Recently it was announced that parking along the Seawall in Galveston would no longer be free.

City leaders had been trying for years to turn the parking spots along the beach into revenue so the fact that they succeeded in finding a way to do that should really surprise no one.

Of course whether they are providing a product that is worth paying to see is another issue entirely.

It is no secret that while I am a fan of the town of Galveston and its various historic places, my affinity for the island ends pretty much where the seawall begins. To put it bluntly Galveston has an ugly beach that one could not pay me to swim in.

So when it was announced that visitors would now have to pay for the privilege of parking along the seaweed covered shores it made me laugh.

The parking meter system that was chosen made me laugh even more since it seems to discriminate against people who do not have cell phones.

That’s right boys and girls one now needs a cell phone or another means of wireless access to the web to pay for a parking spot on the seawall since the meters do not accept cash or credit cards.

I know that it is assumed in this day and age that everyone has at least one cell phone.