Readers’ Column for the week of August 10, 2022

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.

 

To the person looking for a converter from analog to digital, I have two. Please call me at (570) 888-6227.

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I am looking for locally grown horseradish. The more local, the better. Any replies would be appreciated. 

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This is to all the druggies out there. Why don’t you clean up your act and join the service? Do something good for America. Instead of doing drugs, join the service. 

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I have a question for the residents of Tioga Terrace in Apalachin. How do you like the new direction the highway department is going in? I see Mr. Roberts is putting stone and oil down now instead of smooth pavement. Just remember, you voted him in.

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I think it’s hilarious that the mayor of New York City is complaining about the immigrants. Think about who let them in. They brought them all in and have a $2 billion budget set aside to feed them and clothe them and house them at the taxpayer’s expense. People wake up come November, run her out; take Schumer, AOC. Clean this state out; get our rights back in this state again. Run them out!

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Broome County lets its residents know of road closings for maintenance. Why can’t Tioga County? A few short blocks of detour is usually no great inconvenience, but mile after mile can be.

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I’d like to know who the idiot is that put Judge Judy on television. That lasted about two seconds on my TV. Who wants to sit there and watch that woman in a black robe treat those people like trash on national television? You should all be ashamed to think that is something great. 

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I’m the person looking for the converter box. My number is (607) 953-1915; please leave a message. 

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I’m trying to understand this country. Now we legalize adult cannabis. Do they really think it won’t be given to our teenagers? Are they that ignorant? Why do we all want our minds altered this way? Next they’ll legalize meth! Give them an inch they’ll take a mile. On top of that we are putting a fox in the hen house, giving the priorities to former drug addicts. Has this country gone mad? I’m so disgusted with this wonderful country we had, and are losing more of it every day. 

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So Deshaun Watson gets suspended six games and after 23 women complained of sexual harassment against him, and the NFL has the gall to be mad that they got six games. That’s about a slap on the wrist and I think he should be suspended for the whole year. Unbelievable! It was not like it was two or three; there were 23. Give me a break!

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The Veterans ride was a beautiful event and a beautiful day, except for the road! Route 38 is in terrible shape. It’s dedicated to The Vietnam Veterans and it’s atrocious! RESURFACE IT NOW!

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Why do so many people lack reading comprehension skills? Example: Note on Facebook says, “Go to thisplace.com to vote.” People vote by replying to the note. Good grief!

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What a horrifically mean spirited, close minded commentary from the person who added to the sadness of the person missing their kitty. Any pet can sneak out a door in a flash, including many dogs I’ve known. Don’t forget that many people who have cats keep them inside because they are homebodies, don’t need to be walked, can be left alone in the house for extended periods of time without destruction or accidents, and don’t maim or even kill people. Look up the statistics of how many dogs that accidently get loose cause harm. The very reason why dogs are licensed, etc., and why homeowner’s insurance is higher for people who own certain breeds. I’ve known even little dogs that can be snappy and nip. So have some pity. It’s a sad world, don’t add to it!

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What a shame that the Owego Housing Development for the Temple and Liberty Street areas has been “Scuttled”. We need our people! When I was a kid the Village population teetered above 5,000. I believe today it floats below 3,000. How is that sustainable? We are led to understand that the failure to proceed has to do with a Zoning issue. Aren’t such things routinely handled via Governmental authority? I suspect there is more to it than that. We need ALL our people. A community such as ours is co-dependent. I wasn’t surprised when a major property owner of the area lamented the loss of that housing, or its replacement, which very probably could have served some of his employees. Perhaps the greatest loss is to our retail merchants, especially our grocery stores that are hanging by a thread. But the Hardware Store, the Barbers, the Diners, you name it, are all affected when a major block of housing is denied its continued existence. It seems that what the flood started, man has finished. 

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“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Khalil Gibran

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The case of drop box or mail in voting in New York State. Second only to California, New York has the largest University and college population with students who are of age to vote, and also have resident status to vote in the state of their college. The new District 19 in Ithaca has 25,600 at Cornell University, 6,500 at Ithaca College, and 16,900 at Binghamton. How is student dual residency checked, other than a question asked upon filing for a ballot, if they have or have not filed a voter ballot in and of their home address in another state? These are only three examples of how many votes cast may be of non-permanent residents who have been granted legal resident status. Statewide, the number of colleges and universities number 268. How many statewide are legally able to cast a vote in New York State, and again at an out of state residency? If even a percentage of these students use their student address as residency to vote, how skewed is the election for those who are year round permanent residents who work and pay taxes in these districts, and want an elected official who will represent their interests and not that of students who stay for four years and move on?

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I love our town and area but am repulsed by Governor Hochul. The level of corruption and moral corruption is like no other. On the Governor’s desk is Education Law bill 1549-E prohibiting schools from using the Native American or Indian names that “refers to, represents, or is associated with Native Americans, including aspects of Native American cultures and specific Native American tribes.” Being Owego is derived from the Iroquois word Ahwaga, where the river widens, and the OACSD mascot is an Indian proudly standing, we now will have the Orwellian hand of Albany. Albany is dictating the Owego Indians must be erased from culture. Perhaps we could be the Tioga Forks and Spoons as Tioga means “at the forks”. That doesn’t work either, so let’s make the OACSD mascot the Raging Mud Turtles. It is amazing that the Democrats in Albany find it necessary to usurp the local power to choose school names. Next will be towns, counties, and street names. Perhaps we should be the town of Wetfoot, in honor of the 2011 Flood, or have Albany assign us a name like Cuomo or Schumer. Let’s go Orwellian and eradicate all memories of the Native American peoples from our history. This violates the 1st Amendment, Free Speech, but that won’t get in Albany’s way. I hope the OACSD will have the character to tell Albany to pound salt in a very hot place. You need to read or watch George Orwell’s 1984 novel to appreciate what the democrats are doing here, and nationally. This won’t end here until sanity stops it. 

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Last week two writers mentioned that there were 15 studies that said that masks “did nothing” to stop Covid-19. I searched Covid-19 and wearing masks at a local university and found over 700,000 research articles in that area. Not all of these are directly on the topic, but it shows that there are thousands of research articles written from 2020 to today. When I focused the search to just 2022 there were over 40,000 articles on the topic. So when discussing “15 articles” this is a minuscule number of works in an area that has tons of work being done. I did NOT read all of these articles, but I read a bunch within the first 30 listed and two small notes should help put some light on this topic. It falls in the area of “Good – Better – Best.” Certainly, people often do not take the time to make sure their mask fits properly. Certainly, some masks are better than others. But none of these are reasons to stop wearing masks. The “15 articles” are selective readings that reflect political leanings more than scientific reasons.

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The health department has been conducting a survey to determine what the biggest health issue is. That’s easy, science denial.

 

National Political Viewpoints

There is no law against lying on Fox News to its viewers. If there were, there would be no network. Trump and Fox duped their followers. So sad.

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So, we are now officially in a recession. Oh no. The democrats are going to change the definition of recession so we are not in one. What a bunch of clowns, just admit it. The last 18 months have been a disaster and you’ve done nothing but destroy our country. November can’t come soon enough!

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What a sad day for veterans who were, or will become ill because of the dangerous burn pits. The bill was set to be passed and both sides agreed to it, and then at the official vote 25 republicans refused to do what our veterans need. I don’t understand how anybody can support a group of people who are making our heroes suffer. 

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I’m calling again, desperately asking if anybody out there knows where I can send money to fund these buses that are moving illegal immigrants from Texas and Arizona to Washington D.C. I would love to send a check of a significant amount that could help get these people out of Texas and Arizona and into Washington as fast as possible. So if anybody has any information on how we can fund these buses, please call into this column with a number.

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I’m confused. If our government is truly concerned about climate change, why aren’t they lowering the speed limit on the highways as was done in the past to save on fuel? Why isn’t the government offering home energy audits to save on fuel and electricity? Why are so many things that could be done to cut the use of fossil fuels not being done? All I hear is to buy a battery car, a solar farm, or a windmill farm. All that stuff makes a lot of money for whom? China, for one, and no help for the average American. The things we are being told we need will price the average American out of existence. 

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Newsflash. So what did big guy Biden discuss with Xi Jinping of China for two hours last week? Biden won’t take any serious questions from the very few honest reporters left in the U.S.A. And where is Hunter Biden’s indictment? This is one time to support Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan after the Chinese threatened to shoot down her plane. Security agency leadership is a joke and they act as democrat agents. The Attorney General is about as energetic as the big guy is, and the country is in horrible decline. Vote in November like your life depends on it, because it surely does. God help the U.S.A.!

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Donald Trump loves our country. The democrats with their radical agenda do not. They want our country to go down like the Titanic when it hit the iceberg.

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Does anyone know why Biden gets so angry when he is asked hard questions? The American people are asking questions. They are all very concerned about what’s going on in our country. It is a mess, and anytime he is approached and asked a hard question he gets angry, turns his back on the reporter and walks away. Is that how a president should behave? 

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So much for climate change, as Pelosi jets over to Asia and Hochul is all over New York State. Do as I say, not as I do. November cannot come soon enough. I am reading so many articles saying that they are going to get beat big time in the midterms in November; and if you notice everybody is saying defund the police, but when these leaders are out and about they’re surrounded by all kinds of security and police. Do as I say, not as I do. Come November, you can’t get here soon enough!

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A new study out, 24% increase in mental illness of children between the ages of five and 11 due to the pandemic lockdown, staying at home from school, and wearing masks. Nice call Democrats.

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While Trump was out golfing for the Saudi sponsors of terrorism, Joe Biden was removing the current leader of Al Qaeda. I’m so glad Joe Biden is our president. Thanks for the 50 straight days of falling gas prices Joe!

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To the person(s) still rambling on about Judge Jeanine after nearly five years, who was speeding (in the early afternoon on the way to see her ailing 89 year old mother), where is your corresponding outrage regarding Paul Pelosi, and his DUI [the “I” reportedly both alcohol AND drug(s)] in the small hours of the morning, running a stop sign, crashing his (new) Porsche, and hitting an innocent fellow motorist?

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“Even though he tested negative, not that much changes for Biden. He still works from home, avoids crowds, and takes 20 pills a day.” — Jimmy Fallon

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This is in response to the person who wrote in about Judge Jeanine driving 120 miles an hour and commented, “Who cares.” I sure hope one of your children isn’t on the road that day.   

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Yah know what? Maybe it would be for the best if we let the democrats continue on their current path, to the point of another Great Depression. Maybe that’s the only way people will wake up. The people who lived through that were tough survivors. They could feed an entire family from a potato, with no SNAP cards! Gas, sugar and butter were rationed. They did whatever work there was in order to survive. They had morals and values; relied on and trusted their neighbors and treated them with respect. Every life was important and valued. They were clever and resourceful. They couldn’t afford illegal drugs, neither the price nor the accompanying loss of wits. They couldn’t become thieves, as no one had anything worth stealing, or money to buy stolen goods. They had to work to survive and dropped into bed, too exhausted to get into trouble. They hit a brick wall, finding out there comes a point when you can’t count on your government to take care of you; ultimately, your survival is up to you; and they were smarter, stronger people because of self-reliance. The planet was a better place because nothing could be wasted. Many folks, especially our politicians, have become far too spoiled. Pelotons for them all? Seriously? 

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As for the president himself, he perpetually comes across as a man who could use a nice, long nap. “Naptime in America,” alas, isn’t an inspiring campaign slogan, particularly when democratic voters appear prepared to nap through the midterms. Unfortunately for Biden, it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to redefine “red wave” the same way he tried to redefine “recession.”

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“This is a huge victory for Biden. In fact, right after the announcement his approval rating skyrocketed to 11 percent.” — Jimmy Fallon