It was with high hopes that we elected Obama, expecting sweeping changes. His motivational campaign speeches inspired crowds of thousands. After decades of presidential mediocrity perhaps we could have a president who inspires greatness.

We now face the most devastating ecological disaster in generations. As black death continues to pour onto our shores we have had no presidential challenge, no inspiration to change our ways.

It is not for their campaign speeches that great presidents of the past have been remembered, but rather for how they responded and inspired as president during times of crisis. “We choose to go to the Moon” “a date which will live in infamy” “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”

As our earth warms and our economy crumbles we are in desperate need of game changing inspiration followed up with decisive action. The clock is ticking and we’re down but not out yet. Obama, don’t waste this crisis. Here, I’ll start your speech for you:

“Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. … America, now is not the time for small plans.” Barack Obama, 8/28/08

Perhaps there was some sampling of the goods?

And of course, I couldn’t resist making a de-motivational FAIL pic out of it.

Plugs in the blue boxes at the airport.

Plugs at the very budget Comfort Inn.

Plugs at the office where I was working.

So where might this mystical city be that has ALREADY installed plugs everywhere? Regina, SK. (And Yorkton SK)

The plugs are actually for block heaters as it frequently gets to 10 (F) below during the winter months here. But regardless of original purpose you’re looking at a great test-market for electric vehicles. (Although you’d want a block heater on the battery pack, which isn’t unheard of either.)

Motorcycle riding [check], canoeing [check], listening to a black musician [if we're lucky]

And other cities have a lot to be proud of as well. For example, Reno / Lake Tahoe has adopted the same strategy of announcing its virtues to visitors. Like this one:

Apparently that motorcycle riding couple really gets around!

The bike goes about 34mph if I’m on a strait stretch for a while. It has a tough time with any kind of hill, so my routes to and from places end up going through more neighborhoods than they would if I were in a car. I get passed illegally almost every day. I’ll be doing 28 in a 30 zone, and somebody will swing across a solid yellow line to pass me. Generally only to stop at a signal a few feet down the road.

It’s certainly made me much more conscious of how I drive my car, how fast I accelerate, how much I can maximize coasting etc. I’ve also noticed that Eugene is not a very motorcycle friendly place. Bike friendly perhaps, but motorcycles are the third-class citizens here. Better signage on all free-to-park spots, more free on-street parking, and more acceptance of riders.

On the acceptance of riders front, earlier this month I parked on street downtown (legally) and when I returned to my bike hours later someone had picked it up and moved it onto the sidewalk. (It weighs about 300lbs so it was probably quite a pain to do and required multiple people.) I’m just glad I didn’t get a ticket for parking on the sidewalk!

Did you know that while the UO has on-street motorcycle parking, in order to park there you must buy a permit?

We’ve got a lot of work to do…

“In many cases, people hold apparently contradictory beliefs: that the state should protect land for farm and forest uses, while also supporting an individual’s right to use land without government interference. It is important to understand that these contradictory values are not the result of different factions or special interest groups disagreeing with one another; instead, they are internal conflicts within many Oregonians.”

– Big Look Report

I’m firmly in the “internally conflicted” camp myself.

By my best-guess estimations it could be implemented by the end of the week. The Month at most. No massive government handouts, no huge new department of global chaos.

Here it is: An incremental Federal gas tax. From now and until the tax is $15.00 per gallon we’re going to increase the federal gas tax by .25c every three months. Public transit authorities can get exactly 50% off of the tax. This applies to all fuels known as “gas” including diesel, regular, jet, ethanol etc. If you’re propelling a vehicle by burning something you’re going to pay for it. A little bit now, a WHOLE LOT very soon.

I don’t care what we do with the money. Pay down the national debt. Fund child health care. Build public transit. Explore Mars.

As of today, we’re paying about $1.90 for gas in the US. Back in July of 2008 we were paying $4. So with this plan in place, in two years time we’ll be back to where we were this summer. Then two more years and we’ll be paying $6.00 per gallon. If you KNEW that big SUV would cost $17 a gallon to drive in 15 years would you really want a 20 year loan on it? Suddenly the math for a Prius is looking a lot better. You’ve got some time, but in the next couple of years you know you’ll have to move closer to work, buy a bike, a smaller car, learn the bus schedule, work from home etc.

The EPA won’t need to dictate average MPG standards for car companies: the market will do it far faster. Local governments won’t need to invest in downtown redevelopment: sub-urban properties will quickly become far less attractive to developers.

Back in December of 2008, my voice started to do weird things. It was weak, and completely lacked a high range. It felt like there was a large lump in my throat and swallowing felt funny. This throat problem may have been related to a rather nasty orange-snot-inducing sinus infection that I came down with after returning from Japan. Really, it was traffic-cone orange.

I did what most men do when faced with a debilitating condition: I ignored it, and continued life as usual. But it didn’t get better. Eventually I went to the doctor who referred me to a specialist who dropped a camera down my nose. Turns out my left vocal chord had decided to stop working. Fortunately it was stuck in the closed and therefore deep voice position. So next was an MRI to make sure I didn’t have a tumor of some type.

A week later, I had the privilege of wearing a gown, getting an Iodine injection and spending few minutes in some strange machine right out of Star-Trek. A few days later it turns out that I’m human and don’t have a tumor. But just to get a second look around, we’ll drop the camera down your nose again. That is after all what we do around here.

So then I was referred to a Vocal Therapist. (Note: The ‘R’ in Therapist is not capitalized.) She asked me about my voice, how it started, what had happened to me, etc. She didn’t know what she could do for me but told me but I could try avoiding spicy food, eating at night, soda, and anything else that tends to annoy throats.

Turns out that after avoiding spicy food, cutting back on soda, and not eating at night for a week or so my throat got dramatically better.

So spicy foods are now officially a vice, and I’m cutting back. Seems moderation is a lesson that I’m being forced to learn over and over lately.