For What It's Worth

F LoBuono

For What it's worth:

My sentiments on the state of affairs in our current administration and its leader are well known.

However, I have never, and WILL never, condone the type of violent imagery as expressed in Kathy Griffin's vulgar and obscene Tweet/Video used against ANYONE. To say it was in poor taste is an understatement, to say the least.

But, I guess the ultimate punishment for her is to say that I never found her funny anyway.

;)

When You Think About It: Southern Pride - Southern Shame

F LoBuono

Recently, there has been a great deal of controversy over the removal from public spaces of Civil War memorials and monuments dedicated to those who served in, and led, the Confederacy. Nowhere has it been more vitriolic than in the city of New Orleans. This should serve as a surprise to no one since that city was known in particular as the hub of the slave trade and for its unwavering, almost virulent, support of Southern Secession.

The current mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, has been an eloquent supporter of the removal of the monuments. For this he has received innumerable death threats and is under around-the-clock police protection. Threatened violence by opponents of their removal has forced the city to do so only under the cover of darkness.

Supporters of their removal reason that they have no further place in American society. They honor men who advocated secession, if not slavery directly. Because they broke their oath of allegiance to the United States many even see them as traitors. Therefore, they question are they truly worthy of just such an honor?

Opponents counter by saying that we can't deny history and these men (the statues and memorials are all of men) are part of Southern history and heritage. They believed in their "nation", i.e. cause, and served it honorably. THIS is what they want memorialized. Because of the negative connection with slavery and oppression used by those seeking them gone, they argue that if we remove these monuments, we might as well remove other great, historic sites if they were also associated with slavery and despotic behavior, like the Pyramids of ancient Egypt or the Roman Colosseum.

To this I respond their is a HUGE difference between the two. Although most ancient historic sites were built largely (but, not exclusively!) by slave labor for despotic masters, they were not created post factum to specifically HONOR those who enslaved and abused them as is the case with the Civil War memorials. In a sense, the South is asking 14% of the American population (46 million people), which is the percentage of Black Americans, to accept honoring those whom enslaved them! And, this does not count those other Americans who are as equally outraged by the very idea of celebrating those who sought to abolish the Union! Southern Generals can be honored in the appropriate place like a museum - not in a public space in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The great general and savior of the Union, Ulysses S. Grant, who, along with President Abraham Lincoln, probably paid the most pivitol roles in the defeat of the Confederacy, expressed my sentiments (and those who are in support of the removal) most eloquently in his brilliant memior:

“As time passes, people, even of the South, will begin to wonder how it was possible that their ancestors ever fought for or justified institutions which acknowledged the right of property in man.” 

― Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant: All Volumes

Today's MOZEN: Memorial Day 2017. Commit to Peace

F LoBuono

Memorial Day is one of deep reflection. At least it is for me. It is a time to honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for what they (we) believed in: The Cause of Freedom. It also makes me think of the millions of young people (probably BILLIONS) from EVERY nation on earth who have been lost in the never ending cycle of human warfare.

It seems that warfare is an integral part of the human experience as we have been at since the very beginning of our existence on this planet. From the time our simian ancestors picked up a bone or a stick to use as a weapon, we've been finding ways to brutalize one another ever since. And, we've come a long way. Now, we have weapons of mass destruction that can murder thousands - tens of thousands - in the blink of an eye.

And, because nothing happens in a vacuum, the cycle of death and destruction NEVER ends. Just recently, a suicide bomber attacked a group of innocents attending a concert in Manchester, England, killing over 20. Before THAT, in an attempt to eradicate 2 ISIS snipers, a coalition air strike dropped 2, 500 lb. bombs on the apartment building they were apparently operating from. The corresponding explosions killed over 140, including more than 40 children under the age of 16.

And, the beat goes on . . .

I suppose that my mission is to get people to reflect on the BIG PICTURE for Memorial Day: Love and honor those lost AND commit to the cause of peace so that NO mother, father, brother, or sister should ever have to grieve over the terrible loss of a loved one - for ANY reason.

Peace NOW. Peace ALWAYS.

The PEG-BOARD 5/24/2017

Just took a nice nap in the time it took my kid to explain to me a video she saw on UTube......

When You Think About It: Manchester

F LoBuono

First, and foremost, let me say this: I strongly condemn the recent attack in Manchester, England. The loss of life fills me with a deep sorrow. It should be noted that I abhor VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS AND BY ALL WHO PERPETRATE IT.

With this in mind, I ask people to remember that NOTHING happens in a vacuum. It's easy to call the bomber(s) a monster, evil, and a cowardly "loser". All of those pejoratives, and more, are applicable. Still, we look for answers as to why these things still happen - the right answers.

Well, here's what I think. It's pretty simple (this in NO WAY CONDONES what happened):

Violence begets more violence. We bomb our adversaries with so-called precision air strikes that, no matter how precise, indiscriminately kill innocent women and children. It happens ALL OF THE TIME in Syria. So, with that in mind, THEY in turn attack and kill OUR innocents. And, as we use every means at our disposal to attack "them", they, again, in turn, do the same.

What I ask people to consider is that violence ONLY creates an endless cycle of more violence, more death, and more suffering - for EVERYONE who is involved regardless of the religion or ideology.

So, when you think about it, not matter how trite it may sound, we've just got to find another way. More violence is NOT the answer.

In the meantime, I mourn . . .

PEACE.

Today's MOZEN: To Have and Have Not

F LoBuono

It's never really been about religious or political ideology. Not in the end. It's about MONEY - and, the power that comes with it. That, unfortunately, my friends, is the way of the world - the whole world. It's those that HAVE vs. those TRYING to get it - or, at least, their share of it.

In a recent NY Times article (Monday, May 15,2017. Iranians Hold Little Hope Election Will Lift Fortunes), author Thomas Erdbrink writes of the difficulty young Iranians have in securing steady, well-paying jobs. The biggest reason is that those who HAVE those types of jobs want to keep as much as they can for as LONG as they can. Most of those well-paying jobs lay in the government sector. People fortunate enough to get those positions jealously keep them, often well past retirement age driving the youth unemployment rate to an astounding 30%! It creates a never ending cycle of hidden poverty where young, educated professionals often toil countless hours in numerous low-paying positions just to feed their families. The religious ideology doesn't matter - they are ALL Shiite (90-95%) Muslims. Neither does the political - unless you continue to support the status quo. So, of course, the people with the POWER, i.e. the MONEY, never relinquish it.

Well, is it really so different here, or anywhere else in the world for that matter?

Let's take our current Health Care debate. Why should Universal Health Care be so god damned hard?! Our health is not open for negotiation.  It is a right, not a privilege. Therefore, our #1 priority should be the health and well being of ALL Americans. PERIOD. Whatever it takes to this MUST be done. But, it doesn't, and we are left to ask why?

I'll tell you why - it's because virtually ALL politicians bend to the will of their power base - and that's the BIG $$$ to be made off the Health Care System. Democrats are not immune from this blight but it's the Republicans who are MOST beholding to the BIG MONEY CATS who profit so greatly from the system. Their very economic platform is Trickle Down, i.e. reward the rich who will then in turn take care of the poor. Really.

We talk about brotherhood and unity all of the time yet we continue to support a system of inequity. Can anyone REALLY say that we live in an EQUAL society where ALL people are judged by the quality of their character rather than the contents of their bank accounts?? Unfortunately, I think not.

In reality, until we address these startling inequalities, our lot will never change. Our society will be in a constant state of turmoil between those who have made it and those still struggling to do so. The choice to change is ours. We can either give those who, for whatever circumstance, may be less fortunate than we, the boot and shove them further down the slope of poverty. OR, we can give them a hand up to join us in relative comfort and security. And, is that SO terrible for people to expect?

So, please, stop claiming one ideology is greater than the next. Until we start treating each other with equanimity, it's all just so much BULL SHIT.

That is all.

Today's MOZEN: Don't Fear Feelings.

F LoBuono

In light of recent events (i.e. the apparent suicide of Chris Cornell), I felt it important to share this.

Even though Mr. Cornell's wife disputes the actual details of his death, there seems to be no question that, in many ways, he was a soul who struggled with his own identity and, therefore, depression and anxiety - just like virtually ALL of us. His great fame and fortune could not isolate him from his own feelings of doubt. Even his well reported solid family life could not save him from himself. It leaves one to think that if someone so brilliant and seemingly together as Mr. Cornell could do such a thing, what does it mean for the rest of us?

So, as hard as it is to admit to one's feelings of doubt and pain, it is even more so to express it publicly. But, it may be essential in our recovery. Despite my bluster and boasts of a self-proclaimed enormous ego, I suffer sometimes with crippling doubt and anxiety. There are many real (but, also ultimately superficial) reasons that this is so, like: an incredibly stressful job, a bizarre schedule, and concerns about growing older. But, again, although they contribute to my overall condition, they are not the REAL reasons. It is more because I am SO connected to things. I feel EVERYTHING - deeply. I've worked very hard all of my life to strike a balance between reasonably protecting myself (i.e. being a tough guy) and allowing an openness of thought and spirit that can make someone oh, so vulnerable. For, as full of shit as I can be, I can still experience painful loneliness, too - just like everyone else. I often think that my bluster (and my corresponding alter egos) is merely a ruse to put people off the trail of a truly gentle heart. I even do my best to live a vegetarian lifestyle so as to limit the amount of cruelty I am responsible for in the world.

But, doing good deeds and thinking deep thoughts will not insulate us from the pain of, well, living. To live is to feel. And, to feel is to experience not only love, but hate and fear, as well. It is what makes us human, indeed. It is striking the balance between all that is our greatest challenge.

Certainly not on the same level as Mr. Cornell, but I have been a high achiever my whole life: President of my high school class - IQ of 137 - Captain of my high school and college football teams - intercollegiate weight lifting champion - Shop Steward of my Union, etc. Although I am intensely proud of these achievements, there are times that they are difficult to see through the darkness. None of it seems to matter. There is only now and the doubt and sadness. It's difficult to explain when you don't quite understand yourself. NO ONE is immune from depression - no one. I believe it's something that we all share. So, in a sense, that's exactly what we should do - share it.

I suppose that the best way to deal with these feeling when they occur is to do some version of what I am doing right now - SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. CONNECT. We are not alone. YOU are not alone. Despite feeling as such, sometimes, just dealing with them brings some relief. And, SHARING them brings you even one step closer to happiness.

I hope.

;)

Today's MOZEN: On Chris Cornell

F LoBuono

I think that it's pretty safe to say that no one would ever define me as any type of groupie. In fact, anyone who really knows me is probably laughing pretty hard at the very notion of that. Simply put, I'm not a good follower. Shit, as a kid, as much as I liked the outdoors, I never even joined the Boy Scouts!

So, it's rare for me to feel greatly moved by the loss of most public figures, especially if I see them simply as entertainers. I don't eagerly show public outpourings of grief for people that I don't REALLY know. But, this one seems different. The loss of Chris Cornell is effecting me most deeply. The fact that he choose to take his own life is devastating! Oh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I actually stumbled on his work, particularly with Audioslave, only recently. As mentioned above, I'm not very trendy, so I missed the so-called Seattle Grunge Scene. So, I didn't know a lot of his early work with Soundgarden. Then one day, I think quite by accident, I heard Like a Stone. I was fucking blown away - and, with an ego as large as mine, that's pretty hard to do. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The quality of his voice, the DEPTH of his lyrics were ASTOUNDING. The minimalistic, sparse, downbeat sound of the music suited the mood PERFECTLY. But, it's more than "just" a song - it's a prayer, a plea, a lament, a search for the soul. Considering the fact that he just took his own life makes even that more prophetic.

Cornell was the driving force - as it should be. And, he was damned good looking, too! He dressed in the I don't give a shit style that makes a statement in its understatement. I love that. It's not fucking important. Life is!!

As I write this, I'm listening to Like a Stone over and over again. OH MY GOD - listen to the lyrics. It's as if he is predicting the course of action he eventually took - TEARS are streaming down my cheeks!! The guitar, as I listen, CRIES with me -

"and I sat in regret for all the things that I've done, for all that I've blessed, for all that I've wronged, in dreams, until the day I wander on".

This song has to be one of the deepest prayers I've ever heard. Here is a man in total contact with his very soul - and, he had the talent, drive, and guts to share it with us!! To think that he lost all HOPE is devastating, simply devastating. How could a man so obviously blessed with such enormous gifts simply throw it all away . . .

I am broken.

I have always seen suicide for the ENORMOUS TRAGEDY that is. I have been personally impacted by this horrible scourge. I think that we all have.  And, it's the saddest thing in the world. It means that someone has no hope, sees no light, no solution or end to their suffering. Sometimes, hope is all we have left. When we lose that . . .

If there is a moral to this tragedy, it's that the curse of mental illness and the suffering it brings is a part of all of our lives - either directly or through the loss of a public figure of enormous talent like Mr. Cornell. If it can take him, it can take anyone. Friends, NEVER lose hope. There is ALWAYS a way - and, it can be found by reaching out. You are loved. We are all loved - by someone. And, never be afraid to show your love. It is the only, ultimately redeeming force.

I wait for you there, like a stone . . . ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Like+a+Stone+Lyrics&&view=detail&mid=416E5ECEF75E2142FF2C416E5ECEF75E2142FF2C&FORM=VRDGAR

Like a Stone

Audioslave

On a cobweb afternoon
In a room full of emptiness
By a freeway I confess
I was lost in the pages
Of a book full of death
Reading how we'll die alone
And if we're good, we'll lay to rest
Anywhere we want to go

In your house I long to be
Room by room patiently
I'll wait for you there
Like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone

On my deathbed I will pray
To the gods and the angels
Like a pagan to anyone
Who will take me to heaven
To a place I recall
I was there so long ago
The sky was bruised
The wine was bled
And there you led me on

In your house I long to be
Room by room patiently
I'll wait for you there
Like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone

Alone

And on I read
Until the day was gone
And I sat in regret
Of all the things I've done
For all that I've blessed
And all that I've wronged
In dreams until my death
I will wander on

In your house I long to be
Room by room patiently
I'll wait for you there
Like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone

Alone

Songwriters: TIMOTHY COMMERFORD, CHRIS CORNELL, TOM MORELLO, BRAD WILK

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

For non-commercial use only.

The PEG-BOARD 5/17/2017

A fun thing I like to do with my kids is when I see a dead deer on the side of the road, I tell them ... "oh boy... Santa is pissed again!... I hope it's not something you did" . . .

Today's MOZEN: Bigly Smart

F LoBuono

My father worshipped men of learning - professional men who, by the power of their very intellect, can save lives and, ultimately, change the world. Perhaps, he felt this way because the circumstances of his own life prevented him from pursuing the education he always dreamed about (more later).

I think, like most of us, his experiences growing up formed the basis of his life as a man. And, for him, it could not have been easy. He lost his father to a heart attack when he was just 12. As the oldest boy in a Sicilian immigrant family, MUCH responsibility fell on his young shoulders. Then came the depression. Then came the war, etc. And, if that weren't enough, he contracted severe, debilitating asthma late in life.

But, despite the challenges, he never lost his love (lust, really) for learning. With a limited education (he completed high school after the war), he still read every day. He LOVED to read- newspapers mostly, and magazines, too. He was not a big consumer of novels, but that didn't matter. He encouraged me to read whatever I could get my hands on and whenever I had the opportunity. He made sure that we had a dictionary and a set of encyclopedias in our home. I also remember the time when he fell for some gimmick that was supposed to make us read faster. My brother, sister and I always got a good laugh about this strange contraption he bought to aid in our studies. The machine clipped on our reading material and moved down the page, prompted us to scan read. It was supposed to increase our speed and comprehension. We hardly used it. But, I always respected him for the effort he made to make us appreciate the importance of learning.

He so loved highter education that in his middle age he went back to school and earned an Associates Degree from Bergen Community College. He EARNED that degree in so many ways. And, I was intensely proud of him for doing it.

My father also switched careers later in life, too. He had grown up running his family's deli with his younger brother and 2 sisters. But, he was never satisfied slicing baloney. He wanted something that would challenge him both physically and intellectually. He found it when he became a Bergen County Deputy Sheriff. He wanted that job so badly. I remembered him studying voraciously for the Civil Service test. Just approaching my teens, I exercised beside him as his also prepared for the physical portion of the test. I tested him with prepared question from the written part of the exam. When he passed and officially became a Sheriff's Officer, it was one of the proudest moments of his life.

Eventually, his duties as a deputy required him to be an agent of the court, providing security for the judge and other courtroom participants. It was within this environment that he saw the power of intellect. He would marvel how the lawyers would use their expertise to try a case. He observed expert witnesses give detailed testimony on complex subjects that could ultimately lead to a person's innocence or guilt. A person's fate literally hung in the balance of the words of these learned people. THIS was power - real power. Even though my father was sports minded and was in many ways a physical person, he realized that true authority lie with our brains and not our brawn.

And, he was adamant about me pursuing my own, formal education. In fact, he was relentless in his insistence. I have to admit, there were times when I resented him for his persistence. So often I simply wanted to quit - it was too hard, the pressure was too great. I am too wild for school, an so forth. He simply would not let me, ALWAYS saying, Frankie, don't quit. Once you have a degree that you have EARNED, NO ONE can take it from you. Your education will make you a man to be respected. He was so right. I received my bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in January, 1978.

I think that because of this love for everything learned, my father, a life-long Republican (I loved his debates with my mother, a Roosevelt Democrat), is ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE with the complete lack of erudition coming out of the Republican White House. Beyond the lying, beyond the false narratives, beyond the complete lack of any sophistication and cohesion in their message, their mission not only eschews and denies the world's accumulated knowledge but seems to actually be ANTI-INTELLECT. Alternative facts, climate denial, ridiculous, partisan choices for key Cabinet positions like Secretary of Education and the EPA are evidence for this Administration's disdain for anything intellectual. It's as if the President actually gets angry is you use words that are too "big" for him as his vocabulary is generally limited to personal superlatives like great, awesome, and BIGLY.

I've been accused of being arrogant because I always attempt to argue my points with the clarity of knowledge through acquired information. Even my opinions are fact based. That is how I was raised and that's how I operate. I refuse to be humbled for being an intellectual - Like my father before me, I earned it - BIGLY.

When You Think About It: OWN IT!

F LoBuono

You've been pulled over for a traffic violation that you feel is simply bogus. So, you try this routine with the police officer who is now in your car's window:

But, officer, I was just doing what everyone else was doing!

Standard police response:

Well, I didn't pull THEM over, I pulled YOU over. Tell it to the judge.

And, then, we are usually resigned to our fate.

So it should be with the Trump Administration. I'm tired of their excuses and blame game - Crooked Hillary did worse. Obama was guilty of spying and blah, bah blah, bah blah. Stop it. Just stop it!! We're not talking about THEM. We're talking about YOU. Stop deflecting! Own up to your own shit! You broke it - you OWN it.

Mr. Trump is celebrated as a tough guy by his supporters. Well, every genuinely tough guy that I have ever known was considered as such because they always took responsiblity for their actons - good or bad.  Well, Mr. Trump, step up!!!!!!!!

Today's MOZEN: For Women on Mother's Day 2017

F LoBuono

Mothers, today is your day. Women, today is your day - all women. Yes, despite the overt commercialism that most of our holidays now share, it is a day when we celebrate the power, the universal, unquestioned, unconditional, loving bond between mother and child. SHE is the life giver! And, we acknowledge her role.

But, it also celebrates ALL women. ALL women have the feminine energy that is the very essence of life. They are the creators. Men may lay claim to a great artistic legacy, but it is the women who are the hearth - the center of all life. They are the marrow. I have NEVER felt diminished by this truth. I have my own power. But, it lies in a different realm. Acknowledging the awesome role that women play in daily life is liberating - not only for them, but for men, too.

Women, you are EVE - the origin of life - ALL of you. You are not born of Adam's rib. You are of your own energy.

Enjoy YOUR day.

A Mother's Day Message 2017

F LoBuono

It was a piece of advice given to my mother by her mother, who in turn imparted it to me.

I must have been about 13 or 14 and my parents were in desperate need of a new car. They had driven around in jalopies for most of their (and our) lives. They were not people of means. And, my father's debilitating illnesses (like asthma) were a constant financial burden on the family. In other words, they were virtually broke. So, they kept vehicles FAR past their efficient use. In fact, I remember a Buick my father owned that had a huge hole in the floor that he covered with a car mat. We'd remove it to watch the highway go by under our feet!

They so desperately wanted a new, reliable vehicle that they could feel safe in and be proud of. But, where would the money come from? I remember my parents discussing what they might do when the idea of borrowing the money from my grandmother came up. My folks were loath to burrow from ANYONE and my grandmother was not a woman of means either. But, there was no viable alternative. And, so, hats in hand, they went to her.

I'll never forget my grandmother's response. Without hesitation, in her thick Italian accent, she said:

Of course, I will give you the money. It was going to be yours after I died anyway. So, why should I wait until then when I can give it to you now and SEE you actually enjoy it.

I remember my grandmother delivering $5,000 cash, all in crisp, $100 bills. My mother cried when she counted the money - she had never seen a $100 bill before.

The moral of the story is this: Don't postpone kindness. Don't hold back showing your love. Don't wait until it's too late to express your deep feelings for someone. Do it now. Do it often. I think that we all fantasize about the nice things people will say about us at our funerals (at least we HOPE that will say them!). Well, don't wait until then - say them now about the others in your life.

With this in mind and Mother's Day upon us, I'd like to say this about Stella: She has been the rock of my existence. Of course, she loves me unconditionally and demonstrates it constantly. But, she is also honest. She supports me completely when she feels that I am right, but also challenges me when I am wrong. She is fierce in her independence and imparted that drive to me. She has taught me to respect ALL who earn it and demand respect in return. She has shown me what it means to be gentle without fear. She gave me a love of reading and learning. And, perhaps, most importantly, she infused in me a self-confidence to know that although I am no better than anyone else, certainly the converse is true - in the end, I need not answer to anyone but myself.

Happy Mother's Day, Stella. Happy Mother's Day to all the women fortunate enough to have earned the title, mother. We love you all!!!!!!!

Today's MOZEN: What's in a Photo?

Photo: Alexander Scheherbak/Tass via Getty Images

Calling all Freedom Loving Americans, especially those Patriots who see themselves as undaunted supporters of our current President and administration. I need your opinions on this photo. It's a simple question, but you may take as time as you like with your answer. The backstory behind the photo is this:

The image is of a beaming President Trump greeting the Russian delegation, including the Russian ambassador and foreign minister, at the White House - in the midst of firing the man in charge of the Russian investigation. It was made by a RUSSIAN PHOTOGRAPHER (TASS News Agency) and distributed by the Kremlin - because the AMERICAN media was barred from the meeting.

What say you???????????

Today's MOZEN: Lord Acton

F LoBuono

As much as I prefer my own, original writing for my posts, at times someone else has said it first and better. This is one of the those occasions:

Absolute monarchies are those in which all power is given to or, as is more often the case, taken by, the monarch. Examples of absolute power corrupting are Roman emperors (who declared themselves gods) and Napoleon Bonaparte (who declared himself an emperor).

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely" arose as part of a quotation by the expansively named and impressively hirsute John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

I believe we have a man obsessed with gaining absolute power and is by no means "great" at our helm.  He is simply bad .

Today's PEG-BOARD 5/10/2017

Coming out with a new scent called "Mom Purse"......its a heady scent of pepprmint gum, hand lotion samples, cherry lip gloss, smudged to-do-list ink, and weed flakes............

Today's MOZEN: And The Beat Goes On

F LoBuono

Let me keep this as simply as possible for the President's supporters - judging from his rhetoric, consistent with that from a petulant 12 year-old, it seems to be the only way to get them to understand:

Firing the man in charge of the investigation aimed at exploring potential wrong-doing, some of it possibly illegal, of your administration is simply DEPLORABLE. Yes, you heard me - that word again - DEPLORABLE. A better, more honest and transparent path to take would have been to let FBI Director James Comey finish the investigation and, then, if flaws were found in the procedure, relieve him of his duties. Doing it now, in the midst of this investigation, REEKS of impropriety and a COVER-UP!

Let me remind people of the truest statement made by ANY candidate during the campaign trail. It was uttered by Mr. Trump:

I could shoot someone in the middle of Fith Avenue and not lose any voters.

Euphemistically, he just did.

And, the beat goes on . . .

Runaway Locomotive

F LoBuono

- sometimes
- I feel like a GIANT run-a-way fuckin' diesel locomotive
- starting slowly
- building pressure - spinning dials - releasing valves
- coal burning - hotter and hotter - inching forward
- gaining speed and power
- more and more
- faster and faster
- massive wheels pressing steel rails
- more and more
- faster and faster
- fire raging - burning in the belly - steam screaming - red lining
- faster and faster
- more and more
- faster and faster
- it cannot be stopped - wheels grinding - sparks flying
- MIND racing
- it cannot be stopped
- I cannot be stopped
- even death fears to intervene
- IRRESISTIBLE 
- more and more
- faster and faster
- until we reach the END.

Today's MOZEN: What's in a Name?

F LoBuono

My real name is Francis. Francis Joseph LoBuono.  Well, at least that's what it says on my birth certificate. In the Sicilian tradition, as the first-born male child, I am named after my paternal grandfather. My middle name is in honor of my father. In a bizarre twist of fate, my brother is Joseph Francis. Also in the Sicilian tradition, as the second boy, he is named after my father, Joseph. His middle name comes from my mother's father, also named "Frank", hence the Francis (more on why "Francis" and not "Frank" in a moment). So, technically, my full name is Francis Joseph and my brother, Joseph Francis LoBuono.

Got it?

Now, just when you thought it couldn't get more old-fashioned and complicated, there's this:

Even though I was named after my grandfather, I'm sure that in his Sicilian village, he was not called Francis. It had to be Francesco. But, when my family emigrated, they wanted to assimilate - so much so that my maternal grandfather insisted that they speak English at home. His name became the anglicized Frank. It was the same with my father's family. In fact, my maternal grandmother came here as an infant and, unlike my maternal grandmother, spoke with no accent. It's strange - and, a story for another day - but, I know much more of my mother's father than I do of my father's. What I do know is that both of my grandfathers, to this day, are know as FRANK. So, I was to be called the same - Frank.

However, at that time, to be baptized in the Catholic Church, you had to have a saints name (and a patron saint). There is no Saint Frank. However, there is a Saint Francis. And, so I was to be officially baptized as Francis Joseph LoBuono. My patron saint was to be Saint Francis of Assisi.

As I said previously, that may be what is on my birth certificate but no one, except my mother when she's pissed off at me, and a few select friends, has EVER called me Francis - Frankie, yes - Francis, never.

There was a time that I hated the very idea of the name Francis. After all, it's a GIRL'S name, too! But, I did feel a connection with my patron saint, Francis of Assisi. I always found his personal story of rejection of personal wealth for the benefit of the poor and his love of animals (he is the patron saint of animals, too) compelling. However, even there I could find a hint of the dreaded femininity - St. Francis of A-Sissy - get it? It did not fit with the image I had of what it meant to be a boy. Then there was the popular movie "Meatballs" with Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman. Released in 1979, Murray plays a lovable loser who decides to join the Army and straighten out his life. There he meets his antagonist, a psychopath named Francis. One of the more memorable lines in the film, uttered by Murray's character in response to his foes anti-social behavior is "settle down, Francis" - with the emphasis on FRANCIS - as if the name itself were the insult.

Those days are long gone. I no longer suffer from whatever gender security issues that may have plagued me in my youth. And, Francis can be seen as more elegant than the rather blunt sounding FRANK.

I suppose that my obituary will read Francis, ne' Frank, LoBuono has passed. I don't know, but I really don't find that morbid. In fact, I kind of get a kick out of it. It's sort of mysterious, like I had a secret identify. In the end, what's in a name anyway?

Today's Mostly True Short Story: A Day in the Life of the George Washington Bridge

F LoBuono

The traffic sucked - just for a change. Yeah, right! The George Washington Bridge (GWB) is the busiest in the world. 276,000 vehicles cross that bridge on any given day. That's 102 million/year. Since I grew up in Fort Lee - the New Jersey side of the bridge and have worked in New York City for over 15 years - I am intimately acquainted with that structure. I have attempted to cross that bridge at almost any given hour of the day: 9am, 2pm, 4am - doesn't matter. You can encounter traffic at any moment. And, I usually do. What makes it even more frustrating is that it's rarely an issue with the bridge itself. More than likely it involves the road the bridge leads to and is one of the worst highways in the world: the Cross Bronx Expressway.

This afternoon was no exception. Despite the heavy rain, I made good time on my first leg; down the Palisades Interstate Parkway(PIP) and to the GWB. Once I paid the toll and make the long loop unto the bridge, I saw the traffic on the bridge was at a virtual standstill. I grumbled: shit! not AGAIN! But, I resigned myself to my fate. I would inch across the bridge and do the best that I could to make it to work on time (I always leave myself extra time). But, I certainly was not a happy camper!

I began the process of wedging myself into the flow of traffic when I noticed her out of the corner of my eye. The entrance from the PIP to the bridge is carved out of the very living rock of the mighty Palisades, one of the rarest and most spectacular geologic features in the world. Banking hard, her wings spread to full extension, a Red Tailed hawk was soaring high above the traffic and around the massive stone face of the Palisades. I only got a glimpse. She made the turn around the cliffs and disappeared in seconds, heading down river. But, it made me think - and, then, smile. Instead of thinking how miserable it was to be stuck in traffic, I marveled at how nature can still survive, even thrive, despite our best efforts to destroy it! Besides, hawks are my spirit guides - animals that show us the way. And, she certainly did. I merged, made it over the bridge in about 10 or 15 minutes and make it to work on time. All in a day on the GWB!

The Peg Board 5/3/2017

I'm almost certain that my last words before I die are going to be..... "Let me pee first".....

QUOTE OF THE DAY - James Baldwin

F LoBuono

It's no secret as to where my sentiments lie in regards to President Donald J. Trump. I'd like to say that nothing has changed. However, that would not be entirely accurate. I have changed. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it has.

Many still cling to the belief that the office of the President demands respect beyond whomever might hold the office. I disagree. Vehemently. Respect must be earned on EVERY level. A title is nothing more than costume jewelry if it is not truly earned and kept through a bond created by honesty, intelligence, and empathy - traits that this President has shown little, if any, affinity for.

The latest round of moronic responses to legitimate questions including those about the Civil War and Andrew Jackson show a man who woefully lacks in intelligence, subtlety, and intuition. In fact, they would be laughable if we were talking about a comedian instead of the Leader of the Free World.

I suppose that James Baldwin may have expressed this concern best:

Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.


* The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any other person or entity.