Saturday, July 20, 2019
Lights Out Tonight
We have not seen 100 degrees for several years, but we had
it today. I never found it that uncomfortable.
There was a big power outage after 8pm for about 90 minutes. It came back on before the projected time.
I expected something like this might happen. The reason was not given, but people were using too
much of it.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Surviving The Falls
Niagara Falls has been the place of an estimated 5,000 suicides
since they started keeping track. Every year at least 20-40 people decide to end their life by going over the edge.
Last week, a man survived a 188 foot plunge over the Horseshoe Falls. He was found sitting on some
rocks with only a few injuries.
How
did he do it without protection or a life jacket? It must not have been his time.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Throwing Food Away
It's crazy to think that a third of the world's food gets
wasted for a variety of reasons.
It
starts in the home where people throw out food on a regular basis. Restaurants dispose of anything not eaten. Stores routinely
purge their shelves after certain dates. Some foods cannot get another life according to regulations.
This problem has been going on forever and doesn't look to be changing soon.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Don't Bother Wildlife
People continue to do
stupid things around wildlife. They try to get close to bears and wonder why they react the way they do.
They continue to swim in the ocean off Cape Cod, in spite of sharks prowling the waters looking for
food among the thousands of seals who live there.
Chicago was fixated the last week over a five foot alligator hanging out in a public park before it was captured.
Everything is fine until someone gets hurt or killed. Even that doesn't stop people from making bad
decisions.
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
The State Is Winning
Now that the Boston
Encore casino has opened, the battle lines for revenue have been drawn for the regional sites.
Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut have seen continued downward receipts. MGM Grand in Springfield
had a $500 million projection at the end of three years of operations, but will be lucky to see $300 million.
Encore opened the first week with $16.8 million, while Springfield had $20 million for the entire
month of June. Plainridge with slots only, continues to see stagnant revenue.
The state is getting their cut no matter what happens, but what will it look like in three years.
Monday, July 15, 2019
Too Low or Too High
Fire trucks cost a fortune these days. Cities and towns
usually have them custom built to their specifications.
A local town ordered a $1 million ladder truck with specific guidelines, especially the height due to a low
overpass in the community.
When it was delivered, officials discovered that it was too high by five inches to fit under a local
train bridge.
The manufacturer said they built it correctly, but it won't
fit. The fire department said it could change the tires and lower the truck by three inches, but that won't solve the problem.
Both sides agree that the truck will fit, but what will they do to see that it happens?
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Is It Printer Time?
My HP printer decided to stop printing pages suddenly. I
already had several done when it produced blank pages.
My four toner cartridges are new and filled to the top. After about one hour of trouble shooting, I think
I will take a break and look at it again later.
After 14 years, it might be time to move on. I have probably paid for it at least four times over with the
amount I have spent on ink.
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Can't Sell Their Business
It was a nice story
when it first appeared in the newspaper. An area luncheonette was being sold after 30 years of ownership by a couple who wanted
to close a chapter in their life.
They
had plans to sell their house, buy an RV and tour the country after never having a vacation. Local residents were happy that
the breakfast place would continue as a focal point in town.
Everything was going great until the potential new owners discovered that they would need to invest another
$200,000 to bring the business up to current health and business codes. The previous owners were grandfathered.
The deal has fallen through and the original owners are back to square one. They plan to keep ownership
and have trusted employees run the business. It will probably work out, at least for the short term.
Unfortunately, they might never be able to sell the business and walk away with cash in their pocket.
Their lives were tied to the place.
Customers
are happy that a beloved eating place will continue to serve breakfast, but it sounds like the owners will lose a lot
of money on the deal with no way to remedy it.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Most Don't Last Five Years
New York City public schools are out of control
due to the relaxation of discipline and rules. It makes education so difficult for the teachers and students who want to learn.
Over the last ten years, there has been a huge problem with the retention of teachers. It's
a sad commentary on the system when 41% of them don't last more than five years.
You can't build a good education system with inexperience in the classroom. It doesn't look like it
will change in the future.
Thursday, July 11, 2019
A Card For All Reasons
The
greeting card industry continues to look for more ways to celebrate events and create more cards. They have one for almost
anything.
The other day, I saw one to send to a child when they lose
their first tooth. This seems like a bit much, but people are buying them.
There is a "National Day" for many different things. It's only a matter of time before the industry
tries to monetize them with cards.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
They Resort To Deception
Lawsuits are filed over
almost anything, but it's good to see the legal challenge over "resort fees" charged by hotel chains.
This is a very deceptive practice by them, especially for on-line bookings. It's bad enough that
the advertised price doesn't include the various taxes, but the "resort fee" is always found at the last minute
before booking the room.
Last year, I had to pay one of $140 for a four night stay
in New York City. I didn't get any benefit from it.
The fee is just find another way to charge more for the room.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
The Toll of Bikes
New York City is determined to put more bicycles on the
streets in spite of the danger they pose to riders and everyone else.
The other day, the 15th cyclist died so far this year after they were hit by a truck. The fatality rate is
doubled over last year. Seven have died in Brooklyn.
It's a worthy cause to reduce cars on the streets, but they are a lethal combination in city traffic.
In my trips to the city, I have witnessed dangerous operation
by many cyclists. Some have no regard for their own safety or for others.
Monday, July 8, 2019
It's All Bull
Las Vegas bookmakers
should issue odds on the number of people who will be injured this week in the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
Yesterday was the first day of the festival and 50 were wounded by the bulls. Since 1910 when records
were first kept, at least 16 have died from injuries.
The festival was immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in his 1926 novel, "The Sun Also Rises". It continues
to be a huge tourist attraction, generating tons of money for the region.
That's probably why it still happens in this day and age.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Too Much Water
I enjoyed watching the 4th of July hot dog eating contest
at Coney Island. ESPN does a great job on their broadcast with interesting stories of the competitors.
The participants place a great deal of stress on their bodies with the amount of food they consume
in training and competition. It's not a natural thing to do.
The craziest thing I heard was the practice of drinking three gallons of water in 90 seconds to expand their
stomach. This seems like such a foolish and dangerous thing to do for a number of reasons.
Saturday, July 6, 2019
The Food Is Too Expensive
I visited the new $2.6
billion Encore Boston Casino last night. I'm not a gambler, but I wanted to see what the hype was all about.
When you walk around inside and outside the property, it's easy to see how the cost spiraled out
of control. No detail was left out.
The
bottom line is that it's just another casino with no cheap places to eat. They really need to do a better job in providing
better deals on the food. People will want to bring their own sandwiches if it doesn't change.
