Smart… But Practical?

I’m seeing them buzzing down the freeway more frequently lately, and although my sitings are increasing, they still surprise me when I seem them going by, especially if they’re in the carpool lane.

They’re Smart cars. Built for two and trendy, they’re a cute and cuddly fuel-efficient “green” car that is 95% recyclable. They have a small footprint. They seem very practical for the environment and look fun to drive, but I have my reservations about their overall usefulness. Here’s why I am not the right buyer for this vehicle:

Dogs? There’s no room for my dogs. In fact, there’s barely enough room to pack up my softball bag and head over to the ball field.

Family car? It won’t fit a family of four. In fact, it won’t accommodate a family of 3 – mom, dad, and baby in the child seat. It needs a sidecar.

Carpooling? If you want to drive the kids to school or soccer practice, you’re out of luck. There’s no room for lunches or backpacks. It’s definitely not a carpool car.

Visibility? They’re hard to notice on the freeway, at least in my experience, which is why I’m most often surprised when I notice one. They seem to appear suddenly, out of nowhere, and I’m a regular rear- and side-view mirror checker. I even turn my head prior to changing lanes, and I can still miss seeing them.

Road trips? Probably not. Can you see this little cell of a car parked at a highway rest stop next to an 18-wheeler? Yes, it gets great gas mileage, but how’s the long-distance comfort factor? Does it have cruise control?

Surfing? Where do you strap on the boards?

Skiing? There’s an interesting proposition. How does it handle in snow?

City? This is where this car belongs, in metro areas and college towns. It’s easy to park, gets great mileage, and then there’s that trendy style factor.

I am aware that some Smart car owners feel morally righteous that they’re doing something good for the environment in driving this vehicle, and it’s likely a trend that will become driving style over the next decade. Still, I won’t be driving one. My current car is paid for, gets decent mileage. and I can throw in my dogs, full camping gear, softball bag and three other people all at once and tie a kayak on top and hit the road. That’s what I call a car.

Thanksgiving No. 145

In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln asked our nation (the Union at the time) to spend a day focusing on greater things. He was responsible for instituting Thanksgiving as a national holiday. To commemorate 145 Thanksgivings, here is the text of Lincoln’s proclamation. As you read it, take note of how far  we have drifted from the paradigm on which this holiday was founded.

Proclamation of Thanksgiving
Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward, Secretary of State

Source: The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler.

Take note that Thanksgiving is not “Turkey Day”. Let’s not degrade it into a celebration of self-indulgence in comfort foods and subsequent bloating, but let’s instead recognize the need for providence in our nation and give thanks to the Provider.

The Morning After

 

We asked for change, and we’re getting it. All things are possible, but not everything is profitable. The “dream of our founders” is dying.

The USA is no longer politically centrist but has slipped far left. Given the liberal/socialist control of Congress, the Executive branch and the judiciary, we have no balance of power. All government power is now left-leaning and this nation will tumble in that direction and eat the fruit of its desire for change, celebrity and comfort. Our gates will be left unguarded. We will be vulnerable to attack from outside and within. Our productivity and creativity will wane due to the lack of reward. Businesses will seek friendlier shores, liberty will deteriorate into licentiousness, comfort will override character, free speech for all will be reneged on and our government will grow into an overwhelming burden on the backs of its citizens. 

Rather than our government existing for the protection and peace of the people, the people will exist to feed the government.

History has proven that not all change is good. We have sown the wind for these past two years at least. Get ready for the whirlwind, because it’s on its way.

Going Nucular

What do George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Indiana Jones have in common? Nucular.

In the latest Indiana Jones opus, the lead character utters the word nucular during a conversation. That blew the entire movie for me. Why? Because there is no such word. It’s a mispronunciation of the word nuclear. Indy would have had enough education and credentials to know better, especially in the day in which he lived.

I made an online inquiry about nucular and found that it is listed on Wikipedia, being there described as the incorrect pronunciation of nuclear and in increasing colloquial use. The mispronunciation is and has been used by intelligent and educated people; politicians, presidents and a well-known cartoon character. It is recorded as an ad hoc spelling and will ultimately end up in the dictionary and on Wikipedia as a real word. It will then be official. With such widespread misuse, the wrong word will be accepted as the right word. 

Obviously, no one has made the effort to correct those who mispronounce nuclear. Nucular is now acceptable because those who know better have done nothing.

This process of the unacceptable becoming acceptable through increasing use is also how our ethics, morals and behaviors are degraded. Where there is no correction, the unacceptable slowly and surely becomes acceptable, what is right is devalued and we don’t notice or care. When no one stands against misuse or abuse – pointing it out, providing correction and training in what is right – wrong things are perceived as being right. Evil replaces good and good is corrupted and no longer recognized or practiced.

Heroes

Something completely different: A campaign ad devoid of ad hominen attacks. It’s quiet, unassuming and tells a story.
How refreshing.

Word Play

Uh… “Crisises?” 

That won’t fly very far in a Scrabble game. I challenge! 

  

This story was reported by Associated Press and was captured today (March 3, 2008) on Yahoo!®News. I clicked on the lead because of the misspelled word.  

Conclusion: I’d better make sure all my spellings are “Scrabble-worthy”, huh?  

When Our Devices Divide Us

What are we coming to, that our relationships with our cell phones, games and MP3 players have become so much more important than our people relationships that we won’t shut them off, but shut off people instead?

Last night I went with my friend and his daughter to dinner at a favorite local restaurant. Established entity in the community for years, it’s where sports teams have their end-of- season parties, friends meet up for drinks after work, church-goers have brunch and families go for dinner. It’s a place to talk and connect.

Soon after we ordered our drinks, a family was seated at the next table. It was comprised of mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and preteen and teenage daughters. I noticed something that I’ve been seeing more and more of lately: one or more of the family members will disengage from conversation with the others and engage instead with an electronic device all by themselves. In this case, the younger daughter separated herself from the others, her eyes glued to the blue-white electronic screen of a handheld electronic game that was illuminating her face in the dim restaurant light. She did not once look up except to place her order with the waitress. I did not observe her talking with or even turning toward anyone else at the table. She sat fairly much immobile, staring at the screen even while eating her meal. The others seemed to think nothing of it.

My friend noticed it, too, and reminded me of another evening at a different restaurant where the patrons in the next booth were each engaged with an electronic device throughout their meal, carrying on little conversation and hardly even looking at each other.

What do we value?

I’m not saying we should get rid of our devices. They are useful, convenient and entertaining. But should we use them in such a way as to divide and isolate ourselves from our precious friends, family and lovers? Isn’t face-to-face, human-to-human connection so much more valuable than these things?

Remember Stephen Stills’ lyrics, If you can’t be with the one you love, Love the one you’re with? Well, how about when you are with the one(s) you love, turn off your devices and actually be with them? Shut off your iTouch or whatever you’re packing and let them light up your face instead. Won’t that make for better relationships?