STEVE SMITH
First, thank you to all who expressed concern about my car. To
summarize, our family had a major mechanical challenge while on the
road to Lake Tahoe last week. The problem was solved by a mechanic in
Reno, Steve Tout, who provided very fast service and got us back on
schedule.
But something is still wrong and I've decided not to spend another
dime figuring out what it is. The car has 120,000 miles and it's time
to get something else.
On the road, there's a lot of time to think. And it occurred to me
that I have something in common with the supporters of the El Toro
airport. That is, they have no hope of ever seeing an airport built
down there but they cling to the romantic notion that it's still
alive. If only that same passion could be directed toward something
useful, such as the fight to have Starbucks include those cardboard
sleeves with each cup of coffee instead of forcing us to ask for
them.
I mean, that coffee is so hot, you can boil an egg in the cup. Not
having a sleeve is far to macho a move for me and just about everyone
else I've seen.
What I have in common is that I'm still clinging to the romantic
notion that parents in the U.S. will realize that the best thing they
can do for their children's education and physical and mental
development is to turn off the TV. But no one is listening and still
I go on.
I'm still pushing the TV-free life because every time I consider
giving it up, some major agency or association -- from pediatrician
groups to the American Psychological Assn. -- produces a report
detailing just how bad TV is for kids. While we were away, it was
announced that television for kids younger than the age of 7 could
reduce their attention span. I'm sorry that we had to spend time and
money to figure out this no-brainer but glad that it's now official.
Again.
While in Reno, I read a story about the upcoming school budget
crisis in California and received an e-mail a few days ago on the
same subject. Seems as though districts are canceling arts, sports
and music programs right and left in order to save money. Plus,
school class sizes are scheduled to rise.
I don't believe the school budget crisis is going to go away soon.
So it only seems logical to embrace at this time the words of the
renowned theorist, professor Irwin Corey, who was the first to say,
"Less is more."
For now, less in schools will have to be more. One way to make
less more -- heads up here, teachers -- is to start a no-TV policy.
