The Twists & Turns of The Sterling Case

By now, almost everyone has about about the infamous remarks from L.A. Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, which ultimately got him kicked out the NBA. While we can all agree that his comments were no doubt, racially offensive, the story has drawn many different reactions.

First off, let's examine the powder keg that got us here. Apparently, Sterling had an issue with his mistress, V. Stiviano, associating with black people. After seeing an Instagram photo of his girl and Magic Johnson, he advised her to stop associating with black people and to not bring Johnson to the games. While we can all pretty much agree that his comments are racially offensive, the fact of the matter is that these comments were recorded during a private conversation. While it certainly doesn't a paint a positive picture of the man, the privacy issue is worth noting.

To add a twist of drama to the story, it has been reported that then the Sterling family had filed a $1.8 million lawsuit against Stiviano for embezzlement. It was also reported that the mistress vowed to "get even". Hmmm......

Not long after Sterling's comments were broadcast, the NBA hit him with a harsh penalty which resulted in a lifetime ban as well as a $2.5 million fine. The NBA, no doubt, reacted this way to protect their image and distance themselves from the Clipper's owner. For this, I can't blame them. But will this set a precedent for the "thought police" to start cleaning house of future idiots?

From what I've read, Sterling is no rookie when it comes to racism and/or discrimination. In 2009, he agreed to pay $2.68 million to settle allegations that he refused to rent housing to Hispanics, blacks and families with children. Sounds like a really nice fella, huh? Sterling was also sued by the Justice Department in 2006 for housing discrimination around the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. And in 2011, Sterling was involved an an age-discrimination lawsuit brought forward by his 76-year-old general manager. Hispanics, blacks, Asians, senior citizens....this guy seems to have a problem with everyone!

Now, after discovering Sterling's racist background, you would expect his hooker/girlfriend to be a blond, blue-eyed southern belle. But in reality, V. Stiviano is of African-American and Mexican heritage. Try to figure that one out..

While most of the negative reactions to Sterling latest comments are understandable, some of the reactions have me scratching my head. For instance, ex-NY Knicks star, Larry Johnson tweeted:

"Black people your Focusing on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on having our own, Own team own League! To For Self!!"

Personally, I find this just as offensive as Sterling's comments. Why create the divisiveness? If you've got a probably with Sterling, direct your comments at him. Racism sucks no matter who perpetrates it. The majority of Americans have no issue with people of different races. I think the outpouring of opposition to Sterling's comments confirms that. Instead of taking up sides when it comes to race-related issues, we should work to eliminate racism across the board.

Lastly, on a bit of a twisted note, I find interesting that the LA Clippers have pretty much been a shitty team during their entire 40+ year existence. However, in the past couple of years, they have become a really good team, largely due to key players such as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Last year, the Clippers won their first ever division title and repeated as division champs this season, They were in the mist of the playoffs when the were derailed by their owner's infamous comments. Could the secret recording of Sterling be part of a conspiracy to take the Clippers down? Add in the fact that former L.A. Lakers star, Magic Johnson, was part of this makes things seem even more strange. It has been reported that Johnson (and his billionaire backers, the Guggenheim Partners) is interested in buying the Clippers should the NBA force Sterling to sell his team. A coincidence?

I'm sure this story will take several more dramatic turns before it finally fizzles out. Hang tight....

kw

Standing In My Way

Have you ever been driving through a busy parking lot and noticed all of the inconsiderate assholes who park near the front entrances of the businesses? Well, I guess it's not technically "parking" if the engine is running. Instead, we've come to refer to this as "standing". Like that makes it justified...

Just yesterday, I was driving through a parking lot on my way to a local Kinko's store. You would think that I could breeze right through the parking lot, drop my packages off and then be on my merry way. But no! Impeding my path were at least three lazy morons who thought that they were important enough to have everyone else go around them. By the time I got to the last one, I had reached my limit and I laid on the horn. Of course, the woman in the car acted like she didn't hear anything. So, I gave her a second blast. Again, no response. So, giving her the benefit of the doubt, I assumed that she might be deaf. So as a courtesy, I pulled alongside her and mouthed, "You're an asshole."

Are these "standers" really so important that parking in a legitimate parking space is beneath them?  Many times, an abundance of open parking spaces are only a short distance away. But these jerk-offs absolutely refuse to use them. Instead, they insist on blocking traffic while they nonchalantly sit and force us to go around their inconsiderate asses. They're probably the same people who drive 30 mph in the fast lane.

And once in a blue moon, a police officer will recognize the situation and ticket one of the standers. I've actually seen it happen one time where the driver got out and start bitching at the cop. Can you believe that? If I were the cop, I would have given the guy a wood shampoo and then told him to move his f*cking car.

kw

Reunited With Captain Crunch

We don't eat a whole lot of cereal in my house. But, for some reason, Tina brought home a box of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch today. And although I haven't eaten this cereal since I was a kid, the sight of the box created an instant craving that I haven't experienced in many years.

As a kid, we use to practically live off of breakfast cereals. We always ate it for breakfast, but it wasn't that uncommon to occasionally eat a bowl for lunch or dinner. You have to remember, I grew up in a time when kids actually went outside and exerted energy. So, the sugary cereals would provide all of the energy that we needed to accomplish the task at hand.

I can remember a few times where my Mom attempted to substitute a less sugary, more "healthy" cereal. For example, one time the only thing that I could find in the cabinet was a box of Cheerios. Now remember, this is way back in the day before the Honey Nut version. The plain Cheerios were bland and pretty much flavorless. And after a couple of weeks of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch, a bowl of Cheerios was like eating cardboard. So, what did I do to make it somewhat palatable? I doused the Cheerios with spoonfuls of sugar. By the time I was finished, my "enhanced" bowl of Cheerios probably contained twice the amount of sugar as the Captain Crunch.

I can also remember when the marshmallow cereals first hit the scene. Of course, Lucky Charms was probably the all-time most popular. Who can't love an Irishman who offers you pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars and green clovers? Sure, Lucky Charms were nice. But, in my opinion, they were no match for Count Chocula. The chocolaty cereal with it's accompanying marshmallows was about as good as breakfast could get for an eight year old. As an added bonus, your leftover milk was naturally converted into chocolate milk. I must also give a shout-out to the Count's tasty friends, Boo-Berry and Frankenberry.

And then there was Trix, the colorful cereal brought to us by a rabbit named Tricks. Go figure. Now, I always thought that Tricks the rabbit got a raw deal. You probably remember the familiar tagline "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids." For the record, if I had ever met the silly rabbit, I would have shared my bowl of Trix with him.

I was always disappointed with Rice Crispies. Snap, Crackle and Pop seemed like nice enough guys, but their cereal just didn't do anything for me. However, the cereal was eventually legitimized in the form of Rice Crispy Treats.

Does anyone remember Alpha-Bits? In an attempt to create spelling bee champions all across America, Post introduced us introduced letter-shaped cereal. The problem was that while you tried to spell different words, your cereal got soggy.

And who can forget Frosty Flakes? Tony The Tiger is one of the most beloved cereal mascots ever. Eating a bowl of these corn flakes was like eating directly out of the sugar bowl. But I have to agree with Tony, they were GRRRRRR-EAT!

After reminiscing about all of this, I think I am going to crack open that box and get reunited with Captain Crunch! It's been a while....

kw

Strong-Arming The Smart Meter

A year or so ago, a representative from BGE came to the house in an attempt to install one of the new smart-meters. I told him that I did not want it installed and that he should get off of my property immediately. He asked me to sign his paperwork which basically stated that I was refusing to give my consent to the meter "upgrade". He then informed me that I would have to submit a written letter to BGE letting them know of my opposition to the smart meter, which I did. This, I was told, would take me off of any future installation plan.

I had a minor pissing contest with BGE afterward, but for the most part, all was good.

Well, last week, I received a letter from BGE informing me that if I don't allow the installation of the the smart-meter, I will have to pay a $75 fee up front and then an additional $11 per month from here on out. WTF??

So starting in July, unless I'm willing to shell out an additional $200, I will have to give in and have the smart meter installed. So, you might be asking, "What's the big deal?" The bottom line is that I just don;t trust the utility companies. So, you think I'm paranoid? I'll respond to that with one word....Enron.

In a mad dash to grab federal stimulus funds, some of the utility companies rolled out their smart-meter projects without the normal pilot testing and public consultance. Pennsylvania's Peco Energy, for example, recently had to replace tens of thousands of newly installed smart-meters after a series of electrical problems and fires.

And then there's the issue of the radio frequencies that are emitted by the smart-meters. Sure, we're told that they're safe. But again, I remain a little skeptical.

Since these devices transmit data via a wireless network, there's also a legitimate concern about cybersecurity and privacy. Hackers have already proven in test systems that the smart-meters are vulnerable to attacks on the entire power grid. Could this potentially lead to a massive blackout?

Of course, we're also told of how much "greener" the smart-meters will be and how much money they'll save. Really? Does this mean that If I agree to have a smart-meter installed, I should see my utility rates decline? Somehow, I doubt it. And, by the way, how much of this "money savings" will be the result of job cuts as more and more smart-meters are rolled out?

Proponents tell me that the smart-meters will save me money by allow me to see where my "energy spikes" are occurring. I don't really care. I have a very good relationship with my energy spikes and I certainly don't need no damn smart-meter telling me otherwise.

The bottom line is that I should have the right to forego the smart-meter without getting beat over the head with an additional "fee". Basically, BGE is going to charge me for something that I don't have. It's kind of like the way Obamacare charges you for not buying medical coverage.

Perhaps a more "customer-friendly" marketing campaign would have been to offer a discount if you agree to a smart-meter instead of penalizing you for not having one. But then again, we're just customers. What do we really matter......

kw

The Decline of Brick & Mortar

It seems like every time we turn around, another retailer announces the closing of more "brick and mortar" stores. Online shopping and other contributing factors have put the traditional trip to the mall on life support.

The following closures are in the works:

• Family Dollar has announced plans to close 370 under-performing stores this year. They have also announced plans to cut prices on approximately 1000 basic items. If these things are only a buck now, how low can they possibly cut them?
• Radio Shack plans to close up about 1,100 of it's stores. I am actually surprised that this place has stayed afloat all of these years. On the rare occasion that I stop by a Radio Shack, there's usually no more than one or two people in the store.
• Staples, the country's largest office supply chain, is planning to close 225 stores this year. 
• Office Depot will also be closing up some stores due to the recent acquisition of OfficeMax
• Macy's, who has done relatively well this year, is still planning on closing several stores
• Sears announced that it will be closing their flagship store in Chicago as well as hundreds of other stores around the country. This will also spill over into several K-Mart locations
• J.C. Penney will be closing a 33 of it's stores this year

No doubt, I like the convenience of shopping online. I can quickly compare prices and, in most cases, get the best deal possible. From a consumer standpoint, it makes the most sense.

But on the other hand, I also like to "touch" the product before I buy it. Back in the day, I would head over to the local Circuit City for some due diligence prior to purchasing a new television or other electronic gadgets. I really liked that I could interact with a real, live person and ask questions about my potential purchase. I also liked that I could purchase my item immediately as opposed to waiting for it to be delivered via the online method.

Although I buy almost all of my music through Amazon.com these days, I do miss the days of thumbing through the record/tape/CD racks of the old "record" stores. These stores are all but extinct now. The old Record and Tape Traders chain, where I used to buy most of my CD's, has been reduced to one location. And Best Buy's CD section is pretty much non-existent in most locations.

Along these same lines, I used to really enjoy mall shopping. Within walking distance, I had endless "live" retailers to browse through. Most malls resemble ghost towns these days. I recently stopped at the Owings Mills mall. I think the only two stores open in whole place were Macy's and J.C. Penney. As I ventured out into the mall itself, the vast number of vacancies seemed a bit spooky. It reminded me of the mall setting in the  original "Dawn of the Dead" movie.

It didn't seem that long ago that we would go to the video store to pick up a movie. I used to get a kick out of watching the "video sharks" huddle around the return bin. These people would patiently wait, sometimes for hours, to get their hands on the new releases. Sometimes, when I happened to be returning one of the hot movies, I would wave it in above my head as I walked into the store. The video sharks would start to salivate as they jostled for position. As the Blockbuster employee delivered the movie back to the return bin, these morons would practically trample one another trying to claim it. It was like watching a bunch of Walmartians fight over the electric shopping scooter. My point here is.....you can't have this kind of fun with Netflix!

Brick and mortar stores definitely have their benefits. It really is a shame to see so many of them going by the wayside.....

kw

Linda's 70th Birthday

First off, I'd like to thank everyone for coming out today and helping us celebrate my Mom's special birthday. These personal milestones are a lot more special when you can share them with family and friends. We really do appreciate you being here.....

In the past, whenever I reached one of those special birthdays, my mother would always ask, "So, Ken, what's it feel like to be 25, 30, 40, etc." So, I think it's only fitting to ask....

"So, Mom. What's it feel like to be 70?"

I know my mother is 70 now. And her mobility is not what it once was. But don't let that fool you. She still gets around more than you might think. Her wheelchair's probably traveled more miles than a New York taxi cab. In fact, she has literally burned up at least two of them. One of the more memorable burn-outs took place aboard the MTA Mobility bus. With her wheelchair smoking and the fire department on the way, the other passengers on the bus were obviously a bit concerned. But my mother, remaining calm and collected, took control of the situation and said, "Relax, everybody. It's just my chair. Happens all the time." When the firefighters eventually showed up, the first thing they said was, "Hi Linda. Smoked another one, huh?"

Another time, we were at a funeral service, of all places. At some point, there was the distinct smell of an electrical fire. It seemed to be coming from a back room where some overhead projectors and audio equipment were stored. Of course, my mom, who is always quick to say what's on her mind, starts complaining to the funeral director....

"Something's burning. Don't you have somebody who can take of this? Dern!" (By the way, "dern" happens to be my mom's favorite swear word)

Anyway, the poor funeral director is scrambling around to try and figure out where the burning smell is coming from. The whole time, my mother continues to lay it on.....

"Come on, Ervin. Get me outside! Somebody needs to get this fixed! Dern!"

Well, as we started to wheel her out of the place and down the long hallway, the burning smell just wouldn't go away. Of course, it didn't take long to for us to realize that the burning smell was actually coming from the motor on my mom's wheelchair. As we broke the news my mom, it reminded my of that old classic movie line, "M'am, we've traced the call and it's coming from inside your house."

You would think that this would be a sign for her to slow down. But we all know that's never gonna happen......

Many people can tell you that my mother likes to be in control. And if she asks you to do something once, she'll remind you to do at least a dozen more times.

I know I've told this story before, but it really helps to illustrate my point......

Several years ago, around the Christmas holidays, Mom asks me to pick her up a bottle of Egg Nog. Now, it couldn't be just any ol' Egg Nog. It had to be Pennsylvania Dutch. So, I say, "Ok, Mom, no problem. I got it."

This, of course, brings a sour look from her face and she says, "Now, I want you to tell me.......what do I want you to get?"

I let out a long sigh and then answer, "You want Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog. Relax, I got it."

She thinks for a minute or two and then says, "I want you to write it down."

So, having been through this routine countless times before, I scribble "Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog".

Of course, after I write it, my mom says, "Ok, let me see what you wrote."

So, after finally getting her approval, I shuffle off to Goldberg's liquor store. I walk into the store and start to scan the shelves. Then, I hear the phone at the front of the store ring. The cashier puts his hand over the receiver and yells down the aisle, "Excuse me, is your name Ken?"

Trying to decide whether I should answer or just crawl under one of the shelves, I reluctantly reply, "Yep, that would be me."

 Then, the guy says, "I've got your mother on the phone. She says to make sure you get her the Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog." Of course, the store was packed. In the end, the mission was accomplished Mom got her special egg nog......

Now, although my mother is not afraid to tell you how she feels, she sometimes has a unique way of doing so. Through the years, she has created her own vocabulary. We've come to refer to these words as "Linda-isms". For example, she used to watch the Geraldo show. But if you asked her, she would tell you that she was watching Jer-aldo (pronounced like the "Jer" in germ).......

For the longest time, I thought the local newspaper played music because my mother would always refer to the Maryland Gazette simply as the Cassette.

And while many of us enjoy Chinese food, my mom prefers to dine on Chi-nee food.

And in Linda-speak, it's perfectly acceptable to substitute the T with a K. For example, K-Mart and Walmart instantly become K-Mark and Walmark.

And here's one of my personal favorites. As many of you know, my sister Karen and her husband, Timmy, are members of the Hughes family. But according to my mother, they're actually the Who-gis.

And right on cue, when Karen Who-gis informed my mother that Beefalo Bob's would be catering this party, her response was, "I've never heard of Buffalo Bill's".

Then there's the story of the ghost. Yes, my mother is convinced that there's a spirit living in her house. When she first saw it, she thought it was an hallucination. Well, actually, my mother called it an alluciation.

And Karen recently reminded me of these two gems.........

Many years ago, my mom used to have this t-shirt that she really liked. It said Paradise across the top, and just below the lettering was a large "flower".  She would wear it proudly as she headed out to pick my sisters up from school. Sadly, we eventually had to inform her that the pretty flower on her shirt was actually a gigantic pot leaf. She never wore it after that point and her days of promoting cannabis at the elementary school were over. It broke her heart to part ways with that shirt. ......Don't worry, Mom. If they ever legalize marijuana in Maryland, we're gonna resurrect that old Paradise shirt.

And then there was the time, so I've been told, that my mother crashed a wedding reception. Why, you ask? Because it happened to be a Polish wedding and she wanted to taste the food.

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Of course, I'm just having some fun up here. As I wind things up, I'd like to get serious for a minute...

For those who don't know, my mom was diagnosed with MS over thirty years ago. While many people would have probably chosen to give up under the circumstances, my mother never let it prevent her from getting the most out of life.  She has inspired me, as well as my sisters and everyone around her with her determination and positive outlook. And through the many years that she has had to deal with pain and setbacks, I have never once heard her complain about it. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she chose to stay optimistic and hope for a better tomorrow.

My mother often tells people how proud that she is of her children. Well, I can tell you without a doubt, that her children are also very proud of her.

Here's to my mom.....the strongest person that I've ever met.

kw

Breaking News?

Why is everything considered "breaking news" these days? Every time I tune into one of the 24-hour news stations, it seems like the red "Breaking News" banner is floating across the screen. Of course, the latest string of breaking news centers around the missing Malaysian airliner. We'll see the camera panning back and forth across the Indian Ocean but the only thing that seems to be  "breaking" are the waves. A month later, still no airplane. But nonetheless, it's still considered breaking news.....

And you ever notice that whenever it snows, it's considered "breaking news" every ten minutes? The weather man could sum things up by saying something like, "Ok, folks, the total accumulation is 6 inches. It's going to be a bit slippery out there today. Be sure to shovel off your walkways. And most importantly, don't be an asshole and be sure to brush the snow off the top of your vehicle. Ok, back to the studio......."

Now, there are indeed legitimate breaking news stories. For example, I personally consider it breaking news when:

• O's pitcher Wei-Yin Chen makes it past the third inning
• you travel 5 consecutive miles in Maryland without passing a toll, speed camera or red-light camera
• no one gets murdered in Baltimore within a 24-hour period
• there's a sober suspect on an episode of Cops
• I go into Subway and don't have to say, "I'm sorry, I can't understand what you're saying. Can you repeat that?"
• a politician tells us the truth
• you see anyone above the age of six without a cell phone
• I don't receive a parking citation within two minutes of my meter running out
• I log into Facebook and don't see anyone posting about their gym workout
• I make it out of Walmart without saying "WTF"
• the Ravens go a full week without a player being arrested
• a full day goes by and Martin Owe'Malley doesn't create a new tax
• I see someone in Baltimore City with a dog other than a pit bull
• I deliver three consecutive sentences without dropping the f-bomb

So, what exactly do you consider breaking news??

kw