Gross Commuters

 

I am not the king of etiquette.  I know that.  However, some people... or in this case, at least one person is worse than I am.  That person was riding the subway with me on Friday.

I was trying to read my book (Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux--in case you were wondering).  I heard a sound that I instantly recognized--but dismissed as impossible on the subway.  It was a metal clacking sound.  I looked up, and sure enough, it was what I thought.  A woman was trimming her nails on the subway.

Am I crazy?  Is this normal behaviour?

I know I am not the only one who thought this was wrong.  I looked over at the person next to me, and he shook his head in disgust too.

This wasn't some self involved teen, or some homeless person, or some princess type.  This was an average woman, holding a conversation with her friend--who, I might add, had supplied her with the clippers in the first place.  Her friend didn't seem to mind that she was littering the subway (and most likely her friend's coat and purse) with her DNA.

Fair is fair.  The subway is not a bastion of cleanliness.  There is probably already a fair bit of gunge and scum and other stuff floating around.  I can't really think she is making it any dirtier, but I still think what she did was gross.

I can't have been the only one...could I?

Amazingly, while searching for images for this post, I typed "clipping your nails on the subway".  Perhaps that was a mistake as so many pictures came up.

Yuck!

Fire Truck Obstacles

 

 

So, there I was, sitting on the bus, and it stopped.  First one fire truck passed us, then another, then another.  I could tell it was something serious.  This was no run of the mill accident.   I waited on the bus for quite a while before deciding to hike around the trouble.

When I passed the big commotion, what I saw was a fire hose blocking the road.  despite the fact that the building that was on fire being located quite a long way away, they had to use a hose that blocked traffic completely.  Does that sound right.  Wasn't there a closer hydrant?  If not, why couldn't they have planned for this possibility and used two trucks to hold up the hose, so there wouldn't be a traffic jam?  That seems possible to me.

I know that the firefighters have a job to do, but where were the city planners in all this?  Has something like this never happened before?  Why hasn't someone come up with a better solution?  I guess all the smart people are off designing the iPhone 6.

Insidious Advertising

On my hobby blog post I wrote about having tool lust and wanting to spend money on an pricey bike stand.  I appreciate the response people have been giving me and I am glad that some of you have found that blog and checked it out.  The funny thing is that blog post has had some rather interesting consequences.

With that post, I did spend some time checking out the various bike stands on offer at Amazon.  As a result, every site I have visited recently has had an add (from Amazon) featuring the various bike stands and bike tools that I visited before writing the piece.  On one hand, this is good marketing.  On the other hand, it makes me think that big brother is really watching me, and plotting my life out for me.

I realized this is a function of advertising, coupled with my viewing history.  I know that I am the one responsible, and that no mastermind computer is tracking my every move, or anticipating my every move.  However, maybe that day isn't as far off as it seems.  Maybe one day, you'll walk into a supermarket and half of your car will already be packed for you--the supermarket knowing what you buy every time you shop there.  I already get coupons or bonus points for things they have noticed that I buy a lot of.  (Again, I know I gave them this information.... but still)

Perhaps I go to far... for now.  We'll talk again in a year or two, and then we'll see.

Yesterday's Rebels are Nowhere to be Found

Megadeth is playing Casino Rama.  I heard this news on the car radio the other day, and I nearly drove off the road.  I did a double take, followed by a double swerve.  I really hadn't expected to ever hear something like that.

Weren't these yesterday's rebels?  Weren't these a group of antiestablishment types?  I can't be certain, but I am pretty sure playing a casino is about as establishment it gets--okay, it isn't a government agency, but the relationship in Canada is a little closer than it might be elsewhere.

Yesterday's rebels are nowhere to be found.

I shouldn't be surprised.  Perhaps, I shouldn't be as judgemental either.  They were kids when they started down that road.  They had no idea of how the future would unfold.  People grow.  People change.  The romantic in me says that principles shouldn't change and conviction in one's beliefs should remain.

Yesterday's rebels are nowhere to be found.

The Next Big Idea with the TTC

 

So, the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) wants to subsidized transit passes to low income users.  Additionally, they don't want to raise prices for typical (non subsidized) passengers.  In theory this sounds good.

However, I have a few concerns.  If the same people who are in charge of handing out the disabled parking stickers are in charge of this, there will likely be a lot of fraud involved in this.  I know that sounds bad, but you have to understand where I am coming from.  I have seen lots of people (and even talked to some of them) who are using another family member's parking pass to park in designated disabled spots.  They figure the pass is fair game for anyone who has it.  I can't disagree more.  If you're parking in a disabled spot when you don't need to, you're potentially blocking someone who really needs to be in that spot.

But I digress.

I am all for helping people out with transit.  I use it every day myself.  I still don't know why it is so expensive, or why it costs more when more people use it (I call this mismanagement--perhaps they are paying too much overtime).

I guess the problem that I have is that I don't believe that the people who really need the financial discount will get it, and people who have no need for a discount will somehow find themselves in possession of a discount pass--I am thinking of city councillors who already get a free pass, and then never use it.

Only time will tell if this plan works out.

A Change of Names

 

For those of you who have been here before, you might have noticed the name change.  While I liked my original title, it didn't garner the attention that I wanted and some people seemed to need an explanation.  While this isn't bad, from a marketing standpoint, this is just wrong.  It is kind of like that seen from "That Thing You Do" where Tom Hanks explains the name change from the Oneders, to the Wonders--when you think you're being clever, perhaps you aren't.

So, I have changed the name, but not the intent.  I hope this title is more suitable for the blog.  Only time will tell.  I would appreciate any feedback anyone wants to give me.  Don't be shy.

GET ON THE ROAD

What is it with people riding their bikes on the sidewalk?  Does this bother anyone other than me?  Do you people actually think it is safer?  I've got news for you, it isn't.

Let's take a step back before the ranting will really continue.  I know, kids on tricycles shouldn't be on the road.  I am not suggesting endangering the lives of children.  No.  Not at all.

I could explain the law to people, but that wouldn't be right.  These adults should already be familiar with the law.  Of course, if the law were to actually ticket these people, maybe they would get the message.  I realize that it isn't feasible--but there might come a day when the provincial government sees the opportunity for a cash grab (imagine that) and decides all adult cyclists need a licence (it isn't as funny as it sounds).  Well see how that turns out.

Bikes on the sidewalk pose a couple of problems, and I grant some of them are exacerbated by walkers.  Usually, if you were to come up behind someone on a bike, you should ring your bell or honk your horn (probably a law) to warn them of your approach.  While I haven't seen any of these modern day road warriors have bells on their bikes (probably spent all their money on overpriced bikes and fashion accessories--see the next blog for thoughts on that), and since most people 30 and under can't go anywhere without their ear buds in, they wouldn't hear it if you did honk.  Seems like a recipe for disaster.

The second problem is for motorists.  When we look left and right coming out of a shopping mall, or store parking lot, we scan the road for fast moving vehicles.  We scan the sidewalk for slower moving objects.  If your closing speed is between a person walking and a car driving, you might get overlooked.  Heck, the way some buildings are designed, we can't see you based on your closing speed.

Get on the road.

A Harangue Against the Lazy

The kind of laziness I really hate.

 

Why are people so lazy?  I know, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.  Yes, I admit I am lazy, but not about everything.  Lazy cook?  Yes.  Study Japanese lazy?  Yes, sometimes.  I could write down a long list of things I am lazy about.  Walking is not one of them.

Before you get scared and roll your eyes, this is not a harangue about people who drive their cars when they could walk.  This isn't even a harangue about people who park illegally in disable parking (they should be shot, even if they have a sticker they "borrowed" from a family member).  This is a different harangue altogether.

There are two types of lazy people that bother me the most.  The people who take the elevator one floor, and the people who use the automatic door open button.  Let's take them one at a time.

Taking the elevator one floor is wrong.  No wonder North America has a weight problem.  If you've never been to the building, and don't know where the stairwell is (despite clear signs directing you to it) perhaps you have a reason for your sad, pathetic behaviour.  However, after multiple visits and guided tours, you're just pissing the rest of us off.  When I take the elevator up to the twentieth floor, I don't expect or want to stop at every floor.  I'm not in a Japanese department store.

As for using the automatic door opener..... if you're a child, I won't blame you.  An automatic door is cool.  I will blame your parents though if you continue to do this into your teen years.  What's wrong with you?  Is the door too heavy?  Are you unable to read which way it opens, and therefore need to press that button to stop you from looking stupid? (By the way, it doesn't work that way.  Pressing the button makes you look stupid and feeble.)  You're in the way, and you're taking too long to get through the door.

The Hotdog Conspiracy

now sold in packages of 5

 

I was doing my weekly shopping and thought, hey, why don't I get some hotdogs.  They weren't on sale, but they are a quick and easy meal.  I know which ones I like, and I know where they are in the store.  I quickly go there and pick up a package.

What!

There is something completely strange here.

There are only 5 hotdogs in the package.

Five?

I had to count several times.  I looked around, thinking this must be a hidden camera segment.  Apparently not--but I have checked YouTube repeatedly, just in case.  So, naturally, I checked the buns.

Six, as usual.

Quite the conundrum.

When I was a child they sold hotdogs in packs of twelve and buns in packs of 8.  I thought that was strange, but once I learned a little math, I figured two packages of hotdogs and three packages of buns and all was well in the world.  If I do that to today's problem I get six packages of hotdogs and five packages of buns.

Someone at Schneider's wants you to eat 30 hotdogs.  30 hotdogs!

Obviously, this is another example of lowering the quantity while maintaining the price.  (see my previous post on this phenomenon    http://theoctagonalpeg.blogspot.ca/2013/09/new-and-improved-means-smaller-and-just.html) This seems pretty easy when you do it to liquids, or things that are sold by weight, but why do it to hotdogs.  They could have made the hotdogs smaller.  I probably wouldn't have noticed, and might have appreciated the better fit to the bun and the reduced calories.

What to do?  I guess I should consider the possibilities.

Possibilities

1. I buy them all and store them in my freezer.  I don't know if I actually have that much space.  I am also not sure I can eat 30 hotdogs in one year.
2. Buy one package and either throw out the last bun or keep it frozen until the next time.  Two problems with this.  I usually eat two hotdogs at a time.  That means one hotdog will go to waste and two buns will stay frozen for a long time.  It is also likely that I will forget about these things and buy new buns the next time.  Soon my freezer will be overloaded with mismatched freezer burnt buns.
3. I forget the whole thing and buy something healthier to eat.  And that's what I did.

Hockey Afternoon in Canada

I associate some sports with a time of day.  Baseball is an afternoon game.  Football is an afternoon game.  Aussie Rules Football is the middle of the night, and Cricket is on quite late.  I also put Muay Thai kickboxing as a post midnight event.  Hockey, however, is a night game.  Despite watching the NY Islanders win the first of their Stanley Cups early one afternoon, I still see these as night games.

Of course this is a TV thing.  Those post midnight sports that I mentioned are like that because that is when I watch them on TV.  If they sports channels weren't some overrun by poker, then perhaps their would be room in the daytime schedule for some of these sports.  That's another issue for another day.

Let's get back to hockey.  Maybe it's a Canadian thing.  I always think Hockey Night in Canada, not Hockey Afternoon in Canada.  Maybe, in other markets, hockey sells better, or gets better ratings.  Maybe, someone wants to keep prime time open for the NBA finals.  Maybe, I am not aware of all the business ramifications. 

I like a beer or two with my hockey games....does that mean I can start drinking at noon?

If It's Too Cold, Why Did You Go Skiing?

Is it right to complain when you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into?  What I mean is, if the situation was clear to you before it began, and you had a choice, don't you forfeit any right to whine and moan?

Last week I took a bus trip to go skiing.  Everyone chose to go on the trip and paid their money.  At the same time, some people cancelled at the last minute, but were not chastised in any way, or even charged money for the trip.  Almost all of them (I would guess that in fact it was each and every one of them, but I didn't bother taking survey) had a smart phone--certainly all of them had access to a television.  So when the weather report was forecasting a somewhat cold temperature (minus 17 I think) it wasn't really out of the blue.

None of this would have mattered if it didn't change the rules.  What it did was shorten the trip by one hour before it even begun.  Fearing the cold, despite wearing some rather expensive thermal gear, many people grumbled and got the trip ending changed.  Of course this was decided before anyone got on the slopes or even tried to cope with the cold.

Had I not wanted to ski, or fallen, or been having a miserable day, I wouldn't have tried to get everyone to leave early.  I would have gone to the lodge to stay warm and waited.  If I had felt I was too cold, I would have either not gone on the trip, or waited in the warm lounge.  At the very least I would have set a midday meeting before making any of these decisions.

As it was, most of the people who lobbied for early release arrived late for the bus.  I guess they were enjoying themselves skiing, despite the cold.