Just Sayin

Ok, a couple of things. First this morning when it rained, I was sitting at the computer and heard a rumble. I had to listen close, because I didn't for a moment know if the rumble was military jets, or thunder. Then I looked outside and figured out that it was thunder. If you have ever lived in Yuma, you know that the sounds of jets is more common than thunder. Also, as I was on my way home I heard the song "If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me," on the radio. That song always reminds me of my old friend Gilbert Ordaz, who is no longer with us. We were sitting in front of the Administration building at Yuma High, at lunch. He was enamored with a girl named Joann, and was writing her some sort of letter. He asked me what for some ideas on what to say. That is the name of a song that was popular at the time. I said, why don't use that line? It shows that you are clever and funny, while being serious about your feelings.  I don't re...

                                             The Highway Worker The Highway Worker The clock on the wall read 8:02. Doug the Assistant Supervisor came out into the garage bay and yelled at the workers congregating around pickup truck parked in the first bay. “It’s show time, get in here.” The employees; Monroe, Lopez, McCarty, Hooper, Lorenzo, Learner, Maxwell, Michaels, and Erickson, all started filing into the crew office for their assignments for the day. Everyone found a seat, either on a bench, office chair, or desk. The Supervisor John Watters walked into the office with the daily assignments. “Listen up everyone” he said, the room went quiet. “Hooper, take the grader, and Learner, you take truck 1053, and repair ruts west on State Route 10 from where it splits from Route7” “And, just east of the Kill Creek Bridge there are a bunch o...

I read a story about SO 1 Charles Keating IV who was A Navy Special Operator, and killed in Iraq, and I was reminded of my father. No my father wasn’t a SEAL, he wasn’t even in the military, having been drafted and not taken for some reason. Keating did something that all good men do in this world. They made sure that their wives and families are taken care of even if they are not here. That is the common bond. Yes, Keating is a hero, for serving his country and giving his life in the service of others. But he appears to be more than that. He appears to have been man of character.  I further read where Keating married his fiancée, just before leaving, and in doing so made sure she was taken care of. This is what all good men do. This is what my father did. My father sacrificed so others could have an easy life. My father’s sacrifice wasn’t as drastic, but it was no less heroic. Keating did what he had to do to keep everyone safe, the same as my father and every good man...

Today Merle Haggard passed away. He was a Country singer. More than his connection to music, was his connection to a difficult time in our country, namely the Great Depression. As other people have forgotten how horrible that time was he did not. It came across in his music. Leaving out the outlaw persona, and the rebellious past, although a part of his fiber, was not his entire makeup. His connection to the Dust Bowl and it's people is one of the most compelling aspects of Merle Haggard. He has four songs; "Hungry Eyes," "California Cotton Fields," "Tulare Dust," and "One Row at a Time," all tell of dreams of a better life in a better place for poor displaced persons. We as a society have forgotten the plight of these people. Terms like; "Okies," "vagrants," "squatters" and worse, have marginalized these people and Merle Haggard made them human again. Probably because he was one of them. Hell in Yuma Arizona the...

More random thoughts from the west end. I guess that the students at Brown University in Rhode Island are having to deal with so much stress because of their political activism that they need special treatment. Are they kidding me? Brown is an Ivy League school where the education is supposed to be so much superior to that of all other University's that aren't Ivy League. So let us look at this closer. They can't go to class and do homework, because of their political activis m. They are having health problems, and are under too much stress. Well welcome to the real world. When they get out into the "real" world, and out of the socialist cocoon that is college, they will be ill prepared. Never mind that they are there to get an education so they can go out and pollute the world with whatever ideology they were indoctrinated in. Their sole purpose in college is to pass, so they can make their's and everyone's life better. Everything is put on hold for 4 yea...

Ok this is going to be my last word on Cam Newton. I thought in the beginning that he looked to be a great young quarterback, and maybe fresh air to the staleness that was and still is the NFL. He will be again That being said, I like his attitude. He is non retentive, and owns all of what happened on Sunday. Hate him, like him, it doesn't matter, he is going to be the way he is. That is a good attitude and a bad attitude to have. It is good because it gives him incentive to play hard and a swagger needed to win consistently. What is bad about it is his ability to be a leader. Cam wants to be a leader, but doesn't know how. He was never formally taught how to be a leader and as evidenced Sunday, he didn't come by leadership naturally. So he will have to learn it to earn it. The first lesson was Sunday, and he failed. As intelligent a man as he is Cam will learn something from that mistake. If he doesn't it will be because of other factors, not his i...

Once more I have to give my two cents. Just a couple of things though before we start. In the grand scheme of life and the world, sports is entertainment and not indicative of real life, as are movies, and music. My world doesn’t revolve any of the three, because I have real life to deal with. But I am interested, and mildly amused, so I will comment. The Other is that I am a third generation San Diego Charger Fan. My grandfather, two uncles and I are all fans and have been since the beginning. My grandfather and the uncles watched games at Balboa Stadium in the 1960’s. Also there has been a Thayer in San Diego since before the Navy Base was there, some six generations and 122 years. We identify with San Diego and the Chargers. So, with all that said, I want to comment on this Charger fiasco, so here is a random thought from the west end. Spanos has been fighting with the city and the county for years over a new stadium, so now that the NFL played HIS trump card for THEIR benefit...