Fly Me To The Moon

By: Vince Yanez

In the 1480’s, Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized how a helicopter would work, it took 300 years before someone was able to actually build one. Jules Verne, in 1865, put humans in a rocket and sent them to the moon; it took us 100 years to catch up. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. talked about a day when black and white could see each other as equals. 47 years later, well, just turn on our television and see how far we haven’t come.

When I was a young lad, if you had asked me what the world would look like in 2010, I would have said we would all be flying around in cars, using jet-packs, our meals would be pills and we would be able to read each other’s thoughts.  I would have said, by 2010, we would have figured out time travel and movie theaters would have smell-o-vision. Buck Rogers and the 21^st Century showed us we’d be hanging out with robots, wearing silver clothes, shooting lasers and flirting with aliens from other worlds. 2010 was a long ways away.

I wonder, in 1963, if you had asked those people on the steps of the Lincoln memorial if we’d ever have an African-American president, would they have laughed at you or would they have said, ‘Maybe?’ If you asked a Vietnam Veteran in the late 70’s, ‘would the American people ever allow the government to put our men and women in harm’s way without a plan or exit strategy?’ Would they have laughed at you or would they have said, ‘Maybe?’

If you were told, back in 1983, 1995 or even in 2001, that we would still be hearing racist remarks shouted from the pulpit, a news organization, a political movement, the mayor of a New York town or the legislature of a Southwestern state, would you have thought ‘No, not our America, not that far into the future’, or would you have thought, ‘Maybe?’

I am naïve. I live in a country that put a man on the moon, builds nuclear submarines, invented the internet and eradicated polio. I assumed we would be using flying cars and jetpacks by now. I would have thought, in the 21^st Century, an African-American president would be no big deal (or a woman or a homosexual). I would have figured that by 2010 we would have realized the strength of our Republic lies not in its military might, but in educating its citizens, and in my optimistic-youth, I would have imagined that we would have gotten past the ignorance, fear and hate known as our Racism Problem in America.

It appears I was wrong on all counts.

What Glen Beck learned from Gangsta Rap

By: Linda Gross

(This op ed piece launches a new series looking at local and national politics. We invite guest columnists and ask readers to weigh in on their thoughts as we head into the Fall. )

The rhetoric of politics will soon take center stage in our lives as we head into mid-term elections. And the question we ask readers this week is when does rhetoric become reactionary?

Remember the Gangsta rap of the 1990′s which was accused of inciting violence against a host of evils including policemen and women? And planting seeds in young people which lead to bad things for society?

Communities of God-fearing folk and the FCC stepped in and censored some of the most onerous speech. Maybe it’s time we look at the consequences of political rhetoric. … Continue Reading

It’s a Yanez Morning

By:VYanez

Welcome to DarinLand

by Darin Lowery

Darin Lowery: Local writer and resident shares his views on Livin' Local

My high school English teacher was a pleasant man by the name of Mr. Beatty. He was slim and wore tweeds and had an amiable, professorial air. He put up with a lot from me, as most of my papers dealt with hookers, cheap drunks and nightclub singers- unusual material for a sixteen year old boy.

I’ll never forget his puzzling words after reading my first essay. “Darin,” he said, “almost every one of your sentences begins with an ‘I’. ‘I saw’, ‘I did’, ‘I went’- it just goes on and on. Perhaps you can use a different perspective.” Seeing as how ‘me saw’ sounds very much like a Vietnamese curry dish, I promptly forgot his suggestion. It just didn’t work for me. Besides- his class was the only one I excelled in. I flunked every other subject except Art.

And I loved the demimonde. … Continue Reading

Beneful gets another Black Eye

By: Linda Gross

The $500,000 Dog Park Challenge

The news spread rapidly when Purina/Beneful announced a half-million dollar contest for a dream dog park in May. All the lucky winner had to do was to submit a 2 minute video showcasing why they were the most deserving of such largess. The winning entry would get a $500,000 “extreme make over” which would obviously result in one amazing facility for dogs and dog-owners. The contest began in May and this August viewers will vote for the winner.

You won’t find the Globe Park video in this coveted circle. And maybe you will decide after looking at the entries, that we didn’t deserve to be in the final ten. But like the award winning  ALLY BANK commercials which drive home the point about fair play and transparent communication, we found the Beneful contest rife with potholes for contestants trying to play by the rules.

Instead of generating good will and positive branding for the Beneful/Purina name, our experience through this process soured our opinion about the company.  Here’s why.

… Continue Reading

Saving Benji,Claraclause and Grandma

By: Linda Gross

(Reprint from GlobeMiamiTimes-Summer Edition)

The first faces to greet you as you walk into Past Times Antiques are rescue dogs – every one. Toby, Lucy and Benji were all rescued by Cheryl and Richard Brazell, just hours before they were to be put down. The story repeats itself further down, where the owners of the Drift Inn, already parents to two dogs- and adamant about not adding a third, found themselves with a little white fluff of a dog when the animal control worker placed “Claraclause” in Lisa’s arms just before Christmas last year and said, please take this one. It’s her last day. … Continue Reading

I realize you love your gun, but why are you shooting your own foot?

by Vincent Yanez

We have seen the enemy, and he is us.

Before the Senate went home for their Independence Day Holiday Weekend, they refused to pass the extension of benefits for jobless Americans. Normally, unemployment benefits last 26 weeks, a little over six months is seen as a good amount of time to find a new job…in normal times.

However, these are not normal times. This country has been in a recession since the last President went back home to clear brush and learns how to eat pretzels. We have the highest unemployment since the Great Depression, with the average unemployment lasting from 9 months to a year. A recession, I remind you, that came to play with a Republican President and a Republican Senate. So technically, they bring us to the brink of collapse, we are narrowly avoiding a Depression and yet they cannot find it in their hearts/brains to help those Americans who are nothing more than victims to their idiocy. … Continue Reading

Superintendent Trent avoids public airing of charges. Takes early retirement.

The GUSD Board met on Tuesday to discuss Trent's request for retirement, indemnification of possible criminal charges, and to recind 44 days of vacation pay to John Marquez.Shown here: Board President,Cayci Vuksanovich, Members,Anna Harmon & Dale Fletcher. Photo by: LeeAnn Powers

This week, Dr. Timothy Trent  submitted his request for early retirement to the Globe School Board, after spending over a year on home assignment while an audit of financial, procurement and HR records was conducted by Education Review Group.

The results of the audit were posted on local radio station, gila101.9 in March, (and again here – see below).  During the year long process, the School Board studiously refused to discuss the audit or any findings with the public.

The audit was completed in March and it appears that the Board was scheduled to present the findings in a public forum earlier this month when the meeting was canceled at the last minute.

When faced with the option of  reviewing all charges using a mediator or taking early retirement, Trent and his attorney opted to go for early retirement which negated the public airing of charges. … Continue Reading

Howlin’ Javelina hosts morning jam session

This last weekend, Dik Mickle, who owns the Howlin’ Javelina in Miami AZ opened up his bar early and invited his friends over for an early morning jam session for riders who are participating in the Five and Dive Summer Tour. … Continue Reading

Arizona’s Pinocchio Politics

By: Vince Yanez

And I shall name him, Pinocchio.

Brewer

Non-elect Governor Brewer has recently stated that most illegal immigrants entering Arizona are being used to transport drugs across the border. The Associated Press has demanded hard facts to substantiate such a claim, others are demanding she apologize for lying to the public, yet again (news.yahoo.com).

You and I both know her apology will be coming soon, and will most likely contain the words ‘I was misunderstood’.

Kyl

Senator Kyl recently stated that Obama said “the problem” with border enforcement measures is that “if we secure the border then [Republicans] won’t have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform.”  The White House denied any such thing was said. Kyl didn’t budge, at first, but is now saying that his words were taken out of context (dailykos.com).

Sad how often he is misquoted with his exact words. … Continue Reading