Letters to the Editor
Mishima666
Published Letters: 125 Editor's Choice: 28
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For Keepers of the Flame
[Read the article: Now my mother's gone, what do I do?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Annie Orchids writes: "I have just found myself in your position, parents, grandparents, gone. I've found that the boxes of pictures, memorabilia, etc., that I know no one else will care about after I'm gone, blows my mind. And the memories, stories, etc. It feels so odd to have all this knowing that it means nothing to anyone else, and never will. Any advice for a newbie keeper of the flame?"
First, you have to organize all the stuff, put the pictures in archival envelopes, etc. As you go through it, identify people as best you can. (Over the years, my mother did that for me, with about 95 percent of the photos.) An old picture with names on the back may be a family treasure. An old picture without names will be just some dude with a beard and some lady with a long dress.
Second, figure out who else might be interested -- second cousins, and so on. Consider "sharing the wealth" earlier rather than later. Don't leave everything to be divided up after your death, because it may not happen. One of the saddest things I ever saw was a collection of old family photos on sale for ten cents each at a thrift store. That was someone's family history. . .
Third, consider what might be of interest to local historical societies. For example, I was looking at this one picture a while back, and I thought "damn, that looks familiar." Finally I realized that it was a picture taken around 1900 from close to where I now live, but about 100 yards higher up the hill. Where there are now houses, there was nothing. Where there is now a paved road there was a dirt road. But the layout of an old pioneer cemetery, still present, is clearly visible. Tell me the local historical society wouldn't be interested in that! I have a 1916 phone directory for a town about 100 miles away. I'll bet their local historical society would be interested in that.
Fourth, expand your idea of who might be interested in what. For example, Native American baskets that have been in the family for a century could be given to a tribal museum. A religious icon might be of interest to a local church. A collection of old plant samples from the 1930s might be of interest to the local university.
You might not be able to find a home for everything, but hopefully at least the most important things will end up with people who value them. Best wishes.
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Too much religion.
[Read the article: The Romney religion speech tightrope]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Constitution prohibits religious tests for public office. While no one is suggesting such a test, it seems to me that the extensive focus on the religiosity or lack thereof of all the candidates is at least a violation of the spirit of the Constitution.
Imagine, for example, a situation in which a high-profile criminal case was about to go to trial, and presidential candidates were asked to express an opinion as to the guilt of the person on trial. The appropriate answer of the candidate would be to appeal to "innocent until proven guilty," and leave it at that. While expressing an opinion as to the guilt of the person on trial would not be "unconstitutional," certainly it would be a violation of the spirit of the Constitution.
Likewise, it seems inappropriate to me to have so much discussion of the candidates' religious persuasions. I don't say this because I'm opposed to religion, but because at a certain point a large volume of discussion of the candidates' religion really is inappropriate, and certainly direct questions to them about their personal religious faith are inappropriate.
Frankly, I don't think that candidates should even talk about "religious faith and society," because that ends up being a back door way of talking about religion.
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Good content from the debate, but it's lost on me. . .
[Read the article: The Dodd and Biden show]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I only was able to listen to a portion of the debate. But in the portion I heard, I was happy to hear actual issues discussed in response to good questions.
Experience counts, and I'm a fan of Biden, but unfortunately I live in a state with a late primary, and I probably will never get to vote for him. The media are in love with Clinton and Obama, and some a$$holes in Iowa and New Hampshire will decide the election before it ever gets to me.
So as they would say in Battlestar Galactica, frack me, and frack my vote. I don't count.
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Simple question
[Read the article: I left an abusive marriage, and now I'm in love with a thief]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Let's cut to the chase:
"He does express regret, and assures me that he's 'not that person anymore.'"
Did he provide restitution to the person from which he stole? If so, perhaps he has changed. If not, he is still "that person."