Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

 We have a common code today that no matter how naughty a child is the child is not to be punished for the breaking of rules or dishes or much of anything else. At one time punishment was a very common thing, a child might get punished at home for wetting their pants and at school for getting into a fight. This would surely lead to more punishment especially if he lost the fight. 

  So we move on to the events of today and read in the paper that a 16 year old boy in England got in trouble for cutting down a 200 hundred year old tree. This tree was by Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England that was built when the Romans occupied Britain. The tree was not there then, it was a recent arrival, but it had appeared in a movie, so that gave it so sort of importance. At any rate we must wonder why he would cut down this tree? Did he read a book and see that an American boy had cut down a tree and later became President and he thought perhaps if he cut  down a tree he could become Prime Minister. Would look good on the resume right?. The other point is that if that sort of thing is all it takes to get elected to the top spot, we should start looking at our politicians a bit more closely to see if they have done something at least as strenuous as cutting down a tree.

  The laws that have been put in place to protect children have, like so many other efforts by those that love to stick their noses in others’ business, have gone too far. Yes there are parents that should never have been parents, too bad they couldn’t be made sterol and not have to worry about it. The reason that the laws have gone too far is that the children get to know that they are allowed to get away with whatever and can cause the parents trouble if they so choose. This works just fine until they turn 18 and then the protection is gone and they have never learned to stop because they could always push that little bit further and get away with it.

  In the same way that those in our society with lots of money and the ability to make problems for all that get in their way have been allowed to bully, bribe, or buy their way and suffer no harsh consequences. The wealthy see no reason they should pay taxes, and yet they are the first to complain when a road needs repair or a bridge is not passable. Well that is the masses problem to keep these things up you cannot expect us to spend our resources on such things.

  So time for a history lesson, don’t you just love it? For all of you that have seen the movie The Shining it was filmed at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado. Mr. Stanley suffered from tuberculosis and was told the dry mountain air was what he needed to be comfortable. So he came to Colorado and found Estes Park and decided to build a hotel. Problem was that the city did not have a working water system, sewer system, or a reliable electric system. So Mr. Stanley, the builder of the Stanley Steamer Car, put all that in for the city so that he could build his hotel. We could do with a few more Mr. Stanley’s.