A gallant lady has died

Remembering Molly Ivins
John Nichols
Washington Correspondent, The Nation, Jan. 31, 2007 (web only)
Molly Ivins always said she wanted to write a book about the lonely experience of East Texas civil rights campaigners to be titled No One Famous Ever Came. While the television screens and newspapers told the stories of the marches, the legal battles and the victories of campaigns against segregation in Alabama and Mississippi, Ivins recalled, the foes of Jim Crow laws in the region where she came of age in the 1950s and '60s often labored in obscurity without any hope that they would be joined on the picket lines by Nobel Peace Prize winners, folk singers, Hollywood stars or senators.
And Ivins loved those righteous strugglers all the more for their willingness to carry on.
The warmest-hearted populist ever to pick up a pen with the purpose of calling the rabble to the battlements, Ivins understood that change came only when some citizen in some off-the-map town passed a petition, called a Congressman or cast an angry vote to throw the bums out. The nation's mostly widely syndicated progressive columnist, who died January 31 at age 62 after a long battle with what she referred to as a "scorching case of cancer," adored the activists she celebrated from the time in the late 1960s when she created her own "Movements for Social Change" beat at the old Minneapolis Tribune and started making heroes of "militant blacks, angry Indians, radical students, uppity women and a motley assortment of other misfits and troublemakers."

The country has lost a journalistic treasure in the passing of this brave and beautiful lady. And that's my opinion.

Why I Blog

I enjoy the stimulation that comes with writing.

The brain is a muscle and, like more physical muscles, will suffer from overuse, misuse or under-use. Reading a book, doing a puzzle, playing card games, learning new songs, and writing are a few ways to exercise the memory and the brain. And all of these things can be done at home and cost next to nothing.

Writing my blog requires me to think about a subject, maybe do some research, learn something new, compose thoughts and put them in logical sentences and paragraphs. Doctors, scientists, and other practitioners in mental health, tell us this kind of mental exercise will help keep the memory sharp. Mentally active people, it is said, live longer and more meaningful lives than those who sleep-walk through the “golden years.”

Frequently people who read my blog agree or disagree and say so, often putting forth new thoughts or insights on the issue. I enjoy these exchanges with people, some of whom I know, others total strangers. Occasionally, a man (judging by the handwriting) from the Charleston, SC, area sends me an unsigned, no return address, letter and dresses me down in intemperate language, casting aspersions on my sanity, politics, and/or heritage. I always enjoy his scribbling and wonder what his room number is at the mental health facility.

Gay Sheep

Among the many things we know that we don’t know all there is to know about the subject is that there are gay male sheep out there and researchers are experimenting to discover why about eight percent of rams choose sex with other rams. Logically, it would follow if one can learn why; perhaps one can amend the reason and turn the rams into heterosexuals. This might lead to some sort of antidote for future moms having male children and wanting to insure they are straight.

(Which invokes memories of Brokeback Mountain: did the two cowboys give the rams some strange ideas or learn from the rams.)

You can learn more on this fascinating, albeit low priority, subject at the PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) website (they are against the experiments), or, for some lighter reading on the sex habits of rams see, John Cloud’s article, “Yep, They’re Gay,” (TIME, February 5, 2007, page 54.)

John says “Zoologists have known for many year that homosexuality isn’t uncommon among animals,” and his cat has raised suspicions ever since he tried to mount a male dachshund. Also, irreverent comedian George Carlin a few years ago sent out a Christmas card featuring a picture of his male dog trying to do the male cat. He called it “Piece on Earth.”

The fork in the language road

Yogi Bera is credited with saying, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it."

Jeff E. Schapiro, Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist, wrote about Virginia Sen. John Warner (R) on Sunday (1/28/07): "He responds to the whims of a state that in his 79 years -- he turns 80 on Feb. 18 -- has transformed from ducal agricultural backwater preoccupied with race to diverse suburban dynamo where, in some neighborhoods, one might hear 21 foreign languages."

This weekend former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, (R), a presidential candidate, pushed for English-only in educating the country's children. To be successful in this country kids "need to speak the language," he said. (The Post & Courier, 1/28/07, pg 16A)

I believe language is going to be one of the major issues of the 2008 presidential campaign.

A WOW feature

When reading an editorial in The New York Times I found this "tip" at the end of the article: -
"To find reference information about the words used in this article, hold down the ALT key and click on any word, phrase or name. A new window will open with a dictionary definition or encyclopedia entry. "
I tried it and it works. This is my first experience with this capability and for now it seems to be peculiar to the Times editorial. How far will this capability spread? What will it take to make it universally available? I consider this an amazing feature, worthy of at least one big WOW!

Can you believe this?

The Boston Globe (1/26/2007) reports "Vice President Dick Cheney orchestrated his office's 2003 efforts to rebut assertions that the administration used flawed intelligence to justify the war in Iraq and discredit a critic who he believed was making him look foolish, according to testimony and evidence yesterday in the criminal trial of his former chief of staff."

As the Charleston vapors lady would say, "Lordy, can you believe this?"

Say it ain't so

Can you imagine the White House making Lewis "Scooter" Libby the fall guy to protect Karl Rove so the president's advisor could be around to shepherd the 2004 re-election campaign? This is what Libby's defense attorney claimed in his opening statement. I imagine some Charleston matron with the vapors will exclaim, "Oh, my goodness." Stay tuned.

Press '1' for English

A Hometown Newspaper

Many years ago an observer asked Tom Landry, then coach of the Dallas Cowboys, what he thought about the Green Bay Packers having their own Hall of Fame. Landry said, "They might as well, they got their own newspaper." This came to mind today when Elsa McDowell replied to a critic of The Post and Courier who complained that The Citadel "does not have a hometown newspaper."
Back in the 1920's the publisher of the Green Bay newspaper told his staff the paper would always stand by the Packers' come hell or high water because if Green Bay ever lost the team they would never get another one. To this day this is the paper's position.
Elsa said the P&C recognizes The Citadel as significant but reports the news - good and bad.

On the obit page

Politicians (and I used to be one) cannot choose on what page the local newspaper will print articles about them. It has to be nerve-racking, however, when you are recovering from surgery and the paper reports it on one of the two obit pages - as was done with North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey today (The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC,January 17, 2007.)

Congressman votes against people's interests

All you South Carolina workers out there earning minimum wage or slightly higher ought to take a look at how your congressman in the First District of South Carolina voted this past week. And those in Medicare ought to look up as well. The people hoping stem cell research might some day lead to a cure to their debilitating diseases would also do well to look at his conduct.
It is not that he, Henry Brown, (R), Hanahan, has deviated from his first term promise to not vote against the (Republican) leadership. This past week he voted with other Republicans (whose leadership in the House was rejected at the polls in November) against the majority passed legislation to raise the minimum wage, to require Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and to promote stem cell research.
These are bread and butter issues to a lot of Lowcountry workers and one would hope their congressman would have their best interests at heart. Like other legislators who think we are asleep at home he voted for alternative GOP proposals he (and they) had to know were doomed to failure so he (and they) could cover their butts.

Ford neglects customer service

One of the reasons Ford is in the tank and close to being flushed down:

At the local Ford dealer I bought a replacement battery for a Ford Ranger ($89,00) I asked also to buy a clamp for the neutral (-) post to replace a rusted, broken one, estimated price $3.00. The salesman told me Ford doesn’t supply/sell these and I should go to Pep Boys or some such and buy one. At the local store the only available clamps required me to cut off the end of my cable, strip the wire, and attach the new clamp by compressing or soldering. All of which is, in my case, I considered unnecessary. I went to a second store and bought a clamp and my neighbor helped me modify it to work with the new battery and old cable without cutting the cable etc.

Attention to the little things made Ford great; inattention is going to help sink it.

Person of the Year

There is a dispute about whether a Web log is serious journalism. Those bloggers who simply report personal daily (or occasional) machinations are obviously not journalists in any sense of the word. They are diary writers who have taken to the keyboard much as Queen Elizabeth holds onto the pen and writes her thoughts in longhand. Some bloggers believe writing on current events or persons is a form of journalism if it informs, motivates, agitates, pleases, or simple wakes someone up. This is arguable.

There is the question of follow-up. Bloggers generally don’t. News organizations report matters and keep the public informed with additional articles until the subject peters out. The lost climbers on Mt. Hood are a good example of this. It is has been a daily staple since early December. Other continuing sagas will replace it by New Year’s Day.

Time magazine has given bloggers a shot of chest-pumping adrenaline by naming us (I write on-line, I qualify) “Person of the Year,” a highly dubious honor considering Hitler and Stalin were “persons” in the past. But as Bill Maher might say, “I kid Time” because many of their annual choices over the last 70 years or so have been men and women who truly made a difference in our world.

But does it make any difference to anyone outside our family if I report my wife of 52 years had a stroke complicated by a subsequent fall and is progressing in rehab? (Thanks for all the cards and well wishes; she is touched by the outpouring of love and support.)

Does it matter to anyone when I sound off on things that irritate the devil out of me, or are done in a way I believe could have been done better? What about the good people and accomplishments I encounter and enjoy commenting on? What about when I simply take pleasure in getting something off my chest? (The latter is probably most beneficial to my mental and physical health by lowering my stress level.) A local credit union representative told me earlier today, for example, that the government has ordered new internet security measures for people wanting to access their accounts on line. This trifling with my account happened last night and I was locked out (until this morning). Thousands around the country will likely have this experience in the coming weeks. Good luck. My immediate reaction was what else can you expect from people who screwed up the Iraq adventure?

To my fellow diarists I offer congratulations on being name “Person of the Year.” Let’s not take each other too serious though or let it go our heads in 2007. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Eating with respect

One day this week I had lunch in an upscale steak house restaurant in North Charleston with another person. A police officer of commissioned rank came in alone and sat down at a table near ours. He was in full police uniform, complete with gun, cuffs, radio, etc. and his commissioned rank on his collar. He had a salad, a beverage and an entree. A couple of members of the restaurant's managerial staff came to his table and spoke with him while he was eating. When he finished he got up and left. He was not given a check, he did not pay and so far as I know did not leave a tip for the waitress who served him.

Several weeks ago I was in a submarine sandwich shop for a bite and looking out the window while eating saw a policeman get out of his cruiser, come in the shop, order a sandwich, chips and a soft drink, PAY FOR IT, and then go back to his cruiser.

Which police officer do you believe I respect the most?

On being alone, temporarily

Around my house I make the coffee in the morning; that is I plug in the pot which my wife usually sets up the night before. This didn’t work on Tuesday because my wife went to hospital on Monday night (she’s doing better, thank you). I managed to find some coffee in a large blue can and made a pot that would warm a submariner’s heart. These past few days have been an eye-opener for me into what has to happen around this house to make it worth living here.

Take clean clothes for example. I looked high and low for the dark grey metal wash pot and scrub board and could not find them. I recall my grandmother and my mother had a set at one time. At the hospital I asked my wife where she kept these and she told me we did not use them because “We have a washing machine.” “How long have we had this?” I asked.

“About fifty-two years. Do you remember when we were on our honeymoon and after about two weeks you let me out of bed one day? Well, I went and bought my first washing machine that afternoon.”

This is pretty good piece of equipment. You have only to put the clothes in and close the door. Some powered soap goes in a small slot behind a little door and you pull the lever and it works automatically. There are no rollers nor wringer to turn. To top it off when the machine finishes you can take out the wet clothes and put them in another machine and it dries them.

Eating has been less of a problem, but also a learning experience. We often eat out in the evening at the cafeteria or one of the restaurants; (we tend to favor steak houses.) I am confident that in a reasonable amount of time my wife is going to be OK so I wanted to avoid the widows with casseroles circling the neighborhood. I went to the cafeteria for lunch one day was pleased to find them open for business. The food in mid-day is better than at night. I had a large, delicious baked salmon and some veggies. Being alone without an eating-habits critic on hand, I also knocked off a dessert; a delicious lemon meringue pie, fresh out of the refrigerator.

All in all it has been a pretty good week, my wife being in hospital notwithstanding. I can make coffee, do the laundry and find a meal in mid-day. I believe this is enough of domesticity for a man my age so this week I intend to concentrate on letting my fingers do the walking thought the yellow pages until I find Maids-Are-Us. Somebody has to do the dusting.

The family business

When the subject "a family business" comes up in polite conversation we ought not to overlook that concept in Congress. Representative John Dingell, D-Michigan, 80-years old, has been in Congress since 1955 when he succeeded his father (also John Dingell) who had served from 1933. Mr. Dingell will likely re-assume his old chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (he was the chair from 1981-1994), in the next congress.

In related notes, Massachusetts (my birth state) holds a unique place in the House of Representatives. Among states with more than two Representatives only Massachusetts has a solid Democratic membership, 10 seats, and each incumbent was re-elected this week. (The state also has two Democratic Senators.) California has the most seats in the House, 53, with 34 Democrats and 19 Republicans; the Dems picked up one seat in the election. South Carolina has two Democrats and four Republicans, unchanged from the current term.

The American People Have Spoken

DATE: November 8, 2006

MEMO TO: New Democrat Leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; Democrat Governors in the majority of the States; Democrat Legislatures in the majority of the States, and all other Democrat office holders.

You have a fresh opportunity to govern. Don't f**k it up!

/s/Francis X. Archibald

A joke and no joke

During the final days of World War II, two Germans are in a bomb shelter and it is shortly before noontime. They have been there since mid-evening of the previous night as first British bombers and now American bombers pulverize Germany. One asks, “What will you do after the war?” The other answers, “I will go on holiday and walk around Greater Germany.” “And what will you do in the afternoon?”


In Latvia, the parliament has decided to postpone until March 1, 2007, releasing the names of Latvians who were collaborators (read: spies, informers, tattle-tales, and neighborhood snoops) with the KGB during the 51 years of Soviet occupation (1940-1991). The list, estimated to contain approximately 4,500 names, was to be made public on November 1 and published in the official government newspaper. Husbands, wives, children, extended families, neighbors, bosses, workers, lovers, teammates, drinking buddies, etc. are all waiting to see who was ratting on whom. Critics say the KGB in 1990 sent to Moscow the most sensitive parts of the archive and the complete list with the most important names will never be revealed. Some collaborators have left Latvia; some probably are hoping their files were among those sent to Moscow. Anyone on the list will not be eligible to vote nor hold public office. When similar lists were unveiled in Germany several years ago, it was reported there was much heartbreak, anguish, fear and anger. Some relationships were forever broken.

State of Denial

Letters to the Editor
The Post and Courier
Charleston, SC
(Published October 25, 2006)

The 2003 invasion of Iraq began while I was winding up a two-month tour of South Africa. South Africans I was in contact with, well educated, professional people, asked why the United States had invaded Iraq.
I recalled those early evening discussions while reading State of Denial, Bob Woodward’s 14th book since Watergate and his third book on the war on terror. This insightful, comprehensive and diligently pursued book full of first-hand accounts (and almost 30 pages of source notes) is a tremendous addition to the body of historical knowledge required to answer “why.”
It is even more valuable to understanding what we did right and what was wrong. This tragically incomplete adventure is still an on-going tale, however, and it leaves one wondering, at the end of 2006 and State of Denial, if we are facing a Vietnam-like-ending where it is crazy to stay in and we don’t know how to get out.
I believe, however, after finishing all 560 pages of State of Denial, that if the men and women in Washington at the highest political, military, diplomatic, and intelligence levels who were in charge of this Iraq excursion devoted half the time to solving problems as they did fighting and arguing with each other and buckling under to one man – Donald Rumsfeld – and being afraid to bring bad news to the Oval Office, a “Vietnam-like-ending” would not hang over us.

You've got mail - responses

Judging by the swift response to yesterday's blog by five friends mail is something on everyone's mind. Here are their comments:

(1) What an interesting undertaking! Sounds quite familiar, but I'm jealous of your personal correspondence. I receive very little any more, sadly. Mostly thank-you notes or invitations. I used to maintain voluminous correspondences with many people--but that was before e-mail. I still have most of those old letters--they're more precious by the year.

(2) Only 4 bills!!!

(3) With the exception that personal correspondence, other than the cards my wife and her sisters, some of Hallmark's most cherished customers, exchange, has been almost entirely replaced by email among our friends and relatives, I think that the proportions would be about the same here. And I really do get dismayed of thinking of all the mailing expense various charities and causes must incur and of how much better those funds could be used.

But at least you're not standing in the mud, dog excrement and cigarette butts that surround our neighborhood stanchion box cluster as you sort it out. as we once discussed before. My favorite mail delivery system was some years ago, when I lived in a small town that had curbside residential delivery and three times a week trash pick-up at the curb. I could scoop out the mailbox and then stand over my trash can without having to ever carry the majority of it indoors.

(4) I could get a hernia carrying out the throw aways.

(5) Archie, this sounds just like the mail I receive.