Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun
Showing posts with label Ben Carson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Carson. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

NOT SURE


   The protracted Presidential election process is like a window into American character. What are we seeing?
    From this view I see the case that big money is so powerful it has created an industry, electioneering and it is at odds with good government. Getting elected in America has almost no connection with governing in America. They are different orbits, different universes. What it takes to get elected has almost no connection with what it takes to govern. In fact so much effort is spent on raising funds it should raise flags the system is at least out of kilter if not broken.  
      A member of the US House of Representatives will spend as much if not more time raising money for re-election than she or he spends on doing the people's work.  Members of the Senate are also trapped, but with 6 year terms, they can attend to governing and legislating. Maybe it's time to change house terms to 4 years, if we can't reform campaign spending. 
    This election window also exposes the damnable situation in which the Republican party finds itself. The evangelical, right wing and loony fringes control the nominating process and have driven the party to being out of touch with the majority of working Americans. Real Republicans are forced to play to the right and still they find themselves trailing vanity candidate Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson who is so unqualified to be a President he belongs in the Sarah Palin zoo.
    It also exposes the travesty of making New Hampshire and Iowa important. Those two states have long eclipsed their real  value and role. It is not the fault of New Hampshire and Iowa. The fault is with the media and the parties.
    Campaign reporting has digressed to numbers and carnival. It is more about the process, the horse race and personality than substance. Journalism has been dumped for entertainment, hype and gotcha. True, there is a refining process in being exposed to 24 hour coverage and examination but it has gotten so silly as to be almost pointless. Why should performance in Iowa and New Hampshire dictate a candidates true viability everywhere else?  It is because the system is so top heavy with money and contribution momentum and because the media has top loaded those two states and their own process in the hype circus that life is imitating bad art.
     The best chance at a cure is old advice.  Limit campaign spending.  Shorten the campaign cycle. Make it impossible for candidates to transport their war chest to any personal use. Get rid of PACs. For their part the media needs  a serious season of self evaluation and analysis. News managers need to realize the point of the campaign is not to build ratings, sell advertising, aggrandize careers, but to examine true and relevant issues and the women and men who are asking to be hired by the public.

Monday, September 21, 2015

POPE FRANCIS, BEN CARSON, BUDDY GUY, GEORGE THOROGOOD, WINE COOL

HARD CHOICE
     Before we jump into high energy personality and wine country cool a couple of ironies that define the complexity of your world.
      How long before American political and military leaders have to address our compliance in pederasty.  American troops have complained they have been told to "look the other way" as Afghani police and military men sexually abuse young boys. The New York Times, among others, reports American troops have been told it is part of the Afghani culture.
       My colleagues and I learned of this cultural practice when we were reporting on the Mujaheddin, the US supported Afghanis fighting the Russians. I was repelled. This is not consensual same gender sex. It's called bacha bazi "boy play" and in truth is tantamount to rape. 
       How long do we look the other way for the sake of cultural respect and political alliances? Is looking the other way immoral? Do we condone child sexual abuse by acting as though it's their culture and we should stay out of it? How many other "blind eyes" and trade offs must we engage in and to what end?
         What brings "boy play" to the front page is the growing number of US Marines and others who are sick of condoning the often violent assaults.
Another Trick Bag
     Pope Francis and Ben Carson, two men who profess faith as Christians. The Pope embraces the outcast and in an act simulating Jesus, he washes their feet. Carson who speaks of his belief says on the political stump no Muslim should be President.Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist, a Christian denomination that believes in the imminent second coming of Christ. 
       Makes you wonder what Jesus would think, huh?
       It's a hard world and our choices are complex.
A BLUES GUY AND ROCK HARD
coming up-but first
PICK UP DEFINED
   You're looking at a pick up-actually a multiple pick up party.
   After we moved to California our mid western friends would say "What?" when we told them we were going to a pick up party.  
   Wineries stage parties for wine club members to "pick up" their wine.
 Though the temperature was near 90 in the Paso Robles West Side wine region, the old barn was cool and provided a breeze.

 The new public tasting room at Halter Ranch is almost ready to open.
  The Members Tasting room and offices were closed on this pick day as harvesting and processing is underway in the work area and acres of underground caves.
    Storage barns were makeshift check out lines and still
offered a gorgeous view.
       Harvest is underway in Paso. Members pick up and harvesters pick.

FACES OF BUDDY GUY
   It's always a thrill to see the great blues guitarist Buddy Guy.
 The six time Grammy winner and member of the Rock and Roll hall of fame lit it up at Vina Robles Amphitheatre. 
   The 79 year old virtuoso is a beloved legend.





BOOGIE BLUES DESTROYER
  George Thorogood and the Destroyers may be the ultimate bar band. 
 The Wilmington Delaware native is 65 and still kicks it up as much as he did back in the early 80's when he burst onto the scene, touring with the Rolling Stones.







 High Velocity Impressions

  He electrified the audience.  




   See you down the trail.