With approximately 1,500 Democrats in attendance at the 2013 Ohio Democratic Party State Dinner, the theme at the Battelle Hall was PROGRESSIVES ROCK (see flyer).
Chairman Chris Redfern welcomed the throng and stated that John Kasich won the 2010 gubernatorial race by 77,127 votes; there were 172, 610 voters that were leaning-Democrat voters and they voted in 2008, 2011 and 2012, but NOT in 2010. If ONLY ONE-HALF of those voters had voted in 2010 as they usually did, Kasich would have been defeated. Redfern also stated that in 2012, there were 34,299 rejected Provisional Ballots and 20,120 Absentee Ballots rejected because the voters were not registered in Ohio. The Chairman outlined plans to make sure ALL those voters would be OUR voters in 2014!
We were treated to rousing speeches by Candidate for Governor Ed FitzGerald, Candidate for Secretary of State Nina Turner, and Candidate for Treasurer John Patrick Carney. Our favorite, David Pepper, Candidate for State Auditor, was not in attendance because he was on his honeymoon.
Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the Keynote Speaker, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who gave a passionate 3-point speech about renewing our democracy, renewing our Congress, and renewing our economy. In a moment of levity, she remarked that with the number of women currently serving in the U. S. Senate, for the first time in history, there was a traffic jam at the bathroom for female Senators!
Before the Dinner, Gerald and I attended a fundraising reception for Candidate FitzGerald. Senator Klobuchar came to join him. I had taken a copy of her book, hoping to have it autographed. The book Uncovering The Dome had been her Master's Thesis in college and was published after she attained her Master's Degree. I asked her Aide, "Would you ask the Senator to sign this?" He said, "She would LOVE to sign it!" He tapped her on the shoulder and she exclaimed, "I can't believe you have this book!" and that was the inscription she wrote in the book. (See pictures.) After she autographed the book, I riffled the pages and she saw all the highlighting and then she said, "And you EVEN read it!"
I grew up with practical parents. A mother who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen before they had a name for it.
I can see her now, in Blue Bell jeans, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.
But then my mother died, and I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away; never to return.. So, while we have it, it's best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken, and heal it when it's sick.
This is true. For marriage, old cars, children with bad report cards, dogs with bad hips, aging parents, and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep; like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with and haven't seen for awhile.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special, and so, we keep them close!
I received this from someone who thinks I am a "keeper". Good friends are like stars; you don't always see them, but you know they are always there. Keep them close!
The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit. The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today.
It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of individual flowerets which grow together to form the entire fruit. Each scale on a pineapple is evidence of a separate flower.
Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. No special way of storing them will help ripen them further. Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness. Choose your pineapple by smell. If it smells fresh, tropical and sweet, it will probably be a good fruit.
The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste.
After you cut off the top, you can plant it. It should grow much like a sweet potato does.
This delicious fruit is not only sweet and tropical; it also offers many benefits to our health. Pineapple is a remarkable fruit.
We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet, and exotic flavor, but it may also be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we take a more detailed look at it, we will find that pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis, and sinusitis.
The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intestinal worms.
Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of strong bones and connective tissue. A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recommended daily amount.
It is particularly helpful to older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age.
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's value. Proteolytic means "breaks down protein", which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently. Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-inflammatory.
Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It also produces mild pain relief.
In Germany , bromelain is approved as a post-injury medication because it is thought to reduce inflammation and swelling.
Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the Bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucous in the throat. If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet. It is commonly used in Europe as a post-operative measure to cut mucous after certain sinus and throat operations.
Those individuals who eat fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low risk for allergies.
Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot development. This makes it a valuable dietary addition for frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots.
An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. Fresh juice and some nuts first thing in the morning often make a difference.
It's also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages plaque growth.
Today we went to Grandson Casey’s baseball game, and a kid on the other team came up to bat. His name – Johnson – was on the back of his jersey. For some odd reason (but normal for me), I started saying to my older grandson Joey, “Well, you can call me Ray or you can call me Jay or you can call me Ray Jay, but ya doesn’t have to call me Johnson.” Joey started laughing so hard, and made me repeat it a zillion times and he laughed his butt off every time. When we got back home, I looked it up on YouTube to see if that old routine was on there, and there it was. Guess what? It is STILL funny.
I wondered how many people in the bleachers would have had any idea of what I was talking about. Probably just “Chuck and me”, and I’m not sure about Chuck!
CLICK HERE to read GERALD, an old BLOG article about Gerald's variety of nicknames.
I opened my door today, and standing there was a man with whom I'd worked in the 1970s. We had not seen each other in years, but several weeks ago, in Kroger, I had a pleasant time reminiscing with him and his wife. He told his wife that I had "saved his job". When we worked together, I was also the Union Steward and when I became a Supervisor, he worked for me.
I invited him to come in and he said, "No, we're just out yard-saleing; I made this for you," and he handed me a carving of an owl setting on a branch.
I said, "This is lovely; you remembered that I loved owls." He said, "And white walnut and butternut." I said, "You have a fantastic memory!" He said, "Never met too many women who knew anything about woods." I kept marveling at his kindness, thoughtfulness, and especially his memory. I asked, "What are these stones?" He answered, "The rubies in the eyes are industrial grade, but they're your birthstone, and the jade I just had around."
I said, "WOW! I'm supposed to be the one with the eidetic memory." He laughed and said, "No, you're the one with the BIG WORDS--what does that word mean?" I explained, "Some people say "photographic memory", but the correct word is eidetic; it means having an extraordinary and detailed recall."
I told him that I didn't remember that he carved and he said that his ancestors had come from the Black Forest and he thought the carving talent was genetic!
For years, he and his first wife Karen had been trying to have a baby and she suffered several miscarriages. The obstetrician ordered her to be on complete bed rest the last three months of the pregnancy. He was known to be a reckless driver; it was arranged that his wife would go by ambulance to Columbus to deliver the baby.
On the trip to Columbus, the ambulance was hit by a drunk driver and his wife and the baby were killed.
Of course, he was devastated and he returned to work too soon after the tragedy. After he returned to work, he was driving a fork lift and he had his forks too high and the overhead sprinkler system was hit. The damage to the paper products was estimated in the thousands of dollars.
The Company management thought they had every right to fire him; as the Steward it was my job to defend him. We had a Superintendent who had been with the Company a short time and he was from Kentucky (see my article "WOE TO MAN" HERE). He was not aware of the history of the tragedy. I presented the case to him and begged the Company to have compassion for this devastated man. He was suspended for a month and I took up collections weekly to match his paycheck.
He and I used to ride our bicycles to work (2.8 miles from my house) and we had many conversations. He's a hunting, fishing, Euell Gibbons follower, and a history-loving survivalist and a conspiracy-theorist kind of guy!
I have frequently told the story that he once told me that "when the Revolution comes", that Gerald and I were welcome to come to his bunker. I said, "But if there is a Revolution, we'll be on opposing sides!" He said, "That's OK, I know that you're a good person despite your politics." I submit that is the SWEETEST thing anybody ever said to me!
Gerald's oldest nephew died and nobody cares. His former mother-in-law (my long-time friend) called to tell me of his death. Her daughter had been married to him. My friend said that a parole officer from Florida made contact with the local Sheriff's department to locate his next of kin and that was six days after his death. I am glad that Gerald's name was not the first Raypole listed in the telephone book!
My friend said that she'd told her granddaughter that they "can't afford to have his body brought back here." He was not a decent father to his children. I don't think they bear any responsibility.
He had eight siblings and none care enough to go to Florida to "claim" his body. One sister said that since his children are the next of kin, they need to decide what to do. One sibling said, "Well, he could have a military funeral and be buried in a military cemetery." I asked, "Was he honorably discharged?" Nobody knows if he was.
Aunts and uncles? None of them would allow him in their homes when he was alive.
Do I really believe the John Donne Meditation I have quoted so self-righteously since high school? Obviously not, as his death does not "diminish" me. My own hypocrisy is slapping me in the face, but I cannot think of a single redeeming quality he possessed.
When I die, I want somebody to care that I died. A person needs to live his/her life in a manner so that, at least, SOMEBODY cares!
JOHN DONNE MEDITATION
XVII. MEDITATION.
PERCHANCE he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that. The church is Catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belongs to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that body which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body whereof I am a member. And when she buries a man, that action concerns me: all mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated; God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God's hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to one another. As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come, so this bell calls us all; but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness. There was a contention as far as a suit (in which both piety and dignity, religion and estimation, were mingled), which of the religious orders should ring to prayers first in the morning; and it was determined, that they should ring first that rose earliest. If we understand aright the dignity of this bell that tolls for our evening prayer, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early, in that application, that it might be ours as well as his, whose indeed it is. The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth; and though it intermit again, yet from that minute that that occasion wrought upon him, he is united to God. Who casts not up his eye to the sun when it rises? but who takes off his eye from a comet when that breaks out? Who bends not his ear to any bell which upon any occasion rings? but who can remove it from that bell which is passing a piece of himself out of this world?
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee. Neither can we call this a begging of misery, or a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves, but must fetch in more from the next house, in taking upon us the misery of our neighbours. Truly it were an excusable covetousness if we did, for affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it. No man hath affliction enough that is not matured and ripened by and made fit for God by that affliction. If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current money, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels, as gold in a mine, and be of no use to him; but this bell, that tells me of his affliction, digs out and applies that gold to me: if by this consideration of another's danger I take mine own into contemplation, and so secure myself, by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security.
At a recent party, as I was offering a variety of drinks, one guest said, "I'll take a swig of that." I said, "One hardly ever hears the word SWIG any more."
Another guest asked, "How about a SHORT SNORT?"
I knew the meaning of "short snort" as a small drink, but, naturally, I had to look up "swig" and "short snort" for my own amusement.
I learned something far more fascinating: on Google, below the definition of "short snort", was information about SHORT SNORTERS. (see article HERE)
In WWII, military personnel would collect autographs on $1 bills (called "short snorters"), of guys in their units, and it became a drinking game: if one went to a bar and didn't have his "short snorter" then he would be obligated to buy a round of drinks for all.
One article referenced that the tradition began in the 1920s with Bush Pilots and continued through WWII, Korea, and continued with the astronauts. I have asked several Vietnam era veterans and none had any knowledge of the tradition, except that one of my brothers said he'd seen about Clark Gable's "short snorter" on PBS' History Detectives.
There were many other famous "short snorters"; see the "short snorter" of one the most famous: Harry Hopkins' (FDR's closest advisor, known as the "Architect of the New Deal"); included in the 30 names are: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, Louis Mountbatten, Anthony Eden, Averill Harriman, Hoyt Vandenberg, Elliott Roosevelt, Anthony Biddle, and George Patton. Interestingly, Hopkins' short snorter was on a British 10-shilling note, but he was in London when the majority of names were written and at Casablanca when the other ones were added.
A little girl named Suzy was standing on the sidewalk in front of her home. Next to her was a basket containing a number of tiny creatures; in her hand was a sign announcing FREE KITTENS.
Suddenly a line of big black cars pulled up beside her. Out of the lead car stepped a tall, grinning man.
"Hi there, little girl, I'm John Kasich. What do you have in the basket?" he asked.
"Kittens," little Suzy said.
"How old are they?" asked Kasich.
Suzy replied, "They're so young, their eyes aren't even open yet."
"And what kind of kittens are they?"
"Republicans," answered Suzy with a smile.
Kasich was delighted. As soon as he returned to his car, he called his PR chief and told him about the little girl and the kittens.
Recognizing the perfect photo op, the two men agreed that the candidate should return the next day; and in front of the assembled media, have the girl talk about her discerning kittens.
So the next day, Suzy was again standing on the sidewalk with her basket of " FREE KITTENS," when another motorcade pulled up, this time followed by vans from the Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton media outlets.
Cameras and audio equipment were quickly set up, then Kasich got out of
his limo and walked over to little Suzy.
"Hello, again," he said, "I'd love it if you would tell all my friends out there what kind of kittens you're giving away."
"Yes sir," Suzy said. "They're Democrats."
Taken by surprise, the candidate stammered, "But...but...yesterday, you told me they were Republicans."
Little Suzy smiled and said, "I know, but today, they have their eyes open!"
SWOOPSTAKE definition: in an indiscriminate manner; first used in 1602. Example from Shakespeare: Claudius to Laertes in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V: "That, swoopstake, you will draw both friend and foe, winner and loser."
An elderly acquaintance of mine sends at least ten sweepstakes entries a week. To nearly all of them he sends donations as they are supposed "charities". Numerous times I have shown him proof that nearly all of them are nothing more than "scams". I tell him that the "rules" state that one doesn't have to send money, but he thinks his donations better his chances of winning. He's surprised by the number of offers he receives and I told him that it's also a huge business compiling and selling lists of victims to other such "charities"! "Swoopstake" and sweepstake both apply to him!
One of the ones to which he donates is "The Kids Wish Network". In its last year tax filing the company showed collecting $18.6 MILLION and distributed $240,000 for kids' wishes. The remainder was spent on salaries and advertising. When I told him the salary of the CEO he said he wasn't going to donate any more money!
CLICK HERE to see the article The 50 Worst Charities.
"HE TRAVELED A SHORT WHILE TOWARDS THE SUN AND LEFT THE VIVID AIR SIGNED WITH HIS HONOR"--from Andrew Goodman's tombstone (paraphrasing a quote from Stephen Spender's poem, "I Think Of Those Who Are Truly Great")
Andrew Goodman (photo above) was born on November 23, 1943, in New York City and was reared on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the second of three sons of Robert and Carolyn Goodman and brother to David and Jonathan. The Goodmans were an intellectual family committed to progressive activism and social justice. They believed in "doing well by doing good". Andy was an activist from the age of fifteen; he graduated from the progressive Walden School which was known for its anti-authoritarian approach to learning. While a sophomore at Walden, Goodman traveled to Washington D.C., to participate in the "Youth March For Integrated Schools". As a senior, he and a friend visited a depressed coal mining region in West Virginia to prepare a report on poverty in the United States. He interviewed Jackie Robinson, one of his heroes.
Goodman attended the Honors Program at University of Wisconsin--Madison, for a semester but withdrew after falling ill with pneumonia. He transferred to Queens College, New York City, partly because of its strong drama department. With his brief experience as an off-Broadway actor, he originally planned to study drama, but switched to anthropology.
In April, 1964, he applied for and was accepted into the Mississippi Summer Project. He volunteered, along with Michael Schwerner, to work as part of "Freedom Summer", a CORE (Congress Of Racial Equality) project to register blacks to vote in Mississippi. Having protested U.S. President Lyndon Johnson's presence at that year's World's Fair, Goodman then left for training at the Western College For Women (now part of Miami University) in Oxford, OH. In June, Schwerner and Goodman were sent to Mississippi to begin registering blacks to vote.
On the night of June 20, 1964, the two reached Meridian, Mississippi, where Schwerner (photo left) was designated to be the head of the field office. There they joined with James Earl Chaney, a black man who was also a civil rights activist. On the morning of June 21, 1964, the three set out for Philadelphia, Mississippi, in Neshoba County, where they were to investigate the recent burning of a local black church, the Mount Zion Methodist Church, which had been designated as a site for the Freedom School for education and voter registration.
The three were initially arrested by Deputy Cecil Price for allegedly driving 35 miles over the 30-mile-per-hour speed limit. The three were taken to the jail in Neshoba County where Chaney (photo left) was booked for speeding, while Goodman and Schwerner were booked "for investigation".
After Chaney was fined $20, the three men were released and told to leave the County. Price followed them on State Route 19 to the county line, then turned around at approximately 10:30 p.m. On their way back to Meridian, they were stopped by two carloads of KKK members on a remote rural road. The men approached their car and then shot and killed Schwerner, followed by Goodman and finally Chaney.
Eventually the Neshoba County Deputy Sheriff and conspirators were convicted by Federal prosecutors of civil rights violations but were never convicted of murder. The case formed the basis of a made-for-television movie "Attack On Terror: the FBI vs. The Ku Klux Klan" and the feature film "Mississippi Burning".
On September 14, 2004, the Mississippi State Attorney General Jim Hood announced that he was gathering evidence for a charge of murder and intended to take the case to a Grand Jury. On January 7, 2005, Edgar Ray Killen was arrested and later found guilty of three counts of manslaughter--not murder--on June 21, 2005, exactly 41 years to the day after the murders. Killen, then age 80, was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Andy's parents, Robert and Carolyn Goodman, set up the Andrew Goodman Foundation in 1966. The mission of the Foundation is "to recognize, encourage and inspire creative and effective local and individual action in support of civil rights, human dignity and social justice". Visit www.andrewgoodman.org
Goodman Mountain, a 2,176 foot peak in the Adirondack Mountain town of Tupper Lake, NY, where Andy Goodman and his family spent many of their summers, is named in Andy Goodman's memory.
New York City named "Freedom Place" a four-block stretch in Manhattan's Upper West Side, in honor of Goodman. A plaque on 70th and West End Avenues tells his story.
Queens College has a memorial to honor Andy Goodman. The day of his murder is acknowledged each year on campus and the clock tower of the campus library is dedicated to Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner.
The Walden School, at 88th Street and Central Park West, named its middle and upper school building in honor of Goodman's memory. The Trevor Day School now occupies the building and has maintained their building's name as the Andrew Goodman Building.
An outdoor memorial theater exists at Miami University in Oxford, OH, dedicated to the Freedom Summer alums. Miami University's now defunct Western College for Women also included historical lectures about Freedom Summer.
"Those Three Are On My Mind", was written by Pete Seeger to commemorate the three victims.
The Simon & Garfunkel song, "He Was My Brother" was dedicated to Goodman. Paul Simon had been a classmate of Goodman at Queens College.
To hear "He Was My Brother", click on the arrow below.
Andy lives forever in the hearts of his family and friends.
In my "CROTCHETY" article on June 11, 2013, I used the phrase "PIN number"; my friend Arminta (a banker!) corrected my usage because that would be, literally, "PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER number". She was glad I didn't make the grievous mistake of writing "ATM machine" as that would be "AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE machine"!
Les said, "Have you checked your VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER number?"
There is actually a description for people suffering from RAS SYNDROME (REDUNDANT ACRONYM SYNDROME syndrome) or RAP SYNDROME (REDUNDANT ACRONYM PHRASE SYNDROME syndrome).
Les suggested: PNS SYNDROME for PIN NUMBER SYNDROME syndrome!
Among other pleonastic mistakes are:
HIV virus
SAT test
ACT test
APR rate
UPC code
ABS system
CAD design
AC current
DC current
PC computer
CNN network
ABM missile
DMZ zone
GOP party
LCD display
Gerald's Uncle Frank is a World War II veteran; he was in the Battle Of the Bulge and was a prisoner of war. For his birthday Gerald ordered a flag which had been flown over the U.S. Capitol and gave it to him on his most recent birthday.
I wanted to learn a great deal about the war from him and I deluged him with questions. I asked him if any of the movies such as Saving Private Ryan and Band Of Brothers were accurate depictions. He said they were very accurate except that G.I.s did not talk like that. I asked, "Like what?" He said, "We didn't curse."
Of course I didn't believe him but I asked, "Do you remember Norman Mailer's The Naked And The Dead? He had to create a word for the book because the censors wouldn't let him use the real word the soldiers used; his word was F-U-G!"
Uncle Frank isn't a person to be corrected, and answered, "I was there and you weren't." I thought, "Well, I've read hundreds of accounts.", but decided that Falstaff was right about the better part of valor being discretion, and I did not dispute him.
Uncle Frank continued that he was in the Army four years and never heard another soldier curse.
I asked, "Do you remember Ernie Pyle?" He answered, "Of course I remember him." I said, "He got so sick and tired of hearing profanity and especially the "f-word", that in one of his letters to his wife he wrote that he was so f-ing tired of hearing that f-ing word for every f-ing thing!"
Uncle Frank had an hilarious response, "That must have been in the Pacific."
I was talking to a former schoolmate and she asked about one my brothers who is just a year older than she. She said, "I could always tell that he was a good person." I was stunned because she did not know him well. Yes, my brother is an exceptionally good person, but I asked "How could you tell; you did not know him very well?", and she answered, "He had a glow about him." I said, "He's always had a very nice complexion." She said, "No, there was a glow of goodness." (In the family, we call him "Mr. Clean", for more than one reason.)
She asked, "You know, when you meet people and sometimes you just know that they are good?"
I asked, "You mean he had an aura?" She exclaimed, "Exactly, yes, he had an aura!"
I immediately thought of a girl I went to school with; she also just looked like a "good person" and yes, she was a good person. I always thought it was her "peaches and cream complexion"!
CLICK HERE to see this article from THE WISE GEEK:
Humans give off trace amounts of light that gets brightest in late afternoon and dimmest at night.
The human body has been found to emit light, but in extremely small amounts, about 1,000 times lower than the sensitivity of the human eye. The process of the body releasing energy as light is known as bioluminescence. This process was once thought to occur only in certain animals, but researchers discovered with the use of cameras that were hypersensitive to light that human beings also emit trace amounts of light. The light intensity emitted from humans tends to operate in 24-hour cycles. In the late afternoon, the light tends to be brightest, and the levels are their dimmest at night.
My Facebook friend Mark Kennedy is the leader of the Democratic Party in Alabama. He is married to Peggy WALLACE Kennedy. Peggy is the daughter of George and Lurleen Wallace. Peggy was thirteen years old when her father made the infamous "Stand in the schoolhouse door" on June 11, 1963. President Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard and James Hood and Vivian Malone entered the University of Alabama.
This year, with Dr. Sharon Malone at her side, Peggy Wallace apologized for what had happened fifty years ago. [CLICK HERE to see accompanying article] I am surprised that it did not receive the media coverage it deserves.
It is heartening to see that change is possible and the sheer beauty of George Wallace's daughter being the instrument of change is especially thrilling. Peggy Wallace has magnanimity and grace as well as being a caring daughter. She said that she hoped that her children had the legacy of their mother and not their grandfather.
[A bit of trivia: Vivian Malone's sister is married to Eric Holder.]
Tonight, at a meeting, we were discussing the battle for equality for gays, which I consider to be a great civil rights issue. I asked, "Can you believe the number of significant events which occurred during this week in history which have had a tremendous impact on us?" I have been quite happy to see a number of them featured on news programs this week.
On June 10, 1967, the Supreme Court ruled on the Loving versus Virginia case which abolished miscegenation laws in our country. (I always felt that the name LOVING was so ironically appropriate for the case!)
On June 10, 1964, the Southern filibuster of the Civil Rights Bill ended which paved the way for it to be enacted into law. I shall never forget the Republican Everett Dirksen quoting Victor Hugo: "There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come." Thank goodness for those Southern Senators who demanded to insert "gender" into the bill, hoping to guarantee a defeat. The law proved to be a tremendous benefit for women and girls. Unfortunately, President Kennedy died before its enactment.
On June 10, 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 which benefited females.
On June 11, 1963, George Wallace made his infamous "Stand in the schoolhouse door" to deny entrance of James Hood and Vivian Malone into the University of Alabama. President Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard and the students entered.
That evening, President Kennedy gave what I consider to be his greatest speech where he told us that civil rights was "a moral issue as old as the Scriptures and as clear as the American Constitution."
On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers was assassinated outside his home. It took 30 years to bring his killer to justice.
On June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. I can recall a local John Bircher calling him a "Communist".
On June 13, 1964, Lyndon Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to be a Supreme Court Justice.
People texting other people while talking to me--right in front of me--they don't even try to conceal it!
Also, they must not realize that I can hear them typing away on the computer at home while they are supposed to be talking to me on the telephone!
Addressing me by my first name before I have given permission. My doctor calls me "Ms. Raypole" and I call her "Doctor"; at our first meeting, she actually asked me which I would prefer. I like formality and distance!
Parents allowing their children to run wild in stores. Today, a girl was running and she brushed me and I yelled, "Did you say EXCUSE ME?"
At Aldi's it is clearly marked that "sitting, standing, and walking" is NOT permitted on the counters where groceries are sacked. PARENTS, why are you so peeved when I tell you?
If I hear another person say, "NO PROBLEM" in a situation where there is obviously NO problem, I am going to scream! An example: In a restaurant, I had no eating utensils at my place and as the waitress drifted by, I said, "May I have my silverware?" Her answer: "NO PROBLEM." Of course, it should be NO problem as I was supposed to have my damned eating utensils!
Am I the only one who is irritated by the clerks in stores asking if I want to donate a dollar to the Miracle Kids Network or other such organizations?
It's bad enough that we have to endure panhandlers coming up to our cars at stop lights or those Shriners with their buckets, but now the store clerks are "guilt-tripping" me! Today I was in the Family Dollar Store and the clerk asked if I wanted to donate my "change" to a Kids Reading Program. Although that is a cause which is close to my heart, I resented feeling coerced! I told the Manager at Kroger that I did not appreciate being "guilt-tripped"!
And perhaps it's my imagination, but I think they raise their voices so other people in line can hear.
I usually ask, "Would I receive a receipt for that for my taxes?" When they aren't dumfounded they will usually say that it's on the receipt for the groceries. I'll say, "No, I would need a formal receipt!"
Once in a drive-through, I had 2 cents change coming. The clerk tossed the two pennies into the "Ronald McDonald House" receptacle right below the window. I said, "I want my change." She looked startled and said, "I put it in there", pointing downward. I said, "Yes, I saw that, but you didn't ask me; I need the money OR your manager." She got into her pocket and said, "I only have a nickel." I said, "Make change." She then asked, "Do you really mean that?" I said, "Yes, I want my 2 cents."
"You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea."--Medgar Evers
My hero Medgar Evers was assassinated on June 12, 1963. It took more than 30 years to bring his killer to justice.
Today I am remembering Medgar and wish to express my gratitude to his widow Myrlie and their three children to let them know that Medgar is not forgotten.
Please read the splendid article from The New York Times (CLICK HERE). You can also watch the excellent movie Mississippi Burning, starring Gene Hackman as the FBI agent who uncovered the truth, Whoopi Goldberg portraying Myrlie Evers, and Alec Baldwin enacting the role of the prosecutor who brought the assassin to justice.
I received numerous replies to the article "A WEDDING INVITATION IS NOT AN INVOICE"; one person suggested that I should make the topic a continuing article as I do with "CRINGE".
Les says I am getting "crotchety" with my whining and peevishness; thus, CROTCHETY will be the vehicle for my crankiness.
For example, I am querulous when another person is "on top" of me at a checkout. I don't want them to see my entering my PIN , writing a check, or using a credit card. I seldom use an ATM, but when I do, I don't want anyone close to me.
I respect the spaces of other people; why can't they respect mine?
In stores, when I am finished loading my items on the conveyor belt, I deliberately leave the cart behind me instead of pulling it forward. I do leave enough room for people to put some of their groceries on the conveyor, but I don't want them in my space!
It offends me when I see able-bodied people who continue sitting down when elderly or disabled people, or pregnant women, are waiting in line.
Recently we were at an Olive Garden and there was a large number of people waiting to be seated. I was fortunate to have a seat while waiting. A very-pregnant woman came in and her husband went to register and receive one of the pagers. Among the people sitting and waiting were several young people. I said to one young male who was sitting beside me, "Get up and let her sit down." He didn't budge, so I rose and gave her my seat. She said, "No, that's OK, I'm OK." I said, "No, it isn't OK!" I went and stood next to Gerald. An elderly couple came in and the man was using a cane. I stood in front of the same young male I had spoken to earlier, and I asked, in a low voice, "Excuse me, but do you see that man with a cane who is old enough to be your grandfather?" He nodded, and I said, "Younger people such as you and I should offer one's seat to an older or disabled or pregnant person." [I thought that including myself as "younger" was rather amusing, yet effective.] He got up as did the young woman with him. I went to the elderly couple and said, "There's a place for you!"
I realize that the people must have had "no raisins", but what happened to common decency?
In my early days in manufacturing, it was common parlance to refer to people on other shifts who were not doing their share of the work as "those day shift Jacks".
When I used that phrase in the presence of my older brother he asked, "Do you know what that actually means?" and I answered, "Yeah, it means they are not doing their job." My brother informed me that the use of "Jack" referred to a common term for masturbation. I said, "Well, that is officially out of my vocabulary!" I never used the term again.
A friend sent a very interesting article to me about THE URBAN DICTIONARY (CLICK HERE to see it) and how it is now referenced in court cases because it is an authority on the use of slang and what the terms actually mean to users. The site has been used in court cases ranging from sexual harassment, armed robbery, and requests for personalized automobile license plates.
I was amused to see that "Jack" now also means "to steal".
CLICK HERE to see my previous BLOG about THE URBAN DICTIONARY.
I should have counted the number of times I heard newscasters use the terms "grilled" and "peppered" during the recent Senate and House hearings. I asked Les, "Do you think they missed lunch?"
Les answered, "They could also use SEARED and ROASTED, just as long as they don't say lam-BASTED!" [I SO love a good pun!]
Come on, media guys and gals, I'm sure they taught about the use of CLICHES at Journalism School or maybe they were attending the Culinary Institute!
Yesterday, a friend asked, "Do you believe that walk--that sauntering?", referring to a mutual acquaintance's exaggerated gait! I laughed and said, "Slew foot! My mother would always say that her sister walked slew-footed and it's when people have their feet at a 45-degree angle!"
I have not heard, or used that term in years, but every time I would see someone with that kind of walk, I would think to myself "Slew foot."
Definition of SLEW FOOT: having big, clumsy, feet. or turned-out feet. Also written SLUE FOOT.
I enjoy the frames of references from other people; for example:
In talking to a sports-minded brother, he said, "Oh, that's a foul in hockey where a player uses his feet to trip an opposing player from behind."
In talking to my friend who is the all-time expert on Broadway and Hollywood musicals, she said, "Oh, yes, don't you remember that dance Slew Foot from Daddy Longlegs with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron?" (see clip)
Another brother said, "I saw someone walking slew-footed last week."
A sister-in-law (originally from the South) said that "Slew Foot" is another term for the Devil as in "You better watch out for old Slew Foot!" I had never heard that. She explained that the Devil has no toes, only hooves.
Looking on Google, I had forgotten that Slue Foot Sue was the girlfriend of Pecos Bill! No, I am NOT slew-footed! (see picture)
When we moved into our home twenty-five years ago, my husband still had his hippie long hair. As he was outside tearing down the rotten fence, he was dressed in shorts, muscle shirt and flip-flops with his hair tied in a pony-tail. Bob Mace, our back-door neighbor was also our County Commissioner. Mr. Mace leaned across the fence and asked Gerald, "How much do they pay you to do that kind of work?" My husband answered, "Oh, they don't pay me anything, but the lady of the house lets me sleep with her." Mr. Mace walked away quickly.
The next evening, Mr. Mace came to the door and I invited him to come in to visit. He had obviously checked the voter registration roll as he said, "I just wanted to welcome some good Democrats to the neighborhood." I told him that we had always voted for him. He proceeded to ask me about where we worked, etc. When he asked about my husband I said, "You met him yesterday--let me get him." I yelled and Gerald came down the stairs with his hippie hair bouncing freely.
It was ALMOST worth the price of the house to see the expression on Bob Mace's face.
Mr. Mace tried to apologize to Gerald, but Gerald stopped him by saying, "I've already told the story ten times and I'll probably tell it a hundred more times!" Gerald also told him that the quote wasn't original but that Carl Rowan said it to a neighbor in a similar circumstance.
I have written before about the prevalent lack of civility in our daily lives, but the lack of good manners continues to astound me. Below are just recent examples!
A friend received an invitation to a baby shower and she has never met either the expectant mother or father. The father-to-be is the nephew of a friend of hers. If that presumptuousness to invite an unknown person weren't bad enough, the mother-to-be is registered at Target for gifts and there were seven pages of her gift registry and the seventh page was a list of items for her instead of the baby! Some of the items were a camisole and robe.
I received an invitation to a baby shower and the person lives at The Village which is a local housing complex. As I know several people who live at The Village, I called each one and not one of them had any knowledge of the person hosting the shower nor the honoree! One of the people I called actually lived in front of the address on the invitation but did not know either person.
A young woman I know intended to be married in June of this year. However, she became pregnant in April of last year and they wanted to be married before the birth of the baby. She had no health care coverage and when she learned that the child's father's insurance would not cover the delivery of the baby because it would be considered a pre-existing condition, they decided to postpone the wedding until after the birth of the baby. Instead of saving money to pay for the baby's delivery, they decided for her to collect government assistance and to be married after the birth of the baby. They decided to save money for the wedding! Relatives of hers were stunned that I said that I would not be going to a wedding shower, or to the wedding, because I thought that it was disgraceful to be saving money for a wedding rather than having taxpayers foot the bill for the birth of their baby.
Recently, I sent a very nice present for a wedding shower of a member of my husband's family and I never received a thank-you card. One of the relatives asked what I was giving as a wedding present and I laughed and said, "Hell, I haven't received a thank-you card for the shower gift yet."
The relative actually said, "Young people don't do those things any more!"
My answer: "Then tell the young people they don't get another gift from this old person!"
I sent a reply to that wedding invitation--using proper etiquette--declining the invitation and giving the couple best wishes.
Miss Manners wrote: "A wedding invitation is not an invoice."
A friend posted on her BLOG about a new, local restaurant being built and she wrote that it was a "bistro" which would be serving Italian food. A person commented on her BLOG that "bistro" is French.
I stated that it should be called a TRATTORIA, which I believe is the Italian equivalent of the French BISTRO. Both are small restaurants which serve simple foods. I told my friend that the owner of the new restaurant was probably just ignorant about the difference between a bistro and a trattoria and he probably thought "bistro" sounded cosmopolitan.
It reminded me of the another local restaurant having "Cuisine" in its name. I wrote earlier that my brother dared me to go into the restaurant and ask for "AL-BEAR" since it's "Albert's Cuisine"!
I think the proprietors must want to "Frenchify" their names to seem more cultured and do not realize that it's merely pretentious. I rather like the Hillsboro restaurant with just the sign "EAT"!
This tops all of these: I shall never forget seeing a "Dairy Queen BRASSERIE". I actually went into the place and asked the Manager if he knew what a "brasserie" is and he did not!
An acquaintance of mine, who is 90 years old, grew up in McGhee, Arkansas. He likes to discuss history and politics with me. He is planning a trip to visit his brother who lives in Little Rock. When I offered to accompany him there, he was shocked and said that I would be bored because there's little to do there. I was confident that there was more "to do" in Little Rock than there is in Washington Court House! I said, "I'd like to go to the museum at Central High School." He asked, incredulously, "What do you know about THAT?" I said, "Very much; it was 1957; that was a big deal when I was a girl." I told him about the new book by David Margolick, Hazel And Elizabeth: Two Women Of Little Rock. The book details the lives of Elizabeth Eckford, one of "The Little Rock Nine" who integrated Central High School, and Hazel Bryan, the 15-year-old schoolgirl shown in the famous photograph spewing racial epithets at Elizabeth.
As he is a registered Republican, I was curious why he frequently stated that he disliked President Eisenhower. Interestingly, when pressed for examples, he could never give any substantive answers. As a Democrat, I must say that it galled me, but I would answer that I admired Eisenhower's dispatching the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock to integrate Central High School.
Seeing his reaction to my knowledge about Central High School, Orval Faubus, and Eisenhower's intervention, I exclaimed, "NOW I know why you dislike Eisenhower so much!" As a person who is covertly racist, he denied that Eisenhower's upholding the law was the reason for disliking him.
He told me that his younger brother attended Central High School during that period and that his brother had told him that the trouble only lasted a week. I laughed in disbelief, and I answered, "Your brother must not have been around because the account by the black kids is totally different; the abuse went on the entire time they were in school." He said, "That's not what my brother said." I said, "The book details the many abuses, among which was being scalded in the locker room." He said, "Well, my brother was THERE and you weren't!" I asked, "And who do you think I believe? Him or the students who suffered the abuse?"
CLICK HERE to see the New York Times review of Margolick's book.
