Pace Yourself it is a Marathon

I recently saw a post on a friend's Facebook page worried about Black Lives Matter disrupting a marathon. meh. It may not be the political ring that BLM wants to throw their hat into, but I sure would like to see the 3Ks, 5Ks, 10Ks, half and full marathons moved away from businesses and commercial areas, politically or not.

It is disruptive to business in the area that are trying to make money, and can not conduct regular business due to road closures and parking bans.

I know the participants of these races will say they bring business to towns and cities, but they really don't. Besides my first hand knowledge, I have talked to other business owners and they see no up tick in the registers. Some have even reported less in registers including restaurants.

What? I know what you are thinking they are on the road and need places to dine and shop, but consider this...runners come into town with their special diets and eating less pre-race and few stay afterwards as they are drained and just want to go home. This does not fill the registers of eateries, just the tables. Runners are also known to not run big bar tabs, which make money for these businesses. Unless you are a specialty shop catering to apparel and needs of runners, your business will not see any benefit from the race.

The athletes simply take up space and time, not allowing a more valuable customer to use a business, on top of blocking roads and taking away parking spaces.

So move these races out of the town and city centers, into the rural less congested areas, creating less of a strain on business.

Random Mutterings Vol. 9, Chapter 24

I have been busy this month, seems as if I don't have a moment to myself, and it looks like no break in the action for a while...come on October.

• The Pope is visiting and it seems that the uber-bible-thumbing-gun-toting-psuedo-patriots on the conservative side have their panties in a twist. Didn't the bible state that Jesus threw the money changers out? (I think that is one of the passages we are supposed to ignore.) 
• The 'stache is going great, trying to extend it on the sides, so going through a little change and grooming practices. Wider and longer here we come...
• There are too many dogmatic people in my life, and they just don't get it, seem to care, care to change, or are willing to learn. Maybe I am just more aware of it because of the obviousness of the first bullet in this post.
  
• In the sports world, some decisions have been lately that just blow my mind (see Tom Brady and Patriots, and recent red card of Gibriel for a confrontation with Diego Costa). At least the FA had the sense to review tape and suspend Costa for his punk actions (3 games, hear that Mr. Brady?). The NHL is doing the right thing in the handling of the charges against Kane and waiting to see the outcome of the allegations and system (which has turned into a cluster___).

Well that is all for now.

Apple v. Android: A Cage Match

I have been a fan and have used Apple products since their introduction in the mid 80s. They are a well design and built product. I like their operating system, ease of use and durability. I have had several desktops, laptops, iPods, and an iPad, but I have never been impressed with the iPhone.

Now I was late to jump on the "smart phone" bandwagon. I didn't need it, I had a laptop and an iPad, so why did I need a mobile device to do anything but make phone calls, and send and receive texts (and the camera is a nice extra). The cell service industry finally forced me into a smart phone as they have used their oligarchy control of the industry and phased out basic cell phones. {FYI: I use less than .25 gigs of data service a month}

I did my research when I had to make the jump, and I am not going to go into the battle of which is better, you can google that and decide for yourselves. I went with an Android phone based solely on price and availability with my cell service provider.

Since using an Android phone and an Apple computer, there has been a couple times that they have been connected. I have found that the Apple laptop can read just about everything on the Android phone and can even back-up files. The Android does not like to take anything from the Apple laptop (pictures, documents, calendars) and constantly gives me messages to this fact.

Which now brings me to the cage match I witnessed last night. I forgot to bring a charger for the phone (house sitting), but found a cable that would connect between the phone and the laptop. Phew, or so I thunk. Connected them and went to sleep. Woke this morning to find my cell phone completely dead. Not a single spark in the battery. I guess my Apple laptop tried to kill the Android phone by using it as a back-up power source. Well played Apple....

The Android phone is on life support and slowly recovering from its near death experience, and I have learned a lesson.

I am Calling BS...

Aesop's Fables have always been a favorite of mine, but the other day I saw something that got me wondering and now I am calling bull$#!+ on one of the fables.

That fable is the story of the Fox and the Grapes.

You know the one. A hungry fox trying to get grapes to feed himself and quench his thirst. Finally giving up and being spiteful saying they were probably sour anyways. Great lesson.

Then I read an article that grapes are poisonous to dogs. Are not dogs and foxes both in the Canidae family? So wouldn't grapes also be toxic to foxes? Why does the fox want grapes if he knows they are toxic? And they have not survived this long in nature without knowing what is good for them and what is not. Aesop is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

I know I am going to leave some of you with the taste of sour grapes exposing this impossibility in traditional folklore, but it is better to know the truth and be hurt then to live the lie.

Well I know I will be able to sleep tonight....

More Casual Thoughts...

As the summer crumbles to a halt, more things come to mind. Here are some...

• As we head into Labor Day Weekend, just remember that stores are set up for the Christmas assault starting on Tuesday. So grab a pumpkin spice latte and start shopping. Maybe Ugg boots and Lulu Lemon are having a sale.

  

  Does this get rid of pumpkin spice?

• Hoping that the Donald will run as a third party candidate, splitting the GOP vote, and ensuring a continued economic resurgence and recovery.
• My daughter has a charmed life as the past two weekends she has been dined (by me) at two of the finest seafood restaurants in CT. It may continue this weekend with fresh tuna caught in the local waters. Poor child...
• Back in the classroom, I had a student that was off task and distracting the rest of the students, I sent them on an errand to another teacher looking for left handed pencils. Got the class back on track and gave the student a chance to walk and gather their composure. Maybe using this technique again.

Enough for now, stayed informed and tune in next time.