Bob Mount: Loachapoka offers quick voting service

BOB MOUNT
COLUMNIST
Published: February 26, 2008

Among my numerous faults is impatience. I detest standing in line for longer than a few minutes.

When I go to the grocery store to pick up a few items, push my cart or carry my basket to the checkout aisle designated “10 items or less” and someone is in front of me with a month’s supply of groceries (usually a woman), I’m tempted to say “ma’am can you read, and if so, are you able to count, and if you can both read and count, why are you in this aisle?” But being a gentleman, I just curse under my breath and refrain from commenting.

About the only other time I have to stand in a line is in the Auburn Post Office while waiting to pick up a parcel too large to fit in my mailbox.

Other times when I have postal business to transact I use the post office in Loachapoka, where I have never had to wait for service. Another benefit I derive from living near Loachapoka is when voting time comes around. Janie and I vote in Loachapoka and never once has it taken us over 15 minutes to sign up and cast our ballots. Eat your heart out, city slickers!

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I wrote in my Feb. 12 column that Gov. Bob Riley would be a good running mate with John McCain in his effort to become president. Having received no response form Riley or his right-hand man, Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, I assume he’s not the least bit interested.

Two other potential candidates come to mind. The first is South Carolina’s governor Mark Sanford. He has an outstanding record as that state’s governor, and from all indications does not kow-tow to anti-environmental pressure groups as Riley is inclined to do.

The second is Theodore Roosevelt IV, great-grandson of former president Teddy Roosevelt. He is a chief administrative officer of Lehman Brothers, one of the nation’s largest financial institutions.

I had the privilege of meeting him at a meeting of the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition, at which he delivered the keynote address. He is a realist, well versed on national and international affairs, and shares his great-grandfather’s appreciation for our natural heritage and desire to preserve it as best we can. He’s also a Republican and a life-member of Republicans for Environmental Protection, an organization I’ve belonged to since its formation in 1987.

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The prospect of a six million gallon aquarium being located in Auburn is intriguing.

Aquariums have proven to be popular tourist attractions, and they are also valuable for the educational opportunities they provide. I can think of no place in Alabama better suited than Auburn to locate an aquarium.

Auburn is known internationally for its research in fisheries biology. It also has well-known biologists whose specialties are in ornithology, reptiles and amphibians, and mammalogy. For several years, efforts have been made to establish a “Natural History Learning Center” at Auburn. Such a facility would be a perfect complement to an aquarium.

Bob Mount is emeritus professor of zoology and entomology at Auburn University and writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News.