Mr. A subscribes to the weekend editions of the Union-Tribune, San Diego's daily gazette. He rarely reads it, but he gets it because he knows I enjoy it. Thank you!Occasionally, the paper disappears from his building's porch.
This bothers me for three reasons.
First, I like newspapers. As in paper.
Second, while I'm a somewhat loose constructionist when it comes to the Big Book of Morals, and normally not one to point fingers about high grounds or cheap shots, I do think that stealing someone's newspaper is low. I get indignant partially because I've been veeeeery tempted, but never dared. It's especially hard when I see a coveted WSJ sitting on someone's porch for a few days in a row, forsaken or abandoned, weeping for my loving attention, only to be trounced upon by a more opportunistic neighbor -- or the trash crew. I fully admit the hypocrisy of claiming to be morally chill and then wanting people to do unto me as I would do unto them... and yet it just kind of pisses me off.
Most of all, it's bad enough that newspaper subscriptions are down and the whole industry is dying. On top of that, someone has to steal a paper? Go pay for it, jerk. Stop getting journalists layed off!Well, Friday's paper came and went, by Saturday, I decided to take a new approach.
I posted this message on the bulletin board downstairs:
"Did you take Friday's Union-Tribune? I subscribe, and I need an article from that edition. If you took it, please bring it back downstairs. Thanks."
At press time, no newspaper to be seen. Harumph.
Gained: zilch.
