Pen-pricks
• Chicago made the news Monday after 72 people were shot over the weekend with 10 of them dead and 62 wounded. It’s the Wild West. Hollywood should remake the classic Western Stagecoach, only this time it’s a Popsicle truck in Chicago trying to make it to the North Side.
• Sacramento firefighters were joined by the California National Guard planes battling wildfires that broke out in Northern California, destroying everything in their paths. Locals are reacting the only way they know how. There’s a brand-new dating app in Northern California, it’s called Cinder.
• Hollywood stars announced plans to campaign for Democrats in tight House races this fall to oppose Trump. He’s killing the movie business. People figure, why pay ten bucks to see a movie about nuclear brinksmanship, Playmates, porn stars, Russians, an attempted coup and re-enactment of the Alamo when Trump will pay you a tax cut to watch the same movie for free on the news every night?
Argus Hamilton is the host comedian at The Comedy Store in Hollywood and a speaker. His email address is argus@argushamilton.com.
The Yuma County Chamber of Commerce’s Arizona Legislative Candidate Forum Lunch and Learn event held on Thursday, Aug. 2 at the Yuma Civic Center, was by all accounts, a huge success. HUGE thank yous go out to all of the 13 candidates from LD 4 and 13, vying for five seats, who came out to answer questions submitted by the Chamber’s Board of Directors and the table sponsors.
Of course, thanks to sponsors: Yuma Regional Medical Center, 1st Bank Yuma, Yuma Investment Group, AEA Federal Credit Union, Cenpatico, Yuma Sun, Pacesetter Homes, Yuma Education Advocacy Council, SportClips, The City Of Yuma/Yuma Civic Center, Expect More Arizona, The Yuma County School Superintendents Office, Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation, and RL Jones Insurance.
The staff at the Yuma Civic Center was amazing. As tickets kept selling, and our numbers kept changing, they simply said, “No Problem.” From logistics, to setup, to preparing special meals for our candidates, special requests, and concluding with a fabulous lunch served up by Chef Juan Velasquez - our compliments!
Chamber Staff Sheryl Hehe and Tania Pavlak did a terrific job checking in over 200 attendees along with our amazing Ambassadors, Mark Briones, Carol Brown, Maria Doten, Gel Lemmon, John Lizarraga, and Sheila Wood. The extra efforts by all of you certainly made a difference. Roxanne Molenar of the Yuma Sun was professional and prepared as our moderator and kept us on track. Kudos to all.
In closing, vote on Aug. 28, so Yuma is represented properly at the Capitol.
I remember as I was growing up at home my precious momma would say, “If you can’t say something nice about someone don’t say anything at all.” Then, in conversation with my gracious mother-in-law, she said, “Stay sweet.” I not only have cherished those two exhortations in my life, but have applied them on a daily basis and I have, on occasion, said them to my children. Good advice for anybody today. I’m sure I am not the only one that is disturbed regarding the language that is carelessly thrown around in our society today. That language has sometimes led to restlessness, riot, unruliness and disorderly behavior.
A word that keeps creeping into our country is “civility,” a lot of talk but no action. As a child, especially going into my pre-teen years I have sassed or talked impudently to mom. Her response? “Keep a civil tongue in your mouth.” This vocal admonishment was sometimes followed with a physical demonstration of parental discipline. Ouch! I think I will stand a while.
Civility (politeness) seems to have flown out the window of many houses in our land. I have always thought we lived in a civilized country. Civilized (brought out of a primitive or savage condition.) From what I see and read, perhaps we are returning to the old primitive and savage ways. Heaven forbid!
As a teenager, George Washington copied down on paper many “Rules of Civility” that originally came from French Jesuits in the 16th century. If he felt obligated to live by these words, even as our first president, we should be able to follow him by adhering to the sometimes humorous wordage. How about the 19th, “Let your Countenance be pleasant but in Serious Matters Somewhat grave.” 40th, “Strive not with your Superiors in argument, but always Submit your Judgment to others with modesty.” 49th, “Use no Reproachful Language against any one neither Curse nor Revile.” 65th, “Speak not injurious Words neither in Jest nor Earnest Scoff at none although they give Occasion.”
I could go on, but read for yourself these powerful words on civility and behavior.
They are applicable to us today! In our homes! In the public arena! In America!
Finally, when I was 10 or 11, my mother was in the hospital and my grandmother was taking care of us. After dinner, she said, “Karen, go do the dishes.” I promptly spoke up and said, “No, I don’t want to get dish pan hands.” Grandma looked at me and said, “Go do the dishes.” I did!