Sticky Stuff

A Band-aid

Interesting article in I think Wednesday's S-T, actually not an article but the "Our View: Health reform can have impact on municipal budgets".  I am not going to go on a complete rant about health care reform, nor the opinion I hold relative to the specific status of the same, specifically as to the same in our town.  Not sure I have the "energy" in me this morning for that, and I am pretty sure most of you wouldn't have time to read the book I would have to write on it.

The "reforms" under chapter 32B referenced are like putting a band-aid on a gash.  You can stem the flow of blood temporarily, but without proper treatment, the patient is going to eventually bleed out.   

The whole "process" is in many ways slowly bleeding out.  

A sticker

In the Guest view section of today's S-T there is a piece highlighting proposed legalisation about pricing items in stores. Shoppers want to stick with price stickers. Interesting piece for everyone really.  As much as I have become a high tech junkie, I agree with the piece.  This is one of those things where the potential for abuse does exist.  It is also one of those things were retailers should really consider the benefit vs. costs.  I will often not buy an item if I cannot easily ascertain the price.  

Something that should stick in our minds

While I am on an S-T role, another piece worth paying attention to was yesterday's our view in the S-T, "Threats to democracy are alive and well".  The list of those threats is presented.  Some may say they are quite obvious, and in fact they are.  

Yet it is because they are so obvious, and because they in fact exists and continue to exists that it is essential that the same be brought to the forefront.

Many of the threats can be eliminated by some very simple acts.  The simple of which is for people to just go out and vote.  Plain and simple.

Yet baffling beyond understanding as to why so many people stay home on election day.

Other solutions involve really just a bit more effort.  And really we the people are just not solely to blame.  Well actually we are, as I include everyone in "we the people".  Be you the average citizen or an esteemed member of the "Fourth Estate".

Something that doesn't seem to stick

This is the concept of mass transit in our immediate area.  When I went to college the community had no subway, but did have an excellent bus system.  you could go from one end of the county to the other one a one way-fare and transfers, and depending on what you had to do you could even manage the return trip.  

Granted you could also depend on a bus no more than every 15 minutes and the same ran from 5:30 A.M. to 2:00 A.M. Weekend/holiday schedule wasn't much different from weekday.

The biggest detriment to such a thing in our area is the ridership.  Do we have not only the actual population numbers to make it work, but people actually willing to make it work.  Go to any "big" city and most people don't think twice about getting on a bus, or taking a subway were there is one.  

The only way you can generate interest in mass transit is in fact through a reliable and convenient schedule.  

It costs money to do, no doubt about it.  It takes riders to make it work.  But if we are serious about decreasing pollution, oil dependency and the like, a way to do it is to is through mass transit.

As long as we have our love affair with cars and trucks might not be possible.  Just a thought.

Okay, seeing as I have jumped all over the place today, this might be a good time to "jump off".  

Sorry if you found the title today to be a bit of a tease.  If something you read sticks in your mind though, it worked.

One more thing....

Charter Commission Petition Drive Meeting, tomorrow at 9:00 A.M.  at Town Hall.