HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Every year around this time I cannot help myself, but to remember a pro-bono mediation I had at the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office. Two neighbours were fighting over the fate of an innocent rooster who just happened to live in the the heart of Santa Monica. Not to make a long story, the plaintiff, who did not like being woken up by the rooster every morning suggested that it would be served for the next Thanksgiving. Needless to say this did not make it into the settlement agreement. However, an agreement has been reached and no rooster have been harmed during that mediation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

RANDOM THOUGHTS

For the past few months I have been in desperate need of a reliable and professional court researcher. Good help is hard to find. I am really loosing my respect for humanity. People who are supposed to run professional and respectable businesses are extremely unreliable. It even goes beyond that, most of them simply lack courtesy. I am not talking about something extreme, nor am I being picky. It is not as if though I am getting upset because the researcher used a green highlighter instead of a yellow one -nothing like that. Allow me to explain:

I have interviewed a person for the job who sounded great! Knew what I was talking about, seemed to be very professional and was willing to start work immediately. We finished our conversation with me telling him to keep me posted and even though there was no deadline on my research I requested to be updated on weekly basis. Three weeks - no calls, no emails, no responses to my emails or calls. In the epic words of Donald Trump, "You're fired!"

Since then I had similar and worse experiences with three other people; I think it's evident that people in this town don't want to work. Not even for good money. As a mediator, who should be able to find common ground with anyone, I am stumped.

* * *

So the SWG strike is still going on - for the 13th day! Okay, I get it it's nothing, since last time it lasted for about six months. In any event I support the writers and can't wait until they reach an amicable resolution with the studios. Curiously enough though, I have not heard anything about the Federal mediator who has been chosen assist in resolving this issue. (Feel free to comment if you got any new info.) Let's get new shows on the road!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The Daily Record, a Maryland publication has posted an interesting article about mediation in business conflicts. At the risk of being redundant, instead of giving you my opinion and review, I will simply give you the link to the article. It's full of mediation goodness:

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=3370&type=UTTM

Feel free to comment and of course view all of the Services available to you through Right Triangle Mediation.

WRITERS GUILD - MEDIATED

A federal mediator has been brought in to mediate the Writer's Guild Strike. Sadly, it wasn't me. This dispute is a very common medium for a mediation. Unions have used federal mediators for years to help them settle strikes. Of course, Jimmy Hoffa wasn't that lucky.

From a mediator's standpoint, I must say that the task for the neutral in this dispute could workout in two ways. Either very easy or very tough. The dispute is mostly over revenue sharing generated from Internet downloads and sales. The demand is not an unreasonable one if you take into consideration the age we live in. but the amount in question is a mystery. The bottom line is going to direct the settlement of this dispute. Meanwhile, I am missing all the new episodes of my favorite shows. Are you?

IN WHO DO WE TRUST?

A couple of minutes ago I got off a phone call with a new client, or what I hope is going to be the new client. This Mr. X was extremely sceptical of me, mediation and how I can help him resolve his $10,000 debt. In fact, he was so reluctant to share information with me that he did not event want to give me his name in the beginning. Of course, initially I thought, well here's another wacko, but then I realized that because of all of these charlatan companies out there it is getting harder than ever for an honest Joe to provide legitimate services.

How does one establish trust? Who do we trust these days? Is a website address enough to make people trust you? I think that if I was in his place, I too, would not trust me. Assistance is only helpful when it is trusted. Wearing a white coat or a twelve-hundred dollar suit maybe an image, but is it legitimate enough? So many questions, so little time.

NOTE: I will post an update as soon as I gain or lose the trust of Mr. X.