Daily Blues & Views

There is something particularly haunting about an empty racetrack.  A horse racing oval is what I'm talking about here.  You can find them in the off season or sometimes late in the afternoon.  In the morning they are alive with horses working out or people meeting, negotiating, dreaming and hoping. What makes an empty track such a striking place is that when un-occupied they look dead.  They are shrines for noise...for the electric...they are emotional places reminiscent of a circus or carnival.  In recent years the probability of finding an empty track has increased dramatically.  Many have closed as the impact of technology has intersected with waning interest in the sport.  Historically, efforts to promote the sport have failed miserably and for some reasons, success has only come in shooting oneself in the foot.  When national interest peaks, some unfortunate accident, or unexplainable tragedy occurs to hasten the public's tolerance of all t...

A visiting relative gave me a little present when I was about 6 or 7 years old.  It was a bookmark with the head of an owl drawn on the long leather strip.  The owl was there to impart some wisdom.  "Books like friends should be few and well chosen," was written on the front of the bookmark. I've kept this little gift for over 60 years now.  It's been a good reminder.  Just as I have tried to choose my friends wisely, so too have I acquired the collection of books I now have. Now, however, change is on the horizon. Slowly, I've been passing many of my books on to people I think can benefit from them or to re-sell for credit to buy the books I am currently reading.  When I made a major move from the Bay Area to Oregon 12 years ago, I thinned out my books considerably.  It's now time to move that downsizing to the next level. As for the friends part of this equation, with my move came the loss of some lifelong friends.  Oh, we still keep in t...

Things disappear.  Your favorite things included.  Ever walk into your favorite grocery store to pick up a box of or a package of or a few of something you often buy only to discover it isn't being made anymore?  Sure, haven't we all.  But it does seem to me that lately this is a more common occurrence. I've lost my favorite brands of mayonnaise, energy bar, crackers, and frozen yogurt.  And that's only the tip of the iceberg that seems to be melting ever faster. It's not just food.  I'm finding that brands of clothing, restaurants, and even soap have come up missing. I know this happens all the time, but something else is going on here, I fear.  In fact, I once wrote to the manufacturer of a popular hair shampoo because, without notice, it disappeared only to be replaced by a different looking and smelling product under the same name.  All in vain, of course.  I did receive a response, but it only reassured me that they knew what they wer...