Norms Bait and Tackle

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 09:59:44 AM

You put that very well, Darling Adopted Daughter. I was thinking this morning about our Freedom to make a profit; and yes, we are and should be guaranteed that right. But let the profits accumulate as a result of selling our species what they need and will be better off with. Killing children and grandmothers with weapons the Sporting world says are not fair for hunters to use on animals because it is Fair for manufacturers to profit from the deaths of children just does not add up. Let the military and the police have the weapons meant to slay the attacking enemies of our nation, but let our children live in the safety we promise them but miserably fail to follow through on. Oh, the Innocents! Every mother & father in our country is afraid to let their children go to school this morning.

I love you, too, Sandy. And I love Jackie's greeting! Jackie, being British, you may well have noticed that my actual date of birth, May 24th, I share with a woman whose memory causes that date to be a holiday throughout the former Empire and the great Commonwealth that exists today: Queen Victoria. And I have to tell you that in my childhood I deeply resented that Canadian children got the day off from school, and I never did. My indignant emotions amuse me now, but I was some burned up little rascal back in the day!

RAMMEL · May 25, 2022, 10:14:31 AM

In all the years I went through school, and through my working years, we never had incidents like we do today. What has changed? I have my feelings but will not post them here. Let everyone think about that for themselves. Even our representatives should do that.

Vanilla-Jackie · May 25, 2022, 10:29:19 AM

Mary Page...Queen Victoria...Queen of the United Kingdom (1819 -1901)
As you know we are soon to be celebrating another memorial date...our Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee...she has been on the throne for 70 years...there will be street parties everywhere...Just hasn't she done well...

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 10:45:59 AM

One thing, Rammel, we have to ascertain the suitability of those who present themselves to purchase guns to have such weapons in their hands. We have to outlaw the ghost guns: that is, those untraceable because they are made in this new three dimensional manner I am aware of, but too uneducated to understand. Such weapons have to serial numbers, but are put together by the users.

Jackie, I grew up watching newsreels of your Queen as a little girl. I ate up photos of her in our LIFE magazine. (which no longer exists.) I stood only 6 or 8 feet away from her one day in the late Spring of 1971, not once, but twice! In York. The 1st time she was in her car, and I was on the curb (kerb?) with nothing between us. On her side of her car, I was! The 2nd time, the same day, she came by me, still nothing between us and at the same spot, in her great carriage with horses. That was for her to enter that city in royal splendor with trumpets above the gate to welcome her. It was a great day, and they brought all that stuff up from London for the occasion. I think it was the 900th year of the founding of York, or something like that. She was MUCH more beautiful than she photographs. And no, I never met her.

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 10:48:10 AM

Such weapons have NO serial numbers.

Vanilla-Jackie · May 25, 2022, 11:12:28 AM

Mary Page, you have been closer to any of our UK royal family than i ever have...sadly the closest i ever was, was the day Princess Dianna's hearse drove under the motorway bridge i was standing on, i was one of the first there, then many found it hidden away and came to join me but, i was at the front and had a good but very quick viewing as the car literally sped past, i moved to the other side of the bridge as many also did, but it was gone in a flash on its way to her resting place...

CallieOK · May 25, 2022, 11:32:57 AM

MaryPage, for the Belated

I remember the Life magazine coverage of Princess Elizabeth's coronation! How lucky to have seen her as you did.

I also have thoughts about several of the "current situations" but I would immediately be pounced upon by the "WE HAVE OUR RIGHTS!" advocates.

Most of Oklahoma is washing away!!!! Most of the state has had three straight days of continuous rain. Yes, it's ended the drought everyone was complaining about but it would have been nicer if it hadn't happened all at once. (Can we say "never satisfied"? )

I have plenty of e-books to read and several scrapbook-type projects to work on so Life Is Good in my little corner of the world...as long as I don't watch the news.

Wishing Everyone finds something to Enjoy today.

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 12:14:48 PM

You know, Callie, it Was luck. Pure luck.

David & I (my 2nd husband) were planning a month's vacation trip to England and Scotland. He worked on it for literally Months, with a map taped to a card table in our living room. At one point, early on, he asked me to name the 3 places I most wanted to see. In order. I answered Salisbury cathedral, the Western Hebrides, and the City of York. My DNA has proved what family trees handed down to me (I am NOT a genealogist!) have stated: my ancestors were overwhelmingly from the British Isles and Norway (Viking raiders?), with the Irish & Scots the main ones. I have ancestors from the Hebrides. While I have some who fought on both sides in the Wars of The Roses, most of mine wore the white rose of York. I also had ancestors who worked at building Salisbury Cathedral. And it is lovely beyond its reputation! So these were my choices.

David worked them all into our plan. We were not joining any group tour, but were going by train, plane, and automobile on our own. David turned out to be extremely good at driving on the wrong side of the road.

He had allowed 3 days in York, and they were full of plans to see Cathedrals, museums and Great Homes. Each day was crammed full.

We had taken a train from the West of Scotland to Edinburgh and another from Edinburgh to York. Arriving in York, we took a taxi to our hotel, The Chase. This was in York, but just outside of the ancient walled city with a few of its old gates still in use.

Our driver asked: "Are you in town to see the Queen?" What, huh? We replied in confusion. He pointed out a gated meadow full of horses and said it was the Household Cavalry up from London for Her Majesty's State Visit. I think he said it was the first time in something like 350 years. Once we got to our hotel, we got as much information as we could. Then we wiped clean the slate for the day the Queen would be in York. And this information I swear to be the way it was! Woo hoo! We were among the first to line up along the road she was coming to from her private train. We even bought tiny British flags to wave. I remember the flag salesman working the crowd had one of the flags sticking out of each of his ears.

RAMMEL · May 25, 2022, 12:54:24 PM

"Such weapons have NO serial numbers." While this is very true, the serial numbers do little or nothing in preventing these disasters. They do, after the fact, possibly help catch a perpetrator. Guns were easily obtained when we were younger but we never entertained the idea of misusing them. Something has changed.

I have to chuckle at times when I remember an event that happened in grade school. This was as bad as it ever got. It was a big deal when one of our classmates suggested (or wanted) to steal some pretzels from a freight car that he knew was open. Those he considered as possible "helpers" thought he said pencils. The deed was never done.

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 01:04:57 PM

A sense of god and our families knowing if we broke the rules that raised us?

The only pranks I can remember were the work of "the boys" of my generation, and these were saved up for Halloween (actually, there were two (2) nights back then: Beggers Night was followed by Halloween night.). One year, I swear, those boys managed to get into a bank that had been closed since, I think it was 1933 when so many closed down, was it not?, and they got a cow UP the stairway and out a window onto a small enclosed roof over the front entrance. And left her there!

It took the fire department to get her down. She had no plans to go DOWN those stairs she had been led up!

Oh, those boys planned for Halloween Night all year long!

CallieOK · May 25, 2022, 02:44:08 PM

A first year teacher began his high school teaching career when I was a sophomore (1950-51) in my small hometown. He went on to become principal and then to work for the State Department of Education. 45 years later, his wife asked if I realized my class had almost convinced him to go into another line of work. I said, "Oh, we weren't THAT bad!" and she replied, "Oh,yes, you were."

I know we were "ornery" but we NEVER damaged property or harmed another person.

at the cow story, MaryPage. My husband and his friends used to put a toilet on the roof of someone's house for Halloween.
I didn't know him then so take absolutely NO responsibilty.

Beverly · May 25, 2022, 03:10:20 PM

Rammel - I've been thinking about that a lot. What has changed is humanity.

In high school, some of the boys drove their pick-up trucks to school with their guns in the cab mounted over the rear window. I doubt they even locked the doors. In junior-high, during hunting season, my husband and the other boys in his class, brought their guns to school and kept them in the back where coats were hung. They would go hunting after school. I realize this was a very small rural school. My brother had a gun at a young age and was taught to use it by my father. It may shock you, but my father's gun was kept behind the dining room door. My point is, you never heard of any tragic incidents like those that have happened in recent years.

In case I sound like we were back-woods hicks, we weren't. We grew up in an entirely different world.

I heard this morning that the shooter's mother is a drug addict and there has been no mention of a father. He apparently didn't have friends or a girl friend. How many red flags do they need?

Beverly · May 25, 2022, 03:26:45 PM

I seldom post any of my thoughts online, but today I'm feeling "ornery". (love that word Callie). I had a root canal yesterday. The tooth was infected and it was a complicated process. In spite of Tylenol and Advil the left side of my jaw aches constantly. I'm eating soft foods but running out of ideas of what to eat. Plus I don't have a good appetite these days.

MaryPage I'm sorry some of your birthday celebration was sidelined by Covid, but you are wise not to expose yourself to that. Hope you had lots of yummy things to eat!

RAMMEL · May 25, 2022, 03:35:23 PM

Beverly -
I have no problem with anything you wrote above. That was the way life was lived.
Some would be in shock, but - I took a Gun Safety Course given by none other than ------ The NRA. I learned quite a bit there, and for as long as I can remember the word was never point your gun at anyone unless you wanted them dead (That was NOT the NRA teaching). When my kids (both boys) were small, still in grade school, I had a small caliber rifle. I showed it to my kids, explained all about it, how to handle it, and what it was for. I let them handle it, because I knew a kid wants to know what it feels like. We had our session, put the gun away, and that was the end of it. Never had a problem with them regarding the gun. They were well aware that my talk was serious.
I still have my own ideas as to why these things happen today but I don't want to cause a ruckus here. I'm sure not everyone would agree with me.

Marilyne · May 25, 2022, 04:57:50 PM

Beverly - Same thing here in California schools. My husband AJ, belonged to "The Gun Club" in high school, and every week they had a meeting and brought their guns to school - rifles, shotguns or pistols. The outlying areas of San Jose were rural back then - mostly fruit orchards and ranches, so boys would sometimes go hunting after school. AJ also took the NRA Gun Safety course, as did our son, when he was old enough.

A surprising thing happened to me when I posted a picture in a 1940's Facebook group a couple of years ago. It was a picture taken on Christmas Day in 1945. A family snapshot showing my parents, myself and my brother. My brother is standing in front holding a long rifle of some kind? Obviously it was a Christmas present.
Well, to say that, "all Hell broke loose", in that FB group, is putting it mildly. The vast majority of comments were shocked and angry and full of vitriol and criticism, that I would actually post such a picture! It just went on an on, with most people saying I wasn't allowed, or shouldn't be allowed to post that photo . . . that I was inciting violence. Needless to say, I removed it, and removed myself from that FB group.

MaryPage · May 25, 2022, 05:55:48 PM

I am not shocked, Beverly. The gun in my grandmother's home was a shotgun kept in the umbrella stand, along with canes and, well yes, unbrellas. It was never loaded while there, but there was a commode along a wall in the wide hallway and in the top drawer there were two open boxes of shot. We all (in the family there) knew these things, and I, for one, never touched them. It never occurred to me to. My two uncles used to go out to Mr. Massey's apple orchard and shoot crows for target practice. Also to get rid of the crows.

Beverly · May 25, 2022, 06:49:41 PM

Marilyne=They would have loved the picture I have of my children at Christmas (I think I've posted it on here) of my 4 year old son holding the make-believe rifle he got for Christmas. By the way, he grew up to be a judge.

RAMMEL · May 25, 2022, 07:30:51 PM

" It just went on an on, with most people saying I wasn't allowed, or shouldn't be allowed to post that photo . . . that I was inciting violence. " If that was inciting violence, can you imagine them seeing those ads on TV for knives, and look at all those elderly people walking around with sticks (actually canes ). Canes can be used as weapons. What about those interested in Archery?

Sandy · May 25, 2022, 08:43:04 PM

I grew up in a house where my oldest brother was
a hunter and of course we had the guns hanging on the
wall in his bedroom.

When I lived in Florida, I bought a 38 special
and kept it for a few months, before I realized
that should I come to an opportunity to
use it, it would ultimately be turned
around and aimed directly at me.

So I dumped that and vowed never again.

I never felt the need for a gun living
here in the North East on the rocky coast of
Maine.

But today, I fear going out side and walking down
the street, that I would make a good target for
some idiot A hole to get a chuckle out of
picking me out as a good shot.

That is why I never wear clothes
with anything political written on them.
NEVER, EVER...

Although I would like to like I use to
years ago have stuff on my car with
smart aleck sayings... (political or not)

Nope. I want nothing to have near
me to aggravate any one with a
chip on their shoulder and a gun in their
pocket.

IMHO, we here in the USA are screwed
and it is only a matter of time when all
hell breaks out and the shooting begins.

What a sad pathetic dangerous time
we all live in now... (IMHO)

Sandy

RAMMEL · May 25, 2022, 08:54:44 PM

Remember last summer.

patricia19 · May 25, 2022, 09:43:20 PM

Sandy, we're past the point of all hell breaking out...

MarsGal · May 26, 2022, 08:09:19 AM

Oh, I am so glad I am nor the only one thinking the good old US of A is "going to hell in a handbasket". Aside from people becoming more polarized and reactionary here, we have to worry about foreign influences taking advantage of and encouraging it in an ongoing effort to destabilize our government and way of life.

Here is a thought: "We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction." —Aesop

And another: "The supreme art of war is to subdue your enemy without fighting." —Sun Tzu

The ancients have "been there, done that". Even the oft studied and venerated Sun Tzu, master of war strategy, knew the value of negotiating and persuasive discussion.

Sandy · May 26, 2022, 09:15:31 AM

Quote from: patricia19 on May 25, 2022, 09:43:20 PMSandy, we're past the point of all hell breaking out...

Very True, Patricia.

Sadly, I am afraid, unless guns are getting pointed
at us, on the streets where we live, or our own
Grand Kids are getting mowed down in there school,
reality evades us.

It is all to horrible to imagine until
our time has come.

Take care Everyone and stay sAFE and pray that
the war on the streets of the USA will end soon.

love Sandy

RAMMEL · May 26, 2022, 09:31:20 AM

Quote from: RAMMEL on May 26, 2022, 09:29:29 AMThe leading cause of death among young people is still Road Traffic Accidents. But there is never an obvious complaint about that. Seems to be only the families involved.
FWIW - accidents have gone up significantly since pot became legal.

Have some fun - Click on the different selections.
https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa-cause-of-death-by-age-and-gender

Marilyne · May 26, 2022, 10:21:18 AM

MarsGal - I agree with everything you said in your comments this morning. It scares me, that the majority of our American citizens - especially the young, are not paying attention to what's happening all around them . . . not really taking a hard look at how life has changed and what that means for the future. Will they be able to step up and do the right thing, when the time comes? (and it will come) No, because they aren't prepared - they aren't interested - they don't really care at this point. Your quote from Aesop - "We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction." is a good one.

MaryPage · May 26, 2022, 10:32:55 AM

But honestly, think about it:

The morning news startled me about to dust with a group of legislators suggesting we now have to arm Teachers in their Classrooms!

I admit to being very old and of not much use. But I also admit to missing the days when schoolboys did not play with firearms, other than cocking their fingers when playing at cowboys & Indians. No security guards were hired by Educational branches of government. There was no pro-gun, anti-gun divide. Hunters hunted for meat for their table and military practiced to protect their fellow citizens. Now guns are right up there in our foreheads projecting vivid pictures of ungodly doings, and the gully dividing our yearnings to fix the problems of bullets traveling speedily from deadly tubes into the precious dimpled flesh of CHILDREN force upon us. I, for one, feel forced. I have never shot a gun, never held a gun, never wanted a gun, never thought of needing a gun. Go away with your guns and bring back my sunny days when life was considered a gift to be cherished and children everywhere were guarded by the concern for them felt by their entire communities.

CallieOK · May 26, 2022, 11:40:03 AM

Unfortunately, attitudes can't be legislated.

Going back to MaryPage's comments about York. I was in York while on a tour of The British Isles. We had a free afternoon and I went to the museum that had been built underground when Viking ruins were discovered while the city was putting in a new sewer system.
Small automatic carts took visitors through a series of full size panoramas of Viking life (plus some ruins that were left in place). Imagine my surprise when we rounded a curve and saw a Viking ship with sailors that looked exactly like my late husband!!!!

I'd always suspected he had Viking genes and that was pretty much confirmed when one son had his DNA analyzed and it showed 19% Scandinavian.

patricia19 · May 26, 2022, 12:19:09 PM

Yesterday the NRA issued a statement saying that "the killings of children had nothing to do with guns but a deranged madman." "gun extremists have been methodically chipping away at existing gun safety laws in states while pushing for federal action that would finally achieve their goal of legal possession of deadly firearms by anyone, anywhere, for any reason."

In crazy times, a bit of clarity goes a long way.

RAMMEL · May 26, 2022, 01:22:59 PM

Patricia, do you think the recent shooter was a normal, everyday child?
Was that second quote above also from the NRA?

MaryPage · May 26, 2022, 01:44:23 PM

The news reports telling the things the Shooter wrote on social media just days or hours before he shot 19 ten year-olds and two teachers dead forever and ever would seem to indicate a sickness within his psyche. I also hear, on the same news, that his mother was/is a drug addict and he was pretty much on his own. But I am no therapist, and cannot make a judgment.

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