Paul Simons

What can possibly be said, after reading Senator Spiess' dissertation on the wonders of trash removal and disposal in our fair city, Porkopolis, the Queen City, that could shed any more light on the topic than his paragraphs and stanzas have already shed? The plain fact of the matter is that the only thing that differentiates the modern era from those previous is the very thing with which the worthy Senator has concerned himself. We've all seen the ornate pocket watches at the Taft Museum; we all know that radio and television are basically the same as they were decades ago, except with more and louder commercials; politicians are no less divided than they were at our nation's founding with some trying any manner of graft, deception, lying, cheating, stealing to prevent people from voting, and the other half trying to implement an actual democracy, at which they are still trying; and medical interventions sometimes working, and sometimes not; in a nutshell the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, EXCEPT IN THE REALM OF TRASH!! No longer do pigs roam the streets! Many, true, are in local, state, and national government, but NONE are in the trash compacting and recycling business! (Note - perhaps because organized crime, even more organized than they are, ran them out), We now have gleaming color-coded indestructible plastic containers into which we place our SEPARATED and CLASSIFIED beer cans, candy wrappers, murdered hookers so that Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler will have a fresh corpse to discover every week, barbeque rib bones, and obsolete cellphones. It all runs like clockwork!! 

Senator Spiess has named some names - Cumminsville. St. Bernard. Elmwood Place. The Mill Creek. Cheviot. The Spring Grove Cemetery. We at our illustrious Stately Domed (or doomed if Putin is that crazy) High School On the Hill were protected, coddled, we never knew the REAL CINCINNATI, which is still there waiting to be discovered, if only we can muster the strength to forsake the Camargo Country Club and get ourselves to Rumple's Landfill. To the landfill!! 

Bruce Fette

I have been away from Cincy now for a long time. 

But I remember lots of toys, and bicycles and appliances being sent to the various disposal locations.

And there are also auto recycling centers. And I do remember getting the occasional replacement part from an auto recycling center. 

But here is the larger question. Aftter collecting metals,plasics, rubber, concrete and other items, over perhaps as long as 70 years, wouldn't it be feasible to mine these junk yards to recover the more valuable materials, rather than vast open pit mines to get fresh iron ore, glass, copper, gold, or silver?  If the junk yards were mined what percentage of the mountain could be reused?

This applies to every major urban area. While Cincy has Rumpke's, and Chicago has their own mountain (I dont remember its name), seems like all of the major cities could be mined for resources.  At this time, Phil and I and others live in the greater DC area (often called DMV), I suspect the cities here take junk out on barges and dump it in the ocean. That cant be good for the fish or for the cleanliness of the water. 

Anyone know about efforts in these domains?

Paul Simons

Not to monopolize again but Bruce I'm sure you know about the gold used in electronics because it's a great conductor and doesn't tarnish. I think there's a whole industry stripping gold from printed circuit traces and semiconductor pins. I remember several hundred gold plated pins on each of the Intel microprocessors I used to buy back when we assembled our computers ourselves. And of course we know a lot of garbage finds its way from places like Texas, Georgia, South Carolina etc to your area, the District of Columbia, where it is causing some severe environmental problems. And I'm sure we've all seen the documentaries about the removal of the twisted, burned steel from the World Trade Center to Staten Island which might just qualify as a good place to start mining what has been considered trash for a century or so. Finally another documentary about what's called ship breaking - the dismantling of gigantic ships - in Pakistan, or maybe Bangladesh, a particularly dangerous and toxic job, almost as bad for those workers as enduring trash from the former Confederate states is for the good people of the beltway area.

Philip Spiess

Bruce:  The garbage in Rumpke's landfill was, as I understand it, organic garbage, i.e., food wastes and the like. After all, originally it was his hogs that were eating it, just as in the days of yore.  As to non-organic materials, it's unclear to me where they went or go; as you say, here in the Washington area they probably end up in the ocean (where microbes, apparently, are eating the remains of the Titanic).

But you are onto something -- even if in another line than you suggest.  For a good number of years now, archaeologists and others have recognized the importance of digging into old trash heaps, waste lands, and privy pits.  There they find significant remains of past cultures -- pottery, glass, silverware, etc., as well as seeds (indicative of what food was grown and eaten), and -- if they're lucky -- coprolytes -- calcified or petrofied lumps of human and / or animal shit (pardon me, poop) which, when broken apart and analysed, give good evidence of agricultural patterns, nutrition, and diet.

So -- there's "gold" in them thar [garbage] hills!

Jon Singer

I noted we are back on for a reunion. Great.  Those who have planned may have already determined the venue and are into the stage of final details.  If so, ignore the following thoughts.  Could we establish a brief period devoted to a thematic take off of our high school nuts- Peanuts, Walnuts.  I favor Sesame.  We could host the "Septuagenarian's Sez'Mes" at an appropriate location physically within Walnut or alternately, a suitable "art" venue.  In a modified Art Fair design, we set up both a display panel region and a stage. The intent would be to showcase our blossoming and/or declining creativity and talents. Collect in advance, then display photography, sculptor, jewelry, books, poetry etc. on panels/within booths in a region and on the stage do recitation, magic, stand-up, physical(if still active) talent, music, multiple 10 minute plays, etc. around the cohesive theme of having had a common adolescent origin. 

Bruce Fette

OK,

Lets liven things up a little.  Who has big plans for July 4?

What are your plans? Where will you celebrate? 

Who is going somewhere to see family?

Who has family coming from somewhere else to make a family reunion?

What are you planning to fix - something particularly delicious and loved by the family?

Where do you plan to watch fireworks?

And what favorite music will be playing all day?

PS> July 4th is a Monday - so you also have a 3 day weekend!

Dale Gieringer

 We live on a hill with a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay. When the weather is clear, dozens of fireworks displays are visible from the hillside.    So many people want to see them that police block off traffic to our hill, but they hike up instead.    My duty is to monitor the crowd and make sure that there's no hanky-panky, littering, rowdiness or firecrackers among them (firecrackers are an especially huge concern, given the dried-out grass on our hill and the extreme drought we've been having).    To tell the truth, the view can be disappointing, since the fireworks displays are far below and seem dwarfed by the surrounding setting.  To my relief, last year the bay was fogged in, putting a damper on both the fireworks and the crowd.  No telling what will happen this year.   In the meantime, we're off to the Kate Wolf Music Festival at Wavy Gravy's Hog Farm in Mendocino County, which is hosting its first in-person gathering in three years.   I am looking forward to our own in-person class reunion next year.   

     Fireworks from Panoramic Hill, July 4th 2020 

Philip Spiess

The First Celebration of the 4th of July in Cincinnati:

Does anybody know how the 4th of July was celebrated for the first time in Cincinnati?  I don't.  I also wonder what Mrs. Trollope thought of the 4th of July.  (I don't know that either -- but I can guess!). And did you know that in the 1870s there was a fireworks factory up on Mount Adams?

Laura Reid (Pease)

Phil, since you are in Cincy over the 4th, you should visit the Taft Museum; it has just reopened after a lengthy  renovation; we are also celebrating the 200th anniversary of the house.  Hope you can make time for a visit!!  Happy 4th to all!!

Philip Spiess

Laura, actually I'm not in Cincinnati over the 4th, but when I do get back there I'll definitely visit the Taft.  I recently read articles about two older exhibits at the Taft, one on James Pressley Ball, the daguerreotypist, and the other on Hiram Powers, the sculptor, his family and career.

Paul Simons

Kinda sad to be looking at an "Independence Day" holiday a couple of weeks after the Supreme Court majority has allowed states to condemn innocent women who have certain pregnancy complications to death. That's what they've done and our own inattention to what's been happening over the years has contributed to it. It isn't left or right or political at all. It's medical.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

I can't believe it's almost July 4 already. These months zoom by too quickly for my liking. May and June have been head spinning months of more activity that I am used to, with family and friend events, and opening Ann's Bed and Breakfast (lunch &dinner too) for visiting relatives. 
Locally, there are at least four fireworks displays near or in my village, the closest a half mile away, that I am NOT looking forward to. If you're a dog owner, you know how much stress those sounds create for out fur babies. Chief's first home was close to the police firing range, and he was sensitized to loud sounds as a pup. Although he doesn't cower in fear the way his sister, the late Chloe-dog, did, he barks constantly, as if he is protecting our home from an intruder. Unfortunately, Chief will be bombarded both Sunday and Monday evenings. 
 

Bruce Fette

Ann,

We can relate here. We live approximaely 5 miles from the DC fireworks that you may be watching on TV Monday (in 1 week). They launch these fireworks just behind the Lincoln Monument.  And 5 miles away our Austrailian Kelpie (she is the brown one you see when you google Australian Kelpie) hears them and hides in her kennel, or barks at the window, shivers, runs in circles between all of these, or combinations of these.

So you know she hears lower fequencies that we humans dont neccessarily hear.  I know she hears higher frequencies too. Just krinkle a paper and there she is. 

There are many other conversations I would like to start with the brilliant members of our WHHS class, but alas... I know we could identify approaches to address some of the import issues of our country and of the  world.  "We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect union, estalish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and provide for common defense......"

Lets see, ..., in 1964 the music was about love. So for now, I enjoy the 50s and 60s music in XM radio in the car. Perhaps the right kind of music is a great start.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

It's fascinating how dogs can pick up certain frequencies. Chief also reacts to the sounds of motor vehicles too. He can hear the rumble of UPS and FedX vans when they pull on my street. When we are out on walks, I avoid busy streets because he barks at certain, but not all vehicles. You'd think he wouldn't react to some quieter engines, but my neighbor's Prius is an "offender" but loud old clunkers driving by don't seem to bother him as much. 
The afore mentioned Chloe-dog, also a rescue, was so terrified of fireworks, that my vet gave her medication to give her in anticipation of fireworks. Never worked. She would pant and salivate, pace around and shake to the point she looked like she was having a heart attack. The only thing I found that worked for her was a ThunderShirt (a tight swaddler type garment). Wearing that, she was able to calm down enough to go hide somewhere during fireworks and thunderstorms. 
I am so fond of 60s and 70s music. I listen Sirius channel 49 Soul Town: Classic Soul and Motown. 
Below is the late Chloe-dog in her ThunderShirt and diaper (the sound literally scared the s##t out of her). She has been free from fear since she went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2014. 

Philip Spiess

Okay, Ann, you've confirmed for me that our dog is a normal dog and not just a crazed puppy.  He goes wild barking and running from window to window when he hears either the Amazon truck, the UPS truck, the FedEx truck, or the Postal Service truck coming up the street (whether it stops at our house or not).  He also goes ecstatic when he hears our son Philip's van coming into the neighborhood.  (Philip was the dog Haligan's original owner; we inherited him when Philip went to work full time.)

So dogs must have pretty astute, as well as acute, hearing -- just like their sense of smell, eh?

Paul Youngs

You guys might want to check out Ed Yong's new book called An Immense World. It's all about how different critters make sense of their world, to include dogs- the uniqueness of each "species" way as well as the limitations. Best to all.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

This is copied from a friend's post on FACEBOOK:
Every year, the days leading up to and following the 4th of July, shelters everywhere fill up with animals frightened by fireworks. While I honestly wish fireworks were never used, that's something that will never happen.
Currently, many shelters are at maximum capacity and there's no room to house anymore animals.  While some shelters claim to be  "no kill", don't be fooled, EVERY shelter has to make difficult decisions.
Please....beginning July 1st, put a phone number on your pet.  You don't have to spend any money.  Grab some tape duct tape works great and a sharpie or a ink pen and make the minimal effort to keep your pet from ending up at a shelter. Even if you think there's no way they can or will escape your property, just do it.
If you love your pet(s) it's your job to protect them.
Finding a stray animal with a phone number makes it SO SIMPLE to reunite them with their owner.
Let's make a difference this holiday and keep animals from ending up at the shelter.
P.S. Please spay/neuter your pets. We are drowning in homeless pets. 

Philip Spiess

Our lovable dog (technically our son's) is neutered, and has a chip implanted.  (He is also a real communicator.) 

David Buchholz

On another subject.  I broke my ankle last April and had to wear the dreaded "boot" for six weeks.  My kind neighbor gave me suet and a little cage that I suspended from an oak tree.  Being me, I set up a camera on a tripod and watched as local East Bay birds discovered the suet.  I tried to trip the shutter as they were either flying in or out, a challenge to record them with an acceptable sharpness.  These are some of the results.  The red tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and doves (bottom feeders) are excluded.  I miss many of the colorful birds that hang out in and around Cincinnati—the cardinals, robins, goldfinches.  If you click on the link stay tuned to the ultimate in bird watching—a fight to the end between two rival Steller's Jays.

And here's the link...

http://www.davidkbuchholz.com/suet

and if you're really into birds...here are a bunch more.

http://www.davidkbuchholz.com/birds

Paul Simons

Happy 4th of July from The Sandbar!!

Philip Spiess

Speaking of bars, sand or otherwise, I plan to spend the 4th with a 5th.

Paul Simons

"A four on the floor and a fifth on the seat"

But let's have a SAFE HOLIDAY kids!

Bruce Bittmann

And, remember, he who goes forth with a fifth on the forth may not come forth on the fifth.

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

Surprisingly, Chief was unfazed by the sound of the fireworks last night. Have a happy holiday everyone!

Philip Spiess

Bruce:  Say that again at twice the speed and in pig Latin!