Saturday, June 17, 2006
POLLY I remember times when I have wanted a loud-mouthed, talking parrot! I always talked myself out of it, for which deliverance I am grateful, because, in the ensuing years I have encountered a few such birds and I have not been favorably impressed save in on or two cases. I would imagine our interest in parrots was caused,in part, by our having read so many stories about pirates with parrots as side-kick buddies talking them into and out of thrilling adventures. He stands and out above all others. He was, feather-for-feather, a dignified Household Butler type of a bird. He belonged to a retired twosome who happened to live in the second floor apartment just above ours for some time The flat, which has been torn down now, was no Taj Mahal and insulation was unknown in those days,so we were ruled, to some degree, as Polly asserted his presence with Mr. and Mrs. upstairs neighbors. Mr. Evans had been, before "retiring to town living" part owner of a several small,semi-surface coal mine operations near a village strip called Parrot, Virginia and a newcomer fledgling bird acquired for his office, a "parrot from Parrot" was called "Polly-Polly." The Evans household was a formal one. Mrs. Evans always referred to her husband of many years "Mister Evans". That requirement was effector all occasions when speaking, to him, him others, even in prayer to our Lord. Mr. Evans was of the same strict school. He always referred to his wife as "Missus Evans" on all occasions including speaking to her, about her, on her behalf, to strangers, newcomers, tradespeople, salespersons! To everyone alike: "Missus Evans" -- always. We never knew their first names until Mr. Evans, asked my father to "look over" some insurance policies he possessed. One would think such a couple might call their parrot "Mister" as well. No. They spoke of, to and about him as a fine English family might call a Butler who managed their household for many years. It was never "Polly,Polly". It was always a somewhat reserved "Polly". Polly had a sense of humor,too. When they were away he took care of strangers knocking at the front door. "Come in!" He called. We would hear the turning of a doorknob - the door locked, of course. "Come in, please." Maybe a second try at the caller discovered a certain dialect about the voice denoting a talking birds presence. Polly announced the arrival of people into whatever room held his cage. The parrot observes the family dictum of Mr. and Mrs. Evans , as well. On occasion Polly has been known to pick up the name of the neighbor's cat and cause it to put a year's wear and tear on the screen which separates the two adjoining patios. He also achieved local fame by remembering radio station IDs. He'd was lost, however, without the Evans twosome to imitate. Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-17-06 [c505wds]
Friday, June 16, 2006
TEAM WORK Flying larger aircraft calls for teamwork. You may have wondered what it seems to call for a crew of eleven to properly fly a B-29; a few less for the older, smaller B-24. Both demand multiple talents and we are, doubtless, victims of our own cupidity in assuming that an author's created super- person exceeds all known world values in his various abilities and accomplishments and and flies the plane expertly - as a one man Wright Brothers/NASA combination. It doesn't work that way at all. The super-pilot screen type hero without limit is a figment of the imagination half-life of some writers memory and a willing compliance of the reader on his or her suggestions culling the larger crew down to one heroic, prime person in charge of all aspects of operation. The establishment of a very successful military used for both of the planes has made it possible to see why each job is part of a composite plan to use individual skills and knowledge to best advantage and to gain ultimate values. The concept is big enough that it actually varied in different areas around the world where the planes have been used to any extent. We think, quite logically, of the person charged with actually maneuvering of the craft from point. We are to call him the Chief Pilot - the main one, prime, first, Numero Uno, Senior Pilot. There is also a Second Pilot who is more than a stand-by or replacement if the Senior Pilot should become incapacitated or unable to function in any way. The Co-pilot is responsible for the elements which enables the Senior Pilot to perform well. They both check all safety factors and the Co-Pilot continues to observe such aids and report any variations to his senior. He is to be ready to take, over the actual control when asked to do so, either by the demand of circumstances or when requested to do so - when, for instance, the craft has been put automatic pilot. It was not uncommon for pilots to spell each other for catnaps on the small platform in back of their seats. When being "pilot" a person was "in charge of" the entire operation. There was one other person had such a power. When a plane on a mission entered the actual bomb site and passed a pre-determined point called the "Point of Departure" the Bombardier took control of the plane until such time as, according to mission plans, the bombs fell way from the bomb racks. Control of the plane was the returned to the chief pilot much concerned with ground attacks and enemy aircraft. The Navigator was at work seeking a safer path home. Gunners were alert, of course, at their posts. The crews operated as a closely-knit unit.Very much dependent on one another with their very lives at stake it was a closeness unequaled. Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-16-06 [c503wds]
Thursday, June 15, 2006
LEND AN EAR A cat, statisticians who record feline facts tell me, has a total of thirty-two muscles in each ear. Fitted out with that type of feline facts,I can now understand, to some degree, how is that our family cat or several years now - named "Angel", can be totally unaware of just about anything I tell her, while obeying the commands and even the unspoken wishes wishes of some of them. I am "persona non grata" to 'Angel" and I wonder why the devil anyone every gave her that name. At the same time, in a physical sense, the name is an excellent choice. Never before have I known a cat to be so perfectly proportioned and so finely marked. To the eye she is both regal and ethereal... other worldly, at times. In disposition, manners and in associative relation ship ,she: "Needs," as they say, "some work done." Don't count on me to do it. I'm on an intermittent schedule with "Angel",it seems. There are days in which she appears not to know I even exist. She can look right at me - through me, in fact, and not show any sign that I am present. At other times she can be momentarily friendly and even lead me to think I'm making progress in "getting to know her." She is elusive and not going to react in any way any thing I may suggest. In general,I realize this particular cat was raised by women. there were few men in her life until recently. Any feminine presence causes her to recognize as a source of attentions, food, water, and contact suggesting security and warmth or dryness and protection from danger. I have often wondered what type of reasoning which has caused politicians to avoid putting a tax on house cats such as we have on dogs as pets. That reason, I am told, is that the cat is not yet considered to be truly domesticated. Until such time as it is, the cat remains a wild, independent, self-contained,and very much individual, four-legged unit all his or her own self alone. Often, in some strange way I can't even start to explain, I often I feel I am in the presence of something more than a "cat." Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-15-06 [c397wds]
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
HENRY - CALLED THE EIGHTH I tend to feel sorry for the King we list as Henry Number Eight. The artists - or, perhaps we had best call them the cartoonists they must have been maligning the King and always “doing him” at meal time. He is depicted as a fat, uncouth brute of a man passionately hacking a side of venison, at least a thigh thereof, with his sole weapon being his hunting knife. Neither the the King, nor his hired hands who had hacked the beast into chunks they could handled as they held them in and just above the leaping flames of a huge bonfire to cook them. They were really butchers being chefs. None of them – King or valet- had luxuries such as knives, forks, spoons and other such gadgets we now consider to be essential. Everything was “finger-lickin' good” be it the much-lauded venison or plain old pasturing cow. Henry VIII deserves better treatment than he has had in the past. His actions, which changed the entire face of the empire and to those portions which have come down to us as as a part of our heritage as well. Many still vilify Henry as a scamp and they prove it by attending diligently to any doubts they have about all aspects of his life. Most concerned his choice brides and of his manner of making such choices. Aside from all the hoop-la- anyone who, undertook to remove the Roman Catholic Church from the empire and to supplant it with his own English version, had to be a man to be reckoned with in all matters. To gain a new appreciation of the abilities of Henry VIII,consider the enormity of that which he accomplished - for reasons good or bad by someone's estimate. The Roman Catholic monastery establishments of the continent had become rich and lived a life of luxury, acquired possessions such as land, at flocks, vineyards, possession of art works and built lavish new quarters for themselves. Some members felt is to be wrong and decided to migrate across the channel and to built new homes dedicated to poverty and true worship. By the time Henry came to power the English equaled or exceeded the wealth and corruption of the worst of the old continental locations. Henry acted quickly and indecisively. Every thing he did was completed between the years of 1536 and 1540. In just four years he totally changed the religious nature of the area and placed in its stead a church system of his own devising - an English church. Gone forever - after just four years of action - were the ornate monastic houses, churches, cathedrals, palaces and other sites - largely seen as ruins today. Just four years? Think not so much what Henry did, but the way in which he did it. Andee McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 8-15-06 [c485wds]
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
SHOCK SHOTFew people were were ready for President George Bush’s standing with Iraq ’s head of state affably doing the hand shaking routines. Both men are obviously adept at the well-known and oft-used maneuver marking time, but our TV people ,wondering what their rather elaborate equipment and personnel setup at the Camp David, Maryland, “Peace Conference” were doing at the moment they were stretching as best they could to make a pooled camera shot suffice a moment longer. The producer of the network I was watching seemed to like it all so much hat hat he ran it over again Bush and the new PM walked away rather suddenly as if the two leaders were eager to get something started. I was pleased that either our President now seemed to speak conversational Arabic or that the Prime Minister had just stepped away from his “Rosetta Stone:” - “Political Emergency Course in English”. They chatted away, it appeared over either dead or uncomprehending microphones. It was a good “photo op” without extra cameras nearby. The trip to Baghdad – Bush’s second – was a better kept secret than other such departures. The awareness of the trip was a surprise for some guests at Camp David and to find at their presidential host had flown the coop as they slept as it was for you and for me. President Bush picked up a few points last week when Iraq’s Number Two Unwanted was erased and this trip, as novel change always seems to do, will, gather in a few more political points. I strikes me as unfortunate that we follow such a popularity in judging work of our leaders. Such recognition is often ephemeral and can be quickly reversed by another news item. The situation in Iraq is far too serious to be exposed to any such any such chance-ridden reasoning. This is,indeed, a “new” government for that area. It embodies, often for the first time, democratic concepts which will affect the overall decisions to be made will be influential on the new life Iraqi citizens may enjoy in the future. The biggest mistake we could possible make in our highly responsible position in the formation of the new government in Iraq would be for us to expect it to be a copy of our own. Think about that for more than a minute or two. Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-13-06 [c408wds]
Monday, June 12, 2006
DEAD OR UNDEAD? I have myself questioning the general condition of our news media again. The first mention I heard the death of al-Zarqawi came to me by radio as a mention during a delayed talk show. My comment at the time - expressed audiably to the radio voice was: "Well, good!" and I added "...'bout time ,too! I recognize the name as being a Vice-resident leader of Al Qaida - the one who sees hostage descapiating as a personl enjoyment. I thought "good riddance" and pictured Ben Laden being captured even though he was disguised as Groucho Marx. With his man out of the way, things will,be better all over the map. This time, our intelligence was correct. Z. was where he was supposed to be in a "safe" house. The Americans sent two five hundred pound bombs on a guided tour - one to Mr's house and the other at a nearby house where his staff were staying. At the same time Iraqi forces were occupying a score or other hiding places in the area. The first TV coverage I saw was a general shot of the debris at the bombed area and a photo of a very dead al-Zarqawi. His face was unmarked and he was plainly identfiable.He had died in the raid. Late we were told head not died in the raid but had acally lived "a few seconds after the bomb blast hit him. I had trouble imagaining someone hunkered down feeling his wrist for a pulse beat or listening for his last breath while the crunch of rubble continujed over,under and around him. Then ,imagine my state morning when the "offical" report (whatever that may be!) claims he did not die until "fifty-two minutes" after the raid. This could get better as it goes along! What did he say, in anything? Truth, obvoiusly cannot be the basis of news gathering and reporting such as this based on hearsay, chance, guesswork possibilities. Something amiss in the time element of this story. Somewhere, some people will be asking if al-Zarqawi is really dead after all. Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-12-06 [c367wds]
Sunday, June 11, 2006
JUMP START I made a one-week-early swing at "Father's Day" this evening due to a surprise visit by daughter Mary, John Wingfield, Rachael, Lucy and John Andrew from down in the flatlands. Typically,Lucy was first away from the big, gray truck in our driveway and she ran ahead of the others into our hall where she sent forth a blood-curdling scream of welcome not unlike that sounded by coveys of witches counterpoising frighten each other. Vivian was on the edge of her afternoon nap. I was sitting here at the keyboard starting that piece which this now supplants - my back to the surprise scream! Her yell blended in laughter as the others came into the house and the surprise visit was no longer a secret and soon much qieter. We learned, in time, that Barbara knew they were coming up to see us but they managed to keep it a secret rest of us. Rachael swatted the very first ball pitched toward the mythical home plate and ran a successful home run but the roar of ridicule from adept softball player because she ran the wrong way - to 3rd...to 2nd ,to 1st and home! For the Father's Day dinner - a week early - we descended on Harrisonburg's, Virginia's version of "Cracker Barrel" chain. I have been wanting some old-fashioned "Chicken 'n Dumplin's and I decided I would like to face a platter thereof in active combat. There fine Corn Bread muffin's,of course as well hot biscuits, a large platter of thick dumplings, four of five long sliver-slabs of white meat and that good, super-white-sauce based-gravy with just the right spices. All that, plus inspired refills of good, black, unsweetened, coffee, heavy-mugged coffee- hot and manly! Alongside all that - turnip greens swished lightly with and swath of true vinegar and at the other hand a bowl of crisply fried breaded Okra slices! Those are all foods you don't see at home very often these fast food days. Feature fine foods for Father's Day! That's sure way to revive pleasant memories of the past for his annual day of stock-taking. Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-11-06 [c373wds]
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