Tuesday, April 26, 2005
MATUREITY I notice that present-day school teachers, when asked to describe today's students, seem to hesitate in doing so, but eventually come down on the side of: "they're much more mature than we were." The hesitation, I have noticed, is usually in relation to the term "mature" itself. They seem to agree that today's students are, indeed, more mature but they wonder if your definition of that word is the same as theirs. The critical area is that to some of us the term "mature" simply means "older" - physically and mentally more advanced. Boy's are more muscular and macho in attitude; girls are more ample in bosom and hip areas. We think of them as being more "grown up" and more aware of the aspects of social life which will be the challenge to their future. They have been pushed into this by adults who insist their children start adult habits early in life - such as girls wearing cosmetics from kindergarten years on up. Girls clothing, too, is fashioned as a cut-down version of mother's or of some movie or TV starlet. Boys are expected to emulate the outdoors man ethos, even while being allowed to be couch potatoes in front of the home TV or Nintendo set. Both are expected to learn what life is all about from watching MTV daily. The teacher's opinion can be totally wrong is he or she has misjudged the home upbringing the child. The teachers may deal with things as they should be while parents deal (or refuse to deal) with things as they really are. They come down on the positive side, but , in doing so, risk the displeasure of parents and families. The teacher's role is not an easy one these days. An accurate estimate of just where youth stands today in comparison to the youth of our day or any other time, requires that both views be incorporated in any study. Too often what seems to be the immaturity of the child is really that of the parent who never quite grew up. In view of the obvious excesses of recent generations, I think today's youth has a remarkably steady grasp of things which really matter. Both sides need to re-adjust their thinking to be fair about judging what has happened in the past. It is not solely a matter of long-haired boys, or nearly skirtless girls; nor is it a matter of taciturn oblivion staring back at you when you examine the face of a young boy or girl. It should not come as any surprise to older people that the youth of today are "poorly informed" on topics which were considered to be "essential" or "basic" in our time. Have you noticed, for instance, how many young people have little or no knowledge of Nursery Rhymes and wash out completely when that subject comes up in TV quiz shows and in common talk? An entire generation has grown up without hearing Mother read Nursery Rhymes at bedtime. It is, furthermore, evident that in its place the upcoming generation now knows a fund of Disney versions of the nursery classics which are often far removed from any resemblance to the originals. This seems very trivial, does it not? Yet, it is indicative of what has taken place in may other aspects of our lives. A Walt Disney version of "the birds and the bees" format both fall far short of meeting a teens needs today in the live-a-day world. Certainly our youth are more "advanced" in many ways today, with electronic aspects such as the previous generations never dreamed of having in common, everyday use. Life is so much more "open" today; yet minds remain closed. We are failing to make proper use of the advantages we now have and the young people are being put at risk far too soon. If you "hesitate" when asked the same question it may well be that we are seldom talking about the same thing. We must agree to common terms and use them consistently if we expect to come up with a workable answer. A.L.M. April 25, 2005 [c697wds]
April 27, 2005 THE RACE IS ON Gentlemen! Start your Production Agencies! The end of the urge to do "makover" TV shows is drawing to a close. It remains to be seen which network make the "makeover" that will make the "makeovers" move over and admit the absolute utmost in makeover manufacturing has been achieved. The show you will produce is the absolute utmost of the genre and will send "Makeovers" into the happy haven of old TV shows - not with the weary whimper we read about, but, rather, with a rewarding blending of fine on-set talent with exceptional directing skills. Haven't we had enough "Makeover" shows? Most of us can remember when the first of these make over shows came to TV, One of your favorite daytime talk or variety shows would introduce a special guest or they would make a big thing of transporting her to the studio as a surprise. In the studio within minutes, she was a told she would receive a free make over. It was done by means of a new hair style, the proper cosmetics, new clothing items and accessories such as she never had before. At the end of the hour she was presented to the audience which responded well time-after-time on seeing a wall-flower transformed into a bouquet of bright, happy blooms. It worked well with studio people and with the dotted-line signers who paid the bills. The makeover became a special part of the format; then a routine part in show after show. The next phase centered on real estate. At first the general method was to seek out someone in need of better housing and to fashion a program to supply that need. The timing element had to be maintained, as well. It required large groups of qualified workmen working around the clock to do the job overnight or over a long week-end. This series went along even better than the first, especially when a strong sense of humor was added drawing on the fast timing and human foiables. As the format grew and was copied the type of homes changed. Only occasionally did we see families in need of improved homes. The program emphasis veered away from what people needed toward what some people wanted or desired. The concept of making-do was dying out and the workers were re-focused, first on total, absolute destruction of the old house and the quick construction of a new house on the site. To my way of thinking, "Makeovers" have changed to "Replacement". They are not the same. A.L.M. April 30, 2005 [c444wds]
ONE FOR FUN The Ladies of the Staunton-Augusta County Rescue Squad station, Staunton,Virginia included the following "recipe" in their Cook Book dated 1986. I like it. E L E P H A N T S O U P 1 elephant 2 rabbits (Optional) salt and pepper Cut elephant into bite-size pieces. This should take about two months. Add enough gravy water to cover. Cook over kerosene fire for about four weeks at 465-degrees. This will serve 3,800 people. If more guests are expected, two rabbits may be added, but do his only if necessary, as some people do not like it when they find hare in their soup. I like dumb items of this nature. A bit of homey humor can relieve some of the pressure of everyday life. Actually I enjoy this sort of thing more than the standard "jokes" of our era. Far too much of the humor in our lives - jokes, stories, so-called comedy and sit-coms on TV and in the fund of funny stuff here on the Web , is narrow right now. Far too much of the humor on all of these, and other media including book publications, seem to be based in the premise that unless the content involves sex in some way - it cannot possibly be "funny." Present-day humor of TV - especially those video-taped funny-things, dwell far too often dangerously dumb actions, human and an animal misery. ..about as funny as a big brown. The fund-raising Cook Book I'm talking about has a page or two at the back of the collection featuring off-beat recipes such as this one. Most of them deal with more mundane subjects such as "Recipe For a Happy Home", "A Happy New Year"..." Preserved Children." and that sort of thing. "Elephant Soup" struck me as a novelty among them. We all need some foolishness in our lives. That, to me, is a part of being happy. Some of the most unhappy people I have ever known have been those who take every moment of every day seriously and work intently to keep it from being brighten up by a linguistic and mental change of pace. Being happy can often be a matter of seeing how ridiculous we appear as we do some of the things we do. And, only you can decide if it makes you feel better. I'd say it is worth a try. Our attitude toward other people around us need not be changed radically to a "Chucklin' Charlie" sort of person. Nothing is more deadly than forced comedy, but it does make life easier to see some of the lighter elements which go to make up our daily lives. A.L.M. April 26, 2005 [c462wds]
Monday, April 25, 2005
GUNDALOWS The technical term for the flat-bottom river boats used so successfully on the Shenandoah River in early Virginia history, no doubt would resemble the word "gondola". The mixed dialects of settlers in Virginia worked some wonders with standard words in adapting them to local, occupational needs. To the waterman who ranged the length of the Shenandoah River it's upper reaches high in the Appalachian Mountain range down to Harper's Ferry, in what is now West Virginia. which was their main downstream port. "GON-do-lah", OR "Gon-DOH-la" are not too far from the sound of "Gun-DOH-low!" The gundalow of the Shenandoah type was a massive thing for specific use on that waterway and none other. They ranged from sixty to as much as ninety feet in length, ten or more feet in width and were build to make one maiden voyage only. The boat itself was so crafted that all materials from which it was constructed could be sold downstream as lumber and building materials ...beams, rafters, siding, flooring - that sort of thing. The boats were planked horizontally and built on shore - many at Port Republic, the uppermost port on the the South Fork or at New Market, the highest navigable point on the North Fork of the River. They were flat bottomed, but steerable from both for and aft tiller locations. They were loaded with timber, lumber, and other forest products as well as skins, pelts and farm products, but the major cargo was ingots of pig iron from the numerous forges throughout the area. Tonnage had to be carefully controlled on each vessel depending on anticipated water levels downstream. Gundalows were build "bottom up" or "top down" and when the time came for the "turning over" it was a festive occasion calling for dancing, parties and other such celebrations. So much depended on the success of that one-trip only vessel! Prior to the gundalow a primitive log raft has been In use on the river but they merely drifted with the currents and did serious damage to dams, weirs and other construction along river on which people depended. They were gradually eliminated. Detailed maps of the river show numerous mills along the river and all dams were so constructed that the gundalow could go over a passageway constructed so that a section of the dam was something resembling a water slide. Often those very mills would add to the downstream cargoes is they had marketable excess of flour and other edibles for man or beast. The main cargo was that six to twelve tons of pig iron. Once downstream everything would be sold at Harper's Ferry or in that area and the rivermen would walk back to Port Republic to build another. A.L.M. April 21, 2005 [c469wds]
Sunday, April 24, 2005
CAUSTIC AND OTHERWISE It is so very easy to find fault with others. Some people seem to make a career of just that and it seems to be pretty normal for those persons we call gossip writers, scandal mongers, muck-rakers and tellers-of-wild-tales for the lower edge of the much maligned tabloid press. To make it a daily habit even if your livlihood doesn't depend on it is a gross waste of both time and effort. Such a slight-of-mind attitude can lead only to deep trouble. Many of us have witnessed some rather drastic changes in print media in recent decades and such modifications have often been called "reforms", They have usually been presented as being something which came about because of a change of heart within the persons engaged in the print media business. Drastic changes have come about in every phase of the newspapers, magazines, books and other such publications have art. Real reasons for modifications often come from outside sources rather than from within. Those changes made which will be made and sustained are those which will increase the frequency of dollar signs on bottom lines. And, they will be made in regard to what "others" are doing in the media field. The buying public determines much of it, as well, simply by what they choose to buy or to refrain from purchasing. Much of TV has become a haven for this sort of half-truth and suggestion. So often a "host" or "hostess" is present to point the way to elements of a poorly produced, one sided, cheaply done without accepting any portion of blame for its less admirable qualities. With TV's inherent repetitive power it will be accepted by millions. Falseness can be presented as Truth if it is all served up with a glossy, noisy and fragmented format... featuring a name-brand "star" of any type , and voiced by a radio-TV spokesman who is a seasoned expert in commercial chicanery. No one has a exclusive copy write on stupidity. Far too often, perhaps, we live in eras of '"darkness" when we make use of false premises and cut corners on morality, ethics and on entertainment and learning. A.L.M. April 29, 2005 [c402wds]
Saturday, April 23, 2005
GUNDALOWS The technical term for the flat-bottom river boats used so successfully on the Shenandoah River in early Virginia history, no doubt would resemble the word "gondola". The mixed dialects of settlers in Virginia worked some wonders with standard words in adapting them to local, occupational needs. To the waterman who ranged the length of the Shenandoah River it's upper reaches high in the Appalachian Mountain range down to Harper's Ferry, in what is now West Virginia. which was their main downstream port. "GON-do-lah", OR "Gon-DOH-la" are not too far from the sound of "Gun-DOH-low!" The gundalow of the Shenandoah type was a massive thing for specific use on that waterway and none other. They ranged from sixty to as much as ninety feet in length, ten or more feet in width and were build to make one maiden voyage only. The boat itself was so crafted that all materials from which it was constructed could be sold downstream as lumber and building materials ...beams, rafters, siding, flooring - that sort of thing. The boats were planked horizontally and built on shore - many at Port Republic, the uppermost port on the the South Fork or at New Market, the highest navigable point on the North Fork of the River. They were flat bottomed, but steerable from both for and aft tiller locations. They were loaded with timber, lumber, and other forest products as well as skins, pelts and farm products, but the major cargo was ingots of pig iron from the numerous forges throughout the area. Tonnage had to be carefully controlled on each vessel depending on anticipated water levels downstream. Gundalows were build "bottom up" or "top down" and when the time came for the "turning over" it was a festive occasion calling for dancing, parties and other such celebrations. So much depended on the success of that one-trip only vessel! Prior to the gundalow a primitive log raft has been In use on the river but they merely drifted with the currents and did serious damage to dams, weirs and other construction along river on which people depended. They were gradually eliminated. Detailed maps of the river show numerous mills along the river and all dams were so constructed that the gundalow could go over a passageway constructed so that a section of the dam was something resembling a water slide. Often those very mills would add to the downstream cargoes is they had marketable excess of flour and other edibles for man or beast. The main cargo was that six to twelve tons of pig iron. Once downstream everything would be sold at Harper's Ferry or in that area and the rivermen would walk back to Port Republic to build another. A.L.M. April 21, 2005 [c469wds]
Friday, April 22, 2005
SYMBOLS OF CITIES What is the icon representing your city to potential visitors? Copenhagen has its classical mermaid statue sitting on a rock in the edge of the harbor welcomeing people to both the harbor and the city. Paris has its Eiffel Tower and a score or more of other famous structures which enable people to know they are in Paris. London has its Big Ben , as well as Buckingham Palace with all its ceremonial pomp; the stern, uniformed guards and the statue of Victoria in front of it at the end of The Mall. New York features it Twin Trade Towers in its newer skyline area and a number of other famous skyscrapers to mark it as the city it is and has long been, and the Statue of Liberty, on Governor's Island , is, of course, a symbol with great meaning for millions of people. Wasnington, D.C. has a host of federal buildings to mark it as being our national capital including the Washington Monument on the Mall. San Francisco has its Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars. Seattle - it's Space Needle. The list becomes endless once you start writing down a list of them, doesn't it?. Does your city or town have such an emblem which sets it aparrt from others and gives it a unique appeal to visitors? Does the visitor find a one-of-a- kind thing in your community which makes it truly unique? No, it's not just for big cities. Smaller cities such as Roanoke with huge illuminated star on Mill Mountain and the nickname "The Star City of the South." is ,perhaps, typical. Staunton, Va. has the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace , a Town Clock Tower, and Suffolk, Virginia had its "Mr.Peanut" for many years as Harrisonburg had it's Bronze Turkey. Weyers Cave doesn't have such a thing unless you speak of the "cave" itself which is six miles away at Grottoes, Va. The whole of Williamsburg is the symbol of Colonial Williamsburg. ..and again we could go on-and-on.... I think cities and towns should develop such symbols to describe who and what they are. They can change, of course with the times and many do so. Remember when New York City was called "Gotham" or "Bagdad on fhe Hudson." That was before it became "The Big Apple." Roanoke was a called "The Magic City" when I first knew it ...and I can remember wondering what was so "magic" about it. Names can change with the times. New ones can be created or accented in a different manner. Think for just a moment of towns or cities you would like to visit and be aware of the pictures which seem to flood into your mind's eye. It happens almost automatically, does it not? We have preconceived notions about such places and it is important they they be worthy ones. They will not be flawless. Think of Venice and its beautiful canals, but remember what might smell like when the tide is out. Egypt is not all pyramids and cloomping camels by any stretch of the imagination. Cities and towns. By their symbols thou shalt know them, before you go there. A.L.M. April 18, 2005 [c531wds]
Thursday, April 21, 2005
VIOLENCE APLENTY We talk a great deal about how to deal with the problems of "violence" in our society, but I sometimes wonder if we really understand the situation and actually intend to "do" anything to try to eliminate the costly condition. I don't know that violence is any more pronounced in the present era than it has been at times in the past. We hear that saids a great deal and it is more apparent, to some degree, because of the tremendous advancements made in our systems of communications in recent years. It is "closer" to our daily lives even when it is removed from us, physically, by miles, oceans or space. I remember crime being present in my own three-quarter of a century awareness of such a thing. I think the "violence" of my early years could be said to have been pretty much in line with that of today with with subtle differences as the degree of cruelty involved, and different attitudes concerning the "rights" of others about us. I don't think we really knew what was going on, either. We have, in the past year or so, experienced some changes in our view as to the nature of violence in the military services. Society, I'm sure, has never been without "violence". The very first time a human encountered another human who got in his way or disagreed with him in the simplest action resulted in violence of a sort, I am sure. Violence, one might say, has been done the word itself in that it now encompasses not only dire doings involving physical harm, death, dismemberment or combat. but, in the mind of many, verbal violence and threats against the well-being of others. Different people see violence in a variety of ways. Many people live by violence of some sort and have little genuine desire to conform to rules which might eliminate it. The theory of The Dominant Male in our civilization has often led much to be desired in fairness and equity in the home, in business and in religious observances, as well. His shoulders, his stamina, his inventiveness and his determination are all needed to maintain his forward movement and if anyone impedes his path that enemy has to be dealt with. For that reason, and others of a like nature, we tend to think of violence as a Rambo-like, he-man, super-male thing which is only the more obvious manifest ion of it, really. Man is not alone in doing violent things. Women are right in there doing their share and children, too - acting so often in imitation of their parents or other leading adults. We need to study our social structures before we can expect to make any worthy progress in the ease some of the stress of lawlessness in our lives. To violate the basic rights of society is just as destructive as the physical action we tend to cloth violence in before we deal with its ravages. The seeds of underlying violence may been slower, and much more subtle- even go unnoticed. Think about some of the nasty, little things which occur almost daily in, our lives - then we are beginning to see how deeply it is implanted as a part of our culture. There is no easy, band-aid treatment. A.L.M. April 22,2005 [c562wds]
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
WHO DID WHAT? I have an inkling of where I may have picked up the idea that a man named Clement Moore wrote the words to the fine old Christmas poem and song we used to overdo during the yuletide season each and every year. It was said to have been written in time enough to be published in a New York town's paper called called "The Troy Sentinel." It is said to have been written exactly one year before that date of December 23, 1823. The writer was a biblical scholar and religious writer and a member of the teaching staff at one of the leading theological seminaries of his time. His name was Dr. C. Clement Moore and it is thought he refrained from publishing the poem which was written for his children. He felt that, in doing so, he might harm his hard-won reputation in his special field. We do not know if he relented a year later and took his poem to the local paper to be published without using his name; if member of his family or a friend passed it along. Or, the paper, looking for a bright, humorous and honest and sincere re-telling some of the old, old Saint Nicholas tales. Or, if might be that the paper, looking for such a fun-filled Christmas poem, just "came upon it." Clement Moore updated stories of St. Nicholas pretty much in the Walt Disney manner of our day. Following that publication date, Clement Moore denied having written the poem for just about twenty years or more. By that time it had become apparent that there was to be no public uprising objecting to the introduction of such a worldly, non-scriptural poem and into the Christmas time of celebration. In 1844 a man by the name of Donald W. Foster did a book titled "Author Unknown" in which he proved to his own satisfaction that another New York state resident - a Major Henry Livingston - not Clement Moore - had written the poem "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" a.k.a. "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." Henry Livingston never commented on the poem being included as one of his in Foster's book. He had been dead for seven years. A.L.M. April 20, 2005 [c407wds]
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
COOL SPOT I have been told that twenty-seven nations have expressed some sort of special tie they feeling they have concerning Antarctica. Were it located anywhere else but where it is, that could be an omen of real trouble ahead, but I don't think we have to worry about anyone setting up a group of colonies there anytime soon. Thus far, it has attracted scientific visitors interested in collecting, at frigid, first hand, the cold facts about the continent and its occupants. In the past most nations have set up small stations and usually along the fringe of the giant expanse of land an ice formations. They were, for the most part, intended to be temporary and many were mere way stations on a route toward the main attraction - the South Pole itself. They served as weather stations, as places to leave caches of food and spare and replacement parts for machines anything to help assure them of a safer, easier return trip after their dash to the Pole such camp, a part of the USA's Richard E. Byrd expeditions, outlived them all. Byrd himself spent a rigorous winter season down there and I remember how much the ham radio operators enjoyed keeping us in touch with "Little America" as the site came to be called. I have forgotten the name of the bay on which is located, but there is a creditable ghost town on Antarctica's shores , as well. It came to be a reality rather quickly when someone decided it was time to harvest an exceptionally large crop of whales. When that was done they abandoned the town that was constructed to do the job well and left it all to the native seal population. Over flights today show the seals have adapted to indoor living quite well. They are living in and around the selection of a dozen or so building - houses, a mess hall, some storage building, shops , warehouse barns and non-discript sheds; using them wisely to avoid direct confrontation with the wintry blasts which are common to the area. These is a long row of rusted, metal storage tanks behind the town's Main and only street fronting on the bay, and looming aggressively over and above it all is a huge the two whaling vessel rotting away on the harbor bottom. A.L.M. April 18, 2005 [c418wds]
Monday, April 18, 2005
AFRO ART I remember being privileged, many years ago, to see a private collection of African art which impressed me more than I had anticipated it might. Looking back at the visit, I now realize that I was charmed with those elements we would today classify as being in the nature of “crafts” rather than traditions involving drawing and painting. The collection of several hundred pieces, had some unusual work and I especially recall a carved “Temple”. It measured, about a foot long across the front; inside of temple was perhaps eight to ten inches deep, and the ornately carved roof rested on four black columns - in each corner of a gray floor. There was strong hint of western-styled “temples”, as well as if the worker had either seen pictures of old Greek temples or had heard vivid descriptions of ancient temples. The item was displayed on a eye-level shelf and it as easy for to see in side. The sanctuary was filled with human forms. They were in a confused mass. The distinctive feature of the tiny house was to be seen on the outside. Why were the two columns holding up the leading edge of the roof so black? Halfway up on he outer surface a small rectangular box was evident on each of the columns. Then, suddenly, I found that I was a tempted to take a column in my hand and press my thumb against a sliding switch. The native artist had worked in a representation of the missionary's wonderful, miracle-working "light stick" which was common , inexpensive flashlight of that era. They were always black with a bit of gray and the temple builder had echoed that precise hue as well contrasted to the glossy, reflective blacks seen elsewhere. Later on when I thought about having seen the "Light Stick" Temple, I found myself agreeing that it was a fine thing that he had made a place in his faith respecting the powers of a mechanical contrivance. Then, this week during the time of choosing a new Pope Benedict Sixteenth, I thought a great deal about the set routines, rituals, customs, habits and adornments fitted on or into the complex ceremony. We have all added a few features which might well shock the old-timers should they come to know they are part of our religious life. It happens in other parts of our living, as well. When "Star Wars" made such wonderful use of a diagnostic rod which, when waved over a patient instant determined the precise nature of the illness or the extent of injury and suggested the way to make right. Hundreds of people - including some medical doctors and nurses - contacted the the production company with letters asking where they could get such an instrument of salvation. The "diagnostic wand" which did so well on "Star Wars" episodes is said to have, actually, been a wooden salt shaker swiped from the studio commissary and sprayed with aluminum paint. The Temple in that collection may seem to be a token of abject ignorance to some, but I tend to see it as a forward leap in the thinking of that level of society in that place, that time, in that culture. Think what his concept must have been of a Temple as a gathering place for the people of his God. Even a short, televised visit to St. Peters in Rome or to a thousand or more churches around the world shows how much we have learned since ancient times as we ply our " light sticks" on the Solar systems around us. A.L.M. April 1, 2005 [c609wds]
Sunday, April 17, 2005
WHY THE DELAY? Let's get on with it! If and when very little doubt remains that Congress Tom DeLay, Republican whip in the House of Representatives from Texas, has been getting “outsiders” and “hired agents of industry” to pay some of his personal expenses., action should be taken at once. The House, and other such investigative bodies, so often seem to dwell on such weak contentions which insist that “everybody does it” which accomplishes absolutely nothing - even does real harm to any movement tending toward honesty by encouraging others who might be holding such secrets . Another common way is to encourage the media to inundate the public areas with a surge of extra information on any and all related subjects which tactic can kill any campaign of reformation by complicating the world of supporters and critics alike by confusing them and causing divisions. The main contention this time has to do with who paid for a golf outing Tom DeLay and others made to the historic St. Andrews golf course in Scotland. It should make little difference if the accused is of a particular party or none at all, because maintaining a high moral and ethical standard for one's party is a primary reason for retaining membership. Precedence is important to be seen not as a holy writ demanding repetition. Rather, commonsense observations such as: “If it was good enough for Newt Gingrich, then it's good enough for Tom DeLay.”seem to serve well. Under ideal conditions, which never exit in politics, one might think a man of the people would simply resign when it became evident he no longer stood for their views. It doesn't work that way because getting to such a place is far more difficult and costly in our time. On does not give up such attainment casually. Yet, we must have some method of removal, clearance of guilt if accused, and possibly steps leading to restitution. This places new burdens on the group judging its fellows. The need to a devise system for weeding out the mis-fitted, the momentarily mistaken, and the worthless from their ranks. What is the purpose of having a Code of Ethics and Rules of Conduct if not enforced. They are meaningless if they can be bent, fractured, broken or ignored. A.L.M. April 17, 2005 [c389wds]
Saturday, April 16, 2005
SECOND INNING It is a rare thing for me to feel a strong urge to write about the same subject for a second day but just such an urge hit me after doing yestrday's piece concerning Aung San Suu Kyi the Burmese activist. It was, and is a complusive urge, not so much to reveal facts about her life and work ,but to help provide Americans – the young people, especially, with symbols of certainty and position of potential points of achievment which will create new leaders. Perhaps yuu, too, were among those of us who saw President George W. Bush on TV throwing the first ball of the opening season for the new D.C. team named the "Nationals". We haven't had a picture of a president doing that since Nixon in the time when the "Senators" were still around. The pictures of President Bush tossing out the first ball mark the start of the basball season for millions of Americans - culminating in the World Series games in October. Those pictures are symbols of good sportsmanship, fair play and healthful enjoyment of a sports activity. It is important that we, the older age group, make sure there is no generational gap in existence which might delay or prevent those who follow us from undertanding the difficulties faced by Aung San Suu Kyi and other such patriots around the world. We see such symobolism in the images which appear onour coinage, on our postage stamps, and even reflected in many of the popular songs we sing. They take on many forms: a bison, a spinning wheel, a fishing net, flags, banners, signs, even advertising slogans and sell lines, rocky peaks of rugged mountains, swampy bayous... a endless stream of a the real America we know and love. Most of all, perhaps, we have the example of dedicated man and women who have lived their lives to safeguard our general principles of free government for all time. Aung San Suu Kyi is one such person... one such symbol. A.L.M. April 16, 2005 [c347wds]
Friday, April 15, 2005
FRONT BURNER,PLEASE! It is past time to bring Burma back. This once rich and prosperous nation has been allowed to languish under inept military miss-rule for half a century and deserves a place among the free, self-determined nations of the modern world! Those nations who seem to find any efforts the United States undertakes any plan to help other less fortunate nations as being a cheap,underhanded,greedy scheme to gain power and control over smaller nations, could best use the money, time and effort they expend in being critical of the U.S.in undertaking to rescue the democratic movement in Burma. The NLD, the National League for Democracy, in Burma gained a worthy foothold in Burma in the 1980's and by l988 forced the ruling military dictatorship to call for a general election. That election was held in 1990. When the results were tabulated it was plain go see the people of Burma wanted change. They voted 82% in favor of the NLD. The military rulers, of course,ignored the results. They had permitted the election because they felt, as did many other people, that Burma was such a framented hotbed of tribes,families, peoples and most with factions among them that they could never be unified other than by force. Look at any map of the country and you will find it easy to agree with their view. Wholesale arrests took place througbout the counry and Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested for speaking against the nation. She was sentenced to six years in prison, and while she was under arrest she was the winner of three, world-wide peace honors – among them the esteemed Nobel Peace Prize for 1991. Her two sons, Alexander and Kim, accepted the Nobel prize in Norway on her behalf. The $l.3 associated with the prize was set aside for use in Burmese Health and Education projects. She was held prison July 10, 1995, but she remains, even now, under restrictions. She has been allowed her first foreign visitors. She has been allowed to do interviews and such videotapes included a keynote address to the U.N. International Woman's Conference in Beijing in August 1995. She received some telephone concessions,too, allowing her to talk to her husband and family in England where Michael was Professor of Himalayian Studies at Oxford University. Keep her name handy – Aung San Suu Kyi. She is certainly one of the truly great heroines of our time. Her name will come up when someone puts the Burma Problem back on the front burner. Who,I wonder, will champion this amazing woman? A.L.M. April 15, 2005 [c458wds]
Thursday, April 14, 2005
ON BORROWED TIME He did not have to say it the way he did - not in those exact words. It may have been better had he said the words on almost any day other than “Veteran's Day”of 2004 . He was “making a talk”, mind you, and not a formal speech. It was his intent to urge his listeners that morning to face up to then fact that “Veteran's Day” needed to be viewed with a sense of up-to-date clarity. He pointed out that, since we were, at that moment, a nation “at war” Veteran's affairs and concerns were “now” news - events in progress were determining today's needs. At the very end of the talk, as do so many speakers today, he quoted something he had heard just that morning on TV : “World War II Veteran's”, he said slowly, “ are dying off at a rate of a thousand per day!” No one picked up on it. I did feel a bit irked that he had singled out Second World War veteran's, but I was quickly reminded how reasonable it was for him to cite that statistical reduction at this time and on Veteran's Day, as well. As my age seems to be adding up higher each year, I have in recent years been urged by health and economic reasons, to seek assistance from the V.A. In many ways, I have been impressed and pleased with results. I was called to my nearest VA installation for evaluation and assignment. All went well. One particular gathering for twenty-five veterans was concerning with filling out interview forms which were then discussed with a staff member. The “group” interview routine was deemed essential because, I found out, the V.A. had been required by conditions tied to wild congressional funding, to agree to “process” fifteen hundred “new” veterans within what remained of that particular month. They accomplished this seemingly impossible task by scheduling group interviews three times per week. I have one special memory of begin in such a group. I was “a “minority”. By my count, I was one of perhaps six in all of that group who were ”WWII” vets. It is, indeed, evident that we are ,as a group, dying off at at a rate of, at least, a thousand per day. The majority are veterans of more recent wars. Our our public celebrations are ,however, too often centered on wars of a generation or two ago just as,when I was a kid, we revered memories of “The” World War and we held on to that and the “Spanish American War” until we were forced to start calling the big 'un “the” war “ because “II “ was with us in a big way. We must revise out way of thinking about our nation's wars. We need new, sustained awareness of the sacrifices being encountered daily men and women and that of their families in our current and continuing wars. We must not, at all costs, allow veteran's affairs and concerns to be used a political footballs or a subject to be set aside as something we had rather not discuss openly. The needs of the Veteran's Administration are not static. They, too, change with the times. Far too many politicians are still deciding if the had best profess themselves to favor the Blue or the Grey; the Patriot or the Tory. A.L.M. April 14, 2005 [c571wds]
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
WHERE WE AREEvery place has meaning. It is a two-way arrangement, as well. Every time you visit a place you bring a part of that place back with you. It is not pilfered. It is a natural exchange in that you left a part of your self wherever it was you happened to have been just as you did the same thing at many points in between the places you were before you, most of you, finally, arrived back here from where it was you were When exchange was in progress. Simple. This could be a clue to the curious way in which a cat finds its way back home from wherever it was before it was decided you had lost it. The miss-placed cat was not lost; all it had to be concerned about was to decide if it seemed worthwhile to go on such a long and complicated journey back to some person so inept as to actually miss-place a live cat. We humans , as a general rule, seem to be pretty content with the way we think we are. We don’t often think of ourselves as physical chunks of flesh and bone which is in a constant process of either drying up and blowing away or by means of a less offensive process of refashioning, rearranging, revising, repairing or re-defining portions of our body to suit our way of living among fellow creatures. I read just recently about the quantity of such physical flotsam we drop by the wayside. I don’t remember the figures – which vary a great deal from person to person - but they are not so important and you wouldn’t believe them anyway. It is quite true that we do, indeed, spread a film of dead cells in our movements – wherever we go. It is not that we intend to be improper or impolite to our fellows inasmuch as they are doing the same thing. We are usually not even aware that we are we doing such a thing. Of much greater importance is the fact that we directly influence people by our conduct,our speech, habits and attitudes. Go as a grouch and you will be accepted as being one. Be of good cheer and let other people think they, too, are of such friendly and outgoing persons.. Respect age, too ...both old and young alike. The youth is learning and the old man wonders what it would be like to be that which he has become. The exchanges are visible when you see an old man and a boy talking; or an older lady and a small girl They exchange parts and pieces of the lives, willingly, even eagerly. And, each is happier having done so -each and every one. A.L.M. April 13, 2005 [c471wds]
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
THE 'O8 SLATE One feature which is very clear on the American political scene in the United States is that we are paying little or no attention to “timing” studies made during the most recent presidential election. Many people felt there were strong indications that several worthy individuals seeking the office were given a boost long before the general election citizens were in anything even close to election moods. Such cart-before-the-horse presentations usually encourage criticism and ridicule. Such fledgling candidates, too, if they develop any sort of following at all, often become personally weary of the ways in which such campaign need to wander to gain and hold attention. It is also evident that the issue important enough in the early days of the campaign are not the same ones which are paramount to voters in the final weeks. It may well be, too as some insist that pre-time bloomers actually harm the “real” campaign as it gets underway having taken over various local issues as their very own. Each day we see or hear some individual mentioned as being good material to be elected as our next President in November of 2008. That is “a rite fur piece down the ole road”- it might be said to be, but I have been amazed when so many people take such a way of thinking so seriously. Many are influenced by echoes from the past and they look forward to seeing Al Gore, from down Tennessee way, take another shot at it all - chards or no chards. Most of these people seem to believe “he was was cheated out of the office last time” and that we, in consequence, “owe it to him!” Some few I have heard mention another former runner who might stand a better chance of success - Governor Edwards of South Carolina, but much of this depends on what plans Senator Hillary Clinton may have in mind. If so there will be an horrific primary battle which, as some see it, could either make or break the Democratic Party as it now exists. The Rev. Jesse Jackson keeps his name being mentioned each time he shows up to help solve some national or international problem. Others who have to be included in such an at-random listing include Senator Behy, of Indiana, Governor Mark Warner,of Virginia, Secretary-0f-State Condaleezza Rice and Colin Powell. Any of these, even all of them, may well fade from view before balloting for 2008 begins. A.L.M. April 12, 2005 [426wds]
Monday, April 11, 2005
BE A LABEL LOOKER I will agree quite readily that reading labels is not the most interesting thing in the world to do, but it is a reading habit which can save lives. Most of us have sufficient common sense not to leave deadly substances within easy reach of children of all ages. And, most of us can get careless at times and forget to replace something exactly where it should be rather than where someone unauthorized might wonder what it is; why it is where it should not be and be tempted to use it, or miss-use it. There is, quite often, no “second chance” offer to it, either. Among us – and not scattered out as thin as to may think – we also have whole schools of individuals who fancy themselves to be experts capable of being qualified to determine when a substance is “poisonous” and when it is only “toxic.” Eschew anyone who seems to be such an authority. They will argue that substances can be “toxic” enough to make a person sick unto such a low level that they actually say they wish they were dead. Authentic “seasickness” can provide such a feeling of desolation, and that can be the same general aura which permeates the person who “takes” something said to be “toxic”. I have, as the years have gone by, suddenly come to know that certain substances which My parents and siblings assured me were “poisonous” are rally not that bad after all, but the terms was used to keep me from becoming involved with them at any early stage of inquisitive or nosy nature. So I grew up being v very cautious about poinsettias around the house during the Christmas season – one among those things listed in those days a being “poisonous”. I don't remember them every bearing a skull and cross ones emblem like the tiny bottle or iodine on the top shelf of the medicine chest in the bathroom or not. Now, we are being told they are “tonic” and a “final stage” evil as we had always b been told they were. Okay. Maybe I can enjoy a beautiful flower more knowing that it is just a sickener and not a killer... but that doesn't set too well with me just the same. Back in generations from which I came, and those folks who were my “family” never had a chance to see the tomato advanced and improved; max-ed in every way, or modified as we enjoy it today compared to the tiny,little cherry-types they had. They thought it to be nice as a flower along the woodland pathway but not a mainstay for building a B-L-T – as a leading fast food for fall times. A.L.M. April 11, 2005 [c468wds]
Sunday, April 10, 2005
VATICAN VISIT
I have heard only a few words of criticism concerning the manner in which the TV industry -and the media, as a whole - handled the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II this past week. It is refreshing to know that someone has done something right for a change. At no time did I get the feeling that networks were "overdoing it" which has been a common complaint in recent years when dealing with special events materials. This was serious work and the manner in which it might be done can affect the lives of millions of people round the world. It was a story which had been a long time in the making ,too, which was an advantage to all of us. John Paul II held the office for over a quarter of a century and built a following among people of many types as he became special person for so many of us. I remember when John Paul, became Pope and how much it meant to all of us that he came from Poland - a wise choice by the Cardinals of that day.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
SEDNA! We now have something new to worry about! If you are among those who have been unaware of the existence of Sedna , then you haven't been keeping up with your zodi-reacting lately and have allowed your cosmic whatever to waver a bit. There is now a brand new 1800 kw chunk of something out there in space we didn't know about until now and there is no way in the world of cosmic consciousness you can't possibly say or do anything to convince me that this is now going to work havoc with all of our charts and diagrams. How can I possibly keep such-and-such in conjunction with so-and-so with Sedna standing there in the way? It might even be true that this new Sedna thing... totally unique among recent additions to our catalog of cosmic hardware... is the long-awaited key to lottery literacy! Each of us has a duty to all other who think on the same level as we do to get in something of hurried mode so we influence the nature of this new discovery's attributes - real or fanciful -and add to the informational mountain which will grow recording its qualities, special powers and endless potential! We who have such knowledge of the workings of pour heavenly b bodies can work miracles in space, if we but get out act together and start working at our task! Learn all you possibly can about Sedna. It's not a planet. It's bigger than bread box and a bit smaller that the planet Pluto. If you know where Pluto is, Sedna is located about three times down the same road into space. It measures about 1800 kw in diameter. It is the most distant object know to be in orbit around our sun. The pattern is elliptical in shape,very much so, and the body comes around in just a bit over every 10,000 years or so. When speaking of Sedna, try to work in such terms as ."A.U", "Oort Cloud objects" and mention it is all "beyond the Kuiper Belt." You may wonder why Sedna always appears to be bright,too and may marvel at the fact that it does hoi even though we know so little about its composition. Other icy surface do not show as red. The real name of the new object is "2003 VB12", so keep that handy as we set out to learn more about our zodiac treasures. A.L.M. April 9, 2005 [c507wds]
Friday, April 08, 2005
ONE CENT! I can remember when a child who actually held a real penny in hand could feel himself to be rich. You could actually buy items with one penny and a combination of them you had saved - augmented by a new nickel or dime from Grandpa meant a kid could go shopping. The clerk at the grocery store who also was Lord and Master over the glass covered candy counter had to have a great deal of patience when dealing with such customers determined too get the best values in candy with their accumulation of pennies. Each copper cent often represented work time for the youngsters, too The soft drink companies of that same era had a more-or-less standing offer of paying two cents for the return of their bottles for refill. You can believe we each had our favorite places all mapped out for bottle collections. But times changed as they are still doing. The penny candies gradually disappeared and we came to live in an era of candy "bars". The usual price for a time, was five cents so the penny still applied quite well except we had to have more of them. most of the names have endured. "Tootsie Roll" was one of the very first and others I remember were different chocolate treats made by Hershey. "Baby Ruth" (which went through a time of legal problems because most us went right on pronounced the name "Babe" rather than "Baby." Scores of others were available, too, now that I start list a few of them: "Clark'"s, "Mars", "Almond Joy","Snicker's", " Milky Way","Butterfinger", "Three Muskateers", "Cracker Jack" and other such candied concoctions." Penny Candies have, I suppose, have the way of the Penny Arcade amusement machines. They continue to return from time-to-time in other dress and with different names but not at the same reasonable rate of exchange. A.L.M. April 8, 2005 [c435wds]
Thursday, April 07, 2005
EYE WITNESSES AND OTHERS Recently, I overheard a practicing Prosecuting Attorney say that he would rather not have an eye-witness of a crime in the court room. Truth, he seemed to feel, when properly used is a worthy co-worker, but not something which is at its best when blurted out or bandied about too freely. It ages awfully fast. Too often an eye-witness seems to think his status is above that of the lawyers involved. Such a witness, under proper control, can be very good to have around. Truth is best handled in small quantities with specific goals in mind. The attorney knows those points of specific need and concern and it is far better that he asks the witnesses to ladle out a small portion of the truth/gravy where it is most needed than to simply flood the contents of the tureen over whatever portion he thinks might be the mashed potatoes of the feast. Other than being prone to overdo their role during their "all too brief on stage or in the legal a limelight what other qualities may eye-witnesses have which may cause concern. We can use ourselves as examples. What do you see when you "witness" an event - perhaps a fender bender of some sort. What did you see? Tell exactly the way it all took place. You would be able to give good account of all g that occurred. You saw it happen. You are physical witness of every action which which took place. Wrong. Even as you tell it or, write it all down you remember looking aside several times to see if any flying glass particles had cut your legs or those of others in the crowd; you recognized a girl across the way and waved to as she helped the little kid to step back and away.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
OUR SMARTZ We show worry from at times regarding the past, present and future of our national intelligence gathering services. Some critic have become so self-piously correct as to deny to right for such groups to even exist. It has become needful that we ask ourselves, when we profess to believe in an advancing social level if we can see any justification for allowing portions of the whole - even while declaring unified intent - to spy upon on another. Some few would contend that all information dealing with governmental activities what-so-ever all become, automatically, public information. Such a ruling might make a modicum of good sense in a pure democracy which we not even pretend to have in place. If we are to require that all information of such a nature be public, then we need to deceive ourselves and circumvent the intent of such grand proclamation - we need to set up laws concerning that which is public and that which is, in any way, restricted and to whom. Our intelligence gathering units are, are, admittedly, in sad array. It is not a new thing. Between wars we tend stop collecting information concerning potential foes and ignorance breeds more of the same. A prime example of how this laxity affected my life is to be found in that a good friend of mine who became a marine died, needlessly one might think, at Tarawa when he came and thousand of others found out they had to walk the last mile through waist high water. The charts of the islands on which the landings were based were all ancient fishing fleet charts. Our troops, walking through water on sand that was not supposed be there were shot as if they were ducks on a pond. We are shaken a bit when we find that our allies went right on spying on us even after they signed up on our side. Such safeguards probably proved to be wise, too, because there are many elements of human error to be found in clandestine operations and some might well demand some subtle relaxation of usual required regulations. Intelligence work, to be meaningful, often demands priviledges to work efficiently or, at times, work at all. In espionage terms as "blackmail", "ransom", and "backshee" - even when miss-spelled are quite common. The time for "accounting" is, often, left to history, and wisely so. Just suppose - if you doubt that - just suppose that we had been told at the time who "Deep Throat" actually was! Aren't you glad we have waited! Or, are you? A.L.M. April 6, 2005 [c489wds]
Monday, April 04, 2005
GONERS ALL! Do you miss all those people who were going to “leave the country” if George W. Bush were reelected? I don' t miss them at all. In fact, I find it rather difficult to miss people who haven't gone anywhere! And those people, who, during the later days of the election, were proclaiming loudly it was, their sworn intent to depart these enslaved shores for foreign havens of peace and security if George W. won over John Kerry. I knew two gentlemen who threatened to go to England. As their intent, it seems, to arrange for an address in Greater London and, then, continue the schedule they have maintained in recent years dividing their time on long visits to Las Vegas and Florida. One rather elegant lady who have proclaiming she would be going to France to live, told me she had b been forced to change her plans when, in the final days of our election, she heard for the first time, that during the tenure of George Bush in the White House that both the British and French fleets of super-sonic “Concorde”, flying-wing aircraft had – during the tenure of George W. Bush, and that neither of them had regular schedules flying to and from Europe. “ How, then was one expected to travel? By common steamer, perhaps, or by noisy, dirty and so much smaller an so much smaller aircraft named with just numbers, mind you ...there was one called the 7-4-7, I think rather than legitimate names with meaning, character and permanence!” I heard of two men who planned their post-election exodus to either Norway and/or Sweden. They happened to talk with a visitor from one of those socially advanced nations and mentioned what percentage of his income he might consider to be his very own where he lived. They took a vote among the two of them and decided to cancel their reservations. Entertainers – dabbling in political life are prime candidates for self-exile. Babara Streisand claimed to be one of them, but she is still with us according to rumors which work their way into the news now and again. TV, film, and Internet persons and personalities when pestered by promises of perfect places are eager to project their talents elsewhere when the exodus actually seems to be getting started on once again. Right now it seems to be at a virtual standstill. The “goers”, who seldom because actual “goners” are good for another three years or so until aroused by political factionalism. It may well be that some of them have, from time to time, made good on their promise or threat. Hence the overseas travel-term: “The Ugly American”. A.L.M. April 4, 2005 [c461wds]
Sunday, April 03, 2005
A PERFECT JEWEL
I have a copy of one of those giant collections of all sorts of literary miscellany which were so popular as to demand a place in the proper “Parlor Rooms” of thousands of America's finest homes during the later decades of the 1800's.
The 608 page volume, offering several hundred poems, musical scores, essays and terse aphorisms, was elegantly printed and sturdily bound. The book plate inside the front cover tells us it originally,belonged to R.E. Harvey. He, or she, purchased the heavy volume September 1, 1885 for $5.50 and a portion identifies this particular copy as being ”No. 279” in what one must assume was a Limited Edition, published in 1885 by Mills, Dodge & Pomeroy, Adrian, Michigan.
The collection - titled “Perfect Jewels” - was compiled by one William Ralston Blach, and credits are included identifying him as the author of eight books , two about James Garfield, A “People's Dictionary”, “Every-Day Encyclopedia”, and several on the mining industry in America. An exceptional feature of this book is that he does not parade a raft of educational honors either at this point or in the short “Preface” in the text of the book itself. The man who wrote the ”Introduction” - T. DeWitt Talmage identifies himself with a D.D showing he was Pastor of “Brooklyn Tabernacle” and Editor of “Sunday Magazine” His Introduction is dated “Brooklyn 1884” and the Preface by Blach is designated only as “Philadelphia, -1884”. The book itself is marked “Copyright 1884 by John Blakey”.
Typical of the oddity I find in this rather unusual “parlor book”, here in an item said to have been written by one Thomas Jefferson which I do not recall ever having seen before.
“A New Ten Commandments.”
Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.
Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
Never spend your money before you have it.
Never buy what you do not want because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.
Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst and cold.
We never repent of having eaten toolittle.
Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
How much pain have cost us the evils that have never happened.
Take things always by their smooth handle.
When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, an hundred.
Thomas Jefferson”
* * * * * *
A.L.M. April 3, 2005 [c401wds]
Saturday, April 02, 2005
NOISY SPRING I have always had trouble with Rachael Carson's book titled “Silent Spring” from the moment it was published and set up such a noise in the corridors of the publisher's canyons that entire families of ecological echoes were created to augment both what the book said, did not say or over-said. Rachael Carson reported plainly that which she knew to be true. She refrained from saying some of those things she did not know, but that balance was not maintained when she elucidated on points which may or may not have been true - when she out ran out of factual knowledge. She jumped to many false conclusions regarding frogs and kindred creatures. She blamed all changes from average frog figures and newt norms bending toward the negative side on DDT, or any other such substance which had qualities which were, a that moment, still unknown or, at least, “not in print” - which could include about every liquid and solid known to Mankind. In 1990, for instance, in Minnesota, numerous deformed frogs were found in one particular pond. Silent Springers named chemical as the culprit yet studies by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency later showed it was caused by a natural frog parasite - possibly worse in that area due to a larger snail population than usual. The mountain yellow-legged frog suddenly began to disappear from Sierra Nevada streams. Ecological activists brought suits against growers in California's Central Valley claiming their use of insecticides caused the pollution of the mountain streams. After great economic losses by Central Valley farmers, it was found that the reason the yellow-legged frogs had all but disappeared in the lake was that it had recently been stocked with trout. The trout ate the frogs, and when the fish were removed the yellow-legged frog population came back in abundance. This had no affect on the silent springers, who continued their suits regardless. Million of dollars of research funds have been expended seeking any evidence that commonly used chemicals have harmed the frog population or that of any of their jumpy relatives. environmentalists have own their own breed of researchers, however, and some of them have now performed test and experiments which prove beyond any doubt- their own, anyway - that a commonly used agricultural chemical does cause sex and physical changes in frogs. One such California herpetologist claims to have found evidence one widely-used herbicide caused such malformations but they have been unable to duplicate his laboratory work- in any - or demonstrations which are being kept secret. We have remained too silent too long concerning the continued harm being done by idea long departed. Let's make this year's Spring a vocative one! Speak up! We can no longer remain silent. Spring! A.L.M. April 21, 2005 [c467wds]
Friday, April 01, 2005
FROM ALL SIDES In this All Fool's Day time of the year when seasonal humor so often takes over our complex world or a time, we have been beset with, at least, three cases of death - two with extended times of dying, and they came from three sides of our lives. Oddly, none of them were of any near or distant relationship me or to any one I know. I had never seen any of them; never known them to be either allies or enemies, friends or foe, genius or nerd before they came into my life - “uninvited” as you might put it. Several week ago, one Terri Schiavo, a lady in Florida, of whom I had never heard, turned up in the news as an individual who was nearing he end of her life; or one who may have one beyond that point. Quoted medical authorities said she “brain dead”... living artificially as sustained by a feeding tube and other such aids. The immediate crisis, which made the story “newsworthy”in an American media sense, was a contention which had arisen when her husband, thinking fifteen years constituted a fair trial of the test and he asked the court to authorize removal of the life-sustaining tube an make it possible for his wife to be allowed to die -“normally”. He had no written “Living Will” attesting to the fact that she would have wanted it to have been that way; only his memory of having said so many years before. The woman's family took exception to his request; insisted the patient be continued under existing care. The family feud became quite intense. The court agreed to remove the feeding tube and Terri Schiavo became newsworthy. We, as a nation,”took sides”. It will all make an interesting study years from now. The second death this week was that of chicken-plucker Frank Purdue. He took his family chicken business from medium to magnificent dimensions in one season of doing his own television commercial in a laid-back,corny style. He had an “I-am-me” attitude about TV selling that hooked me and millions of other people. Sorry to see him the roost. The third person is, at this time, lingering on the edge of life. I have admired this man for over twenty-seven years when he left his native Poland to take the job of being Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Over the past quarter of a century, he has been an outstanding leader for the entire Christian faith. He has used his place wisely; tempered to our times. I have wondered at times why he did not speak out, but realized later on, he left un-said the best remarks by refraining from butt-insky efforts to change an unwilling world. In addition to being the first non-Italian Pope in four hundred years or so. He will also be remembered as one of the best o he lot. He put the “papa” parts and pieces back in the papacy puzzle for many of us of varied faiths. A.L.M. April 1,2005 [c520wds]
|
