Ironic sight of the week: The big box retailer demonstrating the picture quality of a huge flat-screen monitor with the film "Our Very Own," yet no copies were available for sale.

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Next month, the Shelbyville Planning Commission is set to take their first look at a series of updated subdivision regulations, which officials are hoping will improve the quality of life for those who live here.

The codes haven't been updated since 1990, when growth was at a crawl. But with developments popping up around the county like weeds, officials are calling for fresh guidelines to handle the new subdivisions.

Bedford County has some of the most beautiful views in all of Tennessee, yet if we're not careful, it could all be lost to massive over-development. Just look at what has happened to neighboring Rutherford County.

But while the number of newcomers moving to our area isn't going to slow down anytime soon, perhaps the thing that could attract them here is not the promise of inexpensive starter homes, but a good looking subdivision with large open spaces included.

A drive down Highway 82 outside of Bell Buckle will show you what I'm talking about. While there are many high dollar homes in this area, the lay out and the landscaping is extremely well done, matching the rolling hills of the terrain.

Compare this to some of the cookie cutter subdivisions that have popped up here and other counties as of late. They remind one of the bland designs that was typical of the mass produced developments cranked out after World War II.

Too many of the new developments in the county seemed to be designed to fit as many structures as possible on the land available. In fact, some of the plans that have come before Shelbyville's planning commission have sought to stuff as many as three homes into one acre in these developments. The same is happening in Tullahoma, where a developer just won a court battle with neighbors and will build nearly 180 new homes on a 66 acre tract.

There is no reason at all why new subdivisions can't look as good as their high income cousins. While the builders want to make as much money off their investment as they can, focusing a little attention and imagination on the overall design and landscaping can go a long way in making Shelbyville a more attractive place to live.

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There are times in life when you find out who are the good Samaritans and who will ignore you in time of need. Tuesday afternoon was one of those times.

Once again, car troubles have plagued this writer and of course, it happened at the worst possible time: Namely going up a steep hill on Highway 130 when suddenly, the alternator decided to give up the ghost. I'm beginning to wonder if a gypsy laid a foul curse on the four-wheeled beast, because it has been nothing but a troublesome expense this summer.

It died about a mile past River Bend County Club and cell phone coverage in this area is sporadic at best. Have you seen those wireless ads where parts of a dropped conversation cause a major, but humorous misunderstanding? It's really not that funny when you're trying to describe where you're stranded to the tow truck guy.

But there were a lot of fine folks who stopped to help. Jack Kline, who lived nearby, was of great assistance helping me get the dead vehicle out of the road. Several others stopped to render aid as well, but the wrecker was well on its way by that time.

One thing I did notice that everyone else who flew by were so engrossed in cell phone conversations that they could hardly be bothered with what was trapped on the side of the road. Considering there were no shoulders on that section of Hwy. 130 and steep drop offs, a little more observation would have been nice.

But folks that did stop were concerned and helpful. Mr. Kline even invited me to his home to cool off, but I had no idea when the tow operator would find me, so it was a long, hot wait ... with scattered showers.

It's a good thing that the breakdown was on 130 instead of Highway 41A, where I would have likely been run down by the twisted maniacs that recklessly race through that corridor on a daily basis.

You get a friendlier breed of folks on the backroads of this part of the country, and it was great to meet some of them this week. I only wish it was under better circumstances.