Happy Father's Day, Dad

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!
Lydia M. Child (1802–80), abolitionist, writer

Dear Dad:

Happy Father’s Day. I decided to write an open letter to you to let you know how loved and appreciated you are by me, and many others including my siblings, but this is my letter and my blog, so I will use it for my letter to you.

I find it rather interesting that the older I get the smarter you have become. All the many virtues such as your unselfishness and tenacious attitude have been passed down and carried on. I see a few of your qualities in me, and I recognize many in Daughter too. So, while time takes its unrelenting toll on all of us, it does not diminish your standing in my eyes.

You taught me much through your hard work and by the simple eloquence of your example. Your tireless and most impressive, your uncomplaining (a trait that neither Daughter nor I possess) efforts over the years to provide for us all. The years of toiling outside carrying heavy loads, waking at the crack of dawn have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

One of my proudest memories is of you coming home night after night from a full day of the hard labor of sheet metal work to see you at the dinner table each evening working with mom to transcribe your notes and compile your final notebook for the sheriff’s academy, which you aced with a perfect score. You did this for the love of it, not for any financial gain. Once you retired from your day job and public service, you moved on to plying your trade for the space program. Impressive indeed.

Like a championship team where the individual efforts work together to bring about the best; you and mom have succeeded. Thank you.

Love,
Your son

On The Mark -- Remembering Dad

I was flipping hamburgers on the BBQ on Father’s Day when my asked me, “Do you remember that opening day game when you were 12?”

Yeah, dad, I thought to myself. That game had occurred 35 years ago but I still felt I had played it that afternoon. It was opening day in Little League, 0-0 in the bottom of the last inning. I was pitching a gem. There were two outs and an opposing runner at third base, the first player to get that far all day. At the plate was the other team’s best hitter, who would go on to lead the league in home runs that year. I had struck him out in each of his previous at-bats.

My dad, the manager, a two-time state champion as a high school pitcher who threw two complete game shutouts on the same day to win the second championship, came to the mound.

“This kid hasn’t gotten around on your fastball all day, so don’t fool around. Throw him fastballs and let’s win this thing in extra innings.” I threw fastballs and had a one ball, two strike count on him. But I felt he was starting to time my pitches better, plus I was in love with my curveball, so I decided to fool him and throw a curveball.

Problem was, the ball didn’t curve, and all I remember from that point was the sound of the crack of the bat as the ball soared over the center field scoreboard and we lost 2-0. My dad never mentioned it later. I figured he knew I had learned my lesson and silence was more powerful than rubbing it in my face.

“Yeah, dad, I remember it like it was this morning.”

“Well, so do I, and I want you to know that I gave you bad advice that day, son. That kid was sitting on your fastball. You should have thrown him a curveball.”

Oh my god. For half his life my dad had agonized over that pitch, but for the wrong reason. I flipped hamburgers for a few more minutes, the silence between us interrupted only by the sizzle of hamburger fat on the coals. This was a major moment for me, perhaps the toughest decision in my life at that point. I could let it go and let him live with the false memory. Or I could own up to it and get the lecture I thought I was going to get at home that night long ago.

“I did throw him a curveball, dad. Only it didn’t curve.”

Again, silence. I could hear 35 years of tape rewinding in his head.

“You what?! I told you to throw fastballs. No wonder he hit the shit out of that ball.” The words came out as fast as air from a popped balloon. Perhaps the fastest words he ever spoke in his life. We brought the hamburgers in and the family talked about current times, reminisced about the past. Then my dad turned to my mom.

“You remember that opening day game where Mark” and he went on to re-tell the story. It was obvious she had heard it many times while I had moved on with my life. At the end of the story he turned to me.

“Well, I hope you learned a lesson.”

You have no idea, dad. You have no idea.

He passed a couple years later (and a couple years ago), complaining of a headache while walking to his car and then suddenly collapsing from a massive stroke.

Happy Father’s Day, dad.

What I'm Listening to and Watching

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she had to walk into mine.
Rick Blaine, Humphrey Bogart from "Casablanca"




As Time Goes By --- Frank Sinatra
Memories of You – Frank Sinatra
Until the Real Thing comes along – Carmen McRae
Black Coffee – Ella Fitzgerald
Somewhere Along the Way – Frank Sinatra
A Million Dreams Ago – Frank Sinatra
Willow Weep for Me – Frank Sinatra
Blues in the Night – Frank Sinatra
My Melancholy Baby – Ella Fitzgerald
I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry – Frank Sinatra
Only the Lonely – Frank Sinatra
Autumn Leaves – Frank Sinatra
Maybe You’ll Be There – Frank Sinatra
Too Late Now – Frank Sinatra
I’m Pulling Through – Carmen McRae
Don’t Worry ‘bout Me – Frank Sinatra

Sam: [singing] You must remember this / A kiss is still a kiss / A sigh is just a sigh / The fundamental things apply / As time goes by. / And when two lovers woo, / They still say, "I love you" / On that you can rely / No matter what the future brings-...
Rick: [rushing up] Sam, I thought I told you never to play-...

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

Life’s an awfully lonesome affair. … You come into the world alone and you go out of the world alone yet it seems to me you are more alone while living than even going and coming.
Emily Carr (1871–1945), Canadian artist

Quotidian. Nothing new, nothing exciting all is quiet this week. The air conditioning system is working, but I have had no need to use it, which is always the case, right. Management also fixed the fireplace, which I also don’t need at this point. I firmly believe that carrying on and not accepting that status quo results in action. Note my new air conditioning unit compared to the people below me. I also suspect that my electric bill will be less because the units are more efficient these days.

Plays. Watched an excellent play this week with my playwriting colleague from work (PCFW). We saw “The Trials and Tribulations of Trailer Trash Housewife” Zephyr Theatre at 7456 Melrose Ave., L.A. From the theater’s press release: The play explores the hidden emotions, shame, and secrecy battered women face, while also offering hope, healing, and truth. A delicate blend of frightened humor and pain, it delves right into the heart of abuse. In just a mere two hours audiences will journey into a world that could fill a lifetime. Explosive one-sided arguments erupt and build, until one disastrous night it all goes too far and the lives of those in the trailer park will never be the same.

Soccer. I watched the World Cup Saturday afternoon. I enjoyed the game between Argentina and Ivory Coast. Soccer is a wonderful sport. I don’t buy the idea that American are not interested in it. I believe that our newspapers and television media do not cover it as they do other local sports.

Self Portrait. While taking a snap shot of my exciting new air conditioning unit (you can tell how exciting my weekend is), I decided it was time that you had a vision what The Misanthrope looked like, trust me your imagination is to my advantage.

Elvis Costello. His newest CD, which it seems that I just wrote about not too long ago was a jazzy set of songs titled “My Flame Burns Blue.” The even newer CD that came out this past week is called “The River in Reverse” with Allen Toussaint is another wonderful CD, which I recommend.

Dinner for one. Saturday tonight, I had a barbeque boneless chicken breast. I will accompanied it with corn on the cob, half a twice-baked potato, a seafood salad and baked beans. All accompanied with a white wine. I read a bit, watched the Dodger and the Angels a bit, watch a movie (see below), and called it a night. Not too exciting, but I needed the rest.

Wedding Crashers. This was a blockbuster movie? I thought it would never end. Ok, granted I watched the uncorked version. After the three main stars, I only knew Henry Gibson. I'm not even sure B2 will remember Henry Gibson. This movie only gets two stars on my Netflix rating.

Landlord Frustrations

I feel as if I were a piece in a game of chess, when my opponent says of it: That piece cannot be moved.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813–55), philosopher

This is the letter I wrote to my apartment complex manager. I have not yet decided whether to copy the national office and let them think I have cc the newspaper. The manager called yesterday and said everything was going to be taken care of. Great, they'll fix it all up and I won't want to move. I once heard that former homeowners were the worst tenants, if that is true, I guess I'm proving it.

June 5, 2006

Address

Re: No solution to weekend emergency

Dear ____:

(Name of residential community) has outdone itself this weekend. You have made my life a living hell both figuratively and literally. Everything that was attempted was too little too late. I had to find other living arrangements this weekend. Weekend plans were canceled as you suggested that I stay in the unrelenting heat of my unit awaiting the promised relief that never arrived.

Finally, Sunday at approximately 3:40 p.m., the portable unit was put into my place (which was a temporary solution proposed Saturday afternoon, but was rejected then, but good enough 24 hours later), but because there was no place for ventilation the hot air negated the cool and all that resulted was a humid place and most likely a much higher electric bill.

I am delighted that I am supposedly receiving a new system today, maybe during the next heat wave, I will be able to live in my unit!

This is what I get for my $0,000, plus utilities I pay promptly each month! Let’s review my five months here:

• Water pressure mysteriously reduced after two weeks and never returned to its proper volume (your offer to reimburse me for a showerhead would not make a difference, since it used to work with the current showerhead),
• Neighbors who played music at 3 a.m. that I finally had to confront myself (twice),
• Fireplace gas pipe rotted and significant hole on pipe reducing the effectiveness of gas starter. It’s still bad, but now it’s summer and I’m dealing with your antiquated air conditioning,
• An apartment full of dead bees upon my return from one day away (did not report, my housekeeper took care of it),
• Dishwasher that is worthless as far as cleaning goes. (Have not officially reported, yet. Now please consider it officially reported),
• Piles of bird waste outside my garage from multiple nests of birds located on the eves above (Have not officially reported, yet. It was half-heartedly cleaned up once. Now please consider it officially reported),
• No one mentioned that this complex did not upgrade its cable system, thereby rendering it worthless for televisions or computers, and of course,
• The outdated dilapidated air conditioning unit that was never checked prior to moving in that has caused me nothing but grief and aggravation all weekend, while we have had record heat.

Maybe now you’ll understand my less than warm feelings for this place and how it is managed.

Thoroughly disgusted,

The Misanthrope

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

Summer has set in with its usual severity.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 - 1834), poet

Dying of Heat. My apartment is rather nice; it has a wonderful view, which truly is its only feature. Friday night I decide it is time to turn on the air conditioning, but discover that there is no cold air coming out the vents. I have been yelling, leaving angry messaging, I have called their emergency line myriad times, I created a scene in front office, I carry-on in front my building rising my voice for all to hear as I argued with management about their incompetence and their entire bait and switch that I feel has taken place since I signed a lease. My place is well over 100 degrees inside and it is uninhabitable. I spent the night at a friend’s on Saturday and I will find another friend or go to my parent’s house tonight. Finally, today Sunday afternoon at 3:30 management is so proud of themselves for going to the hardware store and buying a portable air conditioning unit. They started to do that Saturday afternoon, but the head moron who is a condescending bitch, said no and they were going to get a repair crew out instead. Newsflash, when all of Southern California is sweltering under record temperatures there is not a repairman to be found, especially at 4 p.m. on a Saturday evening. The battle continues.

Ouch. I watched the movie “The Break Up.” As the movie drifted toward the end, I started feeling very uncomfortable. After it was over, I walked out of the theater with Daughter, I said, hit a bit too close to home to really be enjoyable and she agreed.

Playwriting Debut. I was unable to attend the rehearsal and direction of my short 10-minute, which I will explain a bit further down. The good news was that I watched the play for the first time with actors reading it while also do a few stage movements.

Kudos to the actors! They really transformed and brought life to the play. It was a thrill for me to watch it and here people laughing throughout. However, I there was a part of me that felt weird watching it and thinking I created it. It must be that old Groucho Marx comment about I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member.

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

We are closer to the ants than to the butterflies. Very few people can endure much leisure.
Gerald Brenan (1894 - 1987),writer and novelist

Holiday Weekend. What a nice holiday weekend. I spent two days imitating a southern hound dog while in Palm Springs. I fell asleep in the sun, I dozed in the shade, I took forty winks on a raft and sawed Zs on the chaise lounge. I can tell you without a doubt that I would never get bored living that life everyday.

Saturday Morning. I walked to the coffee shop, picked up newspapers, took them back to the house, and read them in the backyard before I exerted myself to put lotion on and rest upon the raft.

Reading. Besides the newspapers that reported W had a few regrets, (while the citizens of the country of have a lot because of him), and Cheney addressing a military academy still carry on about terrorists, but doing nothing about it except spying on its citizens and attacking a country that had nothing to do with terror against this country (meanwhile, Bid Laden is planning his summer vacation), I started and just about finished “Everyman” by Philip Roth and it is very good as are most of Roth’s books.

Playwriting. A colleague, who is a very talented playwright, got me started on 10-minute plays. I took a four-week course with her and wrote my first play. I used the Toner Mishap for inspiration and wrote the play on the Urinal Selection post penned by B2. It was nicely received by the class, Neil Simon and David Mamet don’t have to worry, but I had fun. The instructor sent out a notice for a five-minute playwriting contest, which I plan to enter. Jack’s post over at Random Thoughts was my inspiration for my short play with his post on a new multifunctional toilet that provides a gentle spray of water up your tush. I am not a big fan of bathroom humor, but these things just write themselves. We have a reading of our 10-minute play by actors next Saturday. I’ll let you know how it goes next week.

Forever Young – In My Mind

May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young
Bob Dylan (singer/song writer), lyrics to “Forever Young”

It’s amazing to me that Bob Dylan is 65 today. Not that I knew him personally when he was younger, but all my rock idols are truly elderly now. Paul Simon in an interview mentioned that Paul McCartney, who turns 64 June 18th, called him up and sang “When I’m Sixty-Four.”

Now at his advanced age, when Dylan sings “One More Cup of Coffee” it takes on a completely different meaning.

There is nothing wrong that they are older, except that it makes me older. I used to be cool driving around playing the Stones, Dylan or the Kinks (at least I thought I was), now it’s a sure sign of old age. It’s akin to when someone was listening to Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra when I was a kid. Now I like Martin and Sinatra too.

I don’t like this getting old stuff, but what choice do I have?

On The Mark -- Maybe "Somebody" Read My Post

I was so angry with how the Democrats conducted themselves last weekend regarding the desire to impeach Bush, that I wrote a post stating (it's still on this page) that they'd already lost the elections. In addition I dashed it off to several senators and representatives of Congress.

Today I see that John Conyers, the Democrat from Michigan who was leading the charge, has now written an editorial for the Washington Post titled, "No Rush to Impeachment." Here are two paragraphs from the editorial:

"So, rather than seeking impeachment, I have chosen to propose comprehensive oversight of these alleged abuses. The oversight I have suggested would be performed by a select committee made up equally of Democrats and Republicans and chosen by the House speaker and the minority leader.

"The committee's job would be to obtain answers -- finally. At the end of the process, if -- and only if -- the select committee, acting on a bipartisan basis, finds evidence of potentially impeachable offenses, it would forward that information to the Judiciary Committee. This threshold of bipartisanship is appropriate, I believe, when dealing with an issue of this magnitude."

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

It’s outrageous to line your pockets off the misery of the poor.
Outrageous, the crimes some human beings must endure.
It’s outrageous a man like me stands here and complains.
Paul Simon, Singer/song writer “Outrageous,” from the "Surprise" CD

Living with War. Neil Young’s new CD is terrific. Young shows what a talented veteran musician with a conscience can do. Every song has an important message and a recrimination of the Decider-in-Chief.

My favorite song on the CD is “The Restless Consumer.” As On the Mark said, this is a new generation’s “Ohio,” a song Young wrote about the National Guard killing four students at Kent State.

This is probably not fair, but I’m going ask it and state it anyway. What the hell took him so long? I’m convinced if John Lennon were alive this CD would have been done by him three years ago. Nonetheless, we have it now and it’s certainly worth getting. I highly recommend it.

Surprise. Paul Simon’s new CD “Surprise” is also very good. My favorite song is “Outrageous” (see quote above for sample lyrics). My sentimental favorite is "Father and Daughter."

I’m gonna watch you shine, gonna watch grow.
Gonna paint a sign so you’ll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you.

This CD is also a winner.



Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers.

God bless our brave billionaires.

I don't yet know who this "mishap productions" guy is, but she (he?) makes some interesting points.

Truth in Advertising

Are you legal, decent, honest, truthful?
Anonymous, Slogan for the British Advertising Standards Authority

These photos came in an e-mail from Mother Misanthrope. I think they all speak for themselves:

On The Mark -- Dems Lost Mid-Term Elections: Not a Prediction; Already Accomplished

The Dems came out swinging this weekend, finally taking the initiative.

And they've already lost. They lost the mid-term elections. They lost the 2008 presidential election.

For some silly reason, they seem to be focusing their messages to their core voters. They already have their vote. They should be focusing their attention on the so-called undecideds, but even more important, on the tens of millions of people who might actually get off their butts this time and cast a vote.

I don't need focus groups or polls to tell me that this critical group, the ones who will make the difference about what color Congress will be next year, doesn't want to hear about revenge, about subpoena power, about impeachment.

If they're finally going to get off their butts and cast a vote, that means they care about the future, not the past.

Talk from powerful democratic leaders such as "He (Bush) is going to have to answer some questions," is like, well, suicide.

Sure this rhetoric makes the core dem voters feel good. But it's for another time and another place.

When asked about subpoena power and impeachment, the dems should state unequivocally that it's not on the agenda, but getting America back on track and cleaning up the mess the Republicans have made, is. Then they should state exactly how they're going to do it.

As Shakespeare said: revenge is best served cold.

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

A sadder and a wiser man,
He rose the morrow morn.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 - 1834), poet

The Party’s Over. Damn that week went by fast. I so enjoyed doing nothing. I read a few newspapers, napped a lot, renewed my passport, didn’t go to the dentist or the DMV (why ruin a good vacation), read a little, but not enough to finish even half a book. Went to a play reading that was written by a friend, the reading, which was acted out and the play were both very good. I watched a few baseball games and a basketball games. Generally, I would wake up have my cereal, read the sports page, and go back to bed. I also went on a couple of hikes estimated total mileage for both hikes 12-14 miles. My legs are still a bit sore.

Life Shattering. All these many, many years I have lived under the impression that I was a Libra. Now, my mother sends me some information that states otherwise. Because, I was so shocked, I had someone else run the data and again it comes back that I’m a Scorpio. This means that I have to adjust all my traits to fit the appropriate sign. It’s no wonder my relationships don’t last, I have been consorting with the wrong astrological signs*.

Neil Young. I was disappointed last Tuesday because I was under the impression that Neil Young’s new CD was coming out, I was looking forward to listening to it while on vacation. Alas, I will have to wait for Amazon to deliver it and then play it commuting to work.

Driving Me Nuts. Speaking of commuting, I spent $60 to fill up my Nissan Maxima. Holly cow, that hurts. When that gas pump finally stopped and I saw the price, my hair resembled Don King’s. It used to be that I played the Lotto for riches, I guess now I play to afford gas for the next year. I am ready (actually I’ve been ready for years) to impeach President Decider, but I will have to settle for Young’s song because it won’t happen with a Republican majority.


*I don't really base anything on my astrological signs, I use it for entertainment purposes only.

Justice Served

Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo—obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other.
Angela Davis, civil rights activist, educator, and writer

I am very pleased that Zacarias Moussaoui did not get the death penalty, not because I am against the death penalty in most cases, but because he had little to nothing to do with 9/11 and, most importantly, he wanted the death penalty.

Living in a cage will be far more punishing than allowing him to escape into nothing believing he will be honored as a martyr. He is a sleazy dirt bag that deserves the abuse he will receive in prison, even if it's only mental abuse from having to live with himself the rest of his natural days. Hell, we should secretly send him off to our torture camps in Cuba and throughout Europe for all I care about him.

The Decider-in-chief expressed disappointment at the verdict because he wanted a scapegoat he could point to that was executed for 9/11 because the White House gang has failed miserably in its war against terrorism.

News Items

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
[and work cheaply with no benefits]
Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887), poet

Illegal immigrants. I watched the news yesterday of the peaceful demonstrations and was a bit surprised to hear several of the protestors say they have rights. As illegal immigrants, they don’t have the rights of U.S. citizens. However, the blind eye politicians have turned to allow workers who are willing to toil for less has now come home to haunt them. Republicans who chant about a free market have allowed the market place to be skewed with cheap labor to keep wages artificially low, have once again be caught cheating to fill their pockets with gold.

A free market is the Republican mantra, but they allowed the market place to keep artificially low wages by allowing businesses to exploit cheap labor. Then they try to scare us with threats of high-priced fruits and other goods. Let the prices rise and then you’ll see a truly free market place as those items will no longer be purchased. Maybe then, some of the lands used for farming will be saved from more housing tracts and thus no longer helping the big corporate farms to consolidate even more power.

This country has been helping major businesses and the rich at the expense of the poor and now the tab is coming due. I see no choice but to create a plan that allows workers to become citizens. After such an amnesty program, it would then make sense to either tighten labor laws by going after businesses, not the workers.

Political News. Having written Toner Mishap for a year, I really delved into the political news and I discovered that both parties are truly similar, except W who is so ignorant and self-serving that his gang will be off the charts in historical context as the worse president this country has ever appointed and then elected. He is a nightmare.

Also, making my skin crawl is Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. He truly blows with the fat cat wind. He’ll offer a plan and then when its rejected by the White House or corporate influencers, he will change his mind.

Thus after a year of daily blogging that ended last October, and trying to keep up the blog now, I have far less enthusiasm for writing about the political nonsense that serves to do nothing except obscure the fact nothing gets done in Washington, unless it puts money into the pockets of corporate barons. So I will just write as the mood strikes.

The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

"Good morning, Little Piglet," said Eeyore. "If it is a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he. "Not that it matters," he said.
A. A. Milne (1882 - 1956), writer

Where does all the free time go? – On my own it seems as if there is very little free time. My book reading has dropped considerably, and as you have seen the blog writing goes on for a couple of days and then as the week kicks in wham’o no time to get anything done. I am taking this week off to do nothing, but try and recharge. Thank you boss!

Friends with money – Daughter and I saw the movie “Friends with Money” it was not bad, a bit on the depressing side, but good. Driving home we were singing to a Mick Jagger solo song “I’ve Been Lonely for so Long,” which she used to come out into the garage while I was exercising to dance to that song. I was thinking while we were singing so horribly off key (more her than me); the Stones have always supplied the soundtrack to my growing up and now growing old years, so it makes sense to have them played at my memorial. I told daughter that I wanted “Paint it Black” played. She, naturally was not thinking any such thing. Her thoughts were I wonder what song I’ll dance with my dad at my wedding someday. I suggested “Sympathy for the Devil,” just to send all the church hypocrites her mother will invite home with something to pray about.

Confession Time – I guess when I feel down I like to watch romantic comedies. The first movie I watched when I moved into my place was “Must Love Dogs,” which I liked. On the Mark thought I was nuts. So, this weekend I purchased “Harry Met Sally,” and “Annie Hall.” Since I am feeling rather blue tonight, I am thinking of going into the living room and watching Woody and Diane from 1977. When that movie came out, I really felt as thought it captured my life at that point. I also purchased John Wayne’s “Rio Lobo,” “As Good at it Gets,” “Casablanca” and “Something’s Gotta Give.” This is a person who normally does not buy DVDs because I don’t really watch them more than once, except for the Godfathers. So, this week I hope to watch my movies and read a couple of books.

iPod – I finally broke down and purchased an iPod. So far, I am not thrilled as I am going on day two of loading music. I got it because, I am going to join a new gym and I figured that I had to update from my cassette recorder. I’ll keep you posted on my iPod experience.

Theater Critic – I suppose it’s not a good thing that I am not a theater critic since the LATimes blasted Salome in yesterday’s paper. I loved it so much I went to see it twice.

Gimme Shelter

You ride around your white castle,
On your little white horse
You lie to your people,
and blame it on your war of course
You call yourself a Christian,
I call you a hypocrite
You call yourself a patriot,
well I think you're full of shit
Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards “Sweet Neo Con”

Thank you Mick !

My favorite rock and roll band just snubbed my most disliked U.S. President. The Great Decider wanted to book the luxury Royal Suite at the five-star Imperial Hotel in Vienna, Austria for a summit in June, but the Rolling Stones got there first.

The self-serving Bush gang was shocked that Mick Jagger would not release his room or the entire floor for them. The suite goes for approximately $7,000 a night. The Stones are scheduled to play in town that week.

Hopefully Mick will vary their play list to include their two political songs ("Highwire" and "Sweet Neo Con") that cover the father and son presidents, who both waged wars in the Middle East.

Now if someone can just evict the Great Decider/Idiot in Chief from the White House that would be a start in turning things around in this country away from the corrupt cronyism that has done nothing but further our path to the new Gilded Age.

The Great Decider

Learning had made us not more human, but less so. Learning had not increased our knowledge of good and evil, but intensified and made more rational and deadly our greed for gain.
Jan Carew, novelist, actor, and newspaper editor

.
I could really just let loose with a vitriolic string of swear words generally reserved for people I have to share the freeways with to describe how I feel about George Bush and his corrupt and greedy gang in the white house.

Those words would also be directed at the idiots who voted for him the second time, they can have a pass on the first time, but there was no excuse the second time around. This man is a menace and so are his cadre of religious rightwing zealots who all truly deserve a reserve seat in Dante’s Hell.

Yesterday, the Idiot in Chief as I call him or the “Decider” as he calls himself has begun warning people about high gas prices this summer. Right now, at the cheap station where I fill up gas is selling at $3.15 a gallon, of course that was Friday, it could be $3.25 on Tuesday when I return.

Let’s unpack (English class jargon) what the inept Decider has said:

"We're going to have a tough summer because people are beginning to drive now during tight supply," Bush said as he toured a California facility developing hydrogen-powered vehicles.

What he really means is that we working stiffs are going to continue to get in the rear end, despite what he thinks about gay marriage. It certainly will not be tough for him as he spends most of the summer vacationing on his Texas ranch and let’s the world go to hell in a hand basket.

"The American people have got to understand what happens elsewhere in the world affects the price of gasoline you pay here."

What he really means is that when he invades another country for no reason and screws up the oil supply, we are going to suffer, but the executives of oil companies are going to profit handsomely – such as the CEO of Exxon who received nearly a half billion dollars in salary and bonuses!

What is worse that people are not demanding investigations and impeachment hearings.

The Misanthrope --miscellaneous musings

The structure of a play is always the story of how the birds came home to roost.
Arthur Miller (1915 – 2005), playwright

I have been exceedingly busy, which is why I have not posted. Thankfully, On the Mark had a few things to say. I also figured things might slow down a bit, so I booked several events during the week. I was mistaken. I was exhausted everyday and night.

Tuesday night. I attended my poetry class, which I am really enjoying. I feel as though I’m learning a lot, especially since I knew little to nothing about the art of poetry before this class.

Wednesday night. On the Mark and I went to Pasadena to see Gerald Clayton in a solo piano performance at the Pasadena Jazz Institute. Clayton’s father and uncle are well known jazz musicians. In any case, it was two hours of wonderful piano jazz by an up and coming performer. His jazz playing carried a bit of blues and soulfulness that made the pieces introspective and foot tapping. He is only 21 and so poised. We saw him twice at Catalina’s Jazz club in Hollywood; a couple of weeks ago playing with Roy Hargrove and a few months before that with Frank Morgan, during that show he played a duet with his father who plays the stand up bass. The kid is incredible.

Thursday night. An up-and-coming playwright friend and I went to see Oscar Wilde’s Salome at the Wadsworth Theatre in Brentwood staring Al Pacino. Pacino’s acting blew me away. I thought that he over acted and that every movie had some soliloquy for him that he could phone in. I was wrong. I can never hear the word Salome again without hearing Pacino’s voice --
“Saaal O May dance for me.”

Saturday night. I loved Salome so much that I went online to Craig’s list and went again Saturday night. And it was just as good. I had to see and hear Saaal O May begged to dance, again.

Sunday. I am going to read the newspapers and try to keep up on the writing this week.

On The Mark -- Hissing

That's it. I'm packing it in. I'm gonna buy one of those 500-square-foot portable huts I read about recently and find a quiet place in the middle of nowhere. I can't take it anymore. What pushed me over the edge?

One of the hottest crazes in jewelry (as reported this weekend in the business section of the L.A. Times, no less) is the new "roach brooch," a live, hissing, 3-inch crystal-studded cockroach that one wears by chain or pin.

They sell for $40 at the store in Salt Lake City where they were introduced, or one can buy them on the internet for $80. But you should know there is a waiting list.

One buyer, a 4th grade teacher, said, "I love all animals."

Huh?

By the way, the designer uses only male cockroaches because the females bite. I'll leave it at that.

Happy Easter

“I was just going to say, don’t get hung up about Easter.”
Leon Russell, during the Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour

Misanthropic musings will return next Sunday (most likely)

On The Mark -- Scenes in real life

If I were watching these two scenes in a movie I would say "this movie is stupid because something like this would never happen":

1) Computer flash memory drives containing sensitive information on military tactics are stolen from the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan. Then, get this, the drives are sold in an open bazaar just outside the gates of the military base. There is no better definition of "right under our noses."

2) A string of ex-generals call for Rumsfeld's ouster. Pres. Bush says forget it, he's doing a great job. Part of his rationale is based on the support of a current general (Pace)...like he's really going to say anything negative at this time.

The transcript of Moussaoui's testimony yesterday highlights what we're up against. Although we "want" him to be crazy, these are comments of a sane man:

About his role in the 9/11 conspiracy:

"There is no remorse for justice. No regret. No remorse."

Would he do it again tomorrow (crash plane into the White House) if he could:

"Today."

About an Army Lt. Col. who crawled out of the burning Pentagon (a witness in the trial):

"I was regretful he didn't die."

About a Navy Lt. Cmdr. who died in the Pentagon:

"Make my day."

About being willing to kill Americans, even in prison:

"Anywhere. Anytime."

About Timothy McVeigh:

"The greatest American."

( Despite what the little note says below, this was posted by On the Mark)

Sailor Marriages Called Fraud

Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.
Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), novelist

Where is the news in that story? So are the marriages of bankers, lawyers, grocery workers, farm pickers, and especially high-powered executives who have the money to buy young beauties far beyond what their looks warrant.

Eight sailors where charged with arranging fraudulent marriages to Polish and Romanian women to help the women obtain U.S. citizenship and to collect bigger military housing allowances for themselves.

Let them marry; to me that is better than parading prisoners around in their underwear.

Summing Up the Week Thus Far

Blessings on him who invented sleep, the mantle that covers all human thoughts, the food that satisfies hunger, the drink that slakes thirst, the fire that warms cold.
Miguel de Cervantes (1547 - 1616), novelist and dramatist

I'M SO TIRED
(Lennon/McCartney)

I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink
No,no,no.

I'm so tired I don't know what to do
I'm so tired my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you but I know what you'd do

You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
for a little peace of mind

Good Morning Monday !

He gets up early about seven o’clock
The alarm goes off and then the house starts to rock
In and out of the bathroom by seven-o-three
By seven-ten he’s down stairs drinking his tea
Ray Davies, The Kinks “Rush Hour Blues”

As your alarm jars you awake this morning, just think that the CEO of your company, if it’s not you, is making approximately 700 times your salary. Compared to the 56 times the CEO was making when your dad or grandfather was working.

A CEO friend told me he does not give employees a rise every year automatically. “Has the employee improved in their position by 2-6 percent every year?” I am not sure there is any kind of measurement for that, but I would say keeping a talented and trained employee is probably worth the minimum increase every year.

The article in the Sunday New York Times Business section opens with the story of a 30-year employee who started in 1977 at $6.40 an hour and today is making $13.25 an hour. The CEO of this unconscionable company (ConAgra Foods) was given $45 million during his eight years at the helm, and was given an estimated $20 million retirement package as he walked out the door.

Those of us hustling off to the office this morning, according to the March 25 Wall Street Journal are leaving earlier. I know I am. The reasons include beating traffic to getting a jump on ever more busy days. The article says, “The shift to sunrise comes thanks to everything from heavier rush-hour traffic to BlackBerry overload that has left predawn as the last refuge for many people.”

So as we sip our coffee, tea or juice, just remember we are sleeping less, working more and watching the middle-class disappear into the gap between the rich and poor.

Happy Monday and enjoy your week!

On The Mark -- Devil in Disguise

I was reading the Washington Post article this morning about how the administration is considering military options -- INCLUDING "TACTICAL" NUCLEAR WEAPONS; let me repeat that for all who are NOT paying attention: TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS -- in Iran. I wrote about this a year ago, or so. It's not speculation, everyone. It's going to happen. Bush will not leave the presidency without taking care of the "problem of Iran." He's been "called" to do this. But one must ask...who's doing the calling?

The most prominent reason that Bush has stated in speeches, etc., is Iran's threat to Israel. I say let Israel take care of itself. Israel, with its own military might, doesn't need the U.S. to babysit or play bully for them.

I don't remember too much from my Catholic upbringing. But I do remember learning something about how Satan, when he makes his move, will do it in a disguise that will surprise everyone.

(Note: Despite what the little note below says, this was posted by On the Mark, not The Misanthrope)

The Misanthrope – miscellaneous musings

“A man in my position can’t afford to look ridiculous.”
Jack Woltz, Hollywood mogul in “The Godfather”

Blogging. Toner Mishap is reminding me of the Johnny Cash song “Ring of Fire”, because the numbers are dying, crashing is more like it. I am going down, down, and the flames are growing higher. I feel a bit like the boxer who gets back in the right after retiring. He should have stayed retired. (Don’t worry mom, I am going to keep doing this a bit longer.) My mother, who I thought gave up reading Toner Mishap since we were writing only when the mood struck, informed me she was delighted to see I was posting again. When I asked how she knew, she said that she checked every morning as part of her routine. I did not intend to tell her because I feel a bit self censored, but I suppose I shouldn’t feel that way. I think I blogged about this last year, I was talking to my mother on my cell phone when I was cut off getting onto the freeway and I let fly a string of expletive deleted words that only Dick Cheney would only use when talking to Democratic senators, then I realized my mother was still on the phone, oops.

The Rolling Stones. The Chinese government is taking a cue from CBS or whatever network aired the Superbowl and they are censoring five Rolling Stones songs including "Brown Sugar," "Honky Tonk Woman," "Beast of Burden," and "Let's Spend the Night Together” and the new song “Rough Justice.” Hmmm, obviously the Chinese authorities are not familiar with the Stones’ catalog, so if Mick Jagger were truly rebellious and not just into his faux rebellion nonsense, I would recommend that he play: “Star Star,” “Some Girls,” “Bitch,” “Rocks Off,” and “Sparks will Fly.” But, it’s only about money for Mick and the guys.

Jazz. On the Mark and I went to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts last night to see the jazz legend Sonny Rollins. Stupendous. Rollins' playing conveyed his love of the music and his extraordinary talent. He is 76 years old and he was on stage with his saxophone for a solid two hours without sitting. Joshua Redman’s show at Catalina’s Jazz Club earlier this year was amazing, but Rollins took the jazz to another level altogether.

Stones Update. Maybe I am too hard on Jagger. According to the New York Times, the sold-out performance brought together cosmopolitan Shanghai at its richest, in more senses than one. With the cheapest seats going for about $40 — and most priced at 5 to 10 times more, well above monthly salaries for most people here — the cost ensured that well-heeled foreigners dominated the crowd.

Mick Jagger, the group's lead singer, acknowledged as much himself in a news conference the day before with a comment meant to address two of the most delicate issues surrounding the event, the heavily foreign audience and the restricted song list.

"I am pleased the Ministry of Culture is protecting the morals of expatriate bankers and their girlfriends," Mr. Jagger said, adding that he had 400 other songs to choose from, so "it doesn't really matter."

A popular blogger here (in Shanghai), Wang Xiaofeng, is typical of the group for whom the Stones are a relic of another era. "For most Chinese rock 'n' roll fans, the Rolling Stones are not even as attractive as a domestic pop singer, or the Super Girl contestants," referring to a television show that resembled American Idol. "In the eyes of fans, the Rolling Stones have more meaning as a rock 'n' roll symbol than as a kind of music. They are as unfamiliar as they are familiar."

(note: the mother and son picture at the top is not Mother Misanthrope and son, it's an old depression era photo.)

New Rules

Man does not only sell commodities, he sells himself and feels himself to be a commodity.
Erich Fromm (1900 - 1980) psychoanalyst and philosopher

New Rules. If the Los Angeles Times is going to run an editorial page commentary by Bill Maher (it does about once a quarter and on the same day his show airs), let’s call it what it is – a preview of either the monolog or his commentary to end the show. I don’t begrudge Maher for getting a bit of PR for his show as well as receiving a couple of hundred dollars for the written piece, but I do fault the Times for rapidly losing its standing as a world-class newspaper. One day this week, the paper covered a private party as a news item because former presidential front runner Gary Hart was a dinner guest plugging his latest book.

I am going to have a dinner party with a few smart people and we’re going to discuss and no doubt come up with solutions for most the world’s ills. Which reporter are you sending? Hell, they don’t have to come the party for solutions, just read some of the blogs on the blogroll list.

A tip of the hat to On the Mark for the idea.

Is the Religious Right bringing about Armageddon?

I have read the Book of Revelation and, yes, I believe the world is going to end—by an act of God, I hope—but every day I think that time is running out.
Caspar Weinberger, Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration

I went to listen to Kevin Phillips speak last night at the downtown Los Angeles Library. I have found that after seeing several authors in such talks they simply use their preface as their talking points. Phillips was no different. Here is an excerpt from the preface of his book American Theocracy, the Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century:

Over the three decades of Bush presidencies, vice presidencies, and CIA directorships, the Republican party has slowly become the vehicle of all three interests [(1) the oil-national security complex, with its pervasive interests; (2) the religious right, with its doctrinal imperatives and massive electorate; and (3) the debt-dealing financial sector, which extends far beyond the old symbolism of Wall Street.] The three are increasingly allied in commitment to Republican politics, if not in full agreement with one another. On the most important front, I am beginning to think that the southern-dominated, biblically driven Washington GOP represents a rogue coalition, like the southern, proslavery politics that controlled Washington until Lincoln’s election in 1860.

The potential interaction between the end-times electorate (those religious zealots who think Armageddon is under way), inept pursuit of Persian Gulf oil, Washington’s multiple deceptions, and the credit and financial crisis that could follow a substantial liquidation by foreign holders of U.S. bonds is the stuff of nightmares.

I agree 100 percent.

To Be or Not to Be, To Go or Not to Go

All poetry
is a journey
into the unknown.
Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893 - 1930), Russian poet and playwright

I work downtown and going across down is generally a pain. Going across town in the rain is even a bigger pain. I vacillated about whether I wanted to hassle driving across town in the rain to UCLA to take a poetry class.

I turned off my computer, and I was still standing around in my office, when a co-worker came by and asked why I had not left for class yet. I told her I was not sure I wanted to deal with traffic and getting home at 11 p.m. and have the alarm go off at 5 a.m. But she encouraged me and I went.

I wrote down the registration number, the instructor’s name, printed out a map to find the parking structure, I just forgot one little item – the classroom number. I got to the campus, hunted for the lot, asked a few people who looked like they might be going to an extension class if they had a catalog, no one did. I called the main office, which was closed. Finally, I discovered a campus bookstore nearby, which had the catalog.

I found the class and it was everything that I hoped it would be. It was a wonderful break from the corporate world. The instructor is intelligent or appears so, and the 10 students, who range in all ages, appear interested and interesting. I look forward to next Tuesday.

Tonight is Kevin Phillips at the downtown library discussing his new book “American Theocracy, The peril and politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century.”

Ding Dong He’s Almost Gone

He entered the territory of lies without a passport for return.
Graham Greene (1904–91), novelist

This is excellent news for the citizens of the United States that a suspected corrupt politician (House Representative Republican Tom DeLay Texas), has decided to give up his reelection bid. It is especially good because the not-so-bright or the bribed citizens in his gerrymander district may have elected him again.

DeLay said in a statement, After many weeks of personal, prayerful thinking and analysis, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to close this public service chapter of my life.

I would like to know what prayerful thinking is? Did he read the Pray may be dangerous article last week and started praying for Texas prosecutor Ronnie Earle or his former deputy chief of staff, Tony Rudy, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges, or for Jack Abramoff?

We can only hope DeLay ends up behind bars so that his political career as a lobbyist will also be stopped dead in its tracks.

The way I see it, we have just lost one of the flying monkeys who guards the witch/warlock in the White House. I' m hopeful W will melt away by 2008.

Technical Difficulties

A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser to-day than he was yesterday.
Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744) poet

Ignore that man behind the curtain! As a matter of fact, don't ever let him touch the controls again.

B2 isn't watching over the technical aspects of the site anymore, that doesn't mean he wouldn't help me, but I was playing around with the controls and apparently turned off the comment button. My apologies to all who tried to comment. I was feeling very unloved.

B2 and I were able to comment on my Sunday post because we are members, so I didn't realize the mistake until I was playing around again. Also, Janet at The Art of Getting By sent me an e-mail alerting me to my bonehead mistake.

Please feel free to comment, please.

The View from Above

When you have the super-rich paying for an immature Rose Period Picasso $104m (£57m), close to the GNP of some Caribbean or African states, something is very rotten: such gestures do no honour to art: they debase it by making the desire for it pathological.
Robert Hughes, art critic

The Getty Museum has been open for 10 years and a few weeks ago was my first visit to the place. Let me tell you it’s incredible. The outside views alone are breath taking, let alone the magnificent artwork inside. I will be visit again very soon.


This photo was taken at the Getty Museum looking east. The office buildings in the center right are in Century City. In the far left just beyond the dark clouds is downtown Los Angeles (note, it is worth clicking on the photo to see it a bit larger).

Rolling Stones Lead the way for Commercializing their Music

It is pretty obvious that the debasement of the human mind caused by a constant flow of fraudulent advertising is no trivial thing. There is more than one way to conquer a country.
Raymond Chandler (1888–1959), author

Thanks to B2, who pointed this out to me, I in turn will suggest you check out Stereo Gum and see how the Rolling Stones sold their music to commercials way back when for Rice Krispies.

The View on my way to the Trail

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Elton John (singer songwriter) “Yellow Brick Road”

Before I settled in for the evening Sunday to watch lesbians, polygamists and Mafioso, I went on a short hike in the hills behind me. In order to get up to the trail one must go through a guarded gate community and pass the multi-million dollar homes.


Homes I pass on my way to the trail.

You don't get much privacy for a few million dollars anymore


This is the home I would love to have. See that white speck out there. That house is only about 20 minutes from the city, but they must feel like a million miles away.

What most the homes will look like after the big quake.

Batter Up!

And so I drink long life to the boys who plowed a new equator round the globe stealing bases on their bellies.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), writer and humorist

My picks for the season will come as soon as I sit down and study it. But I can tell you now I am most likely going to pick the Angels to be in the World Series. ( My picks are now below)

Here is a little front yard decoration to commemorate the start of the ’06 season.

American League
West
Angels
Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Central
Cleveland
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Kansas City
East
New York
Toronto
Boston
Baltimore
Tampa Bay
American League Champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

National League
West
San Diego
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Arizona
Colorado
Central
St. Louis
Houston
Pittsburgh
Chicago
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
East
Philadelphia
Atlanta
Florida
New York
Washington

National League Champion: St. Louis Cardinals

World Series Champion: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Misanthrope – miscellaneous musings

Oh, my dear fellow, the noise...and the people!
Anonymous, (A soldier describing battle conditions; variously attributed, often to a Captain Strahan at the Battle of Bastogne (1944), but almost certainly dates from Dunkirk (1940)).

Passive. I have a nice little place with a nice view, no other dwelling obstruct my scenic vista from my bedroom or living room windows. The only glitch is a noisy neighbor. No dogs, just loud a vibrating bass line. I was only in the place a month when I was awaken at 2:45 a.m. I went downstairs and knocked lightly on the door below, but soon realized the music was not coming from them. Thankfully I didn’t beat on the door demanding the music be turned down. So as the Laker basketball announcer Chick Hearn used to say, “no harm, no foul.” I walked around back and found the offending party. I asked who lived there and told him the music was a bit loud and it woke me up. He apologized, I accepted his apology, and it was no big deal.

The next week it happened again at 3:15 am, but I was able to fall back asleep. This past Wednesday the music was loud and vibrating the walls. I called the front office and left an angry message and then I got dressed and walked to their front door and rang the door bell. “Oh, no,” I heard from behind the door. I again asked for the person so lived there and I torn into him verbally. I told him I knew his entire CD from the bass line. He tried to apologize and I told him that it didn’t carry any weight since he was so inconsiderate. He said it wouldn’t happen again. I march back upstairs and left another message for the front office telling them what I had done and they could call me in four hours when my alarm goes off.

The next morning at the office, the landlord calls and tells me they will present the young partier with a letter of “lease violation.” But, they also told me I was the only one to complain. I found that rather amazing. There are three other units attached that could hear his music, but never said anything. I don’t get it. Daughter said, apartment life is different, dad. Others at work also mentioned that is normal. I am sorry, for the money I am paying each month I want quiet considerate neighbors, and if not, I want management to do something about, but I guess as Uncle Ernie told me I am just an old man.

Recent CD purchases. Little Willies – not so good
Ray Davies, "Other People’s Lives" – very good
Artic Monkeys, "Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I’m Not" – very good
Rosanne Cash, "Black Cadillac" – good
Elvis Costello, "My Flame Burns Blue" – very good
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, "Hammersmith Odeon, London '75" -- very very good (you hear why Springsteen became such a powerhouse)

I Have Returned

People are crazy and times are strange
I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range
I used to care, but things have changed
Bob Dylan (singer/song writer), “Things have Changed”

I missed the community of writers and readers. We (On the Mark, B2 and myself) officially stopped writing at Toner Mishap back on Sunday October 9, 2005. We were good, if I do say so myself. We covered a number of topics and brought a realistic and sarcastic perspective to much of it.

I am attempting to make a return. I won’t commit to writing everyday, but I’ll write as I feel like it, as I have been doing, but just a bit more regularly. I am hopeful that B2 and On the Mark will show up from time to time other than just in the comments section.

A Room of my Own
I am now legally separated, have a place of my own in a nice location for the time being until I decide ultimately what I want to do (meaning buying something). It’s been a few months and while it’s sad I don’t think either of us have any regrets that it was not the right thing to do. I mention this because a lot of what I will be writing about will be more personal (maybe) than it was in the past. Really, what choice do I have, how many ways can I say I hate our White House gang?

Spare time
I have been hiking the hills locally a bit and I love it. My friend, who enables me to avoid grocery shopping by providing delicious food at reasonable prices (Uncle Ernie’s), suggested hiking a while back inspired to explore the hills even more. Once the rain stops I will go back out with my camera and show you my current favorite walk.

I am writing this at 12:44 a.m. listening to the rain and Beth Orton’s “Comfort of Strangers” CD and I just noticed that it is April 1, but this is no fool’s day joke. I look forward to seeing you all again.

The Misanthrope

Please Don’t Pray for Me

Pray (verb) -- to ask the laws of the universe to be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914), author

I offer this news story with running commentary. The following is an excerpt from today’s New York Times article "Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer" using all combinations of my weak sense of humor such as sarcasm, hillbilly language (which probably is spoken more readily here in Los Angeles by so called educated people), and poor taste.

Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery, a large and long-awaited study has found.
I ain’t having none of it. This story was written by one of those terrorist lovin’ New York Times’ reporter.

And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post-operative complications like abnormal heart rhythms, perhaps because of the expectations the prayers created, the researchers suggested.
This could give new meaning to the phrase: “I’m going to pray for you.”

Because it is the most scientifically rigorous investigation of whether prayer can heal illness, the study, begun almost a decade ago and involving more than 1,800 patients, has for years been the subject of speculation.
I don’t care how rigorous the investigation or irrefutable the evidence, because if god can create the earth HE most certainly can answer a prayer.

The question has been a contentious one among researchers. Proponents have argued that prayer is perhaps the most deeply human response to disease, and that it may relieve suffering by some mechanism that is not yet understood. Skeptics have contended that studying prayer is a waste of money and that it presupposes supernatural intervention, putting it by definition beyond the reach of science.
Note in this paragraph that the smart ones are called skeptics, soon it will be heretics, again. The reason this was contentious is because they were praying to find a believable answer so their prayers of winning the Nobel prize could be answered.

"One conclusion from this is that the role of awareness of prayer should be studied further," said co-author of the study Dr. Charles Bethea, a cardiologist at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City (and someone who feared for his life if he said there was no god).

Tone at the Top

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. … The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), U.S. Republican president

The Wall Street Journal yesterday had an article on how Halliburton’s work in Iraq was so shoddy the government threatened to pull its no-bid contract if the company’s quality, integrity and cost of work did not improve.

Pentagon auditors questioned $45 million of the $365 million Halliburton received for the work.

The report stated: among the serious and persistent problems identified in the documents are repeated examples of apparently intentional overcharging, exorbitant costs, poor cost reporting, slipping schedules and a refusal to cooperate with the government.

The findings of the report prepared for Rep. Henry Waxman (D. Calif.) are the first to examine the company’s contract to restore Iraq’s southern oil fields.

The company of course dismissed the findings as partisan. So, basically it’s shorthand for what the company’s former CEO – Dick Cheney – tells colleagues in the Senate “Go fuck yourself.”

Waving the Yellow Warning Flag

The Inner Game of Business...is understanding the Business Paradox: the better you think you are doing, the greater should be your cause for concern.
Mark McCormack, sports agent, promoter, and lawyer

I am not known as an optimist, so I won’t throw any one off by stating that I think many people will be major financial trouble in the coming months.

We have the new bankruptcy laws that no one is paying too much attention to at this point, but with interest rates up a quarter of a point to 4.75 percent, which means a number of home loans will rise for those who financed their new homes with adjustable rates and for those who have adjustable equitable loans (seconds taken out on their homes).

The government tells us that inflation is under two percent, not counting food or energy costs (somebody needs to tell me why those are not counted, especially since a large percentage of my cash goes to those two items). The New York Times article in today’s paper points out that this interest increase is the last rise before it leaves neutral territory. This means “after 15 consecutive rate increases, the cycle of monetary tightening is reaching its peak as interest rates approach what is seen as a "neutral" rate that is not so high that it slows economic growth but not so low that it allows inflationary fears to come back to life.”

But, what brings this piece home, so to speak, is that an article in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times about swindlers preying on those who cannot afford their homes states that there was one foreclosure for every 1,223 households in Los Angeles. Now, throw in a terrorist attack or a natural disaster such as an earthquake and people are going to be in big trouble. We know what a help FEMA is! People will not be able to walk away from their homes as they used to. The new bankruptcy law states that one has to pay back loans and debts unless one is penniless with no income.

Trouble is brewing.

Lord, Where's My Mercedes Dude!

To be remembered after we are dead, is but poor recompense for being treated with contempt while we are living.
William Hazlitt (1778–1830), English essayist

I was driving to work yesterday listening to Janis Joplin and the lyrics to her song “Mercedes Benz” and it occurred to me why the religious right is so popular. It's because they are all praying for and preying on others and surprisingly they are scoring.

The quote above seemed rather apropos to my thoughts about the religious right or left.

Here is a sampling of Joplin’s song in case you have forgotten it.

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Market Forces

A character's monologue from Richard Morgan's novel Market Forces, updated a little to be more appropriate for the present (as opposed to looking back from the future):

Do you really think we can afford to have the developing world develop? You think we could survive the rise of a modern, articulated Chinese superpower? You think we could manage an Africa full of countries run by intelligent, uncorrupted democrats? Just imagine it for a moment. Whole populations getting educated, and healthy, and secure, and aspirational. We can't afford these things to happen. Who's going to make our shoes and shirts? Who's going to supply us with cheap labor? Who's going to buy our weapons?

An educated middle class doesn't want to spend eleven hours a day bent over a stitching machine.They aren't going to work the seaweed farms and the paddy fields till their feet rot. They aren't going to live next door to a fuel-rod dump and shut up about it. They're going to want prosperity. Just like they've seen it on TV.

Please wait, your call matters, please wait your call matters, please wait your call matters…

When complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.
John Milton (1608–74), poet

Whenever I call a company whose service I am using, I get an automated operator who (that) informs me how unusually busy the company is answering other calls, then I get to hear the advertising of all their products. Eventually I am told the call will be monitored. My hope is that they begin monitoring the call from the time I am placed on hold, so they can hear how long their customers are holding. Also, if it is always so unusually busy, why don’t they get more operator? Outsourcing is cheap there should be no excuse.

Actually, I am not sure which is worse, someone who can't help or a recording that is no help.

Post-it Cubicle

We greeted a co-worker returning from a long absence by decorating his cubicle with post-it notes.


It's cliche, but I think the labor involved justifies a little bit of pride in the accomplishment.

"The penis book"?

My wife is on the phone right now with another rabbi, and just said to her, "I had to look something up in the penis book today."

She is now claiming there's a book written by some guy named Shlomo Penis, but I tried Googling it and got nothing.

So what's up with that?