Americans on the Edge of Survival - Those with Mental Difficulties

There is a peculiar idea floating around the US these days. Every time we have one of our periodic mass shootings, a fairly frequent event, gun control advocates, including our current President and those running for that office, bewail our need for greater mental  health care. I am not sure they understand, although I think they do, that they are stigmatizing those of us with mental difficulties. This creates a very unnecessary negative reaction to any one suffering any mental trouble.

Not all people who have psychological issues are ranting, drooling maniacs awaiting the chance to open fire on the rest of us. Such people do exist, but they are exceedingly rare. Most mental issues, while serious, are not that extreme and are pretty well treatable. Depression, attention deficit disorders, manic-depression are all controllable. Even the milder instances of schizophrenia are manageable. Just because someone has a mental problem, even one that has required hospitalization, is no reason to panic when they come around. These people need shelter, food, work and, maybe most importantly, patience and understanding, just like we all do. Is that really asking too much?

There are also those with another form of mental difficulty, those who just cannot learn too quickly. The tendency, for far too long has been to shut these folks away. Why? They are as human as you and me, often are pleasant, warm and loving, and, more often than not, capable of functioning in the workplace and in social situations far better that many think they can. Helping these people move into the society we all live in is not that hard; it just requires a little patience and time, and is way more important than most things we waste our time on. Far more rewarding too.

Another type of mental difficulty I will admit to knowing nothing about is autism. I will not pretend to know how to deal with that but, I will say that for some reason, it is growing rapidly more prevalent and it might be a good idea to figure out why. In the meantime, from the little I have heard, these folks can be successfully socialized and as that happens we all need to be kind and patient.

The Government leaders need to stop calling for mental health initiatives only when another nightmarish shooting occurs. That only makes people grow wary around those with mental issues. Instead, as I have said about almost every issue I have discussed in this series, they need to stop wasting our money fighting unwinnable wars and giving tax breaks to the wealthy corporations and devote some of that money to helping those of us who need it. And the rest of us just need to be compassionate and patient when dealing with folks who are really simply having trouble understanding. That is not asking too much.

Americans on the Edge of Survival - Gimme Shelter

Ever been homeless? I have. My wife and I spent 4 days with no home and it was very strange. The daytimes pass okay. There are always things to look at; you can wander in and out of malls, hang out in parks, visit the library, that sort of thing.

But, nights are a different thing, especially in an urban setting. There are folks who stay in wooded areas and survive fairly well, but we were in the middle of Fort Lauderdale, Fl. No place to go. No place to hide. You are wary of talking to anyone, strange people roam the late night city. You cannot stay in one spot for long without the cops starting to pay attention. If you do find a place out of sight, you cannot sleep because if you find that spot, you can be sure others will too. The sleep is the big issue. After 3 days of no more than a few minutes light dozing here and there, you are more than exhausted; mentally you are just fried and hallucinations become an issue.

My point? Not everyone on the streets is a worthless drug addicted, alcoholic bum. Sometimes, life just deals you some funny cards and you have to play the hand until the deck is reshuffled and a new deal goes down. Do not judge the homeless too harshly, especially in these economically difficult days. Remember, many of them are veterans and about one-fourth are children. I cannot imagine what it is like to be out there for long periods but I understand that the longer you are, the harder it is to get back to normal.

Shelters? I know some who have stayed in them and many would rather stay outside, that's how bad they are. If you stay in one you have to be constantly on your guard.

There are those who live in sort of a nether world. They are not on the streets or in shelters. Instead, they have managed to keep enough ahead to pay rent in extended stay motels. That is our currents state, one that is about to end soon. They are better than the alternatives but, often, still dangerous. A good many who stay in these places are transients and none too stable. Others are dealers in various substances who find it to their advantage to have no permanent address. On the other hand, there are many. like us, who have simply had some rough times and, sadly, a lot of families, sometimes with 3 and 4 kids are forced to stay in these places.

How bad are they? The one we are in now is really not too bad. Some are dreadful, filthy places a cockroach would not want to call home.

Here is the problem. Once you move into one of these places, you are stuck. If you are working a low paying job, or like us, on a fixed income, you will have difficulty saving enough to move to a nicer place, one requiring first, last and security. You have to pay rent in extended stay weekly and it is brutal to save. You do get your utilities included, but without a full kitchen, it is hard to prepare food that is economical.

The solution? Well, I do not have one. Sorry, I am fresh out of ideas except to say that much of the fault lies with big businesses. I do not mean run of the mill businesses, I mean the huge corporations. I have shown in earlier posts how the mega-corporations have manipulated the American economy into the sewer. That must change, but I do not know how that will happen.

I will also add that I am disappointed by the Churches. Often, too often, they preach charity and the only thing they do is, maybe, provide a wee bit of cheap food. Here and there, they may help with a week's rent. Yet, they have enough to build grand Churches, while paying their Pastors huge salaries. Again, let me be clear. I am not talking about the little Church on the corner or storefront Churches. I am talking about the grand Mega-Churches, the ones raking in a whole lot of cash and using it to build luxurious buildings where they can meet and pat each other on the back, assuring each other of their piety. I do not believe that is what Jesus had in mind.

America - Thoughts at Easter

I will continue my series America on the Edge of Survival on Monday. This is Easter weekend and I do not think it is the right time for that. Besides, I was depressing myself. Easter is a time for celebration.

But, before I get to that, I have a couple of things I need to say. To Donald Trump: I thought this election could not get any lower, but you have proven me wrong. To Ted Cruz: As a self professed Christian, you have no business diving into the muck with Trump at this, the Holiest season in the Christian calendar. The 2 of you should be ashamed. You have turned the election process into something from a bad tabloid. Maybe we should just elect one of the Kardashians and admit that this whole process has become a low farce.

To Hillary Clinton: What is wrong with you? After the horrific Brussels bombing, you dared to come on and, in essence, say that we just need to keep on with the Obama policies. The economy is constipated and the chaotic Middle East has spread to Europe and is headed here. In case you have not noticed, you twit, Western Civilization, something I and many others have grown fond of, is under attack and very likely will lose, unless we change our tactics radically. You have the gall to stand their and sanctimoniously lecture us, telling us that we have to allow immigration by the same kind of folks who immigrated to Europe and are now blowing up big chunks of the Continent. You tell us that we cannot place Islamic neighborhoods under surveillance. Who should we watch? 90 year old Irish-Catholic women? 12 year old Baptist kids? If there is a riot in the inner city, do you send police to the suburbs?

Okay, with that out of my system, I want to wish all of you a Happy Easter. Celebrate the Holiday. Relax and have some fun. But, come Monday, get up ready to get busy, because this Nation has a lot to do.

Americans on the Edge of Survival - Veterans

We should be ashamed. The treatment of our veterans is inexcusable. These are men and women who did their jobs, who went to war in good faith, convinced of the rightness of their action, and they come back to a Nation that loves to say how much we honor them, but does little to actually help them.

Let us for the moment forget how we feel about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Just for the record, I opposed them, however, once we were involved, I thought we should end it as quickly and efficiently as possible, then get out. None of us, including those who were sent to fight, thought we were going to be involved in a never ending engagement. We were also told that we were after ben Laden in Afghanistan and that his death would make a difference in the War on Terror. It did not. We were told that Iraq had the infamous 'weapons of mass destruction.' They did not. We were told that those who had lived under Sadam's dictatorship would welcome us with open arms. They did not. But, put that aside for now.

We know that something funny happened in the First Gulf War and that a lot of soldiers came back with Gulf War Syndrome., a peculiar disease. Smart money says that something 'experimental' was tried on them. Remember that during the MKUltra, the Military and Intelligence agencies dosed folks with a mind numbing array of chemicals, so they have an established record of using soldiers as guinea pigs. Again, leaving aside what we cannot prove, we know that many came home physically damaged. Things have only grown worse during the last 2 wars.

The situation with the Veterans Administration is not acceptable.  Waiting lists are far too long and by all accounts the hospitals are filthy. Things were not always this way. My Dad, a WW2 veteran, got fine treatment. Things began going awry during the Vietnam debacle and have gone downhill ever since.

There also seems to be little in the way of counselling available for those having difficulty coping with the return to civilian life. That, combined with the horrible economy, has led to the deplorable fact that many of the Nation's homeless are veterans.

Folks, it is all too easy to go on and on about how much we appreciate the efforts and sacrifice of our veterans. Politicians do that all the time,  but the time has come for the Nation to put some money where its mouth is and actually do something to help these men and women. 

Americans on the Edge of Survival - Exploitation of Adolescents

There is a seldom talked about problem with young people, generally adolescents although sometimes younger, sometimes much younger. Regrettably and disgustingly, these young people are all too often sexually exploited.

The human body is a strange thing. Our, minds, according to neurologists do not mature until about 21 years old. The body, at least the sexual aspects, mature in the early teens. Your body is saying 'let's go' long before the mind knows just where it is going. There in lies the problem.

Adolescence is a time when kids need special attention and care without being smothered. That is a delicate balancing act and I do not envy parents of teens. Often, such care is lacking, and even when the parents do everything they know how, by their very nature, kids rebel. That is just the way things are.

Kids run away. Kids are thrown out. Kids may stay home but, when unsupervised, they run loose. Always, there are those ready to take advantage. This is not new by any means but, in our current bizare era, it happens more frequently.

We used to live near Atlanta. Investigators there learned that a large percentage of the area's prostitutes were underage. It seems that this is the case in most urban areas. These young people are also exploited by the porn industry. Do not think that this applies to just girls. Boys are also targeted.

The kids, when out on the streets, have few options. They cannot get jobs and panhandling is seldom lucrative enough to get by and there are always those who will prey on the homeless young. Once involved in prostitution and/ot porn, it is hard to get out. This is a National disgrace.

What can be done? First, parents, pay attention to your children. Just listen to them. You are the parent; you need to be just that, not their buddy, their parent. Also, you may need to curtail a few of your own activities when the kids are around. Watch your alcohol consumption, your language and what you view on TV and the Internet.

For the kids who have left home, there have to be shelters, clean, safe shelters and councilors to help them find a way out. They are kids, and kids are not capable of raising themselves. If we stop wasting money on wars and subsidizing industries that should stand or fail on their own, we would have that money.

The other thing that can be done is to make enforcemenr of child pornography and child prostitution laws a top priority. If the police do not have the funds and manpower, find a way to get funds and hire more police. This is an intolerable situation and if we allow a few dollars stop prevention of these crimes, then we should be ashamed.

Finally, we need to learn a lesson from England. It seems that the death of entertainer Jimmy Saville led to disclosures of his depraved sexual exploitation of children. Those following the trail he left have learned that some influential and important figures in English politics and entertainment have many of the same habits he did. There have been several attempts to cut off further investigations. Seemingly, these attempts to shut things up are failing and hopefully English police will bring to justice the creeps who are hiding behind important positions and friends. In much the same way, the Vatican covered up child abuse by priests for many years and have, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, been forced to deal with the issue. American officials have got to get a grip on this problem.

Will we? Maybe, maybe not. A disturbing phenomenon has been going on for years in the entertainment industry. Young people are pushed into performing acts that years ago would not have been allowed in public. They are getting rich doing this, but their bosses are getting far richer. It seems that this phenomenon has a pattern. The performer catches on in their teens, grows in popularity, gets wilder and wilder, then burns out, gets used up and tossed aside, often having a public meltdown. Think Brittany Spears or Miley Cyrus. I am not a prude, not by a long shot, but what is acceptable for grown ups is not acceptable for kids

Americans on the Edge of Survival - Children

Children are supposed to be prized and nurtured carefully. So say one and all in this Country. Sometimes, the lucky ones are. For many, childhood is not even a nightmare anymore. They are so beaten down that their lives are geared toward sheer existence, Nightmare implies a contrast, an awareness of benevolence. A lot of kids see little hope for that.

Stop and think what it is like to be raised in poverty, never knowing when or what you will eat, wearing used clothes donated from some charity. How would you feel going to school and knowing that when you get home, Mom will not be there to greet you and, in fact, will not be home until late at night because she is working at least 2 jobs? Dad, well, if Dad is even still around, he likely is working even more hours.

How would you feel watching TV and seeing others dining on roasts and  fish and chicken surrounded by good vegetables, bowls of fresh fruit on the tables, yogurt and milk and eggs in the refrigerator and knowing that you are going to do well to get some generic sugary cereal, a cheap hot dog, and some spaghettios for your meals, if you are having a good day?

How  would you feel if you, as a child, had no home and were forced to sleep on the street, in a car, or maybe in a cardboard box, or, if you are very lucky, a shelter? Shelters are about as dangerous as the streets . Maybe, once in a while, Mom or Dad can scrape together enough to stay a few days in a cheap motel. Let me tell you; I know from personal experience, many of those are not a lot better than the street. Think that does not happen? Statistics show that one fourth of all the many homeless in this land are children.

Suppose you do have a home and a Mom and Dad. You likely will not see them a lot because they are always working. Children should not be alone most of the time. They should not be forced to raise themselves because they just do not have the experience to know what to do. Maybe, if lucky, they get supervision from Grandparents but, that is not the same. Each generation should raise its own kids, Grandma may be well meaning, but she is from a different time and will not, cannot know the nuances and dangers of the current culture.

Perhaps worse are children who have abusive parents. I am not talking about a dad that occasionally swats Junior on the rear end. I have seen parents who think nothing of beating the utter crap out of their kids. Yes, kids have always been physically abused but it seems to be an increasing problem, especially as the rates of alcohol and drug abuse continue to rise.

What to do? First, as I said in my last post, we need to get a grip on how the  Government throws around our money. Get these damn wars over and stop interfering in other Countries' business. Stop subsidizing industries; if they cannot make it without help, they need to go broke and make room for those who know how to do business. Then, with taxes lowered, people can afford to make life better for kids and devote more money toward education and more time to teaching their kids how to be decent humans.

Equally, if not more important, we need to get rid of our obsession with wealth for its own sake. I like nice things and comfort and understand that everyone else feels the same. But, do we all need 3 cars, 5 computers, 4 TVs and a multitude of smart phones. Do we have to dine in 5 star restaurants and pay $200 for concert tickets for some aging rock stars latest tour, $100 for 1 round of golf, and sip $10 drinks after work? Can we not find less expensive ways to entertain ourselves? Are we that bored and that uncreative? Think of all the good that could be done for kids, and, actually for ourselves, if we just used our heads.

I will tell you this. Kids today are being given a very hopeless view of a very unpleasant World. They are growing up thinking they have nothing to gain. Well, logically, if you have nothing, and see nothing to gain, you have nothing to lose, and there is no more dangerous creature on this planet than a human with nothing to lose.

Americans on the Edge of Survival - The Elderly

I am entering the part of my life when some would consider me elderly. I do not think of myself as such and refuse to do so, but I can see their point and can now see the problems face by our Nation's senior citizens.

First, economics. Of course many seniors are in fine financial shape, and God bless them. I, and my wife are okay. We went through some horrific times but now we survive somewhat comfortably and in that regard, we are fortunate. Many, many are far less fortunate. Statistics show that a large percentage of those on Social Security depend on that for most, if not all, of their income. Let me assure you; living on Social Security is difficult, very nearly impossible.

There are programs like Food Stamps to help but here is how that works. We applied and at last were told that, because of our combined income, we would get $40/month. $40. Any of you who have shopped in recent years know how little that buys.

As far as health care goes, our state, Georgia, gives little for Medicaid, and Medicare is too high for anyone on Social Security to afford. Yes, Part A is free, but that just covers some hospitalization costs. Part B would cost us around $170 per month, each. If we lost that much of our monthly income, we would be living on the streets.

Since I mentioned living on the streets, I want you to know that many seniors are doing just that. Others, like us, are living in rent-by-the-week extended stays motels and efficiencies. I will get to those accommodations in another post, but, in short, it is not a great lifestyle. Those needing assisted care have a bigger problem. There are beautiful Senior Assisted Living Facilities but they are very expensive. There are also such facilities that are dumps, unfit for humans to live in. I knew a man in Florida who owned several and I would not have housed a cockroach in one of them.  The deal is this; you give them your Social Security each month and they give you a bed and something resembling food. If you have a specific medical condition that requires constant care, you may, in some states, get Medicaid to pay for a proper nursing home, but that, I know from experience with relatives, is not a lot better.

There is another problem Seniors have that is not financial, but social, even spiritual. Many Seniors who manage to afford living on their own, are just that, on their own. They may have outlived spouses or been alone since divorces. Some never had kids, some have outlived their kids, and many are just ignored, nearly abandoned by the kids they raised. I have known many of them who were living in little apartments, on their own, who were lucky to see their remaining family once a year, maybe get a phone call on their birthday and a card at Christmas. Humans are social animals and do not do well at all when left alone. True, most communities have Senior Centers but I believe that, while it is nice to have friends your own age, it is better to be around a variety of different folks.

The answer, well that really is fairly easy. The Government needs to stop wasting money on idiotic military adventures and needs to stop subsidizing industries that should be functioning without assistance, such as ethanol production, corn growers (who grow the corn for that nearly useless ethanol), tobacco farmers, the solar and wind energy production products, and many more industries. While we are at it, it would be a fine idea to audit the Federal Reserve just so we could see how they are manipulating our economy. Then, I have no doubt, the American people would demand an end to their nonsense (I decide to use polite language) and our economy could finally be restored to the way it is supposed to function. And, on top of both of those steps, we could stop borrowing money to send aid to foreign nations. I cannot see the sense in that and we keep doing it (right as I write this, Hillary is going on and on about our continued support for Israel.  We borrow money, give it to them, then when our own people need help, well, sorry, we don't have the money.)

As far as the social aspect goes, that is even simpler. If you have elderly members of your family, take some time and visit, call, write, whatever you can do, to just let them know that they are thought of.  When you see Seniors on the street, in parks, malls, restaurants, wherever, talk to them. They will not bite and you may meet some new, bright, funny friends. And, if you have a little free time and a few older neighbors, hang out with them a little. You have nothing to lose. You can miss and episode of The Bold and the Beautiful  or a few minutes of one of the countless games on TV each week. It will mean more than you know to them, and I will bet you have a lot better time that you expect. In short, be human and show a little compassion.

American Writers at the Fringes of Reality

I like realistic writers. The World is so very strange that I seldom see a need to embellish and most lack enough imagination to add anything worthwhile to the mix. But, as with everything, there are exceptions and I would like to mention 2.

First, William S. Burroughs. For those who may not know, Burroughs is usually, along with Kerouac and Ginsburg and a few others, is considered one of the 'Beat' generation writers. I have never figured that out since he has almost nothing, as a writer, in common with them. Burroughs lived on the edges of reality, not surprising since during the 40s, and 50s  he was fairly openly homosexual, not acceptable at all in those days, a heroin addict, a heavy marijuana user, an intensely heavy drinker when off junk, and a seeker of the then little known hallucinogenic drugs. He certainly was not in the mold of the average working guy. In fact, he was not really acceptable in any aspect of society at that time. Later, he gained recognition for his brilliance as a writer  deservedly, and, shamefully, something of a role model for disaffected youth (he was, after all, called the 'godfather of punk,' a title he loathed).

Burroughs was obsessed with the phenomenon of control, and he studied old cultures that lasted for long years, notably the Egyptians and the Mayans to learn how the priests kept the populations under control, to him, the greatest of evils. Then, he looked at our culture and saw the same things developing. He was right on the mark; if you do not believe that, just research MKUltra and after a few days in that abyss look at todays media, at the worlds of advertising and political propaganda. Look honestly at how we are manipulated and you will begin to understand Burroughs' brilliance.

As far as his writing, well, that is a bit tricky. First, he is extremely funny, in a dark sort of way. Second, his writing is not linear, plots do not proceed in a straight line. Rather, they twist in and out of each other. In a sense, there is almost no plot, just a series of skits, related in a way, sharing some characters,  but it takes a while to see connections.  I guess I would describe his works as hallucinatory science fiction/journalism. His books are not for the faint of heart; in truth, they are, in places, gross, but that is all part of his effort to report the World as it is. His view is not mine, and I hope it is not yours (if it is, seek counselling immediately), but his distance from the World, gave him many legitimate insights. Also, he was astonishingly prescient. In 1959's Naked Lunch, he mentions and epidemic sweeping the world that came from the Green African Monkey. A couple of decades later AIDS, originally caught from the Green African Monkey (or so we are told) swept the World. In Cities of the Red Night, he wrote of lost, advanced civilizations buried over time by desert sands. In recent years, archeologists have uncovered, in Turley, a vast temple complex that pre-dates Egypt and Sumer by several millennia. Read Burroughs; it is difficult and often nauseating, although hilarious, but his insights are worth the effort.

Second we have Phillip K. Dick. PKD was a prolific writer, often, it is said, writing 50 or 60 pager in 1 night. That is remarkable and, to be blunt, he was not a great wordsmith. His writing suffered some from his relentless drive but, that is understandable. In those days, science fiction writers made a penny a word for short stories and not much more for novels. He had to crank them out to pay his bills. Also, to keep up that pace, he turned to amphetamines, which did not help matters. But, they did not affect his ideas.

Dick was consumed with the question of reality, its flimsy nature and how it can be manipulated. Those doing the manipulating are generally governments and/or monolithic corporations, and, in his later works, inhuman intelligences. In Dick's books, the line between living and dead blurs, as in the wonderfully weird and funny Ubik.  Time is played with, for example in Minority Report, which deals with the conflict between pre-cognition and free will. Memories are manipulated with ease, as in We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. In his books, it is entirely possible for you to go to sleep as, say, a New York ad executive and wake up the next day as a Kansas farmer; nefarious agents can easily slip in remove your old memories, the keys to your identity, and replace them with new ones so you believe you are that farmer and recall all of  that life. Your old life, to you, never existed. Or, maybe both exist, or maybe neither does and both are illusions. This is the kind of fascinating, and not impossible, game Dick plays.

Or consider Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? later made into the fine film Blade Runner. Here he asks the question, what is human and what is soul? The humans in that World are either cold, technocrats or impoverished people beaten down by oppressive poverty. They are hunting and killing certain rogue androids who dare to want to live past their expiration dates. The androids are said to be soulless, yet they behave with far more courage and, ultimately, with more compassion than the  humans. Which are truly human, which is machine, and ultimately, why is one better that the other? Are we born with soul, or do we develop it and, having developed it, do we constantly have to struggle with keeping it? These are the kinds of questions Dick forces you to face.


Psychedelic experience are  difficult for writers to describe. Poets, maybe, but few of them cope with the subject well for a couple of reasons. First, on psychedelics, the dividing line between you and the rest of the World gets very flimsy. Second, psychedelics make time slippery. Time, in altered states, may seem linear, from past to present to future, or it may become cyclical, endlessly repeating. It may move fast, it may move slow, it may even stop, On occasion, it may just cease to exist. Strangest of all, every one of those things may seem to happen at once. Dick dealt successfully with all of that in The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. I have not touched anything psychedelic in roughly 40 years, yet when I read that book (it is short and can be read in one sitting) I felt like I had done a touch of acid.

When he grew older, Dick suffered a sort of breakdown mixed with a deeply mystic experience (actually, those two types of experience are often two sides of the same coin). He lived his normal life usually but, here and there, experienced the World of a persecuted Christian in Roman times. This led him to a sort of Gnostic Christianity. He later said he was not sure if the experiences were real, or if he was somewhat schizophrenic. In fact, one cultures schizophrenic is another's shaman. Its is surprising and a shame that no one pointed that out to him.  Unfortunately, he died after 2 strokes at the age of 54.

There are few unexplored place left on Earth and the few that are, require a whole lot of money to get at. Our Space program seems to have been abandoned. We Americans have always been restless explorers, frontiersmen at heart and, right now, there is nothing left to us but inner space. Before you rush off there, check out these 2 writers for a few pointers that may keep you safe and, at least somewhat sane.

 

American Writers - Short is Often Better

I have often heard folks say that they just do not have time to read. Understandable, since many authors feel compelled to write lengthy tomes. I once was advised that I just had to read Thomas Pynchon's Mason Dixon. It was said to be a work of vast importance. Well, the vast part was correct and it mat have held the secrets of the Universe but, alas, I shall never know. The darn thing was about 1200 pages and weighed so much it hurt my hands to try and hold it and read. I made about 300 pages and decided that whatever its charms and depth, I would have to muddle on throughout my life without Pynchon's artistry.

But, there are many writers of wonderful short fiction. Now, short stories are very hard to write and, while most writers make a stab at them, few are good at it. In short stories you have to keep the plot moving, develop characters and get to the point without seeming to rush through to the finish. Many short stories I have read seem more like  ideas for novels or, simply little vignettes, little snapshots of slivers of lives. In both cases, the writing may be fine and the idea interesting, but something is lacking, kind of like French fries without salt. America is the birthplace of the short story and we do have some masters. Try Poe, Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Elmore Leonard, Steven King, Sherwood Anderson, Hemmingway (short stories were perfect for his lean prose), Faulkner (writing short fiction kept his wordiness under control; it is a shame he did not write more of them), and, the undisputed champion of the short story, Flannery O'Connor.

There is a middle ground between short stories and lengthy novels, the novella. I love the novella because the writer can stretch out a little but still does not have room to become self-indulgent. One of a writer's worse sins is to become enamored of his own writing and begin rambling on and on with descriptive prose and psychological analyses. Shorter fiction requires the writer to get to the essence of the story and most often, not always but usually, shorter is far better. Think of the wonderful nature paintings of the old Chinese masters.  With a few brush strokes of black ink on white paper, the capture the beauty and power of Nature. It is much the same with writing. Clear and crisp beats long winded almost every time. Almost, not always but it takes a true master of words to write lengthy stories that maintain pace and hold interest. You might enjoy some of the following: Hemmingway's The Old Man and The Sea, any of Phillip K Dick's short science fiction, Louis L'Amour and Elmore Leonard short Western novels, 2 of Cormac McCarthy's early novels Child of God and Outer Dark (both very short and very dark), and any of Henry James' short works (especially The Turn of the Screw). I especially recommend Jack Kerouac's Tristessa, a novella bout a doomed love affair he had with a young, Mexican woman. For once, Kerouac restrained himself and avoided long, rambling passages of nonsense and the book is wonderful. Also, try Poe's wonderfully strange The Fall of the House of Usher.

I have learned 2 lessons about writing. First, always be ready to cut about a third of your original draft and, second, the parts you most hate to cut are usually the ones you most need to cut.

 Think in terms of music. Nothing is more boring than a long drum solo, unless it is done by a true genius like Buddy Rich or Ginger Baker, and there are very few of those around.

Americans on the Edge, of Survival - Introduction

Today, I am beginning a multipart series on Americans who are struggling just to get by, to survive in the Nation's current climate. Because the weekend is upon us, the next 2 blogs will be of a lighter nature, but Monday I will get back to this topic. Most of what I write is just me sounding off about things that I find humorous or things that anger me, but this series is about what I believe is the most serious problem in America.

This is an incredibly wealthy land but there are many, many of its citizens who are ignored, even abused, and left to suffer. Homelessness is far more prevalent than it should be and many who do have homes are sharing overcrowded dwellings with relatives or living in tiny, pay-by-the-week efficiencies. Trust me, the latter are often barely fit for human habitation and yet, you often find children, often several per room, dwelling in them.

Medical care is woeful. Do not tell me about the wonders of Obamacare. There are many who fall between the cracks, folks with just enough not to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for a half way decent insurance policy. Medicare is expensive and does not cover a whole lot of procedures. Many states did not go along with the Federal plan and have not increased Medicaid funding and those living in said states are left hanging. Dental care, not for cosmetic issues but for necessary procedures is just not there. And still, costs of Medical care rise.

Many in this land, which produces so much of the World's food, go hungry. Even if those folks are not actually hungry, they are malnourished because they can afford only the cheapest foods, starchy, fatty, sugary junk that fills the stomach without providing a damn bit of nutrition.

Mental health is said to be a vital concern and, when someone acts out enough to get in trouble they may be given a handful of ridiculously powerful drugs to stun them into submission but that is no way to treat human beings.  Are we really all so busy that we cannot take a little time to help those who are having trouble coping with this mad World we have created. Unfortunately, often  those who are force fed pills and told to behave are those least able to help themselves, children.

We, the American people are guilty of ignoring, shunning, and on occasion, abusing the elderly, children, damaged war veterans, impoverished young women and men, the physically and mentally disadvantaged and should hang our collective heads in shame. Those who run this land should be taken from their positions of wealth and power and imprisoned for this unconscionable behavior. Jesus taught that "he who does these things to the least of you, does them to me." He also said that "as you sow, so shall you reap." A day of reckoning will come and answers will have to be given for this detestable behavior.  Good luck to those who choose to ignore these really very easily solved problems.

Have fun, it is the weekend and I truly do wish everyone a fine one. I hope you read my next 2 posts. They will be lighthearted and interesting, but, more importantly, I want you to read the next few after that and give some thought to them.

American Writers, Another Nominee for Honorary Citizenship

In my last post, I said I would name another of my honorary American citizens. This time it is the novelist Malcolm Lowry. Lowry was English, his one novel was set in Mexico and was written in Canada, so he had the US surrounded. He did spend substantial time in our Nation and should be thought of as one of us for several reasons.

For those not familiar with Lowry, a brief introduction. Lowry completed 1 novel in his lifetime and it , in my not-too-humble opinion, is the best novel ever written in the English language, Under the Volcano. The story is about a British Diplomat in Mexico in the late 1930s. In essence, it is a love story, but, perhaps the strangest one you will ever encounter. It is also a political story, exploring the decline of Western Civilization in the face of the impending Second World War. You get a strong sense of how dangerous Mexico was in that period and how Western culture fared in its encounter with an indigenous people. On a more personal level, it is a story of betrayal and forgiveness. Its main character is an extreme alcoholic and this book deals with alcoholism in a brutally honest fashion. On an even deeper level, it is about a woefully failed spiritual quest and man's obsession with Earth's beauty and his terror at Earth's violence. At its deepest level, it is about the possibility of redemption for 3 very lost souls. The book is a wonder and is full of the most magnificent imagery I have ever read.

Fine, you say, but what does all that have to do with the US? Well, before he started writing fiction, Lowry was a songwriter and, in the spirit of the times, tried copying the American "hot jazz" style that was popular at the time. He later said that when writing he would keep at a phrase until it sang to him. This, I believe, gave his writing a very strong American feel, (Remember, the book was published in the 1940s, so when I say American, I refer to the America of that era) Also, without giving away too much, part of the book deals with Hollywood and celebrity, especially a brutally funny passage written in the style of that era's movie magazines. Somehow, the book just seems more American to me than it does Mexican, Canadian, or British.

I urge you to read this book. It is not easy, but not as hard as its reputed to be. You will not understand every phrase and reference, but try this. Read the book once, skipping what you do not get. Read it for the story, for the amazing writing. Then, go on line and look up the references, if you are interested. If you do that, then re-read it, you will grow even more amazed. If you do not want to bother, fine, just read it for pleasure. It is an incredibly rich, funny, brutal and sadly moving story. I no of nothing like it. Most important to me, Lowry wrote this complex novel while never losing track of the basic story. Like all great writers, he knew that the tale was the most important thing.

It is a shame Lowry did not publish more. Volcano was intended as a trilogy, but he lost the nearly completed manuscripts for the other 2 parts in a fire. He was rewriting them when he died, under circumstances that some found questionable. At least some of the blame for his death must be placed on his drinking. He was a prodigious drinker. That is why his descriptions of the Consul's alcoholism are so perfect. He wrote from experience and it cost him his life, but blessedly, not his talent. We should consider him an honorary American citizen and proudly claim his brilliant work.

American Writers

I will sing the praise of American writers. There are none on Earth like them. Americans have mastered the novel, the short story and, in short, narrative fiction. When it comes to just plain story telling, they have no equal.

English writers tell stories but, always, with the exception of the Scot, RL Stevenson, there stories are so concerned with manners and social class that the story is stulliflied. Even the great Dickens was so wrapped up in social criticism that his stories were often soap opera-ish, simple frameworks in which he made his critiques of British society. French authors are just way too cerebral and their stories suffer. Spain had one great novelist, Cervantes. In fact, he pretty much invented the novel and was brilliant but, since then,  naught. The Germans are like their French cousins, too full of angst and intellectual theory. The Russians are just too long winded and the Latin American writers are lost in a world of magical realism. The problem with that is if you can just make up anything to advance the tale, it  is simply left limp and foolish. The Japanese writers are even weirder and less comprehensible.

Americans know how to tell a tale, to spin a yarn. Twain had a lot to say in Huckleberry Finn bit never let that stand in the way of telling his wild. raucus story of a boy's adventure. Melville certainly had a lot on his mind and made extensive use of symbollism bur, when push comes to shove, Moby Dick is simply a whopper of a tale, a sea story unmatched. Hemmingway's novella, The Old Man and the Sea is a simple fish story yet, in its simplicity, it is a story of incredible bravery.

And on the list could go. Crane, Cooper, Irving, Hawthorne, the incomparable Poe and his descendent Lovecraft, King, Bradbury, Dick, Kesey, Mailer, Vonnegut, Clavell, Mitchener, Rawlings. On and on I could go, but you get my point. The most important part of a story is the story. Style, symbolism, all the rest mean nothing if the story is not compelling. If you place a lump of coal in a beutifully decorated box, it is still a lump of coal. Likewise, if you place a great pastrami sandwich in a series of steel boxes, each sealed with a combination lock that you have to figure out the combination of, then it is quite unlikely that you will pursue it. It is just too easy to go find a  deli and buy a pastrami sandwich you can just take out of the paper and enjoy.

There is one exception that I must note, a non-American who wrote perhaps the best novel I have ever read. In my next blog I will nominate him for status as an honorary American.

America on Super Tuesday 3

I confess. I am addicted, addicted to watching this stupid campaign drivel. I keep swearing I will stop but I cannot help myself. It is the funniest programming I have seen since The Simpsons were in their prime.

Ted Cruz has no chance. Even the members of his own party, his fellow Senators, find him loathsome. Even his fellow Evangelicals are spurning his advances and flocking to Trump. He has taken an interesting path. Of late, he is saying nothing of policy, nothing of ethics, nothing of any substance. He just keeps repeating one line. "Vote for me because I am the only Republican who can beat Hillary." Well, aside from the fact that no, he cannot beat her, he is now saying that he wants to take on Trump 'one on one, mano y mano. Given that neither Rubio nor Kasich have made a dent in the votes needed for the nomination, and that Trump has been beating him like a gong, I cannot grasp his logic. Then again, what does anything in this ridiculous process have to do with logic?

The we have 'Little Marco." Having failed in his attempt to mock Trump into submission, he is back to the high road. Good idea, Marco because you would fail in a career as a stand up comic. His jokes would have bombed in a Jr. High talent contest Unfortunately, he has nothing to say and is not good at saying it. Like Cruz, he has been reduced to shouting "vote for me because I am the only one who can beat Hillary. He could not be elected President of a High School class. Hopefully, blessedly, we will bid Little Marco a fond farewell after tonight's Florida Primary.

I like John Kasich, I think, and would vote for him if someone held a gun to my head and insisted I vote for someone. I have no idea what his policies are but he is likeable. In addition, he has promised that, if elected, he will reunite Pink Floyd. That alone would get my vote but he has about as much chance as former Floyd guitarist Syd Barrett and Syd has been dead for years.

That leaves The Donald who, after urging his audiences to 'knock the crap out of protestors', says that he has no responsibility for the violence that pops up at his rallies. Speaking of those protestors, I saw the disruption in Chicago and I have to say that those kids put on the worse excuse for a demonstration I have ever seen. My advice to them is 'go watch some films of the 60s demonstrations.' What you did was embarrassing. To The Donald I would say this: Be sure you want to do this election thing because it is going to get ugly. Yesterday an ad began running featuring all of the piggishly derogatory remarks you have made about women. Before this thing is over, every skeleton in your closet will be exposed. Anything anyone in your family, including your parents, any siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, anyone, will be trotted out for the World to see. If your dog ever peed on the neighbor's lawn, we will hear about it.

On to the Democrats. Bernie does seem like a nice guy but he is fighting a fool's campaign. Don Quixote had a better chance in his battle with the windmills. There is also another wee problem. If elected, he will accomplish nothing. There is a less than zero chance that any Congress will go along with his plans because they would involve raising taxes through the stratosphere. That is a no starter.

That leaves us with Hillary. I have made it clear that to say I dislike her is an extreme understatement, yet, in the last few days, I have begun to feel a bit sorry for her. I find that a bit disturbing but I cannot help it because, the more I see and hear her, the more convinced I am that she really does not want to be doing this.  I truly believe that someone or several someones are pushing her and odds are she will win. But, maybe not, because Just like Trump, she will have every skeleton in the Clinton closet drug forth. Everything she ever did will be under a microscope and, perhaps worse for her, every action, every thing her husband, the infamous Slick Willie ever did will be dissected, examined from every angle and shouted from the rooftops.

All in all, the Trump-Clinton battle figures to be great fun. It will be the dirtiest, nastiest campaign this Nation had ever seen, and if you know anything about American History, you know how low that is. This will not be name calling and mud slinging. This will be, on both sides, complete character annihilation and what they throw will not be mud.

American Honorary Citizens

America should be able to name honorary citizens, people who live in nearby countries but have contributed so much to our Nation. I would like to nominate 5 such people, 1 painter and 5 musicians.

First, from Mexico, Diego Rivera. Rivera was a painter who portrayed the people, the workers, farmers, musicians, shopkeepers, soldiers and just about everyone in his Native land. His work is colorful and seems to me deceptively simple. There is none of the lushness and texture of the great European masters and that is more than fine, it is perfect for his subjects. In his simplicity, in his use of color, he captures the heart of these wonderful people. He often worked on murals, elaborate scenes of life, often joyous, sometime not so much, but always capturing the essence of a people who have, throughout our history, contributed much to American life.

Second, Joni Mitchell. She took the whole singer-songwriter thing out of the hands of men and gave voice to women. Keep in mind, when she started in folk music , men dominated, Dylan, Phil Ochs, Dave van Ronk, Ramblin' Jack Eliot. But, she was there, writing and singing. Yes, there was Joan Baez but she was stuck in traditional music. As the acid days of pop music died down, again men dominated, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and the rest of the angst driven writers of confessional songs. Joni was still there. Then, as pop music grew more sophisticate, adding complexity taken from jazz, think Steely Dan, she was there, turning out albims like Court and Spark, Hejira, and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. She, while producing fine music, opened doors for many female writers and singers and gave men a glimpse into the workings of an intelligent, artistic female mind. She has been in poor health of late, so please give some thought and recognition to this genius.

Third, Neil Young.  This Canadian has been around for what seems like eternity. I first heard of him with Buffalo Springfield, then with CSNY and on his solos work. He is a quirky artist, my favorite kind, and a kind we are sorely lacking in this day's pop music. His voice is an aquired taste, his lyrics are often obscure to the point of being downright indeciferable and his guitar playing is, at best idiosyncratic, but, it works and his material has always been fascinating, in a very odd way. I like odd.

Fourth, and more conventionally, Gordon Lightfoot. This Canadian has produced a long stream of radio friendly folk/pop hits and deservedly so, The music is rich and his voice richer, sort of like the best of moonshine (those who have tasted properly made corn whiskey will understand immediately. Those who haven't, well, sorry, it is wonderful and, with the passing of the old makers, probably gone forever). I do not think that enough attention has been given to his songs. His lyrics are simple, as are his subjects, and therein lies their eloquence. When you write of people as they are, the good and the bad, there is no need of frills. The simpler the better is often true and his portraits of sailors and drinkers, of dreamers and lovers, of young ramblers and the old folks at home, are wonderful, especially when set, as he often does, in pictures of the natural world and the city that are breathtaking in their simple beauty. Sometimes, most often in fact, the best thing is storytelling. Set location, create character and let the story roll out and your work will be filled with a richness that far outstrips the pretentions of many artists. His Sundown album is a lovely, understated masterpiece.

Fifth and Sixth are 2 more Canadien musicians, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson fron The Band. If you don't know The Band, they were at one time Dylan's backup band. They went on to be one of the biggest rock bands of the late 60s and 70s. Why I call the rock, I am not sure. They sure could rock and they could play the blues, but their real brilliance was in the way they created something unique and new by blending all of American music into a kind of gumbo of sound. Like a good gumbo, it was delicious, a blend of folk, blues, rock and roll, ragtime, all with lyrics that celebrated America, the happy and the sad. What is more amazing is that they did this at a time when America was in a dark, destructive frame of mind. These guys, 1 American and 4 Canadians, reminded us of our heritage and celebrated that heritage. Robertson and Hudson are the only ones of them left and their contribution to Amercia, their sheer joy in this Land, should be remembered.

Rivera passed on long ago, but the others are still here and I truly believe that they are worthy of being recognized as honorary citizens. If you have others, please comment.

America's Celebrity Death Cult

America, as I write this, is being treated to a viewing of Nancy Reagan's funeral. Why? Okay, she was married to a President. I do not care. She was an old woman and she died.

Well, so did a lot of other old women and we do not make note of them each day nor do we spend hours of news coverage on their burial. I am sure that the death of an elderly member of your family means a good deal more to you than Nancy's does and I am also sure that your departed kin do not get weepy testimonials from Government officials and aging celebrities. Why the fuss over her?

Recently, Glen Frye of the Eagles died. I liked the Eagles, mostly, although I did grow a bit tired of hearing them. He was only in his 50s and it is a shame he died young, but why is that a bigger deal than any other guy dying young. There are hard working parents with large families who die young and the Nation makes little if any note of their passing. Young people just starting their lives die and little note is made.

What is our obsession with celebrity? I have known musicians at least as talented as Frye and their passing saddened me but I did not see any reason for their death to be a National concern. When the wives of past Presidents such as Truman and Eisenhower died, a quick news mention was all that they received.

Somehow, celebrities have become more than humans to us, and there in lies the answer. This is a secular age, an age where we, on the whole, give little more than lip service to our Creator. Oh, we trot Him (or Her, or, well whatever pronoun you wish to use) out on occassion, but for the most part we ignore the Divinity. That leaves a gap that the human mind wants to fill. In older cultures, the creator was considered a remote and frightening Being so folks dealt with a bunch of lesser beings, gods and goddesses. Now, we laugh at such beliefs while failing to see that we are merely substituting celebrities for low level divinities. We worship Beyonce instead of Aphrodite, Tom Cruise instead of Thor and Glen Frye instead of Apollo.

Then, when these demi-gods leave the scene, we resort to the kind of behavior that the Old Egyptians engaged in. The Pharoahs were, to their subjects, gods on Earth and when they died, it was thought necessary to see that they had a successful passage to the afterlife as this would insure continued prosperity and order on Earth. We, as we bury and mourn the loss of our celebrities are carrying out a watered down version of these rituals.

Don't believe me? You can find videos of people at Graceland. Every evening there is a gatherering of people at Elvis' grave, a candlelight gathering complete with a solemn few moments for quiet and meditation. This is by any realistic view, a religious gathering. Celebrities have become our objects of worship just as Pharoahs and kings and queens and every other sort of head of state throughout the history of the ancient world. Given that things did not work out too well for all of those mighty kingdoms of yore, maybe we should rethink that.   

America and the Great Depression

America, long before many of the folks now out there voting were born, went through what was called 'The Great Depression.' I bring this up because I am not sure what, if anything of substance, is now taught in History classes. Given that survey after survey shows that many college graduates cannot find their own state on a map of the US, I am reasonably sure that little is taught about this dreadful page in our History.

In the 1920s. America was booming. It was the Jazz Age, the time of bathtub gin (during Prohibition, a subject I may get to later), rag time music and the attitude was, 'let the good times roll.' Many folks became wealthy, on paper. Stocks were purchased 'on margin,' meaning you put down a small percentage and only paid the balance when you sold, hopefully at a substantial profit. In other words, they made their wealth on credit. Well, for reasons that are still being debated, the market crashed. Why? In part because you just cannot keep borrowing against the future; at some point you have to put up the cash to keep afloat, to expand. There is also, in such a buying scheme, the potential for great abuse, especially when the whole mess is unregulated. Insider trading and market manipulations were the order of the day. Many. me included, believe, with a substantial amount of supporting evidence, that the collapse was deliberate since it gave the really, really wealthy a chance to start buying out smaller companies and eliminating competition.

Now, notice some of the phrases I have used: credit, insider trading. unregulated, business takeovers, eliminating competition, especially credit. During our recent, and still ongoing recession, all of these things reared their ugly little heads. Again, the big boys, the real Powers that Be, tightened the noose on average Americans and they are poised to do just that again, probably sooner rather than later.

Our recession, as miserable as it was a Sunday stroll in the park compared to the Great Depression. Jobs were not scarce, they were just not there. Men (this was in the days when men worked and women tended the home) worked for nearly nothing at anything they could get, a day here and there. Former shop owners sold pencils and apples on street corners. Men fought and even killed over a chance to make a few dollars just to keep a roof over their family's heads and some food, anything, in their stomachs. Soup kitchens and bread lines were found in all cities and the lines were long. Young men, unemployed, often left home rather than burden their families with another mouth to feed and rode the rails, hoboing around the Country on freight trains ( they hopped onboard when no one was looking, if caught they were often beaten, sometimes to death). I was born after these times, but my parents remembered them well and my grandparents would often tell tales of the nightmare.

If you think this cannot happen now, you are both right and wrong. Economically, it is likely. Year after year, statistics show that fewer and fewer people in the Country and around the World (The Great Depression was not just in the US, it was Worldwide) control more and more of the wealth, so, yes, we very probably will see an economic collapse and fairly soon. But, it will not be the same; it will be worse, probably much worse.

Why? Simple, changing demographics. America and Europe, even China, have native populations that are aging. The rest of the World's population is younger and mostly male. There are no jobs, no opportunities in Nations that are already impoverished and a large, okay huge, number of their young people are headed to America and Europe where there are, you guessed it no jobs, at least no good jobs. When they do find work, they are willing to do it for a fraction of what native workers demand. They rarely do good work but big businesses really do not care as long as they get cheap labor. Americans and Europeans then not only have lost jobs and are forced into part time work or low wage jobs, they are forced to buy worse goods and services with the little money they do make. In the meantime, most all small businesses that are surviving admit that they cannot function without substantial credit lines (there is that nasty word 'credit' again). Well, as sure as I am sitting here, one day, the Powers that Be will demand that the dancers pay the fiddler and those credit debts will come due. A phony bubble, in housing, tech or some other vital area will be inflated, then, 'pop,' it will burst. Then, like a bad yeast infection, the Depression  will be back, only now you will have in  this Country and Europe, such cultural diversity that it will be almost impossible for folks to pull together and since all of those young men from 3rd World countries will have the rug yanked out from under them, look for violence. When you see the crap getting near the fan, get out of the big cities; they will be nightmarish. God can only imagine what the 3rd World countries will be like.

Is all of this inevitable? No, nothing is, but it is awfully close.

Note for anyone wanting to get an idea of how bad The Great Depression really was. Read John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath and try to find a copy (if it is still to found anywhere) of James Agee's and Walker Evans' Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. These works will give you a gut level feel for the era. Then, go to a site like Good Reads and find a list of nonfiction books on the subject ( type in 'Depression Era Books' There are many listed).

America and the Scotch-Irish

Among the earliest settlers in America were the Scotch-Irish folks from the Highlands. They were the ones who settled the Appalachians and the Lowlands of the East Coast and, quite often, they were not of their homeland's upper crust. In fact, Georgia, where I am now, was originally a penal colony. Now, that did not make these people serial killers or armed bandits; it was just really easy for poor folks to get on the wrong side of the law in Britain.

No, these folks were farmers and miners and craftsmen of various sorts, and, to be honest, there were a few petty thieves and con men in the lot. They also made the best whiskey imaginable. As time went by, they became respectable citizens, civic leaders, ministers, successful shop keepers and such, but almost always there remained in them a wild streak, a fondness that bordered on obsession for freedom, and a relentless restlessness. As the Nation headed West, after the Louisiana Purchase, they were often in the vanguard, first as explorers and scouts, then as pioneer settlers. They had guts, no doubt of that, and, for good or ill or a bit of both, their fondness for whiskey was equaled by their fondness for battle. They took the Land, stole it, if you will, from the native people. It is easy to sit her, in this time, and decry the way the natives were treated, but, had the frontiersmen, settlers and soldiers not taken the Land, you would not be sitting here now. So, always think twice when considering past actions. Besides, History is amoral. What was done, was done.

These folks, when settled, remained restless and seemed blessed, or cursed, depending on your viewpoint, with a knack for invention, for taking knowledge and using it in new ways, turned their restless minds and native inventiveness to industry, and the Modern American life was born. All sorts of gadgets, from giant engines, to handy kitchen aids were created and, slowly, life, in some ways, grew easier. Prosperity became a possibility for many who thought themselves lost in eternal poverty.

The Scotch-Irish never have lost their love of a good fight and it is no surprise that their names are etched in the annuls of American warfare. Just say the word 'war,' and they were there. I do believe that a little restraint of this trait may have been a good idea but, remember 2 things. As ugly and stupid as World War 1 was, England, our ancestral home, was lost until we stepped in and brought things to a fairly quick conclusion. Then, a short time later, World War 2 again put England, in fact all of Europe in deep peril. Again, after a lot of argument on the home front (at least we were thinking by this point) we intervened. Between the combination of our attack in the West and Russia's heroic defense in the East, the War was, in short order, over. (by the way, we should have taken advantage of the situation and worked out something with our then ally, Russia, instead of launching into the completely idiotic Cold War that damaged both sides so extensively and needlessly).

What is my point? As always, glad you asked. These strange, violent, poetic, magical, hard headed, practical, restless folks did a lot, a whole lot to build America into what it is, or rather what it was in its greatness. This is no longer their Land. That is simply a fact. As more and more immigrate, we seem to be on our way to becoming some sort of bizarre union of Hispanics and Moslems. Okay, again History is immoral and what is, is what is. But, I do believe this now declining population should be given some credit and that folks of all backgrounds need to remember that these people built the Country they are inheriting. A bit of respect is due, please.

America- The Chickens Will Come Home To Roost

I am getting older now. Well, okay, I am officially considered a senior citizen. I have few personal attachments and no business attachments and no real societal standing, so, I have little if anything to lose, That is why I feel free to write whatever the hell I want to. I do not care what others think.

I have written before that the most dangerous creature on Earth, possibly the most dangerous creature in the known Universe, is a person with nothing left to lose. I, fortunately, am not a violent man and can release all of my anger, and there is plenty of it, in my writing, and when not writing, with humor. There are others on this planet who are a very different matter.

If you look to the Mid East, you see prime examples of just how dangerous people with nothing to lose can be. Throughout the region, young men and women with no education, no jobs and almost no hope for the future are crammed into nightmarish, poor parts of cities. Look at the Palestinians. Generations are stuck there with no escape and no chance of escape. Then, look at the results.

It is all too easy to say, 'well that is there. We live in the good old USA.' Well, look closer. More and more of the Nation's wealth is controlled by fewer and fewer people and, trust me, those folks are always trying to grab more. There are those who decry the disappearing middle class, I have news for them. It is already gine. Any pretense those folks have of middle class status is riding on their credit. They are all aware that one more glitch in the economy and they are screwed. Many, most, have little savings and live if not paycheck to paycheck, then paycheck to the check after that next one. Any medical emergency and they go bust. You see, even if insured, if there is anything serious enough to stop the checks for a week or two or more, they have no safety net, and the Government is fresh out of those.

But, those are grown ups and they will likely, although not for sure, just suffer quietly. Oh they may rouse themselves to go vote for The Donald or Bernie as some sort of lame protest, but they may as well stay home and watch Bugs Bunny cartoons for all the good voting will do. That train left the staion and like the Mystery Train in the old rock song, 'it ain't never comin' back.'

But what of their kids, you know, the ones who have grown up watching the lifestyles and antics of the rich and famous on their TV?. They still have memories of the middle class life and they still have the energy to be outraged when they are stripped from it. And what of the poor who have always been frustrated by what they cannot have?

Do not try and feed me that get a good education and work hard and you will make it crap, that also left on that Mystery Train. In case you had not noticed, a lot, a big lot of folks with big educations are having to settle for low level, low pay jobs. There are many an MBA working the fast food circuit.

The noose on America is tightening. I remember, not that many years ago when $50 would buy a family of 4 a weeks worth of groceries (actually, I remember when it would buy 3 weeks of groceries, but I won't go back to ancient lore).  Now, that $50 will not feed 2 people for 4 days, unless they live on Pop Tarts and Ramen Noodles and cheap, fat-filled Hot Dogs. My Mom used to take me to a Doctor for a $10 office visit fee. Now, without insurance, an office visit, in a sorry walk-in clinic starts at $85. You once could get a darn decent used car for $3000. Now, a rattle-trap old junker will run you $8000 and up. Yet, the quality of medical care, food and cars have all declined. And still, the Federal Government has the unmitigated gall to claim that inflation is not an issue.

We have been, well let me be polite and say, abused and I look around at the Nation the young ones are inheriting and ask myself, 'how long do you think they will put up with this BS?' Not long I hope. One fine day, the folks who run this Nation, not the Bushes and the Clintons, they are just the lackeys of the elite, will wake up and find the poor who have been pushed to the breaking point at their front doors, demanding their share, demanding what is due them as human beings, some dignity. When it happens, I will jusr grin and tell the elite, 'well look at that. The chickens finally came home to roost.

America - Celebrate Spring

As we sit here in the grip of yet another cold front, it may be hard to realize that Spring is almost here. But, already, here in Georgia, I can see the buds on the kudzu vines starting to  open. The fescue is slowly changing from its lovely winter brown to a pale green and the pine trees are dropping copious amounts of pollen, much to the horror of my sinuses.

Allergies aside, I love Spring. As trite as it may be to say, it is a time of rebirth, of renewal, and after a Winter of terrorism and El Nino rains, of Polar Vortexes and relentless Election campaigning, we are all in need of renewal.

The Spring holidays are seldom given a lot of thought these days. In times not that far in the past, Spring celebrations were great fun. Even in school, teachers goofed on their pupils on April Fools Day and everyone was Irish on St; Patrick's Day. Yes, I know, on St; Patrick's Day bars serve green beer (yuck) and here and their Moms cook corned beef and cabbage, but there was a time when the day was a big deal for all. It is a silly holiday, meaningless really, but that was the point. Most every little town had a parade and school cafeterias served green iced cake and everyone just had fun. Having meaningless silly fun is a much underrated way to spend some time; it's good for the soul.

I am not Jewish, so maybe I am wrong, but, according to many of my Jewish friends, Passover is now just a time to have a good dinner and a nice get together. When I was younger, most Jewosh families I knew viewed the day with at least some reverence as a cultural tradition and may were still very devout. Now, maybe that has faded a bit, but when you get right down to it, just getting together for the meal and company is a very spiritual event in its own right.

Easter, like Passover, is still of deep religious significance to some, but fewer and fewer as time goes by. Among Christians I know, many attend church on such holidays as more of a social event than a spiritual one, and that's fine. Social and spiritual are very related. Many who have fallen away from any specific religiuos tradition, the ever increasing category who call themselves Spiritual But Not Religious, celebrate Easter as a family tradition or as a kind of celebration of Spring. Again, that is just fine. Many Easter traditions, such as the great feast and Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny are taken from old pagan traditions. The important thing is taking time to mark the passage into Spring and allow such a celebration to aid you in your renewal as you pass from Winter's doldrums.

In the old days, when I was in shool, we even celebrated the transition from Spring to Summer with a May Day festival. Games were played, a somewhat special lunch was served in the cafeteria and we danced around a May Pole weaving brightly colored ribbons as we danced. This was stopped when an early version of the politically correct thought police realized that May Day was a political holiday in the old Soviet Union and put a stop to the frivolity.               

The point of all this? Nothing, really, nothing serious or deep anyway. In fact my only point is that we would be well served to remember and celebrate the transition to Spring, to do silly things, eat special foods and enjoy good company, for in these actions, especially when set among the profusion of the grand colors of Nature in fine mild weather, we become renewed and if you are at all like me, you are in need of that.

American Writers - Ray Bradbury

I love genre fiction, mysteries, suspense, western, sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. I know that these have long been the bane of literary experts but, with some exceptions, they are where you find good stories. They are also, in modern fiction, where you find human characters. And, best of all, they are readable.

Let's take the last point first. William Faulkner was a fine writer and, here and ther, could write stunning descriptive prose. However, to get to those parts you had to wade through page after mind-numbing page of his stream of consciousness shtick. Stream of consciousness is an effective tool for writers but, a little bit goes a long, long way. Faulkner's meanderings are annoying and detract from what could be fine tales of fascinating people.  He, ultimately, bores me.

Now, let's look at a sci-fi writer. I take as my example, Ray Bradbury. To call him a sci-fi writer is a bit misleading because, unlike Artur C. Clark or Isaac Asimov, he pays little attention to the science of the whole thing. Instead, he uses the backdrop of the space voyage and the exploration of strange worlds as a backdrop for his exploration of human nature.

His characters are us, you and me, and the story revolves around how we might behave when thrust into fantastic situations. His characters are kind, cruel, devious, loyal, violent, optimistic, pessimistic, stupid, smart, in short human. The tales often have a sweet longing for the finer moments of humanity while never losing the edge of dark possibilities.

Most importantly, they are stories, wild flights of fancy, absorbing tales of possibility and limits. If you have not read Bradbury, I can highly recommend Farenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Illustrated Man, and. espec ially, the sublime Martian Chronicles. Some quiet afternoon, perhaps on a rainy Saturday when the World is quiet, settle back with one of his books. You will spend a delightful afternoon as these stories reconnect you to the best, and at times, the worst, of humanity. They are fine, fine tales.

America and Storytellers

I have said before that I love to read. I believe that storytelling is what makes humans different from the rest of Creation. After all, we are said to be made in the image of our Creator and what has been created is, to make a complex issue simple, a grand story.

I seldom find books these days that simply tell a good story. For the past many years, authors seem to have become obsessed with style over substance. Take, for example, James Joyce.

Joyce could write. His first novel, Potrait of the Artist as a Young Man, was very good, not great but very good, His book of short stories, Dubliners, was brilliant, especially  his Christmas story, The Dead. I know, that does not sound very Christmasy, but it is a beautiful, warmly human story. We will get back to that human part shortly.

I have tried repeatedly to read Ulysses and each time, about half way through, I ask myself why I am bothering. I understand it, and can appreciate the quality of the writing. I even get the humor but, so what? The story is simply boring. The main characters are unpleasant and who really wants to know every thought that passes through their minds.

Then, we reach Finnegan's Wake. The book is absurd and I think that is almost the point. It is experiment for the sake of experiment, a sort of artistic masturbation.

Joyce was an odd man, obsessed with himself and his own thinking. He was so disappointed with the people of his own native Ireland and seemingly wwithdrew into himself. He developed that habit of writing notes documenting his every thought and truly, they were not that special and really uninteresting. His experiments in writing are absurd and I believe that is because he found people absurd and somewhat distasteful, if not downright loathsome.

For reaasons that escape me, literary critics became enamored of his nonsense, hailing his great profundity at every turn. Honestly, he was a naught schoolboy, a near sociopath who expected the World to support him while he thumbed his nose at his supporters. His own wife once asked him when he was going to write something that people could actually read.

Well, as should have been expected, all the praise heaped upon him set the wheel in motion and rather quickly, substance was foresaken for style and classic style was foresaken for experiment, experiment for its own sake. The art of storytelling was lost.

There are still writers who tell stories but the quality of their subject matter is limited. For example, Phiilip Roth and John Updike are fine wordsmiths but their obsessions are trivial and boring. To be blunt, Updike's suburbanites are not the stuff of great stories, nor are Roth's tales of the frustrated Jewish males.

I once heard Ken Kesey say, in an interview, that he wanted writers like Twain and Poe who could write tales of heroes and villians, of machines and monsters. I concur.