Archive for the General category.
Thoughts that come to mind reflecting over the past month.
1) JetBlue Flight Attendant, Steven Slater, is a jerk. (my opinion) What may seemed like an enviable act of courage, it was, in fact, an act of stupidity for which he should not serve as an example to others. Rude customers comes with the territory in service jobs, especially those dealing with a high volume of the public. That’s life.
2) Polls show that 20 percent of Americans now think that Obama is a Muslim, up from 11 percent. Count me among them. To me, it’s obvious. America was duped in 2008. A recent CNN poll also reveals that 60 percent of Americans doubt his birth records. Count me in as well.
3) Boo to the PGA. Golfer Dustin Johnson got the royal screw when officials docked him two strokes for grounding his club in a patch of dirt they called a sand trap. Otherwise, he was certain to be in the three-way playoff for the PGA Championship, with a possible prize of $1.3 million.
4) The due sensitivity of Americans and families of three thousand 9/11 victims should take precedence over the sensitivities of Muslims who want to build a mosque next to Ground Zero. A mosque can be built anywhere. The site of the attack is immovable.
5) Solution to the drug wars all over the world and in the U.S.: Legalize, tax and control. No black market? No crime. Cartels are out of business, so are street gangs. Courts, prisons and cops would depressurize case loads and taxpayers would benefit from redistributions of funds for more effective purposes. Meanwhile, studies show, drug use would diminish.
6) We should relocate the United Nations from New York City to Haiti. I can think of many advantages, especially the surge it would create to the economy of that struggling nation. The United States is voted down 77 percent of the time by third world countries, (to whom we provide foreign aid) while footing 22 percent of the annual operating costs, equaling $440 million. This would save enormous taxpayer dollars plus eliminate an open door policy for spies, insurgents and diplomats who abuse their immunity.
7) I don’t care if men marry men or women marry women. It’s better for people to love, not hate. Plenty of that to go around. Same sex marriage seems awkward and outside the box, but when I really think about it… so what?
Ever notice how Islam dominates the happenings in western affairs these days, compared to ten years ago? How much more in the next ten years? Twenty? With Islam, comes Sharia. Folks in denial choose to wear rose colored glasses. That’s dangerous for the future of western cultures.
9) The Glenn Beck rally in Washington D.C. drew a half million Americans, demonstrating peacefully for love of country, without spewing hate. What’s so bad about that? I enjoyed watching a taste of patriotic unity for once.
10) The prison system in this country is a national disgrace. There is no rehabilitation, no rights, very little schooling and preparation for release after long periods removed from society. That spells bad news for more crime victims, and high recidivism rates. Meanwhile, prison inmates are being used for slave labor while factories and corporations lay off workers at $9.00 an hour, in order to out-source to inmates at 50 cents an hour. Are you surprised, that corporations hire lobbyists to pass laws to keep the prison populations at maximum?
11) Another direct hit from a major hurricane to New Orleans would portend the end to a great city. Survivors would eventually migrate elsewhere.
12) America’s Got Talent has evolved into a junkie show with mostly circus acts and hip hoppers performing over audiences that scream constantly on command. But once in a while, comes a diamond in the rough, which is what happened with this 10 year-old child, Jackie Evancho. Enjoy:
Click here: YouTube – America’s Got Talent – Jackie Evancho
Posted on July 31st, 2010 by marshallfrank in
General
Eleven years ago, yours truly was suffering badly from migraines, so the neurologists finally ordered an MRI of my head. (Folks had always said I needed my head examined)
Voila, they discovered I had a one-inch thick AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation) in the back of my brain, which had probably been growing there since birth. In a nutshell, an AVM is a grouping of tangled veins and arteries which, if bleeding occurred (like an aneurism) could cause death and/or permanent disability.
Doctors insisted I go for further tests and treatment. They said, the likelihood of bursting increases at a rate of three percent per year, and at this point I had just entered my 60s.
Very worrisome, indeed. Three options were: surgery, radiation or gamble doing nothing. I’ve always been a loser at gambling. I won’t even stop at a one-armed bandit in Vegas.
Suzanne and I traveled to Emory University in Atlanta, where the world’s top experts in AVM treatment and surgery were available. My surgeon said it was very serious, but to further pinpoint matters, he ordered a series of tests which involved scans, dyes, arteriograms, and much more.
While being prepped, with hospital gown and tubes hanging from my body, the doctor had me sign a stack of papers on a clipboard, all warning of a small chance that I could die or be reduced to a blithering idiot from the procedure, and there would be no one to sue.
As I started with the blue-ink ball-point pen, I hesitated with second thoughts. I summoned my wife, to talk. I told her, “I came here feeling really good. I’m going to leave here feeling really good.”
I said to the doc, “Give me my clothes, I’m walking out.” Startled, he said no one had ever done that before. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.” This time, I would gamble and take my chances. If I underwent the operation they could claim surgery a success, though I’d be reduced to a blithering mumbler, unable to talk or function normally.
It was certainly a risk. If I died, I figured would be a quick and painless event.
Five years later, in 2004, a follow-up MRI showed — amazingly — that the AVM had diminished in size.
Six years later, July 2010, I underwent another follow-up MRI.
It’s gone.
The report indicates a very small residue present only visible through enhancement (dye). Now it’s difficult to even see where it was.
I don’t recommend this attitude for everyone, or anyone. Going against medical advice is risky. This is one time I decided to take my chances because I feared being disabled — and a burden to others — more than I feared death.
I don’t know why or how this AVM dissipated.
Neither do I care.
I’ve made a lot of bad decisions in my life, but this was definitely not one of them.
Thought I’d share the story with others. Glean your own messages.
Click here: Brain Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
Click here: Arteriovenous malformation – Wikipedia
1) I believe Barack Obama will not serve out his four-year term, and will likely be out of office by this time next year. (For one reason or another).
2) After January of 2011, hard evidence of Obama’s presidential illegitimacy will surface necessitating a congressional investigation that results in his impeachment and/or resignation from office…that being the likely basis for removal from office.
3) Joe Biden will assume the Oval Office and — based on powerful signals from the American electorate — will shift much of the Democratic focus from left, to center in the political spectrum, based on powerful signals from the American electorate.
4) A significant shift in congressional power will take place after November’s mid-term election resulting in Republican majority in the House and Senate. (Which is partly why # 2 will happen)
5) Hillary Clinton will resign as Secretary Of State after the mid-term elections. She will run for president in 2012, and win the Democratic nomination. This will occur regardless if Obama or Biden is in office.
6) We will see another major terrorist attack in the U.S. within the next twelve months.
7) The Afghan war will come to an abrupt halt before the end of 2011. Afghanistan will resume as a hub for terrorist training and the Taliban will assume control of the country again. Thus, all for naught.
The economy will worsen following the Afghan pull-out because unemployment will rise to higher levels with a reduction in the war machine. With the Republicans controlling the congress, they will bear the brunt of blame from media.
9) Before the end of 2010, Israel will embark on a military strike in Syria and Iran in order to neutralize their Nuke weapons and delivery system. The UN ( and our current administration) will condemn Israel while Muslims erupt into demonstrations and violence throughout the mid-east, Europe and the U.S.
10) The Justice Department, under Eric Holder, will initiate legal efforts to curtail free speech in the conservative radio and television networks, mainly by reviving a version of the Fairness Doctrine. A new Republican congress will nullify that.
11) Appellate courts will uphold the lower court ruling which diminished the Arizona Anti-Illegal immigration law. However, the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn those rulings and uphold the state’s right to defend itself. Later, another twenty or more states will pass similar laws.
12) France and England will increasingly become the focus of Islamic unrest in Europe as Sharia Law flexes its mighty muscle.
In regards to prediction # 1, Obama’s fall could result one of three ways. With so many Americans passionately opposed to him, it would not be surprising to see an attempt on his life by some nutball like Oswald or Booth. That would not be a good thing, because such an event would martyr Obama and bolster his legacy in the biased media. In addition, black communities throughout America would explode into uprising. Next; deep reverence, tributes and monuments and anyone who suggested negative thoughts about the Obama presidency would be cast as a racist bigot, facts notwithstanding.
These all are simple predictions based as one American who stands witness to the trends taking place today in the world. I certainly hope I am wrong about some of them.
What say you?
WINTER’S BONE = 9
A sleeper for the Oscars.
While this picture will be a box office flop, it’s probably the best drama of 2010, destined to be remembered as a gut-wrenching drama with true-to-life characters and internal conflicts that only the super destitute can relate to.
Briefly, this is about a 17 year-old girl burdened with the responsibility of caring for two small siblings, abandoned by one criminal parent and another disabled, struggling to survive in the backwoods setting of rural Missouri. She’s informed by authorities that their ramshackle house will be confiscated by authorities unless she locates her father…an impossible task. Superbly acted by Jennifer Lawrence, her character is met with one roadblock after.
Directed by Debra Granik, the actors in the film are so realistic, it makes them surreal. This is not for people who complain about “depressing” movies, nor does it display the usual herky-jerky hand-held cameras with dumb action, smashed cars, collapsing buildings, and bullets flying by the billions. It’s not a complicated story, but one you won’t easily forget.
Watch for Oscar nominations for best actress, best supporting actress (Dale Dickey) and best director.
CYRUS = 8
Again, superb acting by John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill and Marisa Tomei, in a simple story about two lonely adults who form a special relationship, only to be crumbled by the woman’s 22 year-old son who goes through great lengths to derail the relationship.
Another drama, minus the usual car wrecks, bullets and senseless graphics.
SOLITARY MAN = 7 ½
Once a wealthy, respected car magnate, Michael Douglas’ character hits the skids as he embarks on bizarre behavioral changes, losing a wife, chasing women and creating a chasm between his daughter and himself. Another engaging drama, with Susan Sarandon, Danny Devito and Mary-Louise Parker. Good acting, worth seeing..if you like drama.
INCEPTION = 2
This is the big box office hit of 2010. I must be living under a rock, because I considered this one of the worst movies in the last year, one in which I wish I had walked out.
This is the product of a group of computer geeks and graphics engineers, talking behind the scenes about how they could come up with the most spectacular array of crumbling buildings and bridges, smashed cars, more bullets than stars in the universe, suspended bodies and special effects that would dazzle any video-game lover. Doesn’t matter that it’s short on acting (though DiCaprio does a good job), plot, and a horrible script. The scenes are laid out with ten minutes of graphics, then ten minutes of cyber jabber concerning dreams, in and out, projecting, then back to the special effects, then back to the cyber jabber…and so forth. Each scene, you’re trying to figure out who’s saying what and what in the hell they’re really talking about.
Yes, I must be stupid. This picture was made only for smart people.
If you are a movie lover who enjoys good story, good writing and great acting, see the other three, (above).
It’s the in-vogue term for invectives who wish to instill hatred. Unfortunately, it’s been a big success.
Just call someone, or any organization — RACIST — and all ears listen. Attach labels, that’s an effective strategy. True or not, they stick like unwanted glue. The media jumps on such allegations as juicy headlines in the making.
We no longer have to interpret the meaning of RACIST. Society and media has done it for us. It unequivocally refers to white on black prejudice. And if someone like myself even suggests that blacks can be racist too, that make me: (Guess what?) A RACIST!
If an organization existed was named the “NAAWP” (National Organization for the Advancement of White People) the powerful black community, the media and the majority of America — left and right — would be swayed to believe they are all RACISTS. But any organization that is black-only, is an American entitlement, not RACIST.
The Congressional Black Caucus categorically excludes whites even though some white congressmen have applied for membership in the past. Does that mean white congresspersons should be extended the same right to form a White Caucus? Of course not, that would make them: RACISTS.
Recently, an angry Rev. Jesse Jackson invoked race into a totally non-racial issue, when star player LeBron James opted to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for greener (more money) pastures with the Miami Heat. Jackson accused Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, of treating James like a “runaway slave,” inferring that RACISM had anything to do with LeBron’s motives.
Click here: LeBron James to Miami Heat: Jesse Jackson
The president and his attorney general have made it know that their greatest objection to the Arizona anti-Illegal immigration law is race-based, suggesting that RACIAL profiling will result from the law being enforced. That wasn’t true, only a strategy that millions of ignorant people fell for. Fact is, there is not one shred of evidence to support that allegation, but it sure is powerful nonetheless. Just invoke the mere suggestion that RACIST thinking is behind an action — true or not — and the cannons begin firing.
In July of 2009, Professor Gates never stopped to think that the police officer — doing his duty — may have had good reason to check out the occupant of his house to make sure he belonged there. After all, the officer had been summoned by a caring neighbor when they spotted a possible burglary. Instead, when asked for I.D., Gates’ knee-jerk response was, “Why, because I’m a black man in America?”
Huh?
Ah…invoke RACISM, and suddenly, the offense … is on the defense.
Naturally, the president wasn’t RACIST when he first was asked about the incident, and he knee-jerked an answer which indicted the police without knowing any information, “The Cambridge police acted stupidly.” Brilliant, indeed.
But wait. We could give the prez a pass on this, because he was set-up by a RACISM thirsty media rep, when reporter Lynn Sweet unnecessarily asked him, “What does this say about race relations in America?”
Huh?
The question was as relevant to the incident as Jello is to motor oil. Cops check out suspicious people all the time, and the racial equation varies all the time. Yet, the media found it necessary to invoke the RACIST issue into a non-racist issue. See for yourself:
Click here: YouTube – Obama: Cambridge Cops “Acted Stupidly”
Recently, charges against the New Black Panther members who stood at a polling place in November of 2008, dressed in berets and fatigues and brandishing a billy club, were dropped by Mr. Obama’s Attorney General, Eric Holder. The behavior which violated voting rights laws, were caught on video, clearly an act of voter intimidation. THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED.
Had a group of KKK been standing around a predominant black polling place, wearing sheets and brandishing a stick, you can bet that this administration would have not only charged them with voter intimidation, they’d have been serving their sentences by now.
So, who’s the RACIST?
Watch this one-minute video including the last half:
Click here: Video: New Black Panther Party Leader
As a result, an outraged federal prosecutor in the case resigned from the justice department, claiming that the feds are now under orders to NOT prosecute anyone for voter intimidation by the Black Panthers. J. Christian Adams, a top prosecuting attorney with tenure in the DOJ, has since spoken out. Here’s his interview on FOX:
Click here: YouTube – PART 3 DOJ Lawyer J. Christian Adams
Now the NAACP is planting the seed of RACISM saying it is permeating the Tea Party. Most of us agree that the Tea Party is nationalistic based organization of Americans who stump for less government, lower taxes and individual freedoms. Nowhere, is there any evidence that the Tea Party is riddled with RACISTS or that it proposes a RACIST agenda. But the Tea Party has grown into a formidable anti-Obama political force, so the best defense is what? An offense! Use that dreaded term: RACIST, and then put the Tea Party in a position of defending itself.
Click here: NAACP considers charge of racism against the Tea Party
Racism is a two-edged sword. It’s just as vile to be a black racist as it is to be a white racist. But that’s not the case in 2010 America where black racism is protected and revered, while white racism is considered lower than murder and rape.
Want to get a glimpse of bona fide racism? Watch these two videos:
Click here: YouTube – Geraldo Vs Head Black Panther
Click here: Black Power! ‘Eat the Tea Party,’ the Video!
For those who fall for the propaganda that the Tea Party is racist, I invite you to check out a sampling of its black supporters:
Angela McGlowan, Mississippi
Deneen Borelli, of the Project 21
Lt. Col Allen West, WPB, Fla. Check this video and tell me if the tea Party is RACIST:
Click here: Video – Congressional Candidate LTC Allen West
Enough already.
Americans wake-up. Time to realize when you’re being manipulated.
“Limbaugh Marries For Fourth Time.”
Such was the heading in a recent USA Today sidebar article.
So, what’s wrong with this?
In three sentences, the piece describes Rush Limbaugh’s wedding to Ms. Kathryn Rogers in West Palm Beach. Harmless copy, indeed.
A couple years back, I wrote about a newspaper headline in Cincinnati which read:
“White Cop Shoots Black Suspect.” It wasn’t until you got into the meat of the story that the reader discovered the officer(s) were shooting back at a suspect who was shooting at them, thus it was a self defense, justifiable act.
I wondered to myself: If the racial equation was any different, would the headline have read “Black Cop Shoots White Suspect?” … Or… “Black Cop Shoots Black Suspect?”
Well, we all know the answer to that. Fact is, the headline immediately incites anti-police sentiment among minorities that are generally inclined to dislike cops to begin with. It is a subtle way of suggesting an act of “racism” had been committed by law enforcement, unless the reader chooses to read the entire story…which does not always happen.
Deliberate or not, news channels and newspapers have enormous power over citizens by installing subliminal messages. By doing so, folks do not even realize their thought patterns are being manipulated.
The 2008 presidential campaign serves as a gross example of media-mind manipulation. An editorial written by Obama was gladly published in the left-leaning New York Times, while another editorial by right-leaning John McCain was submitted to the same paper, but never published.
The gushing news anchors from all three major networks traveled with Obama during his European visits, covering his every charismatic speech and behind the scenes repartee, while none traveled with John McCain to feature his strengths.
And the people never noticed. Regardless of Obama’s two autobiographies, an enormous number of questions still lingered about Obama’s secretive history, including the conspicuous absence of college records, his ties to extremists and close associations with sordid anti-Americans, all of which begged questions about his loyalty as an American leader. These issues are still unresolved, in the minds of millions.
So, what does this have to do with “Limbaugh Marries For The Fourth Time?”
The headline could have read, “Rush Limbaugh Marries Woman From West Palm Beach.” However, the reader will now zero in on “For The Fourth Time,” as though that is the issue that defined the event. Some, not all, readers will read no further and judge Rush Limbaugh accordingly; a man who has failed in three past marriages. So…what’s one more? A history of bad decisions. So much for the credibility of Rush Limbaugh.
Frankly, I’m not a big fan of Limbaugh though I agree with many of his political points of view. I rarely listen, because I find him pompous and predictable.
But we should all be aware of how our mental images are being molded by a few words in the title of a story, that really isn’t the story at all.
The videos say it all.
An officer never knows where or when it will strike. Can be in the urban jungle or the sprawling countryside.
This is for Monday morning quarterbacks always on the ready to criticize cops without walking in their shoes. Three very short videos that depict why officers must be on the alert at all times. And why, sometimes, cops get a little edgy.
Always think twice before rendering judgement. This is why:
Click here: Hamilton Police shooting video
Click here: YouTube – Police Shooting Video
Click here: » Real video of a cop getting his ass kicked:
Posted on May 24th, 2010 by marshallfrank in
General
I wish to thank all my readers for their interest in my blogs, and to all those who contribute comments offering their own thoughts and opinions. Regardless of your position on any issues, your input is always welcome, so long as it’s submitted with respect for me and for other commenters as well. As I’ve often said, I’m not always interested in singing to the choir. All voices are welcome.
I have the liberty of deleting comments with profanity or any other that I otherwise deem revolting or totally irrelevant. (Which I have done a very few times) There’s no point for that in these dialogue formats, no matter how passionate we feel about issues.
If you read the opening paragraph the Frankly Speaking Home Page, it states:
“…appreciate if responders would leave their names, city of residence and, if possible, e-mail address.”
This is not required, obviously. But at minimum, an e-mail address would enable me to make a private contact with a responder if I think it worth intervening. What is not welcome, are insults by those who hide behind anonymity.
Let’s not only cherish, but exercise the freedom of speech, while we still have it.
Thanks again.
Congratulations are in order. Miss Rim Fakih, a Lebanese immigrant representing Dearborn, Michigan, was named Miss USA at the conclusion of the annual pageant in May 2010.
Many will cheer diversity, that a naturalized immigrant, and Muslim besides, could be crowned as our nations representative at the Miss Universe contest in .
But, many are not so pleased. As Paul Harvey might say, here’s the rest of the story.
During the interview phase in which the final five are posed questions directly by judges, none could have been more loaded than the one posed to Miss Oklahoma by actor, Oscar Nunez. It was widely believed that Miss Oklahoma was the front runner at this point.
He asked what her thoughts were about the new anti-illegal immigration law recently passed in Arizona. Hmmm. The audience booed. Obviously, they thought it inappropriate. It was.
Fact: There was no right or wrong answer, other than the personal biases of the eight judges, most of whom are clearly left leaning. Mr. Nunez has made no secret of his political views, being a Latino immigrant himself, living in Los Angeles, and passionately loyal to the Democratic party. She could only answer very good, or…very bad.
Anyone want to wager what his position is on the Arizona law? Just listen to the wording:
Click here: Miss Oklahoma Believes in State’s rights
If Miss Oklahoma had said, “I oppose the Arizona law,” she likely would have won, hands down. To her credit, she spoke her conscience stating, “I’m a huge believer in states rights. That’s what’s so wonderful about America. It was perfectly fine for Arizona to create that law. I am against illegal immigration, but I am also against racial profiling.”
Bye bye, Miss Oklahoma.
If anyone says that her final scores were not skewed by politics…I have that beachfront house to sell you in Antarctica.
Talk about unfair.
Here’s the question posed to the woman from Michigan: “Do you believe that birth control should be paid for by health insurance?”
Answer (summaraized): “I believe that birth control is just like any other medication because it’s a controlled substance. It should be covered by insurance because it’s costly.”
Check out the second video down, on this youtube
Click here: Miss USA 2010: Final Interview Round Highlights
First of all, birth control pills are not listed as a “controlled substance.
Secondly, birth control paid for by health insurance would be suggesting that brake jobs should be paid for by auto insurance.
Nevertheless, there was no wrong answer for Miss Michigan. There was no right answer for Miss Oklahoma.
Now, for more:
One can only wonder how and why a Muslim woman, with relatives belonging to Hezbollah, could be permitted to prance around in very non-Muslim like garb, completely against the laws of the Koran.
Debbie Schlussel, attorney, lobbyist, columnist has done extensive research into this contestant. I suggest you read her findings:
More information available on Ms. Schlussel’s web site:
Every so often, we might discover that we had made a difference in someone’s life but never knew it. I’m not talking about family and friends, but some human being out of the past who wasn’t particularly meaningful to you, but you were meaningful to him or her.
Such was the case three years ago, when a man in his mid forties attended one of my book talks at a West Florida library. He approached me after, not for a book, but to hug. At first I was taken aback, because he looked me somewhat adoringly, directly in the eyes. Then, he said, “Thank you. You don’t remember me, but when I was a teenager, thirty years ago, I was into drugs, crime and bad company, heading for a lot of trouble. You read me the riot act. It scared me so, I never forgot it. That’s why I joined the Navy and got my life in order. It would not have happened if not for you.”
Wow.
More recently, I was summoned to a hospital room to play violin music for a dying 78 year-old woman. Since 1980, Earline had been the mother-in-law of my now-deceased friend. More than twenty years ago, I had played the violin during a gathering at his home. Earline was there. Nice lady. I didn’t know her very well.
In her final days, consumed with cancer, she had asked her daughter, Bobbie, (my friend’s wife), “Do you think Marshall Frank would come and play ‘Sunrise Sunset’ for me on his violin?”
Well, there’s a first for everything, even at 71.
I strolled through the lobby of Melbourne’s Holmes General Hospital, right past security, carrying a violin case (of all things), found my way to room 732A where I was greeted by Bobbie and a room full of grieving family. Emaciated now, Earline was seemingly half-unconscious, a breathing apparatus attached, mouth agape, gasping her final breaths.
They told me how Earline would often talk about me, especially my violin and my writings. Who would have known? Amid a room of bursting tears, I opened the case, lifted the fiddle and started “Sunrise Sunset.” I had to look out the window, or I’d have been caught up in the depth of emotion. It was important to play it…slowly, and well.
Bobbie and her daughter, Bridget (granddaughter), leaned over to embrace the woman. I could see her jaw move, ever so slightly. After, Bridget said she actually heard her grandmother vocalize part of the tune, every so weakly… “Is this the little girl I carried…Sunrise … Sunset…” Amazingly, she had heard the music. It was all so worth the moment.
She passed away later that same night. I left with the comfort of knowing that Earline was conscious enough to hear that loving tune from “Fiddler On The Roof,” and that it made a difference in her life, and in her death.
On the way home, thoughts raged. I reflected on my own background. Who were the long lost people that made some small or large difference in my life? I don’t mean family or friend. But, some remote figure from the deepest recesses of the past, who unknowingly altered my direction in some way.
A 10th grade history teacher named Mr. Tierney, who made a boring subject come alive, sparking my interest in history for the rest of my life.
A 7th grade bully named Stanley, who led a gathering of kids to beat me up after school, for folly. All because I danced and played violin. From that day on, I obsessed on fitting in, no matter what the cost to my future.
At age 10, meeting Jascha Heifetz in person, listening to his advice, “Practice!” So, I did.
Beatrice Laverne, owner of a Miami dance studio, who was the only person who came to my house to offer solace after my mother’s long struggle with cancer ended. She filled a huge void that day, one I will never forget. She taught me to be there when someone is in need. Don’t assume someone else is doing it.
1966. A cop named Richard. He single-handedly changed police work for me, from a job into a career. I never even knew Richard, then the Chief of Detectives, other than reputation. But he knew me, and had faith enough to place me into the prestigious Homicide Bureau ahead of other aspiring applicants. Earlier that same week, disenchanted with wearing a badge for a living, I had already drafted my resignation, aiming toward a return to a career in music. Instead, the police career lasted 30 years, and today I enjoy a healthy pension — all because a man named Richard liked me.
Thanks Richard.
That’s just a few.
Now it’s your turn. What irony can you share about remote people from your past who made a significant difference in your life, though they may never have known it?
Maybe it’s time?
While laying in bed awake, like most of you, thoughts swim. So, I’ll share some of those in one-line contemplations…no rambling discussion needed. Just a few items to consider. Enjoy. Think. Ponder. Argue.
It’s a blessing to have a brain with the power of reason. It’s also a curse.
Rap Music is an oxymoron
Tongue studs are not just for decoration
Nose rings remind me of boogers
Pants hung below the ass, baring underwear, is an insult
The “War on Drugs” is lost, always has been
Strange, that the war on drugs excluded “nicotine.”
Charisma means more than resume` for gaining elective office
Ghandi was the most Jesus-like mortal in my lifetime
What religion was Cro Magnon?
Can you whistle the tunes to any song by Ice T or Eminem?
Corporate favors for politicians is nothing less than bribery
Why do lawyers donate to a judge’s campaign?
Why is white racism disgusting, while black racism is acceptable?
There is nothing funnier than a fart
Forcible rape is a power crime, not a sex crime
The government is responsible for the majority of crime in America
The voice of Sarah Brightman is the closest to absolute perfection
Islamic Jihad is, by far, the most important issue facing the future of America
There’s no such thing as a War on Terror. Terror is a tactic not an enemy.
Transparency/Obama is another oxymoron
Babe Ruth was the greatest natural sports figure of all time
An atheist stands less of a chance to be president than a Jihadist.
Voters should be over 21 years of age
Professional sports figures aren’t worth multi-millions of dollars for running and throwing
Government corruption and corporate greed is why we are still beholden to foreign oil
Daniel Day Lewis and Meryl Streep are today’s pinnacle among movie actors
Immigrating to this country is a privilege not a right
I have zero trust in Barack Obama as president, which has nothing to do with party lines.
The last president we could truly trust was Eisenhower
Only three of the Ten Commandments pertain to modern law
Not every mother and/or father deserves to be honored
No baby is born with a religion
Political correctness will foster more terrorists like Nidal Hassan
Being old is better than I could have imagined
One of modern times’ greatest losses, is the mystery to sex.
The Nobel Peace Prize became worthless when it was awarded to Yassar Arafat
Death is nothing to be afraid of. I worry more about the final journey.
American youth is more obsessed with appearance than with accomplishment
No diet plan works unless you eat less food
There were no fat people in Auschwitz
Why would race matter to blind people?
Honest politician is another oxymoron
Divine or not, Jesus’ messages of love is valuable for all people
I can’t imagine life without accomplishment
Blind love can lead to self destruction
Sending an innocent to prison is worse than murder.
Today’s adult Americans have lived in the best of times
Our great-grandchildren will not be living in the best of times
I often come near to tears when I hear “America The Beautiful” … for more reasons than one
“Skin color is a benign, nonbehavioral characteristic. Sexual orientation is perhaps the most profound of human behavioral characteristics. Comparison of the two is a convenient but invalid argument.” — Colin Powell, 1993
Sorry, I don’t believe it’s as simple as imposing compassion and human rights. Sounds nice. But the real reason some politicians are supporting a lifting of the ban on gays in the military, and doing away with “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is about power. It’s about building voting blocks to gain, or retain power. Voting gays make up a huge constituency.
Let’s cut to the chase.
The best reason to retain “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the current policy for gays in the military can be summed up in one sentence: Straight guys don’t want to take showers with gay guys, knowing they are gay. Simple as that.
Regardless of political or social dogma, there are definite physical and psychological aspects to this issue that cannot be ignored.
It doesn’t mean that straight men are gay haters or homophobes. It simply means, they don’t want to be in any intimate arrangement — especially naked — around young men who are naturally attracted within a same-sex setting.
Most of us would agree that homosexuals can shoot guns and perform wartime functions as well as anyone. Undoubtedly, there have been silent heros among them. But when young men enter the military service, it’s not about guns, planes and radar. It’s boot camp. It’s field training. It’s adjusting to a completely new way of life. That involves close sleeping quarters, bathrooms and showers…daily and nightly.
When straight men know their roommates are also straight, the adjustment to new living arrangements is easy. Sexual connotation doesn’t come into play when straights are among straights. The scenario takes on a whole new dimension when they are aware that a gay man is in the shower — or the bedroom – with them.
Women have become a valuable asset to military service in modern-day America. While they share much of the same training and perform like functions, personal living arrangements remain separate from men for obvious reasons. It’s about sexuality. Sexual differences invites sexual proclivities, which is why the military maintains a barrier between men and women. That’s just common sense. The same issue comes into play mixing gays and straights in bare naked settings.
Of course, modern day bureaucrats, politicians and some military elite are bending to pressures of political correctness to make a change in policy. But I seriously doubt that many of their public statements mirror those that are expressed in private.
Both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (which includes four million vets) have come out strongly against overturning the ban.
More than 1,000 retired admirals and generals have expressed opposition to the change, saying that overturning the ban would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughter to military service and eventually will impact the All-Volunteer Force.
Open acceptance of gays in the military will open the floodgates for complaints of discrimination that do not now exist. Drill instructors will have to watch their P’s and Q’s before shouting at or admonishing a recruit who happens to be gay, lest he be brought up for charges of anti-gay discrimination. It could change the whole approach to basic training…not for the better.
Instead of asking generals, admirals and special interest groups their points of view, pollsters should be talking to the rank-in-file, the privates and sergeants who have to deal with every day life in lower military ranks.
My 24-year-old grandson was recently discharged after four years in the U.S. Air Force. He has very open views and many friends in the gay community. But he also agreed with the premise that sharing intimate environments knowing that gay men were present, would be extremely uncomfortable.
Senator John McCain is a national military hero who comes from a military family. He recommends leaving the policy just as it is. “It’s working,” he said.
Why fix something that is not broken?
Retired Air Force combat pilot, Keith Hutcheson, recently wrote in USA Today, “I should not have to worry about room assignments, who’s bunking with whom, who is offended by the gay soldier or airman, or whether he’s angry because no one will talk to him. I am a father to my daughter, not to men in combat.”
This isn’t a matter of discriminating against gays because of bigotry or homophobia. It’s a matter of maintaining order, good discipline and a separation of sexual orientation that can make life very uncomfortable for a lot of people who should have other things on their minds.
It’s a touchy issue that’s not going to satisfy everyone.
YOUTH IN REVOLT - Rating = O
Teenage nerd, Nick Twisp, falls in love with teen girl which leads to amateurish zany scenes and predictable script. One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Pure garbage. Not because of language or sexual predicaments (common in all movies these days) but the poor directing, inane dialogue and pure trash for acting. This is the kind of movie that appeals to 19-year-old kids on drugs and alcohol, with nothing going for them in the world other than video games and body parts. Any professional movie rater that gave this any stars, should be fired from their jobs. We walked out after 40 minutes.
BOOK OF ELI - Rating = 8
Another apocalyptic movie about one man surviving the devastated planet long after the bomb(s). This was much better than “The Road” because it actually had a plot, a mission and a worthwhile script. Denzel Washington did a credible job (as always) as the man with a mission. It’s another long and depressing picture, but in its context, well done.
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES - Rating 6 1/2
Inspired by the true story of John Crowley, a man who defied great odds and risked his family’s future to pursue a cure for his children’s life threatening disease. Supported by his beautiful wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and their three children, John (Brandon Fraser) is on the fast track. But just as his career is taking off, Crowley walks away from it all when his two youngest children are diagnosed with a fatal disease. With Aileen by his side, harnessing all of his skill and determination, Crowley teams up with a brilliant, but unappreciated and unconventional scientist, Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford). I’ll spare the rest of the story in case you want to see it.
The best actors in the picture are the two girls that play Crowley’s daughters. From there, Ford is good, and Fraser…well…he should stick to silly thrillers like “The Mummy” and stay away from serious acting. Oscar winner, he’s not.
Inspiring story. Worth the ticket price.
FROM PARIS WITH LOVE = 8 ½
John Travolta’s best picture since “Pulp Fiction” and maybe his best ever.
This is a fast-paced spy movie, laden with stunts, guns, murder and humor. Normally, I get impatient with movies that depict gratuitous and senseless violence, but this one is an exception. Travolta plays an eccentric agent trying to teach his nerdy partner the ropes, as they razzle-dazzle fight after fight in Paris, with chases, Karate, bad guys, the girl,…the works. Half the time, I found myself bursting in laughter. Travolta is magic in this picture. If it weren’t such a spoof, he might have been nominated for an Oscar.
Probably more of a guy picture, but ladies who like action and belly laughter will like this too. Suzanne did.
Have fun
Posted on December 24th, 2009 by marshallfrank in
General
Thank you.
I have appreciated all your thoughts, comments, ideas and dissent on this blog site over the last couple of years, many of which have been enlightening and informative. I know we are not always in agreement, but America is a wondrous place where free speech and exercise of our rights give us the forum to espouse whatever opinions we have, so long as we don’t incite the violation of laws or threaten harm to anyone else. Few places on planet Earth allow that. Yet we take it for granted. We think it will always be here. It might not.
As we speak, countries all over the world, including some in Europe are acquiescing to intimidation which will prohibit the exercise of free speech and expression of opinion. The change is happening. Those kinds of restrictions exist throughout Asia, Africa, the mid–east and some places in South America. We don’t want that ever to reach America.
In that regard, please indulge me with a very short story. Not long ago, in preparation for an upcoming performance, I was practicing music with a Russian-born friend who immigrated to the U.S. in 1990. We’ll call him Nicolas. A humble man, he had come to America as a scientist and raised his family here. He played great Russian folk music on guitar, and I enjoyed playing a schmaltzy violin with him.
I mentioned that we would soon get some local publicity for our show. At that moment, the mood changed. With his thick Russian accent he said to me, “No. No. Please, don’t use my name in the newspaper about us playing music.”
“Why not?” I asked, somewhat stunned.
My friend bore a somber look on his face. “Well, ” he hesitated. “No one at my work knows I play this music.”
“So?” I said. “What’s the problem?”
“Well, I don’t want to get fired. You never know.”
Then it hit me. Nicolas’ fears were still mired in totalitarian Russia. He had long left the oppression of strict communism — eighteen years — but communism never left him. It was a stark reminder of how much of the world is prohibited from free exercise of thought and expression. The KGB left a mark on Nicolas that still burned inside his belly.
I am a great lover of this country. I never want to see that happen in America. That’s why I write so passionately about retaining the freedoms our forefathers outlined for us, and that every inch we move closer to a more powerful government controlling our lives is another inch toward the dissolution of our individual liberties. When those inches start adding into feet and yards, then miles, it’s a slow process which we don’t often realize until the end result. Then it can be too late. There are forces at work today who have fierce designs on doing just that. It doesn’t take a scholar to know that, only a person who delves a little and cares a lot.
Meanwhile, I will always respect those who disagree on this site so long as it is done respectfully. I think I’ve only deleted four responses in two years, and that was because of foul or insulting language that had no place on my blogs. And to all my supporters, my deepest appreciation for all the contributions you have made. Even if you do not comment on line, I know you are reading and — when you so choose — passing my articles on to others.
And for those who cannot present logical arguments, and assign me labels like “radical” or “right wing extremist” and so forth, remember the story of Nicolas. I’m only doing my part in preventing you and me from heading in that direction.
Wishing all of you a great holiday, and a wonderful 2010.
Thanks
Marshall Frank
This 10-minute video has been circulated around the Internet for some time. Many will say that it’s a cut and paste job. That’s true. If it was not cut and pasted, it would go on for hours. But the words speak for themselves. You be the judge.
When it’s finished, please tell me how warm and fuzzy you feel about this man being the commander in chief of our nation’s armed forces and of our domestic tranquility.
Click here: YouTube – Obama Admits He Is A Muslim#t=28
Here’s a list of terrorist acts in the last 30 years, on American soil.
|
Date
|
Country
|
City/State
|
Killed
|
Inj
|
Description
|
|
4/14/1972
|
USA
|
New York, NY
|
1
|
3
|
Ten members of a local mosque phone in a false alarm and then ambush
responding officers, killing one.
|
|
1/19/1973
|
USA
|
Brooklyn, NY
|
1
|
1
|
Muslim extremists rob a sporting goods store for weapons, gunning
down a police officer who responds to the alarm.
|
|
7/18/1973
|
USA
|
Washington, DC
|
8
|
2
|
Nation of Islam members shoot seven members of a family to death in
cold blood, including four children. A defendant in the case is later
murdered in prison on orders from Elijah Muhammad.
|
|
10/19/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
1
|
Nation of Islam terrorists kidnap a couple and nearly decapitate the man,
while raping and leaving the woman for dead.
|
|
10/29/1973
|
USA
|
Berkeley, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A woman is shot repeatedly in the face by Nation of Islam terrorists.
|
|
11/25/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A grocer is killed in his store by Nation of Islam terrorists.
|
|
12/11/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A man is killed by Nation of Islam terrorists while using a phone booth.
|
|
12/13/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A woman is shot to death on the sidewalk by Nation of Islam terrorists.
|
|
12/20/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
0
|
Nation of Islam terrorists gun down an 81-year-old janitor.
|
|
12/22/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
2
|
0
|
Nation of Islam terrorist kills two people in separate attacks on the
same day.
|
|
12/24/1973
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A man is kidnapped, tortured and decapitated by Nation of Islam terrorists.
|
|
1/24/1974
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
4
|
1
|
Five vicious shooting attacks by Nation of Islam terrorists leave three
people dead and one paralyzed for life. Three of the victims were women.
|
|
4/1/1974
|
USA
|
Oakland, CA
|
1
|
1
|
A Nation of Islam terrorist shoots at two Salvation Army members, killing
a man and injuring a woman.
|
|
4/16/1974
|
USA
|
Ingleside, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A man is killed while helping a friend move by Nation of Islam terrorists.
|
|
3/9/1977
|
USA
|
Washington, DC
|
1
|
1
|
Hanifi Muslims storm three buildings including a B’nai B’rith to hold
134 people hostage. At least two innocents were shot and one died.
|
|
7/22/1980
|
USA
|
Bethesda, MD
|
1
|
0
|
A political dissident is shot and killed in front of his home by an Iranian
agent who was an American convert to Islam.
|
|
8/31/1980
|
USA
|
Savou, IL
|
2
|
0
|
An Iranian student guns down his next-door neighbors, husband and wife.
|
|
1/31/1990
|
USA
|
Tuscon, AZ
|
1
|
0
|
A Sunni cleric is assassinated in front of a Tuscon mosque after
declaring that two verses of the Qur’an were invalid.
|
|
11/5/1990
|
USA
|
New York City, NY
|
1
|
0
|
An Israeli rabbi is shot to death by a Muslim attacker at a hotel.
|
|
1/25/1993
|
USA
|
Langley, VA
|
2
|
3
|
A Pakistani with Mujahideen ties guns down two CIA agents outside of
the headquarters.
|
|
2/26/1993
|
USA
|
New York, NY
|
6
|
1040
|
Islamic terrorists detonate a massive truck bomb under the World Trade
Center, killing six people and injuring over 1,000 in an effort to collapse
the towers.
|
|
3/1/1994
|
USA
|
Brooklyn, NY
|
1
|
0
|
A Muslim fires on a vanload of Jewish boys, killing one.
|
|
3/23/1997
|
USA
|
New York, NY
|
1
|
6
|
A Palestinian leaves an anti-Jewish suicide note behind and travels to the
top of the Empire State building where he shoot seven people in a
Fedayeen attack.
|
|
4/3/1997
|
USA
|
Lompoc, CA
|
1
|
0
|
A prison guard is stabbed to death by a radical Muslim.
|
|
10/31/1999
|
USA
|
Near Nantucket
|
217
|
0
|
An Egyptian airline pilot runs a planeload of 217 passengers into the
water after uttering a Qur’anic prayer.
|
|
3/17/2000
|
USA
|
Atlanta, GA
|
1
|
1
|
A local imam and Muslim spiritual leader guns down a deputy sheriff
and injures his partner.
|
|
9/11/2001
|
USA
|
Washington, DC
|
184
|
53
|
Nearly 200 people are killed when Islamic hijackers steer a plane full
of people into the Pentagon.
|
|
9/11/2001
|
USA
|
Shanksville, PA
|
40
|
0
|
Forty passengers are killed after Islamic radicals hijack the plane in an
attempt to steer it into the U.S. Capitol building.
|
|
9/11/2001
|
USA
|
New York, NY
|
2772
|
251
|
Islamic hijackers steer two planes packed with fuel and passengers into
the World Trade Center, killing hundreds on impact and eventually
killing thousands when the towers collapsed. At least 200 are seriously
injured.
|
|
3/19/2002
|
USA
|
Tuscon, AZ
|
1
|
0
|
A 60-year-old man is gunned down by Muslim snipers on a golf course.
|
|
5/27/2002
|
USA
|
Denton, TX
|
1
|
0
|
Muslim snipers kill a man as he works in his yard.
|
|
7/4/2002
|
USA
|
Los Angeles, CA
|
2
|
0
|
Muslim man pulls out a gun at the counter of an Israeli airline and kills
two people.
|
|
9/5/2002
|
USA
|
Clinton, MD
|
1
|
0
|
A 55-year-old pizzaria owner is shot six times in the back by Muslims
at close range.
|
|
9/21/2002
|
USA
|
Montgomery, AL
|
1
|
1
|
Muslim snipers shoot two women, killing one.
|
|
9/23/2002
|
USA
|
Baton Rouge, LA
|
1
|
0
|
A Korean mother is shot in the back by Muslim snipers.
|
|
10/2/2002
|
USA
|
Wheaton, MD
|
1
|
0
|
Muslim snipers gun down a program analyst in a store parking lot.
|
|
10/3/2002
|
USA
|
Montgomery County, MD
|
5
|
0
|
Muslim snipers kill three men and two women in separate attacks over
a 15-hour period.
|
|
10/9/2002
|
USA
|
Manassas, VA
|
1
|
1
|
A man is killed by Muslim snipers while pumping gas two days after
a 13-year-old is wounded by the same team.
|
|
10/11/2002
|
USA
|
Fredericksburg, VA
|
1
|
0
|
Another man is killed by Muslim snipers while pumping gas.
|
|
10/14/2002
|
USA
|
Arlington, VA
|
1
|
0
|
A woman is killed by Muslim snipers in a Home Depot parking lot.
|
|
10/22/2002
|
USA
|
Aspen Hill, MD
|
1
|
0
|
A bus driver is killed by Muslim snipers.
|
|
8/6/2003
|
USA
|
Houston, TX
|
1
|
0
|
After undergoing a religious revival, a Saudi college student slashes
the throat of a Jewish student with a 4″ butterfly knife, nearly
decapitating the young man.
|
|
12/2/2003
|
USA
|
Chicago, IL
|
1
|
0
|
A Muslim doctor deliberately allows a Jewish patient to die from an
easily treatable condition.
|
|
4/13/2004
|
USA
|
Raleigh, NC
|
1
|
4
|
A Muslim man runs down five strangers with a car.
|
|
4/15/2004
|
USA
|
Scottsville, NY
|
1
|
2
|
In an honor killing, a Muslim father kills his wife and attacks his two
daughters with a knife and hammer because he feared that they had been
sexually molested.
|
|
6/16/2006
|
USA
|
Baltimore, MD
|
1
|
0
|
A 62-year-old Jewish moviegoer is shot to death by a Muslim gunman
in an unprovoked terror attack.
|
|
6/25/2006
|
USA
|
Denver, CO
|
1
|
5
|
Saying that it was ‘Allah’s choice’, a Muslim shoots four of his co-workers
and a police officer.
|
|
7/28/2006
|
USA
|
Seattle, WA
|
1
|
5
|
An ‘angry’ Muslim-American uses a young girl as hostage to enter a local
Jewish center, where he shoots six women, one of whom dies.
|
|
10/6/2006
|
USA
|
Louisville, KY
|
4
|
1
|
In an ‘honor’ attack, a Muslim man rapes and beats his estranged wife,
leaving her for dead, then savagely murders their four children.
|
|
2/13/2007
|
USA
|
Salt Lake City, UT
|
5
|
4
|
A Muslim immigrant goes on a shooting rampage at a mall, targeting
people buying Valentine’s Day cards at a gift shop and killing five.
|
|
1/1/2008
|
USA
|
Irving, TX
|
2
|
0
|
A Muslim immigrant shoots his two daughters to death on concerns
about their ‘Western’ lifestyle.
|
|
7/6/2008
|
USA
|
Jonesboro, GA
|
1
|
0
|
A devout Muslim strangles his 25-year-old daughter in an honor killing.
|
|
2/12/2009
|
USA
|
Buffalo, NY
|
1
|
0
|
The founder of a Muslim TV station beheads his wife in the hallway for
seeking a divorce.
|
|
6/1/2009
|
USA
|
Little Rock, AR
|
1
|
1
|
A Muslim with ‘religious motives’ shoots a local soldier to death inside
a recruiting center.
|
|
11/2/2009
|
USA
|
Glendale, AZ
|
1
|
1
|
A woman dies from injuries suffered when her father runs her down
with a car for being too ‘Westernized.’ (10-20-09)
|
|
11/5/2009
|
USA
|
Ft. Hood, TX
|
13
|
31
|
A Muslim psychiatrist guns down thirteen unarmed soldiers while
yelling praises to Allah.
|
(
Thanks to
3,308 killed by Muslims in America in 65 terror attacks)The religion of peace.com
A recent visit to my wife’s hometown of Cornwall, Ontario, left me with a new perspective about our friendly neighbor to the north.
Let’s start with a make-up Rotary Club meeting at the Ramada Inn, next to the bridge which crosses into the U.S.A. Yes, people were very friendly, Yes the food was great. But most stunning, was the homage paid to the United States in the opening ritual. I noticed two flags at the front of the room; One with the red maple leaf, the other with the stars and stripes. Then, the woman president said, “Let’s all sing the national anthems.” (Emphasis added to the plural) To my amazement, I was in another country where their citizens were singing The Star Spangled Banner, before they moved on to Oh Canada. Stunned, would best describe my reaction.
I later asked the president, why? For several reasons, she replied. The Canadians love and respect the United States. Rotary Clubs are international, but they originated in the U.S. Cornwall borders our country, and their district includes Rotary Clubs south of their border as well.
While in Canada for those few days, I asked a number of people about their health care system. Boiled down, this is what I got:
* The population feels protected by a national system where everyone is covered
* Doctors make far less money because most are on the government teat.
* Waiting lists and priorities do exist. The most serious get attention first. Less serious problems, such as the need for shoulder or knee replacements, may require many months before someone will get an MRI. Same with minor stomach aches and head colds. Cancer and heart disease goes to the front of the line.
* Much depends on the province one lives in. Health care systems are more reliable in wealthier provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec, than in more rural, such as Manitoba.
* Canadians who can afford, may still buy private health insurance as a guarantee for speedier health care no matter the illness.
* The costs are skyrocketing. Many fault the huge influx of immigration…legal and illegal, which is overloading the system.
* With the lack of domestic health care providers to meet the demand, Canada is turning to foreign doctors and nurses for their health care.
Moving on —
Friendlier people do not exist anywhere else on earth. Eh? Not only in Ontario and Montreal, Suzanne’s roots. On 9/11/01, yours truly was aboard an British Airways flight from Heahtrow when the news came about the terrorist attack. My plane was diverted to a previously unheard of town called Moncton, New Brunswick. I had to remain there for three days before the U.S. Airports reopened. The people of New Brunswick were amazing, hosting and boarding many of the 2500 passengers from the twenty-two planes that landed at that small airstrip. They did all they could to alleviate the burdens and anxiety of passengers whose lives were wrenched from a normal straight line, to a sudden spiral.
Sure, Canada has it’s problems, like anywhere else. Eh? But they have stood shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. in many conflicts, including the current war in Afghanistan. But not without a mind of their own, for their government did not feel the pre-emptive war in Iraq was justified, though they did send personnel to help with reconstruction and the training of Iraqi police.
Mind of their own, indeed. During the recent summit at the United Nations, Canada was among the first (with Israel) to lead the boycott of Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during his address to the General Assembly. The U.S. followed suit, walking out along with several other nations, leaving the assembly half empty while the mad man of Iran blathered on with hate rhetoric. “There is no way I am going to permit any official of the government of Canada to be present and give any legitimacy to remarks by a leader like that,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Amen.
Canada facts that you might find interesting:
* Canada is the second largest country in the world, with 3,883,855 square miles.
* Canada has the ninth largest economy in the world
* Canada is the home of many great inventions, including: Basketball, Lacrosse, the electric light bulb, the electric range, insulin, the electron microscope, standard time, the telephone, and the zipper.
* The baseball glove was invented in Canada in 1883.
* Canada is the second largest country in the world, with 3,883,855 square miles.
* Canada ranks number one in imported oil to the U.S. Twenty percent of our crude oil comes from Canada.
* Canada boasts such trivia as having the longest tunnel in the world (9 miles), the longest coastline, longest highway, and the world’s tallest tower (Toronto).
* Most people don’t realize that hundreds of well-known celebrities hail from Canada, including Jim Carrey, Kiefer Sutherland, Shania Twain, Michael Fox, Celine Dion and Alex Trebek.
Most memorable, however, will be that moment I heard the Rotary Club gathering of forty-plus Canadians singing two national anthems, theirs and ours, as though we are all one. And, indeed we are. Eh?
Finally, a few thoughts on the lighter side.
Most people will call me an old fogey, but the truth remains, I cannot find any modern sitcom shows that match the great writing, acting and humor of by-gone days when many of the shows were performed before a live audience and canned laughter was not always needed to instigate laughter.
I realize Seinfeld, Everyone Loves Raymond and Frasier were all big hits, but I often found myself scratching my head at the sound of uproarious laughter when there was nothing that funny about the dialogue. Rare did those shows trigger a belly laugh to compare to The Honeymooners and All In The Family.
Okay, enough with the rant. Here’s my list of the top ten sitcoms of all time:
All In The Family
The Honeymooners
I Love Lucy
The Jeffersons
The Cosby Show
MASH
Night Court
The Golden Girls
Cheers
The Nanny
Five Honorable mentions:
Taxi
Dick Van Dyke Show
Different Strokes
Three’s Company
The Odd Couple
Okay, your choices?
Delete
In the end, it comes down to that.
Some folks think the worst things about growing older are losing good health or losing good looks. For me, it’s losing all those wonderful friends on the e-mail directory. The older we get, the more often we find ourselves removing folks from the list. These last two years have been particularly sad as I’ve eulogized three and lost a half dozen others, all far too premature.
Delete
This past week, we attended the grave side service of a close friend of more than twelve years. We had lunch with Marvin Schild and his devoted wife, Jean, just two months ago in New Smyrna Beach. A champion tennis player on the senior circuit, Marvin gleefully announced that doctors had pronounced his cancer in full remission. The remission didn’t last long. He was 79.
A past president of the Florida Bar Association, Marvin was also a former municipal judge and city attorney who practiced many years in the Miami area before moving to Maggie Valley, N.C. where we met. He was a delight to argue with, me on the right, he on the left. We dispelled the old adage that the twain shall never meet, because it did on many occasion. Often, he awakened me to the logic of a different position, while he maintained an open mind to my points of view.
Marvin Schild was a deeply caring person who always pulled for the underdog. I will miss him deeply. I only wish he had known that. Shoulda told him when I had the chance.
Delete
Jim Duckworth (Jimmie Dee) and I attended the police academy together in 1960. This man was not only a great cop, but a vigorous stalwart for police officers in general. We worked Homicide together through the early 1970s and remained good friends for life. An ardent athlete, it seemed nothing would ever bring him down. But it did. I visited him just hours before he passed and whispered into his ear, “Love you, Jimmie.” He was 74.
Jim Duckworth left behind three grown kids and grandkids who also adored him, and of course, his devoted wife, Fran.
Delete
I met Don Argo at a book signing in Melbourne in 2003. We became instant friends. Not to be deceived by a deep Arkansas drawl, Don was one of the most respected math teachers ever at a local college. Because of his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, some folks called him a genius. His tenacious research was evident upon reading his historical novel, “Canaveral Light,” which told of the early settling on the eastern shores of Florida after the Civil War. We critiqued each others work head-on, voraciously.
Like Jim Duckworth, I visited Don just hours before he passed. He sputtered his final words to me from the edge of a bed, “Don’t … forget … to finish Orville T. Madison.” (Protagonist’s name in my new novel) To the end, he thought about others. He, too, left behind four children that loved him and devoted wife, Kathy.
Privileged to be called his friend, Don Argo was a man who I admired greatly. Damn, I shoulda told him that when I had the chance.
Delete
George Gilbert Reincke and I were juvenile delinquents together in the 1950s, and never ended our buddy relationship over 55 years of trials and tribulations, dual police careers, broken marriages and plenty of wild days and evenings, some too racy to tell about here. George and I were always there for each other during tough times, much like brothers would be.
We were on the golf course in the North Carolina mountains in the summer of 1985 when he started feeling sick. Diagnosis: Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He went in and out of remission several times during the next 22 years, before the cancer finally won the battle. My wife and I were at his bedside when he passed, along with his ex-wife, Bobbie. George was 68, leaving behind two grown daughters who he cherished.
I really loved that guy. Damn…why didn’t I tell him when I had the chance?
Delete
The beat goes on.
Harry Wendler, top cop and long time administrator with an acerbic sense of humor and wicked golf swing, passed away last year. Delete.
Gary Arbeiter, old high school chum, died suddenly on Father’s Day at age 70. Thank goodness we had a reunion among the old gang two years ago. Delete.
Ray Eggler, stand-up cop and former Homicide detective who worked with and for me during the 1960s and 70s. A hard worker and strong supporter of the PBA, Ray was always there for those who needed him. Delete.
Mike Hammerschmidt, J. B. Johnson, Art Hill, John Coogan, Bill Sampson…all good cops who I worked with over a period of thirty years, have passed in the last two. Delete.
Ray Beck, former Marine, trained me to be a homicide detective in 1966. He was one of those “do it right, or don’t do it at all” people. In later years, Ray worked under my command. Twas most uncomfortable, me supervising Ray Beck. He fought lung cancer for many years. I received a surprise call one day when I was living in North Carolina. Obviously in great pain, Ray struggled to speak. “Just…wanted…to… tell you…you were like a son to me. I love you. Goodbye.” Three days later, he was gone. Raymond J. Beck, class act. Delete.
Say it, folks. Utter those words. Regardless of sex, political leanings, religion or color, let those people who are especially close to your heart, know how you really feel. While you can. You may wish you had.
Delete
That dreaded key.
Posted on July 20th, 2009 by marshallfrank in
General,
Music
As the media frenzy wanes following his untimely demise, pundits continue to exalt Michael Jackson, ad nauseam, as “the greatest entertainer” of all time. In fact, Jackson may have been the most popular entertainer of all time, but to call him the “greatest” is a stretch.
Jackson was a mesmerizing song and dance act, who relied on back-up dancers and singers to enhance his performance, not to mention sound equipment that wasn’t yet invented in days of yore. Beyond that, Jackson did little else. He was one-dimensional. He didn’t act, he didn’t impersonate, he didn’t have a wide vocal range, nor could he classically dance beyond his own unique style. Had an unknown Michael Jackson auditioned as a bare solo in the initial phase for today’s American Idol show — minus instruments, dancers, chorus or sound machines — I doubt he would have made it to the next round.
Young folks unfamiliar with the entertainment industry beyond the years of Madonna should be forgiven, for they simply don’t have a frame of reference for “all-time.” Show business has been around for eons during which we have seen many who could be tagged “the greatest” in terms of raw talent and spellbinding entertainment.
Vaudeville gave us Bob Hope, Berle, Ray Bolger and Rudy Vallee. Later came Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra and Carol Burnett all of whom could do just about anything, and do it better than well. Liza Minnelli’s one-woman show was unparalleled by anyone. And, of course, there was Elvis.
But one man stands alone like no other. He was not only great, he was multi-dimensional, bursting with raw talent in a myriad of genre in which Michael Jackson — and most others — could not come close. Another great performer once knelt on hands and knees before an packed audience to kiss his feet.
This entertainment giant overcame discrimination during the heights of segregation. He could not sleep in a hotel with white people, nor eat at their tables, nor walk in the front door of the very night clubs he was performing in. Yet the show went on. He fought against the Las Vegas and other establishments for black’s rights. He was a remarkable impressionist. He was an accomplished actor, appearing in thirty-six movies, one of which he sang the memorable Gershwin song, “It Ain’t Necessarily So” from in Porgy And Bess.He also starred with the original “rat pack” in the 1960s. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his Broadway performance in Golden Boy. He sang with a wide vocal range and a variety of style, including blues, jazz, popular and Broadway songs, selling multi-millions of records — via 48 albums – in a genre that was not considered his best forte.
That was reserved for his sheer power as a stage performer, singing and dancing with moves that Michael Jackson later emulated, including the earlier version of the now-popular “moon walk.” The hat, the legs, the poses, the leanings, the spins, the look…they were all his long before Michael Jackson was but a notion in his father’s mind. His tap dancing routines have been used on teaching films for young dancers. More than anything, his connection with an audience was personal, loving, intimate and caring. He reached out and touched, not from afar but up close and personal. He looked people directly in the eyes, though he only had one of his own.
Besides his on-stage accomplishments, he served his country in the U.S. Army during WW II. He wrote a book. He was politically active, respected and adored by both sides of the aisle. He was the first African-American to be invited to sleep in the White House. (by Richard Nixon) He actively fought on behalf of the civil rights movement. His only public controversy brewed from marrying a white woman in 1960, considered risque in those days. The list goes on.
Controversy? We’ll not even mention Jackson’s issues of questionable behavior, his crisis with racial identity, his known payoffs of hush money to accusers of sexual misconduct, not to mention criminal charges for which he was acquitted. That is another story by itself.
Yes, this little man was a true giant of a human being, on and off the stage. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to span the eons of stage, screen, radio and music, there can be no comparison in terms of sheer diversity of talent. That was graphically personified during a 1990 televised tribute, when one of show businesses most eminent stage performers, Gregory Hines, dropped to his knees and gave professional homage to “the greatest,” of all time – Sammy Davis Jr.
Sorry, all you young folks, that you didn’t have an opportunity to see how greatness is truly defined.
Set aside a few minutes, and enjoy a few tidbits:
For a sample of his impersonations
Click here: YouTube – Sammy Davis Jr. – Impressions
In the first 6 minutes of the next video, Davis shows his tap dance skills, then he sings Old Man River.
Click here: YouTube – Sammy Davis Jr.- Tap Dancing,Singing,
Davis doing Bojangles:
Click here: YouTube – Sammy Davis Jnr “Mr Bojangles”
Can you even imagine Michael Jackson ever being roasted:
Click here: YouTube – Sammy Davis Jr. gets roasted
Google YouTube for Sammy Davis Jr., there’s much more.
It’ll be a long time before we see the likes of him again.
If you travel to Greece or China, you would expect that any employee of a hotel, or a security officer, would speak Greek or Chinese. After all, it is their country. Same goes for any other nation in the world, except…of course, the United States, where every other language is okay and no one should have to speak anything but their mother tongue. Nowadays, it’s up to Americans to adapt to foreign custom and language, not vise versa.
Something wrong with that.
Take Miami, Florida. Beautiful city. I grew up there, schooled there, worked there, lived there for fifty of my seventy years. What was, is no longer. It must be the most changed city in America, especially since 1960.
We recently traveled there to attend a graduation and stayed at a hotel near downtown Miami. Our room needed another pillow, so I asked the maid in the hallway if she could get us one. “No peaky Engly,” she said, waving me off. Well…okay. I’ll go through the front desk.
The next morning, as the breakfast bar was being opened, I asked the employee, “Do you have decaf?”
“No peaky Engly,” she said. Wellllll, okay.
Later that morning, we arrived at the auditorium parking garage. We needed directions to find the James L. Knight Center. Sure enough, a middle-aged security officer was roaming about, so I asked for directions. “No peaky Engly,” was his answer.
Bottled inside of me, I felt like screaming: “This is America! How can this be? How audacious to work in a public setting in this country and not even try to learn English. And, how dare your employers hire you without being able to communicate to American citizens.”
I consider myself a fairly liberal minded person with conservative leanings. But there are limits. I was deeply offended. If you or I applied for a job in a foreign country, we would feel compelled to learn, at the least, the basics of that nation’s language. Not so here.
I’ve made some progress in learning Spanish. I had to, I was a cop in Miami for thirty years. I love the Cuban people, their food, their music, their vibrance and their diligence. All of my Cuban friends who migrated to America, have learned the English language while still maintaining an Hispanic tongue. And it’s good that they teach their children to be bi-lingual. I do believe more Americans should endeavor to become bi-lingual. I wish I had.
But there’s something about our nation’s identity that is dangerously at risk. That’s disturbing. Language is a major element of “identity.” When an American cannot go into an American hotel or an American city parking lot, and cannot converse in basic English, it’s beyond disconcerting. It’s rude. It’s offensive. It’s the beginning of the Babel mentality. It’s part of the slippery slope from which we may never return.
Writers often make reference to the wisdom of the founding fathers. Can you imagine what Washington, Jefferson or Madison would say if they came to a Miami graduation?
I can only imagine how it might be worse in the southwestern states where Mexican immigration — legal and illegal — is changing the culture of America, including language. Now, schools, government agencies, telephone directories, signs and literature, must adapt to the foreign tongue, rather than the foreign tongue adapting to us.
Don’t tell me about being a nation of immigrants. When Italians, Poles, Jews and Germans immigrated to the U.S. in the 19th and early 20th centuries, they told their children, “Speak English. You are Americans now.”
Today’s immigrants are telling America, “We want signs, phone messages, government literature, and all other materials to be in Spanish.”
How dare they.
This is like inviting foreign friends into your house. Then they take over and decide it’s their house.
I love America and what it stands for. Yes, I voice complaints like everyone else. It’s not perfect. And, the multi-ethnic aspect of our country certainly enriches the culture. But there are lines and our immigrants are crossing them. We want to keep America the land of freedom and opportunity, and of harmony among the cultures.
That’s why this American votes for making English the official language of this country. It doesn’t mean other languages are illegal, that’s absurd. But it means our schools, our signs, our government communicates in one tongue, and immigrants are obliged not only to learn our language, but to ensure it’s taught to their kids.
In 2005, a Zogby Poll found that 82 percent of Americans favored making English the official language of the nation. An earlier Gallup poll found that 96 percent of Americans believe immigrants should learn English.
If anyone is interested in relevant statistics, just check out this link:
Click here: Facts & Figures
Meanwhile, for a good 3-minute song about America and the English Language, and some good old fashioned music, try this link:
Click here: YouTube – Press One For English
Adios, Au revoir, Arrivederci and Sayonara.
