A tip from the Bureaucrat Beat Newsroom. We happened to go to Vons for cat food for Tuxedo, the newsroom animal. Well, one of the animals. Anyway, we thought we would try the self-serve check-out for speed. So, we start to run the little cans of cat goodies over the bar code scan. Then, the discovery that you can’t key in the number of items that cost the same thing. One can at a time?!? The second can didn’t want to register. You get the picture. We swooped up our two dozen little feline food delicacies and went through the old-fashioned way. Much better. Hey, maybe we’re just technologically challenged. So, why do they have check-out people who stand by self-serve to tell you what you’ve done wrong if it’s such a great service?!?

The other Vons story – we mentioned it before – about corporate headquarters move to cut donations of milk and eggs to IMACA and the Salvation Army. Right when people need it most. We called corporate headquarters and they sent us a statement. Here it is:

“Many food pantries, though well-intentioned, are not equipped to transport temperature-sensitive items from our stores to their facilities. That said, in the best interest of consumers and to avoid temperature-related foodborne illnesses, we have decided to discontinue the practice of donating milk and eggs to local agencies.” The Vons corporate headquarters said they do donate over 260,000 pounds of food per month to regional agencies that serve local pantries. We also heard that Vons wants to slim down inventory with less to throw away or give away.

We will add that Joseph’s Market in Bishop provides freezer space and other considerations to help IMACA’s food pantry and the hungry of the Eastern Sierra. Yes, we do have hungry people who need help. Some of these people work hard to keep their lives going, but difficulties today make it harder than ever before.

So, the alleged Christian in Florida set to burn Korans has apparently changed his mind. Oh, well, maybe he finally read the Golden Rule – you know, do unto others as you want them to do unto you. Or, maybe he heard that General Petraeus warned against the holy book burnings on September 11th because it could endanger our troops.

And, now, for the Bell, California anecdote of the week. In a local government gone to racketeering, the administrators, according to the LA Times, forced police into a quota system of having cars towed – so they could collect the fees to pay their big, fat, bloated salaries. Wow.

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man. If you like to listen to Bob Dylan. Maybe you would like to read about him. A new biography just out. Written by a man described as a “distinguished cultural, political historian – Sean Wilentz..

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.