Michigan reported that industrial related fatalities are down. That would be good new were it not for the fact that industries are down in Michigan.

It could be that the number of fatalities are actually up based on the number of deaths vs the number of workers. But, they only reported on the bottom line. So, when all of the factories close in Michigan, Michigan can proudly proclaim that we have no industrial related fatalities.

Apple Computer wrote a game for their Iphone called “Baby Shaker”. The way that the game works is that the phone starts crying and continues to cry until you shake it. Then, the baby icon on the phone gets Xs on its eyes and stops crying.

Well, needless to say, a lot of people are very upset over the program. (Go figure!) So, Apple has stopped selling the game.

Apple never ceases to amaze me as to how they can be so brilliant and stupid at the same time.

Grand Rapids is proposing a new bus line, the Silver Line. The Silver line will run from downtown GR south down Division to the Paul Henry. This bus line will have its own lane and will have priority at all intersections. Because of this, the Silver line will have a much faster travel time than conventional transportation. Plus, during commuting time, the average wait at a bus stop will be only 10 minutes.

Now, Division Avenue is not the greatest area in town. It is known more for drugs and prostitution. Plus, it is a favorite hang out for the homeless.  So, I am not sure just how successful the project will be.  But, I guess time will tell.

The latest media flurry has arrived, Swine Flu. The media has declared it to be the next pandemic to strike the world. They even compare it to the 1918 flu outbreak.

Of course, it has killed far less people than the current non-hyped flu but it is early yet and the media is hopeful. Maybe this year will be the year! Then they can report on the daily death count. They could even have one of those progress thermometers like they have for fund raisers.

Well, at least I had by swine flu shot. Wait, that was 30 years ago and it too never happened!

Freedom of speech doesn’t allow pranksters to yell “Fire” in a crowded theater so maybe the same rule should apply to the freedom of the press.

The other night after supper, I got this really cleaver idea for a blog topic, Texas Leaves. Since I couldn’t blog at the time and since I was afraid that I would forget it, I wrote it down on the white board next to the fridg.

The next day, I remembered that I had a brilliant idea for a blog and went to the white board to see what it was. There it was, plain as can be, Texas Leaves. However, I have no idea what it means.

I guess this is as close to a blog topic as it is going to get. It is just like that episode of Seinfeld

Now a days, Passover is usually celebrated on Thursday night. But, originally, it was celebrated on the first full moon of the month. And, this full moon could occur on different days of the week from one year to the next.

However, when Passover occurred on Thursday, not only did you have Thursday night and all day Friday as a holiday, you also had the Sabbath which went from Friday night to Saturday night. Thus a two day weekend.

I speculate that some time in the distant past, they decided that Thursday was the preferred day of the week for Passover so that everyone could have a long weekend.

A woman that I work with just purchased a new BMW. When she showed me the car, I asked her why she chose white. She said that any color other than white or black was extra.

Now, help me out here. A BMW is not your basic run of the mill transportation. It is an expensive luxury car. And, if you can afford to buy one, then certainly you should be able to afford it in a color that you like.

Of course, the BMW is a status symbol. So, I will have to point out to her that since she has a white BMW, she is telling the world that she can’t afford a colored one.

Last night, our small groups from church prepared a meal for the folks staying at Hope Lodge.  Hope Lodge is an American Cancer Society facility where people undergoing cancer treatment can stay for free.  The one in Grand Rapids was sponsored by Peter Wege.

The facility will accommodate about 40 guests and has four kitchen facilities for them to use.  The guests are free to bring in their own food and prepare their own meals.  However, three times a week, Hope Lodge tries to have family style meals for supper.  And to do so, they ask for volunteers to come in an prepare a meal for the guests.  So, last night, our small groups prepared a meal for about a dozen patients and their family members.

It was truly a rewarding experience.  This is a “must do again” event.

Today is cookie day at work. Cookie day is the day when the Girl Scout cookies are delivered. And of course, where there are cookies, there are cookie eaters, namely, the ones who have purchased the cookies.

So, lacking any will power and not wishing to consume the whole package themselves, they give me the half eaten packages. And since I don’t need the extra calories, I end up giving the cookies to my carpooler.

Isn’t this how “supply side economics” works?

The other day when I was in Meijers (regional grocery chain) I saw four nuns dressed in bright blue habits. Since they all looked quite young, I assumed that they were in training.

And while there are at least two convents in the area, it was the first time that I have ever seen a nun in Meijers. In fact, I can’t say that I have ever seen a priest in the store.

Last year, there was a guy in the store who was dressed up as Captain Morgan. He was promoting rum. I wonder if the nuns were there promoting wine?