LEAVE IT TO PEEVER

-Bumper sticker of the week: Obey gravity-It’s the law.

-Quote of the week: “When we are violent to our enemies, we do violence to ourselves. When we brutalize others, we brutalize ourselves. And eventually we run the risk of becoming our oppressors.” Arundhati Roy

-Old towns die hard: West Central Illinois towns are in trouble. Just about everything is stacked up against us, including an Illinois legislature that is inept and out of touch with us, the citizens. Repeatedly, polls have shown that citizens are supportive of raising the state income tax, versus taxing every product and service known to mankind. Still, the boys and girls in Springfield can’t figure it out. And every day we get closer to extinction. Our cities can’t make ends meet, and our citizens can’t make ends meet. In the meantime, AmerenIP wants to raise their prices again, gas is almost back to $3.00 per gallon, and real estate taxes inch upward each year, in spite of depressed housing prices. The cost of living goes up, our salaries stay the same, go down, or in some cases, disappear. We bail out the rich, and have a hard time coming up with any money for universal health-care, or public work programs. Sometimes, the whole mess seems overwhelming. Where should we start? The answer, start with an issue or cause that affects your life, or your family, the most. What are you most passionate about? Say something, write a letter to the editor, make a sigh and protest outside of wherever. It is our community that we have to save. It is our lives we have to change. When all is said and done, history will record that it was we, the citizens, who made, or didn’t make, a difference. Are you going to let it up to the other guy, or are you going to be the other guy?

-Some ing’s I’d rather to be doing:

* Fishing rather than writing.

* Golfing rather than mowing.

* Boating rather than painting.

* Hiking rather than plumbing.

* Canoeing rather than planning.

* Camping rather than fixing.

* Playing rather than working.

-Peeverisms:

* Never ask why unless you don’t have anything else to say.

* Don’t ever take a loaded gun for granted. Or the owner.

* If it’s over 50 steps, drive.

* If the sun is out, and it’s over 50 degrees, tee it up.

* Never marry someone you haven’t seen naked.

* In the scheme of things, the only thing more important than work is everything.

* Some days you’re better off staying in bed.

* Never commit a crime you can’t buy your way out of.

* If it looks like a politician and talks like a lawyer, run.

-Three things Galesburg needs, immediately:

1. A full-time mayor.

2. Whistle free railroad crossings. And maybe fix them up a little.

3. It would be nice if AmerenIP gave us back the other half of our trees. The place would sure look a whole lot nicer.