TIME OUT FOR A MOVIE.

On Friday, Karen and I took Paul Moeller to see a movie, UNBROKEN, after the book by Laura Hillenbrand. I became familiar with the story of Louis Zamperini's amazing life when my cousin Gary, from Chatsworth, met Zamperini, signing books in a book store. He said "...at age 94 the guy exuded energy and moved around like he was a young man." He died July 2, 2014 at 97.


I rarely go to movies, but I knew if I didn't take time-out and go on the last day it showed in nearby Angels Camp, I'd probably never see it on the "big screen".


Paul is a similar character in ways. He can no longer drive, he's had several strokes, he is impaired but he continues to haul wood, paint the deck, travel to Germany alone, since his wife died, whatever it takes to carry on. His attitude is always, positive, can do.

But fortitude beyond measure embodied Zamperini. It is the story of a kid who fought to grow up when attitudes against "Wops" , or any immigrant, was ugly. His hero brother encouraged him to get revenge by being successful. He did that by becoming a track star at his high school and going on to medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He enlisted in 1941 and showed himself, his fellow prisoners and through Hillenbrand's book, the world, about enduring unspeakable torture. His is not only a story of torture, but survival, resilience, and redemption.

 Hillenbrand felt she had to do justice to his and his fellow POW's most searing memories. After the war, he drank, he was full of rage, shame and suffered flashbacks and constant nightmares. And, once again, he persevered, changed his life and became a virtuoso of optimism. He quit drinking, repaired his marriage and his life and went on to open a boys camp and become an inspiration to others.  

Hellenbrand got thousands of letters and emails from people saying the same thing. 'I never understood my father, my husband or grandfather, what they went through. Why he was in so much pain, why he drank.' 

Understanding and forgiveness heal. He wanted his suffering to be meaningful, and it was. The movie was about his survival and torture, and it was great to see it acted out, but read the book for the full story.

A SHAMEFUL POWER PLAY.

Last night, just as it was getting dark, the power went out. We have no street lights and when it gets dark, it is black hole dark. I spent the evening in my chair trying to read by candle light. Makes you appreciate your power company, but that kind of power is not my subject today.

I’m disgusted by John Boehner’s  frivolous lawsuit against President Obama. I’m remembering Kenneth Starr’s useless pursuit of the Whitewater Case during the Clinton Administration. The guy didn’t even give up his day job to investigate and cost we taxpayers millions of dollars for no indictments of anybody in the Whitewater case. He stretched out that investigation for months and bilked all of us.  Now, Boehner expects the taxpayers to pay for this lawsuit?

There has never been such an obstructionist congress since the constitution was ratified, and our founding father’s were a contentious bunch. But, their aim was the betterment of all. I believe this lawsuit is purely a power play at our expense.

I’m not a great fan of Obama, but let the guy do his job. If you don’t like him, and his cohorts, offer a better plan and vote them out.

Lets take a look at where we are. Food stamp use is skyrocketing, more Americans are unable to live on their wages. Not good. But it was congress who cut food stamps from $7 a day to $6. Can’t blame that on Obama. And businesses like Walmart, MacDonalds, etc. who pay their hundreds of thousands of workers half the poverty level wages while we taxpayers have to subsidize them with food stamps and medical care? The Republicans were lock step against raising the minimum wage.

Both parties, everyone including Obama, seem to be against regulating Wall Street interests and taxing the super rich to the previous working checks and balances.

Even so,  the jobless rate is forecast to drop to 6.1% from 6.3%, and many cities and states  are raising minimum wages, and many major economic indicators are pointing to a steady economic recovery. The real estate market is virtually recovered, though not at bubble prices. And millions of people have medical insurance who didn’t have it before.

Obama hasn’t performed miracles, but he ended two wars, secured the world’s loose nukes, got rid of Bin Laden and brought the last POW home. He disarmed a middle-eastern madman without firing a shot, and dashed Putin’s hope of a new Soviet empire. Now, if he could just get congress to work instead of pontificate, it really would be a miracle.

There are still pressing world issues, like climate change, extreme weather costs, women’s choices, equal pay, decisions made from an anti-scientific attitude. School textbook companies re-writing history to please the religious beliefs of a minority. Extremists trying to break down the wall between government and religion. But hey,  let’s sue Obama and spend a lot of taxpayer money and take attention away from any real issues.  It disgusts me.

FRANKLIN, LOUISIANA, OLD BUT MODERN

Home is busy time, and once again I enjoy looking back at favorite places. The small town of Franklin, Louisiana was one of those. Not only did we find friendly people there, but much that was unique about it. It has moss covered trees with old antibellum mansions, but its more than that. Its modern and up-to-date, yet ageless, with great history...well, lets let the pictures speak.

A fancy building facade from 1892.

 A modern clock hangs off the side of a Main St. building.

 Decorative curbside lighting allows theater patrons to disembark their cars at night.

Old time wrought iron graces this building.

 The tires, the tires! Amazing tires. Not junk. It tells of an agricultural presence.

 I wonder who stacked these babies.

 Their old jail had windows, bars on them, but at least a view.

 A nifty museum chock full of interesting stuff. I liked the doily and old silver jewelry.

 And wooden gears from old machinery.

 Mardi Gras costumes hide out in every little town in Louisiana.

LeJeune's is still in operation and is on the National Historic Registry. If the light is on, they still have bread available. We got there in time.

 Maybe not a popular thing everywhere, but they kind of revere their Confederate past.

Citizens here knew two wars. I got a kick out of the "friendly behavior."  I guess a prisoner of war camp in the U.S. was preferred to starving in Germany.