Friday Thoughts is a light-hearted commentary.
Congratulations to Steve and Linda Corbin for being selected as having the best downtown garden. The Corbins own the Town Royal bar and they have been tending to the garden in front of their business.
Sources tell us that Steve’s avid interest in gardening might be a result of the smoking ban. Apparently now when he is outside smoking, he is also pulling weeds.
His patrons say his attention to detail is amazing and his ability to mix and match different flowers and colors indicates he was gifted with a green thumb.
The Gazette’s garden didn’t place well in the competition. I wonder if Corbin would like to share his superior horticulture knowledge with the community by conducting some gardening demonstrations on our garden plot?
Chris Walker
Editor & Publisher
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
chris you sure know how to put the needle in. why not start writing some editorials? a paper without an editorial is like a dog without a bite.
August 7, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthinkin (anonymous) says...
Congratulations, Steve & Linda - you deserve this recognition. Perhaps the ash is a contributing factor, or perhaps the SHS is preventing parasites. You see, there IS good in everything.
August 7, 2009 at 4:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
in emporia, traditional journalism is in a free fall, the emporia gazette has become the propaganda arm of the city of emporia and chamber of commerce. this is not all bad unless someone wants to zone heavy industry in your front yard, add on to a grandfathered electric sub station, or direct bussines away from downtown emporia. what we now have is the politicalization and trivalization of the news. this dumbing down of journalism prevents reporters from covering the real important news of the day. many times at public meetings my voice has been off limits to the press and kvoe. i think the reason is that i do not always march lockstep with the elite of emporia. these puplic opinion polls are ok but, they are no substitute for thinking. confucious say, [to know what to do and dont do it is the worst form of cowardice.]
August 8, 2009 at 1:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Well Thank You Chris.
I would like to offer a "light hearted" reply.
First off we have taken care of our corner plantings since before the mainstreet remodling, part of our pride in the neighborhood.
The smoking ban HAS helped getting me out a little more to enjoy the sunshine and the peacefull sounds of the train horns as they pass through downtown every 10 minutes.
My upper story tenant, Ron Gilligan deserves much of the credit for the hard work on this.
As I can't find out where your adopted garden is on the main street map I don't know about conducting gardening demonstations on your garden, but I can offer you and the other adopters a time saving hint.
Before you lay down the 15 or so bags of cedar mulch in your plot, line the ground with about a 1/4 inch deep layer of old copies of the Gazette 1st.
(Actually any old newspaper will work).
VIOLA, NO WEED PULLING!
And it will recycle down into a great fertilizer mulch.
If you do plant any new plantings remember that the sun and heat, (from the concrete), is about triple what the average garden has to cope with, so plant very heat tolerant plants.
I do have experience in dealing with heat tolerance.
All kidding aside, congrats to All who adopted a garden. Downtown Emporia is a little brighter because of you.
August 8, 2009 at 7:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
And we are anxiously awaiting the battle of the garden spades between the Gazette and KVOE.
Perhaps we can call it Emporia's War of The Roses?
August 8, 2009 at 7:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Way to go Corbins and the Town Royal.
Now, winter is approaching. Do you have anything in mind for a winterscape? Some of the gardens look so woeful in the winter with their sad little dead blooms and dried up leaves. Something tells me yours will not look so abandoned.
August 8, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthinkin (anonymous) says...
Steve, I enjoyed your comment & advise on the weed control. My only fear would be that the Gazette would be far to TOXIC to support any type of growth. Perhaps a person could find a more suitable subject. NOT kidding ! And, in case you wonder, I read the Gazette for the "entertainment" factor, not for an unbiased viewpoint.
August 8, 2009 at 11:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
Thanks, yes the adoption is for 1 year so we are thinking about fall and winter as well as next years garden.
August 8, 2009 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
california proverb more things grow in the garden than the gardner sows.
August 8, 2009 at 2:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
driveonby (anonymous) says...
Small business owners in Emporia will probably have ALOT more free time come winter, as patrons will just stay home rather than challenge the elements. Perhaps Emporia can come up with an ice sculpting contest for small business owners to compete in? I hope that the County is looking at lowering property taxes in the businesses so badly affected by the ban. After all, sales are down due to County employees efforts pro ban. Why SHOULDN'T the County repay some of the loss? Perhaps the most frequent poster, can take her hot air and go from business to business and heat the great outdoors?
August 11, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Heres an even better idea ! Why not provide outdoor seating and tables for all of those smoking ban, intollerant,, fresh air loving, hypocritic souls, so they won' t have to go inside and they can just stay outside and enjoy the wonderful weather, bugs, birds, bird doo-doo, etc. and let the businesses that want to allow smoking, return to some semblence of running their businesses as they see fit, instead of being forced into running their business as someone else dictates it should be run and loosing customers and money in the process !
I should think that the smoking ban bunch would or should be able to adapt to being outside, just as they expect the smokers to adapt to having to be outside and treated as non-equals and just as the ban smoking crowd expects the businesses and business owner to adapt to so called progress ! But you see the ban smoking crowd wants everything to be their way, with no exceptions !
August 11, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I appologize for getting drawn into the smoking ban thing, again. But I just can' t seem to let go of the idea of how intollerant of others some people seem to be and never really thought I would ever see Emporia or people in Emporia become so intollerant of others or how others choose to live their lives and desire to control others
August 11, 2009 at 10:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
And congrats to Steve, Linda and Ron for the beautiful flower garden, well done !
August 11, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
crack,
There you go again, my idea is the same as your idea only in reverse ! Smokers and non-smokers can both have the use of businesses either inside or outside, only difference is, choosing which to do would be left up to the individual, instead of people being dictated to, as to what they must do by just one individual or a group of individuals, who by the way want to be all controlling and want to be the only ones allowed inside to do as they please ! You profess and spout equality, please explain, satisfactorily, how banning anyone to live their lives as they see fit is making things equal ! Banning anyone from doing something within the law is not creating equality nor is changing a particular law to favor one over the other by banning one person or group partaking in that persons or groups lifes activity, creating equality !
I think not !
Main Entry: equal·i·ty
1 : the quality or state of being equal
1equal
1 a (1) : of the same measure, quantity, amount, or number as another (2) : identical in mathematical value or logical denotation : equivalent b : like in quality, nature, or status c : like for each member of a group, class, or society
Crack, you are a particularly intolerant, controlling, hateful and cruel person and nothing you say will ever change that fact !
It is very evident that I nor anyone will ever change your intolerance to one of tolerance, neither will you change my tolerance to your way of intolerance, so I have decided to ignore your anti-smoking quips and jabs and no longer argue, debate or banter with you on any thread that you insist on throwing the smoking ban in everyones face !
August 11, 2009 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
crack, below is the definition of the word " intolerant ", please read and think about it, because you fit the definition of the word perfectly.
Main Entry: in·tol·er·ant
Pronunciation: \-rənt\
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1735
1 : unable or unwilling to endure
2 a : unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially in religious matters b :( unwilling to grant or share social, political, or professional rights : bigoted)
3 : exhibiting physiological intolerance
Please pay close attention to the definition 2. especially that which I have put in parenthasis, especially the last word.
I have made my point, I am done with you and responding to you and your intolerance .
August 11, 2009 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
How to Recognize a Controlling Person
Those who try to control other people are, simply put, not nice-and probably have deeper issues . Here are some ways to recognize a controlling person and respond accordingly.
Think about your own actions. Do you often find yourself altering your own personality, plans or views to fit someone else's, even if you are a strong person? If so, you might have been dealing with a controlling person.
Keep track of your relationships. A controlling person will try to cause trouble between you and your family or friends. This is in order to isolate you from others. Be sure to stay aware of these traits.
Be on the lookout for moodiness. People with moody personalities are often unhappy with their own lives and try to improve their situation by controlling others.
Be aware of people who are don't seem to understand the word "no" and who will insist until they wear you down to make you give in. Remember it is your right to freely make your own decisions.
Consider if you are often expected to change your plans for this person. Let's say you have your day all planned out and then you receive a phone call from a friend, and you tell them your plans. The person wants to join in with your plans, with the exception that your time doesn't work well for them, or maybe that isn't the place they want to go. The next thing that you know, your plans have totally changed. You end up seeing a movie that you didn't care to see, at a time that you didn't really care to go.
Listen for compliments. Often people with control issues are not very good at giving sincere compliments. They do not want you to feel good about yourself because it may take control and attention away from them.
Watch out for controlling people if you are very attractive, for they can make your life miserable. Your looks will become a handicap in a controlling relationship, for they probably have a jealousy problem too.
Be on the lookout for not only moodiness, but temper outbursts by the other person when you disagree with them or don't do exactly what they want you to do. In their minds, you are challenging their authority over you.
Remember just because someone is opinionated doesn't mean they are controlling. A good test to tell the difference between someone who is just very opinionated or controlling is if they willingly accept or tolerate differences between you and them and don't try to change any part of your core person or personality.
While relationships are not democracies, neither are they dictatorships; seek a balance you are comfortable with.
If you really love this person things can be much more difficult. Most people who are controlling always throw in the arguement the words "you are the problem" or you have a problem." Nothing is ever their fault.
They always use word like " do this" ", " if you leave " etc.
http://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-a-Co...
August 11, 2009 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
The 'Lectric Law Library's Lexicon On
* Controlling Person
CONTROLLING PERSON - someone who possessä, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a controlled person.
August 11, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
Actually, I believe the opinion pages of the Gazette would make the best mulch as they are usually full of manure anyway.
August 13, 2009 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )