Saturday, March 05, 2005
DEVELOPMENT I now live deep within a housing development on land which was which used to be "our" family farm. Many people seem to think that automatically, makes me a critic of all such developments, which is not the case at all. It is quite true that there were others ways I would have liked to have seen developed over the years. The grand old twelve12-room brick house was bull-dozed to a three-pile mass of hand-made brick, plaster, and heavy timbers - some of them rough hewn. I would have liked to have found a way for someone to restore the house to its one-time 1845 glory but that was "not to be", as we say. It was "not destined to be" a future home but rather a place of memories which will, I'd wager become finer as the years go by and stories are told and retold. Many old homes, remembered, are far finer than what they actually were in their original state, I'm sure. It was made of brick manufactured almost precisely where we now live; perhaps half a mile south from the highway which was a "development" itself of the ancient Indian trail traversing the length of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountain range. Even now the land drops off from the old trail and I remember quite well digging ditches and placing four-inch, terra cotta tile to drain excess water away. The fields sloped gradually in broken sections and clay gathered in the level areas. Today residents and builders wonder at the steaks of heavy clay they encounter and I have heard several workmen swear when running into strings of tile I helped place and replace sixty years ago to keep the upper fields drained and tillable. I have found this to be true in so many case where family farms were sold and became housing developments. To see so many people prospering I have come to feel as l as I am sure my father-in-law would have come to feel to see so many families living happily; with children playing in the front yards; gardens blooming the backyards with, flowers decorating every niche and family groups enjoying home ownership. How can any one regret having provided the very substance of the land on which they live out an amazing variety of individual dreams and aspirations. My father-in-law - Irving Driver was born and raised on this farm, in that house which is no longer here. I often wish the kids along this street of ours knew of the man to whom they owe so much! A.L.M March 5, 2005 [c452wds]
Friday, March 04, 2005
WAY TO GO! You, too, have met people who seem to thrive on misery and suffering. Being unfit to meet condition of every day existence, they seek and often find sympathy from someone who allows them to lean upon that person's stability for a moment. The more such help they find; the more they will seek. Let one such complainer stub his toe on a file cabinet at the office and attention is focused on the rising costs of limb amputation and about the worrisome social affects of wearing an artificial leg in normal society. Let them see one developing blemish on their own or your skin - any slight imperfection - and it is time to prepare for an epidemic - world-wide, with no other warning of a dreaded, unknown tropical disease for which no cure has yet been discovered. Charles Darwin, the eminent naturalist, who did so much to make the Gallapagos Islands a part of our known world is geneally thought to have lived a rather dull existence. His mother died when he was four years of of age and he grew up among older people. He studied to be a doctor and switched to Cambridge University to become a Minister in the Church of England. A non-paying job as "naturalist" on a ship called "The Beagle" came to his attention. He applied and got the job and spent five years in the South Pacific not too far off the western coast of South America keeping tab on non-typical turtles and other exotic sea creatures of the island area. Here's the statement I came cross the other day - written by this man Charles Darwin who gave us "Origin of the Species" and other such works. "If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once a week." I found it to be of special interest that a man of such a complex mental capability as Darwin would see some things so simple and commonplace as being so important. He had missed much of this sort of "living", I suppose and spoke as have other learned men of the past - theologians, in particular - who have reminded us of how important it is that we "take time to smell the roses" that bloom alongside the troubled pathways of life. We have recently marked Charles Darwin's birthday - his 196th birthday - February 12th - which reminds us that we shall, very soon, be making he 200th - the Bicentennial Celebration - of his have lived among us -or off to one side of people of his day. He was never a complainer. After two hundred years there still exists strong opposition to Darwin's views as to our being here at all. His enemies still exist and will show themselves at the 200th anniversary. Charles Darwin is one of the few men I can think of who are both admired and loved and yet distrusted and even hated at the same time. Prepare for the Darwin 200. Read some good poetry - listen to some good music. A.L.M. March 4, 2005 [c527wds]
Thursday, March 03, 2005
TO MARKET! TO MARKET! It is not too difficult to find instances of a prosperous, vibrant people seeking a way to market the fruits of their efforts. It is easy to find parallels in various sections of the world, and we can learn from seeing how such activities may be compared and contrasted, and we can realizes more advancements in our area economy. Here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia we have an historical pattern which is common to many geographical locations. As settlement advanced from the coastal areas and moved westward they met with a wall of ancient mountains. We find it difficult to accept the relatively low, worn down mountains as such a formidable barrier as them seem to have been. We, today, need to remember, too, however, that the people of Colonial Virginia had only vague idea of what they might meet with in the western wilderness beyond the blue ridge of mountains. Piedmont Indian tribes living east of the range of mountains, perhaps, spoke of the excellent hunting grounds available to the west, but none of them were strong enough enough to take possession of the Valley. No one tribes ever called the Valley their own. None of tribes could make a claim and defend it. The Valley area from what is now the upper edge of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge... north of Winchester,perhaps, to southwest of Roanoke using modern designations. To this day Indian tribes do not like the idea of being "weak" and a romantic tale is old by many that they "willingly shared the rich Shenandoah Valley as a common hunting ground." They visited the area for game and it is said they have purposely set fire to large area to burn off forest growth when they departed to encourage larger open acreage for Nature to pasture deer, buffalo and other creatures of value as meat and pelts. English settlers used the Hampton Roads waterway and those rivers feeding into the Chesapeake Bay a mean of trading with the inner sections of the area up to the edge of the mountains. The James with serious efforts to start building canals to extend westward to the Valley and beyond. The Potomac River was used and in the area in which I live, the Shenandoah River was such a watery highway where it became "North", "South" forks with a river called "Middle" between them... barge ways which became active in trading of Valley goods to Baltimore and other Chesapeake Bay ports. In England, centuries ago people from whom we are largely descended, used rivers and canals built to extend them from the North Sea coast from The Wash down toward the Channel and continental centers to send great supplies of East Anglia's variety of products into the London urban areas. We, as did those early traders in England used our waterways -natural and man made - until such time as the locomotive was invented and took over as a faster means of getting the job done. They trains, in time, gave way to the lorry after a Scotsman by the name of John McAdam invented a process by which he firmed up the roads with crushed gravel . Macadamizing many old untended highways - including some Roman ruins and in America ancient American Indian trails - signaled the season of the semi, the time of the truckers, the count-up from 4 to 18-wheelers - now seen in many areas as strings thereof. We face a new dilemma, even as we see aircraft taking over much of the trucking business in our longer United States trips. The newest sky monsters are set to carry seven semi loads, faster and safer. Where can we look in history of to find a solution for our new problems of inadequate highways and no remaining rail system of any consequence to augment our present choo-choo train pretenses. One such action is noticeable here in the Valley. Merchandising itself is being sharply modified. We now have at least three major "distribution centers" in this immediate two county area. "Target","Best Buy" and "Marshall's".. with a massive new Wal-Mart distribution center taking gargantuan shape for next year. Several "warehouse" operations of manufactured goods would fit the same classification, and all are closer than ever to the Eastern megalopolis selling centers. We are bringing "supply" closer to potential "users". hA L.M. March 3, 2005 [c737wds]
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
SIT-COM STATUS We are, once again, hearing opinion stated saying: "The Sit-Com is dead!". Changed a bit, perhaps. But, "dead"? No. Trick words such as this combination of "situational" and "comedy" are seldom trustworthy over a period of years. They are made to fit a specific time and circumstances which have, long ago, taking on new meanings or become obsolete. The term "realities" is suffering such such a buffeting now in TV-production land or,perhaps, more accurately TV's "lack of production" land. It is quite true that we might consider the obvious fact that, at the moment the sit-com is not the favorite format in which, TV writers, directors, performers, editors, agencies, production studios, agencies, station owners, PR persons - or viewers. You may protest that last group of people-viewers. You may contend that you still watch many of the "old timers" - and the designation "sit com" is rather broad thing today if you try to define it exactly. I am almost certain that someone in the world is watching an Andy Griffith show every hour of every day in some nation or nations around the globe. "Green Acres" Albert & Gabor, is a regular, "Leave It To Beaver", Happy Days", "Archie Bunker and his family, Bea Arthur and the other three women! You can build a long list and even point to imported sit-coms such as the so-called "Saturday Night Sillies" running successfully by PBS stations as low-budget BBC imports. The reasons why you watch them are not all nostalgia related. You do so for the simple reason that you can't find anything of value to watch on the vast majority of channels available. You actually will find you are watching some of them for the first time around years ago. If your did not watch "Green Acres", "The Musters", The Adams Family" or other such treats, you are watching new stuff -a bit seedy with age; yesterday's gags and clothing and cars styles, but new to you since you have never seem them before. If you are one of those stuffy academic types who can still read Roman numerals in the credits rollover, you can get quick glance at how long ago it was that you had chance top see them first-hand. You may wish to give some thought to how today;s favorite programs are going to look as reruns on TV of that era. Maybe its a good thing that the concept of having TV "channels" is going out of style. In a few year every thing will be "on order". "What shows do we order up for tonight?" I'd willing wager wide wads of mint-warm Washington wampum that some will ask for Andy Griffith every hour - everywhere! Sit-coms were folksy comments on living. They will always be with us in some art form. They are the best way "we" have to remember "us". A.L.M. March 2, 2005 [c498wds]
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
DON'T FORGET TO REMEMBER Hang on to your dreams! You will need memories of pleasant times, pleasant things, and people as you grow older. It's all those "little things" which made childhood so enjoyable that we tend to look back and enlarge upon them as we add years to our age Many such memories remain hidden away in the random wrinkles of our brains around a core of a holiday, a special event, a day of exceptional meaning to us, or a departure we once made from the seeming routine process of our young lives. Try to recall how the process of creation of such dreams and re-do a few of them for today. Give some thought to those things which decorate our early dreams. Older people continue to want and desire things they don't really expect to ever possess. We, as little kids, certainly did not really expect to ever have most of the things of which we dreamed - such thing as as being able to fly through the air as does a bird; to swim under the wave-tossed surfaces of the sea like a fish or sit in your home and watching things happening on the other side of Earth. So many things we now accept as normal, were the raw ingredients of our dreams. We used to imagine we would someday hear voices and see pictures of other people all over the world, and we tried our best to solve the unwanted experiences of flood, fire, famine,strife, trouble and outright war - all those things which threatened us and the oldsters among whom we lived and grew. Most memories, however, seem to have to do with people. The events which took place and cause us to remember for former times, we caused by people. In back of each and every one of those happenings we remember there were known or secret desires, needs, wants, or loves of individuals - people of all kinds. In looking back upon our memories we in invariably associated events with certain people we knew at that time. In developing our own dreams now as older persons, we should, even must be concerned with people we know. They are living out their dreams and what they do - the events they cause now, today - however trivial they may seem to be - may well be the most important influence in your life - even the shorter one you are "finishing out". Their opinion of you as a co-creator of their own dreams is an indication of the way people will think and speak of you in years ahead. Children seem to sense it. The way to build a good store of pleasant memories is to work sincerely in maintaining good friendships with good people you meet. In truth, you are both working on the same project. A.L.M. March 1, 2005 [c480wds]
Monday, February 28, 2005
ACOUSTIC QUERY Is it true that the common sound a duck makes - usually sounded among humans as "quack!"-is a sound which does not echo? I have come across an assertion twice recently which insisted the sound in question doesn't produce and echo. I have been concerned because my favorite television critter - the AFLAC duck may have missed an opportunity to produce yet another prize-winning commercial. Picture that redoubted duck quacking up and down the length of the Grand Canyon or some other such side-walled structure - natural or NASA-made. The normal sound, according to the the theory in question,does not produce an echo, but the commercial term AFLAC which is that duck's trademark, reverberates full and strong - which calls for a series of selling words of explanation by announcers standing by waiting for just such a moment. Could it possibly be that the texture of the ducks "quack!"is of an inferior tonal quality which sets it apart among unusual sounds. It might be, I theorized, that the "quack!" sound is formed by aspiration rather than inspiration of air into the duck lung passing over vocal chords in a reversed manner to produce a different sound headed in the wrong direction. I even gave some thinking time when someone else pointed out to me - that, since the word "quack!" is almost always spelled with a "!" included, perhaps that ! got in the way if the echo-genesis process in some silly way. Realizing that the entire subject can get silly, I, immediately, Google-ized the question and promptly found out why this non-echo duck lore has been a news item recently. During the early days of this month of February 2005 "the British Association Festival of Science at the University of Salford." discussed the subject in detail. Their summations were based on studies recently completed at the university in Greater Manchester, north-west England. They tested a duck named "Daisy" in a reverberations chamber, and in simulations such as having some quackery done in Royal Albert Hall,in London. They marked the entire idea of non-echoing quacks as "myth". However, they have rather impishly left several loopholes for those who wish to continue believing otherwise. One: "Tests revealed definite echos...but perhaps not as noticeably." Two: "duck's quack is rather quiet...sounds coming back a such a low level (they) might not be heard". And, a third such loophole:"a quack is a fading sound...It has gradual decay...It is hard to tell the difference between the actual quack and the echo. That's especially true if you have not previously heard what it should sound like with no reflections." Ducks quack but do their quacks echo? Listen carefully and build your own theory. A.L.M. February 28, 2005 [c468wds]
Sunday, February 27, 2005
EDENS AHEAD You may be among the many people who seem to think the former armed services members complain far too much about "benefits" and seem to feel they were short-changed many years ago and some who seem to feel they are still being "cheated out"of advantages they earned. During the waning months of World War II, I can remember that we persons then in the armed services were told of many wonders which we would consider to be commonplace for us as returned civilians once the war was ended. One such "promise" which was heard frequently, was that we would all return to our old life styles - our old jobs, our families, (as we remembered them), our favorite sports activities (in far better physical condition than we had ever met them before) and a more, rather than less, degree of pleasures in our lives. There was persistent rumor which ran through various branches of the service which said each veteran would received a bonus payment of twenty-thousand dollars upon discharge as a token of gratitude from a grateful citizenry. It was also predicted that we would all be flying individual or family helicopters shortly after the end of the war instead of old-fashioned cars and trucks. It all depend on how fast the assembly lines could switch over from making B-24's and B17's to turn out the little, inexpensive choppers we would enjoy so much. Many of us could expect to make a living in those plants, too - making all the things we would need. Everything was going to be better after the war. We believed that, and it is good that we did, in some ways. That's what is needed for men to work hard to be on the winning side in any war. As long as one had confidence in a brighter future he will strive more diligently to meet whatever the pressing needs facing him. The "promises" quoted above were real. I met with each of them, and others you would not believe. I have wondered about the roots of such rumors and absolve the military authorities of making such promises. I do hold the ultimate authorities of not having less-fancy plans at ready. Returning home, I found the "bonus" talk had been passed down to be a "states" worry. A state just to the north of mine promptly voted a $300 Bonus payment to GI of their state showing Honorable Discharge papers. A number of states did that, but my own saw it a different light. They used the same amount of state funds as other state governments, but specified that such a Bonus Fund be spent in setting up a statewide Veteran's Office. For the next few years it channeled needs the federal offices or duplicated services offered and the VA offices. Then, unfunded, of course, the state VA idea simply faded way. I have wondered how such stories ever started. Newspapers and magazines of the era published stories of such bright futures. While GIs had limited access to the papers such publication did color what family members wrote to them from home. I have yet to see a study of just how much trust we troops placed on words from home, but it was well above average. I can recall the service's own publication "Stars & Stripes" running a few stories of like nature. Today - when you overhear combat veterans of recent or current wars seemingly complaining about their lot, run the "Caution" flag up high on your brain staff where can keep a wary eye on it as you think and re-think that which you think you are thinking about his or her expressed views. A.L.M. February 27, 2005 [c625wds]
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