AMERICAN HOMEFRONT/ UNWED MOTHERS/NEO-NAZIS/ TEMPERATURE RISING

AMERICAN HOMEFRONT/ ALLISTAIR COOKE

It was a dusty manuscript, located in a back closet. The manuscript was from the famous Cooke, who claim to fame was numerous writings and PBS's MASTERPIECE THEATER. Cooke was an excellent reporter and one of his early accomplishments was to get a Lincoln Zephyr roadster in the early 40s and head from Washington DC to cover America. His opening line was "How's Business?" The year was 1941, the Keynesian stimulus of the war had prompted farmers to plant everywhere on their land. Business was starting to bloom. American's innocent view of history and the hope of progress was incredible.

We get to visit or revisit soda shops, ma & pa drug stores with soda fountains, empty freeways,

clear and clean beaches.It is the everyday voices. Things are going to get better. America was expansive filled with oil and about 125 million people.

The book was rejected and now it has been published. It reads as something very fresh and seductively nostalgic.

UNWED MOTHERS

FLESSLER/ GIRLS WHO WENT AWAY

Before abortion, most pregnant teens disappeared. At unwed mothers  homes, they worked and then gave birth, and 80% headed home alone. They would never see their baby. Dad also disappeared to avoid responsibility. They were bad girls. Back home they carried on as if nothing happened. Rumors would persist. The author interviews hundreds of them and their feelings. Most felt they did the right thing for the times. However, there is still a loss and empty ness. The few that did return with their child, the infant became a little brother or sister to the natural mother and her mother took on the position as THE mother. The girl deserved the shame. There was no one to turn to except a few really decent friends and relatives. Would she tell her future husband?

It was days gone by.

THE MARRIAGE CRUNCH

MCGINN (2006) NEWSWEEK/ 6/5/ 40-48

The Romance of Helen Trent/Can a girl beyond 40 still find love and romance? That early 50's radio soap opera named it all. Girls who didn't get married  were unloved spinsters. No one wanted them.

20 years ago, Newsweek said that women in the early 40's had less of chance to marry than get hit by a satellite. The original study was wrong and now things have changed so much that marriage at 40 is very very  possible.

NEO NAZIS

RESSNER (2006) TIME/ 6/5/ 36

The Neo-Nazis are back and they are bigger than ever. Immigration from Mexico has fueled their message.

AMERICAN THEOCRACY

______(2006) THE ECONOMIST/ 5/27/ 32

Yes, there is a religious Left. It is composed of religious excellencies, other world religions, earth based regions and secularists. They came together, but not a lot was accomplished. The Christian moderates and progressives will struggle on.

THE TEMPERATURE IS RISING

SCHULTE (2006) U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT/ 6/5/ 36-40.

It appears that there is an emerging consensus about Global warming.