Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Rekindling

Soon, I will be traveling back to Scioto County, Ohio, where I was born.  I will visit my Uncle as well as sing at my cousin’s Ball Park – The National Anthem, and “My Old Kentucky Home,” using politically correct words.

I will stand at my parents grave and thank them for the love and understanding they gave to me, a fun but precocious child – their only child.

We will visit my daughter and her three girls – each of them full of life and possibilities, yet tender and cautious.

Finally, we are planning to take the three girls to Niagara Falls, the place Joan and I spent our Honeymoon and where we took our children in the early 1980’s.  Now, it is their turn to feel and hear and see the power of that place.

I hope that when we return to Glenmoore, exhausted, that I will be re-invigorated and rekindled from touching base with my past, and through looking at the future in the bright eyes of my granddaughters.

RDG

Sunday, June 19, 2011

In Honor of Father’s Day

In honor of Father's Day, some quotations on the matter:
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! ~Lydia M. Child, Philothea: A Romance, 1836

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  ~Author Unknown

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.  ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Mark Twain

Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown.  ~Author Unknown

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.  ~Gloria Naylor

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.  ~John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery, 1994

It kills you to see them grow up.  But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't. ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely, but the desire to beget children is a natural urge. ~Phyllis Diller

Are we not like two volumes of one book?  ~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone

Never raise your hand to your kids.  It leaves your groin unprotected.  ~Red Buttons

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich.  ~M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever.  ~Author Unknown

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away. ~Dinah Craik

Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life. ~Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities

Finally, for those of us who used cloth diapers and know that Jimmy Piersall was a baseball player from 1950-1967:
Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat.  Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound.  Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together.  Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.  ~Jimmy Piersall, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Plato's Five Regimes

In my novel, "Cottonwood Pass," a rogue billionaire attempts to establish a new form of government in the United States by hastening its decline into disorder, social warfare, and financial chaos. The character, H. Greeley Essington III, uses Plato's Five Regimes, as one of his three operational blueprints to achieve his goal.

Plato's Five Regimes are as follows:
  • Aristocracy -- a Republic that is governed by a wise Philosopher-King
  • Timocracy -- The Republic devolves downward into a state where the military is in charge and power is the key to success.
  • Oligarchy -- Timocracy descends to a lower form of government where wealth replaces power as the necessary element for success and in the two class system, the rich govern the poor.
  • Democracy -- As the the poorer class grows and grows and the rich become smaller in numbers, the Oligarchy degenerates into a democracy where the freedom to do anything and everything is valued. Leaders are chosen by the everyday people to produce rules of behavior and to decide when someone is harmed.
  • Tyranny -- Finally, Democracy disintegrates into chaos, as each person pursues their own freedom in conflict with others and social values and societal discipline is replaced by personal desire. In this atmosphere, a strong ruler emerges who, through force, imposes an order against the will of the people. The Tyrant governs on whim and favors and produces a lawless state where there is order, but no one is safe from the Tyrant's henchmen.
Frighteningly familiar?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sarah Palin's Letter to her family about the upcoming birth of her son, Trig


While Sarah Palin was Governor of Alaska, she gave birth to a son, her fifth child. It was known ahead of time that he would be a Downs Syndrome child. Below is the email that Governor Palin sent to her family two weeks before Trig's birth. This is one of the 24,000 messages that the Legacy Media hoped would be a death knell to her political career. Instead, this and the other emails are having quite the opposite effect. The British paper, "The Daily Mail," published it yesterday. It was also published in the Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/06/sarah-palin-god-letter-trig-down-syndrome.html

PALIN'S COMPLETE LETTER TO HER FAMILY ABOUT TRIG -- written as if from God

To the Sisters, Brother, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends of Trig Paxson Van Palin (or whatever you end up naming him!):

I am blessing you with this surprise baby because I only want the best for you. I've heard your prayers that this baby will be happy and healthy, and I've answered them because Ionly want the best for you!

I heard your heart when you hinted that another boy would fit best in the Palin family, to round it out and complete that starting five line-up. Though another girl would be so nice, you didn't think you could ask for what you REALLY wanted, but I knew, so I gave you a boy because I only want the best for you!

Then, I put the idea in your hearts that his name should be "Trig", because it's so fitting, with two Norse meanings: "True" and "Brave Victory". You also have a Bristol Bay relative with that name, so I knew it would be best for you!

Then, I let Trig's mom have an exceptionally comfortable pregnancy so she could enjoy every minute of it, and I even seemed to rush it along so she could wait until near the end to surprise you with the news - that way Piper wouldn't have so long to wait and count down so many days - just like Christmastime when you have to wait, impatiently, for that special day to finally open your gift? (Or the way the Palins look forward to birthday celebrations that go on for three, four days... you all really like cake .) I know you, I knew you'd be better off with just a short time to wait!

Then, finally, I let Trig's mom and dad find out before he was born that this little boy will truly be a GIFT. They were told in early tests that Trig may provide more challenges, and more joy, than what they ever may have imagined or ever asked for. At first the news seemed unreal and sad and confusing . But I gave Trig' s mom and dad lots of time to think about it because they needed lots of time to understand that everything will be OK, in fact, everything will be great, because I only want the best for you!

I've given Trig's mom and dad peace and joy as they wait to meet their new son. I gave them a happy anticipation because they asked me for that. I'll give all of you the same happy anticipation and strength to deal with Trig's challenges, but I won't impose on you...
I just need to know you want to receive my offer to be with all of you and help you everyday to make Trig's life a great one.

This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind us together and get everyone focused on what really matters . The baby will expand your world and let you see and feel things you haven't experienced yet. He'll show you what "true, brave victory" really means as those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world tells you is "normal" or "perfect". You will grow and be blessed with greater understanding that will be born along with Trig.

Trig will be his dad's little buddy and he'll wear Carhartts while he learns to tinker in the garage. He'll love to be read to, he'll want to play goalie, and he'll steal his mom's heart just like Track, Bristol, Willow and Piper did. And Trig will be the cuddly, innocent, mischievous, dependent little brother that his siblings have been waiting for in fact Trig will - in some diagnostic ways - always be a mischievous, dependent little brother, because I created him a bit different than a lot of babies born into this world today.

Every child is created special, with awesome purpose and amazing potential. Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed up world you live in down there on earth. Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome. Doctors call it "Down's Syndrome", and Downs kids have challenges, but can bring you much delight and more love than you can ever imagine! Just wait and see, let me prove this, because I only want the best for you!

Some of the rest of the world may not want him, but take comfort in that because the world will not compete for him. Take care of him and he will always be yours!

Trig's mom and dad don't want people to focus on the baby's extra chromosome. They're human, so they haven't known how to explain this to people who are so caring and are interested in this new little Alaskan. Sarah and Todd want people to share in the joy of this gift I'm giving to the Palin family, and the greater Alaska family. Many people won't understand... and I understand that.

Some will think Trig should not be allowed to be born because they fear a Downs child won't be considered "perfect" in your world. (But tell me, what do you earthlings consider "perfect" or even "normal" anyway? Have you peeked down any grocery store isle, or school hallway, or into your office lunchroom lately? Or considered the odd celebrities you celebrate as "perfect" on t.v.? Have you noticed I make `em all shapes and sizes? Believe me ,, there is no "perfect"!)

Many people will express sympathy, but you don't want or need that, because Trig will be a joy. You will have to trust me on this.

I know it will take time to grasp this and come to accept that I only want the best for you, and I only give my best. Remember though: "My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts... for as the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than yours!"

I wrote that all down for you in the Good Book ! Look it up! You claim that you believe me - now it's time to live out that belief!

Please look to me as this new challenge and chapter of life unfolds in front of you. I promise to equip you. I won't give you anything you can't handle. I am answering your prayers. Trig can't wait to meet you. I'm giving you ONLY THE BEST!

Love,

Trig's Creator , Your Heavenly Father


Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002688/Sarah-Palin-plays-God-touching-email-unborn-son-Trigs-Downs-Syndrome.html#ixzz1PD1R7vaa

Friday, June 3, 2011

Allen Ginsberg

Today is American Poet, Allen Ginsberg's birthday. He was born in New Jersey in 1926 and lived mostly in San Francisco until 1997. He and several other poets of that age were referred to as "the Beat Generation."

Homework
by Allen Ginsberg

Homage to Kenneth Koch

If I were doing my Laundry I'd wash my dirty Iran
I'd throw in my United States, and pour on the Ivory Soap,
scrub up Africa, put all the birds and elephants
back in the jungle,
I'd wash the Amazon river and clean the oily Carib & Gulf of
Mexico,
Rub that smog off the North Pole, wipe up all the pipelines in
Alaska,
Rub a dub dub for Rocky Flats and Los Alamos, Flush that sparkly
Cesium out of Love Canal
Rinse down the Acid Rain over the Parthenon & Sphinx, Drain the Sludge
out of the Mediterranean basin & make it azure again,
Put some blueing back into the sky over the Rhine, bleach the little
Clouds so snow return white as snow,
Cleanse the Hudson Thames & Neckar, Drain the Suds out of Lake Erie
Then I'd throw big Asia in one giant Load & wash out the blood &
Agent Orange,
Dump the whole mess of Russia and China in the wringer, squeeze out
the tattletail Gray of U.S. Central American police state,
& put the planet in the drier & let it sit 20 minutes or an
Aeon till it came out clean

"Homework" by Allen Ginsberg, from Collected Poems: 1947-1997. © Harper and Row