Some People Are Too Stupid To Worry About Globle Warming

I’d like to share two experiences from last week that made me realize that many Americans are too stupid and too selfish to care about destroying our planet from global warming.

The first event took place at a supermarket parking lot. It was a hot day, mid-90s. My partner and I pulled into a parking space next to a mammoth, gas-guzzling SUV that had the engine running. While my partner, Herman, went into the store to pickup the week’s groceries, I stayed in the car with the windows down, reading a novel. I was surprised that after a few minutes, the SUV didn’t shut off the engine while its occupants went into the store to shop. Paying closer attention, I realized that the driver and two kids in the back seat had no intention of leaving their vehicle. Like me, they were waiting while someone else was in the supermarket shopping. But unlike me, they had the windows rolled up and the engine running to keep the air-conditioner operating. It took forty-five minutes for Herman to return, and the SUV sat there the entire time burning gas to keep its occupants cool. I was flabbergasted that anyone in this day and age, with all the concerns of global warming, refused to be even slightly unconvinced to save a few gallons of gas from polluting our air. I mean, if staying cool was paramount, all they had to do was go inside the store. And this took place in San Rafael, California, a place known for progressive thinking.

The second event occurred when I ran into an acquaintance at a gay tennis tournament in San Francisco. This person had recently accepted a job in Southern California, about three hundred miles away. I told him I was surprised to see him, as I thought he had already moved to be closer to his workplace. He informed me that even though his job was in So-Cal, he still lived in San Francisco. He spent four days each week working near L.A. and three days a week in S.F., and he commuted by plane. He proudly told me that he had pre-purchased six months worth of plane tickets in advance at only $50.00 per flight.
When I reminded him that it was foolish acts like that which are destroying the planet, he argued that the planes would fly regardless of whether the seats were filled or not, so it made no difference. Of course I begged to differ, stating that if people stopped flying for frivolous reasons, the companies would reduce the number of planes in the air rather than go broke. It was simply another example of people refusing to be unconvinced at any cost.

So the question I’ve been grappling with all week is: what will it take? What will make people put the earth’s welfare before their own greedy interests?
Sad to say, I’m becoming convinced that most people will need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into conserving the planet’s resources. Perhaps when gas is $10 or $20 or $50 dollars a gallon, or a plane ride to L.A. costs $2,000 dollars, then they will find ways to conserve. But I fear by then it will be decidedly too late.

Several years ago a popular movie touted: Greed is Good! But like anything, too much of a good thing is disastrous.

Things they don't teach you in High School

I thought some would enjoy this.

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time..

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

The Olympic Torch, another embarrassment for America

We had a disturbing event take place here in San Francisco a week or so ago. Athletes were supposed to carry the Olympic torch along the waterfront in view of several thousand cheering fans. San Francisco is the only designated stop for the torch in the United States for the ‘08 Olympic Games so the city buzzed with excitement. But as the time drew near, it became evident that a few hundred protesters, half carrying “Free Tibet” signs and the other half carrying pro-China signs, threatened to disrupt the proceedings. Mayor Gavin Newsom, fearing violence between the two groups, ordered a last minute route change and the torch made its way down Bay Street and up Van Ness Avenue, about two miles away from where the protesters and the fans were gathered.
The issue for me is that the several thousand fans, who sat waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the torch being carried through their city streets, were robbed of that opportunity by a few hundred hooligans. The whole fiasco turned into what I believe is yet another embarrassment for America.
I don’t blame the mayor for changing the route. It is his job to insure the safety of the city’s population and maintain order, and what he did avoided a potentially dangerous situation. I applaud his move. And I am an advocate of free speech. Those protesters on both sides of the issue have every right to peacefully voice their opinions. What I don’t agree with is people using the Olympic Games as a platform to voice political views, thus tarnishing the experience for everyone else. I was always told that the Olympic Games were above politics, and I believe that they should be. But it seems that some people can’t resist the opportunity to grab a few media soundbytes.
I’m not saying that the people of Tibet have not suffered under the rule of China. The atrocities of the Chinese government are well document, not only in Tibet but all over China. And this latest crackdown where many monks have lost their lives and hundred, perhaps thousands, of others imprisoned, leaves the whole world with a bitter taste. Human rights violations in China must be dealt with, but Washington, not the Olympic Games, is the place to do that. China’s economic growth is dependent upon American consumers. People who want to do something about China’s human rights atrocities need to apply pressure on members of our government, both on a local and national level. Make your voice heard in the halls of government, not on the streets of San Francisco.
Being a life-long Buddhist, I have made two pilgrimages to Tibet over the last ten years and visited some of the most holy sites in and around Lhasa, Tibet, including the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lama and the seat of government before the Chinese overthrow. I saw no sign of religious repression. People went about their business, openly prayed and meditated at the temples and on the streets, carried on with their traditions and their culture.
What I did see were thousands of Han Chinese moving into and around Lhasa, buying property, opening businesses, bringing in needed farm machinery and modernization. The Han Chinese have drastically lifted the standard of living and sanitary conditions in Tibetan cites. From my point of view, as one who has spent time there, what the Han Chinese are doing today is a good thing, for themselves and all people of Tibet.
The issue in my opinion, is not whether China should give up Tibet, which they clearly has no intention of doing, but whether the world can apply enough pressure to the Chinese government that they begin to treat all Chinese people with justice and dignity.
I can’t help wondering if these protesters in San Francisco were more interested in getting media coverage than actually doing something constructive to help. And in the case of the Olympic torch, they ended up disappointing thousands of anxious well-wishers.

Book Review of Unrequited by James Bennett

Unrequited by James Bennett

Unrequited is a dark story of love, betrayal, and attempting to define one’s self in a crumbling postmodern world. Written in the first person, the narrator, Aaron Edgeway, leads us through his experiences of living with his drunken, abusive father in a dilapidated, old house. When he and Alex, his best friend, attend a rich man’s fabulous party, it is clear that Alex wants more than friendship, he loves Aaron deeply and will do anything to have him. But Aaron is lured into the rich man’s bed for a three way, only to realize that he is being videotaped, and finds himself the victim of a blackmail plot. Alex helps him resolve this situation, hoping that Aaron will return his love, but before he can bring this about, Aaron literally stumbles into Victor, and the two become star-crossed lovers. Alex, however, becomes determined to show Aaron that Victor is not all that he seems. What follows is a series of events that will keep you up late at night turning the pages.

I had a love/hate relationship with this story. On the one hand, it is a compelling story with intelligent plot turns that kept me guessing throughout. The story unfolds in layers, and with each layer the pressure-cooker atmosphere builds strength. The characters seem real and fragile, and it was impossible not to sympathize with them.

On the other hand, Bennett has a flair for melodrama, making his character overreact to almost every situation. But the main problem I had was Bennett’s propensity to overwrite. The prose kept calling attention to itself, rather than the story. I had the impression that Bennett was trying to impress me with his heavy, clever prose. There were times when I was impressed. He handles many intimate scenes with style and grace.

Writing style aside, Bennett kept me anxiously turning the pages to find out what would happen next while making me reflect upon my own teenaged years of fumbling love affairs and desperate retaliations. All in all, I found it a worthwhile read, although I would not recommend this story to anyone who demands that a love story have a “Happily Ever After” ending.

Book Reveiw of The Dream Ender by Dorien Grey

The Dream Ender by Dorien Grey

This who-done-it story is set in the early 80s, when a “Gay Cancer” begins sweeping through the gay community. Little is known about the virus, and there is still no test to confirm its presence. Above the general fear of who would be the next to fall sick and die, grows a rumor that some villain is deliberately spreading the virus by having unprotected sex with as many people as possible. Is it true? Could anyone be so dastardly, or is the rumor being spread as a way to close a popular leather bar and financially destroy its owner? Detective Dick Hardesty is called onto the case to find out if the rumors are true, and if so, to track down the murderer. The tension rises as Dick is sucked into a world of leather bars and hospital rooms, chasing the grim reaper as he moves through this unsuspecting gay community.

Although I am, admittedly, not a fan of detective stories, I found The Dream Ender a satisfying read. Beyond the normal mystery plot twists, is the convincing story of a community in turmoil. Having lived through that particular time myself, this story kept me turning pages while remembering all the fear and confusion of the time. It also kept me guessing all the way to the last ten pages.

Dorien Grey paints rather pleasant prose that is spiked with wit. I sometimes felt he was sitting across the desk telling me the story rather than me reading it. He gives detailed descriptions of gay relationships, gay parenting, and the hectic life of a private investigator. Interesting characters, life style details and suspense, make The Dream Ender a good read.

This is the eleventh book in the Dick Hardesty Mystery series. I’ve heard some people call it Dorien’s best work, but I can’t say since this is the first of Dorien’s books I have read. I can say that, having not read the other ten did in no way diminish my enjoyment of this one.

Color of the Sea By John Hamamura

Color of the Sea By John Hamamura

This story follows the life of Isamu (Sam) Hamada, beginning in pre-WWII when Sam leaves his mother and siblings in their family home in Hiroshima, Japan to join his alcoholic father working the cane fields of Hawaii. While on Hawaii, fate brings Sam and an old eccentric sensai together, and for many years, Sam painstaking studies the fine art of self-defense. Sam eventually leaves Hawaii for California, where he hopes to better himself by attending college. He learns that his marital arts training helps him deal with his struggle to be accepted into college, falling in love, dealing with the pain and discrimination brought on by America’s war with Japan, and his feeling of atonement after the war in war-torn Japan.

John Hamanura is a first rate talent, writing about a man torn between two passionate loves, two great cultures, and during a time when life was perhaps too complex for Japanese Americans. With lush details and power descriptions, Hamanura pulls you into his world until you are fully engaged, seeing the colors of the sea, feeling the sweat running down your face on a hot summer day, hearing the singsong rustle of sugar cane. The characters are real, passionate, and thoroughly persuasive. The plot is a tightly organized storyline of family life and love that begins to unravel as discrimination in America grows against them, then must suffer the horrors of war before the attack on Pearl Harbor, through the American-Japanese concentration camps, suffering on the battlefield, and finishing in post-war Japan.

I literally cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a book as much as this one. With this book, you’ll want to find a quiet spot in the garden, with no interruptions, and let yourself be lost in its precisely controlled style and voice. This is one of the finest novels I’ve read in years. Not since McEwan’s Atonement, has a story haunted me like this one, or left me with such an emotional impact.

If you enjoy beautiful prose, credible characters, and well-constructed plots, do yourself a huge favor: read this book.

Two Smokeys, One Look At Life

Saying of the week:
No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work.- Mother Teresa

I celebrated my fifty-fifth birthday this past week. And as usual during this time of year, I reflected on my life: where I am and where I’m headed.

A funny thing happened this week that has brought my mortality into sharp focus. My partner, Herman, and I agreed to dog sit a five-year-old, chocolate lab named Smokey. We have our own thirteen-year-old, chocolate lab, also named Smokey. The two dogs are wonderful together. We take them for long walks in the hills every day. But having the two dogs side by side, one in his prime and the other very close to the end of his life, gives me a staggering look at just how old and feeble my Smokey has become. I mean, I knew he was getting old, an probably in his last year, but watching the younger dog zigzagging through the tall grass at a dead run while my dog shuffles along, sometimes managing a brief trot, brought it all home. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and it’s true. This particular picture has me wondering just how much time I have left, and what I can possibly accomplish during that time.

I actually feel that I don’t need to accomplish anything else in my life. That what I’ve don’t is enough. That said, I still have a few goals. The top of the list is to continue being the best partner I can be to Herman, and to support him in every way I can. Next on the list: I would love to write a few more powerful novels and screenplays that really have the potential to make people examine their lives, their beliefs, and how they interact with each other and the environment. My last goal is to simply have fun with my life. I spent so many years working a full time job while going to night school, always under pressure for deadlines, pressuring myself to get ahead. With the time I have left, I want to enjoy this old world and the people in it.

I can say that I’m as happy now as in any point in my 55 years. I have much to be thankful for.

I have now finished three novels and one novella. Two of my novels will be published by Zumaya Publications. The first, Island Song, will be out by July of this year. The second, The Lover of Changi, will be published sometime in 09. As for the third novel, Match Maker, Pema Browne literary agency has requested to see the entire manuscript, so I’m mailing it tomorrow and crossing my fingers. So my writing career is finally taking off.

In addition to writing novels, my lover, Herman, and I have been taking screenwriting classes at the local community college. It has been a rewarding experience so far. It is a way of writing stories that I can include Herman in. And, not too surprisingly, he has begun to like the creative process of thinking through a story plot and defining scenes. I think that after a while he will be much better at it than I will be, because of his attention to detail.

Anyway, just wanted to record a few thoughts about life. Hope yours is as interesting and joyful as mine is turning out to be.