My razor

It is getting hard for me to find replacement blades for my Trac II razor. I have had the thing for about two decades now and it is admittedly looking pretty funky. Problem is the only alternative to my double blades is to buy cheap disposable razors or some of the new "four" track razors. These things look like ugly Japanese sports cars and have names like Quattro or MPower. The Trac II razor must have been introduced in the mid 1970s. I know that because my wife and I recently rented some of the classic Saturday Night Live shows from that period. In one show there is a "spoof" ad touting a triple track razor. It was amazing to watch the fake ad 35 years later. The end line went something like. "The Track III, because you are just stupid enough to buy one." Now I think of this SNL ad every time I go to the store and am faced with a wall of track three and four razors. God, are we really that stupid?

New Rockville Town Center

I spent an afternoon walking the newly redone Rockville Town Center this past week. I have to say that it is pretty nice. I am not sure if I like it when they build new buildings to look like old buildings. (Funny thing is, that 30 years ago they went through Rockville like a bunch of Huns and tore down all the old buildings. My how things change.) Now faux old buildings are trendy and they have done that in Rockville, and while pleasing to the eye, it just feels a little cheesy to me. Just my opinion. The stores are OK as well as the places to dine. Biggest problem to me is they once again have filled the place up with franchise eateries. This is starting to bug me as any redeveloped town center seems to have the same trendy places serving up the same bland high fat crap. There is a Lebanese Taverna, but that family owned chain is starting to get a little predictable and bland. Food is good there (LT) as always but the place does not have the charm of their downtown location.

Best thing is that instead of putting yet another bloated and overpriced Borders in the town center, the planners wisely choose to build a magnificent new library right on the town square. It is a two level library and one of the nicest I have seen. Just stunning really. This should be the blueprint for all high density areas.

Now for my major bitch. I like what they have done for downtown Silver Spring but it is obvious that Rockville got a heck of a lot more than SS ever did or will. We got a few blocks of renovation in the big Silver while the county obviously threw scads of money at Rockville. Looks like we are the red headed stepchild again. I know we are supposed to get a new library in SS but whenever the East County is considered the money seems to trickle down to us in smaller bits. I wonder if our new libary will match the quality of the Rockville one. Was all this because Rockville has its own city government or do the people who make the money decisions in our county just favor the west side of the county. I have got my opinion. You will have to decide for yourselves.