On Monday, Dec. 7, 2009 it will have been 68 years since the Japanese Navy launched their attack on Pearl Harbor, a United States Naval Base in what was then the Territory of Hawaii. In a few minutes’ time that morning, the Japanese sunk four U.S. battleships and killed over two thousand servicemen. The United States declared war upon Japan, and Japan’s ally, Germany, declared war upon us. What followed is, of course, history.

I didn’t have to look up those lyrics. It’s surprising how one can remember something from two-thirds of a century ago but can’t remember where he put the car keys 30 seconds ago.

Since last Easter I have been in much of Middle America including Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. Never did I find one place where the price of gasoline was as high as it was in Leesville, Louisiana, at that time. That includes cities like Omaha, Kansas City and St. Louis.

Several years ago several Louisiana men reported seeing Big Foot in the area of Boggy Bayou on Cotton Island here in the Pelican State though I know of no recent sightings.

This is a column about books.  If you are a reader, read on.  If not, proceed directly to the sports page.  There is plenty of action in the football reports.

 Several years ago I spent six weeks in Colorado. Those six weeks enabled me to do things I had wanted to do but brief vacations did not permit. Two 11,000-foot high mountains divided by Gardner’s Gulch had always beckoned. This was the time I would explore them.
When the sun came up, I was going up.

I have waited to write anything based on the recent death of Sen. Edward Kennedy since there was no lack of space given to it. But I can’t let the passing of the last of the three brothers go without a little discussion. I have a generation relationship to the era of the Kennedy family. I voted for John Kennedy in 1960 and do not regret it. I probably would never have voted for Senator Ted.

Sometimes the letters to the editor columns in newspapers tend to give credit to Walter Cronkite's remark that he wasn't sure we were smart enough to choose our leaders. Actually, he said he doubted that we had enough education to elect our leaders. I substituted the word smart because I read the letters to the editor in a number of newspapers.

Some years back a bill was introduced in the Louisiana State Senate requiring school students to stand up when a teacher entered the room. Maybe some student would have been charged to stand up and shout “Ten-Hut” when a teacher or administrator came through the door. Then the teacher or administrator would go to the front, look over the class, and then order, “Ready, seats.”

For some reason the start of the football season doesn’t excite me like it did in bygone years.

Column by George Frasher

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.   James 1:19-20 (TNIV)

It’s the health insurance that’s broken, not heath care

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