Bumping Bambi

I encountered, what appeared to be, a young deer last night. Considering my love of animals, that would have been great except that I was driving and the deer and was running-- right into my path!

As I gripped the steering wheel and eased off the gas pedal in hopes of not swerving out of control, I heard a slight bump indicating contact and kept rolling until I got to the Shell gas station at Farrow Road and Hardscrabble. I turned into the station and jumped out to survey the damage. At first glance, there were no signs of damage. On closer inspection, I found a piece of molding slightly out of place. Boy, these HUMMERS are truly sturdy! I know my car would have been messed up.

After seeing little damage to the truck and truly feeling sad about the deer, I circled back to see if it was laying in the middle of the road. It was nowhere to be found. But there was another little deer on the side of the road where the first one came from, looking poised to cross the street, too. I, again, circled back, and continued on home.

What is it with deer that they will run out into a street and keep going even though they see a vehicle coming straight at them? Do they have tunnel vision? Are they partially blind? Or, are they just dumb like that?

Bumping Bambi was not fun. I am thankful I apparently did not kill the deer on Farrow Road. I am very thankful my truck suffered little to no damage. And, I'm most thankful for the Seagram's I savored to calm my nerves when I got home!

Oh, Good Evening!

Bowl Championship Series

As a native Detroiter and life long fan of the Maize and Blue, I am disappointed that the Michigan Wolverines will not be playing for the national championship. Not that I wanted to see a rematch against the Ohio State Buckeyes. I'm disappointed Michigan did not beat Ohio State in their annual rivalry game. That said, the Ohio State vs. Florida matchup in the championship game should be OK.

Here's what I don't get. The BCS rankings are determined using several polls and a computer ranking formula that considers things like strength of schedule. The USA Today/Coaches Poll is among the factors in the formula. Throughout the season, the college football coaches across the country vote weekly on the Top 25 teams. Their votes remain secret. However, when the final poll is taken, the votes are made public. Why?

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel did not vote in the final poll citing his desire not to play a role in influencing which team his Buckeyes would face in the championship game. While some have criticized him for not voting, I think he did the right thing. What I want to know is why it's suddenly so important that we know how each coach votes in the final poll if it wasn't important that we know how each coach voted in the previous polls throughout the season?

Oh, Good Evening!

The Ultimate Loaner

I put the vehicle in gear and pressed my foot down on the accelerator. The turbocharger whistled as the engine rumbled. I maneuvered slowly around several other cars on the dealership lot to make my way to the exit and onto the road. As I rolled toward the freeway, I suddenly started laughing, hysterically.

So began my weekend in the ultimate loaner vehicle-- the HUMMER H1 Alpha.

As most people know, I love just about anything and everything associated with the HUMMER brand name. So, when I found out earlier this week that I would be driving some of my colleagues through Downtown Columbia in an H1 for the annual Carolina Carillon Christmas Parade, I could hardly contain myself.

I remember the first year we rode in the Christmas parade. The dealership sent a beautiful light blue metallic H1 to the station to pick us up. It was so cool. But compared to the equally beautiful maroon metallic H1 Alpha, that first one pales. The exterior is the same. But inside, there is a world of difference. The H1 Alpha has heated leather seats, a fantastic stereo system with 6-disc CD changer, multiple cup holders. All the luxuries we've come to expect in our personal vehicles. But the biggest difference is under the hood. Gone is the loud, clunky, 6.5 L, 205 hp/440 lb/ft, turbo charged diesel engine, replaced by the much more quiet 6.6 L, 300 hp/520 lb/ft, Duramax Turbodiesel engine. The smooth, powerful engine accelerates the 7200 pound truck quickly and gives it great towing capacity. The H1 Alpha can pull more than 9000 pounds! I'd love to have the Duramax engine in my H2, not for the additional towing capacity-- which I would probably never use-- but for the additional fuel economy.

Enough of the serious motor talk. Just look at this truck! It's huge. It's clunky. It's 110% military metal. It's not a practical street vehicle. But it's hella fun to drive. It turns heads. I got a serious kick out of the reactions people had as they saw it roll by. Whether they were seeing me on the highway, rolling down Two Notch Road, or in my neighborhood, this truck grabbed attention. I took the parade crew to get coffee at Starbucks in Five Points and little kids were checking out the H1 in its parking spot. Yes-- it does fit in a normal parking spot! And, it also fits nicely in my driveway.

The H1 Alpha is as cool as cool gets in terms of 4X4 vehicles. But to really enjoy it, you need a gazillion acres in Montana or South Dakota-- like Ted Turner or Tom Brokaw-- where you can truly put it to the test. You also need the $130,000 to buy it in the first place and roughly $125 each time you need to fill up the tanks, one main and one auxiliary. If you can handle those two small details, the H1 Alpha just might match good sex on your list of most enjoyable things. It truly is "like nothing else."

Darn! Now, I have to take it back. Thanks to Columbiana HUMMER for allowing me to keep the truck for a few days!

Oh, Good Evening!

Bad Sports Day

Women often complain about having bad hair days. Yesterday, I had a bad sports day. My athletic priority on Sundays is NFL action and the Detroit Lions. But yesterday, I also had to take in some NBA action because the Detroit Pistons were within an hour's drive of Columbia.

The Lions were on the road playing the New England Patriots. This was a game Detroit was supposed to lose and they did. But, they were in this game the whole way and you can easily make the argument that they could have and should have won. However, typical of the Lions, they found a way to give the game away. In this case, multiple turnovers including three in the fourth quarter. DET 21 NE 28. Detroit is now 2-10 and going home to face the Minnesota Vikings next week.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons were in Charlotte to take on the Bobcats last night. I made the 80 mile trip up Interstate 77 to see this one in person. I bought the ticket as soon as the Bobcats put single game tickets on sale before the season started. Section 104, Row F, Seat 12. I was in the North Club Seats with a fantastic view, just 8 rows from the floor behind the Charlotte bench. There I was wearing my Pistons red, white and blue among all the orange and blue clad Bobcats fans quietly trying to cheer my team to victory. It didn't happen.

Chauncey, Rip, Tayshaun, Rasheed and the rest of the Pistons all seemed to lack energy last night. This was their third game in four nights (@ Miami on Thursday, vs. New York on Friday, @ Charlotte on Sunday) and they were trying to extend an eight game winning streak. Detroit led at the half but things fell apart at the end of the third quarter when, after tying the game at 68, the Pistons allowed the Bobcats to reel off seven unanswered points. Charlotte never looked back, winning the game by eight. DET 89 CHA 97.

At least the Pistons currently lead their division. The hapless Lions sit in the basement of theirs and if they could go lower, I'm sure they'd get their.

Oh, Good Evening!

In (Insert Higher Being of Choice) We Trust

I seem to recall learning in my American history and civics classes that we operate under the premise that affairs of church and state are separate. The local archbishop can't tell the mayor how to run the city and the mayor can't tell the archbishop how to lead his flock. I remember learning that one of the main reasons the Pilgrims high tailed it out of England and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the New World was to escape religious persecution so they could live under the faith of their choice.

With all of that said, why are some folks so upset that a man recently elected to serve in U. S. House of Representatives who claims Islam as his faith would like to be sworn in to his new position using the book of his faith, the Koran, instead of the book of Christianity, the Holy Bible? If America is truly the land of opportunity and the melting pot of the world, a place where people truly have the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness without fear of persecution for things like race or religion, why is Congressman-elect Keith Ellison's choice an issue?

The people of Minnesota's 5th District have made Ellison the first Muslim ever elected to Congress. Obviously, they believe in the man, not because of his religion, but because they think he has the ability to get things done in Washington, DC to benefit them and the rest of the nation. Why does it matter whether he, or any other elected official, swears to do their job and do it to the best of their ability on the Bible, the Koran, or the Betty Crocker Cookbook? Whether he ends his oath with "so help me God," or "so help me Allah," or "so help me Betty" matters not to me. What matters is him delivering on his promise to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America." Worship who you want. Draw strength from whatever higher power you choose. Just keep my country safe for all who call themselves citizens.

If Congressman-elect Ellison wants to swear his oath on the Koran, more power to him. I applaud his willingness to serve in our political system. Think about it. Wouldn't you rather have him swear on the Koran and truly believe that he is bound to do right, than to swear on a book representing a faith that he doesn't hold and feel like his oath is worthless and not something he has to live up to? Yes, America's money says "In God We Trust," but I don't necessarily think everybody has to swear to America's god in order to serve the country.

Mr. Ellison, good luck on Capitol Hill. Take your oath the way you want to take it. Swear to do your level best to the higher being that you freely worship and then get at the business of protecting my right and everyone else's right to do the same.

Oh, Good Evening!