The Real McCoy
These are the good old days: Confusing, but still good
By Brent E. McCoy thereal@adelphia.net

I know that it may sometimes appear in this column that I long for the ways of the past. This is not true. These are the good old days and I believe that things will only get better. I believe that the glass is half full, but I probably wouldn't like the guy who didn't bother to fill it back up when he was finished.

I look forward to the future but, like many people, I understand the past better. There are quite a few things in today's world that I don't really understand.

The really cool thing about having one's own column is that it gives one a chance to vent every now and then. You won't have to worry about a columnist grabbing a rifle and running amok. In fact, the only ones you really have to worry about are those folks who don't have a column. Bloggers don't count. I put them near the top of the list of those to worry about.

But still, there are some things in today's world that I really don't understand.

We have developed a device that allows you to talk or text virtually anyone, anytime, anywhere. Then we put it in the hands of people who don't have the common sense to understand that typing and operating a 2ton vehicle at speed in excess of 60 miles and hour is not a safe thing to do.

I personally don't like texting but I accept it as part of the future. I enjoy talking to people and it seems a shame that it may become a lost art. I actually overheard someone say, in all honesty, "Why would I want to talk to someone when I can text them?"

There were about 35.5-million people watching the debut of this year's "American Idol." At the same time, there were only a few thousand people world wide looking for ways to protect the earth from a collision with an asteroid or other near earth object.

Who decided to put television at the gas pump? One of the best things about being outdoors or out about town is that you're not watching commercials on television. The other thing that I find annoying about television at the pump is the choice of programming. It's all commercials.

You'd think that with the price of gas and the size of the gas tanks on some of these monster SUVs that a lot of folks are still driving that they'd at least let you watch the uncut version of something like "Gone with the Wind" or something from Disney while you're filling up.

Real time traffic in the local area might be something worth watching. I think that it might be more interesting to watch "American Idol." Just make sure that if you're watching "American Idol" on pump No. 1, they're not tracking an asteroid and counting down the seconds to impact on pump No. 2. If they are, about the only thing you could do would be to go for it all and switch over to premium.

On the other hand, technology has shown us that we can reuse what we used to consider waste. Look what they did with the rubber from old tires mixed with the asphalt on Tierra Rejada Road. Not only does it look good, but if we ever decide to extend Gabbert Road, all we have to do is get a bunch of people over there and just stretch it as far as we have to.

Yes, these are truly the good old days. They're just not old enough yet for us to realize it.