"Harison's Yellow"

I found this lovely yellow rose on Charles St. in the West Village on Wednesday.

Whenever I see yellow roses I'm reminded of the gardens at Andrew Jackson's home in Middle Tennessee, The Hermitage. A garden there has the most beautiful yellow roses of an old, once-blooming, fragrant variety, with very thorny canes and numerous tiny blossoms. If I remember correctly, the variety at the Hermitage is known as Harison's Yellow, initially found as a chance hybrid in the gardens of George F. Harison, an attorney who lived between 8th and 9th Avenues on 32nd Street, not far from my office! It was first sold commercially from cuttings in 1830 and was so popular that it was frequently carried westward by settlers heading for California and Oregon. As a result, it is often found growing wild along these western migration routes and is sometimes referred to as the "Oregon Trail Rose." It can also be found at the sites of long abandoned gardens and derelict homes.

And the Schuyler Colfax Memorial "Graft in Government Award" goes to . . .

. . . Vice President Dick Cheney.

Do we really have to wait until March 2009 to witness the exit of Bush, Cheney, and their cronies? The more I read about the web of deceit and the veil of secrecy which define this administration, the more I fear for the health of the Republic. Average citizens need to rise up and march on Washington, demanding an end to this war and removal of this "axis of evil." I'd recommend impeachment, but Congress would have to impeach both Bush and Cheney, since the Vice President has compiled a record of complicity in the administration's crimes matched only by some of his Gilded Age peers . . . Schuyler Colfax (pictured left), for example. (At least Colfax, who left office in 1873 having failed to secure the nomination for Vice President in Grant's second term, was guilty of mere graft in connection with the infamous Crédit Mobilier scandal. Cheney's crimes violate the Constitution and his oath of office.)

Having been a presidential historian, I have to predict that scholars will not be kind to the Bush administration, if the details of his presidency are ever allowed to see the light of day. No doubt Bush will try to control his legacy - by controlling access to the documents that define his presidency - in the same way he has tried to manipulate the dissemination of information to the public in the last six years. Ultimately I think that the Iraq fiasco will overshadow Vietnam as the worst defeat for the United States in its history. Here's what Al Gore has to say about it in his new book, The Assault on Reason:

"The historic misjudgments that let to the tragedy of America's invasion of Iraq
were all easily avoidable. The administration's arrogant control of
information and the massive deception perpetrated on the American people in
order to gain approval for a dishonest policy had to the worst strategic mistake
in the history of the United States. But the damage they have done to our
country is not limited to the misallocation of military and economic and
political resources. Nor is it limited even to the loss of blood and
treasure. Whenever a chief executive spends prodigious amounts of energy
in an effort to convince the American people of a falsehood, he damages the
fabric of democracy and the belief in the fundamental integrity of our
self-government."

Amen, brother!

Reunion Redux

On April 18th I wrote a post on our family's tradition of holding a large reunion each summer, usually in August, when my mother's clan would encamp en masse for a day of gastronomical debauchery (and a bit of reminiscing in between biting, chewing and swallowing large quantities of fried food). My favorite part of a reunion was probably the obligatory trek to one of the family cemeteries. This would usually involve either a) a drive down a dirt road, muddy or dusty depending on recent weather; b) a hike through the woods; c) a walk through tobacco fields; or d) all of the above. (I suspect that the remoteness of these burial plots corresponds directly to the location of ancient family homesteads . . . and, in fact, some of the headstones date to the 18th century.)

Here's a photo from my first reunion, August 1964. I'm about eight months old in this photo. My grandfather would have been 57, my mother 29, and my great-grandmother 82. My father, of course, was holding the camera. (Isn't that the fate of so many fathers? I'm never in any photos with my kids because I'm snapping the picture.)

Greek Revival

Here's the sort of architectural detail I like to find in my walks around the Village. Thankfully there are still plenty of 19th century (and even a few 18th century) buildings in the neighborhood and they will often surprise the careful observer with little details like this Ionic column with its distinctive capital framing a townhouse doorway. And, in an age when this sort of thing is replicated in molded plastic, it's nice to see the hand-made variety surviving. Although this example could use a fresh coat of paint - or perhaps just a good cleaning - it's nice to see that successive owners have preserved a detail so easily - and often - removed from older homes. First seen in 6th century BC Ionia and Greece, the Ionic column was a favorite among mid-19th century architects of the Greek Revival. This townhouse looks to be a late antebellum structure, so the detail is "spot-on" appropriate.

Monday Flowers

In my weekend rambles with the kids to and from sport commitments I discovered some new wonders among the spring flowers. This rose, part of a massive planting (probably "The Fairy," a popular, low maintenance rose) along the Hudson waterfront in my neighborhood, sat close to a spruce. I just thought the color contrast was interesting. The daylillies are of the Stella D'Oro variety, an early bloomer among the daylillies with a more compact habit. (I prefer Stella D'Oros - which means "star of gold" in Italian - over the more common orange daylillies that most of us spy along highways . . . They get a bit "leggy" and ugly after blooming.) Finally, I'm not sure what these last flowers are. Any guesses? My 6-year old informs me that they could be "pipecleaner" flowers, and announces that he read about them recently. Even if he's incorrect, I give him an "A" for that analogy! Knowing Sam, however, the identification is likely correct.

Royksopp - Remind Me

Ok, if you watched more than 15 minutes of television in the last year, you've no doubt seen the Geico caveman commercial that features this song. Here's the video that originally went with the song, "Remind Me," by Norwegian group Röyksopp. It's a catchy song, in a very 80s, synth, dance-pop way . . . a 21st century step-child of A Flock of Seagulls. The version used in the original video is actually a dance club remix.(Can you believe that these "caveman" spots were so popular that ABC has decided to produce a "caveman" sitcom for the Fall 2007 season? I give it about three episodes before cancellation.)

Take Me Out to the Ballgame . . .

Last night was our first trip to a ballgame this season. We saw the Mets and Phillies at Shea (and watched the bullpen blow a two run lead in the seventh to lose the game!). Our family usually attends several Mets games each season, one or two Yankee games and several for the Brooklyn Cyclones (the Mets' A-level minor league team) out at Coney Island. The evening was perfect for baseball, albeit a little cool by the late innings. Of course we sat in the upper deck, but the view from behind home plate, where we usually sit, was great. Who needs to secure a bank loan and pay for the closer seats?? The kids certainly don't care where we sit; they're just happy to be at a ballgame.

In the first photo one can see the construction of the Met's new stadium, Citi Field, which is schedule to be ready for the 2009 season. In the second photo look for the 7 Train in the cluttered Queens background. The third photo is the view of Manhattan from the upper level of the stadium. Quite a shot of the Empire State Building and the skyline to the west! We had a good time, ate hotdogs and cracker jacks, and got home at 11:30, well past the boys' bedtime. Thankfully there was no school today because of a "teacher work day." (What happens on those days anyway??)

Thomas Jefferson and the Revolutionary Moment

"An enlightened people, and an energetic public opinion . . . will control and
enchain the aristocratic spirit of the government."

"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day;
but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued
unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate,
systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery."

And my favorite . . .

"The tree of liberty must from time to time be refreshed with the blood of
patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

Isn't it amazing how relevant Thomas Jefferson can still be, nearly 200 years after his Presidency? It's no wonder that he was sometimes heralded as the "Sage of Monticello." Sure, he had obvious flaws, particularly noticeable when one turns the microscope of historical analysis to his views on slavery and race. Jefferson himself even recognized the conflict in his own personal life. Yet as the quotes above suggest, Jefferson rarely exhibited ambiguity in his views on the more abstract concepts of liberty, "inalienable rights," and the necessity of periodic revolution.

Given our society's present anti-intellectual bent and its unnerving embrace of the "cult of celebrity," I'm deeply troubled by the implications of Jefferson's remark on the role of "an enlightened people" as a safeguard against tyranny. In 2007 the United States does not shelter an enlightened populace, at least in the context of matters of import. We're woefully ignorant of our history, and average citizens routinely display a shocking lack of knowledge or interest in current events, domestic or foreign. Instead, Americans are more apt to know what Paris Hilton had for breakfast or recognize "American Idol" contestants, than identify any of the Democratic or Republican aspirants to the White House. Even more troubling, the principal shapers of mass public opinion - television networks - have abdicated their journalistic role as reporters of serious news in favor of the more lucrative business of disseminating "infotainment."

Conservatives, of course, have long disdained the concept of an informed electorate. They prefer voters who are either disinterested or have had their opinions refracted through the prejudicial prism of the Anne Coulters and Bill O'Reilly's of the media. The Christian Right has proved equally adept at leading its adherents down the path of tyranny, preaching the apocalyptic hermeneutics of an Armageddon popularized in the scripturally unsound Left Behind series of books and movies.

An ill-informed electorate is a pliable electorate, susceptible to the politics of intolerance and violence. And, as a natural consequence, debate - Jefferson's "energetic public opinion" - is either limited or altogether stifled. Witness the dearth of public and governmental debate over the decision to invade Iraq. In an age so enamored of the printed word, Jefferson possessed a prescient understanding of mass communication and its ability to inform or misinform the public. The lessons of his era stand as sage examples for the 21st century.

As for Jefferson's proclamation that "single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day," I wish our current situation could be that innocently benign. Clearly, however, the behavior of the Bush administration highlights a much larger conspiracy to subvert the Constitution and destroy our traditional separation of powers. Although voters ostensibly rejected the Bush agenda in last year's elections, the result appears to have generated no appreciable change in course. At the crux of this assault on American liberty is a chief executive ideologically myopic and woefully limited in intelligence and a capacity for reason. Supplement stupidity with demagoguery, corporate greed, and chiliastic prophecy, and the United States sits poised at the abyss of fascism.

Of course, Jefferson's prescription for the threat of tyranny would be revolution. Witness to the revolutionary power of an informed - and ultimately enfranchised - citizenry, Jefferson observed first-hand the results of both violent conflicts (in the form of the American and French revolutions) and peaceful reformations (as embodied in his victory in the momentous presidential contest of 1800) . Although one might wish for a similarly "revolutionary" overthrow of the Bush world view, the monolithic corporatist structure of American society will prevent that course of action for the time being. As pessimistic as this might seem, the United States and its democratic institutions will continue to decay from within, compromised and weakened until a truly monumental disaster - whether natural or manmade - cripples the Republic so fundamentally that its citizens surrender to the siren song of totalitarianism.

Cupola, St. John's Lutheran Church

I haven't painted much in the last month because we've spent so much time with outside activities like baseball and soccer. In the evenings - my usual painting time - I've just been too tired and uninspired to pick up a brush. Finally went back to my easel this past weekend when I spied the cupola of St. John's Lutheran Church in the West Village bathed in a great afternoon light. Can't say I'm entirely happy with the results, particularly since this was a pretty quick pencil and watercolor sketch. And I'm still trying to figure out the best choices for scanning these images . . . color reproduction still isn't as accurate as I'd like. The sky, for example, is a colder blue on the painting itself. Any suggestions?

An SAT Meme

Ok, this one's pretty silly. At least mine was higher than that of President Bush!

Your SAT Score of 1390 Means:

You Scored Higher Than Howard Stern You Scored Higher Than George W. Bush You Scored Higher Than Al Gore You Scored Higher Than David Duchovny You Scored Lower Than Natalie Portman You Scored Lower Than Bill Gates Your IQ is most likely in the 130-140 range Equivalent ACT score: 31 Schools that Fit Your SAT Score: Brown University Northwestern University Carnegie Mellon University Cornell University Reed College

What Does Your SAT Score Mean?

Christo-Fascism and the Failure of Reason

I just finished reading Chris Hedges' American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America and have to admit that I'm scared shitless. Conservative Americans have been so thoroughly duped by the Bush war machine - and eased into the belief that anyone critical of the administration is un-patriotic and potentially dangerous - that they've effectively discarded any semblance of a rational thought process or decision-making ability. Toss in Chris Hedges' discussion of the ways in which Christian conservatives are slowly hijacking the political system and the language of reason, and one realizes that the United States is clearly building a nascent fascist state that will eventually rival Hitler's Germany if unchecked by more rational citizens. Heeding the lessons of history, realize that Hitler's opponents didn't take the Nazi threat seriously until it was too late for Germany. We are running that same risk.

Nevertheless, we live in an age in which the preconditions for fascism's success are pretty evident. The U.S. has large portions of its population that feel alienated by the rapidity of socio-economic change in the digital society. In addition, the country is marching through a period of obvious crisis, punctuated by war in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as large-scale natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. If that weren't enough, realize that the amorphously defined idea of the American Dream, the benchmark of our society's notions of "success" for the last half-century, has become increasingly unattainable for many middle class citizens.

The Christian Right exploits these crises, these assaults on the national psyche, by scapegoating liberals, immigrants, Democrats, homosexuals, academics, Darwinists, supporters of the United Nations, and anyone else who doesn't subscribe unquestioningly to the right wing world view. Some of the most strident voices of the Christo-fascist right - for example, Pat Robertson - have even gone so far as to suggest that 9/11 and even Hurricane Katrina were god's punishments visited upon a sinful nation. Hold out the promise of salvation - and the concomitant violent retribution against one's enemies - to the disaffected masses, and the Christian Right has a ready-made base of supporters willing to surrender their liberties and reason.

Trying to learn more about this failure of "reason" in our society, I've just started reading Al Gore's new book, The Assault on Reason. It will be interesting to see how he addresses this grave problem. Gore is one of the few recent critics of the right wing willing to excoriate the Bush administration in the harshest terms possible. Frankly, I wish Gore would run in 2008. I've seen him in several interviews since he re-emerged with An Inconvenient Truth last year, and he really does possess a presidential mien, a gravitas, that wasn't evident in 2000. He's obviously matured, and having been a victim of the right wing's corruption, and witnessed its failed stewardship of the American state, seems more engaged with the "big picture" issues than in the past. According to some observers, a Gore/Obama ticket next year would resonate with voters distraught over the Bush administration's assault on the Constitution and our national reputation.

Unfortunately, it looks as if Gore will eschew the political arena and continue to serve as an outspoken figure in the initiative to alert the world on issues of global warming and impending climate change . . . certainly an admirable alternative to the dirtier milieu of politics . We can only hope that his effort to shed light on some of the Bush administration's abuses of power will have an impact on the Democratic candidates currently scrambling to secure their party's nomination in 2008.

If I Could Be a Cat . . .

. . . I'd be a cat that lives in a shop in Greenwich Village. Then, like the sleeping feline in this photo, I could watch the world stumble by, choose to snooze, or rub the legs of customers and accept the ministrations of my admirers. (Actually, there are many cats that live in businesses in our neighborhood. And of course most of them spend the day like this, sleeping in a window. This contented cat has lived on Bleecker Street for several years. There are even a few dogs that come to work with their shopkeeper families. Unlike the cats, however, they usually sit at the stoop, watching carefully for other dogs or the potential wielders of treats.)

Flowers and Rose Advice on a Rainy Monday

It's such a rainy, dark day here - with the darkness exacerbated by the tall buildings of midtown - that I couldn't resist posting some photos from my weekend travels. These photos are from two public gardens at 6th Avenue and Downing Street in the West Village. Great morning light certainly enhanced my efforts. How about the stamens and anthers on that second rose! They just scream to the insect world: "Take me, I'm yours!" The white rose is one of the nicest I've seen this year (although I think I spy a hint of powdery mildew on some of the unopened buds . . . in this case a product of a little too much shade).

White roses, just as they start to open, are very susceptible to thrips, tiny insects that feed on the juicy ends of immature petals. Apparently there's something about the white color that induces a stronger attraction. If not treated, thrips-infested white roses will open with damaged petals that often display brownish, curled edges. In severe cases of thrips, the buds will simply fail to open, having been damaged so badly. Spray unopen buds with a mixture of mild soapy water (Ivory Liquid, for example, is gentle enough) and repeat over several days as the buds start to open. If aphids have also been a problem, the soapy water is good for combatting them as well!

 

 

 

 

Kakistocracy and the Bush administration

Our family always enjoys watching the National Spelling Bee finals, which were held last night in Washington, D.C. My sons in particular are always in awe of the poise - and knowledge - of these 12- and 13-year old spellers. Last night we learned a new word that has heightened relevance right now for the United States: kakistocracy.

kak·is·toc·ra·cy [kak-uh-stok-ruh-see] –noun, plural -cies.

Government by the worst persons; a form of government in which the worst persons are in power. Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.

[Origin: 1820–30; < Gk kákisto(s), superl. of kakós bad]

In addition to hearing a definition and the etymology of a word, spellers could also request that the word be used in a sentence. How about this example:

"The Bush administration precipitated the decline of America to a mere kakistocracy amidst its democratic neighbors." Or how about . . .

"Embracing the forms and practices of a kakistocracy, the Bush administration hastened the destruction of the American republic."

Use the word while you can. The Christian Right is engaged in a very conscious war against words and their traditional meanings in our society. Words like "patriotism," "truth," "American," "justice" and "tolerance" are victims of a Christo-fascist logocide (another good spelling bee word!) in which definitions are rewritten or reinterpreted through the prism of Christian conservatism. They're hijacking the language of the Republic and 99% of Americans don't even realize it. The forces of totalitarianism did the exact same thing in Nazi Germany, Mussolini's Italy, and Stalinist Russia.

Happy Anniversary + 9

Nine years ago today my wife and I were married here in New York City. Held at Grace Church on Broadway, one of the city's historic Episcopal parishes, it was a whirlwind day about which I can remember very few concrete details. (There were just so many people to greet and hands to shake that it's now all a blur. Even my wife feels that way!) We spent our first night of married life at the Marriott World Trade Center (which was flattened when the World Trade Center Towers fell) and flew out to Maui the next day for two glorious weeks in a condo on the beach. That was heaven . . . like one of those "fantasy dates" on the idiotic "Bachelor" shows. The years since then haven't been quite that idyllic and fantasy-like. But they've been good years nonetheless.

On wedding anniversaries I usually find myself thinking about my first marriage, its demise, and the ways in which it compares so starkly to the present union. My ex and I were together for a decade and married for six years. We had a great intellectual bond - hey, we were both history professors - but there was rarely much passion in the relationship. In fact, she had a severe case of emotional constipation, exacerbated in part by the influence of an extremely conservative, rural family in Virginia. She just didn't like to talk about her feelings, emotions, or anything of that ilk, which was surprising given the strength of her personality in other areas. There were times I wished that the drug companies could invent psychological Ex-Lax and emotional stool softeners.

In the end - ok, unintentionally bad pun given that last sentence - her decision to open up about her severe depression significantly helped her state of mind. Indeed, she finally admitted that she had been a lesbian since her teens but had never been able to realize that orientation because of intense family prejudice and the hyper-conservative environment (East Tennessee) in which we lived for ten years. We've actually remained good friends - which I realize might seem rather abnormal for some couples - and regularly trade emails and the occasional phone conversation at Christmas. I remember the last time I saw her about 4 years ago; she was wound as tightly as ever, puffing on a Benson and Hedges Menthol cigarette, talking at about 100 mph, and driving the car we were in at nearly that speed. She hadn't changed much after several years, but it was nice to see that she had largely made peace with her family and successfully "outed" herself in her community.

As for my current anniversary . . . This relationship is far more emotionally volatile than the last, and I mean that in a good way. Sure, that volatility can precipitate some "knock down drag out" spats. But it also produces good sex after 10 years together. It also yields a level of communication I never experienced with the ex. At least I now always know how my wife is feeling. Our openness likely stems from the fact that we're an "Internet couple," having met and begun our "courtship" through an online dating website. (Yes, we're one of the early success stories in the world of Internet relationships!)

How did we celebrate? Well, she visited my office today and we had lunch at a restaurant next door to the Empire State Building, and we'll exchange cards and little gifts later. Anything beyond that (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) will depend on how early or late the kids fall asleep . . . and how much energy we have left over at that point in the day.

My "Far Side" Life

I've always been a fan of the Far Side cartoons. Frankly, I think Larson said as much about the human condition as any of the greatest 20th century philosophers. The last few days have not been the easiest in terms of my mental health . . . so I thought it was appropriate that this cartoon popped up as yesterday's installment in my Far Side day-by-day calendar. It really expresses how I've felt (and probably how my wife has regarded me as well).

More Spring Flowers!

While enjoying a family picnic on Sunday I snapped these photos at Hudson River Park. The white peonies were spectacular.

Go Google Yourself!

Of course we've all googled ourselves to see just what comes up. When I google myself I find this blog, references to articles I've written or edited, links to a couple of alumni associations, an online art show, and references to the book for which I'm one of the co-editors. But have you ever noticed all those other people who have your name exactly? Obviously if your name is "Susan Smith" or "John Anderson" there are going to be innumerable others who possess your moniker. Nevertheless, one has to be a bit curious about these "others" who were graced with your name at birth.

I had always thought that my last name wasn't that common. With origins in Derbyshire, the name was most common on Virginia's "Eastern Shore" on the Delmarva peninsula, where the first of our family settled in the 1630s. Beyond family circles, however, I rarely saw our last name. Naturally I knew that there were plenty more, scattered around the country as long-forgotten branches of the family migrated westward.

But who is this Brian C. in Lincolnshire, England, who's a real estate site manager? There's a Brian C. football coach in Memphis, Tennessee, and a Brian C. insurance agent in Texas. I'm particularly impressed with my counterpart in Topeka, Kansas, who was quoted in the local paper with his opinion on the war in Iraq. "We were misled into this war," he observed, while marching in an anti-war rally in 2006. Well . . . at least one of the other versions of Brian C. has made a wise political choice. And the list goes on! A navy veteran of the Second World War. A guy who raises angora rabbits!

Unfortunately, none of these references carry photos. It would be interesting to see what these other Brian C.'s look like. (I know, I know . . . this is silly. But aren't you curious?)

More Friday Memes

Was this ever in doubt?

You Are 88% Democrat

You are a card carrying Democrat, and a pretty far left one at that! There's no chance anyone would ever mistake you for a Republican.

How Democrat Are You?

Let's Just Make It a Meme Friday

Here's another fun quiz. And no surprise at the result for me.

You Are 8% Capitalist, 92% Socialist

You see a lot of injustice in the world, and you'd like to see it fixed. As far as you're concerned, all the wrong people have the power. You're strongly in favor of the redistribution of wealth - and more protection for the average person.

Are You a Socialist or Capitalist?