Driving while Stupid

Stuipd driver



Dave Barry

       Dave Barry, the writer of “Driving While Stupid” has to be one of the best writers I have appreciated reading for many years.  His is the male to our Erma Baumbeck. In 1983, I was lucky enough to catch his show ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ when I was on vacation in Montana. I will never forget two of his one-liners, he said, “Electricity is actually made up of extremely tiny particles called electrons, that you cannot see with the naked eye unless you have been drinking,” and, ‘It is a scientific fact that your body will not absorb cholesterol if you take it from another person's plate.” It would probably surprise you that Barry won the Pulitzer Prize; it was not surprising to me. Driving While Stupid, by Barry is a great example of his work. He can take an issue of any kind and put it to humor. You can follow Barry’s blog by going to www. blogs.herald.com/

After reading Barry’s article on Driving While Stupid, it reminded me of a bus trip I was on a few years ago.  I had been staring out the window of the bus, just looking at the scenery, when this girl drove up to the side of  bus.  As I watched her from the window, I was horrified to see what I was starring at. This girl, in her 30’s, had one leg crossed over her lap, and her steering wheel was being used as the phone book holder. I must have spoken very loud at this point, because the people sitting on the left side of the bus immediately dropped what they were doing and came to my side.  We all watched this girl, driving at approx, 65 mph, her right leg steering the car.  In her left hand, she had a cell phone, and in her ear, she had a Bluetooth.                                              

We watched as she turned the pages of this phonebook and punched numbers on her cell phone.  With the bus on her side, she looked up and noticed all of us just looking at her, and to our amazement, she waved with her free right hand.  We drove side by side for miles, and we all just watched her stupidly.  Then, my mom took out a bingo maker, wrote something on paper, and placed it in the window.  The sign said, ‘We have your plate number,” and on her next sign, she put, “and we are calling the State Police.’  In turn the girl gave my mom the ‘The National Signal’, she gave my mom the finger.  With that, my mom makes yet another sign.  On this piece of paper, she drew the sign of a crosss and on the back she wrote, ‘You’re going to need this!

            I conclude with a wonderful quote by Barry, The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, or ethnic background, is that we all believe we are above-average drivers.  



      

CELL YELL

   The article that Eric A. Taub wrote for the New York Times taught me a few things.  First, I had no idea that there is now a name for people who talk so loud on their cell phone, CELL YELL!  I had never heard of that of that term used before.  Truthfully, when I hear people on there cell phone talking so loud, I use a few choice words of my own.  I could never understand why folks have to scream so loud into their cell phones, do they think we all want to hear you break-up with your boyfriend!

     I personally do not care for a cell phone, but with no more phone booths around, I need one incase my car breaks down, or to cancel an appointment.  Regardless of that, I totally see that anyone who uses a cell phone should go to www.cellmanners.com.  Going to this site and leaning the do’s and don’ts can save you nasty stares for people near you as you talk on the phone.  Cell phone etiquette is necessary to learn.

     I was in a restaurant the other night.  There were signs posted in the lobby that said

“Please turn off your cell phones while dining.”  Apparently, the people just did not know how to read, because cell phones were ringing all over the place.  It is one thing for the phone to have rung, but then answer him or her and carry on a 20 minute, loud conversation that disrupted every ones diner.  I wanted to walk over to one woman and just take her phone away from her.  Even with the dinners turning their heads and staring at her, it did not phase her one bit. This woman just kept on with phone call.  

     I know people count on using their cell phone. They need it for business, keeping track of their kids and just check in on their family.  But when you have to answer your cell phone or make a call, remove yourself from the group your in and find a quite, and out of the way of people and then you can make your call.

When Greed Gives Way to Giving

    

                                                     

                                                               Bob and Ellen Thomspon

   The story "When Greed Gives Way to Giving,” written by columnist Ana Veciana-Suarez, is an incredible story.  This man is a true a gem.  After the sale of his company, he made a hefty profit on his transaction.  Instead of walking away with all the money, he chose to celebrate his workers, some retirees, and widows.  To his workers, they were beside themselves when they were part of dividing $128 million.

Thompson was not born into money; on the contrary, he built his business by hard work and determination. He started out with only $3500 in his pocket and he began to build his dream company. Thompson could have had anything he could ever want in his life.  He could buy just about anything. There are things in ones life that you cannot buy.  You cannot buy love, heath, or respect, Thompson had all of them things.

     After reading this story, I needed to know more about the Thompson family, so I did a little research.  In my research, I found that not only was he generous with the group of people who worked for him, but was generous with his money in other ways. The year he sold his company, he and his wife Ellen founded the Thompson Foundation with $100 million from the sale of the Thompson-McCully Company. His main goal with the foundation is to help the low-income rise out of poverty and become self-reliant. He set up scholarships for the inner city kids.

There are so many lessons the Thompson has taught us all.  I feel that his motto could have been, “You can’t receive, unless you give.”

      During these hard times in this Country, it is getting harder and harder for people to donate money; furthermore, half this country is unemployed.  There are things people can donate without reaching into their pockets. The could give their time at a local food bank, a hospice center and The Red Cross.

            My hope is that all the workers who benifited by the generosity from Thompson, that they pay it forward. I hope they have dontated a percentage of there new windfall to there local United Way, Salvation Army or just pay for a proverty stricken child through school, including a 4 year college.