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Albany, NY - Tom Golisano: Malcolm Smith's BlackBerry Etiquette is In Part to Blame for Coup |
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Asked today about a Buffalo News report that Smith's inability to stop fiddling with his handheld device while sitting with the retired Paychex billionaire had spurred Golisano to support yesterday's Senate coup, Golisano replied:
"Of course I was upset, I thought it was very rude. When I travel 250 miles to make the case on how to save the state a lot of money and increase the quality of life for residents with developmental disabilities and a guy comes into his office and starts playing with his BlackBerry, I was miffed. It's not so much that he was rude, he just wasn't paying any attention to what we had to say."
The issue of people with disabilities is one that is particularly close to Golisano's heart - it's the focus of his foundation, and I believe there's a personal connection, too - so it's not one that Smith should have taken likely.
Golisano is rather infamously prickly. He had a fight with Eliot Spitzer in 2006 that nearly spurred him to challenge the then-AG for governor on the GOP line simply because Spitzer told him he wouldn't win if he ran.
Still, you would think that when one meets with a billionaire who has run three times for governor and demonstrated his willingness to spend millions of dollars on legislative races - including several that were key to the Democrats' effort to flip the Senate - one might might remember to mind one's manners.
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Read Comments (14) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 09, 2009 at 07:17 PM Anonymous Says:
Just shows how smart this Smith guy is...
2
Jun 09, 2009 at 06:40 PM Moishe Groinem Says:
Aren't we all guilty of said crime...?
Addicted to our Blackberry...
if insted of waisting all his time to travel for the meeting he should've just comunicated with him through his BB, that would've gotten his undevoted attention...
3
Jun 09, 2009 at 06:29 PM Etiquette counts Says:
It is important for all of us, especially the frum among us (who already have been stereotyped), to do our best to be cognizant of cultural mores and etiquette. People can put up with a few of our quirks, but when we combine them with what they perceive as a lack of decency or just plain bad manners, we lose out. I see this time and time again in the professional world: people admit that they do not want to deal with orthodox people, and list reasons which are not that far from the mark.
I myself get irked when someone attends to text messaging while I am trying to talk to them on the job. It comes off as very rude. Likewise with the Blackberry. If you do this, say something like "excuse me, I have this urgent matter I must attend to," and then get it done fast.
We are all in the P.R. business, and we can all stand to learn about proper manners--especially those of us, like me, who grew up in a place like New York City, where people are more gruff.
Sorry, Malcolm Smith.
4
Jun 09, 2009 at 08:01 PM Ben Eliezer Says:
“ Aren't we all guilty of said crime...?
Addicted to our Blackberry...
if insted of waisting all his time to travel for the meeting he should've just comunicated with him through his BB, that would've gotten his undevoted attention... ”
Moishe,
It seems the problem was that he received "undevoted" attention - what he wanted was UNDIVIDED attention!
Pay attention to what spell-check is telling you and you might sound a bit more educated.
5
Jun 09, 2009 at 08:25 PM Anonymous Says:
Wow, if this Golisano guy didn't like Smith, he'd absolutely hate to meet me!
-Sent from my Sprint BlackBerry
6
Jun 09, 2009 at 09:40 PM a chsuid a mench Says:
“ It is important for all of us, especially the frum among us (who already have been stereotyped), to do our best to be cognizant of cultural mores and etiquette. People can put up with a few of our quirks, but when we combine them with what they perceive as a lack of decency or just plain bad manners, we lose out. I see this time and time again in the professional world: people admit that they do not want to deal with orthodox people, and list reasons which are not that far from the mark.
I myself get irked when someone attends to text messaging while I am trying to talk to them on the job. It comes off as very rude. Likewise with the Blackberry. If you do this, say something like "excuse me, I have this urgent matter I must attend to," and then get it done fast.
We are all in the P.R. business, and we can all stand to learn about proper manners--especially those of us, like me, who grew up in a place like New York City, where people are more gruff.
Sorry, Malcolm Smith. ”
What chassidim really lack is self respect. I've come to see a pattern on this board: chasidim that lecture themselves and others on manners etc.
Come on. We're just as honest, as good, as educated, as smart, as witty, as shrewd, as business saavy and as clean as many of those in the "higher race" in the frum world...
7
Jun 09, 2009 at 10:09 PM LkwdGuy Says:
Of course I was upset, I thought it was very rude. When I travel 250 miles to make the case on how to save the state a lot of money and increase the quality of life for residents with developmental disabilities and a guy comes into his office and starts playing with his BlackBerry
I wonder if that's what Hashem says to people who sit in shul playing with their Blackberrys?
8
Jun 09, 2009 at 10:31 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Of course I was upset, I thought it was very rude. When I travel 250 miles to make the case on how to save the state a lot of money and increase the quality of life for residents with developmental disabilities and a guy comes into his office and starts playing with his BlackBerry
I wonder if that's what Hashem says to people who sit in shul playing with their Blackberrys? ”
Thanks!
Best comment here in a while!
9
Jun 09, 2009 at 11:42 PM daven ehrlich Says:
“ Of course I was upset, I thought it was very rude. When I travel 250 miles to make the case on how to save the state a lot of money and increase the quality of life for residents with developmental disabilities and a guy comes into his office and starts playing with his BlackBerry
I wonder if that's what Hashem says to people who sit in shul playing with their Blackberrys? ”
You could not have said it better. That's why I leave my BB at home at Shachris and in my car (or home ) for mincha maariv. You can't daven and in middle tell Hashem "oops hold on a minute I got a beep"
10
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:58 AM Anonymous Says:
Never mind your blackberry, Golisano just does not want to pay taxes -- that is what this whole thing is about, who will let him pay less taxes, his ego is HURT!! Since when do we run the senate for ONE person!! THAT is totally illegal and immoral!! Never mind how much money he may have donated, that is besides the point, we cannot change the Senate leaders to suit ONE person!! We do not have a Parliamentary system!! What was done was grossly ILLEGAL!!
11
Jun 10, 2009 at 09:55 AM BB at its best Says:
Just a comment;
Howabout a person should stay focused when you have a scheduled talk with anyone, and even if the phones rings, you should ask permission and excuse for your partner that it might be important.
It's nerdy when we sit at family gatherings or friendly alumny, and 8 out of 12 people at the round table are tied up to their BB, txting and smiling.... It's discusting. We should call those gatherings BlackBerry conventions....lol
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
12
Jun 10, 2009 at 10:34 AM Anonymous Says:
People with manners turn their phones off during any meals except for Doctors on call!
13
Jun 10, 2009 at 03:34 PM Milhouse Says:
“ Never mind your blackberry, Golisano just does not want to pay taxes -- that is what this whole thing is about, who will let him pay less taxes, his ego is HURT!! Since when do we run the senate for ONE person!! THAT is totally illegal and immoral!! Never mind how much money he may have donated, that is besides the point, we cannot change the Senate leaders to suit ONE person!! We do not have a Parliamentary system!! What was done was grossly ILLEGAL!! ”
What's illegal about it? The majority of senators voted Smith in, and now they have voted him out. Golisano has as much right as anyone else to persuade senators to vote his way.
14
Jun 10, 2009 at 04:39 PM Aryeh Says:
Install cellular scramblers in shuls! I just davened mincha with a guy who wouldn't interrupt his shmona esre to stop his funky james brown ringtone. Gotta pity those nebachs.