Well, not really labor vs. material – just labor in this case. When Michele and I went to Death Valley and back a couple of weeks ago, we pretty much stayed off of the 5 – I can't help it, that just sounds weird, I'm going back to calling it I5 (which only looks weird). Anyway, because we didn't spend much time on I5, we didn't stop at any official reststops this trip. 

But I was reminded of an incident from a couple of years ago, probably closer to 15 years ago.

We stopped at a reststop that was in the middle of a farming area and – like all reststops – fenced off from the surrounding area. It sort of reminded me of the compound where I lived when I was in the Army stationed in Korea where the native people and their normal life – for them – was on the other side of the fence.Occasionally, on the other side of the fence, both here and in Korea, we would see farmers working.

On this occasion – I5, not Korea – there were farmers, or farm workers, or just stray people, trying to sell us produce through the fence. We bought something, probably almonds. The next time we came by, the sellers were gone and, in their place, were signs saying that vending was illegal. It still pisses me off. They were just trying to make a buck by providing a service.

But, if we want a snack, we are forced to go down the freeway until we come to an interchange that features, authorized, chain fast-food joints and gas station stores. (That have hired lobbyists to get their franchises protected.)  Everywhere I have traveled, except the USA and England, there have been informal vendors selling various foods and trinkets. In China, the state not only allows it, but encourages it by building sales kiosks and open, covered sheds, where people are
likely to stop. Especially in National Parks as shown below.    

Imagine how nice it would be if, instead of discouraging vendors at reststops, the state encouraged them. We could buy a taco at a reststop on I5 on the way to LA. Or, at the viewpoint at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, we could get a fresh Chinese burrito. I think that our country would be better for it and it would probably help with our unemployment problem.

Saturday, I walked a precinct in Palo Alto for Josh Becker who is running for the California Assembly. Josh is energetic, intelligent, and intellectual: exactly what a Silicon Valley politician should be.

If Josh is emblematic of Silicon Valley, California, Dale Bumkin probably isn't a typical Georgian. But he sure does fit my imaginary archetypal Georgian politician. I especially like that he tells us that thugs and criminals have kept people from knowing that Alabama has a five billion agriculture business; that he was in the Marines during Vietnam – presumably, as opposed to in Vietnam – and, he carries a Winchester Model 1894 rifle: he wants us to know that he is a good ol' boy who likes his guns, but a conservative that has no use for one of them new-fangled automatic rifles. Dale's ad is going viral, and I want to help pass it along.

It seems to me that California is going backwards in their – our? – new freeway sign program. The new signs use more material and are simpler, using less labor. It seems to me that we should use more labor and less material. Even if if they end up being more expensive. Putting more people to work and saving material are both more desirable than the other way around.

Old sign, requiring some assembly.   

New sign, requiring almost no assembly.

Michele's sister is going to Europe for a month, living the good life. Michele has agreed to take care of her – her being Michele's sister – cat, Toby, while she – Michele's sister, again – is away. So far, Toby is a charmer, he is very friendly and very cute, in a goofy sort of way.

Yesterday, I left for a couple of hours, leaving him in the house but with the door to the porch open so he could go out and admire the view. When I came home, he had jumped off the porch – more than a six foot jump – and had commandeered our neighbor's old Alfa. But, when I called him, he ran over and followed me back into the house. 

He is fascinated by the toilet flushing or faucets running. As soon as he hears them, he come over to investigate.

It is great that he is here for a month and even greater that he will be gone in a month.