Andy Rooney signed off on the ?60 Minutes? program recently for the last time. I was a fan of the curmudgeon for a long time.
Had I known the shortcomings he announced on his final appearance, I would have quit listening to him long ago.
However, obviously, he had a major following. He quit at 92. That’s more than one lifetime.
I liked his off-the-wall comments about everyday things like, cotton in aspirin bottles. But, his personality came through the final night, and left me disappointed.
He said he didn’t give autographs, did not want people greeting him on the street and seemed to not like anything except himself.
His job definition still bothers me. He said, after saying he was a writer, ‘A writer’s job is to tell the truth.?
Ah, there in lies my problem. First of all, he spent many years of his life writing stuff for Walter Cronkite to read on his news programs. So those words became Andy’s truths.
To which I ask: What is the truth?
Is Andy’s truths the same as mine and yours?
Is it the truth because what he says it is the truth?
Isn’t Andy’s comment a lot like my friend Pete’s oft-said statement: ‘Trust me!?
Maybe, since I’m not that far behind Andy’s age, doubts are increasing of both written and spoken words.
I will, of course, always believe and repeat that the written word has more credibility than any electronically transmitted word.
And, it’s a lot harder to erase the written word.
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The Super Committee of equal parts Republicans and Democrats have gone no where, in public, after 10 months of meetings to offer a plan that might help them get re-elected, but aid us not at all.
My friend Dick Milliman suggests, ‘Congress deserves the low public esteem which poll after poll has continued to evidence.?
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? Take my advice, I’m not using it.
? As income tax time approaches, please notice: When you put the two words ‘The? and ‘IRS? together, it spells THEIRS!
? Years ago I wrote to a soft drink company that their advertising emphasizing the sound of pouring liquid irritated me. Still can’t stand it. But, they wrote back that a survey showed them the pouring sound made people thirsty. Bah!
? Your friends may lie to you, your mirror deceive you, but a flight of stairs can be brutally frank. S. Cook
? Had the Obama Care package been passed, Texas Judge Kithil ruled (page 425, line 4-12) ‘The government mandates advance-care planning consultations. Those on Social Security will be required to attend an ‘end-of-life planning? seminar every five years.?
Death sentencing? Remember, Nancy Pelosi wanted it passed, and we could read it later.
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I have two suggestions to help we North American citizens:
1. Get out of the United Nations.
2. Drill for oil, gas and coal in lands we control.
We’d save a whole lot of money, and we’d make jobs available for millions of people.
The United Nations aren’t really united and most of them hate us.
And, we seem to have the only environmentalists in the world, and they aren’t united either.