Things Hotels Can Do Better

I've noticed that hotels have been paying attention over the years, but in recent travels, there's still no hotel that gets everything right:

- More suites--the traditional two double bed hotel room is a horrible anachronism-it's no wonder many new hotels are all suites! Even for traditional rooms, I'd prefer a king or queen bed with a separate, small twin sofabed and sitting area.
- Resort Fees--build it into your room rate but don't rip off unsuspecting guests with these ridiculous add-on charges.
- Free Internet Access--hotels don't charge for air conditioning, water or clean sheets, so why charge for a commodity item like internet access? And why do only the expensive, luxury hotels charge for this?
- In-Room Phones with Free Local and 800 Access--if a hotel can't do this, get rid of the phones entirely. Everyone has mobile phones anyhow.
- Complimentary Beverage--why can't more hotels provide a couple free bottles of drinking water or other beverage? Makes your arrival after a long flight that much nicer.
- Minibars--such an obvious rip-off and insult to patrons' intelligence that most hotels have already eliminated them.
- Ice machines--they waste a tremendous amount of energy and I think they're an anachronism. Just give me a good, working refrigerator.
- More horizontal places to put your luggage and bags
- High Definition TVs--I wonder how long it will take to get these?
- Power Outlets--there's never enough of places to plug in or charge all your electronic devices
- More Hooks in Bathroom--with all the available wall space, can someone tell me why there is never any place to hang your toiletry bags, towels or clothes?
- Better Toiletries--instead of, or in addition to, hand lotion or bath gels, how about a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb and/or a first aid kit?
- Alarm Clock--One that automatically resets, or is easy to reset yourself so it doesn't go off early in the morning because the last guest set it and the housekeeper forgot to reset it. And put one on both sides of a double, queen or king bed!
- Complimentary Newspaper--And not just weekdays but every day!
- Normal-sized Waste Baskets--most are so small as to be useless.
- Recycle--where are the in-room recycling tubs for aluminum, glass, plastics and newspapers?
- Free cookies, treats, drinks and coffee/tea in the reception area or lobby.
- Late Checkout--complimentary or paid use of a "late checkout room". A place to store your stuff, shower, change, etc. if you should have a late-day flight.

Energy conservation and the environment

China's and India's power plant-related carbon emissions are growing so fast that they will surpass the U.S. by 2010. So isn't it a losing battle to conserve energy or to recycle products, when actions by these developing nations will more than offset our conservation efforts? "Doing our part" will only be meaningful if there is a concerted global effort to save our planet.

Redistributionists

Conservatives consistently refer to most Democrats as “tax and spend” and, more recently, as “redistributionists”. They do this almost out of habit. Relative to “cut taxes” and “less government” Republicans, most Democrats can probably be characterized as “redistributionists” on a relative basis. I find it interesting that, while Republicans and fiscal conservatives in general have maintained the “high road” on taxes historically, they have also been the most fiscally irresponsible by running up massive budget deficits. This is because they cut taxes but don’t have the political will to cut spending proportionally in order to come close to balancing the budget. It is ironic that Republicans talk tough about Democratic spending, but consistently fail to make the tough choices needed to cut spending on social programs and pork barrel projects.

We live in a country with some of the lowest tax burdens in the civilized world. So my conclusion is that “tax and spend” (aka “redistributionist”) is probably better than “don’t tax but spend”. In other words, aren’t we better off trying to take in as much as we spend, or shall we just keep printing money without regard to our ever-expanding deficit? With the U.S. economy now in recession, even the Republicans can’t possibly still believe that we can magically grow tax revenues enough to cut taxes further.

Buy Stocks Now!

I think the recent 30-50% slide in equities already prices in a severe and protracted recession. Assuming credit flows do stabilize (and the trend is positive), we are basically left with a stagnant economy. Most companies however will still be around and most will still make profits. The current "irrational" market however is valuing many stocks at ridiculously low valuations. Some are even near their cash values which means the market doesn't think they're worth anything. Clearly much of the recent selling is liquidity-based and I figure seniors and others who MUST have some cash to hold them over are mostly done selling by now (or will be very soon). And after the non-serious investors have exited via panic selling, the remaining investors will begin to see stocks for their intrinsic value again. At that point, and this is where I think we are, it will be apparent that many many stocks are bargains. This is not to say we will recover our huge losses (if we do, it will probably take a long time)--just that the equity market has clearly overshot a value target on the way down.

Infant Seats, Car Seats, Booster Seats and Seat Belts

By now, every parent knows the importance of properly restraining adults and children in a motor vehicle. However I see many parents losing sight of what's really important as they rush to move their kids to the next level of motor vehicle restraint, i.e. infant seat, car/convertible seat, booster seat, or nothing at all. Parents should move their child up to the next level of restraint as late as possible--not as soon as they reach the next legal minimum!

Infants, for example, should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least one year of age and 20 pounds. The key words are "at least". This is a minimum standard and does not mean it is a good idea to turn them forward-facing as soon as they turn one! Your child is still much safer staying rear-facing to allow their bodies to further develop and strengthen.

Likewise, a child can legally (in most states) ride in a car without a booster seat once they are 4 ft. 9 in. (57") tall and 8 years of age but that doesn't make it smart to do it when they reach that height, weight or age. Remember that seat belts in modern motor vehicles are designed and optimized for a typical American adult weighing between something like 102-215 lbs. So ask yourself this question: Is your child closer to a small adult of say 5 ft. 4 " (64") and 102 lbs, or are they closer to 4 ft. 9 in. (57") tall and 60 lbs? If the latter, then they should stay in that booster seat!

In determining what is best for your child, don't let state or federal laws drive your decision-making--they represent the bare minimums for dumb-dumb parents who don't otherwise want to think about child safety. And don't let peer pressure or the kids themselves make these decisions for you--your child's life may depend on it!

And finally, remember, regardless of age, height, weight or the restraint method, a few general safety principles always apply:

1. The back seat is always safer than the front.
2. The middle of the rear is safer than the rear sides.
3. Facing rearward is safer than facing forward.
4. Seat belts should fit properly (over the shoulder and not the neck, and around the hip bones).

For more information, see the AAP's car safety page.

Cancel that service for better pricing!

Whenever competition exists for a particular service, a really good way to keep your costs down is to threaten to cancel your service. Drive a hard bargain and say you're leaving for their competitor due to better pricing or superior offerings. To keep your business, they will almost certainly lower your rate and/or offer free or reduce-priced bonuses. Here are some examples:

XM Satellite Radio: We've had a $7.99/mo. promotional rate for years. Every time my year is up, XM tries to force me to a regular plan where monthly rates are usually $12.99/mo and up. I simply threaten to cancel, and whine and belly-ache about not listening to the service much, etc. etc.

Verizon vs. Comcast: With each provider, I call right after my initial one-year contract is up and my low promotional rates are scheduled to go up to the significantly higher regular prices. Before I call, I research the best current deal being offered by their competitor. Then, I call my current provider and tell them I am switching to the competitor due to their special promotion. Without exception, the offer is matched or bettered.

Credit cards: Many of the best credit cards are benefit cards that offer cash rebates, airline miles and/or other perks. Many of them also have high annual fees and/or interest rates. I will usually partake in some of the better cards because they will typically waive the first year's annual fees. In many cases, if you call after the first year and tell them you'd like to cancel the card because of the annual fee, they will waive it again. Also, if your credit is good and you don't fully pay your balance monthly, the interest rate is also negotiable if you bargain with them.

Bricks and Mortar Banks

I've noticed many new bank branches springing up recently near where I work and live. As someone who banks and pays bills almost completely online, writes about 4 checks a year, and uses less than $400 cash annually, it befuddles me as to why banks still have bricks and mortar branches to expand their business and to service customers. Over ten years ago, around the time of the first true Internet banks, I boldly predicted that, within 10-15 years, traditional banks would go the way of the dinosaurs. Judging by the steady expansion of bank branches, I was wrong.

I don't have or need a local bank because I don't need or want to pay for their bricks and mortar presence. I get better rates, better service, and more accurate record-keeping by doing everything electronically. Thus I don't pay for something I don't use. However the vast majority of Americans still value their local bank presence to make deposits, visit their tellers, use the drive-thru, talk with bank staff for credit lines, loans, mortgages or investments, use the safety deposit box, and partake of various other services. Go figure...

The Right Way to Treat Scrapes and Abrasions

A few years back, I got several large abrasions as a result of a motor vehicle accident. With plenty of free time laying around on the sofa, I researched the right way to dress abrasions. Note, this post applies only to abrasions (superficial, surface injuries to the skin) and not to lacerations which are deep cuts that may require stiches or other professional medical intervention. Remember the first priority is always to stop the bleeding.

What most people still don't know is that the "state of the art" in wound treatment has moved beyond what our parents taught us. Research has shown that antiseptic rinses and topical anti-bacterial ointments such as hydrogen peroxide and Neosporin (just two examples) actually damage skin tissues and inhibit healing. And Band-Aids do not do very much to help as they do not create an anti-bacterial barrier nor the desired moist healing environment for the wound.

Here's the "right" way to dress an abrasion:

1. Stop the bleeding by apply gentle pressure to the wound. Do not let the wound dry out or scab. If you can't stop the bleeding within 15 minutes or so, you should seek immediate medical assistance.

2. Clean the wound thoroughly using soap and water by removing as much dirt and dead skin as possible.

3. Dress the wound using a semipermeable dressing such as 3M's Tegaderm, J&J Bioclusive or similar product. As long as the dressing does not leak exudate (the "ooze"), it can remain in place for up to a week.

The advantages are:

1. Because the wound is not allowed to scab, the optimum, moist healing environment is created. Remember that our blood clots and creates scabs, because there was an evolutionary necessity to stop the bleeding, but modern man can stop abrasions from bleeding by simply applying pressure. Abrasions heal much faster and better in a moist environment (without the scab). Scarring is also reduced.

2. Unlike Band-Aids, the dressings create an anti-bacterial barrier and thus the risks of infection are greatly reduced.

3. The dressings are waterproof so you shower or bathe with them in-place. Thus the need for dressing change and the amount of overall maintenance is significantly reduced.

4. The dressings are flexible so they are more comfortable than alternative of having a scab and traditional bandage. This is especially important if the injury is in a area that moves regularly such as a knee or elbow.

5. The semi-permeable dressings are clear so you can see how the wound is healing, how much exudate, if it is infected, etc.

The problem today is that these semi-permeable dressings are not commonly available in most grocery stores or pharmacies. They're still relatively expensive (more than $1 or $2 per dressing), and Johnson and Johnson still dominates the bandage market with their "Band-Aid" brand bandages. People have become brainwashed with Band-Aids for 20-30 for two bucks (depending on size and shape). Hospitals and medical professionals already know better but hopefully the word will get out to consumers soon!