such small hands

Income Tax: Carrot and Stick

A recent conversation about a post over at The Gutless Pacifist, and the fact that I completed our family’s income tax returns this weekend have been turning my thoughts to how the government uses the tax code to encourage spending behaviors that promote the stability and well-being of society.

Obviously, the deduction for home mortgage interest encourages home ownership. People who own homes in a community (as opposed to renting) usually take more interest in that community’s growth. They’ve put down roots, and the assumption is that they will stay in that community for an extended time. They also pay property taxes to that community — another reason to participate fully in its affairs.

Segway Say What?

Some disabled folks are upset because Disney World won't allow them to use Segways in the parks. Which is odd, since I distinctly remember seeing a man riding a Segway on our recent visit to Disney. I remember it so well because it was the first time I have seen the 2-wheeled transportation device in person. Was the gate attender unaware of Disney's rule? Or did they just let this guy slide? In a park as well-designed for the disabled as Disney, I am surprised by the ban. Besides, Walt himself loved new technology so much, he probably would have used one of them to get around himself!

The Tongue Is a Restless Evil

As a writer, I make a very good living by making words work for me and my clients. I try to be careful about the words I choose, to communicate the messages the clients want our audience to learn. Sometimes I don’t get it right, but often I do.

On this blog as well, I make an effort to write carefully. Sometimes a post is put up in haste (as at Disney World), and I am just writing off the top of my head. More often, my posts are read through a couple of times before I hit the publish button. It’s an old habit from my newspaper days, and a good one.

Likewise, in my speech, I am often self-editing, quickly searching for the right word to express myself. My self-editing arises in part from my struggle for personal purity in my speech. I am, and always will be, a recovering cusser. Blame it on years in a newsroom, but I became hardened to the use of the F-bomb and its many grammatical variations (verb, adjective, exclamation, adverb, etc.)

Is America Worth It?

Josh Claybourn links to today’s NRO column by William F. Buckley, which is a flashback to the 1971 commencement speech he made at West Point.

By remarking on this speech, I don’t mean to disparage John Kerry or to use it as a frame of reference. Perhaps some of his viewpoints have changed. I proudly declared opinions in my 20s that I no longer believe. Perhaps the same is true of John Kerry.

But this was Buckley’s meat: Is America worth it?

Future Shock

Last night I tried to have The Conversation with Amy. No, not that one. We started that conversation many years ago, and it still goes on today, with variations.

No, this was The Conversation About Your Future. As in: “Now that you’re in the second semester of your junior year, it’s time to think seriously about what you’re going to do after high school.” This was precipitated by the school’s “Soon to be Seniors” meeting for parents, where we received a packet of instructions and advice on guiding our kids through the ACT, SAT and college application process.

It was time for a big dose of mother guilt.

Youth Is Wasted on the Young

Today is the day I would like to trade places with my daughter. Presidential candidate Howard Dean is in town campaigning (Michigan's primary is Saturday), and she gets to go see him with her Student Senate.

Does she care? No.

She's still in that phase where politics and most world affairs don't capture her interest for more than a few minutes. If it doesn't have a direct effect on her or her friends, it's not really on her radar. It hasn't quite sunk in for her yet that she and her friends will officially be adults in only two years. And world affairs may come to be very important if, for example, her boyfriend follows one of his post-high school ambitions and joins the Marines. (His other ambition is to study philosophy. He is a great admirer of Gandhi. Gandhi and the Marines. Now that is a dichotomy I would love to explore with the kid. What does he think Marines do, anyway?)

Oh, and in 2000 she was able to see George W. and Laura Bush, who came to speak at her middle school. But have I ever met a presidential candidate? NO. Sometimes life just isn't fair.

"such small hands" in the News

While I was away in the wilds of Disney World, my hometown newspaper ran an article about local bloggers. It's a fairly general article, and doesn't really capture much about what this site is all about, but still, it's always fun to talk about blogging with people who've never done it before. Oh, and there's a pretty good picture of me with the article. Keyboard safety regulations require you to swallow all beverages before clicking on that link.

Going a Little Wild

Todays agenda was Animal Kingdom. The thing is, its Nahtahzu ... get it? Sound it out. (I apologize for the lack of apostrophes. They dont seem to be working on this machine.

Best things of today were the Kilimanjaro Safari ride and the water rapids. We really got wet! On the safari we took lots of photos of gazelle, elephants and beautiful birds.

Dinner tonight will be back at EPCOT. Ken wants to try the gourmet French. BTW, did you know that EPCOT is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow? Cool Disney World trivia, courtesy of your traveling such small hands reporter.

I'm at EPCOt

And the Mission:Space ride is the most awesome thing ever. But blogging from this kiosk is the worst.

We're eating at Coral Reef tonight, then it's on to Magic Kingdom. EPCOT is my favorite so far. Moroccan food for lunch. yum.