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More low temperatures, snow...
Feb. 28th, 2003 07:55 pmIt snowed some more last night, to the point where backing into the stuff with the van nearly caused me to get stuck on the level this morning. Only after switching between forward and reverse did I get enough momentum going to allow gravity to do its thing. With some judicious pressure on the accelerator as I passed the low point of the driveway, I managed to get to the road and turn toward the store.
I'm sure it's my imagination, but I get the impression that the snow clearing efforts are not as efficient as they once were. It's not that I expect the streets to be plowed within minutes of an accumulation, but a little more often than twice a week would be nice.
Anyway, Galina called around 2 to say that not only the road, but our driveway had been plowed (the former by the county, the latter by a guy we know), so it was safe to come home. (I'd had these visions of sleeping at the Econo-Lodge and eating out at the Hog's Breath...) I stayed at the store until closing, though, and went home.
* * * By this time world+dog have noted the passing of Fred Rogers, who by all accounts was a very gentle, passionate man who loved children. In an age when so-called "children's programming" is little more than a vehicle for exposing kids to advertising or for inculcating obedience to peer pressure, Mister Rogers' show actually talked to kids, and always in a supportive way.
I suppose, in accordance with one of Niven's Laws (the one that's along the lines of "there is nothing so good that some fool won't condemn" - or am I confusing that with "there is no cause do noble that won't attract its portion of fuggheads" (?) - anyway...), I'm sure some people can come up with numerous reasons why Mr. Rogers was wrong, wrong, wrong, but personally, I cannot imagine the message he broadcast as being detrimental to any child, anywhere. His approach was to accentuate the positive while facing life pretty much straight on (many shows were devoted to overcoming fear).
His approach could stand some juxtaposition with recent reports from the Pine Tree State, but this is not the place.
One of his obituaries I read online today related a story of when Rogers visited Koko, the gorilla that had been taught American Sign Language. Apparently, the gorilla watched TV, and among the shows she watched was "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.." The story goes that, when she saw Rogers, she ran over and hugged him (she weighed 280 pounds; Rogers, half of that, so I can imagine that scene).
Then she took his shoes off.
Cheers...
I'm sure it's my imagination, but I get the impression that the snow clearing efforts are not as efficient as they once were. It's not that I expect the streets to be plowed within minutes of an accumulation, but a little more often than twice a week would be nice.
Anyway, Galina called around 2 to say that not only the road, but our driveway had been plowed (the former by the county, the latter by a guy we know), so it was safe to come home. (I'd had these visions of sleeping at the Econo-Lodge and eating out at the Hog's Breath...) I stayed at the store until closing, though, and went home.
I suppose, in accordance with one of Niven's Laws (the one that's along the lines of "there is nothing so good that some fool won't condemn" - or am I confusing that with "there is no cause do noble that won't attract its portion of fuggheads" (?) - anyway...), I'm sure some people can come up with numerous reasons why Mr. Rogers was wrong, wrong, wrong, but personally, I cannot imagine the message he broadcast as being detrimental to any child, anywhere. His approach was to accentuate the positive while facing life pretty much straight on (many shows were devoted to overcoming fear).
His approach could stand some juxtaposition with recent reports from the Pine Tree State, but this is not the place.
One of his obituaries I read online today related a story of when Rogers visited Koko, the gorilla that had been taught American Sign Language. Apparently, the gorilla watched TV, and among the shows she watched was "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.." The story goes that, when she saw Rogers, she ran over and hugged him (she weighed 280 pounds; Rogers, half of that, so I can imagine that scene).
Then she took his shoes off.
Cheers...
