Dr Max's Hospitality industry medicine (a good laugh) about computer gender

As you know, each sixth week we try to lighten your day with laughter, which is said to be the best medicine. Two weeks ago, I wrote about preparing to translate your marketing message to the world. This 'warning', below, sent to me by business guru Peter Thorpe http://www.thenet.com.aus - sure got me smiling!

A language instructor was explaining to her class that French nouns, unlike their English counterparts, are grammatically designated as masculine or feminine. Things like 'chalk' or 'pencil', she described, would have a gender association by using a suffix modifier to designate their gender like 'le' or 'la' to indicate male or female respectively although in English these words were neutral. Puzzled, one student raised his hand and asked, "What gender is a computer?" The teacher wasn't certain which it was, and so divided the class into two groups and asked them to decide if a computer should be masculine or feminine. One group was composed of the women in the class, and the other, of men. Both groups were asked to give four reasons for their recommendation.

The group of women concluded that computers should be referred to in the masculine gender because: 1. In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on. 2. They have a lot of data but are still clueless. 3. They are supposed to help you solve your problems, but half the time they ARE the problem. 4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that, if you had waited a little longer, you could have had a better model.

The men, on the other hand, decided computers should definitely be referred to in the feminine gender because: 1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic. 2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.

3. Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later

retrieval. 4. As soon as you make a commitment to buy one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

): :) ):

Until next week, when we will bring you a hospitality industry secret about a telephone company's 130th anniversary, I wish you,

Good luck, good life and good fun

Max Hitchins

The Hospitality Doctor

P.S. Did you know Mark Twain once said "The best way the cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up!"