tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70207951929616081172024-03-14T02:39:57.338-04:00Mid Life in the Fast LaneOccasional wit about life, work, love, billiards, golf, cycling from an old guy who still doesn't feel old.Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-62726479102223620642023-12-28T10:48:00.004-05:002023-12-28T10:48:39.344-05:00You Gotta Have HeartIt’s been four months ago now. <div><br /></div><div>I had a heart attack, August 27th. </div><div><br /></div><div>About 3:00 am. </div><div><br /></div><div> Yep.
Surprised me, too. </div><div><br /></div><div> I mean, I’d been living a fairly healthy lifestyle for almost 15 years and had been eating far healthier since marrying MB in 2001. </div><div><br /></div><div> I’ve been exercising in the form of cycling since 2012, go to the gym on an irregular basis, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Turns out, you can’t outrun your genes. </div><div><br /></div><div> My paternal grandfather, George Sylvester Keller, had six or seven heart attacks in his 60s and the last one killed him. </div><div><br /></div><div> My father, Earl Webster Keller, was diagnosed with heart disease when he was 85. That’s not what killed him, though. Colon cancer is what got him but he did have a weak heart that he ignored. Guy still went to the gym three times a week until the cancer took him down. </div><div><br /></div><div> My turn came in the middle of the night when I woke up with a racing heartbeat and heavy sweating, like I’d just finished a long climb on the bike. </div><div><br /></div><div>At first, I thought I’d had a nightmare or had finally suffered the anxiety attack I’d never had.
I managed to go back to sleep, fitfully, and then got up around 6:00. I was drinking coffee when MB came into the den and asked if I was okay. I told her what had happened and we did the first thing that comes to mind these days; I took a Covid test. </div><div><br /></div><div>Negative result. </div><div><br /></div><div> I then took my BP and it was elevated slightly. I felt tired which made sense having climbed Mt. Ventoux in my sleep. Told her I’d eat breakfast and take a shower but thought maybe going to the doctor was a good idea. (That really scared her as I don’t do that.) </div><div><br /></div><div>We eventually ended up in the ER where they ran me thru a series of tests and determined that my heart had had an “insult.” (My cardiologist is a funny guy.) I told him that was probably my liver flipping it off. (He laughed at that.) </div><div><br /></div><div> (Side note – I’ve never gotten into the ER so quickly. If you want to see quick service, go into the ER complaining of possible heart issues when you’re an older male. I was in a small room with three nurses working on me in less than 2 minutes. MB wondered what had happened to me, I was gone so fast.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, after two days of tests and two nights in the hospital, I ended up with a heart catheterization, a balloon angioplasty on my right coronary artery (99% blockage) and a stent. </div><div><br /></div><div>The good news – my cardiologist tells me I suffered no long-term damage to the heart muscle and that I’ll recover fully. </div><div><br /></div><div>The bad news – it’s going to take a little while. I’ve already had 3 months of cardiac PT and am taking a bunch of prescription medications with various side effects. But if that’s the worst of it, to stick around for another 25 years or so, I’m good with that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here’s a recommendation for you. If you’re a male with a history of heart disease in your family, take the time to get a physical regularly especially if you’re over 40. And for goodness’ sake, exercise. Even regular walking will give your heart the boost it needs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Final note – as I was being released from the hospital, the doctor was walking through various things. MB mentioned that I liked bourbon and was a collector and how would this affect that. He said, “bourbon, in moderation, is not contra-indicated.” </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, that’s good news!
</div>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-75116220393774414712023-02-05T16:01:00.001-05:002023-02-05T16:01:26.481-05:00 Sending the Old Man Home<p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sending the Old Man Home</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
father died last week. But I don’t really grieve for him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He was
diagnosed five years ago as potentially developing colon cancer and the surgeon
wanted to remove it but dad wouldn’t let him. Said he’d seen a close friend go
through it along with chemotherapy and radiation, living just barely, sick all
the time, and made it for eighteen months. He decided that whatever time he had
left, he was going to live it in his own way and go for quality over quantity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">It’s
probably a judgement call on the part of the official but I’d say he got both.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
died at 90 and was in pretty good health, and damn good spirits, until about a
week before he passed. He was married to the same woman, my mom, for over
sixty-seven years and while they had their spats they were incredibly cute
together; always holding hands when walking together and professing their love
for each other constantly. (It looked like they weren’t happy because they’d
both become considerably deaf and when you’re shouting at someone, it’s tough
to sound endearing.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
spent much of his working life, over 35 years, as a bricklayer. Some folks
would call him a mason but he always called himself a bricklayer. If you’ve
never seen one work, it’s worth watching up close. Bricklayers move heavy
objects, brick and block and mortar, and place them with amazing precision to
create walls, basements, buildings, homes, pathways, streets, patios – all of
which will last for hundreds of years. When a master bricklayer is at work,
there is no wasted motion, no extra effort is expended, and they create something
amazing in an almost lyrical fashion. In my youth, I could watch him for hours
and it was incredible. For about 8 years, he laid 1,500 bricks a day for 5 days
a week; that’s nearly a half million bricks a year at about 4.5 pounds each –
2,250,000 pounds of brick and block and another half million pounds of mortar!
And that was just in the 8 years – he did the job for almost 40.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He did
it because he found the work fulfilling and he could get paid for it. He bought
a house in Arlington VA, raised three sons, put food on the table, owned a
truck and a car. Made a life. He didn’t make a lot of money (I was earning more
at 20 years old than he was at 45) but he made enough. And when it was time to
“knock off” for the day, he could go home and watch TV, read the evening
newspaper, read a book from the library, or just sit and talk.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
admire that. A lot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">At
fifty years of age, he went into business with my uncle buying into some
restaurant franchises called Po Folks and moved to Columbia SC. Probably the
boldest thing I ever saw him do. They ran them for about 5 years until my uncle
ran off with a hostess from one store, absconded with the company funds
(although it was never proven) and they had to get out of the business. He went
right back to laying brick for another eight or so years before retiring.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After
he retired, mom got him a job so she wouldn’t have to put out a contract on
him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
became a courier for a chain of optical stores in Columbia, working part time
five days a week. The employees all got to know him as “Mr. Earl” and he became
the unofficial mayor of the company. His job evolved into the official hugger;
he would roll up to a store with the mail and all the young women would come
out and hug him and talk to him for a few minutes before getting back to work.
May have been the greatest retirement job I’ve ever heard of and, we’re
convinced it kept him alive for years more than he should have been.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
knew everyone in the organization and everyone knew him. He kidded the founder
of the company that he expected a gold watch when he made it to twenty-five
years. When that man passed away from ALS, one of the last things he told his
son before he left was to “be sure Earl gets his watch.” The company held a
special event to celebrate his 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary and present him with
an engraved gold watch. He wore it proudly until the day he passed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Five
weeks ago, we convinced him to retire. We were concerned about his driving and
that he might do harm to someone else and put the company in a bad spot. He retired
on December 31<sup>st</sup>. The send off they gave him was nothing short of
amazing; each store took the time to shower him with gifts, pictures, and, of
course, many hugs. He talked about it for weeks!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Three
weeks later, he took a turn for the worse and wound up in the hospital where he
refused treatment they were proposing, opting to go home and enter hospice. For
the next few days, he entertained guests at the house who came to hug on Mr.
Earl and tell him how much they loved him and how much of a difference he made
in their work and, more importantly, their lives. He told me, over and over
again, that he couldn’t believe how much love he was getting from all these
people. He kept saying, “I was just being me. What was the big deal?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">You
were the big deal, Pop. The real deal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Dad
appreciated a good joke, a wise crack, a sharp needling comment, the newspaper
and its accompanying crossword puzzle, a good meal, and a glass of iced tea on
a hot summer day. He was a veteran of the Korean War in the Army and supported our veterans at every opportunity. He was a real Christian and believed he’d see us in the afterlife.
The night before he died, I mentioned that if he got to the other side and it was
a bit hotter than he was expecting that he should mention he was related to me
and at least he’d get a good seat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
maybe a glass of iced tea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Rest
well, Pop. You earned it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGXHfvQm9ULJ3EDtSAaDd8tXJhi4S3hzjrdqXhGHiHoc2wriOOz1b3v_7Gs3eZtkBDOGjM6ckfEKCHL0JtkYVSxiIHZBVU0fqvPXCTdIZ_86ZhpqRKxUVJ4AIazwHb8FyvwaxBx5iSwppydXAYFb4VbAeOzHZaJm_kY5cgzCsclzWR9icYnFycXWPEQ/s1767/Earl%20and%20jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1325" data-original-width="1767" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGXHfvQm9ULJ3EDtSAaDd8tXJhi4S3hzjrdqXhGHiHoc2wriOOz1b3v_7Gs3eZtkBDOGjM6ckfEKCHL0JtkYVSxiIHZBVU0fqvPXCTdIZ_86ZhpqRKxUVJ4AIazwHb8FyvwaxBx5iSwppydXAYFb4VbAeOzHZaJm_kY5cgzCsclzWR9icYnFycXWPEQ/s320/Earl%20and%20jane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Happy Couple on their 65th Anniversary<br />Earl Keller 1932-2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-49608435331847808612021-12-22T11:51:00.001-05:002021-12-22T11:51:12.797-05:00Ten years? How can that be?<p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"> Today, December
22 2021, is the tenth anniversary of my first blog post.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In that time, I've
written seventy nine posts, this is the eightieth, and received hundreds of
comments and over 57,000 people have read what I've written! (Admittedly, my
first thought has always been, "What is wrong with all of those
people?" Because I don't have that many friends. Perhaps they're bots. Oh
well.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Averaging eight posts
per year, or one every six weeks, is surprising; I've always felt as though I
wasn't posting that often and I suppose it's been helped by several years when
I turned very ambitious and cranked out content every few weeks. Most of those
received an abundance of comments and views, too, so perhaps regularity
increases quality - at least in my writing. (The current regularity is not
changing any time soon; I'm still employed full-time and find it hard to make
the time.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I've even written, or
started, another dozen or so posts that I ended up trashing and/or never
finishing. Why? They were either unkind, uninteresting, no longer important (as
fast as the news cycle is, this should come as no surprise) or I simply
couldn't tie the ends together enough to make a sensible post. I suspect some
of you are thinking, "That's at least half of the stuff he
published!" The important thing about this is that most of them were unkind
and I went back a day or so later and looked at the with fresh eyes and decided
that the chance of hurting someone was too great.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I have a rule that I
never shave or send an email when I'm angry. Probably a good idea to add
"create a blog post" to that list, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>So, what's different
from ten years ago?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We've gone from a
slightly divided country that had elected its first president of color to
electing an individual of questionable morals and values who made multiple
stupid decisions in the role that have lead to much further divisiveness to
electing a former VP (who was almost the vicitm of an insurrection on January
6th, 2021 begun by TFG, just before the inauguration) who is working very hard
to put the pieces back together while being blamed for everything his
predecssor did wrong. So, we're even more divided. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">There are many
investigations going on about that insurrection, over 170 people have taken
plea deals and been incarcerated but the people at the top - many of whom are
Congressmen and Senators - are acting as if nothing happened. It was televised,
for goodness sake! I'm not optimistic that people will pay for this but I'm hopeful; I especially hope it isn't too late.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">A pandemic struck the
world about two years ago and, despite creating the most effective vaccines
ever made, we're still in the middle of it - facing another rising wave as I
type this despite having three of the most effective vaccines ever created. In this
country, it's due to the fact that there is a strong anti-vaccine cult, started
by TFG's followers and TV pundits, who refuse to get it. (This despite nearly
all of the leaders got it!) That means that almost 40% of our population is
unvaccinated and that gives this virus the chance to morph into something new
and more virulent and, potentially, more deadly. “Because I’m an American and I
have my rights! You can’t force me to do something intelligent that helps
everyone!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In addition, the
poorer countries of the world haven’t been able to get a decent vaccination
program going and each of them becomes another Petri dish for the virus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>What else?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My bride and I moved
from out in the country to a city house about four years ago. I love it! We
walk everywhere and the lifestyle is so much to my liking that I really don’t
like driving out to the mall. The only downside is that cycling is more
difficult for me as country roads (my favorite ride) or the Capital Trail
almost require driving to them. I’m figuring it out this year, in order to keep
my sanity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My kids have all graduated
from various institutions and are gainfully employed. More importantly, I’m proud
of every one of them and the adults they’ve become. They’re far more together
than I was at their respective ages!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I began collecting
bourbon about five years ago; about the time TFG got into office. (Coincidence?
I think not!) While my blood pressure has dropped in that time, my collection
has blossomed and mixology has become one of my hobbies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I still play golf but
not as often as I’d like. I still play tennis, also not as often as I’d like. I
guess that’s all driven by my march to retirement which is just over the
horizon by several years. I’m looking forward to having time to do exactly what
I want to do, when I want to do it. Sounds like nirvana to me!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Maybe I’ll find time
to write more blogposts, too!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Meanwhile, that so
much for reading all of my raves and rants. While I write them for me, it means
something that others care to read them!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Here’s to the next 10
years!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"> </span></p><p><br /></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-49790948873859928772021-10-12T08:54:00.004-04:002021-10-12T08:54:47.204-04:00The Value of Common Sense<p></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Choice! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmyaLc1zJZLyYplqenCKCH39nn41jmWUcRMzRYfxeZSfsQnCu1VaiAcqaeA5oO5KupjUvakGLRlCg3S4Dm33bBa8KayGfTiRLK-DvI8QBJHig-xUZ1zMiXZ82AeOSdfo6xA5IFyfC3sib/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="310" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmyaLc1zJZLyYplqenCKCH39nn41jmWUcRMzRYfxeZSfsQnCu1VaiAcqaeA5oO5KupjUvakGLRlCg3S4Dm33bBa8KayGfTiRLK-DvI8QBJHig-xUZ1zMiXZ82AeOSdfo6xA5IFyfC3sib/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shot!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The company I work for recently mandated vaccines for nearly every
employee. Everyone has until sometime in December to provide proof of
vaccination, or an accepted exemption for health or religious reasons, or face
the loss of their jobs.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As you might imagine, there is reaction to this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know exact numbers but if we follow national trends, there
are probably a quarter of the company employees that are unvaccinated – that’s
a disturbing figure but certainly reflects the current state of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In any case, I suspect it to serve as motivation for many members
of the team to go get a vaccination. I mean, there are some who’ve said, “I
just haven’t had the time to go do it, yet.” (This is even though the company
has allowed for 4 hours of paid leave, gratis, to go get it and sick leave if
the vaccine makes you ill enough to miss work. And a $150 bonus for getting it. So, sure, you've been busy.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, that means we’ll see an uptick in vaccinations very soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what about the rest?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve heard some say that it’s their right to choose and that the
company is taking away their choice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s not true. They still have the choice to vaccinate or not.
Like all choices, there are consequences. If you choose to remain unvaccinated,
you’ll no longer be able to work here – that’s the consequence. (If you choose
to drive drunk, your consequence could be a night in jail, loss of driving
privileges, or causing someone’s death including your own. Choices have
consequences!)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuK3DoIJXcV-_fn_RWLEjTbq2eo49xBi8mieXF7w9jec9MTjH8llI4wHYxQ0ArftVpHmL7XggzZ6hG5OwFA2irSh5HW34jXXNipWjzLM6xcur0cQjCo_pddKq6eUQMlf9PgrHZzPQih2AR/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuK3DoIJXcV-_fn_RWLEjTbq2eo49xBi8mieXF7w9jec9MTjH8llI4wHYxQ0ArftVpHmL7XggzZ6hG5OwFA2irSh5HW34jXXNipWjzLM6xcur0cQjCo_pddKq6eUQMlf9PgrHZzPQih2AR/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st stage of drunkeness - Witty and Charming</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, why is a multi-billion-dollar company doing this? The uproar
that is being created is big and it’s a distraction. I mean, why do that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, the Biden Administration has mandated that all Federal
Contractors must be vaccinated. We do a lot of business with them and we are
the distributor of record, so it makes sense to do it. After all, choices have
consequences and we couldn’t very well just give up all that business, could
we?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In addition, we have a large investment in our employees; they’re
considered to be our greatest asset. Requiring vaccinations for all is the most
viable method for protecting them against the ravages of this virus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In addition, the science and data provide irrefutable evidence
that the best way to survive the virus is to vaccinate and that the vaccine is
safe for damn near everyone. Does science change? Yes! When it does, it doesn’t
mean that what we knew before was wrong, just that we’ve learned more which
changes outcomes. Part of that evidence is that more people vaccinated means
fewer opportunities for variants of the virus to occur, thus reducing spread
and tamping down the damage – even to those who refuse to vaccinate!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, it’s the right thing to do. For the company. For the
country. For the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just get the damn shot!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-12777894282943155002021-05-21T14:26:00.001-04:002021-05-21T14:26:27.567-04:00Buying Golf Clubs – It’s a whole new world!<p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Background</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">I’m a
golfer. Have been for over fifty years. I took up the game at a very young age,
around 7, despite the fact no one in my family played it. From the first time I
hit a golf ball, I was hooked. The game was extremely important to me until I
was a in my 30s when I began to focus more on my career. During that time, I
managed to get my handicap down to as low as a 3 which would have put me near
the top 5% of golfers who play and keep a handicap. In order to keep that level
of play, one needs to work on one’s game and I was unable to do so. Today, I’m
not very good and if I kept a handicap, it would be around 20 or so. Meaning, I
suck.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">That
doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the game! There are few things that feel as good as
perfectly struck golf shot and I still hit those on occasion. And the
camaraderie of playing with friends in the outdoors just adds to it. In the
end, though, it’s the game that keeps us coming back for the torture of badly
struck shots just so we can experience that perfectly hit feeling!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In
over fifty years of playing, I’ve never really been a big “gear guy.” I know
some people who buy and switch putters like empty beers, who buy a new set of
clubs every year or two. I’ve owned three sets of clubs in my life (one was a
starter set that I had for about 4 years) and have played with 5 putters in all
that time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
first top quality set of clubs I bought were a set of Wilson Staff that I
purchased as <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeqTlYomeh3Fu7_QhzoUC8TJnjby-XiA6TdA-NN2H2KZtYKUX3xTv7RLAVouSDzM-irY1aldU0VMGP6jw_MYxXMqqVtaTbTFiU5g0esYUXinrLPzTbu3pFd76EcNX5ONBeJOqu7hHqyY4/s470/wilson+staff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="470" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeqTlYomeh3Fu7_QhzoUC8TJnjby-XiA6TdA-NN2H2KZtYKUX3xTv7RLAVouSDzM-irY1aldU0VMGP6jw_MYxXMqqVtaTbTFiU5g0esYUXinrLPzTbu3pFd76EcNX5ONBeJOqu7hHqyY4/w200-h199/wilson+staff.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilson Staff 1974</td></tr></tbody></table><br />a junior in high school in 1974. (I did replace the woods a few
years later.) I used this<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin85gXj3EOLNN2NjKmUtvd5ty9m49GYwNxW2qGPVws339ZsEKtaiPgDKXKIPutnWS8H7NAu1B2BxKNctPe7rSN-27jfvNyTXzKjFVYjVupPh75EIZ6JQmwZuFykY9NkYDV5JhbaJTj-uy9/s233/francis+ouimet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin85gXj3EOLNN2NjKmUtvd5ty9m49GYwNxW2qGPVws339ZsEKtaiPgDKXKIPutnWS8H7NAu1B2BxKNctPe7rSN-27jfvNyTXzKjFVYjVupPh75EIZ6JQmwZuFykY9NkYDV5JhbaJTj-uy9/s0/francis+ouimet.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Francis Ouimet</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> set until 2001. My buddy <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Clyde </b></span>used to refer to them
as the “Francis Ouimet” signature set. (Non-golfers will want to know that Mr.
Ouimet was a US Open champion back in 1913. Since he was an amateur and never
turned pro, he wouldn’t have had a set of clubs with his name on them, making
this an excellent joke!)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In
2001 I purchased a set of Wilson Fat Shaft irons from a shop called “Second
Swing” that specialized in gently used equipment; remember those people who buy
new<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqolP6N6rY_5Alxsz5NG3BGg9hmB-expkTDXi89NbLfaYivRL97m1tnqGRSUFmEwa6kAiC0CWyb6FEwP8B4otpCNaqhvdZzWDaQ0jO5MhF_4K7DS57URWX94nuAnXVtdiuCgmDOxER6NK4/s310/fatshafts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqolP6N6rY_5Alxsz5NG3BGg9hmB-expkTDXi89NbLfaYivRL97m1tnqGRSUFmEwa6kAiC0CWyb6FEwP8B4otpCNaqhvdZzWDaQ0jO5MhF_4K7DS57URWX94nuAnXVtdiuCgmDOxER6NK4/w200-h105/fatshafts.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dig the Fat Shaft!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> clubs every year? Yeah. I’ve used those clubs for the past 20 years as they
were state of the art back then and actually added some distance to my game.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Back
in March, I took my first lesson in over 25 years and it became immediately
apparent that my clubs were no longer my friends. They’re heavy, the shafts
don’t really fit my swing anymore and my golf muscles aren’t what they used to
be. Frankly, most of my muscles aren’t what they used to be, except for the
legs from all the cycling over the last decade. Couple all that with new
technology and it became apparent that I should go shopping.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Always
get a recommendation</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">At
dinner with a friend a few weeks later, he started telling me about getting
fitted for new clubs. Mac and I have played golf together dozens of times over
the 30 years of our friendship and his son, Christopher, is a top echelon
amateur (plays in national events) so I greatly respect his opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
told me that he’d had great luck with Mulligan’s Pro Shop which is based at a
driving range, west of town. Matt and Jay, the owners, were highly skilled at
fitting clubs and that there was no charge for the fitting process. He invited
me to come to the range with him one weeknight to meet them and see what they
had to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
should point out that it’s possible to order golf clubs on the internet of the
same quality that I’m talking about and, generally, at a discount of some kind.
The issue is, the fit. Unless you know exactly what to order, you’ll be using
clubs that are unlikely to fit you properly. There are literally dozens of
shaft flexes, weights, lies, and lofts and they all vary by manufacturer’s
model! Golf swings are as unique as golfers and unless you’re fitted by a
professional, you could be making the game more difficult to play. As this is
probably the last set of clubs I’m going to buy (see above) I’m going to make
sure I’ve got the right ones!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I met
Mac to hit balls a few days later. He was trying out his new Ping irons and
invited me to hit a few just to see what I thought. Even as we’re different
height, weight, and swing I could tell immediately how much easier his clubs
were to hit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Afterward,
he introduced me to Matt and we chatted about what they did. He said they’d be
glad to spend time with me but to be sure and make an appointment for a proper
fitting after I’d hit clubs of different brands to determine what I liked and
to start whinnying down the selections. I was welcome to come anytime that they
were open to try what they had.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Fast
forward two weeks and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">MB </span></b>and I are back at the range and Matt is putting
together test clubs for me to hit from six manufacturers. This first step is all
about initial look and feel of the clubs. Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">When a
golfer looks down at the ball at address just prior to the shot, the club is
also in view as they aim. If the clubhead doesn’t fit the player’s eye (looks
too fat, too thin, the score lines look weird, I can’t aim it very well, etc)
that puts the shot at risk immediately because hitting a golf ball is a
proactive rather than reactive move. One must be committed to it or the shot
will rarely come off.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If the
look is okay, the feel of the hit is the next critical element. I don’t know
how to describe this very well except to say that two different brands of clubs
will have a slight, almost imperceptible, difference in how they feel when
striking the ball. If it’s a mis-hit, the difference can be jarring; my Fat
Shafts when mis-hit in cold weather will leave my hands humming like a door
chime. When struck perfectly, there is still a difference and each player has a
feel that they prefer for feedback for the next shot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Matt
returned with clubs from Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, Ping, Wilson, and Taylor
Made. I was like a kid in a candy store! I took the time to hit shots with each
of the clubs and came away with some winners and some losers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRmRW82zB-iwxKC2z9Rkp3iJEOKZaik9geqaA4E6mxqkpOAG0mywbLAacf9fp9kzpQCfXTlnJNpUN6x04OTNFqnzQUmXmIAp5RSN1O55Mj1cJVQRVE_dl-qaqpL69HqDyuCZEWPDoz-24/s235/titleist+iron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRmRW82zB-iwxKC2z9Rkp3iJEOKZaik9geqaA4E6mxqkpOAG0mywbLAacf9fp9kzpQCfXTlnJNpUN6x04OTNFqnzQUmXmIAp5RSN1O55Mj1cJVQRVE_dl-qaqpL69HqDyuCZEWPDoz-24/s0/titleist+iron.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titleist T300</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNzBeNx7b20pZ3Pgbttu4LWJbl9iDgTWMQqCuBmbe5BLGXp7322PR_bVF3oZOnu9V9w-rWTVfSM8dKJsXNPFqDFvcPt18N7J16KG4-BXR2E4V1BUntQFf7FqiGtmdahOx-hG64WPnr0W2/s241/mizuno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="209" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNzBeNx7b20pZ3Pgbttu4LWJbl9iDgTWMQqCuBmbe5BLGXp7322PR_bVF3oZOnu9V9w-rWTVfSM8dKJsXNPFqDFvcPt18N7J16KG4-BXR2E4V1BUntQFf7FqiGtmdahOx-hG64WPnr0W2/w173-h200/mizuno.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mizuno JPX</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dhOugPcM9VQ80glJKTDMOHaZqEgYzXIs6kNYu7sQUSvnR2EJEYLPsmBS3HCBdQduL-d0a7HftJXkU5AnbWG24KXOwU4G2dWnSV1sHd4cOdCyllE5zmdg_Sjlz3tsC7yGxc_gQ190LLCr/s215/wilson+irons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="215" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dhOugPcM9VQ80glJKTDMOHaZqEgYzXIs6kNYu7sQUSvnR2EJEYLPsmBS3HCBdQduL-d0a7HftJXkU5AnbWG24KXOwU4G2dWnSV1sHd4cOdCyllE5zmdg_Sjlz3tsC7yGxc_gQ190LLCr/w200-h200/wilson+irons.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilson D7</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Titleist,
Mizuno, and Wilson all fit my eye and had the feel I was looking for and it was
apparent from the first swing. Callaway, Ping, and Taylor Made all had a good
look to my eye but I could tell fairly quickly that I didn’t really like the
feel compared to the others. (That said, if I were properly fitted with these
three, it might have been a different story but with so many to choose from, why force yourself into something? It’s not like I’m getting a contract to play
their clubs! I’m paying for these.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After
hitting shots for about an hour, I was ready to make the next step – sign up
for a fitting. I went back inside and told Matt which clubs I wanted to test
and fit for and made an appointment a few weeks later to do just that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Time
to Get Fit!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Last
Monday was a big day. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">MB </span></b>and I played with two friends in the Quinn Classic, a
fundraiser for ALS, at Brandermill Country Club. I hadn’t played the course in
at least 25 years and realized that it had gotten narrower over the years.
While we had fun, it wasn’t a very impressive display of golf prowess. My
highlights included two excellent bunker shots and a couple of par saving putts.
Those are hardly spectacular when playing a scramble format, where everyone
hits the same shot and the team takes the best one and all move to that spot
and do it again until you hole out. When your best result is in a bunker, you
suck. Fortunately, we had low expectations and it was a beautiful day to play
golf with friends!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
evening was far more rewarding. I got to the shop at 5:00 and Matt was ready
for me. I told him which clubs I was interested in fitting and he sent me out
to the range to warm up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After a
few minutes, he showed up carrying one club with a small plastic tube filled with electronics attached to the
shaft, just below the grip. This tool is called a “Shaft Maximizer” and it’s
designed to provide data around your swing to recommend the proper shaft for
your clubs. He had me hit a half dozen or so shots with it and then looked at
the readout on an Ipad. I was surprised to find that my swing speed still
supports the use of a stiff shaft in my clubs. At my age, I was convinced that
a more flexible shaft would be better for me. We ended up agreeing to test both
as I tried out the clubs to determine what was best and he assured me that
there are multiple flexes available I could try.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3Vy2ebvhLH3fTmwQFpdqbvnpzRRZit-ckrNNNkd6WbuwZaV9XUOqnTowqD2hwwdfInaM7DUG6XoaNk4XslQKfmYXD4qXkNnKVwgGc5yM16q5eJjVwgxNijmFnaPNHTjkYkcWRtxa5PXw/s229/trackman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3Vy2ebvhLH3fTmwQFpdqbvnpzRRZit-ckrNNNkd6WbuwZaV9XUOqnTowqD2hwwdfInaM7DUG6XoaNk4XslQKfmYXD4qXkNnKVwgGc5yM16q5eJjVwgxNijmFnaPNHTjkYkcWRtxa5PXw/w175-h200/trackman.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">TrackMan</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Next,
he went back in the shop and came back with clubs from my three chosen
manufacturers and the Track Man. These clubs are "fitting clubs" that with a twist
of a special tool, the fitter can adjust the length and lie of the clubs adding
as much as a half inch and +/- 2 degrees of change to lie as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Track
Man has revolutionized golf on many fronts, especially in equipment selection
and fitting. Using “radar technology” it provides 26 parameters of data on each
shot including clubhead speed, ball speed, launch angle, angle of attack, ball
spin rate, and it shows a 3D flight of the ball! (By the way, it works for
baseball, tennis, all kind of sports where a moving ball is used.) I had never
seen one in action before and, as a bit of a data geek, was fascinated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We began
the session by my hitting each club about ten times to lay down some basic data
and compare the performance to each other. The initial result showed that the
Wilson club would need to be fitted with a 3<sup>rd</sup> party shaft which
would add a layer of complexity and cost that I didn’t want to indulge, so that
one was right out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
other two clubs, Mizuno and Titleist, were compared for another ten shots and
the results were clear. The Mizuno I was able to hit farther but not
consistently and this resulted in a bigger dispersion of shots, as much as
twenty-three yards in distance, and the mishits were farther off-line, too. Looks
like the Titleist is our winner!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
next step was dialing in the fit. Jay came out with a couple of different
shafts and I hit a series of shots while he changed shafts and it became clear
that the softest stiff shaft was perfect to get the most consistent ball
flight, spin rate, and dispersion. It was interesting that while I couldn’t feel
a difference, it was very measurable. I then hit another couple of dozen shots
with that shaft while Jay adjusted the lie from normal to flat, going back and
forth several times. With that, we came to realize that a proper fit for me was
one degree flat. We also discussed an increase in grip size, something I’d
forgotten over the years. Back in the day, technicians would add two extra
layers of tape under the grip to make it easier to get my hands on the grip in
comfort. This was a great catch on his part, all due to watching my hand action
very carefully during the fitting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
final fit had me hitting another dozen shots to get a final dispersion pattern
to understand what the final clubs would do for me. The difference on screen
was remarkable; the new clubs, in addition to being easier to hit, will be far
more accurate. That should translate to better scores and more fun! I was
impressed and excited by the possibilities!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Order
up!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Jay
and I went back into the shop to complete the transaction. He wrote up the
order for Titleist for a set of T300 irons, 4-9 iron, pitching wedge, and gap
wedge, and charged my credit card. Once that was done, he immediately called to
place the order and let me know the current fulfillment time was six to seven weeks.
(I knew that beforehand, so it wasn’t a surprise.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I thanked
Jay and Matt for their time and expertise. The fitting took about ninety
minutes and including the prior hitting session, it was close to three hours.
That’s real professional service, in my opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I told
them I’d be back later in the summer for a new driver and fairway woods! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-89665253539256381182021-04-28T17:04:00.000-04:002021-04-28T17:04:09.363-04:00What are we going to do?<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We are
now 100 days into a new Administration. As promised, a pandemic response bill
has been passed getting money out to the states and to people who desperately
need it. The vaccines that are proving to stop Covid 19 dead in its tracks</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /> are</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"> available to anyone over age 16. (Fact – over 88 million people fully
vaccinated and 6,000 cases of Covid among those people and not one death. That’s
99.9932% effective!) President Joe Biden has an approval rating of >59%,
something his predecessor never even got close to achieving.<o:p></o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WMOp0mb88ir2vtbThbzUeXRr0lkxXMZvImRxBffrkKSRcND942BmL69JyVjOHOOwhZ_Gce-nQRnGgfmirjDNaMc4lf1mmsiNwpjQ4szYcFxZpWWTLQnnsmlfULSbSr21_u5sU0rYf7cS/s300/biden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WMOp0mb88ir2vtbThbzUeXRr0lkxXMZvImRxBffrkKSRcND942BmL69JyVjOHOOwhZ_Gce-nQRnGgfmirjDNaMc4lf1mmsiNwpjQ4szYcFxZpWWTLQnnsmlfULSbSr21_u5sU0rYf7cS/s0/biden.jpg" /></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Countries
around the world are excited that America is back and are welcoming us back to
negotiating tables, looking to us for leadership, and are hopeful again after
one of the darkest years in the past 100.<o:p></o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVELgZ_9bkQ5mVtQV9TdN-QWiXMrQCDGTy-UWxzsOwGfp9anMh9fK2-KybDNB7doYmNP79oH9xq1iq9HivFxVik6vV6SPHx41lmlue6HnjsWEieg5RfW1d6mbg61PH7qAEuVYv1Y-KOmn/s307/vaccine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVELgZ_9bkQ5mVtQV9TdN-QWiXMrQCDGTy-UWxzsOwGfp9anMh9fK2-KybDNB7doYmNP79oH9xq1iq9HivFxVik6vV6SPHx41lmlue6HnjsWEieg5RfW1d6mbg61PH7qAEuVYv1Y-KOmn/s0/vaccine.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vaccines save lives!</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
yet…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Almost
25% of Americans have stated that they “won’t get the vaccine.” Despite its
success and its effectiveness, they’ve decided that having to get it violates
their rights. That it will “change their DNA.” That they “don’t know what’s in
it.” That it’s a “government project to plant a chip so we can be tracked.”
That it “hasn’t been proven to be safe, yet.” That “vaccines take years to
create, how could this one be ready in months?” That “the pandemic is a hoax,
so I don’t need it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I wish
I were making these up. I’ve personally heard people say these things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">For
the world to rid itself of this virus, we need to reach herd immunity and the
percentages I’ve seen for how many people must be vaccinated go from 70%-90%.
In other words, we’re likely to be dealing with this virus for years instead of
months, because some people believe their rights trump the rights of everyone
else. (Pun intended.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Vaccines
work, they’re incredibly safe and remarkably effective. They’re the reason we
don’t have polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, and a host of other diseases today.
They’re one of the reasons that the life expectancy in the world has doubled in
the last century. Doubled as in gone from mid-40s to upper-80s. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
guess we should be thankful that more people are educated than ever before or
we’d really have some issues on this, huh? (I wish I had an answer for these
people but I struggle to cure stupidity.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And still…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Police
kill, on average, three people per day. An inordinate percentage of them are
people of color. Rarely does the officer that fired the shot face any kind of
charges as, more frequently, the killing is “justified” in the course of duty.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpoITykFUPOZFISLQRcDTceZeuWBTQnbucKubly8jCqiOzWgMmnynb0kh8s5MTD3KOCPhi4V9HD_ByFZPLNnZdYdS544PIis9_BuFTAVHQv2ZzkxeZjYHGF8izn3InMWycmv145u2dXN0/s259/brutality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpoITykFUPOZFISLQRcDTceZeuWBTQnbucKubly8jCqiOzWgMmnynb0kh8s5MTD3KOCPhi4V9HD_ByFZPLNnZdYdS544PIis9_BuFTAVHQv2ZzkxeZjYHGF8izn3InMWycmv145u2dXN0/s0/brutality.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop killing people!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">(Yes,
I know that Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the killing of George Floyd last
week. There was video shot by a bystander showing him kneeling on the dead man’s
neck for over nine minutes, even after he’d stopped breathing. When the jury
came back with a verdict, the country was holding its collective breath for a conviction.
Why? Because that’s what happens, <b>nearly every time</b>! When the ratio
flips the other way, come back and talk to me about how police are being unfairly
treated.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
not advocating “defunding” the police. I’m advocating better training, money
spent on mental health services, and a culture change for those who serve. Think
it shouldn’t? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Policing
began in this country shortly after slavery stopped, during Jim Crow. Well-armed
people were hired to “bring back” workers who had skipped out of their jobs.
They were unfairly treated and “tried” and essentially put right back into
slavery in many cases. These groups of “arrestors” eventually formed police forces
after being “deputized” by the local sheriffs who were unable to keep up with
the population growth. To this day, America ensures that its police forces are
armed with the best weapons available while most other countries don’t. Google
it. France, Germany, England, Australia, Austria, Iceland, Denmark, and Finland
are all among the Top 10 police forces in the world and none of them carry
guns. (Oddly enough, citizens of those countries have tougher access to guns,
too. Wonder if there is a correlation?)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
somehow…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">There
is a percentage of the population of this country that believes this new
administration, with all the things it’s working to bring us – health and
healthcare, financial security, improved and repaired infrastructure, a safer
climate – is heading in the wrong direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">This
is not a small percentage, either. It’s nearly 50% of the population and far more
than that in some states and areas. In other words, it’s large enough to elect
some people to positions of power in our country that can have a deleterious impact
to all the good that’s being done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In fact,
they elected that last guy President and, to this day, a good many of them
think he’s the greatest we’ve ever had and that the election was stolen from
him. Why? Because HE said so. There is no science or logic that can change
their minds, at least none that I’ve been able to find.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">So,
what are we going to do to keep our country headed in the right direction?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>It's up to all of us!</b></span></span></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-75831629025439978692021-04-15T14:43:00.000-04:002021-04-15T14:43:02.496-04:00Ninety Days In – BP 120/80<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Deep Breath!</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If you’re
like me, the four years of the Trump administration put a bit of blip in your
health statistics. My blood pressure was up, my blood glucose was as well, thanks
to daily self-medication in the form of cocktails, and I was constantly angry and/or
frustrated with just about everything and nearly everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
why not? Science had been suspended, truth telling became an anomaly, and a goodly
number of rituals and processes had been tossed into the dustbin of history.
You know things like, Presidents who release their income tax returns,
Presidents that treat people with respect to the point of respectfully
disagreeing on things. Members of Congress making a stand for the Country
instead of solely for their party or personal checkbook. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Ah,
how quaint those days seemed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Those
last couple of weeks were a test all their own. Who would have guessed His
Orangeness would have the temerity to enrage his base enough to actually storm the
Capitol in an insurrection effort to stop the rightful certification of the legal Federal election
of a President? As of this moment, the Justice Department hasn’t brought
charges against many people but the wheels of justice turn slowly. There are
efforts underway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I do
find it interesting that even now, there is a substantial percentage of Republicans
who claim that election was stolen and their candidate won – in a landslide! In
other words, they’re saying that not only was there fraud at the ballot box but
that it was on a scale of millions of ballots! Millions! I mean, there are certainly
people whose word I trust implicitly but if they were to call me and say
something completely outrageous and I know to be false like, “All the money in
your paycheck was deposited by Russians this week; you’ll have to give it back
to them!” I’d be getting an Uber to take them to the nervous hospital. I damn
sure wouldn’t be storming the <span style="color: red;">Russian Embassy</span> to hand them a check!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">This
is the same group, by the way, that is refusing to be vaccinated against
Covid-19 because they don’t trust what’s in it or how quickly it was created.
Never mind that in the next breath, they’ll point out that it was “developed
under Trump and he gets no credit for it.” And right after that, they'll knock
back a chili dog with extra chili and fries – having no idea what’s in the hot
dog. Oh, then take something for acid reflux without knowing what’s in that or
how it works. But, no, they’re not hypnotized zombies! They’re free-thinking
adults who refuse to let those <b>Commie-Socialists</b> ruin <i>their </i>country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Uh
huh.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Thankfully,
there is less stress since the inauguration of President Biden. He almost never
Tweets, he’s having daily meetings with his Cabinet and Congressional leaders
in an effort to get the country past the pandemic and back on its feet. It
appears that 200 million people will have gotten at least partially vaccinated
by his 100<sup>th</sup> day in office, twice as many as he set out to do on
Inauguration Day.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz-BdqCzY5vl2ZSeTpKLS7e1lLrAjEB2tenn_Datl-5XexjpyBQ7bnPGFXNhgBCGgg-0ZINXTohplG7nKKN_cFDubpkXdCqRrcxr06tR7wulWfOuaofC6uUc9kfZVl3ft1NXnEsnugRdI/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz-BdqCzY5vl2ZSeTpKLS7e1lLrAjEB2tenn_Datl-5XexjpyBQ7bnPGFXNhgBCGgg-0ZINXTohplG7nKKN_cFDubpkXdCqRrcxr06tR7wulWfOuaofC6uUc9kfZVl3ft1NXnEsnugRdI/" width="192" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Joe Biden</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He’s
acting so presidential, that I realized I forgot what that used to look like!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We’re
coming up on the first ninety days of this administration and things are
looking up and yet, there are people who desperately want Biden to fail. Why?
Because he’s not Trump and “we” all wanted him to fail.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I don’t
know about you but I desperately wanted him to succeed and prove me wrong. I
mean, I can’t stand the guy – he’s skeevy, underhanded, has the morals of a ¾ rat,
and brought in people who were worse than him to help him run the country. But
he had been duly elected and been given the chance to run the country as he saw
fit. Those are rules in this country. I had a suspicion that he’d be in over
his head and that proved to be correct almost immediately. But I still wanted
success because when the President is successful, America and Americans are
successful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">(Was I successful during the Trump Administration? I was and that's been true during every single administration since I became an adult - going all the way back to Carter. Why? Well, I work hard, I'm privileged in this country as a white male, and I've also been lucky on a number of occasions. I enjoy helping others, too, so maybe my luck is actually karma. But I digress.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Instead
Trump showed that someone focused only on himself in that role, and surrounding
himself with people just like him, winds up in trouble. His biggest accomplishment
was to appoint far more judges (conservative to be sure) than his predecessors
but that had less to do with him and far more to do with then Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, whose legacy is still be written. But the number of
unqualified judges he ramrodded through the system are going to make for some
painful swings to our country in the areas of individual rights, abortion, and
fairness of the application of the law. (Think I’m wrong? Google Trump
appointed judges qualifications and enjoy the read. 85% male, 76% white, and
only 5% black, please.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Here’s
the good news: We’re ninety days in and my blood pressure is under control. We’re
slowly digging out of the pandemic (and would more quickly if everyone would
get vaccinated and wear a damn mask!) and the economy is showing signs of strengthening.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Let’s
keep it going, Joe!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-83048424841701146712021-02-11T14:22:00.001-05:002021-02-11T14:22:32.922-05:00<span style="font-family: helvetica;">In August of 1974, I was between my junior and senior years of high school. I had a part time job in retail, played a lot of golf, hung out with friends and watched a President, Richard M. Nixon, fall from grace. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJ8OnTaVB19-oT0WlcsnIX0LUcpt8ejSTSQIYCqhRJI9E-5WBeJBD3PSmfaxHbymmtBd8Ce10fM85DwIEWzMSkUqUnVntrzivSxOM7BJYHTGAkyW6PekCeJ6486M2PwSqmTWMOoRk9u-I/s275/nixon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJ8OnTaVB19-oT0WlcsnIX0LUcpt8ejSTSQIYCqhRJI9E-5WBeJBD3PSmfaxHbymmtBd8Ce10fM85DwIEWzMSkUqUnVntrzivSxOM7BJYHTGAkyW6PekCeJ6486M2PwSqmTWMOoRk9u-I/w200-h133/nixon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am not a crook!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Contrary to popular notion, he was not impeached. He resigned. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> And he did it because a group of Senators from his own party, came to the Oval Office and told him that enough votes existed that if he were to be impeached, he’d very likely be convicted and be forced to step down. For the good of the Country, they requested that he resign. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl71DuUH3MMZG3fzU3-zVW81Logm_SM0A0rGgn1N2pSyWwgvnKuUgLFT-SwRkXnjqW5_cnU3QwJVocnrEbEqpp4smF0Pb8D0X_1wOqjsemrq4Q9uNByfdoPjS7S_IR1BTj-VZmNZ1TMqB4/s280/woodstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="280" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl71DuUH3MMZG3fzU3-zVW81Logm_SM0A0rGgn1N2pSyWwgvnKuUgLFT-SwRkXnjqW5_cnU3QwJVocnrEbEqpp4smF0Pb8D0X_1wOqjsemrq4Q9uNByfdoPjS7S_IR1BTj-VZmNZ1TMqB4/w200-h129/woodstein.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodstein!!!!</td></tr></tbody></table>To be sure, he was about to be impeached. The House Judiciary Committee had passed Articles of Impeachment which came as a result of weeks of testimony that came to be known <br />as the Watergate Hearings. And those hearings were called as a direct result of terrific investigative reporting by two journalists of the Washington Post, Woodward and Bernstein. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I remember thinking that it was extraordinary that a President had resigned. In my young life, I’d seen one be assassinated (Kennedy) and one choose not to run for re-election (Johnson) and now I got to see one resign in disgrace and his Vice President (Ford) step into the<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1WEelziH06mJeHk7vd5kEVEKptrWp_WnZaPoIQ00g2SxfUJ13Eb8VAPy8meJBPK02nlfsmzQvUyOOPr1DqVtu3EIoj2SiEMmrKLFG8ymJM3oj-lHoZTq0TdBwpCP2tmzdKhPv0bDiKJ6/s269/ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="269" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1WEelziH06mJeHk7vd5kEVEKptrWp_WnZaPoIQ00g2SxfUJ13Eb8VAPy8meJBPK02nlfsmzQvUyOOPr1DqVtu3EIoj2SiEMmrKLFG8ymJM3oj-lHoZTq0TdBwpCP2tmzdKhPv0bDiKJ6/w200-h140/ford.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Blanket Pardon?!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Presidency and issue a “blanket pardon” for everything his predecessor had done whether or not he’d been caught. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> He issued the pardon in an effort let the nation heal. While his action was lauded by many, election day took place less than ninety days later and 5 GOP Senators and 49 GOP Representatives were sent home. The electorate evidently wanted to make a statement to the elected that they were still in charge! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I didn’t expect to see anything like that, again, in my life. It was a once in a lifetime occurrence, right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> But yesterday, House Impeachment managers provided 8 hours of evidence to support the single Article of Impeachment, Incitement of Insurrection. And it was incredibly compelling, using a combination of the President’s own words in Tweets and videos to show the path to January 6th, when a large group of his supporters breached security at the Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election of Joe Biden. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82DavSwhFwA0b1esRZzPAs4O8POSAKeAoMFAssWOGkTp61x2Q7dwLfsI4yeviEmzjQPMNUp61J_INj1PZzWw2lLfRC-Q548tNYBJJJRI6cjfQRJfPmDSEtuLN2yjiftXJ9ZRHBKfORGdx/s300/riot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82DavSwhFwA0b1esRZzPAs4O8POSAKeAoMFAssWOGkTp61x2Q7dwLfsI4yeviEmzjQPMNUp61J_INj1PZzWw2lLfRC-Q548tNYBJJJRI6cjfQRJfPmDSEtuLN2yjiftXJ9ZRHBKfORGdx/w640-h358/riot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not a protest, it's a riot. A terrorist act. An act of treason.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some of the video of the riot had not been seen by the public prior to the trial and it was chilling to watch and listen. A few of the Senators stood in rapt attention in an effort to hear whispered, frightened words of people hiding in offices, see people being beaten and, in one instance, shot by a Capitol Police officer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This took eight hours and was broadcast on CNN and the Congressional channel. (Nowhere else was it broadcast in its entirety which is amazing to me. In 1974, every channel had the hearing on, live!) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What was most disturbing to me, though, is that many of the Republican Senators couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. They were in attendance. They occasionally looked up to see who was speaking. Some watched the videos that were shown. Too many read books (comic books in one case) worked through paperwork, and some even napped. Because, they say, this trial is a farce since the former President is already out of office. Some say it’s unconstitutional to even hold this trial. Some say that the President didn’t incite the riot, he was simply exercising his First Amendment rights. <b>Those that aren’t saying these things are glad others are because it gives them cover when it comes time to vote to acquit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But if you watched the story told by the Impeachment Managers, in Trump’s own words and actions, it is achingly clear that the former President made a determined effort to void an election that was anything but fake with results that were definitive and accurate. An election that he lost, unequivocally! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">His defenders will say that he did that, simply because he thought he won. But the story that was told began more than a year ago when he began stating that he could only lose if the election was rigged. At the time, he was trailing very badly and that remained the case right up to election day. Then, he continued his lies around the veracity of the count. His one truth was to state that he got more votes than any incumbent ever; but that was also 7 million votes fewer than his opponent! And in riling up his supporters and telling them, on the morning of January 6th, that they needed to “fight like hell” to stop what was going on at the Capitol, he got his base to do his bidding and attack. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> In the next few days, his lawyers will put on a defense. They are unable to dispute any of what was shown yesterday because it is all factual. It’s proof that the former President of the United States attempted to overthrow an election to remain in power. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That’s against the law. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> It’s treason. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> It’s unconstitutional. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> And it requires punishment. (Back in the old days, it was punishable with death. Fortunately, we’ve evolved.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Senate is operating under the Constitution which states that a 2/3 majority is required to find the President guilty. Too bad that the jurors (Senators) in this case include a bunch of Trump’s co-conspirators. (Cruz, Hawley, Kennedy, Graham, Tuberville to name a few). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, I pose this question to this august body, purported to be the greatest deliberative body in the world – </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> Are there not sixty-seven good and honest people among you? Who, like the Senators in 1974, were willing to put country over party?
</b></span></div>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-5508169789083929242020-11-20T13:59:00.003-05:002020-11-20T13:59:38.908-05:00Elections and Consequences<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">It’s time</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Seventeen days
ago, the United States of America held election day. It was preceded by several
weeks of early voting in a number of states (Virginia included) and expanded
absentee / mail in voting. A majority of the voting population, about 60%, took
advantage of these alternatives voting methods to avoid exposure to the Corona
virus. This change to the way we vote in national elections caused results to
be delayed longer than we’re used to but it also provided us with, according to
bi-partisan officials, “the most transparent and unencumbered election in
history.”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7p1b0rcN4hlUg4bzJqLdsBR-HtMQHEffniO-F3v6KQfxxryyXhWislak1GzPZ6YhFofOyVHbht2NpMyYGhCNvsfFUhd123q-iI-FIKCSHkkNEDMKwDKnYP_5GveIXFwE529i5P9c3Dwu/s225/Biden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7p1b0rcN4hlUg4bzJqLdsBR-HtMQHEffniO-F3v6KQfxxryyXhWislak1GzPZ6YhFofOyVHbht2NpMyYGhCNvsfFUhd123q-iI-FIKCSHkkNEDMKwDKnYP_5GveIXFwE529i5P9c3Dwu/w191-h191/Biden.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President-Elect Biden<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As of this
writing, the Electoral College vote count shows Biden leading incumbent Trump,
306 to 232. This is a clear victory for Biden and the margin of votes in key “battleground”
states is far higher than Trump managed in his 2016 win over Hilary Clinton.
The total popular vote shows Biden with a 6 million+ vote lead with about .5%
of votes left to be counted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In other words,
<b>Biden </b>is the <b>President-elect</b> of the United States. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>And yet…</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4X2kNMrS-qmI1ZzQfwyaPzBVBt5HAT7aymCleooYJlxcGnimFuW6x10CznKxR5TMCMteeb7R4x3tDFVCVf5LntzZM_zVGnmuEj2D038IhXoCqqz1ZVHe3wB01J_sLeuCRLb85IMcHaS3J/s266/trump+obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4X2kNMrS-qmI1ZzQfwyaPzBVBt5HAT7aymCleooYJlxcGnimFuW6x10CznKxR5TMCMteeb7R4x3tDFVCVf5LntzZM_zVGnmuEj2D038IhXoCqqz1ZVHe3wB01J_sLeuCRLb85IMcHaS3J/s0/trump+obama.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transition as planned<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our nation has
always prided itself on a peaceful transfer of power from the incumbent
President to the new one. Even in 2016, arguably one of the most contentious
presidential elections that I can recall, Clinton conceded the race within 24
hours and President Obama welcomed President-elect Trump to the White House to
begin the transition within a week’s time. The Trump transition team was given
<br />everything it desired and needed to begin the process of setting up a new
government. (There are well documented reports of how the Trump transition team
had little to no clue how to do this thus beginning a culture of incompetence
that has lasted for four years but that’s for a different post.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here we are, 16
days after election, and Trump hasn’t conceded the race to Biden. He has Tweeted
dozens of times that he “won the election” and in some claimed to win in a
landslide. He has made so many false claims about the election up to this point
(including vast conspiracies that have been disproven) that Twitter has placed
more declarations of inaccuracy on his tweets than not!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>It gets worse…</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over the past
week or so, lawyers for Trump have filed lawsuits in multiple states across the
country claiming various forms of election fraud. None of these have been filed
in states that Trump was declared victor, mind you. Thus far, 28 of 31 have
been thrown out for lack of evidence and the remaining 3 have been waiting for
proof or evidence to investigate. (There isn’t any, they’re simply waiting for
it to be presented.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yesterday the lead
attorney for the President, Rudy Giuliani, held a news conference <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq68AzztOituw_WzToX-lTCVH2HCWBbf4e966JfkxkG80Kxh44f9GIUOJRbIOAumr9llz6dKXYQ5Y12lZlpiUCqACEnIbFH4lcoBGFDMqhWZzxXRQKV7nP28B5DVMIw5uU3EC-RtKM-x7b/s300/rudy+meltdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq68AzztOituw_WzToX-lTCVH2HCWBbf4e966JfkxkG80Kxh44f9GIUOJRbIOAumr9llz6dKXYQ5Y12lZlpiUCqACEnIbFH4lcoBGFDMqhWZzxXRQKV7nP28B5DVMIw5uU3EC-RtKM-x7b/s0/rudy+meltdown.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lying may cause sweating<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />where one of
the other attorneys presented the notion that the President had won “in a
landslide” and the reason the results weren’t showing that is because of a vast
and dark conspiracy that involved voting machines created by Hugo Chavez in
Venezuela to undermine their elections. These same types of machines are being
used in swing states to undermine the President and his re-election.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVZQZ5eDySVGIc2JKu1Y1w4V5eMTeTXThJk0XrJIdfcZitBx60S4dwGn4pRIl9b5BBgYPNy7lhNpJYPoRpiSStxVG_5YPftDtkoupB-qwoy_XaJvLfrOuBBJfIhKckZMTzoPLOzkKtpIc/s230/chavez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVZQZ5eDySVGIc2JKu1Y1w4V5eMTeTXThJk0XrJIdfcZitBx60S4dwGn4pRIl9b5BBgYPNy7lhNpJYPoRpiSStxVG_5YPftDtkoupB-qwoy_XaJvLfrOuBBJfIhKckZMTzoPLOzkKtpIc/s0/chavez.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Election Disrupter<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>(For those of you
without access to Google, Hugo Chavez died in 2013. Trump hadn’t declared his
intention to run for President in 2016 by then. And why on earth would the
machines be set to elect Biden while allowing the loss of seats in the House And
not flip the Senate? I mean, how far does one have to reach to believe this
stuff???)<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After watching
parts of this press conference, I’m left to wonder, “What the hell?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>Time to move on</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our current President
appears to be doing everything in his power to remain in power. He has always
been unique in his approach to the job, sometimes bordering on the fringes of legal
and often stomping all over what has been considered moral and right. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While this is
hardly new, I think he’s overreaching. What he’s doing crosses the line into
the area of treason. Yes, treason.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Treason is defined
as “<i><span style="background: white; color: #202124;">the crime of betraying
one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the
government</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #202124;">.</span>” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As I stated before, the US has always had a process in place
for the peaceful transfer of power. As the US rose to the most powerful country
in the world, doing so became critical to the stability and safety of the free
world. This peaceful transfer has been called out, time and time again, as an
example of how democracy should, <b>and did</b>, work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By taking the tack that he has, President Donald J. Trump has
chosen to betray our country by attempting to overthrow the government, the
part of government being the effective and fair manner of holding an election. And
this election has been called by bi-partisan officials as transparent and unencumbered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>What am I asking?</b></span><span style="color: #202124;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m asking for the President to concede the race and begin
the transition process. If he continues in his current fashion, I’m asking for
the Cabinet to remove him under the 25<sup>th</sup> Amendment (because he’s
become unable and unwilling to govern effectively).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the new administration is inaugurated, I’m calling on
the Justice Department to follow the law and prosecute anyone in the
administration who has violated the Federal statutes. I also include anyone in
the Republican caucus that has enabled the illegal behavior that we’re seeing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Why would I ask this, when everyone is saying it would divide
the country further? Because we need to ensure this isn’t going to happen, ever
again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>Because in the end…</b></span><span style="color: #202124;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Great American Experiment has taken 240 years to get to
this point and almost fall apart. We must get a head start on the next two
centuries. A fresh start. A clean start.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Time to take out the trash. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsnxshcLq4fbd1F4AVb7wmq5wpdl7F6mPaRHYI18VCHJPxABylvSfkfIsESzIhf5ciQEoAsf4y0U8U7ZD1-pWabxZwBZ0ceS64weas-lilkybV5Neq_g6GgFMujSG2sEob2rUoyvnkcYo/s275/trump+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsnxshcLq4fbd1F4AVb7wmq5wpdl7F6mPaRHYI18VCHJPxABylvSfkfIsESzIhf5ciQEoAsf4y0U8U7ZD1-pWabxZwBZ0ceS64weas-lilkybV5Neq_g6GgFMujSG2sEob2rUoyvnkcYo/s0/trump+family.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Trash.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-51869694045503089582020-08-13T13:52:00.003-04:002020-08-13T13:52:35.433-04:00I'm tired.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSM5ZvLj5ic_HQn28oD0EgfgbAXEf7xlgIrSLriw6bQqSfcBGrx4pefXKRdsdmps7oV3HJOyiJWDcZKjPb7yBTiELY6XwOI6xC4O7uoAgLYNYwrWvM5VBEqNExkh4Mj5hMtq4XEaDqZ0u_/s225/BLM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="They Still Do!" border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSM5ZvLj5ic_HQn28oD0EgfgbAXEf7xlgIrSLriw6bQqSfcBGrx4pefXKRdsdmps7oV3HJOyiJWDcZKjPb7yBTiELY6XwOI6xC4O7uoAgLYNYwrWvM5VBEqNExkh4Mj5hMtq4XEaDqZ0u_/d/BLM.png" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
tired. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>I’m
tired of hearing people that I care about, people that are of reasonable
intelligence, talking about how great our current President is and what a great
job he’s done during the Pandemic and that, as Americans, we should all rally
around him.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgoU7BpiAzRcYE_olv5KXjWMziRaKNq_uqKtokA0K0jViHS0_zqLlILaQSiRlsRphJ7itSUXlTqXKjjldPxgwxlC3fzOEsmTTm4Dr0pvTucGF81zRUWbOl5zCZ0u3MRdyoF4hFFTO5n8o/s225/trumpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgoU7BpiAzRcYE_olv5KXjWMziRaKNq_uqKtokA0K0jViHS0_zqLlILaQSiRlsRphJ7itSUXlTqXKjjldPxgwxlC3fzOEsmTTm4Dr0pvTucGF81zRUWbOl5zCZ0u3MRdyoF4hFFTO5n8o/s0/trumpy.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, Dr. Fauci, we know.</td></tr></tbody></table> </b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>(He
hasn’t even done an adequate job. Seriously. He refuses to listen to experts in
their fields unless they spend time sucking up to him. He’s rejected science at
every opportunity. His lack of clear leadership is stunning. Think about it. If
he’d simply said, “We all need to wear masks and social distance and wash our
hands, everyone!” Damn near, all his followers would have done so and we’d have
half the deaths reported and a good bit of the economy would be back up and
running. Of course, if he showed leadership some of those same followers would
rebel, I suppose.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>I’m
tired of hearing people who are evidently not of reasonable intelligence,
pontificate about how we should “reopen our country and get back to business”
and the sooner we do that the sooner we can get back to normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>(These
people seem to think that “normal” isn’t currently happening because we’ve
chosen to react to this “alleged pandemic” and we should get over it. Moreover,
they seem to believe that everything will just go back to the way it was
pre-pandemic. This is just willful ignorance! The pandemic is still in effect
and it’s killing about 1,000 people a day. And we’re doing precious little to
stop it!</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6VRZ8XFfRnvcDqNjf3PoA9tdB-zitpsu9ggPLtHESUo1V2-37eBvVqKcv92ME1satcjSzMZ89pXmXm7klhUwN4B6BGjJBdTHaSNvtoCOZ6cYHyDx6tJi4LEu_tFzzFbD-1OwyvK8UTuc/s300/closed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6VRZ8XFfRnvcDqNjf3PoA9tdB-zitpsu9ggPLtHESUo1V2-37eBvVqKcv92ME1satcjSzMZ89pXmXm7klhUwN4B6BGjJBdTHaSNvtoCOZ6cYHyDx6tJi4LEu_tFzzFbD-1OwyvK8UTuc/s0/closed.jpg" /></a></i></div><i> <o:p></o:p></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>So
many businesses will remain closed permanently and all their employees will be
out of work for a very long time. Having learned that their employees work well
from home some large businesses will reduce the size of or eliminate their
current offices. There could be millions of square feet of empty, wasted retail
and office space in the next year. That drags down the economy for a long time
and is likely to cause a recession that is far bigger than the last one and
potentially larger than the Great Depression. Some point to the Stock Market
and how well it’s doing as an indicator of good things. Sorry, that’s not the economy.
Not when consumer spending makes up 70% of the economy! Many consumer providers
have been struggling to hit acceptable numbers which is likely to continue
until we have an effective vaccine. The US is in a tenuous place right now,
readers, and many of the citizens don’t realize that.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>I’m
tired of hearing people say that those numbers (the people that have tested
positive to the virus along with those who’ve actually died from it) are
incorrect and are a figment of the imagination of the Mainstream Media who,
everyone knows, are Fake News and just want the liberals to take over the
country because they “hate America” and want us to become a Communist country. Or
Socialist, or Marxist, or Antifa, or…..you get the idea.</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtTUe4yZj3Z2GQt_V5JGXvsG30IUKymPv2wjNZIFPra9hN9sYpg1EVdKpvSexFApq1zKGZ0JlpFQpHyjdOmNWWZnICItYs7Ft20iOrAC14OPj3S6U-N11BQKCHqZG5QnWPHEwRy65RMww/s1000/Socialism_vs__Communism_1000x700_jpg_1gEUB2ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1000" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtTUe4yZj3Z2GQt_V5JGXvsG30IUKymPv2wjNZIFPra9hN9sYpg1EVdKpvSexFApq1zKGZ0JlpFQpHyjdOmNWWZnICItYs7Ft20iOrAC14OPj3S6U-N11BQKCHqZG5QnWPHEwRy65RMww/w328-h229/Socialism_vs__Communism_1000x700_jpg_1gEUB2ad.jpg" width="328" /></a></b></div><b> </b><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>(When
did science and factual evidence become a “political position?” I am absolutely
gobsmacked by the abject stupidity of Americans. Some person on my FB page a
few weeks ago, told me that something I had posted, how Colin Kaepernick came
to decide to kneel during the Anthem, was BS and simply a made-up story because
if it had been real, the Mainstream Media would have “been all over it.” I
googled the incident I was talking about, produced the story from the LA Times;
about as mainstream as one can get. He read it and decided that since he hadn’t
seen it and didn’t believe that it was a former Green Beret that had given
Kaepernick the idea, it was still BS! We choose to not believe the truth
because it’s not OUR truth, apparently.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Finally,
I’m tired of patiently talking to these people, asking clarifying questions,
empathizing with their positions, and providing a different point of view with
accompanying facts to back up my position. Because they think that they aren’t
facts, just “more liberal bullshit.”</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>But
yesterday, I got a jolt of energy when the VP candidate was announced by Joe
Biden’s campaign as Senator Kamala Harris! She’s smart, she’s tenacious, and
she’s qualified for the job. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><i>Now, I
have hope. I believe there’s a chance that the country can be taken back from
the scourge of fascism that has been in power for the last 3 years. While the
polls show that they’re leading, we all need to believe that we’re way behind.
We can’t rest, I can’t rest, even though I’m tired.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><b>It’s
time!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OR2HjFhj-Mxi2Qu-iMwFGczfMAQ5fxd-QW7xQsGf3ueyxVH_6W1Er62Sm6cdPsmrM5xY9B3khRyyYLpsJZf5Wl-50oZPN6FRokkTjcrVb-mgXagGGEFacVBzBvAT-ROlFxFGzprGUcpv/s272/biden+harris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="272" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OR2HjFhj-Mxi2Qu-iMwFGczfMAQ5fxd-QW7xQsGf3ueyxVH_6W1Er62Sm6cdPsmrM5xY9B3khRyyYLpsJZf5Wl-50oZPN6FRokkTjcrVb-mgXagGGEFacVBzBvAT-ROlFxFGzprGUcpv/w425-h289/biden+harris.jpg" width="425" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-53007057234925194072020-06-25T14:53:00.000-04:002020-06-25T14:53:44.233-04:00My Day of Reckoning<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQ8IzN3LYZEk9xlhji-0PgocbN1giglmW98i3F39ZzIS8esJlqv_A1tUU-EgR0h7LidLDoZkpdA83sCR-T5IYSBT5iKyL7UtghS6ABQzE7AJQ4BxowLBJ0E9re3BRmSi9BLdjeLjVVXj/s1600/BLM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQ8IzN3LYZEk9xlhji-0PgocbN1giglmW98i3F39ZzIS8esJlqv_A1tUU-EgR0h7LidLDoZkpdA83sCR-T5IYSBT5iKyL7UtghS6ABQzE7AJQ4BxowLBJ0E9re3BRmSi9BLdjeLjVVXj/s320/BLM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I had
a moment this past Sunday. It was a moment that was unlike any I’d had in my
sixty-three+ years. I’m still processing it because, as I’ve heard younger
folks say, it had all the feels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">It was
a moment of White People’s Privilege revealed, of Black Lives Matter amplified.
I’m not yet sure what it will become…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Father’s
Day Plans</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Sunday
was Father’s Day. Our youngest daughter has been visiting for a couple of weeks
while working remotely and preparing to go to graduate school. Our middle
daughter, who lives nearby, planned a celebration with her sister, her
boyfriend, and My Bride to come over for a special lunch, carried out from a
local grill. This allowed me to get my favorite, the Unicorn Burger (combined
ground beef and bacon) for a rare treat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Our
two older kids were unavailable for lunch, but I spoke with both via text
during the day. I also called my father for a half hour chat, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
plan was to eat lunch, take a stroll over to the <span style="color: red;">Lee Monument</span> which is the main
site of all <b>BLM </b>protests in Richmond these days, and then saunter back home. On </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">the way, we’d pass by a local ice cream shop for a treat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Sounds
incredibly white bread, middle American, doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Lunch
was a joyful hour with laughter and talk of good times, out in the backyard
under the shade of a tree that makes the place look like a French garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Life
changes</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxEuxhGjHmpGPkeNZv-FUJo5uPyzhHGS8CW_o9dA6rnicvDwAPSHa2Bx2Lr6FJWL-yZoEoEpgSXgzc3xRaTkZ2nuS9rLfRqPQAQrJQdron7e1C-NjDl_qxQCs0H70JOs18u82poOMJUR3/s1600/clean+Lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="986" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxEuxhGjHmpGPkeNZv-FUJo5uPyzhHGS8CW_o9dA6rnicvDwAPSHa2Bx2Lr6FJWL-yZoEoEpgSXgzc3xRaTkZ2nuS9rLfRqPQAQrJQdron7e1C-NjDl_qxQCs0H70JOs18u82poOMJUR3/s200/clean+Lee.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leon Traveler - before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After
lunch, we started walking the eight blocks to the <span style="color: red;">Lee Monument</span> that sits on Virginia
state land on <b>Monument Avenue</b>. (If you don’t know <b>Richmond VA</b>, it’s worth
googling all of this to understand the context.) The area is a grass island
about fifty yards across and, in the middle, sits a forty-foot tall pedestal
upon which sits a twenty-foot tall statue of Lee on his horse Traveler. (A guy
I know who was born and raised in Richmond was told by his father, every time
they passed it, “Look there’s Lee on Traveler.” For a long time, he thought the
statue was of someone named Leon Traveler.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
<span style="color: red;">Lee Monument</span> is a glaring tribute to <span style="color: red;">Gen. Robert E. Lee</span> who led the Confederate
Army in the Civil War. A graduate of West Point, he was considered a military
genius and great leader who resigned his commission in the US Army to fight for
his homeland, the South. (He was from Virginia.) After surrendering to Gen. U.
S. Grant at Appomattox, he returned to his beloved state to live out his days.
The statue to him was erected in 1890 to memorialize his efforts in the “Lost
Cause” of the Confederacy. It has been a sharp stick in the eye for black
people ever since as it essentially tells them that they’re lucky to no longer
be enslaved. But they could be, should the South Rise, Again! (Can you imagine
statues of Hitler, placed by his followers after the war was lost? Just to
remind people that they could still be Nazis?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">As we
got closer, we could hear up tempo music coming from near the monument. When we
rounded the corner, we were greeted with an amazing site. (I have been walking
or riding past regularly but weather had kept me away for the last week or so.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvc1tsr354FJbN8YvYR84uFAlhfklM004ee9FqS2t37u2PY2yNPJAD7ylwa-zB-jSZWTdc28b3_54tj6fM0_TfZ5bl2DW_GL0F59AgYxbidXSrukm7rVE5gvAyvLyKbUFcU7emd7OTarAZ/s1600/Lee+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvc1tsr354FJbN8YvYR84uFAlhfklM004ee9FqS2t37u2PY2yNPJAD7ylwa-zB-jSZWTdc28b3_54tj6fM0_TfZ5bl2DW_GL0F59AgYxbidXSrukm7rVE5gvAyvLyKbUFcU7emd7OTarAZ/s320/Lee+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leon Traveler - with additional art</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
entire circle had been surrounded by barricades (portable concrete things like
you see in highway construction) a few days before in preparation for removing
the statue which had been ordered by the Governor. The barricades had all been
painted in bright colors and covered with all manner of graffiti, most of which
having to do with the BLM movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQG-Aj1LWuh0RswgCy1wqXoBH-7m44evQTLoBQ4MHkP75iXG-hdy26o5qTmPTZ8rEoPDwmvit1Z1Swu50I8bzR39_2NDGPCiiQQwYk8f1fLKC12xP2zHKRnEBMub2llp7z4uIVuNb7X5O7/s1600/MDP+circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1148" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQG-Aj1LWuh0RswgCy1wqXoBH-7m44evQTLoBQ4MHkP75iXG-hdy26o5qTmPTZ8rEoPDwmvit1Z1Swu50I8bzR39_2NDGPCiiQQwYk8f1fLKC12xP2zHKRnEBMub2llp7z4uIVuNb7X5O7/s200/MDP+circle.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New name</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">As we
got closer, other things caught my eye. A banner had been erected on two posts
welcoming everyone to the Marcus-David Peters Circle. (He was a young black schoolteacher
who was having a mental health crisis 2 years ago. He was gunned down by a
police officer while running naked near the interstate. There is a call for a
law that requires mental health professionals to handle calls such as this in
the future, and it’s named for him.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
pedestal had multiple layers of graffiti on every available space, rising
almost to the top of the structure. Very little space had been spared the
artist’s work. My brain attempted to process all the messages as my eyes roved
slowly over the work. After staring for several minutes, and walking all around
the circle, I finally realized something. The memorial made sense; it finally
had context that had been missing for over a century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
statue seems to be saying, “We left our country and fought a war to allow us to
keep owning people! When we lost that war, the victors made an effort to build
the nation back together by allowing us back into the Republic but we no longer
had our slaves, people who had been our property. We built this monument to
someone who embodied and fought for what we believed in just to let you know
that we hadn’t disappeared completely. That given a chance, we’d enslave you
again because the Lost Cause isn’t really lost until we say so! That’s why we
still fly the Stars and Bars flag. That’s why we keep you down whenever we get
a chance, so you know your place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsoAyfXvxDRRXDc84myxru5vLzlrULJmLnUzM9ntOpRaHWy33J6jcDfqHTngvbfZ0tnuENo_hFt_U10K5SL199dOFCB2nLuxn114RFQKICj7RH7iEhSlUiFwwR9ZME06zOnyTu6luwc2f/s1600/Lee+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsoAyfXvxDRRXDc84myxru5vLzlrULJmLnUzM9ntOpRaHWy33J6jcDfqHTngvbfZ0tnuENo_hFt_U10K5SL199dOFCB2nLuxn114RFQKICj7RH7iEhSlUiFwwR9ZME06zOnyTu6luwc2f/s200/Lee+3.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork by Anger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
graffiti seems to be saying, “We have been victims of your biases, beliefs, and
actions for 400 years! Every time we’ve said ‘Enough!’ you’ve grudgingly given
us some tiny freedom but took something else away in return. And you’ve never
stopped killing us, harassing us, treating us as lesser beings. And we’ve taken
it for the last time. We’re going to point out systemic racism and we’re going
to keep doing it until you say ‘Enough!’ We want, and we deserve, equality and
justice. And we will not settle for less.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>and
I made eye contact. She said quietly, “It finally looks right, doesn’t it?” I
vigorously agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">The Gallery of the Dead</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">By
this time, I’d been walking around the circle for about twenty minutes. I
finally noticed dozens of small signs placed around the perimeter of the
pedestal, on the grounds, and some up on the pedestal itself. All of them
looked nearly the same. On each was a small photograph of a black person. Next
to the picture was text describing them in detail. More importantly, it
described how they had died at the hands of police officers. In nearly every
case, the person in the picture had been minding their own business when they
were stopped in their car; or stopped while jogging; or stopped while walking
through their neighborhood; or doing something else completely legal. Smiling,
happy, young, beautiful, actual people all dead. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Dozens of them.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After
reading the fifth or sixth one, I suddenly realized that I was struggling to
keep my composure. My eyes were filling up, and I could feel a sob welling up
in me. My heart hurt. Before I ended up on my knees, I turned and walked a few
steps away and leaned against the barricades, at the perimeter, closed my eyes
and took some deep breaths. I began to calm down but as that happened, I could
feel something else coming on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
found myself filling with anger and despair and frustration and disgust. I’ve
tamped it down, a bit, since Sunday but it’s still there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
angry that after the war, so much work went into rebuilding in an effort to
“bind the nation’s wounds” only to be wasted when so many white people decided
that they “hadn’t actually lost” the war. And that those people managed to rise
into power, and created another way to keep slaves, just not call them that.
Laws were passed that allowed people who were arrested to be used as labor –
and guess who they made sure got arrested? And the people that did all that
arresting were the fore runners to today’s police departments. (Want to read about it? <o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/brief-history-slavery-and-origins-american-policing">https://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/brief-history-slavery-and-origins-american-policing</a> <span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
frustrated this level of systemic racism still exists! That black people simply
don’t have justice or even equality in this country. That black people earn, on
average, less than 80% of their white counterparts with the same education and
experience. That black people live in neighborhoods with a lower tax base and,
therefore, worse school systems, so it makes it more difficult to get the same
education. That black people are far more likely to be arrested, jailed, and
killed by our penal system. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>And I’m most frustrated with the fact that there is
a plurality of white people who don’t know this and really don’t care enough to
do anything about it. And aren’t even willing to listen because they aren’t
going to change their minds.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
I’m disgusted with myself for not having listened before. Not taken the time to
learn. Not had the balls to stand up and say, “Enough!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like most white people, I don’t think I’m a
racist. But if I’m going to say that a “good cop” who doesn’t say anything when
a “bad cop” is misbehaving is, really, just another bad cop, then I have to say
the same thing about myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>I’ve
been a racist all my life and I must change.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Learning
is needed</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">What
is it going to take for white people to understand all this? How many more of
our black brothers and sisters must be enslaved, mistreated, imprisoned, even
killed before we <b>all</b> say, "<b>ENOUGH!</b>"?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">What
will it take before everyone understands that we all share the same 99.9% of
DNA, that of<i> homo sapiens</i>, also known as humans? Scientists tell us that
we all are descended from the first humans in Africa. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In other words, <b>we’re
all black!</b> How do we get that across to everyone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Where
do I go from here? To be continued…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-10561016743532552942020-06-12T14:51:00.000-04:002020-06-12T14:51:06.138-04:00I’m not a racist, just ask me!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXXEA6eTM2bDmWHGkn3UvVhujomCL3a5lReZZROgCMBZuO_czBPb3vxbYWx2YI2hmDGF71ENi9Jg4pc_rSiJtzMl3Fxdzy9eT_T9TL2viiDg5IPllxthkNPsOgUnbhNKVaukvJApju85v/s1600/BLM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXXEA6eTM2bDmWHGkn3UvVhujomCL3a5lReZZROgCMBZuO_czBPb3vxbYWx2YI2hmDGF71ENi9Jg4pc_rSiJtzMl3Fxdzy9eT_T9TL2viiDg5IPllxthkNPsOgUnbhNKVaukvJApju85v/s320/BLM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">(Let
me start by saying that I’m a white male, over sixty years of age, and I don’t
claim to be anything but that. I’m no expert – just a guy going through life
and learning a little bit more every day. I admit that I’m a racist and I work
to become less of one every day. I work to make the world better every day.
This post is dedicated to that.)</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br />Last
fall, I was talking with one of my less liberal friends (okay, he’s MAGAT) and
he said to me at some point, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“Obama
was the most racist SOB I’ve ever seen in my life and took this country back 50
years!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">When I
asked him how he’d arrived at that opinion, he said,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“Are
you deaf? All he ever talks about is race and black people and helping the
black people. He’s got the Presidency. What more does he want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">When I
pointed out that he’d been elected by the majority and was only looking to
continue work that had been done before him, namely working for justice, he
said,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“All
he did was stir people up. He’s caused more division than ever before. Things
were moving along just fine before he was elected.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
conversation ended soon after but it stuck with me for a very long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’ve
been saying for years that we, as a nation, are headed for a civil war – this
time between the haves and the have nots. The latter is made up of an abundance
of black people and while there have been strides made over the last 50 years,
they’ve been slow to come. Equality has been achieved, at least on paper, and
equity has been given in miniscule doses. Justice, which is what Dr. Martin
Luther King advocated for, has never gotten much movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3yab75teiypGclvccqGgDds4t9deyfooBVuNFId77fK5VrlkbtVS4roATUFK-bQS1FzvLZ2wYp9Mwy2CA9Bqz8QgO7jdvorT098exfAcRiyIbEbvqXgblTGJoMQsZKKoPrUbLA9C_oTP/s1600/equality+equity+justic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="717" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3yab75teiypGclvccqGgDds4t9deyfooBVuNFId77fK5VrlkbtVS4roATUFK-bQS1FzvLZ2wYp9Mwy2CA9Bqz8QgO7jdvorT098exfAcRiyIbEbvqXgblTGJoMQsZKKoPrUbLA9C_oTP/s400/equality+equity+justic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Justice,
as this picture shows, is the removal of the barriers that cause black people
to suffer inequity and inequality. And removing them requires a major shift in
some things that can’t be legislated – culture and belief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Why?
Because the culture of racism, the belief that one group is better than another
solely because of skin color, is the driving force behind those barriers. If
one group believes they are better than another, even if it’s subconscious
bias, the barriers will be erected and nourished. Or at the very least, left in
place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>But
I’m NOT a racist!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I used
to say that. Until I was shown the concept of white privilege and came to
understand that some of the things in my life were the direct result of being
white. (I admit, this took a long time for me to get. I knew how hard I’d
worked, how I’d made something of myself. And often, I thought, with no one’s
help. It’s taken a great deal to admit that I’d gotten a leg up because I’m
white.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
learning about it stopped me in my tracks. It made me look inside myself to
understand how I could be blind to my fellow humans’ mistreatment. After a good
bit of reflection, I realized I am racist (spoiler alert – we all are) and I
decided that I would change it. Interested?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>White
Privilege – I’ve heard of it and I don’t believe it. Everything I got I worked
for!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">White
privilege takes many forms and is difficult, for me at least, to define. I
understand it, one level, to be: getting more opportunities because your skin
is not black. On another level, it’s having obstacles put in front of you because
you’re black. What makes it difficult for white people to see is that we’ve
been getting it for so long, we just assume it’s normal. Here are some
examples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Studies
have shown that when two people who are applying for the same job have similar
qualifications, experiences, and education, the person with the more “whiter
sounding name” is more likely to be called for an interview by a factor of more
than 3 to 2. (The “white” name had to send 10 resumes for a call back. “Black”
names had to send 15. That’s from the National Bureau of Economic Research, a
non-partisan research firm.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Are
you wondering if that’s true? Okay, here’s a little test for you. Here are some
names of people applying for a job. Which name sounds white or black to you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Jamaal Washington versus Jim
Washington<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Sandy Van Cleve versus
Shami’qua Van Cleve<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Stone Harris versus Stephan
Harris<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Did
you catch yourself putting them into categories? That just makes you average!
Now you’re going to be looking out for it but before this exercise, you may not
have even thought about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>The
Traffic Stop</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If
you’ve ever been pulled over by a police officer while driving your car, what
were you thinking as you slowed down and stopped? Was it focused on getting out
your driver’s license/registration/insurance card? Was it focused on the reason
as in, why did he stop me? Was it focused around the excuse you’d use for
speeding? If it was any of these, you are most probably a white person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Black
people tell me that their first thoughts are focused on keeping their hands in
plain sight, at all times, and waiting to be given instructions. Or their
thoughts are focused on how reasonable the police officer is or how likely he
is to abuse them. Or to remind themselves to be as low-key, respectful, and
follow every request of the police officer and don’t give them a reason to kill
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">That’s
right, they’re worried about being killed or injured during an act that almost
no white person would ever worry about being killed. <b>The. Same. Act. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Next
time you’re pulled over, think about how it must feel to worry about being
roughed up and possibly killed for having an expired license plate, or a burned-out
taillight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the police officer walks
to your car, think about sitting very still, with your hands up on the
dashboard or hanging out the window so he can see them, hoping he’s not one of
those types. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">You
don’t have to, of course, because of white privilege.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Income
and Jobs</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">When
white people and black people are in the same job, the black employee earns
about 20% less, on average. Same experience level, same education, same
training, but different pay. Just because of the different pigmentation of
one’s skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">And
black people are less likely to picked for the same job as white people or need
more qualifications to get the same job as a white person. This data exists in
every study that’s been done by every institution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Every.
Single. One.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Housing
and Schooling</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">There’s
a trickle-down effect to the income and jobs piece. It means that black people
are less likely to own a home and if they do, it’s less expensive than a white
person’s home. Since it’s probably in a less expensive neighborhood, the tax
base is smaller. As such, the public schools don’t get as much funding and probably
aren’t as new, as good, as well appointed, and struggle to turn out high test
scores. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for black people to get into colleges
and universities – those that do are more likely to have higher student loans
that they struggle to pay back, assuming they’re able to break through and
graduate. And it continues again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>It’s a
Black and White Cycle</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">White
privilege creates a cycle of white opportunities and more chances to be
successful. It expands the chances for you and others like you to flower and
grow. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>And you don’t even realize it. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In so
doing, it creates a cycle of black oppression as explained above that becomes
harder and harder to break through. It means that black people get fewer and
fewer chances to flower and grow. The difference is, they realize it and fight
like crazy to break out. Frankly, I’m amazed that so many have been able to!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Racism
has gone on for centuries. Finally, America seems to have reached a turning
point that needed to come, the “civil war” I referenced earlier. These last
couple of weeks have been painful with hundreds of demonstrations, some turning
violent, and rioting and looting. I’m hoping it doesn’t escalate any farther
than that. Dr. King wrote that “riots are the voice of the unheard” when asked
why people do it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Think
about this; three years ago, Colin Kaepernick was vilified for protesting
police brutality by taking a knee during the National Anthem. White people,
including the President, called him out for doing it and the NFL shut down the
act in all their games. (That’s not the right was to protest this! You’re
disrespecting the Flag, the Anthem, America, the Military! Stop!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Now,
black people (joined by white people who are fed up, too) are marching against
police brutality and systemic racism and a very small percentage of those people
are setting fire to businesses and looting. Again, white people are saying “that’s
not the way to protest!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">So,
what is the right way? When will white people (the ones in charge) say, “Oh,
now we hear you! That’s the right way to protest!” And then do something about
it????<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">These
marches and protests will not be the big event that changes everything all at
once. Culture doesn’t change (trust me, I’m an expert on this; it’s my job) as
if a switch has been flipped. It will take at least a generation to change and
that’s if everyone commits to working at it. Without full commitment it could
take several generations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Was my
MAGAT friend correct? Was Obama a racist?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If I
go with the belief that everyone is at least a little bit racist, then yes,
President Obama was a racist. That’s an oversimplification, of course. More
importantly, he called out racism when he saw it in action which causes
discomfort among those continuing the cycle of white privilege. Their response,
rather than to own their own issues and have a conversation that could result
in understanding and change, was to go “underground” with their feelings. And
then, after he served his two terms, elect someone to the role who is all about
White Privilege, writ large! That has allowed them to come back out into the
mainstream, talk about what a racist he was and put all the white privilege
cycle back into place – returning it to the status quo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
results have been devastating to black people for the past three years.
Finally, with the clearly recorded murder of George Floyd, the time came.
Enough white people were appalled to get up and say, “Enough! This must
change!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If
that group all remains engaged, and listens and takes their lead from black
people, we have a chance to slow and eventually stop this vicious cycle.
Diligence will be required as work like this is ever easy. In fact, it’s damned
hard. I’ve decided <b>I’m going to do my share.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>How am
I getting better?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
asking questions (of black people, if possible) and then I’m shutting my mouth
and listening. The questions are those that I’ve never asked before, like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“<b>Should
black people be called that or African-Americans or what?</b>” (Black people is a
better choice unless you hear differently)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“<b>Is
white privilege really a thing? What does it look like?</b>” (See above)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“<b>How
do I become less racist?</b>” (See above)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“<b>What’s
the best way for me to be an ally?</b>” (listen to black people, hear them stand
with them, don’t pretend to know how they feel, and look for ways to block
systemic racism)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
also doing research on the web, reading and watching videos. A recent series
just began called “<i><b>Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” by Emmanuel
Acho</b></i>. It’s an outstanding series and I highly recommend it. (Google it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In the
future I’ll post books and other things I’ve found. Thanks for listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-75969247231066944372020-05-02T14:15:00.001-04:002020-05-02T14:15:36.241-04:00Pandemic – a word we didn’t know becomes our life<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">It’s
been about 6 weeks since I last posted and things have continued to remain interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Here
in Virginia, we’re still under a shelter-in-place order for everything but essential
businesses; these include grocery stores, Walmart (sure), pharmacies, and
liquor stores. (ABC is a state run monopoly.) Restaurants are unable to seat
people but are attempting to remain afloat by offering curbside or delivered
meals. (GrubHub and Uber Eats may be the only growth industries in this time.)
The order that’s currently in place is until June 10<sup>th</sup>, about five
more weeks from today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbcOlG1J1fKPwppxHhDNoFv9njt-h9UngE_BczEXUguTTJYbqaU0bffK2TSc13_pb06bnTzsGcfTBt4yc5sKeZ1wurQZsVyJvfE9zV61oyGXr88F8Cr_7Ld_TxUjJZUfG2H8tFu90qeQJ/s1600/northam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbcOlG1J1fKPwppxHhDNoFv9njt-h9UngE_BczEXUguTTJYbqaU0bffK2TSc13_pb06bnTzsGcfTBt4yc5sKeZ1wurQZsVyJvfE9zV61oyGXr88F8Cr_7Ld_TxUjJZUfG2H8tFu90qeQJ/s200/northam.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gov. Northam<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">This
past week, the governor (only one in the country who is a medical doctor by
trade) started allowing surgery centers to perform elective surgeries again and
allowed for dental offices to open, too. He also recommended people wear face masks
or face coverings when out and about. This may explain the dental offices re-opening.
You put on a mask, having never worn one, and you’ll know right away that you
shouldn’t have skipped that last dental cleaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>So,
How’s it going?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
think it depends on who you ask. I’m very lucky as I still have my job that I
can do from home. I’m on webex meetings about five or six hours a day and find
myself working far more than I do when in the office. Evidently, being able to
walk around and talk to people and meet in conference rooms instead of meeting virtually
is less taxing. It is on me, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">MB was
furloughed about 5 weeks ago. She works for a non-profit and expected to be so
it wasn’t a surprise. We’re fortunate enough to be okay financially, despite
the loss of one paycheck, so she is spending a great deal of time working on
crafts, baking bread, and cooking some amazing meals. She’s also a healthy cook
so I have managed to keep any weight gain at bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">For
exercise, we walk every day. I’ve put my bike on the trainer and ride for an
hour at least two days a week. I’ve also gone to the local tennis courts, which
are closed, but I can hit balls against a wall for 30 minutes or so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Others
aren’t fairing as well. The last financial disaster, called the Great Recession
2008, took a huge toll on a lot of people but none more than the upper-middle
class. That group took the worst of it and it’s taken the last decade to dig
back out. I suspect that only about 70% of them have gotten back to where they
were before it happened. That said, the upper middle class is doing much better
this time around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
lowest quartile of earners in this country are getting killed by this pandemic
and the shutdown. They’re the least likely to have health insurance and were the
first to be laid off or furloughed as so many consumer businesses closed. Most
had no savings and are really struggling to make ends meet, now. Last week it
was reported that over 30 million had filed for unemployment so far, which is
about 20% of the working population and I imagine that close to one quarter of
the working folks are out of work right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
greatest fear is the financial divide will have grown, again, after this is over.
And that’s a recipe for disaster in our country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>We
Want to Work! Set us Free!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfmH6PiRjdWM6KS6WIxKW8OD0219P5nPdAO01BHA_3IrWFYCzFO9DN0TfJkLjL-A7DvD9wTOPv3JfQ7FL5SViSDxYAn8JKzLVIicEPTh3cx1tMgApCjo-f5B-Uf1smMUTrrAa0NU60yzZ/s1600/michigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfmH6PiRjdWM6KS6WIxKW8OD0219P5nPdAO01BHA_3IrWFYCzFO9DN0TfJkLjL-A7DvD9wTOPv3JfQ7FL5SViSDxYAn8JKzLVIicEPTh3cx1tMgApCjo-f5B-Uf1smMUTrrAa0NU60yzZ/s200/michigan.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morons with the Right to Assemble</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">As a
result of all the states closing businesses, people are beginning to get
restless. Rallies are being staged in state capitals where “armed demonstrators”
are showing up to make their point that they don’t care about the Coronavirus,
they just want to get back to work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
feeling is, if you show up at the legislature with weaponry, you’re not a
demonstrator. You’re either a terrorist or an anarchist. You want to talk, you
come with a brief case and dress appropriately. You come in body armor with an
assault rifle, you’re not looking to have a discussion. You’re looking to make
people do something they probably aren’t planning to do, with no dialog. Just
orders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Every
picture I’ve seen of these groups they appear to be overwhelmingly white, and overwhelmingly
male. We all know that white people have suffered horribly over the centuries,
downtrodden by The Man, unable to stand upright. (Wait, that’s not the white people.
My bad.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">What I’ve
found interesting in these demonstrations is that no one gets shot. I suspect
that’s because it’s a bunch of white guys. You put a couple hundred people of
color out there, give ‘em guns, and someone is going to take a bullet. (Talk
about downtrodden.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRn5DcxmQPiGaX9qsfxgMrfQSvln9kEvTaUPB-xMUC71fEGe4gUkyN93Mle4qCdTFFttCXrd2VX0NWVA_MFLoL2zcK9XHB4wkOWyS2vRM0SvTuY5XMlRcyiS_aUN3D3JtSf1eLw20ZowA/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRn5DcxmQPiGaX9qsfxgMrfQSvln9kEvTaUPB-xMUC71fEGe4gUkyN93Mle4qCdTFFttCXrd2VX0NWVA_MFLoL2zcK9XHB4wkOWyS2vRM0SvTuY5XMlRcyiS_aUN3D3JtSf1eLw20ZowA/s200/coffee.jpg" width="160" /></a><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
think what pisses me off the most is what a bunch of enabled, entitled bunch these
guys are. A couple of generations ago, entire countries gave up nearly all
their freedom to come together and defeat actual dictators. These clowns are
ticked off that they’ve had to watch Netflix for six weeks. Beer has been
plentiful and the only big shortages have been toilet paper and bread. In WW2,
coffee was RATIONED! Now you’re pissed that Starbucks only does curbside. In WW2,
shoes were RATIONED! The only difficulty with getting shoes, right now, is
having to wait for Amazon or Nike or Zappos to ship them slower than they
normally do. I mean, come on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Of
course, the Chief of Entitlement is on the side of these folks (because they
voted for his dumb ass) while telling everyone they really shouldn’t get too
close to each other, nudge, nudge, wink, wink. The same Moron in Chief also
thinks that he’s smarter than all the scientists because he came up with the
idea of UV light and Disinfectants in the body as a way to defeat the “silent
killer.”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPp_VvmCRYM3LUW8-EpE0zM8uhxB7OfEnBCjfwd2e5z86bNDVvF4ZqR7BBDZlwmGEdVXOJgLSFgperuLdp2vlBVaJzOwEhOjpDk4r3Z0OcVH8nsIaMEdefYwPKDDTZZBNGXCUHVCCO8Ocs/s1600/trumpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPp_VvmCRYM3LUW8-EpE0zM8uhxB7OfEnBCjfwd2e5z86bNDVvF4ZqR7BBDZlwmGEdVXOJgLSFgperuLdp2vlBVaJzOwEhOjpDk4r3Z0OcVH8nsIaMEdefYwPKDDTZZBNGXCUHVCCO8Ocs/s200/trumpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fauci: "JFC this guy is stupid!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">(Someone
in the future is going to read that last paragraph and say, “No, not really!” I
hope the history books are kept up to date because future generations are never
going to believe this shit.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Tough
Decisions</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Look,
I know that the governors are struggling with Crappy Option A vs Crappy Option
B when it comes to re-opening businesses. It’s going to be hard to open things
up without really good data (and far more testing) and if doing so causes a
return of the virus it’s going to be even harder to shut down again. That’s why
we elected these people – to lead! I wish them foresight, wisdom, and as much
luck as they can get!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
company, which is in the health care distribution field, is being extremely
conservative and safety oriented. We’ve lost several employees in the NYC
market to the virus and we don’t want to lose anymore. I’m guessing we’ll be
working remotely for another few months, at least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I just
hope that our national leadership can provide enough for the have nots to keep
us out of the worst trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Hope
is not a strategy. Voting? Now, that’s a strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-33811231116109425602020-03-21T10:37:00.000-04:002020-03-21T10:37:11.105-04:00Quarantines, Press Conferences, and Staying Healthy<h2>
<span style="color: blue;">The New Normal - or what is passing for it.</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been working from home for a little over a week now as has <span style="color: blue;"><b>MB</b></span>. Thank goodness she and I are compatible roommates as well as happily married to each other. (The two aren't always the same, you know.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />It's also useful that we live in a house that is large enough to be separated by a set of steps and a door that closes. And our house is over 100 years old so, the walls are really thick and sound doesn't penetrate easily. Since we're both working from home, we're constantly on conference calls and the noise could become difficult.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since nearly everyone I work with is also working remotely, we've all become acquainted with each others home offices, pets (our cat Gordon, has a new fan club although I'm not a member), and families. I've seen babies, sleepy kids, happy children, crying children, playful children and some very tired parents in front of their computers this past week. (If one thing good comes out of this pandemic it's that public school teacher may finally get a pay raise when it's over.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In order to keep my team as together as I can, I've added some new things into the mix. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we have "Coffee Time" from 8:30 - 9:00. Everyone is invited to join but attendance is voluntary. Bring a cup of coffee or your favorite drink and take a few minutes to reflect on what's happening in your life with your co-workers. This first week, it's been a nice way to stay connected; this is especially important for my Extroverts who are struggling with no one to talk to. For us Introverts, it allows us to pretend we're participating while staying in our comfortable place.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5eb5ezHtISGscQ0e7YHvr7NMXcpTyzn6VzgZ_2V1xgjOuZ5bJ36vXU-YX_FbmITgR3vgXXIRXI4r5vrBofxbtwcDL1kl-xECW8y-YDhY7YlYoDvRwGepjR4heJgDp8-IYu3sWxa7HG8L/s1600/manhattan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5eb5ezHtISGscQ0e7YHvr7NMXcpTyzn6VzgZ_2V1xgjOuZ5bJ36vXU-YX_FbmITgR3vgXXIRXI4r5vrBofxbtwcDL1kl-xECW8y-YDhY7YlYoDvRwGepjR4heJgDp8-IYu3sWxa7HG8L/s200/manhattan.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Friday, I hosted a virtual "Happy Hour" with my team and others in our department invited. With a short walk from my home office down to my home bar, it was easy to begin at 5:00 pm and sit and hash over the week with a cocktail in our hands. We all got to commiserate, see a little more of each other's private lives, and be human together for an hour. About a dozen or so attended this first one and I think it was a hit. Somehow one of the EVPs learned about it and sent me an email asking where her invitation was! She's invited to next week's get together.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Press Conferences</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There's a drawback to working from home; it's easy to get caught in the news cycle. I've managed to avoid some of it but when it's taking place during my lunch break, it's easy to get sucked in. If you missed them live, you can always catch it on the new later.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHJTOnAnTE_sNIQ1FHN89vi-vbrnEBO3QA4LZ87Q0ObabQ9ItfoV4xCwYSFgBj2XQPwFhYZeq9S-qhhi7KgCyTKz6DGAvqrO9a_VLG4FxUCha-LId2NWdhyyQn1MWOc77Z5-gYK6n4OPP/s1600/trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="750" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHJTOnAnTE_sNIQ1FHN89vi-vbrnEBO3QA4LZ87Q0ObabQ9ItfoV4xCwYSFgBj2XQPwFhYZeq9S-qhhi7KgCyTKz6DGAvqrO9a_VLG4FxUCha-LId2NWdhyyQn1MWOc77Z5-gYK6n4OPP/s200/trump.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullshitter-in-chief</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm amazed that, somehow, a pandemic has become a partisan issue. That was driven, to a great degree, by the President taking the stance that this was a "hoax" for the first few weeks of reports until he finally decided he needed to lead the country effectively, like a President is supposed to, out of the danger. (It took a paper loss of 20% of the stock market value to get his attention but, here we are.) Even now, he seems to be doing it grudgingly and keeps snapping back in a most un-presidential way at people who question him.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even now, I'm not sure the American public understands the seriousness of this. As of this writing, some states have yet to reduce public groups, shut down businesses, or take steps to keep people safe. This will prolong the fight in front of us.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I made mention of this on Twitter 2 days ago, even posted a chart created by a statistician showing the rise of cases if we don't control things better and was summarily lambasted by a hoard of MAGAts. I chose not to engage with them as the number of people liking the post was enormous and I didn't want to draw a larger group of detractors.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is a big deal being made of this? Yes! And it should be or people will die in very large numbers. If you're okay with that, so long as the economy remains robust, then you are a problem. You've determined how much human life is worth to you. Nice.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And don't tell me I'm not worried. My retirement fund has dropped in value by over 30% the past 2 weeks. At this rate, I'll be working until I'm 80. I like my work and all, but I don't want my employment to outlive me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Staying Healthy</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My gym has closed and I'm struggling to get enough exercise. <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>and I are taking walks regularly, striving to get our 10,000 steps per day in. But I miss the automatic 5,000 I used to get at the office! Working in my home office, I have to set an alarm to remember to get up and go somewhere else in the house to keep the blood flowing.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm thinking about setting my bike on the trainer and riding during conference calls when I only have to listen. Need to be careful when the camera is on during that, I suppose.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speaking of healthy, tele-medicine is making it's appearance in a big way during this pandemic. Using the internet, one can have a conversation with a healthcare professional almost like an office visit. Great method to keep social distance when symptoms could be a problem. But yesterday, I got a text message from the practice that has done my last 2 colonoscopies. They were offering to hold virtual appointments for me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found myself wondering what position I'd have to get into for that. Or does my Iphone have abilities I don't yet know about?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-38005442068777174012019-07-02T15:02:00.000-04:002019-07-02T15:02:40.104-04:00Man, Woman, Dog<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Here's a short creative piece of writing from me. I hope you enjoy the notion that things are not always as they seem. It depends upon ones point of view!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Man,
Woman, Dog</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Man</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
man led his dog out of the house, fumbling with the waste bag container as he closed
the door behind him. He immediately noticed how gorgeous the morning was. The
air was fresh from a light rain the evening before and delightfully cool with
no hint of the oppressive heat that would soon be the norm. Summer was
arriving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
dog trotted down the front steps and headed between the parked cars to cross
the street and head to his favorite spot for the morning pee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
man thought, “You always pick the smallest opening between the cars, dude. And
you’re in a hurry this morning, too. Hang on, I’m coming!” He smiled as the dog
walked quickly into the middle of a flower bed and raised his leg, his face
showing the simple pleasure of a fast emptying bladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
man looked around at the view being delivered by the early morning sunshine.
7:00 am on a Saturday morning meant few people were out and about. The only
sound some birds whistling in the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
felt the tug of the dog moving back to the sidewalk and beginning his morning
trot signaling it was time to head to his favorite pooping spot. Not a direct
route, of course, but one filled with multiple stops for sniffing and short
squirts to mark his progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">A
block and a half further along, the traffic light let everyone know when it was
their turn. As the man and dog waited for the “Walk” light, a woman came out of
the Starbucks that was diagonally across the intersection. He never saw her
face as she turned immediately right and began walking away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
thought, “Wow! Look at her go!” The woman was slim and athletic looking. She
was dressed in tight black yoga attire, spaghetti strap top, and was carrying a
yoga mat over her shoulder. She had a small Starbucks cup in one hand and her
other hand held her phone. Her gait was fast and energetic. So much so that her
black ponytail was swinging jauntily back and forth behind her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
thought, “She’s got that self-assured look, like she’s ready to take on the
world! She looks so happy, like she’s off to a great yoga class and then ready
to face the day. I’ll bet she’s one of those women who always has a smile on
her face and an easy laugh. Probably meeting her boyfriend or girlfriend for
coffee and then brunch after class. I wish my walk still had that look to it.
Sucks getting old.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
man tried to keep his eye on the woman for as long as possible, but she was
going to out of sight in a moment. He looked down to see his dog saddling up
for his morning constitutional. He sighed as he pulled a bag out of the holder
and prepared it for picking up the waste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He
said, “Attaboy, Dog. I can always count on you, right bud?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Using
the bag, he picked up the fresh deposit after the dog finished and spun the top
of the bag to seal it for the trash. He looked after the woman, but she was
around the corner and already gone. Except in his mind’s eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><b>Woman</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
woman found the small latte she’d ordered via the app, on her walk to the
Starbucks from her apartment. It was her one guilty pleasure, that latte. As she
put the cup to her lips for that first taste of bliss, her eyes spotted her
boyfriend over the rim of the cup. He was sitting at a small table and his hair
had that “just gotten out of bed” look that she adored, and she smiled. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">He was
looking away from her and she began to take a step towards the table when she
noticed that he was looking at another woman walking his way, from the rest room. Her
hair had the same look as his and she was smiling at him. He was smiling back
as she sat down and put her hand on his. And in that moment, she knew. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Her
smile disappeared, and her eyes flashed at the same moment he turned to see her
standing there. His eyes widened with recognition, of her, of being caught, of
loss about to happen, of fear of response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
woman turned on her heel, took three quick steps and was out the door in a flash,
reaching full walking speed, moving so fast that her ponytail was swinging in
time to her strides, great chopping strides. She wasn’t running but anyone
would have to, in order to catch her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">She
thought, “Sonofabitch, you told me you were beat from working late all fucking
week! You crawl out of bed with someone who lives in my neighborhood, in my
fucking neighborhood, and get coffee with her in the fucking Starbucks that I
stop at, every fucking morning! Godammit!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Her
mind focused on getting away from this place as quickly as possible. She didn’t
want to see or talk to anyone, she just wanted to breathe and be angry and feel
badly for herself and be disappointed for having been shit on, again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">As she
turned the corner, she thought, “Men are such assholes.” Another few yards down
the sidewalk, she sat down at a park bench and took out her phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">She
blocked his number and then deleted the contact. She thought, “Fuck you. You
prick.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Dog</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
dog wagged his tail as the man connected his leash because he needed to pee and
poop, and it would feel good to do so. And then the man would bring him back
home and he could eat and then curl up at the man’s feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
dog thought, “I love my human.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><br />
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-2489944757561059502019-05-02T16:22:00.002-04:002019-05-02T16:22:30.394-04:00Europe Weeps and Wonders<br />
<h2>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Finish
with the End in Mind</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">I
started this post as a travelogue, covering an amazing trip that we took in April
through the countries of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary. It
was mind shifting for me, thanks to some things I saw and conversations I had.
I want to share this part first, for those that don’t want to bother with all
the travel stuff. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuVcH7tLaA_3FA-_sJONURHeinVYKgt6IaQ4vdqySdUXlLNr45VVdz3l6lKg7jNlGWg-Xo5_039a3T5auWpcU1ehBxvWLKbCNLUeAiKsA0l-6ErPHohIlQPegoqhgMMiHsMGxpg_vAdst/s1600/balkans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="762" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuVcH7tLaA_3FA-_sJONURHeinVYKgt6IaQ4vdqySdUXlLNr45VVdz3l6lKg7jNlGWg-Xo5_039a3T5auWpcU1ehBxvWLKbCNLUeAiKsA0l-6ErPHohIlQPegoqhgMMiHsMGxpg_vAdst/s320/balkans.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This used to be Yugoslavia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I was
fortunate during this trip to speak with many locals in six different
countries; fortunate because they all spoke English far better than I spoke
their native languages! At some point in these conversations, the person would
change their tone because they wanted to ask a very pointed question and didn’t
want to offend me, their American visitor. The question would vary but the gist
of it, every time, was something this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“How did
America elect Donald Trump as President when everyone doesn’t like him? And how
soon can you get rid of him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X1xXWoEq-QGGsYEAtBdBssltndTCgm_3zCoj65bKZCydWcNxmumxzRr93OCvcE1JW3UGoOzZtm2Ov4pXKBtp-vd9cybwimifr0dNUUGcK5aLUfBOn6kqPC8VCLVzBNsyMPKZZor51-GL/s1600/electoral+college.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X1xXWoEq-QGGsYEAtBdBssltndTCgm_3zCoj65bKZCydWcNxmumxzRr93OCvcE1JW3UGoOzZtm2Ov4pXKBtp-vd9cybwimifr0dNUUGcK5aLUfBOn6kqPC8VCLVzBNsyMPKZZor51-GL/s200/electoral+college.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Electoral College</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
would explain that not everyone doesn’t like him, that over 60 million people
had voted for him and our Electoral College had enabled him to be elected. (I
gave this civics lesson, multiple times. I’m glad I paid attention in school.)
His term was four years and he would serve at least that long unless something
happened to shorten it. And there is no guarantee that he won’t be re-elected
to another one. Then, I would ask why is it so important to you? The answers
were eerily similar and focused on the same themes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">They would respond with something like this, “America
has led democracy in our country, too, as we’ve tried to model ourselves after
how you govern. Since 2016, we’re seeing people that resemble our old,
autocratic rulers and right-wingers, all of whom seem emboldened by Trump’s
election, running for election here. He’s awakened an ugly part of our
potential leadership and the people that vote for them, and it’s at every level
of elected government from local to national. Some are already getting into
office! Our democracy is only 20 years old and is far less stable than yours.
We’re worried that we’re going to wind up back in a very bad place. Isn’t there
something you can do?” (This last line was always delivered as a plea and it
caused my heart to hurt, each time.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">After
having one of these conversations, it began to hit me that these smaller
countries, who have only been able to taste self-governance for a generation or
so, are in such a tenuous position. They’ve only just begun to manage democracy
and need some time doing it, and doing it well, before it becomes cemented into
place. Our last presidential election put a big barrier in the way of that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5CL3xcRyAkjlyhizP0zPAszRGQc-qcVy62ubwl5yC5n6yFxFZIlzfyGMJRtN56WEWnjjHLAlsheBUBXnVnClcsD9YmKtDpMgl2Y5Ppeh7qHneBWuk5DIETq6Sfr_gzl83001mwzXvBJO/s1600/gw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5CL3xcRyAkjlyhizP0zPAszRGQc-qcVy62ubwl5yC5n6yFxFZIlzfyGMJRtN56WEWnjjHLAlsheBUBXnVnClcsD9YmKtDpMgl2Y5Ppeh7qHneBWuk5DIETq6Sfr_gzl83001mwzXvBJO/s200/gw.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currently not sleeping well</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">George
Washington once referred to our brand-new government as “The Great Experiment”
because it was unlike any that had existed before. In those early years, there
were multiple opportunities for it go south and disintegrate. Hell, less than a
hundred years later (Four score and seven to be exact) our country nearly
collapsed under the weight of the Civil War. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">As I
considered their points, I began to feel ashamed. Ashamed not for my country
but for the way we’ve let our fellow citizens of the world down. For the way
that we’ve disintegrated into a divided people who refuse to hold our leaders
to task for not doing what’s right. For the way we’ve allowed another country
to influence who we elect into the highest offices. And most of all, for
abdicating our role as the leaders of the free world by focusing on “America
First” and allowing others who are less scrupulous fill the void we’ve left
behind. (China and Russia.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Our
President is turning our country into something it should never be. To
established countries, we’ve become a laughingstock. We are led by someone who has no
sense of acceptable behavior for a World Leader, is ignorant of the rule of
law, in denial of any notions other than his own, is crass and misogynistic, and is being enabled by a party that is unwilling to hold him accountable for any of his regressive actions. To all the new democracies, we’ve become a cautionary tale – how not
to keep your democracy intact in one simple lesson!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">For
those of you who are still Trump fans, I want you to know that I truly respect your
desire to have a conservative government, one that allows free enterprise to
expand and rewards hard work. I’ve voted for a conservative at least as many
times as I have a liberal when I thought that person was right for the job and
the time was right for that kind of leadership. You see, I like to think about
keeping the car somewhere in the middle of the lane and, to do that, one must vote
the other way when necessary. Capitalism is how we got this successful and I'm not interested in getting rid of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">But I
believe that Donald J. Trump is not the person to lead this country. I’ve watched the man in action
for over 35 years and he’s never been that person. He’s a con man of the worst
kind, always has been. He’s been stealing from people while smiling and telling
them how great they are, for his entire adult life. He’s been letting them know
he’s on their side while taking their wallet. For you to continue blindly
following him as he does this, well, I have no idea what you need to see to
change your mind. Maybe that’s it. You can’t be bothered to read, watch, listen
to anything other than his propaganda. If that’s the case, I can't help but think that you’re lazy and you get
what you deserve. I've done the research and I can tell you that I have no qualms saying he's the BullShitter in chief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
don’t mind telling you that I’m concerned that we’re not going to be able to
pull this slow, excruciating train wreck out of the ditch before it’s too late.
And it’s up to us, We the People, if we’re going to do it. How? Email, call,
text, Tweet, Facebook Message – however you communicate – to your
representatives and let them know you’re waiting and watching for their
actions. If you have money, give it to some form of resistance. Or, if you hate
to contribute to politicians, put it into a non-profit that helps those in
need. But do something. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If nothing else, stop spreading the fertilizer that I
see on social media without bothering to check its validity. (Seriously, a
Google search takes 30 seconds. Are you too busy looking at cat videos to
check???) Take some responsibility for insuring that what you say is factual or at least can be shown to have some factual content before you post it. And if you're proven wrong, take it down and admit you were wrong. I've done that and it doesn't hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m
convinced that we need to take this country back and I’m doing my part. I hope
you’ll join me, too, and soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-42918218482605152232018-10-19T14:48:00.000-04:002018-10-19T14:48:29.449-04:00Respectful Discourse - and What I believe<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOhgKaP_ZumkAmUi_JdfWhngO5RRl8ygUsARM7wZuhmGT7NhBB9rnn48YQztXWiyGua12f_KanVFBRmwuBXSqvveWifpYskVnk0BBShY704HyvxoOF3rlGihV8f7nTi2r_ia3-HhwKKS6/s1600/discourse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="287" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOhgKaP_ZumkAmUi_JdfWhngO5RRl8ygUsARM7wZuhmGT7NhBB9rnn48YQztXWiyGua12f_KanVFBRmwuBXSqvveWifpYskVnk0BBShY704HyvxoOF3rlGihV8f7nTi2r_ia3-HhwKKS6/s200/discourse.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the things I pride myself on is my willingness to
listen to people with points of view that are different from my own. I welcome
the give and take of a good debate not because I’m looking to change others’
minds, but because I think it expands my own knowledge and ways of looking at
the world. And if I change my mind and/or the other person does, then it’s a
bonus.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With our current political climate, it’s very easy to get
differing points of view on almost every topic. Unfortunately, they tend towards
way out on both fringes of opinion, at least they do until, and if, you can get
someone to really discuss individual issues and not just spout off rhetoric.
(Which then, usually, devolves into name-calling. I wonder, is this caused by a
lack of knowing about the subject? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or is it a “give up” position where they
just don’t care to listen to anyone else’s opinion?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is my political side? Well, it depends on who you ask.
I have some friends who think I’m a raging Liberal and others who think I tend
toward Conservative values. Take a look at these statements and see if you
don’t agree with opposing opinions, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that gun ownership is a Constitutional right
provided by the Second Amendment AND I believe in responsible gun ownership. I
also believe that no one needs to own an automatic weapon (I’m okay with
semi-automatic) or the ability to have more than 10 rounds in their gun at a
time. I believe that, since it’s a deadly weapon, owners should be licensed,
made to pass a safety course, and have an insurance policy to cover harm that
might occur. Why? The only other deadly weapon that most Americans possess is
an automobile and all those common-sense things (license, safety course,
insurance) are required by law when we own one of them. Why shouldn’t it be
true for guns? That <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DLjxAIUmQeVLbugMdJEdGpuvRFkdxSvvDyP5bbHIm_Ft2utmJ7gzGo80Msv3Ig6wUWiOAxelQcuxNk0sj1ZhgyjFJt0ULdf6jj-qyFoFbMJH3_L1ouYWcdRS5S3G-Kcl2co5jKz1O_RW/s1600/gun-show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DLjxAIUmQeVLbugMdJEdGpuvRFkdxSvvDyP5bbHIm_Ft2utmJ7gzGo80Msv3Ig6wUWiOAxelQcuxNk0sj1ZhgyjFJt0ULdf6jj-qyFoFbMJH3_L1ouYWcdRS5S3G-Kcl2co5jKz1O_RW/s320/gun-show.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry. I don't think anyone needs these.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
just seems reasonable to me. We have to stop all the
senseless killing of kids and I don’t know how to go about it. I’m not in favor
of outlawing guns. I am in favor of understanding the data and figuring out how
to stop it, first. The NRA seems dead set against that but until the problem is
studied, we don’t know how to fix it! So, am I a Liberal or a Conservative? (By
the way, I own a few guns and I wrote this paragraph a few weeks after the
latest school shooting in Florida. I also think that no one needs a gun that
was designed specifically for killing humans, like the AR-15. The fact that
there are over 10 million of them in American’s hands leads me to believe we’re
always going to have them, unfortunately.)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that our government is too large. Not because it’s
doing too much but because it’s inefficient in how it’s run. I think that if
some business tenets for managing people, establishing goals and budgets and
performance management, were instituted that we could make it more effective. It
takes in far too much money and often provides little in return and desperately
needs to be more efficient. So, am I a Liberal or a Conservative?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that we need term limits for our elected officials.
Two terms for the President, two terms for the Senate, and five terms for the
House of Representatives. (I’m not sure about judges and SCOTUS <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiao1QMT_xzQEBkNm8cUlhv-P3adCR_WFYAJHwU5zo9eyS4C8afe3E_uFmlHPCu6Bl3jHi2KeZE-wS3BOvNmF7aBYHvpA8sQhd25F94RAwtD-NyuQIPMnBUIBl36z5-3FazfTZmaESTQ9/s1600/term+limits.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="390" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiao1QMT_xzQEBkNm8cUlhv-P3adCR_WFYAJHwU5zo9eyS4C8afe3E_uFmlHPCu6Bl3jHi2KeZE-wS3BOvNmF7aBYHvpA8sQhd25F94RAwtD-NyuQIPMnBUIBl36z5-3FazfTZmaESTQ9/s200/term+limits.png" width="154" /></a></div>
but I’m leaning
to a certain number of years, say 20.) I also believe that all these people’s
health insurance, retirement programs, and other perks should be the same as
“normal” Americans. (I don’t know of any job where you can work for a couple of
years and then draw 80% or your same salary for life. Congress can do that.
Yes, really.) I’m also in favor of controls on campaign contributions – the
amount of money these people are taking in is ludicrous and I’m appalled at how
much money is spent to influence them. They all appear to work for the
lobbyists with the deepest pockets, from what I can tell. So, am I a Liberal or
a Conservative?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that our federal budget should be <b>balanced </b>– what
comes in, goes out. All of us as citizens live that way; our government
shouldn’t be any different. To enforce this, I’m in favor of all of Congress
being replaced at the next election cycle as a penalty for failing this simple
test. (I realize this would take a Constitutional Amendment.) So, am I a
Liberal or a Conservative?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe in <b>capitalism </b>as it’s the basis for the American
Dream. I also believe that regulation is important because greed makes people
compromise their rules/morals and there must be consequences for doing so. (I
don’t know how much regulation is too much. I do know that, occasionally,
regulations are put into place and create unintended consequences. Because of
this, there needs to be constant vigilance around regulations, ensuring that
they’re accomplishing the desired behaviors.) So, am I a Liberal or a
Conservative?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that, since the Federal Government was created “in
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote
the general Welfare” of the nation, that it’s responsible for providing
military might, establishing and enforcing laws, and helping people who are
unable to help themselves. (Yes, including health care.) This is accomplished
through the collection of taxes and delivery of those named services to
everyone as they need it. </span>So, am I a Liberal or a Conservative? (Or a
Communist or Socialist?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7MmlYSQflCpApB1ozJDdyQVNXOJr581zxhjpoe8HptbybsSx8ouFnSxPexRVK8z2RVGEtA-SUbYUW-Ddodw97V9HLE18XJiLrCKnJOaJVzHMx7SfO8zC-QOW39WZ41Du3UH9FnYsWJeM/s1600/religion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="737" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7MmlYSQflCpApB1ozJDdyQVNXOJr581zxhjpoe8HptbybsSx8ouFnSxPexRVK8z2RVGEtA-SUbYUW-Ddodw97V9HLE18XJiLrCKnJOaJVzHMx7SfO8zC-QOW39WZ41Du3UH9FnYsWJeM/s200/religion.png" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whatever, man.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe everyone should be allowed to practice whatever religion they want (or not practice one at all) without anyone telling them that theirs is better or worse. So long as their "religion" doesn't </div>
negatively affect others, then it's acceptable. I also believe that our country was founded by men who <br />
were religious and that they went to great lengths to keep their beliefs out of forming the country. In other words, this country was NOT founded on Scripture but on the rule of law so that it could apply to every person, regardless of individual beliefs.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe that, in a developed society like ours, basic health
care is a right not a market; it’s right up there with clean water. No one
should be denied healthcare just because they lack the ability to pay for it.
As a society, we have the right to expect that healthcare to be as available,
good AND as inexpensive as possible. (I recognize that’s a balancing act
between those 3 parameters.) </span>So, am I a Liberal or a Conservative?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that our borders should be difficult to cross for
the purposes of immigrating here (No, not a wall) and that we should be diligent
about whom we let in. (We already are, by the way.) I also know that there are
people who were brought here as children, who have only known this country and
are now adults – in most cases, providing for their families, paying taxes,
acting as good citizens should act. They should be given an easy route to
citizenship. Those who came here years ago, illegally, should also be given a
chance to citizenship if they’ve proven to be upstanding individuals – paying
taxes, not committing crime, etc. I don’t believe in simply deporting those
people. It causes far too much chaos for very little gain. (Contrary to some
opinions, illegal immigrants can’t get government handouts. Their kids <b>can </b>get
public school education and if they show up at an ER with a life-threatening
condition they will receive treatment because of the law that states everyone
will be treated, even if they can’t pay. Yep, it’s a law. Signed by Richard
Nixon in 1972.) Am I a Liberal or a Conservative?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe that women have a right to choose what they do
with their bodies and that includes get an abortion if they so desire. I also
believe that abortions should be the last choice as there are plenty of
childless couples who are willing to adopt a child that is unwanted. That then
means that the public needs to help take care of the women who are carrying
these babies to full term as the expense, for many women, can be a burden. So,
am I a Liberal or a Conservative? (P.S. if you really want to reduce abortions,
provide easily available health care for all women – that will reduce unwanted
pregnancies thus reducing abortions.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, I believe that our political leaders have a duty to comport themselves in a manner that is in line with basic, acceptable, societal behaviors. That includes using facts, eliminating lies and apologizing when one is uncovered, setting an example for how one should behave, and not resorting to name-calling or bullying of others. It also includes holding other world leaders to the same set of behaviors</div>
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Now, from these statements I suspect you’ve formed an
opinion about me. Some of it good and some of it bad. That’s a direct result of
whether you agree with me or not on each specific point. Chances are that you
have agreed with me on at least one point and, depending how important that
point is to you, it forms the basis for your deciding if I’m a Liberal or
Conservative. (I have a friend of mine who thinks I’m a C because I’m a
capitalist and want business to succeed. Another thinks I’m a flaming L because
I want to see regulation in place to constrain bad behaviors. As you can imagine,
those respective points of view are strong passions for each!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My effort behind this post has been to provide a starting point to
conversations. If you’d like to join in with me, comment by clicking the
comment link below. Please stick with facts, not opinions, and include a link
to whatever supports the facts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All comments are moderated by me and won’t be posted if there is
any name-calling, whatsoever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-34592302256161569462017-07-13T15:21:00.000-04:002017-07-13T15:21:37.953-04:00Affordable Health Care? Facts, Opinions, and a Solution!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Disclaimer</span></b>:
I am not a financial wizard, or a financial analyst. I sold health insurance
for six months or so but that was 35 years ago. I do work for a company in the </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMT-lvRYFI4clay4MLQvd7RhflkEH2AsbL3oLLWKUOWt-f08TWKlyEeBYeuuMpj5iHQGhDDf-3fohan0O72Epp6_800cOdKRn3Oz8RqAcy5uwQMDQpPX4vl11v0mr7j6IZNFL7DH93_gx/s1600/fin+wiz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMT-lvRYFI4clay4MLQvd7RhflkEH2AsbL3oLLWKUOWt-f08TWKlyEeBYeuuMpj5iHQGhDDf-3fohan0O72Epp6_800cOdKRn3Oz8RqAcy5uwQMDQpPX4vl11v0mr7j6IZNFL7DH93_gx/s1600/fin+wiz.jpg" /></a></div>
business
of health care but we distribute supplies so we get paid no matter how this
goes. Finally, these thoughts are mine and mine alone. I’m just a concerned
citizen who scratches his head at the folly of our legislature debating Health
Care and various acts they want to repeal or pass.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Let’s
begin with the Facts: </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Prior
to 1973, it was illegal for healthcare to be conducted on a “for profit” basis.
The Health Maintenance Organization Act was passed by Congress and signed into
law by President Nixon on December 29, 1973 to encourage and promote HMOs as a
way to reduce the cost of health care on a trial basis. The intention of this
act was that entities could eventually begin to use profits to offset costs,
thus driving down overall costs. (Or make a buck out of healthcare, however it
worked out. Turned out to be the latter.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">All
Americans are guaranteed to receive some form of health care should they show
up at an Emergency Room at a hospital even if <b>they have no way to pay for it</b>. (This is as a result of the
Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act passed by Congress in 1986 and signed
into law by President Reagan. It’s an unfunded mandate that all hospitals
appear to heed; more on this later.) The fact that this legislation was passed
leads me to believe that, We the People, believe that everyone is entitled and
has a right to basic healthcare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The annual
cost of healthcare in the US is $8608 per capita (that’s as of 2015; current
estimate is $10,068 per capita) which is the highest in the world. Despite
this, the US does not have the “best health care in the world” as many believe.
The following paragraph comes from Wikipedia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">The United States life
expectancy of 79.8 years at birth, up from 75.2 years in 1990, ranks it 42nd
among 224 nations, and 22nd out of the 35 industrialized </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OECD" title="OECD"><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">OECD</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> countries,
down from 20th in 1990.</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States#cite_note-6"><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></sup></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States#cite_note-Murray2013-7"><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></sup></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> Of 17 high-income countries studied by the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institutes_of_Health" title="National Institutes of Health"><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">National
Institutes of Health</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> in 2013,
the United States had the highest or near-highest prevalence of obesity, car
accidents, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_mortality" title="Infant mortality"><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">infant mortality</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">, heart and lung disease, sexually transmitted
infections, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_pregnancy_in_the_United_States" title="Teenage pregnancy in the United States"><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">adolescent
pregnancies</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">, injuries, and
homicides. On average, a U.S. male can be expected to live almost four fewer
years than those in the top-ranked country, though notably Americans aged 75
live longer than those who reach that age in other developed nations.</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States#cite_note-nihbph-8"><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></sup></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> A 2014 survey of the healthcare systems of 11 developed
countries found the US healthcare system to be the most expensive and
worst-performing in terms of health access, efficiency, and equity.</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States#cite_note-9"><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></sup></a></b><sup><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></sup></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">(We
must be very proud!)</span><sup><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">There
is no such thing as “free health care.” Even the indigent, who may get health
care they can’t pay for, aren’t getting it for free. It may be free to them but
the rest of us are paying for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">How?
Hospitals, bound by the law mentioned above, record the cost of that care on
their books as “un-reimbursed expenses” which is above the profit line. That
means, it is accounted for as an expense or “cost of doing business” and is
simply deducted from their potential profits. In other words, all of those who
pay the hospital money (insurance companies, your employer, you in the form of
copay or deductibles) pay for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">That
means <b>WE</b> pay for all the health care
in the country. <b>Medicare</b>, <b>Medicaid</b>, private insurance, and our employers may
send a check to pay parts of our healthcare bill but they get the money to do
so from <b>We The People</b> in the form of taxes paid, health insurance premiums,
copays, and deductibles. <b>We</b> pay. <b>They</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">administrate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">About
18.5% of all the money in our economy is taken up by the cost of health care.
How much is that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Current <span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">In
round numbers, it’s </span><b><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">$3,400,000,000,000. </span></b><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">That’s over three trillion
dollars and it continues to go up every year. This is the reason that the
<b>Affordable <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbotrp_PHa3F3SlzohVWQSG5WPODKf32mTTLKwWcML_wWEgGeTz_F4g1f5ZKG4e32ca7KEuGVLtNDikC9pYxRgozw4pAjI-qSf0qQNgBsv6jhMelwQpuw-Y4zcJ6141G5QRdZ1npWrler2/s1600/ACA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbotrp_PHa3F3SlzohVWQSG5WPODKf32mTTLKwWcML_wWEgGeTz_F4g1f5ZKG4e32ca7KEuGVLtNDikC9pYxRgozw4pAjI-qSf0qQNgBsv6jhMelwQpuw-Y4zcJ6141G5QRdZ1npWrler2/s200/ACA.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current Law</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Care Act</b> and it’s repeal / replacement / adjustment / tweaking are
so important to our Congress. And it should be very important to all of us
because, in the end, they’re discussing the distribution of almost 20% of <b>our</b> money, each year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Do <b>you</b> trust them? (And by them, I’m
talking about <b>Congress </b>since they’re the ones deciding how this will be done.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Now,
here are my Opinions (along with some additional facts):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Consumerism????</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I find
it ridiculous that healthcare isn’t treated like nearly every other business in
this country. What do I mean? Well, we have all kinds of consumer protection laws
in place to ensure we don’t get the shaft from just about every type of business
but nothing like that exists in healthcare!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">When I
worked in retail consumer electronics, we were required to have on display<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwZiozuDWTKeusV89vVTCPgOBbUelseT6vK9G-qvykxsHjXUfsEa_qNxsKLJK0sIrsXn7q14RKIC6tudZUvEXEIc4NBg3qWlQ93vw2p33cljCEje-DIMFVFme0yjx1iGCKspSp5VzgOqK/s1600/bait+and+switch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="240" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwZiozuDWTKeusV89vVTCPgOBbUelseT6vK9G-qvykxsHjXUfsEa_qNxsKLJK0sIrsXn7q14RKIC6tudZUvEXEIc4NBg3qWlQ93vw2p33cljCEje-DIMFVFme0yjx1iGCKspSp5VzgOqK/s200/bait+and+switch.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prices?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
and
available for sale in every store, any item that was advertised in our
newspaper circular. Failure to do so, could result in a <b>$10,000</b> fine<b> per
location</b>. On any given Sunday, that meant we were on the hook for up to <b>$7
million</b> in fines due to being out of stock and this was enforced by the Federal
Trade Commission. (The law came about as the result of bait and switch tactics
practiced by some retailers.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeIZNkz3h5RxAuSvGVxOuldCtUCtsqFvDGAwPgQfFYPQhgPbcLoiglfR7EqXSRu8EEUJ5sy6vHWQjlYp9d-5wonHVf-IM-zvR8K-CkUZpeOR9OWzY-QMfTaICVBSAwF8PJbyF06Uiq8EP/s1600/urg+care.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeIZNkz3h5RxAuSvGVxOuldCtUCtsqFvDGAwPgQfFYPQhgPbcLoiglfR7EqXSRu8EEUJ5sy6vHWQjlYp9d-5wonHVf-IM-zvR8K-CkUZpeOR9OWzY-QMfTaICVBSAwF8PJbyF06Uiq8EP/s200/urg+care.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">In the
world of healthcare, pricing is a kind of smoky unreality that no one really
wants to talk about with the patients. (The only place where pricing is upfront
is typically in the case of <b>Urgent Care Clinics</b>. These places spell out their
prices for visits when you check in. In other words, they act like a retailer.
How refreshing!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Example
– an acquaintance of mine was diagnosed with a form of sleep apnea and was
prescribed a CPAP device; these blow air in your nose and keep your airway open
so you can actually sleep. When they went to the equipment provider, they were
unable to tell how much the unit cost and how much the private insurer would
cover. This person called the insurance provider and they were unable to
explain how much coverage would be provided so that the insured could budget
for the purchase. In other words, no one was willing to own up to actual cost <b>for the patient!</b> (In the end, it
amounted to over $1200 and this person was able to cover that but most people
in this country could not afford that expense; in fact, most Americans couldn’t afford it
if it was as little at $400.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>High
Costs – because, waste</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">On a
different plane, why is the cost of healthcare itself so high? Particularly
when the US clearly isn’t getting much in return? (See rankings above.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-nusjEwnKXIttyao1mKUGyBEvAQ0RwQjr3AxIVBH6q2zY-gGNaEegwwrjL_JkvkfwWrFldLYTkdAq4ysOpUgh-DwHOil5b-E7RI2IvsxK1tmn2k-azkEBFF1IgLDy5aYmh9myuYV0oiX/s1600/prices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-nusjEwnKXIttyao1mKUGyBEvAQ0RwQjr3AxIVBH6q2zY-gGNaEegwwrjL_JkvkfwWrFldLYTkdAq4ysOpUgh-DwHOil5b-E7RI2IvsxK1tmn2k-azkEBFF1IgLDy5aYmh9myuYV0oiX/s200/prices.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">For
one thing, there is a great deal of waste involved in our current system. The
person with the CPAP machine that I just mentioned received a total of 11
different bills (delivered thru US mail) for the device, despite having gone to
only one provider for the unit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">This
is an example of waste that occurs on a daily basis in every aspect of health
care. In this case there is at least 10 bills too many, all with postage that
adds up to around $5 of wasted postage cost. But it’s far more than that. Each
of those bills and invoices had to go through various departments/people for
processing before being printed and mailed to the insured. A quick <span style="color: red;">Google
</span>search tells me that it costs anywhere from $7 to $37 dollars for each invoice
produced. If we take the halfway point, that’s $22 per invoice or $220 worth of
waste for this one transaction. Bear in mind, that the waste noted here is only
on the patient side. If the same number of invoices have to be produced for the
private insurers, it doubles. That’s $400 of waste on one transaction (that
cost the patient $1200) and we’ve only looked at the billing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">More
waste occurs in another way, over-testing. Currently, physicians are reimbursed
for procedures / tests that they perform, a methodology known as pay for
procedure. The downside to this is that it incents them to perform more tests
than may be needed for a given presentation by a patient. Is there
justification for this? Maybe. Doctors claim that it helps to keep the cost of
malpractice insurance down but I haven’t done any research on that. (I do know
that my personal physician sold his practice about 8 years ago and moved into
another role in health care because his malpractice insurance had risen to <b>$12,000 per month</b> and he’d never had a
claim! That cost was more than he could overcome.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">It’s
estimated that a third of health care costs are caused by waste in the system.
That seems like a reasonable number to me, especially when you consider that
64% of all healthcare is paid or administered through some form of government
program: Medicaid, Medicare, Veteran’s Administration, for example. If that
estimate is correct, that is $1 trillion that is being paid for, needlessly, by
all of us every year! (That’s 1/12 of the economy.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Higher
Costs – because, profit!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Another
cause for the high cost of health care stems from the costs of pharmaceuticals.
Manufacturers invest a great deal of money in coming up with new drugs to fix
all of the things that ail humankind and I recognize that. But do you know how
much they spend on advertising? In 2016, it was $<b>5.2 billion!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8R5aOglvMaitd7K3Vj9ZaP7vSvKNrhRYSkcZfmA8RVb4CYJuT_t1kgxTIogPeMYu4pgassZZmO7Uwc6NhkUnRkbTCqdHbdM_Ttb4eZwzjxoIIAfYxtpdYVzh_eWfL3BgJV7AKGxXJ2gX/s1600/cialis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="305" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8R5aOglvMaitd7K3Vj9ZaP7vSvKNrhRYSkcZfmA8RVb4CYJuT_t1kgxTIogPeMYu4pgassZZmO7Uwc6NhkUnRkbTCqdHbdM_Ttb4eZwzjxoIIAfYxtpdYVzh_eWfL3BgJV7AKGxXJ2gX/s200/cialis.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WTF with 2 tubs????</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Direct
to consumer drug advertising began in 1982 but didn’t really get going until
1997 when the law was loosened up and TV advertising began in earnest. It’s
gotten really bad the last few years as more and more manufacturers expand
their advertising and, coincidentally, their prices. According to a report by
CBS News, 20 brand-name, high use, prescription drugs have quadrupled their
prices since 2014. In 3 years, that equates to a compound annual increase of
48%! I’m not aware of any current business that is driving it’s pricing in such
a way while still remaining in business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><b>So,
“Ask your doctor if continuing to get screwed by high drug prices is right for
you!”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Solutions
– are there any?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
<b>Affordable Care Act</b>, known colloquially as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010 and
signed into law by President Obama. It was designed to reduce the overall cost
of healthcare by providing insurance coverage for those who can least afford it
and, generally speaking, cost the most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Remember
the law guaranteeing health care for poor people in the ER? That’s where many
would go for anything health related. As a result, they’d be going to the most
expensive provider for the least expensive need (flu, cold, general maladies)
and getting no well care to help keep chronic disease (diabetes, hypertension,
high cholesterol) held at bay. Result – increase in health care cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
<b>ACA </b>provided millions more people with health insurance, and coincidentally
slightly better health care, thus bending the cost curve down. (That’s not
really a reduction in expense, it’s a reduction in the amount of increase. It’s
better but not dramatically so.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><b>American
Health Care Act<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaJbq7_UzRqef7CudsuhyeobkyLe6KIZ1rEc2k3ijQnNVIzIbf0uy_OPFfkWzATJYfWJyKJdkrpqBdWM_X3OvrX9jHPYEY8r3A0BDueKGVyLLCq0DdOrosrsSIo7ylD4nd29zrbOpsOB5/s1600/ahca.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaJbq7_UzRqef7CudsuhyeobkyLe6KIZ1rEc2k3ijQnNVIzIbf0uy_OPFfkWzATJYfWJyKJdkrpqBdWM_X3OvrX9jHPYEY8r3A0BDueKGVyLLCq0DdOrosrsSIo7ylD4nd29zrbOpsOB5/s200/ahca.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn your head and cough!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Now
that the GOP is in charge of the House, Senate, and White House, they are bound
and determined to fix healthcare once and for all. They intend to do this by
repealing and replacing the ACA and replacing it with something better. (Thus,
saving us from “the complete failure of Obamacare.” I wish everyone would speak
less dramatically about all of this. Obamacare has actually bent the curve down
slightly as to the overall cost. I hope whatever the GOP comes up with fails at
least that good!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
House plan calls for reducing the amount of money spent on Medicaid (that’s the
one that covers the poorest people in the country) a defunding of <b><span style="color: red;">Planned
Parenthood</span></b>, along with a loosening of insurance laws that would allow them to
sell across state lines (that’s not yet clear on details) and it would leave in
place some of the features from the ACA around pre-existing conditions and
allowing dependent children coverage until age 26.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">This
plan would also remove a tax on the wealthiest members of society which was in
place to pay for the ACA. (Thank goodness! I was worried about them.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">According
to the Congressional Budget Office, this would cause 23 million people
currently insured to lose their coverage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">According
to the House majority, this would turn loose the power of the open market to
reduce prices for insurance thanks to competition and free market forces. It
would also allow people to purchase the insurance they want, instead of having
it forced up on them. (Except of course poor people who, according to one
legislator could just “get a job to pay for it.” Or pay for their living
expenses, like food or something.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
Senate, as of this writing, is still working on their own version of the repeal
and replace bill. Things that have been floated out from the caucus that is working
on it, don’t sound much different from the House version<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>My
Solution – Hey guys, you’re fixing the wrong things!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
believe that every citizen of the US is entitled to basic healthcare, just like
every other developed nation on the planet. I further believe that rich people
should be free to purchase even better health care if they wish because, hey,
they can!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
don’t believe that the government should be in the administration of health
care but I do believe they need to be involved in setting parameters for the
business. (Why? It’s 1/6 of our economy. If it’s not regulated we end up with
the Great Medical Recession of 2030 or something like it. Don’t think it needs
to be? See banking and Great Recession on Google.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
believe that the only way to do this is by using a system that I call <span style="color: blue;"><b>Modified
Single Payer</b></span>. (I fully recognize this is way oversimplified but we have to start somewhere and I'm not against something completely different!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
propose that insurance companies are designated for every locale in the
country. It could be state, region, county, GMA, or something else. Every area
has at least 2 companies to insure competition. These are for-profit entities
and are required to cover all the citizens in their markets. (Note that
non-citizens are not covered by this.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Providers
(that’s the medical people) can sign up with whichever insurer they want or
both or none if they prefer. (My back doctor refuses to take insurance and he
is doing just fine without it. I don’t want to force any provider on this.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">All of
the money (less 30%) that is currently being paid out for healthcare is dumped
into a pool to be divided among the payers and it’s their job to pay for the
health care being handled by the providers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
pool of money made up of that 30% is held back for bonuses. As waste is
identified and quantified, the bonus money is provided in some form to compensate
the group that discovers it, at a maximum of 1/3 of the bonus pool. This could
be providers, insurers, even patients! If no waste is discovered, no bonus is
paid. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">All of the money left over at the end of a period (2/3 or 20% of the
total spent) is refunded back to the citizens who paid it into the fund. (If
someone didn’t pay any in, they don’t get any back.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRO_-nHHJJPTtLKshlPuxn1wglFqckZIyWb1HvqakTcK-FwTP-IbTkxA8TwaWbO1Ap0q5FUb13SAC1U3AQaIdjHkcQPKAXqAntaDzsxEBNpppIR6kCspaZATfk9DzKNb1Q5TVN7bgTpS7/s1600/happy+patients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRO_-nHHJJPTtLKshlPuxn1wglFqckZIyWb1HvqakTcK-FwTP-IbTkxA8TwaWbO1Ap0q5FUb13SAC1U3AQaIdjHkcQPKAXqAntaDzsxEBNpppIR6kCspaZATfk9DzKNb1Q5TVN7bgTpS7/s1600/happy+patients.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
submit that this would improve out healthcare AND our health while improving
our economy ($680 billion back in the hands of Americans that isn’t going to
health care? New TVs for everybody!!!!). And we might even have a health system
that rivals other countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">What a
concept!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-76326954323081782702017-04-10T11:15:00.001-04:002017-04-10T11:15:52.229-04:00Alternative Facts<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">A few
weeks ago, <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>and I flew down to Florida for a wedding on her side of the
family. It turned into a raucously good time, winding up as a family reunion of
sorts with about 25 people attending from all over the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEU4tmOjV19U-EPL7eMkCh0YN-Vp1uLCOmg-bTZmZpwE6FxehEJMVF0jAvf5ZxhJQf15T6AYPnhW1Mw0Dq165DSVwuINcgeKSGI-QAmcHwLFdGTG6Gkjb0sO6dqjkMv1y8joKZ_debYEUA/s1600/pierson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEU4tmOjV19U-EPL7eMkCh0YN-Vp1uLCOmg-bTZmZpwE6FxehEJMVF0jAvf5ZxhJQf15T6AYPnhW1Mw0Dq165DSVwuINcgeKSGI-QAmcHwLFdGTG6Gkjb0sO6dqjkMv1y8joKZ_debYEUA/s200/pierson.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Murica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The festivities
took place in central Florida, a town called Crescent City, that is reachable
by driving 40 – 50 miles from one of 3 different airports. We got the best
price from JetBlue to Orlando and so our drive was through the most rural part
of the state including <b>Pierson</b>, the Fern Capital of the World. (I had no idea
this existed; there were miles of covered fields, all housing ferns from the
sun.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">This
ride is mainly on 2 lane blacktop, going through small towns and communities.
It’s the heart of Trump country, with many of his <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQY5YvsEJvOAIikF0XbTQ8S9VZ87wE32AgTIcTCxW9Ep6Nk0tWVcSHb0Oe8VyuBpH25uj-Yr8D8k2UIAVtPW69sKFtlcc72vYUAlz33q3pbQDY_-UdjHUzqVmnbfhA5ksR6r9jcFO6MEE/s1600/trump+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQY5YvsEJvOAIikF0XbTQ8S9VZ87wE32AgTIcTCxW9Ep6Nk0tWVcSHb0Oe8VyuBpH25uj-Yr8D8k2UIAVtPW69sKFtlcc72vYUAlz33q3pbQDY_-UdjHUzqVmnbfhA5ksR6r9jcFO6MEE/s200/trump+sign.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming soon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
signature signs still up in
celebration. There were even some billboards congratulating him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I turned
the satellite radio to <b><span style="color: red;">Radio Margaritaville</span></b> and played it loud while <b><span style="color: blue;">MB
</span></b>knitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Cheap
Motels</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">We had
made reservations at one of the places to stay in Crescent City, the <b>Lake View
Motel</b>. It had been a number of years since I stayed in a “motel” (a word coined
mid-20<sup>th</sup> century for Motor Hotel, in other words along the road) and
I had a pretty low bar set for what we would find. At $70 a night, you need to
set your sights a little lower. This place was your basic cinder block construction,
painted bright white with a very well kept outside appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh990tQDRYtnMfdlK0cxTXdOY7B8p1mI6SnIWYN6x8OXzlEzK1Jat_pnttSSL4mG4QGuyJ1iYIUMM2NKe_FHv9qRtyaaQEaBJRMomO_Lsefveijk8O7cCnX8p_5F3jcCgeBb6HLIyCtP4/s1600/lake+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh990tQDRYtnMfdlK0cxTXdOY7B8p1mI6SnIWYN6x8OXzlEzK1Jat_pnttSSL4mG4QGuyJ1iYIUMM2NKe_FHv9qRtyaaQEaBJRMomO_Lsefveijk8O7cCnX8p_5F3jcCgeBb6HLIyCtP4/s200/lake+view.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King of the Road...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">To our
surprise, the hotel while dating from the 1950s, was very well kept inside,
clean and bright, and the proprietors (a Middle eastern family) very friendly.
They’ve evidently run the place for almost 10 years and clearly take pride in
it; the place was full for the weekend with all 18 rooms in use. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Our
room had an issue with a toilet that wouldn’t flush very well. We reported it
the first morning and they attempted to fix it while we were out. Unable to do
so properly, the owner went and purchased a new one and he and his handyman
installed it the next morning while we went out for breakfast. The only thing
missing in the motel was any kind of internet but we got around that by going
to <b>McDonalds </b>to use their wifi one morning, allowing us to keep up with the rest
of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Wedding
and After Party</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltDRbBTQIq0lPf7nwjx6vFlb4wKn7hvTEGn0-hnghXdrUmAdV7FmcluSqBytEfn2XuLWLUF7ARt7mf716mojm1Z68iq-x7FBvZwXmB0ojsqI3tGGYEus_W2xs3_-1j_L1tDgszXTuIvR3/s1600/3+bananas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltDRbBTQIq0lPf7nwjx6vFlb4wKn7hvTEGn0-hnghXdrUmAdV7FmcluSqBytEfn2XuLWLUF7ARt7mf716mojm1Z68iq-x7FBvZwXmB0ojsqI3tGGYEus_W2xs3_-1j_L1tDgszXTuIvR3/s200/3+bananas.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's party!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
wedding took place on the beach, reachable by a 45 minute drive through a
magnificent park. Afterwards, we all headed back to Crescent City to a local
restaurant where the bride and groom had first met 3 years before. The restaurant
was called “Three Bananas” and every sign we saw for it, although not the one
on the building, had a misplaced apostrophe that just drove <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>crazy the entire
weekend. The current “apostrophe catastrophe” in our country is very real in
her mind and she never misses a chance to bemoan the complete downfall of
English grammar. (This from a guy who drinks coffee from a cup that says “I am
silently correcting your grammar.”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">There
were lots of pictures taken, lots of food was consumed (nearly all of it was
fried, much to the disgust of <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>who is not a fan of bar food anyway) and
plenty of drinks were drunk. A large time was shaping up to be had by all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">About
6:30, the musical provider began setting up. I thought it was a DJ at first; he
was setting up a portable PA system (Fender Passport – a real nice, small
system) a computer with lots of music loaded up, and a microphone system. Hmm.
Was this karaoke?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">He
carried in a guitar gig bag containing a Fender Strat knockoff, and a keyboard
and stand, and set those up, too. Apparently, he was a musician! By then, he
had a helper who stationed himself at the computer. They talked back and forth
for a few minutes and then started the show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The
singer stepped up to the keyboard, pulled the mic up to his mouth and
introduced himself. (I didn’t catch the name.) He said to be prepared to dance
and have some fun! The music started and he began singing a KC and the Sunshine
Band number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Tables
were pulled back to clear a space for a dance floor and the bride and groom got
their first dance in as the singer switched to something slow. All the other
traditional dances (father and bride, mom and groom, etc) took place and there
was great picture taking going on throughout all of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">After
the bridal party finished all the planned bits, the singer began performing a
string of dance numbers and up tempo songs to get folks out on the dance floor.
Up to this point, I’d been off to the side taking pictures and singing along. I
caught MB’s eye and we headed out to dance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">And
then, it got kind of weird….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Somewhere
along about the fourth or fifth song, I found myself directly in front of the
singer. I forget what song he was doing but a guitar solo was about to come up
on it (at least that’s what the original had) and I turned to watch him play
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">(Full
disclosure: I play the guitar although I don’t consider myself a guitar player.
I play rhythm guitar, almost never any lead stuff because I’m just not that
good, and I’m always watching other players to see how they do it. That was my
motivation for watching closely.)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQclUN6mJF1nxaMQlGP6LRe78mmTYTPU7CkkD1NiR5Hfu14_APraNL4Iy2EamY88C0syD5muFfmw3zId0w50MQK5sP5zr3F2oWZZxlFmUFs8XUw6JS7s_UEhUcp8mQYilrZBwVz2AEZoWk/s1600/air+guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQclUN6mJF1nxaMQlGP6LRe78mmTYTPU7CkkD1NiR5Hfu14_APraNL4Iy2EamY88C0syD5muFfmw3zId0w50MQK5sP5zr3F2oWZZxlFmUFs8XUw6JS7s_UEhUcp8mQYilrZBwVz2AEZoWk/s200/air+guitar.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caution:</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
watched the singer’s left hand and realized he was playing in the wrong
position on the fretboard, playing the wrong notes. When I looked at his right
hand, he wasn’t playing the correct string, either. He was singing the song,
and very well, too, but he was totally faking the guitar work! Just to be sure,
I looked at the guitar cable and noticed that it wasn’t plugged into the amp or
a mixing board either. In fact, it seemed to just disappear under a mat that he
was standing on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
stared in absolute fascination. I have never seen anything like this before and
just couldn’t imagine that I was the only one who noticed. A hundred things
passed through my mind, like did he think he was fooling people? Was I the only
guitar player to see him in action? Does he think he’s actually playing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">The guy
had a decent voice and was quite a showman with all the stage moves that one
sees in house bands. Maybe it was just this song, and I was mistaken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">At the
end of the number, he put the guitar back in the stand, took a sip of water,
and moved over to the keyboard. I watched him hit a couple of buttons as if he
was selecting a particular instrument or tone. Then he counted in and his
assistant hit play on the computer for the next song. Almost immediately, he began
pounding on the keys and while he was in the correct rhythm he wasn’t playing
anything remotely like the music coming out of the speakers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
followed the connector cable coming out of the back of the keyboard and it went
under the same mat as the guitar and no other cables were coming out. Another
fake instrument!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I
suppose it’s a good thing the microphone was plugged in or he could have billed
himself as Marcel Marceau plays and sings the hits! <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">(Google it)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I went
back to dancing and smiling and laughing with all the other family members and
guests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Spilled
beans</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">I went
back to a table to sit a couple of songs out and one of my wife’s cousins came
over to me. She said, “What do you think of the singer?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">“I
think he’s a really good karaoke performer.” Was my reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">“What
do you mean?” she responded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">“He’s singing
but he’s not playing anything. Neither of his instruments are plugged into
anything and he’s not even playing the correct notes. Watch him right now and
tell me if you can see him playing the piano like the music sounds.” She
listened intently for a minute while watching his hands on the keys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">“Oh my
god! You’re right!” She wandered off to tell her husband and soon, just about
everyone in the wedding party knew and was talking about it. There were lots of
knowing looks and giggles passed around during the next couple of hours. By
the time MB and I headed back to the hotel, it was no longer an item for
discussion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">It was, however, a topic for conversation at our gathering the next
couple of days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">It's
important to note that knowing this guy was faking it didn’t detract from our
enjoyment of the evening. Truth is, the guy did a fine job of picking a good
blend of music, was a solid vocal talent, and acted like someone in a live band
should act when entertaining people. We danced, sang along, and had a great
time. (I’ve since learned that he’s a regular at this place and is very well
liked for the parties that he hosts at the place.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Summing
Up</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">So, a
guy who <i><b>doesn’t actually play</b></i> any instruments (although he fervently pretends
to do so) has a following of adoring regulars, who come out to celebrate his
faking it (perhaps they don’t know it) and they dance and sing while he spins
the tunes and appears to be doing something they really like, leading a big
party every weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Now I
understand all of the Trump signs scattered all over the area!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-62795792434689765452017-02-15T12:39:00.004-05:002017-02-15T12:39:48.258-05:00What’s great about America - That's a statement, not a question!<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m a
cynic, I admit it. If there’s a cynical comment to be made, you can count on it
coming out of my mouth. It’s probably one of the reasons I describe myself as a
“flailing Buddhist.” I just can’t let stupid stuff go by without some kind of
observation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">There
is a belief in organizational development circles that a weakness is actually a
strength taken to the extreme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">For
example, flexibility is considered by itself to be a strength. But if one is
too flexible they run the risk of being thought of as unable to take a stand,
wishy-washy. And that’s not a good thing in business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If
that theory holds true, then a cynic is simply an idealist who has been
disappointed one time too many. Or constantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
recite this preamble because an acquaintance of mine asked for a post on What’s
Great about America! (This came about after reading my post about bias. I
wonder if they’re related?) Here’s my shot. For your reading convenience, my
cynical take is included after each section, parenthetically and in <span style="color: red;">red </span>italics so
you can skip it if you’d rather focus on nothing but the positive. (It’s just
one more service I provide!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>What’s
great about America<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcazMtW97PZgFs7OeVI8sR5KGlK9qwKOZ7Z-tZ-PwZy-GQLex8M8jtx8o_TGmz783GAbsdlWdFgScUaR6iabGiOTd3TGB1lBLEOCX_-g7sIcLIJwA5zVklPMlJnzvplLecUQW1AuS_szDf/s1600/Murica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcazMtW97PZgFs7OeVI8sR5KGlK9qwKOZ7Z-tZ-PwZy-GQLex8M8jtx8o_TGmz783GAbsdlWdFgScUaR6iabGiOTd3TGB1lBLEOCX_-g7sIcLIJwA5zVklPMlJnzvplLecUQW1AuS_szDf/s200/Murica.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">America the Beautiful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Land</b>:
America encompasses 3,794,083 square miles including water (lakes, ponds,
rivers) and the beautiful views, abundant resources, vast plains, sturdy
mountain ranges, and verdant valleys make it a wonderland that is the envy of
much of the rest of the world. It’s no wonder that Americans dream big; our
homeland almost commands us to do so! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">(<i><span style="color: red;">As I
write this, our new President has signed an executive order reinstating the XL
and Dakota pipeline access projects to completion. So, some of that pristine
stuff is now at risk but no sense worrying about that now. He’s also chosen,
for head of the EPA, a person who has filed suit dozens of times against the
organization he’ll head. How convenient. Nothing to see here, folks!</span>)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><b>Freedom</b>:
Our 241-year-old experiment in democracy continues on its journey, with the
taste of freedom in every citizen’s mouth. The First Amendment to our
Constitution guarantees each of us that:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Congress shall make
no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwELDi4woDxrAWR4f7fykvk6R5lqtCEVYmb-B92sS1oxx098ptKEXhCGdN6hvWTMOrfpBo90QFvcULJUb9Jsidy4kT6xjDPDSb-bgM0QpVFnzq9x-J1VO1rdtWPmKVUBlouPxSl-VK3qUO/s1600/constitution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwELDi4woDxrAWR4f7fykvk6R5lqtCEVYmb-B92sS1oxx098ptKEXhCGdN6hvWTMOrfpBo90QFvcULJUb9Jsidy4kT6xjDPDSb-bgM0QpVFnzq9x-J1VO1rdtWPmKVUBlouPxSl-VK3qUO/s200/constitution.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Word!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Never was this more in evidence than on January 21, 2017 when
enormous crowds of peaceful protesters (majority of females) gathered in cities
across the land to stand up for the rights of everyone: women, LGBTQ, poor,
Black, Latino, immigrants all were called out and told they would be taken care
of. In solidarity, marches took place in over 500 cities and countries around
the world with the same message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">Our new President, has taken to Twitter to explain to
everyone that his Inauguration crowd was bigger and, besides, didn’t we just
have an election? Why didn’t these people vote? He later stated that demonstrations
were the backbone of democracy, or something like that. My feeling is, if you’re going to have an
argument with women about size, you better bring the goods and the numbers show
he didn’t. He’s also been in a running battle, and these are his words, with
“mainstream media” because he says they are purveyors of fake news. Really? I
guess that’s just because he ran for President and no one likes him or
something. Perhaps he’s confusing the editorial pages with the news pages. The
administration has shut down various government agency’s ability to tweet,
announce, or otherwise communicate with the outside as they “develop their
policies to match the new administrations goals.” Some people are saying, first
step to autocracy. I prefer, “first step to a brave new world.” Pun intended!</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Wealth</b>: The American economy has been the largest on earth
for decades, only recently being challenged for the top spot by China in the
last few years. Our capitalist system has allowed average people to become
millionaires and billionaires starting businesses, developing real estate. Some
became millionaires by working their way up the corporate ladder from the mail
room to the board room! A recent example of entrepreneurism at its best is shown
in the film The Founder, a story about Ray Kroc who discovered and improved a
small burger joint, turning it <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9zbl6ycd1T1AnnX9Y8KW2c1JM3M9yluiYeWbm-lB0_9eay220F0u1IdolmpNE_kBVVkQpr1KLoT9PmcRV85Sav60FrEmW8mMmgjEF1iDqAuOmAjoV34rTRP4MjxfXmHtBhdOhyphenhyphen8aMzsl/s1600/money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9zbl6ycd1T1AnnX9Y8KW2c1JM3M9yluiYeWbm-lB0_9eay220F0u1IdolmpNE_kBVVkQpr1KLoT9PmcRV85Sav60FrEmW8mMmgjEF1iDqAuOmAjoV34rTRP4MjxfXmHtBhdOhyphenhyphen8aMzsl/s200/money.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabinet members will see you now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
into a conglomerate and becoming the CEO of
McDonalds; but only after failing in business several times right into middle
age before finally becoming successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">How wealthy are some people? Well, according to sources, the
wealthiest 80 Americans have more wealth than the bottom half of the population
combined. Some very wealthy people are being tapped for Cabinet positions. I’m hoping
the new Administration’s main goal will be to teach everyone else how they did
it, themselves. As opposed to continuing to make it easier for them and their
ilk to gain more wealth. Right?</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Equality</b>: Our Constitution guarantees every American many
rights, including equality in the eyes of the law. This is the cornerstone of
democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">Of course, that’s taken a bunch of amendments to get here,
and the Equal Rights Amendment – guaranteeing the rights of women – never was
passed. Some say, what’s the big deal? But women still only earn 80% of men, on
average, in the same position; blacks earn 74.6% of whites in the same
position. Some of my female friends tell me they have to work twice as hard and
have twice the performance to be considered the same as men. Fortunately, they
say, that’s not that hard.</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Healthcare</b>: Everyone in America has access to healthcare in
this country. Truly. State laws require hospitals to provide healthcare to
anyone that comes into their emergency rooms, even those who are unable to pay.
So, everyone has healthcare available to them. The Affordable Care Act was
passed in an effort to provide the opportunity for more people to have health
insurance so that they wouldn’t go to an emergency unit for care and, thus,
reduce the overall cost of healthcare. According to a nonpartisan research team
study, that has occurred and the cost curve has been bent down. In other words,
the act was at least partly successful in it’s goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">And still, as I write this, our new President has taken the
time to sign an executive order to begin to repeal, not tweak, repeal this law.
Because this law has “killed jobs” (sorry, it hasn’t) because it’s not providing
coverage (sorry, that’s false) that you couldn’t “keep your doctor” (that’s
true in some instances). What is particularly bothersome to me is that no one
is pointing out that healthcare costs continue to rise and are at the point of
being unsustainable – 19% of the US GDP. The ACA was an attempt to slow that
down and was only marginally effective. What we really need is a complete
overhaul of our system – kind a moonshot project – and I don’t see this Administration
and Congress having the skills/desire/motivation to pull it off; at least not
as long as lobbyists keep filling their pockets. Here’s to hoping I’m wrong!</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Education</b>: Our public education system is designed to provide
an education to all kids. A number of acts over the years have worked to make
the system better and better. No Child Left Behind, passed under President Bush
(43) was designed to provide quality education to those who might otherwise be
unable to get one due to being in the poorest part of the population. Our
colleges and universities are outstanding and many are among the finest in the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSg_PVj20ZsWzjCPLJNyJfSSMMql4shyEZ2KiyCGECJLm10jaMTT37lOMt-3ap50N_0jJRMJQPQv-en_fUWB-rvxHBO1EIHvhsu3xNvL4EbUimVy8LX4z8IWlpW2bTVQM6XF1KWECuav8/s1600/devos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSg_PVj20ZsWzjCPLJNyJfSSMMql4shyEZ2KiyCGECJLm10jaMTT37lOMt-3ap50N_0jJRMJQPQv-en_fUWB-rvxHBO1EIHvhsu3xNvL4EbUimVy8LX4z8IWlpW2bTVQM6XF1KWECuav8/s1600/devos.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Psst. Her pockets are Yuge!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">No Child Left Behind, while being noble in its goal, has
turned out to promote mediocrity thus reducing the quality of education. It
seems to me that many states, in their efforts to improve public education,
have done the opposite by working to standardize so many things that good
students are slowed down. They’ve also focused almost entirely on the notion
that education is an expense rather than an investment and that has eroded the
motivation for people to go into public school teaching as salaries remain
stagnant and teachers are made to teach to tests instead of helping people
learn. But I’m sure our new Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, will fix all
this. During her confirmation hearing she failed to answer a number of
questions correctly, some that are taught in first year teaching courses. Hell,
I know the answers and I’m a trainer! She was confirmed on a historic
tie-breaking vote by VP Mike Pence on the strength of: She had donated over
$200 million to GOP legislators. I’m sure this will all work out, just fine!)</span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Opportunity</b>: In America, every child that is born in this
country can grow up and become President, one day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">(</span><i><span style="color: red;">And now that we’ve proven this aphorism to be true, can we
never do this again?!?!?!?!?!?!?</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In closing, I can say that America is already great. Now, can
we agree as a people not to eff it up from here? Please?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-36187338165958788322017-01-07T14:32:00.004-05:002017-01-07T14:32:58.052-05:00Bias<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Bias</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_M_pHge5FyEgFKv6OR_S4xV4jxfCeJlbWnjBm4goU0TZ8NePiF57PnGKmWvN3vVg46r0KK5l1iALSnCEjyLnIbFk7WW7DJS6A2HWvpc5wi10dvjKMAPUhZaHjWnYCZWkyYQNEAyNdZ-2n/s1600/complicated+questions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_M_pHge5FyEgFKv6OR_S4xV4jxfCeJlbWnjBm4goU0TZ8NePiF57PnGKmWvN3vVg46r0KK5l1iALSnCEjyLnIbFk7WW7DJS6A2HWvpc5wi10dvjKMAPUhZaHjWnYCZWkyYQNEAyNdZ-2n/s1600/complicated+questions.jpg" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Dictionary.com
defines bias as:</span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">a <i>p</i></span></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">articular</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">tendency,</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">trend,</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">inclination,</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">feeling,</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">opinion,</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">especially</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> one</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">that</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">is</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">preconceived</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><span class="oneclick-link"><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">unreasoned</span>.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’ve
started a new blog post about a half dozen times in the past two months. I’ve
been struggling with deciding what to write about since the election; it’s been
one of the main sources of conversation for so many that I felt like I had to
jump in. But I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to say. I’ve finally decided
to talk about bias because I think it’s what caused the election to turn out as
it did. I also think it tends to drive most of what we think and do. I’m
concerned that if we, as a society, don’t get a handle on us, it may lead to
our ultimate destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">During
conversations with some of my friends over the past few weeks, I’ve been
attempting to understand how people that I would normally describe as
intelligent are losing their minds, spewing “news stories” that are anything
but, and trashing the constitutional tenets that guide our republic. All in an
effort to get me to agree that their selection for President (Trump) was the
correct one. Or to get me to agree that Clinton was the correct choice and the
election had been stolen from her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
act of being in these conversations has led me to begin forming opinions about
personal bias. (Forgive me if this covers ground you already know, yourself.
I’m just becoming aware of these things. At least this election accomplished
something!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Race</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">A few
weeks ago, a friend of mine told me that he thought that President Obama had
done more to increase racism in this country than any individual in history. His
statement was, “Obama said that he doesn’t believe that police are doing their
jobs, that they’re targeting black men, and that he doesn’t support their
behavior.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We did
a quick google search on our phones (my bride calls smart phones “pocket BS
detectors”) and were unable to come up with a quote that was anywhere close to
what my friend had just said. Most quotes were around how difficult the job of
a police officer is and we can’t undermine that by painting them all with a
broad brush. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The
fact that we couldn’t find the quote my friend claimed to have heard was
disturbing to him. I pointed out that it was possible that the liberal media
had removed the story in order to keep Obama’s legacy intact. When he
vehemently agreed, I pointed out that I’d been kidding. (Hmmmm. Bias.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
suggested something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“Let’s
pretend, for a moment, that instead of Obama saying that, it was George W. Bush
when he was president. So, President Bush at a press conference says, ‘I
believe that there is a group of police officers who are not doing their jobs,
that are targeting black males and I want this to stop because I don’t support
that kind of behavior.’ How does that change it for you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
friend couldn’t really come up with an answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">So I
said, “Wouldn’t you think that President Bush was trying to ensure that police were
doing their jobs properly?” He replied in the affirmative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“Would
you say that he was reaching out to the black community in an effort to get
them to see that he was trying to help them?” Again, he agreed with that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">“So
when a white president says it, he’s doing the right thing. But when a black
president says it, he’s what? Getting uppity? Not knowing his place? Rabble
rousing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
friend, who I truly don’t believe is a racist, couldn’t answer the question. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
suggest that his “personal bias” made him look at the words, hear the words,
even understand the words, differently. Perhaps even make up new words to match
his bias.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Religion</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I’m a
member of a Unitarian Universalist church. I consider myself to be agnostic
only because I can’t imagine an actual god but I also can’t imagine there not
being a higher power. In other words, I need some proof. The closest thing I
can align to is Buddhism and, quite frankly, I describe myself as a “flailing Buddhist”
as I’m not very good at living in the moment or at accepting things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">My
church describes itself as a liberal church and welcomes all who choose to
worship with us. UUism doesn’t have a dogma but, instead, draws on many
different faiths and teachings for inspiration. We are a welcoming congregation,
meaning that we want all who come to join us to feel welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In the
fifteen or so years that I’ve been a member, we’ve done all sort of things that
could be considered welcoming. At one point, we had a group of Amadiyah Muslims
meeting in our church building before they were able to build their own mosque.
This offshoot of Islam is among the most peaceful and focus their entire worth
on love. The members that I met were incredibly kind and compassionate. (At the
same time, women in their group were not given a seat in leadership; they were
subservient to the men at all times. Interesting bias.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">A
couple of years ago, we had a person come to our church for a period of time.
Several people reached out to learn more about him and his family. They began
to take an active role in the church and then, one day, they stopped coming.
Why? Turned out that he was a Republican and was taken aback with so much
anti-GOP talk that he heard among the members and from the pulpit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I
guess, to some degree, we are welcoming but especially to those who think as we
do. Once again, bias comes into play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Conservative
vs Liberal</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">This
one plays out every day, on every channel that broadcasts news stories (or what
passes for news) by anyone who watches. Same with newspapers, news magazines,
and even news websites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">The New York Times is a very old newspaper that prides itself
on reporting the news as accurately and fairly as it can. It has won many
awards for doing just that, including multiple Pulitzer prizes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">Here’s a test for you.</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">What’s
your opinion of the New York Times? Before you continue reading, take a moment
and decide your answer. I’ll wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Okay,
you may continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Some
people think that the NYT is a “liberal rag” and not worth the paper it’s
printed on. Others think it’s the last bastion of good reporting in the nation.
Still others, think it’s a puppet of the right wingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">How could
all of those opinions differ so widely? Bias, pure and simple. (Your answer
above is, of course, based on your personal bias.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">(Side
note: The Richmond Times-Dispatch, my local newspaper, has a long history of
being conservative, having endorsed the GOP candidate almost exclusively for
decades. When they endorsed Gary Johnson this past October, a large number of people
lost their minds. The letters to the editors almost never fail to elicit a
chuckle from me. They’re almost better than the comics! Bias examples abound
just about daily.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>So
what?</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Here’s
the deal. I remember a time when most of us were taught to listen politely to
what someone else had to say about a topic. I remember it as a time that was
more thoughtful, respectful, and when we were able to accomplish more.
(Remember when Kennedy challenged America to go to the moon? It took 9 years.
Think that could happen today? Not a chance. Too many people arguing about it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Want
to think more clearly about things and help break the cycle? Do this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Take
the time to consider the other person’s point of view, even if it directly
opposes what you believe. (The operative word is consider here. Don’t discard
what they say out of hand. Just consider it. What if they were right? What if
you were wrong? What if both of you were wrong?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">If
asked, give your own opinion, politely, about the same topic. Provide the other
person with your reasons for the opinion. (Bear in mind, facts should have more
value than opinions or feelings.) Ask the other person to consider your point
of view, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">Above
all else, listen to understand don’t listen to reply! Life isn’t a debate. We’re
all in this together and, in the final analysis, we all want what’s best for
the country, our lives, our families, and ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">In the
end, if your opinions haven’t changed, agree to disagree and thank the other
person for sharing their thoughts with you. Both parties will be changed by
this, whether or not they believe that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Final
thoughts</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I don’t
claim to have all the answers. I’m not sure I even have half of the questions!
I only know that we, as a society, are at a very strange place in our journey.
We have the capability to end it ourselves and, frankly, I’m worried that’s
going to happen if we don’t change the ways we interact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">We
also have the wherewithal to be better than we are, as a country, and as a
world. I intend to do my share. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif;">I hope
you intend to do yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-78845994518960623182016-07-15T11:34:00.002-04:002016-07-15T11:34:35.055-04:00Electing a President<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Note</span></b>:
I started this post back in February and dropped it as it was too depressing
and painful to talk about. Now that the national party conventions are about to
take place, I thought it might be interesting to dust this off and post a
little something on the national election. Comments are always welcome but
civil discourse is the only thing that is tolerated by me. Name calling and
bombastic platitudes will not be tolerated and since I have to approve all
comments first, won’t show up. Thanks in advance!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>So,
it’s an election year.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I’m
not sure if you’ve noticed. 2016 is an election year. Most years are election
years but this one is a biggie, it’s a Presidential election year. The other
ones are just election years, where minor officials are elected; Representatives
to the US House, Senators (sometimes but at least every 3<sup>rd</sup>
election), and of course all your local representatives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Presidential
Election years are so damn big, they last longer than a year. Really. This one
started at least one or two years ago when people (usually those in the media –
TV hosts, newspaper reporters, and the like) began to discuss the upcoming
Presidential Election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Why
did they start so soon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Ratings.
Well, actually, money. The ratings are
really only a TV thing but the higher the ratings, the more advertising revenue
can be brought in. For newspapers and magazines, it’s all about selling more of
them. For online media, it’s all about the clicks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">(Can
you imagine trying to explain some of this to one of the founding fathers? How
bizarre would it sound to Thomas Jefferson if you told him that there were
entire entities focused, not on electing a new president, but on speculating
who the potential candidates might be in the next couple of years? And that performing
this “service” produces billions of dollars of business? It also causes
billions more to be spent in a number of different businesses. As forward
thinking as he was, his brain might explode. Frankly, mine swells up thinking
about it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">As
of this writing, February 2016, there are 2 Democrats and 9 Republicans running
for President down from an initial high water mark of 3 and 17(!) respectively.
I don’t know what the historical numbers look like for potential candidates but
I have to think that GOP number is pretty close to a record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Can
there really be as many as 20 people at one time, willing to declare in public,
that they think they’re qualified to be President of the US? Or that they even
want to be? I’m amazed at that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">And
it’s not as if they didn’t already have a job. We have current legislators; at
the National level they make over $180,000 a year. At the state level
(governors) they probably make low six figures. Then we have TV commentators,
making around a quarter of million a year. And then there’s The Hair (I can’t
bear to put his name on here) who makes seven figures, acting in the role of
knowing what it’s like to be an average guy. (Sure, an average guy making seven
figures. <b>WTF </b>does that feel like?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Present
Tense</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">It’s
July, about five months after I wrote that. National conventions begin next
week with the GOP in Cleveland followed by the Democrats in Philadelphia a
couple of weeks later. Then the fun really begins! Four solid months of TV ads,
social media posts ad nauseum from all of our friends on both sides of the
aisle and, of course, televised debates between the candidates and at least one
between their running mates.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">(Kind
of makes me wish we had taken the British method; they just changed their Prime
Minister over the course of a week’s worth of discussions. How terrifically
civil!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Concerns
– Yep, I’ve got a few</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">How
did we get here? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">This
is the eleventh presidential election in which I’ve had a chance to vote. I
can’t remember two candidates that have me scratching my head like these two.
They both have horrible ratings when it comes to people thinking they’re
qualified for the role of POTUS and their perceived trustworthiness is
dreadful, as well. Seriously, WTF?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">In
no particular order……<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Hilary
Rodham Clinton</span></b> has the pedigree to be President having served for eight years
as Senator, four years as Secretary of State and having been First Lady for
eight years. She has a law degree and a ton of experience in the public sector.
She knows the Constitution, how Congress is supposed to work, and has served up
plans to move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for hillary rodham clinton" height="200" 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" 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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilary Rodham Clinton</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">On
the other hand, she has a reputation of acting as if the rules don’t apply to
her (see email issues) and has been lambasted by her detractors for not playing
“by the rules” and failing to act responsibly in her role as Secretary of State
(see Benghazi). There is also a well held belief that Wall Street “owns” her
and “big money” will sway her plans and decisions. (This is America – we do
have the best politicians money can buy.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">At
the same time, Congressional committees, chaired by the opposition, have spent
in excess of $8 million investigating allegations of misconduct in both
instances and coming up empty. (FBI director Comey did say that their
investigation didn’t come up with enough evidence to pursue and indictment. Not
that she was innocent but that there wasn’t enough evidence. It’s a point of
law that I can’t argue as I’m not a lawyer but at a base level it means to me “There’s
nothing to see here, folks, move along.” Others would say, “Where there’s
smoke, there’s fire!”)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUWxRq8YBCtsr0inmhOasghyluJAWBPA9S4XnDVy4QbUzZMAnbcg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for donald trump" border="0" height="149" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUWxRq8YBCtsr0inmhOasghyluJAWBPA9S4XnDVy4QbUzZMAnbcg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Trump</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Donald
J. Trump</span></b> has the pedigree to be President based on his 40 year career as a
business person and executive. He has begun, run, and sold a number of
successful companies and turned the Trump brand into a highly respected name,
typically associated with high quality and commensurately high price. He would
be the first business person to be elected to the office in a long time. (Harry
Truman was a haberdasher just prior to entering politics and was the last one. He
was also the last one without a college education and</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"> he served two terms as
POTUS with some distinction.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">On
the other hand, he has a reputation as a serial philanderer (divorced twice and
one of his books talks about how he wooed another woman while he was married to
the first one). He, too, acts as if the rules don’t apply to him (see tax
returns and marriage) and he has a track record of starting litigation when
things don’t go his way (see Trump Golf Club in Scotland). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">He
also has a pending criminal investigation for one of his defunct businesses,
Trump University; it’s the subject of numerous lawsuits by former students.
(Investigators say they aren’t going to pursue until after the election. Huh.
Must not be the opposition party.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">He
claims to be unable to be influenced by “big money” because he has so much of
it (Billions!) but is unwilling to provide his income tax returns that would
show his actual worth and income. (He claims he is under an audit and it would
be bad to show it.) A number of financial pundits claim that they don’t see any
way he could be worth as much as $1 billion; Trump has threatened to sue for
defamation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">With
no law degree, Trump seems to struggle a bit with the Constitution and its
value. He has made a number of changes that we intends to institute in his
first 100 days in office if elected, most of which would be against the current
laws of the land. Undeterred by this fact, he continues to spout these ideas
and is frequently pugnacious when it’s called to his attention. (Politifact
recently published findings on everything he’s said in the year he’s been a
candidate and determined that 93% of the time, his claims have been false. I
don’t think he responded.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Wow,
that’s Some Choice</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Yeah,
I know. And we all face it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I
love to read and I’ve done a lot of reading in the past year about our
candidates and what the next president will be facing after taking office. I’m
really struggling with my choices and may not make it until I make it to the
voting booth. (There are some other candidates that may be on the ballot in
this state and I won’t know until I get in there. One of those may get my
vote.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Don’t
rely on one source for your reading, either. I read a couple of different
newspapers and a couple of different websites, some that represent the “other
side” of the political spectrum from my own. If watching TV news, I work to get
equal time on those, as well. (Seriously, if you only watch FOX News or MSNBC,
you’re part of the problem. Go see what the other side is saying! None of them
are in the news business anymore, they’re in the ratings business so you need
to see more than one or two.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Social
Media won’t help, either</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">This
may be the thing that worries me the most. I have friends in both sides of the
debate. Some are raging right wingers and some are raging left wingers. All of
them enjoy using social media (Facebook) to express their opinions. A tiny
fraction actually form the opinions for themselves, however. The rest really
seem to enjoy posting memes that they see other friends from their side, post.
Unfortunately, very few bother to determine the veracity of the information
contained therein.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Say
what?!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for abe lincoln internet" 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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honest Abe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Despite
Americans’ disbelief in facts (see global warming, GMO foods, flat earth
society, etc) we seem to have no problem agreeing with something that is
completely made up as long as 1) we agree with it and 2) we read it someplace. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">The
result is that we end of up talking to ourselves and there is no transfer or
expansion of knowledge or information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "century gothic", sans-serif;">Coincidentally,
any conversation we may have with someone outside our own belief circle, we
only listen in order to respond to the argument instead of listen for
understanding of the other person’s position. In which we might learn
something.</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">What’s
the answer?</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">42!
(See Hitchhiker’s guide to the Universe. Sorry, that was just for me and a few
insiders.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Only
you can determine your answer to the question, who will be our next President?
And that one is only your choice, not necessarily the choice of the nation;
that’s why we vote and it’s important that we all exercise the right to do so.
Don’t wait until the day after the election and start googling the person that
wins. (See Brexit vote.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My
answer.</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I
truly don’t have one, yet. I have issues with both major candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I
was not a fan of the Clintons prior to the family’s first presidency and wasn’t
a fan of it. I felt that WJC demeaned the office by his poor behavior (see
Monica Lewinsky) and some of his policies were misaligned with my values. (And
he still doesn’t get the notion that his actions have consequences, otherwise
why would he visit Loretta Lynch for a private meeting just before
announcements about his wife’s email. I mean damn, talk about dumb!) While HRC has a solid resume, my gut doesn’t
completely trust her. I don’t have facts, only feelings. While that may go
away, right now I’m struggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">Donald
Trump frightens me. He always seems to shoot from the hip and appears to be
uncoachable, preferring his own counsel rather than having trusted advisers.
His lack of awareness to anything outside of his own interests, do not align
with the job he seeks. He is a narcissist and a demagogue. His “policy”
positions appear to be made up on the spot and are very short on details and,
frequently, understanding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I’ve been managing, coaching, and training sales
people for a long time; he sounds like the worst of people I’ve known in that
role. His pugnacity tells me his ego would get in his way very quickly. He
claims that he’s going to negotiate with the world and win but when he gets a
hard question from a reporter, he whines that they aren’t treating him fairly. I
find no redeeming qualities in his candidacy, except that he’s big on
“rallying” people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">We
don’t need a bullshit-artist-in-chief.
We also don’t need someone that thinks they are above the rules. I hate
to vote for the least undesirable candidate but it may come down to that. The
next 4 months will be critical in learning all I can to make the best decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , "sans-serif";">I
hope all of America will join me in doing the same. After all, we deserve the
best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-12747690925401614982016-04-19T09:33:00.000-04:002016-04-19T09:33:51.628-04:00The Masters and an old golf tale<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Before today’s
post, a quick plea for donations to my annual Tour de Cure Bike ride up in
Northern VA. I’m riding a metric century, about 65 miles, to raise awareness
and funds to find a cure for that horrible disease, Diabetes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Diabetes touches
every family in the US these days and a cure is imminent but we need to put
some money behind the effort. Please click the link below to donate to my ride!
If you ride yourself, consider joining me or at a ride near you. Much obliged!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="background: #F2F2F2; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?px=7310819&pg=personal&fr_id=11102">http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?px=7310819&pg=personal&fr_id=11102</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Now, on with today's post!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Watching the
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Masters </b></span>golf tournament this past weekend reminded me why I’ve loved the game
for over 50 years. People who don’t even play the game watch this event and
with very good reason.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Augusta National,
where The <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Masters </b></span>is played, is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the
world. It’s also one of the most difficult courses to play although I’m told,
by amateurs that have played it, that it’s much easier for higher handicaps to
play than they expect; most will typically shoot a better than their average
score on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But, wow, do the
pros have a hard time with it! If you don’t play golf it’s hard to understand,
but the game is one that humbles everyone that plays at some point. Even the
best in the world are made to look stupid on occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">At “The National,”
as it’s called by the locals, the wind swirls around, the greens are severely
sloped and ridiculously slick. If the player doesn’t place his ball in a
particular spot on each hole, he typically has a difficult shot to execute all
while handling the pressure of a major championship. (The pros call this getting out of line;
interestingly, it’s the same description that pool players talk about which
also makes for a more difficult shot – yet another similarity between the two.)
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When it’s your turn
to play at Augusta, you have to be fully committed to making the shot you’ve
planned. Failure to do so, causes problems. Big problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for jordan spieth" border="0" height="112" 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" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015 Master Champ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Such was the
problem for young <b><span style="color: blue;">Jordan Spieth</span></b> on Sunday, the defending champion. He was
cruising along having birdied the last 4 holes on the outward nine, assuming a
five shot lead. Wayward drives at the tenth and eleventh holes resulted in
bogies which shrunk his lead to three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for augusta national 12th hole" border="0" 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" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"># 12<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The twelfth hole is
short par 3 that terrorizes the pros. The green is shallow with a bunker in
front and back and Rae’s Creek running in front of it all. The only play,
according to 80 years of wisdom that make up The </span><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Masters</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">, is to play to the fat
of the green and escape with a par.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jordan, in the
middle of his swing, decided to hit a slight fade directly toward the hole. Changing
your mind like this happen to all golfers (pool players, too!) and it almost
never causes good things to happen. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This time was no different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When I heard the
sound the shot made, while watching the telecast, I knew it was in the water. I
said, “Oh no, he hit it fat!” This means he struck slightly behind the ball
causing it to not go as far as planned. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Since he was aiming slightly to the
right side of the hole, that meant it would hit the bank in front of the green
and spin back into the water. That’s exactly what happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jordan had the
pained look on his face that we all get when caught speeding. “Okay. You got
me. Shouldn’t have been doing that. How much is this going to cost me?” In this
case, a one stroke penalty and hit another ball from his choice of locations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">His next play had
him going to the drop zone where preceded to hit his next shot (his third) even
fatter. The ball flew directly into the creek. He hit it so badly, he was holding
his hand out to his caddie for another ball before the first one even landed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He dropped again
and hit his fifth shot with a little extra energy. That caused it to fly over
the green and into the back bunker. It was probably good at this point that he
got to walk for a couple of minutes because he needed to burn off some energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">From the bunker, he
blasted out to about five feet and holed the putt for a 7. Those last two shots
were incredibly clutch, frankly, to stop the bleeding. He was now in third
place having spent 6 shots to par over the last 3 holes while his opponents up
ahead had made some birdies of their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tighten Up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Here’s what I love
about the game, though. It wasn’t this meltdown that we’d just witnessed it was
the mettle and strength of character he showed from there back to the
clubhouse. (Don’t misunderstand, the meltdown was entertaining. Hackers love to
see pros doing what we do, from time to time, just so we know their actually
human. But Spieth is such a good guy, I’m not sure anyone enjoyed watching it.
He’s that well liked!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">From there, he
immediately pulled himself together and birdied the next hole. He added one
more at the fifteenth, too, and managed his game beautifully over the remaining
difficult stretch although he did suffer a bogey at seventeen while trying to
make up ground. In any case, he ended up tied for second. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for danny willett" border="0" height="126" 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" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annual jacket ceremony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He also suffered
the ignominy of having to place the winner’s green jacket on Englishman <b><span style="color: blue;">Danny
Willett</span></b>, the golfer who played his ass off with a bogey free round to win only a
week after becoming a father for the first time. (Augusta is full of these
“storylines” that the announcers </span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">are constantly talking about. It’s nice and
all but it’s just a little too smarmy for <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>who goes shopping whenever she
hears the Masters </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Music play on the TV.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In any case,
chapeau to <span style="color: blue;"><b>Danny Willett</b> </span>for his first Masters title. Huge props to <span style="color: blue;"><b>Jordan Spieth </b></span>who is destined to win
many more major titles in his career. He has the mental toughness of Tiger
Woods in his heyday and I was sure I’d never say that about anybody else, ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Golf Story with a
little bit of gambling</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I was having a
discussion at pool league Monday night about the Masters and we got on the
topic of gambling at golf, something I did a bit of many years ago. It took me
back to my high school golf team days and one of the craziest people I’ve ever
known, Curt Hetterman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for popeye" border="0" height="149" 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" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forearms, matey!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt was a year
older than the rest of the seniors and as a result he was able to buy beer
because the drinking age was 18 back then. Curt was </span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">also about five foot seven
with Popeye forearms and liked to wager on golf games. Proposition bets were
his specialty and these are plentiful on a golf course with targets galore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We had just
finished a school match and three of us were sitting outside the clubhouse,
discussing our respective matches. About 20 yards away was the twelfth tee, a
par 3 of about 165 yards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt had just
finished saying he’d parred the hole during his match, and then dismissed it by
saying he could, “par it without a club” if he wanted. I stopped him and asked
him to repeat that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I said I can par
that sumbitch without a club if I want to.” He repeated. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Want to put some
money on it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I said, “I’ve got
$5 that says you can’t, Curt.” (This was 40+ years ago and I was making $1.75
an hour at a part time job. That bet represented 3 hours of work so it wasn’t
the insignificant wager it seems, today.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham, my
co-captain, agreed and said he had another $5 for that bet, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt said, “Let’s
go!” and we all stood up and walked to the tee box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When we got there I
asked how he planned to do it and he told us he would only throw or roll the
ball, and that he’d stand wherever the ball came to rest for the next throw. We
agreed to those rules and the game was on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt took a running
start and launched a throw towards the green. The ball bounced and rolled,
coming to a stop about 35 yards short of the green. We followed it and watched
carefully as Curt stooped down, picked up the ball, keeping his feet behind
where the ball came to rest, and then tossed it towards the green. It rolled up
about twelve feet above the hole, leaving a downhill putt that would break
about a foot from left to right. I figured his odds of rolling it into the hole
were near zero and Grantham and I grinned at each other. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for tossing a golf ball like a basketball" border="0" height="112" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaq demonstrates the proper method</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt walked up to the
ball, set his feet behind it, picked it up and held it </span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">up like he was going to
shoot a free throw with it. He sighted and tossed the ball into the hole on the
fly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham and I just
gaped in awe at it and then started howling about what a lucky toss that was.
Curt grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Tell you what
guys. I’ll give you a chance to win your money back. Double or nothing I can do
it 5 in a row from a step closer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham and I
couldn’t say “You’re on!” fast enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt took a step
closer so that he was 9 or 10 feet away. I tossed the ball back to him and he
proceeded to throw it in the hole, on the fly, 5 times in a row. Grinning all
the while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’d never seen
anything like it. I reached into my pocket, peeled a ten dollar bill off, and
handed it to him with a rather gruff, “I’m done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt grinned at
Grantham and said, “Want to another chance?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham said,
“Damn right, but not that throw-it-in-the-hole shit!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt pointed to the
bunker next to the green and said, “Put a ball in there, anywhere you want, and
I’ll go double or nothing I can get it up and down from there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Up and down means
that Curt would be required to go from the bunker to the hole in only 2 shots,
hence, up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham grinned
and said, “Go get your sand wedge, Ace!” He marched into the bunker, stood in
the middle of it, pushed aside a pile of sand with his foot, dropped the ball
into the gap he’d created, and pushed the sand back over the ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt said, “Hold
on, I have to be able to see it at least!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham agreed, bent down
and hunted around with his fingers until he had uncovered about a dime-sized area
of the ball. It was at least a couple of inches below the level of the
surrounding sand; it was absolutely the worst buried lie I’d ever seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Curt grabbed his
sand wedge, walked into the bunker and took a stance, wiggling his feet back
and forth to get a good grip with his spikes. Once he was set, he looked up at
Grantham and grinned, waggled a couple of times, and then took a huge swing at
the sand covering the ball. Honestly, if I ever swung that hard, even in my
youth, parts of my body would have sheared off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There was an
enormous explosion of sand from the fury of Curt’s swing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Out of the middle of
it, a golf ball sailed up in the air, falling gently to the ground. It began
rolling towards the hole, coming to rest about 18 inches away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This shot remains
to this day, the greatest golf shot I’ve ever seen, live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham shook his
head, reached into his pocket and peeled off a twenty. He crumpled it up into a
ball and threw it at Curt who was calmly raking the bunker, fixing the excavation he'd just managed. He turned around
when it hit him and said with a grin, “Let’s go get a beer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grantham said,
“You’re buying, you sonofabitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I said, “Yeah. With
our money.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRWL_-WCmVeZomVvLeyzwyMrp5ecHGKrsuWpH-lQi9dwdOkcLIZfg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for golf bunker" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRWL_-WCmVeZomVvLeyzwyMrp5ecHGKrsuWpH-lQi9dwdOkcLIZfg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for a beer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-4811168847525215002016-02-12T11:38:00.000-05:002016-02-12T11:38:33.305-05:00The Power of Kindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiby2pV1_d4UuPTozQxTwQ4ee_EGI8yLlcBIZTrLrzh35eW9qblcaA7ctf7Z4-3L6_aPlF0kOuDVJ116ts9pEjLyy6l4rA4gQkpQME1VlRvv13SG8iks5Qd2CNakdqtueAJ6Bcrhyphenhyphenrk1ihc/s1600/kindness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiby2pV1_d4UuPTozQxTwQ4ee_EGI8yLlcBIZTrLrzh35eW9qblcaA7ctf7Z4-3L6_aPlF0kOuDVJ116ts9pEjLyy6l4rA4gQkpQME1VlRvv13SG8iks5Qd2CNakdqtueAJ6Bcrhyphenhyphenrk1ihc/s1600/kindness.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Before
I start with this story, I want to tell you it’s that time of year, again. I’m
riding, for the fifth year in a row, in the <b><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Tour de Cure of Northern VA</span></b>. This
is a fundraiser dedicated to funding the discovery of a cure for <b>Diabetes</b>, a
disease that affects nearly every family in America in some way or another. If
you’d like to read my story and, if you’re so inclined, make a donation just
click this link. Much obliged!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?px=7310819&pg=personal&fr_id=11102">http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?px=7310819&pg=personal&fr_id=11102</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Prologue</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
haven’t been inspired to write very much lately; politics have been dominating
the headlines and the news cycle and I just find it so draining, so exhausting,
and frankly demoralizing. There is rarely anything good to say. I actually
began several posts but gave up because they were too negative and cynical, which
is my go-to mindset when things begin to suck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Then
I experienced the story I’m about to tell you. It had a profound effect on my
day and I’m thinking that it may have the same effect on the rest of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>The
Story - Tampa FL Airport</b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqPzAhhFPipK6rPzEqIuZRxTvbMrShljoEQboOumeUkn6gGDhDot5UtHys3Hl6OVmEAhvi_bzov0zVbrF9hTuakBiM8SjJdkCZox5_Kifhcr-g7z4y6nBWgY2IwOlh4v0nr62kLt8VUS4/s1600/tampa+IL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqPzAhhFPipK6rPzEqIuZRxTvbMrShljoEQboOumeUkn6gGDhDot5UtHys3Hl6OVmEAhvi_bzov0zVbrF9hTuakBiM8SjJdkCZox5_Kifhcr-g7z4y6nBWgY2IwOlh4v0nr62kLt8VUS4/s200/tampa+IL.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
travel a great deal in my job. I consider myself to be a decent traveler, able
to manage the difficulties associated with it, generally with a smile.
Sometimes I see things that make me shake my head. This time it was really
something different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
arrived at the airport about ninety minutes before my flight on a shuttle
provided by my company. There were about a dozen of us on the same bus. I
pushed through the doors and headed to the ticket check in counter for American
and, since I knew I’d gotten an upgrade, headed to the First Class line. (This
also serves the Special Needs/purchase tickets group.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">A
man was speaking to a ticket agent in very broken English. He had apparently
just purchased a ticket to Cairo Egypt,<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOYjauiU06BRa_x91pzNGTTe_jbA96I9zJLFPFujv816HPAYV1xdzZt6coJ4aW80fJv5jTEKn_nSGdyaovMRN6fNwYliFJrKMBIOw1_4_HEw7cOB2nwwvx0cp8qAdF9YEKEgv0UJAZpNk/s1600/cairo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOYjauiU06BRa_x91pzNGTTe_jbA96I9zJLFPFujv816HPAYV1xdzZt6coJ4aW80fJv5jTEKn_nSGdyaovMRN6fNwYliFJrKMBIOw1_4_HEw7cOB2nwwvx0cp8qAdF9YEKEgv0UJAZpNk/s200/cairo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cairo, Egypt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
paying in cash, and was now trying to check
his two large suitcases. Both of them were over the weight limit and, once that
was explained to him and how much extra it would cost, he began removing items
and making quite a pile on the floor; he’d evidently spent all his money on the
ticket home and had no more money. The gate agent asked what he was going to do
with those and he said he would throw them away since he had no more money left
to pay and no other way to get them home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
pile of items would have easily filled a normal size suitcase. What was interesting
about them, though, was that they were all brand new. Pants, shirts, shoes and
all with the tags still on them. A bag from JC Penney, another from Target also
filled the pile. His face showed forlorn resignation, and despair, as he
continued to remove items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Standing
in line in front of me was a man in his fifties, dressed in casual clothes and
wearing a baseball cap. Watching what was happening, he murmured something
about that ‘just not being right’ and then wandered forward and stopped in
front of the gate agent and inquired how much the cost was for the man to check
his bags. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The gate agent told him it was <b>$100</b>.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrWWa1065rbqmJ6nuMmFpBaZcVkYq79wSWL5vqtPBmIotra7UxOP_6r-_RS_KlKy2laFq9cP05KpFmo2b9Zjz5D8U1lnxI6sN9Ik-ZgvYYDM0tsz-qqU7Due1vjojKrs2N2VzRyeNb_0a/s1600/benjy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrWWa1065rbqmJ6nuMmFpBaZcVkYq79wSWL5vqtPBmIotra7UxOP_6r-_RS_KlKy2laFq9cP05KpFmo2b9Zjz5D8U1lnxI6sN9Ik-ZgvYYDM0tsz-qqU7Due1vjojKrs2N2VzRyeNb_0a/s200/benjy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benjy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
man reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, thumbed through it, and
removed a $100 bill. He dropped it on the counter and said, “Please check the
man’s bags to wherever he is going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Once
she realized that this man was going to pay the fee, she called out to the
Egyptian man to stop emptying his suitcases and re-pack them. The man didn’t
understand what she was telling him until finally, she managed to explain that
this man standing here had paid for his bags to fly with him. Ballcap smiled
and nodded. The Egyptian man’s face went from dismal to sheer joy in a
millisecond. He stepped toward his benefactor and shook his hand with a fervor
one almost never sees anymore. He was grinning from ear to ear and thanking the
man over and over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ballcap
then said, “Let me help you get these back in your bag.” The two men crouched
down together and repacked the two suitcases. The ticket agent processed the
transaction and things began moving forward, again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Another
agent appeared and motioned to me to come forward so I could check in and check
my own bag. As I grabbed my ticket and headed off to the gate, the two men were
shaking hands again, both with big smiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">After
getting through security, I grabbed a cup of coffee and waited for my flight and
thought briefly about what I’d witnessed. It all happened so quickly that I
wasn’t sure exactly what I’d seen. Although I didn't know it, clarity was coming to me soon, however.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
flight boarded and departed on time. Once we reached 10,000 feet, I reached
into the overhead to retrieve my computer to do some work. As I was sitting
back down, I realized the man with the ballcap was seated across the aisle from
me. I wanted to ask him what happened but didn’t know how to approach him about
it. Plus, he was engaged in conversation with the woman seated next to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
worked for as long as the on-board wifi was working and then shut down and
stowed my laptop, in preparation for landing. I finished reading the news as we
landed and then taxied to the gate. Our flight was early arriving to Charlotte
and we had to wait for a few minutes before going to a gate. Once we got there,
there was a further wait for a ground crew. Since the seatbelt light had gone
off and we were all standing with our bags, waiting to exit, the man with the
ballcap was standing only a foot or so away. We made eye contact after the
flight attendant made a comment to both of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
said, “Excuse me, I saw what you did back at the ticket counter for that man.
Did you know him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">He
shook his head, no, and smiled again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
said, “That is the nicest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do for a stranger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">He
smiled again, paused, looked me in the eye, and said, <b>“We’re only strangers until
we meet others. I’ve been incredibly blessed throughout my life and I have
enough. When I see someone with a need, I try to help out. ”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
said, “Well, you certainly made that man’s day! That’s a terrific way to live.
Thank you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Just
then, the flight attendant motioned to us that we could exit. I turned to the
man and wished him a good day and safe journeys. Then I headed up the jetway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Epilogue</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><b>“We’re
only strangers until we meet.” <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><b>“I
have enough.”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
kept thinking about what the man had said. I kept seeing what happened at the
ticket counter and the relieved and excited smile on the Egyptian man’s face
when he realized that someone had come to his rescue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">At a
time when so much of the world is in turmoil, when countries are being torn
apart, when people are being tortured, executed, slaughtered, frequently in the
name of a “religion” that really doesn’t stand for any of that activity; when
politicians in our country call for a lockdown to our borders in an effort to
stop anyone who identifies as a <b>Muslim </b>because “they’re violent”, a single act
such as this just flies in the face of all that is wrong with the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">A
man from Egypt, (probably a <b>Muslim </b>as they make up 88% of the population) is
trying to get home with things he purchased in this country, and is unable to
do so because he doesn’t have $100 more, a not insignificant sum. A man from
America (maybe a <b>Christian </b>but perhaps not) sees his need as a fellow human
being and fills it for no other reason than he “has enough” himself so, he’ll
help others when he can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
is making me look at myself differently. Am I doing enough to help my fellow
man? Do I have enough?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’m
not going to start handing out $100 bills. I am going to start looking for ways
to support more people, even if it’s just an encouraging word, a gesture, a
compliment, perhaps some money or something that fills a material need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">If
we all did that, just one more time per day than we do currently, can you
imagine all of the good in the world? Evil wouldn’t stand a chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Will
you join me? </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Start by sharing this story. Thanks!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-63885928266130071852015-11-08T13:12:00.000-05:002015-11-08T13:12:25.947-05:00Tour of Richmond 2015 – Ride Report<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPf5oc4Lmg0eF2ceewQW9kA8x5_JUgLEMMuJnRkmY7rajPietmOANIwLc1kKU49ImeOULJI318B9PIlG8l6j9n6AHY4KxkrwQYx4Ko1sjHBuk7hxJ1bsuDGt8TTRM9fUyEM3rUmbur0aD/s1600/tour+of+richmond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPf5oc4Lmg0eF2ceewQW9kA8x5_JUgLEMMuJnRkmY7rajPietmOANIwLc1kKU49ImeOULJI318B9PIlG8l6j9n6AHY4KxkrwQYx4Ko1sjHBuk7hxJ1bsuDGt8TTRM9fUyEM3rUmbur0aD/s400/tour+of+richmond.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official Logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Flattus
interruptus</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’ve
probably been on two dozen big rides since I started road cycling a few years
ago. Not once, on any of those, did I sustain a flat tire. I’ve come upon a
bunch of people suffering them, even stopped to help a few, but never had one
myself. That all changed in this year’s Tour of Richmond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Later
start means cooler riding conditions</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">With
the <b>UCI World Cycling Championships<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuk_xvibMEaQbV_sLIlmuMVBPiCUXki1l482WhxBV9ok6QIB9XuKgf-zXgjIOYe1x9rcFhM7nJqhR8lkS7BbBvTC46R7zIqEEhIYTRYb4CCM1cz0MeVpW2wcwtovIkC_CVAVuS0xP4dZv/s1600/uci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuk_xvibMEaQbV_sLIlmuMVBPiCUXki1l482WhxBV9ok6QIB9XuKgf-zXgjIOYe1x9rcFhM7nJqhR8lkS7BbBvTC46R7zIqEEhIYTRYb4CCM1cz0MeVpW2wcwtovIkC_CVAVuS0xP4dZv/s200/uci.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gone but not forgotten!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b>taking place in late September, the Tour of
Richmond was pushed back two weeks later than its traditional start on the
first Saturday in October. I was thankful for that! The last couple of years
have provided rather warm afternoons (mid-90s, one year) and no one enjoyed
riding into a hot headwind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">In
addition to cooler temps, I was also backing off my normal distance. I’ve
ridden the century route the last 3 years and was planning to do the same when
I signed up in May. Unfortunately, work and life got in my way creating a great
deal of travel sans bike and this put my mileage way down compared to the last
three years. I typically have 1,500 miles in by the time this ride rolls
around. This year, I hadn’t even cracked 1,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">In
addition, I was traveling the week before the ride and not arriving home until
after midnight on Friday. With a 7:30 am start for the century, and having to
drive 40 minutes to get there and check in, I didn’t see my making 100 miles on
3 hours of sleep. Instead, I changed my entry to the 60 mile course, a metric
century and with a 9:30 start time I figured I’d be fine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Training?
We don’t need no stinking training!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">With
so few miles this year, I figured I’d better get out the prior weekend for some
rides just to be sure I could manage. On Saturday, I drove down to the new
Capital <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yJDfZlCWJ4jYvaZ1MmEaGORWAi_aDP802eMTVKdPfdsuTJvI0P2Obnb6ChF3nOIax9CUtSbIwAO6BpBTbbawaWMq0xnECKkoq1g-df79BNVBDOXGfxHerpZHChp62BjcCfjZpeN5hdgB/s1600/cap2cap.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yJDfZlCWJ4jYvaZ1MmEaGORWAi_aDP802eMTVKdPfdsuTJvI0P2Obnb6ChF3nOIax9CUtSbIwAO6BpBTbbawaWMq0xnECKkoq1g-df79BNVBDOXGfxHerpZHChp62BjcCfjZpeN5hdgB/s200/cap2cap.png" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally a reality!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Trail in downtown Richmond. It officially opened a week earlier and
provides us with a paved, multi-use path from Richmond to Jamestown (the
original capital of the Commonwealth) a distance of 52 miles. It is a beautiful
ride, with gently rolling hills, lovely trees, some water views, and a
spectacular view of the Richmond skyline on your way back into town. My plan
was to ride for45-50 miles and see how I felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
ride was uneventful and provided me with the chance to look at the trail, check
out the various parts of it, and get some miles on my legs. It was also a
lovely day and I felt so great I managed almost 50 miles and felt great when I
finished. I figured the Tour would be fairly easy for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">On
Monday, <b><span style="color: blue;">MB </span></b>(who has “retired” and is doing volunteer work these days) and I
rode down to Trail for a about a 90 minute ride. I used it to loosen my legs up
from Saturday’s ride and it was another lovely day. It also put me in a proper
frame of mind for having to get on a plane that afternoon and fly halfway
across the country for the week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">After
the ride, we loaded the bikes up and headed home. I hung them both in our
storage shed after giving them a quick wipe down and headed off to work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Off
to the Ride</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">My
flight home on Friday night was not only on time, it was early by about 20 minutes.
(This is so rare, you can’t even imagine.) I considered this a good omen for
the next day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
got up early Saturday, ate breakfast and dressed with a plan to get to the
start area (Richmond International Raceway) by 8:45 for the 9:30 start.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d_n-e7VoGHAvK9YxlUoeHIk29OOBbseeHskz6Uv4QPdyDw36maPb5r1UbIUpnGKjfjtI-5rUkzVoWA2ysjhA-KbRZyipDs_mQ5lVxA_I8PXcUjmQLKl1-I2hOq-XQke8Vfub3kiHVWgp/s1600/RIR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d_n-e7VoGHAvK9YxlUoeHIk29OOBbseeHskz6Uv4QPdyDw36maPb5r1UbIUpnGKjfjtI-5rUkzVoWA2ysjhA-KbRZyipDs_mQ5lVxA_I8PXcUjmQLKl1-I2hOq-XQke8Vfub3kiHVWgp/s200/RIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubba's paradise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">When
I went out to grab my bike, I noticed that the rear tire was flat. This isn’t
unusual but it usually takes a few weeks to happen. I grabbed my floor pump and
re-inflated it before carrying it out to the car. I also threw the pump into
the car as a matter of habit; I do that at these big rides just in case someone
needs it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Loaded
up, I headed to RIR and arrived about 45 minutes prior to the start where I
walked to the registration desk and picked up my number and timing chip. Before
unloading the bike, I pinned the number on my jersey and got dressed for the
cooler weather. The predicted high was 60 for the day and it was starting
around 40 so I donned arm and leg warmers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
walked around to the back of the Subaru to get my bike off the rack and
realized the back tire was flat again. I squeezed it with my right hand and
immediately found the problem as a staple that was sticking out of the tire
pierced my thumb, right under the nail. (Pain – high. Blood – flowing nicely.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Bike
skills are us<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqehJxVR8wj7slDRRcPtM95frKy5tYR-fGahUkUWvWIvsYuDSKh3Q6o35fand2ZnZAZJLmBVN3qiIPUQUcFen-jeL1iRNrJ_rP8YMQomOds4jNIcGEuIVr6lcFKPnAIuikDNYAKvV2FbT/s1600/fix+a+flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqehJxVR8wj7slDRRcPtM95frKy5tYR-fGahUkUWvWIvsYuDSKh3Q6o35fand2ZnZAZJLmBVN3qiIPUQUcFen-jeL1iRNrJ_rP8YMQomOds4jNIcGEuIVr6lcFKPnAIuikDNYAKvV2FbT/s200/fix+a+flat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not actually me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
swore at the pain and the bleeding, and sucked my thumb for a minute to get it
to stop. (Also to stop whimpering.) Once it did, I carefully removed the wheel
and prepared to fix the flat. I have a saddle bag that holds 2 fresh inner
tubes, tire levers, a multi-tool and a CO2 pump along with a frame pump in case
the CO2 runs out. (Floor pump coming in handy; glad I packed it!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">After
identifying where the staple was, I pulled off one side of the tire and removed
the flat tube. I relocated the staple and began to remove it when it broke off
on the outside. I reached inside the tire and felt where it was poking in and
would cause another flat. I needed to remove it but didn’t have a pair of
pliers to do it. Time for creative thinking or, at least, what passes for it
with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
first tried grabbing it with my thumbnail and pulling it out. That resulted in
shredding my thumbnail and restarting the bleeding. Next, I tried pushing it
back out through the tire wall using the fattest thing on the multi-tool but it
kept slipping off. Finally, I took the tire completely off the rim, turned it
inside out, and pulled it out with my teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">(Keep
in mind, this is happening in a parking lot with hundreds of other cyclists
watching me as they walk past. How I did all this without swearing a blue streak
is beyond me. I’ve been working to become more accepting and Zen about things
but I desperately wanted to throw the wheel for distance.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Finally
having removed the offending puncture creator, I ran my hand around the rest of
the tire to ensure there weren’t any others hiding in there. Finding none, I
reinstalled it on the rim and grabbed a fresh tube and shoved it inside the
tire. I grabbed the pump out of the car and began to inflate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">About
20 seconds later, there was a very loud bang. I had managed to let a tiny
little piece of the tube stick out from under the tire and when it pinched
under pressure, it blew. At this point, I just started giggling. I was down to
my last tube and hadn’t even started the ride!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
quickly pulled the tube, reinstalled the last one, and very carefully inflated
it to the correct pressure checking all the while that I hadn’t set up another
pinch. Finally, I had two tires that could be ridden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Clean
up and Go!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
got the wheel back on the bike, reassembled my saddle bag, jumped on the bike
and headed to the registration area where I could wash my hands (and face it
turns out; I had tire marks all over my nose and cheek) before heading to the
starting line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
hit the head while I was in there, just to make sure nothing else did me in,
and rode over to the start line, arriving just in time to doff my helmet for
the National Anthem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
took a couple of deep breaths to calm down and regain my Zen while putting my
helmet back on. Group starts tend to be a little scary even without adrenaline
coursing through your veins. I needed to be calm in order to not wind up in a
pileup with some other Fred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
signal to start came and people began rolling out. I managed to stay out of
trouble and get into a nice rhythm almost immediately. Within a mile, I was
rolling along at a fast (for me) pace and enjoying the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Popular
Mechanics</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">One
thing I noticed almost immediately was that my bike wasn’t shifting properly,
skipping gears going up and down. I figured that I hadn’t seated the wheel in
exactly the same spot prior to the flat and that was causing mis-shifts in a
couple of gears. I was able to work around it but it was a bit of irritant. I
kept going.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">At
the first SAG stop, there was a huge crowd at the volunteer mechanic’s tent. I
grabbed two snacks, refilled bottles and headed out without stopping to get the
wheel re-seated. It wasn’t bothering me much and I was having a career day on
the ride, averaging well over 18 mph for the first hour. I just wanted to keep
going and build up as much time in the bank as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">(Time
in the bank is a game I play in my mind on a ride. If I want to average 16 mph
on a ride, I’ll try to exceed that for as long as I can. Then, if a headwind
hits or a large hill gets in the way, I can still keep my average. Yeah, I know
it’s weird. It’s what you do to keep your head in the right place.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">At
the second SAG stop, I pulled in to the Performance Tent and explained what was
happening. The wrench loosened my wheel and felt it drop into place. Then he
put it up on the rack and tweaked the shifter until it shifted perfectly. As he
was taking it down, he said, “Hey, your back wheel is kinda soft.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">My
heart sank. I told him it was 110 psi when I left the start. He filled it back
up and suggested it might be a slow leak and perhaps I could make it to the end
without having to change it. He asked how far I had to go. I said, “29 miles,
dude. Too far.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
was out of tubes and would have to depend on the kindness of strangers if this
one flatted completely. And I just knew it was going to happen. Only one thing
to do, keep pedaling!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Standing
on a corner…..<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
rode out of the stop as quickly as possible. I was still having a great day and
even when the course turned into a stiff wind for the last 20 miles, I felt
great and was holding my speed well above where I’d been hoping to keep it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">And
then I noticed that the back end felt mushy. I looked down and could see that
the tire was going flat after only 10 miles. Of course. I dismounted, grabbed
my frame pump and reinflated the tire. Got back on the bike and continued on,
cresting the hill and starting down a mild descent. When I hit a small bump in
the pavement, I felt the rim hit and knew it was over for that tube. Dammit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
pulled over, yanked out the wheel, pulled the tire and removed the tube in less
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7POyWTfLcBGIRXITUuGhSpkAb-TCCHDDMhu6W8pR_mI7JredWRKrKnSzsLjhR983zQLMNdF7zVMkgtP9nawRG19HGMqRY6UE8Hh_G7ZXvj0z3iBt4Mq2c0sSm50vV6b2JqOKfxTZ0OTb/s1600/flat+tube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7POyWTfLcBGIRXITUuGhSpkAb-TCCHDDMhu6W8pR_mI7JredWRKrKnSzsLjhR983zQLMNdF7zVMkgtP9nawRG19HGMqRY6UE8Hh_G7ZXvj0z3iBt4Mq2c0sSm50vV6b2JqOKfxTZ0OTb/s200/flat+tube.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little help?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
than a minute. (You get better with repetition, I’m told.) I stood up and held
the tube over my head, looking at the oncoming riders. As they passed, I
hollered, “Anybody got a tube they can spare?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">About
50 riders passed me when I saw a motorcycle cop coming towards me. He stopped
and I was praying he would have some tubes but no, he didn’t. He offered to let
the SAG station, less than 2 miles away now, know that I needed help. I thanked
him and went back to my pleading with the velo parade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Another
10 minutes passed and finally, someone stopped and handed me a tube from his
pocket. I thanked him profusely and told him he would now have good karma for
all rides for the next year. He laughed and rode off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
reinstalled the tube, carefully inflated it and packed my kit back up. I wiped
my hands off on a small rag that I remembered to pack and got ready to head off
when I realized I’d been standing there for nearly 30 minutes and my entire
body was now incredibly stiff from standing around. Sigh, there goes the
personal best for this ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
swung my leg over the saddle looking remarkably similar to the Tin Woodsman
from the Wizard of Oz. You know, after he’s been standing in the rain and needs
to be oiled? Yeah, that was me for at least the next 2 miles to the SAG stop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">When
I rolled in, the mechanic saw my dirty hands and asked if I was the guy who had
a flat; he’d gone to look for me and we’d missed each other somehow. He then
offered me a spare tube for my saddle bag (just in case) for the last 18 miles
of the ride. Having one would mean that I’d get no further flats and that, of
course, turned out to be true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
had a slice of pizza and a snack, refilled bottles, and headed off to the
finish. I was no longer feeling unstoppable on the bike; I just wanted to
finish and go drink a beer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Aftermath</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
rolled back onto the grounds of RIR a little more than 4 hours after I started
which, considering everything, was pretty amazing. I managed to average 14.3
mph despite stopping for 25 minutes by the side of the road. My Garmin told me
later that I’d managed an average moving speed of 17.8 mph which is a new
personal best for me on a ride over 30 miles in length. </span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Evidently,
2 rides the weekend before followed by a week of travel and drinking Manhattans
is a great training program. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">I think they call it tapering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’ve
sometimes wondered if carrying two spare tubes whenever I head out on my bike
is a bit too belt and suspenders. Now, I realize that it’s the absolute minimum
to have, at least for me. And I’m going to carry 2 spares in the car, too, when
I drive to a ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Otherwise,
you wind up looking like the Tim Woodsman and singing like the Scarecrow – If I
Only Had a Brain!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Brian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.com0