REVIEW POTPOURRI – Graham Greene: The Paradox of a Pope

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Pope Pius XI

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Graham Greene

The Paradox of a Pope, from his Collected Essays
Originally written in 1951.

Eugenio Pacelli (1876-1958) later became Pope Pius XII upon the death of Pope Pius XI, in 1939, during very evil years of the last century and, upon his own death, would be succeeded by the even more famous Pope John XXIII. His own leadership of the Catholic Church, particularly with respect to Nazism and the Holocaust, still continues as a subject of controversy with enough material to last several lifetimes and well beyond the scope of these few paragraphs.

One of my top five favorite writers, Graham Greene (1904-1991) wrote Paradox while the Pope was still living and he included it in the 1969 volume, Collected Essays, without changing a single word. It is a fascinating study of the complexities in human character, a subject Greene was so good at in everything of his I have ever read and re-read. He also became a Catholic during his early 20s and his faith would always resonate in his writings.

Graham Greene

Greene’s opening comments of how “strange to come on a monument to a living man, for even the greatest usually appear only on tablets and tombstones after death,” are interesting because of the reasons for these monuments while Pius was still living. A few of these examples included his visits with soldiers from the allies and axis powers at the Vatican and receiving all of them as pilgrims; his words to a grieving father whose son had been killed during World War II and had no faith to sustain him in his loss (after Pius convinced the man there was an afterlife and the father and his son would be re-united, he left the Pope very happy); and finally the Pope’s unrelenting efforts in saving countless lives of Jewish people and other refugees in war-torn countries, while maintaining the Vatican’s neutrality publicly during these war years.

When I first saw a photo of Pius XII presiding at a Mass decades ago, he exuded an aura of both mien and mean, which started my interest in him as a historical figure. Little did I know of his real character!

A quote of this man: “To live without risk is to risk not living.”

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Don’t Let Mother Nature Sidetrack Your Health

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Five Ways To Prioritize Your Family’s Physical And Mental Well-Being In Hurricane Season

(NAPSI)—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an average hurricane season this year, but as history has shown, the worst hurricanes are often unexpected. Last year, the seemingly mild Hurricane Michael rapidly turned into a category 5 storm, devastating parts of the Florida Panhandle. While many will stock batteries, flashlights and bottles of water, few will prep for health-related incidents or have a plan in place if a family member gets sick during a natural disaster. What’s more, such storms can be traumatic, causing stress and fear, even after they’ve blown over. It’s wise to prepare for that, too.

“In the wake of an imminent storm, many often forget that everyday life, including general illness, doesn’t stop in the midst of a natural disaster,” says Dr. Derek Bennetsen, a board-certified family physician. “Plus, the physical and mental health toll of a hurricane can be long lasting. Fortunately, you can learn effective and proven steps to prioritize your health. Have a hurricane plan that includes deciding how you and your loved ones will receive general medical care.”

Dr. Bennetsen suggests these steps you can take to prioritize your family’s health regardless of the weather:

1. Mind Your Medications. In the event of a hurricane or other disaster, getting to a pharmacy may be impossible, if it’s even open. Work with your treating physician or virtual care service to make sure your medications are stocked before a storm hits, and make sure you have a pharmacy finder in the event of evacuation.

2. Check Your First-Aid Kit. First-aid kits are rarely thought about until they’re needed. Make sure you have an ample supply of bandages, alcohol swabs and pain relievers, to manage everything from cuts and scrapes to headaches. Keep dust masks nearby and a whistle in case you need to signal for help.

3. Download the Right Apps. If power is out, conserve your cell phone battery. Get information from trusted sources. Download the Red Cross app at: www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps, to monitor more than 35 different emergency alerts that can help keep you and your loved ones safe. The FEMA app is also available, at www.fema.gov/mobile-app, for regular alerts from the National Weather Service. In case of evacuation or the need for care, seek out Red Cross shelters at www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.html. There you can get the help you need, including virtual access to doctors.

4. Be Smart About Stress. Hurricanes are stressful, even traumatic. Coping with the emotional effects of disasters is important for all ages. In the moment, try breathing exercises or tackling one item at a time on a to-do list and always consider talking to a psychologist or therapist. Telebehavioral health services such as BetterHelp (www.betterhelp.com) and Teladoc (Teladoc.com/therapy) are growing in popularity for successfully providing support on your terms, regardless of time of day or location.

“The need for quality mental health care in the face of disaster is so well documented and needed, and now, fortunately, with the prevalence of virtual care, we can connect people with the right therapist for their needs,” explains Dr. Chris Dennis, a Miami, Florida-based psychiatrist and tele-behavioral health provider.

5. Know Where to Access Care: A fever or infection is not going to wait for the storm to pass and may very well get worse if you wait. In many areas, doctors may also have evacuated or care will be difficult to access. Find out before the storm hits whether you have access to virtual care services. Disaster preparedness resources such as https://www.teladoc.com/disaster-hotline/ have thousands of physicians across the country including those who are board-certified to provide medical care.

“Whether it’s a child’s fever in the wake of a storm, or breathing issues, infections and or other illnesses incurred days or weeks after, we’ve helped patients get much needed care over the years. It’s so critically important to prioritize your health and know your options for care before you need it,” adds Dr. Bennetsen.

Learn More

For more information, visit www.Teladoc.com/disasterprep or Teladoc.com/therapy.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: An ugly, scary looking wasp that isn’t so scary, after all

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Left, a giant ichneumon wasp photographed at a camp in Glenburn, and right, a pigeon horntail wasp.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A little while ago, the pastor at my church sent a photo to me of a bug he spotted at his camp. It was a scary looking bug that neither of us had ever seen before. It was yellow in color, had long legs and a long protruding appenditure that resembled a stinger.

So, it was time to call on my friends at the Maine Forest Service for some input. Here is what we found.

The bug is called the Giant Ichneumon Wasp, Megarhyssa macrurus.

There are several different species of Ichneumon Wasps, each with its own color variations. Some are black and yellow, others reddish and striped. All have the Ichneumon Wasps body shape: a thin waist and an abdomen longer than the rest of the body.

Females have a long, needle-like ovipositor which is often mistaken as a stinger. The sturdy ovipositor acts like a syringe, injecting eggs deep into wood (live trees or logs) where the larvae will feed on any other insect larvae already deposited there. It is not uncommon to see females poking around wood in an attempt to find a good place to deposit her eggs. Males do not have the ovipositor so their abdomen are shorter. Both genders are still wasps, however. Despite their large size and being “wasps” these are harmless to humans and unable to sting.

Giant Ichneumon Wasps tend to live in wooded areas and throughout all of North America, though they do stay away from arid and hot desert regions and scarcely treed central plains.

Ichneumon Wasp adults do not eat at all. Larvae are parasites of Pigeon Horntail larvae, another type of wasp that deposits eggs in wood. The Ichneumon wasp larvae will hatch and feed on the Horntail Wasp larvae.

When an insect develops on a single host, and kills the host in the process, it is called a parasitoid. Parasites, on the other hand, tend to nibble on their hosts without killing them. And predators kill more than one of their prey items.

The giant ichneumon wasp is a parasitoid, notable for its extremely long ovipositor which it uses to deposit an egg into a tunnel in dead wood bored by its host, the larva of a similarly large species of horntail. Another of its common names is stump stabber, referring to its behavior.

When a parasitoid kills its host, it can indeed be a gruesome sight. Typically, an adult female parasitoid lays an egg on the surface of, or into the body of, a living larva of another insect. When the egg hatches, the parasitoid proceeds to consume the host, piece by piece. Like a cat with a mouse, it keeps its victim alive as long as possible. Dead larvae rot quickly, and this makes the meal less attractive. First the parasitoid eats the fat bodies of the larva, then the digestive organs, keeping the heart and central nervous system intact for as long as possible. Finally, they are eaten as well and the long-suffering victim dies, leaving an empty caterpillar shell.

The slow death inflicted by parasitoids that attack other insects tested the concept of a benevolent God for 19th century theologians who discussed this practice at length. Even Darwin had trouble with the largest parasitoid family as he wrote to Asa Gray in 1860: “I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of caterpillars….”

The female giant ichneumon wasp is a striking animal, two inches long, boldly patterned in brown, orange and yellow. Her two- to -four-inch long ovipositor with its two protective filaments looks like three long tails. Some parasitoids can choose to lay their eggs on a variety of host species, but giant ichneumon wasps need to find a larva of a pigeon horntail. Nothing else will do.

The ovipositor looks like a single filament, but it comprises three filaments, the middle one of which is the actual ovipositor, which is capable of drilling into wood. This central filament also appears to be a single filament, but is made of two parts, with a cutting edge at the tip. The two parts interlock and slide against each other.

Although very thin, the ovipositor is a tube and the egg being laid moves down a tiny channel in its center. The outer two filaments are sheaths which protect the ovipositor; they are out to the sides during egg-laying

The presence of giant ichneumons on a tree is not a good sign because they are an indication that horntail wasp are attacking the tree. Horntail wasps attack trees that are already under stress. Often by the time the wood-boring insects have started attacking the tree it is in irreversible decline.

Fortunately, for my pastor, the giant ichneumon wasp he saw was on a dead stump of a tree, and not on a healthy one.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

For how many teams did NFL quarterback Joe Montana play?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: News from Solon Elementary School

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

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

As always I was very happy to receive the Solon School newsletter. The Principal’s Message states: “The Solon staff and I wish to welcome our new students in grades PreK-5 and their families to our school and to welcome back those who have been with us before. I hope all of you enjoyed a wonderful summer.

“I am the principal of both Solon Elementary and Garret Schenck Elementary School so I split my time between the schools. I am here for half of each day. Our school secretary Mrs. Tanya McFadyen can help parents with any issues they may have and can help you make contact with me if you wish to.

“Mr. Terry Corson will serve as our lead teacher and will help me handle discipline issues.

“We are pleased to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students again this year under the district’s community eligibility program. Students can buy milk or juice for snack or to go with a cold lunch if they wish to for 30 cents.

“Again this year our students will have healthy snacks provided through a fresh fruits and vegetables grant program on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

“Please contact us if you have any questions. Thank-you for your cooperation. We look forward to a great new year!

“An open house will be held on Wednesday, September 25, from 6 – 7 p.m. Enjoy refresments , visit the classrooms. Please join us!

“On August 23, our new kindergartners attended an open house to acquaint them with their teacher Mre. Jen LaChance and to find out what life would be like in kindergarten. They listened to a story, participated in a scavenger hunt , enjoyed a snack, and played outside on the playground.

“The following is if you have bus questions or concerns. If you have general questions about bussing, please call our Transportation Director Lorie Agren at 431-8812. When your children are on the bus and you have concerns about pick-up or drop-off, please call Bonnie (a.m.) or Candy (p.m.), at Carrabec Community School, at 635-2209 and they can radio the bus driver.”

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: Answer your darn phone!

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Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

I know you’re busy, out there in the job. Working as hard as you can to please your customers, and grow your business. But there is still one thing you need to do to make sure that your business always looks professional. One thing, that if you do better than anyone else, will set you apart in a big, way, a very big way, and that is the way you handle phone calls, yes, the way you answer your phone.

There is nothing more aggravating to a customer — or potential customer — than not having anyone on the other end of the line when they are trying to reach you. Whether it’s a current customer who wants to talk to you about a job; or worse, has a complaint that he wants to talk to you about, she wants to talk to you now! Or maybe it’s a new potential customer who wants to ask you about your services and rates, now that’s a phone call you really want to answer if you are serious about growing your business. There is no doubt that answering the phone in a timely fashion is one of the most important things you can do for your business and for your customers.

If you think about it for a minute you will come to realize that in the case of a new potential customer, for example, the way you “do phone” will be the first impression that person has of you, your company and the way you do business. So, you’d better be good at it.

Personalize the situation, it has happened to all of us. Many of us have called a plumber because the toilet is overflowing, or an electrician because yours is the only house on the street whose power is off. You really want to talk to someone now! Or your porch roof looks like it is about to collapse under the weight of the 40 inches of wet snow that fell last night, you want someone to answer that phone, now. But instead you wait by the phone for hours feeling helpless as the situation seems to get worse by the minute! And the longer you wait the more resentful you get. If you’re the person not calling them back… don’t count on growing your business.

We all get it. The way you answer your phone, the way you deal with phone calls is critical to the way you keep your customers happy and grow your business.

So, keeping that in mind, here a few tips on how to deal with phone calls:

  • If your company is small, and you have no one at the office, or the house who can answer the phone, then carry a cell phone and answer it wherever you are. Take the time to answer it to at least find out what the caller wants and let her know when you can get to her place to fix the problem, if it is an emergency. If it’s not an emergency then tell him when you will call him back, preferably that evening.
  • Another idea is to have two phone numbers; one for normal business and one for emergencies and get your customers to use the emergency number only when there is an emergency. Oh, I can hear you groan that some people will always use the emergency number, and yes, you’re right. But for the rest of the customers. It will be an impressive option and show how much you care about customer service, and they will indeed honor your system.
  • Put all of your current customers’ numbers in your phone so that you will see who is calling when they are calling which will allow you to instantly triage the calls thus giving you some idea of who is calling and more easily make a decision about calling them back.
  • If you are lucky enough to have an office with a person manning the phones then always make sure that person is courteous and is well trained enough to know when the call is important enough to notify you to call the customer immediately, or when there is time so that you can call when you have some free time later in the day. This person should also have your calendar so that he or she can make appointments for you.
  • And finally, the voice mail. That necessary evil of all businesses. Make sure your message is clear, concise and, of course, courteous and maybe add a clever little statement that will make the caller smile a bit when leaving the message. And always, always let the caller know exactly how long it will take for you to call her back

In the end, it’s all about looking and feeling professional to your customers. The way you answer your phone and the way you return phone calls will go a long way when you are truly serious about growing your business.

Saying “goodbye” to summer 2019

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Tina Richard, of Clinton, caught this barred owl napping in her yard.

Emily Poulin, of China, snapped a shot of this turkey walking across a field.

Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, photographed this gold finch enjoying a snack at a feeder.

Gary Mazoki, of Palermo, snapped this hummingbird approaching a feeding station.

Pat Clark, of Palermo, photographed this warbler at her feeder, stating it was the first time she had seen one at the suet feeder.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Made up words

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by Debbie Walker

How many words have you made up over the years? When no other word would do when dealing with your children, did you make one up?

My friend, Nana Dee (of the Wandering Nanas), has made up a word. Dee has an amazing wit plus quite the collection of southern sayings. It was her made up word that spurred me into this column today. “Smartassery” is her word. It is for the times when she just can’t help herself and the sarcasms come out!

As I said, that got me started and finding a book and an article in a Reader’s Digest magazine clinched it for me.

The author of a Reader’s Digest article by Bill Bouldin titled the Best Made Up Words Ever is one resource for this column. A few of his words and meanings are what follows:

  • Beerboard – to extract secret information from colleagues by getting them drunk.
  • Blamestorming – The act of attempting to identify the person who is most at fault for a plan’s failure.
  • Chairdrobe – A chair on which one piles clothes that belong in the closet. Not to be confused with a floordrobe (think ‘wardrobe’).
  • Destinesia – When you get to where you intended but forgot why you wanted to go there.
  • Fauxpology – An insincere expression of regret.
  • Pregret – To know what you’re about to do is wrong, wrong, wrong, while also knowing you will do it anyway.
  • Textpectation – The anticipation felt when awaiting a response to a text.

The next example of made up words, let’s call them “designer words,” concept is much like the dogs referred to as mutts are now designer dogs.

The reference book I used is by Eden Sher and the title is The Emotionary, a Dictionary of Words That Don’t Exist for Feelings That Do. I picked a few favorites that follow:

  • Ambivicilty = Ambivalence + Difficulty – the anxiety of having to make decisions.
  • Inrelaxability = Inability + Relax – the anxiety of having free time. My mother would say that was my problem!
  • Irredependent = Irrational + Independent – unable to ask for help under any circumstances.
  • Devade = Devastation + Evade – to purposely avoid asking someone a question, for fear that they won’t give the answer one wants to hear.
  • Disapathy = Disappointed + Apathy – a state of indifference caused by repeated past disappointment in people.
  • Proquester = Productive + Sequester – to obsessively work on a creative endeavor in isolation, neglecting friends, family, and/or other work.
  • Smork = Small + Quirk – The deeply ingrained behaviors, reactions and/or habits one exhibits every day.
  • Inattextive = Text + Inattentive – characterized by incessant phone use during social situations.

Now, here is a word for you to guess, made up word or in the real dictionary? The word is Tintinnabulation. What do you think? The meaning is “the ringing of bells.” All those letters meaning such a little thing. Is it really necessary? Must be because this word IS in the dictionary. Just keep in mind all words were made up by someone in past years.

I’m just curious how many words you have made up over the years? Let me know, please. I love this foolishness. Contact me with comments or questions at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Have a great week. Find something to enjoy!

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Composer: Maurice Ravel

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Maurice Ravel

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Ravel

Bolero, Pavane for a Dead Princess, and La Valse

William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburg Symphony; Capitol SP 8475, stereo lp, recorded October 29, 1958, at Pittsburgh’s Syrian Mosque.

One of the most gifted conductors to have emerged in the last century, William Steinberg (1899-1978), led the Pittsburgh Symphony from 1952 to 1976 , until he resigned because of heart problems. During his lifetime, he was music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic before Pittsburgh and the Boston Symphony from 1969-72, while juggling his time with Pittsburgh. And he had guest engagements with most of the distinguished orchestras and opera houses as well. His Wiki biography provides a number of interesting details about the Maestro’s career.

He recorded a sizable amount of repertoire for Capitol records from the beginning of his tenure in Pittsburgh until he left that label in 1960. Among his recordings is the above program of French composer, Maurice Ravel, 1874-1937, consisting of three works – Bolero, Pavane for a Dead Princess and La Valse.

Bolero was composed for the ballet dancer Ida Rubinstein, after she commissioned Ravel when he returned from a successful tour of the United States during the mid-to-late ‘20s. Its debut on November 22, 1928, elicited nasty comments from certain ‘thinkers,’ but also became an overnight sensation and has remained a much-recorded classic. It is still dismissed as bombastic trash by a number of listeners but, for myself and others, a perennially captivating work for its fascinating build-up of dynamics from the barely audible pianissimi of the snare drum, plucking strings and flute to the rip-roaring conclusion at the same unvarying tempo. Steinberg pulled off these challenges with exactitude and achieved exquisite phrasing of the melodic line from the strings and woodwinds. Other very good recordings include those of conductors Anton Nanut and Paul Paray.

Pavane for a Dead Princess was first written as a piano piece in 1899 and scored for orchestra in 1910. When somebody asked Ravel why he picked the title, he replied that, ‘he liked the sound of the words and put them there.’ He also insisted on very slow tempos yet, when hearing a plodding rendition, admonished the performer that ‘it was not a dead pavane for a princess.’ Steinberg, as did other conductors like Charles Munch, Fritz Reiner, Andre Cluytens etc., observed these slow tempos with very sublime results, particularly the writing of the harp and woodwinds.

La Valse’s world premiere in December, 1920, drew the comment by one individual as ‘people dancing on a volcano.’ Ravel blended the rhythms of Johann Strauss Jr.’s Viennese Waltzes and, no relation, Richard Strauss’s opera, Der Rosenkavalier, into a piece of virtuosity uniquely his own and Steinberg’s recording is very exciting.

A CD set of most of Steinberg’s Capitol recordings was released in 2011 and copies may be still available through Internet sources.

William Steinberg was much loved by his colleagues and had quite the sense of humor. He granted interviews if the subject was one of interest, “for instance, myself.”

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Breathe Easier, Have Your Kids Tested For Asthma

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(NAPSI)—The school year can be a hectic time for the families of America’s estimated 57 million schoolkids—but it’s also a good time for parents to bring their children to the doctor to get tested for asthma.

Asthma Affects Academics

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Asthma is a leading cause for chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused. It detracts from learning and is a proven early warning sign of academic risk. This affects young children in particular in ways that can shape academic outcomes for their entire school career.

Understanding Asthma

Asthma causes swelling and narrowing of the airways that carry air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Allergens or irritating things entering the lungs trigger asthma symptoms. There’s no cure, but it can be managed with proper prevention of asthma attacks and treatment. More than 25 million Americans have asthma, 7.7 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children. Additionally, diagnosed asthma cases have increased since the 1980s.

Asthma Symptoms

Asthma symptoms vary from person to person. A person may have infrequent asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times—while exercising, for example—or have symptoms all the time.

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest tightness or pain
  • Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing
  • A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling
  • Coughing or wheezing attacks are worsened by respiratory viruses.

If your child shows any of these symptoms, it’s even more important to have him or her visit a pediatrician for testing.

How Asthma Is Diagnosed

In order to accurately diagnose asthma, a doctor will take a detailed medical history of the patient, conduct a physical exam, and test lung function with spirometry. A spirometry test measures the volume and speed of air that a patient can expel from the lungs, this helps determine the type of asthma and the optimum treatment plan.

Asthma Treatment

Treatment generally involves a blend of medication and avoiding triggers such as pollen, chemicals, extreme weather changes, smoke, dust mites, stress and exercise.

The good news is your child can live a normal life with asthma as long as it’s properly managed and monitored. Even many professional athletes have asthma.

More good news is that doctors now have better equipment than ever to help them accurately diagnose the condition. For example, the EasyOne® Air Spirometer created by ndd Medical Technologies and available through Henry Schein Medical, helps doctors make diagnoses confidently. Built for healthcare providers large and small, it uses TrueFlow™ ultrasound technology for unprecedented accuracy and reliable diagnosis.

A portable stand-alone spirometry solution helps doctors stay flexible. The device is extremely robust and calibration-free TrueFlow technology provides a lifetime of worry-free operation. The color touch screen lets doctors view real-time curves, easily enter data, and navigate using a premium touch screen interface while it easily connects wirelessly via Bluetooth for real time incentives, data exchange, and electronic medical record connectivity.

It’s just one of the many medical devices available through Henry Schein Medical, a provider of medical and surgical supplies to health care professionals.

Learn More

For further information, parents and doctors can go to www.henryschein.com/spirometry and https://www.allergyasthmanetwork.org/.

AARP SCAM ALERT: Beware of identity compromise

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If you do business with a national retailer or bank, chances are you’ve had your identity compromised at one time or another. These large scale cyber attacks have unfortunately become commonplace, but it’s important to know that criminals are trying just as hard to hack you as they are big corporations. Personal cyber attacks can come in the form of malicious attachments that steal personal information from your computer. They can also come in the form of email attacks, called phishing, appearing to come from a trusted source and asking you to confirm a password or verify personal information.

Be careful online and check your emails for common warning signs like misspellings, generic greetings, free offers or urgent requests for action. Never click on suspicious links and always look up call back numbers rather than relying on those listed in the message.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam or get help if you’ve fallen victim.