Mark Wright’s Blog

I am always amazed by what constitutes news.  When I think of news, thoughts of the auto industry bailout and President Elect Obama’s agenda come to mind.  However there are many stories that make the news that I’m not so sure about.  The latest incident involves three workers at a KFC that were caught bathing in the deep sink used to clean dishes. 

Once again it is a case of geniuses getting busted by posting the photos on a Facebook page.  The sad thing about this is they weren’t even original.  Three or four other kids got busted a while back for doing the same thing.  They bathed in the sink and posted it on Facebook.

Let me give you a clue about something.  Social networking websites are great things.  It is a fantastic way to keep up with friends and network.  I am in the business of websites with Blue Sand Design and LongBeachOnline.com.  When they are used correctly, they can be very effective for marketing and disseminating information.   However, when you use them to celebrate your stupidity, the consequences can be dire.  Here is a little free advice. 

Don’t do stupid things.If you do something stupid, don’t document it.If you do document it, don’t post it on a website for all to see.

I did some dumb things when I was a kid.  Most of what I did dumb was at school so most of the time I got caught and What I find remarkable is that some of the dumb stuff I did could now be considered news.  We live in a world now where very little is private.  With camera phones and other technology, virtually any transgression can be documented for all to see. 

In regards to the incident at the KFC, I have these comments.  While I applaud them for their attempt at hygiene, they should probably remember that hygiene begins at home.  I do agree that they should have been fired.  When you do something dumb, sometimes you need to get fired for it, sometimes maybe not.  Finally, is it that big of a deal?  Yes it is kinda gross but I would be a lot more offended by someone tampering with my food than bathing in the deep sink.  More than anything else, this is not news.  It is fluff.  Andy Warhol said that everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.  I hope these folks didn’t use their fifteen minutes up on this. 

As of late, I have been spending a lot of my time out in Long Beach, California as opposed to Houston.  With LongBeachOnline.com and Blue Sand Design, I have needed to spend more time in this area.  While I love my Texas roots, I enjoy California, particularly Long Beach.  There are some that may find that strange. 

Long Beach is a vibrant, beautiful city but it seems to get a bad rap.  I was in San Diego a couple of weeks ago and I was having a drink with some people and they asked me where I lived.  I told them that right now I was in Long Beach and their response was, “I’m sorry.”  I was shocked by this because to me, it was a great place to live.  In a lot of ways, I think Long Beach is the hidden jewel of southern California.

Here are some of the things I have noticed.  The city is very diverse ethnically but people seem to get along well.  For a city its size, getting around is pretty easy.  It also has a lot of great, independently owned restaurants and watering holes as well as boutique shops and stores.  I feel pretty safe here as well.  Most of the time, I walk to where I need to go.  If you are in the downtown area, most everything you need is within walking distance.  Even at night, I have never felt like I was in any danger.  I like being able to look out my window at work and see the Queen Mary, bay, shipyards and other sites of Long Beach.  There are some spectacular views of the city. 

People are friendly as well.  California in general gets a bad rap about the people not being friendly and from personal experience I have found some of that to be true.  They are not necessarily unfriendly, but  a little cold to outsiders.  I haven’t found much of that here.  For the most part, the people I have met have been very warm. 

I am very pleased that we have brought LongBeachOnline.com to the city of Long Beach.  It will provide a valuable resource to businesses as well as the resident as to what is going on in this great city.  I am proud to be a part of it.  I still very much like Houston and Texas in general.  However, I am developing a warm spot for this great city. 

Sunday was the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  It was, as they say, a day that would live in infamy.  September 11, 2001 was another day that lived in infamy.  This of course was the attack on the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and the third attack that ended with the airplane crashing in a field in Pennsylvania. 

I have been thinking about the military a bunch as of late.  Work has taken me out to the Long Beach area for the time being to work on initiatives for LongBeachOnline.com and Blue Sand Design.  I spent a considerable amount of time in southern California while I was in the Navy.  My time out here has allowed me to reconnect with some of my friends who are still in the Navy. 

It has been quite some time since I served.  I got out in 1994 so about 15 years have gone by.  If I had stayed in, I could retire.  However, I chose to transition to another phase of my life.  However, I am very proud of my friends who stayed in.  They have become experts in their fields and have moved up in rank.  Most of them are getting close to retirement. 

It bothers me sometimes that people take those who serve their country for granted.  I remember being looked down upon while I served because I was in the Navy.  However, once Desert Storm came about, the opinion of the military changed considerably.  People began to thank us for our service and I don’t think I paid a cover charge for about a year.  It was nice to feel appreciated. 

I remember the stories about Vietnam in which military members who returned were called baby killers and other horrible things.  Vietnam was a very unpopular war much like the conflict in Iraq.  If you disagree with the war in Iraq, that is fine.  I am not advocating blindly supporting every war we fight.  I have my own opinions about the current conflict.  That being said, the people who serve in the military do not have the luxury of picking and choosing which battles to fight.  Realize that those who serve are doing so to protect the freedoms that many take for granted.  When something bad happens, they will be the ones to protect us.  It is important to never lose sight of that. 

Technology and the internet are wonderful tools.  They help us to do business more efficiently and increase productivity.  I am not that old but I remember taking a typing class when we actually used typewriters.  There were no computers in high school or college (at least the first time I went.  Long story) so I remember what it was like to do something as simple as typing a paper for a class.

However with every technology, people will find a way to exploit it to gain information and even steal from people.  Some of the methods can be relatively simple or clever.  I don’t know how many emails I’ve received from people claiming to be the rightful heir of an African country whose fortune is tied up in a bank in Johannesburg or some other place.  If you give them $5000 they will be able to give you a cool million bucks. 

A lady in Oregon got scammed out of about $400,000 by someone claiming to be a lost relative.  Sometimes when people think they are going to get millions of dollars, it becomes difficult for them to see these scams. 

While most people think they are above getting caught up in one of these scams, don’t be so sure.  I myself came very close to giving out information in regards to my banking records.  I received an email that looked very official, with all the appropriate logos and things.  The email told me that my security on my account had been breached.  I was genuinely worried.  Something just didn’t seem right though.  I decided to contact the bank and they told me that there was no breach and that it was a scam.  I was very lucky.  I came so close to making a huge mistake. 

So folks, be careful out there.  Unless you know the website is secure, don’t give out your information.  If you get something supposedly from your bank, check it out with them by phone.  Internet fraud is becoming more prevalent and it is a lot harder to catch because someone can literally be a continent away. 

Tony Romo has a pretty good life it would seem.  He is the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, he dates Jessica Simpson and between his salary and endorsement deals, he makes a very nice living.  In a short amount of time, he has become a legitimate superstar.  He also seems to be a genuinely nice person.

A few months ago, I read a story about a woman who was on the side of the road with a flat tire.  A man pulled over to the side of the road and changed her tire for her.  That guy was Tony Romo.  Now I’m going to be honest with you.  I have spent enough time in Big D to know the odds of anyone pulling over to help a stranded motorist are slim to none. 

Another story surfaced about a homeless man that was standing outside of a theater.  A man came up to him and offered to buy his ticket to go to the movies.  The homeless guy, known as Doc, was working at the time passing out fliers declined.  He then realized the person who had offered was Romo.  He went back to him and took him up on the offer.  The two sat together and watched the movie “Role Model.”  Doc let Romo know that he hadn’t showered in a couple of days.  Romo responded by saying, “Don’t worry about that.  I’m used to locker rooms.” 

I read so many stories about celebrities acting like idiots and feeling incredibly self-important.  It is refreshing to see anyone going out of their way for a stranger, much less a celebrity quarterback.  The guy truly seems to care about other people. 

I know it is very easy to get caught up in our lives, businesses and relationships.  I like to think that people aren’t inherently mean but may we are just a bit self absorbed.  Little things make a big difference.  If you hold a door open for someone or let someone into your lane in traffic, it can make a big difference.  Say hello to a stranger every once in a while.  If someone drops something, pick it up for them. 

I have been a big fan of Tony Romo as a quarterback.  I am becoming a bigger fan of him as a human being.