One does not have to use a last name to say goodbye to this American genius. Besides, we all called him Steve. Now we have lost an American original... a great designer and creative genius who put his stamp on every techie move in two centuries. We have lost a man whose ideas have circled the globe... who is known better in other countries than in his own... a man whose beautiful, intelligent products changed the life of this world. Nothing will ever be the same as it was when I was young... because of Steve Jobs. OK, I know life is not fair, but I just wish I could have given Steve my extra years to make he world a better place. We so desperately need genius like his at this time in our poor misbegotten country.
I am a writer. Steve Jobs changed my life. No more carbon paper, no more 'doing it all over,' no more whiteout. I worked in advertising, as a copywriter. We used mainframes and they were terrible. If more than four people worked on a mainframe at one time, the damned things slowed down to around 40wpm. For people like me, who typed 75wpm, it was disaster... to a VP in my office, it was hell. She threw the mainframe monitor into the hall, screamed obsceneties at the VP who bought the piece of trash and went downstairs and bought her own Mac in 1984. By 1986 every creative person in the agency had a Mac. The copywriters could cut and paste, change things around without redoing everything... and the artists, ah, every artist I have ever known... all fell in love with the Mac... so easy to work on... the perfect canvas for their work. Every creative person in advertising had a Mac in no time.
Having seen the wonderful "1984 won't be like 1984 anymore" ad, in 1985 I got my hands on the tiny 128K Mac, I taught myself to use it, then taught myself PageMaker 1.0. I put a twelve page newsletter on one little disc... well, after switching discs... swap, swap, swap... first the system went in (the 128K didn't HAVE a system), then the program... then the disc I’d work on. I learned by doing... from the great manuals Apple wrote, with pictures of where you were, and what you were doing. Thanks to Guy Kawasaki, the original Mac Evangalist and one of the greatest salesmen in the U.S., the people who wrote the programs learned to make manuals in the 'Mac Style' and I learned easily. I work now on my huge iMac, the latest of a long series.
Steve was the computer person with good taste and a sense of what the next thing should be... always far ahead of the field, nothing he ever did was done without his impeccable good taste. One of the people eulogizing him said: "Every time you use a computer, a smartphone, an ipad, any of the copies or any piece of technological wizardry... you are using something with a little bit of Steve it it, whether it is an Apple product or from another company.” So I write on this lovely machine with a terrible lump in my throat and instant thought of the man who created it.
I weep as I write... I shall miss you Steve, for I felt you were part of my family. There will not be another great design genius with such good taste in my lifetime... nor in my children's or children's childrens. Good bye and bless you Steve for what you have given us. My heart goes out to Steve’s family and I hope his children inherit his great good mind.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Older Than God
So, I keep trying... one more year has gone by. Nothing on earth like having a birthday on a tragic day for the whole country. Do they sing happy songs on your b/d, so they say cheerful things... no, I get mainly, "Oh, poor you... oh, I'm so sorry... is it really your birthday, etc., etc." And I can't even find Comic whatever to type this in, and the purple isn't even as nice as the old purple and the b/d is over, and I forgot to write something, so here I am now, not doing very well... and it is already the 14th. At least THIS isn't a bad day... although of late all the days are kinda bad for our poor country. The TeaBaggers are going to be the death of all of us. Where on earth did they come from. I had no idea that his sad, beaten country had so many other stupid people like dubya. But then, I am so old that I remember when we learned something in school. For example: I, unlike Sarah Palin, learned about Paul Revere -- not that "he galloped through town warning the British, shooting off his guns and ringing his bell." I learned about him warning AGAINST the British... and that they were the enemy at the time of the revolutionary war, something Sarah probably never heard of. Or that, as Michele Bachman opined, the 'Founding Fathers' freed the slaves... that Thomas Jefferson, he was a great man and he freed the slaves. Sure Michele, whatever you say, yeah, he freed the slaves. What has happened to the educational system here? Wish he had freed that.
When I took the Mensa test in Chicago back in the early sixties, the top 2% of people in this country had an IQ of 145 or higher; sadly, by the time I got out here and was working with SeniorNet, one of the men online informed me he was a member of Mensa, as he had an IQ of 138. That's a quick slip in the intelligence level of a country, and disturbs me immensely. Of course one could never imagine that either of the two 'girls' above as even vaguely intelligent. Both of them sound and act like someone who didn't do well in school, and one wonders if it is all talk that they actually went to college or university. Then, even more sadly, I watch Jay Leno and his "Jay Walking" segments, done not just 'on the street' but many of the segments done at colleges and universities in California. The people he asks questions of rarely can identify pictures of our Presidents or Vice Presidents, or answer simple questions one might ask of a child in grade school. We seem to be raising a whole generation of dolts and idiots, to join the previous generation (that of Palin and Bachman) of dolts and idiots... all of whom paid no attention in school.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Piece of Shocking News
Or perhaps: The End of the World As We Know It, Before 2012
I was stuck in an MRI machine most of the afternoon, so I didn't get the news on Steve until a friend called me to tell me about it (I got home at 8 and didn't even turn on the radio). I did finally see the news at 11pm and pretty much wept through it. This is a really sad day for me, as I did love Steve Jobs. I hated the old mainframes we had in advertising... in spite of the fact that I learned a lot about them, and taught a lot of people how to use the dreadful one we had at the ad agency where I worked. But the minute I got my hands on my first Mac (a 128K in 1985) I was in heaven. I taught myself to use the Macintosh, then taught myself to use PageMaker 1.0. The Apple people had the best instructions anyone ever wrote... and illustrations. I had to work on PCs as a volunteer teacher at a senior center, and the Microsoft instructions were the worst. They didn't have the good sense to start with "Turn the computer on" showing in an illustration where to do that, then give number 2 and 3. When I reported this to the people at M/S, I was told, "Well, everyone knows that!" No, my dears, everyone doesn't know the first three steps, the engineers do. Apple always wrote for people, not for engineers... and always showed you exactly how it would LOOK, with an illustration.
The computer has been such a wonderful thing for a writer (or an artist... every artist I know has a Mac, as does every musician, anyone creative). Being able to forget whiteout and never having to retype anything is wonderful. To think that I can write a poem, then change any word anywhere in that poem, or put the last two lines up at the top and change the sense... or stick in a few lines anywhere in a story or novel... even throw in a chapter in the middle of the book! And Steve made it not only simple, but beautiful. I agree completely with something a guy being interviewed about Steve leaving said, "Doesn't bother me, I've always owned Macs, I always will. I certainly wouldn't ever want to have a PC." I have noticed that people will change from a PC to a Mac, but one rarely or never sees a switch from a Mac to a PC.
I'll always remember what Steve said to a reporter who asked him what he thought of Microsoft. "Well," he said, "they are a good company... have lots of great engineers and software specialists... great bunch of people, they hire the best they can find. Only one big thing wrong with that company... they have absolutely NO taste." How true that was/is (Jeeze...remember the talking paperclip...ugh). Steve Jobs not only had great ideas and was an expert on finding people who had great ideas and knew how to work and innovate (a friend's son was the major developer of the MacBook and a brilliant kid), but he had a designer's eye and gathered people around him who knew good design, and gave every product a distinctive, beautiful look. I wish my friend Guy Kawasaki, who worked for Steve, would go back to Apple. He is another absolutely brilliant guy... and a great idea man. Be good for the company to have him back.
I was impressed that one of the major reporters said that there were three men who were standout people of our time when it came to business brilliance: Walt Disney, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs. I never could stand the first two, who were rabid republicans, conservatives and not very nice people... but I adored Steve Jobs, and he would be the first on my list of great men of my generation... I think I will have to think hard to mention a second. That brilliant Apple ad said it best, "1984 won't be 1984 anymore!!!"
I certainly wish Steve the best... and hope he feels better soon. He is my candidate for "Man of the Century," I do not think we will see a duplicate of him for a long, long time. To bad he couldn't have been persuaded to run the country, we probably wouldn't be in the mess we are in right now if he had.
I was stuck in an MRI machine most of the afternoon, so I didn't get the news on Steve until a friend called me to tell me about it (I got home at 8 and didn't even turn on the radio). I did finally see the news at 11pm and pretty much wept through it. This is a really sad day for me, as I did love Steve Jobs. I hated the old mainframes we had in advertising... in spite of the fact that I learned a lot about them, and taught a lot of people how to use the dreadful one we had at the ad agency where I worked. But the minute I got my hands on my first Mac (a 128K in 1985) I was in heaven. I taught myself to use the Macintosh, then taught myself to use PageMaker 1.0. The Apple people had the best instructions anyone ever wrote... and illustrations. I had to work on PCs as a volunteer teacher at a senior center, and the Microsoft instructions were the worst. They didn't have the good sense to start with "Turn the computer on" showing in an illustration where to do that, then give number 2 and 3. When I reported this to the people at M/S, I was told, "Well, everyone knows that!" No, my dears, everyone doesn't know the first three steps, the engineers do. Apple always wrote for people, not for engineers... and always showed you exactly how it would LOOK, with an illustration.
The computer has been such a wonderful thing for a writer (or an artist... every artist I know has a Mac, as does every musician, anyone creative). Being able to forget whiteout and never having to retype anything is wonderful. To think that I can write a poem, then change any word anywhere in that poem, or put the last two lines up at the top and change the sense... or stick in a few lines anywhere in a story or novel... even throw in a chapter in the middle of the book! And Steve made it not only simple, but beautiful. I agree completely with something a guy being interviewed about Steve leaving said, "Doesn't bother me, I've always owned Macs, I always will. I certainly wouldn't ever want to have a PC." I have noticed that people will change from a PC to a Mac, but one rarely or never sees a switch from a Mac to a PC.
I'll always remember what Steve said to a reporter who asked him what he thought of Microsoft. "Well," he said, "they are a good company... have lots of great engineers and software specialists... great bunch of people, they hire the best they can find. Only one big thing wrong with that company... they have absolutely NO taste." How true that was/is (Jeeze...remember the talking paperclip...ugh). Steve Jobs not only had great ideas and was an expert on finding people who had great ideas and knew how to work and innovate (a friend's son was the major developer of the MacBook and a brilliant kid), but he had a designer's eye and gathered people around him who knew good design, and gave every product a distinctive, beautiful look. I wish my friend Guy Kawasaki, who worked for Steve, would go back to Apple. He is another absolutely brilliant guy... and a great idea man. Be good for the company to have him back.
I was impressed that one of the major reporters said that there were three men who were standout people of our time when it came to business brilliance: Walt Disney, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs. I never could stand the first two, who were rabid republicans, conservatives and not very nice people... but I adored Steve Jobs, and he would be the first on my list of great men of my generation... I think I will have to think hard to mention a second. That brilliant Apple ad said it best, "1984 won't be 1984 anymore!!!"
I certainly wish Steve the best... and hope he feels better soon. He is my candidate for "Man of the Century," I do not think we will see a duplicate of him for a long, long time. To bad he couldn't have been persuaded to run the country, we probably wouldn't be in the mess we are in right now if he had.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Oh, My Poor Language
I guess I was a lucky child. My mother, Jessie, was a genius and an absolutely fascinating person. Perhaps not the greatest mother in the world, (more like having an Auntie Mame) but perfect for me. She was no Barbara Billingsley, or any of the often beloved ‘mother’ types, but she was a crazy, fun, interesting person, with four degrees and a mind as sharp as Bea Lilly’s, one that could stop you in your track.
Jess loved the English language. She read and spoke Old English. We heard “The Canterbury Tales” in the original, as well as Spenser’s “Faerie Queen,” before we were in school. She also spoke perfect modern English. We, her children, were expected to do the same, so she taught us two things that I find are not being taught these days, which is most unfortunate, they are so easy to learn.
First: Why are people suddenly using nothing but “a” and forgetting the other indefinite article, “an” before a vowel? Doesn’t “a apple” hit your ear as a terrible sound? Oh, I can say “a terrific tasting apple”... but “a apple,” ye gods, that hurts my ear. Say it... “AN apple” sounds so “right!” Or try, “I’m wearing a earring.” Does that strike you as a good sound? NO. I’m wearing AN earring, it’s shaped like A star.” OK?
Second: It is SO EASY to “get” how to use “I” and “we,” but so few people know how to do it these days. Jessie taught us at a very early age, and I don’t believe I have ever misused either one. All you have to do is leave OUT the other person in your sentence, and you will be able to HEAR which one to use. Here are some examples (one a direct mistake by poor old President Eisenhower, who had misguided handlers teaching him how to speak English badly:
They taught him to say: “Thank you for all the presents you sent to Mamie and I.” Now say that without ‘Mamie’.. “Thank you for all the presents you sent to I” Doesn’t that sound silly? So, how about the correct way: “Thank you for all the presents you sent to Mamie and ME.
It is really all right to say “me,” when it is proper. You would never say, “Give it to I,” would you? You would say “George and I went to the game.” Again, say it without the OTHER person, “...I went to the game.” You know you wouldn’t say, “...me went to the game.” See how simple it is, just leave out the other and say it in your mind... you’ll get the right word. And, for god’s sake, DO NOT say “Me and George went to the game. The polite way is to always mention the other person first and you will get it. Now another: “If you had left it to George and me, it would have been done.” Say it without George and you will see it is correct: “If you had left it to ME it would have been done. (NOT, “If you had left it to I....”) There is one that very few people get right, but again, if you listen to what you are saying, you just may notice the correct usage.
What is the answer to, “Who’s there?” It is not, “It’s me,” although that has pretty much become the answer. It is, “It is I.” Think about it... “I am here,” is another way of saying it, or “Here I am.”
So, the easiest way to figure out whether to use “i” or “me” in a sentence is to just say the sentence without the other person... and you should get your answer immediately. So, if you will please excuse me, I shall stop nattering on about English usage and go and correct a few library books, written by people who somehow never learned the simplest and easiest ways to use the English language (and they didn’t learn to use English in ESL classes, so they have no excuses).
Jess loved the English language. She read and spoke Old English. We heard “The Canterbury Tales” in the original, as well as Spenser’s “Faerie Queen,” before we were in school. She also spoke perfect modern English. We, her children, were expected to do the same, so she taught us two things that I find are not being taught these days, which is most unfortunate, they are so easy to learn.
First: Why are people suddenly using nothing but “a” and forgetting the other indefinite article, “an” before a vowel? Doesn’t “a apple” hit your ear as a terrible sound? Oh, I can say “a terrific tasting apple”... but “a apple,” ye gods, that hurts my ear. Say it... “AN apple” sounds so “right!” Or try, “I’m wearing a earring.” Does that strike you as a good sound? NO. I’m wearing AN earring, it’s shaped like A star.” OK?
Second: It is SO EASY to “get” how to use “I” and “we,” but so few people know how to do it these days. Jessie taught us at a very early age, and I don’t believe I have ever misused either one. All you have to do is leave OUT the other person in your sentence, and you will be able to HEAR which one to use. Here are some examples (one a direct mistake by poor old President Eisenhower, who had misguided handlers teaching him how to speak English badly:
They taught him to say: “Thank you for all the presents you sent to Mamie and I.” Now say that without ‘Mamie’.. “Thank you for all the presents you sent to I” Doesn’t that sound silly? So, how about the correct way: “Thank you for all the presents you sent to Mamie and ME.
It is really all right to say “me,” when it is proper. You would never say, “Give it to I,” would you? You would say “George and I went to the game.” Again, say it without the OTHER person, “...I went to the game.” You know you wouldn’t say, “...me went to the game.” See how simple it is, just leave out the other and say it in your mind... you’ll get the right word. And, for god’s sake, DO NOT say “Me and George went to the game. The polite way is to always mention the other person first and you will get it. Now another: “If you had left it to George and me, it would have been done.” Say it without George and you will see it is correct: “If you had left it to ME it would have been done. (NOT, “If you had left it to I....”) There is one that very few people get right, but again, if you listen to what you are saying, you just may notice the correct usage.
What is the answer to, “Who’s there?” It is not, “It’s me,” although that has pretty much become the answer. It is, “It is I.” Think about it... “I am here,” is another way of saying it, or “Here I am.”
So, the easiest way to figure out whether to use “i” or “me” in a sentence is to just say the sentence without the other person... and you should get your answer immediately. So, if you will please excuse me, I shall stop nattering on about English usage and go and correct a few library books, written by people who somehow never learned the simplest and easiest ways to use the English language (and they didn’t learn to use English in ESL classes, so they have no excuses).
Monday, August 8, 2011
Lost Again......
So I must start over... and it was so good. But only I shall know this. Behind me 'Downton Abby' is playing, a new "Upstairs Downstairs" replaying over this summer. I believe this is the end. Rebellion, rebellion. What a lovely time for it to come... for now is the time we need another revolution in this country. A revolution against the fools in Congress... the dreadful so called 'tea party' ruled by people who have no idea why this country was founded, or by whom (oh sure, Jefferson freed the slaves) and have never read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, I am sure. Ah, my poor old ancestors are spinning in their graves back in New England. For this they fought and died in the revolution and every other war in our 'run-by-the-men' past. I fear we are too often 'run' by cheney types who do so love rounding up the children and sending them to be killed. Each time I read the PNAC writing I am sick that the people of this country could be so ignorant that they would vote in a patsy chosen by men who worked to ruin the country for their own power-mad schemes. Now those same people, with no idea why we are a country, or what we originally stood for, are backing these ignorant tea party people, who have no more intelligence than they do, and certainly do not know much about running a country. And so, we begin to sink into the morass, becoming more and more like the third world countries, run by greedy dictators. More and more we have two class of people: the very rich and the poor, so many now the poverty stricken, homeless and starving. I suppose my two children are among the very few left in the 'middle class' although they may be only a few paychecks from joining me in the lap of poverty. Ah, what greed has done to my blessed country. Perhaps we will all move up to Canada, to my daughter's house there and a better life. Or, perhaps they will move to the Netherlands, as I wanted to a very long time ago. A possibility, for this country has little to offer these days. England does not seem to be much better. Oh god... where to hide? Any place without the Wallmart children, cheney and bush (all the rich-white-trash bush family and friends). Oh, is there anyone who can save my once beautiful, once happy beloved country.
So here's a prayer I sent to a friend... a prayer for my poor (literally) country:
OK, god... you are supposed to be so great... how about you wipe out all of the U.S. Congress, and send us a bunch of really good angels to rewrite the rules, so that the people who are in Congress from now on are on Social Security, have worked at real jobs and are planning on going back to them... and while you are at it, make sure the people are half from minorities and a good divide between men and women. That's my atheist prayer for the day.
So here's a prayer I sent to a friend... a prayer for my poor (literally) country:
OK, god... you are supposed to be so great... how about you wipe out all of the U.S. Congress, and send us a bunch of really good angels to rewrite the rules, so that the people who are in Congress from now on are on Social Security, have worked at real jobs and are planning on going back to them... and while you are at it, make sure the people are half from minorities and a good divide between men and women. That's my atheist prayer for the day.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Can't Let June Disappear.....
without a little note on nothing. And since it seems no one reads this but me, I suppose I should address my note to myself:
Self, get busy, instead of sitting here writing nothing, you should be doing your boring and seemingly useless exercising. So, make a lovely cuppa homemade latté, soothe Ms. Katt, who just had a miserable nightmare, and I'll give you permission to write a bit as you drink your latté... made even better by a slug of Irish Creme creamer (don't read what it is made of, you'll be shocked!). At least the homemade foam on top is simply some powdered milk mixed with an equal amount of water and put into my super hi-speed blender... oops, don't forget the vanilla and fake sugar flavoring. After a few minutes of sitting in the blender glass in the fridge, the foam is firm and flavorful, ready to spoon out and sit on top of the coffee in soft little peaks in my nice new, fat little Pfaltzgraff mug that seems to hold the heat in the coffee down to the last foamy bit.
One more thing to do. Call George and find out what we are to write about for tomorrow's poetry meeting. Seems we are still doing the Gertrude Stein shuffle, and must write the end of "If we're always the same age inside then....." And "We're always the same age inside, so....." five to seven words each.
Ah, what do I care about Gertrude... now I have just seen the beginning of '60 Minutes' about the children being so hurt in this depression generation. I certainly cry for them, poor little things. What a disgusting thing George W. Bush and his dreadful 'leader' cheney did to my country. So many starving and dying... and children losing their childhood and what can I do about it? All those greedy billionaires... I cannot reach them. If only they cared, but they only care to have more and more lovely mansions and yachts and cars and toys of all kinds... while the poor little children lose not only their toys, but also their lives. And who cares? Well, thank god some of the poor middle class people who have tried to help them, while the rich build museums to house their second class junk art, or make sure they have a symphony to entertain them. I no longer long for a Victorian in San Francisco, but merely wish I could somehow help the poor children of this beleaguered country, as I try to do by sending as much as I can to "Feeding America. There is no god... perhaps those strange Jesus freaks will look into the eyes of the poor starving children of this country, of this world, and see that, although I doubt it, for they do not see anything but what they believe, whether it be true or false... what do they care... "I got mine, go get your own..." just like bush and cheney and their whole rotten gang, who stole my country.
But, on a note of triumph... next came Wynton Marsalis and his tour of Cuba... one of my favorite places. I do not pray, for there is no one to pray to... but I hope, oh how I hope, that we renew our diplomatic ties with Cuba and soon... perhaps within the few years I have left so I could return and walk again through Habana again, listening to the music, eating from street vendors... even going to see the Hemingway cats. Oh, what a joy that would be... and oh, if only I could walk those streets again with my darling Selwyn Jackson, Day Manager of Mother Clancy's House of Joy. Ah, where are you Selwyn... probably gone with all the rest of my friends........
A whole day to write this... in between the little chores like comforting Ms.Katt and answering the phone, or quizzing George and Pat on what to write for tomorrow. Now I have a few minutes to do just that... write something. It must be done... so I shall.
Self, get busy, instead of sitting here writing nothing, you should be doing your boring and seemingly useless exercising. So, make a lovely cuppa homemade latté, soothe Ms. Katt, who just had a miserable nightmare, and I'll give you permission to write a bit as you drink your latté... made even better by a slug of Irish Creme creamer (don't read what it is made of, you'll be shocked!). At least the homemade foam on top is simply some powdered milk mixed with an equal amount of water and put into my super hi-speed blender... oops, don't forget the vanilla and fake sugar flavoring. After a few minutes of sitting in the blender glass in the fridge, the foam is firm and flavorful, ready to spoon out and sit on top of the coffee in soft little peaks in my nice new, fat little Pfaltzgraff mug that seems to hold the heat in the coffee down to the last foamy bit.
One more thing to do. Call George and find out what we are to write about for tomorrow's poetry meeting. Seems we are still doing the Gertrude Stein shuffle, and must write the end of "If we're always the same age inside then....." And "We're always the same age inside, so....." five to seven words each.
Ah, what do I care about Gertrude... now I have just seen the beginning of '60 Minutes' about the children being so hurt in this depression generation. I certainly cry for them, poor little things. What a disgusting thing George W. Bush and his dreadful 'leader' cheney did to my country. So many starving and dying... and children losing their childhood and what can I do about it? All those greedy billionaires... I cannot reach them. If only they cared, but they only care to have more and more lovely mansions and yachts and cars and toys of all kinds... while the poor little children lose not only their toys, but also their lives. And who cares? Well, thank god some of the poor middle class people who have tried to help them, while the rich build museums to house their second class junk art, or make sure they have a symphony to entertain them. I no longer long for a Victorian in San Francisco, but merely wish I could somehow help the poor children of this beleaguered country, as I try to do by sending as much as I can to "Feeding America. There is no god... perhaps those strange Jesus freaks will look into the eyes of the poor starving children of this country, of this world, and see that, although I doubt it, for they do not see anything but what they believe, whether it be true or false... what do they care... "I got mine, go get your own..." just like bush and cheney and their whole rotten gang, who stole my country.
But, on a note of triumph... next came Wynton Marsalis and his tour of Cuba... one of my favorite places. I do not pray, for there is no one to pray to... but I hope, oh how I hope, that we renew our diplomatic ties with Cuba and soon... perhaps within the few years I have left so I could return and walk again through Habana again, listening to the music, eating from street vendors... even going to see the Hemingway cats. Oh, what a joy that would be... and oh, if only I could walk those streets again with my darling Selwyn Jackson, Day Manager of Mother Clancy's House of Joy. Ah, where are you Selwyn... probably gone with all the rest of my friends........
A whole day to write this... in between the little chores like comforting Ms.Katt and answering the phone, or quizzing George and Pat on what to write for tomorrow. Now I have a few minutes to do just that... write something. It must be done... so I shall.
Monday, May 2, 2011
A Quick Cry and then to bed...
There is one singer who can make me weep to hear his lovely music always, and he is Joao Gilberto. His 'Girl from Ipanema' is of course known to almost everyone, but my favorite, and the one that brings tears to my eyes (and I do not know if they are of joy or sadness, or some combination of those... for with me nothing is black and white, but always soothing shades of grey... is 'Aquarella do Brasil' and can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7DzHrKpbKA&feature=related
I do not try to place it here, as every time I do that it is snatched back by some watchdog who will not let me have it on my blog (copyright? I suppose so). But you can go to youtube and see and hear Gilberto playing his guitar and singing in that lovely voice in his language that he makes as soft and sweet as warm chocolate syrup, while in other's mouths it sounds like their tongues are wearing sandpaper. Gilberto makes me long to go to Brazil. Ah, perhaps I shall ask the Brazilian cab drivers of Luxor Cab if they sing... and be seranaded one day by one who can achieve the warm tones of Gilberto on my way to the doctor or my poetry group. Let's hope so......
I wonder why I can no longer change the type on my writing... or the color, or size???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7DzHrKpbKA&feature=related
I do not try to place it here, as every time I do that it is snatched back by some watchdog who will not let me have it on my blog (copyright? I suppose so). But you can go to youtube and see and hear Gilberto playing his guitar and singing in that lovely voice in his language that he makes as soft and sweet as warm chocolate syrup, while in other's mouths it sounds like their tongues are wearing sandpaper. Gilberto makes me long to go to Brazil. Ah, perhaps I shall ask the Brazilian cab drivers of Luxor Cab if they sing... and be seranaded one day by one who can achieve the warm tones of Gilberto on my way to the doctor or my poetry group. Let's hope so......
I wonder why I can no longer change the type on my writing... or the color, or size???
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tues, March 8, Important for Two Reasons
Having just lost the whole post I wrote, I shall now try to rewrite it; I may fail.
Reason 1: It is the 100th International Women's Day, a day always celebrated by my mother, Jessie, the old Suffragette, who worked so hard to get the women's vote and yet was never allowed to become a V.P. at Norge, the company she did everything but run completely, yet had to sign a patent release, and was paid only $1.00 for each patent she designed. During her lifetime we women were paid only 65¢ for each $1.00 men earned. We have done a bit better since, and now earn at least 75¢ for the man's $1.00. Hopefully by the time my granddaughter is grown, we might get up to the equal status. I am proud to say that Callie was tested in her fourth grade class and is in the top two percentile of students in the U.S. Jessie would be so proud of you Callie, and impressed.
Charlie Rose had a discussion of Women's Day with three women, Tina Brown, now the editor of Newsweek, the head of Women 4 Women, and Diana Powell, who searches out women to back with small businesses for Goldman Sachs (not my favorite co.). They talked about the fact that women must be treated as equals in all countries across the world, and that they should become equal to men at the bargaining table... and certainly be part of any war or peace discussion in all countries. That is it: EQUALITY in all things. EQUAL women at the table with an EQUAL vote.
The second thing about this day is: Mardi Gras in New Orleans, all of Louisiana and in many other places on earth. I was happy to see on the news that New Orleans was full of people celebrating their biggest holiday. N.O. needs the tourists and they need to be remembered, I'm so glad they are having a good Mardi Gras. And I hope Whitney and Mike have a good time in their little LA town and good weather... at least I haven't heard any news about hurricanes or any more tornados. So next comes Lent. Does anyone even acknowledge Lent anymore? Ah, remember Roman C. school and fish, fish, fish? So Happy Mardi Gras tout le monde... hope you all caught lots of beads and had fun. I merely had a glass of wine with dinner and toasted all the celebrants. I often wonder if Father Pauli and Father Mickey, the only Roman Catholic priests I've ever loved, really believe in God or just treated the whole thing as a good job and retired happy.
Reason 1: It is the 100th International Women's Day, a day always celebrated by my mother, Jessie, the old Suffragette, who worked so hard to get the women's vote and yet was never allowed to become a V.P. at Norge, the company she did everything but run completely, yet had to sign a patent release, and was paid only $1.00 for each patent she designed. During her lifetime we women were paid only 65¢ for each $1.00 men earned. We have done a bit better since, and now earn at least 75¢ for the man's $1.00. Hopefully by the time my granddaughter is grown, we might get up to the equal status. I am proud to say that Callie was tested in her fourth grade class and is in the top two percentile of students in the U.S. Jessie would be so proud of you Callie, and impressed.
Charlie Rose had a discussion of Women's Day with three women, Tina Brown, now the editor of Newsweek, the head of Women 4 Women, and Diana Powell, who searches out women to back with small businesses for Goldman Sachs (not my favorite co.). They talked about the fact that women must be treated as equals in all countries across the world, and that they should become equal to men at the bargaining table... and certainly be part of any war or peace discussion in all countries. That is it: EQUALITY in all things. EQUAL women at the table with an EQUAL vote.
The second thing about this day is: Mardi Gras in New Orleans, all of Louisiana and in many other places on earth. I was happy to see on the news that New Orleans was full of people celebrating their biggest holiday. N.O. needs the tourists and they need to be remembered, I'm so glad they are having a good Mardi Gras. And I hope Whitney and Mike have a good time in their little LA town and good weather... at least I haven't heard any news about hurricanes or any more tornados. So next comes Lent. Does anyone even acknowledge Lent anymore? Ah, remember Roman C. school and fish, fish, fish? So Happy Mardi Gras tout le monde... hope you all caught lots of beads and had fun. I merely had a glass of wine with dinner and toasted all the celebrants. I often wonder if Father Pauli and Father Mickey, the only Roman Catholic priests I've ever loved, really believe in God or just treated the whole thing as a good job and retired happy.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Let's Stop Them In Wisconsin!
As an old union person, I insert this by a man I admire from a site I admire also:
It won't let me copy and paste, so here is the site name, with headline of article.
Exposing the Republicans' 3-Part Strategy to Tear the Middle Class Apart -- Let's Stop Them In Wisconsin
By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
Posted on February 20, 2011, Printed on February 22,2011
http://www.alternet.org/story/149981
The Republican strategy is to split the vast middle and working class -- pitting unionized workers against non-unionized, public-sector workers against non-public, older workers within sight of Medicare and Social Security against younger workers who don't believe these programs will be there for them, and the poor against the working middle class... (much more at site address above)
Now is when we need to come together and let Congress know that the U.S. is not owned by the top 1% or 2%, but by us... the people of the U.S. Dubya made us a debtor nation, but cutting help to the poorest will not put us back on course. We the people need to learn how to live poor for awhile, and to see that some of the burden is finally put back on the shoulders of the super-wealthy, given a complete pass by the bush gang administration.
Read...Learn...Act Call and write your Congressmen/women.
It won't let me copy and paste, so here is the site name, with headline of article.
Exposing the Republicans' 3-Part Strategy to Tear the Middle Class Apart -- Let's Stop Them In Wisconsin
By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
Posted on February 20, 2011, Printed on February 22,2011
http://www.alternet.org/story/149981
The Republican strategy is to split the vast middle and working class -- pitting unionized workers against non-unionized, public-sector workers against non-public, older workers within sight of Medicare and Social Security against younger workers who don't believe these programs will be there for them, and the poor against the working middle class... (much more at site address above)
Now is when we need to come together and let Congress know that the U.S. is not owned by the top 1% or 2%, but by us... the people of the U.S. Dubya made us a debtor nation, but cutting help to the poorest will not put us back on course. We the people need to learn how to live poor for awhile, and to see that some of the burden is finally put back on the shoulders of the super-wealthy, given a complete pass by the bush gang administration.
Read...Learn...Act Call and write your Congressmen/women.
Friday, January 21, 2011
My Views on Congress
Hopefully people will find my blog and read this:
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people
demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell
phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or
less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
I'm asking you to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people
on your address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms
2. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social
Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social
Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional
pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in
the same health care system as the American people.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/11.
The American people did not make the current contract with members of
Congress. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go
home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only
take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message.
MUCH OF WHAT WE FACE IN TERMS OF PRIVILEGE AND SELFISHNESS IN THIS
COUNTRY MIGHT BEST BE CHANGED STARTING FROM THE TOP DOWN. If you agree
with
the above, pass it on. If not, just delete
You are one of my 20. I INVITE YOU TO KEEP IT GOING. WHATEVER YOU
CHOOSE -- THANKS!
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people
demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell
phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or
less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
I'm asking you to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people
on your address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms
2. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social
Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social
Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional
pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in
the same health care system as the American people.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/11.
The American people did not make the current contract with members of
Congress. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go
home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only
take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message.
MUCH OF WHAT WE FACE IN TERMS OF PRIVILEGE AND SELFISHNESS IN THIS
COUNTRY MIGHT BEST BE CHANGED STARTING FROM THE TOP DOWN. If you agree
with
the above, pass it on. If not, just delete
You are one of my 20. I INVITE YOU TO KEEP IT GOING. WHATEVER YOU
CHOOSE -- THANKS!
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