Through An 'Old Timer's' Eyes
By Howard 'Mac' McDonald

The weather is the main topic of just about every conversation these days. About a week after everyone was complaining how cold it was, along came an early June heat wave that had everyone scrambling for air conditioning or just complaining.

What does this tell us? It tells me that we don't have much to say about how the weather is going to be.

It's a lot like how we don't have much we can do to control another popular complaint these days, the price of gas and groceries.

Higher prices may not affect the well-to-do, but they sure do cramp my style.

I am not too happy about the choice of either candidate for President.

The politically correct Speech Police have been going on and on about race not being an issue in the race, as if that fact does not exist. They will pussyfoot all around the issues when they discuss the election, but will never ask a voter if race will make any difference in the way he or she will vote.

The truth is that so many voters will be deciding based on either party affiliation or race, that the issues don't even seem to matter.

Barack Obama

As Shakespeare wrote, "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

One last political jab: If everyone in Cameron and Potter counties did not vote, it would have no impact on the outcome of the election. That is one of the reasons the federal government set out to take down the Rigas family in Coudersport. They found their scapegoat and made themselves look like they were "tough on corporate crime," but what they really did was find someone they could pick on and then devastate one small town and one small family.

So, you see, even though we don't pack much of a political

punch in this

part of the country, we do feel the effects of an election big time.

I congratulate all the kids who made it through high school. For some school was easy, and for others it was not. Either way, that story won't appear on the diploma.

When I went to high school, there was no such position as a guidance counselor. I hope these counselors give some good advice to their students.

Our parents guided us and most of us got through life without too much strife.

John McCain

With the job market as bad as it is, it will be hard for the young people to find work. It is getting to the point where college grads are so hard up for jobs that they end up working for low pay at Burger King, Wal-Mart or McDonald's.

If they have an old manual reel lawnmower, one that doesn't take gas, they might be able to earn a buck or two that way. I hate to be a conveyor of doom and gloom, but the future is not very promising right now.

The high heat and humidity reminds me of the time I was stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knobnoster, Missouri. Talk about hot! I had cut the lawn at our quarters and was soaking wet with sweat, so I went to take a cool shower.

Our middle son, Bill, came in and saw that I was applying deodorant.

"What's that, Dad?" he asked.

I explained that it was deodorant and it and it would keep you from sweating. He asked me to put some under his arms.

About a half-hour later, he came back in from playing outside and said, "Dad, that 'do-do-rant' ain't no good. Just look me sweatin'."

His face was streaked with perspiration and his hair was soaked. I didn't explain that underarm deodorant won't stop your head from sweating. On that note, keep cool and drink lots of liquids.