Scene from a side road

Small UK cars

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:30:51 -0700

One of the first things an American traveler in Great Britain notices is all the very small cars! In our neighborhood at home, the prototypical vehicle is some variety of SUV. But the cars one immediately notices after landing at Heathrow are little ones, designed for basic transportation.

little yellow car

The one shown here isn't the littlest; actually, it (as a four-door) is probably among the largest of the smaller style cars. The really little ones hold only two people in what looks to be a rolling acorn.

In the US, the argument would be that such a car is "too dangerous" to drive in heavy traffic. But apparently in the crowded streets of London, many people find such smaller vehicles to be perfect, or, as they would be more likely to say, "brilliant."

Although, to be fair, no car is truly "brilliant" there. On the whole it is better for most to ride the fine mass transportation (the tube or buses), to use a taxi, or to bicycle--or to walk.

But, still, noticing little cars (along with seeing the sign for the underground) was our very first impression of a somewhat different, but somewhat similar, culture. Where people speak the same language that Americans do, write with the same words and letters, but also have what is at least in part a rather different take on dealing with the problems of 21st century life.

A good place to observe differences, try to learn from them--but also with the necessity of "minding the gap."

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Here is one bitter Pennsylvanian!

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:00:07 -0700

Take a look: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marylee-smithwick/far-more-than-bitter-mess_b_97494.html She is bitter and proud of it!

This last summer, we drove through much of Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Michigan, and were shocked by much of what we saw, perhaps especially in the urban areas off the expressways. There are blocks and blocks and blocks where the "mills" or whatever factories used to be there are gone, leaving a wasteland.

My cousin (who lives in Indiana) had warned me about the wreckage of the "rustbelt cities," as he called them, that we might drive through. He was right, and in some places they do really look like a war zone.

Don't get me wrong--there is much that is pretty, both in small towns and cities and the countryside. That is what we tended to take photos of, and that is what attracts tourists. But there simply is no doubt that there has been massive economic and social damage. Anyone who has been deeply affected by that, and for that matter anyone who is even aware of it, certainly ought to be bitter!

I am old enough to completely remember when the Democrats of the mid-1960s declared a "war on poverty." In places like those it is clear that poverty won out. And now it is trying to vanquish also the middle class.

The true "elitists" are those who are trying to distract us from their plight--or, really, our plight.

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What to eat?

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:01:11 -0700

I have had some trouble figuring out what, if anything, is actually good for a person to eat. When we consulted a dietician a couple months ago, I asked her directly, and she did not name one food. Not one!

But, then later in the conversation, she did seem to put in a plug for beans, and for chili, the latter perhaps particularly if made with turkey, rather than beef. (My wife does make a very fine chicken chili, which probably counts, too).

The South Beach diet, we know, approves of a number of things, most particularly including eggs (which surprised me) and also low-fat string cheese.

And actually I guess almost everyone approves of vegetables. (Although potatoes, we learned, are not a vegetable, but a starch, and therefore "bad.")

So I have been pleased to see that the magazine "Men's Health" does recommend unequivocally twelve "power-foods" (their term) and saying you (men I guess, but I suppose perhaps also women) should have at least six of them in your diet each day.

Those 12 are: almonds, beans, green vegetables (such as spinach), dairy, oatmeal (instant is fine), eggs, turkey (or other lean meats), peanut butter (now there is a surprise!), whole grains, protein powder (like whey), and berries (such as raspberries and others).

Today I have had: oatmeal, turkey, asparagus, yogurt (low-fat), blackberries, and whole grain bread. Later I can certainly have some almonds: I keep a jar of them near the TV. So that is seven of the powerful 12.

red wine and dark chocolate

Also, I do like to add in red wine (1/2 glass) and dark chocolate, both of which do get a fair amount of good press.

I would like to find a more comprehensive list of what is good for you to eat, and not just what is "bad" because it has too many calories, too many carbs, too much sodium or fat, etc. Sort of the "power of positive thinking" applied to food!

But, anyhow, the PowerFood 12 are a start. If you are interested, you can get more information.

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ABC's (so-called) "debate"

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:48:41 -0700

After 30 minutes of frustrated watching, I have turned off the disgraceful "debate" being hosted by ABC News and moderated by Charles Gibson, with George Stephanopoulos in yjr second chair. Every single question in the first third of this 90 minute program has been about the "sound bites," the innuendo. No substantive or policy questions at all. None. Zero.

As one might expect, Obama is trying to be honest and clear, as he pretty much always does, and Hillary Clinton is trying to press the negatives whenever she can, as she pretty much always does--seeming to suggest for example that the criticism of Obama's "elitism" came from Republicans--and not from her.

As William Makepeace Thackeray’s Pendennis noted:

“When a visitor comes in, she smiles and languishes, you’d think that butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth: and the minute he is gone, very likely, she flares up like a little demon, and says things fit to send you wild”. (Credit here to World Wide Words.)

The big "story" that ABC has put on their website so far is that HRC said "yes, yes, yes" in answering the question of whether or not Obama could beat John McCain in the fall. Behind the scenes, it is being said that she is trying to sway super-delegates with the idea that he cannot possibly win the November election.

But honestly, what kind of "headline" is that? What is she supposed to say? What is he supposed to say? That their Democratic rival cannot beat the Republicans? Neither could say such a thing in public, and really, it isn't true. But what is true is that the Republicans can find ample grounds for trying to bash and trash either. And possibly will, although see my separate comments about McCain's gentlemanly manner.

Honestly--the news media and their total focus on personalities are such a big part of the political problem in this, our country! I would had expected that a major network might try to have a responsible, actual, real "debate." But obviously I was over-estimating ABC "News!"

I guess we will put on American Idol pretty soon, where the discussions are a bit more substantive. But as for ABC "debate," it is all, you know, "A little pitchy, dog."

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Springsteen endorses Obama

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:42:32 -0700

See Associated Press.

Or see Springsteen's own web page.

Part of what he says is:

"After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans."

Springsteen

Mostly I wish celebrities would stay out of politics. But in this case, Springsteen has been singing for a long time about the very same problems that Obama is working so hard to address. Thus, it seems relevant.

Well my daddy come home from Ohio works when he came home from World War 2
Now the yard’s just scrap and scrubble
He said: „ Them big boys did what Hitler couldn’t do“
These mills they built the tanks and bombs that won these country’s wars
We sent our sons to Korea and Vietnam now we’re wonderin‘ what they were dyin’fo

Here in Youngstown, here in Youngstown

On the other hand, Hillary has been endorsed by Cher, Barbra Streisand--and even Madonna!

Madonna

Possibly that is worth considering, also.

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The "nice day" rule

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:35:56 -0700

It has been a beautiful day here--a little windy, but clear and warm. According to the Chicago Tribune, this is the first day that the temperature has reached 70 degrees since October.

Nice weather

So I invoked the "nice day" rule, which is: if the weather is really nice, you drop everything else if at all possible and go out and enjoy it, get some fresh air, some sun (and vitamin D), and some "real" exercise (as opposed to going to the gym, which I personally find to be very boring)!

After a couple of essential jobs were completed, we did go out for a while, walking in a nearby Forest Preserve, of which the Chicago area has many. That we owe in good part to the effort of Dwight Perkins, more than one hundred years ago. Makes me wonder what heritage were are leaving for our great, great grandchildren ourselves.

So, we took a walk, following a bike path, then a horse trail that got kind of drowned out in the early Spring wet muck, became turned around, and had to use the handy locational feature on my iPhone to figure out just exactly where the heck we were, anyway! The trail we had followed so painstakingly had brought us around nearly in a cicle!

But our legs and lungs got stretched a bit, that was the most important thing.

The main wildlife we saw were quite a few deer: a total of eight, I believe.

Deer in the woods

That isn't the most important recent Chicago wildlife sighting, of course. Prominence goes to the cougar (or mountain lion) that apparently found its way over many hundreds of miles into the city--perhaps from as far as the Black Hills of western South Dakota--only to be shot in someone's back yard by our local police!

I do feel sad for the cougar. We were in the Black Hills last September. I like it there, and it sure is a long journey across the prairie down to here, almost a thousand miles. A sad journey to take only to get killed at the end of it.

However, it felt good to be out on a walk, especially since it is likely to rain for the next three days.

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A "better" lunch!

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:43:52 -0700

Just to make it clear that I don't always eat things like fried mac and cheese for lunch, here is an iPhoto of what we enjoyed yesterday noon:

salad, soup, and sandwich

This was good food, and much more healthy I think. At a little coffee shop that caters to the yoga & massage therapy crowd with "natural" items, artfully made--but topped off with very fancy desserts, too..

A place for women mostly, talking, hanging out, sipping tea, etc.

Not at all the kind of bar, I guess, that HRC now prefers! But I did enjoy the rather more delicate lunch, and was glad to get away from deep fried, which we avoid most of the time (though not always).

From what I understand, one of the foods that is really the worst for you is French Fries. I avoided them for a while for political reasons, but now I am really trying to avoid them for purposes of health.

BTW, this was lunch for the two of us. Really, we are eating fairly small amounts. It isn't doing me much good, though, in the weight or girth department. I weight about sixty pounds more than I did when I was in college!

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Hillary steps up to the bar

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:11:08 -0700

When Hillary was drinking with "the guys" in an Indiana bar, talking hunting and bowling and trying to show that she is not at all an "elitist" like Barack Obama is . . .

And to demonstrate that she is completely sympatico with workers who have lost their jobs and farms and livelihoods and perhaps sons or daughters, and who lack faith in the economy and the political system--but who are not, repeat NOT-- "bitter" about their decline in security or reduced socio-economic status . . .

Well,what whisky did she choose to prove that she is indeed totally at home with the common man, the average Joe (or Jane?)

Crown Royal

Crown Royal.

That's right, Crown Royal.

With the fancy bottle in the fancy (royal) purple bag!

Crown Royal, her beverage of choice.

( I owe this insight to Jon Stewart).

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John McCain on MSNBC's "College Tour"

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:50:47 -0700

I have been watching John McCain on this 60 minute interview show, hosted by Chris Matthews, and am so struck by how much better McCain seems to me than Hillary Clinton! It is astonishing.

On "the issues," there is an awful lot he stands for that I wouldn't agree with at all. But I have to say that really, McCain definitely comes off as a true gentleman ("gentle man") and one of good character. He had several questions from students when he was basically invited to slam-bam his opponents, and he refused to do so. And not only did he refrain from making unjustified attacks, he also criticized the "independent" groups that lay behind the "swiftboating" and other similar episodes.

Just like Barack Obama, who was on a similar show two weeks ago, McCain does really seem to be trying to raise the level of political discussion. A presidential campaign between him and Obama could prove to be helpful and informative for our democracy, since there might be some genuine attentive to the serious policy problems that face our nation, and our world.

Hillary seems instead to rely almost solely on the Karl Rove brand of divisive politics, the politics of personal attacks.

Really, I find it so interesting! The woman I know who is the most attentive to politics, and a long time feminist, says she would never ever vote for Hillary--even though she agrees with nearly all of her policy positions. It is a matter of character--that Hillary basically sold out and adopted all of the worst characteristics of the DC "boys club" in order to advance her personal career.

Anyhow, certainly for now, it seems to me that Hillary Clinton is the destructive force in American politics, and that both Obama and McCain raise at least the possibility of reclaiming higher ground. After the 8 years of the Bush administration, that would be a wonderful accomplishment!

If you have access to MSNBC, I really urge you to watch McCain's "performance." Or, probably it will show up on YouTube.

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Warning: Income Taxes Ahead!

nobody@vox.com(DRB) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:00:46 -0700

Tomorrow is April 15th.

Have you filed your income taxes yet?
Or at least an extension?

I can't believe how much trouble taxes have become--how much paperwork there is. Looking through various items that my late wife had in her desk, I found her mom and dad's income tax forms from the 1940s. Their whole return then was on one piece of paper. The form itself was on the front, and the income tax table (to look up how much you owe) was on the back. Perhaps 20 minutes of work, that you could do yourself, without an accountant, or without a personal computer.

Last year, my own tax return was about 80 pages long. I don't know how long this year's will be, because we filed for an extension and turned it over to a professional!

Perhaps that isn't true for everyone? Maybe some people still have simple tax returns, but neither my wife or I do. Even my son, with a modest income, hires someone to prepare his return.

The income tax actually became a mainstay of federal finance during World War II. The "Revenue Act of 1942" created a 5% "Victory Tax" on individual incomes over $624. Revenues were of course needed to fight the war, but pretty much have stayed high since, as the national government has been called upon (in one way or another) to provide more and more services and perform more and more functions.

Of course, we are at war again. But we aren't being asked to really shoulder its cost. Rather, Iraq war costs are being added to the national debt. They are already about ten times what the Bush administration originally suggested.

Anyhow, don't forget to file (and also send in a check with an extension request).

Hope your experience is better than mine. I don't mind really paying my own "fair share" of the cost. But I don't like how complicated it all is, and I don't like it that people with much greater income can sometimes get by with paying lower taxes. Probably you heard Warren Buffett (with an income of around $50 million) complain that his own tax rate is lower than his secretary's.

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