Art All Night has gone into the record books for 2012. Final numbers are not in but it was a resounding success.
From artists to foodies, from musicians to videographers, this year streamed with excitement for everyone who came into our city for this annual celebration.
This was my fourth year as a volunteer and I guess I looked like I was having fun. Most of my friends asked how they could:
Get involved.
Get a cool T shirt.
Get involved.
Learn to paint.
Get involved.
Get lessons for their kids... So,of course, I suggested that they "Get involved."
Art Works has been around for years...and yet when I moved to Trenton it was a big mystery, part of the city urban grit that I was not able to deal with, part of an alien life style to this country mouse. I used to drive miles to attend workshops with the Willingboro Art Alliance because I did not realize that Art Works even existed.
Getting involved today is as easy as going to the Art Works website. Who knows, maybe I will see you there next year.
This entry is going to be short, my arm is a bit sore from hand stamping visitors during my volunteer shift (M'Lord there were thousands yesterday!) and I am still processing the impressions from the show.
Just one more thing: Artfull Codger sold a painting.
Yep, that's right. I sold my entry in this year's show. I have no idea who is going to take it home, or who did take it home already, but this Friday's Art Works reception is supposed to match the buyers with the producers.
I can hardly wait.
Art rocks.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Art All Night 2012
You don't want to miss this!
Artworks' Art All Night explodes on the scene June 16 and 17 at the Roebling Wire Works building on Dye Street and South Clinton Avenue. This 24 hour art and music venue again celebrates the best of New Jersey's creative energy.
Over 900 artists and 15,000 visitors are expected to flood city streets and Chambersburg in what has become the area's most surprising and rewarding event.
Artist works of all ages,from seniors' water colors to kid's refrigerator art, are exhibited with the best of area professionals. There are drawings, oil paintings, sculpture and handicrafts. Artworks show committee has been screening films for a film gallery. There is interactive art where anyone can become part of the picture.
Combine that with 24 hours of music and bands, food to die for, a thrilling night time iron pour, and you feel for a time that we are in the same league as the really big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York who subsidize and promote their art scenes for tourist dollars.
Rubbing elbows with noted artists creates a synergy, that is best viewed at night, when the ancient brick building fairly glows from the activity within.
It is worth noting thatTrenton Artworks success depends on a slim professional staff and many enthusiastic volunteers who keep coming back year after year. Each year's event starts planning "next year" the day after cleanup from the current event. The year of preparation and planning shows well in the smooth flow of attractions and low number of bumps in the road. Kudos to all the planners and sponsors who contribute so generously of their time.
The following is a sample of what visitors can expect:
Indoor Stage.
Astronaut Jones-acoustic rock.
Eddie West-folk music and instrumentalist Marty Rifkin
Kelly Carvin-endorsed by American Idol and Apollo Theater, nominated for Best Female Acoustic Act at Asbury Park
Jim Gavin-soloist/song writer who runs program at ARC for disabled adults
Edna's Kin-American bluegrass band
The Renagades-Jazz band lead Barry Wilcox
Rebop-jazz standards from WestWindsor-Plainsboro school district
Wakah Chan-Jazz funk ensemble
Dale J. Gordon-White Trash Jazz album offerings, sketch and skits
Drop Dead Sparrow-alternative rock band high energy
DJ Ms. Sue-community DJ of the year out of home base WTSR
Trenton House Society-DJ promoters Steve Hype and Fake Brit
DJ Tangency-Philly University of the Arts influenced electronic remix
Anker-Woodstock influenced solo acoustic singer/songwriter
Matt Wong-is Matt "right", a teenage guitar player with innovative style
Shikantaza- ensemble rhythm section
The Rythm Kings-top Jazz musicians from Trenton/Princeton area, 6 piece swing band
Outdoor Stage.
Lipstick and Cigarettes-music of 80's rocking with today alternative "vibes"
The Constant-New York City rock band of 90's style
The Jah Guide Reggae Band-8 piece band mostly from Jamaica, play Trenton, NY, Conn, Princeton...
Chalk and The Beige Americans-smooth, eclectic, soul-hop w. guitar
Machucco's Trabuco-Puerto Rican percussion and island melody, reggae, salsa, calypso, jazz, merengue, kompa
Paul Plumeri-blues guitarist and singer
Downbound City-Party with acoustic guitars and rock and roll
Honah Lee-powerpop-punk noted for music and mayhem
Cryptkeeper Five-American punk rock band from Trenton now down to five members
SweetEureka-"garage band living in garage land" Ok
Cynthia White-Trenton gospel singer working on another album.Wrote "I'm a Survivor" for breast cancer. You go girl.
Kim Yarson-singer/songwriter from Chambersburg w. country touch
The Tone Rangers-a mix from Elvis to Allman Brothers...with blues thrown in
World Food Court Vendors:
Stewart's Root Beer-root beer floats, hot dogs, more
The Green Empanada-Empanadas
Fresh NetiBoo-fruit smoothies
Blossom's Catering-Caribbean Food featuring Jerk Chicken
Zizi's- Vegetarian Vegan Fare
SOCIAL-famous fish tacos, margaritas, martinis, mojitos
Stace's Cakes-Gourmet Cupcakes (apologies if incorrect name)
Sumo Sushi-Asian noodles, gelato and sushi
Trenton Kebab House-freshly made Gyros
Everything About Crepes-Gourmet Crepes
Taking Tea in Style-Freshly brewed tea
Buzzetta's- Sausage peppers onions and French fries
Magma Pizza-Falafel
Aunt Martha's Funnel Cakes-funnel cakes and deep fried oreos
Kiss the Chef-BBQ and pulled pork sandwiches
Italian Ice by Edwin-Italian ices
Keifer's Kettle Korn-Blue Moon-infused kettle corn
Now if only Blossom throws in cowfoot stew w. pimentos....
Art All Night puts Trenton on the map!
Trenton Rocks.
Artworks' Art All Night explodes on the scene June 16 and 17 at the Roebling Wire Works building on Dye Street and South Clinton Avenue. This 24 hour art and music venue again celebrates the best of New Jersey's creative energy.
Over 900 artists and 15,000 visitors are expected to flood city streets and Chambersburg in what has become the area's most surprising and rewarding event.
Artist works of all ages,from seniors' water colors to kid's refrigerator art, are exhibited with the best of area professionals. There are drawings, oil paintings, sculpture and handicrafts. Artworks show committee has been screening films for a film gallery. There is interactive art where anyone can become part of the picture.
Combine that with 24 hours of music and bands, food to die for, a thrilling night time iron pour, and you feel for a time that we are in the same league as the really big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York who subsidize and promote their art scenes for tourist dollars.
Rubbing elbows with noted artists creates a synergy, that is best viewed at night, when the ancient brick building fairly glows from the activity within.
It is worth noting thatTrenton Artworks success depends on a slim professional staff and many enthusiastic volunteers who keep coming back year after year. Each year's event starts planning "next year" the day after cleanup from the current event. The year of preparation and planning shows well in the smooth flow of attractions and low number of bumps in the road. Kudos to all the planners and sponsors who contribute so generously of their time.
The following is a sample of what visitors can expect:
Indoor Stage.
Astronaut Jones-acoustic rock.
Eddie West-folk music and instrumentalist Marty Rifkin
Kelly Carvin-endorsed by American Idol and Apollo Theater, nominated for Best Female Acoustic Act at Asbury Park
Jim Gavin-soloist/song writer who runs program at ARC for disabled adults
Edna's Kin-American bluegrass band
The Renagades-Jazz band lead Barry Wilcox
Rebop-jazz standards from WestWindsor-Plainsboro school district
Wakah Chan-Jazz funk ensemble
Dale J. Gordon-White Trash Jazz album offerings, sketch and skits
Drop Dead Sparrow-alternative rock band high energy
DJ Ms. Sue-community DJ of the year out of home base WTSR
Trenton House Society-DJ promoters Steve Hype and Fake Brit
DJ Tangency-Philly University of the Arts influenced electronic remix
Anker-Woodstock influenced solo acoustic singer/songwriter
Matt Wong-is Matt "right", a teenage guitar player with innovative style
Shikantaza- ensemble rhythm section
The Rythm Kings-top Jazz musicians from Trenton/Princeton area, 6 piece swing band
Outdoor Stage.
Lipstick and Cigarettes-music of 80's rocking with today alternative "vibes"
The Constant-New York City rock band of 90's style
The Jah Guide Reggae Band-8 piece band mostly from Jamaica, play Trenton, NY, Conn, Princeton...
Chalk and The Beige Americans-smooth, eclectic, soul-hop w. guitar
Machucco's Trabuco-Puerto Rican percussion and island melody, reggae, salsa, calypso, jazz, merengue, kompa
Paul Plumeri-blues guitarist and singer
Downbound City-Party with acoustic guitars and rock and roll
Honah Lee-powerpop-punk noted for music and mayhem
Cryptkeeper Five-American punk rock band from Trenton now down to five members
SweetEureka-"garage band living in garage land" Ok
Cynthia White-Trenton gospel singer working on another album.Wrote "I'm a Survivor" for breast cancer. You go girl.
Kim Yarson-singer/songwriter from Chambersburg w. country touch
The Tone Rangers-a mix from Elvis to Allman Brothers...with blues thrown in
World Food Court Vendors:
Stewart's Root Beer-root beer floats, hot dogs, more
The Green Empanada-Empanadas
Fresh NetiBoo-fruit smoothies
Blossom's Catering-Caribbean Food featuring Jerk Chicken
Zizi's- Vegetarian Vegan Fare
SOCIAL-famous fish tacos, margaritas, martinis, mojitos
Stace's Cakes-Gourmet Cupcakes (apologies if incorrect name)
Sumo Sushi-Asian noodles, gelato and sushi
Trenton Kebab House-freshly made Gyros
Everything About Crepes-Gourmet Crepes
Taking Tea in Style-Freshly brewed tea
Buzzetta's- Sausage peppers onions and French fries
Magma Pizza-Falafel
Aunt Martha's Funnel Cakes-funnel cakes and deep fried oreos
Kiss the Chef-BBQ and pulled pork sandwiches
Italian Ice by Edwin-Italian ices
Keifer's Kettle Korn-Blue Moon-infused kettle corn
Now if only Blossom throws in cowfoot stew w. pimentos....
Art All Night puts Trenton on the map!
Trenton Rocks.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Caregiver Update and Other Stuff
Here is a reference for caregivers who are coping with the dilemma and demands of meeting needs of those afflicted with Alzheimers. The Mercer County Office on Aging supplied us with this link and the website is a good one to answer questions and provide tangible ways to help.
http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/Press_Room/News/2012/2012_04
News on the Social Security Front: Michael Hiltzik, writing for latimes.com/business, (26 Apr 2012) suggests that we "beef up Social Security benefits instead of cutting them". Wow. Heresy.He points out that the latest reports on the condition of the fund neglects to tell us that the program had a surplus of $69 billion last year, increasing to almost $2.7 TRILLION.
Hiltzik goes on to say that latest numbers indicate that over 55 million people depend on Social Security program benefits. 20 million Americans rely on it for supplement income to bring them up to poverty level and that money goes right back into the economy in the form of goods and services they need to survive.
20 MILLION Americans at the poverty level rely on the trust fund just to have a roof over their heads or food on the table. Here is a thought for you, if those amounts were increased, they would amount to a BOOST to the economy. That seems to be more productive than bonuses to bank bailouts where bonuses were paid because of "contract obligations" and other nonsense, padding accounts for the millionaire upper one percent in our economy.
Another thing, that one percent, holding 99 percent of our resources, has a tendency to hold itself apart from the lower poverty level of our society. It holds or reinvests into money making enterprises and does not trickle down. Since trickle down has not worked for the last fifty years, it is time to be creative and Mr. Hiltzik's suggestion has merit.
When workplace benefits and pension funds fell apart, there was an effort to emphasize personal savings and investments as an alternative to Social Security. Recent stock market debacles showed that was not a wise alternative.
Social Security is still the best bet if we can keep Congress out of the piggy bank. No more borrowing (to fight senseless wars) at the expense of our aging retirement community.
Period.
Please.
And another thought.... Waiting for the numbers of "Baby Boomers" to swell the ranks of senior citizens may be cause for apprehension among some pessimists fretting about stretching resources. On the other hand, this is a great opportunity for to welcome millions of new volunteers, with new leisure time, into a world where their talent and experience can make a difference.
Seniors rock.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Alzheimer's Hope
This year may be significant for Alzheimer's disease sufferers all over the world.
February 9, 2012, marked the announcement of an unusual weapon in our arsenal to treat one of our species most heartbreaking ailments. Mice with brain plaques were dosed by researchers with a drug already on the market. Doctors found spectacular results with a skin cancer drug previously used specifically to treat the sarcomas of AIDs patients.
Plaques and tangles in mouse brains began to clear from the tiny mouse patients within hours of starting the doses. Within three days, over half their Alzhimer type plaques had vanished and the critters recovered memory and some of their lost cognition.
This is so amazing that it might even be considered a cure.
But the drug has not been tested on humans for dementia. Approval for this purpose will be sought after, to be sure, and it is an approved human drug at present, so the likelihood of approval is not as tough as if it were the "new kid on the block".
Think of it. The nursing homes and continuing care facilities could scale back.
Home care could be so much more fun when your parent or spouse shares experiences or even the cooking.
Think of it. The future might be just one shot at your local pharmacy and then you could have Grammy back.
I just get goose bumps.
Seniors Rock.
February 9, 2012, marked the announcement of an unusual weapon in our arsenal to treat one of our species most heartbreaking ailments. Mice with brain plaques were dosed by researchers with a drug already on the market. Doctors found spectacular results with a skin cancer drug previously used specifically to treat the sarcomas of AIDs patients.
Plaques and tangles in mouse brains began to clear from the tiny mouse patients within hours of starting the doses. Within three days, over half their Alzhimer type plaques had vanished and the critters recovered memory and some of their lost cognition.
This is so amazing that it might even be considered a cure.
But the drug has not been tested on humans for dementia. Approval for this purpose will be sought after, to be sure, and it is an approved human drug at present, so the likelihood of approval is not as tough as if it were the "new kid on the block".
Think of it. The nursing homes and continuing care facilities could scale back.
Home care could be so much more fun when your parent or spouse shares experiences or even the cooking.
Think of it. The future might be just one shot at your local pharmacy and then you could have Grammy back.
I just get goose bumps.
Seniors Rock.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Alzheimers Updates
We all have absentminded moments. Someone told me that if you forget your keys, that is probably absent-mindedness, but it is something else if you forget the car.
As the numbers of seniors grows, and the baby-boomers swell our ranks, the cases of impaired cognition are going to rise. In January, President signed the National Alzheimer's Project Act with the intent of coordinating research and funding for our national efforts to control and treat this modern day scourge.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services A(www.hhs.gov)announced an additional $50 million dollars would be available for "cutting-edge" research this year. The President's action also includes an additional $26 million for "caregiver support, provider education,public awareness and improvements in data infrastructure.
There will be an advisory council to help define goals to treat and cure Alzheimers by 2025.
More than 5 million persons currently are being treated for Alzheimers. By 2050, the number is likely to be twice that, with accompanied demands on caregivers. Most patients stay with family caregivers as alternate facilities are too expensive for many Americans.
Over 2012 and 2013 funding will total $130 million for research, up 25% from previous appropriation.
Some current research is truly exciting, like the 72 hour injection that sloughed off plaque from lab mice, leaving them dramatically rejuvenated. Other medications are also promising...and some current standards are coming up blanks.
We are wondering what the impact of "baby boomers" and their numbers will have on various infrastructure and services and this is one area that the current Administration seems to be paying attention to.
One last note: There is also a sizeable amount to be dedicated to provider training. This field of education is growning because it is certain that the need will be there. This is a very promising direction for students to consider when choosing a career.
Just maybe someone in Washington "gets it."
People rock.
As the numbers of seniors grows, and the baby-boomers swell our ranks, the cases of impaired cognition are going to rise. In January, President signed the National Alzheimer's Project Act with the intent of coordinating research and funding for our national efforts to control and treat this modern day scourge.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services A(www.hhs.gov)announced an additional $50 million dollars would be available for "cutting-edge" research this year. The President's action also includes an additional $26 million for "caregiver support, provider education,public awareness and improvements in data infrastructure.
There will be an advisory council to help define goals to treat and cure Alzheimers by 2025.
More than 5 million persons currently are being treated for Alzheimers. By 2050, the number is likely to be twice that, with accompanied demands on caregivers. Most patients stay with family caregivers as alternate facilities are too expensive for many Americans.
Over 2012 and 2013 funding will total $130 million for research, up 25% from previous appropriation.
Some current research is truly exciting, like the 72 hour injection that sloughed off plaque from lab mice, leaving them dramatically rejuvenated. Other medications are also promising...and some current standards are coming up blanks.
We are wondering what the impact of "baby boomers" and their numbers will have on various infrastructure and services and this is one area that the current Administration seems to be paying attention to.
One last note: There is also a sizeable amount to be dedicated to provider training. This field of education is growning because it is certain that the need will be there. This is a very promising direction for students to consider when choosing a career.
Just maybe someone in Washington "gets it."
People rock.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Equal Rights
Artfull is very sad today.
I remember what it was like in the 60's as we fought for something called "Womens' Rights".
The past decade has seen so many gains taken away or pulled back as the conservatives hammered away at our culture... Is there anyone out there who remembers what it was like to walk into an employer's office for an interview and be told that women were not dependable because they "might get pregnant"? Does anyone remember that if you were good at math, but female, you must have been cheating? Girls took typing while boys played sports. Heck, girls competitive sports were not funded...school board money went to the male programs.
How about a society where getting "in the family way" meant a shotgun wedding, women who were maimed or even died because abortion procedures were "back alley", being sent off to live with a far away friend or relative or nuns till the baby was adopted? Does anyone remember that? Does anyone remember Murphy Brown and Dan Quayle's absurd declaration that Brown's TV persona, having a baby without marriage, was detrimental to the country's morals?
How about an oil company executive so full of himself for picking winners among his male staff that he describes a home interview this way: "When I go to the house, I always go to the kitchen for a glass of water. If there are dishes in the sink (!) he is out of the running. If he can't keep his wife under control, he can't handle the job."
The right to choice, which was passed by Congress and is the law, is targeted by the ultra conservative right segment of our political life. Since the Bush years,which were spent paying back those religious segments of our society that helped get him elected, we are mired in a culture which erodes the rights we worked so hard to establish.
Right to choice. Breakdown of color barriers. Gay and Lesbian rights. Equal pay for equal work. Discrimination in hiring and for access of all kinds is illegal. We need to be reminded that prejudice in our nation, which has always been part of our history, should not be permitted or encouraged. Women today are entitled to opportunity and privacy.
And finally...do we seniors want to be told that we cannot drive, live, work or survive because we are not the current economic producers in the nation?
Social security is our lifeline. As extremists knock down our hard fought gains because they cannot see beyond their Camry cars or Gucci totebags, we have to stand our ground. The Social Security program is one of the most efficient business models in our nation's history with an total overhead percentage rate that is equal to some retailers loss percent.
Finally: AARP magazine has the largest circulation in the nation. That should tell someone something.
Seniors rock.
I remember what it was like in the 60's as we fought for something called "Womens' Rights".
The past decade has seen so many gains taken away or pulled back as the conservatives hammered away at our culture... Is there anyone out there who remembers what it was like to walk into an employer's office for an interview and be told that women were not dependable because they "might get pregnant"? Does anyone remember that if you were good at math, but female, you must have been cheating? Girls took typing while boys played sports. Heck, girls competitive sports were not funded...school board money went to the male programs.
How about a society where getting "in the family way" meant a shotgun wedding, women who were maimed or even died because abortion procedures were "back alley", being sent off to live with a far away friend or relative or nuns till the baby was adopted? Does anyone remember that? Does anyone remember Murphy Brown and Dan Quayle's absurd declaration that Brown's TV persona, having a baby without marriage, was detrimental to the country's morals?
How about an oil company executive so full of himself for picking winners among his male staff that he describes a home interview this way: "When I go to the house, I always go to the kitchen for a glass of water. If there are dishes in the sink (!) he is out of the running. If he can't keep his wife under control, he can't handle the job."
The right to choice, which was passed by Congress and is the law, is targeted by the ultra conservative right segment of our political life. Since the Bush years,which were spent paying back those religious segments of our society that helped get him elected, we are mired in a culture which erodes the rights we worked so hard to establish.
Right to choice. Breakdown of color barriers. Gay and Lesbian rights. Equal pay for equal work. Discrimination in hiring and for access of all kinds is illegal. We need to be reminded that prejudice in our nation, which has always been part of our history, should not be permitted or encouraged. Women today are entitled to opportunity and privacy.
And finally...do we seniors want to be told that we cannot drive, live, work or survive because we are not the current economic producers in the nation?
Social security is our lifeline. As extremists knock down our hard fought gains because they cannot see beyond their Camry cars or Gucci totebags, we have to stand our ground. The Social Security program is one of the most efficient business models in our nation's history with an total overhead percentage rate that is equal to some retailers loss percent.
Finally: AARP magazine has the largest circulation in the nation. That should tell someone something.
Seniors rock.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Interviewing for the Job of President
Happy New Year!
It's the start of 2012. This is an election year and most media coverage is overshadowed by the competition for the Republican nomination for President. So far, we have had titilating and naughty tidbits of indiscrete behaviors, ho-hum charges of "flip-flopping", and even Donald Trump declaring his candidacy at one point.
Have we lost our collective minds? What does this circus prove? The rest of the world must think we are nuts.
When ordinary people go on a job interview, there is a long list of items that employers are not supposed to ask. Lately the question of age has been added to this rundown. However it is not appropriate for your interviewer to ask where you stand on abortion, whether you believe in birth control, how much money you have in your bank account, how much money you spent on your spouse's birthday present, if you prefer men or women as sexual partners, if you would eat meat if you had to kill it yourself, if you know how to use a gun, if you hate guns, if you pray to one god or several,etc.,etc.,etc.
Why do we think our political candidates have to answer these infernally intrusive questions?
Oh, I know, that is how we determine if they are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, Red or Blue, Narrow or Wide...Come on now folks, this is freaking ridiculous.
We should be asking ourselves if the person has enough business expertise to know how to balance a set of books and present a rudimentary financial statement. Hopefully Business 101 would translate into knowing how to "follow the money."
If your bank account is running on empty, it makes sense to let your friendly neighborhood banker have first cracks at your needs (and then shop for a better interest rate). Whoops. That is what everyone does now anyhow...and they do it online. Tough to follow the money trail...but think of it as experience for more complicated situations...like looking down the tank at the "empty" Social Security Trust Fund.
Now let's look at it another way. Stem cell research? Other countries are charging ahead on stem cell research and technology while we cut off funding for domestic lab projects since we have a squeamishness about stem cell harvesting which frequently results in a non-viable embryo. Discouraging this form of research means that we have to pay "retail" for the results, instead of coming up with the product at home.
Republicans are still battling over a candidate's position on the question of "Choice" for the "Conservative" designation. Whenever debate gets bogged down in subjects like jobs and the economy, religious conservatives can be counted on to suck the life out of intellectual discussion by drawing the issues back to volatile abortion arguments.
Would it not be more relevant to find out if the candidate has a short fuse and hair trigger temper which would impact his response when provoked?
If a candidate is stubborn and uncompromising in his personal life, what chance would we have if he ran the country? What would happen when he or she butted heads with countries where loud noises and posturing are part of diplomatic foreplay? We must have a cool and level personality who would not overreact. The tearful display of candidates in recent weeks is troubling. Our President must deal in arenas where he is regarded as serenely powerful.
Our successful candidate should be bright, educated, and cognizant of our country's place in the engine of world commerce and culture, because there is no room for narcissistic overconfidence.
The successful job candidate should not be one who has a pocketful of cronies and fellow businessmen eager to swoop in for government contracts. He should know of such things but not be of them. You just can't expect a President to ride herd on unethical interests if he is closeted with them at regular intervals.
What qualities do you think a successful President should have to have? Looking back we got lucky a time or two, but the office has had its share of drunks, scamps and tricky business. Can't we do better?
Have the guy write an essay....like for the SAT or participate in a National Geographic type geography bee to indicate depth and/or lack of knowlege of the real world. Sometimes it seems that candidates are behaving like the world is flat. There must be more to the Presidential job description than the most recent caucuses and town hall meetings imply.
Seniors vote.
It's the start of 2012. This is an election year and most media coverage is overshadowed by the competition for the Republican nomination for President. So far, we have had titilating and naughty tidbits of indiscrete behaviors, ho-hum charges of "flip-flopping", and even Donald Trump declaring his candidacy at one point.
Have we lost our collective minds? What does this circus prove? The rest of the world must think we are nuts.
When ordinary people go on a job interview, there is a long list of items that employers are not supposed to ask. Lately the question of age has been added to this rundown. However it is not appropriate for your interviewer to ask where you stand on abortion, whether you believe in birth control, how much money you have in your bank account, how much money you spent on your spouse's birthday present, if you prefer men or women as sexual partners, if you would eat meat if you had to kill it yourself, if you know how to use a gun, if you hate guns, if you pray to one god or several,etc.,etc.,etc.
Why do we think our political candidates have to answer these infernally intrusive questions?
Oh, I know, that is how we determine if they are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, Red or Blue, Narrow or Wide...Come on now folks, this is freaking ridiculous.
We should be asking ourselves if the person has enough business expertise to know how to balance a set of books and present a rudimentary financial statement. Hopefully Business 101 would translate into knowing how to "follow the money."
If your bank account is running on empty, it makes sense to let your friendly neighborhood banker have first cracks at your needs (and then shop for a better interest rate). Whoops. That is what everyone does now anyhow...and they do it online. Tough to follow the money trail...but think of it as experience for more complicated situations...like looking down the tank at the "empty" Social Security Trust Fund.
Now let's look at it another way. Stem cell research? Other countries are charging ahead on stem cell research and technology while we cut off funding for domestic lab projects since we have a squeamishness about stem cell harvesting which frequently results in a non-viable embryo. Discouraging this form of research means that we have to pay "retail" for the results, instead of coming up with the product at home.
Republicans are still battling over a candidate's position on the question of "Choice" for the "Conservative" designation. Whenever debate gets bogged down in subjects like jobs and the economy, religious conservatives can be counted on to suck the life out of intellectual discussion by drawing the issues back to volatile abortion arguments.
Would it not be more relevant to find out if the candidate has a short fuse and hair trigger temper which would impact his response when provoked?
If a candidate is stubborn and uncompromising in his personal life, what chance would we have if he ran the country? What would happen when he or she butted heads with countries where loud noises and posturing are part of diplomatic foreplay? We must have a cool and level personality who would not overreact. The tearful display of candidates in recent weeks is troubling. Our President must deal in arenas where he is regarded as serenely powerful.
Our successful candidate should be bright, educated, and cognizant of our country's place in the engine of world commerce and culture, because there is no room for narcissistic overconfidence.
The successful job candidate should not be one who has a pocketful of cronies and fellow businessmen eager to swoop in for government contracts. He should know of such things but not be of them. You just can't expect a President to ride herd on unethical interests if he is closeted with them at regular intervals.
What qualities do you think a successful President should have to have? Looking back we got lucky a time or two, but the office has had its share of drunks, scamps and tricky business. Can't we do better?
Have the guy write an essay....like for the SAT or participate in a National Geographic type geography bee to indicate depth and/or lack of knowlege of the real world. Sometimes it seems that candidates are behaving like the world is flat. There must be more to the Presidential job description than the most recent caucuses and town hall meetings imply.
Seniors vote.
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