Will Spencer is a genius. What he has done with his Winston Cup Museum was a gift to our city. Those incompetent executives at ITG Brands should be paying him for all the good will he has created for the Winston brand. His museum has done nothing but give them free advertising. Instead, they have used their corporate weight to put him out of business. I understand that they think they are protecting the use of their brand, but they should recognize that Will’s museum only helps them. That is the dumbest business decision ever.

I hope everyone will avoid using Winstons or any other brand ITG manufactures. Certainly that won’t do any good, but it will make us all feel a little better. As an additional benefit, it might even make us live a little longer.

I am somewhat troubled by the article entitled “Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples” (Dec. 19)

The applicable definitions of the term “blessing” in Webster’s Dictionary are “good wishes or approval” and “special benefit or favor.”

Thus, the approved blessing by clergy seems to be a misguided attempt to make people who engage in same-sex practices feel better about themselves and/or about the Catholic Church, despite the fact that homosexual practices are condemned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible.

The referenced article goes on to state that “There is no intention to legitimize anything,” but by blessing those who do not sincerely confess their sexual sins and repent, it is implied that continually engaging in such practices is not a major barrier to having a close relationship with God Almighty, when in fact all continual unconfessed sins are major barriers.

Nothing that I have said is intended to imply that Catholics and other people should not show homosexuals the type of love that is taught in the Bible in regard to loving everyone. The Bible teaches that we should love even our enemies, so there is no biblical justification to not love people who engage in homosexual behavior or anyone else who leads such a lifestyle.

By demonstrating our love for everyone, we will be demonstrating love that is similar to the type of love that God has for us despite our failures to live the kind of life that He wants us to live.

Proof is something many of us need before we believe something.

Rudy Giuliani has said that all the necessary proof of the stolen 2020 election is on his iPhone.

Mike Lindell, the pillow guy, held a rally in 2021, at which he promised to show evidence that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election from Donald Trump. He did not show any proof. I think he said something like “forget about the evidence,” or “never mind the evidence.”

Many gun lovers claim that background checks do not work. They claim that background checks only tell us whether a person has a criminal record or a history of mental illness, and that such information is useless to law enforcement, and thus can provide society with zero protection from bad people obtaining guns.

Republicans in the House of Representatives claim to have proof that Joe Biden has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and that he has profited illegally from his son’s business dealings.

Would it be rude of me to ask these people to show me the proof of what they are claiming?

I guess I will just have to be rude. I don’t hear any proof yet. I hear crickets.

A few weeks ago, I decided to take a trip a on a passenger train to Fredericksburg, Va., to visit a sick relaitve. The train ride was a total nightmare.

So the best thing we can do is repair the rails and trains we have now, before we begin to think of more trips to different cities.

Many people have their favorite Christmas carol or song. High on the list is always “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World” or “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

I like all of these. But, my favorite is a bit unconventional. It’s “Old City Bar” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Its message is powerful, especially my favorite verse:

If you want to arrange it

This world, you can change it

Make this Christmas thing last

My hope is that we can all set aside our differences and exercise the true meaning of Christmas for more than just a joyful night and a day. Let’s “make this Christmas thing last.”