Wood Meet Iron

Higher Education: Saving Money by doing what needs to be done

The story goes that a graduate student at Duke University is saving
money by living out of his $1,500 Ford van. Why is he doing it? Well,
the bigger question is why not?

He was strapped with $32k worth of debt from undergraduate school and
now feels that he can "rough it" at Duke and come out ahead.

Read the full story: http://bit.ly/4B2KyL

First Night Worcester: Talent Search

Maybe the First Night Worcester committee can fly this kid in from San Francisco to perform at the First Night festivities?

First Night Worcester: Fox 25 Jabs

Watching the morning news, particularly looking to see if there were school delays in Worcester, I happened to channel surf up to Fox 25 Morning News and heard the lead-in having to do with Worcester. Immediately, my attention was grabbed only to find out that they were making fun of the scaled back First Night Worcester celebration.

There won't be fireworks this year, due to their cost. That's understandable. But the kicker was the proposed changes for First Night Worcester:

• A children's parade
• A bubble wrap stomp on the Worcester Auditorium steps
• Create a "wish stick" to be tossed in the Resolution Fire
  

The children's parade, that's not an issue and I think it's cool to get kids hanging out together and coming together as a community. The bubble wrap stomp on the Worcester Auditorium steps, this is one that I'm not so sure about. Isn't there a more "green" way to have the children celebrate the New Year? Bubble wrap?

Maybe the kids could sponsor a coat and gloves drive, and have City Hall serve as the drop-off location? It's winter and people need coats and gloves, right?

The wish stick being tossed into the "Resolution Fire"? I don't know about this one folks, especially having just celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the warehouse fire. Public fire in Worcester? C'mon son, who came up with this brilliant idea?

So, while Fox 25 is making fun of Worcester, and I'm sure they'll have a camera crew in Worcester to cover the First Night celebration, I, too, wonder who comes up with these proposed changes? I think the kids of Worcester would have come up with more creative and fun activities.

Oh, I know, why don't we put the ice skating rink behind City Hall to good use? That's right, it isn't ready to be used and it's WINTER! It'll be ready to be used in July, hopefully.

New Law: No Texting while Driving

I hope this law is passed and then, hopefully, we'll see a law banning holding a cellphone to your ear while driving in Massachusetts as well?

I'm tired of drivers almost running over pedestrians or slamming into my vehicle while trying to turn a corner while attempting not to drop their cellphone.

Social Media Gone Wrong

When the students at Miscoe Hill School in Mendon started a Facebook page encouraging their peers to join a Facebook fan page stating that, “If 1,000 people join I'll slap Mrs. Meyers,” referring to Miscoe Hill School Principal Ann J. Meyer.

Yes, some of the kids may have been reprimanded and even suspended, but I wonder what the larger message being sent is?