On the way to Auburn out of Valley, I noticed maintenance crews picking up litter along the interstate highway. There were probably 10 workers with their reflective vests on dragging large bags of debris in the median as well as on both sides of the lanes. It occurred to me that it was a bad reflection on our society that the tax payers have to resort to using the resources of our highway department to pick up trash that people throw out the window. One would think that they would place the waste in a container when they exit their vehicle. I realize that some of the debris blows out of the bed of a pickup or transfer truck. But it is obvious to me that most of the litter is composed of small items from car traffic.

Also in the news last week was the revelation of the Auburn Board Of Trustees rewarding Gus Malzahn with a new 7 year contract that pays him $7.1 million+ dollars a year. One might say, “Why are you ‘nit picking’ about this when the tickets holders to Auburn football games are paying his salary?” They ain’t paying all of it! Who pays for the stadium? Who pays for the law enforcement agents to manage traffic? Who pays for the scholarships for the players? Who paid for that million dollar scoreboard at the south end of the stadium? I do not have the facts, but I am quite sure that the tax payers pick up the tab or it is included in tuition, which is already more than the average student can afford.  I am a WAR EAGLE, but this college coach thing has gotten out of hand. I guess that they are trying to match Nick Saban’s pay.

You would think that as a male I would admit to having no trouble accepting some of the revealing feminine attire. However, I have to agree with the wife. It is not in good taste for females on the screen to have V sweaters, shirts or coats that reveal what is underneath all the way down to their navel. And most of them are part of the #METOO crowd that are complaining about male molestation. And the same “nit picking” is applicable to bathing suits.

This is probably going too far, but one of my “nit picking” things is buffet dining practices. I see this happen every time I go to a buffet food service place. My thought is that you should load your plate with a small serving on the first go-round and if you desire more of the selected food or some other dish, go back to the line. However, I see diners load their plates with huge helpings which is more than they can actually eat or they may not like the choice and then leave it for the waiter to throw in the trash. This is not only a waste of resources but a cost to the business.

Admittedly, the understanding of higher level politicians’ benefits are beyond my scope. But, I do “nitpick” on some of their perks. One, why do the members of Congress have a different retirement plan than most government workers? Two, why is their health insurance unaffected by the Affordable Care Act?  Three, what is the justification of having a 3 day work week? Four, how is it fair that a lobbyist representing a business can spend millions of dollars to seek favor with Congressmen?

Webster says that “nit picking” is finding fault without knowing all the details. My society says “nit picking” is making a fuss over nothing.  Probably not many in our society, especially the millennials, know the origin of the word. How you have ever heard of the word cooties? Cooties is a small insect that feeds on the roots of your hair and was prevalent even in early American society. The term lice is more commonly used today. Before chemicals were manufactured to control the pest, people shaved their heads and would have someone pick the nits (eggs) off of their hair roots. It was a difficult task as the insects were so small it was almost impossible to pick all of them off of your scalp.

There are a lot of “cooties” around in our society. The one that I know best is Cooter Allen out at LaFayette True Value Hardware Store. And Cooter Allen is always “nit picking” us War Eagle fans!