When Kallie and I had our back windshield broken by some kids while she was at work, she drove it home and I started doing some research on getting it replaced.  In my online search, I found a lot of car windshield replacement services that boasted 24/7 hours.  What I learned though, is that just means SOME of them have an answering service and NONE of them can come out to repair your windshield until the next business day, at the earliest.

Why is that???  I would see a windshield as critical as a battery or a flat tire.  You simply can’t drive it safely without it.  With a flat tire or a dead battery, at least it can just sit there and not increase in damage, but if it’s raining, you’re interior is going to get ruined!  Also, people can get into your car and steal it or anything you have inside! 

When I called these places, they were saying that i’d have to wait 3 days for an appointment, or that I’d have to pay $600 for someone to come to me the next day.  There was not a simple place that offered a solution to get it done that day, and it was only 5pm.  There’s got to be a demand for that, even if it’s not a standalone business, but an add on to services like AAA offers for battery and tire repairs.  The solution is simple.  There are windshields in a warehouse somewhere, and I need one.   I mean, if I knew they would give me one, I would risk the danger and just drive it to the warehouse to get replaced. 

It’s just silly.  No way anyone can fix a windshield by themselves, and yet there’s no business that wants my business, even at a premium.

The naked trees wave white plastic bags
Like wounded soldiers waving surrender flags

Sirens scream from the project heights
Homeless were once suburbanites

Multiple stab wound lies on the street
While the starving steal the shoes from his feet

Where the in want out, and the out want in
Where lives end, and business negotiations begin

Where the deals are smooth and a bag costs one fifty
This is my home, this is the city.

Here are the top 10 Precarious Building according to TIME.  I’m particularly fascinated with the Sutyagin House, Archangel, Russia, because when I look at all these buildings, I think about how they were built and how they got the materials to where they ended up. Modern structures are easy to fabricate when you have a bunch of heavy equipment and cranes and such. When your building is on a crazy rock formation, or you’re doing it all by yourself, that’s truly impressive.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1995297_1995295_1995294,00.html