Mark’s Musings – May 14, 2014

Mark Fortune

This is a great time of the year. Proms, graduations and community events of all sizes and shapes are happening far and wide. The month of May is probably the busiest month of all – and the sound of hammers, chain saws and motorcycles fills the outdoor air. The grass is green, leaves are coming out on the trees and the birds are singing. That brings lawn mowers of course but all of these sounds – I am sure everyone will accept in place of the solitude of this past winter. I know I will.

The long and severe winter of 2013-2014 brought its own form of noise – tires and suspension systems going out of whack on potholes. Well, we seem to have brought that condition to closure with the successful passing of the city streets levy. And as you already know, monies from the passage of the levy will begin making its way to city coffers in 2015. Meanwhile, we need to endure and play Dodgem at a time other than the county fair. Speaking of Dodgem – is that ride still around? It was one of my favorites.

The recent kidnapping of several hundred schoolgirls in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko Haram is simply an outrage and unacceptable in today’s supposedly “modern” world. What’s modern about it? Sure, we can text anyone and anywhere in the world but all of this technology can’t prevent wars, economic calamity and incidents like this kidnapping. There was a time when pundits wrote – and forecast with confidence – that our improvements in technology would save mankind from the horrors of the past. No, it has not and it will not. Because mankind will be mankind.

Now, can this technology be used for good in this case? Sure. Our satellites can be retasked to find the kidnappers, locate their camps (unless they are hiding in plain sight in a town or village) and then do as we are doing – send our experts to help the Nigerian government find the girls. Finding the girls and further, bringing the terrorists to justice – Nigerian style – would perhaps give pause to another such incident.

Turning the attention back to our local community – the Dogwood Festival was another great success – with lots of our local youngsters showcasing their talent in the musical world. Thanks to those that helped make this event possible and those that spent countless hours preparing and ensuring that it continues each spring.

This weekend brings another terrific event to our community – the 19^th annual Coshocton County Relay for Life at the fairgrounds. The event begins at 6 p.m. on Friday evening with the opening ceremony and ends at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 with the closing ceremony. With so many affected by cancer in our community please come out and support these brave people and their families.

The amount of hours invested by volunteers in our community is simply a staggering number. The amount of hours invested in the annual Relay for Life fundraising is also staggering. This is a thank you to all of those that bought a candy bar, luminary, baked goods, or simply donated of themselves. Thanks.

Category: Mark's Musings