Recently I had reason to drive down to California. L.A., to be specific. Slightly over an hour after leaving Las Vegas, one passes the final set of casinos and crosses the state line into California. There is a sign saying “Welcome to California” which puzzled me for a few minutes — several pieces of the state seemed to be missing and I was wondering if this was intended to portray the state as it might look after The Big One. But no, I realized, the missing pieces were actually part of the silhouette of the bear. This being the Bear Republic. This is almost immediately followed by a sign that says “seat belt law strictly enforced.” Okay, fair warning. In Nevada we have a campaign that says “click it or ticket” with the picture of a seat belt. Not quite as authoritarian, perhaps a little catchier, but we all get… Read More »
The Greatest Insult
I’d be willing to bet my next paycheck that if you live in North America, you would consider this a great insult. South of the border, maybe not so much. In many European countries they would probably take it as a compliment. The scary part of this is that you don’t even have to say it — your companion can infer this simply by your facial expression or a sudden movement. According to Dave Barry (remember him?) “The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background is that deep down inside we all believe that we are above-average drivers.” You’re a good driver, aren’t you? So am I. I was very fortunate that on the day I got my “learner’s permit” when I turned 15-1/2 years old, my dad commenced to teach me the fine art of driving. I sat behind… Read More »
I Love Soap
I LOVE SOAP! Most people who know me know that a bar of soap is the best present they could give me. I love great smelling soap! Two years ago my friend Lois and I were in Brazil visiting another friend, Jean, who was working at the American Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. While there, Lois and I took a side trip to Iguassu Falls on the Brazil/Argentine border. Our travel agent had booked us into the outrageously expensive
Staying Alive in Berkeley
Remember when you were a little kid and you learned, “Look Both Ways Before You Cross the Street”? Or perhaps you were taught “Stop, Look and Listen Before You Cross the Street.” Sound familiar? Every child knew that, and we would sometimes chant them to each other as we walked to school three blocks away. I was reminded of these while I was in Berkeley these past couple of weeks. Evidently these old sayings that the constant reminder to be careful, don’t apply in Berkeley. Or probably all of California. The laws of common sense apparently have been replaced by the laws of entitlement. Of course, in California the pedestrian has the right-of-way. And this makes sense when you look at the difference between a 150 pound person and a 1800 pound car. Naturally drivers should look out for pedestrians. But in Berkeley, this right-of-way has been taken to a… Read More »
Could it be a girl ??
I know I’m not the only person on the planet who names my cars. In fact, I’m willing to bet a lot of people do — probably more women than men. My first car, a little blue Renault, I named Ozzie. No idea why — it just looked like an Ozzie. My next car was a red Studebaker Hawk when I was in the Foreign Service in Pretoria, South Africa. One of the Foreign Service officers was leaving and sold it at a price I could afford. The car came pre-named: The Sexy Red Flash. So Flash it was. In London I got a second-hand Peugeot and named it Scout because it was a trusty little guy who accompanied me on all kinds of adventures into uncharted waters — and meadows and villages. When I got home to California several years later, I bought a second-hand Volkswagen squareback (fancy name for little… Read More »
