More Scooting

I finally found a bonafide scooter dealer in Jackson. It's a motorcycle/scooter place on the west side of I-55, just south of the Olive Garden.

They handle Genuine Scooters. An American brand made in Taiwan. They have a good reputation in the scooter market. I got real interested in the "Buddy" model which has a 125 cc, 4 stroke engine. It's capable of speeds up to 60-65 mph and gets 80-90 miles per gallon.

Then I went on a website to figure out how long it would take for the scooter to pay for inself in gas savings. The answer: Just over 39 years.

Oh well, maybe one day I'll get one just for fun.

Scoot, scoot, scooting along

We, in the rural South, are not equipped for mass transit. We generally lack the density of population necessary to make systems profitable. So, there are no local train lines, and only a sparse number of city bus lines. Bicycle paths are increasing but still rare.

We have plenty of parking spaces and most homes have two or more motor vehicles. If teenagers are in the household, they usually have their own vehicle. So there's one for Momma, one for Daddy, one for brother, one for sister, and maybe another just for a spare.

A few weeks ago, I started checking out motor scooters. My thinking is that it would be a good way to scoot around my little surburban town. I can imagine a quick trip to the grocery store for milk or bread. A trip to Wally World, or Home Depot,the barber shop, or the dollar stores would be easily done on a scooter.

But try to find a scooter in the Jackson area and you will come up empty. There are plenty of motorcycles for sale, but no economical scooters. I found one used scooter in a dealership and one used one for sale on the internet. I have seen one on Hwy 80 in Pearl.

The scooter at the dealership is a Honda but terribly overpriced. The other two are made in China and I have learned to avoid those regardless of how many bells and whistles they have. One dealer told me he handled a couple of Chinese brands and couldn't get parts for repairs. He said he would never handle them again.

I've learned that I'd probably want a scooter with a motor size of 125 to 150 cc. They will get up to about 60 mph, and average around 75 mpg. There are some good brands out there: Vespa, Piaggio, Aprila, Honda, and Yamaha to name the most recognized. But they are tough to buy when they aren't available.

Anybody interested in opening a scooter store?

A Prayer for Our Service Men and Women

Dear Lord,

I pray for people in our armed forces who are placed in harm’s way. I pray you will be with them and they with you as they go about their appointed duties.

Please sharpen their senses, quicken their reflexes, and give them the courage they need in this time of turmoil. Keep them ever alert and watchful. Give them extra strength and stamina to withstand the rigors they face on a daily basis.

Be with their families and friends who are concerned about their safety.

And when our dedicated service members return, please grant them peace of mind and the ability to cope with the horrors they faced. Help them to return to normal lives as quickly as possible.

These things I ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day; a day set aside to remember those who died in war unselfishly doing what their Commander in Chief ordered them to do. It is fitting that we have such a day even though few actually spend time thinking about those whom the day honors.

Later this year, we will celebrate Veteran's Day during which we will honor all Veterans, living and dead, who have served our country in war and in peace. That too is a fitting rememberance.

On both days, I think about the Veterans living and dead. For there are those who are living whose way of life was totally changed by war. The change may be physical or mental. One thing is obvious, the Veteran who came home is not the same person who went away to war.

It was the Union General Sherman who said, "....war is hell." That's probably the best description ever given to such an event. There is nothing noble or glorious about war. Oh yes, each war has it's heros. Each war produces some poignant pictures or a memorable quote. Each war has it's own statistics.

I can attest to the fact that war is indeed hell. I served on a hospital ship in Viet Nam. I was fortunate. As far as I know, my life was never in danger. I always had a clean bed to sleep in, three hot meals a day, and was not subjected to the harsh environment. Basically, my service was a breeze compared to those who had the duty to spit bullets, throw grenades, and advance on the enemy.

But, even in that environment, I got a glimpse of what war could do to a person. Our ship was a 750 bed hospital on the move. We supported the Marines in the I Corps area and moved up and down the coast based on where the action was scheduled to be. Usually, about fifteen minutes after the Marines started an assault, the helicopters would start their parade to our ship. They would pick up the wounded from the field and bring them to us; two helicopters at a time. Each chopper would carry eight to ten casualties.

I served on the team that took them out of the helicopters, stipped them of their clothing and bandages, assessed the most serious wounds and put them into the hands of other corpsmen and doctors in triage.

We stayed busy. We admitted our 1,000th patient just 3 weeks after arriving in Viet Nam. In our first 54 days on line, we perfomed 800 surgical operations, administered 2,000 units of blood, and retrieved patients from 625 helicopter landings. War goes on day and night and we were open 24 hours a day.

On Memorial Day, I remember those, who by the hundreds, left our ship in body bags. I remember the young Marine who I had stripped and could not find any wounds. When I turned him over, his brains were left lying separately. I remember the young Marine who was the sole support of his Momma and six siblings. He came aboard missing his calf and thigh muscles. I remember the black man from Mississippi who was removed from the chopper with a double leg amputation and was blinded. I lost track of the number of machine gunners and radiomen who came aboard with their guts hanging out. Those guys were prime targets for the enemy. I remember the Marines who were trapped in a burning APC and came to us alive, but literally burned to a crisp. And guess what. They were complaining because they had to leave their buddies who were still under fire. I remember the young Marine who came aboard paralyzed from the waist down. Our neurosurgeon operated on him. We kept the young man in a stryker frame following surgery for over two months. I remember the tears in our eyes as we saw that young Marine walk off the ship.

Oh there's more, but this is neither the time or the place for it. I'm no hero. I'm just a guy who was doing his job along with every other military person in a war environment. After 41 years, the memory is still as vivid as it was the day the events happened. War affects everybody. Those killed, wounded, and even those of us who were exceptionally lucky.

So on this day, it is most fitting to, in some small way, to remember those who paid the price for our freedoms.

If I Win

I have a vice. Well, I probably have quite a few, but there's one I want to describe in this post. I play the lottery. Not just any lottery, the multistate Power Ball lottery. Oh I know that I stand a better chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. So why do I do it?

I like to dream. Having a lottery ticket gives me a chance to dream, to ponder, to plan how I would like to spend the money. I only consider the amount of money that could be received in cash after taxes. To me that's being realistic. Regardless of the amount, it would be more than I've ever had in my life.

Many people win the lottery and admit they don't know what they are going to do with the money. Not me. I have a plan to give away the vast majority of it. When the pot gets up to around $50 million cash, I start making a list. It's about the same all the time. Yes, I'd like to give my children some of it. We would keep some for retirement and that would be less than you might think.

I'd like to help the churches destroyed by Katrina. Wow! If we could contribute a million or so to each of those churches, it would be good. Stewpot in Jackson would get money too. I'd like to establish some college scholarships for students who graduated high school with average grades....a C plus to a B student and worked a part time job to make their own spending money. As long as they make satisfactory progress in college, I'd like to pay their way.

There's a church camp my denomination operates where my wife and I met. There would be money for them too. There's a black minister who has a very small church with growth pains. We've been to his church and thoroughly enjoyed worship there. I'd love to be able to contribute toward their building fund.

Then a non-profit school for emotionally disturbed children, the Jackson Symphony, the Children's Museum, pay off the mortgage on my church and give a bunch to a couple of ministers who have meant a lot to us in our lives.

And once in a while, I'd like to be able to leave a waitress or waiter a $100 tip for giving us great service with a smile. Not all the time, just once in a while.

If I win the lottery, I have plans. And I think my wife and I would get a tremendous amount of joy from being able to help others. Shucks, it's a bunch of fun just thinking about it.

School Days Back Then

Yesterday my wife and I drove down to the University of Southern Mississippi on a special mission.

My paternal grandmother attended Mississippi Normal College from 1913 to 1916. She was a young lady from Rankin County and made her way to the campus just two years after the college opened it's doors.

When my grandmother passed away in 1990 at the age of 98, I became heir to some papers she had kept over the years. Those papers were a scrapbook of her years at MNC, and her class notes from biology, botony, and health classes. The material gives a keen insight to life on a college campus around the turn of the 20th century.

The university will soon be celebrating it's 100th anniversary. I thought they might be interested in having this material for the archives.

Much to my joy, they were elated to get the information. We were met on campus by at least a half dozen people including a representative from the alumni association, the archivist, former USM President Aubrey Lucas, the director of external affairs and others.

For about an hour, I pulled out the documents and went over some page-by-page. The scrap book portion had instructions for getting to the campus from the train station and told students how to handle their baggage.

She had a copy of the suggestions given to all students. Breakfast at seven, dinner at one and supper at six. Light bell at 10:30. Don't waste water. Please keep rooms tidy. Study hours are from seven until ten. Don't visit with your neighbors during this time or you will be visited by your matron. Pick one church and go there. Don't be a church wanderer. Join the Y.M or Y.W.C.A.

In the material were receipts, programs and notes from debates which were held between MNC and various other colleges. There were even some wonderful love poems written by a young man who had a keen interest in my grandmother.

Among the notes, I really enjoyed reading the notes from the health class. There were instructions on how to recognize and treat rabies, how to protect oneself from flies and to build flytraps, and a lot of information on tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Students learned how to treat hookworms, measles, pellagra, and typhoid fever. They were also taught how to build a sanitary closet (out house) complete with drawings and dimensions.

The course was quite different from what I studied in college.

One thing that really struck me was the neatness and legibility of the handwriting. Yes, they even had to take a course in penmanship in college. All of the notes were in ink, and through out the 300 or so pages, the number of strikeouts would be less than a half dozen. I can hardly write an address without a mistake. I don't know how she took all those notes without making mistakes.

I enjoyed reading the material before handing it over to the University. I did make copies of about half of it. What is really neat is to think that the experience of a young lady from Rankin County, will be shared with many others in the days to come.

I think she would be pleased about that.

Music, Music, Music

I love music. As you know I enjoy the oldies primarily because of the many happy memories they bring to mind when I hear them. But, I also enjoy the old standards featuring Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Glen Miller, etc.

Country music just doesn't get any better than Alan Jackson. To me he has the absolute perfect C & W voice. Of course I wouldn't be southern if I didn't like Faith Hill....oh my what a pretty lady...inside and out.

Classical is most entertaining. I learned early on that classical is enjoyed by people worldwide. You can't get better stereo than listening to a symphony orchestra.

My favorite instrument is the piano, followed closely by the guitar and the violin.

Once, my mom enrolled me in piano lessons. A couple of months later, the instructor suggested that I may never learn how to play.

In a senior play in high school, we did "Little Women". The play was to end with the cast singing "Happy Birthday" to Marmee. "Happy Birthday"....hey that's easy. No, unh, unh, not even. The director, after hearing me sing, changed the ending and we all smiled and said, "Happy Birthday Marmee!".

I was a Methodist in my most formative years. I sang in the youth choir at church. But, on more than one occasion, the choir director suggested it would probably sound better if I just mouthed the song without noise.

A couple of years ago, I purchased a guitar and took guitar lessons. I told the instructor that I would love to learn how to play "Jesus Loves Me" and some folk songs. A year later, we ceased instruction and I still can't play "Jesus Loves Me".

Why, "Jesus Loves Me"? That's another story for another time.

So, you understand, that the musical instrument I play best is the jukebox. Hey, it's cheap too. For $10 I could play 240 songs if they are six plays for a quarter. Well, dang, they used to be six for a quarter. Excuse me while I search my pockets for another quarter.

Wanna Play Post Office?

You may or may not remember the old game of Post Office which called for some odd ways of applying postage.

I noted the postal rates have gone up again. So, yesterday, I stopped by the local post office and bought a couple of "rolls" of forever stamps. But they didn't have rolls, only packets of 20 each. I figure I'll be covered for several years.

I don't remember when the last increase occurred, but I had almost a roll of 39 cent stamps then and purchased a bunch of 2 cent stamps to make the old ones useful.

Since starting to use on line banking, our use of the Post Office as dwindled to almost nothing. I just checked and found that I still have 40 of the old stamps left.

Why doesn't the Post Office allow us to return unused stamps to use as a credit toward new stamps? Looking around, I've got bits and pieces of rolls of stamps from previous issues that are virtually worthless unless I spend more money to buy one cent stamps to make up the differences.

When some people get mail from me, they probably get more excited about the antique stamps on the outside of the envelope than what's in the envelope.

Oh well, the way I figure I have at least three year's of postage pre-paid at this point. And with the post office's attitude toward the consumer, I may have five or six years worth.

So, Post Office, lick that stamp and post it!

Got a Spare?

This morning we were coming back to Brandon from the Jackson area. On the other side of the road just east of the airport exit, we spotted a lady who apparently had a flat and had the spare out and propped against the back bumper. I told my wife that somebody needs to help her.

So we got off at the Crossgates exit and doubled back to see what we could do. Just as I got her in sight, a black car moved onto the shoulder of the road and stopped just behind her. I moved in behind him and stopped. A young man got out of his car and it appeared we had both stopped to help her. And, ironically, we both had doubled back to offer our services. The lady and her daughter were from Georgia and it was apparent that she had a blowout.

But she insisted she had called AAA and somebody was on the way. She said AAA had told her it would take 20 to 30 minutes for someone to get to her. The young man and I both offered to go ahead and change the tire, but she was insistent on waiting on AAA. At that point, I wished her good luck, got back into our car, drove to the airport exit, crossed I-20 and headed back east toward Brandon.

As we passed her, we looked on that side of the highway and it appeared that the nice young man, who had his wife and baby in his car, was going to wait with the lady until help arrived.

It's nice to know that, in this day and time, people are still willing to assist others who appear to have trouble. I've always been lucky to have people come to my aid when stranded on the road and also my wife and daughters. So I have always been willing to return the courtesy to others who appear to be in trouble.

I hope the lady was able to get her tire changed and get a new tire mounted and put on so she could continue her journey.

New Playlist

The Ray Charles and Chuck Berry songs have been put back in the vault. A new, more diversified playlist is now listed. Check on the right and see what a quarter can get you on the jukebox.

What a Mess

Sometimes I just don't understand.

I have Dish Network, a satellite television provider. I formerly had Direct TV. Honestly, I like them both.

Anyway, for the past year or so, I have had a HDTV, but have been unable to receive the local stations in HD because Dish Network has been slow in getting the technology in place. Sooooo, I put up a regular old tv antenna which has done a reasonably good job of allowing me to view most of the local channels in HD.

The other day, I got an email from Dish Network saying the local channels in the Jackson area are now available. They gave me an 800 number to call. I called and the lady said they would have to change out my dish with another that would allow them to beam signals from satellite 61.5. She explained they would charge me $59.95 for the upgrade or waive that amount if I would sign a two year contract agreement.

I politely but sternly told her "No and No". Then I said I guess I need to know what kind of deal Direct TV will offer me.

Very quickly, she said they would gladly waive both requirements and wanted to make an appointment to have my dish changed out. Believe it or not, I have an appointment for the afternoon of Mother's Day.

The next day I noticed that my DVR was not recording programs from the local channels as I had programmed. Then I realized that I was not getting the local channels from my satellite provider. So I call them to complain. They agreed that I had signed up for the local channels (not in HD until available) and had been getting the service. They agreed that my account was current. But for some reason the local channels had been removed from my package. Oh, then the reason is discovered. When they set up the appointment for the installation of the new dish, the local service had to be cancelled until the satellite dish was changed out.

Whaaaat? I asked if I wanted to add HBO to my account, could they do it in less than 30 seconds? Yep. If I wanted to delete the local service from my account, could they do that within 30 seconds? Yep. Then what the heck is going on?

Why couldn't they turn my local channels back on and, on Sunday, just before installing the new dish, cut the service and cut it back on when the dish is installed? The answer: "The computer won't let us do that." Aw man get serious. Here's a company with some of the highest technology in the industry and they can't complete a simple electronic transaction. Unbelievable!

But it's true. They lack the will to look for the technology to provide the service I signed up for.

Oh well, come Sunday afternoon, I will be able to get the local channels in digital and HD format. And in the meantime, I have requested a credit for the time they were unable to provide me with the service I signed up and paid for.

I hate it when companies can't perform the simplest of functions. What a shame.

Ray Charles

I once had the opportunity to see Ray Charles perform up close and personal. I worked for a company that sponsored him as major entertainment for a highly esteemed group of about 200 people.

It was a most memorable occasion and he performed flawlessly. The only requirement put on us was that we could not dance during the performance. That was a tough order to follow.

So I have used my latest quarter to give you six plays of some of Ray Charles' best. And I'm leaving Chuck Berry's songs on for another day or two.

Now let's see if I can get two quarters for this half dollar. I'm going to pick out six more plays.

Later dudes.

A Change In Format

I started out relating posts to various songs and providing the songs for you to hear.

I decided to change that format. What I'm going to do, for now, is publish a list of songs in the right hand column for you to hear. Sometimes it may be songs from just one artist, sometimes it may be songs centering around a particular theme, and sometimes I'll post them 'cause I like them.

So anyway, you've been warned.

Currently I'm featuring music by Chuck Berry. Hope you like it.

Stop by often and hear some great oldies and artists. They will probably be more entertaining than my pontifications.

Pardon me while I put another quarter in the jukebox.

Thunder Rolls

This is a re-post of a blog originally posted on the Clarion-Ledger site.

Well, I finally did it....always said I wouldn't....resisted for years. But, I finally made the decision to do it. I bought a weather radio.

You may ask, "What's significant about that?". I dislike, no detest, well, to put it mildly, I hate TV weather warnings! I consider them to be intrusions into my personal space like uninvited overnight guests in my home and boogers in my nose.

I don't like the little bitty weather maps in the corner of the screen either. Gee, it might as well be a map of Wisconsin for all I know.

I hate the program interruptions. I dislike getting the scroll across the screen telling me about a flood watch in some county a hundred miles away. Usually I'll cut the TV off before I'll watch the warnings all night.

Hey I admit, I'm a little nuts. But I really only get excited about tornado warnings. So, I searched long and hard and found some weather radios that not only allow me to pick the counties I want alerts for, but specifically what kind of alerts I wish to be notified of.

In fact this baby is set up to deliver over 100 different types of alerts. Some can be programmed out, while others like tornado warnings, cannot be disregarded.

So true to form, mine is set for any tornado warning in Rankin County. Not enough for you? Well, it also makes me listen for Chemical Hazard, Earthquake, Hurricane, Land Slide, Tsunami, Volcano, and Wild Fire warnings. I really don't mind that, but if I ever get a tsunami warning in Rankin County, I know I'll need clean underwear pretty soon.

There's a couple of optional warnings I considered adding for fun; Blizzard Warning, Avalanche Warning, and Iceberg Warning to name a few. Can you imagine? No sir, Mr. Insurance Agent, I really wasn't aware of that iceberg in the middle of the reservoir. But, I probably should have known there would be one after that blizzard warning.

Anyway, I finally gave in. Joined up with the rest of the weather freaks. And now....well, I guess I feel a tad more secure. Today, the alarm went off about 30 seconds before our sirens started wailing. So I got a bit of a head start.

My early warning system is almost complete. I have four fire extinguishers, six smoke alarms, one co2 alarm, double dead bolt locks on all the doors, a police scanner, and now a weather radio. I think I'm going to start looking at security cameras....with battery backup of course