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State’s Hostility Toward Fossil Fuels Continues

CHAUTAUQUA—Suppose that you want to lay and connect a natural-gas line. According to press reports: Under longstanding New York law, a natural-gas utility may not charge you for this if the connection is within 100 feet of an existing natural-gas line. Yet now some protest that it’s wrong to make existing customers subsidize new customers. Hmmmm. This subsidy has continued for decades? Why the protest now? Moreover, government frequently subsidizes—or requires subsidies of—economic activity? Why protest this one? ♦♦♦ Somehow, just somehow, one suspects that ...

The Separation Of Church And State

It was drilled into me at an early age that part of being an American was the belief in the separation of Church and State. Of course, the foundation of that belief goes back to the earliest history of the country when immigrants came here from Europe to escape religious persecution. That principle was codified in the Constitution of the United States with the words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....” Having said that, it worries me that today some are beginning to equate religious affiliation with ...

It’s Too Early For NY To Build Nuclear

Ohfergawdsakes. First, PJ Wendel and now Kathy Hochul want to build a ‘mini’ nuclear power plant in Dunkirk or someplace else in New York. I have three questions concerning the wisdom of jumping on the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) bandwagon: 1. Where are there SMRs installed and operating in the US or the world? 2. What is the expected cost of the electricity from a nuclear plant? 3. What will you do with the highly radioactive spent fuel? The answer to question 1 is nowhere. There are no operating SMRs anywhere in the US, and it will likely be 10 years or longer before any ...

A Favorite Patriotic Song

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 One of my favorite patriotic songs is “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” Years ago, when I was in grade school, we had a program of all patriotic songs ranging through the wars at that time. We loved to sing those old songs. My neighbor and girlfriend got to be the Statue of Liberty. Since I was the narrator, I got to stand by her in front of the American flag as we sang. I think we also read the poem by Emma Lazarus that is on the Statue of Liberty. I remember ...

No Easy Road To U.S. Independence

As the year grows closer to July of 2026 and we recognize that we have remained a country of democracy and freedom from the oppression of an intolerant king, we can reflect on the events that led to our declaring independence from England in 1776. For several years prior to our signed affidavit that was taken to England demanding our freedom from the British Empire, the fires grew brighter, and the heat from that flame started a collective anger amongst many in the American colonies. The overtaxation, the seizing of property by the crown and even the enslavement of men on the high ...

What Happens To Health Savings Account After Retirement?

Question: I currently have a HDHP and an HSA, but I will be retiring later this summer. What happens to my HSA account? Answer: Great question, but first, for those that don’t speak insurance, let me clarify these abbreviations! HDHP are High Deductible Health Plans. They are an insurance product, usually offered by an employer to their employees, and they tend to have lower premiums. However before major medical bills are paid, you are required to meet a high deductible, as the name suggests. The lowest deductible for an individual you can see on a HDHP is $1,650 but it’s often ...