So many ads are no more than propaganda

Oh dear, we are into June all ready. On June 6, the Old Men of the Mountain met at the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh. For the ride over early in the morning, the smoke haze was like fog and it smelled like someone was barbecuing in the backyard all the way. When leaving the restaurant, the OFs did not know if the place was on fire or we were going to have the smoke smell all the way home.

Generally at these breakfasts there are more names than notes but last Tuesday morning conversations were so varied there are probably more notes than names, even though we had a good-sized group.

The OMOTM covered ads on TV, the subliminal messages, changing many aspects of society through ads, ads that are so convoluted it is hard to tell what is being sold, ads that are better than the shows, the brilliance of marketing creating a demand for something most people will never need or don’t even want and turning it into a big seller, and the worst promoting through advertising something that is truly bad for the consumer and making it sound desirable and even good.

There are very talented people in this field. So many ads are no more than propaganda.

On the water

The talk of boats continued, it must be that real summer is on the way if we can get rid of this smoke. The discussion was on the use of jet skis on small lakes no larger than big ponds, and lakes that are small lakes.

The noise, and dangerous maneuvers around people using the small areas of water for what they were intended — relaxation, watching the loons, swimming, paddling their kayaks and canoes, just chilling — and along comes one of those things that can cover the width, or length of the body of water in a minute.

Then came the topic of the pontoon boats and how much fun they are on big or small lakes. On the small bodies of water, they are quiet and just putz around and, on the larger lakes, they are large enough to take the whole family out on the water and even have a barbecue. Spend the day on the lake from your own floating platform.

Gas prices

The price of gas makes any activity that uses petrol a little less fun because of the cost, even the price of gas added to the price of the breakfast increases the price of the breakfast.

Then using the formulas for a tip on higher prices makes that gratuity even more. Add all this together, and a little trip out to eat begins not to be so little.

Alternative energy

This led to a discussion on generating electricity with solar, wind, or hydro. Until something better comes along, it may be best to go with one of these sources as imperfect as they may be.

All of them use natural resources to produce the electricity, the batteries, the fuel oil for the plastics to construct the wind towers and turbines, the precious metals for solar panels, and the fuel oil for, again, the plastics and then again solar panel storage batteries.

The power might cut back on the carbon footprint, but sure uses a lot to get there. The big question the OFs came up with is: With the knowledge of today, what is the alternative?

Some even mentioned hydrogen but nothing seems to be done with that yet. There may be many scientists working on other sources including hydrogen but not much is mentioned about these engineers.

There, you young whippersnappers, is a great field to get into, come up with a renewable energy source that neither consumes nor pollutes to arrive at its power.

Nuclear power did not enter into the conversation. There are advocates on all sides, well versed in their opinions, and all much smarter than this scribe.

Rain

The OMOTM did mention the lack of rain, and a couple OFs mentioned how thin the hay is this year in our area, and how low the yield has been also. However, at one time, it must have been pretty wet because the trees and flowers this spring have been full and lush.

The OFs mentioned the lilacs, and the phlox. Again in our locality, the spring flowers have the roadside and trips around the towns appear like greenhouses. This generally does not happen without water.

Genealogy

Who our relatives were was a topic being discussed that the scribe did not completely catch — only had one hearing aid; the other is in the shop.

However, genealogy was being discussed and some have had their genealogy researched. This takes time, and considerable effort and the family has to be interested in their past, while others don’t give a hoot on how many times old Uncle Charlie was in the hoosegow.

Those Old Men of the Mountain who made it to the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh because old Uncle Charlie when he was out took time to sire a few more outlaws were: Ed Goff, Frank Fuss, Bill Lichliter, George Washburn, Wally Guest, Harold Guest, Miner Stevens, Pete Whitbeck, Doug Marshall, Russ Pokorny, Jake Herzog, Gerry Chartier, Ted Feurer, Dan Pelletier, Matt Erschen, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Dick Dexter, Herb Bahrmann, and me.