Opus 2025-007: Tax Dollars at Work: Dim Your Lights

One of the first things I do every morning is to check the weather.  Actually, I check the temperature.  The rest of the weather is something I’m not too worried about.  This morning I was warned, or told, that there was a “Special Weather Statement” that I needed to read.  OK.  I was open to a little entertainment so I touch the screen.

I was taken then to a “Special Weather Statement” from the National Weather Service.  They informed me, I could just hear the drum roll in the background and I imagine the deep voice, that there will be fog today.  They went on to share with me how that meant that I should drive with low beams, at a slower speed, and leave more space between me in the car in front of me.

Thank you, weather app.  Thank you National Weather Service.  I’m sure that when I went outside, I would have assumed that my glasses were just fogging up because of the temperature change.  When I took them off to clean them, I would’ve wondered why I still couldn’t see.  It’s good that I have the federal government here to tell me that it’s foggy.  I’m sure I would never notice.

Thank you weather app and thank you. National Weather Service for assuming that my father did not teach me how to drive in fog.  Actually I’ve known since before I could drive that you turn your low beams on in the fog.  I also am quite aware that driving 80 miles an hour in a heavy fog on a curvy road with lots of traffic is not a way to live to see your great-grandchildren.

I would suggest that perhaps Elon and Vivek might look at the National Weather Service as one of the things that does not need to be broadcast into every home every day.  I understand if I am flying a jet across the country I might need some kind of heads-up but not for knowing if it is raining outside my front door.  Of course, that could be just me.

We might also need a National Restaurant Service to warn us about putting white powder in our coffee out of those little shakers on the table.  Some wise guru might also tell us that it’s not a good idea to eat your peas with a knife and be careful with that fork because you could make holes in your eyeballs . Also, they might want to remind us that knives can be sharp and that glasses when they were knocked off the table might break.

You are welcome for this heartfelt recommendation.

homo unius libri