A Lesson from Burma

Did ya ever hear of the Burma Road or “flying the Hump”?  Well there ain’t too many of us left to remember it.  I know, I can hear the younguns sayin’, “What’s a Burma?” And “Where’s the camels?”  And even some of my neighbors want to know if I’m talkin’ shaving cream.  I even heard one fella say, “Hump what?”  Well it ain’t got nothing to do with none of that.  Reckon I’ll have to give a history lesson.

Back in WWII, the Chinese was our allies.  That was before them Communists took over and ran the real Chinese out to the island of Formosa.  Well anyway, we was supplying our Chinese friends from India using the Burma Road to get supplies over the Himalaya Mountains.  That was till the Japs took over most of Burma and cut off the road.  It weren’t much of a fight.  The Burmese was easy.  A gun always wins against a pitch-fork.  So then the only way in to China was to fly them supplies from India up and over the mountains.  That’s what got nicknamed “The Hump.” 

Well, that’s a fact, but it ain’t the lesson I was talkin’ about.  Besides, the lesson ain’t for you anyway.  It’s for them politicians in Washington. 

It seems they was startin’ to build this huge power dam in Burma. Of course it’s the Chinese that wants the power from that dam.  And they done a bunch of prodding and give stacks of money to help it along,  The Chinese need more electricity, but they didn’t want the thing in their back yard.  So, they conned Burma into burying whole towns and thousands of acres of good bottomland.  Lots of folks in Burma was against the whole thing.  And rightly so.  They give their government a ear-full.

Now here’s the lesson friend:  The President of Burma just announced that they’re gonna stop building that dam.  Why?  Because, "We have to respect the will of the people as our government is elected by the people. We have a responsibility to solve the worries of the people".  Yessir!  That’s what President Thein Sein said.  He listened to the people of Burma.

You think them politicians in Washington got a clue of what this lesson is all about?  Didn’t think so.  Reckon them folks in Burma got this democracy thing figured out better than us. That's what I think, but I am still…

Justan O. Geezer 

History Lesson for the President

Last Thursday evenin' I was watchin' when President Obama give that speech on his job plan.  Jobs ain't that important to an old-timer like me.  But I'll tell ya neighbor, I been real worried for the younguns that ain't retired yet.  Especially them folks in the cities.

I liked to agree with the need to put folks back to work.  Folks still need work even if them big corporations did send all the factory work to China.  But I just ain't real happy 'bout the way he went about it givin' that speech.  I mean, first off, he just pulled up his soapbox and told everybody he was gonna do it on Wednesday, knowing the Republicans had plans for that day out in California.  That don't show no respect for other folks.

Then he showed he ain't give up that blaming thing either.  Maybe he ain't blamin' George directly no more, but he's still aimin' for them Republicans.  'Course it's plain as the nose on your face that he likes teatotalers even less.  He says Congress oughta stop playin' politics and pass his proposal. Naturally he's meanin' the other folks not his own people.  Now I don't know about you friend, but when somebody wants somethin' from me, he knows enough not to blame me for the problem and then tell me what to do about.  Most folks are smart 'nough to know you don't put vinegar out to draw bees.

That plan of his is supposed to cost $447 BILLION and he said it ain't gonna add to the debt.  So I got a question for you Mr. President: How you gonna do that?  Sure woulda been nice if he'd explained that at least a smidgen.  If this is like other plans, it likely means he wants more taxes or more debt.  Maybe both.

You know, I got carried away and almost forgot what I was gonna say today.  Anyway, don't ya think the President would know his history?  I mean, beenin' a college graduate and a lawyer and all.  But there was one place in that speech where he said Lincoln founded the Republican Party.  Tain't so.  Even I know the Grand Old Party (GOP for short) was started around 1854.  And for you, Clyde, the GOP and Republicans is the same thing.  Somewheres around 1856 Lincoln switched from the Whig Party to the GOP Party.  Reckon lots of folks do that.  Governor Perry done it back in '89.  Well, I hope you got that Mr. President.  'Cause it just don't look good when you mess up like that.

Oh, and another thing that was kinda half messed up.  Lincoln didn't "set up the first land grant colleges" no more than Al Gore invented the internet.  It was up to each state set up their own colleges and education system.  'Course now days, Washington tries to run education the way they want.  Actually, what Lincoln done was sign into law the Morrill Act of 1862.  That Morrill Act was to give each state a piece of government land where they could build their college.  That's how come they got called land-grant colleges.  Justin Morrill got the idea back in 1857 and got Congress to write it into law, but President Buchanan vetoed it in 1859.  Being from Vermont, Morrill weren't about to quit easy.  So he got it goin' again in '61 and Lincoln signed that one into law.

Well, that there's about the end of my history lesson for today.  Reckon the President's damn lucky his name ain't Bush.  If it was, them "news" people woulda been havin' a hoedown about now.  Well that's what I think even if I am...
Justan O. Geezer

9/11/11

Like most my neighbors, I been thinkin' lately about that anniversary coming up Sunday.  We ain't gonna be "celebrating" the day.  No sir.  Nobody's gonna celebrate the worst thing that happened to us since Pearl Harbor.  But there's gonna be a bunch of remembrances to honor those innocent Americans who was  just living their lives, but happened to be in the wrong place that day.  And we should be remembering 'em.  But I been thinkin' more about the them police and firefighters and EMS workers.  Like our military folks, they went into that hellacious mess anyway.  Also them folks on flight 93 that prevented even more damage by sacrificing themselves.  They all showed what it means to be the "land of the free and home of the brave."

And folks been haulin' out them 10 year old newpaper clippings and pictures and stuff.  And all kinds of pictures been showing up on the internet too.  Lots of flags and eagles and of course them towers.  I even seen one picture of a young muslim girl holding a sign that said, "I am not a terrorist."  I believe her too.  There's good and bad everywheres.  Even in religion.  Like them priests and ministers that molest the younguns.  There's always headlines 'bout them kinds of trouble.  But I got questions for Muslims.  How come we never hear about y'all cleanin' your own house?  How come we don't see headlines about your bad apples gettin' arrested?


Anyway, a couple of them pictures got my attention.  This first one come from the Houston Police Dept. and it don't need no comment.

Reckon I don't know where this 2nd picture really come from.  Can't find nobody to own up to it either.  It looks a might suspicious, like somebody been messin' with it, but I like the idea behind it.  In case you ain't seein' what I do, Clyde, I'll explain.  If you look real hard at the top of that smoke cloud there to the left of the tower, you can see what looks to me like a face.  And just under that it looks like an arm reachin' out to the tower.  

Like I said, I ain't no photo expert so I can't say if it's real.  But I'll tell you neighbor, I like to believe it's the Good Lord welcoming them folks home.
Justan O. Geezer      

National Debt

Well neighbor, we done it.  Yessir we done set another record.  And it’s official.  Accordin’ to the folks over at the US Treasury Dept., our national debt is now over $10 TRILLION dollars!  They say it happened back on Friday afternoon while I was out mowin’ some grass.  And not only that, but they’re claiming we’re addin’ over $34 BILLION more to that debt EVERY DAY. 

If that ain’t enough to knock your socks off, think about this - over 60% of that is owed to foreign countries.  Mostly to China and Japan.  Sure looks like Secretary Geithner ain’t hidin’ nothing either.  The Treasury Dept. even admitted that the national debt rise by $3.7 trillion dollars since January 20, 2009.  And you know what day that was.  That’s almost 60% in less than 18 months!

Always thought I could stand my ground against most anything, but this is down right scary, neighbor.  Next thing, they’re goin’ want me to pay up my “share.”  Like the younguns say, “No way.” They’ll never find me in the cellar.

Justan O. Geezer

More Audacity

Yep, it's me again neighbor.  Ya know, the more I read 'bout what's going on up there in Washington, the more I'm convinced they all belong at the funny farm.  Yesterday, the President (or his "people") decided to grab the headlines with that "coincidental" speech schedulin' thing.  Today, he musta had somethin' in his eye cause he blinked again.  No matter.  That don't bother me much cause them politicians always did believe, "any news is good news" just cause they get their names in the paper.

What bothers me is the lying.  Even Jethro knows there's 2 ways to lie.  You know the first one neighbor.  The second one is purposely leavin' stuff out so's you mislead folks.  Sorta like the guy that says he got into an accident, but leaves out the part 'bout the 6-pack he just finished off.  Anyway this guy, Jay Carney, who's the Whitehouse Press Secretary, released a statement.  That's what I call an official lie.  He says, "We consulted with the Speaker about that date before the letter was released, but he determined Thursday would work better."  The part this here guy left out was they knew danged well what that date was.  And that consulting part was they waited 10 seconds after sending the letter before they called them media folks.  Just like your stock, ya gotta keep them egos fed.  Ain't my idea of a straight shooter.

Since the President says he's gonna "lay out a series of bipartisan proposals," I ain't expectin' much.  Ain't seen nothin' that's real bipartisan in years.  Reckon I'll be watchin' that Packers/Saints game come Thursday next.  That’s what I think, but I am…
Justan O. Geezer