The New Year

Happy New Year to one and all. For Gloria and me this
is a double celebration. We were married 40 years ago
tonight. That was the best decision we ever made.

2012 holds a promise of being a banner year for this
publication. There are many irons in the fire but the
one holding the most promise at the moment is a
series entitled "Lip Service," a term I first learned
in the early 1960's under the tutelage of a Jamaican
business man in New York City. When I expressed
shock on first hearing the term, he had the patience
to sit down with me and explain the words and provide
examples rather than provide a hand-waving harangue
that is the usual case when the emotionally charged
words enter a conversation.

I grew up in the academic environment and community
where such realities were not in evidence, let alone talked
about. So I never heard about such matters until I was
in early adulthood.

A side note to those readers who would prefer that
this publication focus on the positive things about
Iron County I am called to remind you that that is
the obvious purpose of the our local radio station and
the publication that calls itself, "The Reporter." The
premise and purpose of this publication is to call
attention to all those matters that the other two
news reporters in Iron County purposely avoid. Trust
me when I say that what you generally hear and read
there is the nice front end that local governments show
to everyone.

It is my function to lift the carpet and to clearly what
dirt has been swept there. Please bear in mind that
hidden contagion will damage you more surely that
those you know about and can avoid.

Bill Vajk