Unofficially, summer has begun

Memorial Day is the time when it is unofficially considered as the beginning of summer starts. Often through the years it has rained on Memorial Day has often been called Decoration Day. This term has not been used as much in recent years as it was about a half century ago.

Several years ago, when I worked with the University of Missouri Extension, we were instructed when writing columns to write a column with more than one subject. About the time I started writing a column during my extension career that was changed to writing about one subject and to write more in depth. Even with one subject being suggested, once in a while I want to random and visit with you about different things on my mind.

Even though there are a number of things on my mind, many of them will not be included in this column. Instead I choose to deal with odds and ends. At this time, I am not sure where I might go with this or how I will end.

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have left this life experience. It is especially set aside to remember those who have given the ultimate sacfrice for our freedoms. It is important to give thoughts to their lives and to remember them. It is important for us to do our part in maintaining the freedom we have and not to do things that will cause us to be depended on other things and not maintain this great freedom that we have.

A symbol of that freedom is the American Flag. To see the flag is meaningful. Though it is a symbol, it is beautiful and meaningful. This past week the flags were put up on Austin as well as on the square and vicinity. It is beautiful and impressive to be on Austin and see all of those flags. Putting up those flags was not an easy task and several hours were invested in the task.

It is good for the community to show patriotism as expressed by the flags. Special thanks go to those who put the flags up and all who made the flags possible for the community. It is amazing the number of people who do things for our community and these people are an example. They well deserve a bouquet of four leaf clovers.

In addition to the weather, one subject that is gaining the most attention these days is the price of fuel. One highly respected influential person in this community made the statement that by them not wanting to go after the oil that we have in this country including off shore and other places, by not making nuclear power plants and not taking other steps to have additional energy in this country, the environmentologist and others are putting us where they want us. They want us to not to be able to afford fuel for our cars and to have to use transit systems. According to this person they want us to have a lower standard of living.

Get use to it -- suck it up. We might see a little reduction in fuel prices, but it will not be much. There are those who advocate that $4 a gallon is cheap. It may be cheap to them, but it sure doesn't seem cheap to my pocket. They are comparing it to prices others are paying in other countries. All three of the presidential candidates are advocating higher taxes for fuel to pay for carbon emissions.

Back in the '70s they were advocating that by this date there would not be any oil available for production. Oil is still being produced and there is oil that has not been tap in this country. Still, with the indications that there would not be any oil, there has been little done to develop an energy program for our country and to develop alternative energy.

If you are on the highways, there is not any indication that people are paying enormous prices for fuel by the amount of traffic and the speeds that drivers are driving. It has been suggested that by driving slower fuel will be saved. Usually it is the biggest fuel guzzlers that are pouring it on.

There are a number of things that contribute to the higher cost of fuel, including the greater demands and usage in China, India and other countries. We as consumers contribute to the higher cost by not conserving what we have.

A factor that contributes to the high cost of fuel is that the value of our money has gone down. While it helps with our exportation, it makes the products that we buy higher. I personally would like to know why our money has been allowed to become so low in value.

As result of higher fuel prices, everything we buy is higher, including food. Higher food price is another subject that is being discussed. There is other factors adding to the higher food prices, but higher fuel cost is a factor. We have always had a cheap food policy that may be changing. Possibly in the future, instead of people have grass in their lawns that will change to raising vegetables? That would contribute to better nutrition with a lower cost.

Last week's column was about Bob Hawk being with a group to take used glasses to another country for people in need. You can view a slide show of his recent rip by going to www.youtube.com and do a search for iolabob.