Another Handwriting Dodo Bird
In response to Richard Smith”s Editorial 1/29, I too flunked that course in 4th grade. Being left handed, pen and ink was a disaster. As I wrote my hand smeared every letter, making a mess, so I began writing with wrist bent down from top of letters. That worked but letters were sloped awkwardly to the left. Eventually a ganglion cyst grew on top of the wrist from the strain, and the cure in those days was to hit it hard with a book. Soon a 2nd cyst grew and now then were two. The doctor then took a needle to draw out the fluids. It grew right back with a vengeance. Finally he operated to remove one, but accidentally cut part of the wrist tendon. From then on I have never been able to bend at the wrist, which was a challenge for me, a piano player. My happiest moment was when I learned to type, and have been doing so ever since. And yes, my thumbs are very fast.
Carolyn Hawley. Nice
Penmanship, death of
I”d like to both agree (sadly) and disagree with some of the things mentioned by Mr. Smith in his opinion article this morning. I do suspect that penmanship/handwriting has had its day, perhaps another evidence of the increasing tendencies of laziness, blah and boring lives, and loss of defining characteristics. With its demise, we people will have lost one of the few ways to establish our identities and individualities. I think it is sad. Its successor, hand printing, doesn”t offer much opportunity to establish one”s “differences.” The only survivor seems to be the required signatures for legal purposes.
But then, few of us are old enough to have had Catholic friends whose knuckles bore the marks of “motivation” by a Nun devoted to achieving “a fine Spencerian hand”!
However, I do not think that hand written notes, memos, and such will ever disappear simply because one-off labels and such are too efficient in too many non —electronic situations. Particularly, for example, where they require taping to walls and refrigerator doors.
As a last thought, I can remember ink wells in school desks, although filling them with ink for “real” writing with “real” pens usually ended disastrously . Pencils were far less tempting than pens. Spitwads were too identifiable so we used folded bits of paper and tapioca balls and straws. When the inkwell was empty (no glass ink holder), a favorite was to draw a pigtail (had to have a girl ahead of you) through the hole and using some form of pin to prevent its removal — and when pulled out, no evidence!
Guff Worth, Lakeport
Enough indeed
Shirley Hunter”s letter “Enough” made the inarguable point that we need “ideas for real help for real people in real time.” I submit that real help for real people in real time will only be produced by something real, as in science, whose domain is understanding reality in all it”s manifestations. In my opinion, real help for real people in real time will not be forthcoming from a silent invisible deity, Christian or otherwise. Nor will real progress be made by consulting the Bible, a stone age document. It”s quite simple, the bible was written by man and describes a concept of a deity constructed by these same fallible humans.
Folks, this has gone on now for thousands of years, lets move on. We need reality based answers to the real problems we face. Enough indeed.
Tim Snider, Lakeport
Think about it
With this county”s budding wine industry, and trust me it is just beginning to produce the importance of our listless tourist industry at this state of its growth, an annual, well produced weekend event needs to be developed with the name of Bacchus, Nectar of the Gods Parade, as its name tag. Bacchus was the wine god of the ancient Greek Empire.
The parade can feature wine related floats, a King and Queen of Wine, marching bands made up of high school, college and military units, ethnic attired men and women offering the traditional outfits from their different cultures along with our native Pomo representatives funded by the local casinos. This event would be put on in even and odd years at Lakeport and Clearlake. Entries in the parade can ONLY display a festive theme and mood.
Security must be restrained in a way to react to wrongful actions of the few, and not to prevent the gaiety of those enjoying the event. Advertised stern fines would be in place and enforced for those found guilty of disturbing the event.
Concession operators would pay a fee for the right for retail sales that are not overbearing as to the amount of profit they may be rewarded with from their efforts. Each must offer a different ethnic food or merchandise product with no duplications other than those featuring local wine tastings and products. Fines could be used along with a percentage of any event entry fees to pay those committee leaders who will be putting in a great many hours in bringing the many different needs to put on such an event.
An area needs to be used for Friday and Saturday street type dancing. A carnival needs to be found that is offered a yearly contract for the entertainment of the youth. Local non-profits could operate booths that differ from the carnivals booths, to raise funds for their programs. A Polka Band Competition with a substantial winning prize would be something to offer the older adults as a form of entertainment.
The Wine and Casino industry needs to offer a fireworks display on the Saturday night of this event, one that will be remembered by all.
Each of the villages around the lake could and should offer views of the many other local agriculture products grown in the county along with the sports fishing industry. A deep fried catfish eating contest could be offered along with a pear throwing contest. A kayak race from the opposite village to the village offering the parade could be offered as well as other types of boats, like sail or power boats. Whatever works.
The key to success of such an event is to have a well thought out and prepared event to offer right out of the bag. A second rate one will take years to again attract the targeted market. Once started, only improvements to the event will keep the interest level high enough to last. Video taping could be used to advertise on the different media and travel shows.
The aim is to offer a Mardi Gras scale event, using the color Purple for grapes and Yellow for the sunny weather we all enjoy living here. A fashion show featuring the events colors and grapes might be put together and a photo contest for the best pictures of Lake County which would offer the general public view of the beauty of our County that they not see or know about.
Jim Hall, Clearlake Oaks
A set up
You don”t have to be a nuclear physicist to figure out the DA”s office has “cooked up” another case to somehow benefit or protect the local Good Old Boys.
I believe this Hells Angels vs. Vagos motorcycle club fight case that has gone on for months is really about discrediting former Sheriff Frank Rivero to diminish his chances of reelection — not to mention all the money that was wasted and could have been utilized for a better cause.
To me, it is a “political stunt” that is doomed to backfire, costing us tons of money and endangering public security should these biker groups decide to retaliate.
It was a bad choice to prosecute. It will be newly elected Sheriff Brian Martin who will be saddled with keeping the peace, not Frank Rivero. DA Anderson should “think these things out” before acting so recklessly.
Nine Green, Nice
Curiously
Many Jihadist groups have banned smoking, which is anathematized as “slow suicide” and, somewhat illogically, punishable with death.
Brent Pomeroy, Lakeport
