CRANKY IN THE MIDDLE - Issue 4

CRANKY IN THE MIDDLE: OBSERVATIONS FROM ST. JOHN, KANSAS
Volume 1 - Issue 4 - August 17, 2006

“A liberal is a conservative who’s been arrested. A conservative is a liberal who’s been mugged.” --- Wendy Kaminer

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
Why is it that when I read the minutes of the city council meetings, I see the same story about a pig, only the pig is wearing a different shade of lipstick in each and every instance each time it is trotted out? (It’s the same pig…sheesh, I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night.)
I realize there are people who do have legitimate complaints, suggestions and maybe even a little praise that they would like to share with the city fathers.
The citizen’s comments section always bugs me. I seldom see any mention where a “concerned citizen” shows up in person to relay their thoughts to the council about the various and sundry inquiries (seems more like an inquisition) that seem to pepper these meetings. (With the exception of the liquor store). Where are these elusive “concerned citizens”? It seems like there are more comments than we have citizens.
If your upset about parking issues, car tags or somebody’s property, don’t be doing it on your bosses time, do it on your own time or go to work for the National Inquirer….……….why aren’t these “concerned citizens” showing up themselves to let the council know about it?

DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP
It’s really twisted when a somebody has got to invade someone’s personal space or personal property to see if they are doing something that they don’t like…….that’s looking for trouble and asking for a can of whoop ass to be opened up. Like there isn’t already enough trouble in the world,,,,,,, people with nothing better to do HAVE to go looking for it? How far is far enough? A line has been crossed here.
The majority of folks do a pretty good job of getting themselves in hot water, they don’t need any help….thank you.
Taking leave of your senses, abandoning all common sense and reason and being a horses patoot………….is soooo over the line.

“My country, right or wrong”, is a thing no patriot would ever think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying “My mother, drunk or sober.”
--- G. K. Chesterton

I’M A CITIZEN, HOW ABOUT MY CONCERNS?
I would like to take this time to congratulate, and to thank the St. John News on it’s story about the liquor store in it’s August 9th paper. The editor did exactly what a newspaper should do. Faux News could learn a few things about fair and balanced from the new editor.

“The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
--- Plato

CRACK A BOOK ONCE IN A WHILE
In Plato’s Republic, the argument is the search after justice. Socrates asks his students what justice is. One states that “justice is nothing but the power of the stronger“. Socrates defined justice as “working at that which he is naturally best suited, to do ones own business and not to be a busybody.”
Plato wrote this in 390 B.C., and it just goes to show you, good advice never grows obsolete.

MOM AND DAD WENT TO A VETO….AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS CRUMMY T-SHIRT
The president decided the stem cell bill was the bill to veto and lay claim to his glorious legacy, because he says, “every life is precious.” If that is what he truly believes, I would like the president and Sam Brownback, to take a trip to Iraq…….together, look the Iraqui people squarely in the eye, and say exactly the same thing to them.

“Who are you going to believe……me or your lying eyes?”
--- Groucho Marx

“Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.”
--- Author Unknown

IF I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER, I SURE HOPE I DON’T HAVE TO KEEP ME
While at work one night, I was walking down the hall with another nurse. I kept hearing the annoying sound of a cell phone ringing. Actually it wasn’t ringing, it was playing Mozart. I said to this other nurse, “who’s flippin cell phone keeps ringing?” To my embarrassment, I suddenly realized, it was my own cell phone……………..duh! The other nurse just looked at me and started laughing hysterically, then I started laughing……we laughed the entire 12 hour shift. It was a pretty good way to work a 12 hour shift, I might add.
In my defense, I can only plead that my cell phone rings very seldom and that I am not used to hearing it.

“Abraham Lincoln did not go to Gettysburg having commissioned a poll to find out what would sell in Gettysburg. There were not people with percentages for him, cautioning him about this group or that group or what they found in exit polls a year earlier. When will we have the courage of Lincoln?”
--- Robert Coles