Three little pigs and a goat

What do these have in common? Well, while they are all animals, and are featured in fairy tales, they are also the Christmas presents my mom gave me this year and last. No, I don't have animals in my back yard, the city would have a huge battle against that. They are gifts my mom generously gave to a charity that provides these, and other resources, to poor third world countries that need these for whatever reasons, to feed their population, maybe get goat's milk, or other reasons. One can also donate items such as computers and probably help fund aqua purification systems. I think it's a terrific idea and I'm very grateful to be able to help others truly in need this time of the year. If everybody did that, either locally or someplace in the world, just making a small donation would truly benefit everybody and certainly make the spirit of the holidays much more appreciable to every donor and donee. Merry Christmas.

Worrying about the weather

I managed to dodge most of the damage from Irene. I remember well what Isabelle did in my area eight years ago. It formed off of the coast of Africa and headed to the Virginia coast. Now, I heard that there's another one that formed off the coast of Africa. Will that one ring our bell, too, or will we be luckier this time? I'm not big into meterology; I can't tell you the difference between El Nina, El Nino, although I do know what an El nincompoop is although that has nothing to do with hurricaines. It's been a really bad year for weather, tornados in the South, hot air and fires in Texas. Makes you wonder if this isn't some of the signs of the Apocolypse. After all, the Aztecs predicted that the world will end on a December day next year, but if they were so astute, whatever happened to them? The only Aztecs we have now are the ones affiliated with San Diego State University and I don't think that the majority of the faculty and student body walks around dressed as them.

Cell phones and driving

I don't understand why there is a single US state that allows people to talk on the cell phone and drive. You are maneuvering usually at least a 2000 pound machine down the road surrounded by other machines, some of which are a lot larger, and the laws of physics mandate that you can't occupy the same space with any of them at the same time. If you inadvertanly try, then the result is an accident. You need both hands on the wheel and your attention centered in a 360 degree direction. All distractions need to be minimized. Even talking with another person in the same vehicle can be a distraction; how much more so can that be talking with somebody you can't see? It's a recipe for disaster. I've even seem some of the dumbest cell phone behaviors, more so by woman, i.e. backing up and talking on a cell. If you need to make a phone call call the person then hang up and back up, drive, and be safe. This applies even more so to texting and driving. If you're not willing to practice good driving habits, you shouldn't be on the road.

No gas day

No this isn't being mindful of flatulence. There's a posting running around the Internet to not buy gas on April 15. That might be a good idea at face value, but skipping buying gas on that day won't keep your car running if the gauge gets down to zero. I guess if you need gas for your car you should be appreciative because you probably have a job or income. If you need the gas to go and find a job, fill up on April 15. Nobody will hold it against you and good luck in the job market.