It's hard to find a lot to be optimistic about these days, with gloomy economic reports, the nation's credit rating sinking, businesses running in place and the Bick-ersons in charge of Congress.
But "Look for the Silver Lining," a song popularized in the 1920s, instructs us on what to do in the face of uncertainty. So, we will. The silver threads:
- The majority of those reading this newspaper reside or are vacationing in the Sun Valley area—not the Cloudy Valley—where the sun shines more than it rains and summer nights are cool, unlike those in the nation's heat-stricken areas.
-The summer has brought lots of visi-tors to the area because of world-class events including bike races, art shows, symphony concerts, a folk festival, rock concerts, ice shows with Olympic skaters and national-caliber lecturers. There'll be no more wondering about what works to spur the local economy after this.
-The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is planning to establish a ski acad-emy along with the Community School. It's a forward-looking enterprise that, in time, could put Sun Valley back on the international sports map and infuse money into the local economy at the same time.
-The city of Sun Valley decided to con-tinue to pay to allow its city's kids into programs at Atkinson Park in Ketchum.
-The city of Ketchum decided to devote more money to marketing—excellent!
- At the Friedman Memorial Airport's urging, taxi drivers will look sharp, be-have well and keep America beautiful.
-Locals were let in on the secret that the county recycling center accepts plas-tics of all grades marked 1-7. Less useless garbage in the world.
-The area escaped losing more hotel rooms when Knob Hill Inn buyers vowed to keep it in operation. A soft landing.
-June local option tax figures showed business on the upswing. That's the kind of silver that makes everyone smile.
Will the nation sink into a second reces-sion or a full blown depression? The 1919 song "Look for the Silver Lining" When times are as uncertain and the future as unpredictable as they are these days, it's time.
