Education
Slavery Was Not About Race!
From my Father’s line I have a 5th Great Grandfather John Cooke. He along with Nellie (his future wife) were kidnapped from London, as young teens. Both were promised a fun day aboard a ship sailing down and back again on the Thames River. They never saw London or their families ever again. They were […]
25Jul2021 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
When It Feels So Right, But Is So Wrong
We begin to understand the indignity of denial. When we continue abrasive, cruel prejudices in denial of the truth we diminish our humanity. It appears that some people enjoy their prejudice. It only appears so. Those people live in fear. They fear opening Pandora’s Box. They fear the evil that will surely befall them if they abandon their sacred values. The real indignity is in holding on to those values which are negative, hurtful, and unjustified.
6Sep2020 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
Born White
I have lived going on 71 years. Life has been tough with most accomplishments, good or bad, having been a hard row to hoe. I can say, I never thought I would see the day that so many things that people do or claim to be, is because ‘They were born that way’. I’ve always […]
3Aug2019 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Fifty Years Ago July 20, 1969
July 20 1969… I was not yet 21 years old, married, to my Husband David who was not yet 23, with a Son Thomas who was 9 months old. We lived in North St. Louis County, Normandy, MO in a rented house ($100 monthly rent) we shared with my Father in Law Thomas, 61 years […]
20Jul2019 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Formal vs Self Education
Not many days ago… I was engaged in political debate with a person, who was quick to point out their higher learning and acquisition of a Bachelors and Masters, in something or other fields. I’m next to sure this was done to show their opinion was better formed and backed up because of same. I […]
27Jan2019 | Nancy Belle | 3 comments | Continued
Implication vs Assurance
I’m addicted to Facebook, no point in denying it! All my friends and family see me there everyday. Mostly I’m addicted to sharing my thoughts on anything and everything. Social media has given me an opportunity to not leave this world without showing out. I know you think I said that wrong and it should […]
9Jan2019 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Free Ranging Kids
The Clark Station on Mitchell, this was ‘Our Gangs’ pit stop on the way home from playing at Devil’s Backbone. My cousins and I would spend the day playing dirt clod war at ‘Bird Heaven’ or playing at mountain climbing on the 12th street side or sliding down the grassy steep hill on cardboard or […]
10Jun2018 | Nancy Belle | 2 comments | Continued
Scapegoat Politics…
Just some things rattling in my head this morning…. Today I see headlines about Marco Rubio being booed at a gathering to discuss the recent school shooting. Booed and pinned down to say yay or nay to the NRA, pinned down to say guns were responsible for the recent and past shootings. This is disturbing. […]
22Feb2018 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Why? It’s More Than Guns
I don’t mean to disparage the intent of the Florida survivors who are now passionately pounding the anti-gun message. Yet, immediately after the shooting, I saw and heard several young people who claimed to know the shooter. They, with disdain in their voices, described a person who was off, didn’t fit in, was a juvenile […]
21Feb2018 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Feelings! Legitimate Or Not
In cognitive behavioral treatment we learn to think, then feel, then act. Some folks get into trouble when they feel, act, then think. My personal notion is that we always think first; the question is why do we think such negative thoughts that result in hurt feelings and thus bad behavior? I did four years […]
15Dec2017 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Life Lessons, Set In Concrete
The ‘twoness’ of humanity is all around us. The good and the bad, the yin and the yang, the frailty of human character. My father, as I have said before, was both a great man and a monstrous brute. I do not know if his greatness won the final battle – but I suspect it […]
13Dec2017 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Poverty And No Birth Control
I have written about the ‘twoness’ of parenthood. The paradox of love versus stress. My parents were not different than other parents. They loved us even when they were unable to express the love overtly. When my father came home from the War in Europe he reunited with my mother, they were promptly married, and […]
9Dec2017 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Equality Is Not Tangible
I am all for equality between the sexes. Always have been, I guess. As a Baby Boomer, I have seen a whole lot of it not being that way. Equality is easily defined on paper and somehow in life it gets spread out, the lines get blurred and more difficult to find the easy divisions […]
16Nov2017 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Who Pulled Your Chain
Pardon my OCD a moment please. Sometimes I get intrigued (my chain gets pulled) by words and/or phrases I hear or read. The phrase in question “Shut your mouth your mind is hanging out” was spoken by one cowboy to another in a movie my husband was watching yesterday evening and I, by consequence, was […]
25Oct2017 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
A 1964 Christmas Story
It was 1964. Life hadn’t been great. This particular year had been mostly a nightmare. My Mother and Stepfather had separated. Finances were next to non-existent. Me being able to attend school became a burden for my Mother. At only fifteen, I was resigned to possibly, never finishing high school. I was the oldest of, […]
12Dec2016 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Ignorant Voters Challenge One’s Sanity
I actually know some of these people. This conversation showed up on my facebook page. These people are angry because Obama will not let them vote a ‘split ticket’ in the August Primary Election. They throw terms around like “constitutional rights” and “denied the right to vote”. These people are Trump supports and they are […]
5Aug2016 | Ohg Rea Tone | 4 comments | Continued
My Curiosity Defeats My Timidity
As the title eludes, I like to think I have a defense from fear. Many long years ago, my eldest son was about three. Our yard was fenced in and the best place for him and his sister to be in the summer. Our house was not air-conditioned. This particular day I was visiting with […]
28May2016 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Karma and Life Lessons
Shorthand, I know what it is, but can’t read it. Many years ago at Lowy Enterprises. I received a promotion to work with Dave in Accounts Receivable. At high school I refused typing and shorthand because I didn’t plan on being any man’s secretary, Hah. So, one of my new jobs was to take dictation […]
5Apr2016 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Does Race Really Matter?
Transcript from Walla Walla Union Bulletin, Walla Walla, Washington December 20, 1950 Seattle (AP) – A blow on the head with a baseball bat in a neighborhood altercation was fatal Tuesday to Merritt Scotten, 33 year old Seattle pipe fitter. He died of a skull fracture Saturday night. Leon W. Venson 28 a neighbor has […]
25Nov2015 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
The Cost of Illegal Immigration
Sometimes, I think with my heart and project my motherly instincts and experiences in an effort to understand others. In the case of illegal immigrants, I have often thought, if I were a Mexican mother living in the deplorable poverty and enduring the crimes that, reportedly, occur in Mexico. If the opportunity came, I would […]
13Nov2015 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Ladies and Gentlemen, Germans and Gents….
Another song from childhood: Ladies and gentlemen, Germans and gents, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants, I come before you because I am not behind you to tell you something I know nothing of. One bright day in the middle of the night two dead boys got up to fight back to back they faced each […]
6Sep2015 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Ladies and Gentlemen, Germans and Gents…. | Continued
A Horse, A Flea, And Three Blind Mice
I learned this song as a child, taught it to my children and some grandchildren. A horse and a flea and the three blind mice were sitting on a tombstone rolling dice, the horse fell down and landed on the flea, oops said the flea there’s a horse on me. Boom Boom aint it great […]
6Sep2015 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on A Horse, A Flea, And Three Blind Mice | Continued
Emotional Disturbances of a Friend
My friend is having emotional disturbances in his live – again. I recognize this as his problem – but still I feel sadness. He has lost his family over bitter disagreements about child raising. He attends a therapy group where he can talk about what happened. He reports his findings. There are several in the […]
28Jul2014 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Emotional Disturbances of a Friend | Continued
A Personal Fight With Social Injustice
Most of my adult life people have treated me as if I am particularly intelligent. Some have openly called me intellectual. My thought was usually that they were mistaken, that I am well read and speak well. When I take a shower and dress in a suit I present pretty well. I did not receive […]
5Dec2013 | Gary Clark | 3 comments | Continued
Why Bother With Grammar?
I write. But that does not mean that I write correctly. I am a college graduate, but that does not mean that I use proper grammar. I write intuitively – meaning that my sense of grammar drives my structure – and I am sometimes wrong. Any sophisticated endeavor requires both art and science. The late […]
4Dec2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Why Bother With Grammar? | Continued
Job – More Fun With Christians
DarkMatter2525 has come through again. This time with the satirical interpretation of the Book of Job. The humor is blatant, the sarcasm unveiled, the truth challenged. My view is that these folks are doing a great service to humanity. Any healthy Christian faith must recognize the absurdity of the literal interpretation of the Bible. Comments […]
26Nov2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Job – More Fun With Christians | Continued
Bible Biology – Esau and Jacob
Bible biology is always a complex matter. If there were no complexities in bearing children (like a sterile woman) what use would we have of God? Take the case of Jacob and Esau. They would not exist without the intervention of a loving God. Well, one might have to understand that God is loving but […]
26Nov2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Bible Biology – Esau and Jacob | Continued
The Oddities of Genius
Have you ever known a genius? Genius is usually a word used to describe certain traits of intelligence. We might say a genius has a passion for learning and has unique processing capabilities. They generally show a creativity and intelligence beyond their peers. Some definitions are more fixed or measurable, like the score on an […]
15Jun2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on The Oddities of Genius | Continued
Nostalgia from the Left and the Right – Shallow Thinking Prevails
The baseball player was right about one thing – Nostalgia is not what it used to be. Rewriting history to favor any particular opinion is not new or unusual. What is different is the opportunities of expression. Social media, for example, allows for immediate dissemination of whatever nonsense is popular at the moment. Little effort […]
9May2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Nostalgia from the Left and the Right – Shallow Thinking Prevails | Continued
Celebrating Ignorance In Missouri
Ok, I admit, I live in Missouri. For many years I justified this existence by saying I was close to my family. That defense is losing ground. Missouri is not an unusual “Red State” (meaning it votes new age Republican). My thought is that Missouri is representative of that whole block of right wing fanatics […]
1Feb2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Celebrating Ignorance In Missouri | Continued
Who Am I? Searching for the Modern Identity
I am liberal, angry, Aries, impatient, intolerant, loving, forceful, kind, intense, educated, brother, son, father, grandfather, friend, forgiving, humble, proud. Which defines me? Any? All? Am I modern? Post-modern? And who are you? To whom do I answer? What philosophy? Religion? Country? Club? We live in a complex world, a fast world requiring quick judgement […]
13Oct2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
“Never Brag On Your Children”
A relevant post revisited: December, 2009. Parenting can sometimes feel like a complex endeavor – especially when the child is not cooperating. When the child is failing to meet expectations, to make the grade in school, to make the basketball team, to identify future aspirations – whatever – parents can become frustrated. And that frustration […]
22Apr2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Trayvon and Black on Black Violence
NOTE TO READERS: This post originally contained a racist cartoon image at the top right. Some found it offensive and we agreed. We removed the image and apologize for any hurt. The new picture is of HELL – which is where I am going if I don’t change my ways. I have a facebook friend, […]
27Mar2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
More Thoughts on American Education
The internet is an enigma. So is youtube. While having the power to distribute information with immediacy to all corners of the world – The shortcuts sometimes ignore legitimate research. But today we will use youtube to demonstrate the troubles with American education. My own experience with American education comes in four basic contexts: my […]
3Feb2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on More Thoughts on American Education | Continued
President Obama Teaches Kindergarten
President Obama is like a Kindergarten teacher – patiently bringing his pupils along. We the pupils are not so patient. This reminds me of a story about one of my grandchildren. Jubilum is one of the younger children in my growing family. She is as sharp as a whip, quick as a snap, curious as […]
27Sep2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 4 comments | Continued
Inside The Minds of Rednecks – And Consequences
I recently had breakfast and invested my Saturday morning with a Redneck. It was not his idea. My truck needed repair and I wanted a sure fix. A sure fix that did not cost me a bundle of anxiety and an empty pocket book. (Pocket Book is a funny term). I’ll call my Redneck friend […]
24Aug2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 32 comments | Continued
Ohg’s Nephew Goes To College In South Missouri
I have a nephew. Several actually. But one has just graduated from high school in Virginia and has chosen to attend the University of Missouri at Rolla. Rolla is one of the top engineering schools in the country. But Rolla is also in South Missouri – the home of Rush Limbaugh. I was compelled to […]
26Jun2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 3 comments | Continued
Personal Experience With Tea Bag Mentality
This is a sad post for me to write. I live in northwest Missouri – in the isolated world of simple people relishing ignorance. The reverse discrimination against education and professionalism permeates the culture. My sadness surrounds my family – a people proud of being in the lower economic class. Most of them are adamant […]
12Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 32 comments | Continued
Underemployed – What Does This Mean?
Underemployment has taken on several new meanings in this struggling economy. David Shuster of MSNBC asked one of his guests what the term means – the response: “It means that people are working part time in stead of full time. What? It seems as if the pundits just make stuff up to fill their 30 […]
2Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Underemployed – What Does This Mean? | Continued