Guilt

A couple of days ago I ranted on Facebook a bit about the United States Postal Service—Frankly, they’re worthless when it comes to package delivery—But I had no idea how many of us have been dealt with in a capricious, inaccurate, and insulting manner by USPS employees. Seems like everyone in my “friends” group has had a similar experience with the USPS. They appear to be just about as respected and loved as the KKK. You see, in order to deliver packages to my house, they would be required to make a three point turn in my drive, which they have decided they can no longer do. I was told at the Post Office that this was due to “anti-backing up” regulations, but when I researched it myself, I discovered that there is no such USPS regulation. The USPS has a section of their safety manual devoted to instructions on how to back up, but it’s not prohibited. In other words, the USPS employees are lying about it. The logical explanation is that the USPS doesn’t want to...

Just saw on the local news that one of the local jurisdictions up here in the greater Northwest (read:Portland) is considering banning menthol cigarettes because, and I couldn’t possibly make this up…..Because the advertising for menthol cigarettes targets “people of color”--Their words, I swear. Evil fargin’ tobacco companies anyhow…..Killing off non-whites. Seems to be just more of the old white guy syndrome here in these United States, no? I quit smoking a really long time ago, but when I did smoke, I was a Kool guy. And no, I’m not anybody’s description of a person of color. I’m really weary of this nonsense. Really.

I miss having the daily newspaper delivered to the house. One of the problems these days is that the newspaper doesn’t really have as much to do with my life as it once did. I live in a place I didn’t grow up in, and the people who are in charge of things (like the newspaper, f’rinstance) aren’t known quantities to me. I bet it’s different when you live in the same town all your life. I grew up reading the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and the San Francisco Chronicle when they were actual newspapers rather than sounding boards for democrat party politics. I guess it’s indicative that there’s no Santa Rosa Press Republican. Far as I know, there never was, but at one time the “PD” was just a local paper. I don’t know what it is now, but whatever the contents are, it has little to do with my life. The paper here in Cowlitz County, Washington emanates from Longview, Washington—just up the road a piece—We call it the “Big City” when we go there. It’s about 35,000 popul...