A Cynical Look at Cultural Appropriation

 I don't know anything about Michael Jordan, other than he is an actor who apparently has been able to make a decent living from his craft. He is also wise enough to use some of his name and money in fields other than acting and part of it went towards buying into a distillery and making rum. His rum was labeled "J'Ouvert" and by using a French name he has apparently insulted some Caribbean Social Justice Warriors.

In the Lesser Antilles, especially Trinidad and Tobago there is an annual festival called (as you might have guessed) J'Ouvert. The name is based on the French phrase for dawn, or daybreak, and celebrates the heritage of the people who live there. The SJW complainers accused Mr. Jordan of cultural appropriation, and stealing the heritage of the indigenous peoples and forced him to remove the label from his product. A new name has not been decided on but I will most likely buy a bottle just to let him know that at least one person feels he is being punished for being an entrepreneur.

Why? A quick bit of research tells me that the demographic makeup of Trinidad and Tobago is 35% East Indian, 51% African and African mix and 7% other races or unknown. The language base of the people who live on the islands is 60% English and 40% Hindi (an East Indian language), The Carib Indians who were the original and indigenous population are not to be found and even the name of the festival appears to have been appropriated from somewhere else. The SJW zealots who proclaimed Mr. Jordan was appropriating a cultural event are themselves guilty of stealing the truth and distorting their own history in order to show their true emotion is envy. They apparently cannot abide  the fact that an African American man can be successful and can create jobs and opportunities for others.

Mr. Jordan, continue to market your rum under the J'Ouvert label. Except in the Lesser Antilles where I suggest you call it "Daybreak"

Sad News

 One of our daughters was married, but since divorced, and they had a son who has grown to be a young man with a bright future. Unfortunately his father will not be around to share in that future. At the very young age of 59 Tim died a few days ago from early onset Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's, and any of the dementia's, is a terrible process that takes an enormous toll on the family while stealing the patients ability to remember and relate. I grieve for anyone who has to deal with this terrible disease.

Tim Reed ... taken too early.

The Flags of our Fathers

 I don't consider myself to be a rabid patriot, but I do believe that I was born at a great time in a wonderful country. My grandfather left Norway for the United States because it offered him opportunities that were not available to him in the old country and those opportunities still exist in the U.S. today. The chance to do better is what drove my grandfather and is what drives all those who would immigrate to our country. I don't think there is any other country that is willing to receive people with a vision and give them unfettered opportunity to chase their goal. I owe my grandfather for chasing his dream and assuring that I was born here, not in an overseas society that looks back rather than forward and often limits individual progress.

 In honor of our heritage we fly the American Flag. But we also fly the Norwegian Flag to show the world that our heritage is not to be forgotten. (CC's ancestors also came from Norway so it's a given that we honor our forbearers in addition to the land that gave our parents the opportunity to thrive). Sadly there seem to be some people who don't see things in the same light and a recent opinion piece in the New York Times got my dander up.

A lady by the name of Mara Gray is on the editorial board of the Times and wrote that the display of the American Flag for Memorial Day was "disturbing" since the flag was "by its very nature a racist symbol". She has a right to her opinion, but I also have a right to consider her an ignorant ass who ignores the reality that outside the U.S. there are almost no place that would allow her the opportunity to show her distain for the country that nurtures her and the many people of all races and creeds that died to preserve her right to be an unappreciative fool. I suspect the lady would be "really disturbed" if she had seen our Norwegian heritage flag since apparently all symbols of respect, appreciation and pride are anathema to her.

Today the sun is shining on our two flags and we will continue to fly them, regardless of the feelings of those who can not understand that some things are worthy of defending. My ancestors and the many people of all backgrounds that founded and maintained our country deserve better than the likes of Ms. Gray.

A Symbol of Love

 CC and I work hard, entertain ourselves with at home things and try to spend our money carefully. We do have one thing that routinely gets us out of the house and spending money. We like old furniture, antiques and things with historical stories to tell. As a result our home and its contents reflect periods in time that rewarded craftsmanship and built things to stand the test of time.

We do have many of the modern things of life that are marketed to make life easier and enjoyable, but we always seem to come back to those things that give us comfort and remind us of those past days we remember as slower and more contemplative.

A while back we were at an estate sale and I found a lawn ornament that now sits in a place of honor on our hearth. 

 

My call sign has been Frog for a long, long time and I just couldn't resist the story this statue tells of Frog and his Lady enjoying life together, laughing with nature and just being one with the other. Despite the pressures that each day might bring, we try to remember that the small things are the things that count and that a ladybug crawling on your wrist can be a memorable moment in time,

After a Year, It's Back to Work

 I stay young, if not in years, but in engagement with life by working as a alternative dispute resolution specialist. My job is to work with people and companies in conflict and guide them to a mutually agreeable solution. With the way of the world right this moment there is always work for me to do and I look forward to being intellectually young for the foreseeable future. 

When Covid came to town, my workload didn't decrease, in fact it got pretty busy. The difference was that rather than talking with people face to face I found myself sitting in my office working with people over the internet. Name the conferencing platform and I think I've spent time on it. They all work much the same, but the end result is that I have been spending long hours helping people who just want to fight over a perceived insult to their viewpoint.

Many of my cases are assigned by the courts and the big difference I've noticed is that where once people were overawed by the gravitas of court and were (sometimes) eager to get the case resolved and be able to go home. Doing my job over the internet removed that sense of responsibility and for many people it became almost a game of seeing who could be more obstreperous and able to take a poke at the other party. Before Covid our success rate was about 85% and during Covid the success rate sank to about 65%.

But those days are about to end since the court will be in full session, and people will need to come to court and required to play nice in a closed room with their opponent and a trained neutral. One thing that will make next week's back to court is that we will be moving into a brand new courthouse. The county has tripled in size since the old court was built in the 50's and the workload (and number of judges) has increased. Now we have lots of bright and airy courtrooms, electronic support and plenty of meeting rooms to work with the people who can't seem to resolve issues without help. 

And maybe ... just maybe, people will be willing to resolve their issue rather than preach their cause. 

Memorial Day 2021

 Today might be the "start of summer" to many, but it was created as a day to remember the many who never came back. It has been over half a century since I stood my last formation but the philosophy of duty, honor, country still persist.

A New Beginning

 Let me start with an introduction. It's been a long time since I last wrote an entry for this blog and I think it appropriate to tell you who I am. I live (for the moment) near the geographical center of the continental United States. Old enough to remember WW2 and the bright days before counterculture and Covid came into our lives. After several careers on both the east and west coasts I retired and took up a fresh new career as a mediator.

Mediators are people who by inclination and training want to help people who are in conflict and don't know how to resolve their problem. It could be neighbors squabbling over minor things, couples divorcing and not knowing how to split the assets, the kids or the pets. Companies fighting over contract issues or employees feeling discriminated against. Wherever there is human interaction there is a chance for dispute and that's where I come in. Sometimes the parties call me, often the courts ask me to step in and resolve the issue before it comes to trial and they always expect me to be a neutral party who can guide them to a way of fixing things.

After way too many years I've come back to a blog that I started more than a decade ago and then let die of neglect. When I read over some of my original mental rambles that I had the hutzpah to publish, I realize that my outlook on life has changed since then. While I'm still a curmudgeon, I'm now more willing to laugh at myself (despite what My Lovely Lady thinks) and the crazy world we all live in, The Covid 19 pandemic and the response to its impact by politicians and the public made me realize that laughter is truly the better medicine and that at my age I have the opportunity to laugh at myself and not worry too much about how others might react if I also laugh at (or with) them.

My Lovely Lady (who likes to be called CC) has several blogs including a blog build around animals and what they can teach us if we are willing to listen, She has spent her life in veterinary medicine and emergency management doing good things for others. I work with people and try to get them to resolve their problems before resorting to inappropriate behavior, between the two of us I think we have our world covered.

When I listen to, or read the news it often talks about the negatives things that are clouding our days. What I would like to do with this blog is to talk about the low level human things that happen to us every day. sometimes good, occasionally bad, and even humorous at times. But I'll always try to keep it at the human level and how I see events effecting our lives. It's the small things that really count.

for example: One of the teenage daughters who lives along our street is a cello player and recently she was practicing her musical skills outside. It was a worm and pleasant Sunday evening and within a few minutes, neighbors, all carrying chairs congregated on the driveway to enjoy a very impromptu concert. Masks were worn, social distancing was observed and people bonded in the enjoyment of an informal musical interlude.

Tor a few moments in time working from home, pandemic restrictions and political interference in our personal lives was ignored and we all just enjoyed the music and delight of a young lady in displaying her skill. It was not a momentous moment in time but it brought a pleasant end to the weekend, made it possible for us to recharge our emotional batteries and allowed us to merge as a group of neighbors rather than people who happen to live on the same block.

Life is made interesting by the little things and I hope I can encourage you to bear with me as I talk about the little things that have caught my eye. It will be an interesting excursion for me, and I hope for you.