Mid-2019 Blog Topics

Middle of 2019 Blog Topics

Bring the Penny Back To Life

Let's imagine that the entire U.S. currency system were revamped so that all dollar amounts (wages, prices, bank accounts, credit card balance and debts, etc.) were cut to ten percent of what they used to be all in one fell swoop.

The change is big enough that anyone will be able to distinguish an old dollar amount from a new dollar amount so everyone will make the conversion punctually.

Then, instead of scrapping and melting down all of those pennies, the pennies will become a very useful part of the monetary system, each worth what a dime is worth in today's monetary system. Paper one dollar bills, that wear out so quickly because of high usage, will be used for what ten dollar bills are used for now and will last longer. More vending machines and bus fare boxes will not need to handle paper currency because coins will cover the value of items/fares up to what is now ten dollars.

The World Will End

"Some say the world will end in fire. Some say in ice. (Robert Frost, no pun intended)

Some high ranking Democrats were saying that the world will end in twelve years.

There are many skeptics including most Republicans. But if the word fails to end in eleven years and eleven months, then the Democrats will round up marauders and rogues and terrorists and send them into cities and out into the countryside to use the last month to make the world end.

Old question for men: Boxers or briefs:

New question for men (and also women): Fold in half wallet or fold in thirds wallet?

Cell Phones Help In Diagnosis Of Skin Cancer

New methods have been developed to allow persons to quickly take selfie-like pictures of suspected skin cancer areas for analysis. There are apps, downloaded into the phone, that can perform some preliminary analysis.

Similar apps could be developed to detect child abuse. Schools would be a good place to photograph students at strategic times, say, once or twice a year. The apps would compare the pictures and point out differences that might be due to child abuse injuries.

Unfortunately the second set of procedures and associated apps might be regarded as an invasion of privacy and therefore not gain popularity.

Another Mortgage Meltdown Coming?

The primary reason for the big mortgage meltdown of the turn of the century was usury on the part of mortgage lenders.

If we get another similar financial crisis, the first step should be to require that the banks and financial institutions accept somewhat less than a full payoff of bad debts.

Breakfast With Alligators

(AOL News) (Two) St. Petersburg, Florida residents said they found the body between bushes along Lake Maggiore's southeastern bank. The two had been eating breakfast in the area when they noticed something floating in the water and surrounded by approximately 10 alligators.

"I saw an alligator take a chunk out of the body, throw it up in the air, and catch it and eat it," (one) said. "I had to go back to the car after that. I couldn't watch it any more."

Police later identified the body as belonging to a 16 year old who had been released from a juvenile detention facility.

Guess the alligators were having breakfast\, too.

Wayfair

Wayfair made news a few years ago when they did not want to collect sales tax for other states where they sold furniture etc. to via mail orders or via on line orders.

More recently over 500 of their Boston employees walked off the job because the company sold furniture to the U.S. government.

I would give the employees a one time partial forgiveness by having them accept a disciplinary fine of about 3 percent of their weekly pay (a little over one hour's worth). Future incidents would result in being fired.

Here is a good idea, but probably not legal when dealing with hourly workers in Boston. Just this one time, let the workers come in on Saturday, when it is raining, to make up an hour in exchange for enjoying the sunny Wednesday afternoon for an extra hour after lunch break.

No Toothpaste

Protesters have been complaining that children held in detention facilities at the U.S. southern border did not have toothpaste.

Meanwhile, if the facility did not give out doughnuts and ice cream bars and sugary soft drinks then the need for toothpaste would be less urgent.

No America

Pop singer Cher issued a dire warning that if Trump wins a second term then there will be no America.

I hate to have to say that if Trump does not win a second term then there will be no America. Without Trump there will be broad based confiscation of guns and weapons. Without Trump there will be less law enforcement to protect the average citizen. In turn this will lead to increased crime. Without Trump there will be increased sales tax and other taxes on even relatively low income Americans. Without Trump there may be cheaper medical care but there will be less of it leading to long waiting lines.

Misfortune In A Foreign Land

Sometimes it is hard to have sympathy for someone who seemed to have been unfamiliar with the culture and got into trouble.

1. A coworker from France, on a year long temporary job, came in one morning, upset that he had his drivers license suspended. He then admitted he had had is license suspended before, back in France.

2. Another coworker said she took a taxi while on vacation and got swindled and overcharged by the driver. That happened in her hometown, Hong Kong.

3. A well known now retired ball player was on vacation, perhaps continuing the celebration of his team's World Series victory. He was shot and severely injured in a nightclub, in his home town in the Dominican Republic.

Automobile Gripes

1. Difficult to set the dashboard clock; it always ends up almost a minute fast or almost a minute slow.

2. Can't tell if the dome light needs to be pushed again to turn it off. Honestly, if it is lit when you press it (any number of times) it really should go off when you get out and lock the door.

3. Dirt and squished bugs, on the windshield go down into the air vent along with the washer fluid where it can develop odors or leak inside.

Let's Change the Rules

For any sport: A team should be able to call for an instant replay even if there was no call or penalty. This would reduce controversy over situations where a penalty should have been called. The usual rules for instant replay, such as consumption of a time out, will apply.

For baseball: If the infield fly rule applies and a fielder misses what should be a sure catch then that fielder should be charged with an error and play limited to retiring the batter at first base..

For dodge ball played by children through middle school or junior high: If a player hits an opponent's head the thrower should be out and the player hit should not be out. Refinement: A player may intentionally "head" the ball (a common soccer play) to put the thrower out.

High State Officials

I am referring specifically to Massachusetts' governor Charlie Baker and former acting governor Jane Swift although this could apply to anyone. How many times do /did they commute between their principal residence and the state house not accompanied by sirens or flashing lights?

Last updated August 14, 2019

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