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First off, I want to thank this newspaper for placing my column where it really belongs. It is great knowing that I go with the memories of the old days. Enjoy this section of the paper because here you can go back for a little while to those days when life went on forever. And thanks for the feedback about your thoughts on my column. It seems that as I write, I feel your thoughts and the words appear.

Now this week, I am going to take you on a journey of discovery and take a look at the way that we are led into a false belief that all people in high positions are honest. It seems that this is not the case of several top officials in some of the largest corporations we have. There are those who are given the trust that they will do what is best for those who work for that company while they themselves recieve a salary of large amounts. The CEO's of some of the largest companies in the world sometimes are paid more than all of thier employees together. They make decisions that fill thier own pockets while the company itself shows a moderate profit. Where is the thinking behind this type of leading a company to the top of the mountain. We have observed this in Enron, WorldCom, and the Investment fields,among others, and thier top people have been taken down. But who is in the shadows waiting for that sudden rise in salary, yet not able to run a big business in a honest way? Who will they pick to lead them out of a cloud of distrust and into a clear window of respectability? That is and will be the question that the stockholders need to pose before they appoint someone to run thier organization. Will we see these companies rise back to the place that they can count on that one man or woman to lead them to a era of trust and accord?

Well, this is where this old man lets it out to you and anyone who wants to take time to think about it. In my opinion, there is no one worth the millions of dollars paid by the various companies to a man or woman to lead them to profitability. Too many times we select those who are close friends or we choose those fresh out of college to fill the top spots in our organizations. It doesn't matter what experience they have, as long as they can be able to sit in that chair and be that figure head for that company. It has always been my opinion that you start somewhere in the corporation where you can learn the ABC's of it. Think of a company as a tree. That pretty leaf at the top of it did not get there on it's own. The roots of that tree worked hard to send it's strength as branches to the very top .

Sometimes it needs a little help and a little pruning is needed to rejuvanate it. You don't prune it at it's roots, you do it at the top. The strength of any company is the people working for it, and those who go in each day to make it better are the ones who deserve the praise. No one company in this world would survive without those people who run it at the core, and are paid a wage decent enough to keep them there. I am for those who want to excell and move to that position, but not at the expense of the others who just want to make it work. As always this is my opinion and not that of this paper or any group. Now before I leave you this week, think about those large salaries that players in pro sports are getting. Are they worth it? And do the people who pay out those millions of dollars to some young star care that you and I actually pay for those amounts through ticket sales? Where will those so-called stars use the money they get? Well, most of them have an agent who usually gets a large lump of it. And the rest of it for some who are not mature enough, goes for dope, liquor and wild partners. What more can I say on this subject except that I am very happy where I am , and envy is not in my world of thought. see you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

This week, this old man is going to enrich your minds with a typical day in the days of old. Back in my childhood days you usually started the school day with a warm fire in the heating stove and in the cook stove. This is where the kids in our family were important as I and my two older brothers took turns getting up a little earlier than the others so that we might build up a nice warm fire in the heating stove for them to stand by and change into thier school clothes. And the cook stove had to be ready with a nice fire so that our great loving mother could cook her great food for her husband and her children. Our mother was a saint in that she thought only of others and not of  her own self. Well, after we were blessed with that great tasting food, we were off to school to learn the things that we needed if we were to survive in the later times. So you might think that Mom's time now was one of rest , but that was not the case. She now was already deciding what to feed her family when they came home for lunch and for supper after school was out. I have to say right here that our mother was always on time with food for her family and she always had mountains of love for us too. Well, getting to the lunch she prepared, it wasn't a sandwich and chips lunch, it was hot food that stuck to the walls of your stomach and it kept you full until suppertime when we would embark on a meal fit for a king made out of leftovers mixed with something new, and only like mother could make. Mom was the mother of her kids and she did her job well.

Now as to what was expected of us as youngsters to the greatest mother and father, we took turns doing our chores each day after school, which consisted of cleaning the ashes out of the heating and cooking stoves so that they might work better giving off that much needed heat on a very cold day. We had to go out to the coal shed and fill up the buckets with coal and we would also cut up wood to mix with the coal. Sometimes we would use a bucket of dried corn cobs to get the fire to the amount of heat needed to maintain a warm home. Then we had to do our homework so that we would be ready for classes the next day. Then if there was time before dark, we would go out and play with the best friends we ever had. When it got dark, Mom expected her kids to be inside safe in her arms, where she could rest knowing that they were ok. Back in those days you didn't have to worry about much because there wasn't any dopeheads, sex offenders, or speeding cars to worry about. Doors could stay unlocked until you went to bed, and you could sit on the back porch and not worry about who might come in the front door.

Mom liked to intertain us with her piano playing and there was popcorn and kool-aid to fill our stomachs until the next morning when the same things happen all over again. We finally were able to watch tv when Dad surprised us with a Muntz television. You only had the one station that at the night's end would show a test pattern until the next morning . Believe it or not, there were times when we stayed up long enough to just gaze at that test pattern. Ok, now before we went to bed, we stoked the fires and put in enough coal to keep the house warm until morning. And we went to bed, knowing that Mom and Dad were there to protect us if needed. Those were the days my friend when life was great and rewarding because your day was one of love from your parents , with the grace of God. And that is what keeps this old man going, being able to pass on to the youngsters the stories of honesty, respect of parental love and those friends that still come around to see me, and relive the times, so greatly forgotten because the people who lived it either have gone Home or they just don't talk about it. It is very sad to know that some want to forget what got them here. One thought for this week. "Friendship is like two clocks with the same time." Tune in next week,

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

This week, our Dad would of been 94 years old if he was still living. But Dad is in Heaven with Mom and the seven members of our family, who too have gone Home. Dad was a small man in stature, but strong as an ox, in his young days. He was a man who lived his life the way he wanted too, and that was to give his family the best chance at life. He worked his backside off in order that all of us and our mother could have a roof over our heads and a full stomach. He kept us in warmth and deep down although he didn't say it much , he loved each of us the same.

I remember many times when we didn't see him until his days off due to the swing shift at the mill. Dad was a electrician and motor inspector and he was good at his job. Of course we never witnessed how good he was because we only heard that he was a great worker from his friends. In 1955, when I hired onto the mill, I was witness to what he did and how he did it. He was good at his job and many times I watched as he climbed way up high onto the towers just to change a spotlight. I watched many times the way he repaired the cranes so that the mill could continue to make steel. And as his time at the mill came down to the last days, I witness how much his body hurt and his legs going out from under him. But he didn't let his aches and pains keep him from his completion of the repairs needed.

You see, I had the honor of working alongside my father in hot and cold situations, and by doing so, I saw just how hard he worked and I knew that when we were little and Dad was a little crouchy, he had a good reason to be that way. You get tired and your body aches, yet you know that the family is counting on you to maintain a confortable standard of living and Dad did that. There were times when we were little and we would hear Mom and Dad doing some arguing over Dad maybe doing a little  drinking, but now I can see why he did so. He was tired and a drink once in a while helped him to ease the pain. And of course the spat didn't last too long as they would hug each other and Mom would send him to bed to sleep it off.

A few years later Dad sort of decided that those occasional drinks were not good for him and he quit. Of course he never gave up on his pipe and his chewing tobacco. He had a right to some desires and that was alright because he deserved it. After Dad had a major surgery and was off work for a while, he started thinking about retirement and he went back to work with his aim of retirement in the near future. But you know, Dad's legs were failing him pretty fast and even though he wanted to work a little more, he had to finally say that it was time to retire.

Once Dad retired he sort of found out just how tired he really was and he sat out his retirement watching tv, following his favorite team, the Chicago Cubs, and watching pro wrestling. Sitting down too much weakened his legs a lot more and he ended up in a wheelchair. In Nov of 1979 after the death of his mother, he went to bed and that is where his time here on earth ended. God finally saw that he was just too tired to go any longer and the gift of eternal life was bestowed on him. So to end this story of the greatest man in my life, I say "Thanks Dad" for everything you did for Mom and all of us kids. We love you and we miss you, and we will see you again.

And so to end this week with this story of Dad linked with the one the week before about Mom, I want to say that without Mom's watchful eye and Dad's determination, mixed with the love of the two greatest people in our lives, all stirred up into one eternal thought, this old man would of been nothing. You out there, give praise to your parents for thier devotion of you. God did all of us kids a favor when he sent us to our father and mother. You should feel the same way.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

I get a lot of e-mail, letters and visits from my readers after each of my columns are published in this newspaper and it really gets my heart to feel better knowing that you like my column. It seems like whenever I get up on the soapbox and I single out a situation that effects us all, I get a lot of positive feedback from you letting me know that you either agree or dis-agree with my stand on the subject. So as time goes by, you will read some of my thoughts about what is going on in this small place called earth, and what I think is right or wrong with it. But I must tell you that what I write is of my opinion only and not to be the opinion of this paper nor that of any group or individual.

So let us drift back into the time of turmoil when the great depression had fallen upon us. Not too many had anything more than the clothes on thier backs and just enough food to keep from dying of hunger. There was the scarlet fever scare which fell upon myself and my two older brothers. That left a mark in all three of us, and I am the only one of the three left. Tyfoid fever was a dangerous sickness in which there were many deaths.TB was another problem. There was a deficit of sugar, coffee, and a lot of other foods that we today take for granted. We needed all the surplus of paper, steel and rubber for our armed forces to use.We were issued rationing stamps so that each of the homes had the neccessary things to survive. We had blackouts every once in a while to prepare us for that possible invasion by the enemy. And we had curfews to make sure that the families in each home were secure and that the children were now under the watchful eye on the parents.

There is an old saying that some families didn't have a pot to pee in, and that was true. Many homes had only the small plumbing so that they had running water to drink and bathe in. As far as toilet facilities, there was that little building out back that you used for the disgarding of the waste from the body. For most this was a one occupant building but some homes had a two holer and some had a three holer. Needless to say that you didn't stay in there any longer that neccessary due to the aroma of the waste. We had just enough plumbing to be able to have an inside toilet, and with all the kids in our family you were only in there long enough to do the job and get out. We did not have a furnace to heat with and we didn't have heat in each room. One coal stove was the source of the heat, and if you got too close to it you were too warm. Electric cords of anything used were plugged into a light socket hanging from the ceiling, and the radio was the source used to bring in the shows of the era.

So, we today holler about having to give something up once in a while so that others might be able to share in the goodies of today. Think about what our parents , grandparents and all the others before them gave up to improve the quality of living from thier time to today. Think about what it might be today if the ones before us decided to let the enemy take us over. Do we have it good today? We sure do and if we are to continue to have it so good, we must be able to build for the future. In today's world, we live knowing that out there there is someone who wants to take us down. But also we know that in order that our youngsters might continue to live in a free country, we must stand up to them and tell them that our forefathers wanted us to be free and if it takes some muscle to do it, so be it. And we must continue to operate with the Grace Of God with what our forefathers designed in our money and our public buildings as well as our schools. In God We Trust, The Ten Commandments, and the Pledge Of Allegience should co-inside with our governing body. Together we will prevail. But separated, we fall prey to the enemy. May America always stay free. So to end this week's column, I ask for peace for everyone. See you next week.
 

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

It is getting that time of the year when this old man starts feeling the loss of a child, so greatly missed by her two children, Matt & Amanda, and her sister Deborah as well as Ramona & I and all who loved that little girl so much. So I don't have to tell you that this part of the year is mostly a sad one for all of us.
But you know , that young lady by the name of Patricia Ann was just about the strongest of us all. She learned of her cancer at the age of thirty-four and for five months she fought as hard as she could, even though the pain was the worst she ever had. All through those five months, she remained a strong lady, held together by the hope of a miracle and by all the relatives and friends she had known all her young life. She was a good girl who found peace in the fact that if and when she passed away, she was going Home to be with The Great Father.
I know that she is safely Home with our Lord. and there are times when I can tell you each and every word said between her and me as we spent time together in the hospital. I remember the day when we were all called in because she was about ready to pass away. It was to be the last we would ever see her until the day we would join her in Heaven. But God said that it wasn't that time and he gave her the strength to rebound back to her loved ones and we were amazed at her recovery. Even her surgeon left the room with a smile on his face that the nurses never saw much from him.
The doctors and the nurses as well as the chaplins in those hospitals see many deaths each week and they handle it with respect for the dead as well as the living. They hide the hurt that comes with thier jobs because they have to be the strong ones. But don't ever think that they have no heart because I have witness many of them with a tear coming down the side of thier faces as they go about thier jobs. They care about the patients they take care of. They are the Angels that I have spoke about and written about who go about the job of making that little time left on earth a little easier.
And that brings me to this question of what would you do if you found out that the time you have left is very limited? Have you prepared yourself as to how you want to be remembered? How about a will or funeral arrangements? Have you put enough back so that your spouse can live confortable? Have you talked to those who you haven't talked to for so many years? Have you made peace with your enemies?
That is called "Packing Your Bags", and to wait until tomorrow to do it might be too late. . Why take that chance on losing the love of another that comes with living for today? I take it one day at a time and if this is the last day of my life, then I am prepared for it. In my early years, I was a good boy, but there were some things that I did that don't go away until you try to change. I was not a good brother to my older brother in that we fought all the time, and we just did not get along. He went Home at the age of almost forty-two and I have always regreted that I didn't tell him I was sorry. I will always carry that burden the rest of my life even though I know that he has forgiven me. In all large families, there are times when you have differences , but through the years, those differences are settled. In our case, my brother died too early in life and my chance at apoligizing died too.
So as I end this week of emptying my soul, I say to you out there that time is precious and it is of limited quanity. Is it too late for you to say "I'm sorry" to that someone whether it be family or friend or enemy? Is it too late to rebuild that bridge over troubled water? Do you care enough to go that extra step, or will time run out on you before you can do it? Only you can make that move, but think about how much better it will be for that person who remains. See you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

You know, sometimes this old writer gets to the place that really I don't know what to write about, so I sit here at the computer, and start hunting and pecking and something seems to light up an idea that seems to sound real good. I think about what has been going on in my life or in a friends life, and suddenly the words start flowing onto the screen. To start with, my life has been a good one with all my brothers and sisters and with my two role models, Mom and Dad. Since the day I was born, till the day that I got married and went off to spend my new life with Ramona, my mother watched over me. And even though I was grown up and starting a family of my own, Mom still worried about me as she did with each of her children. She wasn't like the mother bird ,who once her brood left the nest, stop worrying about them. To Mom, we were her children frm birth to death, and she wanted the best for all of us. It didn't matter if she missed a meal in order that we might have a little more to eat, because since day one, she loved us. It didn't matter that she worked all day doing the cooking, the washing, and the cleaning, because she loved us. Of course, when we were at the right age in life, Mom would teach each and everyone of us to cook, sew, clean the house, wash the clothes, and iron the clothes. In other words, Mom was not only our mother, but she also was our teacher in the way to be able to do those things necessary to survive. And she was a good teacher in that each of us if we have to, can take care of a house, and those living in it. Mom was never at a loss of words in stating to each of us that she wasn't going to be around someday and we needed to be able to do those things that she did every day. Now I must say that doing all the work around a house to keep it in a good clean condition, is not an easy task. It really is a rough and tough job if done right. So as each of us now go about our everyday lives, we know that if we have to, we can survive. Such is my salute to the dearest of them all, "our mother", who although she was a very tired lady, she never showed it. To Mom, her children were the gifts from God, and she thanked Him for sending us to her. I could go on all day about our mother because she was and always will be my role model. To start with , a mother in my eyes is the salt of the earth, a vital part of the plan of our Lord. He has bestowed on her the cycle of life, and has given her the compassion and understanding, no other person has. A mother is the part of everyone's beginning of life, and the trainer, educator, and giver of most of the rules of the household. No one does it any better than the mother that each of us have. The memory of such a wonderful person stays in the heart of all of us. So as I sit here writing this column, I am writing not only of our mother but of your's too. I miss our mother very much but I wouldn't want to ask for her to come back because she is in the hands of The Great Father and she has a much deserved rest. Is your mother still living? If she is, how long has it been since the last time you told her you love her? Take the time to let her know that she did her job well and that you hope to be as good as she was. Sometimes as I sit watching TV or just resting, I feel her presense and the room seems to have a peaceful air about it. I guess that I loved her so much that she will always be a part of me until that day when I too will reach The Promised Land. So as I leave you today, I want to let all the ladies know that you are something special and that the things you do for your children warrant a thank you from the kids. And I can't close without thanking my wife Ramona for raising our kids to respect others and thier feelings. And for my daughter Debbie, thanks for being there when we need you. Hey guys, take the little wife out for supper tonight. Talk with you later next week. Don't forget to give to WE CARE.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

I was talking to one of my readers the other day and I asked him just what does he like about my column each week. He told me that while he reads my words, he feels like he is right there with me. He stated that the things that I write about seem to be true even though he never lived in that part of life that I call the old days. And while talking to others, he found that they were true and that there are still a lot of us still living, that experienced that time of life. So that leads me to say and declare that the things that I write about are true and they are a big part of my life . I don't go research my material, because it is in my memory. I don't have to go to a book in order to find something to write about. And my experiences are not the same each week, because in this memory bank, there are many stories left to be told. And I live in Kokomo, and write about Kokomo, because it is and always will be my home. I never could understand why someone would leave this city and go live somewhere else and still write about it. And I don't get paid for my column because it is my desire to have an outlet for my words and The Kokomo Tribune allows me to do so. It really does my old heart good to hear from my readers and listen to them tell me that what I write helps them through thier own lives. Now it is great that there are a great many writers like me out there who are able like me to give thier thoughts about what is going on and ways to fix it, but please remember that if I don't actually know about a subject, I won't write about it. The things that all of us would remember about thier growing up years, would make a great book. History through the years has been put in writing for all of us to read and learn about. What about your personal history? Isn't it important enough to pass on to your children and to thier children? Will that knowledge that is in your memory bank pass away when you do? Do you have notes written down telling those things that no one else knows about? Well, this old man developed my web site with the columns that I have written on it, there for the whole world to see. All you have to do is to go to www.geocities.com/kokomoman/articles.html and read them. And there is a section on that web page noting the history of Kokomo. How many youngsters today can tell you what this city of Kokomo is known for? Many important people have taken time to visit our city and they have passed along what they found. Kokomo has been an industrial city for a long time, and it is widely known as a caring city. One example of that caring is showed through the yearly We Care operation. It is great to know that if and when you get down, there will be someone to reach out and pull you up. Presidents have stopped and spoke to the citizens of Kokomo, and we have the auto museum for those who want to see the old vintage cars.One day I hope to be able to write a book with my history of living in the greatest city in the world all my life, but first I still have lots to write about. And if you out there hear me, then let me know. Tell me to continue to write about what life was in the old days, and what this old man wants for the rest of my life. I still have a few years left unless The Great Father calls me home. And to all of you out there who know about the things that happen in your family's life, write it down somewhere. Don't let your history die with you.There are a million stories out there about the people who lived in Kokomo, that need to be told. One of my readers told me that he believes that I speak from the heart, because an inner feeling of relaxation happens to him as he reads my words. I like to hear that because it is straight from the heart guided by the Hands of God . I owe everything I do to The Great Father, and knowing it does good is my reward. Well, it is time for this writer to rest and remember all the happenings that was a part of my and my family's life, so until next week, I bid you God Bless and Happy Holidays.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

 Well, those who stated that we would not enter into the twenty-first century were a little off base, as we enter the third year of this century and really not too much has happen that would tell us that we won't make it through this year. Sure, we have seen the terrible sadistic terrorists try to take us down by that terrible 9-11 tragedy, and we had the scare of the terrible white powder episode, and we will probaly see a lot more, but we are Americans living in the good old USA, and we don't back down from the threats from those who would want to topple us into a frenzey. But we need to know that those who want to come here to live will respect our way of life and be respectful too. We need to let those who come here to plot our downfall, know  that they will be punished in not only a physical way but in a way that those who rule thier country will think twice about sending thier people here to take us down. We need to make sure that the terrible thing that happened on 9-11-2001 will never come about again. And we need to make sure that they want to come here to be free and to live in harmony with all of us. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and through all the years since the first group set foot on this land, there have been brave people who have come forward to fight for us and to make the laws that would ensure that freedom.

Think about how it would of been for us if we hadn't had those brave men and women who gave of themselves and thier lives so that we might stay free. Think how it would be under the power of those heads of other countries, where you live in fear each minute of your life. Think about how it would be if you were so hungry that you would eat dirt to stay alive. Think about the mass graves of those who were of no more use to those in power and were killed and buried all together. Think about being so cold that your fingers and toes would fall off. Then think about how nice that we as Americans in the USA, have it here in this country. We do ok and we need to thank those people who every day of thier lives are ready to keep us that way. Bless all of you in the Armed Forces, in the Police departments and in the Fire departments for doing your job well. Where would we be without you?

Now with the new year here, we see all the resolutions coming out of the woodwork long enough to be stated and then back into the hole. Why make a resolution that you know you won't keep? Why not just ask for peace in the world and work toward that goal? Why not give a little food to those who are without that food? Why not take the time to talk to that friend that you haven't seen in a long time? And why not take time to look at yourself and then thank God for allowing you to be here? Well, you do what you want but don't make a promise that you know you won't keep.

Now before I end this column, I have to get this off my chest and address those companies that have those recorded messages, that ask you if you want it in English. This is America and in the USA our spoken word is English, so ask if they want it in Spanish. Have we been taken over by Mexico and not told of it? And to those same companies, get rid of the computerized message and put someone live there. Let's get the personal part of business back so that our time and yours is not wasted by us sitting there listening to all the options available. That live person once called the operater, could do all that in a lot less time and do it better. After all, our time is just as important as yours.
 

Another thing that I want to say is that those who we elect to office ran as part of a party, but once they start thier term, they should be a representative of the people who elected them and not the party. How much time is wasted by those elected , who vote as a representative of the party, and who fight among themselves to get on committees, and who vote according to what that committee wants? We elected you and we expect you to represent us. If you don't then maybe the quickest way home is in store for you. That is what we as Americans need to know. Are we being represented the way we should be. A lot of great men and women fought so that we could send our representative to speak for us.

Don't let that part of history die. Until next week, when we visit together again, lets be good to others even though they don't do the same.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day
 
 

You know, people are like the buzzard, the bat,and the bumblebee, and to prove it here is what a friend sent to me. If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat, and the bee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above them. "HE" is there.

Now have you ever noticed that when you're of a certain age, everything seems uphill from where you are? Stairs are steeper. Groceries are heavier.And, everything is farther away. If you walk to the corner you discover how long our street had become!And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones. They speak in whispers all the time! If you ask them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face! Do they think we are lip readers?

Don't they seem to be much younger than we were at the same age? On the other hand, people our own age are so much older than we are. I ran into an old friend the other day and he has aged so much that he didn't even recognize me! I got to thinking about the poor guy while I was combing my thinning hair this morning, and in doing so, I glanced at my own refection. You know what? Even mirrors are not made the way they used to be! Another thing, everyone drives so fast today! You're risking life and limb if you just happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them. All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers of women's clothes are less civilized these days. Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20? Do they think no one notices that these things no longer fit around the waist, hips, thighs, and bosom? The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank, but in reverse. Do you believe the number you see on that dial? Do you really weigh that much? Just who do these people think they're fooling? I'd like to call up someone in authority to let them know they are putting the wrong numbers on those scales, but try to find the number in the phone book. They printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there! Well, I guess that happens when you get old. And unless it changes, everyone will some day have to suffer the same things as I am.

Growing older has some positives though, as you can say that you have been there and it made a better person out of you. In my younger days, you respected age and you addressed your elders with the proper name. That doesn't seem to be true anymore as you hear the young adults call thier mom and dad by thier first name. And in my day as I got older, it seem to me that mom and dad got smarter. Today's youth do not believe what they hear from thier elders, because it means that just maybe mom and pop really knew what they were talking about. Well anyway, that is my own opinion, and not that of anyone else, unless they too respect and loved the old way of doing things. We get old and we get smarter, and the dream goes on. Life is what you make of it, and you only get one chance at it. Take care until next Sunday when we will visit again.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day
 
 

We came into the new year in our home as always, in bed at eleven and asleep at midnight. This has been the custom for me the past thirty plus years as this old man had a job that didn't take off any holidays and it always seemed to be that I always worked New Year's day. The only one that I was up for was the one in 1999. I was still sleeping in the recliner in the family room due to the previous heart surgery that kept me from lying in bed. So seeing one year go into another has not been my cup of tea.
 

This year I woke up on Jan. 1st, tired just like all the rest, ready to go to work at the store, to meet and help my customers. I really like my job because of the people I meet each day, and also because they trust me to get them what they need. I never try to sell them something that I know they will never use. It is a great feeling knowing that your advice and your experience is respected by others. And that brings me to another thought about my job. In 1986 when the mill closed down, there were a lot of people who were without a job and some lost thier homes and some lost thier families and some took what they thought was a simple way out and they killed themselves. As the months without a paycheck went by , those who wanted to, found jobs in the local factories and in other states. I went for four months before I decided that life without a job was not for me. So I asked for a job at Sears and was hired right away, and life serving the customer started that day.And that is what the retail market is about. You do your job to the best of your ability and you learn as you go.

In the retail market the best learning comes from your customer. In the hardlines such as tools and lawn and garden as well as home improvement, you listen to the customer and you pick thier brains for information that you might need later. Listening to an experienced customer who uses thier tools in thier line of work, you pick up information to add to your memory bank so that when it is needed to take care of a customer who has no experience, you are there with the answers.

Now, back to being hired by Sears, I asked for the job and they have the right to expect the very best from me. As to those who went into the factories to work, they were good at thier trade and the companies who got them benifited greatly from it. Steelworkers were like that in that they knew they had a job to do and they did it.

There are not too many steel mills around in this country any more due to the other countries selling thier inferior steel at a cheaper price. And add to that fact there are not too many railroad companies left due to the demise of the steel mills.

One day we will wake up and we will find that we sleep too long. We let others take us over, and we lost our way of life. Will it happen in my lifetime? Probaly not , but it is close. Will it happen in your lifetime? Only time can tell. One thing is a fact, in that if we continue to look the other way and we continue to do our jobs halfway, and we continue to expect someone to carry us, that probability is just around the corner. You ask, can it happen to me, it sure can and it will, unless you as the worker and you as the employer, get together and work for the better of the great USA.

A great man, my dad, always said if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Well folks, it is broke, and we better fix it fast because once it is gone there is no return. When you get up in the morning, tell yourself that you are going to do your very best at your job. Enter your workplace with a smile and let your supervisor know that they can count on you that day. After the workday is over, ask yourself if you did everything you could to keep that business going.

Using that kind of dedication, you will know that work is there for you tomorrow. Do I practice what I preach? You bet I do and I feel good about it. Things sometimes do change and you might not like the changes, but it is still better than going hungry. Life begins on day one and you go through a training session for most of eighteen years, and then you better be ready to make the decisions that will decide your path. Untill next Sunday, keep the faith, hold on to the hope , and exercise the charity.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

On a recent column by this writer, I made a statement about why people leave this great city and move away to other states. Boy, did I strike a nerve there. I recieved a "nice" e-mail from a man in Florida who took exception to me putting that in my column. I was accused of being jealous, and of aiming my thoughts toward a certain person who decided to go south, yet still writes about Kokomo. So let me put forth this message to all of you that have left Kokomo to enjoy the rest of your lives where the weather is more appealing to you. This writer is not jealous of you, because most of you are on retirement, and you have the right to decide where you want to live. And as to the aiming of my thoughts to that other writer, that is far from fact. In fact, that writer and I spent many years working at the mill and are good friends as well as children of The Great Father.

Each of us have the right to decide our path of life and we don't have to answer to anyone about it as long as it is not against the law. Too many times we as humans, set our minds to a certain path and no one will be able to change it. I, like all my brothers and sisters, set out on our own paths and we are satisfied with it. Mom and Dad never raised us to envy someone else, nor did they raise us to dis-respect anyone else. There were times when life was very tough for them because they had the responsibility of raising the family while keeping thier heads above water. I know for a fact that both of them went hungry until the next meal because they wanted the kids to fill thier stomachs first. So for anyone to think that this writer is jealous of anyone, and for trying to take down another person with a verbal attack, take a good look at this writer, talk to me, and walk with me and you, my friends, will change your minds.

As to the nice gentleman on the e-mail, we have made amends and he will look for my column each week as do many others who have decided to move away. And it is nice that my words do get so far away, because many have e-mailed me with some great comments, and they too look for my column each week.

Now before we leave for this week, I must bring forth some questions about this city and address them to those people who will be seeking office this year. First, to those who keep saying that we should take down the gas tower in the south part of our city, why do you want do away with something of history? That tower is part of our history and is known all over. And why do we have so many fast foods business being built, when many of the ones we have now are going broke? And why are thinking about a four lane road east on Morgan to take care of traffic, when all we have to do is to tell those big truck drivers to take another route to the fast food place on the corner? That intersection is a accident waiting to happen, when someday someone will come off the bypass so quick that they won't be able stop and they will hit the semi that is parked there in the street waiting to turn into that eatery. That is if that semi isn't stuck in one of those big potholes.

I really don't believe that our planners are doing a good job with all the businesses going up in the north end. It will get worse before it gets better. My question here is the following. Don't you go out and check these places before you give them the right to build? Aren't the people who live in that area important enough to check with them first? And when someone gets killed at that intersection, are you going to accept the blame for it. Let's use a little common sense and go check out these spots and take a good look at the possible picture a few years later. Are we safe there, and will that business survive, or will it be just another venture gone sour?
 

If you are going to be our office holders, you need to get out in the field and take a look before you make any decisions. Too many times we put someone in office and then they let others make the decisions. That is when you will hear from this old man. They say that common sense died a long time ago, so let's get it back because in a lot of us, that is the way to go. Visit with you next week

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

The years have gone by like the wind around a tall mountain. The memories of those years lies in the valley at the bottom of that mountain. And the path back home has been blocked by the changes of time and many places will be no more due to progress in the land and the tearing down of the history of that wonderful time that I call "The Good Old Days"

But here in my brain are millions of pictures of what it was like to live in the age of the fifties. I guess that particular time in my life was the most memorable because it was during those years when I graduated from high school, went and got a job in the steel mill, and also when I met the sweetest lady this side of Heaven. So now you will hear the rest of this story. When I finished high school at Western, armed with a scholarship to Indiana University, I felt like nothing could be any better for me. Here I was ready for the world to open up. From this day on , this young man was going to do all those things that were dreamed about in years past. Never in all my dreams, did I include anyone else but myself and my parents and my brothers and sisters. To me at this time in my life, that was my only family and they were going to be that for the rest of my life. I had no steady girlfriend nor was I really interested in having one that would hold me down in my quest to be the very best . But you know, sometimes things change for the better and life as it is sort of goes by the wayside, as you finally meet that lady who causes your heart to beat louder and you decide that maybe there is someone out there to add to my family.

In 1956, after one year of being a loner, I met through a good friend, a skinney girl with about the most beautiful eyes, and that is where this young man started to be without words. Here was a girl who's family like mine was as common as can be. She had a Mother that any man would love to call Mom, and she had a Dad that worked his backside off to feed his kids. My real first love who's name is Ramona, was to one day be my wife and mother to my two children. I remember the full skirts that she wore with all the can-cans under it, with the bobby sox, and the two tone shoes. She was a thin girl that could at that time stand behind a post and be almost hidden. But she had my heart and not about to give it back. She had three brothers and one sister and many times her sister was with us as we would go for rides in my "46" Dodge. Sometimes when there was just her and me , we would take the route of all others and try to hit every drive-in eating shop there was. As far south as "The Lighthouse" and as far north as "The Rock Around The Clock", we would visit each before we would decide to call it a night.

We dated for one year until she was old enough to marry, and we have been together since. Almost a half a century with one woman, which in these days is not too common. So yes, they were the "Good Old Days", and they will always be at the top of my memory bank, and if and when the memory starts to fail me before I get it all down in a book, I hope that someone will go to my entries on my web page and relive what I call the time of life that stood still for all these years. My life as a husband to Ramona and a father to Deborah and Patricia as well as the nine years we had John as part of our family, and the thirty-one plus years working as a steelworker is precious to me, plus the last almost seventeen years at Sears fills my cup with joy. How many people can grow up bragging about living a common life without all the luxeries of life and continue to write about it. I can, because this paper allows me to express my own views and my own preferences. In 1948, I worked for The Kokomo Tribune as a carrier, and now fifty-four years later I am writing for it. Talk about having the best of both worlds, I do have it. And to be able to see all my old friends once in a while , shaking hands , hugging each other and talking about the "Days Of Old", I feel completely satisfied.

To say that my mother and father were the greatest, I know that each of you out there feel the same about your parents, and rightfully so.Visit with you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

A good friend of mine who knows me like a book, said that he thinks that I should tell you how I deal with pain every day of my life. This friend told me that just maybe I could help someone out with thier pain as I do with mine. So here is my thoughts to them and to you if you want it. Remember that I am not a doctor, nor that I might be able to help. So here goes with how I deal with pain.

Sometimes we as humans are weak as a waterdowned cup of tea, yet strong as a cup of the last bit of coffee in the pot. We go about our everyday duties with so much pain in our bodies, yet so strong in our hearts. We reach out for help, yet we give much needed help to others. Mom and Dad always said that no matter how bad you feel and how much pain you have, there is someone out there who is a little worst off than you are. I through the years have found that to be so true, and there are those out there who have no one to talk to, or to get help from because they feel that they are feeling the worst of all. Yet all they have to do is to just look around and see the beautiful sights that have been placed before us. All they have to do is to put it out of thier mind by seeing what The Great Father gives us each day in the way of hope, faith and charity.
 

This writer lives each day in pain, with my legs always cramping, my back aching, and the rest of my body just barely able to make it through the day. But you know what? I don't let it get the best of me as I try to find something to keep me busy and my brain occupied. After all folks, it is the signal from your brain that tells the rest of the body where the pain is. I can guess right here that you out there are thinking that this old man is throwing you a bunch of you know what, but I'm not. I have found out that you can block out most of the pain by meditating and finding something else to fill your mind with.
 

Now don't get me wrong and think I am telling you that you don't have pain in your body. What I am telling you is that you don't have to live with it. Back in 1974 when this old man had a kidney blockage along with two back surgeries, I had a visitor in the hospital who told me about blocking the pain. He told me that I had to focus my entire attention to the spot that was far from where my pain was and this usually is the big toe on the foot on the other side of my body. Train all your thoughts to that far away point and concentrate sending all of yourself to that point. After doing this for about ten minutes, you will then feel no pain for maybe two hours. Well , when you are bedfast for twenty three days, not being able to move, you are willing to try anything. It worked for me, and it might work for you.
 
 

Everybody is different in the ways of our bodies, and we accept what we are given in the ways of our minds. I can't really say that this will work on you but this old man uses meditation to get by each day. Am I crazy? Or do I have something that only works on me? All I know is that the days that I have left on this earth will not be wasted on worrying about the pain, but instead it will be used to visit with you each week and talk about myself, my friends, my family, and the days of old. So when you wake up tomorrow morning, tell yourself that you are going to live this day to the fullest, and you are going to enjoy having that one more day to live. Just maybe you can get by without having that pain in your body that seems to never go away. Just maybe you can look out and see the light of day beckoning you to enjoy what The Great Father sets out in front of you.

Each day that I start, I do it with the goal of not letting the pain take me down. And I know that He is only going to let me have what I can take and no more. Will you hurt today? Sure you will, but you won't let it take you over. I hope that this column wasn't too painful for anyone. Visit with you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

While talking with an old friend and former co-worker, we had a discussion of what happened to the good old brain use when it comes to thinking and using math in our everyday life. Well Ned, here goes on my answer to your question, and remember that it is my opinion and not that of this newspaper or anyone else.
 

Back when I went to school at Willard in the late forties and up to the time that I graduated from Western High School, the word computer was non-existant, when it came to doing your classes and your homework. It was using the brain that God gave you to do the math, the spelling, and the discovery of how we became a nation of freedom. It was using the lead in your pencil instead of the lead in your pants to finish your homework each day which was and still should be the priority of all those who want to learn. In these times of the computer, most are lost if they don't have that box to figure out what to do next.

So my question to you is this; is it that important to you to always have that computer around so that it can do your thinking for you? Or do you think that to waste a brain, you waste the body? My answer to my own question is that I through my everyday situations, have a pencil and paper handy always, and I use my brain to do my thinking for me. Sure, I use my computer a lot and it really helps, but it won't remember what I did back in the old days unless I program it to. So my brain and my pen and paper come first before it.

Think about this , and while you are in deep thought, think back to how it was in the old days and think how it would be today if all our computers went dead. Could you find information the old way ? Could you figure out the math ? Could you get up in the mornings and get breakfast the oldfashion way? Computers have taken all the heavy work out of doing those everyday things that we in the old days had to figure out by using the brain.

Our Great Father was the first to come up with a computer and it was called the brain. That brain had all the avenues of the body to go to and check for problems and find ways to correct it. I remember in our school at Willard, the teachers there used the student as examples on how to use the brain waves going to the hands and fingers. They would let the student come to the blackboard and take on the teacher in a who can be the fastest in solving a math problem. She would ask the question while at the same time putting the answer on the board for the rest of the class to see. You were supposed to hear what she was saying and then transmit from your brain to that piece of chalk to the blackboard. Most of the time she had the answer written down before you could but once in a while you were first with the answer. This was a hear and do operation and it taught you to act fast and sure.

Our teachers back then worked with basics in teaching and training . They were a dedicated group of men and women who's job was to educate the class and to work with those who had problems trying to make it through school. They had no computers then and they didn't need them, because they taught from knowledge. Could we go back to that way of education or is it too late. I guess that if it was needed there are some teachers out there who would be glad to go back and teach the old way of doing things. It is kind of scary to know that we depend on the computers to do our thinking for us. In this day and time we have allowed our brains to rest too much and parts of it have gone the way of a defective computer.

The one thing to remember is that we throw defective computers away, but the brain is there until the day we die. Why waste what God has given us? By the way, sometimes we did beat the teacher at the blackboard. It didn't happen too many times because she knew she had some listeners in that class and that she had to be fast too. The good old days are gone and the use of the greatest computer ever made has gone by the wayside only to be used when it is the only thing left. Kind of sad isn't it. Visit with you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

I want to use this column today to talk about the Columbia Shuttle and the loss of a good friend here in Kokomo. As to the loss of the shuttle, we have to find out what happened and why and then we use that information to go on with our space program. Accidents will happen even though we have been using all our space probe information to keep it from happening. I don't think we will ever find out all the facts as sometimes that information needs to be kept under lock and key until it is time to use it. We did not get to the point where we are at right now without some failures and deaths. But those brave men and women who took that chance with their lives, knew what they were getting into and they were so dedicated to that program, they did not fear the death that might find them. Think about what those brave people have seen as they went about their job up there. Think about how they must of felt being where not too many have gone or have seen. God's beauty was there for them to see, and they had the best seat in the universe. Think about how they felt about being able to come back home and telling their families about what was out there waiting for the next group to see. Many times if we want to see what The Great Father has for us , we have to do whatever is needed to get that goal done. And that brings me to my thoughts about what happened seconds before the explosion. I believe greatly in the "The Great Father" and I know that He doesn't let someone die without first taking that soul and taking it Home. It is my belief that the seconds before that explosion were like a lifetime and He told them that they were going Home. That is my God and He is your God too. Too many times we forget that He is with each of us at all times even though each of us are many miles apart.

Now to salute one of the nice people who has taken that trip Home, I want to talk about David Kasey. I could of written this right after he passed away in last week's column, but I wanted to give others the chance to show their love for this chubby " Angel" on earth. David was full of knowledge about sports, and about the figures connected to the sports. But he also had a greater knowledge of his "Great Father", and he used that knowledge to connect our younger generation to what lies ahead in The Kingdom Of Heaven. David went through some rough times with his illness but he never let that stand between him and his Lord. He never got down on life, because he had too much fun living it. As most of you know, when David started writing again, his column was placed alongside mine each Sunday, and that my friends was a great honor for me. David had a gift when he wrote and there was life in each of his words. You could sit there and read his column and it was like you were right there sitting across from him. I will miss him, and I know that you will too. But God needed him Home, and He called on David that night to come Home.

Many times this old man has been ready for that call, but it never came. But I am ready to meet my Savior when it does come that time. But while we are still here, we should make the most of all our time and we should prepare for some rough times as well as some good times. Very seldom the winds of time blow in a straight line and very seldom the sand falls flat. There are hills of sand and each hill was formed by the degree of speed that the wind blows. Many times we might feel that our hill is too high to climb, yet with Him at your side, that hill does not look that high. Many times we lose one of our close friends or a loved one and we feel that we can't go on, but knowing where that friend or loved one has gone, we do go on with life. Life is a promise of today, and although the next day is not promised, we look for it, we recieve it and life goes on. So to all my friends who have gone Home and to the crew of the Shuttle, as well as the chubby bear David, I will see you one day. I hope that you, while reading this column, will thank God for all that is yours, and for those out there in the Armed Forces, who are fighting to keep us free. Hope to visit with you next Sunday over a cup of coffee and this newspaper.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

This winter has ben a rough one for this old man, what with the heavy winds and the snow building up just where I need to drive through. Of course it takes some bad weather once in a while to get us to appreciate what we have here in the heartland of America. Think about what it would be like if you lived in the far north where 30 below is warm to them. Think about how it is in the hot areas of Africa, where 90 degrees is cool to the body. And think about living on a island where the valcanos erupt without proper notice. When you think about it, we here in the heart of America, have it pretty darn good.
 

But now, you are going to hear this old man vent some feelings about that stretch of road called "The Bypass". Holler if you hear me. First off, why do we complain about things we can't do anything about? Why do we take it upon ourselves to critizise those who are trying to do their job of removing the snow, salting down the roads, and making those necessary trips in front of the ambulance, so that they might get that injured person to the hospital on time?? Why do we do it, we do because no matter how it is, we want it to be better. We want a perfect world and that just isn't going to happen. So, as those idiots who like to get out on the bypass, and almost force you in a ditch, play their game of danger first, common sense second, we who are driving safely are at the hands of those scum that I call idiots.

Many times this old man has been witness to those in the four wheelers and the semis who make it unsafe for the rest of us to be out there. And many times this old man has been witness to the laughter and glee put forth by those who do things for the fun of it, regardless of the results. I know, you are saying that I will get in trouble voicing my opinion about this, but someone has to be the voice of common sense. While traveling in the city, I see the Kokomo Police Dept officers doing their jobs making it safe , and they do one great job. I have great respect for our officers here in Kokomo, and I think that maybe we ought to make the bypass part of the city instead of the state as it would be better protected by our own officers.{ maybe it is already and I just didn't know about it}. Take those trucks around the bypass and yank those unsafe game playing idiots off the road. This is an everyday happening for this oldman who has to travel the road of unsafe conditions to get to work.

And while we are on this merry-go-round of the good and bad of the bypass, think about this. How many times have you sat at a light on the bypass with cars parked everywhere and the light stays red . No one moves until the light changes. They refer to Kokomo as the stoplight city, but they should change that and refer to the bypass as the road of red lights that never seem to change. That problem doesn't come up inside the city streets, so why does it happen on the bypass? I don't know the answer, but we sure pay a lot of money out to the so-called consultants for useless feedback. Do we ever get anything out of consultants except their recomodations and soon as the money changes hands they are long gone. Using common sense, we here in Kokomo should use our elected officials to make those decisions. After all that is why we elect someone to office.

Give this a little thought. If you were in a ballgame and in a huddle, and the coach leaves you for a minute to ask the opposing coach what he should do, wouldn't you be offended. Why let someone else other than the leader make the decision on how you take the next step. I hope that this week's visit was one of enlightment and common sense that can only come from you and me. And add this thought to your pad of ideas while you are in deep thought. Early in life, the one man would make the decision. Later in life, one man with representatives from the different areas would make the decision. Later in life one man and each representative would have people on their shirtails giving advise on a decision. Now everyone who should make the decision is in favor of bringing outsiders in to make the decision. Sounds like they really don't know how to do the job they were elected to do. Is it a waste of our taxpaying money, or do we really think when we vote . See you later.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

Years ago, a great man said that no matter where you start from, training and it's effect will take you where you want to go in life. The first step is the first part of that training. The second one is the path. Now and then, I go back in time by going to my scrapbook and seeing the pictures , each of which has it's own story to be told.

Going back to my days in the grade school at Willard, on North Purdom Street, there were pictures of me and my classmates being on the Patrol squad, and our duty was to assist the other children across the streets by stopping the car traffic. Most of the drivers were gracious enough to stop before we would signal them to. You didn't see too many kids brought to school because the parents were confident enough in us to safely get thier children safely to school. You had to be at school early and then each of us would go our designated ways spreading out like a spider web. Usually four blocks away was the boundary line and as soon as the kids had gotten through your section, you would let out a holler something like what you hear Tarzan do, and that would signal the others that you were headed back to school. Being on that squad, was the first time that this young feller was a member of an elite group, which was backed up by the Kokomo Police Department. We had a belt and shoulder harness we wore with a our own badge on it. We were protectors of children and each year we got together at the old American Legion Post on what was in that time Kennedy Street, with Patrol Squad members from the other schools, for a bean and hotdog feast . This was one of the ways that those in the past trained thier youngsters in the ways of duty, respect, and honor. To be able to say that I was a protector at such a young age is a honor that I cherish.

And that brings me to how I as a youngster got my first job with money coming from it . I had a friend who was in my class at Willard who had a Tribune route and he had one of the largest routes of all and he asked me to help one day and that was an experience that took me to look for work doing the same thing. And since my buddy had so many on his route, he said that I could work with him and that would give him time to do other things. So that was my beginning of a work period that has lasted over fifty-four years, and it was because someone who was a friend trusted me to help him. Thanks Clarence, for that trust. I eventually took the complete route over and it was bounded on the south by Taylor Street, on the north by North Street, on the west by Market Street, and on the east by Delphos Street. How many of you remember the triple fold we used for each paper? We picked up our papers at the Tribune right off the rolls, and we folded twice , and then turned that long fold into two more folds and then slipping one end into the other. You could throw your paper right to the door using this type of fold.There were many days when this young fellow was so cold riding my bike , and throwing the folded paper up on the porch of each customer, that thoughts of giving it up were running through my mind. But I gave my word to Mr Hamp at the Tribune that I would make sure that each of my customers would get thier paper and my word back then is just like right now, and that is that I will do it.

You learn many things as you grow up. You learn that life is what you make of it and that your word should be a bond between you and another. You find out that life without goals is a long boring road and it keeps getting longer. You find out that trust, respect, and honor fall hand in hand in your climb to the level of life that you want. And you find out that the friendship of those who knew you and loved you is always there for you to reach out to and embrace. Where would this old man be without the training by those who loved me? How can anyone go through life without friends? And how bad would it be without the memories of the old days to look back on and reflect into today's world? I feel honored to be able to say that my friends are forever and that they too never forgot where they came from.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

As life as we knew in the old days starts to disappear and new life comes forth with all it's gusto, we watch as those things that meant so much to us are torn down with some new business building from ground up. It is sad that we can't keep those historic places where we can see them, but that is what the new version of life is. The concept of building on a whim just to get customers for a while until the location is solidified is the foremost thought on the minds of those who are looking to make that quick fortune. Too many times the venture falls by the wayside, and the business is either sitting empty or there is someone who wants to try thier hand at trying to give the public what it wants. But look at the way they go about it. They pick a spot that has all the traffic and they visalize the fortune filling thier pockets. They don't look at the overall picture and see what it would take to develop that spot into one that is easily accessible by car and by foot. They don't see far enough ahead to see if the business will handle the excess traffic, and they get the approval of those people who are supposed to be our voice in these matters.

How many times have you seen that a spot has been just right for all the problems that would arise even though they have consultants checking that spot out for those problems ?  I watched last month as a landmark school building was demolished in order that a new business might be built there. The old owners who did ok there built thier building around the school front making it part of the complete picture. So now one of those memories is just that , a memory. Across the way, is a eating place that does ok with all it's truck traffic, but in the meantime the roads are showing the wear and tear of that traffic with corners being slowly widend and the holes getting deeper. At one time at that location, there was a filling station there run by one of the nicest men ever to live here in Kokomo, by the name of Buck , and although he had a lot of truck traffic, the roads stayed ok because the drivers took it easy as they turned into his business.

I can go down the road and I can see buildings going up and buildings coming down and I wonder just how do they get the money to do this with. Do they do it with thier own money or is it with our money? Is it needed to make this city a better place or it it just another whim on the part of business people who want to make mistakes with the people taking the blow. I come from the old school of thought and I see things coming up in places where I know that they won't survive, because I am a resident of that area. One question that is on my mind is one that keeps coming up in the minds of others , and that is what do those builders see that we in the community can't see. Have they been given some feedback of things to happen later here and they want to get a foothold in that spot? Have they been told something that the residents should of been told of first? Sometimes I shake my head in dis-belief at the things I see each day, that come about without the home next door knowing about it until that time when it is suddenly there.

Oh well, this old man probaly won't see too much more of it, but I sure would like to see someone give back to this community the power to say no when there is a good reason to say so. I would like to see someone take the stand while wanting to represent us in local government, and say to those who want to do business here in our city, prove to me that your business will be a benifit to my people. After all, that is why we elect someone to office. We want to be represented in all aspects, not in just a few. Here is a thought and I will fold for this week. How many employees have been given the pink ticket from a business that was thought to last long enough to feed the family of that employee? It is sad when someone has given his or her all and they are let go. A business being built should know the life expectancy of it before they are allowed to build here in our city. Enough said, because I think that my point has been made. See you next week.

Ray "Uncle Ray"Day

As time goes by and the memories start to fade, we try to put into print how it was to live in the old days and how it was for those before us. The rough road walked by our grandparents, as they survived the harsh winters and the hot summers must of been something that not too many today would of survived. Think about how it was to go get your drinking water from the creek a few miles away. And when it came time to wash the clothes and the blankets, think about either carrying them down to the creek or bringing enough water to the house to do it. Think about how rough it was to have to use the outhouse in that cold winter and then get back to the house before you frozed. And think about the only intertainment that came from doing a little dancing and reading and maybe playing cards if your belief allowed you to. And think about getting up so early in the morning, it was still dark out, and you had to go to feed the chickens, milk the cows, or to set out onto the fields to till it for planting. Sounds very harsh, doesn't it?

Well my grandmothers always said that it was a part of thier life and it was the only show in town. They didn't think it was so bad because they knew that thier parents and grandparents had it much more rougher. So as time went by and the offspring become parents, they knew that nothing could be worse than what their folks had it.

That takes it to my time as a child and as a parent later, and although things were not so rosy, it was a lot better than those before had it. My folks did without many times so that the children might have that extra bite of food, or that extra blanket on the bed. But the one thing they did not come up short on was the training that they gave us in being able to survive without them. No one wants to ever think about being alone and trying to make thier life one without mom and dad there to lend that support that was there for the last eighteen years. But it will come to pass one day and you have to be prepared to be without them.

That is where the training set forth by our mother came to pass for each of us, and which allowed us to go out into life on our separate paths in search of our destiny. We were taught to cook, to sew, to clean house, and to accept any hardship that might fall in our paths. We were taught to respect all others and that what the elders said was the truth. We were taught to obey the laws of the land but not be afraid to challenge those laws that were unjust.

Dad always told me that it was wrong to pick a fight, and that to walk away sometimes was the best way to settle things. But he also said that if I was going to challenge someone else, I better be ready to back it up. And if it came to blows, then I better be the first one to hit hard enough to knock the other man down, and then get in a finish blow that was good enough to give me time to take off running. Because if I didn't , the other man was going to beat the daylights out of me. Mom didn't like for Dad to say those things because she believed in turning the other cheek. And she always said that you only have two cheeks to turn and then you just have to find a way to settle the problem. I knew what she meant, but I also knew that both mom and dad were peace loving parents who just wanted thier kids to be safe.

I guess that I could talk and write about our mother and father all day, because I and my brothers and sisters loved them so much. I could be selfish and wish they were still here with us, but they are at Home with God and there isn't a better place to be. We just lost a sister a couple of weeks ago and I know that just before she died, God took her soul home with him. She had a bad set of lungs due to that terrible smoke she inhaled, and she had it pretty rough. But God has His way of cleaning all of that away before taking her Home. Each of us will make that trip one day, although it could be a long time away or it could be today. We don't know when that day will come, but we can be prepared and we can have "our bags packed". Good Lord willing we will visit again next Sunday.
 
 

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day
 
 

Most CEO's are just there as a figure head and as soon as the money runs out, they leave the nest . This is a way of hurting others in that one man is rich and the others need assistance to survive. The process to stop this has begun, but in the meantime, pockets are being filled. We came upon this same problem with Continental Steel, and after the top dog took all that he could, he took off for the Florida estate to enjoy his thievery. Then the field became full of roaches who came out of the cracks to finish milking the fund that was to be used to clean up the area. We should learn from this one action, but we didn't. Enough of that subject.

Now here is a topic that is so close to home yet so far away. We here in this community have been asking for many years about the where-abouts of Julie Johnson who one day was nowhere to be found. This case is still on the books as an open case , yet no one has ever been charged with that dis-appearance, because no body has ever been found, and no one has ever come forth with any information about her. Is she dead? Has she just left without letting her loved ones know where she went? What happened on that last day she was seen close to home? Does someone out there know something that they should tell the Sherrif's dept. about? How much does the law-enforcement people know and when are they going to act on what they know?

And here is something to think about. If you know what happened or you know someone who does know and you don't let it be known to the law enforcement people, you are going to have to answer for it when you go to meet your maker. Wouldn't it better to tell what you know so that there can be some closere for the loved ones of this lady? That is your burden to carry, but you don't have to.

You ask why should I care. Well we lost a daughter to cancer but we were able to say goodbye to her. I know what it feels like to watch a loved one die. But at least I know how she died. Think about what this old man is trying to say and unload that heavy burden that you have been carrying around these many years.

Down in Bloomington, Ind. they now know where Jill Behrman's body is. Although she is gone, at least her parents know that she is gone. Over in Tipton, Ind. they have made some progress in the Raines case. Why can't we do the same here? I can't say that we will ever know the reason for the dis-appearance of Julie, and the people in the law enforcement will keep the books open on this case, and the Crisis Center will hold the vigil for Julie each year on March 1st, and each of us will think about her, because she has been in our thoughts all these years. But you out there can or might be the one to help close the books on her.

I know that this writer is probaly sticking my nose where it doesn't belong but someone needs to do it.There are parents and loved ones out there who want and need to know what happened. That is where a writer of a column might reach someone who doesn't want to be the one to finally be the answer , but wants the case to be solved. Dig down deep in your heart and soul and say that it is time to come forward. I don't know what else we can ask for. You do. Until next week, and The Good Lord willing, we will visit again.
 

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day
 
 

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

As I sit here writing this column, I think about what is going on in this world, what with the war in Iraq, and the unrest in the other countries. I think about all those greedy men and women who through all of mankind, have wanted all the power over others. And I think with a heavy heart about all those brave men and women who throughout mankind, have given thier lives for thier people to be free. I think about how the families of those brave men and women felt when they were told of the death of thier loved one. And I wonder to myself if it is worth it in order to be free. And the only answer that I can give myself is that in order to be free, we must be ready to fight for it.

I listened to several men who gave me thier thoughts on the same subject and who fought in the wars for the right to be free and to talk about it. One gentleman said that in World War 2, it was about as scary as it could get and that the enemy had no second thoughts about killing an Allied soldier, after getting as much information as they could. He said that placing sharp pieces of wood up the fingernails to make him and others tell them about where the Allied Forces were going to be. Some prisioners were lined up and mowed down with the machine guns. Many prisioners went hungry. After that war, he thought that there would never be a war such as that one because the world governing bodies would not allow it. But he said he was wrong because someone will want to have the power over all others. He said that others did not learn from the past and that in order for this country to remain free, we must be willing to keep the fight over there in those countries that feed on the abuse of thier brothers and sisters. He said we are doing the right thing now. He said we must take out the devils in this world, who are everywhere. He said that if he could, he would go over and try to fight for the freedom of the Iraqi people, but he doesn't think it would do any good because they still would have the hate in thier hearts for the American people. He said that the hate throughout this world against the American people, is a result of brainwashing by those who are trying to take us down. He said that for freedom is be part of those countries, they must be willing to overthrow those who would hold them down. He said that when you are hungry, and you have no place to live, you will let others dominate you, and that is what is happening in those countries. He said that to be able to wake up each morning, and to go to sleep each night in a free country, he must be willing to fight for it.
This gentleman said that he didn't want his name given, because he wasn't telling me this to get any praise. He is a proud American, blessed with the Hands of God upon him each day of his life. He prays each day and night for the soldiers to come home soon. He prays for Saddam to be delivered to GOD for Judgement. And he prays for America to remain free.
 This writer's eyes were very wet listening to this proud American. I felt the pain that was in his body and mind as he related his thoughts to me, and I wonder if it had been me, would I have been able to tell that story. I can only hope that we can get this war won and get our soldiers home soon. Maybe by the time that this column is published, the war will be over and the devil would of been banished from that land. I hope that through this story, you would of felt the pain that this loyal American who fought for his country went through. And I hope that the United Nations will get up off thier backsides and take a good look at this world and agree to work toward a free world where you can go to sleep at night without the fears that most countries have now. This writer is proud to be an American and I am proud of all those brave men and women who have and still are fighting for freedom. May God Bless each and everyone of those men and women in our Armed Forces, who each day make it safe for you and me.
Thanks everyone from Ray"Uncle Ray" Day.