Sunday, August 17, 2014

Sunday musings

Damn, I seem to be writing more and more of these farewell columns and the sadness grows with each.
I refer to the passing of heroes.
This week I lost yet another one.
One I respected.
Indeed, as people have said to me, in my own limited way, I was a mirror image of the man in his greatness and his weaknesses.
Far be it for me to even hint that my "greatness" was anyway near his.
No, but in terms of his approach to life, his demons and his manic ( I use this word carefully) attitude and behavior to and in life - well yes, I feel a kinship to Robin Williams.
A year older than me.
I feel so mortal these days.
May he sleep with the Gods - he earned it.
And in the same feeling of sorrow - Lauren Bacall left us this week also. An accomplished actress, married to the immortal Humphrey Bogart, she was what we called a "dame" back in the day. That was when a "dame" was the embodiment of a classy lady, one you could never dream of having hang on your arm but always secretly hoped to aspire to have.
A true Dame in all aspects.
Rest easy Ms Bacall, your legend is constant.

OK, the Ebola outbreak -can we be honest and term it an epidemic yet? - rages on in Africa and in a strange response, the World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing some untested vaccines and possible antidotes, but in a strictly limited case study approach. One understands the need for testing controls to validate empirical evidence, but in the name of humanity,why limit the doses? Any hope however faint has to be good.
And yet the victims appear to be doomed.
I just don't get it.
The Argentina Peso continues to slump against the US dollar in world and local "blue"markets as a continuing result of the USA imposed default of the Argentinian loan payback program. One hopes the reclusive American billionaire behind this blatant greed is happy about getting absolutely zero in money so far. But as analysts state, he is in for the long gain and is betting big bucks that he will be able have the USA government do his bidding.
Speaking of Hawaii, it appears that the incumbent Gov. has lost his chance for re-election by being defeated in Party runoff elections. He is the first sitting Gov. from Hawaii to have this happen to. Mr. Abercrombie served his state well but possibly a backlash of voter anger against his handling of some sensitive kānaka issues was the cause. No one can doubt his sincerity and good intentions as he served in various positions in government for over 40 years.
Also, our hua olelo Hawaii for the day is LA'AU KAU LOLE -- meaning wooden clothes hanger. Lole are clothes and the term La'Au means wood while Kau is to place something on something else.
Cool.
And for my readers in Germany, of course our German word for the day -an automobile made for parents, kids and all of their stuff is referred to as a Familienkutsche - a family carriage.
Hmm, gotta eat a few bratwursts to say that puppy eh??
Here on my Island, fresh fruit season is a poppin' as we say. Peaches, apples, blackberries to name a few and to bite into them is such a wonder. The soft succulent taste brings back memories of a younger age when such was the norm for a few weeks in late summer. Now a faint memory as fruit is shipped worldwide in gas filled containers that halt the ripening process and instead of a soft treat, well sometimes in eating them (usually in winter in north America) it is like biting into a piece of really hard wood.
Sigh.
But society wanted fruit all year long and this is the price.
You get what you ask for and sometimes, you should have left well enough alone.
By necessity this is a short blog this time as our visitors from the Flatlands are with us and already I have "pummeled" my buddy in golf ( and yes, I kept score so I did "win" - ho ho!) and the traveling is adding kilometers to the old Kubelwagon.
And, in all fairness, I have to admit my buddy had a couple of great games so far, including on one hole, a difficult one with an extremely tough uphill layout - a blasted 2 score!!! Here is a photo of his second shot (a putt) for what is termed "birdie" as the ball is on the cusp of falling in the hole - the rotter!

And the second photo is of  Sean Conn---err, 007---err my buddy striding up to the green to deliver the putt.

It took all my wits to creatively figure out a way to 'modify" the score card to tie him for that round of golf.
Next time though.....

take care out there,
flatlander52

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