Saturday, April 12, 2003
RE-DO
Have you noticed the sudden burst of colorful femanine dress in free Iraq?
None of TV's many "re-makes" have been so impressive. The colorful apparel, the wide,generous smiles, white teeth agleam, and a strange, lanky body posturing are all there in place of the drab, draped, veiled and bundled blobs we saw previously.
The transformation from sad Saddam circumstances and appearance to the present, is a somewhat surprising result of the recent changes, may of them still in process. One gets the idea the wearers of the bright scarves and bodily wear have had them stashed away for safekeeping but ready for just such a moment. Anyone with some bolt stocks of colorfull cloth could be facing a bright financial future. Demand, almost certainly, exceeds supply.
It has come about ,I think, quite naturally and I have a feeling it tells us something about Iraqi womenfolk which we might not have appreciated over recent years. My Grandmother, and yours, as well, would have parroted the maxim: : "Still waters run deep,thed that applies, in a sense, because the docile, obedient, subservient, cowering women of the old Iraq - now departed - is gone and we see a new, excited and exciting promise in vital, spirited, demanding women who are free to be truly active, alert and positive citizens in a land of new promise and challenge.
Since women in Iraq and other areas, have been denied educational equality with men in a formal sense, they have, it appears, retained a basic love of learning and have manage to pass such eagerness along to their children. It would be a sad mistake to ignore or belittle the potential of women in leadership affairs of the new state which is being formed. It is not being built on the wreakage of the old, but, rather on the wishes and dreams of people who feel sure there is a better way of life than living under a greed-structured dictatorship which has been their lot for so many years.
Look carefully at TV reports and you will see women among the men folk in the streets, where they were totally absent a few months ago. Most of us are so used to seeing men and women mingle in public. Some view may even wonder what make it all seem different; even fail to see the new presence.
Look for even more colorful displays among apparal choices in the new, liberated Iraq women and look, as well for the appearance of women among those chosen to manage the affairs of the new nation - not the foremost heads, of course, but lesser tasks which must be done well if the honored males inthehighes place are tobe judges as successful in their jobs.
Iraq's strength and assurance of an enduring future depends of much on a realization that both men and women are co-partners in making it all happen. For the first time in generations women of Iraq are now showing their true colors as nation builders.
A.L.M. Aprlll, 11, 2003 [c431wds]
Friday, April 11, 2003
POINTS OF CONCERN
A majority of the people I talk with these days seem to feel that the war with Iraq has progressed very well, including some who have opposed the war in the recent past.
Success breeds confidence, it seems. The rapid advances on Baghdad by United States and British units has won a great many people over according to the quick newspaper polls I have read.
Some disurbing factors exist, however, which deserve attention as the days and weeks roll along.
Let's start with those folks we just mentioned....many of whom opposed the war and were quite critical in the past month and who were won over, you might say, by the fast progress of the troops. These were, in some cases, the very ones who were harping on a long seige theme and voicing fears another bogged-down Viet-Nam. We're less than a month into the actual confict and almost in controlof the ememy's capital city and leading industrial areas.This critics who now speak of "our" troops and "we" as they recount their viewing of the war scene. Any group so easily influenced bears watching. I remember quite well how enthused a Germany youth I knew became when Hitler's blitz tactics moved his armies through the Low Countries and into France. I doubt if most have listened to the cautious voice of our President saying:" the fighting is not ended."
Another point of concern: How can the Senate engage in "pork barreling" by adding scores of highly questionable, expensive items to the military supplmental funds - pet, vote-assurance items which have nothing whatever to do with the war effort? It would seem wise for the noble solons to forego this peacetime plaything for the duration - plus. Members vote without even reading the bulky bill.
One more, and I'll stop.
We must deal wisely with any plans for the future government of Iraq and waiting in the wings exected to be called on stage as stars. These are those nations which refused to go to war beside the U.S. and Britain to bring about this time of renewal. France, Russia, Germany and others who were not concerned about any excesses of Saddam Hussein as long as they were making money selling him munitions, technical items, and supplies of all kinds, are suddenly most interested in helping to rehabilitate the country. Their reasons for doing so are far from feeling sorrow for the Iraqi people.They are intent on seeing to it that the new governmnent accepts resoinsibiliy to pay debts Saddam's government made with them. If the UN is to survive, it must have a part in the restoration of normal living conditions to the people of Iraq, but to " bail out" opposing nations from their unwise, poor and probably illegal busines deals with Saddam is wrong.
Thinking the war is over when it continues to waste lives is unwise. We all have work which needs to be done.
A.L.M. April 10, 2003 [c590wds]
Thursday, April 10, 2003
OLD DOMINION
How did Virginia come to be called "The Old Dominion?"
It came about because of our loyalty to our king. The designation has been attributed to remarks made by Charles II, but we must to back to the reign of James I who ruled over four dominions - Scotland, England, Ireland and France.
Virginia, at that time, had no official heraldic seal, since it was a colony. Nor, did the king recognize Virginia on his royal Coat of Arms. He did, on several occasions, refer to the colony of Virginia as being his "Fifth Dominion".
His reference became more official when, years later, a Coat of Arms was designed for Virginia. That seal ,in the later part of the 17th Century, had a Latin inscription along it's base which translates: "And Virginia makes the fifth." When England and Scotland were united in 1707 the motto was changed to call Virginia "the Fourth Dominion" rather than the fifth.
Then , to add to the complications, along came Oliver Cromwell - about 1645 to 1660 - when such talk about kings and royal domains were put on the back burner. They were set aside but not forgotten.
Many of the leading citizens of Virginia remained quietly loyal to the King, whom they called "The Prince Over the Waters".Charles II had been exiled to the continent during the Cromwellian era and he became well aware of the loyalty of Virginians.
When Cromwell's power came to an an end, a former Governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley was quick to send a Special Mission to France to proclaim Charles as King, even before he might be crowned as such in London. The young King Charles II was so pleased that he blessed his "Old Dominon" which had stood so firmly by him in his years of loss and crisis.
Shenadoah Valley of Virginia were hunted down, hounded and accused of aiding the British during the Revolutionry War. Such groups were found in each of the colonies . In Southwest Virginia even such pioneering stalwarts such as William Ingles were suspected of being Tories ready to hand over the lead mines near Fort Chiswell to the British. Lord Faifax lived at his estate near Winchester and George Washington issued special orders that Fairfax must remain unharmed. Fairfax's lawyer, Gabriel Jones, one of the first attorneys in both Augusta and Frederick Counties since 1745, remained a professed Tory all through the war years. Many of those who loyalty to the King simpy lived out their troubled lives during the years of conflict or went back to England or Nova Scotia. Eastern Virginia , having been longer under royal rule, must have had many Tories, but, they, having dealt with such problems before, were more adept a presenting a neural front.
We tend to think that eveyone was a dedicated rebel. The ideá of kingship was not dead. Many citizens ,for instance, thought that President George Washigton should have been titled "George, the First
Our form of "democracy" did not spring forth in full-bloom. Many individuals,and entire families, have had "to work at it" to become Americans.
A.L. M. April 9, 2003 [c593wds]
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
SOURS' SILVER MINE
Now, the way I hear'd it was that there was this feller name Sours. He were a Scotsman, they say 'n when he come to Luray, he lived up along the hill where the town now gets its water. Well, Scotty dug a tunnel into the spur of one of them low-lying mountain edges and discovered a pure vein of silver.
Folk suspected something was happening, when Scotty started selling off some silverware. He claimed he had found it in a wooden chest in a cave but he couldn't remember exacty where. They were not too well made, the knives, spoons, forks and plate, but people were convinced old Scotty had made them himself of silver he had mined. Well, sir, the Civil War come along, and Sours, a'feerd the armies would come across his mine entrance, blasted out a pillar and avalanced his mine opening to look like a rock slide. It was a natural-enough rock slide, a small slee not as big as those you see today further South along the Blue Ridge. Then, the story goes, he up and died or got hisself kilt in the war and no one has ever found that Sours Silver Mine site. Some keep a'lookin' for it and more than one rock slide has been worked over in the Luray area with hopes that Scotty had stashed away a few un-used bars of silver
There had been other mining done in the area. About two miles north of Luray at the old Yager place they mined for iron ore many years before and wagoned it to Massanutten for to be fired. Then , at the Harshberger Farm above Luray, they opened saltpeter mines during war time when it was needed as base to make gunpowder. It may well have been that in a small mine of this nature that Solurzs could have found his silver. The tunnels were dug under the mountain sides and, even today, you can still see the mark of spades having cut intxothe stubborn soil.There were numerous small saltpeter mines in the area.
Exacty where our's silver came from no one ever knew, but lots of people still think it is somewhere down there waiting to be re-dug. There's been a lot of talk.
I remember adding to the tale myself. I've always wondered what kind of a person this Scotty might have been. He must have been a sentimentl person, from what I have heard, and I think he would have been sensible enough to have marked that slee of rock he blasted over the mine entrance in some way so that he could find it after the War had ended.
This is a "factual" story - one I have come across several times - and I have a strong feeling the story teller's "twist" has yet to be played out. I know of only two places where you patches of wild shamrock-like plants. One is around limestone foundation slabs of an old cabin that used be there on the hill above town. The other is above and below a small rock slee less than a mile up the moutainside. Sours was said to be a Scot but I have found, from personal experience in both Scotland and Ireland, that both the Scots and the Irish play bagpies. A Scotch-Irishman would like Shamrocks.
What better way would here have been to mark a site for rediscovery after the war?
A.L.M. April 8, 2003 [c633wds]
Monday, April 07, 2003
POINT OF VIEW
I found it difficult to believe that zoo workers consider the panda and the elephant to be the two most dangerous beasts which which they have to work.
If that be an accurate estimate, then it appears the two designated culprits have the world's best Public Relations teams working on their behalf.
I have heard, of course, that the elephant does have mood swings and that a usually docile, obedient pachyderm can be a weighty problem if aroused. No one needs demonstration of the consequence which might be caused by angering an elephant And, for the very first time, I realized that I have yet to see a photograph of man, woman or child, calmly petting a panda - a newly born panda cub, maybe, but not a full-sized specimen. So, until I find out differently, I'm going to avoid both elephants and pandas.
We seem to know so very little concerning the dangers which we might have to face at any moment, don't we? Aside from the beasts ,for a moment - what about other hazards with which we may contend? September 11th marks the date of such and event for which we were totally unprepared. Since that time, we have had numerous chances to learn many lessons which may help us to avoid any such tragic events in our future. How well have we learned our lessons? Or, have we learned our lessons at all? Do we see big ears and small ears? Which is which? Are you sure about that?
Are we seriously studying the potential minatory aspects of our trusting lifestyle, and failing to consider that the gentle panda bear may not be the gentle animal it appears to be to be, but rather a vicious demanding black hole in our universe working for our undoing? He nibbles bamboo shoots so meditatively and he or she has dreamy, far-away, look in the eye, but looks are deceptive. Are we too trusting of other nations; other peoples? As a nation,do we depend far too much on outward appearances? If I believed that the the panda was harmless, akin to a large Teddy Bear, and that the elephant was subdued as the Flintstone's lovable “Dino” and all but domesticated; if we had a place to keep him, then I can be easily fooled by a human pretending to be something other than what he or she really is!
I, for one, had best learn to keep my guard up a bit more.
I don't know so many things and any one of them could be my undoing. That's true, so often, for each of us.
A.L.M. April 6, 2003 [c448wds]
Sunday, April 06, 2003
TOWN CLOCKS
"Big Ben" in London is, I suppose, the best example of what a town clock ought to be: big...high..loud , visible from all four sides and well known and respected as the place to get the correct time - day or night.
A good Town Clock is the center of community life. It signals the start of each new day, sets the time for events throughout the day and closes it for some while opening it for other with different hours of work. It's vibrant summons is one of unity, drawing people closer together. Notice how often people refer to it as “our Town Clock “.
If you live in an older community you probably have a version of a “Town Clock”: somewhere in sight. They are, however coming to be quite scarce. They are really no longer needed in the ways they once were. Older ones are not being replaced.
In our time we all wear wrist watches and we have the “time” available from other sources as well: posted in shop windows,,sign along the highways, one the street as well – banks. In particular like to show he correct time as if saying “Time is Money”. We see the time shown on our TV screens, and down in the lower right-hand corner of every computer monitor. Time is all around us! We no longer sit patiently and wait for the Town Clock to sound the hour so we can get along with our business on schedule. Whatever we might do, wherever we may go, time is at hand, every minute of every day and night.
Unfortunately, all clocks are different in subtle ways. They are not always on time, to so to speak. Some are early - running too rapidly; others are slow -not running fast enough. Many clocks of the larger types responded well to penny weights added to their pendulums or to their being removed. It is good that we cannot see all four faces of tower clocks at the same time, because they disagree at times.
When I was a kid, we lived in a railroad town so we had two time systems - "Real" or Standard time and Railroad or N&W time. The jewelry stores downtown had two clocks in their front display windows - one set to show regular time and the other to tell RR time. As I recall, there was about twenty-six minutes difference between the time the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean at Norfolk,Va the eastern terminus of the railroad line and the time it came up at Radford some three hundred miles away in Southwest Virginia. We paid little attention to RR time and use Standard in everything except in referring to train arrival and departure times and railroad business but it was cumbersome and on its way out even then in the 1920's.
I think we ordinarily blame Daylight Savings Time on Benjamin Franklin. The idea that he did so seems to be a valid one in that it agrees with Poor Richard's idea about economy. For Ben to tinker with Time, in his gadget-ty way would, probably be an accurate accusation. Franklin would have been interested in arranging the hours so the earl, sunlit morning hours might be productive and darkening hours of evening might lead to sleep.
DST came in handy during World Wars I and II and worked well enough with most people to be made a part of our summertime routine. I say "most of us". Some areas still on using "Regular","Real"”,"The Lord's" or "Sun" time, year-round. The main hold-outs are the State of Arizona, and the northeastern counties of the State of Indiana and there are other pockets of resistance, as well. There are some business firms and summer resorts which adamantly adhere to..."real" time which results in six months of confusion each summer.
A.L.M. April 5,2003 [ c655wds]
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