Oxymoron: "Congressional Hearing"

I’ve just watched a portion of the Congressional hearing into the Toyota recall crisis...


It’s not riveting. In fact, it’s kind of comical to me. Congressmen with grave faces challenging the Toyota execs...Yes, Congressmen from Congress – that paragon of efficient problem solving. Oh, the irony!!

But, they are putting the screws to them. They even asked the $64 question: Do you intend to address these quality control issues in such a way as to restore the safety of Toyota drivers and be an example for other car manufacturers?

I tell you, I was waiting with bated breath for that answer!

What’s Mr. Toyoda going to say? “Uh, no...we’ve really made enough money already, big uncaring corporation that we are. We’ve always marketed our cars as reliable, quality vehicles and we and our employees have taken pride in making them. But what you’re asking us to do is too much work. We’ll just let the whole thing go down. Yes, probably fewer and fewer Toyota’s will be sold, and we’ll end up in bankruptcy. But, we know that when we get to that point, you will bail us out – so no worries. In the meantime, we’re going to try a new marketing campaign: TAKE YOUR CHANCES, DRIVE A TOYOTA! It should appeal to the Gen Y’ers with their love for risk.”

In my opinion, he could have said: “This is a stupid question because, obviously, we are doing that already! In the real world, unlike Congress, quality results are a pre-requisite to success. If we don’t build safe, quality cars, people don’t buy them. We don’t make money. We can’t employ people. We won’t have a business. Quality products, and corrections to any deficiencies that show up, keep us in business, so we have a vested interest in getting things right. We know that you have us here so you can look like you’re holding our feet to the fire and as a result, it will be perceived that is Congress who is making American drivers safer. Well, sirs, in that you are wrong. We are already at work to make drivers safer, and you are wasting our valuable time by requiring us to be here to answer stupid questions.”

Instead, Mr. Toyoda gave the politically correct answer, and the expected abject apologies and groveling. I know he couldn’t say the kind of things that I was thinking, but I’m still kind of disappointed. So many of these Congressional hearings are a farce. It is just an opportunity for Congress to look like they are in control of curing all American ills. Goodness! How would we have survived this recall crisis if they had not intervened???

Very well, thank you. And it would please me immensely if you, Congress, would recognize that looking like something is very different than BEING something. Stop with the laughable hearings that are just a stage for your ulterior motives, and start doing more for the American people by doing less!

How you know your pre-SuperBowl coverage has gone on too long...

You know your coverage has gone on too long when you hear your commentators say:

COMMENTATOR #1: {Paraphrased} "The Saints need to force the turnovers! Statistically, the teams that recover the turnovers win the most games."

COMMENTATOR #2: {Quote} "But will the Saints be able to do that today?"

COMMENTATOR #3: {Quote}"We don't know -- that's why they need to play the game..."

CUT TO COMMERCIAL

Yes, PLEASE, PLEASE! cut to a commercial!! It seems quite obvious that this may be only one of MANY, MANY reasons why they need to play the game... Another might be to see who wins...and what about the revenue from all those commercials? Somebody needs to play a game for there to be commercials, right?  And don't forget that lots of people bought tickets to see a game, so someone might as well play one...

At least we know it has been statistically proven that teams that do things right often win over those that make mistakes.

Maybe 5 1/2 hours is too long to talk about a football game that hasn't happened yet, ya think?

Perhaps I was a bit too harsh...

...in my review of Disney World.


Oh, cynical, hypocritical me, the one who likes to watch movies with HAPPY endings, railing against the artificiality of Disney World! (Blush!)


I have to agree that it is joy to watch wonder-filled innocents meet Cinderella and Mickey, and see their faces light up at the marvels of a fantasy world come to life.


And there's nothing wrong with having fun either -- hours and hours of just plain, laughing fun...


Okay -- I was too harsh...So I want you to know that while I have my reservations (not the hotel kind), I do not condemn the Magic Kingdom nor its aficionados.


Mr. Walt, and Mickey -- forgive me for diminishing  your contributions to the world.

Disney World...What can I say?

It’s quite the place. There are lots of cute things, interesting things, even some marvelous things there. When you go there you will be entertained, and you will have fun. But I can’t say I loved the place, or even liked it overly much. I really don’t need to go back there ever again – even if I have grandkids some day. Our money would be better spent to build the biggest sandbox of all time.



Most of what you do there is wait in line. If you don’t like waiting in long lines, don’t go to Disney World. Every wonder you want to see is preceded by a line of people snaking through maze-like walkways. You shuffle back and forth through cavernous buildings, side to side, front to back, side to side, around 3 corners, until you are somewhat disoriented about where you came from and where you are going. Finally you reach The Doors, where you are loaded onto some sort of carriage. You scream for 3 minutes, or laugh for 10, and then unload into a slightly shorter maze that ends in a gift shop where you can purchase a tee shirt that says, “I survived the FILL-IN-THE-BLANK”. After you’ve made your purchase, you head down the crowded thoroughfare to the next attraction and start the process all over again...Lather, rinse, repeat as they say. And to top it off, you have paid hundreds of dollars for this privilege.


Doesn’t this seem a little weird?


But there are people there by the thousands, the THOUSANDS! I can’t help but wonder that this shows us What Is Wrong With America...Thousands of citizens paying hundreds of dollars to wait in line, saying, “Entertain me! Thrill me!” We noticed that the lines were shortest at the attractions that tended to be more informative than thrilling so, of course, we frequented a number of these.(Hey! We’re Dutch! We don’t even like to spend more time than we need to...) Classed by many as “cheesy” and “outdated”, I found them to be more fun than getting my body jerked and thrown around. (They should have chiropractors in those gift shops at the end of the ride...now THERE’S a business idea!) And definitely more fun than getting the bejeebers scared out of me! Sorry, I have this disorder – apparently – that causes me to think that being scared is not a fun activity. Being comfortable is a fun activity. Acquiring knowledge, seeing new things, eating food, laughing are fun activities. Being scared or nauseated? NOT fun! What is it with you people???


But, I digress...


Has it come to this, America? Are we so bored with the privileges and conveniences we enjoy daily that we have to keep chasing after thrills? Are we so sated that we have to pursue artificial means to get them? I wonder how many people there had experienced the thrill of standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, or on the beaches of the wild Pacific, or pondered how the Space Shuttle works, or marveled at the plans and writings of the men who founded this country? I hope they’re not overlooking these kind of wonders and thinking they’ve reached the pinnacle of fun and beauty in the Artificial World of Disney. I hope they’re not teaching their kids that the kind of world we aspire to is Disney. Indeed, Walt Disney World is cute, clean, fun, inventive, clever, innovative, pleasing to the eye. But it’s not REAL. It may be the Sappiest Place on Earth, but it is not the Happiest Place on Earth.


In my opinion, it’s a fine place to go if you have nothing better to do. You’ll have fun while you’re there. You’ll see some things you haven’t seen before – though not much, considering our exposure through TV and the internet these days. Enjoy the bright colors, the music, the action – Just take the “dreams all come true” stuff with a grain of salt – and bring your credit card, ‘cause “dreams come true” don’t come cheap in Walt Disney World!

I want a gold star...

...for being a TSA Excellent Traveler!

There's just something about rules for me...If I know there are rules, I feel I MUST follow them to the letter. In my maturity, uh, let's make that in my JOURNEY TOWARD maturity, I have realized that some rules are dumb, and some are really just optional and can be adjusted to reality, or context, or whatever. But it's hard for me to do that...It makes me uncomfortable in a looking-over-my-shoulder, I'm-gonna-get-in-trouble sort of way.

But when there are rules that are not dumb and MUST  be followed...well -- I shine...and I WANT to shine.

This became clear to me once again as we went through the airport security line. Now, come on people, the line is usually long enough for you to read all the signs, and take all the actions necessary. I was ready, READY I tell you!(and everyone else should be too!) My shoes were off, my jacket was off -- both in the bin. My laptop was out; the bag separated in a bin...nothing in my pockets...And I slipped right through that portal into the great beyond of airline travel. I was a bit chagrined to look back and see that my dear hubby was being re-scanned as he forgot to take his cell phone out of his pocket, and then again, had to take off his belt.

As I gathered my things, I realized that it felt a little empty...I guess I really hoped to be appreciated, complimented on my consideration and efficiency. Wasn't there a sticker or SOMETHING? Why couldn't it be like school...The TSA guy says, "Now, everyone! Look at this lady here as an example of how to go through an airport security line. She had everything ready -- shoes, jacket off, items in bins, boarding pass ready...You should all try to be like her! Travelers like her make this process efficient and effective." He hands me a certificate for a free latte...and I beam, rewarded by my effort. Afterwards people come up and ask my how I did it...etc., etc...

But that didn't happen...or anything even close. I'm not saying that my efforts were unappreciated. In fact, I'm sure they were. But in a grown-up world, you're supposed to do things in order to enhance efficiency, or out of consideration for others -- not because you want to win a gold star.

And in that category, I think I get a "Needs Improvement"...As I said, in my JOURNEY TOWARD MATURITY...

People! It is NOT a new decade!!!!

I've talked about this before, on my other blog (leslieisverbose.blogspot.com) but had almost given up my campaign to get people to understand the Gregorian Calendar. Until today...Walter Williams started his guest-hosting of Rush Limbaugh's program by taking up the cause...Tomorrow is NOT the beginning of the decade...IT IS THE LAST YEAR OF THIS DECADE...Thank you, Mr. Williams!!! Finally, someone with authority to speak on the subject is backing me up!!!

I reiterate my previous explanation:

"Gregory’s calendar started with the Year One – not a zero year as we do with people, but Year One. In contrast, when a baby is born, we do not say he is One because he is in his first year. We say he is 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, etc. Then, AFTER he has completed his first year, we say he is One. He becomes ONE at the beginning of his SECOND year. Since the Gregorian calendar began with the Year One, it started as Year One in January. At the end of that first year, it became Year Two. It became Year Two at the BEGINNING of Year Two – not the end. Are you with me here, folks? Are you picking up what I’m putting down? What I am saying is that we are living the Year 2009, we have not completed it and started Year 2010, as is commonly thought."

Tomorrow we will begin the year 2010, and 365 days from today, we will be ending the first decade of the second millenium...

Until then, don't talk to me about the top stories or events of the decade, 'cause we don't know all of the stories of this decade yet...GOT IT???!!!

At least I'm not sensitive about this...

Christmas isn't what it used to be...

At the end of a good day of celebrating with my family, I’m pondering that Christmas isn’t the highlight of my year – like it used to be. Don’t get me wrong – today was a WONDERFUL day! We enjoyed the kids, the laughter, the gifts that were thoughtful in generous and joking ways. Last night we had The Turkey Dinner. My parents came to share it, and we laughed and joked as we rode through town looking for crazily lighted houses. Before this week, the shopping and the decorating, the music programs, even the baking heightened the anticipation...Fun in itself to prepare for these few days of celebration.


But tonight, I’m thinking that it’s not the big event it once was – and feeling the usual post-Christmas letdown...Wondering if there was more I should do to build to a greater climax for the Christmas celebration. In the midst of my pondering comes the realization that I’m looking forward to my regular life tomorrow...Puttering around the house, picking up the happy messes of paper and boxes, and used dishes – evidence of fun already had, then walking the dog in the chilly air, sipping coffee while I contemplate what chores I will attempt...I like the everydays too.

In fact, I think I’ve come to the place where Christmas is not THE highlight of the year because I’ve become so much more content with my life...so much quicker to appreciate the good along the way: the peaceful everydays, the intermittent family gatherings anytime they come, the time to invest in friendships throughout the year...It’s really not that Christmas has diminished...It’s more that the moments as they happen have become more appreciated, more enjoyed, more precious...

I will still always love the glitz and fun of Christmas. It’s a special time where the whole world smiles together, and expresses their goodwill. But it’s not the only time, the only day...I’m glad to be in a place in my life where I am content with the CONtent of my relationships, my occupations, my blessings – and do much better at appreciating them any day.