Want a clear cut view of our lives today? Take a look at the Los Angeles times Business Section. I know, you’re not a business owner, so why should you care? Because the material habits of people reveal just about everything.
The Sunday section reveals true financial trouble. Check out these headlines: Slump Sobers Wine Buyers, Savings and Loans Seized by Regulators, State Jobless Rate Seen Rising further, Taking a Chance: Lotto or Stocks? Department Store Chain, Dillards, Will Cut 500 Jobs.
You get the idea. Meanwhile, another headline in the Business Section uncovered the FCC’s insistence that some court somewhere ding CBS and Janet Jackson for her brief bit of nudity at the 2004 Super Bowl. Perhaps the Business Section has revealed the stark truth of life – the days of greed and self indulgence are over and the need to make ends meet has overtaken the endless back and forth over government intervention into decency.
For heaven’s sake, intelligent people have forgotten about Janet Jackson and have begun stern self examination in case we dive into a depression. And, judging from the Business Section, things don’t look good.
Pre-holiday spirits looked good at the Independence American Legion Hall on Sunday where the community enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner. More than 100 people brought food to the hall, smiled, ate, talked and laughed. Warm hearts will sustain us through hard times.
Many hearts turned up the heat when they heard about a North Carolina mailman who refused to deliver stacks and stacks of junk mail, much to his customers’ delight. The Direct Marketing Association frowned on Mailman Steve Padgett. So did the Postal Service. Seems he built up stacks and stacks of junk mail on his back porch. A utility worker saw them and blew the whistle. Customers sent cudos to Mailman Steve for delivering them from unwanted mail.
A federal judge sentenced Padgett to three years’ probation, fined him $3,000 and ordered 500 hours of community service. He also lost his job but won respect from grateful customers. Some suggested the mailman should go to work for the phone company and weed out all those unwanted telemarketer calls.
Two local governments realized that they exist to support the will of the people. Councilman John Eastman cut through the bear hoopla and stated plainly that the public made it clear what they want and that’s what he wants.
The Inyo Supervisors finally realized they had to give the people of Independence more time to adjust to higher water pressure from the new reservoir. They agreed with the plan to turn the system on half-way until March. That’s reasonable!
Governments get into trouble when they forget about the people. That’s what has happened in Washington, D.C.
What’s with the Ku Klux Klan? Do they really think it’s cool to whip up an organization based on hate? That is so pass it’s laughable. Come on, guys, look for another reason for being. If the only identity you can muster is loathing another human being, you need psychotherapy.
We in the Bureaucrat Beat newsroom make it our personal goal to avoid psychotherapy. We strive for sanity in every way we can, which, for creative types, is no easy task at times. Maybe that’s what KKK members need to do – engage in creative activities. Hey, how about water colors or fashion design – no white hoods, please.
And, 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.
