What kind of person dumps a young cat and her kitten and drives away like nothing happened? And more on those telephone scams going on around town

 * … SCAM: More on those telephone scams going on around town. From Alice Merenback: "Today, I received 11 phone calls (obviously their machine jammed, because it was the same message each time). The caller had a very strong foreign accent and told me that my house and bank accounts were going to have a lien on them within 24 hours due to my tax default. He said a bill collection

officer would contact me soon to complete my paperwork... Since my bills are all paid up, I was more amused than anything, but they might be calling people randomly who do have tax problems, so I think you might spread the word.  I did look on my call log, but the number there was marked 'private' so I could not locate the origin of the call."

 * … BAD FORM: Beverly Hayden submitted this bit of bad form that is almost beyond belief. "As my husband and I were standing on our driveway the worst of human kind, three women inside a pick up, pulled up at the end of our cal de sac and dumped a young cat and kitten. They drove away as we shook our fists at them." The couple tried to take the cats to the SPCA, but there was no room, but in the end their friends took the cats to their ranch. "Thank goodness for folks like them who come along and clean up other people's mess. As for the ladies in the pick up, we wonder what your trip home was like, probably just relief as you couldn't have dumped those cats if you had a conscience."

 * … OVERHEARD: A young woman at a Starbucks in the Northwest orders a 600-calorie drink with whipped cream but declines a muffin because "I am on a diet."

 * … HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to the Westside Parkway, which has brought untold relief to so many folks across town.

 * … SPOTTED: Ardith Gash wrote to comment on a recent story titled '5 Common Mistakes That Will Derail Your Career.' "I was shopping at Home Depot and one of the sales ladies was wearing a top that was positively indecent. Not a little cleavage showing but practically letting it all hang out. I found it inappropriate and disgusting."

 * … EMMY: File this under the heading "local girl does well." Alexis Nelson, a graduate of the East Bakersfield High School MultiMedia Academy Class of 2006, has been nominated for an EMMY Award for her work on graphics on the History Channel program "The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents."

 * … GOOD FORM: There is some good news over at the Dress for Success Bakersfield office. Executive director Elaine McNearney told me that the group has provided services to more than 150 women so far this year, more than the past two years combined. And, 41 percent of those women are now back in the workforce. Now that is good news.
                 
 * … NAVY: Navy submarine veteran Gene Bonus shared these interesting facts about the changing face of our military. Said Gene: "Thought your readers would like to know of changes taking place in our U.S. Navy submarine force. There are now 60 female officers who are either in sub school training or have already been assigned to nuclear subs  Thirty female officers have been assigned to ten fast attack subs and twelve female officers have been assigned to four missile firing subs. Female officers have been assigned in groups of three. So far there have been no major problems or complaints. The only challenge has been with the men getting used to hearing female voices over the 1MC which is the main communication line.  The other challenge is the use of the officers’ 'head,' better known as the bathroom. There are only two showers and toilets aboard officers’ quarters, so there might be wait time involved."