Happy Spring Bermuda. I know, it has been spring for some time but I never wished it upon the masses. This week my pet peeve is the sense of entitlement that some of my people exhibit. I've had two examples recently where people applied for jobs and didn't make the grade, couldn't pass the entrance exam/meet the requirements but insist that they should have the job! It is really astounding but this really does happen. More on this after the top 20.

Up to #1 is Tik Tok by Ke$ha, a new and impressive cutie/pop eye candy entertainer. Her stuff is bubble gum pop, lightweight club/dance music, but it works, so don't hate, appreciate. Tumbling to #2 is Sexy Chick by David Guetta featuring Akon, a catchy dance track. At #3 is Hard by Rihanna, the lovely Bajan Bombshell. Improving to #4 is On To The Next One by Jay Z and Swizz Beats. Falling to #5 its Bedrock by Young Money featuring Lloyd.

Up at #6 is Everything To Me by Monica, a former essential new tune. Rude Boy by Rihanna, advances to #7. Slipping to #8 is Snoop Dogg's hip hop Anthem I Wanna Rock.

On the way down at #9 is Why Don't You Love Me by Beyonce. In the #10 spot is Say Something by Timbaland featuring Drake, a former essential new jam.

Improving to #11 is Hey Daddy, (Daddy's Home) by Usher featuring Plies. Slipping to #12 is How Low by Ludacris. On the way up at #13 is Neighbors Know My Name by Trey Songz.

Falling to #14 is Say Aah by Trey Songz featuring Fabolous. This one has a smooth, rolling beat and catchy lyrics. Up two spots to #15 is last week's essential new tune – My Chick Bad by Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj.

Slipping to #16 is It Kills Me by Melanie Fiona, one of the hot ballads currently on the circuit. Slipping to #17 is Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart by the lovely Alicia Keys.

Now this week's essential new tune. In at #18 is Over, by Drake. New at #19 is Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) by Alicia Keys. Finally, in at #20 is Nothin' On You by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars.

Now back to this week's word – the sense of entitlement some of us display. It seems that some Bermudians think that they should automatically be given anything and everything they want; just because they are Bermudian! Aaah, sorry, no, you still have to earn it.

I have had to ask myself where we went wrong. I have to conclude that parents and the education system have collectively failed about two generations of young people. I'm looking at people between 40 and 60 who must have lost the plot, because the kids with these attitudes are our children! Our parents got it right but how and where did we go wrong? We didn't have any help from the education system but we have messed up big time; with our kids being the ruthless menaces to society and those with the sense of entitlement. We have a lot to answer for as a generation of parents and history will record that we did not do a good job.

For starters, many people under 30 cannot read or write with sufficient proficiency to pass a basic, grade 12 level skills assessment that would cover the basic three Rs – reading, writing and arithmetic. These are basic things that a person should have coming out of high school and which a person needs for any job; but so many of our young people are leaving CedarBridge and Berkeley Institute without having mastered them.

Then we have the parents who are enablers. Some parents do not support teachers or the schools; they disagree with and forbid the teachers and school to discipline their children; they have the 'not my child' syndrome/disease and are thus in denial about the realities of how their children behave; and even when they know their children have done wrong, they fail to punish or discipline them.

This is enabling behaviour and only serves to encourage insubordination, disrespect for authority, lack of respect for one's elders, laziness and shoddy work at all levels.

In life and at work we have to have some standards of performance and if employees or potential employees cannot meet the minimum standards, they rightly will not be retained or will not be hired.

Then there's the tendency of so many Bermudian mothers to look for jobs, follow up, go to bat for and do anything for their adult sons and daughters, whilst these grown men and women children sit at home and do nothing.

Here's one to end this discussion. A guy was looking for a job and someone asked him if he could come in for an interview on a certain day. He said, "Oh no, not Thursday; I'm going fishing with my boy". Unbelievable, but it happens. You have to wonder how badly some of our people want to work. You either want to work or you don't want to work. It is really that simple. Peace … DJLT.