It seems so romantic. Boy meets girl, they are young and fall in love, and they decide to get married. They figure this will be forever, after all, neither one could ever love anyone else, right? Never mind that she has $5 million and he has $500. They both proclaim that "The money doesn’t matter."
In a previous era that couple would tie the knot and hopefully live happily forever. In today’s "lawyered up" world, after the couple decides under a beautiful Arizona moon that they are in love, it is time to start the car and head for each person’s lawyer to get financial arrangements made in the form of a prenuptial agreement.
In the case of a couple with no significant assets, a prenup usually isn’t necessary. If they break up they can split the gas station free dishes, the Denny’s gift certificate, or whatever else they have of little value. In a prenup, both parties have a lawyer at about $2,000 each which means the legal costs would probably be more than the value of their assets.
What about if there are a LOT of assets, especially when most of them come from one party? About 40% of marriages fail so doesn’t it make sense to plan for such a contingency? To me the answer is yes and no. I’m still a romantic in the sense that when I fell in love with my future wife, the last thing on my mind was how we would split the estate if we got divorced. Of course, when your estate is about $800 as ours was, such things aren’t a factor. On the other hand, if I had $5 million, I might have wanted a legal document proclaiming how it would be split. However, in 1967 such things weren’t really considered.
Because of the cost of lawyers and the lack of assets of most young couples, most prenups involve baby boomers in the 40 to 60 age group who have had time to accumulate assets. They total 3% to 5% of total married couples.
In spite of their growing popularity, a prenup can still cause disharmony between a couple with responses like "You don’t love me!" One adviser says that both partners need to realize that it is only a piece of paper and is a "routine part of the business of getting married." The BUSINESS of getting married? Gee, doesn’t that sound romantic?
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. There are no viruses.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
Rock oldsters still popular
I enjoy alternative rock music. I’m glad because it means there is at least some newer music around these days that I like. I look at someone like Lady Gaga and all I see is a reincarnation of Madonna only with a lot more make up. She better have some good songs or she will go the way of the Spice Girls. That kid Adam somebody, who kissed his male keyboard player on TV, makes me want to regurgitate. As for most of the other pop singers, they may be OK but I see a lot of stations still playing the great artists and groups of the past. Stations like KDKB must get decent ratings from it or they would change their format.
Why do you suppose all five of the Grammy nominees this year for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance were in the over 50 age group? They were Bob Dylan (69), John Fogerty (65), Prince (52), Neil Young (64), and Bruce Springsteen (60). They were nominated because, regardless of their age, they are still some of the best and are able to retain their appeal.
AARP reports that Tina Turner (age 70) was mobbed by paparazzi in Paris this year asking if she is planning a tour. She gave them a definite "maybe." Meanwhile Elton John (65), Billy Joel (60), U2, and even AC/DC (Bong! Bong!), who has been around since 1973, were top grossing acts on North American tours in 2009. Carole King (68) and James Taylor (62) are set to tour North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan in 2010.
Neil Young has recovered from a brain aneurysm in 2005 and is bitching as usual against the establishment and David Bowie at age 63 is recording his 42nd album after having heart surgery six years ago. The Who with Roger Daltrey (66) and Pete Townshend (65) were a hit at the Super Bowl halftime show.
These guys are from my generation and I still enjoy them. As a kid in the late 50s and early 60s, there were a lot of great songs but most of the artists were what we called "one hit wonders." They had one huge hit and no staying power to do it again (Has anyone heard from Diane Renay, Sue Thompson, or Linda Scott lately?). That changed with the late 60s and beyond as the above paragraphs attest.
Two years ago (4-22-08) I did a blog about the resurgent success of the older stars and groups like Van Halen and The Police. Apparently two years later the success continues. Lady Gaga better keep her eye on the rear view mirror as she is about to get run over by a bunch of old timers.
To leave a comment or read 45 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. There are no viruses.
Why do you suppose all five of the Grammy nominees this year for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance were in the over 50 age group? They were Bob Dylan (69), John Fogerty (65), Prince (52), Neil Young (64), and Bruce Springsteen (60). They were nominated because, regardless of their age, they are still some of the best and are able to retain their appeal.
AARP reports that Tina Turner (age 70) was mobbed by paparazzi in Paris this year asking if she is planning a tour. She gave them a definite "maybe." Meanwhile Elton John (65), Billy Joel (60), U2, and even AC/DC (Bong! Bong!), who has been around since 1973, were top grossing acts on North American tours in 2009. Carole King (68) and James Taylor (62) are set to tour North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan in 2010.
Neil Young has recovered from a brain aneurysm in 2005 and is bitching as usual against the establishment and David Bowie at age 63 is recording his 42nd album after having heart surgery six years ago. The Who with Roger Daltrey (66) and Pete Townshend (65) were a hit at the Super Bowl halftime show.
These guys are from my generation and I still enjoy them. As a kid in the late 50s and early 60s, there were a lot of great songs but most of the artists were what we called "one hit wonders." They had one huge hit and no staying power to do it again (Has anyone heard from Diane Renay, Sue Thompson, or Linda Scott lately?). That changed with the late 60s and beyond as the above paragraphs attest.
Two years ago (4-22-08) I did a blog about the resurgent success of the older stars and groups like Van Halen and The Police. Apparently two years later the success continues. Lady Gaga better keep her eye on the rear view mirror as she is about to get run over by a bunch of old timers.
To leave a comment or read 45 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. There are no viruses.
Friday, May 28, 2010
AZ law more strict than Feds?
Obama has complained that the AZ immigration law could be "applied in a discriminatory fashion." To respond, Megyn Kelly, an attorney and Fox News Channel anchor, took about an hour and read the law in its entirety; something many of the leading Democrats haven’t done.
She also studied Supreme Court history and case law and came up with the following: "My legal opinion is that this (SB 1070) is a little like the existing federal law, but it’s actually less problematic. The Supreme Court has already ruled that, under federal law, cops can pull you over for no reason and demand your immigration papers. Under Arizona’s law, they need reasonable suspicion."
If this is correct, and I believe Kelly, I’m reminded of the classic Wendy’s commercial in which Clara Peller asked, "Where’s the beef?" My beef is that our law has been blown out of proportion with all the Chicken Little's like Mayor Gordon, Felipe Calderon, and Al Sharpton crying "The sky’s falling" when in reality it isn’t. According to Mark Spencer of the local police union, they have been enforcing laws like ours for the last two years. His prediction? In July, when the law goes into effect, no one will even notice.
As far as the California boycott of AZ, John Phillips, a radio talk show host in L. A., took a moment on Bill O’Reilly’s show of May 20 to blast his own city’s leaders: "Our city council and mayor want to be talking about anything other than the fact they have bankrupted the city and that the only school system on the planet that’s worse than L. A. United is possibly the Taliban bomb making school. They’ve ruined everything we have so of course they want to talk about something they have no control over."
If Janet Hance and some guy named Reyes are typical examples of L. A. council members, I think Phillips makes a good point.
To leave a comment or read 52 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blogs" in the right column under links. There are no viruses awaiting you.
She also studied Supreme Court history and case law and came up with the following: "My legal opinion is that this (SB 1070) is a little like the existing federal law, but it’s actually less problematic. The Supreme Court has already ruled that, under federal law, cops can pull you over for no reason and demand your immigration papers. Under Arizona’s law, they need reasonable suspicion."
If this is correct, and I believe Kelly, I’m reminded of the classic Wendy’s commercial in which Clara Peller asked, "Where’s the beef?" My beef is that our law has been blown out of proportion with all the Chicken Little's like Mayor Gordon, Felipe Calderon, and Al Sharpton crying "The sky’s falling" when in reality it isn’t. According to Mark Spencer of the local police union, they have been enforcing laws like ours for the last two years. His prediction? In July, when the law goes into effect, no one will even notice.
As far as the California boycott of AZ, John Phillips, a radio talk show host in L. A., took a moment on Bill O’Reilly’s show of May 20 to blast his own city’s leaders: "Our city council and mayor want to be talking about anything other than the fact they have bankrupted the city and that the only school system on the planet that’s worse than L. A. United is possibly the Taliban bomb making school. They’ve ruined everything we have so of course they want to talk about something they have no control over."
If Janet Hance and some guy named Reyes are typical examples of L. A. council members, I think Phillips makes a good point.
To leave a comment or read 52 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blogs" in the right column under links. There are no viruses awaiting you.
Friday, May 21, 2010
San Diego slobbering for "zonies"
San Diego: In today’s (5-19) Republic, Dawn Gilbertson writes that San Diego is concerned about the possible loss of the "zonie" business this year and wants to make it clear that they never said THEY were boycotting Arizona. They were only ASKING Governor Brewer to repeal the immigration law.
They were ready to let Arizonans know via an open letter that "Hey, we love you guys. Come on over and spend your dough with us." This was after they received a lot of emails from vacationers in our state saying they weren’t coming over this year. In other words, San Diego backtracked and said yeah, we feel sorry for illegal aliens but screw ‘em if they cost us those AZ dollars.
The open letter thing has been canceled probably for the embarrassment of having to eat crow and the Convention And Visitors Bureau wants to make it clear they think it is fine for Arizonans to come over and help San Diego’s economy regardless of how they feel about illegal immigration. What a bunch of hypocrites. What happened to all the garbage about human rights?
Bills of the past vs. today: I was looking through an old checkbook from 1970 today and thought I would compare my bills from April of that year to April of 2010. The amounts from 1970 are Kansas City based.
In April 1970 my gas bill was $6.22 vs. $36 in 2010. My car payment in 1970 was $88. My last car payment here was $435. My electric bill was $5.53 vs. $76.37. My telephone bill $8.28 vs. $24.50 now.
When Barb and I got married in 1967, we decided we should have health insurance. We called Blue Cross and they sold us a policy over the phone for $15 a month. We didn’t need a physical or to show proof of any health conditions. The few times we used it, everything was covered. Costs to see a doctor then were a lot less. I had a doctor while I was in college in1968 whose regular office call was $5. He only charged me $3 because I was a starving student.
On our first grocery trip in ‘67 we had three grocery carts full as we were setting up house. Total cost? $54. I still have the receipt. You could buy a 6 pack of Budweiser for $1.00. Today we spend $54 at the grocery store when we stop by just "to pick up a few things."
It’s a good thing prices were lower then. We felt rich making $14,000 between us.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. I guarantee you will not get a virus, azcentral is through The Arizona Republic newspaper.
They were ready to let Arizonans know via an open letter that "Hey, we love you guys. Come on over and spend your dough with us." This was after they received a lot of emails from vacationers in our state saying they weren’t coming over this year. In other words, San Diego backtracked and said yeah, we feel sorry for illegal aliens but screw ‘em if they cost us those AZ dollars.
The open letter thing has been canceled probably for the embarrassment of having to eat crow and the Convention And Visitors Bureau wants to make it clear they think it is fine for Arizonans to come over and help San Diego’s economy regardless of how they feel about illegal immigration. What a bunch of hypocrites. What happened to all the garbage about human rights?
Bills of the past vs. today: I was looking through an old checkbook from 1970 today and thought I would compare my bills from April of that year to April of 2010. The amounts from 1970 are Kansas City based.
In April 1970 my gas bill was $6.22 vs. $36 in 2010. My car payment in 1970 was $88. My last car payment here was $435. My electric bill was $5.53 vs. $76.37. My telephone bill $8.28 vs. $24.50 now.
When Barb and I got married in 1967, we decided we should have health insurance. We called Blue Cross and they sold us a policy over the phone for $15 a month. We didn’t need a physical or to show proof of any health conditions. The few times we used it, everything was covered. Costs to see a doctor then were a lot less. I had a doctor while I was in college in1968 whose regular office call was $5. He only charged me $3 because I was a starving student.
On our first grocery trip in ‘67 we had three grocery carts full as we were setting up house. Total cost? $54. I still have the receipt. You could buy a 6 pack of Budweiser for $1.00. Today we spend $54 at the grocery store when we stop by just "to pick up a few things."
It’s a good thing prices were lower then. We felt rich making $14,000 between us.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. I guarantee you will not get a virus, azcentral is through The Arizona Republic newspaper.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Splitting the dinner check
Probably everyone reading this has experienced the agony of attending a group dinner. Whether it was something personal like a birthday party or something serious like a business meeting, you may have felt the discomfort that these dinners can produce. Most of this comes during the awkward period after the check arrives. Since the process of paying for the evening is seldom discussed in advance, it can become the next closest thing to a sitcom as people fidget about what they owe on the bill.
A business friend in Kansas City once told me that every time the bill came for a dinner, his friend would have a "pocket full of fish hooks." I’ve met my share of that type, they just never want to chip in if they feel they an get away with it. Then there are the ones who want separate checks for everyone. That would be the most accurate way to handle it but that is quite an inconvenience for the restaurant.
When the contributions are handed in to the accountant of the group, you can bet there will not be enough money to cover the bill and give the waiter a decent tip. That’s when the excuses start: "I only ordered an appetizer", "I left a small tip because the waiter didn’t smile enough", "She drank way more than I did", "I don’t believe in tipping." These are usually the people who have the fish hooks in their pockets or have "short arm disease" when it’s time to reach for the wallet.
When I found myself in these situations, I always made sure I had cash broken down where I could throw the exact amount of what I owed into the pot plus cover my portion of the tip which I usually calculated at 20%. After that, it was up to the rest of the group to thrash it out. If there was a case of everyone having about the same meal and someone suggested dividing the bill evenly, I was able to live with that too. I also never complained if someone wanted to pick up the entire check although a few comments of "That’s not necessary" were almost obligatory to show that at least I TRIED to chip in.
Some groups are generous and not concerned with calculating everyone’s share to the penny while others will insist on accuracy. You may have seen them: they are the ones holding the check and shouting across the table, "Hey Mabel, was that a Heineken’s or a Budweiser you had?" Then there is the guy I used to work with who one day joined a group of us for a couple beers after work. It was a Friday so we were tossing down a few more than usual when I noticed he wasn’t buying any rounds. I asked him when he was going to pick up a round and he said "I’ll pay next time." After we told him "next time" was three rounds ago, he said, "I mean next time we go out."
Needless to say there was no "next time" for that guy!
To leave a comment, go to "Jim's azcentral blogs" located in the right column under links.
A business friend in Kansas City once told me that every time the bill came for a dinner, his friend would have a "pocket full of fish hooks." I’ve met my share of that type, they just never want to chip in if they feel they an get away with it. Then there are the ones who want separate checks for everyone. That would be the most accurate way to handle it but that is quite an inconvenience for the restaurant.
When the contributions are handed in to the accountant of the group, you can bet there will not be enough money to cover the bill and give the waiter a decent tip. That’s when the excuses start: "I only ordered an appetizer", "I left a small tip because the waiter didn’t smile enough", "She drank way more than I did", "I don’t believe in tipping." These are usually the people who have the fish hooks in their pockets or have "short arm disease" when it’s time to reach for the wallet.
When I found myself in these situations, I always made sure I had cash broken down where I could throw the exact amount of what I owed into the pot plus cover my portion of the tip which I usually calculated at 20%. After that, it was up to the rest of the group to thrash it out. If there was a case of everyone having about the same meal and someone suggested dividing the bill evenly, I was able to live with that too. I also never complained if someone wanted to pick up the entire check although a few comments of "That’s not necessary" were almost obligatory to show that at least I TRIED to chip in.
Some groups are generous and not concerned with calculating everyone’s share to the penny while others will insist on accuracy. You may have seen them: they are the ones holding the check and shouting across the table, "Hey Mabel, was that a Heineken’s or a Budweiser you had?" Then there is the guy I used to work with who one day joined a group of us for a couple beers after work. It was a Friday so we were tossing down a few more than usual when I noticed he wasn’t buying any rounds. I asked him when he was going to pick up a round and he said "I’ll pay next time." After we told him "next time" was three rounds ago, he said, "I mean next time we go out."
Needless to say there was no "next time" for that guy!
To leave a comment, go to "Jim's azcentral blogs" located in the right column under links.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Pet peeves of the road
Welcome to the 21st century multitasking driver.
Over the years drivers have become more ill mannered. Maybe it’s the fast paced, high pressure, permissive, "it’s not my fault" society we live in or maybe it is relative to Arizona driving. When I lived in Kansas, drivers seemed more courteous but that was a long time ago before multitasking and cell phones were a lifestyle. Good driving manners were a part of life in the Midwest; I hope it is still that way.
Here are a few pet peeves of the road that I have noticed as being common in recent years in Arizona: When road work necessitates that two lanes merge into one, most drivers will quickly line up into the open single lane. But, there are always a couple guys who stay in the lane that is closed ahead then race as far as they can in that lane and try to force themselves in at the front of the line. Those guys need to get slapped with a pie in the face.
How about the guy coming the other way at a red light who cuts in front of you to make a left turn rather than waiting until traffic clears. Then there is the 1978 Cadillac going down the street 20 miles per hour in the left lane with the right turn signal on. Another favorite is the guy who passes you, then slows down to a speed slower than you were going. Maybe two pies in the face would be appropriate for these clowns.
In our current era, texting and talking on cell phones while driving has become typical with some disastrous results. Watch out for cars that are weaving all over the place and if you are on a bike in the bike lane, good luck if one of these fools swerves into you. As far as bike riders, some of them are not necessarily members of mensa. They like to ride two or three abreast in the bike lane which means they intrude into the right traffic lane. Legally, they can do that but legality doesn’t matter much after a car kills you.
Those who speed through school zones and side streets make me wonder "What are they thinking?" It’s the same with the lazy jerks who feel they have a right to park in handicapped parking zones. Then there are the guys who drive around with expired license plates. That is easy to do in Arizona as that little date sticker does not stand out. Many years ago in Ohio, a new plate was issued every year in a color totally different from the year before. You couldn’t get a block without being caught in those days. Three pies in the face for these guys: two chocolate cream and a lemon meringue.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Over the years drivers have become more ill mannered. Maybe it’s the fast paced, high pressure, permissive, "it’s not my fault" society we live in or maybe it is relative to Arizona driving. When I lived in Kansas, drivers seemed more courteous but that was a long time ago before multitasking and cell phones were a lifestyle. Good driving manners were a part of life in the Midwest; I hope it is still that way.
Here are a few pet peeves of the road that I have noticed as being common in recent years in Arizona: When road work necessitates that two lanes merge into one, most drivers will quickly line up into the open single lane. But, there are always a couple guys who stay in the lane that is closed ahead then race as far as they can in that lane and try to force themselves in at the front of the line. Those guys need to get slapped with a pie in the face.
How about the guy coming the other way at a red light who cuts in front of you to make a left turn rather than waiting until traffic clears. Then there is the 1978 Cadillac going down the street 20 miles per hour in the left lane with the right turn signal on. Another favorite is the guy who passes you, then slows down to a speed slower than you were going. Maybe two pies in the face would be appropriate for these clowns.
In our current era, texting and talking on cell phones while driving has become typical with some disastrous results. Watch out for cars that are weaving all over the place and if you are on a bike in the bike lane, good luck if one of these fools swerves into you. As far as bike riders, some of them are not necessarily members of mensa. They like to ride two or three abreast in the bike lane which means they intrude into the right traffic lane. Legally, they can do that but legality doesn’t matter much after a car kills you.
Those who speed through school zones and side streets make me wonder "What are they thinking?" It’s the same with the lazy jerks who feel they have a right to park in handicapped parking zones. Then there are the guys who drive around with expired license plates. That is easy to do in Arizona as that little date sticker does not stand out. Many years ago in Ohio, a new plate was issued every year in a color totally different from the year before. You couldn’t get a block without being caught in those days. Three pies in the face for these guys: two chocolate cream and a lemon meringue.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Is the tattoo fad fading?
Is it finally happening? Has the tattoo finally lost its allure with the young and impressionable crowd? Can the old navy salts now reclaim their territory as the only guys who really know what tattoos are about?
I’ve criticized the tattoo fad a couple of times in this space over the past three and a half years with my argument that although tattoos may be "cool" for a period of time, the popularity will wear off the same as it did for Fu Manchu moustaches, Afro haircuts, and pegged pants. The difference is you can easily get a haircut, shave a moustache, and throw away weird clothes. A tattoo? It’s painful and expensive to remove. Once you have one, it is usually for life.
Do you really want Mary Jane’s name and yours surrounded by a heart etched on your arm forever? Especially since she ran off with some other guy 6 months ago. Do you want your friends saying, "Damn! I can’t believe he still has that tattoo!" Even an authority on the pop culture like Paris Hilton says tattoos are "unoriginal". Pop singer Christina Aguilera is having hers removed at no small and painful expense. Is the day coming when the pop crowd will see someone with a tattoo and say, "Remember those?"
The dermatologists have to be salivating over this prospect. There are a lot of "tramp stamps" out there that I’m sure the girls are wanting to have removed. Gosh, it seemed so cool to have that eagle creeping up your back in 2002; not so much now. Even rapper 50 Cent is having his tattoos removed now that he is trying to establish an acting career. Who would have thought? They seemed like such a good idea at the time.
For those who can’t endure the pain and expense of tattoo removal, there is a product available called Wrecking Balm Tattoo Fade System that claims to "fade away" that tattoo. They have a magazine ad with a girl looking at the tattoo on her back saying, "What was I thinking?" She is depressed because it is bikini season and she doesn’t know what to do about people seeing "that hideous stamp of identity."
So, what is next to leave the culture of the young? My guess is the boys who punched out their ear lobes with gigantic holes in order to wear ear rings will be lamenting that decision soon. That is a huge defacement and may not be repairable. Maybe they will have some use if another remake of King Solomon’s Mines comes along. They can wear black makeup and play the parts of African tribesmen.
To leave a message or read other messages, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
I’ve criticized the tattoo fad a couple of times in this space over the past three and a half years with my argument that although tattoos may be "cool" for a period of time, the popularity will wear off the same as it did for Fu Manchu moustaches, Afro haircuts, and pegged pants. The difference is you can easily get a haircut, shave a moustache, and throw away weird clothes. A tattoo? It’s painful and expensive to remove. Once you have one, it is usually for life.
Do you really want Mary Jane’s name and yours surrounded by a heart etched on your arm forever? Especially since she ran off with some other guy 6 months ago. Do you want your friends saying, "Damn! I can’t believe he still has that tattoo!" Even an authority on the pop culture like Paris Hilton says tattoos are "unoriginal". Pop singer Christina Aguilera is having hers removed at no small and painful expense. Is the day coming when the pop crowd will see someone with a tattoo and say, "Remember those?"
The dermatologists have to be salivating over this prospect. There are a lot of "tramp stamps" out there that I’m sure the girls are wanting to have removed. Gosh, it seemed so cool to have that eagle creeping up your back in 2002; not so much now. Even rapper 50 Cent is having his tattoos removed now that he is trying to establish an acting career. Who would have thought? They seemed like such a good idea at the time.
For those who can’t endure the pain and expense of tattoo removal, there is a product available called Wrecking Balm Tattoo Fade System that claims to "fade away" that tattoo. They have a magazine ad with a girl looking at the tattoo on her back saying, "What was I thinking?" She is depressed because it is bikini season and she doesn’t know what to do about people seeing "that hideous stamp of identity."
So, what is next to leave the culture of the young? My guess is the boys who punched out their ear lobes with gigantic holes in order to wear ear rings will be lamenting that decision soon. That is a huge defacement and may not be repairable. Maybe they will have some use if another remake of King Solomon’s Mines comes along. They can wear black makeup and play the parts of African tribesmen.
To leave a message or read other messages, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Sign the bill, gov
Do you ever wish college students knew half of what they think they know? I’ve been watching them burn U. S. flags, grow their little protest beards, and chain themselves to buildings for as long as I can remember. They enjoy their version of feeling politically involved unless it interrupts something more important like spring break. Such idealism! Now they are chaining themselves to the old capitol building in Phoenix to protest the probable passing of SB1070 which is nothing more than a reinforcement of federal law that prohibits illegal immigration.
What is their complaint? Do they believe in illegal immigration? SB 1070 is basically just an exclamation mark on federal laws which are ignored. Under the bill, those who are illegal immigrants will be arrested because they are breaking federal AND state law.
One of the loudest gripes is that legal Hispanic citizens may be profiled and asked for proof of citizenship. I don’t see that as a big deal. All they have to do is carry I.D. and the experience is over. There is way too much sensitivity over this. Have you ever traveled in Europe? I did while in the military and was constantly asked for my identification card. Later, I was there as a civilian and was constantly asked to show my passport. It didn’t bother me at all as I realized those were the local laws and I respected them. How is this different.?
One person writes to the Republic today that the protesters "efforts should be directed toward repealing the federal law making illegal entry a crime." Maybe that would make them happy as there would be no more expensive fences to build, no expense of border patrols, and no local enforcement of laws that the federal government doesn’t seem to think are important. But, I wouldn’t want to hear complaints of long emergency room waits for patients with insurance as uninsured immigrants are being treated for free. Also, no complaining allowed when a ‘91 Honda plows into their car and the driver is illegal and without insurance.
Being in the U.S. illegally and complaining about it is the highest form of arrogance. Linda Valdez of the Republic says that illegal immigrants are "God’s children." In other words, the hell with our laws. Maybe she should check what Mexico does with those who try to sneak past their southern border.
It may all be academic even if SB 1070 is passed as it probably won’t be enforced anyway regardless of the 70% approval it has. If federal laws have been ignored, what kind of power will a state law have? Plus the cops are busy with so much other stuff they will overlook a problem that should have been nipped in the bud a long time ago. Let’s also remember who is running Washington and how much they are going to need future votes after the fiascos of 2010. Somehow I see about 15 million new Hispanic voters coming on board soon. But, until that unfortunate day, it’s nice to see Arizona making a statement.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
What is their complaint? Do they believe in illegal immigration? SB 1070 is basically just an exclamation mark on federal laws which are ignored. Under the bill, those who are illegal immigrants will be arrested because they are breaking federal AND state law.
One of the loudest gripes is that legal Hispanic citizens may be profiled and asked for proof of citizenship. I don’t see that as a big deal. All they have to do is carry I.D. and the experience is over. There is way too much sensitivity over this. Have you ever traveled in Europe? I did while in the military and was constantly asked for my identification card. Later, I was there as a civilian and was constantly asked to show my passport. It didn’t bother me at all as I realized those were the local laws and I respected them. How is this different.?
One person writes to the Republic today that the protesters "efforts should be directed toward repealing the federal law making illegal entry a crime." Maybe that would make them happy as there would be no more expensive fences to build, no expense of border patrols, and no local enforcement of laws that the federal government doesn’t seem to think are important. But, I wouldn’t want to hear complaints of long emergency room waits for patients with insurance as uninsured immigrants are being treated for free. Also, no complaining allowed when a ‘91 Honda plows into their car and the driver is illegal and without insurance.
Being in the U.S. illegally and complaining about it is the highest form of arrogance. Linda Valdez of the Republic says that illegal immigrants are "God’s children." In other words, the hell with our laws. Maybe she should check what Mexico does with those who try to sneak past their southern border.
It may all be academic even if SB 1070 is passed as it probably won’t be enforced anyway regardless of the 70% approval it has. If federal laws have been ignored, what kind of power will a state law have? Plus the cops are busy with so much other stuff they will overlook a problem that should have been nipped in the bud a long time ago. Let’s also remember who is running Washington and how much they are going to need future votes after the fiascos of 2010. Somehow I see about 15 million new Hispanic voters coming on board soon. But, until that unfortunate day, it’s nice to see Arizona making a statement.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I painted my house, saved $300
Since I live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association, I am expected to keep my property looking good to enhance the look of the community. I like our HOA as they drive the streets and keep any eye out for those who would choose to let their property deteriorate to a point where it lowers the property value of everyone’s home. I’ve been through neighborhoods where cars sit on blocks in the driveway for six months or someone never cuts their grass and it’s not a pretty sight.
Our board is reasonable and if they see something amiss, they will send a letter to the resident asking them to correct it. Recently they made a sweep of my street and, although I didn’t get a letter, many of my neighbors did for some small infractions. Since most of the infractions were minor and dealt with areas that needed a bit of "sprucing up," Barb and I decided that maybe the front of our place could use a coat of paint since it gets a lot of sun and can look pretty bleached out after a period of time.
One guy gave me an estimate of $300 plus the cost of the paint which would be about $80. Barb and I looked at the house, then looked at each other, and decided that we could paint the place ourselves and save a few bucks. When my neighbor moved a few months ago, he gave me some leftover trim paint so I saved some money there. I bought the rest from Dunn-Edwards for $50 plus the cost of rollers, and miscellaneous items like masking tape. I used my neighbor’s ladder to get on the roof while Barb masked the coach lights and started painting on the bottom.
We finished the job in two days and, although it took longer than spray painting, I think rolling the paint looked much better. I am not a very handy guy at fixing things and doing repairs around the house but I’m proud of that paint job and the money savings it gave us. I also found out that I am bit out of shape as I was really stiff and sore after we finished the job.
Homeowner’s Associations can be good and bad. We are lucky with ours but I have heard of some nightmare associations that go over the top in their demands. One place I heard about had a retired army general for a president of the HOA and he tried to run the place like an army base. Big mistake and he was quickly booted out. A good HOA operates with reason and common sense.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Our board is reasonable and if they see something amiss, they will send a letter to the resident asking them to correct it. Recently they made a sweep of my street and, although I didn’t get a letter, many of my neighbors did for some small infractions. Since most of the infractions were minor and dealt with areas that needed a bit of "sprucing up," Barb and I decided that maybe the front of our place could use a coat of paint since it gets a lot of sun and can look pretty bleached out after a period of time.
One guy gave me an estimate of $300 plus the cost of the paint which would be about $80. Barb and I looked at the house, then looked at each other, and decided that we could paint the place ourselves and save a few bucks. When my neighbor moved a few months ago, he gave me some leftover trim paint so I saved some money there. I bought the rest from Dunn-Edwards for $50 plus the cost of rollers, and miscellaneous items like masking tape. I used my neighbor’s ladder to get on the roof while Barb masked the coach lights and started painting on the bottom.
We finished the job in two days and, although it took longer than spray painting, I think rolling the paint looked much better. I am not a very handy guy at fixing things and doing repairs around the house but I’m proud of that paint job and the money savings it gave us. I also found out that I am bit out of shape as I was really stiff and sore after we finished the job.
Homeowner’s Associations can be good and bad. We are lucky with ours but I have heard of some nightmare associations that go over the top in their demands. One place I heard about had a retired army general for a president of the HOA and he tried to run the place like an army base. Big mistake and he was quickly booted out. A good HOA operates with reason and common sense.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Can't get a date? Read this.
For you single guys who think you are Mr. Cool, you may want to check out a couple of new books discussed in yesterday's (4-6) Arizona Republic. One of them was written by a couple of ladies and is titled "Undateable: 311 Things Guys Do That Guarantee They Will Not Be Dating or Having Sex."
That sounds serious and even if you think you are the coolest guy in town, it seems inevitable that when the list of mistakes you can make with women has 311 entries, you are bound to screw up somewhere along the line. For example, in this world of first impressions being lasting, it is suggested that you lose the "soul patch" under your lower lip. Why? Because what men wear is usually the deal maker or deal breaker on the list of how women judge a guy. Most women feel the soul patch is a loser and even if they like you otherwise, they still have that underlying worry about what kind of guy would grow a soul patch in the first place.
If you don’t pass the initial 15 to 20 second appearance test, "The door starts to close" says Pepper Schwartz, a female professor of sociology at the University of Washington. Besides the patch, novelty belt buckles, "mandanas", high waisted jeans, tube socks, and Speedos are big time faux pas items. Oh, yeah, if you still wear your high school ring, that may be a deal breaker too; at least I would hope so.
While men have over 300 negatives that annoy women, men usually list only about 10 items about women that are annoying and, if the woman is good looking enough, they will overlook 9 of the complaints even if some of them are wearing eyeliner out to their ears, talking baby talk, referring to their boobs as "the boys" and wearing men’s neckties a la Ellen DeGeneres.
Why are men so lenient? If you are a man, it’s an easy answer. Men will put up with about anything if there is even the slightest chance of having sex with a woman. Being a man, I can understand that logic. Maybe it’s why we are often referred to as "pigs" by the ladies.
When I was dating many moons ago, guys had a standard "look." Clean shaven, slicked back hair, dark slacks and a white shirt. We all looked like clerks in a grocery store but that was all there was to style in those days. I hate to think of someone rebelling and growing a soul patch then.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" under links in the right column.
That sounds serious and even if you think you are the coolest guy in town, it seems inevitable that when the list of mistakes you can make with women has 311 entries, you are bound to screw up somewhere along the line. For example, in this world of first impressions being lasting, it is suggested that you lose the "soul patch" under your lower lip. Why? Because what men wear is usually the deal maker or deal breaker on the list of how women judge a guy. Most women feel the soul patch is a loser and even if they like you otherwise, they still have that underlying worry about what kind of guy would grow a soul patch in the first place.
If you don’t pass the initial 15 to 20 second appearance test, "The door starts to close" says Pepper Schwartz, a female professor of sociology at the University of Washington. Besides the patch, novelty belt buckles, "mandanas", high waisted jeans, tube socks, and Speedos are big time faux pas items. Oh, yeah, if you still wear your high school ring, that may be a deal breaker too; at least I would hope so.
While men have over 300 negatives that annoy women, men usually list only about 10 items about women that are annoying and, if the woman is good looking enough, they will overlook 9 of the complaints even if some of them are wearing eyeliner out to their ears, talking baby talk, referring to their boobs as "the boys" and wearing men’s neckties a la Ellen DeGeneres.
Why are men so lenient? If you are a man, it’s an easy answer. Men will put up with about anything if there is even the slightest chance of having sex with a woman. Being a man, I can understand that logic. Maybe it’s why we are often referred to as "pigs" by the ladies.
When I was dating many moons ago, guys had a standard "look." Clean shaven, slicked back hair, dark slacks and a white shirt. We all looked like clerks in a grocery store but that was all there was to style in those days. I hate to think of someone rebelling and growing a soul patch then.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" under links in the right column.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
College or Pro basketball?
If you are a poor kid who is a great high school basketball player, what should you do when you get out of school and want to take financial advantage of your athletic ability? Should you go to college? Should you take a chance trying to make it in the professional ranks with the NBA or a foreign team? Those are mind bending questions for a kid. The NBA money sounds tempting but can you jump from the high school level to that of the pros? I doubt it. There are a few exceptions like LeBron James and Koby Bryant but they are a rarity.
I think a good player should go to college and experience the next level of basketball above high school competition. The good college programs give players maximum exposure and probably a little something on the side from the sports crazy alums. I remember years ago when a football player from Oklahoma was asked if he was going to turn pro early. He replied tongue in cheek that "I might but I hate to have to take a pay cut." That drew a nice laugh but more than once that situation has been true. That’s why many programs get put on probation.
If a kid can make it big in basketball at the college level, he can always leave school after one or two years and cash in then. A good college performance means more money from the pros than a kid could ever receive after high school. On the negative side is the injury factor. If he blows out a knee or an ACL in college that could be the end of a big payday for him. It’s a risk but I think it is one worth taking.
Going to college and leaving early seems to be the norm these days. In this year’s NCAA Tournament, there are close to thirty players who were college freshmen or sophomores within the last couple of years who turned professional in 2008 and 2009. Among them was Jerryd Bayless, a star at the University of Arizona who they could have really used this year. He might have been enough to get Arizona into the tournament. But, he chose to turn pro and take the big bucks. Why not? He is probably set for life financially and if he feels that he wants to complete his studies for a college degree, he can always do that in the off season.
Some writers are complaining because the field in the NCAA is weaker this year. So what? They are just college kids and it’s nice to see some of the smaller and more academic schools like Cornell of the Ivy League get in and have some success. If one wants to watch big time pro basketball, the NBA may be more appropriate.
To leave a comment ot read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links".
I think a good player should go to college and experience the next level of basketball above high school competition. The good college programs give players maximum exposure and probably a little something on the side from the sports crazy alums. I remember years ago when a football player from Oklahoma was asked if he was going to turn pro early. He replied tongue in cheek that "I might but I hate to have to take a pay cut." That drew a nice laugh but more than once that situation has been true. That’s why many programs get put on probation.
If a kid can make it big in basketball at the college level, he can always leave school after one or two years and cash in then. A good college performance means more money from the pros than a kid could ever receive after high school. On the negative side is the injury factor. If he blows out a knee or an ACL in college that could be the end of a big payday for him. It’s a risk but I think it is one worth taking.
Going to college and leaving early seems to be the norm these days. In this year’s NCAA Tournament, there are close to thirty players who were college freshmen or sophomores within the last couple of years who turned professional in 2008 and 2009. Among them was Jerryd Bayless, a star at the University of Arizona who they could have really used this year. He might have been enough to get Arizona into the tournament. But, he chose to turn pro and take the big bucks. Why not? He is probably set for life financially and if he feels that he wants to complete his studies for a college degree, he can always do that in the off season.
Some writers are complaining because the field in the NCAA is weaker this year. So what? They are just college kids and it’s nice to see some of the smaller and more academic schools like Cornell of the Ivy League get in and have some success. If one wants to watch big time pro basketball, the NBA may be more appropriate.
To leave a comment ot read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links".
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The return of 3-D movies
A 1952 audience watching a 3-D film
If there is one thing you learn from getting older it is that there really isn’t anything new under the sun. Men’s suit lapels and neckties have gotten wider and narrower many times over the years. Skirt lengths always go up or down. Bell bottom pants have come and gone a few times as have a rotation between slicked back oily hair and the dry look.
Short hair has even been in style off and on. From 1957 to 1963, I had a flat top haircut. There was a guy in Amarillo, Texas who gave me the best flat top I ever had and he used plain old manual scissors to do the job. Today, it’s all electric clippers and some guys with great heads of hair have actually shaved their heads! The bald guys of the world can only roll their eyes at something so insane as destroying good hair.
There was a time when a stick shift car was about all you could get unless you wanted to pay extra for an automatic transmission. What a luxury! No more clutch to push in, just put the car in drive and push on the gas. In recent years the stick, or "conventional shift" as it was once known, has made a big comeback. See what I mean? If you have been around long enough, you know the cycles.
All right, now you have the buildup, so I am going to mention an item that was a failure when it came out in the early ‘50s and I predict it will be a passing oddity again. It’s 3-D movies. Avatar was a huge 3-D hit and it looks like Alice in Wonderland will be also. For us in the 50s it was the awful Bwana Devil with Robert Stack and House of Wax with Vincent Price. Once you saw a spear come at you in the audience or saw Price throw some hot oil into the crowd, that was about it. Within a year or so, we put away our special glasses and started looking forward to the next fad which I think was the hula hoop or the Whammo slingshot.
The word is already out that people are suffering headaches and nausea from the 3-D process. One eye doctor says that unless you have equally good vision in both eyes, you may experience those maladies. Who can say they have such miraculous eyesight?
Yes, while there is nothing new under the sun, the cycle keeps turning. I feel sorry for the tattoo lovers though. When that fad disappears, unfortunately the tattoo won’t. Keep that in mind when you think it would be a good idea to tattoo your current girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s name on your body.
To comment on this blog, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links".
If there is one thing you learn from getting older it is that there really isn’t anything new under the sun. Men’s suit lapels and neckties have gotten wider and narrower many times over the years. Skirt lengths always go up or down. Bell bottom pants have come and gone a few times as have a rotation between slicked back oily hair and the dry look.
Short hair has even been in style off and on. From 1957 to 1963, I had a flat top haircut. There was a guy in Amarillo, Texas who gave me the best flat top I ever had and he used plain old manual scissors to do the job. Today, it’s all electric clippers and some guys with great heads of hair have actually shaved their heads! The bald guys of the world can only roll their eyes at something so insane as destroying good hair.
There was a time when a stick shift car was about all you could get unless you wanted to pay extra for an automatic transmission. What a luxury! No more clutch to push in, just put the car in drive and push on the gas. In recent years the stick, or "conventional shift" as it was once known, has made a big comeback. See what I mean? If you have been around long enough, you know the cycles.
All right, now you have the buildup, so I am going to mention an item that was a failure when it came out in the early ‘50s and I predict it will be a passing oddity again. It’s 3-D movies. Avatar was a huge 3-D hit and it looks like Alice in Wonderland will be also. For us in the 50s it was the awful Bwana Devil with Robert Stack and House of Wax with Vincent Price. Once you saw a spear come at you in the audience or saw Price throw some hot oil into the crowd, that was about it. Within a year or so, we put away our special glasses and started looking forward to the next fad which I think was the hula hoop or the Whammo slingshot.
The word is already out that people are suffering headaches and nausea from the 3-D process. One eye doctor says that unless you have equally good vision in both eyes, you may experience those maladies. Who can say they have such miraculous eyesight?
Yes, while there is nothing new under the sun, the cycle keeps turning. I feel sorry for the tattoo lovers though. When that fad disappears, unfortunately the tattoo won’t. Keep that in mind when you think it would be a good idea to tattoo your current girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s name on your body.
To comment on this blog, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links".
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
THIS AND THAT
Did you see the column in the 3-11 Republic where Washington Post writer Courtland Milloy berates Obama for being a smoker? He says the lips of the prez are purple probably because of the tar, ammonia and other garbage found in cigs. With as much time as Obama spends for photo ops these days, I’m surprised he has time to have a smoke. Maybe he is cupping one behind his back.....More Obama: After being rude to Senator McCain at the health summit, he later had a change of heart in a post summit letter to Congress where he admitted that there WERE some provisions added to legislation that shouldn’t have been....I’m sorry but I have to agree with Bill Cosby on the incorrect term "African American." However, I am willing to listen to reason. If everyone who considers themselves an African American can submit to me a short 500 word essay that they think can justify that term, I’ll take it into consideration....There are some good movies out at the moment but I hate crowded theaters. Barb and I went to the Camelview in the morning last week to see "The Ghost Writer" and it was unusually crowded. We had so many people around us crunching popcorn and tearing into cellophane packages that it became a distraction. I never eat anything during a movie and it makes me wonder what some people are thinking who go to the show at 10 o’clock in the morning and consume a gallon of Coke with a 55 gallon drum of popcorn....Constance McMillen is a lesbian who is a senior in high school in Jackson, Mississippi. She wanted to wear a tuxedo to her senior prom and take her girlfriend as a date. That sounds a bit unusual but nothing surprises me today so I thought "no big deal." However, the school district canceled the entire prom rather than grant her permission to go as she suggested. In San Francisco, I’m sure this sort of thing is typical but in the deep south? No way. She should have kept her mouth shut and simply showed up with her date at the prom....I think kids should have to wear school uniforms. It eliminates the need to send kids home and tell them to come back dressed appropriately. It also teaches them grooming habits which most of them sadly lack....Turner Classic Movies had one of my favorites on last night. It was "The More the Merrier" from 1943 starring Jean Arthur, Charles Coburn, and Joel McCrea. You may be saying "Who?" but those guys were great actors of the day and the film was a comedy about the housing shortage in Washington during World War II. It was remade in 1966 as "Walk, Don’t Run" with a backdrop of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It was Cary Grant’s last film and please don’t tell me you never heard of Cary Grant!
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links."
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links."
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Jumping rope without ropes?
Alexander McCall Smith writes a series of ten popular books concerning the "Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency." They are excellent as are his tales of "44 Scotland Street." In the latter he tells of a five year old boy in Edinburgh named Bertie who has an extremely overbearing and sheltering mother who believes he should learn Italian and play the Saxophone in lieu of Bertie’s desire to play Rugby, go fishing, and enjoy the perks of youth as his friends do. Because of his mother, Bertie is an unhappy kid.
I thought of poor Bertie when I read George Will’s column in the Sunday Republic. Will writes of a Massachusetts school where during physical education classes, kids jump rope. That sounds like good exercise to me except there is one important exception: the kids don’t use ropes! Why? Because it is the same old bunk I wrote about in an August 29, 2007 blog about how dodge ball and tag have been eliminated from the games kids like to play. The school feels that some kid’s feelings may be hurt if he/she is not effective as a rope jumper. What are these people thinking?
Parents are so worried about their child’s self esteem that they feel the necessity to constantly tell them how wonderful they are and avoid the risk that the kid might not be able to jump rope. These are the same parents who campaign for kid’s soccer teams to not count goals because it may damage the disposition of the kids who suck at soccer. And, of course, everybody gets a trophy even if they are total losers. It is incomprehensible that anyone would think this behavior is going to get any child prepared for real life.
A new book called "NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children" by Merryman and Bronson points out that parents who constantly praise their kids with silliness like notes in their lunch boxes telling them how incredibly intelligent they are, are doing their kids a great disservice. Those kids tend to falter when they encounter academic problems. Overpraised kids also tend to cheat "because they have not developed strategies for coping with failure."
In summation, Bronson and Merryman feel that parents need to lighten up and let kids be kids. I have never been a parent but I agree with that. I would rather have a kid who stands up for himself and comes home with a black eye instead of a kid who gets awarded a trophy for being incompetent.
To leave a comment click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under "links"
I thought of poor Bertie when I read George Will’s column in the Sunday Republic. Will writes of a Massachusetts school where during physical education classes, kids jump rope. That sounds like good exercise to me except there is one important exception: the kids don’t use ropes! Why? Because it is the same old bunk I wrote about in an August 29, 2007 blog about how dodge ball and tag have been eliminated from the games kids like to play. The school feels that some kid’s feelings may be hurt if he/she is not effective as a rope jumper. What are these people thinking?
Parents are so worried about their child’s self esteem that they feel the necessity to constantly tell them how wonderful they are and avoid the risk that the kid might not be able to jump rope. These are the same parents who campaign for kid’s soccer teams to not count goals because it may damage the disposition of the kids who suck at soccer. And, of course, everybody gets a trophy even if they are total losers. It is incomprehensible that anyone would think this behavior is going to get any child prepared for real life.
A new book called "NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children" by Merryman and Bronson points out that parents who constantly praise their kids with silliness like notes in their lunch boxes telling them how incredibly intelligent they are, are doing their kids a great disservice. Those kids tend to falter when they encounter academic problems. Overpraised kids also tend to cheat "because they have not developed strategies for coping with failure."
In summation, Bronson and Merryman feel that parents need to lighten up and let kids be kids. I have never been a parent but I agree with that. I would rather have a kid who stands up for himself and comes home with a black eye instead of a kid who gets awarded a trophy for being incompetent.
To leave a comment click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under "links"
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
The short, good life of Tubac, AZ
In this era of unemployment, a federal government lacking in common sense, threats of terrorism, liberals clamoring for government entitlements, and the dreaded "spread the wealth" mentality endorsed by the current administration, it’s refreshing to recall some history of the small town of Tubac, AZ in the late 1850s.
According to local historian Marshall Trimble, A young guy named Charles Poston arrived with his crew of miners in Tubac late in 1856, the year that Mexico gave up Tucson to the U.S. Tubac was located about 45 miles south of the Old Pueblo and, although it had been abandoned, most of the structures were still relatively intact. The Santa Cruz river and plenty of grass were nearby and when Poston’s group started a mining operation, large groups of Mexicans from the south arrived looking for jobs. It didn’t take long before Tubac was a busy little town.
Residents lived well in Tubac. Being in the middle of nowhere, they didn’t have the bureaucratic problems associated with being a large city. Poston later wrote that "we had no law but love and no occupation but labor; no government, no taxes, no public debt, no politics. It was a community in a perfect state of nature."
Poston loved the ladies, especially the Mexican senoritas. With most of the men of that time going to California for the gold rush, the ratio of women to men in Tubac was about 12 to 1. Sit back a moment guys and think about that: 12 to 1! Even Middy and desert ghost could score under those circumstances.
Poston also was a sort of magistrate which entitled him to perform marriages, baptisms, grant divorces and do several other functions. Food was brought in from Sonora along with other goods and the mines were paying off well with plenty of silver.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and the nirvana of Tubac wasn’t to last. Problems with Mexico and various Indian raids became common and by 1861 the Civil War had started which meant a couple of protective forts in the area were closed thus leaving the inhabitants to fend for themselves. After the Apaches destroyed Tubac in that year, Poston barely escaped with his life.
By the 1880's, Tubac was re-established and today is a quiet small town dominated with art galleries. It sounds very pleasant but I wonder if it can compare to the Tubac of the late 1850's when Charles Poston ran the town and the ratio of women to men was 12 to 1.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under links.
According to local historian Marshall Trimble, A young guy named Charles Poston arrived with his crew of miners in Tubac late in 1856, the year that Mexico gave up Tucson to the U.S. Tubac was located about 45 miles south of the Old Pueblo and, although it had been abandoned, most of the structures were still relatively intact. The Santa Cruz river and plenty of grass were nearby and when Poston’s group started a mining operation, large groups of Mexicans from the south arrived looking for jobs. It didn’t take long before Tubac was a busy little town.
Residents lived well in Tubac. Being in the middle of nowhere, they didn’t have the bureaucratic problems associated with being a large city. Poston later wrote that "we had no law but love and no occupation but labor; no government, no taxes, no public debt, no politics. It was a community in a perfect state of nature."
Poston loved the ladies, especially the Mexican senoritas. With most of the men of that time going to California for the gold rush, the ratio of women to men in Tubac was about 12 to 1. Sit back a moment guys and think about that: 12 to 1! Even Middy and desert ghost could score under those circumstances.
Poston also was a sort of magistrate which entitled him to perform marriages, baptisms, grant divorces and do several other functions. Food was brought in from Sonora along with other goods and the mines were paying off well with plenty of silver.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and the nirvana of Tubac wasn’t to last. Problems with Mexico and various Indian raids became common and by 1861 the Civil War had started which meant a couple of protective forts in the area were closed thus leaving the inhabitants to fend for themselves. After the Apaches destroyed Tubac in that year, Poston barely escaped with his life.
By the 1880's, Tubac was re-established and today is a quiet small town dominated with art galleries. It sounds very pleasant but I wonder if it can compare to the Tubac of the late 1850's when Charles Poston ran the town and the ratio of women to men was 12 to 1.
To leave a comment or to read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under links.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Republicans, Obama, Tiger
Republican comments unnecessary: The Republicans recently held a convention which, if the clips from Fox News are any indication, was basically a chance for them to blow off steam at the expense of Obama and his administration.
I think such chatter is a mistake because this is America and our natural tendency is toward fair play, sometimes even in politics. For the Republicans to take turns at the podium blasting the president makes no sense. Most Americans know the guy is in over his head as his recent CNN poll of a 44% approval rating shows. His healthcare plan is a flop, the mayor of Las Vegas won’t even meet with him over his recent ill timed comments about that city, every candidate he endorses loses mightily, Democrats are bailing out of Congress, and there is the trial in New York embarrassment. Did I mention that even Benson nailed him today in the Republic? Yeah, that too. Isn’t that enough for now?
Americans are not in favor of kicking a man when he is down and that is what the Republicans have done. Too much of that will turn sympathy in the other direction. Note to Dick Cheney and the rest: Don’t be so hard on Obama; he and his staff are doing plenty on their own. There is no need for an exclamation mark.
Tiger Woods Apology: Tiger's apology was a global telecast over almost every network. I didn't know that what a golfer does could be that important but it started at 8:30 a.m. Friday Phoenix time with a showbiz intro of clips of Tiger through the years plus some commentary. At 9:00, Tiger took to the podium.
His prepared statement was teary and he covered what was expected. He gave his obligatory apologies and explained how he was going through therapy to reconcile his sexual urges. He asked that the press please leave his family alone (yeah, like that is going to happen) since they are not responsible for his actions. When he finished he hugged his mother, wife, and others sitting in the front row for support. There was no word on when he will return to the links.
While I feel a tinge of sympathy for Tiger, I’m wondering how much longer he would have continued his lifestyle if he wouldn’t have been caught. There are probably some Perkins’ waitresses wondering the same thing.
To leave a comment, or read 47 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links."
I think such chatter is a mistake because this is America and our natural tendency is toward fair play, sometimes even in politics. For the Republicans to take turns at the podium blasting the president makes no sense. Most Americans know the guy is in over his head as his recent CNN poll of a 44% approval rating shows. His healthcare plan is a flop, the mayor of Las Vegas won’t even meet with him over his recent ill timed comments about that city, every candidate he endorses loses mightily, Democrats are bailing out of Congress, and there is the trial in New York embarrassment. Did I mention that even Benson nailed him today in the Republic? Yeah, that too. Isn’t that enough for now?
Americans are not in favor of kicking a man when he is down and that is what the Republicans have done. Too much of that will turn sympathy in the other direction. Note to Dick Cheney and the rest: Don’t be so hard on Obama; he and his staff are doing plenty on their own. There is no need for an exclamation mark.
Tiger Woods Apology: Tiger's apology was a global telecast over almost every network. I didn't know that what a golfer does could be that important but it started at 8:30 a.m. Friday Phoenix time with a showbiz intro of clips of Tiger through the years plus some commentary. At 9:00, Tiger took to the podium.
His prepared statement was teary and he covered what was expected. He gave his obligatory apologies and explained how he was going through therapy to reconcile his sexual urges. He asked that the press please leave his family alone (yeah, like that is going to happen) since they are not responsible for his actions. When he finished he hugged his mother, wife, and others sitting in the front row for support. There was no word on when he will return to the links.
While I feel a tinge of sympathy for Tiger, I’m wondering how much longer he would have continued his lifestyle if he wouldn’t have been caught. There are probably some Perkins’ waitresses wondering the same thing.
To leave a comment, or read 47 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column under "links."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Remembering Hollywood Squares
Paul Lynde occupied the center square on Hollywood Squares
There was a popular 30 minute show on TV from 1966 to 1981 called Hollywood Squares. In that show various stars of show business would sit in blocks set up like a tac-tac-toe game (See illustration above). Two contestants would play against each other and try to answer the questions being asked of the stars by moderator Peter Marshall. When one of them won the game, they received various prizes.
It was a simple show which usually aired in the evenings before prime time, usually at about 6:30 in most markets. It was fun to eat off a TV tray if front of the Magnavox, and get some laughs from the guest stars in the blocks. As Marshall asked them the questions, they would usually give a "zinger" answer which produced a lot of laughs from the studio audience even though it was usually scripted. If you liked double entendres, this was the show for you. After the laughs, the star would answer in a serious tone and the contestants would have to figure if they were being put on or not.
The game was secondary to the comedy generated by the stars and there were some good ones from that era. Actor and comedian Paul Lynde was the star of the show but there was also comedians George Gobel, Charley Weaver, Wally Cox, Don Knotts, and many others.
Unless you are a certain age, you are probably scratching your head now thinking Paul Lynde? George Gobel? Charley Weaver? Who the hell are they?
For the rest of you, the thought of Hollywood Squares probably brings back some fun memories from the 70s.
Here are a few of the zingers some of the stars dealt out. The questions were asked by Peter Marshall:
Question: What is a good reason for pounding meat?
Answer: (Paul Lynde) "Loneliness!" (That answer brought so much laughter that it took up 15 minutes of the of the show)
Q. True or false, a pea can last up to 5,000 years.
A. (George Gobel) "Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes."
Q. You’ve been having trouble going to sleep. Are you a man or a woman?
A. (Don Knotts) "That’s what’s been keeping me awake."
Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I love you?"
A. (Vincent Price) "No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty."
The original Hollywood Squares had a nice run from 1966 through 1981. Many of the stars of the show are dead now but will be remembered for their great lines, especially Paul Lynde. There were some syndicated versions later but they never could capture the magic of the original show.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the roght column under "links."
There was a popular 30 minute show on TV from 1966 to 1981 called Hollywood Squares. In that show various stars of show business would sit in blocks set up like a tac-tac-toe game (See illustration above). Two contestants would play against each other and try to answer the questions being asked of the stars by moderator Peter Marshall. When one of them won the game, they received various prizes.
It was a simple show which usually aired in the evenings before prime time, usually at about 6:30 in most markets. It was fun to eat off a TV tray if front of the Magnavox, and get some laughs from the guest stars in the blocks. As Marshall asked them the questions, they would usually give a "zinger" answer which produced a lot of laughs from the studio audience even though it was usually scripted. If you liked double entendres, this was the show for you. After the laughs, the star would answer in a serious tone and the contestants would have to figure if they were being put on or not.
The game was secondary to the comedy generated by the stars and there were some good ones from that era. Actor and comedian Paul Lynde was the star of the show but there was also comedians George Gobel, Charley Weaver, Wally Cox, Don Knotts, and many others.
Unless you are a certain age, you are probably scratching your head now thinking Paul Lynde? George Gobel? Charley Weaver? Who the hell are they?
For the rest of you, the thought of Hollywood Squares probably brings back some fun memories from the 70s.
Here are a few of the zingers some of the stars dealt out. The questions were asked by Peter Marshall:
Question: What is a good reason for pounding meat?
Answer: (Paul Lynde) "Loneliness!" (That answer brought so much laughter that it took up 15 minutes of the of the show)
Q. True or false, a pea can last up to 5,000 years.
A. (George Gobel) "Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes."
Q. You’ve been having trouble going to sleep. Are you a man or a woman?
A. (Don Knotts) "That’s what’s been keeping me awake."
Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I love you?"
A. (Vincent Price) "No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty."
The original Hollywood Squares had a nice run from 1966 through 1981. Many of the stars of the show are dead now but will be remembered for their great lines, especially Paul Lynde. There were some syndicated versions later but they never could capture the magic of the original show.
To leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the roght column under "links."
Monday, February 08, 2010
Reid to Obama: "Lay off Vegas!"
Surely Obama must have some advisers to teach him right from wrong in the statements he makes. Maybe they do give him advice but with his ego, he refuses to accept it.
Comments like "I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody" should have given most Americans an early indication of what was coming from the guy. America has been based on self reliance, or as Bill O’Reilly opines "each individual succeeds by understanding obligations and doing what is necessary to fulfill them. The government cannot drag us through life’s daily challenges making sure we are all okay."
The prez has had to apologize more than once. On the Jay Leno show last March he replied to Leno’s question about his bowling game with "It’s like...It was like Special Olympics or something." Hey advisers, where are you when the prez needs you? Maybe he got the idea for that comment from another genius, Tiger Woods, who once said after a bad shot that he "hit the ball like a retard." Ouch!
Now that he seems to "get it" that Americans are not interested in his Obamacare health reform, he has started to concentrate more on adding jobs to the economy, although, based on his comments this week and last year, probably not in Las Vegas. In February of ‘09 the prez said companies that received stimulus money "...can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas...on the taxpayer’s dime." That’s reasonable enough but did he have to say "Las Vegas" thus entering into a controversy? LV mayor Goodman demanded an apology which I don’t believe was tendered.
In May of ‘09, Obama returned to Vegas and said "It’s good to be back in Vegas. Everyone should have a piece of the Las Vegas dream and the American dream." Huh? His reason for being in Vegas at that time: a fund raiser for Harry Reid. Poor Harry.
Let’s fast forward to two days ago (2-2-10). In New Hampshire, the prez said "When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you are trying to save for college." This is the same guy who said last month in Massachusetts that "Anyone can buy a truck." They can?
With his latest faux pas, even Reid is upset saying that "The President needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn’t be spending their money." Senator Ensign and Representative Heller are equally adamant.
Let’s review: Americans should tighten their belts and not go to Las Vegas. They shouldn’t buy boats but trucks are all right. I guess those folks who spent millions at the car auctions in Scottsdale should stop that too since those cars are really toys and not very useful. And, you people with ski trips planned to Colorado? Better cancel those, a waste of money.
Let’s do sensible things like fly an entourage on 15 planes to Copenhagen and waste money on the impossible dream of Chicago getting the 2016 Olympics. How about wanting to try terrorists in New York for a cost of millions? How about the president’s wife needing a staff of 22 at a cost of $1.5 million per year? Other first ladies got by with one or two assistants and Mamie Eisenhower paid hers out of Ike’s salary. The list goes on, but you get the point.
Do you ever wonder if Obama had something to do with those sticky Toyota gas pedals? Could this be his latest brainstorm to boost sales at General Motors? Just wonderin’.
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column below "links."
Comments like "I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody" should have given most Americans an early indication of what was coming from the guy. America has been based on self reliance, or as Bill O’Reilly opines "each individual succeeds by understanding obligations and doing what is necessary to fulfill them. The government cannot drag us through life’s daily challenges making sure we are all okay."
The prez has had to apologize more than once. On the Jay Leno show last March he replied to Leno’s question about his bowling game with "It’s like...It was like Special Olympics or something." Hey advisers, where are you when the prez needs you? Maybe he got the idea for that comment from another genius, Tiger Woods, who once said after a bad shot that he "hit the ball like a retard." Ouch!
Now that he seems to "get it" that Americans are not interested in his Obamacare health reform, he has started to concentrate more on adding jobs to the economy, although, based on his comments this week and last year, probably not in Las Vegas. In February of ‘09 the prez said companies that received stimulus money "...can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas...on the taxpayer’s dime." That’s reasonable enough but did he have to say "Las Vegas" thus entering into a controversy? LV mayor Goodman demanded an apology which I don’t believe was tendered.
In May of ‘09, Obama returned to Vegas and said "It’s good to be back in Vegas. Everyone should have a piece of the Las Vegas dream and the American dream." Huh? His reason for being in Vegas at that time: a fund raiser for Harry Reid. Poor Harry.
Let’s fast forward to two days ago (2-2-10). In New Hampshire, the prez said "When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you are trying to save for college." This is the same guy who said last month in Massachusetts that "Anyone can buy a truck." They can?
With his latest faux pas, even Reid is upset saying that "The President needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn’t be spending their money." Senator Ensign and Representative Heller are equally adamant.
Let’s review: Americans should tighten their belts and not go to Las Vegas. They shouldn’t buy boats but trucks are all right. I guess those folks who spent millions at the car auctions in Scottsdale should stop that too since those cars are really toys and not very useful. And, you people with ski trips planned to Colorado? Better cancel those, a waste of money.
Let’s do sensible things like fly an entourage on 15 planes to Copenhagen and waste money on the impossible dream of Chicago getting the 2016 Olympics. How about wanting to try terrorists in New York for a cost of millions? How about the president’s wife needing a staff of 22 at a cost of $1.5 million per year? Other first ladies got by with one or two assistants and Mamie Eisenhower paid hers out of Ike’s salary. The list goes on, but you get the point.
Do you ever wonder if Obama had something to do with those sticky Toyota gas pedals? Could this be his latest brainstorm to boost sales at General Motors? Just wonderin’.
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blog" in the right column below "links."
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
"Cigarettes and Catholics" in film
Motion pictures are a barometer of the public mood. Examples are some of the films from the late 60s which reflect the mood and culture of that time. The Trip (1967) and Easy Rider (1969) come to mind.
Another distinctive era is the one I call the age of "cigarettes and Catholics." That era existed between about 1936 and 1959. It was a time when the actors smoked enough cigarettes to make you feel as though you had puffed a carton of Camel regulars by the time you walked out of the theater.
Cigarettes were used to create a mood. If a guy was walking to the electric chair, one of his last wishes was to have that final cig. If a soldier was dying in a war film, he was usually given a cig for a bit of comfort before he said his last words.
In today’s films, sex is usually open and no big deal. In the 1940s, cigarettes were frequently used to convey sex and romance. In this short clip from Now, Voyager(1942), you can see a good example of this as Paul Henreid lights two cigs at once, then hands one to Bette Davis. It’s pretty mild stuff now (no pun) but that scene has become a historical highlight of romance on film. On a sad note, Humphrey Bogart smoked his way through a lot of movies until their effects caught up with him at age 57. He made a living for many years though using a cigarette as a prop.
As far as the Catholic influence on films, it was strong through the Catholic Legion of Decency. The Legion started condemning and approving films for its flock in the early 1930s and did so until the late 70s. If they didn’t like a film, it was condemned with the dreaded "C" rating. Films included on their list were Some Like it Hot (1959) and Psycho (1960), two classics. Growing up in a heavily Catholic city, I knew a lot of people who actually subscribed to the condemned list.
In 1944, the Best Film Oscar went to Going My Way, a heavily Catholic film starring Bing Crosby as a priest. In 1943 Jennifer Jones won a Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Song of Bernadette, once again a Catholic film. Another approved Catholic influenced film was Boy’s Town (1938) starring Spencer Tracy who made a pretty good living playing priests.
I’m sure that during the cigarettes and Catholics era, the cigarette companies paid plenty to have their products saturating films. As far as Hollywod editing films to satisfy the Catholic interpretation of how people should live their lives, they probably figured that it was worth the trouble to satisfy the large Catholic audiences of those times.
Today, that era represents a time long gone. The movies were great and I still enjoy them but today we don’t have to worry about a particular religion telling us what we can and can’t see. As far as smoking, fortunately the movies never influenced me into that habit.
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under "links."
Another distinctive era is the one I call the age of "cigarettes and Catholics." That era existed between about 1936 and 1959. It was a time when the actors smoked enough cigarettes to make you feel as though you had puffed a carton of Camel regulars by the time you walked out of the theater.
Cigarettes were used to create a mood. If a guy was walking to the electric chair, one of his last wishes was to have that final cig. If a soldier was dying in a war film, he was usually given a cig for a bit of comfort before he said his last words.
In today’s films, sex is usually open and no big deal. In the 1940s, cigarettes were frequently used to convey sex and romance. In this short clip from Now, Voyager(1942), you can see a good example of this as Paul Henreid lights two cigs at once, then hands one to Bette Davis. It’s pretty mild stuff now (no pun) but that scene has become a historical highlight of romance on film. On a sad note, Humphrey Bogart smoked his way through a lot of movies until their effects caught up with him at age 57. He made a living for many years though using a cigarette as a prop.
As far as the Catholic influence on films, it was strong through the Catholic Legion of Decency. The Legion started condemning and approving films for its flock in the early 1930s and did so until the late 70s. If they didn’t like a film, it was condemned with the dreaded "C" rating. Films included on their list were Some Like it Hot (1959) and Psycho (1960), two classics. Growing up in a heavily Catholic city, I knew a lot of people who actually subscribed to the condemned list.
In 1944, the Best Film Oscar went to Going My Way, a heavily Catholic film starring Bing Crosby as a priest. In 1943 Jennifer Jones won a Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Song of Bernadette, once again a Catholic film. Another approved Catholic influenced film was Boy’s Town (1938) starring Spencer Tracy who made a pretty good living playing priests.
I’m sure that during the cigarettes and Catholics era, the cigarette companies paid plenty to have their products saturating films. As far as Hollywod editing films to satisfy the Catholic interpretation of how people should live their lives, they probably figured that it was worth the trouble to satisfy the large Catholic audiences of those times.
Today, that era represents a time long gone. The movies were great and I still enjoy them but today we don’t have to worry about a particular religion telling us what we can and can’t see. As far as smoking, fortunately the movies never influenced me into that habit.
To leave a comment, click "Jim's azcentral Blogs" in the right column under "links."
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A little movie quiz
I enjoy quotes from movies and many of them have become standards. Those of you who read my pieces know I use them all the time as I feel many can be important in proving a point. (Who can forget Marlon Brando with his "Stella!!!" from the Tennessee Williams classic of 1951, A Streetcar Named Desire). Although my main area of expertise is the movies made from 1930-1950, there were some great ones made after that which can’t be ignored.
There is no way I can write off films like Touch of Evil (1958), the Orson Welles film noir masterpiece, Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot, or Hitchcock’s North By Northwest, Psycho, and Vertigo, all made between 1958 and 1960 and masterpieces themselves. Those films were a wake up call to Hollywood after the bad biblical color extravaganzas of the early 1950s which were made strictly to fight off the intrusion of that new threat: TELEVISION!
As it turned out, television and the movies learned to co-exist although one way the movie studios survived was by getting into TV production. Some of you may remember the Warner Brothers’ TV hits of the ‘50s like 77 Sunset Strip and Maverick.
Here is a 5 question movie quote quiz for you: I have taken these from famous films made between 1967 and 1992 except one which is a classic line by a classic actress from a 1950s film. I did not get these from research, I pridefully know them from memory. All five quotes are on YouTube so I will give you links to check your answers after you have written them. See if you can tell me the movie name, and the actor saying the line. Good luck and don’t check YouTube until AFTER you have written your answers! If you are still stumped after the clips, check out IMDB.
1. "Put that coffee down! Coffee is for closers only!" (Answer)
2. "What we've got here is failure to communicate." (Answer)
3. "Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night." (Answer)
4. "Here’s JOHNNY!" (Answer)
5. "That’s not a knife. THAT’S a knife!" (Answer)
How did you do?
To leave a comment or read the other 29 comments posted, click "Jim's azcentral blogs" in the right column under links.
There is no way I can write off films like Touch of Evil (1958), the Orson Welles film noir masterpiece, Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot, or Hitchcock’s North By Northwest, Psycho, and Vertigo, all made between 1958 and 1960 and masterpieces themselves. Those films were a wake up call to Hollywood after the bad biblical color extravaganzas of the early 1950s which were made strictly to fight off the intrusion of that new threat: TELEVISION!
As it turned out, television and the movies learned to co-exist although one way the movie studios survived was by getting into TV production. Some of you may remember the Warner Brothers’ TV hits of the ‘50s like 77 Sunset Strip and Maverick.
Here is a 5 question movie quote quiz for you: I have taken these from famous films made between 1967 and 1992 except one which is a classic line by a classic actress from a 1950s film. I did not get these from research, I pridefully know them from memory. All five quotes are on YouTube so I will give you links to check your answers after you have written them. See if you can tell me the movie name, and the actor saying the line. Good luck and don’t check YouTube until AFTER you have written your answers! If you are still stumped after the clips, check out IMDB.
1. "Put that coffee down! Coffee is for closers only!" (Answer)
2. "What we've got here is failure to communicate." (Answer)
3. "Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night." (Answer)
4. "Here’s JOHNNY!" (Answer)
5. "That’s not a knife. THAT’S a knife!" (Answer)
How did you do?
To leave a comment or read the other 29 comments posted, click "Jim's azcentral blogs" in the right column under links.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)