Questions to ponder as summer winds die down

Bud Hunt publisher Daily Dunklin Democrat [Click to enlarge]

Did Mike Mowrer actually turn down the job as Head Pooper Scooper at the White House because he's been holding in hopes of being named Pet Czar?

Will Randy Morgan ever learn not to use a weed eater in a sand burr patch?

Why did Tyler Williams start walking his beloved little puppy in the back yard?

Can the DDD sports editor make the one-person pictures any larger on his sports page? (Just kidding. These things make great keepsakes for those individuals profiled.)

Will Carl Williams and Carlos Woodard ever win another game of pitch that the girls, Barbara and Jerris, don't intentionally lose so the guys don't become bad sports and quit playing?

Was Ron Harris out of town last week on his regular day off?

Does Roger Sledge hold the record for hitting the longest home run in the history of college baseball?

Is Earline Hovis going to start cooking breakfast at her house for dove hunters like she does during deer season?

Did David Blakemore get the LOFT fixed in his golf game?

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Honoree

"John Hall Dalton, son of Atty. and Mrs. John M. Dalton, who recently spend two weeks at the Southeast Missouri Area Boy Scout Camp at Camp Lewallen, will return there today (Friday) to receive his initiation into the Order of the Golden Sun, a society of honor campers. Membership in this order is by invitation only and is based on a Boy Scout's proven leadership, camping, service and scoutscraft. So far this year only fourteen of the several hundred boys who attended the camp have been chosen for the honor, which indicates the outstanding record which this Kennett youth has made. In former years the following Scouts from Kennett have been initiated into this order: Joe Cash, L.E. Hicklin, Jimmy Ford and Bill Jones."

A hearty "Thank You" to the DDD's unofficial, but much appreciated historian, Vivian Helton, for this news item gleaned from The Friday, Aug. 1, 1941 edition of the Twice-A-Week Dunklin Democrat.

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The future

The same government that wants to provide you with healthcare is in the midst of apologizing to some of those it is already responsible for taking care of.

"The Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday it will apologize to veterans who were mistakenly told they'd been diagnosed with a fatal neurological condition.

Letters were sent last week to 1,864 veterans and survivors, the VA said in a written statement. They were supposed to be sent to veterans with ALS -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- to keep them apprised of expanding benefits eligibility."

The number of veterans mistakenly notified may actually be higher, per the Associated Press story cited above and may reach as high as 2,500.

This is from the same government that wants to take handle healthcare for all of us and it can't even take care of what we've already entrusted it with to date.

One other note about the healthcare proposal known affectionately or ruefully, depending on one's views as Obamacare, also from the AP, "Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and "other information as is prescribed by" regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for "'affordability credits.'"

Your heretofore private information will no longer be private, as the proposed legislation appears to violate the Privacy Act that says agencies should get information from individuals and not other agencies.

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PSA

It's signup time for Cub Scouts.

"Fun and adventure await in Cub Scouting, where boys get a chance to do all sorts of great activities with friends, like building and racing pinewood derby cars, roasting hot dogs around the campfire, and being part of a team.

"Cub Scouting aims kids in the right direction, building their confidence through activities and helping them learn leadership skills."

This area has a long and proud history in Scouting and in large part that is because of men and women over the years who have made a large commitment to helping the youth of the area realize the value and seeing the values of Scouting.

Charlie Brown is the current Cubmaster for Pack 89 one of the largest packs in the St. Louis Council. It was the largest at one time but I'll confess to not knowing if that's still the case.

Anyone interested in learning more can contact Charlie at his office, 204 St. Francis, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email Charlie63857@hotmail.com.

Bud Hunt is publisher of the

Daily Dunklin Democrat, Daily Statesman, Delta News-Citizen, Missourian-News and

North Stoddard Countian.