MUDBALLS AND SPIT BALLS IN THE "DITHERING" DEBATE -- for JUST A MINUTE Radio Tuesday 110614

It’s wonderful to have you all with us as we slide into the summer season.

Actually the Summer Solstice doesn’t begin in the Northern Hemisphere until 1:16 PM EDT June 21^st here in South Carolina – but it feels like summer now since we’ve already had several days of 83 F heat… and that’s definitely a summer heat..

I’m skeptical about Global Warming… I think it’s due to the increase in population among the talkative set. That is those who have an uncontrollable urge to run for office and thereby must take up the tongs of speechmaking – or here in the South we may call it ‘speechifying’ and connect it with what they used to call “stump” speeches.

It wasn’t necessary to climb up on a stump… but it gave some color to the political scene. I think the more preferred site was the back of a farm wagon which could carry cotton (in those days) either baled or un-baled. But to carry much to the ‘gin’ (short for ‘engine’) where it could undergo the seed removal process, have the trash and leaves combed out and undergo the first slightly cleaning process – and be baled up for storage or shipping. Cotton warehousing, and shipping off to the bleachery or textile mill – all that was bigtime industry in the upstate parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi etc. the cotton producing states.

As the industry progressed – short staple cotton – as grown in the Piedmont regions, became less popular with the mills. And cotton production gradually shifted to long-staple areas of TEXAS and California, along with parts of other states that had sufficient water to grow cotton… Along came bi-planes that greatly speeded up the anti-bollweeville treatments – and applications of other beneficial chemicals to increase the output – so Cotton in this part of the world – that had fled from New England – shifted to other places to be grown. And I suspect it is still shifting probably further east.

Well…I don’t know how I got off in that thicket. Oh yes… Summer…. Summer in the South – a difficult season to appreciate… (L)

I’m glad as a pre-teen I had a chance to experience the “Old South” just a bit. But parts of it were very primitive compared to today… and I’m just as glad that I didn’t have to make my living that way – but there are plenty of good folks who did.

Summer comes a-knockin’ on the door exactly one week from today – when the sun concludes its northward apparent journey and starts back toward the southern hemisphere… While it’s the dead of winter coming down that way – we fairly well totally ignore it and travel on our way without the chatter of a single tooth. And in six months we’ll be wishing we had stored up some of that warm – not to say HOT air. We’ve got a whole political season 12 months plus of it friend… so batten down the hatches and pray!

Cordially, IN HIM

Jack & Barbara

“JUST A MINUTE”

MUDBALLS AND SPITBALLS IN THE ‘DITHERING’ DEBATE

Just a Minute: Started the 2012 dithering season yesterday and kicked it on down the road Monday night in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Michelle Bachmann’s, hat is in the ring. "…I do support a constitutional amendment on marriage between a man and a woman,'' she told John King of CNN.

Strongest applause line? Gov. Pawlenty saying he would support right-to-work legislation making unionization voluntary. Adding "We don't have a government tell us what organizations and association we should be in."

Romney had been questioned on the auto bailout, so, John King asked what would the candidates do about Medicare?

Santorum and Cain embraced Paul Ryan's plan. Pawlenty skipped the question with: "I am going to have my own plan, [which includes] differences from Paul Ryan's plan." But said would allow Medicare recipients to stay on it, while allowing other options.

Gingrich extended his remarks on Ryan's budget adding GOP should not force solutions on Americans. Mr. Paul of Texas opposed Army’s presence -- and Gov. Palin was absent.

So…awayyyyyyy… we go. <> I’m Jack Buttram. (END)

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