Has the World Gone Fully Insane? - A brief scanning of current news items certainly appears to support this position, and empirical evidence strengthens the concept that we are living in a world that has, indeed, gone fully insane!

Here are but a few examples:
1) I pay bills using Online Banking. There are very few instances that require the use of postage stamps. For these few times, I keep a small supply of stamps available. Last Wednesday, I ordered a supply of "Forever" stamps from the USPS. I received a "thank you" email later that day. The following day, I received a shipment notice. Yesterday, the order arrived—a full week after the shipping notice.
2) A lady came to my office yesterday afternoon and placed a file folder upon my desk. She said, "I need you to fax this stuff right away." I told her I did not offer such a service. She said, "I don't need you to serve anything. Just fax this stuff." I took a deep breath and created and printed a sign which read, "We do not offer faxing services." I pinned the sign to a wall in my office and pointed to it. She exited my office—mumbling incoherently.
3) The wind gusts; leaves fall from trees; and the wind collects and deposits the leaves near storm drain orifices. The rain falls; the leaves accumulate in the storm drain; the leaves clog the storm drain; the street floods. It would seem that experience would indicate that collecting fallen leaves and clearing the storm drains prior to large rainfalls would alleviate the dangers created by the burdensome onslaught of rain.



4) Fast-food workers in New York City declared that their wages are too low.

They are demanding that the minimum wage be raised from the current rate of $ 7.25 per hour to— are you sitting down? Please do! FIFTEEN DOLLARS PER HOUR! Surely those positions would be quickly filled by people who would be pleased to have those jobs!


5) A 43-year-old state trooper has been charged with larceny, accused of stealing jewelry and cash from the victim of a fatal motorcycle crash. When first I saw this story, I assumed the thief was a rookie who found himself in a situation that proved to be beyond his capability to "Protect and Serve." But no! This idiot is an 18-year veteran with an unblemished record!


6) Residents of the western Serbian village of Zarozje reportedly received an unique public health warning recently, when the town's mayor cautioned that a vampire was on the loose.

I could continue, but I grow weary.

There is HOPE for the world, however. This story shows that compassion, kindness, and charity have not wholly vanished. One must, however, ferret through an inordinate amount of bad news to find good news such as this:

This video was sent to me by Frank, and I felt it worthy of sharing.

The Weather - The storms that were forecast for this area earlier appear to have passed for now. We shall have our annual Corning Hometown Christmas lighted parade this evening, beginning at 7 PM. Unless there is a dramatic change in the weather, it will be a very nice evening. It is currently 60° and very sunny!



Not far from here, however, the flooding is severe, and many are without power. The weatherpeople predict two more storms for this area over the weekend, but this break in the weather will make a significant difference, since it will allow the ground time to recover from the earlier rain.