Today's MOZEN: Perfect Bull Shit

F LoBuono

Many people say that this is not the time to get political. In this Year of The Corona, it is more important than ever to put aside our differences and come together to combat this deadly COVID-19 virus.

Of course, in times of extreme distress, like today, that statement rings true. However, in order to make it so, we need the glue of LEADERSHIP, i.e. someone with the Strength of Character who, despite any previously perceived shortcomings, rises to new heights to become a beacon of hope and a tower of courage, wisdom, and compassion - A Healer-In-Chief, if you will.

They have been part of our history from its inception: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and FDR come immediately to mind. They were stalwarts of stability and vision.

Well, instead of one of these GIANTS, we are inflicted with the leadership (or, lack-there-of) of a bloated, mendacious, ego maniacal, demagogue. And, his name is Donald J. Trump.

No, Mr. Trump did not create this virus. But, he DID exacerbate its spread. And, although I might be able to forgive incompetence, I will never forgive his WILLFUL path to self-fulfillment at the expense of the American People. My god, he is more impressed with the numbers associated with his friggin' TV ratings than he is with the ones pertaining to those infected with, and dying from, the  disease!!

As if his lame, ego-stroking rallies was not enough to convince people of his unscrupulous nature, it took a Global Pandemic to further expose his woeful lack of not only the skills necessary to combat such a dangerous disease, but the temperament to rise above petty jealousy and the lust for money and power, as well.

I sincerely hope that enough of us survive to send an overwhelming message in November to Mr. Trump and his cronies that his behavior is not suited to that of a GREAT LEADER. In fact, he's not great excepting for one thing - Bull Shit. In fact, it's perfect Bull Shit. Perhaps, the greatest Bull Shit of all. . . 

Today's MOZEN: Trying Times

F LoBuono

These are the times that try men's souls* . . . 

Thomas Paine wrote those seminal words (and, many others equally as powerful) in December of 1776 for his pamphlet, The Crisis. They were of a political nature meant to rally support for which was then a failing American Revolution. Victories for the rebellious Colonies against the English Crown were virtually non-existent and morale was flagging, badly.

Paine's words proved both inspirational and effective. The Colonies did rally and, after further great sacrifice, eventually won their independence. And, America was born.

Well, America faces another great crisis - arguably the greatest since WWII. It certainly is the most challenging I've seen in my nearly 65 years.

What we've got here is a Global Pandemic.

COVID - 19, more popularly known as the Corona Virus, has been ravaging our Country and the world. China and Italy were brought to their knees. My area, NYC and it's vicinity, have been particularly hard hit by this pernicious villain.

And, it has changed our daily lives in ways that I have never experienced. In my opinion, even 911 didn't have the global, daily, devastating impact that this virus has had.

In addition to its deadly nature (10Xs greater than influenza), COVID-19 will have even farther reaching repercussions beyond the immediate death toll, particularly economically. Because the virus is so contagious and can spread so rapidly, Social Distancing has become critical. That means not only banning major events, sports, and all large crowds but some of our personal interactions, as well. This means friends and some family.

In addition to the personal sacrifices, this of course, can have a disastrous trickle down effect on so many businesses, and therefore, employees, i.e. people and families.

Large concerts are gone and so are the jobs that go with supporting those events. The same goes for sports. No NCAA Final Four. No basketball or hockey - college or pro. No professional or college baseball, etc., etc. So, this goes FAR beyond the lost entertainment value. It will put tens of thousands of people out of work - and not just the stars but musicians, technicians, roadies, vendors, truck drivers, coaches, secretaries, ticket-takers, printers, security, maintenance, food purveyors, and, many, many more.

And, these are the BIG guys. Smaller, local businesses will suffer even more. Village shops, restaurants, and bars have been severely limited in terms of operations offering only take-out or delivery service. Again, this means not only a huge loss at the top (the owners) but all the staffs who support those businesses, as well. The result will be that those places already suffering in a changing economy are doomed. They will not return when this over. People will lose more than just their lively-hoods, they will lose their dreams, too.

Even if we don't get infected, it is safe to say that NO ONE will remain unaffected.

On a personal level, I have been greatly affected. First, the building that I have worked in for nearly 20 years, the CBS Broadcast Center, was made off-limits after a number of people were diagnosed with the virus. Therefore, I lost a great deal of work and have only been able to return on a part-time basis by using my home/personal computer. And, as a single man, I count on the vibrant art, music, and bar/restaurant scene in my village of Nyack, NY to provide the bulk of my social life. Despite often wishing that my retirement would come more quickly, I also find myself missing the camaraderie of my co-workers. AND, I'm an ethnic Italian - I love physical contact with people, especially the ones that I love (or, like). But, this type of contact MUST be avoided at this time.

So, it's more than inconvenience.

Desperate people can totally lose faith and cause themselves even more harm. We will lose direct contact with the ones we love the most. I have not personally seen my 96 year-old mother, Stella, in weeks for fear of a possible transition of the virus. And, old vices can return. I think everyone experiences over-eating when they have too much time on their hands. But, for a hyper person like myself that can often mean a lot more bourbon and smoke. A lot more.

This is where Strength of Character becomes so important - for our own good, as well as that of others. We HAVE to play by the rules. Observe the safety protocols of no personal contact, maintain safe distances, don't congregate in large numbers, cover coughs and sneezes, sanitize regularly. And, on a very personal level maintain discipline. Use the time profitably. Catch-up with paperwork and organization. Exercise. Walk outside (yes, you can by yourself and maintaining distance from others). Read. Enjoy the return of the birds. Check out the spring flowers. Cook good, fresh, healthy meals. Meditate. Clean your house. Make your bed. Till your soil. Plant your garden. Write. Watch great movies. Binge watch "South Park". Be good to yourself.

But, don't be greedy! 

Take your share, but leave enough for others. Traumatic events like this one bring out both the best and worst in people. Always strive to show your best by sharing with your brothers and sisters. I believe how we behave during this time of fear and uncertainty will define this generation. Think about that: how will YOU be remembered by history?

And, let's use it as an epiphany that creates empathy. If we don't care for our environment, catastrophic events like this one will become so frequent that they will eventually destroy us. Also, remember there are places like Syria and Lebanon where the people suffer degradation far worse than the challenge we currently face. Let's move forward from this with a renewed commitment to make the world a better place for ALL creatures.

Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods . . . 

Thomas Paine

Footnote: In a bit of irony, Thomas Paine lived for a long period of his life in New Rochelle, NY - the epicenter for the virus outbreak in NY.

*https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/175410-these-are-the-times-that-try-men-s-souls-the-summer

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Extraordinary Times

F LoBuono

In Summer, Highland Falls, Billy Joel aptly sings; They say that these are not the best of times. But they are the only times we'll ever know.*

I think that his message is to live life to it's fullest, every single day. No matter what faith we may subscribe to, I believe that the only thing we do know with absolute certainty is that we are here, now.

And, to that, I would add that we also live in Extraordinary Times. 

It all depends on how you look at it.

Certainly, the current climate and corresponding fears created by the presence of Covid-19 (a.k.a. The Corona Virus) can be frightening. It has been declared a Global Pandemic and, therefore, has altered the very nature of how we live our daily lives. Our movements have been restricted. Work and, therefore, money and savings have been lost. Even simple pleasures like to going to a movie, restaurant, or bar have been curtailed. Major cities have issued quarantines and curfews. And, it's just beginning.

But, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, if you remove the fear of the uncertain, it is also an extraordinary time to be alive.

If you take the proper precautions, use common sense, follow the instructions of the appropriate professionals, and mix it with a little good luck, you will be able to tell (warn) future generations: Yes, I survived a Global Pandemic.

And, for better or worse, few other generations can make that claim.

If I should survive this (and, I'm planning to), I will add it to the list of exceptional experiences that I have had in my 65 years, many with a front row seat.

Because of my profession, I have had both the privilege and challenge of witnessing, first hand, some of the most significant events of my generation. Here are a few:

- I filmed a documentary in China just as it was entering its "modern" era.

- I spent 8 days documenting the events of 911 at Ground Zero.

- I covered every political convention, including both the Democratic and Republican Nationals since 2004.

- I personally witnessed the acceptance speech and subsequent Inauguration of our Country's first Black President, Barack Obama.

- I have worked in the White House Press Room.

- I was in the Javitz Center in New York when Hillary Clinton realized that she had lost the 2016 Presidential Election.

- I survived many hurricanes, including Katrina and Sandy.

- I've been so close to a Space Shuttle launch that I could feel the power of its thrust on my chest. And, I've seen it land in the dead of night.

- I was in Rome for 30 days and witnessed directly from St. Peter's the election of Pope Francis I.

- I was stationed at Buckingham Palace for the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William.

- I spent weeks on the Gulf Coast covering the disastrous BP oil spill.

- I have experienced many a Mardi Gras as well as New Year's Eves in Times Square.

- I've been on the field at the 50 yard line in front of 80,000+ fans for both professional and college football games.

- I have photographed just about every major celebrity of our time.

- I've been married, separated, and dumped.

- I have loved many and lost just as many.

- I have survived this Country's endless wars, including Vietnam, the Gulf, and all of the other "conflicts".

And, now, we are in the midst of another earth-altering epoch. Many predicted that it was just a matter of time before we did something to sabotage ourselves. Often, humans can be their own worst enemy. Be that as it may (and, a conversation for another post), it can only defeat us if it succeeds in dividing us. So, it's up to EVERYONE to make sure that doesn't happen.

Help one another. Care for one another. And, we may just get through this - together. Then, we can add it as another bullet point to our very own, real-life Curriculum Vitae - I survived a Global Pandemic.

And, that, my friends, is EXTRAORDINARY.

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygNNpvzuNFA

Today's MOZEN: Sticking Needles in My Eyes

F LoBuono

Risking the dreaded specter of redundancy, I still must say it yet again:

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!

This Country decided to elect (I know, I know - "but, the popular vote") a poorly qualified, inexperienced, narcissistic, Realty TV show host President with the hope that he would bring welcomed change.

Well, he has changed things in Washington.

Unfortunately, it has NOT been for the better!

Wait, like me rephrase that - he has fucked things up to the point of catastrophe!!

In addition to his failings as a human being, i.e. his sloth, his belligerence, his greed, it has taken the biggest health crisis of our generation to further expose his woeful lack of vision, intelligence, and competency!

And, people will die for it.

He can't bluster it away. He cannot lie it away. He cannot bully it away.

Unless this Country allows him the opportunity to do it again.

I, for one, would rather stick needles in my eyes. . . 

Today's MOZEN: La Petite Mort

F LoBuono

Orgasms are cool. No, they're more than just cool. They're great. In fact, I don't think that I've ever experienced a bad one. Therefore, I highly recommend them for everyone. However, their frequency varies greatly between men and women.

Why?

To orgasm is to experience a complete release of all types of feelings: physical, mental, sexual, emotional, and, yes, often even spiritual. It can be (or, should be) so intense that we almost lose consciousness. With that in mind, the French named it La petite mort, or The little death, i.e. the brief loss or weakening of consciousness as associated with the sensation of post orgasm as likened to death. *

Pretty intense, right?

It seems like the type of experience all of us should have on a regular basis. And, certainly, most men do, most of the time. However, from my experience and by most accounts, women seem to have much more difficulty in achieving this level of physical and emotional bliss when making love (or, simply having sex).

Since the process involves both physical, as well as emotional triggers, men and women arrive at bliss in totally different ways. And, this, believe it or not, is nature's way.

We are already one of, if not THE, most prolific species on the planet. In other words, we breed like, well, rabbits. So, in order for us to keep from over-populating the planet, evolution has programmed us differently. For example, in addition to the way we achieve so-called sexual climax, our maximum hormone levels peak at completely different times - men in the morning, women at night.

It's all part of a beautiful plan - sort of.

You see, there are times when I feel guilty because I've been given so much pleasure by my partner and, despite my best efforts, could not return the favor. It's not that I have NEVER done so but, in all honesty, it is rare. And, I feel it safe to say that is the case with most, if not all, couples. Men pop like Roman candles while for women it's more of a slow burn. Of course, when a woman's fuse is given the opportunity to run it's course, the stick of dynamite it ignites causes one hell of an explosion!

So, ladies, let us light that fuse and join in on all the fun. Let go. Just show us the way. We are willing to follow.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_petite_mort

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

F LoBuono

Dreams are highly personal and have the most significance to the individual dreaming them. This being said, dreams do have psychological significance and they may often be an unconscious reflection of our internal anxieties, fears, desires, hopes and fantasies.*

I've been dreaming an awfully lot lately - deep, vivid, personal, complicated ones. You know, the type where you recognize the people and places in them except they're not exactly those people or places. For example, you may be dreaming that you are at home except that it's NOT really your home or, of a person you know but it's not actually THAT person.

They can be so dramatic that when they are bad, we breathe a sigh of relief when we wake and realize that it was just a dream. These are known as nightmares. And, when they are good, we want to go back to sleep to complete them. These are the sweet dreams.

The important thing to remember is that they are an integral part of our everyday lives and give us the ability to cleanse our psyches by allowing us to work out scenarios that would not be possible while we are awake. Therefore, they can offer us powerful and, yet safe, lessons.

Well, the other day I had one of the nightmare varieties.

I dreamed that I was being held against my will in a deep, dark, dungeon-like basement. There were old fashioned boilers in the room which made the air hot, dry, and dusty. The place was dark and ominous, lit only by spare, hanging light bulbs. Shadowy figures shuffled about in the background gloom. I was wearing a sweat-stained, filthy sleeveless undershirt and was shackled with handcuffs. A powerfully built, bearded man was forcefully leading me around by the cuffs which was causing them to dig into my wrists. The more I resisted him, the more he pulled me along, snarling at me as he did. Eventually, he fastened me to a pipe connected to one of the boilers and slapped me across the face before he left me alone in that dreadful place.

Now, I am not normally fearful of other men. Since I was a young man I have been able to take care of myself. I simply cannot be intimidated. However, in my dream I was absolutely terrified of this man. He made me feel impotent and powerless. I had no idea why I was being treated in this manner, but it didn't seem to matter to him. His brutality completely cowed me.

I not only felt helpless but hopeless, as well. How was I to extricate myself from this predicament? No one even knew where I was. I didn't even know where I was! Would I simply be forgotten and die, unknown, in that god forsaken place? The very thought of it terrified me!

Fortunately, I woke to great relief, breathlessly saying to myself, thank god, it was just a bad dream!

However, as was stated in the beginning of this post, dreams do have psychological significance and they may be an unconscious reflection of our internal anxieties, fears, desires, hopes, and fantasies.

So, what meaning was I to take from this nightmare?

Well, for me, I believe that it indicated that I have a terrible fear of losing my freedom. I have always thought that given the choice between life in prison or suffering the death penalty, I would choose death. Surrendering my freedom would be a fate worse than losing my life. Ultimately, we all have to deal with the prospect of dying. However, doing so while being caged horrifies me. Furthermore, being forgotten, as if you never existed at all, just exacerbates the dread.

It also filled me with empathy for those around the world who are falsely accused of crimes that they didn't commit and, also, for those who may be political prisoners whose only crimes were to oppose tyranny. And, this happens not only in China, Iran, or Saudi Arabia. It happens here, too. For those people, it is no nightmare, but, unfortunately, all too real. I woke up. They cannot. . .






*https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/the-importance-of-dreams-what-they-can-represent

When You Think About It: Why Biden? Why Now?

F LoBuono

It seems that over the last few weeks, Joe Biden has miraculously resurrected his moribund campaign for the Democratic nomination for President. After a resounding victory in South Carolina gave the campaign a first breath of life, he far exceeded expectations with a emphatic triumph on Super Tuesday. These recent gains have allowed him to reduce the once crowded Democratic field to essentially two people: Biden and Bernie Sanders. The strength of his surge was enough to convince rivals Pete Buttigeig and Amy Klobuchar to suspend their campaigns and throw their support behind him. Then, in a subsequent surprise move, billionaire Mike Bloomberg who had already spent a half $ billion on his own campaign, capitulated and also endorsed Biden.

The question remains; WHY the Biden resurgence to the point of challenging Sanders for the delegate lead?

Without condemning or endorsing any candidate at this point, let's attempt to analyze the two men. It should not be difficult as they present a strong contrast in both style and substance. 

Official Photo

Biden represents the Old Guard of the Democratic party. He is known as a Centrist, i.e. a candidate with some progressive policies but, not too many. He prefers to work within the system instead of rebuilding it. Biden is also personally garrulous and, seemingly, always smiling. Rather than delineating specific policy initiatives, he often shares personal stories of compassion, especially when discussing his late son, Beau. He reminds people of their "uncle Joe". In other words, he's likable. He polls highly with minorities and older (+45) voters.

National Post

Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, describes himself as a Democratic Socialist, i.e. the candidate with the most radical agenda. He would prefer to break the old systems and replace them with new concepts that include Medicare for all and removing the massive student debt that plagues so many young people. Personally, he often appears slightly unhinged with his wild, white hair, overly demonstrative hand gestures, and a speaking voice that often borders on yelling. In interviews and speeches, he tends to avoid personal anecdotes and stick to his policy initiatives. Sanders is often described as irascible. His intensely loyal base is mostly made up of hardcore progressives and young voters.

So, why then has Biden taken a slight statistical edge over Sanders in the overall delegate count?

In my mind, it has come down to two factors: safety and likability.

Biden, as a moderate, is the safe choice. After the chaos and animosity that seems to be the hallmark of the current Administration of Donald Trump, Biden represents a return to some sense of normalcy and decency. He is trusted as a decent, honest man. For most, that's enough. He may not be the brainiest guy in the world (in fact, he frequently falls all over himself) and, despite the fact his voting record on some key issues has been sketchy (he supported the disastrous war in Iraq), he is perceived as honest and compassionate. And, not to be forgotten, he is experienced. And, that experience was gained during the Obama Administration, a time that many people long to return to. We WANT to like Joe.

Sanders, on the other hand, represents change - and, radical change at that. Certainly, he and his devoted base believe that there will be a necessary dismantling of programs that discriminate against the working class and less fortunate to be replaced by a new, more equitable distribution of wealth. These are indeed noble pursuits, but many people fear the change will be too much to handle and too expensive to make a reality. And, change of any kind has always been intimidating for most so-called normal folk. It's easier to deal with the devil you know rather than the one you don't. On a personal level, even though virtually the same age as Biden, Sanders often appears as a crazy old man. It can be HARD to like Bernie.

It reminds me of an experience I had during a local election many years ago. I had an acquaintance who was also a candidate for the Rockland Count Executive's position. He was a hard-core socialist (if not a downright Communist). He was very intelligent but also one of the more difficult people whom I knew. At the time, I was the News Director for a small local cable TV station so he me asked me what I thought of his candidacy. I told him this:

Marv (a pseudonym), I think you are a brilliant man and I love some of your policies. But, you're also a cranky bastard and no one likes you. I admire your commitment to advance your platform. But, you have a snow ball's chance in hell to win.

He was thoroughly trounced in the general election.

I suppose the bottom line is this - unfortunately, most people don't vote with their heads. Complicated concepts are beyond their comprehension. So, instead, they vote with their eyes (image), their hearts (safety/comfort), and, ultimately, their pockets (money).

However you feel, vote your conscience. It's a moral imperative that we do. All of us. The only way to lose here, with either man, is to not do anything. . . 

VOTE!