Saturday, February 05, 2022

My Fellow Redundant Americans

 February 5, 2022

      Here's a good question. How come none of the bad guys, or good guys, in a Western, ever look like this? And why don't we see horses like this?

Yaqui In The Saddle Again

   It's dang authentic and yet, it's always ignored, or rarely used. Not sure why when it's so obvious and cool. Actually, I do know why. When movie companies get horses or costuming they go to one person. In the case of the horses it's invariably some ranch guy who has a bunch of modern quarter horses and so everybody ends up riding the same kind of modern looking horse. The only time in memory when this was not the case was in "Lonesome Dove" when Tommy Lee Jones brought one of his favorite polo ponies and rode "The Hell Bitch" to great effect. Jones' polo pony was small and feisty (like the Yaqui hoss above), the opposite of what Robert Duvall and the rest of the actors rode. The disparity gave the show it's wonderful diversity, at least as it relates to horses.


Blast From The Past!

Arizona Driving Courtesy Tip #57: when the temperature hits triple digits, people driving with their windows down get the right-of-way. For whatever reason they do not have air conditioning. For your own safety, DO NOT CUT THEM OFF in traffic.

Daily Flashback Whip Out:
"Windows Down, Stay Clear"


My Fellow Redundant Americans
   There are several place names in Arizona that are doubly ridiculous. I speak of Picacho Peak and Table Mesa. In Spanish picacho means peak and mesa means table. So, I think we get the message. Once is apparently, not enough.

Tucson Peak, 1930s
(renamed by my crazy American compadres
as Picacho Peak, or literally, Peak Peak)


   Still tweaking my take on the accuracy of the swearing in "1883." I may add this little bon mot.

"When the French swear, do they say, 'Pardon my English'?" 

(P.S. bon mot is French and means literally "good word.")

2 comments:

  1. Oh, Tish.......you spoke Fremch........

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just got onto your youtube channel Bob, i live in QLD Australia and of a night i build and paint model airplanes...old WWII stuff. Love it, WWII has been my passion since i was a kid.

    So anyway, somehow i stumbled across your stuff and thought, this old hornery looking devil looks like he has something to say...and he did! You're a passionate old digger yourself, on your subject, the old west. You tell a damn fine story Bob and i'm damn happy i stumbled on your old wisened skull in between stories of the Eastern Front and Pacific battles.

    Thanks for the entertainment, it is much appreciated..i spent a weekend on the couch watching Tombstone and Wyatt Earp..again after more than 20 odd years. Russell and Kilmer get the nod for me, Wyatt Earp was ok..but a bit lifeless. Really hope we get that original script one day.

    Keep it up Bob, it's great stuff :)

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