It is attributed to Samuel Clemens, “If you don’t read the news, you are uninformed. If you do read the news, you’re misinformed.”

As with most humor, it is only funny because of the element of truth in it. Even back in his day, newspapers weren’t exactly accurate in their reporting. Of course, back then, there was no radio or TV. However, it would appear that to keep the saying true, both the radio and TV is making sure to maintain the tradition.

Indeed, it is true that it is difficult to find those publishing the truth, regardless of the medium.

Well, we’ve learned our lessons. If you have an R after your name, FEMA is not going to be helping you should disaster befall you. Actually, they might not help those with the Ds after their name. It’s been over a week and FEMA has just started moving into the local hotels. Well, they have started writing checks, for not much, for those who can fill out the paperwork. The checks will be worthless anyway if there are no stores left.

So, the lesson we learned, we all need to be preppers. We need to stock 50 gallons of water, at least. We need to stock a bunch of macaroni, noodles and packages of mashed potatoes and rice. I don’t know about you, but I think I’m going to get a bunch of canned meat and vegies.

Those of us with generators need to keep two days of gas nearby with the ability to get far more if we are forewarned that danger is on the way.

My wife and I are in kind of a fix. We can get 3 months of drugs at a time. However, if the disaster hits right before we are due for refills, we’re sunk. We are both diabetic. In light of what happened from the last hurricane, maybe they need to pass a law to let us old folks stock a little away… just in case.

By the way, did you notice there are two more storms forming, one in the gulf and one in the Atlantic. I wonder if anyone has told Old Joe yet. Maybe Old Joe will name these two: I don’t know and I don’t care.

If you watch closely, you just might notice that the democrats are close friends with the union leaders. On the other hand, the members are getting more friendly with Trump. I’ll let you figure out reason.

I don’t know. There have been some stories going around. Mayorkas basically is saying we are running out of funds.

I don’t know, but some have said that a billion dollars intended for FEMA has gone to illegal aliens.

I don’t know, but I would guess that this is what happens when people vote for liberal democrats. Trump has been providing more help, and he’s digging into his own pockets to do it. Sounds far more kind than Old Joe to me.

I do know this, the people devastated by this last hurricane are dying and the dems aren’t sending anyone to help. Looks to me as if the dems don’t care when people suffer and die. It does give feet to Reagan’s saying that the most scarry words in a catastrophe are, “Hello. I’m from the government and I’ve come to help.” Only, now it is so much more. true.

Gold is about 32 thousand dollars a pound. I know. I just looked it up. It might be off a few dollars. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think I’ll be buying that much.

The point is, let’s imagine that you are in the mountains of North Carolina and surrounded by the recent floods. Let’s say you can’t get away from your home. However, some kind man approaches you and he makes an offer. In one hand he holds a half pound of gold and in the other he holds a half pound of food.

He holds them out to you. You can have one or other. Which one would you want? How much is the gold worth at that point and how much is the food worth?

The reason I bring this up is to provoke thought. Every day, dozens of times a day, I hear these ads, “Buy gold. It will help in the case of disaster.”

So, I have put you in a disaster. For many, it is a very real disaster. So, are they clamoring for gold or do they want food. Some might even already have gold. None the less, they ask for water and they ask for food. After that, they ask for shelter.

The gold might look really nice but you can’t eat it. The silver is pleasing to the eye. However, it will not quench your thirst.

I am sure, most of those who are trapped in those flood conditions are far more interested in sustenance than any form of wealth. Those who were wise likely have enough water for maybe week. Hopefully, they have enough food to last a while.

On the other hand, my guess is that they have little of either. You make them an offer of gold, most of them would likely look at you as if you’re strange. Give them food and water and you’ve just made a friend.

The fact of the mater is, gold and silver are only worth what people will pay for it. Sometimes, that is nothing.

How quickly did they start getting help to NY, NY when they were hit by that hurricane about a decade or so ago? How long is it going to take FEMA to START getting aid to the victims of the last hurricane? Could it have something to do with the number of Republicans in the states affected? On the other hand, could it be that the FEMA funds went to illegal aliens?

Not saying anything. I don’t even mean to imply anything. Just wondering. Does anyone even know? I don’t.

When most looked at the verbal contest, they saw two men who were seeking the 2nd highest office in the land. What I saw were two leaders. Vance appeared to be man I would have no problem following him into way. Naturally, I am a little biased. I was in the Marines and he was a Marine officer. Even though Walz was a sergeant major, the man I saw did not appear to be a man I would want to follow anywhere.

Then too, Walz was a teacher. Is he really someone you would want teaching your kids? As for me, maybe it was a good thing he didn’t lead those men into war. Also, maybe it was a good thing he got out of teaching.

Moreover, I sensed he didn’t do much thinking during the debate. It was one platitude after the next. Even a parrot can memorize short phrases.