My partner and I drove by a Sharper Image store today and, being the gadget geek that he is, he just had to stop and browse. As he remarked, Sharper Image is a chain built completely on products you will never need. Items such as the "rainproof" electronic meat fork with built-in thermometer. Or the lighted pepper grinder. And, not too far from the atomic clock that was 1.5 hours behind the correct time, was a true sign of the apocalypse. Of what possible use is a ropeless jump rope? If there’s no rope, then it’s not really a jump rope is it?
I guess this gimmick is for people who can’t count jumping jacks.
Warning: this is a rant.
I have a vice of absolutely loving good coffee so I’m familar with Starbucks’ The Way I See It campaign, which is, in their words
a collection of thoughts, opinions and expressions provided by notable figures that now appear on our widely shared cups.
And I admit, I’ve seen more than my fair share of Starbucks’ cups. The cup I received yesterday had the following thought on it.
The Way I See It #252
Give me world politics, gender politics, party politics or small-town politics … I’ll take them all over the politics of youth sports.
Brenda Stonecipher
City council member and Starbucks customer in Everett, Washington.
This cup’s communiqué conveyed a colossal conjunction of coincidence (I couldn’t resist the alliteration). My son’s football team has been the stage for truly ugly politics this season.
Before I begin truly ranting, let me say that all of the coaches in his league are purely volunteers and –having been a youth sport coach myself– I applaud them for their huge commitments of time and energy to what is largely a thankless job.
OK, now let the rant begin.
My son plays football in a league for 11-13 year olds; his team is a brand new, expansion team in the league. Before the season, all new players participated in workouts so that the coaches could grade them. The coaches then held a draft, allotting new players to each team. Normally, this would be a fair system.
But it’s not.
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