"Screamin' Meemies"

A teacher is someone you normally hold in high esteem.
If they're good at their job they give you information you can use to make your life better...
And that information may put money in your pocket, or even be used to save your life.
I suspect we've all had some good teachers and some not-so-good teachers.
I certainly have.

My first (primary) teacher/instructor in flight school was a Viet Nam Veteran, and he was a GOOD teacher. He taught me for two months and from him I learned the basics of flying a helicopter.
I learned quickly, and he sent me solo around the traffic pattern before most of my classmates.
My next instructor at Ft. Wolters, TX was NOT such a good teacher.
He was also a Viet Nam Veteran. But for the next two months I had to deal with a guy shouting and belittling me while I tried to learn the more advanced stuff I needed to know; (formation flying and confined area landings and takeoffs.)

In spite of his abusive instruction I satisfactorily completed the course.
And at the end of the course it was customary to gift your instructor with a bottle of the good booze of his choice.
I don't remember what "bad instructor" wanted as his gift. Heck, I don't even remember his name.
I DO remember he invited me and my "stick buddy" to a get-together at his apartment in Dallas, almost an hour's drive from Mineral Wells, Texas.

The two of us showed up at bad instructor's home and the caps from several bottles of alcohol were removed.
"Ever hear of 'Screamin' Meemies?'" asks bad instructor.
I had not. Nor had my stick buddy.

Turns out Screamin' Meemies is sort of a party game. A "shot" of alcohol is poured into a metal shot glass. A match is hovered over the shot of booze until it is set afire. Then the object of the game is to drink the shot of burning (whatever), then lick the bottom of the shot glass clean so that no drip of the alcohol will fall from the shot glass if it is inverted. If the shot glass drips, the procedure must be repeated.
I failed at the task until I finally realized how much trouble I was in and refused to play anymore.
By the time we left bad instructor's apartment I could barely walk to my new Oldsmobile 442 even though I had an hour's drive to get back to my home.
I don't remember much about that drive. I did not get stopped by police. I did not hurt myself or anyone else.
Miracle.

Without a doubt this sort of behavior happened MANY times to those of us headed to Viet Nam.
Without a doubt MANY of my contemporaries didn't make it to Viet Nam due to this sort of stupidity inflicted on us by "bad instructors".

Four months later I finished my flight training and was awarded my Silver Wings. A year later, upon completion of my tour in Viet Nam
I returned to Savannah, Georgia as a Flight Instructor.

I hope I was NOT a bad teacher..

Government Schools-

I really don't even know how we got here.
I'm married to a woman who has a heart as big as all outdoors.
We live next door to a family that has extended family with, shall we say, "normal difficulties" of life today. These neighbors have  taken in a 6 year old girl that is smart as a whip, but to this point has learned some  "street wise" means of survival. She's not only smart. She's cute as a newborn speckled pup.
And my wife has fallen in love with her.
I suppose I have too.

She calls Sara Jean "Grammy".
I'm "Poppy". When she wants something she bats her eyes at me and smiles.
And my heart melts.
She went to kindergarten half a day last year in government supported schools and apparently purported herself VERY well. The idea she'd be subjected this year to the indoctrination of our Public School system made me a little sick to my stomach.

Sara Jean and I discussed options.
Last year we donated to what we consider "worthwhile" charitable organizations. I contacted my tax preparer and was surprised to find my contributions had NO impact on my taxable income.
So we decided our contribution this year would be detoured to a more local charity-
We will try to insure this wonderful little human being will get an education free from government indoctrination.
We will pay her tuition at a local Christian School.
She's been in school a month now. She brings her schoolwork to us for review. The work we see as a result and her obvious intelligence bring tears to our eyes

It's a small step. Financially for us it's one of those things:
We'll have to deny ourselves somewhat, but we feel we're planting seeds that will bear good fruit in the future.

We're tired of watching the destruction of our values.
For us, this is a way to "dig our heels in" and say... NO MORE!

The Political Problem In a Nutshell:

I hate to continue pointing out how brilliant my better half is, but here it is:
Our problem today:
Democrats are all evil and stand TOGETHER  as one.
Some republicans are also evil.


This equation is unequal.

Momma Ain't Happy !

"Can you give me a hand?" she asked.
"Sure", I responded, and followed her out the front door.
There I found my wife with a hammer, some tacks, and Old Glory.
She proceeded to place the Stars and Stripes as shown above then said, "Tack it up there for me."
And I did.

Initially I was uncomfortable with the display. But after watching my president(?) suggest we all "Go to bed",
I think the concern she wants to portray is more than valid.

If we all stand by and let this lunacy continue, we deserve the whuppin' we're gonna get.
My Wife says, "Speak up. It's time!"

Climate Change Question:

This whole subject drives me a little crazy. I'm sure I've written about this previously but I don't remember getting a satisfactory answer to my question:
The same sort of "scientist" that is now suggesting we need to make drastic changes to our lifestyle to avoid a future catastrophe will tell us that 10,000 feet of glacier ice covered the ground I now live on here in the MidWest millions of years ago.
No humans existed back then... What melted that ice?

Dinosaur farts I guess.