Black Friday – scary

Black Friday, 2010. I heard the Boise mall was busy, I did not go into the mall lot. The traffic around the mall, however, was not busy at all. Some stores I visited were very, very busy. Some were not as well organized as others. The shoppers I mingled with were very polite, knew what they wanted, got in and got out (as fast as the checkers could accomplish their tasks).

I drove by Walmart. I have been driving by Walmart for the past five years and refuse to step into that store. Their parking lot was crammed full.

Some stores I visited were NOT busy. Some I drove by had very few cars in the lot. This is what is scary for me. I want retailers to have a good Christmas season. That bodes well for our economy and their employees.

NFL Fines and justice?

Fines assessed last week in the National Football League:

$7,500 for hitting a defenseless receiver.
$5,000 for an illegal chop block.
$10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct when he went to the ground to celebrate a touchdown.
$5,000 for an illegal chop block.
$5,000 for unnecessary roughness.
$5,000 for unnecessary roughness.
$5,000 for roughing the passer.

All of these offenses could have led to serious injury to another player — except one. That which received the highest penalty.

The American Christian

Bumper sticker:

“Don’t let this car fool you. My treasure is in heaven.”

As a Christian brother with respect to that car owner I am delighted he is storing his treasure in Heaven. I still read this mini-billboard as a public excuse. The vehicle was a new Cadillac SUV.

I check myself to make sure it is not jealousy that incites me to interpret this message as a public excuse for his extravagance. I think I would read it the same if it were hanging on a rusting, rattling ‘85 Subaru.

Perhaps that Cadi owner personally supports 100 families in Haiti. Maybe buying this vehicle is chump change for him and he gives most of his money to those who really need help. That would be awesome. Just don’t advertise your “guilt” for driving a nice car, if this is the case. You don’t need to.

On the other hand, if this vehicle or that ‘85 Sub is preventing you from helping those who really need help,  then display that sign. You need to. More importantly, in this case, you need to assess the second sentence of your bumper sticker.

Idaho Power to jack the bill again

Quotes from Idaho Statesman:

“Idaho Power is asking for permission to raise the company’s base power rates by an average of 9.9 percent, the company announced Friday.

Residential rates would only increased [sic] about 6.3 percent, small commercial rates would rise 10.3 percent, large commercial rates would rise 11.5 percent, and industrial and irrigation rates would climb 15 percent.”

Now, if only my salary would increase about 6.3 percent.

Does the Public Utilities Commission ever say “No” to these guys? I know they usually reduce the requested rate a bit to show they (the Commissioners) are really looking out for us citizens. But do they ever say a flat “No”?

National Health Care

I found this through the Idaho State Journal. Perry Swisher, former state legislator has a good column discussing national health care:

“… Inadequate coverage by the media is one of the reasons we are the only developed nation in the world that doesn’t have some kind of universal access to health care for all of its citizens…”

http://www.pocatelloshops.com/new_blogs/politics/?page_id=4268

Public Utilities

United Water, owned by the French company Suez, includes on the monthly bill an interesting entry:

“Safe Drinking Wtr Fee”. On my bill it is $.50. For crying out loud, isn’t that what we pay them for? Why the extra 50 cents?

Another entry on this bill: “Customer Charge”. On my bill it is $16.21. Again, isn’t this redundant? Isn’t the xxCCF @ $1.2112 a “customer charge”?

Of course we have to pay the “Franchise Fee” of $1.70 each month.

So, as Suez grows to try to be the largest controller of water supplies in the world, we abet them with these stinking “fees” along with the exorbitant prices for the actual “services” they provide. Namely, supplying our homes with “safe drinking” water. A feat certainly unattainable without that 50-cent fee.