– Wal-Mart once again closed a store in Canada rather than negotiate a contract with the employees who voted to unionize: This is not a new tactic for Wal-Mart. They are well known for such arrogance. We could only hope that every Wal-Mart store everywhere would vote to unionize. Then by their own defiant stupidity, they would vanish. The world would be a better place.

– Speaking of Wal-Mart: I hear they bought some land at the north end of Seminary Street. I hope I heard wrong. This town should do everything it can to stop a Super Wal-Mart from opening, but I can’t imagine the city council having the nerve or foresight to do so. Should this come to be, we’re all going to have to mobilize to stop it. It would be a death sentence for 10—20 businesses, minimum.

– If it were up to me, I would give away the White House, the occupants, probably the whole of Washington, D.C., to maybe China, Mexico, Canada, Afghanistan, just about anyone stupid enough to take it.

– Perpetual jokes:

• That a prison, in any way, shape or form, is good for a community.

• That a city manager is better than a full-time mayor.

• That big business will do right and monitor itself.

• George W. Bush is clearly a perpetual joke.

• That the media should be owned and operated by a few, rich, white men.

• That war and killing can bring about peace.

• Right-winged, Republican Christians.

• Our health-care system.

– The world is a funny place. Right when you think you got it licked, along comes a challenge. It might be the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, an argument with a spouse, a personal or family illness, a financial crisis. The list is endless. The challenge demonstrates that everything is not perfect, that everything cannot always be good, or settled, or the way we would like it to be. Meeting the challenge seems to be what life is about. It demonstrates to us that we are human, and that healing, hope, forgiveness, strength, and compassion can occur even under the most trying of circumstances.

– Peever laws:

• Nothing is impossible if you can find someone else to do it.

• The more Republicans we put in office, the poorer we will get.

• If it can break, it usually will, at the most inopportune of times.

• On a clear day, you can see years and years ago.

• If it needs to be said, make sure you say it.

• The more sure you are about your God, the more distance you put between you and the mystery.

• Never lie, cheat, steal, or get married to an animal.

• When working, work hard; when playing, play hard; when having sex, just hope for the best.