Cleaning off the Desk, #2

Congratulations of some sort is due West Virginia University. After all, while the state of West Virginia anxiously awaits an upcoming football season that could potentially be the best ever for a Mountaineer squad, the students are already enjoying top dog status of another sort. WVU again has climbed to the top of the mountain by being named the most proficient party school in the USA.



This is noteworthy occasion. I can remember (gee its been quite awhile back, but my memory hasn't completely escaped me yet) when Thursday nights in Glenville often led to early Friday mornings in Morgantown. Yes, we sometimes found ourselves partying in Morgantown, after a quick stop in Fairmont. Why? Well even back in the late '6Os and '70s, Morgantown was party-central.



Some have even claimed that it was unfair to compare WVU with other colleges in the party school classification. They said it was like comparing professionals with amateurs.



While administrators and parents may not enjoy the newly crowned title handed to the Mountaineers, it is what it is. But, as was pointed out in a story associated with the announcement, there are many good things about WVU. Case in point. The WVU library was ranked the 5th best in the nation and the school newspaper came in at #8.



******

What is your pet worth to you? Well according to a Newsweek article dated July 30, one man spent over $11,000 for his cat. Still, he claims the price wasn't too high.



The article pointed out that some dogs are now candidates for a $3,000 pacemaker and a feline kidney transplant prices out at about $8,000.



While many of us could never afford such extravagant expenses to maintain the life of our beloved pet, I venture to say that many of us wish we could do just that.



In my adult life I have had to "put down" three animals. In each case I felt a tremendous sense of loss and wish that something could have been done to prolong their lives. But that wasn't the case. Would money have changed the outcome? More than likely that is doubtful, but don't I wish that would have been the case.



Life without a critter (a dog in particular) is rather dull and boring. Trust me, a little chunk of change for a healthy dog to walk with would be a small price to pay.



******

A record 209 million passengers last year boarded airplanes last year. When I think about flying I think about saving time and effort in reaching a destination. Naturally, the cost seems high, but the idea of saving time (a three hour flight to Boston as compared to an 11 hour drive is quite appealing).



But, how time-saving is a flight anymore. Newsweek (July 30), documented flight after flight where passengers were held hostage in airplanes on the tarmac for rather extensive time frames. One man spent 10 hours on the tarmac, another passenger spent seven hours without food.



Why the delay. The airlines claim there aren't enough air routes and that the air-traffic control system is outdated. Air traffic controllers insist they are not sufficiently staffed. Weather and mechanical delays play a role.



Before slating a flight, take note of departure and arrival times listed and make sure you have time to spare.