The Regular Joe

In visiting local businesses, I've seen this publication regularly distributed. The cover artwork usually gives me a bit of a chuckle and occasionally I pick up a copy just for kicks. I'm not "hip" to the local bar and entertainment scene so most of the information is irrelevant to me; however, I understand that anyone who can expand our views of our world deserves my support, so I had a link included on my Notable Links. I even rather enjoy their "quotes" at the bottom of every page ("Whoever wants to learn the hearts and minds of America had better learn baseball." Jacques Barzun)

With the publication of Vol 2, Issue 15, dated April 16, 2009, I effectively removed their link from my site and will no longer read their publication as I was extremely disappointed with articles the editor chose to publish. Recent excerpts include:

Taken from "Ask Anybody":
I want to say congratulations to the "Citizens Again For Never Taxes" or whatever their name is. It was brilliant calling in those big city guys to put the kibosh on this dumb idea. Who cares what their secret agenda was, as long as we get out way? Hey, maybe if the local schools go down the toilet, I can get em to hook me up with some of them voucher deals so I can get a tax break for sending my seven kids to the school in my church's basement. Whadaya think? (Read the entire letter here)

Taken from "The Law of Unintended Consequences:"
Those that voted against it (the bond issue) either did not have the intellectual fortitude to understand what was at rish, didn't' (sic) care to understand, or were misinformed....So instead of awarding the efficient use of community resources we actually take pro-active steps at the polls to punish them for their performance to lessen those resources. Genius St. Joseph, real genius." (Read the article here)

Taken from "My Two Cents on TrailsWest! 2009 - Dear God, What Have We Done To Deserve This?"
The question I pose is this: Why God Why? What have the good people of St. Joe done to anger you so? In recent years, the attendees of TrailsWest have been asked to endure "steaming piles" like Air Supply, Night Ranger and Bucky Covington.
I understand that the Council has limited funds and a certain audience to cater to but why is it the country fans, over 40 hair metal fans and desperate housewives are the only ones who get what they want? (Read more here)

The only writer who offered a solution to his problem was Danny Phillips who encouraged TrailsWest! coordinators to consider local bands for the music lineup at the festival. The negativity is somewhat demoralizing and clearly unproductive. I have to wonder if the writers of the first two articles were present at the recent grassroots meetings to discuss getting the levy/bond issues back on the ballot....