Just a Little Perspective

Have been back in town for a few days after being away taking the Colbert Challenge. It was a great time with family.

We ARE American. We have a car and a car payment.

I start back to school today; students come later this week.

I will fill in details in the coming weeks, but I read this and wanted to show our government spending in some perspective. From the Living Out There blog:

What's the difference between a million, a billion, a trillion?



A million seconds is 12 days.
A billion seconds is 31 years.
A trillion seconds is 31,688 years.

Thought For Our Times

“We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.” C.S. Lewis

Sunday Funnies

It's Sunday evening and I'm in a snarky, funny mood. Try this for an irreverent view of those in power.



Tim Hawkins courtesy of the Orange Jeep Dad. . . blog

From the same blog origin. Top Gear, a favorite of our house. For those looking for a new car, or maybe a bug out vehicle.

Some Thoughts For Today

There was a time when a fool and his money were soon parted, but now it happens to everybody.
- Adlai Stevenson, 1900 - 1965

The real measure of our wealth is how much we'd be worth if we lost all our money.
- Benjamin Jowett, 1817 - 1893

Depression vs. Today's Recession

Yesterday my wife and I were discussing many topics and a discussion came up on the difference between Survivalists and Preppers. That is a volatile subject and I'm still trying to sort out what is what and essentially where I am and what I believe. I will post on that later.

The discussion was lively and eventually led to a discussion of the Great Depression vs. today's Recession. We discussed many ideas and I came away with the idea that a person's reliance on Technology hampers many today. I have students tell me they text 2500 messages a month and are upset that their parents take away the phone. I teach a story by Ben Stein that reminds me of this thought. What happens when the technology that you use daily goes down? Do you have the skills to cope? During depression people still had skills to help them feed themselves and deal with life.

My fear is that many now have become so dependent on the machine, they don't realize they control the machine.

PS Thank you National Geographic for the picture to illustrate the thought.

Car-Less or Car-Free?

I'm known about our small town as the guy who rides his bike. Heck, the town is but a little over a mile across, so why not. I've often wondered how life would be if we didn't own a car. Many do without and I suppose in a big city it would be possible to get around in a reasonable fashion.

I wrote a while ago about potentially losing my CA driver's licence. After an interview at the DMV, where the discussions seemed off topic as often as on topic, I passed. Medically and governmentally I have been cleared to safely drive the streets of California. But during that time of ambling about instead of riding a bike or driving, I pondered life without a car.

Financially it should be a boon to the family bank account. Estimates range from $6000-8000 a year for vehicle related costs. That's many bus tickets by any count. But what about the emergency that pops up from time to time? What about the time you need to haul something bigger than a backpack? What about arriving at a wedding without sweat stains? What about one of those daily, weekly or monthly occurrences of All-Hades-Breaking Loose?



We are finding out what it is like to be car-free. Above is a '93 Corolla, though ours recently didn't look like the one in the picture. Ours had more "character" than anyone deserved to deal with on a daily basis, and that includes the deer fur I kept attached to the broken light to prove I really did hit a deer after it ran out in front of me. My family put up with my desire to keep the car long beyond their comfort level, and they rarely complained. They knew and lived with Dad's penuriousness.

It's only been three days, but some impressions have become apparent. We have had difficulty without a car and our dependence on others is very evident. During the recent wedding my brother's pickup was needed, as well as when the Corolla was hauled to the wrecking yard. We could have rented a truck for the wedding hauling and a tow truck could have carried off the Corolla. It was nice to have a vehicle and do the job ourselves.

We have had some errands 15 miles away and a car has made these tasks more convenient. When a relative was in the hospital recently, I rode the bus to Visalia and walked the few blocks to the hospital. Hot and a bit uncomfortable, but not impossible.

My thoughts lately have centered on the segment of the population that doesn't have a car nor the money to buy one. I remember a student once complaining about the new law requiring mandatory insurance and his inability to buy the insurance and keep his car running. The car was needed for a job in another town. "There but for the Grace of God," was the thought that came to mind.

What about the poor? I know they will always be with us, but can't we feel some empathy for them? What would happen if many of us were put in that situation?

For us,we borrowed/rented a car from one of our sons and his wife. They were lent another car and theirs was free to lend us. I have a good paying job so buying a car is in our near future. For now, we will only have to think about the possibilities.

There but for the Grace of God go I.

Independence Day

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.
- Martin Luther King, Jr, 1929 - 1968

I often warn people: Somewhere along the way, someone is going to tell you, 'There is no "I" in team.' What you should tell them is, 'Maybe not. But there is an "I" in independence, individuality and integrity.'
- George Carlin, 1937 - 2008

To you, what is the most important day of the year? What day do you celebrate the most? As a Christian, Easter Sunday probably is high on the list. For a person of Jewish faith, Rosh Hashanah. Ramadan for the followers of Islam. Any or all of the solstices for a Pagan. Black Friday for a capitalist, especially a business owner.

Today is Independence Day in the United Sates of America. Duh. But how did you celebrate if you did? I chose to work around the house and during one session of painting I had a thought after realizing: one son was working for his new family, one son is overseas representing the US Army, another son is with friends eating and having fun and daughter is with her boyfriend's family at a 4th of July party. Mom and I painted and gardened. Each to his own.

We all have the choice to do what we want more or less. But why? Because someone long ago said "Enough" to the people ruling over them, "We want to govern ourselves." Because of those men and the the people who fought for that idea and ideal, we can do what we want on this day. Not everyone has this choice, not even in this country.

So I have a modest proposal. All stores in the US should close on the 4th of July. This isn't the day after Thanksgiving where a store will make its financial year. Why can't we plan ahead for our day. No going shopping for shorts on the way to the river. No last minute food, drink or fireworks. Let everyone celebrate or not celebrate Independence Day as they choose. Wouldn't that be independence, to make choices for your self?

Thank you for those who gave and give today to have this right. Because as independent as we are, we still rely on others.

Independence? That's middle class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.
- George Bernard Shaw, 1856 - 1950