May, 2003

In the Wall Street Journal last Thursday, there was an article in the Personal Journal section (page D4) on the Hilton Hotel's (hilton.com ) new computer system that will help it meet the needs of its customers across all of the 2,100 hotels. Specifically, this new system will apprently set it apart from the other hotel chains in that it will collect and store customer interaction information to be used in customizing the future visit with the chain.

In my travels lately, I've come to notice that people will use their cell phones anywhere to talk about anything. I've been privy to conversations about lawsuits, financial difficulties, and marital disputes, all thrown out in the open for any wandering ear to hear. It's not that I'm trying to listen. I try to tune out other conversations, but it's almost as if my ears (and I'm sure those of others) automatically tune in on words or phrases like, "lawsuit", "...divorcing him", "caught her in bed with..." or "I'm filing for bankruptcy".