We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
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I had some goodwill items to drop off the other day. The goodwill place was a hub of activity when I arrived and I had to wait in line for a few minutes before I could make my drop. There was one guy in a pickup that must have had 25 boxes of stuff to carry in. He and one of the attendants worked steadily at getting everything inside. There was a lady in a vehicle behind him who got tired of waiting and took her one bag to the door and left it. She then got back into her vehicle and put it in...
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The other phrase that pops up is how “We are creatures of habit.” But last week, I ventured into new territory. You see, I needed a haircut. On a fairly regular basis, when I begin to get strange looks from my speech kids, or when my wife takes one look and points out that I am once again resembling a Koala Bear on Crack because of my shaggy head … I take the hint and look to get my hair cut. At the risk of placing an advertorial plug – but I thi...
It seems that politicians often forget that the money they are spending comes from you, the hardworking families of Illinois. The process by which legislators negotiate how to spend finite taxpayer resources should be based on public policy outcomes and not political considerations. Illinois residents can see evidence their state government is operating unethically by simply reading their newspaper. With that in mind, I proposed legislation to tackle unethical behavior and ensure our elected...
Editor; As a former member of the Lena-Winslow school board I am writing in support of the majority of our current board members. The Popcorn show minority should use their energy to focus on our state legislature and governor to change the statewide mandates in regard to Covid restrictions. The majority of local people do not like the mask mandates - I have grandchildren that attend Le-Win schools that struggle with the masks on warm days. However, until we can regain local control of these mandates it is unfeasible to go after the state as a...
Lately, I’ve received more feedback than usual concerning this opinion column. As a general rule, the feedback I receive is very positive and affirmative. To be honest, I don’t get a whole lot of feedback except for an occasional text message or email or phone call. The most feedback I receive is face to face with people I run into on the street. I have found when people disagree, they tend to be irritated with me in a personal way. Take for instance, my stance on abortion. I base my opi...
Fat guys love the fall. Speaking as one of the pleasantly plump, or rather rotund, members of society, I have always heard how people love the spring. You know, the “newness” of life, flowers coming up, first birds of the season, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da. Meanwhile, the Fall gets a bad rap because most people see it as the onset of winter. That the cold is coming, the leaves are turning colors, plants are dying, and whatever was left in the vegetable garden just sits to rot away and decay. Yeah, yea...
Dear Editor, Yes, I have looked into my source, and it is not pig-rot. The Truth for Health Foundation may be Faith based, but is made up of doctors, nurses, and medical professionals on the front lines. And of course is not endorsed as medical authority...they are trying to tell the truth about what is happening in many of our hospitals...rather than tow the line and be quiet. The propaganda we shouldn't be buying into is the pig-rot being repeated in our mainstream media. And the lies we are being fed about the safety of the so-called...
The other day I was talking to a young man in his mid 20’s with a young family. I was telling him about our church in Martintown, Wisconsin and everything that’s been happening lately and down through the years since my wife and I have been here and so blessed by God. We talked about the times in which we live with all the cultural turmoil, the Covid virus, vaccines, the political unrest, last year’s election, cattle futures, gas prices, and the church. He grew up in a Christian home and went...
I can still remember the story my mother told me about how her sister freaked out when she learned her daughter was pregnant. Not because she wasn’t married, or they hadn’t been trying, but because, “I’m too young to be a grandma!” Now, personally, I have been blessed with two granddaughters – both Emily and Caitlin had girls close to a year apart, so Nora and Maeve have entered the family. But my reaction to being a grandpa is vastly different from my Aunt. Hell, I struggle to get up out of a...
Purveyors of puppy mill pets have come unhinged. They are in full “freak-out” mode, furious about Illinois’ new policy focus favoring rescue pets. Many in our region may have seen their ridiculous propaganda filling their mailboxes as they launched a Chicago-machine-style smear campaign against me for the simple act of putting puppy mills out of business. That’s right! I’ll admit it. I sponsored, built a coalition around, and ultimately passed legislation to help put puppy mills out of busine...
Dan; By any chance was Bucky in Winslow in July? This is what I found on my gazing ball. I think it was stray cats. Have a great day! Sue Gerloff Editor; Last November the most important and highly contested election took place. The Presidential election with debates, town hall meetings, campaign rallies, political tv interviews and campaign ad's, much of the same on radio, yard signs and everywhere else one could hear or read what the election was about between the two candidates for our highest office. The November 3rd 2020 election was so...
Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution. REASONS WHY FARM TRUCKS ARE NEVER STOLEN They have a range of about 20 miles before they overheat, break down or run out of gas. Only the owner knows how to operate the door to get in or out. It is difficult to drive fast with all the fencing tools, grease rags, ropes, chains, buckets, boots and loose papers in the cab. The dog on the toolbox looks mean. The large round bale in the back makes it hard to see if you're being...
“Wow hun, your mustache is really gray,” my wife said one night at dinner. “You know they make that ‘Just for Men’ stuff and you could color it.” “No, I am not coloring anything, tucking anything, snipping anything, or tattooing anything – I am who I am – period.” “Okay, suit yourself, but … it is really gray – I mean there is no color left in it. Have you ever thought of shaving it off?” “I shaved it off once when I was in High School, and my girlfriend at the time immediately asked me to...
Dear Editor, More of us have been exposed to the COVID virus than will ever be known, which is fine, we need to build natural immunity. Of which the vaccines are preventing. The hospitals are filling up with many who have been vaccinated and are now sick with COVID. Or are dealing with adverse side effects of the so called vaccine. The "vaccines" are gene therapy agents...not true vaccines. The drug companies are making money and our health is not at the forefront of their minds. (Information from Truth for Health Foundation.) Susan Coomber...
President Biden has declared that the world has witnessed the greatest airlift in American history as 120,000 people were flown out of Afghanastan in the last days of August 2021. The mainstream media are all in on heaping praise on this president on what many others are calling "the greatest debacle in American history". I am among this group of "many others". Thirteen Americans dead at the hands of a suicide bomber. 85 billion dollars worth of military equipment abandoned and left to the...
The question is often asked: “Why is unbelief such a big deal? Why would someone’s failure to believe in Jesus Christ lead to eternal damnation?” It isn’t uncommon to hear something like this: “Sally is a really nice person. She’s faithful to her husband. She is a wonderful mother to her children. She doesn't use profane language. She’s never committed a crime. She’s a good neighbor. She’s involved in her community. She’s really great to be around. But she’s just not very religious. She doesn...
Ok, before getting into my story, I need to give you a little background by pointing out the rather "unique" trait of our dog, Bucky. Now, Bucky was a rescue we got from the Humane Society, and according to his bio, he came originally from Georgia. This made itself obvious to us when we had the first snowfall last winter – Bucky was not a fan. In fact, walking on snow to "do his business" was not at all in the cards, so my wife literally had to snow-blow part of the backyard in order to give him...
C.S. Lewis once stated, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.” Most Christians are not shocked at the cultural battles we are facing today, but the number of fronts can seem daunting. Enemies of God are using every possible crisis to gain power – and they have – and we have been in a purposeful state of perpetual conflict as a result. We are now in the middle of what the Bible calls the last days st...
I was recently reminded of a joke I used to use during my stand-up comedy days in New York City. I used to do a newscast routine, and the top story was usually: 'The Surgeon General discovered today that mother's milk can cause cancer, the only problem now is finding a place to put the label.' I'm not sure exactly why it popped back into my head after all these years ... well, yes, I guess I do know why I remembered it. You see, I have come to find that a great deal of people tend to read my...
Despite criticism from Republican lawmakers, good government groups, and community organizations, Democrat legislative leaders rushed to pass new, adjusted legislative maps in a one-day special session, after their original maps were found to be unconstitutional. In other business, the Senate passed a comprehensive energy bill that will have long-lasting ramifications for the state’s energy sector if it were to become law. Also during the week, the Legislative Audit Commission called for full au...
Just saw on the news where the world champion tongue-twister was arrested. I hope they give the guy a tough sentence. My wife and I took a drive to Dixon, Illinois last week. If you like corn and bean fields, which I do, it’s a very beautiful drive. It’s unfortunate, but every time I think of Dixon, Illinois, I think of their city Comptroller who embezzled more than $53 million from the taxpayers over the course of about three decades. Eventually she was found out, and in 2013, was sen...
I realize that I usually tend to look at some rather “unorthodox” topics in this column, but my Mother had always asked that I stop with the bathroom humor and prove to everyone that the education my parents paid for actually did some good. So, in her honor, I think maybe it’s time we look into some deep and philosophical issues regarding the human condition. Do you think that in ‘Hamlet,’ Shakespeare was exploring existentialism and projecting his own concerns about his role in the universe...
Recently I was reading a story about a man in his 20’s who asked one of his elder mentors: “What would you say to your 30-year-old self if you could talk to him?” The first thing that popped into his head was: “It will all work out, just not the way you expect.” He went on to say: “Honestly, I’m not sure the younger me would pay much attention to the older me.” He then added this bit of wisdom: “The key to success in life is how well you adapt to Plan B. Actually, the real key is how well you ad...
Editor; I am not sure how to approach this subject as it is polarizing our community, state and nation (and even the world) as we speak. COVID has been the hot topic of conversation for going on two years. You hear how many people have been diagnosed, hospitalized or died from the disease and what the positivity rates are for each county in the region. We hear multitudes of people telling us the only way to get back to "normal" is to mask up and for heaven's sake GET VACCINATED!! However, no one is talking about the people who had the virus...
OK ladies, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Actually, it’s not so little, but while every male in the world will agree with me – women to this day think we are “silly” or joking with them. We’re not. There is one routine activity that men hate almost more than a root canal or getting a colonoscopy. No, it does not typically include physical pain, but the aggravation we men have to endure when suffering through this ritual has gotten to the point where we will avoid it like the plague...
