Saturday, October 30, 2010

the dead are part of our community


Last Sunday I noticed a fresh stump surrounded by a pool of sawdust near the Netherlands Carillon.  The next day I asked a park ranger about the stump.  He said that the Park Service had cut down the tree because it was dead.

Some questions:
  1. How do you distinguish between the living and the dead?
  2. Judging by the stump, do you think that this tree was dead?
  3. Why is it necessary to cut down an allegedly dead tree in the middle of the park? 
The dead are neither frightful nor scary.  The dead should not be avoided or chopped down (burial or cremation is ok if they start to smell).  The Ode Street Tribune believes that a healthy, inclusive community should include the dead. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here are the answers to your questions. Do I get a prize for answering the questions?
1. How do you distinguish between the living and the dead?
Answer: The living read the Ode Street Tribune, the dead do not.

2. Judging by the stump, do you think that this tree was dead?
Answer: Old style media is made from dead trees. The tree in question may have been cut to make pulp for old style media. Old style media is dead so the tree probably was (or is) dead.


3. Why is it necessary to cut down an allegedly dead tree in the middle of the park?
Answer: There are several possibilities. Maybe it was a hazard to rick or treaters. Maybe it was needed to make pulp for old time media

Douglas Galbi said...

Yes you do get a prize for answering the questions. You are hereby awarded a free year's subscription to the Ode Street Tribune. Note: no trees were cut down to produce this prize.