Home > Living a Better LIFE
Tying up loose ends
Let me take a minute or two to catch up on a few things:
On Southernisms: A gentlewoman for whom I have the utmost respect called me down, although very politely, in an e-mail over the correct way to say P-E-C-A-N. As you may remember from my July 2 post, I had staked a claim to “puh-KAHN” being the preferred way. She is a supporter of the “PEE-can” school of pronunciation, attributing her preference to being a member of “a different age group.” As that she is, in my view, a lady of ageless grace and charm, I will defer to her here.
On the rise again of LPs: Holt, one of this blog’s readers, observed that one reason artists may be interested in releasing music on vinyl is it would be harder to convert the songs to MP3s or other digital formats so they could be shared over the Web. That makes sense but I suspect that the technorati easily could find a way to do so.
Back Then gallery: If you like the Back Then historic photos that run on page 2D of Sunday’s editions of the Telegram, there is a gallery of them now available on the Telegram’s Web site. More will be added with time. If you have a photo that you would like to submit for consideration for publication in Back Then, please send it to me at telegram.life@coxnc.com or call me at 407-9942.
On G-rated movies: “WALL-E” isn’t alone. G-rated films to be released in coming weeks include “Space Chimps” on Friday and “Fly Me to the Moon” on Aug. 8. Parents, if you are interested in finding out what upcoming movies are rated, you may find some help from the Motion Picture Association of America, the group that oversees the ratings system. The association offers an e-mail list, Red Carpet Ratings that “provid(es) parents with the information they need to make decisions about their children’s movie going experiences.” I came across this when looking through the association’s Web site to see if it had a readily available list of G-rated movies. (It didn’t, or at least I couldn’t find it.) If you try Red Carpet Ratings, please let me know how well it worked for you.
What’s your idea for a future blog topic or something to do on the longest day of the year or a neat Web site you’d like to suggest? Share your ideas by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Who watches the ‘Watchmen’ trailer?
Hello, everyone. I thought I’d drop in for a moment to fill in while Ross Chandler is outside working in the yard. Movie web sites are buzzing about the new “Watchmen” trailer that will premiere in front of “The Dark Knight” this Friday.
The movie, which is set to come out next year, is based on a graphic novel more than 20 years old that helped inspire the current generation of comic books and movies that look at the darker sides of superheroes and the lives they choose. One of the graphic novels it inspired is “The Long Halloween”, a story set early in Batman’s career as he, District Attorney Harvey Dent, and Lt. James Gordon all agree to work together to clean up Gotham City and take down the mob bosses who rule it.
Sound familiar? It should since “The Long Halloween” is one of the inspirations that writer/director Christopher Nolan used to come up with of “The Dark Knight.”
In 2005, Time magazine placed “Watchmen” on its list of the 100 Greatest English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present, stating that it was “told with ruthless psychological realism, in fugal, overlapping plotlines and gorgeous, cinematic panels rich with repeating motifs … a heart-pounding, heartbreaking read and a watershed in the evolution of a young medium.”
Why does “Watchmen” receive such praise? Well, it was written by Alan Moore, for one. Moore is a titan in the comic book industry, the subject of documentaries and even guest starred on an episode of “The Simpsons.”
He also made another contribution to the Batman universe, a one-shot comic called “The Killing Joke” that turned the Joker from a comic villain into a brutal sadistic killer who leaves Jim Gordan’s daughter a cripple as part of a scheme to drive the longtime police officer insane.
That story also was part of what inspired “The Dark Knight.” So it’s fitting that Moore’s masterpiece be promoted in front of the new Batman movie. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons, “Watchmen” is the tale of what America would be like if costumed crimefighters really tried to clean up the country.
It’s a realistic look at what putting on a costume and trying to change the world does to people. If graphic novels are the new inspiration in Hollywood, it’s because Alan Moore inspired a generation of comic book writers. It’s about time movie audiences benefited.
UPDATE: It seems the trailer isn’t in front of the Rocky Mount copies of “The Dark Knight” since it wasn’t in front of the midnight showing. News outlets still claim the trailer is in front of some copies of the film. If you miss out, check out the link below in the comments section to see it for yourself.
What do you think about “The Dark Knight” and the “Watchmen” trailer? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at rwatters@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment |
Get ready to bust a gut laughing
They’ve done it again.
The guys at jibjab.com who brought us the “This Land” video about the 2004 election are gearing up for the 2008 race with a new one called “Time for Some Campaignin’.” The video was released Tuesday night.
Get ready to laugh. This video is as good as its predecessor and just as ready to take jabs at all the candidates involved. Even if you are not in the least political (Me! Me!), you can still have a ball with this video.
In the site’s first election satire since 2004, we are saying good-bye to George W. Bush and the legacy of his eight-year term and hello to John McCain and Barack Obama as the new stars of the show. Oh, and of course Hillary and Bill Clinton make hilarious appearances.
Considering the 2004 video was seen by millions of viewers worldwide, I am expecting some big things from this one. Expect to get e-mailed about it by all your friends soon.
This is not the name-calling extravaganza we saw with “This Land,” mainly because Hillary Clinton was still a contender when they were working on it, according to the Web site. While she is not still a candidate in the video, her send-off is magnificent.
The latest video is a parody of Bob Dylan’s 1960s political anthem, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” People may not be as familiar with the tune as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land,” but it is still catchy. Clinton and McCain seem to dominate the video, while Obama is made to look like a wuss. Come to think of it, McCain actually calls him a wuss.
Other jokes include Clinton’s attempts to make Obama look bad, McCain’s age and poor health and the idea of campaign promises that never come true. (I have no idea what they are talking about on the last one.)
Since you will probably be forwarding this video once you send it, why not add your own touch to it? There is a part in the new video where Obama and McCain have their arms around an ordinary citizen, and jibjab.com wants you to be that person. You can go to sendables.jibjab.com and insert your own photo and then send it on.
What do you think of ““Time for Some Campaignin’?” Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
The crazy detectives are back
Three days to go.
I have begun a countdown. There are just three more days until the season premieres of “Monk” and “Psych” on USA Network, and I can hardly wait. And as far as those two shows are concerned, I am used to waiting.
I first started watching “Monk,” which is about to start its seventh season, in college. For those of you who have never heard of it, “Monk” is a comedy about Adrian Monk, an obsessive-compulsive former detective played by Tony Shalhoub, who helps the police solve crimes using his incredible powers of observation.
“Psych” is about a young man who solves crimes with similar powers of observation, but he has the police convinced he is doing it using psychic powers. The show is returning for its third season.
Both of these shows are hilarious. They are crime stories without all the blood and high drama that you get in shows such as “CSI” and “Criminal Minds.” The focus is more on the quirkiness of the characters, who often have me in stitches.
“Monk,” I know, is in for some changes. Stanley Kamel, who played Adrian Monk’s therapist for the last six seasons, died on April 8. Thankfully, the creators decided not to insert some other actor into the role as some shows have done (“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”). Instead they are having Hector Elizondo come on as Monk’s new therapist. I love Elizondo, so I am really excited to see how he deals with Monk.
According to the show’s Web site, “Monk” is also going to have some pretty cool guest stars, including Brad Garrett, David Strathairn, Robert Loggia and William Atherton. The fact that Casper Van Dien is going to be a guest star worries me though, because I have hated everything I have ever seen him in.
I haven’t heard of any big changes to the regular cast of “Psych,” but the show will also have some well-known guest stars, including Rachael Leigh Cook, Cybill Shepherd and Christopher McDonald.
Watching these two shows used to be easy. Of course, that was back when I had cable. Those days are long gone now, so I rely on my mom taping them for me and the shows eventually coming out on DVD.
Not this time. For these first episodes, I get to watch them at a friend’s house on the night they air with several other fans. I am really looking forward to it.
If you have never watched either of these shows and you have cable, I would highly recommend tuning them on Friday. I can’t guarantee the new seasons will be as good as years past, but they haven’t disappointed me yet.
Have you ever watched “Monk” or “Psych” on USA Network? What did you think? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Prisoners find freedom for a day in camp with their children
The first few children knocked their mothers over.
They lay on the floor together, hugging and kissing and reveling in the moment. It was a sight of pure joy.
The volunteers in the room who weren’t crying laughed. Some did both. I was one of the latter. I was one of almost 200 volunteers participating in “One Day With God” on Saturday at Church on the Rise in Rocky Mount.
The program brought 21 mothers from Fountain Correctional Center for Women to the church to be reunited with their children for one day away from the prison. The children of two of the women didn’t make it, but they were able to stay and enjoy the day anyway. It was a day filled with games, puppet shows, inspirational speakers and forgiveness.
The program has been done in several prisons in North Carolina and other states. To find out more, go to forgivenministry.org.
At 9:45 a.m., Scottie Barnes, the program’s creator, had the women line up in the large room they were in. Former NFL player Dave Washington stood at the door and called the women’s’ names one by one as he yelled that their children were there. Some children ran and jumped into their mother’s arms. The older ones tended to enter a little more sedately. Either way, when they met, the embrace was filled with joy. It was a beautiful experience.
The women and children went outside to play fun games such as passing a balloon overhead down a line and a beanbag relay race. The children were even able to ride a horse. The moms helped their children make a lamp, sat with them through a puppet show, ate birthday cake with them and enjoyed a quiet time of talking.
The children seemed to have a ball. They were able to spend time with their moms in an unthreatening and stress-free environment. They got more than the weekly two hours that is normally allowed for visiting time. Many of the children came from other cities or states, so they never even get that two hours.
One of my favorite aspects of the day was that no matter where you looked, there were no reminders that these women were prisoners. There were no officers in uniforms or prisoners in jump suits. Everyone who came wore different color T-shirts: blue for volunteers, green for inmates and children and yellow for prison staff. They looked just like regular moms playing with their children.
Some people might argue that these women are prisoners and do not deserve this privilege. I am not one of those. If people are going to turn their lives around, they need something to fight for. They need to realize that their children still love them, even though they have made mistakes. Just as importantly, those children needed to know their mothers love them. They didn’t do anything wrong, but they are being punished, too. Their sentence is a life without their mom in it.
I don’t know what these 21 women did to end up in prison. I don’t know if they have been good or bad moms in the past. It is not relevant, and it is none of my business. The past is done. They committed crimes, and they are serving the time. What matters now is the choices they make in the future.
The “One Day With God” program has some lofty goals: to help the women reconnect with their children, to keep the children from becoming prisoners themselves and to show the moms the lives they should be fighting for.
I hope some of them were accomplished. The futures of those families are at stake.
What do you think of a program that tries to forge better relationships between prisoners and their children? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
A vacation - of a sort
Is a vacation a vacation when you work like a dog?
Believe it or not, I have to say yes. (Although I do have reservations.)
Preparing to start this year’s second week of vacation the minute I finish this blog, I know what is ahead. I’m all but praying that the week of yard work ahead will be relatively free of rain (at least during daylight hours) and free of pain (I already dread unloading that load of compost I picked up this morning). There’s a lot to do and not nearly enough time to do it all.
No. 1 on the hit parade is removing all those azaleas I planted in the spring of ‘07 and the drought killed in the summer of ‘07. There’s 43 of them dotting my backyard, each left there so I would not have to fill in all the holes I dug through the maze of pine tree roots only to dig another set of holes for this fall’s planting. On one hand, I dread this worse than Scrooge dreaded the Ghost of Christmas Present; it’s an unpleasant task that simply has to be done. The thing I like about it is that, come fall, I hope to have beds ready to go for planting new shrubs (though azaleas are certainly off the list of prospects).
There’s also lots of weeding to do. As soon as I get my plants in a bed, the weeds move in as well, making themselves perfectly at home. (Think of a college fraternity brother who shows up at your house for a weekend and then just can’t seem to leave.)
The gutters still need to be cleaned out.
Of course, there’s mowing to do, too, along with edging and then sweeping the driveway clear of the clippings the mower and Weed Eater throw that way.
There’s a stump or two that will have to come out, plus some pernicious ivy that has to be uprooted before it retakes a significant part of the backyard again.
Yes, it’s going to be a busy week. But I’m looking forward to it. Checking these projects off the to-do list will feel good. I’ll update the list right after I rub the BenGay on my back and arms.
I’ll let let you know how it all came out when I get back on July 22. In fact, I’m looking forward to getting back to the office so I can get a little rest. (Kidding, boss, just kidding!)
Have any ideas for what can replace those azaleas or other projects that may have been overlooked. Why not share them - Ross really doesn’t have enough to do - by commenting on this blog or e-mailing him at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Coffee flows like a river
There are vampires working at the Telegram.
No, these ghouls don’t suck down blood. They go after coffee.
You think I’m joking. Don’t. They strike when you least expect it, leaving no trace.
The first thing I do when I walk in the back door - What? You think they’d let a guy like me come in the front? - every morning is stop in the break room to brew a fresh pot of joe. By this time, the first pot that was brewed by an unknown caffeine fiend/colleague almost always is down to the dregs, not enough for even half a mug.
I stopped in on a recent morning like always, got the water filtering through the Folger’s, went to my office for a quick e-mail and phone call and headed backed to the break room for a heart-starting jolt of caffeine.
Dagnabit! The pot was half empty. Twenty minutes - no, not even that long - after it started brewing, the clandestine clique of caffeine consumers had struck and disappeared like so many black bats flying away into a moonless night.
That’s the way it always is: They drink this life-giving sustenance when no one is looking. I rarely see someone filling their mug from the coffeepot but there never seems to be that much java left in the carafe.
Making things worse, whoever gets the all-but-the-bottom-of-the-pot last cup usually doesn’t take the 90 seconds needed to brew a fresh pot. To quote Charlie Brown: “Aaaaarrrrrrgh!!”
I’ve thought about putting my own coffeepot in the office, but I don’t think that will fly for two reasons. First, when I came back to the Telegram five years ago, the boss scotched my idea of having a dorm-size fridge in the office; I can’t imagine he’d go for a coffeepot now. Second, an in-office coffeepot is just a little too efficient. A modern worker one door away from the cubicle farm needs an occasional excuse to get up from the desk, walk leisurely to the break room for a fresh cup of coffee, chat up the co-workers coming and going, stop in the advertising department to see how the other half lives … Well, you get the idea.
And so it goes. As long as its free - a rather nice benefit of working here - I’ll keep brewing it, and I know nameless, faceless others will keep drinking it.
Are you caffeine-dependent - or maybe just caffeine-tolerant? No matter. Share your views on the need for a morning, noon or afternoon cup of joe by commenting on this blog or by e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment |
Share the wealth of TV on DVD
I came late to being a fan of DVDs.
I had my VCR, and it had served me well for many years. Back when they were still making VHS tapes for all new movies, that is the way I would go. Even when I started buying a few DVDs, I only did it if they had some pretty good special features on them.
Obviously, I have come a long way since last year. (Only kidding. The lack of tapes being made forced me to switch long before then).
I don’t buy new DVDs much (now it is because there are few things I actually want to own), but I have really come to appreciate what the format has done for television shows in the last few years.
Shows that aired anywhere from last season to 50 years ago are constantly being released and getting new fans. I personally own the first four seasons of “Monk” and the first season of “Gilmore Girls,” “The Dead Zone” and “Psych.”
My favorite thing about the television shows is sharing. I have turned a few other people onto “Monk,” and in the last few months, I have found two shows that were never even a blip on my radar before - “Firefly” and “The Office.”
Earlier this year, my friend, Michelle, let me borrow “Firefly,” which was a short-lived series on Fox. The show was a Sci-fi Western that developed a cult following after it was released on DVD. As a result, Universal Pictures released a full-length movie in 2005 to wrap up the series.
I fell in love with the show and finished it and the movie in less than a week. I would recommend it to anyone. The idea of a Western in space might sound strange, but it had excellent writing and acting.
The second show I discovered on DVD is definitely more recognizable. Carolyn, a co-worker, let me borrow the first season of “The Office,” a mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday ranges from abject boredom to zany pranks to inappropriate behavior.
I immediately borrowed the second season from her and the third from another friend. Since the fourth season, which ended in May, will not be out on DVD until September, I watched it on NBC’s Web site.
I am thankfully not a TV reviewer, which means I don’t have to watch all the drivel that is on the air these days. I get to pick and choose. But occasionally, there are some great shows you are going to miss because you are never home at that time, you are not sure it is going to be any good or you don’t have cable.
That is where recommendations from friends come in handy. If someone you know and trust says it is great and you might like it, give it a try. At worst, you turn it off if you hate it.
Just remember that if you do love it, you still have to give it back.
Has anyone introduced you to a great TV show by sharing a DVD collection? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Key experience shapes a lifetime
I had an interesting moment Sunday morning at church.
This was not the usual sort of worship service but rather a Christian tribute to the United States. As part of the service, veterans were asked to stand up when their branch of service was named. While I could not see the balcony, I just about would swear that I was the youngest Army veteran and likely one of the younger vets of any of the services.
In and of itself, that is not unusual. In any group of three or more people, one person simply must be the youngest. The unusual part, the part that I found so interesting, is that I’m only a few weeks shy of being 46. To me, there’s something wrong with the picture when someone my age is one of the youngest veterans in a demographically diverse group.
Thirty-five years after the end of the draft, tens of millions of Americans have made their democratic choice not to serve in their nation’s military. I understand that. Service in the best of times can be hard, taking a person far from home, subjecting him or her to a radically different way of life and requiring extraordinarily long hours of work. In today’s environment, it is far more difficult, literally putting young people in harm’s way.
The two issues here, though, are that these same tens of millions of Americans are opting out of what I see as a basic obligation to their country - a topic I may address at a later date - and that they will go through life lacking the perspective that time in uniform offers - which I would like to address now.
Not too long ago, a pundit said that there exists a phrase rarely uttered or heard today: “When I was in the Army …” (Of course, you could substitute any branch of the service.) At one time, that phrase would have started a long conversation among those listening because of their shared experience. I imagine men like my father, a World War II veteran of the Army Air Force, and his peers talking over coffee at a downtown Lumberton eatery or in their offices or anywhere else about what they and their buddies went through. The conversation would include how it shaped them while in service and during the years since. They also would empathize with what young people now in the military would go through.
That largely is gone now. While most of those tens of millions of most Americans who opt to stay out of the military support our nation’s young people in uniform, they do not know what service members go through. They don’t see what it’s like to be repairing a tank in a hard, chilling rain, steering a warship in a heaving sea or tracking a target on the radar of a wind-buffeted jet. They can’t understand what it’s like to spend hours (or days or weeks) in the routine duties of service only to have to confront the short-but-intense periods of panicked action when throats suddenly go dry and palms break out in a chilled sweat. They can see but cannot know the depths of misery a service member feels when he or she learns that another good friend will never make it home.
Those experiences carry over into the civilian world. They affect how former service members raise their children, work at their jobs, contribute to their communities or make decisions when they move into positions of leadership at all levels. Particularly in the last, I think that having served is important; decision makers who have shared the burden or service know better the implications of policies that send young Americans into hazardous duty.
Having said all of this, I know that the situation likely won’t change. There simply isn’t the will to resume conscription - the draft - unless Americans see a knife-at-the-throat threat to our republic. That will leave a small number of people to carry a burden that protects us all and tens of millions of people ignorant of what it takes to do so.
What did you take out of military service? Please share your experiences by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Out of the Stone Age … finally
As far as video games are concerned, I am still pretty much living in the Stone Age.
The last game console I played for any length of time was the Nintendo Entertainment System, which my sister, Stefanie, received for Christmas one year in the earl 1990s. At the time, I pretty much mastered “Super Mario Bros.,” “Duck Hunt,” “Tetris,” “Super Mario Bros. 3” and “Mega Man.” I will say though that my mom was better at “Tetris.” (She still loves it to this day.)
I never really graduated beyond Nintendo. The consoles that followed - Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, PlayStation 2 - are all still strangers to me. I experimented a little in college with the video games of my friends, but nothing ever held my attention long enough to get me hooked. Thank goodness!
So when I went to a party with friends July 4 and saw some of them playing “Rock Band” on PlayStation 3, I was reluctant to try it. (Reluctant to embarrass myself is more like it.) They had it set up for a singer, guitarist and drummer. The console has the capability of adding a second guitarist.
I figured I would be safest as the singer, even though my singing voice leaves much to be desired. I sang two songs before switching to guitar. The next two songs I drummed. I did OK. At the least, I held my own. I know it was on easy and we chose songs that would be more accessible for me to play. But considering I was basically playing a video game for the first time in more than a decade, I was pretty proud of myself for making it through those songs.
Later that night, we went to the apartment of two of my friends, and what did I see as soon as I walked in the door? It was a guitar peripheral for Xbox 360’s “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.” Of course I had to try it. I didn’t do as well, but it was still fun. Most of the songs were pretty new to me, but since I don’t have a background in rock music, that was no surprise.
As I have already stated, I am not a gamer. I have no desire to play video games that involve stealing cars, shooting people, playing basketball, killing zombies, traversing mystical lands or flying around a city as my favorite superhero. But music is something I can get into.
I am not saying I’m about to rush out and buy a system. I know it would gather dust after a few weeks of intense playing. But now I know that when I go to a party and see people playing, I can join in. I may stink, but I’m prepared to live with that.
Do you have a favorite video game that you love playing more than any other? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Making the case for freedom
I get a little caught up in this time of year. It’s not the need for rest after a frantic season of work. It’s not the pleasure of a midyear holiday. It’s not even the fireworks that I look forward to seeing.
Being a person interested in politics, my mind reverently drifts back to the words of the Declaration of Independence. Sure, most of us know the key, powerful phrases. We’ve heard since elementary school that “all men are created equal.” As Americans, we know that, directly from the hand of God, we are given certain “unalienable rights” of which we count “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as the foremost. Our government exists to guarantee us these rights, and if it were to interfere with their exercise, “it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.”
That’s just what the Continental Congress set about to do to the government over what then were 13 British colonies. What I fear is that the meaning behind the Declaration and the holiday are lost on too many people. Allow me a minute or so to share some details of what the Declaration means as a whole.
Thomas Jefferson, its principal author, was a lawyer (among many other things). Using his legal insight, he first made clear that independence was not a move made in haste. Then, he laid out a compelling case why it was necessary and almost totally due to King George III.
As to the former, Jefferson wrote in the Declaration that, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.” The type of government imposed on the colonies chafed their inhabitants but they “are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”
As to the case against George III, Jefferson was damning, likening the king to an absolute despot. The young Virginian - Jefferson was only 33 when he wrote the Declaration - ticked off a long list of “repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.” These included:
Interference with the colonies’ ability to pass their own laws and otherwise thwarting the legislative process, including abolishing laws already enacted and dissolving legislatures.
Interference with the right to a fair trial.
Establishment of military rule in areas and making the military immune from the laws of civil government.
“A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people,” Jefferson proclaimed.
Just how far would the colonies go to win their freedom? There was to be no holding back. In the paragraph above the signers’ name, Jefferson made this so eloquently clear:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
That pledge was not made lightly. In signing the Declaration, the members of the Continental Congress were talking an incredible risk. The act was treason against the crown, for which there was only one penalty. There is a story about Ben Franklin making this clear to some of them as they were leaving Independence Hall.
“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately,” Franklin told the group.
Please enjoy your holiday. And please remember all that went into making it possible.
Share your thoughts on Independence Day by commenting on this blog or by e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment |
Just watch what you say
Some people don’t know what they’re talking about.
Politics? No, not that.
Economics? Nope, not that either.
Religion? Still no.
I’m speaking of speaking Southern, a language that straddles the line between English and a dialect. This includes words like “fixin’” - as in “I’m fixin’ to go to the store honey. Do you have the list?”
Notice that there also was another Southernism - “store” - in that sentence. It’s not the “grocery” as my friends in Ohio used to say or the “market” or “supermarket.”
Other examples, you ask. Let me ask you this: When you’re at a convenience store what nonalcoholic beverage do you take out of the cooler? If you’re Southern, and especially if you’re Baptist, I suspect it’s a “soft drink,” though a “co-cola” would also be an acceptable answer. It sure isn’t a “pop,” a “soda” or a “cola.”
I became so conscious of this when I lived in the Buckeye State a few years ago. Words like “grocery” rang funny in my ears when an Ohioan said them. Of course, any mention on my part of “fixin’” to do anything earned a raised eyebrow from the listener.
Since then, I’ve kept a running list in my head of other examples. These include:
The noontime meal - Is it “lunch” or “dinner”? I was reared saying “dinner,” knowing that “supper” was what you ate at the family table about 6 p.m.
A stewed chicken with a type of boiled bread in it - Is it “chicken and dumplings” or “chicken and pastry”? It’s the former, hands down.
The wood you use to start a fire - “Kindlin” is it, though “fat lightard” is not uncommon.
Smoked pig and cooking over coals - The former is “barbecue,” absolutely and without doubt. The latter is “grilling” or “having a cookout,” but decidedly cannot be “barbecuing” because “barbecue” is a noun and not a verb.
The brown nuts that fall from a certain type of hickory tree - This is a trick question, of sorts. The word is the same - “pecan” - but the important part is the pronunciation. It’s “puh-KAHN,” a “PEE-can” being a chamber pot.
Steeped drink made from the leaves of the plant genus Camellia - “Tea,” of course. The common understanding always has been that the drink would be served already sweetened, though with the health consciousness sweeping the country I think even an ardent Southern semanticist would allow some leeway for those who serve it without sugar.
What are the words you consider Southernisms - or, for that matter - the particular patois of your native region? List them by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Are you up to the challenge?
I wonder if I could have done it.
When I looked at today’s Telegram and saw the photo of the two retirees who rode bikes from Florida to Rocky Mount, I was impressed. I doubt I could have made the 1,100-mile journey. I am not sure I would even want to try.
Earl Lang and Tom Hauser, two men in their mid-60s, left Monticello, Fla., two weeks ago and traveled through Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains before entering North Carolina. All this was done in the lovely early summer temperatures the South has to offer. I doubt I need to paint you a picture there.
There was no prize money and no fanfare waiting for them here - just an Amtrak train to take them back home and the knowledge that they accomplished what they set out to do. Their reason was simply that it was there and they could.
I love that. All too often these days people only seem inclined to do something because they are going to get something out of it - money, fame, bragging rights. How many of us really do something just for the challenge of it anymore?
I faced one of those challenges last year. I had always said I wanted to learn how to scuba dive, but I couldn’t afford it. Mostly that was true. As much fun as it is, scuba diving can be really expensive. But for someone whose experience of deep water never extended much farther than the deep end of the pool, it was just as scary as it was exciting.
When I got the opportunity to become certified for a really reduced rate, the money excuse was taken away. All I was left with was deciding if I was up to the challenge. Thankfully, I was. I got my diving card and went on my first fresh water dive in February, which I found amazing. Now I am supposed to go on an ocean dive in August. I can hardly wait.
This is not a command for everybody to jump on their bikes and ride out of town. I don’t even own a bike. Nor do I expect you to strap on an oxygen tank and head for open waters. But everybody has an equivalent that has the potential to be that special something you are passionate about.
My challenge to you is to find it and go for it. You might have the worst experience of your life. Then again, it might be the best. You’ll never know until you try it.
What are the big challenges in your life that you have been finding excuses not to meet? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Gee, family films can do well
It blew my hair back when I saw that two G-rated movies - who knew that they still made those? - are out or coming out, and that one of them is the top money-maker at the box office last weekend.
Yes, “WALL-E,” the robotic love story by Pixar, grossed $62.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend. That makes it a runaway winner over “Wanted,” the Angelina Jolie-driven, R-rated thriller, which grossed $51.1 million at the box office.
I’m a realist; I know that the powers that be in Hollywood aren’t hanging on my words, waiting for my input on what to make. If they were, though, it would be succinct:
“MAKE MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY MOVIES, Y’ALL!”
For some reason, it seems that Hollywood cannot conceive of turning out more than the occasional film such as “WALL-E.” The industry’s standard formula looks to be a mix of fast cars, scantily clad (if that) women, mass murder and mayhem and the like or else remakes of classic films, comic books/graphic novels or otherwise forgettable TV shows. It’s almost if there is a cookbook checked by directors and producers. Its limited number of recipes has formulations as precise as a chemistry experiment, and none of the movie industry movers and shakers is willing to try something else.
Of course, Hollywood isn’t about serving families or the artistry of making movies. It’s about profit and precious little else. But the good thing that “WALL-E” shows - and the forthcoming “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” will, too, I hope - is that there is money to be made in films that don’t show youngsters that the solutions to life’s challenges aren’t a profane tirade, deep cleavage or speeding through a city in a car.
What would you like to see come to the big screen? Share your thoughts by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Happy birthday to a real world hero
I was scrolling through some headlines today on Yahoo! when I saw something that caught my eye: “Stars Celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in London.” It immediately put a smile on my face.
Did you ever play that game where you have to name a person living or dead that you would meet if you could? If I could only chose from among the living, Nelson Mandela would be my choice.
I have known about and respected Mandela since I did a report on him in my seventh-grade history class. In my mind, he rivals Martin Luther King Jr. in greatness for the good that he did in trying to negotiate a peaceful end to apartheid and hate in South Africa.
At the time, I was blown away by the idea of a man walking away from an unjust 27-year prison term and urging peace instead of violence. I am still staggered by it 14 years later. Visiting South Africa has been a dream of mine since that time, largely because of Mandela.
I was living in London in February 2005 when I heard that Mandela would be giving a speech in a “Make Poverty History” rally nearby. I was ecstatic. He had recently announced his retirement from public life, so I thought my chances of one day seeing him were gone.
I took the day off work and went to at Trafalgar Square with my friend, Edel, about two hours early to make sure we got a place in the crowd. Quite a few people apparently had the same idea, because there was already a crowd in front of the steps leading up to where he would speak. By the time his limo pulled up, the square was full.
Musician and Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof introduced Mandela, who looked frail at 86. His wife, Graca Machel, helped him make his way slowly to the podium. It was less than 20 feet from where I was standing.
He spoke about the prison of poverty, a form of bondage different from what he had experienced but just as painful. It affects millions of people worldwide who face unimaginable hardships with no end in sight. He challenged the leaders of the Western world and everybody in that crowd, especially the young people, to stand in the fight against global poverty. Coming from a man like him, it was a powerful moment.
Mandela does not turn 90 until July 18, but since more than 46,000 people in Hyde Park are throwing him a massive party three weeks early, I’d like to offer my best wishes, too.
So happy birthday Nelson Mandela.
But more importantly, thank you.
If you had the chance to see or meet any living person on the planet, who would it be and why? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Philmont: Scouting paradise
Thirty years ago this week, I was in the midst of one of the greater adventures of my life: I was trekking at Philmont.
For those who have not heard of it, Philmont is the gargantuan Boy Scout ranch in northeast New Mexico. Its lands run the gamut from the second-highest mountain in the state, Mount Baldy, to canyons that are scorching hot and bone dry. There’s the mysterious Uracca Mesa - site of more than a few ghostly stories believed by Scouts - and the beauty of Villa Philmonte. Activities at camps in the back country when I was there ranged from conservation and woodcraft to challenges such as search-and-rescue training to simple pleasures such as horseback riding. Of course, there also was mile after mile of hiking, hard then but looked back on fondly now.
As best I can remember, there were nine of us in the crew, eight boys and a taciturn Scoutmaster, plus a Philmont ranger named Rick Sexton who was with us for the first few days. The Scoutmaster kept his sanity and his reserve but how I do not know; the eight of us chattered more than a colony of monkeys. Our ranger was a cool college student who we promptly nicknamed “Ranger Rick” after the children’s magazine character.
Some of the memories I can never forget include:
Eating snow cones near the top of Mount Baldy after a hot climb to its cool summit. The treat was made from the snow that doesn’t melt at that altitude by the time we got there in late June; the flavoring came from the drink powder issued to us as part of a meal.
Hanging our food up between two trees in a bear bag every night, knowing that the land was wild enough that ursine visitors were a real possibility - even a threat - to crews that did not take the precaution.
Carrying everything, and I mean that literally, that you would need to live for three or four days at a time on your back. Meals, water, shelter, clothes, you name it, were in your backpack and decidedly not waiting for you at the end of the day’s hike.
Seeing minibears everywhere. (Ask someone who has been to Philmont. He or she will let you in on this inside joke.)
The ritual of eating peach cobbler, cooked in a Dutch oven by Ranger Rick one night.
Firing a rifle for the first time, a black-powder, shoulder-bruising beast that ripped a hole in a bandana that I think I still have tucked away at my mother’s home.
Climbing the Tooth of Time, another mountain, on the last morning of the trek, arriving shortly after the sunrise to see an incredible scene looking toward the ranch’s base camp.
The bus journey there and back, three days as I recall each way, with the nights spent at military bases. Like Philmont, the trail there was countryside that I have not seen since, but yearn to again one day.
For a boy from the coastal plain of North Carolina, Philmont was an incredible experience. If you grow up amid humid small towns, tobacco farms and swamps, a high, arid setting such as New Mexico seems to be something that even John Ford could not dream up for his greatest Western.
Share your memories of Philmont or other activities in Scouting - either Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts - by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
United by the will to shop
Women ruled Tuesday night at the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts.
More than 600 women - way more, but there are no definite numbers - showed up for the first-ever Charm Night Out. The event was put on by Carolina Charm Magazine, one of the Rocky Mount Telegram’s niche publications.
Everything about the event took me by surprise. More than 50 vendors were spread out in the Mims Gallery and the Garner Lobby for the event. Hundreds of women were there to look at the different tables and see the shows and presentations. Since it was the first event, I think the sheer number of women who turned out took everybody by surprise.
I was one of the vendors located in the Mims Gallery. My mom and I make homemade photo books and sell them at shows under the name of Compact Memories. You might have missed me, which is understandable, because I was seated next to the Chick-fil-a workers, who were giving away free samples and coupons.
I watched hundreds of women walk by me last night, many more than once. Some were interested in shopping. Some had daughters who attended a little girls’ tea party before the event. Some just wanted to grab as many free goodies as they could. There were plenty there to choose from.
What struck me most about last night was the variety of people that came. There was no target demographic represented beyond that of having two X chromosomes. Even then, I saw quite a few men there, too. Women of all ages and races laughed, talked and enjoyed the festivities, which simply gloried in all aspects of being female.
It was a refreshing sight. I will admit, it is disheartening sometimes to see how racially divided Rocky Mount can be. I saw none of that last night. I saw women signing up for all the free drawings they could, watching a fashion show, receiving information about furthering their education or taking care of their health, sampling some tasty food and just having a good time. I wish it happened more.
In fact, I challenge people to make it happen more. Whatever it takes to get people coming together is what we need to do. If it takes more shopping, we should be willing to make the sacrifice. (OK, I had to try).
Did you attend Charm Night Out and have your own impressions of the event? Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Carlin: Salty but still so very funny
I miss George Carlin.
I can’t say I like every routine he did. I don’t care now for the “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” bit (but I thought it was cool when I was a high-schooler). But I admire the man who made people look at so many things that others see as wrong but are too afraid to speak out about and the man who saw some of the most improbable connections in different parts of life.
Remember “Baseball and Football”:
“Baseball is pastoral. Football is technological. … Baseball is played in a park. Football is played in a stadium. … Baseball’s object is to go home. ‘I’m going home.’ In football, we are down in enemy territory, reaching for the end zone.”
Having gone through some military training, I could not but help think about a two-line bit the comic did based on his own Air Force service. Someone would break wind while his unit was standing in formation; “Captain who?” Carlin said.
Potty-mouthed? Yes, but that pales compared to what today’s comics routinely say. And, if you’ve been in the military - either as an enlisted man or an officer - you likely recognize at least a grain of truth to it.
On President Nixon’s promise to withdraw the United States from the Vietnam War, Carlin pointed out that Nixon also was the man who ordered the invasion of Cambodia. “It’s the overland route. … Ya gotta go through China and Russia to get out that way,” Carlin presciently pointed out.
There also were bits on “The 11 O’Clock News” (Remember “Al Sleet, the hippy dippy weatherman, with the hippy dippy weather, man”), “AM and FM,” “Childhood Cliches,” “Headlines” (“A man has barricaded himself inside his house. However, he is not armed and nobody is paying any attention to him.)” …
Well, you’ve either got the idea that Carlin truly was funny, even when leavened with more than a touch of profanity, and very insightful or you don’t care for him at all. Count me among the former.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
My TV is upset and so am I
I am beyond frustrated.
This is the seventh day in a row I have called the Wal-Mart electronics department in an attempt to find out if they have the television converter boxes in stock, and I am still not having luck. The store is out of stock. The store’s warehouse is out of stock. Keep calling back.
On Feb. 17, 2009, most TV stations across the nation will be required to switch from analog to digital television signals. That means that an estimated 25 million analog televisions nationwide will become obsolete unless their owners buy TV converter boxes or sign up for cable or satellite services.
My poor television is one of those. I have had this television since high school, and though it is a little bulky, it continues to serve me well. I am not looking to get rid of it. But since I neither need nor want cable (except to watch “Monk” and “Psych” on USA Network), I am not going to get it.
This brings me back to the converter boxes. Most stores are selling them for $50 to $70. To help offset the cost of the converters, the government is offering two $40 coupons per household to be used toward their purchase. For more information on the conversion or to order coupons, go to www.dtv2009.gov.
I sent off for my coupons in February, and they came in the mail a couple of months ago. The coupons look like little credit cards, complete with a long number, a holographic security code and an expiration date. The last is what is worrying me.
My coupons expire July 3. That is next Thursday. I have been trying for a couple months to use one of the coupons at Wal-Mart, because it is cheaper than everybody else. At first, I wasn’t that concerned. They said they were out and to try back later. So I did … again and again.
Now I know there are electronic stores that have the boxes in stock, but most of them are charging an additional $10 or more for them. The way I figure it, I shouldn’t have to pay to watch a TV I have owned for more than a decade in the first place, so why should I pay more to make it work when this move is made?
I am willing to buy the box, but it has to be in stock for me to do so. With just over a week to go before the coupon expires, I am beginning to wonder if it is going to happen.
For the sake of my signal, I hope so.
Maybe this makes me sound cheap. I don’t care. There are more important things I could spend that $10 on, such as a DVD to watch when there is absolutely nothing I want to watch on TV anyway.
Do you have any feelings on the switch from analog to digital television signals and the need to buy these converter boxes. Share your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at lmcfarland@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Hard but essential step for downtown
I have a special spot in my heart for old downtowns. There’s something neat about the architectural features, the longtime stores determined to tough it out, the new businesses that open in hopes of being ahead of a redevelopment wave. These are some of the reasons why I am a fan of downtown Rocky Mount - and have been for some time.
But, there is one thing that worries me, even making me a bit of a hard-liner on a related subject: I don’t think tenants or owners other than retail businesses or professional practices should occupy street-front property. I feel so strongly about it in Rocky Mount that I would like to see city government move to mandate this, even if it is necessary to use zoning to make this happen.
The catch is, this would hit hard several churches, one fraternal group and one social service agency that I can think of that already are downtown. It’s hard to have to draw this line, but in my thinking I already have, and I wish the city would, too.
The main considerations to this are:
Downtowns such as Rocky Mount’s evolved as business districts, and they need more businesses to maintain or rebuild their viability. Businesses draw a critical mass of shoppers - and, more importantly, the money they spend - to the district for many hours over most days of the week. Churches and other nonbusiness occupants, on the other hand, draw more modest crowds for shorter times only a few days a week.
These sort of groups that take over store fronts look to me to be small. I’m left to wonder if they have the membership base that can contribute the money to improve the buildings’ facades, an important part of a downtown’s appeal. If they don’t have the wherewithal to do that, how can they hope to improve interior features such as converting upper floors to apartments or offices that would bring even more people downtown?
Do the landlords who rent to these groups have the incentive to invest in their properties to make them attractive to future business tenants, or are they simply satisfied with a much more modest rent paid by a small group?
Of course, this issue walks a political and legal tightrope. A political or appointed leader can earn more than a few enemies for opposing issues that affect these sorts of groups. As to churches, there is the Establishment Clause, the part of the First Amendment that ensures freedom of religion, and its application to state and local governments through the 14th Amendment.
Finally, there is a simple fairness issue: As I said, many of these look to be small groups that lack the financial resources to buy or build their own home. They also do good for the community. So where, then, do they get to call home?
My answer is in most corners of the city, but not in the downtown business district. If Rocky Mount is serious about again building a healthy and vital downtown, it will need to nudge these sorts of groups to find new homes and keep others like them from taking their places. If it takes more than a nudge to get this done, the city’s elected and appointed leaders need to display the fortitude needed.
What do Rocky Mount and other cities need to do to make their downtowns great again? Share your ideas by commenting on this blog or e-mailing Ross at rchandler@coxnc.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
LPs: Long lasting as well as long playing
Call them Luddites. Call the archaic. Call them what you will, but I wouldn’t advise you to come between a music lover and his or her collection of vinyl long-playing - yes, that’s right: LP - records.
Not only are there a fair share of people who still enjoy music from an LP, there’s been an uptick in purchases of LPs, industry statistics show. In these post-CD, middle-of-the-MP3-revolution days, more people are shelling out increasingly hard to come by money for a music format that performers such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles rode to fame.
I long have known that there was a hard-core group of vinyl aficionados out there. One acquaintance is proud to say that, while he owns abou
Latest comments
I’m definitely caffeine-dependent although I cannot be charged with the disappearing act of the coffee in the breakroom. We advertising folks are much too busy to drink coffee once we hit the office! But, when I get home, there better be a pot waiting
... read the full comment by Paula | Comment on Coffee flows like a river Read Coffee flows like a river
I’m definitely caffeine-dependent although I cannot be charged with the disappearing act of the coffee in the breakroom. We advertising folks are much too busy to drink coffee once we hit the office! But, when I get home, there better be a pot waiting
... read the full comment by Paula | Comment on Coffee flows like a river Read Coffee flows like a river
In case you don’t get a chance to see it, here’s a link to the trailer from Apple.com.
Here’s the link
... read the full comment by Ray Watters | Comment on Who watches the 'Watchmen' trailer? Read Who watches the 'Watchmen' trailer?
All that went into making independence possible were the people uniting together against an abusive government. Let us not forget our governments abuses of power going into the election season.
I haven’t forgotten.
... read the full comment by Holt | Comment on Making the case for freedom Read Making the case for freedom