ACADEMIC ACNE

There has been a random proliferation of strange educational facilities of late. If the seeming trend is allowed continue schools will, before too long, outnumber students.

Colleges and universities of every level, type, description and financial standings from superbly erect to sub-supine are being created to meet needs of any breather of the thin air we share. It is painfully obvious that they are not and never have been educational institutions. The vast majority of them are blatant false fronts for money-grabbing schemes with eager students and equally gullible parents as victims. One has to wonder how our duly elected officials can allow existing to live and see new ones being created almost daily.

You don't need a special degree of any sort to know that which I am herein making reference. If you read, even slightly, any printed materials newspapers, magazines, or if you seek entertainment and edification by way television, radio or Internet you know, from personal experience, exactly the type of "school" we are allow to pollute our lives, our livelihood as they we pay and over-pay them to destroy our basic cultural values.

We don't need any new laws to combat such evil! Not one!

We do need to alert our present, duly-elected official to enforce existing laws. Beyond that the single most important step in the whole process of clearing the air so we can get at the crime being done. Encourage your political representative to fight such evil and it is most important that
we support him when he does so!o. Far too often a political concept is a background for this sort of dishonesty in business. To cheat in then educational area is bad; to do so in the medical even worse but cheating should not be permitted in any occupational field.''

The illicit "schools" are growing in number. They are causing hurt in many areas. Your local college probable needs funds to undertake worthy project they have planned for years. Even a small portion of the million of dollars spend annually on fake schooled at every level, would be most welcome in the average college budget.

To start with: to what extent is a "publication" responsible when a subscriber is financially harmed because of neglect to properly evaluate their client's background? This is not too remote from the concept of an employer hiring a non-citizen when he knows their proffered Social Security number is a fake.

We need to oppose these "college degrees for everyone" scams.


Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-30-06 [c-434wds]

 
MOD MED


I was privileged to have yet another "Cat Scan" examination at one of our local hospitals this week and I was, as always, impressed with the fine way they have of staying touch with improvements. The specific x-ray unit into which injected this time was a neat, tan colored unit unit designed so was injected was a new, modern unit, gently molded of what appeared to be a soft, rather malable plastic rather than cold, hard metal. It appeared to be newer than the one used the last last time I was a guest of that particular area of the hospital .

It was designed, I'm sure, with the intent of soothing and assuring the not-always-too-eager-to-be-there patients that it is that it is a friendly apparatus and not like a metallic Dracula monster seeking new blood.- which even make other patients to become apprehensive of seemingly possible electrocution with tightening encasements encircling one's body made of wheels, twisted red, yellow and green wires, vacuum tubes from old-fashioned, junked radio apparatus. Yes, one remembered the older models as being rather graphic in whatever they were doing at their convenience - looking at un-lookable areas, palpitating places, feeling curiously along the edges of previously unfelt specific point glaringly illuminated by sheets and spikes of flashing light and warm, glowing, white-hot filaments beating in vacuum tubes. The trade name of the unit loomed in large letters above and to the right of the recumbent passenger but several have been vibrated loose and lost over the years rendering the unpronounceable name tragically invisible as well. Angry, trey metal shapes glare back at viewer where each letter used to be.

There are many memories associated with visits to the Cat Scan area of your local hospital. The fact that attractive, young ladies are still in charge is a positive thing for me. They are, generally friendly and a bit more talkative, too. They are, I think, among few people who can make anyone believe that the curved slab of stainless-steel which serves as a "bed" on the Cat Scan platform can be made "comfortable" - even for just the fifteen minutes nuts or so the procedure usually takes.

My particular young lady this time told me she would be given me verbal instructions from time-to-time during the test. I was somewhat taken aback, when within a minute of the routine the - the big wheel spinning over, beside, under and all-around, a male voice with a marked English accent - one I remembered touched my hearing aids gently. He , of course, was taped from the old machine and issued his urgings only when he was prompted to do so by the young lady at the Control Room touching the button on Control Room board. His is a voice to which one responds easily. For that quarter hour, I responded as to an old friend of many years. I, at his request. "commenced" to breath, "returned to regular breathing"; take a deep breath... Hold!"..."Breath."

I'll hear the results of the tests in a few days. My health problem is that my right arm has started swelling recently and won't stop. It is rather disquieting for me. Devilish inconvenient, too...don-cha-know! With my arm swollen in that manner,I simply can't enjoy wearing my Rollexes, or would that be "Rollex-i" if it were true?

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-29-06 [c581wds]

 
HOW MANY CAPS?

How many capital cities can one state have?

I about that point recently when I read that the State of Georgia has had five. That could be a record, I suppose.

The first one, you might guess, was Savannah.

It was June 9, 1732 when King George II signed the charter which entrusted James Oglethrope and a group of trustees to start a new British colony special "motive" of the new charter was to benefit "the worthy poor".It was to be named "Georgia" honoring the doner. The King , and many others , thought a buffer state next to neighboring Spanish Florida would strengthen the existing colonies to the north; expand trade for "The Crown" and work toward additional navigational advancements.

Oglethorpe was aware of the fact that a treaty had been made with the native tribes if the area saying no new colonies would be started below Carolina. Even though the King had granted him the territory, Oglethorpe wanted to get the permission of the area Indian tribes, as well.

Oglethorpe landed at Yamacraw Bluff nine months later. He found only one group of Indians about a hundred Yamacraw's under Chief Timochichi about fifty miles from the landing site. The Chief greeted Oglethorpe with kindness and was pleased with the prospect of new settlers. The name Mary Musgrave, occurs during this era. She was a daughter of an Indian woman and a white trader and was hired as Oglethorpe his translator. He brought in one hundred and twenty settlers.

Complete stories of each of the states' capitals would fill a book, so we have to hurry along. In 1751,Oglethorpe left Georgia for the last time and the trustees relinquished the King's charter. This automatically made Georgia a British colony. By the start of the American Revolution Georgia had a population of 35,000 and 2,500 of them called Savannah home. When the British captured Savannah, the capital was moved, first, to Head's Fort in Wilkes County then to Augusta and back to Savannah in 1782. From 1783-1785 the General Assembly rotated between Savannah and Augusta. It unsettledness .

The third Capital was at Louisville. It was named after King Louis XIV in appreciation of French aid during the revolution. The first permanent capital building was completed there in 1796. The infamous Yazoo Land legislation was rescinded in that red-brick, two story capital building of which nothing remains today.

In 1804 the legislature moved the state capital to a more central location at Lawrenceville, on the banks of the river Oconee. It remained the capital city for sixty-one years. The legislature next gathered there for one session after the Civil Warn and then moved to its present address in Atlanta where it
seems to have settled in quite well.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-28-06 [c473wds]

 
A TROUBLED TRAIL

The native American tribesmen called the common web of paths by which they travel north and south along the eastern edge of the North American Continent - the Iroquois Trail. They did so because the northerly tribe dominated much of the area.. The route was bit inland from the Atlantic Ocean because that enabled them to avoid the rigors of traveling through swamp land areas such as “The Great Dismal” on the Virginia-Carolina border. It afforded them more ready access to wild game – much more plentiful and varied - on which they depended to sustain life along the way. Then, too, they made use of a natural highway of sort provided by the gentle contours of the Shenandoah Valley through of Virginia.

The Iroquois tribes of the north were, in the early days, the strongest and made many trips southward in winter- especially in the Fall of each year to trade – the trail was generally considered to be “theirs.” Only later, in historical times, did the Cherokee from the Scioto River area of Ohio, pose any real threat to the Iroquois' supposed ownership.

What we say about any highway system, of course, to a large extent what we are asked. It become rather plain right away that the qualities of comfort and ease are not paramount in our thinking. Such trails were, to put it mildly, universally poor in and we are unlikely to called “roads” - certainly not “highways” or “turnpikes. They were simply trails in a primitive sense.

The Valley of Virginia, often depicted as a paradise strip between two long ranges of mountains – those toward the east curiously blue in color much of the time. Tribal differences among many Indian families of North American Indian seemed to have a special knack for hating each other, reflected, it then appears,in clan and family disagreements among others. No one tribe seemed confident to take the Valley, for instance, as their own and hold it.. They were not as numerous as we find in Hollywood's versions. They were unorganized wanders, in some cases. They lacked political sense, it is said - which I, sometimes, think may have been a special blessing in many ways. Shawnee, Mingo, Cherokee, Catawba, and and others can be identified along the edges of the trail connecting north to south.

The major cross road for the Iroquois Trail came east-west from a few mile from Richmond, Va. to the Beverley's Mill area in Augusta. It was called “Three Chopt Road” and a fragment of it is still known by that name in Richmond, Va. It crossed the Blue Ridge through Wood's Gap - “headin' for Kentuk”.It was so-called because it 's meanderings were identified by three ax chop on trees along the way. At one time it had another name - “Rouge's Road” because of the frequency of trail-way-men in ambush.

In 1722 Governor Spotswood of Virginia and Governor Burnett of New York set forth a treaty with the northern tribes which forbade them the use of any trials east of the Blue Ridge. In effect they were told: “You've got your own road – use it” They were required to stay with it down to Bent Mountain or Fancy Gap when they could cross the Blue Ridge to trade with the Ocaneechee Tribes in the Carolina.

Isn't it odd that we are still having troubles with the use and mis-use of that same Valley trail now called “Interstate 81” in A.D.2006?

What could we expect?

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-27-06 [c-595wds]

 
WORD THINGS

What do you think the two words: “kayak” and “racecar” have in common?

The differences are plain enough. One is a water craft and the other a motorized vehicle designed for running in speed contests. They have different purposes. In what way are they alike? We have been told they are the only words in the English language which can be spelled correctly starting at either end. I rather doubt that statement. Our English language is far to fluid, flexible, fattening always on bits of linguistic nourishment from other tongues to allow oddities to exist very long. We absorb technical and “inside” terms: “Abba” - a certain pop-music groups, for example.

Another one which has probably been negated by this time is the one which says that the word “typewriter” is the longest word in the language which can be made using the letters of one only of keys on the standard the query keyboard. Maybe you can think of one that will outstretch “typewriter.”

The longest word in our expansive language is said to be one which has one thousand nine-hundred and nine letters. I don't know who has ever actually spelled it, how often it may have been used but it is reported to have been subjected to actual use. It's a mysterious term which might someday be used to describe a distinct portion of DNA, but don't plan to just sit around just sit around waiting for someone else to do something about it. Get busy.

People who make a living working with words says that the shortest sentence we can say is: “I am.” The jury seems to be way, far out on this one.
Much depends on what a person calls a sentence, I suppose or what dialect as persons favors. I have heard the words “No!” and “Yes!” used as complete literary works each in itself! Slanguage makes them “Uh-un” and “Yup!”; body language makes them a nod or a head-shake, a finger-circle tossed into the air or a coy wink of one eye.

Geography provides some interesting spelling problems. The big one which just about everyone on planet Earth. All of the continents start and end with identical letters.

I had another word I wanted to mention, but I can't seem to remember what it was. That means I am a person who suffers from a strange illness called “lethologica.”

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-26-06 [c-415wds]

 
VEEP STATS

We, in a general way, pay very little attention to the men we select to become Vice-President of our nation.

The choice comes about largely because we grant the newly nominated individual for the office President to "choose" the man or woman he thinks might serve him well in the office of Vice-President. It becomes decision, then, to name someone he feels will work closely with his own plans and ideals; someone who is capable of backing him up as Presiding officer of the Senate. The ones named ought to exemplify the leadership qualities which will make him or her a likely candidate for a future presidential race. The choice made will, no doubt, be heavily weighted with demographic considerations to gain support of certain groups of “special concern.” The choice of a person who can - and will - work closely with the new president becomes less assured the more career-centered stalwarts of the president's own political party are consulted, it seems.

I, like most Americans, I fear, am woefully ignorant of which Vice President served with whom and when. I keep a typed list of thirty-two of them...Aaron Burr (Jefferson) to Richard B. Chaney (George W. Bush). The proper placement of names such as Colfax, Morton, Fairbanks, King, Tompkins, Sherman and others may give me trout if I am called upon to pair them up with their presidential cohorts.

I always know one such Pres-Veep team, but for the wrong reason, I suppose. Garret A. Hobart was President William McKinley's Vice-President. I know that paring well, not because of anything either of those two fine men ever did for our nation, but because in our family possessions we happen to have a four-inch, cast-iron representation of a handsome housefly. It shows it was, at one time, covered with a heavy coat of gilt paint which identifies it as an election souvenir – the wings fold out – an ash tray. The heavy letters cast into the the metal and gold covering made it “The Gold Bug” of the 1907 McKinley-Hobart election.

Now, all I seem to need to become proficient concerning which “Veep” served what “Prexy” is a score or so of election souvenirs.

The ways we find to ignore our Vice-Presidents are marks against us in somebody's Little Black Book.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-5-06 [c-404wds]

 
OUT THERE!

I find I rather difficult to believe that it has been thirty years since we watched the spacecraft "Voyager I " being launched at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was a "twin" mission, too, but "Voyager II" was not sent on it's tour until a month later, in August of that same year of 1977.

Such ventures into space were rare in those days and it shows us how far we have progressed in the business of space spaced exploration. We retained some negative reservations in the back of our minds concerning possible faults at take-off time. That's when it was a good feeling to know we had "back-up"craft ready to go with and modifications and corrections to assure good flight

When "Voyager II " did go it went on its own. They were the same size and type in most details. The wide bell-like it extended in space measures about twelve feet across and the longest, trailing antennae line is fifty-seven feet in length .They seem to have been downright "tiny" when compared to just the cargo our present-day shuttle craft deliver to the International.

As I recall both Voyage I and II had the same memory capacity as did my own desktop computer at that time - 74K. Those men women who have had the job of guiding the crafts from earth stations were forced to remove portions of the craft's memory in order to have room t insert orders, directives and change; after which they would restore the memory needed. I am sure that was a minor thing these scores of people had to do over these thirty years or so. We should honor them highly as we "gloat" a bit over the obvious success of both mission units. Both missions, studied from their infancy, can lead you to your destiny. These craft were placed in an orbit which swung them from one planet to another at greater rates of speed. Look for such a special path in our educational planning.

We call our solar system into an area know as the sheathing. It will be there for a while because the heliosheath is three or four billion (that's"b", mind you!) miles from Earth, until it reaches the very edge which remains unknown.

It need not remain so.

Space talk fascinates me. One of the most amazing things about it all is the fact that somewhere about us there are young men and women who will solve all the mysteries of space which puzzle us today in this year called 2006. Voyager I is to be out there in the heliosheath for another ten years or so before it arrives at heliopause.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-24-06 [c-462wds]

 
BIGGER BEN

The one man considered to be both the Time-Keeper and Pay-Master of most of the Arabic troubles around the world - Ben Laden - is reported to have died of natural causes.

The "news" items was published in a French newspaper and it contained few factual features as you might expect. It was a enough, however, to set Intelligence Units scurrying about asking each other if they found it to be true or just another tale set wagging get our attention. The latest reports I've heard are still marked: "Case In Progress".

This reminds one somewhat of he manner in which the Marshals nailed up posters reading: "Wanted: Dead or Alive" of doors and rough-lumbered walls. Most Americans I talk with seem to prefer that Ben Laden be brought in alive and kicking. They don't go along with this idea of his being allowed to die of natural cause at all. Many seem to feel that Saddam set a good president by digging, or having a hole dug in the ground where he might hide from his tormentors. Those very same people, now at they see the rather cumbersome bulk of the Saddam trial slowly etching itself in our history books, they wonder would have been better off to have simply have leveled that back lot and bulldozed it heavily.

How do you feel about old Ben Laden? He has, on this day alone, fallen as a victim of a dozen ailments." I have always said" - critics now claim "he looked sickly - probably diabetes!" In don't know if the French news item mention any particular malady which might have caused his reported death.I've heard it was "sugar", cancer, Alzheimer's , and I expect a few more be before night falls.

I, for one, will be glad see him pecking his rocky way down that rocky mountain side - always down, down, down, never up to brighter, sunnier views of the world. We cannot favor any of the suggested punishments we hear people talking about. We must check, first, to see if they can be equated with the possible intent of the framers of the Geneva conventions which have just recently been re-discovered.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-23-06 [c376wds]

 
THAT'S BEEN CHANGED!

Even change is not the same.

We are certainly about as involved in change as we have ever been and even the nature of doing modified - or has it?

Assume, for the moment, that you are a manor woman living in pre-historic times and you realize you are feeling pangs of hunger. Top meet that need you will turn to something we now call "Trial and Error". You have found by observing which plants the wild animals of the area ate and which ones they avoided. You tried some and found some you liked; others seemed unpleasant and by trial and error you discarded item after and ate the others. The seeds, blooms, buds, fruits, and stems. shoots, nuts and berries you chose seemed to help sustain you ; enabled you to move about easier searching for more of them which was your main work. Gradually you made changes. Why not store some of the nuts and other items in the wall of the cave? Or,in that hollow...in a skin folded over upon itself to protect them. Those wonderings came to mind and changes were made....leading, in time, to storage barns,silos and agricultural crop care and tenure.

I can remember not too many years ago all those people who were sure the year 2000 was the end of it all. I think the vast majority of those persons who were so disappointed by the failed mega-disasters of the Midnight Hour regained at least a portion of their former dedication to dire predictions concerning the presence of the computer in all mankind's affairs today. It is now the role of the evil computer to finish up the job the millennium left so undone. Much has been forgotten but some of such fear is still to be found in those who picture the computer always as the competitor forever an per-destined enemy rather than a learned friend and associate. If controlled by evil men, it can, indeed, be a prime danger.

Now in this age in which we are privileged to live, we see such changes almost every day. In the past artists used to gather together in the summer months annually to make artists drawings, endless sketches , technical drawings of precise details, fashioning clay models on plywood armatures would be made to show the always un-finished and costly ideas to engineers who, in turn would explain them to workers who built the cars by following those instructions. Now, the new cars we are now seeing on the highways are design-engineered as three-dimensional sketches on a computer. Under the old system no one knew what cost factors might be or how much aesthetic changes and and modifications might add to the cost of the car but with computer controlled design and production such costs can be incorporated with technical information.

The advances brought about by changes in computer technology are readily apparent in the construction industries, as well. Look about you. See for yourself this fantastic world of change in which we are preparing for even better generations.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-22-06 [c527wds]

 
GLASS MANAGEMENT

We have to go back few years ago when Senator Huey Long made it a regular habit of lambasting anyone who seemed to stand in his way as he blindly sought to make himself virtually the dictator of the United States of America.

When we make a short trip such as this one which we would rather not have to admit it is a genuine, authentic, deeply seated part of the expanse of events we call our national history. Part of being a mature nation, a cognoscente, capable and caring people, is, no doubt, to be found in the degree to which we can realize that which was right and good and wholesome and those elements which unthinkably immature and unworthy of the ideals we profess and proclaim with our every action.

The reality of the rise of Huey Long is one such incident we should keep in mind, but for this moment, I wish to call attention to a specific act he engaged in when he was at the peak of his strange, dominating aura of power.

Justs the other day, the current President of Venezuela, speaking before the United Nations after several days of conferences, hearty hailings and Ursa huggings - bear hugs shared with each of them in turn - the masters of the moment in Cuba and Iran. No need to mention their names because there are others, no doubt, within the UN body politic who join with them in hatred for all things American.

The President of Venezuela - Chavez - served as a rather clumsy spokesperson for all when he addressed the assembly and vilified our President George W. Bush with countless epithets and crude innuendos underlying his fiery tirade. He called Bush "the devil"... "who spoke as if he owned he world"... as an "imperialist" and other such sick-stock terms.

Now, return to our Huey Long example for a moment....

Senator Huey Long had the floor of the Senate. He was berating the gentleman Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia Carter Glass. Glass had withdrawn to the Closet Rooms for a rest and respite from the vile things he knew would be uttered. Urgent word was sent to Senator Glass urging him
to return to the Senate Chamber to defend himself. Those imploring him to reply were surprised - even a bit shocked as some people are today in moment such as this.

Many years ago, Senator Carter Glass in speaking of the Huey Long tirade lashing out at him, personally, is reported to have said - rather quietly and with a glimmer in his bright eyes: "When I was just a lad, my father told me never to engage in a pissing contest with a skunk!"

George W. Bush, I feel, would understand Carter Glasses statement and could have quoted it. Said today it would offend some people, get him to lose TV coverage and incite certain religious writer to new, even lower levels of journalistic fury.

Americans citizens, in general, I like to think would agree with Glass and Bush. Deep down many, I feel would at that very moment start thinking through other quotations to help the people Venezuela... the people of Cuba the people of , perhaps a score or more lands where wavering government mis-rule their lives.

For starters, how about thinking through one by Erma Brombeck: " A child needs your love when he deserves it least."

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-21-06 [c-575wds]

 
SITAR

I can't recall any time when I have ever seen a real, authentic "sitar." That's one of the ancient Hindustani musical instruments which has had a modest renewal of popularity in modern music. It deserves some added attention, I feel.

I certainly must have walked past one of them somewhere in a display but I'm often thinking of other things in museums and I may have looked at one without actually seeing it. I have heard it, however...on recordings and tapes. I have witnessed it being played by skilled musician-gymnasts on television and on films. It is an instrument which demands much of the persons who deigns to make it express itself well.

The sitar has sixteen strings in its most popular version which contrasts readily in the American mind where four was enough for ukuleles, banjos, and six for guitars - plus double-sets for mandolin-like 12-stringers. The Sitar has from 16 to 20 strings normally, some more and some less depending on the local area's preference. Notice that the sitar has two bridges; long made of ivory, later of camel bone or horn. The larger bridge is for the playing strings and drones. The Secondary Bridge runs under the man one and is for sympathetic strings running beneath the main playing strings above. The bridge is wider and as a string vibrates its length changes slightly as it touches the bridge edge and the result is a distinctive sound or tone. To maintain that "jawari" tone one must polish the bridge as needed. Many players ,including Ravi Shank arm, hire professionals to keep their instruments in tune, In a general sense the instrument is tune to C# or D, and the drone strings are tuned to the equivalent of an open major or minor chord in Western music theory. The sympathetic strings are usually tuned for each song played at the discretion of the player or composer who often states a preference. Don' t forget to tune your main playing strings as well. That's done by turning wooden pegs at the of the hollow neck, then "fine tune" each of them by sliding a bead fitted around each of them.

Learning to play is also a time consuming process. Expect a years-long apprenticeship if you plan enrolling in school anytime soon. You have to learn the basic mechanics of construction of the instrument and by learning to provide background chords of proper size and shape upon which to apply your melody. Then, you slide your index finger of your left hand up and down a single melody string which you then pluck with the finger of other hand.

There, you are! You have sound your first note! You are on the way to becoming the the nation's leading player of the sitar.

But remember this: no one ever said it would be easy!

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-20-06 [c-492wds]

 
WHY AND HOW?

I’ve been told what the Hezbollah organization is an how it came to be what so many millions of people seem to think it is today but the “why” element is somehow less than confident in my thinking.

In what condition must the mind of entire nations of people to allow themselves to be even tempted to accept the rule of such overbearing and demanding presence?

Initially, I feel, we must accept the fact that it not a “foreign” concept at all; not “an Arabic thing”. It can happen here. It has happened in some unlikely places around the world. We pride ourselves in being an open, receptive society and if any nation is subject to such a friendly “invasion” we are it. Many would think of us as being a prime target – a prime ready for the taking.

A major religious party in Lebanon – the Shia Muslims – the largest religious community, developed a “protective” force which assisted in forwarding their religious aims. They were successful in getting financial support from nearby Iran as basis for becoming “the Islamic Resistance”. Their emphasis on social nearby Iran. They showcased efforts their religious pretentious forms and medical care for everyone, won many converts to their banner. It established itself as highly respected part of the Lebanon government. They “augmented” the Lebanon military forces rather than “replaced” them.

They were “dissolved” by a United Nation’s Resolution in 2004 when 14,000 Syrian troops were sent home and the “militia” was to be disarmed. Hezbollah, a religious unit, was not strictly a militia .They ignored the U.N. order. After Lebanon's Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in February 2005, for which Syria was blamed, it caused affairs of the two nations to be conducted secretly. Hezbolla, at that time, was restyled to offer trouble to the Israelis. They adopted terrorist tactics as their method of operation and they imposed strict Islamic rule in towns and villages they occupied. It was thought that Lebanon might become an Islamic state but they the multi-confessional state was maintained which has lasted into our own time It was Hezbollah fighters who carried out the suicide bombing attack which killed 240 US marines in Beruit.

Do we, here in America , have any religious factions large enough, strong enough to cause us the fear, or even consider that someone might take over our government functions in the name of a religion-oriented theory? Could such a thing ever happen to us?

Most America would say no. But we might imagine our good King George III, in his advanced, unsteady years musing: "Who, I wonder, mis-counted the number of loyal Tories in those colonies!"

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-19-06 [c-456wds]

 
HERE WE GO AGAIN

I cannot say that the season we call "Fall is a favorite of mine. It has some merit, of course, such as the colorful changing of the leaves with blasts of brilliant color chording tones of color in such remarkable harmony. The subtle, then harsh changes in hues forms boundless union with the last, silent, deep green of leaves and grass remaining. There are nights made more comfortable for comfortable sleep by whispers of cool winds.

Yes, there is much merit in the Fall season and I only begrudgingly allow the intrusion - usually every four years or so - of the first rumblings of impending political campaigns to begin. We call them "the Primaries" which is, I suppose, about as fundamental sounding tag one might find for them.

Primary elections are rather noisy affairs, because they are the place where new candidates for political office are introduced to the voting public and his name must be associated with the program he is to espouse. People say: "Who's he or she or she?" They get to know that person's "qualifications for the office...."and all voters must be made familiar with the candidates venturing into their political area. There may well be more party-parties with loud music being used to encourage more back-slapping and arm shaking than usual. If the candidate has an occupational background which is, in the least unusual, then that sound of his or her vocational niche must be echoed in the rafters of every convention hall or voter's habitat, vehicles, and place of business and of food intake. It is only just and right that everyone might suffer equally, so don't complain too much.

Just pray, fervently, please - that your political party does not run many hard-rock singers and musicians as candidates for whatever in your political area this fine Fall.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-18-06 [c-322wds]

 
BE IT EVER

It is, no doubt, good that the traditional American home might retains the quality of being always "humble".

The old song has it eternally displayed as a highly respected quality, but we cannot say they our present concept of "home"as being "ever so stable. When we see the extent of disaster of heavy rain and strong damage it is obviously a fact that "stability" is not a prime requisite guiding the construction of replacement housing units in the the area. For someone to purposely, build sub-standard housing in the area should be prohibited or, at least controlled by legally requiring those individuals who do so to be held responsible for potential protective measures, losses and additional replacement costs in the future.

Many builders, possibly, accept the idea that their houses may have qualities that typify them as being hospitable, folksy, lived-in or comply with elements of good manners, and pleasant, untroubled living - as in the old song which is so seldom heard being sung from the heart of Americans today.

The price tag on the average American home is getting higher. It will continue doing so long as residents thereof and potential homeowners, as well, continue to demand increasing exotic and expensive far beyond their real income. Ours expressed desires today often far exceed he bounds of actual income. We are, at this moment, witnessing a major automotive manufacturing firm "re-aligning" their entire way of doing business. They are promising, when they are once more viable: "to make cars people want".


We are quick to sense humility returning where the the original founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford made humble cars people desired - the famous Model T. We need to examine our lives and our house building and house-buying. Let's do it before we are forced to make such changes. Modest modifications can be done easily. Marked hanges can hurt.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-17-06 [c331 wds]






































































































































































































































































































































BE IT EVER

It is, no doubt, good that the traditional American home might retains the quality of being always "humble".

The old song has it eternally displayed as a highly respected quality, but we cannot say they our present concept of "home"as being "ever so stable. When we see the extent of disaster of heavy rain and strong damage it is obviously a fact that "stability" is not a prime requisite guiding the construction of replacement housing units in the the area. For someone to purposely, build sub-standard housing in the area should be prohibited or, at least controlled by legally requiring those individuals who do so to be held responsible for potential protective measures, losses and additional replacement costs in the future.

Many builders, possibly, accept the idea that their houses may have qualities that typify them as being hospitable, folksy, lived-in or comply with elements of good manners, and pleasant, untroubled living - as in the old song which is so seldom heard being sung from the heart of Americans today.

The price tag on the average American home is getting higher. It will continue doing so long as residents thereof and potential homeowners, as well, continue to demand
increasing exotic and expensive far beyond their real income. Ours expressed desires today often far exceed he bounds of actual income. We are, at this moment, witnessing a major automotive manufacturing firm "re-aligning" their entire way of doing business. They are promising, when they are once more viable: "to make cars people want".


We are quick to sense humility returning where the the original founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford made humble cars people desired - the famous Model T. We need to examine our lives and our house building and house-buying. Let's do it before we are forced to make such changes. Modest modifications can be done easily. Marked
changes can hurt.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-17-06 [c331 wds]

 
FOOD GIVING

Are we making our problem more difficult at times by seeking always to keep them apart? Many of our difficulties have kindred strains of good a bad elements which make the, all too, often one and them same manifested in our lives at different levels and points of emphasis.

Poverty can be shown to be dependent in large measure to degrees of education. Any program combating problems of income and earnings, must ,then, be concerned in some way with provisions for improving education in some meaningful way to better prepare individuals to meet daily,life-sustaining requirements many of them must meet.

Too often we, as “government” or “special” adjunct groups of self-titled experts, hand out money for scholarships which are often spent in non-existent “schools” or units set up to absorb such amounts with little concern for the individual, or even the level of people, in actual need at the time. Far too often it is ultimately shown that such programs were politically inspired and manipulated.

And it is not in governmental giving alone where inconsistencies are evident in our charity efforts. It takes place at all levels at one time or another. I remember quite well my being on the edge of one church sponsored campaign not too long after the end of World War II. It offered farmers a special opportunity to send large burlap bags of grains directly to the starving people in Europe, Africa and Asia. We were to send the “real stuff” - whole grain right from our field – not fancy packaged or processed foodstuffs we had in excess here at home. I remember the flabber-gasted “I don’t know!” look I got when I asked: “How is the average African to make us of this raw barley grain to be his much-needed supper?” Later, it came to found that, on arrival such shipment of grain were, logically, snapped up by brewery makers and token payments may have made some native foods available to those in actual need eventually.

We can see quite easily see that not all so-called “ignorance” is no on the side of the downtrodden recipient of such aid. How ineptly we proffer assistance? I can imagine that actual payment of pledges made on many entertainment type fund drives is ever actually paid in full! We often see a lot of lightening, hear overwhelming claps of thunder but what about the steady rains of promised ready cash?
Our aid programs for people in the Gulf coast flood areas has been somewhat more disciplined, I think,largely because of the rather dismal by government response to the tremendous need. We saw "Giving goof we didn't even know we had. We learned a great deal - some of it the hard way. Now,let's put it to practical purpose.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-16-06 {c478wds]

 
WHEN IS IT TOO MUCH?

There is , at the moment, a bicker-back argument going on about TV news personnel and without any end in sight at any time soon.

The discussion has serious undertones I think, and I have felt the pressure of it at times when I happened to be choosing those news persons whom I felt best provided me with the kind of general news coverage I wanted to best met my particular need at the time.

I wanted, in them main, plain old-fashioned "Five-W-News" "News = north,east,west, south!"- as plain and factual as possible. I didn't object to a reporter injecting his or her opinion or comments as long as they were labeled as being such. I think I actually liked having them because their being present provided me with a free-standing, self-enlivened, wonder wall from which I might bounce my own pet ideas and inklings. I think real reporting to gather facts is essential to the events in progress and then for that person to speed the information into the hands of an Editor. It then becomes his business to combine it with other information he has received, to be presented in keeping with the views of the paper's owner or publisher.

In the current squabble on TV news, a viewer took a "reporter" to task for overstepping her place and entering into the investigative aspects of the case in covert competition with proper police and other authorities trained and assigned do so. The "reporter" has turned being a private detective, a bounty huntress, or an old-fashion pulp magazine mystery writer or a "Gossip column " from the 1930's. Such ego-switches are not uncommon and usually fade away as amateur gong-getters. They can be dangerous with a good chance, as the critical viewer suggests, that her mechanizations as a self-trained, self-appointed Sherlock might foul up the authentic investigation.

The smooth-talking "news" wizards found on television screens often stay strictly within what they speak of as "the Law" by pointing out they are, in to-be-molded minds of many, listed as "entertainers."

What a gross insult to the stars of our theatrical world!

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-15-06 [c-382wds]

 
FEEL A DRAFT?

Are you, perhaps, one of that special group of constantly cog native people who seem to have an innate ability to sense changes in their lives which they cannot hear, see or feel?

I am convinced there are such individuals. They don’t always know what to do about what they know, however. These are the people who we look back upon and with hindsights say: “We should have listened to so-and- so!”

If you think you may be such a person – at least, at times: do you, at this moment in our national history, happen to feel a “draft” ? I do, and if I could feel, I were absolutely correct about it, I would be arguing for the immediate installation of some such system of conscription other than the make-do system which sends the very same units back top the zones of combat again-and-again with only a few weeks of respite from the rigors of such assignments.

The present system is grossly unfair to the men and women who constitute such groups now deployed in combat areas...National Guard and Reserve Units of all kinds. It, furthermore, severely endangers the well-being of our nation, weakens our cause, gives special advantages to the enemies of our nation, deceives our allies causing them to question our willingness to fight at our best, and the only people pleased will be the political forces who seem to stand, far too often with what comes close to being almost criminal intent to hang on to long-dead relics of really petty political party-isms. Such nostalgic memories serve little purpose in time of war.

We are living in such a time now, too. I feel strongly that a military draft is essential to our place in the world of war and the sooner we can get it working, the better. Delay will cause it to be "too little; too late" with greater, unneeded, lost of life and property - world wide.

This is no petty bush war. It does not yet officially "World War III" but it is being called just that by many people - some of whom see the horrible death, mutilation, starvation and diseases running a amok in the Sudan and a score of other such catastrophic emergencies are evident around the world. They are in all the major cultures, too, not just the underside and areas dominated by dictatorships.
How can we simply sit by and bicker endlessly until our next, scheduled "Election Day"? We have leadership we elected ! Let's support that leadership. Let's honor the sacrifices our armed forces are making day and night! The overall situation, I fear, urgently demands that we put our political, social, racial, economic and religious differences aside and be citizens all.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-14-06 {c474wds]

 
WHEN A BODY...

It is not very often that one sees a two-column, eight-inch story on the front page of a daily newspaper seeking dead, human bodies. On June 8, 1978 our home town paper printed a informative piece - "Virginia Schools Need Cadavers" - prepared by Associated Press writers, and, hence, it would seem was printed elsewhere as well.

There was nothing wrong about such an item, but it seemed remarkable enough, at that time, for me to clip it and place it in one of my notebooks of things I might write about some day.

It was, of course, common knowledge that medical schools required the bodies of departed humans for study and instructional purposes. That was all to our advantage most people seemed to feel it proper to do so and thus provide better doctors, surgeons and specialists of various kinds for our health care programs. The word "cadaver" was still an odd one except to crossword puzzle persons; sort of a left-over term from the study of the dead language of Latin which was, by that enlightened time of 1978, being dropped by more and more school systems.

Most of us, I think, read the article. The lead-in line of the actual copy clarified the "Virginia Schools" as "Virginia's medical schools" which helped us somewhat but the term "cadavers" remained steady in place.

But, it also edged toward understanding in statistics which followed:"The state anatomical program received one hundred ninety-six bodies in the last twelve months, including fifty-five unclaimed bodies from from public institutions and one hundred forty-one that were donated."

Three schools were concerned. Medical College of Virginia, the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School. Walter Gooch, supervisor of the anatomical program, provided the figures for the 1976-77 time period above, and he pointed out that each of the schools had 140 bodies for their students. He expressed the hope that the forthcoming drive might meet the wishes of the supervisors of the schools who like to have one cadaver for every two students. The cadavers are, he pointed out, essential for research and teaching of future doctors and the shortage is causing problems, he added. He decried that fact that "some bodies are being used for the second academic year because there aren't enough bodies being donated."

Most of the 4,500 people who had signed the application forms were young people. They often move about a lot,even out of state and simple forget they made such a commitment in their younger years. We seldom check a person's driver's license when they die. Few things seem more useless at such a time. Another reason may be found in the fact that our communications system has improved and we now identify many individuals who were destined to be listed as 'unknown" heretofore. Medical records are more complete, today, and our computer skills have, no doubt, improved the teaching technologies of our medical colleges since 1978.

In 1978, Supervisor Walter Gooch of the Anatomical Program for Virginia, estimated the medical colleges needed 250 to 300 bodies as donations annually.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-14-06 [529wds]

 
AND THEN...

We Americans are now entering another of our "So what!" eras?

We are at the point of recovery from "9-11" during which we tend to minimize much of that which may take place in our "up-for-grabs" future - a time when we, unwisely, tend to explain away much that took place in those dreadful hours in the hearts, minds and very souls of thousands of citizens. The tragic conditions were affixed firmly and with definite influences on the lives of those who lived it all, saw it happen, heard about it from victims or read accounts of its horrors. We "lived" through the tragedy in varied degrees and a questionable self-confidence enables us to relax a bit.

In contemplating the events just past we cautiously look to troubles we may have to face up to in the future. The problems we consider now were not, in the main big ones we predicted fifteen or twenty years ago. Almost no-one in 1961, for example, for instance, could have forecast then what our present day problems might be. Just a few years can make a great deal of difference.

Some of the impending disasters we worry about never happen. They may have been exaggerated or resolved by circumstances along the way In 1969 things looked rather grim in the field of education here in the United States. There were over four thousand arrests of college students and conservative figure estimates that about three million dollars in campus was destroyed. There was a strong fear of a take-over by "radicals" of some really picturesque types. One of the nation's largest "think tank" groups (In 1962 and still at it, too!) predicted "computers and automation threaten to create vast unemployment may spell the end of the United States economic system ...and we see no ready solution for the resulting unemployment."

It may well be the seeds of ultimate solution to our major problems are to be found in the concern which urge us to undertake a bit of real worrying and even take some steps toward solving what is, at that time, only a fear that such a change might take place. We are, then, perhaps "duty-bound" to pay a sensible amount of attention to our small problems which seem so large as they happen.

"We, the People" have short memories, too. We seldom rejoice and give thanks for the things which did not happen. "John Q. Public" simply forgets that which happened to others and takes his good fortune more-or-less for granted.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-12-06 [c441wds]

 
A SAY NOTHING DAY

If you are getting on in years and have been writing about events and happenings most of that time special dates hold strange elements of uncertainty for you.

If, as a reporter, you have a feeling you might like to skip such-and-such a special day this year. After witnessing to a event year after year in whatever form concerns you most. It could be a news item about how this year's observation differs from those of the past, or a feature article dealing with ceremony of previous years, or, if you don't like what has happened in past occasions, could be a crusader of a sort and wake a few people up who think as you do. It make little difference which particular area of our wide media ...if you write for print publication; for radio or television use; magazines, books, tracts, or, as in my particular case at this moment, for an Internet "blog", as it is now being called.

Whatever is written for this date must be special. It must have an aura of exactness about it which makes the writer think it has never been "said" before, well, not in this precise form, of course. You would be shocked if could know the number of television viewers who this very morning has said: "I'm so sick and tired of seeing those two building falling down! Can't they show anything else!?" Whatever is shown, whatever is said is to going to get a mixed reaction. No one thing can be expected to gain over all approval.

Psycho prodders will delve into that type of behave in the future, no doubt, to see why we act as we so often do. There are such reasons but we are not quite ready to acknowledge them as yet.

On days such as today - September 11, 2006 - the day I could write about yesterday with calm assurance is - in a sense "out of bounds" for me.I see such set-aside, exceptionally honored days as a time for seeking and renewing the inspiration and guidance which sets up and controls so much of our lives.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-11-06 [c370wds]

 
ANOTHER "INFAMY" DAY

Many of us remember seeing and hearing our President of that time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt saying "Pearl Harbor Day" would be a day that would live in infamy!"

It almost seems as if he extracted that not too common word from the English language and set it apart to designate the unexampled and costly events of that unforgettable day. Even today when the term "infamy" is spoken millions of American - yes, and some citizens of other nations as well because we were all involved in the years of war which evolved from those death filled moment of treachery and deceit.

We now have another day which would qualify to fit the same level of placement. Currently we refer to this ignoble day in our national life as "9-11", "Nine-Eleven" and some are just beginning to understand the complex nature of the three leading events of this special day. Each has specific meanings to friend and relatives of those who died or were severely injured. The non-combatant of so many victims broadens and complicates the scope of great loss.

"Numbered "days fade fast. When I was a child we marked "Armistice Day" as a memorial to the dead and injured on World War one. November 11th was, to millions of us and we observed a time of silence in which we reverently acknowledged a debt of gratitude to whose who fought to maintain democracy as it was known to be in those days. With the the passage of years "Armistice Day" became "Memorial Day" to mark a once a year remember veterans of any war. It became a date on the calender - [printed in red or so other bright, exciting color to remind millions it is a holiday and marks the beginning of special Fall and Winter sales on all kinds of merchandise.

Certainly, we don't want that for "9-11!"

Tomorrow - September 11, 2006 - five years after this day of triple tragedy for our nation - reflect with special care on losses suffered by so many people and do not forget to recall that which, and those who, caused it all to strike us.

This time: remembering well " the whom, what, when, where, and why or how" of it all, may be the most important single act you can perform. We forced to see at the New York City Towers, The Pentagon Building and a crashed airliner in a field where a makeshift memorial is growing as a permanent reminder of the courage or those in what may well be the vanguard.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-10-06 [c438wds]

 
THE WATERMELON CASE

Maybe someone on the Eastern Shore of Virginia can tell me how “The Watermelon Case” came out in the Fall of 1980.

Certainly anyone who lived in Northumberland or Accomac County during that time, must remember when the Rev.. Alvin G. Reid, brought charges against Phillip R. Custis, owner of one of the largest farms whom he accused of having “unlawfully destroyed some of Reid's watermelons by running a pickup truck over them.”

Reid and Custis each operated produce sales stands along Highway U.S. 13. Reid said that Custis had asked him to move his stand and when he refused to do so, Custis destroyed his watermelons.

I know about this case because I used to keep notebooks about strange little quirky twists in the news which I might someday wish to write about it in these pages. The last notation I have was a short newspaper clipping dated
August 8, 1980 from Eastville, Virginia telling all persons interested that
the pending “Watermelon Case” would not be heard by Judge Wescott Northham who had declared himself disqualified. One of three other judges of the General District Federal Court.

I have often wonder why the Judge thought the case to be of sufficient notoriety to make excuse himself from hearing it. I found that the judge was in a partnership with State Senator William E. Fears, a Democrat who had to beat off a challenge from Custis, a Republican nominee for Fear's seat in the Senate the previous year. During that campaign Custis had accused Fears of “cronyism” in getting Northam appointed to the General Court bench over a sitting judge.

That made sense but I wondered at the time where they would find a judge who wasn't in some way with the long long vines watermelon cases so commonly put out when growing.

I never heard anything more of the celebrated “Watermelon Case” of the Eastville vicinity. To me, it seemed to have the basic element the feuds in Scotland or among the Appalachian Mountain descendants of quarreling Scot Highlanders. Did it come to trial? Did it amount to anything ,or like the Reverend Reid's truck-tire treated melons simple die on the vine?

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-9-06 [c378wds]

 
ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE

At the moment, our newspaper people are writing in abundance concerning the very thing which so many of the general public find to be difficult to discuss: Blame.

We seek something or someone on which we might point to as being the cause of frequent mishaps, sub-normal conditions, or even outright disasters. Bar none, someone is at the bottom of every wrong choice we make. We are responsible for that scheme which worked well, or, at least to be benefit of many - those of us who praise it.

It may seem to be difficult for us to blame individuals for such conditions and events but it is being done daily and it appears with a strong degree of certainty and justification.

Want to know who caused the Katrina Hurricane disaster(s)? Make sure of of your personal political party affiliation, then have at the long list
of possible names: Mayor Nagin, President George W. Bush, The Democratic Governor of Louisiana whatever her name was, the head of FEMA, the Army Corp of Engineer, the Senate, the House, any ward-heeler in the in New Orleans Ninth Ward, any owner of property in the French Village area of the city; black people in general, and government employees at all levels – ward, parish, state, national plus a few international rulers who have not expressed their sorrow for your misfortune in the form of special gifts.

Print out your list of the thing which have gone wrong and you can easily match up certain names who might seem to be, at least, part of the cause for such a thing being allowed to have happened. Establish any such landfall and you can enlarge on your intrusive concept to no end as you please. Truth must, however, must be treated always as an incidental consideration.

Recently Republicans many areas have objected to the showing a movie concerning the 9/11 tragedy. We are approaching the anniversary date of that horrible event as we will be doing each year from now, but many Republicans have objected to the showing of the film because it, in a sense, blames the G.O.P. for laxity Home Defense preparations. Now, this very morning, I find a major newspaper voice raised claiming that the fault for 9/11 rests with former President William Jefferson Clinton who was far more interested and immediately concerned with his rather sordid affair with Monica Lewinsky to be expected to be even aware of any terrorist plans for an attack on the United States.

This bit of gander sauce is thought by some to be sadly out of place, but it will be the rule, I think, for political actions leading up to our next Presidential Election in 2008. Prepare yourself. Get a copy of the best, most-banned “Street Language Dictionary/Thesaurus” you can ferret out. Hang on to it. It'll come in handy, one of these days.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-7-06 [c497wds]

 
DRAWING LINES

Ever since the trouble we had in Kuwait some years back, we have talked about “drawing lines in the sand”. The idea comes in handy every time we are involved in affairs of a desert area. It usually means that the time has come to call a halt to whatever unpleasant actions might be in progress.

There is one desert area where “lines” were drawn long, long ago and we don't, to this day, know why they were drawn, by whom, how, or if their being where they are means anything in our civilization now in its 2lst century of development.

The display was unknown until the 1930's when aircraft were survey
ing the area seeking new sources of water. Many travelers on the earth's surface must have wondered about the straight path they used as roads and at the regular crossing of the roads leading to no place in particular.

Air surveys revealed an inventory of seventy such figures which they came to call “Biomorphs” including spider, a giant humming bird, a monkey with a spiral tail and a pelican a thousand feet long!

Specialists have counted about nine hundred other designs called “Geomorphs”. These are mainly geometric drawings of simple lines, cycles, fixtures, shapes and complex systems of lines. There are straight lines in abundance. The longest of these lines measures nine miles!

We have used the term “drawing”. In truth the process used in Peru might be call “with-drawing”. The area is covered with scattered, reddish colored rocks. If you wished to form a dark line, form the rocks in such a place as needed. If you want a wider line, more rocks, please! To make a wide road or what appears to be landing strip or runway to flyers.

That's how the Inca did it in Peru – Bolivia, too. No hurry. Take your time. People who keep count of such things tell me pre-Peruvians did their share of such drawings at about 200 B.C.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-6-06 [c355wds]
356

 
MAKE YOUR OWN LEATHER

All you need is the hide from a favorite animal. Right?

You have to clean them, cut the one you select to a pattern you just happened to have handy, then sew it up in some way – possibly using long strips of raw hide trimmed from the edge of the larger pieces.

If the American frontiersmen and women could have made good leather with their short stock of tools and supplies, we can. They did have a good stock of wild animals of many kinds available for the taking.

They didn't use the fancy word “tanning” in those days. They worked to make the skins firm, pliable, decay free, with even texture and coloring, ready for the making of dresses, skirts, aprons, cloaks, shoes, headgear, tepee furnishings - even sturdy, durable tents.

Start with fresh hides. Old ones will not do. Soak the hides in clean water for three days or more. Keep them completely submerged even if you have to hold them down with rocks. Change the water daily. After that, the hairs will “slip”and come off in chunks. If some hairs fail to slip off, sift wood ashes on those areas; roll the hides up with the fur inside and wait a day or more to see if the wood ashes made enough lye to loosen up the stubborn hairs. When they have, rinse the cleaned hides in clean, cold water.

See! Only a week or so have passed and you are ready for the next step called “Fleshing”.

Debark a six-foot log to make a “Fleshing Beam”. Bury the log end up and slanted in the ground so that the angle facing you is about even with your waist line. Rinse the hides once more and wring each one out before you placed it athwart the fleshing beam -all debarked and made as smooth as you can get it. Then your job is to remove anything adhering to the hide surface by pounding, pressing, scapeing and doing whatever you can to remove any uneven or thick places in the hide. You are to even out the thickness of the piece of make each one as uniform as possible. When you have completed rinse it out in cold water and wring it out. Now, place it on a large frame and stretch it tight.

You still must do a “Brain Tanning” procedure and and an action called “Breaking the Hide”. You make up a pasty mix of the brains of the animal you killed adding live scraps and cow's brains as needed. Rub mixture into the framed hide to get even color The other task is to stretch the pelt on a frame or between two trees and beat it gently with a tool that looks like a canoe oar. In so doing you break down part of the cell structure of the hide and make it soft and supple.

Stretch the finished hide over hot coals fed with wet corn chips, corn cobs, or beech wood chips. It is all well-tented so the smoke becomes part of the hide. When the hide is exactly the shade of brown you wanted it to be...put the fire out...fold the leather neatly and put it on a shelf to rest a while.

Go thou, and do the same.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-6-06[c567wds]

 
HARPER'S FERRY RE-DO

Just recently, a pair of experienced world travelers on their
way to spend some time in Peru, Bolivia and other nation's down south, visited with us for a day or so. Our guests, Brian and Helga Thomson are the parents the husband of one of our granddaughters - Annette and Julian Thomson, of D.C.

The last time Vivian and I visited Harper's Ferry was in fall of 1978 – the last week in Augusta when the leaves were just taking on whole mountain sides of Fall colors. We have talked of going back and we were pleased that our guests seemed to have enjoyed their visit to the old Civil War town.

Restoration work had made good progress at the time we were there and one could get the true feeling of historical sites. The restoration reminds one a bit that which recreated Colonial Williamsburg but smaller and less elaborate. Like Williamsburg, Harper's Ferry has plenty of walking to be done, and Harper's Ferry challenges you to some real climbing, too.

You will want to climb the steps; to the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter. The interior of the church is especially interesting. It is ornate and of a soft, cream color inside and rugged outside appearance, with parapets, a mountain hulk across the way and the rushing river waters down below. You get a Rhine-landish from it.

You'll want to visit the ruins of the Old Episcopal church, too, the ruins not so much from Civil War mis-use as from floods which have hit the town - a bad one in 1936 and again in 1972. That one crested at 29.7 feet above normal. The '36 one was about twelve feet and you an see the water marks on the downtown buildings. We saw a film strip on the floods and I assume it is still being shown today.

The old Engine House where John Brown holed up for a shoot- out with troops is, of course, and featured spot. There is a diorama in the Visitor's Center and displays set up by the National Park Service which has done the restoration work.

We had lunch at The “Iron Horse” Restaurant – up the hill a bit overlooking the rivers and bridges into Maryland.

A day spent at Harper's Ferry enjoyable and historically informative. Thomas Jefferson walked the same spots you can. He had a special liking for that which is now called “Jefferson's Hill”. Even then, the town could be crowded with visitors then as it often is today.

Promise yourself to be one of them.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-5-06 [c442wds]

 
GATEPOSTS

These was time, years ago, when we always had a fence around our house. It was not a defensive thing in the usual sense – a barricade of sorts behind which we might crouch to fire off our muskets against invading tribes of savages or door-to-door salespersons.

I lived in a small town in Southwestern Virginia where milk cows - a part of many households – were allowed to roam freely - anywhere they wished to go. Any yard with a neat lawn and flower beds and well-shaped green, leafy bushes was an invitation to any moo-moo looking for a gastronomic adventure.

You have two gates – front and back – and you kept both of them locked securely in some fashion - a piece of heavy wire looped over the first two or three palings from the heavy gatepost, or some of us had a heavy plank fitted so the ends dropped into wooden brackets and each gated post and secured the gate itself from opening inwardly. If anyone, by stupi-chance happened to put that plank-style stock-stopper on the outside of the gate, they soon learned hat cows in quest of food can be smarter than one might think them to be.

But, I'm not sittin' here to about cows or gate ...just about gate posts – and how to read them.

Reading gate post, an art which went out of fashion when prosperity returned following that era in our national history called 'The Great Depression.” Just moments ago, I heard President George W. Bush say on a TV news snippet that our current rate of “joblessness” - a 21st Century term meaning “unemployed” - was about 4.3% ,or in the those tenths somewhere. Hallelujah! In that Depression Time unemployment ranged up to twenty-five per cent and more in some areas! As a direct result, we had a great army of “hobo” persons mostly men but some women, too – who roamed our roads and railroads, in particular, in search of any kind of work they might do to earn a bare living.

Ours was a railroad town, so we had more than our natural share of such down-on-their-luck visitors. It is difficult today to separate such people from less admirable predecessors known also, as “h oboes” but in a derogatory way which classed them as: “tramps”, “bums”, “track trotters” - often with criminal backgrounds, - both real and imaginary. They avoided work rather than searched for it.

I haven't forgotten the gate post bit. The traveling persons developed a language of their own which you could read on your gate post or mail box if you realized it was there.

Hobos, in their travels, found all types of people - some good and some, well, let's say “not so good”. To save the next hobo in line man in their line some trouble and time, some of them, a few ,perhaps, not all by any means, marked their evaluation of the resident of that particular house.

The Hobo Code was had a small stock of diagrams and it varied in different sections of the country. I learned that simple plus mark that it was a good, place for simply handout; Small circles with a line under them meant you could sleep in the barn if you asked; Cross hatch of three or four lines -”bad dog, bull or man. Watch!” Two lines with waves between them. Bad water. Plain cross – religious folks; an arrow to left or right with nickname - a buddy saying he was a-going that-a-way; a vertical line with a squiggle on it – not unlike the medical caduceus said “will help if you are sick.” And, there were others, some which I never deciphered.

I am proud to say our gate post held plus marks, a cross and one snake-on-a-stick-thing. I remember it as being a tribute to my mother's good nature, concern and respect for others less fortunate than we were at the time.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-4-06 [c676 wds]

 
HALF-EMPTY OR HALF-FULL?

We might wonder how a city such as New Orleans, La. can loose more-or-less-half of its population and survive.

It will vary a great deal, of course, but it could be one of the better things to happen to some such centers of population. Large numbers of people do not make a city.

They will vary a great deal,too and it could be that events which seemed to have been catastrophic could have been one of the better things to happen in some such centers of population.

London, England serves as an example of such changes. Both the Great Fire of London's historical past and the Great Blitz bombings of World War II in our won era, took away from London huge areas of old, dilapidated warehouses and slum districts - some within sight of St. Paul's Dome and The City's finest buildings. As horrible as the methods of removal were – fire in two forms, really, I suppose - a new and better city grew from the ashes and debris. The city was forced to improved - or “led” to do so, we might wish to say.

New Orleans has such needs. It is time to put political considerations aside in the pressing need for community improvements of basics types. We must be more concerned about those things which tells other what a city is rather than what it might be made to appear to be.

New Orleans lost a lot of real estate which was not that might be termed as being “Less than first class”. Restoration is not in the plan; replaced in the broadest sense of the term must be. The current method of attempting to lure previous residents back to the city are, for the most part, blandishments which promise the realization of dreams rather than providing facts and figures. Truly worthy workers will avoid such bait as they are currently being shown. They will come back when assured that changes have been made; not just promised - once again.

New Orleans was not a “mirage”. It was, truly enjoyed because it seemed to be different from other places in the United States. It must make make itself well once again, prove to be alluring, a bit feisty and compelling its manner of accepting strange guests from everywhere.

The true New Orleans which is slowly beginning to live again has an element mystery in its very evolvement from half-a-dozen cultures. You can see it in the styles, the architecture, their foods and drinks, in their conversational ease, and most of all, I think, you can hear their subtle subject-set charm dancing in their music: zydeco, Cajun, Spanish, Mex, English, fandango, flamenco, African, shanty, French, country, cowboy, plans, frontier, riverboat songs, Injun, civil war songs... and techno-mod a-plenty on the way!

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-3-06 [c485wds]

 
WAY TO GO!

Are you a “creature” of habit?

I don't care at all for that “creature” reference - it makes me sound like too much of a pet critter of some sort – but I suppose most of us are given to an in-born urge - if it be that - to duplicating the thing we are doing the easy way in which we have always done it. It saves time. It saves effort. It saves unnecessary wear-and-tear to the patience of all those folks who react to our actions.

Much of my own habitude, I like to assume, affects me alone. It's my business, I decide – and yet I know that's not right even as write it down. Of course not, because each of us is a model to someone else far more often than we realize.

Improper habits, we all come to know eventually, can become a prisoner of the worst sort. Some of those are more noticeable than others, fortunately, so we can learn to avoid serious entanglement with many of them. Continuing to smoke cigarettes, for instance, after trying a few of them or of belting back a brace of bubbling brews at a bar just because others seem to be generating kicks by doing so - is an invitation to an ignoble stance,to say the least. Common sense kicks in and we have formed a “habit”- worthy one.

I have of getting up around six each morning. I have been known to talk myself out of doing so on occasion, but, by and large, I like to start my day a just about the same time the day itself is getting under way. It became habit when I had to get up at that hour at six in order for me to be at my work-place desk at eight.

I was thinking about is thing of forming new habits just this morning while watching and listening to a mish-mash of disaster news including two hurricanes – A & P waters – at once; the mess in Iraq, etc.; another “can't-happen” polygamy sweep in mountain-time areas, another deadly aircraft crash; nuke notes from Iran; “next” in the Karr-Ramsey drama; style news about “whale tail” baggy pants and bare BB short shirts!

How did we get to this particular juncture in our present societal level? Is it all edging still lower, or is that sinking feeling I have just my imagination running wild?

It's high time we examined our old habits and see to starting some new ones. Suggested areas: New Orleans, the United Nations concept, political stability, excesses in “enjoyments” - entertainments, sports, religion, fat, fads, and fantasy ... and foremost among them all... the end of war and the discovery of Peace.

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-2-06 [c470wds]

 
ASSIGNMENT

I have the greatest respect for those writers who are charged with preparing an opening dialog for high class comedy stars - stage, TV or stand-up.

After all, the star is getting ready to unwrap a whole bale of the laugh-inducing mixture sense and nonsense and it is your specific job to help hold the door open so they welcome him or her.

Try it, sometime. Take a list of jokes and re-say them for the occasion. Join them together leading to the main act of the show. Join them together as an introductory unit leading to the main act.

“I was a afraid, for a moment, some of you may not recognize me. I've been wearing a neck brace... sling-thing for a couple of weeks.

(Indicates shoulder area and pretends padded arm.)

“I had accident while minding my own business. I went to my bank - an old-fashioned one where you actually inside the building and walk right up to the Teller. Mine was a beautiful; rather tall blond..bright, blued eye. She smiled and asked if she could do anything for me, and I said: “ Yes, would you please check my balance?”

She pushed me.

I wonder about some people. I really do. Why do critics call TV a “medium” I found out. It's called a “medium” because it's “rare”-ly “well done.”

Just suppose Tarzan was a Cajun. What would that make Cheetah? Picante Sauce, maybe?

People ask me if I have troubles at work. Yes, but when I leave the office, I leave my troubles there, too. I have duplicate set at home.

After Michaelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel he was asked which part of the job was most difficult. He responded: “Staying in the lines, Brother, staying in the lines!”

If you ever want to hear sixty-five old ladies swearing at the same time, step inside a crowded hall and yell “Bingo!”

Two things I'm still wondering about: Who puts those silly “Thin Ice” signs way out in the middle of half-iced ponds? And - why we call them “stairs”inside the house and “steps” outside?

Remember always: Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it.

Well, now!! Here comes ----(guest)----I'll bet you thought he'd never get here!

(Greets guest speaker..make short, serious facts and figures about guest then,to audience say ”Thank you. I tell you that blond Teller pushed me! She did so,too!”

Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-1-06 [c426wds]

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