Love of the automobile seems to be the province of old guys, writes Steve Robinson, as expenses, carbon footprints and other means of staying in touch have made an anachronism of getting behind the wheel of a car simply to feel the wind in one’s hair.
Americana
Say Farewell to “Antiquated” Highway Call Boxes: Cell-Flush Florida Junks Them
The state Department of Transportation is removing all but a few of the 2,752 push button call boxes from along its highways as personal cell phones have reduced the need for the roadside phones. The removal, estimated to cost around $200,000, has already started.
The Trouble With American Exceptionalism
Do we have moral authority as a nation, asks Cary McMullen. Do we have the humility Obama spoke of, namely that we are acting not in self-interest but in the interest of justice? Are we exceptional not just in our history but in our standing among nations as an exemplar of righteous ideals?
At Yellowstone, a Cathedral of Peace Glories to the Very Best of America
At Yellowstone National Park, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with children of immigrants from many lands, and alongside those whose greatest hope is to become a U.S. citizen and claim ownership of a small piece of this wondrous landscape, it is impossible to fathom anyone declaring “Take Back America.”
In the Trenches: Anger and Questions From Doctors Who Treat Gunshot Victims
In Colorado, where more people die from gunshots than car crashes, the victims have a profound effect on the physicians who treat them. For some of the doctors on the front lines, the experiences lead to a strong opposition to guns, questions about gun laws and even activism.
One Nation, Without a Clue
If our generations had been around in the 1930s, we’d still be in the Great Depression with prominent lawmakers telling each other we need a smaller government, argues Donald Kaul.
Sarah Palin in Lakeland: Locking and Loading Assault Weapons With Jesus
Sarah Palin urged her faithfuls to “cling to your god, your guns, your Constitution,” a seamless ideology that would have Jesus waving the American flag with one hand and clicking off the safety of his assault rifle with the other, writes Cary McMullen.
Missing Memorials to Two Lost Wars
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war, but as Iraq and Afghanistan have been lost, the focus of memorials has shifted from wars to the cult of the soldiers, while victims of war are as always passed over in silence.
What Researchers Learned About Gun Violence Before Congress Killed Funding
President Obama has directed the Centers for Disease Control to research gun violence as part of his legislative package on gun control. The CDC hasn’t pursued this kind of research since 1996 when the National Rifle Association lobbied Congress to cut funding for it.
School Security’s Buy-A-Cop Delusions
The Flagler County School board this week will debate adoption of a new security plan that includes adding armed cops in elementary schools. The approach would be costly, ineffective, and more emotional than intelligent. Smarter approaches–and far greater priorities–abound.