A fellow POW, Philip Butler, in Viet Nam with John McCain speaks out. I link it here because it is long. He cites the lack of being impressed with McCain's standing of 5th from the bottom in a class of 800 from the Naval Academy. Furthermore, he had arrived 2 1/2 years earlier than McCain, spending a total of 8 years of his life there at the 'Hanoi Hilton'. There is a major focus in his description that nothing a POW did would recommend his competence for being President of the USA. Most striking is his observation that he may be a maverick but his political views mimic those of the man he purportedly hates, G W Bush.
Another who writes on a similar theme is Michael Moore, who dares ask and say what the cowardly media does not dare write. I have not yet read the Michael Moore book, Mike's Election Guide 2008. Posted by Liliana Segura, AlterNet staff writer, she quotes Moore as asking what is so heroic about McCain being shot down while bombing innocent civilians? She does not "Swift Boat' him, merely puts what he did and who he is in proper perspective. If you have any interest in who becomes our next President, it would behoove you to read both articles and make your own conclusions after you've decided in whom you can place your trust of the red button control, the US economy, and the White House and all the appointments that a President will make for the next four years.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
"WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE BUT NOT A DROP TO DRINK"
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, wrote as the Albatross was beginning to be avenged:
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
The situation of life-imperative, available, drinking water raises its specter constantly. On the West Bank, there is a water shortage. From AljazeerEnglish comes: "Water shortage in the West Bank"
"The Middle East is in the grip of a drought.
In Israel, it's just beginning to have an impact, but just a few miles away in the occupied West Bank, the crisis is much more acute."
We who never experience drought to that extent can hardly understand the hardships. Click on the right side, on the lady with the head covering to watch the video.
In the US, there is a town with a public spring pump. Neighbors have complained of too much traffic so the plan is for the State to shut it down.
Flooding and raw sewage becomes a great problem.
Thus water can be a blessing and a curse, like so many things in our lives! We can't live with it or without it, under so many often misunderstood conditions.
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
The situation of life-imperative, available, drinking water raises its specter constantly. On the West Bank, there is a water shortage. From AljazeerEnglish comes: "Water shortage in the West Bank"
"The Middle East is in the grip of a drought.
In Israel, it's just beginning to have an impact, but just a few miles away in the occupied West Bank, the crisis is much more acute."
We who never experience drought to that extent can hardly understand the hardships. Click on the right side, on the lady with the head covering to watch the video.
In the US, there is a town with a public spring pump. Neighbors have complained of too much traffic so the plan is for the State to shut it down.Flooding and raw sewage becomes a great problem.
Thus water can be a blessing and a curse, like so many things in our lives! We can't live with it or without it, under so many often misunderstood conditions.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
RACHMANINOV PLAYS HIS OWN WORKS
Tonight a local PBS channel played a video of Leonard Bernstein conducting a German orchestra and chorus doing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Despite the age of the recording and the degradation of the acoustics, it was a magnificent interpretation. I'd forgotten how great Leonard Bernstein had been since he did so many things so well and has been gone from the current radar for such a long time.
It really raises my moods when I realize how much wonderful music has been made over the years and how fortunate we are to have so much of it available to us today. For about 60 years I have carted around original recordings of Sergei Rachmanov playing some of his own pieces. They have been in my various basements over the years and I can't bear to part with them until I can find someone who can turn them into something that can be heard with today's equipment. Since I have not seen them on DVD in any catalogs, I'm assuming that either the originals are lost or someone picked up the copyright and is sitting on them. Whatever the explanation, I would dearly love to hear the composer playing his own pieces.
With that thought came the enlightenment that I have not Googled for these in the recent past. Remarkably, Amazon offers some CDs of the composer playing some of his own pieces. There is one that is a recording of a piano roll series though there are other performances actually playing the piano, as well.
As I write this, I realize my homework is incomplete. My first task is to go to the basement, find them if they have not been tossed away by relatives who think they can make decisions for me about what I want or need of my own belongings. Then, I guess, I have to go on a serious 2008 hunt for what had not been previously available to me.
Wish me luck in my search.
It really raises my moods when I realize how much wonderful music has been made over the years and how fortunate we are to have so much of it available to us today. For about 60 years I have carted around original recordings of Sergei Rachmanov playing some of his own pieces. They have been in my various basements over the years and I can't bear to part with them until I can find someone who can turn them into something that can be heard with today's equipment. Since I have not seen them on DVD in any catalogs, I'm assuming that either the originals are lost or someone picked up the copyright and is sitting on them. Whatever the explanation, I would dearly love to hear the composer playing his own pieces.
With that thought came the enlightenment that I have not Googled for these in the recent past. Remarkably, Amazon offers some CDs of the composer playing some of his own pieces. There is one that is a recording of a piano roll series though there are other performances actually playing the piano, as well.
As I write this, I realize my homework is incomplete. My first task is to go to the basement, find them if they have not been tossed away by relatives who think they can make decisions for me about what I want or need of my own belongings. Then, I guess, I have to go on a serious 2008 hunt for what had not been previously available to me.
Wish me luck in my search.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
AM I THE ONLY ONE SEEING?
The lump om the left hand side of McCain's face seems to be growing. 
Today, on TV, it appeared there was a light scar through it. Looking for pictures, I find many of them do not show that side, preferring to photograph him from his right side.
In the rare candids showing the left side of his face,
the two sides do not match. Since I long ago lost faith in Republican credibility, I am deeply concerned as to the state of his health. His bout with cancer cannot be taken lightly. There have been repeated assertions that he is in good health and I certainly hope that is true for him though I become even more concerned that his choice for VP not be one of his early fellow candidates who has proven to the country that he should not be a candidate choice.
In a NY Times Op-Ed column on 8/19/2008, David Brooks talks about how McCain used to be himself and promised to run his own clean campaign. Has anyone else concluded that it is not allowed in the Republican Party? I quote David Brooks" " McCain and his advisers have been compelled to adjust to the hostile environment around them. They have been compelled, at least in their telling, to abandon the campaign they had hoped to run. Now they are running a much more conventional race, the kind McCain himself used to ridicule.
The man who lampooned the Message of the Week is now relentlessly on message (as observers of his fine performance at Saddleback Church can attest). The man who hopes to inspire a new generation of Americans now attacks Obama daily. It is the only way he can get the networks to pay attention. "
I have in the past written about my dismay with the power that the media has taken to slant coverage their way. I heard words used that indicated that they needed to make the campaign more exciting and missed the negative (and dirty) campaigning so they worked at bringing it back and succeeded. Many are to journalism what Bush has been to the Constitution!
Today, on TV, it appeared there was a light scar through it. Looking for pictures, I find many of them do not show that side, preferring to photograph him from his right side. In the rare candids showing the left side of his face,
the two sides do not match. Since I long ago lost faith in Republican credibility, I am deeply concerned as to the state of his health. His bout with cancer cannot be taken lightly. There have been repeated assertions that he is in good health and I certainly hope that is true for him though I become even more concerned that his choice for VP not be one of his early fellow candidates who has proven to the country that he should not be a candidate choice.In a NY Times Op-Ed column on 8/19/2008, David Brooks talks about how McCain used to be himself and promised to run his own clean campaign. Has anyone else concluded that it is not allowed in the Republican Party? I quote David Brooks" " McCain and his advisers have been compelled to adjust to the hostile environment around them. They have been compelled, at least in their telling, to abandon the campaign they had hoped to run. Now they are running a much more conventional race, the kind McCain himself used to ridicule.
The man who lampooned the Message of the Week is now relentlessly on message (as observers of his fine performance at Saddleback Church can attest). The man who hopes to inspire a new generation of Americans now attacks Obama daily. It is the only way he can get the networks to pay attention. "
I have in the past written about my dismay with the power that the media has taken to slant coverage their way. I heard words used that indicated that they needed to make the campaign more exciting and missed the negative (and dirty) campaigning so they worked at bringing it back and succeeded. Many are to journalism what Bush has been to the Constitution!
LIQUOR CHOICES HAVE CHANGED
Saffron Gin: New Saffron Premium Gin from the world famous micro distillers of Dijon Gabriel Boudier was launched at Bar06 in June. It created huge interest with the trade. Based on an old colonial recipe of the 19th Century that was recently re-discovered, Saffron Gin contains eight fresh botanicals: Juniper, Coriander, and Lemon, Orange peel, Angelica seeds, Iris, Fennel and Saffron. Saffron Gin is only produced in small batches using a traditional pot still.
Old Mr. Boston put out a Bartender's Guide in 1935. Others may have preceded it but that is the first one I owned, in 1949 in its 8th printing. In those years most people drank gin martinis, 2 parts plain gin with 1 part Vermouth and an olive in a stemmed glass. It was shaken over ice to partially dilute it, served straight up. For those who disliked gin, a Manhattan, 2 parts whiskey, 1 part sweet Vermouth, made and served in the same stemmed glass. similarly as a martini but served with a cherry. There were many cocktails but few bars catered to exotic tastes or stocked all the necessary requirements. In 1970 I bought a more recent edition.New cocktails were added and many were dropped. The Approve Cocktail being one dropped. Made with bourbon, bitters and Curacao with twists of orange and lemon peels, it had apparently succumbed to newer taste fads. Today there is no reason to buy a book such as those. One can use Google to find a new drink. Today there are more than a hundred Martini recipes alone.
The bartender could still mix from scratch and if you wanted a Bloody Mary (tomato juice with vodka) he could mix it to taste...a dash of Tabasco and a few dollops of Worcestershire sauce to the patron's taste. Not so today. Some bars even have an automated bartend for many drinks. Everything is pre-mixed and extras, lemon or lime slices, olives, pickled onions, salt or sugar for glass rims and cherries are often handled by the waitresses who forget them.
In my past life I used to sit at bars, check out the stock and could pretty much
predict the clientèle. Checking with the bartender, I was usually spot on. Today, little is different on that score. A good restaurant may list a single malt Scotch (formerly a choice item) as a typical choice. A fifth had 21 or 22 shots. At the prices charged, buying a bottle a shot at a time would have been an exorbitant price and remains so to date. A 12 year old Macallan's single malt which sells for less than $47 would return $198. in a nice restaurant.I suppose the above is a testament to man's creativity, marketing skills, and the gullibility of the mass population to follow the fad leader.
Monday, August 18, 2008
LEAVING COMMENTS
Like everything else in my life, it took more than an hour to find why so many are having a problem leaving a comment on my blog. I finally found a place that said only those with a gmail account may comment (though some others, I believe, have been able to comment anonymously and give their identity within the message itself.
Anyone wishing to comment can register for a free gmail account (which is not a bad spare account to have if you wish to buy something or explore sites you do not wish to send spam to your regular email account. I have used a second account when I am forced to use webmail and I want to store something that I can download on my home computer. A gmail account remains on the server rather than downloading into your computer as many other email programs do.
Do consider getting a free account if you do not yet have gmail as I really love to hear feedback from people who read my blog. Many have come on from referrals to subjects and I wish I could dialog more about our shared interests.
Anyone wishing to comment can register for a free gmail account (which is not a bad spare account to have if you wish to buy something or explore sites you do not wish to send spam to your regular email account. I have used a second account when I am forced to use webmail and I want to store something that I can download on my home computer. A gmail account remains on the server rather than downloading into your computer as many other email programs do.
Do consider getting a free account if you do not yet have gmail as I really love to hear feedback from people who read my blog. Many have come on from referrals to subjects and I wish I could dialog more about our shared interests.
TAX FREE DAYS
There are rare times when I do not attempt to question the wisdom of our State legislature. On August 16th and 17th this year we once again have tax free shopping days.I could see no way this could be helpful to me as I did not have the budget for, nor plan to buy, big ticket items. Nevertheless, I bought a sewing machine I had been wanting for many months, saving $16.45. Now that would buy me a nice lunch or even a dinner out.
Since I was expecting family to arrive, I needed some groceries. I went to the local Costco and roamed around doing my shopping. While there, I looked around for all the taxable items that I could use though storage becomes a problem since my house is a blivet (3 pounds manure in a 2 pound bag). I saved another $
23.49 and now have paper goods to last a while, some items that will probably outlive me, and even less room to walk through my basement.
I'm not certain just how the loss of income is justified but past years seem to point it out as worthwhile to the overall State economy, as it was to mine. Having been taught from childhood and the Great Depression that a penny saved is a penny earned, I still pick up any coin I see on the ground, whereas younger people would not bother to stoop for such a nothing. Maybe it is because I am so short and close to the ground that I see coins where taller people miss them. I have never spent one though I have no superstition about them, only pure greed at something for nothing. It is surprising that they turn up regularly in parking lots and places where people pull keys from their pockets.
On day two of tax free, I went to the grocery store down the street and saved more, though I only really needed a quart of milk. The joy of living in a house is that there is always room to cram in a little more! There are many more things I could have bought but the singular thing preventing me from doing that is that I will have to pay for them!
Since I was expecting family to arrive, I needed some groceries. I went to the local Costco and roamed around doing my shopping. While there, I looked around for all the taxable items that I could use though storage becomes a problem since my house is a blivet (3 pounds manure in a 2 pound bag). I saved another $
23.49 and now have paper goods to last a while, some items that will probably outlive me, and even less room to walk through my basement.
I'm not certain just how the loss of income is justified but past years seem to point it out as worthwhile to the overall State economy, as it was to mine. Having been taught from childhood and the Great Depression that a penny saved is a penny earned, I still pick up any coin I see on the ground, whereas younger people would not bother to stoop for such a nothing. Maybe it is because I am so short and close to the ground that I see coins where taller people miss them. I have never spent one though I have no superstition about them, only pure greed at something for nothing. It is surprising that they turn up regularly in parking lots and places where people pull keys from their pockets.
On day two of tax free, I went to the grocery store down the street and saved more, though I only really needed a quart of milk. The joy of living in a house is that there is always room to cram in a little more! There are many more things I could have bought but the singular thing preventing me from doing that is that I will have to pay for them!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
VERIZON ONLY WORSENS
A while ago I mentioned that I hit Google with "Verizon complaints". At that time I got 360,000 hits. Today: Results 1 - 10 of about 1,370,000 English pages for Verizon complaints. (0.16 seconds) I wrote on 4/15 and 5/31. Things have not improved, obviously from the number of complaints. By way of comparison, I wrote "RCN complaints" Results 1 - 10 of about 107,000 English pages for RCN complaints. (0.17 seconds) Next I checked out Comcast Results 1 - 10 of about 1,120,000 English pages for Comcast complaints. (0.21 seconds) Lastly, I tried FIOS complaints because that is the newest Verizon product offered. Results 1 - 10 of about 75,700 English pages for Verizon FIOS complaints. (0.24 seconds)
I began to write a letter once to the Verizon headquarters. As I wrote it quickly began to look like the script of a soap opera and then the letter too on the size of a book...I have never sent it as I did not take the time to edit and prioritize the complaints. Another person wrote his saga with the company.
If you are already so unfortunate as to have signed up with Verizon, take my advice and all others with whom I've spoken who are with them. Check your bills monthly. They will slip in all sorts of things you have not ordered. Then, as though you have nothing in life to do but chat with their 'friendly' customer service, you can get to spend endless hours going through their phone maze. Beware, they explain fully when they have done something weird with your billing like 'miscellaneous adjustment'. I think they have been taking lessons from hospitals on how to charge with total obfuscation.
I began to write a letter once to the Verizon headquarters. As I wrote it quickly began to look like the script of a soap opera and then the letter too on the size of a book...I have never sent it as I did not take the time to edit and prioritize the complaints. Another person wrote his saga with the company.
If you are already so unfortunate as to have signed up with Verizon, take my advice and all others with whom I've spoken who are with them. Check your bills monthly. They will slip in all sorts of things you have not ordered. Then, as though you have nothing in life to do but chat with their 'friendly' customer service, you can get to spend endless hours going through their phone maze. Beware, they explain fully when they have done something weird with your billing like 'miscellaneous adjustment'. I think they have been taking lessons from hospitals on how to charge with total obfuscation.
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