{"id":1318541,"date":"2020-03-03T20:36:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-04T03:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/whiting-column-dont-take-for-granted-that-which-does-not-make-sense\/"},"modified":"2020-03-04T07:33:43","modified_gmt":"2020-03-04T14:33:43","slug":"whiting-column-dont-take-for-granted-that-which-does-not-make-sense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/whiting-column-dont-take-for-granted-that-which-does-not-make-sense\/","title":{"rendered":"Whiting column: Don\u2019t take for granted that which does not make sense"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Some aspects of our realm don\u2019t make sense and should inspire thought.<\/p>\n

A few are humorous: A policeman on a bicycle. If they arrest someone, are they going to have them ride in the basket? An airline having a flight #5050. Those aren\u2019t very good odds. Then again, a commercial airport is called a terminal which doesn\u2019t exude confidence.<\/p>\n

More are consequential: Thinking an Iran nuclear agreement allowing them to decide when they are inspected, where they are inspected and by whom is a good deal. Colorado and the Western Slope being charged more for health insurance because of our high cost of living, yet retirees\u2019 Social Security checks are calculated in the same manner as those who live elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Some demonstrate hypocrisy: Coming here because their country\u2019s economic system doesn\u2019t work, provide opportunity or safety; then wanting to make this country more like another. The corporate executive of a charitable, non-profit making over $100,000.<\/p>\n

Others make you wonder: The sign in the fast-food restaurant saying braille menus available here. Then also seeing the sign in the drive-up. The pilot saying, \u201cWe\u2019re flying at 32,000 feet, going 650 mph and I have just turned off the fasten seat belt sign.\u201d Yet, after landing, taxiing at 3 mph, we get yelled at if we unbuckle.<\/p>\n

Many are political: A person with a net worth under $500,000 when initially elected to Congress, earning a salary around $200,000, living in Washington D.C. with its high cost of living subsequently retiring with a net worth significantly over $10 million. Having a relative on the board of a foreign corporation and not thinking they expect something in return. It would be interesting if politicians were required to model professional golfers and NASCAR by publicizing their sponsors on their shirt and car.<\/p>\n

They can be quizzical: Locks on the front door of a hospital, 7-Eleven or casino when they are open 24\/7. Pizzas in square boxes. Square boxing rings. A memory foam mattress in a motel.<\/p>\n

A few shirk responsibility: Aspen having a goal to reduce their carbon footprint but adding more space for private aircraft and refusing to develop or provide affordable housing for their employees.<\/p>\n

Several are word interpretations. A movie titled \u201cConstipation.\u201d It will never emerge to see the light of day; especially if it\u2019s a movie about Congress. Phonetically not spelled the way it sounds. Getting investment advice from someone called a broker. An airline asking for our final destination when we buy a round-trip ticket. Having a conductor on a train when there isn\u2019t an orchestra. Calling the place we buy food at a Bronco\u2019s game \u201cconcessions.\u201d At $18 for a hot dog and beer, they aren\u2019t conceding anything.<\/p>\n

Science isn\u2019t immune: Cities, states and businesses paying large sums for surveys when all they need to do is go out and ask their constituents or customers themselves. Spending $2 million on cloning mice; didn\u2019t know we had a shortage. Spending $4 million to determine why dinosaurs don\u2019t talk. It\u2019s because they\u2019re dead.<\/p>\n

Some involve anatomy: Telling someone they have a \u201cwarm\u201d personality, when the dictionary defines warm as \u201cnot so hot.\u201d Telling someone they\u2019re a pain in the neck, when it\u2019s likely the pain is considerably lower.<\/p>\n

Logic and voting aren\u2019t exempt: We need a perfect driver\u2019s license ID or passport to fly, but some feel they shouldn\u2019t need one to vote. Denying the presence of ethics in voting by allowing people to vote on something that won\u2019t affect their lives, only the lives of others.<\/p>\n

Foreign aid is included: Providing foreign aid to a country, but not insisting on administering it and wondering why the money ends up in the hands of the dictator instead of the people. The country receiving foreign aid subsequently donating to a politician\u2019s foundation. A country\u2019s economic and political system being so unsuccessful as to necessitate foreign aid and our not demanding change as a condition of the assistance.<\/p>\n

Ignorance can be demonstrated: The lady who called the radio talk show saying people shouldn\u2019t hunt animals because if they need food, they should go to the grocery store and get the meat where it\u2019s made. The phrase \u201ca word to the wise.\u201d It isn\u2019t necessary. It\u2019s the stupid ones that need the advice.<\/p>\n

Most politicians have lost sight of common sense. Consequently, we have a personal responsibility to model it in what we say, do and advocate. The serious items mentioned above have logical solutions that are both uncomplicated and easy to implement. Some might counter we don\u2019t understand because we\u2019re \u201cboomers.\u201d Could be true, but experiential learning accompanies age. When kids, we had to win to get a trophy. We understood social media; we passed lots of notes in class. We were only entitled to opportunity.<\/p>\n

Overcomplexification isn\u2019t required. The simplest common-sense solution is usually the best.<\/p>\n

One thing for sure: if pro is the opposite of con, then progress is the opposite of Congress.<\/p>\n

Bryan Whiting feels most of our issues are best solved by personal responsibility and an understanding of non-partisan economics rather than government intervention. Comments and column suggestions to: bwpersonalresponsibility@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some aspects of our realm don\u2019t make sense and should inspire thought. A few are humorous: A policeman on a bicycle. If they arrest someone, are they going to have them ride in the basket? An airline having a flight #5050. Those aren\u2019t very good odds. Then again, a commercial airport is called a terminal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1318541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-05 09:58:58","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1318541"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1318546,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318541\/revisions\/1318546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1318541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1318541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1318541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}