I told you it was dangerous out there. Here's the scoop:

Two vehicles in front of me run the red light in a construction area on North at I-110, actually turning onto 10th Street. I pull up and actually stop at the red light, and the lady behind me rear-ends me.

I don't think I am hurt too badly. No airbag deployment and the headrest kept me from getting severe whiplash. I'll probably be sore tomorrow.

Here is a case for and against George Bush.

The Bad Hair Day Blog gives the case for

More Americans have jobs today than at any other time in history

In today's Wall Street Journal: The Great American Jobs Machine: Employment is higher than at any time in history

But the larger story of American job creation, and its causes, is even more impressive.

First, more Americans have jobs today than at any other time in history. Second, over the past two decades or so, the U.S. has created more than 40 million jobs--twice as many as Europe and Japan combined. And third, the U.S. has one of the lowest jobless rates of all developed nations.
. . .
Part of the explanation for this success is that, especially compared to Europe, the U.S. has imposed fewer taxes and regulations (even though we have plenty) that make it onerous for employers to hire and fire workers. A unique feature of the U.S. economy is that Americans move in and out of jobs--usually to rise up the income elevator--at a rapid and persistent pace. This is the key to the Great American Jobs Machine, and it explains why Europe and Japan should be more like us, and not the other way around.

In the meantime, Paul Krugman's bellyaching that it's an economy driven by real estate, and that "it has been a pretty disappointing recovery", since "we're paying for the housing boom (and the military buildup and tax cuts) with money borrowed from foreigners". To Paul, the glass is always half-empty, isn't it?

Too bad he doesn't read The Economist, which says,

There is much to welcome and little to fear in the economy's current progress.

Looks to me like the glass is more than half full, Paul.

While the Entangled thoughts blog presents data against

See if you can guess when G. W. Bushit became President.

Go ahead---take a wild guess--see if you can figure it out.
( Thanks to Intoxination for image)--go read about this at:http://intoxination.blogspot.com/2005/08/closer-look-at-oil-crisis.htm

We can find any data we want to support our position. So who is right? Both? Neither?

Long time gone. Been to Carole King concert, Astros-Mets, out to eat, working, proving prime conjectures, and so on. Read The Optimist's Daughter and re-read Slaughterhouse Five. The Road Warrior has taken some license numbers, but is spending most of his time listening to his iPod while driving the unholy streets.

I have also been listening to both political parties, and the best I can tell Democrats hate George W. Bush about as much as Republicans hate Bill and Hillary Clinton. Why is this? I ask myself. This is not merely a difference in policy. This is full-blown, subconcious stuff. The guys on the radio need to listen to what they are saying, because it sounds to me like a good case against the other side, but a lot of overlooking the plank in their own eyes. I would give advice, like get over it. Get over it, Democrats, that W "stole" the 2000 election. You forget that without the big-eared buffoon in the 1992 race that Bill would not have been President. Did Bill get over 50 % of the vote? How quickly we forget. And while you still may believe he "stole" the election, it was played by the rules. That is a hell of a lot more than I can say for John Kennedy and Daly in the 1960 election, and John Kennedy is a saint now. Republicans, remember Viet Nam, and let's do this War on Terror right. We seem to lack Direction, Leadership, or is it just Communication? Talk to us, W, like we are Fellow Americans.

In the end, though, my advice means nothing. No one wants to build consensus, we just want to be right. But what does a Southern, white middle-aged male know? My ilk is the cause of all the problems ... Right?

Just to prove that I only pick on Louisiana drivers, today I note a winner from the great state of Texas, 51YRZ1. But you may be thinking it is still a little biased when you learn that it was a pickup truck. So, what did 51YRZ1 do? On a 4-lane highway, road construction ahead forcing traffic into one lane ahead in our direction, Mr. 51YRZ1 did his best to get two vehicles ahead in the line by weaving in and out, cutting people off, and generally being a jerk. He was stopped at the red light when I turned left into work; so, he didn't even get ahead.

Honorably mention Road Warrior goes to the woman in JRX435 who kept Mr. 51YRZ1 from getting in front of her, and thus three cars ahead, by accelerating at key times to prevent 51YRZ1 from being able to pass her in the right lane. Not overtly aggressive, but most assuredly it was passive aggressive.

Second on the Road Warrior hit list is HYG416. He did something very aggravating. While accelerating to get up to speed on the entrance road, or acceleration lane, to enter I-12 this afternoon, HYG416 was approaching in the outside lane that I needed to enter. I got up to freeway speed (actually +5 mph), turned on my blinker, and looked for an opportunity to merge. Well, Mr. HYG416 was gaining on me at 65 mph. If he would have maintained his speed and me mine, then he could have passed and I could merge behind him. So, with the center lane open, he came up beside me and then slowed down to my speed. I slowed to 60 mph, and so he slowed to 60. By this time I am running out of real estate and I have to hit my brakes to slow to 50 and merge. Then, he moves over into the center lane. If he did not do this on purpose, then he is the most clueless driver alive.

By noon today I will have attended two funerals.

The first was for my wife's 96 year old aunt. She had suffered Alzheimer's for years and recently suffered a series of strokes. Her passing, while sorrowful, was also a blessing. It was a bittersweet time, as we mourned her passing, but celebrated her life.

Probably my most vivid memory of her was a visit to her home in Birmingham in 1989. My children were 6 and 9, and that night was magical. The stars shown brighter than I ever remember, or perhaps I am remembering the fireflies. I have never before or since seen so many fireflies at one time. They filled the night, and we had fun catching them in jars, like when I was a kid. And our aunt was also created ceramic pieces, so her house was full of dishes, but especially birds. She told my daughter that she painted the sky. It was all like it was yesterday.

The second death, though, is one that breaks your heart. I know it is devestating for his family, and I cannot imagine what they are going through. Benjamin died in Berkeley as he and two friends returned home from a party in San Francisco. An 18 wheeler coming from the opposite direction lost control, jack-knifed, and Benjamin's car crashed into it, killing all three people in the car.

His family was very proud of him. He had completed a dual major in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at LSU in 4 years with a nearly perfect GPA. He was accepted by many of the premier universities and chose the University of California, one of the best in the country, if not the best in Chemistry. He graduated in May with a Ph. D. in nanotechnology. It is a shame.

Hmmm. I saved a draft of this post, and now it has disappeared. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Let's see if I can remember. My animosity was directed toward HJN279 for multiple reasons. Passing a line of traffic on the right in an approaching construction area and then cutting me off as I was braking for the car in front of me. I guess I shouldn't follow at a safe distance, which is referred to in the list of jokes below about Baton Rouge drivers.

Second offense of HJN279: He had "Starfleet Academy" across his back window. Nothing wrong with a Trekkie ... Right.

Third offense: The chrome "Jesus Fish" on his trunk, identifying him as a Christian. I find it offensive that someone identifies himself as a Christian, as if he has something on the rest of us Christians (I'm Catholic, which probably doesn't count to HJN279), especially when he acts like a non-Christian jerk on the road. But, then, Jesus did tell the story about Good Samaritan, who actually was a much better person than those identifiable Jews who passed up the man on the road who needed help. I guess I can take solace in that.

Other sightings: NFU944 (remembered using a mnemonic that I choose not to share.) She did nothing wrong, but I remembered the license plate.

W847610, honoroable mention behind HJN279, for turning right on red, crossing into the inside lane, and then going about 10 mph below the speed limit. He represents many of his kind. And irony of ironies, he was driving a pickup truck.

And now for the driving rules of BR, supplied by my brother-in-law:

The only butterflies today are in the title, since this is a favorite song title from Muse.

Hurricane Dennis missed us, but it devestated the panhandle. It was a bittersweet feeling, good that it missed us, bad that Santa Rosa Island would be devestated by this category 4 storm. We have seen it before, and my prayer is that it did not do to Santa Rosa what Camile did to Biloxi. A 15-18 foot tidal surge can destroy much, so I will watch this news this morning and hope.

On Friday, on the way to Rama I noted many cars from out of state, but mainly from Texas and Florida, and one or two from Mississippi, and one from Maryland, all fleeing to the west.

Again on Saturday, but this time all I saw were Texas and Florida, those going home and those fleeing. They showed good sense, and I pray that they have something to return to.

On Friday we visited Rama, across the street from Zee Zee Garden and next door to DiGiulio's on Perkins. We had a good time with family and friends, spending less than $50 for three people to eat appetizers, main dish, and dessert. Plus the food was good. I had the Panang Pork, an interesting combination of flavors, including cocoanut, with my pork and green beans. In the future I would like to split this with someone because it was too rich to eat the whole thing myself. My wife had the Boo Hoo because she wanted a primarily vegetable dish. She said that it was good. My daughter had her usual, Mee Krab, a sweet dish with crispy, thin noodles. I have never had it, but several others rave about it. I try to watch how many noodles I eat, but maybe next time. Others also reported favorable eating choices, including the garlic chicken. But the best was the dessert. Rama serves a cocoanut ice cream that is great. For both value and taste, I give Rama ****

I saw the Tony Blair news conference from the G8 Summit and was moved by his poise, mixed with the sense of loss and despair and hurt for his people. It was refreshing to see a politician talk in this way.

My prayers go out to the 40 dead, 700 injured, Great Britain, the Queen, and to the PM.

Regarding my Jessica Simpson dream that I talked about yesterday, I complained that my wife was not the reason for turning away Jessica Simpson. I was complaining to my subconscious, and how often does he listen to me? Never. I am never able to consciously make my subconcious do what I the ego want it to do. But last night I dreamed of my wife. Perhaps it was being away from home, the separation, whatever. But is was almost a duplicate of the Jessica Simpson dream. How about that?

Well, the alarm is going off, telling me to wrap up and go to work. Auf Wiedersehen.

I finally finished reading it last night. Of course, I knew how it would end because I had read it before. Binx marries Kate and finds salvation, of a sorts, from the malaise of the modern world, or the post-civil war South. Whatever. My first thought on finishing was what did Binx do with his life after this? The The Moviegoer ends when Binx is 30 years old. Did he live happily ever after, telling Kate what to do? I think not, but he did not fade into oblivion, or did he? Perhaps Percy tells us in his later books, but I do not have the inclination, just yet, to pursue it.

If I do, I can start with Lancelot. I have two copies, a first edition and a signed second edition. Too bad I didn't get a signed first edition. But as I was buying the copy of the first edition, my sister was getting me a signed copy. She lived near Covington, where Percy lived and his daughter had a book shop. Perhaps she still does. I will try to research it when I have time.

Now, the reading of The Moviegoer will be linked to the London bombings and the airplane ride to Houston. I learned about the bombings as I waited to board the plane, and then I read the part in the book about Binx and Kate's trip to Chicago. There are enough similarities to keep me going for hours, but let's say that they are linked together in my mind, in my experience.

And isn't personal experience what my blog is all about?

The Moviegoer is done, long live Eudora Welty, the next on my list of Southern readings.