It's somewhat challenging to...

write a morning blog and eat breakfast before you need to leave, when the wake-up call you requested doesn't come.  It isn't the first time but it will be the last when I get finish giving a piece of my mind to certain individuals.  Okay, okay, I won't be that bad.  But just because I'm sick of this happening, tonight before bed I'm going to reset the alarm on my watch and put it right by the bed so it will wake me even if they don't.

Things I'm pondering this afternoon:

If people know they're sick, why don't they just stay home?  Most of the so-called "errands" they need to run could wait until they aren't contagious.  If they have to go out in public, wear a mask.  It won't make you resemble Michael Jackson, it will be a sign of your concern for the health of others.

Handicapped placards are great until all of the reserved spaces for them are full. 

Why do some idiots insist on walking in the street when there's a perfectly working sidewalk they could walk on?  I never see any of them with a big S on their chest to signify that they are Superman (or Superwoman). 

Why do people think the right turn only lane doesn't apply to them if they're going to make the right turn immediately across the intersection they were supposed to turn right at?  I see this all the time at the corner of National and Westwood, where people going South on Westwood will get into the right turn only lane, cross the intersection and then turn right into the Trader Joe's parking lot.  Maybe people who shop at Trader Joe's think they get special privileges when driving.  Then again, in spite of being a Westside native myself, I am of the mind that people on the Westside seem to think they're very entitled just by virtue of zip code.

What's up with J.C. Penney's?  They said they'd never again engage in promotional pricing.  Now they're back to offering promotional pricing.  Never is apparently not forever.

What will the religious zealots of the right wing make of a study that shows gay men suffer lower levels of stress and depression than straight men? 

I think it's high time that places like Yelp.com and other sites that offer reviews through "anonymous" sources stop doing that.  Either require the people to prove their identity or stop them from posting negative or positive reviews of businesses.  I went on Yelp and looked at some reviews of businesses and it was obvious that the really bad reviews were from competitors, rather than disgruntled customers.  These really bad reviews lack specifics because the supposed bad things never really happened.

This Date in History:

On this date in 1834, President Andrew Jackson orders federal troops to suppress a labor dispute, the first such use of troops
On this date in 1845, "The Raven" is published.
On this date in 1861, Kansas is admitted as the 34th state.
On this date in 1891, Liliuokalani becomes the last monarch of Hawaii when she's proclaimed Queen.
On this date in 1900, the American League is organized, with eight teams.
On this date in 1936, the first inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame are announced.
On this date in 1963, the first inductees to the Football Hall of Fame are announced.
On this date in 1985, the final session to record "We Are the World" is held.