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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Truth Wins The Early Round, But Soon, Boys Will Be Boys

Truth and the American way have the early lead in the Republican primary race for the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners. Too bad they won’t win. Incumbent Bob Macdonald and challenger Reed Simpson agreed to conduct their campaigns according to Rotary International Four-Way Test principles: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and friendship? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? But tax activist Ron Rankin, a third candidate, didn’t sign on. Quoth he: “I don’t want my campaign to be beneficial to Macdonald and Simpson.” Instead, Rankin challenged his political playmates to sign the Boy Scout oath, promising to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. My prediction? The boys will be kicking and gouging before long.

Internet users have reason to be hacked off

Candidate Simpson should add one more item to his true-blue oath: Thou shalt not spam. Seems hacker Simpson wanted Internet users to respond to a questionnaire about Kootenai County issues and sent the computer equivalent of junk mail regionwide. Many did respond - angrily. Internet 101 teaches that businesses and politicians shouldn’t clutter the net with their ads. Since users pay for their on-line service, Simpson’s stunt was similar to sending junk mail and reversing postage charges. Simpson defended the practice by saying that no one owns the Internet. (At this point, I’d like to remind him about the third question on the Rotary International Four-Way Test: Will it build good will and friendship?)

EPA fuddy-duddies rain on valley’s parade

In the Silver Valley, “party pooper” is spelled E-P-A. Community supporters had been selling chances, at $2 a pop, to blow up the Silver Valley’s two huge smokestacks next month - until nervous Nellies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stepped in. The feds didn’t want a civilian pushing the button because a plane might fly over at the last moment. Or some fool might scale a fence and run out next to a smokestack. (Or maybe the governor would grant 11th-hour clemency. Come on.) Quoth EPA flack Krista Rave: “If it were decided at the last second for it (the explosion) not to happen, it would be awfully hard to get the word back to the winner of the raffle.” But it seems that EPA experts could tell a civilian, as easily as a hired blaster, when the coast is clear to blow the stacks. The pencil pushers at the EPA need to lighten up. , DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125.

D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125.