Seven Less Things to Worry About

Americans have enough on their plate without worrying about one more thing. Here are seven issues in one stroke so we have 7 less things to worry about:

Rise of the Loonie

Canada - our friend and largest trading partner - has a more valuable currency that is now on a par with the dollar for the first time in 30 years. Canada's rising currency ,named after it's nationally known bird the loon, will make everything in Canada a bit more expensive but this author will always love visiting our neighbor to the North. Can we return bird for bird with the Silver Eagle?

And the good news? Cheaper dollars attract "foreign visitors who seek cheaper acomodations and shopping" (Farwell, 2007).

Chocolate Woes

Beloved Belgium is splitting apart at the seams and efforts to unite the divided Nation have faltered this past year. Belgium,- created as a buffer between two powers in a different time and place - has two opposing national groups that cannot quite seem to get along. Will production of this country's beloved chocolate be impacted by this country wide lack of unity?

Cartoonist Debacles

We are country that is used to having a somewhat free press that is sometimes accurate and sometimes not. We enjoy being able to express our opinion so long as we do not impinge on the rights of others. This freedom of expression appears in danger as editorial cartoonists become subject to greater restrictions and more restrictive markets. The ongoing and most worrisome limitation is the inability to draw any pictorial images of Muhammad without fear of reprisal. Who would have ever thought that drawing a satirical cartoon could become a dangerous job? Why not just boycott the offending publishing paper rather than stamping out the freedom of expression?

Still, the trend is entering into other areas and editorial cartoonists are loosing ground along with the other forms of the written word.

Marcel Marceau has died

Who likes Mimes in the first place? But still - generations grew up with this person who could not utter a sound or escape an imaginary cardboard box without pantomime muscular strain. How did he ever drive home? Who can replace his internationally recognized school of improv? Hopefully, nobody will try.

The Hyphen is perishing in the English Language

I must admit that I enjoy hyphenated words. However, bumble-bee is now bumblebee and test-tube is now test tube with the new English dictionaries being written for today's user of the English language. The reason for the demise? Our hectic lifestyle - "The hyphen has been squeezed as informal ways of communicating, honed in text messages and emails, spread on Web sites and seep into newspapers and books" (Reuters, 2007). Will the hyphen become the latest victim of rapidly typed and thoughtlessly written emails?

Y'all becoming a National Phrase?

The Southern Drawl - that twang that is a sound joyful to this author - maybe spreading. Again, when properly spoken the Southern Drawl is a work of art and an element of culture. Will the spread of the drawl reduce this artful linguistic turn of phrase to a gutter bound form of national expression? """The boundary for Southern speech actually has spread," says Fought. "And we're seeing fairly large fingers and puddles of more or less Southern speech north of the Ohio River and West of the Mississippi into the Plains"" (Jonsson, 2007). Still, others disagree and regard the spreading drawl as a temporary trend that will still be regionally retained like the delightful Louisiana patois.

And - finally - the last thing to worry about -Number Seven

Changes in America's Beloved Songs?

Who has not heard and been stirred by our National Anthem or loved listening to Woody Guthrie's 'This Land is Our Land' ? The lyrics behind 'God Bless America inspire a similar following for most but not everybody in America. We are a country of expression but who would want to change God Bless America? Apparently, there is a fairly large move to rewrite the beloved song. "Event organizers invited the Church of God Choir, from Springfield, Ohio, to sing "God Bless America"-- except the lyrics were rewritten. Instead of a song about "the land that I love," and "home sweet home," this version condemns the country..." (Klein, 2007). Imagine that? Changing sounds of tearful rousing remembrance to discordant muzak of hate?

Rewriting songs that inspire a Nation is not a new theme but changing the lyrics of a beloved song to words that create dissension rather than retaining stirring thought provoking memories of hope is another matter....

Fox News (2007). Swedish Cartoonist Displays Prophet Muhammad Cartoon Despite Death Threat retrieved September 22, 2007 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297291,00.html

Jonsson, P. (2007). The Southern Drawl: Is it Spreading? Christian Science Monitor retrieved September 23, 2007 from http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0920/p20s01-ussc.html

Klein, H. (2007). Two Musical Visions of America retrieved September 22, 2007 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-klein/two-musical-visions-of-am_b_65516.html

Farwell, J. (2007). The Rise of the Looney Associated Press Medford Mail Tribune September 21, 2007

Reuters (2007). Hyphens perish as English Marches On retrieved September 22, 2007 from http://www.stuff.co.nz/4212062a19716.html

Sciolino, E. (2007) Calls for a Breakup Grow Ever Louder in Belgium The New York Times retrieved September 21, 2007 from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/world/europe/21belgium.html?em&ex=1190606400&en=9ce497e7684a65de&ei=5087%0A