Interesting Read

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7021031/the-nets-nba-economics

I found this to be quite an interesting read.  What I wonder about most, however, is what happened to the residents who were displaced under the guise of "public use".  And will they be able to afford this use this "public" property? 

I'm pretty sure I've already blogged about the sham that is tax-payers paying for stadiums that they can't afford to go to, and now we have people being forced out of their homes for stadiums that they can't afford to go to?  Wow.

May Be Inappropriate

But still funny and on point.

USPS

I imagine most of my readers have heard of the struggle of the United States Postal Service.  I imagine that most have heard reports that USPS services are going to be reduced and possibly even eliminated altogether.  I just wanted to take a minute and tell you that this is not something that should be taken lightly.  I don't have statistics (though I'm sure you can find them easy enough online), but believe me when I say that we NEED the USPS. 

I know that in these times of online billpay and paypal the envelope and stamp is nearing obsolescense, but what about birthday cards, wedding invitations, seasons greetings?  Believe me, FedEx and UPS would love to deliver your letters, but that's not cheap now and would only become more expensive without USPS competition.  And let's not forget FlatRate boxes for our Ebay and Amazon sellers.

Finally, consider the unemployment situation in this country.  Does anyone reading this think we need more people jobless?  

I could end this post with a call to action: stop paying your bills online, but I know that's unrealistic.  Instead I will just ask you all to at least follow this situation.

Yellowcard - Believe

There is so much to say today and yet I can't seem to say any of it as eloquently as I think is necessary.  For this I apologize.  Still, I write.

10 years ago I was a freshman in college.  Barely.  I hadn't been away from home for much more than a few weeks.  I hadn't even adjusted to my new class schedule or getting up in time for my 9am class.  Most days I slept through my alarm and found myself rushing out of bed, slipping on my rollerblades (class was a good 25 minute walk and I take pride in how quick I could run up 4 flights of stairs in my skates) and speeding to class still in my pajamas - never turning on the TV.  For some reason, on September 11, 2001 my alarm actually did it's job.  But instead of the Sportscenter that morning you all know what was on the television. 

And while most of the world watched for hours stunned and unable to look away I spent those hours on my dorm room phone (I didn't yet own a cell phone) trying to reach my mother.  My mother who worked just a few blocks from the Twin Towers.  To this day few things infuriate me more than the automated words "all circuits are busy, please try again".  After racking up quite an expensive phone bill (dorm room calls were like $0.10 per minute) I learned that my mother had been picked up by an amazing cab driver and had walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and though shaken, she was OK.  The day after 9/11 I got my first cell phone.  And it wasn't long after that my mother quit her job in the city.  And to this day she won't take the subway. 

Anyway, that's my story.  But today I think of those who didn't make it home.  I think of the bravery of the "Heroes of 9/11" and the kindness of strangers towards one another.  I think of those who've lost their lives in the ongoing fight to keep this country and the world a safer place.  I think of those families who've endured the loss of loved ones throughout it all. 

I can't believe it's been 10 years.  It feels like a lifetime ago.  I can't believe it's been 10 years.  It still hasn't ended.