.

[Guardian Angel]

I'll second that......................... .

[Oliver]

I’d like to make to make a request, please. I’m serious about this, too. For those who are intent on continuing the fixation on what they feel I am doing wrong on the Guestbook, please put the following word in Google, really study what you see, and then come back to take on your important battle here. Thanks. The word is “holocaust”.

“It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.
This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated with the German and Russia peoples looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran , among others, claiming the Holocaust to be "a myth," it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.”

More thoughts about the Guestbook: Isn’t it a fascinating part of human nature to see the negative responses to my entries ?

Some somehow resent my taking up the maximum length which is set by the C.N. and not me. Why is that so hard to deal with?

Lately some have questioned my duplications and have exaggerated the reality of my use of AAD and BP for that purpose. What’s the big deal with this?

Some say they can’t understand me. So??  Why bother? 

Here is what I have offered,  I:
usually give some weather, 
mention some past happenings in Danville over the decades,
list some places and people that some readers may recall fondly, or not so fondly,
give quotes sometimes,
try to respond to anyone who is talking to me,
on occasion,  offered a little fiction, often as a relief to all the bickering.

And for the preceding, here is some of what I have received:  I have been libeled tonight by someone using the fictitious name “Laris”, who wrote, “HAhahahah eccentric uncle, I remember being warned to watch out for those! It fits.”

There is not one sane person who wants the connotation of that ugly label applied to him/her as “Laris” suggested by: “It fits.” “Laris” is someone who truly needs help.

Nope, I’ve seen nothing here that makes me feel I’m the “bad guy”. These little “pick on Oliver” sessions seem to arise every now and then and give those with really not all that much to say an opportunity to chime in with: You’re pitiful, you need too much attention, you need a life, etc.

The line-crossing, though, is the use of libel, use of defamation, (Someone called one of their body pains an “Oliver”. That was pulled) and being demeaning.. (Someone used a different meaning for “ball” and it was pulled.)  Like a 10th grader commented about all of this: “It’s ridiculous.”

[Oliver]

Really, now.  An elected local official  blatantly saying “Don’t question my motives.” ??
I would tread very lightly on a potentially libelous statement of that nature. Just my small opinion.  (Responses are welcome.)                       Regards,   

[Oliver]

EXTRA GB Necessary Post:

NATHAN:

I did not call you a liar. How would I know what your private communication said?  You will see that I included the vital word “potentially” in my expressed opinion.  I said it could be“potentially”libelous in case you have misunderstood or misinterpreted the information you have. That is not calling you a liar.

Also, I may have simply misunderstood what you were trying to say. That happens all the time here between posters. If I have, then I gladly apologize, and  I wonder if you would possibly reconsider making any adjustment in your words for calling me and many others ‘worse than a stupid Danvillian’ for not helping in political campaign efforts or in area cleanup efforts…(?)
 
Like you, I, too, have concerns for my town (of 57 years), which are found in ANY town: conditions of streets, houses, schools, businesses, the changing tax situation, safety concerns, etc. My modus operandi has been to take problems up with the appropriate officials, remember the results and vote accordingly.

“Oliver on Harvey” has been in the book for decades now. I’m also at AAD, BP, EDANVILLE or the new ONLINEDANVILLE. I answer all personal messages.

Regards,

[Oliver]

If this were to be my last post here, I’d simply remind all to visit or revisit the most important entry of all 20,000 of them to me. It is by a wonderful gentleman, a Danville native, and a veteran of World War Two. It’s around p.182 (June 30,’06 Fri. 1:01 P.M.)

We are here today, for better or worse on this Guestbook due the effort, sacrifices and ultimate sacrifices of those people. May we always remember and appreciate how truly lucky, as a result of their actions, we are- so far.          All from Oliver--

[Guardian Angel]

We all missed something Oliver......this forum, and parts of it are still missing.  Here is hoping all our friends will soon be able to access their accounts and we will once again be enjoying the Briarpatch just as we did in the past.

[Guardian Angel]

Miss reading your blogs...............bring them back...................

[Butterfly]

I thought that the Piggly Wiggly was on Vermilion, between North and Williams.  It later became an Eisner, and more recently a car lot.  I could be wrong though.

I definately remember the Krogers on Griffin and the Super X.

[Oliver]

"How To Pedal in 20 degrees Fahrenheit"

Somewhere along the way I recall seeing a book, or at least an article, from a rugged outdoor camper who said that there are clothes in which you could survive the worst of the cold and blizzards.   Years ago I was inspired to see if I could dress warmly enough to easily do my snow shoveling in sub-zero conditions. I did manage some success, though as for actually sleeping on the snow like the author talked about, no, I don’t think my success was that great.

Anyway, recently, and especially today, I used some old knowledge in handling a few bicycle trips. It was 20 F. in the morning and not much more than 26 at most. (This would seem balmy next to the string of days/nights of winters that had sub-zero (Fahrenheit) temps) Still, it was a challenge to stay warm on the bike today.

In the past, the way to keep feet the warmest has been with double layers of socks and wearing shoes and large rubber over boots. The trick has been  to wrap the shoes in newspapers. That makes all the difference. Today, I didn’t use boots but it worked out OK for a 15 min. one way ride.

The face needs a ski mask and a stocking cap over that. I also always wear a baseball-type hat for the visor to use against the elements and harsh sunlight. A muffler is almost essential around the throat, though, it is not the priority that the ski mask is.(Care Muffler has always done a nice job for me, anyway.)

This leaves the hands to deal with. If one didn’t need to use them, then stashing them into warm pockets would make sense. But today they were needed to steer and change gears on ol’ “Pierre”, my old Schwinn “Le Tour” bike. So, the gloves are large, heavier-type ones. Then inside them are slightly smaller gloves, a little like racing gloves. (The best I ever had were sheep skin mittens, long gone through all that late 70 snow shoveling.) By the way, mittens are preferable since they keep the fingers close to each other and that helps retain their heat.

Otherwise, the chest, legs and- arms are not as critical at being as prone to frostbite, but to me, ALL them there parts is done impertent!  {*.*}   (all--)

[Oliver]

“Tell-Tale Signs”

That I’m aging:

When I’m stopped for a train and forget what errand I was on by the time it passes.

When I’m cranking the 3 min. rechargeable flashlight and it becomes too ominous a task.

When I’m cranking the 3 min. rechargeable flashlight and it extends to 2 hours by mistake.

When I’m eating a bowl of cereal in the manner of the dog instead of going back there to get a spoon.

When I’m looking frantically for the item I’m holding.

When my snow shoveling paths get narrower and narrower each year.

When it seems like a mountain climbing expedition to get up on the bed.

When a stitch in time is passed over in preference for the nine later on.

When I find myself still starting to write the date as “19- -”.

And finally, I’ll know that I’m aging when I actually consider getting off the bike loaded with 25 pounds of groceries to walk it up the Seminary St. hill. Well, when THAT happens, I’ll definitely know I’m on the way out! (Though I’ll probably forget about it by the time I get back home 5 minutes later…..)    (all--)

[Oliver]

"My Crush on 'Shiny'"

Something I just saw on Monty Python reminded me of a long, lost, sweet memory. No, it wasn’t the sweet little girl who lived across the alley when I was 6 years old. No, it wasn’t those sherbet-type “push up” pop treats. No, it wasn’t the summer shower that popped up suddenly and left as quickly leaving steam coming off the street.

It was small, and bright and quiet and then fading gently away. It was the TV “dot”. In case, to my great surprise, there is someone who does not know what the “dot” was it was a phenomenon of TV black and white sets of the (40’s), 50’s and 60’s. When the power was turned off, the picture lost vertical and horizontal sweep and since the picture tube by design is sort of a capacitor, it retained a residual charge which allowed the “dot” to remain for, oh, 15 seconds? It’s been so long I forget. By the way, I apologize to any real electronics experts. I’d easily stand corrected on why the dot was there, but, I doubt I’d grasp your accurate understanding of the matter.

The dot meant good-by, usually at night. I don’t think I paid any attention to it in the daytime. Actually, maybe either the TV wasn’t on much in the daytime OR it was on constantly like some people have it. No, about the only TV I watched in the daytime was in the morning before school. Anyway, it only spoke to me at night.

It was a friendly, warm good-by, but it wasn’t like Capt. or Miss Francis or Sheriff Sid or Bugs Bunny (or the very good Mr. Rogers some decades later) saying bye. This was more like a romance. I had a crush on that spot. To me, she was “Shiny”.

Me: Gee, do you gotta go now, Shiny?

Yes. You know I do.

Me: How do I know? I can’t tell time yet!

Well, when the big hand is on the “nine” and  the…

Me: OK, so I know a little…Shiny, I think you’re swell. Do you know that?

Yes, Ol,

Me: Well, um, do you,, think,, that, well, er, I’m  uh, OK?

Oh, you’re OK.

Me: Do you,,,,think,,,um,,that  we c- could,   uh, ever …… holdhands?

Ol, don’t be silly! The static electricity would zap you! And Ol,,,,,,,

Me: Er, yes?

The boy I like is Billy. You’re a nice 6 yr. old boy, ,,,,but,,, there’s just something about Billy…

Me: (blush)  Yeah, ,,,. I know. You've mentioned it forty-leven times.……. Well, I still like you, Shiny. You’re very pretty and I love the sound of your voice.

That’s nice. I’ll be back tomorrow. You know that.

Me: Yes. I know that, but I’ll still miss you. Please hurry back.

Night, Ol.

Me: Good night, Shiny....I,,,,,...

[Oliver]

Advice to the Lovelorn


Dear Auntie Avarice, I’m married but that hasn’t stopped me from having a “blast” with a fellow worker, “Roger”. Hmm, I’m not sure whether he’s married, but he’s given me plenty of “thumbs-ups” so it’s not like I’m “thrusting” myself on him.  We have one of these “missions” that doesn’t really have a proper flight plan yet. It’s more than a flying formation, but certainly far less than an actual lunar insertion. It’s sort of a “docking” maneuver without opening all the hatches. All I know is that when we’re together it’s like we’re in outer space listening to a Strauss waltz. Actually, we are. We’re astronauts, you know, an elite few, honorable, intelligent, personable, exemplary role models.  But, golly, I’m a human being with feelings, too. AND what shakes my gantry is that “Olga” wants his attention too! She’s so “apogee”! I’m so “perigee”. It should be no contest. Yet, I feel I want to rendezvous with her and send her to Mars or somewhere. Would that be OK?  Signed: Shirley

Dear Shirley, HOLD IT! DON’T go squirrelly, Shirley!  The g-forces must have been too much of a strain! Don’t go acting like a lunatic! So you’re a little “moon struck” with Roger. You need to allow Roger to decide whether he wants to ogle Olga or to say “roger” to you because of a fair space race! Do not tamper with Olga’s booster rockets! Surely, Shirley, you know what comet impact crater awaits if you don’t show the right stuff: You’ll be frozen on the launch pad, grounded forever. No guy’s space capsule is worth that..

[Oliver]

"100 Years From Now: The BP's Evolution"

100 years from today, I predict that young Cornelius Oliver will wonder back to today about how it was to shovel snow in Danville, Innoise. (the correct spelling then) In 2107 there will be “snow zapper” in a can which when sprayed, will vaporize snow on a 50x130 lot in 10 seconds. Unfortunately, global warming by then will have made snow in Danville non-existent.

 100 years from today, I predict that there will be a ring for the finger of your choice that will access the then current internet system. The thoughts of others will be imparted to your mind by “Zygocious”. Images will be seen clearly without blanking everything else out, too. To log on will require simply thinking of one of those uncanny rhymes of the Guestbook “poet”.

100 years from today, I am certain that ALL known diseases of today will have been cured! Unfortunately, new ones will have sneaked in to take their place.

In 100 years, historians of that era will excoriate “cowboy and Indian” shows of the 1950s as ranking worse than the Holocaust of the 1940s.

Finally, in 100 years, they will be almost finished perfecting using a sample of hair to produce a duplicate of you. So, save those hair samples. Unfortunately, only actual natural hair color will be giving satisfactory results. Any hair that has ever been colored (encompassing about 94% of the human population) will produce random replicas of the “Three Stooges”. Nyuk-Nyuk!

The following is a paid broadcast for “Zygocious”. Have you ever wanted to paint your bar room chairs more quickly and easily? Well, your wait is over! Now there IS a way to have a bar-be-que and ice skate at the SAME time! How CAN this be, you ax? I don’t know!                                      (all--)

[Guardian Angel]

Oliver,  I can say, without reservation, that you would truly be missed here on the Briarpatch and I suspect elsewhere too.  There are times when you are a bright spot in my day.

[Butterfly]

Dear Sweet Oliver.......You know I love you !!  So it's here for everyone to see.  You have become a friend to many here, even though some of us have never met you.  There will always be those whose only purpose in life seems to be to complain and whine.  Even though we stress it's best to just ignore them and maybe they will go away, since they seem to just crave attention, like a misbehaving child, it's a difficult thing to do when they attack good people for no reason.  We welcome your writings whatever they may be.  We will not judge the content whether it be informative, or just plain silly......we will just enjoy !!  I, for one, hope you never stop blogging, but if you feel the need to take a break, we will understand......we won't like it.........but we will understand. 

So, keep on doing what you're doing and know that on The Briarpatch you are much appreciated.  I know you don't like mushy stuff..............sorry if I embarrassed you, but at my age.......I'm just liable to say what I feel at any time......