Kelley Bell's FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

2008 DOO DAH Parade Photos!

2008-07-04T15:58:00.012-04:00

It was a rainy DOO-DAH, DOO-DAH Day!
(Which is perfect, because DooDah is all about DOOing things different.)

Education reform

2008-07-03T11:37:00.003-04:00

The Strickland Administration has set up 12 regional PBS broadcasts/web casts with a live audience of invited guests to discuss education reform. In concert with these broadcasts, there will be “watch parties”. Anyone can host a watch party by registering on the website www.conversationoneducation.org.

It is obvious that education reform and school funding reform are issues that must be considered together; hence, it would be prudent for school district leaders to organize a watch party in each school building or at least in each school district. The Governor’s office indicates, “all feedback will be considered equally, whether from the live broadcast or the watch parties.” This is an opportunity to be heard!

In 1913, Governor James Cox proclaimed November 14 as “School Survey Day” and urged parents, teachers, pupils and patrons to hold a meeting in every school building in the state in the afternoon or evening. His proclamation also called for an “Educational Congress” to be held in Columbus on December 5 and 6, 1913. The closing words of his proclamation said, “Let it be a day of genuine awakening. The necessity and opportunity of the hour call for it.”

The 1913 “grassroots” involvement in the School Survey Day and Educational Congress resulted in monumental school reform legislation in 1914.

In 1997 the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the state to give the school funding system a complete systematic overhaul. The “overhaul” might just emerge from the current effort.

Dates, times and places of the Governor’s meetings may be found on the website.
www.conversationoneducation.org

Family Pops! Dance! Dance! Dance!

2008-07-03T11:28:00.001-04:00

Presented by The Musicians of the Columbus Symphony:
Family Pops! Dance! Dance! Dance!

Friday, July 11th 7:30 pm
www.MCSConcerts.org

John Deliman, Conductor
Place: Coffman Amphitheater at the
Dublin Community Recreation Center
5600 Post Rd. Dublin OH 43017
Tickets at the gate: $10 (Adults) $5 (12 and under)
Bring Family and Friends!

Orchestral Spectacular!
Summer music – Pops for your pleasure!
Saturday, July 12th 7:30 pm
www.MCSConcerts.org

Jaime Morales-Matos, Conductor
Place: Franklin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium
300 West Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215
General Seating Tickets:
$22 online at www.MCSConcerts.org $20 at the door
For more information on upcoming concerts, visit www.
www.MCSConcerts.org

Duck- Duck- Goose, and Oppossum Poo Too

2008-07-02T10:04:00.007-04:00

My daughter and I were volunteering at The Ohio Wildlife Center yesterday when all hell broke loose.

Twenty Two ducks were brought into the clinic all at once with a gaggle of media personnel waddling behind. It seems an entire pond full of ducks experienced some sort of mass exposure to poison. Many of them died, but we treated, and are working to save the rest.

Sometimes, when you are crouched down on the floor of the mammal ward, wiping putrid Opossum Poo from the back corner of a cage on a nice sunny day, you wonder why in the world you choose to spend your time this way. Then something like this happens, and instead of watching it on the news and feeling helpless, you say "I was there. I helped save THAT duck! THAT ONE, right there, with the dark spot on her wing!"

And then you feel empowered, and go to sleep knowing you made a difference.

Of course, the best part is, knowing my daughter felt that way too.

Of good deeds and wishes

2008-07-02T09:45:00.004-04:00

Here's an interesting web site for good deed doers and well wishers: The Hunger Site is a cool portal where you can send free e-cards, buy some great products, or simply click through the site to help feed the poor. Yup, it's that easy, just click a button and the ad sponsors donate money to feed starving children. No catch, no strings, no B.S.

Ya can't find an excuse not to help when it's THAT easy.

And while you're there, you might find a really nice pair of fair trade sandals, or a fabulously cool necklace like this:

(HINT: if any of my cyber friends out there really love me...this is what I want for Christmas.)

Ladies Gallery Dedication at The Statehouse

2008-06-18T13:34:00.011-04:00

Yesterday the women of Ohio gathered in front of "The Peoples House," (The Ohio Statehouse) to re-enact the 1914 photo of women suffragettes rallying for the right to vote.

In 1922 six women were elected to the Ohio legislature, two years after demanding the right to vote. 89 years later, Ohio ranks a pathetic 41st among the states for women's representation in Government, with only 17% of our statewide elected officials being women. The national average hovers precariously at 22%, a number that dropped from a mere 24% in recent years.

In honor of the brave Ohio Suffragettes who risked jail and ridicule for the right to vote and run for elected office, The Capital Square Review and Advisory board raised $264,000 to dedicate The Ladies Gallery as a permanent exhibition in The Ohio Statehouse. The ceremony featured comments by Jo Ann Davidson, the first female speaker of the Ohio House, as well as a re-creation of a famous July 30, 1914, photo taken when more than 5,000 suffragettes rallied at the Statehouse for the right to vote.

Ohio ratified the 19th Amendment on June 16, 1919, 12 days after Congress sent the proposal to the states. Final ratification took another year nationally, however, and women got the right to vote in 1920. It took two years for them to reach state government.

Gregg Dodd, spokesman for the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, said "The enduring goal is to inform and inspire all who visit -- especially young women and girls -- to take an active role in democracy."

The display includes an interactive kiosk, artifacts, photos, banners and other items that tell the story of the first women legislators and the history of the suffrage movement in Ohio.
For more information visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

It was a great-grand day. Enjoy the photos!

Many great women leaders from both parties were there, standing united. Ahhh, a refreshing sight indeed.

But the little woman who stole the show was clearly Miss Tristen Davis, a child of only tender years, who got up on a box in order to be tall enough to reach the microphone and read the 19th amendment. She was adorable.

The girls from OHIO GO RUN political training camp were there in force sporting their White House Project GO RUN LEAD t-shirts. Over 100 Ohio women participated in the camp last month, with the goal of electing more women to public office. Currently the Central Ohio chapter of the group is focused on the November election of Julie Houston for Delaware County Recorder. http://www.julierhouston.com/

For some additional light reading entertainment on the important subject of women's representation, click this link for an essay by Marie Wilson:

http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/

Carpe Diem Ladies!

Add Women, Change Everything

2008-06-13T10:04:00.013-04:00

Over at The Chief Source blog, Anne wrote a post titled A Remarkable Moment in Time about an event I attended last weekend. Over 100 women gathered from all across the state of Ohio for GO RUN LEAD training camp. Our goal: to train and prepare women to run for elected office. During the event, we gathered together an watched Hillary Rodham Clinton's concession speech on CNN with White House Project founder and women's rights icon Marie Wilson.

The Kleenex corporation should have sponsored the event because by the time it was over there was not a dry eye in the house.

Wilson also wrote about the event on The Huffington Post and Nicholas Kristoff wrote a fine commentary piece on the subject for The New York Times. I recomend you read them both.

As I sat there in that room across from Wilson during that historic moment, I wondered what she was thinking. I scanned the gathering of women, knowing they were all here with dreams of someday being elected and having a voice in our communities.

(Pictured above: political bloggers Jill Zimon of WRITE LIKE SHE TALKS and Annie of The Chief Source.)

I listened to Senator Clinton's heartfelt words, and did not cry...until the camera panned to her daughter.

It struck a deep personal chord.

When I lost my election in April, my daughter looked at me with those same eyes: a mixture of sadness, compassion, admiration and hope.

I knew then, my daughter would grow up strong and proud because of the example I provided. I knew for her it would be a perfectly normal idea to have a woman president, a congress filled diversity, and a corporate world with moms in the boardroom.

Later that evening, Marie summed it all up perfectly during her keynote address. The graduates of OHIO GO RUN political training jumped to their feet at cheered when she claimed:

"People are asking what will happen next, now that Hillary is no longer in the race. Well I think we have the answer right here in this room."

THE WHITE HOUSE PROJECT: Add Women, Change Everything.

Healthcare costs in America

2008-05-29T10:12:00.000-04:00

How about a nice little dose of common sense.

Really.

When I went for my annual physical, I wrote down a list of every person involved, from the secretary to the nurse, to the Doc, to the techs at the hospital who did my PAP and mammogram and the folks who read the results. Thirty Two people.

That's Thirty two people!

It took Thirty Two people for my doctor to tell me I am perfectly healthy.

It's no wonder health care costs more in the United States than anywhere else in the world!

If that's not bad enough, I went back to the Doc last week to have a cyst removed from my eyelid. It was just a little zit... a whitehead. I could have popped myself with a sewing needle and my fingernails. Well, I could have if it were on any other part of my aging sagging body other than my eyelid.

Yanno, I'm good at first aid, but I'm not worth much as a blind surgeon.

Well, my Doctor sent me to an eye specialist, because I suppose zit popping was one of the classes she missed in medical school. (I hear its a growing speciality just oozing with opportunity.)

But I digress. I go to the eye doc and say "Hey doc, could you pop this little zit on my eyelid?"

"Sure thing." He says, as he sticks a needle in my eye.

I leave, and all is well until I open my mail a week later and see a bill for $ 783.00!!!!!

My eyes popped right out of my head; A condition not covered by insurance.

You DIRTY RAT!

2008-05-28T14:38:00.004-04:00

This is a true story.

A wildlife volunteer took two owls and two hawks on a five day trip. She was giving a series of educational presentations on wildlife conservation.

Hawks and owls eat rats, so she packed a big ol’ Coleman cooler full of frozen lab rats and put em on ice.

While she and the birds were giving one of their presentations, someone stole her mini van!

When asked about her misfortune she said “Yeah it was a bad day, but I felt much better about it when I pictured those guys opening up my cooler to find it full of dead rats! There is a certain amount of revenge in that.”

Sometimes dirty rats get exactly what they deserve.

2008-05-20T08:24:00.004-04:00

My sweet little Sandy barfed up a huge puddle of blood this morning. Scared me witless.
I rushed her to the vet, with what the tech referred to as "a lovely sample."

Something tells me I may have changed that young womans breakfast plans.

My Dandy-Sandy has a fever, but her vitals are stable and her gums are pink, which means she is probably not bleeding internally.

They wanted to keep her in a cage until the doctor arrives, but I told them she would be much calmer and more comfortable waiting with me. The tech got the sample and I took my dog. The vets office is only a short jaunt from the house, so if need be, I can get her back over there within three minutes.

I should know more in about an hour.

UPDATE:

Further examination showed blood in her stool as well, so the vet gave her some medication and a special diet. She will also be taking Pepsid AC before meals, just like my husband.

I'm beginning to wonder if I have the effect of making people nauseous. LOL

The White House Project

2008-05-06T12:58:00.001-04:00

Find more videos like this on The White House Project

White House Project
GO RUN LEAD Training Program
Columbus Ohio
June 6 - 8, 2008

“If it takes a village to raise a child, the likelihood is slim that a woman would be governing that village in Central Ohio.”

That statement is the conclusion of recent research conducted by Laralyn & Associates on Women’s Political Presence. For decades Ohio has received failing marks on women’s rights and representation and currently we are losing ground on the precious little territory we do occupy.

• Ohio ranks a dismal 43rd among the 50 states for the number of women in state legislature
• Only 12 of 59 judges on the bench in the 7 county Central Ohio area are women
• Women represent 51% of the population and only 28% of key elected and appointed positions

The Whitehouse Project is working to change that. The organizations founder, Marie Wilson, who also started Take Your Child to Work Day, is coming to Columbus June 6-8, offering a three day GO RUN LEAD training program for women.
This is a unique opportunity for Ohio women to learn the skills involved to influence politics and create a better future for us all.

This training session is for those who are running for office, for those who want to run for office, for those who want to run a campaign and especially for those community advocates who desire to be more effective.

The event is called OHIO GO RUN and is open to any woman in Ohio interested in influencing the world of politics. Politics effects everything in our daily lives, from the cost of gas, to the cost of food, to the quality of our childrens education. Our model of government is built on citizen participation. Unfortunatly women have precious few seats at the table.

Go Run is a weekend-long training to inspire, equip, and inform women from all walks of life to lead
more effectively in your work, community, and politics. The training will focus on communications,
fundraising, organizing and other leadership skills.
This national training program engages local experts, public officials, current and former
elected officials, and speakers to help train and share their experience and stories of success.
We make this training affordable for women from all income levels. Scholarships are available.

Participants represent a wide diversity in race, age, geogrpahy and political affiliation. 66 applicants are currently enrolled in the program that will include sessions on the media, the economy, and public speaking.

Presenters include Jenette Bradley, Jennifer Brunner, Jane Campbell, Laketa Cole, Nan Whaley, Barbara Ferris, and Roxanne Qualls, and Delaware County resident Kelley Wenzlaff will provide the introduction for Keynote Speaker, and White House Project Founder, Marie Wilson. The event will be documented by a professional film crew for use in future GO RUN trainings across the country.

For more information:
mmendoza@TheWhiteHouseProject.org
Monica Mendoza @ 303-871-6845

OHIO GO RUN
Women’s Political Leadership Training
www.TheWhiteHouseProject.org
June 6 - 8, 2008
Columbus, Ohio

Pangea Day

2008-05-02T08:26:00.003-04:00

In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that — to help people see themselves in others — through the power of film.

In 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the TED Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish.

People inspired by Pangea Day will have the opportunity to participate in community-building activities around the world. Through the live program, the Pangea Day web site, and self-organized local events, everyday people will be connected with extraordinary activists and organizations.

Date: May 10, 2008
Time: 18:00-22:00 GMT Check local times.
Language: Full program subtitled in Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, and Spanish.
How to watch: In person, online, on TV, on your mobile phone

The 4-hour Pangea Day program will include visionary speakers and live music in addition to the featured films. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova are among the presenters taking part.

24 short films have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from 100+ countries. They were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and help us see the world through another person's eyes.

Pangea Day taps the power of film to strengthen tolerance and compassion while uniting millions of people to build a better future.

On May 10, 2008 — Pangea Day — sites in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked live to produce a program of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music.

The program will be broadcast live to the world through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones.

Of course, movies alone can't change the world. But the people who watch them can. So following May 10, 2008, Pangea Day organizers will facilitate community-building activities around the world by connecting inspired viewers with numerous organizations that are already doing groundbreaking work.

The Last Lecture

2008-04-11T09:51:00.004-04:00

Randy Pausch is dying of cancer, and if you are not one of the six million people who have seen his "last lecture," I am honored to use this space to provide it for you now.

"So today’s talk was about my childhood dreams, enabling the dreams of others, and some lessons learned. But did you figure out the head fake? [dramatic pause] It’s not about how to achieve your dreams. It’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.

Have you figured out the second head fake? The talk’s not for you, it’s for my kids. Thank you all, good night."
-Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch's home page

American Healthcare Standards

2008-04-11T09:32:00.002-04:00

A Japanese doctor said, "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him looking for work in six weeks."

A German doctor said, "That's nothing, we can take a lung out of one person , put it in another, and have him looking for work in four weeks."

A British doctor said, "In my country, medicine is so advanced that we can take half of a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have them both looking for work in two weeks."

A Texan doctor, not to be outdone said, "You guys are way behind. We took an asshole out of Texas , put him in the White House and now half the country is looking for work."

This joke Courtesy of Brewstersmythe

An Idea Worth Spreading

2008-03-19T13:09:00.002-04:00

Click the image to view an amazing video.

Together, we really can make a difference.

2008-03-19T10:10:00.008-04:00

Marie Wilson of The White House Project is asking the question "Can You Be in Politics and Keep Your Integrity?" She is calling on women to consider this question and write about on their blogs.

Wilson’s mission in life involves training and inspiring women to enter the pipeline of politics. She believes by adding women to the recipe of politics, we will change the system for the better. She writes; “It is about my wish, on behalf of young women and men alike, that at some point things will be different…that politics, can be a fair and upright foray into changing the world for the better.”

Wilson believes the integrity of our system of government comes from the people, and that its up to us to stand tall and make a difference. She inspired me that’s for sure. My entire world turned up side down this past year, because I took her advice and actually RAN FOR OFFICE. I believed her when she said “If you truly love your country, then each and every woman in this room should get up and run for office right now, or support another woman who is running!”

I put my heart and soul into those words last year, and alas I lost my race. (They say you have to run three times to build a big enough base to win.)

But every cloud has a silver lining, and this one, (while a storm cloud of stupendous proportion) has a lining made of pure gold. This year has empowered me, expanded my mind, opened an entire world of new opportunities, tested my armor, stretched my abilities, and brought me many new and wonderful friends.

One such friend is a woman I want you all to meet. She is a gift to this world and everyone in it. She is the reason I am writing this essay. She has the strength of an army, the determination of a hurricane, the compassion of The Buddha, and insight beyond the wisdom of a Shakespearian oracle. Her name is Maura and she blogs as The Fat Lady Sings.

Although we have never met in person, during this past year she has become one of my most trusted and treasured friends. When Maura learned of my intention to run for office, she stepped up to help.

SHE STEPPED UP.

She ran this campaign. She defined the image, developed the message, planned the strategy, covered the issues, handled the media, and kept me sane and grounded through it all...and she did it all from over six hundred miles away. Together we wrote a book too! (I’ll tell you all about that in another post.) But the point is we did it. Together.

Two regular middle class, Middle American women from different parts of the country came together with a plan to change the world, and in spite of the bumps and bruises along the way, WE REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

You see, that’s the beauty of this country. Our foundation is built by the will of The People. We are not subject to a dictator or king, WE DECIDE. We choose our leaders and determine what direction they will go. Regular folks like you and me are the driving force behind the greatest country in the world. Yes, it is true there are politicians who are corrupt; who trade their integrity in a desperate attempt to hold on to power, but our system has checks and balances to weed those people out. That check is YOU, the voter. Our system only fails when WE THE PEOPLE fail in our duty to pay attention. The buck stops with US.

Maura and I grasped that concept, and made the choice to get involved. It was hard. We sacrificed time away from our families, we worked long hours with no reward or pay, we endured attacks and criticism, we faced pressures and stresses from all sides, but we did our duty as citizens, and that my friends is something to be truly proud of.

We spoke out on issues important to us both, we motivated people, we educated people, we kept our integrity in the process, and I am proud to say, that for the first time in over sixty years, my “Strongly Republican” district of Delaware County Ohio voted Democratic. We exposed some of the corruption and mishandling in our local government and got some new honest citizens elected along the way. We joined up with people from all over this country, paving the way for for change, and hope for the future.

Maura and I played a part in that change, and change my friends is what the future is all about.

Please visit her website and thank her. She not only did it for me, she did it for you. And quite frankly, I expect we shall all be more than amazed by what this woman will do next.

Together, we really can make a difference.

I'm BAACK!!!!!

2008-03-15T09:16:00.009-04:00

Hey gang,

I'm back. YesssireeeJim-Bob, After a long year of extreme focus, and sincere effort, I am finally free to blog again!

I had to put the old bloggeroo into hybernation during my lil ol run for The Ohio House of Representatives. But that is behind me now and I am glad to say...

I'M BAAACK!!!!!

It was an amazing experience, in which I learned a great deal and made many interesting new friends. (I promise to tell you all about it in weeks to come.)

To kick things off, let me share the telly commercial I ran during the campaign. Gawd, I can not begin to tell you how wierd it was to be eatin my wheaties with the munchkins and have this pop up on the boob tube.

The worst part is, every time I look at the spot all I can think of is what a "Bad hair day" I was having. Not to be vain but really, It looks like I pulled Shirley Jones' Partridge Family stylist out of rehab for this gig.

Geesh.

Click here for the Video Link to Kel Bell's Television Commercial with Ed Begley Jr.

For some added fun, here is a little link to an Ann Richards tribute poking fun at political hair.

Pet Peeve

2007-07-09T07:49:00.001-04:00

We all have reasons to be disturbed about the Iraq war, and this point may seem petty, but it's one of those nit picky things that drives me as crazy as a teenager inserting the word "like" before every verb in a sentence.

The first rule of war is to know thine enemy.

Iraq is not pronounced "I-RACK" as in; "Wow, I RACK up a lot of bills when the price of gas is so high."

The word is pronounced more like "EAR-ROCK" as in "If we use our EARs to listen, we might understand why these people are throwing ROCKs."

The exact pronunciation involves guttural breaks foreign to the English language, and is covered extensively in the comment thread over at Ezra Klein's blog, for those of you who like to delve deep into such articulation.

For the rest of us, all we need to do is listen to Christiane Amanpour.

CNN’s chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour explained the proper pronunciation on national television when The United States led the attack on Iraq in 2003, and yet four years later, our drawling Texan leader still can not, or will not, say the name of this country correctly.

As a result, we have congressional leaders, television talk show hosts and regular folks sitting in coffee shops all over this country making the same glaring error over and over again.

It may be a petty thing to someone whose son or daughter died in this war, but it just seems to me, if we intend to tell these people how to run their own country, they might have a little tiny tad more respect for our guidance if we would pronounce the name of their country correctly.

In order to get beyond the fighting, we must begin by talking. In order to do that, we need to say the word right, before we can even begin to say the right words.

A TEST FOR PROFESSIONALS

2007-06-20T08:28:00.001-04:00

The following short quiz consists of four questions and will tell you
whether you are qualified to be a professional. The questions are NOT
difficult.

_____________________

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and
close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple
things in an overly complicated way.

_____________________

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the
refrigerator? Wrong Answer.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in
the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think
through the repercussions of your previous actions.

_____________________

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All of the animals
attended except one. Which animal did not attend the conference?

Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator.
Remember, you just put him in there. This tests your memory. Okay, even
if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still
have one more chance to show your true abilities.

_____________________

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and
you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across it. Have you
not been listening to anything I've said? All of the crocodiles are
attending the animal conference called by the Lion King. This tests
whether you learn quickly from your previous mistakes.

____________________

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around ninety (90%)
percent of all professionals tested got all of the questions wrong, but
many of the preschoolers tested got several correct answers. Anderson
Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most
professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.

The Redistricting Game

2007-06-16T10:43:00.000-04:00

Now here is a fun way to waste a few minutes of your life on the internet. Its called The Redistricting Game. Its an amusing cartoony version of how our political process works. Go ahead and try it. Its almost as fun as computer solitare, but you actually learn something in the process!

The Redistricting Game

That's My Boy!

2007-06-06T21:05:00.000-04:00

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
Then he said "Good-night!" and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.
Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street
Wanders and watches, with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore.
Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead,
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade,--
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
To the highest window in the wall,
Where he paused to listen and look down
A moment on the roofs of the town
And the moonlight flowing over all.
Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay,--
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide like a bridge of boats.
Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
Now he patted his horse's side,
Now he gazed at the landscape far and near,
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
And turned and tightened his saddle girth;
But mostly he watched with eager search
The belfry tower of the Old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns.
A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.
He has left the village and mounted the steep,
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
And under the alders that skirt its edge,
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.
It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer's dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.
It was one by the village clock,
When he galloped into Lexington.
He saw the gilded weathercock
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting-house windows, black and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon.
It was two by the village clock,
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the bleating of the flock,
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadow brown.
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
Who that day would be lying dead,
Pierced by a British musket ball.
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,---
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.
So through the night rode Paul Revere;=
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,---
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882
Written April 19, 1860; first published in 1863 as part of "Tales of a Wayside Inn"

Dear Owly

2007-05-24T14:12:00.000-04:00

Hi Kelley,

My wife & I just returned from southeastern Oklahoma where the Naturalist there said a Great-Horned Owl attacked and killed a man wearing a Beaver Cap. I doubt it, but....have you ever heard of anything along these lines?

Thanks,

Lee
Oklahoma City

Dear Lee,

That story is well known. Like all urban legends, it has been told in many variations. I have heard from many sources in the rehab/naturalist world, of at least two documented cases of a great horned owl killing humans, but I have never been able to find the root source of those stories to verify them.

The most reliable version I found was of a scientist who climbed high into a tree to study the nest of a great horned owl. The mating pair attacked him to defend their nest. The first strike hit his arm, just under the armpit. The man was interviewed later in the hospital, and said the talon attack was amazingly precise and strong. The owl ripped open the major artery of his arm, as if it knew just where to strike. The second owl attacked his throat, but he turned to protect himself, and the owl got his hat. There was not mention of it being a beaver cap. I think the hat referenced was a hard hat or climbers helmet. (Most biologists who study raptors wear protective helmets because strikes are common.) This I KNOW to be true, as I have personally been dive bombed by red tails and great horned's on several occasions.

Apparently the attack caused him to lose the use of his arm for climbing, and he fell from the tree and broke his leg when trying to get away from the attacking pair.

When I researched the above story, the man did not die, but lived to tell the tale. However, I have heard many variations over the years, and have heard that the great horned is the only raptor known to have killed a human.

So, the best I ever could confirm is that great horned owls do attack humans on rare occasions to protect their nests. I have worked with these birds, and they are indeed strong and capable predators. I do not doubt their ability to target arteries, and rip them open with a single slash of their incredibly powerful talons.

It would seem logical that a person climbing a tree might fall and die from an attack, or that a person attacked might bleed out from a ripped artery if they were deep in the woods, and unable to find help.

However, I am quite sure that these birds do not seek out human prey. They would only risk an attack if threatened and could not escape, or if protecting their nests.

Camouflage would be their first line of defense, then posturing (like puffing up and hissing) then an attempt to fly away, then finally a strike if there were no other options. They would end the attack as soon as the perceived threat was over, and would not consider the human as a food source.

Also, it is interesting to note that young Great Horned Owls are sometimes found on the forest floor when they are at the stage of learning to fly. A parent owl will dive bomb a passing hiker to keep the human away from their owlets. This will usually be just a warning, and not an actual attack.

What is important is our understanding and respect for these majestic creatures. Personally, I am fascinated by the relationship between Great Horned Owls and Red Tailed Hawks. They share territory. The owls will take over the hawks old nests instead of building their own. They work in concert with one another for food within an ecosystem. One hunts by day, the other by night. Only on occasion will the owl attack and kill the neighboring hawk. We don't know why, but assume it would relate to available food resources, or protection of the brood.

We know very little about this territorial relationship. So much study needs to be done. In addition, it is imperative that we get the message out that these birds are not "vermin".

In the pioneer days, American immigrants needed small game for food. The hawks and owls were in competition with the humans for rabbits, squirrel, chickens, and pelt animals. So farmers and hunters would shoot them on sight.

Even today many farmers and hunters have this attitude of shooting hawks and owls as "vermin" because thats what their fathers and grandfathers taught them to do. We, as wildlife conservationists, must work to educate the public about the importance of raptors as a vital part of our balanced ecosystem. We need hawks and owls to hunt small species and keep populations of mice, rats, snakes and other small animals healthy and in check. Without them, disease would be rampant. A good example are skunks and raccoons. They are a rabies vector species, and a threat to humans and domestic animals when they over populate. These animals are primary prey for Great Horned Owls. Without the owls, humans are in danger of rabies and other disease.

On a side note: In Europe raptors are not considered vermin because the sport of falconry was the sport of kings. A Serf would never dare kill a hawk for fear that it might belong to a noble. This misconception only cropped up in America, because the nobles did not immigrate, and the poor, ill equipped settlers needed food.

As for the owls, they were protected and venerated as mystical creatures, not to be messed with. This concept goes back to pre Christian times, and the stories and myths exist in almost every country in the world.

(Maybe a little bit of modern mystic story telling would help protect these birds here in the states!) LOL

Good luck with your wildlife encounters. I hope this information helps,

Kelley

The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering

2007-05-09T10:07:00.000-04:00

Inspired by the book, The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering, a group of women from Ohio State University have organized a world wide gathering, which will take place on Mothers day, this Sunday at 1pm, (your local time.)

They are asking people to gather in parks, or gardens, or quiet areas of contemplation, and simply stand in silence for five short minutes of Prayer or Meditation.

I will serve as hostess for the gathering at Highbanks Metro Park, in Delaware County, Ohio. You are invited, and welcome to bring your friends. This event is open to all.

The idea is threefold:

1) To inspire people to believe they can actually help shape their world.

2) To meet others and begin taking action.

(Remember my old adage: Action Plus Intent Equals Miracles...AIM!)

3) To tell those who make public Policy that they should stop seeing themselves as politicians and instead act as guardians for our children, our grandchildren, and the seven generations beyond.

Here is the press Release from the organizers at StandingWomen.org:

Women Take Stand for Better World
Group Urges Women to Rise in Global Silence at 1 p.m., May 13

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and as we prepare to celebrate the mothers in our lives we often neglect to recognize the most important mother of all: Mother Earth. On Sunday, May 13 at 1 p.m., thousands of people around the globe will stand together in silence for five minutes in local parks, schools, churches and other gathering places to promote a better world for future generations. The result will be a 24-hour wave of standing to motivate and invigorate others to realize the dream of a better world for all.

The event was conceived by a group of women associated with The Ohio State University. Through their individual travels, they learned that many women have similar concerns about the direction the world is moving in. Inspired by a story written by Sharon Mehdi of Ashland, Oregon, The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering, collectively they decided that it was time to take a stand to make a difference. “We will be standing for the world’s children, grandchildren, and the seven generations beyond them,” says Deb Ballam, one of the event’s originators. “We dream of a better future for all of the world’s children.”

Mehdi, who will be standing with her townsfolk in Ashland, said “It was the women of Ashland who made sure the Grandmother Story got out to the world, and it is the women of Ohio who are bringing it to life. I am filled with gratitude, hope, and awe.”

Jean Shinoda Bolen, a best-selling author shared the Grandmother Story with the Ohio women during a visit to Columbus last fall, and will be standing in the San Francisco Bay area. “Standing in silence with others with the intention of making a difference,” says Bolen, “creates a feeling of peace inside that silently ripples out.”

The event is not limited only to women, however, and many men have expressed excitement in participating. For the last three weeks, Julian Koss of Sarasota, Florida has actively promoted the event in his state. “We’re all obligated to leave for our children and the ‘seven generations to follow’ a better world,” says Koss.

By standing for a moment of silence, participants will recognize the importance for all of the children of the world of issues such as safe drinking water, clean air, food for all to eat, access to basic education, adequate health care and safety from violence.

While the event originated in Ohio, it has become international in scope. The event’s website and promotional materials have been translated into 20 languages to attract participation in this global event. To further promote international participation, thousand of postcards promoting the event were recently distributed at the United Nations’ annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Standing sites in all 50 U.S. states and around the globe are listed on the website and range from large-scale groups of a thousand or more to individual standings. Participants have the option of attending one of the gatherings listed or starting their own. More information on the event including standing sites, promotional materials and registration can be found at http://www.standingwomen.org/index.html

Why the Dogs Got Steaks for Dinner:

2007-04-20T21:13:00.000-04:00

6am
Up and at 'em
Pet care
Read Op-Eds
Check headlines
Get kids up and off to school

9-12
Calling for dollars:
(The one activity that makes all candidates feel like a dog being dragged into the vet for a rectal exam.)
"Hi remember me (from some obscure somewhere about twenty years ago?) Why am I calling? Well, funny you would ask...Could you write me a check for $500.00? Oh, I see. Well, how about twenty?"

1pm
My third trip to the doc this month. The tubes in my ears have collapsed. Prognosis: meds aren't working. The magic eight ball says surgery is in my future. ugggh.

2pm
Grocery. Found two nice juicy steaks for the grill. Yummmmm.

3pm
Babysit the after school crowd while writing thank you notes to donors and working on campaign.

5pm
Door to door campaigning.

6:30
Daughter in crisis: yesterdays sore throat has turned into full blown flu, and tweenkin is locked in the bathroom at the school dance, blowing chunks and writhing with embarrassment while all her school mates gossip and watch.
Super mom to the rescue!

7pm
Third grade son is having slumber party. Two overnight guests are planned, but ten neighborhood boys are in our back woods wearing full military gear,doing "night maneuvers" with their pop guns. One falls into a barbed wire fence on the neighbors property and slices open his chest from collar bone to belly button.

7:15
Urgent Care

7:30
Rambo comes home, and digs on the purple heart status among his peers.
(I have to brag here a little bit: The urgent care did not charge for the visit because my first aid work was so good, they did not have to do anything.) Everybody is good at something, and this is one of my talents. Trust me on this; if you ever fall off a cliff in the wilderness, I'm the girl you want on the other end of that rope.

8pm
I finally start to cook those steaks... and. the. grill. runs. out. of. gas.

8:10
Off to the propane store, but first, all three boys reveal multiple day old boo-boos and want band aids. Then of course my daughter wakes up and starts puking on cue.

9pm
Dinner is served, but no one is hungry, so the dogs lucked out and got steak.

A big day at the Statehouse

2007-04-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

This energetic group trained all morning and, armed with the facts, lobbied for the Ohio Prevention First Act.

All this happened right after the Statehouse was evacuated because of a small fire. People were all over the place. It was bizzare. While we were waiting for everything to return to normal, I sat on the statehouse steps just a few feet behind the podium shown in this picture.

I was just a chit chattin away with my home girl about who knows what, when some stranger came up to me all bug eyed and informed me the microphone was on, and our conversation was broadcasting all over the Statehouse lawn.

EEE-GADS! Now the world knows all my secrets! LOL

Anyway, when the fireworks ended, we rallied with Senator Sue Morano, Rep. John Peterson, and Rep. Tyrone Yates who have all worked very hard on the Prevention First bill.

This bill will improve access to family-planning services and honest, comprehensive sex education, so that Ohioans have the resources and knowledge they need to prevent unintended pregnancies.

(When it comes to "Family Values", it just seems to me that education and prevention make a whole lot more sense than criminalization and social ridicule.)

______________________________________
Note to those of you who like to play Where's Waldo:
I'm in the second row on the right, next to the lady in red.