March 26th in Tucson

    I was greatly entertained today.  On the bus both going and coming to the University of Arizona.  Going, there was the old guy with the wheelchair asking the names of all the kids on the bus and talking with everybody, then not paying attention to his stop.

On the bus coming home, the high school kids were giving the driver a hard time.

In between though was great.  I had not been in a college class for decades, so this was a little different.  More about that later.

It was just a sunny dry picture perfect day in the Old Pueblo.

Genghis Khan and Conn Iggulden.

    I am reading a novel by Conn Iggulden (author of the book Dangerous Book for Boys) about Genghis Khan.  I’ve read many things about Genghis Khan, but as a novel it is more fascinating.

My previous post on boxing made me think of this.  Genghis Khan grew up with his childhood name, Temujin.    After his father, Yesugei was murdered by Tartar tribesmen, Temujin, his mother and brothers were cast out to die.

They could have died in the lonely open spaces of Mongolia.  They could have curled up and and died, but they had inner strength to survive.  Ruthlessness was a part of it, but needed in that tough place.

Maybe you do not need the ruthlessness, but the inner strength.

Boxing as a Metaphor

    You do not need me to tell you boxing is violent.  I have enjoyed watching Lennox Lewis on Celebrity Apprentice and how good he is with marketing.

No matter how beat up you are, you still need to answer the bell or the bell of life.

More on Freud and the Irish.

    Oh great Herr Doktor Freud.  Did you meet your match in those wonderful folks from the Emerald Isle?

OK, Herr Doktor.  Is psychoanalysis of no benefit because:

1.  The Irish will not listen.

2.  The Irish already have the the “talking cure.”  Isn’t a fine pub a better place than the good doctor’s sofa, you talking and him blowing cigar smoke in your face for fifty minutes.  Doesn’t that sound like a college class, with the Professor having to prepare?

3.  The Irish are master politicians.  Forget Professor Moriarty, how about a good old fashioned Irish politician.  Come Herr Doktor, here is a Christmas turkey.  Just remember to vote early and often for McKenna in the Democratic Primary.

Now if Freud said things about ones mother to John L. Sullivan, that may take on an entirely different angle.

If Freud said this, the Irish should be flattered.  I will take the pub over the sofa.

Greetings to Eastern Germany (Silesia).

    I have had several hits on my website from Eastern Germany.  (Holger, if you are one of them speak up).  Just wanted to pop in to acknowledge and thank you for stopping by.  Let me know if there is anything specific of interest.

Auf Wiedesehn.

There’s a Woman Driving the Train!

    Julianne Hurst-Williams is a retired locomotive engineer from the Southern Pacific Railroad (now part of Union Pacific).

Last Tuesday, March 18th, she presented a lecture at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum

about her experiences.  She started her career in the 1970’s, so she probably had many reactions like the title.

I wanted to post this for her because, what train fans (I include myself here) have to be cognizant that working on the railroad is a hard and sometimes dangerous job.  Julianne had to retire because of injuries.

I want to leave you with a moral.  The romance of the rails, such as the Orient Express is backed up by hard dangerous work.  When you ride a train in luxury, think of folks like Julianne.

Pioneer Party, Health Care.

    China had its Barefoot Doctor program until 1981.  I know the American Medical Association would howl, but why not set up a version of the Barefoot Doctor system as basic frontline care?

This way, doctors can focus on the most serious cases and our emergency rooms are not clogged like bad arteries.  Why cannot we also incorporate other types of medical treatment?

There is no reason to clog the system.

Why Perfection is Sometimes Necessary.

    Having said earlier mistakes are life’s teachers, I had one I should not have had Thursday.  I backed the car up at two miles per hour not realizing my passenger still had the door open and bent the rear door on the drivers side.

I have never done anything like this before.  I admit I was distracted, but now I am paying the price of having to get a new door and needing a rental car for a couple of days.

I was distracted and did not even hear the bell in the car that was still chiming.  Again, accidents are teachers, but some accidents cannot be allowed to happen.

The price I am paying here is small however, what would be the case if I made a mistake on the edge of a sheer cliff?

Moral, there are mistake and there are mistakes.

Trace Adkins and Politics.

He would be a no nonsense person.  Looking forward to the final Apprentice Episode on Thursday.

Teaching Chinese History in Tucson: What Would You Like to Learn about Chinese History?

    Since five people used this as a search time, I wanted to know who would be interested and what would they like to learn about Chinese history.

It is such a detailed topic narrowing it down would make it more interesting.