On Thursday evenings from 6:30 till 7:50 I attend a class on Anatomy and Physiology at the local junior college. The teacher had fooled around for the first few classes and now he had three classes of material to cover in one night. While approaching the third hour of lecture with only one five minute break I noticed everyone was either rubbing their face or stabbing theirselves with the blunt end of their pens.
It reminded me of an episode of Seinfeld that brought this subject up.
Excerpt from Episode 45 "The Wallet"
JERRY: It's a tell. You gotta tell.
ELAINE: What tell? What's a tell?
JERRY: When you ask someone about their relationship and they touch their face you know it's not going too well. Go ahead ask me how it's going with somebody.
ELAINE: Um, uh, who's it going with, uh, Alice?
JERRY: Good, going good (scratches chin) And the higher up on the face you go the worse the relationship is getting. You know it is like - pretty good - not bad - I gotta get out.
ELAINE: How high did I go?
GEORGE: You almost did the nose.
Yeah, Class is definitely not going well.
Class is not going well
Grrr... Snowbirds
I know this is insignificant, but I was speaking with a snowbird this week. He was complaining about a floater in his vision. I winked at him and said I hoped people wouldn't think he was crazy for swatting air so much. "No they won't" he says, "they'll just think its because of all the mosquitos here in Florida."It felt like he just just another person here to use this State solely for it's warmth and sterile, planned communities. Many of these people that come for the winter are also begging for the portability exemption for their condo taxes. You know what? I think that if you don't even know that there won't be any mosquitos until March, then you don't deserve the tax break given to the locals who put up with the mosquitos in July.
Another person I just love is my neighbor that lives two doors down in my condo building. Every January he leaves to go back to Michigan and boards up his windows like he is living in Warsaw during the German bombings. He is kind enough to take them back down when he returns every late December.
I feel like my home is a Hotel
Why Population Figures Matter
The Result of Social Planning
To the Torches of Freedom
The Colossus of Rhodes
To you, o Sun, the people of Dorian Rhodes set up this bronze statue reaching to Olympus, when they had pacified the waves of war and crowned their city with the spoils taken from the enemy. Not only over the seas but also on land did they kindle the lovely torch of freedom and independence. For to the descendants of Herakles belongs dominion over sea and land.
Dedicatory inscription of the Colossus 290 BC
The New Colossus
With conquering limbs astride from land to land
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus, 1883
All none of Florida's delegates
Ugly K-Marts and Swanee River
There has always existed an affection for the song Old Folks At Home in my house. It is a song I've caught my father singing along with Que Sera Sera and Blue Moon of Kentucky. Coming from the cold tundra of the Miami Valley in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Dad has always appreciated Florida. The Florida that serves sweet tea north of Orlando city limits and cafe con leche in Miami. Diverse, Beautiful and overrun with New Yorkers and tourists. This song is his favorite way of embracing his adopted State.
It has been in the press lately that there will be a vote to replace Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) with a new song Florida, where the sawgrass meets the sky. Now, I know a song about geography is unlikely to offend anybody, but what is wrong with our history? True, there are what are now considered offensive words in a verse that no one sings. I have, nevertheless come across offensive words in books that I would not dare throw out. Surely the works that describe Sherlock Holmes are worth tolerating now ugly words like niggardly and imbecile. Please click on the links provided to see the proper meanings.
Having this beautiful song removed from our collective conscience is like returning to your old hometown with its ugly K-marts and working class friendlyness. Followed shortly thereafter with a visit to a newly gentrified city; its history demolished and new glass towers empty and with little meaning.
Sure, down here the sawgrass does meet the sky. Yet, somehow I feel that I'd rather have mammy and pappy waiting for me than a flat politically correct Florida horizon.
Below are the lyrics to both songs.
Old Folks at Home
Stephen Foster, 1851
Way down upon the Swanee River,Far, far away That's where my heart is turning ever That's where the old folks stay All up and down the whole creation, Sadly I roam Still longing for the old plantation And for the old folks at home All the world is sad and dreary everywhere I roam Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary Far from the old folks at home
2. All 'round the little farm I wandered,When I was young Then many happy days I squandered, Many the songs I sung When I was playing with my brother, Happy was IOh, take me to my kind old mother, There let me live and die
2. One little hut among the bushes, One that I love Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes, No matter where I rove When shall I see the bees a humming, All 'round the comb When shall I hear the banjo strumming, Down by my good old home
Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky aka (Flaaah - riiiiiiii - da)
Jan Hinton
Florida, where the sawgrass meets the sky. Florida, where our hearts will ever lie. Sitting proud in the ocean like a sentinel true, Always shielding your own, yet giving welcome. Florida. Mocking birds cry and ‘gators lie out in the sun. Bridges span southward to the Keys and rockets skyward run. The orange blossoms’ sweet perfume and fireworks fill the air. And cultures rich, our native people share. Florida, where the sawgrass meets the sky. Florida, where our heats will ever lie
I forgot to mention that the new song is quite slow and with a northern accent as demonstrated by several long three sylable flaaaah - riiiii - da's. Honey, its pronounced Flor-da
¿Crea in la Reconquista?
I recently received an e-mail that brought the word Reconquista back to mind. Originally the word referred to the time in Europe when the Christian territories in Iberia were retaken from the Muslim Moors. The Reconquest lasted from about 722 A.D. to 1492 A.D.
Family??
Times were in our country, when we would bicker amongst ourselves as Americans - as family is wont to do - but woe to foreigners who also attacked us… we stood up together against the enemy - again, just like family.
At what point did we begin letting outsiders – enemies, foreigners, etc – in on our family gatherings? When did we begin to let them in - behind closed doors - on our bickering? When did we stop protecting our family and letting those who aren’t family gain ammunition against us?
Some clichés that don’t seem so cliché anymore, come to mind:
United we stand, divided we fall
Family is family and outsiders are outsiders
Don’t air your dirty laundry in public
You and me against the world
If you give 'em an inch, they'll take a mile
And we wonder why our economy is failing, why our politicans seem to ignore us, why the world no longer respects us, why terrorists are beating a path to our door and why we cannot seem to stem the tide of illegal immigrants... United we stand, divided we fall… yeah… how about that…
Reposted with permission from Poets Corner http://jewhl.blogspot.com
No Flags Fly Here
In Denver, CO., some schools have seen fit, due to high tensions over the immigration issue, to ban flags of any kind from their schools. Apparently, some students came to school either wearing or waiving Mexican flags & other students retaliated by bringing American flags. Reportedly, tensions grew from there to name calling and other hateful remarks. So, in a rather poor attempt to diffuse the situation, the powers that be at these schools decided that absolutely no flags – from any nation, including America – were to be allowed on school property, under penalty of suspension.
Once again, another country has been allowed, albeit indirectly, to dictate the actions we as Americans take against our own. Students who brought the Mexican flags to school were expressing their feelings on the immigration issue. Well, so were the students who brought American flags to school. True, the resulting name calling & language deterioration was perhaps uncalled for, but as Americans, we have the protection of freedom of speech and freedom of expression, as long as it remains non-violent. Those who are in America, but not yet American citizens, perhaps do not enjoy the same level of protection. This is as it should be. They are not Americans, we are. Period. End of story…. Or is it?
Apparently, in situations like this, Americans do not even enjoy the level of protection promised to us in the Constitution. Because in order to diffuse the tensions this immigration issue caused at these few schools, all must suffer: no flags representing any country are allowed on school property. All but the American flag, right? That’s still allowed, yes? This is America, after all.
Alas, even the American flag has been banned. Apparently, waiving or wearing an American flag causes tension and fights to break out…in American schools. Even on a day of remembrance for us – September 11th – a day when we pull together as a nation & remember those who gave their lives in the most heinous terrorist attack this country has yet seen on our own soil – even then, the ban on American flags was in effect at these schools.
Once again, another country and its problems in controlling its own citizens has dictated to America the actions and reactions required of American citizens. Once again we have allowed tensions and harsh words to back us into a corner, and instead of coming out fighting, like patriots, we have retreated to our little corner, bowed our heads, allowed our enemies to handcuff us and handed them the key. Congratulations, America; cannot wait to see which country gets to use us for a punching bag next.
Reposted with permission from Poets Corner http://jewhl.blogspot.com/
Beyond the dream.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around what a former friend of Dr. King said today in San Antonio. He said that by having banquets and parades we do not honor Dr. King. Surely even though the message of equality and liberty are larger than Dr, King himself we need a figurehead in this country to keep focus right? And then a scripture came to me. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." It's true. We have made MLK an Idol. To celebrate one man for a day is a very strong thing to do. We celebrate him more than his message. Doing some research I found that Rev. King was greater than just a flag bearer of equality of race, he also faught for economic equality as well. The following paragraph is a quote from his book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?
"In the treatment of poverty nationally, one fact stands out: There are twice as many white poor as Negro poor in the United States. Therefore I will not dwell on the experiences of poverty that derive from racial discrimination, but will discuss the poverty that affects white and Negro alike. " I am certain that the laws most true to the message of Rev. King are ones that provide protection to the unfortunate and mercy to the desperate, and not affirmative action laws that bind us in groups and erode our individuality before government. Let us remember that Rev. King was a preacher with a heart for the poor. Surely he read about how we will all be accountable to God at judgement and will be judged by our actions. I am also positive that Rev. King had read the Scriptures that proclaim the supremacy and necessity of Charity in a walk with God. We do not honor him by holding parades and festivels. We honor him by acting as Christians, blinded by the color of our countrymen and showing charity one toward another.
Excerpt from King's 1967 book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?"
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/king/words/poverty.html
ABC article titled "Historians Fear MLK's Legacy Being Lost"
http://abcnews.go.com/US/WireStory?id=4164136&page=2
