Yo-yo season has arrived. Somehow the start of a new school year means it's yo-yo time. At least that's the way it used to be. September, when school began -- make that August now -- was the time to put away summer toys and bring out the yo-yos. They fit in overalls or pants pockets.
I never mastered the art of yo-yos. Some of the guys could pull off some keen maneuvers with those two-wood discs on the end of a string. The only one I can remember is "walking the dog." Of course, when I tried it, my "dog" could never seem to get his feet off the ground.
There are plenty of yo-yo days these days, yo-yos which have nothing to do with those childhood toys. Let me explain.
What first comes to mind is the railroad when the engineer, or whoever is responsible, yo-yo toots his whistle in several short blasts which he repeats ... and repeats! And then there are the yo-yos who blast that blamed whistle all the way through town at two o'clock in the morning. That must fulfill some long-lost longing.
But the real railroad yo-yos are those rail/street crossings. They range from smooth as silk, at least some are relatively smooth, while others cause the old up and down bounce in whatever vehicle you are maneuvering. It doesn't matter what kind of vehicle you drive or at what speed.
The one that captures my attention, and has for the past two-plus years, since workers repaired (?) the crossing, is the one on Dallas Street in Gravette. Talk about a yo-yo bounce! The crossing was rough two years ago when the work was completed; today the bounce begs for a more descriptive word. You know what I mean? I've checked out rural and in-town crossings throughout the area and none can compare to the yo-yoer on Dallas. Maybe three years will turn out to be the charm and a real repair job will occur. Breath holding begins now.
Enough of that yo-yo. How about the stock market? That financial entity continues to be a perpetual yo-yo, which I suppose it's meant to be. Thanks mostly to the government's continual manipulation, it has been that way for the past several years. Low bank, and other, interest rates were certainly welcomed to help prop up and rebuild the market, but surely that policy has worn out its welcome, particularly for those who utilize safe and secure CDs and similar savings plans. Oh well, as they say, it's all "only on paper" anyway.
A third yo-yo for the season is bombardment by daggum political commercials. The boob tube is so crowded with pros and cons for this candidate or that, it keeps a person yo-yoing trying to sort out the messages. This is particularly true of those millions being spent on messages sponsored by some out-of-state groups or committees, funded by who knows whom or what or whatever.
The biggest topics behind the commercials are those dealing with the U.S. Senate race and who will control the Senate during the next two years. That all boils down to whether Harry Reid or a man from the other party will be at the helm of that august body.
Reid, in many respects, can arguably be considered the most powerful man in the country. He, through parliamentary maneuvering, is able to completely control which proposed bills are allowed to be discussed and voted on. The House of Representatives can pass dozens of proposals but they are stalled when Reid gets them. He unilaterally changed the procedure, which for decades had been used to overcome a stubborn Senate king. The President has a pen and with what he calls Executive Privilege can create changes or issue directives. Reid just dumps proposed House bills in the desk drawer or waste bucket. That's a yo-yo that can thwart the entire legislative process.
These are just a few of my favorite yo-yos. I'm sure everyone has his/her (must be politically correct) list. In any case, rest assured that yo-yos which bother us today may, or may not, be replaced by others which in turn will go through the process, ad infinitum.
Next August or September, when a new yo-yo season begins, there may be a whole new group to grumble about. Perhaps that railroad crossing will be smoothed, the political commercials will be long gone, and who knows what to expect from the Senate or the stock market. It's the patience of waiting that is really the hard part of yo-yoing. Am I not as patient as I used to be?
Dodie Evans is editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 08/27/2014