Free Enterprise While U Wait

The Winston-Salem Police Department has a website to which I was directed by the officer who was dispatched to my accident on Monday. He told me the accident report would be up on Wednesday and I could access it and get a copy for myself.

And so, apparently, could anyone else, because in the mail today I got letters from six lawyers and three chiropractors. Four of the letters had "complimentary" copies of my accident report.

Is this a great country or what?

$#$*@&!!!!!!

I had my first accident in 25 years today.

I was in the middle lane of a three lane street and the light had just turned green. As I pulled out, the car on my right suddenly turned to the left in front of me, apparently trying to make a left turn from the far right lane. C-R-U-N-C-H right across my right front bumper.

We pulled over and as I was dialing 911, the other driver came out of the car all crying and apologetic, telling me that her father had just had open-heart surgery and her husband had just filed for divorce and she was lost downtown and she was so, so sorry. I was just numb, especially after I saw what the right front of my car looked like:



I'm just surprised I didn't collapse into a weeping puddle right there on the street.

So the claim has been filed with my friendly State Farm agent (and we'll see how friendly he continues to be after my first claim with him EVAH!) Fortunately, the other driver also is a State Farm client, so the process should be seamless. My agent agrees that the place to go for the repairs is the local Toyota dealer, since it's a Prius and I don't trust anyone else to know what to do with it. He also assures me that they do good work.

You know what gets me in all of this? I left work early to get to a friend's house so our little group of singers could do a quick rehearsal for our performance at a Vigil for Healing which was held this evening.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Guess what I did today!

Thanks to the Democrats in North Carolina in the 60's, you must vote for President separately from voting a straight party ticket. At the time the Democrats were worried that straight party voting would affect downticket races, since a number of NC Democrats were conservative and favored people like Nixon. It is not, as some folks on DailyKos seem to believe, some last minute GOP effort to commit voter fraud and disenfranchise Democratic voters.

Sheesh.

In fact, it may very well mean an over-vote for Obama vs. the rest of the ticket. There are a lot of new voters who registered this year because of Barack Obama and they're going to be looking for his name, not a party affiliation, on the ballot. There are also a number of Republicans who want to vote for Obama for President but will vote a straight Republican ticket for the rest of the slate.

The ballot is not confusing at all. The Presidential selection is at the top, with a big notice that you must select a candidate separately from a straight party ticket. If my observation of the people standing in line at the polling place, lists in hand, is any indication, voters are coming to the polls prepared. And the poll workers are very clear as they give you instructions. All early voting in Forsyth county is done on touch-screens. I was a little leery of that until I saw the cash register tape-like paper running along the side of the machine, which the poll worker said was a paper record of my vote.

So -- I did it. And even though I voted early, I will perform my usual Election Day ritual of taking cookies to the poll workers in my precinct. I believe it's going to be a very long day for them. And isn't that wonderful?

I voted for Barack Obama because I agree with his economic policy, his approach to foreign affairs and his understanding of the complexities of the problems we face. And because I want this couple in the White House:




Whoa.

Biblical wisdom

Whosoever winketh with the eye shall cause sorrow:
and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

Proverbs 10:10

Dear NC Drivers,

I know we haven't had a lot of experience lately, what with the drought and all, but North Carolina law (and common sense) requires that you TURN ON YOUR FREAKIN' HEADLIGHTS WHEN IT'S RAINING.

Thank you.