Welcome to another edition of the mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by readers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.
“There is little or no resemblance between your experience with the Nebraska printing company and what is currently happening with the U.S. government (Tough decisions, Feb. 26, 2025). Those wielding the chainsaw in Washington show no evidence of expertise about the agencies they are cutting. They have made no effort to involve knowledgeable employees and stakeholders in the process. And they have produced very little proof that their decisions are based on actual waste; they appear to be focused more on eliminating those who fail to bend the knee to far right wing leaders and their viewpoints. No one should oppose cutting bona fide waste and fraud in the government. However, it should also be noted that the primary purpose of most government agencies is to provide a service, not to make a profit. (P.S. I enjoyed your columns on Sister Janet Mead, the singing nun, and on remembering the sounds of our past!)” - Elizabeth
Good points, Elizabeth. Meanwhile, we do need to figure out how to eliminate a 2-trillion-dollar annual deficit.
“OK, OK, I confess. I hoard nuts, bolts, nails and screws as a habit I picked up from my dad (The wires box, March 3, 2025). When we swept out a moving truck from a job, we handed any coin, nut, bolt, nail or screw to the client because ‘IT WAS THEIRS, and we don't wanna be known as one of those types.’ Dad also would pick any nut, bolt, nail or screws off the ground ‘because that would be the one damn one that we will find in our tire or foot.’ Makes sense to me still to this day.” - Rex
I am betting you still have Folger’s Coffee cans full of those things. - Shane
“Good morning, Shane. Your timing with this morning's contribution is incredible (Life skills, March 5, 2025). I agree with so many of the skills to be learned such as button sewing, changing a flat tire, pumping gas (that's the easy part; navigating the myriad of card reader configurations is the hard part), safe ladder deployment, and how to light a barbecue grill are a few things basic American training could include. Back in my high school days, home economics was for girls only. I take small exception to adding oil to a car. The last time I did that was at least 30 years ago, the last time I changed my own oil. It's a forgotten skill, like checking the water level in the car's battery. I'm glad my parents taught me to put on a tie even though it's a skill I rarely use. Thanks for a thoughtful morning.” - John
Lighting a gas grill is something everyone should learn how to properly do before starting their hair on fire. I speak from experience. - Shane
Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thank you for reading.
Shane Goodman
