Saturday, March 20, 2004
PROGRESS NOT PERFECT
Just because we seem to be leading the pack does not, of necessity, mean we are ahead of them. Progress can be, and often is, deceptive.
Hardly a week goes by in which I do not read of a business firm suddenly finding it must vacate its well-established location. The building, which they have used successfully for many years and maintained in top physical condition , is, suddenly, declared to be unfit for use by humans. The owners, often the very people who designed and built the building, are, in effect, evicted.
The situation has all come about, not because of any negligence on their part, but because, years before, they had taken advantage of the very latest construction techniques and installed asbestos materials throughout the premises to achieve the utmost insulation. fire protection and other supposed advantages deem to be essential to protect their property.
I have seen , in recent years, such displacements in just about every line of business and in public buildings inc including public schools, churches, Individuals and preen punctualities and others been cased great,unanticipatedly expense when ordered to remove the offending materials. There have been marked losses in real estate and undue hardships in the business world because of this unexpected factor. Those who cannot afford to make such changes are subjected to conditions
which cause they to have to sell their property and usually at a discounted price far be;pew the generally accepted values of the holding. This has been made to be even worse by some very questionable estimates concerning the costs of the removal under government scrubby inn keeping wish precise redirections of the moment.
One such building I have seen is owned by a small town. It was build as a private mansion. It has a large, circular tower at pond and then wanders off in a series of ells, wings and ad-ons. A lacy web of porches is wrapped around it all giving it an illusion of unity. The original owner died and his heirs willed the property to the town government to do with it as they wished. They decided to make it an inn and it became modestly successful with promise. The place is closed today awaiting the removal of asbestos materials. Notice, that is “removed” and not just “taken out”. It must be done by the book following precise instructions as if it were a surgical procedure and by qualified, fully-trained hazardous materials personnel only who are yet to be found.
Certainly we cannot deride the concept of attainment. Without advancement, we die. It does illustrate, however, that we, at times, tend to confuse that which we might desire to have with what we already have at hand
Make haste with hesitancy. Let progress assist rather than demand.
A.L.M. March 19, 2004 [c429wds]
Friday, March 19, 2004
EARY BIRDSL
Some people I find, are genuinely disturbed with the present state of our Presidential election. .They fear both parties have mistakenly jumped the gun on the use of the heavier types of material they usually reserve for the closing,, showdown weeks.
The displeasure makes sense, too. Some features of the election processes may well be out of sync with present-day truths. The so-called “rules” do nut apply for all of Time and can become obsolete. They turn with the times and the tides and with public sentiment, as well. They have always done so and the fact that they are now drawing objections will cause more people to wonder about the extreme length pf our political contests.
The long run made sense when the world moved as a slower pace. Candidates used to need months in order to get their views before their potential supporters. No more. TV has changed all that. Even when candidates speak to live, demonstrating crowds it is prime time TV fare for millions of viewers of all types., not just a narrow section which is already his anyway with the hope they that they might tell others outside the fold. In person site candidates may be speaking to fifty agreeable voters at each railroad yard stopover.
There is no longer a need for keeping such restrictive rules. Even now we are supporting such groups with six month to bingo which tactics used far ahead of time may atrophy once the spontaneity of verbal contacts will have diminished, and issues will be drained of real content and become a burden to bear. I think Jimmy Durante put it as well as anyone when he was asked to comment on having - after much delay done his first TV show: ”Twenty-five years of good material shot to hell!”
One subject has been missing from the campaign thus far and most people have not missed it at all. Some voters-to-be individuals may well bring “morality” to the fore if things get too dull on the long, lonely journey to Election Day. It could be based on a tabloid treatment of the anti-war activities of John Kerry's postwar anti-war protesting sprees by bring forth facts, figures and photographs and critical examinations of every possible jot-and- tittle concerning George Bush's management or mis-management of the current War On Terrorism.
The other plausible ingredient to fill the days of the long wait might well be for the Democrats, if things are not looking up, to hit the sawdust trail with an all-out “anti war” banners held high. If they can get the Mel Gibson “Passion” fans, they're as good as in. I have suggested this strange but likely turn of the war before as our “Worst Case Script” for our present, stretched-out election. Better shine up that old halo of yours, if you can find it. Be ready.
A.L.M. March 18, 2004 [c489wds]
Thursday, March 18, 2004
GIFT
If you can possibly do so, plan to spend at least part of your Christmas holiday at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
My wife and I did so many years ago as a wedding anniversary gift from one of our daughters and her family, and we have talked about and remembered so many memories from that short trip that it seems to have meant more to us hat other such settings. You will find, as we did, that there is something different about Christmas in Williamsburg.
There is a gentle quality in traditional observance of rites and rituals, and this subtle note is apparent in the decorations theme. Williamsburg stands alone in judicious use of nature to lend color. The plane is inundated with wreaths, garlands, kissing puffs, and long strands of evergreen foliage woven into seemingly endless strings of of yuletide lace/..The color bursts upon you ever so softly in the form of bight red apples... .tons of them, it seems – which form the overall essence of a decorations should be in complementing the structure holding it aloft. .When you see an ornament which is not apple-encrusted you may think of it as being out of place.
Lighting is a second feature so important to the Williamsburg Christmas. It, too, is soft and gentle. .The restored Governor's Palace, set amongst gaunt, black, leafless trees is a sturdy brick structure and glowing at every window there is a quiet candle;.in the upper level, festive lanterns. By daylight you will see another form of brightness which contrasts of light and dark areas darkness to the architectural niceties of the fantastic town. Much of this magic is brought about by a substance the builders did not have available in their time. We call it “paint”..
That protective, preserving beautification substance was not available to the founders such quality and discolors remember seeing Williamsburg before the restoration started. It was a rather drab and uninviting settlement.. War are seeing today the town the Colonial builders dreamed their village might someday become. We are witnessing the culmination of a dream.
Being in this colonial setting at Christmas time we are assured that much “is right with the world” which had seemed to have been askew.
A.L.M. March 17, 2004 [c402wds]
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
GAME TIME!
We are ever more a "game-playing" nation since the arrival of the computer with it's tremendous fund of real time-killers.
Some of our old games demanded mental agility and I see that element as being totally absent in so many of the newer games.They are, far too often, diversions rather than something to take the place of our established games.
We need a new term in our English language which would encompass the ever-widening range of what people call "games" now running on TV, erupting in a corroding cloud of noise and color in arcade settings of every description. Not only does TV have extended power over family life but it is doing so at all age levels. The rapid invasion of personal player units has added a reculsive element to family living rooms from which it has been free for many generations.
We are going to be forced to examine this phase of our current living patterns before too many years pass, but right now we are trying not to think of potential damage from excessive attention to these ever-growing abberations concerning our idea of what constitutes fun. For a time, such :games: were not considered to be addictive.
Think about that new word we need...a new term which will emcompss the growing group of now being called "games" alonmg with the traditional world of authentic games. We have made use of twisted meaning of the word in speaking of "spam" It currtently means unwanted commercial messages interlarded with TV and computer information. Most young people, and many older ones, do not know that it orignally demanded a capital "S" because it was the name of a widely know and used meat product made by Hormel,I think. It is still on the market and I am among those who still eat and enjoy it. I was sent to Europe during World War II and did not meet up with it, but those who were shipped to the Pacific area were, it seem, inundated,with rations containing and, probably,imitatations thereof. You know what familarity does. Many Vets came state-side as dedicated Spam haters.
The term has now gone generic as "spam"and we now also have "spim" as well, which is the same type of unwanted advertising junk turning up in Instant Message formats.
C[mon!. Help me find a word that describes the "non-game" games which are ruining legitiate games demanding skill, intellgence and physical actions beyond the mere touching of buttons.
A.L.M. March 16,2004 [c435wds]
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
VOTERS, EVERYWHERE
What actually happens when we vote?
It is not, as many seem to think, an act which proclaims that you have thrown the switch and that the magic you wished for is supposed to happen at once!
Spanish voters proved to be a very poignant example of this sort of namby-pamby "pass-the-problem" politics. The Spanish voters reversed what seemed to have been their intent just hours after the tragic bombings of rail terminals in Madrid. They
booted the ruling Populist Party and installed the Socialist Party in all offices. The people, over a few hours time, totally modified what seemed to be their intent and put the Socialists in charge.
The glaring spotlight has put tne newly named Prime Minster Zapatero and head of The Socliosts in a role which he is unaccustomed. His first statement was one and did take much time to frame. He promised he would have "all of the thirteen hundred Spanish troops" out of Iraq by the month of June." Note that he did, indeed, say 'thireen hundred";not the fifteen hundred troops the Socialists have been ranting about. He labeled "Bush's War" as being a "dismal failure.We can, I think,"expect other useful fiures to be modified as well.. The new leader appeared to be hesitant and rather vague in making the simple annoucement. He will have more to say as soon as his party people. decide what they might try do now that are in office... a place they had not intended to be so soon. Whatever they decide to do will prove to be anti-US, of course, and this is unfortunate because the Spanish people need encouagment rather than harsh ciriticism.
It is easy enough to see this flaw in the vote procedure of the Spanish nation might come to damage our own election which is speedily forthcoming. It is not at all beyond reason that segments of our American voters will do exactly as the Spanish voters have just done and turn the entire "mess" over to John Kerry as their miracle worker. One Al-Quida attack between now and November might well swing enough unthinking voters to make it happen that way again...here.
It couldn't happen here!
Don't be too sure of that.
A.L.M. March 15. 2004 [c402wds]
Monday, March 15, 2004
ON THE EDGE
I wonder when the nations of this world were ever in the situation such as that in which we now seem to find ourselves?
Spain; following the costly loss of life and property and the railway terminal bombings they have experienced this past week, and many people insist this shows every indication of taking the very path anicipated by the "enemy" whomever they may be.
Commiunications of some sort have, we assume, been inexistence long enough so that the offending parties may be quoted as saying it was all caused by the fact that Spain put some fifteen hundred troops into the field "to aid and abet the Bush attack on Iraq.". It is now being said, here in the United Sates, at least, that the "people" of Spain have been adamantly opposed to the war in Iraq in great numbers and that they have marched in great, overwhelming multitudes to show their contempt for all who would take part in a warf against the Iraqi people "
That is the picture we are being fed here; that Spain was warned to stay out the war and not having heeded that warning the Spanish must now suffer ham. They sent troops "to help Bush's invasion of Iraq" and, now they must cringe and be submissive to the wishes of the evil power whoever and whatever it might prove to be.
The danger to America?
Some will argue they do not recall and great Spanish opposition protests against the war.Other will go so far as to say we were prevented from hearing about it.
Some will prefer to see the whole attack as an attempt to influence the outcome of the Spanish election held tthis past week week. It did so, it seems. The Socialists had been lagging quite a bit behind, but they beat the Populists as being the party in power when Spain entered the war. The people, it has been said, "are punishing the Populist Party.". These divisions will be noted and they will become part of our own political campign illustating how our war-time "friends" are slipping away one-by-one and cringing obediently and fearfully before the terrorist agressors. We have enough confusing problems of our own to consider without adding any foreign ones
It may all be well and good for us to show sympathy and understanding but to sit around second-guessing the experts on whatand why it all happened is foolishness of the worst kind. And, any of it, being incorrect, could very well prove to be dangerous.
The pain in Spain is very real. Respect it as our own. We fight a common enemy.
A.L.M. March 14, 2004 [c455wds]
Sunday, March 14, 2004
BIKES
I am not one of those men who can say that he grew up on a bicycle. Some did, of course, but I came along during the days of the Great Depression and we spent more time wanting bikes than riding on Them.
We did have two bikes, as I recall, but not at the same time so my older brother and I had to share them such as they were. One was painted a bright red, I remember, and the other showed evidence of having been blue at one time. Both were twenty-six inch wheel sizes ...ratherlarge. The red one came to us as well-worn hand-me-down from a distant cousin.; the blish one came from the community trash dump nearby which we frequented seeking just such treasures.
.Actually they were frames rather than bikes and I never remember them both having tires at the same time. Most of the time we rode them as run-on-the-rims racers around the dirt track we built in our back yard aound the edges of the garden.
The fact that the Wright Brothers worked with bicycles in the Ohio told us we were doing the right thing and as a grown man, after putting hundreds of miles on my bike while in England, I remembered working on the wheeled wrecks many years before.
The bicycle has fascinated mankind for a good years and we find conficting reports as to who invented and/or merely improved upon earlier designs to make them function as well as they do today. Generally, the modern bicyles seem to have had its begining with a small horse with a front wheel. Children could sit on it and propel it wih their feet. No pedals and the front wheel was fixed and could not be used for steering.
In 1816 Baron van Drais introduced a :bicycle which he called a "Draisenne" and it became the rage wih allhe speed-loving dandys in Paris. It consisted of two rather large wheel and the front one was steerable.. Still no pedals/. .it depended on foot-to-ground push-push power.
It was left for a blacksmith in Dumphies, Scotland to add the pedal mehanism.in 1839. His name was Kirkpatrick Macmillian and Scottish books list him as being the "inventor"of the bicycle while coninental publications say he improved on the earlier design by Drais.
It has been improved much more today and we are now at the point where the newer features are being minimized and we are going back to basic elements with up-to-date efficncency riding comfort and ease retined intact, of course.
A.L.M. March 13, 204 [c442wds]..
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