On my way back from a few errands in Somerset County, I wanted to fill the half-empty gas tank of my car. Pointing it west on Route 22, I decided to stop at an independent Liberty gas station where, yesterday, September 11, my wife gassed up her auto at $3.39 per gallon, regular.
On the way there, I saw two Exxon stations which service both directions of Route 22, near ShopRite. They posted prices of $3.45. The next gas station going west, Valero, posted $3.59. Just past that, on the eastbound side, Gulf also showed $3.59.
As I approached the Liberty gas station, the posted price for regular had gone up .30¢ overnight to $3.69! I drove past it, turned back east on Route 22, and stopped at the Exxon across from ShopRite, filling up for $3.45. Waiting at the pump, I was in disbelief at the price back at Liberty. I must have misread the big sign on the highway. How could it have gone up .30¢ in 24 hours?
My tank full, I needed to satisfy myself that I had this right. Pulling away from Exxon, I negotiated the first jughandle, reversing direction back west on Route 22. Slowing down slightly as I passed the Liberty gas station, the big sign read $3.69, regular. I wasn’t dreaming!
I hope that Somerset County officials check this out: because, although there may be a sound economic reason for this, it smells like a skunk.
(Note: The word Friday afternoon is that stations ordering gas now may have to pay as much as .50¢ per gallon above the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) price, due to Hurricane Ike. Still, are some stations out there with gas in their storage tanks purchased at lower prices taking advantage of the hurricane to jack up prices?)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A Place to Remember
The inscription on the plaque affixed to the horizontal beam salvaged from one of the World Trade Towers is very simple and direct:
A Place to Remember
A Tribute to Life, Lives Lost, and Lives Changed Forever
September 11, 2001
It’s located in a circle of fidelity at Harry Dunham Park in Bernards Township, near the northern tip of Bridgewater. The location of this park memorial is at the confluence of two semi-elliptical walking paths, one large, one small, where they conjoin. The design is well thought out, evidently intended to not let a walker forget as he/she circles the park in exercise.
Late in the afternoon, after parking the car and walking towards ‘A Place to Remember,’ Pris and I saw from the distance the figure of a lone man in a dark business suit standing still, his body straight, his head bent down, his eyes fixed upon the inscription etched in one of the square slates. The names on that plate must have represented loved ones or friends who perished on that dreadful day seven years ago.
The U.S. flag fluttered quietly at half-staff and three bouquets rested on top of the beam, just below the ‘Place to Remember’ inscription. A pot of mums had been placed at the foot of the plaque.
I have written about this honored site before. I’m sure that I will write about it again. I don’t want to forget. Nor do I forget Osama bin Laden – one of the world’s greatest malignant minds – who stays holed up under the protection of his Pakistani patrons in the mountainous region of northwestern Pakistan known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, far away from the steely hand of justice.
A Place to Remember
A Tribute to Life, Lives Lost, and Lives Changed Forever
September 11, 2001
It’s located in a circle of fidelity at Harry Dunham Park in Bernards Township, near the northern tip of Bridgewater. The location of this park memorial is at the confluence of two semi-elliptical walking paths, one large, one small, where they conjoin. The design is well thought out, evidently intended to not let a walker forget as he/she circles the park in exercise.
Late in the afternoon, after parking the car and walking towards ‘A Place to Remember,’ Pris and I saw from the distance the figure of a lone man in a dark business suit standing still, his body straight, his head bent down, his eyes fixed upon the inscription etched in one of the square slates. The names on that plate must have represented loved ones or friends who perished on that dreadful day seven years ago.
The U.S. flag fluttered quietly at half-staff and three bouquets rested on top of the beam, just below the ‘Place to Remember’ inscription. A pot of mums had been placed at the foot of the plaque.
I have written about this honored site before. I’m sure that I will write about it again. I don’t want to forget. Nor do I forget Osama bin Laden – one of the world’s greatest malignant minds – who stays holed up under the protection of his Pakistani patrons in the mountainous region of northwestern Pakistan known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, far away from the steely hand of justice.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Boring Wordsmiths
A new lingo seems to have crept into American English mainly through TV talk show hosts, commentators and their guests who have come to use it profusely. The jargon revolves around meaningless expressions such as ‘going forward’ and ‘on the ground.’
Tonight I heard a CNN talking head ask one of her guests in a most serious tone, “….what do you think the strategy is ‘going forward?’” Campbell Brown could simply have asked, “What is the strategy?”
You might think that this is not a big deal. It’s not. But it’s a symptom of the low level of sophistication that passes for newsworthy reporting and analysis on the boob tube. The term ‘going forward’ is appended to thousands of sentences every day like kernels of corn bursting into popcorn in my stove-top Whirley-Pop. Popcorn tastes great. Useless word appendages don’t.
A second wordsmith attachment often stuck to the end of sentences by TV talking heads is the expression, ‘on the ground.’ When originally used in its derivative sense to highlight the debate over the number of soldiers that were required in Iraq, the term had import. Now, it’s seemingly thrown about on any topic having to do with military issues or with simply trying to sound credible.
We keep hearing about ‘boots on the ground.’ By golly where else would they be? Or, we might hear a well-paid TV analyst trying to add gravitas to his/her conclusion by saying something like, “John/Jane Doe is flying to Iraq next week, and will talk to Nouri al-Maliki so that he/she can get the facts ‘on the ground.’”
I hope the person dispatched to Baghdad didn’t get shot in the butt by a sniper, as he/she was walking about that beleaguered city, bending over to collect facts ‘on the ground’ in order that we uninformed citizens could understand what strategy is proposed ‘going forward.’
Tonight I heard a CNN talking head ask one of her guests in a most serious tone, “….what do you think the strategy is ‘going forward?’” Campbell Brown could simply have asked, “What is the strategy?”
You might think that this is not a big deal. It’s not. But it’s a symptom of the low level of sophistication that passes for newsworthy reporting and analysis on the boob tube. The term ‘going forward’ is appended to thousands of sentences every day like kernels of corn bursting into popcorn in my stove-top Whirley-Pop. Popcorn tastes great. Useless word appendages don’t.
A second wordsmith attachment often stuck to the end of sentences by TV talking heads is the expression, ‘on the ground.’ When originally used in its derivative sense to highlight the debate over the number of soldiers that were required in Iraq, the term had import. Now, it’s seemingly thrown about on any topic having to do with military issues or with simply trying to sound credible.
We keep hearing about ‘boots on the ground.’ By golly where else would they be? Or, we might hear a well-paid TV analyst trying to add gravitas to his/her conclusion by saying something like, “John/Jane Doe is flying to Iraq next week, and will talk to Nouri al-Maliki so that he/she can get the facts ‘on the ground.’”
I hope the person dispatched to Baghdad didn’t get shot in the butt by a sniper, as he/she was walking about that beleaguered city, bending over to collect facts ‘on the ground’ in order that we uninformed citizens could understand what strategy is proposed ‘going forward.’
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Restless Russian Bear
In the middle of the Olympic Games in China when the world was distracted, Russian troops stormed over the border into South Ossetia, a long-contested separatist region of Georgia, both of which were part of the former U.S.S.R.
Immediately after the invasion, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded with a strongly-worded, verbal defense of this small, beleaguered republic. The two presidential candidates were quick to add their support for Georgia, with McCain uttering tough words and Obama, well . . . not-so-tough.
No matter. If Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili expected more than verbal support from the U.S., he should have checked in with Washington before he decided to launch a rocket attack against South Ossetia on August 7. That barrage was the only excuse that Russia needed to launch an invasion of this tiny country – an act for which Putin was undoubtedly set to go and for which he needed only the slightest pretext.
Saakashvili made a key strategic blunder. He should have realized that the U.S. is currently in no position to military engage Russia on his behalf at a time when our troops are committed in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Dead, displaced and injured Georgians are now paying the price of this miscalculation.
Note: For an excellent analysis of this conflict, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7549736.stm
Immediately after the invasion, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded with a strongly-worded, verbal defense of this small, beleaguered republic. The two presidential candidates were quick to add their support for Georgia, with McCain uttering tough words and Obama, well . . . not-so-tough.
No matter. If Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili expected more than verbal support from the U.S., he should have checked in with Washington before he decided to launch a rocket attack against South Ossetia on August 7. That barrage was the only excuse that Russia needed to launch an invasion of this tiny country – an act for which Putin was undoubtedly set to go and for which he needed only the slightest pretext.
Saakashvili made a key strategic blunder. He should have realized that the U.S. is currently in no position to military engage Russia on his behalf at a time when our troops are committed in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Dead, displaced and injured Georgians are now paying the price of this miscalculation.
Note: For an excellent analysis of this conflict, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7549736.stm
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Let’s Roll!
Early Wednesday morning, school buses of the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, as well as those of its contractors will roll out of their garages and parking lots and head to their first pickup location. They will then crisscross the Township and the Borough, loading up with a first-day-of-school cargo of students. On Garretson Road, upper classmen who have coveted passes for high school parking will be pulling into the lots in private cars.
It’s going to be a particularly critical time to be alert, especially after a summer of driving in Bridgewater and Raritan with those big yellow buses off the road. Bus drivers are well-trained and know what they are doing. Many of those who work directly for the district have a long history of solid experience, know safety well, and are as familiar with Bridgewater and Raritan roads as they are with the back of their hands.
Unfortunately, they are also only too familiar with the few – but very dangerous drivers – whose passion for speed and for bending the rules of the road could result in an accident. When you see the flashing lights of a bus as it slows down for a stop, don’t give in to the urge to quickly pass it by. There are plenty of kids in this district, but none to spare.
The Educational Services Commission of Somerset County, which covers an even larger geographic area, will also have its vans and buses out on the road transporting kids, so it would be a good idea for everybody involved to have an extra amount of patience in the next two weeks.
It’s going to be a particularly critical time to be alert, especially after a summer of driving in Bridgewater and Raritan with those big yellow buses off the road. Bus drivers are well-trained and know what they are doing. Many of those who work directly for the district have a long history of solid experience, know safety well, and are as familiar with Bridgewater and Raritan roads as they are with the back of their hands.
Unfortunately, they are also only too familiar with the few – but very dangerous drivers – whose passion for speed and for bending the rules of the road could result in an accident. When you see the flashing lights of a bus as it slows down for a stop, don’t give in to the urge to quickly pass it by. There are plenty of kids in this district, but none to spare.
The Educational Services Commission of Somerset County, which covers an even larger geographic area, will also have its vans and buses out on the road transporting kids, so it would be a good idea for everybody involved to have an extra amount of patience in the next two weeks.
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