HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!

I want to wish my dear mother a very happy 82nd birthday today. She is living in Ngongotaha, New Zealand, so unfortunately I can't take her a cake. But my thoughts are with her on her special day.

You CAN survive!

It was reported today that a 14 year old girl has survived an Air Yemeni Airbus crash into the Indian Ocean on the way to the Comoros islands. It goes to show that all of the precautions that airlines take with life jackets and drills can actually mean that you can live through a major air crash. It is rather comforting in this age of international travel.

Bernie is never gonna dance again!

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, from the UK duo WHAM, could have been eerily forecasting Bernie Madoff’s demise when they recorded their huge hit “Careless Whisper”. Old Bernie is never going to dance again for sure, with 150 years in prison handed down today. Brilliant sentence that will send a really strong message, just at the right time.

“Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool.
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given.
So I'm never gonna dance again
the way I danced with you.”

A Blessing Beyond Comprehension

Today is one of those days when it is completely obvious how much I have been blessed in my life. I am blessed with a knowledge of God and his kindness, goodness and love for his children. I am blessed to know that his Son lived on this earth and died for my sins. I am blessed to have been lead by the hand by a loving eternal parent to my wife; my great love and soulmate. To find such happiness and understanding in a fine, intelligent and beautiful woman who loves me equally and complements me in every way; to have the richness in my life of my parents, my treasured children and grandchildren added to in infinite measure by my sweetheart and her wonderful family is a blessing beyond price. Thank you my love for all you have brought to my life and I wish you on your birthday peace, happiness, and the deep and endless love of a husband to whom you have brought meaning, delight, hope and faith. What purpose would there be to life in heaven, assuming that you lived well enough on earth to warrant dwelling again with your Maker, if you did not have the companionship of your sweet wife and your family?

MJ

I have been thinking a bit about Michael Jackson passing away yesterday. What a supreme talent, what a singer, dancer, songwriter. What a flawed personality. Sadly, Michael does not have the legacy that should have been his, as one of the greatest entertainers of the modern era. Maybe the best. Instead he will be largely remembered for his eccentricity, his silly stunts with his baby, his failed marriages; and most of all, his questionable relationships with children. Personally I believe that if Michael had been judged according to his heart, he would seem much more likable that his actions might show. Perhaps he was misunderstood in many ways. But perhaps too he was the victim of his own fantasies and publicity. I will remember him for his music (and innovation in the industry), which I enjoy to this day.

The peasants are revolting!

A hardline Iranian cleric today called for the execution of leading "rioters" to teach a lesson to the tens of thousands who have protested against the result of the presidential election two weeks ago. Now there is a novel way of showing the world how peaceful and accepting of diversity Shi'a Islam is in Iran! Maybe the hardliners should be executed and the people given a little freedom.

Farrah Fawcett Dies

It is with sadness that I note the passing away from cancer of one of my generations' favourite icons, Farrah Fawcett. It is sad partly because I have faced my cancer demons too, partly because she was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world when I was growing up, and the fact that she was still young. Farrah certainly had her moments as an actress, especially in Charlies Angels as a young woman and later in Hollywood. I also recognize the singular love for her of her long time partner Ryan O'Neill. It is precisely that kind of deep and tender love that makes this world a wonderful place and strong families such a great sanctuary from the world. The kind of love I have for my beautiful wife.

Celebrating Derek

I have always respected sportsmanship and have done my very best to be a good sport on the field of play (and off of it). During my sports years I have had many teammates and opponents who were a great example of sportsmanship. One thing that always drives me crazy is when a person or team wins something major, who do not exemplify good sportsmanship. Early John McEnroe is a good example, although he has mellowed considerably in later years. Bobby Fischer was my first real introduction to bad sportsmanship, when he won the 1972 World Chess Championship from Boris Spassky. Even though he is widely regarded as the games’ greatest ever player, he was no example to follow. Diego Maradona, the Argentinean footballer is another to mention in this discussion.
So when the Los Angeles Lakers recently won the NBA Championship I got a major case of heartburn. As a team I can’t stand them. Their fans are generally obnoxious. Kobe Bryant is an arrogant idiot who is thoroughly undeserving of league MVP. I can name a number of people who are better players and billions who are finer men. It’s too bad that the NBA doesn’t have an award like Australian Rules Football does in naming the Best and Fairest Player. Kobe wouldn’t stand a snowflakes chance of winning that.
But I have found the silver lining in the cloud of the Lakers’ win. I congratulate Derek Fisher on his first NBA Championship. Derek is a fine player and a very nice man, whom I have had the opportunity to meet. I also got a hug from his mom, on Mother’s Day, and she is a total sweetheart. So well done Derek, you deserve it man!

Christian Science Monitor Cartoon on Iran

Myanmar wins too! Say what?

The Wall Street Journal today carried a story that warmed my heart. It seems that Myanmar, that dark and gloomy part of the world governed by a secretive and dictatorial military junta, has given their citizens a little freedom and happiness in the form of a national soccer (football) league. Who would have guessed... right? Myanmar???
Soccer has had a political edge in Myanmar(formerly known as Burma)in the past. In the days when George Orwell worked there, as a colonial police officer before World War II, residents cheered against English teams to show disrespect for the colonial power. In more recent years, fans booed teams that had members of Myanmar's despised but powerful military.
Intellectuals dismiss the new league as a ploy by the junta to distract people from Myanmar's deepening economic and political problems, including the ongoing trial of Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate. The U.S. suspects Myanmar is about to receive a weapons shipment from a North Korean ship now being monitored by the U.S. Navy. Foreign diplomats and others say teams are controlled by oligarchs with ties to the military. But for now, at least the Burmese can enjoy professional football and have a great weekend watching their favourite team play. Maybe something they did not expect from their political masters.

Pakistan wins!

Finally Pakistan has something to crow about, something to warm the hearts of their citizens. They have beaten Sri Lanka to win international cricket’s Twenty/20 World Cup. A country that has been rocked by terrorism, insurgency and political travail can now hold its head high and say to the world; “We fight well on the cricket pitch too!” Personally, as a lover of cricket, I can’t think of a more deserving group than the Pakistanis, so I applaud their efforts.
I have grown up watching the great Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, and Abdul Qadir and loved their enthusiasm and skill. But my favourites in Pakistani colours were the best opening bowling pair ever in world cricket, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. I never tired of watching them on TV or seeing them at Eden Park in Auckland or the Sydney Cricket Ground with my friends. Well done Pakistan, you are rightly proud of this success and I wish your team all the best in future conquests.

Sarkozy Challenges the Burqa

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, is reported to have said that the burqa, a garment worn by many Muslim women, has no place in France as it was a sign of the subjugation of women. The burqa is a garment that covers women from head to toe and hides their faces. During a speech to a joint session of both houses of parliament on Monday, held at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, Sarkozy said "The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue, it is a question of freedom and of women's dignity, the burqa is not a religious sign, it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women. I want to say solemnly that it will not be welcome on our territory."
On this issue, President Sarkozy is treading on dangerous ground. I am not sure that he understands all the issues in play here. I also have my doubts whether political leaders should venture onto such ground. In their landmark book, "Who Speaks for Islam", John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed speak about the silenced majority of Muslims. One of the concepts that they draw out is that the majority of Muslim women want to wear the burqa and do not feel discriminated against while wearing it. This flies in the face of current western wisdom and against President Sarkozy's comments.
Esposito also stated in his book "What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam" is that veiling is associated with Islam because of a verse from the Quran which states: "Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. Modesty is also prescribed for men!
Esposito goes on to say that veiling did not become widespread in Islam until three or four generations after the death of Muhammad. It was originally a sign of honor. "Women who wear the headscarf complain, that instead of asking THEM what the burqa means to them , they assume that women are being oppressed. This assumption oppresses women more that the headdress ever could." Muslim women often talk about what the burqa symbolizes: "religious devotion, discipline, reflection, respect, freedom, modernity. But too often nobody asks them what the scarf means to them."
We in the west, in general, have no idea about Muslim customs, nor the feelings of this extremely religious people. We assume too much and know too little. I personally would not want my wife to wear a burqa, but she is not of their faith. Equally, Muslim women should be able to choose for themselves, and if Esposito is to be believed, a majority of them would decide to wear it! With his negative statement, Sarkozy is deciding for all France ahead of any debate, not welcoming any discussion and deciding a course from that debate.

Happy Birthday Shells

I would like to take the opportunity to wish my beautiful daughter Rachelle HAPPY BIRTHDAY. She is 23 today, happily married to Jordan and mother of a wonderful little boy named Rome. Babe, like all of your sisters I am extremely proud to be your father, especially on Father's Day here in the United States. May you have many more happy and propserous years with your family all over the world. We love you.

Bravery and Brilliance

I had never heard of David Rohde before today, but his daring exploits have now firmly caught my attention. Rohde, a New York Times reporter who was kidnapped by the Taliban, escaped Friday night, and made his way to freedom, after more than seven months of captivity in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. When he was captured he was with a local reporter, Tahir Ludin, researching a new book. Mr. Ludin joined him in climbing over the wall of a compound where they were being held in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan. They made their way to a nearby Pakistani Frontier Corps base and on Saturday they were flown to the American military base in Bagram, Afghanistan.
This is a great story on its own, but it gets even better. Rohde has won two Pulitzer Prizes! The first was in 1996 in international reporting for documenting the massacres of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica, where he uncovered grave sites and photographed piles of clothing and human bones near an earthen dam. But he was detected by a plainclothes watchman and turned over to Bosnian Serb authorities and imprisoned. His tenacious reporting played a crucial role in exposing the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Bosnia. His second was as part of The New York Times’s reporting team that won a this spring for coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan last year.
David Rohde is a great profile at many different levels. Number one, he is known by colleagues as fearless yet unassuming reporter; someone who conducts himself modestly around the office. Affable and soft-spoken, he is not one to regale colleagues with war stories, instead saving his storytelling for articles. He is described as one unbelievably dogged reporter who brings an open mind and big heart to every story. All characteristics that we can relate to and admire.
Number two is bravery. His father, Harvey Rohde, said that while he regretted that his son had made the trip, he understood his motivation, “to get both sides of the story, to have his book honestly portray not just the one side but the other side as well.” “I guess that personifies my son.” To go repeatedly into war zones across the globe armed only with a pen and notebook takes a special kind of courage. Yet war correspondents have done exactly that for as long as some form of media has existed.
Number three is something that I have written about before. David Rohde and those like him restore my faith in credible reporting. In late November 1995, and Mr. Rohde’s editors joined 11 of his relatives on a trip to Dayton, Ohio, where the Bosnian peace talks were being held, to urge American diplomats to demand his release from Bosnia. After 10 days of imprisonment, during which he was interrogated relentlessly and deprived of sleep, Mr. Rohde was freed. When he arrived in Boston, he was greeted by a phalanx of cameras at the airport, which made him cringe, said his older brother, Lee. “He’s old school,” Lee Rohde said. “The last thing he ever wants is to be the story. He’s supposed to be the storyteller.” The press, television, the Internet, whatever the media source, are supposed to tell the story not set it in motion themselves. David Rohde is a real and courageous man, a fine reporter; and one that I will delight in reading in years to come, because I trust him to tell me the facts and let me decide what is true. Bring back old school in a very big way.

More than one reason, more than one level.

Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, and former vice-presidential candidate, has been embroiled in a very public spat with David Letterman of the Tonight Show. From the media stories I have read, Letterman made crude jokes at the expense of the Governor's daughter. Watching the ED Show today on MSNBC I saw some commentators admonishing Governor Palin for hitting back at Letterman and that it wouldn't do anything for her in the long-term. What these pundits do not get, is that Palin is not just a political candidate but also a mother. While she has made her mistakes, Governor Palin has every right to fire back when protecting her children. Not everything boils down to politics, and personally I am very happy with that. People may have many reasons for acting in a specific way or saying something that may seem provocative. Whatever you might think of her, all I heard when Sarah Palin spoke was a mother acting to protect her child. On that level she deserves praise.

This Postcard Cracks Me Up!

Reporting versus Creating the News

One thing that truly bothers me in this, the Information Age, especially in the United States, is that news agencies create rather than report the news. In my view this is going well beyond their brief into territory they were never designed to wander into.They are not impartial arbiters of the the truth or referees in the social arena, but just another player, another gladiator after the spoils.

Bill Moyers puts it this way... "Our media institutions, deeply embedded in the power structures of society, are not providing the information that we need to make our democracy work. To put it another way, corporate media consolidation is a corrosive social force. It robs people of their voice in public affairs and pollutes the political culture. And it turns the debates about profound issues into a shouting match of polarized views promulgated by partisan apologists who trivialize democracy while refusing to speak the truth about how our country is being plundered.

Our dominant media are ultimately accountable only to corporate boards whose mission is not life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the whole body of our republic, but the aggrandizement of corporate executives and shareholders. These organizations’ self-styled mandate is not to hold public and private power accountable, but to aggregate their interlocking interests. Their reward is not to help fulfill the social compact embodied in the notion of the people, but to manufacture news and information as profitable consumer commodities."

It is high time we told these lobby groups to get out of opinion making and simply report what is happening around the world. There are a number of reputable agencies that do this, so why can't all the rest. I am not interested in editorial and opinion, but the untainted facts! Let me make up my own mind and let my friends do the same. But how dare you tell me what to think!

Revolution inside the Revolution

Decked out in his signature blue-collar jacket, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, looked completely at ease as the camera bulbs flashed. "I am the president of all Iranians," he told the gathered reporters last Sunday. Dismissing fraud allegations as not important and claiming the elections were free and real, Ahmadinejad likened the ongoing street protests in the Iranian capital to the unrest after a soccer match. "Some people are emotional and get upset if their team didn't win," he said with a quick smile. "Well, your team didn't win."
Mahmoud, there is a bit more to this than just the sulking of the losing team supporters; and I have a feeling that you will find this out the hard way. There is a groundswell in Iran that will continue to build until it reaches critical mass. Then there will be a new revolution and you and your dictatorial cronies will be swept away with the tidal wave, just like 1979, when the Shah was toppled. If there was no fraud in the election why is there so much unrest and rioting? Could it be that the ordinary man and woman in Iran feels that they have no say in how they run their lives, and that despite the teachings of the Quran, they have almost no real freedom?

Explosive afternoon for UHP on I-80

Troopers say around 11 a.m. a Dodge pickup truck was eastbound when a white pickup truck cut it off. That caused the driver of the Dodge to lose control. The Dodge somehow went through a small opening in the road barrier that is designed for emergency vehicles only. The Dodge collided head-on with a Fed-Ex delivery semi truck which was pulling three trailers of cargo. The driver of the Dodge died instantly; the driver of the semi was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.
The collision caused both vehicles to catch fire. The Fed-Ex truck was transporting ammunition, which added an extra hazard to the scene. Ammunition has been going off periodically due to a fire that started in the cab and moved back to the first trailer. The other trailers did not catch on fire. The fire department did an excellent job of putting the flames down.
Two things are worth mentioning here. The first is that Utah drivers are the worst I have ever seen on any roads, anywhere. Admittedly I have not driven in New York, Tokyo, Mexico City or Cairo. But they are much nicer and more skilled in Los Angeles than here. Secondly, it sort of boggles my mind why ammunition was being transported in the daytime by road, with lots of drivers around. Road transport should be the absolute last resort and done only during the later hours of darkness.
Lastly, my thoughts go to the family of the driver of the Dodge pickup. May God bless you in your grief.

Justice must be seen to be done

I came across an article in the New York Times recently that made me stop and think. It was entitled "For ‘American Idol,’ Voting Early and Often". It spoke of the practice of block voting to determine the winner of the extremely popular but very lame American Idol "reality" show. Block voting goes like this..."Erika McMahan of Conway, Ark., who with two of her friends sent in 11,700 votes by text message on the final night of this year’s" competition. How can this be a fair and accurate assessment of a singer's popularity and what ever happened to one person, one vote kind of honesty?
The article went onto say: "Such practices are having an outsize effect on American Idol results is the obvious conclusion presented by a strange anomaly that has grown over eight seasons of “American Idol.” Even as the show’s audience has declined in recent years, the number of votes being cast has risen sharply. Just how many people are casting block votes — which seem to be at odds with the show’s own rules — is unclear."
"Viewer voting is undoubtedly the ingredient most responsible for the success of American Idol, because it creates a built-in audience for the contestants’ recordings. A belief by viewers that their participation is meaningless if they don’t cast votes by the hundreds or thousands could limit their interest in the show. Viewers place a certain trust in a show like American Idol. They trust that the system is somehow democratic and not being influenced by one person sending in 10,000 votes at a time."
Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less who wins or loses Idol. To me the show's only validity is unearthing new talent that would have not got the chance otherwise. Classic cases are Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Daughtry; the biggest selling artist of 2007, worldwide. But this commentary is about the message sent to society that manipulation scores, money (to send out 10,000 text messages) wins, and that the ordinary viewer and voter doesn't matter. It is about honesty and transparency in a system that is participated in by millions. Come on Idol, Fox and Fremantle, sort it out and make it fair! Don't let something else that is enjoyed by many descend into farce, there aren't many heroes left. As my old boss used to say, "Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done!"

Freedom of Identity: Part 2

The United States is a country that is rightly proud of its traditions and democratic ideals. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are documents that have identified proper principles of government and provided freedoms that not only Americans now enjoy; but has influenced governments all over the world. While the concept of democratic government was spawned in Greece over two thousand years ago, modern democracy exists worldwide because the founding fathers of the United States provided the impetus and platform for it to do so.
That said, I believe that the Department of Political Correctness and their enforcement arm, the Thought Police, now have far too much say in our temporal affairs. For example I find it rather ironic that the witch hunt launched against Carrie Prejean (pictured), the former Miss California and runner-up to Miss USA, to be quite frightening. It seems that it’s fine to be yourself and have intrinsic beliefs, as long as you don’t voice them, or advertize them.
Anyone that still believes that Carrie was fired because of ‘breaches of contract’ rather than her views on same-sex marriage are either naïve or live in a vacuum. The Miss California organization, in my view, has been looking for any possible excuse to get rid of her. For what? Just being herself and having certain beliefs that are unpopular, in some quarters, right now. Carrie was honest when asked a question, and has been vilified for that answer ever since.
It doesn’t matter what your opinions are on same-sex marriage, as I have my own viewpoints, which will remain mine. What the issue here is, is that a person should be allowed to exercise free speech as granted by the Constitution of the United States. And freedom of thought or freedom of personal identity if you will, to articulately express yourself, especially when asked a question in a public forum, that was intentionally designed to create a furor.
If Carrie did breach her contract, and I’m talking about more than in just some token or insignificant way, then fine. People who break a contract deserve the consequences. But to vilify her and attack her for what she said is indefensible, even if you don’t like what she said. The constitution provides that freedom for a reason, to prevent despotism from occurring in this beacon of a democracy. You can’t have it both ways. You sometimes have to take the whole package, even when it is inconvenient. These embedded ideals and laws are the reason we are not governed by a Hitler, Stalin, or an Amin.

Freedom of Identity: Part 1

Adam Lambert (pictured) was the runner-up in the 2009 edition of American Idol. Personally, I hoped he would win, as I liked him much better; but that’s another story. It has been suggested in some quarters that Adam lost in the final to Kris Allen because he was gay; and although Lambert had not admitted as such, it was obvious. That a person might lose a contest because he or she is gay, Muslim, or pregnant, is ludicrous and just plain wrong. It would appall me if this allegation is correct.
Truth is truth. The best singer, or dancer or bagpipe player should win because they are the best. No other criteria should enter into it. Fortunately, Adam coming second will not prevent him from having the great career that he so richly deserves. Anyway, winning the competition has been somewhat of a curse to others; just ask Taylor Hicks or Fantasia Barrino (and to be honest I had to look up their names because I couldn’t remember them!).
Just recently it has been revealed to Rolling Stone magazine, by Adam, that he is in fact gay and proud of it. Good for you in having the courage. But the fact is, it shouldn’t take courage, it should just be accepted. People should be allowed to be what they are and not be the subject of innuendo, abuse or retaliation. Sing your heart out Adam!

Happy Birthday Lisa!

I would like to wish my beautiful daughter Lisa and grandson Aaron happy birthday today. They are mother and son born on the same day and month. Shared birthdays like this are cool and a chance to have something special in common. I just want them to know that I love them both dearly and pray daily for their health, safety and future. Lisa, I am very proud of your achievements as the person, mother and wife you are. Thank you for being the wonderful gift you are. Family is God's greatest gift as the ties we have a forever and cannot be broken. Happy Birthday, Lisa and Happy Birthday, Aaron.

Redbox Rocks

I believe that the best new business idea to come along in the last few years is Redbox, without a doubt. It is such a great win-win plan that I cannot personally see a downside. It is McDonalds and Blockbuster meets the Vending Machine. Very simple, very effective and the consumer loves the concept. You get DVD rented at $1.00 per night. You can rent at the machine or pre-book online AND drop them off at any kiosk, not just the one you rented it from! If there is any trouble there is a 1-800 number to call to get free advice and customer service. Local businesses are lining up to host them nearby because Redbox customers are attracted to their stores as well. Whoever thought the combination up deserves a medal and a raise. I hope they are making the money that this franchise obviously makes, as each kiosk averages $37,347 per year and there are thousands of them.
Another thing the company did that caught my eye was to be proactive in crime prevention. When three of their machines in Arizona and New Mexico were found to have credit card skimming devices attached to them they went on the offensive. They told their customers that it had happened and where; and pictured what the devices looked like on their website, so that customers could see for themselves. They also set up a hotline for information flow.
Redbox rocks! And now we have one less than a quarter mile from my house it makes me even happier. Redbox is a wonderful business concept that will continue to gain adherents and move up the rankings to become, I believe the number one rental agency for DVDs in the United States.

Love my music!

Last week, over the course of four days, I was able to work at three musical concerts. What an eclectic mix of sounds these three groups produced, some well-known, and some not very much at all. But all enjoyable, whatever the category, their music fit into. I remember from the time I was a small boy loving, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beach Boys and The Beatles (yes this dates me badly) and constantly listening to their sounds. I love music, because it helps my mind escape from normal mundane living and takes it to a higher plane.

The Doobie Brothers, another old favourite, say it best in their hit The Doctor, whose chorus swells:

“Music is the doctor

Makes you feel like you want to

Listen to the doctor

Just like you ought to

Music is the doctor of my soul.”

That enigma from the 70s, Average White Band, a Scottish funk and R&B group, also wrote about their feelings for music when they penned:

“Ah, you're a lady, you're my world

Come on and speak to me

Ah, you gotta help me now

To find the right key

Major to minor

Keep it in step

Let me hear, you got to teach me

Your sweet harmony, oh

Music, sweet music

You're the queen of my soul.”

I am truly thankful for music and happy to work in an industry that allows me to occasionally hear the sounds of my youth and have new musical experiences that make my spirit soar. Thank you Fleetwood Mac, Il Divo and Survivor. Pop-rock, Popular Classical and Hard Rock. What a week!