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Michael McLeod

worth watching. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhz96MPVqKE

Michael McLeod

Your cool word for the day is "polysemic." definition below

I can't imagine ever using it but I just ran across it and, like the nerd that I am, I decided to keep it in a jar by the door. 

carry on. as you were.

as for me I'm going to try to think of examples of some cool polysemic words. 

but not until a.c. (after coffee).

Michael Boulware

Watterson's football team is amazing. They have the longest winning streak in the state, a Schultheis as a place kicker, and one of their captains is a world champion wrestler. That is not a mistake. Michael Boyle not only won the state and national wrestling championship; he beat everyone in the world (well, in his weight class). 

Michael McLeod

thanks for the whs football update mike. makes me wish I still lived up there.

David Mitchell

Yeah, but do they have a pair of unbeatable defensive ends - like the legendary Mike and Don?

Or a running back like (Von) Ryan's express?

David Mitchell

Mike M.

Your "worth listening" video (above) has a suspicious look and feel about it. It looks exactly like dozens of other videos about famous performers, stopping in mid-show to hear the voice of a crowd mmber. They all have the same setting, the same coloration and lighting, and the same male voice-over. I think Ive seen one for Willy Nelson, John Denver, and several others. Same storyline, same concept, etc.

But yours has one more suspicious clue. It's supposed to be on Johnny Carson's show, but in that first section, the grey haired man at the desk on the right is definately NOT Johnny Carson. When the video switches scenes and then comes back to that scene later, it does appear to be Johnny.

I've now watched 4 or 5 of these and they all have the same look and a similar story.

Michael McLeod

dave:

I'm going to guess that the uniformity in presentation that you detected can be explained by assuming that this presentation,and others like it, are prepackaged by p.r. firms who put them out on behalf of their clients. Maybe there's one public relations firm in particular that's been cranking them out with that same fill-in-the-blanks format.

anyway, way to go, eagle eye!

John Jackson

Of all the surpassingly stupid things Trump has done, going out of his way to stick his finger in the eye of our oldest and best friends/neighbors/allies is (with the possible exception of the Iran war) the stupidest.  I’m totally on the side of the Canadians in this fight:

David Mitchell

John,

Hard to decide which is greater - the scale of his selfish financial corruption, or the depth of his utter stupidity. 

Do we curse and shake our fist - bury our faces in our hands and cry - or grab another drink and try to laugh?

I pray history will not forget the political cowardice of this group of enablers, wishing to dignify themselves under the nickname of "Congress".

Joseph Gentilini

David, exactly how I feel. He is bankrupting this country, disobeys laws, thinks no one is angry at him but only republicans (not true), doesn't keep his promises except when he wants to seek revenge on those who will not 'adore' him, etc.!

Joseph Gentilini

 John J - I agree with you. Calling it Lake America because he doesn't like Canada is another example of his narcisisitc personality disorder.  The world laughs at him and he doesn't see it.  The world will call it Lake Ontario just as they do with the Gult of Mexico.  He is a total joke, but a dangerous one.

Michael McLeod

On a more serious vein: I'm wondering what the post-trump atmosphere of the country will be - if there is a rennaissance of sorts, intellectually and otherwise. I just have a sense that the collective personality of the country will see things with freshly awakened vision and it will  be reflected in the arts and humanities and overall creativity, something like the roaring twenties only an outburst that will be more grownup, more contemplative. 

History works in cycles. I bet what we've been through the past few years goes down in the books as a dark age of sorts, and we may have the pleasure of living long enough to enjoy a rennaissance.

John Jackson

This just in from The Borowitz Report:

Man With Severe Dementia Starts Calling Common Objects Different Names

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—An eighty-year-old man with severe dementia has started calling common objects different names, a leading expert in cognitive decline said on Thursday.

The expert, Dr. Davis Logsdon of the University of Minnesota Medical School, noted that the confused man had mistaken the names of major bodies of water and a prominent performing arts center in his city of residence.

The fact that the man has reportedly passed cognitive tests during his annual physicals means that “he is not getting the care he needs,” Logsdon said.

Calling the man’s dementia “advanced,” the expert said, “He must immediately be removed from any position where he can cause harm.”

Michael McLeod

listen to Bob Dylan's "I shall be released"  as sung by Richard Manuel of The Band

I can't get it out of my head. Don't want to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKirVyxf0do

Michael McLeod

Good lord.

Over the past few years I've been in a relationship with a lovely woman who teaches grade school children in a public school down here in central Florida.

She has to keep track of 70 odd students somehow. Seventy!!!

I know this because my daughter mentions that number when she continously advises me not to call her (my teacher friend/significant other) as often as I'd like to.

Good advice.

David Mitchell

I was having lunch today with a former assitant pastor and close friend. He has a son who just took his Bar exam in Tennesee. He visited with his son last week in Nashville. My friend offered me some good advice.

"Dave, don't get caught visiting Nashville in the same week that Dolly Parton dies."

David Mitchell

Last week's news of flooding in the Grand Canyon brought back some memories from the summer of '61.

I was fortunate to attend a camp ("The Prairie Trek") based in rural New Mexico, from which we traveled by truck throughout the "Four Corners Country" - for about 8 weeks. We visited spectacular Bryce and Zion Canyons and spent some time on the Navaho and Hopi reservations. 

One of the highlights of the summer was the Grand Canyon. Part of my group (the 13 year-olds) hiked throught the Grand Canyon - down into the canyon from the south rim - and up the north side. If I recall correctly, It took a total of 29 hours, including sleeping in our sleeping bags on the ground near the bottom of the Canyon. The hike down was harder physically than the hike up - a different stress on the feet and legs. (note - we are talking steep trails - but not like mountain climbing)

We also stopped at the famous "Phantom Ranch" - a rustic but luxury guest ranch and near the bottom of the canyon - where they alowed us to take a swim in their pool.

** I see in their website that they suffered plumbing damage from the flooding and have suspended operations temporarily.

I can't imagine what would have happened to us if.........

The next morning as we got up to begin our "climb" out, one of the guys had a rattle snake under his sleeping bag, that had crawled underneath him - I assume for his body heat. We had learned by then how to handle the rattle snake and relocate it.

Later we passed the biggest Rattler any of us had ever seen. We had to warn each guy behind us as we passed.

The camp had an older group of 16 and 17 year-olds. My older cousin Jim (Watterson '63) was in that group and they voted against the hike through the canyon because it sounded too hard. But we 12 and 13 year-olds were too young to know better.

------------

My tent mate that summer was a Jewish kid from Boston named Johnny Mann. We became great friends - both dads were doctors and we both loved sports. We followed the home run race between Mantle and Maris, and evey time we stopped in a town (for water, gas, or mail pickups) Johnny and I would race to the newspaper stand to get a sports page and see who was leading in home runs. Johhny later won the award for "Treker of the Year" - a silver sandcast Navajo belt buckle. 

Years later, I'm watching Ted Koppel's late news and he is interviewing some famous doctor who headed the world headquarters (from Switzerland, I think) on AIDS research. He had a familiar look about him. He was bald but with a feaky looking dark hair on his sides, a big mustache, and glasses. He looked like some geeky scientist.

After watching the interview for several minutes it hit me. It was "Doctor Johnathan Mann".

I decided that night to try and reach him (after 20 or 30 years), but only found his sister in the Camp records. Before I could reach him, I was sitting with my son, watching the news one afternoon, when they announced the crash of a Swissair flight off of Nova Scotia. Among the deceased passengers was "the famous Dr. Johnathan Mann" and his wife.  

I was dumbstruck!

--------------

My nephew later attended the camp - won the silver Navajo belt buckle for "Treker of the Year", and went back the next year as a counselor, in the same group as my youngest daughter attending the camp. They both became good friends with fellow "Trecker" David Weld, son of Massachusets Gov. William Weld. Later, when my hephew was married at Out Lady of Victory. My daughter and I sat with Gov. Weld's wife and children, who were among my nephew's invited wedding guests.

I almost forgot, my son also attened the camp - and loved it. He (at 16) wrote us a letter saying "I'm never comming back".

Note: Sorry for such a long-winded (and boring) post, but the flooding in Grand Canyon opened a flood of memories. As much as my summer in Salzburg, Austria (after Junior year) and my 2 tours in Vienam, my summer on the 'Prairie Trek' was one of the greatest experience of my life.

--------------

* * * You can look up the "Prairy Trek" on the website "Cottonwood Gulch" The are now celebrating their 100th year and have about a dozen differenct groups each summer, including young ones who spend their time mostlry in the rustic base camp.

- - - - - You should send a gandchild or great grandchild

You might also find another site of interest - the "Phantom Ranch" in the bottom of the Grand Canyon

Michael McLeod

Dave: I was bemused by your buddy's comment about being in nashville so soon after dolly partin's death.

I kinda wish i was still in the journalism biz and got an assignment to write up a story about a city in mourning for dolly. It would have been colorful, tell you that much. Those were the kind of assignments I always loved -- a chance to capture a slice of a community with compassion but at a distance, not getting too caught up in it, just sketching out a picture so readers could feel like they were there with me. Dang. I miss it.

David Mitchell

Mike,

I can imagine your pain.

--------------

Meanwhile back in our old neighborhood, I guess the Bucks managed to squeek one out over BG.

Next week is for real - bring on the Longhorns.

David Mitchell

A few days back, I was posting about the Grand Canyon flooding and my summer of '61 "Treking through the "4 corners" country - (where Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New America come together at a common point).

I can't find a photo from that summer but here is one from a later trip with my Dad and a couple good friends.

If you go to the Grand Canyon you can view it from either the "South Rim" or the "North Rim". There is really a huge diference, (and a long drive to circle around to both).

Most of the great photos and tourist viewing spots (and hotesl) are from the South Rim.

Why?

From the South Rim, you get to view things in different light, and two different eco-systems. As you look on from the South Rim you are seeing the bright lighting of the north canyon walls sun and a lack of vegetation. It is mostlry all red in color - and bright.

From the North Rim, you are looking across at the other (south) side somewhat in shadows and a much more prevalent vegetation mixed in. 

(Sorry my photo willl not upload)

I still marvel at the fact that a bunch of us 12 and 13 year-olds crossed through it!

John Schaeufele

It is a beautiful day here in Richmond, Va.  The sky is clear and bright blue just as it was 25 years ago when I boarded a plane at 8 AM headed to Orlando for a meeting.  Around 8:45 our plane was forced to land in Charlotte, NC for reasons we did not know.  As we approached the airport you could see from the sky there were planes everywhere on the runways and at the gates.  When we reached our gate the pilot notified us that the airspace over the US was shut down after planes struck the World Trade Center Towers in NYC.  Entereing the terminal after deplannng you could see the horros of the towers on the TV monitors and the terminal was packed with travels wondering what would happen next.  Through a miracle and a knd lady we were able to rent a car and drive home to Richmond,  9/11 will always be a day for me to remember the horror of the terrorist attack on this nation and also think it could have been my plane that hit the towers, the pentagon or that field in PA.

Today I see a strange thing happening in this nation as it becomes more complacint or accepting of the Muslim religion.  I hear that there is little difference between the Koran and the Bible in our approach to God.  Believe me when I say there is a fast differnce between these two books.  If you want to dig into this further, read "Seeking Allah and Finding Jesus" by Nabeel Quesrshi. Allah is a god to fear while Jesus is a God of love who wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. Every year I go on a medical mission to Egypt and I see firsthand how Muslims live.  I do not want that life here in USA.  Remember today and please pray for our nation.

David Mitchell

I suppose we can each recall the moment we became aware of the attack. I was just gettting out of the shower and grabbing my phone. It was my daughter Sara (who was in school in Pasadena, California at the time). She screamed "Dad, have you seen the news? The United States is under attack."

I asured her she must have been mistaken but switched on my TV just in case. That's when they hit tower #2. And soon after, the Pentagon, followed by the crsh in Pennsylvania.

I can only compare it to the day JFK was shot.

Days that will stick in our memories forever. 

Joseph Gentilini

I had posted my memories of JFK and 9/11 but hit some button and deleted it all - ugh. I'll try to recreate it.

Thanks for Mike McC, Dave M, and John Sch for their postings on their memories of those days. I was in Sister Mary Alice's (now Barbara) biology class after lunch when Monsignor Spires came on the intercom and said the president had been shot. We all got up and prayed for him. Then we went to gym class. When we got back into the locker room, Spires came on again and said JFK was dead. We were all dismissed. On my way to my locker, I ran into Sister Norbertine (my Freshman Algebra teacher) and she was crying. As I remember she kept a picture of JFK on the bulletin board on the wall nearest the windows.

My family was clued to the television the entire weekend. On Sunday morning, we were getting ready for Mass and my father and I were watching TV and saw live when Oswald was shot by Ruby. The entire country seems to be going crazy.

About 9''11. I worked for the State of Ohio and was in Central Office Administration building. Someone said he heard that the World Trade Tower had been hit by a plane. One of my co-workers lived close to the office and went home to get a small tv and we all huddled around it. When they determened that we were under attack, I sent a note to our manager who was in a meeting down the hall and told her that America was under attack.

The lights in the building were turned off and only the emergency lighting was on. Why I don't know.  We were all like dazed.  Soon the governor told all state workers, except for the absolutely mandatory workers, were told to go home. They were not sure that the attacks might be more wide-spread. Again, I was glued to the tv after that wondering what was happening to our country. 

Leo was working as a clerk in the Clintonville Post Office. I called him and told him.  Sometime after that, the Post Office told offices to closer early. They didn't know if other government agencies might be attacked and/or if the mail and packages might be a source of furthere attacks.

These memories are seared in my brain.  I don't know who organized it, but we attended a program at the Ohio Theater downtown which consisted of prayers, songs, reflections, etc. It was an effort for all of us to gather together to help deal with the horror of it all.

I do pray for our country everyday.

David Mitchell

You can view numerous accouts online of "The Man in the Red Bandana". I have listed one video from YouTube below.

I first learned of the story of Welles Crowther and "The Order of the Red Bandana" on one of my Marked men For Christ weekends - about 10 years ago."

We were all given a similar Red Bandana - listened to his story - and finally, went through a series of prayers culminating with the words "Follow Me. I know the way out". A refence to Christ's offer of Salvation.

Young Boston College Alum Welles Crowther worked in a stock brokerage firm on the 104th floor of one of the towers. He kept a red bandana ever since school days.

When the flames engulfed the building, he pulled his bandana over his nose and mouth and started leading people through the smoke and down the emergency stairway to safety - repeating the phrase,    "Follow Me. I know the Way Out."

I think he made several trips - saving many lives who would have otherwise have been lost - before he himself was lost in the fire. Then stories of some young man with a red bandanna began to surface. They finally confirmed it was Welles Crowther. 

I only learned of this story through the ceremony at our MMFCrist retreat.

(Added later - Note: This YouTube video is about 10 years old.)

Michael McLeod

I had figured that once I retired I coudl relax.

But my brain keeps buzzing around like a racehorse wondering when I'm gonna come let it out of the barn for a few laps. So accustomed to working, and working at something I loved -- guess I'm gonna have to pick up a few related hobbies or something.

AND THANK YOU DAVE FOR RECOGNIZING A HERO. 

Wish I'd been around to write up his story.