Sunday, May 10, 2009

EYE IN THE SKY

Manet, Peonies

There is a gizmo on my blog that tells me who has looked at it, how how he accessed it, how long he spent reading, which server he used and much more. I know, for example, that someone in Rabat, Morocco who is a client of Maroc-Telecom gained access through a peculiar site that links Rotring pens and Zionism. This unexpected visitor did not linger, which does not surprise me. I write about many different subjects, but my emphasis is on West Virginia. Though I happen to own a couple of Rotring pens they were given to me by a dear friend who comes from an Episcopalian family with no links to Israel and zero interest in Zionism. I am sorry to disappoint my Moroccan visitor, but these are regular sketch pens with no connections whatever with the Mossad. At least if they do have Israeli intel connections, they are not telling me and that is a good thing. I have enough to think about without getting mixed up in international intrigue.

Life in the lusty little village is sufficiently exciting. As this goes to press, the municipality continues to perpetrate something called Streetscape, a project that supposedly will make main street sidewalks ADA compliant. Well and good. I am all for adding access ramps for wheelchairs to our sidewalks. However, I question the wisdom of going beyond that to build uproot mature trees and replace them with the ugliest bump-out ever to disfigure a town since the demise of Soviet architecture. I fear that to add insult to injury, the municipality will plant the shopping mall trees and characterless landscape roses in the bump-outs. If that does not raise hackles from here to Rabat, something is wrong with the citizenry.

There is much that the municipality could consider doing for the environment. For example, It could build a butterfly preserve, plant pawpaws, which are the favorite food of the rapidly vanishing zebra butterfly. It could choose native plants and wildflowers for the horrible bump-outs instead of ugly unscented roses developed by French corporations. It could transform parts of existing park into wildlife shelters. It could limit car traffic in green spaces. Gosh, I could give the mayor a long list of what could be done, but he would only refer me to a committee and committees seem to spend more time talking than doing.

So, you there in Rabat, unless you garden, cook and fret about West Virginia politics, I've nothing of interest to contribute. To you guys at Fullerton, Ca, LA, CA, Woodbridge, VA, NY, NY, Ranson and Nitro, WV, Winchester, VA, Washington, DC, Waltham, MA, Drexell Hill, PA, Atlanta, GA, Quincy and Lena, IL, Oklahoma City, OK, Vancouver, WA, Berlin, Germany, SP and Rio, Brazil, Cheonan, Korea, Toronto, Canada, Torrevieja, Spain, Campbell River, BC CT and Stockolm, I thank you and Google Analytic thanks you for stopping by. Happy Mother's day.

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