MAG"S HAM BUN BUNCH AND THE SCOTTSDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Hi Everyone,

The September issues of IMAGES AZ magazine are now available online and are being mailed to 50,000 homes in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

I have two stories published this month.  One relates to The Mag’s Ham Bun Bunch which is an organization of movers and shakers in the Scottsdale area that have been meeting to just basically “shoot the bull” since 1953.  They consider themselves a group where conversations are conducted with  a “no hassles camaraderie.”  To read, click http://imagesaz.com/magazine then click on the box to the right that says “North Scottsdale” and go to page 22.

My other story deals with the evolution of the Scottsdale Fire Department from a leased venture in the early 1950s to a city owned streamlined modern department today.  To read go to http://imagesaz.com/magazine and click the magazine cover on the right that says “Grayhawk” and go to page 34.

Thanks for stopping by.  Leave comments if you wish on the blog page at jmcallister.blogspot.com.

   Chief Tom Shannon, Scottsdale fire Department



                               Part of Scottsdale's modern fleet of fire trucks

                               

ARIZONA'S A-1 BEER AND SOME NORTH SCOTTSDALE HISTORY

Hi Everyone,

The August issue of IMAGES AZ magazine for north Scottsdale Cave Creek, Carefree, Grayhawk is being mailed to local homes and is also available online.

I have two stories in this month's issue:  One relates the history of Arizona's A-1 beer; a product that was popular in Arizona  from the 1930s into the 1950s when competition got the best of them.  

The other story relates some history of an area in north Scottsdale as seen through the eyes of two brothers who grew up there in the 1950s and 1960s.  It's poignant, funny, and a good example of life in Arizona from the past.

I hope you enjoy this month's efforts.  To read click here and page through to see my stories and others published this month.

Hi Everyone,

The latest issue of Images AZ  magazine is now available online for those who do not receive it in the mail.

I have a story this month in the Carefree, Cave Creek, North Scottsdale edition  that gives a look back to a place called the Arizona Falls.  It is an interesting bit of history that you will enjoy relating to the growth of Scottsdale and the founding of Glendale because of the work of a guy named William J. Murphy in the late 19th century.

The story is located on page 48-49.  Thanks for reading Images.

Click here.

Thanks,

Jim

.

Hi Everyone,

The June edition of Images is being mailed this week or you can read it online.

This month I have written three stories which I hope you enjoy:  A look at historic SkyRanch Airport in Carefree, a remembrance of two great Scottsdale pioneers; John Curry and Don Pablo, and you can learn about “Wild At Heart,” a sanctuary in Cave Creek for the care, love, and eventual release of owls run by the dedicated Bob Fox and his wife.

I hope you enjoy all three stories and thanks for reading.

Copy URL here to read.  http://imagesaz.com/magazine/2

Jim McAllister

IMAGES magazine, May 2014

I have been doing stories for Images magazine for the last few months.  Here is the latest edition (May, 2014).  I have four stories this month:  A tribute to Memorial Day, A tribute to the Stoneman Road, K. T. Palmer and the founding of Carefree, The founding of Desert Ranch in north Scottsdale.

To read, copy URL  here:  http://imagesaz.com/magazine/2

Thanks,

Jim

THE AUCTION OF ORSON WELLES

                                             
The daughter of Orson Welles lives in Sedona.  Her name is Beatrice, she is 59 years old, and is the offspring of Welles and his third and last wife, Paola Mori. 

Beatrice has decided to auction off several items from Welles’ estate because she thinks they would be better off in the hands of those who appreciate Welles’ work rather than gathering dust in a museum.  Since she lives in Sedona, I assume she is not destitute and selling the stuff just to get some dough.  Her reasoning makes sense too.  I’m sure there are still many Orson Welles fans around who will appreciate his mementos.

There may be some who never heard of Orson Welles.  For those who fit that category, it’s all right since Welles died in 1985 at age 70 and I realize that for many younger movie fans, nothing happened before their lifetimes.  They are still mesmerized by Donnie Walberg and Leonardo DiCaprio.

I admit that Welles was an acquired taste for many but he did enough in his lifetime to gain fame and produce a lot of great films.   He also scared the hell out of a lot of people on Halloween night, October 30, 1938 when he and his Mercury Theater players did a radio version of H. G. Wells’ sci-fi classic, “The War of the Worlds.”  Most of the six million who tuned into that broadcast knew it was a spoof but enough thought it was real enough to cause quite a stir.

If I was to choose some favorite films by Welles I would start with probably his greatest:   “Citizen Kane” (1941).  Although William Randolph Hearst’s name is never used in the film, Charles Foster Kane showed a remarkable resemblance to Hearst while Dorothy Comingore resembled his lover, actress Marion Davies. 

Booth Tarkington’s “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1942) is another fine Welles’ film with a great cast consisting of Agnes Moorehead, Welles (as narrator), Joseph Cotten and other stars of the day.  Unfortunately, after Welles completed the film and was working on another project, his studio (RKO) sweetened the ending of that film which was a big mistake.

In 1949, Welles starred in “The Third Man” which may have been his best acting role as the evil Harry Lime.  The use of a zither for the background music is haunting and adds a lot to the suspense.  A beautiful and young Alida Valli isn’t hard on the eyes either.  She was quite a dish!

In 1958, “Touch of Evil” was released and portrayed Welles as an aging, blustering, crooked police officer in a small Mexican border town (actually filmed in Venice, California).  Welles is outstanding among a cast that includes Janet Leigh and Charlton Heston in the unbelievable role as a Mexican narcotics officer!

Even if Ms Welles is selling out for the money, I doubt if her father would mind.  Orson Welles once said: “I am essentially a hack, a commercial person.  If I had a hobby, I would immediately make money on it or abandon it.”                                                          


Orson Welles (R) and Joseph Cotten in "The
Third Man" (1949)

OVERUSED WORDS AND A SHORT RANT

Is it me or is the word “awesome” becoming the most overused word in the English language?  Everything seems to be “awesome!”  these days.  For those old enough to remember, awesome was also one of the most overused words in the late 1980s.  Occasionally, I also still hear girls say “like” but not as much as I used to thank God.  Then there is the old standby “cool” which has managed to survive many generations from the early 1950s on.  It has outlived Elvis, James Dean, The Beatles, Disco, Michael Jackson, and many others.  Hey, now THAT’s cool!

How much would you pay to see a “no holds barred” fight in the ring between Putin and Obama?  It would be the highest rated event in the history of television and my guess is that more Americans would probably root for Putin if for no other reason than he is a man going against a pseudo-man.  One thing I DO know is that Putin could take the impostor in one round in spite of giving away six inches in height.  Obama is a laughing stock as he has once again reinforced his image as a wimp with the sorry sanctions he levied against some Russian officials.  Can you imagine President Eisenhower being referred to as a “prankster” by government officials in Russia?

Liberals believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all.  It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.  Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need.  Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems.

 Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense.  Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals.  Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.

The above definitions of Liberal and Conservative come from the “Student News Daily” and are pretty accurate.  Today, because of many changes in demographics we are seeing the domination of the Liberals.  We have too many addicted to the government dole who have no incentive to leave the cozy confines of government freebies.  They don’t have to think on their own as the government will always be there for them with their handouts.  They love hearing about the possibility of a minimum wage of $10.10 since they don’t have to do anything to earn it.  They are so enamored of that thought that they don’t realize that along with that increase would be lost jobs and higher goods costs which mean higher retail prices.  But, hey!  I got a free phone.

There was a time when the current system would have no chance.  Pride prevented the average person from thinking about government freebies.  There were other organizations like churches that helped the poor get by until they could get back on their feet.  Businesses had more freedoms which allowed them to expand causing more job creation and better benefits for employees.  The bad news for the freebie lovers was that they had to work to get ahead; a very disagreeable requirement for many.  They would rather hear a pseudo president crow about “We want those rich folks to pay more in taxes!”  Tax the makers and give to the takers.  November is coming; cross your fingers that this country wakes up.

THIS, THAT, AND OTHER THINGS

                              Has anyone seen this?  I copied it from Walt Armour's site on 
                                Google+. "Who's body did Vogue use to stick that head?"

I have been writing this blog since 2005.  Google tells me that it has had 134,993 visits derived from 673 posts. That breaks down to about 200 per blog which seems a bit high but who am I to dispute Google? Regardless, thanks to everyone who has been reading my rants for past 9 years.

Those numbers don't include the 5 years of AZ Central blogs from 2006 to 2011.  That was a good deal until nastiness took over and the Republic switched over to Facebook to screen comments.  Big mistake! Who wants to have their comments screened and purified?  The whole point of comments is for everyone to let it all hang out.  Needless to say, the Facebook experiment was a failure.

John Callow, also known as PROUD is now doing a new blog.  John is a good guy so read what he has to say on his WordPress blog.  Hey, John:  Post your URL here so someone can read your stuff!

I have been writing some articles for the last couple months for  Images AZ  magazine.  They put out what I call "shiny magazines" and are available in various northern parts of the Valley like Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Anthem, Grayhawk, Tramonto, etc.  To see them online google "Images AZ" magazine then click the edition you want.  I have had some stories in the Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Carefree editions during February and March with more scheduled for April.

My favorite quote of the day:  "I think Putin is playing chess, and I think we're playing marbles. And I don't think it's even close." House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Michigan.  

But, Mike, Didn't BO tell Medvedev that he can be more flexible after he was re-elected?  By the way, What's the latest about Snowden?

JM

LAST DRINKS WITH W.C. FIELDS' 'NEPHEW'

by Rip Rense

(Originally published in the Los Angeles Times)

"In youth I wassailed neighb'ring pubs,
but now reflect on friends gone by."
--from In Repose, by Will Fowler 


I went to visit a waning landmark the other day, in the company of a living landmark. It's an elegant way to witness history.

The landmark I visited was Chasen's Restaurant in West Hollywood. The landmark that took me there was 72-year-old Will Fowler. Chasen's, of course, is one of the last of the great old L.A. celebrity restaurants. Fowler is one of the last of the great old L.A. reporters. In Japan, both would be declared national treasures.

To explain the historical importance of Chasen's, which closes tomorrow after 58 years (operating cost, not popularity, is the culprit), one could merely fill this entire space with the names of people who have held it dear. A brief sample: Clark Gable, Barbara Stanwyck, William Powell, Greer Garson, Alan Ladd, Jerry Colonna, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Laurence Harvey, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, David Niven, Jimmy Stew- art, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ethel Barrymore, Walter Cronkite, Leo Carillo, Howard Hughes, Presidents John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan. . .

To explain the historical importance of Will Fowler, one could write a book---but then, Fowler already has. To read his autobiographical The Second Handshake and Reporters: Memoirs of a Young Newspaperman, is to wonder about a voraciously-lived life that has touched almost as many diverse and remarkable figures as Chasen's.

Consider these rather varied Fowler resume items: while in his late teens, lived with and cared for a declining John Barrymore for six months; smoked cigars with W. C. Fields at age 13; studied orchestration with Ferde "Grand Canyon Suite" Grofe; wrote a hit song for Doris Day ('He's So Married'); acted in B-movies in the 40's; while working for the old L.A. Examiner, was the first reporter on the scene of the so-called "Black Dahlia" murder Jan. 15, 1947; news director for George Putnam at KTTV in 1960; comedy writer for Red Skelton; Jack Dempsey's godson; was "one of the best of the great barroom fighters," as another of the last of the great old L.A. reporters,   L.A. Times columnist  Jack Smith, said of his long-ago colleague in Reporters.

In the late 1930s, young Fowler drank plenty of martinis at Chasen's, which was, more or less, a cozy diner presided over by the be- loved ex-Vaudevillian founder, Dave Chasen, and his gorgeous wife, Maude. Into this homey atmosphere, thick with the aromas of new-lit cigars and burbling chili, regularly retreated members of a kind of round table of somewhat battered wayward knights: principally Barrymore, Fields, artist John Decker, writers James Thurber, Ben Hecht, Robert Benchley, boxing great Dempsey, legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice, directors John Ford and Leo McCarey, pie-faced actor Jack Oakie, actor Thomas Mitchell---and the man who usually brought them together, Gene Fowler.

Gene Fowler, of course, was the fabulous Hearst newspaperman and Hollywood screenwriter who became one of the most revered authors of his time. He was also Will's pop, and, as Will still reverently proclaims, "my friend."

These mythified figures, whose achievements and characters are barely comprehensible to today's generation, enjoyed their privacy, and their alcohol---two items liberally provided by the kindred host of their round table, Dave Chasen. Will was the group's sturdy 'designated driver'---as he was mine, one recent evening when we went to Chasen's to bid farewell to this one-time sanctuary, and any of its lingering ghosts.

"It's like looking at a Roman ruins with the extra stuff put on, like the Sphinx with a new neck," said Fowler, surveying through trifocals the glittering palace that the modern Chasen's has become. "You want to see it as it was; you want to go back. You're reaching out, but your arms aren't quite long enough."

Fowler couldn't even find the entrance anymore; we sort of lurched in through the kitchen, like a couple of big-shots accustomed to the back way. We were nonetheless smartly greeted---not, sadly, by Dave Chasen, who passed away 25 years ago---but by a dapper young gentleman named Scott McKay, who turned out to be Chasen's grandson.

"Some of the employees swear that late at night, they still smell Grampy's pipe smoke," said Scott, who told us he holds out hope that a smaller, more intimate version of Chasen's might return to the development that will soon occupy the Beverly Boulevard site. "I believe he's watching over this place, and would understand what's happening now."

Scott poured Fowler a glass of brut, then escorted us straightto the heart of the restaurant, Dave's very office, where his dearest friends were often invited to dine. Many of those very friends were still on hand---smiling deathlessly from black-and-white photographs that left barely an empty space on the old pine-panelled walls. Chasen himself grinned from one, proudly frying burgers in the original kitchen.

"Here's Uncle Claude! My God!" Fowler suddenly exclaimed, spying an amateurishly printed, grainy old photo of a shirtless W. C. Fields, posing as a boxer. Fowler, who by his own admission has come to rather resemble Fields, is living dis-proof of the great comic's fabled hatred of young people; W. C. so admired the teenager's alacrity with gin and cigars that he anointed him honorary nephew, even permiting use of his hated middle name.

"You know what? I took this picture!" said Fowler, barely believing his memory. "It was in his house on DeMille Drive. Uncle Claude had a punching bag. I had a hell of a time getting him to take his shirt off. Gee, that's amazing. That knocks me out. I printed that thing myself, when I was a kid! About 1938. It's been here all these years."

He stared at the photo long and hard, almost as if waiting for Fields to unleash that permanently cocked left jab. "Uncle Claude and I were sitting here with Ben Hecht one night," Fowler continued, "and Ben told the story of a guy in Chicago being executed, who insisted that he be allowed to wear full tails and tie. When they were ready to put the noose around his neck, they asked him if he had any last words. He said, 'Not at this time.' And Uncle Claude went crazy. He thought that was absolutely marvelous."

McKay graciously left us to commune with other spirits that might be present, there in what 91-year-old Maude Chasen still calls the restaurant's 'inner sanctum.' Fowler's thoughts, however, kept coming back to his long-missed Uncle Claude, and another honorary uncle, Barrymore. Random observations spilled out, almost as if talking about the departed figures might conjure them up. (I looked over my shoulder more than once.) Both men, he recalled, would enthuse effusively about esoteric cuisines, but like many tragically dedicated alcoholics, rarely partook of solids. Fields, in particular, championed Chasen's crepe suzette, yet usually left it untouched: "He just didn't want it to interfere with the alcohol."

"And Jack Barrymore," Fowler added, "loved to read cookbooks, but he would never eat! I'm famished when I drink. That's probably while I'm still alive. After I drink, I love to eat." He hoisted his champagne glass. "Cheers!"

Chasen's-as-refuge cannot be more poignantly---or amusingly--- illustrated than with Fowler's account of rescuing a Barrymore as ravaged by marriage as the bottle:

"Barrymore used to call his wives his bus accidents. When he was married to his fourth wife, Elaine, we drove to his house, off Benedict Canyon. We went in---Tommy Mitchell, John Decker, Pop and me---and Jack came down to answer the front door. He was wearing the bathrobe he wore in 'Topaze,' and Pop said, 'We've come to rescue you.' He didn't even take off his bathrobe. We brought him here! And that's how we got him away from his wife. It was just like getting him out of prison."

The memories eventually seemed to surround Fowler, his words unable to keep pace with the images on the walls, and in his mind. Mile- stones were relegated to a scant sentence. It was in Chasen's, he announced, that Gene Fowler---author of the lovingly penned Barrymore biography, Good Night, Sweet Prince---insisted on filling out the actor's death certificate himself. He somehow substituted gentle and touching prose for the chillingly detached patois of the physician. It was also in Chasen's, Fowler noted, that his father drafted the tribute to W. C. Fields published in theHollywood Reporter Dec. 27, 1946. A still fresh-looking copy of the ad hung in the office, in part proclaiming: "To the most authentic humorist since Mark Twain, to the greatest heart that has beaten since the middle ages---W. C. Fields, our friend." And it was in Chasen's office that Will and his mother dined with Dave shortly after the passing of Gene Fowler in 1960.

"It's a strange thing," Fowler offered, with the tone of a benediction, "to be hit with all these things attacking your memory at once. It gives you such a wonderful, warm, melancholy feeling."

With that, we left the office and its paper-thin haunts, took in the celebrated Thurber sketches in the men's room (delightfully ribald), then adjourned to a table famously reserved for the explosive, unpredictable theatrical agent of bygone times, Billy Grady. There, we did what you're supposed to do at Chasen's: drink, have some freewheeling, sincere, and inconsequential conversation (ours covered the spectacular late 20th century spoiling of earthly paradise, and the symphonies of Bruckner), and eat some of the justifiably famed chili. From other tables, more typical specimens of the evening's clientele, dressed to the nines (I would rank our wardrobe somewhere around the fives) seemed to regard us with something akin to wariness and disdain, like dogs that sense a coyote isn't quite canine.

We opted to slip out as the nattier crowd thickened, and in an exit that seemed somehow appropriate for a couple guys who came in through the kitchen, we headed for the front door. There, seeming to bid us adieu, was the John Decker oil portrait of Fields-as-Queen Victoria. Resplendent in regal gown and jewels, Uncle Claude haughtily scowled over the perfumed heads of chi-chi folk crowding in for a last Chasen's meal.

Fowler sniffed, assessed the scene, and in a line worthy of Fields, or possibly the author he so admired, Charles Dickens, declared: "A collection of strangers in a stolen hermit crab seashell."

And as my designated driver proceeded to cruise L.A. streets through which he once escorted grander guests, I couldn't help but think that Dave Chasen's little diner had, for a final time, offered sanctuary to the last of those somewhat battered wayward knights of long ago.

(Copyright Rip Rense, 2002)

Thanks to reader "Randy" for the submission of the above.  Great memories about guys from the "old" Hollywood.  They were quite a group compared to now.  I can't imagine Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mark Wahlberg even getting cast in the days of guys like Errol Flynn, John Barrymore, and Clark Gable.  JM

John Barrymore, (1882-1942)

A NEW BOOK, SOME FAVE MUSICIANS, AND "GO, REDSKINS!"

Fifteen individual musicians or groups that I liked who I wish were still popular and/or still alive:  Roy Orbison, James Brown, Chicago, Three Dog Night, Joe Walsh, Roy Buchanan, Phil Collins, Supertramp, Journey, Jefferson Starship, Norman Greenbaum, The Clash, Duran Duran,  Greg Kihn Band, and Blondie.  There are more but you get the point.  The music of today can’t touch the old stuff……….For anyone who is wondering, the answer is no, M. C. Hammer didn’t have a chance to make the list……….What would you do if you were Amanda Knox?  She was guilty, not guilty, and guilty again.  If I was her I would cancel any vacation to Italy and buy some glasses with the nose and mustache attached and head straight for underneath Funk and Wagnall’s porch………Here is a shocker:  NBC and their cohorts at MSNBC have reached the top of the list of networks that people don’t trust.  Gee, really? They always seem so open minded and classy!……….Great line sent from my buddy Allen in New Hampshire:  “Hmmmmmm….and yet another day has passed and I didn’t use Algebra once. Very interesting.”  I flunked it twice in high school but they gave me a “D” the second time since I showed up for class every day in summer school.  I’m glad I never needed it!..……….One has to wonder how Carnival ship cruises stay in business.  Another one had to scram back to port in Houston last Friday because of a virus outbreak that had everyone spewing from both ends.  Last week a Royal Caribbean ship had the same problem and I don’t know if they ever did get that cruise ship off its side in Italy a couple years ago.  With these incidents I think there are some good cruise deals out there but you may want to take your own provisions and a good life vest………If you know much about past American presidents you probably know that Calvin Coolidge was one of the quietest guys to ever live in Washington.  The man who was the pride of Vermont simply never had much to say but the nation grew fond of his peculiarities and often exaggerated them.  In one often told story it is said that a woman sitting next to Coolidge at a Washington dinner gushed “Mr.  President, my friend bet me that I wouldn’t get you to say three words tonight.”  Supposedly Coolidge replied, “You lose.”……….That story comes from a fine book by Bill Bryson that anyone who appreciates the history of the United States will enjoy.  It’s titled “One Summer, America, 1927”………Here is some good news:  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the Washington Redskins nickname has been ''presented in a way that honors Native Americans.''  I hope that statement puts a stop to the nonsense that the name “Redskins” is demeaning to the Native American culture.  Some people need to acquire a sense of humor and not take themselves so serious.……….This response to Obama’s State of the Union is from Robert Robb of the Arizona Republic:   “The speech itself, however, demonstrated what a spent political force Obama has become.  He may as well have been wearing a sign saying “I’m a lame duck.”……….Finally:  If you live near Cave Creek, north Scottsdale, Grayhawk, Carefree or anywhere in the vicinity of those places where the Images AZ  magazine is in store racks or mailed, I have a story in the February edition about a interesting bit of history in north Scottsdale.  Check it out if you can.  See ya!

WHAT? PAY FOR YOUTUBE?, KOOKIE, AND CORRECT USE OF "COOL"

Edd "Kookie"  Byrnes (c. 1959)
Of "77 Sunset Strip," ABC-TV hit
from 1958-1964.  Cooool!                                   

I do not “Tweet” and I do not “Facebook.”  Most of the stuff on those sites are boring to me; especially Twitter.  Reading 140 characters about Kim’s unhappiness with the public for not liking her latest gown or that Miley has increased her slut personality after years as a cute kid on Disney, does not interest me.  Do you care what Dennis Rodman has to say?  Me either.  However, this Tweet from some guy in Phoenix during the recent arctic temperatures around the country is pretty good:  “I’m a little chilly here in AZ today…oh, wait, no I’m not.  Sorry, rest of America!”……..Money can’t buy you brains department:  J. R. Smith, who plays for the N. Y. Knicks in the NBA, was recently fined $50,000 for “unsportsmanlike conduct” because he continuously likes to untie opponent’s shoestrings during free throw attempts.   It’s another example of how some sports stars have plenty of money but no class or brains……..Steven Seagal for Arizona Governor? He says he has an interest but I don’t see it happening……..This had to happen I guess:  There is a possibility that charges may be incurred for items brought up on the internet.  It is compared to cable companies charging for premium programming like HBO and could affect your viewing of popular YouTubes and other items.  So, you know that great YouTube video of Black Sabbath you watch regularly on your computer?  It may cost  to watch it in the future.  Stay tuned……..Is John McCain losing his mind?  Of course he is; he is looking for contributions to his campaign for 2016.  Maybe he can get some Democrat votes but the Republicans in AZ have basically told him where he can stuff his aspirations.   Are you listening, Jeff Flake?........In my Air Force and college days in the 60’s I loved to drink beer.  I was a Falstaff and Schlitz man for many years until they disappeared.  Hamm’s was big in Missouri as Della Reese sang about the glory of it being “from the land of sky blue waters.”  Has anyone seen a bottle of Hamm’s lately?  I didn’t think so although I hear that Miller brews it now.  Budweiser is owned by a Belgian company and my treat of a six pack of Rolling Rock on a 1960’s Friday night disappeared when I heard it is now brewed in Newark, New Jersey instead of the home of Arnold Palmer, Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  Newark?  Please!  Thomas Wolfe was right:  “You can’t go home again.”……..It hurts my ears to hear the way a lot of people try to use terminology from the days of my generation; especially the use of the word “cool.”  Unless you remember the late 50’s or early 60’s, forget about that sacred word.  I hear people use a clipped version all the time as if they are trying to remember it from a dream where they spent an evening in 1959 at Dino’s Lodge on the Sunset Strip with Edd “Kookie” Byrnes but can’t quite pull it off.   “Cool” had to be pronounced “Coooooool” to savor the true meaning of the word.  It could also be added to something that was REALLY cool by adding “sville” to the end as in “That ’57 T-bird is strictly “coooolsville” especially when driven by that cooool blond from Santa Monica.”  Keep practicing that and someday you may actually be cooool………Will there be more grammar lessons on my next blog?  Maybe, so don’t get over confident………Closing thought:  Do you remember the pop hit "Kookie, Kookie, lend me your comb!"?  Do you remember who recorded it?........ Adios for now.  JM

NFL GREED, A GREAT NEW BOOK, AND MORE

Anne Hillerman takes over for father Tony with "Spider Woman's Daughter"

Cruisin’ and perusin’ on a January afternoon in warm Scottsdale.  I see where Boston has 14”of snow; too bad!……..Thanks to everyone who has commented favorably on the blog getting back to the old format.  It’s almost like when the blogs started at AZ Central on December 5, 2006.  If they hadn’t cancelled them we would be starting our 8^th year.  Actually we are; it’s just not called AZ Central anymore.  Too bad in a way; I have always missed having readers being able to post photos or other items………Speaking of snow I see where three of the four NFL teams in the playoffs this weekend have been unable to sell all their tickets in order to avoid a local blackout of TV coverage.  I think a lot of it is about greed.  The public can only take so much and when parking, refreshments, tickets, and souvenirs get priced too high there will eventually be a backlash.  Plus, unless you are like 109,000 hockey fans who sat in 12 degrees plus snow this week for the NHL Winter Classic game, wouldn’t you rather watch football from the comfort of a bar or your living room on a large flat screen TV? Someone must agree; Green Bay can’t even sell out as of this writing.  I guess they forget the great “Ice Bowl” game of 1967.  Too bad “Dandy Don” Meredith and Bart Starr can’t play anymore……..Has anyone been reading the “Seeing Red” blog that I have mentioned before?  If you like a conservative political point of view from a good Phoenix writer, check it out……..If you are a Tony Hillerman fan who enjoyed his mysteries involving the Navajo Tribal Police in Arizona and New Mexico, there is good news!  Tony unfortunately died in 2008 at 83 but his daughter Anne has taken his place continuing the Navajo police stories.  I’m 73 pages into her first book and she writes just like her dad……..We’ve seen the demise of newspapers up close with the decrease in the circulation and size of the Arizona Republic.  A couple months ago they cut the payroll by 29 more people in addition to two earlier personnel cuts.  The neighborhood inserts have been cut to three per week and have fewer pages.  It’s not as though they were doing that well anyway since as early as 1942, 73% of Americans relied on radio for news and as early as 1933, radio commentators were ordered not to report news that was less than 12 hours old in order to justify the need for newspapers.  Why?  Because ONE FOURTH of all radio stations were owned by newspapers!  It all seems a bit quaint now as we watch some formerly great papers go down the tubes.  Is it progress?  In some cases, yes……..What would Benson would do if the Republic folded?……..I did a blog a couple weeks ago about the great radio and TV show “Amos ‘n’ Andy” that ran on radio from 1928-1960 and TV from 1951-1953.  Strangely, that blog with its accompanying film clip has disappeared from Google.  Is this big brother at work?  I don’t care what anyone says; it was a popular show enjoyed by blacks and whites and never portrayed black people in any other way than as middle class Harlem residents of their era that had jobs and families and got into funny incidents the same as whites would in a sitcom.  Shame on Google for deleting my post……..Thanks for reading…….. later.

Bart Starr of Green Bay plunges into the end zone for the 

winning  touchdown in -17 degree weather to win the 1967

NFL Championship Game over Dallas. (AP)

SKIMMING THE NEWS, WINCHELL STYLE

Comical headline of the week ending December 6:  “U. S. Unemployment Hits 5 Year Low.”  Obama’s poll numbers are tanking and he just won the Politifact “Lie of the year” award for his infamous “If you like your health plan, you can keep it” comment so why not try to cheer us up with phony employment numbers.  Seasonal part time jobs, hiring of the navigators for Obamacare, and returning workers laid off because of the government shutdown are skewing these numbers to give a false sense of improvement.  Also, 762,000 more people have given up looking for work so they are not counted as unemployed and 41% of the 818,000 new workers were hired by the government.  For the week just ended 68,000 more individuals applied for unemployment benefits, the largest increase in more than a year…..Pro football is already to the point where the next safety rule will probably include the players wearing skirts.  They have basically eliminated kickoff runbacks and tackling has been restricted.  Baseball is joining the same mentality as there is a new rule being considered for 2015 where a runner trying to score can’t barrel into the catcher at home plate.  Pro athletes make millions; if they are afraid of injury risks that come with the job they should try another line of work…..In a February, 2013 survey of 1,000 employed and retired Americans aged 50-70 with $100,000 or more in investable assets, 90% said they had experienced a “retirement derailer” which was a specific circumstance that seriously impacted their retirement plans or reduced their retirement saving (Source:  Ameriprise Financial).  The derailers included taking Social Security too soon, having a career or job loss, having to spend a lot on home repairs, and my favorite:  not getting an anticipated inheritance…..Too bad Hugo Chavez died too soon to see more bowing and scraping by Obama to a foreign despot.  I imagine Raul and Fidel had a good laugh over O’s schmoozing incident in South Africa.  Once again it is proven that common sense can’t be taught; you either have it or you don’t….. As long as we are discussing BO, I’m sure you remember his 2012 declaration that if he “had a son he would look like Trayvon.”   He got the FBI involved and also said of Martin’s parents that “They are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and get to the bottom of exactly what happened.”  Fast forward to the present and listen to the comments by BO concerning the “knockout games” being performed mostly by black youth gangs who sucker punch white strangers just for the fun of it.  Go ahead, BO, tell us your opinion of those atrocities.......go on……Uh, hello?……(I hear crickets).  Why am I not surprised?.....I don’t know about anyone else but I just don’t get the new Sprint TV ads with James Earl Jones and Malcolm McDowell.  If you know what their point is please leave me a comment explaining what point these two great actors are making.  Thanks!  
James Earl Jones and Malcolm McDowell:  What
are these guys talking about?

"A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY"

On December 8, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt addressed Congress: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the empire of Japan."

With that statement describing the attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, this nation was thrust into World War II. The first wave of Japanese aircraft attacked at 7:53 a.m. and by the end of the second wave at 9:45 a.m., the U.S. had suffered casualties of 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians, while 1,178 were wounded.

Of the dead, 1,177 were men stationed on the USS Arizona, which was destroyed when a bomb hit the forward magazine, starting a series of explosions. Eight Arizona residents were listed among the dead on the battleship, which was moored near Ford Island on that dreadful morning 65 years ago.

Today the remains of the Arizona still lie in the same shallow water where she sat helpless during the attack. In 1962, the ship was declared a national shrine and a memorial was built across her remains. A room within the shrine lists the names of the dead crew members, and regular memorial services are performed to respect their memory. A new U.S. flag is raised each day above the site, and at the end of the day is folded and given to various dignitaries.

Time has taken its toll on the memorial and in September, 2005, Governor Janet Napolitano toured the site and pledged Arizona’s help in raising $34 million to build a new visitors’s center. ("Napolitano to help raise $34 million for USS Arizona," The Arizona Republic, Oct. 20, 2005).

"It’s Arizona’s battleship," she said in the article. "When it was commissioned (1916), they broke not just a bottle of champagne over its bow, but a bottle of water that had just come from the newly created Roosevelt Dam. We’ve always had a close connection with the USS Arizona."

Napolitano also declared 2006 as the "Year of the USS Arizona Memorial."

Many of the dead from the Arizona are still entombed within its hulk. Oil still seeps from the wreckage after 65 years and is sometimes referred to as "the tears of the Arizona." Each year the number of survivors decreases and many of them have made arrangements to be cremated with their ashes placed by their fallen shipmates at the site. Many of these men believe that the oil will continue to leak until the last survivor dies.

                                        This column originally posted on December 7, 2011

                                       (The New Pearl Harbor Museum Opened on 12-7-2010)

POTPOURRI IN 500 WORDS

Merry Christmas from the Obama Economy. (left)

Are school officials wimps?  Maybe not in today’s vocabulary but calling off the high school football games in the Phoenix area over the weekend reeks of that word.  Why the cancellations?  The reason given was the fields were too wet.  I’m sorry, but isn’t this football?  Maybe they should start wearing skirts too.  It’s another example of the coddled society we have become…..Flash!  Lindsay Lohan tells Oprah that she is cured of her drug habit.  She has been nailed six times for that rap so is she really cured?  Keep watching “People” magazine to see.  What a twosome:  Oprah is a two faced phony now that she has her millions and Lindsay is a drug head.   Fortunately, the interview was on Oprah’s TV network so no one watched it anyway…..A lady recently wrote a funny letter to the Republic claiming her pride in being a “wacko bird in a country crowded with leftists.”  One example she gave was how the lefties feel the right should be more compassionate and not demand such high standards from school kids.  Well, the left owns the public schools so don’t be surprised when you see grads who “can’t make change, can’t read, and don’t know a thing about the history of our country.”  The lady makes sense; just ask some recent grads some simple questions….. Here is my beef against the public school system:  There are 1,500 third grade kids in Arizona who can’t read properly.  That number does not include new language learners.  How did the 1,500 make it to third grade without reading comprehension? I’m no genius but when I was in grade school I knew how to read effectively after the FIRST GRADE as did most of my class.  Are teachers so compassionate and worried about feelings that they let unqualified kids pass?…..It amazes me that people in the workplace have to be given advice about manners that seem so elementary.  Anna Post is a descendent of the queen of manners, Emily Post (1872-1960) and she knows all there is to know about proper etiquette in the workplace.  Some of her advice seems like common sense but in today’s work environment I guess it is a necessity.  For example, one should stand up when shaking hands with someone.  Also, never text or tweet during a meeting and never answer your cell phone while in a conversation with another person.  It is a glaring sign of disrespect…..  From my experience as a salesman for twenty years, I would add that when making a sales call always dress properly and never mispronounce the buyer’s name…..The Phoenix Suns are doing better than expected but they lack players with the pizzazz the team had when Charles Barkley was playing for them in the 1990’s.  The reporters loved Charles who always had a great line when they needed something to boost a column.  Charles was once asked if the shoes he endorsed were comfortable.  In true Barkley fashion he answered:  “Anytime somebody pays you $2 million to wear something, they’re going to be comfortable.”  Go Charles!

OBAMA WILL NEVER BE FORD OR JOBS

Some people like Barack Obama consider themselves geniuses.  Maybe he is a genius if we count the facts that he has never had to produce a shred of evidence that he is a United States citizen, no one remembers him from several schools like Columbia University that he supposedly attended, and he has gotten away with sealing his records at great cost and the indignation of many.

However, like many pseudo geniuses, Barack may have reached his proverbial Waterloo with his clumsy attempt at turning the United States into his personal version of a socialist state.  The tip of the iceberg began to show with his pronouncements asking “the rich to give a little bit more” of their income to support his government run utopia.  He won that round last year as the Republicans caved for him.

But, like most ego trippers, this time he has gone too far by wanting to change the greatest country in the world into the idealistic state he imagines it to be.   He was bound to be swallowed up eventually by his version of what health insurance in this country should be and now he is finding out that, among others, his own party is admonishing him.  While Benghazi, IRS scandals, Syria, and other follies have weakened his grip on the vulnerable, screwing around with healthcare may be his final step up the ladder toward the peak of the Peter Principle.

Henry Ford and Steve Jobs

 November 15, 2013 may be a day Obama would like to forget as that was the day the Republicans in the House of Representatives won a decisive vote 261-157 on reversing his decision on healthcare implementation.  That total is impressive because 39 Democrats crossed the aisle and voted with Republicans.  Some Dem members of the Senate are getting restless too.  It reinforces that you can fool some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time.

Last year Steve Jobs and his new pal Henry Ford were laughing as they looked down at the lines of people waiting up to eight hours to buy the latest version of Jobs’ iPad.  Since it was midnight, some were sleeping on the sidewalk; others were drinking mass quantities of coffee, while others feverishly played with the previous version of iPad.  Ford was especially impressed that Jobs could invent something that would entice people to wait in line all night to give him money.  As popular as the Model “T” Ford was, the crowds at least waited until daylight before rushing to buy one.

Jobs and Ford were geniuses; they knew how to sell and take advice from experts.  It’s been said that in meetings Obama is the most bored guy in the room.   It shows as he has yet to understand that the United States is a free enterprise country.

WORLD WAR II AMERICA

(I wrote this for my column in a local paper in November of 2005.  I think it is still appropriate for Veteran's Day, 2013)

Can you imagine today’s “I have to have it!” society being placed in a time machine and being transported back to the dark days of World War II?  With today’s attitude of overbuying and waste how would these people handle the teamwork approach to rationing of major consumer items?  It would be interesting to see their reaction to the rallying call of, “If you don’t need it, don’t buy it!”

With the arrival of war on December 7, 1941 a lot of strain was administered to the pipelines of supply and demand.  The war consumed a lot of goods which threatened to cause shortages on the home front so in the spring of 1942 the rationing of items such as most types of food, gasoline, and even clothing was instituted.  Everybody was affected and the way Americans coped with these inconveniences was a testimony to their strong will.

Clubs were formed to work together to maintain supply channels so that the guys fighting on the fronts could have more.  Scrap drives were organized to provide more metal, paper, and rubber.  Many people removed the bumpers from their cars to help that effort.  Recycling was popular as used cans were a good source for ammunition casings.

 

 WWII ration stamps

In order to provide more fresh produce for the troops, many families planted “victory gardens.”  Those gardens provided families with produce so that normal supplies could benefit the soldiers.  It’s estimated that there were over 20 million victory gardens planted on private property providing 40% of America’s produce.  War bonds were sold as a source used to provide funds for the war.  Hollywood played a big part in the sale of bonds as stars entertained around the country to solicit sales.

Rationing was handled through the use of “War Ration Books” that contained stamps used to buy various items like food, gasoline, and tires.  It was a dizzying experience to control but few complained.  The America of the wartime 1940’s had a teamwork discipline.  A common slogan of the time was “Do with less so they will have enough!”

One negative aspect of all this patriotism was the appearance of the “black market.”  By utilizing the black market a person could buy a lot of items that were in short supply even though they would have to pay inflated prices.  It was annoying to those who worked hard to conserve but it still existed to supply those who could afford it.

So there it was:  wartime America.  As always, this country faced up to adversity and made it through.  Although World War II ended in 1945, prosperity was returning by the late 1940’s and the Depression of the 1930’s became just a bad memory.  More women were entering the workplace while the invention of television was making its way into the living rooms of America while sending a chill down the spine of Hollywood.

The 1950’s followed and offered a different set of problems and successes.  However, the world war was over and our guys were home with some getting ready to pack for Korea.  More on that some other time.

YOU CAN'T HIDE INEPTITUDE FOREVER

Most of the liberal crowd will stick to Obama’s coattails regardless of how much he screws up this once great country.  We all know the local ones from the early days of the AZ Central blogs so they can be dismissed as non-entities.  As Christ said “Forgive them Father; they know not what they do” or something like that.

Now, the big boys with well known names are coming down hard on the big “O”.  One guy in particular caught my eye this week with his jaw dropping comments.  Washington Post writer Richard Cohen’s column is carried in the Arizona Republic and this week’s entry was a doozey.

In a column entitled “A Question of Competence” Cohen compares Obama to the worst team in the history of baseball; the 1962 New York Mets.  Casey Stengel, the old guy who managed the New York Yankees to greatness in the 1950’s, was the unfortunate manager of the hapless Mets.

Cohen mentions that Casey once asked his team:  "Can't anybody here play this game?"   He goes on to say “That phrase kept coming at me recently as I watched the impressively inept performance of the Obama administration in both foreign and domestic policy. On a given day, this administration makes the '62 Mets look good.”  Whoa!  Cohen goes on with a carefully crafted dialogue breaking down the errors of the Obama administration.  Read the whole column here.

Cohen is a serious guy among other serious guys from the left and right who now see the light; especially after the debacle that is the Affordable Care Act.  Most of them looked the other way concerning the IRS snafu, Benghazi, Syria, Fast and Furious, NSA, etc.   But, the health care screwups have hit home for many and are not being overlooked.

 At the same time the entertainment business has been having a field day with items like the Jon Stewart interview with Kathleen Sebelius, the hilarious “Saturday Night Live” skit and the jabs from the late night guys.

Charisma can only take you so far if you are basically an inept individual.  Obama did a great con job on many susceptible people by promising the world and redistributing the wealth of the makers to the takers.  As time has gone by, more people are now realizing that he is basically an empty suit.  One would think that the president would know the definition of “shovel ready jobs” or know that the Marine Corps is not the Marine “Corpse.”  Knowing such elementary terminology should be second nature to someone in his position.

So, now the birds are coming home to roost.  Other than in appearance, Obama eerily reminds me of Robert Redford in his 1972 film “The Candidate.”  After he wins election to the U. S. Senate, his first words to his manager are “What do we do now?”

SOME FAVORITE THRILLER MOVIES

Bill Goodykoontz, the movie reviewer for the Arizona Republic, recently listed what he considers to be the best thriller films ever made.  They are not in any particular order and I agree with him on some of them.  I also think it is hard to pick from such a large selection so I will add a couple of my own to complement his list.

A word of warning:  I lean toward older films as I think they have the best stories and acting plus I am a nostalgia freak.  So, if you expect to see anything with Leonardo DiCaprio or Vince Vaughn you will be disappointed.

Three films on Bill’s list that I would immediately cross off are “Fight Club” (1999) with Brad Pitt, “Memento” (2000) with Guy Pearce and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) with Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.  All three were snoozers to me as they delved into psychological situations that I don’t look for when viewing a movie.  As the great film producer Samuel Goldwyn (1879-1974) once said:  “If you want to send a message, use Western Union.”

The rest I can agree with starting with “Touch of Evil” (1958).  Orson Welles is great as a crooked police captain in a U.S.-Mexican border town (actually filmed in Venice, California).  It’s great film noir stuff with a fine cast of character actors plus a gorgeous thirty-one year old Janet Leigh playing the wife of Mexican (Mexican?) narcotics officer Charlton Heston.

“Rear Window” (1954) with Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond Burr is classic Alfred Hitchcock fare and I hope everyone has seen it by now.  Jimmy is a bit of a voyeur as he convalesces from injuries received while performing his job as a photo journalist.  Kelly is beautiful; Burr is typical Burr of that era.

“The Third Man” (1949) with Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, and Alida Valli.  Film noir mystery and espionage in postwar Vienna with great zither background music throughout.  Valli is gorgeous!

Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in 
"Double Indemnity" (1944)

“Psycho” (1960) Low budget with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Simon Oakland.  Is there anyone who hasn’t seen this film?  More classic Hitchcock with great musical score by Bernard Herrman.  Plus, it relates to Phoenix although not one frame was shot there other than a few exterior shots (click here for more on that).

“Double Indemnity” (1944)  Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson.  Fred is insurance agent who falls for floozy Stanwyck and her scheme to kill her husband for insurance dough.  Robinson should have gotten Best Supporting Actor for role as insurance investigator.  Great 1940’s dialogue and music.

“Bullitt” (1968)  What can I say other than it’s  one of Steve McQueen’s  best and has the car chase which thankfully didn’t really destroy that beautiful ’67 Dodge Charger!

“Dirty Harry” (1971) How can you not like a young, badass Clint Eastwood saying, “I know what you're thinkin', punk. You're thinkin' did he fire six shots or only five? Now to tell you the truth, I've forgotten myself in all this excitement."

Last but never least is “North by Northwest” (1959).  It’s more Hitchcock but I think that when it comes to the thriller genre, he was the best.  Great ending on Mount Rushmore and nice to know that Martin Landau overcame his fall off the mountain to continue his nice career!

THE DUMB GET DUMFOUNDED

A friend from Pennsylvania on Google+ posted this the other day and I liked it so much I want to pass it on. My normal blogs are about 500 words and this is about twice that length but I think once you start reading it, you won't consider it too long.

It concerns one man's way of proving to the naysayers the folly of Obamacare:

I was in my neighborhood restaurant this morning and was seated behind a group of jubilant individuals celebrating the coming implementation of the health care bill. I could not finish my breakfast. This is what ensued:

They were a diverse group of several races and both sexes. I heard a young man exclaim, “Isn’t Obama like Jesus Christ? I mean, after all, he is healing the sick.” 

A young woman enthusiastically proclaimed, “Yeah, and he does it for free. I cannot believe anyone would think that a free market wouldn't work for health care.” 

Another said, "The stupid Republicans want us all to starve to death so they can inherit all of the power. Obama should be made a Saint for what he did for those of us less fortunate.” 

At this, I had more than enough. I arose from my seat, mustering all the restraint I could find, and approached their table. “Please excuse me; may I impose upon you for one moment?” 

They smiled and welcomed me to the conversation. I stood at the end of their table, smiled as best I could and began an experiment.

“I would like to give one of you my house. It will cost you no money and I will pay all of the expenses and taxes for as long as you live there. Anyone interested?” 

They looked at each other in astonishment. “Why would you do something like that?” asked a young man, “There isn’t anything for free in this world.” They began to laugh at me, as they did not realize this man had just made my point. 

“I am serious, I will give you my house for free, no money whatsoever. Anyone interested?” 

In unison, a resounding “Yeah” fills the room. “Since there are too many of you, I will have to make a choice as to who receives this money-free bargain.” 

I noticed an elderly couple was paying attention to the spectacle unfolding before their eyes, the old man shaking his head in apparent disgust. 

“I tell you what; I will give it to the one of you most willing to obey my rules.” 

Again, they looked at one another, an expression of bewilderment on their faces. 

The perky young woman asked, “What are the rules?” 

I smiled and said, “I don’t know. I have not yet defined them. However, it is a free home that I offer you.” 

They giggled amongst themselves, the youngest of which said, “What an old coot. He must be crazy to give away his home. Go take your meds, old man.” 

I smiled and leaned into the table a bit further. “I am serious, this is a legitimate offer.” 

They gaped at me for a moment.  “I’ll take it you old fool. Where are the keys?” boasted the youngest among them. 

“Then I presume you accept ALL of my terms then?” I asked. 

The elderly couple seemed amused and entertained as they watched from the privacy of their table. “Oh, yeah! Where do I sign up?” 

I took a napkin and wrote, “I give this man my home, without the burden of financial obligation, so long as he accepts and abides by the terms that I shall set forth upon consummation of this transaction.”
I signed it and handed it to the young man who eagerly scratched out his signature. 

“Where are the keys to my new house?” he asked in a mocking tone of voice. 

All eyes were upon us as I stepped back from the table, pulling the keys from pocket and dangling them before the excited new homeowner.

“Now that we have entered into this binding contract, witnessed by all of your friends, I have decided upon the conditions you are obligated to adhere to from this point forward:

“You may only live in the house for one hour a day. You will not use anything inside of the home. You will obey me without question or resistance. I expect complete loyalty and admiration for this gift I bestow upon you. You will accept my commands and wishes with enthusiasm, no matter the nature. Your morals and principles shall be as mine. You will vote as I do, think as I do and do it with blind faith. These are my terms. Here are your keys.” 

I reached the keys forward and the young man looked at me dumbfounded. “Are you out of your mind? Who would ever agree to those ridiculous terms?” the young man appeared irritated. 

“You did when you signed this contract before reading it, understanding it and with the full knowledge that I would provide my conditions only after you committed to the agreement.” 

The elderly man chuckled as his wife tried to restrain him. I was looking at a now silenced and bewildered group of people. 

“You can shove that stupid deal up your a** old man. I want no part of it!” exclaimed the now infuriated young man. 

“You have committed to the contract, as witnessed by all of your friends. You cannot get out of the deal unless I agree to it. I do not intend to let you free now that I have you ensnared. I am the power you agreed to. I am the one you blindly and without thought chose to enslave yourself to. In short, I am your Master.” 

At this, the table of celebrating individuals became a unified group against the unfairness of the deal.

After a few moments of unrepeatable comments and slurs, I revealed my true intent. 

“What I did to you is what this administration and congress did to you with the health care legislation. I easily suckered you in and then revealed the real cost of the bargain. Your folly was in the belief that you can have something you did not earn, and for that which you did not earn, you willingly allowed someone else to think for you. Your failure to research, study and inform yourself permitted reason to escape you. You have entered into a trap from which you cannot flee. Your only chance of freedom is if your new Master gives it to you. A freedom that is given can also be taken away. Therefore, it is not freedom at all.” 

With that, I tore up the napkin and placed it before the astonished young man. “This is the nature of your new health care legislation.”

I turned away to leave these few in thought and contemplation -- and was surprised by applause. 

The elderly gentleman, who was clearly entertained, shook my hand enthusiastically and said, “Thank you, Sir. These kids don’t understand liberty .” 

He refused to allow me to pay my bill as he said, “You earned this one. It is an honor to pick up the tab.” 

I shook his hand in thanks, leaving the restaurant somewhat humbled and sensing a glimmer of hope for my beloved country.

Remember... Four boxes keep us free: the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. 

"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the American Government
take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian."

Henry Ford