.

“We asked 17 pilots from across the country to give us straight answers about maddening safety rules, inexplicable delays, the air and attitudes up there—and what really happens behind the cockpit door. What they told us will change the way you fly.

“I’m constantly under pressure to carry less fuel than I’m comfortable with. Airlines are always looking at the bottom line, and you burn fuel carrying fuel. Sometimes if you carry just enough fuel and you hit thunderstorms or delays, then suddenly you’re running out of gas and you have to go to an alternate airport.” -Captain at a major airline

“Sometimes the airline won’t give us lunch breaks or even time to eat. We have to delay flights just so we can get food.” -First officer on a regional carrier

“We tell passengers what they need to know. We don’t tell them things that are going to scare the pants off them. So you’ll never hear me say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we just had an engine failure,’ even if that’s true.” -Jim Tilmon, retired American Airlines pilot, Phoenix

“The Department of Transportation has put such an emphasis on on-time performance that we pretty much aren’t allowed to delay a flight anymore, even if there are 20 people on a connecting flight that’s coming in just a little late.” -Commercial pilot, Charlotte, North Carolina

“The truth is, we’re exhausted. Our work rules allow us to be on duty 16 hours without a break. That’s many more hours than a truck driver. And unlike a truck driver, who can pull over at the next rest stop, we can’t pull over at the next cloud.” -Captain at a major airline

“Some FAA rules don’t make sense to us either. Like the fact that when we’re at 39,000 feet going 400 miles an hour, in a plane that could hit turbulence at any minute, [flight attendants] can walk around and serve hot coffee and Chateaubriand. But when we’re on the ground on a flat piece of asphalt going five to ten miles an hour, they’ve got to be buckled in like they’re at NASCAR.” -Jack Stephan, US Airways captain based in Annapolis, Maryland, who has been flying since 1984

“The two worst airports for us: Reagan National in Washington, D.C., and John Wayne in Orange County, California. You’re flying by the seat of your pants trying to get in and out of those airports. John Wayne is especially bad because the rich folks who live near the airport don’t like jet noise, so they have this noise abatement procedure where you basically have to turn the plane into a ballistic missile as soon as you’re airborne.” -Pilot, South Carolina

“At some airports with really short runways, you’re not going to have a smooth landing no matter how good we are: John Wayne Airport; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Chicago Midway; and Reagan National.” -Joe D’Eon, a pilot at a major airline who produces a podcast at flywithjoe.com

“I may be in uniform, but that doesn’t mean I’m the best person to ask for directions in the airport. We’re in so many airports that we usually have no idea.” -Pilot for a regional carrier, Charlotte, North Carolina



More next week (they’re not all bad.)

1. Consider where your potential customers are, and how much time they probably spend on the Internet. If you’re promoting to the construction industry/construction workers, Fortune 500 CEOs, or loggers, then spending your money on a social media manager and opening social media accounts is probably a waste.   If your business caters to those who spend more time looking and buying on the Internet (and more and more people are), then investing in social media is likely a good choice.

2. It’s not just for kids anymore: More and more companies are getting on Facebook, Twitter, etc. And if you’re a businessperson, you can make valuable connections on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is not for broadcasting what you’re having for lunch: all kinds of professionals belong to it, and recognize its value for making connections and building relationships with people they might never meet in the real world.

I came across an article that explained why the author found social media helpful. The magazine is World Ark. The author is Danielle Nierenberg, the project co-director for Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World 2011. She’s a lady who travels to sub-Saharan African countries, researching innovations that can help end hunger:

“Why has social media been such an effective communication tool for Nourishing the Planet?

Using tools like Facebook and Foursquare and other social media has been highly effective.  One of the most important parts about social media is that it allows conversation.  Many of the projects I visit on the ground are recommendations that come from the blog, Facebook, Twitter, our newsletter, Flickr, etc.  I learn so much from readers and these suggestions, and they really help enhance our work and tip us off to new perspectives.  That’s what makes it such an effective communication tool for Nourishing the Planet.”

Take a little time and figure out where your prospective clients are spending their time. If your answer is usually “the Internet,” you might want to give social media a try.

http://www.weorganizeyourthoughts-blog.com/social-media/services/

WeOrganizeYourThoughts is affiliated with LetsGetSocial, a group of professional social media managers.

Back to studying all the new developments in the social media world, i.e. Twitter is unveiling a new format. Trying to decide if I like it. They’re also going to iframes (iFrames?) and won’t be supporting fbml after awhile. So don’t bother learning fbml.

Facebook is always changing something, so that’s a near-constant challenge to keep up. Tra la. That’s why I’m involved with social media management. Always something new to keep your mind alive. (Maybe not happy, but alive.

Alert!! Our karaoke man, Ed, had a minor (hopefully) health relapse. He’s back home now, so everyone’s well-wishes for his continued improvement are greatly appreciated. With the holiday season coming up, I certainly hope he’ll be fit and ready to go.

We’ve had an invasion of mice ever since Goodie, the dog, scared away the skunk who lived under our porch. So we’re thinking of getting a baby de-scented skunk to catch the mice. We’ll see.



More developments to come…