a thank you for the russians

 a thank you for the Russians

Currently most Americans are down on the Russians. Let us go back to the 1860's with America in civil War and the two most powerful European powers, France and England considering supporting the South in the civil war. Enter the Russians who dock two fleets temporarily in American ports.   Changing the balance of power internationally and allowing the two American sides in the conflict to proceed without foreign involvement ending slavery. 

Currently Russia is the world's whipping boy for their actions in Ukraine. Maybe rightly so. However

my own County permanently has unclean hands for it's treatment of the Native Americans when America was conglomerating into a world power. Most countries of the world have similar pasts. 

As author has written elsewhere The Pope, a Muslim caliphate and other religious leaders should be available and step forward willing to attempt to pause aggrandizement by strong men of the  various world powers. Said world strong men often get into situations where they need to stop fighting with their armies but are afraid to loose face and because of time and circumstance innocent civilians die and their lives are ruined. 

Mr. Putin stop the war in the Ukraine. 

author receives a left handed compliment for his excessive reading

 author receives a left handed compliment for his excessive reading

fiction

edward w pritchard

This author is seldom to be seen without a stack of recently purchased used books to be soon quickly scanned and underlined to fill his free time in his old age. Subjects vary but literature, history, philosophy and Greek and Roman writing, great books, tragedies of the finest play writers and the essays of Montaigne and others of his sort are the usual fare. 

Recently author received a left handed compliment that if- he could remember everything he reads he would be a genius-. Author did not take offence at said pedantic statement choosing instead to remain silent until this written blog to address " why we should want to read more and more in our old age even though no one is particularly interested in what we have to say about anything.

Starting with Montaigne's essays, study of philosophy in ones old age prepares one to die gracefully. Montaigne also mentions that having an excellent memory is commonly coupled with infirm judgment [ essay 1-9]. and Montaigne implies  in the same essay   "if one has an average memory he will not remember the injuries he has received." 

We have so few true friends as we age. Better to have an average memory so as not to dwell on the sadness the fates  have sent our way. 

Despite the years author always recalls fondly a pretty face. Some people spend time checking their on line phone for wiki's opinion on Montaigne essays or Chekhov's best plays and sometimes other people collect the world's greatest literature to anchor themselves into their last few years of their meager existence straining to remember this or that; using learning as a hobby before the lights go out permanently.  

Should author have occasion to meet Michel de Montaigne I would explain to him about Voyager 1 racing, racing far off into space 14.5 billion miles from earth absolutely alone like us when we are old going who knows where or why. As author writes elsewhere looking, searching for the end of the line for us.

george harrison why didnt you update your philosphy[ for me]

 George Harrison why didn't you update your philosophy [for me]

George I am sorry to admit that my favorite Beatle was John. 

But Now that I am old you are the one who moves me. Your off hand comment that everywhere people are dying but no one does anything about comes to my mind occasionally. It  moves to the top of the thousand books on philosophy I have read.

Why didn't you call me George? I so wanted to discuss philosophy and the end of being with you. 

Did you plan it or did events cause  you to morph into who and what you were?

I enjoyed "while my guitar gently weeps" but also the traveling Wilbury's " runaway". I call your name but your not there. 

How was India really? Did you buy it or was it just "living is easy with eyes closed misunderstanding all you see "?