The Portal to Boomeranger World

On the Road Pt.3 - UP Michigan

I'll never be a Yooper--

one born and bred in the Michigan UP or Upper Peninsula, which runs east west under Lake Superior.

My kid and I will always be Trolls--living below the bridge--or the Mackinac Bridge which joins the Mich mitten and its UP.

Those of us born in the lower states are considered trolls forever. 

But I have coined a new name--we are Noopers--or new Yoopers, since we now spend part of the year in the REALLY UP or the Keewanah Peninsula which is the upper upper upper UP.

Once you cross the Bridge--like the City (AKA NYC), there is only one Bridge, the light changes and the temp drops, warm sunshine and  cool breezes underneath. It is the light that is so lovely--clear and soft.

Lunch today has been in a tiny family restaurant called Rosies of Tylene's, a 1950s style family owned motel and eatery.

The lightly battered local whitefish and fresh brewed iced-tea hit the spot after 2 1/2 hours driving.

Sherry, our server, shows me where we are on the Michigan map--a tiny spot west of tiny Cook--on the Great Bay De Noc. Across Highway 2 is a beautiful view of Lake Michigan.

Sherry shows me the page in the menu that describes the Yooper Creation Story--whereby in the beginning, God created the Upper Peninsula (UP) on the first day and then da partridge, da bear, da fish...on the 5th day he said let there be ...trolls to live down below.

We'll be living up here for a time...Heard on the radio at Rosies that the All -Stars  game with 49 hall of Famers will be in The Bronx tonight.

With all the BAD NEWS economically, it is good to have some local beauty and laughs and good times...

Social Security and the Amish

The Amish do NOT pay Social Security taxes.

The story is an interesting one...

Amish resistance to Social Security took different forms. For some the resistance was passive, simply not making payments. In 1958 the IRS began to seize farm animals from the more resistant Amish.

Valentine Y. Byler vs. U.S. government

Valentine Y. Byler was a traditional Amish farmer from New Wilmington, PA. In 1961 Byler hitched his horses and diligently began spring plowing.

IRS agents suddenly strode across his field and demanded payment of past-due social security taxes. They seized his farm horses and later sold them at a public auction.

The IRS reeled at the resulting public outcry.

The press in Communist countries even reported the story as evidence of U.S. hypocrisy.

Finally, the IRS Commissioner agreed to meet with Amish Bishops in Washington D.C. The Bishops quoted several Bible passages to the IRS, including I Timothy 5:8, which says:

"But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel."

The Amish had been reluctant to go to Court since court actions violated their religious beliefs, and dropped their court actions. After numerous meetings an exemption was passed by the U.S. Senate in 1965 (tucked away in the Medicare Bill). 

The Amish were exempt from Social Security.

What do you think of the Amish mindset?

On the Road Again Pt 2--Boomer Nostalgia on the Radio

Boomer nostalgia is all over Broadway:   Boomer Broadway
in renewed Beatlemania:   Beatlemania

in Collectibles:
USA Today,  Boomer Auctions

and what is filling the airways is Boomer Oldies radio shows playing 60s, 70s and 80s tunes.

Today cruising west on Rt 80/90 to Toledo where we will turn north to Michigan. We are passing in and out of radio range and changing the stations as we go along. Town after town has a 60s, 70s, 80s station.

We pass the turn off to Kent State while listening to The Animals singing their rendition of "House of the Rising Sun"--which was the ruin of many a young man... 

Who were the National Guard members, probably not too much older than the students they gunned down? Were they ruined by their actions? Kent State

Gordon Lightfoot is coming to Cleveland and Roseanne will be playing Vegas soon...all this is looking back is fun and a distration from engaging in the more difficult tasks ahead  posed by the coming elections...Elections- Huff Post