Sounding Board -- TOM EGAN

Mark Twain cautioned us to “Never argue with someone who buys ink by

the barrel.” I wouldn’t dream of doing that. Rather, I’d like to do the

opposite, and compliment the Pilot; I want you to know how delighted I am

when the Daily Pilot reports the truth.

Now I know you are occasionally hampered in telling the truth; after

all, you have only so many column inches of space available for a story.

For example, in the story about the Job Center (“Job Center changes on

the way,” Wednesday), you reported -- truthfully -- my charge that “The

Job Center has gotten its staying power in the city from a small, but

powerful, group of elites.”

You went on to mention -- also truthfully -- that my wife, Eleanor, is

a city planning commissioner.

Eleanor wasn’t there, so I’m not sure why you added that bit of truth

to the Job Center story, but, nonetheless, you did. And, besides, who can

argue with the truth?

Perhaps you ran out of space before you could add some more truth,

such as the fact that my wife is an independent thinker and so am I. And

the truth that we do not travel in lock step, and, in fact, frequently

disagree on issues. These truths, if they were known, might make it clear

that one cannot safely infer what my thinking is from that of my wife’s,

and vice versa.

So, thanks to you for when you tell the truth, and may the Daily Pilot

always print enough truth so that your readers will know the truth about

the people you cover.

* TOM EGAN is a Costa Mesa resident whose wife, Eleanor, is a planning

commissioner, mentioned only because it is the truth.