VEGETABLES 2016, POSTAL STAMPS. The Aruba Post Office recently published a series of charming five vegetable stamps, designed by Elvis Tromp and printed at Johan Enschede Security Printer. The first-day envelope debuted on July 29th, 2016. Making stamps is an elaborate process, basically it’s like printing money and it is a complicated procedure engaging artists, graphic designers and specialty printers under the guidance of Departamento Filatelico of Post Aruba. Let’s be honest. Who is going to see these stamps? Mass Ontvanger mailings, Setar/Elmar/Web get a “Postage Paid” stamp. Who will be buying the new Vegetable stamps? Perhaps a few collectors and handful of people who still go to the post-office. So, here’s a suggestion: Hand the building over to the Universidad di Aruba and move the actual Post Office to a smaller facility. Sorry Departamento Filatelico, but you are a relic from another era, made obsolete by the passage of time. And the university could probably need more space; a nice historic building will fit well with the other one across the street.
AMAZING INNOVATIONS. I was recently introduced to the automated sunscreen sprayer and the automatic food shower on the beach at the Hyatt Regency, wow, how was I able to live without high-tech innovations, before. Sometimes things just strike me as delightfully unnecessary, and ridiculously redundant. Examples? As self-heating butter knife. A snuggies blanket with sleeves. A breast cushion, keeping your breasts apart while you sleep. Pet Rocks. A hair hat, which fools everyone to think you have hair on top and an Aqua Vault to which I was introduced yesterday, which helps you protect your valuables on the beach. The handsome James Kiley is importing the portable safes, they look like lunch boxes, to drape around lounge chairs on the beach and when you snap the combination lock the vault shuts, with your valuables safe inside. Aqua Vault was first introduced on ABC’s Shark Tank, where one of the sharks made a deal with the inventor, to successfully manufacture and market them, as a great idea and a good business. I understand that Aqua Vaults will soon be available for rent on our beaches, for $5 a day, you don’t have to worry about your valuables anymore, they are locked away in your personal vault attached to your chairs.
The Aqua Vault company also makes a pouch-like Flex-Safe, perfect for bicycles for example, you may lock your keys, money and phone away; they also make waterproof phone cases, available soon for rent on our beaches!
When I looked at James with disbelief he pointed out his product has a small footprint, and stated that I was gonna love it. “Here have one,” he said. So now I am the proud owner of an Aqua Vault, you may rent it from me for $5 a day.
OLYMPIC FEVER. I watched Bryant Gumbel Real Sports on HBO and it cured my Olympic Fever. It was a single topic episode, an extended investigation into the irresponsible conduct of the International Olympic Committee which claims devotion to peace and unity for humanity through sport, but is in fact a corrupt, greedy, and disturbing organization, having strayed very far from its mission in search of power influence and riches. Please watch the program, and you too will be concerned for the athletes competing in raw sewage in the Copa Cabana bay.
Our athletes looked exuberant and charming during the parade of nations, of course, well-dressed, and I am just wondering how come we have so few. What can be done to improve the access to competitive sports on the island? I asked Esther why our super champion Sarah-Quita Offringa did not participate and mom said that: The Olympic discipline is RSX and SQ does not care to do it right now. She did practice at Banana River (tiger shark infested waters) in 2010 but opted to wait, although she did outsail some of the other competitors. It is one-design enormous equipment, maybe we can convince her to go to Tokyo in 2020.
