August 31, 2005--Not My Kind of Rest Stop

I had mentioned to at least one visitor to this site that I would today reveal the truth about why the Roman Empire fell; a truth revealed by a careful look at the front page of the NY Times. This is a widely debated subject which I had promised to at last put to rest. But to that friend I have to seek a day's reprieve in order to post a quick note about the United States Empire.

There are those days when the juxtapostions on a single page of the Times add up to more than the sum of the articles themselves. Today may be one such occasion.

If you have today's paper in front of you, please turn to Page A9. (I am not advanced enough yet in Blog technology to give you the actual links to the articles I am about to mention. Coming soon.)

At the top of the page there is the piece, "Poverty in U.S." It tells us something I'm afraid we know too much about--"Even as the economy grew, incomes stagnated last year and the poverty rate rose, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. It was the first time on record that household incomes failed to increase for five straight years." [My italics]

On the right hand side of the same page we find, "Teaching of Creationism Is Endorsed in New Survey." Something else we know too much about. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released recent findings that reveal that 64 percent of Americans were open to the idea of teaching creationism in addition to evolution. The Pew report says, "It's like saying, 'Some people see it this way, some see it that way, so just teach it all and let the kids figure it out.'"

The educator in me says the kids should be so lucky--in at least a third of our public schools to have any semblence of science instruction would be an improvement.

The last article on the page, lower left, "Vermont Blends 'Green' Flush Toilets and a Greenhouse" is clearly something we probably do not want to know too much about. But I press on. I suggest you read all of it, but in case you don't get around to it, in essence Vermont has figured out how to combine greenhouses and toilets at its roadside rest stops. Interesting, very Vermont but there is more: since there are so many veterans on the road they are also incorporating Vietnam memorials in these green toilets.

About this I cannot resist one indiscreet comment--with my digestive system, for me, having to potty at a Vietnam memorial just won't work. Green or otherwise.

I promise, tomorrow the fall of Rome!