Tuesday, June 30, 2015
A Time To Watch
The TSA said that travelers
have left all sorts of items at the security screening areas at airports. People constantly forget to retrieve their
pocket change from the security tubs.
Recently, a man left behind a watch valued at over $100,000. Why would anyone wear something so expensive?
Are they trying to impress others by showing off their wealth?
People who spend money like this often buy other frivolous things. It was probably not his first
big purchase.
1:13 am edt
Monday, June 29, 2015
Failed Flights
I always thought it was short-sighted
when NASA retired the space shuttle fleet. We have no way of getting astronauts to the International Space Station without
paying the Russians to fly them there.
Private companies such as SpaceX have contracted with NASA to get supplies there. Results have been
mixed. SpaceX just lost their third craft in the last eight months. It has been a trial and error process.
It's one thing to lose supplies, but SpaceX and
Boeing plan to fly astronauts in 2017. With the way things are going, they have a lot of work to do.
11:05 pm edt
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Boston Near The Finish
Boston 2024 will be unveiling an
updated plan tomorrow concerning their bid for the Summer Olympics. The entire process has been a farce so far. Area colleges
have been kept in the dark, in spite of some of their facilities being proposed venues.
The $500 million disposable stadium continues to be a point of contention. People should
look at the fiasco in Tokyo as they try to build a stadium for their 2020 hosting of the Games. The structure had
an initial cost of $1.31 billion. It has ballooned to $2.02 billion with no end in sight.
Boston's bid doesn't have the public support it needs to go forward. Organizers refuse to
say whether public funds will be needed. The entire process has been a disgrace.
Hopefully, the USOC pulls the plug on Boston very soon. This has dragged on for too
long.
12:57 pm edt
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Time For Lameness
It's that time of year again
for fireworks. I think they are so lame. People are so selfish and inconsiderate for lighting them up at all hours of the
night and around parked cars.
They
do nothing for me. I never go to watch them. I don't understand what the big deal is.
They are legal to buy in New Hampshire. Many people go across the state line to get them.
I saw a commercial the other day on TV. It
bragged about how you could be the envy of your neighbors if you bought their stuff. People will answer the
call.
2:11 pm edt
Friday, June 26, 2015
The 11%
Bike
sharing programs are becoming the norm for big cities. Boston and New York City have implemented their controversial
programs.
The streets are now filled with cyclists who don't always follow the rules of the road. Some don't pay
attention to red lights and ride on the sidewalk.
It was recently revealed that 89% of the riders for Citibike
in the Big Apple don't wear a helmet. They are not mandatory, but common sense would dictate to wear one.
It would be almost
impossible to enforce a mandatory helmet law. You can't get some people to wear a seatbelt.
4:15 pm edt
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The Ride To Excess
Parents can never do
enough for their kids when it comes to parties and celebrations. I saw a story today that I thought was excessive on the part
of the parents.
They
hired a limousine to pickup their daughter and several of her friends after their last day of school as a seventh
grader. They went to get ice cream.
All the students saw the scene. It made the front page of the local paper. The parents must be
proud for being one-up on everyone.
What
will they do next year or when she graduates from high school?
9:21 pm edt
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Betting On Failure
Massachusetts finally has
a slot parlor when one opened today in Plainville. Three more casinos will follow. New reports show long lines of cars waiting
to get into the parking lot.
How
long will the excitement last? Right now, it's the only gambling hall in the state. What will happen when the ones in
Everett and the South Shore open?
Voters
in Brockton and New Bedford have shown their support in referendums. Will there be too much competition in the future?
There are only so many gambling dollars around.
The last thing the state wants to be is another Atlantic City where casinos keep closing because
of the saturation factor.
5:07 pm edt
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Store Is Better
I'm not a big advocate of
purchasing items on-line. I don't like having packages delivered because I live in an apartment building. I can't believe
what people buy from the comfort of their home.
A friend on Facebook told a tale of woe after buying a washer and dryer from Sears.
There was an issue with one of the doors. Dealing with customer service caused her a lot of aggravation.
I can't imagine buying appliances on-line. For a
purchase that big, I would want to go into a store and see the item myself, otherwise, it's a recipe for disaster.
10:53 pm edt
Monday, June 22, 2015
All In The Cards
It looks like the greeting
card industry has a problem for the next few months. There is no major holiday to drive sales.
When I went to a CVS today, they has already removed
all of the Father's Day cards. I'm not sure what will be put in its place.
There is no marque holiday coming up.
11:31 pm edt
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Parking Cars
There always seems to be a
proposal to ban auto traffic in New York City's Central Park. I think it's a great idea. I'm not sure if it will ever happen.
This has been going on for way too long.
I
can understand why drivers want access to the East and West Drives of the park. It's great for cabs.
The place is different without cars. They don't belong
there.
9:56 pm edt
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Less Economic Impact
It doesn't surprise me to
hear that Americans spend $7 billion dollars less one Father's Day than for Moms. That's how it is.
Mothers get a flowers and a great brunch or
dinner. Fathers don't always get that. They also get lousy gifts.
That's what they say. I have no idea. I don't have any kids.
10:34 pm edt
Friday, June 19, 2015
Not Ready To Binge
There are not any shows on
television that I watch on a regular basis. I have never watched a minute of the most popular ones. I don't have Netflix,
HBO, Showtime or any other premium channels or services.
It always cracks me up when I hear stories of people binge viewing multiple seasons. How
long does this take? Some imply that they spent a weekend doing this.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I doubt it. I have no intentions of ever watching any of
these shows.
2:00 pm edt
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Eating With Dogs
Service dogs have a right
to be with the person they help. It might create some awkward situations, but I'm ok with that. Unfortunately, it opens the
door for regular dogs to be everywhere with their master.
New York is considering a bill that would allow all dogs to accompany their owner if they
are dining outside of a restaurant.
I don't think this is a good idea. Where are the rights for people without dogs? They don't get any consideration.
Part of the bill has a provision that dogs would
get disposable drinking bowls. Is that suppose to appease people who don't dine with their dog?
If this law is enacted, everyone will be equally
unhappy.
12:44 pm edt
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Endless Wealth
Donald Trump has joined the
crowded field of candidates for President. His announcement was done in his typical style. He has spoken about it for years
and finally made the decision.
How
will this end up? Is he in it for the long haul? He said he will finance his own campaign. He is so rich that he is unsure
of his exact worth. His accountants will be trying to tally up the final number in order to comply with federal election laws.
It's hard for the average person to relate to so
much wealth, especially when the final figure is unknown.
7:47 pm edt
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Not Always Legitimate
Panhandling
is an issue all across America. So many people live on the outer fringes of the economy. Sometimes, the person is not truthful
with their story. We often hear about those who prey on the sympathy of others to get donations.
A recent story from New York City questioned the
legitimacy of a group of monks who have been scamming people in the Times Square neighborhood.
Apparently, they are being less than honest about
who they are. They look legitimate, but it's all a charade to get money from people according to the reporter.
It's hard to tell sometimes.
2:19 pm edt
Monday, June 15, 2015
People Want Location
I think a person's home is
a special place whether it's a house, condo or apartment. Many choose to live in certain places for personal reasons.
Some choose to live too close to the ocean. We have
seen horrible storms do tremendous damage to homes that face the ocean. The news always shows them being battered
by the waves and wind. In spite of the damage, they always return with the help of insurance and the federal government.
A recent story questioned the wisdom of rebuilding
in areas that keep getting hit. One house suffered $180,000 in damage from last winter. Owners have been compensated
for ten claims in the last twelve years.
Some
homes get raised higher on their foundations. This will last for a certain amount of time until the next damaging storm.
This happens in coastal areas all over. I'm not
sure what the solution is. I wouldn't live there.
7:34 pm edt
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Banking On Disaster
People are very foolish to
text while driving. It's an invitation for disaster. A recent report indicated that 15% of drivers do on-line banking
while operating their car.
Why
can't they wait until they park? Is their life that hectic that they can't concentrate while driving? If they want to harm
themselves, that's fine, but their negligence often hurts others.
Just another example of the selfish world we live in.
1:07 pm edt
Saturday, June 13, 2015
They Made The News
Some high
school graduations have episodes of kids being selfish and doing something stupid. Sometimes, it gets picked up
by the media and gets more attention than it deserves.
One of the local stations showed two boys in Florida staging a fake wrestling move
while on the stage to receive their diplomas.
Somehow, the story got legs and went viral. A reporter interviewed the kid and his father about it.
They got plenty of camera time.
Why
did these two kids do this? Did they want their 15 minutes of fame like so many others?
8:00 pm edt
Friday, June 12, 2015
ID Card For All
I think it's a good idea
that New York City has been issuing municipal ID to residents who request them. So far, they have given out more than 165,000.
Immigrant groups have praised the program for giving
undocumented New Yorkers an official government ID card which can be used to access city services or proof of identity.
Each immigration case is different, but this is
the first step for some on their road to citizenship.
12:09 pm edt
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Look At Him
I think high school proms
are a waste of money for all those involved. It creates awkward situations for kids who want to go, but can't get a date.
They cost too much. Kids are always trying to outdo each other.
The other day, we saw an over the top example of grandstanding. A student on Long Island
showed up to his prom in a helicopter that he was piloting.
It's very impressive that he can fly those machines at his age, but I think he was showing
off in front of everyone. A limousine would have been sufficient.
12:10 pm edt
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
The Fake Look
Massachusetts is trying
to pass a law that would prohibit those under the age of 18 from using a tanning bed. They have been linked to skin cancer.
I think this is a good law. Too many younger women
use them to get a tan for their prom. They become addicted to them.
You can always tell someone with a fake tan. Their skin has a certain look to it. I saw someone
today who obviously had been out in the sun for too long over the years. Their skin was very wrinkled and made them look haggard.
I never understand why people use tanning beds.
6:05 pm edt
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Reckless Boarders
People who ride skateboards
show great skill, but often reckless behavior. They also treat private property as their own.
One boarder showed extreme recklessness yesterday
as he roared down a steep hill, while weaving in and out of traffic. I witnessed the entire ordeal as I slowed my car
down to let him pass me.
He
rode without a care in the world, thinking only of himself. If he had fallen, it would have been a bad scene.
5:26 pm edt
Monday, June 8, 2015
In The Bin
I can't seem to find a paper
recycling bin. I use to have access to them in the parking lots at two local churches. The last one disappeared after last
winter's snowstorms.
People
throw things in them that don't belong. The bins probably cause a headache. The money that they get for the recycled paper
probably isn't worth it.
Going
to the local recycling center on a four hour window on Wednesday or Saturday isn't practical. The bins worked so well.
10:25 pm edt
Sunday, June 7, 2015
No Payment For Talking
I'll never understand how
colleges and universities select their commencement speakers. Many of them just spew out a bunch of nonsense to the students
and families. Others try to be funny, but say nothing relevant.
I was shocked and disappointed to see that UMass Amherst paid their speaker $25,000. Officials
justified it by saying that graduations need a "star attraction" for the students.
This is a total waste of money. Nobody should be paid to talk and accept an honorary
degree. The speaker should certainly be compensated for travel and hotel costs. That makes sense.
2:56 pm edt
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Digging Bad Ideas
People make bad decisions
based upon an idea they might have. The news told a story about a guy who had to be rescued at a beach in Martha's Vineyard
because he got buried in a hole eight feet deep.
He was digging in the sand and kept going down. Eventually, he got to eight feet without
any support on the walls. They just caved in on him. Fortunately, first responders were able to get him out of the
ground and saved his life.
What
a bad idea this guy had. What was he expecting the end result to be? How much deeper was he planning to dig? What
is a reasonable depth to dig at the beach?
7:44 pm edt
Friday, June 5, 2015
Waste of Time At School
I have never
been a fan of school field trips. I think they are a waste of time and have little educational value. They happen all over
this time of year.
What is
the value of bringing a bunch of kids to a minor league baseball game on a school day? Even if it was only for part of it,
I still this it's wasteful.
I'm sure the school has a good reason why they did it.
5:36 pm edt
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Forgetting The Kids
How do parents forget about
their child and leave them in a car? It happened the other day in Florida with fatal results. A woman went to her job as a
school teacher and left her child behind.
A
few weeks ago, a man boarded a train after forgetting about his kid. When he got to his destination, he dialed 911
to alert authorities. This one worked out ok.
This happens much too often. Are people that busy that they can't even remember to drop their kid
off at day care?
10:47 am edt
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Can They Name All of Them?
Some families
are so huge that I wonder how the parents remember all of the names of their grandchildren. A couple in Illinois recently
celebrated the birth of their 100th family member from their children.
They have 12 children, 53 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and one great-great-
grandchild. Do they really know all of them? That's a lot of people and birthdays.
7:16 pm edt
Monday, June 1, 2015
The Hour of Heat
Every June, we get one of
these cold raw rainy days. It was 48 degrees today. The wind was blowing and the rain was coming down in sheets
at time.
I turned my
heat back on for a few minutes tonight. It was so cold and damp in my apartment. It felt better after that.
10:02 pm edt