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We were absolutely astounded by a report from Associated Press Thurday
on a proposal by government health officials that rodeo bull riders wear
protective headgear.
Let us quickly state that we realize bull riding is hazardous and some
cowboys already wear protective vests to help avoid chest and back
injuries. And we understand some cowboys are already wearing helmets to
ride bulls.
But danger is part of the attraction for bull riding. We certainly don't
want to see any cowboys injured but the ride pits man against animal.
The AP reports asks the tongue-in-cheek questions about "what's next?
Seat belts on bulls? Padded Horns? Slapping the dust off your jeans with
a cordless vacuum?"
According to the Center for Disease Control, bull riders wind up with 37
per cent of all rodeo injuries. So obviously, this is a serious
situation and one that we would not poke fun at.
However, the government simply cannot sanitize every American activity.
Rodeo people have worked for years to make sure everything is as safe as
possible but in spite of what is does - helmets or not - rodeo is going
to be a dangerous sport.
Rodeo clowns risk life and limb to make sure cowboys do not get hurt by
bulls after they are bucked off. In spite of their best efforts, there
are times that cowboys do get injured and that would probably happen
with or without a helmet or vest.
It would seem that is one activity that the government should leave
alone. Cowboys are free to wear protective gear now if they desire but
it certainly shouldn't be required.
A Stetson should still be the desired head gear for any cowboy!
Did your cellular telephone work during the last rainstorm? Mine didn't.
Did your electric power fail when lightning hit a transformer? Mine did.
Did you have to reset all your clocks when the power came back on? I did.
Have you turned on your battery-powered radio to hear the latest tornado
warning and found the batteries dead? I have.
Remember those wind-up clocks that didn't need electricity or batteries?
I do.
Now there's a wind-up radio that works without electricity or a battery.
The Freeplay radio is being acclaimed as a godsend around the world in
all situations where users need to be free of dependence on battery
power - for life.
The Freeplay radio is powered by the new Baylis Generator, which gives
30 minutes of listening for 20 seconds of winding. It is a potential
lifesaver in emergencies and power cuts.
The generator is over six times cheaper than the combined cost of
batteries used to run a similar appliance for an equivalent period of
time (6,600 hours).
It is available for under $100 through BayGen USA, 80 Amity Road,
Warwick, NY 10990, Tel 1-800-WIND234 or FAX 914-258-3213.
http://www.freeplay.pair.com/
Peggy McCracken
Miss Kansas is the new Miss America. And I wholeheartedly agree with
that choice. I liked her and Miss Alabama the best in last Saturday
night's competition.
I've always enjoyed watching this annual event and don't really
remember having missed a year of it in the last several decades.
One reason I enjoy it is because I got to know Phyllis George and her
family when she was Miss Denton, then Miss Texas and Miss America in
1970 of 1971. Because of that, I realize how serious this beauty pageant
business is because lots of money and prestige is at stake.
Beauty pageants provide many scholarships as well as training in poise
and showmanship to the many who compete year in and year out. The
pageants also provide training in make-up and hairdos to the many who
compete.
There has been bad publicity about beauty pageants and many women
believe they are degrading to women. I really don't believe that as the
candidates are all actively involved in various causes and the person
who is named Miss America gets to do a lot of good toward the cause she
champions.
Some of the rules involved the Miss American pageant to me are a little
too strict and strange. I'm not sure I like everyone wearing the same
color clothes as it takes the individuality out of the competition.
Also, I don't like the contestants wearing the same swimsuits. The ones
this year were simply awful. Now, I don't claim to be a fashion expert
but the color was hideous. It also appeared that the contestants felt
awkward walking barefoot as opposed to wearing some kind of shoes,
another new rule that was implemented just a few years ago.
The portion I enjoy most in the competition is the talent and there was
a lot of really good talent this year. Miss Texas, Michelle Martinez,
was excellent on the piano.
I didn't know before hand but there were some restrictions on the
call-in vote that was started this year. The public acted as the eighth
judge in the competion. However, if a state had a contestant in the
semi-finals, all calls from that state were blocked. Miss Texas was a
semi-finalist so no one from Texas could vote.
I suppose that was fair but it sure kept those of us in 10 states from
casting our ballot.
Mac McKinnon is the editor and publisher of the Pecos Enterprise. His
column appears on Friday.
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_
Copyright 1996 by Pecos Enterprise
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