THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER

A lawyer friend from Spartambirg, South Carolina said the shootings in Charleston galvanized Americans who really care to do something meaningful. 

THE FLAG COMES DOWN

God bless them and truly this is a good thing. Was it worth the death of 9 good people. No, but we have no say in the tragic events like this. We cannot control a misguided mad man full of ignorance and hate. We can only react and South Carolinians did. They did what they could. It was a long time coming. But, the time came. God bless them. 

BE CAREFUL ASKING SOMEONE, how are you unless you are prepared for the answer.

I Hanging out at STARBUCKS. 

"How are you?" (Lady sits across from me at long table)

"How much time do you have" 

I smile. "How much do you need?"

"My friend just died." 

"Sorry." 

"He was seventy seven." 

Silence

"Had he been sick long?" 

"He lived a hard life. Wife stepped off a curb in SF, run over, killed. Two sons. One killed in auto accident. 

Second one died of AIDS. The couple in a great act of charity, adopted three brothers from alcoholic parents. They turned out awful." 

I AM THINKING THAT THIS SHOULD BE A TV SHOW. 

ASSISTED SUICIDE

One of the things that has always appealed to me about California is how they weron the cutting edge, pushing the envelope, coloring outside the lines, whatever. Now, to not have an assisted suicide law is insane. And, to let the Catholic Church be the stumbling block is f..king double insane. 

THE CAPTAIN AHSO DEFENSE

Following along with the idea that for just once we would like to hear a politician or someone in power spew forth with an "I F..Ked up. Forget it. But, hope springs eternal. 

Captain Ahso was the pilot of a Japanese Airliner who landed his plane in the San Francisco Bay. His landing was so smooth that the passengers didn’t even realize it until they saw sailboats. When all the furor died down, the FAA had a hearing and Captain Ahso was the first witness. The interrogator said something like, “Captain Ahso tell us what happened. With all the sophisticated navigation equipment available to you, plus a clear, beautiful day, and you managed still to land five miles out in the San Francisco Bay? What happened?” The courtroom was quiet, all eyes were on Captain Ahso. Finally he said, “CAPTAIN AHSO FUCK UP!” There you have it.

FOR ONCE

Wouldn't you love to hear some politician just for once say, I FUCKED UP. Forget it, it ain't going to happen. The tragic shooting of an innocent women in SF by a convicted 7 times felon, an illegal, just sad. The lenient policy, lack of cooperation between local and Feds: attorney general, Sheriff, Mayor, just about every fat, dumb, and happy political type, denying all. When they could simply say, "WE F..Ked UP."

FEEDBACK

READERS RESPONSE. 

Too good not to share. 

Shakespeare in the wilds of NC; what a deal. It conjures up all kinds of interesting images. I too was touched by Obama's eulogy and singing of Amazing Grace. Of course, it was all made possible by the victims families' forgiving the killer. What a wonderful, Christian act. And talk about taking the wind out of the Christian Right/conservatives' sails. How can they put a negative spin on that? Talk about the hand wringing and teeth knashing that must be going on in that quarter. Anyway, what a magnificent gesture. And, as I said, I thought Obama was terrific. 

And speaking of the Pres, his stock has to have gone up in the past week or so. Confederate battle flags coming down in state capitals, the Supreme Court's affirmation of the ACA and gay marriage, his eulogy, the establishment of a US embassy in Cuba and vice versa, trade agreements, etc. All of a sudden things seem to be going in the Presidents direction. About time as far as I'm concerned. 

And there is some hilarity going on too. The "Donald" declares his run for president and then immediately steps on his pecker big time. What a massive adverse reaction. One of the networks even pulled the Miss America Pageant. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy :). What an idiot. 

All in all an interesting, and perhaps very historically important week in our country's evolution. 

Hope all is well with you wherever you are. Have a great 4th of July weekend. 

MEMORIES

KRecently I took s trip "around the battlefield" as Al Pachino said in "Scent of a Woman." My euphemism for "memory lane of where I grew up. " It was great, and I love to do it as a reminder of my roots. 

An example: I asked someone about the tobacco scene in NC. No small farms anymore but large tobacco conglomerates. When I was growing up, every farmer of any size had a patch of tobacco. It was a cash crop. I was about 6-8 years old. Most all my four brothers were home. None of them wanted to go with Dad to take the tobacco to market. I would.  It was a process. Before the market, the tobacco had been harvested, tied in neat bundles and then literally cooked (cured). 

At the market, the tobacco would be put in these big round baskets. The buyers would come by and place a price on the tobacco. Often, it was a low price that put the farmer in a bad spot. If he sold his tobacco for less, all that work went for almost nothing. If, in a rare case, the tobacco went for a higher price, Dad would be so happy. There we were on an emotional roller coaster. Dad, now, I understand, found great comfort in my presence. 

         This is tobacco in the field. 

                                                             

 

MOVED

The President singing "Amazing Grace" brought tears to my eyes. I don't know when I have been more touched. I choose to believe it was spontaneous. He was good, can carry a tune but mainly, so sincere, so very Ametican. I was moved and every person, especially African Americans, I have spoken too and it is almost every one I see, feel the same way. They say positive things. At "Faith's Coffee Shop. (I am in Raleigh,  NC at my great Nephew's wedding) all say that out of this tragedy, good has come. Faith (that's her real name) said it had "brought us together as one." I don't know about that but I do know we've been touched and will never ever be the same, again. 

GRIEF

One of the things I feel badly about, among many, in the Charleston massacre is that the people, most effected, won't be able to have their private grief and that is very important. Now, it's the politicians, the debate over the rebel flag, like that is going to help anything, adinfinitum. Very sad. People need to be able to grieve in private. God bless them. 

WHAT MOVES AMERICANS THAT CARE

The thing that irritated me most about this heinous act is that we let some ignorant, stupid, dumb, uneducated, brainwashed biget who doesn't know his arsh fron a hole in the ground create such havoc, sadness, sense of helplessness and for me as a Souherner, shame. First of all that a stupid human being can even exist witout somebody kicking his ass till his nose bleeds, is amazing to me. 

The flip sign of the coin is that this unbelievable happening has shattered an aspect of white Americans like nothing else could, not Frrguson, not Baltimore, not Freddy Gray. Messing with their sense of decency grounded in their spiritual lives is beyond the pall. The governor of SC didn't say God bless you. (Well, she may have). She said something like, "we know they (the victims) are now in heaven. No hesitation, she invoked obviously her own Christianity. What this moronic stupid idiot has done is surface people who care, whose basic sense of race is changed forever. Watching the Rmanuel AME church service I was moved at their sense of forgiveness, Americans were moved by the process. 

GOOD FROM EVIL

I have never been much on the idea of good coming from bad. But, if I ever wanted to embrace the idea, now is it. Seeing those wonderful folks at the Emanual AME church putting their faith to work was awe inspiring. I could not do it. God bless them. 

FATHER'S DAY

Went to visit my dad. Happy Father's Day. 

I LOVE YOU

Recently someone was telling me about this program on NPR (National Public Radio) they had heard. This woman on the program was saying that her Dad never, in her whole life, said, "I love you (conversation was around Father's Day).  

By contrast, I can never, not one single time, remember when my Dad and I were together that he didn't say, "I love you", preceded usually be a kiss. 

THE CONFEDERATE FLAG

"The Charleston shooting is the largest mass shooting in a house of worship since 1991," The Washington Post, June 18, 2015 

They need to take that flag down!  I am disowning SC, the state of my birth!  Meg

 

It's time to put a symbol of rebellion and racism behind us and move toward healing and a better United States of America. Katherine

Symbols of hate and division have no place in our government. It's time to stand up for what's right and take down the Confederate flag. MSD

The Confederate flag is not a symbol of southern pride but rather a symbol of rebellion and hate. Stacy

CULTURE OF HATE

I am personally in grief over this. If we think about it, for us, if we are honest, can understand. I personally think that in the deep "South," we have produced a culture where some crazy, ignorant, brainwashed youngster could spout off such racism/fanaticism and not get called on it. 

When I was growing up, it was a culture, "blacks in their place." The "N" word was part of our vocabulary. Everything was segregated and there were all these conspiracy theories. People talked about "them and us."  We had all these social mores, i.e., I worked in a grocery store when I was about 12 and the rule was that you called a black by his first name and whites, Mr or Mrs/Miss. 

Has it changed? No! Not really. More integration in schools and the workplace but no social integration. 

We are not going to solve the race problem in our lifetime but  to me, I feel awful that we have a culture in the South where something like this can happen. 

Here is this 21 year old, goes to a black church. They are having a prayer meeting and welcome him and are so kind, he almost changes his mind. He shoots nine. 

By contrast, in San Francisco, every crazy in the world, has appeared at one time or the other but not someone like the murderer, Roof. It is just less likely to happen as somebody would be all over a racist like this. But, in the South, it does happen because nobody will get "called out." I am more than ashamed. 

Brainwashed? Sure. He's been spouting off all these slogans, hanging out, watching people nod their heads. He says, "I'm going to shoot me some n.....s." Nobody says a word. In a sense, I think all Southerners are complicit. 

LINGERING FIRE

 "Lingering Fire" touched me. (I love the title) Literally, the small volumn of poetry brought tears to my eyes on several pages. Some of the poetry you have to be a Vietbam vet "to get."  However, the mystery in the common GI expressions are touching to all, vet or not. 

Thank you for this great effort and although some think it is trite, not me, "thank you for your service." God bless.

AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:

My cousin, who was also drafted into the military but served in Egypt during the Vietnam War called yesterday.   He had read my book and and said he felt like he was in Vietnam even if he wasn't.  He too said he touched and was glad that I had written the book so people could understand even a little bit more.  Since coming home he has basically made himself . . . as he said it clearly . . . a hermit.   Before the military he was an outgoing vivacious young man.  He spends a lot of hours alone . . . . playing his guitar but has terrible stage fright.  Is this connected? . . . who knows?

EVERTBODY DIES

Recently, with the "passing" of James B Lee, (distant relative) a true "Captain of Industry, (Wall street Premier deal maker) the point is reenforced, "Everybody dies." Died at 62. Had shortness of breath on the treadmill. Goes to the hospital, dies. From what little I know, Mr. Lee was an exceptional person. TRULY, NONE OF US ARE PROMISED TOMORROW. 

I have often wondered: if we knew that we were going to die early as Mr Lee did at 62, would we live our lives any differently. 

PROFOUND

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN IT IS NOT TRUE. 

Richard, one of the characters from the HBO series, "Boardwalk Empire." He was severely wounded in WW l and nicknamed the "Tin Man" by mostly his detractors. 

VET SUICIDE

22 Vets per day do themselves in. WHY? F..K if I know. Vets taking their lives is 50% higher than the population in general. Just some ideas as possibilities. Drugs/Alcohol often involved. Little or no support system, family estrangement. Finally, the intangible: the effect of war on a soldier's psyche leads him to despair.  

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.

"Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. This just showed up in my memory. What the hay!

Personally, I think that Ms. Dolezal (pronounced DOLE-uh-zhal) can be anything she wants. I have only slightly followed this. Who the f..k ever knows about issues like race when they get all caught up in the media. It is why we have to remind ourselves with great regularity that the media is interested in a story, not the truth. 

But, an interesting issue conjured up is the so called sense of race. There are so many tentacles to it--racism is rampant in America, let's face it.  I am often amazed at how little things have changed. If Ms Dolezal wants to be black, fine. 

Race happens to be one of those areas that we are generations from where people will look at each other as persons and not black, white, etc. It is an issue that in our lifetime, cannot be solved. My view. I often say if you want to see racism, merely look no further than the President. (I am thinking the Deep South). There are great pockets of Americans that, "hate the Prez." They always come up with some policy issue: Obamacare, global bullshit, pick a subject: typical rhetoric but down deep, the psyche says,  "they don't want a 'N word' in the White House. 

I don't think there is any real identity at being white. I know blacks that the only thing black about them is their skin. Black, if meaning identifying with black poverty, joblessness, etc., forget it. They are professionals, exist in all walks of life. It is economics. F..k. If you are poor, it doesn't matter if you are purple, you are poor. 

I still think that the poor can rise in our country. If you are motivated, have drive, you can do it. If you are poor and homeless and are on the streets of LA, who cares what color you are. Not your fellow homeless. I don't know why Ms. Dolezal feels the need to identify as black. Who gives a flying fig as my dad would say. God bless her. 

BULLDOZED

I personally think the military is in trouble. The Volunteer Army has produced an aristocratic Officer Corp, educated, mostly Academy graduates. Enlisted, they are the lower socioeconomic classes. For a "fighting force" has all sorts of problems. We have way too many generals, among many problems. 

To be perfectly honest, I have become somewhat of an solationist, especially as relates the MidEast. But, all started with my own war, Vietnam. Useless war, accomplished nothing. Then Iraq, what a disaster. Afghanistan, no possibility that we can truly effect, much less basically change anything. So, what would I do. First of all, I would allow Iran, even as much as we can't forgive them for taking hostages; still, they are the only ones to get ISIS if that is our goal. (We aligned ourselves with Joseph Stalin, a mass murderer to defeat Nazi Germany. 

I would involve Assad of Syria. The Arab Spring, what good has that done but create chaos. Where do we think Assad can go. Doing more than we are doing is stupid. We don't even know the players in Syria. Yet I hear these "talking heads" giving these rosy reports. Please! The worse ones are the State Dept types. Youngsters who wouldn't know soldiering and combat if it ran over them. And, they are talking about "boots on the ground" as if they had been there. 

Anyway on a tangent. God bless. 

MORE AND MORE STUPID

Now, the U.S. (military leadership) takes an even greater stupid pill--Bases all around Iraq. HELLO! What do you think we tried for all those years. PBS (that I listen too) has these "talking heads" on. They sing the same old tired tune which hasn't worked. The only one who seems to tell it like it is, the SECDEF (Secretary of Defense) Iraqis don't seem to have the will to fight, only to retreat and resupply ISIS. 

5000 years of secretarian fighting and we think we can make a difference. I surely don't know but only that what we have been doing isn't working. What about getting out of the way and let the Iranians go at it if our goal is to defeat ISIS. Or, see what Assad can do. Some guest on PBS, referenced WW ll--to defeat Nazi Germany, we allied ourselves with Stalin, a mass murderer. 

What is true beyond a shadow of a doubt is what we are doing isn't working and more bases for Americans to occupy is bullshit. Wake up and smell the roses. 

Fighting For Their Lives

Recently, a nurse friend of mine received a nice compliment from a former patient. It was so to the point that I felt that I should respond. 

I think about your work lots. What a nice letter. The ending, "YOU ROCK." How great is that! You touch people in what you do and that is no small thing. Everybody that comes for treatment is in a life and death struggle. For many, their lives have spun out of control and you are at the pivot spot to catch them and offer some hope. Every single one of your patients has a "story." God bless you. 

Getting This Straight

IRAQ Let me get this straight once again. Billions of dollers and thousands of lost lives and problems with wounded soldiers lasting forever. 

Part of the spin when we were there in great numbers was that we were training the Iraqis to fight. So, as Dr Phil says, 'how did that work out?' Here's how?

They face off against ISIS. They "bug" out, leaving all the valuable equipment we have "given" them behind. And now, we have this great push to send more men and more equipment. Am I missing something here ?????? 

AIDS

Recently PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) did a program on preserving the history of the AIDS epidemic. Quite sobering and reminded me of how we handled the epidemic in the military. Not very good I might say. 

AIDS had begun to come in the early 80s. Really sad. The military didn't know what to do. Letterman (on the Presidio) established a "Ward" (half a floor) for HIV positive soldiers who were really sick. A trying time. The Medical Center (Letterman) became the repository for HIV positive soldiers, for the Pacific Rim. The docs/chaplains didn't want to get involved. To their credit, early on, the medical types really didn't know much about AIDS and how it happened. I finally took over the Ward myself. Hell, I was a paratrooper, think I was going to let a little sickness scare me. 

Soldiers begin to get really sick and die. The saddest experiences for me began to be when lovers/parents got involved in the death and dying process and found themselves in strange territory. 

When we had an AIDS patient to die, the local contract funeral home took the body, prepared it, at military expense, to wait further instructions. Most of the time I knew the person and was sad myself and tried to facilitate the process. More often than not, the soldier was estranged from his parents and the partner was the grieving one sitting by the bedside. 

One young soldier I remember, especially, which was more the rule than the exception. The soldier had come from Fort Riley, Kansas. A Sergeant E5 as I remember. San Francisco and the Presidio was his dream town. I didn't know all those things that came before but after the soldier was sick, the partner, a civilian, came to nurse him. He came everyday and sat by the bed, and I got to know him pretty well. Wonderful guy.  The soldier died and the partner was a heap laying on the floor when I found him. Usually I had the hospital wait for goodbyes but this one slipped by me. The general was already ticked at me plus the hospital Sergeant Major. F..K.  

The parents arrived. I met them and tried to talk about the partner. No way. They wanted nothing to do with his "sordid life", the father said. They were Christians and didn't know this son and hadn't for years but they wanted to do their Christian duty and take his body home to Texas for burial. They gathered the soldier's personal effects and left. I found the partner at the back of the chapel crying his eyes out, overwhelmed with grief. 

Accomplishments.

Tonight, I went to an investiture for a Judge. Really a nice program. His Dad and I were Army buddies. Terrific family--everybody made a speech, extolling how great the investituree was, which was true.  

Fine young troop, the now Judge. The rub always for me and it doesn't take away from his accomplishments; but, he had every advantage. Dad, a doctor; Mom, school teacher. Only child. 

What about those kids that have no advantage. If we compare, just thinking out loud, philosophically speaking, the double admiration goes to those who make it without having the advantages. 

Trannies

What do you think about the "trannies? The Bruce Jenners? Very confusing to me and the way the media plays it up, especially. Here is someone born a female, wants to be a man. Or, the other way around. What the f..K. LOL. I guess my feeling is, "people can be what they want." After all, this is "Merica."

A READER'S RESPONSE

I think more about the people in backwards towns not being given the same support and love. Bruce Jenner has resources and lots of them to make himself/herself the person he so wants to be. I think his courage is in direct alignment with his $$. In other words he /she would not be out in the open with out $$. That to me makes him a coward.Will Caitlyn set up a foundation to help others that don't have the $$$ that are flat broke and have no place to turn?

SAN FRANCISCANS

 D-Day just passed us by. It coincided this year with the sadness of the Vice President's sadness in the loss of his son, Beau. Because the VP is a public figure, he pretty much shares his grief with all of us. The sadness introduced me to Chris Matthews and his music, "Coldplay." I immediately bought the song, "Till Kingdom Come."

Here's my sadness and "shout out" for the moment. 153 San Franciscans died in Vietnam. We honor them. 

Justice in the next life

From the obit, "NY Times;" almost titled this. HEAVEN or HELL. Is their a special Hell for those who do truly terrible things. 

"Vladimir Katriuk, accused of war crimes, died at 93. Mr Katriuk and other Nazis were accused of herding nearly 200 civilians into a barn in Khatyn, Belarus, burning them alive and machine gunning those who tried to flee." 

Comments. What a terrible thing although it did occur in war. And, there is a believe that what happens in war is pre-forgiven. I don't believe it but not necessary that I believe. I am a Christian,  and do in fact believe in a special "hell" reserved for those who perpetrate a type of suffering on others or who perpetrate terrible acts against the innocent. 

O'Malley

It would appear to me that the best thing that O'Malley,  former governor of Maryland, could do, is lock himself away for a couple of days to watch HBO's, "The Wire." O'Malley is obviously  based on Carsetti, the mayor of "The Wired" or is Carsetti based on O'Malley. The mayor, Carcetti, could make good speeches, promise all kinds of things. He didn't do s..t. (Well, typical politician) our fault, we keep putting the Carsetti/O'Malleys in office. 

Everything was politics. In "The Wire," the moment he was elected Mayor, he started his campaign for governor. The fact that Baltimore was overrun by drugs, a poor educational system, corruption everywhere, those are just sidebars to getting elected. A beleaguered police department trying to carry out Carsetti's zero tolerance, mainly for the "midgets" at the lowest levels of the drug trade,

while leaving the kingpins alone. Only stats mattered. 

Carsetti (O'Malley)'s polices eventually produced a police dept of cops who gave up, reduced to doing nothing and waiting on retirement. "The Wire" should be required rewatching or maybe a new title--How to f..k up continually--leave it to politics. . 

What amazes me about a guy like O'Malley is that he has a gigantic pair (don't make me explain "pair"). All I see O'Malley brings to the table is that he sings and plays in a rock band. 

IMPOSSIBLE--Help

When I was in a Masters Program at LIU (Long Island University) in Brooklyn, we had to do a MA  paper which involved original research. My partner and I were assigned the topic of "The role of the NY City welfare system in combatting poverty. This was in the "dark" ages and the scene is so much more complicated now than then. However, some things have not changed. 

Having just finished rewatching the HBO program, "The Wite", it is almost impossible to read an investigative report like the NY Times' on "Three Quarters Houses" and not relate it, to "The Wire." the Wire dealt mostly with drugs as the overall culprit.  This "Report" is mostly about the unscrupulous people involved with the "homeless, drug addicts, the miriad of problems, too much to even come up with solutions. It is almost impossible to comprihend. The principles of the story and of the "Wire" are pretty much the same. 

The vast majority of Americans are not only uninvolved but uninformed. Not our fault but we keep looking for those political saviors which don't exist. In the "NY Times" story, there are unscrupulous landlords, lawyers, doctors, all praying on the worst of the marginalized. The main culprit rides around in a "$100,000" leased Mercedes. He continues to rip off tenants and the government mainly because like in "The Wire" the police, housing inspectors, bureaucrats designed to keep the abuse from happening, are so overwhelmed, they do nothing

The situation is so muddled and riddled with the "crooked that it simply continues. The survival of all those caught up in the morass of problems, falls on the individual themselves, it seems. If you dare, read the "Report" in the Sunday "Times." 

Perfection of the Paperclip

When I first saw this title, I though people will write a book on anything. However, after exploring, much more to this book. Check it out. 

My other thought, however: how the f..k does a guy get a book like this published. Who decided on it? For those of us who keep trying, would love to know the publishing story. 

Let's don't take away from the author, however, more power to him. 

Heretic Revisited.

Recently, at a social event, I ran into one of my favorite people. He is delightful. An heir to a liquor fortune, I have known him for years and while I am thinking of the more "base" things of life, friends, women, my transgressions, whatever, he is the epitome of the esoteric existence. My friend is a "Birkenstocks, Southern gentleman from the get go--just returned from a three month sabbatical where his guru of 15 years worked with him in meditation. What the f..K. 

In the course of us talking some southern stuff, he told me that he was the volunteer head of some multi-faith group: Christian, Buddhist, Muslim. I finally got a word in and related that I had just read Hersi Ali's book, "Heretic" and how did his involvement in this multi-faith group, square with her as she asserts that "Islam is not a peaceful religion." I briefly let him read her statement which by the way was in my iPhone, here is what she says in her intro, "In September 2001, a group of 19 Islamic terrorists flew hijacked planes into buildings in New York and Washington, D.C., killing 2,996 people. For more than thirteen years now, I have been making a simple argument in response to such acts of terrorism. My argument is that it is foolish to insist, as our leaders habitually do, that the violent acts of radical Islamists can be divorced from the religious ideals that inspire them. Instead, we must acknowledge that they are driven by a political ideology, an ideology embedded in Islam itself, in the holy book of the Qur’an as well as the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad contained in the hadith. Let me make my point in the simplest possible terms: Islam is not a religion of peace."

DO NO HARM

One of the things that make me think I want to read this book is that the Doc seems so real. I heard him interviewed on NPR (National Public Radio) by my favorite interviewer, Terry Gross.  "Real," meaning that he shares his mistakes as well as the triumphs. 

I surely have some experiences from the days when I was a big Medical Center.  On occasion, I would sometimes run across a Doc who was arrogant to the max. Surgeons especially. And, I understood it. These guys go through grueling training and when they get on the other side, they think they can leap tall buildings with a single bound and they can. Although I had some run-ins with a few, it was never personal and my respect for them is enormous still. 

One other thing that makes the book sound interesting is the comparison between systems like Great Britain and our f..Ked up one. 

DIOLOGUE

Breakfast With My Girlfriends is always interesting. Bunch of old guys who show up a few times a week for breakfast

Had this dialogue yesterday: 

Sam: (a retired lawyer) You can't say that all mosques in America are magnets for terrorism. 

Jay: (still practicing Doc). Why not?

Sam: Well, could you say all churches are magnets for terrorism?

Doc: They are not trying to kill us. Sam, you just like to argue. 

Sam: F..k you. 

Doc: Don't take it personal. I just finished Ali Hersi's book, Heretic. Fabulous book. If you read it, you'll never see Islam the same way, again. 

TALKING "Merica"

Yesterday, I went into a store in San Fran to buy a lottery ticket for my wife. We have a little joke, she wants to win the lottery so she could help a lot of mankind. The problem is that she has to buy a ticket. 

The clerk in the store seemed pretty hostile. He made some reference to his country, looked Middle Eastern (comments obviously subjective). I didn't engage him but laughed and said, "Want to make your customers feel good? Tell them you love 'Merica.' " I emphasized the Southern pronunciation. I smiled and moved on. 

Afterwards, I got to thinking. I really don't get it. Many immigrants that so desire to get to "Merica" don't seem to grasp what "Merica" has that is unexcelled anywhere in the world--freedom. We have a f..Ked up Congress, lots of selfish people, bigots, whatever; 330 mil, got to have a smattering of everything/everybody; but we have freedom. You can curse the country, say awful things about the Prez, whatever. You can get a sign and have on it, "F..K you very much;" and, march in front of City Hall. Nobody is going to come and cart you off. FREEDOM. 

HOMELESS

San Francisco spends 166 million per year on the homeless. 

BERLIN

YRecently a friend visited Berlin. He had this to say, "The effects of immigration are very obvious. It is easier to find Thai or Indian or Turkish  Muslim restaurants, etc, than it is a German ones. The Indian restaurant, just across the street from the former American Army hospital, featured Indian food with Switzerland on the side; and, a rare authentic German restaurant was owned and operated by Russians. When we expressed a desire for a bockworst or Bratwurst, we were taken to a street stand reputed to be the best in the city; they knew it was upgraded by Asian Indians and heavy on curry and light on German mustard; not what we were looking for. Our final meal eating out was in an “authentic” German facility located in the former East Berlin and beneath active elevated train/bahn tracks. 

The natives seemed concerned but not alarmed about the approach of the day or generation when they may become the minority in their own city (Berlin).

Memorial Day

Our good friend, Victoria, a WAC (Woman's Army Corp), loved Memorial Day--mainly that she could give various non-military types a block of instruction on the fact that Memorial Day was to honor those who had paid the ultimate price for their country. She would emphasize that other holidays honored soldiers. This one, Memorial Day, is for those, in her words, "who have passed." Victoria has passed.  

BRAVE EAGLE

In Vietnam, we got this Battalion  Commander in who decided that to motivate the troops, he would have a coin made and give every soldier that could verify he had killed an enemy, a Brave Eagle coin. It didn't go over because at this stage, we'd been in country about ten months and all anybody wanted to do is stay alive. The sorry "mother" drove around the AO in a 

LOH, (light observation helicopter). It didn't take any time for the VC to shoot him down. When the admin people were going through his personal effects, they found all these "Brave Eagle" coins. They didn't know what to do so they gave 'em to me, which happened often--reminds me of another war story. I'll hold it. . After Vietnam I found the "coins" in some of my Vietnam souvenirs that I hung onto. For a year or so, I gave out the "Brave Eagles." You cannot imagine how coveted they became. I was besieged with soldiers wanting a coin. In fact, what reminded me of this was an email from a soldier wanting to know where he could get one. 

MEMORIAL DAY

You are awarded this Brave Eagle for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. In complete disregard for your own personal safety, under a hail of enemy and rocket fire, you persevered to make it to the Bayside. 

MEMORIAL DAY

I am not much on memorials but they are reality. What invariably happens after wars, a nation builds memorials. A nation of those who give a F..k which ain't Vietnam was different. For sure, nobody gave a hang about that war and especially those who fought in it. Vietnam is probably the only war where the Warriors got blamed for the war. 

This Memorial Day I wanted to do something different. 

FAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE

In Iraq, there's a sure thing: ISIS mounts an attack. The Iraqi Security Forces bug out, leaving valuable American equipment which ISIS takes for their own. 

THE AMERICAN STRATEGY

The Americans agreed to expand and speed shipments of military equipment to Iraqi Security Forces (ISIS). 

                                From the WSJ

STILL ALICE

Delivering bad news in a medical setting is never easy. The Docs (not criticism, physicians want to heal and when they can't, they often don't know how to handle it) were notoriously inept in talking to patients and giving them the "word" if it was bad. Most, even older physicians, struggled with their bedside manner in this arena. 

I am in the early thought processes of putting together a book of my time in an Army Medical Center and was reminded of the "bad news" delivery when I recently saw the movie, "Still Alice." Julianne Moore received an Oscar for portraying Dr. Alice Howland, a linquistics professor with early on Alzheimer's (50). Although a hard movie to watch, a wonderful one in terms of facing a difficult subject. In fact, my wife would not see it, too sad. 

Julianne Moore began to have little lapses in memory and when she got lost while running, she knew something was happening. As the movie portrayed it, without hesitation, she checks it out. The actor who played the Doc was great. Unlike many I've known where delivering less than good news was tough, the Doc in the movie said to Julianne Moore's character something like, "You have early on-set of Alzheimer's and it is only going to get worse." 

In "Still Alice," it does; denial starts and the drama of dealing with the disease in everyday activities begins. Lots of lessons to take from the movie. Her character, Dr.Alice Howland makes this wonderful speech, where she acknowledges what is happening to her.  She says something like, I am still Alice but struggling.  

The family mostly comes around with the exception of Alec Baldwin who plays the husband. I thought he was good. Most of the critics weren't all that kind to him, however. 

Without a doubt, the best scene is where she has planned to end her life. It is one of the best positively contrived I've ever seen. There are so many good points in this movie, one among many are the lines she delivers, "I had rather have cancer. " And, the Doc's suggestion, something like, "we can't turn this around but there are little tricks you can do."

 Force yourself, however painful, to see this movie. I have been totally unsuccessful in getting family/friends to see it. This is one of those movies that could truly do something for you, other than entertain you. 

THE WIRE

My wife and I are rewatching the HBO series, "The Wire." Since it is set in Baltimore and Baltimore has recently been the poster child for race relations and Police in "Merica," we thought, "is this a case where art, so to speak, imitates life. Uncanny are the similarities. After viewing an episode recently, She asked, "Is there a character in the show that is not corrupt, dealing drugs, overly ambitious, adinfinitum? NO, not really--a pretty sad commentary, if you translate that to life. 

IRAQ

My prediction always has been that eventually ISIS will take IRAQ. Next on their plate is Baghdad. So, how has this happened. F..k if I know, although the Sunday NY Times has a pretty good explanation. The Secdef (Secretary of Defense) finally has said what any "thinking" American is seeing. In Iraq, the Itaqi Defense Force knows, "cut and run." The Secdef says they don't have the "will" to fight. 

POTSDAM and Goebbels

My misgivings of the WSJ's editorial positions aside, I do have a love/hate relationship with the Journal but love their book reviews; mainly because of length. Two books they reviewed, I am going to read. Goebbels, a f..king crazy who along with his crazy wife, poisoned their six children in a show of fanaticism for Hitler. In a sense, fanatics like ISIS are not any worse that nuts like the Goebbels. 

The second book is "Potsdam," the Conference of Allied World Leaders, at the close of WW ll in Europe; at least from Truman's perspective, if I could guess, he was searching out the peace. 

In a sense, a little tidbit that I hadn't thought about: Roosevelt suffered from heart failure. He knew it and did not expect to live through his fourth term. Consequently, he chose the little known Truman as his VP for his ending. (Much speculation, why?)

Potsdam, the summit, established Truman as very much seeking peace while all those around him clamored for more war. 

Truman's management style seems much like our current President. On the "Myers Briggs Type Indicator." Both, I think, are ENTJs. For instance, all around the Prez, are the Republicans wanting more involvement in the MidEast when it has already proven we can't do s..t. The Iraqis couldn't get their act together when we were over there in full force and now facing ISIS, they definitely can't. 

I get so f..king tired of the "talking heads,"  'The President isn't engaged enough" Bullshit! The President gives someone a job, he expects them to do it. We don't want him farting around with a do nothing Congress. We want him trying to run the country. 

A Good Life Wasn't Enough

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston bomber, now sentenced to death is more than tragic. First of all up front, let me say as a rule, I don't believe in the death penalty. It seems too extreme to me for a civilized society; but, that having been said, I think the jury got it right. There are some crimes so heinous that someone like Tsamaev forfeits his life among civilized people. 

What fascinates and saddens me about him is that our way of life was not enough to make him resistant to this heinous act. To such a crime, the question, is religion that strong? Islam apparently is. A handsome kid, introduced to all that America has: education, warm and comfortable existence; friends, family, not perfect but supportive: no telling what other opportunities. And, he is stupid beyond belief. 

My belief? F..k yes but the only one I have. Maybe I am deluding myself but how this kid could be this callous: way beyond me. WTF. 

BRER RABBIT

TEAM OF TEAMS

Upfront, I need to announce that I don't like Generals. Why? More philosophy  than actual. I haven't had good experiences with the "stars." Most of the time, I've seen that generals begin to believe their own press. I think that McChrystal is one of those. I confess too that I haven't read the book, rather this long review in the WSJ. I will not bore you with my view of the "Journal" either. 

 

I don't doubt that some of his/co-authors view of good leadership is OK but not much. It is hard not to look at several decisions in Iraq where the public, because they didn't know or understand, just accepted decisions at face value. The so called "surge" is one. First of all, it wasn't some general's idea, rather a young battalion commander who had the idea of separating the factions. And it didn't involve new tactics. Simply, it paid off the Sunnis who were killing us. They switched sides, the killing stopped and all was great until we stopped paying them and they switched back; the killing started again. What a way to fight a war!

 Where, from The Review, it seems that military style leadership can be added to a civilian mix. Noway. There are too many variables. Danger and killing or dying just to name a couple. Being in combat is no day at the beach and not a time to test leadership principles. 

From the "Review," there's a really good example from Starbucks. Since I am writing this at SBs, not sure where this is suppose to go. I do know that SBs is a business that "gets it." If SBs is a "Team of Teams," example, they've nailed it. 

I hate to put the bad mouth on my fellow North Carolinian but I laughed big time as I had a conspiracy theory about how McChrystal lost his job. He set it up. Bad mouthing the Prez in front of a reporter. He knew Iraq was a "fast train to nowhere," which has proven to be true; and he wanted out. Talk about Brer Rabbit in the Brier Patch. 

HAVES AND HAVE NOTS

There is absolutely no area where the "haves and have nots" are as visible as in health care. If you have the "means" you can exhaust all possibilities for healing. 

This is not to take away from Tom Brokaw and his book, A Lucky Life Interrupted...thanks to his considerable financial resources, his friends in high places, this statement is simple fact. 

There is absolutely no area where the "haves and have nots" are as visible as in health care. If you have the "means" you can exhaust all possibilities for healing. 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THiS PICTURE

The U. S. has called an Arab Summit and the Arabs are not Showing

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

My top 10 things I learned from my Mother.

1. Love of flowers - daffodils, roses and hydrangeas 
2. Awareness of and appreciation for birds - robin redbreast
3. Need for wearing lipstick - add a smile and start the day!
4. Work the room - meet and greet!
5. Step up, it's show time - We wish you a Merry Christmas!
6. Love the church - attend and support
7. Figure out something to do and stick to it -Sunday afternoon letters,  post cards to people in the hospitals, roses for the piano on Wednesday night's prayer meeting, WMU meetings, painting, remember those serving in the Military.
8. Support your partner - examples too numerous to mention.  Did she ever miss a church service?
9. Motto - never forget who you are!  As I age each day and forget things, this has new meaning!
10. Love the scriptures - the crown jewel, Psalm 91.   {{{{Jackie}}}}

MOTHER'S DAY

MY BROTHER RAZ

One Mother's Day especially sticks out to me. Mom was in Duke Hospital when I was in the 7th grade. She had this mysterious illness which took her to within a whisper of death. She had a high fever and did not respond to anything. In a semi coma, eventually the docs determined she had been bitten by a Black Widow Spider. She was very sick but once they began treating her to rid herself of the poison, she began a slow recovery. 

I went to live with my older brother, Raz,  who was a High School coach. It was not the greatest year of my life. We were tobacco farmers. I went from having no structure to not bring able to breathe. As I think of that year, I remember one positive thing about it: Mother's Day and Raz and I went to visit Mom in the hospital. Just us. It was great. We laughed and carried on. My brother loved comics  and didn't want anybody knowing he was reading them. We stopped on the way back and bought every single different comic that the drugstore had and read them all--a sweet Mother's Day memory. 

TEXAS TAKES A STUPID PILL

Just when you think you have heard it all, Texas jumps up and becomes the epitome of stupid: diverting HIV funds to go for abstinence only education. And Texas has about the highest HIV of anywhere. 

Teaching abstinence--you have got to be s..ting me. Teenagers in the backseat of a 49 Ford, all heated up and we think they will stop to discuss whether they are going to have sex. You have got to be kidding me. 

IRAQ

HOW TO F..K 

UP A TWO CAR 

FUNERAL PROCESSION. We call it Iraq and this book sounds like an affirmation of it. 

ALZHEIMER'S

Today, I went to a fund raiser for the Alzheimer's Association. The sad part of the disease is when you see people who have lived long and rich lives and they end up not knowing they're in the world. Early Alzeheimers is especially sad. 

The luncheon was good. It was a salad and only costs, $250. Well worth it. Much chest beating bu the Asso and rightly so. They are a good organization and do lots of good at the ground level, especially helping people cope with the diagnosis, along with supportive help. 

The financial contribution goes, according to the Association, toward research. Some stats: every 27 seconds someone is diagnosed with the disease. Today, they had a wife and her husband, early sixties. She told about

their struggles. He gave his own testimony. Very inspiring. 

My reservation and it is slight. (Big point is that Alzheimer's receives much less government funding for research than say, cancer). The idea is that this is inequitable. My idea, why not? Let's face it, most Alzheimer's patients are older, have lived long and rich lives. And, although sad, time to hit the road--a loved one, 80 plus. Time to go. 

Freud's Birthday

Today is the birthday of Sigmund Freud.  In his honor we can attest to the theory of psychoanalysis that he promoted by acknowledging the sorry state of the mental health of Sam, Michael, Johnson, Mr. Bicknell, Dave, Joe, Dr. Paul, Larry, Scott, Elise, Fernanda, Rebecca, Andy, and Mayor Ed Lee, and the fake Marine of San Rafael.

Have a nice day; dream on!

MOST AMERICANS ARE STUPID

I use to have a blog called, "Most Americans Are Stupid." I know it sounds arrogant but I believed it. Not dumb but stupid. 

I was really encouraged after the President's first term election, not in terms of politics as much as a new direction after what I considered 8 years of disaster; two wars and the worst economy since the Great Depression. 

My hopes have not materialized and I am thinking of reviving my blog, mainly because of the next presidential election. An example: Hillary and Bill have typical Clinton problems (honesty/credibility) but it seems to make no difference to polled Democratic  voters. In full disclosure, I confess that I will vote for Hillary if that is the only choice but what about Bernie Sanders. New ideas but it is as though he got lost at the train station. WTF. As of yet, no traction for Bernie. Crazy. 

HERETIC

 The terrific book by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, "Heretic," should be read by every American.  Basically, she this moment said to me, "if you were a blogger in Bangladesh and said something critical about Islam, they would come to your house, drag you out and hack you to death." This happened. What the f..K, this is what we face according to Ali.  

Having read her book, "Infidel," I was hooked. She is a terrific voice of reason even while enduring  some disappointing views from America. I apologize on their behalf. Ostracized because of her views and a victim of political correctness, she more than answers her critics in "Heretic."

Even when she was in the Netherlands, with all their chest beating on their great display of tolerance, I didn't think they did such a hot job of supporting her. With a courageous person like Ali, they should have been falling all over themselves. And then when her good friend was killed by  a fanatic, they didn't appear to be very outraged; that incident was brutal.   As she was relating the experiences of intolerance, I thought, "come on to 'Merica' (NASCAR pronunciation). "

I was especially happy to see her "call out" all these colossal assholes who either were intimidated, i.e.,  the President of Brandeis. Coward--to let some faculty and students with un-American views, determine what he was going to do. What the f..k. No guts. 

And, proves her point that you can say what you want against most anything/anybody but you better not criticize Islam. Why is it threatening to a liberal view to point out the obvious. And, to accuse her of being am Islamaphobe. What the f..k is that. 

Here is something really interesting, having been a former publisher, I watched "Heretic" debut at 8th on the NY Times best seller list only to  disappear quickly. What the hell. 

My personal belief is that her book, in calling out those in politics and in general, to include our own president, on their wrong headed look at Islam, kind of doomed the sales of "Heretic. " 

I don't want this to sound like some conspiracy theory but there is the old American "live and let live" which we think can be extended to Islam. Not so according to Ali, for lots of reasons. Read the book. 

In the book she tells a great life story which is quite inspirational. Liberals (I hate labels) like myself would like to think that tolerance ruled the day. Forget that. 

According to Ali, there has to be "Reform." But, this is "Alice in Wonderland." By her own admission, the worst thing any Christian has ever said to her is "God bless you." She is heavily guarded and from who. Sure as hell not from a bunch of evangelical Christians, "you convert or you die." Think of a recent event as an example. Migrants are on a leaky vessel escaping from tyranny, and yet along the (haven't verified this but there have been several accounts), way on this dangerous journey, the Muslims took time to throw twelve Christians overboard. These are the people that Hershi Ali wants to reform Islam. I don't think so.  

NOT PROMISED TOMORROW

David Goldberg died on Friday from head injuries after collapsing on a treadmill at a luxury villa in Mexico, according to the authorities. He was 47 and the chief executive of SurveyMonkey, an online polling service.

NONE OF US ARE PROMISED TOMORROW. 

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton said he's still going to take half a mill $$$ for a speech. "Got to pay the bills," he says. Bill actually looks bad. He ought to occasionally revert to the old days of having a Whopper. Plus, he says that the Family Foundation will continue to accept money from foreign donations. Of course, big bucks contributions won't influence Bill and Hillary. Everybody who believes that raise your hand?

THE WIRE

It is hard to think of Baltimore and not  think of "The Wire". Those from Baltimore surely didn't like it and accused "The Wire" of giving the wrong image of their city. I surely understand. 

Was "The Wire" an accurate picture of Baltimore. I think for what it did. Drugs and how pervasive they were to their own people. 

   

The view of police and their relationship to poverty, no jobs, lack of education, inequity of income, played a big part in the HBO Show. Should I go on? Very sad.

The Series dealt with a value system, not only the residents (place that we now associate with Sandtown--we've learned since the killing of Freddy Gray; but, how the police value system showed an utter disregard for hard work, rather an entrenched attitude based on how little they could do. They had no interest in justice, openness or even basic honesty. Into this environment came Jimmy McNalty, far from being a hero even though he wanted to be a good cop/detective, he tried. A few like Jimmy float across the way but not many. 

 Can anything be done in a place like Baltimore. Sure. How long will it take? 50 years at least. Racism is alive and well in our country and it ain't going away easily. God bless us all.