Saturday, December 31, 2005
TO WHERE? Are we, indeed, as a nation, in a period of cultural decline as many loud persons, so proclaiming , tell us we are. I am generally suspicious of any person who has a cure ready for everything that might face us socially or physically. Could it be, rather than a declining situation, that our case has been improperly diagnosed? As a nation we are rather young. We think we have lived a rather full existence in our short span. My own state, the Commonwealth Virginia. Is getting ready to observe her 400th birthday in 2007. It will call for us to take a close look at what we have accomplished in that time. It will also be a time in which we mus evaluate the enduring worth of our action in the past. Youth, generally, lets confidence show itself. We have been accused from time-to-time of being a bit on the cocky side when meeting with European or other nations. The opinion has, at times, been justified depending on the nature of the individuals who have represented us in those specific times. The upcoming years of such birthday celebrations marking four hundred years of existence, may be a good time for us to access our past accomplishments and to determine wherein we may have been amiss in dealing with with some of the problems which faced us. It may well be that we, at times, have confused quantity those quality. In our past we have taken risks. That element, too, is typical at times of most nations as they grow and mature. How did those experiences affect our national history? Are they part of the reason for the alleged attitude of superiority? Can we justify actions we have taken in the past which may no fit well with he best thinking of today? In truth, there will, I think, be little reason to think we can change things we did wrong as any point of crisis in our years of becoming what we are today. We can , however, learn to live with them in constructive, healing ways. Any nation claiming to be pure is in abject error so, on our 400th Birthday be prepared to witness the presence of warts, wens and withered areas on the birthday cake,. Some of the candles simply will not burn and add light. Some of he sweetness will be bitter and some of the color will be faded and waning. It could, perhaps, be that we have forgotten much of the stress and growing pains because of the exceptional blessings which have come our way. This 400th birthday celebration will be a good time for taking inventory of our accomplishments and of our failures and those times when we have been, perhaps, amiss in our duties toward others. A.L.M. December 31,2005 [c474wds]
Friday, December 30, 2005
FUTURISM I find people,this year,to be rather reticent in predicting what might take place in the immediate three hundred sixty five days now upon us as the year 2006. They will talk long-term, but few seem ready to guess what the next twelve calendar pages will hold for us. Find I among them, too. I think many of us agree that Iraq - and bigger than that narrow name – will continue to be the main source of news. However, I do not feel it will increase in the catastrophic dimensions predicted by some politically-pegged groups here in the United State. With some nasty nit-picking associated they will continue to plague present leadership with with negative views fresh from the stale stock of the mullah's minions in their maddest moments. We will need to be on guard as average citizens in the next twelve months, lest we are our own victims by reason of informational ignorance. In spite of all that is currently being bandied - and “banded to just about every physical portion of the Earth by an aging, somewhat in-grown television system and and expanded to just about everywhere by advances in sonic style radio. The average citizen is going to be called upon to think more for himself rather than to simply swing on the informational vine in company with a chattering pixel head or keyboard. We stand in rather urgent need right now of the presence of a strong public voice among us which remind us that in the past our attitudes concerning war and peace; my-way and your-way, right and wrong have been by and large, rather fundamental in keeping with the serious economic, social, religious stands we have set for ourselves. For the year ahead I am confident that this stature which is so much a part of the American way is strong enough – true enough to the ideals of its founders. A.L.M. December 30, 2005 [c335wds]
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
TAKE A POLL It is not necessary for a person to qualify as one of the world's few remaining, internationally-known brain surgeons,or to claim that you are rightfully the fastest peanut sheller in the country, to decided that what we call “television programming” is getting to be of poorer quality each year. I met one such individual just this past week,who thinks at the production people who make so much of TVs programming material have collectively, it seems, gone stark, raving mad. Not just ”off their rocker”,or some other witty way to say “they don't have all of their allotted potatoes, mashed, fried, or even powdered. They may not be that bad off, but some of them are, indeed, well...sick. Many of them are making use of the reruns on half a dozen stations. If anything, Raymond is now loved by everybody – plus. Certainly,TV show producers must see what happens when they kill a successful show. “Friends” did it. “Raymond” made the transition just as others have done in the past. How many times do you watch Andy Griffith in his various roles, how about “G:Green Acres”, The Munsters,”, “The Adams Family, Lawrence Welk and others? The re-run is not new. One can easily see the money re-runs must pays at other doorsteps. Of course, it could also be true that producers actually fare better financially - if they drop an older show and go with a new one- even if it is known to be inferior in some ways. It is not at all clear just what money arrangements are made by “rentees” and “rentors” of such properties and it may well be that the original owners ,even the stars performing the leading roles, are making a”second killing” all over again in some manner. So, we may not be aware of the forces which drive changes whereby good shows are ended and replaced by ones which seem, to us, to be inferior. Money talks, and in a host of local dialects, as well. We get so used to certain favored shows that we fail to see changes which occur as the year as the years go by. That which seems normal and right for us might not so appear to those who live about us – the growing group in our midst; those we know and live with. The characters on the shows mature and grow older. Part of the reason for such changes in favorite shows depends, you see, on you. It is not always some “high-paid numskull” in TV production land who decides he final favorite show date. Each of us contributes in our own, small way. A.L.M . December 26, 2005 [c458wds]
Monday, December 26, 2005
BOXING DAY
England has had a “boxing day”for more than eight hundred years, I'm told, and I think we need one.
Everywhere the tradition still holds firm it has, through misuse and application without self-defacement mindset. Boxing Day is that one day of the year – traditionally the day after Christmas Day – which has been set apart for all of us to give expression through the concept of providing for those persons who did not enjoy the “Merry Christmas” you enjoyed.
The observance occurs in many forms, I'm told. Some keep it close to home hearth by simply wrapping our old shoes and other wear replaced with new ones and deliver them to the poor and needy people. Americans do pretty mush the same thing when we clothing items at the Salvation Army' or Good wills collection points around he city. The items are then channeled to those in need. It is said that Boxing Day was, at one time, more closely connected to individual family group. One system placed empty cartons in the rear of each eating area used by the family during the holiday and members dropped in such gifts as they had which were then divided among the servants. All those servants who had worked so long and so long might have a worthy reward for their trouble and a holds a sort of holiday time of their own. One might out a point out a parallel in American industry whereby firms give their workers Christmas bonus gifts such a frozen turkey, a ham, candies, fruits, fruitcakes, whisking,wines and seafoods but this practice has grown less evident as economic condition worsened and our industrial locations have lost family status with workers off shore. A.L.M. December 26, 2005 [c303wds]
Sunday, December 25, 2005
AT THE MOMENT Now that the Christmas Day celebrations are coming to a halt in most sections of our country we can make an evaluation of the day in the light of what was expected. Some people had anticipated a time was was ripe for another sneak attacks by our sworn enemies, but that has not, as yet, occurred. Those people who have been worried about such an attack are not to be scorned or vilified for guessing incorrectly this time, because it is, very often, their alert worry and care which tells the rest of us that danger does, indeed, still exist. We must not let our guard down, even when things begin to take on a rosy glow according to the manner in which the “news” is placed before us. We are ,in spite of our much lauded systems of communication not all aware of the true structure of those news accounts which reach us through channels we, ourselves, have set up very often to retain certain elements we deem to be of importance. Today's accounts say today was a rather quiet one in Jerusalem. Well over a hundred thousand pilgrims form all faiths were there and no tales of rioting or mass assault as absent from tonight's news accounts. Dissident groups will report minor, local skirmishes and try to make the make them appear to have been major problems censored for some indefinite reason. It is, perhaps, unwise to place complete trust in any one telling of such stories. The day has been good one. If you followed the path I did, we all overate, perhaps over-rested a bit, too and now we have a memory of a peaceful day during a time of war. We must remind ourselves of the consequences of relaxing too much and even pretending there is no war in the traditional, all out sense. If you fail to support the troops we have active in the fields of war around the world you are committing treason. The war in which we are engaged demands much of each of us – all citizens and chief among the moral honesty. Be firm in your beliefs and live by and with them. A.L.M. December 25, 2005 [c379wds]
Saturday, December 24, 2005
L.O.L. It is not a good thing for man, woman or child to have in heart or soul any special cares on the eve which marks the birth of our Savior. Certainly, in time of war we are a people beset with unusual concerns for our lives but for those of thousands upon thousands of people all around the world. Not only does such physical strife cause us worry and doubts, but we also have all-too-near memories of tsunami waves, hurricanes, floods and kindred mishaps with Nature. All of these haunt us in many ways. Certainly there has never been such a Christmas tide for recent decades; such a crushing time marked by the lack of love flowing among us. We need to be reminded, however, that love remains constant. It is still there; it remains steadfastly in place, but it is very much obscured by such lrcoomvwar, and other maladies which harm the very fabric of our being in special profusion at this moment in our history. The wars at hand, mishaps, disease, poverty, ignorance, famine, illness of many kinds and – above all - tragic oversights in care and maintenance of people and principles. h Oddly enough it is only if we do not think about the problem and do something about it that real damage is done. It can be good if we think about our problems, and pray about them during these glory-fortified times of the year. Now is when the reflection of the reality of his birth and of his presence in our daily lives if we so will it to be. That's a sapecailxtimeinoujr life sequence when we are most closely tuned to His precense with us.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
FOREST FIRE Among the many stories which will come from the current, continuing and costly wildfires in Arizona and California, is one from which we can all learn a much needed and valuable lesson. It would certainly pay us to give more attention to keeping our forests in proper condition. By "proper", I mean keep them useful to man as he harvests their treasures and does so under conditions which encourage and maintain Nature's dominance. One California resident in the fire stricken area has been clearing his property regularly for years, he has eliminated exessive undergrowth and cut those trees which were close enough to torch his home if they chanced to burn. He kept the trees trimmed as much as possible and even planted some new, varied ones set sufficently apart from his home to add variety and make it all more beautiful. For doing all this, he has been scorned by his neighbors; even sued in the courts for "destroying the natural habitat" of several specified wilflife critters found throughout the entire area. After the fire, which burned homes all around, but did not touch his, he became the only resident of the area who has living specimens of the various threatened biolocial and zological species on his property. They sought, and some of them actually found, sanctuary from the steadily approaching walls of flame. When, one might ask, are we going to come to understand the importance of foresty care and maintenance. It is not a matter of simply refusing to use the forests at all and to allow them, even force them, to fall back into a chaotic state we call "wilderness." That is the foolish way out of the predicament in which we have placed ourselves and one which does not solve any problems at all. Rather, it increases other dangers we must confront in years to come.. Living in the wilderness is a harsh setting for Man. It has always been so, and wild life as well. Our artists and poets describe a totally different paradise than the wilderness dweller usually found he had to conquer or die. The dominent form of life takes over in any specific area and the rest have a rough time of merely staying alive - much less prospering. We have been victims of excessive and often hollow-headed enthiusiasms related to the serious subject of envionmental control. It has been warped into a social values thing far removed form the actual needs of a constantly changing state of being one in which Nature thrives at its best, for the moment. To think of the environment as being a packagable, bounded, concrete, pre-determined set of perfectly constant little compartments is sheer idiocy. It is time for us to begin to learn how wrong our attempts to rein Nature into our idea of what we think she ought to be. We must learn to us our natural resorces and not allow ourselves to be blinded by emotional considerations which are, at best, ever costly to both man and beast. We need to use our forests rather than to push them to disuse and ruin. A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c531wds]
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
HELPING HAND The heavy hurricane season, and the exceptionally amount of damage done along our Gulf Coast have brought to the forefront an American trait we should use more often, sustain, strengthen and nourish as something proper in our way of living. It is called “charity” by some but there are those who seem to feel that term to be demeaning, so we call it “lending a hand in time of needs,“ some other less disturbing term. We have, in 2005, seen examples of how well the concept does work and also some examples of incidents where it did not work – certainly not as well as we felt it might function. We have, it appears, allowed it all to become rusty with disuse over the years in which years we have ventured from the concept of individual charity beginning at home into government assistance as a part of the welfare state. He best of such giving is done rather quietly. I remember watching a young child taking its first steps with family gathered around and watching his every move. He stood by a straight-backed holding it in a firm grasp. The projected trip was a three or four foot space from the chair to a sofa. He plainly had some doubts about the adventure; loosed his his hold on the chair; balanced a bit, then tightened his grasp once again on the chair. I was seated closest to him and, reading the doubt in his eyes, I held my cane out in front of him. He grasped the end of the cane and followed it across the chasm and ,without realizing his support was gone threw himself in the welcoming arms for Grandma hugs. That's my idea of the manner in which we give in times of need. We help the individual express himself in doing for his self whenever possible. You ,too, could not help but notice in recent weeks how there as been a general upsurge in the rate of giving and from many segments of our society. Children have been given through their school and church groups. Adults have joined in fund raising activities of every imaginable type so more money could be sent to the stricken areas. Money with which to buy food, provision of all types; money with which people can rebuild a life which- in a sense of “belongings” has been totally destroyed. We all know that such tangibles cannot be replaced; that they will never be the same but in helping as best we can be come to realize a wholesome and worthy bond has been established between the haves and the have-nots of the moment. During the holiday times in which we are reveling, make it a special point to reflect upon the continuing plight of thousands of victims who are homeless, as well as those who have returned to the often desolate homes in Gulf coast villages and cities. Make sure your Happy New Year is a sharing one as well. A.L.M. December 22, 2005 [c511wds]
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
BACK TO . . . .
Occasionally, we come across a city or mid-sized town which is attempting to bring about a return to a bygone era of supposed prosperity and of a vague and, perhaps, will full nostalgic sense of blissful well-being for all. In some cases the olden era to which planner are working to resuscitate is a strong, practical memory of an elite group of citizen with property and professional and either commercial, or industrial holdings which were in demand at that time and upon which their present-day prosperity is founded.. In-depth reading of the local newspaper's morgue files will show a student how people lived and what was of real importance to their way of life. I think you know of cities which fit this pattern. It is unwise for any outsider to suggest that what was right for crowded, little colonial town of Williamsburg, Virginia is not, automatically proper for other villages in our time. Every citizen has or her idea of just what the "old town" may have been like at one time or another; some idea, perhaps, of the ethical concepts of the social groups which enabled the community to grow in physical size and prosper in many other ways as well. Seldom do we find such images which could be matched. It is not difficult to see why some whole-city restoration plans go astray or simply get lost in a welter of modernization and replacements. The people who are now trying to re-establish the fine, old and very unique city as anything else other than what it has always been will find their plan will flounder and fade. The physical needs of the complex City of New Orleans after the ravages of hurricane and food damages, provide a particularly difficult task because they are beset with a myriad group of idea as to what so many different people seem to think a restored city might mean to them and to future residents and visitors. They are going to have to remember that New Orleans has - and must ever be - a special type of city. If it is made to be anything other than what it has been...is...and will be again....such plans will falter and fail. It has long been one of the nation's favorite entertainment centers. It has been that, if you so desired, one could find in New Orleans the kind of entertainment you considered best for you. One could find gambling of various kinds, one could seek out avenues of a sexual nature, others could enjoy fine dining in a large selection of restaurants of many types including Creole-oriented cookery with its gumbo magic. There is a backlog of history studies and discovery. Nature studies abound. Then, there's music - the roots of was correctly called "jazz" during its early days - and it is here we must part because this would go on endlessly once we get started on that phase of the enduring values of a city to which we are - all of us - obligated in more ways than we might realize. A..L.M. December 19, 2005 [c529wds]
Friday, December 16, 2005
SUPER BUS I can still look at photographs of the all new Airbus A380 which is, undeniably the world's largest passenger plane, and have some serious doubts about the existence of such a sky-crunching flying objects. It is big in ever sense of the word and it weighed in about 308-tons out of the ultra-high-tech bathtub that got it clear, clear and ready for public showing as being flyable. The maiden flights were made around the Armagnac area of southwestern France. It was done at 10:30 in the morning when thousands of people gathered to see the giant aircraft would actually fly. There must surely have been a score or so of individuals in that crowd who has some secret doubt that the event might not go as planned. They would not admit it, of course, not even to themselves, but there are some such doubters in all such crowds at first-trip starting points. The ”Titanic”, for instance, in 1912 went un-photographed more or less when launched. The photographs of the vessel you see in news releases of the events are those made of her sister ship built later. Photographic chores were very lax during the maiden voyage planning. The emphasis was on the impressive list of important people who were making the maiden trip. In the present case we have plenty of good photographs showing how large every area of this magnificent flying machine. We are impressed with he spaciousness of seating areas. They can get five hundred or more of us in there depending on the seating arrangements they consider to be comfortable. Now, add all of that army of riders to a six member crew and perhaps twenty tons or so of luggage and cargo. It all has to be lifted up off of that tarmac pavement; lofted into the clouds and sailed about gracefully and artistically. We all hope it will go as planned,but there are some among us who wonder - even worry deep down – about mishaps. The line of fire trucks parked at intervals along the runway, don't exactly improve a confident feeling. The engines take over. Your consciousness is motorized and measures the movement down the runway carefully and you start breathing normally as you witness the giant craft take to the air. Some of us remember the Concorde supersonic marvels of 1969, already set aside for reasons of economy. The new Airbus A380 is catalog pri
Monday, December 12, 2005
STAR MAKERS The next time you find yourself charged with tending small children or, at least keeping them from getting into trouble try showing them how much fun they can have making stars! It will take you just minutes to show them how they can make neat, five-pointed stars with just one small, straight clip of a properly folded piece of paper! Get some sheets of paper. Any size will do; more-or-less square. The bigger the paper; the larger the star. Pages of a discarded magazine will do fine. Don't start sneaking pages from the printer tray because kids or adults tend to go into wholesale production once they find out how – with just one scissors clip - they can make bright shimmering stars! Start your demonstration star by selecting one sheet of paper. You are going to fold it upon itself one, two, three times. The first fold in simply. Crease the fold flat. Keep the open edge facing on you any flat surface. Next, take the “A” or upper left of the corner of the folded sheet. Think of it in this way: you are picking up the Puget Sound, WA. area and placing it at a point half-an-inch back from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean – about the west end of Hampton Roads or even Richmond, VA. Place the Point “A”; just half an inch back from the Atlantic ocean midway - at about Hampton Roads, Va. and back from the ocean edge by half an inch or so. Crease flat. Fold the same portion back upon itself twice, crease down and you are ready to cut your five-pointed star! Just one snip it all it takes. You have as tight triangle in hand with two single page flaps hanging below. Start to cut at the lower left corner of the triangle and aim at about one-third of the distance down from the top of the triangle on the left side. You might think of cutting yourself a medium slice of pie. The fatter you cut it, the wider the points of will be on your finished star. Clip to the edge and unfold your new star! Kid stuff. Think otherwise. Dedicated star makers have some historic lore they pass around which insists that George Washington, at one time,insisted on six-pointed stars for the new national flag. Betsy Ross is said to have quickly folded a scrap of cloth and, with a single clip, scissored a modern five-pointer. He admired her digital dexterity and it won him over. A.L.M. December 12, 2005 [c483wds]
Friday, December 09, 2005
THE STAGING STAGE We are, at the moment, still in the get-ready period during which the platform is being made ready for the of an event called, by some, “the prime happening of our century”; by others, the official trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and it will, doubtless, be called by other names as it drags to a vague conclusion months - even years from now. The accused individual it catching on fast. This week, after being present and talkative for the opening sessions,borrowed a “conduct” page from Michael Jackson's California routines when he announced he would not be there in the court room the next day. He complained of not having even a change of underwear, or of the way in which he has not been improperly provided for in food, fabric and facilities. In the course of his accounts of such inattention to his basic needs he managed to let the presiding judge know of his displeasure by inviting His Honor to ”go to Hell.” He got away with it, too. The next morning the fenced area where Saddam usually perched and pouted was empty. The judge, it seems, had decided to declare it to be “work day” for staff . He had sent Saddam a note excusing him from, being present, Em person, that day of the court proceedings. The staff, which should have been stunned st around all day, I assume, twiddling their thumbs and wondering what Saddam would next to stall, for time and stretch this story time out as long as possible. Here in America we should be constantly on the alert to detect an sign of Yankee doodling in all of this affair because our one-time Attorney-General and aspirant for the presidential office Ramsey Clark, is present and not always fully accounted for among Saddam's herd of lawyers. He says he is there to see that Saddam gets a fair trial. The ridiculous is going to be in constant collision with the sublime in the future episodes of this well-planned attempt at total exoneration. A.L.M. December 9, 2005 [c386wds]
Monday, December 05, 2005
SELF-BLAME "You have no one to blame but yourself!" How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans? There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears. Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?" "Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect" "But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..." "Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!" It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards. We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly. We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all. A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds] SELF-BLAME "You have no one to blame but yourself!" How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans? There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears. Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?" "Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect" "But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..." "Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!" It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards. We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly. We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all. A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds] SELF-BLAME "You have no one to blame but yourself!" How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans? There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears. Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?" "Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect" "But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..." "Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!" It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards. We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly. We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all. A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds] SELF-BLAME "You have no one to blame but yourself!" How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans? There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears. Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?" "Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect" "But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..." "Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!" It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards. We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly. We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all. A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds] ljlfma
Sunday, December 04, 2005
NEWS NOTIONS Do you find that you have difficulty, at times, in “keeping up” with the news of the day on TV? I do. From time-to-time, not often mind you, just occasionally, I have sought ways of combating such a feeling of being inadequate. Some viewers speak of themselves as being “followers of the news” as if they are dragged along and able, at times, to pick up scraps - bits and pieces - “snippets” of news here and there which can be melded into a story in some manner. There are also those who brag about their way which enables them to “keep abreast of happenings around the world” - a comprehensive absorption of all the many streams of information from around the globe. We envision a sort of relay race in constant progess to determine who can memorize the most from five minutes of spoken headlines every hour on the hour. The news remains always in a fluid or transitional state. Try to determine what type of news listener you think you would rather be, before you judge all TV news presentations to be less than good. So much depends on what type of news listener you think you want to be. Last Friday morning when the business day along the East Coast areas, one TV network informed us that some nut had sent a message saying he was going to blow up a Court House at a specified time in the State of Connecticut. The note did not say which ones or where, and, for that reason, five Court Houses in major urban areas were closed and being evacuated. Federal Court locations were being swept for explosives. Before too long a camera was placed on a window ledge in an office building and we could see down through an tangle of communication wires and lush, green trees into a busy, downtown intersection in which normal traffic moved steadily. I assumed the large building on one corner was on the the five threatened Court House structure. It irked me that the TV news crew used that same deadly shot over and over and again during the hours which followed right down to a wet-blanket finish at the set time when not even a sparkler had been set off. In general, TV news is well done. It is no easy task to keep it fresh, factual and flowing. Usually what you get is what you can absorb .You get what you are, in a very real sense. A.L.M. December 3, 2005 [c366wds]
Thursday, December 01, 2005
BAD MOUTHING In my book, it is "wrong." I have long felt that for us to cheapen the process by which we elect our Supreme Court justices is harmful in many ways. By the ramshackle methods which as come to be more or less standard, we ignore entirely the best thought of the president, that of his immediate staff, and the process which takes place within the judicial system as it sifts, sorts and selects those individuals deemed to be considered as being qualified as potential leadership positions. None of our Presidents could be accused of making such appointments by chance; by flipping a coin, perhaps, or ...by -. Now, that I see that word "none" in cold print I think I may wisely ask you to change it to "few" even though I realize some of our White House residents have made their decisions - even important ones - by means of some curious by-paths. It made me feel good to hear just the other day that former President William J. Clinton along this line of making free choices quoted as having said was not in favor of the way in which we go to work on nominees to prevent Senate approval. Clinton, it seems, looks upon the concept of a sitting President has the right to suggest persons for such offices. It's among some of other perks that go with the job of being President When we insist on dragging the good name of the worthy citizen suggested by the President we make a mechanism out of a method. T would be to the advantage of our national well-being if wed could arrange some other method whereby political party people m might refrain from such childishness as is so often displayed in this unpleasant situation. Our entire nation would benefit from such a change and we would allay our tendency to make public service something to be avoided. We need more people who are eager to seek a place in our government rather than fewer. Each time we go through this uncomfortable phase we drive someone away from a place of guidance and leadership. A.L.M. December 1, 2005 [c366wds]
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