Memorial Day State Of Affairs

This site has not been abandoned even though there hasn’t been an entry for more than a week.  It’s a temporary victim of “apartment living.”  A little more than a year ago the apartment complex had two things that are now no longer around.  One was an in-house store; the other was a community telephone.  The in-house store was open for an hour on Saturdays with a supply of bread, milk and assorted odds and ends to carry people through the weekend.  The community telephone was in the lobby for anyone to use for a few minutes. 

The in-house store was discontinued when the people who went to the stores to pick up a load of supplies moved away.  Although the majority of the people in the place drive, there have been no volunteers to replace them, hence, no store.  That might start again if volunteers materialize.  Last week someone cut the cord on the telephone.  Reportedly, that will not be replaced.  Anyone (such as yours truly) in the habit of using it to get supplies and services is out on a limb until other arrangements can be made.  Thoughts and actions are rather wildly directed to other arrangements.   

It is Memorial Day.  The proper things to do include the likes of going to the cemetery to clean up the gravesites, if necessary, and to take flowers as a sign of caring.  The apartment building, on the other hand, is having a cookout.  On the strange idea that it would be held in front of the place, there was a trip downstairs early to avoid the crowd and still get out of the place for a few minutes lest cabin fever developed.  It turns out the event is going to be in the patio and community room area.  That makes sense; the mind is occupied with getting a means of transportation and back up food…. 

May those who have supported life rest in peace.    

Cox

Today, if people run across “Cox,” it’s probably via Cox Communications (Cox Enterprises).  And, seemingly, Cox Communications isn’t a particularly “big” name.  Actually, Cox has quite few holdings, but many might be termed “small stuff.”  The thing with “small stuff” is, if there is a lot of it, it’s a big pile or an important undercurrent if it’s widespread.  It’s rather difficult to get some grasp of yours truly’s world without a passing understanding of Cox (and Taft) and the rather staggering long-term influence (not position, but influence) of the people of southwestern Ohio on the U.S. national governmental scene. 

Political junkies can come up with William Howard Taft of Cincinnati a lot easier than they can James Middleton Cox, because Taft was a U.S. President.  He was also a Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and there are Tafts living today still once in a while running for some office or another.  Cox didn’t win the presidency, but there is little doubt that he had equal influence if he wanted to use it for a simple reason:  Cox ran for U.S. President with Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the vice-presidential candidate.  As a result for the many years that Roosevelt was in office (and still today) the backing of Cox would be seen as useful and any ideas would surely be worth considering. 

James M. Cox was born after the U.S. Civil War in a small place down state from Dayton.  He eventually moved to the immediate Dayton area and named his home “Trail’s End.”  Although not originally a Daytonian, he is buried in Dayton.  Just incidentally, he was a member of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.  The important thing with Cox, as with Taft, is that ordinary (everyday) people of the area live their lives in a world of indirect but substantial political power that sometimes is hauled out and used.  They say it’s useless to argue religion and politics.  In some cases arguing either can be deadly.  There are biographies of Mr. Cox in various places. 

One can be born in “the frying pan.”