THE NBA FIASCO IN MID-TOWN

When I was about nine years old I came home on a Saturday afternoon and turned on the TV. It took about two minutes to warm up and I flipped the channels with the channel selector knob. I had only three channels to choose from and all three were black and white. On channel seven I saw a bunch of guys in gym shorts playing basketball. Little did I know that I was watching the world famous Boston Celtics at the equally famous “Gahdin.”

I became hooked on basketball. These were my new heroes: Sharman, Cousy, McCauley and later K.C. Jones, Sam Jones and Bill Russell. These were great guys that played for the Celtics, the team and the Celtics were great! They were also good people!

I am not sure that the individual that plays the game today can equal the character of the people that played the game then. Jerry West for the Lakers, Irving for the 76ers, Frank Selby, Richie Guerin for the New York (hated) Knicks. These were players of character. They didn’t jump as high as the players of today. They didn't jump teams - they were loyal to the fans, the team and the city. They did pass better. They won without the three point shot, and they had to make the first free throw to get to the second.
The players I see today are not of great character. I am generalizing, but the few that set the stage for the rest are still NBA Players. Now what do they want? More. Just like Oliver, “More, please.” More of what? More diamond earrings, more gold chains, more groupies, more entitlements to bad behavior? Just more because they feel entitled by their size and sometimes, questionable skills that size hides their inadequacies.

There is a lock out. The owners have said enough is enough. More than 20 teams are losing money and the payers are insisting on a greater percentage than they had so the teams that are losing money could lose more. These are the “businesses” that employ the players and the employees that are making many millions of dollars are unhappy – they want more. They want to put their hands deeper into the pockets of the owners.

Imagine working for Sears and saying you won’t come to work because you want more. Or imagine Sears saying to the employees if you insist on more I am going to lock the doors. It is nuts. Until they hit the NBA most people didn’t know of any of the players unless they played in their hometown or home state college. Now they are stars and want to be paid accordingly. Accordingly to what? But what if they had no place to play – are they still “stars?” There are just so many players that are drafted from such a large pool are the stars still yet to be found?

I bet I could draft an NBA team from the courts at Venice Beach. But here is what will happen.
They will play well, draw TV audiences and stadium crowds, negotiate with the owners then they, too will be overpaid and they too will want more. Now whose fault is that? The owners. Because they paid!

They wanted the player to play for him/her and they said grab that wheel barrel of money and play on my court. So, the owners are responsible for their mess. Now they want to limit their expenses by capping the player’s share of income to a paltry 50%.

Have you bought a ticket to an NBA game lately? I am not so sure that the cost of buying those tickets didn’t cause the mortgage crisis. How much can you charge to watch guys in their underwear play for 48 minutes? And these are not nice guys (again, generalizing). These guys have histories of rape, wife beating, shooting people, carrying guns into a locker room, bedding more than 20,000 women who are not wives and so much more.

These guys are mostly inarticulate. They can’t string words together except to say, “more.” They make more money touting deodorants, sneakers and other overpriced stuff because the owners gave them a jersey and a number. Why can’t the owners ask for a percentage of that income?

This is a balanced problem – the owners pay more so the players think they owners can pay more. The players are insisting at looking at the books and the owners should have the same right to examine the benefits the player receives by wearing the owner’s jersey. They can each dip their respective hands into 52.5% of the gross – players and team.

It nothing more than greed. On both sides! But the owners have the key to the store. They made the investments, bought the jerseys with the numbers on them. Got the arenas built, negotiated the TV agreements that helped the “stars” become stars. The players invest in themselves – most of them received scholarships and other non-NCAA benefits to play at the college level so the pros could see them. Their investment seems minimal. They even got rewarded for becoming better at the “amateur” level. That made them worth “more.’

Take the 50%! How many more millions do the players need? Do the players intend to make up the lost income of the stadium employees – who make a few bucks short of a million. Does either side care? These are also casualties of this idiocy.

So, we won’t have NBA Basketball for a few weeks or maybe even months. I will live. Some fanatics will have hard time, but there is always college hoops, NFL and NCAA Football to keep us occupied. Many have said that college basketball is a better game. Can’t wait till March Madness. The October madness is happening now in a mid-town Manhattan hotel.

And where is the fan in all this?

That is my take on it – you decide.

THUMBS UP – THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS PROCESS

We are living in a Blackberry world! Until it goes down. That is. It wasn’t so long ago that I expressed regret that I did not take typing 101 in High School. Watching my wife cruise the keyboard like a stenographic super woman, made me jealous of the amount of text she could out put while I still, after all these years, have to look at the key tops to insure that my typing reflects what I am thinking. 

A short while ago I wrote about the difference between the thumb and the fingers in communications. I was right and I was also wrong! 

My first Smith Corona portable typewriter entered my life at age 14. More than a  half century later, I am only slight better at typing than I was at 14. It is not a matter of just speed, it is a matter of spelling, spacing, hyphenation, indents and so much more that makes written (typed) page a work of art! Be sure, I am among the vast majority who are NOT artists! 

But I got along just like so many others! When I hired my first secretary more than 35 years ago I asked two basic questions: How fast can you type? (I have a cousin that once hit 90 plus words a minute). And, do you take shorthand? Later, working for Dictaphone Corporation, shorthand was not a requirement as we had telephone like devices on our desk. We just picked up the handset and started talking. We could say whatever was on our mind into this device as it was called the “Think Tank.” Somewhere a stenographer was typing our thoughts at blazing speed on typewriters that had balls whacking away on the paper in a blur! 

Those were the good old 70sa and 80s! Stenography was a career! Need a stenographer - just dip into the “pool.” They did it all – took your thoughts converted them to scribbles (shorthand), then typed them on correcting typewriters and voila – your thoughts on paper, spelled correctly with the proper punctuation and in one of maybe seven typefaces that IBM has on balls! 

Now that we have desktop, laptop and note book computers along with iPhones, Thunderbolts, Droids and BlackBerrys and other devices that fin into a small bag, pouch, belt-clip or inside pocket, the world has changed - or has it? White Out gave way to Spell Check, ink erasers are extinct, 12 point type is a thing of the past just like the three cent stamp.  

“I am all thumbs” has a new meaning! Left and right thumbs are the new source of information. Left and right thumbs connect with the rest of the world. Just as Emperor Nero would put his thumb up or down to indicate whether the combatant would live or die, our thumbs do the same – will that deal live or die? We thumb are way through the process no matter where we are– will we have the meeting or not, we will have the date, is it a deal – so many questions rest on how well our thumbs communicate.

Even the worst typist can manipulate their thumbs – after all, it is just two of ten fingers. My thumb was once a proven method of transportation and now it is proven method of communication. My thumb got me all over the country, now I use it to get all over the world – instantly! My thumbs do not have to obey any posted speed limit! Thumbs take me to wherever I need to go with my thoughts and words.

Shorthand is back. Instant Messenger made thumb based communications even easier as words are not required. “cul8tr.” “50.” So many cryptic messages, “lol.” The new shorthand! You bet! After all, how much work can two thumbs do? There is a new etiquette or a lack of etiquette that is acceptable when using just thumbs. Spell check not required. In fact, it is distained. Buying vowels is a Vanna White service – not for Smart Phones. 

We had to know this was coming. So many states have vanity license plates these days. There have been some very compelling messages on these plates with just seven letters:“htgrdma.” “l8agn.” Hot grandma and late again – for those of you who are ‘Thumbish” Language challenged. 

For those of us that sort of miss the good old 70s and 80s where the English Language, and other languages of the world were all typed on a QWERTY keyboard, take heart.

Your left and right thumbs compete favorably to that stenographer who whizzed across the keyboard creating machine gun like sounds that would make a marine gunner proud! We have our thumbs to thank. Is it not our thumbs that separate us from primates?  

Pull out your Blackberry or iPhone and start creating information that will impact the world or your world, at least. Write that one great book that supposedly resides in us all. You can do it with just your thumbs. Imagine how fast you can create the tome of your life if you are using “u” for “you.” “l8t” for “late” or “st8” for “state?” get out the dictionary of Thumbish or get a teenager to assist, they have the latest “411.”

As you can see all this technology made the world an easier place to be, that is, unless you are all thumbs! 

That is my take, you decide – send me a thumb generated text!

WHO SAYS THE THUMB IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DIGIT?

Over the years we were told that the thumb was the most important digit on our hand – either right or left. Let’s face it we would not be able to write without it. Scratching your nose would be much more difficult. Shaking hands would be weird. But just what does thumb do besides indicate the direction you want to go?

OK – in Roman times it indicated life or death. I guess that was important then – especially for the gladiators. That signal hasn’t been used in centuries –  the thumb has given way to lethal injections, red buttons that say “Do Not Touch,” (so we touch them). The thumb is losing its importance in our lives. It doesn’t communicate much. It is too big for small smartphone keyboards. Maybe that is why my name comes through on a text message with 18 letters!

The thumb is gaining in stature with monkeys. That is how we differentiate ourselves – with the imposable thumb. Now that monkeys are starting to use their thumbs the thumb may be making a comeback.  But only with monkeys.

Nothing really positive is associated with the thumb. Thumb sucking is not a good thing. Hitting your thumb with a hammer only makes it bigger, brighter and brings out the worst in language. If you don’t want to read a book, you say, “I will thumb my way through it.” Want to look at a photo – look at a “thumbnail.” That is a small rendition of the picture. Don’t want the whole story, get a thumbnail version. The thumb is now a tool of indifference. I don’t want to be disrespectful to the thumb, I would be devastated without mine, but other digits now seem to communicate more and at a higher level.

For example, as I was driving down Reseda Boulevard,  at a safe speed, not racing to get anywhere, a car of vintage passed me and a middle finger was stuck out the window. Here is what that digit told me: It was a hot day and she didn’t have air conditioning. She indicated that she would be number one at the stop sign and she realized that this was information that I really needed to have – no point in my racing to the stop sign.

However, she had to make a left turn and was waiting as I proceeded through the stop sign. I lowered my window (I have air conditioning) and raised my finger indicating that I was actually number one through the stop sign. In my rear view mirror she was wildly moving her digit indicating that she was not taking this lightly. So, I put out three fingers hoping she would understand, “Please read between the lines.” Yes, it was a she!

So, here you have it! The index middle and ring fingers are the most important fingers. The middle finger has the most impact. The ring finger suggests commitment, the index finger points the way but the middle finger’s message is so forceful that they blur the raising of the digit when shown in news cast. But, the meaning is never blurred. Oh, the pinky finger, that is for effect!

The thumb, when put to use on a keyboard, only creates the spaces. The digits are the ones that create the words.

That is my take on it – you decide!?

PS - What do you think of this post? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

YOU WOULD THINK WITH THIS EMPLOYMENT MARKET . . .

. . . that those that hold jobs would do everything in their power to keep them. I am amazed at the lack of service that we are getting these days at local restaurants both high end (expensive) and middle of the road like delis – although have you seen the prices lately?

Not long ago my wife made a reservation at a very upscale Brentwood restaurant* to celebrate a family event. She called and made the reservation and asked for a specific table. In fact, a friend that is a very frequent diner also called on our behalf to make sure that the table was held for us. A few days before another call was made and we were assured that the table was ours. 

You guessed it – the table was occupied when we got there. “Someone else wanted it,” we were told. No apology. We even saw the notes in the reservation book and she could care less. We were given a smaller table by the bar.  

 Our waitress was, to be polite, the worst! Food came out at different intervals and was cold. No apologies. No attention. Could not get her attention.  The bill was extravagant and the service really sucked and the food failed on every level. Of course, we reported this to our friends who are or were very frequent diners there – a couple of times a week. They gave the restaurant a pass as it may have been a “bad night.” Guess what, they experienced similar attitudes after that and are no longer patrons.  My guess is, and I do not know, they may have spent up to $10,000 a year or more at that establishment. That is the equivalent of a half of a hostess. With their negative recommendations the other half is probably gone.

There is a new Italian restaurant in Encino. The first time we tried to get in we were told that because we had no reservation they could not accommodate us. I am OK with that. The place was full and that was the best recommendation. A few months later we tried to go again and were accommodated as it was early in the evening. The food was great, the service was good, so we felt we found a good eatery that is local. 

They say that the third time is a charm. It was about the same time in the early evening we stopped by to see if we could get a pre-movie meal. There was about four tables occupied and the rest of the restaurant was empty. We requested a patio table and the petite 17 year old hostess came back  pointing to her watch like an old schoolteacher, admonishing us that the table had to be available at 7:15 for another customer. We probably would have been gone long before the 7:15 time, but it was the attitude – so we said, “Good-bye.” 

From there we headed east to Van Nuys Boulevard where we revisited a restaurant that we ate at once a few years back. We were greeted in a manner that says we want your business. They provided a great table, great bread and a very good menu. The wait staff was friendly and welcoming.

 As we looked through the menu, we saw that they had a sister operation in Brentwood. Guess which one! That prompted a conversation with the waiter who told us that while management was related, they were two different restaurants. That fact was borne out by the ensuing service the quality of the food and the attention we got. Looking around, we were not alone as the restaurant filled and everyone seemed to be pleased. We will continue to frequent Oliva.

Not long ago, after a religious service four of us went to a local delicatessen that had a famous reputation. The place was two thirds empty. We were immediately seated and a table and promptly ignored. The waitress was non-existent and when she finally arrived she took our order.

Nate must have been off that night because it took forever to get the food. Our waitress was pleasant and friendly but we didn’t see her until the food arrived. It was not good.  

Here is the point: With unemployment so high and customers are hard to get due to the economy, you would think that business, especially service business, would take time to train their people.

 As a gesture of good will, I called the manager of the Italian restaurant in Encino and thanked him for the experience as his hostess caused us to find a better restaurant that we will continue to frequent. I expressed my feelings saying, “Sorry that our experience at your eatery was bad, but it led to a good thing and for that we are grateful. Thank your hostess for me.”

I am amazed at the attitudes. These people have jobs and are trying to lose them – maybe not intentionally, but by their attitudes. The business owners are somewhat lax as they are not training their people to protect their business. I see lack of caring – maybe basic training should be as a WalMart greeter. They always smile and say, “Welcome.” 

That is my take – you decide.

*Name of restaurant given by written request.