<WWYD?>
You loaned a friend a valuable book he had admired, and he returned it in worse condition. The pages are dog-eared, and it looks as if it were dropped in water. You were livid and told him so; he was offended; and you haven't spoken since. But now, you'd like to let bygones be bygones. What Would You Do?
What it comes down to is this: What is worth more to you, the book or the friendship? I suspect the latter is the case. It is quite likely that your friend feels the same way. I suggest that you make a peace offering in whatever way you see fit; ask him to go to a movie, or make plans to have lunch, and then put the matter behind you.
Next time, either don't loan things at all, or be prepared to get things back with some wear and tear.
– Bruce Weinstein, ethicist
Knight Ridder News Service
<OUR WORLD>
Next time you're at the gas pumps and watch helplessly as your bank account drains, consider this information compiled by The Sacramento Bee, which found that compared to the cost of other liquids, gasoline is a bargain.
Heineken Lager, for example, comes in at $15 a gallon. Arizona Green Iced Tea is $5.07 a gallon.
A gallon of Peet's Caffe Latte is $21.30. And Red Bull Sports Drink costs $31.56 for a gallon.
The list goes on (Smirnoff Premium Triple Distilled Vodka: $50 a gallon; Mondavi 2002 Pinot Noir: $109.95 a gallon).
Cost of staying home and doing none of the above this Labor Day weekend? Priceless.
<WORDS TO LIVE BY>
"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."
– Sydney J. Harris
<SURVEY SAYS>
In this back-to-school season, consider this from the U.S. Census Bureau: There are 74.9 million students throughout the country – from nursery school to college. That amounts to more than one-fourth of the U.S. population age 3 and older.
<TELL US ABOUT IT>
NEW QUESTION: Should the county's public schools start on the same date? The tradition of the new school year starting just after Labor Day is fading, with a string of districts in the county switching to August start dates. What do you think of this trend? Please call (619) 293-2506 by midnight Sunday and press the number that best fits your response.
1. No, uniform dates are not needed. Each district needs to be able to decide its calendar to meet its own needs. We'll just need to learn to cope.
2. Yes, uniform dates should be agreed upon. We need to have more-synchronized calendars. Otherwise, it's simply too chaotic and confusing.
Compiled by Sandi Dolbee with input from news services, Web sites, books, magazines and you, our readers. We like letters! Write us at
re@uniontrib.com or Religion & Ethics, The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112.
