is usually transported by barge or the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. Alaska Airlines can ship vehicles but that's uncommon for most people.
In order to make transport as efficient as possible, Alaska Airlines daisy chains smaller cities rather than typical out and back routes which uses more resources. While needed goods are brought in, produced goods like seafoods are shipped out. Between Seattle and Anchorage, there are 6 major milk runs in operation today. Flights 62, 64 and 66 are southbound routes from Anchorage to Seattle and Flights 61, 65 and 67 are northbound routes from Seattle to Anchorage. The routes run in pairs, one north and one south. Route 61 and 66, Route 64 and 65 and Route 62 and 67. There are other routes that hop around but not in the same fashion as the above routes.
If you're an aviation fan like myself, flying on one of these milk runs is something of interest and a badge of honor. Unfortunately, you cannot just fly on one of these routes end to end. For example, on Flight 64, you could not fly from Anchorage to Seattle. You would have to fly from Anchorage to Ketchikan or any of the other stops.
I recently flew on Flight 67 from Anchorage to Juneau with stops in Cordova and Yakutat. It was very interesting seeing the different people getting on and off and wondering about why they are coming or going to these remote places. Since my trip was in June, it was a hodgepodge of locals, tourists, workers in the seafood industry and fishing enthusiasts.
I was able to score a First Class upgrade which was nice not only for the bigger seat but also for the birds-eye view of the action. From seat 1F, I could see all of the cargo coming and going as well as see all of the passengers. All three flights were roughly 35 minutes in the air each. When flying southbound, you'll want to sit on the left for best views and on the right on northbound flights. Even though I was on the wrong side, the views are still great. It's Alaska after all!
Once on the ground in Cordova, air-stairs are rolled up to the front door. In years past, these routes were usually served by the 737-400 Combi which was half cargo and half passengers with boarding by the rear door. Currently, these routes are mainly served by 737-800 aircraft and there are now dedicated cargo planes.
An unusual sight out the front door are trees. Like a forest of trees rather than the concrete and metal jungle of most airports. On this flight, about two thirds of the passengers disembarked and a handful boarded. Cordova is a major seafood processing point so about two dozen boxes were loaded on. We were on the ground for about 40 minutes before departing for Yakutat.
I enjoyed a quick slurp of whiskey before arriving in an even smaller airport. A lot of grocery and household items came off here and a dozen passengers boarded. The final leg to Juneau was jovial as most of the passengers who boarded in Cordova and Yakutat were headed to Seattle and beyond.
The reminder of the passengers who boarded in Anchorage disembarked in Juneau where a lot of people were waiting to board. I really enjoyed this flight even though it took almost 4 hours compared to the nonstop flight which is about an hour and twenty minutes. It's just a unique peek into the lives of those who venture to the remote parts whether to live, work, hunt or tour. I hope to take a northbound milk run from Ketchikan to Juneau sometime.
Flying to Cordova Alaska
Looking out the front door of the airplane in Cordova, Alaska
Cordova Alaska Airport terminal
Flying to Yakutat Alaska
Flying to Yakutat Alaska
Yakutat Airport terminal. It's smaller than it looks
Let me preface this article first with that I am by no means an expert! I got lost a few times but eventually found my way. I'm only writing this article as a tool to assist others in reaching the ice caves (though now melted). You can read my article about the ices caves here.
If you're on this page, it's likely you've heard about or seen some photos of the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves. They're a sight to behold! But being made of ice, they do eventually melt which is the point of time we are at now. That said, it's still worth the effort to hike to the... guess we'll just call it the front of the glacier. For future reference, I'll refer to the ice caves as the glacier.
Getting to the trailhead:
I'm going to assume you can read a map but the main thing is getting on the Mendenhall Loop Road. As you may have guessed, this road is a giant loop and when viewed on a map, the turnoff is roughly at the top, a little northwest. You need to turn onto Montana Creek Road and follow it all the way to the end. It turns into Skaters Cabin Road so don't make any turns off of the road. Skaters Cabin Road dead ends at the West Glacier Trailhead.
There are bathrooms but no running water. The trail entrance is to the left of the bathrooms. About 100 feet in, you will find a trailhead board with information as well as a link to the USFS Map of the area. If you have a smartphone with internet service, I'd advise downloading some sort of tracking app so if you get lost, you can backtrack. There's also the 1910 cairn Marker which means at this point, the glacier was right where you're standing in 1910. There will be many of these throughout the area, mostly near the lake. A cairn is a marker made of rocks. Some are official with the ice limit makers while others are merely there to mark the route.
Hiking the trail:
The first 1.3 miles is fairly easy. A few inclines and towards the end, you have a few steep inclines that zig zag. There are cable hand rails but still be careful. You will eventually reach a fork. The sign below is located to the left of the trail.
West Glacier Trail/View Point Cairn Fork Mid June 2018
You have two options to get to the glacier.
The View Point Cairn Trail or the West Glacier Spur Trail.
Both has advantages and disadvantages. Looking at my GPS tracking log, they seem to be about the same length but the consensus is that the Cairn Trail is a bit shorter.
West Glacier Trail:
First off, the West Glacier Trail goes on for quite a ways. To the west of the glacier I'd imagine. I missed the turnoff to the spur trail. I'll come back to that in a minute. Because I missed the spur, I ended up going up and up. This however afforded me the nice view below.
Mendenhall Glacier from West Glacier Trail Mid June 2018
I was well into the "ribbon" section, I'll come back to that too, when I realized I was not on the spur trail so I back tracked. I remember there being an obvious marker and sign but this sign has since been removed. I was an idiot and forgot to take a photo but if you're using a GPS app, the spur should be about 2.1 miles from the trailhead. You'll reach a viewpoint with a large 5 foot high boulder on the left. The trail goes to the left and up but you'll notice a primitive trail that continues straight. This is the spur trail. There used to be a sign but it has been removed. You can see the 2 bolts that held the sign so you'll know you're at the right spot. From this point on, you're in the "ribbon" section. This trail is not official like the West Glacier Trail. This trail has been marked by guides and is fairly easy to navigate. There are these colored plastic ribbons that are usually tied to trees and branches. The next one is usually in sight of the last one unless the trail is pretty obvious but you shouldn't go more than 200 feet without seeing one.
From the fork, you'll be looking for 2 main landmarks. The large boulder which has a rope to help you up and down and the wood plank that crosses a creek. Provided you pass these, you're on the right track. From the plank, the trail gets a bit squirrely. A lot of large flat rocks. As you near the glacier, you'll have less vegetation until you reach the final embankment which is literally just a slope of loose rocks and gravel. At this point, the route ribbons will be tied to rocks on the ground. You will be at times sliding down so be very careful. When you arrive at the bottom, you'll notice another trail. That is the View Point Cairn Trail.
The Glacier:
The first thing you'll notice is that it's dirty. Nobody comes and cleans the damn glacier! Okay, that's mother nature for you. As I mentioned, the famed ice caves are no more. I have the photo below which was taken last year around late June and below that is the photo I took this trip, mid June 2018.
Mendenhall Ice Caves Late June 2017
Mendenhall Ice Caves Mid June 2018
As you can see in the bottom photo, the caves have melted and the entrances are blocked. Do NOT attempt to go in! But it's amazing what a year does to this glacier.
You can explore the seam but be careful. What looks like openings are just small pockets. Are there caves in there? Maybe. New caves open from time to time. But for now, it's just a glacier.
It's my opinion that it's easier to take the West Glacier Trail Spur to the glacier and the View Point Cairn Trail back.
Mendenhall Glacier from the View Point Cairn Trail Mid June 2018
View Point Cairn Trail:
From the glacier, it's a bit shifty. Remember, this area was ALL under ice just a few years ago so little vegetation has grown. As you start gradually ascending, there will be a spur trail to the left that leads to the lake. This trail is mainly for kayakers and rafters who take the easy route. Stay to the right and follow the ribbons. You will pass many of the cairns (ice limit markers). Maybe you'll find one with your birth year. I did not. There's a few 20 to 30 foot rock inclines you need to navigate. Going back, you'll be going down. Going to the glacier, you'll be climbing. This route is a little more wet than the other route, at least this time around. All in all, this trail stays close to the lake and at one point you'll be at the lake. Then it goes up and up and up until you'll reach a USFS map sign like at the trailhead. Go to the right and you'll intercept the main trail, then turn left to head back to the trailhead.
Map of hike:
Summary:
Is this hike worth it without the ice caves? YES! Even without the ice caves, it's still a beautiful, ever-changing piece of history that will not be here forever. This is not a hike to do once but every time you visit Juneau. While thousands and thousands visit the visitors center and nugget falls each day, very few actually get close enough to touch the glacier.
Tips:
There are guides. If you got the money, take one. They also offer treks onto the glacier and when ice caves are available, into the caves. They provide all the necessary equipment.
If you are stupid like me and go your own way, make sure you have the following:
Fully charged smart phone, ideally with 4G service. Most cell phones do not have true GPS. They still need the internet to download maps. Download an app to track your route. I used MapMyHike.
Bring food and water. At least 1 gallon per person and snacks that are high in protein. Ideally, bring enough food for 2 meals. If you get lost or stuck overnight, you'll need that food and water.
First Aid kit is a must
Bear spray is ideal but it's one of those things most tourists won't have because it's just a pain. You can't take it on the plane so the likelihood you'll actually use it is low. Check with your hotel or hostel. They sometimes have loaners.
Layers of clothes, especially in the early and late seasons
Hard hat or helmet is good. Good for cave exploration but also good for avoiding hitting your head on low branches.
Gloves are great for grip and protection if you fall. If you fall, chances are you'll land on your hands so gloves will save you from road rash.
If you really want to get anal, you should have a paper map, a manual compass (or just a compass I guess), flash light, overnight survival gear, hiking boots and probably a few other things.
Pay attention! If you feel like you got off trail, especially in the ribbon section, STOP and backtrack to the last ribbon. Carefully look for the next one. Some are very small.
Plan on at least 6 hours for an out and back trip. It's roughly 3 miles each way.
Summary again:
I hope this guide helps you and you read it before you head out, not when you're on the trail. :)
Having watched Ready Player One for the third time, I can't help but wonder if there should have been a different ending.
*** SPOILERS!!! ***
Okay, so, as Parzival (Wade Watts) is standing at the table getting ready to sign the contract but realizes that it's the same contract James Halliday had Ogden Morrow sign which he deeply regretted, what if Nolan Sorrento had not zeroed out everyone and in fact acquired the crystal key and hastily signed the contract? That would have been an interesting tangent to explore. Would Anorak have laughed and said, "you lose sucker!"? Or would Sorrento just zeroed out? Then cut to Parzival at the same point who realizes the contract is not the end. Is it too late to put that ending on the DVD?
I getting ready for my next trip to Alaska and I just love sharing my photos with friends and acquaintances but many have asked for an online album. I made a nice little video for youtube featuring my favorite photos I've taken over several trips. It's only about 150 out of thousands of photos but I think it gives you a pretty good look around Alaska.
From beautiful landscapes to trains to ice caves, you'll find a little of everything in my video.
Please enjoy and visit Alaska as it's much better in person!
Have you ever thought the end credits just went on and on and on? Since 2003, the longest end credits belonged to The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King. That end credits equence lasted 9 minutes and 33 seconds. However the latest Avengers film, Infinity War has just taken the throne with running time of 9 minutes and 58 seconds. And then the usual Marvel's teaser/stinger. An end credits like that truely makes you appreciate how many people work on these films.
I am theTAILlor and making tails is my game. I make tails for the furry, anime, cosplay and human fandoms.
I've experimented with various styles of tails but it looks like I'm going the lighted route. Lighted tails are great at night and at dance/raves. Considering that up to half a day can be dark, it makes sense to have a tail that can light up.
Electroluminescent wire or EL wire is a recent trend that offers great flexibility and creativity. The wire can be powered by portable battery packs, combined with other wires, cut shorter and come in many colors. It looks similar to neon light but is flexible. It can be glued to fabric or sewn into place. People also use it in their cars, windows, under desks, beds, signs, displays and many more. The only limit to EL wires is your imagination!
Visit my Etsy shop to purchase!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/theTAILlor
Call me evil, I've been called that a lot lately but I'm getting a bit fed up with being hassled for donations at every business I visit. It's bad enough I have to deal with the panhandlers outside the store so it's even more annoying to deal with it inside the store.
Look, I have no problem with businesses partnering with charitable causes and even having a collection bin but to use your employee's time to bark for the charity is a bit much.
I was at a Walgreens the other day picking up some discounted post Easter candy when the cashier asked if I'd like to donate to the charity red nose whatever. I said not today and handed her some cash. What annoyed me greatly was when she started to hand me my change, she held it back and asked if I'd like to donate the change. Not acceptable. No means no. She pretty much was trying to guilt trip me into donating which makes me even less likely to donate.
When I do donate, it's something I want to do. Many places like grocery stores have donation tags by the register. It's bsically like a coupon with a barcode and you choose $1, $3 or $5 and you hand it to the cashier. I like this type of donating much better than the cashier taking time away from their job to plug the charity.
Many restaurants do annual charity giveaways like Ben & Jerry's recently did. In celebration of National Ice Cream Day, they gave away free cones, well, technically small scoops in a cup and each location teamed up with a local charity. While there were ambassadors pitching the cause and buckets inside for donations, they weren't overly pushy so I'm cool with that. It's not like they shamed anyone for not donating. I didn't feel like I HAD to and I honestly didnt have anything to spare at the moment. I was more concerned with the coneless ice cream cone.
Ultimately, my feeling with businesses and charities is that it should be transparent. I honestly don't think the customers need to be hassled when they're already patronizing the store and under the assumption that the business donates goods, services or money to charitable causes. It seems like overkill to ask your customers for more.
In the old days of aviation, the captain had absolute authority in the cockpit and rarely considered the input of the crew. This authoritarian management environment led crew members not to report problems or challenge the captain's decisions even if they knew them to be wrong. As a result, many planes crashed and many passengers perished.
In what is still the worst aviation disaster in history, the Tenerife airport collision in 1977 changed the way airlines train their crews and was one of the catalysts in creating CRM. Afraid of going over work hours and having to cancel the flight, the captain of the KLM flight disregarded his copilot's concern that they did not have clearance to takeoff and commenced takeoff roll. The KLM 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 still taxiing on the runway killing 583 people.
In simple terms, Crew Resource Management dictates that while the captain still has final authority, they are to listen to and consider any input received by the crew before making a final decision.
A prime example of successful CRM is United Airlines Flight 232 where Alfred C. Haynes collaborated with not only his cockpit crew but a deadheading check pilot to get his crippled plane to the airport. While 111 people still died, 185 people survived what was considered an unsurvivable event. In subsequent flight simulator simulations, no other crew was able to make it to the airport. Haynes basically stated that he had never been in that situation before so how could he possibly know any better than anyone else on his crew.
How can CRM work in other businesses? People are used to the top to bottom management where the boss has the final say. Just because something has been done a certain way for years and years doesn't mean there isn't a better and more efficienct way to do things. It is of upmost importance for the company's bottom line to do things in the most time and cost efficient manner possible so if someone has a suggestion on how to do things better, it's foolish to ignore them.
Companies with high turnover need to look at CRM. If employees don't feel their opinions matter or their efforts are being recognized, they're likely to go somewhere else. In the long run, a company is going to waste money and time constantly training new employees.
I see this problem a lot with companies that work with temporary employees. Many supervisors see temps as replaceable which is a negative way to view ANY employee. You should always view ANY employee working for you as a partner. You are all on the same team with the same goal of completing a job.
Temps are already on the bottom of the pole and getting paid minimum wage so they can have the same attitude that they can get a better job tomorrow if they don't like the company they're working for today. But most temps are in between jobs and ARE NOT people looking for their next drug score or bottle of booze. Many temps have valuable experience working for many different companies so their opinions should be greatly valued.
Again, CRM only dictates that the person in charge should listen to and consider other ideas. They still have final say. To not even take the time to consider other ways to do things will erode the trust that employees put in their superiors. It's easy to forget that many supervisors lead from afar as in they don't actually do the job they're instructing others to do. Some have never even done the job so how ate they better to instruct people let alone disregard and suggestions?
While CRM is actually much more complicated, the concept is simple and can be implemented in rudimentary form in almost any business or organization. It's really common sense but some people have thst mentality that they know best. Poor supervisors usually stem ffrom poor managers. By changing the way the top collaborates with all employees, a company will be much more equipped to deal with the dynamic changes in operations. CRM can be a great tool that is simple to implement yet can reap benefits on all levels.
If you own a cellphone, I'm sure it has happened at some point and depending on where you live or hangout, maybe a lot.
"Can I use your phone to call my mom...boyfriend...boss...?"
Such a simple request but should you do it?
Well, aside from the most obvious reason, the person taking your phone and bolting like the wind, there are other reasons why it's not wise to loan out your phone to complete strangers.
1. Theft - We'll cover this again because this should be your first and foremost concern. But it really depends on the type of phone you have. If you have a brand new iPhone or Galaxy, you're gonna protect that phone like a newborn baby. If you have an old flip phone or prepaid cell phone, you may be a bit more lenient on things. Once you hand your phone over, they can turn around and run, maybe kick you in the legs to get a head start. Maybe they'll walk a few steps away for privacy and when your distracted by something, they run off. Theft alone should be the only reason you don't lend your phone! With nearly everything in your life tied to email or an app, losing your phone or having or stolen is a real pain in the ass.
2. Breakage - Maybe they or you are clumsy and drop the phone. Do you think they'll offer to pay for it if they drop it?
3. Callbacks - This is the most annoying side affect of letting people use your phone. At 2 in the morning you'll get a call and you'll be thinking the worst like a family member in the hoapital and it's some angry person yelling "put Jose on the phone. He called from this number. Put his ass on the phone!" They say they're calling their mom but you have no idea who they're really calling. People who ask to use other people's phones generally don't have any phone number so people they call are likely to assume your number is their number.
4. Unnecessary browsing - Unless your looking squarely at the screen, you won't know if they're browsing your personal files. There are apps can can clone your phone, upload information. This should be fairly obvious but it just takes a moment of inattention on your part for them to get the info they want.
5. Criminal activity - Again, you never know who they're really calling. They could be using your phone as a burner to commit a crime. When your number is traced, you're going to have a bad day.
Okay, so we covered why you shouldn't loan out your phone. But maybe there are times you want to help. If they need police or an ambulance, you can certainly call them yourself.
You could offer to let them talk on speaker phone while you hold the phone.
There are old fashioned telephone handsets that plug into the headset jack. Like the payphone handsets. You can dial the number and they can talk with the handset.
Then of course you can blatantly say no or use the old standbys.
"My battery is almost dead"
"I'm out of minutes"
"It's disconnected. I use it for music"
"I have no signal"
"I don't have a phone"
How do you deal with strangers asking to use your phone? Please comment below!
