Thoughts for the Days, May 25 and 26: Country Joe West.

I started my blog last night, but I ran out of steam. Thus today, I am finishing it and taking credit for yesterday and today. Sometime, life gets in the way of my best intentions.

Sometimes on a golf course, reasonable grown men do unreasonable not so grown men things.  When you have golfed as much as me, you have seen some funny things happen on a golf course as result of questionable behavior by very smart people.  Most of the questionable behavior centers around retrieving a golf ball, which cost less than four dollars.  In a recent incident, I watched two members of my foursome do one of those questionable things.  As I was walking to the 18^th green one of the guys in the foursome asked if his ball went into the pond.  I pointed out that the ball was on the edge of the pond and he might be able to retrieve it.  I then headed to the green with my cart partner.  As I looked back, I saw an 80-yearold golfer holding onto the belt of a 73-yearold golfer who was on the steep slope of the ground next to the pond reaching with his club to retrieve his golf ball.  This was a ball that he did not buy but he found on the golf course he lives on.  I said to my cart partner, “I wish I had a camera so I could put a picture of this in my blog tonight, especially if the two of them fall into the pond”.  Fortunately, nothing happened, but I still wish I had a picture that I could use to “blackmail” them with.

“Country Joe” West set baseball’s umpiring record when the St. Louis Cardinals visited the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. West was behind the plate for his 5,376th regular-season game, snapping a tie with Hall of Famer Bill Klem. The colorful West, who turns 69 on Oct. 31, is perhaps the most famous umpire in major league history, known for his memorable run-ins with several players and managers over the years, to go along with at least one executive. He also fashions himself as a country music singer and songwriter, leading to the nicknames “Cowboy Joe” and “Country Joe.” The Oak Ridge Boys, members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and friends with West, sung the national anthem before his record-breaking game.  I have always admired West, not because he was the best umpire, but because he respected the game.  When Joe is behind the plate, there is never any question of who was in charge.  He doesn’t mind arguments as long as it is respectful. However, if you cross the line, he doesn’t hesitate to toss you.  He also has fun which shows in how he interacts with players.  He has been good for baseball and he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Too put it into perspective how long he has been umpiring, based on my calculation he has faced over 370,000 pitches in his career, all of which he was expected to call perfectly.  He also had to do 370,000 squats behind the plate to call those pitches.  Considering he is bigger than most, can you imagine how strong his legs are?

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will be called before the state legislature on Thursday to answer questions about how difficult it is to get an in-person visit scheduled at a SOS office.  In-person visits must be scheduled on-line and it is very difficult to schedule a visit in a timely manner.  Although, the SOS office is allowing people to schedule next day visits, your chances of getting one is hit and miss as they are taken up as soon as them become available.  A close friend of mine is going through the process now and has tried for three days unsuccessfully at 8 AM every morning to schedule a visit.  None are available by the time he is able to get through on-line.  It is like trying to obtain rock concert tickets the morning they go sale.  It is a crap shoot. Benson has done a good job of expanding the services that can be completed on-line, but some things must be done in person.  People who have to do things in person are totally frustrated and are being put into a position of non-compliance through no fault of their own. 

Stay safe.  Wash your hands regularly. Social Distance.  Wear your mask properly.  Schedule your vaccine.

Orchid of the Day: Country Joe West

Onion of the Day:  The state legislatures who want to base state support on the number of state students enrolled in our state universities.  This sounds good on paper, but would hurt our elite universities who attract elite students from all over the world.  This in turn would potentially reduce the talent pool of elite graduates available for our corporations and elite universities staff. Out of state students pay a much higher tuition, thus helping offset the cost to in-state students.

Quote of the Day: “Because I can.”  Simone Biles said on Saturday when she was asked why she executed a vault considered so dangerous that no other woman has attempted it in competition.