Stay or Go: If you are handicapped you are screwed!

Okay, so could you imagine being at a bar and not being able to leave? The bartender will not serve you another drink because you are clearly intoxicated, but you cannot leave, for fear of being charged with drunk driving because you are in a wheel chair?

So maybe this is a gross exaggeration of what happened to a man in Australia, but it is feasible. Last Friday, a man in a motorized wheelchair was found in a slumber an exit lane on a highway and was charged with drunk driving. While the fact he was on the highway is troubling. However, what is even more troubling is the fact that the police gave the man a breathalyzer test and stated that since he was over the legal limit, he would be charged with “operating a vehicle while drunk.” The man’s location did not matter to the police, who did mention that he placed himself in “a very dangerous situation.” I am truly wondering where the line is. If a handicapped person is at a bar, does not feel safe to get home, and calls for a taxi, technically, the police can charge them with drunk driving the minute you exit the bar. How fair is this?

Just What Is Your Life Worth?

That is exactly the question that Australian Ian Usher, 44, is asking the world about his life. After his twelve-year relationship (five of which he was married) broke up, Usher decided to put his life up for sale. Usher has listed his life on eBay with a starting bid of 155,000 Australian dollars, which is equivalent to almost 147,500 US dollars. Before you place a bid, though, I think I should let you know what this offer include. If you win the auction, which ends on June 29th, then you are the owner of:
* three bedroom house in Perth, Western Australia,
* a car,
* a motorbike,
* Usher's clothes, and
* Usher's friends (I wonder what they think they are worth).

Additionally, you are entitled to a trial for Usher's job at a local rug store in Australia. If you had to list your life for sale on eBay, what would you list it for? What do you think your spouse would be willing to pay? Do you think they would be able to pay?

Beer for Your Horses, Why Not Your Dog?

This year, Toby Keith and Willie Nelson sang what became a hit song called “Beer For My Horses.” One of the lines in the song is, “whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.” But what about my dogs? In America, dog owners pamper their pets, including their dogs. We now have dog carriers that look like purses, full lines of clothing for a dog, and organic dog food. Why not have beer for a dog?

In Sydney, Australia, Elise Schumacher, a pet supplies store owner, noticed that her dogs, Louis and Vuitton, love the taste of beer. So, she designed Dog Beer of “DB,” which is a non-alcoholic beer. It supposedly tastes like beef but smells like beer. DB’s slogan is “Shout your best friend a beer.”

For a period of short period of time, there was an alternative in the United States: Happy Tail Ale. It was brewed in Napa Valley, but has stopped production for unknown reasons. Maybe if Dog Beer picks up in popularity, then Happy Tail Ale will return?

Stupid Thieves or Stupid Community?

So I have read two different articles recently that led me to ask this important question. Are thieves getting stupider or are we as a society just missing a few screws?

The first story comes from La Crosse, Wisconsin, where thieves stole a 6-foot-tall, 2,000 pound anchor. The best part of the story is that no one noticed. The anchor used to be mounted outside the Naval Reservist Station, but no one is sure if it has been there since December 31, 2007. This story raised a few questions. One, how do you not notice that a huge anchor is missing? Two, what in the world would thieves do with a 2,000 pound anchor? Third, are you kidding me?

The second story comes from Sydney, Australia, where a robber was polite enough to wait his turn in a queue before holding up the post office. While waiting in line, no one suspected that a robbery would be happening soon, because the robber was very polite. Once it was his turn, however, he overpowered the employee and stole some money. While making his getaway, he left behind some of the money, as well as his knife that he used to hold up the post office. This story is more perplexing than the first. If you are going to rob a store, why would you be so polite before hand? Did the robber’s parents teach manners but not “thou shall not rob?”

So what are your thoughts? Are crooks getting stupider or is are community really sinking?