Telephonic Mobility

Just when you think you heard it all.........I have heard the term "speed dial" - even "robo call" but the latest is something called "butt dial". It can be a verb or a noun depending on where you sit. Google search defines it as "An inadvertent call made on a mobile phone in one's rear pants pocket." Come on, man! Have we come to this? We could "butt" heads over this one. Get out the Lysol! Being the user of a lap top I'll have to "sit" this one out.
tjs

Smells Fishy

Barney Greengrass, known as the Sturgeon King, is an Upper West Side (NYC) deli in business over 100 years - and that's a lot of salmon over the dam. But last week, one day after Yom Kippur, the Health authorities swooped down and found some infractions causing a temporary closing. They found 300 mouse droppings - presumably, someone had to count them. The third generation owner complained "....these inspectors come in and it feels like they're performing a colonoscopy on you.......no one's home would pass inspection."
Ouch!
tjs
(NYT 10/14/19)

A "Crafty" idea.

From the Associated Press: Hot off the presses or chilled from the cooler, Danish brewer Carlsberg is developing a paper beer bottle, fully recyclable with an inner barrier. They will partner with Coca Cola, Absolut and L'Oreal to develop the bottles. They are doing their part for sustainability, and as we know, Denmark owns GREENland. It sounds like a "crafty" idea and perhaps they will have a tasting party. Stay tuned.
tjs
(NYT 10/12/19)

Oink, oink!

Wall Street may tell you that pork bellies are "low" but pork prices in China are going thru the roof. A swine fever epidemic caused them to cull the herd so there is a shortage of hogs. As we have an oil reserve so China has a pork reserve which they have had to dip into. They have thousands of TONS of frozen pork in a dozen huge warehouses at zero fah. To celebrate China's 70th anniversary last week they "pulled" thirty thousand TONS of pork from reserves to accommodate demand. The hog callers in Iowa must be impressed. Sooey!
tjs
(NYT 10/8/19)

ABSCAM Scandal

Readers of a certain age may remember an FBI sting known as ABSCAM. They made a movie about it and it was featured on 60 Minutes circa  1980. A Philadelphia Congressman was caught in the web and expelled from Congress - the first expulsion since the Civil War. Before they voted him out he spoke to his colleagues: "As you go to the voting machine, keep in mind when you hit that button that it will have the same effect.......as if I were strapped into an electric chair." Very dramatic - and very brazen. I  read the NYT article with a touch of sadness as I knew and worked with his father. In south Philly parlance the son's mantra was "Money talks and Bull.... walks."
tjs
NYT 10/3/19

Heaven can wait.

Japan has announced its intention to raise its consumption tax level from 8% to 10% which has many citizens rushing to make purchases before the effective date. One item highlighted is burial graves which can run up to $37,000. One fellow was pleased with his purchase which included a tombstone engraved with "Thank you for coming to see me." - the innate politeness of the Japanese shining thru. It sounded like an invitation to tea. But he did beat the tax collector.
tjs
NYT 10/1/19