where are the lights?

Quick quiz time: Where is the switch in your car that turns on your lights?
Come on, you know the answer to this one.
It’s not a tough question; it shouldn’t be a stumper.
What, still no answer? You have no idea what I’m talking about?
Oh, that explains it. You’re the people that I see so often driving in the fog, the rain, the dusk, the dark — you get the idea — sans lights.
Apparently you never went over your car’s manual and figured out where the light switch is. That can be the only explanation as to why anyone would thumb their noses at the law and cast safety to the wind, right?
Hmm, I think that may be a bit generous.
I tend to think these people are simply arrogant, obnoxious, self-centered louts who do whatever they want, drive however they choose and don’t care a fig for the rest of us.
That opinion was cemented a bit firmer in my mind on a recent morning when I was driving into work, around 6:30 a.m., and the fog was as thick as the proverbial pea soup.
It was light out, but that doesn’t help when your sight line is diminished to a few feet, at best.
And there they were, the usual airheads motoring down the back roads and main highways without their lights on.
Per usual, many of these nuts were driving silver or white vehicles, which only helped them to disappear into the fog even more.
It didn’t matter how often I or other people flicked our headlights at them, they continued to drive without a care for how invisible they were to others.
I suppose their theory is, “Hey, I can see where I’m going, so I don’t need my lights on.”
Yes, you obnoxious boor, but we can’t see you. Why don’t you get this? Why is this concept so difficult for you to grasp?
Trust us, we don’t want to hit you, because you’re also the kind of person who would cause the crash, walk away without a scratch after the other person is killed or maimed, and then have the audacity to sue.
On the morning in question, I counted at least — and I know this is on the low side — 25 motorists who were driving without benefit of headlights.
It’s interesting to note that many of them also were chatting away on their cell phones.
And then there was the real winner who came flying out of a side road in Franconia Township until Route 113, never even slowing down at the stop sign.
Death wish, perhaps?
These idiots refuse to recognize that it’s the law that you must have your headlights on when you have your windshield wipers on — in other words, when it’s raining, snowing, sleeting or otherwise creating enough precipitation that you must clear your window.
And even if dense fog somehow doesn’t fall within that definition, it does qualify under the “common sense and safety” category.
I’m sure these crazies are the same people who refuse to stop at red lights and stop signs; who refuse to yield; who have no idea what a turn signal is; who never observe the speed limit.
It’s past time that we have cars in which the lights automatically come on when you start the engine. Obviously that’s the only way we can begin to make our roadways a bit safer.

why drive to philly?

With gasoline prices the way they are, we all should be looking to shop locally and patronize as many small businesses as we can.
I've been going to the Montgomery Theater in Souderton for quite a few years now, and I just got home from another great show,
"Ten Percent of Molly Snyder."
If you've ever had a problem with the DMV or other piece of bureaucracy, you have to see this show.
This theater really offers some great productions, and this is no exception.
And it's right in Souderton!
We have so many community theaters around here that we should be supporting.
Hope to see you at an upcoming show!

A doughnut? No thanks

What is wrong with this country?
I’m not talking about the major concerns, such as a goofus president;
the war in Iraq; our soldiers being maimed and killed; an economy in
which you can’t afford to drive a car, heat your home, buy food or
take even a mini vacation; a nonexistent job market; global warming; or
legitimate fears of terrorism.
No, I’m referring to people who are so horrified about extremists in
other countries that they have become extremists themselves.
They can sniff out a dangerous conspiracy in any place imaginable.
They know when secret messages are being sent that will destroy our
country.
In other words, they protest and threaten boycotts against companies
like Dunkin’ Donuts because Rachael Ray is wearing a scarf in an ad.
But it’s not just any scarf, you see.
It’s a scarf that most definitely is broadcasting symbolic support
for Muslim extremism and terrorism.
Honest. These people wouldn’t just dream this up, would they?
Well, not without the help of the likes of conservative commentator
Michelle Malkin.
Yes, she has the inside track. She is absolutely sure that the scarf
is a ringer for the black-and-white checkered kaffiyeh, the traditional
Palestinian scarf.
And those who took her side began criticizing Dunkin’ Donuts,
demanding the ad’s removal and threatening to bypass the doughnut shop
because, they say, the scarves symbolize Muslim extremism and terrorism.
Why do they think this? Because you have to believe everything Malkin
says, right?
The kaffiyeh, Malkin wrote in an online column, “has come to
symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a
regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and
hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant (and
not-so-ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities and left-wing icons.”
Yes, apparently Dunkin’ Donuts and Rachael Ray were intent on sending
this message of support. Wow, you never know what this chef will cook
up, do you?
In actuality, the scarf has a paisley design and was simply chosen by a
fashion stylist for the photo.
That’s it. No deep subliminal message; no nefarious nod to terrorism.
But some people just can’t be convinced.
So, believe it or not, Dunkin’ Donuts caved and stopped running the
online advertisement for iced coffee.
That, of course, was quite the ego boost for Malkin, who then wrote in
a follow-up column:
“It’s refreshing to see an American company show sensitivity to the
concerns of Americans opposed to Islamic jihad and its apologists.”
Refreshing? Not quite the word I would use.
Mind-boggling? Wait, I guess that’s two words, even though it’s
hyphenated.
Stupid? Frightening? Ridiculous? Unnecessary?
Take your pick. Any of them could also describe this whole tempest in a
teapot.
But I suppose economics won out for the company, which didn’t want to
risk losing what it must see as a major portion of its customers.
I find that hard to believe, but I also find it hard to believe that
someone would ever have looked at that ad and found symbolic support of
terrorism.
How about looking at some of the true issues of the day — of the
photos of our soldiers, of the hungry people in this country, of the
unemployed, of our environmental woes, of our veterans who are forgotten
after they’ve sacrificed so much for this country?
But to fixate on a scarf in an iced-coffee ad?
And then for Dunkin’ Donuts to dignify the accusations with any kind
of response, much less give in to this insanity — well, my true
response is not one to print in a family newspaper.
Let’s just say I won’t be buying any doughnuts anytime soon.