The Publisher's Page BY HAROLD T. BECK

JUNE 24 - JUNE 30, 2000

JUNE 30, 2K

The end of June

Good morning. It is 49.8 degrees at 6:10 A.M. Today is the last day of June. 

Judging by the response quite a few of you took exception to me saying that you didn't give a hoot about what was going on. Actually, some of you took it rather personal. And to you I have this to say: "TOUGH!" 

You have done it to yourselves by your apathy. You don't want to know bad news and increasing taxes is always bad news. But as long as The Error sings you a lullaby you ignore what is going on around and to you.

Just like the asbestos at the high school, you all felt that if you ignored it and wrote me off as a kook then it would go away. Actually, it hasn't and that's why I still have the story and the pictures on the front page of this site. Even as you read this article one or more of those children who were needlessly exposed are in the process of developing a life shortening disease. It was easier to brush that one under the rug, pretty much the same way that the people who should have been responsible, stuck the asbestos in a plastic bag and threw it away. And the school taxes are exactly the same.

You are an interesting bunch of people.

You have your ideas of how things are supposed to be. There has to be an order to things and as long as the perception of that order is maintained, then you appear to be happy. 

The paper made no big thing about it. What was it? A four or five percent increase? NO BIG THING except that we are already in the top 5% in the state when it comes to how much we pay in school taxes. Think about it. 

If we are paying that much in tax dollars shouldn't we get something in return for our dollars? The graduating class of Bradford High should be in the top 5% of the state, too. Are they?

NO THEY ARE NOT. In fact when the school officials attempt to compare results, they use third world countries, not Warren, or Ridgway, or even St. Mary's. And that goes to the fact that you do not care and you allow the administration and the school board to dance through the year and do as they darn well please. No one makes them accountable. 

One person wrote and said:

Mr. Beck, Easy for you to sit and point out the short falls of the populace, but none of us know when the School Board holds meetings. Why don't you publish the day before and let us know that there is a meeting, when and where, and encourage us to attend. Maybe if you give us a heads up then we can key in on issues like cost containment.

Fine idea. I will if The Error does.

You see. The Error doesn't. They report after the fact and you sit there and say "Oh darn. I should have gone to that meeting."

School Board meetings for some reason are well kept secrets and no one attends and that makes them believe that they can do whatever they want and they generally do. Thus our taxes go up and up and up.

But you are not going to change. I know you and you can't change. As long as your little part of the world is not upset, then all is well. Just don't bother me and let everyone else take care of it.

And thus the end of June is here. July begins tomorrow. Time marches on and soon it will be August and before you know it the snow will be flying. 

So there it is. Taxes increased. Go back to sleep. There are more important things to worry about some day some time some where way out there in the future. One or more of our kids will die because they were exposed to asbestos in the 1998/99 school year some day. But that is an old story just like taxes going up.

Comments are still welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.  

JUNE 29, 2K

Ho hum......nobody cares!

Good morning. It is 52.3 degrees at 6:25 A.M.

School taxes increased.

So? What else is new?

NO. SCHOOL TAXES INCREASED.

So? What do you want me to do about it? Nobody used to care. Remember?

Oh. They cared. They just never said that they cared.

And? What does that mean if they don't speak up? Were they waiting for the Bradford Area Alliance or one of the "rich kids" to say something? They talk a good game.

Were they waiting for Al Pinkie to come riding in on the fire engine and save them? Or, were they waiting for Larry Stratton to "look into it" for them? Maybe they should have gotten Jim Weaver involved. Look at how successful he has been getting union jobs in the county.

Without much fan fare at all the school budget passed with what was described as a "moderate tax increase." It passed with a 6 - 3 vote with the three dissenters pointing out that "NO EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON COST CONTAINMENT OR COST CUTTING."

Of course not. Why would anyone do such a thing? And why would the people who pay the taxes (US!) even care?

Just like the County Tax Increase so the Three Stooges could pay themselves more (illegally, I might point out - but no one has ever looked into that or the law that governs pay increases for elected officials because McKean County has a convenient loop hole that may or may not be all that kosher) and keep the old system rolling. No one cared when the dust settled after it was so obvious that Stratton and Weaver had lied about taxes all along. And that isn't all!

What about night meetings?

Arvid Nelson asked the question at Pitt during the election. All three of the County Commissioners endorsed the idea but no, conveniently, maybe because Larry Stratton can't stay awake, and maybe because his doctor has told him not to do it, and maybe even because Larry has imagined that someone is out to get him, there will be no night meetings in Smethport, or in Bradford like they all said they would do.

But this is nothing new.

It was Larry Stratton's idea to have them back in 1995 when we were running the first time. He didn't deliver then. Why would anyone believe that he would deliver this time?

The fact of the matter is he lied. He lied about the taxes and he lied about the night meetings. So did Jim Weaver.

But who cares?

It is business as usual. Just another day in dogpatch. Belly up and dig a little deeper and support a system that stinks to high heaven.

And if you believe The Error that Wal-Mart will ever come here then you need to get out and get your head examined by one of the many, many, mental health councilors we have here in this county.

If you haven't checked lately, the largest and fastest growing industry in this county is taking care of the damaged, the deranged, and the down right dumb and stupid people in this state. Bradford is the dumping ground for this state (well known across the state) and a whole lot of people make their livings taking care of them.

Forget about Warren State Hospital! Bradford has long ago taken its place. It is just another mental hospital without fences or guards. And the way we are so complacent about our taxes and the way we are lied to, perhaps we do belong right where we are.

I stopped saying that the people get the government they deserve because it sounded like sour grapes after losing the election. But, in this case, the people did get the government they deserve and they have themselves to thank for it.

Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.

JUNE 28, 2K

Afraid of the dark

Good morning. It is 45.3 degrees at 5:58 A.M. We put our furnace on this morning just to take the chill off. It's running right now, too.

The story in yesterday's Error about the Water Authority denying a group permission to have a Sports Car Rally on Water Authority property reminded me that as a boy, and even as a teenager, there was a time in my life that I was afraid of the dark.

As I woke this morning to the sounds of the birds I remembered doing much the same in those days back in Pittsburgh. I didn't grow up in town. We were in the South Hills and in those days many of the old farms, though not farming any more, still existed. There were plenty of birds and in the very early hours of dawn, they would signal that that the night had ended. That was a big relief to me - someone who quietly feared what he imagined might be out there in the dark.

I would wait anxiously until the first vestiges of daylight would begin to enter my room. When it did, then all was well and I would go back to sleep. Until then I was the sentinel waiting for whatever might appear out of the darkness.

I was in Bradford yesterday. My trips to town are very infrequent these days. Other business interests have kept me out of the usual haunts - The Downbeat and Beefeaters. But yesterday I broke form and even in the grocery store people wanted to talk about what is going on here in Dogpatch.

"What do you think about them not letting that car rally come to town?" an elderly gentleman asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders. It didn't affect me much. I wouldn't have attended. But to him, the denial meant something. He went on to say more on the subject.

"They all think this is there own personal playground or their individual property. Don't anyone from the outside try to come in here with any idea. If it is their idea then that is okay. But don't let anyone else have an idea. What would it have hurt?"

I had to agree with him. What would it have hurt?

I couldn't remember the exact days but I was under the impression that it might have coincided with the Zippo/Case swap meet. If it did, was that the real reason? Did people believe that it would take away from the main event? Did they believe it would have provided competition instead of just adding to the festivities? Who can say? All I remember is another one of the "rich kids" saying in the paper to the organizers that they "......were fighting an uphill battle." How true!

I hope the organizers haven't gone away for good, but I fear that they have. It is a shame they didn't get in touch with me or Jerry Clark or his brother Tom. We are the organizers of Mutant Beachfest 2000(c) and a car rally would fit into our agenda very well. Most of the attendees don't own cars, and if they do, they generally don't run, and if they do run, not that well. A car rally could serve as an enticement to our population and show them how the other side lives. I hope they get wind of this and get in touch with one of us.

But going back to the main theme, I really don't remember when I exactly got over being afraid of the dark but when I did a whole new world opened up to me. I was no longer afraid of vampires and monsters. I knew that they were much less fearsome than real life human beings. Vampires and monsters generally kept to themselves and for the most part didn't care about exerting control over my life or that of any one else. As long as we left them alone then they would leave us alone.

However the rich kids like Larry Shields, the great Kahuna of the Water Authority, are different. Unlike vampires and monsters, people like him know what is best for all of us and I suppose in his infinite wisdom he decided that a car rally of any kind was not.

Being the humble former County Commissioner with very little to say about anything anymore, who would I be to question that wisdom. He is probably right. A car rally is a frivolous thing when you consider the good time that is being planned for us common folk by that wonderful and benevolent Georgie (Bozo the Clown) Duke. It will be just like a Medieval Fair with tents and artisans and games for all to enjoy. Why would we need anything beyond that?

And at the same time we can all give thanks that we are so well cared for by the people who really know what is best for us.

But I wonder. I really do wonder about all the talk about how beautiful this area is and how we need to capitalize on it to help our future. Isn't that the tune I heard about tourism in this area? Where are the tourism people through all of this? Why aren't they picking up the banner of any event that would bring more people here? I wonder if they are only allowed to pick up "sanctioned events" and this one wasn't. I can't say. I don't know anymore. Maybe you do.

Your comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.

JUNE 27, 2K

What did he say?

Subject: Column - USE THIS ONE

NOTE TO BUD: Save the one I sent earlier for later. Use the one I sent later (this one) for earlier. The later version should precede the earlier which, in turn, will follow the later. Are there any questions?

Wal-To-Wal Marting BY TOM CLARK

Oh, you better not bitch
You better not whine
You better deal with it
'Cuz everything's fine
Wally World Is Coming To Town

Hey, that's kinda catchy. I'll have to remember to include it on my Christmas CD (available through this amazing e-mail offer for...er, sorry).

It looks like that rumor Barney and Aunt Bea started about Wal-Mart coming to town may have a snowball's chance in Bradford of coming true.

Saturday's Bradford Error front page was awashed in black ink proclaiming that Wal-Mart confirmed their interest in Bradford.

Did any of you closely read the article? Am I the only one who did that came away with the same optimism I had before this morning? Did the so-called official who is overly quoted in the article actually come out and say, "Yes, Wal-Mart is definitely building a store in Bradford"?

Color me skeptical, but there were many coulds, woulds and shoulds in the piece. A person who is buying into the "facts" is probably picturing a shopper's mecca, neatly tucked behind the Rollerdrome. "Wal-Mart, maybe a Staples, oooh...dare I dream Applebee's?!?"

Hello (tap tap), is this thing on? Let me spell it out for you. This is B-R-A-D-F-O-R-D. Declining population and economic base. OK, the Wal-Mart is a gimme, it will probably happen. But no freakin' way will we get the retail amenitites that often sprout in the proximity of a Wal-Mart.

As I said before, if Wal-Mart is genuinely interested in the Bradford area, the boys who crack the whip in Bradford Township should get on the horn and court Sam's people. The US 219 corridor between South Bradford and Lewis Run offers, by far, the best locations for a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Let's pretend that the Wal-Mart braintrusts in Arkansas decide to grace us with their version of "Retail Hell". Many lives, both personal and business, will be affected by a Wal-Mart in the Tunagawant Valley Economic Sector (I made that up). I'll review a few of the particulars and how I think they will affect our area.

First, and most important, me - They couldn't build it here soon enough! With the ridiculously high price of gas, running over to Wal-Mart in Allegany on a whim isn't such a great idea. Plus, there is nothing better than doing your Christmas shopping at 3:00 a.m. at a 24-hour Supercenter after you crawled out of a bar. The Lower Lower Middle Class - Dentally-challenged females from near and far will fire up their rusty '76 Monte Carlos and stand in an employment line for hours, just to have a chance of owning the prestige that comes with working at a Wal-Mart.

Soon, trailerhoods across the Twin Tiers will become two-income families. Many a teenaged mom will drop the three kids off at Nanna's, don that snazzy blue vest with the yellow smiley on the back, and head to their career promised land. And the extra $120 a week they pull in could help the hubby get the stock car in the front yard running again.

Main Street Merchants - I wrote the opening lyrics for them. They need a Knute Rockne, some kind of inspiration to give them a competitive edge. Or some type of advantage in the retail world. Gee, I don't...perhaps, for starters, some good merchandise at fair prices?

You milked us for all you could, then cried when the public caught on and shopped somewhere else.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. The meek shrivel up in the corner and die. Your choice...bring us back downtown by offering us what we want.

A Wal-Mart shouldn't be any competition for the businesses on Main Street. Wal-Mart sells the cheap crap we need. Main Street should sell us the good stuff we need, but at competitive prices. Who wants to drive to Buffalo or Erie? Even with the gas prices as they are, it's still cheaper than shopping on Main Street.

The Local Economy - This is touchy. Sure, a Wal-Mart will add more jobs. But, where are these people coming from? I assume they will be leaving skilled and technical positions at other employers. Country Fair stores stand to lose the brunt of their highly trained and personable workforce to the lure of retail corporate opportunities. To be sure, there will be a few who held out all of these years waiting
for that dream job at Wal-Mart, thus removing their names from the welfare rolls and, thus, dropping our unemployment count.

The local government, whoever it shall be, must be careful not to bend over backwards. Wal-Mart needs us more than we need them. They don't need tax incentives that slight the local coffers. They'll agree to whatever tax base that is fair, if they really want to build here.

I just hope it isn't built in the City of Bradford. The OECD would botch this deal with a flair. Can you say ARG? Although, I did hear a few people suggest levelling Main Street and building a Supercenter there. Ray, you want to take this one?

I'm ready to start Wal-Marting in Bradford. In fact, I could buzz over the border and pick up a few things today, if gas were not so expensive. In the meantime, if anyone wants to start a car pool to the store in Allegany, e-mail me at tcclark@2-cool.com. . 'Til next week...

Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com

JUNE 26, 2K

The best advice

Good morning. It is 61.2 degrees at 6:07 A.M. Tom Clark's column is ready to go, but I feel like writing today, and since it is my column...........

One of our readers is upset we don't do columns on Saturday and Sunday. I apologize, but with summer and late nite antics, what can I say! She sent me a card that had a dancing palm tree on it. Thanks Mary!

The card I received had the palm tree dancing with music and a little poem about Florida. I loved it. Thanks.

Anyway, being a parent, an uncle, and now a grandfather, and you would think that after all these years, a certain amount of wisdom just might sink in. I had the occasion on Saturday night to use some of it.

The dilemma was a young person pondering her future.

The young woman was waiting for the perfect man to arrive and make her totally happy. According to her "friend" until that man arrives, anything else would be selling herself short. Sounds good, but I asked her to define happy for me. And I got bold, too. I used Sharyn and I as an example - one the young woman has been able to observe for a number of years.

"Happy," I told her. "Is a state of mind. It starts in your mind and it comes with satisfaction with yourself. No other person is going to be able to make you happy. You have to do that yourself. Expecting a man, any man, to be responsible for your happiness, is foolish. You have to be happy with yourself."

"I am," she explained.

"Then what is the problem?" I asked.

"I'm not sure that I am happy with (her boyfriend with whom she lives)."

I laughed. "At this moment or all the time?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm happy," she explained. "He gives me everything I need and even want. He makes me happy like that, but (her girlfriend) says there has to be more."

Now I know the girlfriend. Everyone one, men and women, have friends like her. She talks so much about a single subject, and when she does, she never varies from the delivery or the message, that after a time you begin to believe that they actually know what they are talking about. However, in this case I know the girlfriend, and I had to explain that her girlfriend was full of crap!

"What has she ever done in her life?" I asked. "What the hell does she know about anything? What makes her so experienced that she can say things to you that she knows nothing about and can give you direction? Heck," I pointed out. "You have more life experience than she does. And she may think she is smart, but she certainly hasn't exhibited any great intelligence to me."

Our conversation spanned many subjects from there. We talked about money. "She says money isn't everything," I was told.

I laughed. "It's always the people who don't have it, or who are depending on someone else for it, that say that," I told her. "Happiness, or part of it," I told her. "Is not having to worry about having utilities shut off, or worrying about your MasterCard account. When those things are taken care of, it is a whole lot easier to center your attention on another person and how the two of you can be happy together."

"And besides," I said. "Happy is just a word. The real feeling is contentment and satisfaction. When you are contented and satisfied, then you are happy. Do you get that with him?" I asked.

"Yes," she admitted. "Most of the time."

"Well," I told her. "You are up on a whole lot of people if you have that most of the time."

She realized what I told her about her so called friend was true. She understood what I said about money and contentment. But she still had to ask: "What else is there?"

"Enjoying it and not worrying about not having what doesn't exist," I said. "Be happy with what you have and you will be happy all of your life."

And with that our conversation ended. It was one of the very few conversations like that I have ever had with that person, but I feel it was probably the most important. But for me to expect her to follow what I said and to use it as a bible for the living of her life would be foolish. Because in the end, a simple rule of thumb is this.

The best advice is no advice at all. In the case of the girlfriend who barely knows her butt from a tree stump, she gave bad advice. In my case, the giving of advice was based on the experience of a fifty plus year old man. I have never been a young woman so where do I get off saying anything. So she will have to decide for herself and life will take over. When she is my age then she will have an idea of whether she made the right decision or not.

Tom Clark tomorrow. Your comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.

JUNE 24 & 25, 2K

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