v5, #18, communicating with fear

The Alberton Papers, Vol. V, #XVIII
By Dick Darne 2-26-08
I was late. The new and improved Think Tank was up and running by the time I had fed the dog and got my shoes on. All the regulars were there and some others I didn’t know. All the seats were taken and just enough coffee for a half a cup, which meant that somebody whose coffee craving sent him for the last of the pot would have to make a fresh one. I started the task and began listening to the discussion. They were talking about communicating.
"A good communicator will always use more than one method in each communication." said Todd
"What do you mean, more than one method?" asked Johnny
"Well, all of your senses for starters," replied Todd, "mostly when you are trying to get a message across, it involves seeing or hearing. Obviously both can be used on television but only hearing on the radio. In print, seeing works. In person they both work and in the real world, touch, smell and taste all work. If you are selling pies, let everyone smell the wares. There’s another method that works quite well and it is emotions, especially fear and anger. They usually trump all the others, at least in the short term. Conjure up a mushroom cloud, or planes flying into buildings and buildings collapsing or hordes of turban wearing crazed fanatics pouring across the border and you have successfully delivered the "one" in the old "one-two". All rational thought goes out the window and you are now set up for the "two"
"Real easy to make people do things against their best interest. History abounds with examples. Some even brag about it." added Bill. "Did you ever listen to Rudy campaigning, every other sentence was: ‘911, 911 ,911.....’ or to the lies of this administration especially the orange alerts used to overshadow other events?"
" In my humble opinion," interjected Gno, who at first glance appeared asleep.
"One of the worst things that ever happened to rational thought is the ‘forward button’ combined with an absurd e-hatemail. The citizen’s atrophied thinking section of their brain blocks all critical thinking but enables the appropriate digit to punch the ‘forward- button’ thereby spreading hate, fear, anger, and lies like the bubonic plague."
Stay tuned, this will continue next week. Do NOT forward anything without checking it out. Turn off hate radio. Tune out fear mongers. THINK! dd

The Alberton Papers, Vol. V, #XVII
By Dick Darne 2-20-08
Now that the Think Tank has been relocated and remodeled, we will be exploring important social issues again. Before the first meeting, a review of the characters is in order. All the characters, while fictional, are composites of real people I have known, some are real people and some are imaginary, symbols of American values, that should be familiar to everyone (maybe not to those who have had no history or civics in school).
First the real people:
Bill Woods, a retired logger and truck driver, who is living on a decent pension, thanks to his Union. Bill has seen a lot and still wonders why workers can still be coerced into making choices that are not in their own best interest.
Johnny Sixgun, a firearms afficionado who came to realize that the puny power of one who owns more firepower than could be carried is dwarfed by the power of the state when it decides you are the enemy. He also realized that they don’t need a gun register list, only the NRA membership list.
Todd Young, a union pipefitter who is well read, to the point that he’d rather read the Wall Street Journal for facts (the editorials make him want to barf) than listen to the snake-oil salesmen, Paul Harvey, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and others who not only play fast and loose with the facts, but actually make things up. He also knows the meaning of Solidarity.
Gno Lackowitz, who has a good grasp of the overall picture and the language and is not afraid to express his opinion.
Professor Sven Berkowitz , from the North Dakota Institute of Financial Technology, who is a consultant for the Think Tank. He has a brother, Lars Berkowitz, who heads up the Nodak U Political Science and Industrial Technology department.
Elder, who seems to have hundreds of years of knowledge and experience and just drifts in and out, offering only that there are other Think Tanks and he must watch them all.
The others are not real, but yet they are.
Lady Liberty, aka The Lady, who is very sad over the assault on our liberties.
Father Justice, aka Padre, who is reviewing the thinkings even when he is away.
Eternal Vigilance, aka Viggie, yours truly went on a quest last summer to find him. He is quite busy also.
Mother Nature, who is quite tough and unforgiving to those who try to fool her.
Nemi, the goddess of revenge, who at this time can only watch.
Stay tuned for some exciting times. Think more and harder. dd

The Little Old Lady from Spokane

The Alberton Papers, Vol. V, #XVI
By Dick Darne 2-12-08
This week I would like to share the storytelling talents of my friend Tom Wheeler. dd
. The little old lady, from Spokane
This story is about a little old lady from Spokane. It was a dark cold winter night, the snow was falling heavily and the wind was blowing, it across the highway making, for poor visibility. Some nights even without the wind during a snowstorm the driving conditions can be very treacherous, on Interstate 90 between Frenchtown and Tarkio, this night was no exception. All sane people should have been home setting by a warm fire.
The storm had started about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon. Guy Spence was the first one called out to go work that night. We were supposed to have the night off, because it was on a Saturday. It wasn't long after he'd been at work that he decided that he wouldn't be able the handle all the work by himself. He called dispatch in Missoula and told them that he needed help. I was just settling in for a long anticipated night off. When the dreaded ring of the phone jerked me back to reality and reminded me that in the wintertime, I owed my soul to the state highway department.After the phone call within 15 minutes I was setting behind the wheel of the snowplow and sand truck. As I was making my first-round to Tarkio to assess the needs of the highway, I was wondering what kind of an adventure I would have this night.I called Guy on the radio to see what the conditions were on the east end, his voice came back loud and clear that he was glad to see that I had came out to play. And that he had plenty to do on the east end.
The road conditions deteriorated fast as the snowstorm worsened, after about three rounds and six loads of sand, I could tell that I was going to be in for a long night. As I was plowing and sanding my way back to Alberton from Tarkio for the fourth time that night. I was at mile-marker 72 eastbound on Interstate 90 just west of Alberton, I could see the headlights of a car and it looked to me like they were in my lane. I pulled off the interstate on to the extreme right hand shoulder and stopped. Sure enough the car was heading west in the eastbound lane. I grab my flashlight and jumped out of the truck and started to wave the car down.
The driver of the car was a little old lady in her mid '80s. After I had waved her down and got her stopped, I told her that she was driving in the wrong lane. I said ma'am you are in the wrong lane and you're going to get yourself killed. She asked me what was the direction to Spokane. I pointed west and told her that was the direction to Spokane. She replied to me well! that's where I want to go and that's the direction I’m going. I replied again I know you want to head west, but if you keep traveling in this lane you are going to get ran over by a semi. I helped her, get her car turned around. I then explained to her that if she would drive east for about 4 mi. she would come to the Alberton exit. She should then make a right and go to the top of the exit. Then turn left across the bridge, and then take another left to get back on the west bound ramp. Then you will be heading west to Spokane. She then started up her car and cautiously started east. When she reached the Alberton exit she drove right on past. I passed her on the highway and stopped her at the East crossover. She asked me now what? I told her you just drove by the exit and now you are headed in the wrong direction. She replied to me that she'd been lost all dammed day. At that point, I decided that she had no business being on the road, so as I turned her car around for the second time I checked her gas gauge, it registered on full. But I still had misgivings about just turning her loose on the highway. I suggested to her that she pull over at Alberton and get a motel room. Her reply to me was no! I cannot do that! Because I have to get home and feed my dog. All I did this morning was leave the house to get some dog food from the store. And I have just been going in circles.So as I stood there scratching my head, with a worried look she started on her way. I then called the boys that were working on section 13 to warn them about her, and for them to keep an eye out in case she got into trouble again. About two hours later, I heard a call on the radio, to the Highway Patrol that the little old lady was in trouble again. This time she had two flat tires that she was driving on slowly heading west. After the highway patrol arrived on the scene, they determined that the lady was in no condition to drive to Spokane. The Highway Patrol called Carl’s towing and had him haul her and her car to Spokane. Later we heard that she most likely had a stroke and was disoriented from it. That night she was lucky and must and have had god riding with her in the passenger seat.The storm raged all night long, and Guy Spence and I fought it until four A M. At that time we called in the joy boys to take over and finish the cleanup.That night I had put on 425 mi. on my truck and put out 12 loads of sand. When I got back to the shop, Guy said just another normal night huh!We checked out and headed home for some much needed rest. At the same time knowing that we would probably have it to do all over again the next night.

Tom

The Alberton Papers, Vol. V, #XV
By Dick Darne 2-5-08
This week I will use my space to shamelessly promote a good cause. My friend, Tom wheeler, who has been one of the mainstays of the Alberton area for many, many years, has been quite sick lately. He had to be transported to Seattle for medical help and incurred quite a few expenses not covered by insurance. I have known Tom for almost 30 years and have found him to be very generous with his time and money when someone was in need. anyone else who has known him for any time will attest to his willingness to step up and help. He is also one of our unsung heroes of Alberton and Mineral county. You name it and he has served on it. When things break, like as not, he had a hand in fixing it. He has always been a good advisor on local government matters. In short, enough platitudes, it’s time for the rest of us to help him.
This Sunday, Feb.10, at the Alberton elementary cafeteria, from 3:30 to 5:30, there will be a fund raiser for Tom. There will be a potluck dinner, silent auction and music by the Gravely Mountain Boys.
It’s time for the rest of us to step up and help, so be there! dd