May 24, 2010 - PPM - Drone Parents

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is DRONE PARENTS.

Everyone has heard the term, “Helicopter Parents.” Those are the parents who are overly involved in every facet of their child’s life. It usually is fully exposed during their child's educational pursuits, including college.

I’ve discovered a new parental methodology. I’ve coined it a “Drone Parent.”

Drone Parents try to micromanage their children in sort of a fly-by nature. I had previously blogged about “Over Scheduled Children” in 2007. Now, parents don’t even have the time to monitor their children’s games, practices, activities, because they are transporting child #2 or # 3 to another over scheduled sport.

Drone Parents drive up, drop-off, and drive off.

Youth coaches should not be unpaid babysitters. Stay and watch, or better yet, get out of the car, get off the phone, and offer to help!!!

After 20 years of coaching youth baseball, I had my first parental complaint this year. The parent said their child was upset after practice. It came from a parent that actually was NOT at the practice, yet decided to react to a disappointed 8 year-old’s recollection of his practice experience.

Bottom line, nothing transpired at the practice. Since Little Johnny is only 8, he probably just wanted some on-site parental support.

My fear is that volume of Drone Parents, in numbers and noise, will continue to grow. Some parents will become indifferent, and some will react inappropriately to a child’s concerns. Unfortunately, it will impact the volunteer base of coaches that decide NOT TO get involved.

We have all heard of “Nanny Cams” that allow parents to tune in to see how their kids are being handled. Can “Coach Cams” or “Game Cams” be next?

May 21, 2010 - Friday Funny - Nice Piece of ...

I never get tired of Bill Clinton jokes / cartoons. Based on the current President's performance, I actually miss "Slick Willie".

May 21, 2010 - Response to President Calderon

This is a great response to the President of Mexico and President Obama's speeches about illegal immigration. I'm going to ONLY spend my money in Arizona as a reverse-boycott.

May 17, 2010 - PPM - The Postman Always Rings ... 6 times a week

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the U.S. POSTAL SERVICE.

The U.S. Postal Service has projected $238 billion in losses over the next decade.

Here is what I received in the mail today

JUNK MAIL–The Maids home Services postcard offering
JUNK MAIL – Great Oaks Career Campus Mailing
CATALOG - Coldwater Creek
JUNK MAIL - Pharmaceutical Company mailing
JUNK MAIL – Home & Décor Ideas Magazine
BILL – American Express
JUNK MAIL – Anderson Premier Turf
JUNK MAIL – Capital One Credit Card offering
JUNK MAIL - CHASE Credit Card offering
JUNK MAIL - CHASE Credit Card offering
BILL – Mortgage
JUNK MAIL – Transamerica Life Insurance Offering

It included absolutely NOTHING I needed. I pay all of my bills online. I order 99% of my merchandise without a catalog. I’ve never responded to a credit card offering.

I calculated that I could get over $500K in credit lines from just replying to a single week’s credit card offerings. It’s very tempting to secure the cards, get the cash advances, buy an island, and then declare that my government does not have an extradition policy with the U.S.

Here is my PEEVE. Why does the mail have to come SIX DAYS A WEEK? I could live with once or twice. Even at two times a week, that should reduce the cost of personnel, vehicles, and fuel, significantly. Even Cliff Clavin could figure out this math.

One reason the Post Office is losing money is that they have to deliver the mail to everyone, everywhere.

It costs 44 cents to send the letter to NYC or to Boondocks, Montana. Here is the solution. Box up the Boondocks mail and send it via Fed Ex once per week. It will SAVE the Postal Service unbelievable amounts of money to not have to drive to the Boondocks six days a week.



Sounds too simple? It is. That’s why it PEEVES me that Washington will never consider it.

May 15, 2010 - Disturbance in the Force

Last night, I felt a disturbance in “The Force”. This morning I found my life-size Darth Vader cut-out had fallen 10 feet from his perch in the foyer. The other cut-outs of Elvis and Brutus Buckeye were unharmed and were not talking.


Good art is so precious. Take time to appreciate and enjoy it.

May 14, 2010 - Friday Funny - New WIndows, please.

This week's FRIDAY FUNNY comes from a Jabberwocker in Dayton. I assume he is still a member of the parish in good standing. My question is why is he taking pictures of the stained glass windows? Given his track record, he should be paying attention to the sermon.

May 10, 2010 - PPM - Use as Directed and It Breaks

Around Thanksgiving, my wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told her, “Something that goes form 0-200 in six seconds.” So she bought me a bathroom scale. That was the impetus I needed to get back to the gym.

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is poorly made exercise equipment.

A few years ago I dedicated an unfinished part of my basement to creating a workout room. I also had a gym membership, so I didn’t use the Home Gym until the incessant use of cell phones by people supposedly there to work out bothered me enough to cancel my membership. This was the subject of a previous PET PEEVE.

In December 2009, I gave myself an early Christmas present and a jump start on new year’s weight loss resolution. I did an exercise equipment refresh.

My home gym now has:

Nordic Trak Vertex 670
Tunturi C45 Elliptical
Wesco 950
Passport System 4500 Stationary Bike
Viot SCV 2308 Stair Climber
Ab Circle Pro

Here’s the problem. Since I rededicated myself, three of the machines have broken. And no, I’m not over the suggested weight limit.

A cable snapped on my Nordic Trak, a wheel wore out on the AB machine, and the Elliptical monitor would not let me change tension levels.

The customer service departments all responded accordingly and the machines are repaired or will be shortly. The Elliptical distributor actually upgraded my model to a Premium unit at no charge.

My problem is why do things break when used as DESIGNED? Thank goodness I don’t drive a Toyota or I would have been really PEEVED. They say once you drive a Toyota, you’ll never stop.

If Obama wants to create some jobs, maybe he should start in the QUALITY ASSURANCE DEPARTMENT at these equipment manufacturers.

For the record, I have dropped 20 pounds. The wife says I could drop 10 more if I removed the refrigerator with the Bud Lights from the work out room. However, the refrigerator is still working and you know: “If it isn’t broke, ….”

May 10, 2010 - Happy Mother's Day

My Mom always told me that if I ran with a certain crowd, I would end up unemployed and would be living in a van down by the river.

Although she died in 1997, I have fulfilled her prophecy.

I haven’t had a job in 5 years and I spend my weekends in my RV watching the barge traffic on the Ohio River.

A day doesn't go by that I don't miss my Mom. She was happy and proud when she visited me in San Fransisco in 1993.

Happy Mother's Day to all.

May 7, 2010 - Friday Funny - Guys Night Out

Appalled at the events surrounding Lawrence Taylor, New York Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson has formally changed his nickname to "Juice."

I guess the original "LT" was unavailable for the below photo.

April 30 or 31, 2010 - The Lost Month

OK – It’s May. My break went a little longer than expected. April was a busy month.

It started with School spring break. We took the RV to the Smokey Mountains. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge turns out are like Las Vegas for the Clampets.

Next was the NCAA Final Four and Cincinnati Reds Opening Day.

That was quickly followed by garden and yard prep.

Week three had the start of Little League.

The final week, I got to relax and play 5 rounds of golf in Myrtle Beach.

But it is May and the blogging will continue / commence tomorrow.

Really.