Lasting a Lifetime

On Friday night busylizzy and I, together with some friends, attended a Valentine's Dessert night at our church. The room was  packed out and we just got there at the last minute because yours truly forgot the tickets and had to go back home to get them. The tables were nicely presented with a cheese and cracker platter, fruit platter, and a dessert plate. Flavoured coffees, teas, juice, and even lattes were available.  

There was special music, some video interviews of a few of the pastors and their wives telling their 'how we met stories' and some live interviews of several couples. Of course, the topic was marriage and how to make it lasting and vibrant. The best interview was of a couple who had been married for 58 years. It was both insightful and hilarious. Anyone who can joke after being married that long must have a good marriage!  

On The Dole

"Investment Business Daily" had some interesting things to say this week:

The American public's dependence on the federal government shot up 23% in just two years under president Obama, with 67 million now relying on some federal program. Housing subsidies, expansion to Medicaid and welfare, along with a sharp rise in the use of food stamps is to blame.

"Dependence programs" now account for more that 70% of the federal budget. In 1962 it was only 25% of the federal budget.

At the same time, fewer Americans pay income tax. 49.5% did not pay any income taxes in 2009. Back in the 60's only 12% of Americans escaped any income tax burden.

Here is the big one. In 2010, for the first time ever, average spending on dependence programs per recipient exceeded the country's per capita disposable income!  Government cheque recipients are now getting more money than wage earners and millions of those wage earners are working for the government in non-productive so-called jobs or are on the payroll of some industry that is dependent on federal spending, like health, education, or military.

That leaves the hard working earner or the productive business owner in the minority.

The problem is, everyone gets a vote. So who will vote to cut back on any kind of spending? And yet that is the only thing that will get America out of the red.

Having said that, the numbers are probably not that different for Canada.   

Connect the Dots

Racket : "Traditionally, the word racket is used to describe a business (or syndicate) .... that is engaged in the sale of a solution to a problem that the institution itself creates or perpetuates, with the intent to engender continual patronage."

Does anyone know what US interests are being protected by the war in Afghanistan? Has anyone been able to define what 'winning' would look like? What has the point been?

Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis is calling out the US military and is being called a 'whistle blower'. He claims that after touring the country and war extensively, he sees no sign of 'progress' anywhere.  

Mit Romney says," I will insist on a military so powerful that no one would ever think of challenging it."

The US has been waging a  "War on Terror" since 2001. They have, in the process, inflicted more terror on the world than any 9/11 event ever did, including the terror of its own citizens when confronted with Homeland Security.

The FBI and CIA have a website where you can download information on how to be an informant when you see 'suspicious' behaviour.

President Obama has just announced the freezing of Iranian assets held in US banks or banks on US soil. 

Let's connect the dots. The USA is in a perilous economic situation where they will have to cut spending by the billions or face catastrophic consequences. The biggest expenditure is the military. The pentagon and its contractors have the most successful lobbyists in Washington. How do you convince the US government to keep the cash flowing to the military? Well, how about by convincing everyone that there is an enemy? It has worked so far and will continue as long as there are red-necked gullible people out there who vote. The Christan 'right' are supporting war mongers who are running for the Republican nomination for the run for the presidency. Shame on them. Ron Paul is the only candidate who is anti-war. With his defeat, the obscene amounts of money being transferred to the military will continue, as will the decline and fall of the US Empire.    

Pandemic

The memory of the Bird Flu epidemic was refreshed in my mind as I read this book. At the time, there was vigilance regarding the transference of the virus from the birds to humans. It never happened, but in the book "Sector C" the unthinkable happens. A 'Mad Cow Disease' sort of epidemic is triggered by some scientists who have managed to clone some extinct Ice Age beasts. In the process of replicating a Sabre Toothed Tiger, they also brought to life the mutant prion or protein that supposedly brought on the extinction of the large Woolly Rhinoceros and Mammoth. The science is interesting as is the process of determining that there is a problem in the first place as the incidence of stroke like symptoms escalated in the hospitals near the infected area of the US mid-west.

It has been a while since I have read any science fiction and regardless of the good reviews that this book has received, I did not care for it much. It is written by a person with veterinarian background and as such is a die-hard animal lover and her philosophy of animal love above all else comes through a little too strongly. She presents her arguments at the most inopportune moments in the story. An example is when the two heroes of the story have just escaped the antagonist and his attempts to let them perish in a fire, they have had no food or water for more than a day in the hot mid-west summer, the woman is suffering from the onset of the disease and has tremors, and a Saber Toothed Tiger is stalking them as they sit in the high branches of tree fearing for their lives. At this moment they choose to have a 10 page dialogue on the eventual extinction of the human race and how we always get what we deserve.

'Nuff said. Don't bother to spend the 99 cents in the Kindle store. You get what you pay for.

Why?

There was a time in our lives when we had a large mortgage, some other debt, very little work, and we (read "I") were worried. Out of necessity, we cut our expenditures by eating more cheaply, not going out for dinner or movies, wearing the same clothes forever, and driving an old vehicle. This was normal and was really the only solution. This is no longer the norm.

Today, a debt problem is ignored, or if, rarely, acknowledged, is met with indifference. Borrowing more to cover existing debt is thought to be a solution, when, in fact, it only makes the problem worse in the long run. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is a case in point.

I am not an anti-monarchist but would state my opinion as more a mild indifference than anything else. Like a 60th birthday, 60 is just a number, not much change from 59 or 61. Why then, in a time of debt crisis, would we as a nation spend more than $8 million 'celebrating'? What does it really accomplish when we have special flags made and flown, commemorative medals for prominent civic workers, stained glass windows in the parliament buildings, and an anti-climactic visit from Prince Charles and his woman.

In the grand scheme of things, this is not a large amount of money for a country our size, but when considered together with hundreds of other little $8 million items that are trivial, we are soon looking at a large amount of money that need not have been borrowed. 

The committee that was struck two years ago to oversee the Jubilee Year say that this is not new money but funds that have been in the various ministries for just this occasion. This is pure nonsense.

If you have to make a mortgage payment with your last $800, but in your other pocket you have $800 that you put away a year ago for a little vacation, just how wise is it to still go on that vacation? I don't know about you, but I would forget the vacation and go buy some groceries.  

Emporer

I first discovered Conn Iggulden, the author, when I read the second book in his series on the Khan Dynasties. I immediately read the other two that were available at the time and was hooked. A friend mentioned that if I like the Genghis series, I would love the Emperor series. I loaded all four of these historical novels onto my Kindle at Christmas and I finished the last of them on the plane home from Mexico late in January.

If you are looking for absolute historical accuracy, these books will not fit the bill, but rather the stories are in the historical context of the day and the details are filled in with character development and plot that is absolutely riveting.

We all have a sketchy knowledge of Julius Caesar but these books follow his life from a young boy to his assassination. The author admits that there is so much written by and about Julius that he could easily fill many more volumes, and yet the times that these stories do cover give a sense that this was a truly great man in terms of courage, leadership. intelligence, ambition, and accomplishment. Rome thrived and grew to greatness under his military guidance and due to his political prowess.

Reading these books gives one a keen sense of what it was like to live in those times, especially as a Roman Legionnaire. There is more than enough intrigue, action, romance, plotting, friendship, jealousy, gladiatorial fighting, and politics to keep anyone entertained for many days. I finished one and immediately started the next and was only satisfied to be done when Julius was dead, on the last pages of the last volume. (If that was a spoiler for you, you do not know history or Shakespeare)  

Something that the books did for me was to prompt me to do some research after I was done reading. For hours I studied about the life of Julius to see just how much of it lined up with actual historical record. I did indeed discover that there were events and accomplishment in his life that were not even mentioned in the four volume series.

Certainly my knowledge and perspective of that era have been enhanced and enlightened. I can easily overlook the liberties that the author took with sequencing and character enhancements. To learn history while being thoroughly entertained is wonderful. I recommend these books.

1500 Posts

A Mexican beach villa.

I was once asked what my hobbies were and in my list, I included writing. The response was "Are you a published writer?" I was not sure how to answer. I have many letters published in periodicals and newspapers and on many websites, but am not sure if that counts. Since I started this blog, most of my writing has ended up here. Just before we left for our little vacation, I 'published' my 1500th post. That is a lot of writing and a lot of photography! If sheer volume is a qualifier, I am a published writer.

The writing I do apart from my blog may or may not ever get published, but sits in my computer files waiting for further instruction. There are memoirs, journals, and a book of legacy for my grandsons that is already in book form. I am also working on a manual for a consulting business idea I have been toying with. If you have been reading my 'stuff' for a while, you know I am also a numbers guy with a keen interest in the economy and investments, but my first love is words.  

The Secret Holocaust Diaries

When searching for a title in the Kindle store, I depend on subject matter and reviews if it is a book written by an unfamiliar author. This book caught my eye and I have just finished reading it.

Nonna was a very young girl when she first started writing her diaries. Her father taught her five different languages and she wrote in most of them. She kept them to herself, all the stories of her childhood, growing up after the Russian Revolution, her experiences during and after WWII, and only started translating them after she came to the USA in the late forties. Forty years after her marriage, she told her husband that it was time for him to know what she had written and why she had hidden herself away in the attic so often over the years. The stories and poems are what make up this remarkable book.

The book opens with an incident on a train that was transporting people like cattle. A young Jewish mother, emaciated from starvation, throws her baby at the feet of Nonna's mother and out of a deep compassion, she takes care of the baby for the next 36 hours, hoping to not be detected. It was an act of courage and bravery that would later come back to haunt both of them.

The story then goes back to Nonna's childhood where she paints an idyllic picture of life in the Ukraine, even during the first years of the Russian Revolution. The mood and circumstances are firmly set in the readers mind so that the contrasts later on have greater impact. It is effective.

 Stories of war atrocities are familiar to all, but each one has its own personal touch. Nonna's story is very personal and her insights and struggles are well documented and tear at the heart of the reader. But, underneath all the pain and loss is a current of optimism and hope. These stories must be told, however, and each generation must become familiar with them. The heartless inhumanity must be exposed in the hope that it will prevent it from happening again.

Nonna was the only one left from her very large family and extended family. We cannot fathom the loss, but only grieve with her, but also rejoice with her that she survived and was able to keep the record and memories of her family alive.   

Breakfast in the Sun

I am not big on taking photos of food. If I had a pocket camera it would be a different story, but lugging around a big Nikon DSLR in a restaurant is a recipe for theft or a sticky camera. On this particular morning, we were just back from a walk and were so famished we went straight to breakfast instead of stopping in at our room first. I took a photo of what was my typical breakfast in paradise.

I could write a very long blog on the food at this place, but I will control myself.

First of all, the coffee has improved vastly over the years at this resort. It actually tastes like coffee now and it is piping hot. I would ask the waiter for coffee and orange juice and by the time I was back with a plate full of sustenance, it was there. The waiter had to do something to earn his tip, but really, I could have got my own orange juice. Oh, the orange juice! Simply the best. Then, if I did not order a custom omelet, with cheese, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms, or order two large eggs over easy, I would cruise the buffet to see how the eggs were done there. On this morning, they were scrambled with huge mushrooms so I dished out some of those. I also have on my plate two potato croquettes (with a cheese ingredient) a small spinach puff pastry, some very crisp bacon, large slabs of Papaya, a piece of Honey Dew, and a fresh from the oven raisin cinnamon roll.

Compare this to my usual breakfast at home which, on a work day, would be a half bowl of mini-wheats, a glass of milk to wash down all the vitamins, and a small cup of coffee.

Sure, I gained some weight, but I was on holidays. Like my tan, most of it is gone already. Good thing looking at the photo is not fattening because I look at it a lot.  

Windows and Doors of Mexico

I have always enjoyed photographing windows, doors, and park benches.

Some cultures, more than others, enjoy making a statement with their house openings. I wish we saw more of it here in Canada.

Old or new, the home looks more inviting with a bit of creativity either with colour, ornamental iron, or flowers.

After peering through the cracks of this door, I discovered that it was an entry not to a house, but to a beautiful courtyard.

Both shade and beauty are offered with these trailing vines and flowers.

Even when the windows are totally fake, they look great. You never know what you will find when you go tramping through the back streets.

Mexico Theme Night

Each of the two large Buffet Restaurants had a different menu theme each night but on Mexican night, the whole resort was turned into a Mexican extravaganza. Tortillas, enchiladas, tacos, nachos, burritos, beans, rice, and of course, churros. There are brightly coloured banners, blankets, sombreros, and urns everywhere. There are two troops of Mariachi bands and dancers roaming the grounds getting everyone into the mood.  

This was the 'white band' and, of course, there was a 'black band'. These guys are fun to watch, and they play the old traditional Mexican style with violins, guitars of varying sizes, and trumpets.

This is Pancho, generally acting stupid and getting big laughs and many smiles.

The lovely ladies of the dance and entertainment troupe pull out all the stops as they interact with the dinner crowd. This is going on all around us as we are having our dinner. After a while they move on to another restaurant.

Outside, the festivities continue with all sorts of games and contests where one can earn 'play pesos' that can be used in an auction later in the evening. The reward is 1000 Pesos for sitting on the bull or having one's photo taken as below.

The courtyards are full of Mexican vendors where one can browse and purchase any manner of Mexican Junk (this is what the locals call the art work and handi-crafts).
At 9:30 pm. the show starts and it is a very colourful and authentic display of Mexican dancing, Mariachi bands (again) and cowboy rope tricks. If you did not feel like you were in Mexico before Mexico night, you certainly did later as your head hit the pillow, dancing with dreams of Hat Dances and Churros.

Sunrise/Sunset

We awoke to spectacular sunrises every morning. Few days were completely clear and it is the clouds in the sky that reflect the colours. We would step out of our door to head for our walk and were greeted by scenes like this.

In two weeks there were only three sunsets of any note. The fog banks in the west were so heavy that they blocked any light at the end of the day.

We shared our holiday with this delightful couple, Henry and Heidi.

And they shared their holiday with this delightful couple, one of whom is slightly sun burnt.  

Beach Action

All the action was by pool #1 where there was a beach side bar, showers for those coming out of the ocean, and a beach volleyball court.

After lining up all the beautiful people (read young), the beach Olympics got under way.

There were several different competitions all designed to get people sweaty and full of sand.

This hat vendor was more intent on inspecting the bikinis than selling his wares.

A platoon of fully armed soldiers marched by. A military and police presence is supposed to make us all feel safer. It felt like we were in the USA.

Boogie boarding was quite popular but was really a hit on the last few days we were there when the surf was pounding in very hard and very high.

Sailboats of various shapes and sizes were out in full force on the windy days.

This one got marooned at low tide.

Just another colourful day at the beach.