THE DECLINE & FALL OF THE ROAMIN' UMPIRE

[umpire2]

I know I "editorialize" in a number of places, but I thought that I would centralize things and create a place to muse.

I am humble enough to know that most people will not care what I have to muse over and egotistical enough to go ahead and do it just for myself.

So there will be thoughts here and opinions and probably a lot of junk.

The title of the thread sounds negative, but it will not be all negativity here; the title just came to me while I was driving home and thinking about this:

"I Don't Get Around Much Anymore"

My traveling days, at least in the recent past and for the present, have been extremely limited.

I used to go all over the world, but I haven't been out of the U.S. for the last 9 years (almost). I thought about that and said, "Shit, that is a long time!"

Part of it is simply circumstantial, part of it is opportunity, but a lot of it is financial. If I am not going somewhere that is business oriented, I just can't afford it.

Even domestically, I have only made seven trips in the U.S. in the past five years (I am not counting roaming around in-state or barely crossing a state line before looping back) and six of the seven have been related to business---research mainly.

I'd like to go somewhere over the Summer, but I have no immediate plans and I have so much writing I need to get done, I will probably be pretty home bound. Beyond that, the only trip I KNOW will be coming up is a year away---next April.

So much for the Roamin' Umpire. Where are those orgies when you need them?

[RandyKnight]

one of my favorites....

[umpire2]

Ha!

Randy, you card

[AZRIEL]

[RandyKnight]

Originally Posted by umpire2

Ha!

Randy, you card

as far as travel...these fucking air lines have gotten nuts over the fuel cost...

gas has gone up 20% but airline tickets up 40 to 70%....just plain BS

sure was cheaper to travel back when everyone thought we were going under...

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by RandyKnight

as far as travel...these fucking air lines have gotten nuts over the fuel cost...

gas has gone up 20% but airline tickets up 40 to 70%....just plain BS

sure was cheaper to travel back when everyone thought we were going under...

I get about 1/4 the travel reimbursement I got 8 years ago and everything costs twice as much.

[RandyKnight]

Originally Posted by umpire2

I get about 1/4 the travel reimbursement I got 8 years ago and everything costs twice as much.

even as I have gotten older and have more money....

I think the older I get the prices get even harder to stomach...

In 60 years.....10cent 12oz drafts to 2.50 pints...just to mention a little

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by RandyKnight

even as I have gotten older and have more money....

I think the older I get the prices get even harder to stomach...

In 60 years.....10cent 12oz drafts to 2.50 pints...just to mention a little

Gas goes up, everything goes up.

I remember when I started driving back in 1981, I could get gas for about $1.05 to $1.09 a gallon. Early the following year, I got my first "real" job and made $23,000.

If everything was equal (or even close to it), since gasoline is 3.477 times higher, I should be making about $80,000.

I'm only off by about $27,000.....

[richief]

I spent a lot of time travelling at the government expense and not all of it was for a little ruckus, some of it was adventurous training, climbing, canoeing, skiing and such, but in the last few years I stopped and doubt I will do any more travel which is a little saddening, there are some places I want to go to and some I want to return to, but when the cost of travel insurance is in the thousands then it doesn't add up finacially.

[umpire2]

Maybe in 20 years when I retire I'll get to travel more ; of course, I'd have to win the lottery first.....

[justpassingthru]

"Editorialize" huh ... is that what they call preaching these days?

I hear you on the rising cost of traveling though and luckily I have gathered enough air miles over the years to travel for the rest of my life without having to pay much other than the surcharges on flights.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

"Editorialize" huh ... is that what they call preaching these days?

I hear you on the rising cost of traveling though and luckily I have gathered enough air miles over the years to travel for the rest of my life without having to pay much other than the surcharges on flights.

[umpire2]

Well, I did some roamin' last night.

Yes, sir & ma'am, I left the state!

I did indeedy-do.

Crossed the state line, had dinner, and came home.

I am a regular Michael Palin, I am!

[DarthMorgh]

Pattaya, Thailand

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by DarthMorgh

Pattaya, Thailand

That's a long way to go for Pad Thai !!!!!

[ejls]

I have a summer place that is more than affordable for me to maintain. My issue now is the cost to get there for the weekend. It's sad to think I may have to let it go.

[ejls]

Originally Posted by DarthMorgh

Pattaya, Thailand

I have a writer friend who retired to Pattaya. He's come out of his retirement to work for a while, but to him Pattaya is paradise.

[DarthMorgh]

Originally Posted by umpire2

That's a long way to go for Pad Thai !!!!!

Maybe but its really cheap and very beautiful

[umpire2]

I am not passing judgment on anyone here, because there are a multitude of reasons for people to travel to various locales and to favor some of them.

Years ago, I knew a guy who vacationed in Thailand every summer for about 3 weeks. He would rave about how beautiful it was, how well he was treated, how inexpensive it was and that he was going to retire there.

He was a really good guy, generally speaking.

I, of course, was extremely naive and thought (in the relative poverty of my college days) it would be nice to have the time and money to go there----until I found out about the child prostitution, forced transgender ops, etc, which make up such a large portion of the Thai 'tourism economy'.

I kept this newly found knowledge to myself for a few months before I asked my Thai-traveling friend about it, and he was very open about it. One of the big attractions for him was that he could pretty much get all the 10 to 14 year old girls or boys he wanted, unless of course, you wanted a virgin----then the price went way up.

And so ended 1) my desire to ever go to Thailand and spend a dime in such a pit and 2) my fairly regular---once or twice a month---trips to the local Thai restaurant with a really good guy----generally speaking.

[DarthMorgh]

I'm sure you could find quite a lot of countries with forced child prostitution.... including Japan and a lot of african countries. But don't let something like that keep you from experiencing and enjoying a nice place. To be honest, Thai Fried Rice is the best fried rice I've ever had and I don't even like fried rice

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by DarthMorgh

I'm sure you could find quite a lot of countries with forced child prostitution.... including Japan and a lot of african countries. But don't let something like that keep you from experiencing and enjoying a nice place. To be honest, Thai Fried Rice is the best fried rice I've ever had and I don't even like fried rice

I know that you are correct, but I cannot get the disgust out of my head---and it has been over 25 years.

There is plenty of forced child prostitution in THIS country as well. There is scum everywhere, but I do live here and I guess it is my own protest against Thailand that I would not spend tourist dollars in a place that pretty much promotes child sex slavery as a tourist draw.

[DarthMorgh]

I still think you should go once in your life...I had a blast during the Thai New Year Water Festival

[AZRIEL]

[umpire2]

Today's topic, North Carolina's proposed Amendment One, on the ballot next Tuesday, May 8.

The proposed amendment, on the ballot for the May 8 primary, says that marriage between a man and a woman is the "only domestic legal union" that would be valid or recognized in the state once it passes.

The anti-gay amendment has, at this point, about 54% support by those who don't know what it means ('gays? I don't like 'em, so I'll vote for an anti-gay amendment') and only 41% support among those who DO know what it means (taking away the civil right of recognized unions between gay couples and their loss of rights, legal, medical, etc., that go along with civil unions).

What I do not understand is why anyone would be bothered supporting such an amendment at all.

Who cares if someone is gay?

Are they really hurting you by their 'gayness'?

Does it really bother you so much WHO two people choose to love that you will waste time, energy and money to try and dictate to them who they are allowed to love?

(at the same time letting the political leaders who support this kind of MISDIRECTION get away with sending U.S. jobs overseas, supporting the cuts in medical, social, senior and workers benefits in this country while lining their pockets with corporate lobbiest dollars?)

Do you really want to stop gay marriage so that your daughter has a better chance of marrying a gay man and being miserable the rest of her life?

Or would you really rather your gay daughter marry and abusive straight drunk, just because he is male, rather than marrying the woman she loves and treats her well?

I know I would not only be pissed off, but also justified in demanding my constitutional rights if someone tried to dictate to ME what woman I should love or what TYPE of woman I should love, rather than simply letting nature take its course and allowing both of us our own choices.

People should mind their own f'in business rather than sticking their noses in others' personal affairs.

The country has enough REAL problems that need attention rather than wasting time on petty prejudices that only know the ignorance and small mindedness of those who probably can't run their own lives very well, but instist on running the lives of others.

[titsinmyface]

I REMEMBER , IN ATLANTA, GA. WHEN THE FIRST RECESSION CAME
THROUGH THERE ABOUT 1970. THE PURPLE MARTIN , CHEAP GAS STATION,
THE PRICE OF GAS WENT FROM 58 CENTS A GALLON TO 62 CENTS A GALLON.
MY OLD MAN CAME IN JUST A FUMING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY WERE CHARGING FOR GAS. HE ENDED HIS RANT WITH, WELL I JUST WON'T DRIVE ANYMORE !! YEAH, RIGHT !! HA HA HA

[Circe]

Originally Posted by umpire2

Today's topic, North Carolina's proposed Amendment One, on the ballot next Tuesday, May 8.

The proposed amendment, on the ballot for the May 8 primary, says that marriage between a man and a woman is the "only domestic legal union" that would be valid or recognized in the state once it passes.

The anti-gay amendment has, at this point, about 54% support by those who don't know what it means ('gays? I don't like 'em, so I'll vote for an anti-gay amendment') and only 41% support among those who DO know what it means (taking away the civil right of recognized unions between gay couples and their loss of rights, legal, medical, etc., that go along with civil unions).

What I do not understand is why anyone would be bothered supporting such an amendment at all.

Who cares if someone is gay?

Are they really hurting you by their 'gayness'?

Does it really bother you so much WHO two people choose to love that you will waste time, energy and money to try and dictate to them who they are allowed to love?

(at the same time letting the political leaders who support this kind of MISDIRECTION get away with sending U.S. jobs overseas, supporting the cuts in medical, social, senior and workers benefits in this country while lining their pockets with corporate lobbiest dollars?)

Do you really want to stop gay marriage so that your daughter has a better chance of marrying a gay man and being miserable the rest of her life?

Or would you really rather your gay daughter marry and abusive straight drunk, just because he is male, rather than marrying the woman she loves and treats her well?

I know I would not only be pissed off, but also justified in demanding my constitutional rights if someone tried to dictate to ME what woman I should love or what TYPE of woman I should love, rather than simply letting nature take its course and allowing both of us our own choices.

People should mind their own f'in business rather than sticking their noses in others' personal affairs.

The country has enough REAL problems that need attention rather than wasting time on petty prejudices that only know the ignorance and small mindedness of those who probably can't run their own lives very well, but instist on running the lives of others.

Possibly b/c NC is home to the other major USMC base (I think it's 2nd largest, after Pendleton in CA...and largest on the east coast-period), Camp Lejeune. I know, shouldn't make a difference...but it's been a huge issue for the past 2 years.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by Circe

Possibly b/c NC is home to the other major USMC base (I think it's 2nd largest, after Pendleton in CA...and largest on the east coast-period), Camp Lejeune. I know, shouldn't make a difference...but it's been a huge issue for the past 2 years.

Interesting point, Circe, but I am not sure that the opinions of a percentage of a couple of thousand Marines makes much impact on 54% of 3 million eligible voters.....

[DarthMorgh]

I agree...we have other more pressing issues at hand.

[umpire2]

In my "PIN-UP" thread, I mentioned yesterday that I watched IT with Clara Bow from 1927.

I watch a fair amount of films, mainly older ones, and I thought I'd use this somewhat random spot to make some points about them.

This morning (about 12:30 to 2:30AM, before I caught a couple of hours sleep), I watched ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS (1939), with Cary Grant and Jean Arthur.

It was an excellent drama about mail carriers in and around the Andes in the era of transition from bi-planes to larger tri-motor craft.

What passed through my head was: How many films were made in 1939 that were head-and-shoulders better than GONE WITH THE WIND???

My guess would be at least a dozen and maybe as many as 20 were better than that over-long, over-acted, boring stinker that won the Academy Award.....

[umpire2]

Another clear candidate for the "BETTER THAN GONE WITH THE WIND FILMS OF 1939":

DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK

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Directed by John Ford, DATM is a much more interesting story, filled with humor, romance, tenderness, action and suspense, all packed tightly into about half the length of the long, drawn-out and boring GWTW.

Henry Fonda is a much better actor than Clark Gable (Gable had many good moments, and he wasn't half bad in GWTW, but Fonda in DATM is several times better); Claudette Colbert is a much better actress than Vivian Leigh.....period.

The supporting cast includes the wonderful Edna Mae Oliver, giving a great performance; John Carradine, much more believably evil than in any of his horror films; the always-solid Ward Bond and a collection of character actors in small parts that grab your attention during the short time they are on the screen (unlike the dozens of cardboard cut-out characters---not including Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen and Thomas Mitchell in GWTW): Roger Imhof as "General Herkimer"; Arthur Shields as "Reverend Rosenkranz"; Eddie Collins as "Christian Reall"; Doris Bowden as Mary Reall; Tiny Jones as "Mrs. Reall"; Arthur Aylesworth as "George Weaver"; Jessie Ralph as "Mrs. Weaver"; Robert Lowrey as "John Weaver"; Kay Linaker as "Mrs. Demooth"; and Chief John Big Tree as "Blue Back" all make the story come alive.

From a novel by Walter Edmonds, DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK is probably one of the top 100 films of all-time, and much better, in 1939, than GWTW.

[umpire2]

Stills from DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK

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[umpire2]

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[umpire2]

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[AZRIEL]

[umpire2]

Speaking of 'declining' and 'falling', having just had a birthday, I was reflecting on one of my favorite topics: Me.

I don't know about anyone else, but I think I age in spurts. My entire life, since I was in my late teens, people have taken me for younger than I am. When I got a job at 27, staff (and many students) thought I was an incoming freshman. It was typical for people to think I was 5 to 10 years younger.

I think those days are rapidly coming to an end. Last year was one of those years. I felt (and looked) like I aged about 3 years in 1. This year has been worse. I look in the mirror and I think I look 5 years older than last.

I probably look my age now. I know it is all about ego, and though I am not crushed by this, I always thought it was funny, if not cool, to be thought younger.

I can still do things physically (including out-sprint 20 year olds), but, like anything else, it is a matter of time.

I've always liked birthdays. For some reason, this one, not so much.

[justpassingthru]

Is that Claudette Colbert in post #32 with Henry Fonda ... damn she looks hot there.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

Is that Claudette Colbert in post #32 with Henry Fonda ... damn she looks hot there.

Yep, that's Claudette.

I always thought she was kind of funny-looking.....but could be sexy at times. Excellent actress, though!

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by umpire2

Yep, that's Claudette.

I always thought she was kind of funny-looking.....but could be sexy at times. Excellent actress, though!

As much as I love short hair on women, her tight curl doo just didn't work for her and gave her a strange look but that pic above is smokin'.

[RandyKnight]

I was reflecting on one of my favorite topics: Me.

I got a fun chuckle out of that line....

==========

as to age and looking younger I seemed to be what you were talking about however being over 60 now those days seem gone.....

When people pull that line..."you look younger than that"....I smile but I know better cause I have a mirror at home....

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by RandyKnight

I got a fun chuckle out of that line....

==========

as to age and looking younger I seemed to be what you were talking about however being over 60 now those days seem gone.....

When people pull that line..."you look younger than that"....I smile but I know better cause I have a mirror at home....

Hey, if I can cause a chuckle, it makes my day.

Cheers, Randy!

[ki_wi]

I really hope natural, eco safe energies make a huge impact on air flight. Solar panels enough to power the future of air travel?

[RandyKnight]

Originally Posted by ki_wi

I really hope natural, eco safe energies make a huge impact on air flight. Solar panels enough to power the future of air travel?

I have a better idea....

How bout those machines at the airport that do a full body scan....



It would be great to enter on one side say Dallas and when you walk out the other side you would be the town you were headed to...say Las Vegas....

Yeah Baby...give me a transporter...Jim beam me up, Scotty....

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by RandyKnight

I have a better idea....

How bout those machines at the airport that do a full body scan....



It would be great to enter on one side say Dallas and when you walk out the other side you would be the town you were headed to...say Las Vegas....

Yeah Baby...give me a transporter...Jim beam me up, Scotty....

I was thinking the same thing....but they'd still lose my luggage!

[RandyKnight]

Originally Posted by umpire2

I was thinking the same thing....but they'd still lose my luggage!

Or just way over charge you to even have luggage....

[umpire2]

Speaking of films from 1939 that make GONE WITH THE WIND seem like watching grass grow, there is the brilliant, thought-provoking and inspirational

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON


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[umpire2]

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[umpire2]

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[umpire2]

Another great cast supporting JIMMY STEWART and JEAN ARTHUR: CLAUDE RAINES, EDWARD ARNOLD, GUY KIBBEE, THOMAS MITCHELL and BEULAH BONDI

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