Gathering No Moss
Life has milestones; events that make us stop and wonder, "Where has the time gone"? September Eleventh, graduations, anniversaries, dates on a calendar that mark freedom from cancer or addiction. Time seems elastic, expanding or contracting with events, and our assimilation of them. This piece asks the question, "where have the last fifty years gone", prompted by the fact that this month of April marks the 50th Anniversary of the world's greatest rock 'n roll band.
Crime and Punishment
In 1866 Fyodor Dostoevsky published his immortal work Crime and Punishment, his penetrating study of crime, murder, and evil as portrayed through the timeless character of Raskolnikov.
Africa's Choking on Their Coca-Colas
Africa is a place washed in blood - both human and animal. My awareness of the continent began by reading the sweeping novels of Robert Ruark: Something of Value , Uhuru, and The Honey Badger. Though far less known than his contemporary and fellow big game hunter Ernest Hemingway, who also wrote of Africa, it was Ruark's penetrating prose that captured the searing and visceral impact of what he called MMBA - "miles and miles of bloody Africa".
The title of this article is taken from the lyrics of the song Charlie Don't Surf, from the triple-album SANDINISTA! Released in 1981 by The Clash, it is a sprawling work of music and commentary. There have been better bands than The Clash, but none more virulently political. Pictured below is the cover of their album London Calling; its still shot of bassist Paul Simonon worth more than the proverbial "thousand words". With song titles like Washington Bullets, Spanish Bombs, The Guns of Brixton, Pressure Drop, and Death or Glory, the group's song-writing tandem of Joe Strummer and Mick Jones stood atop the music scene of the early '80's. But The Clash was aptly named, for they would founder before the end of that decade in a conflagration fueled by heroin, incendiary talent, and barely suppressed rage.
Of Brave Companions - and Boredom
Amongst many other things my mother told me when I was a boy was the following counsel, "if you learn to love to read, and if you read works of quality and interest, you will have the power to banish boredom from your life". Wise words, and ones that have been proven true.
Our Last Spartan
Printed below is a re-publication of my November 11, 2010 reflection on Veteran's Day. Since that time, former Brookfield East Spartan quarterback and stand-out student Jon Lehman has moved on to West Point to join the Long Gray Line. And many other area graduates have entered our Nation's service as well. We honor them all this day.