The Superior Express -

Weather Reports . . .

For many years, I relied on the evening news for the weather forecast for the coming day. Occasionally, I’d get a report on the radio during the day.

How things have changed . . .

Thanks to “technology” Nancy now gets minute-to-minute weather reports on her ‘I-Pad.’

Is that great, or what?

I don’t know how many times in the past year or so, she says: “Hay, the computer says we’re having a ‘rain event’ at ——— (whatever time it says). Would you check?”

Well, at times I did check and I think maybe 99 percent of the times there was no rain. Now . . . I sometimes do not check as I know it isn’t happening.

Good, or bad . . . I’ll let you decide. However, sometime in the last week, or two, all that technology information led to a good laugh at a political cartoon in the newspaper. In the cartoon, two women were out walking and one says to the other: “I sure enjoy getting out to walk, even if it means I’m a little less ‘well-informed’ citizen in this election year.”

I get most of my weather information by looking out the widow before leaving home. However, the ‘Sign,’ now on Main Street in Lawrence is a good source for current conditions.

Last week, early in the day, the sign said: “Wind: 46 mph, Temp: 25 degrees.”

Later in the day: “Wind: 25 mph, Temp: 37 degrees.”

I missed the sign last week Tuesday. I suspect the sign would have said: “Wind: 90 mph, Temp: 90 degrees.”

I may be exaggerating the wind a little bit, however, that seemed to me one of the highest wind speeds I’ve ever seen here in Nebraska (and I’ve seen a lot of windy days) in my life.

It gives proof to one of Don Pohlmeier’s favorite sayings . . . Don was known to say more than once: “One day the wind stopped blowing in Nebraska and all the people fell down . . .”

Other than the wind, the other major weather related topic of conversation this spring is, “rain,” or rather the lack of rain.

I don’t know who came up with the following quip, but it seems true this year.

“ . . . Remember that time many years ago when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights ? ? ? Well . . . South Central Nebraska got one-half of an inch of rain that time.”

My last comment about the weather for this week relates to the beginning of my thoughts, technology.

Easter Sunday night, Nancy’s I-Pad weather report said we were having a ‘weather event,’ that being a rain. I knew better, but I went to the door to see if it was really raining and quickly determined it was not raining. Just to be sure, I walked out, onto the porch a little so I was away from the house.

The only thing I determined was that sometime in the recent past, a skunk passed by and left his perfume for all to enjoy.

Keeping ‘up to date’ via technology isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

A O

Here in rural Nebraska, the weather is probably ‘the’ most talked about topic of conversation.

What comes next is undecided, but among the topics at the top of the list is most likely . . . “Cornhusker Sports.”

The major men’s sports are not having a good year. Football and basketball had way too many games that were lost by just a “little.” They were difficult to listen to, or watch.

This Spring I had “hopes” for the baseball team based on the good year they had last season.

It isn’t working out, folks. In four games last week, the Huskers won the first game: 1-0; lost the second game 2-3; lost the third game 6-7; and lost the fourth game 3-4.

They were also involved in eight other “one-run” games this season of which they won a few, but lost most.

The women’s sport teams seem to be doing well. Volleyball, basketball and now softball all supplied their fans with outstanding teams and records.

I just don’t understand why, or how the men’s teams come so close to winning but somehow manage to come up on the short side of the score.

I suspect most Husker fans live by the motto: “Just wait until next season.”

A O

“O, by the way . . .” did you notice that 2022 is an election year?

. . . And Talk about being a well-informed citizen.

I’ll do the best I can, but did you look at the sample ballots a week or two ago. Republicans have nine (count them, 9) people running for the governor position; three for secretary of state and at least two for the other ‘state’ level positions. Then, whereas county positions ‘usually” have only one person to vote for this year, the county treasurer position has three people in contention.

The Democrats have an easier route to consider: only two people running for governor and many positions without any Democrat even attempting to earn the position.

As I’m sure you know the ‘Primary’ election (this one coming on May 10) only reduces the number of candidates that will be elected to the position this November. However, the process is interesting. Each ‘political party’ that qualifies has its own ballot. For much of history there were only two political parties that you saw on ballots: “Republican,” or “Democratic.”

This Spring there are six: Republican Party, Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, Nonpartisan Democratic Party, Legal Marijuana NOW Party and the Nonpartisan Party.

Put that all together and then try to filter out all the “Negative” ads people are putting on TV and try to be a “well-informed” voter.

Good Luck.

A O

Speaking of elections, are you tired of all the negative things happening at the US-Mexico border?

The Democrats have reversed many, if not all, of the protections the Republicans had before the last election. If you’ve had any interest, you well know the millions of illegal people have walked into the U. S. One of the most untold stories is that of the children.

It seems that many children, some as young as a year or two old are simply brought over the border and left there without parents or adults to care for them.

I read, or heard, the following comment from someone in the US: “We (as US citizens) can get arrested for leaving a dog in a car unattended. The people coming into America can abandon a human child without any problem.”

I hope people remember this and realize that part of the solution to this problem begins in these Primary Elections. It is difficult, but it makes no difference if you vote for “Dog Catcher” or for a US Senator,” do your best to find out what kind of person he is. Vote in those people who respect Life, Justice and God.

A O