Christmastime

Here's a photo I might have posted earlier, but then again, maybe not.  It was taken about 1958.  My little brother and my little sister admiring our tree in the living room window at our house on Valverde Street in Taos.  (I checked, the house now has a street #707. When I grew up it was the house "at the bottom of the hill.")

The "secretary desk" against the wall, and the cabinet for the radio against the other wall still exist.

Wow.

Those were memorable times.  My brother didn't live long enough to see all of the Christmas events that he should have.  My sister, Bunny, remains the mainstay of her part of the family - now headquartered in Guernsey, Wyoming.

'tis the time again

It's been a while...lots of things going on.  Time for a little timeout from all the hustle and bustle. Enjoy the holidays!

American Hope

Earlier this year I had occasion to visit Morgantown, West Virginia.

It’s spread across many hills and valleys.

The community is dominated by West Virginia University.  The Mountaineers.

The medical school thanks United States Senator Robert Byrd for helping make it possible.  Perhaps they could find a few bucks to make a new sign.

There are a couple statues of note in these parts.   One in front of their basketball arena honoring Jerry West (who is now doing TV commercials).

In downtown Morgantown, another statue was recently placed.  Holding on to his deputy’s hat is Don Knotts. 

You might remember him better from this picture.

This is coal country.

In one town the old red brick school house has seen better days.

Just down the road, a new one is being finished.

Across the street, a scene that could come from thousands and thousands of places in this country.

These homes are very near a “model city” that Eleanor Roosevelt championed so many years ago.  You can read more about Arthurdale here.

The folks in these parts have a way of life similar to ours.  They have homes, cars, friends and neighbors.  There are abandoned buildings in the area that were once businesses.  But they have differences, too.  Winters are colder, summers are hot & sticky. 

But, when it's all over, they want the same thing we do.

To be safe and secure.

Let us hope!  

Remembering a Veteran

Well Well Well

Election Results Commentary

It's Over

One More Day

Countdown Continues

Countdown continues

Election Day Countdown

Vote Early Vote Often

Ryder Cup Throwback

This is a Throwback Thursday that throws back one whole week.

The occasion was the 41^st Ryder Cup matches in Chaska, Minnesota.  This is an event that happens every 2 years where a golf team from the United States is assembled to compete against a golf team from Europe.  Sites for the contest alternate between Europe and the US.

For me, this was the fourth visit to this, the greatest spectacle in golf.  Prior tournaments were held near Detroit, Louisville and Chicago.

This was the best...

The golf course was spectacular, and nearly all of the 55,000 people who visited each day agreed.

The two pictures above were taken during a practice round.

Bubba Watson-wasn't playing, a vice-captain-looked like the weight of the team was on him.

When in fact, it was on the back of Davis Love III-here deep in conversation prior to the final round.

Justin Rose

Roger Maltbie of NBC Sports, following the leaders.

Phil and Jim Furyk, another vice captain.

Rickie Fowler trying to explain what happened.

Rory McIlroy headed for the hinterlands in search of a wayward golf ball.

Henrik Stenson being interviewed, probably by a European media station.

When the day was done, it was back to the bus!

My golf traveling companion, Ed Mahr, and I attempt to explain to this fellow what The Ryder Cup was all about.  He didn't care! 

Arnie

Had the opportunity to stay at Arnold Palmer's in Orlando a few years back.

What a great place.

The golf world will miss him.

Polls and Poles

It's political season and time for polls   poles...

Mike Roberts, THE Voice of the Lobos

Mike Roberts, one of the few “Voice of the Lobos” that has ever existed, has left the broadcast booth on earth, headed for a higher plain.  Here a couple stories

For years Mike and I worked in the broadcast/television business in Albuquerque.  We were never real competitors, other than we worked at competing stations.  We might have even worked at the same place at the same time.

When Mike was ousted as the Lobos play-by-play may, I was in attendance at the last Lobo Basketball game he called.   It was at Cal in California.

I walked over to say hi, and he told me, “This may be my last Lobo broadcast, they’ve sold the rights to the games to somebody.”  It was a melancholy moment for him – and he was correct on both points.

My wife, Connie, worked for a while at KOB (when Stanley Hubbard still owned the radio station – before it became K-KOB).

She recalls having to work a shift “on the board” – punching buttons – during a Mike broadcast.  

Those can be nerve wracking times – things have to go right, the timing has to be right.  Mike knew Connie was nervous about punching the buttons for the commercials, so when it came time for a commercial break, Mike would say, on the air,  “We’ll get back to the game after  this 30 second commercial message from Rich Ford”…at which point Connie would push a button and the commercial would play.  He was instructing her from the remote site.   He did that for the entire broadcast, “I’ll be back after this ___ second message from ____.” 

By stating the obvious he made a complicated broadcast come off as a symphony.

Keep callin’ ‘em as you see’m Mike!

Wasn't there a time

Wasn't there a time when candidates for public office talked about what they could or would do to make our lives better?

What happened to those times?

 And, all this talk about "transparency" of our public officials, and those who want to be a public official.

None of them want transparency!

 About transparency, I say... "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"

Pittsburgh - a city

Ever heard of Pittsburgh?

You know, the smoke belching Iron City of western Pennsylvania?

Well, it ain’t that no more!

Our first view of the city was somewhat “clouded”

They city is dominated by bridges (more than 400 of them) that, among other things, cross 3 rivers.

The Monongahela, and the Allegheny join up to become the Ohio.  Better picture below.

The impact of old-old wealth remains.  Almost everywhere you turn you hear two names.

Carnegie and Heinz.   One of United States Steel fame (pronounced car-negg’-ee, not  car'-neg-eee" like we all do) and the other of ketchup and political fame.

Right next to the Carnegie “children’s center” is Heinz field – where the Steelers play. 

And a stone’s throw from there, just across the Roberto Clemente bridge from downtown is the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates – PNC park.

Andrew Carnegie’s legacy to this community is libraries, museums, and cultural centers.  Same for Heinz – be they named for the ketchup king, or his offspring like the late US Senator John Heinz. 

Pittsburgh is a happenin’ place.  And an important place -you can just feel it. Look who was in town when we were there!

From atop one of the Incline Rides looking toward downtown.

From near downtown looking at one of the inclines - cable cars that actually haul working people in suits and ties from homes to offices every day of the week.

 The original Primanti Brothers restaurant in the strip district - that never closes.   People eat well.

 The 3 most notable professional sports teams in the city, the Pirates, the Steelers, and the Penguins (who won Lord Stanley’s cup this year) – all have the same team colors - the colors of Pittsburgh's flag, which in turn, is based on the coat of arms of William Pitt, the 18th century British Prime Minister   - for whom the city is named.