17-19 August 1955 “Hurricane Diane, and A Break into 2009 for a GOOD Reason”

Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Diane struck an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier. Diane was the costliest hurricane in United States history until it was surpassed by Hurricane Betsy in 1965, and was the sixth costliest U.S. hurricane of the 20th century
Here is a Connecticut street.
Here in McAdoo PA Hurricane Diane put the normally dry "Celebration Creek" riverbed well over its bounds and flooded out the business section of the town.
Here is actual 1955 news concerning it:

On a lighter note, this August 6th cover for the New Yorker feels very now as well. The picket fence, the biking, reading on a porch the old shingled house, this could be Cape Cod, though it as well could be parts of the Hamptons. I just thought it very free and easy and ‘in the moment’.
Love is a Many Splendored Thing opens today. Set in 1949-50 Hong Kong, it tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter (played by William Holden), who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor originally from Mainland China (played by Jennifer Jones), only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong society.
Here is the preview:

The movie was adapted by John Patrick from the 1952 novel A Many-Splendored Thing by Han Suyin.

 
I have been thinking how we modern Americans are very much like our modern economy. We sub things out. We do not produce much on our own but rely on the hard work of others, for a price of course. The decline in farming, for example, in our country is amazing. There is so much production that does not even happen in our own country. What I find really interesting is that basically it appears the unions priced their members right out of jobs. As the increased amounts of money needed to provide all that was demanded from the unions (which over time became, themselves, corrupt governing bodies) were one of the factors in their plants moving and leaving the states.
For example, there are BMW plants in this country using American labor. They are NOT unionized, so the people are given a fair price for what they do and the jobs are there and it helps their community. Somewhere along the way the greed and want for money overshadowed the original intent of the union, which was a fair wage and good working conditions.  Then, suddenly, people expected more and wanted more not realizing how this adds to the price of the car etc. I am not, in any way, forgiving our American auto industry, by any means, but the whole system, our system of greed and unaccountability is to blame. We look around and of course we  say, “How did it happen, it wasn’t MY fault?!” Even the motor corps themselves seem to not be accountable, as they turn to our government for bailouts.
I am sure there was a time in 1955 when an auto worker made a wage decent for his family to live on. Cars were manufactured and he understood his part in the production. Maybe he even felt pride even if he did no more than assemble the latch that rolled down the window. He knew he was part of it, and his pride and accountability of place made it okay. Sure, the Jone’s may have had more, but their father was a doctor, so they could afford it. But, now we expect to have as much as the next guy without the work or reasons he may have more than we do. We somehow feel it is our RIGHT to just have more, so where does it come from?
I am not really sure where I am going with this, but I was just really mad and upset the other day when I really began to think about our country. My hubby is reading a book about Rome near it’s end and we have been discussing the parallels between their mistakes and our own current mistakes. They too came to a point where all things were made outside of their country and brought in. They reduced farming and at one point starved out cities due to that decision. The greed of self-fulfillment of what had once been the well managed early form of Democracy, the Republic, had slowly turned into crooked politicians who were the puppets of whomever had the money. It all sounded very familiar and it just made me angry.
When I look around and think how good we could all have it if we just realized what ‘good’ was. That it is not the latest cell phone and tv and more clothes and emulating reality tv. Your neighbor, your family, even your job, even if it is flipping burgers, at that moment in your life, it is part of an entire system in which you are part and should be proud. Sure, move ahead, go to college, plan to own your own business one day, but even all of that American dream is gone. It is becoming increasingly impossible to follow the ‘own your own business’ dream thanks to Wal-Mart and other such stores. Who can work for the local business, learn the trade and follow in the footsteps when they have to work with all the endless blue vested masses at Wal-Mart?
Even the college dream is becoming a sort of joke. Colleges and universities are becoming nothing but big business. The amount of money needed to attend and the gov. ‘loans’ that cripple the new generations are a joke. They are all set up to make money off the youth as if they are merely a demographic, but they are suppose to be the future generations. And after one spends all that money to get a degree what is their career? Certainly if you are a doctor that is fine, but what about the hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent for the Bach. of  Arts student who has to then work minimum wage to pay down more than the cost of a house! It is just a sick system, and I don’t think I can discuss it anymore right now. Does anyone else feel this way? I have to say, I don’t want to ignore the problem, but I do increasingly want to focus on the world of the past in a way to make my own future better. I definitely do NOT want to emulate ANYTHING modern other than some helpful technology.
Since writing this last bit I was introduced to a film. It is NOT from 1955, but modern. I only watched it because my friend said, ‘don’t wait, watch it now it is very important”. So, I did. Now, I am giving the link to you to watch. It is well done and worth it and if the 1950’s hasn’t changed my way of living, this will.
I realize in 1955 DDT and other chemicals were becoming the norm, but they did not know as of yet the danger. I feel those around then, the level of accountability of people in that time period would not allow what is happening today to happen. I am ashamed of my generations and this world. I do not want to close this post on a negative. I merely want to say, the one modern element of life I am thankful for is computer/internet. It is allowing the power of the press to be returned to the common man. We must know and want to know what is going on in our world and must NEVER rely on ‘regular news programs/tv’. I want, as part of our Apron Revolution, to not only bring back the community spirit, fashion, respect, and self accountability of the past, but I want us all to form and mold it into a new future. We MUST make a new tomorrow of well-rounded people who are responsible for themselves thoroughly and to the point of even their own food!
Perhaps we cannot change the world, but our little portions of it should certainly begin to reflect what we want in life and how we choose to live. There must be no division amongst us concerning differences in religion race creed, etc. We must, we modern vintage women, look to our homes and our heads to make and grow and create as much of our own world as we can. I don’t care if I have to work harder and longer into the night to make my own bread, or even, if it comes to it, buy local grown grain and grind my own flour! I want to know what I am eating, wearing, reading, thinking, watching, reading is an active part of my life. The ease and passivity of the modern world and its situational ethics has sickened me today. Let us go out, though, and make a better world. We will overcome, we homemakers!
Now watch this and give me your opinions.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food