Despite my accumulation of years on this planet I recognize I am still a work in progress.
My re-reading of some of my past blogs - specifically the one on the subject of Nirvana - would seem to confirm friend Harry's comments about his reflection on some of the things I have written.
Not having the exact quote, I'll paraphrase Harry, "Generally, I like your blogs but after reading some of them I wonder if I missed something."
You're absolutely right, my friend. Sometimes my passion for a particular topic, coupled with my questionable classic writing skills, will permit a lack of cohesion in my attempt to win the race to blog publication. (probably a good example, huh?)
Maybe better yet: "sometimes I do a lousy job in communicating."
As brother Tom once commented (again paraphrased) "You have found your voice and your passion." (now, I need to find an editor)
In all truthfullness, brother Jim wrote a much more cohesive blog - on the subject of baseball. That was before some censoring from the Pirates (PBC) in refusing to grant him access to sources he had previously quoted and locations that provided a better view as to what was going on.
A sizeable blog audience was greatly disappointed when he stopped.
My hope is that in the future, youngest brother Tom will similarly acquire the temerity of his older siblings and write his own blog.
My tongue in cheek observation is that even if he limited his musings to only the subject of familial dysfunction, he might well be looking at a Pulitizer.
The point is that we're all different - with different passions - and it ebbs and flows from family to family, or sibling to sibling.
People's interests vary greatly. I still have not adopted any passion for watching cars run around in a circle while the fans appear to eagerly anticipate a wreck.
It's not always easy to get a Southern bartender to switch over to golf - even when the patrons don't appear to be watching the screen.
Our differences are only partially based upon birth order and birthplace. It's also the teachings we learned from observing our parents, and the whole philosophy of "You are what you are - based on where you were then".
They vary from region to region and generation to generation.
This last point was never made clearer than in a workshop called "Paradigms" for which I was the instructor/moderator. My audience was young management folks - who were there through conscription, as I recall.
"Paradigms" -was a course with a film and an outline, but,it allowed both you, as the discussion leader, and your audience, as participants, to put down the pencils and just go at it.
It was the freedom to "step outside the box" (an overused term - but, in it's infancy then), forget corporate thinkspeak and explore "what if".
I would make up my own questions and invite the group members to do the same. One of my favorite had to do with what our company would look like 10- 20 years hence. They were omnificent in their replies.
The lead topics contained in the film included Japanese products that no longer required the "Made In Japan" warning stamp on the back of the item being considered for purchase.
It also delved into why the Swiss were no longer the worlds leading watch makers. The world of change was explored in many many ways in the film.
Clearly, this course was "no longer your father's Oldsmobile'.
To understand change and not always see it as negative was a theme repeated in several of the workshops I was privileged to lead. The company encouraged this belief. It is one of the reasons it continues to be a leader of the industry.
Positive change is also something I still embrace and it causes me to shudder when I receive all the "remember when" e-mails.
Very few of them show pictures of an occupied iron lung.
Like it or not, my blogs will continue to reflect my passions, my criticisms, my many diatribes against political corruption, ill gained fortunes, dishonesty/spinning or political correctness, as well as my Pirates and the NFL.
Not sure if this passion is a reflection of my place in the family birth order as much as it is an example that "Olde Bar" remains hopeful- but wary.
It is a hope that the morals of the society I am observing today will not necessarily be predictive as to the future of ethics.
It is also my hope (and I'm sure that of my brothers) that the "future" of our progeny and their issue will see an improvement of ethical behavior, and a return to basics when warranted.
In many ways, it is for these folks I do much of my blogging.
Despite the fact they may well deservedly conclude: "Pap was a real kook", I hope they may give my ramblings a second chance some day and find out that really, like them, "Pap was just a work in progress."
My thanks to my readers.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
NIRVANA? OR BACK TO REALITY?
Those of us over 6o realize that our minds often wander.
We tend to schmoose about things that seldom have any relevance to reality - or, at least our reality, experience, and sphere of influence.
I read an editorial piece by DeWayne Wickham today and it caused the term "Nirvana" to pop up in my head. So, I looked it up.
My conclusion was that whatever it once meant it's meaning is now almost 100% tied in with the musical group of that name.
Finally, after going through several references, including where I could find the CD's - concerts, etc., my eyes finally rested on a hopefully credible non-musical definition: "Spa Nirvana' - Tampa Bay - "Be Totally Bare With A Bodybuilder."
I do not live that far from Tampa Bay, and enjoy the scenery,but opted not to pursue their version of Nirvana - at least until I'm more convicted.
"Nirvana" is defined in "Webster's Dictionary 10th" in sort of fragmented ways - not all of which I'll cover. My favorite was "a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality."
However, I skipped over that one quickly as I am married.
One definition referred me to the Bible (Matthew 5:11), specifically The Sermon On The Mount. It said Nirvana was the last beatitude that "transcends suffering etc - - - - through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness." (Did you get that last part?)
I thought, "Then again, based on my counselling of married males years ago, Nirvana might have some relationship to marriage after all."
Still, I checked on the biblical Beatitudes, just to be sure.
My Bible suggested that the last beatitude was more in the form of reassurance by Jesus. He said that any persecution (of one) due to belief in him should be the occasion to: "Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Now, I was totally confused about DeWayne Wickham and his sycophantic relationship with his leader as well as the earlier definition of Nirvana: "a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality."
I thought, "DeWayne. you may be a prophet and it's one thing to support your President in everything he says and does. But, it's quite another thing to agree that Netanyhu, Israel's Prime Minister, should give up all the territorial gains from the Six Day War of 1967.
C'mon Lad, what were you thinking? Did you forget how sacred were those gains to many people in this country? You ain't the Prez!"
Just when I thought I had possibly found an example of true Nirvana - I glanced at the column above that of Mr. Wickham. Wow!
It was written by nationally syndicated talk radio host, Michael Medved about the actual % of gay population in this country.
Medvid said the number is closer to 1.4% of the population than the 10% Dr.Alfred Kinsey said 60 years ago was true. The latter # is that which the gay rights folks and the media have relied on ever since.
Not only did Mr. Medved reveal the new statistics from a recent major federal sex survey, he told us that, contrary to the beliefs of many gay pride advocates, "choice and change play larger roles in sexual identity than that commonly assumed."
What is he saying here - that sexual choices may possibly have other causation than that argued as being the result of "an inate, imutable characteristic, like left-handedness or eye color"?
Is this man stupid enough to suggest that evironmental factors may also be involved with sexual orientation?
It gets scarier. Medved also said that Brad Sears of the UCLA Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy compared that new gay statical"relevance" with other populations of a similar size (2% to 4%), such as Jews in this country.(2%)
That was enough for me. I burned my copy of USA Today immediately because I knew I was in danger of being turned into a pillar of salt.
If found guilty of even considering such heresy as that which was contained in the two articles, I would surely be investigated by several politically correct organizations or (dare I say) the ACLU.
Surely though; both the writers and Mr Sears had achieved the ultimate and were the epitomy of Nirvana per my research.
It was then I paused and reflected once more; this time to utilize my Law & Order knowledge and schmoose on the subject of motive.
I wondered, "Is there any chance these articles were written before last Saturday had arrived and Nirvana had absolutely no part to play in their publication?"
Was this simply the case of a few men with wildly erratic views they expounded on solely due to their conversion to the belief of California Evangelist Minister Harold Camping: "The World will end at 6:00 PM on Saturday?"
Well, that didn't happen - and when those retractions start coming in, you can bet your bippy that "Nirvana" had nothing to do with their attack on those sacred beliefs.
Maybe it's time to get back to reality.
We tend to schmoose about things that seldom have any relevance to reality - or, at least our reality, experience, and sphere of influence.
I read an editorial piece by DeWayne Wickham today and it caused the term "Nirvana" to pop up in my head. So, I looked it up.
My conclusion was that whatever it once meant it's meaning is now almost 100% tied in with the musical group of that name.
Finally, after going through several references, including where I could find the CD's - concerts, etc., my eyes finally rested on a hopefully credible non-musical definition: "Spa Nirvana' - Tampa Bay - "Be Totally Bare With A Bodybuilder."
I do not live that far from Tampa Bay, and enjoy the scenery,but opted not to pursue their version of Nirvana - at least until I'm more convicted.
"Nirvana" is defined in "Webster's Dictionary 10th" in sort of fragmented ways - not all of which I'll cover. My favorite was "a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality."
However, I skipped over that one quickly as I am married.
One definition referred me to the Bible (Matthew 5:11), specifically The Sermon On The Mount. It said Nirvana was the last beatitude that "transcends suffering etc - - - - through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness." (Did you get that last part?)
I thought, "Then again, based on my counselling of married males years ago, Nirvana might have some relationship to marriage after all."
Still, I checked on the biblical Beatitudes, just to be sure.
My Bible suggested that the last beatitude was more in the form of reassurance by Jesus. He said that any persecution (of one) due to belief in him should be the occasion to: "Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Now, I was totally confused about DeWayne Wickham and his sycophantic relationship with his leader as well as the earlier definition of Nirvana: "a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality."
I thought, "DeWayne. you may be a prophet and it's one thing to support your President in everything he says and does. But, it's quite another thing to agree that Netanyhu, Israel's Prime Minister, should give up all the territorial gains from the Six Day War of 1967.
C'mon Lad, what were you thinking? Did you forget how sacred were those gains to many people in this country? You ain't the Prez!"
Just when I thought I had possibly found an example of true Nirvana - I glanced at the column above that of Mr. Wickham. Wow!
It was written by nationally syndicated talk radio host, Michael Medved about the actual % of gay population in this country.
Medvid said the number is closer to 1.4% of the population than the 10% Dr.Alfred Kinsey said 60 years ago was true. The latter # is that which the gay rights folks and the media have relied on ever since.
Not only did Mr. Medved reveal the new statistics from a recent major federal sex survey, he told us that, contrary to the beliefs of many gay pride advocates, "choice and change play larger roles in sexual identity than that commonly assumed."
What is he saying here - that sexual choices may possibly have other causation than that argued as being the result of "an inate, imutable characteristic, like left-handedness or eye color"?
Is this man stupid enough to suggest that evironmental factors may also be involved with sexual orientation?
It gets scarier. Medved also said that Brad Sears of the UCLA Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy compared that new gay statical"relevance" with other populations of a similar size (2% to 4%), such as Jews in this country.(2%)
That was enough for me. I burned my copy of USA Today immediately because I knew I was in danger of being turned into a pillar of salt.
If found guilty of even considering such heresy as that which was contained in the two articles, I would surely be investigated by several politically correct organizations or (dare I say) the ACLU.
Surely though; both the writers and Mr Sears had achieved the ultimate and were the epitomy of Nirvana per my research.
It was then I paused and reflected once more; this time to utilize my Law & Order knowledge and schmoose on the subject of motive.
I wondered, "Is there any chance these articles were written before last Saturday had arrived and Nirvana had absolutely no part to play in their publication?"
Was this simply the case of a few men with wildly erratic views they expounded on solely due to their conversion to the belief of California Evangelist Minister Harold Camping: "The World will end at 6:00 PM on Saturday?"
Well, that didn't happen - and when those retractions start coming in, you can bet your bippy that "Nirvana" had nothing to do with their attack on those sacred beliefs.
Maybe it's time to get back to reality.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
PASSED ME BY
Like most folks, I receive tons of E-mails. As previously stated, I only send on a very small portion - and usually because - due to my jaded sense of humor - I may see something funny or ironic in them.
One of my favorites representing the latter, which I've seen a few times now, is "The Death Of Common Sense."
Some of the highlights as reviewed by me:
He (Common Sense) is mourned but remembered for having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come out of the rain.
- Why the early bird gets the worm.
- Life isn't always fair.
- And, maybe it was my fault.
His sound fiscal policy included "Don't spend more than you can earn."
One of his reliable strategies was "adults, not children, are in charge."
His health began to go down hill somewhere around the time of:
- a 6 year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing
a classmate
- a teen suspended from school for using a mouthwash after
lunch.
- a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student.
His decline was expedited when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they had failed to do - discipline their children.
The sound of death approached when: schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student but, were forbidden to inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted an abortion.
He is said to have been preceded in death by his parents: Trust & Trust, by his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, and his son, Reason.
He is suvived by 4 stepbrothers:
- I know my rights.
- I want it now.
- Someone else is to blame.
- I'm a victim.
The attendance at the funeral was sparse as few recognized he had passed on.
(The above was edited and the author is unknown.Therefore Helen, I don't know if the author was male and/or anti-feminist)
It is not just those brave guys and gals who lost their lives defending our country who should be memorialized on May 30.
He may not have been awarded a flag covered coffin, but at some point in my life I experienced an involuntary shudder as I realized he had passed me by.
(and no, the irony of that statement had not eluded me either.)
One of my favorites representing the latter, which I've seen a few times now, is "The Death Of Common Sense."
Some of the highlights as reviewed by me:
He (Common Sense) is mourned but remembered for having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come out of the rain.
- Why the early bird gets the worm.
- Life isn't always fair.
- And, maybe it was my fault.
His sound fiscal policy included "Don't spend more than you can earn."
One of his reliable strategies was "adults, not children, are in charge."
His health began to go down hill somewhere around the time of:
- a 6 year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing
a classmate
- a teen suspended from school for using a mouthwash after
lunch.
- a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student.
His decline was expedited when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they had failed to do - discipline their children.
The sound of death approached when: schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student but, were forbidden to inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted an abortion.
He is said to have been preceded in death by his parents: Trust & Trust, by his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, and his son, Reason.
He is suvived by 4 stepbrothers:
- I know my rights.
- I want it now.
- Someone else is to blame.
- I'm a victim.
The attendance at the funeral was sparse as few recognized he had passed on.
(The above was edited and the author is unknown.Therefore Helen, I don't know if the author was male and/or anti-feminist)
It is not just those brave guys and gals who lost their lives defending our country who should be memorialized on May 30.
He may not have been awarded a flag covered coffin, but at some point in my life I experienced an involuntary shudder as I realized he had passed me by.
(and no, the irony of that statement had not eluded me either.)
Friday, May 20, 2011
FINDING THE BALANCE
Today I read friend Harry's blog "The Old Thinker" (www:hepie2335blogger.com) and he spoke of the many benefits of friendship with pals who have passed on.
It caused me to reflect on my own life. Unfortunately, I have also lost a few friends who were near and dear to me. Thoughts of their death always make me sad.
Now, the last is something I could focus on as I write this blog; but I won't. I prefer Harry's style where he concentrated on the good memories.
Occasionally I have been called upon to deliver an eulogy, or perhaps just a brief contribution to the service upon the occasion of a friends death.
Perhaps it's my strange Irish humor, but, I tend to reflect on the lighter contributions made by that person rather than just the serious moments. Maybe that's why the Irish love their wakes.
When Tom Armstrong my dearest friend, and seemingly older brother of mine passed away, I included in my reflections the many trips to his east 78th New York City apartment both alone and with various family members.
One of them, my youngest brother, Tom, still speaks affectionately about joining Tom and me to hear Buddy Greco at the old Basin Street East jazz club.
I spoke much that day of the humorous things Tom did.
Being extremely naive and without many funds in the 60's, on one early visit to NYC , as we prepared to go downtown, I carefully hid a $20 bill in my shoe - presumably out of sight of my good friend.
It was a time for a lot of parties in a fairly upper class yuppie type setting in the east 70's - although I'm not sure the term was in vogue yet. Tom hosted some and dragged me along to others.
At one of those gatherings involving mostly young folks like us, the guests included artists, musicians, an assistant food editor at McCalls, the male model for Interwoven socks, and an assistant district attorney.
Like other such functions back then, the drinking was heavy, the smoking even more pervasive, and the conversations bordered on the intellectual. Few people spoke about cars, sports scores, nor their success or lack of same in the whole category of scoring.
What so often was discussed were subjects that were explored in depth the following week by magazines as prestigious as Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report. They were topics that had this Pittsburgh kid's head spinning as he sucked up the knowledge.
At one party I introduced myself to an attractive young woman as "Tom's friend from Pennsylvania". She looked at me, burst out laughing, and said, "Oh, you're the one from Pittsburgh who put the money in your shoe."
Friend Tom was my bud - but still enjoyed a good laugh - sometimes at my expense.
Shortly before he moved to New York from Pittsburgh he came over to our 1/2 double in the young married couples rental driven, culdesac protected and heavily wooded neighborhood. He looked serious and obviously was distraught at having to move with his company away from his roots and his friends.
We shared a lot of interests; one of them being our love for Jazz, and singers by the name of Sinatra, Torme, Streisand, Fitzgerald, Christy, Cole, and Vaughn. We also frequented the local Pittsburgh piano bars and jazz clubs sucking on Cutty Sark or J & B scotch.
Tom reached inside his rain soaked London Fog trenchcoat that day and presented me with an autographed Duke Ellington 33 1/3 LP record; something he explained he had acquired years before when he visited New York with his Dad, another jazz fan.
He explained that it was his second favorite possession. We both knew his favorite was the 8 by 10 picture of him as a kid wearing a Pittsburgh Pirate uniform, holding a bat, with Ted Williams's right arm wrapped around his shoulder.
Tom wanted me to take the one that came in second - and I gratefully accepted as a special memory of our time together.
It was probably ten years before I discovered it was Tom who had signed the Ellington record.
One of the more poignant stories I chose at Tom's memorial service was of the time during the Vietnam War when he and his new wife had moved from N.Y.C to Lancaster where he was working as an executive for a company that made excellent timepieces.
They also had a contract with our government to make timing mechanisms for bombs. This fact, once discovered, had aroused the attention of the local anti-war protesters who were now picketing the company's property on the street below.
Tom's boss, in acknowledgment of Tom's excellent negotiating skills, asked him to go down to talk to the protesters and see if he could convince them to leave the premises peacefully.
As with any good negotiator, Tom patiently listened to their pleas and arguments before taking action. He had listened for a long time.
He then went over to one of the loudest of the picket sign holders - took the sign from him - and joined the circular march with the others.
He next returned to his office, typed a letter of resignation, cleaned out his desk - and went home.
There were many stories - mostly funny - a few not so much - some that popped up in previous blogs - and more than a few that will probably never be retold. I miss the man dearly.
During his final week we joked a little. Then I asked him if he had any reflections or observations to offer. He looked up from under the oversized ball cap covering his now bald skinny head, smiled, and said, "Yeah, why the hell didn't you make me give up those damn cigarettes ten or twenty years ago?" (Would that I could, pal.)
Yep, there was sadness, but I'm so grateful for being able to find that needed balance.
It caused me to reflect on my own life. Unfortunately, I have also lost a few friends who were near and dear to me. Thoughts of their death always make me sad.
Now, the last is something I could focus on as I write this blog; but I won't. I prefer Harry's style where he concentrated on the good memories.
Occasionally I have been called upon to deliver an eulogy, or perhaps just a brief contribution to the service upon the occasion of a friends death.
Perhaps it's my strange Irish humor, but, I tend to reflect on the lighter contributions made by that person rather than just the serious moments. Maybe that's why the Irish love their wakes.
When Tom Armstrong my dearest friend, and seemingly older brother of mine passed away, I included in my reflections the many trips to his east 78th New York City apartment both alone and with various family members.
One of them, my youngest brother, Tom, still speaks affectionately about joining Tom and me to hear Buddy Greco at the old Basin Street East jazz club.
I spoke much that day of the humorous things Tom did.
Being extremely naive and without many funds in the 60's, on one early visit to NYC , as we prepared to go downtown, I carefully hid a $20 bill in my shoe - presumably out of sight of my good friend.
It was a time for a lot of parties in a fairly upper class yuppie type setting in the east 70's - although I'm not sure the term was in vogue yet. Tom hosted some and dragged me along to others.
At one of those gatherings involving mostly young folks like us, the guests included artists, musicians, an assistant food editor at McCalls, the male model for Interwoven socks, and an assistant district attorney.
Like other such functions back then, the drinking was heavy, the smoking even more pervasive, and the conversations bordered on the intellectual. Few people spoke about cars, sports scores, nor their success or lack of same in the whole category of scoring.
What so often was discussed were subjects that were explored in depth the following week by magazines as prestigious as Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report. They were topics that had this Pittsburgh kid's head spinning as he sucked up the knowledge.
At one party I introduced myself to an attractive young woman as "Tom's friend from Pennsylvania". She looked at me, burst out laughing, and said, "Oh, you're the one from Pittsburgh who put the money in your shoe."
Friend Tom was my bud - but still enjoyed a good laugh - sometimes at my expense.
Shortly before he moved to New York from Pittsburgh he came over to our 1/2 double in the young married couples rental driven, culdesac protected and heavily wooded neighborhood. He looked serious and obviously was distraught at having to move with his company away from his roots and his friends.
We shared a lot of interests; one of them being our love for Jazz, and singers by the name of Sinatra, Torme, Streisand, Fitzgerald, Christy, Cole, and Vaughn. We also frequented the local Pittsburgh piano bars and jazz clubs sucking on Cutty Sark or J & B scotch.
Tom reached inside his rain soaked London Fog trenchcoat that day and presented me with an autographed Duke Ellington 33 1/3 LP record; something he explained he had acquired years before when he visited New York with his Dad, another jazz fan.
He explained that it was his second favorite possession. We both knew his favorite was the 8 by 10 picture of him as a kid wearing a Pittsburgh Pirate uniform, holding a bat, with Ted Williams's right arm wrapped around his shoulder.
Tom wanted me to take the one that came in second - and I gratefully accepted as a special memory of our time together.
It was probably ten years before I discovered it was Tom who had signed the Ellington record.
One of the more poignant stories I chose at Tom's memorial service was of the time during the Vietnam War when he and his new wife had moved from N.Y.C to Lancaster where he was working as an executive for a company that made excellent timepieces.
They also had a contract with our government to make timing mechanisms for bombs. This fact, once discovered, had aroused the attention of the local anti-war protesters who were now picketing the company's property on the street below.
Tom's boss, in acknowledgment of Tom's excellent negotiating skills, asked him to go down to talk to the protesters and see if he could convince them to leave the premises peacefully.
As with any good negotiator, Tom patiently listened to their pleas and arguments before taking action. He had listened for a long time.
He then went over to one of the loudest of the picket sign holders - took the sign from him - and joined the circular march with the others.
He next returned to his office, typed a letter of resignation, cleaned out his desk - and went home.
There were many stories - mostly funny - a few not so much - some that popped up in previous blogs - and more than a few that will probably never be retold. I miss the man dearly.
During his final week we joked a little. Then I asked him if he had any reflections or observations to offer. He looked up from under the oversized ball cap covering his now bald skinny head, smiled, and said, "Yeah, why the hell didn't you make me give up those damn cigarettes ten or twenty years ago?" (Would that I could, pal.)
Yep, there was sadness, but I'm so grateful for being able to find that needed balance.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
1941
I continue to enjoy good writing. This is not necessarily an example.
I enjoyed yesterdays op-ed feature in USA Today by Sports Illustrated senior editor Kostya Kennedy. He is the author of "56: Joe Dimaggio and the Last magic Number in Sports".
If the book is written as well as the column, it must be a good read.
To frame his story, he used the communication of that period to illustrate his point that "In 1941, news brought America together. Not today." (his words - not mine.)
What follows is not meant to be a walk down nostalgia lane, but to make a point about the past and how we perceive wars.
Kennedy speaks about news, how we received it, and the impact on our lives that the news had.He chose a significant year to make his point.
1941 was the year that Joe Dimaggio started his 56 game streak and Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Kennedy advises us "when FDR gave his May 27, 1941 radio address(prior to the bombing), 65 million or about 70% of the population nine and older listened in."
As I was about 4 years of age - I probably did not, although I do remember later listening to the radio and reading Ernie Pyle's personal descriptions of what was going on.
I also remember listening to that Philco floor radio and observing the tears at home and in our eclectic neighborhood as we followed the daily bulletins on FDR's health and his eventual death prior to the end of the war.
It's not that FDR didn't have his enemies. He had many - but, he was our President; and he was our President in a time of war.
News of the war was communicated through our radio stations, newspapers, and news reels we viewed prior to the start of the feature movie we had selected.
We saw actual bombing raids - troops on stretchers - or attempting to find protection via foxholes they had dug themselves.
We may have been home safely protected by our troops, and volunteer Air Raid Wardens - but we were in touch with the war and it's progress.
It was the subject on the lips of so many who gathered together in restaurants and diners, in front of drug stores, before and after Boy Scout meetings. The Forest Hills Borough building and home of our volunteer Fire Department was another favorite gathering place.
I occasionally accompanied Dad who was, for a while, President of the Fire Department.
The war was accentuated in our neigborhoods by the fact we knew folks who had the military emblems in the windows of their front doors.
Sadly, that war was also the precursor of the scenes of all the friends and neighbors who gathered together to weep and offer solace when one of our own had passed away defending our country.
Folks stopped to commensurate but also to read vicariously the telegrams, and to observe the military visitors who delivered the horrifying news that started with ,"We regreat to inform you - - -"
Fathers, Mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles,and grandparents tried to track the locations of their husbands, sons and daughters overseas. It wasn't easy.
Their search was based on news accounts of where the battles were being fought or often directed by any scrap of information they might have gleaned from the censored news received in letters from their loved ones.
It was a tradition that continued years later as my brothers became of military age and Mom stood at the dining room table with her maps reciting names of places we had never heard of and which we could barely pronounce.
The Phillipines was one of those locations.
But, during "The Big One", 70 years ago, and for another 4 years, news of the war was a communal experience, discussed on the glider of your front porch or in your parlor or living room.
It mattered not whether the discussions were with folks who had the vested interest of a family member defending us overseas.
We all wanted to be a part of it. Whether that involved War Bond stamp books, crushing cans, leading paper collection drives, or being part of a cub scout project collecting violets for the wounded at Veteran hospitals. We all - adults and kids alike - believed we were a part of that war.
We took a lot of pride in our quaint victory gardens set up in a corner of our fenced yards and would compare the size of our tomatoes with those of our neighbors as if we were in battle.
It was a different time - not necessarily better - but different.
Whether you support the wars we are conducting now, or are busy looking up Ike's warnings about the danger of the military industrial complex, it doesn't really matter.
That was then and now is now.
What does matter is putting the start of Jolting Joe's streak in the proper perspective as the good part of 1941, but also the anniversary of war as this Memorial Day approaches.
God Bless.
I enjoyed yesterdays op-ed feature in USA Today by Sports Illustrated senior editor Kostya Kennedy. He is the author of "56: Joe Dimaggio and the Last magic Number in Sports".
If the book is written as well as the column, it must be a good read.
To frame his story, he used the communication of that period to illustrate his point that "In 1941, news brought America together. Not today." (his words - not mine.)
What follows is not meant to be a walk down nostalgia lane, but to make a point about the past and how we perceive wars.
Kennedy speaks about news, how we received it, and the impact on our lives that the news had.He chose a significant year to make his point.
1941 was the year that Joe Dimaggio started his 56 game streak and Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Kennedy advises us "when FDR gave his May 27, 1941 radio address(prior to the bombing), 65 million or about 70% of the population nine and older listened in."
As I was about 4 years of age - I probably did not, although I do remember later listening to the radio and reading Ernie Pyle's personal descriptions of what was going on.
I also remember listening to that Philco floor radio and observing the tears at home and in our eclectic neighborhood as we followed the daily bulletins on FDR's health and his eventual death prior to the end of the war.
It's not that FDR didn't have his enemies. He had many - but, he was our President; and he was our President in a time of war.
News of the war was communicated through our radio stations, newspapers, and news reels we viewed prior to the start of the feature movie we had selected.
We saw actual bombing raids - troops on stretchers - or attempting to find protection via foxholes they had dug themselves.
We may have been home safely protected by our troops, and volunteer Air Raid Wardens - but we were in touch with the war and it's progress.
It was the subject on the lips of so many who gathered together in restaurants and diners, in front of drug stores, before and after Boy Scout meetings. The Forest Hills Borough building and home of our volunteer Fire Department was another favorite gathering place.
I occasionally accompanied Dad who was, for a while, President of the Fire Department.
The war was accentuated in our neigborhoods by the fact we knew folks who had the military emblems in the windows of their front doors.
Sadly, that war was also the precursor of the scenes of all the friends and neighbors who gathered together to weep and offer solace when one of our own had passed away defending our country.
Folks stopped to commensurate but also to read vicariously the telegrams, and to observe the military visitors who delivered the horrifying news that started with ,"We regreat to inform you - - -"
Fathers, Mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles,and grandparents tried to track the locations of their husbands, sons and daughters overseas. It wasn't easy.
Their search was based on news accounts of where the battles were being fought or often directed by any scrap of information they might have gleaned from the censored news received in letters from their loved ones.
It was a tradition that continued years later as my brothers became of military age and Mom stood at the dining room table with her maps reciting names of places we had never heard of and which we could barely pronounce.
The Phillipines was one of those locations.
But, during "The Big One", 70 years ago, and for another 4 years, news of the war was a communal experience, discussed on the glider of your front porch or in your parlor or living room.
It mattered not whether the discussions were with folks who had the vested interest of a family member defending us overseas.
We all wanted to be a part of it. Whether that involved War Bond stamp books, crushing cans, leading paper collection drives, or being part of a cub scout project collecting violets for the wounded at Veteran hospitals. We all - adults and kids alike - believed we were a part of that war.
We took a lot of pride in our quaint victory gardens set up in a corner of our fenced yards and would compare the size of our tomatoes with those of our neighbors as if we were in battle.
It was a different time - not necessarily better - but different.
Whether you support the wars we are conducting now, or are busy looking up Ike's warnings about the danger of the military industrial complex, it doesn't really matter.
That was then and now is now.
What does matter is putting the start of Jolting Joe's streak in the proper perspective as the good part of 1941, but also the anniversary of war as this Memorial Day approaches.
God Bless.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE BANK
When other activities do not interfere - I love my Sunday mornings -as long as I practice the law of diminishing returns and know when to quit.
(Hey! Hey! This is a family blog. I'm talking about Sunday news shows)
I continue to enjoy NBC's Meet The Press even w/o Tim Russert.
My next TV news viewing is Howard Kurtz and his Reliable Sources. I even enjoy a little bit of Candy Crowley as a follow up on CNN.
At that point I believe I've heard every subject - covered from any angle I could possibly have imagined - and still avoided the political bias of Fox etc - but, I'm usually tapped out.
Despite that,Sunday I also added the CBS 60 minutes interview of President Obama - a fitting close to all the Osama bid Laden news.
While still having some misgivings,I was impressed with Obama's intelligence and communicative aplomb. He made it much more possible to walk away with a conclusion that you had a true feel as to what went down - and maybe even why.
I believe you can better enjoy the news when your time is spent judiciously trying to ferret out the truth - as opposed to just following party line.I try to do that both in blogs and in life.
Perhaps, an even better feeling was that, during the 60 Minutes interview I felt we were watching somebody grow up before our eyes. Only time will tell.
Every once in a while you see some subtle changes in politics that "suggest" that our struggling country may be starting to get it right. Here's one observation-as well as a suggestion:
We support various politicians despite the fact we live in a vacuum.
Remember, many of the wives of these politicians obviously didn't know what the heck was going on in their husbands mind either .
We are deluged with off-the-wall opinions. They come from so-called "experts", experienced advisors, informed insiders, highly qualified individuals, and reliable sources.Sadly, the prime reason we're hearing and seeing their opinions is so somebody can make a buck.
We find it is incredibly difficult nowadays to separate the "opinions" from the "opinionated."
And yet, we have at our disposal what so far appear to be "different" reliable sources, such as "FactsCheck", "Snopes", etc.-ready and willing to share with us "secret squirrel" stuff,
information for which they do not charge us.
There is no suggestion here that what these new sources conclude, even after actually checking the facts,is absolutely 100% correct.
But,it's a better batting average than what you've been getting in your E-mails.
My growing fear is that there are way too many of us who enjoy being fooled - whether it's in sports or the real world. We love our "close up" magic shows.
My point is, this is a great country because we are all allowed to have and voice our opinions - even when we don't have a clue what we're talking about or the reliability of the source.
Maybe,our money would be better spent in restraining our giving to politicians and churning it into making contributions to people whose specialty is not producing quarters from behind our ears.
Why not consider contributing to some of these so-called "watchdog" groups whose sources are often quoted by name in the media? There is no way you can track 535 politicians yourself.
These organizations are observing and studying the actions of Congress, the banking fraternity, the oil industry, as well as those local gadflys with their mailings begging you for your support and financial contributions.
If you're a business manager or even someone who just wants to get ahead, you know you can't possibly read all the self-help books or new management theories. So, you subscribe to a service - like those "Cliff-Notes" that got you through English Lit in college.
All of us - in business or not - but who are truly concerned - can't possibly stand in the grocery store and try to weigh all the promises on the packaging . If you do this at Publix you may be mistaken for a potted plant - and watered every third day.
There is a reason many of us subscribe to Consumer Reports, Readers Digest, or some other reliable product information source.
Why don't we do the same thing for those decisions and actions that affect our families, our grandchildren and us even more?
Never in time has it been possible to gain more meaningful information about almost anything. The trick is to find the right filter.
Why not divide and conquer the excess communication you are receiving? Might even improve your mental health.
And, if your fear is that some of those so called non-profit informational watchdogs may have their own ax to grind - there are sources to check that out as well.
I know a guy who will turn 76 soon. Each of his blogs suggests he spends a lot of time checking out his facts before his fingers hit the keyboard.
And, if he tells you something - "You Can Take It To The Bank."
(THE OLD THINKER hepie2335, BRADENTON FLORIDA.)
(Hey! Hey! This is a family blog. I'm talking about Sunday news shows)
I continue to enjoy NBC's Meet The Press even w/o Tim Russert.
My next TV news viewing is Howard Kurtz and his Reliable Sources. I even enjoy a little bit of Candy Crowley as a follow up on CNN.
At that point I believe I've heard every subject - covered from any angle I could possibly have imagined - and still avoided the political bias of Fox etc - but, I'm usually tapped out.
Despite that,Sunday I also added the CBS 60 minutes interview of President Obama - a fitting close to all the Osama bid Laden news.
While still having some misgivings,I was impressed with Obama's intelligence and communicative aplomb. He made it much more possible to walk away with a conclusion that you had a true feel as to what went down - and maybe even why.
I believe you can better enjoy the news when your time is spent judiciously trying to ferret out the truth - as opposed to just following party line.I try to do that both in blogs and in life.
Perhaps, an even better feeling was that, during the 60 Minutes interview I felt we were watching somebody grow up before our eyes. Only time will tell.
Every once in a while you see some subtle changes in politics that "suggest" that our struggling country may be starting to get it right. Here's one observation-as well as a suggestion:
We support various politicians despite the fact we live in a vacuum.
Remember, many of the wives of these politicians obviously didn't know what the heck was going on in their husbands mind either .
We are deluged with off-the-wall opinions. They come from so-called "experts", experienced advisors, informed insiders, highly qualified individuals, and reliable sources.Sadly, the prime reason we're hearing and seeing their opinions is so somebody can make a buck.
We find it is incredibly difficult nowadays to separate the "opinions" from the "opinionated."
And yet, we have at our disposal what so far appear to be "different" reliable sources, such as "FactsCheck", "Snopes", etc.-ready and willing to share with us "secret squirrel" stuff,
information for which they do not charge us.
There is no suggestion here that what these new sources conclude, even after actually checking the facts,is absolutely 100% correct.
But,it's a better batting average than what you've been getting in your E-mails.
My growing fear is that there are way too many of us who enjoy being fooled - whether it's in sports or the real world. We love our "close up" magic shows.
My point is, this is a great country because we are all allowed to have and voice our opinions - even when we don't have a clue what we're talking about or the reliability of the source.
Maybe,our money would be better spent in restraining our giving to politicians and churning it into making contributions to people whose specialty is not producing quarters from behind our ears.
Why not consider contributing to some of these so-called "watchdog" groups whose sources are often quoted by name in the media? There is no way you can track 535 politicians yourself.
These organizations are observing and studying the actions of Congress, the banking fraternity, the oil industry, as well as those local gadflys with their mailings begging you for your support and financial contributions.
If you're a business manager or even someone who just wants to get ahead, you know you can't possibly read all the self-help books or new management theories. So, you subscribe to a service - like those "Cliff-Notes" that got you through English Lit in college.
All of us - in business or not - but who are truly concerned - can't possibly stand in the grocery store and try to weigh all the promises on the packaging . If you do this at Publix you may be mistaken for a potted plant - and watered every third day.
There is a reason many of us subscribe to Consumer Reports, Readers Digest, or some other reliable product information source.
Why don't we do the same thing for those decisions and actions that affect our families, our grandchildren and us even more?
Never in time has it been possible to gain more meaningful information about almost anything. The trick is to find the right filter.
Why not divide and conquer the excess communication you are receiving? Might even improve your mental health.
And, if your fear is that some of those so called non-profit informational watchdogs may have their own ax to grind - there are sources to check that out as well.
I know a guy who will turn 76 soon. Each of his blogs suggests he spends a lot of time checking out his facts before his fingers hit the keyboard.
And, if he tells you something - "You Can Take It To The Bank."
(THE OLD THINKER hepie2335, BRADENTON FLORIDA.)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
PLEASE, HELP ME OUT HERE (F)
Please, help me out here.
Is there anybody - and I do mean anybody - who could say honestly that they know who Leo Berman is?
Okay, perhaps a few of you diehard " birthers" are familiar with Mr.Bermans great feats of intelligence and courage.
But, almost anybody outside of Texas who really counts either do not know the man or really give a good healthy whatever.
And no, he's not the comedian, Shelly Berman, who figured out a way to finish a glass of milk without drinking that dark speck at the bottom of the glass.
To this transplanted Floridian, the only thing worse than a Leo Berman is a love-bug. And we ain't talking about cute little Herbie. That is a car. Lovebugs are what is done to a car down here in Florida.
Berman is thought by many to be a jackass. He is still insisting that the birth certificate Obama released to the media is phoney and that the hospital listed on it claims to have no knowledge of his birth. PolitiFacts suggests otherwise.(thanks Harry)
Berman is a Republican State Senator from Tyler,Texas who is certain that the birth certificate is a lie. Please keep in mind this man is in office because people actually chose to elect him - and they are probably rooting for the Donald also.
(Any truth to the rumor that we might need to seek a new real estate venture based upon the successful methods France employed? Where is Devil's Island anyway?)
Photos of the Texas dude suggest he may have consumed way too much prune juice at one time or another - but, that should not allow us to be distracted as we watch Leo and others "search for the truth."
Maybe it's time to rethink our conclusions of the death penalty being a cruel and unusual punishment.
Couldn't we just take all the idiots in the world, line them up against a wall and - - - - - - - - - - - .
"Okay, Honey, I'm mumbling loud again and keeping the dog awake, right? I'll settle down out here in my office. And, yes dear, I do realize sometimes I get carried away and should not be allowed to read anything more controversial than Jack & Jill magazine - with the paperdoll cutouts at the end."
(yeah, right!)
"Of course, my precious. You know how much I regret that with the windows open - the neighbors are bound to hear me - and I know you're tired of receiving strange looks when you walk our dog in the neighborhood - and people keep whispering "she's the one who is married to the idiot!"
(Hmmmmm.)
"Yep, I promise you babe. I'll tone it down"
(sotto voce - okay, I think she's gone. So let's continue.)
Is it really a crime if, just because you were "allegedly" seen observing someone texting and driving and then, again, "allegedly, were observed to have pinned their vehicle in toward the edge of the road, until their car jumped the curb and smashed into a tree.
I mean, c'mon, you call that a crime? I see that as defensive driving. Who knows how many of us this guy was going to end up killing?
"Of course, if it was even remotely accurate I would only do the alleged act "after" making sure they were the only one in the car?"
(And you can be sure before taking any action I'd also first check for occupied tree houses and stuff of that ilk. What's the matter with you? Do you think I'm an idiot?)
Besides,I'd grow a new tree where the first one stood - maybe even three or four - if you tree huggers want.
But, please won't you first rethink that firing squad thing for all the idiots out there who are doing the following:
(1) Crashing our computers. (2)Stealing our identities. (3)Trying to kill the rest of us innocent law abiding drivers.(4) Continuing to write asinine things about Obama and his birth certificate.
These idiots simply cannot possibly have a life - and they want yours.
If you do rethink what I believe is an appropriate punishment, maybe I can then sit down and enjoy Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos, and Morey in relative peace and quiet; cause I know that theres "the straight scoop.".
P.S.: Maybe we could sorta phase in that firing squad thing and, you know - possibly start out with super-soakers; then see how it goes.
Anyway, thanks for the help.
Is there anybody - and I do mean anybody - who could say honestly that they know who Leo Berman is?
Okay, perhaps a few of you diehard " birthers" are familiar with Mr.Bermans great feats of intelligence and courage.
But, almost anybody outside of Texas who really counts either do not know the man or really give a good healthy whatever.
And no, he's not the comedian, Shelly Berman, who figured out a way to finish a glass of milk without drinking that dark speck at the bottom of the glass.
To this transplanted Floridian, the only thing worse than a Leo Berman is a love-bug. And we ain't talking about cute little Herbie. That is a car. Lovebugs are what is done to a car down here in Florida.
Berman is thought by many to be a jackass. He is still insisting that the birth certificate Obama released to the media is phoney and that the hospital listed on it claims to have no knowledge of his birth. PolitiFacts suggests otherwise.(thanks Harry)
Berman is a Republican State Senator from Tyler,Texas who is certain that the birth certificate is a lie. Please keep in mind this man is in office because people actually chose to elect him - and they are probably rooting for the Donald also.
(Any truth to the rumor that we might need to seek a new real estate venture based upon the successful methods France employed? Where is Devil's Island anyway?)
Photos of the Texas dude suggest he may have consumed way too much prune juice at one time or another - but, that should not allow us to be distracted as we watch Leo and others "search for the truth."
Maybe it's time to rethink our conclusions of the death penalty being a cruel and unusual punishment.
Couldn't we just take all the idiots in the world, line them up against a wall and - - - - - - - - - - - .
"Okay, Honey, I'm mumbling loud again and keeping the dog awake, right? I'll settle down out here in my office. And, yes dear, I do realize sometimes I get carried away and should not be allowed to read anything more controversial than Jack & Jill magazine - with the paperdoll cutouts at the end."
(yeah, right!)
"Of course, my precious. You know how much I regret that with the windows open - the neighbors are bound to hear me - and I know you're tired of receiving strange looks when you walk our dog in the neighborhood - and people keep whispering "she's the one who is married to the idiot!"
(Hmmmmm.)
"Yep, I promise you babe. I'll tone it down"
(sotto voce - okay, I think she's gone. So let's continue.)
Is it really a crime if, just because you were "allegedly" seen observing someone texting and driving and then, again, "allegedly, were observed to have pinned their vehicle in toward the edge of the road, until their car jumped the curb and smashed into a tree.
I mean, c'mon, you call that a crime? I see that as defensive driving. Who knows how many of us this guy was going to end up killing?
"Of course, if it was even remotely accurate I would only do the alleged act "after" making sure they were the only one in the car?"
(And you can be sure before taking any action I'd also first check for occupied tree houses and stuff of that ilk. What's the matter with you? Do you think I'm an idiot?)
Besides,I'd grow a new tree where the first one stood - maybe even three or four - if you tree huggers want.
But, please won't you first rethink that firing squad thing for all the idiots out there who are doing the following:
(1) Crashing our computers. (2)Stealing our identities. (3)Trying to kill the rest of us innocent law abiding drivers.(4) Continuing to write asinine things about Obama and his birth certificate.
These idiots simply cannot possibly have a life - and they want yours.
If you do rethink what I believe is an appropriate punishment, maybe I can then sit down and enjoy Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos, and Morey in relative peace and quiet; cause I know that theres "the straight scoop.".
P.S.: Maybe we could sorta phase in that firing squad thing and, you know - possibly start out with super-soakers; then see how it goes.
Anyway, thanks for the help.
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