Flight

In a time when most blockbusters focus on action, adventure, and special effects, Flight bravely took off from the pack and charted a different course. This movie expertly explored an issue that is very difficult to deal with for persons in the situation, and even harder for people who've never had an addiction to begin to understand. It told a very compelling story, and showed how addictions can destroy a person's personal and professional lives, and continue to do so unless faced squarely.

In defending his drinking problem the main character, consistently argued that he flew an aircraft that fell apart. He saved the lives of so many people by doing something while drunk and high, that no one else could do even while sober. The investigation fully supported his argument. Alas, it wasn't his abilities that were on trial. Truth is, he would likely have performed in the same manner if he hadn't been drinking. More importantly, it is unlikely that he could have orchestrated a better outcome had he been sober.

The story clearly showed that addictions are a problem regardless of what you've accomplished. He may have saved dozens of lives in an impossible situation, but he was still a wreck who destroyed his family and drove away everyone that cared for him. By juxtaposing this genius pilot with an uncontrolled drunk, the writers made his heroism and skill irrelevant and deftly placed the focus squarely on the real issue: alcoholism.

The conclusion was equally compelling. Unlike most flicks, it didn't tie up everything neatly and allow the character to get off scot free. Instead, it showed that there are always consequences. It drove home the point that change does not come without facing the problem, accepting it, taking responsibility and learning to live with the consequences of addiction.

Annoyed With My Fast-food Office

It's better not to promise, than to promise and fail to deliver. While that statement may sound profound, it was inspired by an experience at my favourite fast-food joint. Let me tell you a story.

My favourite fast food restaurant is Wendy's. I love their food, but what really got me visiting regularly was the combination of good food, WiFi, and a comfortable restaurant environment. It quickly became my favourite spot for working away from the home or the office - my fast-food office. Initially, they had a regular WiFi hotspot, protected by a never changing password. This probably attracted more freeloaders than they cared to accommodate. 

Wendy's replaced that network with a service called Flow Unplugged, from my favourite Internet Service Provider. Hey, what do you know, two of my favourite companies coming together. You'd think it was a match made in heaven. Sadly, this second incarnation of the WiFi service has not worked since it's inception. It frustrates me each time I visit the restaurant, where I used to be a regular. In the past, I've spent entire days there, having breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The staff knew me, and would inquire about my whereabouts if I ever missed a week. They'd be surprised on the rare occasion that I ordered my food to go. I even continued to visit after I moved out of the area. That all changed when the WiFi stopped working.

They've promised many times that they would fix the service, and I returned on a few occasions hoping that they kept their promise. Alas, my hopes were dashed each time. Now I'm peeved each time I think of visiting, as it's not quite the same. I have found a new hang out spot: Rituals Coffee House. But their sandwiches aren't as filling. 

I really wish Wendy's and Flow would sort this issue out. I would have been disappointed had they discontinued the service; I would also have gotten over it. However, to dangle a promise of service in front of me is just plain annoying. I hope someone from either company is reading this - especially since I emailed this article to both of them.

Now that I've finished my rant, it's time for the moral of the story: don't get between a hungry guy and a his WiFi.

50 Something Sentences

The state of affairs in this country is pallid. We've become a country in which mediocrity is the norm. Pop culture despises intelligence, chivalry, moral fibre, and general decency. This is evident from the entertainment which is widely enjoyed, the state of families, the poor quality of relationships, and the lack of professionalism in businesses and government. But nowhere is this more pronounced than in our every day experiences. Manners have been pilfered by the gods of machismo, and social grace has been sacrificed on the altar of exigency. We will need many moments of silence to commemorate all these grave losses.

However, silence rarely solves anything. And to this end, one resilient young woman has decided to speak out and say "no more!", and "I will not settle, nay I will not compromise!". Alas, this post is not about the death of our rich multiculture; no it's a story of relentlessness. Faced with one dire relationship prospect after another, she did not throw in the proverbial towel. Instead, she set out to share her experiences with the world, with the hope of improving the lot of women and men alike.

Her journey was not an easy one. As if the sad state of affairs in the dating market wasn't torture enough, she had to face gross unprofessionalism, impotent public service agencies and personal hinderances, all while learning to do something as daunting as writing a whole honest to god book. By contrast, this blog post contains significantly less than the intended 50 something sentences. Yet, she has done it, a whole book. Her self-published work hits virtual shelves on Thursday February 14. Impressed yet? You should be!

You may read more about this outstanding young lady on her website, delve into her adventure through her blog, and follow her musings via her Twitter account. If you like what you read, then you should also like her Facebook page and then buy her book on Amazon. 

A warning: approach the book with an open mind. This is the heartfelt experience of another human being. While our experiences differ, and our world views may diverge, resist the temptation to label and discount another's views and experiences. No two persons' perspectives will be identical, because they are the fusion of our unique experiences and our distinctive character.

Great Expectations

Research In Motion, now Blackberry, finally released the long anticipated BB10 platform and phones today. Blackberry fans celebrated. The company's CEO received accolades. The company redeemed itself. Angels rejoiced. Meanwhile, Wallstreet was unmoved. In fact, Research In Motion's stocks fell 8% after the release. Why? Because stockholders were expecting revolutionary, and instead they got a solid, well thought out product. But wait, isn't a solid, well thought out product a good thing? Obviously not on Wallstreet.

The same situation transpired last week when Apple released their earnings reports. They made more money than they did last year, had solid profits, and iPhones were selling like hot cakes. Wallstreet's response? A sell off, driving Apple stocks down by over 10%.

Last year, when Apple released the iPhone 5, pundits were unmoved. It seemed ordinary. It had a slightly bigger screen, better specs, and a more refined operating system. But it wasn't revolutionary. Wallstreet analysts responded by downgrading Apple stock, saying they just weren't innovating anymore. It still sold millions, because people liked it.

There is a common thread in all these scenarios. The problem isn't that companies aren't working their butts off to build great products. The problem isn't that these companies aren't making a tonne of money. The problem is that large investors and analysts increasingly expect earth shattering breakthroughs, and brand new products - every quarter. And even when they have amazing financial performance, companies are punished for not meeting Wallstreet expectations.

Half of these nitwits don't know the work and effort put into seemingly simple refinements to already great products. Someone needs to tell these analysts that revolutions don't happen everyday, not even in the Middle East.

More Than You Bargained For

Life is full of disappointments. Part of being a well adjusted adult is recognising, and accepting that things won't always go the way you want them to. Some people call it pessimism, and encourage you to be positive. However, let's face it, all the positive thinking in the world won't make it a perfect place. Even the paradigms of optimism must accept this fact - you can't will the universe to operate how you want it to. It's a lot bigger than our small minds.

Then it get's worse. When you live your life with the knowledge that things will go wrong, sometimes you make mental bargains. You choose a course of action, knowing full well that it will have negative consequences. You prepare yourself for these outcomes, and take the hits that land your way. Then you get a sucker-punch that sends you sprawling on your back, gasping for air, and wondering why it's suddenly dark with a sky full of stars. 

As you fight for each lung-full of air, you can't help but think that that was more than you bargained for. And therein lies your mistake. Life doesn't do bargains. In fact, life has a compulsion to let you know that not only won't things always go your way, they also won't go the way you expect.

Perhaps that's why we like movies with happy endings, or with endings that leave us happy. Fiction allows us to the opportunity to weave a tale that we control. For in real life, we are never in control of all outcomes. 

Sorry, no happy endings here either.

A Call To Arms

This is not one of my regular posts. No ranting today, just a call to arms. And no, I'm not going to ask you to rush Digicel or LIME headquarters either. Well, at least not today. Neither has ticked me off sufficiently this year. This post is about the Jamaica Blog Awards!

 

André Rants has been nominated for the Jamaica Blog Awards 2012! Hurray! * Cue drum roll * I've been nominated in two categories:

1. Best Personal Blog: http://jamaicablogawards.org/jm/andre-rants/
2. Best News and Current Affairs Blog: http://jamaicablogawards.org/jm/andre-rants-news-category

Voting is open, and you may vote once per day until voting closes on January 14 January 19. You may vote using the links above. You'll need to visit the pages, and then hit the green button labelled "Click To Vote". So go forth and vote, today, tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that! You get the drift.

 

Thank you all for your readership. And welcome to 2013! I hope you enjoy your stay here.

 

Disunderstandings

Disagreements are fundamentally human. Misunderstandings even more so. They often lead to frustration, and sometimes wars. The root cause isn't always clear to both parties. Sometimes the parties disagree, sometimes they misunderstand each other, and sometimes they confuse the two.

Disagreements arise from divergent view points. By way of illustration, let's say that Roger and Karen work for a company that wants to build flying cars. Roger likes the idea of flying cars but Karen would rather cars not fly. Karen has her reasons for not wanting the company to make flying cars, reasons which she may or may not state. But reasons aside, she just doesn't think cars should be allowed to fly. Roger may think that Karen simply doesn't understand why flying cars are such a great idea. The problem here is that understanding and agreeing are two different things. For example, Roger believes that flying cars will earn the company a lot of money. Karen understands the potential for financial gain, but she believes that safety concerns supersede monetary gain. One may understand a viewpoint, but still disagree with it.

Misunderstandings tend to be even more complicated. Let's introduce Alicia. Unlike Karen, Alicia likes the idea of flying cars. But as an engineer, Alicia knows that there are limitations which prevent the company from making flying cars. She may present these reasons, and explain that while flying cars are a great idea, the company can't build them just now. Roger of course disagrees. He thinks that the engineers can do anything they set their minds to, and that they should just get it done. This situation may quickly deteriorate as both parties get annoyed with each other. This is a disunderstanding.

Disunderstandings arise when one party misunderstands the reason for a disagreement. In this case, Roger and Alicia disagree on the issue of whether the company should make flying cars. But Roger misunderstands Alicia's reasons for not wanting to pursue the project. In his mind, there is no distinction between Alicia and Karen. He confuses real limitations, which he may not understand, with an unwillingness on the part of the engineers.

To avoid disunderstandings, both parties should seek to understand the other's position. Only then will they be able to differentiate between a disagreement based on personal preference, and one that arises from constraints. Despite best efforts, sometimes one party just won't get it. In this scenario, a conciliatory approach may be best. Or just ignore them until they get some sense, or go away.