WHAT NOW? GAME’S ON!

December, 2012

Presidio Sentinel San Diego

By Inga, Humor Columnist, La Jolla Light & Laura Walcher, Humor Columnist, Presidio Sentinel

Inga:  At the San Diego Press Club Journalism Awards in 2010, the first year that my column in the La Jolla Light was eligible, I won second place in the Humor division after Laura Walcher, who writes for the Presidio Sentinel.  Sensing (correctly) that she would continue to be my chief competition, I hunted her down, er, looked her up, and invited her for coffee.  Annoyingly, she was incredibly nice, and as she had been in the column biz a lot longer than I had, even shared some hot tips. 

Laura: Uh-oh.  I was only “nice” to disguise my cut-throat competitive nature.  I’m hoping she really embraces my long-discarded tips.   

Inga:  We put each other on our distribution lists.  This was not altogether a great idea.  One of Laura’s pieces would show up in my In-box and I’d laugh myself silly, followed by a sober realization:  Dang!  I just lost again!  And sure enough, in 2011, she was again first and I was (again) second!  Was I simply going to have to outlive her to ever get first?   Now, I suppose I should have been happy with second, but I’m a veteran of many years of youth sports.  Second is the first loser. 

Laura:  “First” is SO my favorite!   If you’re going to win first, best that you boot some super contender - that’s so satisfying!

Inga: Our Awards are judged by a Press Club  in another city to avoid all the ugly politics that are rampant in, well, politics. 

Laura’s style couldn’t be more different than mine, definitely more high brow.  I feared that some stuffy Press Club with pretentions, like San Francisco, was probably judging ours (I don’t think they even HAVE a Humor category) and I was doomed in perpetuity.  The awards committee won’t reveal which Club does the judging, probably to avoid the potential of mail bombs from people who come in second (not mentioning any names).  But surely Arkansas has a press club?  I could totally take Laura down.

Laura: I am SO excited.  “High brow” is

just not a word that normally describes me ...?  Must be my New York City origins?  Or, Inga just has more courage: she sends up her neighbors, friends, family, pets SO high …  mine would stop talking to me altogether. Besides, mine provide less “material” all the time; now that my grand-chldren are teenagers, they’re just NOT THAT FUNNY ANYMORE. 

Inga:  Fortunately, the kids live out of town and Olof is simply resigned to being fodder.  The neighbor whose sex life I wrote about used it to pimp dates.  The pets have retained counsel.

Laura:  The thing we have in common, though, is that we never write fiction.  Life provides. What worries me, though, is that, one of these days, she could have better material - I mean, just TAKE Olof, her husband; he’s such a source ... (“Olof” - ?  Hmm, to preserve the marriage, that name might be “fiction.”)

Inga:  October 23 was the 2012 Press Club awards, and Laura was one of the first people I saw when I got there. I thought I had some strong contenders (the Humor category is judged on individual columns) but so did she.  This year, I got first and she got second.  I figured that if I couldn’t be a gracious loser, I could at least be a gracious winner.  I gave her my heartiest congratulations. 

Laura:  Well, per chronology, she could outlive me.  Then, she can try all my tricks?  But now, she’s finally made a serious impression on journalism judges, probably because this year’s panels have no sense of humor. 

Inga:  As for the 2013 Press Club awards?  Game’s on! ###

WHAT NOW? THE SPORTin’ LIfe

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, November 2012

By Laura Walcher

When attorney Jerry Harris is on your side, challenges are met, growth is guaranteed. Five years ago, he turned his considerable legal ability and passion to the development of “SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes” (S4EA, or SPORTS) – fueled in no small part by his own developmentally disabled sister, and his family’s dedication to social and public service. “I think a measure of our society, “ he states, “is how we treat our disabled and disadvantaged. “

We talked about SPORTS:

LW:   You helped found and fund S4EA? What compelled you to take an interest  - ? 

JH:  I was born and raised in San Diego.  I remember when there were cows in Mission Valley!  My 90-year old father set a great example for we five kids.  He was always involved in our activities:  president of the Little League or Indian Guides –also, various charities and politics.  I practiced with him as an attorney for 10 years, until he retired.    I was a founding member of the San Diego Mediation Center (now the National Conflict Resolution Center) in 1990, and eventually executive director for a year.  Recently, I was president of the San Diego Table Tennis association; now, I’m Chairman of Balboa Park/Morley Field Recreation Committee.

I’ve been involved in the developmentally disabled community my whole life! When my sister was born, doctors recommended that she be institutionalized.   My parents disagreed and raised her as any other child.  She worked for City Schools for 20 years, today lives independently (with some assistance) and owns her own condominium.

I began working in Special Olympics in the late seventies - coaching and helping run tournaments . When Special Olympics became nationally focused as a fund-raising – instead of a service – organization, I joined with an energized group of parents, volunteers and staff to create S4EA. We had corporate support from Qualcomm, SDGE and Home Depot, Rotary and Kiwanis, plus, importantly, a few individual donors and foundations..

S4EA was formed because, with great energy and vision, parents wanted a local group to oversee activities for the developmentally disabled – our ‘special athletes.’  Now, more than 1400 athletes participate in more than 20 sports, plus social and recreational activities.  Our athletes look forward to these with great anticipation; they comprise a significant component of their lives.

LW: Who were (and are) your compatriots in its inception? What role do you fulfill now?

JH:   Walter Jackson is the executive director and has worked with Special Athletes for more than four decades. Clara Downes is Associate Director.   Many of the original board members who had relatives in the programs or worked in the industry still support the organization.   Today our board has greater reach into the community and greater access to financial resources. I’m Chairman of the Advisory board.  My job is to bring resources, skills and attention to the organization.

LW:  What ‘hole’ did you fill in the lives of those who benefit from your activities/services?

JH:  Our athletes enjoy the excitement of participating in group and sports events, and benefit by   opportunities to develop social and personal skills, which translates to other facets of their lives.  Floor hockey practice, for instance, is where you get to see your friends, gain fitness and get to compete like everyone else! The skills they develop through SPORTS helps them transition to involvement in the community – i.e. other civic activities, often jobs. 

LW:  Who are the athletic instructors working with you?  Volunteers?

If someone were interested in helping, do they need athletic credentials?

JH:  Our volunteers are screened; we ask them to make regular and substantial commitment.  They join celebrity supporters - like Bill Walton and Monique Henderson!  Volunteers don’t  need any specific skills -  although a knowledge of some sports is helpful.  We need people that can commit to at least one practice a week for 10 weeks.  Some of our volunteers have been around for decades! 

LW:  Give us a few examples of a) the typical person you serve?

JH:  Typically, that person is in their 20's or 30's, tho’ we have kids as young as five and adults in their 70's!  Everyone may participate - including the siblings and friends of the athletes.  About 10-20% of our participants are not disabled.  We want everyone to be able to play together.

For instance, Joey and Tommy are brothers; they  both have Down Syndrome and developmental disabilities. Soon, they’ll be able to compete together with their sister Nicole, in floor hockey, flag football and volleyball.   This winter, Joey will be able to go cross country skiing.  Tommy has gained the confidence needed to be a valued employee at Lindberg Schweitzer Elementary School.  Joey has finished school and is just beginning a work training program.  For many of our athletes, S4EA is their only social and sports outlet.

LW: I presume your athletes age-out at some point.  Have you followed any to assess the program’s impact on them, longer term?

JH:  No one ages out of SPORT!  Some athletes have been playing together for more than 20 years.  I’ve known Ian Rey (pictured)  since he was born  - 30 years ago!  He works at Sprouts  and participates in dozens of our activities.  He plays floor hockey, basketball and volleyball.  He has friends that he has developed over more than two decades. SPORTS helps keep him active and healthy. 

LW:   How are you funded?  What’s in it for a modest – or even generous - philanthropist?

JH:   We’re funded by personal donations, corporate contributions and fund raisers – mainly,     ‘Taste of SPORTS’ and the ‘Guacamole Bowl.’  Any donor can be satisfied that their gift will be multiplied by many donated hours and will provide meaningful activities to a population with very little control over their lives.

LW:   You’ve got an event coming up this month?

JH: Yes!  Our next fundraiser is ‘Band Together’ (www.bandtogethersd.com)., Friday, November 16,  8:30 p.m. at Tio Leo’s  (5302 Napa St., 92110).   Musicians from five different bands are going to play, and all proceeds will benefit S4EA.  This concept has worked well on the east coast and raises thousands of dollars for non-profits.  Please join us!

 (www.S4EA.org). ###

What Now? The Sillies, or the Willies

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, October 2012

What Now? The Sillies, or the Willies

by Laura Walcher

Leonard Cohen: I forget to pray for the angels, and the angels forget to pray for us …

Item:  I’ve already attempted to diagnose Barney, our Cairn Terrier’s evil obsession with the parking meter scooters – or their drivers? -  but sadly, I continue to fail in this mission. Yet I have stopped fretting about it, even if this powerful little dog nearly pulls my arm off and would gladly fly into heavy traffic just to kill one.

But, it’s turned out - I think  - that diversion may be the solution, per Barney’s highly expressive attitude after a particularly dramatic episode.

My interpretation: “I was so furious the minute we got outside ‘cause there was the parking meter guy and I had my total fit but right in the middle of it I smelled a snack on the sidewalk so I stopped my fit to eat it then I continued my fit and then I choked.” 

Maybe retribution, instead of diversion, is the ticket.  Keep you posted. 

Item: We think every competition should have a booby prize. Like the “onion” in our own American Institute of Architects’ “Orchids & Onions” awards. Not only do these inspire better work, or better behavior – even if only in fear of being recipients – but it’s … fun. So we’re thinking the Navy should design one for their Sub-Skipper Commander Michael P. Ward II, who faked his death in order to end his extra-marital affair. Instead, they merely kicked him out of the service, or court-martialed him. Effective, I guess, but no fun.

Item: In Iran, two young women beat up a cleric who berated one for not sufficiently covering up in public. The battered cleric landed in the hospital. We don’t yet know whether the cleric has learned his lesson. “They told me to just cover up my eyes,” protests he. He didn’t sue: he only cares, he says, that women adhere to the laws of Islamic hijab (the veil worn to cover women in the presence of non-related adult males). Anyway, says CNN, he is expected to survive.

Item:  Salman Rushdie. The good news: PR works!  Where haven’t you read about him, or seen/heard him interviewed? His new memoir, “Joseph Anton” (which we’ll get back to in a sec) relives the years of the “fatwa” that descended upon him by The Ayatollah Khomeini because of his “Satanic Verses,” considered to be insulting to Islam.  Well, publicity is good, and the reviews have been impressive and sales are soaring. Uh-oh! Has he invited yet another fatwa? We’re not aware that radical Islam has become less extreme.

(“ Joseph Anton”: Mr. Rushdie has used the first names of Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov, his pseudonyms while enduring the fatwa.) 

Item:  the fine, spine print. Unlike Salman Rushdie, this is one you could’ve missed; that’s why I’m such a value to my readers. The not-even-1/8-of-an-inch spine of a slim summer issue of Pacific Magazine carries this message: “I don’t know what’s more embarrassing in this country – that Michael Phelps fell from the graces for smoking marijuana or that you looked up to a swimmer in the first place.” Quotes comic Danial Tosh, Publisher Perloff must be one heck-of-a-fan.

Leonard Cohen:  “It’s time we began to laugh and cry…and cry and laugh about it … all again.” 

ANYONE OUT THERE ...?

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, September 2012

By Laura Walcher

   I don’t really worry THAT much about whether any of you are devoted readers of my (occasionally) semi-brilliant columns. Such fretting would be such a burden; as any columnist knows, it’s quite enough to figure what to write about, than to pine over the size of one’s readership. 

Still, I can’t help but be thrilled - THRILLED – when up popped my international readership:

United States - 3038

Russia - 52

United Kingdom - 41

Germany - 28

Malaysia -27

Israel- 26

Mexico - 24

Latvia -12

Slovenia -11

France - 10

Latvia - 2

Canada -7

Who knew I could be big in Britain?  Of course!  I was there once.  Who knew the Russians SO love my stuff? Their country is half my heritage!  Readers!  Embrace me!

Has there ever been an interview with a prolific or famous author wherein he/she does not say “I love to write?”  It’s a lie.  What writers mean is, we “love to be read!” 

This is historic.  Mark Twain dedicated his first book to “John Smith,” an everyman name, in the hope of attracting more readers. (You get this, don’t you?)

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro published his six-hour speeches, but even under threat of imprisonment (or worse) for not reading them,

his hapless subjects took the risk. Craving an audience, he switched to haikus. 

We writers today just don’t like anonymity.  At most, said Robert McCrum in NewsWeek, “publishing anonymously is only an emotional game, designed to tease.” (The Story of O?)  He cites Shakespeare, Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters, George Eliot among others, who, a few centuries ago, published their work anonymously.  But then, you could get drawn, quartered, ex-communicated, hung for your craft.  Today -  at least in America -  the worst is to be … ignored. (Singapore, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Thailand are just a few countries that still imprison their writers!)

It’s possible I take this whole attention thing too seriously.

“I write because … I like to eat,” says sportswriter Barry Bloom, among the miniscule number of writers who actually make a living at it. (mlb.com) 

 Mimi Brodsky-Chenfeld writes for teachers and children. If she hadn’t fallen in love with Jo March (Little Women, Little Men), who scribbled away about everything in life – she herself might not even

be a writer today. “Without  my words places, people, names,  plots, my random thoughts would  be lost!. “she says.

But who, exactly, would miss them?  Ouch.

Yes, when Louisa May Alcott was writing, people took time to read.

Now, David Carr (NY Times), noted the “Web’s ferocious appetite for content – you are only as visible as your last post.”

It’s not that writing is easy work. Sighs  Peter Jensen,: " ‘Writing’ implies opening one's veins with Mont Blanc’s  Meisterstuck fountain pen.”

That’s the problem; we labor so long, so hard over every word, nuance, direction, we feel we’ve earned -   indeed, we hunger for your attention. 

There are limited exceptions.  Allan Retsky has been an international commodities trader; now he writes fiction.  His  “Vanished in the Dunes; A Hamptons Mystery,” is newly published (Oceanview Publishing).  But go figure. e hasn’t He He offers me not one word about craving to be read; an unusually balanced writer:   

 “ “Writing provides a rejuvination process that rekindles creative juices,” he opines.. “It's exciting to create your own world… but the bigger high comes from the journey.”

I don’t begrudge him his lack of need for attention, so go ahead, buy his book.

 But only after you’ve read all my columns. . ###

August 2012Presidio Sentinel San Diego

WHAT NOW? Vinole’s Horn: It’s A Blast!By Laura Walcher

REY VINOLE, master trumpet player and teacher, taught dozens of San Diego musicians as he launched and led the Mission Bay High School Jazz Band for 26 years. To his credit, it's still going strong under the direction of Jean Paul Balmat, the school’s Music Director, and one of Vinole's former students. 

Vinole’s a man who doesn’t miss a beat:  with his swing band today, he's routinely on the road, playing horse-shows, Twilight in the Park, Concerts on the Green ... and, as an adjunct professor with community colleges here, he conducts workshops for aspiring musicians.

His irrepressible personality makes the man fun to play with - fun to write about:

LW:  So, Rey, the first thing we want to know is your secret:  you just turned 72, your good-looking head of hair is white, you’ve been tooting that horn for decades – and c’mon, you’re still kind’ve a … kid!? 

RV:  Life is a gift!   I begin the day by going to Mass.  I love my wife Caroline, children, friends, and students... throwing the football, making music! Playing jokes on everyone keeps me young at heart!  Laughter is great therapy for ... well, everything!

LW:  The city’s musicians – many are still at it! – rave about their experience with you as teacher. Do you have a secret there, too?   

RV:  Well, I love to teach... I love to perform and learn from my musician friends and students. I hope that’s infectious!

LW:  Give us a little personal history:  Why the trumpet? When did you know you’d be a life-long musician?  Your “gigs” before you turned to teaching? 

RV:  I was born in San Diego in Little Italy Dec. 8, 1939. At 13, a friend of mine owned a trumpet and I asked him if I could try it.  I played one note -  and that did it!  I joined the Pacific Beach High School band in 1954; Ozzie’s Marching Band in 1955; Playboys Rock Band, 1953. Then, Mission Bay High School Band, class of ‘58; four years of the U. S. Navy Band through ‘62;  Chargers Band in the 60's and my Rock band, The PROPHET$, in  1963. I recorded with Gary Puckett, and worked with Lou Rawls, the Supremes & the Temptations.

MY B.A. and  Masters are from the University of Arizona. I became the Band Director at Morse High, 1969-74, then to Mission Bay HS, where I stayed ‘til 2000.

I directed and/or produced over 40 musicals, and acted in  1980's television: "The Lassie Show", "Harry and the Hendersons", "Space" and in the movie "Man Without a World."  From 1974 ‘til now, I’ve been an Adjunct Music Professor in the San Diego Community Colleges.

LW:   You play “The Great American Songbook,” Dixieland, jazz, show tunes.  Hardly what kids are into  today?  What do you think of “contemporary” popular music? 

RV:  Well, I love any music that makes me want to perform/listen/dance - but,  I’m not a fan of x-rated hip-hop, rap…

LW: What musicians have inspired you the most? 

RV:  The current/past members of my Swing Band/Horse show orchestra, for starters! But Louis Armstrong probably inspired me the most. Tony Bennett said, "The bottom line of any country is, what did we contribute to the world?  We contributed Louis Armstrong!"

   

LW:  Playing the horse shows has to be the most fun.  Challenging? Do you make the horses dance? 

RV: True: horse Shows are my favorite... Three - five hour shows! We play 80-90 arrangements including, pop, rock, jazz, Latin, marches and show tunes... 

LW: You recently composed a new number, that has a very inspiring source…? 

RV:   I wrote “Sofia Angelina” for our new grand-daughter, and we debuted it at this year’s Del Mar Fair.  We’ll  record and play it for her this Christmas... 

LW: You’ve got three sons and a daughter – but you’re going to confuse us with “Rey” and “Ray,” right?  Are  your kids musical?  How does your wife put up with all that?

RV: At 39, Rey III is very talented and can throw the football very far but not as far as his father… Raymond - also 39, can’t throw at all, but  is still the family’s best athlete...  just ask him! Anthony. 29, and I love to hide and scare each other... That’s the reason we dye our hair – (oh, but I’ve stopped! Who knows what’ll happen now!) Our daughter Michele and husband Steve, and our newest Sofia Angelina -  that’s a thrill -  a game changer.

LW: OK, are you going to get serious here?

RV:  Caroline’s our cheerleader... It is not easy living with a trumpet player who can easily play too loud!  Rey III plays woodwinds and has performed at Caesar’s and many other Las Vegas, LA, and San Diego venues.  He's the former CEO of High Roller Limousine.  Raymond is on Team USA for Dragon Boat Racing and will be competing in Milan in August for the World Championship title; he’s also producing the first “Miss Gaslamp Beauty Contest” late summer, definitely versatile! Anthony was a drummer for the MBHS Dixie band.  He's currently a Plant Manager and Chemical Technician for Eco Building Products.  Our daughter, Michele, is a Delta flight attendant and the mother of little Sofia Angelina. All my kids performed with me at Mission Bay!

LW:  Here’s a teaching question:  what was your point in having your adult class play about ten full minutes of “China Town?” You know once through would be enough!            

RV:  Playing in a band is not all fun and games.  To improve, you must do the work; team work, helping each other to be the best you can be. I wanted each musician to stretch, both imagination and ability, to make every new round of that number better than the one before. I think it worked!   

LW: Do you have any advice for today’s high-school music teachers?

RV: Teaching is a gift! Prepare. Care, and the rest will come....

LW: Do you still practice? 

RV: I practice almost every day. If I miss one day, I know it; miss two days -  then everybody knows it!   ###

What Now? Rude, Scurrilous, Insulting. So What Else is New?

What Now?Rude, Scurrilous, Insulting.  So What Else is New?

By Laura Walcher

When Rahm Emannuel, the supremely un-shy White House

Chief of staff, described some colleagues as “retarded,” his apology, while … declarative, was widely considered as highly insincere, and didn’t get nearly the ink and air that the insult

drew.

And, that, friends, is how things are these days.

Or not.

Rosemarie Ostler has produced a handy book of

insults for our reading pleasure, called “Slinging Mud.

Rude Nicknames, Scurrilous Slogans and Insulting Slang …from Two Centuries of American Politics.” Given the abundance of material, I’d guess that Ms. Ostler either undertook a most daunting research project or has become perpetually depressed.

Andrew Jackson probably drew as much oppositional ire in running for president (1828), she reports, than any ‘til then.  The collection of mud included his “irreligious lifestyle,” his possibly being “over-educated,” (whoa, that hurts.  Maybe they meant “out of touch with middle America.”)  alleged “youthful indiscretions,” which included “duels, brawls and shoot-outs.” 

Can Mitt compete with that? 

“Nothing personal,” said former President Jimmy Carter when he called the Bush administration, “the worst in history.” 

D’you think Mitt, who seems  reluctant to say anything definitive about anything or anyone,  may have the right idea? The less mud you sling, the fewer counter-attacks you invite?

Not then. Not now.  Today

even the absence of decisive opinion could be Twitter’s most tweeted observation, to say nothing of MSNBC’s raging harangues, hanging Mitt out to dry.

Remember this?  “I knew Jack Kennedy.  Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.” Poor Dan Quayle, as if he didn’t have enough problems in 1988, nearly crumbled at Lloyd Bentsen’s attack.  By now, we’ve 

heard that, read that, innumerable times.

You’ll recall that when, in discussion about what he considered the Republicans’ wrong-minded ideas for change, President Obama said,  “You can put lipstick on a pig.  It’s still a pig.”

You couldn’t get away with that in the mid-1800’s – and clearly

can’t get away with it now. Although the expression is a time-honored idiom, Senator McCain, along with a cast of Republican thousands, shrieked that Obama had called Ms. Palin a  “pig.”

(Sarah, of course, had started it earlier, when she told the convention that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull was lipstick.  Considering the furor, I’m willing to bet that

the President still groans at the episode, although it undoubtedly taught him to be more careful.)

Well, nobody said the slurs had to – or have to -  be true.

Where are the fact-checkers when you need ‘em?

I don’t mean to keep picking on Mitt, honest, but was it really necessary to get everyone in Cornwall riled up over 

his ridicule of “Wawa,” the town’s favorite

eatery? 

Not only are you reading this here (again!), but it’s become a popular bungle all over the web.  It hasn’t done him any good at all to explain, or complain (he was only kidding, jeez … ) or apologize.

(Actually, we have websites that specialize in apologies:

imsorry.com, perfectapology.com and others, but nobody

reads them.)

Mitt, take heart.  It’s been true for 200-plus years, and truer today than ever, as PepsiCo’s CEO Indra Nooyi,  in the wake of her own organizational difficulties, recently moaned, 

“… leadership is very difficult, especially in today’s world, where the media doesn’t take time to (really) understand you!” 

Never has. 

Still, I strongly advise all public and private persons to please, please, keep a civil tongue in your mouth. Not that even this excellent advice can’t go wrong. Like Herbert Hoover’s good intentions and the derision it elicited from Calvin Coolidge:  “That man has offered me unsolicited advice for the past six years -  all of it bad.”

It’s been in print ever since.

Ms. Ostler’s examples stop in 2008.  It’s time for a sequel.  ###

R-U DWT?

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, June 2012

By Laura Walcher

Here’s the short version:  a woman hears that a friend has suddenly died, and in haste and grief, she shoots off an email to the husband,

expressing her condolences, offering heartfelt help if needed, and signs off with … “LOL.”

Now, as any kid can tell you, “LOL, ” in

our mile-a-minute world of communication, does indeed not

mean “Lots Of Love.”  Though, indeed, it could.  It just

doesn’t.  Much to the poor lady’s horror, her own kid clued her in, and of course, that called for another fast apologetic email, and heaven knows what gaffes she made on that one. 

If I’ve left those of you living in caves, and therefore in the dark.

“LOL” in contemporary computer jargon, stands for ‘Laugh Out

Loud.” 

Ouch. 

In Newsweek, Robert J. Samuelson bemoaned the decline of the

comma.  It used to be common (not comma: common) in

long-accepted English,  yet is less and less likely to be found – even in its usual place, which is after an introductory prepositional phrase, or in sentences that begin with “Naturally, “ or “Amazingly,” and so on.  The comma helps us pause, catch our breath, he pines, noting that even that is a declining luxury.  We just don’t have time any more to stop for a comma.

We’d better get back to deep-breathing, lest we find ourselves living in isolation with only our “communication” devices to keep us warm.

I’m making an assumption that we actually might connect, given the amazing array of hardware now at our disposal.  I’m just about finished believing how convenient cell-phones are, and I can’t even fathom how willingly we accepted our pathetic means of connection when we “only” had  to search for a telephone or for some dimes for a public one, 

Back then, we were “DWT.”

Yet the burgeoning hardware industry has now led us to more tangled complications. In addition to remembering the essentials of my friends and colleagues (ie. their names), I now have to respect their particular, favorite type of communication – that is, the one to be used if I really want to talk or, heaven forbid, wish a response.  They have cell phones,of course; also,  their office phones and their home phones.  But wait!  Not necesssarily for talking:  despite their collection of phone, ‘phone’ people are usually the ones that insist on text-messaging. And, those

addicted to email often have several addresses there as well, and when you realize you’ve had no response, you’re forced to research the addresses you haven’t yet used. 

Advice:  try not to choose the one that goes routinely to SPAM.

If you really do  want to be heard, if you long to be noticed, here’s more advice:  whatever you’re thinking of saying to anybody,

no matter what, shorten your message; use fewer words.    We are charged to get our messages across in increasingly succinct mode, be it a tweet, a text, a status update or whatever becomes the newest short-hand communiqué. Even the long-respected “elevator pitch” has gone way before the now-preferred “escalator pitch,” as noted in “The Attention Economy,” by Thomas H. Davenport and John C. Beck: “… short enough to make when you’re on the up escalator and your funding prospect in on the down escalator, passing by.”

Whoops, I’m approaching TMI.  OMG, didn’t mean to stress you out here.

Yet, DTR, y‘know?  You can count on me to have your best interests in heart.  R-U DWT?

Bonus section, Vocabulary Lesson:

R-U DWT:  Are You  Down With That?

LOL:  Laugh Out Loud

TMI:  Too Much Information

OMG:  Oh My God

DTR:  Determine The Relationship

###

WHAT NOW? CLANDO CAN READ

PRESIDEO SENTINEL SAN DIEGO, MAY 2012

By Laura Walcher

      If you can read this, you’re ‘way ahead of the thousands of adults and children in our town who can’t.  Because they can’t, they either fake their way through their lives, or settle for minimum achievement – minimum opportunities; they never experience the pined-for successes they could actually achieve – if they could read.

   With his own grit and determination, and the support of the

San Diego Council on Literacy, Clando Brownlee beat all the odds.

   Overcoming, drugs, petty criminality and illiteracy, Clando today –he is  51 - is a productive  - read that “successful” businessman, community activist and family man.  One, I’d add, with a major dose of passion, a warm veneer of charm.  We talked: 

LW:  You were diagnosed as dyslexic at 19.  How did you manage to get along until then?

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CB:  I used skills like sports, dancing, singing - ! I had lots of friends around me;  I hid my disability. If I got cornered, I would pretend to be sleepy or claim a headache. But it eventually began to be noticed, that I would never read or write anything.  I actually lived a life of covering up fears and anxiety.   

LW: 2.  How did dyslexia affect your ability – not only to read, but

to function in all areas?

CB:  I couldn’t read – for starters.  I couldn’t drive (legally!), nor plan trips, give greeting cards, fill out an application. I was always  on pins & needles, working overtime to  try to mask my  disfunction!   I once asked a girl for her phone number; she included her address but I couldn’t read the street name!  I was always facing situations like that!

LW: How long was it before you could consider yourself functionally literate?  What was the most important help you had?

CB: I would say I started becoming functionally literate about six years after my diagnosis.

   My sister, Deborah, helped me  sound out words, and made me  lists of the words I couldn’t read -   they would be my ‘homework.” I understood basic math, though, and have an above average mechanical aptitude. Those helped me do well with tools & machines, so I actually could get and keep a decent job, but I knew I could do better one day! 

    I saw a flier from ‘San Diego Read,’ a program affiliated with the S.D. Literacy Council.   It said I could be tutored

through the organization.  They turned out to be the nicest, kindest  people I’d met in quite a while!  I had three tutors, but the most memorable was John Yevttich, an engineer. We clicked on  technical issues, and he was also knowledgeable about stocks & bonds,  one of my greatest interests. 

LW:  Clearly, today, you are a reader, and a passionate contributor to our community!  Your resume is impressive; give us some sense of the issues most important to you?

CB: First, my faith (note: Clando describes himself as a “new testament believer”)!  Then, the sustainability of the planet, and the community; they all tie together! I truly fill a seemingly ‘divine’ call to ‘Environmental Stewardship.’ For the last nine years I’ve been preaching & teaching reduce, reuse, recycle; for the last two years I’ve focused on electronic recycling, or  ‘E-waste.’  Thru our E-waste events we’ve diverted hundreds,  thousands of pounds of toxicants away from the local landfills -  and the best part is that the events serve as fundraisers for our charities,  such as Chelsea’s Light Foundation and the  S. D.  Children’s Coalition. On  May 5^th   I’ll be hosting a E-waste fundraiser for the S. D. Council on Literacy!

LW:  You and your wife own and operate “Shirley’s Tender Loving Daycare, “ for children – but that’s hardly all you

do! 

CB: Well, I’m pretty proud of launching The S. D.  Brotherhood Lions Club, the first African-American club in the State!  I also co-formed the San Diego Children’s Day Celebration, and I’m the founder and CEO of Kool Climate Kids.

   I was also thrilled when Mayor Ron Morison signed a proclamation honoring our California Recycling Days Initiative.

LW:  “Eat. Drink.Read. A Culinary Event for Literacy” is Wednesday, May 16, and I know you’ll be there.  We expect a dozen wonderful Chefs, food, drink  –  but you’ll be the inspiration for focusing our attention on the 440,000 adults and children here who can’t read.    Give us a preview of what you’ll tell us? 

CB:  We all have choices.  And what we do with those really helps determine our future.  It took me a long time to make the right ones; I was always apprehensive, let down, embarrassed – all of

that and more!  I’ll tell everyone what I finally know:  push past obstacles, take chances, make the choices that ensure a better life!

“EAT.DRINK.READ. A Culinary Event for Literacy”

              www.eatdrinkread.com

WHAT NOW?  HACK ME NOT!

By Laura Walcher

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, March 2012

No wonder Julian Assange took a talk-show host job. Given that hacking’s not what it used to be, the master’s career was probably in serious decline. If he weren’t booted out of the game by the authorities, by now his gig’s pretty far gone, anyway, taken over by … the times.  

By which I mean, a matter of minutes. 

There’s just diminished need for hacking any more; Facebook, Twitter or your own favorite site, exposes our every thought (“I had orange juice with breakfast!”) rendering obsolete the formerly serious problem of hacking. 

Yes, you may now know everything in the world there is to know.

Whether you want to know it or not. I, however, could live without that inside look at Ahna Tessler nursing her newborn twins.  That’s what the website “Funny or Die,” thought, too, when they initially took it down.  “Spam,” they thought, sillily.  Never mind: after high and low level discussions, it’s up for our viewing pleasure.

And young Charlie’s dad, of the U-Tube video, “Charlie Bit My Finger” – must have forgotten this incredible communications power:  he’s still harrumphing over the 417. 6 million-plus who’ve seen his 56-second film – way, way past what he “intended” :  to share it with only one good friend. The experience should inspire him to keep his hands in his pockets. 

I, myself, have decided to accelerate the demise of hacking, so to offset your deep concern, herewith fascinating secrets about me - ones you’ve  really longed to know:

- My white streak’s the real part.  (I don’t mind telling you this, as I realize it’s a subject of deep public curiousity. It alone can be the target of hacking.) 

- I recycle. (Everything. Somebody – and often I, too - want it.)

- I never use recipes.  (As far as I know, I haven’t poisoned anyone. Yet.)

-I wash all my laundry in cold water. 

(I’m not exactly digging ditches, y’know?)

- I invent some of the information in my columns.  (Some website or another will let me know when I get it wrong … )

- I play my flute a lot, but I hardly ever “practice.”  (OK, maybe

it shows …)

- I’m a techno-moron (the key value of hangin’ with

Bob Walcher, the techno-genius)

= I’ve failed to “get” Facebook and other really important social media sites (If, in fact, you actually find me there, refer to previous item …)

- I have a secret shrink.  (Hard to think of anything else when you’re swimming laps …)

- I  shop only sales or use coupons. (Hey, frugal’s not

the same as cheap.)

Any day now, I’d be willing to bet that Mr. Murdoch and his

army of hackers, rather than pay fines or go to jail, will be merely considered ho-hum meddlers, newly informed of any enemy’s activities by just being “friended” on Facebook. 

Today, the entire FBI file on Steve Jobs is “up” for our reading pleasure;  the FBI released it themselves, probably depriving Julian A. of yet another satisfying challenge.

But for society’s sake, there’s undoubtedly even more about Steve

we must know, and we might need the last-standing hackers to find it. 

But I, at least, am safe., You now know everything there is to tell about me, so please, Hack Me Not.  ###

Peacemaker Awards

Laura Walcher | February 1, 2012 |

Presidio Sentinel

On Thursday, February 16, the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) will present its 24^th Annual Peacemaker Awards.  We Talked with Steven P. Dinkin, NCRC’s president.

LW:  This is Peacemaker’s 24^th year!  What inspired Peacemaker? How has it changed over the years?

SD:  NCRC’s Peacemaker Awards promotes the concept and the possibility of resolving conflict through dialogue and collaboration. The first awards were presented at a small gathering at the CalWestern School of Law. This year, awards will be held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines with an anticipated audience of more than 500. Since 2005, the event has included national honorees, plus local honorees. Peacemaker continues to serve as a beacon of hope, and a reminder that peace can be achieved by each one of us in our everyday lives.

David Gergen

LW:  On February 16, you’ll host David Gergen as NCRC’s national honoree – and keynote speaker? 


SD: David Gergen has worked on both sides of the aisle, as a senior advisor to both Republican and Democratic Administrations. He is a professor of Public Service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, where part of the mission is to train enlightened public leaders throughout the world. Gergen has a sense of urgency about the need for civility, tolerance and for Americans to summon the courage and goodwill to stand together.

LW: The TranscenDANCE Youth Arts Project – the local Peacemaker honoree  – provides training in the arts, surely an exemplary undertaking – but how does this activity dovetail with peacemaking?

SD: Honoring transcenDANCE challenges us to expand our thinking of what constitutes peacemaking. TranscenDANCE uses the arts as an effective vehicle for mobilizing and empowering youth to overcome conflict within themselves, differences among themselves, and to work to promote social change in their communities. The company believes that art is not only a privilege but a necessity of life. As one transcenDANCE board members said, when conflict occurs, often individuals become paralyzed. These students are learning that dance is  a vehicle for learning how to communicate effectively, in an effort to overcome lives filled with conflict.

LW:   What are the criteria for earning a Peacemaker Award?

SD: Recipients must have initiated or completed the activities for which they are being honored during the year prior to the award. They are people who go above and beyond their job descriptions, in the name of collaborative efforts consistent with mediation principles, specifically promoting peace and/or preventing violence. These activities stimulate expanded thinking about peacemaking and often impact numerous people.  And, possibly most importantly, their efforts inspire others to work towards peace in their own lives.

LW:  What impact do you think the awards have had on the awardees, and on NCRC?

SD: Receiving an unsolicited Peacemaker Award is both a humbling and empowering experience. While Peacemakers are not motivated by the possibility of receiving an award, the award does provide well-deserved recognition and seems to have an encouraging and inspirational impact. It provides an opportunity for communities to learn about their  heroes, and through acknowledging the work and the individual, allows that person to become a role model and an inspiration.

One example is Abdiweli Heibeh, a Somali San Diego police officer.  He became an police officer to help refugees by serving as a bridge to better cooperation and understanding between our East African immigrant community and law enforcement.He did this – not to be recognized – but simply to help  and to do good.  The Peacemaker Award added to the work he was already doing, and   the formal acknowledgement  created  interest  – and admiration –for him, by the both the law enforcement and his East African communities

LW: Winners don’t necessarily have to demonstrate mediation skills, yet that’s what NCRC is all about?

SD: The actions recognized with a Peacemaker Award must be in line with mediation principals. This does not require that the awardee demonstrate specific mediation skills, but rather share the idea that conflict can be a tool for growth and an opportunity to craft positive solutions that promote peace and prevent violence. Peacemaking occurs in a variety of ways, and NCRC makes a concerted effort to ensure these are all illuminated.

For example, NCRC honored the Azim Khamisa, (father of murdered student Tariq Khamisa) and Ples Felix (grandfather of the gang member who shot Tariq), for establishing the Taruq Khamisa Foundation, dedicated to the eradication of youth violence.

We have also awarded San Diego’s Hot Spot Tattoo, for removing gang tattoos free of charge, thus allowing former gang members to move forward in a positive direction, putting a life of violence behind them.

LW:  The organization began as a limited local operation; today NCRC has branched out, to say the least!

SD: NCRC operates three offices here: Downtown, San Ysidro and El Cajon, where we provide mediation and training services.

We’ve also developed a national and international presence. For example, each year NCRC offers its Summer Institute in Rimini Italy, a training program attended by students from the US, and many European countries.

In the private sector, we work with large businesses and corporations. We recently trained over 1,200 people at a large hospital system in North and South Dakota. Another example would be our work with Homeland Security.

These focus on providing key leaders with the skills necessary to quickly deal with conflict before it escalates.

In the non-profit arena, we work with government, universities, schools, refugee communities, welfare organization, the military, health care systems and many others.  We are currently engaged in a large scale Civility Campaign at a local University, training student leaders, faculty and administration.

LW:  How would you evaluate NCRC’s focus – more on participating in mediation cases, peaceful negotiations, mediator training – or?

SD: NCRC’s focus is taking the powerful tool of mediation and making it more accessible, to create a cultural shift towards a more collaborative society. Three current areas include the education, employment, and healthcare sectors.  In response to the growing incidences of bullying on campuses, we’re working in high schools and colleges to integrate conflict management through civility campaigns. We’re also working with those seeking employment through the Welfare to Work program. Finally, in the healthcare industry, our conflict management can help increase patient safety.

We hope that the impact of the training will have a ripple effect, influencing others in the trainee’s life, spreading the benefits of civility.

LW:  Can we use NCRC’s services in our own businesses and lives?

SD: We are accessible to the public and provide confidential conflict resolution services for a wide range of conflicts, from neighbor complaints to complex construction defect litigation and family law. ( (619) 238-2400 or online at http://www.ncrconline.com/OpenACase/OpenACase.php.)

Furthermore, we offer the “Exchange” to individuals, organizations and businesses.  The Exchange provides conflict management skills and strategies by teaching an easily learned, structured process to participants, who can then effectively address the conflicts that occur in everyday experiences.

LW: The world seems anything but peaceful. How do you maintain your optimism?

SD: NCRC believes that while conflict is inevitable, it is manageable – if dealt with appropriately.  We see conflict as an opportunity for growth, for increased communication and for deeper understanding. It is so important for each of us to learn the skills, to make the effort to resolve conflict effectively. We strive to build a world of greater civility; we encourage readers to make a real effort to learn conflict resolution strategies – it will definitely improve all of our lives!

For tickets/information about the Peacemaker Awards, and/or learning more about the Exchange and mediation training, please go to www.ncrconline.com and www.exchangetraining.com. Or, contact Ashley Virtue, Director, External Relations, NCRC, at (619) 238-2400 ext. 221 or via email avirtue@ncrconline.com.