Brain Droppings: Run Silent. Run Deep.

For many reasons that I prefer not to divulge at this moment, I am feeling rather Shakespearean. His great tragedy, Hamlet, and this brilliant, but often parodied, soliloquy particularly comes to mind: To be, or not to be: That is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them . . .

Of course, in the scene we understand that Hamlet is struggling with the question of facing a tough situation head on, knowing that it will be most trying, or run from it in the ultimate sense by committing suicide. As thousands have before me, if you replace the to be, or not to be part, with something less ominous, you remove the specter of suicide and can interject new meaning. So, with that said, I'd like to replace to be, or not to be with to write or not to write.

I knew what I was getting into when I started this blog and was not intimidated. That has not changed. But it's also a difficult thing to do. It takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of energy, especially emotional energy. I put so much of myself into these things that it can be easy to be left feeling vulnerable - at least from time to time!! And, also from time to time, it's necessary for me to take some of that passion and emotion and focus them inwardly, back towards me. I think that now is one of those times. I think that I'll take a break from writing for a bit. So, I'll leave all with still another of my endless variety of hackneyed phrases and worn out cliches:

It's time to Run silent. Run deep.

Don't worry, I'll be back soon. My egos too big not to be!! LOL

Really?

This is the new face of the Republican Party. Well, meet the new boss - same as the old boss. So much for the FAMILY VALUES bit. I do believe in redemption but I also believe in hypocrisy. You decide. The choice will be clear.

Brain Droppings: The GOP and Trickle-down Economics

For the life of me, I'll never understand how working people can support the GOP. Republicans are constantly hawking the theory of Trickle Down Economics, often synonymous with Reaganomics (so named for the god-figure among the GOP, Ronald Reagan, who used that theory as the cornerstone of his economic policy). They claim that if they support BIG BUSINESS, jobs will be created and EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY. In addition to the fact that many experts dismiss this type of economics as "ineffective" (my quotes), there is one, really large, obvious, caveat in the plan: BIG BUSINESS gets to control the cash flow. And where does most of that case flow? Into the pockets of the people who run those BIG BUSINESSES and the POLITICIANS who support them, that's where! Working stiffs like us are left with the surplus - if there's any left after they get their cut. SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

It's actually pretty simple, people. All you need do is open your eyes and see through their screen of BS. The GOP is NO FRIEND OF THE WORKING MAN.

When You Think About It: Mitt Romney IS John Kerry

When you think about it, Mitt Romney IS John Kerry! How can I prove that? Well, we can start by asking this question: have you ever seen the two of them together in the same room, at the SAME time? The answer is "NO"! Just look at them. They even look the same; tall, middle-aged white guys, with great hair and good teeth. And listen to them. They even sound the same. They try to have a sense of humor when they speak and both fall completely flat. The rhetoric may be different but the delivery is the same. A Romney campaign appearance takes on the same feel as a Kerry one did 8 years ago; it's sort of like watching paint dry. You know that it's happening but you can't really notice and if you could, you still wouldn't care! They also share a startling lack of charisma. In fact, I compare them both to melons; if they got any more mellow, they would ripen and then rot.

No. They HAVE to be the same person. There just couldn't be two, separate individuals that share that many traits. Mitt Romney IS John Kerry re-incarnated as a Republican; same guy, different philosophy. And just as Kerry lost to an incumbent who was ripe for the taking, Romney (if he even makes it that far!) will lose in November.

Photo of the Day: The GWB II

Crossing the GWM. Photo: F LoBuono (all rights reserved)

Another in the series. There is an interesting story behind how I make this photos . . . coming soon at TalkFrank.

Photo of the Day: The GWB

The GWB and the Morning Fog. Photo: F LoBuono (all rights reserved)

This is from a series I'm doing on the George Washington Bridge for a show at The Upstream Gallery in Westchester, coming in Feburary. Go Bridgemen!!

Brain Droppings: On Newt

In fairness, I thought the Newt Gingrich's response to CNN's John King's question about his alleged infidelity (as claimed in an ABC Interview with Gingrich's former wife) to open last night's GOP Candidates Debate was nothing short of brilliant. He seized the initiative immediately and, in a sense, captured the so-called moral high ground instantly. Before eventually denying the charge, he assailed the legitimacy of the very question and the validity of opening a Presidential debate with THAT particular question. And, in a strong sense, he was RIGHT! In addition, by attacking the question instead of retreating from it, he exhibited an extremely strong, self-assured presence that surely highlighted his debating acumen. It's obvious, in that sense at least, should he be put in that position against President Obama, he would prove a worthy adversary. It was a sure example of why Gingrich, despite his obvious flaws, has wrestled at least the momentum if not the actual lead, from front-runner (barely) Mitt Romney. Gingrich provides a fiery alternative to the white bread/no crust Romney. He sure has made it interesting.

Now, also in fairness and before you go thinking that I'm jumping on the Newt For President Band Wagon, let me say few things (just for a change)! The question that King asked, in and of itself, NEEDED to be asked. I just disagreed with the timing of the question. It should not have been asked first. But, it is newsworthy because it provides a window with which to look into a candidates over-all character. The news became "viral" because people wanted to know how he would respond to what amounted to serious questions about his moral fiber. And, let's face it, this is what the Republicans (and Gingrich) WANT. They continually barrage us with rhetoric concerning so-called Family Values (previously discussed and generally dismissed!) and Moral Issues. Well, in this case, despite his strong response to the question, Gingrich appears to be, once again, the hypocrite. There is too much "smoke" that surrounds him not to be a "fire" somewhere.

I see an ironic twist here. The man who has been one of the self-proclaimed leaders of the Social Conservative Movement, appears to be guilty of one its most egregious sins: infidelity. The entire panel last night danced around the issue, citing the need for Christian redemption, blah, blah, blah, blah. What it really comes down to is a flawed philosophy of do as I say but not as I do. You know, in the end, they can say it as well as it can be said, as Gingrich often does, but the ultimate question remains the same: does it ring true. I think that the answer is obvious.

Brain Droppings: Why I Hate Red Carpet Premieres

People think that I'm crazy because I generally detest shooting Red Carpet Movie Premieres (they actually think that I crazy for a lot of other things, too). They say, "oh, the glamour, the excitement, the stars"! Well, yeah, so? I add fuel to the fire when I say things like, "I was so close to Angelina that I could smell her perfume"! For reasons that I can't quite fathom, this gets most people very excited. And I've shot them all; Brad, George, Angelina, Madonna, J.Lo, and blah, blah, blah, blah.

So, it's fair to ask, "what could be so terrible about that? It sure beats getting shot at or hurricaned on"! Well, as usual with me, it's esoteric in nature. Why should I use my skills as a photographer to make famous people more famous? Why should I make celebrities more celebrated? Why should I make the super rich, richer? Because by covering these events that's exactly what I'm doing! These events are staged at great cost to promote the release of a new movie and the stars that act in them. It's a self-perpetuating machine that is designed to keep the industry constantly in the public eye. Furthermore, as a society we WORSHIP the cult of celebrity. It has become so prevalent in modern culture that we have created new phrases to describe the phenomenon. Being famous for being famous is the latest term coined to fit this niche in modern society. I need to use only one name to make my case: Kim Kardashian.

Movie studios usually spare no expense to make the premiere a "glamorous" affair, at least for the celebrities. It's another story for the cameramen who are crammed into position like so much cattle or smelly sardines! Each celebrity is surrounded by dozens of assistants, publicists, security, and other hangers-on making a clear shooting angle difficult. That's why the photographers bring step-stools with them. They use them to shoot "down" on their subject and past the crowd! It all makes for, what we call in the industry, a pig fuck - lots of squealing signifying nothing!

What's equally ironic for me is that I wouldn't go to most of the movies whose premiere's I'm covering!! Tonight is a prime example. I'm scheduled to cover the RC Premiere of Haywire at the Sunshine Theater on East Houston St. This winner is about a spy who gets double-crossed and seeks revenge. Wow! That's an original idea. And here's the best part; it's not a super-guy-spy, it's a super-chick-spy! Give me a freakin' break!! How predictable and trite. I wouldn't see this film with YOUR dime. But Hollywood will keep making them and keep selling them and keep making money on them as long as you keep buying them. And I'll keep covering the premieres because they pay me to do it. Yes, I'm a whore, too!

Look, the bottom line is this: I want my work to mean SOMETHING. And this ain't it!! Shakespeare said it best, "this is all sound and fury, signifying nothing"! And look for my photos tomorrow! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Social Commentary: The GOP - A Clear Path?

I have to admit that I was forced to watch the Fox News sponsored GOP Debate from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last night. My job responsibilities required that I watch it. I had not planned to for two reasons: First, since I work in the News business and have just came off 3 grueling weeks of fear and loathing on the campaign trail, I am suffering from what I like to call news/information fatigue or disorder. It is not unlike PTSD in so far as one becoming so inundated with stressful situations and frightening images that one's mind begins to, in a sense, shut down in order to cope. The only way to recover is to create as complete a news blackout as is possible. Of course, BEING in the news business, that's impossible. However, when I can avoid it, I do. Second, at this point, I don't believe that ANY of the Republican Candidates have ANYTHING more to offer to me than when they first declared their candidacies. In fact, they have retrogressed in my eyes. And last night's debate brought that into sharp focus.

IMHO, they are all just so full of shit! Every one of them. Yes, Ron Paul, too. The stage wreaked of hypocrisy. And they were down right biblical in so many of their answers. I was waiting for one of the candidates (ANY one of them) to call for fire and brimstone to brought down upon our enemies. It was OLD TESTAMENT vengeance to any and all enemies of the State. There was JOY in the idea of vanquishing our enemies. I believe that I could actually see blood in the eyes of some of them. And, for me, here is where the hypocrisy kicks in. ALL of them talk incessantly about Christian Values and how Christ is their personal savior. Then, in the very next breath, they talk gleefully about annihilating our enemies. And I mean Old Testament style. And the crowd went crazy every time one of them spoke that way. What ever happened to What Would Jesus Do? What ever happened to turn the other cheek? Vengeance is mine, saith the lord? This was all an eye for an eye and we'll get BOTH of yours!! Look, I believe in a person's AND a country's right to defend themselves. I am not weak. WE are not weak. But are THEY the Christian values they speak of - all of the time? It was bellicose, morally repulsive, and, to me, it was frightening.

Then there is the issue of their platform of Less Government. I think that most of us actually agree on this point. Government is, indeed, too large AND too intrusive. Power must be returned to the people. The GOP Candidates continually attempt to drive this message home by talking about freedom to pursue happiness through hard work and success through business. You know, the "I'll teach you how to fish routine". What it ultimate means is, if elected, they will allow their cronies in big business to run rough-shod over the workers of this country. The rich will make it big and the crumbs will filter down. That's not fantasy or rhetoric, it's REAGANOMICS!

And then we get to the social issue of their so-called Less Government. They say that the government has no right to infringe on our personal liberties like the right to bare arms. Don't you dare take our guns away! OK. We get it. But, then they want to ADD governmental legislation that would limit personal freedom AND add layers of bureaucracy by banning a woman's right to choose or a persons right to marry whomever they choose!! It's hypocrisy at it's finest - worst?

The thing that I can be thankful for after enduring such an ordeal is the fact that my opinion has been solidified: these people, ALL of them, are just plain wrong for our country. My choice is clear - and it certainly ain't one of them!

Where's The OUTRAGE?!

This was going to be another installment of DOTD, but I thought that even Douche of the Day was not a strong enough moniker for today's subject, Haley Barbour, until recently the Republican Governor of Mississippi. In one of his last acts as Governor, Barbour pardoned over 200 inmates, setting them free on the streets of Mississippi. Some of the 200 included rapists, arsonists, robbers, and murderers. WTF?!

Now, those of you who are regular readers of the blog are familiar with my generally left-leaning ways. I make no apologies for that. Therefore, one would be correct to assume that I believe in rehabilitation and redemption when it comes to crime and punishment. And I don't support the death penalty. I just don't believe that the State can justify the taking of a human life as punishment for the taking of a human life. However, that does not mean that I don't believe in a PUNISHMENT that fits the crime. And in the case of murder, that punishment would entail the loss of your freedom FOREVER, i.e. life imprisonment with no possibility of parole. If you take a life, you lose your freedom - period! So, with this in mind, I find it unfathomable that a man elected to serve and protect the citizens of Mississippi would see any socially redeeming value in doing this.

Furthermore, where is, in particular, the Republican outrage? The GOP is supposed to "the party of law and order" and one of their own pulls one of the biggest boners of all time - and they say nothing?! Another WTF?! Where is the freakin' indignation? Where are the other Republicans who should be screaming for his head? Oh, that's right, I forgot the Republican motto: Do as we say, not as we do!

I watched a clip of the former Governor on Fox News (he refuses to be interviewed by anyone but Fox - surprise, surprise - again!) trying to justify this move under humanitarian goals. He used the antiquated defense that these criminals had committed crimes of passion and had been rehabilitated. He argued that those who commit crimes of passion (like murdering your wife because you were pissed off at her) where the easiest to rehabilitate and the least likely to commit another crime. WTF?! - again. Where does he get this shit?!!! Every criminal psychologist that I saw interviewed all said what a load of crap that is!! Even the term crime of passion is antiquated and wreaks of sexism!! Sad.

Mississippi will never be mistaken as a state that produces the best educated citizenry in the country. In fact, it perennially falls near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to educating it's children. Well, with a man who is as well respected there as the former Governor STILL is, now I know why!!!

Social Commentary: Unions

Most people, detractors AND supporters, really don't understand what Unions are really all about. Detractors claim that Unions make workers greedy and lazy, taking their well-meaning employers for all they're worth. Now, now, we know that this is not really the case. In fact, if it were not for the Unions, the opposite would more likely be true; employers would ride up one side of its employees and down the other. I just need mention safe working conditions, limited work weeks, and child labor laws as just a few of the very positive effects that Unions have had in the work place. Detractors would say that, from time to time, Unions over-reach in their influence and hamstring businesses with unrealistic pension demands. But even this is debatable. Many would argue that what is won through negotiation is fairly won and, therefore, puts the Unions beyond blame. Besides, Unions are often asked to "give back" from contracts fairly won. Employers virtually never are. Unions provide strength in numbers that can be used as leverage against the massive financial resources wielded by the companies they negotiate with. Without that numerical advantage afforded through Unions, employees would be left alone to stand up to the awesome power of THE COMPANY; one that can afford VERY expensive lawyers to do their negotiating.

However, Unions are not the miracle organizations that their supporters would have everyone believe. There is only so much a Union can do. It is, after all, limited by the very contract it negotiated with its employer. Either it's in the contract or it's not. There is, usually, not much left to interpretation. Therefore, in my experience, Unions do not prevent you from getting abused, they get you properly compensated for being abused!! My last assignment was a prime example of this. We went to Iowa and New Hampshire with a smaller crew than the one we produced the same events with 4 years ago. This is part of the new work environment of doing more with less that has been incorporated by most businesses. So, me and my coworkers put in extraordinary amounts of hours to complete our assignments. I worked a 21 hour day, a 16 hour day, and a score of 12-14 hours days. There simply was no other way to get it done. And we did get it done. And we made a nice piece 'o' change! And we earned every, stinking penny!! Without the protection of our contract, negotiated by our Union, the company would have found a way to get the same production from me for a fraction of the cost. Without the protection of a Union, how many of us have heard an employer say, "if you won't do it, we'll find someone who will"? Well, because of the Union, they can't! They would have to pay the next guy at the same rate they are paying me. Getting something for nothing (or NEXT to nothing) is NOT necessarily "evil" on the part of the company. BY THEIR VERY NATURE, businesses must serve their own interests, which, ultimately, is their bottom line. The Union helps to maintain balance in that equation. And god bless them for it! :)

Thought for the Day

Never underestimate how good it feels to sleep in you own bed, shower in your own bathroom, or sit on your own throne. Damn, it's good to be home. :)

When You Think About It: Mitt Romney

When you think about it, this is truly a great country. Certainly, we have our faults, but on balance, we are still the greatest country in the world. Why? Because we still offer opportunities for advancement and even greatness on a level that remains unmatched. We see evidence of that on a daily basis. The latest testament to that fact can be seen in our race for the Presidency. The current crop of GOP candidates is being led by Mitt Romney, who just yesterday won the Nation's first primary in New Hampshire. When you think about it, it is truly amazing to me that a man who, to me at least, has little, if any, socially redeeming value. And, in most likelihood, he will win the GOP nomination to run for President in November against Barrack Obama. I can sense no fire, no passion, and none of the intangibles that make an effective LEADER. Listening to Romney speak is the equivalent of watching paint dry: you know that it's happening but you REALLY don't care! In fact, when you think about it, he has the personality of a cassava melon. And you know what happens to melons when they get too mellow - they ripen and then rot.

Thought for the Day

Most people spend their lives jumping on bandwagons. If it's trendy, they want to be a part of it. If it's popular, they want to go along for the ride. Well, I've spent most of MY life trying to jump off. Sure, there are times that the leap has left me battered and bruised but that just makes me feel more ALIVE.

So, the moral of the story is don't be sheeple, people, and never be afraid to jump off that bandwagon!! You just may surpise yourself and land on your own two feet. :)

Douche of The Day: Pope Benedict XVI

He is called Holy Father, yet he has never been a father, could never be a father, and SHOULD never be a father. Of course, we're talking about Pope Benedict XVI, today's Douche of The Day (DOTD). In a recent message delivered in his private fiefdom, the Vatican, Pope Benedict delivered a speech to economic and social leaders and called same sex marriage one of several threats to traditional family undermining the future of humanity itself. WTF?! Really? The future of humanity itself?

Although difficult to determined with certainty, most estimates put the percentage of gay people in the Western Hemisphere at anywhere from 2% to 13% of the total population. Furthermore, from what I can ascertain, sociologists believe that the percentage has probably not changed significantly since the dawn of civilization. In other words, there HAS ALWAYS BEEN homosexuality within the human race and THERE ALWAYS WILL BE. OK. So that shoots the shit out of the Pope's assessment that homosexuality will undermine the future of humanity itself i.e. if it's been here from the beginning are we're STILL here, then logic dictates it WILL NOT undermine the future of humanity itself.

But this is also a statement, considering it's source, that defies (or SHOULD) defy logic. The Pope, as I mentioned, is also known as The Holy Father. This, of course, since priests are supposed to be celibate, is an honorary title that suggests he take on the role of a benevolent father to the children of the Roman Catholic Church. Well, every BENEVOLENT father that I have ever encountered was kind, gentle, and accepting of ALL his children, REGARDLESS of their sexual orientation. A GOOD father loves his children unconditionally for what they are rather than for what he wishes that could be. Also, the Pope, as described in the New Testament of the Bible, is THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF JESUS i.e. he is the direct representative of Christ on earth. And, from my interpretation of what that means, he is supposed to be all about LOVE, all about TOLERANCE, all about ACCEPTANCE, all about FORGIVENESS. The statement that Pope Benedict made concerning same sex marriage is NONE OF THOSE THINGS. Besides, as my good friend Judith pointed out to me in a posting she sent to me concerning the Pope's statement, the Catholic Church claims to be Universal i.e. to include EVERYONE in god's universe. Well, the Pope just trampled all over that tenant!

And, now, we have to discuss the HYPOCRISY of that statement made by that man. Perhaps you've noticed that, in recent years, the Church has been rocked by scandal after scandal involving Roman Catholic priests molesting young boys. Equally as heinous as the abuse itself is the Church's (AND the Pope's!) role in covering up the abuse!! How dare the Church condemn others for their behavior while its own is far more nefarious! Why is it more nefarious, you may ask? Because gay marriage involves consenting adults, child molestation involves taking advantage of those most vulnerable by those they trust the most - their priests! It's no wonder why people are leaving the Church in droves!

IMHO, the Christ doctrine is so simple: LOVE CONQUERS ALL. Therefore, the greatest ideal to live by is to love, and to do so UNCONDITIONALLY. Through THIS type of love we become truly Christ-like. Unfortunately, it has been buried under an avalanche of narrow minded dogma and ritual as is represented by the Church and it's leader, the Pope. So, congratulations to Pope Benedict XVI, today's DOTD!

When You Think About It: Tim Tebow

When you think about it, should there be one, do you really believe that god would give two shits whether Tim Tebow tossed the winning TD pass in overtime or not? Really? With all that's going on in the world? Tim Tebow? TD passes? Come on folks, give me a freakin' break!!! LOL

Social Commentary: Eating Meat

Being of Sicilian descent, food, and the eating of it, is every bit as essential to my existence as the very air I breathe. Of course, we need food to survive and, therefore, it IS essential. But I'm talking about something more than just mere sustenance here! Obsession would not be inaccurate when describing the feeling. In fact, in my family, food is sacred - literally. It is a gift from god and we are lucky to have it. There are those in the world who are not as fortunate to be as well fed as we are. My brother, sister, and I all heard the same admonishment from our parents that (and NO insult to my Asian friends - it was a term used at the time) children are starving in China. We were required to eat EVERYTHING on our plates before we were allowed to leave the table. To "waste" food was tantamount to sinning. This has left me with a finish everything on your plate mentality. Even today, my wife marvels at how I can leave a plate as barren as an arctic landscape! She says, "you don't have to eat EVERYTHING on your plate if you're full". My response is always the same: "oh, quite contrare' my dear, you don't understand. I must".

And we ate so well as kids. The have a fancy name now for the style of food we consumed almost daily; the so-called Mediterranean diet. Virtually everything was prepared fresh, with all natural ingredients. And, like most "peasant" cultures, our diet was totally omnivorous - we ate EVERYTHING, and, often, every bit of EVERYTHING. We had fruits, legumes, nuts, meat, pasta, vegetables, and bread. We ate the flesh, the brains, intestines, and eye balls! Nothing was wasted. I have written of family feasts that took my grandmother, mother, and aunts, days to prepare. It was truly a well balanced and, overall, extremely healthy diet. To this day, I attribute my good health to my exposure to good, quality food. So, with this in mind, it will be no easy task to attempt what I am now trying to do: become a vegetarian. Out of fear that my family will probably have me committed, I have not informed them yet. I'm waiting for the right moment (I fear possible histrionics). It's something that I've considered for years, but only now, am determined to see through.

So, a reasonable question to ask would be, "why the epiphany"? Well, there are many reasons. First, the quality of beef, pork, and chicken produced through so-called factory farming, is inferior. Techniques used to raise these animals are designed for rapid growth with the least amount of cost. In the case of cattle and pigs, this usually means feeding them corn, an unnatural food source that causes them to suffer with numerous ailments. This, in turn, leads the producers to use antibiotics to cure the cattle and hogs. The antibiotics become infused into the flesh of the cows and hogs, eventually passing on to whomever consumes the meat. Chickens are raised in filthy cages, stacked one next to another with virtually no space between them. The consequences of such deplorable and unsanitary conditions are also passed on to the consumer. The way that cattle are slaughtered can also contribute to unsanitary conditions which have caused recent, deadly outbreaks of e.coli contamination.

For these, and other health reasons, my wife has taken to purchasing only grass-fed beef and organically (free range) grown chickens to be consumed in our household. These animals are not only raised properly, they are slaughtered humanely. It is certainly a step in the right direction. But, now, for me, it's not enough. I need to do more. Even though I believe it is natural for humans to be omnivorous, I aspire to achieve a higher ideal, one that will eliminate as much cruelty as possible from my life.

The other night, while channel surfing for something suitable to watch in my hotel room, I came across a Peta video of animals, raised under factory farming conditions, being led to slaughter. Without going to great detail, let it suffice to say that I was shocked and appalled by what I saw. In fact, it was so disturbing that I couldn't watch more than a few seconds of it before I changed the channel. I had seen enough for the images to haunt me for days. And this is not the first video of its kind that I have seen. There have been many highlighting animal cruelty throughout the years. But, now, it was time for me to act. I needed to stop thinking about changing my habits and start living what I was thinking. Talk is easy and cheap. Action is more challenging. This move, for someone like me, will be much more difficult. I LOVE to eat and thoroughly enjoy a good rib eye steak or thick cut pork chop - ummn good! And I don't anthropomorphize animals. But it's time for me to stop thinking with my stomach and start feeling with my heart and soul. I will no longer be a part of industry that puts profits over humanity, cruelty over compassion, and ease over reason. I can no longer close my eyes and hope that the images will go away; that, perhaps, things will get better. I now realize that unless we change them, they never will.

I won't knock people who still consume factory raised meat. Supermarket meat products are accessible, mostly affordable, and necessary (to a degree) to support the enormous (and growing) human population. Most people do not have the means to reject such products. I also worry how I will replace the high quality protein that is still found in most meat products. However, I can no longer turn a blind eye to what I know in my heart is cruel and barbaric. I don't need to see anymore Peta videos. I've seen enough. It will take an effort, but ALL things of lasting value only come with making that effort. Besides, I'm not going to become a vegan. That's a little too extreme, even for me. I will eat more fish and continue eating all the other fresh food like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy products that I have enjoyed my entire life. But, now, I think that I may even sleep a little better (ANOTHER unseen health benefit of not eating meat!) knowing that I have not contributed to the cruelty that seems so pervasive in our world today. It may be just a drop in the ocean, but it's MY drop and I can live with that. Now, if I can only find a way to explain this to my Sicilian family before next Thanksgiving . . .

When You Think About It: Inside The Iowa Caucus

After weeks of mind-blowing hyperbole, the Iowa Caucus has finally arrived! And don't know if you feel the same as me, but if I hear one more political pundit extol the virtues of Iowa's cute and anachronistic method of vetting candidates, I think that I'll simply puke!! Not only have we been barraged by an endless stream of analysis of the candidates and the process, it's mostly, simply put, a bunch of hooey!

I've spent weeks here preparing for, and covering this process. I did the same thing 4 years ago and I feel the same way now as I did then. It is indeed unique, but what is the process's greatest strength is, at the same time, it's greatest weakness. Here are some numbers that will illustrate my point: The total population of the Iowa is just over 3 million or about 1/4 of the population of the NY Metropolitan area. The ethnic make-up of those people is overwhelmingly white (about 86%). The main industry of the state is agriculture (think endless fields of corn and soy beans). Of those eligible to participate in the caucuses, about 116, 000 actually will. That's about 6% of the total who might should they so choose to so.

Now, in fairness, that incredibly small number of people, spread out over a half dozen candidates who have been barnstorming the state for weeks, allows for a more personal brand of politicking than would not be possible in larger states. Candidates have met in churches, barns, social clubs, VFW meeting halls, and other intimate settings, often involving small groups of people having direct contact with them. This allows for a very appealing, direct, and often, personal, contact with those whom desire your vote. In a perfect world, that's the way to go. But it's not a perfect world, it's Iowa!

And, what's wrong with that, you might ask. Well, as I said in my second paragraph, what is its strength, when looked at from another perspective, is also its greatest weakness. This small sampling of over 310,000 million Americans makes it statistically insignificant. In fact, when you think about the number of Iowans actually participating (116,000), that number becomes far less than the margin of error used in most statistical analyses! Hell, there seems to be more journalists and TV personnel here then there are constituents! Add to this the ethnic make-up of the state (86% white), the importance of the Iowa Caucus is rendered insignificant. When you think about it, how could, or should, this process be a harbinger of how these candidates will fair in the rest of the REAL world, i.e. America?

In comparison to the rest of the country, this is the Land of Oz. Iowans live mostly in a vacuum, evidenced, at least by me, by their startling lack of diversity. I don't knock them for what they are and how they think, but we seem to have so little in common. They don't look like me, they don't sound like me, and, from what I've witnessed, they don't think like me. So, when you think about it, why should we attach more importance than it deserves.

Well, the BIG SHOW begins tonight and it will soon be over. Then, we can listen to the hype about New Hampshire.

Live from Des Moines

Beautiful downtown Des Moines.  What’s missing?  LOL

Reporting from Iowa

Go Susan Go!

“Live” from Iowa

So you want to be a TV News producer?  This is the actual desk of our two “ace” producers, Andie Augenblick and David Hawthorne – no kidding!!

More from Iowa

We are not alone!

Reporting Live from Des Moines

Cameraman Stephen Kanicka and reporter Susan McGuiness brave the bitter cold during a “live” hit in front of the Iowa Capital Building, Des Moines.

Who would have thought it?

The “space age” tunnel that connects the terminals at Detroit’s airport.  Glad I wasn’t tripping!  LOL

New Year’s coverage the Iowa Caucus

And, yes, it’s cold!

Live in Des Moines

Cameraman Ken Kerbs and reporter Danielle Nottingham report live in front of the Iowa State House.