Monday, October 31, 2005
ONE CITY – MINUS Take one thriving city. Call it New Orleans, La. Then, pretend that you have the ability, by some magical method you are sure will work, to set about eliminating all those persons whom you can, logically, set apart, at least in your mind, as being the “poor people” of the city. You may wish to show what proportion of the total population of the city makes up the “poor” element and where they are among situated among the masses of people. One can determine many points if one has the proper statistics concerning the units under study, but they are temporary at best because they are dependent upon the limitations of our knowledge at any given moment and conclusions drawn from our observations by men and women of the next generations. Things we learned September 9, 1965, when Hurricane Betsy torn through the city. That was the last time the city was really flooded and we came to feel it would be a long time before such a thing happened again. At the behest of Huey Long, Franklin D. Roosevelt flew in just a day later with federal officials and they saw the damage done to Pontchartrain Park, to Bywater and to the impoverished Ninth Ward When it was all over eighty-one dead were counted; a quarter of a million people had been evacuated and water level was set at nine feet. The Ninth Ward had suffered the most. That had been true of the Yellow-fever epidemic which raged through the city in 1905; and it was the poor of the same area which had borne the brunt of the Cholera epidemic in 1849. This “poor finder” machine we have devised might be an example of the degree we so often seem to overdo analysis of the situation. You and I both know that the poor in the Crescent City have been scattered throughout a social structure which sees to be split between ours and the last century. Counselors at various “refugee” points who have talked with former residents find they do not plan to return – ever. If so, New Orleans as a city, enters a complete new era. She will try to be vibrant and alive without the under base of workers - the poorest of the poor level - those people who did much of actual work dealt out to a strata of our society few people admit exists – are, this time, saying they will not return. New Orleans will survive, but it will have a longer, more rugged road to find its way back to anything like normalcy. I once made it a point to seek out a and talk to the downtrodden in New Orleans - example of that portion of humanity which is left on the fringe after all else is taken. I, at times, find it difficult to believe what some of them told me of their way of staying alive. Mine was only a small sampling, admittedly - two men and one teen-aged girl. Perhaps my fears for the City are misguided. Only history will work it all out. A.L.M . October 31, 2005 [c527-wds]
Sunday, October 30, 2005
THE HAZARD VIEW Every time I see stock car racers slide through a window opening on their backsides to gain access to the interior of their controls, I think of two things: one of the "Dukes" of Hazard who made such action acceptable, and it takes me back to our 1924 Model Ford. It had no door on the divers sided, front. What appeared to be a door just like the others, was really a swollen noodle of metal, a rounded line pressed into the metal side. You had to up-a-leg to enter. It was line cut into the surface. From a distance it appeared to be a door not unlike the others. I have heard various explanations as to the need for such and purists like to say it was a "safety" feature placed there to keep a stray or clumsy foot from kicking the rig over the hillside. There were three pedals, some levers, handles and a steering column and wheel at that position. Those who know Henry a bit better know he was less concerned with safety that he was saving. If a "safety feature" printed-on front-left doors might cut costs - why not? Another "reason - the one we were given was that when you used the expandable luggage carrier which came as free extra with our car, covered the door anyway when mounted on the left side the accordian-like metal sections holding our suitcases and boxes covered the left, rear door as well. Henry Ford didn't worry too much about safety. In fact, he and other early innovators never seemed to think of "motoring" as being as dangerous as some people liked to think it had to be. his assemble line production methods was a real money-saver. In September of 1924,my Father bought Henry's newest Model T - with an expandable, all-metal luggage rack, a free a tire-repair kit and hand pump plus one "spare" tire... all for just a bit over $300.00! I often wondered Henry made any real money on his car sales. He did not put in any system of cost controls whatsoever until his son Edsel sided with the Defense Department of the United States at war. If he wanted to manufacture B-24 bombers at his new Willow Run plant, built for that purpose, he had to start some way of knowing how much it cost him to build the things he did. The new version of a moderized Hazard boys movie is on screens right now . I've been holding off seeing it until I can witness every moment of it from behind the steering wheel in my own car in an old-fashioned Drive-In theater. I'm wondering just how the new hazard boys enter and leave their new cars. Front windows are a mite smaller today than they used to be and I can't see at awards for weight reduction of the average Dukes of car riding fame. A.L.M. October 30, 2005 [c504wds]
Saturday, October 29, 2005
OUR PAST We do not, it seems to me, always appreciate or show proper respect for values out of our past in setting forth our present-day accomplishments. The fine Conde Nast publication titled “Wired” is certainly one of the finest publications setting forth attributes of that which is new, exciting and emotionally moving in our advancing civilization. They keep us informed of physical products new to the markets. In addition they deal with potential, with the theories and discernment that may urge us onward in the future. If you saw the NBX-TV Tom Brocaw special recently dealing with America's newest large, larger and largest religious groups - active congregations of thirty-thousand or more filling areas seating fifteen thousand or so for each service – you, no doubt, noticed the enthusisam with which the devotees dealt so handily when they sang their favorite old hymns. They gave forth with joyous abandon and sang with all the dedicated fervor and sincerity – at one with the music and word “by heart.” It was a sweeping, leaping, joyful sound! Few off the participants realized that more than one of the songs they sang so splendidly were the very same melodies or old drinking songs of the past. So it is with much of what we call progress. It is, so often, founded on some which has proved to be of value in our past. Just as some of the old drinking songs of the past have been re-used as hymns of praise for the Deity, so it might well be that many concepts we hold in trust from our past may be due - or even overdue for some dramatic changes which will make them useful in our – or someone's future. Any of our special days in church history are found to have been established on the very same date or days of ancient pagan worship rituals and ceremonies so adherents to the new faith had something to hold the attention of those new worshipers in a more modern religion. The present use of any invention we now consider to be common among us will , without doubt, mutated beyond recognition but the concept is still there. And, it is there for you. Another faulty idea we have about innovations is that it is intend ed that other men and women should accomplish it for us. I think of you as other people and there are thousands of other people who think of you as the ones who will fashion our future. Think about it. Make a choice for change. A.L.M. October 29, 2005 [c-438wds]
Friday, October 28, 2005
LESSON NOT LEARNED The unusual situations which came to be such an impressive part of the recent flood conditions in southern Louisiana - and to a most impressive extent along the Gulf coast port areas form a daunting challenge for all of us. We can accept or refuse to make use of information provided when then hurricane's Katrina and Rita,and their accompanying rains, and tornado winds dealt the area a severe package of destructive forces men have known in this particular areas in the past. This time the evil, invading waters flowed across worn and ill-attended levees, walls and canal structures on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, canal channels and other inadequately prepared sections of the usual water system of the Crescent City. Many were in a neglected condition, many unidentified or confused with others in like condition. It quickly came to mind that the billions of dollar's requested by and sent to New Orleans for repair and maintenance of he water control systems, were misused to serve other purposes. This is one point which often gets lost during the days of registration in the rigorous days of restoration civic and private property. It is obvious that such funds were mis-spent and some efforts are often made to try to determine whom might have done such a thing. It seldom, if ever, gets very far. Years later it often shows that the very same “foxes” had been put back in charge in care of the “chickens.” Records kept on the Washington, DC. end of this attractive arrangement plainly show the money did not go where it was deemed to be needed - often “urgently”. None of these federal funds were spent on any of the three most obvious levee and seawalls the most notorious offenders of all causing overflows which flooded New Orleans because no such fund were ever requested during that eight year period. The ever-questing eye of television searched out and showed millions of citizens shocking realities concerning inequities which exist in our society which have not been acknowledged much less confronted and solved. And, there are other wrongs we saw; some we have never really discussed in fair-minded manner. All that awaits our ability to do so. A.L.M. October 28, 2005 [c385wds]
Thursday, October 27, 2005
SHE WAS RIGHT During the month of October in the year of 2005 a feminine star loomed large on our political skies. On the 27th day of the month she was eclipsed. Then, and not until then, it was seen that she had been wise enough to use good judgment in withdrawing from nomination to become a member of our Supreme Court. In so doing, Harriet Miers demonstrated her ability to make judgements aside from personal or polical party feelings The oppositon to Harriet Miers came, not from Democrats but from objections by “far right”conservative Republicans - sometimes called “the religious right”. Democats were standing by, I would say. They played it cool awaiting this special oppuninity which allowed them to malign any Bush nominee. Other than one or two stalwarts among automatic critics voiced their very general opinons. When Bush first mentioned the name Harriet Miers just weeks ago I think the average one of us welcomed the annoucment. We were pleased that he had chose a woman since he was replacing one on the existing court. Most peopleI talked with seemed also to be pleased with the idea that George Bush had avoided simply dipping into the well of lawyers from which so many politicians think justices must come, that he had look elsewhere to make a choice. Most seemed to be content with the idea that he had chosen a non-lawyer type. Such a choice choice was was not all that unnatural, however, because many of our justices of the past have come from other than lawyer backgrounds – notably our past Chief Justice -and it seemed to make good sense to choose some one from other than lawyer sources. Some were bothered a bit by the fact that she was a White House council. It proved to be a stumblin bloc because someone wanted to see official papers concering her advice and treatment of WhiteHouse problems – papers which the President felt could not be made available. This, to many critics suggested ”cronyism” - a favorite hurdle which is difficult to eliminate. A.L.M. Oct. 27, 2005 [c356wds]
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
THE COMING OF SNOW. When we hear the very first rumors of snow flurries arriving we tend to pull in the dimensions of our wider summer time living. We begin to think about ways and means of warding off or, at least, weakening, the imaginary or real threats of the coming winter months. Usually it becomes a rather routine preparation which we through by degrees ,we might dare say, and as readings go downward steadily on indoor and outdoor temperature gadgets, we start digging winter clothing out of storage and putting put our summery stuff away for a rest. So, un-officially ,our local winter began as of today. We heard rumors early of six inches and ups in the edge of Western and throughout the TV day we saw New England changed into a fluffy white decoration as a welcome change from rain. For us it will, again, be pretty much routine but this year the transformation will be filled with many serious problems stemming from the situation in which we from the situations in which we find ourselves to be involved. First, we are a nation at war and that never helped to make any of our burdens any lighter. Then, fact that it is an unusual war, as wars go, with rather indefinite goals and fragmented leadership which does nothing to bring the phase to a close. Millions of families with members in the armed forces will see the coming winter with different feeling than ever before. The tragic scenes we have witnessed on TV concerning the lifestyle now allowable to millions of human beings in hurricane, flood, tornadoes, earthquake and fire. Think about that for a moment: have you ever know such a dire concentration of misery within so short a span of time? All of that,plus the ever-present threat of epidemic disease out breaks in any of the stricken areas National and Regional leaders – at all levels – have been called on to face the largest challenge of their lives . Some have been judged to have failed; others have been said to have been successful, and a few have gained a measure of popularity among the common people they were called upon to serve. Just about all of our well-established relief agencies have been pushed to their absolute limits by this series of cataclysmic events. Much criticism has been leveled at each and every one of them and much of it was not always justified. The old adage holds true: until you have walked a mile in the other man's shoes you have no idea of the horrors which must be faced. A.L.M. October 26, 2005 [c450wds]
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
YA-YA-YA... We, as small children, probably did some despicable things as we went into the strange processes whereby we learned how to live with others. You can, no doubt, remember some incident in which - looking back at it and knowing that which solved a problem for you, at that time was as wrong. If you can count up a gross collection of such incidents from your early, formative days, you probably never think of your actions, but if you were more of an average kid - sort of a “Terrible Through Ten” type were an average kid – a “Terrible Two-through-Ten” brat – you will think of having done wrong and you will regret having done so. Newly hatched political figures seem do fit well into the chronic mis-doers. The childish bickering which has been so common in the Washington, D.C. is an insult to the intelligence of all. The seemingly natural opposition to anyone not of his or her own choosing is a indication of underdevelopment. No one candidate named as a possible holder of a specific office, is going to be perfect. Certainly he or she will be wanting in some supposed merit in the eyes of a member of the opposition. It is a wise thing for opposition to seek out and find evidence of evil, or even some minor social error, even a minor wrong in his past to find evidence of wrongdoing, but to use it as a means of keeping a person from getting into office is a waste of effort, time and trouble. I have always been amazed when I hear that an office holder could pretty well determine his future on certain legislation by picking up the telephone an engaging in a little tech-e-tete with a wavering or opposing individual. A conversation concerning experiences of long ago can, ofttimes, could work wonders. When will our beltway boys and girls come to know the real world? A.L.M October 24, 2005 [c336wds]
WHY? Why do we not find scattered collections of random marine life dead in the ruins of low-lying lands when hurricanes we have seen along our Gulf coastline this fall? I have wondered about this many times, but it never seems to occur to me to ask such a dumb question when I am with someone whom might know about such odd things. Doesn't it seem logical that fish, swimming in the upper layers of the water as the most common species usually do, would be caught up in the swiftly moving currents and swept along toward the storm's set targets. Many, one could imagine some to be caught up in the scouring winds topping waves and becoming airborne projectiles aimed at any land target ahead. It seems logical that fish in abundance might be trapped or “netted” in such a manner by the storm since the is normal for the species we know to swim in the upper levels of the sea and most often in groups, that they would a be caught up the compelling currents and spread on the shore in a tumbled mass and doomed. That is just one way in which such a situation might come to be - that fish have a sense of pressure associated with danger and that they, then accordingly swim at a lower level when the sea above is turbulent. The sole evidence of dying sea life I have seen in the coverage of the storms and flood conditions was in a river in New Hampshire. The cameraman caught a shot of several hundred dying in a corner lull just below one of the dams being watched. That would lend credence to the “swim lower in bad times” tactics of the sea creatures. I still wonder what we don't see more seaweed, shells, and, since many of these are offshore of large cities, what about the scoreless scows of mega-city mounds of garbage we dump “out there – somewhere”. Let's hope it can't go home again. A.L.M. October 26, 2005 [c347wds]
Sunday, October 23, 2005
D.C. PLAYTIME Far too many of our elected political leaders are currently engaged - day after day, week-after-week - in petty, bickering party-back-room games. One would think grown men and women, many with some educational attainment, would be, at least trying to avoid such outward displays of childish pique being shown so avidly these days. Do they not comprehend the embarrassing position in which voters back home who have supported them on their way up. Certainly, in war time, in a time when natural disaster has caused serious dislocations in our national and international fabrics, is not a proper time or place to start argument and to start blaming people This is not a good time for doing the family laundry in public. I mention it now now because it is time for many of us to get busy letting the world know how stupid this all must appear to people in other nations as well as many here in our own domain. Make it a point to look and listen for your local political person whom you helped put in office. Pay attention to what he has said and will say about situation. I have been pleased with what I have heard my congress persons say about the many problems we are facing. It is one thing to talk about what can be done but it can be quite a different matter to do it and do it right. As cumbersome as business seem to become with government it is a wonder anything gets done at all. Everyone makes mistakes, too. Never forget that. Never get angry about it. The ballot box is your best talk back. Let him or her know that. A.L.M. October 23, 2005 [c307wds]
Friday, October 21, 2005
HONOR? We used to speak of “honor among thieves” with some confidence that we knew such a thing was unlikely because thieves, by their very nature,would lie, cheat, steal and show show little concern for the feelings and property of others. We seldom spoke of a kindred relationship which seems, now to have been in existence for some time, wherein “birds of a feather” - let us say -just for example, mind you several congress persons, officials, political leaders, and so forth,and we tempered our thoughts thinking that they, as our servants in a way, would not, knowingly,do us any harm. The word “indicted” has a more serous meaning to the average one of us live our lives without ever knowing the actual experience of using such legalese terms. Notice the reaction when people hear of an indictment. In common usage it so most often taken to mean he or she has been “arrested” without having to go to jail. It can,however,however be seen as being ”bad” but to “too bad”. Some few, so designated individuals even claim to welcome the indictment because “it gives me a chance to show wherein the accusations are false, an show how honest I've been all the while!” To me, the indictment, hurts! The individual who have been indicted for something - almost anything – is automatically guilty of having excited doubts and suspicions; raised some far-out and unanswerable questions, and provided a legal foundation upon which anyone can construct both real or imaginary barricades of demerits. All of this often can be - and is – exploited by our communications media eager to enhance the very nature of such conflict. They respond, often and at times with creative and quite original ingenuity, to the interests of their readers far and wide. I have disturbing feelings that labels we have used for many years - such words as “honor”,“veracity” - even “truth” have changed quite a bit from Victorian times in which we are, oddly enough, often considered to be “living in” at the moment. “Upon my honor” does not mean what it used to just a short time ago. The various honor codes have been diluted many times over and not honored as they once might have been in your own social circles. Think,for instance, of the many fine points which you took a stand when you joined the Boy or Girl Scouts, your social club or church related group. Does a Code of Honor hover in the background every time you sing our national anthem or see our flag floating freely and forcefully in the winds of both good and bad times. A.L.M. October 21, 2005 [c453wds]
Thursday, October 20, 2005
POVERTY POWER Poverty has, long ago, become a political power. The term which now has little to do with the segment we used to call “poor” people. It is, today, used as a term which is bandied about when we seek federal largess or when we seek to make a candidate appear in a good or bad light. The candidates actions or stated opinions are applied against a template prepared ahead of time containing diagrams, charts, graphs, list of statistics and attractive artwork depicting the blessings of “pie in the sky” promises. It can be used to sooth a populace or keep it feeling insecure. There was a time when we considered the word “poverty” to be a term we used to describe the economic levels of a person or of a social or racial group. Mainly we thought of “poverty” in that way - short of money, lacking in luxuries. Much of that has been changed since the Federal government felt compelled to chart and diagram the language used in describing poverty. Oddly enough, the criteria by which the new rating placement were based on, so often, on other charts which showed what that poor person might have earned had he or she not been poor. In recent years we have come to depend on terms such as “Cost of Living.” It and “Studies show... have pretty well veneered our usual poverty terms. The term “poor” has actually become a mark of special distinction in the mind of many. It is interesting to me that some of these people are actually third and fourth generations of welfare recipients which casts some distrubing shadows over our past attempts to help the downtrodden. We have had a special opportunity to learn how all of us can live better lives after witnessing the events which have taken place in recent weeks. New Orleans, in particular, and many other cikties and town alon g the Gulf Coast have suffered trememdous losses in lives and property. It is easy for us to sit back and potificate on “what went wrong” both in the planning for such disasters and actions taken or not taken under stress. Even as I type these lines another tremendous hurricane is building in the Gulf of Mexico and it will hit the mainland -somewhere – Saturday morning. What can we do - now – to help the people in those areas to be ready to face such a threatening storm? A.L.M. October 19 , 2005 [c421wds]
Monday, October 17, 2005
NO END IN SIGHT? The long endured troubles in both Ireland and in the Middle East, as well as hot-spots around the world suggests it may be time for basis change in some such each area. If the factions concerned have not decided to call a halt to their disruptive tactics is up to this time, then, it seems highly unlikely they will ever achieve any lasting peace any time. Drastic changes are needed. It is true, of course, that these are not new problems and that the underlying causes are mixed into a complicated series of historical occurrences far removed from the realities of our own day. It is very difficult to re-do history whatever degree to the concerned persons. That holds especially when when persons involved are relatives. In recent weeks our attention has been diverted by the hurricanes and resulting flood condiions along our coastal ports. This has been - is - and will continue to be a major event in the life of our nation. It is far more serious than most Americans realize a the present time. Times now are often not what they are said, to be. Right now - today - here in the Commonwealth of Virginia and efforts of men running for Attorney-General opposing a growing tendency or prisoners to enter suits against the state for the most friviolous reasons. The truth has its verity only in the mind of the teller...who is telling the tale and from what perspective. The truth is often left untold, as we trust in factional accounts. Certain such questions as this may be brought before a world court of some type for a "ruling" on the subject which might help the cause of peaceful co-existence. Is such world bodies as the United Nations organizations can not be used in such cases of what value are they to us? I agree that this sounds too much like our own "Special Prosecutors" setups to be practical if might prove valuable in bringing such problems before a world wide audience who are concerned in some way. Holme front happenings very often indicate the path our future might follow. A.L.M. October 15, 2005 [c399wds]
Sunday, October 16, 2005
DISSENT If it appeared that we were about to start arguing about the manner in which Mankind has handled his affairs since the time of Creation, I would, I'm sure, choose to side with Mankind and argue that he has done an exceptionally good job of improve his social order - despite a veritable catalog of obvious wrongs he is doing, has always done and will, there seems to an eight-tracked miss-guidance system, he will continue to follow his own methods of improving his social environment. And, the records of the projects he undertakes, because he has not yet come to term concerning "who" and "what" his place was meant to be in this complex world of ours. Hand a man a blank sheet of paper and a sharp pencil - maybe a short ruler and a simple compass for creating circles we can run around in - and he can give you a picture of what he wants our world to come. Give him a computer and he will give you a spittin'-image model of what his way-out ideas jell into something which just might be economically chewable. Creative advances cannot be hurried. We have been at it for some time, but we have never been ready to admit, we have been so strangely blessed. When all this which we call "the Universe" was a made The Power causing it all decreed his work to be "good". At some point along that line, authority decreed that, henceforth, this World would be under the "dominion" of Mankind. You know the terms of the agreement. Man was given... dominion over life in the far-flung seas... the endless sky above... dominion over the natural resources of the the salt, gas, oil, coal, diamond, silver, gold! We have been slow in undertaken our share of the blessed burden of our ownership. We must work toward such a goal by exercising our right to rule, and by basic acts of care and maintainenace required to maintain the great wealth we hold in trust with the Creator. A.L.M. October 15, 2005 [c 358wds]
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
BIG DAYWas your “Columbus Day” celebration some kind of a big bust again this year? I’ve never been one to put a great deal of either effort or money in a set of hours culled out of the month of October to either the honor or the blame for discovering this side of the planet Earth. I have never become used to a government which can butt in without even as a much as a “How ‘d do, Miss Agnes” and changes the dates around so holidays don’t happen on the day intended. In fact, I missed it entirely this year. “Columbus Day” would be today on my wall calender. I was well into Monday before I found we had not received a single “application for credit cards” or “refinance now...” It finally sank in with me – we were celebrating a holiday and there would be no delivery of mail. “Holiday for what? I asked and a confident voice replied “Sumpin’ about Memorial Day, they say...!” So much for the official observation of Columbus Day 2005 at our household, except two days later when I looked at the wall colander that October 12 is to be remembered as being “the first day Observatories” I looked back a few days and, sure enough, I had missed Columbus Day which had been celebrated this year on Monday, June 10th which is also “Thanksgiving Day in Canada”. That's so close to ours. It’s a shame we didn’t get together and agree to have the same date. Ours used to be set on the last Thursday of the month of November, but F.D.R. Get both honored and blamed now for setting it up a week or two earlier to provide a larger “envelope” for Christmas shopping. I think the most humiliating change-of-date thing that can possibly occur in a family is one that deals with family groups. Having fallen away from regular churchgoers. They all arrive at the church and each of the children pushes into the crowded pews, sorry to be late and getting located during loud singing of the loud opening hymn roars to its conclusion and immediately the Pastor raises one arm. Every worshiper finds his or her place as he proclaimed firmly the words the words of Benediction marking the end of the church's first seasonal worship service under Daylight Savings Time! I have seen in happen. There is no better time for forgiving; for compassionate understanding than at such a moment. We know that we can all fall short of what is set for us do to Not one of us is perfect. We all fall short of the wonders we are here to perform. A.L.M. October 12, 2005 [c504wds]
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
LACK OF TRUST Among the various wrongs which exist in our nation today one disturbs me more than others. - the obvious lack of trust. It can affect our future political and social well-being in so many ways. I suppose there has always been a bevy of fault-finders about in previous eras but today they seem to be more. We used to hear about people of opposing views; today we speak with them. We, talk to them about today's problems and both sides listen better, too. Now, in a time when communication has blossomed and bloomed with abandon - radio, TV, photographic imaging, plus the Internet and associated computer presence where ever we may go. We, literally, take our entire world of knowledge and information along with us to solve any and problems which the world round us might devise, in the form of disks and computerized presentations coming to halls where color, action , sounds and seeing can all used to gain and to hold legitimate territory. Less and less do we hear about loyalty to set company, the largest, the oldest, newest. The old-established firm can look ahead to discover what the future holds and to ascertain our degree of trust we have in the computerized model it would have us live by. How can we continue to set our sights by trusting individuals, firms, companies, groups, associations, armies, or when the must trust the ultimately a computer somewhere. Do we need a "Dr. Phil"" nation-wide investigation to help us realize we work for a "thing,"? Where must our loyalties be centered? "Mine is better than your" and worse yet -"Yours it better that mine - unfair!" If you have vague feeling that you may not really belong to the present day world or business and industry check on your deep down gut-feelings about computers. A.L.M October 11, 2005 [c331wds]
Monday, October 10, 2005
HAVE THEY GONE? Does the train come to Charlottesville, Va.? I didn't know but I overheard that a railroad passenger train runs though Staunton three times each week, so that accounts for three Charlottesville visits each week. It may be some north-south traffic is still being offered, so there would be a few more stopping a Charlottesville, Va. on eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Who knows what trains start or stop where these days? More important, perhaps ---”who cares?” Railroading lore has been been handed over to the RR Hobby people who seem to see a fairyland version of railroad's golden era. They have fabricated glorious tales of adventure and romance so it is often difficult to get a picture of what railroading was really like. Being romanicists at heart, the “roadies” have long ago reached a point where they are relating a fine series of stories which have become a type of “historic fiction” in today's literary nomenclature. They tend to place emphasis on all of the many good things about rail travel of a prosperous era, and to diminish any qualities which may have proved to have been troublesome, costly and, at times, even unplesant. The best preserved relics of the era can be seen today in our museums and theme parks and it is good they are being remembered in other art forms, as well. There is now an entire wing of Ameican folk music devoted to the railroad songs we have sung. One voicei among those who specialize in railroading songs is a folk singer by the name of Bill Haroff, Staunton, Virginia. He stands tall as a man who has captured and now holds the true feelings of the railroading times in his agile voice and fleeting fingers on guitar, mandolin and the old-time favorite among railroaders – the “five-stringed banjo.” A.L.M. October 10, 2005 [322wds]
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
UP, PLEASE! One national capital city is sinking. Do you know which one might that be? You might think it could be Venice with all that water and ooze, but, then, just in time you realize, just in time, it is not a national capital. The city was built on an old island in a large lake area and it is now sinking at rate of about six to eight inches per year. How, I wonder, do they manage to keep so many buildings upright with such a drastic change as that? It may be that the loss is rather uniform and gradual so that walls simply settle without coming part from any irregular stress or strain, I should think that the knowledge that such a thing is taking place would be enough to make dwellers therein to, at least, inquire about seeking a firmer spot elsewhere - sunny Cancun in Ole Mexico, perhaps? As I recall, Mexico has been subjected to many earthquake and middle of what is called The Federal District,a great city have been growing for centuries. That's right - a national capital and sinking steadily. Some residents must live in constant fear that an earthquake will hasten the process whereby the city sinks six feet every ten years,and they will be living in a Sunken Garden city need of a second level to be appended. This city, too, was originally, build as an island sanctuary in a large lake. It was done for safety reasons which made good sense at the time. The water barrier - a moat of sorts - must have deterred potential enemies and provided a better life for the island dwellers - a sanctuary in any time of need. Will the trait which served them so well in their early days, now be a part of their ruin? The best opportunity the Mexican people have is to plan to build to build a totally new national city as Brazil did. Brazil set the example! It can be done and even improved,too, because fully warned, Mexico could avoid the creation of instant slum on the outskirts of their new capital city built on a firmer found foundation and a safer one as they learn to play the role that those nations must undertake to play in the new centuries ahead. Certainly, there must be an adequate supply of "Yankee ingenuity" kicking around in Ole Mexico. They have shown some very clever ways in making strong inroads into the American labormarkets. Much of Rome's art, that of Greece, can be seen London and Paris; London Bridge is in Arizona. Brazil operates quite well from its new federal district. Mexico can do as well, or better. A.L.M. October 5, 2005 [c462wds]
Monday, October 03, 2005
FREEDOM FAULTS Gradually, it appears, mankind's sense of order concerning freedom seems to be maturing. The term, heretofore, has always been most frequently used, has had limitations and offered freedoms fashioned according to the originators specifications of what constituted he the exact type of freedom being discussed. We like to think of ourselves and being well above the mean level to which most other nations have obtained. We prove that to our own satisfaction by recalling details common to many situations in our past activities. We feel we can now look at our previous decisions in a more objective light and give an honest appraisal of betterment we have made it to be the centerpiece of our thinking, the by-word of our teaching and prime opinion of our fondest hopes and most laudable hopes and demanding dreams. I often wonder how much longer the American people will continue to be willing to pay the way for this group which thwarts our every effort to encourage world peace and tranquility. At the moment the main concern is the major renovation of the United Nations building in New York City. The plan calls for the purchase of a nearby high rise building. UN offices and personnel will be moved t here while the former HQ building - now "the historic home of the UN" is being modernized and renovated. We will promptly find the recently acquired building is in dire need of modernization. You may have noticed that some of our network radio talk shows are, again this year, urging parents to allow their children to give to the "UN's Children's Fund". If you allow such giving you are treating yourself to some trickery. When we examine the records in strict honesty we are not at all impressed. Many of the good things we have done for all mankind will earn a place in history, but they are, for the most part, far too often facades of fables, fracture factoids and wishful thinking. It continues to puzzle me that someday people continue to believe in the United Nations organization as one of the greatest boons ever known to Man It's wake-up time, America! A.L.M. October 3, 2005 [c374wds]
Sunday, October 02, 2005
WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS I used to wonder why it has been that so many people ask me what tomorrow will be like. I don't know. You don't know. I have long held the view that we really don't want to know what the future holds, even through most of us seem to have rigged so ultimate good. I think one reason I am asked so often I am asked is that I happen to be one of the only people they know who has a memory stock of, at least, one hundred years of memory... my own plus a quarter century more from my parents and other family members and friends. The amazing thing about such mental exercises is the fact that regardless of how fantastic our wildest dream become they will fall short of what the future will actually provide. In this century expect many radical changes: Man will discover a news source of energy. It maybe cosmic in nature, chemical, sound or noise. By that time we see oil refineries dotting our Atlantic coast, on both sides of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico solid with them. Many common diseases will be eradicated. New ones will haunt humanity. Of several new ones, only one will be a major killer. New food forms will be developed. Immense populations will be nourished. Life spans will increase by twenty years. Time warp travel will be common and space travel greatly enhanced. There will be an extended awareness of the inherent unity of Mankind under one creator God. Racial differences will become less troublesome and will fade away as we all become gray rather than black or white; copper or bronze instead of red; tans instead of yellows. Several religious wars will hasten the process. Space colonies will be thriving on the Moon, Mars and three Asteroids fitted with wrap-around space dwellings. Computers will be the center of all civilization. Education will not teach information but rather where one can best find it when needed. A cheerful end note: comedy will continue as Man keeps laughing at himself and strange things he had said and done. A.L.M October 2, 2005 [c366wds]
Saturday, October 01, 2005
SPORTS SAVVY All true-blooded American youth - boys and girls alike; young men and young women - our leaders for Tomorrow should, early in life, select a sport as their favorite special body-builder and stick with it through all of the grim, vicissitudes known, generally as the "thick and thin "of a particular sport until they stand a adored and honored as Grand Champions among athletes of their chosen field of action! It seldom, if ever takes placed with anything nearing perfection in our costly society. The really smart kid in today's world; the wide-awake potential sports star in the future sports whirl learn to live with the idea that he or she had best choose whatever Mom or Dad thought they had wanted to become. In that way you get you get initial start expenses taken care of without any lemonade stand selling or deals of all sorts. The young boy who stands firm and sounds off steadily and with enthusiasm as a pilgrim on his way to Big League Mecca. Dad will applaud. Dad's assistance becomes ; the young girl can choose La Crosses, soccer or basketball and Mom will react in much the same manner. It is, most often, the expense ...the cost - which forbids a young person from by being active in a sport. What about newer sports? How about making a name in Skateboarding, for instance. One young man I know tried golf recently and liked if very much but lost interest when he checked to see what it would cost to get get outfitted and to join a golf club so he would have a place to play. He fount that boards cost from $99.99 to $124.99 and up. You will need an axle arrangement front and rear at $30.00 or so each; wheels will be essential - $12.00 to $20.00 per set of four and you will need more than two or three sets because they do wear rather steadily. A good repair kit is needed which always includes a First Aid Kit. Much of skateboarding expense depends on the climate where you do you ups-and-downs: shoes are forty to $99.99 in one catalog I see pants, shirts, sweats, jackets, hoods, gloves, boots - all around half a hundred - goggles, crash helmets, heel sparklers, and other such goodies. If you tire of simple board skating you can do you thing on ice, too. For less than two hundred dollars you can own a skateboard with four small skis where wheels ought to be or one, long ski. Add all of those costs that up - for several years. Small wonder that we are rapidly becoming a nation of sports watchers rather than active participants on the courts and on the fields. A.L.M October 1, 2005 [c472ds]
|
