For the Love of Learning.

I remember the moment when I decided to attain more knowledge.

It was in 2009 during my San Diego to Maine bicycle tour. (Have I ever mentioned I wrote an award winning book about that journey?) Anyway, I was in the midst of an enthusiastic Happy Hour with old friends, Jean and Big Al. We were at the Great Dane brewpub in Madison, WI. I made mention that my route would take me through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.Then I asked two pertinent questions. “Why is the UP part of Michigan when it’s clearly attached to Wisconsin? Were you Cheeseheads eating bratwurst and drinking Miller Lites when they moved the state boundary?” Big Al looked at me and simply stated, “The Toledo War of 1835.” To this I had an intelligent response, “Huh?” 

Big Al who looks and acts like a college professor began the history lesson. “The state of Ohio and the territory of Michigan laid claims to Toledo. Both wanted its western port on Lake Erie. There wasn’t much of a war between the militias. More bluster than bloodshed. Finally the Feds stepped in to settle the matter. The Michigan Territory relinquished its claims to Toledo in exchange for the Upper Peninsula. Wisconsin wasn’t even a territory until 1836. That’s why the UP is part of Michigan.” 

I sat back, took a sip of IPA and reacted accordingly. “OK...” What I was really thinking was this. “ Damn! I want to be smart like Big Al. I want to learn more stuff!” Reading was the answer. Al was a librarian and research wiz at the University of Wisconsin. He knows a lot more than the Dewey Decimal System.

Luckily I’ve always been a reader. For twenty years I lived across the street from the Fort Collins Library. There I was on a first name basis with the librarians. Lack of reading wasn’t my problem, absorbing and storing information was. I streamlined my goals. No need to bother with subjects I had no interest in. IE: mechanics, theoretical sciences and technology. I’d call them what they are to me, Magic, and leave it at that. I’d concentrate on non-fiction topics I had an affinity towards: US/World history, geography, travel, sports and true stories of survival and exploration. 

“I’m BUSY. I don’t have time to read!” Is the usual answer I get when I ask folks what they’ve read lately. I had plenty of time to read when I was living in a Van down by the river for 6.5 years. 

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2020/06/barley-van-was-only.html

When I gave up the Wandering Wondering full time lifestyle in August 2019, I still found time to read. That is when I wasn’t volunteering, going to movies, concerts, classes, sports events, camping, hiking and brewpub happy hours. Since Covid, most of those fun sociable events haven’t happened in nearly a year. I miss them. With all that additional time, I’m back in solitary confinement and reading at a 3 books/10 day pace. As usual I’m looking for answers to America’s and the World’s ongoing problems. The books were informative yet distressing. It wasn’t light reading.

For example:

Reads pertaining to the recent 45 Administration:

Strongmen

Demagogue 

The Soul of America the Battle for our Better Angels

14 Mile: Building the Border Wall

The Fifth Risk

Spying on the South

On the experiences of Black Americans:

Caste: the origins of our discontent 

The Warmth of Other Suns

Rising Tide

Olympic Pride, American Prejudice

Life of a Klansman

Overground Railroad

Ali: a Life

The Pandemic of 1918-1919:

The Great Influenza

The plight of so called “Illegal Aliens.”:

Undocumented Americans 

American Greed and income inequality; 

Wilderness Billionaires

Nickel and Dimed

On America’s impact on other countries:

The Imperial Cruise

How to Hide an Empire

The Nine Lives of Pakistan

The Quiet Americans 

On Redemption: 

Rising Above the Hatred

Unfollow

The Broken Road

There’s lots of hard core knowledge in the above book list. The information isn’t always pretty and at times upsettimg. It’s far removed from Alternative Facts and Fake News. By looking at our past, maybe we can strive for a better future. “History doesn’t repeat itself; People do.”

On a lighter note: Now I’m looking forward to the post-Covid day when I can participate in another enthusiastic Happy Hour. I’d rather entertain my fellow revelers with anecdotes about the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton or the most litigated river in the world, AKA the Colorado. AND if anyone wonders out loud, “Why is the UP part of Michigan and not Wisconsin?” I now have the answer. 

Thanks Big Al for motivating me to take learning more seriously.

Cheers! (It’s not a crime to be an Egghead! Yet!) 

Jeff

Last photo: Here’s that Gold Medal Award winning book. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Find it on Amazon.

HOPE!

Like so many others, I watched the Inauguration. I’m aware social media made Amanda Gorham a Rock Star over her inspiring speech. Of course Joe B spoke unity as well. It was a feel good moment for those who woke each and everyday for four long years thinking or saying, “WTF happened to this country I once loved so much?”

For me the poignant moments that caught my attention was Dubya. Yes, George W Bush. He was positively glowing. You could see his Jeff Sambur grin even behind his mask. He gave Joe B a manly two handed-handshake plus an atta-Joe smile. When #46 was leaving, Dubya chased him down and squeezed his arm. What this told me was that even for a stalwart Republican like George, #45 was too much. Citizen Bush saw through the bullshit and divisiveness.  Dubya didn’t fall for the Serial Liars 1/17 Inauguration Day speech. “This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.” 

There was no carnage until Trump made one of our Democracy. The ultimate Contrarian ignored the Rule of Law, the Constitution and just plain decency in this four year nightmare. The Scumbag sundered families and friendships. There was no middle ground with this Loser.

Since Candidate Neo-Nazi became President Nazi, I posted many political rants. I hated having to write them. However just standing back and standing by was no option for me. I’m a first generation American child of the Holocaust, to say nothing would be to acquiesce. This I could not do.

Thanks for following along,

I’ll now retreat to being fat, dumb and happy.

Remember to vote in 2022. We have a long way to go for a better more humane America

An Open Letter to all Reasonable...

 Moderate Republicans, 

 Hi Guys we need to talk. In the past few decades, you folks have been asleep at the wheel. The Party of Lincoln  allowed the Fox Fake News Network into the hen house. Moderates like yourselves are culpable to the recent chaos and calamity heaped unto our 224 year old Democracy. BUT you can now be part of a sensible solution. It wasn’t all that long ago the GOP preached fiscal responsibility, the “compassionate conservatism” of George W. Bush  and family values. 

Regretfully, the Republican political platform has now morphed into something strange and sinister.  What the Hell happened! What led up to this infamous moment in our shared history?

As usual I have strong opinions. My take is that it began in the 70’s and 80’s with the Sagebrush Rebellion. A western states movement in which supporters favored limited Federal Government control over Public Lands, including ownership. Many wanted to see a western landscape dotted with “For Sale” signs. 

The movement gained traction when candidate Reagan dramatically proclaimed, “I happen to be one who cheers and supports the Sagebrush Rebellion. Count me in as a rebel.” A few months later at his Inauguration, Reagan declared, “Government is not the solution to our problem, Government IS the problem.” Here’s the  Leader of the Federal Government dissing the organization he represents. Now isn’t that special! 

Reagan planted the seeds of mistrust of Government. It’s cool to be a Rebel.

 Reagan’s Administration favored tax breaks to the wealthy (AKA Trickle Down Economics. In other words, telling the commoners it’s raining when they’re really pissing on our backs), and deregulations. (Clean air, water and land are so overrated.).

In Congress the years went by with a Newt Gingrich divisive attitude between the aisles. Compromise and placing Country over Party became so passé. 

Then came the Tea Party bitching once again about high taxes and too much regulation. OY! 

In 2009 a Harvard Educated Black Man moved into the White House for eight years. For many Whites this was an  “End of Days” scenario.

When Obama’s cycle was almost done, the long drawn out process of transfer of presidential power began. Out of the depths of an overflowing Porta Potty rose the GOP’s candidate. A loathsome liar with a history of placing his hands where they don’t belong. As a DC outsider he promised to “Drain the Swamp,” hire only the “best” people and build the Great Wall of Racism with Mexican Pesos. The demagogue pointed his fat finger at Muslims, Mexicans and immigrants blaming them for out Nation’s woes. The Con Man perpetrated the myth of Obama’s African birth.. He was telling it like it is. The mobs loved it.

The Trumpism movement attracted the attention of Libertarians, (a nice way of saying Anarchists),  NRA gun nuts who appreciated the twenty Newtown, CT children who laid down their lives to preserve the Second Amendment, CINO’s (Christians in Name Only), JINO’s (Jews in Name Only) and of course well armed White Supremacists (AKA White Taliban). All these strange bedfellows had found their Leader. We know what happened next.

The moderates wrongfully believed they could control this rabid loser. They’d use Trump to achieve their goals. Yep! You guessed it. Lower taxes for the Uber wealthy and deregulation. However, the moderates overestimated their power. and underestimated Trump’s win at all cost strategy, even if it meant destroying our Democracy. Now we’re all in a fine mess. 

As moderate and reasonable Republicans you are now faced with a lose-lose situation. Flush the GOP of Trumpism starting with the 147 Congressmen and 6 Senators who voted to overturn the election results based on an alternative reality OR walk away and start a third party. Maybe call it Whigs II. I know. Tough choices, but it’s high time you grew a spine. This Dark Moment in our history occurred under your watch. Deal with it.

Final thought: There’s a reason this wasn’t an open letter to ALL Republicans. The extreme side of the GOP is BUSY! They are maneuvering and making plans to violently overthrow a legitimately  elected Government. For the sake of all reasonable people, let’s hope the Second Beer Hall Putsch fails.

BTW: Has anyone ever seen Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate? Yeah, neither have I. 

Drain the Cesspool! Make America Sane Again!