Charley

I think I've learned something new-- how to imbed video in the post!! That's me--just slightly behind the times!

This video has been going around--my younger daughter showed it to us--that is, between gasps of laughter.

I think it's amazing that the older kid didn't smack the younger. Anyway, this video gets to me, not because it's so funny--but because I think it's kind of sweet.

Friday Quickies

....Saw National Treasure II the other evening. The best thing about the movie? Seeing it with my daughters. The second? Diane Kruger.

The movie, like the first, is fun, certainly more enjoyable if you have no sense of history and can believe in modern day fairy tales. Which means, I guess, that Democrats will enjoy the movie more than us Red-minded folk.

....This week was a blur. That's what happens when you start the week on Wednesday. A three day work week? How great is that!!

....The killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan yesterday is incredibly bad news. Some reports have her as pro-American; others question that. Regardless, this is going to be a mess. Bosnia with nuclear devices and fanatics who think Allah will welcome them with open arms.

Ugh.

From 1945 until 1992, when Americans went to the polls to vote for President their number one consideration was always, do I want this person to have his finger on the nuclear button? Will this person be able to stand up to the Soviets?

From 1992 until 2004, domestic issues ruled. It was the economy, stupid, and hell, we can afford to elect the inexperienced, slick guy from Arkansas and the not-too-swift little rich boy from Texas who had never been abroad-- who cares about defense, or international security threats. Where's my share of the peace dividend?

Then the world changed. And then the past few weeks, we seemed to have forgotten that fact.

So just as the GOP has taken a fancy to yet another former governor from (God help us) Arkansas who has no clue about international or security matters, and just as the Democrats moved towards choosing between two inexperienced junior Senators, events occur which bring our focus back to reality.

Republicans should be looking to McCain and Rudy. The others don't measure up on the truly critical issues that are facing us.

And Democrats, if I may be so bold, should be taking another look at Joe Biden and Bill Richardson. They're the only ones with the experience and the judgment to sit in the Oval office.

....I'm not a card-carrying PETA member. (See my bad joke about the ultimate liberal dilemma). Still, I've never felt comfortable about zoos. I have always found old-style zoos, with the animals caged up, almost as depressing as the circus, which is only marginally better than carnivals. They all creep me out, to varying degrees.

The Bronx Zoo has most of the larger animals in large open-field areas, which seems like a better deal for the animals. When I see the lion-in-a-cage displays, I just feel sad. Sad for the humans involved, much more than the animals themselves.

I don't know what happened in San Francisco, and regardless how it happened it was a tragedy all the way around. Still, if those guys were taunting the tiger....

....Haven't heard much this campaign about combating the effects of global warming (as opposed to trying to stop it), or if you are not inclined to believe in that theory, the effects of Mother Nature's fickleness. Droughts, wild fires, floods. There was a time this nation invested in our infrastructure in order to try overcome Nature's wrath.

While many of the earlier projects admittedly harmed our environment unnecessarily, and sometimes with unintended consequences which hurt us in the long run, still many saved millions of lives, and made it possible for our nation to grow in size and prosperity. Unfortunately, we are barely maintaining our infrastructure, let alone looking at new ways to coexist peaceably with our natural surroundings.

One of my first posts was about the need to build a national water pipeline, one that could shuttle water from places with too much, to places with not enough. We also need to address our levees, our flood prevention policies. We need to act on the effects of decades of poor fire suppression tactics in our national forests. We need to discuss stronger building codes in hurricane and tornado areas, and limiting development in areas we can't service with fire safety, or which we can't keep from flooding.

These are not sexy topics. But with hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of us at risk because of apparently shifting weather patterns and decades of poor planning, it is becoming a national matter of urgency.

It seems a bit silly to simply throw billions of dollars of disaster relief funds around each year, without taking some preventative steps.

....And now a quote from the great Theodore Roosevelt:

"it is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals -- not to speak of vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements. But at last it looks as if our people were awakening."

Peace?

One of the themes of Hillary's campaign is the fraud that we were at peace during Bill's stay in the White House, and boy, if we will only elect Hillary we'd once again be at peace.

Except:

World Trade Center Bombing, February 26, 1993:

Attempted Assassination of former President Bush by Iraqi Agents, April 14, 1993:

Air France Hijacking, December 24, 1994:

Attack on U.S. Diplomats in Pakistan, March 8, 1995:

Jerusalem Bus Attack, August 21, 1995

Saudi Military Installation Attack, November 13, 1995:

HAMAS Bus Attack, February 26, 1996

West Bank Attack, May 13, 1996:

Zekharya Attack, June 9, 1996

Khobar Towers Bombing, June 25, 1996:

Egyptian Letter Bombs, January 2-13, 1997

Empire State Building Sniper Attack, February 23, 1997

Israeli Shopping Mall Bombing, September 4, 1997:

Murder of U.S. Businessmen in Pakistan, November 12, 1997

Tourist Killings in Egypt, November 17, 1997

U.S. Embassy Bombings in East Africa, August 7, 1998

Attack on U.S.S. Cole, October 12, 2000:

Manila Bombing, December 30, 2000

Each of these attacks were by Islamist terrorists. Each resulted in the death of US citizens.

Is this what Hillary means by a nation at peace?

We weren't at peace. We were just refusing to acknowledge the reality that we were at war.

Whether it was only the Commander in Chief's fault or not (and the Republicans in Congress shoulder responsibility here, too) the fact remains we were not at peace.

Hillary should stop saying it, and voters should stop believing it.

Will It Stop?

Will it stop? The unending media hysteria about the economy?

The story this morning is that Internet plus brick and mortar sales are up 2.4% this season.

Given the incessant drumbeat of bad economy, bad economy, bad economy-- I thought the tag on the story would be, hey, not bad!

But no. For whatever reason-- incompetence, latent Bush-bashing, the inability to ever report good news-- the headlines were mostly negative. Sluggish. Poor. Disappointing.

How could 2.4% growth in the "teeth" of this mortgage meltdown, etc. be deemed disappointing?

An adjacent story--not tied to the first, by the way-- was even more telling. Apparently gift card sales are not included in retail sales figures until they are redeemed.

Wonder why the blogosphere has grown so, why we are willing more and more to listen to "amateurs" when it comes to deciphering the news? Here's a great example. The twits on MSNBC and CNN never bother to analyze the news--they pretty much just "report" glorified press releases.

How about this for analysis--whether valid or not? In this increasingly fragmented society, where we don't watch or listen to the same things anymore, where people are pulled in a million directions, my experience is that gift cards have exploded in popularity and in acceptability as a gift. People are now getting credit, if you will, for knowing which store you like to shop in, as opposed to what color sweater you want.

According to Bloomberg, gift card sales are up to $20 billion this year--and now account for more than 11% of sales.

I wonder what the numbers would look like if we added the increase in gift cards to the retail sales figures. Who knows? Not me, but then I'm not a professional business journalist. But what if gift cards pushed Christmas sales over 3%-- would that make it a good year? 3 1/2%?

I spoke with the owner of a small camera shop by me right before Christmas. I asked how his year was going. He said it was OK, but that he noticed his sales season was shortening, people weren't Christmas shopping by him in November anymore. He seemed puzzled.

I asked him if maybe it was because people were buying on the Internet until the end of free shipping, or until they felt it was too close for comfort to count on delivery, then were switching to local stores. Apparently he had never thought of that--it was like watching a fluorescent bulb flicker to life. I didn't think that was such a great insight on my part.

Who knows? I do know I read the same story this year as I did the last couple-- that Black Friday sales were off, that consumers weren't buying much beyond the deep-discounted items Thanksgiving weekend. So maybe the camera store owner isn't the only one to miss what I think is a pretty obvious trend.

All told, I am feeling increasingly concerned about the reporting on the economy, and very fearful that the media will cause the self-fulfilling prophecy of a recession.

Hillary's Christmas Ad

(My planned third installment on Christmas memories is stuck in writer's block-- hopefully I'll free it loose later today for a Christmas Eve post.)

The New York Post, my favorite newspaper, had a great piece on Huckabee by my fellow Massapequan Peggy Noonanl, also one of my favorites.

It also had this insightful piece by Jonah Goldberg on Hillary's Christmas ad--with a great quote from P.J. O'Rourke ending it off:

Well, the most disgusting, craven, shameless political ad of the election season has just come out in time for Christmas - and, no, it's not from Mike Huckabee. It's from Hillary Clinton.

I'm not thrilled by the explosion of Christian piety in Republican politics, particularly Huckabee's version of it, but nobody's fooled by it either.

Now look at Clinton's ad. Gussied up a bit like Martha Stewart, a chipper Hillary sits on her couch, arranging all of her Christmas presents to put under the tree. She's trying to find the right cards to put on the right packages. One is labeled “Universal Health Care," another is “Alternative Energy," another is “Middle Class Tax Breaks." And then the supposedly hilarious kicker. Wringing her hands and furrowing her brow with maternal angst, she exclaims, “Where did I put universal pre-K?"

If you take Hillary's ad remotely as seriously as many are taking Huckabee's, you're left with a disturbing glimpse of not just Hillary's politics but her vision of government. Her programs, which would cost billions and billions of dollars by even the most generous accounting, are simply “gifts" for the American people. No sacrifice, no cost, no strings attached at all - save the price of your vote. It's a profound commentary on the state of our political culture that Huckabee's ad is the controversial one. Huckabee promises nothing, Hillary everything.

“I have only one firm belief about the American political system, and that is this: God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat," wrote the indispensable P.J. O'Rourke. “God holds men strictly accountable for their actions. It is very hard to get into God's heavenly country club. Santa Claus is another matter. He gives everyone everything they want."

“Santa Claus is preferable to God in every way but one," O'Rourke concluded. “There is no such thing as Santa Claus."

Friday Quickies

...Saw this story, coming especially as it does in the holiday season, and I almost cried. Is nothing sacred anymore?

Texas Slaps a Tax on Strip Clubs

What's next? A tax on babies' smiles? On puppies?

On rainbows?

....Tried so hard this holiday season to keep a cheerful attitude. I was doing well until I had to deal with Amazon's customer service. What a train wreck. I won't bore you, or myself, with a recitation of the facts. Suffice it to say that dealing with lying, incompetent, arrogant Thai customer service reps blew my Christmas spirit for quite a while. I'm not sure, but I think somewhere around the 5th moron I dealt with I found myself losing it. I know I treated the last rep to a fairly long string of multi-syllable words you can't say on basic cable.

Ho freakin' ho.

If they really did record the conversation "for training purposes" I'm sure it will make for interesting classroom fare: "Teacher, what does he mean? Can a customer service representative really do that with a dog and his mother at the same time?"

We order(ed) a lot from Amazon. When things go smoothly, they have good product, fair prices and good delivery. When things go off, even a bit, they are a horror.

It's just not worth it to me anymore. It will be a long time until I go back to Amazon.

.....I feel like I'm at a 12-step meeting-- My name is Tony and I'm a Met, Jet, Islander, Knick and St. John's sport fan.

There, I said it. I feel much better.

....Our Operation Paperback project is going very well. We've sent out a bunch of books, and have lots more to send.

An unexpected development just arose, and I don't know yet what I'm going to do. We've been collecting, boxing and shipping the books, at our cost. Not really a big deal-- costs, all in, about $7 to send a box of 20 paperbacks.

An old friend read about our project in the local paper and he called me. Seems he bought the inventory from a bookstore that went out of business, and has been selling off the valuable books. But he can't get rid of the paperbacks. So he's offered them to me.

All 6,000.

I don't know what we're going to do yet-- that would cost us over $2,000 to box and ship (not including the labor--and not including the hundreds of other books we have waiting to box and ship Christmas week.)

Very generous offer-- I'll figure something out.

....Let me get this straight. A publisher paid Britney and Jamie Spears' mother money to write a book on.....parenting? Even before the unfortunate pregnancy of her younger daughter (and anyone with daughters knows that's just not something you chide anyone else about until your youngest daughter is post-menopausal) what in the world would qualify that trailer-park breeder to read a book on parenting, much less to write one on the subject?

What's next? "Healthy-mind, Healthy body" by Barry Bonds? "Driving for Dummies" by Teddy Kennedy? "Investing In Cattle Futures and Rural Land Development" by Hillary Clinton? "Hair Care on a Budget" by John Edwards?

....And now a quote from the great Theodore Roosevelt:

Life brings sorrows and joys alike. It is what a man does with them - not what they do to him - that is the true test of his mettle.

Upcoming

Lots of last minute to-dos at work and home. Friday Quickies will appear tomorrow-- the third and final Christmas post will appear Sunday.

Many thanks to all my friends & loved ones who have emailed me or called me on the last two posts-- you have warmed this holiday season, yet again!

Thoughts of Christmas Past (Part Two)

Christmas in the year my mother was killed, 1977, was markedly different than any before. My Dad faced the holiday season just months after the tragedy, with 4 children ranging in age from 11 to 19.

I remember my maternal grandparents came up from their New Jersey retirement community to stay with us, along with my then-bachelor uncle. We ordered out, Chinese food, and planned to spend a quiet, somber evening at home.

Many friends and neighbors asked if they could stop by in their travels, either after dinner, or before midnight Mass, or, if we were going to be up, afterwards. We told them all, sure, we'll be home.

I don't really know how it happened. I guess you can't have children in a house and have it remain, well...sad... for very long. Christmastime can be lonely, but, if you are with others, it has a magical buzz all its own. That, and my grandfather liked his Scotch. So did my uncle. And the drinking age was 18, so my friends and I were legal. And my brother was 17, and well, that was close enough back then. So as people came by, we toasted the holiday with them. And then more people came. More toasts.

Soon beer was flowing. I think somebody brought some wine, maybe a bottle or two of malt for my grandfather. We sat around this huge round table in our kitchen-- it easily sat 10 or 12. People filled our small house. One thing led to another, and the next thing I knew somebody went to our "liquor cabinet" and pulled out the 5 or 6 bottles that were there. Actually, it was a pantry cabinet and all that was in there was my grandfather's Scotch, a few bottles of after-dinner liquors, and a bottle of Vermouth from my father's bar-owner days-- an unopened bottle that was at least 20 years old, used solely by my mother as a rolling pin.

Then, in one of those strokes of madness, somebody got the bright idea of doing shots of one of the liquors from the cabinet-- Chartreuse.

If you've never had Chartreuse, the best way I can explain it is this: it's a thick, viscous, syrupy, bright green herbal liquor, made by French monks and clearly designed to be doled out for penance in the event you had committed some mortal sin. I mean a really, really serious one. It burned like fire, tasted like crap, and had a kick that was simply lethal. It has been described this way: "Though chartreuse is very sweet, it's strong alcohol content and fierce herbal flavor is an acquired taste for some... it packs a wallop, and it's sometimes described as tasting similar to mouthwash." That's about right.

What started as an innocent, quiet, reflective evening wound up being a drunken, festive night. People didn't so much as leave as passed out. All told, I imagine over 100 people floated in and out, paying their respects, expecting to come help a grief-stricken family, only to find themselves sucked into a vortex of laughter, stories, a few tears, toasts and love. And shots of Chartreuse.

Over the next few years, the Christmas Eve drinking fest became our new holiday ritual. We shifted,quickly I might add, from hot chocolate and donuts to cases of beer and Chinese food. Our friends, their parents, our neighbors-- dozens and dozens of people in fact-- made it part of their evening to come and have a holiday drink, and lots of hearty laughs. People came and left in waves, on their way to other places, or on their way home from them. They'd come in, kisses and hugs hello, grabbing seats at the big table and toasting all in sight. And the bravest would belly up and do their annual shot of Chartreuse.

Christmas Eve during this phase lasted until 3 or 4 in the morning. Married at 21, my wife and I would leave my Dad's, grab an hour or two of sleep, open presents with bleary-eyes--and with me still too drunk to have reached the hang-over stage-- and then turn around again to have Christmas morning back with my family.

This Christmas storyline lasted for a decade or so, well after our eldest daughter and my niece were born. Over the years, though, as more and more of our friends married, and settled into their own Christmas Eve rituals, and as the perceived need to help us through the difficult holiday season abated, the crowds got smaller, the parties less boisterous. Our children, too, were demanding more from us than we could give if we stayed out drinking all night.

It was time for a change. But those memories (at least those I have left after the Chartreuse-induced brain cell death) are happy ones. Our family healed itself, not by withdrawing and crying, but by throwing open our arms to our friends and celebrating. Celebrating life, celebrating hope. Unafraid to tell stories of past triumphs and failures, keeping my mother's memory alive the best way possible--through laughter. And a green liquid so foul the martyrs of old chose stoning over forcing down a second shot glassful.

We didn't plan as a family to recover that way, but that's what we did.

The healing power of Christmas with loved ones, good friends, laughter and Chartreuse. Maybe the monks added a bit more than just alcohol to the mix.

Thoughts of Christmas Past (Part One)

Thoughts of Christmas Past (Part One)

When I was young, I lived on a suburban block that had maybe 16 houses and at least 40 kids. I am the eldest of 4, and we were one of the smaller families.

Each year in early December, starting maybe when I was around 9 or 10, my mother would put out the word to the block that it was time for caroling practice. No email, no phone chain. She'd tell us, we'd tell our friends, and the next thing you knew there were 15 or so kids in our small Levitt-house living room practicing Christmas carols. She accumulated a collection of tattered song books, some loose typed pages. We'd share with one another, and compete to see who would hold the lyrics. We'd practice once or twice before the big day-- I remember noise, chaos, and as always surrounded my mother, laughter.

Our Christmas Eves during those years went like this: the neighborhood kids, ages maybe 2 to 18, would meet at our house after dark. We'd go from house to house singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas as our walking song-- then belt out a Christmas standard at each neighbor's house. Joy to the World. Silent Night. Rudolph. The 12 Days of Christmas. Deck the Halls. White Christmas. The Chestnut song. We knew dozens of them-- I still do. And not just the first verse. We sang loudly, with good spirit and high cheer, if not in tune or with metered harmony. A couple of years we caroled with snowflakes swirling around us. Magic.

While we were out my father would put up the (real) Christmas tree we'd bought that day or the day before-- I can still hear him cursing as he struggled to get it to stand straight--giving up finally and just tying the huge fir with twine to nails he drove in the wall, using the loose-headed hammer we had for decades.

After we hit all the houses on both sides of the block, it was back to our house for hot chocolate and Entenmann's donuts-- the box divided into white powdered sugar, plain and cinnamon. Then we kicked everybody out.

Alone at last, the 6 of us decorated the tree (well, five really-- Dad, now exhausted from wrestling the tree, and damn near electrocuted from stringing the frayed lights, sprawled on the couch and supervised). The next hour or so was filled with old ornaments, tinsel and prayers that the tree didn't topple from the weight of its additions and the clumsiness of high-on-sugar, can't-wait-for-Santa children. Trying to attach glass ornaments using sharp metal fish-hook hangers --while dodging the world's greatest collie who wanted in on the action-- made for an interesting trial for little kids. That we didn't spend any Eve's at the emergency room was in itself a Christmas miracle.

The tree done (though I think Mom re-did a lot later), it was off to bed, hoping that morning would come soon, but that sleep would hold off til the reindeer landed--maybe this year we could get a glimpse of Santa!

That Christmas storyline lasted until I was19, the year my mother was killed. She never missed a year, but as a teenager, I blew off a couple. Too cool, too self-conscious, to go caroling with my mother and the younger ones.

I often wish I could go back and talk to myself, the younger me, at various points in my life-- maybe steer me in a better direction. We all have regrets, I guess, and all wonder how things would have turned out if we had taken a different path. I know I most certainly wish I could go back and make sure I didn't miss a single carol. Still my memories of caroling, of those Christmas Eves, are strong, and warm the coldest nights each holiday season.

Christmas Eve changed for my family after my mother was gone. Looking back, I guess it changed for a lot of people. My Dad lived on that block for another 15 years or so, and we all spent every Christmas Eve in that house.

But I don't remember any more carolers.

Thoughts of Christmas Past (Part Two)

Dan Fogelberg, RIP

My good friend at BAftertheFact astutely points out that Dan Fogelberg may have been the first of the 70's stars to die of natural causes.

I enjoyed his music--saw him once at the Jones Beach theater. He always came across as a nice person--in his music, in interviews and on stage. I guess that is a pretty good thing to be able to say about someone after their passing.

I do remember a funny Denis Leary line on Fogelberg:

Explain it to me. Heavy metal bands on trial because kids commit suicide, what is that about? Judas Priest on trial because my kid bought the records, and he listened to the lyrics, and he got into Satan... ALLALALALALALLALA! Well that's great. That sets a legal precedent. Does that mean I can sue Dan Fogelberg for making me into a p***y in the mid '70s, is that possible, HUH?

I listened to a lot of Fogelberg in the 70's. As my wife would no doubt attest, it certainly didn't bring out the sensitive side in me. All in all, though, his music was a small part of my youth and his passing is noted here with sadness.

Friday Quickies

.....Four young ladies pole-danced and gave lap dances on a New York subway recently, winning a $10,000 contest for their video of the "show" (along with, no doubt, the esteem and gratitude of their fellow straphangers!). Ah, modern technology.

As each of these youtube stories break I repeat the same mantra: Thank goodness there were no camera phones back when I was an idiotic teenager. Or 20-something. Or thirty-something.

Or at my Florida golf outing last month, for that matter.

....I have no idea if the new Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman/Rob Reiner movie is any good or not. I do know that I have my own "Bucket List", though I had no name for it, other than things-I'd-like-to-do-someday. I think we all do have that kind of list, in some fashion or another: the things we want to do before we kick the bucket. Maybe we even have more than one list, varying in degrees of possibility. I'm still holding out hope, for example, that Vanessa Williams will wise up and leave whomever she's married to these days.

The last full, thought-out and written list I did was when I turned 40. With the next decade approaching this June, it's time for me to haul it out, see how I did, and revise the list for the next decade.

Though at fifty, I think I'll keep future lists to five year spans.

.....The other morning I got into work very early, long before anyone else. I had been out of the office the day before, so I sat quietly with my morning cup of coffee and the stack of mail from the day before. As I shuffled through the pile a magazine with Caroline Kennedy caught my eye. I flipped it open without really noticing it, and immediately came across a short article on the stars turning 50 next year. My year of birth is shared, I am both proud and ashamed to say by: Madonna, Prince, Sharon Stone, Michelle Pfeiffer, and a few other recognizable names.

I turned the pages and saw another article that caught my interest,. Then another. Then another.

Realizing I was wasting too much precious before-the-chaos-starts time, I closed the magazine.

That's when it hit me.

The magazine that had so interested me was.......AARP!

Nooooooooooooo!!!

.....Is it just me, am I being extraordinarily naive, or have race relations in this country, specifically between blacks and whites calmed down significantly? Where Jesse Jackson's campaign was doomed before it started, doesn't it seem that Obama is being considered, for good and bad, more on his issues and experience? I'm no Pollyanna. I live in the real world. I know that bigotry and prejudice exists in almost all our hearts.

But it seems to me we're all getting along better now; not perfectly, but better.

If so, maybe it's the aftershock of 9/11. And if that is true, maybe those poor souls didn't die totally in vain after all.

....And, finally, a quote from the great Theodore Roosevelt:

We must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.

- New York State Fair
September 3, 1903

Steroids- First Blush

Just started scanning through the Mitchell report on steroids. The players named will be the dominating story, but the piece I just read, I think, should be.

Mitchell corroborates what we all have known-- that the Player's Union and the Commissioner (and the owners) loosely conspired to turn a blind eye to the steroid abuse. This resulted, in the short term, with broken records, unprecedented attendance, and most importantly, money, money, money, money.

It has, and undoubtedly will, result in many early deaths. Deaths of former major-league players, deaths of professionals who used steroids in an attempt to get to the majors, and deaths of young players emulating their "heroes".

Bud Selig had a duty to stop this nonsense.

Donald Fehr had a duty to protect his union members.

Everyone involved had a duty to protect the kids.

They all turned away from their duties to make money.

All of these deaths in the years to come rest on their shoulders. If there is a hell, I would expect there are reservations for Selig, Fehr, management and the rest.

Huck-A-Who?

Having lived through Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, I am always afraid when candidates for President come out of nowhere. Mike Huckabee seems like a nice guy (see Bill Clinton) and a good man (see Jimmy Carter).

But let's see what happens when the bright lights are turned on. I understand there is some question in his mind about evolution, which, if true, disqualifies him in my mind from the local school board, let alone the Presidency.

Betsy's Page has an interesting piece on Huckabee's record of releasing more murderers than all of his contemporaries and predecessors as Governor of Arkansas-- not a good thing at all.

(note-- my daughter was an intern for Giuliani and is helping his campaign-- thus I have a bias in this election)

Helping Hands

My community has about 35,000 people living here, give or take. Most of the time, most of the people go about there own business. There are a handful of us, maybe a circle of 300 or so, who are active in most of the charitable and youth based projects here. Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less-- that's just my guess. Tack on the volunteer fire department and the churches and synagogues, and maybe that number approaches 1,000, but I doubt it--there's lots of overlap.

That said, I am always amazed when the town rallies around something. Katrina resulted in literally tons of clothing and food being shipped from here, for example.

There are also lots of smaller, but no less intense efforts that pop up. This past weekend there were 3 separate fundraisers for three individuals in town who have fallen sick and need a hand. I went to one, an event for a local soccer coach that was inspired by his team, a group of 11 year old girls. They apparently raised a lot of money--probably between $30,000 and $40,000, I understand. They held the event at a local firehouse, and sold chances and raffles, and accepted donations. I went; although I know it sounds so....60's... you really could feel the good vibrations in the air.

After the event, I emailed one of the adults who helped put it together. I ended my note with one of my favorite quotes, from Henry Drummond, a 19th Century evangelist and scientist (apparently not mutually exclusive occupations at the time). It's a statement in which I truly believe, and one I think of often as I participate in community activities:

You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others.

Where From Here?

I accidentally fell upon the blog of a NYC architect-- her posts are geared more for a young single in NYC--not a middle-aged married suburbanite. But the writing is beautiful, the site spotted with exquisite photographs-- I was instantly captivated by her essays and jealous of her talents, in equal measure. New York Portraits. Take a peek.

This led to my taking a quick look at the Archives section of this blog-- I've been doing this, off and on, since 9/11/04-- certainly with gaps, but with 342 posts--not too bad.

I've noticed that I write least when I have another creative project going-- this past Spring and Summer I created and ran a weekly literary reading series on a village green a few of us created in town-- the Summer Gazebo Readings series I clumsily called it.

I slow down to a crawl when I'm doing other writing, I've had an essay published, and certainly write a lot for work. I have a long-completed, several-times-revised novel-manuscript in the drawer--revisions and agent-hunting seems to foster gaps here. I have probably another half dozen or more started novel projects; a dozen or so short stories; a few essays-- all in various stages of completion, tho several of the short stories and essays are as finished as I can make them.

I've been thinking about joining a creative writing group, or maybe taking a class or two at a local college. We'll see.

I've only purposefully stopped blogging twice-- once, when work was getting insanely busy, and I had to devote as much time and effort as I could, without distractions.

The second was when I found myself writing with too much venom, without a sense of humor. I felt like my keyboard was only transmitting bitterness. I didn't like it, didn't like the feeling. So I shut it down for a bit.

I enjoy this type of writing too much to give it up. But this format has limitations I didn't expect when I set it up three years ago.

First, I use my name. My real name. I therefore stay away from some subjects--sometimes purposefully, sometimes unconsciously. I don't use foul language, which is a bit surprising because in "real life", outside the workplace, I like to tell stories, and they're often colorful. Topics like religion, for example, or issues which could come back to haunt me in "real" life.

And I don't subject this space to any of my fiction writing.

It may be time for me to create a second, anonymous, page--one where I can let loose a bit more.

I detest New Year's-- it's a forced holiday, and one which I find to be more depressing than any other day. I usually use my birthday as more of a time for reflection and rededication. But I use December at work to clean up, to set the table for the next year. Maybe this year I'll do the same personally.

Today, December 7th

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 12/8/41

Courtesy, American Rhetoric

Really? Not Hillary?

This appeared on Foxnews just now:

Flatulent Kangaroos Could Save Planet

I am.....speechless.

Sears-- An Update

Back on November 19, 2004 I wrote about the K-Mart-Sears merger. As the son of a forced-to-retire Sears worker, and as a former employee myself, I wrote about how sad it was that Sears had fallen so low--and that it was 100% the fault of horrible, horrible management.

About the merger, I wrote: "What is formed today with the merger of K-Mart & Sears is the biggest bankruptcy filing of 2007. "

I may be off a bit, but I note, without any satisfaction whatsoever by the way, that Sears' profit is down 99%, from $1.27 per share to just one penny.

As CNN's financial reporter noted, Sears is now a place where one's parents used to shop. Compared with, say Target, the stores are tired, boring.

My wife says the stores creep her out. I agree.

All of the financial analysts point out that the real estate on which the stores are located has great value. That said, what we may very well see is the stores closing and the land sold off or developed. Still, this storied retailer has been the victim of such poor management for so long, it is impossible to see how it can right itself.

I predicted 2007 for the bankruptcy. I may have been a bit premature (though we have 27 days left in the year) in my call. But not by much, I'll bet.

Operation Paperback

My firm tries to do a service project each year, at a minimum. This year's project came about because my brother asked me what I do with my used books. I think we all hate to throw books out--it must be a remnant from the days when books were a luxury, and the collection of books was the mark of an educated and serious person. (Though I'm not sure my collection of crime and suspense paperbacks qualified me for that designation.)

In the past few years we've collected and forwarded videos and books to our local veteran's hospital. In response to my brother's query, I banged around the Internet looking for another outlet -- and found Operation Paperback.

Perfect.

Started by a shipment from a family to loved ones overseas, Operation Paperback has grown into a low-to-none overhead charity that has delivered:

"Today, this family has been joined by volunteers around the nation. Individual citizens, American families and community groups have sent over 500,000 books since 1999. Some folks participate by sending a few books at a time, others clear their shelves and hunt for paperbacks at yard sales and used book stores. Every volunteer gives what they can in their own way, and each helps remind our troops that we are thinking of them.

Operation Paperback began by sending books to troops in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We now ship books to locations as far as Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea, Italy, Iceland, Bahrain, Hungary, Japan, Turkey, Navy Ships at Sea, military hospitals located within the US and USOs at US Airport transit points.

Over the years, we have earned commendations from the mayor of Baltimore, the governor of Maryland and the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. We have also been featured on television and in print media. While we value the praise we have received at home, the words that mean the most to us are those that come directly from the troops. They let us know that our efforts are appreciated every day." Operation Paperback.

How it works is so incredibly smart and simple: they collect the names and APO addressees of military personnel and hospitals who want books. You collect them, or just go through your shelves. You sign up (takes about a minute), tell them you are ready to ship, and they send you names. Their website has simple and accurate instructions-- they even provide you with the form letter to stick in the box.

Cost? We have been sending shipments of 20 paperbacks, the postage for which is about $6.00. A shipment of 10 was $3.

What does Operation Paperback charge? $0. (I understand that they collect and ship large shipments, so they will take contributions for postage--but there is no overhead that I can see.)

Our emails back and forth have been very pleasant, and the people running the Operation seem genuinely appreciative--although I can't figure out why. They are the ones who deserve thanks.

First, it's another opportunity to give a tiny bit back to these brave young men and women who are doing so much for us. The saying that we are a military at war, not a nation at war is so true-- it is incumbent on all of us to do something to help out, I think.

Second, and I know this sounds corny, but except for the triumphs of my kids, I never get a bigger rush than when I get the chance to help people I don't know.

Our firm has sent out a bunch of shipments, with more coming in the next month. If you have any books kicking around the house, give yourself a holiday present-- go to Operation Paperback and ship them off.

It's a great project, its a great group, and it will give you a great feeling.

...And now a quote from the great Theodore Roosevelt:

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.