The Westinghouse tradition of drinking lunch is very much alive when you’re in the good company of customers or co-workers. Someone posted a comment about Westinghouse being dead (update GE Consumer & Industrial division is for sale!), but some of the old traditions and ideology remains with us. I am fortunate to work with many Westinghouse alumni from the DCBU division.

That being said, I agree with your 8 point analysis and would like to add one more:

Alcohol may not solve any problems or make them go away, but it sure helps make them more tolerable. Especially when you finished up your round over 100 and stumble back to your golf cart ;0

“Well ya see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

So I’ll say that booze just makes things better…

How I adore your acrid sarcasm. It’s often the light in what would be an otherwise dreary workplace- let alone a dreary lifetime.

But in this case I think you may be wrong. True- I can recount thousands of times social lubricant, when applied properly caused the good times to flow. BUT- constant drinking increases your levels of blood sugar, which in turn creates high levels of insulin, which in turn creates high levels of cortisol to counteract the insulin- and cortisol eats away at protiens and tissues… Like the ones in your back.

Like Bogie once said, the problem with the world is that everyone’s a few drinks behind.

Victor

Professional skills are more than technical know how and letter writing.
I can close a deal on the phone and get information from people that other people can’t get past the receptioist of that person.

It’s called social networking , people don’t have to like you but they do have to trust you and know you are consistent.
Remember “your reputation gets there before you do”.
And the person you cannot trust is the person who trusts nobody.

Soap box aside – I wonder how many old time lunch gluggers killed someone on their ride back to the office…

Victor

Every time you mention The Circle Bar W Funny Farm – either in your books or columns – I would wonder what division you were with. As a 13-year ‘alum,’ I feel related in a way. It was a great fraternity – and some of the best people (WNES) I worked with in my whole career. Bye the by, the SoCal work scene couldn’t hold a candle to those folks in Monroeville!

Also, several great bars in the area there…

Having said that my concience is clear, and I may imbibe from time to time, during work, after work and especially when I’m in female company.
A certain amount of booze seem to make the ladies seem more female.

I must warn others than if you are mellowed out a bit by the booze, females have been known to take advantage of you, had it happen to me a few times, been drinking ever since to see if it would happen again, strictly for research purposes I can assure you.

I am not the easy trollop the office girls make me out to be.

I have business ethics, morals and scruples, I just don’t carry them with me all the time.

Long live GE.