Went into town to the grocery store to pick up a few items. One item was a 6-pack of beer. I know the ladies who work the registers there. All really nice people. We usually get caught up with each other when I come through (gotta love a smaller town). This time the lady asked to see my ID for the beer. I had left it in the truck. I said, "Look at me. I'm near 60." One of the other ladies said they have to ask now due to some ordinance and that if they don't it's a $2000 fine....and stores have been getting fined. Then it hit me. Why do local governments do something so farcical? I said, "That's like fining me $2000 if I don't put my shoes on in the preferred order." I understand that some local ordinances require that everybody get carded for booze even if they're clearly approaching 100 years old. What say you? Is this from the ole, "If we pass enough laws everybody eventually becomes a criminal."? I can't think of any other reason.

To add to my experience...There was an old man in line behind me. He looked terribly feeble - like Joe. When he spoke to me about our conversation the slobber just poured out of his mouth. When I walked out of the store with my daughter (and my beer) the thought hit me, "We're f&%ked." So often I feel like I'm the only guy in the room asking the obvious questions. 85% of people just blindly do as they're told...like they've given up, or have just shut down the critical part of their brain to save energy. What can be done to incentivize thinking anymore?...