Well, here I am at the Bangkok Airport. My son is finally sleeping, and yes I am getting looks from every single person still in line at customs. Sorry, 6 month olds cry. I haven't slept for a while, I think I was actually on line in Korea and now my wife is explaining to Thai Customs why she has a Thai Passport and her son has an American one. Wait, they are through. I let my wife sleep on the plane, mostly because Air travel destroys her.
I am the opposite , I am on vacation-I could stay up for 5 days-and I don't even do drugs.
I will ramble here about general stuff-like in the airport some CEO was giving a speech yesterday about finance and inflammatory language against CEO's . I have a few while the driver gets the luggage .
I need about a 1/2 hour away from my son right now-I love him, but after 24 hours in the air or waiting to get on a plane, your love of a 6 month old will be tested. Of course I love it here, so I am feeling better already.
I was reading something in Korea (we were on layover for 2 1/2 hours) and I believe it was online , about the big 3 airlines in the US going bankrupt. I drifted and had to think.
China Airlines , Cathay Pacific , and Korea Airlines are thriving and many of their destinations are NOT remotely wealthy . Why are companies like that thriving and our 'free market' airlines failing ? They received TARP money !!!!!! Yes they didLOOK IT UP ! You may remember the representative of the airline industry being the first to criticize congress for yelling at Banking CEO's. I am sure you can find those video's on Fox or some other conservative sight.
WHY are free market companies collapsing in the Airline Industry and nationalized companies not ?
Between service, additional charges and pay the nationalized companies perform far better. China Air pays its employees the same wage its United States counterparts do-why so much more successful ? Oh, the upper management pay is GROSSLY DIFFERENT !!!!! Same with the others. Why do we stand by, every few years or so, and allow millions and millions of dollars to go to bailing out the airlines ? We give 'free market' companies so much money to run, they essentially are nationalized .
At some point we either have to let the market run its course or nationalize the airline industry. We are reaping all the pitfalls of nationalization , but none of the benefits . The loss in the airline industry can be directly traced to Executive Pay-and I am sick of it. I would like to be proud of a company bearing my countries name. I can't though.
I am embarrassed when I meet people from other countries who flew on US Air or American Airlines-because I know they suffered through bad service , bad food, way to many fees and chances are lost luggage. Over the last 12 years as a civilian I have had luggage lost on United, US Air, North West and American Airlines -but have not even had 1 piece arrive late from Korean Air, China Air, Cathay Pacific, Thai Air, Japan Airlines and any I may be missing. All the high pay to these CEO's from the taxpayer is doing nothing for us.
Maybe it is time to start considering letting some companies fail , nationalizing them and seeing what happens when the guy in charge makes 75,000 a year as opposed to 12 million. Just a thought.
I am off-I hope the country is fixed when I get back.