COLUMBUS: Our government sure is good at making tough decisions. Congress voted to let everyone keep another 2% of their paycheck for the rest of the year. In the process they shortchanged Social Security so it will run out of money sooner. Will it help the economy bounce back? Not likely. Everybody will spend it on higher gasoline prices.

In the last few years we drilled more gas wells, brought more gas on the market and the wholesale price dropped from around $6 per unit to less than $3. Do you suppose the folks in Washington can ever figure out we might do the same with oil? Even if it comes from Canada.

President Obama says the Keystone pipeline can’t cross the border unless he says so.  Well, exactly how “thick” is the borderline between us and Canada? Is it an inch? Or, maybe less than a millimeter? You may be wondering, Why does it matter? Well, the President can’t stop a pipeline from being built in the United States; he can only stop one from crossing the border into the U. S.  So if we build a pipeline right up to the border on our side, and Canada builds a matching pipeline to the border on their side, the two ends could be a so close together you could barely slide a piece of paper between ‘em. When Canada starts pumping oil down the pipeline naturally some would leak out at the border causing an awful mess. The environmentalists would rise up and demand the President plug the leak. He would call a welder in to weld the ends together, environmentalists would cheer and vote for him again, and we would get the oil.

Have you heard about this new movie, “The Artist?” It’s more of an old movie because it’s silent, and black & white. It received ten Academy Award nominations, which gives you an idea how hard up they are for actors who can talk. I think it was nominated for best picture, actor, actress, sound effects, video editing, and cinematography. Is there an award for funniest captions? Well, I hope it wins a bunch of awards. If everybody starts watching the old time silent movies, I’ve got about 50 of ‘em I can blow the dust off and revive. “Ropin’ Fool” is 90 years old and it has drama, romance, comedy and a surprise ending that would rank it with any movie today.

Speaking of old timers, fifty years ago John Glenn became the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. He sounds like he would be eager to go again if we had a way to get him up there.

Whitney Houston was buried today in New Jersey. She had a tremendous singing voice and it’s a shame she cut her life short with drugs. She will always be loved.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“Everybody says, ‘Where’s the money is coming from we’re spending?’ Well, I don’t now, but just offhand, I’d say it’s coming from those that got it.” Radio, April 7, 1935

 “(The movie) business is undergoing a great change. In four or five years you will look back and laugh at yourself for ever having sat for hours and just looked at Pictures with no voice or no sound.” WA #286, June 17, 1928