Only Love Can Conquer Hate

F LoBuono

My Heart Bleeds
My Brain Aches
I want to Cry
I want to Explode -
How does one Explain what cannot BE explained
Condemn Violence in ALL its forms
Seek Justice over Vengeance
For Only Love can Conquer Hate . . .

Dedicated to those taken.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M

Today's Mostly True Short Story: A Case of Mistaken Identity

F LoBuono

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, perfect for a sojourner. So, I grabbed my sunglasses and Panama hat and headed out for a stroll into town. As I ambled down Broadway, enjoying the slight breeze and warm sun on my face, I took in all the sights, sounds, and smells around me. Birds were signing, people were milling about, and the sent of blooming flowers permeated the air. All in all, it was delightful.

At one point, I noticed an older black gentlemen approach me from the opposite direction. As is my custom, if I notice someone is looking towards me, I always break into a nice, big smile as a greeting. This day was no exception. As he got closer, I noticed him smile back. Then, he said something:

When I first saw you, I thought that you might be Chic Corea.

Breaking into an even bigger smile, I responded: It's gotta' be the Panama Hat. But, I'll take it.

With both chuckled and continued on our way.

Question of the Day

F LoBuono

Will someone be so kind as to explain to me why so many devote Christians are the most UN-Christlike people I've ever met.

Today's MOZEN: Bob's Message

Words and photo by F LoBuono

They really are all around us - the little signs that can have big meaning. Unfortunately, with our frenetic lives, we don't often see them. But, small events of sometimes great importance do happen on a daily basis. We need, however, to open more than just our eyes to witness them. We need to open our hearts, as well.

About a week ago, while trimming some hedges at my house, much to my dismay, I knocked down a bird's nest. I examined it and found it empty. So, I went about finishing my work raking up the trimmings when I noticed a little, furry ball among the clippings. It was a fledgling and it was alive! I immediately scooped it up and brought it inside. I found a small box and placed the little one inside the old nest and then both in the box. There are many cats in the neighborhood and I felt it would be a goner if I left it unattended. I couldn't put the nest back - I had just cut the hedge it came from! So, I determined to take the bird back to my apartment and do my best to see if I could help it to survive.

I phoned a bird rehabber that I know and she suggested I find a professional near my home. I tried but to no avail. Everyone that I called was already overwhelmed with birds. I would have to try with the advice given to me by the experts I spoke with. It turned out to be a Robin. I decided to call him Bob. Bob Robin.

In the beginning, everything went according to plan. I spent hours in the yard digging up earth worms that I could feed him. He had a great appetite and I carefully fed him a chopped up worm or two with a pair of tweezers every hour throughout the day. It was so cool to see that gaping maw, seemingly bigger than its body, greedily gobble up those worms. I even fed Bob some blueberries as it was explained to me that would balance his diet. This went on like clockwork for two days. I was told that he was probably about 2 or 3 days from leaving the nest on his own. I figured if I could keep him alive for that long, he might have a chance.

On the third day, I approached the box and was a bit alarmed that Bob made no sound. On the previous days, if he heard me, he would peep to let me know that he was ready to eat. I hoped that, perhaps, he was just sleeping. However, much to my horror, when I looked in the box, Bob was obviously near death. He certainly was in great distress. I held him gently and tried to revive him but he drifted slowly away. I buried him next to my beloved cat, Big Red.

I did take some solace in the fact that he did not die alone and that I had done everything within my power to allow him to live. Still, since it was my fault in the first place, I was deeply saddened by Bob's death. I understand that accidents happen and that it was just a bird and blah, blah, blah. It was still a wasted life and ALL life needs to be respected. It brought me down.

Of course, life goes on and mine certainly did. But, whenever I would hear the birds sing in the mornings and evenings, I would grow sad thinking that Bob's voice would not be added to that chorus. Well, today, as I was going to my car to leave for work, I noticed a young bird near the car. I could tell that it was young because it still had traces of juvenile "fuzz" on its head. It allowed to me close enough to notice its Red Breast. It was a young robin. It lingered for a few seconds, looking at me before it chirped and took flight. And, I smiled.

Today's MOZEN: Extraordinary Times

F LoBuono

They say that these are not the best of times. But, theses are the only times we will ever know.
                                                                                                                                            Billy Joel

Some would not just agree with Mr. Joel's first sentence, they would take it a step further - these are the worst of times.  It seems that the gulf between Democrat and Republican, rich and poor, white and black seems to grow wider by the day. Most people say that they can't recall a time when Americans seemed so far apart in their vision for the future of this Country.

I'm not sure that I agree entirely.

Certainly, I am concerned with the acrimony that seems to permeate our every discussion today. People who disagree, argue not only with passion (which is OK) but vitriol (not OK), as well. I think all of us have, unfortunately, lost friends over some of these disagreements. That is very unfortunate and should be avoided whenever possible. However, this type of bickering, especially during the political season is NOTHING new! In fact, a certain amount of it might even be healthy (if we manage to keep it civil).

We have seen this type of vicious political infighting since the beginning of the Republic. And, it's not restricted to just the populace. Political figures have duked it out for as long as there has been such a thing as running for public office. Right now, the musical Hamilton, based on the extraordinary life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, is the toast of Broadway. Well, perhaps you may have forgotten that Hamilton, as a result of a series of perceived insults, was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr, the alleged aggrieved party. This, of course, is unacceptable if not understandable. If you care enough of about your cause, most are willing to fight for it. We may have put the pistols away but not the passion!

Besides, if you are near my age (61), you have witnessed some of the most extraordinary things in the history of this Country - both good and bad. We have seen men land on the moon and explore the very depths of the ocean. We have witnessed way too much war and far too less peace. We experienced the triumph of human engineering with the launch of the Space Shuttles and the devastation of the destruction of two of them. Diseases like polio and small pox have been virtually eradicated. And, we were appalled by the terror attacks of 9/11.

Yes, my friends, we are, in fact, living in EXTRAORDINARY TIMES.

We are just coming to the end of a most HISTORIC period in our Country's history - the conclusion of the administration of OUR FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT, Barack Obama. Think of it - a man of mixed race, a descendant of slaves, against all odds, rose to the position of the most powerful person on the planet. And, now, we are on the verge of something equally historic - the potential election of our FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT, Hillary Clinton. This may seem trifling to some but they are sorely mistaken. Remember, woman lagged behind slaves in gaining the right to vote. So, this is a VERY BIG DEAL.

These may be "the only times we'll ever know" but I, for one, will not make excuses for the time in which I have lived. In fact, I will do quite the opposite - I will tell young folks that they should be jealous to not have witnessed ALL of the miraculous things that I have.

Word for the Day: MENDACITY

F LoBuono

I was very fortunate recently to catch a broadcast of the film adaption of Tennessee Williams' brilliant play, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. It's the story of a once powerful Southern family, led by the bruising patriarch with the most appropriate name, Big Daddy, collapsing under the weight of its own lies. One word, repeated by Big Daddy with bombastic passion, sums up their collective burden: MENDACITY, i.e. lying, falsehood, showing a tendency to lie.

Big Daddy, brilliantly played in the film by Burl Ives, is described as "an old-fashioned Mississippi redneck - a large, brash, and vulgar plantation millionaire who believes he has returned from the grave". He rules by fear, intimidation, and mendacity, a tactic he uses regularly and with impunity.

In watching Big Daddy, I was immediately reminded of another large, brash, millionaire/billionaire with a penchant for lying, i.e. mendacity. His name is Donald Trump. Trump is the "Big Daddy" of the current political scene - a man who rules by fear, intimidation, and lies. Both men have out-sized personalities which makes them both admirable and abhorrent. Admirable because they rule an "empire". Abhorrent, because of the way they go about it. In the end, it's Big Daddy's lack of compassion that proves to be his undoing. I believe the same will be true of Trump. I sincerely believe that their are still enough conscientious Americans who will reject "The Donalds" particular brand of bombast and vitriol just as, in the end, Big Daddy's family ultimately rejected him.

I can only hope the Winston Churchill's statement will prove prophetic:

"In the end, Americans will always do the right thing".

Today's MOZEN: The Game Show Host

Words and photo by F LoBuono

Let's strip away all of the bull shit and cut straight to the chase. I am sick, tired, and plain pissed off with people whose total lack of compassion can only be matched by their unbounded ignorance.

Flipping through the TV channels, I decided to stop and see what the Faux News brain trust had in store for the world's most gullible audience. The usual cast of characters (I don't know their names - I don't watch - really!) were in their 6th Ave. New York Studios interviewing Chuck Woolery. His face seemed familiar but I could not place it until he was identified by graphic: Game Show Host/Actor. Well, say no more. OF COURSE, that qualifies him as a PUNDIT, worthy of Faux News. Checking Mr. Woolery's bio further identifies him as a "gun advocate" and "musician". It couldn't be more PERFECT. He was rambling on inanely about how the Country has lost it's way because of political correctness and blah, blah, blah. Nothing new here. Then one of the hosts asked him about his position on the minimum wage - $15/hour is a BAD thing - as Mr. Woolery was proclaiming on his oh-so-appropriately named podcast, Blunt Force Truth. Really. Of course, as part of the question, the host lauded Blunt Force Truth for its ability to cut through the "PC" to the "real truth". Really.

As soon as he Mr. Game Show Host/Actor opened his mouth and said that his podcast gives all the facts and figures as to why raising the National minimum wage to $15/hour was a bad thing, my jaw dropped. He went on to blame "liberals" and their "way of making simple things complicated" as the route of all our problems!  I changed the friggin' channel! Screw that smug Son of a Bitch and his phony hair!!!

The bottom line is this: ANYONE who argues the point using whatever statistics they may have (which are ARGUABLE at best!) totally misses the key issue - NO ONE CAN SUPPORT THEMSELVES, MUCH LESS A FAMILY, ON $10/HOUR. This is the reality of living in America. Our very nature is (or was) to provide Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness for ALL. Ten bucks an hour ain't gonna' buy you much happiness. He should be questioning a system and the statistics that supports it, as to why people making an acceptable wage is a BAD thing?

This thinking lacks more than just common sense. It's missing an intangible quality. Although it may be a "concept" it makes a mere human, divine. It's called COMPASSION. Mr. Woolery completely lacked it. In fact, I don't even think that he understands it. Statements like "liberals have a way of making simple things complicated" shows an incredible lack of connection with what makes us tick. Rarely are things associated with humans, simple. We are social beings with complex relationships - to others and our society.

Perhaps, keeping things simple - like 10 instead of 15 - works well when producing a GAME SHOW - but, it rarely does in life.

GET REAL.

Today's MOZEN: Open Your Mind

Words and photo by F LoBuono

It should have been easy enough. We just had a new storm door installed. It's an adjustable with 3 panels: 2 of glass and one screen. It is designed so that the panels slide over one another without having to take any of them out. In our case, the screen was placed at the bottom of the door. Although an option, I believe leaving the screen at the bottom invites disaster, especially if you own any critters - it provides little resistance to a cat's claws or a dog's paws. So, I set about the simple task of switching panels so that the screen would now be at the top.

Simple, right?

Well, it should have been.

I've done it before - place the glass on one track at the top and place the screen behind it so that when you slide the glass down, the screen is exposed. Well, for some reason, the way the door was assembled it would simply not allow me to do that. The carpenter who installed the door set it up so that the glass would remain at the top. It would have to be restructured, No problem - I'm handy. I began the process.

I removed all three panels and began to reinstall them properly: glass at the top and bottom with the screen also at the top in a separate track allowing for the top glass to be slid down behind the screen. Of course, I didn't need the printed directions - I KNEW how to do it.

Well, after about 15 minutes, I started to get frustrated. No matter which way I turned the panels, they just wouldn't fit properly. When I did finally get them to fit, they wouldn't move. I simply could not slide them. It got to the point where I was afraid that if I continued, I just might break the whole friggin' door! So, now I'm stuck with a door frame and no windows or screen! I couldn't leave it like that. Then, I remembered the carpenter told me that he would leave the installation instructions behind, just in case, and put them in a cabinet near the rear door. I found them just where he said that he had left them.

It seems that I tried EVERY combination but the RIGHT one. I simply ASSUMED that they would be placed a certain way and kept going back to the same conclusion: they just HAD to fit this way. Well, once I looked at the directions it became clear to me - one of the glass panels had to placed upside down relative to the other. Once I did, everything fit together perfectly with the screen on top AND the glass sliding smoothly over it, up and down.

The moral of the story is don't lock in with your thinking - even when you're sure that you know ALL about it. Even when you believe you've checked every angle, if you don't keep your mind completely open, you just might be missing one - the right one.

Today's MOZEN: Words of Wisdom

F LoBuono

If I might be so bold, I would like to pass on this bit of advice for Hillary Clinton's consideration in her current war of words with Donald Trump. It was given to me by an old friend many years ago. They are words of wisdom that I do my best to live by:

Never getting into a pissing contest with a skunk. You'll lose. Always.

That is all.

Today's MOZEN: The Bully

Words and photo by F LoBuono

I get the frustration. I understand the anger. I agree that the way things are done in Washington must change. What I can't accept is Donald Trump as the leader we need to execute the revision.

Beyond his alarming lack of the acumen necessary to execute most of the policies he would implement as President and the shocking lack of accuracy in the great majority of statements that he makes, lies his appallingly poor character. He does not possess ANY of the intangibles I would look for in a leader: intuition, compassion, insight, grace, and patience. These are NOT imaginary qualities but, rather, essential ones, particularly in a person who must make decisions with global impact. He does not even speak well!

There was so much more that I intended to write. But, the more I thought of how to express my thoughts I kept coming back to the same simple theme:

Trump is a BULLY - the consummate one. He rules by bluster and intimidation. He's loud and rude. His latest rant against the press (5/31/2016) at an event that should have been celebratory was simply vitriolic. Well, I don't do well with bullies. I never have. As a kid, I got into a fight a week - not because I was that tough (I lost every fight) but, rather, I refused to be bullied. EVER! I will be damned if I will be now.

If you equate bullying with leadership, then, by all means, vote for Mr. Trump. Or, you can stand up to one and say, NO, THANK YOU.