Growing Problem: Watertown Graffiti & Vandalism

Not only are graffiti and vandalism a growing problem in Watertown - ominously, they could be a sign of something worse.

Police say Watertown vandalism could be signs of something worse
KSFY
Graffiti has become a growing problem in Watertown. "We've had recurring, a series of graffiti and vandalism over the last several months," Watertown police

Growing Problem: Trees by Airport

Half the world is going green, the other half is pondering tree assassination.

Who's right? You decide.

Trees by airport could be gone as Port of Port Angeles suggests master plan ...
Peninsula Daily
Since the trees continue to be a growing problem, the council also will consider a request from the port to remove between 39 and 45 trees from the park.

Growing Problem: Texting Lifeguards

Texting - is there anything it can't screw up?

Texting Lifeguards Endanger Lives
CalorieLab Calorie Counter News
Even lifeguards can't seem to resist the urge to text while on duty, a growing problem that endangers lives. Bernard J. Fisher II, the director of health

Growing Problem: Huffing in Treasure Valley

When I was kid, "Huffing in Treasure Valley" was a beloved Hardy Boys book. Today, it's seedy drug slang.


Where did we go wrong, America?


Huffing Growing In Treasure Valley

Huffing looks to be a growing problem in the Treasure Valley. Today's 6 talked to several teens swimming at in the Boise River in Star about the problem.

Growing Problem: Too Many Kangaroos

Australians should be a little more grateful - most places have the opposite problem.

Authorities say its hooroo to too many roos
Mordialloc Chelsea Leader
And Melbourne Water will launch a new sterilisation program early next year in a bid to curb the growing problem. A recent survey found 31 eastern grey ...

Growing Problem: Literacy (lack of)

I have figured out why some people remain illiterate - it's to avoid the pain of reading the name of a pro-literacy group called "Between the Lions."

Read it again - hurt very much it does.

TV.com

Between The Lions 10th Anniversary Season Hits Sept. 20th TV.com "Ten years ago, Between the Lions was brought to life by producers armed with the goal of addressing the growing problems with reading literacy," said ...

Growing Problem: Distracted Drivers, 2010-style

A lot of people are angered or annoyed by distracted drivers and their god-awful driving habits. Instead of just operating their vehicles safely, concentrating on the "rules of the highway," and being on the lookout for the fuzz, people do all kinds of wacky things instead.

In the past few weeks, I've seen a lot of strange activities go on in other cars around me while I drive. I am going to make a list of some of those things, but I have to say right up front that observing these activities was not a distraction to me, not in the least. I only observed these infractions as I scanned carefully back and forth, looking for incoming threats to my vehicle, or checking around for interesting free objects that may have dropped into the roadway. To be truthful, at times I may have also been trying to find a decent tune on the radio in order to aid my concentration, but this just shows how aware I was of my environment as I drove - the song has to be just right if I am going to remain on top of my game.

I also have to add that while I was watching out for dangerous "drivers" and noticing their terrible driving, and thinking about their ungraciousness, and perhaps yelling a bit at them inside my car, and also sometimes checking them out as I drove past "to see what kind of person drives like that," my own concentration was not compromised, nor would I allow it to be ever, because I am a good driver.

So, now that that's out of the way, a few things I have seen (some I made up for illustration purposes):

Distracted Driving List 2010, as Seen on this Nation's Highways & Byways

• A woman eating a Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco while merging onto the highway (speed limit 65, but most people drive at least 70)
• A man (I think) adjusting the default margins in Pages for the iPad while also performing a "rolling stop"
• A very short individual, who could barely see anyway, reading a Bible (or Thesaurus?) and writing comments in the margin with a green permanent marker
• A different woman eating a snack-size Oreo McFlurry while parallel parking on a pretty busy street

Until activities like these stop, none of us are safe. If I see any other distracted driving, I'll post the activities of the perps here. Or, feel free to leave your favorites in the comments!

Distracted Driving Accounted for Nearly 5500 Roadway Deaths in ...‎ -6 hours ago For the second year in a row, national statistics show that distracted driving had led to 5474 deaths and 448000 on US roads in 2009. ...

Growing Problem: China's Water Quality

This one shocked me - didn't know it could get worse, but it has.

Go Team China!

Green Doesn't Apply Here: China's Growing Problems with Water Quality
Green Building Pro
China is trying to lead the way as the world's greenest country, and while it may manufacture the most or near the most solar panels of any other country, ...

Growing Problem: Dog Waste Bags in Trees, etc.

I suppose that when people do the right thing, you should be happy, right? Their dog takes care of business, and they pick up the refuse in a plastic bag, just like a good citizen should. We applaud, at least internally. Well, more accurately, we just give them a passing grade, because they have finally reached our expectations, which - let's be honest - are pretty much at the bottom of the barrel. So, score one for the home team, they picked up some poop in a bag. Yay!

But then, what do they do? Just fling the bag into a tree.

Groan!

Manchester Toddler Fronts Campaign
Key 103 Manchester
In recent years, there has been a growing problem of dog waste bags found hanging on trees, on railings or stuffed in hedges. It would appear that some dog ...

Growing Problem: Parking at Missouri Western State University

In the past, most Growing Problems seemed to occur in Wisconsin. Don't ask me why - I'm not providing analysis here, just straight facts. Well, lil ol' Missouri has caught the Growing Problems bug in a big way, as evidenced by the m&%#d up parking situation at Missouri Western State University. Get a handle on it, Missouri - your days of flying under the radar are over!

I'm watching you...

Growing problem requires attention
Griffon News
School has only been in session for approximately two weeks and Missouri Western has already made $8285 in parking violations. We have to show up for class ...

Growing Problem: Piracy in Pro Wrestling

It seems to me that more pirates would greatly enhance pro wrestling.

Bleacher Report

Piracy In Pro Wrestling, A Growing Problem That Needs to End Now! Bleacher Report In the world of entertainment Piracy has always been an issue that music artists and film makers have had to deal with for some time now. ...