FYI

For Your Information has now come to mean For Your Inspiration, Fuel Your Imagination...according to the new FYI cable network.

Mediators have to be updated with the latest trends and learn from them.

Staleswomen

Crazy Jhenny cartoon featured the snob business of some high-end retail shops. Recall "Pretty Woman"? It seems to be a marketing strategy to get slighted, insecure shoppers to prove themselves more than capable of buying those pricey stuff.

Mediators should likewise be wary of such squid tactics to complicate matters.

Cast (Aspersion) Away

Saw the rerun of "Castaway" mainly because he was portrayed by Tom Hanks. He showed man's innate need for socialization, creating Wilson from a ball so named that was retrieved from the plane that crashed. Later, however, he started to fight with Wilson.

Interesting to mediate on that island!

Runaway Groom

In Washington, USA, a bride scorned at the altar did not make "away" her runaway groom. Instead, she moved on to the reception with homeless women and children.

Mediation's ideal disputant!

Notting Hell

TLC's "Who'd Be a Billionaire" featured this book on the woes of the wealthy. Topics ranged from maintaining multiple mansions, pressure on progeny starting from prep school, and secrecy of staff. With great wealth comes great worry.

Mediation is another equalizer among disputants.

Ruin

That is the way to transformation, according to "Eat Pray Love."

Mediation likewise sees conflict as the way to compromise toward a settlement.

Crowd Control

In an experiment, NAT GEO was able to reduce buffet eating by the use of smaller (green) plates and serving spoons in a room predominantly in blue.

If only it is this easy to encourage disputants to settle their conflict!

Hu Da ...

This hot pot restaurant in Beijing truly serves pot as in addictive opium poppies as seasoning, according to an AP news report. Take it from this nation that used to add melamine/ plaster of paris in their infant formula. Now, they are also in annexation of floating reefs to their map.

Mediation takes track record into consideration in balancing opposing claims.

Well-meaning People

They could just be mean, according to Fr. Jerry Orbos. It is like when a lawyer says
"with all due respect," you know he will lose it.

That is why mediation keeps language simple and direct.

All About Steve

This was a funny stalker movie  that ended happily with both parties apart. Reese Witherspoon's stalker character was into crossword puzzle-making. At the end, she realized that "in life, we fill empty spaces with words and people."

Hasn't mediation seen the aftermath?