Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Supreme Court disappoints

The Supreme Court has let Exxon Mobil off the hook with their recent ruling. According to the Boston.com article, "The Supreme Court on Wednesday cut the $2.5 billion punitive damages award in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster to $500 million." The court divided 5-3. I don't know why at this time in Exxon's history- recording record profits, why they would be dismissed for their part in a disaster that dumped 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds and marine animals. Having just been to Alaska for the first time, I am deeply saddened to learn that our highest court doesn't believe in holding people responsible for their environmental impact. I can see why we are where we are...

Monday, June 23, 2008

Is inefficency contageous

I am on a plane at least once a month. And it stresses me out. I will be the first to admit, I am not the person who gets to the airport 2 hours ahead of time. I am the one who rolls in about 45-60 minutes before my flight takes off. I never check bags and I pride myself on being quick through security. I limit my exposure to most airline personnel as a general practice. I am sure these people are perfectly kind, but why bother. I don't need their help and they certainly don't need to deal with another customer.

But, why is it that other people don't do this? Why isn't everything more automated? If I did need to check luggage, why can't I just have a luggage drop-off line. I don't want to stand with all the people that have missed their last two flights and need to update their address and airline reward numbers... I just need to drop off my bags. I planned ahead, I got to a computer, checked-in, printed the boarding pass, and just need you to put a little sticker on this bag. Heck, I will put the sticker on myself, I just need you to give me the printer. I do it at the grocery store in the produce section...

Is it a control issue? Are their regulations around me putting a sticker on my bag and dropping it on the conveyer belt? If so, I have a few suggestions for that.

I will also mention at this point there are different airlines and different airports that run more efficiently than others. I love the Delta terminal at Logan. I get to chose how I want to go through security- with the families and crying children, as a casual traveler, or as an uptight huffy puffy business traveler. It's great to seperate people, b/c families don't want to be stuck in front of a late business exec as much as the business exec doesn't want to listen to crying children longer than she has to.

I might suggest at this point that any corporation that is so closely linked with the government is doomed. Airlines, Energy, Waste Management, etc. If a corporation has to work with government agencies too closely they will never be able to realize or institue efficient business practices, because that would just be too easy...