The privet hedge is now leafless. You may be wondering what that has to do with anything. Fair enough, so let me tell you about it. Six months of the year the bare hedge is not an obstruction to my view of traffic. I spend the other six months of the year slowly backing out of my driveway verrrrry carefully. I have a clear view from where the car is parked, and can easily tell if someone is northbound toward the hamlet. As I back into the road, I can clearly view the southbound traffic, and there is no problem there.
The trouble lies with the northbound traffic. Although the speed limit is 30 mph through our wide spot in the road, nobody slows much below 50-55,. Therefore, when you look to the south, a car that wasn't there scant seconds ago, is on top of you by the time your rear wheels hit the berm.
Enter the HORN! I have no idea why, in over 23 years of living here in 'the Springs' only about 3 folks have deemed it prudent to give me a toot to let me know they're coming. My hat is off to these people, and their caring for my safety. Sure, I may have seen them coming, because these safe drivers are not the ones doing double the limit sliding into the berg. I'm thankful for them and their ability to move their thumb an inch or two to save a life.
Yes, you'll get a 'bird' or two from the 10 year old as he teeters unsteadily down the road in front of your 3800 pound behemoth. But take a second to warn him that you're about to be crushing his body with your Goodyears. 'Bird' be damned, you may well have saved the little dude's life. He won't admit it, and he'll shout obscenities as you pass, ever knowing that maybe he's able to do that because you tooted.
A 14 year old boy got killed near here yesterday. A late November snow day from school, was his last day. He rode his sled down the family driveway into the path of a fairly slow moving vehicle. The driver says he saw him too late to stop. It was slippery, of course. The horn may not have played any part in this sad drama, but it makes one think of the possibilities.
So, as the Holiday Season comes upon us, let's all think a little about the other guy. He may flip the old "peg leg" at you, and he may yell out abuse. That's fine. Getting a one finger salute from a live person is one hell of a lot better than having their relatives standing over their bier, looking down, and saying, "that bastard should have blown his horn!"
If you care, blow your horn! Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
English Losing Ground? Get Real ! ! !
They've really got me going now! I read an article this weekend about how the English language is losing popularity here in the U.S. That's just unacceptable. Can you actually wrap your mind around that?
Rochelle Sharpe, in Sunday's USA Weekend says, "The changes are due, in part, to the burgeoning growth of the Latino population, which has doubled in size since 1990". These are US Census Bureau figures, and possibly have some validity.
Any right thinking US citizen is going to think, "That's great! More people are coming to America just like our forefathers did, making this an even stronger and more prosperous nation." That has always been and should now be, true However, there is a trend afoot which is quite disturbing. About 1 of every 4 Spanish speaking households in America, speak Spanish exclusively. Many of these are illegal aliens, who for various reasons will not expose themselves to the English language or the American culture. They cannot find jobs, vote, or obtain valid driving privileges, They are less likely to attend schools, therefore never stepping outside of the boundaries of their tight knit families and communities. They're developing foreign lands inside of our 'land of the free'.
Ms Sharpe points out that there is no longer a widespread network of 'night schools' and other venues where immigrants can go to learn English. Our economy, pinched by a huge influx of illegals, can no longer support these schools.
Ms Sharpe seems to share the opinion that so many others do, that state governments are wrong to legislate English as being the 'official language' of their state. If English were the only language one would be able to use for acquiring Social Services, driver licenses, mortgages, and signing houring leases, etc., perhaps groups of immigrants could plan to help themselves. The Bosnian, or Iranian, or Hispanic etc., communities could collaborate to hire teachers to assist in the acquisition of English skills. This would help them integrate into the American culture, instead of remaining on the misunderstood fringes of mainstream America.
I believe Mr Sharpe is wrong. All states, perhaps even the federal government, should legislate English as being the official language of the U.S.A. We were built upon the premise that "united we stand, divided we fall" (among other important premises), and without that unity we are weakening our own communities, states, and the entire country.
Only 7.5% of the residents of Hialeah, FL speak English. You can be born, live, work, and die in Hialeah and never have to understand or utter a syllable of English! Imagine that.
I don't want to seem prejudiced against any ethnic group, and in fact I am not. I simply believe that there is nothing which divides people more than lack of understanding one another. Understanding has it's root in communication. If Americans and the immigrants who share the bounty of the United States, cannot communicate with each other, how long is it going to be before there is a movement or many movements, to start mini countries within this country. Visit Quebec Province and find out how that works for English speaking people there. You better know that poulet is chicken before you try to order breakfast in most of Quebec.
With any luck at all, I'll be dead before it gets that far along in Binghamton. When I see the Espanol signs go up in Laura's Lunch, I'm just going to throw up my hands and order a breakfast burito.
Buenos dias!
Rochelle Sharpe, in Sunday's USA Weekend says, "The changes are due, in part, to the burgeoning growth of the Latino population, which has doubled in size since 1990". These are US Census Bureau figures, and possibly have some validity.
Any right thinking US citizen is going to think, "That's great! More people are coming to America just like our forefathers did, making this an even stronger and more prosperous nation." That has always been and should now be, true However, there is a trend afoot which is quite disturbing. About 1 of every 4 Spanish speaking households in America, speak Spanish exclusively. Many of these are illegal aliens, who for various reasons will not expose themselves to the English language or the American culture. They cannot find jobs, vote, or obtain valid driving privileges, They are less likely to attend schools, therefore never stepping outside of the boundaries of their tight knit families and communities. They're developing foreign lands inside of our 'land of the free'.
Ms Sharpe points out that there is no longer a widespread network of 'night schools' and other venues where immigrants can go to learn English. Our economy, pinched by a huge influx of illegals, can no longer support these schools.
Ms Sharpe seems to share the opinion that so many others do, that state governments are wrong to legislate English as being the 'official language' of their state. If English were the only language one would be able to use for acquiring Social Services, driver licenses, mortgages, and signing houring leases, etc., perhaps groups of immigrants could plan to help themselves. The Bosnian, or Iranian, or Hispanic etc., communities could collaborate to hire teachers to assist in the acquisition of English skills. This would help them integrate into the American culture, instead of remaining on the misunderstood fringes of mainstream America.
I believe Mr Sharpe is wrong. All states, perhaps even the federal government, should legislate English as being the official language of the U.S.A. We were built upon the premise that "united we stand, divided we fall" (among other important premises), and without that unity we are weakening our own communities, states, and the entire country.
Only 7.5% of the residents of Hialeah, FL speak English. You can be born, live, work, and die in Hialeah and never have to understand or utter a syllable of English! Imagine that.
I don't want to seem prejudiced against any ethnic group, and in fact I am not. I simply believe that there is nothing which divides people more than lack of understanding one another. Understanding has it's root in communication. If Americans and the immigrants who share the bounty of the United States, cannot communicate with each other, how long is it going to be before there is a movement or many movements, to start mini countries within this country. Visit Quebec Province and find out how that works for English speaking people there. You better know that poulet is chicken before you try to order breakfast in most of Quebec.
With any luck at all, I'll be dead before it gets that far along in Binghamton. When I see the Espanol signs go up in Laura's Lunch, I'm just going to throw up my hands and order a breakfast burito.
Buenos dias!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Election Day! Our BIG Chance?
Good morning America!
It may not be an omen of what the day has in store for all America, but I'll bet it's a preview of what my day'll be like. The boss and I showed up at the polling place, an unkempt fire house in Sanitaria Springs, at 6:00 AM. We were hoping to beat the rush and we got there all shiny and fresh, ready to cast that important ballot for the "Winfield Dream Team" of politicians for 2009 and beyond.
Maybe it's just me.....The antiquated voting machine was refusing to cooperate. After about 100 years of faithful service, it had decided to balk at being awoken at such an ungodly hour to perform one day's more miracles. As I said, it could have just been me. My presence has that effect on machinery in general. "Hey, Winny's here, let's refuse to do anything 'til he's given up!" machines would bellow if they could.
At length, the berk from the Elections Board fumbled it into submission and the machine began to allow the endless line of hopeful citizens to cast their little ballots.
Days like this make you proud to be an American, don't they? You can bet that there are many people around this big blue ball that don't have the opportunity to perform this simple trick. We have the power to magically make world leaders out of minor and heretofore unimportant, generally insubstantial, and questionable individuals. What's up with that? That's real power!
Enough said. I hope my loyal readers are either going to, or have already gotten out to, vote!
It's not much, but it's the best we have.
It may not be an omen of what the day has in store for all America, but I'll bet it's a preview of what my day'll be like. The boss and I showed up at the polling place, an unkempt fire house in Sanitaria Springs, at 6:00 AM. We were hoping to beat the rush and we got there all shiny and fresh, ready to cast that important ballot for the "Winfield Dream Team" of politicians for 2009 and beyond.
Maybe it's just me.....The antiquated voting machine was refusing to cooperate. After about 100 years of faithful service, it had decided to balk at being awoken at such an ungodly hour to perform one day's more miracles. As I said, it could have just been me. My presence has that effect on machinery in general. "Hey, Winny's here, let's refuse to do anything 'til he's given up!" machines would bellow if they could.
At length, the berk from the Elections Board fumbled it into submission and the machine began to allow the endless line of hopeful citizens to cast their little ballots.
Days like this make you proud to be an American, don't they? You can bet that there are many people around this big blue ball that don't have the opportunity to perform this simple trick. We have the power to magically make world leaders out of minor and heretofore unimportant, generally insubstantial, and questionable individuals. What's up with that? That's real power!
Enough said. I hope my loyal readers are either going to, or have already gotten out to, vote!
It's not much, but it's the best we have.
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