Prepare to be schooled. Legitimately.

On the second Tuesday in November, history will be made. America will have elected either its first African American president, more than 140 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, or the first woman vice president, nearly 90 years following the ratification of the bill that gave U.S. women the right to vote. It’s a spectacular opening of doors for future generations in America, and a new source of untapped talent for the highest offices in the land. Regardless of the scurrilous gossip strewn about the candidates personal lives, about the disagreements over flip flopping and petty fighting between party lines, there are real issues here at stake that actually matter to our lives and the lives of our children. As Lauren stated, it’s exhausting to witness the bickering, and maybe this is only another voice in the crowd of many. I’ve painfully recognized how uneducated and seemingly uninterested Americans are on the actual FACTS of this election. We have let our reality become distorted by the most backwards and terrifying process of dehumanization out there, the agenda of the corporate American press.

In an attempt to be as bipartisan as possible, I thought that I would try to outline some of the basic issues of both candidates and what they stand for. This is in no way a purpose for me to be stumping for either party (even though you know I’m not afraid to let you know who I support), this is simply an attempt to break down the basic facts. Just because you’ve always voted Democrat, or you’ve always voted Republican, does not mean that you should blindly support whomever that party has nominated. Do you agree with their stance on foreign policy? Their answer to the war in Iraq? Their energy policies? What about education? When it comes down to it, this is a personal decision, but one that should be an informed choice. We can’t base our sources of knowledge in hearsay, propaganda or in the opinions of spouses or parents or friends. I’ve done the gruntwork for you, and here it is. Make your own choices.

In black and white, I give you the facts:

• Taxes
  

In comparison to the policies in place under our current administration, the McCain tax plan will reduce taxes by approximately 4.2 trillion. The Obama plan will cut taxes by 2.9 trillion. McCain’s tax cuts will hit across the board, with the biggest cuts going to the highest income households (top 1% of US citizens making over $1.2 mill/year), while Obama would give larger tax cuts to low and moderate income households and pay most of the cost by raising taxes on high income taxpayers (top 1% making over $1.2 mill/year). Both policies from both parties will substantially increase our national debt over the next ten years: McCain’s would increase our debt by $5 trillion, Obama’s by $3.5 trillion.

What does this mean for you? The typical American, middle class income (incomes of less than $200k yearly for individuals and $250k per year for married couples) will raise 3% with McCain’s plan. In comparison, with Obama’s plan, middle income households will see a boost of 5% back into their wallets.

Things to consider: National debt. Want to see how much we owe? Check this out. We need to pay taxes in order to dig ourselves out of debt and get this tattered economy back on it’s feet. Bigger tax breaks and higher spending pushes this debt onto our children and our children’s children.

(Please note, these are estimations based on currently proposed tax plans. Source: Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute and Brookings Institution)

• Health Care

McCain proposes a refundable income tax credit of $2500 individually or $5000 for married couples purchasing health insurance. He believes that competition between insurance companies will lower the cost and improve the quality of health insurance. This, among other changes that McCain proposes, would cost the US deficit $1.3 trillion over ten years. Obama’s plan is to modernize the US healthcare system and make relatively low cost insurance available to everyone, along with subsidizing premiums for low and moderate income folks. This will cost the US deficit $1.6 trillion, but would also cover virtually all children and the majority of currently uninsured adults. McCain’s proposed plan would cut the number of uninsured people by a little over 6 million in ten years. Obama’s plan would bring the numbers of uninsured people down by 34 million.

(Source: Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute and Brookings Institution)

Things to consider: One in seven Americans are uninsured, living sicker and dying younger. Uninsured Americans effect everyone’s health coverage. Even the insured pay the price with crowded emergency rooms and escalating health care costs, which in turn make health insurance less affordable. The United States spends nearly $100 billion annually to provide uninsured patients with health services, often for preventable diseases or diseases more effectively treated with an earlier diagnoses. Can you guess where this money comes from, loyal tax payer?

• Iraq

The basic discrepancy between candidates on this issue is whether or not to pull out from the war and withdraw our troups. McCain says fight it out, Obama says end it. McCain believes that it is our moral obligation to stay in Iraq until it is capable of governing itself and safeguarding its own people. He supports counterinsurgencies (sending additional troops) in order to control the population and violence in Iraq. McCain will promote efforts within the international community to support regional stability and to bolster Iraq’s economy. He also supports structuring the US’s military posture in order to put pressure on Iraq’s neighbors (Syria and Iran) to stop aiding Shi’ite militias.

Obama believes that we are in the midst of a war without end, and proposes a plan to finish it. He believes that our military resources are dwindling and leaving us less safe at home, and that with a responsible and phased withdrawal, both Iraq and the US will be better off. Obama’s basic plan will have brigades removed at a pace of 1 to 2 per month, to be completed in 16 months. He will also have a residual force remain in Iraq to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions as well as continue efforts to train and support Iraqi security forces with the support of the Iraqi government. Obama believes in a moral obligation to Iraq’s humanitarian crisis, providing $2 billion to support the millions of displaced Iraqi families while reserving the right to intervene militarily, with international support, to suppress potential genocidal violence within the country.

McCain highlights that the past year has shown a significant reduction in violence in Iraq, and he places the success on the shoulders of the troop surge. Obama supports redirecting our efforts towards Afghanistan where Taliban has since reemerged, pointing out that 2007 was the most violent year in Afghanistan since the invasion in 2001.

Things to consider: With hundreds upon thousands of innocent lives lost, almost 5,000 American soldiers dead since the start of the war, and $3 trillion in national debt… the cost of the war continues to rise by the second.

• Environment/Energy Crisis

It seems as though major authorities on the environment and energy crisis don’t think that either candidate has enough policy in regard to these topics. It also seems that both candidates bleed into one another’s solutions, there is a meshing between sides. The major differences are that McCain is touting increased fossil fuel production and nuclear energy, while Obama emphasizes alternative sources and conservation to meet our energy needs.

McCain’s emphasis on increased production of nuclear energy and oil is based in a re-commitment in these energy sources. Nuclear energy produces zero emissions, and could decrease our dependency on foreign oil, however safety can be an issue due to the high levels of radioactivity that can be emitted from the waste (newer plants have a much better safety record, but it makes some reminisce about Chernobyl). There are also concerns about the cost of researching and building nuclear power plants. McCain’s plan also will give $2 billion per year in order to advance clean coal technology.

McCain supports off-shore drilling, deep sea drilling off U.S. coastlines in search of oil in order to increase domestic supplies. Increasing domestic oil production could put a patch on the situation we’ve found ourselves at the gas pump, however ecologically speaking, oil is a non-renewable resource and not a great thing to be dependent on, not to mention the threat of what oil spills can do to our environment. McCain has the idea of providing a $300 million award for “the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars.” Anyone know how to make batteries?

Obama will back limited off-shore drilling, as he believes that oil companies should first drill on the 68 million acres that they have which are so far unused. Previously against the idea, Obama has recently said that he now believes a compromise will have to be made in order to prevent gridlocking between oil companies and the government. His main objective is that we need to reduce our dependency on oil completely and move towards new fuel choices and alternative energies. Obama’s proposed policies take it a step further by investing $150 billion over ten years in order to build a clean energy future, along with creating 5 million “green collar” jobs. As for an immediate solution, he’ll give a $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay for rising bills, the money coming from oil company profits. Obama would mandate the auto industry in order to influence them towards making vehicles capable of running on alternative fuels, and increase federal support of mass transit. McCain is against these mandates, and once a cap and trade is implemented (keep reading…), would rely on the market to cultivate alternative energy itself.

Both candidates support tax credits to those that buy hybrid cars. Both support a cap-and-trade system that would place a cost on emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases linked to global warming, in order to encourage a shift towards renewable energy. Both also agree that regardless of the solution to stop the immediate oil bleeding from the gas pumps in America, something needs to be done to catalyze our shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources.

Please see this as well as this for further info.

Things to consider: Where you’ll be in 2050 when the Arctic Ocean has completely melted, the glaciers are gone from the Alps, and over one million species of animals are extinct. I’ll be (hopefully) still kicking it at 68.

• Education

The low standards that our education system has currently in place are dismal at best. American children rank 28th out of 40 countries in mathematics and 19th out of 40 countries in science. Education should be a top priority. Bush’s No Child Left Behind plan was a complete dud, most agree the reason for this is because it was neglected in funding. We have huge issues in America with teacher quality and accountability. (Although this article is Obama based, if you are interested in the current state of our national education system, it is phenomenally written, please devour.) McCain will work to improve the No Child Left Behind Law, Obama will fundamentally extricate it.

McCain doesn’t seem to have a clear plan in regard to changing our education system, although lets hope he focuses more on this issue with the addition of his running mate and mother of 5. He does believe that public schools need to be publicly accountable for test results. McCain supports the basis of using competition in order to obtain greater quality teachers, and thinks that if parents are unhappy with the public education of their children, they should be allowed to change schools. He’ll also reward teachers with individual merit pay. Obama’s main concerns are in the US’s high school dropout rate (30%), quality of teachers, and extremely high college costs. He will work to create a voluntary national performance assessment for new teachers, as well as work with school districts to create a program for salary increases for accomplished educators that work to mentor new teachers. Obama will also enact an unprecedented American Opportunity Tax Credit of $4000 to families universally. He will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year’s tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.

Things to consider: Children are our future!

The basis of this article has grown out of Project votesmart. I believe that being informed is so important, and I am up for anyone willing to question. If we are open to it, we can all learn something here.

Signing off before my fingers fall off, as your CNN addict/political adviser chick, I bid you adieu…. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!

Certain parts of the country are famous for different foods, in Boston you have clam chowder, in Maryland it’s Crab, Coney Island has hot dogs, Chicago touts deep dish pizza and in Philadelphia you love cheese steaks.  One of the most famous is Geno’s Steaks and is a staple of many Philadelphia residents and a must-stop destination for tourists.

Three years ago Geno’s put up a very controversial sign in their window; This is America, When Ordering Please Speak English.

In a 2-1 vote, a Commission on Human Relations panel found that two signs do not violate the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance.

Joe Vento, the grandchild of Italian immigrants

has said he posted the signs in October 2005 because of concerns over immigration reform and an increasing number of people in the area who could not order in English.

Geno’s rival right across the street, Pat’s King of Steaks has no such sign up.

Source: Associated Press

What may have been one of the largest collections of amazing music and programs in bittorrent format was raided last night and shut down.  Mega torrent tracker OiNK, which had a near fight club attitude to advertising and was available to users only on an invite basis, seems to have been shut down for good.  Excerpts from the IFPI press release,

British and Dutch police today shut down the world’s biggest source of illegal pre-release chart albums and arrested a 24-year old man in an operation coordinated between Middlesbrough and Amsterdam.

The site, with an estimated membership of 180,000, has been used by many hardcore file-sharers to violate the rights of artists and producers by obtaining copyrighted recordings and making them available on the internet.

The site’s servers, based in Amsterdam, were seized in a series of raids last week. OiNK’s operator allegedly made money by setting up a donations account on the site facilitated by PayPal.

Reuters has a quote from one of the people who works for IFPI,

“OiNK was central to the illegal distribution of pre-release music online,” said Jeremy Banks, head of the anti-piracy unit at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which helped in the investigation.

I am saddened to see OiNK go, if it truly is gone forever.  Over the last two years or so I was introduced to countless amounts of new music that I otherwise may have never heard before.  In my opinion, the music industry needs to figure out a better way to distribute music, with CD sales falling every year; one would think they get the drift.  My opinion is that the $1 per song download through iTunes and similar sites is not the answer either.

California Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a new bill that will target 16 and 17 year old drivers on their cell phones.  Starting July 1, 2008, officers will start to hand out $20 tickets for the first offense, $50 for each additional offense.  At the same time, a different law becomes effective requiring all cell users to use a hands free device while driving, the fines will be he same.

Now this has a really good idea behind it, I was the victim of a fairly serious car accident because a woman was on her cell and not paying attention, so at the core, I think this is the right thing to do, but I really wonder how enforceable it is going to be.  Here in Pennsylvania we have a seat belt law.  The fine can be up to $115 for not wearing your seat belt, but there’s a twist.  No officer can pull you over solely because they see you without it on, it must be in conjunction with some other citation, like a tail light out.  Therefor, it is not really that enforceable.  Secondly, who is going to keep track of how many times you’ve been given tickets to know if $20 or $50 is the right amount to charge?  Lastly, it is such a small sum of money, I can see it being thrown into the cost of driving tax that so many people are accustomed to paying.  It is essentially the amount of money that certain people associate with driving, mostly in speeding tickets, sometimes in parking tickets, but not a real tax in the sense of the word.

Source: Information Week

August 15, 2007 marked the first day that I, Adrienne, have been to court…

TRAFFIC COURT, that is!

In mid-July, I was pulled over on my way to work for “failure to obey a steady red.” In layman’s terms, that means I ran a red light (…which I didn’t). I wasn’t speeding at the time; I mean, seriously, I was on my way to my former job, there’s no way I would speed to get there. But two cars behind me were speeding and ran the red after I went through the yellow and did they get pulled over?? Nooooooooo. Of course not.

Whatever, so I get off the main road, get my ticket issued, and cry a little bit (I’m Catholic and have a guilt complex, so although I pay for everything, I am still certain my parents are going to kill me). I also remember as I am pulling over that I had gotten my license picture taken the day before and chose to put my hair in a side ponytail and wear a sweatband for it (stay classy, Philadelphia!). But the police officer was very nice and actually kinda cute (in fact, if you’re reading this Officer Matt and you pulled over the chick in the Acura coupe, call me!). He was the one who suggested that I plead “not guilty” and he would “see what he could do about the points.”

Points???? Oh, hell yeah, I’m pleading not guilty!!

So I did and today I made an appearance at the district court for Montgomery County. My appointment was for 9:45am so I showed up at 9:30am. Of course, I had to pay for parking at a meter so I put in every nickel I could find in my ride. Jerks. I walk in to a crowded waiting room which I expected to be filled with vagrants. Then I remember that I’m on the Main Line and everyone has more money than I do. I immediately make up, in my head, all the crap they are in for to entertain myself, but pretty much it’s all traffic violations. And soon enough, it’s just going to be me and another person in the waiting room, as everyone else gets called and processed.

I approach the counter, sign in… and I wait. And wait. And wait. It gets to the point that the 75-year-old man at the counter quips “I’m getting sick and tired of looking at you” (in a joking way, of course, because made sure to look hot, in case the cop did show up and wanted to ask me out). An hour later, he gives my citation to another officer who takes me in as a mercy case and we head to the court room. He’s not bad looking, but he’s definitely married with kids. I can tell these things.

Now, let me tell you… despite the fact that it’s a district court, it’s still kinda intimidating. The judge is all in her robes and shit and she’s definitely holding a gavel and the cop is on the side of the courtroom where the good guys on Law & Order sit and I’m just kinda shaking a little bit on the “bad people left hand side.” So we’re all sitting and smiling and verifying my name and the cop is like “Are you worried about the points?” and I was like “Uh, I’m kinda worried about everything. I just got fired so I don’t have any money either.” And then the officer was like “I recommend that we withdraw the charges.” And the judge was like “Sounds good to me, especially since Miss Isaac waited for an hour.” And I was like “Fuck yeah, rock on!” Just kidding, I was like “Thank you officer, your honor, I won’t ever do anything wrong ever again.”

Isn’t that the most accurate rendering of a court transcript that you’ve ever read? Yes, clearly I am a master writer.

Actually, I’m just really too excited because I basically just got the best karma boost ever and totally got out of my first traffic violation. I mean, considering all of the other illegal things I’ve never gotten busted for doing, this is freaking awesome. Do any of you have better stories of your brushes with the long arm of the law? I should really go read to blind kids or something to re-boost my karma, but I’m just gonna go lay at my mom’s pool instead. Oh, and obey all traffic signals from here on out.

WOOHOO!!

I just got back from a four day trip to the Midwest (I live in eastern PA 10 miles from NJ), two days of which were spent driving. (Why the hell drive that far for 2 days you ask? Well, my pop won a Freedom Fighters award and was a grand marshal in a parade – couldn’t miss that slice of Americana or his big day!)

Most people ask me why I’m doing it, including my dad – they think I’m nuts, they can’t believe it, to drive that far in one day, first, and to drive it alone, second. This is nothing new for me, have done it (traveling alone cross country) many times, so I’m always amazed at their amnesia.

One reason is that I want to save money on airfare and car rental. While the current price of gas makes it tougher, it’s still more expensive to fly and rent a car. I prefer being in my own space rather than packed into a small uncomfortable seat next to people I don’t know. Driving also is less environmentally damaging than flying, if that’s a concern to you.

But, back to the point of writing about it: I love it. The solitude, seeing the country (it’s all beautiful, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise – I’ve driven in or through 40 states so far, so I feel pretty qualified to make that statement), my own music, or not, talking on the phone, or not, being amazed at all the vehicles (where’s everybody going?), being frustrated at the chances some semis take by driving erratically (I was hit by one last year, so I feel pretty qualified to be concerned), and time spent in contemplation without interruption. Perhaps you don’t want to or need to drive 1000 miles in one day, but even short trips can be more enjoyable and less taxing mentally and physically by preparing ahead of time.

How do I do it? A little planning goes a long way. And, I’m all about not wasting time, and saving money.

1. Gas up the night before so you can get going right away in the morning.

2. Get cash and change ahead of time. (Tolls, at least in the east.)

3. Assemble a stockpile of food. Food on the road is terrible (taste and nutrition) and costly, and it wastes time waiting in line: get a small to medium size cooler, have your frozen packs ready to go at least the day before, use food containers with easy access if you have to open it one-handed, and you will, have napkins (serviettes) and paper towels within arm’s reach. Choose stuff you can eat with one hand, obviously, sandwiches, fruit (but not too juicy) and dried fruit, veggies, chips, nuts, chocolate, etc. But don’t overdo the sugar – the crashes, highs and lows, make it tough and won’t net you anything but a headache usually.

4. Bring your own beverages: Thermos for your hot beverage of choice (mine is green tea), a couple gallons of bottled water (gallon jugs, not the individual bottles, as there’s few recycling bins on the road; have a good water bottle you refill as needed), bottled other stuff you like to drink (tea, soda, juice). It’s stupidly expensive on the road and you’ll waste time waiting in line behind rude, loud, and/or smelly travelers (yes, they’re out there). Drink water more than anything, especially if it’s hot.

5. The passenger seat system: It is your desk while you’re at the job of driving and navigating, so creating an efficient work space is really important. Sit in the driver’s seat and place things within arm’s reach – purse or wallet, phone and charger, CDs, cooler on the floor but able to be accessed with one hand, map, beverage, sunblock, lip balm. (If you have long arms, you’re at an advantage. You can use the floor behind the passenger seat for some things.) Make a nice little nest of things you will need the most. Don’t have too much – just what you will need for a few hours, changing things out as you go.

6. Maps and directions: Crucial to have a good, up to date map of all the places you will be, and more crucial to write down in big letters your directions, or highlight your map from the internet (if you know it’s accurate – we all have stories about that). This is really important if you’re taking a route you haven’t taken before. By reviewing the map and directions side by side prior to the trip, you will save time and stress on the road. I am someone with a really good sense of direction and that has saved me at times when I’ve been lost. If you have no sense of direction, spend careful time reviewing your travel route prior to getting in the car.

7. Use a credit card for purchasing gas so you don’t have to go inside to prepay. Saves a ton of time. Don’t let your gas tank go below half full. Easier on the fuel pump so you get better gas mileage, to my knowledge, and you also don’t have to worry about running out if you’re in the middle of nowhere for a while.

8. Stop every 2-3 hours no matter what: Get gas, use the restroom, throw out any garbage, refill your beverage, and STRETCH all parts of your body. Shake your hands and feet a bit, walk around a little bit, jump up and down if you don’t care about people looking at you funny. You want to keep your circulation going.

9. As you’re driving, don’t just look straight ahead. Be careful but be sure to look to both sides and focus your eyes on the farthest thing you see. Also helps your neck from getting stiff.

10. Maintain good sitting posture. Don’t lean way over and sit too slumped or it will make you sleepy, and stiff.

11. Have happy feet: your feet and ankles may swell by the end of the day just because you’re sitting that long. It helps tremendously to tap your feet and move them around in every direction, to stretch your whole foot and ankle. I ‘walk in place’, lifting my feet up off the floor, I fidget, bringing my knees in and out quickly, flex my leg muscles, anything. It really works to keep you alert and blood and oxygen pumping. Another way to keep happy feet is to put a pillow under them in bed when you are finally at your destination for the night. Will help a lot.

12. Really check out your surroundings: It helps keep you alert and engaged. I get a huge kick out of signs I see. I sometimes write them on postcards to send to friends. (My favorites: a billboard in the middle of nowhere that just listed an 800 number and said “Our Drivers Are People” – as opposed to… Non-people? And in Southern Canada above the Great Lakes, a bait and tackle shop simply named “Bite Me!”) I enjoy seeing what’s different and what’s the same from state to state, and learn a lot, too.

13. Great photo opps: There are so many beautiful and weird things out there to shoot. Just beware it eats time, so either take mental pictures or build shooting time into your schedule.

14. Don’t drive beyond your limits: If you are tired, stop. There is nothing scarier than seeing cars and trucks weave back and forth on the road. Whatever you’re driving to can wait for you to sleep for a while. Get a good night’s sleep the night before a drive. Don’t rely on caffeine to keep you awake – it just makes you jittery, not really more alert. The road can be mesmerizing, lulling you into spacing out, so again, use the suggestions above to avoid zoning out and endangering yourself and others.

15. The Phone: Don’t talk on the phone while driving. Check out which states have laws against it. That being said, of course people out there will do it. If you’re one of them, please be very careful, use a hands-free device, keep it short, don’t be on the phone in heavy traffic, construction areas, hilly-curvy areas, at night, in fog or rain or snow… animals can dart in front of you, cars will cut you off and the phone is a huge distraction. You can miss an exit because you’re not paying attention – and that can lose you a ton of time.

16. Music: Only change CDs when you’re stopping for a break, not while driving. Plan on a variety of music – stuff you like to sing to at the end of the trip will help a lot. Perfect place to listen to the stuff you don’t tell your friends you like. iPods and other digital music devices: same as the cell phone – be careful and check out which states have laws against having earbuds in.

17. Before the age of iPods and movies in the car, people actually played games like The Alphabet Game, where you look for letters either in signs or actual things. You can play this alone, to keep you actively engaged if getting tired. Yes, it’s nerdy, but so what. I’m sure your clever mind could create a hip game, which would also help you on the drive.

18. Driving at night: My dad always tells me never to drive at night. I just roll my eyes and smile. Riiiiight. But, he does have a point. It’s easier to get sleepy at night, and if you break down, you will feel a lot more vulnerable. The night just does that. But, it’s hard to avoid, and usually you’re driving at night when you’re most tired toward the end of your 1000 mile trip. Do the happy feet thing, make sure your glasses are clean if you’re wearing them, have some really upbeat music on, make sure you’re cool as warmth will make you sleepy, drive safely and leave more room between vehicles – it’s easier to misjudge distance at night. Review your trip directions to be prepared for signs you need. Be very very careful. If you do have a problem and have to pull over, stay in your car and call 911 and AAA and whomever else is appropriate. Don’t take chances.

19. Have two empty grocery or other bags handy: One for garbage and one for recycling. Empty them as you go. Saves time from having to collect it all when you stop, or stuff rolling under the seat and getting stinky because you forget about it.

20. Wear comfortable clothing. Funny to add but choose what’s easy and quick in the restroom. (I guess this is for women primarily, huh.) Loose clothing keeps you comfortable and saves time.

21. Maintain a steady speed: Use the cruise control! And don’t go more than 5 miles over the speed limit. Your heart rate goes up when you speed, so save yourself stress. Saves on gas, too. (Did you know for every 5 mph that you drive over 60, you lose about 20% of your mpg?) There are always lots of troopers out and they like to give tickets. If you’re behind schedule, consider finding a hotel rather than risk speeding tickets. At a certain point, it’s not worth it.

22. Sunblock: Mentioned earlier but can’t be overstated, especially for your left arm, face and that whole left side. There was just a study out showing that drivers had more skin cancers in those areas due to exposure on the road. Nothing’s worse than a sunburn on that left arm if you have a lot of driving to do. Car windows only protect so much from harmful rays, so best to just apply it everywhere.

23. Decide not to have road rage: Nothing will make you miserable quicker when faced with a long day of driving than letting rage get the better of you. There will be stupid reckless drivers, there will be construction, weather happens, you may forget something, you may get lost… Stay calm, quickly problem solve, detach, stay on course. Don’t let something outside of your control get the better of you.

24. Schedule maintenance for your car: If you’re taking a long trip, it eases your mind to have an oil change and the usual checks of all the systems right before you leave. Plan on another visit when you get back, as you’ve put on a lot of miles. Keep some maintenance supplies with you – tire gauge, coolant/antifreeze, oil, and make sure your spare has air. Be smart so you don’t get stuck. Repairs are costly on the road – been there, done that, it sucks – and your trip will likely be delayed.

25. Think and dream: It’s great to process through things going on in your life. Amazing how clear my thinking can be when I’m out of my usual surroundings and patterns. Dreaming up plans and goals and just fantasizing is great, too – just don’t lose focus on the road! I have gotten a lot accomplished this way, setting goals, making plans, clearing out the cobwebs in my mind by letting the wind blow right through.

When I decided to write about this, I had no idea the list would be that long. But that’s how I have managed to travel 1000 miles in one day, and even back-to-back 1000 mile days (not recommended though!) It’s not for everyone… but I say try it once. Time alone with yourself is usually in short supply and does wonders. And it makes you feel really capable, and just plain great (once you’ve slept well afterward).

If you want further dirt on this topic, or about driving around this country, just honk as I’m driving by.

On Saturday, a video surfaced on mainstream Greek media outlets depicting Greek police officers brutalizing migrant workers. In the video (taken on a camera phone), the officers force the 2 men to beat up one another as well as beatings from the officers themselves.

Apparently, the video has been widely circulated amongst Greek police officers over the past year. The video made it’s way to the “general public” when it was uploaded to a publicly shared site. The ever-vigilant Indymedia.org jumped all over it and delivered it to the worldwide masses.

Currently, Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis is still standing behind his Minister of Public Order. This is understandable as incidents such as these have sadly become commonplace within the Greek police.

Please be advised that the video is rather unsettling. Video Link

Translation of the video can be found here

[Insert deep, resounding sigh here]

Once again, our country just doesn’t get it.

We spend money on this instead of ending the war in Iraq, working to find energy alternatives in the wake of a petroleum price spike, feeding our impoverished, improving urban schools, or making my more heathcare more affordable.  No, no – graffiti is the real problem.  If we stop the graffiti, obviously the gangs will just say “Uh… I guess we should just get rid of these drugs and guns and shit and disband.”  Obviously. 

Although I’m not a fan of graffiti in certain areas (like, say… my new Acura), there is something to be said for graffiti as an urban artform.  It’s relatively cheap to buy the tools with which to tag things and it requires no formal training.  I’ve seen some incredible graffiti around Philadelphia, resulting from both urban renewal projects (those murals you see on 76, which aren’t quite graffiti, but an example of urban art) to the tags of my buddy Rob who used to bring his ink pens around the Main Line on our walks. 

This tracking system also raises issues of American government striving to become “Big Brother.”  I agree with Simon Davies, head of Privacy International, when he says:

“The money they are spending on this should be reinvested in urban regeneration, using graffiti as an art form.  Surveillance tracking destroys self-esteem and there are more effective solutions to urban dysfunction.”

The government isn’t considering the reprocussions of theparanoia that builds within a society that is controlled to this extent.  True, there is little that the government has control of – drugs, organized crime, an unpopular war… but American government is beginning to resemble a stress-induced bulimic – taking control of something completely outside of the problematic situations that are spiraling out of control.

I need to move to Switzerland immediately.

Source: BBC.com (because only news orgs outside this country would comment on this)

NOTE: The views expressed herein represent the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the website or other authors.

President Bush vetoed the “Iraq Pullout” bill this week…and it shocks me that seemingly nobody sees what a brilliant public image move it was for BOTH parities. This had very little to do with the troops or the war and quite a bit to do with the politicians in Washington looking good.

For the Democrats:
The party can say that they did everything they could to get the troops out tried to take a stand against the White House. They can say how they gave it all they had and that there was very little they could do to override the Presidential Veto. In essence, they “heard the cries of the American public and tried to act on their behalf.”

For the Republicans:
The party can say that they did their best to “reach across the aisle” and work with the Democrats. They can also say that they too took a firm stand in an attempt to get U.S. troops out of Iraq in a timely manner. They are able to tell their supporters, “We attempted to bring the troops home, but the President has a vision and we stand behind him.”

However, in reality, neither party did anything of substance. The Republicans knew going in that 1. Bush would veto the bill and 2. The Democrats don’t have nearly enough support to override the veto. So, it was a safe measure to support even if they didn’t agree with it.

Remember, a majority of these politicians are seeking re-election within the next 2 years, so they need to ensure having a good public image. When any of their constituents complain about the troops not coming home, they can simply fall back on the phrase, “We tried.”

Everybody (in congress) wins.

On March 2, 2007 the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which oversees sound recording royalties paid by Internet radio services, increased Internet radio’s royalty burden between 300 and 1200 percent and thereby jeopardized the industry’s future. At the request of the Recording Industry Association of America, the CRB ignored the fact that Internet radio royalties were already double what satellite radio pays, and multiplied the royalties even further. Artists, listeners, and Webcasters, have formed a coalition to help save Internet radio. The coalition believes strongly in compensating artists, but Internet radio as we know it will not survive under the new royalties.

We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars in back-fees alone. The fees are FAR beyond what “traditional” stations are required to pay. Starting May 15th many free internet stations will shut down simply because they can no longer afford to stay on the air.

Recently, there was a by-partisan bill introduced in the House of Representatives that would save countless stations from being forced off of the air. Contact your Representative and tell them to co-sponsor and support this legislation!

May 15th is the day that the new royalties take effect….so act now!

Learn more & make your voice heard: SaveNetRadio.org