Yousingthebluesto losetheblues.You lifttheburdenbytransferringitintoasongI'll bedamnedifIknowwhyorhowthatmiracletakesplace,butitalways does.WILLIE NELSON,musician,inhismeDirIt'saLongStoryFOR READERS,what theyread isIN SPORTS,therearerules thatwherethey'vebeen, and theircollec-keepyou safe.In life,therearerulestions are evidence of the trek.thatkeeptheworld fromdescend-ing into total chaos.In both, thereWILLIAM GIRALDIare rulesthatpeoplemakeuptonovelist, in the New Republichidebehind or for their own benefit.You have to be smart enough toCHILDHOOD,especiallywhenknowthedifference.you're an only child, is like beingplunked down on an isolated humanRONDAROUSEY,UFCwomen'sbantamweightchampion,outpostindeepspaceforthefirstinher memnoir,MyFight/YourFigh18 years of your life. Everything youknowofEarthand itscustomsyouIF ANIMALS have rights, what arehear from the humans charged withtheir responsibilities? If a lion hasthe right not to be hunted to death,yourrearingorpickupbychancefrom theTVdoes it also have a responsibility notto eat me?Frankly,I don't trust theALEXANDRAPETRIlion tokeep his half of the deal.newspapercolumnist,inherbookA Field GuidetoAwkward Silence:ADAM ROBERTS,writer, in New ScientistSignupforadailyPoints toPonder e-mail atrd.com/ptp
Sign up for a daily Points to Ponder e-mail at rd.com/ptp. FOR READERS, what they read is where they’ve been, and their collections are evidence of the trek. WILLIAM GIRALDI, novelist, in the New Republic CHILDHOOD, especially when you’re an only child, is like being plunked down on an isolated human outpost in deep space for the first 18 years of your life. Everything you know of Earth and its customs you hear from the humans charged with your rearing or pick up by chance from the TV. ALEXANDRA PETRI, newspaper columnist, in her book A Field Guide to Awkward Silences You sing the blues to lose the blues. You lift the burden by transferring it into a song. I’ll be damned if I know why or how that miracle takes place, but it always does. WILLIE NELSON, musician, in his memoir It’s a Long Story IN SPORTS, there are rules that keep you safe. In life, there are rules that keep the world from descending into total chaos. In both, there are rules that people make up to hide behind or for their own benefit. You have to be smart enough to know the difference. RONDA ROUSEY, UFC women’s bantamweight champion, in her memoir, My Fight/Your Fight IF ANIMALS have rights, what are their responsibilities? If a lion has the right not to be hunted to death, does it also have a responsibility not to eat me? Frankly, I don’t trust the lion to keep his half of the deal. ADAM ROBERTS, writer, in New Scientist
WORDSOFLASTINGINTERESTDayinand dayout,thegreatmajorityofofficersdotheirjobtherightwayGood Cops, Bad CopsBYBOBSCHIEFFERFROMTHEWALLSTREETJOURNALTHEBESTTRAININGtobeareporteristoworkthepolicebeatbecause everystoryyou coveristheworstmomentinsomeone's life.Ifyou can learn to get theright informationunderthosecircumstances,you won'tbefazed bythehighand mighty and certainly not by the on-the-makepoliticiansand spin doctors-which iswhyI wanttoadd aparagraph ortwo to the rash of stories lately aboutcops gone wrong.BOB SCHIEFFERThis is not about them.This is about all the cops you don'twas CBSread about.They deal much of the time with the dregs ofNews's chiefour society:the schemers, the murderers, those who preyWashingtonontheweak.Andmostofthetime,thepolicedeal withthemcorrespondenthumanely,andas theyshould.for33yearsWhat we overlook is just howdifficult that can be some-andmoderatorof Facethetimes.It's not easyto remain passive when a child beaterESNationforlooks you in the eye and tells youyou have to understand,24 years.thekid was keeping him awake. Ittakes a lotof professionaltraining and strong character nottorespondin anger.IknowbecauseI spentmyearlyyearslisteningto someofthese awful people. Sometimes I wanted to hit them myself.I didn't, but it helped meunderstand how hard it is to doa cop's job right. As hard as it is, the great majority of ourRcops still do just that.2009·20151rd.comPHOTOGRAPH BY RUSS AND REYN
20 | 09•2015 | rd.com PHOTOGRAPH BY RUSS AND REYN ILLUSTRATION BY JOE MCKENDRY THE BEST TRAINING to be a reporter is to work the police beat because every story you cover is the worst moment in someone’s life. If you can learn to get the right information under those circumstances, you won’t be fazed by the high and mighty and certainly not by the on-the-make politicians and spin doctors—which is why I want to add a paragraph or two to the rash of stories lately about cops gone wrong. This is not about them. This is about all the cops you don’t read about. They deal much of the time with the dregs of our society: the schemers, the murderers, those who prey on the weak. And most of the time, the police deal with them humanely, and as they should. What we overlook is just how difficult that can be sometimes. It’s not easy to remain passive when a child beater looks you in the eye and tells you—you have to understand, the kid was keeping him awake. It takes a lot of professional training and strong character not to respond in anger. I know because I spent my early years listening to some of these awful people. Sometimes I wanted to hit them myself. I didn’t, but it helped me understand how hard it is to do a cop’s job right. As hard as it is, the great majority of our cops still do just that. BY BOB SCHIEFFER FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Good Cops, Bad Cops Day in and day out, the great majority of officers do their job the right way COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY BOB SCHIEFFER. WALL STREET JOURNAL (APRIL 19, 2015), WSJ.COM. WORDS OF LASTING INTEREST BOB SCHIEFFER was CBS News’s chief Washington correspondent for 33 years and moderator of Face the Nation for 24 years
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SPONSOREDCONTENTLO!JACARANDAA SpanishGypsy's CanteJondo(deep songofthecaves)WRITTEN BY HARRY FREIERMUTHWRITTENBYHARRY FREIERMUTHJacarandaisayoung,Spanish-Gypsywomanin1760sSpain.Asfatewouldhaveit,sheisbornandraisedasthedaughterofawealthyrancheroownerA beautiful life of prosperity and lovestretchesonbeforeherasthedayofhebetrothalapproaches.However,beforeLO!the wedding, her gypsy heritage isrevealed,andher joymeltsawayJACARANDAspaheyeys.cmedontodegpangcesAVAILABLEINPRINTANDE-BOOKTraFfordLearnmoreatwww.trafford.comPUBLISHING
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YOUBETHEJUDGEDoesacarcompanyhaveto pay when avehicle'sfueleconomyfallsshortofthemaker'sclaims?The CaseOf the GasGuzzlerBYVICKIGLEMBOCKI@IN2006,HeatherPeterspaidworse-—lessthan30mpg.InOctober$30,486 in cash for a new Honda2011,Petersreceived noticeofaclassCivic Hybrid at a Santa Monica,actionlawsuitfiledagainstHondaforCalifornia,dealership,expecting toanyonewhoowned orleaseda2003getthefuel economyadvertisedonto 2009 Civic Hybrid,"alleginggener-a sticker on the car's window and inallythatthefueleconomyestimatesits sales brochures: 49mpg in the[American Honda Motor] advertisedcity and 51 on the highway.forthe[HondaCivicHvbrid]couldHowever,Peters noticed that shenot be achieved under normal driv-nevergotmorethan42mpg,soining conditions."The suit promisedMarch2008,she took the car to theuptos200to dissatisfied customers.dealer for a tune-up and continued"I thought it was a ridiculouslyto get repairs of all kinds there untillowamount,"saysPeters,who,asa2011.During this time, in 2010,formerlawyer, knew she had anotherPeters received a free software up-option."Ifigured, Why not go tosmall-claims court?"date from Honda to"help prevent..OnNovember29,2011,Petersfiledbatterydeterioration."Aftertheupgrade, her gas mileage got evenacaseintheSouthwestDistrictof09-201523ILLUSTRATION BY NOMA BARrd.com
rd.com | 09•2015 | 23 worse—less than 30 mpg. In October 2011, Peters received notice of a class action lawsuit filed against Honda for anyone who owned or leased a 2003 to 2009 Civic Hybrid, “alleging generally that the fuel economy estimates [American Honda Motor] advertised for the [Honda Civic Hybrid] could not be achieved under normal driving conditions.” The suit promised up to $200 to dissatisfied customers. “I thought it was a ridiculously low amount,” says Peters, who, as a former lawyer, knew she had another option. “I figured, Why not go to small-claims court?” On November 29, 2011, Peters filed a case in the Southwest District of IN 2006, Heather Peters paid $30,486 in cash for a new Honda Civic Hybrid at a Santa Monica, California, dealership, expecting to get the fuel economy advertised on a sticker on the car’s window and in its sales brochures: 49 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway. However, Peters noticed that she never got more than 42 mpg, so in March 2008, she took the car to the dealer for a tune-up and continued to get repairs of all kinds there until 2011. During this time, in 2010, Peters received a free software update from Honda to “help prevent . battery deterioration.” After the upgrade, her gas mileage got even Does a car company have to pay when a vehicle’s fuel economy falls short of the maker’s claims? ➸ The Case Of the Gas Guzzler BY VICKI GLEMBOCKI YOU BE THE JUDGE ILLUSTRATION BY NOMA BAR