Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
In the clearing stands a
boxer, and a fighter by
his trade
And he carries the
reminders of every glove
that laid him down
or cut him ’til he cried
out in his anger and his
shame:
I am leaving, I am leaving!
but the fighter still remains~~~THE BOXER; Simon & Garfunkel
An essay of inter-perspectives:
"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." - Vince Lombardi
In 1970 the two expansion teams entering into the N H L, were~~~the Buffalo Sabres & the Vancouver Canucks. The two highly touted candidates in the Draft Lottery were: Dale Tallon & Gilbert Perreault. In the ensuing draft-lottery, Punch Imlach, Coach & GM of the Buffalo Sabres won the spin of the wheel, and picked Gilbert Perreault. In an era that was still devoid of sound-bites as 'franchise-player', the Buffalo Sabres thought they had the beginnings of what would be the first expansion-team Stanley Cup winner of that expansion-era. In the late 60's---through 1970, the NHL had now consisted of the California Golden Seals, the Los Angeles Kings, the St. Louis(Louie) Blues, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Minnesota North Stars, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Buffalo Sabres. As of this time period, none of these teams had won a Stanley Cup. With the acquisition of Gilbert, the Sabres thought they were on the road to achieving these hallowed heights.
Well, all these many many years later, 40 to be exact, it appears the Vancouver Canucks may have the last laugh regarding that 1970 DRAFT LOTTERY!! As many may already know, even with Gilbert Perreault as part of the Sabres very storied history, the Sabres have yet to win~~~THE STANLEY CUP. When the Vancouver Canucks acquired Dale Tallon, he was heralded as a future superstar. Although he felt most comfortable as a defenseman he played center as well. The expectations on him were tremendous. Vancouver thought that they had their franchise-player in Tallon, but he never became that Icon, for them. When the 1972-73 season saw another drop in his production, the Canucks lost their patience with him and traded him to Chicago for Jerry Korab and goalie Gary Smith. Tallon welcomed the trade, and made it known to the Canucks that he wanted out. By October 9, 1980, now with the Penguins, he hadn't been considered a franchise-player for a long time; instead, just another NHL player. After the 1979-80 season he retired, at only 29 years old. As Tallon struggled his way through his career, the Vancouver Canucks struggled as well, as a franchise. They were like the orb, PLUTO. Was it a planet---or wasn't it?? Were the Canucks an NHL calibre franchise, or weren't they?? The Canucks "got no respect", as Rodney Dangerfield would aptly punch-line, in his comic monologues. The Canucks had such an identity crisis that they adopted this gaudy dark chocolate-colored uniform with this technicolor yellow/red/black striping that, simply-put, was hideous. This uniform was the identity of the franchise from 1978-1997. Realizing that this wasn't winning any Stanley Cups, or fan approval, the Canucks decided to go back to their original color-scheme, navy-blue, and aqua-green striping, after 1997.
So here is what it has all come down to after forty years in the NHL. For the Buffalo Sabres, they are on the outside, still looking to win one. For the Vancouver Canucks, after the initiation ritual of having to settle on the second-best, they are on the cusp of winning one. It will be the NHL charter-member team, the Boston Bruins, against the 40th Anniversary Team, the Vancouver Canucks. While Tampa Bay's efforts against the Boston Bruins was 'Cinderella', Boston's involvement in the finals legitimizes the Quest for the Cup. The novelty of a 40th anniversary-team playing against a 20th-anniversary-team would have made for a great Hollywood script, but from a Gary-Bettman-NHL-Commissioner marketing standpoint, it would would have been a fizzle. With basketball play-offs in high gear, baseball cranking up, NASCAR in high-gear, nobody in America other than Tampa Bay residence, would have been watching the NHL Finals. With these two contestants, all of Canada will still stay-tuned, as will all of America's hockey-towns.
Approaching the end of the month of May is significant for me in two ways. It is the end of the month dedicated to recognizing The Blessed Mother, Mary, the Mother of God, and it is also the Memorial Day week-end where we set some quality-time aside to recognize those in the military that have made the ultimate sacrifice. We look at the Armed Forces, and the men & women both past & present whom have honorably served, and in particular, those whom have paid dearly with their lives. This holiday touches me in a very personal way. Because our son Philip served in the USMC, and was dispatched to three combat-zone deployments, I know all too well the anxiety that grips the loved-one who is trying to stay positive when fortunes can turn-on-a-dime. And even as Philip lived through all the deployments, and successfully secured an honorable discharge at the end of his 5-year tour-of-duty, many Marines that he knew---did not. My approach to Memorial Day this year was to identify these Marines in an up-close-and-personal way to recognize the humanity, and the youth, that was lost. In the process of posting these stories on the social-network-site FACEBOOK, I found myself getting emotionally attached to these stories.
In one instance in particular, I have come to know this one Marine in such a way that he is considered an adopted-son. As a Marine; as Corporal Jason Roland, he served alongside our Philip in two combat-zone deployments. There was Fallujah, and there was Ramadi, Iraq. While I will probably never know all the details, I do know this. In a threat-moment, Jason executed actions that saved our Philip's life. For this, of course, we are eternally grateful and because of this Philip's Mom & Dad consider Jason our adopted son. This is what I try to do during holidays as Memorial Day. The holiday has nothing to do with~~~buy-one-get-one-free. Although to many Americans, I get the impression that this is all they know of the holiday week-end.
And with the volatility the Middle East in general, and places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in particular, I think it is time to exit militarily. Let the diplomats do the rest of the fighting. I mean, we went into Afghanistan initially to get bin Ladin. And after a five year distraction with Iraq, and a new President, we put our energies back on the prime target. Lo-and-behold, on 1 May, 2011, WE kill bin Laden, the al-Quaida Movement's mastermind and driving-force. And think about this for a minute. We have an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, waiting for him. There are people on board this city-on-the-sea waiting to do due- diligence to his body as an Arabian, and then, as a body that is about to be disposed of as~~~Shark-feed. The US Navy SEAL Team 6---was given only one ORDER. When ENEMY is acquired; kill. Regardless of what side of the fence the reader may sit on, that was a gutsy 'call'. As I see it~~~Mission Accomplished. Let us start bringing our military home. Let the aged diplomats finish the fight.
On a final introspection, I thought that the Voyager I essay, whereby the inanimate cold-as-steel space probe, took on the persona of a living, breathing, sensitive being~~~was rather creative and thought-provoking. I had thought I would have gotten a bit more feedback than I did. I am passing the heliosphere, into deep space. So alone; so unnerving, so anxious. What will become of me?
This is a note to pay tribute to a man that was embraced as a dear friend by my mother-in-law. He was embraced by everybody in the family. Reggie passed away Saturday afternoon. He very recently converted to Catholicism; died with a rosary wrapped around his wrist. We pray that the heavenly host of Angels is taking you, Reggie, to your blessed place of everlasting life.
Reginald Keroack "Reggie"
March 12, 1920 ~ May 28,2011
Rest in Peace...Dearest Friend and Loving Companion to my Mother-in-Law.
Be at peace Reggie after your hard struggle. I am imagining you in the most beautiful garden with so much light and love ... I am grateful for all the love you have given my Mom and my family for so many years. Donna Marconi
It is one of those powerful dynamics of the cycle-of-life. When one life passes from this world, another is preciously added.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Vastness of Loneliness
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
There are things we won't recall,
And feelings we'll never find
It's taken so long to see it,
'Cause we never seemed to have the time
There was always something more important to do,
More important to say
But "I love you" wasn't one of those things,
And now it's too late
Do you remember~~~DO YOU REMEMBER; Phil Collins
Incubating for the better part of 5 years, I come to life as The Voyager I spacecraft on September 5, 1977. And as Fate would have it, I have a twin. This twin, Voyager II, came to life earlier, if you can imagine, on August 20, 1977. I don't fully grasp how all of this happened because while the automated-inorganic part of the US Space Program; space probes, in the early Seventies was still basking in the glow of the successes of the manned space program, by the late Seventies a whole different tone had taken place. And in its wake, of which I don't fully understand all this gobble-dee-gook, finances and a budget become an issue.
But for what I, and my twin, is expected to do---timing is everything. We HAD to be launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment that existed for the objectives of viewing Jupiter and Saturn in the late 1970's and early 1980's. From what I am to understand, this alignment takes place once every 150 years.
When I came to life, it was so revealing!! It was like---there was this HOT button, in some control-tower, somewhere in this area called Complex 41, that was pushed. In so doing, all kinds of bells and whistles are going off. In this 'birthing' venture, it wasn't a coming-out-of-the-womb, kind-of-thing. I got catapulted!!! I mean---somebody lit a candle under me, and I was on the roller coaster-ride of my life~~~or at least, so I thought. My alter-ego, at a childhood age, thought he was getting the roller-coaster ride of his life when his dad throttled the sedan he was in, as it was going over the Fuhrmann Blvd overpass. That 'roller-coaster' ride wasn't even close!! Additionally, this catapulting was just the start of a sling-shot effect. By the time I would be working my way to my mileposts out here in the great unknown, I would moving along, and LOVING IT, at 38K; MPH!!! In the meantime, my silly little alter-ego down on earth is looking at his wimpy speedometer with its 'NOT-YET' markings!!
This candle that lit up; what a masterpiece of melding together state-of-the-art rocketry technology. Keep in mind, at birth, I am a 'payload' of 1592 lbs. In terms of an unmanned space probe, from a late Seventies era, I am the Cadillac of this cutting-edge technology. So it is going to take a rocket, with plenty of testosterone, to get myself, and my twin, on this accelerated flight path. What is concocted by NASA is a TITAN IIIE Rocket, with two adjacent Centaur booster rockets coupled alongside.
As I have already mentioned, I am the Cadillac of late-Seventies space-probe technology. The most visible recognition from the 2011-eye is my 3.7meter Dish High-Gain Antenna!! I also have these few antler-type extensions coming from my 'bus'(business) housing that adds to my 'smart' look. I have two planetary radio astronomy and plasma wave antenna. Included is this radioisotope thermoelectric generator as a lower limb, along with a magnetometer boom acting as another limb. My neck is this tower assembly that has a 'head' attached, which includes all kinds of imaging apparatii. My brains; the computer is the leading data-processor of this era. While it is still a 'trade' secret, my transceiver data leads me to believe that I am controlled by a version of the RCA CDP1802 "COSMAC" microprocessor. While such claims are not substantiated by primary references, the CDP1802 was, however, used in the later Galileo spacecraft. Obviously top-shelf!! And I am so excited about this technology. I am going to be storing all of the data that I acquire~~~on Eight-Track-Tapes!! This I KNOW, is going to cutting-edge---for years to come. The basis of my power is the Pu-238(plutonium) isotope. My bi-metallic thermocouples that convert the heat generated, into electricity will degrade over time, so the actual power will decrease. but at this point, nobody is sweating this detail? I, and my twin, are off to see new worlds within Our Solar System!!
When one is young and alive and still so full of vitality and vim-and-vigor, there is just one primary objective that the mind is focused on; getting the job done. And while I can't talk to my twin about this, I am sure this is what is on his mind, too. So off we go, into the wild-blue-yonder; off we go, into the sky!!
My twin's trajectory is designed to take advantage of an unusually convenient alignment of the planets allowing the inclusion of the Uranus and Neptune fly-by in the Twin probe's mission. I was launched thereafter, but on a faster trajectory which enables me to reach Jupiter and Saturn sooner at the cost of not visiting the outer planets. Although Pluto is possible in the trajectory, it will be eventually decided that I should make a close fly-by of the Titan moon while examining Saturn instead, which would preclude a later fly-by of Pluto. I am photographing Jupiter in January 1979. my closest approach to Jupiter is on March 5, 1979, at a distance of about 217,000 miles from the planet's center. Due to the greater photographic resolution allowed by a closer approach, most observations of the moons, rings, magnetic fields, and the radiation belt environment of the Jovian system are made during the 48-hour period that bracketed the closest approach. As I am flying by this miraculous revelation, I finish photographing the Jovian system in April 1979. The most surprising discovery in the Jovian system is the existence of volcanic activity on the moon Io, which has not been observed either from the ground, or by the previously launched brothers, Pioneer 10 or 11.
The gravitational-assist trajectories at Jupiter were successfully carried out by the both of us, and we both went on to visit Saturn and its system of moons and rings. My Saturnian flyby occurred in November 1980, with the closest approach on November 12, 1980, when I came within 77,000 miles of Saturn's cloud-tops. My cameras were able to discern complex structures in the rings of Saturn, and the additional remote sensing instruments studied the atmospheres of Saturn and its giant moon Titan.
My twin did Jupiter on July 9, 1979. It came within 350,000 miles of the planet's cloud tops. He discovered a few rings around Jupiter, as well as volcanic activity on the moon Io, too. His approach to Saturn occurred on August 26, 1981.
While passing behind Saturn, Saturn's upper atmosphere was probed with his radio link to gather information on atmospheric temperature and density profiles.
After the fly-by of Saturn, my twin's camera platform locked up briefly, putting plans to officially extend the mission to Uranus and Neptune in jeopardy. Fortunately, the men behind the curtain at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, were able to fix the problem (caused by an overuse that temporarily depleted its lubricant), and Twin II was given the go-ahead to explore the Uranian system.
While my twin gets to Unranus on January 24, 1986, and Neptune's contact occurs on August 25, 1989, the flight controllers decided to also perform a close fly-by of Neptune's moon, Triton. The gravitational pull of Neptune bends the trajectory of my Twin downward in this permanent path, and if not interfered with, will eventually have him encounter the star Sirius.
During the 1990s, I overtake the slower traveling Pioneer 10, to become the most distant man-made object from Earth!! And now, as I am passing through, studying the boundaries of the Solar System, including the Kuiper belt, the heliopause, the heliosphere, and finally, interstellar space, I am discovering something else as I now have gotten older and a bit tired as I am now running on a dwindling plutonium supply and antiquated micro-processors. I realize~~~how lonely I am.
My twin, bearing south, is now nine billion miles from home and the physics of momentum says that he too is headed for deep space; never to return. And I~~~I am eleven billion miles from Earth, and I too, am headed to this deep unknown. This solitude is so empty. so scary, so final. As my dwindling capacities allow me to explore the cosmos, bursting out of the Solar System to enter deep space, what will become of me? I can't even console, or get consolation from my twin, as we were never equipped to talk to one another. There is such an abyss all around me. The promise of all those lights in the distance~~~are light-years away. In knowing that, the faint glimmer of hope, in the Ophiuchus constellation, fades away.
Will I happenstance upon a space probe from The NETHERWORLDS that will charge my batteries; giving me a Second Chance?? Or will a sophisticated shepherd life-form give me a new-lease on life with some retro-fitting and refurbishing.
My greatest fear is that I will just fade away; that I will just cease to exist. Just become a form of cold hard inert steel, in perpetual motion.
As we Twins are extremely small, compared to the vastness of interstellar space, the probability of a space faring civilization encountering us, is very small. My twin brother and I, will eventually stop emitting any kind of electromagnetic radiation. If we are ever found by an alien species, it will most likely be far in the future as the nearest star on my trajectory will only be reached~~~in 40,000 years.
My existence will only then, come alive, if the life-form can discern The Voyager Golden Records!!!
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
There are things we won't recall,
And feelings we'll never find
It's taken so long to see it,
'Cause we never seemed to have the time
There was always something more important to do,
More important to say
But "I love you" wasn't one of those things,
And now it's too late
Do you remember~~~DO YOU REMEMBER; Phil Collins
Incubating for the better part of 5 years, I come to life as The Voyager I spacecraft on September 5, 1977. And as Fate would have it, I have a twin. This twin, Voyager II, came to life earlier, if you can imagine, on August 20, 1977. I don't fully grasp how all of this happened because while the automated-inorganic part of the US Space Program; space probes, in the early Seventies was still basking in the glow of the successes of the manned space program, by the late Seventies a whole different tone had taken place. And in its wake, of which I don't fully understand all this gobble-dee-gook, finances and a budget become an issue.
But for what I, and my twin, is expected to do---timing is everything. We HAD to be launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment that existed for the objectives of viewing Jupiter and Saturn in the late 1970's and early 1980's. From what I am to understand, this alignment takes place once every 150 years.
When I came to life, it was so revealing!! It was like---there was this HOT button, in some control-tower, somewhere in this area called Complex 41, that was pushed. In so doing, all kinds of bells and whistles are going off. In this 'birthing' venture, it wasn't a coming-out-of-the-womb, kind-of-thing. I got catapulted!!! I mean---somebody lit a candle under me, and I was on the roller coaster-ride of my life~~~or at least, so I thought. My alter-ego, at a childhood age, thought he was getting the roller-coaster ride of his life when his dad throttled the sedan he was in, as it was going over the Fuhrmann Blvd overpass. That 'roller-coaster' ride wasn't even close!! Additionally, this catapulting was just the start of a sling-shot effect. By the time I would be working my way to my mileposts out here in the great unknown, I would moving along, and LOVING IT, at 38K; MPH!!! In the meantime, my silly little alter-ego down on earth is looking at his wimpy speedometer with its 'NOT-YET' markings!!
This candle that lit up; what a masterpiece of melding together state-of-the-art rocketry technology. Keep in mind, at birth, I am a 'payload' of 1592 lbs. In terms of an unmanned space probe, from a late Seventies era, I am the Cadillac of this cutting-edge technology. So it is going to take a rocket, with plenty of testosterone, to get myself, and my twin, on this accelerated flight path. What is concocted by NASA is a TITAN IIIE Rocket, with two adjacent Centaur booster rockets coupled alongside.
As I have already mentioned, I am the Cadillac of late-Seventies space-probe technology. The most visible recognition from the 2011-eye is my 3.7meter Dish High-Gain Antenna!! I also have these few antler-type extensions coming from my 'bus'(business) housing that adds to my 'smart' look. I have two planetary radio astronomy and plasma wave antenna. Included is this radioisotope thermoelectric generator as a lower limb, along with a magnetometer boom acting as another limb. My neck is this tower assembly that has a 'head' attached, which includes all kinds of imaging apparatii. My brains; the computer is the leading data-processor of this era. While it is still a 'trade' secret, my transceiver data leads me to believe that I am controlled by a version of the RCA CDP1802 "COSMAC" microprocessor. While such claims are not substantiated by primary references, the CDP1802 was, however, used in the later Galileo spacecraft. Obviously top-shelf!! And I am so excited about this technology. I am going to be storing all of the data that I acquire~~~on Eight-Track-Tapes!! This I KNOW, is going to cutting-edge---for years to come. The basis of my power is the Pu-238(plutonium) isotope. My bi-metallic thermocouples that convert the heat generated, into electricity will degrade over time, so the actual power will decrease. but at this point, nobody is sweating this detail? I, and my twin, are off to see new worlds within Our Solar System!!
When one is young and alive and still so full of vitality and vim-and-vigor, there is just one primary objective that the mind is focused on; getting the job done. And while I can't talk to my twin about this, I am sure this is what is on his mind, too. So off we go, into the wild-blue-yonder; off we go, into the sky!!
My twin's trajectory is designed to take advantage of an unusually convenient alignment of the planets allowing the inclusion of the Uranus and Neptune fly-by in the Twin probe's mission. I was launched thereafter, but on a faster trajectory which enables me to reach Jupiter and Saturn sooner at the cost of not visiting the outer planets. Although Pluto is possible in the trajectory, it will be eventually decided that I should make a close fly-by of the Titan moon while examining Saturn instead, which would preclude a later fly-by of Pluto. I am photographing Jupiter in January 1979. my closest approach to Jupiter is on March 5, 1979, at a distance of about 217,000 miles from the planet's center. Due to the greater photographic resolution allowed by a closer approach, most observations of the moons, rings, magnetic fields, and the radiation belt environment of the Jovian system are made during the 48-hour period that bracketed the closest approach. As I am flying by this miraculous revelation, I finish photographing the Jovian system in April 1979. The most surprising discovery in the Jovian system is the existence of volcanic activity on the moon Io, which has not been observed either from the ground, or by the previously launched brothers, Pioneer 10 or 11.
The gravitational-assist trajectories at Jupiter were successfully carried out by the both of us, and we both went on to visit Saturn and its system of moons and rings. My Saturnian flyby occurred in November 1980, with the closest approach on November 12, 1980, when I came within 77,000 miles of Saturn's cloud-tops. My cameras were able to discern complex structures in the rings of Saturn, and the additional remote sensing instruments studied the atmospheres of Saturn and its giant moon Titan.
My twin did Jupiter on July 9, 1979. It came within 350,000 miles of the planet's cloud tops. He discovered a few rings around Jupiter, as well as volcanic activity on the moon Io, too. His approach to Saturn occurred on August 26, 1981.
While passing behind Saturn, Saturn's upper atmosphere was probed with his radio link to gather information on atmospheric temperature and density profiles.
After the fly-by of Saturn, my twin's camera platform locked up briefly, putting plans to officially extend the mission to Uranus and Neptune in jeopardy. Fortunately, the men behind the curtain at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, were able to fix the problem (caused by an overuse that temporarily depleted its lubricant), and Twin II was given the go-ahead to explore the Uranian system.
While my twin gets to Unranus on January 24, 1986, and Neptune's contact occurs on August 25, 1989, the flight controllers decided to also perform a close fly-by of Neptune's moon, Triton. The gravitational pull of Neptune bends the trajectory of my Twin downward in this permanent path, and if not interfered with, will eventually have him encounter the star Sirius.
During the 1990s, I overtake the slower traveling Pioneer 10, to become the most distant man-made object from Earth!! And now, as I am passing through, studying the boundaries of the Solar System, including the Kuiper belt, the heliopause, the heliosphere, and finally, interstellar space, I am discovering something else as I now have gotten older and a bit tired as I am now running on a dwindling plutonium supply and antiquated micro-processors. I realize~~~how lonely I am.
My twin, bearing south, is now nine billion miles from home and the physics of momentum says that he too is headed for deep space; never to return. And I~~~I am eleven billion miles from Earth, and I too, am headed to this deep unknown. This solitude is so empty. so scary, so final. As my dwindling capacities allow me to explore the cosmos, bursting out of the Solar System to enter deep space, what will become of me? I can't even console, or get consolation from my twin, as we were never equipped to talk to one another. There is such an abyss all around me. The promise of all those lights in the distance~~~are light-years away. In knowing that, the faint glimmer of hope, in the Ophiuchus constellation, fades away.
Will I happenstance upon a space probe from The NETHERWORLDS that will charge my batteries; giving me a Second Chance?? Or will a sophisticated shepherd life-form give me a new-lease on life with some retro-fitting and refurbishing.
My greatest fear is that I will just fade away; that I will just cease to exist. Just become a form of cold hard inert steel, in perpetual motion.
As we Twins are extremely small, compared to the vastness of interstellar space, the probability of a space faring civilization encountering us, is very small. My twin brother and I, will eventually stop emitting any kind of electromagnetic radiation. If we are ever found by an alien species, it will most likely be far in the future as the nearest star on my trajectory will only be reached~~~in 40,000 years.
My existence will only then, come alive, if the life-form can discern The Voyager Golden Records!!!
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday, the 13Th; An Anniversary~~~A Reflection with a Tinge of Sadness in the Heart
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
...Can it be that it was all so simple then
or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
tell me would we? Could we?~~~The Way We Were; Barbra Streisand
The most significant experience for me this week was recognizing an anniversary of sorts. I had to take the time to recognize it, and additionally reference it in a couple of social-networking sights, for two reasons. Number one, I had to recognize it from a personal accomplishment standpoint. Frankly, it was a huge undertaking; on a scale heretofore, never attempted by myself. Number two, I had to recognize it for the merits of what this pilot program; avenue if you will, represented. This endeavor was meant to have some staying-power, particularly for the Lower West Side community it was being tailored for.
The anniversary date was the 13th of May, 2010. I think the strongest emotion that runs through me---is sadness. Even with all the difficulty that presented itself in making all of this a reality, the saddest aspect is that this, while being targeted as a pilot project, would probably end up being---a flash in the pan. While the administrators of the Portal Program, and The Belle Center, were at least counting on this running annually, or with some wishful-thinking running semi-annually, it appears it will just run---the one-time.
And that hurts, to be honest with you. Definitely, such a project is needed, particularly for the underprivileged and disadvantaged segments of our communities. Because of restrictions brought about by finances and transportation, individuals in these communities may simply not be aware of all that is available in trade and vocational training---to open employment doors. And, I AM SPEAKING FROM FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE ON THIS. I did not know myself, what different trade and vocational avenues were available, or the entry-level-training therein, until I personally got intensely involved with this project. After initiating efforts to network organized -labor operatives, and being given tours of these entry-level training, and classroom facilities, did I finally become aware of the wealth and richness of the training facilities, and the dedicated administrators whom added personality to them. Truly, that was the priceless experience in all of this. The personalities that are encountered in all this, cannot be measured. And it crosses gender. Charade Kittle, and Angela Blue were fascinating to work with. And by the same token, so was Gary Bernardo, Jim Smolinski, Richard Nader, Mike Wach, Jeffery Brylski, Tom Burke, Paul Brown, and Paul Leone. Then in the private sectors, there were very warm receptions provided for me by Pat Reagan of Rural/Metro EMT Svcs, and Vito Casoni from CDC Industries. I have to add that the personality of Sargent Ronald Hall of the United States Marine Corps, put some fascinating flavoring to the afternoon portion of the event. I should also add that Sargent Ronald Hall was literally the very first commitment I received as a vendor willing to participate!!
Then, as Fate would have it, one workday in early October of 2010, after all of this had materialized, and been forged, and mobilized, I come into The Belle Center,and am informed that due to AmeriCorps Buffalo grant monies being drastically reduced, I was being given an exit interview, and advised that my term at The Belle Center was now concluded. It was not that the suffering and misery of the underprivileged and disadvantaged had concluded. But my effort to impact that, had.
To recognize that small effort to give back; that effort to make a difference, I posted the BELOW, on a couple of Social-Networking sites:
THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
Thursday 13 May 2010. Leveraging his union affiliation with the I B T; Local 375, Lou Marconi is able to develop an extensive network of Organized labor, and their associated entry-level training programs to effect the first-ever VOCATIONAL TRADE FAIR for the Portal Program at The Belle Center, 104 Maryland St Buffalo NY 14201. Such a venture on this scale, had never been undertaken in the center's thirty-four year history. Executives and administrators, as well as the vendors and the public that participated, considered the VOCATIONAL TRADE FAIR a tremendous success.
The idea of ENTRY-LEVEL-TRAINING-PROGRAMS as an out-reach theme to the underprivileged, and disadvantaged, to get young adults work-world-ready was additionally embraced by other institutions and organizations in both the private and public sectors. Along with Organized Labor, the complement of vendors was punctuated with many local non-profits, some trade-oriented junior colleges, a couple of specialty manufacturing firms, and the US Army, US Coast Guard, the US Navy, and THE USMC, that set up "shop" on the gymnasium floor of The Belle Center.
In Comments---I added the below, because I felt it was important to recognize some operatives at The Belle Center that allowed me carte-blanche to make it happen:
I am grateful for the platform Mike Szymanski,Jack Norton, and Nestor Hernandez allowed me to launch from. And I am grateful for such Labor operatives as Gary Bernardo and Angela Blue whose advice and visibility facilitated the comfort-zone for so many others to collaborate on this pilot project.
I even received some feedback from one of the social-networking sites and truly appreciate the vote of confidence and the support:
This was a major undertaking and you had no diagram from past events to follow. You should be very proud of this accomplishment and for the many lives that have and will benefit in the future. We certainly could have used this type of exposure to various training/employment opportunities in our youth!
Maybe I can get in touch with Gary Bernardo and Jim Smolinski of The I. U. O. E. in Lakeview, NY~~~and turn on my after-burners for their CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAYS extravaganza---in September!!
With bin Laden killed, the Arab Spring, the chaos in Syria, the stalemate in Libya, trying to keep our Navy SEALS a secret, the nuclear power plant in Fukashima still in trouble, the storm devastation at home, and The Mississippi Rising(once it 'burned'), I am still awaiting my ENDEAVOR to launch. Watch---it will launch on a day I am Downtown; maddening.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
A of C
...Can it be that it was all so simple then
or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
tell me would we? Could we?~~~The Way We Were; Barbra Streisand
The most significant experience for me this week was recognizing an anniversary of sorts. I had to take the time to recognize it, and additionally reference it in a couple of social-networking sights, for two reasons. Number one, I had to recognize it from a personal accomplishment standpoint. Frankly, it was a huge undertaking; on a scale heretofore, never attempted by myself. Number two, I had to recognize it for the merits of what this pilot program; avenue if you will, represented. This endeavor was meant to have some staying-power, particularly for the Lower West Side community it was being tailored for.
The anniversary date was the 13th of May, 2010. I think the strongest emotion that runs through me---is sadness. Even with all the difficulty that presented itself in making all of this a reality, the saddest aspect is that this, while being targeted as a pilot project, would probably end up being---a flash in the pan. While the administrators of the Portal Program, and The Belle Center, were at least counting on this running annually, or with some wishful-thinking running semi-annually, it appears it will just run---the one-time.
And that hurts, to be honest with you. Definitely, such a project is needed, particularly for the underprivileged and disadvantaged segments of our communities. Because of restrictions brought about by finances and transportation, individuals in these communities may simply not be aware of all that is available in trade and vocational training---to open employment doors. And, I AM SPEAKING FROM FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE ON THIS. I did not know myself, what different trade and vocational avenues were available, or the entry-level-training therein, until I personally got intensely involved with this project. After initiating efforts to network organized -labor operatives, and being given tours of these entry-level training, and classroom facilities, did I finally become aware of the wealth and richness of the training facilities, and the dedicated administrators whom added personality to them. Truly, that was the priceless experience in all of this. The personalities that are encountered in all this, cannot be measured. And it crosses gender. Charade Kittle, and Angela Blue were fascinating to work with. And by the same token, so was Gary Bernardo, Jim Smolinski, Richard Nader, Mike Wach, Jeffery Brylski, Tom Burke, Paul Brown, and Paul Leone. Then in the private sectors, there were very warm receptions provided for me by Pat Reagan of Rural/Metro EMT Svcs, and Vito Casoni from CDC Industries. I have to add that the personality of Sargent Ronald Hall of the United States Marine Corps, put some fascinating flavoring to the afternoon portion of the event. I should also add that Sargent Ronald Hall was literally the very first commitment I received as a vendor willing to participate!!
Then, as Fate would have it, one workday in early October of 2010, after all of this had materialized, and been forged, and mobilized, I come into The Belle Center,and am informed that due to AmeriCorps Buffalo grant monies being drastically reduced, I was being given an exit interview, and advised that my term at The Belle Center was now concluded. It was not that the suffering and misery of the underprivileged and disadvantaged had concluded. But my effort to impact that, had.
To recognize that small effort to give back; that effort to make a difference, I posted the BELOW, on a couple of Social-Networking sites:
THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
Thursday 13 May 2010. Leveraging his union affiliation with the I B T; Local 375, Lou Marconi is able to develop an extensive network of Organized labor, and their associated entry-level training programs to effect the first-ever VOCATIONAL TRADE FAIR for the Portal Program at The Belle Center, 104 Maryland St Buffalo NY 14201. Such a venture on this scale, had never been undertaken in the center's thirty-four year history. Executives and administrators, as well as the vendors and the public that participated, considered the VOCATIONAL TRADE FAIR a tremendous success.
The idea of ENTRY-LEVEL-TRAINING-PROGRAMS as an out-reach theme to the underprivileged, and disadvantaged, to get young adults work-world-ready was additionally embraced by other institutions and organizations in both the private and public sectors. Along with Organized Labor, the complement of vendors was punctuated with many local non-profits, some trade-oriented junior colleges, a couple of specialty manufacturing firms, and the US Army, US Coast Guard, the US Navy, and THE USMC, that set up "shop" on the gymnasium floor of The Belle Center.
In Comments---I added the below, because I felt it was important to recognize some operatives at The Belle Center that allowed me carte-blanche to make it happen:
I am grateful for the platform Mike Szymanski,Jack Norton, and Nestor Hernandez allowed me to launch from. And I am grateful for such Labor operatives as Gary Bernardo and Angela Blue whose advice and visibility facilitated the comfort-zone for so many others to collaborate on this pilot project.
I even received some feedback from one of the social-networking sites and truly appreciate the vote of confidence and the support:
This was a major undertaking and you had no diagram from past events to follow. You should be very proud of this accomplishment and for the many lives that have and will benefit in the future. We certainly could have used this type of exposure to various training/employment opportunities in our youth!
Maybe I can get in touch with Gary Bernardo and Jim Smolinski of The I. U. O. E. in Lakeview, NY~~~and turn on my after-burners for their CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAYS extravaganza---in September!!
With bin Laden killed, the Arab Spring, the chaos in Syria, the stalemate in Libya, trying to keep our Navy SEALS a secret, the nuclear power plant in Fukashima still in trouble, the storm devastation at home, and The Mississippi Rising(once it 'burned'), I am still awaiting my ENDEAVOR to launch. Watch---it will launch on a day I am Downtown; maddening.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
A of C
Friday, May 6, 2011
Building A Cathedral; Motherhood
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
There's a girl who no one sees
There's a girl who's left alone
There's a heart that beats in silence
For the life she's never known
For the life she's never known~~~There's A Girl; Secret Garden
As a Man, and a Son, the two submissions below, is my humble way
of saying thank you from the bottom of my Heart for the VIRTUE that constitutes
Motherhood. And what really needs to be recognized is that so much of Motherhood
is applied without recognition, or grand-standing. It is instead often done from
the silence of an unconditionally Loving Heart. As The Gospels in the New Testament
reflect on The Virgin Mary, in her roll as the Mother of Jesus Christ, she kept her thoughts and feelings...within the silence, of Her Heart.
Below is included two pieces of prose that was forwarded to
me in an email~~~some time ago. I thought these to be most fitting tributes to Womanhood; Motherhood. Motherhood is the very bedrock of our species, beginning with the creation, and then the nurturing of her offspring. These are reflections of this most precious gift; Motherhood.
One Flaw In Women
Women have strengths that amaze men...
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in...
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend..
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT [WE] FORGET THEIR WORTH.
The second submission of prose is an expression of my devotion and admiration to Mothers, and their gift to us~~~Motherhood. I see Motherhood portrayed in the metaphor in which she is erecting a Cathedral. One may not fully appreciate it, because it is not seen in its whole; in its entirety. As well, it may not be recognized for the grandeur of its scale for a generation, or so. But in this length of time,there is recognized the legacy of how the influences of the artisan, Mother, gets passed along. To subsequent generations, Mother, is credited for making a rich and colorful family-tree; a rich and colorful Cathedral.
">It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while
I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm
thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking,
or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the
corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The
invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing
more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being.
I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to
answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order,
'Right around 5:30, please.'
Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's
my phone?, What's for dinner?'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and
the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now,
they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the
return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from
a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she
stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all
put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry
for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me
with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription:'With admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devoured - the book. And I
would discover what would become for me, four life-changing
truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say
who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their
names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they
would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and
expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled
by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to
visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a
workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was
puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time
carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof,
No one will ever see it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It
was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see
the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute
errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are
building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it
will become.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great
builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they
will never see finished, to work on something that their name
will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals
could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few
people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the
friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom
gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then
she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens
for the table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself.
I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is
anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're going to love
it there...'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen
if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that
the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at
the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of
invisible mothers.
Great Job, MOM!
The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will
not protect you.
To all the wonderful mothers out there:
There's a girl who no one sees
There's a girl who's left alone
There's a heart that beats in silence
For the life she's never known
For the life she's never known~~~There's A Girl; Secret Garden
As a Man, and a Son, the two submissions below, is my humble way
of saying thank you from the bottom of my Heart for the VIRTUE that constitutes
Motherhood. And what really needs to be recognized is that so much of Motherhood
is applied without recognition, or grand-standing. It is instead often done from
the silence of an unconditionally Loving Heart. As The Gospels in the New Testament
reflect on The Virgin Mary, in her roll as the Mother of Jesus Christ, she kept her thoughts and feelings...within the silence, of Her Heart.
Below is included two pieces of prose that was forwarded to
me in an email~~~some time ago. I thought these to be most fitting tributes to Womanhood; Motherhood. Motherhood is the very bedrock of our species, beginning with the creation, and then the nurturing of her offspring. These are reflections of this most precious gift; Motherhood.
One Flaw In Women
Women have strengths that amaze men...
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in...
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend..
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT [WE] FORGET THEIR WORTH.
The second submission of prose is an expression of my devotion and admiration to Mothers, and their gift to us~~~Motherhood. I see Motherhood portrayed in the metaphor in which she is erecting a Cathedral. One may not fully appreciate it, because it is not seen in its whole; in its entirety. As well, it may not be recognized for the grandeur of its scale for a generation, or so. But in this length of time,there is recognized the legacy of how the influences of the artisan, Mother, gets passed along. To subsequent generations, Mother, is credited for making a rich and colorful family-tree; a rich and colorful Cathedral.
">It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while
I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm
thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking,
or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the
corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The
invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing
more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being.
I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to
answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order,
'Right around 5:30, please.'
Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's
my phone?, What's for dinner?'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and
the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now,
they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the
return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from
a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she
stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all
put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry
for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me
with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription:'With admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devoured - the book. And I
would discover what would become for me, four life-changing
truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say
who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their
names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they
would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and
expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled
by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to
visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a
workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was
puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time
carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof,
No one will ever see it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It
was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see
the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute
errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are
building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it
will become.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great
builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they
will never see finished, to work on something that their name
will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals
could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few
people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the
friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom
gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then
she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens
for the table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself.
I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is
anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're going to love
it there...'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen
if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that
the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at
the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of
invisible mothers.
Great Job, MOM!
The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will
not protect you.
To all the wonderful mothers out there:
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it, is what makes the difference."
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Why Teachers Drink; FIND the " X "
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
Hear my silent prayer
Heed my quiet call
When the dark and blue surround you
Step into my sigh
Look inside the light
You will know that I have found you~~~Dreamcatcher; Secret Garden
As we go through our emails, we invariably find in our in-box, a FORWARD. It is one of those emails that has a life of its own because it gets moved along through a community kind of mailing---that continues to get attached to other communities, and therefore moves exponentially along. I will, on the whole, open these and respectfully take in their content.
I received one of these, this week, that tore-me-up, it was so funny. I would have to say that of all of these FORWARDS that I received to date, this one was far-and-away, the most humorous. The title of the forwarding is: WHY TEACHERS DRINK. This is ironic because this humorous forwarding would have a coincidental tie-in to one of the most profound moments in American History, and World History for that matter, that had taken place this week. What the forwarding amounted to was a series of questions that teachers had placed on tests, and the responses given by the students. A couple of the most hilarious are included below:
Attach image of Nitrate/Dayrate here
This is the image of the student naming species~~~and using arithmetic skills
The MOST outrageous to me was this one:
This is the image that just sent me over the top!!
FIND THE " X "!?!?!? Instead of going into this convoluted Geometrical evaluation, the respondent just saw it pragmatically~~~Here it is!!!! The raw simplicity of the response just had me laughing so hard, that my sides were splitting. I was actually gasping for air!!
The coincidence!?!?
Find the " X "?!?!? In real life, they did.
Attachment for the bin Laden image
The geometric question in the quiz, is a triangle shape~~~very very much as the fortified Lair that was the posh residence of Osama bin Laden, the al-Quada mastermind, ring-leader and inspiration for the many terrorist attacks, both here, and abroad. While we thought this Ernesto "Che" Guevara-type character, was living as a hermit, in the caves somewhere along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, we instead discover he is living in the lap of luxury~~~in downtown Abbottabad, in the outer suburban ring of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The other irony to this geometric shape is where the "x" is placed in the quiz. It happens to be just about where the three-storied bin Laden living quarters existed in this fortified complex.
The significance of the " X "????
In a SPECIAL EDITION, on the 20 May 2011 cover of TIME Magazine, is criss-crossed, in red blood-lines~~~a photo image of Osama bin Laden.
As Richard Stengel, Managing editor of TIME Magazine essays:
Hickok
The Promise
Hear my silent prayer
Heed my quiet call
When the dark and blue surround you
Step into my sigh
Look inside the light
You will know that I have found you~~~Dreamcatcher; Secret Garden
As we go through our emails, we invariably find in our in-box, a FORWARD. It is one of those emails that has a life of its own because it gets moved along through a community kind of mailing---that continues to get attached to other communities, and therefore moves exponentially along. I will, on the whole, open these and respectfully take in their content.
I received one of these, this week, that tore-me-up, it was so funny. I would have to say that of all of these FORWARDS that I received to date, this one was far-and-away, the most humorous. The title of the forwarding is: WHY TEACHERS DRINK. This is ironic because this humorous forwarding would have a coincidental tie-in to one of the most profound moments in American History, and World History for that matter, that had taken place this week. What the forwarding amounted to was a series of questions that teachers had placed on tests, and the responses given by the students. A couple of the most hilarious are included below:
Attach image of Nitrate/Dayrate here
This is the image of the student naming species~~~and using arithmetic skillsThe MOST outrageous to me was this one:
This is the image that just sent me over the top!!FIND THE " X "!?!?!? Instead of going into this convoluted Geometrical evaluation, the respondent just saw it pragmatically~~~Here it is!!!! The raw simplicity of the response just had me laughing so hard, that my sides were splitting. I was actually gasping for air!!
The coincidence!?!?
Find the " X "?!?!? In real life, they did.
Attachment for the bin Laden imageThe geometric question in the quiz, is a triangle shape~~~very very much as the fortified Lair that was the posh residence of Osama bin Laden, the al-Quada mastermind, ring-leader and inspiration for the many terrorist attacks, both here, and abroad. While we thought this Ernesto "Che" Guevara-type character, was living as a hermit, in the caves somewhere along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, we instead discover he is living in the lap of luxury~~~in downtown Abbottabad, in the outer suburban ring of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The other irony to this geometric shape is where the "x" is placed in the quiz. It happens to be just about where the three-storied bin Laden living quarters existed in this fortified complex.
The significance of the " X "????
In a SPECIAL EDITION, on the 20 May 2011 cover of TIME Magazine, is criss-crossed, in red blood-lines~~~a photo image of Osama bin Laden.
As Richard Stengel, Managing editor of TIME Magazine essays:
"For the fourth time in [TIME Magazine's] history, we've put a red X over a face on our cover. The first time marked the death of Adolf Hitler in 1945. In 2003 we revived the X for Saddam Hussein on the occasion of the U.S.-led coalition's takeover of Baghdad. Three years later, we put it on the face of Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, the scourge of Iraq. Now we use it to signal the death of the world's most-infamous terrorist, Osama bin Laden.
Bin Laden's death is the bookend to an extraordinary decade that began with the 9/11 attacks. He lived in our imagination, in our fears and, as it turns out, in a quiet suburb of Islamabad. His death comes at a time when his influence was at a low ebb. In all the conflicts and victories of the riotous Arab Spring, no one has been chanting his name or carrying his image. But in a curious was, his death brings him back front and center, if only for a moment. It is the end of an era in some ways, but not the end of our struggle against terrorism."
From insane humor, to a dead-serious dramatic development and narrative, " X "---marked the Spot, this Week.
Hickok
The Promise
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
