FROM MY FRONT PORCH

The crispness is in the air and frost has already been on the pumpkin this fall. It's harvest time in Indiana. But for farmers, this has not been a good year. A shortened planting season because of rain is now mixed with a late harvest because of rain. Some reports have the moisture content as high as 35 percent in some areas. This has posed a problem for the wheat industry in Indiana.

Read the full article at www.huntingtonexaminer.com

Changing of the guard at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

2009-11-15T08:23:00.001-05:00

Changing of the guard at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

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Bring them home

2009-11-13T10:18:00.001-05:00

Bring them home

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Fight over commercial property tax increases

2009-11-12T09:49:00.001-05:00

Fight over commercial property tax increases

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My thanks to those that have and do serve

2009-11-11T08:43:00.001-05:00

My thanks to those that have and do serve

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Only one female holder of the Medal of Honor

2009-11-11T08:04:00.001-05:00

Only one female holder of the Medal of Honor

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'Avengers of Bataan' Indiana's 38th Infantry

2009-11-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

'Avengers of Bataan' Indiana's 38th Infantry

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The sometimes forgotten

2009-11-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

We hail those that wore the uniform of the US Armed Forces every November 11. We honor the Greatest Generation, we finally honor those that fought the Cong, we honor those that have fought in the Middle East. But more times than not, we as a people, tend to forget those of another conflict.

Read the rest at www.huntingtonexaminer.com

VA sets plans to end homelessness of veterans

2009-11-08T12:05:00.001-05:00

VA sets plans to end homelessness of veterans

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birth abnormalities

2009-08-21T08:41:00.002-04:00

While reading the Pravda yasterday, I came across a story of a little girl born in India. She was born a cyclops. Thinking it may have been a fake I looked up the problem. It seems that one in every million children is born with this condition. I also found that there are other odd birth problems. There was a girl born with no face, one born with no mouth, etc...

My heart goes out to any family that has a child born with any type of birth defect.

Another Lost War

2009-08-15T13:06:00.002-04:00

While reading the WSJ last wek, the main headline caught my eye. "Taliban Winning". The whole point of the article was a fact of the losses by coalition troops. Why is this catching my eye? Simple. For years, the Bush admin. was conducting its military operations in Iraq over faulty intel. There were no WMD, Saddam was not a real threat, and the only reason that we went there, not to overthrow an ELECTED government, but to take the pipeline of crude. I bring this up for this one reason.
The attacks on US soil in 2001 was based in Afghanistan, carried out by terrorists that we trained in Afghanistan to drive out the Russians, backed by the Taliban regime that we helped instal into power. Because of the decision to place an over the top amount of man, money , and machine assets in Iraq, the coverage in the media, as well as the congress, for the Iraqi occupation overpowered the war we should have been fighting with all of America's power and might.
Because of this sought after revenge in Iraq, we are now facing record losses in Afghanistan. The taliban and its supportes are overwhelming our troops to the point, that the supreme commander in the field of operations is calling for more troops, as well as repositioniong the troops that are in country to better protect the civilian population. Khandahar has become a walk through hell for the troops. The soldier reposition will reflect the need for larger and more specialized troop placement.
Will we win this war? Personally, I don't think so. President Karzi is already requesting that the US loosen its control in the area, allow the local troops and police do a greater part of the work, and has wondered allowed about the timetable for withdrawl.
Why then have we allowed the former admin to place our troops in a position and place we didn't need to be, while we had an actual war to support?
Time will tell if Obama will try to win the war, but with his recent decision to enforce some of the Bush policies and deny transparency, which he said would be a hallmark of his admin, I truly wonder.

Bailouts or socialism?

2009-04-01T22:22:00.002-04:00

The bailouts are starting to raise quite a stir among the populace. Listening to NPR today, one of the callers was worried that he bailouts aren't fair across the board. Given the fact that the auto industry is getting different rules than the insurance giants like AIG, one must wonder if the government is poising to take over finance and industry.
With the insurance web, the help was attached with the allowance of bonuses that were promised before aid was given. Granted, the government required one of two choices, give it back or pay 90% taxes on the payouts. The auto industry was given orders to remove GM's CEO and merge with Fiat. It looks as if Chrysler is one its way out.
Now, here is my problem with the auto industry. First, the reason that the auto industry in this country is struggling is (and I hate saying this) the unions. I'm sorry, but tell me what person is truly worth 40-45 dollars an hour. Not that they don't fulfill a need, but one would think in the time of crisis within the industry, that the union members would be the first to take a paycut up to 50% to help keep themselves working and their company solvent.
I'm an ex steelworker. I have been union all my life (my father was AIW). But there comes a time when one must determine the difference between needs and wants.
I raise a family of seven on 9.48 an hour. I think that those working at GM, Ford, etc. can get by on 15-20 dollars an hour.
Second. The huge payouts, benefits, etc for the high ups (usually in excess of the millions) is ridiculous. We all agree to this.
Now, for the fear that the government is using this financial crisis to assume total control of all facets of our lives, maybe so. But what do we the eople do about it?Any of it? Nothing. Watching news of the G-20 summit in Europe today, I saw thousands march upon the area of the meeting, forcing their voices to be heard. Here we only have small demonstartins, if any, that don't amount to much. After WWI, th soldiers marched on Washington to get what was due them. In the 20's, women marched to gain the right to vote. In the 60's marches were formed to give all Americans the same civil liberties, end war, right of choice, women's lib. In the 80 marches were conducted too get research for aids, take back the streets from drugs. The 90's and early 2000's gave us the voice of the million man march, million dad march, marches against the war.
Here it is 2009, and we complain about the sour economy, we hash words about the new admin running our country, but what do we really do about it. Where are the marches, the pickets? Where is the spirit we had in the past? Where is the spirit we ahd over 200 years ago that led treasonous men to overthrow the crown? Where is that drive that gave black Americans and women the right to vote? Where is the just cause of the fight for the people that led to the government to shoot down WWI vets and students in Ohio?
The reason that government is allowed to mess with our constitutional rights is because good patriots arefew and far between. We hear groups like the NRA fight for the right to bear arms, but where is there voice on the other half of the nd ammendment? Why aren't they fighting for the right to form militias?
We sit around and rattle our sabers, but we fail to act.
I urge everyone to read two books by Thomas Paine, "Common Sense" and "The Rights of Man". To end, here is a quote by Thomas Paine.

The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security. Thomas Paine