Look at that sweet ride in the background!
When I was young, there was a popular television show that featured a Firebird. The design of that car was my favorite aspect of the show. Although its color might be considered brassy by today's standards, it was all the rage in the 70s. It was truly the cat's meow. I dreamed of driving a car like that someday instead of my dad's Ford Pinto.
This car seemed supernatural to me when I was eight!
Although the car's color may be considered garish by today's standards, it transported the characters in Hazzard County to justice and could execute significant jumps without sustaining damage. Owning such a car might feel like it enhances one's allure and grants a sense of invincibility. However, I was oblivious to the meaning of the flag on the car and how certain driving behaviors could quickly lead to catastrophe. Indeed, I was fervently naive and quite uninformed.
Why did Rocky give that beautiful car to Paulie?
As a teenager, watching "Back to the Future" was an exhilarating experience for me. I fancied owning the car from the movie, even though I didn't truly believe it could time travel. I was a step forward in understanding the concept of truth. Moreover, my brother, who has always been more realistic, pointed out that the car was intended for comedic purposes.
"Ted, you watched way too much television, man." I've been told many times. Even now, I adore the design of this car. The vehicle was a computer-automobile hybrid known as KITT. Lovely and intelligent women were responsible for its care and construction. A man, resembling a professional model and possessing the voice of a radio host, was transported by the machine, eliminating the need for him to drive.
Let's bring some truth to light......
Except for the obvious aesthetic appeal, none of these cars are well made by modern standards. I have owned and worked on many GM and Dodge cars over the years. The Monte Carlo, Chevy Cavalier, Plymouth Colt, Dodge Caravan, Pontiac Bonneville and more of these so-called sweet rides.
Here was the reality of owning these cars. None of them performed impressively on the road. The Cavalier experienced transmission issues, and it was the only car I've had where the power steering pump actually exploded.
The Chevy Monte Carlo became a significant oil-burner after 100,000 miles and necessitated frequent part replacements. The Plymouth Colt, also known as the Mitsubishi Champ, featured a finicky carburetor that required lean adjustments. Despite this, the compact car never managed to idle properly, and the issue remained unsolved.
The engine of the Dodge Caravan emitted a loud bang and began to spew a large cloud of foul-smelling black smoke behind the van while I was at the Hardees drive-thru. It was an embarrassing experience that I'll probably never forget, especially considering the reactions of the customers in line behind me.
The Pontiac Bonneville around 100,000 miles surpassed them all. While far from home at Yellowstone National Park the car began to overheat. I suspected a simple thermostat replacement. I took the car to a local mechanic while I tried to enjoy the park being concerned about my car breaking down. While returning to the car repair shop during my excursions, the mechanic mentioned a term I was unfamiliar with: a plenum. What exactly is a plenum?
I understood what an intake manifold was, but the third term baffled me. Convinced that the mechanic was exploiting my situation away from home, I spent a considerable sum to have my Pontiac transported back on a flatbed tow truck. The car was fixed in under an hour, and the subsequent instruction I received was alarming: "Your engine was full of antifreeze, so you'll need to change the oil every 100 miles for the next 500 miles."
I may not be the most knowledgeable person, but I understood that finding antifreeze where there should have been oil only was a serious issue. Following his advice, I sold the car swiftly, albeit at a financial loss. This came after 14 years of driving a Honda Accord, which I had taken to 270,000 miles without encountering any major problems. In this writer's opinion the 1997 Pontiac Bonneville was an attractive sedan with good power and a smooth ride. What a ridiculous engineering error.
Some supernatural dream cars, eh?
My experience with GM didn't end with the Pontiac. I came into possession of a stunning 2009 Victory Red Chevy Impala that had only 12,000 miles on it. It felt like a blessing. Yet, when I drove it out of town, I discovered the front brake rotors were warped. Additionally, the car was consuming oil at a rate of half a quart every 500 miles. Convinced I would receive a new engine, I brought the car, which still had the new car scent, to the GM dealership.
The manager assured me that the current level of oil consumption is within acceptable limits. Been there done that. The car was unloaded swiftly.
Additionally, the behind-the-scenes features on my DVDs revealed that these cars were not well-made and were inexpensive. This is why the TV studio repeatedly used these cars for destruction in their shows for entertainment purposes. Consequently, it begs the question: How many Dodge Ramblers did CBS studios crush in the 1970s? There must be a landfill of just Dodges.
I digress.......
I finally understand why life experiences are so much more valuable than just being highly intelligent. When watching these shows I was receiving the highest marks at school. Yet, I was an idiot. Why?
As a child, my perspective was limited and easily misled. It was a distorted view. My father often said, "When I was a child, I thought as a child, but when I became an adult, I put away childish thinking." It is only now that I truly grasp the meaning of his words.
Adults, too, may harbor skewed perspectives. I often hear some older citizens assert with conviction, "They don't make things like they used to!" To which I internally respond, "Thank goodness!" Memories of assisting my Uncle Jim and my dad with 70s-era cars come to mind. I much prefer the modern conveniences of safety features, electronic fuel injection, synthetic engine oils, front-wheel drive, and vehicles that endure 150,000 miles without significant repairs.
I feared my father-in-law might punch me as I struggled to correct a misunderstanding. He was deeply worried about an old navigation device taken from his van. I assured him that his smartphone was fully capable of navigating with an app processing four teraflops per second. He stared at me, aghast, with a mix of anger and hurt in his eyes. As I clarified that I meant no insult, my wife interjected, "Honey, drop it."
You see from his perspective that old Garmin is extremely valuable. From my perspective the thing looks dim and has been surpassed in a couple of ways. Most cars come with navigation systems built in, even inexpensive rentals. Also, your own cellphone has a brighter image and is easier to use. Because of warped perspectives it's hard for some to change to a better way.
Imagine I held strongly to devices from my past. I had appliances that were those bold yellows and oranges from the 70s. I had a 19inch RCA Colortrac television without a remote control. We listened to music on an eight-track tape deck. Our house interior walls were covered with paneling and the floor was lime green linoleum. Don't forget the lava lamps! The carpet in our bedroom was red shag and our end tables were dark brown. I would actually do this to freak people out, but my wife would never allow it not appreciating my warped sense of humor.
I should expect some comments, right? I have an LG Organic Liquid Emitting Diode television with amazing bright, clear visuals. However, most can purchase a 4K television at Costco or Walmart that is 10 times the television that old RCA was that was designed in 1969. We only received 3 major broadcasts back then and PBS was UHF.
Most folks today would recoil with laughter at how horrible the images were. ABC was always oversaturated with red. I remember that. The Greatest American Hero looked like a red blur on the screen. And what is the loud hmm the thing makes? That would be intolerable today.
So, someone comes over to visit for a week. They enjoy watching sports. They tell me they are going to Walmart to purchase a 158-dollar Onn HDTV for the week, and it is 50 inches too. They say, "I'm not watching that small horrible analog TV, Ted".
Do I have a right to be offended?
The correct answer is absolutely not. First, you should not be easily offended about such things as a Christian. It's just not very important. And afterword, I would hang the Onn TV in my garage. LOL!
Now let's examine something more important....
I was raised in the teachings that God created this place. However, attending public schools they taught that was primitive thinking and people are more enlightened now. They taught me that all the brilliant people agree with a man who theorizes that we all evolved from a single cell organism from 16 to 20 billion years ago.
The Bible is clear that Adam and Eve were created just around 6000 years ago on the literal 6th day of a seven-day week. What gives?
Well for me it's all about perspective.
Firstly, "The Book" does not specify the Earth's age, leaving us to theorize or speculate. Secondly, it is a common misconception that most scientists do not believe in God. In fact, surveys show a variety of beliefs among scientists regarding a higher power.
Indeed, empirical scientists encounter similar challenges as I do. Number theory, DNA, and fine-tuning present difficulties for those firmly adhering to an atheistic worldview. Moreover, no one alive today was present at the time.
An educated man like yourself believes that there is an Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Immutable Spirit Being that created everything? I must!
Why? It offers the right perspective. I yearn to be reunited with my beloved family members. I wish to spend eternity with my adorable grandson. It instills in me the belief that there is a reason to adhere to rules and that there is a purpose behind all these trials and tribulations.
The evolutionary perspective is very depressing for most. Why do anything? Why not mooch off of other people? Why not blitz your mind with illegal drugs? Why persist in this brutal world if there are no real repercussions for anything we do? The movie "Groundhog Day" explores this dilemma with humor.
More Later.......................
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