Tuesday 30 April 2013

Meet Dave General Manager of Doubletree by Hilton in Liverpool

This grade II listed building on Dale Street, Liverpool is the former Municipal Annexe if was Built as the Conservative Club in 1883 the council sold it off and now it is being refurbished as a 4 Star Hotel.
While walking down Dale Street today I noticed that the door was open so decided to take some photos through it, while work was going on, to document it. I asked quite nicely and was told no, I asked could I take a photo from here on the street I was told no and told by the manager Dave Hughes that he would stand in the way.
Now this is a challenge and being a bit taller than Dave I said I would take it over his head.
He got a bit indignant going on about how it was private property and how it was illegal for me to take the photograph of him, he threatened if they turned up online he would get them removed.
I suggested if he thought I was acting illegally he should call the police, he demurred. However he still insisted it was illegal. Which of course it isn't, if you can see it from the pavement then you can take a picture of it, end of story.
Well not quite it appears that when I tweeted the story Dave got the image removed by Twitter, so much for freedom of speech especially as both Hilton and Twitter are US companies.
If Dave made any claim about events I suggest I should be told as I know my way around a courtroom.
The real question is when the hotel is up and running will Dave be the one taking backhanders to tell the Paps when someone famous is in the hotel?


Saturday 20 April 2013

The Politics of the Salesman.

Most political parties and views can be identified with an originating group. Whether it's the landed gentry of the Tories or the Unions for Labour, Libertarianism is no different, it has its genesis in the salesman. I say man because I've yet to find a libertarian woman.
Salesmen make nothing, their job is to take something someone else has made and to get somebody else to buy it from them rather than from another salesman.
It is not a job that takes 5 years from start to finish, it's level of planning is not far above zero. If there were no salesmen people would still have to buy things they just would have the time to make a proper decision  rather than being badgered by some arrogant git. You only need salesmen because of other salesmen and even then only if your product isn't the best.
If we are to be believed then we don't need rules because the best will always win, the market will see to that but the job of the salesman is to make sure that the best product doesn't win. His entire job is to prevent the merits of a product counting for very much.
In a world organised by Libertarians nobody would design or do anything they would be too busy trying to buy things cheap and sell them for a lot.