Snarky Tom's Rants, Raves and Ruminations

I have thought for a long time.  Five years to be exact.  Since my first visit to Phoenix, Arizona in 2010 I wanted to sell the old Philadelphia homestead and move Southwest.  Due to a recent life altering circumstance I am able to do so.  The question is when.  Not only when, but how. You can roll the die and just say, "Frack it, I'm going!" and hope for the best.  Rent a truck.  Load up the bare essentials.  Sell or donate the rest.  Hit the road and don't look back. Orrrrr, you can search for a job long distance with the hopes that you can interview via Skype .  With the need these days to be super "Tech" savvy it might impress an interviewer provided that they are just as Tech savvy.  Through the internet you can scope out potential areas to set-up your new life.  There are real estate sights like Zillow and Trulia that give you some up to-date listings as well as Foreclosures.  You can never tell where you wil...

After too many years wasting my life plugging numbers into computers for people who are getting paid much more than me and are undeserving, I've thought maybe it's time to consider my next big career.  Writer.  I've come up with an idea for a sit-com.  I know that many will think that TV writing is not real writing, but then again, many people don't believe blogging is real writing either.  Either or.  I think any writing is a good writing and a good start.  So, without further babble, my idea. The Premise : Present day. Location: Suburb of LA, far enough away from the city to be small town but not rural.  Town name TBD. A life-long bachelor, decorated Sergeant Detective retires  after 40 years  on  the force. Cast : Bob O'Riley, white male, Irish descent, our main character, 66 y/o Jane Hu, Asian female, 18-19 y/o Bradley Hu, Asian male, her brother, 12-13 y/o Soo Hu, Asian female, her sister, 9-10 y/o Samant...

This blog may upset, annoy or piss off some readers.  This serves as a disclaimer.  If you don't like what you read here, Deal With It .  Don't fault me for my opinion.  It is more sound than the overly sentimental who leave go of common sense for grandiose sentiment and  phony  artistic expression. Somewhere within the last 20 years, a strange phenomenon has sprung up along our highways.  Roadside memorials.  I don't get it.  What's the point?  What are people trying to demonstrate?  What message are they trying to get across? About 25 years ago, my then sister-in-law with kids in tow were in a head-on collision with a young man for reasons unknown who drove over the double yellow line.  Luckily for them she was driving a SUV with the most updated safety features.  They survived.  She had undergone years of operations to correct complications from the accident.  Thankfully, she's alive and continues her t...

Recently, I saw, through Facebook, a posting about Louie CK's Louie television program on FX.  I never watched the program.  I have tried watching Louie on several other renditions of his shows in the past and found him unfunny and not entertaining.  I sort of see him as the Anti- Seinfeld or Anti- Larry David .  Both who I find very funny and talented.  It appears on a recent episode of Louie he delves into the issue of fat girls in our dating society.  I can't say that the nearly 7 minute rant of the actress playing the fat girl hit the mark, but it was interesting and thought provoking, but as usual did not have me rolling around on the floor of my office.  (It was lunch time and I can do what I want.  Don't judge me.!!)   See for yourself .  The video is on Youtube and is attached to Allen St. Johns' Forbes article.  St. John goes on to say, "It’s one of the most brutally honest moments of television I can recall."  I don'...

...could be seen on the highways and roadways in and around Philadelphia.  A dangerous combination has been growing exponentially.  Roads that cannot handle the increased volume of automobiles, unsafe damaged roadwork, road construction and careless, reckless drivers.  This is a recipe for disaster and mayhem. First, I have been a registered driver for 40 years with an unimpeachable driving record.  Some of the driving I've witnessed over the years tell me that my doom and gloom is not far off kilter.  I believe if you are going to drive through the Philadelphia area you should know the "Rules." Things I've Learned and things that Philly Drivers (PD) do. Learned: Red lights and Stop signs mean STOP. PD: Stop only if cross traffic is coming and there are no traffic cams. Learned: Right on Red is after coming to a complete stop and on-coming traffic clear. PD: Don't stop, just turn, cut-off on-coming traffic, rundown pedestrians in the crosswal...

From the time I discovered girls (and women) at age 11, I've always wondered what approach would be the best to meet or get close to them. "Hi, how are you?" seems lame and ineffective.  Also, do you really care how she is?  You are trying to score a hook-up.  I've researched the internet, watched TV and thought long and hard on the subject.  I have come up with this list.  Most of these most likely will get your face slapped and on a rare occasion, laid.  I've listed these in no particular order or preference.  I found them entertaining and hopefully you will too. "Hi, there, have you met, Ted." [Insert your friends name] (Barney from How I Met Your Mother) If I told you that you have a beautiful body would you hold it against me? You know you have the greenest eyes I've ever seen. [Insert the correct eye color]. Is it hot in here?  Or is it just you? If you got the time, I've got the place. "Did it hurt? (P...

My sister blogs all the time.  Sometimes several times a week.  I've blogged twice adding this one, thrice times.  I never realized how much research one has to do to not come off as an unintelligent, misinformed Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon man.  You can't just make a statement, opinion or argument without something to support it.  It's not just a matter of throwing out your opinion, your phobias or your desires.  It's a matter of presenting your theories, hypotheses and notions with ample, proven and verifiable facts.  Truth and reality!  What a concept? Otherwise, we'd all be just Fox News   or Nancy Grace . (Wiki)  Not a fan. As I am not a person who makes promises and intentionally not keep them, I will make a promise with the hope to not putting my foot in my mouth and that I will not just rant like a lunatic but support my lunacy with facts and verification from reliable sources.  Not incl...

There is an expression that has plagued me for ages. Every time I hear it my head figuratively explodes. I fear that one day it may literally do so. “I’m a cup half full kind of person.” Oh, kiss my ass. That has got to be the stupidest expression anyone has ever uttered aloud. A cup half full is a cup half empty. Numbers do not lie. ½ + ½ = 1 whole. How has some two-bit, dime-store, Sears & Roebuck licensed half-wit pseudo psychiatrist’s psychobabble been construed to mean anything remotely related to Optimism versus Pessimism?  Faaaaaaaaque!!! The half full cup concept speaks of entitlement not optimism. Let’s say you walk into a bar, sit down and order a beer. When the mug arrives and it’s filled almost to the top. Most would say that the mug is only half full. In other cultures they would say that it is a full mug. You need to leave room for the liquid to breathe, leave space for hope and desire, blah, blah, blah, etc. As Americans we have grown ...