Do we really need laws for everything? Some argue that if people come to rely on laws to tell them what to do they will forget how to think. Common sense atrophies, they say. We tend to agree. So does Governor Schwarzenegger.

When he visited Mammoth Mountain last month, Arnold wanted to ski. Wow. He really did ski! Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory said Schwarzenegger was in great shape, skied really fast – “six or seven runs off the top.” Gregory said people started to wait at the top to say hi to the Governor. One person challenged Arnold and wanted to know where his helmet was.

The Governator, no wimp when it comes to physical thrills, said, “I don’t wear a helmet.” Then he took out a big cigar, put it in his mouth and skied away. The sixty-something Governor reportedly said, “I came to America to make my own decisions.” Cheers to you, Arnold.

Did the colorful actor gone politician reveal what his next moves will be? Gregory said he wasn’t saying. The LA Times editors want to know why Schwarzenegger is now holding fundraisers – $50,000 a plate fundraisers. If he’s not seeking another political office, what’s up with all the money gathering? The Austrian star has a zipped lip.

We wish some of the major media would ask President Obama why he will spend more than a billion additional dollars per year on space travel but not on balancing the budget? Internet sources say the national debt equals about $13 trillion. This can not be a good thing. Hey, Congress, do something!!!!

Watch what you say about this kind of thing if you’re in Pennsylvania. Free-speech lawsuits have flown into court because of what lawyers say are state police wrongly charging hundreds of people with disorderly conduct for swearing. Hey, this could amount to a real offense, but a woman who called a motorcyclist a dirty name because he swerved at her? People, where is the common sense???!!

Here’s a common concern – jobs. Seems when the President showed up in Buffalo, New York to talk about jobs he’s created, a billboard hit him head-on. It said, “Dear Mr. President, I need a freakin’ job.” Pretty darned basic. Some local candidates have figured out it’s the same story here. That’s what people need.

Tragically, a couple of dozen people who work for the Eastern Sierra Unified School District are saying they need a freakin’ job. While other school districts here made gradual cuts, a ton of bricks hit that tiny district. The debate rages on over who failed to do what, when. Meanwhile, another strange development.

At a meeting Wednesday with the Mono County Board of Education and Superintendent Catherine Hiatt, citizens asked a lot of questions. More than 40 crowded into the room in Bridgeport. It was in part about what the County Office of Ed can do to help ESUSD. Consolidation of services, for one. Hiatt said a couple of hundred thousand could be saved.

The crowd barely concealed their anger and said they heard Thursday’s meeting between ESUSD and the County Office would be closed. How could the public learn the outcome? Hiatt responded and agreed to hold the meeting in the open at Memorial Hall. Applause followed. But the good feeling ended the next day.

Seems Hiatt touched bases with Superintendent Don Clark about the meeting. Hiatt said Clark emailed her that Margie Beaver, Chairman of the ESUSD board was “seeking legal counsel regarding the format change of the meeting.” Hiatt said there was never discussion of format. Apparently the inclusion of the public changed the “format.”

Hiatt said Ms. Beaver wanted to postpone the meeting because things are “too volatile. Wait until they have calmed down.” Hiatt planned to go to Memorial Hall Thursday to stand at the door and explain to the public that there would be no meeting. That should cool things off.

Okay. We can only say that if the Board waits for things to calm down, they may never be able to explore money-saving ideas in public meetings. We in the Bureaucrat Beat newsroom hope the public will prevail.

With that, this is Benett Kessler signing off for Bureaucrat Beat where we await your word on our lives in the Eastern Sierra and beyond.