2011 in Retrospect - A New Years Blog

I took the week after Christmas off from writing because I have been extremely busy.  Who would have thought that being on vacation I would need to rest.  However, my last blog of the year is a chance for me to reflect on the year that past.  There were some great moments, some head scratching moments, some frustrating moments and some forgettable moments.  Of all the moments I really can't say I wouldn't change a thing because there are moments that are out of your control and quite simply you would change if you could.  Also, I would like to capture a "best of" list of things I found interesting over the past year.  I will close this out with my "Person of the Year".  Rest assured people, it will not be the protester.

Things that I learned over the past year:

· The City of Worcester has bureaucracy down to a science and I can't say it's worse than any other town than the "Woo".  We built a house this year and it covered every type of moment I listed above.  I have heard people that moved into a new house say "I'm never moving".  Sorry folks I just one upped you.  Not only am I never moving again, they will have to get rid of me Occupy-Style.  In building a house there are regulations and ordinances that are required, which is fine, but have them accessible to people.  You telling me as you go just makes me think you are making it up as you go.  None of the agencies that you deal with when building a house talk to each other, and they are spread out all over the city.  God forbid if you left something off your application or specs, they will not tell you, until you have waited so long that you call in frustration.  This whole experience could take up my whole blog and may some day, just not today.

· I learned that ankle surgery is more invasive than I thought, even though I have been through two of them.

· When throwing business to a friend it is wise to make them understand that you are doing them a favor, not the other way around.  You may be getting a good price, which is why you went to them in the first place, but they need to do the job as if you were any other customer.

· I understand the news and meteorologists really amp up storms when they are coming through our area.  In some cases it is good that it wasn't as bad as they say.  For instance, when Tropical Storm Irene came through Central Mass. the disappointment people had about the impact of the storm was overwhelming.  What did people want, their houses on the next block?  Just don't get it.

· Here is another tidbit on weather from 2011.  After the record amount of snow we received early on the area went on to experience a Tornado, an earthquake, a Hurricane (it was a Tropical Storm when it finally touched), and then finally snow before Halloween.

· I also learned that I have been spelling Honey wrong all these years.  Watch Winnie the Pooh daily and you too will learn it is spelled Hunny.

 Here is my best of list for 2011.  Nothing major, just some things I found entertaining.

Best Facebook Status - "I was wondering if Snap still had the power" - Courtesy of Michael Beaulieu.  It was completely random and out of nowhere

Best Sporting Event Any Level - Bruins win the Stanley Cup.  It is kind of tough to go against that especially the run that Tim Thomas was on. However, on a personal level umpiring a baseball District game with Tantasqua Regional High School two days after that area was devastated by a tornado was a close second.  Those kids played for more than a District title that day.

Best Political Gaffe - There are lot to choose from but Rick Perry's performance in presidential debate where he forgot to department of Energy of agencies to cut.  In his mind he had already cut them out.

Biggest Nuisance - Occupy Worcester.  The Occupy movement overall was a nuisance, but Worcester took the cake because it had the City Manager disagreeing with the Mayor on how they should be treated.

 

Best description of an NFL team - The Vikings' pass defense has really gone from the Cover 2 to the Cover None. Courtesy of espn.com

Most unfortunate story - Prof Avery boycotting care packs for our soldiers

Most pathetic story - Washington. Enough said.

Worst prediction - The world coming to an end by Harold Camping. Twice.

Best What the?  A Foxboro Doctor opposed to the casino in that town saying he will treat sexually transmitted diseases if Foxboro gets a Casino.

People of the Year

Since Time Magazine used its influence to bring recognition to a group, so will I.  However, instead of giving the people of the year to a group of people that hate America, I am going opposite of that.  3D's People of the year are The U.S. Navy SEALS.  On Monday May 2, 2011 they killed the man that most Americans wanted dead since September 11, 2001, Osama Bin Laden.  Besides the fact that these soldiers defend our nation thanklessly, the SEALS do the toughest of tasks that are asked of them.  They are the true people of the year.

Happy New Year everyone.  Thanks for reading and may I continue to entertain you in the coming year.

3D Coming Right Atcha

3D Ramblings 12/23/2011

No crazy opening, no delays.  Right into my Ramblings of the last two weeks.  Today does mark the 123rd anniversary of Van Gogh cutting his ear off and giving it to a prostitute.  That is just some messed up stuff.

Casino Gaming in Massachusetts - If you thought Massachusetts politicians were corrupt before.  Well we haven't seen anything yet.  These guys will be tripping over themselves to get a piece of the gaming pie.  I thought for sure that Barney Frank not seeking re-election would have led to him leading the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.  For those of you in Foxboro who are against Robert Kraft and Steve Wynn putting up a Casino across from Gillette, you were delivered a critical blow as one of the proponents of a Foxboro Casino was named Chairman of the gaming commission.  He also stated that he will not issue licenses to any bidder that doesn't meet their standards.  That means to the bidder: "Show me the money".

Barney Frank out - So Barney Frank decides he no longer wants to represent his district in Washington anymore.  He figures his damage has done enough to the American public.  Also, losing a piece of his district to the re-mapping of the districts probably took away his main sheep that followed his call.  Simply put, he knew he was a target and he knew could possibly get beat.

Side Jobs - So the state and the city have a difference in opinion when it comes to officials working in their offices, working other jobs on company time.  The State Auditor said that Register of Probate Official Paul Lacava was in the wrong when he would leave his office at the courthouse to teach classes at a couple of the area colleges.  The auditor was spot on in calling out Mr. Lacava and Registrar of Probate Steve Abraham.  The City of Worcester on the other hand sees it differently.  They see no issue that City Clerk David Rushford performing marriages at City Hall during working hours.  I don't see an issue with that either, however, the issue I have is that Rushford gets to pocket the fee for the marriage.  I see this as worse than what Lacava did.  Not only is Rushford using his position at City Hall to do these services, he is using city time and facilities.  If he is going to pocket the fees then the city needs to tax him as a business, charge him rent for the use of city hall and dock him pay for the time of each service he is collecting a fee on.

Coach after my own heart - University of Cincinnati head basketball coach Mick Cronin after a brawl with cross town rival Xavier spoke out against his own players.  He did not defend a single one that was part of the melee.  At his press conference he did not speak of what type of suspensions he was going to hand out, he was talking about if he would have enough players to suit up for the next game.  That was awesome. He knew his players acted like thugs and he wasn't going to have it.

Ochomatchmaking - Last week Chad Ochocinco once again took to Twitter to play match maker.  He tried to hook up an 18 year old boy and a 25 year old single mom.  It was a disaster.  I have a match for Chad.  Him and his playbook.

Debt Deal - Kids! Stop fighting or I will send you to your rooms.  It is actually painfully pathetic to watch what is going on in Washington.

Another Coach after my own heart - The University of Georgia football program was notified by the NCAA that head coach Mark Richt, violated NCAA rules when he, get this, paid his assistant coaches out of his own pocket because he felt they weren't being paid enough and the university would not raise their salaries.  All I can say to that is, F* the NCAA.

Facebook Timeline - On December 28, Facebook will launch Timeline for everyone.  If you haven't seen it yet, it looks pretty cool.  But to see everything you have done while being on Facebook re-appear is pretty eerie.  Mark Zuckerberg has become Big Brother, as George Orwell wrote "He, who controls the past, controls the future."

Attack on Christianity - Why is it when we see people being arrested for religious actions, or decorations are being taken down they are of the Christian variety.  Why is attacking Christianity the cool thing to do?  How is it a "Christmas Tree" is offensive, but a Menorah at Newton Square gets to go up unbothered every year?  This country was founded on religious persecution, but reverse discrimination on Christianity is not only acceptable, but encouraged.

Take-Out - Last night we played an away game at Acton-Boxboro.  On the way home I ordered a pizza to pick up on the way home.  Is it me or do all take-out orders take 15 minutes to prepare?  No matter what time I call or what I order, it is always 15 minutes.  Just saying.

Merry Christmas – There! I said it!  I want to wish all the people that read my blog a Very Merry Christmas.  I truly appreciate your support.  As long as you keep reading, I will keep writing.  If you all tell me to stop, I won't, but I want you to think you have a say.  Merry Christmas

3D
Coming Right Atcha

Remember, if you have a topic you would like me to comment on or right about please e-mail me and I will try my best to comment.

The death of John Bon Jovi

So on Tuesday long time rocker Jon Bon Jovi did his best Jesus impersonation by dying and returning from the dead.  He was more efficient however, he did it in one day.  Seriously, this thing came and went before I even noticed.  My wife told me about this morning and I had no idea.  So it got me thinking of why these tabloids bring death into their story lines.  Not that anybody cares that celebrity couples relationships are marred with infidelity.  People think those stories are true, and they are harmless.  Stories of reporting ones death is classless and stupid.

So some of the past death celebrity hoaxes that have been reported and their cause of death have been:

Charlie Sheen - Date of Death: Dec. 26, 2010, snowboarding accident.  Well, giving what the country had to go through during his "winning" crusade, maybe this was just wishful thinking.

Adam Sandler - Date of Death: Dec. 29, 2010, snowboarding accident.   Since the Charlie Sheen death hoax didn't work the tabloids figured they could sneak Sandler by people for the same type of accident three days later.

Lindsay Lohan - Date of Death: July 13, 2010, overdose, although not surprising or out of the realm of possibility, maybe wishful thinking.  See Charlie Sheen.

Paris Hilton, stabbed in prison in 2007 - This just sounds like a bad porno movie

Will Smith - Date of Death: 2007 - 2009, car accident. The tabloids tried this 4 different times.  Wouldn't you just quit when it didn't work the first time.

Mayor Thomas Menino - Date of Death: April 1, 2005 - Anybody realize the date on this one.  However, this one had legs as famous shock jocks Opie and Anthony were fired for reporting this death on April Fool's Day.  Ok, it was a joke, but in complete poor taste.

When Michael Jackson's death was first reported I thought for sure it was a hoax.  I mean the man went from black to white, his death was begging to be under much speculation.  On the flip side of all the death hoaxes are the clowns that think people who think dead celebrities are still alive.  Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison, Tupac, Michael Jackson, Keith Richards and Andy Kaufmann are still dead.  Ok, Keith Richards is not dead, but shouldn't he be?  The people who believe these celebrities are still alive are just as whacko. 

So with all these hoaxes it makes every report that I hear about a dead celebrity skeptical.  But at the end of the day, Abe Vigoda is still alive.

3D
Coming Right Atcha