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Can you spell beaurocracy?

Once in a blue moon. By one definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. It didn't look very blue to me tonight, but I shot a picture of it anyway.
I watched the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee tonight. Now that's entertainment! Really! I mean it! It's actually great to see these smart kids getting treated like star athletes or rock stars. They are amazing and make me feel hopeful for the future of humankind. As I watched these 12 and 13 year old kids spelling words like zoilus, paronomasia and schuhplattler, I just kept thinking they should post some fine print at the bottom of the screen imploring fans, "Don't try this at home. These are trained professionals." I was on the edge of my seat. Seriously! (By the way, spell-check highlighted each of those words above. See? They're too hard for spell check. Seriously!)
Today was screamin' busy at the winery. I think it was a record sales day with over $5000 in gross sales at the retail store. I probably packed a dozen boxes for shipping. Sheesh! The good news is that I learned today that I am eligible to participate in the group health insurance plan there. No one at the winery told me this. I had to inquire. I had heard that Hawaii state law mandated companies to offer insurance to employees who work more than 19 hours per week. Since I typically work 22 hours, I thought I'd ask. It paid off. "Oh. I guess you do qualify." Sheesh again! I've qualified for months. The bad news is that they only offer Kaiser. I'll have to think about that. I already have a good allergy doctor that I would have to change if I made the switch.
Speaking of the state of Hawaii, you won't believe this one. A representative from the state called Ron the other day to tell him that they had not received his audit results and other paperwork and would have to suspend his business license. (Hawaii, by the way, is the only state that has required him to be audited, complete a litany of paperwork and pay an exorbitant fee to obtain a business license here.) When Ron told the man on the phone that he had delivery confirmation that the packet had been received and signed for at the state offices, the guy did a pathetic back peddle and replied with a simple, "Oh. Sorry. We've been having trouble with our mail." So this numskull was ready to put Ron out of business without hesitation and for no good reason. It's just lucky Ron trusts no one; certainly not the state nor the postal service. I wonder how many other poor saps were rendered without a license for their businesses and deprived of a living just because they neglected to get delivery confirmation and their paperwork was lost in the vast wasteland of the state of Hawaii's mailroom?
Here's another true story. The other morning, while driving along the highway to Hilo, I passed giant brush cutting machines being operated along both sides of the road. The big, orange whackers were well off the road on the shoulders and their operators were doing a fine job. Cars were passing with no problem, safely and easily. Even so, there was a county pickup truck there with his flashers on at the sight. There was actually a guy sitting inside the cab. Apparently, that was his job; to sit there with the flashers on and move the pickup as the machines made their way along. Also parked on both sides of the roadway were two Hawaii County police officers. Again, they just sat there. It seemed to me that the cops should have better things to do than escort brush cutters along the highway. A couple of well placed orange cones could have done the jobs of the guy in the pickup and the cops combined. My neighbor had noticed it too. She mentioned it to me this morning when I saw her out walking. "Did you happen to drive to town yesterday?.... Did you see that guy just sitting there in his pickup truck watching the machines? I want that job," she said. Me too. Shoots. No sore feet with that one. I could catch up on my reading, too. Plus, I'll bet that guy gets killer benefits. The state of Hawaii has more government employees than any other state in the nation, by a long shot. Guess they've gotta find something for them all to do.
A hui hou. Aloha.

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