Friday, May 31, 2019
Leaking All This Time
During World Was II, German U-boats sunk over 148 tankers
and other ships off the East coast.
One
tanker near Southampton, Long Island has been leaking oil. When it sank in 1942, it had two million gallons of it. So far,
they have drained 62,000 gallons.
How
much has leaked? How much is left? Nobody really knows.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
That PC
Is my computer too old at this point? It goes back to 2013
which is so long ago.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Can't Jump The Bridge
Life is full of bad
decisions. Some of them have very dire consequences.
Two men in Louisiana thought they could imitate the famous scene in the "Blues Brothers" movie where
they drove a car up and over an opening draw bridge.
It worked out great in the movie, but in real life, the car failed to make it to the other size and promptly
sank with the occupants inside.
It
was a sad ending for two lives. What were they thinking?
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Only On Sunday
It should be quite a scene in Times Square on Sunday, June
23rd when daredevil Nik Wallenda attempts a 1,300 foot high-wire walk 25 stories about the streets of Manhattan.
His sister will start walking from the other end before they meet somewhere in the middle.
It will take place during a two hour live TV broadcast. Unspecified safety measures will be in place.
The Wallenda family has done amazing feats, but this one
should be very challenging with all of the distractions in Times Square.
Monday, May 27, 2019
Swiming Too Far Out
You never want to hear the story of a 65 year old guy who
was killed by a shark in Hawaii.
He was swimming very far from the shore when he was attacked.
It ended very badly. You can't trust the water these days.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
It Got Hot
After all the rain in the last several weeks, we had a hot
one today by a lot of standards.
It
will only get warmer. People need to realize that.
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Whiten Them Up
I am trying tooth whitening
strips for the first time with a ten day set.
They feel a little awkward in my mouth. I can see why they tell you not to eat or drink during the 30 minutes
of using them. They also create a lot of saliva.
We shall see how they work in ten days.
Friday, May 24, 2019
Crazy Everest
Hikers spend enormous
amounts of money to scale to the summit of Mt Everest.
This year only 380 permits were issued, but that didn't stop 320 of them for trying to get to the top all
at once
Some spent too much time there and had trouble climbing down. They developed breathing problems and
died.
So far, 17 have perished this season with 7 in the last
week.
That is so unacceptable, but those who get a permit freely
go into this and accept the potential consequences. They wouldn't have it any other way.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Tale Of The Vape
The e-cigarette and vaping industry has exploded in recent
years. Kids under 21 prefer them over cigarettes.
One of the biggest companies has been running radio ads advocating to change the age of purchasing the products
from 18 to 21.
It seems like just a public relations ploy. So much of their
business comes from kids. They don't want the cash faucet to shut off. It's easier to make a little noise about raising the
age, but they will be sorry if it happens.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
The Air Was Free
I was surprised when I left around 7:15 this morning to
see the low tire pressure light on. My left rear tire needed ten pounds of air.
This has happened in the past during times of extreme temperature shifts and humidity levels. It's a product
of the tech cars of today.
I
was shocked to get free air at a local gas station. Never expected that.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Gambling On Less Revenue
Every state with casino gambling always ends up
with too many facilities that fail to live up to their revenue projection.
We are seeing that here in Massachusetts with the two already open and the $2.6 billion Encore Casino
in Everett scheduled to host customers by the end of June.
The Wynn Company is now engaged in talks to sell it to MGM Grand which owns the one in Springfield.
Massachusetts law only allows for one license per entity. MGM would need to sell in order to complete the transaction.
Mohegan Sun in Connecticut tried to get a license in western Mass at the time, but they lost
out to MGM. They have been taking a hit on their revenue since then. What would they do with Springfield?
It seems a little late in the game for this action. The Gambling Commission would need to
approve any decision. Meanwhile, the city of Everett and the 5,000 potential employees are waiting to see what will happen.
No matter the outcome, gambling revenue will remain stagnant. There are only so many dollars
out there. It's a very hard industry to grow.
Monday, May 20, 2019
The Dangerous Trail
Those who hike along
the Appalachian Trail really take a personal safety risk.
That was emphasized the other day after the story of an attack on a group of hikers which resulted in the
death of one.
Some guy with a history of mental issues decided to attack
the group while they camped overnight.
I
could never sleep in the wilderness. I would spend all night worried about the wildlife and getting attacked by someone crazy.
It's amazing how many people complete this hike on the own or with others.
Sunday, May 19, 2019
They Just React
Social media gives some people
an opportunity to react before knowing all of the facts or asking questions.
Yesterday afternoon, a car struck a utility pole and knocked out power for a few thousand customers.
It was restored after about an hour.
That didn't stop a local resident from going on a community Facebook page and bashing National Grid for the
disruption on a beautiful spring day.
If they had scrolled though the page, they would have seen a notification from the local police about the
incident. People were also posting about an accident being the cause.
Saturday, May 18, 2019
They Want Our Rain
People who complain
about the rainy spring around here should feel embarrassed in light of the 30 tornadoes in the mid-west today.
There might be more tomorrow. Some have been very destructive. So far people are safe, but
that can change real fast.
I'm sure those people wouldn't mind having our weather
this spring.
Friday, May 17, 2019
The Price Is Higher
The city of Lowell is still trying to determine whether
to build a new high school or renovate the existing one.
Available land to build on is a challenging issue. The cost continues to climb, no matter which plan is selected.
The price of the renovation is $346 million at this point. Any estimate is usually wrong. A new school
will cost more, but the price keeps getting higher.
You should be able to build quite a new school for $346 million, but public projects never work out that way.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
They Say It's Healthy
You can try to eat healthy, but
it's easy to get off track even trying to eat the "healthy menu" at restaurants.
How is the food prepared?
Everyone makes their own decisions on what they eat. It varies person to person.
For some people, they can eat anything they want without a negative effect on their health.
How do they
do that?
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
It Went Down Fast
The news had a story and video of a helicopter crashing
after taking off in Manhattan.
Fortunately,
only the pilot was on board. He suffered minor injuries, along with a worker near the landing area. He was refueling and repositioning
the aircraft before it suddenly went down.
I have never flown in one and have no desire. There are too many things that can go wrong.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Watch Out For Bricks
People in cities should
feel comfortable walking on a sidewalk without fear of being struck by falling pieces of a building.
Last week, a Boston resident was struck by bricks that became loose from a facade.
It's almost
impossible to check every building to determine their structural integrity. The burden is on the owners who often look the
other way in order to cut costs.
It
might not end well the next time it happens.
Monday, May 13, 2019
For The Future
The weather always gets the top billing on the local news
stations. After the opening headlines, they give some time to the weather person who does a quick tease.
We have gone from having a forecast to a "future cast". That name got a life on its own
in recent years.
So many stations use it now. No matter what they call it,
they are not always accurate.
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Summer 2019 Is Too Hot
People waste too much
time commenting about the weather.
There
is nothing anyone can ever do about it. You never want to see a natural disaster, but a rainy day isn't that bad. It rains
this time of the year.
It's only a matter of time before they complain about a hazy, hot and humid day in the summer of
2019.
Saturday, May 11, 2019
How To Ruin It
Building a tramway in
the Grand Canyon is a terrible idea. It keeps resurfacing every few years. It's back again to take up space in the news cycle.
It would be an environmental disaster to build this.
We need to protect the canyon from ourselves.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Losing From The Start
Companies that only
lose money are never a good investment. Ride share companies Uber and Lyft are now being publicly traded.
Since their initial IPO, both stocks have gone down in price. Neither company has ever shown a profit.
This should
be a signal to investors, but many think they know something that others don't.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
How To Waste $6.9 Billion
The Olympic Games cost
too much money. The cost far outweighs any future economic benefit for the host city.
Los Angeles has increased the estimated price by $700 million to a new figure of $6.9 billion.
It's a crazy amount for an event that lasts only two weeks. Venues will get built and demolished
after.
There is one thing certain about the Games in LA. They will
never get done for $6.9 billion. Nobody can predict the final price.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Too Many Stopped
While I was driving
on a state highway today, I saw what I thought was an accident. Cars were stopped on both sides of the road. I slowed down,
expecting the worst.
It turns out it was two stray dogs. Well intentioned people
created a dangerous situation. They were all trying to corral one of the dogs.
Meanwhile, they scared the other dog into the road in front of my car. I jammed on my brakes and everything
on my passenger seat went flying onto the floor.
People need to be careful whenever they stop in traffic, especially along a state highway.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Only Half Decided
A local regional school district comprised of three towns
voted to spend $146.3 million to build a new junior and senior high school.
Although the building cost will be paid mostly by the state, residents will see an increase in their property
tax.
In a sign of the times, the town with the largest turnout
of voters could only get 53% of them to the polls. Overall, about 50% of them decided the issue.
I'm sure people had their reason for not casting a vote, but they should not complain about the final
decision.
Voter participation in America is terrible. People have
no right to complain if they don't cast a ballot.
Monday, May 6, 2019
Nothing Good Happens At That Hour
The Encore Casino in Everett wants to be able to serve drinks
until 4am for those patrons on the gambling floor.
This sounds like a bad idea from the start. Critics say that it will be mostly patrons who only want to keep
drinking after the regular 2am closing for bars in the area.
It would be one thing if everyone was staying at the site, but people will be getting behind the wheel of
their car to drive home.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is evaluating the request
and will issue a ruling shortly. No matter what they decide, there will be those who are unhappy.
As they say, nothing good happens after 2am.
Sunday, May 5, 2019
They Won't Be Around When It Happens
I have been a member of the National Trust For Historic
Preservation for over ten years. It only costs $20 annually.
They have a great magazine that discusses preservation issues of various buildings. I enjoy reading it cover
to cover.
I knew that a building had to be at least 50 years old to
get landmark status. An article explained the process where the architect cannot be living. It can only be done after their
death.
At first, I thought it was a hard stance, but it was done
so that nobody could get a free marketing boost or a pat on the back. It was also to have the building looked at in comparison
to their overall body of work.
It makes sense.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Maybe In 2023
It was not a surprise to hear that the MBTA's new
$700 million electronic toll collection program faces a big delay. Numerous
issues will keep it from happening until at least 2021.
As it stands now, many riders on the commuter rail lines never get their tickets checked. The system
looses money daily from them.
Last year, I took the Green Line from Riverside to Boston
College using a Charlie Card. The system never deducted the return ride from my balance. I still have a free trip, but in
no hurry to use it.
If they ever get the system in place, I hope they are able
to collect fares from everyone. There is so much money lost annually.
Getting faster and more frequent service is another story.
Friday, May 3, 2019
Wasting Time On Field trips
It's that time of year again for students of all
ages to take wasteful field trips.
They like them because it's a day out of the
classroom. Most trips are of dubious educational value.
I think it was great that a group of local 4th-6th graders attended a STEM presentation in Boston
yesterday, but what does that have to do watching an early afternoon Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park?
At least they sat in the cheap seats and kept the cost down for their family.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Few Do The Most
I have a Twitter account, but have never tweeted. I follow
a number of different public individuals from the political and sports world.
There is so much over the top stuff on the social media platform. It's hard to make sense of it all.
A recent study reported that the top 10% of the tweeters produce 80% of the tweets, while the bottom
90% of tweeters only do 20% of them.
Most
people just sit on the sidelines and watch the craziness.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Help Wanted In Paris
The French government is determined to rebuild the fire-ravaged
Notre Dame Cathedral within five years. Will it happen by then?
The reality is setting in over the shortage of skilled labor to carry out this task. They need at least 100
stone cutters, 100 masons, 150 carpenters and 200 roofers.
Some of this work is so specialized that the current labor force might not have the necessary skills from
another era.
