It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
I just don't get it
Mike Cox

I was waiting for my customer to get off the phone. Three people were just outside his office talking about germs. One lady carried an antiseptic wipe with her and bathed everything she could with disinfectant. My customer had a cold, and she was afraid of catching it.

The folks were talking about how schools now have antiseptic wipes available and insist kids use them at any opportunity. They all agreed this was a great idea then lit another cigarette to suck down before their break ended.

I know I pick on smokers

a lot, but lighting up is the most dangerous thing a per-

can do short of whistling e in Harlem, yet most smokers I know are experts about all other health issues.

And when did we start trying to purify school kids? There are current studies suggesting children are suffering from more allergies and minor ailments these days because parents refuse to allow them to be a child and get their hands soiled. Why don't we just put them in the microwave for 30 seconds every morning?

Intelligent Design assumes we are perfectly put together, but any first year engineering student could have come up with a better prototype than Homo sapiens. Our reasoning ability alone is enough to drop intelligent from the description.

The Astrological Magazine

, founded by Dr. B. V. Raman, ceased publication abruptly in December. The subscribers were told refunds would be forthcoming shortly. The only reason for going out of business was unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. Astrology is supposed to give us a glance into the future. Shouldn't they have known this was going to happen?

Why are drive-through windows at the bank equipped with Braille instructions? Why do the restrooms at fast food places tell customers the staff is required to wash their hands after a visit there? Shouldn't that be covered in the employee manual? Better yet, shouldn't employers question prospective workers about how important washing their hands is when food preparation is involved?

Most states now have nice patches of native wildflowers growing at intervals along the interstate. Nearly all of them have signs instructing people mowing the grass not to cut the flowers. Why isn't the mowing supervisor telling the drivers this? The signs distract from the beauty of the landscape. For that matter, why are state highway departments hiring people too stupid to tell the difference between weeds and flowers?

Before Twenty Greatest

Redneck Momentswas available for viewing, I would sometimes watch Ernest Angley on Saturday nights. One thing I could never get past was why Angley, and other TV preachers who claimed to be healers, never were involved in wiping out cancer or childhood leukemia. They only cured tobacco addiction, constipation, and an occasional tongue- tied five- year- old.

If TV preachers were capable of true healing, then we should be able to erase human suffering in a few weeks. But what do I know. I still can't understand why psychics have to ask for your credit card number.