BP’s real plan; and it’s smart.

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about BP’s verbal mis-steps.  And their excuses.  And their apologies.  But I think they’ve got something else working.

See, they call people on the Gulf “small people” and refer to the Gulf itself is a big “ocean.”  Then people get really really upset about that.  Then BP apologizes, maybe makes fun of itself.  Then we forgive them.  And we forget about the other thing.

Because a little bad verbiage is much easier to apologize for and redeem oneself for than, you know, a massive oil spill.

Brilliant!

I don’t understand business law.

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Okay, I know we’re supposed to be the land of the free, home of the whatever. So we don’t like The Man in the form of The Government telling us what to do with our bodies (at least some of us don’t), our property, our money, our talents, etc. Yet some of us would invite regulation by The Man in the form of The Government to regulate business, health care, etc.

Some of these folks, myself included, might be chided for being hypocrites. After all, how can we call for The Man to stay out of our personal issues and bodies and then tell Big Business (perhaps another offshoot of The Man) what it can and cannot do?

Well, so far as I understand it, people are granted freedom in this country because of the notion that there is dignity in being a human, that humans are inherently free, the way that God/nature/chance made us. And, so far as I can tell, business, health care, etc. are human creations, not endowed with anything divine or any special dignity (which is not to say there is necessary indignity per se in business).

I think that being accused of hypocrisy when one votes for freedom for individuals and regulation for business (or The Man, by The Man) is hogwash, or rather, the hog’s dirty bath water.

I honestly don’t understand business and economic theory, but I assume there are other reasons for a lack of regulation on The Man that escape me. Some are probably even pretty good; I wouldn’t know. But to base the “free market” in any way on human freedom is ludicrous. You might as well give total freedom to any human-created entity. I could create a robot that got everyone hooked on coffee. We’d be fools to let it run wild (or would we, hee hee hee). Hell, maybe even the person who set my creation free is morally and legally responsible for everything it might do, no?

But, like I said, maybe folks have good reasons for believing in a free market? If you do, you’d do a service to your position by not being a jerk and getting your comment deleted. (And remember: Bloggers don’t have to share your beliefs. Nor do they have to publish them in comments, when you’re uncivil. If you’re that passionate about something, go start a blog about it.)

If you call a meeting.

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I learn new pointers for attending and running meetings all the time. Some are no-brainers: Have an agenda, and stick to it. Start on time, since we can’t all revolve around people who always show up late and can’t manage their time. Take notes in case no one else does.  Stay awake.

Other good ideas include providing some kind of refreshment, even if you just bring a few assorted sodas (and rootbeer is often a surprising hit, and cops usually don’t drink diet cola); printing out the agenda because a lot of people will take their notes on it and don’t carry paper; bring some extra pens; don’t sit through the whole meeting on your handheld.

Less obvious things include not calling folks two days before you want to meet and only giving them one time to pick from. That’s inconsiderate of people’s time.  Also, not calling a meeting just to hear yourself talk, since you could just email your speech — good idea.

But, the single most important aspect of running a meeting is one that two people (so far!) this week have blown. If you call a meeting, show up for it!