Well, let's see, there was Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Janis Joplin, and well, perhaps Elvis was a high-water mark for some, but just a clown for tiny boppers' arousal for others! Just because he made teenage girls swoon, did not make his music suitable for Carnegie Hall. Just Sayin...RJS

Childhood Memories
Commander’s post of Cracker Jack and his dog, Bingo have brought back memories of mine when I was probably three years old, and possibly younger. These memories were from when we lived in West Texas, between Whiteface and Levelland.
I was between three or not quite four, but loved to go to town and I was especially fond of roasted Spanish peanuts. These were often sold in little round cylinders. They would almost be like punchboard ‘gimmick’s with claims that there would be a quarter in one random box, a dime in another and a nickel in a third.
Well, if you ever saw the movie, “The Flim Flam Man” you would already know these were quickly removed by either the store manager, or the individual who sold the package to the store manager. Same with punch boards! I didn’t care and never thought twice about winning change in with my peanuts. I just wanted the peanuts and never cared about trying to win. I even suspected the store owner manage or a clerk would have weighed all the boxes and removed any that were heavier and might contain a coin.
I also remember that we had a corral for our cattle that was made from high piles of cut mesquite trees. The only man-made item was the gate!
Also, one time dad allowed me to go along to take a full trailer of cotton to the gin. I was a small tike and was standing in the back seat. I saw suddenly the trailer tongue came disconnected from the car and the trailer vaulted over the tongue and kept rolling. I yelled out the cotton trailer had come lose and was afraid it would turn over. I never made it to the gin on this trip because I probably fell asleep due to the time it too to repair the trailer.
In those days, cars were late 1920’s and early 1930’s vintage. Big black Fords and the like. I don’t remember what we had but I could lie down behind the back seat and take a nap. There was also a shade I could pull down to block the sunlight. A lot of those cars had a glass gauge and thermometer on top of the radiator to tell the driver if the engine was getting to hot.
We had a group of Mexican families living on this farm to help with harvesting the cotton. My mother that winter tried to give some of my clothes to the mother of Spanish children. The Spanish mother thought my mother was trying to sell the clothes and kept saying in Spanish she had no money. My mother could not convey that we were trying to give her the clothes.
Dad had an irrigation pond on the property and one day I was walking around the dike that impounded the water. It was wintertime and I had on a winter coat and cap. Along the way, I slipped and fell into the water about up to my waist. I was clinging onto the bank, afraid I was going to slide all the way into the pond. I was yelling ‘bloody murder’ for someone to help me. Finally, my uncle Claude heard me and came and pulled me out! Just Sayin…RJS

I have recently noticed the mention of a Geronimo Line on a drilling rig. I am assuming that there are many who do not know what this refers to in the assortment of items common to a drilling rig.

The Geronimo Line is a system to allow the derrick man who is working about thirty or forty feet above the rig floor a chance to escape if the rig derrick is pulled in, or crashes. He has a slight chance to hook himself to this device and slide down to the ground. It isn’t perfect but does offer a ‘chance’!

The line is staked out some distance from the derrick and the other end connected to the derrick in easy reach for the derrick man who is working on the ‘monkey board’!

When a ‘trip’ is required, the derrick man will rack the tops of the drill pipe on the top side, as they bring the drill pipe out of the hole, while the men on the floor do the same at the bottom of each joint.

Then when the new drill bit is fitted on the drill collar, they will reverse the procedure. When a joint is made up and lowered into the well bore, when it has only two or three feet remaining, the driller will halt the descent, and the hands on the drilling rig floor will put in the slips to lock the pipe in position.
Then the driller will raise the elevators up to near the derrick man, who is waiting and holding another joint of drill pipe ready to lock the elevators around this new joint.

If the connection is secured, the joint is picked up, then lowered to be made up with the last joint. This union is made up tight and the process is again repeated and the string of drill pipe is finally lowered all the way to the bottom of the well, ready to continue drilling.

If the well bore is somewhat crooked and the drill string gets hung, the driller might use too much force to raise the drill string and cause the derrick to buckle and fall, in this case, the Gerinomo line is the only escape the derrick man has. Hopefully, he will have enough time.





this case the Geronimo line is a life saver for the derrick man. However, there are times when the derrick crashes before the derrick man can escape.
I had a cousin who was in the U.S. Infantry and fought all the way from the D-day landing to the Battle of the Bulge, to be killed working in the derrick of a rig, not two months after he had returned home! You pay your money and take your chances! Just Sayin…RJS

Commander: That's good, because trying to defeat Walmart's and such is a Hurclean task. Just Sayin...RJS

Commander: After going back and reading your note again, I am a poor judge of markup ups and retail sales. Your biggest hurdle is what are you require to pay for the products you intend to sell? IF you can buy right, then it is a simple matter. One rule of thumb would be if you can buy right, the double the retail price you charge. While we often criticize retail box stores like Walmart, they will be difficult to beat, since they buy in container loads from China. Your best opportunity will be because you are offering products at the fishing site!
I hope not to hurt your feelings, but I would consider this an educational venture, more than one that will turn a profit! Just Sayin...RJS

Commander, I am flattered you asked. Sounds like you have been given good advice. I question whether you need to have any formal organization in the beginning. My experience, and so much so, I have given it the name of
Bob Samples Rule of Financing a Business. It goes like this, Most people start a business with too little financing. If they had enough, they would have tried something more expensive!

I question whether you need any formal organization, such as psrtnership or LLC organization documents on the 'get go"; And where and how much revenue are you expecting? I am just thinking you might wait to see whether the enterprise creates enough revenue before you go 'formal'!

Here are some important questions you need to answer. How old are you? What do you see as the mid and long term results? Is your organization going to be big enough to actually pay taxes? Meaning you might fly under the radar for a few years, then adopt a formal business type.
Those are just some of my thoughts off the cuff! Just Sayin...RJS

That is one sight I don't think you will ever see in Texas! JUST SAYIN...rjs

MoJoe: While I did not touch on the motivation of buyers, you are absolutely right. When you help others reach their goals, or what they want, you will also benefit! You and the buyer will be a team. Just Sayin...RJS

All along in my career of over 70 plus years, and because I have over those years have managed to sell a large variety of different products. These I will list below as far as my memory will allow me to recall. What most don’t realize is the actual product doesn’t matter as long as you understand the necessary technique required to be successful.

1. T.B.A. Tires, Batteries, and Accessories
2. Outboard Motors, Boats, and Accessories
3. Pharmaceuticals; Vaccines
4. Tropical Foliage
5. Drilling Instruments
6. Stocks, Bonds, Commodities, Insurance, Options

In addition, I trained salesmen, both in product knowledge and sales techniques, and how to recognize a “moose call” meaning when a customer is sold and willing to buy, stop selling and write the ticket! Far too often, rookie salesmen do not know when “to set the hook!” They keep selling and sometimes will allow the client finally to choose to leave without buying. Do you know what a “Three No close” is? If not ask the next salesperson, you meet. In addition, when you sense the sale in going opposite to your desires, change the subject, fast!

I was frequently asked how I gained the necessary product knowledge to be successful. Well, there are at least two main factors. One, I would take home a book or other material and memorize the minimum necessary product knowledge. Second, I learned how to ask questions of the buyer who would, without knowing it, begin to teach me what they thought was important! I would pay close attention and incorporate that information. In fact, it is always wise to allow the client to talk and explain his needs. Soon, you will be up to speed with a totally different product line and can hold your own in any sales situation.
While I was not immediately an expert, I would at least know enough to hold my own. Next, while I never became an expert in every type of product, I did have a high degree of self-confidence, which allowed me to hang in, when all else was on a ‘slippery slope' and on the verge of failure.

A lot of folks who aren’t salesmen don’t know this, but there are times when all a salesman has left is a line of bull! Meaning, you keep on trying even if the client is saying “No”! Sometimes that is all that’s left, and you wear them down.

If there had been years when we had not new pharmaceutical products, it was necessary to continue to call upon high prescribing doctors and tell them the latest jokes. It seemed to be an acceptable way of maintaining contact and relationships.

For another example, when I was a pharmaceutical salesman, I called on a manager of a hospital lab in Brownsville, Texas. I didn’t particularly need this business, but my close friend, a doctor, was the principal owner of this hospital and there was no reason they should be buying reagents from a competitor.


Over several years, he kept buying competitive products, and I kept calling on him. He didn’t realize that around lunchtime all the doctors were at lunch, at home, or somewhere away from their offices. Thus, this was free time, and I was trying to use it productively.

Finally, I guess he got a little peeved at my persistence and said, “you don’t give up, do you?” I don’t know what I said in reply because I didn’t want to reveal my real reason. Anyway, in that year, the lab manager died! The new manager and I switched every product to our lab products in a New York minute!

So, as the saying in back country Texas goes, “Sometimes even a blind hog will find an acorn!” The harder you work, the luckier you become! Just Sayin…RJS

Yes, the weight of the drill column must be equal, or slightly heavier than the pressure of the oil and gas at the bottom. Bentonite is one of the substances that provides thickening, I am sure there are others depending upon the pressure that must be controlled. Just Sayin...RJS

Two guys grew up together and when they graduated from high school, they went to the same college. After graduating from college, they separated. One went to live in Georgia and the other went to Texas. But they vowed to get together on a regular basis every 10 years, even though they lived hundreds of miles apart.

At age 32 they agreed to meet at a golf course in Florida. They played 18 holes and then since they were hungry, they decided to have lunch. One said to the other, “Where shall we go for lunch?” The other said, “Hooters!” “Why Hooters?”

Well, their girl servers had big boobs, tight shorts, and gorgeous legs! You are on!

At age 42 again they meet in Florida and play golf again. Where do you want to have lunch? Hooters! Why Hooters? Well, they have cold beer, big screen T.V.s and side action on the game. O.K.!

At age 52, they play golf and afterwards, decide to have lunch. Where? Hooters! Why Hooters? Well, their food is pretty good, and they have a lot of parking.

At 62, they meet and play their mandatory round of golf. Where do you want to go to eat? Hooters! Why Hooters? Well, Hooters has wings, and the food isn’t too spicey! Good Choice!

At age 72, they again meet to play golf. After 18 holes they are hungry, and one asks where shall we eat? Hooters! Why Hooters? Because they have handicapped parking spaces and offer senior discounts.

At age 82, they again meet and play a round of golf. Where shall we go for lunch? Hooters! Why Hooters? Because we have never been there, and I would like to give it a try! O.K. Let's give it a try! Just Sayin…RJS

For all of you that were, or now never on the Executive merry-go-round of moving every couple of years.
1. If your unopened boxes are there in your garage for one full year, throw them away unopened. You don't need whatever is in them!

2. When you have to move, leave town on an important business trip, your wife can handle the movers!

3. When you finally figure out you've been fooled all along, there is nothing but an old, wrinkled real carrot all along, and not what was promised, buy a rod and reel and go fishing! Just Sayin...RJS

More than likely you are correct! I had decided to move on some time before my being released. I had a tentative promise for a contract representative for a drilling company to be based in London. It all depended upon one employee who would be given first choice, but from what the executive handling the case, he did not believe the company employee would accept this move.

Before anything could happen, the bottom fell out of the crude oil prices and it dropped to near $10 dollars a barrel and all deals were scuttled. I guess I was glad, because I could have been caught in London with a big hat and no cattle! Just Sayin...RJS

Do what you can, where you are and can. Then things will usually fall in place. So, don't be anxious, God's timing is always right on the money! Just Sayin...RJS

Well, I am close to 90 and will be around Thanksgiving this year. I shall look around to find some vets and friends to call and check on how they are doing. My last 'best friend' and classmate died on the last year's Christmas day! Not a real surprise because he had been battling Cancer for several years. You never know. My only brother in law and I were talking on a Friday, and he died in his sleep before Monday morning! So you will never know!

I believe my longevity is due to something the lord has for me to do, and whatever that is hasn't happened yet. Just Sayin...RJS