Gov. Perry's Saran Wrap

Back in the mid-1960s, I was living in Austin, sharing an abode with my brother, his wife, some musicians and other miscreants. One day my sister-in-law marched into the house defiantly and announced that she had just learned that Dow Chemical was the manufacturer of the napalm being used to defoliate Vietnam. She announced to one and all that, from that day forward, the Oppel household would boycott all products manufactured by Dow Chemical Company.

A few minutes later she summoned me into the kitchen for a private conversation and asked me if, in fact, we used any products manufactured by Dow. I told her that. yes, she used a lot of Saran Wrap which, at that time, was a Dow product (after the chemical that prevented oxygen from permeating the wrap was removed due to environmental concerns, a less effective Saran Wrap was sold to Johnson & Johnson, which manufactures it today).

A few moments later, my equally defiant sister-in-law marched back into the living room and announced to one and all that from that day forward "I will continue to use Saran Wrap, but I won't like it very much."

I was reminded of that incident when I read this story in today's Dallas Morning News about Gov. Perry accepting Texas' share of the federal stimulus funds.