WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

FEELING THEIR PAIN

     From what some of them are saying, the skies are less 
than blue for Young Republicans.  I've read a few pieces over the last week that hint some of the junior members of the GOP are doing what their moderate seniors have been unable to do, put some distance between them and the far right tea party mind set that has taken over the steering wheel of the Republican party.

     Many of the young politicians have different views on social issues and believe the party elders have acquiesced or become strident.  In an article written by Susan Saluny of the New York Times a young GOP member is quoted as saying "when it comes to what you do in your bedroom, or where you go to church or where you put your tattoo, we just couldn't care less."

      I have long time friends in both major parties as well as long time relationships with political operatives on both sides.  Democrats are delighted that fewer young Americans want to associate with the Republican party.  A Republican friend says it is no wonder when the current crop of house and senate republicans have become so ideologically "narrow" (his word).  

      Women's health and rights has become a huge dividing line for young women. Young Americans, according to polls, are more accepting of gay rights and same sex marriage. Any organization that seems to balk at, contend or challenge on those issues stands to loose millennials as well.

       It's a bit like the old Kermit song..."It hard to be green"

or a young republican.  As a long time political junkie it is

weird to see sitting republicans bad mouth policies that were once put forward by "radicals" like Bob Dole, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and even the old Gipper.

    DAY FILE

COOL SCENES

HERE'S AN EXERCISE IN PATIENCE

SUN SET TO FULL MOON RISE

See you down the trail.

THE DAY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO TODAY

Photo courtesy of Opera News

      Richard Nixon's flawed character and Presidency was not

without moments of greatness.  Today is the anniversary of his historic visit to China.  It was the great rapprochement

and new opening. 

Photo courtesy of BBC.com

     Nixon was the first President I met, though I had seen and covered Lyndon Johnson. I thought Nixon had earned his nickname "Tricky Dick" and there was much about the man of which to disapprove.  But when he told Chinese Premier Cho En Lai in China "What we do here can change the world" he 

was indeed correct.  His move to open relations was brilliant.

     This clip from a BBC documentary captures the history

and speaks to its impact.

ACCOMPANIED BY REDWOOD

     Lana has immediately gone to work utilizing the new redwood fencing as an element in her "garden compositions" as I refer to her creative landscape work.

     The limbs of the paperbark tree in the frame below gain dimension against the fence.

     The little trellis to the right seems simple as it
stands ready to guide and receive the vine we recently trimmed, however----It was a joint project, certainly not overly complicated but when two headstrong people bring their vastly different styles of building to the table, well, it was spirited.  If you've been married or in a relationship for many years, you may understand.  Nonetheless-we are both satisfied with our little addition to the, we hope soon to be, vine covered gate.

See you down the trail.

EXTRAORDINARY MATTERS

THE WINNINGEST

Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

THE SUPER K's

It was an historic moment when Duke Coach Mike  Krzyewski and his mentor, former Coach Bob Knight

embraced after Coach K surpassed Knight as the 

college basketball coach with the most wins.

And it was special. Touching even.  Coach K

played for Knight at Army and was an assistant to Knight.

I consider it good fortune to have spent time with both

men.  I covered Bob Knight for a couple of decades.

The men admire each other.  Both are brilliant students of the game and they have an unequaled success. And as Knight mentored Coach K, Coach K has mentored many others.  Before moving from Indiana, one of our "farewell tour" events was watching Duke play IU at Assembly Hall.

My WISH TV sports anchor Anthony Calhoun arranged for tickets immediately behind the Duke bench.  What a show!

When Coach K, stood, his assistant coaches stood.  When

he unbuttoned his blue blazer, his assistant coaches unbuttoned their blue blazers, and so it went.

My all time favorite coach was the great Johnny Wooden

who combined class and decorum with brilliance.

Coach K is cut from that cloth. The kids who emulate him

are getting a good pattern of excellence.

Last night as I watched Mike and Bob embrace

I thought that if Bob had better controlled his

emotions and had found, at times, a better and more appropriate channel for his 

extraordinary perception of the game, Mike

might still be trying to better Knight's record.

ONE MORE TIME

GET THE BIG MONEY OUT OF POLITICS

Tea party or OWS activist, conservative or

liberal, regardless of your stance, all should

agree that getting big money out of politics

will make for better government.

In fact experience leads me to believe until

corporate and big dollar influence is limited

we'll continue to see a deterioration of the quality

of government and a sell out to denizens of greed.

NPR presented a brilliant demonstration of the problem

with a focus on how the Nixon administration sold out

to the milk producers.  What was illegal then is noW

appropriate.  This might raise your blood pressure.

Link here for the audio.

DAY BOOK

COASTAL SCENES

 The Big Blue (and turquoise)

 Dunes Hiking

 Well off the beaten path

See you down the trail.