Reflections from our family holiday traveling...

1. First, I feel like I need to confess. I have been disloyal to what it means to be a man. Opportunity flashed before me and I did not seize the chance.
While traveling through the middle of Nevada, we came to a highway fork in the road. One of the choices was to continue on the highway we were on which would lead us to our destination. The other choice was to take what is known as the "Extraterrestrial Highway." Now, for those of you who have never been through the middle of Nevada, there isn't much to see. It is pretty desolate out there, making it an excellent choice for a top-secret government facility: Area 51. We all know the rumors surrounding Area 51 - most regarding Aliens and there "contact" with humans in America. In this desolate area, there is a rather tall mountain ridge that looks like it could hide something fairly large from the general public. I got the impression that Area 51 would be behind something like that... a few minutes later we drove by the fork in the highway (and a sign similar to this one) and I told my wife that we could just scrap our traveling and go camp near Area 51 and see if anything cool happens. Reasonable, right? Any man would love to go check around Area 51 and see just how interesting things are. Well, I lost that battle... so we continued on our trip.

2. I love road trips. I especially love driving long distances (by the way, the kids were great). Heres why: I learn about the topography of the region I am driving in just by observing it - and this fascinates me. I have heard about the Great Basin before... but it is different to drive through it. I had no idea how beautiful northeastern Oregon is... and for those of you who have never driven through southern Oregon and northern California are missing out. It is beautiful and stimulating. I know it is a pain to take a longer time to get somewhere vs. flying. But when you consider the amount it costs a family of 5 to fly, driving through America the Beautiful is not a bad alternative.

3. Watching my son put aside his fears (of his own accord) for the sake of having fun sledding down a snowy hill all by himself made me more proud than I ever thought it would.

4. At the Holiday Inn Express, they have a decent breakfast and a nice set-up to watch the news while eating. However, it's the news that was disappointing. CNN's morning news show was so boring that I ended up paying closer attention to the 2 old women sitting next to me talking about cheating on their taxes - "If they catch me, they catch me. Let them put me in jail like Martha Stewart."

My last observations come from the peculiar land known as California...

5. Is it just me, or is the responsibility of the state-to-state border checkpoint workers of the California Highway Patrol a ridiculous waste of money. Honestly, what does the job accomplish? Do they really catch anyone smuggling illegal fruits into the state? "Sorry, sir, but we do not want your state's pesticides mixing with our pesticides."
I honestly would be interested to know the objective of this responsibility of CHP and, if it's not too much to ask, the justification for the money spent. Are we paying workers to stand there and wave people through a structure that (by it's only obvious function) serves to slow down travelers?

6. Lastly, does anyone else find it ironic that while driving along the California highways, you will see signs that read: "Report Drunk Drivers - Call 911". Isn't it illegal to talk on the phone while driving in California? So, is the state asking Californians to break their own law? If so, does it give the caller a free pass if they get pulled over?
"I pulled you over because you were talking on your cell phone while driving."
"Yeah, I was. But I was (looking away from the dark road to dial 911 and) reporting a drunk driver."
"Oh, in that case, please proceed on your way."

Total stats...
52 hours in the car -- 3339 miles

The latest

"Toughest Sheriff in America," Joe Arpaio is being investigated for abusing his powers as a sheriff in his efforts to curb repetitive criminal behavior and illegal immigration in Arizona. He has gained attention - and a certain degree of notoriety - for his tough jail policies and for advocating and enforcing strict immigration policies.

The Associated Press, in their journalistic glory, has reported that Arpaio and his deputies racially profile people while performing immigration sweeps (yeah, try and figure out how they came to that conclusion). In addition, they allege (though I am pretty sure he is guilty of this) that Arpaio has targeted areas with a heavy Latino population during some of his sweeps. Mind you, Arizona is a border state with Mexico to the south.

So, should he evenly space out all his sweeps throughout his entire county, in despite of demographics? Look people, if I am looking for apples, I am going to go to the apple orchard.

Now, I am not trying to argue for or against any of Arpaio's policies/actions. It just cracks me up when we read a report "alleging" that someone is acting inappropriately when clearly he is just acting efficiently and therefore - perhaps more importantly - financially sound.

In other news... New Jersey's Senate recently voted against the legalization of gay marraige in The Garden State. That makes the country-wide count 5 states in favor, 30 against -- unless you want to count California twice.

Journalism Overlook of the Week

I read in the news that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is enhancing their security screening procedures from countries labeled as "state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest" - or... Muslim nations.

The first thing I thought when I saw this headline is that the Muslim community must be pretty ticked off at this bit of profiling (there really is no other word for it - "if you come from this country, get in that line over there; if you come from that country, get in this line right here").

HOWEVER, in reading CNN's coverage of this story, you will not read a single word about profiling. In fact, there is no mention of how anyone (you know, the global community, international relations, all that) feels on the matter, just that it is what the TSA deemed to be appropriate measures. So, maybe the Muslim community is not that upset. Maybe all the work President Obama has put in to patch up American/Muslim relatinoships has resulted in the Arab world looking the other way in this situation.

Then again, maybe this is just plain ol' biased reporting in attempting to control what aspects of this situation are read about and discussed.

For, although you won't see this on Obama's advocacy network of news sources, the Muslim world is NOT happy about this. As Alejandro Beutel, Government Liaison, Muslim Public Affairs Council says:

"[This new worldwide security measure is] an unethical, ineffective and counterproductive means of counter terrorism. This undermines our stated commitment to Democratic values and Civil Liberties."
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yvonne-r-davis/a-win-for-the-terrorists_b_410134.html)

Hmm, I wonder what would have happened in the media if President Bush implemented such a policy. Ironically, I wouldn't be surprised if the ONLY thing that kept Bush from implementing a similar policy was the concern over the public outcry that surely would have occured.

I know this post is a little weak in that calling out CNN's poor, biased, and shoddy reporting is a little like stealing candy from a baby - so I'll come with a little more substance soon as I write about my thoughts while on our 52-hour drive throughout the Western States this Holiday Season.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE