Diary of a Mad County

Saturday, Jan. 8 Rain.

Sunday, Jan. 9 Rain.

Monday, Jan. 10 Companies are giving big bucks to celebrate the inauguration of George W. Bush. Irvine's own Town and Country Credit gave the maximum allowed, $250,000—I guess they figured the tsunami victims would just spend that kind of cash on cigarettes and dice. I'm not exactly sure what Town and Country does to be cutting checks this large, but I gather from their website it has something to do with home loans. It said there that "'Do the Right Thing' is our fundamental philosophy and guiding principle. . . . At Town and Country Credit, we never forget that our customers deserve respect, fairness and honesty." Apparently, they didn't want their customers to forget it, either, which is why, in July 2002, the Colorado attorney general filed a cease-and-desist order against Town and Country Credit and 63 other companies for violations of Colorado's "No-Call" law. Anyway, I guess they're going forward with the inauguration even though 48 percent of the country filed cease-and-desist orders on Bush.

Tuesday, Jan. 11 San Bernardino County officials announced the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, which has geeked out generations, will not return to Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore, where it has been held for years. The festival has drawn up to 200,000 visitors per year—all of them dateless. County officials said faire organizers could not live up to a lease requirement they provide $500,000 in park improvements. Faire officials are said to be looking for a new host city, one that is easier to manipulate, eager to please and not too quick on the uptick. Anaheim is said to be sitting anxiously by the phone, eating a bag of Milanos.

slowery@ocweekly.com