The Forkes Report - HOLIDAYS

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:01:00 -0700

A few of my favorite Holiday gifs!
Just about all of them courtesy of my good friend Sir Gillywulf!

Holiday Cheers!

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:01:00 -0700

I was about to pen my Christmas Eve note and realized I had written nearly the very same piece a year ago. So, here it is again, with a few alterations!
•••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• ••••
Well, here it is, Christmas Eve, when some families will gather ‘round the living room Christmas tree, exchange love and material gifts, sit down to a nice meal … and then wonder why Uncle Bob got me that for Christmas. What a knob!

Christmas, of course, didn’t start as a Christian holiday. In many modern and ancient religions this time was to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Many of the trappings we call “Christmas:” the tree, Yule log, holly, wreaths, mistletoe … and a few others I can’t think of at the moment, all had their origins in other religions and were only adopted as “Christian” when the Romans, who controlled most of Europe and the Middle East, forced conversion to Christianity on those they oppressed. To make it more palatable to those they were oppressing, the Romans encouraged their enslaved nations to incorporate their own practices into the celebrations of Christian holidays.

“Christmas trees” go back before the time of Christ actually. Just read this today: in the Old Testament Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:2-4) condemns those who adorn their homes with cut trees to celebrate the “heathen” religious rite honoring the Winter Solstice. The ancient Romans, before, during and after the time of Christ, would adorn the homes with ornaments and boughs of evergreens and holly to celebrate the holiday of Saturnalia — the Winter Solstice.
 Christmas, until about 350 A.D., was actually observed on January 10th. Constantine, ruler of all that was Roman, moved it to December 25th to more coincide with the feast of Saturnalia.
 Archaeologically speaking — historically speaking — Christ was more likely born sometime in April or May, maybe June. But, apparently celebrating the Savior’s birth and death in the same month seemed … unseemly.

The Yule log comes from the Norseman. They celebrated the holiday of Jul at this time of year and part of that celebration was the Jul Log. And since the Scandinavians cannot pronounce their “J’s” properly like we English speakers, it became the “Yule” log. Get it?
 Another part was a very potent alcoholic beverage called Jul … Maybe that’s where the tradition to be merry at Christmas is derived.
 Actually, the ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia with rites to Bacchus, the god of everything sinful and delightful! The ancient Roman ornaments were usually in homage to Bacchus, so remember that as you admire your finely adorned Christmas tree! You’re paying homage to wild drunkenness and wild, unfettered sexual excess.

There’s nothing historically Christian about the material trappings of the holiday that are now associated with Christmas.” Except the Baby Jesus and the Nativity Scenes we see dotting the urban landscape. On private property of course, it ought not be displayed on public/government property.

Back when North America was first settled by the Europeans many of these particular trappings of the Holidays were banned by the authorities because they were Pagan and defiled the essence of the day. Things like Christmas trees and Yule logs didn’t become popular until the mid-19th Century. It was the Germans — more precisely German immigrants — who are most responsible for bringing all the accoutrements we now recognize to be a part of Christmas to America.

I like the holiday though, despite not having any affiliation with the religion to which it is ascribed. I live in San Diego with no family anywhere near so we get online communicate. This time of year really gives me reason to appreciate my family more, especially since my brother Carl passed away 29 months ago. He was the only family in San Diego. So, in honor of him I’ll spend the day napping. it’s too cold and rainy to go outside.

In years past Carl and I would go to the beach and take our “Look what we’re doing on Christmas” photos — we were at the beach and occasionally in the water! This we did to torment our family members in the Snow Belt!

Last year when I first wrote this, it was originally intended to be an insulting rebuke to those who think there is a “War on Christmas.” But, at this time of the year my mind often wanders to my family and friends and despite some of their … individual beliefs and peculiarities (and my family is pretty damn peculiar!) … I still love them dearly and would rue the day I found myself on the outside of their love and consideration.

Despite the vast miles between us, my family is as close as ever. Since there were eight of us kids — now seven, but I still consider us eight — instead of getting everyone gifts, my mother created and we adopted, the tradition of choosing names and buying/creating/contriving that special someone a gift. It works great and if you feel like it you can send others gifts as well, but this ensures we get at least one gift for Christmas and spares us the horror of going broke getting gifts for everyone in the family.
 I swear, next year I’ll start sending Christmas cards on time. (2007)
 Didn’t git’er done this year either. (2008)

Last year I received a gift from my sister Mary Lou. She lives in Texas. Some things just seem so … unforgivable … but, she’s my sister so I overlook her choice of where to live. She has two wonderful, grown children and a granddaughter!

Whatever our differences, I can always count on Mary Lou and the rest of my family to be loving and supportive and at this time of year that seems far more important than insulting the people who think there is a “War on Christmas.”

What I’ve learned since first writing this a year ago: it doesn’t matter how you celebrate this Holiday, my wish is “Peace, happiness and prosperity in the coming year be unto you.”

So, Happy Holidays to all my readers … (sigh) … I know there are at least three.

More sincerely, Merry Christmas to my family. I always wish you were here.

Black Friday

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:01:00 -0700

Hard to imagine: a temp worker employed at a Long Island, NY Wal-Mart was killed when the mob waiting to get in and shop pushed down the doors to get in before the 6 a.m. opening time. They killed a man for low prices. This is the face of America.

There will be those who say this just isn’t true, but we see it every year, the day after Thanksgiving mobs of people rush through doors without any concern for their fellow humans for what? A low price on a video game player or a flat screen TV?

Americans, by and large, are some of the most selfish, self-centered inconsiderate people on this planet. Or at least it appears so from the news. Most of my friends — no, none of my friends — take part in these early shopping horrors. We consider it insanity made all the more shocking when put in the context of these people shopping for Christmas gifts.

Most people in the country claim Christianity as their religion, but from where I sit, the real religion for many of those people is greed and consumerism. Certainly not all. None of my family members have turned Christmas into materialistic excess and very few, if any, of my friends, but consumerism, greed and selfishness is big business, greed in particular, otherwise the stores wouldn’t have “Black Friday” and advertise so heavily for it.

Closer to home, in Palm Desert, California, two men shot each other to death in a Toys-r-Us. The retail giant says it isn’t related to Black Friday events … really? It happened on Black Friday in their store. Blame it on anything but the greedy frenzy created by Black Friday. Who brings a loaded weapon to a Toys-r-Us? To any store for that matter!

No one wants to admit that glorifying the greed behind Black Friday is wrong, or even a bad thing; the retailers depend so much on the day for their yearly sales, they can’t afford to diminish the avaricious root of Black Friday, regardless of what happens.

As much as I disagree with their religious beliefs, it’s gratifying to know my loved ones have much different ideas on the Holidays. They keep it simple; gift giving isn’t the central focus of the family and that was so apparent on Thanksgiving when we spoke by phone; for us, it’s about love for one another. For some, beliefs in the tenets of Christianity as well, but they often express their beliefs in their actions, not just their words. Makes me proud of my family and my friends.

Of course, all the news outlets, after getting the violent news out of the way, gave glowing and approving coverage of Black Friday, complete with the opinions of the shoppers who stopped at nothing to get everything they wanted, bragging about how much they spent.

And it is an American abomination. Just saw on the news; Canadians organize bus trips to the U.S. just for today. Their retailers apparently haven’t grasped the philosophy of greed at any cost. Makes me wonder about my Canadian neighbors. Will the trips south of their border change the Canadian zeitgeist? My friend Lisa was just giving me the lowdown on the insanity of Canada … but that’s a blog for another day.

Black Friday did provide some entertainment though. On the way to and from work everyday I change from the bus to the trolley and vise versa. So, after work, after getting off the trolley to catch the bus, I watched the never-ending line of cars entering the Fashion Valley Mall at about two miles per hour.

Across from the transit station is a dirt lot — A DIRT LOT — that, like the official parking lots, was full. Never saw it with more than a couple cars before. So, a car pulled out of a space and as it was backing out, away from the street, a newer model Lincoln Town Car that had been idling in the line of cars waiting to get in the mall drove up over the curb, over the sidewalk to grab the spot. Unfortunately for the Town Car, a Lincoln Navigator had been waiting in the lot for that space and forcefully backed the Town Car back over the curb — with the under carriage scraping loudly — stopping traffic that was nearly stopped anyway … it was quite the show!

Greed: the American Dream.
•••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• ••••

And just to get in the Holiday Spirit, A little greeting from Robyn Marie! I’ve been naughty by the way!

To Love, Rather Than to Be Loved

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:01:00 -0700

Today is the day to be thankful, if we’re only going to be thankful one day of the year. Some days, I’ll stand in the shower and make a little list in my head of everything that makes me thankful. It’s a useful tool when I’m feeling depressed and having difficulty getting on my way.

My friend Lisa reminded me of the line from the movie Cast Away, the one that really defines the film and is a truth of life, “…you just have to keep going and never give up, because you never know what the tide will bring in the next day.”

So, I make a list of things for which to be grateful and it reminds me that life isn’t just a series of disappointments interrupted by a few unwavering distractions. And at this juncture of time, maybe we need a few more distractions and more time spent remembering that list.

First of all, I’m always thankful for my family, especially since they are all in different parts of the country. We are separated by distance, but connected by all the electronic conveniences: e-mail, a family online message board and our cell phones. We chat often by text message, especially my sister Elaine and brother Tony — the Colorado clans. They are both married with Children and now their kids are quite grown! Adults even! Nice kids too!
 I was about to wax poetic about ever wanting to father children myself, but thankfully, my mind came back to reality!
 The plan for this week was for me to be in Colorado today, enjoying Thanksgiving with them.

Sometimes, I’ll be sitting on a bus going to work with my ears plugged with my iPod, listening to some Grateful Dead or Zappa, or Jane’s Addiction, David Bowie and all of a sudden my phone will buzz in my pants pocket, the long single vibration. Sadly, it offers no … esoteric … thrill. Anyway, I’ll pull out the phone and see a text message from Tony, quoting a Frank Zappa tune. “Was a modified dog.”

The family is very much a Zappa clan. In June 2006 Tony and Elaine traveled to Los Angeles and we went to see the Zappa Plays Zappa concert at the Wiltern Theater. That was a great experience. Less than a week later our brother Carl died. That was an experience.

I’m grateful I got to be there for him at the end of is life.

Then there’s my sister Mary Lou. We don’t get along when it comes to politics. I blame it on her living in Texas. Everyone thinks California is the state for weirdoes … well, we do have the Terminator as governor … ehh …

Anyway, she is still a kind, loving and generous woman with two nice children, one cutie of a granddaughter and she makes the best cookies! I’m always grateful when I get a tin of peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies for Christmas! She’s the one I called first when our brother Carl died and that says a lot about where she sits in my list.

Cheryl, now she’s the matriarch of the family. She and I are kindred spirits beyond even my wild imagination. So much so I often hate to admit it to myself. Cheryl is the free thinker, far more open-minded than I could hope to achieve. She struggles and perseveres, triumphs and perseveres and when life is just moving along in that flat line of normalcy, Cheryl perseveres. Cheryl likes to redefine normal. Boredom is unacceptable.

She’s the one who nursed me back to health after my first heart attack; moved here from … Colorado I think! Set up residence, stayed for a couple years and then moved to Tampa, Florida. She’s a Floridian once again! She also has a son, Christopher. I miss that guy, wish he would get online with us again.

Rick is a different story altogether. He’s the older brother, a little more … err … let’s just say he isn’t Wally Cleaver, he’s more like Eddie Haskell. Leave It To Beaver. Just the title alone would make us laugh, for all the obvious reasons. “I’d like to see the Beaver, Mrs. Cleaver!” You have to hear Rick say it, he knows the proper inflection.

Rick should move to Hollywood and become an actor. He’s a natural. He’s a professional musician, a damn good one too — played with Bo Diddley, among others — but honestly, he’s an actor. Taught me how to fake bumping into things, one of my favorites bits of humor. Once, when we were incorrigible teens, he and Doug Schmidt stopped traffic on 68th Street in Milwaukee, right there at the intersection of Kinnickinnic Parkway.

He always made a dummy for Halloween and we used that to stop traffic too. Damn, if I ever got in trouble before the age of 15 you can bet Rick started it. He just seemed to be having more fun than a teenager should be allowed.

We had the basement bedroom in our teens and would often smoke pot before falling asleep. Sort of a hippie version of Leave It to Beaver, or The Waltons.

“Great pot Tim.”

“Thanks Rick. Good night.”

“Good Night.”

Music is the best Rick, but you should be in the movies.

Then there is my brother Ken — I’m gonna say Kenny ’cause I can. Born eight years to the day after me. How’s that for a birthday gift! He has two great kids as well and a wonderful wife. He started his professional life as a DJ and now finds himself an executive in the radio business. Yes Ken, you are an executive. Darn good one too!

One of Ken’s few failings, he doesn’t like Frank Zappa. But we love him anyway. Don’t speak to him much either, but we do hear from Ken and his wife and kids from time-to-time. They’re doing great. His son, my Godson, is in college. Man, how I’d love to be a more corruptible influence in his life … in a benign, not likely to get arrested sort of way.

This begins my list of things that get me going in the morning. My family and their families, and then all my friends: Dan, John, Eric, Berger, Bill, Alan (he reads this blog religiously), Terry, Ray (and Akimi) and Gary; Lisa, Dani, Mel, Kimberlee, Christina and the buds in the Surf Shack and Tim’s Dive Club!

And then I remember I’m grateful to have woken up this morning, still breathing, with one more opportunity to see what the tide brings in.

Grateful

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:01:00 -0700

Sunday Morning … it’s gray here in San Diego and a frightening 54° Fahrenheit. To go outside one would have to wear a jacket, or a long-sleeve shirt at least! Okay, this is an assault on those who may be living in the Denver, Colorado area where the temps are as low as 28° in Greeley! Or Wisconsin, formerly home to me. There the temps are all below freezing.

Two months ago I began making plans to visit Colorado for Thanksgiving, but a change in employment changed my plans. So, this year, once again, there will be no family to laugh and joke with, argue and compare expanded belt sizes with and just basically bask in the joy of family. I like mine, despite their predilections. Some of them are quite religious, some even vote Republican — but I can forgive anything. They never say “no” when I need a meal.

This year, I’ll enjoy the company of friends in San Diego. There will be a communal meal with an extensive potluck; maybe 50 or more largely happy people busting with smiles that someone (me and many others) would consider spending at least part of the day with them, sharing not just a meal, but the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Beyond the meal, in fact deeper than the meal, is that Thanksgiving is a spiritual occasion. I used to think it was all about being thankful and eating, which it is; one of the keys to a happy life is being grateful for what we have and celebrating the holiday came about first to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and for having lived one more year; it was a day to express one’s gratitude. And that’s still a part of Thanksgiving.

But nothing could be more God-like (even if you don’t believe in “God”) than spending time in the warmth of love and fellowship with family, friends and those who love us, and, as St. Francis prayed, “to love, rather than to be loved.” That’s where I’ll be Thursday, seeking to love, rather than be loved.

Recess!

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:01:00 -0600

It’s All Hallow’s Eve! Any Good Cat’licks out there going to church today?
When we were kids Mom wanted us to observe this Holy Day Without Obligation —
— in church, at Mass.

Well, I have much ... naughtier ... ideas about Halloween ...

Halloween is for sinners! Okay ... it’s supposed to be for kids ... but we adults have hijacked it for our own nefarious purposes. Well, some adults. Can hardly wait until all the Halloween costumes start showing up on MySpace!

Hell, just Halloween costumes, or sexy Halloween costumes ...

But not every adult has lurid and possibly immoral plans for the night. I have friends who want to be home so they can hand out candy to the little whipper-snappers coming to the door! Jeez ... that’s what happens when you have children.
You tend to start liking kid stuff.

In fact, I would bet those of you who have small children — or even have children long past that age group — you all have every Disney and Pixar movie ever released and I would bet you still go to see every kids movie released. And then you go buy those movies when they’re released on DVD so you can watch them over and over and over ...
 Which reminds me of my lovely niece Sarah! When she was but six she could recite every bit of dialogue and knew, perfectly, every song in the classic Wizard of Oz.

And that’s cool too! It’s all about being a kid, whether you’re a kid or just playing, for one night, at being a kid once again! So, Enjoy the holiday!

Let’s Celebrate!

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:01:00 -0600

Today is the 4th of July, 2008. Here in the U.S.A. that means one thing: barbeque and blowing things up! Okay, that’s two things.

Actually, that’s not a bad way to celebrate the 4th of July. In the Declaration of Independence itself, signed by 56 men representing the 13 Colonies under the political and economic control of England, says, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness …

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. For many of our fellow citizens, that means pursuing happiness and fun. Which, for me, includes a trip to La Jolla Cove for a little dip in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a trip to spend the day with friends, enjoy some barbeque, fellowship and fireworks. That’s where the blowing things up comes into play.

Celebrating the birth of one’s nation isn’t confined to the U.S. of course. Three days ago our neighbors to the North celebrated Canada Day and from what my Dear Friend Witchy told me, they do it pretty much the same way we do it: they have barbeques and blow things up. Well, my friend Ceifer, also a Canadian, blows things up on Canada Day … and any other day when he gets the urge to blow things up. Sort of like we Americans.

On July 14th our French friends will celebrate Bastille Day. Don’t know if they barbeque, but they eat real good and the blow things up.
 Bastille Day celebrates the day in 1789 when angry Frenchmen stormed the Bastille, a medieval prison that, at the time, housed only seven prisoners but was an icon of an unjust monarchy that became the flashpoint and icon of Fête de la Fédération, the Federation Holiday.
 How boring is that name for a national holiday. Better to call it Bastille Day.

On May 5th, our friends to the South in Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo, which actually isn’t the date of Mexican liberation; that date is actually September 16th. But we celebrate Cinco de Mayo pretty much as an excuse to consume dangerous amounts of tequila and Corona beer. Tons of teenagers too young to drink legally in the U.S. stream south to Tijuana to drink like fish in the loud bars that cater to their peculiarities with the expressed purpose of celebrating the 5th of May.
 Cinco de Mayo actually is in commemoration of the day when Mexican forces beat the French forces in the town of Puebla when the French were trying to occupy and own Mexico. Eventually the French succeeded and held Mexico for about five years, but Cinco de Mayo is celebrated anyway.
 What’s cool about this, I guess, is that for our Mexican friends it doesn’t matter who won the war, it just matters that we have a cool named date to have a somewhat international holiday. I mean, Cinco de Mayo sounds so much more festive than Dieciséis de Septiembre. Just MHO.

But today we’ll have parades, listen to speeches by elected officials — some of us will even endure cheesy re-enactments of the signing of the Declaration and worse yet, re-enactments of Revolutionary War battles and special moments, like the night General George Washington led his army across the Delaware River. Trouble is, Washington made that journey in December when it was cold as Hell and there was snow on the ground. Hard to re-enact that in July, during the day with temperatures close to 100° f when even a snow making machine couldn’t make enough snow in such weather.

All of that’s okay though, because this is America and we have the right to celebrate — or not celebrate — the 4th of July in any way see fit to advance our right to pursue happiness.

Most Americans are happy and proud to be citizens of this great nation. We have our problems, we did elect an idiot to a second term in the White House, but it wasn’t the first time the dumbest kid on the block was elected to the highest office in the land. There were Herbert Hoover, Warren G. Harding, Millard Fillmore and a host of others.

Currently we seem to be loosing our unalienable rights with a slew of laws, but even that has occurred in the past and the ship was righted—but it really sucks when we are living in such times. Collectively we forget what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they put their lives on the line by signing the Declaration of Independence. They became outlaws and were subject to immediate execution if they had been caught. Assaulting our liberties, as has become the custom since Ronald Reagan first signed laws suspending parts of the 4th Amendment, sort of pisses on the Founding Fathers and their ideals.

Sadly, the Supreme Court hasn’t seen fit to overturn these obstructions to our liberty, but hopefully that will change too.

Nevertheless, we owe our 4th of July — our nation — to these 56 men:
New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Memorial Day 2008

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:01:00 -0600

Today is Memorial Day. As has been my routine for the past several years, I will start my day at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery with a ceremony to honor the fallen, those who have gone on. This year, as it was last year, will be especially emotional since my brother Carl’s ashes are now interred at Fort Rosecrans.

He didn’t win an award, he isn’t a Medal of Honor recipient, didn’t even get a Purple Heart. He just enlisted in the Navy, served his country and mustered out into a country that didn’t like him and all his fellow veterans. We would sit around on Friday nights with our buddy Dan, playing Sheepshead, a Milwaukee-based card game, and kibbutz about our various — and occasionally true — escapades as men in uniform.
 Of course, I was the only one in the military (U.S. Marine Corps), Carl and Dan were in the Navy.

No, Carl wasn’t a hero, didn’t try to be a hero, would probably look in horrified shock were you to suggest that by merely wearing the uniform he was a hero. He was just your average American, citizen soldier, like most of the other men and women interred at Fort Rosecrans.

None of them are average Americans though. It’s a small part of our citizenry that served in uniform, and even fewer still who volunteered. Much can be said though for those who were drafted. They may not have wanted to go, especially during Vietnam when our nation was torn apart by an unpopular war and the mere suggestion of going into the military would, at the very least, get a man (or woman) a look of pity or disdain.

Carl, like many of his generation, was a volunteer.

For those who have not served in uniform, it doesn’t mean much, if anything at all, unless they happen to be the loved ones of those who served. For most Americans, Memorial Day is all about the barbeque, the picnic, maybe the beach or The Race. They might give veterans and service members lip service, but for the most part, it’s just another day off from work. And that’s cool. This is America and we don’t require anyone to be patriotic or remember the fallen.

For me, and a few other of my fellow Americans, this day cannot go unnoticed. We gather at various cemeteries around the country and remember the men and women who served and are no longer with us.

We do so because, after all the lip service, the government that promised to have our back for the rest of our lives doesn’t. Men and women with service-connected disabilities now pay co-pays at the V.A. medical centers. Those of us who are not Iraq-Afghan veterans or don’t have combat-related injuries — even if those injuries were incurred on duty — are turned away because we are “not a priority.”

When the Senate votes to give the current generation of veterans a new G.I. Bill, and it passes with a 77% yea vote, and the president wants to veto that bill, with the support of one of the presidential candidates — the only candidate still in the race who is a veteran — you gotta wonder who your vote should go to when you’re in the voting booth. Who really supports and honors the troops and veterans?

In the president’s 2007 budget, he requested a 7.2% increase in V.A. funding. Sounds good. But the number of veterans using V.A. service had doubled that increase; it’s up 14%.

The government isn’t standing behind its vets. That trait though doesn’t stand with all of us. We will show up today at all the various cemeteries around the nation, not because we’re prominent government officials or running for office, but because we believe these men and women ought to be remembered for their sacrifice, some of those on the field of battle, others, their sacrifice was giving up years of their lives so the rest of us could sleep securely Sunday Night in order to have our picnics and attend or watch the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day.

So, I’ll give up a couple hours of my day off of work to honor them. Semper Fidelis.

Happy Holidays

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:01:00 -0700

Well, here it is, Christmas Eve, when some families will gather ‘round the living room Christmas tree, exchange love and material gifts, sit down to a nice meal … and then wonder why Bob got me that for Christmas. What an asshole!

Christmas, of course, didn’t start as a Christian holiday. In many modern and ancient religions this time was to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Many of the trappings we call “Christmas:” the tree, Yule log, holly, wreaths, mistletoe … and a few others I can’t think of at the moment, all had their origins in other religions and were only adopted as “Christian” when the Romans, who controlled most of Europe and the Middle East, forced conversion to Christianity on those they oppressed. To make it more palatable to those they were oppressing, the Romans encouraged their enslaved nations to incorporate their own practices into the celebrations of Christian holidays.

“Christmas trees” go back before the time of Christ actually. Just read this today: in the Old Testament Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:2-4) condemns those who adorn their homes with cut trees to celebrate the “heathen” religious rite honoring the Winter Solstice. The ancient Romans, before, during and after the time of Christ, would adorn the homes with ornaments and boughs of evergreens and holly to celebrate the holiday of Saturnalia — the Winter Solstice.
 Christmas, until about 350 A.D., was actually observed on January 10th. Constantine, ruler of all that was Roman, moved it to December 25th to more coincide with the feast of Saturnalia.
 Archaeologically speaking — historically speaking — Christ was more likely born sometime in April or May, maybe June. But, apparently celebrating the Savior’s birth and death in the same month seemed … unseemly.

The Yule log comes from the Norseman. They celebrated the holiday of Jul at this time of year and part of that celebration was the Jul Log. And since the Scandinavians cannot pronounce their “J’s” properly like we English speakers, it became the “Yule” log. Get it?
 Another part was a very potent alcoholic beverage called Jul … Maybe that’s where the tradition to be merry at Christmas is derived.
 Actually, the ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia with rites to Bacchus, the god of everything sinful and delightful! The ancient Roman ornaments were usually in homage to Bacchus, so remember that as you admire your finely adorned Christmas tree! You’re paying homage to wild drunkenness and wild, unfettered sexual excess.
 Damn! I might put up a Christmas tree and Call Dani, Mel, Nikki (eooo, Nikki!), Claudia, Sabrina, Roxanne and a few others and see if they would like to join me for a wild celebration in honor of Bacchus in front of the Christmas ... err ... Winter Solstice ... Tree! I’m getting … err … a rise … just fantasizing about it!

There’s nothing remotely Christian about the material trappings of the holiday that everyone claims to be “Christmassy.” Except the Baby Jesus and the Nativity Scenes that have been and ought to be booted from public property. By all means though, put one up in your yard! Especially if you adorn it with festive lighting!

Back when North America was first settled by the Europeans many of these particular trappings of the Holidays were banned by the authorities because they were Pagan and defiled the essence of the day. Things like Christmas trees and Yule logs didn’t become popular until the mid-19th Century.

I like the holiday though, despite my dislike for the religion to which it is ascribed. I live in San Diego with no family anywhere near so we get online in various locations and communicate. This time of year really gives me reason to appreciate my family more, especially since my brother Carl passed away 17 months ago. He was the only family in San Diego. So, in honor of him I’ll spend the day today at the beach, like we did so many times before when we took our “Look what we’re doing on Christmas” photos — we were at the beach and occasionally in the water! This we did to torment our family members in the Snow Belt!

If you couldn’t tell, this was originally intended to be an insulting rebuke to those who think there is a “War on Christmas.” But, at this time of the year my mind often wanders to my family and friends and despite some of their … individual beliefs and peculiarities (and my family is pretty damn peculiar!) … I still love them dearly and would rue the day I found myself on the outside of their love and consideration.

Despite the vast miles between us, my family is as close as ever. Since there were eight of us kids — now seven, but I still consider us eight — instead of getting everyone gifts, my mother created and we adopted, the tradition of choosing names and buying/creating/contriving that special someone a gift. It works great and if you feel like it you can send others gifts as well, but this ensures we get at least one gift for Christmas and spares us the horror of going broke getting gifts for everyone in the family.
 I swear, next year I’ll start sending Christmas cards on time.

Already received here is my gift from my sister Mary Lou. She lives in Texas. Some things just seem so … unforgivable … but, she’s my sister so I overlook her choice of where to live. She’s also a fervent Bush supporter, believes Jesus is the answer and definitely doesn’t approve of many aspects of my life or what interests me for entertainment.

Be-that-as-it-may, I love her dearly and will let her know the gift has arrived. Whatever our differences, I can always count on Mary Lou and the rest of my family to be loving and supportive and at this time of year that seems far more important than insulting the people who think there is a “War on Christmas.”

But it’s so much fun slamming Bill O’Reilly and the rest of the Fox crowd (broadcaster and viewer alike) because for them, ignorance is a virtue and how can you restrain your pen (and tongue) when the easy targets make themselves so … easy to hit.

So, Happy Holidays to all my reader … (sigh) … well, maybe I have three or four readers, who can tell.

More sincerely, Merry Christmas to my family. Wish you were here.

Cold Sweat and Other Gifts

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:27:12 -0700

It’s the day after Christmas when the malls are filled with people returning stuff; gifts that don’t fit, or duplicates something the recipient already owns … or came in the wrong color or they would rather have the cash instead of the gift.

My gifting is different. Since my family lives every where but Sunny Sandy Eggo, the gifts are usually clothing with a San Diego-related imprint on it, bought at one of many little touristy places that dot several of the beaches I frequent.

For instance, my nephew, who is also my Godson, got a couple of T-shirts, one of which depicts Black’s Beach, probably the most famous “clothes-optional” beach in America. He lives in Minnesota so his bragging rights this year include having a T-shirt from a nude beach. He’ll be coming to visit soon enough and a trip to Black’s will be on the itinerary.

Another nephew received a San Diego Life Guard zip-up hoodie — a fashion statement! I have several hoodies I’ve been wearing for years, over a decade for one. The zipper broke and I’m thinking of having it repaired.
 Thinking about doing something for me is … generally just time-consuming navel-gazing. Fixing the zipper on my favorite hoodie has been on my mind for several years now and as yet … it’s still unusable.

The author and a nephew in their hoodies, years ago, fashionistas. Yeah, we’re cool.

But the hoodie has become one of those ubiquitous fashion essentials of the 20-something set, for virtually every sub culture: hip-hop, goth, country, jet-set and surfers, which is where the trend began — although, it can be said I started the trend because I’ve been wearing my hoodies since the early 1990’s. That’s right kids, I have been wearing my hoodie to the beach for over a decade, the surfers saw how cool I look in a hoodie and voila! You are now following my fashion lead. That’s alright, don’t all come thanking me at one time. Let’s keep the adulation orderly.

Hoodies ... where does it all lead?

Back to Christmas, the day after when we all rush to the malls, replay the pushing, shoving and elbow gouging of just a week ago so we can be first in line to return whatever it was Uncle Bob got us that we don’t want. Thankfully, the Uncle Bob’s of the world have been good enough to include the receipt, knowing we most likely would be tearing out the eyes of our fellow returners for that coveted first place in the return line.

the author with his new Journal

I never return gifts to the stores. I like the stuff I get, or more importantly, I like the people who send me gifts so virtually any gift is something I want; it’s something personal, a totem by which I can draw happy memories and loving thoughts of that individual.

This year my dear niece Nancy sent me a leather-bound journal. I do all my writing on this G4 these days, but now I’ll get into the habit — once again — of journaling with pen and ink. She even inscribed a very special message: “ Here’s a journal for you to keep so you can remember all your adventures. Have a Wonderful Christmas. Love, Nancy.”

It’s the “Love, Nancy” I like the best, but her optimism of me still having adventures, that touches me deeply too. I ride a Trek mountain bicycle and chronicle my journeys, places I’ve ridden and critters I’ve seen — reported with pictures the sights encountered when riding on the beaches in summer — you get my drift … but I throw a few in there for the women of the clan.

At any rate, my little black journal that sits neatly in the pouch under the saddle of my Trek will now be replaced by the larger version — the Nancy Journal — tucked into the pouch of my Camelback.

No, I wouldn’t consider returning this gift, nor any other gift. Years ago Nancy’s mother gave me a book by Bill Cosby. After I read Cosbyology, it sat on my coffee table for years and every once in a while I’d pick it up and read a bit from it. Since the recent reorganization of my little place, I’ve lost track of the book. Now that it’s gone, hidden in a box somewhere, it seems like it belongs on the coffee table.

My other sister Elaine sent me a great gift, a card she made with pictures of her son Dan and me, from oh so many years ago. I like this card above all others. You see, Young Dan came to live with me briefly after my brother Carl passed away. That was a good thing, Young Dan living here, but he joined a really good metal band, One Theory, and now lives with them in some outcropping of rock and dirt in Ramona, California.

Having never had children of my own (my most oft-heard comment was, “Now I remember why I never had kids”), I would often remark to his mother on the eccentricities of youth, in particular Young Dan’s youthful eccentricities. We would talk often, Elaine and I, because she would call nearly every day. You see, Lainey, the beautiful mother that she is, is in love with her two children more than any other earthly entity. So, with son Dan living so far away from home for the first time … she had to call … a lot.

She gets plenty of pictures e-mailed as well, but certainly not enough to satisfy her needs. Young Dan was here for Christmas Day, so Mom got a picture snapped from my mobile phone. It will have to do until this weekend when One Theory plays at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go on Saturday, December 30. If you live in Southern California and you like metal, or rock music in general, you should be at the Whiskey Saturday Night.

The Godfather of Soul — Hit Me One Time Maceo

Which brings up the saddest Christmas news of 2006: James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, passed away Early Christmas Morning. I loved James Brown in the 60’s and 70’s! Bootsy Collins was in his band for a while.
 Man, I just took time out to order One Nation Under a Groove from Amazon.

James Brown has gone. It isn’t mentioned often, but he had plenty to do with the civil rights movement back in the 1960’s, when “Pappa Got a Brand New Bag” made the cross-over to popular music and JB could be seen on The Hollywood Palace and the Ed Sullivan Show. White kids like me wanted to play his music; we took up instruments like trombone, saxophone or trumpet, just because he had the hottest horn section of any band touring the country.

Many African-American performers who became popular with the American White Culture helped spread the civil rights message, but James Brown was the guy I got hooked on. I have a four CD collection, Star Time, spanning his career from 1956 to 1990. It’s all there, all the music I love. I’m listening to “Cold Sweat” right now. Maceo … I break out in a Cold Sweat whenever I listen to James Brown. “Scuse me while I do the boogaloo.” Even a fat old White man like me can’t resist getting up to dance to “Cold Sweat.”

Thanks for the future of memories, Nancy and Elaine, don’t stop calling.

Thanks and Rememberance

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 10:27:47 -0700

Carl Forkes — remembered
Hey brother, Wisconsin Football did well again this year.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, we’re eating leftovers — if we’re lucky. This year, There aren’t any left overs in this little condo as I didn’t do the cooking. Thanksgiving was at a close friend’s home. But I love left over turkey and stuffing. I might make some stuffing just to have it around for a week.

There was a place empty at my table this year, my dear and eldest brother Carl has passed on, his ashes safely stored at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I spilled some mashed potatoes and gravy on my shirt, just as he so often did around the holiday table. It always brought a smile to my face to see a bit of Thanksgiving dinner faithfully preserved on his shirt … except that nice white shirt I got him for Christmas one year. After the first spill I demanded he wear a different shirt at the dinner table, one of his flannel shirts that tend to hide the stains.

But I remembered mine wasn’t the only table missing someone dear, as there are still hundreds of thousands of troops deployed around the world as we sit here, about 175,000 in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan and of course over 3,000 families will forever be without someone dear, a man or woman who has given their last full measure of devotion in Iraq and Afghanistan.

William Kristol and Juan Williams

And yet, on Fox News Sunday this morning, William Kristol was on a panel with Mara Liasson, Brit Hume, Juan Williams and moderator Chris Wallace, telling everyone, with no repudiation from the rest of the panel, the troops had failed in Iraq. I quickly hit the record button to make sure it’s preserved as Fox has a habit of editing programs when one of their own says something stupid. The transcript hasn’t been posted as of this writing, so it will be of interest to see if Kristol’s comment stands.

And then later see how Kristol tries to spin his comment, “We have failed to win the war militarily,” so it isn’t an insult to the troops on the ground.

The war rages one with no end in sight. All the newsies are saying so, whether it be Fox, MSNBC, CNN and the major network news organizations. Everyone is waiting for the Baker-Hamilton group to make its recommendations, as if the silver bullet is there, waiting in their report. Or, as was suggested on FNS, the recommendations from the Pentagon, now that Robert Gates will take the helm.

Kristol, the neocon master who first began pushing for the invasion of Iraq over ten years ago, is now a critic of the war he engineered. Like his neocon partners Ken Adelman and Richard Perle, he is distancing himself from the failure of the Bush regime, despite his integral part in the fiasco. And no one, certainly no one on that Fox News panel, questions Kristol’s flip-flop on Bush and Iraq. Who really has resorted to “cut and run”?

•••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• •••• ••••

Robert Altman and Garrsion Keillor

Over the years, since first introduced to it 20 years ago, on either Saturday or Sunday, I would tune into the public radio station for a listen to A Prairie Home Companion, the Garrison Keillor radio show that has now been on the air for 30 years.

To celebrate this milestone in entertainment longevity, the movie of the show was released. Many of the radio program’s favorites were in the cast and some of the bits as well, absent the most famous bit, “Lake Wobegon.” That was disappointing; how can you make a movie titled A Prairie Home Companion without the News From Lake Wobegon?

Nevertheless, it was a great movie, featuring a great cast: Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, Woody Harrelson, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones, John C. Reilly, Lindsay Lohan, L.Q. Jones, Maya Rudolph, Marylouise Burke, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Tom Keith, The Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band and a list of others, directed by Robert Altman.

The man who made M•A•S•H and The Player, Nashville and The Long Goodbye, Dr. T and the Women (A very surprising film!) and The Company (Another surprising film written by Neve Campbell); probably the most idiosyncratic director of our time — who never won the Oscar for Best Director.

Robert Altman — A life time of art.

His 1970 hit M•A•S•H helped define the anti-war movement during the Vietnam era, The Long Goodbye (1973) was his first jab at mocking Hollywood, the industry and Nashville did the same for the music scene. Then there was The Player, the ultimate swipe at the motion picture industry and one of the five best films of the 1990’s — and probably why he didn’t win an Oscar for Best Director.

Altman died in Los Angeles November 20 and we will no longer look forward to his latest film. Altman’s focus in the film is on death or loss. One of APHC’s fictional characters dies in a dressing room, two sisters constantly speak of their departed sisters and mother, the future of APHC up in the air; it was as if Altman thought to say goodbye to his audience. I guess that’s all the reason to watch this film if you haven’t already. After reading the news of the day, I also wonder if he wasn’t making another comment on war, this one far more subtle than M*A*S*H. Something more to ponder.

Robert Altman was a veteran of World War II, a co-pilot on bombing missions over Borneo and the Dutch East Indies, this contribution to our lives always over-looked when considering the full measure of the man. And I always suspect this shaped his view of war and made him always questions the reasons for war.

The Altman family was missing someone this Thanksgiving too. He, like my brother, was a good man.

Labour’s Love Lost

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 09:49:57 -0600

Samuel Gompers
Founder of the AFL
Father of
Organized Labor

Today is Labor Day, the holiday created by labor unions to commemorate the men and women who give their blood and sweat to the nation’s great edifice — commerce.

Samuel Gompers, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), said Labor Day: “...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."

Peter J. McGuire, another co-founder of the AFL, said we should honor the working people, “… who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”

During my childhood years, there were parades and a lot of speeches. My dad had a day off from work, the first Monday of September, as it is today. Again, this year, we will have a lot of speeches, principally from politicians who have played a great part in the destruction of the Middle Class and the decline of America’s labor unions.

On the web site for the U.S. Department of Labor, they write: “It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.”

Yet, on that same web site, we can see the truth of where the American worker sits in today’s economy. More on that later.

On Sunday, September 3, 2006, the ABC news program This Week with George Stephanopoulos in a round table discussion featuring George Will, E.J. Dionne (Washington Post) and David Brooks (New York Times), Brooks and Will extolled the “virtues” of Wal-Mart and chastised Senator John Kerry and the Democrats for attacking the nation’s largest employer and the most popular store chain in the country.

Will told a story, enthusiastically (for George Will), of a Wal-Mart opening in suburban Chicago, Il that advertised for just over 300 jobs and getting about 25,000 applicants. “Americans love Wal-Mart,” he said. Dionne countered that it was the business practices of Wal-Mart that were suppressing wages in this country. Both Will and Brooks agreed that was the case, but better to have jobs than no jobs — and low prices!

The truth is, as we “compete” in this global economy, manufacturing jobs leave the United States for other countries, only to be replaced by lower-paying service industry jobs, like those of Wal-Mart. And that’s really the issue. More education isn’t the answer, which is always the stock reply when the topics of out-sourced jobs and depressed wages are discussed. How many college-educated people are working at Wal-Mart, or in the customer service departments of the nation’s businesses?

The Department of Labor keeps excellent statistics, some of which the president and the Republicans like to quote when trying to buttress their claims that the “economy is growing.” At the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we can access the records going back decades, but for the purposes of this column, let’s focus on the years of 2001 and 2005.

Farmers and ranchers, for instance, make less than $20.00 per hour, on average. Five years ago their average wage was $22.41. They have lost nearly $3.00 per hour since Bush and the Republicans took control of government, which translates to about $6,000.00 per year. And David Brooks and George Will think Wal-Mart and more education are the answer?

In 2001, the average janitor made $19,800.00 per year. In 2005, $18,580.00. That’s a drop of about $1,200.00 per year. According to the U.S. Census, the median wage for households where the breadwinners are younger than age 65 is down 5.4% from 2000.

Worse than the drop in salaries though is the number of higher-paying manufacturing that have been lost in the last five years. Bush supporters like to point out that there has been a net increase in the work force, but the increase is due to service industry employment, which pays significantly less than manufacturing.

Unions have been taking a big hit, ever since Ronald Reagan became president. Union haters like to claim it’s because of unions that jobs are going over seas. That’s absolutely untrue. Jobs go over seas because the Chinese, for instance, pay their average workers about 10% of the salaries U.S. workers make.

Back in the 1980’s — before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) — the place to export jobs was Mexico, specifically that zone just South of the U.S. border where U.S. companies and the wealthiest Mexican “industrialists” set up maquiladoras to exploit the cheap labor over there so the Mexican citizens didn’t have to break the law and enter the U.S. illegally. Former Wisconsin governor Patrick Lucey (Dem) worked as a paid “consultant” for Mexico — after his term as ambassador to Mexico — luring American companies into transferring their jobs, principally from Wisconsin and the Midwest, to Mexico’s maquiladoras.

With the disassembly of the U.S. unions, screwing the American worker got exceptionally easier. Unions — Labor — no longer had a strong position in the business of America. In fact, states began passing laws specifically designed to undercut unions, laws that would ban “closed shops” or passing “at will employment” laws which sounds like something good for employees, but actually gives very little to workers while giving business carte blanche in regards to employee salaries, benefits and most crucially, job security.

In California for instance, a non-union company can fire an employee for no reason and if the fired employee wants to pursue the matter in court, it’s up to that person to prove the company engaged in any bias when the employee was fired. Good luck.

Then, President Bush (41) and many politicians on both sides of the aisle lobbied hard for NAFTA and eventually President Clinton signed the “treaty” into law. NAFTA has done nothing to secure the American workplace, including the farms that now employ hundreds of thousands of undocumented, migrant workers. With cheap produce coming into American grocery stores from places like Chile and Argentina, thanks to NAFTA, the farms that once comprised California’s San Joaquin Valley are quickly becoming developments for houses, condominiums and strip malls.

Back in the early 1990’s, General Dynamics just up and sold a large piece of its business, much of which was based here in San Diego, putting about 50,000 San Diegans out of work. The condominium complex where I live began sporting “For Sale” signs and more and more owners began moving out, to places outside of California, renting their condos to people like me because trying to sell them was difficult. The economic impact has been devastating. Biotech firms have been popping up, filling some of the void, but the vast majority of those lost jobs have been replaced by lower-paying service industry jobs.

And of course, the cost of living in San Diego has, like the rest of California, skyrocketed. So, if you’re making $35,000.00 per year … that’s not such a good wage anymore. You couldn’t buy a home on that income and probably couldn’t keep your home, which would require yet another income which means working more hours to keep pace with where you were at 15 years ago.

One other statistic provided by the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is our standing in global wages and quality of life. In Germany, workers put in on average 37.5 hours per week. American workers are about 50% higher. And we get paid less for our efforts, have less vacation time and higher health care costs, in other words, we aren’t doing as well physically as our European counterparts. We are a fat nation. We have less time for artistic pursuits, less time for physical activity, less time to spend at leisure with our families, all because we — American Labor — are working harder and longer so we don’t lose economic ground as fast as would happen if we maintained the old paradigm of a single paycheck household.

Quality of life is higher throughout Western Europe and parts of Eastern Europe are getting better than the United States. In a study conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, cities around the world were ranked for their quality of life. Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland ranked highest, one and two respectively. No U.S. cities were even in the top 25, although Honolulu made the list at 27. Europe, Canada and Australia dominate the top of the list.

Many reasons can be cited for this, but high on the list would be the decline of the American Worker. As employees, we no longer have as much value to employers who can replace us by shipping our jobs to China, India or Indonesia — or even to the Northern Marianas, where companies can legally set up sweat shops and turn young women into sexual slaves all on American soil.

Thanks to investigations into the activities of Tom Delay and Jack Abramoff, we now know the Northern Marianas is the place to go if you don’t want to be accused of exporting American jobs!

These are the issues on Labor Day. What has our federal government done for the American worker lately? Nothing really. Congress can’t even pass a minimum wage bill. Which is why we need a change in Washington. Big business is getting all the breaks, including laws that reward companies for shipping their jobs to places like China and the Northern Marianas.

We need people in Congress who will speak for the rest of us, those of us who need three-incomes to survive in today’s economy; those of us who pay a high price when it comes to taxes — all taxes, not just income tax — those of us who are wondering when we will be fired or laid off because our jobs will be going elsewhere. Those of us for whom a minimum wage isn’t an abstract social idea — it’s a painful reality.

Just 25 years ago $10.00 per hour was a decent wage, now it’s below poverty level and yet, for non-union and service industry jobs, that seems to be the top end of the normal starting wage.

Are you happier and better off today than you were five years ago? Never mind the homeland security issues, just the basic quality of life. If you’re like 75% of this country, the answer is no.

Enjoy your day off — if you’re lucky enough to get it. Have a Happy Labor Day.

Memorial Day

nospam@example.com (Tim Forkes) — Mon, 29 May 2006 06:49:56 -0600

Memorial Day, 2005, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Today is Memorial Day.

When I was little I vaguely knew the holiday had something to do with “patriotism,” whatever that meant to a young mind. There was a parade that went down Oklahoma Ave on the Southside of Milwaukee and we could listen to the Indianapolis 500 on the radio. Our next-door neighbor, Bob “Old Man” Otto always worked in his yard or garage and had the race tuned in so I would sit in the backyard listening, wishing I could be there at the Brickyard.

The parade is gone, although Milwaukee has one parade that goes from Downtown to Veteran’s Park on the East Side. And the race is run on the Sunday before the holiday … oh yes, and the holiday was changed to accommodate business and moved from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

Changing the day isn’t such a bad thing; we still honor those who have given their “last full measure of devotion,” but for many Americans — too many, maybe — it’s a three-day weekend to park the RV close to a body of water and enjoy the blessings of summer. That’s what freedom means in this country, to some extent. The right to do with our time what we choose, not mandated to attend parades or memorial services. So, I’ll shelve the judgment, as much as can be expected, and continue on.

Memorial Day came into existence 140 years ago when the citizens of Waterloo, NY, decided to commemorate the Civil War dead with ceremonies at the local cemeteries. The idea came from the town druggist, Henry C. Welles. On May 5, 1865, the first observance of Memorial Day was held. At the time it was called “Decoration Day” because the citizens decorated the graves of the fallen soldiers with flowers, wreathes and flags.

The first official observance came two years later when General John A. Logan, the Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued “General Order Number 11” designating May 30 as Decoration Day.

Now, Waterloo, NY is officially recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Should you ever visit, there is a Memorial Day museum on Main Street you might want to visit. For many years, the Southern States observed their own Confederate Memorial Days (each state had different days), since the original Memorial Day was meant to honor Union soldiers. Now we honor all our fallen military.

The name wasn’t officially changed to “Memorial Day” until 1967, although it came into widespread use right after World War II. In 1968 congress passed the “Uniform Holidays Bill” which changed four federal holidays from their original dates to various coinciding Mondays.

Several groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars have advocated changing back to the original date, May 30, expressing the belief that turning the holiday into a convenient three-day weekend diminished the meaning and purpose of the holiday. Every year, since 1999, Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii has introduced measures that would make that change.

Regardless, today there will be thousands of memorial services at the cemeteries and monuments around the Nation. Here in San Diego we will have several memorials. My intention will be to attend the service held at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma, a site that overlooks both San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. We will honor all those from every war and conflict, including the current battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan so we will always remember that sacrifice — real sacrifice — is borne by the few for the benefit of all.

So, should you share a bottle of wine today in commemoration of a loved one who served, don’t forget to spill a glassful for those who cannot be with us on this day.

Semper Fi.