“Everybody ought to have a truck.” I will credit that rash statement to John Scherer as he and I were on the scene of someone’s truck that was in need of a major transplant, probably my truck.

There are globally astute, politically tuned, conscientiously correct people who watch C-Span and write letters to the editor.

In the past six weeks I have begun to view the world in an entirely new perspective – through the eyes of a parent. From the very start I’ve been concerned about how my daughter interacts with the world around her through what she touches, what she listens to, what she eats and what she breathes.

Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in late June, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, known for short as ACES or commonly as the climate change bill, specifically excludes gas created by the digestive process.

Manure produced by confined livestock operations is being viewed differently today than it has in the past. Formerly, manure was looked at as a waste material and disposed of without much consideration for the nutrients contained in the material. Today, with environmental regulations becoming ever-more restrictive and the price of agricultural inputs on the rise, manure is considered a more viable nutrient source for crop growth and development.

Minerals are essential in dairy cow diets for normal lactation performance (milk yield, animal health, and reproduction). But, animal mineral requirements are variable and depend on the animal’s productivity.

Since the collapse of the economy in October ’08 I’ve become a sports fan in an effort to escape the barrage of bad news. I rediscovered the compelling yet inane lure of games, fans, players and broadcasters.

Earlier this year when I wrote on this editorial page that there were producers who had forward contracted their milk who were making money in this dairy depression, some said I was ignorant.

I've done my best to keep up with the changing times. Well ... for the most part. It took me awhile to get on Facebook, and I did that through my comic strip character --CityBoy-- instead of my real identity.