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Enough cold and snow for ya?... It's not even winter yet |
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Tuesday, 18 December 2007 |
By DAVE RICHARDS
--I don't know about you, but I've already had enough winter for my tastes.
And the actual season isn't even here yet! That's right, kiddies, the actual
astronomical start of the winter season is this Saturday and we've already
got more snow on the ground at once than we had at once in the last two
winters. Oh well, cheer up. Like my grandmother used to say, "Christmas is
coming". She used to say this in July, too.
--Before I get going, I want to remind you all that a week from today is
Christmas Day. This is the last week of the 76th Milk Fund Appeal. Our next
major event is Thursday evening at 6pm at Gator's Pub in North Smithfield.
The event is run by Gary Lapierre and Katarina Therien, and they are working
so hard on it. It's about the biggest, funnest party I have ever seen. It's
just one big hoot. Please plan to drop in for even a few minutes. At 8pm
they will have a live auction for a condo in New Hampshire for 10 people,
right in the middle of ski country. Go to the website www.milkfundmania.com
for details.
This Saturday is Good Fellow's Day for the Milk Fund. Hundreds of kind
people representing the fraternal and civic clubs in our community will
brave the elements and meet you where you are shopping with a smile and a
lollipop for any size donation to The Milk Fund. You may see two or more
Good Fellows along your way this Saturday. You only have to give once, if
that all you want to do. We just want to make sure we don't miss you.
--I think this week we'll spend some time with the 'email bag'. Claire
relayed this email to me that made me think. Maybe you've seen it. It
started with a really long list of taxes Americans pay. And then made a
point. Here's the list:
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
F ood License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.
Claire's email noted that not one of the above taxes existed 100 years ago.
It went on to point out that at that time the United States of America was
one of the most prosperous countries in the world. I guess we can easily see
where our prosperity goes.
--Former Woonsocketer and present day Texan, Paul LeBon contributes this
interesting perspective of the recent report which names former Red Sox and
Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens as one of those who were involved in the use
of steroids in baseball. A local Texas group was being reported on in the
Dallas Morning News, on Dec 15th on Page 1:
"The Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association is rethinking its
invitation to Roger Clemens to speak at its state convention. Mr. Clemens'
speech is titled "My Vigorous Workout, How I Played So Long.""
I once heard of a football coach who was quite successful and who taught his
team to win by any means, including cheating. He taught them how not to get
caught. I understand that coaches with this philosophy are at least in the
minority, if not rare. I hope so. There are enough temptations in life
without teaching young athletes that lesson.
--Speaking of corrupting things, is there no end to the list of fine
institutions that our congress can corrupt? (I ask rhetorically.) Here are
two news items from emailed press releases which disturb me. First the
headline: Senate Plans FCC Overhaul. Now the story: Frustrated with how the
FCC has been operating, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) says Congress should use
2008 to look at a bill that would revamp the structure of the FCC, it's
mission, the terms of the commissioners and how to make the agency a better
regulator. The review could delay the pending re-nominations of Democrat
Jonathan Adelstein and Republican Deborah Taylor Tate.
And the second one reads: Obama, Kerry Threaten FCC Funding Over Ownership
Vote. The story reads: Sens. John Kerry and Barack Obama have told FCC
Chairman Kevin Martin that if the FCC proceeds with a December 18 vote on
the media-ownership rules, they'll ask the Senate Appropriations Committee
to deny funding for the new rules to be implemented.
These two stories may mean little to you. But I think they should. Not for
the details they report, but for the basic trend they indicate. Up until
Janet Jackson and the superbowl, the Federal Communications Commission was,
in my opinion, the best run federal agency going. It raises the vast
majority of it's operational funding from those it regulates and barely
costs the Americal public a cent. It had the most Soloman-like regulations a
public agency could have. It simply said that if you had a license for a
radio or TV station that you had to use it to serve the people of your
communty and be prepared to prove it at renewal time. And as far as content
was concerned, you could broadcast programs which were not offensive to your
community's own collective set of standards. In other words, words which an
average New Yorker would not be offended by could be broadcast in New York,
but those same words would not be okay to broadcast in a small town in the
Bible belt.
Once the Janet Jackson stunt broadcast the controversy skyrocketed. It might
have not prompted a complaint in Metropolis, but that broadcast didn't play
in Peoria. That's when congress got involved. The FCC tried to explain it's
very wise policy, but congress couldn't recognize true wisdom if it sat next
to them in the Capitol lunch room. These people are surrounded with the
wisdom of the ages represented in the works and words of the greatest men
and women who ever trod this earth, and they still want to meddle in the
affairs of a good organization simply to get their own way. Shame.
I must also report that the FCC has become rather defensive and reactionary
over these last few years of pressure from congress. I hope they don't
buckle. They weren't always right, but for most of my life they tried to do
the right thing for the right reasons. Wouldn't it be a shame if congress
remodeled the FCC into a kind of national censorship department of
government? Who cares about a bunch of rich broadcasters? You should.
Because the Internet will be next. And then what will you do? Call a talk
show?
--That's what I think. What do you think? Comments to
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Please remember The Milk Fund, and thanks for reading.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 22 December 2007 )
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