Behind the Wheel

Buddy Time

A Boy Named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz

‘Premature Birth’
National Public Radio broadcast a news story the other day on the impact of premature births on the U.S. infant death rate. A related Associated Press article at npr.org notes that “about 1 in 8 U.S. births are premature” and “the U.S. infant mortality rate is higher than in most European countries.” Thinking back to the broadcast and reading through the online article, I’m glad to see the concern of medical professionals and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the health of our nation’s babies. But here’s a disturbing reality. A

Ahoy!
The world’s largest cruise ship, recently completed at STX Finland shipyard, sailed for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sunday. Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas is due to begin service Nov. 20. Oasis, built for $1.5 billion, is five times larger than the Titanic. Its 2,700 cabins can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members. Amenities include a 750-seat outdoor amphitheater, an indoor 1,300-seat theater, four swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, an ice rink and a small golf course. Select cabins offer floor-to-ce

On Hold?
Driving to work this morning, I heard a local radio host play a clip of Dr. Phil’s advice to couples who are considering parenthood. I’ll say up front that Dr. Phil made a number of solid points, but one of his remarks really seemed at odds with my take on parenting. “Are you willing to make the sacrifices of money, emotion and energy, and put your life on hold?” Dr. Phil asked his audience. Sacrificing money, emotion and energy is part and parcel of parenting, but that last clause in his question grabbed my attention. Parenting is anything but putting your life on hold. Children powerfully shape and immeasurably enrich who you are. When Lindsay, Conno

Words
It’s the age-old question — which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Or, as I’ve been wondering, do the media negatively influence our culture’s use of language or does a degenerating culture create the foul-mouthed media it consumes? Last night I was watching a documentary on dams and hydroelectricity when a spot popped on for a product that wirelessly charges various gadgets. The actors are so stunned by the product that their dialog devolves into a series of bleeped expletives. Listeners familiar with the English language can readily insert the intended obscene word. Other ads in the promotional array use the same idea with different actors and s

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