The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

Why do so many people seem to be in such a rush, especially on the road? Why do we place that unnecessary extra load of stress on ourselves? While I've been told I drive too slow (Psst, I go the speed limit or slightly over), I find myself in a much more relaxed state on the road than most of my peers. The road is a metaphor for life. What happens when we try to rush things in everyday life and stress out in the process? We become more apt to making mistakes we normally wouldn't make and facing the consequences as a result. This isn't even delving into the negative health impacts such a lifestyle can cause.The same is true when driving. When we're rushing ourselves and stressed, we become more apt to getting into an accident or getting pulled over. No matter how difficult life may seem at times, are all of these potential repercussions worth stressing ourselves on the road or life, in general? Life is a short and bumpy ride at times, but rushing ourselves to a quick...

I realize it's only Tuesday, but I feel pretty confident about my choice for the all too coveted Douche of the Week award, which I'll be giving to Saudi Arabia historian Saleh al-Saadoon. Recently, al-Saadoon attempted to justify his country's ban on female drivers in a TV interview by saying that they're just attempting to protect women from being raped or assaulted, in case their car breaks down and they're forced to wait (or work on the car) on the side of the road. With regard to the United States' driving laws, which permits women to get behind the wheel, al-Saadoon said, "They (women in the U.S.) don't care if they are raped on the roadside, but we do," and that rape and sexual violence "is no big deal to them." When confronted by the show's host on the matter, al-Saadoon responded with, "It's no big deal for them beyond the damage to their morale. In our case, however, the problem is of a social and religious nat...

While it's perfectly understandable for people to sympathize with those whom are blind, how would we feel if such a person was our cab driver or pilot? For as much sympathy as we might have for them, I'm guessing that sympathy would transform into fear. How about if we saw a blind person carrying around a gun and even firing the weapon? While there's no chance a blind person would legally be permitted to operate an automobile or plane due to a required vision test, the state of Iowa has just granted blind people permits to acquire and carry guns in public. Yes, you read that correctly. If you couldn't read that, never fear, for if you live in Iowa, you'll be able to acquire and carry a firearm. Supporters of the permits had some chuckle-worthy quotes for The   Des Moines Register . Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington, who has a blind daughter, said: "If sheriffs spent more time trying to keep guns out of criminals' hands and not people with disabilit...