Saturday, December 27, 2003
FOG BOUND
In times if discouragement, or in those vague moment when I am awakening from a deep sleep and seeking directions as to which way to turn to find complete consciousness, I am reminded of a time, years ago, when I was on Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. I was in a small boat veteran waterman Buzz Conway “helping” him check his crab traps spread out over Indian Creek inlet.
The fog had settled in thick about us on the shore jutting out into the water and I would not have been able to get anywhere without the guidance of a man who had lived and worked all his life - he and his brother Pat - who lived in a house perhaps a hundred yards down the pine-shrouded shoreline.
During the hour which followed I witnessed navigational expertize I would not have thought possible. He was seated in the stern of the boat at the tiller. I was seated on a board about midway in the craft. After pushing gently away from the wharf, Buzz kicked the motor to life and we slid off into the enveloping mist. Even the motors sound was muffled by the padded fullness of the fog.
I lost track of the number of stops we made.. We would be scurrying right along with that false sense of high speed I feel when skimming open water. Buzz would cut the motor Buzz would cut the motor cut the motor, and work his way forward a bit as the craft drifted and stopped at a spot where he would dredge up yet another cage.. We dumped the contents of each trap in the boat at our feet,closed the trap and lowered it with a sense of trap into the boat at our feet; closed the trapdoor and placed the crate-like cage it over the side to sink to the depths below ready for more blue crabs. Each trap,I felt, was carefully placed in the water - never thrown. There was solemnity about doing so. No doubt crab men have done it for generations, I think, as a physical expression of gratitude as well as a prayer for continued blessings in future catches.
The sun did poke through before we finished the round of trap sites, and the jelly fish patterns floating atop the water were an artistic display all their own. The pleasure schooner was still anchored in the channel where it had been the night before, but I had new knowledge of an unseen world of crabdom populating the bottom of the inlet which I had never known before.
Ashore, Buzz Conway schooled me in ways tell a perfect blue crab and I learned to select them from others and to place them in tank-trays he maintained for culling the take.. The less developed crabs were placed in other tanks and undesirable items bucketed to be returned to the Bay from the edge of the wharf.
Looking back on that morning spent with Buzz Conway, there on Indian Creek inlet just a few miles east of Kilmarnock,Virginia, tells me that to fully under stand a person you have to work with him or her as what seems to be a task to many but which is really a way of life and an enjoyable hobby-like activity one lives rather than does.
A.L.M. December 26, 2003 [c569wds]
Friday, December 26, 2003
TIME OF DISCOVERY
It is a rare occasion in life when you realize you have made a discovery. You wonder what you might do with your new-found knowledge. Should you hold fast to it as your very own, or should you share it with others - with everyone. I believe the later view is the proper one, because it reflects more on the genuine quality of your find. Few original finders of anything worthwhile, it appears, truly understood what it was they had come upon. It is only as others developed his or her concept, that it becomes truly a manifest blessing for Mankind.
I had such an innovative experience this Christmas Eve.
On that chilly night of December 24, 2003, That evening I chanced upon on the most impressive Christmas service I have ever attended. It would seem that such a special occurrence would have happened in some far-off, exotic locale, but it was in our home church. I have, due partly to illness, been an occasional member for a year or more, but something urged me to attend the traditional Christmas Eve service this year.
It did not strike me as unusual that I found a new realization of the simple fact that the small church has been singularly blessed with a wealth of creative talents in its staff and membership . I find the choirs to be exceptionally mature by usual standards of attainment and by their intense response to skilled, vibrant direction.
The Bell Choir is directed by Mary Wilson and her efforts have brought about a group using bells and judicious use of related percussion instruments to produce varied repository which far exceeds that of the usual bell-clanging group They do not tip-toe through a routine service timidly, with special restraint and softness. They assert themselves audio ably as a vibrant part of the worship theme.
Now, for the three-fold discovery.
The printed program included a titled: “Special Music - ' At The Manger ' arr. by. Christopher Bono. Sonja Dillard, Violin”, Those and the Bell Choir.
The discovery is containing in those two lines. Both violinist Sonja Dillard, a visitor for the evening , and the Christopher Bono Choir dire tor and organist of the church, deserve special acclaim and recognition in the music world for their work. Not only did Christopher Bono arrange the violin and piano as credited in the but he also written the piece itself “especially for this occasion” as the minister of the church, Rev .Mark Stanley announced verbally.
Others heard them as well. I was not alone, but I felt at that moment that something should be done to let the rest of the musical world know about Christopher Bono, composer, organist and choir director and about Sonja Dillard, violinist and the work they played this past Christmas Eve called “At The Manger.” The world needs to share in this wealth of talent as well as the Mary Wilson's Bell Choir.
A survey or about a year ago of TOPIC reported it as being read in eight different nations around the but I have no idea what the present circulation might be today. Anyone who wishes to do so, may drop an e-mail comment to TOPIC at the prime page mail slot.
Do you know of any talented persons in your community who might be in widespread need of praise and acclaim.
A.L.M. December 25, 2003 [c571wds]
Thursday, December 25, 2003
CHRISTMAS OVERSEAS
When, in the days of World War II, I was among those shipped to England from Virginia by way of Florida, Camp Shanks, N.Y. and New York City's busy Pier 90 on the Queen Mary, we all realized it meant Christmas of that year would be away from home.
Ours was a small group bound for England, we found. We number one hundred an nine and we were formed as specialized units for the distinct purposes of making new airbases operable or in re-establishment of air bases which had been bombed out bringing them back for use by our own bombers and other aircraft.
They were called “Station Complement Squadrons”and they were usually formed on a basis of four qualified persons for each of various types essential needs: communications, for example, with people such as telephone operators, switchboard mechanics, linesmen, etc. Typists, teletypewriter operators ( my niche) and mechanic for everything associated with the work to be done; code-qualified people and and transit equipment operators, mechanics, supply personnel and supplies as well as others needed to put the base in operational order. More than once I was amazed at the flexible nature of some of the work those men were called upon to do.
Our Christmas arrived in the First week of February. I visited Norwich Cathedral on my first visit to “town”.It was there that I felt the presence of the Christmas spirit. We observed it officially on February 2nd when our duffel bags - both “A” and “B” arrived at the same time following us from the states. We also received our first real mail, which that for the Christmas season. My box from home contained a one-foot crushable Christmas tree mounted on a solid wooden base, which we set up in the hut for a week. One cold, damp night when our strictly rations one bucket per week of precious cake for the dinky, little stove was gone we sacrificed that tree to the flames. It, as a symbol, brought us warmth we welcomed and needed.
The next Christmas was different, I remember. .By that time we had English family friends and we visited their homes or joined them at the neighborhood pub and joined in their celebrations.
Looking back, then, I find that I have missed only one Christmas out of my eighty-seven, which is not bad at all. Some have been under rather odd circumstances, but with friends - new and old which, to me, is the part of Christmas seasons we remember.
A.L.M. December 24, 2003 [c461wds]
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
VIOLENCE
What an odd time - Christmas Eve – to be thinking and writing about the violence which is so apparent in our lives today.
We hear a great deal about violence stalking though every nook and cranny of our environment - natural and socially evolved - and yet I sometimes wonder if we are fully aware of other than the brutal, physical aspects of the crippling scourge. Do we overlook, even totally disregard , violence of a more subtle nature done to our ideals, ideas, concepts and accomplishments?
I do not know that violence is any more pronounced in the present time than it has been in the past. Because we feel we have been inept in finding any ways to deal effectively with it, we conclude it must be more widespread than it used to be. Just a brief look back though the pages of our history will be enough to show that man has always turned to violence in seeking to equate himself with others or to place himself in the ascendancy where can rule over others.
Different groups of people see violence in different ways. The concept of the Dominant Male does violence to our entertainment ideas. A Rambo-type creature, part human, part robot, fueled with envy, greed and unrequited need- a fantasric recreation, perhaps, of the celebrated Knights of old who worked wonder is their time.. The theory of The Dominant Male has obscured much evil conduct in our time. His rule , we so often have been led to think, means that his shoulders, his guile, his stamina and his inventiveness will bring us freedom from all wrong. We make films of his deeds and urge our children to accept that as the way life is. They are not considered to be violent.
On this Christmas Eve think how trivial some violence can seem to be.. You will hear violence being done to our English Language - even during the Christmas season - when people you know seek to embellish it by inserting profane or obscene words and terms. That is violence of our heritage. You will see and hear people disparaging others by race, by creed, by land of origin and all this does violence to our the worthiness of our culture.
Look and listen to a small, warning voices. How often do we participate in continuing such “minor” violence? Is it cumulative?
People often hurt others by thoughtless acts of violence of a petty nature.. Until. we can successfully deal with these affronts of local nature, we have little chance of curbing the larger evil.
A.L.M. December 23, 2003 [c440WDS]
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
IMPROPER ACTIONS.
We are hearing more more about abuses of legal rights in recent years?
Defintions seem to change more often so that many of those actions of few years ago which were considered to be questionable are now being seen as commendbale. What things which used t be thought of as being on the "shady" side are now in the limelight as the greatest ecnomic advancements of the century.
The right of Eminent Domain seems to be one of the greatest economic concerns of our time, and the "abuse" of this regulation appears more and more in the news. The pattern of alleged abuse is being found in many sections of the nation by those persons who take time to be concerned about the steady erosion of individual rights. It is a re-occuring topic for discussion of a number of radio talks shows.
So often, the critical point of disagreement in each of these cases seems to be an exact awareness of just what the original intended. The term "in the public interest" is the apex of much of the discussion.. It will be found in the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States In no way does it forbid the "government" from takng possession of property. It says only that, when it becomes necessary for government to take over property the only requirementis is that the owner be "duly compensated for his loss." There is no restriction whatever on when and how government is to decide if any change is in "the public interest ".
If you are concerned about this suble bit of evasion in an instance of which you have recently become aware, it may be wise to redefine what you mean exactly by those whom you term to be "government" in the transaction. Usually this strange responsiabilty finds its way downward to a level of officials name, perhaps, City Counilmen and women or the Board of Alderman men or women, who are elected officials charged with doing what is best for your commuiity in a regulatory sense. If they see a chance to increase the income from a piece of real property simply by changing its status from private ownership to public, they ought to do so in allegience to the pledge they gave you when you helped elect them to office. If they know how to accomplish a gain for the community as a whole by changing a piece of property from a status of private to public ownership, they are doing their job - the work you elected them to do.
While it may be true, that you could have elected in individuals to the job who had a stronger awaeness of human undertanding.love, comapssion and other such values. They are not, generally, high among the qualities we look for in electable persons. So, where does the true "blame" for any so called "wrong": done to individuals during such cases?
Some falls mighty close to home.
A.L.M. December 22, 2003 [c583wds]
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Monday, December 22, 2003
COMPASSION
Compassion is, in modern times, an exceptionally complex term.
It is relatively easy for man to give sincere consideration to the rights of others and to expect the same treatment in return, but the concept is not universally understood. Many of us feel we are under special obligations to think tiwce before acting in compassionate giving.
At the present moment of our history, when we are both ending and continuing a "war" of a worldwide nature, we are cofused as to the nature of our giving. If strikes us with more force durign this Christmas season of the year, too.
How had we best go about donating food and fiber to those who are, obviously, in need? Should such giving be done through governmenal channels? Religious or social groups? Or, individually, perhaps? Each system seems to have faults of its own, too, so the choice is not always easy. Care must also be taken to see that such materials as are made availabe to he needy are of a nature which allows them to be used rather than sold. Shipping a burlap sack of hundreds of pounds of barley grain will prove to be of little use to the native who has never eaten barley and has no way of preparing.it. Such a gift will probabilty end up at cattle or bird feed or at the equivalent of the local brewery. There is a definite group of givers who give only what they don't want themslves, or that which happens to be available in excess at a given time. Such surplus or cast off charity can be harmful in that it takes the place of more sincere giving.
Clothing and household needs are needed, too. Relief is not all food. Nor, is it all money, either. True giving must seek to transfer a portion of what we call ":the good life" we enjoy to others. We give of ourselves and way of living in some strange, mysterious ways. Simple gifts can become treasures at some spot around the world. Find the manner of giving which seems most logical and efficient to you, and give systematically in relation to your income and your willingness to share your blessings.
Worthy charity is seldom a matter of sitting back comfortably and throwing money at a problem. That is often a problem with govrnbmentl bodies and oganized charities. Reflect rather on the times when you have been in need - however slightly. In th final sense, show compassion for others by letting your past guide your present and future.
We are all that which we have been.
A.L.M. December 21, 2003 [c441wds]
Sunday, December 21, 2003
WIND FARM ALOFT
The new building - “Feedom Tower� - which is to rise high above Ground Zero at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City has one innovative feature which ought to be emulated in other such high-rise construction.
Above the sixty floors planned for occupancy there are levels which are be set aside as a “way up there� wind farm!
It's about time some one has come with a sensible reason why we want to go so high. And it is past time for such buildings to be designed to help to some extent with the cost of operation and maintenance. I have no idea what amount of electrical energy such wind farm as can produce. If it is capable of supplying even a small art of the energy needs it will prove to be worthwhile. Imagine, if you can, a city in which a number of such tall buildings exist with such capabilities and the advantages are obvious. Distribution of electrical power, as presently set up, could be modified and made much more efficient, less costly and far betterr prepared to supply additional power, if and when, emergency circumstances may demand.
This is not the first time a power producing rotor has been mounted on a tall structure., but this is the first formal break the system has had from an architectural standpoint. It is time to follow up on this encouraging forward step with studies to see how effectively existing buildings can be modified to accomodate such wind farm additions. Do you remember the lone flagpole which used to be on top of tall buildings before the need for radio and television towers?
There are a dozen other communications installations up there, as well, now. They have been of immense assistance in making such buildings profitable for owners. The majority of skyscrapers are only partly finished on the inside. If you doubt that, look at almost any night time photographs of big city skylines and notice how huge sections of windows are generously lit - by banks of floodlights within cavernous, unfinished areas - while windows in occupied areas are often dark. Managing a skyscraper successfully is not one of the most attractive jobs in the world. Any new feature feature which will make it more profitable would be welcome.
New York City will be the leader, it now appears, but Chicago, with its well-known nickname as “the windy city�, may well move into first place soon.
. A,L.M. December 20, 2003 [c422w ds]
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