Dear Media

Attention news people: Be more specific! Telling me there was a natural disaster or man-made tragedy in Florida or California isn't telling me enough. These are big states! Give me a city or at least a county. Just because it didn't happen in my state doesn't mean I don't care about the rest of them. (I notice this never happens when you're talking about New York. I always get the details if something happens there.)

How else do you expect me to learn/or care?

Crazy or Just Oblivious?

It's time to play nobody's favorite game..."Crazy or Bluetooth Oblivious?"

Here's how it works: When you see someone walking down the street, talking a little too loudly with no cell phone in sight, don't you wonder what's up with that? Are they talking to imaginary people or just unaware of everything and everyone else in the world except the voice coming out of that thing in their ear?

I don't know for sure but I have learned one thing. If they're speaking another language, a recognizable one, they're probably legitimately talking to another actual person. If it's English, it's still anyone's guess.

The Beginning of the End of Something Significant

As first reported by Advertising Age apparently, two major magazines that are still in print are doing the unthinkable: Allowing advertising on the cover. Here are the details...

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/17158039-time-magazine-and-sports-illustrated-to-print-ads-on-their-covers

The natural argument again this policy is a little weak considering the ad is so small, you'd have to actively look for it to find it. In fact, it looks almost too unobtrusive to possibly be effective.

Still, the fact that this is now becoming an acceptable practice speaks volumes. To me, it says that profits are king and that nothing - not integrity or principle or a goal of transparency - will come before them. When did money become the only thing of value in society?

Farmers Market Etiquette?

I love the free samples at the neighborhood farmer's markets. Recently, I visited a booth I'd not been to before where a woman was selling her rugelach, which I love. Usually. The nice lady offered me a sample which I gratefully accepted.

It was horrible.

The woman, the baker herself I'm assuming, asked me how it was. What should I have said? Does it make sense to lie and be polite, never informing the woman that she's making a dreadful tasting product and that she should change the recipe immediately? Who does that serve?

So I lied. And I'll probably do it again.

Is George Clooney Dying?

I can come to no other logical conclusion to explain his recent engagement. He will be missed.

Peninsular Life

Only in the Bay area, where you pay thousands of dollars a month to live anywhere, can you describe your residence this way: You know the bushes on the corner where that lady in the wheelchair sleeps when she's not yelling? Yeah, I live across the street, INSIDE the building.

And no view.

Better Breeding

It's 2014, people. And scientists. They have bred the "string" out of string beans. That's remarkable.

Now, why can't they breed out of dogs the toxicity of chocolate, grapes and garlic so I don't have to worry about accidentally poisoning my pup?