Editorial

EDITORIA: - There are 1352 guitar pickers in Nashville. That was the figure touted by John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful back in 1966.  Many men and women have tried to make it in the music business in music cities in the USA.  Some have made it to global success, like Taylor Swift, and many others have had to find something else to do. Some have managed to make a living from music. 

Scott Lindsey is one of those 1352 guitar pickers. He recently co-wrote a song with mega movie star Kevin Costner, and that’s pretty good for anyone in Nashville at any level of the industry. 

EDITORIAL - Life is filled with risks. Perhaps you enjoy skydiving, climbing Mount Everest, or swimming with sharks?  Each endeavor involves serious risks. Nothing would be accomplished on this planet without people willing to venture out into the unknown.

Space exploration and medical and educational advances would be stymied without an innate spirit to try new things and go boldly where no man has gone before. That’s right. Star Trek would never have existed without the imagination of Gene Roddenberry.

EDITORIAL - If you have worked hard and saved money all your life you may have over $250,000 in a bank. Or, maybe one of these days, you might if you keep working and saving. 

 You most likely know that only $250.000 of your money is federally insured. In other words, if your bank fails, you might lose any amount above $250.000. Let’s say you have half one million in your bank. The assets of the bank would eventually be liquidated. If enough money was collected, you might receive the rest of your half million, or you might never see a penny above the federally insured amount unless you are in Silicon Valley. 

EDITORIAL - The Forbes Avenue bridge over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh's Frick Park collapsed last Friday morning, January 28th with several vehicles, including a Port Authority bus, on the span at the time.  The bridge that collapsed is known as the Fern Hollow Bridge, used by an estimated 14,500 vehicles daily.  (From Pittsburgh Action 4) 

Ten people were injured. No one was killed when the bridge buckled at 6:39 a.m., officials said, though four people were hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. President Biden who was ironically visiting the area warned that the country might not be so lucky next time. “We don't need headlines saying that someone was killed when the next bridge collapses,” Biden said.   (Washington Post) 

EDITORIAL - America has been through a tough time.  A national election separated friends and family, divided churches, and took over our media. We’ve been intoxicated with poisonous rhetoric and toxic street gatherings that led to more division, injuries, and even death.

Americans horrifically viewed the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and said we aren’t going to take that anymore. 

EDITORIAL - Working a job that pays you money is your best assurance for financial security. In 2021 manufacturers, construction, transportation companies, any entity that sells products, drivers and almost all employers are begging for workers. 

Many Americans were assisted by the large unemployment payout of the pandemic. This was initially helpful. Many people such as restaurant workers and others had lost their jobs. The flush of cash from the Government kept families fed and financially stable. There has been a downside to this as now manufacturing has slowed down so much that trucks and cars have often been delayed from service because of the stall in manufacturing parts.