As A Member of Society, I……………………………..

SOCIETY

Society Definition: The aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.
society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same geographical or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Society Used in a sentence: We are painfully aware of drugs, crime and other dangers to society.
Society Synonyms: the community, the general public, the people, the United States at large.
Other meanings and uses: He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, She’s high society, You wouldn’t say that in polite society, They live on the fringe of society, She shunned the society of others.

What the above means to me is if you call yourself a ‘a member of society’, it is probably a good idea that you understand what that means and that you should understand the mores of the society in which you claim to be a part. Or on the otherhand, if you don’t, you might be a ‘sociopath’.
Social Mores Definition: The essential or characteristic customs and conventions of society.
Sociopath Definition: A person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.

I see the United States as a society. In the beginning, millenia ago, the United States was a society made up of ‘Native Americans’. (I think we all know that story, and if you don’t you had best learn it, as a social obligation.) Then centuries ago  (1790 to 1850 the Colonial Migration) people escaping political persecution and other inhumanities came seeking freedom from their oppressors and we became the land of the free, which led to a bloody Civil War. Then from 1850 to 1930 we noticed immigrants from all over the world, most looking for a ‘better life’, as WWI had impoverished most of Europe. My parents came to the United States from Denmark in 1921, so I know from whence I write. What is really important to understand, is during this entire period, and probably untill 9/11, everyone in the United States (with the exception of the sociopaths) was working diligently to build the greatest nation in history and the greatest society in history.

The outcome of all of this work is our Society that is outlined in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, and in The Rule of Law. Just in case you don’t understand what our societal mores are, let me iterate. We are (to a fault) a Society of tolerance, a Society of fairness, a Society of generosity, a Society of Laws.

Bottom line? If those aren’t your mores (in aggregate) you should find another society.

Note: My reasons for writing this piece was sparked by our current political crisis, our lack of respect for the law crisis, our drug and addiction crisis (commonly known as the homeless crisis), our burgeoning immunization crisis, our immigration crisis, our education (or lack thereof) crisis and our growing lack of love for eachother crisis.

How Did This Happen

How did we get from a little red hat saying “Make America Great Again” to a smear campaign calling our President and others racists for wearing it.

I’ll tell you what I think. There is something called a news cycle, the media act of reporting on a single subject or event from beginning to end. A typical news cycle runs for 24 hours. There are some that go on for days, weeks, months and even years. SOTU speech is an example of a 24hr cycle. Roger Stone examplifies a week cycle, Beto is an example of a month cycle, Robert Mueller is an example of a year(s) cycle. There is a singular cycle that carries on forever, “Bashing Trump”. Trying to bring down President Trump has become a media epidemic, an internal disease so powerful that the media can’t help itself, spreading a disease that has no cure. I don’t even think that President Trump’s demise would stop the insanity. It is a shameful situation the Media has gotten itself and our country into.

I have been saying to myself, “Keep it up media, it is only a matter of time before you are exposed for what you are” or “Hell I’m going to die soon, and why should I give a rats ass”, but that is no way to feel and think. I have grandchildren that will have to navigate this murkey bog, and they need a strong moral compass to get through it. “Make America Great Again” should go a long way to keeping and even keel.

 

 

 

 

 

A Few Of My Fa-vor-it Things

Teeth into the wind

There are two things (other than the usual exclusions, like wife, friends and family) for which I have a true passion, and they are words and dogs. Words and dogs are both unconditional, loyal and steadfast.

Recently this dog came into my universe and showed me the meaning of the word INTREPID, by bravely traveling 4,000+ miles by air, through blizzards, reroutings and delays and landing without complaint in a strange setting, giving and looking for love with every step of her grand entrance at SFO United Receiving . As I look at this picture and roll the word INTREPID around in my brain I wonder if I am using enough of a word to properly translate what I wanted say about her. A quick GOOGLE has put my fears to rest.

Take a minute and read each of these synonomic-descriptors in turn and as you say each word slowly to yourself, look at her picture.
“Fearlessunafraidundaunteddauntlessundismayedunalarmedunflinchingunshrinking,
unblenching, unabashedbolddaringaudaciousadventurousdashingheroicdynamic,
spiritedmettlesome, confidentindomitable, bravecourageousvaliantvalorous,
stoutheartedlionheartedstalwartplucky, gutsyspunkygame, and ballsy.”

Yeah, I think I that’s a good word. Don’t you? 

 

 

Odin, Thor, Edgar – OMG This is so cool

We were coming home from the gym, and these 7 behemoths met us at the corner of our Dead End street. We stopped our car dead in its tracks to take a hard look. They didn’t scare and take flight, but rather shifted from talon to talon, stretched their necks and wings and stared, beady-eyed out of their ugly little red heads. There was one on the ground that, coughed up something, pecked at it, and downed it again. He flew back up into the tree and took his place on a empty limb, and there they all sat. Never in my life have I seen a sight like this. I sat mesmerized, frozen and a little scared.

What did they forbode? Why were they there, all facing me, on my block, when there was all of California, Baja, Arizona and Utah to land in. “Are they waiting for me? Is this really a cruel joke? Are they even real?”, I found myself thinking. “Holy Smokes is this an omen? Is Odin or Thor calling me to Valhalla?” I cringed at the thought. “Did Edgar Allen resurrect, and is he here staging a photo for the cover of his newest novel?” My mind was going crazy. “Is that it? Am I going nuts? Do I start foaming at the mouth any minute now?”

The California Condor is a creature that has survived near extinction, soars like and eagle, does nothing to harm humans (live ones at least), and cleans up our roadkill. Sitting, staring at them I saw a palpable strength. I could feel it. Why were they roosting there? I also thought I saw a weariness in their demeanor. In the end I felt very blessed, privileged and finally happy to be in their presence. What an experience.

 

Dear Kamala – Letters I’d Like to Write

Dear Kamala,

Your pose on your coming-out poster appears to be an emotional, ernest appeal to your would-be voters to see you as a sincere champion of the people, wanting nothing for yourself, and everything “For Our Country“. Kamala; the Lotus Flower, with purity of the body, speech and mind; the bringer of truth and clarity “For Our Country“. That was Day One.

Day Two was a different story. Full of yourself and your vast government experience, you strode upon the world stage and began what I assume is going to be a two year bashing of “Our Country’s President“, rather than initiating a rousing campaign to find the truth “For Our Country“. You made the comment (and I paraphrase); “Here it is Day 31 of the Shutdown, people are suffering and Trump is still embarked on his EGO (pet, signature, ?) Project to build the wall”.

Just for clarity’s sake, Kamala, Donald Trump began and ended his campaign with a tireless, energetic, whirlwind swing around, and around “Our Country” trying to understand what the people want from their President. He went everywhere, including “Our Little Part Of Our Country“, Redding, California. By the time he got to us he was rumpled and tired. Standing hunched over the podium, the Trump/Pence sign hanging askew, he folded up his envelope notes, stuffed them in his wrinkled coat and started speaking from his heart. He had heard from nearly all the people in “Our Country“, and laid out his promises. He knew that the rank and file was restless and aching to hear from him what is best “For Our Country“.  Fresh from the Kate Steinle murder, he announced what 63 Million American voters wanted to hear, he was going to secure the Southern Border. I, the first generation son of naturalized Danish-American immigrants, plus 63 Million voters, plus I’ll wager 30 Million Democrats, want a border that works, that protects us.

You have a very good chance of going far, Lotus Blossum, don’t squander your opportunity on party line. Live your mantra “For Our Country“. Lack or sincerity among the elected is wearing very thin, just ask Elisabeth.

Good Luck, you are going to need it.

Shooting in Nirvana

I was not a good shot with a pistol. My usual pattern was down and to the right of where I am aiming. In my wisdom, or lack thereof, I had concluded that I don’t squeeze the trigger properly. I don’t squeeze with the pad of my trigger finger, but rather in the crook of the first knuckle. For the longest time I compensated by aiming at a point up and to the left of what I wanted to hit, and that worked for four shots, and then didn’t.

I have decided to obtain my CCW License, and realized that I better improve at the “hitting what I aim at” idea, and went to the shooting range for some much needed practice.  Down and to the right, down and to the right, no matter what I did, nothing changed. I noticed that the guy in the booth next to me was nailing his target, and shooting five shot patterns that looked looked like Bachelor Buttons, gaping holes in the target.

“Nice shooting”, I said. “Thanks”, was the non-boastful answer. We spoke for some time and he finally asked me if I could access Youtube, and suggested that I look up a “Focus on the Front Sight” video, by an ex-Navy Seal. I was completely blown away by this video (no pun intended). The rest, as they say, is History.  The videographer is Chris Sajnog (pronounced Saw – nog), and I recommend that anyone wanting to shoot straight, have a look at his work.

I shoot straight, I grip right and stand right. No more “down and to the right”.

Music Moves Me

 

Someone asked me the other day if I liked music. “I love music”, I answered. Why do you love music? “Because it moves me”, I said. The answer just came out of the blue, but for some reason, I knew my answer was true, but even I needed to know why. When I got home I went to my Youtube List, and started to listen to the music that I love.

So what moves me here. 1) The audience’s clammor for the three striking singers as they walked in. 2) Almost from the first chord my eyes started to tear up, and my mouth formed a smile. 3) The audience kissing and hugging eachother, smiling, crying, one person openly sobbing. 4) The spontaneous participation of the audience ranging from 5 years to 80+ years. 5) Rieu’s stimulating violin. 6) The presentation of the notes by the young women, filling their lungs and pressing the notes to higher and higher harmoneous perfection. 7) The lyrics.

And why does this move me? 1.) The adulation of a crowd who revere these two men as much as I do, numbering enough to fill Shea Stadium in New York. 2) I dare anyone to listen to this and not move their body and grin til it hurts. 3) the deafening roar of appreciation from the crowd.

OK. Turn your volume up to listen to this marvelous aria.

There is a purity to this voice that is very hard to describe, but each time I hear “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot I sob like a baby. I have since my mother introduced me to it as a boy, along with “Oh Mimi” from La Boheme, “The Flower Duet”, from Lakmé and many more.

Music Moves Me.

Cowboys and Indians

Growing up I was very aware of Cowboys and Indians. My pals and I would play for hours and hours in the fields next door, or in the backyard, or in our livingroom makeshift tepees. I was infatuated with Tom Mix, Hoppy, Roy and Gene. Mom dropped me off at the theater on Saturday, gave me two-bits, with which I saw two full length shoot-em-ups, ten cartoons and had enough left over for popcorn and a coke. For me, the history of America started there.
In High School I remember learning about the Aztecs, the Incas and the Mayas, but I always thought of them as foreigners, not American’s. For me the Native History of America started with the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock. I remember, during Thanksgiving Holiday, seeing Indians pictured at the Pilgrims Table, but I never really wondered where they came from.
Stumbling through life I recall hearing stories of early Indians like the Iroquois Tribes (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida and Mohawks). I was born a New Yorker so “Far above Cayuga’s Waters”, Oneida Watches, and the “Last of the Mohicans” had meaning to me. I faintly remember the Seminoles, because they were billed as the good guys from Florida. The famous Apache Chieftan Cochise (Jeff Chandler) was chased by every oater leading man of the 40s, but I just figured he arrived about the same time Hoppy did. Well silly me.
Not until two weeks ago; at age 80 (blissfully ignorant but inquisitive), when NPR aired “Native Americans”, did the real story begin to unravel. Up jumps Cahokia and it;s collection of tribes, who appeared in the Mississippi area around AD 700. Three hundred years later Cahokia was at its Golden Age (pictured above) and by 1600 it faded away. I don’t remember any of this being taught in gradeschool. For these folks to have amassed in the region in AD 700, they had to have come from somewhere. Scientists and Anthropologists seem to think that the Bering Straits were finally habitable enough for Human migration from Siberia around 12,600 years ago, some postulate that humans came to North America 125,000 years ago.
The Facts seem to allow that the Indians were definitely here before Hoppy. They flourished at Cahokia with staggering scientific knowledge of the Sun, Moon and Stars, taught settlers the meaning of democracy, developed Maise (Corn) as a staple, and built ceremonial mounds 10 stories (100 Feet) high. There were one heck of a lot of Native Americans here before Custer went on his killing sprees.
I have no idea how I, or anyone else, could have graduated from High School without knowing something about our Native American Ancestors.
I am going to dig deeper into this. I really dislike being stupid.

Kindness

Kindness

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Friendly is defined as being pleasant. Generous is defined as showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected. Considerate is defined as being careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others.
When you look at the photograph above, the young man is certainly exibiting kindness; he is definitely giving more of himself than expected; and he is being careful not to inconvenience or harm the handicapped lady yet he is certainly being being inconvenienced and experiencing unpleasantness by getting wet or possibly ill.
So do we have a dilema? Is the definition of kindness above a complete one?
If we look harder at the picture we might see that the young man has a smile and a look of satisfaction on his face, the onlookers are thinking what a nice young man he is, and the lady has a thankful look. Maybe minutes later a shop owner runs out with a towel for the young man, or a barista brings him a cup of warm coffee, or several others come out and open the car door and assist the lady into her car, or a policeman pulls up and stops traffic.
I have been afforded kindness, and each time the experience has etched itself into my memory and stitched itself into the fabric of my human experience.
I think a better definition of kindness might be; “the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate; to your own inconvenience and possible harm; knowing the action has made you, the person to whom you have extended the kindness, and the world in general, become better for your efforts.”
Extend kindness. If you have recieved kindness, cherish it.

Elections and Money

The Media, Democrats, fringe left podcasters, and all nutjobs in general accuse the Republicans of being the Fat Cats, the Wealthy and the Greedy Businessmen. Take a look at this.

The top diagram shows the sources of wealth in the United States, and the diagram on the bottom shows the Blue locations that voted for Clinton in the 2016 Election. ANY QUESTIONS? Please wake up America and check your facts.