Evening the Playing Field

 By Helen Vollmer, President

Remember running through the sprinklers with buddies on a hot summer day?  What about hosing down an older sibling with the garden hose just because you could?  Or, playing hide and seek with the neighbor kids until the moms started yelling our names to come home for supper?  What about toilet papering the house of your first crush? Built any forts lately?

Sure, we all ride our bicycles, hit the jogging trail or go exercise, but that’s not quite the same as real playtime and real fun.  In fact, it’s called the opposite—a “work out.”  Sheesh- what’s the matter with us humans?  What ever happened to playing without a purpose?

In a new book, Play, by medical researcher Dr. Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan, the case is made that playing is not only good for our bodies, it’s critical to learning social, decision-making and leadership skills.  It makes us more flexible and adaptable.  Brown says we need play in our lives in much the same way we need sleep.

I’m a believer!  In a couple of our offices in Texas, we celebrate spring with an old-fashioned egg hunt.  Staffers run rampantly through the halls in search of treasures that sometimes contain treats, sometimes money and sometimes confetti.  It’s a 15 minute madhouse where everyone is grinning like crazy, and whooping and hollering like they were eight years old again.  Precisely the point.  As everyone gathers to see who found the golden egg (stuffed with a $50 bill), and who’s never experienced a cascarone cracked on their head, we all come together in a giggly, goofy mess that lasts the rest of the day.

Wow—playing can make us less stressed, more productive, more creative and more fit?  Sounds like a win-win.  So, go fly a kite, hit a few balls with your kids, find that croquet set hidden in the basement.  Celebrate spring and summer this year by running through a sprinkler.  The cobwebs in your mind might just call recess.

Deepwater Horizon – Two Years Later

 By Jay Andrew, Vice President

It’s been two years since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, gushing almost 5 billion barrels of oil before it was capped on July 15, 2010. The oil & gas industry was changed forever, beginning with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s signed order swiftly dismantling the Minerals Management Service, the embattled federal agency in charge of policing offshore drilling, and divvying it up into three agencies now known as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.

Many other changes also began to sweep the industry including the Obama administration’s offshore drilling moratorium which was famously blocked by a federal judge in New Orleans, but ultimately saw the issue of a new order from Secretary Salazar to uphold suspensions of deepwater drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf while investigators continued to examine the catastrophe.

CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS 
Amidst the fallout, the industry began to galvanize and take matters into its own hands not only to get people back to work, but to show the world its serious commitment to safety and readiness in the event of another well control incident in the Gulf of Mexico. Two organizations formed quickly and have become requisite and highly visible parts of drilling programs in the Gulf of Mexico. Since their inception, both organizations, the Marine Well Containment Company and the Helix Well Containment Group, have developed robust containment capabilities by working closely with operators, regulators, oil field service providers and other mutual aid companies. These groups have also conducted readiness response drills designed to test their systems and maintain operational rigor. Even BP is now in the containment game with the recent introduction of its new capping system designed not only for the Gulf of Mexico, but other parts of the world, including Angola and the North Sea.

LOOKING AHEAD
With new governing bodies, enhanced containment protocols and continued commitments to safety and the environment, the industry continues to demonstrate its trademark resiliency and technical expertise. At the opening of the 2012 Offshore Technology Conference last week in Houston, discussions to drill into the seafloor more than 12,000 feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean impressed even the most technically-savvy industry professionals. The project, scheduled for 2017, will involve drilling a scientific well to retrieve a core of the Earth’s mantle. If it succeeds, it will be capable of drilling in water depths of 12,000 to 14,000 feet, well beyond the current deepest drilling depths, which are around 10,000 feet. These advancements could be a game-changer for the offshore industry as it looks to conquer yet another deepwater frontier.

$100 for a Carry-on Bag?!

 By Meredith McKee, Account Supervisor

Headlines can be a bit deceiving. I was most recently reminded of this last week when on May 2 Spirit Airlines announced that they would be raising their carry-on baggage fees. Almost instantly we began seeing headlines that said they would be charging $100 for a carry-on bag. A more accurate description would have been “travelers could pay up to $100 for a carry-on bag.”

The $100 fee only applies if you pay for the carry-on at the gate after you go through security. If you pay for your carry-on at kiosk or counter before going through security you only pay $50 (up from $40). For those well-prepared travelers who pay online they only have to pay $35 (up from $30). I didn’t understand these fee differences until I visited Spirit’s website for a complete breakdown of their new fee policy. While it may be hard to avoid a fee, it’s easy to save at least $50 by paying before you go through security.

Here are a few tips from Courtney Scott, senior editor at Travelocity.com, on ways to save on those pesky fees that seem to be on every airline these days.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to 100 percent avoid the fees but planning carefully can help reduce the number of fees you incur which can be a huge savings for your trip this summer.  Follow these five tips:

• Choosing an airline that allows some free checked baggage, like JetBlue, is important if you’re the type of person who always checks a bag.  On other airlines, packing light is essential. 
• With the exception of Spirit and Allegiant, you can still carry on one piece of luggage and one personal item free of charge. Every ticketed passenger – including the tiniest toddler w/ a ticket – is entitled to these two pieces so take advantage.  Sharing luggage and spreading belongings among traveling companions can cut down on the number of bags checked and let you pay less. 
• If you travel a lot, you may want to be loyal to one airline. Generally, elite-status frequent flyers are exempt from checked-bag fees. 
• Know your plans before you book. If you change plans on a non-refundable ticket, you’ll pay a $150 change fee PLUS any difference in the cost of a ticket. 
• Bring your own food.  It’s not only cheaper, it’s also healthier.

For more tips and advice from Courtney visit www.windowseatblog.com and follow Travelocity on Twitter.

Your Home, Your Way

 By Kim Tillinghast, Vice President

When it comes to antiques, memorabilia and other collectibles, the age of the item is an attractive asset. But when it comes to selecting a home, old isn’t always better. Many consumers might be surprised at the long list of benefits that accompany a brand-spanking-new home –  from the aesthetic  (personalization, newness) to the practical (quality, energy efficiency, fewer future improvements) – and the truth behind misconceptions of barriers such as time and expense.  Consumers face a wealth of choices when shopping for a new home, and there is plenty of room (no pun intended) to educate and shed new light on the homebuilding story.

That’s exactly what new client Builder Homesite, Inc. is seeking to do. This Austin-based consortium of 32 of the nation’s largest homebuilders is launching an initiative to educate consumers and industry influencers, and positively influence public perception about new homes. It’s an industry first, with homebuilders joining forces to launch a marketing and advertising campaign aimed at increasing new home sales among potential buyers.

For consumers experiencing a life event such as a new job/city, growing family, newly-empty nest or recent retirement, there exists an invaluable opportunity to adjust living space to exact needs. Perhaps it’s building a dream nursery for a baby on the way, choosing a larger home to accommodate grandparents moving in, or trading a two-story home for a one-story with dedicated space for crafts and hobbies. Naturally, there is great sentiment attached to the home, and the ability to customize every square inch, to create a future instead of clearing out the inherent past in an existing home, is incredibly valuable – particularly when related costs are comparable and in the long term, even less. It’s a matter of educating and empowering consumers with the right questions and considerations, to choose the best option for them.

As the country emerges from a challenging economic period, the homebuilding industry – which in particular has suffered – is primed for resurgence.  Despite the recent slowdown, with 2011 new home sales marking the lowest recorded since 1963, builder confidence is at its highest level since June 2007. Each market share point represents a staggering $8 billion in annual revenue, and the industry is a key economic driver for the broader U.S. economy. The National Association of Home Builders also estimates that each single-family home built generates three jobs and a total of $90,000 in government revenue.

Only time will tell if the projected upswing will continue for the homebuilding industry and economy at large, but many are optimistic. And for many more, a shiny new home will become a first-ever consideration, and hopefully a happy reality.

A Grammar Tip a Day Keeps the Red Pen Away

 By Ashley Wilemon, Vice President

We are professional communicators in the business of managing reputations and representing brands, so it should be a no-brainer that using appropriate technical language is a critical part of our jobs. Not only are we in the business of creating clear and effective messages, but we are also representing ourselves, our companies and our clients with every keystroke. I’m not advocating that every email should be in AP style or that taking liberties with comma usage can’t be overlooked when scrambling to meet a deadline, but as a general rule, we should be taking the time to send thoughtful, well-crafted messages in emails and formal documents.

At the very least, avoiding some of the more obvious technical writing pitfalls might protect your own reputation. At the most, it gives you something to lord over those who are less informed, and isn’t it that smug sense of superiority what makes grammar so much fun? Here are a few tips you might already know, but if not, now you do!

Affect vs. Effect
Generally speaking, affect performs as a verb and effect as a noun.

• I hope the nasty weather doesn’t affect your mood. 
• Your sour mood had an effect on the party.

However, if you want to describe something that was caused or brought about, the right word to use is effect.

• The new procedures effected some positive changes in the office. 

Affect can also be used as a noun to describe facial expression.

• The young man was in shock; he responded with a flat affect. 
• The woman took the news of her husband's sudden death with little affect.

Anytime vs. Any time (anyone vs. any one, anything vs. any thing, etc.)
Use one word for an indefinite reference.

• Anytime you want to meet works for me.
• Anyone is welcome to come to my party.

Use two words when the emphasis is on singling out or identifying something specific.

• Are you available any time between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.?
• Is there any one game you prefer to play?

Myriad
It’s an adjective that works all on its own (like “many”). There is no need to add “of.”

• Right: I am tempted by the myriad sodas in the fridge.
• Wrong: I am tempted by the myriad of sodas in the fridge.

Directions
Generally, use the lowercase for north, south, eastern, southwest, etc. However, when referring to a widely recognized region or a proper name, capitalize.

• My crazy relatives refer to anyone from the Northeast as “Yankees.”
• Dorothy was from Kansas, which is considered the Midwest. However, she has friends all over the country.
• If you continue driving west, you will drive through southern New Mexico and southern Arizona and eventually arrive in Southern California.
• Carrie and her friends drank cosmos on the Upper East Side.
• Tim can tell you about how a farm boy from South Dakota became a member of north Dallas society.

Seasons
Lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter, autumn and all derivatives (such as springtime) unless they are part of a formal name.

• It was the summer of ’69 (Bryan Adams shout out!)
• Dallas Summer Musicals

P.S. Need a grammar laugh? Follow @FakeAPStylebook on Twitter. You won’t be disappointed. Sample tweet: “To make ‘pants’ singular, use a pair of scissors.”