Sunday, July 31, 2016
This Bill Should Be History
I would not want to be an
employer these days. State laws are making it harder to hire the candidates that you want.
A recent bill in the Massachusetts legislature would prohibit
interviewers from asking a job candidate about their salary history.
I don't understand the logic behind this bill. Why is it wrong to ask about salary history?
Eventually, no questions will be allowed.
5:43 pm edt
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Just Hot Air
I have no plans or desire
to ever take a ride in a hot air balloon. I never understood the hype about them. The whole experience is overrated.
A crash today in Texas was a good example of the danger
involved. Unfortunately, all 16 people were killed when the balloon went down.
In spite of the disaster, people will continue to have it on their bucket list.
3:25 pm edt
Friday, July 29, 2016
Save The Water
I got a robo-call today from
city hall asking me to conserve water in light of the recent drought. This summer has been very dry. There was a forecast
for rain today, but it never really happened. It was a joke with the amount we got. We need so much more.
This is the first call I ever received. Public reservoirs are low all around here. People need to
conserve. It remains to be seen if they do. It gets worse in other parts of the country, especially out west.
10:31 pm edt
Thursday, July 28, 2016
A Big Drain
Reading the Boston Globe e-paper
on my Samsung Notebook is a huge drain on the battery. I was lead to believe that the battery should drain about two thirds
before recharging. When I did that, it often took about 18 hours. If I let it go down one third, it can be 8-10.
Phones and tablets need a better battery. How much would
it cost? There must be a way to do this without driving up the price very much.
11:33 am edt
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Too Much Coffee
I'm not a coffee drinker.
My last cup was almost 20 years ago. I never understood the big thing about ice coffee. I think it's overpriced no matter
where you go.
Starbucks
and Dunkin Donuts announced that their sales are down from last year. It's easy to see why because they charge too much
money for a large cup of 24 or 32 fluid ounces.
Who really needs to drink a quart of ice coffee?
9:22 am edt
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Only The Handle
Accidents can happen at any
moment. Sometimes, our carelessness leads to them. I was part of that today at home when I knocked over a ceramic cup
and broke the handle.
The
rest of the cup was intact. The handle broke into four large pieces and many slivers. I plan to glue it back together, but
the handle will never be the same.
At
least I didn't break the entire cup.
6:46 pm edt
Monday, July 25, 2016
Losing Quarters
The Olympic Village at the
Rio Games seems like a disaster, based on the actions of the Australian Olympic Committee. After performing an inspection
of the site, they refused to house athletes there.
Issues about toilets, water damage and exposed wiring were mentioned. It remains to be seen whether
it will impact other nations. Over18,000 athletes will be housed there.
I have no doubt that the Village will cease to exist after the Games. A great deal of money was spent
on all of the facilities, but Olympic venues rarely have another life.
6:32 pm edt
Sunday, July 24, 2016
The Ten Cent Bag
There is no doubt that billions of plastic bags end up in
landfills. There is not a good system in place to recycle them. New York City is trying to put a tax in place.
I was in a book store in Cambridge today and was asked if
I wanted to spend ten cents for a plastic bag since they are no longer free.
The city passed a local law that allows retailers to keep the ten cents for each bag sold.
Cities and towns should not be allowed to pass local laws
like this. It should be decided on a state level.
I declined the offer as I was going directly to my car. Otherwise, I would have needed to buy one.
The next time I go to Cambridge, I'll make sure to bring my own bag.
10:13 pm edt
Saturday, July 23, 2016
The Public Wall
A friend of mine on Facebook
must be flattered that one of her friend's from a long time ago wants to go out with her. He wrote his thoughts
to her on her Facebook "wall". Rather than sending her a private message, he put it there for all to see.
Apparently, he realized his mistake and apologized, but
didn't know how to delete his comments. I saw the whole thing unfold. The woman finally deleted it, but not before a lot of
people saw his private comments.
People
need to know what they are doing on social media. This guy was a great example of not knowing. I'm sure he was embarrassed.
I have no idea if they are going on a date.
6:55 pm edt
Friday, July 22, 2016
Don't Ask For Advice
I will never understand
why people ask for advice on Facebook. I see it every day for a
variety of things. People should be prepared for stupid answers.
Today, someone was asking about whether or not they should buy a dog. The answers were very mixed.
Some encouraged her to watch a dog for a week or weekend. Another emphasized the commitment to vet bills, daily walks and
cleaning up after them.
If
someone is asking for advice on dogs, they should not buy one. It will end up in a shelter at some point because of their
bad decision.
1:54 pm edt
Thursday, July 21, 2016
The Most Popular Game
The Pokemom-Go craze is really
something. Until last night, I knew nothing about how the game is played. I never play games on my computer or phone.
Someone showed it to me on their phone. The game is very
creative, but I have no plans to ever play.
12:29 pm edt
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
The Inconsistent Price
Everyone says to eat more fish because of the health benefits.
There is no consistency when it comes to the price. I only buy it fresh, rather than previously frozen. You must believe
the labels.
The price is often outrageous, but I was able to pay $5.99
per pound for a piece of scrod yesterday. If I shop tomorrow, the price will probably be higher.
5:18 pm edt
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
No Holiday In August
With the exception of 2009, Massachusetts has held a sales
tax holiday since 2004. The state legislature selects one weekend in August for consumers to avoid paying a sales tax
on items purchased.
There
won't be one this year because of budget issues. The state ends up losing about $8 million in tax for the weekend. Retailers
are not happy about it, but the state is holding firm.
I always thought the whole thing was a farce. You either have a tax or you don't. Waiving the sales
tax is pandering to the public and retailers. People who want to purchase an item will do it, whether or not there
is a tax.
10:18 am edt
Monday, July 18, 2016
Won't Read The Book
I started to read a book review
about the influence of the Internet on the knowledge of people when it comes to civic affairs and geography. The examples
I read about geography made me stop reading the review.
Some people are so uniformed about the world around them. I find it disheartening when people can't
say who America fought in World War II.
I will never read this book because it would just aggravate me.
7:23 pm edt
Sunday, July 17, 2016
No Money Left Behind
I listen to some weekly financial
planning shows on the radio. They are entertaining because of some of the issues that come up from the host and people
who call in.
I find
it hard to believe that someone can forget about a 401k plan they had with a previous employer. Many people switch jobs
on a regular basis and apparently forget they have money in a plan, according to the host.
If people are that forgetful with their money, chances
are they need more than a financial planner.
10:52 am edt
Saturday, July 16, 2016
A Real Wreck
The Boston IndyCar race was a fiasco from the start. I
think Mayor Walsh made a big mistake in supporting it. The residents of the Seaport district were having it shoved down their
throat. It was going to be a big disruption over Labor Day weekend.
Once the plug was finally pulled, people who bought tickets were left wondering if they would ever
get a refund. The mayor was hoping that the race could be held in the future.
Hopefully, Boston is done with foolish ideas like this.
2:03 pm edt
Friday, July 15, 2016
Paying Extra Taxes
People who smoke, drink alcohol, drive cars or play the
lottery all pay a voluntary tax to the state. This is a great way to lessen the burden on others. It comes down to being a
"user's tax".
Back
in September of 2013, the Massachusetts state legislature imposed a three cent per gallon increase on gasoline to fund road
and bridge repairs. It has raised $257 million so far.
Smokers were hit with a $1 per pack tax increase which poured another $285 million into the state
treasury. The 15% of the public who smoke complained about it, but there is nothing they can do.
This was a great novelty idea to raise another $542 million
without effecting everyone. Lottery players and drinkers also help the cause.
2:45 pm edt
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Duck Boats and Pedestrians
Another person was run over
by a duck boat in Boston. A previous fatal accident involving a scooter driver has shined the light on these vehicles
that don't belong on the streets.
The
analysis of the latest accident showed the inability of the driver to see everything that is in front of them because of a
blind spot.
Politicians
will mumble about the safety issue, but the duck boats get too much of a break when it comes to their accident record.
More people will be struck, but nothing will be done.
11:40 pm edt
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Let's Not Go To The Beach
Yesterday was the annual swim
in the Charles River near the Hatch Shell. I can't believe people actually went swimming in that body of water.
There is talk about establishing a beach there. Who really
wants to swim in the Charles River? The people who did it yesterday were there for a variety of reasons.
I can't imagine that place becoming a family recreational
area.
11:21 am edt
Monday, July 11, 2016
Cheaper Plan
When it comes to cell phones,
we all spend too much money on our plans. I finally did something about it today.
The
change in my data plan will save me $20 per month. It's not much, but it's a way to get the bill down.
11:34 pm edt
Sunday, July 10, 2016
The Misisng Ones
Every professional ballpark and stadium has an "Empty
Seat" dedicated to the POW/MIA's. I sat near the one at Fenway Park today.
It's hard to believe that there are 92,000 American service members unaccounted for since World War I. As
a nation, we need to do everything to bring them back no matter how long it takes.
It's great to see when the remains of a missing one
are finally returned home. We will never find everyone, but we can't stop looking for them.
9:07 pm edt
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Boston Fake Story
I never read novels or any work of fiction. They
don't do anything for me. The time I have for reading must be spent wisely.
I can't believe that somebody wrote a novel based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The plot seems
rather silly because it's all made up. It's only a matter of time before more works of fiction get written about that day.
Movies are coming out soon about the event. I have no plans to ever see them. Hollywood will
distort the real story. They always do.
11:39 am edt
Friday, July 8, 2016
Money Up In Smoke
I did a comedy show last night at a cigar bar. I was there
about a month ago. I was surprised with the reasonable quality of the air inside. The place has a huge air filtration system.
My clothing didn't smell after.
I
will never understand why people pay good money to smoke tobacco products. Their danger is known to all. This place was selling
some pretty expensive cigars.
Smoking
one of them is the same as lighting your money on fire.
1:42 am edt
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Who Wrote It?
Several high-profile journalists seem
to be very prolific writers. They mention the people that helped them with research and fact checking. Their books are a product
of several people.
I
always wonder about books that involve ghost writers or "as told to". This happens with many professional athletes.
The book would never be written without assistance from outside sources, but the athlete or celebrity often gets all the credit.
A number of writers make a good living as ghost writers.
They know their role and where their pay check comes from. I think it's very important to clarify who wrote it.
6:16 pm edt
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Trash In Space
It doesn't matter where
it is, but humans will pollute whatever they come in contact with. It could be the ocean, beaches, rivers, lakes, mountains
or anywhere else.
There
is a serious problem in outer space according to the book; "Space Junk". There are so many orbiting pieces
of debris that they pose a major problem to satellites and the International Space Station. Future space travel by private
citizens is in jeopardy.
It's
amazing how much stuff has been left on the moon. It's a problem with no easy solution.
1:19 pm edt
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Loud Library Talkers
Public libraries are trying
to redefine their mission in today's Internet age. My local one has plenty of computers for patrons.
Apparently, they are no longer a quiet place. While I was
there today, a man with a loud voice held a conversation with one of the workers. He was being assisted by her, but made
no effort to keep his voice down.
I
never like to hear another conversation. Some people have no problem with sharing their private talks with the rest of the
world. A library should be a quiet place.
6:10 pm edt
Monday, July 4, 2016
Not Ready To Clam Up
Yesterday was the 100 year
anniversary of the debut of the fried clam according to local lore. It's not a big story for me. I'm not a big fan of fried
clams.
I have tried
them only a few times in my life and will never understand what the big deal is about them.
Not too many doctors will recommend eating more fried clams
dipped in butter. It's not the healthiest thing to have in your diet.
I never thought I was missing anything by not indulging in them.
12:07 pm edt
Sunday, July 3, 2016
They Have Drive
I watched a story on the local news about a mother and daughter
who drove 2,000 to attend the 4th of July concert in Boston. It was one of the mother's goals in life after watching
the event on television for years.
I
admire her determination, but I wouldn't drive that far. It's a nice event, but extremely crowded. The weather can always
be a factor.
There
is no way I could ever ride in a car for 2,000 miles. It would take me several days to do it.
9:58 am edt
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Be Careful With That Song
Leave it to a newspaper columnist to cause controversy with the song, "God Bless
America". They play it at most big league ballparks. It's one
of those post 9/11 things.
He said the song should be retired because of its
lyrics. He did a deep analysis of them to prove his point. I understand what he is trying to say, but you can't do anything
these days without offending somebody.
6:58 pm edt
Friday, July 1, 2016
Pay The State
It's mid-afternoon and the
traffic is already horrendous. Backups are being measured in miles. Rt 95 in New Hampshire is especially bad. That doesn't
surprise me.
The state
needs to charge travelers a $2 toll each way. It doesn't matter if everything comes to a stop. The state must have their
money.
2:16 pm edt