Opinion

Ante up, place your bets and hope

I usually tune out criticisms of the modern mess of humanity that come with phrases such as “late-stage capitalism.” That’s a gussied-up way implying that everyone knows the game is over, the plutocrats are making a killing while they can, and when the rubble is cleared away, we’ll find ourselves in a gentle and just Age of Aquarius.

Read MoreAnte up, place your bets and hope

Pocketknives and handkerchiefs . . .

As much as technology has done for our society, there are a few things that it has taken away, like privacy, and the ability to work on a vehicle. Gone are the days of driving through a neighborhood and seeing fathers and sons or daughters, working under the hood of the family car or truck. These days you practically have to have a degree from MIT to figure out how to change a spark plug. I’ve always loved old cars and trucks. I get that from my dad. Over the years, he has had an old Chevy truck, a Packard, a ’55 Chevy, ’64 Mustang convertible and at his death a couple months ago, he had a 1946 Ford truck he tinkered on. For the past couple of years, I’ve been wanting an old truck. There’s something about the heavy clang of the door slamming shut, and the roaring sound of the engine. My husband and I purchased a 1965 Chevy truck to work on a little at a time. My dad was helping on the project. So far, we have a wiring harness installed. The way the previous owner had everything connected, he must have had stock in electrical tape. You know, you can tell a lot about a person’s work ethic by the decisions and shortcuts they make when working on a vehicle.

Read MorePocketknives and handkerchiefs . . .

The depth of life . . .

Show me a town with a well-groomed and maintained cemetery and I’ll show you a town that takes pride in its history and people. A sea of colorful flowers adorning graves across the Corning Cemetery in my hometown last Sunday afternoon prior to Memorial Day was visible proof that people care about it and more importantly their loved ones buried there. People spend money and time on decorating graves throughout the year. As some would say around these parts, “And flowers ain’t cheap!” Some families purchase their flowers and create their own arrangements and saddles. Others buy premade arrangements or bouquets of flowers.

Read MoreThe depth of life . . .

Cryptocurrency?

If you take financial advice from this column, in the future, you may not be able to afford to read this column. That said… let’s talk digital currencies. There are more than 18,000 cryptocurrencies on the market but what is it? Most agree it’s a digital currency that operates outside the traditional government/banking control, instead using public ledgers known as blockchains. But did you know that anyone can make a digital currency with a little coding? Yes, you and I can make our own digital currency. Late Show host Stephen Colbert’s crypto is called Ijustmadethatupeum. But is it a currency?

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As a citizen of and believer in democracy, I applaud the efforts of the Ukrainian people. Their efforts are like what is happening in many other parts of the world. Believe it or not, one thing that overrides capitalism and political correctness in the United States is the right to have one’s voice heard. This is the foundation of which our democracy is built on.

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Don’t Let Scam Artists Invade Your Devices

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is warning Arkansans of a prevalent tech support scam infecting common electronic devices, such as smart phones, laptops and tablets. This antivirus software scam usually begins with a phone call or popup message on the consumer’s electronic device. The communication is from a fake tech support representative claiming to be from a well-known technology company.

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Delivering Improved Benefits and Services for Veterans

As a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I’ve been blessed to play an active role in updating Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policies including expanding access to health care, improving suicide prevention efforts and eliminating barriers for women veterans to receive VA care and services. I’m continuing that commitment to the men and women who served in uniform. In recent days, the House of Representatives approved a trio of legislative initiatives I championed that are now headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

Read MoreDelivering Improved Benefits and Services for Veterans