Deconstructing the green scheme

January 25, 2025

For years we have endured the unending mantra against “greedy” oil companies, while hearing no criticism for greedy Green Energy companies gobbling up trillions of dollars in corporate welfare. It seems rather duplicitous. The Climate Cult claimed that “Green Energy” was so cheap we could practically give it away. If this was so, then why are Green Energy leaders like England and Germany going broke paying for electricity? Knowing what has happened to England and Germany, why is New York state still burning taxpayer money on subsidies and giveaways for Wind, Solar, and ...

View from Hickory Heights: Credit card lessons

January 24, 2025

Do you have credit cards? I venture that most of you do. You cannot do many things if you do not have a card on file. When Don and I went to Alaska we made the arrangements with our credit cards. We decided who was going to pay for what and went ahead. I took the plane reservations. He took the rental of a truck as well as the gas. He also took the food. His first question to me was – “how did you find such inexpensive reservations?” I told him I just put in where I wanted to leave from and where I wanted to go. I looked at what was offered and opted to fly into Chicago, then on ...

Finding conflict at LGBTQIA talk

January 18, 2025

Issuing a general invitation through a front page story in the Times Observer (Jan. 13), I attended the presentation called “Examining LGBTQIA+ Scripture: A Conversation on Inclusion and Understanding” at a local church given by a pastor. The pastor justifying LGBTQIA sexual relationships and behaviors claimed the early chapters of Genesis regarding marriage between a man and woman were about nation-building for Israel. He failed to point out how Genesis 1-3 is about God initiating a rescue plan to save human beings from sin following the disobedience of Adam eating the forbidden ...

Snowed in for winter

January 17, 2025

No, I am not actually snowed in, but it feels like it. Now do not get me wrong. I do not mind being home. I like the feeling of being in a safe place. Years ago, I told my minister that I would not be in church if I was not sure I could get back home. He was not impressed. Later that year when he had to come to my house, he admitted that now he understood. I live on a hill. In fact, no matter which way I go, the last stretch is uphill. The first time I got stuck was years ago. I tried to get home but a telephone truck was stuck on the hill and I could not get around it. I turned ...

Rounding Third: The cozy solution on freezing mornings

January 16, 2025

This morning, Dear Richard said, “I’m making scrambled eggs. Want some?” He does this about three or four days a week. I accept his offer occasionally. Most winters, oatmeal is my game. I like the quick variety – five minutes – from measuring the oats and water to the brown sugar sprinkled on top. Sometimes raisins make it into the mix, adding their puffed-up sweetness on the coldest January days. The final step is a splash of half and half on top. Ah, yes, cozy, creamy oatmeal is an ideal winter gift to my tummy. A breakfast perfect for counting icicles while also ...

Our great nation is average in some studies

January 11, 2025

How exceptional is America? Are we still the envy of the world because of our form of government and its ideals? Is the cultural diversity of our people still our greatest strength? Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the idea of American exceptionalism. Beyond our unique government system, how do we as a people compare to other countries? How smart are we? How free? How happy? How safe? How progressive? How moral? How powerful? Intelligent Quotient (IQ) testing is used to evaluate a person’s ability to absorb information, to solve puzzles, and to predict outcomes. While it ...