Stanley Stewart in the Times must have rolled into Tombstone on Sunday for the 127th anniversary shoot-out but is so tired of election fever he compares the Earp vs. Clanton gunfight with a Republican vs. Democrat brawl!
A good read for those wanting to try a little dude ranching as he moseys on down to the Price Canyon Ranch for some riding in the canyons:
After three days of riding across God’s own country, and an evening of Jesse’s fiddle, I had deserted. I didn’t care who was up and who was down. The poll figures meant nothing to me. I was a free man again.
Another story in the same paper though made me think it might be worth setting up a dude ranch of sorts in the UK, especially now it seems many horse owners in the UK are struggling to keep their own fed and stabled:
Horses, seen as luxury accessories of the wealthy, are the latest victims of the credit crunch, with a growing number being abandoned because their owners cannot afford feed and livery bills
Another great western-themed Flash game to play thanks to the fine folks at Miniclip.com.
The ‘Old West Shoot ‘em Up’ sees you take to the streets of a one horse town and pit your wits, gunfighter-style with the dastardly Bartholomeus Black, Pigeon-toed Juan, Dimwit Dale and Stupid Grin Gary. If you can beat them at quick draw you walk away $40,000 richer. Read the rest of this entry »
For fans of the Old West though, there’s a more significant anniversary:127 years ago today Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Virgil and Morgan Earp fought the Clantons and McLaurys in a vacant lot behind the corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Read the rest of this entry »
So went the wagon trains, braving dangers from redskins, sudden storms, deadly snakes, shortage of water, dust storms that could bury a whole train in an hour, blizzards that often came out of season to take men unawares, and a whole host of other perils. Bandits were there, too, waiting to pounce upon the last wagons if they happened to have lagged behind a little. Sometimes bad men formed themselves into companies, lived in tent-towns and raided the wagon trains that they thought were the least protected by the guards.
People died on the trail, babies were born, couples were married by travelling clergymen on their way to serve some small mining village or cattle town away out West. Deeds of heroism were performed that would have earned a whole stack of George Crosses. Yes, and all the time the wagon train, large or small, would go steadily on, nearing its goal with every turn of the great wagon wheels.
It seems Mel Brooks got it right all those years ago in that classic comedy campfire scene from the 1974 hit Blazing Saddles - farting is funny and may also be good for you!
At least that’s what I take from this science story on the BBC website: ‘Fart gas’ link to blood pressure. According to scientists at Johns Hopkins University, smelly hydrogen sulphide is “produced by an enzyme in blood vessels where it relaxes them and lowers blood pressure.”
Researcher Dr Solomon Snyder said: “Now we know hydrogen sulphide’s role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension.”
The image that comes to my mind is the Vicks ’stick’ nasal inhaler:
If in future you find yourself in a high stress situation and feel your chest tightening simply reach for your handy ‘fart pen’, take a quick whiff and feel the tension within melt away. I can see the marketing ad on TV now!
A cheaper alternative would be to watch again one of the greatest American comedies of all time - coming in at number six in the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Laughs list. And so, without any apologies, I offer you the YouTube video Blazing Saddles - Farting Cowboys. It’s less than a minute long and just think of the health benefits!
Taking the fart gag too far? “How ’bout some more beans Mr Taggart?”
Came across a beautiful set of photos from Sandra Freyler on Flickr with the simple title The West. They feature Vulture City, Arizona - not high on my list of places to visit but a nice place to glance upon from the comfort of your own laptop:
