A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0
Jeff wrote:
> A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
>
http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0
Couldn't see the article.
OTOH, the above post disparaging a certain racial group in a specific
geography seems somewhat offensive and exclusionary. Just try
substituting "black" and "New York City" and tell me how much vitriol would
be directed at a poster making such a comment.
--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough
"Charlie Self" wrote:
> Buncha boots. He's correct in a way: there are no EX-Marines, but
more
> than a few of us former Marines. Or at least that's the way my
Marine
> Corps League detachment would have it.
SFWIW, my former boss spends Sunday morning polishing his shoes using
his marine corp issue shoe brush that is now approaching 50 years in
age.
Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
Paris Island DI behind the bar.
As the old saying goes, "... you can run but you can't hide."
Lew
"Charlie Self" wrote:
> Especially in SoCal, with Pendleton so near. I guess I get a break:
Pure coincidence, both these guys are east coast.
Former boss didn't come to SoCal till late 70s, don't know about DI.
Former boss has never set foot on Pendleton soil.
About as close as he has come is on the I-5 as he passes thru
Oceanside.
Lew
On Feb 7, 8:55 am, Charlie Self <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 7, 7:58 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> > gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> > be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> > an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
> >http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&...
>
> Ah, hell, they are all over the place around here. First it's Obama as
> a Muslim, then a fundamentalist Muslim, than...I fully expect some
> asswipe to come up claiming an al Quaida connection soon, as we have a
> Democratic primary next Tuesday.
>
> I sometimes wonder whether these people are hate-filled, or frightened
> so badly by events that their good judgment, shaky at best I'd guess,
> is gone.
What can you do? I just laughed and passed it along. Do you think he
wets the bed?
"Nova" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:IQLqj.4596$G94.300@trndny02...
>
> It's derived from the Polish word "Polak" which means a Pole. In America
> the word Polack has been used insultingly since 1898. For more information
> see:
> Jack Novak (originally Nowakowski but not offended by the term Polack)
> Buffalo, NY - USA
> [email protected]
I'm descended from national Poles, but not ethnic. Depending on year, of
course. Grandma was Austrian, due to the partition of the time, grandpa was
"Russian" on his papers, which he, as an ethnic Ukrainian regarded as an
insult. His village, as well as hers belonged to Poland as created in 1918.
Hers still is, his is now in the Ukraine.
Things sure get complicated, don't they?
On Feb 8, 2:39=A0pm, Charlie Self <[email protected]> wrote:
>.I checked out the grad book
> a few weeks ago, and came to the conclusion that we for the most part
> consisted of Adam's apples and ears.
Brilliant visual. I hope it's yours.
r
On Feb 7, 12:19 pm, Tom Veatch wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 04:58:54 -0800 (PST), Jeff <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> >gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> >be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> >an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
> >http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&...
>
> I wish you'd titled your post "What's Up With Gary Sillett" instead of
> referencing Kansas.
>
> We also have to put up with the likes of Fred Phelps, but the opinions
> of a few aren't necessarily held by the many. Instead, especially with
> Mr. Phelps (and I use "Mr." instead of "Rev.", deliberately), they are
> an embarrassment to vast majority of Kansans. I haven't been able to
> access the full story so I can't/won't comment on what Mr. Stillett
> may have said.
>
> And, I might mention, Jeff, that use of the term "flyover country" is
> not only offensive, but says more about you than it does about Kansas.
>
> Tom Veatch
> Wichita, KS
> USA
Sorry. it was a play on the book title. What does my use of "flyover
country" say about me? I've met several people from the midwest who
used the term to describe where they lived. Perhaps they were being
ironic and I had to be there to get the joke.
Jeff
On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 05:55:24 -0800 (PST), Charlie Self
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I sometimes wonder whether these people are hate-filled, or frightened
>so badly by events that their good judgment, shaky at best I'd guess,
>is gone.
Whatever it is, there's plenty to go around.
--
Chuck Taylor
http://home.hiwaay.net/~taylorc/contact/
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:b7d84018-88e4-4ca5-9a46-
>
> Ah, I do remember the dixie cups. We used to call them swab jockeys.
>
> Jeez, that was a long time ago.
"Squids."
On Feb 7, 7:58 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
> http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&...
Ah, hell, they are all over the place around here. First it's Obama as
a Muslim, then a fundamentalist Muslim, than...I fully expect some
asswipe to come up claiming an al Quaida connection soon, as we have a
Democratic primary next Tuesday.
I sometimes wonder whether these people are hate-filled, or frightened
so badly by events that their good judgment, shaky at best I'd guess,
is gone.
On Feb 8, 4:01 pm, Frank Boettcher <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
> >Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>
> Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
> what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
> particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
>
> Frank
>
>
You hate the SOBs during early weeks, but by week #8 or #9, that
changes, in my experience. I ran into one of the junior drill
instructors in Jacksonville, FL in the latter part of the year ('58),
and we had a few beers together. Jim Lucy. He was the best of the
bunch, IMO, but they were all pretty durned good at what they did.
<Tom Veatch> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:16:57 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm afraid I don't understand the references in the remainder of your
> post unless they're intended to be tongue-in-cheek..
>
Wish they were. Sadly, we are allowed to disparage certain groups, like the
ones mentioned, or even encouraged to do so.
On Feb 8, 6:42 pm, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 8, 2:39 pm, Charlie Self <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >.I checked out the grad book
> > a few weeks ago, and came to the conclusion that we for the most part
> > consisted of Adam's apples and ears.
>
> Brilliant visual. I hope it's yours.
>
> r
As far as I know. I don't recall reading it anywhere, and it sure is
the impression with those tiny b&w photos.
I wonder what they're doing with those "yearbooks" now, with modern
techniques and digital photography. God knows, some of the b&w is
remarkable for its clarity for the time.
On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:39:28 -0600, Tom Veatch wrote:
>I am a former Marine.
I have a friend who is a retired Chief Petty Officer. I made the
mistake one time of referring to him as a former Chief. He said, "hold
it. Hold it. There are no former Marines and there are no former
Cheifs. Once a Chief, always a Chief."
Apparently I was misinformed.
>I would have ignored the regional comment had I seen evidence of
>humorous intent. That I did not may be the fault of the medium in
>which we are communicating. Written language lacks tonal inflections,
>body language, etc., that in verbal, face-to-face communication
>transmits as much or more information than do the words.
So would that say more about you or him?
--
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
http://www.normstools.com
Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997
email addy de-spam-ified due to 1,000 spams per month.
If you can't figure out how to use it, I probably wouldn't
care to correspond with you anyway.
Tom Veatch wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:16:57 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>Don't suppose you're interested at all in knowing the word Polack means one
>>of Polish nationality or ethnicity _in Polish_ I guess.
>
>
> Thank you for your reply. Of course I'm interested in learning new
> things. The only times I've heard "Polack" used, by persons, whom I
> assumed to be of non-Polish descent, it has been in a derogatory
> context. As a result, I avoid using the term.
>
Po·lack (plk, -lk)
n.
1. Offensive slang used as a disparaging term for a person of Polish
birth or descent.
2. Obsolete A native of Poland; a Pole.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/polack
It's derived from the Polish word "Polak" which means a Pole. In
America the word Polack has been used insultingly since 1898. For more
information see:
http://kpearson.faculty.tcnj.edu/Dictionary/polack.htm
--
Jack Novak (originally Nowakowski but not offended by the term Polack)
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]
"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4a77a42c-c14f-472d-9b86-f75e298209a1@v17g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> And, I might mention, Jeff, that use of the term "flyover country" is
>> not only offensive, but says more about you than it does about Kansas.
>>
>> Tom Veatch
>> Wichita, KS
>> USA
>
> Sorry. it was a play on the book title. What does my use of "flyover
> country" say about me? I've met several people from the midwest who
> used the term to describe where they lived. Perhaps they were being
> ironic and I had to be there to get the joke.
>
> Jeff
Some people take pride in where they live, I guess.
http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/02/07/72-the-world-as-seen-from-new-yorks-9th-avenue/
Or maybe it's sort of like the "N" word, if you have the right paintjob,
it's somehow OK.
On Feb 7, 7:58=A0am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
> http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=3D1686&mode=3Dnested&.=
..
Can't you just feel the hate?
On Feb 8, 1:09 pm, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Charlie Self" wrote:
> > Buncha boots. He's correct in a way: there are no EX-Marines, but
> more
> > than a few of us former Marines. Or at least that's the way my
> Marine
> > Corps League detachment would have it.
>
> SFWIW, my former boss spends Sunday morning polishing his shoes using
> his marine corp issue shoe brush that is now approaching 50 years in
> age.
>
> Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
> Paris Island DI behind the bar.
>
> As the old saying goes, "... you can run but you can't hide."
>
> Lew
Especially in SoCal, with Pendleton so near. I guess I get a break:
I'm 1-3/4 states away from Parris Island and I doubt very much any of
my dirll instructors would recognize me...I checked out the grad book
a few weeks ago, and came to the conclusion that we for the most part
consisted of Adam's apples and ears. That's not the case 50 years
later. Fifty years plus one month, almost to the day.
On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:19:21 +0000, LRod <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I have a friend who is a retired Chief Petty Officer. I made the
>mistake one time of referring to him as a former Chief. He said, "hold
>it. Hold it. There are no former Marines and there are no former
>Cheifs. Once a Chief, always a Chief."
>
>Apparently I was misinformed.
He is correct.
I consider myself to be still a Marine, even though it's been over 40
years since I served on active duty. However, in the interest of
efficiency it is simpler to say "former Marine" than it is to say
"Marine no longer serving on active duty" or some other torturous
phrase which serves no purpose other than pedantry.
>So would that say more about you or him?
I don't know. What do you think?
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Feb 7, 6:01 pm, Tom Veatch wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:19:21 +0000, LRod <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >I have a friend who is a retired Chief Petty Officer. I made the
> >mistake one time of referring to him as a former Chief. He said, "hold
> >it. Hold it. There are no former Marines and there are no former
> >Cheifs. Once a Chief, always a Chief."
>
> >Apparently I was misinformed.
>
> He is correct.
>
> I consider myself to be still a Marine, even though it's been over 40
> years since I served on active duty. However, in the interest of
> efficiency it is simpler to say "former Marine" than it is to say
> "Marine no longer serving on active duty" or some other torturous
> phrase which serves no purpose other than pedantry.
>
> >So would that say more about you or him?
>
> I don't know. What do you think?
>
> Tom Veatch
> Wichita, KS
> USA
Buncha boots. He's correct in a way: there are no EX-Marines, but more
than a few of us former Marines. Or at least that's the way my Marine
Corps League detachment would have it.
Ah, I do remember the dixie cups. We used to call them swab jockeys.
Jeez, that was a long time ago.
On Feb 8, 4:20 pm, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Charlie Self" wrote:
> > Especially in SoCal, with Pendleton so near. I guess I get a break:
>
> Pure coincidence, both these guys are east coast.
>
> Former boss didn't come to SoCal till late 70s, don't know about DI.
>
> Former boss has never set foot on Pendleton soil.
>
> About as close as he has come is on the I-5 as he passes thru
> Oceanside.
>
> Lew
I set foot on Pendleton soil, in very early '59. I wasn't sorry to
leave a month later. Old Smokey ain't all that much fun.
"Frank Boettcher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>
>>Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
>>Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>>
>
> Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
> what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
> particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
>
Met mine seven years later, and he was kind enough to pin on my butter bars,
SWMBO being unable to travel.
Still marvel at the way he could drawl a four-letter expletive into seven
syllables.
<Tom Veatch> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 11:40:58 -0800 (PST), Jeff <[email protected]>
> wrote:
Likewise Polish-Americans and "Polack" and any number of
> other racial/regional terms.
Don't suppose you're interested at all in knowing the word Polack means one
of Polish nationality or ethnicity _in Polish_ I guess. Or perhaps it's
just some of that right wing propaganda from those Republicans who want to
starve our old people and undereducate our children. Even worse, it might
be from one of those fundamentalist CHRISTIANS!!!!!
On Feb 8, 4:20 pm, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Frank Boettcher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >>Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
> >>Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>
> > Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
> > what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
> > particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
>
> Met mine seven years later, and he was kind enough to pin on my butter bars,
> SWMBO being unable to travel.
>
> Still marvel at the way he could drawl a four-letter expletive into seven
> syllables.
Yeah. Best I've ever done is about 3-1/2.
On Feb 7, 7:04=A0pm, Tom Veatch wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:23:48 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Wish they were. =A0Sadly, we are allowed to disparage certain groups, lik=
e the
> >ones mentioned, or even encouraged to do so.
>
> And the groups change from time to time. When I was growing up in
> 1950's Louisiana, disparaging blacks, oh, excuse me, African-Americans
> (I think that's the currently acceptable term), was not only "socially
> acceptable" but, as you say, almost "socially required". Likewise
> homosexuals. I don't offer any defense for those past attitudes and
> practices, but now, any suggestion that there might possibly be
> members of those groups who are less than deserving brands one as
> bigoted and/or homophobic. Of course, some individuals like the
> aforementioned Mr. Phelps go so far beyond the bounds of decency that
> I feel the brand is richly deserved.
>
> Today, Republicans and Christians. Tomorrow, who knows.
>
> Tom Veatch
> Wichita, KS
> USA
I don't know the term 'fly-over' state. I do know that the orange
barrels along high-way construction in Kansas are referred to, by my
relatives, as The State Trees.
The Kansas people I know, like my sister, BIL, 3 nieces and one
nephew all love living there. Sis lives in Olatha. In fact, my
sister's third youngest daughter used to teach inner city grade 4 and
5 in Witchita. She now lives and teaches in Clearwater.
On the other sider of the coin, my middle niece had her house ripped
off to it's foundation by a tornado. Another fun fact (supposedly) is
that there are 80,000 dogs registered with the name Toto in KS. <G>
Are you related to one of the founding members of Black & Veatch?
Jeff wrote:
> A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
> gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
> be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
> an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
> http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0
>
Interestingly, I can't see the article.
I can read all the replies, but the page
where the article he wrote is supposed
to be......is blank.
--
Tanus
This is not really a sig.
http://www.home.mycybernet.net/~waugh/shop/
LRod wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:39:28 -0600, Tom Veatch wrote:
>
>> I am a former Marine.
>
> I have a friend who is a retired Chief Petty Officer. I made the
> mistake one time of referring to him as a former Chief. He said,
> "hold
> it. Hold it. There are no former Marines and there are no former
> Cheifs. Once a Chief, always a Chief."
>
> Apparently I was misinformed.
My Dad was a "former Chief". Took a battlefield promotion from Chief
to JG and retired full Commander.
>> I would have ignored the regional comment had I seen evidence of
>> humorous intent. That I did not may be the fault of the medium in
>> which we are communicating. Written language lacks tonal
>> inflections,
>> body language, etc., that in verbal, face-to-face communication
>> transmits as much or more information than do the words.
>
> So would that say more about you or him?
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 04:58:54 -0800 (PST), Jeff <[email protected]>
wrote:
>A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
>gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
>be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
>an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>
>http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0
I wish you'd titled your post "What's Up With Gary Sillett" instead of
referencing Kansas.
We also have to put up with the likes of Fred Phelps, but the opinions
of a few aren't necessarily held by the many. Instead, especially with
Mr. Phelps (and I use "Mr." instead of "Rev.", deliberately), they are
an embarrassment to vast majority of Kansans. I haven't been able to
access the full story so I can't/won't comment on what Mr. Stillett
may have said.
And, I might mention, Jeff, that use of the term "flyover country" is
not only offensive, but says more about you than it does about Kansas.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Feb 7, 11:44=A0pm, LRod <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:37:53 -0800 (PST), Robatoy
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Sis lives in Olatha.
>
> Often pronounced Olatha, but spelled Olathe. It's the location of the
> Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center. I know a little about
> that.
>
I KEEP doing that..and I KNOW better. That does it. Overland Park from
now on...
On Feb 7, 8:17 pm, Tom Veatch wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:37:53 -0800 (PST), Robatoy
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I don't know the term 'fly-over' state.
>
> Usually interpreted to mean so desolate, barren, or otherwise
> unattractive that the only way it should be experienced is by
> "fly-over" on your way from one coast to the other.
Are you sure you aren't invoking connotations that aren't there? "Fly-
over" denotes an aerial view. People from the northeast and California
often travel to the opposite coast which necessitates a flight over
the stuff in between. It's what you see before you get to California.
(Or the Rockies in ski season) Most of these people don't have
opinions about "fly-over" states since they've never been there. Well
except for the people who couldn't get a direct. <nelson>Ha Ha!</
nelson> Kansas might be the coolest place on earth - what do we
know?
Again, no offense was intended.
On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 07:30:36 -0800 (PST), Charlie Self
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Feb 8, 4:01 pm, Frank Boettcher <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
>>
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
>> >Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>>
>> Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
>> what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
>> particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
>>
>> Frank
>>
>>
>
>You hate the SOBs during early weeks, but by week #8 or #9, that
>changes, in my experience. I ran into one of the junior drill
>instructors in Jacksonville, FL in the latter part of the year ('58),
>and we had a few beers together. Jim Lucy. He was the best of the
>bunch, IMO, but they were all pretty durned good at what they did.
Yep, SDI was R. J. Dellett. Toughest individual I've ever been
around. When we did PT he seemed to do twice what we did. Easy to be
inspired to do well.
Thinking back to Parris Island, I was most impressed by how well run
it was. Never a minute lost or wasted.
Frank
On Feb 9, 11:13 am, Frank Boettcher <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 07:30:36 -0800 (PST), Charlie Self
>
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Feb 8, 4:01 pm, Frank Boettcher <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
>
> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> >Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
> >> >Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>
> >> Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
> >> what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
> >> particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
>
> >> Frank
>
> >You hate the SOBs during early weeks, but by week #8 or #9, that
> >changes, in my experience. I ran into one of the junior drill
> >instructors in Jacksonville, FL in the latter part of the year ('58),
> >and we had a few beers together. Jim Lucy. He was the best of the
> >bunch, IMO, but they were all pretty durned good at what they did.
>
> Yep, SDI was R. J. Dellett. Toughest individual I've ever been
> around. When we did PT he seemed to do twice what we did. Easy to be
> inspired to do well.
>
> Thinking back to Parris Island, I was most impressed by how well run
> it was. Never a minute lost or wasted.
>
> Frank
Oh, jeez, these morning runs around the parade ground. We used to die
halfway through, whichever drill instructor was running us would be
running backwards next to us, and, about halfway through, usually lit
a cigaret (while running)and turned around, ran around the platoon and
took the lead position.
Not exactly the politically correct example to set for today's young
Marines, but it worked for us.
On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:37:53 -0800 (PST), Robatoy
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Sis lives in Olatha.
Often pronounced Olatha, but spelled Olathe. It's the location of the
Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center. I know a little about
that.
--
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
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On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:37:53 -0800 (PST), Robatoy
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I don't know the term 'fly-over' state.
Usually interpreted to mean so desolate, barren, or otherwise
unattractive that the only way it should be experienced is by
"fly-over" on your way from one coast to the other.
>I do know that the orange
>barrels along high-way construction in Kansas are referred to, by my
>relatives, as The State Trees.
And there seems to be a bumper crop of them. Much further west of
Wichita, they are about the only trees you'll see. But, the big sky,
the fields of grain, the rolling hills and tallgrass prairie, may not
be as striking and dramatic as the mountains to our west, but they
have a beauty of their own.
>The Kansas people I know, like my sister, BIL, 3 nieces and one
>nephew all love living there
As do I. Now that I'm retired, I could realistically relocate to any
other location here or abroad. For the last 34 years, and for the
foreseeable future, here is just fine with me.
>. Sis lives in Olatha. In fact, my
>sister's third youngest daughter used to teach inner city grade 4 and
>5 in Witchita. She now lives and teaches in Clearwater.
Then she probably lives within a few miles of me. I'm about 7 miles
due north of Clearwater between Wichita and Goddard.
>On the other sider of the coin, my middle niece had her house ripped
>off to it's foundation by a tornado.
You know, Kansas does have a reputation for tornados. Undeserved, I
feel. The last time I made the effort to search, the National Weather
Service (?) listing of the most dangerous places to live WRT tornados
had no place in Kansas within the top 10. The #1 place was where I
lived prior to coming here, Huntsville, AL. While we were in
Huntsville, tornados took out the block of houses across the street
from us with only minor damage on our side of the street. Not saying
they don't occur in Kansas, as you well know, but I can actually
remember several consecutive days where I didn't see any tornados on
the horizon. <G>
>Another fun fact (supposedly) is
>that there are 80,000 dogs registered with the name Toto in KS. <G>
Now that wouldn't surprise me in the least. The Wizard of Oz is
probably the most famous tourist "attraction" Kansas has. After all,
not many people come to "Ski Kansas" And no, Dorothy and the Wizard
isn't the only tourist attraction in Kansas. We also have the world's
largest hand-dug well and, even better than that, the world's largest
ball of twine. (see above for "fly-over")
>Are you related to one of the founding members of Black & Veatch?
Would that I were. But if there is any family relationship, the tree
branched prior to the War of Northern Agression.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:16:57 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
><Tom Veatch> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 11:40:58 -0800 (PST), Jeff <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>Likewise Polish-Americans and "Polack" and any number of
>> other racial/regional terms.
>
>Don't suppose you're interested at all in knowing the word Polack means one
>of Polish nationality or ethnicity _in Polish_ I guess.
Thank you for your reply. Of course I'm interested in learning new
things. The only times I've heard "Polack" used, by persons, whom I
assumed to be of non-Polish descent, it has been in a derogatory
context. As a result, I avoid using the term.
I'm afraid I don't understand the references in the remainder of your
post unless they're intended to be tongue-in-cheek..
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:11:45 -0500, Tanus <[email protected]> wrote:
>Jeff wrote:
>> A friend sent me this "editorial" from the heartland. A local paper
>> gave one of its pressman free reign to compose an editorial. It might
>> be brilliant satire but it's probably just an ill-informed screed by
>> an bitter old white guy from flyover country:
>>
>> http://discussions.ottawaherald.com/article.php?sid=1686&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0
>>
>
>Interestingly, I can't see the article.
>I can read all the replies, but the page
>where the article he wrote is supposed
>to be......is blank.
That was what I saw when I followed the link. Perhaps one is required
to register with the site and login or something. 'Though if that were
the case, there should be some message to that effect.
I would like to see what all the furor was/is about.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 11:40:58 -0800 (PST), Jeff <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Sorry. it was a play on the book title. What does my use of "flyover
>country" say about me? I've met several people from the midwest who
>used the term to describe where they lived. Perhaps they were being
>ironic and I had to be there to get the joke.
>
>Jeff
I recall an incident from several years ago that may shed some light.
My children (white, by the way) had several playmates in the
neighborhood who were black. One day I overheard my oldest son, about
8 years old at the time, use the term "nigger". On questioning him, I
learned that his black playmates frequently referred to each other in
that manner and he naturally assumed it was acceptable.
His mother an I conferred with the parents of the black children to
point out there was a problem developing. It is easy to imagine my
sons being in a group of people containing black persons who were not
close friends and playmates. Their use of a term which they had been
taught by their playmates to be acceptable could, under those
circumstances, lead to undesirable results.
It is perfectly OK for members of a group to refer to each other using
derogatory terms. It is not OK for persons outside that group to do
so. I am a former Marine. The term "jarhead" is frequently used to
refer to members of the Marine Corps. Most Marines find it offensive
when used by non-Marines. Likewise, I suspect Naval personnel resent
the term "deck-ape" or "dixie cups" used by those outside the Naval
service. I presume one Italian-American can call another "Wop" without
offence. Likewise Polish-Americans and "Polack" and any number of
other racial/regional terms. Personally, I try to avoid doing so
unless I am prepared to be though of as bigoted at best and, at worst,
am prepared for armed confrontation.
I would have ignored the regional comment had I seen evidence of
humorous intent. That I did not may be the fault of the medium in
which we are communicating. Written language lacks tonal inflections,
body language, etc., that in verbal, face-to-face communication
transmits as much or more information than do the words. If I
misjudged your intent, then you have my apologies.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:09:16 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Same boss walked into a bar here in SoCal a few years ago to find his
>Paris Island DI behind the bar.....
>
Wouldn't mind running into mine. Be nice to visit a bit. Despite
what he put us through, I had a great deal of respect for them,
particularly my senior DI. I think most did.
Frank
>
On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:23:48 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Wish they were. Sadly, we are allowed to disparage certain groups, like the
>ones mentioned, or even encouraged to do so.
And the groups change from time to time. When I was growing up in
1950's Louisiana, disparaging blacks, oh, excuse me, African-Americans
(I think that's the currently acceptable term), was not only "socially
acceptable" but, as you say, almost "socially required". Likewise
homosexuals. I don't offer any defense for those past attitudes and
practices, but now, any suggestion that there might possibly be
members of those groups who are less than deserving brands one as
bigoted and/or homophobic. Of course, some individuals like the
aforementioned Mr. Phelps go so far beyond the bounds of decency that
I feel the brand is richly deserved.
Today, Republicans and Christians. Tomorrow, who knows.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA