My life of privilege with my father.

I consider it a privilege and honor to have a father like mine. "Good old Fred".

My dad left this world 50 years ago and I still miss him on a daily basis. My dad felt it was his responsibility to be the best dad he could, not my best friend. He made his share of mistakes and it cost our young family almost everything. But that is just how my dad was "All in or not at all" A couple things about him he passed on to his kids.
He showed how a man loved his wife. No excuses!
He would rather choke than tell my mom she din't cook something to his liking.
He showed by example, whenyou make a wrong decision, the consequence belongs to you. deal with it and don't complain.
Always be hospitable to others. No matter their station in life. Period.
Help those in need when you can.
Work first, play second.
Forgive, forgive, forgive. Accept forgiveness.
Keep going forward and don't let the past drag you down.
Don't just say you love someone, show it and don't use it as a weapon.
In his opinion, it was a man's responsibility to do the best he can to provide for his family. He appreciated the love, acceptance, help and support of his wife. (she as a prize)
It is impossible to tell you everything. But hopefully you can see him in his kids.

I guess I led a privileged childhood. I held my father as he died and prayed in his ear. The greatest privilege of my life.

Love you dad! Can't thank you enough.

How to speak to the police

In perusing the newspapers and various news reports regarding police questioning of suspects I've come across what I believe to be a disturbing trend in certain situations. : Challenging and irrational behavior by the suspects to the point of, in my opinion, completely immature idiocy. Particularly by younger people, both male and female. It's ridiculous actually.


The police, with very few exceptions are there to protect us from harm. Why would a rational, innocent being challenge that? Yes, there have been some instances highlighted by the media where some police officers acted irresponsibly but that is the exception, not the rule. And, actually, in many of those cases it was the suspect that brought the first punch, not all but many. I almost think it's time to have classes in school to teach common sense and respect for authority in tense situations. Showing those two skills when being stopped or questioned by police would go a long way in diffusing what could otherwise become an unnecessary altercation. Police have a job to do, keep the population safe. Why would anyone in their right mind want to hinder them from doing that and going on their way and finding the actual culprit? The longer a police officer has to argue with you, the longer the criminal has to escape.

Growing up I learned from my parents and teachers as well as other wise people that remaining calm and following proper rules of respect would get me a lot further than arguing. I was detained once by police thinking I was someone else. I did state that I was not that person and eventually they let me go on about my business. But, I have no doubt that if I yelled and screamed and put up a big fuss I could very well have wound up being arrested and being put in the poky for forcibly resisting arrest. That would have been one huge stupid mistake I'm thinking.

So, I'm just saying: If you are pulled over, detained and questioned by the police and you are indeed innocent, state your case in a reasonable fashion and shut up. Let them do their job and if they do make a mistake have some faith in our court system. But it starts with you!

President Trump's air strike in Syria

Yesterday, President Donald Trump ordered an air strike on an airfield in Syria that was responsible for an chemical weapon attack on innocent Syrian civilians. The words go back and forth on whether American citizens agree or disagree with his decision. In my opinion, what is more important is whether the air attack on innocent civilians, including women and children should be allowed to happen without consequences. Anyone who questions the justification should look at the dead children being carried by their father after the attack. If they still remain unmoved and saddened to the point of emotional illness, I feel they have no heart or common sense. Turning the other cheek does not include the totally inhumane killing of innocent lives in such a terrible manner or actually any way at all.

Personally I hate war. However, avoiding it by justifying such atrocities as murder by chemical weapons or any other means is being an accessory after the fact and just as horrible. Regardless of anything else I may think, I support President Trump's decision. I put our consequences in the hands of God.

That abrasive friend

I know you have one too, don't deny it unless it is you who are that abrasive friend who simply cannot accept when we both believe the same thing.

Having a conversation or rather a discussion with my abrasive friend is occasionally similar to walking barefoot over broken glass. When it comes to just about any topic he is quick to argue. Not listening to my side or entertaining the possibility that I may be even remotely correct. I'm not saying that abrasive friend is not knowledgable, quite the contrary. However, knowledge alone doesn't hold a good discussion.together. A modicum of common sense has to accompany the knowledge. A discussion is a living thing which can be fed positively or squelcehd by negativity.

For whatever reason, my dear, intelligent and very abrasive friend, in discussions in which we agree, will berate my me for believing in our mutually agreed topic because...............wait for it....................I do not believe for the same reason as my friend.............It's akin to both going to the store but I am wrong because I took a different path.            Why does that one abrasive friend punish me so for choosing to remain their friend? A question to remain unanswered forever. Some of us are simply that way and some of us find some redeeming quality of theirs to enjoy their company anyway.

Irish cabbage, onion, potato and bacon dish. Simply amazing!

Cooking is a relaxing and satisfying pastime for me. Calms me down and gives me a sense of satisfaction, especially at dinner time. Yesterday it was a dish I had not made or even been aware of until a few days ago. I am told it is called Cal-cannon but I'm amiss on the proper spelling at this time. At any rate, I suggest it to anyone that enjoys a cacophony of delightful, savory mix of flavors and can temporarily suspend avoidance of fats, calories, carbs and oils.

1 lb bacon fried in a pan to crispy state
Remove bacon to plate for crumbling
Add 3/4 pound butter to pan of bacon grease at medium heat
Add 1/2 head shredded cabbage
Add two large halved and sliced onions
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Cook until onions and cabbage are caramelized and tender
Add 4 to 5 cups mashed potatoes (instant or fresh works equally)
Add crumbled bacon
Stir until well mixed and serve.

Aech ingredient adds to the intensity of the others so well I was amazed.

Enjoy

Health care VS politics

A nice part about blogging is that, if I am willing to suffer the consequences, I can pretty much say what I want. I am not under a microscope like politicians are. Our president, Donald Trump is fast finding out that he does not have the totalitarian clout he had on his TV show. Th opposition party, the democrats, as well as some republicans are fast finding out our president is not afraid to challenge the status quo. This entire process is, in  my opinion a vast improvement over recent history in Washington and will result hopefully in an eventual cleaning up of the unsustainable Affordable Care Act.

There is so much hate being expressed toward Donald Trump by self absorbed democrats I find it ridiculous. Just as I found some of the ridicule of Obama when he resided in the white house for 8 years by republicans with no faith in the constitution. We all have to admit that not any one politician or one political party has all the answers. It is a government of constant discussion, change and compromise. All that hate rhetoric does nothing to further the goals and life experience of the American people.

Seeing the challenge to the Affordable Care Act crash and burn was not really unexpected was it? I don't think so anyway. I believe the challenge was mounted more to test the waters than anything else. President Trump hasn't been in office or even politics for that matter, long enough to gather his troops around him. Ronald Reagan, although also coming from the entertainment industry, was intensely involved in politics for decades. Barack Obama, although not a very accomplished political force had several things going for him, not the least of which was that he was a man of color in a time when a huge portion of our society wanted to make a statement regarding racism. He presided over a pretty clean administration and it was most enjoyable seeing his example as a father and husband. I feel his presidency accomplished a lot as far as people of color feeling less disenfranchised and more empowered. Just like President Ford, not particularly great but a stabilizing element for many. Barack was much too socialist for my liking though. Just like Bernie Sanders.

The next four years are going to be a continuous string of challenges and surprises. Keeping the faith in our constitution will help a lot with the anxiety of it all. Holding all politicians accountable for their actions is our job.

The United States and how it works

Seeing the news reports from a variety of sources to keep the bias even is what I believe to be one of the greatest benefits in living in these United States. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing when it is not suppressed by non-believers.

It is no secret that millions of people are not very pleased by the result of our recent presidential election. Think what they may about that, Donald Trump is now president. Where our constitutional form odf government and the division of power comes in seems to be lost in the minds of those unhappy souls. Personally, I find all this hullabaloo to be a perfect example of how it works. I believe in it. I've seen it work, for better or for worse over the course of my lifetime. We do not have a royal family with Kings, queens and princes ad princesses who run the country unfettered. Our form of government has built in checks and balances when everyone is doing their job. Of the people, for the people. Not everyone is going to be happy all the time are they now?

What is particularly refreshing right now is that the lifelong political elite on all sides of the political scale, cannot get their own way. They are bellyaching like a bunch of spoiled brats because they do not automatically get their own way, have to get off their butts and do political battle. That's what open, free speech discussions and compromise and checks and balances is all about.

The United States rocks! I believe in it when it is run according to the way it was intended. Four separate branches to keep things on te up and up. It's working better than ever right now.

Choose happiness today

Simply a short "Pollyanna" type post today for us adult type folks.

What with all the bickering back and forth regarding politics and life styles and cultural and religious differences. How bout we just set it aside for today and accept that happiness flows from inside us and is as often as not, a matter of choice. Keeping in mind a million dollar government grant funded research commission, after a solid year of interviewing hundreds of people found that those of us who merely "think" we are happy, are just as happy as those of us who "actually are: happy.

So, I offer the suggestion that today, if you aren't actually happy, at least give an attempt to think youare happy and thoroughly enjoy the rest of your day blissfully and giddy. Make it your choice without any interference fro any humbug naysayers.

NCAA Basketball tournament- Gonzaga

Every year for decades I have looked forward to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as a solid way of surviving the last few weeks of hard winter. The competition is intense and filled with college age emotion and energy. Bringing the thrill into our living room in a bang, bang, fast paced fashion for days and weeks. Put that with the opportunity many lower seeded teams take to surprise the higher seeded teams by whipping them in jaw dropping offensive and/or defensive battles from one end of the court to the other, Loser goes home. Whew! Gets me going just writing about it.

This year, my long time favorite, Gonzaga is a top seed and looking smarter, better and fresher and more athletic than ever before. From the coach through the player line up I am impressed by what I see. Not only was their record of 32-1 pretty dad gone good but the main reason I follow them and root for them is their standards of discipline, integrity and fair play. I am all about that sort of stuff, especially at the college level. Actually I do not follow professional basketball any more. In my opinion in recent history, since the mid 1980's, although the players are exceptional athletes, I find them, for the most part far too mechanical in the game. The emotions are more personal and selfish for me to be bothered with. Give me a local high school basketball game with the likes of Godwin High School and I'm a happy camper.

White privilege and culture

I was accused of being a result of "white Privilege" a few weeks back. "All my upbringing was based upon white privilege and all the benefits surrounding that privilege are denied people of color." Wow! I never knew that hard work, social adjustment and cultural assimilation was a privilege. According the the critic, simply having parents that cared and loved and set a good example was also a privilege denied people of color. Although I highly regard this person's education and knowledge in many areas, I find I have to take issue with her analogy. Over the course of history various cultures an societies have enslaved people of other ethnicity, religious, color or other reason. Modern society is working on that. Personally, in my lifetime alone we have made excellent strides forward in that regard. Acknowledging those issues and taking steps, difficult steps at that takes time even though we'd like to solve them yesterday. All that being said, her statement about my being a result of white privilege, in my opinion was both ignorant and lacked common sense. Ignorant because it is based upon someone else's, rather radical opinion she has read and not through her own experience in my shoes. Lacking in common sense in that it denies the ideal of the nuclear family and matters of love and sacrifice of caring and responsible parents. The nuclear family is not a privilege!

In my opinion, based on my life experience and observation, much of life is what you make of it. We are not all guaranteed happiness, financial security or an environment of total acceptance regardless of personal behavior or life style. Good fences make good neighbors. In other words, some rules are appropriate in all facets of life. Survival is nature and society is predicated by observation and adaptation to certain norms, avoidance of dangerous behavior, social patterns, language, culture etc. In other words assimilation to one's chosen environment. Not total giving up of one's self but following certain accepted standards. In this case I mean those of the United States.

That is my opinion and I'm sticking to it. When everyone thinks they can act any which way they want, dress any way they want, speak any way they want, and simply throw accusations at those people who are working hard to improve their lives and others around them because they have better lives as a result of that hard work and call it privilege, I believe they in fact are denying themselves the opportunity to participate in that "privileged" life experience. Not the ones they are accusing.

Use of initials instead of words= A pet peeve

POTUS- SCOTUS BOGUS? Whatever! How in the world am I to understand every cotton picking set of initials someone in the know throws out there. I realize speaking an entire long name can take oodles of time. RE: NAACP- NSPCA etc. But come on now, I work for a living, I don't have time to decipher every set if initials for every little name someone is simply too hurried or lazy to actually say the whole thing. I think those who use bunches of initials are actually elitist and want to appear superior. In my humble opinion it's getting ridiculous of late. I realize it's maybe just me but that's OK, I understand me. I don't understand a bunch of capital letters so much. Would you have guessed these?

MMATG- My mechanic at the garage
ATCHK- All those Catholics having kids
HWPUS- Hard working people of the United States
GCTV- Goofy comedians on TV
BWRO- Bloggers who rattle on

I rest my case!

Health insurance and the Affordable Care Act

What a mess this health care situation eh? I am impressed by how more transparent the negotiations are as opposed to the quick shoo in of the ACA was. Myself I find it a vast improvement on just how our government elect works. In my opinion, eventually, after the smoke clears there will be some sort of answer. Of course, not everyone will be happy with it but that is how negotiation works with wins and losses on all sides. And I do mean all sides. When it comes to health care there are far more than two opposing opinions. Even within political parties. I don't have the answer but that is why I vote, hopefully the officials I help elect will surround themselves with those experts who are knowledgable enough to come up with a reasonably acceptable solution.

Ah, that ever so elusive solution we all hope and pray for. I think we all agree that we would appreciate having adequate health care available when we need it without having to sell the farm and lose everything. whether it is a "right" or a "benefit" depends on who you are asking. so we won't get into that. But, naturally on a subject so important to all of us, and including the fact that I am expressing myself here, it is most obvious I am about to put in my two cents worth. Yes I am!

In my humble opinion, Until all people receiving pay and benefits from any type of government agency, including but not limited to: mayors, commissioners, judges, city workers, county workers, teachers, aids, bus drivers, governors, representatives, senators, and presidents, a fair and equitable settlement on health care will not be achieved. If government workers, educational employees and elected officials do not have skin in the game, truly universal health care insurance availabl to everyone will remain impossible to attain.

Facebook and language

Hello, good morning, afternoon or evening, whatever may be the case.Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by. Blogging is much different than facebooking in my opinion. Perhaps a bit more sincere or thought out at more length, similar to writing a letter. I very much enjoy blogging. Now the subject matter at hand.

This facebook is an amazing place for keeping in contact and being aware of those we know both near and far. And, to be completely honest, I find many of the humorous postings get my day off to a laughing start. The political stuff is getting to meso I simply scroll past and put it behind me. Then it comes to posting about various facets of life as a social being and family member. Mot are wonderful, informative and heartwarming posted by people I love and respect. Then comes the aweful, for me anyway, language. More specifically the "F" word. When I see this word, in an otherwise acceptable posting I find it unnecessary and tasteless. Especially when posted by a parent or grandparent, knowing full well it will be read by their children or grandchildren as well as dozens or perhaps hundreds of impressionable young minds. In my mind it is rather disgusting. Their post, their rules, I offer no comment or critique as I am only a guest so I move on as quickly as possible.

I am not without sin here. I have used that word, not often but on occasion. I do not use it in front of kids, women, or people I do not know. I do my best to be a respectful husband, father, grandfather and hopefully role model for others around me. Who more should you be able to trust to lead you in proper, respectful language skills than dad, mom, grandma or grandpa. I don't consider it a compliment to be proud of if any kid told someone that any one of us taught them how to use the "F" word in the best and most wonderful way. Mistakes are mistakes but in my opinion it's just not right and if, intentionally we do teach children language like that there is a terrible price to pay.

Nancy Pelosi and how she speaks

This is not a political statement in any manner or form, nor is it judgmental. Simply seeing and hearing as life is sometimes stranger than fiction in this atmosphere of late of fake news.

Just this morning I listened to Nancy Pelosi speaking on how she feels about replacing the Affordable Care Act. (I am paraphrasing here because I cannot remember the exact words so bear with me, te context is accurate to the best of my ability.) In effect she said, This has to be well thought out and gone over piece by piece to make sure we all know just how it works so there are no problems. In essence that is what she said to my ears. Now we go back about seven years to when the Affordable Care Act was being shoved through over the objections of many, (Here again I paraphrase. but reasonably accurate.)  We don't know how it's going to work until we pass it. We have to pass it to find out.

You can't make that stuff up can you?

International Women's Day

My hat is off to women of integrity everywhere. My life has been blessed with women who match up to that. My wife, my mother, my sister, my daughter and my mother in law to name a few of those closest to and most influential over the years. Truthfully they do not need nor have they asked for a special day to get my love and respect. Their good character, strength in adversity, loyalty and love draws that without asking They didn't hide those qualities under a bushel basket nor did they flaunt them. Being around them is an honor. May God bless them and grant them peace in their hearts and happiness and comfort in their trials. .....Every day of the year, not just one. (After all, they knew me and still talked to me.)

President Donald Trump

Strictly from an observational standpoint: people from both sides of the political fence are being shaken up on a daily basis. But most particularly on the left Crying, screaming, moaning, disruptive demonstrations and calls for impeachment of a President who has only been in office a little over two months and the opposition is delaying candidates on so many positions it's difficult to make a rational decision on what the administrations policy will actually be.

All that being said, in my opinion, those that are complaining the loudest are more to blame than they care to admit. Similar to a little kid denying their own faut by pointing and yelling at whoever is nearest. Why was Donald Trump voted in? He's definitely not a politician. The party on the right could not find another candidate strong enough to win. The party on the left could not find a candidate strong enough to win the election. Does that mean that Donald Trump won by default? No, that means he won by their fault. I wish they'd quit bellyackin about it and get on with business.

pointing fingers is lame and childish. It'll be the grown'ups who will win over and unite the voter the next time. Not taking a side other than for our country. We've always had disagreements and we made it this far.

President Trump

Watching all the hub bub regarding President Trump, his cabinet choices and proposed policy and law changes is truly seeing our form of government in action. Whether a person views President Trump as a friend or a foe one thing is sure, he is certainly a shaker and a mover of things considered normal and all the professional politicians and members of the judiciary are finding it necessary to step up and take action. That's how I see it. Complacency doesn't work.

Political point, or maybe totally non-political

Regardless how you stand politically, Donald Trump is officially the President of the United States. Politicians on both sides are all about how in the world this guy who has never held a political position became president. Career politicians should take note: When we were growing up in my generation at least, our parents and teachers constantly reminded us that in this country of freedom, anyone could become president. The millions of American citizens that voted in the election proved that. And, maybe the reason the politicians are all shook up about it is that it can happen again and again now that voters realise their combined power. This just may be the death knell of the lifetime, secure political elite.

Women from around the country and from what I hear, around the world marched in protest against what they see is the constant suppression of women by a male dominated society or culture. They are standing up for something they believe. Good for them. In another view I would like to give this personal perspective. I feel that a march to thank those men who have fought for equal rights would be just as much in order. Much more is achieved by acknowledgement than by constant criticism in my opinion. When one gets all caught up in self pity in the name of self righteousness they lose sight of reality and the gains that have been made. It isn't all bad, not even very bad at all if you look at other countries. Not that I feel you should but maybe try on a Burka for a while to feel how other women view their opportunities. Don't forget to do as your folks said and say thank you.

Blogging may not be for everyone but it's a place where I can speak my mind. It's my blog, right? Enjoy your day.