Don’t panic yet!

The latest swine flu epidemic seems to have everyone running to the doc at the slightest sign of a cough or sneeze.  I know this is a serious thing and for me it has come close to home (two kids at a school in my jurisdiction are being TESTED for swine flu because they just got back from Mexico and showed signs of being sick).

But I find it really extreme when an employee suddenly says to me “Oooh, I feel nauseous and I have a sore throat.  I was in Lowell the other day.  I think I have the swine flu” and then run out the door to your doc.  Get real.  Take a pill and call me in the morning.   If you still have a job.  BTW, this REALLy did happen to me today! I think the person just wanted to get out of work early. Jerk.

My other thought about this entire swine flu thing is that maybe now people will start re-thinking their choice of vacation destination (read: MEXICO).  I’m not really sure why anyone would want to vacation there anyway.  Who wants to visit a place where you can’t even safely drink the water?

An addendum to “Craigslist losers”

The latest Craigslist rap should be proof that enough is enough and something needs to be done about this site.  Although it is my dream to see this scumbag site (and most of the losers that use it) wiped off the Internet, unfortunately if that happened they would just create another scumbag site and continue on with their loserness there.

I do question this statement by Craigslist CEO which indicates: 

“Buckmaster defended Craigslist’s inclusion of the “erotic services” classification on its sites. He said users requested it so those ads would be posted there, where users can avoid them, instead of being scattered among other ad categories. He also insisted that illegal activity is “absolutely not welcome there.”

So if he insists that “illegal activity” is not welcome there, why is he allowing prostitutes to post ads for sex?  Why does he allow people to post innocent people’s phone numbers in the Rants and Raves section?  Why does he allow people to post nude pictures of themselves?  Why does he allow people to threaten other people’s lives?  I could go on and on.  I hate to admit but I have experienced some of these things myself.

A murder has happened.  It’s not the first one that stemmed from Craigslist.  And unless this trashy site is removed from the Internet, I’m afraid it will happen again.

Bring on the casinos!

Casinos in Mass?  I’m all for it!  Why should Connecticut and Rhode Island be the only New England states making out?  I’d especially love it if they do get one built in Palmer (although I would hate to see the feel of the little town go the wayside); but it would be so convenient to hit the casino then do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart!  Maybe even hit the Goodwill store!

Partying it up at the Boston Tea Party in Boston…

and I find out today that my MOTHER-IN-LAW was the one holding the Barney Frank/Bernie Madoff sign!  Argh!  She made the news! :O  How embarrassing!

Bella’s Gourmet Market has a new look!

Bella’s has just had a mini-makeover and VOILA!  A new look!

Bella’s now serves lunch and dinner.  The kitchen is visible for all to see, which adds a neat touch to the atmosphere.  In addition to the new look, Bella’s also has a world-class chef working the grill.  I’ve heard through the grapevine that the meatballs he makes are mouth-watering!

Same great owner, same great gelato.  Word has it you can BYOB of wine.  How cool is that?

Check out the web site www.bellasgourmetmarket.com/

The Boss bites back

I’m not quite sold on the allegations of the Jersey guy who is naming Springsteen in his divorce papers as the individual his wife had an affair with.  I would need to know more facts in order to fully buy that tale.  Did this guy hire a private investigator?  What makes this guy believe Bruce Springsteen would want anything to do with his wife?  Or that his wife would want anything to do with Springsteen?  It kind of reminds me of the scene in the movie “Honeymoon in Vegas” when the guy goes to Jack Singer proclaiming “My wife is having an affair with Mike Tyson”.

There has to be more to the story than his wife “committed adultery…with Springsteen…at various times and places too numerous to mention…”  If there were too many times and places to mention, why bring it up at all?  

Let’s assume for a moment that it is true.  That makes the wife of this guy just as guilty as Bruce.

I know in Bruce’s retaliating statement he does not deny having an affair.  But maybe that’s because there is no affair to deny.

As a person who has witnessed first hand the clandestine qualities of a rock star, on one hand I say “it wouldn’t surprise me if this affair allegation were true”.  That’s solely based on my past experiences with one rock star (whom I can prove and have proved cheated on his wife MANY times and still does to this day). 

However, unlike the rock star I know, I have never met Springsteen, nor have I witnessed him hitting on women or traipsing off with a friend of mine for a ”rendezvous” (which had very serious consequences), as I have seen with the rock star that I know.  Therefore, I have to give Bruce the benefit of the doubt and leave it at that.

In essence, he is innocent until proven guilty.  A statement in some guy’s divorce papers doesn’t make it true.

A stipulation for the stimulation

Kudos to Bollinger Insurance Solutions CEO Jack Windolf. 

Instead of pocketing his $500,000 bonus for himself, he did what any true-blooded American CEO would do:  share it.  He spread the wealth among his 434 employees, giving each a $1,000.  The only stipulation?  They need to spend it.  Now THAT’S a really sweet stimulation package!