dispatches from the new world of work

Brickbats!

My flashlight sucks! I carry a flashlight on my trips. (Remember, Mr Pack-heavy.) Left my trusty _________ (don't remember brand) at home. Picked up a Garrity in Boston before I left. Arrived in Dubai. Batteries dead. Problem: CRAPPY DESIGN! It's nice enough looking, but the sliding on-off switch can be jostled into the "on" position while passively nestled in a duffel bag. Boo!

Trash sucks! I actually love Heathrow (sometimes, as of late, I damn near live there—shades of Terminal), and despite ever-longer security lines, I think BAA (British Airports Authority) does a decent job in tough circumstances of running the joint. But I noticed (it shouted at me) as I boarded my plane for Dubai that the jetway was ... filthy. Not "filthy," but ... FILTHY. DIRTY. FOUL. DISGUSTING. A stunning amount of garbage, etc. Sure, it's BA/British Air that maintains the Rolls Royce engines that will propel me skyward ... but paddling through Filth on the way into the plane is not a confidence builder! Boo!

Microsoft ... ! I avoid the "sucks" here not out of fear of Microsoft, but because I may be wrong. In my hotel room in Dubai, I can't get into AOL via high-speed access. Hence, I'm using MSN Internet Explorer. But when I access AOL via MSN, there are a hundred easy, normal things I can't do when I'm on AOL directly. Could be AOL's fault. (They're 100 miles from faultless.) On the other hand, believer in conspiracy theories that I am, I tentatively point the finger (#3?) at the Beast of Redmond for making sure my life is complicated because I normally "default" to AOL. Boo ... somebody!

Tom Peters posted this on 11/30/04.

Comments

Convert yr'self to Portable FireFoxCandidate1 !! :)-

Posted by /pd at November 30, 2004 12:42 PM

Gotta get a Pelican Products Sabrelight. Can't accidentally turn on. The LED one is even better.

Also have to second the Firefox nomination

Posted by kurt wendelken at November 30, 2004 3:05 PM

Well, I can't say that I've tried Pelican, but then again, I also haven't tried the product I'm going to recommend, so we're even. :)

surefire.com

They sure look and sound hardcore, though. I've never needed to examine the tail of a 747 from the ground, though (!), so the price is a little steep for the likes of me.

The Surefire lights are also LED, and most are specifically made to avoid accidental switching-on. If you get one, I'd love to know how awesome it is.

-Jeremy

Posted by Jeremy Thompson at November 30, 2004 5:22 PM

Have had chances to work in Redmond recently, and as delicately as I can say this, Microsoft appears to me to be the General Motors of the tech business...another big dumb company in the making...what a shame.

Posted by Mike Neiss at December 1, 2004 7:53 AM

Camping/hiking supply store LED lights give me more than enough light for most emergency situations and are cheap and weigh nothing. Two I've been carrying for over 2 years and no dead battery yet.

Posted by Sea Stipe at December 1, 2004 2:13 PM

Couldn't agree more about the state of Heathrow Airport - it's a depressing, dirty and overcrowded dump, especially on the arrivals side.

Compared with Dubai International, BAA are amateurs!

Posted by Keith Williamson at December 4, 2004 4:49 PM