A THING OR TWO

THERE HAS BEEN A THING OR TWO ON THE NEWS OR ON A TV SHOW LATELY THAT I FEEL TO MAKE A COMMENT ON.  YOUR COMMENTS AGREEING OR NOT ARE WELCOME.

1. Michele Obama's school lunch program. This may surprise some of you, but I agree with her that we need better lunches in the schools. More healthy and nutritious. However, lately, there are schools that are opting out of the program and Mrs. Obama is putting the blame on House Republicans. All the news reports I have seen indicate that the students just don't like the lunches and wind up throwing them in the garbage, or just eating somewhere off campus. So what do the House Republicans have to do with this?  I don't know, unless they are trying to revamp the program to fit what may be working.  So, why is her program not working? Without actually going to a school and eating one of the lunches, I really don't know.  Have the school age students been raised on a diet of Pizza and other junk food, so they just don't like healthy?  Or is there something inherently wrong with what is being prepared in school cafeterias?  Again, I don't know, but instead if making this a political item, perhaps Mrs. Obama needs to check on just what the problem is.

2. HGTV SMART HOME. Every year, HGTV builds a home somewhere and someone wins it.  This year they are building a home in Nashville, Tennessee.  A smart home. It has so many electronic gizmos in it that I can only try to imagine the maintainence budget.  It has so much stuff  and it is mostly controlled with a computer program.  Just the touch of a button and you control the music, the TV, the window blinds and many other features that I won't even attemp to mention all of them.  The host stated that whoever wins the house will be "living large" and once you see all this you will "wonder how you ever got along without it". UH! no I won't. I can't even imagine living in that kind of a home.  I feel I would be a slave to the home. And I just DON'T need a TV in the shower.  I just DON'T.  Or much of any where else in the house, for that matter.

3. I ASSUME YOU SAW THE WEDDING OF KIM AND WHOEVER HE IS. No. Then you haven't been watching any TV. I watch very little and even I saw that on the news.  The Wedding everyone is talking about.  Well, no, I am not talking about it, well, except in this blog, and I do have some friends that I have talked to and none of them have even mentioned it. So, no, every one is not talking about it. Most don't even really care.  Really.

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK.

THE OPPOSITE OF PROGRESS

WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF PROGRESS? IS IT REGRESS?  I'll have to admit I don't really know, but if it is, then that makes it regression.  And if regression is the correct term, then this is what the town where I live is. Regressive.  And I will enumerate why.  My wife and I, my wife more so than me, have been coming to this town since the 1950's. After we had been married for a few years, we moved to this town for work.  Why exactly, is another story to be told in another time. Maybe. But I digress.  Man, progress, regress, digress.  Makes a person wonder if gress gets a little tired of being put to use. Oh well, on to the purpose of this post.
When we were in our teens and coming to town with parents, there were a lot of services available.  J.C. Pennys, Sears, Montgomery Ward all had stores here. There were 4 jewelry stores, several department stores and numerous restaurants. The go in and sit down and eat a meal kind of restaurants.  There were also some other kind of businesses that will be unmentioned.  And a lot of saloons and bars.  There was regional bus service, train service and Frontier Airlines flew 4 flights a day here. During that time a teachers college transitioned to a University. Several grocery stores and a grocery warehouse. And several stores gave out savings stamps. S & H Green stamps was the popular one, but not the only one. Now lets see what is going on. And maybe a few ideas as to why.
During the 1950's the town wanted a good road out of town and a road was surveyed. A road that went close to the airport and on southeast toward other towns and on to El Paso Texas.  Three or four little towns in the area complained about this road, as it would bypass them, and they made an agreement with the town of Silver to build this better highway through their towns, and if they would, they would help the town of Silver get the better road to the airport. Thus a 4 lane divided highway was built through the complaining towns and the better road to the airport was forgotten. When my wife and I moved to Silver in the mid 1960's the survey stakes were still visible north of the airport. I mention this for a reason to be understood later. I hope.
Now, we have a Super Wal-Mart and two other grocery stores.  Most of the bars and saloons have closed down, including the iconic Buffalo.  The bus service has been gone for decades. Also the train, except for an occasional freight train to service the mining companies in the areas. Frontier Airlines is gone, to be replaced by a small regional airline that flies into the county airport once or twice a day, some days, and even then they have been known to cancel the flight for reasons known only to them.  The town officials, ( almost said fathers, but that would be incorrect ) have touted the need of bringing business into the area. Businesses have tried, only to be run off by other business owners. Example, a man brought a Bike Helmet business to the town, but other business owners in the area complained about the "odor" and harrassed the man so much that he closed his business and moved it somewhere else. The county created a business park near the airport and an individual brought a business there, making rims.  He too, was harrased by the local politicians until he finally moved out of the county. The Forest service has an installation at the airport where they store fire fighting tools and have a facility to load and service aircraft dropping slurry on forest fires and the facility has been heavily used for many years.  Even decades.
Now for a few comments. New Mexico has a high rate of drunk drivers and drunken other events. Even though a lot of the bars and saloons have closed down, all the grocery stores and pharmacies sell package liquor. Every event that comes to town asks for and recieves a permit to serve booze, even as the powers that issue said permits complain about the high incidence of drunken events.  The department stores have closed down.  In their place are coffee shops, and fast food places. Very few sit down and eat restaurants.  And all of them serve booze. Now, a new CVS pharmacy is going in on the main highway through town, and they have purchased the liquor license from the afore mentioned Buffalo.  The 1950's surveyed highway would take about 10 minutes to get to the airport and on toward towns where there is somewhere to shop. A few months ago a grandson who is in the Navy had permissionn to fly a training mission to the County Airport, then got cancelled because there is no longer fueling service at the airport.  At this writing there is a large forest fire burning north of town, and it has planes dropping slurry on it.  From the airport? Nope, they come from a town in Arizona, because they are not able to fuel at the local airport.
So, businesses closing down. Public transportation mostly gone, alcohol and drugs on the rise, and every time we turn around there is something else going on that makes a person wonder just what those who are in public office are doing.  I think these individuals, ( can we call them city and county fathers and mothers ) or the powers that be, need to take a long look at what is really going on and try to turn the tide of regression back to a position of progression. Maybe then we can start on the State and then the region and then the nation.  And that is where it starts.  With local people, at the bottom, working up, not the top working down.  And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

I'M OUT OF THE LOOP

DO THEY STILL DO THIS IN HIGH SCHOOL?   My youngest is 33 years old and lives in another country. My oldest is scaring the heck out of 53 years old, and there are a few in between these two. And my wife and I are in our 80th decade of life and I, for one, have no clue what they do in high school any more.  But this is something that happened when we were in high school.  We had a high school year book.  Since the population of the school was very small, most oif the students were on the year book staff, in some capacity. Along with the class pictures and photos of the sports events and other events, at the end of the book, or maybe at the end of the senior class photo section, there was a class will and a class history.  The class history was not one of what had happened, but the predictions of what was going to happen in the following 20 years or so. This was usually told from the perspective of the "historian" updating the class at the 20 year class reunion.  Of course all were rich or famous, or rich and famous. And the town had usually grown a lot and was a major hub of industry, with many of the class members having taken part in this growth.  Of course, it was all fantasy and had nothing to do with the reality of the class members.  For the most part, any way.
The class will was usually along the same lines, with someone who was tall willing their height to someone who was short, or someone who was athletic williing that ability to someone who wasn't, etc. I dug out the old year books some time back and chuckled at what was written there in the volumes for my wife and myself. And I wondered, as I stated at the beginning of this post, Do they do this in high school any more.  Or was this a fantasy thing that took place in a more happy and peaceful time.  If they don't do this, And I have no clue if they do ro not, then  think it would be a good thing to do.  AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

HAS SOMETHING GOOD BEEN LOST?

DID WE REALLY LIVE IN A BETTER TIME? My wife and I were raised in the 1940's and 1950's, graduating from High School in the late 50's. The idea for this post has been rocketing ( OK maybe not rocketing) around in my head for a number of days now. A number of things have been on the news that brings this about.  And the subject?  Senior Prom.  There have been news shows with news anchors asking people to write in, well # in or e mail or something and tell if they attended their senior prom. And a local station has been telling about a group of people asking women to donate their old prom dresses to their group so they can give them to girls who can't afford a dress. And there was a story of two high school couples who went to a restaurant for dinner prior to attending the prom and an older couple picked up the check for the high schoolers, because "watching them brought back good memories". So, I am going to blog a little bit about a prom in a small town high school in the 50's.
The high school we attended had a Junior Senior banquet prior to the prom. I know other schools of that time did this also. The premise was that the Juniors would decorate the Gym, decide on a menu, and arrange for someone to cook the meal. This usually was the high school cooks, but they received some funds for the food and their work to do this.  This banquet was usually in the evening before the prom. those invited were all juniors and seniors and their parents, faculty and members of the school board. After the meal was over, the Gym would be cleared of tables, chairs moved to the walls and a live band would provide the music for the prom.  The prom was a dress up affair, but the whole community was invited to attend and there was a charge for admission. this money helped defray the costs of the banquet and the decorations for the prom.  So, yes, the Senior Prom was a family affair. While the Seniors were the High Light of the evening, and the banquet was hosted and paid for by the Junior class, the whole High School community turned out for the dance part.  The largest cost was probably the prom dress for the girls.  Boys a suit, ( A tux was almost unheard of in our part of the world in the 50's) and the price of a corsage for a date, if they had one.  Date or not, we all attended.
Now fast forward to today.  Senior's go to the prom.  Who else attends? Cost is a Tux for the boys and a dress for the girls, often a hired Limo to take them as well as a meal in a restaurant with a date, or maybe a group of couples, if they decide to go that route. Families are not really involved, except perhaps in the planning and money stage.
Does any one know if there is such a thing going on in the manner I described my wife and I  were involved in as high shcoolers?  Just wondering.
I just can't help but think that something has been lost by eliminating the family from the activities and for the juniors to have the opportunity to learn how to plan and host a banquet. But then, maybe with a class of hundreds, the logistics would be horrific. Who knows.  Still, I feel that something has been lost. AND THAT IS THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

On Being Politically Correct

LET ME JUST SAY UP FRONT:  In my last post I mentioned the Rancher Bundy situation, and my feelings about the government vs. citizen and the lack of all the facts. I also mentioned that I agreed with Mr. Bundy, at least up to a point.  Now for the up front statement. I do not agree with Mr. Bundy's statement about Negro people. I have known, and am friends with several people who are Negro, and I like them.  And the ones I know are just people living and working to support themselves and their families.  Also this week, there are reports of a NBA team owner making anti African American statements, and the outcry that these statements have caused. I reperat, I don't agree with their statements. However;
Are not these people, Mr. Bundy and the NBA team owner entitled to their opinion? Why do they need to apologise for voicing their opinions just because they disagree with what is considered the politically correct opinion. Why do they, or even I, need to walk around on egg shells, as it were, because I might offend someone.  But others are allowed to voice their opinions on any thing, even though what they say or do may offend me. 
A face book post attributed to Actor Bill Cosby blasts the current trend of "African Americans". He states in that post that he don't understand them.  They are not from Africa, and many of them can't trace their lineage to Africa. They are Americans, period. They happen to be Black, and they may have ancestry that traces back to Africa, but they are not African.
I guess if I am going to be politically correct, I am English, Scottish American. And who knows what else may be mixed in. So I repeat, I do not agree with the statements made by Mr. Bundy or the NBA owner, but I feel they have the right to express that opinion, if they feel they need to. And they will suffer any backlash from people and the public accordingly. But they should not be required to apologise for what they feel.  AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK.

JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE

AND JUST WHAT ARE THE FACTS?   There is much in the daily news about a lot of things. There is much in the daily news that is mis leading.  rarely are all the facts reported.  Case in point. the recent news article I posted about when a woman from out of state drove away from police, twice.  All the news reported was a 45 second clip showing the cops breaking out her van windows and shooting at her tires.  But this post is not about that. So what is it about?  Well, I'll tell you.  Almost.  Why almost?  Cause I. like the news people, just don't have all the facts.
Take the current ongoing case of Rancher Bundy in Nevada.  On the surface, it seems the government is trying to take over his land.  And I side with Mr. Bundy.  One thing that is in the news on this is that Mr. Bundy owes one million dollars in back grazing fees.  Probably he does. But, several years ago Mr. Bundy made a decision to quit paying the BLM because he said they weren't using the money he paid for the purpose they were supposed to use it for. He offered to pay the County, but they refused to accept his money.  They were probably right. So who is right and who is wrong.  My uneducated opinion.  Both of them.  The BLM as a government agency probably wasn't using the money as they should. Mr. Bundy is right in that he feels the BLM wasn't doing their job.  And about the recent armed conflict. Who won.  My opinion. No one won. While the citizens claim victory because the federal officers "backed down", I feel the officers chose the better path. to allow the situation to escalate to the point of blood shed would solve nothing, so retreat at that time was probably the better part of valor.  You can rest assured that this situation is not over.  How will it end?  We will see, but I fear for Mr. Bundy, and ultimately the rest of us as citizens, especially in the west.
Did you see in the news that Mrs. Obama wants to speak at the commencement exercise of 5 Topeka Kansas High Schools.  All five schools will come together in one place to listen to her speak. There is now a petition started by one of the students protesting this.  Why? Well, according to the news article, the statement is that graduation from High School is something for the kids to celebrate as a school, not with 4 other schools who have no relation to each other. And one parent is quoted as saying Mrs. Obama doesn't know our kids. This is about her, not our children.  On the surface, I agree with the students and their parents that are objecting to this. I wouldn't want to listen to Mrs. Obama in any case.  But the facts. What are they. Whose idea was this? Where did this idea originate?  With the schools or with the White House. And if the White House, why did the schools go along with it?  Once again, the news article left a lot of facts out.  Stay tuned.
And the last issue, at least for this post. Unemployment.  According to the news, unemployment is down. Jobs are up. But, the facts don't really support that. So what are the facts? Well, as far as I know them, at the end of last year, congress cut off unemployment for the long term unemployed. So, they are no longer on the unemployment rolls. They don't have jobs, they are just not listed. Jobs are up? Not really. There are areas of rising employment, but for the most part, there are still a lot of unemployed people.  But it looks good in the news to say that unemployment is down. Again, stay tuned.  Congress brings up the issue of restoring this long term unemployee benefit from time to time, but right now, they are mostly looking on what to do to be reelected this fall. After that, who knows.  In any case, I am sure that many facts will be left out and we will be left to guess what really happened.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

BRINGING HOME THE BACON

DO YOU LIKE BACON?  Well, most people, including me, likes bacon.  But does it seem like there is getting to be more and more uses for bacon? Used to be a time when you could go to a food dispensing place and buy a burger.  Now, every where you turn, there are bacon burgers. Or bacon wrapped hot dogs. Even bacon flavored milk shakes.  Bacon wrapped turkey's. Now we are told that the price of bacon is going up because there is a virus in pigs in China.  But this virus won't hurt people, but, well, the price is still going up. Time was when someone made a better than average wage, or got a raise in pay, they were bringing home the bacon.  Just a term, I realize, but still connected to bacon.  Why Bacon?  I don't know.  Why not Ham? Or hamburger. Or T bone steaks.  Or mutton? Or Chicken?  Still don't know.  Just a term, I guess. Still, every where you look, there is a reference to bacon.  Well, the price is going up, the quality is going down, and we will continue to eat bacon. Or bring home the bacon.  My advise.   Just don't make a pig of your self.   AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK