Ukraine has the front seat in the news yet, closer to home in Venezuela, a massacre in the making is largely ignored by the national media. Venezuela is not my country of origin; I come from the other one, the one which is basically causing all the trouble over there. Including flying shock troops by the planeload to “show” the Venezuelan army and thug police how they must deal with the dissidents. No matter these are unarmed students and mothers whose only political sin is to ask for their basic freedoms and question the terrible state in which their country and society are, as well as give voice to their utter hopelessness for a better future. The current government cannot give coherent answers to these questions for the simple reason they don’t have any to give; the same government which created the chaos cannot possibly give hope of a better future when they can’t even manage the present. Faced with this, students and protesters refuse to back down, despite the fact these ...

We know all about the “Cost of Living” but … what about the “Cost of Life”? The past is a nice place to visit but not one in which to dwell for long periods of time. That is, unless you suffer from that terrible malady called Alzheimer’s. Then it becomes a state of life. However, as the years do keep on piling on, sometimes it does give us a little comfort in the form of wishful thinking. The Cost of Life cannot be readily measured in actual cash. We know there are many folk who will swear that “money is important” ( yes, it is… to a point ) and some even will go as far as saying it is “everything” ( no, it definitely is not! ) and then, there is another group of folk (including me, I guess… ) who will say that the “pursuit of happiness” and the “pursuit of money” are not one and the same. A simpler life was had by those of us who grew up several ( not to say a whole lot of ) years ago. In fact, all the goodies which now plague our existence, were created by many who share...

A very special day, when a long awaited dream finally comes through… As the morning arrived we were up, a little earlier than usual. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air, almost an electric feeling created by events that would take place this particular morning. After many years of decision making process… of debating pros and cons… of delaying what should have been done long before, my wife was finally becoming a US citizen. Once we arrived at the court building where the ceremony was to take place, we were greeted by a rainbow of colors and sounds; a mix of people and languages that represented at least 18 countries from around the world. On a day like this, some 45 years ago, I was in a similar courthouse at the lower end of Manhattan, receiving my oath to become a citizen of this grand country. I relived the feeling of that day, as we waited for the proceedings to begin. I looked around and saw the same eager faces with some of those present trying to hid...

There is a little bit of time on my hands, just before tasks are due…   It’s a good moment to sit at the friendly computer and try to tap out a few words. Never mind if they make sense or not… this isn’t always necessary or, for that matter, the case. What does matter is to once again regain the writing habit; like any other activity in life, it is very easy to lose when not practiced.   So you become my willing or unwilling partner in this process. This blog now spans some four years of existence; yet a lifetime of happenings. It is very easy to know when I was laid up from treatments or surgery… the postings increased in size and numbers (quality and content…???)… well over one thousand pages of … stuff … The reaction has been interesting; readers from South America to China and many stops in between. This has surprised me quite a bit… almost 10,000 reads from over 15 countries. Some apparently one time only ( I guess they didn’t like what they saw) yet many r...

Well… it’s that time of the Year… Again… …when, as we look sideways into the mirror, that “oh-so-familiar” wistful cry comes to our lips once again… OMG!!!! … When did I get into this stranger’s body...? … And THAT hair…!!!! GADS!!!! ( well, for those who have hair to sport…) Or, as we look at time slipping away through our clenched fists, we begin to question every action we may have taken during the year… New Year resolutions were probably invented by someone who definitely did not like the results of whatever he or she did during the year; had these been positive, there would be no more resolutions other than… Keep it Going!! Just remember this basic truth, as voiced by Quino's Mafalda: "Saying to oneself that the New Year will be better is ignoring the fact that what has to become better is the person, not the year." We may promise to do many things differently but unless they actually get attempted, these are naught but empty promises. There have bee...

Every year, when we come to its end, the review is almost a requirement. So this year is no different. What happened in 2013; what should’ve perhaps happened… what shouldn't have… Sort of ... “what happens in 2013… stays in 2013…” Not. Let’s start by saying that all that did or did not happen… wasn’t by “happenstance”… It was caused by each and every one of us, by our action or inaction at a specific point in time. Whether individually or collectively. In this, our country, it is the general buzz that there are 3 primary topics of discussion/division: The Great Political Divide… Those who support the current President and his policies and those who do not. This particular issue is an ever growing battleground; some trying to expand what is a political efficiency discussion into a race based argument; not justified under any circumstance.  Health and economics… Perhaps good bedfellows, perhaps not. Yet, these two seem to go together...

A couple of days ago, there was an entry that was titled.. “Life isn’t Fair” and a dear old friend who actually takes the time to read and comment, sent me these… Thanks Doug... 1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. 3. Follow the three R’s:           - Respect for self,           - Respect for others and           - Responsibility for all your actions. 4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. 5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. 6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship. 7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 8. Spend some time alone every day. 9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your value...