Four people contacted us to say, yes, Virginia, there is a cobbler in the Eastern Sierra. We had lamented the absence of Mas Blackwell, former shoe cobbler of Bishop. Just the chance to have our favorite old shoes fixed makes life happier, in a certain way.

The folks who contacted us pointed out that Rod Ayers at Lloyd’s of Lone Pine is a fine cobbler who knows how to fix leather shoes. Thanks for that, people, we will hold onto our favorite shoes and boots with the knowledge that Rod can keep them going. We need that.

Local teenaged girls need to act as extras in the latest Brad Pitt film which shoots, in part, around Mono Lake. Yahoo! Just a chance to see the Bradster has many hearts pounding.

Speaking of Mono Lake, the Mono Lake Committee let us know that National Public Radio now airs a 20 minute segment called the Mono Lake Story, which is part of a larger series called Saving The Sierra. Nicely done, NPR. The more news about saving our region, the better.

No, Sex and the City has nothing to do with Mammoth Lakes. Honest. That’s the film version of the hit TV series. Sex is raking in the bucks. So is Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford proves older, charismatic men, can attract audiences. Of course, it helps to have Steven Spielberg on your side.

That’s what Mammoth Lakes doesn’t have – a talented director. All of the players sometimes run amuck with serious lack of professional guidance. Take all of the ya-da-ya-da over the Town Council election. First, there was the whoopdeedoo over Tony Barrett’s letter that endorsed Skip Harvey and Kirk Stapp and slammed Jo Bacon. We pointed out the folly of endorsements, not to mention the further folly of Barrett supporting the two councilmen he had earlier put down as useless. A good director would have pointed out his foolhardy inconsistencies to Barrett, but then, nobody’s perfect.

The outraged weren’t happy enough when Jo Bacon actually won. In the absence of Spielberg, we’ll just suggest everybody calm down and move on. Life’s about change. It’s usually a good thing for all involved.

On another note, maybe the people who have irresolutely refused to accept stem cell research should take another look. An article in the LA Times points to a treatment that used umbilical and marrow cells to successfully save the life of a two year old Minneapolis boy suffering from a fatal genetic skin disease. Doesn’t that seem worthy of support?

Under the department of “headlines we’re glad aren’t ours” the LA Times boasted this one: Weekend violence leaves 11 dead in L.A. County. Good grief. Small towns look good, don’t they?

We’re not the only ones who feel the pain at the gas pumps. Another headline says China Braces for Leap in Gas Prices. They think that right after the Olympics China will take a nasty punch from fuel prices.

Even as we speak, some locals are placing bets that our gas prices will top $5.19 a gallon this fall. Double Ouch! Can you say, Car Pool, Baby! Gives the idea of telecommuting a whole new meaning.

Frugality takes on a whole new meaning, too. Like oh, my, it’s for real. Just throw those darned clothes catalogs out right now, and don’t even go onto Amazon.com.

Finally, the Bureaucrat Beat newsroom just heard that the Salvation Army has a money and food crisis. Not a popular time to give, and there are local people who are hungry and rely on the food provided by the Army. We’re going to send them a check right now even if we have to forgo our late night newsroom snacks.

With that, this is Benett Kessler signing off for Bureaucrat Beat where we await your word on our lives in the Eastern Sierra and beyond.

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