Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Sequestering - Whatever That Means

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is in charge of the state parks but it appears they also have another duty that recently surfaced with the “Storm of the century” - they also are in charge of clearing the snow from the State House. The DCR doesn’t do it but contracts the work out with the requirement it must be removed - yes, removed - within 12 hours. A spokesperson was not able to tag a dollar figure but my assumption is this is not exactly a low end deal.
I go to state parks quite frequently since I am a trail runner. Franklin is a great one but it has been deserted for years - funding. Massasoit is bare bones. Ames Nowell is essentially closed. Borderland is maintained rather well as is Myles Standish but both still have minimal services. But the snow gets plowed for the State House - no - gets REMOVED! So the politicians get a spiffy reserved and clean space while the Hoi Polloi get a stripped down state park.
My wife - The Lovely Cynthia - and I travel quite frequently. Local day trips, a few night getaways and longer trips of extended stays but we have never been on a cruise. Every time we think about it something in the news convinces us to stay away and Carnival has managed to do just that. Probably the only thing we’d try is an elegant river cruise in Europe. Elegant means too expensive
.
The first day of spring training and two Red Sox players already have a slight physical problem and another (Felix Doubront) shows up looking like a blimp.
According to The Herald the number of state employees receiving a six figure salary has gone up 12% in one year….and Patrick wants 1.9B in new taxes?
As Howie Carr calls it “The Boring Broadsheet” is now for sale at about 10% of what the NY Times bought it for. The Globe use to be the paper of record but it is now a shell of its former self - a larger version of The Brockton Enterprise.
Tesla Motors may finally be turning the fiscal corner on profitability. Their electric is amazing - especially the price. The roadster can easily (and quietly) go 0-60 in under four seconds but the price tag is north of $100,000.
When I start up trail running after the defrosting takes place I’ll probably need a chain saw. A real mess in the woods.
My daughter just returned from a trip to the Azores and loved it.
The Chinese are hacking into our computer systems but the bust to do is to spam them to death.
The authorities closed down a “massage parlor” in West Bridgewater since it was a front for prostitution. There were local and state police, Homeland Security and ICE involved in this operation. Amazing use of resources.
Returning home Monday AM there was multiple wrecks on I-495. The State Police were siphoning off traffic onto R105 to connect to the rotary for a bypass but didn’t have anyone at the lights directing traffic. Not sure whose responsibility it was but the smart thing would be having someone at the junction of R28 and R105 to get that push on since virtually all were taking a left hand turn. Fortunately I was going to the right and had a clear lane. Just another example of the simple things not being done.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

No More Snow

Middleboro seems to be at the focal point of “Middle Earth” all too often. The latest is a machete wielding significant other of an arson suspect.
In Brockton - the garden spot of Southeastern Massachusetts - a pig has been sent to a gulag in Halifax thanks to its propensity to escape and wander the streets. On its last venture it was propositioned three times before animal control captured it.
Now that Xmas trees no longer represent a significant collection issue maybe Mr. Bagas can sent the trucks over to Auburn Street for a clean up? I would suggest several very, very large trucks.
The Republicans continue to froth over Obamacare and rightfully so. The program is growing exponentially and will create several new battalions of lawyers to deal with this soon to me most layered of bureaucracies. However I would say look in a mirror boys and girls of the GOP since this hydra is the end result of your own decades of stonewalling. That so many Americans have limited or no insurance access has long been a blight.
Some dissipation of that junk yard (AKA - Storage) depot n the corner of Jackson and Lincoln streets has taken place. Is it a sudden desire on the part of the owners to beautify or the high price of scrap?
Is the economy improving? I’d say “yes” but what exactly does improving mean? Like seeing your blood pressure at 148/88 and it goes down to 140/82.
Gas prices have taken another surge and some of the blame is not on supply but the ability to refine product. The United States needs updated refineries or new ones and just maybe “The Big Zero” can issue some Executive Orders to make it happen.
Unemployment benefits are taxable but welfare is not. Another reason it may pay not to work.
Once again the rotary - not the ones holding an auction - has reared up with the state doing a song and dance that would make the staff at Burt Wood jealous. I could see this being a problem for a few years but it has been one for decades. I guess that round and round means little but a multi-billon dollar train to the southern hinterlands does.
About that train. The cost estimate is around 2B but in state dollars that will soon expand to 4B and maybe 6B? Why not just provide chauffer service?
The locals McDonald’s has finished making their drive thru resemble the rotary and the next project is a rebuilt of the store. IMO they should make a land purchase on Clark Street and have three lanes so that one lane could be dedicated to a right turn only. Nightmare pulling out into traffic.
Streets seem to be plowed rather well around town.