Sad news

An 82-year-old local gentleman suffering from dementia who has been missing since October 11th has been found by hunters deceased in his vehicle 165 miles west of Dallas.  He left home to go to David's Meats (my butcher) and was never seen again.  No foul play was ever suspected.  A "Silver Alert" was promptly issued statewide without success.

While I didn't know him, I knew his son....he went to school with my brother....and his wife worked for my CPA.  Both were wonderful people.  It's hard to imagine someone wandering off and dying like that all alone, probably cold and hungry.

He was "old school" and didn't have a cell phone which might have been used to locate him. Likewise he had a GM SUV, but wasn't a subscriber to their Onstar service, which could have also been used to track him.  I wonder why the family couldn't have agreed to immediately begin service, allowing Onstar to flip an activation switch and then find him?  It obviously doesn't work like that, but it should.

How come we have drones flying at 30,000 feet that can identify a particular terrorist among thousands of other people, our NSA can identify a particular phone conversation anywhere in the world, there are cameras on every corner that can be pulled up to review every crime scene, and yet we can't find a missing person cruising aimlessly down a state highway in North Texas?

I guess the thing to take away from this is every elderly person should have at least a cell phone with them at all times so they can call for help, or in reverse help can find them.

S

Thinking outside the box

Want to put your town on the map?  Don't have the funds to build a new Disney theme park or a NASCAR race track?  Not to worry.  Just follow the lead of Deer Trail, Colorado.  This small town (550 ppl) east of Denver will vote October 8 on whether to issue permits to hunt drones.

The idea started out as one man's symbolic protest against a "surveillance society", but quickly morphed into a plan (?) for the town to pull in tourism....and revenue.

"What do you want to do for a summer vacation this year, dear?  Take the kids to Disney World again?  Maybe the beach?  Or how about we leave the little urchins with your mom and just the two of us take a cruise?"

"Oh, I dunno, Earl.  I'm tired of the 'same 'ol thing'.  I was kinda thinking we could go to Deer Trail, CO, just east of Denver, and plink us some drones."

If the voters approve, the town would issue drone hunting licenses for $25, good for one year.  "They'll sell like hot-cakes.  It could be a huge moneymaker for the town", according to resident Phillip Steel who drafted the ordinance.  

The town would also offer a $100 bounty for shooters who brought in downed-drone debris.  Never mind that the only guns "hunters" would be allowed to use would be shotguns, making hitting the high-flying drones (30,000') a "long shot".  *Pardon the pun.*

And just FYI....gubment drones can be fitted out with ordinance that enables them to shoot back.  That ought to add to the "thrill of the hunt".  ;)

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Big changes for fans who attend NFL games this year....they will no longer be able to bring into the stadiums backpacks, fanny packs, small coolers, seat cushions, even women's purses will be banned, all in the name of security.  

On our local (Dallas) news this morning they asked whether these new rules "would deter you from going to see a Cowboy's game?"  Responders to the poll said "yes" by a 71-19 margin, the other 10% asking "why would I want to go see the Cowboys?"

That personally wouldn't deter me.  The fact that Jerry Jones would also be "in the House"....THAT would deter me.

Three cheers for Friday!  :)

S