Tuesday, April 26, 2005
MATUREITY I notice that present-day school teachers, when asked to describe today's students, seem to hesitate in doing so, but eventually come down on the side of: "they're much more mature than we were." The hesitation, I have noticed, is usually in relation to the term "mature" itself. They seem to agree that today's students are, indeed, more mature but they wonder if your definition of that word is the same as theirs. The critical area is that to some of us the term "mature" simply means "older" - physically and mentally more advanced. Boy's are more muscular and macho in attitude; girls are more ample in bosom and hip areas. We think of them as being more "grown up" and more aware of the aspects of social life which will be the challenge to their future. They have been pushed into this by adults who insist their children start adult habits early in life - such as girls wearing cosmetics from kindergarten years on up. Girls clothing, too, is fashioned as a cut-down version of mother's or of some movie or TV starlet. Boys are expected to emulate the outdoors man ethos, even while being allowed to be couch potatoes in front of the home TV or Nintendo set. Both are expected to learn what life is all about from watching MTV daily. The teacher's opinion can be totally wrong is he or she has misjudged the home upbringing the child. The teachers may deal with things as they should be while parents deal (or refuse to deal) with things as they really are. They come down on the positive side, but , in doing so, risk the displeasure of parents and families. The teacher's role is not an easy one these days. An accurate estimate of just where youth stands today in comparison to the youth of our day or any other time, requires that both views be incorporated in any study. Too often what seems to be the immaturity of the child is really that of the parent who never quite grew up. In view of the obvious excesses of recent generations, I think today's youth has a remarkably steady grasp of things which really matter. Both sides need to re-adjust their thinking to be fair about judging what has happened in the past. It is not solely a matter of long-haired boys, or nearly skirtless girls; nor is it a matter of taciturn oblivion staring back at you when you examine the face of a young boy or girl. It should not come as any surprise to older people that the youth of today are "poorly informed" on topics which were considered to be "essential" or "basic" in our time. Have you noticed, for instance, how many young people have little or no knowledge of Nursery Rhymes and wash out completely when that subject comes up in TV quiz shows and in common talk? An entire generation has grown up without hearing Mother read Nursery Rhymes at bedtime. It is, furthermore, evident that in its place the upcoming generation now knows a fund of Disney versions of the nursery classics which are often far removed from any resemblance to the originals. This seems very trivial, does it not? Yet, it is indicative of what has taken place in may other aspects of our lives. A Walt Disney version of "the birds and the bees" format both fall far short of meeting a teens needs today in the live-a-day world. Certainly our youth are more "advanced" in many ways today, with electronic aspects such as the previous generations never dreamed of having in common, everyday use. Life is so much more "open" today; yet minds remain closed. We are failing to make proper use of the advantages we now have and the young people are being put at risk far too soon. If you "hesitate" when asked the same question it may well be that we are seldom talking about the same thing. We must agree to common terms and use them consistently if we expect to come up with a workable answer. A.L.M. April 25, 2005 [c697wds]
April 27, 2005 THE RACE IS ON Gentlemen! Start your Production Agencies! The end of the urge to do "makover" TV shows is drawing to a close. It remains to be seen which network make the "makeover" that will make the "makeovers" move over and admit the absolute utmost in makeover manufacturing has been achieved. The show you will produce is the absolute utmost of the genre and will send "Makeovers" into the happy haven of old TV shows - not with the weary whimper we read about, but, rather, with a rewarding blending of fine on-set talent with exceptional directing skills. Haven't we had enough "Makeover" shows? Most of us can remember when the first of these make over shows came to TV, One of your favorite daytime talk or variety shows would introduce a special guest or they would make a big thing of transporting her to the studio as a surprise. In the studio within minutes, she was a told she would receive a free make over. It was done by means of a new hair style, the proper cosmetics, new clothing items and accessories such as she never had before. At the end of the hour she was presented to the audience which responded well time-after-time on seeing a wall-flower transformed into a bouquet of bright, happy blooms. It worked well with studio people and with the dotted-line signers who paid the bills. The makeover became a special part of the format; then a routine part in show after show. The next phase centered on real estate. At first the general method was to seek out someone in need of better housing and to fashion a program to supply that need. The timing element had to be maintained, as well. It required large groups of qualified workmen working around the clock to do the job overnight or over a long week-end. This series went along even better than the first, especially when a strong sense of humor was added drawing on the fast timing and human foiables. As the format grew and was copied the type of homes changed. Only occasionally did we see families in need of improved homes. The program emphasis veered away from what people needed toward what some people wanted or desired. The concept of making-do was dying out and the workers were re-focused, first on total, absolute destruction of the old house and the quick construction of a new house on the site. To my way of thinking, "Makeovers" have changed to "Replacement". They are not the same. A.L.M. April 30, 2005 [c444wds]
ONE FOR FUN The Ladies of the Staunton-Augusta County Rescue Squad station, Staunton,Virginia included the following "recipe" in their Cook Book dated 1986. I like it. E L E P H A N T S O U P 1 elephant 2 rabbits (Optional) salt and pepper Cut elephant into bite-size pieces. This should take about two months. Add enough gravy water to cover. Cook over kerosene fire for about four weeks at 465-degrees. This will serve 3,800 people. If more guests are expected, two rabbits may be added, but do his only if necessary, as some people do not like it when they find hare in their soup. I like dumb items of this nature. A bit of homey humor can relieve some of the pressure of everyday life. Actually I enjoy this sort of thing more than the standard "jokes" of our era. Far too much of the humor in our lives - jokes, stories, so-called comedy and sit-coms on TV and in the fund of funny stuff here on the Web , is narrow right now. Far too much of the humor on all of these, and other media including book publications, seem to be based in the premise that unless the content involves sex in some way - it cannot possibly be "funny." Present-day humor of TV - especially those video-taped funny-things, dwell far too often dangerously dumb actions, human and an animal misery. ..about as funny as a big brown. The fund-raising Cook Book I'm talking about has a page or two at the back of the collection featuring off-beat recipes such as this one. Most of them deal with more mundane subjects such as "Recipe For a Happy Home", "A Happy New Year"..." Preserved Children." and that sort of thing. "Elephant Soup" struck me as a novelty among them. We all need some foolishness in our lives. That, to me, is a part of being happy. Some of the most unhappy people I have ever known have been those who take every moment of every day seriously and work intently to keep it from being brighten up by a linguistic and mental change of pace. Being happy can often be a matter of seeing how ridiculous we appear as we do some of the things we do. And, only you can decide if it makes you feel better. I'd say it is worth a try. Our attitude toward other people around us need not be changed radically to a "Chucklin' Charlie" sort of person. Nothing is more deadly than forced comedy, but it does make life easier to see some of the lighter elements which go to make up our daily lives. A.L.M. April 26, 2005 [c462wds]
Monday, April 25, 2005
GUNDALOWS The technical term for the flat-bottom river boats used so successfully on the Shenandoah River in early Virginia history, no doubt would resemble the word "gondola". The mixed dialects of settlers in Virginia worked some wonders with standard words in adapting them to local, occupational needs. To the waterman who ranged the length of the Shenandoah River it's upper reaches high in the Appalachian Mountain range down to Harper's Ferry, in what is now West Virginia. which was their main downstream port. "GON-do-lah", OR "Gon-DOH-la" are not too far from the sound of "Gun-DOH-low!" The gundalow of the Shenandoah type was a massive thing for specific use on that waterway and none other. They ranged from sixty to as much as ninety feet in length, ten or more feet in width and were build to make one maiden voyage only. The boat itself was so crafted that all materials from which it was constructed could be sold downstream as lumber and building materials ...beams, rafters, siding, flooring - that sort of thing. The boats were planked horizontally and built on shore - many at Port Republic, the uppermost port on the the South Fork or at New Market, the highest navigable point on the North Fork of the River. They were flat bottomed, but steerable from both for and aft tiller locations. They were loaded with timber, lumber, and other forest products as well as skins, pelts and farm products, but the major cargo was ingots of pig iron from the numerous forges throughout the area. Tonnage had to be carefully controlled on each vessel depending on anticipated water levels downstream. Gundalows were build "bottom up" or "top down" and when the time came for the "turning over" it was a festive occasion calling for dancing, parties and other such celebrations. So much depended on the success of that one-trip only vessel! Prior to the gundalow a primitive log raft has been In use on the river but they merely drifted with the currents and did serious damage to dams, weirs and other construction along river on which people depended. They were gradually eliminated. Detailed maps of the river show numerous mills along the river and all dams were so constructed that the gundalow could go over a passageway constructed so that a section of the dam was something resembling a water slide. Often those very mills would add to the downstream cargoes is they had marketable excess of flour and other edibles for man or beast. The main cargo was that six to twelve tons of pig iron. Once downstream everything would be sold at Harper's Ferry or in that area and the rivermen would walk back to Port Republic to build another. A.L.M. April 21, 2005 [c469wds]
Sunday, April 24, 2005
CAUSTIC AND OTHERWISE It is so very easy to find fault with others. Some people seem to make a career of just that and it seems to be pretty normal for those persons we call gossip writers, scandal mongers, muck-rakers and tellers-of-wild-tales for the lower edge of the much maligned tabloid press. To make it a daily habit even if your livlihood doesn't depend on it is a gross waste of both time and effort. Such a slight-of-mind attitude can lead only to deep trouble. Many of us have witnessed some rather drastic changes in print media in recent decades and such modifications have often been called "reforms", They have usually been presented as being something which came about because of a change of heart within the persons engaged in the print media business. Drastic changes have come about in every phase of the newspapers, magazines, books and other such publications have art. Real reasons for modifications often come from outside sources rather than from within. Those changes made which will be made and sustained are those which will increase the frequency of dollar signs on bottom lines. And, they will be made in regard to what "others" are doing in the media field. The buying public determines much of it, as well, simply by what they choose to buy or to refrain from purchasing. Much of TV has become a haven for this sort of half-truth and suggestion. So often a "host" or "hostess" is present to point the way to elements of a poorly produced, one sided, cheaply done without accepting any portion of blame for its less admirable qualities. With TV's inherent repetitive power it will be accepted by millions. Falseness can be presented as Truth if it is all served up with a glossy, noisy and fragmented format... featuring a name-brand "star" of any type , and voiced by a radio-TV spokesman who is a seasoned expert in commercial chicanery. No one has a exclusive copy write on stupidity. Far too often, perhaps, we live in eras of '"darkness" when we make use of false premises and cut corners on morality, ethics and on entertainment and learning. A.L.M. April 29, 2005 [c402wds]
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