Month: March 2019

One of the grandest spectacles on display today is the complete dysfunction of the British government.  Probably fueled by Russian dollars and influence, it has become a cornerstone of Stone-Age thinking.   I don’t say this because I care one way or the other whether the British succeed in damaging or destroying their economy, but because … Read moreThe Brexit Spectacle – Front Row Tickets Free!

Fred Biletnikoff was a great Oakland Raider receiver.  The playing pinnacle of his career was winning the Most Valuable Player Award in Super Bowl XI, with Oakland beating the Minnesota Vikings.   Fred used Stickum, a concoction of ingredients to make the ball stick to his hands.  You could catch a ball with one hand (one … Read moreCheck Your Stickum At The Door

I have renewed respect for the mob.  Yes, I know their original goals of security and protection in the new world became dangerously out of step with the new realities in the 20th century; however, I have always liked their can-do attitude.  No fooling around with considerations like danger,  laws,  the police . . they … Read moreSwimming With The Frozen Fishes

The scariest thing I have ever had to do is go under the hood in a small plane and try to recover it as it spun out of control.  The hood didn’t allow you to see the ground for reference . . you had to recover from the gyrations and G forces just by looking … Read moreThe Safest Plane In The World

It has been about fifty years since the last great leap forward for humanity took place, fueled by the advent of the baby boomers after WWII.  Certainly, one of the unintended consequences of the second world war was the movement from a rural America to a more sophisticated world view.   The question in my … Read moreIt Begs the Question

I always wanted to spend more time with Cher.  Given the tumult of living, it was difficult to find the time.  For twenty years Cher had a hula troop composed of dancers across the United States who took an annual trip to Hawaii to perform for the poor and underprivileged, the women in prison, and … Read moreWorking Toward the Pearly Gates

    So, what was it in your life that was the great defining moment?  What gave you the greatest pleasure, after which there was the denoument?     To Be Continued.    

The bug would not leave.  And, Jim didn’t want to squash it leaving a stain on the old manuscript.  The archives in Honfleur, dated to the 13th century and accessible to researchers and dilettantes, was available for researching mysteries in the family tree . . .  but, not as long as there was a tiny, … Read moreHonfleur Pt. 2 – Jim Simmons

In theatre, there is a standard formula for a plot that goes like this . . introduction, complications, build to a climax, and denoument.  There might be a slight twist here or there, but, in general, all great theatre follows this formula.  You can make changes at your great peril, before you are ushered off-stage … Read moreNo Matter How Hard You Try

Driving along the mountains between Los Angeles and the high desert, on the road from Victorville to Palmdale, I looked at the snow covered peaks . . only, perhaps, five thousand feet high and wondered when I had last seen snow on these mountains.  Well, never. But, the mountains were green and full of life … Read moreTaking Aim at a 2017 Subaru Outback