Saturday, May 22, 2010

Saturday morning roundup

I hope the utter inanity of Rand Paul's latest gem sparks a national conversation about labeling opposing views as "un-American." And about letting accidents happen through lack of regulation. Oh, here we go: the Times editorial page takes on the latter issue.

Generic condoms aren't sturdy enough for DC youth.

A number of interesting discussions in "On Faith.

I love a good deal as much as anyone, but are we really what we buy, and do we need to broadcast it?

My response to this article about finally getting a car is very conflicted: on one hand, I think, "I'm glad I live in a place where I don't need a car;" on the other, I realize, "even in this place where I don't really need a car, it's good to have a car." I mean, there's ZipCar, I suppose, but it is, nonetheless, good to have a car.

On a related note, I now also have a GPS system--a birthday gift from my parents. (Ernessa, I'm Team Garmin as well, although the TomToms were significantly less expensive and give you the option of downloading Snoop Dogg for the voice, although I don't have the proper UBS cable, and I can't find the Bluetooth, to register the system, much less download voices). But I digress. I've been driving more often than normal over the last couple of weeks, and the system has been useful. I found myself getting somewhat defensive last week when a passenger was finding it annoying--but not out of blind devotion to the GPS; more out of a 'you people who don't drive don't get it. It's stressful to drive around in circles, which I've done quite a bit. All you have to do is show up--and it's fine--I'm more than happy to help other people, especially my friends, make do without their own cars. Not this person, but a friend of a friend that I was dropping off after a party was going on about how she's never had to have a car. Good for her, but that's because other people have been driving her @$$ around.

1 comment:

Ernessa T. Carter said...

Yeah, I have had a few people actually get upset with me, b/c I am a complete devotee to my Garmin to the point where I won't even let people tell me how to get to their house to drop them off, b/c I like the way the Garmin gives directions. Plus, I hate when my passenger and I can't have a decent conversation b/c s/he has to keep on stopping to tell me to "turn at the next light."

I'm not quite sure why so many otherwise polite people don't realize that it's impolite to criticize someone for using a Garmin. a) if you have no sense of orientation (like me) it is a lifesaver. b) you are the passenger, stfu. This is why I rarely drive with passengers other than my MIL or baby. I can't bear getting directed when I'm driving.