OPINION: Through an Old Timer’s Eye

by Howard ‘Mac’ McDonald
the Endeavor News

November has been ushered in with a preview of Old Man Winter rearing his ugly head and a lot of change in the weather. When we motored to St. Marys last weekend we encountered a blizzard and then a few minutes later the sun was shining.

Also last weekend we had to turn the clock back by one hour. No matter how hard the government tries to mess with time, they will never take away our 24-hour day.

Speaking of government, the content of television sure has improved since the election came and went. I got really tired of the pictures they kept showing to make their opponents look evil.

The Tea Party was pretty successful with their candidates. Now I am anxious to see just how much change will come about. The wimpy Democrats are lying in the corner licking their wounds and the blowhard Republicans are strutting around like a bunch of bantam roosters. The Independents are still trying to find their way to the polls and the other splinter groups are sulking like they always do.

No wonder this country is upside down. We have too many greedy people at the helm. I think that the only thing that happened is the people swapped an upset stomach for a headache.

There are a lot of common sense ways out there that would raise money and get us out of the hole but they will never come about. The only word the politicians can spell is tax.

The campaigns were not about issues or solutions. They were about making the opponent look bad.

I guess that kind of smear campaign really works since people don’t pay attention to issues. The only thing the American public is interested in now is sports.

The truth is, whoever is number one in college football will not affect our economy one iota. Who gets fined in the NFL for a helmet hit is not going to change our unemployment numbers. The players wearing thong underwear in big league baseball might kick up the sales of the manufacturers, but they are probably made in China and that does not help the garment workers in this country.

Our politicians all talk about helping the middle class, but there is not much of a middle class in our country any more. We have the wealthy and then we have the working poor and the sorry people on welfare.

The rest of the world looks on and wonders what is going to happen to us as we spin out of control and all of the wealth floats to the top. The greatest generation is gone and this generation is only interested in sports and reality TV.

On Veterans Day this year, my wife Shirley and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary. We both qualify as veterans.

Uncle Joe Paterno got his 400th win and maybe now he will turn over the reins to a younger man. Don’t hold your breath on that. If I read him right, he is never going to quit. His body might be wearing out, but his brain is still working.

Hunters are gearing up for bear and deer seasons. They are buying new tires and getting their trucks and SUVs tuned up so they can hit the road. The big gear dealers are filling orders like crazy. If a hunter gets lost, it’s hard for the rescue teams to spot him because his camo is so good. The bloodhounds can’t track him because he has used a scent blocker. He is afraid to use his walkietalkie because if he says the wrong thing the Game Commission might fine him.

The simple things are not simple any more and it doesn’t look like things are going to change. Keep your powder dry and get ready for the revolution.