Email re Racism in America

This email has NOTHING to do with coronavirus. 

It DOES have to do with the current furor and commentary about racism in the United States.

First, I/we have come across two items that shed some illumination on the subject for me.

One is the book “White Fragility; Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” by Robin DiAngelo.  It’s #2 this week on the NYTimes Best Sellers NonFiction list, which notes “Historical and cultural analysis on what causes defensive moves by white people and how this inhibits cross-cultural dialogue”. The author is white, and she gives myriad examples of how white Americans are often unconscious of the culture of racism that surrounds us. The book is also available in audio format, 6 hours long.  I recommend it.

The other is a podcast by Sam Harris, "Making Sense with Sam Harris #207 - Can We Pull Back From The Brink? (June 12, 2020)".  Our son Dan is the one who put us onto this podcast, which is almost two hours long, but worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmgxtcbc4iU

Nadine and I had the pleasure of seeing Sam Harris debate David Wolpe many years ago re god and religion. Both very knowledgeable thinkers, it was like watching a great tennis match.  In the podcast, Harris delves into many facets of the situation with facts and opinions that may startle you (meant to, he says).

I don’t agree with all of the statements and conclusions of these two persons (DiAngelo, Harris), but I found them both interesting, and certainly worthwhile grist for thought about racism in our country and what we can do about it.

Lastly, I have been thinking about what I could do to contribute in a positive way to this situation.  I found a website called “Black Votes Matter”

https://www.blackvotersmatterfund.org

The purpose of this fund is to encourage more black citizens to vote.  And you can even pick the state where you want your donation to be put to work.  I debated Georgia vs Florida, but finally picked Florida, because of what happened there in the 2000 election (abetted by SCOTUS)

and this seemed to fit the bill for me. Support black Americans now, encourage more voters in general, and maybe swing Florida, which has been on the brink for decades, blue.

I have very mixed feelings about America's current situation, and our future:

On the pessimistic side, I believe that cultural patterns are very slow to change, and racism against many groups, but especially native Americans and black Americans has an old and deep 400+ year history here.

On the positive side, when I see some many Americans demonstrating in an on-going way, and so many young people (even teens) and including so many that are white, I feel hopeful.

Coleman "

On Aging and Retirement

(Response to Peter Imber's latest homemade cartoon)

Not sure why, but many of your homemade cartoons (and really your commentaries following) trigger a response from me.  And while I knew that you were younger than me, the difference is not as much as I had guessed.

I was forced into retirement at age 74, in 2010.  I did enjoy the work I was doing, for which I got a good deal of acknowledgement, and had no driving urge to do anything else, and was somewhat concerned about “out-living” my retirement investments/pension/social security, and so I was reluctant to retire.

Then I had a serious bout of Menieres disease (intense spells of dizziness and nausea), which made it impossible to continue working.  I was very lucky; the aerospace company I was working for had a downturn, and offered all employees of 65 a pretty fat special retirement package, so I grabbed it.

With not much planning for what to do next, over the next year I became depressed.  I ultimately went on an anti-depressant (still on it), and joined a men’s support group, and got some volunteer work going, and things began to turn around.  And since then, retirement has been overall an enjoyable time.  And now, with COVID, I am even more relaxed with less to do (though feeling a little antsy at times).

And I totally agree with you, with the “why stop?” comment.  I too have made this to a couple of friends when they brought up the subject of retirement.

Loved your reminiscence about using the radiators at Dartmouth to warm up your Bubbie’s knishes.

And yes, sometimes my body feels like I’m 90+, and sometimes my head feels like I’m 19.

Keep the cartoons coming.

On Compassion In My Life

(from an email to a mediation teacher)

I have wondered for some time, what is the difference between lovingkindness vs compassion, so today’s class was of special interest to me.  Here are some of the thoughts I had.

LovingKindness:

You suggested that we might try extending love and friendship to one of the other persons in the virtual class, all of whom I do not know, except for you.  I find this very hard to do, to extend love or friendship to someone I don’t know. I am, at least in some ways, a rather guarded person.  What if I extend love or friendship to someone I don’t know, and they want to reciprocate that, and then I find out later that I don’t really find them very interesting or lovable, and/or they are very needy?  I just don’t want to take that chance.  Because then, if I were totally honest with them, which I probably would not be, I would have to tell them that I find them dull or bigoted or needy or sad or negative or….fill in the blanks.  There’s probably more to this than what I have just written, but that’s what I am getting right now today.

Compassion:

I found this much easier to dwell in, perhaps due to this experience I had about 40 years ago.  My then wife, named Leslie, had cajoled me into getting into therapy, at first couples therapy, which later migrated to a therapy group (where I later met Nadine, and obviously, the couples therapy did not save that first marriage.)  I was very leery of therapy at first; telling my most innermost thoughts and feelings to a total stranger? or strangers?  

For the first few weeks in group, I was basically silent, listening to others, but not venturing out of myself.  One of the people in the group was a younger woman named Sue Haden.  It turned out, her brother was Pat Haden, who had been a star quarterback at USC, and then went on to play for the Rams.  Sue related that she had been to a Rams game in the Coliseum, and the Rams as a whole and Pat in particular were having a bad afternoon.  The fans around her began riding her brother, with shouts like “get him out of there”!  She knew her brother was trying his best, and she was very shocked and hurt by the anger that she saw being directed at him by these people around her.  As Sue was relating this story, I began to silently tear up, as I felt a lot of compassion for the situation she described.  The therapist noticed what was happening with me, and asked me how I was feeling.  I was able to open up for the first time in that group, and for the first time in a long time in my life, and say how sad I felt for Sue as she told her story.  From then on, thankfully, I was more open about my feelings in the group, and eventually with others in my life. 

As you and we dwelt on compassion today, I did feel some warmth in my body, though I still usually find it hard to experience most feelings much in my body; they are mostly in my head.

Old-Time Baseball Radio Broadcasts (a la late 1940's)

(From an email to a friend)

I am sending you a recently published book by my friend Don Zminda, about Harry Carey.  Book should arrive next week. Don was born in Chicago, and worked for about 20 years for STATs, a sports statistics company. He is now working on a book about the Black Sox scandal.

On page 22 of the book, he describes a scene right out of my childhood memory.  I'm guessing you are about half-a-generation younger than I am, so I don’t know if you experienced this in person.

In the summers in Philly, after my dad came back from WWII, on Sunday afternoons we would wash the car, a Pontiac sedan (he was a GM man), in the driveway, right next to the house. He would place a radio in the dining room window, and we would listen to the Phillies game be announced on the radio.  If the game was local, of course the announcer would be watching and broadcasting live from Shibe Park.

But if the game was out of town, the announcer would be reading an on-going teletype stream from the other city (only Eastern and MidWest time zones in those days).  He would then add his own color and patter to make it seem that he was seeing the game in person.  As his voice went into the mic, the mic was also picking up the noise of the teletype in the background.  Even over his voice, you could very distinctly hear the teletype clack-click-clack in the background.

When I read this part of Don’s book, these memories of those late 40’s Sunday summer afternoons returned.

Hope you enjoy the book.  I am still enjoying your history lessons.

Coronavirus: Los Angeles #14

Friday, May 8: We went to CVS to see if they had disinfectant wipes.  The shelves were empty.  We asked a clerk, and she said they would be getting more on Saturday morning (the next day), come early.  

So, Saturday, we joined the line outside CVS at about 6:45AM; they open at 7:00.  In fact, there were two lines, one for the older folks (like us) and one for everyone else.  At 7AM, the doors open, and the old folks get to enter first.  We go to the back of the store, where the cleaning items are shelved, and the shelf is empty.  Nadine asks a clerk, and is told, yes, they did get some this morning, but they are only sold one to a customer, and you have to ask for them at the checkout counter. So, we go to the checkout line in the front of the store, where we are now third in line, but several other customers have already checked out.  When it is our turn, we ask for the wipes, and that clerk tells us that the supply that came in that morning has already sold out; they only got one box today; come back on Tuesday morning, when they will get their next shipment.  Going back this coming Saturday, older but wiser.

Saturday, May 16: We are first in line at CVS, at 6:45.  Doors open at 7AM.  We rush to be first in line at the checkout counter.  “Any alcohol or sanitary wipes?” we ask.  “None came in today” is the reply.

On a morning walk, I heard the distinctive sound of a woodpecker.  Rap-rap-rap-rap-rap.  I was not aware that there were woodpeckers in Los Angeles.  The LATimes has an article about how more birds are returning to LA because of the reduced pollution, congestion and noise.

Another morning walk, thru a quiet residential neighborhood, south of Wilshire.  The jacarandas and bouganvillas are in colorful bloom, all red and purple.  So are the mock orange and jasmine, filling the air with exotic fragrances.  And the songbirds are out in full throat.

I love our local LACounty library, the Fairfax branch (though it is on Gardner St).  But of course it has been closed for weeks now; I can’t even return the three books I had checked out earlier.  So I checked out a couple of audio books, which came to my iPhone.  But I tend to fall asleep when listening to them.  Have never read an e-book, and really miss the real thing.  So, I decide to buy some used books on Amazon, and the first one has arrived: “Twilight of the American Century” by Andrew Bachevich. ex-military and retired rom the faculty at BU; so far, very interesting.

Here at Park La Brea, there is a small cafe, Curson Cafe, in the large park area behind our building.  It closed about 6 weeks ago, but has now reopened...for takeout.  The owner, Jessica, is Korean-American, and the crew are all Hispanic, as is true in many restaurants in our area.  I am glad for us that it is open again, and especially glad for all of them that they have their livelihoods back, at least at some level.

More Zoom classes with the faux backgrounds.  The latest: aurora borealis.

In front of our building is a circular driveway, with a small circle in the middle.  Populated with five tall palms trees.  I see several small squirrels venturing out high up in one of the palms.  I suspect they are infants, and their nest is ‘way up in the tree somewhere.

Starting to have a different mood lately.  The “rush” of our new mode of existence is over; all the changes have settled in, such as remembering wear our masks when we go out, how to order groceries on-line, how to join a Zoom meeting, how to set up a Zoom meeting, where to buy TP and masks, and at home activities that replace some that used to require travel, like meditation sessions and Torah classes and yoga classes.  Much of this is now our new routine.

This routine has fewer outings and events in it.  We are both meditating, almost daily.  My blood pressure, for which I have been on meds for about eleven years, has recently come down from a typical 140/90 to a new typical of 120/80!!

Sunday, May 17: Nadine and I watched about the first hour of “Becoming", the documentary about Michelle Obama.  

My overall feeling after watching it was sadness.  Once we had a President and First Lady who were articulate, and had grace, intelligence, wisdom, warmth, and a sense of humor.

Not that Obama did not make some mistakes; I feel he did.

But now, what do we have: Trump and Melania….such a sad next episode in our presidential succession.

From our friend Michael: Weather forecast for tomorrow: ROOM TEMPERATURE.  

Today we got a real rain in the morning. Water running down the gutters.

That’s it for now.
Stay safe, wash your hands, keep your distance, be kind to one another, and call your mother (if possible).
Coleman 

GALLERY:

From my brother Stan, a tribute to Bob Dylan and the coronavirus (3 minutes long on YouTube):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErFN7Y7qnLg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0gjgzKsYej70klB092Pi1DcqDC4shKW7-j-U81W8thAfR_TeB7Hz2BUlY

From our cousin Marc in Glasgow:

Coronavirus: Los Angeles #13

Re: Keeping our current situation in perspective, this from my ex-coworker at Rocketdyne, John Griffith, now in North Carolina:

"Imagine you were born in 1900. On your 14th birthday, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. 

Later in that year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until your 20th birthday. 50 million people die from it in those two years. 

On your 29th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%.  That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy.  

When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet. And don’t try to catch your breath. On your 41st birthday, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war.  

At 50, the Korean War starts. 5 million perish.  

At 55, the Vietnam War begins and doesn’t end for 20 years. 4 million people perish in that conflict.   

On your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening. 

When you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends."

My father was born in 1909, and my mother is 1912.  Nadine parents in 1912 and 1914.  They did experience most of this history.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It occurs to me that we (our species) have entered into a giant, if unplanned, public health experiment.  Various countries, states, counties and cities have set up, and are now taking down, various restrictions on their populaces.  It’s not ideal, in that there is no “control group”.  But I imagine in the future, statisticians and epidemiologists will have a field day analyzing what factors led to successes and to disasters as this experiment unfolds.

Personally, Nadine and I both lean toward caution in terms of venturing out into the public space.  But we have not lost jobs or income as a result of the shutdown.  We don’t have children sitting at home bored to death.  Our groceries are delivered to our front door.  So it’s a no-brainer for us.

It’s true that most Americans (and most humans) either are impacted by the epidemic, or will be, to one degree or another.  And that gives some feeling of solidarity to us all.  But it’s also true that the burdens are very unevenly spread out.  I read a piece in the NYTimes recently by an ER doctor, who is having to consider how forthcoming to be with critically-ill patients about their prospects for survival, and for life after intubation.  And he is dealing on the phone or video with family members who may have to give consent to decisions.  So much burden falling on such a small slice of our society.  Following is a link to this article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/opinion/coronavirus-doctors-do-not-resuscitate.html?searchResultPosition=1

Nadine and I are meditating more than ever before, almost every day.  Our son Matt told us about HeadSpace, a mindfulness app he uses.  We decide to try it.  We are about half-way thru the 3rd introductory session, but we forgot to put the landline phone outside of the room, and it  rings.  It’s Matt.  Formerly, I would have been annoyed, both that we forgot to put the phone outside of the room, and that Nadine decides to take Matt's call.  But I am not.  They finish their call, and then we return to the meditation session.  I think the meditation is working!

Tuesday: it’s 90 degrees in the late afternoon and the sun is still fairly high in the sky.  We take our second walk of the day.  I remember the hot and muggy days of summer in Philadelphia.  My father would come home, and fill the one bathtub with cold water and submerge himself to cool off.  I decide to try this when we get home.  Somewhat of a shock to my system, but it did cool me off.  (I never saw a private swimming pool until later, when I was 17 years old, in Buffalo NY)

Nadine and I are using some of the “spare time” we now have to work on family history and geneaology.  We have both submitted saliva samples to 23AndMe, and gotten back results.  So far, 23AndMe has identiified many 2nd, 3rd and 4th cousins for Nadine, fewer for me. 
In one case, Nadine has been linked with a cousin who, it turns out, has found out from 23AndMe that the father who raised her was not her biological father.  Her mother and father are both gone, so there is no one to ask about this discovery, to process it with.  I have heard on good authority that this happens to about 2% of all the persons who use these genetic services.
Our son Phil has been scanning hundreds of old family photos and making the digital copies available to his parents and his siblings.  In part, this is what has triggered the renewed interest in family history.  In talking with him recently, it came out that my mother, Dele, who did a lot of family history tracing, sent Phil’s wife Tracy some of her work about 20 years ago.  Tracy has found this material, and Phil has now scanned it also.  Lots of stuff to work on in our “spare time”.

On our afternoon walk, down a still somewhat de-populated Wilshire Blvd, it appears that both pedestrian and auto traffic are returning, and more folks not wearing masks in public.  The buses are still running but with just a few passengers.

Thursday: Rabbi Lebovitz’ Torah study class on Zoom.  Class members tailor their "backgrounds" on Zoom: green meadows with a rainbow arching in the blue sky; surf on the beach with palm trees swaying in the breeze; the sanctuary of the old Portuguese shul in Amsterdam.  Our “background" is our den with OfficeDepot storage boxes in the corner.  Class members caught yawning. The rabbi has not had a haircut in many weeks, says that with plenty of gel, he soon will look like Pat Reilly.

That’s it for now.
Stay safe, wash your hands, keep your distance, be kind to one another
And call your mother (if possible)….Mother’s  Day (US) is Sunday.
Coleman 

PHOTO GALLERY:
Regular gasoline under $3.00?  I can not remember when this last occurred in Los Angeles.  That’s the good news.
The bad news: we don’t need any right now

More local homegrown art in support to those persons who are keeping the wheels on our economy and our health care rolling:

The jacarandas in bloom in the park behind our building:

Outdoor gyms spring up in PanPacific Park:

From my brother Stan, in New Hampshire, words of encouragement for our future:

From Peter Imber in Maine: Trump's nostalgia for “the good old days”,:

And finally, who nu that Nuestro Presidente habla Espanol?

Standard Computer, 1966-1967

In about May of 1966, I left IBM and went to work for a computer startup called Standard Computer.  They started out in Phoenix, because the tech guys involved had worked for GE there, and were into designing mainframe computers for GE that would, in addition to other things, emulated IBM computers.  I spent the summer of 1966 in Phoenix for about 2 months.  Hotter than hell.

The money guys were from IBM and SoCalif.  The guy who recruited me to Standard was Fred Howden, who had also hired me at IBM in 1962.  So at the end of that summer, they relocated the computer to a facility in Santa Ana (OC). For about the next 10 months or so, I car pooled from Pasadena each day with 2 or 3 other guys who went to work for Standard.  That’s why I was getting home each night very late during that time.

Then in about June or July of 1967, Leslie and I bought the house in Newport Beach, and we moved.  We did not sell the Pasadena house right away.  We rented it to a couple on a rent-with-option-to-buy, and they did buy it about a year later.