For The New Year

To those who side with my POV and to those who do not - to those who love me and to those who, well, maybe don't so much (LOL) - to those who really know me and to those who would rather not (another LOL) - to ALL:

HAPPINESS - HEALTH - LOVE

- for the looming New Year and ALL the years to come. All the best to you and your families!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

TalkFrank, where the Talk is always Frank.

Tales From The Heartland II

The more I look, listen, and learn here in Des Moines the greater the contrast between liberal and conservative becomes for me. Look, I know that many of you want to resist labels like liberal and conservative. I agree. I attempt to resist labeling or BEING labeled. Another journalist friend also raised the very valid point that he wasn't ALL liberal or ALL conservative, but rather a combination of both. However, for argument's sake it helps to create useful platforms for which to choose from one political candidate or another, one politcal party from another.

And nothing can crystalize that more than the vigorous campaign for the looming Iowa Caucus. I have been barraged by a slew of GOP ads and related news stories while here in Iowa. And the most common theme within ALL of the candidates' message is Conservative Values. Obviously, winning the conservative base, espcecially here, is of ultimate importance. It has also become clear to me, that despite my reluctance to labeling, I have VERY little in common with the GOP conservative message and, therefore, by default, must declare myself a liberal. Certainly, my thought process leans me far more to the so-called left (very fitting since I am even LEFT-HANDED LOL) then the so-called right message (talk about an oxymoron) this current crop of Republican candidates is spewing! Simply put, what they're touting is a narrow-minded vision of what America should look like, think like, and act like. They talk about "rugged individualism" (Rick Perry) or "an outsiders perspective" (Ron Paul) but, from my POV, they mean neither. They want America to be like them: wealthy, older, and white. Well, quite frankly, that is not my vision of America. I don't look them, act like them, or think like them. So, ultimately I WILL NOT VOTE FOR THEM.

More tomorrow.

Tales From The Heartland

I just saw Ron Paul's latest ad in Iowa. Where the first one that I saw about 2 weeks ago was slick and aggressive, this one was boring, sickeningly sweet and, OBVIOUSLY, pandering to the Conservative Christian Right. The theme of the first one was built around a big, bold tractor trailer rolling through Iowa like a runaway train of new political ideas announcing that, "this is how Ron Paul rolls". Now I'm not saying that Paul is "The Guy", but I found the ad, especially compared with the other candidates', impressive. The current spot, for me, was the polar opposite. It features a series of middle aged women in front of a simple background talking about Paul's former career as a pediatrician. With thick, southern accents they extol his virtues as a caring, thoughtful physician. This is good. But, then, they begin to praise his position supporting the so-called Right To Live faction and his support of the unborn. In other words, he does not support a woman's right to choose.

Now, without getting into a separate and PASSIONATE discussion of "Right To Life vs Right to Choose", I found two issues with the ad right away. First, I find in incongruous that a "libertarian", who exchews government interference, would support legislation that would intrude on a woman's very private right to make decisions concerning her body. Second, the spot is (again, IMHO) obviously pandering to the Conservative Christian right. Without using actual Christian rhetoric, the woman certainly imply that their comments in support of Right to Live (i.e. anti-abortion) are inspired by their faith. It was so sickeningly sweet that I think that I got a cavity just watching it! Furthermore, it comes across as pandering to a special interest group, something he claims never to do. Strange.

The TV is on in the background here in Des Moines and the political ads are coming fast and furious: another from Paul claiming he's a Washington "outsider", Romney claiming "he has the plan to take back America, Gingrich channeling the spirit of Ronald Reagan, and Perry talking tough, telling foreign countries instead of counting on American aid, "get jobs and go to work like America does". It's a little frightening but sure is fun at the same time!

On The Road

Crazy busy with family for the Holidays - a good thing - now off to Iowa for coverage of the Caucus - another good thing. Look for new entries from the Heartland.

Ciao for now!

Social Commentary: A Christmas Message.

When I think of Christmas, I usually don't approach it from a religious, commercial, or even nostalgic POV. Sure, I have wonderful memories of my family, all together, sharing simple gifts around my mother's silver tree! You know, a White Christmas, chestnuts roasting, and yada, yada. They sure were simple and great times. But that's not what's in the forefront of my thinking. No, my mind turns towards The Message. What does it all mean?

For me, it's always been a message that is brilliant in it's brevity, simplicity, and profundity. I see it as the "true" Christ message that transcends any religious ritual or dogma. And it is this:

Peace on Earth. Good will to all mankind. Love above all else.

Do we really need to say more?

But I will say this to all of my friends (and I won't say "foes", too. Not today) -

From me and my whole family; Peace to all, love, health, happiness in this season and for all seasons. MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Just for Fun!

I just got a crazy idea (not the first, hopefully not the last): What would you call a creature that was half Newt Gingrich and half Grinch? You would call it a GINGRINCH. Perfect for the Holidays. Have a great Christmas everyone!!

When You Think About It: The Politics of Taxes

Like everyone else, I suppose, I've been listening to the current debate raging over the extension of the payroll tax benefits. And, also like most, I'm having a hard time digging through the mound of partisan BS that has accumulated in recent weeks to truly understand the issue. What is certain is that the current exemptions, unless acted upon by Congress by the end of 2011, will expire, costing over 160 million Americans around $1,000 in annual tax savings. The Democratic controlled Senate, with bi-partisan support from Senate Republicans, passed a compromise bill that would extend the current agreement two months, allowing for continued negotiations on the more complicated issues that separate the two parties. This compromise was also encouraged and endorsed by the President. However, the measure was knocked down by House Republicans who insist that a full, one year extension be passed now - before the end of the year. Democrats insist that this is not possible - there is not enough time to negotiate all the details and, therefore, the bill would lack necessary elements to make it truly effective. The House Republicans, lead by Speaker John Boehner, insist that the compromise is nothing more than a delaying tactic that avoids the real issues (as the GOP sees them) of smaller government and fewer taxes - now. Just for a change (LOL), both sides have dug in their heals and an impasse has been reached. And, once again, the real losers, if this is not resolved by the end of the year, will be the American people.

I listened to both sides passionately argue their POV's. The Democrats claim that the extension is a reasonable (and generally accepted) procedure that will produce better results in the long run. Republicans argue that the real issue is tax reduction and needs to be addressed NOW. Certainly, they all sent my head spinning!

Then, while listening to a TV interview with Tom Price, a House Republican from Georgia and Chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, it started to come together for me. Dr. Price (he is also a physician) spoke eloquently defending his parties position of tax reduction NOW. He repeated several times the GOP mantra of "smaller government, reduced spending, and reducing taxes". This policy has been implemented and reinforced by the so-called Tea Party Republicans who refuse ANY new taxes and, where possible, favor actual tax reduction. On the surface, when you think about it, these seem to be pretty admirable goals. I do think that, in many instances government is too big and intrusive. I wouldn't mind paying less taxes. I certainly don't want to pay more. But then you start digging and, when you think about it, the Republicans don't really mean YOU. Ultimately, they mean their POWER BASE; the 1 %, that includes the most wealthy and powerful Americans. Something Dr. Price said during the interview crystallized this for me. While explaining himself and the GOP position and the stalemate, he said (paraphrasing - my quotes) "as a matter of policy, our Party wants to reduce taxes across the board". When you think about it, I see two causes for concern. First, look at the "reality" of the statement. Is it realistic to say no new taxes AND tax reduction can be accomplished in today's economic climate of ballooning deficits? I have NEVER claimed to be an economist, but it is logical for me to believe what I have read from economists who say deficit reduction comes with reduced spending AND increased revenue i.e. tax reform. And this brings me to my second concern i.e. TAX REDUCTION vs. TAX REFORM. What Dr. Price and the other Republicans in this fail to realize (or MENTION) is the word that they should be using when referring to taxes is REFORM and not simply REDUCTION. Why? Because, when you think about it, how can you reduce something that is already virtually nothing i.e. the tax structure for the wealthiest American Businesses and Individuals? It's been written on this blog and in innumerable other sources that the wealthiest among us (i.e. the 1%) have found legal lope holes in the tax codes that allows them to pay the LEAST taxes. Where's the equity in that? Well, there is NONE.

Well, and I really do hate to say this, but, when you think about it, the GOP is full of shit on this one. They are NOT interested in the little guy, i.e. you and me. They would like you to think so. But they are not. If you believe them, then, unfortunately, when you think about it, you become one of their cadre and, unwillingly, do the bidding of the rich people you don't even respect.

Photo Gallery of the Day: Istanbul

Back Story: I made these photos while traveling with Cat in Istanbul. Istanbul is bustling city, filled with history, character, and culture. In many ways it reminded me of an ancient New York - they're all about hustle and flow! Istanbul is also very sophisticated with even the waiters speaking multiple languages.

(above) The ancient Haghia Sophia Mosque. (below) Inside the mosque

Turkey is a secular country so women are free to dress as they like as evidenced by these two photos.

Various views

Creative Writing: Broken Angels by CJ Miller

The following entry is an original story submitted by a dear friend and a wonderful writer, CJ Miller. It's the prefect story for the season! We are lucky to have it - and her!

Broken Angels

By CJ Miller

The smell floated up through my nostrils like some long forgotten memory creeping back into my head. Mildew, sawdust, pure age, floating up from the metal crate.

“Come on, Christine, bring it upstairs. Don’t stand there staring at it,” my mother growled, not unfriendly. It was, after all, Christmastime, and we were getting ready to decorate the tree. The annual pilgrimage downstairs to the cellar to unearth the dusty ornaments wasn’t exactly cause for an argument. Yet.

“Be right there,” I mumbled, shutting the tin lid with a loud bang. Once I heard her terrycloth slippers shuffle up the cement stairs, I quietly opened the lid again.

I had to find it. I knew it was in there, wrapped in tissue paper, segregated from the other ornaments probably for its sheer ugliness. I rifled quickly through the boxes of glass balls, their shine dimmed by years of handling. As a tot, I’d always managed to anger her by sticking my chubby fingers through the ones with the concave kaleidoscopes, trying to chase the rainbows, wondering how far back they went. All it ever resulted in was a hole in the glass and a sharp smack to my hand. The rainbows ended up strewn all over the floor.

Sifting through the tissue paper, I could hear the kitchen floorboards creak above my head with her impatient pacing.

“Chris - TINE!” she bellowed from atop the rec room stairs. People wondered why I never liked – or used - my whole first name. It always amazed me how she could make it sound like an epithet, or an insult. “Get up here with that box NOW!”

I sighed and smoothed over the faded red and green tissue paper, hoping to cover up the evidence of my hunting expedition. Gingerly, I lifted the tin box, carrying it sideways up the stairs. The smell of Christmases Past lingered in my nose. I stole a furtive glance at the shelf where my father’s tools were stored. I’d have to sneak back down later after he went to bed to empty the last bottle of E&B whisky into the toilet.

“What took you so long? We have to get this done before dinner,” she said, scowling at me, this time in earnest. “Do I have to do everything around here myself?”

I had done it again – her bad mood was set firmly in place against the backdrop of our little plastic Fraiser fir. For emphasis, she shoved my father’s feet out of her way as he lay snoring in his favorite tan leather chair. He snorted, stirred briefly, and continued his long winter’s nap.

Amy wandered downstairs, her long dark hair trailing in unruly waves down her back. She’d been upstairs in her usual position, lying on her bed, trying to ignore the looming argument. Giving up, she came down to help my mother decorate our tree – her special talent was stringing the lights. Nobody was better at it than my middle sister, not even my perfectionistic mother. I smoothed back my short, mousy brown strands and silently hated her for the thick dark hair that was always perfectly in place.

“Mom, can I help with the lights?” Amy asked sweetly, her voice still groggy from her interrupted nap.

My mother glanced up from rummaging through the ancient cardboard boxes, wiped her short, coarse blond hair out of her eyes with one arm and said, “Sure, honey, just make sure they’re all untangled before you put them on the tree. We don’t want a mess.”

My mother loved that little tree. It sat faithfully every year in the corner as far away from the fireplace as the cramped living room would allow. She lived in fear every year that my dad would set it on fire while he was loading up the fireplace with logs and newspaper. I preferred the pungent, outdoorsy perfume of a real tree, its sap oozing down the trunk and making for a wonderful, fresh smell. So did my dad, which is why my mother’s answer was always no.

“This one’s fine, it’s a cute little tree, And it won’t shed all over the rug,” she reasoned, glancing meaningfully from my prone father to the fresh black-ringed cigarette burns in the blue pile carpet near the stone hearth. I sighed again. It wasn’t worth the argument.

Amy began her annual ritual, the appeasing of my mother’s flaring temper, stringing the lights neatly, branch by branch. She was good at so many things I had absolutely no talent for. She could always color in the lines – my pictures were hopelessly messy, crayon marks straying well outside the confines of the coloring books. We took the same art class in high school once – quite by accident on my account – and Amy’s red felt poinsettia, beautifully set on a square piece of burlap, was so perfectly executed that the teacher held it up for all of us to see. My painstakingly constructed multi-colored flower received no such accolades. I did like all the different colors, though.

My mother turned her attention back to the tin box, pulling out ornaments wrapped in tissue paper, one by one. My little sister Jenny even came down to help. Now was the fun part – hanging the ornaments on the tree. We tried to muster up a little Christmas spirit before my father woke up.

“I know it’s in here somewhere,” my mother mumbled to no one in particular, shifting through the crate. “I think I used the green paper…here it is!” she exclaimed, triumphantly holding up a wad of shredded green tissue with two wings sticking out. I cringed. Dammit. Why couldn’t I have found it first?

Amy and Jenny stopped what they were doing and crowded around my mother, her joy apparent as she unwrapped the grisly treasure.

That angel was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen. It had been my late grandmother’s, and like her, it was from Germany. Its martyred expression was cracked with age, the porcelain skin glowing in the twinkling tree lights. It had curly brown human hair, whose origin I dreaded even thinking about. Its wings were crooked and bent with age, but that wasn’t the worst thing about it.

Its legs had long ago broken off halfway up to the knees, leaving fiberglass stumps exposed beneath it. With its faded pink lips curving up in a beatific smile, it looked like some tragic celestial amputee.

I couldn’t bear to look at it. I quickly knelt before the tin box and buried my arms in up to my shoulders, pretending to search for more ornaments.

My sisters oohed and ahhed over the horrible denizen of heaven as my mother proudly hung it on a high branch right in the front of our otherwise pretty little Christmas tree.

“This was your Grandma’s,” my mother said softly, the creases from her frown melting into what could pass for a nostalgic smile. “She loved this angel. She put it on the tree every year.”

I swung around and glared at her, still up to my armpits in ornaments.

“Why, Ma? That is the ugliest angel I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s disgusting,” I said.

My sisters turned in tandem and glared back at me in disapproval.

“Shut up, Christine,” Jenny said in her childish lisp. “Mommy likes it.”

My mother turned from admiring the legless angel and patted her luxurious blond curls. “Don’t listen to her, Jenny,” she said. “She doesn’t like anything of Grandma’s.”

I couldn’t argue with that. Every time my grandmother came to visit, I vacated the house for the length of her stay. She smelled like mothballs, vinegar and musk; she wore a curled blond wig over her real hair, and she slipped pictures of the Virgin Mary into my underwear drawer. She emanated an air of dissatisfaction and Catholic guilt, which enveloped everyone who got too close – something I tried never to do. I told my mother if she ever ended up like Grandma, I wouldn’t ever speak to her again.

“It ruins the whole tree,” I grumbled. Everyone ignored me.

I hung a few of my favorite ornaments, trying to make up for the abomination dangling from the uppermost bow. I loved the reindeer and the Hallmark Santa the best – the lighted one of him tiptoeing off, candle aloft, to finish the Christmas cookies. We each had giant glass balls my mother had made with our names on them, etched in silver glitter – Jenny’s was green, Amy’s blue, and mine, of course, was red - my least favorite color. I hung them near the front of the tree, near the wretched angel. They weren’t big enough to obscure it as it bounced tauntingly close to my red glass ball. My father stirred restlessly in his chair.

When the table was cleared of dinner and the pall lifted from my father’s silent presence as he stumbled upstairs to his room, we pried open the cookie tins filled with my mother’s homemade German lebkuchen and settled in front of the TV for an evening of Christmas specials. I looked forward to them every year. Many were older than me and brought back so many memories of the best Christmases, the ones when I too young to know what Daddy’s snoring meant or why he constantly traveled up and down the cellar stairs, his gait increasingly unsteady with each trip. It was always a relief when he finally shuffled off to bed for the night. I knew there would be no more arguments – just the peace and quiet of the television, the soft glow of the chipped colored lights around the manager he built so many years ago, and my mother’s gentle snoring as televised Yule Log burned. No one understood how I could sit there and watch the WPIX Yule Log for hours on end. That was my favorite part of Christmas – the peace that descended, the silent night, where I could be with my mother without fighting. It was as close to having a real family as I ever felt.

After she fell asleep this particular year, however, I got up silently and tiptoed toward the twinkling Christmas tree. Amy and Jenny had gone upstairs and were giggling quietly in their room, and I knew my mother wouldn’t wake up. She’d long ago finished the port in her wine glass, her spectacles slipping further down her nose with each slow, deep, even breath. Mrs. Santa Claus was clearly out for the night.

I eyed the angel warily. It smiled its cracked porcelain smile back at me, suspended smugly from its perch. I snuck into the kitchen, grabbed a paper towel and headed back into the living room, startled by my mother’s sharp intake of breath as she pulled her robe more tightly around her, still asleep.

Once again, I came face to face with the enemy, its blond curls bobbing gently with the gentle sway of the tree branch. Not wanting to touch it with my bare hands, I wrapped it quickly up in the paper towel and yanked it off the tree, scattering tinsel on the faded blue carpet. My mother stirred again, mumbling softly in her sleep. I ran down the cement stairs to the cellar and tucked it away, down against the cinder block wall behind my father’s long wooden tool bench. I’d bury it in the backyard tomorrow. It would have a decent funeral in its paper towel shroud.

The next morning, we opened presents and waited for my aunt to arrive with her shopping bags full of gifts on the bus from New York City, My father’s trips to the cellar were more frequent on Christmas Day. My mother made scrambled eggs and glared silently at his disappearing back as he shuffled back down the stairs in his new tan chamois slippers, already stained with the poisonous brown contents of his hidden liquid stash.

She never mentioned the missing angel. No one ever brought up its mysterious Christmas Eve disappearance. It got lost in the shredded wrapping paper and the anger and disappointment that arrived, like Santa, with every Yuletide.

The angel remains buried with the rest of my mother’s hopes and dreams, underneath her favorite lilac tree in our old backyard.

It’s more than five Christmases ago now since she stared malevolently up at me from her wheelchair, an amputee herself after losing her own legs to a diabetic infection, stubbornly refusing to let me cook her one last Christmas dinner.

I think about her broken angel now and wonder if she finally got her wings.

When You Think About It: A Den of Thieves

I suppose that's it's pretty obvious from my posts that I tend to lean "left" with most of my opinions. Some of my more conservative readers are "LOLing", saying to themselves: "Leaning? If he were any more left he'd be falling down"! Be that as it may, I have always attempted to be fair in my criticism, especially when it comes to hypocrisy. I mean, simply put, a douche bag is a douche bag is a douche bag. It's just that, generally, I find ultra-conservative, GOP POV's to be narrow-minded and, too often, bigoted. But that doesn't mean I don't find fault with Democrats and Liberals as well. And I sure found some serious fault with them today.

As reported on the CBS Early Show, a website knows as PolitiFact.com, whose purpose is to meticulously and scrupulously check claims made by politicians from all parties for accuracy (it is not affiliated with any political party and is a 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner), unveiled their Lie of the Year 2011. PolitiFact named the House Democrats claim that Republicans voted to end Medicare as the #1 political lie of the year. The website went on to claim that Democrats severely misrepresented and distorted the Paul Ryan Republican proposal to reform Health Care through Medicare reform. Using a PR campaign of fear and loathing that included a TV commercial showing a Paul Ryan look-alike throwing a wheelchair bound, older woman off a cliff to emphasize their point, Democrats prayed on the natural insecurities of older Americans about their healthcare. Ryan's plan certainly called for much needed reform but, just as certainly (according to PolitiFact) it did not eliminate care for the elderly. In fact, contrary to claims by the Democrats, it called for more help for the elderly. Due to the Democrats' campaign to discredit the proposal, public opinion was swayed and the reforms never passed.

So, when you think about it, it's the same ol', partisan crap with the ultimate losers being the American people. When you think about it, it's no surprise that Congress now has the lowest satisfaction rating in OUR HISTORY! Unfortunately, Republicans and Democrats too often share the same "residence" - a den of thieves. How many times must we say, put aside partisan bickering and start answering to the needs of the people who sent you there in the first place!

Today's DOTD: David Caton

A good friend raised some valid points when I asked her of her opinion of my Douche of the Day (DOTD) feature. She said that, although she liked the sentiment of the pieces, she found the title sexist and "trite" (my quotes). Hmm. Interesting. They were solid points and I have contemplated changing the name. However, I can't help using it. Sometimes, it just so appropriate, as it is in today's case: The DOTD is David Caton (with Honorable Mention going to Loews Home Improvement Centers).

Like most people, I have never hear of David Caton. That changed when I read an article in Saturday's (12/17/11) NY Times written by Samuel G. Freedman. From the article I found out that Mr. Caton was the founder and sole employee of a fundamentalist group known as the Florida Family Foundation. Whenever I see the word Family used together with Foundation, I become immediately suspect. When you throw the name Florida in with the others, I am convinced that this is a fanatic who would do everything within HIS power to impose HIS version of Family and Values on everyone else. And you know what? That's EXACTLY what he does.

First, we need a little background on Mr. Caton. As described in The NY Times article: he is "an accountant turned rock-club owner, the author of a book about his pornography addiction, Mr. Caton has become a born-again Christian". Well, SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE! That's about as shocking to me as meeting a gay man at a Lady Gaga concert!! The article goes on to report that Caton's first foray into imposing his vision on the people of Florida was by attacking a student group at Largo High School in Florida. The student group was formed by the school's principal in the mid-90's to address the harassment of gay students and was called the Gay Straight Alliance. It involved both gay and straight students discussing issues that concerned them both. It was successful and unnoticed until the Florida Family Foundation, i.e. David Caton, got wind of it. The school's principal began receiving post cards from the Foundation, many with the same strange message claiming the Alliance was a "government-funded witch hunt". WTF?! Word spread of Caton's message and the local school board called for a meeting to address the ensuing turmoil created by Caton's vitriolic message. 400 hundred people attended the meeting with emotions running so high that one person actually compared the gay students to murderers!! Another WTF?! What was working so well among the students themselves, to spread tolerance and harmony, was now polluted by the narrow minded vision of just one man.

And this was just the beginning. Now, Caton, single-handedly spreading his mission of intolerance and bigotry, has struck again. And this time, it's even bigger and badder! In a separate news story that you may be aware of, The Learning Channel has premiered a reality show featuring the lives of five Muslim-American families in Dearborn, Michigan. It's called All-American Muslims and attempts to portray Muslim's as they would any other so-called immigrant group, i.e. as AMERICANS who try to fit in while attempting to hold on to some of their own culture, as well. Mr. Caton and his Florida Family Foundation has taken upon himself (itself?) to attack the show "as a front for an Islamic takeover of American" (NY Times). On his website, Mr Caton has said this: "All-American Muslims is hiding the Islamic agenda's clear and present to danger to American liberties and traditional values" (from the NY Times). By spreading his message of fear and loathing so effectively he has actually managed to scare one of the show's major advertisers, Loews Home Improvement Centers (for which they received their Honorable Mention), into pulling their advertising from the show, saying, in a sense, it was "too hot to handle". WTG?! #3.

One man can only wield that much authority when he has a lot of support. Unfortunately and sadly, he does. There are enough people who share his narrow-minded vision of Christianity to keep this creep in business. Why do I call Caton a creep? Because he spreads a message of hate and intolerance and has the balls to call himself a Christian! He knows about as much of the true Christ message as I do of Quantum Mechanics!! Look, I have been critical of the Muslim community for not being as vocal and proactive about condemning terrorism as they should be. I have even questioned the roots of Islam for seeming to promote acts of violence. But I have always done so in an effort to understand Islam more fully and to challenge Muslims to come forward and be part of a new American. In this program, that's exactly what seems to be happening. And this narrow-minded "moralist" thinks this is a bad thing? Bad enough to stop it? All I can say in response is another WTF?! How can we allow this to happen?

There is another issue to discuss here. That is the whole issue of so-called Traditional Family Values. On another posting a friend of differing opinion called me to task for my supposed opposition of Traditional Family Values. Well, I don't have an issue with them. My issues lies with the people who DEFINE them, people like David Caton. My family is full of good value and rich tradition. We are Sicilian. My wife's family is full of good value and rich tradition. They are Hungarian. We love to SHARE the similarities and the DIFFERENCES between our two families and our two cultures. What may be traditional and valued in my family my not be exactly like those of my wife's. And, you know what, it's simple, it doesn't need to be! We need to CELEBRATE and share our differences, not fear and loath them. Quite frankly, it's not very Christlike to fear and loath!

So, take YOUR Family Values, Mr. David Caton, and stick 'em where they belong - in YOUR family and keep them FAR away from mine. And congratulations, you are today's DOTD.

Social Commentary: The Iowa Caucus

In past postings, I have been less than kind to the State of Iowa. In fact, the entire State made Co-Douche of The Day with none other than Herman Cain (March 29, 2011)! As can be my custom, especially involving DOTD's, I used some rather, shall we say, colorful language to describe my feelings towards Iowans (something about them looking as fat as their well-fed hogs). I was angry at their steadfast support of so-called Family Value conservatives like Cain, and Michele Bachmann, despite their short-comings in virtually every other area. I was also angry because they continue to support and elect men of narrow vision (IMHO) like their many-time Senator, Chuck Grassley. I had spent some time in Des Moines for the Caucus of 2008 and, so, was able to get somewhat of a first hand impression of Iowa and Iowans. However, in fairness (and I do make EVERY attempt to be fair!), I cannot say that I have traveled extensively throughout the State and, so, must qualify my impressions with that statement. Still, having been there in '08 and now returning to Des Moines for the latest Caucus, I believe I can offer some insight as to what the Iowa Caucus truly means.

I've just returned from Des Moines where myself and a crew of highly skilled technicians began building the sets and studios that will be used to provide the news coverage of the Caucus on January 3rd. In contrast to 2008 when the night-time temperature once reached -10F, the week I was there (12/12-12/16), the weather was almost balmy. In fact, one day it reached the low 50's - virtually unheard of for this time of year in that part of the country. In addition to not having to wear arctic gear to protect yourself from frostbite, the mild temperatures allowed us to walk around the city of Des Moines when we actually had the time to do so. And, for a rare change, we actually did have some. After a long days work, we would walk from the hotel to various eating and drinking establishments in the city. We were staying in the heart of downtown so it wasn't too difficult to find some nearby. What struck me immediately, this trip as it did the last, was the lack of street life of ANY KIND. I noticed it in '08 but attributed that to the extreme cold. However, this trip the weather was no excuse. In fact, you would think that the rarity of it would prompt people to take to the streets. Well, not in Des Moines. I've never seen anything like it. Even at rush hour there was virtually no pulse on the street - virtually no cars - virtually no noise - and virtually no people. Now as you can see from the photos I made, Des Moines is not a "tiny" city, it's a small one. But it does have over 240,000 people within it's confines. How do they get to work? And how do they get to places around the city without going on the street? I know that because of the harsh winters, "sky walks" connect every downtown major building, but is that all they use to get around? It baffles me. But I suppose that anyone who deals with the NYC mania on a daily basis like I do would be baffled, too!

For a city kid like myself (even though I grew up mostly in Fort Lee, NJ, my roots and my heart lie in NYC. All one need do is listen to my accent to understand that), I found the lack of street life disturbing. Just like any living organism, a city has to have a pulse to say it's alive. It must have a heart (a downtown) that pumps blood (the people) through arteries and veins (the streets and avenues) to sustain life. Well, I could not find that in Des Moines. We found some pretty decent restaurants and watering holes, but without a vibrant street life, we found no real stimulation to be there. There were nice, old sections of town which included the "East Village" and "Court Street" sections that offer some hip coffee houses, shops, and restaurants. And there was a new, modern, "muscular" financial district complete with glistening steel towers. But there was no beat to the street. John Travolta would be swinging those paint cans and striding all by his lonesome if he were doing it in the streets of Des Moines instead of Brooklyn. It's also an incredibly clean city. I saw no graffiti and virtually no litter. Drivers (those that actually venture out!) are most courteous. And you can even make a LEFT hand turn after stopping at a red light! I'm sure many people would find such a hassle free downtown to be must civilized. However, that would not be my choice of words. Mine would be sterile. I'd take a little of that NYC street stink any day. Why? Because I can walk through Times Square and hear a half-dozen or more languages spoken in just a few minutes. I can meet people from every corner of the globe. And they would be together, in harmony and blissful cacophony.

Another aspect of Des Moines that I could not help but notice was its homogeneity. More simply put, it is overwhelmingly white. The last census put the percentage of "white, european-decent" Des Moiners at over 86%. Folks, that's just about as white as you can get. And it shows. It was so apparent to me that I actually started to count the number of African-Americans (not including journalists and crew members) that I saw downtown. After three days the number was 2. Two. On the fourth day , while walking to dinner, we met another black man, believe it or not, actually on the street! Unfortunately, he was clearly mentally unbalanced. (The irony was not lost on us that one thing ALL cities seem to have in common is the amount of mentally disturbed people who roam our downtowns - a story for another day). On my fourth day we walked past a hotel whose clerk was black. On my last day I actually saw three black women dressed in African garb walking past a hospital! That brought my grand total to 7. Buy the end of my time there (5 days), I had seen 7 African-Americans in a city of over 240,000. To someone like me, again, that's a bit unsettling if not downright disturbing.

As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, I have not been all over Iowa (although in addition to Des Moines, I've been to Iowa City, Sioux City, and a few other towns). So, I can't and won't speak to what lies in the rest of the State. However, since Des Moines is the State Capital and Iowa's largest city, it is reasonable for one to assume that it would be among the most diverse and enlightened places in the State. And I'll claim here and now that I have been well treated by Iowans when I've been there. But how it can claim any political relevance when Iowa so sorely and obviously lacks in diversity and cultural clout?

So much is made in the press as to the importance of the Iowa Caucus. It certainly is the first, giving it some political cache'. And it claims to be "unique" because the State's size and the format of the Caucus allows more intimate access to the candidates. The media also claims that it can be an important prognosticator of who will ultimately win their party's nomination. No one can argue the first claim; it is the first of the political season. The second claim can certainly be defended as accurate. However, I would dispute the last claim that it can be an accurate indicator for predicting the nominee. Sure, there have been times where the winner in Iowa has gone on to win the nomination. But there have been other times where that has not been the case, the most recent being in 2008 when Iowans chose Mike Huckebee. For me, this is more a matter of chance than an accurate predictor of how the rest of the country will react to the candidates. How could it be? How could a place as unique and different from NYC or Los Angeles, or Miami be the litmus test? Iowa may be a reasonable indicator of how much of the mid-West thinks and, of course, that has relevance. However, to think that a state as small as Iowa, as "narrow" in scope as Iowa, could have that kind of influence over the rest of the country is just plain hyperbole!

And the media does it's part to distort the importance of the Caucus. And this is not to say that it is NOT important. Because it is first, it most certainly is. Like a professional sports team, everyone wants to get a good start on the "official" start of the Primary season with a win. And the media sees it as an opportunity to kick their political coverage into high gear (I've been there for 5 days already for set-up and will return for a week more to cover the event). So, like everything else today, it gets completely blown out of proportion. As I see it (and have seen it), because of it's homogeneity and small size, Iowa cannot, and should not, be seen as anything more than the first of many opportunities to make a choice of a candidate.

I'm heading back to Des Moines on the 27th and will be there through the Caucus on Jan. 3rd. After that, I head directly to New Hampshire for the next MOST IMPORTANT primary of the season. Can't wait!!

When You Think About It

In light of the current political mania, with all of the ensuing discussions on social media (The New Water cooler), etc., I became curious as to what the actual definitions of Conservative and Liberal were - literally. So, of course, I looked them up using the dictionary app on my cell phone (see, I AM more technically savvy then I admit ! LOL). Here's what it gave me:

con-serv-a-tive
(k uhn - sur - vuh - tiv)

- adjective
1. in favor of preserving existing conditions
2. cautious
3. traditional

lib-er-al
(lib - er - uhl, lib -ruhl)

- adjective
1. favoring political reform and progressive government
2. tolerant
3. generous
4. not strict

I swear to you that I did not edit or alter these definitions in any way. I simply typed the words in and this is what was offered. Don't you think that the very MEANING of the words say so much? Reading these definitions, which one would you use to describe yourself? I know which one I would choose.

I've always wondered why liberals have allowed themselves to be bullied by conservatives by allowing the conservatives to use the the very word liberal as if the word itself was some type of INSULT. Well, after reading those definitions should one really be embarrassed to be called progressive, tolerant, and generous? In fact, when you think about it, who are the ones who really should be embarrassed? The answer is clearly defined.

Brain Droppings: Deadlier Than the Male

Deadlier Than The Male is a 1967 movie inspired by the enormous success of the James Bond, 007 series of films. Well, it was more than inspired by Bond, it's really a knock-off. British Super Agent, Bulldog Drummond, is assigned to catch a Master Criminal who uses beautiful women to murder his victims - pretty predictable (and forgettable!) stuff.

However, despite the rather inane plot, I still loved the title of the movie, Deadlier Than The Male. It's intriguing to me that the title suggests, despite the physical superiority that most males in most animal species have over most females, it is the ladies who, in the end, prove far more deadly.

And I find this to be factual. We can site examples of certain insect species where the females literally devour their male counterparts after mating. But that's not what I'm writing about here (although, of course, it has its own legitimacy). What I see as the key factor in making females more "deadly" than the male for humans is this: where men tend to use their physicality to exert their authority and win the day, females have something far more powerful and potentially insidious - they use their minds and their intellect. And, as we all should know, it the long run, MIND always triumphs over MUSCLE.

Now, the reason I say that their so-called deadly powers are potentially more insidious is a matter of Darwinian Survival. Since, in general, females cannot compete physically with males, in order to keep a high place in our society, women have had to rely on the resources available to them. This means using their MINDS to not only survive, but to strike back when they perceive threat, harm or danger. I see what harm this destructive power can cause when it is unleashed. It is so powerful that it can be more damaging than a blow from a fist, especially if has been "misplaced". Because sometimes it is justified, but sometimes it is not. It is always destructive.

Two recent incidents come to mind to support my "theory". One friend from work just went through an ugly break-up with his girlfriend. Classic story: he started to become involved with another woman, girlfriend gets jilted, she throws him and his stuff out of their apartment. This should have been enough to get the message across that the relationship was over and it was time to move on. However, in the classic hell hath no wrath like that of a woman scorned, the girlfriend trumps up a charge of domestic violence and had my friend arrested. I've known this man to be one of the most gentle of men. He doesn't have a violent bone in his body. He would NEVER raise his hand to anyone, much less a woman. It simply wasn't true. But the girlfriend was "clever" in using the system to have him punished for his transgression: he spent a night in jail for something he did not do. That, my friends, is vengeance 101.

The second case involves another friend whom I've known for nearly 40 years. We have drifted in and out of contact over the years but, still, I've always know him for his sharp wit and keen intelligence. He, too, recently went through a break-up: that of his long-time marriage to the mother of his children. I don't know all the details of the break-up (we are not THAT close), and I don't need to know all of them. What I do believe is that their was no violence or physical abuse involved. I know him well enough to be really sure of that. Again, I believe that his marriage was struggling and he became involved with someone else at that time. When that subsequent relationship also soured, the woman struck back - irrationally and viciously! She is now using social media (i.e. Facebook) as a platform to air their dirty laundry and destroy his character. I've read some of the entries and it is a sad reflection not on him, but, rather, on HER! I understand that mistakes can be made, promises broken, and feelings hurt, but one must realize that these things are a part of life and ruining another's as the consequence is just plain WRONG. It is an embarrassment for the both of them. Who wins here? No one, I sadly believe.

When I was a young man, both of my parents cautioned me to control my temper, never resort to violence when it can be avoided, and NEVER raise your hand to a woman. I have heeded those words my entire life. It was a great lesson imparted by parents to a young man. Well, I would encourage parents to have the same talk with their daughters. They should tell them words can be as devastating as a punch and they have a responsibility to tell the truth and control THEIR urges to do damage when it would be much wiser to just walk away. Remember with great power comes great responsibility. And women have the GREATEST power - the power of the mind.

Social Commentary: Gluttony

Can you name the 7 Deadly Sins (a.k.a Vices)? Even though guilty of all of them, I could only name one for sure, gluttony, until I looked them up. In addition to gluttony, here are the other six: Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, and Lust. See, I HAVE been guilty of them all! LOL. However, the one I want to focus on in this post, and the only one I knew off the top of my head, is gluttony.

I don't know why I remembered gluttony and not the others. Perhaps it's because I'm Sicilian and we focus so much of our energy on FOOD. We spend so much effort on preparing, serving, and eating it that it has become part of our collective consciousness. We even dream about it. So, I suppose that it's kind of natural for me to fall into the gluttony trap. However, even with that said, I believe another reason that I remember it above the others is because I DISLIKE gluttony so much. I am indeed a healthy eater and have been blessed to have the means to eat well. But at the same time, I never forget those who have not been so blessed. Therefore, like greed (a topic already discussed on this blog), I find gluttony understandable but distasteful. Like greed, gluttony is the most selfish of human emotion. It implies that you want not only your share of the pie, but of everyone else's pie, as well!

So, with this in mind, I can't stand the proliferation and popularity of so-called Eating Contests, the most famous of which is the Nathan's sponsored hot dog eating event at Coney Island. What started as a curious side show to promote people coming to the boardwalk, thanks to national television coverage by ESPN, has become a huge media event with hundreds of participants and a huge, "live" TV audience. WHY? I am truly disgusted to see the participants (known as competitive eaters) cramming and ramming hot dogs down their throats, chugging water to get them down more easily, while the gooey mess is spurting from their mouths, noses, and who knows what other orifices!! This is entertaining - watching people turn themselves into gluttonous pigs in a feeding frenzy? Really? Yet millions watch, mesmerized, as the partially digested food litters the "battlefield". Winners, like Japan's Takeru Kobayashi, take on legendary status. After devouring 7.5 pound of turkey in 10 minutes last week, Dan Rollman, President of the website recordsetter.com had this to say about Kobayashi: It was a true honor to be so close to such a legend. A legend? For stuffing his face, gut and colon to the point of explosion? A legend? Oh, I'm sure that his feats put him in a league with Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, and Roger Bannister!!

Look, I try not to make mountains out of molehills (but, then again, perhaps I see doing that as part of my job), so I don't know if I should just dismiss this as harmless fun or not. But that wouldn't be me. I see this phenomenon as an indicator of things much larger and, unfortunately, much darker. First, people WORSHIP celebrity. As a society, we worship it. Otherwise, how would you explain the enormous success of people famous for just being famous, like Kim Kardashian? How would explain the continued popularity of horrifyingly bad TV shows like Jersey Shore? You explain it by realizing that the lure of fame is intoxicating. People want to be like THEM. They want to live like THEM. They want to be worshipped just like THEM.

Because of today's technology, fame can be as rapid and overwhelming as it is fleeting. Kobayashi is a legend because he is famous for something. That makes him a celebrity and that's enough. And, second, people tend to display the herding tendencies of sheep i.e. they will follow. And when ESPN began hyping the event to create buzz (and they were VERY successful at doing just that), everyone jumped on that bandwagon. So much so that there is MAJOR INTERNATIONAL news coverage of the event every year. ESPN said it's a sport worthy of highly produced, "live" coverage. And the public eats it up (pun intended), year after year.

Well, I have to say that even as "a child of Coney Island" who loves the bizarre eccentricities of the place, The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is just a little too bizarre, even for me. I never watch - it's my little protest to help keep gluttony at bay. Besides, I don't even like hot dogs.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Do I really need to say anything? Really?

Photo Gallery of the Day: One of the Most Beautiful Woman in the World

OK. So, sometimes, my job doesn't suck. Last night I had the privilege of photographing one of the most beautiful woman in the world, Angelina Jolie. She was meeting the Press to promote the new movie she wrote, produced, and directed called In The Land of Blood and Honey. I must say that, quite frankly, she and her life seem so perfect that I don't want to like her. But when you meet her up close, you just have to. She is physically beautiful but she is also thoughtful, well spoken, and approachable. The real deal. At least that is my impression from having shot her on a number of occasions. She handled them all with grace. When you see the crush of cameras you just can't ask for more than that.

(photos below captions)

See what I mean by media "crush". You'd better be prepared!

Brad Pitt, who arrived with her, posed for a few shots and then made the mad dash for the theater.

You can't get away from me, Brad!

She made time for each of the MANY news crews who were there to speak with her.

This is just a fraction of the cameras and crews who were at the SVA Theater on W23rd St. in Mnahattan to cover the event.