Sunday musings

It seems like American President Obama has reluctantly decided to commit America to some form of armed response to the ISIS criminals.
Reaction in the States ranges from condemnation to lukewarm support.
He can't win for losing can he?
Dammed if he does and the same if he doesn't.
Faceless critics that have so much vitriol and courage - wonder how tough these people would be if they had to be doing their spewing in public, on camera with name being shown?
Yah, they would run for the hills.
One wonders how the rest of the world leaders that matter, will react and what if any support will they offer.
Or is yet once again, the Yanks trying to stem the hordes of insanity and barbarism by themselves, bleeding lives and money so the rest of us can sit on our fat behinds and do nothing?
You tell me OK?
So the African "Blade Runner" is not guilty of murdering his female partner but guilty of killing her.
What the heck is the difference except for a twisting of some semantics?
Dead is dead - right?
Violence against people is wrong right?
Well....there is a professional football league in the United States that sure seems to think that this concept takes a back seat to profit and its selfish view of the world apparently.
Now this league has special status as a non profit organization from the US government.
Super rich team owners that force cities and state governments to bankroll extravagant new facilities and generates gazillion of dollars in revenues ranging from tickets to the games, TV broadcast rights, memorabilia and the like.
Cool right?
So this rich persons state supported professional league has a curious response to violence and drug abuse.
To wit, a player can be suspended for drug (marijuana) use for 6 games.
OK.
A player beats the living crap out of a woman - 2 games.
What????
A video showing this, well, the league never asked to see it and after a tabloid TV show asked for it and then showed it - well,  the head honcho said - oops, no one ever gave it to us but now, he is suspended indefinitely.
The same league has a proud history of allowing players accused of being involved in murders to continue to play. Indeed, a statue to one has been erected in front of one stadium.
And now reports emerge that a star running back from one team has been indicted for child abuse and he is suspend with pay for one game?
Gee whiz, what is wrong with these people?
And America, how can you let this continue?
A piece of long lost Canadian history has been found in the high Arctic this week. One of the 2 hips from the fabled Franklin Expedition that was lost while searching for the North West Passage has been found, partially intact in shallow waters in the North. After decades and decades this piece of Canadiana is now found and interestingly enough, many maritime experts state that this should further bolster Canadian claims to its sovereignty on the high Arctic over those of Russia, China and the Americans who want the newly opened waters declared international waters.
Why international waters?
That is all about money sadly.
Anybody going to stick up for the fragile ecosystem that is soon to be real peril once tankers and exploration takes off?
Thought so.
Well, I guess the world has to perish one day - right?
Might as well be on our watch one supposes.
And on the Home Front....
Now there are none.
The list of folks coming to visit us on our Island this summer is complete.
We ferried our last visitor back to the mainland airport this last Friday after a week filled with sightseeing, good food and, dare I say - interesting conversations?
The summer fest has allowed us to share our part of the world with these folks and show them what we consider a tiny part of Paradise. We know that some may never journey this far west again, either due to cost, distance, other life matters - whatever, but now they know part of the reason for our planting roots on this Island we call home and are so pleased to be here.
Now we just have to work on one last person - my better halfs' brother, who while having a distaste for flying, is a pretty cool dude and I think might have fun here.
Time will tell.

take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

No world commentary this week, we all have had just about enough of the constant Cassandra type bleatings of the media for now.
Middle East - been there, done that.
Global warming/climate change - been there, done that.
Obama - good or incompetent? Been there, done that.
Mankind exterminating itself via pollution, etc by 20... you pick the year - been there, done that.
No rain, too much rain - been there, done that.
Drought, famine, pestilence - been there, done that.
Enough already.
OK?
This week, just for something different, sit in a chair, read a good book, go for a nice walk, talk nicely to someone.
Be young again and like life for a few precious days.
OK?
Here on my Island, as stated before, Summer is fading and Fall is sneaking about. And in a funny way, now that I live in a part of the country where snow and cold is a possibly one day event, well, the seasons seems shorter even as they stretch out longer.
Go figure.
Yup, the year is really starting to zip by now.
On local TV this week was a report about the first snowfall of the season in Canmore, Alberta.
Really?
REALLY?
Snow already.
Yup.
Halloween ads appear on the TV as well.
Really?
Yup.
First couple of leaves swirl down from trees and weather news talk about possible frost next week on the Canadian Flatlands.
FROST?
Really?
Yup.
I swear I saw my first Canadian Tire ad on the tube for blasted winter tires!
Winter tires!
Really?
Yup.
I even looked into different nooks and crannies here to see where I left my winter mitts for crying out loud.
You know what this means don't you?
Yup.
Pretty soon the old guy will be mourning...err...celebrating yet another birthday.
There soon will not be a cake big enough to support the groaning mass of fire hazard inducing candles will there?
Is it not amazing how the first 2 decades of your life are soooooooo long?
Then the next two are a blur as you settle into society, learn the cost of paying bills and become one of "them".
Then the following pair are another blur in the frantic race to establish parameters, plan for the future and survive in the cruel corporate world.
But then after the somnolence of the fifth decade, the sixth explodes in your face.
60 - gone.
61 - what happened?
See a pattern emerging?
Oh the cruel irony of it all as your biological age increases, time accelerates correspondingly.
And it continues into warp speed it seems.
Rats indeed.
And it really does seem like yesterday I was planning the soon to happen long road trip to the Prairie Flatlands in June and now it is a dim (and hazy!) memory.
And even in the months before, after returning from my beloved Sandwich Islands, we were wistfully wondering if and when we might have yet such another adventure on the horizon.
Now in the waning warmth of the shorter and shorter (daylight only though) hours of September, my Google calendar reminds me of the days left before our next voyage of discovery starts in the New Year.
Hey, I had a list of things to see and do when the summer hit - and now - it is FALL?
Really?
Yup.

take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

OK, how about a mini recap of some long smoldering (well, at least in this age of 120 character messages and 10 second video clip attention span) stories?
The Ukraine - now reports state that indeed, Russian troops are involved in the conflict there. Who would have guessed right? Even Mr. Putin says they are "volunteers" and not "official" troops. Just what kind of fool is supposed to believe that twaddle anyway?
And yes, once again the mighty EU will consider more economic sanctions - ooh the fear that the Russina leader must be experiencing - either that or silent laughter that is.
The latest set of Islamic crazies, ISIS continue their campaign of beheading, executing captives, raping, pillaging - all the usual crap that cowards like that do - and yup, the Islamic world sits by doing squat. Now reports emerge from American media that supposedly "modern" Qatar, while professing to be a moderate and ally of the West actually is secretly funding groups like ISIS.
Hmmm.....
Said it before and will probably say it again - are we on the possible cusp of a new era of World War based on religion like the Crusades but this time done in reverse?
It is really up to the leaders of world government to decide.
And no - the useless United Nations has no role in this except to drain money from member countries to pay obscene salaries of its fat cat employees that are wonderful at spinning nonsense.
Hamas and Israel continue to attack each other and nothing happens to stop this.
Surprised?
Shouldn't be.
Speaking of the United Nations, there is a process slowly underway, that while in all likelihood will be useless, to bring an international convention/agreement on government debt settlement. This is a result of the continuing legal war waged by an American "vulture" fund and the Argentinian government over its fiscal collapse of 2002. A report from the Buenos Aires Herald says " The G77 group of developing nations, plus China, are requesting that the United Nations hold a General Assembly vote on whether to move forward with a new international convention to regulate the restructuring of sovereign debt. Argentina has received support in its standoff with the holdouts in the past from the G-77, regional bodies such as the Unasur and the Mercosur as well as the Russian Federation, but a push to establish new international law mechanisms would be the one of the first to go beyond the merely declaratory." (This is a direct quote from the paper on August 30th of this year)
Trouble is - one cannot imagine the Americans agreeing to this because one of the extremely wealthy folks would not make a whole bunch of money. Of course a cynic might say that the Yanks might sign if they were in the position of Argentina or other debtor nations, Regardless, this bill is toothless and will fade into history like a wisp of smoke in the wind.
America continues its love affair with weapons as a 9 year old girl kills her instructor with a UZI machine pistol at a gun range.
9 years old.
Imagine.
Oh, and Canada should not be smug about this and thumps its chest because guns are better controlled than in America - oh no, not at all. Because in that country there are no laws mandating a minimum gun shooting age.
Imagine.
The Ice Bucket Challenge - who hasn't heard of this?
Any fund raising campaign for causes as ALS cure are good ones but sometimes folks are sooo stupid in their participation of these events. They have to do the bucket pour in a bigger and bigger fashion as if to say "hey I am special compared to the average joe that does the challenge - just watch this! And they proceed to up the stakes in some spectacularly idiotic way. As in the case of a Belgian man has been seriously injured after his pilot friend dropped 1,500 litres (396 gallons) of water on him from a fire-fighting plane as part of a failed Ice Bucket Challenge. The man is in hospital now recovering from the injuries sustained by the impact/weight of the water that hit him. The pilot who dumped the water has now been charged with negligently causing bodily harm.
Imagine.
That is the amazing thing about humanity isn't it?
Throughout our long and painful history and evolution we still do stupid things and act surprised at the results of such actions.
One hopes that there really is a more intelligent life form somewhere out there in the Cosmos.
Oh well.
Here on my Island, summer is slowly winding down with the start of the school year next week in doubt. Teachers province wide have been on strike for months and support for their position seems to be fading as parents realize that the educational day care system that exists is in danger of not being available for them. And they will have to spend money, and lots of it, to place their children in real day care centers and also lose teaching moments. I cannot speak as to which side (teacher or employer) is in "the right" but will say that it is really arrogant for the teachers to constantly parrot the line that their wage demands are "for the sake of the children",
Balderdash on that.
More money for them does not equal better education - period.
Perhaps the school year should be cancelled and then make the kids go to school next year all through the summer!
 This week saw the leave taking of our friends from the Prairie Flatlands back to their home base. And I really tried by both hook and crook to make sure I won every game of golf my buddy and I played. Somehow, at least so I am told, this did not happen...hmmm....next time perhaps?
As usual, we ate waaay too much but we are thankful for stretch fabric! Hopefully they took happy memories back to the Flatlands to warm them through the cold winter months that will descend on them any day now!!!!

take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

During the Crusades, the "Christian" warriors committed a huge amount of atrocities against the so called "godless" Muslims yet the history records say little about that and modern society shrugs and continues.
Yet.... when a Muslim commits an act of cruelty, specifically the beheading of an American reporter, the sheer evil of the act takes ones breath away.
And yet.... the outrage, especially in America seems muted.
What has happened to the strong determined American Way that the world saw after the First and Second World War?
Has it been sapped by Viet Nam, the 2 Gulf Wars, the conflict in Iraq?
Something has changed and to many observers, not for the better.
When the worlds' policeman seems to hesitate or stumble - all nations hold their collective breath and wait.
And where is the condemnation of this filthy barbarism from Muslim nations?
Or is there only deafening silence?
You be the judge.
Perhaps America would be justified to tell these cesspools to implode on themselves.
Perhaps.
But the children and the women - what of them?
Once again - where are all the Muslim nations of the world on this?
Right.
Argentina decided this week to issue payments to creditors through its own banks due to a lower American court "judge" voiding bill payback procedures in order to line the pockets of a billionaire (from coincidentally the USA) through his vulture fund purchase of old Argentine debts. So of course the judge ruled this action by the Argentinians was illegal.
Hmmm, an American judge ruling on the workings of a foreign government in its own land?
One wonders how Uncle Sam would react if, say, Australia did that to their government in a similar instance?
Yup, thought so.
The cease fire in the Middle East is truly a farce isn't it?
Both sides sign on to another cease fire agreement, take a deep breath, reload and start firing rockets and shells again and blames the other.
Any semblance of reason and sanity is long gone and bloody genocide by whatever name you want to call it is starting to happen on the ground. Neither side will budge until the other is beaten into a pulp.
One side is backed by Russia and the other by the Americans.
What a tragedy this is.
And no, we individuals cannot make a difference can we?
Speaking of the Middle East, one was wondering how long it was going to take for unnamed "experts" to solemnly proclaim that "any day now" oil prices will sky rocket because of the conflicts happening there.
Started on Thursday - figures.
A pox on these profiteering cretins already!
Just like in Canada where for 4 years now, in every major news outlet on alternating weeks, stories abound about the housing "bubble" and the crash that will come any blasted day and throw the country into a black economic hole the likes you have never seen before.
Enough already - all these fools want is max their profit margins and figure the average citizen is stupid enough to believe them if they babble it enough times. well, these citizens somehow made it through school, had/have life partners (in the main) and many have successfully raised children. paid taxes and lived a decent life - I think they are a pretty savvy bunch.
And as anticipated here is your Hawaiian Word of the Day is Heenalu. Hee meaning slide, and Nalu meaning wave. When put together it is the act of sliding on a wave; surfing!
Stay cool brah!
Once again, this is a truly shorter blog and I apologize but faced with the happy choice of showing our friends from the Prairie Flatlands around our Island, something sadly has to suffer.
But I will end this weeks offering with a few snaps of things seen and done so far...

take care out there,
flatlander52

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

Sunday musings

Parallels

I think we all have heard from "experts", learned people, and anyone with an opinion as to whether animals have a capacity for rational thought versus emotional process.
Regardless, this past couple of weeks gives me pause.
We have friends that live beside us and they have started a slow process in moving from their home to a new residence based on their own unique requirements. They have the pleasure of being hosts to 2 cats. One is a laid back old fellow with a mellow approach to life as long as he has a full food dish and empty litter bin - all is fine by him.
The other, well she is different.
She is a princess and rules the world and now and then will even allow you to pet her as she cruises through life.
Or she used to.
With the move process slowly stripping away furnishings in the home and that "empty" look and feeling growing, she knows/feels her world is different but does not know why or how.
She is confused and hurt.
Angry.
Helpless.
Only the outdoors which used to be her domain remain unchanged - but not really as another cat in the area senses that change is in the wind and now walks around what once was forbidden turf.
The angry howls reverberate from a formerly demure miss.
The princess feels swept away by something she does not understand and she reacts.
You know, this is something like the life we humans live as we age isn't it?
I have been a part of the aging process, no longer a young stripling but also still not a weary infirmed elder in a care hospice.
Yet...
One sees that the big and I mean BIG and pivotal moment in ones life is the day retirement starts. It takes a while but slowly and without any way out of it - you lose relevance in society.
Yes, one does.
No longer a person who interacts with co-workers, one whose opinions and decisions matter or impacts others - no, now the only time you get "respect" is when you pay for goods and services such as groceries!
Many people cannot accept this and rage silently in the night against this.
They flail out sometimes wildly and usually they speak without realizing the impact in anger about the world to the ones that care the most about them.
And as a result, drive a wedge between them and cannot understand why.
There is no answer or solution, it is life.
Period.
This does not happen to everyone obviously but when it does, it is hard on all.
Especially the aged.
Just like Princess the cat, they know things have changed but cannot understand why.
I hope that I, when the time comes, will become like the old fellow - fat and mellow and laid back.
My better half tells me I have the fat part well in place!
Paradise, AKA the Sandwich Islands have had one (as of Saturday) hurricane strike and news reports that a second one will actually miss which is good news. Video coverage shows large amounts of fallen trees and flooding yet the spirit of the Islands shine through as people interviewed show grace and goodness under such terms.
May Kāne spread his blessing on the  kānaka there.
The Middle East continues to rage and the world watches.
Is that part of the world doomed to eternal conflict?
Some pundits speculate that "modern" feudal states (sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?) are incapable of change and the ruling group - mainly men who twist noble religions to fit their twisted sense of reality - would rather murder and main than evolve into rational beings.
A wise man once said, democracy and basic human rights are a luxury of a civilized society that can afford them.
And they are of little use when the barbarians are at the gates with guns and rockets.
And for your German word of the week -  the janitor in a German apartment block is called a Hausmeister, literally a master of the house.
In my Haus - I can be called the Hausdiener!
Speaking events...... this week sees the arrival of my golfing buddy (and his better 3/4 of course!) from the Prairie Flatlands for a bit of fun in the sun. And I have a whole new bag of "golf mulligans" to ensure that by hook or crook (cheating) I will soundly defeat the 007 look-a-like. We are looking forward to their company as indeed, I usually get to eat much better as well!
Everybody wins - whoopeeeeeee...........

take care out there,
flatlander52