Month: February 2010

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Snow costs money

The recent snow storms that have visited the northeast section of our nation are costing those folks a lot of money. State officials are struggling to keep up with the costs associated with digging out. With the economic downturn, these added costs are a real burden for the states involved.

Several cities have received record snowfalls this past month and more snow is expected. Road crews and the power companies are working hard to complete their jobs before the next blizzard hits. It will sure be nice when spring arrives!

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A Word about Cars

There are a few things in life that we all rely on. One of these things is our cars. I use my car every day and rely on it in many ways. I always count on the fact that it will start when I want it to and get me to where I’m going. I usually try to take care of my car but sometimes I neglect getting a tune up. I am busy a lot of times and my car has to wait. I am trying to start making sure I take better care of my car.

There are a few things that we can do to ensure that our cars are running as good as can be expected. One of the most important things is to do an oil change on a regular basis. By keeping your filter and oil clean, your car can take a lot of punishment and still be ok. I try to make sure I have mine done on a regular basis.

The hardest part about maintenance on a car is finding a garage you can trust. Be sure to search for the right mechanic that knows what he is doing. I usually try to find a good garage by searching on the internet. I look at reviews from other customers who have been there before. I did this one time on a trip and searched for Houston auto repair. I found a shop I liked and got my car fixed. I hope everyone will ensure that they take care of their cars as well as they take care of you!

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Another star dies

There has been another terrible death in America and this time it’s Phil Harris. Phil was the captain of the Cornelia Maria that was featured on the TV reality show “Deadliest Catch”. Over that last five years, millions of Americans have followed his adventures while he tried to bring in his Alaskan Crab quota. I always liked the captain as I thought he was fair but tough. Phil died of a massive stroke at the age of 53.

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There is no con census

The news today reads that the Census Bureau will fork over $2.5 million dollars to take out an ad during the Super Bowl. The ad is aiming to increase awareness and excitement about filling out and sending in the questionnaire that helps the government count the people. Other useful information is gleaned from these forms as well. The problem is that not everyone agrees with the spending of so much money for just a few ads.

Many citizens as well as congressman and senators are fuming over the fact that the Census Bureau is spending so much money in these budget crunching times. Their advertising budget is about $133 million this year. I believe that the debate will continue to rage until an answer is found.

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McDonalds and Italy

The McDonalds Corporation has entered the market in the country of Italy. The problem is that they have caused quite a stir. The flagship restaurant in Rome decided that serving an all Italian burger would be a good idea. That has led to some controversy with some in the country who believe in the Slow Food movement.

McDonalds is using all Italian made ingredients for its meals. Sounds good right? Some say that the restaurant is taking advantage of Italy’s good food reputation and forcing farmers to sell for less. Others believe that this will be good for their economy. Either way, over 100,000 burgers have sold this month.

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Starting Anew

Since my cousin was recently married, he has decided to start a new life in another city. He was offered a job with a major corporation and is going to move in order to take the job. Moving can be difficult at times because you have to start all over. But there are ways to make things easier. He asked me to help him find some Insurance Franklin, MA and I was happy to help. I knew just where to go to find it.

I was already familiar with a site called berryinsurance.com. They are able to offer a wide variety of insurance needs. I knew he would be able to get Homeowners Insurance Franklin, MA that he wanted. That would ensure that he and his new wife were protected against any problems that may occur to their home.

Another good feature of the site is that they offer even more. I was sure that he would be able to purchase any other insurance needs he may have such as Auto Insurance Franklin, MA. I am glad to do my cousin a good deed when I can and I felt really good about this. I am sure that he will be satisfied with the service he receives and will feel good knowing that he is protected from unplanned events!

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A Union Win

The Machinists local union in Hartford Connecticut has scored a great victory for the U.S. in U.S. Federal court. The union sued the company of Pratt & Whitney in order to keep jobs from being shipped over seas. Their contract with the union requires that the company do everything possible to keep jobs in their state.

A federal judge issued an injunction against the company saying that they must comply with the contract. I am glad to hear that a judge has finally ruled for the people!

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Revision

I was reading a report by Chris Isidore from CNNMoney.com that stated that job losses over the past year were even more than originally reported. The Labor Departments annual report listed that nearly 7 million jobs were lost in the U.S. the truth seems to be closer to around 8 million. I wonder how they could be so far off the mark.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is revising their annual report to include 824,000 additional lost jobs in April 2008-March 2009. This will have a dramatic impact on the stock market as well as consumer confidence. They explain the large difference in numbers by saying their estimates were wrong. I believe that is self evident!

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Key loggers and Security

Working in a large office can have its ups and downs. The people I work with are a constant source of joy and disappointment. It can be difficult to keep track of who is working and who is not doing their job. That’s one reason why I decided to use some high technology to help me find the answers. One tool I have found useful is a Key logger. The one I use is very high tech and stealthy. It allows me to check up on my staff and ensure that my company is getting their dollars worth for its payroll.

I hope that everyone won’t get me wrong and think that I am out to get people. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I do believe that people are basically honest and try to give them the benefit of the doubt. But, there are those who need to be reminded that someone is watching. That’s why we had hidden cameras installed in some of the more sensitive areas of our building. I think it has added another layer of protection for our company and its employees.

I hope people won’t believe that my work is my only concern. My home and family are important to me as well. It’s another area where high tech devices can come in handy. Whenever I take my children out, I use a child locator device that helps me keep track of them. I would not like to tell my wife I lost a kid! Anyways, I believe that high technology is becoming ever more useful and people will just have to learn to take advantage of it at work and at home.

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Censorship??

It seems there is trouble with our neighbor to the north. Canada has jumped into the internet tangle and has gotten fouled up. It seems that two websites supported by the activist group “Yes Men” released fake press releases that resembled those of the official Canadian Government. The government acted quickly to shut down the sites citing that the information was false. This is all well and good.

The problem was that during the shut down, hundreds of innocent sites were shut down as well. This caused a pouring of outrage from many website owners. It seems that the crisis is nearly over now and the sites have been restored. I hope the Canadian Government will remember their lesson well.