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 

Maybe the prophet was right.

Howdy neighbor. Yep, been a while.  Reckon you realize I ain't died or nothin' like that.  What I done was, I got good friend (and neighbor) to look after the place so's I could do some traveling.  Seen lots of stuff out there, good and bad.  Naturally, I got a bunch to say about it, but first there's more important things.

Since I've been "on the road again" like Willie says, things been happening all over the world. Them folks over there in Japan ain't never gonna be the same you know.  One disaster after another and all in a few days. Reckon them media people been burnin' the oil to come up with more "stories" about it everyday.  But neighbor, what is real important is all them folks that been affected.  They need all the help we can give 'em and lots of prayers too.  And don't forget the other people like those in Haiti that still ain't got no homes.  They ain't no wheres back to normal or even close.

Of course with all that's happened, we're gonna feel it too.  Pretty soon you won't be able to buy any of them rice-burnin' cars that save on gas.  And you can already see the greedy retailers hiking the prices on TVs and cellphones.  Yep, we're going feel their pain.

There's another strange thing happening in Egypt and Libya and all them Moslem countries.  They're all having uprisings at the same time.  Not to say that it ain't long over due, but all at once?  In the meantime, our folks in Washington been workin' just as fast as they usually do.  Even the UN was faster this time.  Of course the UN got 'bout as many teeth as me.  And as always, the tyrants are sayin' one thing then doin' another.  Seems likely Gaddafi will have plenty of time to kill enough of his own people so he can stay in power.  Eventually, somebody's gonna have to go in there and "remove him from power."  In case you don't know it Clyde, thems code words for another war.

Any way, between all them earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear melt-downs, uprisings and such, it jogged my memory about Edgar Cayce, the so called "Sleeping Prophet."  Maybe he was right about earth changes and it was only that his timing was off.  You young'uns can go Google that or whatever it is you do.

Well, I got lots other stuff to tell 'bout my travels and such, but I reckon it'll have to wait till next time.  For now, just remember, I am...

Justan O. Geezer

The "news"

Seems I been hearing a bunch lately about how newspapers are dying out.  They say TV and the Internet are killing them.  Well friends, if TV is to blame, we're deep in horse feathers.  Better watch careful neighbor, cause if newspapers disappear, folks will never get real news.

Sure as the day is long, the news don't come from TV.  Them TV folks haven't “reported the news” since Huntley and Brinkley retired.  Now days all the TV news is telling sensationalistic stories, doing self-promotion and running commercials.  If ya listen real close, they even admit they're a bunch of story tellers.  How many times have you heard: "Here's Sam with the story on that horrendous fire downtown."(Everything is in superlatives.)

Then, just before every commercial break, they have to tell you what they are going to tell you.   The anchor/actor always says something like, “When we come back, we have the story about that runaway train in Springfield.” (By the way Slick, you can put money on that pony being the last story they’ll do.)  

Next, the weatherguy (or girl) is required to ask some dumb question like, “Will the rain continue into tomorrow? Coming up, we’ll tell you.”  Then, the sportscaster has to shout, “So how about them Gophers! Coming up in sports, we’ll have the scores of last night’s game!”  Nop, they sure ain’t reportin’ news, but they gotta fill up the time with something. Naturally, them teasers are followed by a full 3 minutes of 15 second commercials – with at least 2 commercials repeated.  Well friend, if you call that news, you ain’t the sharpest sickle in the shed.

Folks using the Internet for news might have a point.  The Internet does have a whole slew of news “sites.”  Of course you gotta watch for the ones that don't report all the news, just their version of the news.  Too bad there ain't no sheriff checkin’ to see who’s telling the truth on the internet!  Besides, you’d have a hard time haulin’ your computer into the “library,” if you know what I mean.

Reckon I’m glad we still got the Mayberry Post around these parts.  It only comes out once a week, but as their motto says, it’s “Everything You NEED to Know.”  Besides, the old papers come in handy for things like wrapping up stuff when you gotta store it away to make room for new stuff... or as emergency outhouse supplies.


Well, that's what I think, but I am...
Justan O. Geezer