Grandpa Richard Speaks

Market pressures, my foot! It is market pressures to increase margins on a permanent basis, that’s what it is. Even OPEC is complaining about our gas prices.

I have heard about these things, and now I have seen it for myself. Today’s mail brought an envelope addressed to Jasmine, my 4-1/2 year old granddaughter. She can’t read yet, so her mom opened it and read it. It was a Capital One MasterCard Application Form. At least they had an appropriate check box [...]

Microsoft is claiming that Open Source products, notably among the list is Linux, have violated over 200 Microsoft held patents. For details, see this article.

I was making a small purchase at a convenience store associated with a gas station. The young man in front of me walked up to pay for his gas, and also ordered a pack of smokes. As required by the law in these parts, the cashier asked to see ID. The young customer, with obvious [...]

Here are a couple of ideas for dealing with telemarketers and junk mail. Enjoy. Telemarketers It’s quite easy actually. The next time a telemarketer calls, repeat this phrase: “Hold on, please.” Then, carefully put the phone down on the desk or table nearby and walk away. Go back to your supper, as odds have it [...]

Quite often, the actual statistics of crime rates has little bearing on society’s perception of crime rates. Take crimes against children. Many parents are so uptight about the safety of their children that those children are seldom outside unless a parent is with them. In actual fact, rates of child abduction are actually down. Meanwhile, [...]

Some organization did a survey and asked drivers if they supported the idea of toll roads. Isn’t that like asking that French King what he thought about guillotines?