The Hot Seat

A weekly look at people in the news

Return of the radio-menace

KK-something or other was back on the air last week with a fabulous new phenom named Dan Straight. He sounded so cool we tuned in again, but all we heard was the radio men sniveling and whining. They were coming completely undone over a minuscule error in a news story about moving some radio towers. The towers are so close to homes that underwire bras broadcast like P.A. systems. That is a big story but all the radio men could do was gripe and moan about an eentsy-beentsy misidentification of ownership. Luckily we could barely hear them whine over the sound of a newspaper rustling as they read their newscast from the pages of The Spokesman-Review.

Why do they call themselves freemen?

The bearded men and women holed up on a ranch in Montana call themselves freemen. They deny the legitimacy of the federal government, the courts, blah, blah, blah. But freemen? Not. The two ringleaders who were recently arrested can’t deny the legitimacy of iron bars and could correctly call themselves “jailbirds.” The rest of the gang can’t leave their house without being arrested and could be called the “anything but freemen.” Sadly, the good people of Jordan, Mont., simply call them trouble.

We’re looking for a good Samaritan

Last Monday, one of The Hot Seat kids left his brand-new baseball glove on the field at school. He phoned many friends and grown-ups to see if anyone had picked it up. No one had seen his new glove. He really liked that glove and had a terrible night. The next morning the glove was lying on the front porch. The Hot Seat boy would like to thank his good Samaritan personally. Please call or write. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 photos

MEMO: The Hot Seat is an irreverent look at controversial issues in the news. The views expressed are those of the writer. Today’s Hot Seat was written by Scott Sines.