Grouchy Old Utard

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I can not accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again -- when historians look back upon the 1990's through our present times, they will call this the "Era of Junk Science". How many times have you heard that we are all getting too fat and lazy, at least partly because we don't get out of our houses and get enough fresh air and activity? Today the WebMD website had an article titled "6 Daily Habits May Be Making You Sick" (http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/6-daily-habits-that-may-make-you-sick?page-1 ). Item #5 is "Opening your Windows". Here's a quote from the articles (italics added):

"When the weather turns nice, many of us throw open our windows to breath in the fresh spring air. But that may be an unhealthy move, considering the combination of seasonal allergies and poor air quality of many cities throughout the U.S. According to a recent report by the American Lung Association, 60% of Americans are breathing unhealthy air. And the pollution inside our homes may be worse than outdoors. The Environmental Protection Agency lists poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat to our country. Bacteria, molds, mildew, tobacco smoke, viruses, animal dander, house dust mites, and pollen are among the most common household pollutants. "

I don't know about you, but I find this paragraph very confusing. First, we shouldn't open our windows because the air quality outside is so poor, but then it says that indoor air quality is the "fourth largest environmental threat to our country. It sounds like the only solution is to stop breathing. Maybe that's what they're trying to get us to do. This is ridiculous!

I don't mean to say that these guys are idiots, but I'm not going to stop opening my windows, and I'm not going to stop breathing -- at least not just for them. They'll have to give me a better reason to stop me from doing something that I enjoy so much. Heck, being from southern California, I used to say that if I couldn't slice off a chunk of their thick air and chew on it for a while before breathing it in, then the air just wasn't worth breathing. Air quality in Utah is only bad in the winter. So throw those windows open-- even if it kills ya!