The Emporia Gazette

Consequences of Attitude

Well written, Mr. Dillon. May your thoughts and wishes bear fruit...

Noel Stanton
Moerlenbach, Germany

February 10, 2011 at 8:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City to spend at least $100,000 on entrance monuments

Scarlett,

Of course we're friends. I just referred to your very early post that you thought you could not comment because you are not a city resident. I'm not either, but felt compelled to point out the utterly false non-design the city is wasting money on.

January 24, 2011 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lessons from the Preservation & Sustainability Conference

Evidently the idea of preserving the downtown district is driven by hopes of economic gain. The cultural aspect should be just as important. It is truly saddening that the concept of preservation was not current when the courthouse monstrosity was approved.

Emporia should also establish an historical district covering the Squires homes in the 600 block of Exchange street and perhaps extending to Red Rocks.

Steve Handschu and the Historical Society have already done a lot of the necessary work for such a district.

Another Emporian, David Delong, an architectural historian and author at Pennsylvania and Columbia University might also be helpful.

Noel Stanton
Moerlenbach, Germany

January 21, 2011 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City to spend at least $100,000 on entrance monuments

Scarlett,
I'm not a resident of the city either but, as a former Emporian, will comment anyway. Given the many unfunded civic and educational needs, spending this sum on stone menhirs (not monuments, Gazette, look it up in Wikipedia) seems disdainful and negligent.

A guideline for good design teaches not to scatter your elements but rather concentrate them in a complementary group to heighten the effect.

These expensive menhirs will only look like more isolated, roadside clutter. Why not concentrate them at an appropriate place in an arc as a veterans' memorial in the hometown of Veterans' Day? The text of the legislation establishing this day of remembrance could be displayed on the menhirs and perhaps a picture or bust of its author, Congressman Ed Rees be included.

The city should put no more than perhaps $40,000 into the project with the balance coming from Kansas, or even national donors, who wish to honor veterans. Normal highway signs inviting visitors to a momument of national import would attract more visits than "Emporia, Welcome."
Noel Stanton, EHS'59,
Moerlenbach, Germany
PS: The run down tank and helicopter are a pathetic gesture to those who served and should be replaced.

January 21, 2011 at 8:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

March of the Birkenstocks

Mr. Dillon,

There is not going to be any one party monopoly: this kid, Loewe, is about as serious as the fruitcake wanting to burn Korans. Loewe will get his 15 minutes with his fantasy and you got a weak column out of it by tagging along in his wind shadow. I'm sorry I took the time to read it.

September 23, 2010 at 6:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Right vs. left

Mrs. Mlynar,

Your comments are a true delight: a wonderfully compact definition of positive political convictions grounded in personal religion and awareness of the social responsibilities of individuals for their fellows. If I may say so, your standpoint reflects a moral generosity that is sorely missing in American life.
It is saddening to learn that your voice will soon be absent from the Gazette. Thank you for the good journalism and may retirement be enriching and rewarding for you!

Noel Stanton,
Moerlenbach, Germany

July 1, 2010 at 12:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

A Rush of irony

Corbin wants to throw out everybody and many other posters swear that they are independents, that is, no "Dem/Reps" for them. Here is a democratic solution from Australia to break the strangle hold of the two-party system. See Friedman's, NY Times column, "A Tea Party Without Nuts dated March 23:

"...get states to adopt “alternative voting.” One reason independent, third-party, centrist candidates can’t get elected is because if, in a three-person race, a Democrat votes for an independent, and the independent loses, the Democrat fears his vote will have actually helped the Republican win, or vice versa. Alternative voting allows you to rank the independent candidate your No. 1 choice, and the Democrat or Republican No. 2. Therefore, if the independent does not win, your vote is immediately transferred to your second choice, say, the Democrat.

Therefore, you have no fear that in voting for an independent you might help elect your real nightmare — the Republican. Nothing has held back the growth of independent, centrist candidates more, said Diamond, “than the fear that if you vote for one of them you will be wasting your vote. Alternative voting, which Australia has, can overcome that.”
Noel Stanton, Moerlenbach, Germany

March 25, 2010 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Truffles are amazing

Dr. Peterson,

Thank you for some illuminating information. As I
read your little essay, the report that a truffle-hunter uses a trained dog gave me pause because I just recently saw a documentary of a French farmer with a huge sow he had trained to find truffles the size of a child's fist.
There was no mention of the reason for using a sow but, thanks to you, now we know what factors are involved.
Thank you again,
Noel Stanton
Moerlenbach. Germany

March 18, 2010 at 2 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Emporia has a trash problem

Forgot to sign the above,

Noel Stanton
Moerlenbach, Germany

March 10, 2010 at 5:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Emporia has a trash problem

Seriously,
Sorry to cast a shadow on your evidently fond memories of Germany but the facts are that most communities have regulations placing the responsibility on the building owner for keeping the streets and walks along the full length of the property swept and picked up ((he can in turn assign these duties to his tenants). Thus, if your lot fronts 30 meters on the street, then you are responsible for all 30 meters. If the lot has a multi-occupant use, then the occupants rotate the sweeping and cleaning duties, usually every Saturday. The duty roster is posted in view of everyone, usually in the main entry. The assignments are worked out in house meetings. Exceptions are given those who are handicapped, too old or similar. People can informally switch dates with a neighbor or hire a student to do the work.
There are several advantages: the city saves on cleaning costs, the people take pride in their building and street and, if someone doesn't do his/her job, the group pressure can be heavy or a complaint can be filed with the city. If the city sends municipal workers to clean up, all the resulting costs are billed to the property and, then prorated as additional rental costs. The cities don’t hesitate about sending workers: Germans despise “Unordnung,” disorderliness.
A system like this would probably never be possible in Emporia because most persons would be screaming "big government socialism," as you rightly noted. Germany is very densely populated (almost 30 times more people than Kansas in an area only 67% bigger than Kansas) and the practices and customs are highly intelligent and useful for a society of such density. The Germans understand the pressing necessity of regulating many aspects of their communal life. Kansans don't feel that regulations are necessary because Kansans feel they can always move on, leaving their current mess behind, and find open space and fewer persons to impinge on what they think are their "freedoms."

March 10, 2010 at 4:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )