Saturday, January 07, 2006
STATE OF STATES One night this past week we listened to, and watched ,the governor of the fine state of California as he delivered his annual "State of the State" address to an appreciative and responsive audience. We are still questioning Governor Swartzenegger's ability to perform as a knowing politician rather than as an actor and strong man of host of action movies. I wonder if we are acing properly in doing so, because he has, certainly shown that he can perform well in the public arena as a political of distinction. I find it improper for pseudo-comedians of TV and radio talk shows to ridiculed his Austrian accent and mis-quote him using sham dialect bits and pieces to bolster their often false allegations and suggestions. There can be little doubt California has endured more that its logical share of such foolishness because the because they go right on inviting such treatment by being different in all things. People from Virginia used to be lampooned for being "colonial" by nature, stuck-up, stand-offish. No more. Since Northern Virginia has become a dominant segment of the state's political, social, economic, and real estate holdings. It has changed rather abruptly. Virginia has become more and more of a beltway community.Traditionally northern was A. C. - Ag Controlled. It is now on D.C. District oriented and powered. We hear of massive debts various states are said to have and, yet, a change in just a few offices can cause that same state to have a surplus if budget plans are followed.The wizardry of high finance is always a good topic for potential claims to fame. There is, quite often, a welter of such insults which come out during election time, but skilled political handling curbs them before any real damage is done to the basic structure of the democracy we have ...and love. A.L.M. January 9, 2006 [c327wds]rkvgrs
Friday, January 06, 2006
JANUARY 6, 2006 WHAT ELSE? When dire situations such as the coal miner's deaths at Tallmansville,West Virginia occur most of us react in a normal and seek ways in which we can express the genuine sorrow we feel for the victims and, especially their families and all who must live in such a rigorous environment to survive. It is difficult for any who have not lived in an authentic coal mining area to really feel the unequaled depths and wide concern such people develop concerning their loved ones. There is a vast difference between working where danger is threatened or deemed possible to one in which death is a constant host standing ready for the slightest invitation. Two members of my high school graduation class died in coal mine accidents along the West Virginia - Virginia border. Less than a year out of school and all was lost. I remember such times in the 1930's, too when the annual totals for mining deaths went to, and beyond, four hundred men. Almost every time we heard of infractions of existing mine safety rules and plans were announced for additional regulations to be set tin place. Obviously, some such promised changes were brought about. They must have been since there has been improvement since our annual count is far lower. But when events such as the most recent mishap we are reminded of how other area of our existence are accident-prone. One important factor in the West Virginia case was the apparent lack of dependable communication at the site. The news media is being, I think, falsely accused of being lax in their responsibility to spread facts and not rumor. Studies will show how the false report of “ten alive and one killed ” was widely spread for hours before it was discovered that the exact opposite was, in fact, true:”Ten dead – one barely alive!” Someone will be found to have been the source of this major error. At this juncture there is sufficient need for us to ask ourselves some direct questions? Where else in our society have such instances of “poor communication” been a central favor? Are there other areas in which we should be giving them attention - getting at the truth in each of them? Is it a fact hat some criminal investigations are at a standstill because of the paucity of communications among those those concerned with their solution? Very few cities or towns are without their own backlog of unsolved crimes. It is obvious that someone spoke out of turn at Sago, West Virginia spreading rumor for fact among those residents awaiting news of the rescue work being attempted. All of this should remind us of the need for accuracy in spreading the news. We are in special danger in our time because of the nature of our competitive news agencies - everyone wants to be first. A.L.M. January 6, 2006 [c488wds]
Thursday, January 05, 2006
THE NEED TO KNOW We learn through necessity. We have to know what a problem is all about before we can deal with it. I find it disturbing that so many people - at least, those who express themselves concerning national defense planning tend to play at something so serious. One can prepare for such things only to a degree. We must know what the problem is before we can prepare to meet it which leads up to something called “common sense”. It may not be the best method, but examine our history and see how often we have been been saved by our ability to learn quickly from experience of our own and that of others. I find critics of our defense preparations who think too often in terms which are far too narrow and do not include many segments of our population. All is not forecast by other ahead of time. We learn things as we go along. We often often from others and in ways we don't understand at the moment. Braddock's Red Coats were well trained in battle techniques -all of the accepted, standard, right way to wage war, but they had to adapt - and quickly - to the methods used by the American Indian. Those who did not, died. Simple as that. So much for drills. A young lady was heard praising her aged grandfather: “I am so glad,” she said,..so very glad to see that you are finally learning to put your hand over your when you sneeze!” He looked at her and smiled.”It's the only way I know to catch my teeth!” We prepare for emergency by being aware of what might transpire in a time of stress. We prepare for war conditions by living a calm, well-adjusted life before the war threatens. The quality of our life style determine if we will be ready or not I have had more than one Englishman tell me that during the mad nights of the Great Blitz in London in World War II, they, too, were amazed at how well people rallied in the time of need. With fifteen hundred fires burning in the city at one time, large areas had to be ignored in order to save others. Thousands of citizens rose to the occasion, above petty personal feeling, and helped others even while their section was being eaten by flames. As families of citizens, they had to learn to us Bomb Shelters hastily dug in the garden or front yard. No amount of drill in peace time would have made them ready to endure the discomfort of such sleepless nights of terror. People here are concerned about security at our airports while the vast majority of container ships come and go without inspection in a dozen seaports. Disaster practice demonstrations have been performed in Chicago and other areas, and a city-wide evacuation _- a mass movement of millions of people - the entire population of our nation's capital is planned. If you have ever witnessed “normal” rush hours from DC into Virginia and Maryland you may question such a grandiose exhibition in several common sense ways. To think of and actually plan for such a farcical scenario, in the name of national defense, reflects poorly on the many people truly concerned and seeking to provide methods whereby the American people may be made more secure in the face of potential attack. About the only point of merit I see in such a plan is that we would have with us in Maryland and Virginia ample hosts of Washington reporters eager to let us know what they think was happening. A.L.M. January 5, 2006 [c610wds]
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
MAKING OUR OWN STUFF I often wonder. Do we still actively manufacture anything at all in the United States? You,certainly,must have asked yourself the same question several times in recent years as it has become more and more evident that very few of the things we buy are "Made in U.S.A." We all seem to know this is a transition which has been taking place, and yet, no one, it appears, has moved in any significant manner to either stop it...or to, at least, slow it down a bit. In fact those activities as have been taken seem to be working the other the way around by encouraging even more offshore manufacturing. Somehow, it seems totally wrong that we should permit,and even encourage such a transition when our economy has been suffering serious problems. I remember when I had close friends who worked in plants where items were actually made;finished products for the general market. No more. Other, than some small artisan-type operations, I can't think of very many people I know now who make products that will be sold locally. Food products, perhaps, and related short-term items, maybe. Drugs, chemicals, beverages and other such lines, but those lists are shortening year-by-year. Notice how much of our Christmas-time candy items bear “Made in China” stickers or tags. I have two pair of my favorite brand of shoes. It is a well-known name brand among shoes and I have the interesting information to pass along to others: "My shoes are not made in China!" So many styles of footwear for Americans of all ages are now coming to us from China that many assume they all do. Not so. My shoes are not made in China. They are made in India and have been for several years. They remain leading “American“ brand, too. Check your wardrobe. If you are in the same situation in which I find myself to be, you have several sport shirts made in Guatemala, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong - some from nations you may never even heard of and did not know existed! You are wearing clothing items from Malaysia in a plaid design a Scottish Highlander would wear with pride. Your heavy, quilted jacket is made in Bangladesh. At the breakfast table you will stay closer to home because of the perishable nature of foods, but aseptic treatment processes are moving in on us speedily so the shelves displayed be doubled as far as food supplies are concerned and foreign markets will be able to compete as longer periods of shelf life making previously perishable food products obtainable over a extended times. Retailers here in the United States,for a time, seriously tired to re-build some of the American capability for manufacturing, but,one-by-one, they have all more-or-less given in to reality and now make no pretense of offering "Made in U.S.A " products. We have,in effect, priced ourselves out of our own markets largely because we cannot control higher labor costs. We are buyers, now rather than sellers. We depend more and more on others to supply our common, everyday requirements and this is going to have its long-range affect on many aspects of our lives the deeper we become involved. A. L. M. January 3, 2006 [c556wds]
Monday, January 02, 2006
PART-TIME PSYCHO DUDE Try this little stunt the next time you find yourself with absolutely nothing to do: Be your own crystal gazer; your own psycho adviser person or fortune teller and see things you've never seen before ...well, maybe. It's kid's stuff on the surface, but it can be interesting to older kids as well ... even puzzling. To begin: take a clean, clear glass . Fill it with water almost to the brim and place it on a low table before you. Seat yourself comfortably on a chair so that you can look directly down into the contents of the glass from above. You are now ready. All you have to do is to relax - refrain from movement of yourself or of the table. Now - look - stare down into the depths, then gradually bring your prime point of vision to the surface and hold it there. You may have wondered what it might be like when fortune tellers feign to see or actually do see thing in crystal balls they use. You are now doing it. Make no attempt to adjust any lighting. If you see nothing - change to a different area more alive with light reflections. Case #1: I saw along corridor which appeared to be flowing away from me in deep, sharper than normal perspective. The floor was hardwood strips. I had a feeling it was evening or night time. To the right was a series of long windows, curtained with with long, white curtain almost to the floor along a full length hallway toward an existing light area. Ahead was a more intense light - tinted yellow. Ahead in a doorway, in that yellowish glow of light, stood a thin girl in the doorway and she seemed to be moving and rearranging her tousled , dark brown hair. She was fully clothed and intently re-arranging her long, dark hair. I couldn't see the person to whom she was talking, only a shadow passing the doorway now and then. I did not know the girl. She just stood there talking to someone and did not notice me at all. She she did not acknowledge my being there. I went on down the hall; entered the bedroom beyond her and there was no one present. Case #2: utter darkness on the water to start with and a light developed in the foreground and divided into two sections - upper and lower – to show me the inside of a church. It could have been the church we attend but larger and more ornate,I realized. I was seated above and behind organ pipes. I was look between them into the sanctuary, the high pulpit ahead of me and I suddenly realized the organ pipes installed along the edge of a balcony, were moving. Two larger pipes were split open. They were golden inside. They were moving toward the left. I was alone. The organ was not playing. There was no sound. It had a vague, dreamlike quality about it all and I wondered about why the pipes being gold on the inside and why they were moving as they were doing. They were not all exactly vertical, either, I found. A few leaned over the edge of the balcony and I felt they needed repair right away. Case #3 or same session : longer than the others. Nothing developed after several tries. Unease in my mind. I should be doing something else. I as was unable to concentrate on not thinking which is essential. I did see a dark area with the expanse... like a darkened TV screen - an entire cube and some flicker in gray stripe at times. I decided to give it all up. Wisely, too, perhaps. We psychics tire easily. It's hard work keeping your mind blank on purpose for a twenty minute session. Compare your notes with others who have done the same thing but do not like to admit having tried such a stupid stunt. Just imagine, however, what such trivial experiments must have meant to mankind over the centuries. Oracle ...prophet ....fortune teller... you can be all of them yourself! You may think this is silly, but it makes good séance to a great many people! A.L.M. January 3, 2006 [c699wds]
Sunday, January 01, 2006
REVIVAL It is odd, but on this first day of the fresh start of the “year” concept – Number 2006 – I should find myself thinking of it as being a time when the idea of community theaters - “movie houses” we called them, has been revived. As with a used year, some people seem to think they can wish, or buy themselves back into what they now remember as being happier times. One by one, up and down our area, town after town has a project underway to r e reopen a closed movie theater. It is a costly and somewhat deceptive dream in many cases. It is highly unlikely that a community in this area will support a theater of this type, being revered today as having been so inexpensive and, hence, popular with the general run of paying patrons. It can't work that way again. In nearby Staunton, Va. the 1930's version of the old “Dixie Theater” reopened as a four-box multi-screen shop in an effort to contest the opening of a new movie house in the shopping Mall south of town, after making a false start as a one-screen revival. More recently someone decided to redo the old “Visulite Theater” - so called because it was one of three theaters in the state which used a system which places the projection apparatus in back of the screen. There is not a great deal one might do to modify a rectangular, curb-side box – seating, at best, a hundred and fifty paying customers. It stands to immediate financial stability that augmented concessions are going to be the profit margin of primary concern for such a reconstituted “motion picture house”. Pop Corn is seen as the natural starting point for such a new beginning for something that old. New admission prices of about $4.00 for adults and $1.00 for children allow movie goers to see their favorite film features - all except the newest ones. There's another type. The “Wayne Theater”, in Waynesboro, Va., is trying to emulate the relative success of the larger “Paramount Theater” in downtown Charlottesville, Va. They are aimed at being art theater centered in addition to being movies houses. That which made fairly good sense in the University of Virginia area does not ,of necessity, apply to Waynesboro. Home movies hurt the local picture houses years ago and television came of age to deal it pretty much of a death blow. It remained for DVD and other such electronic marvels to spring the trap and drop the movie house into the box of lost and gone forever entertainment methods. A. L. M January 1, 2006 [c447wds]
|
