Another water cooler conversation...

"Rising oil prices are inevitable. It's like we've been enjoying rent control for a very long time and now we find ourselves having to pay market prices and we're complaining."

Standing around the water cooler, what are the latest topics of conversation? Summer time brings ends to sitcoms but the beginning of vacations. Maybe its sports, maybe the weather, or maybe how this week of work is going. One thing that has increasingly been talked about is gas prices. Or I should say the rather somewhat quick increase in price.

Let me first ask this question. Would I rather pay less for gas? Of course. But replace gas with anything and the answer is yes. Food, taxes, rent, utilities, clothes. I would rather pay less and still receive the same quality. However maybe due to those 9 hours of economics or learning the basis of a free market economy I say let the market determine the prices.

America is a land of choices. You chose to buy that big SUV. No one else did, but you. Ok, so gas prices were pretty low then. Have you ever looked at the price of gas over an extended period of time? It is one of the few things that have somehow escaped inflation. To think that would never cross the $2 threshold is foolish. Europeans on average have been spending 4-6 dollars per gallon for years. Throw in the growing economies of the world, noticeably China and India and the demand for oil will only continue to grow. Stop asking yourself when will oil go down, and start asking yourself what am I willing to change.

There are countless ways you can save on gas. Buy a home closer to where you work. Shorter commute, less gas to burn. You really hate gas prices then leave. Venezuela, Russia, Dubai, etc I’m sure are pretty cheap. You might be thinking these are drastic moves, but they are choices an individual can make.

A few more realistic ideas: take mass transportation. Some cities might not have the best systems, however if they start to see more of a demand I guarantee you the service will be expanded to meet customer needs. Its how a free market economy works. Ever heard of carpooling? Cities and government had for years and even developed specific lanes for this benefit. Look at what you drive, there other options: hybrids, small cars, motorcycles, or even a regular bicycle. Now the former, hybrids do have a premium. Well guess what, each year expect to see more makes and models. Economies of scale work by the more being produced the less cost. Soon enough there will be plenty of models to choose from and with right technology and manufacturing processes in place a noticeable decrease in price.

America has long been too dependant on foreign oil. Don’t think one of the reasons we are in Iraq is because of this Texas Tea. Yes there are human rights violations that took place under Hussein and the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Let me just say this: North Korea and Darfur. We don’t have the presence there when their problems at least in my eyes are greater.

It’s about time more research and hence money is spent on other sources of energy. No matter what there will come a time when oil will cease to exist. Why not be able to further learn how to harness hydrogen or even further develop solar power. Just ideas, one out of hundreds that I’m sure scientists are contemplating. In the year(s) to come I imagine that more government grants will be given to this area than before if our economy truly slows due to the price of oil.

In the end what really annoys me about the people who are having this headache with gas prices are when you look at their lifestyles. There are people who are more than willing to spend 5 bucks a day on Starbucks. How about cut that back and throw it into your gas fund. Eating out everyday, even before gas prices went up I’ve been packing a lunch. If it bothers you so much use coupons for various goods or services. You can justify spending over a $100 on jeans when that amount of cash can transport you for HUNDREDS of miles (100/$3/gallon=33 gallons * 24 miles per gallon = 792 miles. When you’re at a bar and you order your Grey Goose and tonic, how much does that cost? How many of them would it take to equal one gallon? Looking at one expensive gallon.

THE EMAIL

An email. One piece of digital communication. Its funny how a few sentences sent out over the global directory (100,000 + employees) can change the rules to email. What started off as a simple request to update address information (obliviously to the wrong address) has caused over a 100 employees to respond. It answers the long time question, how many consultants does it take to update an address book. Below is every single response copied and pasted in chronological order for your viewing pleasure (minus company name mentioned and last names). I have to have some respect for privacy.

Please note how many state, “Please do not reply all.” Obliviously they failed to listen to their own advice. A few others are marked in bold as well. These are my personal favorites. Enjoy.

1. Navindra, You have reached COMPANY HR Services, and incorrect destination. We do not service COMPANY Employees. I will forward your request to COMPANY Payroll and People Services. I'm sure they will be able to resolve your request. Thank you, Patricia
2. I do not think that this message was intended for me. Megan - COMPANY HR Services
3. I do not think that this message was intended for me.
4. Me either...
5. Me either...
6. I accidentally received this message as well. Melissa
7. Please ALL Don’t enter reply to “All” when you return your messages to Navindra KLW
8. I do not think that the message was intended for me, either. Sorry. Jacqueline COMPANY HP Global Service Line
9. Nor I. please note
10. Not sure if you all are aware, but your messages are going to a wide distribution…………..Melissa
11. I’m not the point of contact either. Thanks
12. Same for me as well. Eric - Financial Management
13. PLEASE STOP SENDING THESE REPLIES TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERVs!!!!
14. Please everyone. I think she has realized it wasn't meant for us. Please quit "responding to all".
15. wrong person......
16. Not for me!!
17. I think this is going to a lot of employees as I’m a CFM resource, so please do not reply to all. Thanks.
18. I'm soooooo tired of this...Please delete me off the email list whoever!
19. Everyone please STOP Replying to all since its spamming EVERYONE in the directory. I know, I just did it, but hopefully I'll be the last!
20. Me either. Thanks
21. me neither
22. Kindly quit replying to all! Thanks
23. Yeah this is crazy...I don't want this....haha
24. Me, too!
25. I love Jack Thimm
26. Please do not reply to all... this is very annoying!
27. Hello everyone - Please DO NOT Reply All. This message looks like it has been accidentally sent to all of the analysts in the US.
28. I think I received this in error. However, you ARE listed in the “People Directory” on the “Portal” with the NY numbers and location you mentioned in your email.
29. Please stop replying to all, it was obviously a mistake.
30. Everyone - Please STOP responding to this...It was sent mistakenly by this person, and we do not need to send emails out to everyone informing that it was sent in error.
31. This is the global list...please contact the appropriate person with your concerns and do not reply to everyone.
32. Me too.
33. message not for me........
34. You are all writing the wrong Regina. I am in Houston. You want Regina in Atlanta. Please make the necessary changes. I just received too many erroneous emails.
35. If you must reply, please do not hit the "reply all" button. My inbox is getting bombarded with replies that aren't meant for me.
36. Please reply only to the sender. Thank you
37. **** NOTE This DISTRO goes to ALL employees in America, DO NOT REPLY TO ALL!
38. Ok it looks like this message was sent to more people than it was intended for but please do not reply to all. Simply delete. Thank You
39. Please be mindful of other people and do not reply to all. Thank you.
40. This information was not intended for me.
41. please don't copy everyone.
42. Please do not hit reply all. Thanks!
43. Please omit my email from this conversation
44. DO NOT REPLY TO ALL... EVERYONE IN COMPANY WILL GET THESE EMAILS!!!
45. Please remove my name from your mailing list.. This is not multi state
46. Please do not reply to all and if you got the message by mistake than please delete it but do not reply to all. Because If 100000+ COMPANY employee keep writing that they got the message by mistake than you will have 100000+email messages in your in box. So please just delete it. Regards
47. Can you guys please not do reply all. I have gotten 10 msgs
48. Stop replying to this message. It was sent to an auto distribution list incorrectly! Please stop crowding the inbox of people just to say you are not the point of contact. Thank you,
49. STOP everyone!
50. I do not this that this message was intended to me too.
51. All, please stop replying to all...This is getting out of control.
52. MY GOD… I should work for Deloitte.
53. or me
54. Please be advised to click the reply button only when you respond for this email. Bandwidth is precious!
55. I hope we are not spreading a virus????
56. I’m going to bop the next person who floods my box. I’m on dial-up here, and my inbox is twitching due to these emails.
57. Same as the rest…
58. Stop replying to all.
59. please stop emailing me about this
60. Please stop “replying to all” – every single EA in the US is getting this and while we can do miracles, we can’t fix your contact details. ?
61. or me, please take me off this list!
62. Please don't hit "reply all"
63. LOUD NOISES!!!!!
64. All, please refrain from responding to ALL. Please direct all messages to Navindra
65. I wish I could send these emails to all the fund raisers who call me on the weekends! This is a hoot!
66. So did I.
67. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE 'REPLY TO ALL' FUNCTION. WE ARE ALL GETTING BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS. THANK YOU.
68. Is anyone else getting this email?
69. Hello All…we have all figured out that this note was not meant for all of us….please just delete. You are loading up everyone’s mailboxes by replying to all.
70. Not a virus, a bit of humor....or annoyance perhaps.
71. Party tonight….1000 Washington. Come if you want.
72. Where are these emails originating from? My mailbox is full of about 50 or 60 emails. Can we stop whoever is sending them out please?
73. Does not look like this is what COMPANY outstanding employees are doing. PLEASE STOP REPLY TO ALL. I REQUEST.
74. PLEASE do not REPLY TO ALL. You are sending THOUSANDS of emails to people all over the world who don’t need to know that you received this email by mistake & it is going to slow the server to a crawl. You ARE supposed to be on this distribution list. The original request was simply sent to the wrong list. I realize the irony of replying to all to ask people not to reply to all, but I’m trying to stop the FLOOD of emails that have already begun to pile up in my inbox.
75. Since we’re all here now, anyone want to go to Whitlow’s?
76. Oh Geez….High performance Delivered!!!! STOP!!!! IT’s Spamming the mail!!!!
77. I’m hoping there will be some sort of data/email clean-up for this annoying chain of emails. Please take me off of these distribution lists.
78. ill stop replying to all if you stop
79. .
80. Please stop this madness!!!
81. Nope. I have no idea what you’re talking about.
82. I think everyone is having fun doing this....so my turn.......
83. what time at whitlows?
84. I can’t wait till every COMPANY mailserver drops… count down 10… 9…
85. STOP replying to all…..Geez….If it’s not for you then delete it….
86. I love smart people who reply all saying don’t reply all……wait did I just do it?
87. I just heard from a COMPANY partner that any analyst who responds to this email prevents promotion consideration for the next 3 yrs
88. STOP REPLYING TO ALL TO SAY "STOP REPLYING TO ALL" HOLY CRAP
89. Oops, I hit reply to all….was I supposed to do that?
90. Is this a joke?
91. "replied all" .....
92. I can only say I can’t hit my “delete bottom” fast enough. This is more intense than Halo 2 on X-box.
93. Yes.
94. Sup everyone, We can stop now, but we should surely do this once a month, it was fun.. COMPANY is all about building contacts. :-D..
95. STOP REPLYING TO ALL!
96. Everyone, if this madness doesn't stop soon, I'm going to have to call the authorities...
97. My God!!! My mail box is full and I can't recieve any more emails--Please Please Please---make sure not to send any message to any person who is not related/aware of any issue---
98. Everyone, since its connected to a list serv, if you hit REPLY, it will send to ALL, don't hit REPLY OR REPLY TO ALL and uh.... go dawgs...
99. I'm not sure why I am receiving this message either.
100. O'Doyle RULES!
101. Sorry, I know I wasn't supposed to hit Reply All but I couldn't help it....This definitely made my day!!!!!! Soooo funny.
102. Its easier to start a corporate chat room than to flood the e-mail servers.
103. Well as long as we're all here, Anyone on a project that is cool and interesting and needs a new analyst? Let me know. This counts as "networking" right?
104. To All, Solution to the current email outbreak: Please create a rule in outlook to forward that unwanted replies to the deleted items bin. How to Create rule in outlook:

Open the message titled: RE: My contact details in the global address list are incorrect
On the tool bar click create rule icon (next to the red flag)
Check mark Subject contains (see below)
Check mark move email to folder ? select Deleted items then click Ok

This will at least hold off the influx of emails to your inbox until CIO finds a solution to this problem. Thanks
105. Now that I've gotten to know all the Analysts in America, I'm ready for Specialist!! Cheers!
106. Is anyone else not questioning why COMPANY HR Services does not service COMPANY Employees?
107. Hey Amish, when are you going to the happy hour? Whoever sent this out is a ROYAL GENIUS. Are you new to the firm? How about them Bears? What is the meaning of life? STOP REPLYING :)
108. Screw it, I'm replying to all How are all the analysts doin? anyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area? Lets Hang we should make an Analysts Association or something okay bye Amber :)
109. Party Pooper!!
110. I truly am amazed by this. Forget waste of time and bandwidth - the lack of basic email usage skills by our resources is much more disturbing. We should probably request myLearning to create a CBT about email usage/corporate communication and make everyone here take it ;) Just my two cents - and now I am guilty of spamming......I'll take that CBT as well ;)
111. A special thanks to Navindra for all the emails. I feel important having 500 email in my inbox. Dave is my hero.
112. Hey Sue, what time you leaving today? Just wondering ?
113. if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you? by the way i heard bill gates will give you $1 for every email you send out!! oh by the way, STOP REPLYING TO ALL!!!
114. 281-330-8004
115. hey i love halo 2 on xbox live...my tag is xPrincex, we should start a clan..oh .. and i almost forgot ... STOP REPLYING TO ALL!!
116. I love you all, you made my day!
117. Is anyone in the Philadelphia office interested in joining a co-ed two-hand touch football team this fall? Please reply directly to me! We are looking for more players and it is a great way to socialize/ network!!! Melissa
118. I hope this isnt a virus ?
119. How to stop the madness: Open this email:Actions > Create Rule > Click "Subject Contains...." and "move to folder" navigate to deleted items next to move to folder. Next, click Advanced options > click next until you see finish > click "run now" and click finish. Thanks,
120. Party FOUL!!!
121. Well good ne3ws folks.......I JUST SWITCTED TO GEICO
122. For a good time message me. For a technology company we can't stop an onslaught of emails?
123. who wants chinese food tonight?
124. Y'all, Right click on the message (webmail or Outlook) and click on Create Rule. You can figure out the rest from there. Works like a charm. Good luck
125. 2005 Scion tC, 6300 miles, black, manual transmission, and being completely ignored now that I’m in Houston 5 days a week. Looking to get 15,500 for it Worth a shot, eh?
126. I HATE ALL OF YOU. But please donate money to fight leukemia below.
127. We are family I got all my COMPANY peeps with me,
We are family, yeah yeah yeah Get up everybody and sing!
128. CBT?! I vote Email 101 training in St Charles!
129. and i just lowered my cholesterol!
130. I’ve never used email before, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night
131. I'm sure glad I came to the office today.....
132. Navindra, old buddy... Hope you make it through all this. At least the "STOP REPLYING TO ALL" emails have decreased (Glad we've figured that out folks). I love you all for this - you've made my day
133. I truly feel sorry for everyone that is not at their computer right now….. 1) because they are missing out, and 2) because their inbox will explode upon opening.
134. Please don't use reply-all. Thanks.
135. I was hoping we could keep doing this for a while. It’s pretty fun and it makes me feel like I have friends. Navindra, I owe you a beer if you ever make it out to Cincinnati. PS – I’ll need a WBS element for this. PPS – My contact details in the global address list are incorrect as well. It says I’m still an analyst. Oh, wait…that’s right.
136. We're analysts, we're all new to the firm!!! In between, I'm forwarding this email to the managers email list. I'm sure we all have some manager we report to :)
137. Whitlow's 6.00pm see you there. Thanks to the guy with the tutorial with screenshots: way to add a few hundred K to 100,000 people.
138. Way to make Atlanta look LAME. You people are all ridiculous, as is whoever the fool that wrote the original message.
139. Mike Jones in before the lock
140. I thought "Loud Noises" should have made the list.
141. Why is it that we even have the ability to send to this distro list?
142. ok....where is Whitlows??? and 1000 Washington???
143. Just on behalf of the consulting people, what’s the WBS element for this? I am sure just deleting these e-mails screws up their chargeability. And I am sure this is not PTO, either.
144. While your chain messages today are quite amusing it is a violation Policy 57 and CoBE. Unfortunately someone has complained regarding this chain mail and we will have to look further into this matter. I would highly recommend not replying to all going forward. If you have any questions you may contact the Computer Incident Response Team at mailto:CIRT1@COMPANY.com. As an FYI to the person asking if this was a virus, no. However, it could be considered a denial of service attack.If there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask me directly, do not respond to ALL! Regards-Jason L.
145. ARE U ALL UNSTAFFED?
146. Shut up Lewis... Mike Jones! Shout out to my boy Romeo, last day as an intern! Mike Jones!
147. I am not sure why I am on the distribution list for incorrect data being in the GAL, but if you can remove from the email list, I would greatly appreciate it
148. This is for you Paul!!!! (with an attached picture)
149. I heard there is a party at 1000 Washington, what time and could you give out the directions as well from pentagon city...Cheers!!
150. For LA-based peeps or those staffed in the LA area: add me to IM: "PaulIreland". I like being a social coordinator. If you like to wakeboard hit me up as well. Oh yah, I'm gonna have a huge party in a few weeks and will invite you all. For other people: visit https://amr.mail.COMPANY.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.studentsagainstgenocide.org/ to get a neat t-shirt and to support a great cause. Any for everyone else: I can lick my elbow, can you? Try it.
151. Please stop hitting Reply all to let everyone know that this message was not intended for you.
152. I'm not sure how I was placed on this list, but please remove me. My inbox is running over from you guys.
153. I cannot resolve this issue. If everyone would please only respond to him rather than hitting reply all that would be much appreciated as I am currently getting bombarded by emails saying that they cannot help with this issue.
154. EVERYONE: STOP REPLYING TO ALL!!
155. Please stop replying to the whole group.
156. Beef – It’s what’s for dinner
157. Ok, This person doesn't know who it was intended for but oviously its going out to everyone, so please stop replying to his email.
158. not intended for me
159. Attention all Employees: Please DO NOT respond to this email if it doesn’t pertain to you. (Especially, DO NOT REPLY TO ALL!) This email is getting sent multiple times to everyone’s emails, and it’s not appropriate. If this email DOES apply to you, please respond directly back to Navindra N. Singh. Thank you very much for your cooperation.
160. This should not be a message that is sent to the entire company, “Please don’t reply to all”
161. Please do not reply to all on this message. I think Navindra knows that he reached the admin service…
162. Please stop responding with reply all.
163. Please stop replying to all. Thanks
164. 1971 Opel Gt for Sale, $4,000/b.o Let me know if your interested (picture included)
165. All I know is that COMPANY has to have some of the funniest people working here! The replies are hilarious!