Daily Blues & Views

 Writer Chris Hedges wrote a book called War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning .  Though the title says it all, more specifically, Hedges was looking at why humankind seems to tolerate, if not glorify war as the be all end all reason for being.  True it brings out the best and worst of us on occasion, but take a minute to think what life would be like if humanity simply decided not to participate.  This impossibility would take a collective action so vast as to seem impossible, but, if such a consensus could be reached, imagine what life would be like.   Some young folks are impatient about when they can get in the game.  hey prepare themselves with military video games, all manner of camp clothing, and being obsessed with the latest fighting technology.  I had a student once who was obnoxious in his passion to become a fighting marine.  He couldn't wait to see blood, taste blood, or let blood.  Constantly reminding anyone who would listen wha...

 One of the best responses to the argument that dreams are but random firings of brain cells is, "Then why do we have recurring dreams?" The notion here is that if dreams were so random, why do we seem to have dream motifs or even the same dream over and over again? I was thinking about this after a repeated motif in my dreams came up again the other night.  I'm in a strange city, usually staying in a hotel somewhere unfamiliar.  I can't seem to get back to where I'm staying or supposed to be.  I walk the streets looking for a familiar neighborhood, mostly for safety reasons.  Sometimes, I'm at a conference and can't find the way back to a hotel room. On other occasions I'm with childhood friends and then suddenly find myself alone, unable to phone them or anyone else for that manner.  One variation even has a dysfunctional cell phone in my possession.  I realize that I should just call someone or Lyft and get a ride home, but the phone is usually an o...

 In the last few days I've put on some miles.  Accompanying my sister from her move from Bozeman, Montana to Vancouver, Washington, gave me a quick look at much of rural America in some of the most beautiful country this nation has to offer. For a fly fisherman, like myself, driving by some of the best waters in Montana, Idaho, and Washington, (Oregon too) is pure torture.  But just being there, even if only for a brief moment, is sometimes enough. To someone who has lived most of his life in an urban environment, what is most striking is the lack of diversity is many of these areas.  Of course, that is just a cursory observation because there are Black, Latino, and Asian folks everywhere.  In these Northwestern states, there are also large Native populations. The preponderance of Indian casinos everywhere is a not so subtle reminder of that.  But many of these little towns are ranching communities and the residents are conservative, fly the flag at every o...

 We've had phone conversations for over 60 years.  From the time we met at 9 years of age in a Little League dugout, Kenny was my friend.  After we ended up at the same Jr. High school, and later went to high school together, our friendship cemented.  It helped that we shared the same birthday.  Having a close friend with the same birthday can be hazardous because we often get caught up in our own birthday that we tend to forget, even temporarily that we have a friend that needs to be remembered too. Over the years, Kenny and I shared a love for the same type of music, most notably Blues and Jazz, as well as a healthy Giants/Dodgers rivalry.  For a time, Kenny was my fishing buddy, having some experience in fly fishing.  For about 5 years we even planned and enjoyed a summer fishing trip in either Oregon or the Sierras.  One year, however, Kenny decided he wasn't going to fish, but rather just wanted to enjoy sitting by a river.  He was alway...

  With some help from friend Jory Aronson, a great mandolin player, here is an up dated version of my "Levi Song."   To the tune of The Streets of Bakersfield by Buck Owens...or something similar.         Levi Song They don’t make ‘em like they used to I won’t buy them at the store The Levi’s I once knew and loved, They don't work for me no more. The fabric is by far much thinner, It don’t last too long this way. The blue jeans that were once a winner, Don't hold up from day to day. Chorus; Levi has become the essence Of a known phenomenon. They have built-in obsolescence, Corporate greed continues on. Maybe I sound sentimental, Perhaps a little bit berserk, Still, I issue out a warning, Don’t wear Levi’s when you work!

This YouTube video is both shocking and revealing. One one level, using a definition of ignorance  as “not knowing” you might conclude that these folks just don’t know American history too well. On another level they are disgracefully ignorant. Who draws a blank when asked What caused the Civil War?  More importantly why? If there is anything that anyone with a basic education knows in the country it's the story of how our democracy came to be.  We yearly celebrate the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln.  Certainly, these folks in the video have heard of them?  Maybe not.  Lincoln, above all is arguably the most iconic figure in American history.  He's on our calendar, our money, and easily recognizable.   Maybe, like Nikki Haily, they just don't want to say the word slavery.  That would acknowledge the racist history of our country and the thread of white supremacy that runs through our entire history from its inception to the present....

  They don’t make ‘em like they used to I can’t buy them at the store The Levi’s that I once knew I can’t wear them any more The material is far thinner, It don’t last too long this way The blue jeans that were once a winner, Do not last from day to day.