50th Anniversary

With the media remembering the Kennedy assassination, I am re-posting my memories of the weekend we will never forget.

One of the things we loved to do as a young family was go to the Starved Rock Lodge and state park near LaSalle, Illinois.  The lodge was one of the marvelous structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's.  This is what we did as a country back then -- use the energy and intelligence of our unemployed to improve our public lands.

We loved to hike on the trails, many overlooking the Illinois River.  Even though there were stairs and bridges plus plenty of signs to help us get around, it was as close as this city dweller came to "wilderness."

Starved Rock is where we were on the weekend that Kennedy got shot, and Ruby shot Oswald.  Word came to us on that Friday morning, but we already had our reservations and decided to go, even though we were as traumatized as everyone else.

We stopped at Marshall Field's to buy some sturdy shoes.  I felt so guilty to be shopping.  Management must have felt the same way because they announced they were closing the store just as we were leaving.

It was a beautiful weekend as the weather was perfect.  The kids didn't know to be shocked, so we stuck with that.  I don't remember whether there was a TV on in the lodge, but if there was, we didn't give in to watching it.

All of my friends told me how they were glued to the TV the whole weekend.  Looking back, I'm glad we were away from it all hiking the trails.  Since then, we've had a lifetime to remember the death and ponder the consequences.

Flexitarian

Recently, I had lunch with my friend Michele who is a "foodie" and is studying to become a "health coach."  As I added those two new words to my vocabulary, she mentioned another word which is now my favorite: flexitarian.  Michele explained that this describes people who eat from all food sources, but do so armed with information and care.

Wow.  I love this word!  And, I am going to keep it continually in mind.   Flexibility is such a desired stance in all circumstances.  And, if you think of Darwin, our existance depends on it.

I am a confirmed flexitarian.

Gravity

Gravity is one force that physics has yet to explain.  Until we do, Einstein's "unified theory" awaits our understanding.  Gravity is the mystery that allows us to live.   I think and I hope that was on the filmmaker's mind when he chose "Gravity" for the title of this wondrous film.

The visuals are so arresting that I went back to looking at the real images captured by the Hubbel space telescope.  The film puts humans onto that tiny stage occupied by astronauts, space stations and modules.  And, it lets us spend a moment with what it means to be human in the vastness.

What makes us human?  Knowing from the start that we will die and what that knowledge provokes.  The film embraces this emotional space.  It embraces death as sudden and random.  With death as a deliberate act to save another.  With the choice of sweet surrender.  With patience, intelligence and determination to eek out a little more time to live.

Don't miss Gravity.  And let me know what you think.

There's a Price on my Head

I am now leading "the ninety-nine thousand dollar life."  That is the price tag attached to treating my heart attack.  This expensive life was fought for by FDR and his "New Deal" and by all of the legislators who followed Lyndon Johnson's lead to vote for Medicare.  I take this history very personally.

And I'm taking this current fight over health care very personally.  That $99,000?  I'm no more deserving of those dollars than the next guy.

So, in the meantime,  since I am one of the lucky ones, I'm going to pay attention to leading a "valuable" life.   A better friend?  Better family member?  Better citizen?

I'm working on it.

Message to the Universe

Voyager 1, launched by NASA in 1977, is the first man-made object to enter the dark region beyond our solar system.  If there is a message stored inside, I haven't heard about it.  I hope there is one, and I hope it goes something like this.

Greetings from the planet Earth.

We have human beings here who are smart enough to have invented this device which has just now broken free of our solar system.  But, even though we possess so much intelligence, we are in deep trouble.  We have not been able to figure out how to live peacefully with each other.  Our whole existence has been one of killing and destruction.

We also have not been wise enough to respect our natural habitat.  Our lifestyle is destroying our planet to the point where we can actually envision our own extinction.  Yet, no one has the will to turn things around.  If you are more advanced, we could surely use your help.

Sincerely,
All of us.

KO in the First Round

Keith Olbermann is back.  He's back on TV (espn2) and he's back to his roots as a sports guy.  He is so good.  Seriously, he is really funny. We're in for a treat every night at 10 for as long as it lasts.  And, with Keith, you never know.
But, maybe this time he'll stay for awhile because he seems to be having such a good time.

Gone is the Edward R. Murrow complex.  Gone are the rants, substantial as they were.  Just watch him describe a baseball game, fans in the stands and all.  Keith has turned his permanent disillusioned eye into fast paced hilarity.

Tonight he's having John McEnroe as a guest.  I'm thinking of that game where you imagine who you would love to sit next to at a dinner party.  If I ever found myself between these two guys, I'd just keep quiet and let it all wash over me.

I'm going to have to change my biorythms to stay up.  Oh well. don't they say that new habits are good for you?

The Big Frisk

New York's Stop and Frisk policy has been declared unconstitutional.  It is considered "racial profiling" because it targets blacks and latinos.  If the law is to be preserved it has to be administered more "across the board" by, I guess, expanding it to other groups.

Mayor Bloomberg says the judicial ruling is bad for New Yorkers.  He says the police go to the "high crime" areas.  I think he is a bit narrow in his thinking about "high crime."

I suggest that an ideal place to expand the policy is in another "high crime" area: Wall Street.  If the police stopped and frisked the suit and tie crowd, I bet they might find some of those infamous hundred dollar bills used for sniffing.  Of, if the frisk included opening a briefcase or two, there might be some of those highly touted worthless investments, or even a phony mortgage or two.

Most of the people stopped and frisked so far were innocent.  A few were sent to jail.  Since no one from the Wall Street crowd has yet been sent to jail, the police could immediately improve their record.

When it comes to Wall Street, we've all been frisked.