A Star Is Born?

July 12, 2018

A music festival in Finland is offering free shuttle rides—provided that the rider sings for the driver the entire time. When the singing stops, so does the ride.

The point is to demonstrate how quiet electric cars are—the engines aren’t louder than your singing.

Possible Unintended Consequence: Maybe a new singing sensation will be discovered.

Stop Selling Yourself (or Your Characters) Short

July 8, 2018

I keep reading books in which the heroine describes herself as short. What irritates me is that they mention it like it’s a character flaw or a disfigurement—or a handicap to landing the job or the hunk of their dreams.

And some of these self-described “short” women are 5 feet, 4 inches tall!

I’m 5 feet 3, and I’ve never felt short, unless I was trying to reach a tall shelf. But to hear these women describe themselves, they got short-changed in the physical attractiveness sweepstakes, and in their ability to succeed. It irritates me every time.

Then it hit me: The characters are comparing themselves supermodels. They don’t feel like they’re going to hit the big-time unless they’re 5’7” or taller. It makes me wonder about the authors, frankly.

Great news, Ladies—and Heads Up, Authors: In the 1960’s, the average height for a U.S. woman was 5’3” (average weight, 140, just as an FYI). Today it’s 5’4”.

So quit whining, Book Characters: You’re fine.

She's Lucky They Only Complained

July 6, 2018

A woman wrote to Miss Manners, asking how to respond to friends who thanked her for the theater tickets she gave them as a present, but who said that they wished the seats had been closer to the stage.

Miss Manners gave her usual amusing reply: Tell your friends that you won't be running the risk of disappointing them again.

I think that, in this day and age, the gift-giver is lucky that the friends didn’t call the box office and help themselves to an upgrade on her credit card.

What's a Person to Do?

July 5, 2018

In yet another blow to fair play for the un-moneyed, and to common sense, a court ruled that a woman was responsible for paying her monthly rent, even when part of her ceiling was in her bathtub and the landlord wasn’t making the necessary repairs.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the tenant had improperly withheld payment, even though the landlord was slow to fix the problem, and the tenant had to stay in a hotel for several nights (on her dime).

What did they want her to do?

I’m picturing her shoveling the celling debris out of the bathtub in order to take a shower. Would she wear a helmet in case more of the ceiling fell in as she was showering? Would she have to keep the debris on the premises to prove her case?

Would the hotel give her a special, “Oh, we know how these landlords are” rate so she could pay them AND her rent while she was waiting for her apartment to become habitable? Somehow, I doubt it.

Go, Missouri. Keep proving to your citizens that they don’t matter.

I Hope He Was Planning to Leave a Big Tip

June 21, 2018

An Arkansas man was arrested for using a stolen credit card at a restaurant.

He should have been more careful: The card he was using had been stolen from his waitress a few days earlier.

Unlikely Collaborations

June 16, 2018

From the U. S. to the Catholic Church:

Here’s the deal: We will not break up families as they immigrate. You will stop forbidding birth control, which will allow parents to have smaller families and give them a better chance of supporting them in their native countries.

From the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, which is losing members, to a televangelist:

Want to come and do our marketing?



June 18, 2018

From people who wear expensive clothing to Workers’ Rights advocates:

Let’s make sure that the manufacturers pay the garment workers a decent wage.

That will drive up prices; then our clothes will be so expensive that only a select few can afford them. And the world will know how truly exclusive we are.

From gun control advocates to the NRA:

Let’s all lobby to make sure that any state legislature that won’t pass gun-control laws must allow visitors to have guns in the state capitol while the legislature is in session.

Food, Drink, and Community Service

June 13, 2018

I’m used to businesses donating money to sponsor this and that for name recognition; but these two businesses caught my eye because what they’re doing is not only helpful, but makes so much sense:

Country Time Lemonade is paying for permits and legal fees for kids under 14 who operate lemonade stands. They thought that the stories of kids getting fined for not having permits were an urban myth; but, distressingly, the stories are true. So Country Time will pay up to $300 for fees or fines for the young entrepreneurs.

Domino’s Pizza is helping pay for repairs to potholes to avoid “letting bad roads ruin good pizza.” They’re accepting nominations on where to repair the potholes, so contact them ASAP. (Chicago Citizens: A ride to Midway Airport lingers in my memory because of the number and size of the potholes on the way. Call Domino’s. Call them now!)

Now THAT’S the kind of community involvement I can appreciate!