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                          Lao-tzu Chinese philosopher ( 604-531 B.C. )

Start of the New York City Marathon

Nov 1, 2015 

At the finish line



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  Random Thoughts About Things

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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 

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