The Peculiar Birthing of El Gringo Viejo's Father

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    The generations on the paternal side of El Gringo Viejo's lineage is "spaced out".   This did not come from LSD,  but by the Clock of Ages, better known as the calendar.   To-day is the 107th anniversary of the birth of my father.  The 157th such anniversary of his father's birth occurred earlier this year, as did the 209th anniversary my great-grandfather Luther of the same lineage.

     Life produces challenges and accomplishments, and the birthing of my father was one of those combinations of events.  It was a cold time in Gwinner, of Sargent County, in North Dakota.   The first of April was never really considered planting time, but this particular year found the normally large and comfortable house of my grandparents up to the eaves in snow drifts.   All the first story windows and doors were sealed up by the snow.

     Grandfather was gone via rail to Minneapolis where he was busy buying feed for draught animals, machinery for planting and harvesting the coming season's wheat crop, and various and sundry things that were included in various neighbours' "need-list".   Much would be forwarded by rail express during the latter part of April and then sent down by drayage to Gwinner.   It would be complicated by the fact that my grandfather and grandmother were expecting a blessed event, one that would be the first and last for the both of them.

     The problem revolved around the fact that my grandmother suddenly went into labour during the very final hours of March, 1911.  Her husband was gone and would not return for at least 10 days.  There was no one around.  Travel and even moving around in the area was all but impossible.  Sleighs, sleds, wagons, the few motor-cars, were all pretty much useless during those moments.

     The fact that a gaggle of Lakota women, trundling through the drifts with their children, horses, and dogs, would confound the scene of mostly white-out for as far as the eye could behold would come to bear very much upon the immediate and distant future.   As they passed near, the women noted that the house of the White Lady was essentially shut-in, which could be easily determined.   But there were none of the little paths that still occur during such times.....going out for firewood or coal....a path to the barn to check on and/or feed the horses, cows, and other animals could not be seen.

     But the Indian women knew that the White Lady had not gone to market with her husband because she was "very big".  They also took note that there was no smoke from any of the three chimneys nor the kitchen flu.  In short, something was wrong.   The women began to dig through to the front door, and that in and of itself was quite a chore.   But, the women were used to the arduous challenges of life, and continued their steady assault until the doors were reached.   They had been calling out and had finally heard the White Lady responding weakly, trying to sound cheerful. 

     When they finally entered the house and parlour,  with dogs and horses and all, they also encountered the grandmother of El Gringo Viejo who had recently almost completed a self-delivered baby-birthing.   The women went about cleaning and finishing-up and setting a fire in the fireplace.  We were never really given any account about how the clean up was effected after boarding the horses and dogs, but I am sure something was done.

     The baby was papoosed-up and kept close to either the mother or the other women so as to control his temperature.  The baby was early, small, and frail.  In those years, and in that environment, it was no certain matter that life itself could prevail.   The women cooked and attended to the White Lady and the baby during about a three day period.  At that time, most of the group left and went on to Sargent, and then to the county seat, leaving behind the older women and a couple of younger girls (training, you know) to take care of the new mother and her baby.

     After a week, both the baby and the mother were stronger.  A man came from Fargo with a message from my grandfather, advising that he was coming back a couple of days early, which meant, any time now, since the message had been sent three days earlier.   So preparations for his arrival began, and the mother and baby were moved up to the second floor, while the over-used parlour was put back into something like presentable condition.

     Some weeks later, the White Lady and her Man made their way to the Sioux encampment along with the baby.  A great celebration was held along with some kind of blessing rendered by the Spiritual Guide of the Tribal group.  The White Lady was, you see, some kind of bleeding-heart liberal Republican of the period who was famous for doing medical work among them, along with other kindnesses.   These acts did not endear her nor her husband with the Nordic folks who predominated in the area in terms of the Caucasian cohort of the population in southeastern-most North Dakota.

     Supposedly, this humble servant who now recounts the story of the nativity of his father, is genetically most like the White Lady, who was tall and thin (5'10" and 120 pounds) like her father who was tall and thin (6'4" and 190 pounds).

There is more to tell, but perhaps at another time, when the wind is cold and blowing flakes and freezing things and while we struggle a bit for warmth and reason.
El Gringo Viejo

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Massive Military Deployment to Texas / Tamaulipas Frontier

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One of four Personnel Transporters that
 landed suddenly on 29 March 2016 in
 Reynosa, across from McAllen

     We "hypered- up" the banner for this article like the real live press reports and editting gurus do.  This particular analysis allows us to keep the OROG community and others up to date with the real situation for the common slobs-like-me who go and come across the border with some frequency.

     Some time back the Mexican Secretary of Defense (War) announced that there would be personnel changes and redeployments of military resources that would be affecting areas of conflict in certain places within the Republic. This was taken by many analysts as a sign that the Central Government in Mexico City was going to retire the military presence along the border, and perhaps even cut back on general deployments, while announcing a premature "victory over the Cartels" statement.   But, it was not so interpreted by this humble commentator.
   First came a deployment to the Reynosa military headquarters  of 300 "Federal Civil Police" who are actually Mexican Army personnel who have be re-uniformed in black and trained up in urban analysis, investigation, civil rights and civil legal procedures, and the like, although 80% are essentially infantrymen.  It was a surprise move because the press had been stating that the Frontier area of Tamaulipas State was going to be seeing a draw-down of troops, only hours before.   Within two days four airplanes, one of which is shown above, landed in quick order at the Reynosa International Airport.

One infantry company on the tarmac in Reynosa
the day before yesterday....

    Six hundred effectives were organised in rank and file, boarded onto personnel transporters and taken to the aforementioned local military installation about a mile to the west of the Airport.

    Before 36 hours had transpired the black-clad investigating units reported to the black-clad "Federal Civil Police" about the areas where cells existed of "pandillas" (small gangs of very junior-aged punks) who style themselves as members of this-or-that cartel.  Within an hour of their notification, Los Verdes (or "greenies" as the  Regular Army is sometimes called) had deployed to search and detain or destroy the miscreants.
    So, last night, for three hours, Reynosa was the scene, from side to side and top to bottom, of encounters between military force and degraded, criminal hubris.   As of this hour there have been no reports of the number or nature of casualties.  What is known is that the last twenty four hours have been very quiet from Reynosa to Matamoros downriver, and from Reynosa to Mier, upriver.

     What the OROG who follows this blog would like to know, perhaps, is if this activity fits into El Gringo Viejo's notion of the picture of a general, steady degradation of the Cartel and/or organised criminal element and/or common criminal activity.   And, the response as it pertains to this part of the frontier, and the northeastern-most part of the Republic of Mexico is most certainly,  Yes!! 
     For instance, even as we were doing a bit of backgrounding for this submission, it was sadly entertaining, in a way, to review the period from 2008 - 2012 especially, when, in fact, various "experts" declared that Mexico was at the point of becoming disintegrated.   No less than Amb. John Bolton, whom I normally respect, declared that Mexico had entered too far down the road paved with corruption and sloth and could not be considered a true political entity any longer.
     All nature of experts chimed in....body counts did build up....and hope for improvement was nowhere to be found.   But even in the midst of it....and surrounded while being inside the belly of the beast....your humble servant was watching the common people and the wealthy or well-to-do who actually went about their daily chores.   He watched the bureaucrats who had their peculiar habits at times in terms of precise handling of public funds, continue to complete projects...some quite huge.   He also noted that the Mexican military, steadily and competently, defined space and cleared it, and went on to find more space and clear that space.
     With the return of the replacements for the Cartels and Pandillas, each time they were more incompetent.  Each time there was a new contest over local territory, the pandillas and local strongmen would enter into intra-mural combat and wind up killing each other in large part.   The remainders would frequently be "neutralised" by the military.

      The long-distance, overnight deluxe busses between Mexico City and Reynosa began running again.   The first-class and deluxe middle to long distance day busses began running again....300 per day arriving in Matamoros, and 400 arriving per day in Reynosa.....multiply that by the destinations....Mexico City to Guadalajara, Vera Cruz, Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Merida, Tampico, etc. literally thousands upon thousands of first class and deluxe busses with 24 to 34 people on board each all rolling again....when once they had been reduced by 60 - 70 per cent.   There are so many signs of the success of Calderon Hinojosa's decision to confront the Cartels, and the wisdom of Pena Nieto to continue the military effort at vigourous, offensive levels. 

     And, as we are quick to point out, we have been having real, live guests at our little adobe hut at a rate that is aa high as the busiest times we had back in the 2003 - 2006 days.   And those were busy times to say the least.   We see the change in the fact that our neighbour and best friend in Mexico is putting in a huge investment to upgrade his citrus operation (adjacent to our property), as are several score of the "citriculturista" class of investors and landowners in our immediate area.   The standard production of citrus and things such as peppers, corn, and various types of gourds for which our area is rightfully famous has also gone into hyper-activity....with increased salaries and wages, mechanic shortages, drivers, harvesters....lots and lots of rustics and skilled blue-collar people with lots and lots of peso notes with big numbers on them.
     When I return to the Quinta in a few days, it will be interesting to see where the Secretaria de Defensa decided to put the extra 1,500 heavy infantry that have been sent up from Chiapas.   The best word we have at this time is that 900 will replace the 600 who have been called back to Mexico City when all is said and done.  They will all be stationed in and around Cd. Victoria (my area).
     When El Gringo Viejo left two weeks ago or so, the locals were moaning about the fact that the press was reporting that the 600 or so infantry we had in our area were being recalled, and "everybody knew" that none would be sent to replaced them.   Well, there they go again....(as a famous American President once said)....and please be aware that El Gringo Viejo will not pass up a chance to remind each moaner that his / her pessimism was misplaced.

     So, that is the report.  Should other viable news or worthwhile scuttlebutt be made available, we shall post it right away.
El Gringo Viejo

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Pertinent Reprint:

     The leftist cant about "Bush lied and people died" reflected the certain knowledge of the left that there are numerous people who are unwilling to invest the intellectual effort required when searching for the Truth.

     The Republicans, on the other hand, are afraid to speak the truth, because they are, in a sense, afraid of the truth.   Moderate and traditional Republicans just don't wish to offend anyone....get their hands dirty....have someone say that the Republicans are meanies.  Those Republicans do not care to learn and understand well that no matter what is done to demonstrate that the GOP people are nice people, the marxists will still "arrange the blame" and put it on the back of an elephant.

     The Sequester Escapade is a perfect example, although it was overplayed by half this last go-around.  The fact that it was overplayed at all is evidence that the marxists will strive to establish a convoluted scenario that will leave the impression among the dull of wit and those who chose to be uniformed, (aka: the Democrat base of voters) that the Republicans want mid-air collisions of airliners.

     "We really are sorry, folks, but the Republicans are trying to balance the budget on the back of Cub Scout Troop 53 from Mondale, Pennsyltuckey.   Because of the draconian cuts by the Republicans in investment by the Federal Government on behalf of the middle class , and although we recognise that Troop 53 worked all year to take this trip to Washington, D.C. there is just no way we could find the funds to keep the doors to the White House open to the general public for the traditional tour."

     Of course, Carney can also tell the Brown Shirts in the press room that the Republicans have done this in order to kowtow to the big corporations, and the choir of millionaires and billionaires who are insidiously checking all the sofas and Barcoloungers in the homes of middle class and working Americans....searching for that last penny of their loose change.

     It never ends.  Always assert, never deny.   That is why Eric Holder can whine and spit back, "Congressman, Just because I am a rotten, dirty, lying slug...a chronic, pathological liar fulfilling a marxist agenda, I really, really resent and reject your disgusting, racist suggestion that I am a rotten, dirty, lying slug, and a chronic pathological liar fulfilling a marxist agenda."

     We really needn't bother with (Sir Edmund) Hillary, Janet Neopolitan, Kathleen Sillibillius, or the rest of these people in the saloon scenes of the various movies with the word "Star" or "Galaxy" or "Jedi" in their titles....Eric Holder is more than enough.   But!  Who can possibly resist a woman who, during a telephone explanation to a reporter, says that she is the one in charge of the IRS division that deigns who receives and who is denied non-profit tax status. When asked what percentage of the applications were denied or delayed for extended periods (like two years) she allowed that it was this-or-that many.
      Then when asked if that was about one-fourth of the total, she declared that she just couldn't  tell that quick because, "I'm a lawyer, not a mathematician!"   It turned out, of course, that she is not much of a lawyer.   And her numerous lawyers accompanying her were not the sharpest group from Joe's Laundromat, Skating Rink, and Law School...or they are so well connected  that "what difference does it make?" comes into play as a defence.
      To be sure, the idea of taking the oath, and then, when called upon, making a statement which declares oneself totally innocent of any charge that could possibly be made, in and of itself constitutes testimony and requires the witness in almost all or in all proceedings to answer questions that support his/her assertion.   That individual, in reality, once asserting innocence cannot refuse to respond to interrogatories that request a demonstration of such innocence.   She was "following the guidance of her counsel"  and informed the questioning body that she was not going to submit to questioning, and that she would invoke her rights under the Vth Amendment that permit her to avoid answering questions that might tend to incriminate her.    ?????   I am innocent and I will prove it by not answering questions whose answers might tend to incriminate me.     ?????

     KING's X  mixed with the (Sir Edmund) Hillary legal position of, "Shut-up!  It doesn't matter.   Who are you to ask me anything????  If you ask me where I was....You'd better damn well know where you were at the same time, Buster! Don't you have any $^#^&& idea of exactly who I, and I mean I, am?!"

But illegal legal action against centre-right, dull, boring people is the hallmark of this administration.

(1)   Expropriation of assets in the form of corporate bonds and preferred stock in General Motors and Chrysler.

(2)    Expropriation and subsequent deactivation of various dealerships of above mentioned auto brands....the vast majority of whom where GOP oriented and employed over 100,000 skilled and semi-skilled blue-collar workers:


Attribution to The Daily Caller, 9 August 2012:

At the behest of Team Auto, GM and Chrysler closed more than 2,000 dealerships — leaving more than 100,000 dealer employees scrambling for new jobs, pensions and health care — within a time span of a few months. By contrast, Mitt Romney’s old private equity firm Bain Capital is taking heat from Obama supporters for laying off 750 workers at one Kansas City steel plant nearly eight years after it purchased the plant’s parent company.
An ad Mitt Romney’s campaign released last week highlights the impact of the closures on one dealership in Lyndhurst, Ohio. The owner, Al Zarzour, speaks of having to lay off “30-some” employees when his Chevrolet dealership was put on the GM closure list in 2009.
Obama supporters as well as Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin, a Romney supporter, have criticized the ad, claiming that the dealer closings were necessary for the automakers’ viability and that virtually no dealership jobs would exist had the auto companies gone into a normal bankruptcy. But the acclaimed new book Bailout by Neil Barofsky, the former special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), shows that the first half of this critique is false and the second half is highly tenuous.
“Is Romney saying that in a ‘managed bankruptcy’ these dealerships wouldn’t have closed?” asks Rubin. Romney hasn’t responded yet, but Barofsky argues forcefully that the Obama administration pushed for many more closures than bankruptcy and restructuring experts deemed necessary.
In Bailout — other aspects of which have been praised by the liberal Huffington Post — Barofsky paints a far more devastating portrait of the Obama administration’s arbitrary dealer closures than does the Romney campaign, whose attacks on them have been relatively mild. Contrary to the administration’s claim that the dealer closings were entirely GM’s and Chrysler’s decisions, Barofsky writes that Obama’s “auto team had pressured the companies to close the dealerships” more rapidly and in greater numbers than the firms had wished.


Read more:  http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/09/the-great-obama-auto-dealer-job-shaft/#ixzz2UbCgDYos 


(3)    The military-styled assault by an IRS SWAT Team against the Gibson Guitar Company, ostensibly for violation of a law banning certain types of wood from endangered trees found in the Indian Sub-continent, has cost said company over 2,000,000 USD so far.   To this point, all the instruments, hard-drives, guitar-quality woods in stock, and other pertinences that were confiscated by heavily armed, combat-uniformed SWAT Team personnel has not been returned and no communication has been made to Gibson concerning the case or the return of company property.   It has been two years.    Possible charges?   Suspected of being a donor to Republican and Conservative organisations.
    During the original raid the personnel at the facility were ordered out of the building by bullhorn and were escorted by heavily armed, SWAT style personnel...with AR-16 (or similar) weaponry.

(4)     And on, and on, and on ad infinitum.

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And the president's half-brother's, application for a non-profit status tax authorisation took a couple of months and was made retroactive for three years.   For a mosque.   In Kenya.   The President's half-brother is an imam, with 16 wives.

We are surrounded by the Brown Shirts who are operating under union rules, who are members of the same type of union thugs who wee-wee'd in the state capitol building during their "peaceful protests" that left 3,000,000 USD of damages to the building and grounds during the "peaceful protests".  Government employees who are impossible to dismiss.

El Gringo Viejo

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Some house-cleaning and changes to the Order and Method of Service at the Quinta

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     We have been going over our seemingly never-changing statements about forms of service and meals that we have had for lo, these many years.   We are entering a new episode, and also a different dimension, of activity and presentation.

     For instance, we shall be ending the notion of having an elaborate brunch for the clients.   From this point on, we shall have a standard, but flexible, breakfast, based first on Mexican preferences, with significant Texian and American overtones.  

     There are seasonal things that we know our clients would like, but with which they might be unfamiliar.  One of our tasks is to reveal to the guests, especially first time visitors to the Mexican outback, the various flavours and  recipes, rustic and urbane,  eaten by the people of all social backgrounds, trades, professions, and  classes.

     There are Mexican classics that surprise and please the palates of both foreign and domestic guests.   We can present seven or eight such alternatives for supper, and perhaps an equal number of  alternatives for breakfast.

     We shall stabilise the morning coffee, juice, and  water service so as to begin at 06:00 hours.   We shall also serve breakfast, which will remain an included element in our service package, at 07:30 - 09:30.....and there will be a brief listing of recommendations for said breakfast.

        We shall also post a listing of the extra-charge supper selections which might be as light-fare as finger sandwiches with accompanied with nuts and cheese, a Mexican specialty such as the Tampiquena which is a medium large, prime steak complemented by one or two enchiladas, usually of cheese of two different types, a bit of guacamole, rice, and re-fried beans.   Other selections for supper might be a large tropical shrimp salad with citrus, avocado, mango, and other local or nearby fruit and productions folded into a leafy concoction.

     But, the guest will have a selection posted that will give an idea of what choices exist.   The same will be the nature of the cost and availability of beers, wines, and our limited mixed-drink menu and pricing.

      These things are being done now because of two main reason:

             (1)    Business has picked up during the past few months.   We can justify stabilising our offerings and investing in quality of ingredients and selection of produce, meat, fish, and poultry.

                  (2)      It appears that our old standard service, while good in its time, needs to adapt to what is now a more streamlined meal offering, i.e. a smaller breakfast and a bit more of a Mexican influence in said offerings.

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     All OROGs and others who are searching information about the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre should review our website which can be accessed by clicking the picture on the upper right corner of this page.   We should be done with the updating of that page during this calendar day.

El Gringo Viejo

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At the risk of offending, but the OROGs should know.....we solicit disagreement and/or concurrence.....

A TIMELY REMINDER BEFORE YOUR GENEROUS SPIRITS OPEN YOUR WALLETS.   Please.... 

THINK BEFORE YOU DONATE!

The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' Salary for the year was $651,957 Plus expenses

MARCH OF DIMES Perhaps it is called the March of Dimes because Only a dime for Every 1 dollar is given to the Needy.

The United WayPresident Brian Gallagher Receives a $375,000 base salary Along with numerous expense benefits.

UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern Receives $1,200,000 per year (100k Per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 Cents of your donated dollar goes to the Cause.

GOODWILL CEO and owner Mark Curran Profits $2.3 million a year. Goodwill is a Very catchy name for his business. You donate to his business And then he sells the items for PROFIT. He pays nothing For his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy. $0.00 goes to Help anyone!  Stop giving to this Man.

Instead, give to any of the following

GO "GREEN" AND
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD:

The Salvation Army Commissioner, Todd Bassett Receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year(plus housing) for Managing this $2 billion dollar Organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go To the cause.	The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero Salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a  $0.00 zero Salary. Your donations go To help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero  Salary. Your donations go To help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.   Your donations go To help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Vietnam Veterans AssociationNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero Salary. Your donations go To help Veterans and their families and youth!	Make a Wish: For children's last Wishes. 100% goes to funding trips or Special wishes for a dying child.	St. Jude's Research Hospital 100% goes towards funding and Helping Children with Cancer who have no insurance and who Cannot afford to pay.	Ronald McDonald Houses All monies go to running The houses for parents who have critically ill Children in the hospital. 100% goes to housing, and feeding The families.	Lions Club International 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO HELP THE BLIND, BUY HEARING AIDES, SUPPORT MEDICAL MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR LATEST UNDERTAKING IS MEASLES VACCINATIONS (ONLY $1.00 PER SHOT).

Please share this with everyone you can.

 I was at a party  last night, we were discussing this, and someone sent this out. I have seen different ones discussed, but never have I seen a list which also gave the positive!!!!!  Send to your contacts,  recently Wounded Warriors have been discussed as starting to spend too much on administrative costs!

(OROG Contributor)   

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     This mailing originated with one of our contributing Doctors who is a conservative, a straight thinker, a brilliant humourist, and is also familiar with the nature of eleemosynary activity.    My own impressions concerning the institutions named is highly concurrent and/or in agreement.

El Gringo Viejo

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