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Nothing much

Everyone can rest easy this week. Instead of remarks about the city council, county commission, justice center, or sportsmanship, we've decided to take a broader view and comment on issues elsewhere in the world.

How's this for consistency? The Feb. 16 issue of The Week reports that Richard Knoebel, chief of police in Kewaskum, Wis., wrote himself a $235 traffic ticket for passing a stopped school bus. Knoebel said he didn't see the bus until he had passed it. He wouldn't accept that excuse from any other motorist and said, "I shouldn't be any different."

Jack Shafer of slate.com said, "For two years, the media has been reporting on a national methamphetamine 'epidemic.' National newspapers and magazines have been reporting an explosion in crystal meth use, especially in rural communities in the Midwest and West. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health released results of a survey that showed meth use declined from 2002 to 2005, with the number of first-time users falling a dramatic 40 percent in 2005." Unfortunately, this good news didn't get much attention from the media.

While we watch soaring gas prices (again), it's encouraging to know Exxon Mobil reported an annual profit of $39.5 billion last year. That translates to earnings of $4.5 million an hour.

And while we're talking about money . . . the nation's average personal savings rate fell to negative one percent in 2006, meaning that Americans spent more than they earned. According to the Associated Press, the last time the rate dropped below zero was in 1933, during the Great Depression.

In case we run out of things to worry about . . . The FBI can't account for 160 of its weapons, including shotguns and submachine guns as well as an equal number of laptop computers. On the bright side . . . the figures show an improvement over last year.

In the pet peeves in the workplace department, a Randstad USA survey shows that 30 percent of working adults are annoyed by ringing cell phones. The only pet peeve that ranked higher was loud talkers. We're no longer a private society. People tend to discuss anything and everything on cell phones in front of co-workers. Guess what? The majority of us aren't interested in everyone else's after-hours plans, medical appointments, or marital spats.

— DONNA BERNHARDT

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