Just another WTF?! moment

I just watched the trailer and read a review for the soon to be released movie "Hanna". The story tells of a 16 year old girl (Saoirse Ronan) who lives on an isolated farm in Finland with her dad (Eric Bana). It appears her dad is a retired CIA super assassin hiding from those who would harm him and his daughter. So, dad feels that, in order to protect her, he needs to train the daughter in all of the deadly skills he had acquired during his days as an assassin. The movie's punch line is Adapt or Die. It seems another super female assassin (Cate Blanchett) is an evil CIA operative bent on destroying father AND daughter. So, of course, the 16 year old girl, now well versed in the art of killing, mayhem and destruction, needs to leave the security of the farm and track down and eliminate those who would harm her should they find her first.

The generally glowing review that I read described it as a modern telling of the classic Fairy Tale Princess stories; a sort of James Bond meets Snow White. WTF?! You've got to be kidding me!! I don't get it!! Why would I, or ANYONE, see a 16 year old girl trained in the deadly arts to be an expert in killing with guns, knives, explosives, and her bare hands as a HEROINE! How could anyone call this a fairy tale. To me, it's more like a nightmare!

In addition to the implausibilty of the story, there is a deeper, moral issue at stake here. Is this just what our society needs: a 16 year old girl who also happens to be a killing machine serving as a role model? All of our children are barraged on a daily basis with violent images. However, the most violent images were usually reserved for male fare. Now, girls are subject to the same violent brainwashing as the boys. And, can you imagine: in addition to being required to be cute, smart, talented,and athletic to be popular, now girls have a 16 year-old super assassin to aspire to be like, as well. It's not like this creates image issues for them or anything! And I thought it was tough to live up to the image of Hannah Montana - (lol)!

Give these girls - and us - a break. PLEASE Hollywood, stop making shit and start making sense. Stop the violence!!!!!!!!

Creative Writing: A Buck on a Median

There he was; standing motionless on the narrow strip of wooded median, carefully scanning the high speed traffic whizzing by on both sides of him. He was a young buck, probably a two or three "pointer". He was decently sized and seemed to have weathered the long and harsh winter without too much difficulty. I was driving one of those cars whizzing by, on my way to work. Catching a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye, it startled me to see him standing so tall and proud. In fact, at first, he seemed so out of place on that median that I thought that it might be a prank. Perhaps it was a statue placed there as a gag by some college fraternity. But as I got closer I saw that it was no statue. It was a living, young male deer.

He appeared more alert than afraid. He seemed to be actually calculating the speed of the traffic, looking for a break when he could make a mad dash off that narrow strip and into the safety of the woods that lay a terrifying two lanes of deadly traffic away. I remember thinking, "oh, no, he'll never make it". I've seen the terrible consequences of young deer trying to negotiate their way across that deadly ribbon of asphalt in an attempt to get from one section of woods to the other. Their mangled corpses littering the sides of the highway are evidence of their many failures. I hoped that he wouldn't be another one. Because of his alertness, though, at least he had a chance.

As I sped by, in addition to my concern, I felt another emotion; frustration. As much as I may have wanted to, there was absolutely nothing I could do to aid him with his predicament. Could I pull my car across the highway, blocking the other cars, creating a safe passage to the woods for him? Impossible. No. There was nothing that I could do. I would have to leave him to his fate.

This led me to think of this incident as a metaphor for so many young "bucks" in our society. Just like this young deer, many of our young men find themselves stranded on a median, confronted with life threatening decisions. Do you stay put? Do you run left or right? When do you run? How did you get there in the first place? Just as with that young buck, we cannot answer these questions for them. We cannot lead them to safety. We can only hope that they make reasonable, rational choices. The rest must be left to fate.

Tomorrow, when I drive the same stretch of road, I intend to look very closely to see if that young buck made it to the safety of the woods. Hopefully, fate smiled upon him and he's doing what he was born to do; chasing does, deep in the safe, vernal woods.

It's the Little Things

I don't know about you, but it's the little things that can drive me crazy! For example, I was driving home from work last night. It was after midnight so the traffic was pretty sparse, especially on my main road home, The Palisades Interstate Parkway or PIP. The PIP is a nice, 2 lane, older, country highway that runs from the George Washington Bridge to Bear Mountain (about 30 miles). Anyway, even though the speed limit is 50 MPH for most of its length, the police will allow you to travel at 65-70 without penalty (unless it's when what I call "sweeps week"). So, since there is little traffic, I set my cruise control for about 68 and just keep a steady pace all the way. However, in NEVER fails that I will be in the left lane, anticipating passing the slower moving vehicle in the right lane, when said vehicle, without rhyme, reason, or provocation, decides to shift into the left lane, effectively cutting me off and forcing me to illegally pass them on the right! Often, they'll give you the finger when you go by, too! WTF?! There was absolutely NO REASON for them to change lanes. Yet, they did it. Why? Obviously, to just PISS ME OFF!

I know they say, "don't sweat the small stuff", and they're right. But it's the little things that add up over the course of a day that are the real challenge to having a positive outlook on the human race.

Have a nice day. :)

photo: F LoBuono

Today's DOTD: Herman Cain AND Iowa

Please notice the date this entry was originally posted - March 2011. I thought he was a douche then and Herman Cain just keeps getting worse. One of Stella's favorite slogans is: Where there is smoke, there's fire! Well, Mr. Herman Cain is smokin' hot - and not in a good way!!

ONCE A DOUCHE, ALWAYS A DOUCHE!

It seems that there is always a plethora of Douche of the Day candidates emanating from the Republican Party. A good friend recently asked me, "Why"? "Does it always have to be a Republican"? Well, my answer was, "No, not necessarily. It's just that they make it so damned easy"! And today is no exception with DOTD, Mr. Herman Cain. However, in addition to Mr. Cain, I have also chosen one of the reddest of states, Iowa, to join him as co-DOTD.

First, let's deal with Mr. Herman Cain. On the surface, Mr. Cain seems an admirable man. He is a self made millionaire from Georgia who was CEO of the Godfather Pizza chain. He is also an ultra-conservative Republican and, therefore, a darling of the Party of NO, i.e. The Tea Party. Speaking in Iowa recently, he made a statement claiming he is misunderstood and defamed by Democrats because he won't be part of "the Democratic Party Plantation"! The almost ALL WHITE, TP-loving audience applauded raucously. WTF?! The Democratic Party Plantation? What the hell is he talking about?! This is a black man pandering to an almost all white audience by playing the race card. Talk about the kettle calling the pot black - nod, nod, wink, wink. Come on folks, how could anyone, black or white, see any logic in a statement like that?

Mr. Cain soon descended further into a mind-boggling, politically suicidal rant. At the same Iowa conservative forum, he was asked by a reporter "if elected President, would you have a Muslim serve on your staff or in your cabinet"? Cain relied that "No, he would not", and continued, suggesting that he felt that way because Muslims "could not be trusted". When confronted with these statements on a Fox News programs, Cain dug himself an even deeper shit hole when he said that he felt that way because it has become apparent to him that there is a movement in the U.S. Muslim community to over-throw our government and institute Sharia law. WTF?! #2. Hello. You've been watching way too much Glenn Beck.

Now, in fairness, I have been critical of the American Muslim community in what, I believe, is their too muted response to acts of terrorism committed on the part of Muslims. I have questioned the role that their religion (as I have ALL religions) plays in everyday life. It was issued more as a challenge to the Muslim community then as an indictment of it. I stand by that. However, to suggest that NO Muslim is trustworthy on ANY level is not only narrow-minded, illogical, unfair, cruel, and bigoted, it tramples the very CONSTITUTION for which Mr. Cain and the Tea Party'ers claim to hold so dear. The Constitution strictly prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, or creed. And here is a man who would be elected to a post sworn to protect its tenents. Well, not if I have anything to say about it!

So, after hearing this, you would think that most people would quickly dismiss him for the quack that he is. Well, not necessarily. Not if you are from Iowa. They conducted a straw poll for the Presidency at the conference where he made the original statements, and he WON. Yes, he won handily over the likes of other stalwart conservatives like Tim Pawlenty and Michelle Bachman. It seems that in Iowa, the more socially isolated you are, the more they like you.

I've been to Iowa on a number of occasions, including for coverage of the Iowa Caucuses. I said it while I was covering the Caucuses and I'll say again: I DON'T get it. Beyond the fact that Iowans vote first, they don't have any real connection to what's going on in the rest of the known world! Iowa is mostly one, giant farm of corn or soy, dotted infrequently with small towns. The fields go on for as far as the eye can see. There are NO black people in the state. Well, that's not true. There are 6 (nod, nod, wink, wink) and they live in either Iowa City or Des Moines. The population is made up of mostly large, well-fed, blonde, white people whose girth suggests the eating habits of the cattle and hogs they raise for slaughter. Certainly, Iowa never looked like MY neighborhood! Think of it as WASP heaven. They are VERY friendly, too - as long as you believe in Jesus and NOT in evolution. And THEY set the tone for the entire country? How did THAT happen?

One of the experiences beyond work that I've had in Iowa, was one that I had with my stepson, Jeremiah. A year or so ago, he met a woman through an on-line dating service. They were around the same age and seemed, in the beginning, to be like-minded. She happened to live in Iowa. After a few weeks of on-line dating, Jeremiah decided to take a trip there to she if this relationship was worth pursuing. After a week, he came back enthused and felt that it was worth it for him to move to Iowa to make a go of it with this woman. Naturally, his mother and I urged him to be more patient before making such a drastic move. I was concerned that not only would he have to work out the relationship with the woman, he would have to make many lifestyle adjustments to accommodate the mid-western ethos. But Jeremiah was 27 or 28 at the time and determined to give it a try, not only for the woman, but to experience living somewhere else besides his native New Jersey. Together, we drove half way across the country to deliver him to her where she lived in Iowa City. She lived with her family in the last house in the town before the countryside blended into one, giant corn field. She and her family were fairly cosmopolitan for Iowans. After all, they did live near the bustling metropolis of Iowa City! Anyway, she as well as her family and most of the people we met, were very nice. They were polite, pleasant, and boring! Right from the beginning I knew that Jeremiah would just never fit in. Even though he is not a "city kid" he is imbued with the same drive (perhaps some would call it "aggression") that virtually anyone who grew up even around NYC has. They would not understand him, and he would not understand them. The clash of cultures proved too much to overcome. The relationship lasted 2 months and then he was back.

The point is that in supporting obviously unstable candidates like Herman Cain, Iowans show that they do think differently than the rest of the country. When I think of politics in Iowa, I see images of longtime Republican Senator Grassley, a PFOWG - a pasty faced, old, white guy. This is certainly not my vision for the future of our country. I truly hope that most of the rest of the country shares a similar concern with what we have seen coming out of Iowa. Only time will tell. In the meantime, Iowans will have to ponder how they, along with a wacked out businessman, became co-DOTDs.

photo: F LoBuono

When You Think About It

When you think about it, virtually all formal, organized religions claim that, through their organizations, they promote a sense of community and INTER-community togetherness. We often see "inter-faith" events that are staged to bring people of different faiths together to foster new levels of understanding between the various religions within this country. I'm for virtually anything that promotes peace, love, and understanding.

However, when you think about it, if we didn't have so many damned ways to get to the same place, i.e. FORMAL, ORGANIZED RELIGIONS we wouldn't have the NEED to promote inter-faith understanding!!!

As the most social of animals, I understand our need to find a shared sense of existence. Certainly, no man is truly an island. And, because of our nature, we have a strong urge to belong to something greater then ourselves. Most people find this in organized religion. And I think that it's worth noting that this need to "belong" is the same desire that makes inner-city gangs so effective; it allows the individual to gain strength in numbers by belonging to something larger than himself. It is a very ancient and very human connection.

On this blog, I've also shared some thoughts on mortality. For beings with such strong self-identities, the thought of a finite existence can be too much to bare. So, religion provides some comfort with promises of a heavenly after-life. I envy those who believe it. I am, at least at this point in my life, not one of them.

I am not without a moral compass and work at living a righteous life, as my life's experiences have taught me. I think that I believe in the basic, root goodness that all religions attempt to promote. However, it's the trappings that surround the core philosophy - the greed, the close mindedness, the hypocrisy - that I cannot abide by.

When you think about it, I'd rather go it alone.

Social Commentary: Elizabeth Taylor

Friends. Romans. Countrymen. Lend me your ears! I come to bury Elizabeth Taylor, not to praise her.

Sorry. I couldn't resist. It just seemed to so succinctly sum up what I wanted to write. Damn that Bill Shakespeare - always one step ahead of me! Anyway, I resisted writing this one. After all, we are talking about the death of a person. Taylor was certainly, and rightly, a women of note. She was talented, beautiful, intelligent, generous, and respected. She was also rich, spoiled, drug and alcohol addicted, self-centered, self-indulgent, and married 8 times. Taylor certainly lived life to the fullest and is to be applauded for that. She should also be remembered for her charitable efforts towards combating Aids.

I don't want to rain on any one's parade, and I acknowledge the whole last Hollywood legend thing. But it's a matter of perspective. We're not talking about the death of Mother Theresa here! Yet, it's been days of massive media coverage and nostalgic tributes. We've heard from Larry King, Mickey Rooney, Debbie Reynold's, Elton John, and blah, blah, blah, blah. In fact, I think Mother Theresa would have died to get this kind of media coverage (pun intended)!

I get it. In her world, she was a great lady. However, in mine, Taylor's had minimal impact. Yes, I've enjoyed her movies. Yes, she was outspoken for good causes. Yes, she did use her celebrity to HELP to raise money for Aids research. But it's not like she single handily raised the funds. She played a role. And I often saw her as living a wildly extravagant life, inconsistent with the image of a great philanthropist. Has everyone forgotten those massive and gaudy diamond rings that she often flaunted?

I know, that's part of the image. But it's also part of the problem. And, to me, the problem is in celebrity worship. It's a topic that I've discussed more than once on this blog. Society becomes obsessed with the image of things instead of the reality of them. I also know that Hollywood is in the business of providing escapism from that harsh reality. Through that path, actors become STARS. They are larger than life. But are they really? Should they be? Again, it becomes a matter of degree and perspective.

I remember seeing comedian Robert Klein perform, many years ago. In fact, I think that I was still a student in college. Anyway, he did a bit in his routine that struck me, not only as funny, but important as well. I still remember it. It seems most appropriate now. Commenting on the place of celebrity in society, even 35 years ago, he said something like this: When it comes to our priories, I think that things might just be a bit out of wack. Charlie Sheen (or whomever the Sheen of that day was) can have the choice of many beautiful women with whom to have sex with. Jonas Salk can't get layed on a Saturday night!

Perspective, my friends, perspective. Let's finish with the praise and get on with the burying.

photo: Getty Images

When You Think About It

When you think about it: There really is no god out there. Because god is within here. There is only the magnificence of the human spirit. But that's why we don't need a god out there. We are god - each of us. Perhaps, if we treated ourselves, and OTHERS, like one, we'd live in a happier, healthier, and more peaceful world. And this, my friends, is not such a bad thing. I wonder why it's so damned hard to achieve.

photo: F LoBuono

Swimming in the Cesspool of Worthless Knowledge

Here's a few Fun Facts that, hopefully, will entertain you on a snowy and dreary Spring day!

The term 3rd Degree was coined by Thomas Byrnes, considered one of the greatest investigators of the NYPD. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the population of most US cities were exploding. Along with this growth came, expectantly, a surge in crime; murders, robberies, and the like. Something needed to be done, and Byrnes was just the man to do it. A big, burly, tough, Irishman, Byrnes instituted a new technique to combat crime. It involved 3 steps or degrees of increasing persuasion used to elicit information from suspects:

1. Investigation

2. Intimidation

3. Pain

So, if you got the 3rd Degree, you were in for a pretty good going over by Byrnes' associates. It worked, as crime was radically reduced in NYC and other cities that employed Byrnes' methods. By the way, Byrnes also invented the mug shot, which is still being used today, over 125 years after it was first employed.

Jacob Riis, a Dutch immigrant and crime reporter/photographer in NYC at the turn of the 20th Century, was the first to use a new invention regularly in his photography; the flash. With his camera and flash, he was able to "invade" the dark back alleys and tenements of NY's lower east side (then the most densely populated place on earth) and photograph the deplorable conditions of the people living there. When the rest of NY and the world saw the photos that he made, they were appalled! The reaction was so visceral that it spurred the city's leaders to create seismic social change in the way the poor lived.

Thomas Edison, working feverishly in his Menlo Park, NJ laboratories, experimented with over 6,000 filaments to be used in his new invention, the electric light bulb, before he found one that worked: a thread of carbonized cardboard. It burned for over 300 hours.

And the rest is history! :)

photo: F LoBuono

Pic of the Day

The first day of Spring?! WTF?!

Social Commentary: On Religion

While reading an article on young, American Muslim cleric Yasir Qadhi in this Saturday's (3/20) NY Times Magazine, I found one particular story about Mr. Qadhi and some of his fellow clerics most telling. It relates how Mr. Qadhi, who practices a particularly conservative style of Islam known as Salafiya (from the Arabic word salaf or ancestor), was on a recent retreat with other clerics from the AlMaghrib Institute (a sort of Islamic seminary). It was a winter retreat to Ontario and would involve various activities, including dog sledding. This created a quandary for some of his companions. In conservative Islam, like Salafiya, there is a movement toward a literal interpretation (as seen through the clerics) of the Koran, particularly as it was practiced during the early days (7th Century) of Islam. Not unlike MANY other religions, practitioners hope to see their return to prominence through rejection of modern influences. In Salafiya, dogs are seen as unclean and are to be treated as such; i.e. they are not be touched! I remember a friend once telling me how heartbroken he was when his son, who had converted to Islam, made him place the family dog, who the son had grown up with, in a cage until the son departed.

Well, what's a good Salif to do? Their 36 year old leader had the answer. "As long as you don't touch them, it's all right" Mr. Qadhi decreed. The story was told to demonstrate the efforts being made by Mr. Qadhi and the AlMaghrib Institute to find a workable lifestyle that blends their religious convictions with living in a modern, Western world.

On the surface, it seems a noble goal. But if you look at it as a whole, it shows the hypocrisy inherent in the practice of virtually ALL religions. When we are confronted with the modern reality of religious dogma that was created for a world that was VERY different 1,000 to 2,000 years ago, conflicts of interest arise that, obviously, need a so-called "modern" fix. And it is certainly not restricted to Islam. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate this is through a experience I had while making a documentary in China. Another producer and I had been invited to spend 10 days there creating a video about the history of, and new opportunities in, Shandong Province, China. It certainly was the opportunity of a lifetime and we squeezed as much as we could in our 10 days. We traveled all over the province, working 12-14 hour days. This left us little time for "touristy" types of activities like sightseeing and shopping. In fact, we really had only one day "free" to do whatever we wished. That day happened to be a Saturday. Great. No big deal for me. Well, it was for my co-producer. He was an Orthodox Jew. NO SHOPPING on the Sabbath!! NO PROBLEM! We would window shop together and he would pick out exactly what he wanted. He would them give ME the money to go in and buy it!

For me, these create the WTF?! moments I often rail about. Think of the hypocrisy! If you are going to dogsled, being with the dogs, understanding them, and handling them is as much a part of the experience as the sledding itself!! It is not reasonable, rational, logical, or even ethical to ask these animals to do what they do for you (like drag you around on a sled) without giving them the respect they deserve. Besides, could a pat on the head and a heart felt "good boy, Fido" really be that ungodly?

And buy your own damned shit! Don't tell me that, just because you didn't put the money directly in the sellers hands, you didn't just BUY something. You still put the money in someone's hands -mine. And this makes you more connected to your beliefs? That's a crock! It's all part of the same hypocrisy that makes ultra-Orthodox Jews, prevented from leaving the confines of their homes on the Sabbath, extend the portals of their houses by creating elaborate webs of string attaching their doorsteps to other locations. This allows them, as they interpret Jewish law, to expand their house into the community itself and, therefore, do what they need to accomplish on the Sabbath. What a bunch of bunkum. If you NEED to be somewhere, then BE there!

Incidents like these, as well as MANY other factors, have turned me away from ANY organized religion. Boy, whoever said that religion is the opiate of the masses, was dead on! They are just as corrupt as the large corporations we have grown to hate for their avarice and shameless dishonesty. I, for one, will have none of it. Certainly, this is sacrilege for this Catholic school educated, Sicilian boy. Many, including members of my own family, will say, "But Frankie, you've got to believe in something". And I'll respond by saying, "But I do. I believe in peace, love, happiness and ME!"

photo: The dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, St. Paul, Minnesota

Words to Live by 3/18/11

From The Princess Bride:

There are two certainties in life:

1. Never get involved in a land war in Southeast Asia.

and

2. Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

Have a nice day. :)

Today's DOTD: Michele Malkin

There is no rest for the wicked or vigilant. So, even while partaking in a little R and R with the fam. in warm and sunny FLA., I found a most worthy Douche of the Day: Michelle Malkin.

This past Tuesday, I was having a nice cup of morning coffee with Cat and her mother at her mother's place in The Villages, Florida. As is my custom, I was perusing the local paper, The Villages Daily Sun, when I came across Malkin's syndicated column. It was titled Michelle Obama: First lady of junk science. Within, Malkin takes Ms. Obama to task, writing that "Two of her showcase social engineering campaigns - tax preference for breast-pumping working mothers and expanded nutrition labels - are based on distorting or dismissing the prevailing public health literature". Malkin continues her barrage on Ms. Obama by quoting from a number of scientific studies that dispute the assertion made by the administration and Ms. Obama that breast feeding can help to prevent childhood obesity. She goes on to associate this health initiative with the administration's nefarious plan to control each and EVERY aspect of our lives.

I'll give credit where credit is due and say that, certainly, Malkin is thorough. Thoroughly mean spirited that is! She reminds me of a very conservative, Tea Party supporting acquaintance of mine. He is intelligent. He is thorough. He is dedicated to his beliefs. And he wants to see everything Obama fail miserably. Like other Tea Party devotees, he assaults you with statistics that support his point of view. And Malkin does the same here. She uses studies that support her point of view without bothering to research others that may support Michelle Obama's. I'm sure that if I had her resources, I would be able to find studies that would counter her claims. But, in a sense, that's not the point. Most statistics are subject to interpretation and, therefore, should not be seen as FACT. This is certainly a knife that cuts both ways. However, even if I could, I have chosen not to take that tack. I don't want to get bogged down with statistics and studies. They have their place, but not necessarily here. We are not computers. You don't feed humans facts and have them spit out data. We have feelings and emotions that must be accounted for. And Malkin's article is mean spirited to it's very core because it takes a well intentioned effort to confront a very pressing issue and reduces it to a political ploy on the part of the Obama administration. And, of course, Tea Party sycophants like Malkin see the liberal bogeyman behind every move the Obama's make. They are criticized if they are too conciliatory. They are slammed if they are too progressive. It's a classic case of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Malkin acknowledged the overall benefits of breast feeding in general by writing that she was a"proud mom who breast-fed both of her babies" and concedes the overall benefits of breast-feeding for both baby and mother. But then goes on to further bash Ms. Obama by continuing "And we don't need Big Brother or Big Mother to lead the Charge of the Big Bosom to persuade us of the personal benefits. She continues, "But as I've noted many times over the past year, Mrs. O's real interest isn't in nurturing nursing moms or slimming down kids' waist-lines. It's in boosting government and public union payrolls, along with beefing up FCC and FTC regulators duties." OK, gang, here's our WTF?! moment. I'm sure that Malkin made this conclusion after long, deep conversations over tea with Mrs. O! Why would a mother, a lawyer, and, obviously, a VERY intelligent women, a mother of two young children like Mrs. Obama, put politics over the health of millions of children including her own? Talk about partisan! The claim has no merit because it has NO LOGIC. It's just plain mean. Pure and simple.

Only a MEAN SPIRITED, DOTD would even THINK of such a thing; today's DOTD, Michelle Malkin. Like our other favorites, Beck, Palin, and Gingrich I'm sure that this won't be the last time Ms. Malkin will make her appearance as DOTD.

Thought for the Day

The wicked and the vigilant never rest. Therefore, even though I was away AND enjoying myself, I have some new material for you guys. Give a day or two to regroup and I'm all over it!

Ciao for now.

Keep the faith.

A Brief Pause

Followers of this blog know that I make an attempt to add something to it on nearly a daily basis. It's not always a BIG thing but at least something to try to keep any momentum we may have created going. It's a wonderful challenge and one that I readily accept. In fact, it's more than that. It's something that I'm compelled to do. I'll spare you the labor of love crap. I hate hackneyed phrases, although I catch myself using them far too frequently. Anyway, it certainly can be time (and, sometime soul) consuming.

So, Cat and I are off to what we hope will be a warm and sunny Florida for a few days to visit the Boyz to Men (Josh and Jeremiah) and a little much needed R and R. As part of that therapy, I intend to avoid as much electronic gadgetry as possible and, perhaps, even rest a brain cell or two. In other words, I'll SEE you guys back here in a few days!! (Get the fish eye picture?! I'm so damned clever sometime I even amuse myself) :)

photo: Cat LoBuono

From the Cesspool of Worthless Knowledge: Armageddon

The word Armageddon is used to describe the End of Days, i.e. the destruction of all living things and the very earth itself. Although associated most closely with evangelical Christianity, virtually all religions have some myth related to the end of time.

The word itself is taken from the ancient town in Israel known as Megiddo. Located on a strategic road over looking the Jazreel Valley, Megiddo was once a wealthy and powerful City-State. Because of that strategic location and wealth, it was constantly warred over in the ancient world. The Canaanites, the Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Hebrews, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Byzantines, and virtually every other Mediterranean or Middle East power fought and bled over that patch of land. Many historians claim that Megiddo is the most disputed piece of land in history (although being a Sicilian, I would care to dispute that claim).

In the Christian scenario of Armageddon, on the last days of the human existence, the powers of good and evil will fight to the death over who will control the human soul. The evil ones will be cast into hell and the righteous will be raised up to heaven. This is known is Christian circles as the rapture. At least that is my understanding. And the climatic battle of Armageddon will once again be waged at Megiddo.

Brain Droppings: On The End of the World

In a recent Face Book posting, I mocked a group of people who have dedicated their lives to traveling around the country in RV's, preached the gospel of the Apocalypse. It was pretty easy to poke fun at them because they are pretty wacky. Their leader and founder has missed on his previous predication for the end of the world and the ensuing rapture. His latest prognostication is for, I believe, May 11th.

Well, after the very difficult winter we had in the Northeast, the recent, torrential rain here and subsequent massive flooding, and the devastating 8.9 magnitude earth quake in Japan, perhaps I was a bit hasty with my mockery. Could this actually be the Armageddon as it is predicted in the Bible?

I suppose that, one way or the other, only time will tell for sure. In that case, it couldn't hurt for me to get my shit together! :)

PS: If you actually did know the timing of the actual end of the universe, would it change how you lived? Have you contemplated the fact that the universe WILL end for all of us? Because it will. We even have a name for it (and it's NOT Armageddon). It's called death. And it should not be feared. It is the other side of the same coin whose other face is called life. So, my dear friends, just a reminder to live and love everyday like it was your last. Class dismissed. :)

photo: F LoBuono The Shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi the day after Hurricane Kartina.

Today's Douche of the Day: Newt Gingrich

hy*poc*ri*sy n., 1. The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness. 2. An act or instance of such falseness, to play a part, pretend.

hyp*o*crite n., A person given to hypocrisy, to play a part, pretend (see hypocrisy)

How appropriate is it that a photo of today's DOTD, Newt Gingrich, is found right next to the dictionary's definition of hypocrisy and hypocrite?! In fact, I could make things simple and stop right here and leave it with a, " 'nuff said"! But, of course, we need some context here. After all, Gingrich is so false and vile that he could easily join the pantheon of other DOTD's, like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, who might earn that august title on nearly a daily basis.

Gingrich earned it today for his recent appearance with interviewer David Brody on The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). When questioned about his 2 previous marriages which ended in divorce after allegations of his infidelity, Gingrich replied that he made these errors in judgement because he was "partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country". WTF?! This drivel was delivered by a man who regularly bludgeon's opponents with his self righteous, dogmatic, conservative blather!! What is he saying? He's horny for America? That's what drove him to infidelity? And people will buy this?!

Let's face it, gang, all I can say is this man will try to do to the country what he has already done to his mistresses (and wifes!). And it ain't drinkin' TEA (nod, nod, wink, wink). Now, 'nuff said! Congratulations to Newt Gingrich, today's DOTD.

Words to Live By

RUN SILENT. RUN DEEP.

Pic of the Day

The rotunda staircase at the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

photo: F.LoBuono

Social Commentary: Peter King

Congressman Peter King (Rep./NY), powerful chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, has scheduled a series of meetings to begin on Thursday in Washington, to discuss the radicalization of American Muslims. Mr. King has titled the hearings The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and That Community's Response. Of course, this sparked outrage in, not only the Muslim community, but the interfaith one as well. Even the White House "cringed" when the hearings were announced, sending President Obama's deputy national security adviser, Denis McDonough, to speak at an interfaith meeting at a mosque in Virginia. At the mosque, Mr. McDonough attempted to reassure Muslims of the President's view that all Muslims should not stigmatized by the few. According the the NY Times, Mr. McDonough said that "we will not stigmatize or demonize entire communities because of the actions of a few".

Although most people did not think the idea of investigating so-called homegrown terrorism was improper, many thought that the singling out of a single group i.e. Muslims was not the best course of action. In fact, about 500 demonstrators in NY's Times Square shouted that it was down right inflammatory and called for King to expand his witness list to include other groups. King responded by saying, "That's absolute nonsense. The threat is coming from the Muslim community, the radicalization attempts are directed at the Muslim community. Why should I investigate other communities?" Rabbi's cried out that it was an injustice. Muslims expressed deep anxiety over the hearings. Politicians wondered how it all would be perceived.

However, after the initial outrage, many Muslim leaders, like Rizwan Jaka, are determined to take part in the testimony and, by doing so, help to shape its outcome. Mr. Jaka, a board member at the mosque in Virginia where Mr. McDonough spoke, said: "We're ready to dialogue. We feel that we want to make sure we are part of the solution."

Ah, bingo! Lights Flashing!!! Hurray!!!!!!

I never thought I'd say this but, in large part, I agree with Mr. King on this one. For followers of this blog, you know that I have been critical in my writing of the Muslim community for their failure as a COMMUNITY to quell the radicalism that breeds violence within TOO MANY Muslim communities; not ALL but TOO MANY. It DOES NOT happen with such shocking frequency in any other community that I know of. Therefore, why should he spend valuable resources on other communities which have no such track record. I have written that the lack of condemnation of deplorable acts, perpetrated particularly by Muslims, is virtually as vile as the acts themselves. Those who will not speak to stem the flow of nearly endless violence become evil themselves.

I wrote those things as a challenge to my Muslim brothers. I have asked those of true faith to step up and condemn those false prophets who preach only misery, death, and destruction. I have asked questions with an open mind and heart, trying to understand, WHY? Unfortunately, my entreaties went unanswered. In fact, the only response that I received were from people who sent me versus from the Quran (Koran) that seemingly promote the use of violence to achieve their religious goals. I received not a single retort by a Muslim who would dispel those notions and convince me that their ultimate goal is peace and good will to ALL.

Perhaps, in his own way, Mr. King has issued a similar challenge. We are not blind. We see on a daily basis the mayhem that is caused by radical Islam. Well, perhaps more like Mr. Jaka will step up, be heard, and be counted as those who will work with all people to achieve a common goal. And it must start as becoming part of a larger community that condemns ALL who commit heinous crimes in the name of god. This can be fostered by dialogue and ACTIVE participation in hearings like this one. Show the world that you have nothing to hide and will work together to abolish senseless violence.

In a bit of irony, Mr. McDonough offered the best quote to close with: "The bottom line is this. When it comes to preventing violent extremism and terrorism in the US, Muslim Americans are not part of the problem, you're part of the solution."

Well, with leaders like Mr. Jaka, indeed they will be.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!! Images from NOLA and Mardi Gras.

Creative Writing: "What Fuels a Fire"

Please welcome our latest contributor, Liz Bongiovanni! Her first effort for Talk-Frank is a short story, What Fuels a Fire? and is based on a true story.



What Fuels A Fire?


Apparently, the answer is many things. In one particular instance, a job termination may be the accelerant, literally.

We have all read the statistics stating that convenience store clerks have the third most dangerous job. That may be true in the more populated areas of the country but in my little corner of Northeast Pa, I had it fairly easy. The hours were long and the work physically demanding, but I enjoyed that sort of thing; just enough brain work to keep me stimulated and just enough of a workout. The hardest part was the management of people, for people are complex creatures. Many different personalities working in close proximity make for a most interesting day at times.

I had always enjoyed creating an easygoing workplace, a difficult task in that type of business. It was fast paced and hectic more times than not and I am sure you don’t need to be told how it is dealing with the public. I managed a staff of many and have more stories to tell than I care to admit. But the one that comes to mind most often includes a troubled young woman with whom I took a great chance for. I am happy to say I lived to regret it.

You see, Tammy had a problem. She was young and strapped for cash, an issue we can all relate to. I was happy to give her a job. At first, she showed all the signs of an exemplary employee: acceptable shortages, no problem with attendance, and she was kind and welcoming to the customers. That was soon to change.

When the complaints about her attitude became commonplace we had several discussions. For a time, it would get better and then fall back to unacceptable behavior. Shortages became unmanageable. After too many chances, I reluctantly had to fire her. I say reluctantly because, as a manager for many years, I have seen people do things completely out of character for many reasons. Some just need a few chances. And I gave her her share.

Tammy did not take kindly to being terminated. A few weeks went by and then it happened - her retaliation!

It was a cold Presidents Day. The morning was moving along at a fine pace, my paperwork was done, the morning hustle and bustle was over. My order for the Pepsi rep was ready to go, unusual for me as I would leave it for last minute and we would do it together. It was a great day. I happened to glance out the window and saw the rep pass the store. I wondered why, as he would always come to me before the supermarket. "No worry, take a breather", I told myself. That didn’t happen because just after I finished that thought I looked over to the other side of the store to see a basketball sized orange glow in the drop ceiling. Quickly realizing it was a fire, I alerted the clerks and customers to get moving and calmly got the fire extinguisher. It became all too obvious that this was not going to help. In fact, it seemed to fuel the fire. It started to spread quicker than I could have imagined.

Debris started to fall on the products located directlybelow where the fire had started. This was the location of the paint thinners, lacquers, Coleman fuel, propane tanks and spray paint cans. I was once so proud to be the store the contractors in the area came to for their quick last minute needs. We were in such a remote place, I was worth my weight in gold for these contractors! Pop Pop Pop….everything now started to burst.

Everyone got out just fine, including me. However, had that Pepsi rep come to me first as usual, we’d both have been trapped in the cooler. As I ran about five feet out the doors, I saw the gas pumps and cursed myself for not remembering to turn them off on my way out the door. There was nothing I could do except go back in. The interior was hot and smoky with a distinct smell of chemicals. I never moved so fast in my life: in and right back out.

The building burned down to the ground in 15 minutes. It was a complete and total loss. The smoke, black and nasty, was seen for 25 miles down the highway. When all was said and done, Tammy was found to be the culprit. She stated to the detectives that, "I had fired her and that I should pay for not giving her another chance". Although originally charged with arson and attempted murder, she spent 18 months in a mental health facility instead of prison. It pays to know people in small towns. So what fuels a fire??? I guess I do.


Liz Bongiovanni:
The second of seven children was born and raised in Brooklyn to an Italian, Roman -Catholic family. A single mother of three, who graduated from the school of hard knocks, she has recently lived in Northeast Pa and currently resides in Northern Ca.

A City Like No Other/A Time Like No Other: NOLA

Social Commentary: Where is the Sanity?

Spreading fully across the top of two pages of this Saturday's (3/5/11) NY Times main section read three headlines: Egypt's New Premiere Affirms Voice of the People With a Visit to a Protest Site, Slain Cabinet Minister Is Buried in Pakistan, and Suspect Said To Have Shot U.S. Airmen For Revenge. With these three headlines and corresponding stories, the extreme challenges and exhilarating possibilities of the future of the Middle East and, perhaps the world, are laid before us.

In a revolt unprecedented in the region, the Egyptian people, largely peacefully, overthrew a corrupt government and deposed it's despotic leader, Hosni Mubarak. There were concerns in the aftermath of the revolution of who would fill the power vacuum left by Mubarak's departure. The worst case scenario was for it to be filled by Islamic extremists who would lead Egypt down the path to radical Islam. So, far, as evidenced by the first headline, this has not happened. In a visit to Tahrir Square on Friday, Egypt's new Prime Minister, Essam Sharaf, told a raucous, flag waiving crowd, I am here to draw my legitimacy from you. You are the ones to whom legitimacy belongs. The symbolism was not lost that the first stop of the new prime minister was to the place where his predecessor was disposed by the people who now carried him on their shoulders through the crowd of tens of thousands in the square. Egypt, the Arab world's largest country now represents the hope for a brighter, more democratic future for the Middle East. Certainly, the challenges are many and the risks are great. But, so far, the Egyptian people have shown a resiliency that provides a beacon of light for the entire region.

However, the challenges remaining in much of the rest of the Islamic world remain daunting. Shabaz Bhatti, a Christian cabinet minister in Pakistan, was assassinated this week and buried on Friday. Ironically, he was buried in his home village, Khush Pur, which has a particular tradition of fighting for religious tolerance. As a Christian moderate in a country dominated by Islamic radicals, Mr. Bhatti lived in constant danger. It is believed that he was murdered by extremists acting on information provided by Mr. Batti's own security detail. As I have detailed in this blog, this is not the first time a moderate voice in Pakistan was betrayed and silenced by fanatical Muslim assassins. It once again demonstrates the huge chasm between the reason of tolerance and the insanity of radicalism.

In Frankfurt, Germany a young (21), German of Kosovarian/Muslim decent murdered two American servicemen and wounded two others. Arid Uka told investigators that he was incensed by America's involvement in Afghanistan. His anger become more focused by watching Internet videos of radical clerics like Anwar al-Awlaki who exhort young men to violence through jihad. When Uka encountered the bus of American soldiers soon to be deployed to Afghanistan, he wanted to kill them all. If his gun had not jammed, he may have. Now, three more lives are over; the two young men that he murdered and his own.

At Mr. Bhatti's funeral in Khush Pur, Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman for Pakistan's President said of Mr. Bhatti: We talked heart to heart a few days before he died. He asked: "What should I do?" I told him: "You are a sane voice. You must continue."

Where is sanity now.

photo: F LoBuono

I like smoke and lightning

Heavy metal thunder

Racing with the wind

and the feeling that I'm under

Yeah, Darling

Gonna make it happen

Take the world in a love embrace

Fire all of your guns at once and

Explode into space

Like a true nature child

We were born

Born to be wild

We have climbed so high

Never want to die

Born to be wild

Born to be wild

Riding season is rapidly approaching. Can hardly wait!!!!!! :)

Brain Droppings: On Cats

Even at 16, Big Red loves to go outside. When he's not sleeping his 20-21 hours a day at one of his many resting spots in the house, he spends a certain portion of his remaining hours outside. He generally prowls his territory looking for interlopers, hunting chip monks, or raising hell. Of course, there's always some time left for basking in the sunshine.

Well, despite his time in the great out-doors, I want to know why he still comes back into the house, heads straight for the litter box and takes a healthy dump! EVERY TIME! Knowing Big Red, I'm sure he does it for the sheer delight of seeing my face when I clean his box. Rotten SOB!!!! :)

Please Take A Moment To Participate

I've received a few complaints that my blog is too difficult to respond to. Of course, I'm mortified to hear this!! However, difficult is a relative word. It may be a bit of an effort, but difficult? Here is the procedure. It only takes a minute or so. After that, it's quite simple:

You must create a blogspot account. This will give you an "identity" that will represent you in your correspondence with me (pretty useful when I respond to you!). You can create any identity within that blogspot account. So, you can remain anonymous by using a pseudonym. Since blogspot is powered by Google, you must use Google or Yahoo to create the account. It's free and secure. The blog itself will help you to do this. Once you begin to "comment" on the blog, computer prompts will guide through the whole process.

As it is with virtually ALL sign in procedures, after you create the account, you will choose a password which you will use to sign into the blog whenever you wish to make a comment. Once you do this, you DO NOT have to go through the whole procedure again. You just have to use the password you created to allow you access to the blog to comment. I have to do the same thing whenever I want to add an entry to the blog.

It's so simple that even Rex the Wonderdog can do it!! :)

From my understanding, virtually all blogs operate this way. And since blogspot is the most popular server, I'm reluctant to try and find another one now. I implore people to take just a few minutes to follow the procedure and comment whenever they feel compelled to do so! I also hope people will consider becoming a follower of the TalkFrank. Remember, this blog is not just about me. It's about us. And I need your support to continue.

Grazie.

Social Commentary: Charlie Sheen and Free Speech

There were so many important things that have happened over the last few days that it is difficult to high-light one as more important than another. We have discussed a few of them right here at TalkFrank. They include the labor dispute raging in Wisconsin and elsewhere around the country, the continuing violence in Libya, the murder of two American servicemen in Germany, and the Supreme Court ruling on Free Speech in the Westboro Baptist Church case (more on this later). With that much to write about, the challenge is to choose one.

Perhaps there is one, glaring omission to the aforementioned list; Charlie Sheen. Unless you live under the proverbial rock, you can't swing a dead cat without crashing into the Charlie Sheen saga (I'm loaded with hackneyed phrases today!). Therefore, I'm compelled to take a few moments to address it. I will attempt to do so in my customary, succinct, and modest way by asking this question, "do you REALLY give a rat's ass what Charlie Sheen has to say or why he chooses to live the life he has chosen? REALLY"? As evidenced by the massive amount of media coverage, some people obviously do. That would bring us to the next question: why?

I have written before on so-called celebrity worship and that's what's at work here. Celebrity has become a massive monster that invades every aspect of our society. I have shared my experience as a TV News photographer on hundreds of Red Carpet Movie Premieres with you on this blog. So, I see firsthand the hundreds of journalists, photographers, and news crews who get treated like cattle, packed into penned-in areas, hanging on every move one of these celebrities make. I also see the throngs of fans, also jammed into pens at a safe distance, sometimes in brutal weather, clamoring to even get a glimpse of one of their idols. There are numerous TV shows exclusively devoted solely to Entertainment News. There are hundreds of magazines devoted to it. Every other day there is another Awards Show honoring yet more achievement in the field of Entertainment, making celebrities even more celebrated. And, now, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of blogs devoted to signing the praises of the Entertainment World and the characters that inhabit it. When you live within that world, how can ANYONE achieve a healthy balance in their lives. That's why the few healthy ones shun that life style and live apart from it. Charlie Sheen embraces it. And, so, what you see is what you get.

I understand the appeal. It can be compelling to watch a mentally unbalanced person unravel before your very eyes. It's what I call the rubber necking syndrome, i.e. people can't help but turn to look at an accident. I've seen this syndrome many times before; from Anna Nicole Smith, to Michael Jackson, to, most recently, designer John Galliano. Anyone interested in human nature would be interested to know how fame and fortune affects those "lucky" enough to achieve it. It propels some to excel and others to self-destruct. With Charlie Sheen, we see the later.

However, the media attention it received FAR outweighed the coverage it deserved. Ultimately, what Charlie Sheen says and does has ABSOLUTELY NO BARING OR EFFECT ON MY LIFE OR HOW I LIVE IT. Therefore, why should I, or anyone else for that matter spend more than a passing moment on a two bit, over paid, obviously addicted, TV actor from a program that I have NEVER watched?! WTF?! GET ON WITH IT.

What is infinitely more important and worthy of discussion is the US Supreme Court's (SCOTUS) ruling (8-1) in favor of The Westboro Baptist Church. Briefly, The Westboro Baptist Church is headquartered in Topeka, Kansas and has about 70 members, mostly from the same family of the church's founder and Pastor, Fred Phelps. They are infamous for picketing soldiers' funerals with signs condemning America for its "support" of homosexuals and claiming dead soldiers are God's way of punishing us. They were sued in Federal Court by Albert Syder, the father of a young soldier killed in Afghanistan (who was NOT a homosexual) for pain and suffering caused by their actions at his son's military funeral. Mr. Syder won the original court case which was subsequently appealed all the way to SCOTUS. You can read more details by searching the web.

Writing for the majority decision, Chief Justice John Roberts said: Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of joy or sorrow and - as it did here - inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As the sole dissenter, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that our nation's commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.

I never thought I would actually agree with this conservative Supreme Court, but in this particular instance, I do. As a journalist, Freedom of Speech is at the very foundation of what it is to be an American. It is the well from which all others spring. Without the freedom to express ourselves there could be no Freedom of Religion, No Freedom to Assemble, etc. Today, there is ample evidence around the world of its importance as seen by the collapse of regimes who limit or prohibit it. It is sacred. Even when it is most vile and obscene, as it is in the case of the Westboro Baptist Church, it must not be prohibited. It must, in fact, be robustly defended. For without it there is the vacuum created by silence; a vacuum in honor, honesty, and truth that breeds repression. Either you believe in I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will defend to the death your right to say it or you don't. I do, literally. There is no grey area for me (and shouting "fire" in a movie theater is NOT Free Speech!).

However, as in all things in life, those worth having come with an element of sacrifice. And, so it is in the case of Free Speech. We cannot hear the uplifting words of a Martin Luther King without hearing the banal screeching of the Westboro Baptist idiots.

No, they must be allowed to speak. Our defense, instead of forcing their silence, will be our selective deafness to their rants. Let them rave. We will have no ears to hear them. Let them rant. We will have no eyes to see them. We will inflict upon them the ultimate insult; we will ignore them. And the incestuous, narrow minded, mean spirited fools will simply fade away.