Batman

 BATMAN

Batman and Robin living in Mingo; who would have thought!  The Batmobile is well serviced and ready to go at all times.  Batmobile is capitalized purposefully - - there is only one and it is special and deserves capitalization.

Few knew that the famous duo had made their home in Mingo, but it's true. After their recent nuptials, they thought Mingo would be a good place to set up shop.  No kidding!   I was as surprised as you when I found out that the crime fighting duo were actually denizens of Jasper County.  As many have done before, they decided to reside and have their bat cave just inside the county line to save on property taxes even though they spend much of their time in Des Moines fighting crime and rounding up ne-er-do-wells.

This doesn't mean they don't do good deeds in Jasper County, because they do; usually in the middle of the night though.  Being active at night when most of the crime occurs is good policy:  they don't get in the way of daily commerce and are able to maintain a low profile both.  A win-win for all.  

Now, I've never heard mention that our local sheriff and the famous duo ever act in concert, but I would be willing to bet they do and have for some time.  It's not something the Sheriff wants to broadcast.  First, no one would believe him; and second, they would think he would be ingesting cannabis products.  Neither view would do him much credit with the general public who generally still believe that mental disturbances and marijuana products derive from dark places inhabited by ghouls and goblins.

Robin is concerned, though,  about this letter to the editor; especially about the part about their marriage.  He was very concerned that it would cause unnecessary grief in their crime fighting efforts since the general consensus is that gay people are effeminate and certainly would not make good crime fighters and would cause the criminal class to take them on when confronted.  But I'll tell you true, don't mess with Robin or Batman; it will be a short session and you will want to have your insurance paid up.

And don't come looking for them; they are not interested in gawkers and don't give autographs - - they are crime fighters and sleeping when not fighting crime.  And you will not get a ride in the Batmobile - - not happening.  So, even though you now know they are here and protecting you while you sleep, put it out of your mind.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

You're Being Negative

 YOU'RE BEING NEGATIVE

Has anyone ever said to you, "You're just being negative!"?  You should be really pleased if so.  It signifies that you actually have given something some thought.  Usually, much to the surprise of the person who has called you "negative".  I can't think of anything I'd rather be called than "negative".  

Being negative indicates that you, the person being called negative, thinks that the other person, the person calling you negative, is either being stupid or acting in a stupid manner - - which are really the same thing, one simply being more pronounced than the other.  Being negative is simply a polite way of saying to the other person "That is really stupid".  You're simply being polite and you shouldn't be criticized for that, now should you?

So let's give those being negative a break for a change.  They are simply being polite when someone does or says something stupid.  The problem usually is the person from whom the statement issues does not recognize the fact that the "negative person" is simply trying to be polite - - more evidence of little understanding.  No thought processes are recognizable.  The first effort  to be made by the person saying stupid things or acting in a stupid manner should be to make an effort to understand their own stupidity.  At times stupidity is a learned trait and can be corrected - - not often, but sometimes.

The person calling you negative is really in a confessional mode.  They are confessing they are stupid or are acting in a stupid manner.  And as a matter of kindness, you may not want to bring it to their attention other than by simply being negative.  Calling someone stupid is not necessary, when simply disagreeing is enough.  The conversation could devolve into name calling by one person saying the other is stupid and the other person saying the other is being negative and so forth and so on.  

One could easily, in a discussion of negativity, go way beyond the spatial limitations of a short article such as this.  It really could lead to a whole series of thought processes with no clear end in sight  - - possibly book length.  I'm sure that others in the history of printing have commented on negativity.  Maybe Kant or Hegel for instance, but I can't say since I've read neither.  Let's just say that being negative is really not a negative quality, but in fact a positive quality that should be recognized more generally.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo