Geese Jam

I've actually been stuck in a goose related traffic jam. It was as frustrating as any other traffic jam - stupid fucking geese! Get out of the road you stupid fucks! I mean, ducks.

Best friends forever! Or at least for the next 2-4 weeks.

Gentlemen of the New Generation

I know, for a fact, that every generation bitched about the younger one, for as long as there've been people around to bitch about youngin's, to time immemorial. And for sooth, I am now old, and don't understand some of these young folk ways. But still - I detect a breakdown in the social fabric.

Yobs with no sense of self or purpose or perhaps even physical self - Gameboy Generation - so the world is a unending parade of failed expectations.

But what about the gals? What's in it for them?

Gored Sox

Hey, it's almost baseball time. I don't really care, haven't really since 2004, which was baseball perfection and can never be topped, so why bother? Also, as a downeast traditionalist, I far prefer "Cursed but plucky loser" to "Yankees North". It's just more fun.

Thusly, never win, Cubs!

When Irony Attacks

This must have been awkward all around.

Massholes

Sorry America, and thus the World! I've lived in MA far, far too long now. I despise the place utterly and completely, save for the small understanding that it's probably better than South Carolina. For what that's worth.

As a Mainer, I find this state to be filled to the brim with assholes. Everyone's an asshole -- I, in fact, have become an asshole on the road, just like everyone else, despite my best intentions. This place is poison!

So, I've always been somewhat amused to hear MA referred to as some Liberal Mecca - I've never seen it. Of course, you've got pockets of concentrated Dirty Fucking Hippies (DFH), like in Cambridge, but I've always seen this as a college phenomena - these so called Liberal towns are really big college towns, and I think any college town in any state is prone to be more liberal than the norm.

Because my anecdotal experience is, there's as many Wingnuts in MA as anywhere. I work for a high tech company, filled with intelligent people, and I swear I'm one of 5 people maybe who voted for Obama - I made a ton of money betting with people throughout the office. It was shocking and depressing to me, however, to learn that these smart, engaging people were otherwise mindless zombies programmed to destroy America all the while chanting NEVER FORGET!!!

So, we elected a male, nude, Sarah Palin - make no mistake, this Brown guy is no moderate, and he'll fall entirely inline with the Southern Agenda, which is of course to ensure no Democrat can succeed, even if that means sinking this nation in the mire. As long as Republicans can "win the day", that's all that matters. Oh, that and massive amounts of money and power.

As I've said before, I am a member of no party, and the Democratic party is something of a joke, especially in MA. But, if I'm forced to choose - and I am - I'm choosing a Democrat everysingle time over any Republican. Because the Republican party is really hell bent on destroying this nation - do you want to join that effort, or fight against it? 

Indubitably more dangerous

So, mobile phones. I hate 'em, but I'm a bit grumpy like that. However, mobile phone use while driving is outright dangerous. Here's a brief blurb from a driving and talking study done in 2006:

Motorists who talked on either handheld or hands-free cell phones drove slightly slower, were 9 percent slower to hit the brakes, displayed 24 percent more variation in following distance as their attention switched between driving and conversing, were 19 percent slower to resume normal speed after braking and were more likely to crash. Three study participants rear-ended the pace car. All were talking on cell phones. None were drunk.

The conclusion was, talking on your mobile while driving is as dangerous as being drunk while driving. We all know by now how dangerous drunk driving is; and yet, people around the world are blabbing away on mobiles, oblivious in part to their surroundings. This leads me to the following:


1. It's not me! I've been going a bit crazy while driving (more later), for a variety of reasons, one of them being I don't recall people driving this badly in the past. But I have to doubt that kind of recollection, as it can be tinged or influenced by a variety of factors. However, given that I learned to drive in the mid 80's, did a good deal of driving up to 1994, and then stopped driving for the most part till 2007, and now am full time again, it occurred to me I missed the introduction of the mobile phone on the roads, and now deal with it at full strength. So, given that a mobile phone user is just like a drunk, then yes, objectively, people are much worse drivers now, and driving is more dangerous.


2. Also, I'm convinced there's an evolutionary effect going on with mobile phones. To wit: Our brains are not designed to carry on a conversation with someone who is not there. It causes our mind to attempt to create them and their surroundings, mentally. This act perforce takes away your concentration on the here and now. Which is fine if you're in your living room; not so fine when you're speeding along at 75MPH. I've seen my first scientific study partially confirming this thesis, but I can't find it to link to it right now, so trust me. I believe I'm right.


3. Remember: A car is not a toy. In fact, it's likely you will do nothing more dangerous today or any other day than drive. So take it seriously!


Old Man Redshirt, signing out.