Day: September 4, 2008

Categories
Memory

Memory: The Ottawa Boat Cruise Card Trick

Mike and Melissa reminded me of this funny moment a few years back on a cruise around the Ottawa River.

Details may be a little fuzzy but Hot 89.9 was putting on a ‘singles boat cruise’ night where you load up on this boat and it cruises up and down the Ottawa River for the evening.  I definitely remember not really wanting to go but Alex wanted to go and he needed some people to go along with him.  In my memory it was only Alex and I, but Mike assured me that he was there along with Melissa.

Anyhow, this singles cruise was horrible.  I can remember about 3,000 men on board and 5 women.  It was like watching vultures circle a dying rodent in the desert.  Horrible.

So we had to make our own fun that night.  While I contemplated jumping overboard and swimming for shore multiple times during the night, I must have amused myself with a deck of cards.  Mike recalls that while Melissa was busy flirting with Mike, I handed him a card and then I handed some other guy a card and I said “This is from Melissa.  She will go home with the person with the highest card.”  Mike ended up having the King of Spades and the pour soul who I gave a card to had the Ten of some other suit.  But Melissa recalls that the guy still hung around seeing if he would have a chance eventually!

I had a good laugh when Mike and Melissa reminded me that I did this many years ago.  I like to spice up a party once in awhile.

Categories
Rant

Rant- Zoom Airlines Leaving People Low and Dry.

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080904.wrzoom04/BNStory/Business/home

So as you may have heard, Zoom Airlines shut its doors and now people are stranded all over the world trying to get back home.  Granted, some of them are stranded in the Caribbean…I can think of worse spots to be stranded.  But at the same time, if I’m stuck in the airport for that time, ick.

But where did the integrity go to?  Have we lost our ‘Good Samaritism’?  I would like to think that if I had a business and I knew I would be closing up shop, I would leave my customers in a fine fashion, not leaving them disappointed.  Sure, Zoom Airlines doesn’t really have anything to lose in the future if they should ever open up their doors again.  They’ll just change their name and even if they do have good rates for flights, people will probably forgive the fact that they had to strand a bunch of people across the globe.

I just don’t get it.  Has business become so cut throat that you can’t have a conscience anymore?  It’s all smoke and mirrors these days and you can’t very well knock on the door of the President of Zoom Airlines and say “It just took me three weeks to get back to Canada because of you.  What were you thinking?”

It kind of disgusts me to start putting our world under a microscope and realize that the Samaritans have moved on elsewhere nowadays.  That’s why I don’t like to pay attention to these matters and focus on the funny papers.  Oh Calvin, you so funny.