Goodbye Roger

This was the last, and will be the last column written by Roger. He succumbed to his long battle with illness on Saturday, January 5, 2013 (see front page). It is a great sadness that his words will no longer appear in print in the two newspapers he founded. It makes my heart break that he will no longer brighten the day of so many with his special wit and observations. He was much like his column. That was Roger.

And, besides his family, the thing he loved most were these two newspapers, The Rockford Squire and The Cedar Springs Post. Neither would have existed at all if not for his spark, his dedication and his love of these little local newspapers. Publishing weekly through Y2K, Google, the financial crisis, war, the internet explosion and so many odds stacked against them, they have survived.

Now owned and operated by his two daughters, he was always there for us, just a phone call away with a cheerful tone and a way of calming the worst of days. He was our father, our teacher, our rock, and our best friend. We hope we made him proud.

Goodbye Roger, we’ll miss you.

When things get crazy

Wow. The world of hourly or daily news sometimes has dull days but there are times when everything happens at once. Last week made me glad this paper is a hometown weekly. We didn’t have to rush around to cover the explosions and deaths in the Middle East or the “storm of the century” that tore up much of the East Coast or, of course, the General scandal. All those news stories have had breaking developments that Big News operations must continue to chase.

Having had experience with FEMA, I can speak confidently that the East Coast storm story alone will last for weeks. I’ve seen lots of houses off their foundations. It will take $billions to repair these losses and thousands of print inches and broadcast hours to talk about them.

Getting a weekly paper out sometimes seems hectic but, in comparison, you’d probably have to say it’s pretty relaxing.

When things go bad

Three weeks after the wedding day, Sally called her minister. “Reverend,” she wailed, “John and I have had a TERRIBLE fight!”

“Calm down, my child,” said the minister. “It’s not half as bad as you think. Every marriage has to have its first fight.”

“I know, I know!” said Sally. “But what am I going to do with the body?”

‘Tis the season

An old man in Phoenix calls his son in New York. “I hate to ruin your day,” he says, “but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. Forty-five years of misery is enough.”

“Pop, what are you talking about?” yells the son.

“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the old man says. “We’re sick and tired of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.” And he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, “Like heck they’re getting a divorce!” she shouts. “I’ll take care of this.”

She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting divorced! Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back right now and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” And she hangs up.

The old man turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says. “They’re coming for Christmas and they’re paying their own way.”

’Tis the season, blond edition

The blonde goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 stamps?”

“What denomination?” asks the clerk.

“God help us,” says the woman. “Has it come to this? Give me six Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.”

By Lee Hamilton

We are locked in a seemingly permanent debate over the proper size and scope of government. It was a centerpiece of the recent presidential campaign. It features heavily in the ongoing maneuvering over the “fiscal cliff” and the upcoming vote on raising the debt ceiling. And it surfaces regularly in the speeches and comments of politicians and opinion leaders who either take the government to task for growing too large or argue that it needs to play an even more active role than it does now.

I don’t expect this argument to end anytime soon — after all, it’s been a feature of political life for as long as any of us can remember. But no matter how we view the role of government, there’s one thing most of us do agree on: whatever government does, it should do it well.

Recently, I read a compelling speech by a prominent corporate CEO who criticized the federal government for creating an environment of uncertainty and stifling the engines of market growth — and then went on to lay out plans for economic renewal that all involved the government: a revamped education policy, more investment in infrastructure and in basic research, changes to the tax code to reward innovation. His speech underscores a basic truth about American life: we can argue about the fine points of its reach, but the importance of government’s role in our lives is inescapable.

This does not mean that government is the answer to everything — far from it. Nor, however, does the anti-government rhetoric that so often marks our politics show much sign of being rooted in reality. When we want to build roads and bridges, operate schools and keep our cities safe, create conditions under which businesses can thrive, respond to natural disasters or attacks on our security, we turn to government at some level. And we expect the people who run it — the leaders as well as those on the front lines — to be good at what they do.

As Alexander Hamilton put it, “A government ill-executed, whatever may be the theory, in practice is poor government.” You don’t want second-rate scientists doing cancer research, second-rate lawyers negotiating arms control treaties, second-rate bureaucrats helping your community recover from a hurricane or flooding, second-rate inspectors making sure your hamburger is free from e. coli, or second-rate air traffic controllers guiding your plane through crowded airspace. None of us wants to live with a government that is incompetent in the exercise of its important functions.

For this reason, Americans are not as anti-government in practice as their “get government off our backs” rhetoric would often suggest. We turn again and again to government to solve the problems we complain about. And however easy it might be to rail against Washington or against “big government,” it’s the institutions of government you turn to when you need them.

Constructive criticism of Congress is always appropriate, but the anti-government language that so often gets bandied about creates distrust of the very institutions we rely on to meet the challenges and solve the problems that confront us as a nation. I sometimes find myself wondering how far we can erode confidence in our officials and our government and still have a country that works.

Whatever the particular policies of a given administration, whatever programs are enacted by the Congress, the American public is entitled to have those policies and programs administered effectively, efficiently and competently. This cannot be done without skillful civil servants and a steady stream of talented people who are attracted to public service.

My sense is that the public is demanding more from government, not in size, but in performance. Americans want government to work better for less, and the only way to achieve this is for government to become more effective and productive in dealing with the challenges before us.

Lee Hamilton is Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

Wake up America

It’s 3:00 a.m. the morning after, can’t sleep! Thinking and praying for hurting people in a little town, much like our town, in Connecticut.

Yesterday (December 14, 2012), across our Nation people were weeping in public places, and no doubt asking “Why would a Great Almighty God allow this to happen?” And how would I know? Then my mind turns to millions of babies who never had the fun of even going to kindergarten, and even if they had an opportunity to attend school, the teacher would not be allowed to read God’s Holy Word or pray with them. Why, because we might offend a family who believes in some other god. Our founding father, George Washington, didn’t commit or great Nation to those other so called gods. Our prayer should be “Lord God please don’t let this happen in our little town of Cedar Springs.” Friends, let us not slumber or sleep. Put God first, please take your children to the church of your choice. If you don’t, the next shooter might be already sitting at your dinner table. I’m reasonably certain that the murdered mother, of that son gone insane, could never imagine she was raising a boy so devious.

Wake up America – turn back to God – and He will heal our land.

Bob Truesdale

Cedar Springs

Roger Allen, father of publisher Lois Allen, is still in St. Mary’s Hospital recovering from two recent heart attacks. Cards and well wishes may be sent to Roger Allen, The Cedar Springs Post, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 and we will be sure he gets them.

The following column was originally published in December 2011.

Merry Christmas!

How many dozens of people have you heard that from lately?  It comes in handy this time of year when you can’t think of anything else to say.

Robo calls

I get several every day, so I don’t answer until seven rings. And now there’s talk of allowing robo calls to cell phones. I may have to stop answering that one, too. You can get in touch with me by knocking on my front door.

“Completed,” finally

The President has withdrawn our troops from Iraq, although we’ll still be spending money there. Nine years is way too long, especially for an optional war with inadequate planning ahead of time.  And we’re still at war in Afghanistan. And while Pakistan purports to be our ally, we seem to be at war there, too.

I think it’s time to let them settle their own affairs. It’s obvious we can’t do it, and it only makes us poorer. Just think of all the other things we could have bought with that $1trillion+ spent on the Iraq war. Yes, that’s $1,000,000,000,000. Plus.

Cat story

A friend writes:

Last Saturday night we were dressed and ready to go out to a Christmas party. We turned on a nightlight, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.

Because we knew we’d be having a few drinks, we phoned a cab company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived and we opened the front door to leave the house. As we walked out the door, the cat we had put out in the yard scooted back into the house. We didn’t want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.

My wife went on out to the taxi, while I went back inside to get the cat. The cat ran upstairs, with me in hot pursuit.

Waiting in the cab, my wife didn’t want the driver to know that the house would be empty for the night. So she explained to the taxi driver that I’d be out soon. “He’s just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother.”

A few minutes later I got into the cab. “Sorry I took so long,” I said as we drove away. “That stupid thing was hiding under the bed. I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out. She tried to take off, so I grabbed her by the neck. Then I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her fat bottom downstairs and threw her out into the back yard! Hope she doesn’t use the vegetable garden for a toilet again.”

The silence in the cab was deafening.

Last words

Years ago, my kids believed in Santa Claus. Now they think I’m Santa Claus.

Roger Allen, father of publisher Lois Allen, is still in St. Mary’s Hospital recovering from two recent heart attacks. Cards and well wishes may be sent to Roger Allen, The Cedar Springs Post, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 and we will be sure he gets them.

The following column was originally published in November 2010.

Update

The Post recently did a salute to those serving in the military. The publisher didn’t mention that she, too, is a veteran of the U.S. Army. (She asked to be stationed in a “warm place with a beach.”)  She served in Germany (which is warm in the summer and probably has a beach somewhere.)  After service she did production in a factory and drove an 18-wheeler all over the U.S.

Now she follows in the footsteps of (the late) Cedar Springs pioneer Neils Andersen, continuing publication of the town’s newspaper. She employs seven people with all kinds of equipment that hadn’t even been invented yet when she was in the Army.  (How far will technology take us in the next 20 years?)

Retraining story

A proctologist became fed up with malpractice insurance and HMO paperwork; he was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic. He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could.

When the time of the practical exam approached, the proctologist prepared carefully for weeks and completed the exam with skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the instructor. “I don’t want to appear ungrateful, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?”

The instructor said, “During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark.” After a pause, the instructor added, “I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career.”

Priority story

A group of friends went out deer hunting and separated into pairs for the day. That night, one hunter returned alone, staggering under a huge buck.

“Where’s Harry?” asked the others.

“He fainted a couple miles up the trail,” came the answer.

“What? You left him lying there alone and carried the deer back?”

“It was a tough decision,” said the hunter. “But I figured no one is going to steal Harry.”

Problem solved story

The construction boss ordered one of his men to dig a hole eight feet deep. After the job was completed, the boss came back and said an error had been made and the hole wouldn’t be needed. “Fill ‘er up,” he ordered.

The worker did as told, but ran into a problem. He couldn’t get all the dirt packed back into the hole. A mound remained on top. He explained the situation at the construction office.

The boss snorted. “Honestly! The kind of help you get these days! There’s obviously only one thing to do. Go back and dig that hole deeper!”

Last words, almost

If you try to fail, but succeed, which have you done?

Last words

Grow your own dope, plant a man.

By F. Vincent Vernuccio

It is time to make Michigan home again. For far too long our young people have been forced to leave Michigan in search of opportunities elsewhere. Other states have surpassed us in both job creation and wage increases while the Great Lake State casts about for a solution. Unions are spending millions every election on politics while their members are suffering.

Michigan needs a future, not just a past. Our state needs to attract businesses to create jobs with security. It needs to present an option for talented university graduates and those in the skilled trades to stay in-state when they are ready to enter the workforce. Finally, it needs strong unions that put workers above politics.

An essential first step is right-to-work legislation. (Which just passed this week.) Right-to-work laws give employees the choice to pay a union dues or agency fees or not. It makes unions accountable to their members—where members won’t have to fear that they are funding policies that force their kids to leave, and that their money is being spent on collective bargaining and not politics.

Essentially, a right-to-work law sends a strong message to job creators that Michigan is open for business.

Workers, young or old, vote with their feet: Since 1970, the population in right-to-work states has doubled. But in forced unionism states, the population has only grown by about 34.1 percent. The exodus route is clear: from 2000 to 2010 alone, nearly 5 million people moved from non-right-to-work states to right-to-work states.

This may be because employment is exploding in right-to-work states; by contrast, in October Michigan had the 6th highest unemployment rate in the nation. We cannot rely upon status quo policies to keep our kids close to home; we’ve tried them and they’re not enough.

Between 1980 and 2011, total employment grew by 71 percent in right-to-work states while employment in forced unionism states only grew about 32 percent. Bear in mind that here in Michigan, employment has grown a paltry 14 percent during that time. Our troubles have been a long time coming.

Any job is better than none, but Michigan needs jobs with good, competitive benefits and a salary that can support a family, and that’s just what many of these new jobs in right-to-work states provide. Over the last decade, inflation-adjusted compensation in right-to-work states grew by almost 12 percent compared to 3 percent in forced unionism states. Right-to-work jobs grant another important advantage: more people receive health care directly from their employer. According to the National Institute for Labor Relations Research, from 1999 to 2009, the number of people covered by private employer health insurance increased by 0.9 percent in right-to-work states, but fell in forced unionism states by 6.9 percent.

Early in 2012, our neighbor Indiana became the 23rd state to enact a right-to-work law. The differences between Indiana and Michigan are telling. Since January Indiana has added 43,300 jobs, while Michigan lost 7,300. Indiana’s manufacturing sector is far outpacing ours by adding 13,900 new jobs since January. Michigan lost 4,200.

Michigan cannot sit idly by as our neighbors lure competitive entrepreneurs and talented workers. In fact, nine out of the top 10 of CNBC’s Top States for Business 2012 were right-to-work states. Indiana has moved up to 14th, while Michigan remains 33rd.

A right-to-work law is about more than just unions. It’s about more quality jobs for everyone. It means graduates can drive home for a visit instead of fly. It means greater financial security and representation for our union workers. It means Michigan will once more be on the map, not just for our neighbors and the country, but for the future.

F. Vincent Vernuccio is director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a research and educational institute headquartered in Midland, Mich.

By: Vonda VanTil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

If you’re in your sixties, you probably know that the age to receive full retirement benefits has changed. However, the age to begin receiving Medicare has not — it is still 65. Even if you wait until after age 65 to apply for retirement benefits, you still may want to file for Medicare at age 65.

If you want Medicare coverage when you first become eligible, we suggest that you apply within three months of reaching age 65. You can do it online in as little as 10 minutes at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

Why go online to apply for Medicare? Because it’s fast, easy, and secure. You don’t need an appointment and you can avoid waiting in traffic or in line. As long as you have ten minutes to spare, you have time to complete and submit your online Medicare application.

People who started receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits before age 65 do not need to apply; they will be automatically enrolled in Medicare.

There is no additional charge for Medicare hospital insurance (Part A) since you already paid for it by working and paying Medicare tax. However, there is a monthly premium for medical insurance (Part B). If you already have other health insurance when you become eligible for Medicare, you should consider whether you want to apply for the medical insurance. To learn more about Medicare and some options for choosing coverage, visit www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

To learn more about applying for Medicare Only using the online application, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov

The Allen Family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, w/gravy, cranberry sauce and more than one pie. There was no drinking and no one went to jail.

However, Roger is currently serving time at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids after suffering from two separate heart attacks within the past month. He started having chest pains sometime during Thursday night, last week, November 29. After being admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital, it was determined that he had suffered a recent, more severe attack prior. The earlier attack, hopefully not brought about by turkey, caused extensive damage. The second “attack” an infarction, was less severe, but he is struggling to get home from there.

No one regrets more than he, that he will not be able to write a column for this week’s paper. However, for those who just have to have a little Roger’s “Main Street,” we are substituting a previous one for that needed “fix”.

The following column was originally published in December 2007.

The following column was originally published in December 2007.

December 7, 1941

Seventy-one years ago tomorrow, Japanese bombers swooped out of the sky for a surprise attack on America’s naval fleet, moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Our fleet was crushed and more than 2,400 Americans were killed in the raid. For a dwindling number of us, the event isn’t just history. We remember the day.

It was a Sunday. In that pre-television era, the reports came in on the radio, and my family’s radio stayed on all day. My parents were stunned. The whole nation was stunned. At the time it happened, a Japanese envoy was in Washington talking peace to our Secretary of State.

President Roosevelt quickly requested a joint meeting of Congress. On Monday, Dec. 8, he asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan, retroactive to Sunday’s attack. Three days after that, the fascist governments of Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy declared war on America. They thought it was a great time to defeat us–we’d be too busy fighting Japan.

World War II had begun.

Those of us who remember December 1941 also remember that our lives changed abruptly. For the next few years, our nation’s efforts were bent on victory (although at first we seemed to get little of it). Our factories stopped making cars and bicycles and converted to ships, tanks, guns, and airplanes. Goods in short supply—including shoes and food and gasoline—were rationed for civilians.

The military draft took all levels of society, rich and poor.

Finally, after an entire nation’s sacrifice, we won a total victory. Japan’s unconditional surrender came three years and eight months after the Pearl Harbor attack. I still remember vividly my town’s celebration on “V-J Day.” Hitler’s government had already surrendered three months earlier.

Useful facts, or not

• You’ve heard the phrase, “once in a blue moon.” A “blue moon” is the second full moon in the same month. The expression has been around for 400 years. Usually we get one every 2-1/2 years.

• You have probably said, “for Pete’s sake!” An itinerant farm hand from Lincolnshire said it first at 2 p.m. on Sept. 23, 1497, immediately after he impaled his foot with a pitchfork in the presence of the local priest. There’s no written record of the incident but you can believe this if you want to. Actually, it’s “a minced oath” – a substitute for a different phrase, like “for St. Peter’s sake!”

• When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

• A day without sunshine is like night.

• 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

• On the other hand, you have different fingers

When things get crazy

Wow. The world of hourly or daily news sometimes has dull days but there are times when everything happens at once. Last week made me glad this paper is a hometown weekly. We didn’t have to rush around to cover the explosions and deaths in the Middle East or the “storm of the century” that tore up much of the East Coast or, of course, the General scandal. All those news stories have had breaking developments that Big News operations must continue to chase.

Having had experience with FEMA, I can speak confidently that the East Coast storm story alone will last for weeks. I’ve seen lots of houses off their foundations. It will take $billions to repair these losses and thousands of print inches and broadcast hours to talk about them.

Getting a weekly paper out sometimes seems hectic but, in comparison, you’d probably have to say it’s pretty relaxing.

When things go bad

Three weeks after the wedding day, Sally called her minister. “Reverend,” she wailed, “John and I have had a TERRIBLE fight!”

“Calm down, my child,” said the minister. “It’s not half as bad as you think. Every marriage has to have its first fight.”

“I know, I know!” said Sally. “But what am I going to do with the body?”

‘Tis the season

An old man in Phoenix calls his son in New York. “I hate to ruin your day,” he says, “but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. Forty-five years of misery is enough.”

“Pop, what are you talking about?” yells the son.

“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the old man says. “We’re sick and tired of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.” And he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, “Like heck they’re getting a divorce!” she shouts. “I’ll take care of this.”

She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting divorced! Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back right now and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” And she hangs up.

The old man turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says. “They’re coming for Christmas and they’re paying their own way.”

’Tis the season, blond edition

The blonde goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 stamps?”

“What denomination?” asks the clerk.

“God help us,” says the woman. “Has it come to this? Give me six Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.”

General confusion

It’s risky these days to turn on the radio or the TV. I’d like to avoid getting any more information about Tampa’s social life.

 Speaking of generals

Although I was in the army for two years, I never met a general. Never even saw one. Maybe it’s because I was only Private R. Allen, just out of high school.

My military service was a crash course that took me from boyhood to manhood. Much of it was spent in Korea. At this point it’s probably safe to confess something about all those nights when I stood guard duty over there: Sure, I carried a gun and knew how to use it. But, every night, I was alone; every night, it was dark. And, every night I was scared.

Although I never met a general, I did know two admirals. My Uncle Jim and my Uncle Mark both went to Annapolis and were career Navy. One time when I was a kid, Uncle Jim brought me back a little model Chinese junk boat. I still have it. Neither uncle seemed like the type to be sought after by social climbers. But I guess we’ve all learned; you never know.

Speaking of generals #2

General Petraeus seems to be in a lot of hot water. The CIA says there were no government secrets passed on in all those e-mails, so what’s all the fuss about? Nonetheless, a lot of Americans think that what Petraeus did after his secret came out, was the right thing to do. He admitted to the affair and resigned his job because of it. (Granted, it was a very special kind of job.)

The news media has revealed more about Washington goings-on than I really want to know. Now I’m starting to suspect that many, many congressmen, senators, and military brass have had flaming affairs. If all of them resigned, I’ll bet there would be tons of openings in the job market.

Inside joke

Soon after being transferred to a new duty station, an Army husband called to tell his wife that he’d be late getting home again. He went on to say that dirty magazines had been discovered in the platoon’s quarters and they had to discipline the whole squad.

The wife launched into a tirade. She knew that many men had girly pictures hanging in their quarters at the previous post, so his new platoon shouldn’t be penalized for something so trivial!
The husband calmly listened to her gripes and then explained, “Dirty magazines: the clips from their rifles had not been cleaned.”

Political commentary 

1) A politician is a person whose politics you don’t agree with. If you do agree, he’s a statesman.

2) Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.