Saturday, May 01, 2004
A LA
The largest mosque in all of France - located at Venissieux - is now without it's chief cleric. The French government expelled him last week for advocating wife beating.
The cleric Abdelkader Boarziane, got the French boot from his pulpit because :”the government cannot tolerate statements of views that are contrary to human rights, attack the dignity of women and call for hate and violence,.”
Abdell was the fifth Islamic religious leader to be kicked out of France which would make it appear that, if that five month average holds, we can expect the next six or seven will automatically be axed. The total number of Islamic clergy busted and sent packing is in the dozens and it has long been evident that such charges as “:wife beating instructions” delivered from the pulpit is not the only reason for the expulsions. The real cause of the increasing number of such expulsions is hidden somewhere in the news reports alluding to “other medieval Islamic views at odds with the principles of the modern French state,” The latest incident which sent Abdell home is yet another indication that France is going to have to take a stern stand against radical Islamic infections. Sooner or later they are going to be forced to stand up and be counted among those of us who feel it best to combat such sneaky invasions of the homelands.
The growth of Muslim population in France has been steady and concern has been voiced frequency concerning freedoms they may enjoy.The latest figure, aged 52, was sent back to Algeria where he came from, and whee he is said to have strong ties to terrorist groups.
There is no indication concerning what or where Abdell Bouziane's next pulpit assignment may be/ He is now qualified by active experience in working in one of the French hotbeds of a number of violent militant incubations in past years - the area east of Lyon - the second most densely populated working-class centers in all of France.
France may well expect terrorist attacks if they continue to insist on Muslim clerics to cease instructing local males how and when to beat their wives and to cease “making expressions in public concerning views which might prove to be contrary to those of the nation”/
Watch what happens in France in the next six months or so. The increasing cost to the public for free plane tickets to send Muslim clerics back to where they came from is going to disturb some Frenchmen sooner or later and perhaps awaken them, and others, to what is going on about them in the real world.
A..L.M. April 30, 2004 [c489wds]
Friday, April 30, 2004
CARGO
It makes a great difference if you are being transported as “cargo” rather than as a passenger.
My most recent occasion of being sent from one point to another largely because of someone else's choice was, I recall. my being shipped out on a road-bound ambulance back in l936 to a hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. I spent a month there before getting back on track. At least, I outlasted the hospital itself . It ceased to be at least fifty years ago. Then, I'd have to say the army and the air force shipped me around as unit number 33133235 for the World War II years. I was stowed away with thousands of other such packages. I had the old “Queen Mary” both ways across the Atlantic; numerous styles of wheeled machines and B-24's.
More recently the chopper took over. I had gone to the local hospital for some more-or-less routine X-Ray shots, and I was standing in a waiting room leafing through some old magazines, waiting for the x-rays to be “read. I was summoned to the desk area and it proved to be my doctor on the phone. He asked where I was. He interrupted to say. “Your x-rays have been “evaluated” and I want you to do two things right away. I have told the nurse beside you to get a wheel chair. You are you to sit in it - now.” I did so because one was pushed under me. He added instructions to get someone to wheel me to the Emergency Room “You've got an abdominal aorta that's about ready to pop! Do not walk ! Ride!” Looking back , I would say that I became, at that moment ,”cargo”.
A trio of doctors took over. They had decided to sen d me to C Charlottesville where a “Team” would be av available to deal with my condition. They showed me the X-rays and there was a tornado-like, dark blob at rest in the lower left side. The had always called a ”Pegasus” helicopter and the three man crew was packing me up for transport within the quarter hour.
I proved to be too long for the cargo area. I scrunched my toes up and held my toes back and made it.”You've done this before,” one of the crew member laughed. “No, all beds are too short for me.” The rotors started and we lifted up from the roof top ,heliport. We leaned [over the waters of Newman “Lake”,”Pond”,Lake”,”Pond,”Sinky”,”Puddle”or “Catch-all” on the James Madison University campus and headed East toward intensely blue range of mountains to the East
I remember lots of sunlight shattered by rotor shadows' and the steady thrump-thrump of the rotor blades chomping endlessly at the high, summer air; and then we were scaling slowly down the side of a high rise building seeking the ground level heliport at the University of Virginia hospital in Charlottesville. Moment later I was under the care of a fine team of medical people heeded by heart surgeon Dr. Nancy Harthun.
Working together, we worked some miracles. I say “together” because I was determined to get well and and convinced that Dr. Harthun and her assistants could beat the admittedly poor odds. We had other help, too, which I felt we all knew every step the way. Dr. Harthun fashioned a new abdominal aorta for me of Dacron ® material and her handiwork has been doing a good job every since..
All of that took place three years or so ago, and I just realized yesterday that no one ever told me about this phase of “cargo”: time which comes to us in later age. Since I don't drive, I am ferried about from place to place by friends and family on a regular basis.. I write things such as this keep me out of mischief and in the words of Minnie Pearl- I say: “I am SO glad to be here!”... at all.
A.L.M. April 29, 2004 [c684wds]
Thursday, April 29, 2004
“GRAND OLD LADY“
One of our daughters, Barbara, will be attending a series of conference sessions this week-end at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. Just a mention of the fine old building brings back a flood of memories for me.
During my growing-up years, I think,there were just four hotels in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia which I planned to visit. One was the nearby Hotel “Roanoke” ,and the others included the “Greenbriar” at Hot Springs, the “Jefferson”, in Richmond, and a newer one “The Cavalier” at Virginia Beach. Thus far, I have been an actual guest in only one of them - the dignified “Jefferson” in Richmond.
_Hotel ”Roanoke” was the first of all of them on my “someday” list. It was original built l882, out in a former wheat field and from the start was of the modified Queen Anne design – oh-so—English-like in the popular view of that day.
It was built by a man Fredrick J. Kimball and the town, at that time, was known as Big Lick, Virginia - the city of Roanoke existed only as a dream which Kimball shared with others. It was an era of expansion of railroads and Kimball combined two existing railroads as a new called “The Norfolk and Western Railroad”. He saw this junction point of his two railroad as a future hub city for transportation and founded the hotel to provide accommodation's for travelers and to enhance the railroad's involvement within the community it served. The original structure was small compared to today's hotels, but it was large for its time.
The town was, at that time,called Big Lick,Virginia but .,in time s the town came to be renamed Roanoke, the hotel took the name of Roanoke City Hotel. It's appearance changed somewhat by the addition of barn-like additions It became a rambling structure of three-dozen rooms. It continued to grow as did the city.
I remember well how the company showed confidence in our nation's future well-being when, during the depths of the Great Depression they
undertook a $225,000 Project to modernize the hotel. They,in 1931, added a totally new wing with seventy-five rooms, a modern sixty-car garage, and new hotel testaments.
In 1989 , as a direct descendant of the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The Norfolk Southern, decided that their primary business was rail service rather than room service and thus it came about that, after one hundred and seven years of ownership, they gave the entire project to the Virgina Tech Real Estate Foundation.
After being closed for four years, the “Grand Old Lady” s closed for four years. In 1993 she underwent a multi-million dollar restoration, renovation and remodeling program, funded by an unusual combination of private and public financing with the City of Roanoke and Virginia Tech.
From that undertaking the hotel gained a new appearance which was still, however, reminiscent of its former aspect. The Lobby was a haven of antiques furniture, including the original Chezk chandeliers and the “Regency Room”, home for the Grand Old Lady's celebrated “Peanut Soup.”
A new Conference Center area was added as well, with sixty-three thousand square feet of conference area to accommodate meetings of twelve hundred or more persons with adequate TV, A/V equipment and other such aids to a successful conferences.
Hotel Roanoke has been the site of the “Miss Virgina Pageant “for many years,home away from home for presidents and governors, movie stars and sports idols, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Average American.
“The Grand Old Lady” welcomes you, and your family,at any time.
A.L.M. April 28, 2004 [c620 weds]
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
MOO CARE
The European Trade organization points out, in a recent news letter, that the average European cow receives two dollars per day in government subsidy.
The same page also mentions that some two billion people are living on far less than that two dollar amount per day largely because of high trade barriers set by relatively rich people who are getting richer.”
The bulletins shows that “subsidies make the relatively rich richer also make the poor poorer.” The greatest single thing which could be done is to eliminate the excessive tariffs and other restrictions on shipping of foodstuffs would be to remove those barriers which prevent the shipment of foodstuffs. Most of the poverty exists in rural areas which is why the movement of agricultural products must have priority ... and soon
We, of course, can expect to hear very little about this and other worldwide needs during our election year. When that is over, and the residues of hate and distrust engendered by the excessive bickering are swept back under the national carpet, it will be too late for thousands of needy people around the globe.
Years ago the church used to step into this vacant area with increased or focused given to alleviate suffering. Other charitable organizations ,too, could galvanize increased or more direct giving to help solve problems left undone by government in transition. As government became welfare oriented to the extent we have come to consider to be normal, the other charitable groups, especially the church world-wide, has abrogated the task of dealing with such problems to government alone more and more as their responsibility. The concept of being a “missionary church” came to be something which smacked of paternalism and domineering colonialism in the mind and manner of many political and religious leaders. The more we have striven to set up mechanisms whereby church and state are separated the more we have each surrendered our capacity for beneficent giving to the needy here at home, and overseas to an even more marked degree. Such burdens are no longer shared for fear of being politically incorrect and arousing suspicions of being too closely associated one with the other.
Yes, there are churches which do contribute. Some have refused to go along with the changes of recent decades, and they continue to give but too often do so, in relation to the needs associated with crises of past generations and of the old century, rather than to the needs of today. Too often the major effort is to expand the denominational domains rather than to improve the lot of the needy people of the world.
We need to do a great amount of re-thinking concerning the manner in which we give or do not give to others. That two dollar subsidy for cows but less for human beings living in squalor and dire need should tell us something of the present system.
We need a free trade concept on ethical conduct in the worst way.
A.L.M. April 27, 2004 [c508wds]
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
BASSACKWARDS
At times, it seems, we are better off if we start at the wrong end of some things.
It is not at all unusual for people who live here in the spacious Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to seek to build havens apart called “summer camps”. Their intent is, as they put it “to get away from it all”.
None of the cities in the area have advanced to the state of such complex urban excess which would cause an individual to feel as if he or she was forced to live in a ghetto of some sort. Instead of escape, of getting away from it all – they are,
in truth,seeking to enjoy more of same in a privative, more fundamental, generic sense.
A friend of ours felt he had to have a “place in the country” to get away from the several acres of front, back and side yard and gardens they had in town. He found just what seemed to suit his desires about thirty miles west of town in the mountains. It was isolated. That was an attribute, at first, but came to be recognized for what it was in time.
He built a small house on that field in an open area on the side of a hill. It was a ramshackle sort of thing which like little Eva “just growed.” In time it came to be called “The Shack” within the family. It proved to be inadequate, so an addition was added and,in time came another extension to the shack. Year after year was added until the camp became too long and was turned back upon itself until it became a semi-circle of lumber and glass on the hilltop bristling awkwardly in bright sunlight. Time spent there became a drag.
After five or six summers of hard work,experience dictated that they abandon the you did-it-yourself summer place and buy a small log cabin, already built in high woods several miles closer to town with neighbors less than a mile way on each side. Other than air conditioning and a few other such conveniences, the cabin had all the comforts of home and they loved it and kept it for the rest of their lives. In truth, it seems, they found the cabin to be a welcome respite from the harsh rather formal, oh-so-proper lifestyle in the city city. As “professional” people - whatever that term means – they owned a large house in town, drove several fine cars. Basically they were “country kids”- both of whom felt uncomfortable in their advanced economic circumstances where they were thought to be living “the good life.”
Many of us need such “cabins”, I suppose. We cannot waste years building, modifying and re-building mis-matched retirement “escape” sites without serious intent and purpose.
The usual – even recommended methods of doing so are not always best for everyone.
A.L.M. April 16, 2004 [c489wds]
Monday, April 26, 2004
NEWLY-WED WOE
We will be rushing the season by about a month of so,if we talk about newly wed couples in this last week of April,but time is not of great consequence as we often seem to think it is. Newly weds are part of each of the seasons - not restricted in any way to the month of June.
Being married is, of course, one of those special moments in our lives and the memory of the early days after having made “one”, can be a tragic thing or a funny series of pleasant memories for many of us. Unusually such stories as related to those initial experiences are kept fairly secret and not recounted until the couple grows older, but some events involve other people and cannot be hidden.
Many of such stories are concerned the preparation of foods for the two some. One such couple, moved into the apartment next to ours. There were six other apartments in the building and back porches of that half dozen were shared.
We knew that a young couple had rented the unit next to ours and mother went over and introduced herself on the day of their arrival, when the furniture was being move in and placed. As Mom always did with newcomers, she made herself available and ready to help if needed.“Just call me.” She had no idea the call would come so soon.
After several evenings of dining out, the young bride decided to cook the evening meal herself. The fact that she had very little experience in the kitchen didn't bother her at all. She had books with recipes and beautiful, colored pictures which gave instctions.She had bought some chicken parts at the grocer's on the way home from the office one Saturday afternoon and had intended to serve baked chicken on a bed of fluffy, white rice which looked so appetizing in the cookbook's colorful illustrations.
Everything went well enough until it became obvious that the large pot of rice was going to boil over. She ran to our back door and screamed for Mom to come quickly and to bring extra pans, which, being newly wed she did not have, to hold the overflowing rice. On duty and alert, Mother reported at once. They rushed into the kitchen and Mom's first action was to turn the heat down under the now billowing pot of rice! And, just in time,too.
The young cook was, of course, crying openly and recounting how she had followed what the directions told her to do. “Put as much rice as needed in pan and cover generously with cold water. Boil.” She had done so. There was the empty rice carton to prove it all. She had poured in the entire contents of the box which, to her, looked about “right”. “I didn't know it would swell up like that!” she cried.
After turning the burner down beneath the roiling rice, Mom raised the original pot and placed in in a larger,metal basin; turned the burner back up a bit,and let the rice boil over safely.
Mom stayed to help the young bride bake the chicken, and, in general to show her how to do what had to be done to serve her husband a first-time, home-cooked meal. As far as I know he was never told of the incident of the rice volcano and how close their initial meal together came to being a domestic disaster.
I do remember we had rice at our table that night and for a week or more, as well.
April 25, 2004 [c610wds]
Sunday, April 25, 2004
MERMAID MISCHIEF
You have to wonder how a human mind can sink so low as to purposely harm such an item as the petite little mermaid which graces the harbor of Copenhagen, Denmark. She has been the victim of vandalism of just about every type since she was placed there l913 - almost hundred year ago by Edward Erickson.
The life-sized copper figure is seated gracefully ona protruding rock just a few feet above the harbors crest and millions of visitors from all over the world make sure they see this symbol of Denmark's serene beautiful and sincerity.
I bring this topic up because we have the Statue of Liberty which sos of great importance to New Yorkers, to Americans, in general, and to many other people around the world who have a special love and concern for the principles of liberty which she symbolizes so well. She's a bit older than the mermaid in Copenhagen harbor, having been given to Americans by the people of France by the famed sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi in l886.
Both are in danger today.
You may have read just this past week that the ban on visitors to the island on which Miss Liberty's likeness is situated, has been removed. The rule is still there, however, which forbids entrance of visitors to the base of the monument itself are still in effect. This might well prove to be a wise step because the Statue of Liberty would be a prime target for any terrorist group who might wish to harm such a sterling symbol of our national unity and strength.
The latest serious attack on the mermaid was on September 19, 2003 when some vandals tore her from her perch and , it seem explosive were used because the four heavy bolts which held her to the rock were bent. Over the years, even as recent;y as 1964, she has been beheaded, and she has had arms and arms amputated, two such holes in her legs and other punishments - for whatever reasons unrecorded. She has - six times - been splattered with gaudy, bright-colored paint.,
I know of no such attacks on the larger, less attainable Statue of Liberty. There must have been some such attacks or desecrations of the Statue of Liberty, but one such “attack” has been back in the news recently when, on the 1960;s - a gang of army fatigue-clad Viet Nam War protesters set in operation a plan to ”take over”:the Statue of Liberty using wooden guns. The actual attack never materialized. It seems almost laughable when you think of such a scheme. One of the leaders of that plan was a veteran of a four-month tour of Viet Nam recently returned to the states as an admiral's
aide. His name,was John Kerry. Ironically, he is the same man now campaigning to become President of the nation.
Vandals, it seems, have never voice reasons for mistreating the Mermaid of Copenhagen harbor. Imagine ,if sou can, what the reaction of the average American would be if our Miss Liberty were to be defiled in any way.
A.L.M. April 24, 2004 [c530wds]
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