THERE IS NOTHING quite like those first few days after a major holiday, such as Christmas, to make a person feel blah. The excitement and expectation has dissipated; the wrapping paper, once covering beautifully-wrapped boxes, is now scrunched into balls and stuffed into bags; a stark reminder of easy come, easy go. Bows and ribbons decorate the carpet, pieces of tape find their way on the most unusual objects.
No one wants any more turkey; just the thought of another turkey sandwich makes one queasy. Sure, there is more than food to Christmas. There are the gifts. The shirt boxes can be folded and used again next year; the HUGE box from the Blue-Ray player is stored in the garage until the next recycling day; the even BIGGER BOX from my daughter's drawing table is also in the garage. What? you say---What about the birth of Jesus Christ? Isn't that what Christmas is all about? See the last paragraph.
Trudging through snow isn't one of my favourite hobbies, and I had to dress as if I was going to the North Pole just to take out the leftover boxes and other trash. Actually I detest Winter. Hate it. All the snow, boots, gloves, scarves, hats, etc. Snow on the carpet, mixed with sunflower seeds that fell from the bird feeder, and pieces of rock salt that stick to your boots, then come off on the runners. All that salt thrown outside to melt the ice and snow, and then half of it comes back inside. You step on it with stockinged feet--OUCH!!!---and that reminds you of days in the past when your daughters were small . . .
when you stepped on that elusive Barbie shoe in the middle of the night. Painful, very painful. Anyone who has daughters who had Barbie dolls knows this particular phenomenon. It is peculiar only to parents of daughters who collect multiple Barbies, then have to buy all the shoes, which usually happen to be high heels. There is always that one shoe that gets away from the collection, that one shoe that the daughter is always looking for. "Mommy?!?!? Have you seen a light blue Barbie shoe?" "Yes, darling, it lanced me last night. Here it is," wherewith you deposit the minute but deadly weapon in her little outstretched hand. "Oh, thank you, Mommy!" Her beaming smile seems to blot out the pain in your instep.
The only redeeming feature of Winter, to my estimation, is watching the bright red Cardinals feeding at the bird feeder, their redness such a beautiful contrast to the whiteness of the snow. I love feeding the animals, even the thieving squirrels, who rely on me for their food. The raccoons and opossums also enjoy a little tidbit, but they refuse to eat Brussels sprouts. Can't understand why, I love them . . . .
Only a few days and we will be in the New Year, 2010. And the days are already getting longer, heading toward that lovely time of Spring, then Summer, then Autumn, then Winter again . . .
OH, lest I forget . . . Constantine created Christmas as a mid-winter festival, as much for the Christians as against the Jews . . . my own personal belief is that Jesus Christ was born in the Spring as He died in the Spring, and December 25th is NOT His birthday. We shouldn't mix pagan festivals with the birth of The Messiah and Our Saviour. We love to give and receive gifts, therefore we should enjoy Christmas for that and nothing else, and perhaps should change the name to "Winter Fesitval" and save "Christmas" for April, and make it a truly spiritual holiday, no gift-giving, no big turkey dinners. Chanukkah is so much more a real thing to celebrate, also Passover, which is commanded of the Jews to celebrate forever. So there---at God's command, Passover has to be remembered forever.
And with remembering that, perhaps I will shake myself out of these Winter blues and think about the Spring.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Width of a Hair
THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT I NEED TO TOUCH UPON: That is, the issue of people shaving their heads in empathy with cancer victims who have lost their hair due to radiation and/or chemotherapy.
When I was 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, Stage 2B. That was way way way back in 1972. It is difficult to convey the agony that I felt at that time in my life. I was just embarking on my adulthood, with one more year of high school in front of me, when the diagnosis was confirmed.
I remember crying when I first found the lump on the right side of my neck; I knew I had cancer. After a good sob, my mother took me to my doctor and he suggested a biopsy. Yes, it was cancer; yes, it was Hodgkin's disease. I'd never heard of it before and read up all I could on the subject. I wanted to confront this monster with as much information as I could. But what I didn't know was the devastating effects of the radiation.
After the first surgery of removing a lymph node,a week later a second surgery was performed, a spleenectomy. The spleen had to be removed before the radiation because in earlier times the spleen wasn't removed and it burst, often resulting in the death of the patient.
In those days . . . I was a guinea pig. There was a new radiation treatment that used Cobalt 60. It was very strong and very deadly. Radical treatment for a radical disease. My radiologist warned me that I would lose my hair, and possibly become sterile as well. Hearing this as a young woman was so upsetting and made things worse, but I'm so happy he was honest with me. My hair would grow back but never be quite the same, but the sterility issue would be permanent.
Within two or three days of the first treatments, my hair fell out. I was washing my hair when I noticed something strange. It happened quickly and painlessly---it came out in two clumps, one in each hand. There. It was over. I cried my eyes out that morning, because I had lost my beautiful long hair. It had grown to the middle of my back and I was so proud of it. Now it was gone in one fell stroke. Before the treatments, my mother very wisely had suggested that we buy some wigs to prepare for this; I had chosen some short styles. But when it came to actually wearing them, I couldn't do it---so I wore hats instead. It was summer and I had to keep the sun off of the parts of my body where I was radiated, and a large-brim sunhat did the trick.
Hair is so important to a woman. It is her Crowning Glory. At least, it should be. When you meet someone, the first thing you notice is their face, then hair, then clothes. Even for men, hair is important. I have always been obsessed by having the most beautiful head of hair that was possible. Now I had just a few strands left on top, which seemed to cover the baldness underneath.
These treatments lasted three months, every week day (no weekends) and I missed the first couple weeks of my Senior year of high school. During one treatment, the radiotherapist forgot to use the lead blocks to cover my ovaries. I couldn't move during the five- minute treatment, but immediately afterward, told my doctor, who chastised the people in charge. At first I was so ill . . . I would vomit in the car on the way home. There were no anti-nausea pills back then. We had to travel to Mt. Sinai in Chicago every day from thirty miles away. My parents were wonderful, never complaining, even when we got a flat tire on the Eisenhower Expressway in the rain.
Most of the time I slept. I never slept as much as I did then, so I suppose sleep is a great healer. Eventually I got used to the treatments and stopped being ill, but still had a problem with certain foods. I could barely eat and couldn't stand the taste of beef or Italian food. I just wanted fried fish or chicken. My doctor threatened to feed me intravenously by a central IV unless I started to eat properly. I was terribly anemic, so he suggested foods such as liver to boost my red blood count. I wish he had not said that, because my mother went crazy making liver for just about every meal. Liver pasta sauce, liver kabobs, liver stir-fry. To this day I cannot abide the sight or smell of liver.
Thirty-seven years later I am still cancer-free. At first the check-ups were every six months, then yearly, then every five years. And happily, I was not sterile: I helped to produce two beautiful daughters, much to the surprise of my doctors.
I suppose you are wondering when I am going to get to my main subject line. For someone who has been through radiation treatments and lost their hair, a sympathizer shaving their head is an insult. It doesn't make me feel happy that they think they are showing solidarity or empathy. It just makes me angry! They do not know what it is like to really lose hair---not just losing hair suddenly, but coping with a deadly disease. I can understand if the hair that is shaved off will be used to make wigs for those who have lost hair in cancer treatments, but to just shave it off really disturbs me. I would like to say to those people, "Please don't do it. Keep your hair. I'm sorry, but I'm not impressed."
Perhaps my perspective on this subject isn't the most widely-accepted one, but it is how I feel. If I have offended anyone, I'm truly sorry.
When I was 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, Stage 2B. That was way way way back in 1972. It is difficult to convey the agony that I felt at that time in my life. I was just embarking on my adulthood, with one more year of high school in front of me, when the diagnosis was confirmed.
I remember crying when I first found the lump on the right side of my neck; I knew I had cancer. After a good sob, my mother took me to my doctor and he suggested a biopsy. Yes, it was cancer; yes, it was Hodgkin's disease. I'd never heard of it before and read up all I could on the subject. I wanted to confront this monster with as much information as I could. But what I didn't know was the devastating effects of the radiation.
After the first surgery of removing a lymph node,a week later a second surgery was performed, a spleenectomy. The spleen had to be removed before the radiation because in earlier times the spleen wasn't removed and it burst, often resulting in the death of the patient.
In those days . . . I was a guinea pig. There was a new radiation treatment that used Cobalt 60. It was very strong and very deadly. Radical treatment for a radical disease. My radiologist warned me that I would lose my hair, and possibly become sterile as well. Hearing this as a young woman was so upsetting and made things worse, but I'm so happy he was honest with me. My hair would grow back but never be quite the same, but the sterility issue would be permanent.
Within two or three days of the first treatments, my hair fell out. I was washing my hair when I noticed something strange. It happened quickly and painlessly---it came out in two clumps, one in each hand. There. It was over. I cried my eyes out that morning, because I had lost my beautiful long hair. It had grown to the middle of my back and I was so proud of it. Now it was gone in one fell stroke. Before the treatments, my mother very wisely had suggested that we buy some wigs to prepare for this; I had chosen some short styles. But when it came to actually wearing them, I couldn't do it---so I wore hats instead. It was summer and I had to keep the sun off of the parts of my body where I was radiated, and a large-brim sunhat did the trick.
Hair is so important to a woman. It is her Crowning Glory. At least, it should be. When you meet someone, the first thing you notice is their face, then hair, then clothes. Even for men, hair is important. I have always been obsessed by having the most beautiful head of hair that was possible. Now I had just a few strands left on top, which seemed to cover the baldness underneath.
These treatments lasted three months, every week day (no weekends) and I missed the first couple weeks of my Senior year of high school. During one treatment, the radiotherapist forgot to use the lead blocks to cover my ovaries. I couldn't move during the five- minute treatment, but immediately afterward, told my doctor, who chastised the people in charge. At first I was so ill . . . I would vomit in the car on the way home. There were no anti-nausea pills back then. We had to travel to Mt. Sinai in Chicago every day from thirty miles away. My parents were wonderful, never complaining, even when we got a flat tire on the Eisenhower Expressway in the rain.
Most of the time I slept. I never slept as much as I did then, so I suppose sleep is a great healer. Eventually I got used to the treatments and stopped being ill, but still had a problem with certain foods. I could barely eat and couldn't stand the taste of beef or Italian food. I just wanted fried fish or chicken. My doctor threatened to feed me intravenously by a central IV unless I started to eat properly. I was terribly anemic, so he suggested foods such as liver to boost my red blood count. I wish he had not said that, because my mother went crazy making liver for just about every meal. Liver pasta sauce, liver kabobs, liver stir-fry. To this day I cannot abide the sight or smell of liver.
Thirty-seven years later I am still cancer-free. At first the check-ups were every six months, then yearly, then every five years. And happily, I was not sterile: I helped to produce two beautiful daughters, much to the surprise of my doctors.
I suppose you are wondering when I am going to get to my main subject line. For someone who has been through radiation treatments and lost their hair, a sympathizer shaving their head is an insult. It doesn't make me feel happy that they think they are showing solidarity or empathy. It just makes me angry! They do not know what it is like to really lose hair---not just losing hair suddenly, but coping with a deadly disease. I can understand if the hair that is shaved off will be used to make wigs for those who have lost hair in cancer treatments, but to just shave it off really disturbs me. I would like to say to those people, "Please don't do it. Keep your hair. I'm sorry, but I'm not impressed."
Perhaps my perspective on this subject isn't the most widely-accepted one, but it is how I feel. If I have offended anyone, I'm truly sorry.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Sharing the love with Iran
OK. I ADMIT IT: I am a hardened cynic. It's possible that some of my friends didn't know this sad fact about me, but alas, it is true.
Last night I went to see and hear Roger Cohen, columnist with The New York Times, speaking at the Chicago Hilton, thanks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The rapt attention of the audience toward the speaker of the evening was more akin to the listeners being mesmerized into a state of zombie-esque obeisance.
These are some things I learned about Mr. Cohen:
1) He likes Chicago
2) He is a naturalized US citizen, originally from the UK
3) He is obsessed with Iran
4) He thinks Iran is ready for a democratic government
And here are some things he said---please, Mr. Cohen, if you are reading this, I was taking notes as fast as I could in longhand, not having learned shorthand. So if there are any mistakes, please give me diplomatic immunity.
1) Any monolithic view of Iran is wrong
2) He tried to get into psychology of Iranian youth
3) Wants Americans to look anew at Iran
4) There are many insecurities in Iran
5) A system that counts votes behind closed doors cannot be trusted
6) Iran uses Nokia for telecommunications and can shut off all cell phones if desired
7) Musavi did not stand with his people
8) Mystique of the Supreme Leader is gone
9) Iran invited 500 journalists to cover the election, then kicked them out the next day
10) Iran is less stable after the election
11) 70% of Iranians are pro-American
12) Believes in more erratic Iran in coming months
13) Believes in negotiations
14) Said "Journalism is about bearing witness"
15) Nuclear issue is about Iranian pride
and on and on and on and on . . . .
The man obviously is obsessed with Iran, as he said. I don't share his love of Iran because I don't know the country or its people, so I cannot give an honest and fair assessment. But I do possess enough of a humane spirit and human heart to know that he is genuine in his obsession. I'm sure the Iranian people are lovely, and I'm very humbled to know that 70% of them are pro-American. That is truly amazing. I would say that most countries in the Middle East and Asia are not pro-American, at least, they don't love our government. Perhaps they love the people of America . . . you know, the tourists who spend their hard-earned dollars vacationing in the Red Sea resorts of Egypt, or trekking in Jordan, or shopping in Dubai.
I have met some Iranians that are fiercely loyal to their Persian roots but totally against the present reigning regime. This is a broken record, playing over and over again in many countries. How many people have I met over the last thirty years, who have had to leave their countries because of repressive regimes? Too many. Why do they leave? Are they incapable of tolerating their own governments' laws? Are they frightened to overthrow the oppressors? Should they? I don't know. I have lived in two countries with unbelievable restrictions, mostly Muslim (Indonesia and Egypt). I say "mostly Muslim" because I see that as a fact, not opinion. Repressive? Yes. Intolerable? Well . . . if you are a Copt in Egypt, you feel oppressed. 10% of Egyptians are Coptic. That's a fact. Mr. Cohen said there are about 20,000 Jews left in Iran. That's a fact also. How do they live? Are they frightened? Are they wealthy? Do they feel oppressed? I'm sure they do. Which is better, though---standing for what you believe in and staying in your own country because you love it, starting a revolution to overthrow the oppressive government, or leaving and starting a new life elsewhere where you can have true freedom? I say if you really love your country, you will fight to stay there, even at the cost of losing your life, if you really believed that dying for a cause was the right thing to do. If you don't love your country, then I suppose leaving it would make more sense. Why put your family in such danger if you could afford to leave?
I gathered that Roger Cohen doesn't believe in aggressive action toward Iran; in other words, it would be folly to attack Iran. It would be double folly for Israel to attach Iran. Does he believe that Iran is not making nuclear warheads? Does he believe that the uranium enrichment is only for peaceful purposes? Not once last night did Mr. Cohen address the threat that Iran made to the existence of Israel. I was trying to raise my hand to ask him about this, but was thwarted several times by the more aggressive audience members.
Mr. Cohen loves Iran, and for that I commend him. But I think he is blinded by this love attitude and not being realistic about the government. He doesn't see too much evil there . . . very sad.
Last night I went to see and hear Roger Cohen, columnist with The New York Times, speaking at the Chicago Hilton, thanks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The rapt attention of the audience toward the speaker of the evening was more akin to the listeners being mesmerized into a state of zombie-esque obeisance.
These are some things I learned about Mr. Cohen:
1) He likes Chicago
2) He is a naturalized US citizen, originally from the UK
3) He is obsessed with Iran
4) He thinks Iran is ready for a democratic government
And here are some things he said---please, Mr. Cohen, if you are reading this, I was taking notes as fast as I could in longhand, not having learned shorthand. So if there are any mistakes, please give me diplomatic immunity.
1) Any monolithic view of Iran is wrong
2) He tried to get into psychology of Iranian youth
3) Wants Americans to look anew at Iran
4) There are many insecurities in Iran
5) A system that counts votes behind closed doors cannot be trusted
6) Iran uses Nokia for telecommunications and can shut off all cell phones if desired
7) Musavi did not stand with his people
8) Mystique of the Supreme Leader is gone
9) Iran invited 500 journalists to cover the election, then kicked them out the next day
10) Iran is less stable after the election
11) 70% of Iranians are pro-American
12) Believes in more erratic Iran in coming months
13) Believes in negotiations
14) Said "Journalism is about bearing witness"
15) Nuclear issue is about Iranian pride
and on and on and on and on . . . .
The man obviously is obsessed with Iran, as he said. I don't share his love of Iran because I don't know the country or its people, so I cannot give an honest and fair assessment. But I do possess enough of a humane spirit and human heart to know that he is genuine in his obsession. I'm sure the Iranian people are lovely, and I'm very humbled to know that 70% of them are pro-American. That is truly amazing. I would say that most countries in the Middle East and Asia are not pro-American, at least, they don't love our government. Perhaps they love the people of America . . . you know, the tourists who spend their hard-earned dollars vacationing in the Red Sea resorts of Egypt, or trekking in Jordan, or shopping in Dubai.
I have met some Iranians that are fiercely loyal to their Persian roots but totally against the present reigning regime. This is a broken record, playing over and over again in many countries. How many people have I met over the last thirty years, who have had to leave their countries because of repressive regimes? Too many. Why do they leave? Are they incapable of tolerating their own governments' laws? Are they frightened to overthrow the oppressors? Should they? I don't know. I have lived in two countries with unbelievable restrictions, mostly Muslim (Indonesia and Egypt). I say "mostly Muslim" because I see that as a fact, not opinion. Repressive? Yes. Intolerable? Well . . . if you are a Copt in Egypt, you feel oppressed. 10% of Egyptians are Coptic. That's a fact. Mr. Cohen said there are about 20,000 Jews left in Iran. That's a fact also. How do they live? Are they frightened? Are they wealthy? Do they feel oppressed? I'm sure they do. Which is better, though---standing for what you believe in and staying in your own country because you love it, starting a revolution to overthrow the oppressive government, or leaving and starting a new life elsewhere where you can have true freedom? I say if you really love your country, you will fight to stay there, even at the cost of losing your life, if you really believed that dying for a cause was the right thing to do. If you don't love your country, then I suppose leaving it would make more sense. Why put your family in such danger if you could afford to leave?
I gathered that Roger Cohen doesn't believe in aggressive action toward Iran; in other words, it would be folly to attack Iran. It would be double folly for Israel to attach Iran. Does he believe that Iran is not making nuclear warheads? Does he believe that the uranium enrichment is only for peaceful purposes? Not once last night did Mr. Cohen address the threat that Iran made to the existence of Israel. I was trying to raise my hand to ask him about this, but was thwarted several times by the more aggressive audience members.
Mr. Cohen loves Iran, and for that I commend him. But I think he is blinded by this love attitude and not being realistic about the government. He doesn't see too much evil there . . . very sad.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Big Scare
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY??????
That is the cry of millions of our citizens, pouring out their hearts in grief and despair. What is happening has already happened---there is a great fear of Socialism encroaching our lives in the land of the free, the home of the brave.
But what of it? Doesn't anybody realise that socialism has been around a long time? Like since Social Security. We all have a Number, issued by the Government. That is our Number for Life. Without that number, we cannot buy or sell . . . oh, wait a minute--that is 666. Sorry. But we cannot get a driver's license without a Social Security number. We cannot get a job without one. We cannot get insurance benefits without one. The list goes on and on.
I am the first person who disdains the thought of Socialism or Communism----I lived in Russia for a while, just after the first military coup, in late 1992. It was a strange place. . . one could get a decent meal for about US$7.00, that is, if you ate at a normal Russian restaurant serving stuffed mushrooms as a main course, and a very old and little apple for dessert.
But I digress. The current trend of non-thinking people is of accepting our president's push of socialized medicine. The others, such as the writer of this blog, do not accept it so willingly. I also lived in France and the UK, had to deal with socialised health care on a daily basis for many years. It is not pretty. A percentage of your salary is taken out and put toward the socialised medicine. It is not free. In fact, what looks like a good thing, really isn't in reality. Sort of like Communism. Great in theory, but not really nice for the poor people who were forbidden to travel the roads to the dachas that belonged to the party cadres just outside Moscow.
Because our president is very naive, I suppose the socialised health care bill will be passed. Perhaps in the near future. It will happen. And we will never be ready to accept tired doctors, underpaid and disillusioned, who were made to believe in the Great Fairy Story of Socialised Medicine. (Sure--right now, doctors in this country have it made, most are not complaining about their salaries or life-styles.) So is there going to be another revolution????? Are there enough people to rally to the cause of freedom for private health and insurance? One issue that hasn't been addressed is: What about the people who don't have any insurance, don't or can't work---would they be eligible for government-sponsored insurance? You know, mostly women who have been divorced for a long time, have children, their ex-husbands have sent very little child support throughout the years, they took care of ailing parents without getting paid for it, couldn't work and are now close to poverty level? What about them?
Okay. Enough ranting for one day. Let me leave you with one thought: If socialised medicine really works, it will be a miracle, because socialised anything has never worked. It is The Big Dream. There are always those who are left behind, there is no true equality to be found. Sort of like Communism. Remember "Lord of the Flies." Not just a book, but the stuff that nightmares are made of.
That is the cry of millions of our citizens, pouring out their hearts in grief and despair. What is happening has already happened---there is a great fear of Socialism encroaching our lives in the land of the free, the home of the brave.
But what of it? Doesn't anybody realise that socialism has been around a long time? Like since Social Security. We all have a Number, issued by the Government. That is our Number for Life. Without that number, we cannot buy or sell . . . oh, wait a minute--that is 666. Sorry. But we cannot get a driver's license without a Social Security number. We cannot get a job without one. We cannot get insurance benefits without one. The list goes on and on.
I am the first person who disdains the thought of Socialism or Communism----I lived in Russia for a while, just after the first military coup, in late 1992. It was a strange place. . . one could get a decent meal for about US$7.00, that is, if you ate at a normal Russian restaurant serving stuffed mushrooms as a main course, and a very old and little apple for dessert.
But I digress. The current trend of non-thinking people is of accepting our president's push of socialized medicine. The others, such as the writer of this blog, do not accept it so willingly. I also lived in France and the UK, had to deal with socialised health care on a daily basis for many years. It is not pretty. A percentage of your salary is taken out and put toward the socialised medicine. It is not free. In fact, what looks like a good thing, really isn't in reality. Sort of like Communism. Great in theory, but not really nice for the poor people who were forbidden to travel the roads to the dachas that belonged to the party cadres just outside Moscow.
Because our president is very naive, I suppose the socialised health care bill will be passed. Perhaps in the near future. It will happen. And we will never be ready to accept tired doctors, underpaid and disillusioned, who were made to believe in the Great Fairy Story of Socialised Medicine. (Sure--right now, doctors in this country have it made, most are not complaining about their salaries or life-styles.) So is there going to be another revolution????? Are there enough people to rally to the cause of freedom for private health and insurance? One issue that hasn't been addressed is: What about the people who don't have any insurance, don't or can't work---would they be eligible for government-sponsored insurance? You know, mostly women who have been divorced for a long time, have children, their ex-husbands have sent very little child support throughout the years, they took care of ailing parents without getting paid for it, couldn't work and are now close to poverty level? What about them?
Okay. Enough ranting for one day. Let me leave you with one thought: If socialised medicine really works, it will be a miracle, because socialised anything has never worked. It is The Big Dream. There are always those who are left behind, there is no true equality to be found. Sort of like Communism. Remember "Lord of the Flies." Not just a book, but the stuff that nightmares are made of.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wanna See Something REALLY Scary? (A little levity today)
DO YOU REMEMBER that line from the film "The Twilight Zone"? The world, at the moment, is going through a time where people are being made more aware of Islam, and particularly, radical Islam. With the advent of September 11, 2001, this country "woke up" (to use a rather over-used phrase) and realized that we have enemies who wish to destroy us. Fine. That has been the agenda of thousands of evil would-be megalomaniacs for thousands of years, and it seems that the more radical elements of Islam wish to push their agenda on us, the so-called "infidels" of the world. Especially Americans. We are Evil. We are so decadent that we only deserve to be destroyed.
But there is something else lurking out there, just as powerful but more appealing:
Enter manga. Anime. J-pop and J-rock. Young people of the world BEWARE!!!! You are only minutes away from being sucked into the biggest fad since the Beatles. Japan has got revenge at last for the horrible bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is a gentle war of persuasion and mesmerizing, aimed at our youth, using cute cartoon figures and great artistic license to produce the most delectable addiction since John Lennon sang "'Til I Saw Her Standing There."
You can see them in bookstores all over, pouring over the latest comics, totally absorbed in this fantasy world. Take my daughter for instance. I know that when we step into the local Borders or Barnes and Noble, that I have lost her for at least two hours. She will find some manga and sit down, read it from end to end, then buy it to add to her ever-growing collection at home. She has enough of these books to completely line the walls of her bedroom, several times over. She has invented her own characters. She draws her friends as anime characters. She listens to J-pop all the time, her iPOD plugged into her ears as the artists belt out songs in Japanese. She has a Japanese manga nick-name as do her friends. She attends anime conventions where thousands of people dress as their favorite anime characters. She watches Japanese anime on the computer so much that she can speak and understand Japanese. I think she thinks in Japanese. Even my niece has been stung: She is studying Japanese and will be attending a university in Japan come the Autumn.
And you should hear my daughter's friends. They all speak this very strange lingo, discussing the characters in these manga and anime as REAL PEOPLE. There are plushies made of these characters. Some of them are VERY STRANGE. Parents, please keep an eye on your teens, and watch for signs of lethargy and general apathy from them, unless of course you mention something Japanese (like manga, anime, Gackt, XJapan, Mr. Children,tofu, ramen, sushi, etc.) then watch the miraculous change when their faces light up and they seem to be thinking, "Finally you get it, Mom."
So you see, the REAL enemy is not radical Islam. It is Anime. Manga. J-pop. Our young people are slowly being brain-drained of their abilities to do anything else but to "be" Japanese.
As horrible as dropping atom bombs on Japan was, what they have done in return is so ironic--they have captured the hearts of millions of young people world-wide, caused crushes on cartoon and comic characters, created a world of fantasy that seems to be going from strength to strength.
And to think it all started with "Hello, Kitty."
But there is something else lurking out there, just as powerful but more appealing:
Enter manga. Anime. J-pop and J-rock. Young people of the world BEWARE!!!! You are only minutes away from being sucked into the biggest fad since the Beatles. Japan has got revenge at last for the horrible bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is a gentle war of persuasion and mesmerizing, aimed at our youth, using cute cartoon figures and great artistic license to produce the most delectable addiction since John Lennon sang "'Til I Saw Her Standing There."
You can see them in bookstores all over, pouring over the latest comics, totally absorbed in this fantasy world. Take my daughter for instance. I know that when we step into the local Borders or Barnes and Noble, that I have lost her for at least two hours. She will find some manga and sit down, read it from end to end, then buy it to add to her ever-growing collection at home. She has enough of these books to completely line the walls of her bedroom, several times over. She has invented her own characters. She draws her friends as anime characters. She listens to J-pop all the time, her iPOD plugged into her ears as the artists belt out songs in Japanese. She has a Japanese manga nick-name as do her friends. She attends anime conventions where thousands of people dress as their favorite anime characters. She watches Japanese anime on the computer so much that she can speak and understand Japanese. I think she thinks in Japanese. Even my niece has been stung: She is studying Japanese and will be attending a university in Japan come the Autumn.
And you should hear my daughter's friends. They all speak this very strange lingo, discussing the characters in these manga and anime as REAL PEOPLE. There are plushies made of these characters. Some of them are VERY STRANGE. Parents, please keep an eye on your teens, and watch for signs of lethargy and general apathy from them, unless of course you mention something Japanese (like manga, anime, Gackt, XJapan, Mr. Children,tofu, ramen, sushi, etc.) then watch the miraculous change when their faces light up and they seem to be thinking, "Finally you get it, Mom."
So you see, the REAL enemy is not radical Islam. It is Anime. Manga. J-pop. Our young people are slowly being brain-drained of their abilities to do anything else but to "be" Japanese.
As horrible as dropping atom bombs on Japan was, what they have done in return is so ironic--they have captured the hearts of millions of young people world-wide, caused crushes on cartoon and comic characters, created a world of fantasy that seems to be going from strength to strength.
And to think it all started with "Hello, Kitty."
Thursday, June 18, 2009
MORE
WE WANT MORE. And more and more and more. What we have doesn't seem to be enough. When the Israelites were wandering with Moses, they were given manna from Heaven. It supposedly tasted like coriander. Oh well. It was food. It may not have been lamb kabobs but it gave daily nourishment. However, the grumbling soon started---oh, how they missed the cucumbers, onions, leeks from Egypt. Oh yeah. I remember that food, I also lived in Egypt for a while. Yes, the cucumbers are excellent. And the onions and the leeks. Oh, and the fresh basil and lemon grass.
But I also had to leave Egypt.
Why do we as humans always demand more in order to obtain happiness? Does more actually make us happy? I doubt it.
Take me, for example. I love shopping, but I use it as a panacea for depression. I am an imperfect human being with many faults. So my niece, who is studying psychology in college, told me that I am definitely bi-polar. I HATE that term. It makes me feel as if I have a mental illness. Perhaps I do. But for me, shopping takes me away from my worries, buys me something new to look at or to enjoy. New mascara. New shoes. New clothes. New books. But they are only new for a short while, then they are relegated to the "old" pile. Or the circular file. I know I have a problem, and often run out of funds by the end of the month because I just had to buy that silk dress, which may hang in my closet for at least a year before I find somewhere to wear it. I just wanted more clothes because . . . . ?
We want more love. We aren't getting enough. Who said that we deserve love anyway? Why can't we be the ones to love more? Why do we demand love from others when they can't give it? Shouldn't we learn to love more rather than to expect others to love us? I think we will find that giving love, in the many ways that we are able to, is so much more satisfying than expecting others to love us. How egocentric is that? Who do we think we are?
We want more freedom. In this country, we are pretty darn free, compared to other countries. And believe me, I have lived in some countries where women have very little freedom. They are subjected to humiliation if they don't cover their heads. They may even be stoned or executed for having sex outside marriage or extra-marital affairs. They also face female genital mutilation, which should NEVER be confused or compared to male circumcision.
We want more things. Tell me, how many televisions do I really need? I have four in the house, all cable-friendly. There are three people living at home, and we all have our own computers. One of us has a laptop. And another one of us is planning to get one for her birthday, simply because when she travels, she can't be without the internet---she is addicted to emails. We all have our own cell phones. Two of us own and iPOD. Two of us own our own cars. I own this house. I use paper towels as if they are going out of style (an expression used by my late mother). I buy the best toilet paper, and try to buy the best cat food. Oh yes, that's another subject.
Pets. We treat animals better than some people treat humans. Animal rights? Please, give me a break. I love my cats but I think humans are so much more important. I will never mistreat any animal, in fact, I love animals, even the nasty raccoons living under my crawlspace. I have problems even killing flies. But people deserve rights over animals. There are people right now in China and other countries, serving prison sentences simply for their religious beliefs. They have done nothing to deserve this, but are being punished nevertheless. Pet cemetaries? Pet psychologists? Pet toys? Oh, don't ask. I just bought my cats a new toy, complete with feathers and a bell. They have ignored it. I thought I was doing them a favor, you know, the vet says they need exercise. Perhaps I should have bought them a treadmill.
And yet abortion, by some, is o.k. Yes, just kill that little creation that is essentially a human being. I don't want it. It was a mistake. Where does human life begin? Who can say? Are the sperm and egg alive? Yes. These two join to start growing another human being. Did that baby start out as a horse? A spider? No. There are doctors in India who perform abortions for those women who have had enough girls and want to keep trying for a boy. Oh, but captial punishment? Heaven forbid!!! Taking away someone's life because they murdered another person? Abortion is murder, plain and simple. But capital punishment is not murder---it is justice. A life for a life. That is the way it goes. But no, it is against the laws of some States and some countries. So be it. We all have to face God someday and give an account of our lives. What shall the abortionists say then? They are as guilty as the murderer in prison.
But I digress. This was supposed to be about the word "more."
Well I've had enough for one day. I know I am as guilty as the next guy about wanting more of everything. Somehow we think that more will make us happy but it doesn't, not really.
Learning to be content with what we already have is probably the most difficult thing that people have to face on a daily basis, but it's not impossible. It just requires a lifetime of trying.
But I also had to leave Egypt.
Why do we as humans always demand more in order to obtain happiness? Does more actually make us happy? I doubt it.
Take me, for example. I love shopping, but I use it as a panacea for depression. I am an imperfect human being with many faults. So my niece, who is studying psychology in college, told me that I am definitely bi-polar. I HATE that term. It makes me feel as if I have a mental illness. Perhaps I do. But for me, shopping takes me away from my worries, buys me something new to look at or to enjoy. New mascara. New shoes. New clothes. New books. But they are only new for a short while, then they are relegated to the "old" pile. Or the circular file. I know I have a problem, and often run out of funds by the end of the month because I just had to buy that silk dress, which may hang in my closet for at least a year before I find somewhere to wear it. I just wanted more clothes because . . . . ?
We want more love. We aren't getting enough. Who said that we deserve love anyway? Why can't we be the ones to love more? Why do we demand love from others when they can't give it? Shouldn't we learn to love more rather than to expect others to love us? I think we will find that giving love, in the many ways that we are able to, is so much more satisfying than expecting others to love us. How egocentric is that? Who do we think we are?
We want more freedom. In this country, we are pretty darn free, compared to other countries. And believe me, I have lived in some countries where women have very little freedom. They are subjected to humiliation if they don't cover their heads. They may even be stoned or executed for having sex outside marriage or extra-marital affairs. They also face female genital mutilation, which should NEVER be confused or compared to male circumcision.
We want more things. Tell me, how many televisions do I really need? I have four in the house, all cable-friendly. There are three people living at home, and we all have our own computers. One of us has a laptop. And another one of us is planning to get one for her birthday, simply because when she travels, she can't be without the internet---she is addicted to emails. We all have our own cell phones. Two of us own and iPOD. Two of us own our own cars. I own this house. I use paper towels as if they are going out of style (an expression used by my late mother). I buy the best toilet paper, and try to buy the best cat food. Oh yes, that's another subject.
Pets. We treat animals better than some people treat humans. Animal rights? Please, give me a break. I love my cats but I think humans are so much more important. I will never mistreat any animal, in fact, I love animals, even the nasty raccoons living under my crawlspace. I have problems even killing flies. But people deserve rights over animals. There are people right now in China and other countries, serving prison sentences simply for their religious beliefs. They have done nothing to deserve this, but are being punished nevertheless. Pet cemetaries? Pet psychologists? Pet toys? Oh, don't ask. I just bought my cats a new toy, complete with feathers and a bell. They have ignored it. I thought I was doing them a favor, you know, the vet says they need exercise. Perhaps I should have bought them a treadmill.
And yet abortion, by some, is o.k. Yes, just kill that little creation that is essentially a human being. I don't want it. It was a mistake. Where does human life begin? Who can say? Are the sperm and egg alive? Yes. These two join to start growing another human being. Did that baby start out as a horse? A spider? No. There are doctors in India who perform abortions for those women who have had enough girls and want to keep trying for a boy. Oh, but captial punishment? Heaven forbid!!! Taking away someone's life because they murdered another person? Abortion is murder, plain and simple. But capital punishment is not murder---it is justice. A life for a life. That is the way it goes. But no, it is against the laws of some States and some countries. So be it. We all have to face God someday and give an account of our lives. What shall the abortionists say then? They are as guilty as the murderer in prison.
But I digress. This was supposed to be about the word "more."
Well I've had enough for one day. I know I am as guilty as the next guy about wanting more of everything. Somehow we think that more will make us happy but it doesn't, not really.
Learning to be content with what we already have is probably the most difficult thing that people have to face on a daily basis, but it's not impossible. It just requires a lifetime of trying.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Land of the Free
The June 19th conference given by Middle East Forum's Legal Project, entitled "Libel Lawfare: Silencing Criticism of Radical Islam" was superb. A cast of personalities spoke in the morning and afternoon sessions: Alan Dershowitz, Frank Gaffney, David Harris, Andrew McCarthy, Alan Mendoza, Douglas Murray, James Taranto and John J. Walsh. The morning session was moderated by Daniel Pipes, Director of the Middle East Forum and star of DanielPipes.org. The afternoon session was moderated by David Rivkin, Attorney at law of Baker Hostetler.
The morning session's panel of five---Dershowitz, Gaffney, McCarthy, Taranto and Walsh---each gave their own versions of why freedom of speech is so important to our country and to the entire world. They each had their own unique view, but all were in agreement that it is increasingly difficult to criticize radical Islam--for that is what this is basically about---and get away with it unscathed. Daniel Pipes' contribution to this discussion was minimal, which was disappointing, as more of his voice would have been most welcome; however, he is a gentleman and a scholar and let the panel fight amongst themselves. His role, basically, was as a Solomon, allowing the panelists to divide the baby into equal parts, wisely keeping his own counsel.
David Rivkin, on the other hand, tried to involve himself more in the afternoon session--I detected a bit of "old Holloywood star syndrome"-- a la Sunset Boulevard. The panelists were just as interesting as the morning's selection, and they held the attention of the audience until the close at 4:00, the last few minutes devoted to audience questions.
There were testimonies from three very prominent figures: Hassan Daioleslam (iranlobby.com), Joe Kaufman, Chairman Americans Against Hate, and Marc Lebuis, President and CDO, Point de Bascule. All three men are fighting libel lawfare in their own countries; Daioleslam has had his life threatened and is currently in big trouble in Iran for speaking out against the government; Kaufman is currently fighting a lawsuit against him; Lebuis writes scathing articles in the Canadian press, pro-freeom of speech and anti-Islamic. These three men have proven that speaking your mind gets you into big trouble, but they are relentless in their pursuit of the freedoms that should be allowed, but aren't.
There was an invitation-only lunch provided: Chicken Cordon Bleu, baby broccoli, roasted potato wedges, salad, water, coffee and petite fours. Ice tea or a glass of wine would have been welcome, but the food was excellent nevertheless. After all, we didn't attend this conference simply to enjoy a free lunch--we who were there have a hunger for the truth, for the true freedom to speak and to write freely, to criticize, to inform, to ask questions---regardless of religious persuasion or non-religious affiliation. Hopefully we were all on the same page: fighting radical Islam with a free voice, not to be crushed by the national or international media or court systems, to define exactly what libel is and to fight false claims of libel.
The most significant aspect of this conference was the fact that libel lawsuits are creeping into Western society from Islamists who are trying to smother the voices of free speech. If the world can criticize Christianity and Judaism and other religions, then it certainly can criticize Islam and particularly, radical Islam, which is quickly consuming the more moderates of that belief. What kind of religion gives the nod to the murder of those who would not join its ranks? Where is the line between radical and moderate Islam? Or is it conveniently blurred to give more points to the radical side?
Our world is entering another phase of political and religious correctness, but it is unbalanced against all religions except Islam. Let us be brave and redress this balance.
The morning session's panel of five---Dershowitz, Gaffney, McCarthy, Taranto and Walsh---each gave their own versions of why freedom of speech is so important to our country and to the entire world. They each had their own unique view, but all were in agreement that it is increasingly difficult to criticize radical Islam--for that is what this is basically about---and get away with it unscathed. Daniel Pipes' contribution to this discussion was minimal, which was disappointing, as more of his voice would have been most welcome; however, he is a gentleman and a scholar and let the panel fight amongst themselves. His role, basically, was as a Solomon, allowing the panelists to divide the baby into equal parts, wisely keeping his own counsel.
David Rivkin, on the other hand, tried to involve himself more in the afternoon session--I detected a bit of "old Holloywood star syndrome"-- a la Sunset Boulevard. The panelists were just as interesting as the morning's selection, and they held the attention of the audience until the close at 4:00, the last few minutes devoted to audience questions.
There were testimonies from three very prominent figures: Hassan Daioleslam (iranlobby.com), Joe Kaufman, Chairman Americans Against Hate, and Marc Lebuis, President and CDO, Point de Bascule. All three men are fighting libel lawfare in their own countries; Daioleslam has had his life threatened and is currently in big trouble in Iran for speaking out against the government; Kaufman is currently fighting a lawsuit against him; Lebuis writes scathing articles in the Canadian press, pro-freeom of speech and anti-Islamic. These three men have proven that speaking your mind gets you into big trouble, but they are relentless in their pursuit of the freedoms that should be allowed, but aren't.
There was an invitation-only lunch provided: Chicken Cordon Bleu, baby broccoli, roasted potato wedges, salad, water, coffee and petite fours. Ice tea or a glass of wine would have been welcome, but the food was excellent nevertheless. After all, we didn't attend this conference simply to enjoy a free lunch--we who were there have a hunger for the truth, for the true freedom to speak and to write freely, to criticize, to inform, to ask questions---regardless of religious persuasion or non-religious affiliation. Hopefully we were all on the same page: fighting radical Islam with a free voice, not to be crushed by the national or international media or court systems, to define exactly what libel is and to fight false claims of libel.
The most significant aspect of this conference was the fact that libel lawsuits are creeping into Western society from Islamists who are trying to smother the voices of free speech. If the world can criticize Christianity and Judaism and other religions, then it certainly can criticize Islam and particularly, radical Islam, which is quickly consuming the more moderates of that belief. What kind of religion gives the nod to the murder of those who would not join its ranks? Where is the line between radical and moderate Islam? Or is it conveniently blurred to give more points to the radical side?
Our world is entering another phase of political and religious correctness, but it is unbalanced against all religions except Islam. Let us be brave and redress this balance.
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