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Traveling More Than 1,600 Miles For A Shot

I traveled more than 1,600 miles to get a COVID vaccination shot. Thereby hangs a tale. Back in January, vaccines were reserved for people at high risk of becoming very ill if infected. Medically speaking, I am a wreck: heart attacks, cancer, emphysema, and pre-diabetes. To boot, I am age 78. I qualify, easily. On Jan. 25, I drove the 30 miles from home in Brookville to the DuBois Alliance Church gym/hall and got my first Pfizer vaccine. The injection itself was a breeze, with a bit of arm soreness as the only noticeable side effect. The nurses, EMTs and other staff members ...

There Is A Difference Between FSA And HSA

Question: What is the difference between an HSA and a flex-spending account (FSA), and which is better? Answer: Both of these options are useful ways to pay for medical expenses with benefits and limitations with pre-tax dollars. An HSA (health savings account) is a pre-tax way of saving money to pay for medical expenses later. The HSA is useful for those individuals who have a high deductible health plan (HDHP). The HDHP must have a minimum deductible level of $1,400 for individuals or $2,800 for families. You cannot establish an HSA if your health plan isn’t a HDHP. A HSA is an ...

Sacred Ground

When you first see it, it is just a piece of low ground situated along a fast-flowing, southern river. Then you look about and see the cannons, plaques and memorials and you realize that you are at Pittsburgh Landing on the Tennessee River at Shiloh. You glance down at the brochure sent to you by the National Park Service and there is the old photo taken in 1862 of this place crammed full of steam boats delivering the goods of war — yes, this is that same place. This is same piece of ground that General Grant and his Army were jammed into on Sunday, April 6th of that year as the ...

State’s Captured Agencies Are Letting The Fox Guard The Henhouse

I am writing in response to a recent Post-Journal and OBSERVER article regarding the Cassadaga Wind Project. Owner RWE claims, “Local support for the project remains strong.” I do not believe our local bats, eagles, raptors, songbirds, most living creatures or most turbine neighbors agree with RWE. Residents within one mile of the wind project recently received a mailer giving instructions on how to register a complaint with Cassadaga Wind once the project is operational. The letter did not state why residents will likely be putting the complaint hotline on speed dial. ...

Prayers Like Incense Drift Up To Heaven

Most of us have said at least a prayer or two in our lives. Maybe a cry for help to the Lord or a praise for something good. Maybe you’ve whispered words on behalf of another soul going through a hard time. In Christianity, prayer is a huge part of what we do. We say the Lord’s Prayer. We recite prayers with others at church. We pray for those who are afflicted. We pray before a meal or at bed time. But, if you’re like me, you haven’t really given the act and the concept of prayer too much thought. We’re having a conversation with God — and that’s that. But what a ...

Echo Chambers Here, There, Everywhere

I got some feedback last week. I learned something from it. I had written two weeks ago about far-right “echo chambers” of “news” — really, opinion — that push “I only watch them” viewers into loops of substituting pure fiction for news. There is nothing wrong with opinion forums. This column is an opinion piece, not a news piece. The harm comes when brainwashed readers/viewers believe that endlessly repeated opinions are facts. I criticized far-right echo chamber forums Townhall and Newsmax because I visit those sites nearly every day. I am familiar with them. I ...