While at the Post Office today.......

[DocWard]

I am guessing you pronounce it like "Hero sheema" which is the way I have pronounced it all my life, even though I learned as a small child to put the accent on the second syllable... I always roll my eyes at people who rant about Bush being ignorant or stupid because of the way he pronounces "nuclear". There is a big difference between proper English and any of the various dialects and accents across the continent.

 

That sums it up pretty nicely. In Ohio, we have a number of colloquialisms of our own. A few of my east coast friends would give me grief in college when I would ask where something was "at." I had one of my fraternity brothers go on an extended sarcastic response once, only to think I was a real jerk when, within five minutes of doing so, he asked to borrow my sleeping bag and I said no and told him why. Funny, nobody else who heard his comments thought I was being that much of a jerk.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

I remember many years ago on Candid Camera they asked the man in the street to identify the current Vice President of the U.S. Nine out of ten couldn't. I don't think much has changed. Just more people in the gene pool. Unfortunately, that isn't for the better.

[J-BAR #18287]

In the duel with Aaron Burr, Hamilton used his Family Dueling Pistols. If he had know something about the history of them, he might have had a better chance of shooting Aaron Burr. Hamilton was shot July 11th,1804 and died the next day. The guns have been in a museum, and were cleaned around 1974. They were found to have a single SET trigger, which no one knew about on the day of the duel.

By cocking the pistol first, then pushing the trigger forward it SETS the hair trigger. Had Hamilton know this, he might have used it to his advantage against Burr. Just sayin'

 

Jake

 

 

There is good evidence that Hamilton intentionally missed Burr, expecting Burr to do the same. Gentlemen did that in those days, to satisfy the appearance of bravery and honor without injuring one's opponent. If so, it was obviously a fatal error in judgement. Hamilton's public criticisms of Burr ended Burr's political career, which Burr did not appreciate. Ron Chernow's biography of Hamilton is a good source of the details.

[Old Scatterbrain]

That sums it up pretty nicely. In Ohio, we have a number of colloquialisms of our own. A few of my east coast friends would give me grief in college when I would ask where something was "at." I had one of my fraternity brothers go on an extended sarcastic response once, only to think I was a real jerk when, within five minutes of doing so, he asked to borrow my sleeping bag and I said no and told him why. Funny, nobody else who heard his comments thought I was being that much of a jerk.

Here too. There is a town not too far from here called Newark, but the locals pronounce it more like "Nerk". And when my father says "Ohio" it sounds more like "Uh, hi ya".

[Chickahominy Charlie]

Here too. There is a town not too far from here called Newark, but the locals pronounce it more like "Nerk". And when my father says "Ohio" it sounds more like "Uh, hi ya".

 

I had this type of discussion with some classmates in college regarding the correct pronunciation of Norfolk, VA (not far from where I grew up). My comment was "If you don't sound like you said somethin' dirty, then you didn't say it right."

 

I don't blame the teachers. I've been impressed with most of the teachers my kiddos have had the opportunity to learn from over the past 8+ years (I have one in 8th grade and another in 3rd). My kiddos knew those "life skills" that CL posted about when they went to kindergarten. They could write their name (mostly), tell you their address and phone number, etc. upon entering school. I don't think that it's common for parents these days to teach their little ones these skills. I did.

 

I haven't stopped either. Discussions at the dinner table will often incite discussion about different things -- history included. I will do my best to expand their understanding of historical events. We've talked about "why did the stock market crash in 1929," "why did Harry Truman decide to use nuclear weapons on Japan," or "how the oil shortage of the early '70's change the American car market" just to name a few. Discussing the events and ramifications of Watergate was a pretty funny discussion, too.

 

Chick

[Old Scatterbrain]

I had this type of discussion with some classmates in college regarding the correct pronunciation of Norfolk, VA (not far from where I grew up). My comment was "If you don't sound like you said somethin' dirty, then you didn't say it right."

I was stationed in Norfolk for 3-1/2 years, and it took me a long time to get used to the local radio & tv announcers saying what it sounded like they were saying

[DocWard]

Here too. There is a town not too far from here called Newark, but the locals pronounce it more like "Nerk". And when my father says "Ohio" it sounds more like "Uh, hi ya".

 

Yeah, I have a case pending in Nerk for a friend. Not a close drive for me either, but seems like a neat enough town.

[Fast Tracker]

Shortly after "The Civil War" series originally played on TV, I went to a "record" shop looking for the sound track. I asked the multipully pierced, spiked haired clerk if they had any music from the Civil War period. He replied (at least somewhat to his credit), "I don't think they did CD recordings back then."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0,

[Blackwater 53393]

My wife being a school teacher, and myself being what I hope is an educated man, I called my son when I'd read the first few posts on this thread. I hoped that we hadn't produced one of these, (I use the term sadly) ignorant young people. You can't imagine my relief to find he knew most of the historical points we've discussed. I was somewhat saddened to find however that my daughter-in-law does NOT hold, or even value, the same knowledge.

 

Tonight I've made myself a promise that my grandchildren WILL know these and other points of history and understand their importance!! Knowledge is power.

[Tom Foolery U.S.M. #2348]

I read that there are people who think the movie TITANIC is just that, a movie.

 

 

TF

[Harvey Mushman]

I was stationed in Norfolk for 3-1/2 years, and it took me a long time to get used to the local radio & tv announcers saying what it sounded like they were saying

 

 

Well, I resisted for a whole day :ph34r: :lol: ,

 

Having also been stationed on a ship out of Norfolk for 3 years in the early '70s (and many visits back over the years), I have to relate the old sailors tale about the Norfolk High School Cheerleaders in the turbulent '60s:

 

Allegedly, they had a cheer as our social norms changed. It went --- "We don't smoke, we don't drink, (school name repeated twice)".

 

OK, I'm headed to the corner for my obligatory time out.....

 

Harvey

[Bama Red]

Harvey, I was homeported in Norfolk from '70-'73, and yes, they did!!

 

I will now join you in that corner!

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

In the duel with Aaron Burr, Hamilton used his Family Dueling Pistols. If he had known something about the history of them, he might have had a better chance of shooting Aaron Burr. Hamilton was shot July 11th,1804 and died the next day. The guns have been in a museum, and were cleaned around 1974. They were found to have a single SET trigger, which no one knew about on the day of the duel.

By cocking the pistol first, then pushing the trigger forward it SETS the hair trigger. Had Hamilton known this, he might have used it to his advantage against Burr. Just sayin'

 

Jake

 

There is another school of thought to the effect that Hamilton DID know about the set trigger, and was trying to set it when he shot into the ground. Burr, not knowing that Hamilton had tried to rig the duel, used the other pistol to good effect.

 

Now do some research on Hamilton, and where he wanted our government to go. Burr may have done us a big favor.

 

Duffield

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Why should I have to remember something when I can just google it?

 

 

Sorry to get off topic, but missed ya in Indiana this weekend pard - hope all is well.

 

GG ~

[Deadeye Doug Dalton SASS#65449L]

If you saw what parents are sending to school you would be more sympathic to teachers.

 

My kids...and I'm guessing most of your kids.... knew their name, address, phone number, parents names, colors, numbers, shapes, basic hygiene, and manners BEFORE they were sent to school.

I was shocked how many kids don't know ANY of that when they get to 1st grade. Who's fault is that?

 

If a child has the basic "life skills" taught to them at home THEN they can be taught history, math, etc. You can't teach a child who doesn't recognize their own name on a list of students' names to care anything about history. Unfortunately many are left to play video games instead of being taught "basics"

 

I completely agree that there are some teachers that have no business in a classroom but there are also many very dedicated teachers who truly love children and want to help them.

Teachers are TOLD what they have to teach... by people who have no idea what it's like in a classroom now.

Most teachers are doing the best they can with what they have been given.

 

 

From what I hear, they don't teach cursive in school any more. So the kids could not read the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution, if those documents were placed in front of them.

 

When I was in school, I made straight "A"s.

My "B"s were a little crooked, but I made straight "A"s.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Well, I don't know. A 27 yr. old was not alive in the 40s, 50's or 60's....so they didn't experience WWII or the Space Race...so for them to know about these things now (and to know a detail like Yuri Gagarin), they would have had to study it in school, or read about it. Knowing about Tora! Tora! Tora! means having either a fairly in depth knowledge of WWII or being around for the movie (in the late 60's or early 70's, I believe).

 

Try this. Your 27 yr. old subjects were asked questions about events that occurred 50-70 years ago. I was 27 in 1979. For an equivalent test, I need to consider what I knew in 1979 about events that occurred around 1920. I'm not sure that I could have named the President and Vice President as of that date; or named any major battles of WWI; or recognized the face of Orville Wright on a stamp. Unless you develop a particular interest in a historical period and study it on your own, you won't recall that much detail about events that occurred before you were born. As far as such things being taught in school - well, some is and some isn't. Schools need to compress whole centuries into a few hours of instruction, and they make the choice to cut out a lot of detail in order to give kids a basic feel for the big picture.

 

Let's face it; we're all getting older, and the young pups have no idea what we are talking about when we mention Tang, Walter Cronkite, Saturn boosters, Sputnik, or Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Maybe it's nature's way of flushing out the detritus to make room for THEIR relevent memories.

 

LL

Very well said.

[Noz]

That was unintentionally brilliant!

 

Wasn't it, though?

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

Nobody cares about history any more, as long as the have their iphones and can twitter away to each other the're happy. it's like a drug, don't believe me? suggest to someone that they leave their phone off for a couple of days and see the response you get.

[Wolfgang, SASS #53480]

Nobody cares about history any more, as long as the have their iphones and can twitter away to each other the're happy. it's like a drug, don't believe me? suggest to someone that they leave their phone off for a couple of days and see the response you get.

 

Even more so with these new electronic "gadgets" that do internet, photos, etc. whurever you is at. . . . . they CANNOT live without the damn things and are busy texing away all the time. . . . Having a phone is Ok . . and I don't carry mine with me all the time . . . and it doest take pictures . . . just cuz I needed a new one and ya CANNOT get one anymore that is just a PHONE. . . . they all text and do photos . . .

[Old Scatterbrain]

Nobody cares about history any more, as long as the have their iphones and can twitter away to each other the're happy. it's like a drug, don't believe me? suggest to someone that they leave their phone off for a couple of days and see the response you get.

I recently started working at a factory (not like one with big noisy presses and such, but a fairly low-hazard factory) and, aside from breaks and lunch, there is an absolute no cellphone policy. If a supervisor even sees your phone, you're fired, period. We lose about one person a day, usually someone under 30. Apparently they would rather be without income for weeks or months, than without a phone for 2 hours at a time.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

Nobody cares about history any more, as long as the have their iphones and can twitter away to each other the're happy. it's like a drug, don't believe me? suggest to someone that they leave their phone off for a couple of days and see the response you get.

 

 

Absolutely true...and not just for teens or kids. I sit in depositions, questioning witnesses, and their lawyers are absorbed in their email on their IPhones...oblivious to what I'm asking and their client is saying.

 

This current emphasis on "the latest information" is a reckless concentration on what is NEW over what is IMPORTANT. Music, sports, gossip, movies, fashion, dating trends, TV, video games, and most current political headlines have their attraction, but are not truly IMPORTANT, when viewed through the lens of history.

 

So many folks are fixated on diversion, with no concern for that which has lasting meaning. We're figuratively reading comic books, not the classics.

 

LL

[Chickahominy Charlie]

Absolutely true...and not just for teens or kids. I sit in depositions, questioning witnesses, and their lawyers are absorbed in their email on their IPhones...oblivious to what I'm asking and their client is saying.

 

LL

 

Not to get off-topic, but this statement conjures up a true story that I must share....

 

Big deposition in which I am taking lead (asking the questions) with over 30 lawyers in the room (asbestos litigation). During my questioning, I ask, "And how far away was that worker from where you were working?"

 

Witness answers, "Oh, about as far as I am from that lawyer over there playing a game on his iPhone."

 

There was total silence. Nobody wanted to say anything because it would have been on the record as to which lawyer was playing a game on his/her phone rather than listening to the questioning (and properly representing their client).

 

After a pause, I asked, "Without naming said lawyer in the room, how far, in feet, would you estimate this undetermined lawyer is sitting from you at this moment?"

 

Laughter erupted.

 

Chick

[Bama Red]

When I got my latest phone, I asked Verizon to disable the ability to send or receive texts and also the ability to browse the web. Wasn't any problem with them and the guy actually said quite a few folks were asking for those options. Never use the camera since there is no way to transfer pics from the camera to anywhere else.

[Easy Emily SASS #73673]

Ummmmm Even if someone did not know who Alan Shepard was how could you think he was Obama......one is a white man and one is a black man......

[Old Scatterbrain]

Ummmmm Even if someone did not know who Alan Shepard was how could you think he was Obama......one is a white man and one is a black man......

And the other was an astronaut

[Captain Woodrow Cahill, SASS # 54363]

And the other was an astronaut

 

One was an astronaut, one is a space cadet.

 

It's not just what an educated person would consider to be common knowledge that's missing from this recent generation, it's basic skills. Especially in the areas of math and spelling.

We've all encountered the clerk who couldn't make change on a 99 cent purchase when you hand them a dollar without using the register, and this over-reliance on technology is producing a generation of unfortunates.

 

Many of you know I work at a TV station, and every year the producers and writers get younger and dumber. They've grown up relying on automatic spellcheck, but not all typing programs have it. As a result, a lot of stupid fonts get on the air. Best recent example is an old Elton John song.

 

The music is playing, and the font appears on screen as "Crockadial Rock".

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Dear Captain Cahill,

 

Font?

 

That is spelling you are describing. Font in the context of writing is a typeface.

 

Regards,

 

Allie Mo

[Utah Bob #35998]

Ummmmm Even if someone did not know who Alan Shepard was how could you think he was Obama......one is a white man and one is a black man......

Space Man

Space Cadet

[Utah Bob #35998]

My hands are getting chafed from wringing them so much here. I think I'll go have some coffee.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

I was stationed in Norfolk for 3-1/2 years, and it took me a long time to get used to the local radio & tv announcers saying what it sounded like they were saying

 

Well, I resisted for a whole day ,

 

Having also been stationed on a ship out of Norfolk for 3 years in the early '70s (and many visits back over the years)Harvey

 

Harvey, I was homeported in Norfolk from '70-'73, and yes, they did!!

 

I will now join you in that corner!

 

I gotta ask... did they still have the signs that read "Dogs and Sailors Keep Off the Grass...?"

[Alpo]

What Capt. Cahill said reminded me of this.

 

I was watching an old movie. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Made during WW2. The Justice of the Peace aske the girl's father, "Would it help if I could make this wedding go away?" The father says, "That'd be real white of you".

 

The JP tears the marriage license in half, sticks it in his pocket and says, "It never happened". The father grabs his hand, shakes it thankfully and says, "That's real white of you, Brother".

 

Both time, Closed Captioning said, "real nice of you".

 

I wondered, at the time, if the person doing the typing was young enough that they had never heard the term, so typed what they THOUGHT was being said, or whether some higher-up said, "We can't say that. That's racist. Say 'nice'."

 

By the way, the first time I heard that phrase was in Jr. High School. We were acting up and the teacher said, "Don't none of y'all know how to act like white people". The he noticed the one black student in the class (our schools had been integrated that year) and said, "Except for Susie", which I suspect made it worse, not better.

[Seldom Seen #16162]

The nicest thing about remembering history is remembering the way we want too not the way it really was. Some remember the attack on Pearl Harbor as a sneak attack but even fewer remember the policies of the Roosevelt administration towards the Japanese in the '30's that pushed the Japanese to the point of economic crisis and the advance warning we had that Japan intended to go to war.

 

Or how about the internment of Japanese-American citizens. This is one we should remember. The Government can suspend all of your civil rights, remove you from your home and business and place you under armed guard. That is the part of Pearl Harbor that I remember and scares me the most.

 

The events of 9/11 mean much more to me than the one on 12/7. I know a attack like 12/7 is not going to happen again but another mass attack like 9/11 is very likely to happen.

 

Space program. I have no idea what the purpose of the Gemini program was and according to history only less than 50% of Americans supported the Apollo program. I remember it largely as a phoney "race to the moon" since Russia did not have a heavy lift rocket capable sending a capsule out of earth orbit.

[Blackwater 53393]

The nicest thing about remembering history is remembering the way we want too not the way it really was. Some remember the attack on Pearl Harbor as a sneak attack but even fewer remember the policies of the Roosevelt administration towards the Japanese in the '30's that pushed the Japanese to the point of economic crisis and the advance warning we had that Japan intended to go to war.

 

Or how about the internment of Japanese-American citizens. This is one we should remember. The Government can suspend all of your civil rights, remove you from your home and business and place you under armed guard. That is the part of Pearl Harbor that I remember and scares me the most.

 

The events of 9/11 mean much more to me than the one on 12/7. I know a attack like 12/7 is not going to happen again but another mass attack like 9/11 is very likely to happen.

 

Space program. I have no idea what the purpose of the Gemini program was and according to history only less than 50% of Americans supported the Apollo program. I remember it largely as a phoney "race to the moon" since Russia did not have a heavy lift rocket capable sending a capsule out of earth orbit.

 

It would seem that the politicaly correct version of Pearl Harbor and WWII now expounded by the revisionists of our history is likely what you choose to accept. While the internment of the Japaneese Americans was wrong and a sad part of out history, it is perhaps best remembered as a footnote to the global strife which was IN FACT instigated by the Axis powers, in our case that being the nation of Japan.

 

To attack without announcing that a state of war exists is as underhanded and heinous as can be imagined. To say that another such attack is not to be feared at some future time is a simpleton's statement. With the technology availabe today, it is just as likely as any other scenario given the political climate in some parts of the world.

 

As to your view of the "Space Race" , again your acceptance of revisionist history stands out. Every school kid and nearly every American citizen supported the drive for the conquering of space. Many offered up their lives and a few gave their lives to get us there first. The Soviet Union did in fact land unmanned vehicles on the moon, and before we did! That race was very real and was a necessary point of pride to help bind together a nation otherwise in at least some level of turmoil. It was something everyone could see as a unifying endeavor we could all share. It was one of our finest hours when you look at it in it's own light.

 

And YES!! I was really there for the space race. Some of my folks lived around Canaveral. Yes I learned the WWII history from people who were really there, on both sides! We must recall what Eisenhower said about the death camps. He said to take pictures. Document everything. Someone will try in the future to rewrite all of this. Some will say it never happened!! I lost an uncle in that war at Iwo Jima. I had another in Germany at the end of the war. My father was stationed in the Pacific and finally in Japan. They were part of the "Greatest Generation"!

 

Are you one of those who say it didn't happen? I'm just wondering. Do you remember it the way it really was or are you taking todays's revisionist historian's view???

[Seldom Seen #16162]

It would seem that the politicaly correct version of Pearl Harbor and WWII now expounded by the revisionists of our history is likely what you choose to accept. While the internment of the Japaneese Americans was wrong and a sad part of out history, it is perhaps best remembered as a footnote to the global strife which was IN FACT instigated by the Axis powers, in our case that being the nation of Japan.

 

To attack without announcing that a state of war exists is as underhanded and heinous as can be imagined. To say that another such attack is not to be feared at some future time is a simpleton's statement. With the technology availabe today, it is just as likely as any other scenario given the political climate in some parts of the world.

 

As to your view of the "Space Race" , again your acceptance of revisionist history stands out. Every school kid and nearly every American citizen supported the drive for the conquering of space. Many offered up their lives and a few gave their lives to get us there first. The Soviet Union did in fact land unmanned vehicles on the moon, and before we did! That race was very real and was a necessary point of pride to help bind together a nation otherwise in at least some level of turmoil. It was something everyone could see as a unifying endeavor we could all share. It was one of our finest hours when you look at it in it's own light.

 

And YES!! I was really there for the space race. Some of my folks lived around Canaveral. Yes I learned the WWII history from people who were really there, on both sides! We must recall what Eisenhower said about the death camps. He said to take pictures. Document everything. Someone will try in the future to rewrite all of this. Some will say it never happened!! I lost an uncle in that war at Iwo Jima. I had another in Germany at the end of the war. My father was stationed in the Pacific and finally in Japan. They were part of the "Greatest Generation"!

 

Are you one of those who say it didn't happen? I'm just wondering. Do you remember it the way it really was or are you taking todays's revisionist historian's view???

 

WOW! That is quite a rant. I hope you feel better.

[Blackwater 53393]

Not ranting at all.

 

I just tend to take exception with the politicaly correct rewriting of history. Some are already letting the truths of 9/11/01 be rewritten. We've allowed so much of what is the truth in history be altered or just fade away and substituted falsehoods that are more palatable to those whose predecessors were responsible for much of what was bad in history, that the lessons which are to be had from real happenings of the past are lost.

 

The truths of the American Revolution are being allowed to fade or being altered so as not to offend. The actual facts of the War Between the States, (there was nothing civil about it) have steadily been altered to meet the requirements of political correctness and to lay a guilt trip on people who have no more responsibility for that tragedy than a newborn baby. We're led to believe that our industrial revolution of the late 19th and early 20th century was bad and wrong and a burden that was carried by many who had nothing to do with it and stood in it's way. We won't rehash WWI and WWII.

 

Kinda' like the story about the elder gentleman in the grocery. We older folks returned our milk, soft drink, and beer bottles for deposits. We took the paper sack that the groceries went home in and made book covers, and kites and other things from them. We hung our clothes out to dry and rode the bus to town and walked to school. The youngster who ran the register told the older gentleman as he paid for his groceries that he, (the older fellow) was responsible for all that was wrong with the world and "you old people didn't have the "green thing" back then".

 

I could go on but you might mistake what I have to say for ranting.

 

Be well! Hope we get to shoot together sometime.