Readers’ Column for the week of May 10, 2020

You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message. Due to limited space, we have removed comments that exceeded the amount of space allowable to print them. Thus, a reminder to keep your comment brief, that way we can print more!

 

Girl Scout Troop 40296 would like to thank a local construction company, Joe Curley Residential Construction, for purchasing $500 worth of Girl Scout Cookies and donating them to the Tioga County Rural Ministries. 

~

I have had dishpan hands for over a month and I own a dishwasher.

~

Lost: adult, male, yellow cat with white face and paws; lost in Lounsberry near Best Buy Warehouse. Call (607) 759-7467 if spotted.

~

Just because you don’t get mail doesn’t mean no one else does either.

~

Betcha the folks complaining about the roads also complain about taxes. By the way, the asphalt place just opened for the season on April 14.

~

On behalf of residents at Owego Gardens, I would like to give a shout out to The Rainbow at 32 North St. in Owego. As a resident here, I have received a delivered and delicious home cooked meal from the Rainbow every Wednesday for many weeks since the stay-at-home orders were put in place. The Rainbow has done this for all the 62 residents living in this senior community. I thank them for their generosity! Best from Lynn Landon, a resident of Owego Gardens.

~

In response to the comment left by a teacher about being overwhelmed by having your kids all day and to remember when it’s time to vote on the budget. One, you made the choice to be a teacher. Two, OFA has the highest paid teachers in Tioga County and all surrounding counties, I will remember when it’s time to vote.

~

Why do all the news anchors’ hair look fabulous? Must be the life essential hair color you can buy at life essential Wal-Mart. It’s been seven weeks since the shut down and no one has grey and Robin Robert’s hair hasn’t grown a centimeter. With miracles like this why do we need hairdressers? Thanks flowbee!

~

What a great opportunity for the Village of Owego to run their street sweeper in the Central Business District and beyond. Do they even still have a street sweeper that works? 

~

When this crisis is over, I think someone should take a close look at where our country went off the rails to the point that so many apparently cannot afford to feed their families after a few weeks of hard times. When I was growing up in your average blue-collar neighborhood, most families operated with a single income. We all had decent homes and a decent vehicle (one). We were the boomers, so there were plenty of us kids, but dad was able to feed the entire family, pay the mortgage and car payments, utilities, and insurance every month on time. There was no credit card debt since they were, for the most part, non-existent. There was an “emergency fund” set aside, plus, for many, a small savings account for each child towards college. Town kids walked home every day for lunch. Mom paid the doctor in full for our annual checkup immediately after the visit. Something has gone badly wrong in this country in a mere 50 years to the point where so many families are desperate for food.

~

The word of God is essential. Jesus said, “It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

~

A great big THANK YOU to New York State farmers and processors for sharing their milk and milk products with us at no charge. Farmers are suffering from not only dumping their milk, but also from keeping their herds fed and planting crops without any income. Support your local farmer any way you can and show them we appreciate their hard work and their gifts to their fellow American.

~

The road between Candor and Owego is getting pretty rough. Time for the DOT to come out of hiding. Social distancing. Still a couple potholes.

~

The Spencer post office does not deliver newspapers or magazines on time. They might be a week or two late.

~

On Tuesday I was heading to the valley and looked off to my right and I could see Elderwood. I saw two gigantic extension ladders and I didn’t understand what it was until I saw in the paper that the policemen, the firemen, everybody was honoring our heroes at Elderwood. It was so heartwarming! It’s just wonderful so many people are pulling together and doing such wonderful things.

~

On Thursday I put my rain gauge out in the yard and it said we have three and a half inches of rain here in Nichols. Wow, we’re good for a while!

~

Just wondered if anybody had taken advantage of the letters we get every week from Dish TV wanting me to switch from Direct TV to Dish and if they’re happy with it and if it was easy to understand for us older folks. Was it a good thing to switch from Direct TV to Dish? I know it sounds like it’s a lot cheaper. 

~

This thing with wearing masks, everyone is supposed to be wearing a mask. I would like to know why some children do not wear masks. There’s a good 12 of them running around in a park I live in all day and night, and none of them wear them.

~

Cuomo is playing politics with COVID-19. He’s truly abusing his power. He needs to reopen New York State. I love these protests, more and more every day. We are responsible people; we know how to stay safe. Why doesn’t he see this? Well, he’s a democrat and it’s all about power for him. He cares nothing about the hard-working New York residents. I pray and hope the protests continue and he finally realizes he works for us; we don’t work for him. Election time is coming soon and we will remember at the ballot box.

~

I was wondering if anyone could explain to me how this scheme works, this disability. I don’t understand how people get $1,100 a month on disability and go to work and make just as much money as people who are making $20 to $30 dollars an hour. Then you have the other group of people who don’t play the disability scam and they make $10 or $11 in a restaurant and they’re going belly up, they can’t even pay their rent or anything. If anybody can explain to me how the disability scam works, please write in. I’m all ears. 

~

The smart mouth that said to buy a flag for the people that have the ragged flag flying, they make a whole lot more than I do. If you spend 10 bucks and send it to the disabled veterans, they’ll send you a flag for free and a whole bunch of stickers that give your address; but those sorts of people don’t pay bills.

~

For the governor, Cuomo, to insist we wear masks when we go out in public, which is stupid! A Medical News today study from April 13, 2020 included that both surgical and reusable cotton masks are ineffective in controlling the spread of the virus. If you don’t believe me, Google it for yourself. This is how your government tries to control you. 

~

If this shutdown goes beyond the 15th of this month, I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of protestors going up to Albany and protesting on the capitol steps. I’ve heard about protestors in other states. I think this will also happen here in New York State.

~

Emperor Cuomo, you are not God! For god’s sake, please give us our lives back.

~ 

To the person who does not think it’s ridiculous to be required to wear a mask, you will breathe in my exhaust breath. They are not airtight. 

~

I agree with last week’s caller about the terrible condition of Route 17 between Endicott and Apalachin. Not only did I have to replace a tire, I had to replace the rim. That was a $300 pothole! 

~

Our local newspaper is getting as bad as the New York Times and New York Post. It’s nothing but opinions; no facts are ever listed. Sunday’s paper had a comical opinion article about how wonderful Brindisi is. Brindisi does not know you except only at election time. I don’t know where I can find a fact filled newspaper. Can anybody help me?

~

Since Tioga County doesn’t accept any old appliances, televisions, VCR’s or batteries at Taylor Garbage, does anyone know where I can take them?

~

Be sure to say thank you to the Tioga County dairy farmers who paid for the milk that was donated by dairy farmers of America at the fairgrounds on Tuesday. A great big thank you needs to go to the farmers who paid for that milk!

~

I disagree about not running negative comments. Unfortunately, the truth hurts. 

~

I just heard on television where there is going to be a meat shortage. Everybody get ready, get set, go! Run to the nearest store, wipe out the shelves, and don’t worry about anybody else. Just have a good time.

~

I would just like to give a big thank you to all of the people in the Tioga County area who have been wearing facemasks diligently. I know that it’s no fun, but you are protecting other people and me and my family. I, too, will wear masks to do the same. I very much appreciate it.

~

Governor Cuomo made a decision to send the COVID positive nursing home elderly back to nursing homes and not to hospitals. Was that because Cuomo decided to not fund hospital respirator and ventilator maintenance and new purchases for many years? I’m sure seniors like me will hold Cuomo responsible for that decision. Did you know that about one half of all New York State COVID deaths occurred in nursing homes? Would that be because Cuomo did not want New York State hospitals to be inundated by more patients who were mostly elderly? I guess New York citizens get the politicians they deserve.

~

This is to the person wanting Monday and Friday mail delivery only. Get real! We deliver 100 and up packages and magazines every day, and most have to be carried to the house. Try it! No thanks to you for us risking our health. Good luck.

~

This goes out to all the Tioga County residents, please fill out your 2020 Census on the computer or by mail. Make it easy on the people who go door to door so they don’t have to go to so many houses. The $20 an hour is nice, but less exposure to others is better for the next six months. So please, this is very important. It helps get us more funding for New York State per person and is very vital for Tioga County. Do your part and fill out your Census.

~

Everybody’s wondering what the normal will be after the virus. Well, my new normal right now is that I quit watching the news. All they talk about is the virus, the latest cancellations and who really cares about the latest numbers. 

~

For those who are receiving or in the process of receiving both Federal and State Unemployment Funds, keep in mind IRS treats all funds as Federal and State taxable income. Also, for those taking both checks for a total of $1,200 (Federal until July 31, 2020), should and/or when you’re called back to work and decline the job, both active benefit accounts can be suspended by a filing by the employer of your declination. Declining a job for which one is laid off-from is subject to Unemployment Rules. Declining to work is not one of them.

 

National Political Viewpoints

Gee, when I hooked up a lie detector to my TV it buzzed a warning every time I tuned in to Fox.

~

The most likely source of the 1918 flu was either Kansas, France, or China So don’t buy anything from the U.S.A. or France, either.

~

Illegal aliens are here to work. They do the grunt jobs you won’t do. They have taxes withheld from their pay and pay sales tax every time they shop. But they are not eligible for government benefits and are smart enough to not reveal themselves by trying to apply. Don’t want to believe me? Look at an online application form. Legal status is one of the requirements.

~

Thank you to the Pennysaver for allowing us to voice our concerns. Everyone that reads this should be afraid of what is happening to your lifestyle, and I’m not talking about the virus. If you have ever said ‘tsk tsk’ about what happened in Venezuela, you better look around. If Biden gets in as President it won’t be Jeff Dunham’s hand pulling Walter’s strings. The Democrats want to run every part of your life. The Mayor of Chicago threatens to jail citizens if they even dare to discuss gatherings on social media that violate getting together, but she gets her hair done; Republican Senate comes back to work but Democratic Congress doesn’t; the city is shut down but the Mayor goes from Manhattan to Brooklyn to take a walk in the park; the Democratic law enforcers spied and conspired against Republicans. Fight the mail-in ballot with all you have or you most assuredly will have no say in who runs your government. 

~

Simple Truth: New York Mob Boss, dumb; Vegas Lounge Lizard, no-clue; all about him and him again, and yet, him again, Donald Trump.

~

Senator Mitch said he compared the senators to the essential work force of grocery clerks, truck drivers, and others keeping Americans fed during the crisis’. (Source: Binghamton Press.) The only thing I think Mitch feeds us comes out of the rear end of a horse.

~

Trump was ridiculed for asking if we could take bleach internally to fight the coronavirus. Do you realize it is a standard recommendation to use five drops of Clorox per gallon to make contaminated water potable? Do you realize hundreds of communities chlorinate their water, that’s bleach! I wonder if there are fewer coronavirus cases in communities that chlorinate their water? I think Trump has fantastic instincts!

~

It’s becoming pretty obvious that numerous Socialist Democrat governors are using the pandemic as a trial balloon to see if people will accept their attempts at control. The Democrats have for years wanted to control every aspect of our lives, and they thought their time had arrived. Obama tried it. Cuomo has tried it. Wolf has tried it in Pennsylvania. Good on people who revolt and won’t put up with it. The old adage, “When the government fears the people, that’s democracy. When the people fear the government, that’s dictatorship!” That’s what’s at the bottom of the desire to control firearms, too.

~

Newsflash! Don’t you wish Tara Reed and her four witnesses would stop accusing Joe Biden of groping her? Why, poor ole Joe probably doesn’t even remember doing it! Remember, enabler Hillary Clinton says she backs Joe implicitly. She really believes Joe. That’s good enough for the fake news media, how about you? 

~

The left-wing democrat loons would rather blame President Trump than blame their Chinese communist brothers who produced the Wuhan epidemic. We must bring back the manufacture of all strategic goods including medicine, high- and low-tech electronics, and especially foods back to the U.S.A. by any means possible.

~

So, I see this comment about 71 percent of New York registered voters approve of Cuomo’s job he’s doing in New York. Are these the same polls that had Hillary winning the 2016 election? If so, I think you better not watch fake news any more and don’t believe the polls. Trump in a landslide, and I believe Cuomo will be defeated as well at the ballot box. 

~

Hey you Trump lovers, take some advice from him, take a chug a lug of Clorox or Lysol. You won’t have to worry about the coronavirus and you won’t be able to vote for Donald John Trump!

~

I always said, Trump’s loose lips would sink his ship. I think Trump’s ship got sunk when he made the remark about injecting yourself with cleaning products. Everyone in the whole wide world heard it! 

~

I wonder how much Trump or his campaign is paying Tara Reed for her vicious lies. Joe Biden doesn’t have the Donald habits. Remember the Donald and his campaign where he got off the bus and said he was a star and he could grab a woman any place he wanted to. Remember on stage, he looked at his own daughter and said boy if she wasn’t my daughter! You people, you still voted for this man. Joe Biden will bring some respect and honesty back to the White House. 

~

It looks like individuals who don’t make enough money to pay taxes, mostly senior citizens and many veterans, will be the last to receive their $1,200 stimulus. Don’t be surprised if seniors and veterans turn on Trump and not vote for him in November. I would not blame them one bit. I am both a senior and a veteran.

~

Governor Cuomo, thank you for informing us intelligently about COVID-19 every day. Also, thank you for explaining to everyone that we must wear a mask and be respectful to others. I can’t recall I’ve ever heard the word respect from the White House. Thanks again Governor Cuomo.  

~

It will go down in history that this president is the worst and most dangerous we’ve ever had. He should resign. Vice President Pence, who has served as a puppet, can’t do any more harm for the country in the next few months. 

~

Just had a good laugh; just got done reading the Pennysaver. I love your call-ins. I like when the guy bashes Cuomo, it’s funny, and it sounds just like Donald Trump blaming everything on Obama. Isn’t it a coincidence Republicans are that way? I guess it happens when you are jealous of somebody who is smarter than you. By the way, I’ll bet if Cuomo was republican, I bet that same guy would say what a wonderful job he is doing. Isn’t it funny how things work?

~

Now Trump is getting rid of the health task force during a monster pandemic and people are dying. Is he nuts? America needs Dr. Fauci and Dr. Burke to keep us informed about the COVID-19 as often as possible. We Americans need to be informed. Let’s get a new intelligent democrat or republican president and get this one out as fast as possible before he wrecks us all! 

~

I’ll tell you who scares me the most in this Trump administration is Jared Kushner. He’s got high aspirations. Don’t think he doesn’t. 

~

Our New York State governor seems baffled as to the reason why 66 percent of the new coronavirus cases come from the home. It’s pretty simple really, it’s because 99 percent of the people are in their homes! We pay this guy? ROAR!