tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16593502619152845072024-03-05T01:06:28.404-08:00The Old Dinosaur SpeaksKaren Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-56803144124586982612019-01-30T17:50:00.002-08:002019-01-30T17:50:57.199-08:00In my 76 years I've been fortunate to find meaningful employment in a variety of occupations. Over those years some employment was available through different employment agencies. None of those jobs was in the political field. As it turns out, though, some of those positions required a detailed resume and more than one asked me to submit the screening results from an MMPI [Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory.] This would have allowed the prospective new employer to know more thoroughly the kind of employee was likely to become. Sounds like an idea to include in the history of a potential candidate for public office.Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-6474807574497952322016-07-09T22:25:00.001-07:002016-07-11T18:15:33.492-07:00How Do You Measure?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>In ancient times,
measurements were made using local standards which varied from one country to
another depending on the person whose biometrics defined what the standard
would be. In Egypt, a cubit was about the distance from the elbow to the
fingertips. In some areas the width of a thumb was considered to be an inch. In
the 14<sup>th</sup> century, King Edward II of England decided the official
inch should equal the length of 3 grains of barley placed end to end. A foot
closely approximated the 12 inches we now call a foot. A yard was determined by
the distance from the tip of a different king’s nose to his thumb on his
out-stretched hand. The height of horses was measured by the number of hand-widths
from the hoof to the withers.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As commerce increased and
expanded beyond a country’s borders, it became advisable to develop a system of
weights and measures which would be the same regardless of the origin and
destination. A pound or a foot or a gallon should be the same in country B as
they are in country A. In the 1790’s, France recognized the value of uniformity
and began developing what became the International System of Weights and
Measures abbreviated “SI” units. (SI for the French <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Systeme Internationale.</i>) They began with the meter for length and
the kilogram for mass (weight). Ultimately the SI system established five
additional standards: the second for time, the ampere for electric current, the
kelvin for temperature, the mole for amount of a substance, and the candela for
intensity of light.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Before the 1790's the framers of our Constitution recognized the value of regulating weight sand measures:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span class="st">“The regulation of </span><i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">weights and measures</span></i><span class="st">
is necessary for science, industry, and commerce. The importance of
establishing uniform national standards was demonstrated by the drafters of the
U.S. </span><i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Constitution</span></i><span class="st">, who
gave Congress in Article 1, Section 8, the power to "fix the Standard of </span><i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Weights and Measures</span></i><span class="st">."</span><br />
--<span class="st"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i></span><cite><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 107%;">legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com</span></cite><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until 2013, the United
States of America shared the distinction with two other world powers, Liberia
and Myanmar (formerly Burma), of resisting the adoption of the Metric System.
We are one of the last holdouts. (In 2013, Myanmar began the transition.) Why
have we resisted the change? Because we don’t like change. In 1866, Congress
authorized the use of the metric system but our resistance for the past 150
years has resulted in only small steps in the metric direction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With an early interest in
the Sciences, the Metric System seemed almost natural after a very short time.
For those unfamiliar, the internet offers many conversion tools but for easy
daily use some units become so familiar that an official converter is not
necessary. Weights: A Kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. A Pound is equal to 454
grams. An Ounce is 28 Grams. A Gallon is 3.8 liters. A Liter is 0.26 Gallons
(that’s very close to a quart). These equivalents are quite satisfactory for
everyday use. On the other hand, in a laboratory, measurements to several
decimal places are absolutely crucial – micrograms, milliliters and so on. If
you work in a lab, you already know that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two units of daily
concern to most are miles per hour/kilometers per hour. Most vehicles now come
with double numbering on the speedometer. Mph on top of the display, Kph
underneath the display. Digital speedometers have a push button switch allowing
the driver to switch to the applicable units. If a vehicle doesn’t have this
luxury, two equivalencies are easy to remember: 100 kilometers per hour is the
same as 62 miles per hour. The ratio is very close to the decimal equivalent
for five-eighths which is 0.625. Kilometers per hour times 5/8 yields miles per
hour. (Converting in the other direction is the inverse operation –
eight-fifths or 1.6).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only other regularly occurring concern
might be temperature readings. The United States and most of its territories
remain the only ones to continue using the Fahrenheit scale (Named for Daniel
Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German physicist) which marks the melting point of ice at
32 degrees and the boiling point of water at 212 degrees. The rest of the world
since the end of the 20<sup>th</sup> century is using the Celsius scale
(previously known as the centigrade scale until named for the Swedish
astronomer Anders Celsius) which marks 0 degrees as the freezing point of water
and 100 degrees as the boiling point of water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In daily life, how
crucial is it to know the temperature to a precise number? Can you feel the
difference between 72 F and 74 F? Or 33 F and 35 F? It’s funny that a 2 degree
difference between Fahrenheit temperatures is about equal to a one degree
difference in the Celsius temperature. The major difference is the starting
point. Remembering a few equivalencies might make the transition easier.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Celsius degrees</span></u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><u>Fahrenheit degrees</u><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><u>How they feel</u><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Minus 10<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>Minus 14<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>Frigid</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">0<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>32<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Freezing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>50<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Chilly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>68<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Comfy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">30<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>86<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>Hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">40<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>104<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>Too
hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">50<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>122<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Danger</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you really have to exactly
translate Celsius to Fahrenheit, an easy method is to multiply<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">th<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">e </span>Celsius
temperature by two. Reduce that result by ten percent. Add 32 and you will have
the Fahrenheit temperature. For example, 25 Celsius times two is 50, minus 5 is 45,
plus 32, equals 77 Fahrenheit degrees. </span></div>
</div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">77 degrees. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now all you need is a bit of shade, a
comfortable chair and a well made Margarita. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Enjoy.<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> # </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> # #</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-38352889809997411922016-07-05T12:55:00.001-07:002016-07-28T16:56:59.530-07:00Rube Goldberg Meets William of Ockham<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>New
math; old math? I have no children and I am not in frequent contact with any
parents of school-age children but with what I’ve seen about so-called Common
Core math I see a parallel to Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) who created devices
deliberately over-engineered to take 20 or more steps to accomplish a two-step
task. Goldberg was an American cartoonist and inventor. His “cartoons”
humorously described a complicated series of steps to achieve a very simple
result. Just like the “New Math” in which I see no humor.</span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Enter
William of Ockham, an English friar, philosopher and theologian. Ockham (c.
1287-1347) is credited with developing a problem-solving principle which held,
generally, that when there are multiple hypotheses, the one needing the fewest
assumptions is likely the correct one. The fewer assumptions, the greater the
likelihood of repeating the same result which is related to the empirical
nature of The Scientific Method – testability and repeatability. This is the “Old
Math”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Educators
tout the value of Common Core as bringing to students a broader exposure,
immediately, to the underlying principles of Mathematics. My bias will show
when I say there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the old way. Even the best Forensic
experts in any field learned their craft by starting with the basics
progressing layer by layer to broader knowledge and understanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Writers
are advised to begin their stories <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
medias res</i> (in the middle of things). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In
medias res</i> is definitely not the best way to teach math. Even Euclid of
Alexandria, the Greek mathematician regarded as the father of geometry, determined
that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. Start at the
beginning point and progress to the next without swerving. To dapple in
arithmetic, algebra and perhaps calculus, simultaneously, before mastering the
basics seems ludicrous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
learned math the old way – arithmetic, geometry, algebra, trigonometry,
logarithms, and calculus. I can solve most math problems easier than I can open
pilfer-proof plastic packaging. I can see the product but I can’t get to it
before employing tools and cutting myself on the sharp plastic edge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sometimes
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teach it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#</span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-36321758131356573972016-06-19T12:47:00.001-07:002016-06-21T17:21:59.348-07:00Gay Pride<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today is Pride day. This
is the day when people discriminated against by many come together and declare
that they respect themselves and know they deserve to be respected by others.
Who are these people and why are they discriminated against? They are any and
all of those comfortable under the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Questioning) umbrella. Why the discrimination?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thousands of years ago
(ca 4,000 BC), men inspired by the prospect of a Supreme Being, committed a
code of conduct acceptable within the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zeitgeist</i>
of the time to writings which became the Bible’s Old Testament. Any behaviors
not conforming to that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zeitgeist</i> were
scorned and subject to punishment at the direction of the community’s
interpretation of God’s wishes.</span></div>
<h5 style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Thousands of years later (ca 450 BC), the Greek
philosopher, Democritus of Abdera, Thrace, hypothesized that:</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></h5>
<h5 style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> 1. All matter consists of
invisible particles called atoms.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></h5>
<h5 style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2. Atoms are indestructible. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">3. Atoms are solid but invisible.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="Democritus---His_mentor,_Leucippus,_orig"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">4. Atoms are homogeneous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After another 2,500 years (1803
AD), John Dalton theorized that atoms contained smaller particles, Protons,
Neutrons, and Electrons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since the early years of the 19<sup>th</sup>
century scientists have been learning more and more about the tiniest
components of human structure. General ignorance of these minutiae by the
overwhelming majority of people is at the root of the discrimination suffered
by those under the LGBTQ umbrella. Sexual orientation: orientation (not
preference) and Gender identity: unshakable conviction (not choice), are the
two most widely misunderstood states of being within the LGBTQ community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Recent scientific discoveries in
the fields of Genetics have revealed that orientation and identity though not
automatically connected are both as a result of genetic differences within DNA
strands contained within individual chromosomes. Other discoveries have
determined that XX (Female) and XY (Male) are not the only two possibilities.
Thousands of variations can, and do, exist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore, any discrimination is
based on an archaic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zeitgeist</i> from
more than 6,000 years ago encouraged by the voluntary ignorance of people moved
by misguided devotion to an unsubstantiated belief rather than on provable
science. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The damning claim that homosexuals
are pedophiles is almost too absurd to address. Any gay people I have ever
known want to share with a coequal adult. Although sexual intimacy may be a
part of that sharing, it’s not about the sex. It’s about the sharing.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 5; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The ridiculous fear that a “man in
a dress” will claim to be transgender to attack women in the Ladies room is
equally absurd. It takes a great deal more than a dress and a wig to appear
even slightly like a woman much less behave as one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All that any of us want are the same
freedoms you enjoy. No special treatment. Acceptance is desirable but tolerance
would be acceptable. Agenda? There is NO agenda. Gay is born, not made. Cross-gender
identification is born, not made. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Could YOU be converted to
homosexuality? Could YOU be made to feel like a sex you were not born as? Did YOU
complete a pre-birth choice questionnaire? I didn’t think so. Neither did I.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#</span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-86277862973220551542016-05-27T19:07:00.000-07:002016-05-29T14:09:36.627-07:00The Human Crystal<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gemstones are crystallized minerals. Their esthetic
appeal makes them ideal for jewelry because of their shape, their color or even
the color-change quality exhibited by some of them. Their chemical composition
is the same regardless of their shape or the angle of their facets. What you
see depends on the color of the light, the intensity of the light, and the
impinging angles of the light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A transperson is much like a gemstone. Their psyche is
the same regardless of their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">persona</i>
which is expected of them based on a sexual designation at birth which many
times presumes that this sex will grow to be this person or that sex will grow
to be that person. Physicians or birthing specialists make the call without
ever knowing what developmental changes occurred pre-birth, changes which
cannot be known by anyone but the infant well after progressing from infancy. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Medical research is only beginning to study why XX and
XY chromosomes are not the sole determinants of gender. Thirty or more chromosomes
affected by DNA variants contribute in unpredictable ways to human growth to
become more male or more female or more androgynous. On the gender spectrum,
Male is at one end, female is at the other end, and androgynous is mid-spectrum.
Along that spectrum are dozens of other gender identity points.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why am I talking about this? Because, as many of my
in-person social friends and acquaintances know and most of my FB friends
inferred, I am transgender. I am transitioning from the male role to the female
role. What most don’t know is that this is my second transition. I lived as
Karen for three years in the late 1980s. Unfortunately after 20 years of
estrogen treatments I began developing blood clots and since blood clots killed
my 20 year old sister in 1972, I feared for my life. I had the choice of being
a dead woman or a living male. So I returned to the male role for 30 years. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">About a year and a half ago, the discomfort from the gender dysphoria become so
great I decided it was not too late to become the woman I always felt myself to
be. Since estrogen is out of the question I have no need for any kind of
specialized medical care. I did, out of curiosity, ask my doctor to include a
testosterone screen on one of my routine blood tests. He told me my
testosterone was at the level it would be if I had been born female.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I became aware of my gender dysphoria at a very early
age even though I didn’t know what it was called. I only knew in grade school I
wanted to be with the girls, play with the girls, be one of the girls, BE a
girl. Then in 1952, the scales fell from my eyes when Christine Jorgenson
became the first well-publicized, successful sex-change recipient. That news changed
the course of my life although not for the better initially. After graduating
from high school and a failed first attempt at Penn State, I quickly (at age 18)
became eligible for the military draft. Still male and from a Navy family, I
didn't want to be in the Army so I enlisted in the Navy for a four year tour during the Viet Nam era.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After my enlistment ended, I returned to Penn State,
this time long enough to discover I had chosen the wrong major. (Chemistry – I love
Chemistry but it was too narrowing having to learn more and more about less and
less. I dropped out and went back later majoring in General Arts and Sciences.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From there, suffering the ongoing discomfort from
gender dysphoria I continued moving forward with a positive outlook hoping to
find employment in a job where my change from male to female would be accepted.
Years of many temporary jobs and false starts followed to the point where I now
am – retired and having to work part time to make ends meet. Happily, the company
I have worked for for years as a local driver has said they totally accept my
transition and will be glad to have me return (after lay off) since I always
did a good job for them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Except for not being able to afford a move from my
squalid hovel (or artist’s garret) and having extreme financial difficulty, I
am happier than I’ve been for longer than I can remember. Happy though I may
be, after the recent spate of horror stories in the news about anti-transgender
vigilantism, I am fearful that should someone determine I wasn’t born female, I
might be a victim of violence. Since my transition has been taking place in a
veritable fishbowl, some of those who knew me previously only in the male role
have issues with which bathroom I use. I have been threatened with bodily harm
or with life-long expulsion from a particular establishment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is my hope that my openness may lead some to
understand that transgender persons have not chosen to be transgender, that
they have no “agenda” and are not transgender for nefarious purposes. The
bathroom non-issue is disturbing and laughable. I’ve shared the ladies room on
several occasions with women who comfortably chat and once with a crying woman
who appreciated my comforting presence and one instance of a beautiful young
woman who followed me into the ladies room because she wanted to kiss me. Oh
my, what a threat I am.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, I still love women, always have, always will. Gay
would have been easier. Gay is as visible as the gay person allows it to be –
no wardrobe change, no name change, no physical modifications. I’m not gay,
never have been, never will be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-43636128972138426102016-05-26T15:53:00.003-07:002016-05-26T15:54:50.361-07:00Hibernation Is Over:The Old Dinosaur Returns<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>#</span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-7671252239141533582016-03-07T15:15:00.000-08:002016-03-07T15:16:09.306-08:00Starting Over<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Starting
Over</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It’s been over a year since my last
entry. In that time, I’ve gained a different computer and a different software.
Writing now has become a greater challenge since I’m proceeding blind. In time
I hope to make this as easy as it once was with the old system.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We shall see.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-36791955075992353052014-04-09T07:20:00.005-07:002014-04-09T07:31:13.607-07:00Beauty and the Beast One of the poems written by John Keats opens with the observation that, "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever". Another poem's opening line, this by Lord Byron, is, "She walks in beauty, like the night..." The unanswered question which remains even after eons of thought and study and discussion by artists, musicians and philosophers, "What is beauty?".<br />
<br />
Among the various definitions offered are, "The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality" and "One that is beautiful, especially a beautiful woman." <br />
<br />
Some behavioral scientists believe that awareness of beauty and beautiful things is hard wired in the human brain from birth and that it has more to do with harmonious agreement among the various qualities which describe the object or sound or person and less to do with what is fashionable for the moment.<br />
<br />
So from an early age the appreciation of what is beautiful and what is not becomes a life-long learning process. That implies that the longer a person lives, the more sensitive and aware that person becomes to beautiful things. Unfortunately it seems to apply only to inanimate things. <br />
<br />
Enter the beast, an older man who still finds beauty in a younger woman. Such older man is allowed to find beauty in art and music but after a certain age appreciating the beauty of any woman more than a few years younger than himself renders him the dubious status of "dirty old man".<br />
<br />
Some definitions of "dirty old man" describe a "middle-aged man roughly between the ages of 45 and 65 with lecherous inclinations". "Lecherous" is defined as "excessive indulgence in sexual activity". <br />
<br />
How then, I wonder, can a sensitive, thoughtful man who has had the good fortune of surviving into middle age and who still marvels at the nubile beauty of a young woman with absolutely no sexual activity, excessive or otherwise, be labeled a "dirty old man". At what age must he limit himself to appreciating the beauty of music, the arts and poetry but not to the living beauty of an attractive younger woman?<br />
<br />
Were this man wealthy or powerful (Can they be separated? Wealth can engender power; power can generate wealth) he would be applauded by his contemporaries for capturing a beautiful young thing half his age or less (You sly old devil you — wink, wink, nudge, nudge). <br />
<br />
Cases in point, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who wed billionaire Aristotle Onassis and all the very young women who flocked to Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion in Chicago. It appears that if a man has prizes to offer, the age difference is of no concern and a younger woman will happily share her femininity and her femaleness. <br />
<br />
But, if a man has the good fortune of surviving to middle age or beyond and has only himself and neither land nor wealth to share, a younger woman may be happy to talk about the weather or the sports page but little else.<br />
<br />
Beautiful day today. Hey, what do you think about them Phillies this season?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I guess I'm ready.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-87412267437578457392014-03-23T08:57:00.001-07:002014-03-23T09:10:39.106-07:00To Stop or Not to Stop, That is the Question The laws governing when to stop for a school bus vary from state to state but all states require vehicles to stop when the top red lights on the bus are flashing. The very few exceptions are generally common sense exceptions such as traffic moving in the opposite direction on a divided highway with a substantial physical barrier such as a concrete divider or a <i>guide rail</i>.<span style="font-size: small;"><b>*</b></span><br />
<br />
The rules for the school bus driver are very explicit about when the flashing red lights are to be activated and when they are not to be used. Also explicit is the timing and the distance at which to activate the advance warning yellow flashing lights before activating the red lights. <br />
<br />
I came upon a situation recently where a school bus was stopped and no warning lights were flashing except the ordinary four-way flashers used to indicate a break down or a stopped vehicle on a roadway. Traffic in both directions was stopped and beginning to cause a long back up. I was aware that this was not a required stopping situation so I turned on my four-ways and walked toward the bus to see if the driver was having a mechanical problem and met him as he walked toward the rear passenger side of his bus. <br />
<br />
He began deploying a ramp to allow his wheel-chair bound passenger to get off the bus. I asked him to confirm that driving past his bus was legal and he confirmed that it was completely legal for cars to pass when discharging a wheel chair passenger from the passenger side on the curb side of the street. <br />
<br />
I returned to my car and with a hand signal indicated to the other drivers patiently waiting that it was okay to proceed. Seeing such confusion among so many drivers led me to search the law to see if I could find the specific language to share it with those who find themselves uncertain about when it's legal to pass a stopped bus.<br />
<br />
I found it in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes: <br />
<h4>
Title 75</h4>
<h4>
Chapter 33. Rules of the Road in General</h4>
<h4>
Subchapter D. Special Stops Required</h4>
Section 3345, Meeting or overtaking school bus.<br />
subsection, (f.1) Use of school buses for transportation of disabled persons.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">— Whenever a school bus is being used upon a highway or trafficway for the transportation of disabled persons exclusively and the school bus is equipped with red signal lights, the driver of the school bus <b>may actuate</b> the signal lights in the same manner as set forth in this section regarding the transportation of school children. The driver of a vehicle approaching the school bus shall have the same duties regarding stopping, passing and overtaking as he does with respect to a school bus carrying school children.</span><br />
<br />
I emphasized the words "may actuate" to show it is one of the few non-mandatory circumstances where it is at the school bus driver's discretion to determine whether safety considerations might demand the use of the signal lights.<br />
<br />
The key clues for an upcoming stop are the top yellow lights flashing which must begin no more than 300 feet from a stop and no less than 150 feet from that stop. When the yellow flashing lights come on, be prepared for a stop about to happen. If none of the top lights are flashing, you may pass the bus in either direction, but once the red lights begin flashing there should never be any confusion about stopping. STOP. And when you stop, make sure you are no closer than 10 feet from the bus. After the last exiting student has reached a point of safety, the driver will turn the lights off and retract the semaphore arm and you can then proceed.<br />
<br />
If in doubt, STOP. We're talking about our school children's safety. They are our future even if they haven't learned yet how to buckle their belts at their waistline.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
* * *</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>*</b></span><i>Guide rail</i> has replaced the former term <i>guard rail</i> for unknown reasons but it has been suggested that 'guard rail' implies greater protection from potential injury than that structure can provide. Some barriers may, by the very nature of their construction, cause injury rather than prevent it. To lessen the potential liability of a municipality, the words have been 'softened' to better shield the municipality from expensive litigation. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-49022526468903153132014-03-22T07:57:00.000-07:002014-03-24T11:51:48.561-07:00Melting Pots, Salad Bowls and Official Language Even before the 1908 premiere of Israel Zangwill's play, <i>The Melting Pot</i>, our country has been described as one because of the mixture of different nationalities, cultures and races. But 'melting pot' is not really an apt metaphor to describe the melange of people who populate this country.<br />
<br />
For instance, the heterogeneous ingredients including iron, carbon, nickel, chromium, titanium and others will, in a melting pot, fuse to become stainless steel - a homogeneous result. There is nothing homogeneous about the population of America.<br />
<br />
Amy Chua, a scholar from Yale University has suggested that the term, Salad Bowl, would be a much more accurate description since none of the ingredients in a salad lose their individual identity in a kind of peaceful coexistence. <br />
<br />
An 'Official' language is an excellent idea because a common language spoken fluently by every person is as the salad dressing binding this admixture of peoples. The question remains, "Which language should be the Official language?"<br />
<br />
There are some groups presenting bills before government assemblies to declare Spanish the official language. Why? Spanish as spoken by Puerto Ricans is not the same as Spanish spoken by Mexicans nor is it the same as that spoken by natives of Spain. Similarly, the French spoken by natives of Quebec is not the same as the French spoken by the natives of France. And some languages require gestures or altered inflections to achieve understanding. <br />
<br />
English on the other hand is such an accumulation of words with roots from a whole spectrum of other world cultures and languages that whatever message is to be conveyed can be done with such exacting precision that any nuances intended will be delivered by the right choice of words. English is infinitely flexible and though misunderstanding can occur, a more appropriate choice of 'right' words can eliminate any misunderstanding.<br />
<br />
Those who come to this country and encounter English as a second language should be welcome to retain their native language as part of their cultural identity. The diversity adds flavor to our salad bowl. Considering that English was the language spoken by the majority of those already populating the salad bowl, additional ingredients should not be allowed to overwhelm the basic character of the salad.<br />
<br />
Not to adopt English because of any "I was here first so I make the rules" attitude. If that were the case, our primary language might be Nordic after Leif Ericson's (son of Eric the Red) landing in far north America 500 hundred or so years before the Mayflower pilgrims arrived or perhaps the Wampanoag language which greeted the pilgrims. The sheer weight of years of the accepted use of English commends its use. <br />
<br />
It's the long arm of a lever which exerts its force on the short end not the other way around.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-83131595515446136542014-03-16T13:28:00.002-07:002016-06-08T16:13:20.922-07:00"O Say Can You See...", Or Not A recent Facebook posting, "Should the National Anthem be sung before sporting events?" raises the question, Why? Of National Anthems I've heard, many if not most speak of strength and valor in the successful defense of home and country. Is a sporting event the outcome of which will have no significant impact on a country or its people worthy of such commemoration? Consider the anthems of other countries:<br />
<br />
France: La Marseillaise [Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin] (War Song for the Army of the Rhine)<br />
<br />
"Arise, children of the Fatherland<br />
The day of glory has arrived!<br />
Against us, tyranny<br />
Raises its bloody banner...<br />
<br />
"To arms, citizens<br />
Form your battalions<br />
Let's march, let's march!<br />
Let an impure blood <br />
Water our furrows!"<br />
<br />
In the film, "Casablanca", the singing of this anthem brought some to tears of patriotic fervor.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"> <span style="color: cyan;"> http://youtu.be/KTsg9i6lvqU</span></span><br />
<br />
Italy: Il Canto degli Italiani (Song of the Italians)<br />
<br />
"Fratelli d'Italia,<br />
l'Italia s'è desta...<br />
<br />
...siam pronti alla morte.<br />
Siam pronti alla morte,..."<br />
<br />
(Brothers of Italy,<br />
Italy has woken...<br />
<br />
...We are ready to die.<br />
We are ready to die...")<br />
<br />
In an Andre Rieu concert in Cortona, Italy, his performance of this anthem aroused a fervent patriotic spirit in the audience.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"> <span style="color: cyan;"> http://youtu.be/bUjIepKt9DY</span></span><br />
<br />
Now to our National Anthem: I was brought to tears by Roseanne Barr's outrageous rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a baseball game between the Padres and the Reds on July 25, 1990. It was patently offensive.<br />
<br />
(Barr claimed that some baseball officials encouraged her to "bring humor to the song"). <br />
<br />
It's not a "song". It's an anthem. Our National Anthem!<br />
<br />
Other famous and not-so-famous celebrities have presented their own disrespectful musical variations on our National Anthem and it besmirches the values for which our Star Spangled Banner stands.<br />
<br />
I was also brought to tears on the parade ground at morning Assembly during the bugle playing To The Colors as the flag was raised smartly to full staff followed by the Navy band's instrumental version of our Anthem.<br />
<br />
The living are giving and the dead have given to protect our flag and what it stands for. If sports officials and fans insist on presenting our National Anthem prior to a usually bloodless competition, then ensure it is done with the dignity and respect it deserves. No less than a military band or orchestra can accomplish that. Let the raucous and profane remain as part of the half time show if you must.<br />
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Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-37400507013544740712013-12-25T09:31:00.001-08:002013-12-25T09:31:29.154-08:00Christmas Eve 2013 On Christmas eve I drove to Harrisburg to attend a karaoke event, the only one relatively close that I knew about. I had planned on singing several Christmas songs from my repertoire but as the evening progressed, the mood of the room though festive was less Christmassy. It was more like a gathering of comfortable friends and acquaintances than a Christmas eve gathering. Although I was a total stranger, I was made to feel welcome by the other visitors and the wait staff.<br /><br /> A present offered by the management was their purchase of a drink for anyone in the military or who had served in the military. It was totally unexpected and not at all required but it was a warming gesture by the management and spoke well for the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center.<br /><br /> The entrance to the Center was on a side street off of Third street and at first was not readily apparent so a couple trips meandering around the side streets gave me a reminding glimpse of the neighborhood I once lived in while working for the Department of Labor and Industry. The streets were deserted though on a cold winter's eve that was not to be unexpected. Plus, people with families were probably snuggled in their warm homes enjoying together time on a special evening at home.<br /><br /> I was able to park nearly in front of one of my former addresses on Third street. I shuddered as I remembered that experience. I saw the apartment during the day time before moving in and it seemed cozy, reasonably priced and conveniently close to my job. It didn't take long for me to realize what a horrible mistake I had made. When the roaches climbed up on my easy chair and started reading the newspaper over my shoulder I knew it was time to leave. I joked with co-workers at that time that the bugs were rearranging my furniture without my permission while I slept and that did it! <br /><br /> I had never before experienced a roach infestation and, initially, my naiveté allowed me to believe I could get them under control. During my several weeks at that address. I accumulated 20 adhesive roach traps <u>filled</u> on all sides with the unwelcome guests. I stacked them on the kitchen counter as a heads-up for the next unwary apartment shopper. I moved out completely one night in several hours. Fortunately I found a nicer, bug-free apartment in Steelton and, though farther away, it was much more suitable. Also, fortunately, I completed the move without any 'hitchhikers". I was relieved.<br /><br /> Before finding a parking spot my drive around the neighborhood put me in sight of the high rise which was my first residence in the city directly across the street from the Labor and Industry building. I remember looking out of that 11th floor window over the Harrisburg rail yard and even though I've enjoyed railroad locales all my life, I had a dark sense of unexplainable foreboding. The culmination of that ominous feeling was a series of events (beyond the scope of this narrative) which changed my life forever. Oh how I wish I had learned to listen to my inner voice sooner rather than later.<br /><br /> Even though I had a very pleasant time last evening, I was struck with how quickly the feelings of emptiness and sterility return every time I visit Harrisburg. It's the same now as it was then. When the thousands of state employees have left for their homes in the suburbs or the country, only a sinister skeleton remains behind. It gives me the chills regardless of the season. <br />
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Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-70012359922717030552013-12-21T13:14:00.001-08:002013-12-22T09:55:49.771-08:00Mimi, A Tragedy Mary was her name. How she came to be Mimi to all who knew her I never learned. In our early school years, we were class mates. Too young for anything as complicated as an infatuation we were simply class mates who grew to like each other. One day she to asked me to visit her home to play a game of Monopoly.<br />
<br />
Her father was one of the dentists in our small town. Their home was on the top of a hill just outside the town. Looking north from her front, tree-filled lawn the town filled the panorama with all its landmark structures, the tall smokestack outside the Anchor Packing department of the asbestos plant, the elevated water tank on struts nearly as tall as the smokestack, the church on the town square with its steeple clock easily visible but too distant for the time to be read.<br />
<br />
The railroad tracks running east and west through town near the factories were visible in the foreground and depending on the time of day, a steam locomotive could be seen shifting railroad cars to and from the industries, empty cars out, loaded cars in. Once the crew had finished their work in town, they assembled the cars into a train and moved east toward the next town to complete the shifting operation in that town repeating in every small town along the way on their return to Reading. Further in the distance was the manned fire tower in a clearing along the Horseshoe trail meandering over the hills far north of the town. <br />
<br />
In one of her trees lived a squirrel who would make an occasional appearance dashing across the yard, warily in the presence of non-squirrels, seeking whatever squirrels seek on a warm summer afternoon. Mimi told me the squirrel's name was Nicky. She explained that there was a nick in one of his ears. She surmised that Nicky had survived a hunter's assault but suffered the nick from narrowly escaping the full load of shotgun pellets. Flitting about as he did, it was not possible to get a closer look at the nick so her plausible assumption became the accepted explanation.<br />
<br />
The bicycle ride to her home was easy until the last quarter mile which required me to push my bike up the steep hill. Reaching the top of the hill I was rewarded with the restorative coolness of the shady grove and a gentle breeze and usually some lemonade prepared by her mother. On my first visit I was struck by the sight of a wall bookshelf filled from floor to ceiling with books of enough variety that the study might have been used effectively as a mini-library. She ushered me to a table in the adjacent sunroom where we would begin our game.<br />
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She sat with her back toward the windows which allowed the sunlight to filter through first the trees and then through the curly strands of her neck length curly blonde hair. She had a fetching smile as of one who was comfortably confident going in to this game of the afternoon.<br />
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Her confidence was not misplaced. Though I had played monopoly many times with my buddies and had come out on top once in a while I never, ever won a game with Mimi. In fact, I was so bad that she set up a Curtis fund for me. Every time I passed 'Go' she'd throw a dollar into my fund for later use to keep me from going bankrupt.<br />
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We repeated these game afternoons often and I looked forward to the visits. As time went by her father grew fond of me and offered to let me borrow books from his library to be returned on my next visit and traded for another. I believe I read every Hardy Boys book published to that time. The Hardy Boys and their detective father, Fenton, became almost real to me as if I had met them and become one of their companions helping them unravel whatever mystery they were helping their father with.<br />
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During these visits I came to know that Mimi had two older brothers, James and Robert if I remember correctly. Both had graduated from Oberlin college and that is where she would eventually go after graduation from high school. Sadly, she told me that all three of them had inherited a recessive gene which would ultimately kill all three. In the 1940s, not much was known about treating leukemia.<br />
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I knew nothing about leukemia. I knew that people die. To hear her calmly tell me that she would not live long enough to have a 'normal' life was a shock I wasn't prepared for. Ultimately her brothers died and she continued on as though she wasn't affected even though she knew she was. We passed through our pre-teen years and at some point, she transferred to another school that would, perhaps, offer her a better preparation for Oberlin. I lost contact with her but learned from people who knew her that she graduated from high school and went on to college. I also learned that she had married while in college. From that point on I know nothing. <br />
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Over the years I have thought often about my superior Monopoly opponent with her curly blonde sun-lit hair and remember how precocious she was. Reading Salingers short story "For Esmé - with Love and Squalor" set in a tea shop in Devon, England in WW2 reminded me of Mimi. Esmé, too, was precocious and near Mimi's age the last time I saw her.<br />
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Theodore Roethke's "Elegy for Jane" provided me another reminder the first time I read it when he speaks of Jane's neck curls while he mourns her deadly fall from a horse summing up that [He has] "no rights in this matter, neither father nor lover".<br />
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The smokestack is gone, the water tower is gone, the trains no longer go to Reading, both her parents are gone and Nicky's dead, too. <br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-49767370838288971972013-12-19T23:28:00.003-08:002013-12-20T11:07:25.212-08:00Tales From The Friend Zone Advice from experienced writers to beginning writers: "Write what you know about". I know about the friend zone. At first, upon arriving here on several occasions I accepted that I wasn't being dismissed out of hand but held in some degree of reserve, perhaps. As time passed and seniority in <i>The Zone</i> grew, it became easier to see that it was in fact a kind of dismissal to a special purgatory. However, on closer examination I discovered I had misread the sign over the door. It wasn't purgatory at all. The sign over the door said <b>Welcome to HELL</b>. <br />
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Alas, even in a state of grace, I wasn't given an opportunity to expiate my sins whatever they might have been. It became imperative for me to discover what wrongs I might have committed which put me in this despicable, forlorn place with no hope for expiation. The first one was easy. I had lived long enough to become too old for consideration as a viable alternative for any candidates out there. No expiation warranted or possible there. It was the natural flow of life.<br />
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The next one was a bit more elusive since it seemed to contradict everything I thought I knew. Thanks to some postings on Facebook, I began seeing some of the misguided notions I was laboring under, such as "The Right Way to Kiss a Girl: Push her up against a wall, hold her arms above her head and kiss her like you mean it!"<br />
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Well that kind of throws the old "sugar and spice and everything nice" out the window. Pushing her against the wall sounds mildly like assault. Hold her arms above her head sounds like borderline restraint. Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart could do that and it would have been romantic, I guess, but a woman who appreciates that kind of approach is definitely not going to consider a kiss meaningful if it's initiated with gentleness. Live and learn.<br />
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As far as the age thing, that's probably the first, unchangeable item that gets me thrown into the friend zone dungeon. I'm not a violent person but the next time someone tells me that age is only a number or that you're only as old as you feel they'd better be prepared for a denunciation the likes of which they have never before experienced. <br />
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Another volunteered gem coming my way from time to time is to look for someone my own age. Logical you think. Well the fact is for me I don't care about the numbers. I do care about appeal. If the appeal, the magic, that indefinable spark is there, the age doesn't matter. In reality though the only women I've met close to my age all seem much older than their numbers might say. I live, act and feel 20 years younger than I am which makes them too old for me. And the spark is not there. <br />
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Still another gem is to "be happy". Duh. Flip a switch and choose 'happy' mode, eh? Or do what you like to do. Of course. What I'm happy doing is sharing and being half of a couple. Any other activity is a time-filling substitute, sometimes enjoyable, sometimes less so but it's kind of hard to be a couple when you're only one. It's like telling 6 eggs to go forth and be a dozen. Don't invite too many people to breakfast. I try to maintain a positive outlook but self-delusion is not in my repertoire. <br />
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In a previous blog entry I spoke of seeing so-called Bad Boys making all the headway. I jokingly talked about taking a night course on how to become a 'Bad Boy'. Of course I was kidding. There's no bad boy in me. Some of the ones I've seen in operation are obnoxious jerks and it's easy for me to believe that the women who respond to that don't possess the depth of character that I hope to find in a significant other. <br />
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So, what's the answer? The answer is, there is no answer. What to do? Keep on keeping on just like I've been doing. Tomorrow's another day. Maybe the sun will rise.<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-49409524952522521042013-12-19T17:08:00.001-08:002013-12-19T17:08:15.496-08:00Pirandello, Where Are You Now When We Need You The world today is like a play from the Theatre of the Absurd. We are millions of actors in search of a Playwright. We have neither script nor playbill. The author is not available to explain or answer questions. All we have is a CliffsNotes collection of inferences.<br /><br /> Borrowing from Kurt Vonnegut's, Books of Bokonon , "Beware of the man who works hard to learn the right way, learns it, and finds himself no further ahead than before. He is full of murderous resentment of people who ignore the right way and are at the head of the pack without even trying to do it right." <br /> <br /> There was a time when young men were told that being courteous, polite and respectful was the way to achieve harmonious interactions with young women and that 4-letter-word vulgarity and grossness particularly in the presence of women was totally verboten. Yet today it seems the vulgarity formerly to be avoided is now issuing forth from the mouths of those very same women. Is this equality gone too far? Are the gals trying to be one of the guys?<br /><br /> I’m no prude and as a former sailor and a truck driver, I doubt there are any verbal constructions or collections of formerly vulgar words that I haven’t heard. I don’t cringe. I’m beginning to expect it. Yet what I find baffling is that not only are the encouraged behaviors absent, but the completely opposite behavior is being adopted and is achieving what the good behavior was supposed to. The observation that ‘Nice guys finish last’ seems increasingly truer every day.<br /><br /> I recently overheard a young man recounting an experience he had with an attractive woman who he asked, point blank, "Do you like bad boys?" Whether he got anywhere with that opening was not revealed but to hear that the 'bad boy' description he labeled himself with was expected to gain him more ground than previously acceptable behavior was enlightening in a sort of negative way.<br /><br /> I'm often told that "I'm too nice" and "I'm too old". Maybe I should paraphrase Charles Schulz' Peanuts character, Snoopy, and say, "Yesterday I was an old man. Today I'm an old man. Tomorrow I'll probably still be an old man. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." <br /><br /> I can't do a damned thing about being older. Being nice? Maybe I should look for a night course on how to become a 'Bad Boy'. Even-79 year old Charles Manson has had a girlfriend for more than 5 years. She's 54 years younger than him. Although I seriously question her mental stability and definitely could not consider someone so young for a date, I have a hard time understanding why an older nice guy like me can't escape the friend zone. Manson's a monster. I'm not.<br />
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<br /> <br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-8508452097270224502013-12-15T10:39:00.001-08:002013-12-15T10:58:33.366-08:00Tending Bar, Bartending and Tipping Anyone can tend bar by simply being there. Not everyone can be a bartender. Bartenders are professionals and should look like professionals. Attire is very important and can help to create a professional image — dark slacks or skirt and clean white dress shirt with or without a tie were at one time the standard uniform even in a local neighborhood bar. Today, holey jeans or short shorts or <i>statement</i> T-shirts or cleavage-revealing tops seem the uniform of choice. Looking professional adds an aura of respectability and emphasizes the authority of the position . <br />
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Greeting customers immediately upon their arrival even if too busy to serve them immediately will usually trigger their "I can see the bartender is busy but he knows I'm here" patience response. On more than one occasion I have left after the bartender walked past me several times without so much as acknowledging my presence. The professional is constantly scanning the bar to keep an eye on new arrivals, possible empties and becoming available without being pushy. People drink at their own comfort pace and pushing them might turn their visit into a battle with the bartender rather than an enjoyable pastime. <br />
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When I began tending bar, I wanted to learn all I could to be able to do a good job behind the bar. I found Trader Vic's Bar Guide to be an invaluable resource more for his mentoring and advice in the first half of the book than for the recipes he included in the rest of the book. <br />
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Routinely ‘forgetting’ that a customer was in with a different companion the night before is a special kind of confidentiality that a bartender must be capable of. Nothing loses customers faster than a bartender who blabs like the town gossip. And that applies to conversations quietly private between a bartender and a customer. Remembering a customer’s preferred drinks but not assuming he’ll have the same thing every time is also a sign of a professional bartender.<br />
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Before young scantily clad females took over the field of tending bar, it was possible to have a conversation on almost any subject. Now, the girls tending bar are so guarded about being made they don’t allow any conversation to go beyond a few words fearing that every guy who comes in is there to gawk at them and imagine possibilities that will never occur. Many do the job quite adequately. There are a few who excel and do the job as professionally as possible maintaining their privacy yet interacting comfortably without undue concern about whether they’re an object.<br />
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I was a bartender for about 5 years before resuming my studies at Penn State. I worked at several up-scale lounges and served a spectrum of customers from all occupations and incomes. One of the men I worked for was a real prince. He paid his bartenders significantly more than the minimum wage at that time and paid all benefits including two weeks paid vacation beginning the first year. During my years there I felt I was there to sell his product and to do so with outstanding service. I made good tips. In time I could predict that my weekly tip income would be at least a certain amount and always more than my net paycheck. It never failed. <br />
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Among the people I served were college students who tipped little or nothing and retirees who tipped what they thought they could afford. They enjoyed the products and services my employer provided them through me. I never whined about the low tippers although, chatting with the other servers, it was often the subject of conversation. I served my share of OB’s and PITA’s (Obnoxious Bastards and Pains in the Ass) but considered it part of that occupation’s landscape.<br />
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Recently I’ve begun seeing Facebook posts shared from a site with the self-explanatory title,<i> If You Can’t</i> <i>Afford to Tip, You Can’t Afford to Go Out to Eat.</i> From the posts I’ve seen, it appears this site is for whiners in an industry they don’t seem to understand. They think that the establishment with its hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property and inventory and professional staff are there purely for the purpose of garnering tips for themselves - the bigger, the better - whether earned or not. Whatever happened to the idea that servers are there to make a profit for the owner?<br />
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There are different explanations for the origin of the practice of tipping but, basically, tips are a gratuity for the quality of service given by the waitress, waiter or bartender based on a percentage of the total bill and the percentage ranging from 10 percent (or a penny) for service so unacceptable it was lousy to 15 percent for routinely acceptable service. When the service is above and beyond, 20 percent is reasonable. For truly outstanding service, 25 percent is the norm.<br />
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More than 25 percent used to be considered vulgar or <i>gauche</i>. Yet today it seems servers are insulted if they’re not over-tipped. I understand that the workers in the service industry are notoriously underpaid, but I frequently hear talk of their picking up a hundred dollars or more during their shift. Why is it then they complain about the low income customer who can’t afford to be lavish? <br />
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What about the fixed income retirees who still have a life ahead of them? Should they be relegated to a stay-at-home existence simply because they can’t over fill the tip jar? From what I’ve seen, servers incomes, with tips, give them an income far and above the tight-budget income of retirees.<br />
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Or maybe <i>Logan’s Run</i> for old folks? Shall they be sought out and sent to “Carousel“ for “Renewal“ by being vaporized once they can no longer afford to over-tip? Or perhaps they should stay home, drink tap water, sit in a rocking chair and look over their shoulder awaiting the arrival of the Grim Reaper?<br />
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A few words to the wise:<br />
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<i> <span style="font-size: small;"> The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,<br /> Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit<br /> Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,<br /> Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. </span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> — Omar Khayyám</span><br />
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You are getting older. Should you live long enough to become a lower-income retiree, will you be prepared to spend the rest of your life at home because you can’t afford to give lavish tips? We'll see.<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-79579502091524384372013-11-17T14:16:00.003-08:002014-03-19T01:08:19.480-07:00Online Dating: A Failed Experiment Anyone who knows me or has read my blog will know that I am still single, an involuntary bachelor. Several weeks ago I thought I’d try online dating to find someone who might enjoy socializing to see if there would be a magical spark, a magnetism or chemistry hinting at a closer relationship. I researched some of the more popular sites only to discover that more than a few of them are outright scams.<br />
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Some of them offered <i>Free</i> searches. (Nothing’s really free - I knew that.) Their so-called free searches provided pages of pictures of smiling women some of whose smiles actually appeared genuine, others whose smiles looked forced or even tortured possibly with someone standing off-camera yelling at them <i>smile</i>.<br />
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Then the free ended. Clicking on a link to explore the profile of the pictured one a screen popped up stating that, “In order to view Jane Doe’s profile you must upgrade to Premium status” or some variation of that. Cha-ching! Time to smell the money grubbing, quit and run.<br />
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Another site allowed a reading of a woman’s self-description and the possibility of texting her for a more immediate contact. Guess what. Cha-ching! To get her text number, it was necessary to <i>purchase </i>membership <i>credits</i>. I tried that once for a woman who said she was from Palmyra, PA, which is a reasonable distance from my home. When I received a text from her, she revealed she was in Alabama tending to a sick relative but that we could correspond. Nuts to that. I smelled a scam.<br />
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I did an online chat with this rip-off company requesting a total cancellation of my privileges and learned that they don’t refund ANY money for the unused portion of a subscription. I called my credit card company reporting a <i>services offered but not delivered</i> dispute. They said they couldn’t do much because of the subscription nature of the transaction. They did, however, refund about half the cost as a <i>courtesy</i> for a long time good customer.<br />
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I then went to a more reputable (I thought) dating company and discovered that if they have no <i>matches</i> within the specified age range, geographic radius or mutual interests, they’ll send pictures of those who share SOME of my stated interests and wishes. Unfortunately they seemed to totally ignore the little things like Race (I’m basically color blind but have historically been more comfortable with someone closer to my own racial/cultural heritage), Income (they sent me matches from women who expect their guy to have anywhere upwards of $50,000 annual income), and location (I’ve been matched with women from Arizona, Texas, Michigan, New York and Maryland). Maryland might not have been too far but she was looking for a man between 35 and 45 years of age. Don’t these dating sites read the profiles of their subscribers?<br />
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One of the complaints about online dating services is the lack of honesty in profiles. I decided that if total honesty is not apparent in my profile, I’ll give up trying online dating ever again. The following honest profile is the one I posted a couple days ago. I shared it with a lady I’m acquainted with and she said, “Excellent. That is you. Don’t change a word”. <br />
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<i> I will celebrate my 71st birthday during Thanksgiving week but I'm told I look to be in my mid 50s. I live and feel to be in my mid 40s. When I chat with acquaintances about my discomfort at being without a significant other, they usually advise me to stop "hitting" on younger women. I don't "hit" on any women of any age. I try to discern if a woman I meet socially might find continued socializing a pleasant thing. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><i> Too often, there's no 'spark', no 'chemistry' so it ends with me winding up in the inescapable 'Friend Zone'. That's better than nothing but it doesn't allow for any closeness or sharing. The trouble with women closer to my age is they seem to have given up on themselves, are often dowdy and very often grossly overweight — totally lacking any appeal to me. They seem to be blind to any baggage they are still carrying around from earlier life experiences, which makes me, I guess, a reverse cougar. </i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> I love language, laughter and logic; I'm happy to find any display of mind. I blog as "The Old Dinosaur" but I sing as "The Gentleman Troubador". I especially enjoy singing the songs made popular by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Nat King Cole and even Pink Floyd. I recently began covering the Mumfords and Four non-Blondes. Music keeps me excited. I have a trombone, a baritone, a keyboard and a pennywhistle most of which I practice occasionally but my real practice is with my singing. <br /><br /> I enjoy watching a baseball game and once in a while a football game but I have absolutely no time for basketball, hockey, professional wrestling or Nascar. I spent too many years in a sex-free relationship (it was mutually agreeable) since our compatibilities, while they lasted, were in other things. I thought it was a growing, special friendship - almost Agape - until I realized one day that it had grown toxic. The investment of my time and energy was yielding fewer and fewer returns, hence, my current status as 'without significant other'. I can't afford to be 'lavish' but I'm not a gold digger, either. It's not in my nature. <br /><br /> I've learned to enjoy simple things such as long drives in the country to enjoy the changes of scenery away from the city. I enjoy quaint country taverns which, sadly, seem to be disappearing rapidly in favor of the more glitzy, chain-type mass appeal operations. I particularly miss intelligent conversations over drinks or over coffee in an all-night diner and the silent glance when each of us knows what the other is thinking. Flea markets are fun. The shore off season is fun. <br /><br /> I started smoking again a couple months ago after nearly 7 years smoke free. I took a walk down Nostalgia Lane reading French poetry, listening to French music and craving French cigarettes which I was disappointed to discover are not as available as they were in the book store in State College. So I fell back on the brands I smoked when I was a smoker. I've set the day after my birthday as a new 'quit' date. </i><br />
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<i> Dean Martin sang, "Somewhere There's a Someone for Everyone". I hope that's true. I'm not Mr. Perfect. I've never been Mr. Perfect, but, I'm a good man, an honest man who feels that without sharing, life is empty. <br /><br /> I‘m asked occasionally if my standards are too high. No. They‘re not. I’m not specifying a hair color or a bra size or nice butt or shapely legs. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some men may demand a woman who is Hollywood glamorous. I’m only hoping to meet a woman who finds me as lovable as I find her appealing which presumes a pleasant personality. What she has between her ears is more important to me than her bra size. I’m not a boob man or a butt man or whatever. I’m not looking for sex but if the match is right, that can happen. I want to share time and thoughts and feelings and conversation. "Good things shared are doubled; bad things shared are halved". Here's to sharing.</i><br />
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What’s the point of this entry? Venting, to some extent, but more than that to advise, if you’re in a relationship and having minor differences, try to work them out. You probably have more together than apart. If you have major differences and it’ll never work for the two of you, the longer you wait to end it, the older you’ll be. Take it from me, there’s nothing Golden about the Golden Years if you’re by yourself.<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-75708175060724681942013-09-25T14:40:00.001-07:002013-09-26T01:46:19.173-07:00On The Train To Toulon It was Bastille Day in 1964 when a young sailor boarded a liberty boat to go ashore for a day exploring the environs of Théoule-sur-Mer not far from Cannes. Since there were no piers long enough nor waters deep enough to tie up a warship, the frigate remained at anchorage off shore.<br />
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The first images through his eyes arriving at the city pier were of young beauties sun-bathing in the warm July of south France. It was immediately apparent that French girls unashamedly revealed to the world that their breasts did indeed have nipples and that bikini tops were merely an option rarely used. "Ah yes", he thought, "The joys of foreign travel".<br />
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With these young sun bathers never out of mind and frequently glanced at he found it difficult to think about food but with concession stands nearby this French language illiterate could browse the food stands and still enjoy viewing the 'beauties of the beach'. Before long he discovered that French food merchants already knew that Steak and Eggs would be a favorite among any sailors of any language.<br />
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Lunch comfortably taken, the exploration continued toward <i>la gare</i> to catch a train for a ride through the countryside of the Riviera. Toulon was less than 100 kilometers distant and for relatively few francs, Toulon was his destination for this day.<br />
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Once on board he noticed that unlike American railroad cars, this passenger car had a series of compartments along the one side of the car and a passageway the length of the car on the other side. Since his passage was 'economy class' and unreserved, he made his way forward looking for a suitable seat. The next compartment he came upon had only one occupant. A young girl who appeared to be about his age. No further searching was necessary. This was his compartment.<br />
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Navy white hat in hand he entered uncovered quietly and sat on the bench facing the opposite direction. She was at the window facing front. Not wishing to be too forward with this attractive young French woman he nodded and greeted her with a "<i>Bon jour, comment allez vous</i>" and assumed her response was the appropriate counter greeting but since he had already exhausted his entire French vocabulary with his greeting he relied on her facial expressions which seemed friendly.<br />
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This young woman's delicate beauty compelled him to seek some way of communicating with her. The ride to Toulon would last only an hour or so. He searched his brain to find some common ground that would not need spoken words. Music, perhaps a tune hummed which might find a spark of recognition. He quickly dismissed that lacking any instrument or radio. What other common ground do all cultures share beyond music?<br />
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He pondered this question for a while as the French countryside whizzed by accompanied periodically with the monotonal scream of the train's shrill whistle. They exchanged curious glances as the kilometers behind them grew and the ones ahead shrank. He was still young and a bit shy; she was circumspect and demure but it was clear to both of them that they were enjoying their chance meeting. Then it hit him. Math.<br />
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Math? Of course. Even simple arithmetic might be the non-verbal ice breaker for the rest of their ride to Toulon. He composed a simple algebraic problem on a slip of paper and with a smile offered it to her. She looked at it for a moment and after retrieving a pen from her purse quickly solved the equation and, with a smile, handed it back to him both of them now relieved at having found common ground.<br />
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For the remaining kilometers they engaged in a kind of Anglo-French game similar to the TV game show "Win, Lose or Draw" which would become popular many years later. They'd draw a sketch of some recognizable object and name it in their own language, hand it to the other who would upon recognizing the object add the name in their language; he in English, she in French. It was a kind of Rosetta stone approach to communicating.<br />
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It ended ultimately with the exchange of addresses before arriving at her station east of Toulon. They were able to assure each other that someone at home was fluent in the language of the other and that letters sent would be translated.<br />
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Several letters were sent and received, translated and answered in their turn. Until the one that was never answered. She had revealed that she was an avid skier and would whenever possible spend weekends at the resort village of Val d'Isere which, sadly, was prone to serious avalanches.<br />
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He never knew whether she might have been there on the fateful day of a fatal avalanche. <i>Au revoir, Mlle Richir. Dieu vous bénisse!</i><br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-61394998927971861482013-09-25T09:46:00.001-07:002013-12-23T15:04:27.215-08:00Piano Saga Reviewed As the end of September draws near, I've begun counting the days until the removal of the damnable piano which, on top of the ever-present, ambient street noises one expects in a city, has been a source of vexatious intrusion of unwanted sounds from morning until night and, at times, into the wee hours of the morning.<br />
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After numerous police calls which yielded no results, I learned the police are under strict instructions to NOT enforce the noise ordinance because the mayor finds the street corner pianos throughout the city to be elevating the city's culture quotient and that they bring much-needed money to the city.<br />
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Failing that solution, I sought out the principals responsible for the placement of the piano and pleaded with them to remove the offending instrument. I received, after several back and forth, good faith communications an assurance that the piano would be removed by the end of September. A separate email from one of those principals <b>[copy included, with my comments]</b> dated August 8, said 50 days or less which places the removal date on or before September 26.<br />
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Aug. 8, 2013<br />
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I am sorry they were playing late last night when you returned home at 2:30. Man, you keep late hours! <b>[True but not pertinent and not anybody else's business.] </b><br />
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I have been really struggling with what to do with the piano. Finding the proper, balanced response has not been easy. <br />
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I have discussed the issue with at least 30 people, including the MFE [Music For Everyone] board. And to be quite frank, not a single one of them advised me to move the piano. I know that is easy for them to say as they do not hear the piano at late hours.<b> [Hear, hear.]</b><br />
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But they also said that thousands of people enjoy that piano where it is.<b> </b><br />
<b>[Thousands? I'd like to see that list and know where they live and what time of the day or night they enjoyed this piano and how much money they brought to the city solely because of the pianos, specifically the piano at the Prince street parking garage which has troubled me all summer long.]</b><br />
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Here are the reasons they provided: <br />
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We have placed a note on the piano, urging people not to play after 10:00<b></b>.<br />
<b> [The noise ordinance states</b> <b>9:00 PM as the time limit.]</b><br />
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While that certainly has not eliminated all of the “knuckleheads” who can’t or refuse to be courteous, it surely has cut it down a good deal.<br />
<b> [For a little while until one of the aforementioned knuckleheads ripped it off and discarded it.] </b><br />
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Also, this exhibit will not be there forever. It will be removed in less than 50 days. <b>[August 8 plus 50 days is September 26. That's tomorrow.]</b><br />
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Most significant, every person I asked, felt that this is a case of balancing the interests of the vast majority versus one individual. In some cases, when it comes to such “community events", sometimes the individual has to cede his or her individual comfort for the good of the whole community. <br />
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<b> [I did not cede my individual comfort. It was unceremoniously robbed from me, however, I did cede my individual comfort for the good of the nation by serving four years honorably in the United States Navy but that doesn't count. I'm only one person against the vast majority. Vast majority? Much more than 50%? I doubt it.]</b><br />
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Also, many felt that such “disturbances” are simply a part of living on the city. And that most citizens,at some point, have to endure certain “discomforts” of city living, as that is simply a part of the deal. <br />
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<b>[You are referring to the sounds of your pianos as "disturbances"? Disturbances are the reason cities have noise ordinances. Disturbances are NOT simply a part of living in the city. Horns honking, tires screeching, stereos blasting, loud one-sided cell phone conversations and loud face-to-face conversations between pedestrians as they walk past are street noises which though objectionable are ambient. But are they NOT "discomforts" I've endured on a daily basis? They go away. Street corner pianos are anything but ambient. I have lived in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Boston, Minneapolis and San Francisco. I resent being talked down to as though I am some country bumpkin just in from the farm. To date, Lancaster with its perpetual construction projects with jack-hammers and concrete saws and gas-powered generators to light warning signs and pianos is, by far, the noisiest city I have ever lived in. Have any of the members of the board ever endured "certain discomforts" for the good of the whole community? Have any of the members of the board ever suffered ANY discomforts? Their specious reasoning sounds well-grounded in the elitism which is pandemic among the moneyed class.] </b><br />
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While I want to do what we can to meet your need, we’re going to have to ask you to be patient and understanding. We’ll move the piano at the end of September, as scheduled. <br />
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Again, I am terribly sorry. I assure you that your complaint was not taken lightly. <b>[Words are cheap.]</b><br />
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I truly struggled with what to do, but believe that, on balance, this is the correct course of action. <b>[Which has been no action at all. Maintain the status quo. Dismiss the old vet as an irrelevant piece of chaff. After all, he's only one person, one voice crying out in the wilderness.]</b><br />
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Best,<br />
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Signed by one of the MFE (Music For Everyone) principals<br />
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It's been said many times over the years that "It's an ill wind that blows no good". In this case the good is that I have learned more about pianos and their usual three pedals. The left pedal played with the left foot is called the Una Corda (One cord or piano string instead of all three) and has acquired the label "Soft" pedal. <br />
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The middle pedal, if installed, played with the right foot is called the Sostenuto and is referred to as the "tone sustaining" pedal.<br />
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The right pedal also played with the right foot is the Damper pedal. When it is depressed, it lifts the dampers on all the strings and has thusly become known as the "Loud" pedal.<br />
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The players of this piano seemed always to find only the "Loud" pedal.<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-88175425681069651442013-09-22T17:01:00.000-07:002013-09-22T17:08:47.120-07:00Margie The fleet frigate now robbed of mobility and with a gaping hole in its outer skin perched high and dry in the only still-used dry-dock in a disused shipyard in South Boston. The metallic banging of a door on a discarded locker was played by a hot off-shore wind as un-orchestrated percussion in an otherwise quiet symphony of tide testing the dock’s gate and the distant rumble of an MTA subway headed for Dorchester and the fringe suburbs of the capital city. <br />
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A short walk brought the young sailor to the street for an uptown visit to the Boston Common and adjacent Public Garden. Dogs patiently walked their captives and the swan boats meandered lazily around the Duck pond on a clear summer day. <br />
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This virgin sailor had yet to taste the wonder and terror of the sea and the bitter taste of unrequited love. New to life away from small town roots, this new world of strange city and enticing girls was a mélange of curiosity, awe and trepidation. <br />
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Not yet of an age to enjoy adult beverages but wishing a break from exploring this new world, a coffee shop was the choice so back to Tremont street to search for refreshment. The Copper Kettle was less than a block from the notorious Washington street area known as the 'Battle Zone' where of-age sailors plied themselves with alcohols of one form or another as they mingled with B-girls, hookers and other 'strip' personae.<br />
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Ordering a chocolate shake (shades of Radar O'Reilly's grape Ne-Hi) the young Navy man was disappointed to find that in this new world, a chocolate shake was nothing more than syrup stirred into a glass of milk. His waitress, Margie, was about to begin a small epiphany for this far-from-home sailor in a strange place. <br />
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Margie, quite likely Irish, was a delight for this newbie to the real world. She patiently schooled the young tar that a milk shake was called a 'frappe' and coffee with cream and sugar was a coffee regular (pronounced <i>reg-uh-lah</i>) and she seemed as taken with this handsome young man as he with her. <br />
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Though probably the same age, this young lass mesmerized him with her worldly-wise manner and confidence. That she was also pert, perky and pretty added to the fetching aura. Waiting for her shift to end he was delighted when she allowed him to escort her home to Cambridge, a too-short ride away on the Lechmere car.<br />
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They chatted comfortably while walking the short distance from the car stop to her home. He learned her last name. Their lingering shared glances led to the inevitable embrace and good night kiss. The sweet kiss was soon over but not before being punctuated with a most unexpected and never-before-experienced love nip on his lip. It was the end of an exciting and unforgettable day of hope building within.<br />
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Before she went inside, she revealed that she would be leaving Boston to live with her father in Michigan. Sadly clinging to hope and clutching the note paper with her Detroit address, this dejected sailor navigated his way back to the shipyard. <br />
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His letters to her were never answered. <br />
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Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-8381033769502367322013-09-11T15:35:00.002-07:002013-09-11T15:35:42.693-07:00Trains, Trucks, Cars and Bikes In vehicles, the protocol for staying out of each others way is generally dictated by the laws of Physics: The smaller, lighter, more vulnerable vehicles avoid conflicts with the larger and heavier. In most cases, the smaller, lighter vehicles are more maneuverable and easier to stop. <br /><br /> Trains have the right of way, as a matter of law, because they are larger and have more moving inertia and take much longer to stop. Trucks, cars, bikes and people stay out of their way to avoid sudden death or maiming or to avoid a fine which could decimate a bank account. <br /><br /> Trucks are larger, heavier and take longer to stop than a car. Cars, bikes and people stay out of their way to avoid sudden death, maiming or loss of driving privileges. <br /><br /> Cars are faster than people and take longer to stop than a pedestrian. People stay out of a cars way. <br /><br /> Bikes on the other hand have become contrary to the protocol. Cars now have to avoid bikes. Wait a minute. What's wrong here? Trains have Rules for the Conduct of Transportation which they must abide by to avoid derailment or colliding with another train. Trucks have the Regulations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which they must adhere to or risk a heavy fine or being placed out of service.<br /><br /> Cars have licensing and registration and insurance requirements which must be scrupulously obeyed or risk loss of license and registration. Bikes also have regulations which include licensing, lights fore and aft and instructions to follow the rules of the road. <br /><br /> Why then do I see most bikes without lights and their operators blatantly ignoring the rules — riding northbound in the southbound lane, riding southbound in the northbound lane, crisscrossing all lanes or intersections and ignoring stop signs or red lights meandering freely wherever they wish to go and it is my responsibility to avoid them?<br /><br /> With the potholes, the surface depressions from poorly filled post-excavation trenches and the higher-than-surface utility access covers from incomplete repaving, when you add avoiding bicyclists this city could have the slogan, "Welcome to Lancaster. It's our pleasure to swerve you".<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-44507357644915438192013-08-31T20:19:00.001-07:002013-08-31T20:21:52.079-07:00The 500 Hats of an Old Dinosaur The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is a children's book, written by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel). A reference I found in Wikipedia said that he collected hats and got the idea for this children's story while seated behind another passenger on a commuter train out of New York. That other passenger, a businessman, "was so stiff and formal that Geisel wondered what would happen if Geisel took his hat and threw it out the window. Geisel concluded that the man was so 'stuffy' he would just grow a new one."<br />
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This story tells of Bartholomew Cubbins who abiding by the law of his land removed his hat only to discover another had mysteriously appeared. Each time he removed a hat, another magically appeared. He was in such violation of the "remove your hat" law that his life was in danger by punishment from the king. After each removal and subsequent appearance of a new hat it became evident that each hat was more ornate than the previous one. The 500th hat was so exquisite that the king gave him 500 gold coins for the 500th hat and granted him a reprieve. <br />
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I only have seven hats so I'm not in any danger of being threatened with death or acquiring 500 gold coins. I was, however, aggressively approached by a man at a karaoke event who genuinely coveted the hat I was wearing. He offered to buy it he wanted it so desperately. My refusal of his offer was with enough aggressiveness to counteract his. I suspect he was nearing the end of a long session with John Barleycorn.<br />
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I was amazed to find how many young women found my fedora such an attraction. Their covetousness was much gentler, though. One even asked if I would bequeath it to her. On several occasions I happily allowed them to wear my hat for a while. How attractive a fedora can be on a woman.<br />
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My reentry to the world of hats after years of truck driver's baseball caps came about when I started singing some of Frank Sinatra's songs at karaoke. I was told by some they thought I sounded like Frank and taking their word for it, I considered a hat similar to ones that Frank wore would be a fitting prop or trademark. (I wore a hat during my teen years until John Fitzgerald Kennedy showed the world that it's okay for a gentleman to be hatless and only recently began wearing one again.)<br />
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The day I bought my first new hat I walked in to the club and answered the curious eyes with the comment that for my second mid-life crisis I considered a new fedora to be much less expensive than a Lamborghini convertible. I've bought a few more since and have been given one by a gent who never leaves the house any more but I have no intention of amassing a hat collection. Even though I enjoy the new look and the reception I get that Lamborghini would be nice.<br />
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Or maybe a 'Vette.</div>
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-66605692077334205002013-08-31T13:41:00.001-07:002013-12-16T11:13:24.930-08:00Romance In Two Centuries Looking back at my romances over the years, they can be assigned to categories. For the past couple decades the column heading "Significant Other" would have only one entry, None. In my early years in an 'Old South' Navy port and college town, I wrote sonnets and short stories to woo my heartthrob, a student. I won her away from an abusive Army lieutenant and we spoke of marriage. It was not to be.<br />
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My writings, however, led her to share her thoughts that she saw me as possibly living in a garret in a small tower over-looking city streets much as Chaucer might have done. I am now living in the modern day equivalent of that garret. "Garret" is a much gentler description than "hovel". It's a second floor walk up in a traditionally all male rooming house with a shared bath. If I had running water in my space, I could call it a small studio. Emphasis on small. It's so small I have to go out in the hallway to change my mind. It's adequate. At least, I don't have to go to the well to draw my water. It's a short walk down the hall to an easily accessible tap.<br />
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With some significant improvements in my personal freedom status about a year ago, I've added a few columns to my "Romance" record. The first one is "She Would Be So Nice To Come Home To". Entries in this column are made after several shared moments and pleasant conversations. Subsequent path crossings will determine whether there's enough mutuality to hint at or reveal a wish for more frequent togetherings. Unhappily, I've erased the several entries in that column and moved them to either, "Wishful Thinking/Impossible Dream" or "What Was I Thinking/Duh". <br />
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Occasionally there is a move to the "Friend Zone" but that's with indelible ink and it's not a desirable outcome though it does beat being shunned for admitting a strong attraction. To be permanently relegated to the <i>Friend Zone</i> after hopeful thoughts of emotional ambrosia is like being sent to the dungeon with only bread and water. That sentence can be handed down by caring too much, too soon. Discerning the degree of mutuality is more often than not a labyrinthine enigma. If Goldilocks were around she might teach a course in how to avoid caring too much or caring to little and how to care just right.<br />
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The last column is "She's The One". That column will have only one entry and it will be in <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>bold-faced</b></span> font with indelible ink.<br />
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-40941630361980120142013-08-28T17:35:00.002-07:002013-08-30T09:48:37.383-07:00A Smoking Ex-Smoker Talks About Smoking<br />
I quit smoking almost seven years ago after being a heavy smoker most of my life. I started by sneaking a Camel from my mother's pack or finding an unfinished butt in the ashtray on top of the furnace in the kitchen. It was an old house with an old coal-fired furnace in the kitchen next to what had been a house heating fireplace in earlier years. Carrying coal from the dirt cellar to the kitchen was one of my daily chores along with removing the ash pan and dumping it in the metal trash can out back.<br />
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That's about the time I started working part time at the local Esso station (Esso became Exxon) when service stations actually provided service — washing the windshield, checking the oil, checking the tires and pumping gas. I was eleven but big for my age and in a small town, nobody bothered about requiring working papers for young part-timers.<br />
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At the station, the cigarettes were on a shelf next to the cash register and offered a delightful variety of cigarettes that a curious young experimenter could try. Back then, smokers unashamedly enjoyed their smokes anywhere and everywhere.<br />
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Among the many "samples" I tried were Camels, of course, Lucky Strikes (LSMFT - Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco), Pall Mall (in hoc signo vinces - "By this sign shall you conquer" above the brand's popular slogan, Wherever Particular People Congregate), Herbert Tareyton, Old Gold, Chesterfield and non-filtered Kools. It didn't take long to get hooked.<br />
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Smoking was, I thought, a kind of status symbol. I was born not on the wrong side of the tracks but close enough to the tracks downtown that I could never be a part of the uptown "in crowd".<br />
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Fast forward to a couple weeks ago: Except for the last 6 years and 8 months of being an ex-smoker, the longest non-smoking stretch I endured was in the Navy during refueling, re-arming or at General Quarters. Aboard ship, any time the flag Bravo was hoisted, the smoking lamp was out. (Flag Bravo is a red, swallow-tail shaped flag often referred to by old Salts as "Maggie's Britches"). Beyond that, I was pretty much a chain smoker up to 3 packs a day until nearly seven years ago.<br />
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What triggered my falling off the non-smoking wagon? In a nostalgic mood I read some French poetry by Jacques Prévert, <i>Déjeuner du Matin</i> and <i>La Grasse Matinee</i> both of which are talking about a cup of coffee and the former the smoke rising from a cigarette. Any smoker knows that coffee and a cigarette are almost an inseparable pair.<br />
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My late sister discovered the French singer Charles Aznavour and shared his music with me. My head was in a different place and I was not as hooked on his songs as she was. After her untimely death though, I played the records of his she had bought and I listened with a different ear and began liking his music so much that when I had the opportunity to see him in concert at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, I gladly went.<br />
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Another French song performed by "The Little Sparrow," Edith Piaf, was included in my trip down nostalgia lane. In her <i>Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien</i> she lights a cigarette while reminiscing about her past.<br />
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How easily I remembered the taste and aroma of the Gauloises I smoked when ashore in France, kind of like a French version of Camels. In State College where I was a student, Gauloises were available at the book store on College Avenue. I thought finding a pack here would be a simple matter of going to a tobacco shop. Not so. (I learned that the French no longer make Gauloises. They are now made in Spain.) Although I discovered they would be available via internet, it is my firm intention to return to non-smoking status again so I will not pursue acquisition.<br />
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Unable to close the nostalgia paragraph with French cigarettes, I yielded to the temptation to accept a couple drags from a young lady with whom I sang at a non-smoking karaoke event. I felt attracted to her and her beautiful voice (We sang the Bocelli/Brightman duet <i>Time To Say Goodbye</i>, in Italian) and when she went to the patio for a smoke, I went along to continue our conversation. The next event, I returned the favor by taking advantage of some coupons for Newports that I continued to receive even during my non-smoking years. <br />
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What's my point? Simply this, addiction to cigarettes is forever. Even during my nearly seven years of abstention there was never a day that went by without my thinking about a cigarette. Walking in to a smoke filled room didn't bother me. My triggers were not related to seeing people smoking or to the smell of the smoke. I've often said if second-hand smoke is so bad, why can't I get my "fix" by just taking in deep breaths. My triggers always began as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning.<br />
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This latest excursion into the smoking world showed me I will never be free of the risk of addiction but, with judicious self control, I can yield to an occasional puff without reverting to my former heavy smoking habit.<br />
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I am not now nor have I ever been nor will I ever be a didactic, proselytizing anti-smoker like some ex-smokers have become. I say, if you got 'em, smoke 'em, but fully know if you decide to quit, you'll have to confirm that decision each and every day. <br />
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One Day At A Time</div>
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(Where have we heard that before?)</div>
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<br />Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659350261915284507.post-20387291003444662972013-08-28T09:47:00.003-07:002013-10-22T18:29:18.291-07:00The Gentleman Troubador<br />
After many months of disappointing setbacks, it seems my efforts to entertain as a popular singer are close to fruition. I am preparing to complete the acquisition of the few missing links that still remain. Most of the hardware is in my possession. The remaining items are a mixture of hardware and software.<br />
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I have been singing at karaoke venues several times a week for the past year and through those experiences I've revitalized my singing voice and found a pastime I've come to truly enjoy. It is because of the many positive responses I've received and the encouragement to go on my own by some audience members that led me to explore the possibility of becoming an entertainer for groups who would likely appreciate the song selections I've become comfortable with.<br />
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Once I made the decision to pursue this, I researched what I'd need to accomplish this goal. It seemed rather simple, at first, but as I went from step 1 to step 2 there seemed to be an increasing number of additional steps accruing to the process not the least of which was some means of providing the backup music. Without the luxury or convenience of having a live band I have to rely on recorded music.<br />
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The repertoire I wish to offer to clients has expanded to nearly 300 songs including many popularized by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd and others which I add on a regular basis. I've recently enjoyed singing some of Johnny Cash's songs and just this week added Jim Reeves and Ferlin Husky — a wide ranging assortment.<br />
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With that many songs and more to come, I find it such a daunting task to memorize the lyrics to all of them that I've declared it impossible and have opted to use a teleprompter. I'm told that Frank Sinatra in the later years of his career relied on such an aid and we all know that presidents, current and past, have also relied on visual assistance. (I tell people I have the CRS Syndrome — Can't Remember Songs.)<br />
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It seemed, based on my karaoke experiences, the logical means of getting that resource would be to buy karaoke CDs which would provide me with the scrolling lyrics. The next necessity would be a device which could read and display those lyrics. I tried a standard karaoke machine available at many music stores or electronic outlets.<br />
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The first one was defective as was the second one. Can you say "disappointment"? Next came the third unusable machine which led me to throw up my hands in despair and sent me back to the drawing board. The first three were intended by the manufacturer for use beyond the family living room or recreation room but they would have been, even without their defects, unsuitable for dependable service at a performance of two hours or more in length.<br />
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I tried one more commercially available machine of a totally different design in the hope of finding a 'fluky' answer. Fail number four. So, back at the proverbial drawing board I decided to take a different approach and began upgrading a used laptop I had bought from a dealer who I mistakenly trusted would not sell a laptop burdened with interfering junk still on the hard drive. <br />
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With the expert assistance and advice from Dwayne, the operator of <b>Lancaster's Best Karaoke</b> and owner of <b>Speedy Computer</b> in Lancaster, I now have a 'clean' hard drive on my rather nice Dell laptop. (Dwayne and I became friendly during the many karaoke events of his that I've performed in.)<br />
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I've spent hundreds of dollars buying CD+G karaoke discs which with a few additional add-ons to the laptop will be able to provide both the audio and the scrolling video I need for a performance. Now, with the Bose mini-tower speaker I bought on sale at the Guitar Center, I am only a few final steps from being able to market my product to potential clients. Some people have already expressed interest. I'll be happy when I can tell them that now I'm ready.<br />
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Now about the title I've used for this update. For those of you who have read my blogs as The Old Dinosaur Speaks (dot) Blogspot (dot) com, you learned in my very first blog that I refer to myself as an Old Dinosaur because, both brotherless and childless, I am the last of my family line to carry my name and when I've shuffled off this mortal coil, I will be as extinct as the dinosaurs who went on before me many years ago.<br />
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Joyce Jones and her husband Mike operate <b>High Impact</b> <b>Entertainment</b> as "Jammin' Joyce and Midnight Mike". Through my frequent association with them she has come to know my personality and my range of song choices and suggested that <b>The Gentleman Troubador</b> might be a better stage ID and I should keep the "Old Dinosaur" moniker for my blog. <br />
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I did a little market research and the first person I mentioned it to asked me what a troubador is. I was flabbergasted. I thought everybody had seen at one time or another the Disney film <i><b>Robin Hood and His</b></i> <i><b>Merrie Men</b></i> in which Alan-A-Dale, a troubador, strolled around singing the latest news of Robin's exploits for the mere cost of a farthing or a ha' penny — "I'll sing a song, a rollicking song as I go along my way, with a hey derry die and a derry die do, and a riddledy, diddley day".<br />
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After that first market research contact (a young lady who had never seen "Robin Hood" in a rerun) almost everyone else said they liked <b>The Gentleman Troubador</b>. Actually several said they liked both. I've decided to go with: <br />
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<b>The Gentleman Troubador.</b><br />
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What are ya' gonna do with an old dinosaur?</div>
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Karen Measehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16174943951471638222noreply@blogger.com0