I’M JUST CURIOUS: One more week of fun marital questions

by Debbie Walker

Last week you saw A Little Fun and the first part of the little test for couples. How did you do with the first one? The original came from a book titled Humor for a Woman’s Heart. The test was written by Bill and Pam Farrel. And here is the second part:

10. His idea of the perfect honeymoon is:

A. A week in the Poconos. B. A Mediterranean cruise. C. Anything under a hundred bucks.

11. The phrase “not in your lifetime” refers to:

A. Him cleaning the bathroom. B. Her cleaning the gutters. C. Either of you ever cleaning the stuff that grows under the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator.

12. When you think about the love letters you used to write when you were courting, you’re reminded:

A. Of a passion that burned like ancient Rome. B. Of a love that will last for an eternity. C. The writing corny love letters is not a crime.

13. Often men and women will show subtle signs of stress and strain in different ways. For each way listed below, choose the most appropriate gender.

A. Punch inanimate object, such as door or steering wheel. Male, Female, Either. B. Make sniffling noises and sigh heavily. Male , Female, Either. C. Blame clubs, bats, bowling balls, for poor athletic performance. Male, Female, Either. D. Clamp hands over face and weep. When questioned, keep saying, “Oh, nothing” over and over. Male, Female, Either.

14. When the both of you attend church together, it is best for the husband to wear:

A. A dark suit. B. A tuxedo. C. Whatever his wife picks out.

15. When the waiter asks what you’d like for a dessert, a wife’s most common response is:

A. “Chocolate mousse, please.” B. “I’ll try the cheesecake.” C. “Oh, nothing for me. I’ll just have a teensy bite of his.”

16. Your husband tries on his high school jacket and finds he can no longer snap it up.

A wife’s best response is: A. “Maybe it shrunk.” B. “I like you a little less skinny.” C.”That jacket would look dumb on a bald guy anyway.”

18. Your spouse is snoring. You should:

A. Accept it as a minor flaw in an otherwise perfect mate. B. Gently nudge him and say, “Roll over, dear.” C. Put a pair of sweatpants over his head and tighten the tie.

22. TRUE or FALSE: The husband often lets his wife answer the telephone because it’s usually for her anyway. FALSE: The husband often lets his wife answer the telephone because, if he doesn’t, he may end up talking to her mother.

23. The phrase most often heard when the two of you are alone in a quiet setting is:

A. “I love you.” B. “I need you.” C. “Zzzzzzzzz.”

27. (Wife question) To prove your love for your husband, you would gladly:

A. Climb the highest mountain. B. Swim the deepest ocean. c. Put gas in the car at one of those self-serve places where the risk of a broken fingernails a constant threat.

So how did you do? You probably noticed I skipped a few numbers, but I wanted to finish this week. I am just curious how you did. Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org I will be waiting. Want to share? Have a happy, healthy week. Thanks for reading!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Armenian American singer Armenuhi Manoogian

Kay Armen

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Armenuhi Manoogian
(Kay Armen)

Armenian American singer Armenuhi Manoogian (1915-2011), known by her stage name as Kay Armen, achieved fame during the 1940s and ‘50s with her NBC radio show, records and appearances in films and on television. Her 1950 recording of Come On A My House appeared one year before Rosemary Clooney’s megahit.

A 1945 Decca 78, 18672, featured her renditions of the wistful Ira Gershwin/Kurt Weill song All At Once and a throwaway Back Home for Keeps with Satchmo’s all-time favorite orchestra, the Royal Canadians led by Guy Lombardo (1902-1977). She sang with a keen sensitivity to the meaning of the lyrics, a wonderful low, middle and high register, and a commanding individuality of presence.

Both her father Robert Manoogian and younger brother Robert Jr. were professional wrestlers; Dad’s stage name was Bob Monograph, Junior’s Bobby Managoff.

Most of the morning while writing this, I have been listening to the numerous YouTubes of this singer, ranging from All at Once to a medley of Sinatra hits, In the Wee Small Hours, Time After Tim, etc., which she performed at a social gathering in 2007 when she was 92, and still in good voice.

The 1961 movie Hey Let’s Twist featured her and the uncredited actor Joe Pesci in his Hollywood debut more than 20 years before he cashed in with My Cousin Vinnie and Home Alone.

Guy Lombardo

Guy Lombardo and his three brothers formed their first orchestra while still in elementary school in London, Ontario, constantly practicing in the back of their father’s tailor shop. The band would sell 300 million records. Lombardo was also a champion speed boat racer.

Lyricist Ira Gershwin (1896-1983) outlived younger brother George by 46 years and would collaborate with composers Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen. He loved listening to music with the volume turned up while his wife despised it. In 1977, singer Debby Boone gave him a Sony Walkman cassette player with headphones. The next day, he instructed his broker to invest in Sony.

His very extensive collection of records, books, scores and sheet music was catalogued by singer/pianist Michael Feinstein.

Composer Kurt Weill (1900-1950) was part of Germany’s avant-garde musical theater scene, until 1933, and is most famous for the Three Penny Opera and its showstopper Mack the Knife, which made the Billboard Top Ten during the ‘50s via an Atco 45 by the late Bobby Darin. Weill collaborated several times with playwright Bertolt Brecht and was married to one of his best interpreters, singer Lotte Lenya (1898-1931).

 

 

ERIC’S TECH TALK: A primer for finding good information on the internet

by Eric W. Austin

The world is filled with too much information. We are inundated with information during nearly every moment of every day. This is a problem because much of it is simply spin and misinformation, and it can be difficult to separate the quality information from the background noise that permeates the internet.

I think being successful in this endeavor comes down to two things: learning to discern the quality sources from the sketchy ones, and getting in the habit of viewing a variety of sources before leaping to conclusions.

Let’s deal with the first one: quality sources. How do you determine the good sources from the bad?

To visualize the problem we’re dealing with, imagine a perfect source as a dot in the middle of a blank page. This hypothetical source is unbiased and completely reliable. (There is, of course, no such source or I would simply recommend it to you and this would be a very short article.)

Now imagine each and every source on the internet as another dot on this page. The distance each source is from the center dot is an indication of greater bias and lower reliability.

Oh, but you might complain, this is such a highly subjective exercise! And you would be absolutely right. Judging the quality of information on the web is not a hard science; it is a skill you need to develop over time, but it is also a skill which has become more and more essential to life in the modern age.

As a part of this mental exercise it’s important to be aware of the subjective weaknesses inherent in the human condition that are likely to trip you up. For example, we are much more likely to judge sources which align with our existing views as less biased than those sources which do not. So, you need to compensate for that when drawing the mental picture that I described above.

When I was learning to drive, our driver’s education teacher emphasized the importance of looking at both side mirrors, the rearview mirror and glancing over my shoulder before making any move in traffic such as changing lanes. Why wasn’t it sufficient to rely on only a single method to judge the safety of an action before taking it? Because each method has a blind spot which can only be compensated for by employing more than one tactic prior to making a decision. Using overlapping sources of information decreases the chances of missing something important.

Judging information on the internet is kind of like that: no one method is going to be sufficient and each will have a particular blind spot which can only be counterbalanced by employing multiple solutions.

Certain online resources can help you with drawing a more accurate picture of the sources on which you rely. The website MediaBiasFactCheck.com assesses more than 3,600 websites and news sources for bias and credibility across the internet on both the right and the left. Allsides.com is another resource which rates the political bias of websites and often places news stories from the left and right side by side so you can see how specific information is being presented. Allsides also has a handy chart rating the bias of the most well-known news sources from across the political spectrum. I don’t always perfectly agree with the ratings these sites supply (and neither will you), but it is a good place to start and should be another tool in your information-analysis utility belt.

If you are confronted with a source you do not have any prior experience with, search for it using the above resources and also do a web search for the name of the website. There may be a Wikipedia page about it that will tell you where the site’s funding comes from and whether the site has been caught peddling false information in the past. A web search may also dig up stories by other news sources reporting on false information coming from that website. There is nothing news sources like better than calling out their rivals for shoddy reporting. Use that to your advantage.

If a web search for the site turns up nothing, that could be a warning signal of its own. On the internet, it is absurdly easy to throw up a website and fill it with canned content, interspersed with propaganda or conspiracy theories to draw internet clicks and advertising dollars. It is becoming increasingly common for politically motivated groups to create credible-looking news sites in order to push a specific ideological agenda, so look for sources with some history of credibility.

So, what about bias? Isn’t everything biased? Well, yes, which is why our unbiased and perfectly reliable source above is only hypothetical. The skill you must develop is in determining how far each source is from matching that hypothetical ideal, and then building a well-rounded collection of credible sources representing various points of view.

One thing that must be mentioned is that bias and credibility are not mutually exclusive. Although sources that are highly biased are also more likely to lack credibility, this is not necessarily a strict correlation. In determining the credibility of a source, bias is only one of the factors to consider.

Let’s take a look at two news sources on opposite sides of the political spectrum: Fox News and CNN.

Initially, you might be tempted to think these sources are the worst examples to use in a discussion of reliable sources because of their high level of bias, but I would like to argue the opposite. First, it is important to recognize the difference between news and opinion. Most large news organizations separate their news reporters from their opinion commentators. If a website does not make this difference very apparent to the consumer then that may not be a source you want to trust. Separating news from editorial content is a standard policy because bias is a well-known problem for most news organizations and separating these two areas is a safeguard against too much opinion bleeding into their news. Of course, this is not a perfect solution, but such a precaution is better than nothing, and smaller niche sites often do not have the resources or desire to make this distinction.

This does not mean that smaller niche sites cannot be valuable sources of information, especially if that information is of a sort in which the site specializes, but it is something to consider when evaluating the validity of information, especially about controversial topics.

Another reason to include several high profile news sites from both sides of the aisle in your list of sources is that any missteps by these organizations are less likely to escape notice than smaller niche news sites. You can bet CNN will be quick to pounce on any sort of shoddy reporting put out by Fox News and vice versa.

So, bias is not necessarily a bad thing. It is important that we have right-leaning news organizations to rigorously investigate left-leaning administrations, just as it’s important to have left-leaning news organizations to report on right-leaning administrations. That is the beautiful mess that is the American free press. Your best bulwark against bias is to have a diversity of credible sources at your disposal representing a wide range of viewpoints.

Remember that the best safeguard against our own biases is to seek out opposing opinions in order to constantly challenge our preconceptions and force ourselves to regularly reevaluate our conclusions. Nobody is right all the time, and most of us are wrong more often than we’d like to admit. Cognitive dissonance – that sense of discomfort we feel when encountering information which threatens to upend our carefully set up boundaries and views of the world – is not something to run from but to embrace. Finding out you are wrong is often the only way to discover what is right.

Eric W. Austin writes about local issues and technology. He can be reached at ericwaustin@gmail.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Ah, March! In like a lamb, or in like a lion?

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

As we say “goodbye” to February and welcome March with open arms, a thought comes to mind of an old weather lore, “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” In this case, it could be vice versa, considering the mild weather we have had as we usher in the third month of the year. So, it’s more like, “In like a lamb, out like a lion.”

In that case, we could be in for a rough March. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I will get to that later in the column.

Much like regular folklore, weather lore is passed down through speech and writing from normal people without the use of external measuring instruments. The origin of weather lore can be dated back to primieval men and their usage of star studying in navigation. However, more recently during the late Middle Ages, the works of two Greek philosopher-poets, Theophrastus of Eresus on Lesbos and Aratus of Macedonia, are known greater for shaping the prediction of weather. The­ophrastus and Aratus collated their works in two main collections for weather lore: On Weather Signs and On Winds. These were used for helping farmers with harvest, merchants for trade and determining the weather the next day.

Weather lore is the body of informal folklore related to the prediction of the weather and its greater meaning.

Astrology and weather lore have been closely interlinked for many years – with each planet often being associated with a weather state. For example, Mars is red and must therefore be hot and dry. Prevalent in ancient Roman thought, astrologists used weather lore to teach commoners of the star and cloud formations and how they can be used to see the future.

Before the invention of temperature measuring devices, such as the mercury thermometer, it was difficult to gather predictive, numerical data. Therefore, communities used their surroundings to predict and explain the weather in upcoming days.

Weather folklore, therefore, refers to this mid-latitude region of daily variability. Other common proverbs are:

When clouds look like black smoke,

A wise man will put on his cloak.

(Thick, moisture-laden storm clouds absorb sunlight. It gives them an appearance that somewhat resembles black smoke.)

Red sky at night:

A red sunset probably means dry weather the next day.

Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight.

Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.

(In a common variation, “shepherd” is replaced by “sailor”.)

A red sky – in the morning or evening – is a result of high pressure air in the atmosphere trapping particles of dust or soot. Air molecules scatter the shorter blue
wavelengths of sunlight, but particles of dust, soot and other aerosols scatter the longer red wave length of sunlight in a process called Rayleigh scattering. At sunrise and sunset, the sun is lower in the sky causing the sunlight to travel through more of the atmosphere so scattering more light. This effect is further enhanced when there are at least some high level clouds to reflect this light back to the ground.

When weather systems predominantly move from west to east, a red sky at night indicates that the high pressure air (and better weather) is westwards. In the morning the light is eastwards, and so a red sky then indicates the high pressure (and better weather) has already passed, and an area of low pressure is following behind. That is a scientific fact.

So, what does that have to do with March coming in like a lion or a lamb? Whether you believe in the myth or not is up to you but it sure is fun to think about.

As mentioned in the beginning, the month of March came in relatively mild. So what’s in store? The Farmers Almanac says we could see a significant snow event around March 9 – 12, but things improve from there with mostly rain and temperatures above normal, and, thus, go out like a lamb with sunny, mild weather heading into April. Came in like a lamb and will go out like one.

Does a phrase that originated in England and Wales centuries ago even have relevance in a state in our northern part of the country?

Sandi Duncan, managing editor of that old standby, the Farmers’ Almanac, once said the lion/lamb saying is probably more wishful thinking than fact.

They do a lot of articles on weather sayings, but sometimes they are awfully true because they’ve been handed down by people who observe the weather, according to Duncan, from her office, in Lewiston.

“The ‘in like a lion’ one is based on the idea if it comes in bad it will go out nicely. People really do hope March is at the end of winter.”

The phrase is based on the beginning of the month being in winter and the end being close to spring.

But a weather phrase like ‘red sky at night, sailors’ delight’ is much more accurate. With that, there is scientific backing, but not with the lion saying.

In the last 16 years, March has come in with a roar eight times and gone out with a “baah” 10 times.

But March has also roared once at both ends of the month while braying four times at the beginning and end of the month during those years.

If you’re worried about amounts of snow and spring floods, March is the type of month where snow can come at any time. It doesn’t really matter how the month goes out or comes in, but what happens in between.

March is a very variable month. It can be winter-like and cold with snow, while other times it can be mild and lots of snow melt like last year.

Alas, the interpretation is up to you. Snow and cold early next week, then heading to the first day of spring on March 20.

There is one thing for certain. Only 16 days ‘til official spring.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who is the highest scoring defenseman in NHL history (goals and assists)?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: Forty is the old age of youth…

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

I’m going to lighten up this morning after putting in so much about all the heartache and sadness of the flooding of Flagstaff. I’ll start with this little saying I found; “Forty is the old age of youth; Fifty is the youth of old age. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.”

I am taking it from a yellowed old age clipping I found. It doesn’t have a year when it was printed, and it doesn’t tell what paper I was writing for at the time (but it certainly wasn’t The Town Line.) It starts out with these words: “I am going back in time again but only 62 years this time. Mary has been cleaning in her nursery school getting ready to open it again and when she took up an old linoleum in a closet, underneath was an old Independent Reporter, dated July 21, 1921. On the front page was the headline, “Old French Farm had Bridal Party. Earle Spaulding Wedding to Miss Esther French, Great-Granddaughter of Pioneer.” Couldn’t find any other Solon news, the closest being South Bingham and vicinity. Under the heading it said, Mr. and Mrs. Harry French are parents of a baby son, Carlton, born July 8. Albert Gehrker Sr, and family are enjoying a nice overland car. Albert Gehrke Jr. has bought the place where Harold York formerly lived and has moved his family there.

There was quite a bit of Stratton news and items from such places as Mainstream, Larone and Quinnebasset and with over 30 towns having columns. There was one article entitled, “We All Have It ” (this was 62 years ago!) Wish I could print it all but it is rather lengthy, written by an editor who took a drive of 180 miles to observe the speed mania on the highways. It starts out like this

“We all have it! We mean, of course, the public highways without being impressed that every man and woman and many of the children are afflicted with speed mania. It is a dire and dangerous disease. It is just as sure to lead to death as a cannon ball. This speeding is a disease just as truly as small pox is an affliction.” It ends with: “What’s the remedy? There is but one! That is for a law prohibiting the manufacture of cars beyond a medium speed limit. The ordinary car one meets on a highway has a speed limit of 30 to 40 miles and many of them can tear along at the death-inviting rate of 60-70 miles per hour! We hold life so cheaply that unless these high speed cars are prohibited by law, not only hundreds but thousands of our people will die upon the public highways. And what an awful death! Mangled and bleeding amidst the sand an dirt of the earth without an oportunity to arrange one’s business or say goodbye!”

There was a headline that said “Officers Capture Alleged Moonshiners I. Woods, South of Madison.” The paper then was the size of the daily paper now but with much smaller print. This issue had 14 pages and on the front it claims to be Maine’s Best County Weekly, Cost was 5 cents per copy or $1.50 a year. The correspondents didn’t get their names put in under their towns except Athens, and it said Bunker Hill-Athens. Does anyone know if that was a person’s name or a place there? Guess I’ll go put last week’s The Town Line under a linoleum someplace and in 50 or 60 years someone will find it and they’ll say, “Who was the nut writing Solon news way back then?

Hope all of you in Solon received 2020 Annual Report last week telling about the annual Solon Town Meeting, on Saturday, March 6, 2021, at Solon Elementary School. Election of town officials; 8 a.m. to noon. Town meeting is at 1:30 p.m.

Perhaps I’ve been back in the dark ages too long with what I’ve been writing about lately, because I haven’t had very much recent news sent to me, what do you think? Anyway, I came across a poem I had written back in 1943. On the outside it says Marilyn Houston English 1, Oct 4, 1943. The name of it was Saving Gas:

Some people go to the movies in cars, and that is luck,
But we have to go in a breezy old truck.
What do we care, if we only get there,
With many a song, our singing is rare.
We don’t have much style, But we have lots of fun,
The people of Stratton always know when we’ve come.

I got an A- for the above poem. But I can’t begin to tell you about all the fun we had going to the movies in my Uncle Perley’s BIG Old Truck; on cold winter times or the hottest of summer days! Flagstaff truly was a wonderful place to grow up, and to have lived in for a few years after I was married.

And now for Percy’s memoir in these difficult days: When things seem hopeless, trust God and do what’s right. First think: God is on my side! He wants to help me. Second say: I will rejoice and be patient through this hopeless situation. Next pray: ask God to help you trust in him. Finally obey patiently, wait, for God always keeps his promise, so you can depend on him to help you.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: A Tool To Save Lives

(NAPSI)—Heart disease is a leading cause of death for all Americans, but the death rate is higher for African American men and African American women of all ages than for whites.

To help community health workers in African American communities teach others about heart disease prevention, The Heart Truth®, a program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, recently released a new resource, “With Every Heartbeat Is Life,” that provides culturally tailored information about heart health. It is a resource for community health workers to use when holding educational sessions on heart disease in their own communities. It has culturally relevant information, such as heart-healthy modifications of traditional recipes, to make the manual particularly useful and meaningful in African American communities.

Heart-health experts developed the toolkit to help community health workers teach the course and engage participants using idea starters and picture cards to generate conversations. The curriculum discusses heart disease risk factors and prevention, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, alcohol consumption, weight management, sleep, physical activity, stress, and not smoking. The resource provides practical tips, such as eating healthy even when money is tight, and how to act in time to respond to heart attack signs.

Learn More For more information go to hearttruth.gov.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: A little fun with marital questions

by Debbie Walker

Yes, it’s another book I read this week! The title is Humor for a Woman’s Heart, and has 6-plus authors. When I read this one section, titled Fun Questions for Married Couples, I hoped you would enjoy it. This one section is authored by Bill and Pam Farrel. Enjoy the little quiz:

1. The recreational activity you most often do together is:

A. Bicycling; B. Bowling; C. Hunting for his keys

2. Choose a vacation spot! Which qualifications for a prime vacation spot would appeal to the husband, and which would appeal to the wife?

A. Quaint little shops; B. Golf, golf, golf ; C. Nice Restaurants; D. Big servings; E. Valet parking; F. Free parking; G. Room with a view; H. Room with a TV set; I. Elegant sunken tub; J. Reading matter in the bathroom.

3. TRUE OR FALSE: A vacuum cleaner makes an excellent anniversary gift?

TRUE: Provided you want this to be your last anniversary

4. STORY PROBLEM: John and Becky must leave their home by 6 p.m. in order to be on time for a dinner party. John starts to get ready at 5:55 p.m., so he can leave at 6 p.m. What time does Betty need to start getting ready in order to leave by 6 p.m.?

ANSWER: It makes no difference when Betty starts to get ready. She could start at 5 p.m., 4 p.m. or even 3 p.m… It doesn’t matter. She’s still going to be at least 20 minutes late.

5. (Husband Question): When your wife says, “Let’s not get each other Christmas presents this year,” it indicates:

A. Her desire to share with the less fortunate. B. Her thoughtful and realistic interest in the household budget. C. A test to see if you “love her enough” to forget the suggestion and “surprise” her with something you’ll be paying off until Columbus Day.

6. When a husband dons his almost-like-new coveralls and announces, “I’m going to work on the car,” you can almost bet that:

A. Soon, it will purr like a kitten. B. Soon, it will stop on a dime. C. Soon it will be towed to a nearby garage.

7. (Husband question): FILL IN THE BLANK: You can’t make an omelet without…:

A. Breaking some eggs. B. Reading a recipe. C. Hearing a lecture from your wife on the dangers of cholesterol.

8. Who is more likely to utter the following:

A. “What’s for supper?” Him or Her; B. “Have you seen my socks?” Him or Her; C. When are we leaving for church?” Him or Her; D. “Do you think I’ve gained weight?” Him or Her; E. “Where’s the television schedule?” Him or Her.

9. Before answering the question, “How do you like my new hairstyle?” what should a husband always remember?

A. His wife’s feelings are the most important thing. B. She may have spent hours in a salon to get it to look this way. C. The couch is lumpy, and when you sleep on it a spring pokes you in the back.

There are more questions, but I have run out of word space for this column.

I’m just curious if you would like to see the rest of the quiz. Let me know at DebbieWalker@townline.org . Hope this made you smile. Have a great, healthy week and thanks for reading.

P.S. Please take care of your outside animals. They can’t turn up the heat or put on a coat and gloves. They need you.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Writer: George Meredith

George Meredith

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

George Meredith

The English poet/novelist George Meredith (1828-1909) composed the following tribute to Queen Victoria (1819-1901), At the Funeral; February 2, 1901 :

“Her sacred body bear – the tenement
Of that strong soul now ranked with God’s
Elect.
Her heart upon her people’s heart she spent;
Hence is she Royalty’s lodestar to direct.

The peace is hers, of whom all lands have praised
Majestic virtues ere her day unseen.
Aloft the name of Womanhood she raised,
And gave new readings to the Title, Queen.”

I have too little space to go into Victoria’s reign, of which libraries of materials exist elsewhere, but Meredith touched on a few of her qualities that sum up the simplicity of greatness.

‘Her sacred body bear –’; Victoria brought integrity to the throne in her world view and practice of a happy, righteous life in her marriage, parenting and compassion to others. Meredith’s use of a dash after the verb ‘bear’ had a dramatic effect in the rhythm of that first line; her physical body, ‘the tenement’, was the home of a morally strong woman who found inner peace in this world against the savage pressures of political intrigue at Buckingham Palace, the social problems on the home front, the Crimean War during the 1850s, the death at a young age of her husband Prince Albert, etcs.

Queen Victoria

Meredith eloquently articulated a sense that she was now with the angels in heavenly eternity – ‘that strong soul now ranked with God’s/Elect”; again the dramatic pause between ‘God’s’ and ‘Elect’ heightening a feeling that Victoria had achieved a mighty victory in passing from this world to the next.

Moving on, despite her faults, historians have generally agreed that she brought a quality of being to the British throne that has been rarely, if ever, seen before her ascent and since her death in 1901 (I do admire the present Queen Elizabeth but her own virtues are for another day); ‘Majestic virtues ere her day unseen./Aloft the name of Womanhood she raised,/And gave new readings to the Title, Queen.’

I also couldn’t emphasize more the power of great literature on its own terms than in this poem itself. George Meredith was one of a large number of great English writers to emerge during Victoria’s 64-year reign from 1837 to 1901, along with Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens, Christina Rossetti, A. Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson and others. The poet Richard Howard commented that English literature during the 1800s was one major explosion of talent, and I concur.

I have only read a few other works of Meredith – his exquisite poems A Lark Ascending and Modern Love, and his more than 500 page novel, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, which I joyfully plowed through in two days, 30 years ago, and remember fondly for its comedy, tragedy, realism, romanticism and other elements of the life experiences blended in a very memorable group of characters on a country estate. He had an individuality, and a style of writing that won renown during his lifetime, despite its sometimes thorny difficulty.

The novelist Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) wrote her own tribute to Meredith and remembered vividly his loud hearty laughter.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS – Purpose: what is your purpose?

Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

“Corporate purpose is at the confluence of strategy and values. It expresses the company’s fundamental – the raison d’etre or overriding reason for existing. It is the end to which strategy is directed.” – Richard Ellsworth, From the new book, Red Goldfish, by Stan Phelps. Here is what Mr. Phelps says about Purpose

“Purpose is becoming the new black. It is emerging as a guiding light that can help businesses navigate and thrive in the 21st century. Purpose is an aspirational reason for being, that is grounded in humanity, is at the core of how many companies are responding to the business and societal challenges of today.”

Okay, here is my take on this. When you talk about purpose you are talking about the reason why you are in business, why your company is in business. Think back to when you started your business and try to remember why the business was started way back then?

Every single company was started to fill a need. Somebody at some time saw a need to provide something that would fill a need, whatever that need was. That is and has always been the basic reason for any business to start…to fill a need.

Now think back, what was that need? Why did your company start in the first place and what need did it fill then? Is it still filling that basic need today? Is your company still doing what it was founded to do in the first place?

Focusing on your company’s true and basic purpose is the very best way to find your direction if you have lost it. It is the perfect way to re-align your company if it has come out of alignment or keep it in alignment at all times.

  • Purpose instills clarity.
  • Purpose guides both short-term decisions and long-term strategy at every level of an organization, encouraging leaders to think about systems holistically.
  • Purpose guides choices about what not to do as well as what to do.
  • Purpose channels innovation.
  • Purpose is a force for and a response to transformation.
  • Purpose motivates people through meaning, not fear. It clarifies the long-term outcome, so people understand the need for change rather than feeling it is imposed upon them.
  • Purpose is also a response to societal pressures on business to transform, to address global challenges, and to take a long-term, more comprehensive approach for growth and value.
  • Purpose taps a universal need to contribute, to feel a part of society.
  • Purpose recognizes differences and diversity. Purpose builds bridges.
  • Purpose helps individuals/teams work across silos to pursue a single compelling aim.

Now let’s talk a minute about the differences between an organization’s Mission and its purpose. Mission is always talking about where we want to go, it focuses on where we want to be someday.

If your company has a clear and well-defined purpose it will help you not only attract the best people with the same passion for the same purpose, but it will keep them passionate and engaged for years to come.

Now ask yourself, what is your company’s purpose? Why are you in business in the first place? And probably the most important question: is the purpose for your company the same today as it was when the company was started years ago.

And one more question: is your company’s purpose obvious? Does everyone in your company, and I mean everyone, know why you are in business? What is the purpose of your very existence? Having a strong and clear purpose is the best way to grow your business.

NEWS FROM THE VA: Vaccines available at the VA; and some pet peeves

Veterans Affairs Regional Benefit Office Togus, ME

by Gary Kennedy

Greetings my fellow veterans and friends. After many years of service, on the positive side, I find myself smitten by the need to allow some of the negatives I have been made aware of by phone, text and face to face conversations. Most of what I take in from others I must share, “pet peeves”, as well as general information for all to hear and disseminate to others in need. Before I say things that some of you don’t want to hear, let me try and answer one of our associate writers of The Town Line’s questions from last week’s issue. As I have shared myself through The Town Line for many years, now most of you know much about me. For those of you who don’t, I am a 100 percent disabled, service-connected disabled American veteran who spends most of his time helping other veterans with their V.A. related problems. Also, I try very hard to stay up with current events and share what I research with others to whom it may apply.

Debbie Walker, in last week’s I’m Just Curious article, spoke a lot about Covid-19 and the ever elusive vaccine that Moderna has introduced to the world and in this case, Maine. I can offer a few things that I am aware of, and you or Debbie can follow it up. For those of you who don’t live near the Togus V.A. facility or are not veterans, there are several things you may not be aware of. The first is the Veterans Administration has been giving out thousands of doses of the Covid vaccine to elderly veterans; those vets who are over 75 years of age. First in line were the veterans with serious comorbidities such as asthma and/or emphysema. In both of these cases the bronchi and /or air sacks in the lungs are damaged. This being said you can see the “why” of these cases being first on the list. Covid goes for the respiratory system in a big way. The health caregivers are at the top of the list as well for very obvious reasons. Without them remaining healthy the remainder of us wouldn’t stand much of a chance.

I hear that CVS Pharmacy and Walmart Pharmacy will be joining the team in the administration of the Moderna vaccine in the near future. Remember two injections must be given four weeks apart, to defeat this airborne virus. Travel is very complicated to anywhere in the world as the quarantine rules differ from one place to another. It’s much safer to have gotten both injections before planning any journey. In the case of veterans, you can call 623-8411 Ext. 4949 or 4947 for appointments. For general information on a day-by-day info search use the Website (Maine.VA.gov). Also you can call public information at 623-8411 Ext. 2969. By all means share this information with others. It actually helps not only veterans but others to connect for appointments. This in turn helps others and helps our state stay on top of the ladder.

Now for some “pet peeves” that I have been avoiding but find it necessary to share. I have been part of this research myself. Most information I receive I follow up by testing the data myself. It has been brought to the attention of business as well as individuals that some wonderful benefits are being abused. The number one item I hear about is pets being allowed into, grocery stores, hospitals, etc. There are places that animals should not be allowed; no matter how much an individual may love them. Animals can carry harmful things to places of food supplies. Also, it should be obvious to most of us; areas that have sterile and aseptic environments are breached by our pets. A few years back we began a caregiver program for the military which allowed “Service Dogs” which were trained and certified as companions for the veterans who were blind or nearly so as well as PTSD patients. It seems this has evolved in a ridiculous way. Some people carry French poodles, cats and various other animals. This is beginning to cause problems for those with a real medical/emotional need. There are even many people who are allergic to some animals. This has forced some businesses to post signs that state, “Service Dogs only.” If you think about it there are reasons why animals are being barred from planes and places where sanitary conditions must be strictly enforced. If you haven’t seen a picture of pet dander then perhaps you should research it. It’s not pleasant.

Last but certainly not least. There are those who illegally take handicapped parking spots. Also some doctors give out handicapped letters for state licensing use which allow some, not only close to destination parking but negates the legitimate parking of those with a real handicap. I have tested this on several occasions and I must admit some people really disgust me. Also, it’s illegal. (The handicapped person must be in the vehicle). Some handicap permits are used to avoid fees, taxes; again illegal and unfair. Because you’re fat and /or elderly it doesn’t mean you need to take advantage of handicap privilege. You are doing both yourself and those truly handicapped a disservice. Exercise will help keep the old ticker strong. Do yourself a favor and take a walk. Do the truly handicapped person a favor and allow them to shop. Their world is smaller than yours. There are many ways to show love and respect. If you think of each other as family our days will find so much fulfillment and satisfaction. A healthy glow on ones face is the best sleeping pill one can imagine. “Things are tough right now for all of us but doing the right thing is the right thing to do.” Remember someday you will be there as well. God bless and have a safe, thoughtful, considerate and wonderful day.