Preston Manning, a founder of the Reform party, once said, “What’s the difference between a politician and a catfish?  One is a wide-mouthed, bottom-feeding slime sucker and the other is a fish.”

Every day, from the 1930s to the 1960s, the loud, mournful howl of the train whistle brought excitement to the people of Snowden hamlet and surrounding area.

It meant new products coming to the stores, perhaps a passenger or two arriving or leaving,  maybe a new truck for the Ford dealer, large parcels or furniture to fill someone’s household order.

So I came across a UPI story about a pair of shoes that recently sold for $615,000 at an auction. They were worn by Michael Jackson during a game in 1985.

Now I do considerable research for this column,  for the occasional political/social pieces that I do and for responses to challenging emails and Facebook entries. I enjoy it but  the constant exposure to serious and sometimes troubling issues gets to be too much. So now and then as a break I have a look at some of the oddball incidents and offer my take on them. Here are a few examples.

Well, Esther and I have bought a vehicle. What a relief. What a complicated and stressful task. Hundreds of questions keep tumbling over one another in the weary mind.

Now, fresh from the battle, I may be able to help others who will soon be buying. Having gone through the ordeal 18 times (ten cars, six trucks, one van, one SUV) I have learned a little. Damn little the first few times, I admit, but eventually I discovered answers to a few of the most troubling questions.

Just to prove what a rural rube I can be, here’s the entry  “Country Music” in my book ABCs of Farming: