1 Story, 1 Confession

(First, see Death of a Friend, below)

As I write this, someone in Texas is delivering the eulogy at Paul's funeral.

If I were there, I would have to tell one story about him to his wife and Marine sons, and I'd have to finally come clean about a secret I always kept from Paul.

(Had I known what was going to happen, I'd have send him a confessional email. Rats.)

The story for the family: In his college years, pre-family, he loved to chase his friends around our dorm at Texas A&M with (what he claimed was) a little piece of his navel lint. He'd come into your room, fake taking this piece of lint from his navel, and hold it between his thumb and forefinger, Then he'd chase you up and down the halls with "it."

I am sure he faked the lint because NO ONE's navel could possibly produce THAT much lint.

Well, after a couple of years of this, it had to come to a stop! And thus the confession to Paul - delivered through the Spirits of Aggieland: Paul, I was the one who took your new baby blue VM bug out of the parking lot, took the doors off the student lounge, and set the car in the livingroom. I am sorry the campus cops gave you that ticket, and that you had to pay such a large fine. But you have to admit...you stopped chase us with that damned navel lint.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Death of a Friend

This came this morning from Boyd Cherry, my college roommate.

"John,

"I send this with a heavy heart tonight.

"Our buddy Paul Kornfuehrer died Sunday afternoon. It was a tragic accident. Paul was cleaning his hunting guns to put away after the season and one discharged hitting him in the side.

"Apparently he was sitting on a small stool near a coffee table and had the guns (two rifles, two shotguns and a pistol) on a near by couch. It appears from the investigation that he must have reached for one of the rifles by the barrel and as he slid it off the couch it discharged.

"One of his neighbors told me he removed the guns at the request ofthe police after they had finished their investigation. He told me that all of them were loaded. I'm just amazed that he would be that careless. As you might guess Susan is very upset, as we all are. Susan was actual gone over the weekend and got back Sunday afternoon to find him. It must not have been long after it happened because she said that he had some cheese and crackers with a glass of wine on the coffeetable and the wine was still cool.

"Zou and I have been in Victoria the last two days trying to help her. Luckily she has a lot of friends there and of course two very fine Marines. You probably know that both of Paul's sons are stationed at Camp Pendleton. They were able to get a flight out Sunday night that got them into Houston at 4 a.m. Monday. Zou and I picked them up at the airport and took them to Victoria. I know I've probably been rambling but we just newspaper that has Paul's obituary.

Boyd"

http://www.thevictoriaadvocate.com/Public_Records/Obituaries/story/2511436p-2909971c.html

Pat Selects a Bra

On the way to the airport Pat wanted to stop at the Victoria's Secret store to get a gift for his girlfriend. Pat had already selected a bra, but could not anything to do with it. What is a dad to do, while his adult son shops for such things? Not offer advice, certainly. How does a man decide which one to get a woman, anyway?

So while he tried to make a selection, I wandered around the VS store for the first time. Have you ever noticed all the interesting names that VS gives its many upper-body products? While Pat shopped and shopped, I made a list:

Sensual Shapers...Bare Attitudes...Strapless Molders...Convertible Strapless...Shaping Demi...Racerback...Shaping Full Coverage...Unlined Full Coverage...Angels Collection...Push-up Padless...Black Push-ups...Semifluid Hemispheres...

(just kidding on that last one).

About the time I got down to the "Push-up Padless" ones, I spotted Pat the engineer/journalist across the room. He was going from one kind of bra to another, studying them in his usual intense way, studying each bra closely...("...How does a man decide which one to get a woman, anyway?)

Pat was testing the clasps on each one. He selected a one-hooker, and then we left for the airport.

16th Second Inaugural

Observations while walking around Washington, DC on January 20th:

Standing near the Hart Senate Office Building, I saw Sen. Zell Miller walk by and go into the HSOB, along with hundreds of Inauguration attendees...and later, while standing on the side walk at the corner of Pennsylvania & Constitution, senators John McCain and Charles Schumer walked by, McCain talking toward the White House, and Schumer toward Capitol Hill. Both were alone but for 2 aides.

I wandered along Pennsylvania Avenue from about 10:00 AM until nearly 4:00 PM.

It seemed to me that the protesters divided into three groups:

The most numerous group of protesters carried signs (with a variety of messages) with "International Socialist Organization" printed at the bottom.

From the literature that one of them gave me, the International Socialist Organization "...is dedicated to fighting for a world free of all exploitation, racism and sexual oppression – (to create) a society whose productive resources are democratically owned and controlled by the working-class majority, and where human need replaces capitalist greed. The (ISO) stands in the revolutionary tradition of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky…The ISO believes that capitalism produces poverty, racism, famine, environmental catastrophe and war…We believe another world is possible…It seems so obvious--if people are hungry, they should be fed; if people are homeless, we should build homes for them; if people are sick, the best medical care should be available to them. A socialist society would take the immense wealth of the rich and use it to meet the basic needs of all society…There’s no blueprint for what a socialist society will look like. That will be determined by the generations to come…but it seems obvious that such a society would guarantee every person enough to eat and a sturdy roof over their heads…The education system would be made free--and reorganized so that every child’s ability is encouraged. Health care would be made free and accessible to all, as would all utilities like gas and electricity. Public transportation would also be made free--and more practical and efficient. All of these basic needs would become top priorities. A socialist society would not only take away the existing wealth of the ruling class, but also its economic control over the world..."

Hmmm...re: "...There’s no blueprint for what a socialist society will look like..." -- perhaps no 'blueprint,' but there are several good examples from recent history of what the ISO's Marxist-Leninist kind of government would do in fact.

See more at http://www.internationalsocialist.org/index.shtml


The second most numerous protester group was from A.N.S.W.E.R. -- Act Now to Stop War & End Racism

Again, from their literature:

"...The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition formed on September 14, 2001. It is a coalition of hundreds of organizations and prominent individuals and scores of organizing centers in cities and towns across the country. Its national steering committee represents major national organizations that have campaigned against U.S. intervention in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia, and organizations that have campaigned for civil rights and for social and economic justice for working and poor people inside the United States. Steering Committee: IFCO/Pastors for Peace, Free Palestine Alliance - U.S., Haiti Support Network, Partnership for Civil Justice – LDEF, Nicaragua Network, Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Phillippines, Korea Truth Commission, Muslim Student Association – National, Kensington Welfare Rights Union, Mexico Solidarity Network, Middle East Children's Alliance...In the last three years a global mass movement has come into existence to challenge the war makers, build unity against racism, and to defend civil rights and civil liberties. The success of this movement is based on the incredible generosity, enthusiasm and dedication of people around the country and around the world...This work can only take place because of the generous financial contributions of people who are committed to building an effective anti-war and social justice movement. Please continue to show your support and tell a friend, a neighbor or a family member to support this growing movement by making a donation that helps pay for bus transportation, the production of leaflets, posters, stickers and buttons, newspaper ads, mass mailings, educational events, outreach and many other tasks.

For more, see http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_donate

The third and smallest group seemed to be miscellaneous individuals, who chanted their messages and held up their signs.
"Hey, hay, ho, ho George Bush's got to go.'
"American Fascist"
and others.

Everything was peaceful.
JB