A VIEW FROM THE LEDGE (Or, Brother can you spare an acorn?)

Graduation: 1 :  a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantity; also :  these marks 2a :  the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma b :  commencement 3 :  arrangement in degrees or ranks May your hands always be busy May your feet always be swift May you have… Continue reading On Graduating

Linda Ronstadt and I had an affair.  After a period of all too many years we drifted apart. Other lovers called and we both had other trails to explore. As she sang on the Jimmy Webb composition “we never really made it baby, but we came pretty close. Adios, adios”.  Linda likely doesn’t remember all… Continue reading Cry Like a Rainstorm…Howl Like the Wind

Throughout the most recent football season Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49’ers declined to stand for the Star Spangled Banner. Football being our national religion, certain politicians have sought to frame this as a sacrilegious act. Their idea of patriotism is wearing flag lapel pins as they sing the praises of family… Continue reading In Search of a True National Anthem

The War Between the States ended one hundred and fifty two years ago but hostilities continue.  Our divisions are no longer strictly geographical, but it can be argued the roots spring from that most disquieting time when brother fought brother in bloody battle not for home defense or principal but rather for an intolerable economic… Continue reading Un Civil Wars

If you are capable of reading this then you likely were tutored in this ability by someone. It is also likely that that person was a professionally employed educator otherwise referred to as a “teacher”. If you can add and subtract well enough to balance a checkbook this ability was also likely passed on to… Continue reading The A,B,C’s of Hypocrisy

          Love is but a song we sing. Fear’s the way we die. You can make mountains ring. Or make angels cry.     –  Get Together      (Chester William Powers) Lyrics ©Universal Music Publishing Group Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, EMI Music Publishing It has been nearly twenty- five years since my friend, boss and… Continue reading What Would Bert Do?

  Bully vb bul.lied; bul.ly.ing : to behave as a bully toward Browbeat, cow, hector, intimidate (Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary) When I was of middle school age I had an encounter with a neighborhood bully. I was not a tough kid but I was a longshoreman’s son and being the object of persecution for some other… Continue reading A Bully For You