©2002 May not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author. This includes publishing at other websites.
Curt leaves to go home after just another day at Star Motor Cars
IS THIS YOUR LAST NEWSLETTER?
(To subscribers who get this by Snail Mail:)
Check your address label! If it has DEL1002 in the code above your name, this is your last newsletter.
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"ON TRACK" NOTES
Mercedes-Benz USA's best training program is "On Track." Students from dealerships are trained at racetracks on our latest cars and the competition. The cars are driven faster and harder than they could be on the street, and they're pitted against each other in head-to-head, fairly unbiased competition.. It isn't as good as it once was, but there's nothing as good in the business.
The Safety Briefing, complete with beer advertising
Some notes:
BMW 745i
On the console instead of a shifter is a big computer mouse called I-drive. It controls 700 to 900 functions. This is in conjunction with a computer screen on the top center of the dash with small, hard to read writing on it. Functions as simple as putting 100.3 into your FM radio's memory are incredibly complex, requiring several steps. At least AC has backup conventional controls, or we would have roasted.
The infamous "I-Drive" mouse on the BMW 745i. It does 700-900 functions in conjunction with the computer screen on the dash. Unbelievably difficult to operate, hideously dangerous to use at speed. This has to be a perfect example of "What were they thinking?" Note, too, the controls for the driver's seat on the left side of the console. Instead of an intuitive miniature seat like a Mercedes, there's a 4-piece push button to select the function, then a mouse (button in front) to control it.
The shifter is a little column off the steering column reminiscent of a '55 Ford. It has 3 positions, R, N, and D, with an appropriate indicator on the dash. To put the car into park you have to push a button on the end. Tell that to the parking lot attendant. I expect a rash of BMW 745 parking lot crashes as parking attendants leave cars in neutral. You CAN take the "key" out and leave the car in neutral. One of the I-drive options puts on the parking brake when the car's engine is turned off, assuming you've figured out how to use the darn thing and haven't run into the back of a truck using it while driving.
In Europe, the 6-speed adaptive electrohydraulic transmission is controllable from steering wheel mounted switches. But the EPA offered BMW a higher fuel economy rating and no gas guzzler tax if they deleted the upshift function. Thus, with some difficulty, you can downshift, but you have no control over upshifts. Thus, effectively, the "Ultimate Driving Machine" has only an automatic transmission, not a "manumatic" as the competition has. The S430, by comparison, has Touch Shift, which gives complete control over all 5 speeds. Left in drive, I discovered the S430, when driven hard on the road course, held low gears just as I would in cornering, not shifting up at inopportune times. And it downshifted aggressively. The BMW did not do either. The BMW should have been faster, but I could catch the BMW when driving the S430.
I drove the S430 in Drive, and with the suspension in the soft setting, not the "sport" setting. The car leaned a bit then took a set and cornered quite well, very predictably, easy to control near the limit.
Keeping up with the BMW was surprisingly easy.
The BMW didn't lean much until well into the turn, then leaned precipitously, knocking it off line, and making cornering near the limit difficult. This is intentional. Afterwards other students talked about its flat cornering, and I wondered what car they had driven. Then I learned that the "Active Roll Control" stiffens the anti-roll bars until the car reaches 0.68 g. cornering loads. Then it releases the bars, allowing precipitous lean. The purpose is to scare the driver into realizing he's near the limit. It worked.
The Mercedes Smart Key will open and close the windows and sunroof remotely. The BMW remote will open them, but to close them you must take out the emergency key, stick it in the door, and turn it, like a Volkswagen, to close the windows from outside the car. Their version of a smart key doesn't have an infrared remote for the windows, only radio remote. Closing windows with a radio remote is dangerous. With an infrared remote you're required to watch what you're doing and thus not close the window on Junior's neck. They have a "start" button to start the car. Put the "key" in and push the button, like pre-WWII cars.
The styling of the 745I is "controversial."
With I-drive's 700-900 functions to explain to the customer, and with none of the controls being intuitive (try adjusting the seat to fit!), I'm glad I'm not selling them.
SL500
We finally got to drive the SL500-2 laps on the banked oval, with a chicane on one straight. Sorry, that isn't enough for me to say anything other than it accelerates well, corners well, and brakes as expected. I didn't do any panic stop simulations to test out the Sensotronic Brakes (Electrohydraulic). They seemed powerful and easily modulated.
CLK500
Again, 2 laps at semi-speed. Fast, stable, agile, as expected. No bad habits popped up. I didn't expect them to. One of our fastest, most fun cars just got faster and more fun.
E320
Again, 2 laps at semi-speed. I also took a couple of hot laps with an instructor driving (as I did in the CLK500 and an SLK32). It handles 125 mph banked turns with great aplomb. Very impressive. I'm awaiting more training on the E-Class next week.
C230
Some of the time was wasted autocrossing C230s with the new, ULTRA LOW EMISSION 1.8 liter Supercharged (Kompressor) engine. The car is quick and well-balanced. I could see it could make an excellent autocross car. What this has to do with real world driving I haven't been able to discern, or with comparing the car to its competitors. All we drove on the autocross course were C230s. I'm of the opinion the time would be better spent driving the C230 vs. its competition, a mode they have done in the past. The new engine is quieter, smoother than last years, gets 4 less horsepower, but 6 mpg better highway mileage.
We drove these in an autocross. If you're an autocrosser, then you'll be happy to know the car autocrosses quite well. Autocrossing has no relation to real world driving. I doubt you can learn anything autocrossing applicable to the average Mercedes driver. I've been saying for some time the autocrosses were a waste of time. I haven't changed my mind. And back when the earth was flat and dinosaurs walked the earth I was an autocross champion for something like 3 years running-in Mercedes.
But the C230 is well-balanced, accelerates sprightly, brakes well, corners accurately, and the seats hold you in place. With the 17" wheel package and autocross tires it would be competitive at autocrosses if SCCA didn't class it with the Corvettes, the usual fate of Mercedes in that organization. What this has to do with selling them I don't know, but it was fun.
C320
C320 had no problems on the course, nimble handling, balanced, great brakes.
We drove this against the Jaguar X-type, the little Ford with the cat on the hood and the Taurus engine, and against the Toyota/Lexus ES300. We drove on the road course. The C320 was clearly the fastest, best handling, best braking, most comfortable of the three. Additionally its air conditioning was superior.
Jaguar X-type
The winner in the "Worst Car at On-Track" contest was the Jaguar/Ford X-type. It is, afterall, a European Ford, complete with Duratec V-6a, with a Jaguar skin. Note how crowded the interior looks with 4 guys with helmets on (headrests up--I doubt they retract like Mercedes) It handled poorly, and, lacking any sort of traction control or stability control, fell off the track more than the others.
When you wedge yourself in the back seat and try to hang on while the car's flung about the road course you realize it's pretty bad. First the grab handle came off in my hand. It was held in with a sheet metal screw.
Yes, that's the grab handle for the left-rear seat. It has, indeed, pulled out. The Brits would probably tell you that you're not supposed to actually use it, you know. A true Brit wouldn't hold on for dear life while the car wallowed around the road course.
When I was in the C320 I noticed it was easy to catch the Jag. I attributed it to the driver. That was partly true. When I was driving I could catch the trailing car. But the car had unremitting understeer. It's four wheel drive from a front-wheel drive platform. In a corner it was almost a textbook trainer of what to do with understeer. Tighten the wheel a bit, and nothing happens but loud tire squeal. Open up the turn to stop that, and you miss your apex. You have to go slower.
One driver hooked a right rear tire over the edge of the asphalt, where there was a wider layer below. It almost spun the car, but the instructor caught it. The car has no traction or stability control system, so they put instructors in them.
The 4-speed transmission is a good 6 years behind the Mercedes. The engine was agricultural in its sophistication. It was very loud. The car still had excessive road noise. The engine had been made louder to mask the unacceptable road noise. It didn't work.
The car leaned excessively.
The AC had no vents in the back.
Lexus ES300
This year's upgraded Toyota Camry makes a great test-drive car. The soft seats, comfortable low speed ride, larger size, and good sound system make it an easy sale.
Driven at speed it was a handful. The front wheel drive became quite evident. More classic understeer lessons were demonstrated. Its acceleration was deficient compared to the other two. It's the only one that if I drove it flat out I couldn't catch up with the car ahead until the driver screwed up.
The transmission reminded me of mid-90s Mercedes. The engine lacked torque just as the suspension lacked any pretense of handling at speed.
Conclusions
Driving our cars and the competition on racetracks doesn't show everything about cars. People don't drive that way on the street. It does show us that our cars are quite over-designed for ordinary usage, and that's a good thing. Every year the On Track crew has to work harder to keep the competition running than our cars. Short of the day Freddie Krueger starts chasing me I don't expect to have to drive a car like this on the street. But if/when that happens, I know that the Mercedes will outrun almost anything, out last anything, and be more comfortable doing it.
The Low part of the banking. It gets steeper the higher
you get
The SLK32s and the C32 were there for the instructors to drive during hot laps. We weren't allowed behind the wheel. The near SLK32 is in the new Jade Black. Compare it to 040 black in the background.
Instructor in a E320 just before hot lapping it.
For those of you uncertain as to what hot laps mean... (CLK500)
The view from the right seat of an SLK32 during hot laps. They kept us on the low part of the banking, which kept the hot cars at or below 130 mph. The higher part of the banking is steeper, and it's probably pretty hard on street suspensions. The real world streets don't have 27° banks.
| Technical Data | 2002 | 2003 | 2002 | 2003 | 2002 | ||
| E320 | vs. | E320 | E430 | vs. | E500 | S430 | |
| Base Price | 48450 | <$1500> | 46950 | 53850 | 1000 | 54850 | 71850 |
| Total Displacement/cc | 3199 | same | 3199 | 4266 | 700 | 4966 | 4266 |
| Horsepower | 221@5600 rpm | same | 221@5600 rpm | 275@5750 rpm | 27@150 | 302@5600 rpm | 275@5750 rpm |
| Rated Torque (lb-ft) | 232 | same | 232 | 295 | 44 | 339 | 295 |
| Rated torque (rpm) | 3000-4800 | same | 3000-4800 | 3000-4400 | -300 | 2700-4250 | 3000-4400 |
| Acceleration 0-60 mph | 7.1 | 0.1 | 7.2 | 6.2 | -0.4 | 5.8 | 6.9 |
| Top Speed (Approx | 130 | 22 | 152 | 130 (?) | 25 | 155 (governed) | 130 (governed) |
| Wheels-Std | 7.5J x 16 | 0.5 | 8.0J x 16 | 7.5J x 17 | 1 | 8.5J x 17 | 7.5J x 16 |
| Wheels Sport Pkg | 7.5J x 17 | 0.5 | 8.0J x 17 | 7.5jJ x 17 | 0.5 | 8.0J X 17 | 8.5Jf/9.5Jr x 18 |
| Tire Size-std | 215/55R 16 | 10 | 225/55R16 | 235/45R17 | 10 | 245/45R17 | 225/60R16 |
| Tire Size-Spt | 235/45R17 | 10 | 245/45R17 | 235/45R17 | 10 | 245/45R17 | 245/45f/275/40R18 |
| Front Brake Disc | Ventilated | same | Ventilated | Ventilated | same | Ventilated | Ventilated |
| Front Brake Disc. Dia/in. | 11.8 | 0.5 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 0.6 | 13 | |
| Front Brake Disc Thk/in. | 1.1 | 0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.16 | 1.26 | |
| Rear Brake Disc | solid | same | solid | Ventilated | same | Ventilated | Ventilated |
| Rear Brake Disc Dia/in. | 11.4 | 0.4 | 11.8 | 11.4 | 0.4 | 11.8 | |
| Rear Brake Disc Thk/in. | 0.4 | 0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.47 | 0.87 | |
| EPA MPG City/Hwy | 20/28 | -1/-1 | 19/27 | 17/24 | 17/24 | ||
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 21.1 | same | 21.1 | 21.1 | same | 21.1 | 23.2 |
| Curb Wt (U.S. lb.) est. | 3624 | 11 | 2635 | 3757 | 58 | 3815 | 4133 |
| Drag Coefficient | 0.29 | -0.02 | 0.27 | 0.29 | -0.01 | 0.28 | 0.27 |
| Overall Length/Inches | 189.4 | 0.9 | 190.3 | 189.4 | 0.9 | 190.3 | 203.1 |
| Overall Height/Inches | 56.7 | 0.5 | 57.2 | 56.7 | 0.5 | 57.2 | 56.9 |
| Wheelbase/inches | 111.5 | 0.9 | 112.4 | 111.5 | 0.9 | 112.4 | 121.5 |
| Track, Front/inches | 60.2 | 1.9 | 62.1 | 60.2 | 1.9 | 62.1 | 62 |
| Track, Rear/inches | 59.9 | 1.9 | 61.8 | 59.9 | 1.9 | 61.8 | 62 |
| Turns, lock-to-lock | 3.3 | -0.5 | 2.8 | 3.3 | -0.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Turning Diameter/feet | 37.2 | 0.2 | 37.4 | 37.2 | 0.2 | 37.4 | 39.7 |
| Headroom, Front/Inches | 37.6 | -0.2 | 37.4 | 37.6 | -0.2 | 37.4 | 37.6 |
| Legroom, Front/inches | 41.3 | 0.6 | 41.9 | 41.3 | 0.6 | 41.9 | 41.3 |
| Shoulder Room, F/In. | 56.3 | 0.1 | 56.4 | 56.3 | 0.1 | 56.4 | 59.2 |
| Headroom, Rear/Inches | 37.2 | 0.5 | 37.7 | 37.2 | 0.5 | 37.7 | 38.4 |
| Legroom, Rear/Inches | 36.1 | -0.5 | 35.6 | 36.1 | -0.5 | 35.6 | 40.3 |
| Shoulder Room, R/In. | 57.1 | -1 | 56.1 | 57.1 | -1 | 56.1 | 58.3 |
| Cabin Capacity/cu. ft. | 95 | 2.2 | 97.2 | 95 | 2.2 | 97.2 | 105 |
| Cargo Capacity/cu. ft. | 15.3 | 0.6 | 15.9 | 15.3 | 0.6 | 15.9 | 15.4 |
*+1,000 gas guzzler tax, E500 only
"In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular."
Kathleen Norris
TELE AID UPDATE
During our training session we heard a tape of a TeleAid call. The call was made automatically because the car involved had deployed its air bags. It had been clipped from behind, spun 180°, and struck head on by another Mercedes-Benz in the diamond lane. The lady driving was hysterical. The air bags had deployed. She had broken one arm. She was worried about her daughter. The lady on the TeleAid end of the call told her that police and an ambulance had been called (by another operator). She asked about her condition and her daughter's condition. The lady determined her daughter was all right. The TeleAid lady asked if she could call anyone else for her. The lady told her to call her husband. He was at a neighbor's house. That number was on her file, so a 3rd operator called that. The lady was complaining about the pain of her broken arm. The TeleAid lady asked if she should stay on the line with her until the police or ambulance arrived. Within 2 minutes the lady was calm. Everything that could be done had been done.
Stolen Vehicle Tracking
In June 2002 several TeleAid equipped Mercedes were stolen (including one here, by fraud). All were recovered. The shortest recovery time was less than an hour.
Remember that current Mercedes are very hard to steal. It takes the original key. Carjacking and "attendant-theft" are the most likely methods of stealing a Mercedes. In "attendant-theft" I'm also including cars stolen from attendants. One in Houston was stolen when left overnight at a tire store, and someone broke in and stole all the keys and all the cars. That was an error as all of the cars were recovered when the Mercedes was.
A car has to have the engine on to be found by TeleAid's Stolen Vehicle Tracking. The one stolen from us was recovered shortly after the thief started the engine. He had hidden the car in a parking garage. He didn't get far.
2003 E-CLASS
We FINALLY got our E-Class training, only days before the cars arrived.
The E-Class is our bread and butter. The "line" began with the "Pontoon"-1953-61-468,000 cars. Then the "Fintail" of 61-68 sold 628,000. The W114 from 68-76 sold 1,919,000. The W123, from 76-85, sold 2,697,000. The W124, the first to be called the E-Class, from 84-95, sold 2,649,000, and the W210- from 96-02, sold 1,500,000.
Each has gotten stronger and safer, and each has spawned copycats in Detroit and Tokyo. I'm sure they're working on their E-Class copies already. They always do. But they don't have 8 air bags, including multistage front air bags with sophisticated Emergency Tensioning Devices that tighten the seat belts in a crash and two-stage belt-force limiters to minimize seat belt injuries such as bruising and broken collar bones.
New restraint sensor technology enables the restraint components to react faster. The E-Class also debuts a rollover sensor, located in the central unit on the tunnel. If it detects an impending rollover, the system deploys the Head Protection Curtains and ETDs.
Sensotronic Brake Control
The E-Class is the world's first volume production automobile to be given an electrohydraulic braking system-Sensotronic Brake Control. It is a milestone in the development of improved driving dynamics and braking safety. Electronics replace many of the mechanical components used in conventional braking system.
A brief overview of the system:
· When the driver applies the brakes, sensors register pressure on the brake pedal.
· The system's control unit processes this information along with input from other sensors and systems to determine optimum brake pressure at each wheel.
· The brake fluid reservoir functions under higher pressure than more typical braking systems, shortening response times.
· Braking pressure is applied to each wheel through its own brake pressure modulator.
· A simulator linked to the tandem brake cylinder was designed to give the driver the "feel" of the brakes.
· In case of a serious fault, a direct hydraulic connection between the brake pedal and the front brakes enable the driver to safely decelerate the vehicle.
Braking System Features Include:
· 4-wheel disc brakes, ventilated in front (and in the rear of the E500).
· Antilock braking system (ABS)
· Emergency-sensing Brake Assist
In addition, Sensotronic Brake Control works in conjunction with ESP and sensor signals from the transmission control unit to provide optimal braking response from each of the four wheels in virtually any driving situation. The ESP control unit calculates braking pressure at each wheel, taking into account input from:
· ESP
· ABS
· ASR
· Electronic brake force distribution (EBD)
Airmatic Dual Control Semi-active air suspension with ADS II Adaptive Damping System
Standard on the E500, optional on the E320, this includes the ADS II Adaptive Damping System as well as integrated level control. Airmatic is a fully load-bearing, electronically controlled air suspension system with driver-selectable Comfort and Sport settings. The system's controls can also raise or lower the height of the vehicle.
4 Zone Climate Control
E320s come with 2 Zone Climate Control with an Electrostatic dust filter. E500s come with 4 Zone Climate control with an Electrostatic dust filter and an activated charcoal filter. Both systems are quite sophisticated and take into account outside humidity and sun position.
Single-Disc CD Player
is standard, with a 6 disc in dash CD changer a factory option.
Harmon-Kardon Surround Sound
The optional sound system is an amazing 420 watt, 12 speaker, 8-channel amplifier unit capable of putting you on the front row of the concert hall.
Neat Options (not a complete list.)
· Drive Dynamic Seats, multicontour seats with bolsters that pump up on the G-force side in a corner. Regular multicontour seats are also available.
· Heated Steering Wheel-They cheered when this was introduced in New Jersey, but it got a tepid reaction from dealer personnel in Houston for some reason.
· Bi-Xenon headlamps with headlamp washers. If you want to SEE at night, get these.
· Active-Ventilated Seats-Air Conditioned seats!
· Split-folding rear seat (delayed availability)
· DVD based navigation system-with voice activation if you get the V.60 Phone with Voice Activation.
· Sport package-Wider 5 spoke wheels, more aggressive styling, black birdseye maple, white gauges.
·Distronic-Radar controlled cruise control
· Parktronic-Ultrasonic parking aid.
· Panoramic Roof with Solar Panels. Worried that the big glass roof will be too hot? On a hot day the solar panels will power the ventilation system in the climate control to keep fresh air circulating in the car.
· Electronic trunk closer.
· Tire Pressure Monitor.
· Keyless Go-keep the key in your pocket. When you touch the door handle the car unlocks. Sit down. Put your foot on the brakes and push a button on the shift knob, and the car starts. Do that again and it stops. When you close the doors, before you walk away, touch the driver's door handle, and the car unlocks until you return. Neat.
There's more, of course.
MISC RAVINGS
Warning Triangle
I can now get the warning triangles that fit in 2002+ ML320s and 500s. If you bought one from me, call me.
How To Do $1100 Damage To Your Car
If you have to change a tire and mount the spare, on many of our cars the spare wheel requires different lug bolts than the wheel on the ground. They are included with the wheel. If you use the longer lug bolts that are used on the alloy wheel, you can do as much as $1100 damage. This is not warranty.
If your spare wheel is BLACK instead of alloy, it requires different wheel bolts. Right now check it out. Find the bolts.
Calling 1-800-FOR-MERCedes for Mercedes Roadside Assistance avoids this problem.
Vietnam Studies
From Bill Laurie, Vietnam Vet and a founder of Counterparts, the alumnae society for former advisors during the Southeast Asian Unpleasantness:
"The status of "Viet Nam Studies" in high schools and college is getting worse, and it was already sad. Flipped through a high school textbook and was amazed to discover that the U. S. 61st (rpt:sixty-first) division was in Viet Nam, that napalm was used to burn down the jungle so tunnel entrances could be found, that Edward Landsdale started the Special Forces, that the U.S. tried, and failed, repeatedly to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail, that Ho Chi Minh "distributed land to the peasants," and so on down the line. Also found, in another book written by a college professor, that America had one million (rpt: one million) troops in VN, and that Nixon mined Hai Phong Harbor because of - get ready - the Calley trial and because Ellsburg released the Pentagon Papers. A typical younger high school teacher is abysmally ignorant and buys into far too much of the old recycled and now mutated "anti-war" propaganda. Did you know the U.S. Army tried to drain the Plain of Reeds to deny "guerrilla" hiding spots? Only problem is it's no more possible to drain the Plain of Reeds than it is to move Pike's Peak to Florida. 6' above sea level, 70 inches of rain a year, adjacency to Mekong River. No can do, GI. Oh, and according to a couple of college textbook authors, the NVA were issued one uniform and one pair of sandals which was to last them five years. And, the siege at Khe Sahn was only a diversion, and the US forces there were "without an enemy to fight." (exact words).
"How these idiots get away with this is beyond comprehension."
I once read a high school history textbook on the Vietnam war. I then called the teacher and offered to help, as it was worse than the above in misinformation. She immediately informed me she knew everything about Vietnam and didn't need any help from a war criminal. I thanked her and called a member of the school board of that town. He explained to me that the school had been pretty much taken over by ex-Vietnam war protestors, and the school board couldn't do much with them.
For some years I've been on the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America's speaker's bureau, available to speak to high school or college classes on the Vietnam War. I've been asked to speak once.
BILL LAURIE'S CAT
"Our newest cat, Itty Bitty Fatso Kitty, continues to amaze. We suspect he is an interplanetary traveler sent down to observe life on earth. He sleeps so much we checked with the vet to see if he's OK, and he is. "IB", as he is sometimes known, enjoys watching humans do chores. He'll jump on the counter and watch humans wash dishes, no doubt concealing a smug giggle of arrogance. He'll go for hours sleeping in one place, hardly moving. But, venture to the bathroom, tend to business, and open the door and there he is, waiting. Why? For reasons beyond our ken, he will not and does not "meow", except for once every 6 weeks or so for no known reason. He has appointed himself the human alarm clock. Demonstrating expertise in lethargy and sleeping the entire day, he'll walk upon his humans in the morning, back and forth, until they wake up. Pull the covers over your head and he'll paw them down. Why? Only IB knows, and he ain't telling. Just checked him out, and he's rolled up in a ball, sleeping. He looks like an orange upholstered bowling ball, and probably won't move for another two-three hours. He's an adventurous type, however, and always finds new "launch pads to Itty Bitty Land," AKA places to sleep. He's scared me on a couple of occasions as I could not find him and was afraid he'd somehow got outside and taken off. We've found an infallible way to summon him, however. Simply rustle the paper on his cat food bag, and voila, IB beams himself down from whatever new secret hiding place he's found. On the average, he'll use pathfinder techniques to find new launch sites three or four times a week. Ever the inquisitive mind. You and The Redhead would like IB."
LISA BEAMER
Lisa Beamer on Good Morning America - (This came in one of those e-mails. I don't know how much it was modified from Lisa's original statements.)
If you remember, she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said "Let's Roll!" and helped take down the plane that was heading for Washington D. C.
She said it's the little things that she misses most about Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as he came home, and her children running to meet him. She's now the Mom of a beautiful little girl, Mary.
Lisa recalled this story:
I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there. With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Class is over. I would like to share with all of you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important."
"Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."
Her eyes, beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground."
"Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the 'stuff' of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at anytime, it can all be taken away."
The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester.
Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.
Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today.
Go barefoot.
Or walk on the beach at sunset.
Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.
Remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Todd Beamer
(Todd Beamer's last communication with the outside world, as reported in Newsweek:)
Up to this moment, Beamer had been all business. "Lisa," he said suddenly. "Yes?" responded Jefferson. "That's my wife," said Beamer. "Well that's my name, too, Todd," said Jefferson. "Oh, my God," said Beamer. "I don't think we're going to get out of this thing. I'm going to have to go out on faith." Jefferson tried to comfort him. "Todd," she said, "you don't know that." Beamer asked her to promise to call his wife if he didn't make it home. He told her about his little boys and the new baby on the way. Then he said that the passengers were going to try to jump the hijackers. "Are you sure that's what you want to do, Todd?" asked Jefferson. "It's what we have to do," he answered. He asked her to pray with him. Beamer kept a Lord's Prayer bookmark in his Tom Clancy novel, but he didn't need any prompting. He began to recite the litany, and she joined him:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.
"Jesus help me," Beamer said. He recited the 23d Psalm. Then Jefferson heard him say:
"Are you guys ready? Let's roll."
Curt Rich September 2002
THINGS THAT DIDN'T FIT IN THE SNAIL MAIL VERSION, LINKS, and POLITICALLY INCORRECT DEPT.
September's Urban Legends of the Month:
1. Static Electricity is burning women to death at gas pumps--Well, no, not really.
2. Cell Phones are causing fires at gas stations--Not only no, but hell no. That hasn't stopped laws against using a cell phone at a gas station from being enacted.
Driving/Automotive Articles of Note:
Are you a dangerous driver? 10 Ways to tell
Beating a Speeding Ticket to Keep Your Insurance Rates Down -- Even MSN says it's okay to try to beat a ticket.
Automakers will take fight over California's greenhouse gas reduction
law to court--AutoWeek.com
Sky Falling, but Automakers Ready for California's New CO2 Reduction Law--AutoWeek.com's take on California's latest draconian anti-car ruling.
Farschule (driving school)--A slightly warped view of driving
Guns/Gun Control Articles:
Guns and Violence, part 1--Paul Craig Roberts dispels a lot of myths and lies.
Guns and Violence, part 2, How the British Maximize Crime--You think New York City is more dangerous than London? Read this.
Lessons From History--The trouble with lessons from history is they often involve little actual history.
Travel/Flying Articles:
Revenge of the Tweezer People--Backlash against senseless and useless airport security rules is building into something nasty.
The Airlines Find Another Way to Screw Travelers-- That bag you've been checking for 3 years? It's too big. That'll be $270 in oversize charges--each way.
Pet Articles:
In search of Fluffy 2.0--Pet Cloning.
Politically Incorrect Dept. -- Jokes, etc. sent to us that we wouldn't put into the newsletter for one reason or another, probably to keep the assassination attempts down. To get in, choose one of the two statements below:
I have a sense of humor and won't be offended
I have no sense of humor and will be offended if I want to.