The news is spooky in a lot of places, including the big Chinese spy balloon that floated across the country. President Biden said he wanted to shoot it down immediately, but the military said, “No.” Isn’t he the Commander-In-Chief? Something strange is going on here. Wonder if China is testing us to see what it can get away with….apparently a lot. How long would a U.S. spy balloon last over the skies of Beijing? Here is a balloon the size of three buses, no engine, gliding along by the wind all the way from China to the States through Canada. How many days did it take to cross the Pacific, then our northern neighbor? What a curious thing. Who know what it was for? Taking pictures, tracking subs, intercepting communications or maybe just a bit of showboating for fun. Either way, it’s the modern day successor to the Japanese incendiary balloons dropped on California during WWII. Bet Hunter’s next painting will be titled “The Balloon” and sold for millions in China.
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There is other spooky news. Apparently the Earth is slowly reversing its rotation and this will cause the day to get longer. Maybe all the wind farms have affected our rotation and the planet is trying to correct itself. Sure will be interesting to see if this affects the climate too. Who will John Kerry and the gang blame for this one? Bet they’ll blame mankind and the western lifestyle. Won’t be long until the IRS works out our individual rotation tax.
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Let’s jump to something else here. One of my treasured processions is a wooden plaque made for my Grandfather White by the late Dr. E.L. Rhodes of Warsaw. The inscription reads, “The Original First Damn Lick Of Work In 1963 On Kaysinger Dam.” Funny how life can get distant people tied together over the years. Dr. Rhodes went to Central College in Fayette and then to Harvard Medical School. After graduating from Harvard “Dusty” did his residency in Chicago under Dr. Loyal Davis. He was Nancy Reagan’s step-father. And Dr. Rhodes dated Nancy. He later served in WWII, and had two or three ships sink from under him. A brilliant physician, Mayo’s tried to get him to join their staff. He declined and practiced in Warsaw and Sedalia. Dr. Rhodes was also an author and wrote books about ducks and life. There should have been a book written about his life and time as a Navy physician. His mother Lottie was a fill in pharmacist at Kreisler’s in Clinton for a time and his Dad had one of the early radio stations in Missouri. I remember visiting his office as a child and the big roll top desk piled high with books and papers…. Dusty’s little red Ford Ranchero sitting outside. All of this was a long time ago. Life takes twists and turns, doesn’t it?
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Okay, time to call a halt to this. Have a couple of good laughs today and take care old buddy.
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Til Next Week:
J.M.W.
