June, 2015
If you’ve been reading along, you know that we upgraded to smart phones recently. High tech and all. Photo’s, text’s, hell they could probably drive the truck to Texas and back. For $800 each they should.
But recently, a new text messaging device showed up. We have been using it to leave cute little messages for each other…
From my new smartphone, your grumpy Uncle/Brother, Dave.
Weary
March, 2012
Houston
Standing in the Houston-Bush International terminal while waiting for a connecting flight, I watched an information monitor flip from a map of the US with delays speckled in green and red and some nonsense infomercials. Then I noticed that there was a ticker banner running across the timed portion of the delay-broadcast. It said, “The Secretary of DHS has determined that Venezuelan airports servicing…” and at that point it switched to the infomercial, which had no ticker banner. Since I understand that Houston-Bush International services airports in Venezuela, I thought I might be interested in what the old Secretary of DHS had determined. So I waited for the delay-broadcast to come around. It did and it cut off the Secretary’s determination, again. In fact for the 30 minutes that I stood there watching (there was little else that I will admit to watching) it never got around to informing the traveling public what threat on our security these Venezuelan airports posed, if any.
St. Louis
Driving east on I-70 entering the St. Louis metropolis there is a billboard sign showing us, “Hot tasty butts” and a picture of 2 naked butts. Well, pig butts. The sign goes on to advertise “Little Piggy’s BBQ.”
Amarillo
Driving west on I-40, entering Amarillo is a billboard sign telling us that “Fuzzy Butts” has all our liquor needs. I’m not sure I want to know what fuzzy butts are.
Most of Missouri
The Missouri Department of Transportation, MODOT, has sponsored many large digital billboards that are pixel light boards connected to the Internet so that they can broadcast information to the driving public. Various messages are broadcast and change with MODOT’s needs.
“Buckle up for safety.”
“Dial *55 for emergencies.”
“Don’t drink and drive.”
But this last one was an epiphany for me.
“Don’t text and drive.”
The state of Missouri is texting its motoring constituents to not text and drive!
Our tax dollars at work.
From your grumpy Uncle/Brother Dave.
Weary
7/2017
On another topic, whew!! We survived.
Wife and I went on a road trip. I had looked at the weather online before leaving, while on the road I just stuck my nose in the air every day. By the 3d day, snow and ice hit, as expected. It wasn’t much, but about 3 inches of snow fell just about the time we hit Salina, with little to no ice. But it wasn’t until Topeka, on the way back after the worst had passed, that I fully understood the ramifications.
Just east of Topeka (100 miles later), was a KDOT text message board telling me to be careful because there was a Winter Weather Advisory out. And to think I might have made it all the way back home without knowing that! We are so lucky to live in a state that cares, seeing that they used Obama/our money to keep us safe.
Let’s be safe out there, don’t text and drive.
Your grumpy Uncle/brother Dave.
Weary