Tai ShanHi again from the ramparts of the Bastion on the Puget Sound. Well, last Wednesday evening, like millions of other people on the planet, I watched America’s chief executive pretty much lay it on the line.
President Obama, in his State of the Union Address, echoed much of what he said in his inaugural speech. Among other things, he reiterated that it is not up to a president or any other single elected individual or government body to arbitrarily make policy; but rather that “policy” should emanate from and reflect the wishes of the people.
He also said that while he would do his best to make those changes necessary, being human and new to the job, he not only expected to make mistakes but to be told that by the constituency (“us guys,” gang) and given our support in correcting for course.
In his assessment of the financial crises we’re in, he pointed out ~ and accurately so ~ that after eight years of a Republican White House – his administration did not cause what we’re facing now. His administration inherited it.
I’m real surprised, considering something incredibly stupid I heard in a chatroom I visit to sample public opinion about “America always going to hell when the ‘Dems’ are in office,” that Barack Obama did not remind people that prior to the Great Depression ~ and mind you, this was before the two-term limit on presidents was passed ~ the Republicans occupied the White House for three terms/12 years and that it was a Democrat the people chose to get them out of it.
America’s chief executive, has, however, consistently stated that he does not consider this a partisan endeavor and so far, for the most part, he’s held to the high road in these regards.
Admittedly, he’s rocking the Good Old Boy Club on Capitol Hill with his Mr. Smith Goes to Washington approach to working together. Apparently he’s not endearing himself to some other folks either. In another chatroom, I ‘heard’ someone say “We’ve got a coon in the White House.” No, I am NOT making this up so don’t even go there.
I’m recalled of another man who felt the same way America’s chief executive does and did pretty much the same thing, albeit not as a politician. Because of my profound love of that individual, I was solidly opposed to Barack Obama becoming president during these tense and trying times.
I did not want to see happen to the senator from Illinois what I saw happen to a man I admire and respect right up there with Moses, Mohammed, Jesus, Eamon DeValera and Gandhi and who was gunned down in Memphis a month after I turned 19 by some hate-filled idiot with a rifle and a lot of other ignorant, bigoted and gutless precedent backing the play.
I’m a white man so maybe I’m not supposed to feel this way but Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. meant a lot to me and I’m not sure I could remain a rational and peaceful human being if Barack Obama went out the same way. I pray Almighty God I’m not the only white guy who feels that way.
Moving right along, then, February is Black History Month in America and to learn more about the contributions these Americans have made to the nation and to the world, please go here and here.
I’m sorry to say, I didn’t watch the Grammy Awards. I understand it took on some aspects of a high-wire act. What I noted and am proud to share is that Canadian singer, songwriter, poet and novelist Leonard Cohen won a Lifetime Achievement Award. For more on this remarkable individual, please go here.
We bid a sad farewell to American author J. D. Salinger, perhaps best known for his novel Catcher In the Rye. The reclusive writer died last Wednesday at his home in Cornish, New Hampshire, at the age of 91. For more on this literary icon, please go here.
MORE GOOD NEWS
Well, we note with some alarm and a little consternation, this rash of automotive industry recalls. It’s like an international ooops with potentially grave consequences for millions of people around the world. So I’ve been looking at some alternatives and one that seems to be taking hold from Beijing to Boston to Brussels to Mumbai is the electric bicycle. Check this New York Times story out and for a list of electric bike manufacturers and more information, please go here.
We’re going to keep following what’s going on in Haiti and here’s one of the reasons why. It’s headlined: Near Quake’s Epicenter, a City Ready for Business and to my mind, it’s as heroic and inspirational a story as I’ve heard in some while. For those who have any doubts about these people’s resiliency, pride and determination to not only recover but build a better world for themselves, I’ll submit this one for consideration. Please go here.
Definitely under the category Why I Do Not Arbitrarily Dislike the Affluent, Just Because I’m Not One of Them, this particular vignette is about one of those millionaires who lives across the lake from me and has been the subject of some controversy. He’s giving $10-billion to coming up with vaccines that could keep a lot of children from dying.
To the cynical, it might be a marketing move. To me, it’s an act of compassion by a human being doing what he can, with what he has, to make a difference. In that regards, he’s no different than you and I and even though I sincerely doubt that I’ll ever be invited to his home, anyone who cares about kids is welcome in mine. Yep, for this one, please go here.
I also found a profound element of kismet in Fit Pregnancy Magazine’s deciding that Portland, Oregon is the best city in the American Northwest to have a baby. For the criteria involved and how other cities in this region ranked, please go here.
SURVIVING HARD TIMES
We reported earlier about a new “cult” of people who are taking things they enjoy doing and are good at and making a living. This is a series and the link to this one carries them all. We’re going to be running this reminder until that series is finished. Yep, go here.
How are we faring, really, in all of this? Americans are, at the very least, the sum of the seven flags under this masthead and some else. Right along with the rest of us, they’re learning. Yep, check it out.
CRITTER STUFF
This first one weirds me out on a couple three levels. During the driest January since records have been kept here in Seattle, California experienced extreme flooding and now, down in San Diego, they’ve got a invasion of giant squid on their beaches.
It would be a lot more dramatic if it was like this totally and possibly apocalyptic event but San Diego’s already been through trials by fire and flood and there’s nothing in any religious texts I’ve ever read that suggests a plague of squids. These creatures also paid a previous visit like this in July of last year.
I figure that since they’ve so far not come ashore, this isn’t going to be a real hard adjustment for the humans involved. Scientists have no idea why the squids are behaving like this and apparently the squids are not volunteering any information.. Yep, check it out here and our thanks to the Palm Beach Post for this one.
In living testimony that the contention that a dog is “man’s” best friend and sometimes vice versa is not limited to stories in Alaska, America, Flanders or Greece, there’s one canine who owes its rescue from a Baltic ice floe 15 miles off Poland to the crew of a Polish oceanographic research vessel. If they make a movie about this one, I’m having a party behind it so yep, check it out here.
It’s with a heavy heart that America says good-bye to one of the most adorable creatures born under the Stars and Bars in some while. His name is Tai Shan and under an agreement with the Red Chinese government, now that he’s old enough, this panda bear will be going back to the home of his ancestors to, well, like make other panda bears and stuff. Nice going, Tai Shan. You rock, kid. Yep, go here.
YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP. Okay, sigh. What if I told you guys that one way of healing a human brain was to introduce cells from the tail of a mouse? Okay, when you’re done rolling on the floor about this one, go here and check it out, ye of little flipping faith. This one was like ultimate weird of the week for me.
FROM YOU GUYS FOR YOU GUYS
In response to our wishing a very special lady, a Happy 70th Birthday:
thank you for the lovely birthday wishes, my friend. I did have a great day and yep, 70 is simply a number and life is wonderful. On another note, my companion and I struggle with how much this 'red-headed comedian' was given in severance pay. I hope the amount is not a struggle for him to live within. All we can think of is how many people could be helped with just a fraction of what he 'earned'. Some of this stuff makes no sense to me. Thanks again, Rusty, Peggy, Sacramento, California
Peg, you're more than welcome and some of it totally blows me away too. But then I've never held that human beings were the smartest creatures ever created, except perhaps in the eyes of their own reflection.
In response to our article on International Holocaust Remembrance Day:
I know it's true Rusty and it makes me shiver..............plus thinking about where we are today and the course we are on...........! Thanks for sharing. Sandy, USA
You’re more than welcome, Lass. And Sandy, what’s going on in the world sometimes scares both the shamrock and the Star of David out of me. But then our species has been embarked upon this apparent path to self-extinction for some while now and while we may lack the talent for peace, we seem to be equally inept at TOTALLY blowing it. May we continue to be as maladroit in these latter regards.
A general response from America’s Southland:
From the red clay, humidity and easy living of South Alabama....Greetings. I agree completely with your statements vis a vis the holocaust.. Those who deny this seminal event in Jewish history and in the history of mankind (will any feminists be reading this?) in general remind me of an ostrich with its head in the sandor an old alabama 'possum who's playing dead. Regarding Haiti: I feel the natural compassion for other suffering human beings, however on the subject of relief funds I'm afraid my opinon of this is on a tangential course compared to many. Enough money has been funnelled into Haiti over the past 20 years to pave the entire country and erect earthquake resistant structures. I do realize that most of these funds wound up lining the pockets of Papa Doc Duvalier and Baby Doc Duvalier. Let's not forget the sterling leader, Jean Baptiste Aristide. I'm sure he skimmed his share. I don't feel responsible for this but I don't begrudge humanitarian shipments of food and medical supplies. Mr. Obama has already pledged one hundred million taxpayers dollars to Haiti...I would not be surprised if the USS Carl Vinson wound up just shooting bales of money off its catapults into the countryside. This wouldn't be any less willy nilly than aid packages given the Haitians in the past. Regarding Conan.......I agree. This is the silliest man in television today and unworthy of any consideration whatsoever. I realize that I'm in the minority but Jerry Seinfeld has NEVER uttered anything that I found even remotely funny........as is the case with Conan. I enjoy comics like Robert Klein and George Carlin who inject a little intellectual acumen into their presentations. Live long and prosper.
p.s. I don't know how I overlooked the bit about the WASPS of WW2. Being an aviator I especially appreciate their efforts which freed male pilots to go overseas and fight the air battles. Don't let any feminists see this statement. I'm not prepared to defend my male chauvinist pig pronoucements. As an aside to this, it's interesting that Russian women flew combat missions in WW2 or "The Great Patriotic War" to them. Several of them became aces and German pilots were mortified to find that a woman had shot them down. Many of them flew the best soviet fighter, the YAK 7 from the Yakovlev bureau. Some of them flew the obsolete Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes and harrassed the German troops at night. The Germans called them "nachthexen" or night witches It's also interesting that another obsolete biplane, the British Fairey Swordfish was instrumental in sinking the German battleship Bismarck. Speedy Neutrino, Alabama, USA
Dixie, what amazes me most about your feedback ~ aside from the fact that I agree with most of it ~ is that I know you also got it all said in one breath. Apparently they’re not only continuing to grow them intelligent below the Mason Dixon Line, but with a healthy set of lungs. Speedy, we are honored by your society.
FROM ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL LADY:
thank you for the newsletter. i loved the pic of a yellow lab. i love conan too next to letterman. leno is not a fave. hugs, fay, USA
Fay, if the big guys like those comedians, or some rock stars we both could name but are not here, had as faithful a supporter of their art and enterprises as you have been of The Northstar Journal, a lot more of them would still be with us because they would have remembered who we do things like this for in the first place. Thank you.
ANOTHER RESPONSE FROM THE STATES:
Fascinating articles! Thanks. CIP, Pennsylvania, USA
You’re more than welcome, Counselor.
That’s it for this week. We’ve got some cool stuff down below you might want to check out. Stay the course, gang. We’re getting there and we’re going to make it. And thanks once again for the ear. And stuff.
Rusty
NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS
FUN STUFF
Ever been told you look like someone famous? Ever not been told that but would like to have been? Find a photo of yourself, go to this site, MyHeritage.com, upload it and get a gallery of celebrities you resemble, to one degree or another. Yep, it’s a total waste of time and an unabashed indulgence of ego. Probably two reasons why I totally loved it, even though a couple of my own pix didn’t turn up any results. It’s fun to play with so enjoy.
How about a trip to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo to watch a couple of grizzly bears in their Northwest setting? Yep, click here and thanks to our friends at Seattle NBC affiliate KING 5.
If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.
HEALTH
Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.
Grub you libido will love.
If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.
Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.
Take this test to see how your memory compares with the average. Click here for fun games to improve your memory.
ONLINE TOOLS FOR THE KIT
PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”
Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.
Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.
REVIEWS
If you like your news proactive and edgy, we strongly recommend this daily ezine out of Western Canada. It might also go a bit toward the re-education of those who consider their neighbor to the north long on good manners but short on guts and good sense. Canadians pick their battles and this is one good window into how they do it. For more on this one, please go here.
FOR YOUR ONLINE SHOPPING CONVENIENCE
We invite you to do all your amazon.com through by tapping the photo of Susan or the ad. The Northstar Journal receives a 15% commission on whatever you purchase through this link.
MEDIA
Overview
For those interested in what’s going on in the world of magazines and newspapers in general, we highly recommend Woodenhorsepub.com. They publish a weekly online newsletter for media professionals and for readers simply interested in the future of the publications they enjoy and an advance on new ones they might. Their website is located here.
Good “Reads”
Entertainment
BBC Knowledge Magazine – designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money,
TomatoMan Times -- For those who love good writing, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsman out there now than professionally known as Tomatoman Mike. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.
U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.
Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean – Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.
News
BBC – Best source of international news.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (multi-media), the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun -- outstanding sources for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.
KING 5 News – Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.
New York Times – Best source of American news.
Reuters – Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.
Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.
Talent For Hire
Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist – Whether it’s a one time press release, book or product review, difficult business correspondence, resume or classified ad composition you need, take a look at the services offered menu on my writer-for-hire homepage and we’ll get together on it.
Are you a travel editor looking for color shots of Seattle? Are you an art dealer looking for new work to carry on consignment? You might enjoy checking out a gallery of my work for sale
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