Nineteen Hundred Thirty-Seven

A Birthday Post

In 1937 . . .

1.      The US Social Security system began levying taxes on workers’ wages.

2.      Howard Hughes set a transcontinental air record by flying his monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark, NJ, in seven hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

3.      President Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated for a 2^nd term.  He became the first chief executive to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 instead of March 4.

4.      The Ohio River crested at 57.1 feet, almost thirty feet above flood stage. The flood of 1937 took place in late January and February.  One million persons were left homeless with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million. The Mississippi River crested at 14.8 meters.  Flooding left 37 people dead in Arkansas.

5.      The 1^st US permanent automobile license plate was issued in Connecticut.

6.       The nation’s first Social Security checks were distributed.

7.      Margaret Mitchell won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel, “Gone with the Wind.”

8.      Spam, a canned ham by Hormel was introduced to the public.

9.      California’s Golden Gate Bridge was opened.

10.  Wimbledon was televised for the first time.

11.  Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion.

12.  George Gershwin, composer, died of a brain tumor at age 38.

13.  Bill Cosby, comedian, actor, was born.

14.  The US house of Representatives passed the “Marijuana Tax Act” after a debate of 90 seconds.  It stipulated that pot could not be sold without a license.  No licenses were ever issued, thus making the sale illegal.  In 1970 Congress outlawed marijuana more precisely.

15.  The NYC Lincoln Tunnel opened to traffic.

 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

All of the above and so much more happened in 1937. 

At a celebratory breakfast this morning, a friend’s words warmed my heart.  I had said my blog post today would list a number of memorable or newsworthy events that took place in 1937.  She said, “. . .including God stopped the world and you got on.”  I was born November 9, 1937 along with my twin brother, Jim, who is celebrating our special day as well.  I am grateful.  (Read my award winning memoir, Black Star Girl.)

Another loving friend asked how it felt to be three quarters of a century old.  I am grateful and I am laughing!

Enjoy your day, also.

Bipartisanship

Two working together (for the benefit of the whole).

Will it ever happen in Washington, our nations capitol?  I’m going to say, “Of course.  It has to."   It won’t be easy.   I will project optimism.

In a TV interview this morning, Haley Barbour, former Republican Governor of Mississippi as an example of his party knowing how to compromise cited Ronald Reagan as having that valuable skill.  Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton are frequently referenced for their reaching-out and working-with-others style. 

  

Actually, I think a mountain of verbal turmoil higher than Mt. Rushmore will have to be climbed before we see meaningful compromise in our Congress these days.  The same is true for conciliatory activity between the President and Congress.

 A view from The William J. Clinton Presidential Library

Why would I think that?  Because it’s a different world from that of Lyndon Johnson, Ronald Reagan, even Bill Clinton.  Too much of our print, radio and TV media seems to incite more than inspire.

In these times, opinion-driven news programming comes to us with a strongly antagonistic viewpoint - entertainment feeding our emotions, not our intellect.   Do viewers mostly restrict themselves to the network that supports their political view?  I think so.  This does nothing to encourage their consideration of the merits in another point of view.

Back in the days of Lyndon, Ronnie or Bill, how prolific was talk radio? Did resoundingly partial TV news talkers keep us, the constituency, tethered to the party line?  

There was no FOX News and its promotion of the conservative agenda.  There was no MSNBC enthusiastically supporting the liberal viewpoint.  Today, disrespectful programming colorful, practically offensive, devalues the objectives of the other political party.  I have a friend who tells me she will not look at FOX News.  “I'm not  looking at that stuff.”  I understand.  I choose to look because I want to know why and how deeply they feel.  In spite of the bruising negativity, there is a chance I might learn something. That’s a good thing.  Once or twice, watching, working through what distressed me; I actually grasped a premise of some merit.  Too bad anyone has to hurt to learn.  

Yesterday we re-elected President Barack Obama, Democrat to serve another four years in the White House.   Election results show the Democrats maintained their majority in the Senate.  Republicans will continue to lead the House of Representatives. 

I’ve just turned on FOX News and shook my head at the relentless combative and negative discussion of what might happen, what is happening and what didn’t happen in Washington these past four years.  Not one bit of positive commentary was offered.  Depressing. 

Bipartisanship in Washington must exist in order to produce legislation important to correct what is broken in our troubled economy.  

Do you think the media helps or hurts achieve quality governance, i.e., bipartisanship?

I’m thinking televised opinionated political news is primarily destructive, gives no added value.  It contradicts any possibility of promoting compromise.  It’s not a good thing. 

Your opinion?

It's So EERIE - Hurricane Sandy is Here!

(As I begin writing this it is around 9 pm on Monday night, October 29, 2012.  I'll post when I get where there is electrical power.)

I’m sitting here in the dark listening to the vicious, scary wind and my battery-operated radio.  They’ve reported water is rising to higher and higher levels in lower Manhattan.  Water is gushing into the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel – unbelievable information.  I mean, it is totally unfathomable that such is actually happening, “looks like a water fall rushing into the tunnel” the news broadcaster said.

They report over a million people in New Jersey are without power.  I am one of them.

Wind gusts have exceeded the 75 mph we were told would lambast us.

Yes, Sandy came and the hurricane, unfortunately, has not fallen short of what was promised.  This disastrous weather event took some 65 lives in the Caribbean before heading north to scare me to death tonight. 

It’s reputation preceded its coming but I was ready.

Sunday on the way home from church I stopped at the market for a few items, primarily prepared mustard which I discovered I didn't have after shopping earlier in the week.  While there I picked up munching food, cheese, fresh fruit, and nuts.   

Earlier today as the wind velocity only hinted at what was to come, the lawn furniture was put in the garage.  The garbage can and all flowerpots were secured behind closed doors.  I brought my car out of the garage just incase of a power outage affecting the garage door opener.  The wind activity picked up.

Photo taken this morning- no danger.

An hour or so later a tree limb whipped out of the huge sycamore tree in my back yard and slammed onto the new fence, damaging it. I called my daughter and told her I was going out to take a picture before removing the limb.  She insisted, “Mom, stay inside!”   Reluctantly I did.

Sometime after 4 pm I was comfortable on my couch, talking on the telephone sharing the unique weather information with friends and family, some live in the area of the storm and some did not.  I was fine.   That feeling would not last.  I fell apart, lost confidence in me, my situation, and in the condition of my health.

As I write this, I’m once again feeling fine.  I’ve overcome thinking I might have a heart attack.  Yes, all at once I became terrified by the wind slamming through the trees, against the house, and insistently rattling windows and doors.  Why would I fall apart emotionally when I hadn’t been frightened at all listening to TV’s news and weather people who obviously spoke with urgency designed to incite listeners to action.  I was calm through all their hysterical warnings.  After all, my house, built in 1910 is a sturdy structure as old homes are when they are well built and well taken care of.  I felt secure and sheltered in the center of the home, which is free of windows.  Fright did not overtake my sensibilities until around dusk when the lights began to flicker.  Then I lost it.   My left arm ached. I found myself gasping for breath. I panicked to the point that I scurried to get a couple aspirins into my system.  “Please don’t have a heart attack,” I pleaded to me as I gulped down a glass of water.

My anxiety continued.  I needed a strong drink!   Would alcohol after the aspirin be dangerous to my health?  A quick telephone call to a sensible friend gave me courage to enjoy a rum and coke.  My emotional state improved significantly.

Of course Super Storm Sandy (evolved from Hurricane Sandy) would proceed to put many people in New Jersey and New York City in horrible situations.  My problems amounted to nothing, compared to others.

It is now the ‘day after’.  The sun shone brightly and I took my car out and found the means to upload this post. 

Shortly,  I’ll head back through streets without traffic lights to my dark home in a city that is essentially totally dark.  The latest report is there are now 2,300,000 people in New Jersey without power.  It is estimated we will be inconvenienced for several more days.  I have flashlights, the radio and an ice-packed cooler preserving foods that require such.  There was no damage to my home.

For all the angst I experienced, I’m thinking, I have been truly blessed throughout this ordeal.

May you and yours be well.

Like Life

BEAUTIFUL BUT NOT PERFECT

May you have a gorgeous day.

A Day To Remember

Caring, yet self-centered Scorpio I am, I confess.

I’ve done nothing but cater to me and I’m lovin’ it.

 

I’ve taken my meds; eaten only healthy food; talked to friends and family, yet ……

I haven’t even gotten dressed to leave the house.

This mornings Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In was grrrrrreat.

The past seven days I didn’t gain any weight.  Whew!

Today, I’ve remained inside surrounded by communication technology – cell, laptop, Tablet, TV.

Sitting in this ultra-comfortable chaise lounge, I am connected with the world – the good and the bad.

I’ve prayed, I’ve laughed, I cried.  (Some of the news was almost unbearably sad.)

And, I’ve been told I am loved.

Today I want no more.

I am the proverbial 'happy camper'.

Thank You Dear God.

The Calm B4 The Storm

Today a morning headline read something like, “Should Romney be a reserved participant so as not to lose newly acquired supporters?"  It referenced the third presidential debate being aired at 9 pm tonight.  CSpan is my preferred network.

I’m thinking will viewers/listeners really ‘think’ about what they hear tonight?   Will they remember and contemplate what they have heard throughout the campaign season as well as in each debate?

Campaigning is expensive.  Perhaps it's costly because many varied presentations are required just to get everyone's attention.  My hope is voters truly listen with blinders removed.  I do.  

Still, I’m thinking why does electing the President who will lead this country the next four years have to cost what it apparently does?  Don’t you find the numbers almost unbelievable to fathom?   Who gets to know where the dollars are spent.  Who receives the money, as income to their accounts?  How can an ordinary citizen find out?  Oops, I've digressed!

Lately I find myself thinking who will be the best Commander-in-Chief of our volunteer military personnel who sacrifice self, family and loved ones for our well-being - to keep the nation safe?

But I also think about the tremendous challenge it is for a dedicated ‘wannabe’ and a leader who has come through the fire to give so much of their lives and want to work diligently for us.  I’m thinking, why do they do it?  I’m thinking how grateful I am that quality people have the courage to lead, and lead with intelligence, compassion for all, patience, courage and credibility.

For sure, everyone must VOTE!   (And, I mean all who are eligible to vote, no matter their candidate of choice.)

I’m thinking, I want to stay going forward as we have since 2009.  Yes, I like President Barack Obama.  I am not at all calm waiting for this third debate tonight.

How about you?