Fran O'Brien's Update - 4/20/06 - (It just gets worse!)

Citizen Smash - The Indepundit ^ | April 20, 2006 | Buzz Patterson

[tgslTakoma]

BUZZ PATTERSON sends:

I just had a long chat with Hal Koster. Our worst fears are not only well founded but grossly understated. It's a complete and thorough cluster @#$%. (Sorry, my words not his). I haven't been this pissed about anything in a very long time.

Andi, Kelleher's responses to our questions were blatant lies. Despite what Kelleher says, Hilton has done nothing to support the dinners... never met a bus, never contributed a cent, never negotiated for changes to bring the restaurant into ADA compliance, never advertised the restaurant or the dinners within their own hotel, never provided logistical support... in a word, they've done absolutely zip. In fact, Kelleher hides out in his office and has had no contact with Fran's owners. Hilton Corporate hasn't returned phone calls or e-mails. Hal has never spoken with a rep from Hilton about a future. This O'Boyle guy who is supposedly in charge of Hilton's leases has been MIA for years. Not only unprofessional in my opinion but grossly negligent. Fran's has been profitable every year in spite of the fact that Hilton won't even live up to their responsibilities for facilities management. They've had some plumbing issues... Hal and Marty now call their own plumber. Hilton wanted Fran's to re-upholster the booths and change the carpet, Hal and Marty asked for ADA compliance in return. When negotiations ceased, Hilton doubled their rent last month (doubled!). And then issued an eviction notice two weeks later.

Hal and Marty have retained lawyers and, as mentioned before, have the support of several influential organizations and people...

This is complete bulls***. Hilton has every right to make their business decisions. But our wounded vets are being kicked to the curb. When media show up now to document the process, Hilton's security team denies them access to the loading dock, the service elevator and the inhuman conditions our troops in wheelchairs have to endure to get to the frikkin restaurant.

It's not about the few thousand bucks it would cost to make this thing work... hell, I'll kick that in. This is about a bunch of numbskulls with no understanding of civil service, patriotism or, for that matter, good business sense. And I'm no hotel management major.

CBS and CNN are doing pieces tomorrow. As much as I despise MSM, I welcome this. H & C are doing a live hit Friday night. What's Alan gonna say? It's a right wing conspiracy? How can anyone argue in opposition to ADA especially when it's vets?

This, quite frankly, reeks. I'll be on my best behavior Saturday at the conference but this sucks. Pushing the throttles up...unarmed and unafraid. Feel free to quote me.

Buzz

Buzz is very angry.

Posted by Smash on April 20, 2006

[freema]

YEAH!!!! Ditto!! What's up with that?? LOL!

: )

[Old Student]

Sir, for a totally unsolicited suggestion, you might want to consider becoming a teacher in a local public school. The pay isn't much, often as not, but it is useful and necessary work these days, if still about as unappreciated as military service was thirty years ago or so.

If you already have a bachelor's degree in just about anything, look into alternative certification in your state. If not, look into the full program from your local teacher's college.

I will also tell you, from recent personal experience, that same thing I was told when I arrived at my first military duty station: "You know all that crap they taught you in school? Forget it." You'll really learn what you need to know once you get into the field. Teacher's colleges, in my experience, and that of all the new teachers I've talked to, do not really prepare you to teach. They may teach you the theory, but not the practical knowledge you really need to be a teacher. It's still worth doing, IMHO.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thank you for your advice. It was kind for you to take the trouble of writing. I am a bit sorry I had brought up my little problem. It was not the place in these type posts to do it. It is just something I am living each day with and I used it as an example that I can fully appreciate how our men need a little break. Human kindness such as we have witnessed in how our returning injured soldiers and Marines are being cared for is quite heartwarming.
Sadly for me, I do not have a undergrad in anything. It is a weird deal. Many years working in an extremely high tech field with no degree. I have missed out on many job opportunies that could have been the case had I a full degree with my experience.
But it pains me to go into details. Lets just say the cards are really stacked against me at this point.
But surely the good Lord shall come up with something if it pleases Him to do so.
Thank you for your service to your country.

[concretebob]

Every time God sees the need to test me again I wonder why He doesn't just check my transcript...

He's just making sure you were paying attention the first time.

[freema]

[Old Student]

I believe I understand; I got my degree a year ago this past December, and my teaching certificate this past December. I will be 51 next month. My last 12 years in the service were in satellite communications, and my only degree upon retirement was an obsolete AAS in audiovisual production, which was totally useless. I had no certification of my knowledge, and the best offer I got was for an alarm company at $7.50/hour. So I went back to school as soon as I could generate some income, and plugged away at it until...

I'm working on a graduate degree in special education now, sort of nibbling at it, when and as I can. Whatever else you do, get some sort of certification; it can't hurt, and may well help. I learned long ago that I can't dance between the rain drops, but if I just put my head down and plod on, I'll eventually get where I'm going, and I don't melt in the rain.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the feedback. Sent personal reply.

[Chris Dickson]

CBS Evening News with Bob Shieffer will have a special segment this evening, April 24, highlighting Fran O'Brien's and "Operation Perish Hilton."

Hal Koster was our guest on "The Dickson/Chappell Report" on April 15th and the streaming of that interview will be available to everyone very shortly.

[steve8714]

Don't forget the rest of their corporate group- like embassy suites.

[steve8714]

..also Doubletree and Hampton, or Homewood suites.

[steve8714]

Have you tried catching on as a temp?

[Marine_Uncle]

"Have you tried catching on as a temp?"
I am at that point once again. Had gone that route in the past for jobs in the IT field. Lots of promises, never got the jobs. But am going to try it for more diverse type jobs at this point.
Thanks for your concern and suggestion.

[tgslTakoma]

The video is up on the CBS News website. Look on the right-most column for "CBS News Video" and the link is below that, under "Top Videos" it's titled, "Iraq Vet Dinners in Jeopardy?"

I'm sure there's a way to link directly to the video, but I am not tech savvy enough to figure that out.

[Coop]

Thanks for that link.

[steve8714]

Network like crazy anyone you know and Marines..tell them you don't mind working through the service to prove yourself..expand your horizons, software-hardware-systems-networks and good luck.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks. I appreciate your input.

[Chris Dickson]

Operation Perish Hilton: Check Out David Letterman And Comedy Central Posts !!!

http://www.talkaboutpeople.com/group/alt.fan.letterman/latestposts.html