re: Is timeliness no longer valued at all?

Good post and thread. My rules of thumb has always been to arrive at work/business/meeting related locations far enough in advance to handle introductions and to get ready to start working at the meeting start time. If someone arrives late...what a distraction. At people's residences, I arrive not early, but on time. Often, folks are rushing around their house, putting pets up, cleaning-up, etc., and showing-up early can enhance their stress. If something unforseen happens, give them a call.