Adorama

What does “Adorama” mean?  To me it means, “their word is bond.”

OK, so I just found out that a single order was mistakenly shipped in two parts… one via a method that in all likelihood won’t arrive when it needs to.

It matters not why this happened.  From time to time in life, these things always do.

What DOES matter is that within seconds of calling customer service I received assurances of a fresh shipment of the second item, that WILL arrive on time, with the issuance of a return label for the part that will be delivered late.

That is what Customer Service means.  You treat the customer as an ally, not as an adversary (as so many establishments seem to do).  You find a way to make things work, not expending energy in articulating how they can’t work.

Just in the last year, I’ve had three things happen for me, relative to other merchants and service providers, that, initially, their customer service reps said were “impossible”.

Indeed, some things ARE impossible, even for Adorama.  But when a company really cares and imparts that philosophy to its employees, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.

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McCartney II

McCartney II.  Have you heard this album?  Few have.  It may be one of the worst ever made.  But go see for yourself.

Even so, I use this title because this is my 2nd McCartney post.

House Minority Leader John Boehner has asked for an apology.  President Obama needs to as well.

Sniping at George Bush at an event where this country is extending a personal honor isn’t just classless.  It’s unconscionable.

I’ve never met Sir Paul, or watched him working with people under critical distress and incredibly difficult circumstances.  I am sure that producing albums is gut-wrenchingly precarious in comparison to what Presidents deal with.  Laying those tracks, lives are at stake.  Or, at the very least, fragile egos are.  Not that Paul has one.  No.  He’s a very secure man.

Nevertheless, I have seen President Bush work.  At very close range, under unspeakably challenging duress.  What I saw in person makes Mr. McCartney look awfully small.  George Bush has more class in his little finger than many do in their whole being.  Fact.  He has guts. Intelligence.  And a great deal of what suddenly seems in short supply, grace.

I know the Harvard MBA and Mrs. Bush’s love of reading mean nothing, especially in relation to McCartney’s academic credentials.

Sure, Paul is entitled to his personal opinion, personally kept off platforms we extend to him.  He is a great bass-player who joyfully performs hits from 40 years ago.  That much from him I’ve seen.  We can learn a great deal from him about how to play the bass, and 6-string acoustic, and suing people, and acrimonious parting from former partners in music, and how to make fools of ourselves in public.

But please.  Hold a candle to W? 

No.  I don’t think so. 

Gratuitious parting slap?  And why?  Who benefitted?  You?  Obama?

Even an ex-Beatle should have known better…

McCartney? Really?

So Paul McCartney stands up to accept an American award and sinks to unseemly depths by using the stage as a platform for sniping at President Bush.  Truly classless.

Remarkable coming from someone holding about as little responsibility in life as humanly possible.

Heavens, here’s a guy who couldn’t break-up with 3 other bandmates in a civil fashion, but he’s going to render comment on someone holding responsibility for 300 million people over 8 years?  It was a joke, right?

Paul would do well to listen to John Lennon’s masterpiece, “How do you sleep?”  In it, Lennon caustically observes, “The only thing you’ve done was Yesterday… and since you’ve gone you’re just another day…”

I wonder if the truth of these lyrics is starting to set in.  It would be a pity for Sir Paul to fade from view as a bitter has-been.

Galarraga Perfect

Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect game for Detroit.

On a key call in the 9th inning, the umpire covering first base made a mistake, costing Galarraga a no-hitter.  The ump was wrong.  Replay shows he was wrong.  He has enough moxie to admit he was wrong.

The umpire did the right and courageous thing.

Major League Baseball needs to do the same.  Reverse the call and restore integrity.

If MLB can’t affirm the obvious truth, then it cannot decry the lies incumbent with the use of steroids.