Kinkikali

Joy and Tears in the River’s Song

This book was written by the father of siblings I first met back at UNH in the 1980′s.  It was published back in 2001 by Driftwood Publications.

Dick Frye was kind enough to meet with me in Concord NH where he generously spoke of his creative process, including the fact that he not only wrote the masterpiece, but illustrated the cover…a plethora of talent indeed.

The book is science fiction with an undercurrent of romance.  Set in the present day, the story follows an everyday woman who falls into a parallel world, a transnational entity seeking change and human betterment, all while operating in the often fragile world of human limitations.  Excellent ethical issues are presented.  Do we determine science and progress or do science and progress lead us humans?  The book provides a prescient view of the now humdrum technology of the day.  Joy and Tears is available via Amazon.  Check it out.

http://www.amazon.com/Tears-Rivers-Song-Richard-Frye/dp/0615119573/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337525596&sr=8-1

Dual Citizenship: Michelle et al.

Dual citizenship can be fine. Up to age 21, dual citizenship can provide a lifestyle rich in diversity.  At a certain age, one should choose what flag to salute.  Dual citizenship is not a problem to the average Jose.  At a point, it gets to be a point of divided loyalty.  When a powerful and influential member of government whether openly or quietly unspoken (worse) holds dual citizenship, that is intolerable.  In the case of Michelle Bachmann, she had the good sense to forgo even the hint of holding dual allegiances.  It is an abomination to swear to serve the Constitution and be beholden to another country.  Michelle rightly took the “you can’t serve two masters” to heart.  The most egregious examples of the other end of the spectrum include those in the military-defense-security-State Department realm of government holding dual US and Israeli citizenship.  Not only do those on the outside have reason to be suspicious, but the very concept of being non-partisan is completely destroyed.  If one’s place of birth gets high scrutiny, then one’s current state status has to be settled (Like dropping dual citizenship).  Divided loyalties are unnecessary complications in a world where there is enough complexity in world affairs without added human uncertainty to the score

Taking Sides: Thoughts

The movie Taking Sides portrays an American prosecutor looking to pin guilt on a German conductor who took no action against the Nazis.  This “guilt by association” angle was pretty common.  The movie should be a basis for reflection on guilt and its application.  This conductor played for German audiences.  And he was hounded.  Werner Von Braun who developed the V-1 and V-2 bombs that fell on London and Antwerp was quietly hustled away to the US and given a prominent position in NASA.  Not only did the rockets kill indiscriminately, their production was by slave labor.

The sin of inaction ignores the wider world, the world that stood by, had the “not my problem” attitude, that traded and conversed–nation to nation–with no great prescience of the future ahead.  Prior genocides and wars of conquest had not been contested by third parties, private or public.  Some outcry was common, just spineless or helpless in nature, easily forgotten.  About the only “crime” that garnered universal condemnation (and forced real change) was the Bloody Congo in the last decades of the 19th century.

The sin of inaction cannot be applied judiciously when it is applied selectively.  Perhaps the sin of inaction should be seen in a wider and deeper context.  Perhaps the guilt of others need to be enhanced to lessen the guilt of those who were just as blind, naive, and inactive when facing unacceptable crimes.

Mary Crump NH Painter

Here is another shout out for a talented local artist (and a very dear friend).

Her name is Mary Crump.  She can be reached at 6 Bow Center Road, Apt. 1-340, Bow NH 03304  Tel: 603-225-8145

I present some of her works for your pleasure.  Her art is for sale and she does commissioned works.

Her work is exhibited currently (April 2012) at Red River Theatres in Concord NH

http://www.redrivertheatres.org/

Shootout in Greenland NH

The recent shootings in Greenland NH warrant comment.  This was a tragic event.  The 48 year old chief of police was killed while executing a warrant.  According to one report he first joined law enforcement in 1976.  I hope that was a typo and the source meant 1986 because 14 year olds should not be serrving and protecting at that age.  On another note, according to the Denver Post, Chief Maloney had expressed at a recent Board of Selectman meeting (a public forum) that before he retired, he had one more duty–to take in Cullen, the shooter, then just into drugs.  I am hedging a guess that in such a small town, word got around and Cullen prepared to meet the challenge.  If that was the case then the “experienced” Chief just his mouth off and wrote his death warrant.  I don’t support the shooter at all.  But discretion is so very important, especially in a public venue, in a small town.  It is not that the Chief had months or weeks to go to retirement.  It was a matter of days and Cullen figured the jig is up.  Maybe Maloney figured on smoking Cullen out, scaring him into surrender.  If that was the case, it was a horrible miscalculation. Cullen, seeing no future ahead, took the guns and glory way out.  Law enforcement should review this and hopefully have a teaching moment to emphasise that tipping off your target can and will BACKFIRE with terrible consequences.

ABCs of ABC

The economic recovery that is not is at it again.  A few years back ABC News (the 630pm EST) had a stable stable full of decent and mid-career reporters. Now slowly, since Charlie Gibson passed the torch, the management has culled a good many and replaced them with new and fresher faces.  Newer, fresher and most importantly CHEAPER—these newbies do not bode well for the industry.  “Salary suicide” is just a matter of time.  Things will just get harder and rougher.  We are on a downward spiral and ABC News is just one example of the race to the bottom.

A Place in the Sun

Here is a shout out for a little place in Henniker that is for those looking for some tan in the Henniker area.  It is run by a waitress from the Hillsborough Diner.  Kudos for her, Linda, for taking the entrepreneurial dive and for providing a service to the community.

Best of Luck Linda!

Elections and Reflections

Elections:  Hillsborough has spoken.  Out of the 640 odd voters doing electronic balloting, I did get 526 votes and no write-ins.  I topped the other library trustee candidates, but got lower votes totals than other uncontested races.  Unfortunately the local media chose not to publish results for library trustees among others.  Kudos for the town though for getting it online within 48 hours.

Paying more for less:  Despite the encouraging words of economic rebound, the lowly American consumer slips deeper into the abyss.  Yes many companies are flush with cash.  But the bottom is dropping out and one day we will have that Titanic moment where 1st class or steerage, America sinks to third rate.  Case in point.  At a local establishment, same price, but blueberries now come in a 12 ounce container instead of 16 ounce, not a word about the change.  I don’t fault the establishment.  They run a good and friendly show and sure as hell work hard.  But things ain’t used to be the way they were.

2012:

So Santorum has his target on hardcore pornography.  How about hardcore greed?  What about choosing a yacht over health insurance for your employees?  Nice having the power of God.  But greed gets a pass.  I guess sleeping with the devil is far worse than dealing with devil.

And then there is pretty boy Romney.  Selecting a president based on looking “presidential” or because anybody but the incumbent seems awfully weak and desperate.  Anybody but Obama seems an awfully scary way to play with our collective futures.  Where are the positives.  Take Romney. He has enough millions to actually demonstrate how he can create jobs.  Put in say $10 million into job creating. Document it.  Show how you can create jobs AND make a profit.  Neither Rick nor Paul have the surplus to demonstrate their skills.  Do it in hometown Michigan.  Actually CREATING jobs live will show the electorate your a can doer not just a can talker.  A demonstration project is a golden opportunity.  Sitting on money and squandering opportunity are some of the reasons why this economy is moving downwards while the economic babble rises upward.

The Best of the Best:  A popular myth is that the best of the best are serving in the military.  The recent massacre of Afghan citizens by SSGT. Robert Bales illustrates the fact that we have run our military ragged, reusing troops till they literally fall apart.  Since the best are “in”.  It is logical the second and third rate are “out”.  Many of the uber privileged find it not their cup a tea to hump a pack through the valleys of Afghanistan.  Pity the weaklings that force the tired to carry on just because those in power can squeeze the very life out of those endlessly fighting for other people’s privileges.  I feel bad for the “dogs” that have to do other people’s dirty and dangerous work.  Pity those shirkers and profiteers.

Titanic Angle

Reality depends on perception.  And suppose the spinmeisters were alive and well say in 1912.  That April the famed Cunard line managed an engineering feat aptly titled “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”.

Here is the headline

CUNARD LINE PROVIDES UNEXPECTED AMAZING DEEP SEA DRAMA AND EXCITEMENT

The Cunard Line has outdone itself yet again.  Never mind the Titanic.  True it is capable of raising its stern hundreds of feet in the air.  True it has running water and bathing in even the third class and steerage.  The Titanic itself is remarkable.  Yet on its maiden transatlantic voyage, the folks at Cunard staged a fake accident to thrill the passengers.  Passengers got a midnight excursion in the open Atlantic under starlit skies.  Here, the passengers took in the brisk night air and got open boat seating for the “drama” staged for their benefit on the well lit Titanic.  After the show ended, Cunard arranged for special passage of those lucky passengers treated to this amazing night.  Cunard went overboard in gracious generosity to meet all our needs as we reeled from the truly extravagent drama that Cunard oh so secretely planned and executed.  Midatlantic transfers and three voyages for the price of one—the Cunard has that magic touch.  The Titanic even stopped to get fresh ice!!!!

Bathtubs and Progress

A few weeks back, one of the news shows ran a piece on how hotels were changing to meet changing times.  One initiative was to get rid of bathtubs as, according to the story, they were going out of style.  Another was to be more ecological and use dispensers instead of individual miniatures (soaps and shampoos).  They even mentioned calling the help “enhancement specialists” instead of maids.  All this sounded fishy.  Bathtubs means more water.  More water, hot water, means more money and less profit.  Ditto for the little soaps versus the dispensers (minus some little brats that think it is so cool to drain the stuff into the tub, I mean shower).  Nothing worse than cutting back service and convenience and calling it customer improvement when in actuality it is no more than desperate measures taken in desperate times under falsified pretenses.  Even giving the maids a new title is a chance to cut costs.  Too bad we are only hurting ourselves.

Tied in with this was Whitney  Houston who was found dead in a hotel tub some days after the prior story ran.

I do hope they were not related.