Say Goodnight NY/SYSCO/Elections/Trashing Lakeville

Money can’t but happiness as shown my the dismal performance of a team about 300 miles south of here. They did lay out 208M this year in payroll and managed to fall short. IMO if Boston had reasonable health the NY team - whose name escapes me - would not even had made the playoffs. Said team and other big market teams have contributed mightily to the destruction of the baseball salary structure. A signature call of one of the announcers of the team - whose name escapes me - is “See Ya!” How appropriate.

A fascinating documentary is available on the financial meltdown called “Inside Job.” This lays out the blame and it is painted with a wide brush starting in the early 80s with deregulation and finishing off with Obama. Everyone has their fingers in the pie or looks the other way with special hits given to the Ivy League crowd and their majestic economic advice. This is a richly deserved bi-partisan trashing.

Along these lines I continue to be amazed my Barney Frank and his pattern of denial in this whole mess. There has been enough vids and documents that have surfaced to show he simply had legislation supported that would buy votes and had just about zero to do with economic realities. When confronted Barney does his highly agitated routine complete with his patented name calling and finger pointing. The sad thing is this buffoon with go on to his 15th term.

Appears Barney Frank’s partner is tailing his opponent and has managed to get into a riff with him. As the campaign for Frank states there is nothing wrong with this or accepting a huge “gift” of a five star vacation from a bank Frank helped bailout. Legal - yes. Highly inappropriate - yes, again. Stalking is what it really is.

Deval “One And Out (maybe) Patrick” looked lame the other night in a debate with Baker. I’m still waiting for that tax relief.

Those of us collecting from the ultimate Ponzi scheme - Social Security are not collecting a stipend this year thanks to the economy being stuck in a pit of molasses. My problem with the COLA is that - like the casino deal - it is not linked to regional cost of living. Nor is areas of increase in the economy that impacts seniors such as health care considered as part of the formula.

My last trip had the annual rental car adventure that I torture myself with. I usually rent at Houston Hobby and return at San Antonio. My first look at prices was about three months before my trip and the rental for a compact was about $700 for a week including all charges. This was the cheapest and it was with Dollar and I booked it knowing it would change as time went forward. About two weeks before we left I made my final reservation and the total was $303 including a $87 one way charge. This represented the fourth booking as I kept getting lower and lower prices and it was with Dollar that now seems to have taken over from Alamo as the cheapest rentals in Texas. This bizarre routine goes on every year and the real joke is what the taxes and other charges are. The base rate for the car for one week was $109 and the rest were all to feed government sans the $87 charge. Reminds me of the recent meals tax debate locally where the screw the tourist became the mantra for passing it. Fine unless you happen to be the tourist.

On the rental cars what is interesting is that when you have a city like Houston with two airports there can be a significant difference in the cost from one airport to another and the same applies to airline tickets. Car rentals are generally cheaper off airport grounds so sometimes it is economically advisable to take transportation to your hotel and rent as needed.

I like ice tea and especially the one at McDonald’s. When it is delivered they have a straw with it and I simply say “no straw” and they proceed to toss out the fully wrapped straw. Happens every time. In KC last summer and the summer before when I purchased a bottomless drink at the ballpark they refused to fill up the old one. Board of Health required them to toss it out and give me a new one. Magnify that by 5,000 and that is quite a few cups and quite a waste that is needless. So much for all those “Going Green” initiatives that seem to be everyplace. This is just a few examples and I have seen many more.

While in Austin I paid a visit to the Story of Texas Museum. While wandering aimlessly around the building I notice a maintenance worker changing those squiggly little light bulbs. He had on a face mask with a plastic faceplate and rubber gloves like Mr. Wizard use to wear while mixing acids. He asked me to “Stand about ten feet away” as he removed another of the pesky little squiggles and replaced it. Had a brief conversation and told me this is what they have to wear. I thought those things lasted something like a million hours? Turns out they have to be replaced on a regular basis.


SYSCO is dead in Lakeville and I am mystified why they hung on so long on this deal. Now Norton can get back into the mix as can Attleboro and Middleboro. This is a top of the line company and a solid investment for those that want consistent growth and steady returns. Maybe if it was a twenty year old fire truck they would have gone for it.

I love the “Quality of Life” argument that the Lakeville folks put on the table. That hospital and the bowling alley and Dewey’s certainly are photogenic. Don’t want any warehouse screwing that up. Then you have the collection o mini strip malls that seem to proliferate in Lakeville. High end shopping at its very best. Only time we hear from Lakeville is when they need another water connection.

The director of the Middleboro food bank did a General McAuliffe and called Lakeville “NUTS” over their vote on SYSCO. IMHO Lakeville seems to have no water lines, sewer system, no town trash pick-up, a town hall not open on Friday, a hand down ladder truck and now no influx of jobs. Explain that to the clients of the food bank who need work.


I have had it explained to me time and time again but it still makes no sense. How can a company beat expectations, show positive and sustained growth for a quarter and still have its stock nosedive? This happened with Apple the other day. Dropped over 6% in after hours after beating expectations.

The Fed recently met in Boston and their pronouncement on deflation should be a warning sign for all of us. The last thing this horribly failed administration needs is deflation. But what good is inflation? Thing of the huge debt rung up being paid off with cheap money. Deflation just makes that debt more expensive.

NPR that bastion of political correctness and Uber liberal points of view managed to can a commentator who was open and honest about feeling uncomfortable with Muslims on a plane. Gee…let me see if I remember? Nineteen Muslim terrorists board and hijack four aircraft and kill 3,000 people. My…I wonder why he feels uncomfortable? This nonsense has a good portion of its funding from our tax dollars.

The Koch brothers are now the bad guys from the loonies who infest the far left since they are the great backers of the Tea Party. I guess these loonies never head of George Soros? Or if they did they have convenient memory loss.