Saturday, November 27, 2004
ONCE IS ENOUGH.
When someone asked the first minister of our church at Ft. Defiance, Virginia, if he ever longed to take a trip back to his native Ireland for a visit his reply is said to have been a direct “No.”
And, for good reason, too.
It all happened in the 1700's, because John Craig arrived in the New World on his twenty-fifth birthday in 1734 after being on board ship sixty-seven days crossing the stormy North Atlantic. He, it seems, had no desire to duplicate that crossing.
He sailed from Larne Harbor, Ireland. We can assume that his, like most vessels making that trip in those years, was crowded after it made a stop on the south coast of Ireland for more passengers and for final supplies, they headed for America. Such passage was not exactly a pleasure cruise, at nest. We might well call their “ships” mere “boats” today and they were not designed or build for human comfort.
Contrary winds buffeted the ship about, it seems and storm high waves, kept passengers below deck most of the time. On one such rain-swept, wind-torn night John Craig, a young man of ambition going to the New World with ideas of possibly becoming a frontier doctor, decided to leave the hold and spend some time on deck.
On deck, he made sure of his foot and held fast to ropes there for the purpose. Covered from the flying spray with a taro wrapped around his round his shoulders he was fairly well covered. He felt the cold wash of wind-blown water on his face and hands, as he pondered on his fate. No doubt he wondered why he was where he happened to be at that moment, on the wet deck of storm-tossed ship bound for a world where all was new and promising.
For many year, he told noon of what happened in then next few minutes. He wrote about it that very night in his diary, but he next few women the next few moments.
He sensed a sudden quietness in the storm and leaned forward into the darkness toward the seas. At that instant, his hold on the hawser line lessened, a huge wave hit the ship and lifted him bodily up and away from the ship! He wrote later that he ,at once realized all was lost and gave himself willing into the loving arms of Providence. He choose to lie still upon the water and other caused a counter wave to tear away the huge wave on which he had been raised up and he felt himself dropped into a tumbled maze of ropes and other desk gear aboard his ship!
Recovered he made it below where he found warmth and he presence of fellow men and women. He dried his clothing as best he could; did not mention his on-deck experience to anyone, but, that very night, wrote a passage concern it in his diary which is extant to he read in our church museum to this day.
It is stance to see this Irish lad who was on his way to be a frontier doctor, a youth who taught school for several years , before he found himself and became a Presbyterian minister serving thousands of frontier men, women and children.
You can also understand why he might well have avoided any ocean voyages back to visit Ireland.
A.L.M. November 26, 2004 [c583wds]
Friday, November 26, 2004
A REMINDER
Do we need election reforms?
Right now, when we are all pretty much fed-up with election excesses – either real or imaginary – might be as good a time as any we might find to attempt to do something about such alleged or actual irregularities.
A primary obstacle has to be overcome before we can even begin to discuss election reforms seriously. We must set ground rules for the practicality of suggested changes and avoid merely echoing the set prejudices of existing political bodies. If major parties – not just two, if that seems to be the mood at the moment - if all parties s adhere strictly to their narrow views such reformation plans are doomed to failure from the start. A major obstacle is, then, that the negotiating parties be willing to concede certain point; to back off a bit from from their established views and to engage in some honest give-and-take negotiations which might put an end to such anovbeall problem.
During the recent election, how often did you hear it said that “both parties are pretty much alike.”or, “I can’t tell one party from the other.”, Or, edging toward a nastier attitude “ What difference does it make? Both of ‘em are cooked as a dog’s hind leg!”
It might be useful for each of us to go over, in our own mind and among our friends and associates, some of the many views heard expressed – even half foolishly – during the recent election daze. Without attempting to set them in priority , what were some ideas you heard?
No doubt one dealt with the length of our election time. That’s a all too common problem, it seems. Far too many candidates, and their party-bound backers, seem to think the active campaign begins the day anyone is elected to office – even before the have actually “taken over”and might be held responsible. Compared to other nations, our elections seem to be a permanent part of being an elected individual with a an intense crisis situation every so-many years.
Should adherence to one party or the other be demanded as qualification for voting? Should individuals be required to state which party they will support? Democrat? Republican? Independent? If so, why bother with a vote procedure at all?
I heard a great any complaints about the intensity of TV advertising. Most seem to think it was overdone in some areas and slighted in others. Some tally up the cost of TV and even argue that it be made free to all parties. Those who do so are admitting, of course, that he rest of their lives is pretty well controlled by TV to turn yet another phase over to TV would not make that much difference.
There were objections to “dirty” work pertaining to print, films, tapes, etc - all the way down to utter filth and obscenity on some, as yet, un-policed Internet pages.
I heard calls for uniform methods by which actual voting might be done. The argument favors the use of the same voting machines in each and every state. Others wanted to return to “simply”, printed ballots with boxes to “X” out, forgetting , it seems, that the main reason for getting rid of the paper forms was that they were too complicated.
I can't see an real reforms of any consequence taking place anywhere in the near future. Rather than wait, let's just plan to talk about it some more four years from now.
A.L.M. November 26, 2004 [c589wds]
Thursday, November 25, 2004
REACTION!
When thing seem to be too quiet that’s the very time to ready yourself for special concerns.
And, fighting fire with fire is not recommended as a proper method to start with either. That demands, training, experience and a certain amount of daring-do and skulduggery.
I am constantly amazed at the extremes to which certain people will go to give expression to their inmost feelings. There can be worthy values in prompt response to evil but some such actions, taken to quickly, can be dangerous ...even fatal.
During our recent presidential election, we revived the use of terms dealing with moral values. Supporters of such standards are often called the “Morality Right” or some such name – often with tones of disrespect and ridicule . They are, or “we”, for I would, I think, be counted among them, have been – far too often – using a wrong approach to the evil.
Look at several such incidents which we have recently had to face.
When Nicolette -whatever-her-name was – just a week or so ago did a nude towel drop routine on a one minute promotional announcement prior to the Monday Night Football Game it was likened to the end of the known world by some skittish critics. The producers of that promo spot knew exactly what they felt item would accomplish – enhance potential sports-minded viewers – not all male in modern times.
Another incident was also in the the TV sports area, too. That’s where the main TV money happens to be right now, and it gets special attention from all concerned. It had to do with the failure of a portion of Janet Jackson which, by falling off when tugged instead of merely slipping a bit made Janet Jackson appear to have been barely chose as the titular head of the entire day’s sports activities.
Our presidential election presented several other incidents which excited protest from the Right and I cringe a bit when I think of the manner in which moist of them came to be answered. There were a few “Left” or “Liberal” slams, as well. Any of them, ignored, would have had far less affect!
When critics fly off the high-and-mighty handle too fast, it brings the incident to millions more viewers. The towel drop, for instance . went from one promo spot at nine in the east to hundreds of re-runs that night, the next morning and, well, it’s still being run daily to show that why it should not have been run at all. Literally millions of viewers who might not have seen it at all now have it memorized and some are wondering if we will see more such ad-ventures
I worked long enough on the other side of the fence in radio, TV and publishing to know listeners and viewers control what they see and hear is done by ignoring that which is bad and giving honest and persistent approval for that which strikes you as being good, proper and worthwhile.
Don't expect to change the world, either. Just a part of it – the part where we live. In truth, I feel. we are at the present time -out numbered. That's what we need to be working on.
A.L.M. November 2, 2004 [c547wds]
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
WHERE, INDEED?
It could sound very much like the lyrics from an inquiring song we all sang back in the fifties.”Where do old computers go?”Long time, a-....”
We are shedding PC's. - desk top, lap and palm - at a steady rate now. They become obsolete before you really get used to using any one of them. In Tokyo some University folks who figure out such important things have shared with the world at large the astounding facts which they have uncovered after much diligence - that it - by their figures, at least, mind you, that it takes about ten times the weight of the finished computer in fossil fuels and chemicals to make one.
Remember that then next time you jet halfway to nowhere to march in protest against improper use of fossil n and droplets of our limited water supplies. Have some gaudy posters printed; some films made and be ready to let everyone know they will need 22 kilograms of chemicals, 240 kilograms of fossil fuels and fifteen-[hundred (that's l,500 kilograms) of water ah-so-pure to make one computer. Don't specify which one, of course, and keep everything in ”kilograms”,too - which sounds more university-like. Most eager co-marchers will think they heard “gallons”and “pounds” anyway.
Be ready to contrast something quickly before people begin to ask questions about how such figures are were “Arrived At”. The same authorities claim they know it takes only twice the weight of the latest model car to make one just like it. Refrain from mentioning that the computer weighs -well, whatever it does when you lift it from one place to another, whereas the car weighs in at least a ton or so. 2X=computer. 10X=car. car. One way of coming up with such figures is to decide what you want them to be and “survey” to make it come out that way.
Used computer are becoming a familiar item to be seen at junk yards and landfills across the nation. The problem at many such locations used to be used refrigerators and freezers, but keyboard clutter has replaced that long-staying nemesis, along with all the related problems such disposal methods entail. What about all those valuable metals - gold, silver, ti-this and twa-that - which will seep into soil, enter the nation's waterways and strike bolts of terror to earthworm cultures around the globe?
The computer is the major tool of our time,and future historic digs into our landfill sites will marvel at how we got along with such simpled mechanisms. They may well wonder,too, why we apparently did not like them and junked them in garbage sites. It may well seem to have been because Man at that time (ours) had not found way to profit from reclaiming materials he had used in the making of his machines. We read reports claiming that sent per cent of such materials are being reclaimed in some areas. It is highly unlikely that we will see improvement in such eco-measures, since the machine of today is being presented more and more as a throw-away item It is less expensive to replace an ailing computer than to pay for “parts and labor”- a term which has become about as meaningless -or meaningful - as “Shipping & Handling Extra.”
` My first computer was one discarded for a newer model. My first printer was literally from a local junk yard were a dozen or so units have been dumped by a major manufacturing firm. My oldest son bought three of them and made a good one out of the trio of derelicts.
The next time you pass your local trash dumpster glance inside to get the picture. Most of the time you will see signs of our computer world in progress. There will be a discarded keyboard or two, perhaps computer parts or a battered hand-held unit, or empty cartons bearing the logo showing it, at one time, conveyed a wonderful magic box to some eager upgrader.
We will, I think, continue to build new “Mount Trashmores” studded with computer parts until some one finds a profit motive in reclamation and restoration. Since my first TS-80 the industry has been in a fluid condition. A time of standardization is always being promised but plans for tomorrow's computers are “yesterday's' in the designer's advanced thinking .
A.L.M. November 24, 2004 [731wds]
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Tuesday, November 23, 2004
STONEWALL'S SURGEON
Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson was one of the casualties of the very first battle between Union and Confederate forces at Manasses, Virginia at the very start of the Civil War.
The former college professor from V.M.I. in Lexington,Virginia -Thomas Jonathan Jackson – suffered a hand wound and a lanky, young doctor, who have only recently joined his staff applied the necessary splint and bandages to the wounded center finger.
The twenty-four year old Doctor, who had completed Medical College at age twenty-one, had enlisted as a private recruit from New Orleans, La. To become a member of Company F, of the 2nd Virginia Infantry. He did so promptly after Fort Sumter and chose to return to his home state and town - Winchester, Virginia. Like so many men of that era, he had a strong affinity with the affairs home state and patriotism called him to join the fighting forces.
It did not take long for his true identity to be discovered and his medical training and experience placed him where he was most needed - as surgeon - Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire. He is one of those men, I feel, who deserves a far more honored place among our American heroes than current versions of history have allowed him to receive
The young man who was to become the Medical Director of the famed Second Corps, was instructed to report to General Jackson at Harper's Ferry. He did so and when General saw the six foot, four-inches tall , thin and somewhat haggard man he did two things: one talked with the Doctor and urged him get about find in his quarters and , the second action – Jackson wired Richmond to try to determine who had made the mistake of sending him a tall, scrawny boy doctor who, obviously, needed medical attention worse than he did. McGuire had been fighting a severe illness and was just recovering from it when Fort Sumter changed his life so completely.
McGuire were on. He served with General Richard C . Ewell, them, with his passing, General Jubal Early. Then, there was Gettysburg and the resulting horrors associated with that stunning defeat.
In l864 Hunter McGuire had also fallen in love. His choice was a Mary Stuart of Staunton, Virginia. They agreed to stay engaged until the war ended. They were married in 1867. They had ten children so his heritage is, today, a large and varied one.
His career is a treasury of medical history and time of great discovery. He is also to be remembered also as a writer, orator, teacher and hospital administrator.
We sometimes forget that the Civil War was, of all wars, the most costly in human like and limb. The injuries which occurred to soldiers in that conflict were quite different and far worse than those know prior to the time. Medical facilities were, at best, primitive. We forget that Civil War doctors had no concept of the germ and antiseptic until years later. “Civil war surgeons worked with bloody hands, with bloody tools, and on blood-soaked tables.” War machines had changed radically and the new types of bullets were in common use known as Minie or Enfield balls. They were conical in shape and had a tendency to expand and hit a surface flattened and with a far wider field of serious damage. Cannons previously fired round balls of metal, but Civil War cannons fired hollow shells filled with shrapnel and explosives which burst in the air or on contact. The chances of being killed or injured skyrocketed with every such change in military methods of operation. McGuire and other doctors of that time had to deal as best they could with unprecedented injuries under the worst possible conditions.
Among the many innovations set forth by Dr. Hunter McGuire was the unheard act of releasing all doctors captured and returned to the enemy side. Hunter McGuire was captured at Waynesboro in 1865, quickly pardoned by U. S. General Sheridan was present at Appomattox,. Va. when Lee
surrendered in April of that same year.
Read up on the life and times of Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, and see if you, too, are not led to believe that we do not honor this man as we should. One of our own, he speaks to us over the years and especially at this time when the clouds of war darken our horizons of Hope so often.
A.L.M. November 23, 2004 [c747wds]
Monday, November 22, 2004
TOMORROW'S TROOPS
If our armed forces of the future are to be, in any way, based on the examples our children are learning to respect and admire through their childish “games” - we are finished, doomed, wiped out, obliterated.
Aside from all military budgets, alterations in plans, devious, deft or dirty tricks being studied in chart and diagram settings nothing could be more critical than some sensible decisions concerning what our young people are going to be watching in their “entertainment” hours. Delay may be costly, and make such preparations yet another example of “too little” and “too late.”
There can no longer be even a slight pretense about the existence of too much violence in children's games which are increasingly popular at all age levels. The term itself has been violated. Mere containment of an enemy and putting a halt to their evil work is no longer sufficient. Total eradication is the rule. No “conventions” apply – especially from and ”Geneva” groups setting forth concepts of peaceful understanding – even though they be far from being practical. No game ever yields to an enemy. No quarter is allowed.
Wars cannot be perfect. There are said to be rules but they are ignored and of value only in attempting to justify any actions taken. The actual killing of another human being has now been altered to eliminate pain, suffering, and other such unpleasant elements. A person ceases to be in a brilliant flash of light as a rule – no bloodshed, physical suffering, no screaming , no return fire – all that is evil - gone forever. Those who produce, sell and encourage the use of such “games” actually use that sort of argument to help them sell their wares.
Temporary solutions have, thus far, tended to put the “foxes” in charge of protecting the “chickens.” Major producers of far-out versions of literary classics vow to modify their paths but little is done that will, in any way, impede the steady profits. Your computer screen has recently suffered a blight “pop-up” commercials. Among them was a program offered for sale which would kill all such unwanted pop-ups and it was made and sold by the same company which was producing in an epidemic portion the actual pop-ups. The game producers are, in a like manner, ”working both sides “of the controversial street to their advantages ...a film of a badly warped classic story; a “game” based loosely on it, and advertising extolling the cooperate view of the fine, old established classics for children. Re-selling such fake antiques is dishonest but profitable under present “arrangements”in regard to copyright and the extensions thereof.
The youthful impression as to what constitutes a modern defensive army is woefully inadequate. Their armed forces consist of a few muscle-bound hulks bearing equipment for killing which has not yet been invented. Military operations, far too many of them, are the youthful militant as wholesale transactions - mass obliterations - rather than and rifled shots intended to take out specific individuals.
Imagine for just a moment the type of military force the game player anticipates. Such a cadre doesn't exist. The idea of a nationwide draft will become evident at any moment now. It was a hush-hush subject during the election years – understandably so - but we can expect it to become front page discussion before too long it will become and active topic. A great many individuals are going to be awakened to new realization of what military life is - not what the “games” make it seem to be.
It's not yet being said, but we need some changes – and soon - in this area preparedness.
A.L.M. November 22, 2004 [c619wds]
Sunday, November 21, 2004
YOUR BEST FOOT
All my interesting life I have been admonished to “put my best foot forward”, if I really intended to amount to anything in whatever field of work I chose to make my very own. I was into the octo years of my existence before I found out I have a
“better”or “best foot”
So, now that I have found out it is indeed my “right” foot, I have formulated definite plans to make the most of that suggestion during my tenure of the packet of years called “the Nineties.” A great many men have had sillier plans including some of those who have thought they wanted to be President of the United States and who are now glad they did not get the job. Yes, you heard an audible sigh from them but it was a sigh of relief rather than one of disappointment
. I mention that because putting your best foot out there in the open can be an invitation to kinds of real trouble you'd rather not know about - so I won't tell you. Anticipation is coupled with finest finest foot-forward-ism. It happened to men who used the technique to sell vacuum cleaners door-to- door. As well as sellers of brain-builder books in multiple units, or velvet covered widgets each with a knitted-in kosher dill pickle in a deep. roomy pocket with a green zipper for quick access. Those valiant sales persons put their best foot in the doorway and - crunch!
Your future may be potentially a time of danger, but it is critical that you come to be aware of the essential need of such knowledge. It was most important in military drill during World War II when many draftees entered the service of the nation while unaware of any different between one foot and the other. Some never learned and all the way through our thirteen weeks of infantry basic training when drill ability was showcased for brass or visitors, it always happened that he was on KP duty at the mess hall. Last time I heard of him was in charge of drilling recruits.
In today's parlance around the work places it no longer refers directly to your feet. You are expected to wear shoes when being interviewed, of course. Along with your best bib and tucker, you are expected to wear a smile; to be generally affable and to refrain from crude manifestations of who you really might be underneath it all.
I am a one of twelve million or so citizens of these shores who has PVD. That's “Peripheral Vascular Disease”. Quite often, after major surgery, a person is told he or she has_an .. “.opathy” which is medico-shorthand talk for nerve related “leg trouble. Over the years, I have come to feel that anything ending in “it is” means it itches, tickles, feels red or needs scratching. If the main, control portion of the big part of the word has “scope”it means “we're goin' in there and take a look at this thing!” Anything ending with ”ectomy” means “take it out. The original term “...opathy”- often combined with “neuro” to pin it down a bit - suggests “the works”,”the whole kit and caboodle”, and I have also concluded it can mean “we don't know exactly what's wrong, but hang in there!”
There may be a comforting P. S. appended, too: “If we find out anything, we'll let you know about it.”
So keep your best foot forward – that's the one on that side – right?
A.L.M. November 21, 2004 [c598wds]
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