By the Way…

? Jesse Jackson drew hoots when he declared in a California speech that he could play Joseph, the interpreter of dreams, to Michael Dukakis's Pharaoh. But the boast is more apt than people realize. Following Joseph's advice, Pharaoh not only stored up grain, he nationalized all the land in Egypt (except that owned by the priests). For which, one theory goes, Joseph's people were punished with 400 years of slavery.

? Post Awful Contest: REASON is looking for truly illustrative examples of our great public-spirited postal monopoly at work. What's the worst postal screw-up or USPS bureaucratic outrage you know of? Give us your candidate. We'll print accounts of the best examples (that's the worst cases) that find their way to our mailbox no later than August 10 (1988). First prize will go to whoever provides the most shocking example. The prize: a one-year subscription to REASON, delivered, of course, by mail. Send your horror story to REASON POST CONTEST, 2716 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 1062, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Please include your name, address, and phone number.

? The staff they are a'changin'…Craig M. Collins joins REASON as assistant editor, moving to sunny California from windy Chicago, where he was practicing law but itching to change careers. In a separate development, Lucy Braun is moving on, literally—she will be traveling the world for a while and then taking up other pursuits. And REASON intern John Hood, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has come on board for the summer to do just about everything except bring coffee to the editors. Meanwhile, Virginia I. Postrel moves from assistant editor to associate editor, where her new challenges include editing of the Trends department. As for old staff, congrats to Eric Martí, MBA, Stanford University, 1988.

? This is REASON's combined issue of the year. Laissez faire reigns. Staff members use the breather variously—writing articles, revamping files, designing ads, vacation. All to bring you more and better REASONs in the future, of course.