Capitol Hill Blue Forums Hot Topics & Breaking News The RoundTable Round Table for Sept 28-Oct 4, 2014

Welcome to Reader Rant Round Table for the week of September 28 to October 4, 2014!

The theme for the waning week of September, as we enter "true Autumn" is Progress!

As the leaves progressively color outside my window, I was pondering the meaning of progress (as well as multiple pronunciations: Is it Progress, like the sound "frog" or Progress, like a PROfessional? And why, when we do it, to we progress?). Historically, many movements progressed in this season (as do many baseball teams, hoping for a pennant, including my beloved Mariners!).

In 1066 William, Duke of Normandy, began his invasion of England, which resulted in the Battle of Hastings and the usurpation of the Anglo-Saxon line of kings. What is little known is that William probably would not have succeeded had it not been for the earlier invasion by the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada. Harald invaded northern England earlier in September 1066, and Harold (King of England) and the English army had fought two major battles against him - losing at the Battle of Fulford, but then Harold defeated and killed Harald at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066. Within days, William landed in southern England. Harold marched south to confront him, leaving a significant portion of his army in the north to protect against further Viking incursions. That decision probably cost him not only Hastings, but England (and his life).

In 1781 a different invasion, this time by the English into what was to become the United States, was underway. It was at Yorktown, Virginia that General George Washington began what was to be the final major battle of the American Revolution. He led a combined American-French army from Williamsburg to surround Lord Cornwallis' British encampment. The siege of Yorktown lasted for two weeks, during which the British position became increasingly desperate and the American-French army's encirclement got tighter and tighter. By October 17, it became clear to General Cornwallis that his position was untenable, and an officer was dispatched to negotiate the surrender. The French casualties were 60 killed and 194 wounded and the American casualties were 28 killed and 107 wounded. The British official casualty return for the siege listed 156 killed, 326 wounded and 70 missing. Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and enlisted men in Yorktown when he capitulated and a further 840 sailors from the British fleet in the York River. In effect, the British force in the United States became ineffective (although it was probably more that the cost of continuing the conflict was too high for Parliament).

In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Ford Model T:
"It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American; some of this was because of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting. The Ford Model T was named the world's most influential car of the 20th century in an international poll." Of it, Ford saidIn addition to producing cars on an assembly line, Henry Ford introduced another progressive innovation: in January 1914, he startled the world by announcing that Ford Motor Company would pay $5 a day to its workers. The pay increase would also be accompanied by a shorter workday (from nine to eight hours). The Middle Class Took Off 100 Years Ago ... Thanks To Henry Ford? The improvement was actually intended to improve working conditions to lower turnover, but had the added benefit of allowing the workers to afford the product they were producing.

Progress, progress, progress. It isn't always for the reasons spoken, but happens nonetheless. In 1924 the first round-the-world flight landed in Seattle. It had taken 175 days. Today it can be done in 66 hours. Now, that is progress! In 1957 Sputnik was launched and became the first space vehicle. Ten years later, Thurgood Marshall became the first non-white Supreme Court Justice. And, on October 1, 1971....

The Mouse Arrived in Florida!

So, my friends, let's celebrate Progress!

The measure of progress is dependent upon the context of the goal. Context provides the ability to judge any particular movement as progress, regress, digress, impress, maybe even goddess.

Our culture has one nearly universal context for progress, and that is more is better.

Nice job on the intro, NWP!

Got my TV hooked-up today with a nifty indoor antenna (TERK Ultra-thin). Works great! Now all I have to do is hook-up my TiVo machine to the TV setup tomorrow, and I'll be all set in that department.

Also my Dollar Tree here has a lot of name-brand stuff for $1.00. My old Dollar Tree had off-named stuff and I didn't like the quality so I hardly ever went there. I've been to my new Dollar Tree three days in a row now. Tonight I got some SoftSoap Antibacterial handsoap and AJAX dishwashing soap. Sweet! I normally get the Dawn dishwashing soap at Costco, and I was there today and I thought spending $10.00 on a gallon of dishwashing soap that will last me the next 10-15 years is a bit much.

Given all of the stuff I collected in six years at my old residence, I'm trying to limit my excesses and simply get what I absolutely need.

Welcome, my friend, to the PNW!

Thank you. Since I've been here, it's been sunny. Foggy in the mornings with the sun coming out by 11 a.m.

Today it rained very lightly.

The NW weather usually falls off the cliff right around Halloween. Stay tuned.

I spent much of my morning reading on my new deck and luxuriating in the sun.

Yeah. The Dollar Tree here in the 'Burg has name brand bread for a buck. It's great.

But I bragged about it and dragged my aunt to the Dollar Tree in Weatherford, Tx, and it sucked. My aunt bought an air-freshener for the car. It turned out to be odorless five minutes after we took it out of the plastic.

I watch their crackers, chips, etc. for cottonseed oil, and I find it a lot. But careful shoppers find great buys here.

An employee at Home Depot told me today there are about two days a year when Portland shuts down due to snow.

I went to the Oregon One Stop Job placement center today and was there for about 3 hours. Also dropped off my resume at Costco. I completed an online application last Friday, but the warehouse manager wanted to see my resume.