Recent Blog Posts: Tehachapi News

Have Americans lost their sense of humor?

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:46:57 PDT

If you have lived long enough to make a qualitative analysis of the subject you realize what passes for commercial humor in America has changed considerably over the past decades, and now it is much safer to engage in the lowest form of what some consider “humor” than what is truly humorous about the human species; and for good reason. America and the rest of the world has become very dangerous, and even gallows humor were it acceptable would not be able to make us feel safer; much in the manner of Thoreau’s comment concerning economics, while it may lend itself to levity it cannot so easily be disposed.

A major factor in the loss of real humor in America has its basis in the words of the Psalmist, “I said in my haste all men are liars.” I recall a preacher years ago commenting on the words of the Psalmist concluding, “You know folks, I haven’t been in any hurry about it, I’ve taken a lot of time to think this over, and I still think all men are liars.”

There is no doubt in my mind Sam Clemens was the most gifted, natural born liar with which this poor, tired old earth has ever been blessed. Not a day goes by that I’m not reminded of the debt America owes this champion of the tall tale, the “stretchers” Sam would tell for the sake of laughter benefiting untold millions of people. Even today this master of the English language and humor continues to be paid homage by millions throughout the world. But the distinction is always there between a lie told to do harm or take advantage, and those told whether for the sake of a tall tale or when one has no choice but to lie.

Which shall it be; keep your friends, keep your job, or speak your mind and to thine own self be true? This much is certain, as little Scout pointed out one must lie under certain circumstances. But it is a personal responsibility to discriminate as to when one must lie and when one must not. And just to the degree we find ourselves making allowances for lying or telling the truth, to that degree we define our own character, all the while acknowledging the fact that one must lie under certain circumstances, just as good manners, proper speech and etiquette are the socially approved method by which civilized people are able to congregate without coming to blows. It was for this reason the champion of the tall tale cautioned one must present their personal opinions carefully perfumed and barbered for the public. And it remains there are three subjects you do not bring up in a bar: Politics, Religion, and the Civil War.

But while Sam was the consummate master of humor, there is no disputing his genius for such humor had its basis in the very darkest of human experiences and emotions, as with all great works of humor exemplified by the Greeks and later by Shakespeare, so much so that he considered death the only pure and unalloyed gift of God. Far from being merely the clown laughing outwardly while crying inwardly, Sam wrote from the depths of human despair; that he was able to turn the tables on such despair of humankind, believing like Franklin it was not worthy of surviving, and laugh at himself while poking fun at others and the human condition was, in my opinion, nothing short of miraculous, his own peculiar spark of divinity.

As Harper Lee so well pointed out, real writers are compelled to write. So long as they write, they live; and they live to write; they could as well stop breathing as to stop writing. It is therefore no wonder that such real writers are also compelled to tell the truth in so many instances when a well-crafted lie might serve them better. Where Sam had the advantage, a product of his singular and unique genius for humor, was being able to plumb the dark side for his well crafted lies that served truth in the end.

Walt Kelly was a gifted humorist, and as such pointed out we should not take life too seriously, since it’s in no wise permanent. Such a point of view one would think should result in honesty. But the real honesty to be found in the best of humor begins with being honest with yourself. To the extent one is dishonest with themselves, to that extent they will find themselves being dishonest with others.

Politicians and the MSM suffer mightily from a lack of both humor and honesty. Emerson had long ago noted no one would become a politician had they a choice of some noble occupation, and I have concluded the same thing holds true for most of those involved with the MSM. How many of these, do you suppose, are really honest with themselves? It’s as though the “professionals” in government and the media have concluded of We the People in the words of Jack Nicholson “You can’t handle the truth!” Perhaps if we were ever told the truth we could put the lie to such a conclusion. But given the track record of politicians and those in the media I hold no hope of this ever happening.

Granted in an America held in bondage to politically correct speech there is no room for any discussion of the truth that does not degenerate into labeling and name-calling it comes down to lying in order to protect one’s rice bowl. Which shall it be; keep your friends, keep your job, or speak your mind and to thine own self be true?

Americans haven’t lost their sense of humor, but the very best of humor has its basis in the truth. And it is this loss of truth I blame for the lack of genuine humor in America, humor that is not degraded by meanness, perversion, or a pernicious attempt to harm or take advantage.

Commuting

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:40:40 PDT

I was wondering if anyone can give me some information on commuting from Tehachapi to Bakersfield. My husband works for PG&E and he is looking into transfering to Bakersfield. Would commuting be an option for us? About how long would it take? Mapquest says 45 mins but sometimes mapquest isnt correct. In the winter when it snows about how long would it take? Would commuting to Ridgecrest be another option? Any information would be helpful. Thank you in advance.

Kristy

Our Cat is Lost

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:36:18 PDT

If anyone sees a cat that looks like this in Bear Valley my family and I would be most appreciative if you could catch him. He's a lot bigger than he looks in the pictures and knows how to open doors and work deadbolts (so if you DO manage to catch him keep this in mind please I'm not exaggerating.) He has been missing for five days now. Despite the lack in the pictures he is wearing a collar and his name is Tigger. The collar has our contact information on it. We fear something might have "caught" him but in case he's just lost I thought I'd put this up and hope for the best! Thanks!

Dead Body found

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:18:51 PDT

Does anyone have any info about the body they found in the field by the old Valley Foods (now Jaliscos)

What happened in Bear Valley?

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:43:00 PDT

Anybody know what happened in Bear Valley today? This guy landed about 3:15pm today. I only heard a few sirens right before he landed. After he lifted off he headed straight over the ridge towards Bakersfield.

About an hour later, he flew back over Bear Valley towards Tehachapi. Maybe the return trip to the airfield from the hospital?

Tehachapi Man Eats Live Snake

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 07:01:00 PDT

http://www.bakersfield.com/hourly_news/story/188978.html

Please check out the link first.

Okay now I am not a huge animal right person and think PETA is full of wack jobs that have no grab with reality but this guy needs to be arrested for animal cruelty. The killing of the snake itself does not bother me but the way he did it does. How on earth does it make him a survior to eat a kill snake?

NEW DIRECTORS

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:32:27 PDT

Since it doesn't seem like anyone reads the Forum section, I'm going to comment on a recent Forum submission in this section. Ms Huckins (In Support of TVHD) states that the new directors at the hospital, three physicians with local medical practices, are trying really hard to learn about the hospital and they have a steep learning curve. Didn't the public vote in a bunch of local doctors because they were supposed to know something about a hospital? Why do these physicians, a couple of whom have been in the community for decades, not have a better grasp of this hospital? Where were they in the past years?

Faith and hope are dead without works

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:52:46 PDT

Luther may have been enlightened by “The just shall live by his faith,” but he wasn’t ignorant of the responsibility of such a thing evidenced by the works of faith. And Christianity thereafter began the arduous process of becoming a civilized religion, one that eventually gave rise to the very best of the arts and sciences despite the many obstructions and abuses along the way, and in some cases still ongoing. A case in point being the abuse of the Christian religion by President Bush, a professing “believer.” However, Bush is far more representative of the tyranny of religion as opposed to the Scriptural “liberty in Christ.”

The sinister secrecy of the Bush administration has its roots, I believe, in the assassination of JFK. From the moment that Carcano Carbine was displayed for the world to view as the touted weapon of choice by a supposed “expert,” Oswald, as a weapons expert myself and even owning one of these guns at the time as a curiosity piece because it was known to be the worst of military issue firearms used during WWII, I knew we were being lied to by our government. But why? If you have studied all the available documents and theories surrounding the assassination one thing is clear: JFK and his brother RFK had made enough enemies throughout the whole spectrum of government, banking and corporate interests, organized crime and intelligence agencies to seal their doom.

Certainly I want to see Bush and Cheney impeached, I want them brought to trial and convicted for their crimes. But as I have already noted several times, the same witch’s brew of interests that wanted JFK and RFK dead continues to infest Congress. There is not likely to be any impeachment because there are too many in Congress that dare not expose themselves. It is all for the most part like the Warren and 9/11 Commissions nothing but a charade to protect the same interests that sealed the fate of John and Robert Kennedy. Bush, Cheney, and Rove know this; and because they know this they can afford to act with impunity making their contribution to what America is being forced to endure today, a virtual Federal Triune Dictatorship under the rule of which We the People have little recourse. Despite the Internet, the MSM continues in thrall to politicians and their corporate masters.

But whatever one’s thoughts on the subject, it cannot be legitimately denied that a government that refuses to secure our own borders for the sake of slave labor and corporate profits, that wages protracted wars for the benefit of a very few without any benefit to We the People, but on the contrary is making America a pariah among the nations of the world, can only be viewed in the most sinister way. Being the President of the United States, holding the most powerful office of the most powerful nation in the world, it is obvious someone like Bush could not possibly be the right person for this position. Nevertheless, there he is; and that alone is enough for me to believe there is more to this sinister dictatorship in America than politics alone can account for; which is why I consider elements of the occult at work in this.

Regardless the positions of wealth, power, and education we find people involved with the occult. And not surprising since even the most wealthy, powerful, and well educated know they will die. As a result some become concerned about finding meaning beyond that of their physical existence, and when traditional religious beliefs are not sufficient for them they resort to oftentimes bizarre beliefs and practices.

It is relatively easy to ignore the extravagant claims for religion, those of the pope, for example, that he alone speaks for God and it is either believe and follow the pope or go to hell. The pope is far from being alone in his delusion; but no matter what the religion or representative, when anyone tells me they speak for God I immediately consign them to that class of persons not worth my time. Over the decades of my life I have formed some beliefs that can easily be construed as “religious,” though I do not consider them as such, but it would not cross my mind to attempt forcing these beliefs on any others. However, this requires separating beliefs from facts, the spiritual from the physical; a difficult task for most of us who believe there is a very real spiritual dimension to our lives.

While I have known some good people that live their lives according to the precepts of the Gospel, that put the Golden Rule into practice by their lives, I have known too many others for whom their religion is a kind of rabbit’s foot, a totem rather than pure religion as defined by Scripture. There are some that believe preaching at others at every opportunity is pleasing Jesus, not knowing all they are doing apart from being obnoxious is trying to put Jesus in their debt by their “faithful witness.” And these have their counterparts in all religious systems.

However, to use the word “sinister” does have theological implications, some of which are relatively benign, but others like those of Bush of enormously malevolent, malignant magnitude affecting all of us. When any man whether the pope or Bush declares God speaks to them rational people have just cause for alarm. For example, if the pope were more concerned about ridding his church of pervert priests preying on children he might have more credibility ex cathedra. But to deny protecting children to the utmost of his ability, all the while nodding agreement to what many of us suppose must be the closest to the heart of God, children, puts the lie to all his good intentions. And when Bush orders the deaths of so many innocent civilians and American troops all the while refusing to secure our borders for the obvious purpose of advancing a personal agenda of power and wealth this puts the lie to any of his pronounced “concerns” about terrorism or for America and We the People.

The Scripture has it that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So if the just, the children of God live by their faith according to Scripture irrespective of religion or no religion their lives will declare this “living faith.” But it is not enough for anyone to say they have such faith while denying their part in being accountable for allowing evil to have its way; it is not enough to preach you have hope while denying access for hope to others. While faith without works is dead, being alone, so with hope without justification by works, and simply telling me to smile and just keep hoping things will work out is at the most charitable naïve in the extreme, when not downright insulting to my intelligence. There are just too many “Be warmed and filled” people, preaching a gospel of “positivism” while ignoring their part in confronting evil for what it is.

However, the problem is historical; a history of humankind where it is abundantly evident good people do not want or seek power and authority over others. This leaves a vacuum for the very worst of humankind seizing power and authority. Franklin recognized the problem leading to his dismal assessment of providing a republic if it could be kept. Reputedly the wisest man of his time and knowing human nature so well, I very much doubt Franklin believed such a republic could be kept; and the present leadership of America certainly confirms the doubt.

Every day we are forced to confront the evil of some monster in human guise raping, torturing and murdering a child somewhere. Some get national attention, and some do not. Years ago I wrote of the need for children becoming a national priority, both in safety from monsters and in the education of children. Someone recently said in respect to the safety of children from monsters what is needed to get the ears of politicians is “national outrage!” But over the years I have come to realize this is not likely to happen. The very evil that refuses the ears and silences those in positions of power in our government is the same evil that suppresses the cries of the children being raped, tortured and murdered. And if the most innocent of victims in America have no voice that will be heard by our government, nothing but that word “sinister” suffices for me by way of explanation.

It really doesn’t matter to me whether a person has any beliefs of a religious or occult nature, what really matters is whether those in positions of power and authority have such beliefs and use these to justify their most heinous actions against others, whether the fanatics of Islam or any that profess to believe God warrants their actions to do harm to those that refuse to obey such “servants of God.” My part is to resist the Devil by whatever definition wherever he is to be found. And if the facts of JFK and 9/11 have been withheld from the light of day, if those like Bush and Muslim fanatics are holding millions in bondage to tyranny and fear one can only speculate what other forces of darkness are at work.

Stop Sign

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:22:30 PDT

What do you think about the new stop sign's that have been added to Tucker rd and Highline rd?

My opinion is that it should of happened along time ago and it is a good thing. My only gripe is that I never heard a word about it going in there and when i traveled down that road and all of the sudden there is a sign saying stop ahead it surprised me.

Why you cannot enter Heaven on the basis of what you do.

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:13:17 PDT

It's the age old response: "If you are a good person, raise your family right, obey the laws, then you'll goto Heaven.". Well that doesn't sound right. Didn't God say something about that? Yes he did. In fact one of the most famous piece of Scripture in the Bible tells us that is simply not true.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God and NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, so that nobody shall boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

What this verse here is saying is self explanatory. It is explaining that it is by the grace of God that you shall be saved through your faith and that no matter how great of works you have done, no matter how well you raised your family, no matter how generous, kind, or gracious or are, and even if you have never even gotten as little as a traffic infraction or cheated on your spouse, you will not be saved. You are saved and only saved through your faith alone. If you have faith that Jesus Christ came here through God and died for our sins, and that you repent your sins and invite him to take over your life, then you are saved.

There are some things I found while reading one of my favorite verses in the Bible(Rev. 3:20):

"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in with him. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

-Revelation 3:17,19-20,22

The scripture above is very clear. 3:17 says that the man who says "I am rich, I need NOTHING!" God says you do not realize yet how wretched and pitiful you really are. He also says to be earnest and repent your sins in verse 19. Obviously verse 20 one of the most famous verses in the Bible for witnessing is one of my dear favorites. God stands at the door of your heart and knocks, but will you answer his knock? Or will you leave him outside of the door waiting? And verse 22 is very clear stating that he who has an ear let him hear. That means that he who has an ear and decides not to hear is at fault.

We can see a little bit about unbelievers who will not repent. But the question is, those who believe they can goto Heaven on their good works, do they believe in God? Well, yes. Most of the time. Otherwise they wouldn't even mention the word Heaven. So isn't that faith? Well, yes and no. They may believe there was this God and this God who died on a cross and there is a heaven and a hell but they do not repent their sins or invite the Lord into their lives. Thats the key point. Believing alone does not get you saved, faith without works is dead(James 2:20), but works without faith is also dead.

Now the most difficult part. What happens to these who are unsaved because of their lack of faith? Revelation tells us that as well. Read:

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be on the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."

-Revelation 21:4-8, 22:7

"Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

-Revelation 3:3

This is a very scary picture indeed. It is what personally upsets me and scares me the most. So repent your sins, have faith in God that he sent his only son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, and invite him to take over your life. Live with him. And answer the knock on the door of your heart. Because eternal life comes through faith, not by good works.

Rescued kittens up for adoption

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:28:19 PDT

Besides drama, my other current causes/interests include health care, the environment, and animals. I won't preach at you about the political issues, but I am going to use this forum to adopt out some rescued kittens. My wife works at vet's office and these two boys were rescued a few weeks ago. They aren't related but don't tell them (they think they're brothers). Kendra brought them home and we are going to adopt them out. They are healthy, loving, and energetic. At night and in the morning we have been letting them into bed with us...which turns our California King into a jungle/playground/wrestling arena. The white one is about a week older than the black one.

I'm sure they'd be happy if you adopted them both, but they are each free to good home...together or separate. We have dubbed them Ewok (the black one has a funny little face!) and Abe (short for Abominable Snowman?) for now, but the new owner(s) can call them whatever they want.

WalMart

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:10:52 PDT

It's hard to believe that more than 50% of the people of the Tehachapi area support the addition of a WalMart SuperCenter to the area. It will complete the sellout of the city to big box stores, which started with The Home Depot. Unlike that store though, WalMart will compete with nearly every business in town, and I can't imagine many of them being able to stay in business. Do we really want WalMart to come in, drive everyone out, and turn good ole Tehachapi into a soul-less place, lacking the small town charm that is already endangered? I certainly don't, but it seems inevitable.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned or whatever, but I have a thing against WalMart. It is the largest company in the world by revenue and it got that way by taking avantage of situations like that of Tehachapi. It is the epitome of successful capitalism and free market policy, exactly what the country was built on, but somehow I feel as though WalMart is too good at it's own game, proving that you really can have too much of a good thing. While it's nice to have a place where you can conveniently get a whole day's shopping done at one place for cheap, it's unsettling to walk into one of their stores and realize that a lot, if not most of their clothing is made in the poorest of countries where the workers live on $1.00 a week. It's also unsettling to realize that while it generates hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue and turns at least a ten billion dollar profit, it's employees are paid considerably less than those working similar jobs at other stores and WalMart's health insurance doesn't even cover half of its US work force. Although unions themselves can represent a good idea gone too far, WalMart actively discourages unionization of it's workers so that they might be kept in a low-wage, low-benefit trap. Disturbingly enough this is exactly the philosophy that WalMart was built on, Sam Walton was quoted as saying: "I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We're going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, and low-benefit model of employment."

When I walk into a WalMart I feel as though I'm walking into a fake world where everything is generic, bland, and without soul or substance. WalMart to me is brightly burning star that has turned into a black hole, to use a galactical metaphor. It traps the least fortunate of the work force, those that don't have a college education and/or aren't trained in a specific skill, those that need money the most and holds them in a bottomless pit. The workers need money so they get a job at WalMart which then pays them a bare minimum and in turn (with the extra profit made from low wages) employs preditory pricing, thereby virtually ensuring that their own employees' first choice for shopping will be WalMart.

A link to a funny comic, I'd copy and post the image on the blog, but God forbid I violate one of the copywrite laws: http://www.hartfordcrg.org/PDF/Wal-Mart%20Greeter%20Gone%20Wild.jpg

Andy the Flying Puppy

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:10:01 PDT

PRINCE ANDY'S FIRST JUMPS A HUGE SUCCESS
2007 Wags for Wishes Splash Dog Show, July 6-7-8, San Diego, CA Andy the Flying Puppy By Joe Cox 565-1808 I have found a new sport to enjoy. It is called Dock Jumping and features ordinary dogs doing spectacular jumps into water. Thousands of dogs across the country participate in big-air dock jumping. The concept of dock jumping is simple: Dogs jump as far as they can into a body of water. Specifically, the dogs sprint down a 40-foot dock which stands two feet above the water's edge. Their handlers toss a toy into the air for incentive. Then they leap out over the water in hopes of reaching the toy — and a record distance. Officials then use a specialized camera to create a digital image and measurement of the jump, calculating the distance from the end of the dock to the closest point where dog hits water, minus the tail. Average distances in competition range from 6 to 18 feet, while dogs jumping over 20 feet are considered to be at a professional level. There are no age groups in the sport, dogs are placed based on how far they jump. My grandaughter and her husband have a 6 month old Lab that they are training for this. Last weekend, June 6-7-8, they entered Prince Andy in the "Wags of Wishes" competition in San Diego where he was outstanding. On Friday, Andy jumped 12' 6" on his first competitive jump, bypassing the "Splash Class". Andy was one of only two puppies entered in the event. Dogs compete not by age but by how far they jump. On Saturday, jumping in the senior class, he jumped an eyepopping 15' 4". On the final on Sunday, Andy was placed in the Junior Class where he won his "Wave" and the Blue Ribbon with a jump of 14' 11". Andy also qualified for the Splash Dogs World Championships in Scottsdale, AZ on November 1 - 4. Next weekend we will be going to Vallejo for the Sonoma County Fair Dock Jumping Challenge. Andy's first weekend of "Dock Jumping" was a great success and so much fun!! He was entered in 3 waves, one on Friday, Saturday, Sunday.. Wave #1: Friday 12' 10" Andy bypassed the "Splash Class" Wave #2: Saturday 15' 4", Wow, so much improvement in such a short time! This got him 2 ribbons! Wave #3: Sunday Final 14'-11", A great jump for just a six month old puppy to win the "Junior Class". Prince Andy and the winning jump of 14' 11" at the “WAGS FOR WISHES” competition in San Diego. Prince Andy lanches a jump of 15' 4" at the “WAGS FOR WISHES” competition in San Diego.

The world is in need of angels

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:22:43 PDT

The real genius of Harper Lee was her being able to recapture so vividly the world she describes through the eyes of the children. She so very accurately recreates this world and makes it live in such a way as to nearly be a joke on adults that didn’t realize, as Capote later noted, they were reading a children’s book. But in fact, Harper Lee was so successful in recreating that world she knew as a child, so successful in reliving it as a child, I believe she said in effect “Goodbye cruel world,” and retreated back into that early childhood world as the one truly happy place she knew and understood so well.

But while Harper Lee so well understood girls, she could not be expected to understand boys nearly as well. There is a great gulf fixed between the two that in some respects cannot be crossed. It was enough that she understood girls well enough to be able to portray boys as realistically as she did. This came to me when I shared a particular chapter of my largely autobiographical novel about two children growing up in WWII Bakersfield with a young woman who told me, “I had forgotten what it was like to be a little girl.” It was a most humbling moment.

However, in addition to my two beautiful daughters Diana and Karen who taught me the best and truest things I would ever learn about girls and women, a few of you men may have had a Charlie Brown experience like his with the little red haired girl. Charles Schulz understood how a boy can be reduced to blathering idiocy by such a girl. Remember when Charlie Brown found the pencil the little girl had dropped on the playground and he discovered it had the marks from her teeth and he exclaimed rapturously “She’s human!” If you don’t understand Charlie Brown’s reaction, you have never met an angel. When I was a boy selling garden seed and Cloverine Salve door-to-door in order to earn my Daisy Red Ryder Carbine I met such an angel.

A girl answered the door.

She was beautiful! Astoundingly so! I had never seen a girl as beautiful!

“Yes?” she asked softly and pleasantly with a faint smile.

Her voice matched her beauty; it was musical, like that I imagined of an angel. She was wearing a white frock with small pink roses embroidered on it. The short sleeves were puffed and trimmed with lace. Long, fine, shining light auburn hair hung down nearly to her waist and curled slightly at the end.

But her eyes! They were the most striking thing about her. I had never seen eyes like hers before! They were a beautiful violet; shaded by the longest lashes I had ever seen on a girl. But those eyes; they seemed like they knew what you were thinking!

Not to worry, the sight of her and the music of her voice suddenly and inexplicably made me incapable of coherent thought. Having suddenly lost my mind and being reduced to idiocy I found myself blushing and stammering something to the effect, I hoped, that Doctor Mathison had sent me to see Pastor Samuels. To my dismay and immense relief I must have made myself miraculously intelligible because she asked, “Oh, and what is your name?”

I stammered out another message to the effect, I think, that my name was Donnie Bradden. But I couldn’t be sure. Somehow I was having trouble remembering my name. There was something definitely wrong with my brain. Maybe I was going to have another one of those episodes that caused me to put the snake down Ella May’s collar so long ago? I fervently hoped not, not in front of this indescribably beautiful girl!

But with that slight, faint smile and soft musical voice she asked me to wait a moment while she went to get her father, the pastor. I breathed a huge sigh of relief at this. I wasn’t sure what her father was going to be like but I was certain I would be able to at least talk right to him. At least I was reasonably sure he would be human. No mere girl as beautiful as the one who answered the door could be so; she had to be some kind of angel.

Only then was I suddenly and unaccountably self-conscious about the way I was dressed. Now I had on clean, belted Levi’s instead of my usual bib overalls. I was wearing a clean shirt, my hands and fingernails were clean, my hair was combed and I had on my good tennis shoes. Grandma had tutored me well in being presentable as a salesman. Yet I was suddenly very uncomfortably aware of the way I was dressed...

As I left, I tried to think of something else in order to get my mind off her. Thinking of her was both uncomfortable and pleasing at the same time. And I didn’t like things like this that I didn’t understand. But I didn’t want to stop thinking about her. And that was uncomfortable because I didn’t understand it. It suddenly occurred to me that no girl had ever caused me to be so mixed up in my mind. I didn’t understand how I felt about this either. Good? Bad? No use… I simply didn’t understand.

One thing was certain; I was going to be better dressed the next time I called even though the thought of going back strangely frightened me. Still, the mystery of the angel was one of such fascination I knew I had to go back. I needed to understand and make sense of my confusion. There was always an explanation for mysteries, I believed.

Shaking my head and trying to get my mind back on track, I considered the added mystery of my clothes. And it was a kind of mystery. But one that surely had an easier explanation than that of the mystery of the little angel. But somehow the clothes had a bearing on the mystery of her as well. Now, that was an interesting thought … maybe even a clue?...

While the novel required I go back in time like Harper Lee, one of the lessons taught by Jean to Donnie was the truth of what I had been told by my great-grandmother and grandmother: “Girls were meant by God to be a civilizing influence on boys.” I recall my kind of resenting this because I didn’t think I was uncivilized; I had been taught good manners and knew to be respectful to my elders and so on, just what about me as a boy was in need of any civilizing influence from a mere girl?

But Jean did civilize Donnie in ways no grownup could possibly do or explain. In time he would learn how to dress for a girl, how to speak correctly and pay attention to the many things boys are inclined to think unimportant until they meet an angel. And as Donnie later considered the mystery of the little angel, he thought perhaps there would be more civilized boys if there were more angels like Jean, and as they grew to be women those like Jean would result in more civilized men. And just maybe, the problem with things like wars and so many other things wrong was there were not enough angels in the world.

How quickly adults seem to forget the depth of thought of which children are capable. Harper Lee had not forgotten, and neither had I. Donnie and Jean were only twelve years old, but already their thoughts were deeply profound as they struggle for answers to very complex questions of life and about each other. And over these many decades of life, I still believe as Donnie the world needs more angels like Jean with their civilizing influence on boys and men.

The iPhone is da bomb!

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:21:50 PDT

The iPhone really is everything it's cracked up to be, and more. For those that use a cell phone, a Palm Pilot, and an iPod, this unit combines all three. Apple took a very mediocre piece of technology (the cell phone) and Apple-ized it. They've created the best user interface ever and it will change the way people use cell phones and PDA's, raising the bar and forcing other manufacturers to make devices that are easy to use and intuitive. What a concept!

These pictures of the screen don't look nearly as good as it does in person. Taking a digital picture of a digital screen doesn't always look so great.