Saturday, September 16, 2006
FOOD GIVINGAre 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]
Friday, September 15, 2006
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]
Thursday, September 14, 2006
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]
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
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]
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
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]
Monday, September 11, 2006
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]
Sunday, September 10, 2006
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]
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