Springfield's Own Abominable Snowman

With the sleet, snow, and of course the ice, Thursday was indeed a frosty day in Springfield. But while lots of little boys and girls were getting their noses bitten by ol' Jack Frost, R-12 Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder was perhaps having the frostiest day of all. Our district's top educator raised the ire of parents and students alike by not decisively canceling school in a timely fashion.

For the last 20 years, Springfield's Board of Education, and past Superintendents have tried (without much success in my opinion) to keep from bumbling almost every important decision that has come before them. However, this lack of common sense is astounding, especially from those who profess above average IQ's.

My advice to Doc Ridder is simple. Unlike your predecessor Jack Ernst, refuse to abuse the privilege of being stupid. If schools don't have power, don't send the kids to class. Also, know that when the new and beautiful Parkview is sitting partially powerless, it's time to throw in the towel, and send EVERYONE home as soon as possible.

Living in the Past, Springfield Style, Part II

A good portion of my first post was spent walking through memories of the Professional Building. During the youth of my life, I spent much of my time there, and I enjoyed it so much. People aren’t always the nicest to kids, but I got lucky – they were to me.

Anyone remember Knight’s Coins & Stamps on South Street? It’s where the camera shop is now. Bill Knight was the owner, a bigger man with glasses, slicked back hair and a booming voice. Always had a fun time in that store because he just had so much stuff that was so interesting!

Still can’t remember the name of that restaurant in the Plaza Towers. That’s going to vex what good brain cells I’ve got left.

Just across the street from that in the Plaza Shopping center was Freeman’s Men’s Wear. Dad always went there to get his suits, ties, and cologne. I think everyone was shocked when Jim Freeman decided to shut the doors almost 10 years ago. I still see him from time to time, and it brings back the memories of how that shop smelled and looked.

Ok, here’s a big one for me. Let me qualify this with the statement that I am physically in shape. Round, good friends, is a shape! *laughs* Ok. Calvert’s Cafeteria used to be at the corner of Chestnut and Kimbrough streets, where Municipal Court is. They used to have this wonderful Fruit Cocktail cake that was out of this world! That was the best treat when I was young. Smothered in Cool Whip or served up plain, I loved it. If anyone runs across the recipe for that – pass it along if you don’t mind.

Back on the square, the Fox Theatre occupied the space where the evangelical church is now. Its ticket booth is still preserved outside. Last movie I saw there was the original “Herbie” flick.

I never have liked Pizza House on Glenstone. I got sick there once as a kid and had to run to the john so I could call “Ralph” on the big white phone. Lots of people swear by it and it’s goodness. Thank you; go eat your pizza I’ll just have a PB&J.

Godfather’s Pizza used to be in the Southern Hill’s Shopping Center where Clary’s is now. Always a great atmosphere and pizza too. Mom still has a glass pitcher from Coke that you could buy from there for “endless drinks.”

Wow…I ALMOST forgot about Shakey’s Pizza! You can’t miss the old location – there on Glenstone, which was until just recently, the home to the Pink Cadillac Strip Club. There was always this good smell that came from Shakey’s – when it was Shakey’s of course. I guess there are still a few left around the country. By far, that was the coolest place around to have a birthday party.

Three pizza places in a row…no wonder I’m fat! Let me switch gears here…

Some wonderful nightspots have gone into the cobwebs of my memory as well, including:

The Shady Inn – Bass Pro finally turned that into a parking lot, save for the great tree that had been the signature of the establishment. I was very sad…partied my butt off in the piano bar and feasted on Prime Rib (their specialty) before going across the pond to England in December, 2001. When I came home, the Shady was no more.

Culley’s – A great spot to go downtown to drink piss warm beer and listen to Alan Ross sing bawdy Jimmy Buffetesque style songs. Chinga te, Alan, you and Ken ruined a good thing.

Mostly, I miss my drunken days at the Yucatan Beach Club (a.k.a. The Meat Market) the most. There was one wild New Year’s Eve where I was so blasted; I couldn’t find my rear end with both hands and a road map. Across the room saw this HOT girl, and her ass was just calling my name…wanting me to come over and grab it. Within’ inches of the targeted goal, she turns, and I find out it’s the wife of my best friend! Buh…what a mood killer. Turns out, it wouldn’t have bothered her if I had gone through with it - she was lusting after our OTHER mutual friend, and that marriage died a violent death.

I think that’s enough memories for a little while. Stupid people are surrounding me with questions here at work, so I’ve got to go club them away. Think I’ll send them down the hall to one of the other bosses…

Living in the Past, Springfield Style, Part I

Ok, you caught me.

On more than one occasion, I've been accused by any number of people of living in the past. Yes, I do like spending precious amounts of time trying to remember things from my childhood, like almost everyone I know does. I was just dusting off some of the cobwebs so, feel free to join me. A trip down memory lane - The Queen City of The Ozarks circa the 1970's:

• How did that jingle go for Swiss Villa Amphitheatre in Lampe? (...Swiss Villa, where the Star's Come Out At Night!) Larry Wood @ KY3 gets the credit for creating it. And for those who read this blogg @ KY, tell Elrod I never forgot it either.

• My favorite drink at Taylor's south side location, across the street from Aunt Martha's? (Cherry-Vanilla Dr. Pepper)

• Who was that barber that pealed my noggin like an onion at the Professional Building when I was still an ankle-biter? (Well, none other than Herb @ Herb's Barber Shop)

• I remember Herb's Barber Shop too. The lighting was kind of yellowish, there was a TV mounted up high in the corner. The floor had linoleum tile with little gold/brown flecks in the pattern. And there was a shoe shine stand.

• Who was the woman behind the fountain at the Professional Building that served me up a huge chocolate malt AFTER I got my head pealed by Herb? (Flossie)

• Who were the two Pharmacists behind the counter, one older, one younger...and both of them were bald. (Easy one there. My dad & grand-dad :)

• What was the name of the nice old janitor at the Professional Building who would lean down and talk to me? He was distinctive in that he wore nothing but Florsheim wing tips when he worked. (Thomas was his name, but I always heard others refer to him as Black Thomas. There has never been a kinder soul than that man. Sad ending. He was shot to death in an apparent burglary/robbery attempt some years ago here in Springfield.)

• Walking through the "Bargain Breezeway" on the West side of Heer's.

• Laughing when someone called Heer's "Here's." I knew right away they were from out of town.

• Meals in the Dogwood Room.

• "Consumers, Consumers, the Best Supermarket Under the Ozark Skies" (Clarence & Edna Wheeler - BOTH class acts!)

• There was a restaurant there in the Plaza Towers @ Sunshine & Glenstone. Damned if I can remember the name of it. Right up until it closed, it reeked of the 70's...and I loved it.

• Ditto with the original name of the night club where Studebakers - now Foreplay strip club is today. I remember seeing the guys in their white polyester leisure suits, strutting up to the door, in search of a pretty young bird to hook up with. Damn, I wanted to be one of those guys when I grew up.

• Ebenezer’s Restaurant.

• Toby's Restaurant (corner of Campbell & Walnut, where the bookstore is now.)

• The Library / Ray Yep's Cafe USA / Ray's...all inhabiting the same building at Oak Grove and Sunshine. One of the few lots in town that was cursed. I always thought that building would have been one hell of a nightclub, but it was torn down, and now is a Great Southern Bank branch.

• Crazy Cecil's Toy Land.

• Napolitano's Restaurant on Walnut Street (This used to be a very nice place to spend an evening out. Start at the Landers and walk east toward Jefferson. Stop at the photo studio and that's where it was. The 2 big circles above, on either side of the studio's name, used to be pizzas.)

• Sunshine Drive (Where Corporate Center is now.)

And I'm going to take a breather for now, but not to fear, I'll keep on with the list over the next few days. So many memories! Hope you enjoy them as much as I have remembering them!

Message In A Bottle

Close your eyes and imagine that you're standing on some sandy beach. It doesn't have to be an exotic location by any means...someplace in the states. Let's say...Biloxi, Mississippi. You're walking along the stretch beach that runs in front of the hurricane shattered ruins of Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis' once stately mansion and last home.

As the sand squishes between your toes, you kick a half-hidden bottle out of its resting place and it rolls out and stops not far from you. Like in the old movie, you see it. As you pick up the clear glass, cork sealed bottle, you see a little scroll rolled tightly inside. You can only see one line of writing on the outside:

"Your Life in 4 Years - You've Been Warned."

So...would you read it?

Any good student of geopolitics should pick up a copy of Lady Margaret Thatcher's book "Statecraft." Published in 2002, she gives some excellent insight on America's roll as the dominant super power in the world. Also, she gave some interesting advice on page 39 - advice that would have been well headed by G - Dub, Doc Rice and the White House minions.

It reads:
Don't believe that military interventions, no matter how morally justified, can succeed without clear military goals.

Don't fall into the trap of imagining that the West can remake societies.

Don't take public opinion for granted - but don't either underrate the degree
to which good people will endure sacrifices for a worthwhile cause.

Don't allow tyrants and aggressors to get away with it.

And when you fight - fight to win.

Sometimes, reading the message in a bottle is not a bad thing after all.

-- MR's NOTE:
I visited Beauvoir about a year and a half before Katrina hit. She was not only a beautiful building, but, the only "old southern plantation" style home to survive at all. If you would like to contribute to the restoration of Beauvoir, you can click on their official link for further information. http://www.beauvoir.org/

Reality Check: Why Union's Are A Good Thing

Let me say this up front - I am not, nor have I ever been a member of organized labor. However, I can see its need, now more than ever.

Let me explain.

This goes back to the November elections where we voted to raise minimum wage. I voted for it, while one of my good friends voted against it. We got into a passionate discussion about the matter, and he argued that raising the minimum standard was not a good idea, and would not put money in your pocket like you thought it would. I proceeded to tell him he was nuts, this is exactly what was needed to help get everyone closer to a living wage, etc...

Looks like he might have been right.

If you're just making minimum wage, then things will be looking up a little. But, that's before the prices of goods and services go up. For those of us who are above it...will the money in our pocket increase? Probably not. I don't know of many employers who will just hike your pay by a dollar because minimum wage went up. You're already above it, so don't gripe.

Will goods and services continue to climb in price? Probably so. So, the job that you were doing at the start of this year for X-amount of money has now been cut by a dollar against the minimum. It's like the company is getting you for a buck less an hour.

Unions exist because businesses do not treat their workers well. If they would pay a fair wage, with decent benefits, there would be no unions. However, that's not the case today.

So, what are you going to do about it?

A Few Good Men

When was the last time you did something good for yourself?

One of the best things I have ever done, was to become a Freemason. My journey started as a youth, when I was a member of Farnsworth Chapter, Order of DeMolay here in Springfield. It is still in existence, and meets every 2nd & 4th Thursday, 7pm, at the Masonic Temple - 1930 W. Catalpa.

When I was 18, I became a Mason and it has made a huge difference in my life. If you've always wondered about the fraternity, I've included a link to the Grand Lodge of Missouri that should answer some of your questions:

http://www.momason.org/beamason.asp

Give it a read, and drop me an email. We're always looking for a few more good men.

midwesternrecluse@gmail.com

A Turkey Ain't Nothin' But A Bird

It was about 3 weeks ago and an old friend had stopped by work for a brief visit. As we were talking, the subject of the holidays came up.

"What the hell has happened to Thanksgiving, anyway?" he spewed. "People haven't even had time to take down Halloween decorations yet, and already the damned Christmas lights are up. I think we should move Thanksgiving away from Halloween & Christmas so it can get the attention it deserves."

At that moment in time, I thought he had lost his marbles. Old age was setting in and senility was beginning to take over a once brilliant mind. However...the more I've thought about it, the more I think he's got it right. Thanksgiving is sandwiched between two of the most commercial holidays on the face of the planet. You don't see retailers gearing up for the big Easter rush, or the big Veterans Day sale. No. It's Christmas, and Halloween, and pretty much nothing in between.

Since we can't seem to figure out how to get this low profile day to turn a dime, maybe we should consider moving this family oriented, non-revenue generating holiday out of the way of the Titanic 2 - Thanksgiving in May, and Christmas & Halloween can compete freely for your dollar. But to some, making a buck IS what America has become, and what they are most thankful for. Sad...

-- MR's Note:
The title of this article comes from the title of a song done by Cab Calloway. However, the song is actually about a Chicken, not a Turkey. But, I couldn't have an article about 1 fowl, and use another bird in the title, could I? That would have been pretty chicken to!

G - Dub's War

During this past election cycle, the pundits and talking heads alike fingered the war in Iraq as one of the main reasons the Dems took charge of capitol hill. Now, anyone with half a brain cell can figure that out. G-Dub's popularity has dropped through the bottom of the floor, our troops have had to stay in country longer than they had planned, and for some reason, the administration didn't put together an exit strategy to bring our men and women home from the middle eastern sandbox.

While all of this makes me mad, what makes me madder still, almost to the point of ranting and raving, is the real reason behind this mess in the first place.

I'm not stupid. Before he was even elected a first time, I knew we would be back in Iraq, and I told my Republican friends so.

So, why were did we send our troops in harms way in the first place? It wasn't oil. It wasn't the war on terror. It wasn't to free a country from an oppressive dictatorship. All it was, was a simple good ol' fashion grudge match. That's it.

If G-Dub had just been honest about the ordeal, I would have respected him a little more. Have some moxy about it. Hold a televised press conference and announce to the American people; "This man tried to kill my father, and now that I'm President and leader of the free world, I'm going to send our troops in and go mop the floor with his sorry ass!" American's would have loved it! Young men and women would have signed up by the droves just to get in on a good ol' fashion ass whipping.

Bush should have learned to speak the truth. Americans have the ability to smell a pile of BS when they come across it. That right there, is the reason why I respect our troops to the fullest, but think this whole war was worthless.

Clubbin' In the Metro - Problem Solved?

Before I turned 21, the only way you could go clubbin' here in Springfield was either with a fake ID, or by sneaking in the back door and slipping a dime note into the hand of one of the friendly bar staff. Now, I'm not saying that I ever tested either theory, but, at one point, I knew the clandestine entrances of may of the town's hot spots.

So, here's the deal. Kids under 21 have now been kicked out of local night clubs. Voters resoundingly said that a bar was not the place kids need to be. I'm wondering:

• How will this effect business of the club owners?
• When it does, who will be the first to find a loophole? (rumors of a loophole are already flying around, but I've not looked at the ordinance enough to know).
• Have we put our kids in more danger?

Look lets be honest. Kids are going to do what they are going to do. If they get a burr in their rear end to hit the hooch, they'll do it at either a bar, at someone's house, or they'll find a field in the middle of nowhere and get hammered.

Over time, the numbers won't lie and I'll be very anxious to see the statistics for myself. Did we take care of a real problem, or did we just push the problem further out of sight so we don't have to see it?

From Zero to Hero - You Gotta' Love It!

I love politics. Honest to God I can't get enough of them. I've taken that little spot in my brain that's usually reserved in men for their favorite sports stats, and transformed it into a political dumping ground! Why do I love politics? Let me show you an example and I can do it in two words - Joe Lieberman.

Here is a guy who is a sitting US Senator. He looses his primary election, decides to drop his party affiliation, and run as an Independent. The Democrats pour money against him like pounding sand down a rat hole. But it didn't work.

He won.

MSNBC was commenting on this same fact this morning. Joe Lieberman woke up today the same man, but a changed man. He went from down and out, to being able to write his own ticket in the new Senate. Now, I've never been that big a Lieberman fan and I hated that he took the President's view on the war. But my hat's off to him for believing that he knew his constituents better than his state party did.

Oh, one more thing. Can you IMAGINE the butt kissing that he's going to be getting in Washington from both parties? I'm sure he'll LOVE it! Senator Lieberman, please step forward and pick your committee chairmanship...

Thank GOODNESS It's Over

I was so tired last night, but like the 2000 presidential race, I couldn't bring myself to log off the internet or turn off the television until I saw who had won the Missouri Senate race.
You've got to hand it to Claire McCaskill. She slugged it out until the wee hours of the morning against a political party and an opposing candidate who spent more money than she did. What made the win even more satisfying, Jim Talent was an incumbent, and...to his own detriment, reminded too many people of the President. Sen. Talent should have taken a clue and a pass card when G-Dub wanted to come a stumpin' for him. Other candidates threw on their asbestos suits, and dove out of site...and some of them lived to fight another day.

Overall, McCaskill had the best platform to win. Why did she win? The answer is simple. She's wasn't Jim Talent, or George Bush. One more thing to those who harp all the time about term limits. As last night proved, we already have them. They're called elections. When enough of the people get sick and tired of the same old thing, they WILL make a difference.

For Goodness Sakes, VOTE!

Election Day 2006 - it's halfway over!
Have you voted?

One of the things that truly amazes me in this country is voter apathy. We are one of the very fortunate countries where you can go and change the very fabric of government, and through that, society as a whole...with your vote. There is no military presence, no fear of retribution, no riots, no intimidation. Men & women have fought for years for the full rights of citizenship. If you are 18, all you have to do is step up and register to claim what others have fought so hard to preserve.

For what...40% turn out?

That, is a disgrace. We should have packed polling places at every election. So, let's make THIS election count. Get off your rear end and make a difference. Go vote.

Talent-less

Today marks that last day of heavy political advertising on tv & radio for tomorrow's elections. Now sure, there will still be some ads on the air Tuesday, but for the most part, they will be done for another election cycle.

I don't know about you, but to me, the negative mud slinging has been worse this year than ever. He kicked a dog, she shot a bunny, he hates the elderly, she might as well be a communist because she doesn't pay her taxes...shut up. All of them just need to shut up. Don't insult my intelligence, quit trying to drag the un-dead, quivering body of your opponent through the river of muck and instead, act like you're out of the 3rd grade. What are the problems you see in Missouri? What are you going to do to fix them? Why should I cast a ballot for you? "Straight Talk" - the slogan Sen. John McCain used during his presidential bid, would be appreciated by everyone.

As for my own political views, they are pretty simple. I'm not rich enough to be a Republican, so I'm a proud Greene Country Democrat. I hope beyond hope, that we get that boob Talent out of the senate. I'm Midwestern Recluse, and I approve this message :)

Here He Comes Again...

I'm sure you've got one of "those guys" in your office or place of business. You know the one I'm talking about. He comes lumbering down the hallway and when your coworkers see him, they begin franticly shoving anyone that's not paying attention into his path, just so they can get away and not have to talk to him.

And this guy will talk! It doesn't matter about what really, because he'll talk about ANYTHING! Could be the newest thing his neighbors are doing to their house, or his last physician's visit with Dr. Big Finger. Who knows, maybe if you get a lucky day, he'll corner you for 20 minutes and tell you about his E.D. and everything leading up to him popping the "little blue bomb" so he could have sex with his wife last night. Yeah, now you know the guy. Gives ya' the willies and you wish he'd just get the hell away and go bug someone else.

He won't. And you're stuck with him.

Can You REALLY Get Away from Yourself?

I've been contemplating vacation lately. Someplace with warm winter skies, a beach, palm trees, good food and music - you know, somewhere that you can just relax and forget it all. Problem is this...I need a vacation from myself. Do you ever feel that way? I mean, dear Lord, sometimes it's complicated being me. I'd just like to put myself in the corner, with all my problems and vices, and get away for a while. Rest up, eat right, live good, and then come back to take care of business.

Make sense?

Great pic, huh? Havana Bay at sunset. Mmmmm...gotta' love it.

Private Ponderings

Have you noticed that there seems to be some strange fascination with writing thoughts and emotions online? These private ponderings will be published for strangers across the globe to read, yet, these same things you wouldn't dare share with people that are close to you. Maybe this immediate venting to the masses is therapeutic. Maybe it's the voyeuristic part of our personality - the want to live in a glass house and deny that others are watching.

Maybe...it's just a way out.