First thanks; then a word game

By Paul Fugleberg / Among other things

First, a serious note:

A doff of the fedora goes to all those volunteer emergency responders out there. The last couple weeks have really been tough ones for them.

Major house fires; crashes along icy highways in which responders had to battle snow as well ice; medical emergencies; even false alarms can be risky.

And there are some odd items, too. Some customers found themselves locked in an area restaurant recently. Apparently they had been at a meeting in another room and the person closing up thought everyone was gone as he locked up for the night.

All up and down the valley — law enforcement personnel, firefighters, ambulance crews, search and rescue folks, quick response units, divers, etc. All of them have responded at times to downright hazardous situations. And the vast majority of these personnel are volunteers. They put in many hours of training, willingly answer calls at all hours of the day — even in the worst of storms in the middle of the night.

Every time you hear a siren or see an ambulance, police car or fire engine speeding past, stop and say a quick prayer asking for a successful outcome for the victims and/or patients and for the responders.

Now a little frivolity

A writer prides himself in the use of words, especially the ability to spell. Well, here's brain game that might cause writers to be a bit more humble.

My friends George and Helen sent this excerpt along from Cambridge University. See how long it takes you to decipher:

Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!