I'll be home For Christmas

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
1943, by Walter Kent (music) and James Gannon (words)

....as the old song goes.

I went home again this past Christmas, as I always do. No dream required. I have been in Kansas City since 1997 and have never spent a Christmas Day or Christmas Eve here. Without fail, I have went back to Decatur; rain, snow, sleet, whatever thrown at me has never stopped me.

I am lucky in a way; my sister still owns and lives in the house I grew up in, I was about 4 when we moved to the new suburban house from the smaller house in the city. I don't remember the first house much, just a few fuzzy memories of my mom and the neighbors interacting.

My sister is older than I, almost a different generation than me. For years we were strangers, but with mom and dad gone and an extended family that is nowhere near close (I have aunts and cousins I have not seen in years) we are all we have. My kids are grown now and have their own agendas, Christmas at Dad's is unthinkable to them as it was for me at that age. They'll come around someday.

Christmas at home is far from exciting. We eat, Donna watches her omnipresent TV, I bitch at all the junk she collects, she eats more and shops more. We go to the Midden's on Christmas Eve, despite the fact that Dee is frail and Bob is in a nursing home. Wine and beer has been replaced with diet soda and tea. I have went over there for as long as I can remember. Dee's cooking is suspect, but she never fails to have a spread. She still gives everyone a tacky present, but her heart is 100% gold.

Donna and I are lousy present givers. We always know what each of us got each other. Makes it easy but it takes the drama out of it. Sometimes the gifts are are still in the sack from the store. I am a lousy wrapper, so it takes some of the anxiety out of it.

Puggles always comes along. She likes visiting Aunt Donna, lots of yard to explore and a neighborhood safe to walk in. Donna professes to be annoyed by her, but I think she secretly adores her. For Puggles, any one who lounges on a couch is the top, so she thinks Aunt Donna is a goddess.

Home is getting shabby. The house needs some work. It, like us, is getting old. Neither of us have the money to sink into the place. We replace as needed, like the roof and the Air conditioner and the tree trim. The big ice storm last month did a number on all the trees and knocked down my apple tree I planted in about 1966-67. But despite all, she still stands, many of the same neighbors are there, the woods I loved to explore still beckons, and I still have a key. I have someplace I can always go. Not being homeless is a great feeling.

It's a bird....It's a plane...no wait...

Employees at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport insist they observed a UFO hovering over the airport for several minutes on November 7^th , 2006. It quickly disappeared, leaving a visible hole in the clouds.

Was it a Martian spaceship, a weather balloon or a top-secret military plane? Maybe it was a lost glider or simply a reflection?

Airport officials are doing a Sgt Schultz routine and not talking about the event. The Federal Aviation Administration admits its air traffic control tower at O'Hare did receive a call from a United Airlines employee asking if controllers had spotted a mysterious elliptical object hovering over Concourse C of the United terminal. The FAA reported that none of its controllers or the airport radar noticed anything extraordinary, or extra-terrestrial for that matter. The FAA is not concerned at all and dismisses any alleged sighting as a "weather phenomenon". But those who claim they saw it are sticking to their story, one poor soul was so distraught over the whole affair and "experienced some religious issues" over it, a fellow employee reported.

It was reported that the saucer appeared about 4:30PM. Everyone who saw it said the object was dark gray, elliptical and easily seen . No one seemed to agree on the size of the thing, with estimates ranging from 6 feet to 24 feet in diameter. Some said it looked like a rotating Frisbee, while others said it did not appear to be spinning. All agreed the object hovered noiselessly and vanished into the cloud cover.

I think the damn thing was frustrated over no available landing slots and no gates open at the terminal. Can you imagine, we are about to make first contact and the damn airport is at capacity? What could the Martians do but turn around and go home. Certainly the aliens were not happy about diverting to Milwaukee or Rockford. Lucky they didn't use a death ray.

Maybe this will spur on development of a new airport for Chicago.

Inspired

When I ask Classical Music lovers to name a work that moves them emotionally, spiritually and intellectually I frequently get the following responses:

Beethoven 9^th Symphony

Mozart Requiem

Bach Magnificat

Bach’s St Matthew Passion

Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Mahler 9^th Symphony

Sometimes an opera like “La Boheme” or “Madame Butterfly” or a specific aria is mentioned. All are incredible masterpieces and worthy of the honor. All are monumental in scale and in forces, with large orchestras, choral parts, and a religious program weaving a common thread.

However, to my ears and mind, a work maybe not smaller in length but smaller in forces never fails to have the same effect. A work for a solo instrument that languished in obscurity for a considerable time yet is as inspiring as any of the works usually mentioned.

Schubert Sonata for Piano in Bb Major D 960.

Listen to it. Hear the pathos, the maturity and confidence of the composer in what was tragically the last year of his short life, the series of prayers for peace and healing with meditations both sacred and profane. There is an almost relentless force-of-nature-like forward motion in the opening “Molto Moderato” movement, even as it begins with a profound, yet simple prayer. The more turbulent center section takes you on a life journey, with all the highs and lows life offers. The opening prayer's return at the end is a meditation on serenity and enlightenment.

The following “Andante sostenuto” movement is far removed from flashy virtuosity. Some hear a soft, peaceful lullaby or a simple accompaniment and a hymn-like melody. I hear a profound meditation on the acceptance of fate. I keep coming back to enlightenment, as if Schubert had a revelation of his life's purpose and that his work was done. In the slightly faster center section of the movement, I hear the restrained joy of someone expressing “yes, I have found it, this is perfection, and I have found my soul.” Yet moments of fear and insecurity creep in now and then. Simply the most incredible and emotionally complex 10 minutes in music.

In the short (around 4 minutes) “Allegro Vivace Con Delicatezza”, I hear a mercurial and witty celebration. Far from flashy, the intermezzo begins the ascent from the mood of deep meditation to the more lighthearted exploration of joy and contentment. The final “Allegro ma non troppo” has a slightly ironic joy and wit ultimately dispelling the gloom of the first two movements.

There are many wonderful performances of this marvel of music. Brendel, Leif Ove Andsnes, and my piano hero Leon Fleisher on his new Vanguard CD “Two Hands”.

Any of these will provide you with an experience that will enrich you and one you will not forget.

Saturday Pancake Musings: New Year's Weekend

Well, as far as I know, I just had my last pancakes for the year. Maybe for a while too. My Dr. says I have high blood pressure and blood sugar. Unfortunately, the sore shoulder that I went to him for still hurts. I guess I have to go back and fight all over again. He was more worried about the blood stuff, I am tired of my sore shoulder. It is my body, I know what I need!

On to Pancake Musings:

1) Saddam was hung yesterday eve our time, early morning Iraq time. While I abhor his brutality, I am 1000% against State sanctioned murder, as the death penalty is. Would it not be just to have him rot away, broken and remembering all his misdeeds? Why make a martyr of him? But this was a decision for the Iraqis and I guess most are pleased.

2) I guess I will not be seeing Yo-Yo Ma when he comes to town. Tix are gone, not even the Maestro can save me. Oh well. Seeming like it is sour grapes, his programs (Haydn Cello Concerto and Strauss Don Quixote) were not real adventurous and thus not all that earth shattering. I wanted to hear the Shostakovich 9th more than Ma.

3) I got a blog visitor from "state.Az.us". Turns out it was a referral from my friend Jon's website Jon's Jail Journal. He is, as you might assume, a "guest" of the Arizona Department of Corrections. His blog makes wonderful reading. I guess some bureaucrat in Phoenix has nothing better to do than check out his blog and the links to friends. Something sinister about all this actually.

4) Been in a real lousy mood and am tired. Maybe it is the blood stuff noted above.

5) One thing that makes 2007 a Happy New Year is that it is that much closer to getting Bush out of the White House.

So for the year, Pato signing off. See you all next week. Happy Happy!~ Pato

A Forgotten Hero

Pato comes out of vacation to bring you this story about a hero, treated like shit, who was responsible for Gerald R. Ford living to the ripe old age of 93.

We hope everyone had a good Holiday, got lots of presents and survived their travels. ~ Pato

Oliver Sipple 1941-1989

Merry Christmas & Happy 2007

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM DON (PATO) AND HER MAJESTY QUEEN PUGGLES.

We are off to visit my sister and although we will return on Tuesday, Pato is taking a little break from the blog, as are many people this time of year. Look for more Pato around the first of the Year, unless there is something I just have to say.

Take care, safe travels to all and I hope Santa brings you lots of toys!

~ Pato and Puggles

My Buddy Ralph

Ralph is a man of few words. Each one is carefully chosen from his limited repertoire. Be that as it may, Ralph is quite a communicator and actually is one of the more interesting residents of the Towers. Ralph also does not get out much; if he does it is an event of monumental proportions and usually causes quite a stir. But in his simplicity, directness and even touch of mystery, he is most fascinating. A rare visit to Ralph's always makes my day.

Ralph, you see is a parrot. A 27 yr old African Gray. I was going to take a picture of him, but the flash on my camera seems to not want to operate. He is pretty much as his name implies, Gray with a hint of red in his tail and a few white feathers thrown in for contrast. He lives in a big bird cage in Marcia's apartment on the 3rd floor. Soon Ralph (and Marcia too) will be joining us here in the basement of the Towers as she is renovating the dungeon for her new apartment. This is not Ralph but a typical pose of an African Gray.

As I said, he is a bird of few words, mostly "hello", "Come on", "Good boy", "I love you", "Gitch you" (sic) and my favorite "WHOA!!!", which he lustily greets you with upon arrival. He has a vast repertoire of whistles and squawks which are almost more meaningful than his words. The whistles and hellos are usually accompanied by a vigorous bobbing of his head with one eye plastered to the side of the cage, keeping close watch on the visitor. He also loves to clamp on to my hat and try to steal it. Lucky for me, it won't fit through the bars.

Ralph is my entertainment as I wander through the halls on my various rounds. I can tell if Marcia has used the microwave as I hear his "beep beep beep beeeeeeeeeep" which sounds just like the damn thing. If someone has went into the back room off the kitchen, I know that too as he mimics the squeak of the door. He really dislikes people invading his space and making noise. That usually is cause for him to sound the alarm, a fast "beeep beeep beeep beeep" just like a security alarm. He did the same thing when Puggles first came to visit him. "Sound the alarm, I have been invaded!"

Ralph and I have become good buddies. Since Marcia travels out of town occasionally, I am charged with feeding and entertaining Mr. Ralph. We chat, whistle back and forth and communicate in a strangely effective manner. I think he is happy to see me as I am in return. My hearty "hello Ralph" is met with a "WHOA!" or a "Hell-low" the "low" a bit lower in pitch. The combination is effectively casual-friendly. Actually, Ralph's greetings are more sincere and friendly than many of the inhabitants of this place. Says a lot about them, doesn't it?

Computers and Us

My faithful reader Callalilly offered this comment on the 12/18 "From Univac to Memory Sticks" posting. Callalilly made some very valid points. Much like the automobile and the airplane revolutionized our world and relationships plus opened up travel, the computer has revolutionized the way we conduct our daily lives. As the auto and the airplane also brought problems like noise, pollution and safety issues, the computer has also brought problems with it. I am also guilty of knowing more about the lives and stories of people I have never physically met than I am with my own neighbors. I have to drag my now officially fat ass away from the computer to do my daily swim. I should be out doing something but I am updating the blog.

So I offer Callalilly's comments here for your reading as many visitors do not check out the comment section. Thanks Callalilly for the comment. ~ Pato


For years now, computers have been doubling in memory capacity and speed each year while the price has been dropping by half. Truly amazing technologically.

The issue that needs to be looked at more is how all the technology is affecting us. Does it bring people together or separate them further? We communicate with people far away, yet we are too busy to get together with friends across town. Are the things we do with computers healthy for us? We spend hours on our butts in front of the screen, rather than engaging in more physically or mentally challenging activities. Are we really improving our lives? We have access to all sorts of content, but so much of it is very superficial. We can waste so many hours on fascinating but meaningless activities like games and "naughty" stuff. We can spend alot of time pursuing our narrow interests, and we are able to ignore bigger issues that might bring us together with more people.

And of course the computer has brought about a huge upheaval in the job market, resulting in various "winners" and "losers".

From Univac to Memory Sticks

Chuck Gooden loved to talk. Given a chance, he would start up a conversation with King Tut's mummy. He loved to tell his stories, most of which were not real interesting. However he was convinced everyone needed to hear them.

One that was mildly amusing, and even illustrated with some old Polaroids, was the arrival of a Univac computer to the Franklin Life Insurance Co of Springfield, IL. This was in the late 1950s and was a major event. Univac (UNIVersal Automatic Computer) was the first commercial computer made in the US. Only 4o some units were ever made and were a considerable investment for a company. Insurance companies, needing lots of information for billing and processing claims, were a natural market.

According to Chuck, most of the employees got the day off and most of Springfield watched as a fleet of heavy lift helicopters brought the unit to the building. While the workers used fans and open windows to cool in the humid midwest summer, Univac had his own air-conditioned floor. It took the better part of the day and several weeks of pre and post installation work to get Univac ready to go.

Just as a bit of trivia, UNIVAC used 5,200 vacuum tubes weighed 29,000 lbs, and could perform about 1,905 operations per second. The Central Complex (consisting of the processor and memory unit) by itself was 14" by 8 " by 8.5" high . The complete system occupied more than 350 sq ft of floor space.

Fast forward to today. Technology has rocketed forward in the last 50 years. Univac is now a museum piece. Computers are ubiquitous, and even throwaway. I have a 5 year old Dell in the corner that is now obsolete, it is going to be a second computer, much like the once shiny new car is now the second one for the kids, a newer one taking its place in the pecking order.

This whole essay came about as I bought a 1 gigabyte memory stick yesterday when I was out shopping. This little thing, illustrated here, is 1/100,000 or more the size of Univac. But probably holds more memory than Univac could even imagine. A Univac system cost nearly a million dollars (1950 dollars) to buy and even more to install. With only 46 made a Univac owner was in an elite club. A 1 gig memory stick costs $20 give or take and can be bought at Target. 2 gig sticks are also available and I am sure bigger ones are on the way.


The photo above is about life size.

The old tape drive, card reader computers are dead and gone, computer memory is cheap now. Someone without a computer is either a technophobe, lazy or just dirt poor. You just wonder what the computers of 50 years from now will be. Microchips I guess, maybe even inbred in babies. Provided there is a 50 years from now.

Happy Birthday Ludwig

Today is the high holy day for little Schroeder, the piano playing denizen of the "Peanuts" cartoons. Yes it is Beethoven's birthday; good ol' Ludwig Van turns 236 today. We think. His exact birthdate was not recorded, but he was baptized on December 17th so this date has been traditionally celebrated. Some think it was more likely the 15th or even earlier. But since we have no definitive proof, we'll just accept the date as today. Schroeder would approve.



No other composer's music reaches out, grabs you and shakes you quite the way Beethoven's does. He also had an amazing ability to make the most simple passage monumental in its impact. Unlike Mozart, he revolutionized music, took the symphony to new heights and perfected the string quartet and solo sonata.

I haven't decided what to listen to later to honor him, there are plenty of options. I am leaning toward my favorite Symphony the 7th or the incredible String Quartet op 131.

Happy Birthday Ludwig!

We Three Pugs

Her Majesty Puggles, Queen of All Pugs and Supreme Ruler of Alaska, etc, etc. wishes to share her favorite Christmas Carol with her loyal subjects:

We Three Pugs
(To the tune of "We Three Kings")

We three Pugs of Orient are,
Shuffling low, we cannot go far.
Bellies dragging,
Tails a wagging,
Hounding the Milk Bone jar.

O! O!

We love treats and we love hugs.
We love all 'cause we are pugs.
Licking, sneezing, snoring, wheezing,
Guide us to the warmest rugs.

We wish all a Merry Christmas from Puggingham Palace
D and P

The Myth of Lunch

Just like record stores, arctic ice cover, and the Democratic majority in the Senate, lunch time is in peril.

"What's for lunch?" is heard less frequently among the cubes and worker bees in corporate America these days. Most experts agree on one thing, it is not the worker's idea for the most part, it is increased workplace stress, less people to get the job done due to massive layoffs in the last decade and increased competition for the few plum jobs available. At one company only 3% of employees took a full hour for lunch and the vast majority said the 1 hour lunch was a myth. Many workers eat a meal at their desk, many do not eat at all.

Corporate America could care less about employees anymore. They are a liability to be shed like outdated equipment. Cut cut cut, work more, work more, threaten layoffs and closure, cut cut cut, if I don't produce more I'll be fired. No wonder we are all getting stressed out, no wonder depression is at an all time high while health benefits are at an all time low. No wonder lunch break is low on everyone's priority. I think the Roman slaves had it better.

Not having a proper lunch is not healthy for many. Studies have also shown that mistakes increase and productivity lags as blood sugar lowers.

Tell me, worker bees, is you job worth your life and health? Trust me, they don't care about you. Skipping your lunch or working 24/7 won't impress them. Only the "stakeholders" are of concern these days. Take it from someone who knows.

That is why I love my job. I can take lunch, fuck I even take a nap now and then. I don't make the big bucks, but with no debt, I have more money to spend than most do after all the credit cards and insane mortgage and car payments.

Do Pato a favor. Take an hour off each day. See if they notice. See if you feel better.

See if the big bosses go out for lunch.... bet they do.

"What's for lunch?" Not sure yet, I'll probably go to the local deli and find something, or maybe some take out sushi. Then I feel a nap coming on.

Legends

I rarely watch TV anymore. Most of it bores me to tears. "Friends", "Seinfeld", "Will and Grace"...I have not a clue what they are about. Reality shows? Forget them. I watched about 10 minutes of a "Survivor" episode and was bored and mystified at what all the fuss was about.

Give me some 80's prime time soap operas! Yes, I loved "Dynasty" and "Falcon Crest"... "Dallas" was ok, but the former two were top rated for me! Oh the fabulous people, the power, the clothes, the drama, the schemes, the double crossing, the love affairs, did I say drama?. And the wonderful stars, Jane Wyman, John Forsythe, Pamela Sue Martin, Linda Evans, the yummy Al Corley (what happened to him?) and of course the bitch herself, Joan Collins. As a trivia note, he verbal wars between Krystle (Evans) and Alexis (Collins) was one of the first times the word bitch was used on US television. The use of bitch on Dynasty made the use of the word more socially acceptable.

So I was thrilled when "Legends!" was booked to play here in KC this past week. Starring none other than Linda Evans and Joan Collins, in person! A ton of bitch on stage, it must be heaven.

Unfortunately, if it were not for the presence of the two names, this play would not be worth walking across the street to see. It was great seeing the two "Grande Chattes" together on stage. They looked as if time had stood still, great face lifts ladies! Only some slow movements belied the fact that they were no longer spring bitches.

The plot was tailor made for them. An unscrupulous producer wants to cast two old legends of film and stage in a new play. The ladies are notorious rivals. He succeeds in getting them together by lies and promises. Of course both are washed up and broke. Collins has to borrow an apartment to use as a meeting place so to impress Evans.

The rest of the play is not worth mentioning. Of course they meet, banter, bitch, exchange insults as their charade is unraveled, mostly due to their eating some "Alice B. Toklas Brownies (aka Marijuana brownies). They agree to do the show because they are flat broke. The borrowed apartment was to be a scene for a party and everyone is warned that the party is canceled, except Boom-Boom Johnson, the hired Chippendale stripper. He does his dance and leave the stage with nothing but a strategically placed top hat. What he had to do with anything except to enliven the dirge is beyond me. Beefy boy he was, he made the ladies and gay boys happy.

Yes I was disappointed in the play with its silly, pathetic plot. But to see two of my legends at the same time was great. Unfortunately they did not get in a hair-pulling bitch fight in a fountain. That would have made my day

More Random Questions

1. What time is it? 12:02PM

2. What is your full name? Donald Edward Clark

3. What are you most afraid of? Some nut starting a war

4. What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theater? “The Queen”

5.Have you ever seen a ghost? no.

6. Where were you born? Decatur, Il

7. Ever been to Alaska? no

8. Ever been toilet papering? no

9. Loved someone so much it made you cry? Yes

10. Been in a serious car accident? no

11 Do you plan to have any more Children? no

12. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday, I have a happy hour with friends that night.

13. Favorite Restaurant? Cafe Trio

14. Favorite Flower? Iris

15. Favorite color? blue

16. Favorite sport to watch? None, really

17. Favorite Drinks? Diet coke, alcohol: gin and tonic

18. Favorite Ice Cream? vanilla but I really love Murray's Bailey's Irish Creme with real Bailey's!

19. Favorite fast food restaurant ? Arby’s

20. What color is your bedroom carpet? none

21. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none

22. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? Ann Dupont

23. What do you do when you are bored? Serf the net

24. Bedtime? after midnight.

25. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? Not sending it on

26. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond? Michael if I sent it to him

27. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their answers? Same as above

28. Favorite TV shows? Weather Channel

29. Ford or Chevy? Ford

30. What are you listening to right now? Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

31. How many pets do you have? 1, Her Glorious Majesty Puggles

32. Which came first the chicken or the egg? Don't know, don’t really care

33. What would you like to accomplish before you die? Move to Nicaragua

34.How many people are you sending this e-mail to? 0

35. What is your favorite comfort food? Home made chicken & noodles

36. When was the last time you laughed till you cried? Watching Monty Python

37. Who would you most like to meet? Buddha, I think I could learn something

Since March 28th 2006 entry of "50 Random Questions and Answers" is my most looked at page, I thought I'd add 37 more.

New! New! All around NEW!

...and faster than a speeding bullet. That is my new computer processor. My old Dell was getting long in the tooth and slower than molasses in January. Actually, if you look at it, the dang thing did things that a few years ago we could only dream of, but in the scheme of things now, it was slow...and prone to crashing. The old hard drive was getting cranky, the tech who installed my cable internet in early 2005 said it would die any day. She is still going, not dead but a bit feeble.

My friend Michael loves to play with computers so he took his 2 year old HP, added a new bigger hard drive, installed a DVD player, a CD burner, upped the memory (1 gig, my old one had 126mb) and a speedier processor. Mine was a 1Ghz ( the fasted in the world for about 3 seconds in 2000 when I got Mr. Dell) this one is a 3 ghz. Damn she is fast.....

Mr Dell is still around, lots of data and things on it. Eventually it will migrate to my sister's house where I may teach her how to use it and have it around when I visit. Mr Dell has some life left yet. He served me well, and will continue to be a part of my family for sometime to come.

Meanwhile, I LOVE speeding thru the net!

see ya!

Speading a Little Cheer

It's a short message and not even real personal: "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your friend Don. Take care!" It may not be much, but for the recipients, it is gold.

Sitting in their cold, stark, crowded and noisy cells the inmate will hear his or her name called for mail. They say nothing is as sweet as the sound of your own name. For those incarcerated their name called and a "you've got mail" is truly a magic moment.

"Someone cares, someone remembers, someone realizes despite my crimes I am still a human being with dignity", they think to themselves as they read the card. "I am someone who is lonely, someone who is in reality scared to death, humiliated beyond description, ruined, depressed, angry, despondent beyond words. I am someone who has to fight to live, endure incredible hardships, deprivation and humiliation. One day I was planning a night out with friends and making a note to get my car's oil changed. But in a whirlwind of calamity, I was handcuffed, stripped and given a number my freedom vanished. And now this stranger sends me a card and says he is a friend. "

"Maybe I can make it."

Get involved with Inmate penpals. Check out the link to Lost Vault on the links section of my blog. It is not for everyone, it demands a lot of time and patience. You may have to make the tough decision to stop writing someone because they are demanding, causing trouble or just not a good match. I have made at least 3 wonderful friends and look forward to their letters and cards.

If anyone would like to send a card to an inmate, contact me at donaldopato@gmail.com and I'll get a name and address out to you.

I may change a life....maybe even yours.

While Thousands Suffer in the Cold...Mattie Says Merry Christmas

It has been a while since I railed against our dumb ass boy Gov Mattie Blunt. Despite thousands being without power in the major metropolitan center of St Louis for over a week for the second time this year, Mattie had to take care of this pressing issue. Oh that's right, silly me, AmerenUE the electric calamity in St Louis is a friend of the Blunts, so the problem can't be theirs.

From the KC Star:

Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has declared that state employees can say it too.

Blunt on Monday issued a directive to department heads asking them to assure state employees they would not be disciplined for saying “merry Christmas.”

“Last year, there was a great deal of public discussion regarding the Christmas season,” Blunt wrote in the memo. “Specifically, we heard from those who believe that the Christmas break should be called by a non-religious name such as ‘Winter Holiday.’ They also argued that traditional Christmas greetings such as “Merry Christmas” should not be used.

“Missouri state government employees should not have to worry about this matter. To ensure that there is no confusion regarding our state policy I am directing that each of you inform all members of your department that they should feel at ease using traditional holiday phrases, including ‘Merry Christmas’ and they should have no fear of official reprisal.

“I also ask that you inform your staff that the objections of those who are offended by these phrases be given due consideration, but that no state employee will be reprimanded or in any way disciplined for saying ‘Merry Christmas.’”

So how many employees had been reprimanded in the past for wishing people a merry Christmas? None, said Jessica Robinson, a spokeswoman for Blunt, who was unavailable for comment.

It was never a problem. Blunt sent out the directive in the wake of reports about retailers and others elsewhere instructing their employees not to use the phrase.

Religious conservatives have said there is a secular movement that has attempted to supplant Christmas and its religious elements with nonreligious terms such as “winter holiday” in schools and public places. Conservative Christians criticized President Bush for sending cards last year that wished people a happy “holiday season” but did not mention Christmas.

Observers on the left say the issue is a phony one that has been trumped up by conservatives, and they point out that “happy holidays” and “season’s greetings” have been used for decades.

Robinson made clear that Blunt’s directive does not prevent any state employee from wishing someone a happy holiday. Or a happy Hannukah or happy Kwaanza for that matter.

The Making of A Liberal

I am 1000% unashamedly Liberal. I support gay marriage and full gay rights, environmental laws, an end to the Iraq travesty, dialog not bombs and invasions with the radicals of the world, I support a Palestinian state but also recognize that Israel has a right to exist too, as do all groups, I am for separation of church and state, pro choice, pro stem cell research, pro universal healthcare, anti-privatization of services, pro prison reform and against the building of more prisons, I support tax increases when necessary to provide services, I support the right of assisted suicide under some circumstances, I think Government should provide services to all and not be restricting rights and meddling in personal affairs, I would support the end of the so called Patriot Act, and more I am sure I could think of.

How did I get this way?

I am a 50 year old white man. I was born in a smallish town in Central Illinois, went to public schools, even remember praying in school. I stayed pretty much around my small town, an occasional vacation broke up the monotony. I was raised by a pretty typical family, mom, dad, sister. Dad worked, mom stayed home, sister did her thing and I did mine. I was not a rabble rouser, I was a good boy. I was different as we all know now, but then I just thought it was normal to want to light your room with candles and listen to Beethoven. Despite that, I do not think I was highly influenced by my family. I did not see crushing poverty, injustice, discrimination or had a Communist for an Uncle, things that might make a leftist out of one.

I have a couple of theories however.

1) I did not have a heavy religious influence. Unlike some, I was not raised in a fundamentalist family. Church was never ridiculed but was also not a big deal. We went occasionally but not regularly. We were nice Methodists and supported the nearby church, but it just was not a big thing.

When I was a teen, the "Jesus Freak" movement was in full swing. It was cool to be religious for some folks. But it was a restrictive religion. "One Way" was their theme, only Jesus could save you and make you a true person. Not getting sucked into this, I think I developed a more open, questioning mind. I also never bought all the hocus pocus and divinity stuff. I truly believe Jesus lived and that he was one of the greatest minds of all time. Is he divine? That I am not so sure.

I somehow read the Bible differently than some. I tended to see Jesus as not a mean-assed "follow me or else" guy but someone who was a true radical and liberal (that statement usually makes the fundies howl) who brought the world out of the darkness, showed that we could all live together, railed against arbitrary, made up rules and showed us that the family of human kind was of utmost importance. Caring for everyone and equality is a sign of a true liberal, in my humble opinion.

Look up liberal in the dictionary. It usually relates to "generous", "tolerant", "non-judgmental", "not literal". Aren't those fundamental tenets of the teachings of Jesus?

2) Open Mind. I have a gift that is somewhat of a curse at the same time. I see every side of an issue. Liberal, as the definition states, is "not literal, tolerant". I am hardwired to believe that there are many ideas, many viewpoints and many circumstances to an issue. I refuse to see in black and white. For example, I think abortion is a terrible choice. It is traumatic for all concerned and does make the life of the fetus impossible to complete. Yet, I am never one to say to someone you can not have one. That is their choice. Maybe, just maybe, they have thought it through, it is the best thing for all involved. I can see their point of view.

Being this way can make it difficult to make a decision. But it also allows us to question our motives, re evaluate as things change and adjust for new reality. I would rather have a flip-flop liberal in Iraq than a "damn the torpedos, stay the course" approach of the "Conservatives" and risk certain defeat.

3) I read. As a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on. I looked at all views, I questioned things, I realized that it was not just about me. We had a huge diverse world out there and it was just possible that we as white Americans were not always 100% right. As I traveled the world as an adult, I found that to be very true.

4) Nicaragua. My beloved little Nicaragua showed me that a right wing powerful elite was one of the most destructive forces in all nature. Millions died of starvation, no health care, no homes, no work, no safety net. While a few got rich and worried about what palace to build. As I say this first hand, I vowed never to let this happen in my world. It almost has here, but lucky the people came to their senses and saw that some balance and checks had to be made.

There may be more reasons and these maybe totally the wrong ones. I continue to wrestle with this issue and may revisit it someday. Meanwhile, I remain Pato, proudly Liberal to the core.

Powerful

Finally my dear sister has power. After the ice storm of Wednesday the 29th she got it back sometime this evening. She is not sure when, but her answering machine came on when called at 9:30PM.

It is amazing how we are so tied to our power. We can't function without it. She was going nuts, not so much from the cold but from the lack of TV and communication. I'd be the same without my internet for sure.

Many more still wait for power and the power company is threatening its customers by saying if the states do not give them a big rate hike they want, the service will be worse. Bullshit... it will get worse anyhow, the big wigs will get more benefits and money like all the companies do. The customers will suffer.

Oh, and while most of St Louis froze, Boy Gov was hob-nobbing in Florida with his GOP money men.

Rich Does not Equal Smart

One of our most esteemed residents of the Towers had a cocktail party last Friday evening. The glitterati of Kansas City were invited. (Even dear little Pato was invited!) The names coming spoke of money, world famous businesses, generous donors and people accustomed to seeing large buildings named in their honor.

But for the most part, they are dolts. Case in point:

The Towers has its original 1915 elevator cab with updated mechanicals...updated to 1947 standards. Actually she works fine; the old DC current mechanics are so simple that nothing breaks down. The hemp guide rope is stronger than most steel cables. She does, however, have a couple of quirks. Due to her small size and age she is restricted to 1000lbs. This means no more than 3-4 people at a time. The old fashioned mechanical brakes will not level at the floors if there is too much weight. The cab will slide past the floor a foot or two. She also has a metal folding gate that closes and locks automatically but has to be opened manually at your destination.

Simple enough?

I wanted to put a small sheet of paper explaining these rules on the elevator but I was vetoed: 1) I was told no one would read it and 2) it had to be framed (rich people can't see loose sheets of paper, it is just not aesthetically pleasing). So they had to receive instructions on how to use the elevator from a live person. Even then they screwed everything up and at one point 6 people were on the elevator and it slid past the floor. They threw a ruckus.

So, if these are the high and mighty, the royalty of America, the captains of industry, the elite, the powerful, why then can't they take the time to read simple instructions, remember simple instructions and have some common sense? (Of course, common sense is really not all that common.) They expect their minions to know everything, to read every word they pen and know how to handle every situation. Maybe the richer you are the less you think?

So employees of many of KC's biggest employers here is a little tip: you have the right not to read signs and instructions and memos your bosses put out. They certainly don't. And if it is not framed or engraved, ignore it.

Saturday Bagel Musings

Well, Callalilly are you a bagel fan as well??? Callalilly is a faithful reader who claims I am dangerous for her diet by describing my taste for pancakes and pastrami. Today, I am musing over a fresh onion bagel with some cream cheese. My favorite bagel combination (well besides lox, cream cheese, capers and red onion). Something a bit different.

1) Bagels I thought I would explore the world of these delightful baked treats. The most common origin story states that the bagel originated in the late 1600s when a Jewish baker created them as a gift for The King of Poland to commemorate a battle victory that year. The baked good was fashioned in the form of a stirrup to commemorate the victorious cavalry charge. That the name bagel originated from beugal (stirrup) is considered likely.

Did you know bagels are formed, then boiled first before baking? This gives them the chewy dense center and the baking provides the crisper crust. I like mine toasted lightly.

2) Stranded. I read this AM that thousands are stranded along I-70 here in MO due to the winter storm. The road was closed in a large section for hours and people have reportedly spent the cold night in their cars with no gasoline for heat. Many accidents along the hilly road compounded the problem of ice and drifting snow. We received some snow and ice here in KC, but it was easily dispatched and is now gone from the roads. Replaced by some bitter cold.

In my previous career, I was a road warrior, traveling 60-70,000 miles a year on the roads of Missouri and Kansas. I spread my Human Resources cheer to many a town large and small, navigating many of these roads. I thank my lucky stars that I am now in a nice comfy home based job and that I didn't even get out of the parking lot for a couple days as I did not have to.

I am sure if I still worked for Beverly Enterprises (RIP), I would have been one of the many stuck out there. It would not have been a pretty sight.

3) Powerless. I fear for the stock market on Monday. My sister has been without power from the aforementioned storm that raced into Illinois on Thursday. It maybe until Tuesday before she gets her power and TV back. Meanwhile shares of QVC and other home shopping networks will plummet from lack of her business.

And she can't toast her bagel. But she did heat a can of soup in the sterno powered fondue pot she had stored. Proof positive that you should never throw anything away, it may actually come in handy someday.

snow snow snow Snow

Winter had kept its distance here in KC...until Wednesday. Just in time to screw up the week's events, here comes first the ice and then on Thursday the snow.

It played havoc with our dress rehearsal for the upcoming HMC Concert. We rescheduled the Wednesday dress to Thursday only to receive more snow and ice then. Makes one of the numbers we'll sing very timely:

"Snow Snow Snow SNOW! It won't be long before we'll be there with snow....snow....snow"

I could wait..

Scrod by the IPod: The Saga of Nano Nano

A few years ago, some of the Dental students on the Nicaragua trip began sporting these little white plastic machines with ear plugs. "Haven't you heard of an IPod??" Will asked incredulously. "Oh... that is one of those things..." I said, "how does it work?"

Will explained you downloaded music to these things and carried it along with you. You could copy an album, or a few songs, the early IPods could not hold much. Interesting, I thought.

Technology comes to me slowly. I usually develop a wait and see attitude. Usually the early versions are obsolete quickly and are expensive. I remember the $225 calculator my dad bought that performed the 4 basic math functions and that was it. A year later one that could do everything but calculate in Blugonian math cost $50. He was always hacked about that.

So, it was with trepidation that I bought an IPod to take to Nicaragua. A cute small silver Nano. It seemed to be all that I needed. I took it home, got it set up and it loaded all the music I had stored on the computer, which immediately overwhelmed the capacity. I think it was going to be too small. I played with it a bit, getting familiar with its functions and quirks. It seemed easy enough, albeit a bit touchy...sometimes doing things I did not want it to do.

I was told it had to be charged and hooked up to connect with the Itunes system so that it would play and I could download music. The screen had this huge DO NOT DISCONNECT sign on it as it whirled and did its thing. I would still be waiting for it, had I not just got impatient and decided to click on the little arrow to disconnect. I thought I had killed it, but it seemed to be ok. After a bit of getting to know you time, I dubbed the little machine "Nano Nano" (with apologies to Mork and Mindy.

I was so thrilled to finally be able to listen to some music on the plane down, rather than the short, scratchy selections they play on coach airline programs. All plugged in and ready to go, it turned on and got stuck. Would not do a thing. Turn on, off, play nothing. Just lit up and was stuck on the main menu. I put it in its box and hoped it would wear out and turn off. A peek inside my carry on revealed Nano Nano happily glowing away.

With all the warnings about turning off such devices, I was concerned that Nano Nano would cause our plane to crash, causing the autopilot to think a swamp in Belize was actually Managua Airport. Luckily, the little malfunctioning machine did not interfere with the navigation system and we landed ok.... the little beast still glowing bright but refusing to budge. Only after totally discharging did it reset itself and seemed to be ok. It was fun to plug into Nano Nano and listen to music while I basked in the sun, sipping a sweet mojito.

A couple of days later, the menu scrolled along by itself for about 4-5 hours, never stopping, just shuffling along. Then the earplugs quit. Nano Nano was no longer my friend.

Yesterday, Nano Nano went back to Costco. "Our most returned item" said Dave, the guy in electronics. He suggested a bigger model, one that seemed to be more reliable. My friend Michael agreed it was a better model so now I have a full size Ipod, a sleek back one with a big screen and 30gb of storage instead of 2. It is still a tricky little thing, but I am getting used to its quirks and maybe we can be friends. After all, it took the end of LPs to get me to buy a CD player. With CDs still around, I am in on the ground floor with this contraption.

McCaskill is Selling Out

I had high hopes for our newly elected Senator Claire McCaskill. But as reality sets in and the campaign promises fade, I am beginning to see that she is no better than other politicians who fail to deliver on their promises and back stab those who supported them.

Claire lobbied hard for the gay vote and by and large got it. Gays were also supportive of the raise in minimum wage and the stem cell initiative, issues that brought out large numbers of progressive voters. She was actively supported by the Human Rights Campaign
and local gay political groups. All the gays I know voted for her and repudiated the far right former Senator Jim "No" Talent.

BUT! It has been reported that Claire has told a TV interview that she is "ok" with the stupid "don't ask don't tell" policy that had undermined military effectiveness, led to massive discharges of key military minds (god knows they need all they can get)and rampant homophobia. It is like a white politician working for the black vote and then saying that separate but equal is ok by them.

Claire, we expected more..... please do not let us down.

They Took the Fun Out of Flying

Sometimes I really wish I were a "pato" and had my own set of wings. I hate flying these days. The long lines, the security BS, Customs, rude passengers, smaller cramped and downright uncomfortable seats it is more of a hassle than a pleasure.

It didn't used to be that way. I used to love to get on a plane and go all over. Small puddle jumpers to jumbos, it mattered not. I enjoyed settling in, watching the world go by. Checking in was pretty painless, the seats not bad and even the food was ok sometimes. I remember a steak dinner in coach on a Denver-St Louis Ozark DC-9 flight, now they are the cramped regional jets, turbofan powered tubes and all you get is peanuts...if lucky.

As you can surmise, I am back from Nicaragua. The flight back was functional..it got me here. But good god, all the damn rules, and lines and searches and the overall sense of paranoia...it is nerve racking. I know not what is worse, the rules, the damn Transportation Insecurity Administration or the stupid public... maybe all of the above. I got through ok as I packed no liquids, no electronics but the small Ipod in its original box, no toothpaste or any sharp objects. All my metal was removed, shoes, wallet, and just about everything else. I breezed through. But my companions, who obviously are not as aware as I, screwed everything up by carrying toothpaste, water, computers, nail files and other essentials along. It made me weary.

The lines are sooooo long, and what pisses me is that the TSA people seem to have an attitude that we are the enemy. I guess maybe some are, but I think the people bound to blow up a plane are going to do it no matter what. I just hope they don't use their eyeglasses or underwear. We'll have to give those up next. They herd you along like cattle, and do not dare look annoyed or nervous or speak out of turn. You get "the treatment". Pulled aside, double checked, baggage checked. It can take you hours. They may even make you drink your breast milk like they made a lady do once, or turn on all your electronics, or even strip search.

I was in a long ass line in Houston one time with the stupid TSA flack checking everyone's ID. He'd look at it, look at you, look at the ID again, read it front and back and then do it all again. Some one asked him to speed it up they had a plane to catch. "Arrive earlier" he said with a smug arrogance and proceeded to quadruple check that lady's ID.

I could go on.. but you get the drift. All the bitching in the world would not change it. It is now more of a hassle than convenience to fly. If I ever win the big prize, trust me, I'll charter a jet.

Working Life

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 11/25/06

A few days ago, I spent an hour or so in the office of "La Prensa", one of two leading daily papers here in Nicaragua. Dan and Cesar are using them to print some postcards that will be sold at the hotel here in San Juan del Sur. It was an interesting glimpse into everyday Nicaraguan life.

The offices are on the busy Careterra Norte in Managua. Once we announced to the guard that we were here to see Carmen Moya we were ushered to the parking lot. We entered the building through the shabby door, up a sterile concrete stairs to a large office.

A lady asked to help us and Cesar said we had an appointment with the aforementioned Carmen. They went to work and I waited.

The office was clean as a whistle as usual. Despite a lot of garbage in the streets due to inadequate services, Nicas are personally among the cleanest people I have ever met. The office equipment was old but usable. I have seen worse in some of the offices I have had. The walls were scuffed and sloppily painted. Evidence of a recent paint job could be found on the fronds of the potted palm next to me.

Across the room was an office with 3 large windows and a door. Obviously the woman in it was important. Not as important as Carmen since Carmen's windows had blinds and the wood of her door matched the wood of the frame. The other lady's office had no blinds, and her door was lighter than her frame. She had the fax machine, a computer and lots of files so I assumed she was the office manager. All the employees came to her with the papers and issues. She answered the phone and ran interference for Carmen. She appeared to be an efficient employee.

The most amusing employee was the older man who occupied a space between the office manager and a low tangerine colored wall. He meticulously read a form, punched it on top with a two hole punch, placed it in a large bound ledger and then went on to another. Despite a computer near by, I assume most of the records are still paper. After doing this for about 30 minutes, he attempted to log in his computer. He was frustrated in his attempt, whether it was his or the computer's fault I could not tell. After 4 attempts, each about 2-3 minutes apart,he looked around as if to see if anyone was watching, clicked off the computer and went for coffee. A wall paper of a fully clothed glamor shot of a lady filled the computer screen. Could not get away with that in the States anymore. After a coffee break, he returned and the computer decided to co-operate. He spent the rest of the time typing some form in the computer.... slowly and deliberately, looking slightly bewildered the whole time.

That was the way I saw the whole office work... slow but deliberate. Like Nica life.

I was also fascinated in a totally different way with a young fellow who appeared to be a mid level functionary. He had a desk in between the two tangerine walls; his choice of color I wondered? He worked hard and was neatly dressed in a "La Prensa 80 Anos" (Nicaragua has a long history of freedom of the press, unparalleled in Latin America) polo shirt and clean, pressed khakis. Where did he live? In a nice house with a car, was he a a resident of one of the poor dirty streets or did he make enough to live in a nice barrio with a house and AC? Did his whole family live in one small house and all sleep together in one room, did they have a tv... cable? How much does someone like him make?

He was obviously educated and a bit above average. In the States, he might own a small house or rent a nice apartment with a pool and fitness center, have money for a car and maybe a 401k. But average here is dirt poor in the states. I wished more for him, and the others in the office.. but somehow I imagine it is still a deep, frustrating poverty that we, in the US, can barely imagine.

Dia de gracia

Thanksgiving Day in Nicaragua. We'll have Turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, brussels sprouts (YUM) and assorted other delights...all with a Central American twist. 14 of us for dinner tonite at 6:30. Should be fun.

Going off to Rivas with Dan for a bit to run around. I am thinking of heading off to Masaya for shopping on Fri. It will piss Greg off, but I am wanting to shop and go off on my own agenda and such. We'll see.

Check out Dan Cesar for pics of yesterday's adventure and lunch at "La Hora Taco".

Feliz Dia de Gracia!

Cold Front

(I did something wrong so click above for the pic)

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 11/22/06

This storm brought some wind and a little rain and some cool weather. It was only 75 here today... people are wearing sweaters. Spent most of the day in Managua. It was warmer there.

There are some people here behind me now talking of investment and making money...they miss what Nicaragua is really all about.

Today we (Dan, Cesar and I) took 3 older gringos out for lunch in Managua. These folks fight for the poor, live simple lives and are not concerned about their investments.. they are my heros.

Managua Nicaragua

I was a bit disappointed today. I thought we were going to Managua, but due to some issues with a project they are working on, Dan and Cesar are not going until tomorrow.

Everyone here thinks I am nuts. I like Managua. Crazy, sprawling, wild, dirty, noisy, vibrant, active, musical, historic, frustrating, it has a charm and viva. That is unlike San Juan del Sur which is for the most part and despite the efforts of the invading gringos ricos still a small town. I feel claustrophobic here after a few days.

Everyone here knows everyone, but me of course. The gringos talk of investments and land and houses. Some don't speak to others due to long held grudges real or imagined. Most here at Pelican Eyes rarely descend down the hill to the village. There is dirt down there...there is life too.

This is the down side to this place. I thought I wanted to live here, but not so sure now. I hate to think I have descended to the "let's go watch the sunset crowd."

Now if a place in Managua would open up......

Interesting fact about Managua. Few of the streets have names in a city of almost 2 million. The vast majority of the place was never rebuilt after the earthquake and civil war of the 70s and 80s. Anything that was built was haphazard and without any plan. So, you give directions to a place using a system of directions and landmarks.

Arriba is up or east, as in the sun up in the east.
Al Lago is towards the lake or to the north
Abajo is down or to the west, as the sun setting
a las montagnes is south or towards the mountains of Masaya and Mombacho

So my friend Grant's address is Telcor Monsignor Lescano (the Mgr Lescano District post office)una quadra arriba (one block east) and media quadro al lago (1/2 block north.)

Gotta love it....

Forecast

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua...11/20/06

Forecast today is much of the same as the last two days. Poor me......

Sunday in the Pool with Pato

Sunday, November 19th...San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua at the bar at "La Cascada"

Arturo, my favorite bartender, has just made me a wonderful mojito. I am happy.

Accomplishments for the day: ate breakfast, swam all day, lunch, more swimming, visited with the Williams who just arrived for the week, Dan made spaghetti at the house, watched TV. Taught Juan Carlos how to make a "slow comfortable screw up against the wall" Sloe gin, vodka, orange juice, southern comfort, galliano. Used to get drunk on them in college. I am now famous for the drink which is sweeping the place.

Got to be famous for something....

Vacation

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua 11/18/06

Vacation, what a concept. I have not had a real one in a looooooong time. For the next ten days, no watch, no cell phone, no reality. I even had to ask the waiter here for the date. My adjenda for the day.... swim.... drink, maybe lunch, swim and lay by the pool, swim some more, drink... and then dinner. May go to a party for the local fishing tournament that is held here.

Trip down was good. Delta airlines took good care of us, made good connections and no lost luggage. The pain in the ass security was a pain in the ass and I am certain it will not do much except annoy people... but I complied with their demands and got through ok.

Weather here, upper 80s.. humidity is not bad and there is a breeze.

Well, the pool is calling me.... and a mojito is in order soon. I am too lazy about putting batteries in the camera so look at

DanCeasar.com

Piedras Y Olas

For pictres of where Pato has landed and what I am doing.

Hasta Luego!

Flying South

Pato is flying south with all the other ducks... do ducks fly south?? I guess some do. Anyway, this duck is heading for Nicaragua for a few days to rest, visit friends and soak some sun. Unfortunately, the first order of business will be to get a tooth polled. ARRRRRGH... it came loose this PM and too late to do anything here. What a pain.

I may be able to blog a bit there, depending on the availability of a computer. So stay tuned, otherwise I return on 11/27.

Hasta Luego!

Inmate No. 27593-112

The Us Bureau of Prisons got a new inmate today. Jack Abramoff, inmate No. 27593-112 began serving his 6 year sentence in a relatively cushy, as far as prisons go, center in Maryland. He sent the following email to his friends, likely his last for a while:

"Unfortunately, things are going to get worse (starting today no doubt) before they get better, but I am confident that ultimately the turmoil will subside and we will have our lives back." Now that your friends have been voted out of office, we can have ours back too.

Like all federal inmates, Abramoff will have a prison job. Unlike his previous work, which involved chartering jets for exotic excursions and making huge campaign donations, he will make between 12 and 40 cents an hour. New inmates typically start in lower-paying food service jobs and move up to more desirable jobs. Hopefully he will not get special privileges.

He joins Adam Taff of Kansas another greedy Republican in Federal Prison. Both deserving of their fate.

A Liberal's Pledge

Michael Moore is at it again!

A Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives
November 14th, 2006

To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters,
I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand.
Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know what we plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, what we will do to you and for you.

Thus, here is our Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives:

Dear Conservatives and Republicans,
I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you:

1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.

2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift.

3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it for you.

4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never to send your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie.

5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, we promise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and cures for diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure those advances are available to you and your family, too.

6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up our air and water, we, the Democratic majority, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water.

7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice. Immediately. We will protect you.

8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you do there as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count your age from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived.

9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weapon or a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of a hunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make our streets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protect your children just as we would protect ours.

10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees -- that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative women that wage, too.

11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put those beliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your most radical religious beliefs ("Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't just bless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intolerance and fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting a good example for the rest of the world.

12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought and paid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him or herself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corrupt politicians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call us on it. Simply because we are in power does not give us the right to turn our heads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition.

I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and for giving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest of the world.

Signed,
Michael Moore
mmflint@aol.com

www.michaelmoore.com

P.S. Please feel free to pass this on.

La Vie en Rose

I remember it clearly albeit the exact date is lost, it was sometime in 1973.. I was 16. The commercials had billed it as a lifetime event. Curious I watched, and was mesmerized. A slim, sequined lady, old, singing unfamiliar songs of a bygone era. She did not have a strong lyrical voice like Barbra or Judy, but she had a way of communicating. Almost speech singing...remember George Burns in his last years? Words spoken more than sung.. a hint of a melody here and there.

An Evening With Marlene Dietrich. That CBS special ignited my now 33 year passion for this unique singer and actress. Finally, it is available on DVD with the German songs and several songs from the live concert in London that were not televised.

She was born Maria Magdalene Dietrich in Berlin, Germany on December 27, 1901. Marlene made her film debut in 1923. In 1929, she was given the role of "Lola" in "The Blue Angel", which was one of the first European sound films. Dietrich sang in several of her films including The Blue Angel, in which she sings "Falling In Love Again", along with "Lili Marlene" can be considered her theme song. During WWII she sang for Allied troops and was outspoken in her hatred of Hitler, despite his admiration for her.

From the 1950s to the mid-1970s Dietrich toured internationally as a successful cabaret performer. Her repertoire included songs from her films as well as popular songs of the day.

With Bert Bachrach as her arranger, her limited vocal range was enhanced to maximum dramatic effect. Spectacular gowns, tight fitting,slinky dresses, careful stage lighting and temporary mini-facelifts helped to preserve Dietrich's glamorous image well into old age. Later she began including a version of Pete Seeger's anti-war anthem Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, reigniting her anti war activities
This concert is tremendous. Even after 33 years it is amazing, moving and wonderful. Marlene shines, she is subtle, fragile beautiful.

However at 72 her timing and voice are not as strong as in many of her recordings. As I mentioned earlier, many of the songs are almost spoken. Yet, there are no performers like this anymore, and we are lesser people for it.

It was like being introduced to her magic all over again.

An Evening With Marlene Dietrich is available through Amazon.com and other DVD retailers.

Moscow State Symphony Concert

One of the true jewels of the Kansas City arts scene is the Harriman-Jewell Series sponsored by William Jewell College. For 42 years, the series has brought many top names to the area including Luciano Pavarotti and Jan Peerce who made their professional recital debuts here. Not only top singers, but dancers, dance ensembles, orchestras and soloists are presented in concert.

On Fri Nov 10 the series presented the Moscow State Symphony in concert at the Folly Theatre. Pavel Kogin led the orchestra with soloist Stephan Jackiw as soloist. The program was solid, East European and Russian favorites: Smetana "Vltava", Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Dvorak Symphony # 9.

Unfortunately, the concert was held at the smallish Folly Theatre as the Lyric was occupied with the current production of Thomas' "Hamlet" and the Music Hall is undergoing reconstruction. The Folly is great for chamber and solo concerts but is a stretch for a full orchestra. It was obvious the orchestra was crammed on stage. The brass and basses were almost off the stage in back. This contributed to a bit of a constricted, hard sound.

Perhaps being so crowded contributed to the extraordinarily fast tempi in every piece. Kogan led a technically brilliant "Vltava", but I missed the atmosphere, especially in the "Moonlight: Dance of the Water Nymphs". Perhaps they were trying to stay afloat in the turbulent waters, as "The Moldau" flowed rapidly past Prague, sweeping all before it.

The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is of course one of the giants of the genre. Similar in scope and form to the First Piano Concerto, it literally pours forth themes and melodies, many appearing once never to be developed or heard again. Also, as in the Piano Concerto, its first movement is a grand allegro with a broad sweeping principal melody. The "Canzonetta" and Finale pale in scope but together perfectly balance the grandeur of the Allegro.

Stephan Jackiw is all but 20 yrs old and I predict will be a talent to watch. Again a brisk performance, I would have loved a bit of lingering over some of the lyrical passages, a bit less tension in the Canzonetta, and the cadenza was bit too showy and self-indulgent. But when he was allowed to linger a bit, a rich, sweet tone emerged from both the instrument and the performer's soul. Fiery, impassioned, technically brilliant and communicative, he made quite an impressive local debut.

The audience was mesmerized by his performance and even broke all decorum by giving him a standing ovation after the first movement Allegro. Perhaps a little too enthusiastic but indicative of his incredible technical ability and rapport with the audience. Not just a mere note spinner, I think with some seasoning, he will be a major figure in the violin world for the next generation. With his lean, gutsy playing I would love to hear him in the Bartok or Stravinsky Concertos. With a little more polish, the Beethoven or Dvorak would be in stellar hands.

The large orchestra was more than up to the spirited performance, yet kept its distance, letting the violin be the star.

The last half was the familiar Dvorak 9th. Again the brisk tempi ruined some of the more contemplative and atmospheric sections and smeared the tempo relationships of the movements. When the opening movement's "allegro molto" section is taken at the speed of light, where can you go with the even faster "molto vivace" scherzo? The Largo was more of an Allegretto (I kid you not) but did feature a lyrical and solid English horn solo. I may be spoiled, growing up as I did with the incomparable Kertesz performances, which in my opinion get everything right. Everything else pales in comparison.

The audience was rewarded with a Dvorak Slavonic Dance #2 (e-minor op 46) again played with technical brilliance. My ride was leaving so I missed the second encore, which I believe was by Glazunov.

Pavel Kogan (son of Leonid Kogan and Elizaveta Gilels sister of pianist Emil Gilels) has led the Moscow State Symphony since 1989 and has developed the ensemble in to a technically superb orchestra. It would be wonderful to have this same group record the Tchaikovsky with Jackiw, it would certainly be worth hearing again. Would not replace the Heifitz or early Perlman with Leinsdorf (which has some similarities to Jackiw's performance) in my collection but would certainly demonstrate the Concerto's future is in good hands.

Thank you, America

I could not resist posting this email I received from my friend Pat. Sums everything up nicely in my opinon. ~ Pato

Leader
Thursday November 9, 2006
The Guardian

For six years, latterly with the backing of both houses of a markedly conservative Republican Congress, George Bush has led an American administration that has played an unprecedentedly negative and polarizing role in the world's affairs. On Tuesday, in the midterm US congressional elections, American voters rebuffed Mr Bush in spectacular style and with both instant and lasting political consequences. By large numbers and across almost every state of the union, the voters defeated Republican candidates and put the opposition Democrats back in charge of the House of Representatives for the first time in a dozen years.

When the remaining recounts and legal challenges are over, the Democrats may even have narrowly won control of the Senate too. Either way, the results change the political landscape in Washington for the final two years of this now thankfully diminished presidency. They also reassert a different and better United States that can again offer hope instead of despair to the world. Donald Rumsfeld's resignation last night was a fitting climax to the voters' verdict. Thank you, America.

In US domestic terms, the 2006 midterms bring to an end the 12 intensely divisive years of Republican House rule that began under Newt Gingrich in 1994. These have been years of zealously and confrontational conservative politics that have shocked the world and, under Mr Bush, have sent America's global standing plummeting. That long political hurricane has now at last blown itself out for a while, but not before leaving America with a terrible legacy that includes climate-change denial, the end of biological stem-cell research, an aid programme tied to abortion bans, a shockingly permissive gun culture, an embrace of capital punishment equaled only by some of the world's worst tyrannies, the impeachment of Bill Clinton and his replacement by a president who does not believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. The approval by voters in at least five more states of same-sex marriage bans - on top of 13 similar votes in 2004 - shows that culture-war politics are far from over.

Exit polls suggest that four issues counted most in these elections - corruption scandals, the economy, terrorism and Iraq. In the end, though, it was the continuing failure of the war in Iraq that has galvanized many Americans to do what much of the rest of the world had longed for them to do much earlier. It is too soon to say whether 2006 now marks a decisive rejection of the rest of the conservative agenda as well. Only those who do not know America well will imagine that it does.

The Democratic victory was very tight in many places, but its size should not be underestimated. November 7 was a decisive nationwide win for the progressive and moderate traditions in US political life. The final majority in the House will be at least 18. The recapture of the Senate, if it happens, will involve captures from the Republicans in the north-east, the north-west, the midwest and the south. The Democrats won seven new state governorships on Tuesday, including New York and Ohio, and now control a majority nationwide. Republican governors who held on, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in California and Charlie Crist in Florida, only did so by distancing themselves from Mr Bush. The statewide Democratic wins in Ohio give their 2008 presidential candidate a platform for doing what John Kerry failed to do in this crucial state in 2004.

Claire McCaskill's win in the Missouri Senate race showed that Democrats can win a state which almost always votes for the winning presidential candidate. If Jim Webb has won the recounting Virginia Senate seat, Democrats will have gone another step towards re-establishing themselves in a changing part of the south. In almost every one of these cases, as in the Connecticut contest won by Joe Lieberman running as an independent, the Democrats have won by cleaving to the centre and winning the support of independent voters. The new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be the Armani-clad San Francisco leftwinger of the caricaturists' dreams but she heads a caucus that will demand caution on some of the baby-boomer liberal generation's pet subjects.

The big questions under the new Congress will be the way that Mr Bush responds to this unfamiliar reduction in his authority and whether the Democratic win will push the president into a new Iraq policy. At his White House press conference yesterday, Mr Bush inevitably made plenty of suitably bipartisan and common-ground noises. He had little alternative. But they rang hollow from such a tarnished and partisan leader. It will take more than warm words in the immediate aftermath of an election reverse to prove that Mr Bush is now capable of working in a new way.

The departure of the disastrous Mr Rumsfeld has come at least three years too late. But it shows that Mr Bush has finally been forced to face the reality of the Iraq disaster for which his defence secretary bears so much responsibility. As the smoke rose over the Pentagon on 9/11, Mr Rumsfeld was already writing a memo that wrongly pointed the finger at Saddam Hussein. He more than anyone beat the drum for the long-held neoconservative obsession with invading Iraq. It was he who insisted, over the advice of all his senior generals, that the invasion required only a third of the forces that the military said they needed. He more than anyone else is the architect of America's humiliations in Iraq. It was truly an outrage that he remained in office for so long.

But at least the passing of Mr Rumsfeld shows that someone in the White House now recognises that things cannot go on as before. Business as usual will not do, either in general or over Iraq. Mr Bush's remarks last night showed that on Iraq he has now put himself in the hands of the Iraq Study Group, chaired by his father's consigliere James Baker, one of whose members, Robert Gates, an ex-CIA chief, was last night appointed to succeed the unlamented Mr Rumsfeld. Maybe the more pragmatic Republican old guard can come to the rescue of this disastrous presidency in its most catastrophic adventure. But it has been the American voters who have at last made this possible. For that alone the entire world owes them its deep gratitude today.

A Turn in the Road

Maybe we are on the way to getting our country back. Stopping the gravy train for those who are only looking out for themselves and their narrow interests. Wrenching power from those who want to foist their radical beliefs on everyone. Maybe the poor, the minorities, the gays and lesbians can regain a voice in what is going on. A Democratic House will but the breaks on all the giveaways for the rich and powerful. Maybe now we can have a civilized, rational debate on Iraq, not a slandering of anyone who dares to differ with Bush.

The emperor got his wings clipped. In his press conference today, he sounded flustered, angry and resentful. He has no class, so I did not expect anything else.

The architect of the disaster in Iraq Donald Rumsfeld was the first victim of the post defeat White House. I wonder if more purges are coming... Karl Rove will be there to the bitter end, as will Cheney... Bush can't survive without them.

Here in MO, Jim "No" Talent got his ass kicked, we got stem cell research protection, light rail in KC and a Lesbian in the State Senate. I am proud that the state came to its senses.

My faithful reader Zaine said it with more enthusiasm than I have at the moment, so I'll let him speak for me:

"2004 has been avenged, oh hell yeah! The message of this election is: George Bush, SHUT THE FUCK UP. You're stupid, you're a hateful evangelical nutcase, and everything you've done since 2001 has been wrong. Every single goddamned thing! So sit down, shut the fuck up, and sign whatever Nancy Pelosi puts in front you, bitch!"

My sentiments exactly.

Election Day

It is that simple

An Open Letter to Ted

I am torn, should we as gay men welcome Ted Haggard to the brotherhood?

You all know who he is right? He's the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals and the big mega-church in Colorado. Ted got outed it seems by an escort he paid for sex, drugs and massages over the last 3 years. First denying it, then admitting to buying drugs but never using them...(yeah right)then he finally had the balls to admit, "I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life."

I can only assume he means he is gay.

Part of me wants to say, "hey Ted.. brother... we know how you feel. But it is ok. It is really ok to be gay, you are not alone. It is not repulsive and dark, you only are indoctrinated that it is. Gay sexuality is a great a gift from whoever or whatever created us as heterosexuality is. I am glad, Ted, you lifted this awful deception from your shoulders, it is a killer. Many gay men in your position have decided they were so awful and undeserving that they took their own lives in fear and shame. Many live on eggshells, like you did for years... a lot of us know that, and like most of us, we break one and get caught. But together and proud of ourselves and our brothers we can move beyond that... that is what Gay Pride means. Come on Ted, the hand is open, we forgive you, come...."

Part of me wants to say: "hey Ted, asshole...why have you spent time, energy and money destroying the lives and jobs and relationships of your brothers? Why stand in hypocrisy and vilify yourself? Why?? Why hide??.. are you afraid of the monster you created, the anti-gay legislation and backlash you fostered? Are you afraid GW won't speak to you anymore. He won't no matter what, he is only for himself. By your vocal support of making gays less than second class citizens, you hurt me, Ted, and that is hard to forget. You made my life and others' miserable, destroyed relationships and true families, made people ashamed of themselves, twisted sacred words to support your radical agenda, you have put people in prison by making it ok to hate us. Matthew Shepard's blood is on your hands. What the fuck were you thinking? If you were Jewish in the 30s would you have been a Nazi to make yourself feel better and to survive due to the deaths of your brothers?? Is that the bible you read?"

I hope he is headed towards reconciliation and light. But I can see that he is not quite ready. I fear he will get sucked into the vortex of the Ex-Gay movement and become its new poster boy. Continue to be a pawn in a sick and twisted world. Ted even admits it didn't work: "For extended periods of time," he states in his letter to his congregation, "I would enjoy victory and rejoice in freedom. Then, from time to time, the dirt that I thought was gone would resurface, and I would find myself thinking thoughts and experiencing desires that were contrary to everything I believe and teach. Through the years, I've sought assistance in a variety of ways, with none of them proving to be effective in me."

My wish for you Ted is acceptance. Accept who you are, that gay sexuality is real. Admit that the evangelical church can not "cure" for sexual addiction, or being gay.
Continue to go to church if you want. But read your Bible closely, see that forgiveness and acceptance is the message of Jesus.

Come home Ted. I think you maybe surprised at your welcome.

God Save the Queen from Herself

One of this year's most talked about films, and sure Oscar nominee (and winner if the Academy decides it didn't "peak early", the excuse given for Brokeback Mountain's failure to garner an Oscar)is Stephen Frears' "The Queen," a subtle, often funny, yet ultimately tragic study of royal manners and duty above self.

The film takes place in the Summer of 1997, beginning the day Tony Blair and the Labour Party wins the national elections in Great Britain and culminating in the days surrounding the death of Princess Diana. Combining vintage photos and films (Diana is not portrayed but is always seen in media photos, aptly illustrating her role as a media darling) and blending fact and fiction, "The Queen" gives a wonderful, wickedly voyeuristic view into the private world of the Windsors.

The purely fictional parts are so natural and well crafted you just want them to be true. We want to believe that Prince Philip (James Cromwell) looked at news footage Diana at her wedding to Prince Charles and grumbled, "She was a nice girl. Then..." Or that Cherie Blair (Helen Mc Crory) called the Windsors "emotionally retarded nutters" and finally Blair himself stating "Will someone please save these people from themselves?" Blair will soon realize that the someone will have to be him.

The crown jewel in this film is the incredible performance by Helen Mirren as HRM Queen Elizabeth II. She looks remarkably like The Queen, and has captured her manners and presence perfectly. Cold, precise, and regal; yet beneath we see the young princess who, like her father, really did not want the job she inherited.

Ultimately, it is a sympathetic portrait. If you look and listen closely, the Queen is as much a trapped victim of the Royal tradition, protocol and duty as Diana was.

To Queen Elizabeth, Diana was a shameless, annoying ex-daughter-in-law and thus no longer a member of the royal family. Diana is not entitled to a state funeral, any royal tributes and thus should have a quiet, private funeral with dignity and a stiff upper lip. What gives the film its dramatic impact is how Elizabeth II comes to understand this massive error in judgment in the face of mounting indignation of the people and how it shakes her to her very core. "I've never been hated like that before," she says after reading the news and hearing the people speak of the shame they have in their monarch. It shocks her into making some precedent breaking decisions, pushed on by Blair. I, for one, remember watching the funeral when the casket came by the gate at Buckingham Palace and The Queen bowed to Diana. I am sure I was not the only one who gasped at that tradition breaking moment.

Tied in a nice neat package and running for a reasonable 1 1/2 hours, the film rarely misses. The background characters such as Alex Jennings as sly but well-meaning Prince Charles, and the half dead Queen Mum (Sylvia Syms)add a depth and never get in the way.

I do predict an Oscar for this film, at least for Mirren. Definitely worth checking out.

Vote

On Tuesday, we will head to the polls in an important exercise in democracy. School board and city council members, dog catchers and judges, to Governors and members of Congress, we have an opportunity to make our voices heard.

Elections are choices, in a representative democracy we choose who will represent us in the thousands of decisions our leaders make on a daily basis. I for one care deeply about gay rights, national security, health care, the right to choose, the environment, education, and more. The choices we make Tuesday will be among the most important in history. Will we continue on the path we have been on for the last 8 years, or begin a rethinking of our policies and place in the world stage. Will our votes count, or will they be thrown out like in the last two elections. Weill we make stupid decision like one gay fellow who voted for our worthless boy-Gov and rationalized it by saying "they all screw us, might as well be a cute one doing it."

That crap results in the clowns we have in office.

Think carefully about your choice and consider which candidates will help your hometown and this country become great again.

Ted Pays for It

Oh will the hypocrisy of the far right wing evangelical "Christians" ever end?? Now it seems that evangelist Ted Haggard an out spoken proponent of a proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Colorado, has stepped down from the ministry of his church and resigned from the National Association of Evangelicals after a male escort alleged he had a three year gay affair with Haggard.

But while Haggard denies having a gay affair, the man who alleges the pastor paid him for sex is sticking by his statements. The paid "Escort" broke his story on TV and then repeated them on a Denver talk radio show Thursday. He defined his relationship with Haggard as a "sexual business relationship". The escort was motivated by Haggard's support of an initiative from the hyper-right "Focus on the Family" group to ban Gay Marriage and his opposition to a proposal to allow civil unions. "People may look at me and think what I've done is immoral, but I think I had to do the moral thing in my mind and that is expose someone who is preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind everybody's back". The escort states he had gay sex with Haggard and also had voice mails and a letter from him.

Focus on the Family Nazi James Dobson defended Haggard:

"It is unconscionable that the legitimate news media would report a rumor like this based on nothing but one man's accusation.."

So why did Haggard immediately resign, Jimmy? Guilt??? This can't set well with GW, Haggard supposedly talks to Bush frequently. Haggard has bragged that the only disagreement between himself and the leader of the Western world is automotive: Bush drives a Ford pickup, whereas he prefers a Chevy. Good god, we are doomed if this is our "leadership".

Will be interesting to watch over the coming days.

By the way, the male escort is no kid, he is supposedly 49yrs old.