Random Thoughts and Observations

I'd like to have red-light cameras at ALL intersections. The argument against them has always  been that they were deployed to create a revenue stream, not enhance safety, for the jurisdictions using them. So what? I'm happy to let lawbreakers contribute to government coffers instead of increasing taxes. But the benefit to public safety can't be denied. Every time I come to a busy intersection that has red-light cameras, I feel a little safer. Next time you go through one, note the different behavior.  When, exactly, DID  people begin to ignore red lights and unashamedly continue in streams to turn in front of oncoming traffic with a sense of entitlement? When I used to drive the old Suburban as my dog car, I often dreamed of forming a militia of like-minded people who would be willing to continue into an intersection when the light turned green---regardless of what idiot was turning, or continuing, on a red light into it. We would wear crash helmets, maybe even have some sort of logo on the car indicating that we were the red-light vigilantes. I'm sure there would be some sort of legal repercussion, if not at least public outrage, but if it made those idiots think twice, it would be worth it.

Continuing on the car theme, it's a pretty good bet that if you have one of those little flagpoles on your car, whether it's flying the American flag or one supporting a sports team, I won't like you. It so reminds me of little kids putting playing cards in the spokes of their bicycles.....when they're 5! Fne for game-day, or if you're attending a college rivalry game...but the adults who fly them proudly seem equally likely to have "God is Real", or "I'm the NRA and I Vote" on the bumper.  Ditto for the guys who jack up their gas-hog trucks and then deliberately make them  louder than they were designed to be. Usually, its some 4WD behemoth that is as likely to be needed off-road as their owner is to know how to drive it in snow.

I've come to the conclusion that impoverished Palestinians are very much like impoverished African Americans. When there are no jobs, limited educational opportunities and one's whole life is spent surrounded by violence, it shouldn't be surprising that despair becomes predominant. And in that environment, there's not that much difference between the Crips and Bloods and the more violent groups of Islamic militants. One wonders what the trillion dollars we spent fighting a useless war in Iraq might have accomplished  had it been invested in schools, hospitals and developing infrastructure. There....or here.

A product of my upbringing after all....

Sometimes I wonder if my political and social beliefs are adapted specifically to be contrary to prevailing public opinion, or whether I really am that far out of the mainstream.
Case in point-- Apparently, Jim Cornelison's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at last week's Bears playoff game against the Seahawks became a YouTube sensation, which seemed understandable given that the vast majority of the fans were cheering, beers in hand...throughout. I would have thought that "normal" people would have been appalled at the disrespect shown to our anthem, but....as usual.....I would have been wrong. It's a tradition at Blackhawks games, you see, and now they've decided it should become a Chicago all-sport tradition, I guess. I grew up with the understanding that the singing of the National Anthem was a solemn affair, and have been offended for many years by the "interpetive renderings" (think Roseann Barr) that have become fashionable, but this latest trend seems to mirror the faux patriotism so much in vogue. (flags on cars, lapel pins, etc etc) I was curious as to whether there is an "official" etiquette, and was suprised to find that, in fact, there is a specific policy in the U.S. Code---

Sec. 301. National anthem
(a) Designation.–The composition consisting of the words and music
known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.
(b) Conduct During Playing.–During a rendition of the national
anthem–
(1) when the flag is displayed–
(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at
attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;
(B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with
their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder,
the hand being over the heart; and
(C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute
at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until
the last note; and
(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face
toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag
were displayed.

I guess it doesn't specifically state that "You should not behave like a drunken lout", but it's intent is clear.
It seems odd that a left-wing commie like me should be offended by the disrespect shown to our flag and National Anthem, while all the "Support our Troops" and "United We Stand" folks are not. When I mentioned it on Facebook, it was interesting to see who agreed with me....virtually all of them were either ex-military, or military brats. We were raised (or trained) better than the rest of you.

It had to happen, eventually.....

Resistant as I may be to many technological "advances", I do enjoy the benefits of most forms of electronic communication. Well, to clarify, the ones that don't require active participation in real-time conversation. Okay, I guess I just mean that I hate the telephone.
But I do like keeping in touch with my friends scattered around the world, and I have been lucky enough to have visited some incredibly interesting and beautiful places, and have often wished that I had a more user-friendly way of sharing them than multiple emails or Facebook.
So, I'm launching a blog---probably more for me than anyone else, but we'll see where it goes.

Today a friend pointed out that he had never seen a Subaru with politically right-wing bumper stickers. Subaru is the "official" car of Colorado, which despite being the home of Tancredo and some other Tea-Baggers, is generally a Blue state in and around populated areas....except Colorado Springs. But he pointed out what I've known for a long time. It is possible, I think, to make some very broad assumptions about a person's likely political persuasion based on the mode of transportation they employ. I say "mode" because for many of my friends in urban areas, their choice to rely on mass-transit or a bicycle is in itself a politcal "marker". Some seem obvious, as I posited that the car most likely to be driven by a Republican  is surely the Hummer. In fact, I'd wager that less than 10% of Hummer owners vote Democratic. Similarly, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a Republican piloting a Prius, although there might be a few who simply want to take advantage of tax-credits while simultaneously decrying big-government "giveaways". Virtually all Mercury drivers are Republicans, while nearly all VW Bug drivers are Democrats. (and, for some reason, large women...) Dodge Chargers, or really any of those shitty 60's throwback cars (boy did they ruin the GTO!) are likely to be driven by young, poorly educated Republicans with blue-collar jobs that pay well. Mini's would be their opposite.....well educated, poorly paid Democrats paying off student loans but moving up the ladder quickly.
Okay, I'm boring myself.
In two weeks I'll be in Vietnam with my baby brother Richard....celebrating Tet, and getting ready to embark on our bicycle trip from Saigon to Bangkok via Cambodia. I'm going to try and upload LOTS of pics.