The Evil That Men Do

I read today is the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.  It was the lynch pin of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler's evil plan to eliminate Jewish people and all other outsiders in Germany and occupied countries, to move forward their diabolical Third Reich.  I find it hard to believe that any human being could do these things to one's fellow man.  These Nazi's weren't human, they were pure evil.  May they suffer and rot in hell forever for their deeds.

       
                             January 26, 2015, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

May we never forget the evils done here and keep the memories of those who died alive so something like this shall never happen again.

Come With Me

My Love to The Sea

The Aral sea used to be the 4th largest lake in the world.  It is now a shell of its former self due to Soviet water diversion and irrigation projects of the 60's.  It is a monstrous ecological and human disaster.  It's what happens when idiots put politics and money over the environment and humans.

                                                         Seasick, Yet Still Docked

BB-37

                                                        USS Oklahoma - BB-37

The USS Oklahoma was sunk on December 7, 1941 in the attack by the Japanese on the Pearl Harbor Naval base.  A total of 429 crew died when she capsized from torpedo and bomb hits.

                                             The USS Oklahoma capsized in Pearl Harbor

                                              I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
                                                   How far off, I sat and wondered
                                                 Started humming a song from 1962
                                                 Ain't it funny how the night moves

Some nights I awaken and I can't breathe, its as if I'm drowning.  I sputter, coughing and catch my breath, my heart racing.  I think to myself, what the hell just happened?  Its as if I'm trapped in an under water compartment with nowhere to go and the water is over my head, the last seconds of life.  The final moments........... aboard the Oklahoma.

                     The USS Oklahoma Barbershop - many a fine lad had his hair cut here.

The USS Oklahoma was too badly damaged to be repaired.  The armaments and the superstructure were removed.  After WWII, the hull was sold to a scrap company.  In 1947 she was being towed to the US mainland but sunk in a bad storm somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.  The journey of the USS Oklahoma was over.

Somewhere in the Pacific is the final resting place of the ship where so many brave men died.  Their ghosts endlessly walk the gangways, the decks, the halls, the compartments and the stairs.  Wondering why they had to die.  Lives cut tragically short, unfulfilled destinies, never to be seen promises.  A lonely ocean is the sad stage for this never ending tragedy.  How do I know this?  I know, because I was there.

                                            Many miles away there's a shadow on the door
                                                            Of a cottage on the shore
                                                              Of a dark Scottish lake 

Dust

                                                                A new day rises
                                                   As usual, there are no surprises.

Each day of winter I feel myself growing colder.  It seems like a small piece of me dies each day.  Of course its true, we all start dying from the minute we are born.  The murders in France, a car crash, a house fire, child abuse, animal abuse, a plane crash, a civil war, starvation, terrorism, rape, racism, elder abuse, home invasion, gang violence, drug abuse, murder for hire, misogyny, domestic abuse, fraud, stealing, cheating, earthquake, typhoon, tornado, mudslide, landslide and it goes on and on.  Will it ever stop?   I want to have compassion for every unfortunate story I read or see on TV.  When you lose compassion for your fellow man and animals, you may as well be in a box of pine.  I try to have empathy for all the abominable things that happen to folks and animals but it becomes overwhelming, the breadth of dreadful things that occur.  Can things get better?  Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?  Pick up the newspaper, watch the news, look on the net, the monotony of work, the emptiness in others souls, the greed of money, the lack of intelligence, phony religions, phony politicians, these are the things that nightmares are made of.  And the weight of the world presses down upon you, crushing you, Into dust.

Joy

Joy - A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

Sitting here cooped up inside because its 10 degrees outside, I really have nothing to do but think.  For some reason I started to think of the word joy.  When was the last time I felt true joy.  I feel a certain joy when I score a goal in hockey.  I feel joy when I get a point or win a set in tennis.  Those are only temporary.  One small moment in time and on to the next battle in sports.  Outside of sports, the last time I felt joy was when Barack Obama was elected President.  After the 8 years of disaster of George Bush, this country needed a major change.  I worked hard in the Presidential campaign for Obama, knocking on doors and making phone calls.  On election night, I remember the elation when it was announced he had won.  Tears of pure joy streamed down my face.  The horrid years of Bush were over.  Its kind of sad that this was the last time I can remember feeling joy.  I do feel elated in the spring when the weather turns warm.  There are just very few things in life that bring joy for me.

                                                                       Ode to Joy

Then there is the Morrissey song "Mountjoy", which is about the Mountjoy prison.  "The Joy brings many things, It cannot bring you joy."  I suppose one in prison would not have much joy.  A person doesn't need to be physically in a prison to be imprisoned.  Sometimes I feel like I am trapped, free but not really free.  A prison in my mind.  I know what Morrissey and Brendan Behan know and knew.  "We all lose."

                                                                  Brendan Behan

                                                                   Mountjoy

Why can't I be a happy go lucky kind of guy who slides through life and lets nothing upset him.  It seems everything that happens, I have to analyze and re-analyze.  I let things bother me that shouldn't.  I cant help it, that's the way I am.  It would be so easy to just say to hell with everything and shout "Joy To The World!"

                                                                 Joy to The World

It's time to reach for the sublime, enlightened state of Bodhisattva.  Time for liberation from the every day drivel that I live with.  Time to reach for a higher plane of euphoria, nirvana and bliss.

                                                                     Bodhisattva

Be Like The Flower

Turn Your Face To The Sun

I love the sun and crave its warmth and comfort.  In fact I am a Son of The Sun, one of The Children of The Sun.

                                                               Children Of The Sun

                                                                   Cherish The Sun

Unfortunately its winter and I am impatiently Waiting for The Sun.

                                                                Waiting for The Sun

Regardless of whether it's winter, fall, spring or summer, I will always consider myself one of the People of The Sun.

                                                                     People of The Sun

Until the weather is warm, I take umbrage in knowing the day of The Sun will come.  Enlightenment, contentment, peacefulness and bliss will be mine in the glowing rays of The Sun.

The Holidaze

I was lost in a maze, my brain in a haze, all because of The Holidaze.
Thankfully they are done.
Heaven knows I'm miserable now!

My favorite Holiday is actually Doc Holliday.  He wasn't actually a Doctor, he was a Dentist.

Seriously though, I am very happy to get this time of year over.  Christmas is way to commercialized.  What happened to peace, love and understanding?  Bottom line, it's all about money, nothing more, nothing less.  I want more, more, more!!!  How much is enough?

I don't get the excitement over New Year's day.  To me it's just another day.  Another X on the calendar to get to spring.  My continuing resolution is to never make New Year's resolutions, so I don't (Since I don't make resolutions, call it a decree).  2014 or 2015, what's the difference.

Of course there is nothing like Guy Lumbago's version of "Auld Lang Syne".  I wonder what Robbie Burns would think of this?

Since it is New Year's Day, it is natural to think of the song "New Year's Day" by U2.  Interestingly, it has nothing to do with New Year's.  It was was inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement.

I really don't have any interest in rehashing the prior year.  It's done and over.  No point in reliving the past.  Look forward, time to get moving, and get to spring and warmth. My feeling is don't look back in anger!