Cause and effect...

By Vichara

Like an ostrich that keeps it’s head in the sand from what some believe is some kind of fear or denial, there are those that treat the ever growing waves of violence with the young in the same way. Like a sponge that soaks moisture, a child soaks up what it is subjected to. Before a child turns 18 he or she will have seen around 200,000 acts of violence through TV and film. Some would argue that it doesn’t have that much effect but I have read that compared to other countries in the world that here in the good ol’ USA we have become around 18th in education and #1 in incarceration. Somehow I believe there is a connection with this generation being de-sensitized to acts of violence and the rise of heinous acts. We can say stop making these so-called forms of entertainment but we know that it will never happen. Instead let’s try to instill some form of balance with those younger people around us with simple acts of patience and tolerance. Let us lead through example that there is a better way then striking out at others with violence and striking out with compassion.

quondam • \KWAHN-dum\ • adj
: former, sometime

Example Sentence:
A quondam rodeo champ, circuit preacher, and peanut farmer, Baxter has settled into his new life as a stand-up comedian.

Did you know?
Looking for an unusual and creative way to say "former"? "Quondam" (which came to English in the 16th century from Latin quondam, meaning "at one time" or "formerly") certainly fits the bill. Or maybe you'd prefer one of its synonyms: "whilom," "ci-devant" or "preterit." Or you could really go crazy with "umquhile," a word that is extremely rare even in its more natural Scots English setting. "Quondam" itself isn't exactly ubiquitous, but it's used more than any of the other words above. If you're looking for something a bit more pedestrian, you might try yet another synonym: "erstwhile." Despite its wonderfully archaic flavor, "erstwhile" is a highly favored alternative.