Recently, I took a road trip from Florida to Indiana. Every time I travel along the Interstate in the United States, I think about President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Eisenhower "was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Army Convoy on the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America."1 As President, he "championed (the) formation"1 of the Interstate Highway System, commonly known as the Interstate. "As of 2006, the system has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km) 2, making it both the largest highway system in the world and the largest public works project in history.3
Throughout my life, my family and I have used the Interstate for business and pleasure and I always marvel at the system’s efficiency and ease of use. Even those who are directionally challenged should find the system easy to use. Even numbered highways run east and west while odd numbered highways run north and south. All of the main highways use two digit numbers. Three digit numbers indicate highways that are supplemental to one of the main highways. I-465, which circles the city of Indianapolis, is a good example of this. I taught my grandson Josh about the Interstate system while we were on a trip when he was a young boy.
I love to travel by car and the Interstate Highway System makes it so much easier and enjoyable. Not only is the system so easy to use, Motels, restaurants, and shopping plazas follow the Interstates making traveling more convenient and relaxing.
1 Wikiepdia-The Free Encyclopdia, the "Interstate Highway System".
2 Interstate FAQ (Question #3)". Federal Highway Administration. 2006. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/faq.htm#question3. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
3 Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. "The Year of the Interstate". Federal Highway Administration. http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/06jan/01.htm. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Building a Mosque near New York's ground Zero
I just can't believe all of the controversy about building a Mosque near ground zero in New York City. Some people have said that it is okay because it is a few blocks away and that you can't see it from the ground zero site. I don't think that it should matter! I think that some people are letting their emotions cloud their judgement. Maybe we have become accustomed to having the Bill Of Rights being ignored during George W. Bush's time in the White House. The group has the right to put a Mosque there or anywhere they want. This is AMERICA! Some may not like it, but as Americans, we should be celebrating about this! These are the basic fundamentals that America was founded upon! The Bill Of Rights is a part of who we are as a country. Not only that, just image how crazy it would drive those Muslim Extremists if we showed our pride in the Mosque. Something like this could only happen here, in the good ole U.S.A.
Forget, blowhard commentators like Bill O'Reilly. They will do and say anything to get publicity. They just want more attention and ratings to sell books to line their own pockets. Any sensible person realizes that you can't blame all of the Moslim people for what the Moslim Extremists do. You can't blame any race for the stupidity of a few people who are in that race. Every race, or group for that matter, has it's good people and it's bad people.
Forget, blowhard commentators like Bill O'Reilly. They will do and say anything to get publicity. They just want more attention and ratings to sell books to line their own pockets. Any sensible person realizes that you can't blame all of the Moslim people for what the Moslim Extremists do. You can't blame any race for the stupidity of a few people who are in that race. Every race, or group for that matter, has it's good people and it's bad people.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Let's get started...let me introduce myself.
Within the past couple of years, I have discovered another aspect of my creative side. I have always loved photography and writing, but I have found my creativity has grown to include Interior Design and furniture design and building. HGTV (Home & Garden Television) has been one of my favorite networks on TV and has inspired this evolving part of my creative identity. Now, I am constantly thinking of new projects around the house. I am an avid collector of what I like to call Americana, things that are reminiscent of this great country of ours. Some of the items in my collection include items that bring back fond memories from my childhood and items of historical significance. I had to design and build the shelving unit to fit in with my current furniture in my den to hold some of my smaller pieces so that I can enjoy them everyday. What is the fun of having collectibles and not being able to enjoy them if they are stuffed away in boxes?
There are times when my mind is constantly spinning. I would like to give some of the credit for this to my Manic side of my Bi-Polar Disorder. The good Lord knows that I do love my Manic moments. This is when I am usually developing and tweaking ideas for my projects and for things that can make living easier and more enjoyable.
I have moments when I am very passionate about the world around me and I want to share my views and ideas with the world. I guess you could say that I have "gotten on my soapbox" more than a few times. It is not hard to see that the world and economy is in a sad state right now. However, without everyone getting involved and speaking up, nothing will ever change. It is not only the right, but also the responsibility of every person to get involved and try to help change things for the better. In the USA, we have a website called "Congress.org" that helps the citizens of this country keep track of and get in touch with our representatives in all branches and levels of the government. "I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.", Thomas Jefferson. President Jefferson also feared that Americans would become disassociated and uninvolved with their government, that he said, "If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions." Now is time for the citizens of the world to rise up and take a stand, to speak up for what is right. A disillusioned and compliant citizenry is more dangerous than any bomb or weapon that science could ever create. With that thought, I will say good night and that I hope that you will join me again in the near future.
There are times when my mind is constantly spinning. I would like to give some of the credit for this to my Manic side of my Bi-Polar Disorder. The good Lord knows that I do love my Manic moments. This is when I am usually developing and tweaking ideas for my projects and for things that can make living easier and more enjoyable.
I have moments when I am very passionate about the world around me and I want to share my views and ideas with the world. I guess you could say that I have "gotten on my soapbox" more than a few times. It is not hard to see that the world and economy is in a sad state right now. However, without everyone getting involved and speaking up, nothing will ever change. It is not only the right, but also the responsibility of every person to get involved and try to help change things for the better. In the USA, we have a website called "Congress.org" that helps the citizens of this country keep track of and get in touch with our representatives in all branches and levels of the government. "I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.", Thomas Jefferson. President Jefferson also feared that Americans would become disassociated and uninvolved with their government, that he said, "If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions." Now is time for the citizens of the world to rise up and take a stand, to speak up for what is right. A disillusioned and compliant citizenry is more dangerous than any bomb or weapon that science could ever create. With that thought, I will say good night and that I hope that you will join me again in the near future.
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