January 17, 2014

Can anyone tell me why there isn't a forward-working DELETE key on most pop-up digital keyboards?

The Chuck E. Cheese restaurant chain was recently sold for about $950,000,000. Eat your heart out, Mickey Mouse; there's another rich rodent in town.

A commercial flight from Chicago to Branson, Missouri, landed at the wrong airport this week. The story turns out to be a little more serious than an inconvenience to the 129 passengers and a humorous "whoopsie" for me. Turns out the smaller runways at the municipal airport where the plane landed could have resulted in tragedy. Thankfully, due to the skills of the pilots (who have been suspended with pay), a bigger crisis was averted.

Google is working on a contact lens that may be able to test a person's blood glucose levels using their tears. If this works, diabetics may be able to stop pricking their fingers. Technology may be wonderful, but don't forget that the idea came from human inspiration.

Speaking of Google, a San Diego woman cited for speeding by a California Highway Patrol officer was also charged with distracted driving, because she was wearing a pair of Google glasses. However, since it could not be proven whether or not the glasses were on and impairing her view of the road, the charges were dropped. Again, technology may be wonderful, but human legislation has its flaws.

Last year, a Manhattan judge dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed after it took two hours for help to arrive after a woman's boyfriend called 911 when she collapsed on a street during a blizzard in December, 2010. The reason the lawsuit was tossed was that the unconscious woman was not the one who called 911. According to New York law, a negligence claim is only supported if the 911 call is made by either the victim or a relative. The same law may be used to dismiss another lawsuit filed by the parents of a 4-year-old girl who died after being run down by an unlicensed teenage driver being chased by police. Sometimes, the law's technicalities really bite.

The thought of revoking Justin Bieber's citizenship has been discussed this week after his latest unseemly act (egging a neighbor's house to the point of $20,000+ in damage). However, according to the law, it would take a violent crime to revoke citizenship, and although eggs are incredible and edible (remember that slogan?), they aren't violent enough to send Bieber back to Canada.

During a search for evidence in the Bieber egging case (conducted by 11 patrol cars, talk about a squad!), police arrested Bieber's roommate, Lil' Za, after finding drugs in Za's bedroom. While in police custody, Za was re-arrested (!) for smashing a telephone after making his one permitted phone call. Za has publicly suggested that he was arrested because he is black. But ironically, that same telephone was vandalized by Mel Gibson when he was arrested.

Lil' Za, Lil' Twist... why does Justin Bieber surround himself with lil' people?

And now, a message that may or may not be directed to anyone in particular:  I agree, the late Esther Rolle was a very handsome woman. But I can also see how some may think your statement that "Florida Evans was a brick... house" could be considered disrespectful. By the way, unless you're actually singing the song, you don't need to pause.

Agape' -- P