Just smile and stay quiet

Letter from Jim Ludwig

War – May 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine

Editors:

Martha, don’t hold your breath until you find someone to talk about this war.

Even you in your wisdom could not bring yourself to call the war what it is: It is a religious war, and it is not politically correct to talk about religion at this or any other time.

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Remembering the Four Mile Ranch

Article by Jim Ludwig

Local History – October 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine

THE OTHER DAY I was scrounging through a box of odds and ends, Dad’s jewels, the kids call them, and I found an old chert Indian scraper. It fit comfortably in the palm of my hand, the scraping edge sharpened by careful chipping of the chert.

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‘No’ isn’t the right answer to every question

Letter by Jim Ludwig

Growth – April 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine

`No’ isn’t the right answer to every question of change

Editors:

I beg to differ with Ken Wright. (Just say No)

I, too, am a relative newcomer to Colorado, only forty-nine years ago. But I have been here long enough to have seen the day that he yearns to preserve. To quote Ken, “I say stop it all: Keep the roads a mess, the infrastructure archaic, the water scarce, and the transportation hellish.”

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We should worry about growth in government

Letter by Jim Ludwig

Growth – February 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine

Geezers have long been troubled by continued growth in government

To the Editors;

Re: Government and Democracy, January 1999 Colorado Central.

I am intrigued by Martha’s realization that Government is continuing to expand just for the sake of expanding. This is something we old geezers have been complaining about for years, usually to the amusement of a younger and more liberal population. Either Martha’s awakening is due to astute reasoning or that horribly uncontrollable factor called aging, but whatever reason, it is good to see.

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Reminisces of the old Pioneer Club

Letter by Jim Ludwig

Local Lore – December 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine

Bats, the old Pioneer Club, and much, much more

Ed and Martha:

I found your November issue, with the exception of one piece of correspondence, to be the best that I have seen. The choice of subjects, the book reviews and regional comments were excellent. I realize that I may not be your mainstream reader, but thanks for a great issue.

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Use it, don’t lose it

Letter by Jim Ludwig

water – November 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine

Water: Use it, don’t lose it, but use it thoughtfully

To the Editors:

I find your October Colorado Central, devoted to Colorado water, most interesting. Particularly the letter from the Editors, which is an open attempt to really discuss the issues, not a blind partisanship of a single viewpoint. I believe Gunnison would be much better off if they used their money to consider the best way to use the Union Park venture to the best local advantage possible, rather than blind opposition. The same is true of the Closed Basin water proposal. We of the high mountains will suffer forever for the out-of-state power, avidly sought by some, which killed the Two Forks project, an attempt to more efficiently use incompletely developed water rights.

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Revisionist history? What about movie history

Letter by Jim Ludwig

History – September 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine –

Revisionist History? What about `Movie History’?

Ed:

Thank you! For publishing my thoughts, for your comments about them, and the extra copies.

There is some food for thought in Ray James. If we could impress on kids how easy it is to slip into a life-ruining habit by being independent, greedy, and anti-authority, and the consequences of such an attitude, maybe more of them would move on to adulthood without unbearable baggage.

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The Best Route to Prosperity

Essay by Jim Ludwig

The West – August 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine

Steve:

I watched a PBS documentary from the Colorado Historical Society Thursday night in which Duane Smith, the Fort Lewis historian, pointed out, while viewing abandoned homes in ghost towns, “Keep in mind that each shack or shaft represents a dream, often unfulfilled, of some person who helped to make the West what it is today.” The quote may not be exact, but the thought was his, and parallels mine.

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Are Greed and Exploitation really the Name of the Game?

Essay by Jim Ludwig

The West – August 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine

Steve:

Glad to see you made the big time as a guest columnist at The Post, now you are part of “a place where greed, exploitation and profit are the name of the game,” to quote a friend and author.

I can hear you say, “That is not fair, Jim”. But neither is your accusation that the West was developed by and for those reasons. Am I guilty because I’ve taken a rundown forty acres and developed a nursery that supports several families and sells plants for a profit? Would it be better if the elite were to tell me if I were to grow native plants or not? Would the West be better off if the land I’ve exploited for profit, because I’m greedy, had continued as a hay field?

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Going out West to Work in a Mine

Essay by Jim Ludwig

Mining Memories – March 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine

IT WAS A TYPICAL Wisconsin damp spring day in 1950 when John and I arrived at my folks home in Stetsonville. We were on our way to pick up Pa and take him with us to Mercer for some spring walleye fishing. As usual, Ma had food on the table when we arrived, and the Leinenkugel beer in the garage was cool and refreshing.

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5 years before voting may not be long enough

Letter from Jim Ludwig

Essay in July edition – August 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

5 years before voting may not be long enough

Editors:

I am intrigued by Christina Nealson’s advocating a five-year probationary, non-voting period for all new residents to our small mountain communities.

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Commodity Prices and Cultural Frontiers

Letter from Jim Ludwig

April 1997 edition – May 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Some Issues from the April issue: Commodity Prices & Cultural Frontiers

Editors:

Your 1928-1997 price comparisons in the March edition are interesting, but it is obvious (from the photocopy) that Charlie Fitzsimmons did not or could not afford to pay the water bill. The house at 408 W Seventh now belongs to Charlie’s son Terry, and is occupied by his granddaughter, Kathy. We met to have a 40th wedding celebration at that very house on March 22.

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