Saturday, February 21, 2004
IT BOTHERS ME
What is that irks me most about present-day politics?
It doesn't seem proper, somehow, that I should be, in any way, critical of, or uncomfortable with the very process by which we select our nation's leaders.
Yet, I do.
I find the one quality which bothers me the most concerning any candidate running for public office is that of his, or her, being sincere in every way.
Insincerity is the most bothersome blight affecting a political campaign and much of it centers on the personal, individual sincerity of the person making the effort to place himself, or herself in a position of authority over others as an elected official of the governmental system they share.
If a person is not sincere in seeking office and, thus, in asking other people to place their trust in him and feel that he or she will do the very best they are capable of doing. If they do not make such a stand of integrity at the very start, they harm themselves most of all but also mistreat those who support them and their views.
I think we are called upon to take seriously our part in much of this political process/. When we look closely at the many people involved who, either set themselves forward or allow others to do so, who gather together an oft-times curious, even inexplicably composite group of individuals from which we must make a choice. They are not all there for the best of good reasons, either. I think we must realize this inequity at the very start and there can be just one fool proof way of doing so. It depends almost entirely on the level of personal dedication to which each of us holds fast as our own moral and practical view by which we live and express ourselves - knowingly or unconsciously - at the voting booths. If we are, in any way, lacking in such self-control and self-respect, we can, and do, elect poor leaders.
In the final hour, having looked at and listened to as many as we can, we select the one seemingly best suited to our own standard of sincerity.
Do you still want to be our President some day?
If so, be sincere and the Truth will make you be.
A.L.M. February 19, 2004 [c394wds]
TAB THINK
The selection of tabloid style newspapers on the stands near the checkout counters at your local super market are a changeable lot. They come and go. The stories they headline are mostly based on being timely rather than true. They often jump ahead of actual events, at times with suggestion of what might happen if things remain as they are ,which seldom happens.
Initial purchaser of such gaudy journals is based on spur-of-the-moment buying. The display is located at a place where someone who finds something of interest cannot really examine it without being on display while doing so.
There are three or four titles which seem to bloom for a time then fade away, only to come blazing back with a new set of fabrications. After years of telling what they claim to be the :real: story about the death of Princess Diane, new rumors or potential nonspecific. The mostly unlikely people are being show to us this week to snag additional takers/.This type of tawdry journalism is the lifeblood of more than one facet of our home entertainment. Several well know network personalities , who's names you would recognize readily, are producing and starring in TV shows dedicated to showing all they think they “can get away with.” And, they do , too. “get by with it” for s time. Scraps of nudity, sexually oriented body movements, profanity, flawed language terms, body language and sexual innuendo, are becoming common to most such shows and both runs and endless re-runs draw millions. of viewers - or should that, perhaps be read as “voyeurs”?
Segments of the Internet offer the same selections of journalistic sewerage.
Many realize this trend is not one which should be enlarged. Most seem to feel it should be curbed. We have not yet learned the simple truth that one of the most fundamental of re-runs is that it is very difficult to legislate morality.
We displayed a very impressive national display if “shock” recently when Janet Jackson choose to bare one half of her bosom be for those watching the half-time tab-type show during the Super Bowl Game. At that very moment far greater violations of the female image on other TV channels and on lewd Internet pages maintained specifically for Tab-Think persons - both men and women of all ages =
those who chose to watch them. The news stands went right on restocking the shelves without causing any great manifestation of nationwide shame or shock
Who stands, ready and willing, to cast the first stone?
A.L.M.. February 20, 2004 [c436wds]
Thursday, February 19, 2004
THE NEW “QUEEN”
I find it difficult to think of the fine old “Queen Mary” as having now been totally replaced by the emergence of a new, and even finer, ocean-going vessel bearing the same regal name.
I read the impressive specifications of the new liner just recently launched, and sent voyaging off to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and there is no doubt that she is ,statistically, far superior to the old Queen now lying in what would seem to be a regrettable, almost forced, inactive retirement at Long Beach, California used as a tourist attraction of sort of on-water motel, not sea-going motel.
I had rather expected something more in the nature of a souped-up, glamorized, overdone, personality-populated “Maiden Voyage” to start the new liner in service. That has been the usual way of showing off such accomplishments in the past and underlines the many changes in trans-Atlantic travel. Large, ornate ocean liners are not longer ruler of the routes - in the North Atlantic or else where for that matter. The new Queen Mary was designed, built, and properly put into service – not as a luxury liner in the traditional fast-crossings mode but as the luxury Cruise Ship she is intended to be.
We need not be worried about the place of the Queen Mary II for she is under the expert care of Pamela Conover a superbly qualified young lady who knows the cruise business well because of years spent among leaders in the field..She became president and CEO of Cunard Lines and its associated cruise firm. Ayear or more ago. A native of the larger London area, she worked in New York offices for years in essential shipping fiannce and management.. It might appear to many that Cunard would be taking somewhat of a chance putting a such a costly ship in the cruise trade. Any such fears.can be laid to rest by becoming aware of that fact that this capable woman is in charge of Cunard Line and that company was acquiredcquireds ago by Carnival Corporation.,
The luxury liner Queen Mary II will be in active competition with some of the most glamorous, brazen, specialized ships of that nature. Thedy are,of course, smaller, buy many of them are well-equipped and very well established as sea-going hotels, convention centers, amusement parks and gourmet foods showplaces as routine.accoutrements. Where the new Queen will fit into such a pattern as has already been established is difficult to say, but she might well merit the eliite, higher- income spenders, and more-monied cruise-trip buyers. She might well be something of a prestige in the mind of many would be travelers.
As an example, it has been been suggested that we will certainly will see the new Queen in the harbor of Pirius while the Olympic games are being held with guests making their home for the entire span of the games in one of the townhouse arrangements featured on the new Queen Mary.
In many ways I see this all new ship to be continuing the fine work of the older vessel rather than replacing her any sense of he word. She holds great promise for all of us who continue to have dreams.
A.L.M February 12, 2004 [c552wds] Note: Erased by mistake on previous day of publication. Restored here by request. a.l.m.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
UP OR DOWN?
Are we, indeed,, as a nation, in a period of cultural decline as many loud persons, so proclaiming , tell us we are. I am generally suspicious of any person who has a cure ready for everything that might face us socially or physically.
Could it be, rather than a declining situation,, that our case has been improperly diagnosed?
As a nation we are rather young. We think we have lived a rather full existence in our short span. My own state, the Commonwealth Virginia. Is getting ready to observe her 400th birthday in 2007. It will call for us to take a close look at what we have accomplished in that time/ It will also be a time in which we mus evaluate the enduring worth of our action in the past.
Youth, generally, lets confidence show itself. We have been accused from time-to-time of being a bit on the cocky side when meeting with European or other nations. The opinion has, at times, been justified depending on the nature of the individuals who have represented us in those specific times.
The upcoming years of such birthday celebrations marking four hundred years of existence, may be a good time for us to access our past accomplishments and to determine wherein we may have been amiss in dealing with with some of the problems which faced us
It may well be that we, at times, have confused quantity those quality. In our past we have taken risks. That element, too, is typical at times of most nations as they grow and mature. How did those experiences affect our national history? Are they part of the reason for the alleged attitude of superiority? Can we justify actions we have taken in the past which may no fit well with he best thinking of today?
In truth, there will, I think, be little reason to think we can change things we did wrong as any point of crisis in our years of becoming what we are today. We can , however, learn to live with them in constructive, healing ways. Any nation claiming to be pure is in abject error so, on our 400th Birthday be prepared to witness the presence of warts, wens and withered areas on the birthday cake,. Some of the candles simply will not burn and add light. Some of he sweetness will be bitter and some of the color will be faded and waning.
It could, perhaps, be that we have forgotten much of the stress and growing pains because of the exceptional blessings which have come our way. This 400th birthday celebration will be a good time for taking inventory of our accomplishments and of our failures and those times when we have been, perhaps, amiss in our duties toward others.
A.LM. February 17, 2004 [c476wds]
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
RIGHT ADDRESS?
Continued resistance on the Iraqi front makes one wonder if we have the correct address affixed to our efforts to bring the country back to peaceful conditions?
It is becoming increasingly evident that the Iraqi opposition is getting large amounts of logistical and armament assistance from other sources interested in maintaining a "status un-quo" in the area. If such raids and counter-actions continue to grow, as they seem to be doing at the moment, are we ready and willing to take a closer look at our address books to determine if it might be necessary to deliver some serious messages of discouragement to other addresses in the immediate area - such as Iran, for example?
We have been subjected to much political drivel here at home about the apparently unsuccessful efforts to find "Weapons of Mass Destruction". We have heard the term so often. in fact that the media uses "WMD" and everyone knows what it is supposed to mean. It has become so common that it is a great deal like asking if a stray dog has fleas. The term itself has lost stature as it has been purposely restyled into a political party pinnate.
Why, I wonder, are both political extremes here, seemingly, so ready, even eager, to agree that no convincing evidence has yet been found within Iraq to substantiate any some accusation. Some politician opportunists among us have seemed to be overcome with a sort of almost apologetic attitude and they have stated that Saddam Husein, at no time, had such weapons. They do remember when Saddam Heusen himself proclaimed that he did and they forget, too, that he used them to kill Kurd citizens of the northern section of his own country.
I have a feeling that no one has really been surprised to find there is no strong evidence within Iraq. Such incriminating materials were moved out of the country well ahead of the arrival of United States troops. Look next door, Don't be in too much of a hurry to do so, however.
This weeks announcement by Iran that it does, after all, have nuclear capabilities and that it fully intends to “share” them with others in the form ”of power supplies only” comes at an interesting time.
Don't expect to hear much about it until our presidential election is completed. No one, in their right political mind, would even suggest right now that the war be expanded to include take out Iran's newly discovered funicular plants they didn't know they had. Those who helped to build them would be objects, as well, no doubt.
So, take it easy. Think about it, but don't go asking a lot of questions. Not right now, at least.
Never let your bladder get all a'bubble until you know, for sure, the exact location of, and the availability of , the nearest bathroom facility.
A.L.M. February 15, 2004 [c487wds]
Monday, February 16, 2004
WAY BACK WHEN `
` Do you remember when, not too many years ago, people - you and I among them - used to complain when shopping that “everything seems to be made in Japan!” You don't say that any more, do you? Now it's China. Yes. Now its China and almost anywhere else you care to name other than the United States.
If Huck Finn was around today and saw the situation he might well say:”We don't make nuthin' no more.”
He would be almost correct. At this moment, as I take a quick accounting of what I am wearing as I sit here typing this page. I find I am wearing only one item of clothing which bears the legend “Made in U.S.A.”. It's not my shoes – China. Dress shoes I will wear this evening are from India. My well-know brand of trousers were made in Korea; nor is it either section my underwear, or my socks made in China My sweater is a product of the workers of Bangladesh. The only thing made in the U.S.A is the belt which holds my pants up. It is plainly stamped on the leather - or, whatever the material might be, just behind the buckle which is of metal and which may well have been brought from far away to be fitted to the locally made leather portion of the belt. I assume that same source punched the six holes in even sequence along the hitchin' end of it, but the buckle, itself, might be from anywhere.
We had a case years go pretty much like that of women's elegant gloves plainly marked as being made in the U.S. of A. But, the tiny tag saying so was added in the seam of the cloth cuffs when they were sewn to the gloves themselves which were all imported from Italy. I have a feeling they have been having trouble finding the exact place where they can make belts and ship them some ump-teen thousand miles all at a cost lower than we can make a belt here at home.
I was scolded recently by an economist-type person who told me that it is far better for all of us to have workers in other nations manufacture the stuff we need. This, I am told, enables them to earn a living and allows the foreign workers to pay taxes and buy property as the work for locally respected “fair” wages to earn what the local owner calls good working conditions. The have a income of their own and get along in an improved lifestyle.. We no longer find it necessary for us to fork out millions of dollars in economic or political aid needed to help them subsist.
I find it to be still subject to some doubt. question the authenticity of those words and the methods actually applied. Being polite as can be, this critics simply says I am “stubborn”, but you and I both know they really “dumb”.
I'm planning to stay that way until someone shows me how this scheme works. At the moment I plan to keep right on agreeing with Huck Finn's hypothetical assessment. ”We don't make nuthin' no more!”
A.L.M. February 15, 2004 [c541wds]
Sunday, February 15, 2004
“SECRET” WEAPON
A totally new facet has been added to the not-so-gentle art of electioneering since television has taken over the bulk of the process in most areas. Right now, almost daily, I see and hear candidates fall into the subtle trap which can do them real harm on their way to the upper office area.
A very real change has taken place in the composition of the audience to whom a candidate may be speaking. He who ignores the change is courting disaster albeit in small does - which can be just as deadly in the long run.
There is quite a different type of “ammunition” allowable when a candidate speaking to a “closed” group of people who are in sympathy with his views, but a totally different different type of word weaponry is needed for reaching a group which includes people opposed to his programs. Every time a he or she candidate makes a sharply critical of an opponent he is greeted by cheers from those whoa agree but there others who are bot so easily pleased. They scoff and ridicule what is said and resolve to continue to belive as they have before. The old railroad yard crowd which gathered around the rear platform of the visiting Pullman cae was made up of ninty-per cent loyal supporters. The TB audience is seldom, if ever, so one-sided.
Each time John Kerry, or any other opposing candidate, speaks of President George W. Bush as being a :”tyrant “, “liar”,”:an AWOL soldier”, or some other such term, he drives yet another bent and poison-dipped, corroding nail in his own coffin.
If a candidate is going to use TV to seek out new adherents, he had best be schooled in the realities which come with it. It is one of the few chances you, as a candidate, will have to talk to people who are not convinced you are what you claim to be. In reality much of the winning of new people is done by the loyal workers you inspire rather than through any direct, personal appeals you might make..
You will not make much progress with any of them if you purposely drive them away. Sugar makes a far better bait than vinegar. Television is best used by “adults” and it is increasingly obvious that not all candidate are that far advanced in the ways of going about it.
My advice to all candidates: Mind your TV manners!
A. L. M. February 14, 2004 [c423wds].
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