Protesting High Gasoline Prices; 55 Miles At A Time

I'm a one-man protest march today.

The price of gasoline is really starting to get to me. When it costs $60.00 to fill up the car and you're starting to choose which bills to pay (and the gasoline cards come FIRST) you know it's starting to get bad.

So I had a little idea which, while it sounds counterproductive and old-fashioned, really makes a ton of sense.

I-just-drive-fifty-five. (With apologies to Sammy Hagar.)

If you're old enough you probably remember when 55 mph was the law of the land -- and nobody obeyed it. Consequently we raised a nation of scofflaws who drove whatever speed they felt like until Congress, seized by a sudden fit of sanity, re-instituted higher traffic speed limits.

So I've started driving 55 mph, for a couple of reasons:



*ONE, I save 20% or more on my mileage -- which is a LOT with $4.00/gallon of gas approaching swiftly, and . . .


*TWO, I'm reducing my emissions when I drive slower. It's green; It's environmental. Plus, . . .

*THREE, IT'S A PROTEST! You should see the line of cars build up behind me, and I mean QUICKLY.
Now, one guy on a crusade like this is a crackpot, of course. (Think "Don Quixote" here.) And whilst two might be a folie a deux, . . .

. . . Three's Company. And Four is a Movement. If those truckers in Washington REALLY want to get the attention of Congress, try slowing down to 55 mph and watch them squeal like stuck pigs.

Feel free to join me, won't you. It's a lot of fun, you're saving money; and you're making a point.

~~JD~~

John's Christmas List, Part III

I want this movie -- badly! Unfortunately, it hasn't been released yet, but if you consider yourself and kind of conservative thinker, This is the Trailer you NEED to see: HILLARY, The Movie.

~~JD~~

Another Reason I Miss Chicago Sometimes . . .

From Today's Chicago Tribune, with video, too!

Reading, Writing, Recruiting?
Debate Rages as Nity's Newest Facility is Dedicated

By Stephanie Banchero and Carlos Sadovi | Tribune staff reporters -- October 15, 2007

Chicago Public Schools, which already has the largest junior military reserve program in the nation, on Monday will commission the country's first public high school run by the U.S. Marines, much to the chagrin of activists who have fought to keep the armed services out of city schools.

The dedication of the Marine Military Academy on the Near West Side comes a few days after Chicago officials announced plans to open an Air Force academy high school in 2009. If that happens, Chicago will become the only public school district in the nation to have academies dedicated to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

District officials say the military-themed schools give students more choices and provide an opportunity to enroll in schools that provide structure, discipline and a focus on leadership. They say the schools emphasize academics, not recruitment. "We have to think outside the box, and what existed before simply did not work for far too many students," said Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan. "These schools are popular and have waiting lists, so that tells me parents want more of them."

But critics argue the military academies and other district Junior ROTC programs unfairly target poor and minority teenagers for military service. "We're already the most militarized school system in the nation, and the [district] officials just keep opening more programs, as if they have no problem being a recruitment tool for the military," said Brian Roa, a member of the National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth and a science teacher at Senn High School on the North Side. Senn shares a building with Rickover Naval Academy. "Chicago Public Schools should be in the business of educating children, not finding ways to indoctrinate them into the military."

The Chicago Public Schools Website lists 34 Army JROTC programs, 4 navy JROTC programs, 2 Marine, and 1 Air Force JROTC programs -- plus the three (as of today) Military academies. As of next year, there will be military academy public schools for each branch of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines) in the Chicago Public School. The video notes that the Rickover Naval Academy was ranked #5 in the city in Parent Satisfaction; and that includes the Charter Schools and Advanced Prep Schools.

Good for them. Mayor Daley may get a wild hare up his butt ever now and then (like his support for suing gun shop owners), but the man genuinely cares about his city, and thinks outside the box.

~~JD~~

Jeff Ake Still Missing in Iraq

Full Disclosure Notice: The Laporte Missionary Bible Church is a church plant of the Liberty Bible church, where we used to worship in Northwest Indiana. I used to worship the next pew over from the Ake family for all I know. After the invasion of Iraq I applied to work as a civilian contractor in Iraq, just like Jeff -- which is when I found out I was diabetic. "There but for the grace of God, go I."

Today (Sunday, September 23rd) is Day 895 of Jeff Ake's captivity.

From the Northwest Indiana Times today:

Jeff Ake Still Missing in Iraq

Sunday, September 23, 2007 12:15 AM CDT -- BY KRYSTIN E. KASAK

LaPORTE | Two and a half years ago, the town of LaPorte decorated every tree it could find with red, white and blue ribbon. The small community rallied to support the family of a local businessman who was abducted in Iraq. Businesses posted signs that read, "Pray for Jeff Ake," and "Come Home Safe, Jeff."

Today, few remnants have survived to remind people of what happened -- of what is still happening.

LaPorte resident Jeffrey Ake was seized from a water treatment plant outside of Baghdad on April 11, 2005. The father of four hasn't been seen since he was shown being held at gunpoint on a video two days after his disappearance. No new information has been discovered since shortly after his kidnapping. "We just don't have any new information on the case," said FBI Special Agent Wendy Osborne of the bureau's Indianapolis office.

One of the few reminders in town come from LaPorte Mayor Leigh Morris. Morris still begins each meeting of the City Council and the Board of Public Works with a prayer for Ake. His office also includes cards that keep track of how many days Ake has been held captive in Iraq. "I just don't want the community to forget Jeff," Morris said.

Despite putting their house up for sale a few weeks after her husband's disappearance, Liliana Ake is still living in LaPorte. Morris, a friend of the Ake family, said he sees Liliana Ake regularly at Rotary Club meetings and throughout the town. In addition to the emotional hardships Liliana Ake has faced, however, the family has also gone through troubling times financially. The formerly successful family business her husband started went bankrupt last year. Liliana has also not been able to tap into her husband's benefits since no one knows what happened to him.

In January of this year, the Ake family church, LaPorte Missionary, set up a fund to help Liliana and her children stay in the family's ranch-style brick home off Pine Lake. Like many other residents in LaPorte, LaPorte Missionary Pastor Carl Galloway declined to comment about the situation. "Unless Lily wants to talk to you, I can't," Galloway said.

Earlier this year, Liliana Ake got her Realtor's license and went to work with a local firm. Her attorney, Mark Phillips, said her situation hasn't changed much over the two years. "Every day is still a struggle," Phillips said. "Her circumstances are still the same -- she wakes up wondering, 'Will there be news today?' 'Will it be good news? Will it be bad news?' She continues to pray with her children and her mother whom she is caring for."

Phillips also said that Liliana is very thankful for the help her family has received -- from both the community and Jeff's family."I still have hope that he is alive," Morris said. "Probably the most recent encouragement was when the Christian Science Monitor writer was released [from being held hostage in Iraq] last year. Her father spoke about others who needed to be released from captivity and he included Jeff Ake. Absent of any other information, I took that to be a positive indicator of the situation and will continue to hope for more."

Happy Memorial Day

Two Videos which are really resonating around my brain at the moment:





This first one in particular resonates because my 12-greats grandfather, Christopher Long, was General Washington's color-bearer throughout the Revolutionary War (i.e., he carried the American Flag for Washington's troops.) With Faith Hill singing the Star Spangled Banner behind it, you can't go wrong.




This second one is an interview with Robert Mitchum in 1966 about the Vietnam War. Hear the words of a man who lived through the last war we won -- we haven't "won" a war since his generation fought World War II.

And If I need to apologize for the cigarette smoke or the frank brutal reality of the quotes, then you really need to focus a bit more.

~~JD~~

Happy John Wayne's Birthday

From WIKIPEDIA:

"Born Marion Robert Morrison and later changed to Marion Michael Morrison in Winterset, Iowa on May 26th 1907, popularly known as the 'The Duke,' he was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. He epitomized rugged individualistic masculinity, and has become an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive voice, walk and height.

In 1999, the American Film Institute named Wayne thirteenth among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time. A Harris Poll released in 2007 placed Wayne third among America's favorite film stars, the only deceased star on the list and the only one who has appeared on the poll every year."

And almost every single one of his films are set in South Texas -- with the one notable exception of The Quiet Man, which is set in the one locale with more ornery fighters than south Texas -- Ireland.

Happy Birthday, Duke. God Bless John Wayne.

~~JD~~

Saturday Night; 3.1 Miles

Did our northerly route tonight to Walgreen's and back and even managed to drag Julian along, who took the nifty photo of me and my dog.

We had a fun philosophical discussion along the way. I set Julian up by offering that I thought the schools could make kids a lot healthier by banning sugar-sweetened soft drink machines and only allowing diet sodas or fruit juices and bottled water -- the rationalization being that by eliminating harmful eating habits and empty (non-nutritious) calories, the kids would be "exposed to healthy alternatives." Julian's counter-argument was that this was "forcing" the kids to accept something they didn't want, and that they shouldn't have to experience something they weren't used to.

My counter argument was that by "exposing" the kids this way, they would be able to make informed decisions for themselves later. Julian's response was that nobody should be "forced" to experience anything they didn't want to.

My response was, what about teaching people not to be intolerant of different lifestyles? Like teaching southern people not to be evil towards black people? Like teaching Iraqis not to hate each other, and to live in a democracy?

He had to think about that one for a while.

He's on his way to Colorado this week with the Orchestra to play some concerts for Middle schools there. We had to buy him some ski equipment (of all the things to shop for in South Texas!) He hasn't had a real winter coat in five years since he outgrew his last one; and it never gets cold enough here to buy another, really.

Tomorrow it'll be a variation of the Walgreen's route again, but with a 1.4 mile extension. My feet hurt bad enough right now that this seems impossible; but that's the fun of it, isn't it?

~~JD~~

Writing Experiment, Day Two -- or, My own little personal Advent Calendar of sorts.

That Elvis and his wacky Christmas cards just crack me up! What ARE those things under the tree? Dolls? Monkeys in snowsuits? What?

Went to church today at Oak Hills; they're going to be open for business on Christmas Day with their regular hours and services for a Sunday. Max pointed out during the announcements that the San Antonio Express-News got the times wrong in their article about "Mega-churches" closing on Christmas, and corrected them. This kind of makes me wonder if the thing is something of a tempest in a teapot. It's no secret that newspapers and media organizations pick and run each others stories, and I can tell you from personal experience that they not only don't get their facts right sometimes -- they very frequently screw up the details and mangle the facts, espousing the first opinion they hear over what the truth of the matter may be.

So I wonder if this business of "Mega-churches" closing on Sunday Christmas has any truth to it at all. I saw in the Vidette-Times (and you can CLICK HERE to read that story as well) that Liberty Bible Church will be open for business on Christmas as well; only cancelling their 8:00am services to accomodate the choir members.

Seems reasonable, and probably not much of a story. Sounds a lot better if there's some silly-ass manufactured controversy to it, don't ya think?

This reminds me of a guy I knew who lived on my floor when I attented Indiana University. He was a journalism major, and I asked him why.

"Girls," he replied.

"Girls?," I asked?

"Yeah, man! The best babes are journalism majors -- and not a brain in the bunch."

"Let me get this straight," I asked. "You're going to the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism -- one of the best and most exclusive journalism schools in the country -- because the girls are beautiful and dumb?"

"And Easy -- journalism chicks will fall for just about any line, y'know."

I was thunderstruck. "You're kidding, right?"

"Naw, man!," he replied. "most people get into journalism because the pay's good, the chicks are easy, and it's not very hard to write stories all day."

I think of that guy a lot lately.

~~JD~~