Panning the panhandlers
I have noticed a disturbing trend in downtown Traverse City. I have observed more and more public intoxication by street people, as well as blatant panhandling for spare change, and was even asked, no, told, to give one certain individual $2 one day, “for beer.”
Just yesterday afternoon, I was approached by three people within 10 minutes in the 200 block of E. Front St. for spare change, 50 cents, and one dollar. Another person has even begun to step out in front of passing motorists, and stop them to do his panhandling.
Where is law enforcement? Has anybody driven by Lay Park in the late mornings, and most of the afternoon lately? There’s a group of at least 10 persons consuming alcohol, and some appear to be passed out lying on the ground. Does this look good to folks who visit the region...
$20,000 hospital stay There was a 23-hour stay at the hospital. Afterward, we received a bill for over $20,000. There’s not much to say except we make just enough to not qualify for Medicaid, but can’t afford the best insurance...
Marriage & procreation One of the main concerns expressed during the recent Supreme Court deliberations concerning gay marriage was the view that the main purpose of traditional marriage was procreation, and therefore the marriage of same-sex couples was pointless and even invalid.
I immediately thought of my own marriage of 23 years between a postmenopausal female and a vasectomy recipient...
Irritating comment As a foodie in a foodie area I was enjoying the “Best of” issue and making plans to visit some new and exciting restaurants when I came across “You know you’re from Northern Michigan when...”. I was looking forward to the usual chuckles about snow, Subaru’s and the usual whatnot when I came to the whenism “Everyone is white.”
Opposing biodiversity “Natural diversity in ecosystems provides essential economic benefits and services to human society—such as food, clothing, shelter, fuel and medicines—as well as ecological, recreational, cultural and aesthetic values, and thus plays an important role in sustainable development.”
-- Chevron’s Biodiversity Statement, April 2012, http://www.chevron.com.
Sadly, our representatives in Lansing reject such science-based wisdom...
Correction: Please note, it was Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak named the Best Athletic Gear Shop in Leelanau County in our recent “Best of Northern Michigan” issue. An editing error mangled the shop’s name. Also, it was A. Papano’s Pizza chain that won “Best Restaurant Staff and Pizza” in Benzie County.
