Friday, October 30, 2009
Happy Birth Day
Dear Baby Noa,
Welcome to your universe, and it is YOUR universe, because you can be whoever you want to be, and you can do whatever you want to do. More specifically, welcome to planet Earth. We call her Mother.
You no doubt already know quite a bit about your birth parents.
Since you've been floating around inside your Mom for nine months, you've picked up a lot. As adults, we don't even know all that babies learn while in the womb. We're all still learning here. And speaking of learning, you'll be doing a lot of that every day of your life. I have read that babies born today, (you were born yesterday, October 29th, 2009), are expected to live 100 years or more! And speaking of 100 years, you will soon meet your Great Grandma Jessica who is almost 100! You've got the longevity genes Baby!
I am your Great Uncle Frank. You'll learn more about me as time goes by. One day I shall show you a photo of your Mom on my lap when she was about six months old. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy that! There are lots of things I can tell you. We will have lots of time for that. You should know this: You have lots of cousins! You've been born into a big familia! Your every move will be broadcast worldwide. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, not only do you have a village, but most of the villagers are your relatives. After all, we are all brothers and sisters. I have yet to determine if I'll write to you daily, monthly, or annually, on your Birth Day.
I'll get back to you on that. In the meantime, you enjoy all the new things coming your way. Mama and Papa will be there to cradle and cuddle you, and you can always text me! By the way, you will soon meet your canine brothers and sisters, so go easy on them. You will receive a package or two from us when you least expect it. We like surprising you. Your very arrival was quite a surprise in of itself. We waited and waited and waited! And now here you are. So welcome again, and we look forward to meeting you soon.
P.S. We love you!
XoXoXo,
Great Uncle Frank y Great Aunt Christyann
:-O
Welcome to your universe, and it is YOUR universe, because you can be whoever you want to be, and you can do whatever you want to do. More specifically, welcome to planet Earth. We call her Mother.
You no doubt already know quite a bit about your birth parents.
Since you've been floating around inside your Mom for nine months, you've picked up a lot. As adults, we don't even know all that babies learn while in the womb. We're all still learning here. And speaking of learning, you'll be doing a lot of that every day of your life. I have read that babies born today, (you were born yesterday, October 29th, 2009), are expected to live 100 years or more! And speaking of 100 years, you will soon meet your Great Grandma Jessica who is almost 100! You've got the longevity genes Baby!
I am your Great Uncle Frank. You'll learn more about me as time goes by. One day I shall show you a photo of your Mom on my lap when she was about six months old. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy that! There are lots of things I can tell you. We will have lots of time for that. You should know this: You have lots of cousins! You've been born into a big familia! Your every move will be broadcast worldwide. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, not only do you have a village, but most of the villagers are your relatives. After all, we are all brothers and sisters. I have yet to determine if I'll write to you daily, monthly, or annually, on your Birth Day.
I'll get back to you on that. In the meantime, you enjoy all the new things coming your way. Mama and Papa will be there to cradle and cuddle you, and you can always text me! By the way, you will soon meet your canine brothers and sisters, so go easy on them. You will receive a package or two from us when you least expect it. We like surprising you. Your very arrival was quite a surprise in of itself. We waited and waited and waited! And now here you are. So welcome again, and we look forward to meeting you soon.
P.S. We love you!
XoXoXo,
Great Uncle Frank y Great Aunt Christyann
:-O
Thursday, October 29, 2009
3 generations in Vegas (1 photo), by frank landfield
I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos
Sunday, October 18, 2009
worth reading i think
prevention magazine, november 2009, page 79 to 85, the article "7 foods that should never cross your lips"
enjoy.
peace out.
on YouTube under "franklandfields"
enjoy.
peace out.
on YouTube under "franklandfields"
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Hugh's Views
Hugh’s Views
THE PRESENT
In lieu of an article this month, the following quote is submitted for your consideration:
“The best way of preparing for the future is to take good care of the present, because we know that if the present is made up of the past, then the future will be made up of the present. All we need to be responsible for is the present moment. Only the present is within our reach. To care for the present is to care for the future.”
--Thich Nhat Hanh (Buddhist monk)
This quote embodies what Buddhists mean by mindfulness. If one can fully appreciate, understand, and apply the meaning of these few sentences, it will change your life. But be aware that accomplishing mindfulness is a lot more difficult than simply understanding the meaning of this quote.
--Hugh R. Winig, M.D.
THE PRESENT
In lieu of an article this month, the following quote is submitted for your consideration:
“The best way of preparing for the future is to take good care of the present, because we know that if the present is made up of the past, then the future will be made up of the present. All we need to be responsible for is the present moment. Only the present is within our reach. To care for the present is to care for the future.”
--Thich Nhat Hanh (Buddhist monk)
This quote embodies what Buddhists mean by mindfulness. If one can fully appreciate, understand, and apply the meaning of these few sentences, it will change your life. But be aware that accomplishing mindfulness is a lot more difficult than simply understanding the meaning of this quote.
--Hugh R. Winig, M.D.
Bagels
Bagels
I LOVE bagels, always have, always will.
When I was younger I rarely, if ever, thought about doing dishes or dirty laundry. In fact, I cannot remember EVER doing dishes or dirty laundry. I had too many other things to do, primarily revolving around fun. I had a wonderful childhood from what I choose to recall.
Today I LOVE doing dishes and dirty laundry. And bagels.
My life still primarily revolves around having fun even though my fun has changed.
When I was young, I LOVED to water ski and ride my horse. I can no longer do that. I think the last time I water-skied I was 18. I could ski slalom, on one ski, or on two skis. I have it on film and I watch it occasionally for old times sake. I am quite certain I can’t even get on a horse. I prefer my neck unbroken, thank you very much.
I used to LOVE to inline skate. I have finished a half marathon AND a full marathon on skates and have the medals to prove it. (A year apart. I needed to rest up after the half marathon, and train for the full marathon!) After a few falls I decided that perhaps my skating days were over, even though men and women older than I continue to skate. We’re all different.
Now I LOVE to walk and I LOVE even more my golf cart.
I’m finding that as we progress through time (age) we love different things. Our bodies are in a constant state of change and to a certain extent dictate exactly what we can do from one year to the next.
I find doing dishes and dirty laundry very rewarding and refreshing. I love that squeaky-clean sound a dish makes, and the smell of a freshly washed article of clothing. There may be something wrong with me; or not.
As we evolve (age) we find that different things catch our attention. What we used to like and love and do no longer interests us. We discover new likes and loves. We find other things to do, things that we can actually do.
The great UCLA coach and author John Wooden has said:
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
This is one rule I try to live by. There are others, but none better than this one. What does it mean exactly?
It means obviously something a bit different for everybody. Basically though I think it means that we must focus on what we’re good at. We cannot waste our time on things we cannot do because they will only interfere with those things that we can do. I am not saying that we cannot learn new things. This is always true. We can always learn new things.
I have a friend who is now focused on becoming a Grandpa. This was not always his focus. He evolved into it with help. He is also a published writer with a book that sells!
As we grow from one year to the next, our focus changes, if we can focus at all.
I used to water ski. Now I LOVE doing dishes and going on long walks and riding around in my golf cart, and I LOVE bagels. What does it all mean? I haven’t a clue.
This life is a journey. I suspect the next one is too. I'm not sure how many lives we have, but I am certain that we can only live one at a time. It may even come down to moments, one moment at a time, one after the other.
In the meantime, I continue to do dishes, dirty laundry, walk, golf cart, and LOVE bagels. How about you? What do you love?
October 15, 2009, Thursday, Palm Desert, California
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
on YouTube under “franklandfields”
Enjoy. Peace.
I LOVE bagels, always have, always will.
When I was younger I rarely, if ever, thought about doing dishes or dirty laundry. In fact, I cannot remember EVER doing dishes or dirty laundry. I had too many other things to do, primarily revolving around fun. I had a wonderful childhood from what I choose to recall.
Today I LOVE doing dishes and dirty laundry. And bagels.
My life still primarily revolves around having fun even though my fun has changed.
When I was young, I LOVED to water ski and ride my horse. I can no longer do that. I think the last time I water-skied I was 18. I could ski slalom, on one ski, or on two skis. I have it on film and I watch it occasionally for old times sake. I am quite certain I can’t even get on a horse. I prefer my neck unbroken, thank you very much.
I used to LOVE to inline skate. I have finished a half marathon AND a full marathon on skates and have the medals to prove it. (A year apart. I needed to rest up after the half marathon, and train for the full marathon!) After a few falls I decided that perhaps my skating days were over, even though men and women older than I continue to skate. We’re all different.
Now I LOVE to walk and I LOVE even more my golf cart.
I’m finding that as we progress through time (age) we love different things. Our bodies are in a constant state of change and to a certain extent dictate exactly what we can do from one year to the next.
I find doing dishes and dirty laundry very rewarding and refreshing. I love that squeaky-clean sound a dish makes, and the smell of a freshly washed article of clothing. There may be something wrong with me; or not.
As we evolve (age) we find that different things catch our attention. What we used to like and love and do no longer interests us. We discover new likes and loves. We find other things to do, things that we can actually do.
The great UCLA coach and author John Wooden has said:
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
This is one rule I try to live by. There are others, but none better than this one. What does it mean exactly?
It means obviously something a bit different for everybody. Basically though I think it means that we must focus on what we’re good at. We cannot waste our time on things we cannot do because they will only interfere with those things that we can do. I am not saying that we cannot learn new things. This is always true. We can always learn new things.
I have a friend who is now focused on becoming a Grandpa. This was not always his focus. He evolved into it with help. He is also a published writer with a book that sells!
As we grow from one year to the next, our focus changes, if we can focus at all.
I used to water ski. Now I LOVE doing dishes and going on long walks and riding around in my golf cart, and I LOVE bagels. What does it all mean? I haven’t a clue.
This life is a journey. I suspect the next one is too. I'm not sure how many lives we have, but I am certain that we can only live one at a time. It may even come down to moments, one moment at a time, one after the other.
In the meantime, I continue to do dishes, dirty laundry, walk, golf cart, and LOVE bagels. How about you? What do you love?
October 15, 2009, Thursday, Palm Desert, California
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
on YouTube under “franklandfields”
Enjoy. Peace.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
reform schmorm!
do we really need health care reform? you tell me. everybody has their own perspective on this one.
people with premium health care usually don't think anything needs to change. after their premium, they don't pay a penny more for anything. some of our senators don't think anything needs to change either. they have fantastic health care. how about you? do you pay for anything? well here's an experience i had today, and i am now convinced, even more so than before, we NEED health care reform.
i have been volunteering in schools for thirty years. i've even been a substitute teacher. i had a negative TB test from 1989. i am due again.
i phoned around.
place A wants $105 dollars for an office visit and $18 dollars for the TB test ($123 total).
place B wants $91 dollars, all inclusive.
place C wants $75 dollars, all inclusive.
place D wants $45 dollars, all inclusive.
place E wants $25 dollars, all inclusive.
place F wants $20 dollars, all inclusive.
place G wants $15 dollars, all inclusive.
i guess this is capitalism. it sure isn't much of a love story, unless somebody really loves making money.
after calling place G, i decided i couldn't bare to call one more place.
i'm going to place F. it's across the street from me.
so what do you think? do you need health care reform? are you getting the same care that senators get? do you even want it?
i just wanna understand why a TB test ranges in price from $123 to $15.
capitilism? smells more like greed to me.
what do you think?
i endorse the michael moore movie, capitalism: a love story.
it explains a lot!
my videos can be seen on YouTube under "franklandfields".
enjoy.
peace out.
people with premium health care usually don't think anything needs to change. after their premium, they don't pay a penny more for anything. some of our senators don't think anything needs to change either. they have fantastic health care. how about you? do you pay for anything? well here's an experience i had today, and i am now convinced, even more so than before, we NEED health care reform.
i have been volunteering in schools for thirty years. i've even been a substitute teacher. i had a negative TB test from 1989. i am due again.
i phoned around.
place A wants $105 dollars for an office visit and $18 dollars for the TB test ($123 total).
place B wants $91 dollars, all inclusive.
place C wants $75 dollars, all inclusive.
place D wants $45 dollars, all inclusive.
place E wants $25 dollars, all inclusive.
place F wants $20 dollars, all inclusive.
place G wants $15 dollars, all inclusive.
i guess this is capitalism. it sure isn't much of a love story, unless somebody really loves making money.
after calling place G, i decided i couldn't bare to call one more place.
i'm going to place F. it's across the street from me.
so what do you think? do you need health care reform? are you getting the same care that senators get? do you even want it?
i just wanna understand why a TB test ranges in price from $123 to $15.
capitilism? smells more like greed to me.
what do you think?
i endorse the michael moore movie, capitalism: a love story.
it explains a lot!
my videos can be seen on YouTube under "franklandfields".
enjoy.
peace out.
Monday, September 21, 2009
movie recommendation
i HAVE NOT seen the new michael moore movie titled, "Capitalism: A Love Story".
i have read about it, and seen michael moore on the jay leno show. based on this, i will see the movie. i also believe the movie is worth seeing. one cannot have an opinion about a movie if one has not seen the movie, or so i have heard. i have also heard from people who refuse to see the movie. and they have an opinion. this i DO NOT understand.
michael moore has a reputation for fact-checking everything in his films. on top of that, those facts are available publicly. still if one cannot see their own nose, one cannot see their own nose.
if you see the film, i am interested in your opinion.
further info may be found at:
www.michaelmoore.com
and
www.rottentomatoes.com
the film has already won some film festival awards. this means what it means.
you decide.
good luck.
i have read about it, and seen michael moore on the jay leno show. based on this, i will see the movie. i also believe the movie is worth seeing. one cannot have an opinion about a movie if one has not seen the movie, or so i have heard. i have also heard from people who refuse to see the movie. and they have an opinion. this i DO NOT understand.
michael moore has a reputation for fact-checking everything in his films. on top of that, those facts are available publicly. still if one cannot see their own nose, one cannot see their own nose.
if you see the film, i am interested in your opinion.
further info may be found at:
www.michaelmoore.com
and
www.rottentomatoes.com
the film has already won some film festival awards. this means what it means.
you decide.
good luck.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Chance Of Pants
The Chance Of Pants
At some point in your life, you will fall or nearly fall while attempting to put on your pants or underpants. This is simply a fact of life.
This fall may be serious. You may break a hip, or your head, or your nose, or something else. And of course you’ll have to explain to the emergency room people just how this all happened.
If you’re lucky, this fall may not be serious at all. In fact, if you’re really lucky, you’ll catch yourself before you fall, and only blurt out a few choice expletives.
This is the preferred outcome.
So how is it possible to predetermine when this might happen? It is next to impossible. We think we’ll always be 25 years old and forever able to jump right into our pants and underpants, with one leap, both legs at a time, while splashing on aftershave. Well, enjoy this fantasy as long as you can my friends.
When you’re ready for reality, we’ll try to figure out how we got to this point.
I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that leg openings on underpants have been increasingly shrinking. At least you can tell yourself that one. Perhaps we simply can’t lift our leg the way we used to? Or bend over as comfortably as we did ten years ago?
We all have our reasons. I noticed the other day while attempting to first put my foot then my leg through my underpants that something had changed. My little toe was getting snagged and my leg didn’t remain up as long as my brain had asked it to. I began falling forward. The edge of the sink was rapidly approaching. I was stuck falling in mid air, or so I thought, until I figured out I’d better just let go of my underpants before my head comes in contact with the edge of the sink. It occurred to me at that moment in time that maybe, just maybe, if I sat down on the toilet and then put my underpants on, that this would be a much safer way to proceed.
Needless to say, it works well for pants too. But how did I get to this point? For as long as I can remember, I’ve been putting on my pants and underpants while simultaneously standing up. And by the way, on one leg!
I keep telling myself, “I’m the guy who did a marathon, on skates!” Then I remember that was nearly ten years ago. I drive a golf cart around town now. Or walk.
There is a bit of a transition period. One can, carefully, lean against something solid to put on one’s underpants. This is not as safe as sitting down, but it’s not as dangerous as trying to balance oneself on one leg at a time either. Sometimes I try this. Sometimes I sit down. I find the sitting down to be safest. But still, how did I get here? Seems like only yesterday I was 16 years old with no cares, aches, or pains. I’m two for three now. I have no cares, thank goodness.
Aging is a fact of life just as death is, although I like to call that “the transformation”. You call it whatever you desire. It is inevitable that we won’t run a 4-minute mile too many times in our life, if even once. We will not be able to always put on our pants standing up. We won’t be able to drive ourselves around town forever. Our hearing will diminish. Our sight will decrease. And as time goes by, we’ll basically fall apart and begin rotting from the inside out. Not to worry. It’s simply nature. We all go through it. Ain’t none of us gettin’ outa this life alive. Dust to dust. We might as well accept it and deal with it as soon as possible. Complaining and worrying only makes it worse. So, what’s the point here? That is for you to decide. It is not my job to make everything OK for you. I’ve got plenty to do just putting on my pants.
In the meantime, one must find comfort and guidance wherever it is discovered. Best of luck.
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
On YouTube under “franklandfields”
Copyright frank landfield
September 18, 2009
At some point in your life, you will fall or nearly fall while attempting to put on your pants or underpants. This is simply a fact of life.
This fall may be serious. You may break a hip, or your head, or your nose, or something else. And of course you’ll have to explain to the emergency room people just how this all happened.
If you’re lucky, this fall may not be serious at all. In fact, if you’re really lucky, you’ll catch yourself before you fall, and only blurt out a few choice expletives.
This is the preferred outcome.
So how is it possible to predetermine when this might happen? It is next to impossible. We think we’ll always be 25 years old and forever able to jump right into our pants and underpants, with one leap, both legs at a time, while splashing on aftershave. Well, enjoy this fantasy as long as you can my friends.
When you’re ready for reality, we’ll try to figure out how we got to this point.
I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that leg openings on underpants have been increasingly shrinking. At least you can tell yourself that one. Perhaps we simply can’t lift our leg the way we used to? Or bend over as comfortably as we did ten years ago?
We all have our reasons. I noticed the other day while attempting to first put my foot then my leg through my underpants that something had changed. My little toe was getting snagged and my leg didn’t remain up as long as my brain had asked it to. I began falling forward. The edge of the sink was rapidly approaching. I was stuck falling in mid air, or so I thought, until I figured out I’d better just let go of my underpants before my head comes in contact with the edge of the sink. It occurred to me at that moment in time that maybe, just maybe, if I sat down on the toilet and then put my underpants on, that this would be a much safer way to proceed.
Needless to say, it works well for pants too. But how did I get to this point? For as long as I can remember, I’ve been putting on my pants and underpants while simultaneously standing up. And by the way, on one leg!
I keep telling myself, “I’m the guy who did a marathon, on skates!” Then I remember that was nearly ten years ago. I drive a golf cart around town now. Or walk.
There is a bit of a transition period. One can, carefully, lean against something solid to put on one’s underpants. This is not as safe as sitting down, but it’s not as dangerous as trying to balance oneself on one leg at a time either. Sometimes I try this. Sometimes I sit down. I find the sitting down to be safest. But still, how did I get here? Seems like only yesterday I was 16 years old with no cares, aches, or pains. I’m two for three now. I have no cares, thank goodness.
Aging is a fact of life just as death is, although I like to call that “the transformation”. You call it whatever you desire. It is inevitable that we won’t run a 4-minute mile too many times in our life, if even once. We will not be able to always put on our pants standing up. We won’t be able to drive ourselves around town forever. Our hearing will diminish. Our sight will decrease. And as time goes by, we’ll basically fall apart and begin rotting from the inside out. Not to worry. It’s simply nature. We all go through it. Ain’t none of us gettin’ outa this life alive. Dust to dust. We might as well accept it and deal with it as soon as possible. Complaining and worrying only makes it worse. So, what’s the point here? That is for you to decide. It is not my job to make everything OK for you. I’ve got plenty to do just putting on my pants.
In the meantime, one must find comfort and guidance wherever it is discovered. Best of luck.
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
On YouTube under “franklandfields”
Copyright frank landfield
September 18, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Under Where?
Under Where?
For many people, underwear is not their most important concern in life. There are other considerations like, career, health, relationships, children, grandchildren, money, leisure time, retirement, shoes, bags, books, yada, yada, yada. Few people I know consume themselves with finding the perfect pair of underwear.
For me, this is my life quest.
I long to find underwear that is not continually trying to hide itself up my crack. I dream of underwear that stays in place from the moment I put it on to the time I (or somebody else) takes it off. I pray for underwear that won’t chafe my bits. And I cannot find underwear in the colors that I want.
I have noticed, quite by accident, that women have many more choices when it comes to underwear. Ever seen a men’s underwear section in Victoria’s Secret? Me neither. Perhaps we need a new store specializing in men’s underwear called Hugh’s Secret?
What exactly makes a perfect pair of underwear? For starters, it should be available in colors that you actually want. I am so totally bored with black and white and gray! Obviously it must also fit perfectly. It should be comfortable ALL DAY, and it should stay put, and it should cradle your privates like the finest of baby carriages. It should also breath and be moisture wicking.
There are a few different cuts of men’s underwear. There are boxers, briefs, and something called a boxer-jock, which is kind of a combination between a boxer and a jock strap. These come in 3”, 6”, and 9” lengths. Don’t ask. Do tell! They can be seen at, www.underarmour.com. Until recently, I never knew they existed. And now, I sing their praises!
I am currently wearing the 3” boxer-jock, and I must tell you it is heaven! They are completely supportive of my junk, and they are breathable AND moisture wicking!
Prior to my discovery of this underwear, I’d tried just about everything that Hanes and Jockey offered. Nothing satisfied me. I didn’t realize that what I really needed was specialized athletic underwear. Just as there are cars and there are cars, there is underwear and then there is UNDERWEAR.
You could drive a Prius or a Honda or a Ford, or you could drive a Bentley. My underwear is a Bentley. It’s roomy and comfy and responsive and firm and supportive and safe, and I just cannot find the words to tell you what a pleasure it is to finally wear this underwear. This is something you will have to experience for yourself, preferably in the privacy of your own home.
Again, the website is www.underarmour.com. This brand is not easily found in stores. Still I wish more colors were available. I have written the company suggesting/requesting they make more colors available. As consumers I believe the only way we’ll get what we want is to ask for it. Even then we probably have a 50/50 chance at best.
I feel now that my lifetime quest has come to an end. I have found the underwear of my wildest dreams. My fear now is that they’ll stop making it. Sometimes in life this is the case. You find something you love and can’t live without only to discover that they stop making it.
If you are anything at all like me, and if you are then I strongly recommend immediate long-term professional care, I believe you will LOVE this underwear as much as I do. It remains one of life’s greatest pleasures to know that underneath it all, your underwear is coddling you just the way Grandma did when you were a tiny baby, and that everything will be OK.
I recommend www.underarmour.com.
They have not compensated me in any way to say that, although I wouldn’t turn down some free underwear, thank you very much.
As always, you may see my films on YouTube under “franklandfields”.
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
Peace. Namaste. Enjoy.
September 9, 2009
Copyright
For many people, underwear is not their most important concern in life. There are other considerations like, career, health, relationships, children, grandchildren, money, leisure time, retirement, shoes, bags, books, yada, yada, yada. Few people I know consume themselves with finding the perfect pair of underwear.
For me, this is my life quest.
I long to find underwear that is not continually trying to hide itself up my crack. I dream of underwear that stays in place from the moment I put it on to the time I (or somebody else) takes it off. I pray for underwear that won’t chafe my bits. And I cannot find underwear in the colors that I want.
I have noticed, quite by accident, that women have many more choices when it comes to underwear. Ever seen a men’s underwear section in Victoria’s Secret? Me neither. Perhaps we need a new store specializing in men’s underwear called Hugh’s Secret?
What exactly makes a perfect pair of underwear? For starters, it should be available in colors that you actually want. I am so totally bored with black and white and gray! Obviously it must also fit perfectly. It should be comfortable ALL DAY, and it should stay put, and it should cradle your privates like the finest of baby carriages. It should also breath and be moisture wicking.
There are a few different cuts of men’s underwear. There are boxers, briefs, and something called a boxer-jock, which is kind of a combination between a boxer and a jock strap. These come in 3”, 6”, and 9” lengths. Don’t ask. Do tell! They can be seen at, www.underarmour.com. Until recently, I never knew they existed. And now, I sing their praises!
I am currently wearing the 3” boxer-jock, and I must tell you it is heaven! They are completely supportive of my junk, and they are breathable AND moisture wicking!
Prior to my discovery of this underwear, I’d tried just about everything that Hanes and Jockey offered. Nothing satisfied me. I didn’t realize that what I really needed was specialized athletic underwear. Just as there are cars and there are cars, there is underwear and then there is UNDERWEAR.
You could drive a Prius or a Honda or a Ford, or you could drive a Bentley. My underwear is a Bentley. It’s roomy and comfy and responsive and firm and supportive and safe, and I just cannot find the words to tell you what a pleasure it is to finally wear this underwear. This is something you will have to experience for yourself, preferably in the privacy of your own home.
Again, the website is www.underarmour.com. This brand is not easily found in stores. Still I wish more colors were available. I have written the company suggesting/requesting they make more colors available. As consumers I believe the only way we’ll get what we want is to ask for it. Even then we probably have a 50/50 chance at best.
I feel now that my lifetime quest has come to an end. I have found the underwear of my wildest dreams. My fear now is that they’ll stop making it. Sometimes in life this is the case. You find something you love and can’t live without only to discover that they stop making it.
If you are anything at all like me, and if you are then I strongly recommend immediate long-term professional care, I believe you will LOVE this underwear as much as I do. It remains one of life’s greatest pleasures to know that underneath it all, your underwear is coddling you just the way Grandma did when you were a tiny baby, and that everything will be OK.
I recommend www.underarmour.com.
They have not compensated me in any way to say that, although I wouldn’t turn down some free underwear, thank you very much.
As always, you may see my films on YouTube under “franklandfields”.
www.franklandfield.blogspot.com
Peace. Namaste. Enjoy.
September 9, 2009
Copyright
Friday, September 04, 2009
Thank You Mr. Prostate...
...for another healthy year.
At some point, somebody, somewhere, or most likely a whole committee of somebody's, decided that men (I) need to have my prostate checked annually, which basically means a finger up my ass. For those of you who need this spelled out, f-i-n-g-e-r/u-p/y-o-u-r/a-s-s.
This is important and I'm going to tell you why.
Turns out about 1 in 3 men, a third, will have prostate problems. This could be cancer or simply an enlarged prostate and the complications from that. Prostate cancer kills way too many men, and a lot of those deaths are preventable by "early detection". The good news is prostate cancer, when caught early, is quite treatable. Still, many men do not get their annual exam, so I am here to tell you my experience, and to CONvince/assure you that it's not that bad, and thoroughly (OK, 99%) worth it.
Realistically, what's the big deal about a finger up your ass for about ten seconds?
If you've never tried it, then you cannot say you know what it feels like, or that you don't like it. YOU HAVEN'T TRIED IT! It's all mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
So yesterday was my annual exam. I happen to like my doctor and this makes things much more comfortable. The exam is literally about ten seconds long. I know this because I'm counting the whole time it's happening, while simultaneously pretending I'm on the beach in Hawaii, sipping an exotic drink out of a coconut. This is really no big deal.
Some would say the blood test afterward is harder. You know, where they stick a giant dull needle in your arm and draw blood. Part of the annual exam is this blood test. They are checking your PSA level to make sure that is normal. Your doctor can explain this all to you much better than I.
I'm simply here to recommend that you get your annual prostate checkup.
Think of it as an oil change. You want your car to run healthy, right? And I'm sure you want your body healthy too.
A prostate exam is probably easier than a colonoscopy. You only have to do that about once every five years or less. And you're sedated! But it is more costly. And just as necessary.
Look, it's all part of life. And after all, don't we all wanna live as long as we possibly can? I mean as long as we can still go to the bathroom by ourselves and wipe our own you-know-what? So getting your prostate checked will help you live longer. And it's only once a year.
I find that after my checkup, if I treat myself to a fancy lunch, I forget all about the exam, almost.
So do yourself and your loved ones a favor, and get your annual prostate checkup. It could save your life.
I've already made my appointment for next year. :-)
Peace. Namaste. Enjoy your life.
My films can be seen on YouTube under "franklandfields"
At some point, somebody, somewhere, or most likely a whole committee of somebody's, decided that men (I) need to have my prostate checked annually, which basically means a finger up my ass. For those of you who need this spelled out, f-i-n-g-e-r/u-p/y-o-u-r/a-s-s.
This is important and I'm going to tell you why.
Turns out about 1 in 3 men, a third, will have prostate problems. This could be cancer or simply an enlarged prostate and the complications from that. Prostate cancer kills way too many men, and a lot of those deaths are preventable by "early detection". The good news is prostate cancer, when caught early, is quite treatable. Still, many men do not get their annual exam, so I am here to tell you my experience, and to CONvince/assure you that it's not that bad, and thoroughly (OK, 99%) worth it.
Realistically, what's the big deal about a finger up your ass for about ten seconds?
If you've never tried it, then you cannot say you know what it feels like, or that you don't like it. YOU HAVEN'T TRIED IT! It's all mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
So yesterday was my annual exam. I happen to like my doctor and this makes things much more comfortable. The exam is literally about ten seconds long. I know this because I'm counting the whole time it's happening, while simultaneously pretending I'm on the beach in Hawaii, sipping an exotic drink out of a coconut. This is really no big deal.
Some would say the blood test afterward is harder. You know, where they stick a giant dull needle in your arm and draw blood. Part of the annual exam is this blood test. They are checking your PSA level to make sure that is normal. Your doctor can explain this all to you much better than I.
I'm simply here to recommend that you get your annual prostate checkup.
Think of it as an oil change. You want your car to run healthy, right? And I'm sure you want your body healthy too.
A prostate exam is probably easier than a colonoscopy. You only have to do that about once every five years or less. And you're sedated! But it is more costly. And just as necessary.
Look, it's all part of life. And after all, don't we all wanna live as long as we possibly can? I mean as long as we can still go to the bathroom by ourselves and wipe our own you-know-what? So getting your prostate checked will help you live longer. And it's only once a year.
I find that after my checkup, if I treat myself to a fancy lunch, I forget all about the exam, almost.
So do yourself and your loved ones a favor, and get your annual prostate checkup. It could save your life.
I've already made my appointment for next year. :-)
Peace. Namaste. Enjoy your life.
My films can be seen on YouTube under "franklandfields"
Thursday, August 20, 2009
444
this is post number 444, and that's a whole other story from what i will write about now.
why does somebody/anybody wear a gun on their hip in public? let alone attend a town hall meeting or political rally? in my opinion, there are just a few answers. fear, loneliness, insecurity, and hatred. it seems to me that loneliness and hatred and insecurity are all rooted in fear. in my biased reality, i would prefer a world without guns. there are communities without guns. it's not that difficult to do. a group of people decide they're going to live together without guns. pretty simple concept really. like not eating meat.
but why do a tiny minority of people insist on wearing guns on their hip? what are they so afraid of? are they afraid? as far as i'm concerned, guns have only one purpose. to kill somebody or something. look, if you wanna kill somebody or something, why not use your bare hands? now that's really killing. using a gun? that, in my opinion, is the cowards way.
people who wear guns on their hip, in my opinion, are terribly afraid of change, and other people telling them how to live, and other people coming into their "space". people who wear guns on their hip, in my opinion, lack confidence. wearing a gun on your hip, and even owning a gun, indicates that you are willing to use it, and probably willing to use it to kill somebody. whatever happened to, "thou shall not kill"?
i am not a gun owner. i will never be a gun owner. i believe we should destroy all guns on this planet. this may make me as radical a person as the ones who wear the guns on their hip. all i know is this:
i will not have anything to do with guns or killing.
i hope one day to live in a world where there's no need for them.
please join me in promoting and living peace, love, happiness, tolerance, and harmony.
namaste.
peace.
and now 444. i used to drive cab number 444. she was a good cab.
why does somebody/anybody wear a gun on their hip in public? let alone attend a town hall meeting or political rally? in my opinion, there are just a few answers. fear, loneliness, insecurity, and hatred. it seems to me that loneliness and hatred and insecurity are all rooted in fear. in my biased reality, i would prefer a world without guns. there are communities without guns. it's not that difficult to do. a group of people decide they're going to live together without guns. pretty simple concept really. like not eating meat.
but why do a tiny minority of people insist on wearing guns on their hip? what are they so afraid of? are they afraid? as far as i'm concerned, guns have only one purpose. to kill somebody or something. look, if you wanna kill somebody or something, why not use your bare hands? now that's really killing. using a gun? that, in my opinion, is the cowards way.
people who wear guns on their hip, in my opinion, are terribly afraid of change, and other people telling them how to live, and other people coming into their "space". people who wear guns on their hip, in my opinion, lack confidence. wearing a gun on your hip, and even owning a gun, indicates that you are willing to use it, and probably willing to use it to kill somebody. whatever happened to, "thou shall not kill"?
i am not a gun owner. i will never be a gun owner. i believe we should destroy all guns on this planet. this may make me as radical a person as the ones who wear the guns on their hip. all i know is this:
i will not have anything to do with guns or killing.
i hope one day to live in a world where there's no need for them.
please join me in promoting and living peace, love, happiness, tolerance, and harmony.
namaste.
peace.
and now 444. i used to drive cab number 444. she was a good cab.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Yes, We Need Health Care Reform
The whole deal about death counseling for seniors is a hugely distorted lie being spread by Betsy McCaughey via email from Fred Thompson (one of many being spread by the right wing regarding health care reform). As I understand it, it all stems from a proposal in the reform plan to offer financial assistance to create a “living will”. That’s something we all should have in case of accidents, etc, no matter how old we are.
Here’s another side of the story about Health care reform besides the one being circulated via email. Health care reform is not a Liberal vs. Conservative issue. We must all ask ourselves “Who benefits?” when confronted with issues such as this. Who benefits from “no reform”? Many in congress receive HUGE contributions from the present health care industry giants, like big pharmaceutical companies, and big insurance companies. Who benefits from “reform”? Almost all of us average US citizens AND our children and grandchildren.
Health care in the US must be (and will be) reformed no matter what. The costs are just becoming more and more ridiculous as time goes by. Something must be done as more and more people are spending more and more money on less and less effective insurance and more and more people are losing health care altogether. The free market ideal is just not working for health care. Most authorities agree that we are spending twice as much (or more) on health care as other industrialized countries and all the statistics are worse than them in regard to adolescent mortality, life expectancy and other factors.
By the way, more US cars are being built in Windsor, Ontario than are being built just across the river in Detroit. Why? According to auto execs - less costly health care insurance in Canada. We spent four winters with a group of retired Canadians in Southern California. I made a point of engaging them in friendly discussions about their health care. With the exception of one person who didn’t know the facts about American health care, they all were very enthusiastic about the Canadian plan.
We can’t afford not to reform health care in America. The cost of goods in the US has a higher percentage of costs related to health care than any other industrialized nation. No wonder we’re falling behind so fast!
The U.S. has the most bureaucratic health care system in the world. More than 31 percent of every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. goes to paperwork, overhead, CEO salaries, profits, etc. The provincial single-payer system in Canada operates with just a 1 percent overhead. Think about it - it is not necessary to spend a huge amount of money to decide who gets care and who doesn't when everybody is covered.
Like it or not, there will be health care reform.
Get ready.
Peace.
Here’s another side of the story about Health care reform besides the one being circulated via email. Health care reform is not a Liberal vs. Conservative issue. We must all ask ourselves “Who benefits?” when confronted with issues such as this. Who benefits from “no reform”? Many in congress receive HUGE contributions from the present health care industry giants, like big pharmaceutical companies, and big insurance companies. Who benefits from “reform”? Almost all of us average US citizens AND our children and grandchildren.
Health care in the US must be (and will be) reformed no matter what. The costs are just becoming more and more ridiculous as time goes by. Something must be done as more and more people are spending more and more money on less and less effective insurance and more and more people are losing health care altogether. The free market ideal is just not working for health care. Most authorities agree that we are spending twice as much (or more) on health care as other industrialized countries and all the statistics are worse than them in regard to adolescent mortality, life expectancy and other factors.
By the way, more US cars are being built in Windsor, Ontario than are being built just across the river in Detroit. Why? According to auto execs - less costly health care insurance in Canada. We spent four winters with a group of retired Canadians in Southern California. I made a point of engaging them in friendly discussions about their health care. With the exception of one person who didn’t know the facts about American health care, they all were very enthusiastic about the Canadian plan.
We can’t afford not to reform health care in America. The cost of goods in the US has a higher percentage of costs related to health care than any other industrialized nation. No wonder we’re falling behind so fast!
The U.S. has the most bureaucratic health care system in the world. More than 31 percent of every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. goes to paperwork, overhead, CEO salaries, profits, etc. The provincial single-payer system in Canada operates with just a 1 percent overhead. Think about it - it is not necessary to spend a huge amount of money to decide who gets care and who doesn't when everybody is covered.
Like it or not, there will be health care reform.
Get ready.
Peace.
Friday, August 07, 2009
responsibility and accountability
Is Bush still relevant?
Andie Coller Andie Coller Fri Aug 7, 5:17 am ET
President Barack Obama may “own” the economy now — but he’s not ready to let anyone forget who left it to him.
Supporters and defenders of George W. Bush have been waiting for the shot clock to run out on Bush’s critics since before the 43rd president left office; a headline on a Washington Times opinion piece in December trumpeted, somewhat over-optimistically, “Only 26 days left for Bush bashing.” But with six months in the Oval Office behind him and Congress off for its milestone summer recess, Obama shows no sign of letting the prior administration or its advocates off the hook.
At a recent town hall in Raleigh, N.C., Obama ripped his detractors thusly: “You hand me a $1.3 trillion bill, and then you’re complaining six months later because we haven’t paid it all back.” And last weekend, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and economic adviser Larry Summers flooded the TV talk shows with reminders that they had “inherited” a $1.3 trillion deficit and an economy “in free fall.”
“The battle for the history is always an essential part of winning the future,” says Republican strategist John Feehery. “From that perspective, I think that is what Obama is trying to do.”
To those who contend that the administration’s regular references to the provenance of its woes is nothing more than a blame game, Democratic strategist Phil Singer replies that the president would have to engage in advanced yoga not to refer to the policies of his home’s prior resident.
“Obama has to talk about it, because it helps explain the agenda that he’s advancing every day,” Singer says. “The legacy of the Bush administration is driving the agenda of the Obama administration.”
If that’s the case, then the task for Team Obama is to walk the line between explaining and complaining, says former Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. She agrees that the administration has to put its efforts in perspective, but she notes that it also must be cautious, particularly while people are still suffering from the effects of the economic crisis and unlikely to have much sympathy for anything perceived as whining from the top.
“I think it is very fair to make that point, but I think you have to do a way that acknowledges people’s pain and frustration,” she says. “It is a delicate balance, and I think that’s why it has to be done in a very pragmatic way and not in a way that sounds like an excuse.”
And indeed, lately most administration references to the previous management have been carefully calibrated to convey the message that Obama is taking responsibility for the economy without being responsible for it. Officials don’t speak of “having” problems but of having “inherited” them — and always in the context of what they are doing to try to solve them. And although he alludes to Bush and his impact often, the president has mentioned his predecessor by name only a handful of times in his prepared remarks since taking office.
Democratic candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia have been less circumspect. As POLITICO reported last month, both N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine and Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds kicked off their candidacies with broadsides against Bush — a strategy that, if effective, will likely encourage other Democrats to follow suit.
Which leaves those who have long chafed at Bush bashing to ask: How much longer can it possibly last?
With respect to Obama, at least, reasonable minds may disagree.
It’s already over, says Feehery — at least in terms of its effectiveness: “My own personal opinion is that six months is an eternity in politics, and it’s never about what happened six months ago — it’s about what’s happening right now.”
It might last another month or two, but that’s it, opines Republican strategist Ed Rollins: “I think you may have a little bit more time, but certainly by September, October, that story’s not going to fly. It’ll be Obama’s war in Afghanistan, Obama’s economy,” he says. “Whether it’s legitimate or not, that’s the way it works.”
The public is already holding Obama responsible, says Democratic strategist Douglas Schoen, who stamps a fall sell-by date on the tactic. “When asked the question, 'Who’s more to blame?' the American people say, ‘Bush is more to blame than Obama — but we’re looking to Obama for solutions.’” Schoen says the strategy may still be useful now, but it won’t be indefinitely: “Do I think they can get through the midterms with that? No, I don’t.”
Not so fast, counters Democratic pollster Paul Maslin; it all depends on what happens between now and then.
“If, next year, as we head into the midterm elections, the economy really starts to turn around, then he’s got a story line that begins with 'We inherited this' that works for him, and there’s no reason why he couldn’t take it all the way through the midterms and even through reelection.”
Or perhaps even longer. Muses Maslin: “Ronald Reagan ran against Washington pretty much the whole eight years, and he was in D.C. the whole time, as the head of our government.”
On the flip side, notes Singer, the political risk to the president is relatively low. “One of the ironies about the Obama administration is, for all of the accusations that it’s all rhetoric and talk, a lot of its success will be determined on nuts and bolts metrics,” he says. “If the economy is stagnant in 2012, people aren’t going to be saying, ‘I’m not going to vote for the president because he only wants to bash Bush.’ They’re going to say, ‘I’m not voting for the president because the economy is stagnant.’”
The main caveat, says Maslin, is that even if the president can safely continue to score points off the previous administration, he should be aware that the buzzer on Bush himself has sounded.
“I’m a partisan Democrat, but even I don’t want to kick him anymore,” he says.
Andie Coller Andie Coller Fri Aug 7, 5:17 am ET
President Barack Obama may “own” the economy now — but he’s not ready to let anyone forget who left it to him.
Supporters and defenders of George W. Bush have been waiting for the shot clock to run out on Bush’s critics since before the 43rd president left office; a headline on a Washington Times opinion piece in December trumpeted, somewhat over-optimistically, “Only 26 days left for Bush bashing.” But with six months in the Oval Office behind him and Congress off for its milestone summer recess, Obama shows no sign of letting the prior administration or its advocates off the hook.
At a recent town hall in Raleigh, N.C., Obama ripped his detractors thusly: “You hand me a $1.3 trillion bill, and then you’re complaining six months later because we haven’t paid it all back.” And last weekend, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and economic adviser Larry Summers flooded the TV talk shows with reminders that they had “inherited” a $1.3 trillion deficit and an economy “in free fall.”
“The battle for the history is always an essential part of winning the future,” says Republican strategist John Feehery. “From that perspective, I think that is what Obama is trying to do.”
To those who contend that the administration’s regular references to the provenance of its woes is nothing more than a blame game, Democratic strategist Phil Singer replies that the president would have to engage in advanced yoga not to refer to the policies of his home’s prior resident.
“Obama has to talk about it, because it helps explain the agenda that he’s advancing every day,” Singer says. “The legacy of the Bush administration is driving the agenda of the Obama administration.”
If that’s the case, then the task for Team Obama is to walk the line between explaining and complaining, says former Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. She agrees that the administration has to put its efforts in perspective, but she notes that it also must be cautious, particularly while people are still suffering from the effects of the economic crisis and unlikely to have much sympathy for anything perceived as whining from the top.
“I think it is very fair to make that point, but I think you have to do a way that acknowledges people’s pain and frustration,” she says. “It is a delicate balance, and I think that’s why it has to be done in a very pragmatic way and not in a way that sounds like an excuse.”
And indeed, lately most administration references to the previous management have been carefully calibrated to convey the message that Obama is taking responsibility for the economy without being responsible for it. Officials don’t speak of “having” problems but of having “inherited” them — and always in the context of what they are doing to try to solve them. And although he alludes to Bush and his impact often, the president has mentioned his predecessor by name only a handful of times in his prepared remarks since taking office.
Democratic candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia have been less circumspect. As POLITICO reported last month, both N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine and Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds kicked off their candidacies with broadsides against Bush — a strategy that, if effective, will likely encourage other Democrats to follow suit.
Which leaves those who have long chafed at Bush bashing to ask: How much longer can it possibly last?
With respect to Obama, at least, reasonable minds may disagree.
It’s already over, says Feehery — at least in terms of its effectiveness: “My own personal opinion is that six months is an eternity in politics, and it’s never about what happened six months ago — it’s about what’s happening right now.”
It might last another month or two, but that’s it, opines Republican strategist Ed Rollins: “I think you may have a little bit more time, but certainly by September, October, that story’s not going to fly. It’ll be Obama’s war in Afghanistan, Obama’s economy,” he says. “Whether it’s legitimate or not, that’s the way it works.”
The public is already holding Obama responsible, says Democratic strategist Douglas Schoen, who stamps a fall sell-by date on the tactic. “When asked the question, 'Who’s more to blame?' the American people say, ‘Bush is more to blame than Obama — but we’re looking to Obama for solutions.’” Schoen says the strategy may still be useful now, but it won’t be indefinitely: “Do I think they can get through the midterms with that? No, I don’t.”
Not so fast, counters Democratic pollster Paul Maslin; it all depends on what happens between now and then.
“If, next year, as we head into the midterm elections, the economy really starts to turn around, then he’s got a story line that begins with 'We inherited this' that works for him, and there’s no reason why he couldn’t take it all the way through the midterms and even through reelection.”
Or perhaps even longer. Muses Maslin: “Ronald Reagan ran against Washington pretty much the whole eight years, and he was in D.C. the whole time, as the head of our government.”
On the flip side, notes Singer, the political risk to the president is relatively low. “One of the ironies about the Obama administration is, for all of the accusations that it’s all rhetoric and talk, a lot of its success will be determined on nuts and bolts metrics,” he says. “If the economy is stagnant in 2012, people aren’t going to be saying, ‘I’m not going to vote for the president because he only wants to bash Bush.’ They’re going to say, ‘I’m not voting for the president because the economy is stagnant.’”
The main caveat, says Maslin, is that even if the president can safely continue to score points off the previous administration, he should be aware that the buzzer on Bush himself has sounded.
“I’m a partisan Democrat, but even I don’t want to kick him anymore,” he says.
Monday, August 03, 2009
the bird and the fish
there's an old saying that goes something like this:
"a bird can love a fish, but where would they make a home?"
where would they make a home indeed. this is an excellent question. perhaps they could build a nest near the water? perhaps a floating nest? i do not know. i do know they can definitely be friends, while living their own lives.
i would imagine the bird knows about as much about being a fish as the fish knows about being a bird. they no doubt have common interests. they may even enjoy some of the same foods, like worms. of course they have different life expectancies. and they are both prey for somebody.
i suspect, if they really got to know one another, they would find that they have more in common than not.
i believe this is also true for people.
we can only hope, and have great expectations, and positive thoughts, and of course faith, if you so desire.
on the level of DNA we are all very close. maybe this is what frightens some people so very much? at any rate, we can all, and we must all, continue to promote understanding and tolerance for one another or we will become extinct.
best of luck.
my films are on YouTube under, "franklandfields".
enjoy. peace. namaste.
"a bird can love a fish, but where would they make a home?"
where would they make a home indeed. this is an excellent question. perhaps they could build a nest near the water? perhaps a floating nest? i do not know. i do know they can definitely be friends, while living their own lives.
i would imagine the bird knows about as much about being a fish as the fish knows about being a bird. they no doubt have common interests. they may even enjoy some of the same foods, like worms. of course they have different life expectancies. and they are both prey for somebody.
i suspect, if they really got to know one another, they would find that they have more in common than not.
i believe this is also true for people.
we can only hope, and have great expectations, and positive thoughts, and of course faith, if you so desire.
on the level of DNA we are all very close. maybe this is what frightens some people so very much? at any rate, we can all, and we must all, continue to promote understanding and tolerance for one another or we will become extinct.
best of luck.
my films are on YouTube under, "franklandfields".
enjoy. peace. namaste.
Friday, July 24, 2009
more progress please
July 24, 2009
Professor’s Arrest Tests Beliefs on Racial Progress
By SUSAN SAULNY and ROBBIE BROWN
CHICAGO — Ralph Medley, a retired professor of philosophy and English who is black, remembers the day he was arrested on his own property, a rental building here in Hyde Park where he was doing some repair work for tenants.
A concerned neighbor had called the police to report a suspicious character. And that was not the first time Mr. Medley said he had been wrongly apprehended. A call Mr. Medley placed to 911 several years ago about a burglary resulted with the police showing up to frisk him.
“But I’m the one who called you!” he said he remembers pleading with the officers.
Like countless other blacks around the country, Mr. Medley was revisiting his encounters with the police as a national discussion about race and law enforcement unfolded after the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard’s prominent scholar of African-American history. Professor Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct July 16 at his home in Cambridge, Mass., as the police investigated a report of a possible break-in there. The charge was later dropped, and the Cambridge Police Department said the incident was “regrettable and unfortunate.”
In interviews here and in Atlanta, in Web postings and on television talk shows, blacks and others said that what happened to Professor Gates was a common, if unacknowledged, reality for many people of color. They also said that beyond race, the ego of the police officer probably played a role.
But more deeply, many said that the incident was a disappointing reminder that for all the racial progress the country seemed to have made with the election of President Obama, little had changed in the everyday lives of most people in terms of race relations.
“No matter how much education you have as a person of color, you still can’t escape institutional racism,” said Keith E. Horton, a sports and entertainment lawyer in Chicago who is black. “That’s what the issue is to me.”
To be sure, people have found fault with how Professor Gates responded to the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, who said he was simply fulfilling his duty in investigating the report of a burglary in progress.
The police and Professor Gates offered differing accounts of what happened after officers arrived. The police said Professor Gates initially refused to show identification and repeatedly shouted at officers. Professor Gates said that he had shown photo identification to Sergeant Crowley but that the sergeant had not appeared to believe that he lived there. He also said he had brought up race during the confrontation but was not disorderly.
Many comments posted online suggested that Professor Gates, 58, had made a tricky situation worse by not easily cooperating. Even some blacks acknowledged that he did not help himself by refusing to show deference to a police officer.
“It is unwise for anyone of any race to raise their voice to a law enforcement officer,” said Al Vivian, a diversity consultant in Atlanta who is black. “But the result at the end of the day is this was a man who violated no law, was in his own house, who is the top academic star at the top academic school in the nation, and he was still taken away and arrested.”
At a news conference on Wednesday night, President Obama said he thought the Cambridge police had “acted stupidly” in the arrest of Professor Gates.
“I think it’s worse than stupid,” said Mr. Medley, 65, the retired Chicago professor. “I think it was mean-spirited and ill-intended.”
In interviews, blacks and whites of various ages and experiences with law enforcement showed a tendency to give a benefit of the doubt to Professor Gates over the police.
“It seems to me that Dr. Gates was simply arrested for being upset, and he was arrested for being upset because he’s a black man,” said Wayne Martin, 25, an official at the Atlanta Housing Authority, who is also black.
The way Mr. Martin described himself, he could be the very definition of a “post-racial” American. “I have children I’m trying to raise not to see race,” he said. “I’m beyond the whole black-white thing. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Yet Mr. Martin could not think of any other way than racism to explain what had happened to Professor Gates. He is fascinated by the story. On Wednesday, he changed his Facebook status to: “Wayne Martin is wondering when it became illegal to be angry at a law enforcement official.”
Mr. Martin said that he was heartened to see Mr. Obama — who said he was a friend of Professor Gates — address the issue, and that while he agreed with Mr. Obama’s interpretation of the incident, he thought the word “stupidly” had been poorly chosen.
“That choice of the word was something that I don’t agree with,” Mr. Martin said. “To use such a common offensive term, it almost lowers him down to the level of the folks he’s wagging his finger at.”
Sabine Charles, 37, a white cardiologist who lives in Hyde Park, is married to a black man and said that she could not count how many times people had interrupted the two over the years to ask her, quietly, “Is this man bothering you?”
“I say, ‘Guess what? He’s not! We’re actually on a romantic date, can’t you tell?’ ” she said. “Even here in this diverse area I’ve heard people say, ‘Look at those black guys coming toward us.’ I say, ‘Yes, but they’re wearing lacrosse shorts and Calvin Klein jeans. They’re probably the kids of the professor down the street.’ ”
“You have to be able to discern differences between people,” she said, criticizing the practice of racial profiling. “It’s very frustrating.”
Mr. Vivian, the diversity trainer in Atlanta, said that what happened to Professor Gates was “age old” in America, but that what was different this time was that it happened in a so-called post-racial America.
Mr. Vivian, 47, said that he had been unfairly stopped by the police in the past, but that he lived by “an unwritten code” for dealing with these incidents. And Dr. Gates certainly did not obey the code, he said.
Quiet politeness is Rule No. 1 in surviving an incident of racial profiling, he said. So is the frequent use of the word “sir.”
“People used to say, ‘Look, there’s a Colin Powell. There’s an Oprah Winfrey.’ Now they say, ‘There’s a black president.’ I say, I’m happy to see the exceptions. There’s always an exception. But I’m interested in how society treats the average person.”
That there is a well-known code of behavior familiar to most minorities who are stopped by the police, Mr. Vivian said, is testament enough of a problem.
“It clearly says that we have a lot of work to do,” he said.
Susan Saulny reported from Chicago, and Robbie Brown from Atlanta.
Professor’s Arrest Tests Beliefs on Racial Progress
By SUSAN SAULNY and ROBBIE BROWN
CHICAGO — Ralph Medley, a retired professor of philosophy and English who is black, remembers the day he was arrested on his own property, a rental building here in Hyde Park where he was doing some repair work for tenants.
A concerned neighbor had called the police to report a suspicious character. And that was not the first time Mr. Medley said he had been wrongly apprehended. A call Mr. Medley placed to 911 several years ago about a burglary resulted with the police showing up to frisk him.
“But I’m the one who called you!” he said he remembers pleading with the officers.
Like countless other blacks around the country, Mr. Medley was revisiting his encounters with the police as a national discussion about race and law enforcement unfolded after the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard’s prominent scholar of African-American history. Professor Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct July 16 at his home in Cambridge, Mass., as the police investigated a report of a possible break-in there. The charge was later dropped, and the Cambridge Police Department said the incident was “regrettable and unfortunate.”
In interviews here and in Atlanta, in Web postings and on television talk shows, blacks and others said that what happened to Professor Gates was a common, if unacknowledged, reality for many people of color. They also said that beyond race, the ego of the police officer probably played a role.
But more deeply, many said that the incident was a disappointing reminder that for all the racial progress the country seemed to have made with the election of President Obama, little had changed in the everyday lives of most people in terms of race relations.
“No matter how much education you have as a person of color, you still can’t escape institutional racism,” said Keith E. Horton, a sports and entertainment lawyer in Chicago who is black. “That’s what the issue is to me.”
To be sure, people have found fault with how Professor Gates responded to the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, who said he was simply fulfilling his duty in investigating the report of a burglary in progress.
The police and Professor Gates offered differing accounts of what happened after officers arrived. The police said Professor Gates initially refused to show identification and repeatedly shouted at officers. Professor Gates said that he had shown photo identification to Sergeant Crowley but that the sergeant had not appeared to believe that he lived there. He also said he had brought up race during the confrontation but was not disorderly.
Many comments posted online suggested that Professor Gates, 58, had made a tricky situation worse by not easily cooperating. Even some blacks acknowledged that he did not help himself by refusing to show deference to a police officer.
“It is unwise for anyone of any race to raise their voice to a law enforcement officer,” said Al Vivian, a diversity consultant in Atlanta who is black. “But the result at the end of the day is this was a man who violated no law, was in his own house, who is the top academic star at the top academic school in the nation, and he was still taken away and arrested.”
At a news conference on Wednesday night, President Obama said he thought the Cambridge police had “acted stupidly” in the arrest of Professor Gates.
“I think it’s worse than stupid,” said Mr. Medley, 65, the retired Chicago professor. “I think it was mean-spirited and ill-intended.”
In interviews, blacks and whites of various ages and experiences with law enforcement showed a tendency to give a benefit of the doubt to Professor Gates over the police.
“It seems to me that Dr. Gates was simply arrested for being upset, and he was arrested for being upset because he’s a black man,” said Wayne Martin, 25, an official at the Atlanta Housing Authority, who is also black.
The way Mr. Martin described himself, he could be the very definition of a “post-racial” American. “I have children I’m trying to raise not to see race,” he said. “I’m beyond the whole black-white thing. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Yet Mr. Martin could not think of any other way than racism to explain what had happened to Professor Gates. He is fascinated by the story. On Wednesday, he changed his Facebook status to: “Wayne Martin is wondering when it became illegal to be angry at a law enforcement official.”
Mr. Martin said that he was heartened to see Mr. Obama — who said he was a friend of Professor Gates — address the issue, and that while he agreed with Mr. Obama’s interpretation of the incident, he thought the word “stupidly” had been poorly chosen.
“That choice of the word was something that I don’t agree with,” Mr. Martin said. “To use such a common offensive term, it almost lowers him down to the level of the folks he’s wagging his finger at.”
Sabine Charles, 37, a white cardiologist who lives in Hyde Park, is married to a black man and said that she could not count how many times people had interrupted the two over the years to ask her, quietly, “Is this man bothering you?”
“I say, ‘Guess what? He’s not! We’re actually on a romantic date, can’t you tell?’ ” she said. “Even here in this diverse area I’ve heard people say, ‘Look at those black guys coming toward us.’ I say, ‘Yes, but they’re wearing lacrosse shorts and Calvin Klein jeans. They’re probably the kids of the professor down the street.’ ”
“You have to be able to discern differences between people,” she said, criticizing the practice of racial profiling. “It’s very frustrating.”
Mr. Vivian, the diversity trainer in Atlanta, said that what happened to Professor Gates was “age old” in America, but that what was different this time was that it happened in a so-called post-racial America.
Mr. Vivian, 47, said that he had been unfairly stopped by the police in the past, but that he lived by “an unwritten code” for dealing with these incidents. And Dr. Gates certainly did not obey the code, he said.
Quiet politeness is Rule No. 1 in surviving an incident of racial profiling, he said. So is the frequent use of the word “sir.”
“People used to say, ‘Look, there’s a Colin Powell. There’s an Oprah Winfrey.’ Now they say, ‘There’s a black president.’ I say, I’m happy to see the exceptions. There’s always an exception. But I’m interested in how society treats the average person.”
That there is a well-known code of behavior familiar to most minorities who are stopped by the police, Mr. Vivian said, is testament enough of a problem.
“It clearly says that we have a lot of work to do,” he said.
Susan Saulny reported from Chicago, and Robbie Brown from Atlanta.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Michael Jackson
"Heal The World"
There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow
There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living
Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow
We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares
We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
i ask everybody to please watch the Michael Jackson Memorial Celebration, and,
take a look at yourself,
make that change,
look in the mirror,
make a difference,
and always remember,
Michael Jackson will live forever.
RIP MJ
we love you.
i love you.
we will never forget you.
i will never forget you.
thank you.
peace
There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow
There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living
Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow
We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares
We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me
i ask everybody to please watch the Michael Jackson Memorial Celebration, and,
take a look at yourself,
make that change,
look in the mirror,
make a difference,
and always remember,
Michael Jackson will live forever.
RIP MJ
we love you.
i love you.
we will never forget you.
i will never forget you.
thank you.
peace
Friday, June 26, 2009
we must stop this!
Horror of Kenya's 'witch' lynchings
By Odhiambo Joseph
BBC News, Kenya
Villagers, many straight from their farms, and armed with machetes, sticks and axes, are shouting and crowding round in a big group in Kenya's fertile Kisii district.
I can't see clearly what is going on, but heavy smoke is rising from the ground and a horrible stench fills the air.
More people are streaming up the hill, some of them with firewood and maize stalks.
Suddenly an old woman breaks from the crowd, screaming for mercy. Three or four people go after her, beat her and drag her back, pushing her onto - what I can now see - is a raging fire.
Burned alive
I was witnessing a horrific practice which appears to be on the increase in Kenya - the lynching of people accused of being witches.
I personally saw the burning alive of five elderly men and women in Itii village.
“ They point at me saying - that is a son of the witch ”
Joseph Ondieki
I had been visiting relatives in a nearby town, when I heard what was happening. I dashed to the scene, accompanied by a village elder.
He reacted as if what we were watching was quite normal, which was shocking for me.
As a stranger I felt I had no choice but to stand by and watch. My fear was that if I showed any sign of disapproval, or made any false move, the angry mob could turn on me.
Not one person was protesting or trying to stop the killing.
Hours later, the police came and removed the charred bodies.
Village youths who took part in the killings told me that the five victims had to die because they had bewitched a young boy.
"Of course some people have been burned. But there is proof of witchcraft," said one youth.
He said that a child had spent the night walking around and then was unable to talk the following morning - except to one of the so-called witches.
I asked the youths whether or not people involved in this supposed witchcraft should be punished.
"Yes, they must be punished, every one," said the first youth.
"We are very angry and that's why we end up punishing these people and even killing them."
His friend agreed: "In other communities, there are witches all round but in Kisii we have come up with a new method, we want to kill these people using our own hands."
I later discovered that the young boy who had supposedly been bewitched, was suffering from epilepsy.
His mother had panicked when he had had an attack.
All too common
The village elder was dismissive of my horror, saying that this kind of thing happens all the time in the western district of Kisii.
He told me about Joseph Ondieki, whose mother had been burned to death less than two months earlier.
I found Joseph and his wife Mary Nyaboke tending vegetables in their small shamba, or homestead.
“ If I visit my neighbours I fear they might poison my food ”
Joseph Ondieki
Mary told me that on the day her mother-in-law had been killed she had been visiting her own parents.
She had heard a noise and discovered the truth when she came home.
She said that in the 20 years she had been married, she had never had any reason to believe her husband's mother was a witch.
Joseph told me he has suffered a lot since his mother died.
"I was born here, but at this stage I feel as if this is not my home any more," he said.
"I cannot visit neighbours or relatives.
"Even when they see me standing by the road side, they point at me, saying: 'That is a son of the witch'.
"And when I go to town they also start wondering what has taken me there. Is it that I am going to give evidence against them?
"When I come back, they say I've been seen at the police station, but I've never been there. I've never reported the matter.
"If I visit the neighbours, I always fear that they might put poison in the food.
"So when I'm forced to visit, I make sure I don't eat anything.
"If I can't get my own food I just have a glass of water and sleep."
I set off with Joseph up the hill towards his house, which was far from the centre of the village.
On the way we passed his mother's house.
A neighbour was reluctant to talk to me and denied even knowing Joseph's mother.
"Here in Kisii, people are being burned on mere allegation and most of them are old," Joseph said.
"We now don't have any old people in the village to consult.
"Even me I'm now approaching 50 years old - I'm afraid that they'll come for me also."
Warning signs
I spent three days in Kisii trying to speak to the authorities, but nobody, neither the police nor the local government officials would talk to me.
As night drew in, and it was time for me to leave, Joseph walked with me from his village to where my car was parked.
When we arrived, he begged me to take him with me to Mombasa, where I am based.
It was very difficult for me to leave him behind.
As I drove away I passed signs pinned to trees, warning witches that they would be tracked down.
"We know you by your names", someone had typed in bold.
To listen to the full broadcast of Kenya's Witch Lynchings , tune in to African Perspective on the BBC World Service. The program is first broadcast on Saturday 27 June at 1106 GMT. It will be available online from 2106 GMT, for one week.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8119201.stm
Published: 2009/06/26 07:17:36 GMT
© BBC MMIX
By Odhiambo Joseph
BBC News, Kenya
Villagers, many straight from their farms, and armed with machetes, sticks and axes, are shouting and crowding round in a big group in Kenya's fertile Kisii district.
I can't see clearly what is going on, but heavy smoke is rising from the ground and a horrible stench fills the air.
More people are streaming up the hill, some of them with firewood and maize stalks.
Suddenly an old woman breaks from the crowd, screaming for mercy. Three or four people go after her, beat her and drag her back, pushing her onto - what I can now see - is a raging fire.
Burned alive
I was witnessing a horrific practice which appears to be on the increase in Kenya - the lynching of people accused of being witches.
I personally saw the burning alive of five elderly men and women in Itii village.
“ They point at me saying - that is a son of the witch ”
Joseph Ondieki
I had been visiting relatives in a nearby town, when I heard what was happening. I dashed to the scene, accompanied by a village elder.
He reacted as if what we were watching was quite normal, which was shocking for me.
As a stranger I felt I had no choice but to stand by and watch. My fear was that if I showed any sign of disapproval, or made any false move, the angry mob could turn on me.
Not one person was protesting or trying to stop the killing.
Hours later, the police came and removed the charred bodies.
Village youths who took part in the killings told me that the five victims had to die because they had bewitched a young boy.
"Of course some people have been burned. But there is proof of witchcraft," said one youth.
He said that a child had spent the night walking around and then was unable to talk the following morning - except to one of the so-called witches.
I asked the youths whether or not people involved in this supposed witchcraft should be punished.
"Yes, they must be punished, every one," said the first youth.
"We are very angry and that's why we end up punishing these people and even killing them."
His friend agreed: "In other communities, there are witches all round but in Kisii we have come up with a new method, we want to kill these people using our own hands."
I later discovered that the young boy who had supposedly been bewitched, was suffering from epilepsy.
His mother had panicked when he had had an attack.
All too common
The village elder was dismissive of my horror, saying that this kind of thing happens all the time in the western district of Kisii.
He told me about Joseph Ondieki, whose mother had been burned to death less than two months earlier.
I found Joseph and his wife Mary Nyaboke tending vegetables in their small shamba, or homestead.
“ If I visit my neighbours I fear they might poison my food ”
Joseph Ondieki
Mary told me that on the day her mother-in-law had been killed she had been visiting her own parents.
She had heard a noise and discovered the truth when she came home.
She said that in the 20 years she had been married, she had never had any reason to believe her husband's mother was a witch.
Joseph told me he has suffered a lot since his mother died.
"I was born here, but at this stage I feel as if this is not my home any more," he said.
"I cannot visit neighbours or relatives.
"Even when they see me standing by the road side, they point at me, saying: 'That is a son of the witch'.
"And when I go to town they also start wondering what has taken me there. Is it that I am going to give evidence against them?
"When I come back, they say I've been seen at the police station, but I've never been there. I've never reported the matter.
"If I visit the neighbours, I always fear that they might put poison in the food.
"So when I'm forced to visit, I make sure I don't eat anything.
"If I can't get my own food I just have a glass of water and sleep."
I set off with Joseph up the hill towards his house, which was far from the centre of the village.
On the way we passed his mother's house.
A neighbour was reluctant to talk to me and denied even knowing Joseph's mother.
"Here in Kisii, people are being burned on mere allegation and most of them are old," Joseph said.
"We now don't have any old people in the village to consult.
"Even me I'm now approaching 50 years old - I'm afraid that they'll come for me also."
Warning signs
I spent three days in Kisii trying to speak to the authorities, but nobody, neither the police nor the local government officials would talk to me.
As night drew in, and it was time for me to leave, Joseph walked with me from his village to where my car was parked.
When we arrived, he begged me to take him with me to Mombasa, where I am based.
It was very difficult for me to leave him behind.
As I drove away I passed signs pinned to trees, warning witches that they would be tracked down.
"We know you by your names", someone had typed in bold.
To listen to the full broadcast of Kenya's Witch Lynchings , tune in to African Perspective on the BBC World Service. The program is first broadcast on Saturday 27 June at 1106 GMT. It will be available online from 2106 GMT, for one week.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8119201.stm
Published: 2009/06/26 07:17:36 GMT
© BBC MMIX
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