Why someone might or might not want to live here

A couple of items in the Daily Independent (one of our two local newspapers) caught my attention this week. First, a letter to the editor in Thursday's paper concerning the recent vote to allow a new Super Wal-Mart to be built across the street from the current non-super Wal-Mart (which will then presumably become yet another vacant eyesore). The letter-writer was in favor of the new store because, she said, she is tired of driving to Lancaster to shop: "...we need doctors and other professional people to live in Ridgecrest. They don't move here because there is no place to shop. That is why most doctors don't live here even though we have beautiful weather."

It is good to know that doctors will be moving here by the dozens once we have the new Super Wal-Mart in place. However, an item in Wednesday's paper makes me question this: "After five years of serving the people of Ridgecrest, the Biblical Archeology and Anthropology Museum (BAAM) is moving to larger quarters in Van Nuys." What is this museum, Rocket Boy asked me, have you ever heard of it? No, I said, I haven't. So we looked it up online. I strongly encourage others to do the same. See http://www.baamonline.org/exhibits.htm. I particularly direct your attention to the "virtual tour." This wonderful museum will show you why modern archaeology and anthropology are all wrong. And we're losing it to Van Nuys! All those doctors are going to turn around and leave Ridgecrest immediately when they find out.

Sigh. In other, more important, news, the situation in Haiti sounds worse and worse. Talk about places one might not want to live, if one had the choice, that is. I just gave Oxfam America a donation for the relief effort. There are numerous organizations helping out, but I trust Oxfam, so chose them. You can text the Red Cross and $10 will go to them, charged to your cell phone bill -- that sounds like a good option, but I don't know how to text. (MUST pay attention and join the modern era one of these days.) A few years ago, my old book group read a very moving book about Haiti, Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. An example of the power of the written word: when I heard about the earthquake I immediately thought about the people in the book and wanted to help them.

As for the Daily Independent, at least it has the power to amuse, if not usually intentionally.