McChronicles: Drive Thru Experience Blog

Again, the McChronicles gives me yet another reason to check it out regularly. They located a blog about McDonalds drive thru experiences but noticed that it was intended to trend towards the negative. They made the observation that "negative" does not always yield "positive" and well, the entry and the comments can be found here:

McChronicles: Drive Thru Experience Blog

What would John Adams have made of this Fourth of July?

What would the venerable John Adams, who more than anyone was responsible for the Continental Congress' acceptance of the Declaration of Independence and who celebrated the date of Independence (July 4) as much as he could before he died (Oddly enough on July 4), think of:

• The NASA shuttle launch that took place this past July 4th?
• Boston's annual "dash for space' closest to the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade?
• Retail stores being open on July 4?
• Hot dog eating contests taking place on July 4?
• Almanzo Wilder's father, James' observation that it was the "shovels and pickaxes that made America"?
• Enron chief Kenneth Lay's death?
• President G.W. Bush's trip to visit the troops in an "unnecessary war"?
• Steve Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith performing with the Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops?
• the fact that the most popular song that is performed at the Boston Celebration being the 1812 Overture, which had more to do with France and Russia and less to do with the United States?
• The fact that the number one beer consumed was probably the beer that bears his cousin's name-Sam Adams?
• The fact that many American school children cannot spell 'Declaration of Independence' much less tell anyone that is listening what it is about beyond, "We hold these to be self evident" and " the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"?
• The fact that his cousin Sam Adams is known more as a beer than for the work he did to found the country and for the state of Massachusetts?
• The fact that his wife Abigail would not have been allowed to bring her knitting needles onto the Esplanade? (Not that she would have...)
  
• That the USS Constitution-"Old Ironsides", one of the ships that he worked hard to have built based upon his belief that the United States needed a navy, is brought out for a spin around the harbor every July 4?
• That there are people who spend most of their lives reenacting the events of the "serious times" that he lived through?
• That he is a cartoon character on "Liberty's kids"?
• That the United States has so far survived 230 years (thought there would have been a bigger celebration for such a milestone)?
  
• That a gill of hard cider cannot be had anywhere on July 4?
  

Where have all the Quarters gone?

Where have all the Quarters gone?

I ask because on more than one occasion recently have I received change back from a purchase where the cashier went out his or her way to give me anything but quarters.

I used to work as a cashier so I know that if you are running low on quarters, it is perfectly acceptable to substitute six dimes and three nickels for 75 cents. When this happens once on a weekday afternoon (Wednesday), you think nothing of it. When it happens twice on a weekday
afternoon, you notice but go on with your day. However, when it happens four times, you have to wonder if there is a shortage taking place. In two of the instances, I was asked insistently if I had pennies so that I would receive dollar bills in my change rather than change that would have consistently usually of quarters. I said no and was treated as if I was a liar or worse. I also received more change than I ever could have conceived of in my life.

This pattern of "no quarters in my change" has continued for about a week. It seemed as if there was a silent boycott of ol' George. Only at the bank did I find an exception to the rule but the teller made it seem as if she were making an exception to hand me 40 cents that consisted of a dime, a nickel and a quarter.

I am sure there are many theories as to how this situation came about. Some would place the blame squarely on sales and meal tax , which never work out evenly. Others would blame the penny. Pennies are small and annoying to carry around. It seems like a lifetime would go by before you end up in a situation where the total charge is $4.02 and you have the 2 cents on you to pay $4.02 instead of the more likely scenario, where you have either $5.00 or $10.00 and no change.

Still another would place the blame square on coin-op laudromats, coin-op laundry rooms and the hours of the local bank. Laundry is a necessity and unfortunately for those who do not own a home, they must rely on the coin-op. Those who travel to the local laundromat have the convenience of the every present changemaker that is usually located by the soap. Those who don't have to travel find that there is a price to be paid for the convenience of having a laundromat in the apartment building. The price is the weekly or monthly hunt for quarters. Quarters can be obtained at the local bank, assuming that you are able to make it during business hours. If you are not able to, your options are limited. Slowly and surely in some cities, token booth collectors that could once be counted on to provide change are being phased out in favour of rechargeable fare cards. Local stores of course can be selective about whether or not they will give a person change for a dollar without purchase of an item.

Well, I have no answers as to why quarters are looking to be an endangered species. I do know that I better remember how to count change in dimes and nickels and I need to buy a purchase to hold all of the change that it seems I will now accumulate.