WHAT DO WE SEE?

I was attracted to a small article about the plant life recorded by Henry David Thoreau in today's New York Times. The article is a collaboration between Richard B. Primack, Boston University, J. Miller-Rushing,science coordinator at Arcadia National Park, and Becca Stadtlander, illustrator.

"Early Bloomers" is a brief account of what has become of the plant life of Thoreau's time. It concludes with a timely quote by the naturalist, philosopher and writer: "The question is not what you look at, but what you see."

As we celebrate Earth Day and remember the Holocaust, would that we take to heart that quote by Henry David Thoreau and ask, what do we see?

SHE ARRIVES LIKE A LADY THIS TIME!

Since the first of the year, Mother Nature has been playing coy with us. At times viciously letting go with tornadoes out of season and monstrous, like the economic and political roller coaster we've been on. The next moment bringing us summer time when we least expected it and having us search for lighter clothes. While, literally as we turn around, we are covering shrubs flowers and fields to protect against frost.

But this morning, all was sunny with temperatures and breezes that are more in keeping with the arrival of Spring. What convinced me that She is really here to stay was the sweet, melodic chirping of birds.

As I walk, I welcome her in a whisper. I know this Lady has another part to her nature which is less than gentle and I don't wish to provoke her.

IS ALL BUDGETING THE SAME?

When a candidate running for public office compares government spending and deficit reduction to managing household budgets, we are in trouble. Here's why.

Ordinary household budgets do not, except through taxes, build and maintain infrastructure like transportation, bridges, sewerage, highways, roads and streets. Government has the wherewithal to expedite such community-wide and national projects. Nor do individual households provide community-wide health care for veterans, children or families. Government has the ability to do so and should do so.

When we hold up household budgeting as an example of why we need to "balance" governmental budgets with cuts to libraries, educators,and health care workers, we jeopardize our quality of life and the country's future. When a candidate tells us to buy our own guns for protection, while cutting budgets for police, firemen and the justice system, the candidate's budget plan contributes to community-wide lawlessness.

How a candidate for elected office views budgeting and deficit spending for the enormous issues and opportunities before us could put us on the road to the future or the road to an unobtainable past. Is personal and government budgeting and deficit spending all the same? I think not!

WHAT A NAME: PINK SLIME!

I had never heard of "pink slime" until I read about it on the Internet. Reading about it I was reminded of a friend who put himself through college working as a waiter for a large fancy caterer. He would regale everyone with stories of the people he met at some of the events he worked.

He also told us if we saw how the food was handled, we would not eat it. That was a time when restaurant kitchens were off-limits to diners. Now there are glass enclosed kitchens and some restaurants encourage patrons to go through them.

Today there are governmental standards for cleanliness around food service and sales. Still, we are confronted by "pink slime." Congressional hearings are planned. Businesses rightly or wrongly have been shuttered and consumers are outraged.

There is a remedy for all this. Manufacturers should be required to list everything contained in the packaged food they produce. We need to buy more local, small farm-raised food and animals or become vegetarians. Having said all that, I wonder who the heck ever came up with the name. But then, I suppose there is no other way to describe the product.