Next Thursday (9/24), I’ll be riding shotgun on a trip from South Florida to Alexandria, VA in a ’94 Jeep Wrangler. The last two attempts had to be aborted when the vehicle balked at the exercise. My son, John, will occupy the driver’s seat. This is the first road trip we have undertaken together in more than twenty years. We will fly back from the DC area on Sunday.
My son, Morgan, bought the Jeep during his last visit over Labor Day weekend and had to return home sans vehicle when the voltage regulator failed. Lacking that control, the alternator delivered an excessive charge to the electrical system, which caused a fuse failure. Absent a complete charging circuit, the battery was slowly drained. That caused the engine to fail.
Our arrival in Alexandria will signal the beginning of a long weekend that will be limited to a father and his two sons, a once in a lifetime experience. Morgan left South Florida nearly 10 years ago when he went off to college in Orlando. After graduation, he made several moves as he went from St. Petersburg to Tallahassee and ultimately to Alexandria, where he has lived and worked for the past year.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
What a day!
This trip took us to Northern Illinois, not far from the Wisconsin border. The 1962 Chris-Craft Holiday we were chasing turned out to be in worse condition than expected. A complete trailer overhaul was necessary preparation for the high-speed 1,400 mile return to South Florida. That meant an extra day added to the journey, which Lee and I could ill afford. Just the same, our safety and the safety of every car we passed was at stake.
Wednesday morning broke cool and clear. The breeze was brisk as we hopped into the big Ford dually and headed for the trailer shop. Running on precious little sleep and our minds filled with “what ifs,” there was no idle chatter as we made our way through the little village.
The shop owner understood the importance of a first rate job. He definitely didn’t want an afternoon distress call from Mid-Kentucky. They were finishing up as we arrived. Bearings were repacked. Wiring was replaced. Assorted and sundry connectors were tested, repaired, or replaced. We were ready to go. If there was any question about the extent of his effort, the invoice put it to rest. Everything was precisely recorded along with the time it took to install. Time would confirm without a doubt that the money was well spent.
We rode the wave of rush hour traffic that was making its way into Chicago but broke away just before the city limits as we turned south toward Indianapolis. I-65 traces a nearly straight path through fields of grain. The wide-open expanses are broken only by the occasional overpass.
Overpasses. Dozens of them. We see them all the time, but these were different. They were crowded with people, people who were jumping up and down and waving to the motorists speeding by below. They had flags. American Flags. They were waving American Flags, waving, and cheering. They were cheering, and we could hear them. The first thought we had was a question. What made this Wednesday so special for so many people?
When we turned on the radio, the stations were playing patriotic music: Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith, Neil Diamond, and the list went on. When the reality finally sunk in, Lee and I were both deeply humbled. It wasn’t the day of the week. It was the day of the month. The American heartland had risen on September 11, 2002, with only one thought: to vigorously profess its love for our country. That was the only way to honor the memory of those who had lost their lives one year earlier.
Throughout the countryside of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, we were greeted by equally moving expressions of patriotism. Our country shared a fervor that was beautiful to behold. May we never forget the terrible tragedy, but may we also remember the emotions that were stirred in our souls.
Wednesday morning broke cool and clear. The breeze was brisk as we hopped into the big Ford dually and headed for the trailer shop. Running on precious little sleep and our minds filled with “what ifs,” there was no idle chatter as we made our way through the little village.
The shop owner understood the importance of a first rate job. He definitely didn’t want an afternoon distress call from Mid-Kentucky. They were finishing up as we arrived. Bearings were repacked. Wiring was replaced. Assorted and sundry connectors were tested, repaired, or replaced. We were ready to go. If there was any question about the extent of his effort, the invoice put it to rest. Everything was precisely recorded along with the time it took to install. Time would confirm without a doubt that the money was well spent.
We rode the wave of rush hour traffic that was making its way into Chicago but broke away just before the city limits as we turned south toward Indianapolis. I-65 traces a nearly straight path through fields of grain. The wide-open expanses are broken only by the occasional overpass.
Overpasses. Dozens of them. We see them all the time, but these were different. They were crowded with people, people who were jumping up and down and waving to the motorists speeding by below. They had flags. American Flags. They were waving American Flags, waving, and cheering. They were cheering, and we could hear them. The first thought we had was a question. What made this Wednesday so special for so many people?
When we turned on the radio, the stations were playing patriotic music: Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith, Neil Diamond, and the list went on. When the reality finally sunk in, Lee and I were both deeply humbled. It wasn’t the day of the week. It was the day of the month. The American heartland had risen on September 11, 2002, with only one thought: to vigorously profess its love for our country. That was the only way to honor the memory of those who had lost their lives one year earlier.
Throughout the countryside of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, we were greeted by equally moving expressions of patriotism. Our country shared a fervor that was beautiful to behold. May we never forget the terrible tragedy, but may we also remember the emotions that were stirred in our souls.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
What Price, Fame?
An evening walk down King Street toward the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA, with my wife and son was abruptly interrupted by flashing red lights, police vehicles suddenly blocking off traffic, and armed/uniformed officers who prevented pedestrians from proceeding. A somewhat somber silence fell over the crowd of now stationary people as curiosity fought fear for mental prominence.
When enormous battleship gray SUV's urgently rolled from nowhere into the middle of King Street, and football player sized/demeanored men in dark suits began scurrying about, the answers to myriad questions began to formulate in our clouded, confused minds. Someone of great prominence was about to be whisked away in a flurry of unfamiliar motion.
A restaurant door and a door on the largest of the SUV's opened simultaneously just a few feet apart. Preceeded by the largest of the football players, a tall and slender woman conservatively dressed with hair pulled back appeared to be belched from the restaurant only to be swallowed up once again by the sinister SUV. Instantly, four vehicles jumped to life and drove off impetuously leaving multiple suited football players behind to shake hands with the armed/uniformed officers, patting them on the back and expressing appreciation for their support.
The entire event had drawn to a speedy close in the time it took for the image of Mrs. President Obama to register in our brains. Just as the crowd had frozen in place, it now thawed and flowed smoothly in a hundred different directions once again. All that remained were more questions: Why was she eating alone? How did she come to choose that particular restaurant? What did she eat? Did she wave? Didn't she wave? Was her hair really pulled back? How often does she eat out alone? Those questions will remain unanswered.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Where's the value?
For $132,900, I can buy a 29 foot ’07 Wellcraft with Twin 250 Outboards. A couple of thousand more will pay for a 2002 Luhrs 32 with a 330 hp Cummins and 340 gallon fuel tank. Then, I have to think about dockage, maintenance, and operating expenses, etc.
On the other hand, for the same price as the Wellcraft, I can buy an essentially new (04-09 Annual – Prop Time: “0”) Piper Lance II, with a range of 650 nautical miles. Picture and description
Can the plane actually be more practical? Since I know the owner, I know the plane is in excellent condition. Capable of cruising at 175 knots, I can make it to Key West in a little over an hour. Nassau would be an hour and 15 minutes. Jacksonville the same.
Hmmmm…
On the other hand, for the same price as the Wellcraft, I can buy an essentially new (04-09 Annual – Prop Time: “0”) Piper Lance II, with a range of 650 nautical miles. Picture and description
Can the plane actually be more practical? Since I know the owner, I know the plane is in excellent condition. Capable of cruising at 175 knots, I can make it to Key West in a little over an hour. Nassau would be an hour and 15 minutes. Jacksonville the same.
Hmmmm…
Monday, July 20, 2009
Three Reasons Why A National Health Plan Is Doomed
What would an acceptable reduction in medical expense be? 10%? 15%? 50%? Would you be happy if your anesthesiologist reduced his bill from $2,200 to $2,000? What if the surgeon reduced his fee $122 to $1,098? Probably not. Now, if the hospital reduced their invoice $5,390, you would be ecstatic until you discovered that you still owed $48,589.
Clearly, any reduction in medical expenses would be appreciated, but a meaningful reduction for most people would have to approach 50%. Any reduction in medical expenses has to be accompanied by an equal reduction in income for the payee.
According to the US Department of Labor –Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported in May of 2008, 3,353,110 wage earners with 15 Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations job descriptions earned $288,721,888,800.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_nat.htm#b29-0000
Imagine asking the entire working population of New York City to accept a 50% salary reduction so that your medical expenses will be reduced. Imagine asking those same people to reelect you to office after you made that request of them! Our elected officials have one objective: They want to be reelected. Their chances of achieving that goal are significantly diminished each time one of the legislative acts they endorse fails. It is far more beneficial for them to criticize the efforts of the opposition versus proposing legislation that might not succeed.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Average Effective federal income tax rate in 2005 for healthcare practitioners was 14.1%, plus 6.0% for Social Insurance Taxes, 4.9% for Corporate Income Taxes and 0.5% for Excise Taxes, creating an overall effective tax rate of 25.5%.
Those 3.3 million healthcare workers paid $73.6 billion in federal taxes in 2008. Imagine asking the federal government to take a $36 billion cut in tax revenues!
Finally, much of the cost of medical expense has been directly attributed to the cost of medical malpractice and product liability insurance. Our litigious society provides an opportunity for those who are injured to receive compensation through a circuitous process that incurs enormous legal expense in addition to actual compensatory payments. Clearly, significant reductions in the cost of medical care cannot be accomplished without commensurate changes in the insurance industry and the legal profession.
Clearly, any reduction in medical expenses would be appreciated, but a meaningful reduction for most people would have to approach 50%. Any reduction in medical expenses has to be accompanied by an equal reduction in income for the payee.
According to the US Department of Labor –Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported in May of 2008, 3,353,110 wage earners with 15 Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations job descriptions earned $288,721,888,800.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_nat.htm#b29-0000
Imagine asking the entire working population of New York City to accept a 50% salary reduction so that your medical expenses will be reduced. Imagine asking those same people to reelect you to office after you made that request of them! Our elected officials have one objective: They want to be reelected. Their chances of achieving that goal are significantly diminished each time one of the legislative acts they endorse fails. It is far more beneficial for them to criticize the efforts of the opposition versus proposing legislation that might not succeed.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Average Effective federal income tax rate in 2005 for healthcare practitioners was 14.1%, plus 6.0% for Social Insurance Taxes, 4.9% for Corporate Income Taxes and 0.5% for Excise Taxes, creating an overall effective tax rate of 25.5%.
Those 3.3 million healthcare workers paid $73.6 billion in federal taxes in 2008. Imagine asking the federal government to take a $36 billion cut in tax revenues!
Finally, much of the cost of medical expense has been directly attributed to the cost of medical malpractice and product liability insurance. Our litigious society provides an opportunity for those who are injured to receive compensation through a circuitous process that incurs enormous legal expense in addition to actual compensatory payments. Clearly, significant reductions in the cost of medical care cannot be accomplished without commensurate changes in the insurance industry and the legal profession.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
An open letter to a Pontiac dealer...
The time has come to reach out to those around us who somehow make our lives more bearable. Our world poses challenges unheard of before. Every person we come in contact with is struggling with either a financial, health, interpersonal, or professional burden of some magnitude. We owe it to those who rise above it all and provide support to us. This is my start:
July 16, 2009
Mr. Carl E. Fischer
Carl’s Buick Pontiac GMC
2445 SE Federal Highway
Stuart, FL 34994
Re: A very singular occurrence
Mr. Fischer,
Nine. Nine Pontiacs have been part of my life over the past 60+ years, along with a number of Oldsmobiles (3), Chevrolets (2), Volvos (3), an Austin Healey 3000, and assorted Plymouths and Fords. One simply cannot own that many vehicles without logging a wealth of encounters with auto dealers on a variety of levels. Add to that several years spent selling and managing property & casualty insurance programs for auto dealers, and one could categorize me as an expert in auto dealer customer relations.
That knowledge and understanding has been thrown out the window. Whether you represent a “new breed” or a very “old breed” of auto dealer, my experience as a customer of Carl’s Buick Pontiac GMC over the past 1 ½ years can only be described as a very singular occurrence. Unlike any other auto dealer I have met, your entire team has shown me levels of professionalism, efficiency, empathy, and respect that were not anticipated.
There are now two places that I actually look forward to visiting: my barbershop and your automobile dealership. We all know that these are incredibly difficult times. Everyone is carrying personal and professional burdens that are immeasurable. Somehow, your staff has found a way to not only move above those challenges but to also assist me in achieving a similar result.
I would like to recognize Bob Lloyd today in particular. Bob’s integrity is an enormous value to your organization. I trust Bob with the care of my remaining two Pontiacs (an ‘06 Solstice and my G8 GXP). Actually, after shopping across the country for a GXP, my decision to buy from you was made on the basis of my anticipated experience with your Service Department and more specifically with Bob.
Mr. Fischer, the joy of auto ownership has been restored by the quality of the product and the support of your staff. It’s an awesome experience! I am deeply grateful.
Sincerely,
July 16, 2009
Mr. Carl E. Fischer
Carl’s Buick Pontiac GMC
2445 SE Federal Highway
Stuart, FL 34994
Re: A very singular occurrence
Mr. Fischer,
Nine. Nine Pontiacs have been part of my life over the past 60+ years, along with a number of Oldsmobiles (3), Chevrolets (2), Volvos (3), an Austin Healey 3000, and assorted Plymouths and Fords. One simply cannot own that many vehicles without logging a wealth of encounters with auto dealers on a variety of levels. Add to that several years spent selling and managing property & casualty insurance programs for auto dealers, and one could categorize me as an expert in auto dealer customer relations.
That knowledge and understanding has been thrown out the window. Whether you represent a “new breed” or a very “old breed” of auto dealer, my experience as a customer of Carl’s Buick Pontiac GMC over the past 1 ½ years can only be described as a very singular occurrence. Unlike any other auto dealer I have met, your entire team has shown me levels of professionalism, efficiency, empathy, and respect that were not anticipated.
There are now two places that I actually look forward to visiting: my barbershop and your automobile dealership. We all know that these are incredibly difficult times. Everyone is carrying personal and professional burdens that are immeasurable. Somehow, your staff has found a way to not only move above those challenges but to also assist me in achieving a similar result.
I would like to recognize Bob Lloyd today in particular. Bob’s integrity is an enormous value to your organization. I trust Bob with the care of my remaining two Pontiacs (an ‘06 Solstice and my G8 GXP). Actually, after shopping across the country for a GXP, my decision to buy from you was made on the basis of my anticipated experience with your Service Department and more specifically with Bob.
Mr. Fischer, the joy of auto ownership has been restored by the quality of the product and the support of your staff. It’s an awesome experience! I am deeply grateful.
Sincerely,
Monday, June 8, 2009
A Castle :: A Boat :: A Moat :: A Boat in The Moat
Did I mention A Dragon? It's all there. Where, did you say? Nowhere. Well, it seems like nowhere, and it takes forever to get there. You think this is a joke, right? Well, the joke's on you if you're a "Real Florida" buff and haven't visited Solomon's Castle in Ona. Ona, Florida. Well, it's not really in Ona. Ona is the name given to the nearest crossroad.
Solomon, Howard Solomon that is, tells a funny story about why he created a tin-clad castle and filled it with whimsical sculptures crafted from odds and ends he has collected over the past 30+ years. There is a delightful story behind each object he proudly presents during the course of a 45 minute tour. Many of the vignettes pass almost too quickly to catch as he moves from sculpture to montage, from concoction to contraption. By the time you are guided through the Boat in the Moat (restaurant) and into the gift shop by way of the Lily Light House, you realize that the real attraction is a warm, kind-hearted man with a vivid imagination, a self-deprecating style, and a vibrant sense of humor.
Everyone should have the opportunity to meet at least one Howard Solomon in their life. You will be energized by the experience.
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