Saturday, September 17, 2005
CATCHING ON Do I just imagine it, or are we rather slow in catching on to the idea that there may be something worthwhile for us to learn from the New Orleans situation? I keep having a feeling that this is more than just a quirk in the weather whereby the wind blew too, too strong and too dong-dong-dong-dong like the loose clapper on a large bell. Are our eyes blinded by our own glory shining forth? Are our ears forever sealed with the worrisome wax of disuse and neglect? Why can't we see? Why can't we hear voices crying out endlessly for assistance? Partly, I'd say, because we'd rather not be like that dream stuff? theory! In the main, I believe, we get pretty much what we pray for, don't we? Oh, but of course, you don't pray, do you! None of that foolish pretending for modern you! Yet,when it hits as it does, the waters of the world come hurriedly moved by the same wild winds, he same irresistible forces and to pick us up and crush us against the real hardness of the earth with tremendous force and power -power enough to swept us away, smashed what protective shields we may have raised and dashed us against unyielding rocks of reality. So many survivors of the floods sit idle in total unawareness of what might have caused their suffering. They understand even less what they can about. Among such a group of survivors you. In noticed it years ago in sharing a bomb shelter with civilians. Even in New Orleans with its excessive expectation of federal miracles which could not be. Here and there you saw a person who did not litter; who had his or her possessions in a semblance of good order – folded, bagged, or folded and tied for quick movement if necessary. It was the Englishman who whittled a small toy from a piece of wood; it was the the lady who knitted or crocheted ;it was the old man who helped several children to build imaginary things with the curious collection of materials with pebbles, rocks, and such scraps of paper,cardboard, string, bottles and empty containers. He helped them hold fast to mutual dreams and plans. There were such individuals in the sports arena and in the convention center. Look or them when you see re-runs on TV. We can learn just by becoming aware of what have done in times of trouble. A.L.M. September 17, 2005 [c428wds]
Friday, September 16, 2005
“THE” NEWS!It is common today for many of us to be overcome the sheer volume and complex nature of such major news stories such as the floods; the disappearance of college girls at home and abroad. All such cases are plural in nature, but we tend to go along with the media and use one as an example for all. Right now “the“ war is, of course, the Bush One in Iraq. “The” coed is Natalee Holloway missing in Aruba; “the” flood is considered be that portion of “the” hurricane Katrina which brought severe damage to all our Gulf Coast states. It is a glaring mistake to emphasis any one simply by ignoring it and pretending it has not happened. Such an unfair attitude is wrong in every way – politically, socially, financially and in a moral sense! An old rural saying from the horse and buggy days has been recycled and put to use: “The wheel that does the creaking gets the grease!” The city – poorly prepared, ineptly staffed and politically patterned to avoid any action which might show past acts to have been less than perfect. Thus bound - leaders hesitated, delayed, and pretended, and came fast moving deluge. Complaints continue, and show little sign of abating. The thousands of people who are being victimized by circumstances far beyond their control. As the days go by things have become even more complicated as refugees are moved into their new environment. The hosts of such a group sent to West Virginia expressed unhappiness in this morning's inner pages news items have been studied the newcomers. It appears that from fifty-three to fifty-five per cent of those sent from New Orleans are felons or have police records. It seems the political clique in New Orleans still has problems they expect other people to solve for them. It appears the entire Crescent City situation is going to worsen somewhat from different angles before it gets any better. A.L.M. September 16, 2005 [c338wds]
Thursday, September 15, 2005
HAD ENOUGH? Have you, during this week, had about enough of "the John Roberts Hearing:" thing on TV? If so, join the club. I'll move over a bit to allow you room on a crowded bench. I thin k even those who admire the concept of examinations with questions and and answers got their fill quickly. The procession - for it was that rather than a procedure - jelled even before it came to a boiling point with scathing criticism of previous statements - oral and written - turned quickly into a search for any little error or chance remark which could be saved and, eventually, be used and mis-used in seeking to destroy the man. Salient points were put as questions again and again in slightly different words in attempts to catch the speaker off guard with a slight error of any sort or a chance remark or comment concerning previously stated views on subjects only vaguely associated with today's events and circumstances. The man being questioned showed such outstanding skill in repelling such attacks. Perhaps the one most outstanding point of interest for me was that, through all of the proceedings John Roberts, the nominee in the glare of detailed examination, spoke with confidence and clarity without notes of any kind. Several members of the opposition felt forced to make very obvious use of prepared scrips. Opponent Sen. Ted Kennedy, with script close at hand, read what he said. It seemed to have been written by someone else judging by the readers attentive pauses as he read. It is important that we, as a nation, maintain this and other historical traditions. It is important that we give it more attention and higher historical status. It has become a farcical thing by which political clowns to don their particular sectional prejudice. Among leaders who have expressed some doubt about our ability to face up to demands of a future are: Thomas Jefferson who worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpretation the law would begin making law an oligarchy - the rule of few over many." John Jay - our first Supreme Court Justice, put it much more strictly: "American should select and prefer Christians as their rulers." Imagine either of those gentlemen saying those words in the John Roberts Hearing Hall! Where, where and how have we arrived at the point where we seem to be - when everything we have done in the past 229 years is now, suddenly, either "wrong"or "unconstitutional?" A..L.M. September 15, 2005 [c426wds]
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
RE-START! What's behind all of this idle talk about the sudden demise of the grand City of New Orleans? You don't just walk away from a city which has been one which needs to be remembered ...always. I agree that New Orleans has its problems. All cities do, I suppose, that of this particular city being (parts of it, not all of it) twenty feet or so "under sea level" - and we use of that term most of the time which shows how much we actually know about the situation. Much of the land within the city is under the high water levels of the Mississippi River on the west side and of Lake Pontchartrain on the northeast, top end. The "sea level" it is supposed to be "under" is a good hundred miles downstream and getting more so year because Louisiana is the only state in the Union which adds land area every year. The tons of silt brought down by the Mississippi system stretch he delta out into the Gulf of Mexico a square mile or so each year. Think about this: How should we explain it to the Village Idiot that if the sea level were higher than that of the river level at the city site why isn't the river flowing north. If and when properly constructed and maintained a system of modern levees, dikes and associated locks and canals, will be efficient and dependable. The example has been cited perhaps too often, the Netherlands seems to have survived using dikes and sea walls. And what about Venice, some one else suggests, where the city itself is the sea wall. But, let's refrain from using those two as examples. Both the V-people and the ZZ-folks face troubles as their systems age. Think instead of other cites where underground extended downwards growth are drilling deeper and deeper - many below local "sea levels." As soon as the pumps get the city empty and the fans have run for a spell, the paint brushes and carpenter's hammers and saws will put much of, it back the way was it back to it was before. Much of the lasting charm of the of the French Quarter, after all, dealt primarily in used goods; repeated circumstances; new attempts at living out of truncated dreams of romantics from the past. Yes, the Crescent City will live again. It will, once more, thrive as the main multi-cultural city Mid-western, largely French, partly Spanish, even for a short, glancing time and the seed city for a special treasure the whole world has and loves - authentic jazz music. A. L.M. September 13, 2005 [c449wds]
Monday, September 12, 2005
READ ROUTINE I, along with scads of other Americans who like to read, have put in my share of time spent reading what we used to call "westerns". They are referred to as "Oaters".Then, we also read a lot of fantasy, fantasy, murder mysteries and bundles of far-out books by authors who specialized in writing elegantly about future science discoveries we have yet to see. We called them "SI-FI," Who-done-its?" and, then we have another classification which brought us stories of feminine trepidation matched with male aggressiveness called "romances". These pulp-type books - far-ranging in new subject matter ran from "censored" to "best sellers" on an international market. I read a "western" last week. I rather enjoyed it, too. I usually do if I read them with an open mind and can recreate a feeling we had about that time. I admire the skill many such writers exhibit , too, in putting the story together to prevent readers from guessing the outcome or the events leading to the usually happy ending. Part of the enjoyment of reading westerns is to be found in the fact that you know what is going to happen. You compete with the author in finishing the process. The novel I happened upon last week was titled "High Country Cowboy". It was written back in 1994, I find and seems to have been the first novel written by Sandra Moore, who, at that time, lived in Wyoming having moved there from Texas. That may be why the story had a widen feel for me -Texas plains and Wyoming uplands. She followed all the usual guidelines for such a novel and did a fine job of it. The girl in the story is a bit more complex than usual - a college graduate who returned to her ranch home to find an auction in progress selling the equipment and livestock. A young neighbor has bought the family ranch from her father without her knowledge - all except the house and fifty acres. The reader is well aware whom he is to hate, distrust and suspect of all sorts of evil trickery right from the start. As the girl is beset with all sorts of rumor about him and she gradually finds the accusations to be poorly founded or false, she realizes she is in love with the young man. That's the way women are supposed to react in such books, which makes it all more interesting. Under mysterious circumstances her father is killed and we have suspects in mind promptly. There is a weak county sheriff; there are ranch hands, and an an old derelict loner who has a place nearby who styles himself as her father's "best friend." It is the girl's actions as she tries to find out what happened to her father which leads to be climax of it all in the dramatic capture of the killer and an assurance that the girl will inherit the family ranch after all as the wife of the hero. Readers of western novels always say they knew "how it was all going to end". A skilled writer can, however, keep them still wondering right down to the last lines. A.L.M. Sept. 12, 2005 [c543wds]
Sunday, September 11, 2005
COVER CRIME If you read a lot and find it all too easy to buy books of various shapes, sizes - fiction, science-fiction, even romance - there is a good chance that you have committed a crime in recent years without realizing you had done so. I, personally, went afoul of the law many years ago when I found myself on a trip with nothing to read. I fell for a "charity" appeal. In the foyer of a restaurant near my hotel. The small rack held a display of double rows of paper-back books - varied subjects. A rather tacky looking hand-lettered cardboard signs was stapled to the top of the stand urging me to "Give generously to - a local cause." I could do so by purchasing any of the paperback books on the display for the bargain price of just twenty-five cents or five for one dollar - proceeds of course, going to said charity It was a Honor system set-up, too. No one to make change pr wrap purchases or wrap purchases - just drop your quarters and dollar bills into the slot in the box affixed just under the sign. I bought five books and dropped my dollar in the charity slot. That's when noticed that none of the books had covers -those bright, overly colorful attention naggers - a bit sexy for romances - all were missing. News stand persons, you realized, don't always sell every copy of the latest edition. They tear the cover from the dated magazine and return to the publisher for compensation . They destroy the out-of-date magazine or paper. Not so with book sellers. The Charity oriented display stand from which I had bought my books was owed and operated entirely by one man. He alone got his books anywhere he could find them, removed their bright covers which he destroyed and refilled his racks at regular intervals to keep the world of literature thriving. This may sound like what has been called "petty thievery" but it is important to publishers and the writers of paperback books. I just picked up a copy of a western romance novel from our shelves here at home titled: "High Country Cowboy" well written by Sandra Moore (her "first" I see in the blurbs). It has its original cover, by the way, and on page three there is a boxed notice in which the publisher - Silhouette Books, New York states the case: "If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publishers, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book". Good, plain English. It sounds "jaily" to me. A.L.M. September 11, 2005 [c468wds]
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