http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293 While Emerson faulted Thoreau for his lack of committing to a higher calling than gathering huckleberries, the great intellectual giant did commend Henry for his mastery of practical skills, something Emerson genuinely admired about Thoreau. People with real intellect and education rather than those for which such things are only a hollow affectation are quick to credit those that can do things, the practical things that keep a society functioning and growing. After all, the world is a very practical place that has only so much room for dreamers and artists. And even these require food and shelter. During WWII there were a great number of activities for those of us on the Home Front, by which contributions were made to the war effort giving us the sense of participation, of doing things useful in fighting the war. Some of these activities enabled even children to make their contributions, things like peeling foil from gum and cigarette pack wrappers, rolling it in a ball and turning it in to a scrap metal collection center. I would help grandad flatten tin cans with hammer and anvil for the same purpose. Many children were also turning in metal toys for the war effort, most of which would command a very high price today as &ldquo;collectibles.&rdquo; Few people today would think about wire clothes hangers being hard to come by, but even such a mundane though utilitarian item was scarce at the time, so, grandad made them. Grandad being a jack of all trades, building our house, the church and grocery store in Little Oklahoma (Southeast Bakersfield) there were construction materials around the place before the war, and having a roll of wire on hand he fashioned a jig of a board and nails, then cutting the wire to the proper length he would twist it around the jig and voila; a wire clothes hanger. Grandad was always doing things like this that made him my idol; grandad could do things, really fascinating and useful things, and he took the time to teach me to do things as well. In so very many ways those of us living the events of WWII were made to feel useful in the war effort; we were making a contribution to defeat the Axis powers. Rationing was hard on many, but more were making jokes about it than complaining. After all, our boys overseas were fighting and dying; what were the hardships on the home front compared to that, especially when those small flags with gold stars in the windows of homes in the neighborhood reflected the reality of the ultimate price being paid by so many? You could depend on the funny papers, The Saturday Evening Post and Collier&rsquo;s Magazine having cartoons about rationing; but very little of poking fun in such a way was of &ldquo;gallows humor.&rdquo; Most certainly there was no humor to be found in those fighting and dying overseas. Any such attempt at humor would have been met with an army of home front folk bearing tar and feathers. Bill Mauldin was sensitive enough to know better than make light of the actual grim realities of what was happening on the front lines, though we all blessed him for the humor he was able to convey through &ldquo;Willie and Joe&rdquo; in the face of such grim realities. Which makes it all the more to be wondered why anyone would attempt &ldquo;humor&rdquo; in any fashion concerning 9/11, as some have done? Much in the way of the preamble to Gone With The Wind, the way of life in the America of my generation of WWII is quickly passing away, likely never to be seen again, a time when people believed in virtue, believed crime did not pay, that honesty was the best policy. These values were taught in the homes and schools throughout that America. We trusted our leaders to have the best interests of America in view at all times in making decisions, passing legislation and making policies; it was a time when the courts had more concern for victims than for criminals. Notwithstanding the legitimate faults and weaknesses that are to be found, my generation was a time reflecting the values of our Founding Fathers, whom we still held in the highest esteem, still reflecting the best of Western Civilization in our schools and society. Little did We The People realize that even at the time the America we loved and believed in, sacrificed so much for was already being sold out and betrayed by the universities and their product politicians so given over to greed and corruption, reflecting the amorality of the universities. But &ldquo;root hog or die&rdquo; remains true, even as the Bible has it &ldquo;if any not work, neither should he eat.&rdquo; However, America is suffering from the lack of both people with practical skills and opportunities to apply those skills. At that, the slave labor provided by illegal aliens and welfare checks prevent many young people doing the kind of honest work with their hands that would give them a sense of self-worth rather than turning to crime and gangs. Since the years when I was a vocational skills instructor, the shops in most high schools have been abandoned. And it is utter self-serving nonsense for politicians to mouth platitudes about &ldquo;training&rdquo; for industries that have been shipped out of America for the sake of profits. During the years I was teaching young people to work with both hands and minds, to run lathes and mills, do foundry and sheet metal work, auto repair and construction work, all the while learning to take pride in themselves through a sense of accomplishment I did so in the hope these young people would find a demand for such skills when they graduated. This is no longer the case. So very much of the American character founded in being able to apply the practical skills to everyday living and earning a paycheck has been sacrificed for a Big Brother government as a way of life. It seems incredible that in just my own lifetime I have been witness to an era in which one paycheck was sufficient to take care of a family to this one in which even two paychecks are insufficient. It took a lot of slave labor to keep Rome humming along. But as was the case in Rome the problem in America is one that reminds me of the frog in water being slowly heated not realizing it is reaching a killing temperature. It has taken a few decades for America to reach this same situation, an America being turned into a nation of slaves lacking the practical skills to do things for themselves, and a leadership that has sold out and betrayed our nation to the point where the opportunity to apply the practical skills for a paycheck, and one that will provide for a family is fast disappearing. Working in the fields was not beneath the dignity of many Americans when I was a child. I was born on a cotton farm and raised among such people, the kind of people immortalized by Steinbeck and some others who realized the value of human dignity in working and earning a living with one&rsquo;s own hands. But even then, the idea the laborer is worthy of his hire was abandoned to the greed and corruption of landowners and their toady politicians and now I have to wonder; where are the jobs to be found for the empty promises of politicians concerning job training? While I thoroughly enjoy going through my book of Norman Rockwell pictures, it is an enjoyment heavily tinged with the nostalgia of melancholy regret for the America I once knew and is now gone. I&rsquo;ve lived in some of the harshest conditions without any of the amenities we have come to take for granted and have no illusions about the &ldquo;good ol&rsquo; days.&rdquo; Still, the American character was rooted in the opportunity to apply the practical skills with hope of providing for a family, of offering hope to a future generation. We are now faced with the grim reality that such hope is fast fading for this generation of young people, and as I consider the vacuum of leadership in America and those running for office I have cause to wonder with genuine concern what is to become of such a generation? While Emerson faulted Thoreau for his lack of committing to a higher calling than gathering huckleberries, the great intellectual giant did commend Henry for his mastery of practical skills, something Emerson genuinely admired about Thoreau. People with real intellect and education rather than those for which such things are only a hollow affectation are quick to credit those that can do things, the practical things that keep a society functioning and growing. After all, the world is a very practical place that has only so much room for dreamers and artists. And even these require food and shelter. During WWII there were a great number of activities for those of us on the Home Front, by which contributions were made to the war effort giving us the sense of participation, of doing things useful in fighting the war. Some of these activities enabled even children to make their contributions, things like peeling foil from gum and cigarette pack wrappers, rolling it in a ball and turning it in to a scrap metal collection center. I would help grandad flatten tin cans with hammer and anvil for the same purpose. Many children were also turning in metal toys for the war effort, most of which would command a very high price today as &ldquo;collectibles.&rdquo; Few people today would think about wire clothes hangers being hard to come by, but even such a mundane though utilitarian item was scarce at the time, so, grandad made them. Grandad being a jack of all trades, building our house, the church and grocery store in Little Oklahoma (Southeast Bakersfield) there were construction materials around the place before the war, and having a roll of wire on hand he fashioned a jig of a board and nails, then cutting the wire to the proper length he would twist it around the jig and voila; a wire clothes hanger. Grandad was always doing things like this that made him my idol; grandad could do things, really fascinating and useful things, and he took the time to teach me to do things as well. In so very many ways those of us living the events of WWII were made to feel useful in the war effort; we were making a contribution to defeat the Axis powers. Rationing was hard on many, but more were making jokes about it than complaining. After all, our boys overseas were fighting and dying; what were the hardships on the home front compared to that, especially when those small flags with gold stars in the windows of homes in the neighborhood reflected the reality of the ultimate price being paid by so many? You could depend on the funny papers, The Saturday Evening Post and Collier&rsquo;s Magazine having cartoons about rationing; but very little of poking fun in such a way was of &ldquo;gallows humor.&rdquo; Most certainly there was no humor to be found in those fighting and dying overseas. Any such attempt at humor would have been met with an army of home front folk bearing tar and feathers. Bill Mauldin was sensitive enough to know better than make light of the actual grim realities of what was happening on the front lines, though we all blessed him for the humor he was able to convey through &ldquo;Willie and Joe&rdquo; in the face of such grim realities. Which makes it all the more to be wondered why anyone would attempt &ldquo;humor&rdquo; in any fashion concerning 9/11, as some have done? Much in the way of the preamble to Gone With The Wind, the way of life in the America of my generation of WWII is quickly passing away, likely never to be seen again, a time when people believed in virtue, believed crime did not pay, that honesty was the best policy. These values were taught in the homes and schools throughout that America. We trusted our leaders to have the best interests of America in view at all times in making decisions, passing legislation and making policies; it was a time when the courts had more concern for victims than for criminals. Notwithstanding the legitimate faults and weaknesses that are to be found, my generation was a time reflecting the values of our Founding Fathers, whom we still held in the highest esteem, still reflecting the best of Western Civilization in our schools and society. Little did We The People realize that even at the time the America we loved and believed in, sacrificed so much for was already being sold out and betrayed by the universities and their product politicians so given over to greed and corruption, reflecting the amorality of the universities. But &ldquo;root hog or die&rdquo; remains true, even as the Bible has it &ldquo;if any not work, neither should he eat.&rdquo; However, America is suffering from the lack of both people with practical skills and opportunities to apply those skills. At that, the slave labor provided by illegal aliens and welfare checks prevent many young people doing the kind of honest work with their hands that would give them a sense of self-worth rather than turning to crime and gangs. Since the years when I was a vocational skills instructor, the shops in most high schools have been abandoned. And it is utter self-serving nonsense for politicians to mouth platitudes about &ldquo;training&rdquo; for industries that have been shipped out of America for the sake of profits. During the years I was teaching young people to work with both hands and minds, to run lathes and mills, do foundry and sheet metal work, auto repair and construction work, all the while learning to take pride in themselves through a sense of accomplishment I did so in the hope these young people would find a demand for such skills when they graduated. This is no longer the case. So very much of the American character founded in being able to apply the practical skills to everyday living and earning a paycheck has been sacrificed for a Big Brother government as a way of life. It seems incredible that in just my own lifetime I have been witness to an era in which one paycheck was sufficient to take care of a family to this one in which even two paychecks are insufficient. It took a lot of slave labor to keep Rome humming along. But as was the case in Rome the problem in America is one that reminds me of the frog in water being slowly heated not realizing it is reaching a killing temperature. It has taken a few decades for America to reach this same situation, an America being turned into a nation of slaves lacking the practical skills to do things for themselves, and a leadership that has sold out and betrayed our nation to the point where the opportunity to apply the practical skills for a paycheck, and one that will provide for a family is fast disappearing. Working in the fields was not beneath the dignity of many Americans when I was a child. I was born on a cotton farm and raised among such people, the kind of people immortalized by Steinbeck and some others who realized the value of human dignity in working and earning a living with one&rsquo;s own hands. But even then, the idea the laborer is worthy of his hire was abandoned to the greed and corruption of landowners and their toady politicians and now I have to wonder; where are the jobs to be found for the empty promises of politicians concerning job training? While I thoroughly enjoy going through my book of Norman Rockwell pictures, it is an enjoyment heavily tinged with the nostalgia of melancholy regret for the America I once knew and is now gone. I&rsquo;ve lived in some of the harshest conditions without any of the amenities we have come to take for granted and have no illusions about the &ldquo;good ol&rsquo; days.&rdquo; Still, the American character was rooted in the opportunity to apply the practical skills with hope of providing for a family, of offering hope to a future generation. We are now faced with the grim reality that such hope is fast fading for this generation of young people, and as I consider the vacuum of leadership in America and those running for office I have cause to wonder with genuine concern what is to become of such a generation? en-us <p><em>I envy you Sam for being able to live in a time when times were hard.&nbsp; But not impossible to live through.&nbsp; My parents too, worked in the cotton fields.&nbsp; My dad was able to work and make a living for his wife and 5 kids.&nbsp; We lived in nice homes, almost always had two cars in the garage.&nbsp; We vacationed together.&nbsp; I worry about my kids generation.&nbsp; I worry about getting older and not having what I need because I'm too old to work.&nbsp; I guess I have social security, however&nbsp;not&nbsp;sure&nbsp;I'm gonna see it by the time I reach of age.&nbsp; I have a retirement through my work.&nbsp; But the way everything is going up in price at such a high rate, I doubt that I'll be able to get by.</em></p> <p><em>There is definitely something wrong with our leaders. They seem to be focused on .... each other I guess.&nbsp; Our country in failing the American Family.&nbsp; Are they not able to see that or don't they care?&nbsp; I just paid a $300.00 electric bill.&nbsp; Why is it that high?&nbsp; Silly me, I decided to run the air conditioner.&nbsp; It was HOT.&nbsp; I swear, I didn't run it at night.&nbsp; I'm not sure how a family survives any longer.&nbsp; We have a tough time, and to me, a few years ago, I would have thought our salaries combined was a pretty good chunk of change.&nbsp; Not anymore.&nbsp; Something terrible is going on. </em></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154851 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154851 <p><em>I envy you Sam for being able to live in a time when times were hard.&nbsp; But not impossible to live through.&nbsp; My parents too, worked in the cotton fields.&nbsp; My dad was able to work and make a living for his wife and 5 kids.&nbsp; We lived in nice homes, almost always had two cars in the garage.&nbsp; We vacationed together.&nbsp; I worry about my kids generation.&nbsp; I worry about getting older and not having what I need because I'm too old to work.&nbsp; I guess I have social security, however&nbsp;not&nbsp;sure&nbsp;I'm gonna see it by the time I reach of age.&nbsp; I have a retirement through my work.&nbsp; But the way everything is going up in price at such a high rate, I doubt that I'll be able to get by.</em></p> <p><em>There is definitely something wrong with our leaders. They seem to be focused on .... each other I guess.&nbsp; Our country in failing the American Family.&nbsp; Are they not able to see that or don't they care?&nbsp; I just paid a $300.00 electric bill.&nbsp; Why is it that high?&nbsp; Silly me, I decided to run the air conditioner.&nbsp; It was HOT.&nbsp; I swear, I didn't run it at night.&nbsp; I'm not sure how a family survives any longer.&nbsp; We have a tough time, and to me, a few years ago, I would have thought our salaries combined was a pretty good chunk of change.&nbsp; Not anymore.&nbsp; Something terrible is going on. </em></p> Your concern is shared by millions of Americans today Olivia. For me, looking back it seems the America I was born into and grew up in was a fairy tale, and had I not lived it I understand how it seems a fairy tale now to many who never knew such an America, and when my generation is gone&nbsp;it&nbsp;may pass into legend&nbsp;creating its own mythology with the passing of time. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154854 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154854 Your concern is shared by millions of Americans today Olivia. For me, looking back it seems the America I was born into and grew up in was a fairy tale, and had I not lived it I understand how it seems a fairy tale now to many who never knew such an America, and when my generation is gone&nbsp;it&nbsp;may pass into legend&nbsp;creating its own mythology with the passing of time. <p><em>And it does seem like a fairy tale.  I was a small child in the 60's, although my parents had their struggles and "we" as children grew up witness to those struggles.  We still were able to grow up with the innocence of those times. I remember playing Barbie's  with my sister, gosh probably until I was 13.  Why did my children lose interest in that wonderful fantasy at such an early age?  I'm not sure where that innocence went.  I'm almost certain, that in my naivety, I succumbed to the public facsination of video games and not such great t.v , not really understanding what that could do to my kids innocence.  I grew up with Partridge Family and Brady Bunch.  How much more innocent is that.  I Love Lucy and the 3 stooges.  They grew up watching disfunctional families, making them into comedy.  Does this even make sense?  Was the fantasy of innocence such a bad thing to keep around?  It's too late to change that I think.  We watched, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, every single year forever.  I watch it now, it brings back such happy times, and my kids think I'm a dork because I make them sit and watch it with me.  They do enjoy it though, it's a little bit of innocent tradition that still lives on.  And I cherish that. </em></p> <p><em>My mother is 77 years old.  She still goes out into her yard, turns over dirt, plants gardens.  She asked my brother-in-law recently if she could borrow his ladder and chain saw so that she could prune her walnut tree. I was relieved when he told her no, that he would come over on the week-end and do it for her.  Where does her energy come from?  Me, I work a full time job, come home to my family, cook dinner, (sometimes.... </em><strong>: ) </strong><em>).  By the week-end, I sure don't want to climb up in a tree to prune it.  Let alone go into my yard at all.  I'm certain that growing up in her era was a blessing.</em></p> <p><em>I told my mother one day, that I thought I needed to get some anti-depressants, that I was feeling depressed.  Do you know what she told me.  She told me to hush up and go out in the yard and pull weeds.  I think she was right.  When I do muster up the energy to go outside and pull weeds or dig in the dirt. I feel so much better.  (a little sore the next day from all that bending)</em></p> <p><em>At my older age, I still believe in fairy tales and happily ever after.  Sometimes that is a curse.  Sometimes a blessing.</em></p> <p><em>  </em></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154867 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154867 <p><em>And it does seem like a fairy tale.  I was a small child in the 60's, although my parents had their struggles and "we" as children grew up witness to those struggles.  We still were able to grow up with the innocence of those times. I remember playing Barbie's  with my sister, gosh probably until I was 13.  Why did my children lose interest in that wonderful fantasy at such an early age?  I'm not sure where that innocence went.  I'm almost certain, that in my naivety, I succumbed to the public facsination of video games and not such great t.v , not really understanding what that could do to my kids innocence.  I grew up with Partridge Family and Brady Bunch.  How much more innocent is that.  I Love Lucy and the 3 stooges.  They grew up watching disfunctional families, making them into comedy.  Does this even make sense?  Was the fantasy of innocence such a bad thing to keep around?  It's too late to change that I think.  We watched, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, every single year forever.  I watch it now, it brings back such happy times, and my kids think I'm a dork because I make them sit and watch it with me.  They do enjoy it though, it's a little bit of innocent tradition that still lives on.  And I cherish that. </em></p> <p><em>My mother is 77 years old.  She still goes out into her yard, turns over dirt, plants gardens.  She asked my brother-in-law recently if she could borrow his ladder and chain saw so that she could prune her walnut tree. I was relieved when he told her no, that he would come over on the week-end and do it for her.  Where does her energy come from?  Me, I work a full time job, come home to my family, cook dinner, (sometimes.... </em><strong>: ) </strong><em>).  By the week-end, I sure don't want to climb up in a tree to prune it.  Let alone go into my yard at all.  I'm certain that growing up in her era was a blessing.</em></p> <p><em>I told my mother one day, that I thought I needed to get some anti-depressants, that I was feeling depressed.  Do you know what she told me.  She told me to hush up and go out in the yard and pull weeds.  I think she was right.  When I do muster up the energy to go outside and pull weeds or dig in the dirt. I feel so much better.  (a little sore the next day from all that bending)</em></p> <p><em>At my older age, I still believe in fairy tales and happily ever after.  Sometimes that is a curse.  Sometimes a blessing.</em></p> <p><em>  </em></p> It's a whole different world now Olivia, and my heart goes out&nbsp; to those trying to raise children today in the face of so many obstacles. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154893 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154893 It's a whole different world now Olivia, and my heart goes out&nbsp; to those trying to raise children today in the face of so many obstacles. My grandma is almost 80 years old and she can totally surpass me in everything we do!  She walks five miles every morning (except Sunday morning) and spends the day cleaning, working in her yard (an acre!), reading, traveling, playing bunco, and educating herself on different topics.  She watches TV for an hour or two each night and she checks her email once a day.  Just last week she was talking about how she was going to tar her own roof.<br /> She puts me to shame.  I'm not nearly as productive or thrifty or active.  But she gives me something to aspire to.  She isn't perfect, but she's the only person I know that was from that generation- and she makes me understand why people revere her generation. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154902 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154902 My grandma is almost 80 years old and she can totally surpass me in everything we do!  She walks five miles every morning (except Sunday morning) and spends the day cleaning, working in her yard (an acre!), reading, traveling, playing bunco, and educating herself on different topics.  She watches TV for an hour or two each night and she checks her email once a day.  Just last week she was talking about how she was going to tar her own roof.<br /> She puts me to shame.  I'm not nearly as productive or thrifty or active.  But she gives me something to aspire to.  She isn't perfect, but she's the only person I know that was from that generation- and she makes me understand why people revere her generation. <p>No need to tell you how fortunate you are&nbsp; to have someone like your grandma in your life.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154904 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/samheath/16293/#c_154904 <p>No need to tell you how fortunate you are&nbsp; to have someone like your grandma in your life.</p>