I get very aggravated at technology at times!!! There I was typing away when I hit a wrong key and ZAP. "Your blog published successfully" WHAT? I wasn't finished! It put the brakes on my train of thought! Let's see where was I?
The changes I mentioned before the infernal machine put the quietus on my activity, were life changing but the effects, while seemingly obvious, were ultimately more far reaching than I can express here at this time. Another blog on another day will deal with some of those changes. I am totally off track here but .....I'll digress.
When I helped write the" Student's Hand Book' about 30 or 40 years ago, we listed all of the rules and regulations that the students had to abide by. If they did not abide by the rules they would face consequences of some sort. Some as benign as 'no recess' and some as serious as suspension and some as drastic as expulsion. The students had to read this part of the hand book and sign on the dotted line along with their parents saying that they had read the rules and understood them, and would adhere to them.
The rules had to do with obeying the dress code, homework policy, behavior in the class room, the lunch room, recess, and above all the rules of civility. The students were expected to show respect and demonstrate the mores of society. It was the school's mission to render them capable of making the distinction between right and wrong. We advocated conformity with the generally accepted standards of goodness or rightness in conduct regarding their parents, teachers, class mates, and all in the community. We devoted one class period each day to a class named Social Values. We read stories that contained examples of values, Aesop's Fables, and many other books and articles that demonstrated the values that we should all adhere to.We would role play so that they could grasp the concept and maybe internalize it.
Where are they learning the mores of society today? Have the rules changed?
One of the rules that we wrote in that Hand Book was the rule regarding certain language. We made a distinct difference in the consequences for using profane language which by definition is showing disrespect or contempt for sacred things; irreverent. It is a much more serious offence than using vulgar language. Vulgar language is considered unrefined, coarse, obscene, crude and common. It is commonly used by people with a lack of culture, refinement or taste.
Vulgar language is used more and more today, a change that I think reflects the lack of civility or of restraint. It used to be, back in my day, that men for the most part, used vulgar language but only among themselves. They restrained from speaking certain words in the presence of ladies. Never ,never would they tolerate anyone speaking obscenely in front of their mother or a child. Now it seems that anything goes. Television shows are now commonly using words that were bleeped out in the past. What happened to respect and decorum?
A big deal has been made about our Veep whispering an obscenity into the Presidents ear, mostly people are laughing about it. He used the word as an adjective, the former Veep used it as a verb and directed it to our Congress. In regard to both of them, do they have such a limited vocabulary that they have to resort to the common vernacular of the uneducated to express their feelings?
As I keep saying, back in the day, both those instances would have been considered egregious offences against the mores of society. I hope it takes a turn for the better soon. There is going to have to be a major turn around among us. Ciao.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Today, I went back and read some of my blogs from the past and I discovered that I do an awful lot of pontificating. I do not intend to sound pompous or dogmatic, I'm just giving my opinions of how I see things. It's sort of like,' Here I come, ready or not.' I doubt that I influence anyone to think as I do, nor do I intend to. I am just satisfying my need to write down my ruminations.
I am an octogenarian and have seen so many changes in how life is lived that it is sometimes worth my time to evaluate some of the major cultural changes that have taken place over the years. Some of the changes came about because of wars, some because of necessity, some be
cause of diversity, some because of technology. I could go on and on but still not be able to list them all in one sitting. It would be hard to focus on just one, at least for me.
Of course the obvious changes that came about because of modern day appliances is note worthy for me because I lived in a time when we had no refrigerators, radios, television, hair driers, clothes driers and a multitude of other appliances that we take for granted. Electric pencil sharpeners! Imagine the wonder of that! One Christmas, when I was asked what I would like for Christmas, I asked for an electric pencil sharpener. My suggestion amused the person asking me and I had to convince her that I was not being facetious. ( I still have it and I still value it!)
I am an octogenarian and have seen so many changes in how life is lived that it is sometimes worth my time to evaluate some of the major cultural changes that have taken place over the years. Some of the changes came about because of wars, some because of necessity, some be
cause of diversity, some because of technology. I could go on and on but still not be able to list them all in one sitting. It would be hard to focus on just one, at least for me.
Of course the obvious changes that came about because of modern day appliances is note worthy for me because I lived in a time when we had no refrigerators, radios, television, hair driers, clothes driers and a multitude of other appliances that we take for granted. Electric pencil sharpeners! Imagine the wonder of that! One Christmas, when I was asked what I would like for Christmas, I asked for an electric pencil sharpener. My suggestion amused the person asking me and I had to convince her that I was not being facetious. ( I still have it and I still value it!)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Ya' Think Spring has Sprung?
Today is the first day of spring! I knew spring was here for sure when I saw a BMW convertible yesterday with the top down. That is a better harbinger than the robin. It was parked so I did not get to see the gent driving it but I'm sure he would be a prosperous looking, balding dude in his forties . Spring brings out the guys having their last hurrah moment. He was parked in the Doctor's parking lot so I must assume he is an MD. However today is the official date of the first day of spring according to the calendar. March 20.
I drove through the park this morning and saw many, many more signs of the vernal equinox. The runners, walkers and golfers were out in force. There were a few white blossoms on one tree that was a little ahead of the others, but the others were full of buds. My own pear trees have buds on them. By Easter we will have blossoms everywhere! The jonquil are popping up and the crocuses-(Cro-ci?) whatever, are beautiful I saw one yard full of yellow and purple crocus and even a narcissus. I do love Spring!!
I saw my first bare midriff, navel and all, on a young woman with short shorts and a bra top. It was only 42 degrees at that hour of the day but they were predicting 60 so she was going with what it would be at 3 PM not what it was at 9AM.
The naked trees are not yet beginning to turn green but it won't be long. Driving now,through the park you get to see all of the mistletoe on the upper branches and easily spot the shoes on the shoe tree. It won't be long till all of those things will once again be hidden from view. There are a multitude of squirrel nests and I am sure there are bird nests also but they are not so visible to the eye from the inside of a car.
We 've had such an intense winter that all of these spring signs are more than welcome. I forgot to look and see if the black snow piles are all melted yet at Bowman Field. I am assuming that they are. But alas, don't put the snuggies in moth balls yet. April is the cruelest month and it is yet to come! Ciao
I drove through the park this morning and saw many, many more signs of the vernal equinox. The runners, walkers and golfers were out in force. There were a few white blossoms on one tree that was a little ahead of the others, but the others were full of buds. My own pear trees have buds on them. By Easter we will have blossoms everywhere! The jonquil are popping up and the crocuses-(Cro-ci?) whatever, are beautiful I saw one yard full of yellow and purple crocus and even a narcissus. I do love Spring!!
I saw my first bare midriff, navel and all, on a young woman with short shorts and a bra top. It was only 42 degrees at that hour of the day but they were predicting 60 so she was going with what it would be at 3 PM not what it was at 9AM.
The naked trees are not yet beginning to turn green but it won't be long. Driving now,through the park you get to see all of the mistletoe on the upper branches and easily spot the shoes on the shoe tree. It won't be long till all of those things will once again be hidden from view. There are a multitude of squirrel nests and I am sure there are bird nests also but they are not so visible to the eye from the inside of a car.
We 've had such an intense winter that all of these spring signs are more than welcome. I forgot to look and see if the black snow piles are all melted yet at Bowman Field. I am assuming that they are. But alas, don't put the snuggies in moth balls yet. April is the cruelest month and it is yet to come! Ciao
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Johnstown Flood
A few months ago, Patrick was on a business trip in California, (I think) and in his blog that he wrote while there, he mentioned reading a book about the Johnstown Flood. Memories of my father and his fascination with the Johnstown flood, stirred in my brain. When I was a very young girl, Dad would tell us stories about that devastating disaster. It had taken place in 1889 and neither Mother nor Dad had been born at the time. I told Pat that I was familiar with some of the aspects of the flood. He sent me a copy of the book written by David McCullough, the Social Historian. It is a facinating book and I would recommend it.
In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been rebuilt so that a lake could be created. The rich industrialists from that era wanted to take advantage of the beautiful lands in that area. Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Mellon were among the tycoons that developed the exclusive summer resort named the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The earth dam was 850 feet across the top and 62 ft. high. It took 15 years to complete when it was first built. When the dam was purchased by the tycoons they did a lot of repair work on the structure. They stocked the lake with fish and planned to open up some of the surrounding area to deer hunters. (club members) They were advised to have the dam inspected time after time but did not heed the advise. Even Johnstown citizens voiced concern after a few years but were ignored. As you already know one of the most devastating disasters America has ever known happened. More than 2000 people killed and $17 billion in damages and as one of the book's chapter titles said, "Our misery is the work of man."
Fast forward to 2010.Harrington Lake is a 2,335-acre artificial lake located in Mercer, Garrard and Boyle counties in Kentucky, USA. The lake was created by Kentucky Utilities' damming of the Dix River in 1925 to gererate hydroelectric power. With a maximum depth of 249 ft. Herrington Lake is the deepest lake in Kentucky. Dix Dam;, the dam that made the lake, was the largest earth-filled dam in the world at the time , and considered to be a major engineering feat. The generating station at the dam is now mainly used for flood control uner control of the Army Corps of Engineers. Kentucky Utilities'main dispatch and communication center is located on the site.
In the March 3 Courier Journal, the mayor of Louisville made a statement about the possible purchase of LG&E by the city of Louisville or the state of Kentucky. He said officials will "explore every option...that would be in the best interests of the rate payers in Louisville and throughout the entire state."
e.On and KU are the present owners of LG&E. It is a German company. The mayor is being advised by a letter writer to the CJ that he and his advisors need to consult with the Kentucky Council for Dix Dam Safety, a "watchdog group" in Frankfort, KY prior to establishing any purchase considerations.
The KCDDS has been demanding for two years that e.On and KU prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their E.W. Brown Power Station's poorly designed, 287 foot high, 1010 foot long Dix Dam at Herrington Lake is not in dangerous condition, due to insufficient maintenance and minimal regulatory oversight during its 85-year lifespan.
There is a possibility that the dam could fail at any given moment__especially when the Kentucky River is at dangerous floodlevels _ the cities of Frankfort and Danville, and tens of thousands of families and businesses throughout central Kentucky, that rely on Herrington Lake for their water supplies, would suffer immediate, severe, deadly and long-lasting consequences.
Rates should not necessarily be the primary concern when it comes to the E.W.Brown Station at Herrington Lake. Kentuckian lives and properties should be. I don't want my future progeny to be reading about the devestation caused by the failure of another faulty dam. Which is more important, low rates or death and destruction? Be sure you get your priorities in line.
In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been rebuilt so that a lake could be created. The rich industrialists from that era wanted to take advantage of the beautiful lands in that area. Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Mellon were among the tycoons that developed the exclusive summer resort named the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The earth dam was 850 feet across the top and 62 ft. high. It took 15 years to complete when it was first built. When the dam was purchased by the tycoons they did a lot of repair work on the structure. They stocked the lake with fish and planned to open up some of the surrounding area to deer hunters. (club members) They were advised to have the dam inspected time after time but did not heed the advise. Even Johnstown citizens voiced concern after a few years but were ignored. As you already know one of the most devastating disasters America has ever known happened. More than 2000 people killed and $17 billion in damages and as one of the book's chapter titles said, "Our misery is the work of man."
Fast forward to 2010.Harrington Lake is a 2,335-acre artificial lake located in Mercer, Garrard and Boyle counties in Kentucky, USA. The lake was created by Kentucky Utilities' damming of the Dix River in 1925 to gererate hydroelectric power. With a maximum depth of 249 ft. Herrington Lake is the deepest lake in Kentucky. Dix Dam;, the dam that made the lake, was the largest earth-filled dam in the world at the time , and considered to be a major engineering feat. The generating station at the dam is now mainly used for flood control uner control of the Army Corps of Engineers. Kentucky Utilities'main dispatch and communication center is located on the site.
In the March 3 Courier Journal, the mayor of Louisville made a statement about the possible purchase of LG&E by the city of Louisville or the state of Kentucky. He said officials will "explore every option...that would be in the best interests of the rate payers in Louisville and throughout the entire state."
e.On and KU are the present owners of LG&E. It is a German company. The mayor is being advised by a letter writer to the CJ that he and his advisors need to consult with the Kentucky Council for Dix Dam Safety, a "watchdog group" in Frankfort, KY prior to establishing any purchase considerations.
The KCDDS has been demanding for two years that e.On and KU prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their E.W. Brown Power Station's poorly designed, 287 foot high, 1010 foot long Dix Dam at Herrington Lake is not in dangerous condition, due to insufficient maintenance and minimal regulatory oversight during its 85-year lifespan.
There is a possibility that the dam could fail at any given moment__especially when the Kentucky River is at dangerous floodlevels _ the cities of Frankfort and Danville, and tens of thousands of families and businesses throughout central Kentucky, that rely on Herrington Lake for their water supplies, would suffer immediate, severe, deadly and long-lasting consequences.
Rates should not necessarily be the primary concern when it comes to the E.W.Brown Station at Herrington Lake. Kentuckian lives and properties should be. I don't want my future progeny to be reading about the devestation caused by the failure of another faulty dam. Which is more important, low rates or death and destruction? Be sure you get your priorities in line.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
"Dia Duit" (jeea ditch) Good day, Hello
May you live to be a hundred with one extra year to repent! I've seen many a March in my life time and have celebrated many St. Patricks Days. It is always the high light of the month. It always comes during Lent, so it is a day of dispensation from all of the rigors of the Lenten season. Many a penitent of Lent looks forward to the day, not for the love of St. Pat, but for the hiatus from suffering'. (Real or imagined)
In 1845, 1846, 1848 the failure of the Irish potato crop due to potato blight, had disastrous consequences for the people of Ireland. Millions of people died of starvation and millions more decided to emigrate. Many areas of Ireland were decimated. Even today there are more sheep in Ireland than people. My Great Grandfather, Patrick Charters, born in County Cork, in the village of Buttvant County Ireland and my great Grandmother Catherine Ryan Charters born in County Limerick, Ireland left Ireland and came to America in 1854.
The railroads were just being built in America. at that time and the Irish emigrants were available for jobs. London, Ohio was the place they chose to join many other Irishmen. My mother's family also, came from Ireland and they settled in the farm lands surrounding London, Ohio. Most of the residents of London and the surrounding area were from Ireland. That is where I spent a great portion of my young life. I actually resided in Springfield but London was just 24 miles away.
The people in London were mostly first generation Irish and still used many of the expressions and voice inflections of our ancestors. My mother used words that were unfamiliar to most of my classmates in Springfield. She would accuse of of 'foostering' around instead of doing our chores. She would insist that we pick up the clothes or whatever that were 'strewn' around. The habit of ending most sentences with the phrase, 'don't ya know, and beginning sentences with, 'Sure and..." For example: Sure and begorrah, its going to be a hot one, don't ya know? My mother also used some of the Biblical pronouns; "Ye" was used instead of "you".
I hope all of you have a great St. Patricks Day. Maybe a little Irish Soda Bread, some colcannon or some boxty pancakes with some Yellow Man for dessert! ( I realize there are some among you who will insist on a Guinness or two. Ireland stout and whiskey are frequently used to enhance everything that is cooked. Ireland boasts the world's oldest licensed distillery. Bushmills in County Antrim was started in 1494 and became licenced in1608.
My St. Patrick's wish for you: Wishing you always:
Walls for the wind
And a roof for the rain
And tea beside the fire.
Laughter to cheer you.
And those you love, near you,
and all that your heart might desire.
"Slainthe is Saul Agat" Health and life to you !! Ciao
In 1845, 1846, 1848 the failure of the Irish potato crop due to potato blight, had disastrous consequences for the people of Ireland. Millions of people died of starvation and millions more decided to emigrate. Many areas of Ireland were decimated. Even today there are more sheep in Ireland than people. My Great Grandfather, Patrick Charters, born in County Cork, in the village of Buttvant County Ireland and my great Grandmother Catherine Ryan Charters born in County Limerick, Ireland left Ireland and came to America in 1854.
The railroads were just being built in America. at that time and the Irish emigrants were available for jobs. London, Ohio was the place they chose to join many other Irishmen. My mother's family also, came from Ireland and they settled in the farm lands surrounding London, Ohio. Most of the residents of London and the surrounding area were from Ireland. That is where I spent a great portion of my young life. I actually resided in Springfield but London was just 24 miles away.
The people in London were mostly first generation Irish and still used many of the expressions and voice inflections of our ancestors. My mother used words that were unfamiliar to most of my classmates in Springfield. She would accuse of of 'foostering' around instead of doing our chores. She would insist that we pick up the clothes or whatever that were 'strewn' around. The habit of ending most sentences with the phrase, 'don't ya know, and beginning sentences with, 'Sure and..." For example: Sure and begorrah, its going to be a hot one, don't ya know? My mother also used some of the Biblical pronouns; "Ye" was used instead of "you".
I hope all of you have a great St. Patricks Day. Maybe a little Irish Soda Bread, some colcannon or some boxty pancakes with some Yellow Man for dessert! ( I realize there are some among you who will insist on a Guinness or two. Ireland stout and whiskey are frequently used to enhance everything that is cooked. Ireland boasts the world's oldest licensed distillery. Bushmills in County Antrim was started in 1494 and became licenced in1608.
My St. Patrick's wish for you: Wishing you always:
Walls for the wind
And a roof for the rain
And tea beside the fire.
Laughter to cheer you.
And those you love, near you,
and all that your heart might desire.
"Slainthe is Saul Agat" Health and life to you !! Ciao
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