Zip Code, Please

Retail stores frequently collect postal Zip Codes from customers. The data tells the retailer,in general, where customers come from. Statistical analyses of Zip Codes, combined with census data and the company's own database, create effective marketing tools. The analyzed data can indicate potential for new store locations, advertising targets for existing stores and even market penetration for existing stores (as well as competitors' collateral effectiveness in a given market) to name some uses for the data. Of course, all this mined knowledge depends on the cooperation of the customer to give their Zip Code to the cashier at the check out stand.

When a cashier greets the customer with, "May I have your Zip Code?", approximately 49 out of 50 customers will grant the request. Some customers simply say, "No" to sharing their Zip Code. In most cases, the negative response is accompanied by an explanation. Examples of reasons given by customers who refuse to share their zip code are many, including:

• I don't know it. I just moved here.
• I'm not from around here, so it wouldn't help you.
• I don't want you sending me any mail.
• I resent intrusions on my privacy.
• I don't like being held hostage for information about me.
• I don't want your company to build a store in my neighborhood.
• I don't want advertising in my neighborhood.
• I make it a practice never to give anyone my Zip Code.
• Why do you want it?
• I don't want any telephone solicitations?
• I don't want to be entered into a drawing.
• You already have it on file.
• My wife takes care of that.
• I'm in a hurry.
• I don't share it.
• It's classified.

And, so it goes with the Zip Code non-responders. Most customers would probably just as soon not be bothered. I'm sure that quite a few, who share their Zip Code, do so to avoid being disagreeable, The cashier, who may attempt to persuade them to share it, may say that it is only for market studies and won't result in other actions. Conversely, many customers gladly share their Zip Code with the cashier, being genuinely cooperative people, who feel that (as long as there is no extra cost involved) what is good for the retailer is good for them, too.

Next time you check out of a big box store, how will you respond to a request for your Zip Code, agreeably or disagreeably? if you choose the latter and want to offer a reason for your refusal, you may use any of the above excuses. At least, you'll amuse the cashier with your self-importance or cluelessness.

New Orleans - Where's The Fix?

The Katrina disaster has turned into death by bureaucracy for the City of New Orleans. When I see TV news coverage of New Orleans neighborhoods that show the devastation of destroyed buildings, I wonder if the pictures are old or new,? If old, how old with respect to the time of the disaster. What is the status of the clean-up after the disaster? If the pictures are new, that is, taken within the last week or so, and they truly depict the lack of clean-up, the country needs to replace whoever has been in charge of the clean-up and get someone with common sense, who is competent and capable, to go down to New Orleans and get things on track. There is no excuse for the clean-up to proceed so slowly, if that is the case. If that is not the case, then the TV media needs to quit distorting the progress by showing old news footage.

Sexual Predators - Who Are They?

Common perceptions of sexual predators, particularly pedophiles, include debauched ogres, duplicitous villians, lecherous criminals, vicious libertines, or combinations thereof. But, exactly what is an accurate way to describe the psyche of a pedophilic sexual predator (PSP) that causes them to prey on children to satisfy their abnormal libidos? As usual, I have more questions than answers. Does an PSP have a mental illness? The answer is unequivocally "yes", abberant sexual behavior is certainly not a state of wellness. Are some males genetically predisposed to be a pedophile or, more commonly, does it "run in the family"? The answer uncertain, as I am not aware of any research that would either substantiate or debunk the assertion that being a PSP is inherited. Is being a PSP an inborn sexual orientation that is no different than heterosexuality or homosexuality with the exception that immature sexual partners are preferred to mature ones, or at least on compatible by age? Some scientists claim this is true; people are born the way they are, but would this claim extend to PSPs. If it were so, it would still not cause the behavior of a PSP to be acceptable. Finally, are PSPs simply criminals, who by choice wantonly seek to make children into sex objects for prurient gratification. I, for one, would like to see a good book or incisive journalistic reports about the problem of sex drives gone awry and its ugly consequences. If there is such a book, I'd like a comment on it.

Road Rage

Road rage is a modern phenomenon. The anonymity of driver of a motor vehicle, the vehicle's transient nature, and the tension of driving in heavy traffic set the stage for being easily offended by another driver's actions, whether intentional or not, and reacting by exhibiting behavior in reprisal, which actions can be flinging verbal epithets at the offender or using sign language. In some cases, the reaction goes beyond an exhibition of displeasure. The offended motorist decides that the offending driver should be taught a lesson or even punished for their offensive driving. Now, what is considered offensive also varies with the reacting party - going to slow, changing lanes without signaling, tail-gating, abruptly causing another to brake, etc. Teaching another a lesson may involve returning the offensive behavior. Punishing the offender can range anywhere from blocking their progress to beating out their brains or even shooting the offender. Returning the offensive behavior and endangering oneself or others or physically attacking another motorist and committing a criminal act are pathological reactions to the common driving experiences.

The problem with road rage is that incidents of the latter types are more and more prevalent or so it seems. Probably the only advice that one could give another to help them avoid being the victim of road rage is to watch your driving and don't react, not even verbally or physically. You never know what type of crazy person you are sharing the road with, so don't take chances.

Buy Danish

In face of the brutalities committed by Muslims, who were bent on reprisal for the cartoons, that were heaped on Danes, the least we Americans can do is buy Danish. Problem is, I don't know of many Danish products that are imported or importable to the United States. I guess I could use Google to get educated. I don't suggest that we create a reverse boycott by choosing Danish goods over those made in the USA, just that we spend some extra money on something Danish. I'm going to a World Market store and see if I can't find something like a box of cookies, crackers, or candies made in Denmark by Danes that I can buy. What's more if I like it, I'll buy more.

So you say you don't have extra money. Did you buy lottery tickets, go to the "boats", get a new putter or driver and/or do something else extravagant lately? If you did, you got extra money, so help the Danes.

National Obsession - Sex

George Bush tells us we are addicted to oil. We knew that. But, how many of us realize that the nation is obsessed with sex. Probably most of us without really admitting it, like George did. From movies to TV shows to sports magazines to half-time entertainment to clothing styles to advertisements and so on, the purveyors of pop culture use sex to tempt us, titilate us , shock us, and amuse us. New movies, broadway musicals, magazine layouts, television productions, and fashions expand the exhibition of sex with each new issue.

Frankly, I'm getting tired of it, just like I'm getting tired of hearing about sexual predators, internet dangers, taxes on sex toys, child rapists (not the victim, the perpetrator) and anything else that reeks of the obsession with things sexual. I am tired of both sides. Can't the movie, television, magazine, newspaper, advertisement, entertainment, and whatever-else-we-are-exposed-to producers back off and go for aesthetic, humorous, or dramatic content that is not overtly sexual in nature? Subtleties I can handle, even appreciate more than blatancy. What is it going to take to shake this obsession?

Another Web Site for Parents

In the state of the state address, our Governor said,

" We can help parents by giving them access to tools to block inappropriate web sites, guides showing which TV shows and movies are family friendly, and limits on access to violent video games. In the coming days, I will make these tools available to parents across Kansas."

Well, the Governor has followed through on the state-of-the-state promise by posting a new Web site called "Help for Parents" whose URL is http://www.parenttools.ks.gov. After an introductory letter which is an expansion of the s-of-s message remarks, a Web surfer can navigate to another page called, "Useful Tools for Parents". The "tools" consist of a summary of and URL for 16 web sites which themselves contain the "tools". The Governor's help page would be useful to a parent who didn't know how to do a Web search for themselves. Actually, nothing new is provided, not even access.

After reading the above quote from the Governor's speech again, I am surprised to find it so poorly constructed. As written, parents would get access to tools, guides and limits. I don't understand how one can get access to "limits on access". I have taken the liberty of re-writing the sentence to make it clearer.

"We can help parents access tools that block inappropriate web sites, show which TV shows and movies are family friendly, and set limits on access to violent video games. In coming days, I will make these tools available to parents across Kansas."

Perhaps, the Governor will consider getting a better speech writer.

Exemption of New Business Equipment and Machinery from Property Tax

The proposed exemption of business machinery and equipment from ad valorem property taxes is an essential tool to attracting new business start-up companies. The long range trend in manufacturing has been towards automation and a consequent reduction of labor costs per unit of output. It is the means by which American industry can remain competitive with labor intensive plants of the comparatively low wages of competitor nations. New business starts have a difficult time reaching profitability when saddled with property taxes that are unavoidably high due to the costliness of the equipment they must use to compete.

Automated equipment is not cheap to buy. The cost of the machinery and equipment can easily surpass the cost of the building that houses it. The intricate nature of automated mechanisms require exacting tolerances for accurate operation. The computerized operating systems that control the machines are highly specialized and much more costly than mass-produced personal computers. Installing machinery in a plant, training of operators and maintenance employees, and replacing parts subject to wear all are more costly than required of earlier manufacturing equipment. Simply put, it is a new day. The property tax of yore, that time prior to automation, is simply an outmoded levy when applied to modern manufacturing equipment. It is time to drop it.

Surely, economic development will produce other tax revenues from sales and income taxes that more than replace the lost revenue. However, if industrial businesses are paying less property taxes, then residential and commercial property will pay more. The state government will see a net gain in revenue. Local units, mainly counties and cities will get less revenue. The counties and cities are creatures of the state, and as such should be held-harmless from any loss of tax revenue they experience as a result of exemption of business machinery and equipment from property taxes. The state should restart programs of sharing tax revenues with local units to be sure that the lifting of one tax burden does not impose another.

Conceal Carry Couture

If a law permitting Kansans to carry concealed weapons passes the legislature and survives a veto, the couturiers of our fair state will need to busy themselves to provide clothing for the new gun-toting license holders. Winter garb will not require anything new, except perhaps sturdier inside coat pockets with quick access. A shoulder holster or belt clip holster will do fine beneath a parka or overcoat. Spring or Autumn will not be a problem in Kansas either, because both seasons are usually dreadfully short and daily temperature extremes permit light winter clothing to be worn on most days. But, Summer is another story.

A clothing design and manufacture challenge to provide suitable conceal-carry apparel will be presented by Summer. When the temperature is 95 degrees and the humidity is around 60%, wearing clothing that provides for concealment of a weapon becomes a comfort issue, and possibly a health issue. For both sexes, in the Summer heat, above the knee and below the belly-button bottoms and short-sleeve or sleeveless tops are the usual dress. Where to conceal the handgun is the design problem.

For Bermuda shorts, a quick-draw cargo pocket, a sewn on fabric holster, if you will, is the logical solution. For tops, a billowy material with side slits for shoulder holster access might be the answer, but see-through fabric is a no-no. A loose vest could be worn, unbuttoned and oversized, to allow for ventilation, with an inside concealment place for a pistol. I guess one could always wear a muu-muu or a caftan like an Arab, provided it had an opening to reach for heat. Obviously, the fanny pack accessory is a possibility to conceal one's piece, but wearing it on one's backside might cramp one's quick draw style. A sun hat or oversized ball cap could be converted into a pistol holder, if the gun bearer didn't mind the extra weight on his or her head.

An innovative approach may be to disguise firearms. One could carry a camera gun that fires from the zoom lens aperture, or a single shot fountain pen gun. A golf club or tennis racket could be transformed into a barreled, magazine holding weapon, as could a walking stick or umbrella.

If the suggested clothing or accessory solutions are disliked, I suppose the conceal-carry licensee could carry a purse or attache case. This will obviously cause the term, girly-men, to go away if one were tempted to apply it to some gun-toting dude. Although it might be an appropriate epithet to throw around at a purse-carrying guy, it might evoke an armed reprisal. Surely designers can come up with a manly looking handbag for concealing a gentlemen's pistol, as long as the pistol itself is not a huge, long-barreled blaster. My guess is that, with the restrictions on carrying concealed weapons into certain places, a lot of weapons will be stored in vehicles. Some type of vehicle storage will need to be developed. I am thinking about dashboard, under-the-seat or in-the-door gun safes with an electronic opener for quick access.

There are obviously a lot of possibilities to conceal weapons. The only problem with some of the clothing solutions is that the reason for wearing a particular type of garb will be painfully obvious, because the dress of everybody else will tell others that they couldn't possibly be bearing arms. Maybe it would be better if we had an open-carry law and just strap on a holster with a six-shooter like they did in the Old West. It would sure help the clothing budget. And since the weapon wouldn't be concealed there would be no need for a new state bureaucracy to issue licenses.

Center Lane - Left Turn Only

Sometime after World War II, traffic engineers had a great idea. Their traffic control innovation was adding a center lane on two or four lane streets for drivers going either direction to make left turns. The extra lane permitted other traffic to continue without stopping for left-turning traffic and did not require the concrete protected left-turn bays. A distinctive center lane marking scheme of solid lines flanked by inner broken lines on each side was called a "flush median", meaning that, except when used for left turns, the center lane would serve to separate opposing traffic flows. Special signage was devised consisting of "Center Lane - Left Turn Only" or, for the literally challenged, "Center Lane (with a graphic of two opposing arrows and the word) Only".

The Center Left Turn Only Lane sounds so simple and normally works so well. What could possibly have gone wrong with this brilliant idea? Traffic engineers did not anticipate current day drivers, who given an inch will always take the next foot, or yard, or mile. For example, modern day drivers have turned the permissible right-turn-on-red-after-a-stop rule into a new driving convention of turning right on red with or without caution and without the thought of a stop. Likewise, the Center Lane - Left Turn Only device has become a merge lane in the minds of today's drivers who make up their own rules of the road. When entering, from a side street or drive, a street with heavy traffic from both directions after turning left across the nearest lane, our extemporaneous driver uses its Center Left Turn Only Lane as a temporary haven, while waiting to merge into the traffic of the farthest lane. This method of entering a major street seems to work fine, that is, until a driver from either direction of the opposing traffic flow attempts to use the center lane for its intended purpose, namely, a left turn from the major street onto a minor street or drive entrance. Then, the fun begins. The driver who makes up his or her own rules finds that, in some cases, he or she cannot reach the center left turn lane, because another driver is maneuvering his vehicle into the center lane, leaving our lane poacher, driving towards on-coming traffic. If the lane poacher makes it into the center lane first, then he or she will find his or her vision of the traffic he or she is trying to merge into obscured by the left-turning vehicle that wascut off in the left-turn lane.

I wish the police would cite drivers who use center left-turn only lanes to merge, rather than for their intended purpose. I am skeptical whether some of our young police officers even recognize this misuse of a left-turn lane as a traffic rule violation, especially so after being told by a young officer that Cinco de Mayo was a national holiday. I hope that the next time I approach the street entrance into the subdivision where I live and I try to use the available center left-turn only lane that I don't encounter a driver trying to merge into the traffic lane I just left and that I am able to avoid side-swiping or rear-ending the idiot who makes up his own traffic rules. Remember, a center left turn only lane is for just that, left turns and it is not a merge lane.

(Note: This post was edited on Friday, February 10, 2005.)

DNA Testing

The Kansas Legislature is considering a bill to do DNA testing from blood and oral samples of persons arrested for felonies. Now, the samples are taken only from persons convicted of a felony. If an arrestee does not become a convictee, the sample will be destroyed. Besides the expense of developing a DNA profile for comparison with crime scene DNA evidence, why is there any reluctance to sampling people and building a DNA database that is as extensive as the fingerprint data base? Is this a constitutional issue of privacy or self-incrimination or whatever? DNA profiles are state of the art due to the science behind them. DNA sampling should be performed on everyone who wants a driver's license, passport, social security card or any other process that positively identifies the person sampled.

Yellow Angel Food Cake

Usually, angel food cake is white. For a change, you can have yellow cake. Here's how:

Ingredients and directions:

Mix 1-1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cups water. Boil to a thread.
Separate 6 eggs and beat whites until stiff.
Add 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to egg whites.
Pour syrup into egg whites gradually and beat until cool.
Then, gradually whip in well beaten egg yolks.
Next, beat in 1 cup of sifted cake flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Pour batter into ungreased tube pan.
Bake in pre-heated over for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Grandma Rogers suggested an orange icing for visual effect.

Real Reason for Changing Teacher Certification

Now, we know why the school voucher proposal of the KBOE wingnuts was shelved. The KC Star of February 4, 2006, reports that Bob Corkins (styled as Kansas education chief, rather than its mischief) proposes to loosen requirements for teachers granted three year provisional certification. It is clear that, for a bill providing vouchers to be enacted, that the recipients of public funds would be required to meet the same standards that apply to public schools. The proposal for school districts to set their own requirements for provisional licensing of teachers who do not have education degrees would remove an obstacle, faced by private schools, to meeting the state's requirements . First, remove the requirement, then propose vouchers. The science standards were seen as an impediment to vouchers, now teacher certification is a hang-up. Be wary of the real motives behind other proposals of the wing-nuts to "reform" public education. Be assured, the best interest of children is not the guide, rather it is about tapping the public trough to support private schools.