Love From The Desert

August 1

2011-08-01T09:52:00.001-07:00

I would like to tell you about my best friend (outside of Hilda, my significant other, that is). He and I met in Tombstone in 1970 or so. We did stunt work together, we drank together (a lot), and we talked together (again, a lot).

    Dr Stanley S. McGowen (of Weatherford, Texas) has been blind for twenty years. He was in the U.S. Army when it happened. He had been an Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam, Military Intelligence Officer with the 101st Airborne, helicopter pilot and Company Commander. He served 21 years in the Army. He resigned his commission when President Carter pardoned the draft dodgers. However, he missed the Army a lot and went back in after a few years and had to take a Warrant Officer slot as a helicopter pilot, as there were no Major's slots available.
   A plane crash in 1990 took his sight. After multiple operations, "Valdez" (as we call him) went back to college at Texas Christian and got his MA and PhD in History. After teaching college for ten years and writing a few books he decided to retire. You really should get a copy of 'Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke ... The 1st Texas Cavalry in the Civil War'. It is published by Texas A&M University Press. Although it is a history book, it is a really good read. You also might like his book of stories from Vietnam titled "You Ain't Gonna Believe This, But ...". It is published by Trafford Press. I believe that both are available online.
    Valdez was the coordinator of the “Texas Project,”which was inaugurated by the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF). It offered America’s injured veterans the opportunity to participate in various outdoor events. During those years as Texas Project Coordinator, and member of Safari Club International’s Veteran’s Committee, McGowen organized programs that allowed over 200 injured Veterans and family members to participate in hunting and other outdoor activities. Recently Dr. McGowen was instrumental in the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) initiating legislation which permits legally blind hunters to utilize laser sights to hunt game animals in Texas, greatly enhancing visually impaired hunters’s chance of success.
   Stan (Valdez) was the first and only blind person to kill the Cape Buffalo in the wild in Africa. He has many kills of game animals in the U.S. and Canada and also in Africa. He has killed an elephant (a rogue, that was bothering villagers) ... at night. Every time that life starts to get me down, I think of Stan and how he has dealt with what has been handed to him. He is a remarkable human being and I am proud that he is my friend. Hilda and I and my nietos (G-kids) love him and his wife Jolene to death.
          Go get 'em Valdez!
   He just returned from another trip to Africa, and sent me this e-mail:

The hunt was bought 2 years ago at auction. I was trying to bid up the hunt to make more money for our SCI chapter and got caught when bidding stopped. The hunt was for Gemsbok (Oryx) mostly, but for other plains game, including black wildebeest. Hunt was successful as you may see.

Last Day of July

2011-07-31T10:19:00.007-07:00

Here it is the last day of July 2011 A.D. (Anno Domini ... in the year of our Lord) that's what I was taught. But some people wrongly believe it means After Death. The Liberals extant call it C.E. for Common Era (I always tell them that it means Christian Era), but I'm an "A.D." man. Your upbringing has a lot to do with a lot of things I guess.

Nothing much going on here in the desert Southwest. My nieto (grandson) Abel Anthony Rigney is still living with Hilda and me and still looking for work. His brother Devin (16) and his cousin Stevie (13) were up here with us for a week. It was great seeing them. It is amazing how much they have grown. You only notice that when you are away from them for a while.

Steve Jr., Abel Anthony, me and Devin

Hilda has been really sick the last few days with the flu. It bothers me when she is suffering. I am hope she gets better soon. I was at the American Legion Post 36 this AM doing some paperwork (I am the Commander this year) and then I got the Sunday paper and came home. Have to go back there this afternoon and tomorrow some. Met the Department Commander's wife today. He was down from Phoenix and stopped by to see me at the Legion.

Got a cute joke the other day:

If you know baseball, then tell me what's going on in this game.

O.K. ... "5 to 4, ... bottom of the fifth, ... one out, ... and no one on! Simple, huh?

We are awaiting some more monsoonal rains today. We haven't had much here in the Tucson valley. The mountains that loom over the city have gotten a lot. But, we are better off than our Texas friends and family. They are dryer than a popcorn fart. Brother Mickey in Ft Worth and Valdez (Dr. McGowen) 40 miles west of there in Weatherford are experiencing hot and dry weather.

Not many interesting birthdays today, except for J.K. (Joanne) Rowling (46) who gave us Harry Potter. But yesterday we had (among others):

Arnold Schwarzeneger turned 64 ... he looks 75

Ed "Kookie" Byrnes was 78 ... if you can remember him, U R old! (like me)

Paul Anka turned 70

Delta Burke was 55

Hilary Swank turned 47 ... two time Oscar winner and still beautiful

Vivica Fox made 47 ... she was Will Smith's girlfriend in
Independence Day (I just re-watched that)

Also of note - Casey Stengal ... born in 1891 and Henry Ford born in 1863.

Also important in history yesterday:

In 1619, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, the House of Burgesses, convened in the choir loft of the town's church in Jamestown, Virginia.
In 1729, Baltimore, Maryland was founded.

In 1936, author Margaret Mitchell sold the film rights for "Gone With the Wind" to MGM for $50,000 (not a lot in today's money), most ever for a first novel.

In 1956, President Dwight 'Ike' Eisenhower signs "In God We Trust" into law.

Sunday the 10th

2011-07-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

We are straightening out items in the new apartment and should feel at home in a day or so. We have gotten a few monsoonal showers, but nothing huge yet. Here are a few views from our 3rd floor apartment. These were taken during our rain the other day.

July 7th et al

2011-07-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Thursday night (and Friday morning) here at the new Casita de Poeta Baracho (in English ... the little house of the drunken poet). We are starting to relax, even though the new apartment is still a mess. It will become "Home" when the picture of the 'Old Man' (a painting that I have, done by Tony Russell in the 70's) is hanging on the wall. That should happen tomorrow.

The lovely Ms Hilda's blood sugar has been giving her (and me) fits. It has dropped drastically every day at least once. Hopefully it will chill out after a while. I am (and will probably remain) extremely tired ... between the move, working all last week and the "Commander" thing at the Legion. But it too shall pass (as they say).

Tomorrow, after a morning at the Legion doing business ... I shall start on some picture hanging, et al at the casita.

A man is sitting at home alone when he hears a knock on the front door. When he opens the door he finds two deputy sheriffs. Understandably, he asks if there is a problem. One of the deputies asks if he is married and, if so, could they see a picture of his wife. The guy says, "Sure," removes his wallet and opens it to a photo of his wife. The deputy says, "I'm sorry sir, but it looks as if your wife has been hit by a truck." The man replies, "I know, but she has a great personality and she is an excellent cook."

July 7th is my late mother's birthday and is also the birthday of my sister-in-law Patricia (Mickey's wife). It is also the birthday of:

** Ringo Starr born Richard Starkey July 7 in 1940 (age 71) ... we (my generation) are getting OLD!. He was under-rated at the time for his drumming, but with passing years has become a great influence on other drummers stylistically. His drumming style with the Beatles was not flashy as most of the drummers of the day were. But, in these days since, he is recognized as a good drummer.

** In 1927, Charlie Louvin, half (with his brother Ira) of the country duet/group The Louvin Brothers. They were known for their tight harmonies and influenced people like Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, and others.Their real last name was Loudermilk. He was a cousin of songwriter John D. Loudermilk. He left the Brother-Act to serve in the military in WWII and in Korea.

Events on July 7th:

1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy ... 25 years after her death

1550 - Chocolate was introduced

1753 - British Museum founded by an Act of Parliament (opens in 1759)

On July 8th, we have birthdays for: Toby Keith ... 1961, Kevin Bacon ...1958, Nelson Rockefeller 1908 and his grandfather John D Rockefeller (the founder of Standard Oil ... Esso, Conaco, et al).

On July 9th, we have Tom Hanks ... 1956, and O.J. Simpson ... 1947.

5th of July

2011-07-08T06:52:00.002-07:00

Well, we have moved ALL of our stuff from the 'old' apartment to the 'new' apartment. This morning is cleaning morning. The 'new' apartment has stuff all over the place. But we have time to straighten that up. 4th of July weekend is a bad time to move, but it was the only time that we could get the place we wanted. I am taking a short break while the bacon cooks and then we'll hit 'er again. We went to the Legion yesterday, came home and moved some stuff and went to Post 7 (Legion downtown) for late afternoon hamburgers,etc.Then Hilda, Abel and I found a good place to watch the fireworks and then we came home. We hope you all had a good Independence Day weekend.

From the Arizona Daily Star (our morning local rag):
The first city wide monsoon storm of the season added some extra fireworks to Tucson's Independence Day celebrations. Rain doused early-evening barbecues as a large low-pressure system swept through the city, damaging homes and cars, uprooting trees, flooding streets and striking power lines. Lightning lashed out at every corner of town.

In the Catalina Mountains, it sparked a fire that burned a tenth of an acre and closed the highway to Mount Lemmon from Monday afternoon until this morning. On the west side it zapped a tree, trapping three people inside an apartment. All over the city it attacked telephone poles and transformers, leaving 20,000 customers without power for hours.

Measured rain totals varied. Some areas near Vail got almost 2 inches of rain. John Glueck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson, said "The city got a good dousing, especially the heart of the city." And even as Tucsonans clean up the mess left by blowing dust, wind and rain from Sunday's and Monday's storms, plenty more monsoon action is on the way, with a 30 to 40 percent chance of rain every day this week.

Temperatures are taking a much-appreciated dip. The entire week's forecast says temperatures will peak in the upper 90s to low 100s with lows in the high 70s to low 80s.

On the 4th of July in 1826, in one of history's notable coincidences, former U.S. Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died, 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

Birthdays for the 4th of July include:

Author Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1804
Songwriter Stephen Foster ("Oh! Susannah," "Beautiful Dreamer") in 1826
Circus operator James Bailey (Barnum and Bailey) in 1847
Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States, in 1872
Louis B. Mayer, film mogul and co-founder of MGM, in 1885
Ann Landers, advice columnist, in 1918
Abigail Van Buren, advice columnist, (Ann Landers' twin), in 1918 (age 93)
Former hotel executive Leona Helmsley in 1920
Actress Eva Marie Saint in 1924 (age 87) ... I cannot believe she is that old.
Playwright Neil Simon in 1927 (age 84)
Actress Gina Lollobrigida in 1927 (age 84)
Al Davis, Oakland Raiders owner, in 1929 (age 82)
New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in 1930 (age 81)
TV reporter Geraldo Rivera in 1943 (age 68) ... you know that Geraldo took up skydiving. Unfortunately the parachute worked!

Oddity: A Tucson waitress gobbled 20 hot dogs Monday, but it wasn't enough to win the annual hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island, New York. Michelle Lesco, a waitress at the Arizona Inn who stands just 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 115 pounds, placed 4th in the annual competition.


Michelle Lesco chowing *down on burgers at Lindy's on Fourth* (in Tucson).**

Notes:

Did you know that sliced bread was introduced by Otto Frederick Rohwedder who invented the bread slicer, which he started working on in 1912. In 1928, he designed a machine 1.52 m long by 0.90 m high that sliced and wrapped the bread in waxed paper to prevent the sliced bread from going stale. On July 7, 1928, the first loaves of sliced bread were made by the near bankrupt baker Frank Bench. So ... what was the best thing 'before' sliced bread?

Proofreading is a dying art ... local headline says "Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter"

Perspective: A little girl asked her mom, "How did the human race appear? " The mom answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children, and so was all mankind made." Two days later the girl asked her Dad the same question. The Dad answered, "Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved." The confused girl returned to her mother and said, "Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?" The mother answered, "Well, Dear, it's very simple ... I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his. "

Random thoughts and facts

2011-06-23T07:34:00.003-07:00

In 1845, the congress of the Republic of Texas agreed to annexation by the United States. Texas is the only state to enter the Union after being a sovereign nation ... thus, it's flag can fly at the same height as our nation's flag.

In 1865, the last Confederate holdouts formally surrendered in the Oklahoma Territory.

Singer June Carter Cash (daughter of Mother Maybelle and wife of Johnny) born in 1929

Birthdays Yesterday:

Sir H. (Henry) Rider Haggard in 1856 an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. His most famous books are King Solomon’s Mines and She. His most famous characters are ‘She-who-must-be-obeyed’ (aka Ayesha) and Allan Quatermain (not "Quartermain" … with an R … a common error)

German novelist Erich Maria Remarque ( All Quiet on the Western Front ) in 1898

Bank robber John Dillinger in 1903

Fashion designer Bill Blass in 1922

Singer/actor Kris Kristofferson in 1936 (age 75) … a study in contrasts. Rhodes Scholar, US Army Captain / ranger / helicopter pilot, song writer extraordinaire, singer, actor etc.

Basketball Hall of Fame member Peter Press "Pistol Pete" Maravich in 1947 … Hall of Fame player John Havlicek said "the best ball-handler of all time was Pete Maravich." One of the youngest players ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Maravich was cited by the Hall as "perhaps the greatest creative offensive talent in history".

Actor Graham Greene in 1952 (age 59) ... an Onieda, born in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada. Although he has played Indians in lots of films (Dances With Wolves, Thunderheart, Powwow Highway, et al), he is much more than just an "Indian" actor.

2011-06-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

I was discussing ... on line ... my Scots-Irish ancestry and the driving force among most southerners. Or should I say "our" ancestry. Most all of you have some scots Irish in you. All of my cousins ... the Dixons, Dinkles, Gillispies, Staples and Groffs, et al are from the same lineage. I thought that I would offer some thoughts of mine about that subject ... since it's my blog.

About 450 years ago, in Scotland, there were groups of Celtic cattle thieves known as the 'Borderers' because they lived on the unfertile farm lands along Hadrian's Wall that basically separates England and Scotland. Besides stealing cattle, fighting and killing each other (and others), and making whisky (No E in Whisky in Scotland), they lived simple lives. They were (and are) a fiercely independent people ... loyal to their clan or group and anti-government as a whole. They have always been fiercely Protestant and anti-Catholic. So King James 1 of England (King James IV of Scotland) a sawed off little runt and son of Mary, Queen of Scots (though born a Catholic, he converted to Protestantism and ruled Protestant England and Scotland) ... anyway, James was having a little war with Ireland which gave him no end of trouble ... especially in Ulster. So, James decided to settle these Borderers in Ulster in the midst of the Irish Catholics ... which is why we're also known as Ulster Scots. The results are evident even today where the Protestant Orangemen in Ireland are still enemies of the Catholic "Green" Irish. I have heard it said that they were the equivalent to today's Southern Redneck Fundamentalists.

Because of high taxes and unemployment (sound familiar?) these Ulster Scots / Scots Irish emigrated in droves to America. They reverted to their ways as Borderers, especially in the Appalachian region ... that ridge of mountains that separated the East Coast from the "out there" of the west. With lots of corn for making whiskey, guns with which to kill the Indians, and lots of distance between them and the American guv'ment ... they became the rednecks, hillbillys, and white trash we all know and love today.

These people (their descendants) still live in the hills and mountains of Virginia, West Va, NC, Penn, Tenn, Kentucky and Ohio. And they have spread their seed westward to Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, etc. These are are the Red states that put George W. into the Presidency. Not only the Scots Irish, but as David Hackett says in Albion's Seed, Italians, Germans, and many others have adopted these Ulster Scots attitudes, values, etc. as THE American attitudes and values. Most of our military non Afro-Americans are of this ancestry and or this set of values and mores. These are the folks that fight for America, and they are usually staunch Christians. American Conservatism owes its very existence to the Scots Irish and their "borderer" mentality. They want the Gov'ment to leave us alone when it comes to whiskey, hunting, and all other domestic portions of our existence. I am proud to be from this hardy American stock. We will fight for what we believe in and will live our lives as we wish. In the "Shootist" , John Wayne's character (John B. Books) says ... I do not want any man laying his hand upon me or interfering with me in any way ... I do not do this to others and will not tolerate them doing it to me. Ethan in "The Searchers", Dunston in "Red River", and many, many of the Duke's other roles are stereotypically Scots Irish people with all their honor and all their failures as people.

So, celebrate your heritage.

End of June

2011-06-20T15:48:00.002-07:00

Well, it has been a long, long time since I entered anything on here. It just seemed that I had nothing to say ... really strange for me. We had our American Legion Post 36 Officer Installation on Saturday night. I was installed as the Commander for 2011-2012 and Ms Hilda was installed as the Historian in the Auxiliary. Afterwards we had a great dinner and dance to the fabulous 60's Garage Band. They are a really great Tucson band with a lot of talented individuals who have been in music many years. The bass player played with Chubby Checker, The Ronettes, and Little Anthony and the Imperials (among others). Keith Lewallen and his wife are in it. He and his brothers (The Lewallen Brothers Band) were the very first band that I heard in Tucson when I got here from Vietnam in 1970. Anyway, we danced and had a great time with our friends.

Here is Ms Hilda getting sworn in


Me getting sworn in by Ken Dowse, with the SAL Commander looking on

NFL Picks 19-20 Dec

2010-12-19T04:54:00.001-07:00

My picks for the weekend.

Date & Time	Favorite	Underdog
12/19 1:00 ET	St. Louis -3	Kansas City
12/19 1:00 ET	Tennessee	Houston +1.5
12/19 1:00 ET	Indianapolis	Jacksonville +4.5
12/19 1:00 ET	Carolina	Arizona +2.5
12/19 1:00 ET	Cincinnati -1	Cleveland
12/19 1:00 ET	Miami -5	Buffalo
12/19 1:00 ET	NY Giants -3	Philadelphia
12/19 1:00 ET	Dallas -7	Washington
12/19 1:00 ET	Tampa Bay -4.5	Detroit
12/19 1:00 ET	Baltimore	New Orleans +2.5
12/19 4:05 ET	Atlanta -6	At Seattle
12/19 4:15 ET	Pittsburgh -4.5	NY Jets
12/19 4:15 ET	Oakland -7.5	Denver
12/19 8:20 ET	New England -14	Green Bay

Monday Night Football Line


12/20 8:35 ET	Chicago -7.5		At Minnesota

Over/Under is 33 ... I pick under

2010-12-13T20:31:00.001-07:00

I celebrated my birthday by buying an all terrain 4 wheeler.
Here is a picture of me playing with it in the back yard.

Sunday Morning

2010-12-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Vikings dome roof has collapsed and they cannot play football there. Do you think that God is trying to extend Bret Favre's starting streak?

0300 Hours Sunday Morn

2010-12-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

Middle of the night, couldn't sleep. Here are my picks for 12/12 and 12/13

    Favorite                         Line           Underdog

    Jacksonville                   -3.5          Oakland
    Pittsburgh                      -8.5          Cincinnati
    New England                 -3             Chicago
    Buffalo                             0             Cleveland
    NY Giants                       -3             Minnesota
    Green Bay                      -6.5         Detroit
    Atlanta                            -7.5          Carolina
    Tampa Bay                    -1              Washington
    New Orleans                -9              St. Louis
    San Francisco             -5               Seattle
    NY Jets                         -5.5           Miami
    Denver                         -4              Arizona
    San Diego                   -9.5           Kansas City
    Philadelphia              -3.5           Dallas

Monday Night Football Line
    NY Giants              -3                  Minnesota
    Baltimore              -3                  Houston         46 [Pick the "under"]

I do not know what has happened to my sleep patterns. I sleep a few hours and then I am up and unable to go back to sleep. then about daylight I get sleepy as hell. Old age? Living a Bad Life?
Have a good day.

1st 'FULL' week of December

2010-12-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

   Well, the old fat man is finishing all the toys in preparation for his around the world journey three weeks from tonight. Christmas decorations are up around the apartment complex and my Bah-Humbug T-shirt is ready for wear. We won't be having much, if anything, but we'll be helping others who are less fortunate (with our time and efforts). There are the Christmas baskets for the poor to fill and distribute for the Legion, the Legion Christmas Party at the Post home for all the kids, etc. It'll make us feel better and it'll help others ... what more is there? Tis' the season.
   Hilda's arm is still paining her a lot and she is still unable to do for herself. I have to dress her, bathe her and pretty much do most of the things she needs done. It is frustrating for her, she cannot wait until it heals.
   I hope that you all are getting in the season and will be surrounded by friends and family.

December 6

2010-12-06T10:55:00.001-07:00

One of my photos is on HappySnappy (see "Other Blogs You'll Like" on the left of this page) as a guest picture blogger under the theme "Light" ... thanks to Kia and Jaana.
My NFL picks (as of the last 2-3 weeks have been atrocious. I went 7-7 yesterday ... point spreads killed me, I lost one game by 1/2 point and one game by 2 1/2 points. I picked the winners in both games, but in one I had to give 4 1/2 and they won by 4 and the other I had to give 6 1/2 and they won by 4. Arr-r-r-rgh !! I am now 74-52 or 59% (below 60%, how bad is that?) going into tonight's Jets-Patriots game. Come on Jets !! Make me a winning week.

1st Weekend in December

2010-12-04T19:24:00.002-07:00

      Saturday morning, not much going on around Ranchito de Poeta Baracho. I've been up since about 0300, I had to get up to get Hilda's sugar up a little. She was at 40, which is low. When I am up for longer than a few minutes, it's hard for me to get back to sleep. The past week or so, she has had trouble with her low sugars again. I don't know if it is the pain in her arm or her pain medication that is causing it. But ... I am back to the old days, waking up a couple of times a night to check on her. I am hoping that her pain starts to subside some pretty quick, as she gets really grumpy about not being able to do stuff for herself ... like bathe, get dressed, eat properly (she's not real good with her left hand), and other things.
    I've been on the keyboard for an hour or so ... discussing (arguing) some points with a former Morman/now Atheist friend of mine. I've also read all my Saturday comics and the news (online of course). I've had several discussions with others this AM also ... some friendly, some political and others just gossip. I did have a little problem explaining to one gal that the United States is a federal constitutional republic and not a democracy. She checked it out and apologized. Fat Boy 1 Skinny Bitch 0 !!
     I have a REALLY interesting and informative You-tube thing that you NEED to view. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlfEdJNn15E There were some facts in it that even a know-it-all like me found new and interesting. Check it out when you get time.
     I have RadioFreeTexas on the computer and am enjoying some good tunes from the GetoCowboys, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Billy Joe Shavers, et al. Nice background music to the pre-dawn hours. I love music.
    I have been working on my November Financial Report for the Legion. We had some computer problems there that have not been completely resolved and so it's been difficult. I have to go there about 0800 to get a few more facts straight and then Sunday morning/Monday morning, I'll do the Kitchen report. Monday night I'll work Sirloin Burger Night. Tuesday morning, the Commander and I have to move some records and stuff there and then a Finance Committee / E-Board meeting Tuesday evening. busy few days.
   I am hoping that I can get Hilda to go to the Legion for an hour or so today. We visited with her mom the other day and it was nice for her to get out of the house.
I am hoping that my NFL picks improve this week, I am now at 60% [so here they are:
Bills + 5.5          at the Vikings     ... Vikings cover
Browns +5        at Miami                ... Miami covers
Jaguars +3        at Tennessee       ... Jaguars in an upset
Broncos +8.5   at the Chiefs        ... Denver + the points (too many)
Redskins +7     at the Giants        ... Giants cover (come on Eli)
Chicago -4.5    at the Lions           ... Chicago wins
49er's +9.5       at the Packers      ... Packers (but that's a lot of points)
Saints -6.5        at the Bengals      ... Saints should cover here
Falcons -3         at Tampa Bay       ... Falcons should cover easily
Raiders +13     at the Chargers    ... Chargers (but, again, a LOT of points)
Carolina +5     at Seattle                 ... Toss-up, but I'll go with the Panthers
Dallas +5.5      at the Colts             ... a really hard one, but I'll go Colts (probably a field goal difference)
Rams -3.5        at Arizona               ... Rams, I can't believe Arizona can beat anyone
Steelers +3      at the Ravens        ... Another toss-up, with Big Ben's foot, I'll go Ravens

Monday Night: Jets +3.5   at the Patriots ... I like the Jets in an upset

   You all know how much I like taking pictures. Well I like other people's also. The following photographs are from electrician Sean Heavey. They are of a weather phenomenon known as a supercell. This occurred in Glasgow Montana, where Sean was working.

Random thoughts at 3 AM

2010-11-29T05:55:00.001-07:00

   Another middle of the night and I am awake. Been a lot of this lately. I sleep about 4 1/2 to 5 hours and then I am awake. Cannot get back to sleep, then about daylight, when I should be getting up ... I get sleepy. I do not know what caused this drastic change in sleep rhythms. It is disconcerting to say the least.
   I have not often thought of myself as a member of the clerisy, what with my seemingly constant hebetude. But the more that I am around people these days with their obvious nescience about so many topics, the more I am inclined to believe that I may belong. People tend to amaze me more and more with their thoughts and actions.
   I have spent the last 5-6 days at home with Hilda as she can do little for herself as yet and that has brought on a period of laziness that I must overcome. Coupled with our obvious lack of money ... her unemployment has stopped because the Federal side of the equation has not been extended ... boredom is starting to set in.
   My NFL picks the last few weeks have been abysmal ... I have been tossed from my once glorious perch by point spreads and bad play by good teams. I went 7-9 this week. that drops me to 67-45 or 60% ... I was above 80% at one time. Not thinking and/or planning enough I guess.
   Our weather here has not been to my liking of late ... have to wear a jacket and a long sleeve shirt. I'm a shorts and polo shirt kind of a guy you know.
    I have been actively looking for work, but nothing yet. For every position out there, there are dozens of applicants. And ... most of them are younger than 65.

Saturday

2010-11-27T19:03:00.002-07:00

Well, I went on the other day about the things that I was thankful for. Today, I am back to normal, not understanding the world or my fellow humans. Some things really irritate me ... and they shouldn't realistically. I am not well educated, tout de même I am not dumb. Here I sit in the pre-dawn hours, reading and attempting to keep up with happenings locally and in the world at large. I mean ... important, earth-shaking things. LOL ! I mean who doesn't worry that B.H.O., the world's most articulate human and leader (?) of the free world got stitches because of an errant elbow in a basketball game or that 77 year old Willie Nelson got caught with 6 ounces of pot (again) or that Wesley Snipes or Lindsey Lohan may actually get jail time. These are events that shall go down in history ... or not. Sometimes I think that I should give up on the news as it is. But, where was I? Oh yeah, things that irritate me.

Item #1: I cannot, for the life of me, understand why people use YOUR when they mean YOU'RE. I have seen it on all sorts of announcements, both hand printed and computer generated ... "YOUR invited" / "YOUR welcome" ... and no one seems to notice or to care. Well, now I have even seen it in the newspaper ... in our very liberal Arizona Daily (Red) Star. And it was not just lapsus linguae, it appeared once in the news and once on the sports page. These are college educated writers and they have editors. This is not the only language malfunction extant but it is one of the most common. If a redneck hillbilly like me can see the difference, then what is the problem? Are the apostrophe and the E just too much trouble to add? Enough though.

Item #2: Drivers who are distracted or brought to incompetence by their inability to NOT BE ON THE PHONE! I cannot believe that all these conversations are THAT important. People do not talk about important things on their cell phones normally ... they just talk because they have a cell phone and it is a way to keep busy. I saw a car yesterday with three people in it ... all of whom were on their cellphones. Maybe they were talking to each other? Or maybe they didn't like each other? No one under the age of 50 seems to have face-to-face conversations anymore. They text and twitter and whatever that new thing is, all in a code that passes for language these days. OMG,LOL, Gr8, ad nauseam.
An observation - I have to say that there are very few people that I know or see who have the ability to "Do Nothing". That is a great sorrow to me. Everyone should, at one time or another (I do it regularly) ... just sit/stand/lean and "Do Nothing". I sit on our little porch for a half hour and don't do anything ... it revitalizes the juices and rests our little grey cells (as Hercule Poirot calls them). But folks in this day and time have to stay busy every waking moment, not with anything important, just busy.

Item #3: While we are on the subject of driving / drivers ... my favorite peeve ... are people ignorant of laws and/or common courtesy or just ignorant? They make right hand turns from the left lane and/or left hand turns from the right lane. They cut over three lanes ... a mere 5 car lengths from the intersection. Did they just remember where they were going? Did they just wake up? Or did that person on the phone tell them ... "TURN HERE!"?

I think that I will leave the news, as it is, alone and make some breakfast. Have a good weekend. Oh, by the way ... my sports update: U of A lost to the #1 team in the nation in football and won in basketball, but they have a real test in roundball today ... Kansas. My three NFL picks for Turkey Day didn't turn out so well I was 1-2. But one game I gave 3 1/2 points and my team only won by 3. I lost by a half point ... that sucks. Oh well! But,again, have a great weekend.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T11:17:00.003-07:00

On this Thanksgiving day 2010, Hilda and I are very thankful to be so much in love with each other. It took us many decades of our lives, a few disagreements, and many other relationships before we met.We are also very thankful for our friends around the nation and world (Hi, Barry !), our internet friends and especially grateful to have the friends that we have in the American Legion family. Although we don't always see eye to eye with them, we are grateful for their friendship and their love. We are also grateful for the family members with whom we are close and ... to our estranged family members and ex-friends ... we love you, forgive you (and ask for your forgiveness) and hope that one day we all shall be close once again. The holiday season from Thanksgiving, through Christmas and Hanukkah reminds us all of the joy of family and friends and the week after Christmas a new year begins. May the upcoming year bring you all much happiness, success and as old friendships continue ... may you be rewarded with new, lasting friendships.
W. Antonio Rigney and Hilda J. Reiser-Rigney

23 November

2010-11-24T07:47:00.002-07:00

Well, today started out pretty well ... I worked for Perry at ValuPlus and made $65 (could have made $80, with another $80 tomorrow ... which is now off, I needed that $80/$120 a lot) but when I talked to Hilda on the phone, I found out that she had a bad fall and her arm was killing her. I came home, took her to Urgent Care (sort of an Emergency Room) which we could ill afford and found that she had broken her Proximal Humerous ... in English, that is the upper bone in her right arm. Now, we have to get follow ups from an orthopedist (read as ... more $$$) and for the time being (3 months?) she will be in a sling, taking pain meds, icing her arm and she will need me to do certain things (getting her clothes on and off, bathing her, et al) until she is able to do for herself. She is miserable, but I hope that her happiness returns soon. I love her so much and hate to see her in pain.
   Our U of A Wildcats won again tonight. In 5 games this season, we have scored 414 points and given up 273 points. The per game average is 82.5 for us and 54.5 for our opponents ... we have averaged scoring 28 more points per game than our opponents. Now ... I do not expect this to continue, however there seems to be a light at the end of our tunnel. GO CATS !! As the head honcho on the TV show ... The A-Team (great name A-Team, A as in Arizona) used to say ... "I love it when a plan comes together". We play again on Thursday and we play Kansas on Saturday. Rough road, but that's the kind of road we travel.

   My NFL picks need to be in by tomorrow ... Turkey Day games on Thursday you know. But my Thursday picks are:
New England     -6.5     At Detroit     The Patriots and give the points
New Orleans       -3.5        At Dallas        Drew and the Saints, but the Plowboys could surprise
Cincinnati            +9          At NY Jets     The Bengals and the points, I'm hoping they keep it close

Hilda wishes her niece Cassie a happy Birthday today, we really love her and miss her. She is very intelligent and very pretty, a deadly combination. But her mom Gerrie (Hilda's youngest sister) is a pretty lady, so Cassie comes by it honestly.

    We both hope that all of you have a great Thanksgiving, we were going to work that day at the Legion serving dinner, but that is off. We'll miss donating our time, but there shall be other opportunities. So long for now.

20/21 November

2010-11-21T11:53:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Saturday, was Family Festival Day at Randolph/Reid Park here in town. It is a 131 acre park a few miles from our house. Hilda and I went to the zoo (we hadn't been in a while) and walked through the park to see what was going on. There was a group(s) of children doing Mexican dances, etc., food booths, and some Heroes and Villains from a store here in the area. We then went to the Legion to play shuffleboard and watch football and then home to watch movies.

Some Star Wars Characters

A Storm Trooper

Ms Hilda and a Giraffe

Llama (pronounced Yama in Spanish)

I've always loved this waterwheel at the Zoo

A spoonbill inside the aviary

A Mexican dancing couple

Two lovely little Senoritas in their homemade regalia

A small Mariachi chases a small senorita

NFL Picks for 21/22 Nov

2010-11-19T19:21:00.005-07:00

My NFL picks have been going south over the last week or so. I am hoping they improve this week. I won on Da' Bears last night ... that puts me at 48-33 (59%). So ... here goes:

Oakland         +7.5         Pittsburgh        I'll take the Steelers and give the
                                                                         points, but this could be an upset
Houston         +7            Jets                     Houston comes back,
                                                                         I'll take the points
Baltimore      -7             Carolina            Ravens, the Panthers are horrible
Washington +6           Tennessee        Titans in a close one
Lions                +6           Dallas                 I can't believe that I'm taking the
                                                                         Plowboys, my money says so,
                                                                          but my heart pulls against them
Packers            -2.5        Vikings             Vikes, Bret comes back again
Buffalo            +5.5        Bengals             Buffalo in an upset,
                                                                         I'll take the points
Cleveland       +2.5        Jaguars            Jaguars will more than cover
Arizona           +7            Chiefs               Kansas City, our Cardinals will
                                                                         lose in a close one,
Seattle             +10.5      Saints               Saints, but that's a lot of points
Falcons            -3            St Louis           Atlanta
Tampa Bay     +3           49er's               Tampa Bay covers
Colts                 +3.5       Patriots            Colts, I believe that the Pats are
                                                                        the best team going right now,
                                                                        but Peyton keeps it close
Giants              +2.5       Eagles               Giants will defend Vick better
                                                                        others have, Eli comes through
Broncos           +9          San Diego        San Diego, but I think that
                                                                        they'll have trouble covering

Random things @ 0300 Hrs

2010-11-19T03:35:00.004-07:00

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson

"Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't." - Richard Bach

"Time is the flesh and blood of death; death is not a skull, a skeleton, but a clock face, a sun hurtling through a sea of thin gas. A part of you has died since you began to read this sentence ... the more absolute death seems, the more authentic life becomes." - John Fowles (The Aristos)

Some of the 'odder' cars at the Vietnam Veteran's Car Show on the 13th ... my 65th B-Day (and my brother Mickey's 63rd)

An 'Uncle Sam' Bucket

That's a grenade on the Air Cleaner. A 'military' off road experience

This one is called "Anger Management"

My 2nd oldest G-son Devin Thomas Rigney and me
taken at Hilda's and my apartment in Tucson.
He is certainly growing up.


My brother Mickey and his wife Patricia at the Bellagio in Vegas over Veteran's Day. They lived in Vegas for years until his retirement and their move to Ft Worth. Contrary to what they say, that IS NOT me in the background!

Valdez's trip to Mozambique

2010-11-17T16:09:00.002-07:00

My very best friend in the world, what today's youngsters would call a BFF, Dr. Stanley S. "Valdez" McGowen recently took a hunting trip to Mozambique. Now, ... you must realize that he is blind and has been for about 20 years. He was in the Army in Vietnam, did stunt work with me in Arizona in the 70's, flew helicopters, etc., until the plane crash that cost him his sight. He went back to college (more properly to University) ... got his Masters and his PhD, taught in college, wrote 3 books, and continued to live as a true Texan should. He is the only blind man that I have ever heard of that has killed the Cape Buffalo in the wild (among other animals). Now he adds some more trophies to his collection and is now the first blind man to kill an African elephant in the wild. The elephant was an added bonus to his trip. His commentary is included as follows:

" I went to Mozambique with Richard Sanchez, a professional videographer I met at the Dallas Safari Club convention. Richard filmed the safari for a TV producer, who should air the hunt on an outdoor show next season. We flew from Dallas - Fort Worth to Atlanta, overnighted at J-berg, RSA, and then flew to Mozambique. We hunted in the northern part along the Lugenda River. My main goal was a leopard, but did not bag one. Weather was hot, 88-96F and the cats were lethargic -- plus the bushpigs and warthogs were dropping their litters and the cats could scoop up a quick snack quite easily and would not get on bait. The first day I dropped a 350 lb. bushpig boar -- a nice trophy. During the next ten days I shot several animals for bait, including one sable that the lions had been after, he was scratched up and blind in one eye -- he had also broken off one horn, either defending himself from lions or other sable bulls. I brought down a 41" Sable Antelope bull, a really nice trophy and a Niassa Wildebeest -- native only to the Niassa area in Mozambique and a small part of the Selous in Tanzania. The tenth day we received a permit for a Problem Animal Control elephant, which, with several other animals had been raiding a "plantation" of bananas and sugar cane about 30 miles from our camp. The local villagers had called for help as they could not run out the big animals with flaming torches and banging on pans. We made our stalk at night, not the easy way you see on TV, where the hunter stalks near the elephant and shoots him in the brain. We had to make our stalk through thick brush, uneven terrain full of elephant holes and banana trees they had pushed over. The winds were swirling and we were never sure if the big animals would wind us and stampede in our direction! We made our way downwind and to within 25 yards of one bull and the PH decided to shoot him; there were two others VERY near us as well, and we were not really sure where the other 5-6 elephants were. Again, we were concerned about a stampede when we shot our selected bull. We had taken the laser off my .300 Winchester Magnum and put it on the PH's .458 Winchester Magnum for more firepower. When I turned on the laser the elephant saw it and flared his ears a bit, indicating that he was not pleased and might charge the light. One PH quickly directed me on target and I placed a shot through the elephant's heart. The second PH immediately broke the elephant's shoulder with his .500 Jefffery's and I placed a second raking shot through his lungs. The bull ran about 75 yards and piled up. The second PH followed him up and put in an insurance hot. Pretty exciting!!

Dr McGowen is 3rd from left

Dr McGowen with his Sable Antelope bull

His Niassa Wildebeest

With one of his warthogs

Congratulations to my good friend Valdez on his latest foray into Africa. He is one of the most remarkable people that I have the pleasure, or have ever had the pleasure, to know, if not the MOST remarkable. He is an inspiration to me daily.

11/13/10

2010-11-14T09:27:00.002-07:00

Well, the 91st Annual Veteran's Day Parade has come and gone ... will post pictures on my BLOG tomorrow. We have been resting up, it was a lot of work. Next year, we'll have 10 months to plan it and set it up. This year we only got notified the end of July that the City of Tucson would be unable to assist us as in past years. A lot of people have jumping through hoops, ... especially Joe Roberts the SAL Commander at Post 7 ... in order that this year's parade come come to fruition.
    Today ... I'd like to wish my brother Mickey in Ft Worth a happy birthday ... he and I are two year twins (he was born on my 2nd birthday). So, he is 63 today and I am 65. Today is the day in 1982 when the Vietnam Memorial was dedicated. It is also the birthday of King Edward III of England in 1312, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850), TV producer/director Garry Marshall (1934), Actor Joe Mantegna (1947 ... same year as Mickey), and television talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel (1967).
    Isn't the internet something !!! I received birthday greetings this AM (electronically generated of course) from ESPN, CVS and Walgreen's Pharmacies, two Conservative E-magazines, Famous Sam's (a local Sports bar franchise), Applebee's and Classmates.com. Birthday SPAM ... how interesting.
   Hilda and I will be off to the Nam-Jam car show this morning and we shall play shuffleboard with our friends at the Legion this afternoon. We need to sign up today as volunteers for the Post 36 Thanksgiving Day feed. I'll probably serve and she will probably waitress. We enjoy doing that on Thanksgiving day each year. We don't have money to help others, but we do have time. So, our collective time (and our hearts) is what we give to helping others ... it is the least that we can do.
   The NFL treated me badly last week ... I became 40-26. I won Thursday Night so I am 41-26. This week I am getting on onto the limb again with my picks.
Cincinnati           +7            Indianapolis         I never go against Peyton
Houston              +1.5        Jacksonville
Tennessee           -1.5         Miami
Minnesota           -1            Chicago     very uneasy about this one
Detroit                 +2.5       Buffalo
NY Jets                 -3           Cleveland
Carolina               +7          Tampa Bay
Kansas City         -1           Denver
St. Louis              +6          San Francisco
Seattle                 +3          Arizona
Dallas                   +13.5     NY Giants     Too many points, but Giants should win
New England     +4.5      Pittsburgh
Monday Night
Philadelphia         -3                 Washington     42.5 Bet the Over

The Parade beginning, Legion Riders and VFW Riders ... Rolling Thunder

A poster I made for display, Tucson's 31 KIA's from Iraq/Afghanistan

Krischel Augustine, who performed the National Anthem in Dine' (Navajo) ... check her out on You Tube !!

Monday Morning Quarterback

2010-11-01T10:53:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the worst day in the NFL for me this year. I went 6-6, one I lost because of the point spread. I picked the Chiefs and they were favored by 7 but won by less. that puts me at 34 and 18 (65%) for the last four weeks.Hopefully, Peyton will help me out tonight.