To get this new incarnation of “Observations Along The Road” started right, let’s look at some news chum items that are reflective of today’s times:
- Books Aren’t Just for Reading Anymore. In years past, we used to collect books to do this silly thing called reading. Today? Who needs book when we have mobile readers. So what do we do with books? Cut them apart, cut them down, and make pretty non-functional bookcases with books for decorating.
- I Wonder If Alice Needs a New House. Another signs of the times: old-time congregations are getting smaller (although the more general “religion” is growing), and thus more and more houses of worship are going onto the real-estate market. The article focuses on churches in Detroit, but it is equally true with synagogues as well.
- But Alice is Keeping That Restaurant Going. Failed businesses don’t seem to die these days: they just go bankrupt and keep going and going, barely surviving, hoping for a better day. No where is that truer than in the casual dining industry, where the mid-price changes just don’t seem to go away. For my money, I’d rather patronize a “local” restaurant than a chain, although I recognize that the franchisees are just as much local.
- Saving a Buck is Popular. TLC is always one to recognize trends. They recognized when everyone wanted tatoos, when everyone wanted to have larger and larger families, and when everyone wanted to be midgets. The current bandwagon they are hopping on is couponing, where they are planning to bring out more and more shows about saving money. For my money, I’d rather that TLC bring back “Trading Spaces” and “While You Were Out“—both shows that focused on how to do great designing on not much money.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t point you to a serious article: one that discusses how security theatre may be extended to ground forms of transportation. The article blames Obama for this, but I’m sure it is more the staff of TSA than any particular direction from above.
