Unprecedented Increase from AEE

The Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica has announced an unprecedented 22% increase in the cost of the always mysterious combustible component of your power bill. To edefend the raise, Executive Director Jorge Rodríguez cited the obvious reason of rising petroleum

Talk about timing. I probably wouldn't have mentioned anything, but I just thought I'd say "I told you!" I guess your old pal Don Dees isn't so crazy after all, with all his "the sky is falling" and soap-box "The end is near" ranting over the weekend.

While the ten suggestions I gave are going to be a good start, there has to be more we as citizens can do to combat this worrisome trend. I'll have to do some thinking and research, but I'll get back to you. However, if any of you have any suggestion, leave a comment and I'll compile them together and share them with everyone.

Workers Admit to Making Up Fake Excuses for Arriving Late to Work

Ahh, the good old days. Yes, uhh my car broke down. I had a flat tire. My daughter is sick from school and I had to buy her some medicine. The power went out last night in my house. Ringing any bells here? And of course, who hasn't called in, changed their voice and said, I'm not feeling well, but I'll be in soon. Ayy Bendito, he's sick and he is still going to come in to work. What a dedicated employee!!!!

According to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey, 15 percent of workers say they arrive late to work at least once a week, while nearly one-in-four of all workers (24 percent) admit to making up fake excuses to explain their tardiness. The CareerBuilder.com survey, "Late to Work," was conducted from February 11 through March 13, 2008 among 2,757 employers and 6,987 workers.

When asked to identify the primary cause for coming in late, more than 32 percent of workers claimed traffic was the culprit. Falling back asleep was the reason cited by 17 percent, while 7 percent pointed to a long commute as the main cause. Other popular reasons included getting kids ready for school and daycare, forgetting something at home and feeling sick.

The top ten examples of the most unusual excuses employees offered for arriving late to work:

1. While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.
2. Someone stole all my daffodils.
3. I had to go audition for American Idol.
4. My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn't drive to work.
5. My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.
6. I wasn't thinking and accidentally went to my old job.
7. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.
8. The line was too long at Starbucks.
9. I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
10. I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.

Flickr Creative Commons Contributor Today: Sunfox

Repavimentación o Infierno?

Recently the Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportación announced and initiated a new project to repave PR-30 between Caguas and Gurabo. The new project is estimated to cost $23.6 million dollars and take 20 months to complete. 20 Months! What are they going to do repave it one pebble at a time?

The Del Valle Group received the valuable contract to complete the work. The contractors will be placing a new type of asphalt called "Superpave", that according to experts has a working life of 14 years. Of course, that depends on a pattern of good maintenance. Yeah, right. And monkeys will fly out of mi arse. If there is anything we excel at, I definitely think it is maintenance.

According to William Miranda Marín, Mayor of Caguas "PR-30 has had many repairs completed, but that just reflects it's intense use". For him, he estimates that50,000 vehicles use PR-30 daily. So it would follow that if PR-30 receives intense usage, then its maintenance would have to be intense as well.

Flickr Creative Commons Contributor Today: B@ni