Sailfest Fireworks 2015

We returned from our annual visit to the USA two days ago.  I had not planned on doing to much traveling during this visit which turned out to be prophetic - my father died 16 days after our arrival.  We consider ourselves fortunate to have spent some time with him before he got sick and died.

One goal that I did have for our USA trip was to photograph the Sailfest Fireworks in my boyhood home of Groton on 11 July which turned out to be the night of my father's burial.  I had some new equipment along with some refined technique that I wanted to try out.

Eight days earlier I tried out the new equipment and refined technique to photograph the 75th year anniversary fireworks display for Ocean Beach Park in New London from Eastern Point Beach in Groton.  That trial run produced satisfactory results and increased my eagerness for the grand display associated with the annual Sailfest celebration.

Duang and I hiked from my parent's house to our favorite viewing location inside of Fort Griswold State Park.  Once again, I pointed out landmarks from my youth, my elementary school, my high school swim coach's home, the package store (liquor store) where I used a doctored-up ID, the location of my friend's pizza store, ..., along with tales of long ago times.

We walk because of the difficulties in parking and the heavy traffic around the viewing areas along the Thames River in Groton.  Although we were some of the last people to leave the confines of the fort at the conclusion of the fireworks program, we arrived at my parent's home while many people were still stuck in traffic.

I ended up taking 204 photographs during the 20 minute show.  Shooting 4 second exposures, I was essentially pressing my remote trigger as soon as the previous exposure had been completed. Since I had set up my equipment and tested it out prior to the start of the display, once the show commenced I could sit on our saht, look up and enjoy the show - watching the camera display above me in order to press the remote as each previous exposure was completed.  My research, experimentation and preparation were well rewarded with some very nice exposures.

My latest gallery on my website shows some of the results.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Sailfest-Fireworks-2015

I hope that you enjoy the photos.

Reunion

My 1967 Senior Class Photo

This year my graduating class of 1967 at Robert E. Fitch Senior High will be having its 45th Reunion.

The opportunity of attending this reunion has presented me with a dilemma.  Why should I make an effort to attend an event with people who I have not seen or communicated with in 45 years?  Obviously these are people that have meant very little to me and I have meant very little to them over the years for if we had, we would have maintained some contact.  On the other hand, the reunion does present an opportunity, perhaps the last opportunity for many, to express my appreciation and regards to people who shared events and experiences from a critical time period of my life.  Perhaps more importantly a reunion provides the opportunity to pay some respects to fellow classmates who are no longer alive.

Perhaps many of us did not turn out the way that we were supposed to or were expected to.  Life has a habit of presenting opportunities and challenges to the path that we start upon or the path that we prefer to travel on our life journey.  However it is our decisions and manner in which we cope with these opportunities as well as challenges that makes each life so interesting and rich.  At the events like this, we learn that we are not alone ... alone in the suffering, joys, triumphs, and disappointments of life.  We are not alone in having shared many of the world events that have shaped history over the past 45 years.

Attending a reunion is not a matter of seeking vindication for the choices that we have made or giving vindication to others for theirs. Rather it is an opportunity to share those choices and to perhaps better understand why we are who we are today and to understand better where we came from.

I have addressed the fear of perhaps being on my death bed and wondering back upon my life and questioning "What would my life had been like, if back ... I had ..."  I did not want to be in that situation, so I made a decision to take that branch off to the side of the road and discover what lay down that road.  I do not regret having done that for my life is richer and more complete.

So after discussing it with Duang, I agreed that we will attend the reunion.  I don't want to regret at some point not having attended.  It will be an opportunity to thank some people and express appreciation to some people for the influence that they had on me so long ago.  Attending the reunion will also be an experience for Duang to learn a little more about American culture, my past, and to enjoy a night out.

Duang and I have traveled many miles to encounter and interact with peoples of very different cultures.  We have enjoyed the opportunity to learn and experience what other people are like.  We have never been disappointed.  Having done that and our intention is to continue doing that, it is only logical that we would cross the river to spend some time with some people that I went to school with.

I will return to Groton from Thailand on Thursday night, so after 30 hours of travel and 13 hours of time change, it should be even that more interesting for me on Saturday night.

It is far better, in my mind, to be curious than to be sorry.  One thing that I am certain of, there will be no 90th Reunion.

The Tyranny of the Minority

Today marks the one year anniversary of Duang's immigration to America and my return to my home to care for my parents.

After being back in the USA after spending 9-1/2 of the past 11 years abroad, it has been very interesting to observe life here up close and personal once again.  It is even more interesting to observe Duang experiencing life here.

Change is a constant force in the Universe.  However, we are often oblivious to the change around us in that it frequently evolves slowly and we become acclimatized to the changes without recognizing the changes.

Duang has been amazed at the television commercials for pet food let alone "gourmet" flavored foods for dogs and cats.  Back in Isaan, villagers have dogs but the dogs fend for themselves and eat table scraps.  I am convinced that the dogs in America that are served pet food, not necessarily the "gourmet" variety end up with a more nutritious diet and more balanced diet than the Lao Loum farmers of Isaan.  She was astounded seeing television commercials for pet medicines.

I have been amazed at the number of television commercials offering legal services for "victims" of God knows what medicine they may have taken in the past.  Of course advertisements for Viagra and Cialis always bring a smile to our face since such advertisement is not on Thai or Lao television.  I am still trying to figure out how and why the man and woman end up in separate bathtubs after he supposedly takes Cialis for ED.

A development of our current society that has astonished me has been what I will describe as the tyranny of the minority in the United States.  Having lived in several countries, I have had experience of being a minority many times in my life.  I have commented many times that living in a foreign country gives you a great appreciation for tolerance.  I have lived in two Muslim countries, a Roman Catholic country twice, an atheist country, a Buddhist country, and a secular country.  I felt no obligation to try to change their beliefs or culture.

In all the countries I found people worshipping or not worshipping as they chose.  In Algeria you could go to a Christian service,  In Thailand, you can worship at a Mosque and be a practicing Muslim.  In Vietnam, I attended services at a Buddhist temple and knew of Christian services being held.  I am not advocating any religion over the other, but I only wish to point out that in the countries where I lived, the minority was free to practice and live as their faith or lack of faith dictated.  The majority respected the needs of the minority.  The minorities in those countries did not advocate or agitate for the dilution of the majority.  Tolerance was a thread that kept the fabric of society intact.

In the United States today there is a great sensitivity towards the need of the minority.  There are a plethora of lawyers and organizations all too willing to point out and "defend" the rights, sensitivities and needs of any given minority.  However upon my return here I have observed that the minority do not always reciprocate with sensitivity, consideration, and acceptance of the wishes and needs of the majority.  It seems more and more common that the majority is held hostage to peculiarities of the minority even if it be a single person.

As a child I was brought up to respect the will of the majority.  When I felt that I was suffering from the outrageous slings and arrows of childhood, I would complain perhaps even whine to my mother.  She always would admonish me to get along with others and ask "Who do you think that are?  Someone special?"  She did not want me to fore go my beliefs, opinions, or rights but in grained in me the principle that the rights of the minority need to be protected but that the minority had an obligation to get along with the majority.  Fighting to have things the way that I preferred, wanted, or was more "comfortable" was not a behavior that she supported.  It was an America of majority rule.

Today it seems to me that the arrogance of "I", the individual, has taken over our society, our dysfunctional society.  The arrogance of "I", prevents our politicians from compromising and doing what is best for our country and future generations of our citizens.  There is much less tolerance today in our America ... from the minority for the majority.  The result is an inability to govern effectively, if at all.

An example involves a court decision in Rhode Island related to prayer in a public high school. In  Cranston High School West there is a mural that has been in the school for almost fifty years as a gift from a graduating class in 1963.  The mural is a prayer that was written by a student.  A current student, who is an Atheist, petitioned the Court to have the banner removed because as an Atheist she "felt excluded and ostracized".  A Judge has ordered the prayer to be removed.  The city has covered the mural with a tarp while it considers a possible appeal.

The Judge's ruling has created a great deal of controversy in the city, Rhode Island, and on the Internet.  I wrote a comment on Facebook related to the case and briefly described my feelings on the situation.  The gist of my belief is "Hey people, tolerance is a two way street"  I indicated that I would be writing a blog regarding the situation and some one commented along the line of "Great, a crusade".  No, I am not on a religious crusade.  I am more on a quest for tolerance.

In regards to the Atheist:  No one is accused of forcing her to look at it.  No one is accused of making her read or recite the prayer.  No one is accused of forcing or even trying to force her to belief the prayer.  No one is accused of attempting to convince her to like the mural.  She as an individual felt "excluded and ostracized".  I am sorry but to me that sounds more like a personal problem than an issue for the high school, city, or Court to solve.  To me this is once again an example of the arrogance of "I" the lack of tolerance by the minority for the needs, sensitivities, and wishes of the majority.  This is a demonstration of a lack of respect by a minority for the majority.

It is the lack of tolerance in so many aspects of our daily life today in America that creates a lack of respect and prevents people from moving on and creating compromises.  It is the subjugation of the common good for the sensitivities of the few.  It is the suppression of majority rule.

This case has not been resolved and it will go on for much longer.  Most recent developments are the student has now received almost $40,000 in donations for her college expenses, the ACLU has requested $173,000 in legal fees from the City related to the case, and the mural has been covered up.

I repeat my statement "Tolerance is a two way street".

I see that America has changed, in my opinion a change that has not been for the good.

My wish is that abuse by the majority and tyranny of the minority will be eliminated from our society.

I suspect that they will be shortly after there is peace in the Middle East, and world hunger is eliminated.

If I have offended anyone with this blog, please do not be mean to me because I suspect that I will then feel "excluded and ostracized".  If that were to occur, I will provide my address so that I can receive donations for my heroic stand from those who share my sentiments.

A Revolutionary Thanksgiving - Celebration of Independence

Freshly Prepared Thanksgiving Food At Jabez Smith House, Groton

I am spending my first Thanksgiving holiday in many years in the USA.  I am spending my first Thanksgiving of many many more years with my parents in their home.

Whether I was in Algeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada, Brasil, or Vietnam, I always managed to celebrate this special holiday.  There is something about celebrating that has a universal appeal and relevance no matter where in the world that you find yourself.  It is a holiday that transcends national sensitivities.

Ham, Chickens, and Corn on the Cob Over An Open Wood Fire

Recently I attended a local event here in Groton.  The event was a "Revolutionary Thanksgiving" and was held at the Jabez Smith House.  Participants reenacted a traditional late 18th century holiday celebration complete with traditional foods and methods of cooking.  The participants are ordinary people who have a passion for American Colonial history.  They dress and re-enact daily early American life at special events throughout the year.  I had first encountered some of them at the event which recognized the 230th anniversary of the Fort Griswold Massacre also known as the Battle of Groton Heights.  Besides dressing, and demonstrating skills from the past, the people are a source of information regarding daily colonial life.  It is always nice to see young children at these living history events.  It is an opportunity for them to see some of what they read about in schools.  In this area besides these events there is Mystic Seaport and Old Sturbridge Village where history comes alive.

Documenting the event and listening to the reading of personal diaries from Colonists as well as French soldiers who had come to assist them in the War of Independence, I could not help but be impressed with the self sufficiency of the people.  During that age, men were more of "jacks of all trades" rather than the specialists that we have evolved into today.  A man was a hunter, fisherman, carpenter, farmer, tailor, as well as doctor to ensure his and his family's survival. Women were also fully engaged in multi-tasking with activities such as sewing, weaving, cooking, gardening, helping with the farming and caring for the animals, as well as educating the children. The women also were involved in doctoring and preparing medicinal herbs for the family's use. In Colonial times there was little time to be bored.

Today it is all too easy to rely upon others for our safety, welfare and comfort.  Yes we need to rely upon the knowledge and skills of others for many things.  However, it is often too convenient and the path of least resistance to place our blind trust and welfare in the hands of the others - often misguided.

The financial collapse of so many prominent investment firms in recent years as well as swindles like that perpetrated by Bernie Madoff should lead us to question just how smart these "experts" are or were.  I have always handle my own investments and done acceptable.  I have made spectacular returns but then again I have not been swindled or wiped out like MF Global.  The point is that today with the wealth of resources available to us on the Internet, we should never blindly accept and follow the advise of financial "experts".  If you don't understand it from your own research or understand from the advice of an "expert", you should not invest in it.

The same is true with Doctors.  When I was younger, all Doctors were held in unquestionable esteem - an air often cultivated by the Doctors themselves.  Having lived overseas, you learn to question and evaluate the advise that the doctors give you.  It is important to realize that WE are our own Primary Health Care Provider.  In our culture, doctors only fix what is wrong with us once something happens.  It is our responsibility to prevent that something from happening in the first place.  I know a woman who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis by the best doctor at the best hospital in an upper class city in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Through a fortunate circumstance she ended up in a third world country where she contacted Amoebic Dysentery.  She was given standard medication for the dysentery and soon noticed that her colitis symptoms had disappeared.  Research into her travelling companion, "The Merck Manual" strongly suggested to her that she had "Antibiotic Induced Colitis".  Interesting enough the medicine for curing Amoebic Dysentery is the same for Antibiotic Induced Colitis.  The doctor in California was notified of the possible misdiagnosis but stood his ground and stated that the Ulcerative Colitis would return.  Fifteen years later she is still awaiting the return of the Ulcerative Colitis and she no longer takes a prophylactic antibiotic prior to dental work.  I am certain that had she remained under the care of the experts she would now be dealing with the ravishes caused by prescribed steroid treatment for Ulcerative Colitis.

The aforementioned can also be said with dealings with lawyers.  Do not just take their advice without first doing your own research and asking yourself as well testing their advice to determine if it makes sense - for YOU.  For you - yes because in the end you will have to live with the results and consequences of their work along with their advice that you take.  They will earn their fee and move on to more clients.  You will live with the results for the rest of your life.  back in Thailand a vast majority of issues between people are dealt with directly rather than acquiring the services of a lawyer.  Matters such as purchasing land, homes, automobile accidents, divorces, and name changes are handled by the involved parties with the appropriate government agencies merely recording and maintaining documents related the resolution as in the matter of real estate, divorces, and name changes.

This week I had the "experience" of dealing with technical support related to my computer VOIP service.  As people sometimes reply if they are involved in a relationship, "It's complicated".  A long time ago I had Internet service through SBC =, a spin off at the time of AT&T.  Like the theory of the Universe that it expanded at the time of the Big Bang and will eventually contract, SBC merged into AT&T once again.  AT&T developed a special working relationship with Yahoo which lead me to use Yahoo Messenger. Yahoo Messenger developed a premium service called Yahoo Voice - Phone Out which allowed me to call phone numbers from my computer at very good rates i.e. call cell phones in Thailand for $0.10 USD a minute rather than around $8.00 a minute using a traditional land line in the USA.  I have forgotten which came first, remember I wrote that it was complicated, but two things happened AT&T and Yahoo stopped their special working relationship and the servicing of Yahoo Voice - Phone Out was taken over by a company named Jajah.  Jajah was recently taken over by Telefonica something or other - just to show how complicated finding someone responsible has become in the tech world.  Any how, life was good using Yahoo Voice - Phone Out.  For the past six months I had been getting messages that I had an outdated version of Yahoo Messenger.  I ignored it until earlier this week when I succumbed to the fear that I might be missing out on something - foolish me or perhaps greedy me.  I downloaded the latest version of Yahoo Messenger and promptly lost access to my Voic-Phone Out Account.  I sought help through the programs and kept getting into FAQ that answered nothing close to my personal problem.  I tried AT&T and got referred to Yahoo.  I decided to call Yahoo support on the phone and after punching some numbers and waiting, found out that they do not do support over the phone.  I ended up contacting Jajah "Live Chat" support.  At first over texting they tried to pawn me off with my problem to AT&T.  I spent a great deal of time in a painful noxious texting ordeal going over my problem with a rep to the point that I thought that I was dealing with either a robot or a computer.  It was obvious that we were going through a standard troubleshooting routine oblivious to any statements that I had previous conveyed to the rep.  Some of her solutions recommended had absolutely nothing to do with my problem.  I thanked her for "help" and got away from her.  I did some more Internet research and found serious issues with Jajah support for the past three years.  Undeterred I contacted support via Live Chat once again - guess who?  Yep it was Zoe once again.  Luckily or rather more indicative of her consciousness she did not seem aware of my previous comment that "I am sure that you may be a nice person but you are absolutely of no help to me. I am signing off"  Well we started down the same road once again - after awhile I just hung up.  I tried a couple of things on my own to no avail.  I went back to tech support and got a man who was more on the ball.  I never suspected that he was either a robot or a computer.  He gave me a possible solution which in the process of implementing required me to shutdown and restart my computer thereby losing contact with him.  His solution did not work so I contacted tech support once again only to get a third "expert".  We went down the same path as the previous times and had no success.  After 7-1/2 hours dealing with Jajah tech support the last rep wrote that he could not solve the problem and that he would refer the problem to their "Software Engineers" and that I could expect an email from them within 24 hours (110 hours ago).  I have yet to get that email. I found a website that would solve my problem for $48.  It appeared to have been a Yahoo website but I am not sure - I was having trouble seeing through my rage at that point.  I was sure not going to pay Yahoo a penny let alone $48 to solve a problem with their software which I had upgraded to at their request.  I also did not like the fact that only after you wrote about your problem did you find out that it was a pay for solution site.  Flustered that I could no longer cheaply call my wife back in Thailand, I did what we should all do , I voted with my feet and pocket book - I went and set up an account with Skype.  In less than 30 minutes, I was on the phone with Duang and able to make unlimited calls around the world for the next three months - cost?  Around $39 for the three months. I was still left with the issue of almost $20 remaining in my Yahoo Voice- Phone Out account.  After cooling off for a couple of days I decided to try to solve the problem on my own.  From the Tech "Experts" it had been determined that I still had a valid account but for some reason my new version of Messenger did not connect or recognize the account.  I decided to go to the library and see what happened if I logged on to Yahoo Messenger from a different machine - Voila (There it is) I was able to access my Voice account from the library through an even older version of Messenger than when I started this fiasco.  I went home optimistic that I could solve the problem.  I uninstalled Yahoo Messenger like I had done at least 8 times previously as instructed by the "experts".  However this time I was not going to rely on the software to remove it for me.  I went into my hidden files and removed all folders associated with either Yahoo, AT&T, and Yahoo.  I then used Norton 360 Premium to clean up my registry file - sure enough it found 65 lines of code associated with Yahoo even though it had been uninstalled automatically.  Only then did I upload the latest version of Yahoo Messenger.  To my delight, it recognized and accessed my Yahoo Voice - Phone Out account.  My point being is that we have the ability to solve our own problems most of the time.  We need to trust in ourselves and not blindly follow those who are called "experts"  "Experts" are like any tool, they can be used by us to achieve a goal but on their own they can not resolve our issues.  We have to take the responsibility and live with the consequences to solve our problems.

So on this American Thanksgiving in 2011 let's reflect upon all that we have been blessed with and let's strive to be more self sufficient in our lives just as our ancestors were during the Revolutionary Thanksgivings.  Let's all be especially grateful for our ability to think for ourselves and to make our own decisions - truly blessings to be appreciated and used every day.

Let's Not Forget

Events in life can sometimes be thought of as rivers.  Just as with rivers events have creative as well as destructive influences on people far removed from the source.  Just as with rivers, events are difficult to control and often times efforts to control them have far reaching negative impacts well beyond our imagination.

Three events this past holiday weekend have created a confluence in "Allen's World".  These events have converged and reinforced in me a common theme and reaffirmed the importance of history.

The first event, which I have already written about was the commemoration of the Battle of Groton Heights which is also known as the Fort Griswold Massacre.  On September 6, 1781, a local man, Benedict Arnold of Norwich, CT lead the British raid on New London, CT.  The attacking force of 1,700 regular British Army soldiers was opposed at Groton's Fort Griswold by 164 citizen soldiers.  In the end, the colonists lost the battle with casualties of 85 killed and 60 wounded.

Some 230 years ago common people; farmers, merchants, tradesmen rose to the challenge, left their families to defend their cause with many never to return to their loved ones.

The second event, also a far away event but in distance rather than in time, was a phone call from my oldest son.  He called to inform me that his 24 year old brother-in-law was in the ICU of the hospital fighting for his life after a four story fall on September 3rd. It was shocking to learn that someone so young and healthy was so quickly in life threatening circumstances.  No one had expected it.

The third event was having a former teacher befriend me on Facebook.  I had been one of her students 50 years ago.  It was a reconnection to my past.  It is an opportunity for me to show her the impact and influence that she has made upon my life from her doing her job so many years ago.  Just as events mold and shape our world so do people to our lives.  I have expressed gratitude in general for the education that I received in the Groton public schools.  However, I have yet to personally demonstrate my appreciation on a personal level to one of the teachers that helped to motivate me and give me some of the tools to use later in my life.  I now have an unexpected opportunity.  However I do have some trepidation that my former English teacher may start to hand out grades on these blog entries.

This coming week also marks the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 terror attacks.  I have written of that day before.  My perspective on that day is a little different than that of many of my friends in that I was living in Brasil.  Much of what I experienced of that time was through BBC International television.  However in the aftermath of that horrible day I was struck by a couple of things.  The first were the final calls from victims in the buildings and planes to their loved ones, the final good byes, and the last words that they felt compelled to express.  The other thing were the countless stories of remorse of survivors of the victims of how they had not kissed them or told the victims how much they were loved or how much they meant to them that day.  The victims had gone off about their lives just as any other day.  Just as any other day they were expected to return home.  Things that needed to be said or should have been said were reserved for a later time; a time that never arrived for so many people.

I remember that in the time after the tragedy of 9-11, we all were more appreciative of each other.  We all held our loved ones closer and dearer to ourselves.  I suspect that we were also much more expressive of our feelings and emotions regarding each other.

Over the passage of time, for many of us, old habits have reestablished themselves.  We may not kiss our loved ones every morning upon waking.  We delay telling someone how much they mean to us or how much we appreciate them because we expect there will be tomorrow or some other day to do it.  But there will always be a September 3, September 6, or a September 11 for someone and no tomorrow for them.  There will be no later time to say or do what should or could be done today.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9-11, let's not forget to tell those around us how much we love them, how much they have impacted our life, and how much we appreciate them being in our life.

History Re-Written?

Last Saturday, 3 September 2011, was a special day in Groton, Connecticut.  The commemoration of the 230th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Griswold, sometimes referred to as the Massacre of Fort Griswold, was held.  I will be writing a more detailed blog on this event later.

As part of the festivities, people from throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island came to Fort Griswold State Park to participate in reenactments of colonial period military and civilian activities.  Just as their are people who join Renaissance, American Civil War or Medival re-enactment organizations, here in New England there are American Revolutionary War groups representing American Patriots, British, Hessian, and French soldiers.

These people bring to life our history and make history more interesting to especially small children.  Surprisingly even old history buffs such as me end up learning or seeing something new.

Could He REALLY Be Who I Think He Is?

Well Saturday was somewhat of a shock for me.  I was wandering around taking photographs of the various participants when I came upon a group of "British" soldiers from Rhode Island.  I immediately recognized one of the soldiers for he is one of my favorite heroes.  Although I had studied history four years in high school and even four years of college, I was amazed to see "The Little Corporal", The Sacred Emperor Napolean Boneparte in a British uniform!

Never in all my classes or any of the books that I have read was there any mention that Napolean had fought in the American Revolution.  He had fought in the French Revolution but it was actually against the rebels.  He had served in the French Army and never as a "Redcoat".

Napolean?  In the British Army?

I asked the British Sergeant if he was aware that one of his men was perhaps the Emporer Napolean.  He seemed astounded at the possibility.  As for "Napolean" he claimed that he did not have any French blood in him.  He claimed to be of German, Irish, and Italian extraction.  "Hmmmm" I thought to myself; "Napolean was actually from Corsica which is part of Italy".  This soldier was showing some deftness typical of statesmen.  He denied being French but said he was descended from Italians all the while not admitting he was from Corsica.  I did not have the time to fully investigate but there appeared to be a conspiracy here.  I will perhaps leave it to Glenn Beck and others to pursue this further.

As we engaged in small talk, I noticed that the soldier appeared to relax and let down his guard ... or rather placed his hand inside of his tunic, an all too familiar posture for the man known to be "Napolean Boneparte".

Perhaps this was all a coincidence.  Perhaps this was a case of mistaken identity. Or perhaps some sinister forces are truly trying to rewrite history.

No matter the truth, it was a great day as well as quite a bit of fun.

Rest well and lay in peace. Mon Emperor, ; where ever you are.

Now Showing ...

Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant, Groton CT

It is now official and available for viewing ... the first public display of some of my photographs.

Seven of my photographs, selected by the restaurant owner, are now on display at the Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant, 764 Long Hill Road, Groton CT in the Groton Plaza Shopping Center and will remain there for six months.

The frames, backboards, acrylic, and mats arrived on Thursday afternoon from Documounts in Portland, Oregon.  I was extremely impressed with the packaging of the items that I had ordered for this exhibit. All items were well protected and arrived in pristine condition.

Duang assisted me in assembling the metal frames, and mounting the photographs, which had arrived the previous week from Adorama in New York City.  The afternoon went by quickly as we assembled three sides of the metal frames, attached the selected photograph to the black archival mat, removed the paper backing from both sides of the standard acrylic sheet, inserted the acrylic sheet into the frame followed by the matted photograph and then the archival foam board before finally installing the last piece of the frame along with mounting hardware - all the while ensuring that no fingerprints or debris were captured in the process.



"Bent At The Waist" 2009
12"x18", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame



"Lao Loum Labor" 2008
12"x8",  Black Mat, Black Metal Frame



"Duangchan and Family Planting Rice" 2009
12"x18", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame



"Ma Jon and Mother" 2006
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame



"Garlic Harvesters of Ban Huai Phueng" 2009
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame



"Isaan Songkran Fun" 2010
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Ubon Ratchathani Dancers In the Rain" 2010
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

Yesterday afternoon, between the lunch and dinner servings, Duang and I brought the framed works to the Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant to show to Tai, the owner to ensure that the works were acceptable.  She was very pleased and wanted me to hang the photos right then and there.  I drove back to my parent's home to gather the tools to hang the photos ... tape measure, framing square, plumb bob and line, hammer and level.  Walking back into the restaurant with the tools, I felt like I was back in my old days as an apprentice pipefitter some 44 years ago.

I had previously made a scale drawing of the available space and had developed a layout for the photographs so the task at hand was to locate the points for hanging each frame on the wall.  Once again Duang was most helpful and supportive in assisting me to complete the task.  We were both very happy with the end result.  The owners and staff at the restaurant were very pleased also and complimentary.  The display meets the goal of Thai life - "Good for you.  Good for me".

I have a public venue to share and perhaps sell some of my work.  The restaurant has a complimentary addition to their decor.

After hanging the photographs, we returned home to make dinner for my parents.  We then returned to the restaurant to have an intimate dinner - just the two of us; a rare and most welcomed occurrence for us.  Naturally we selected the table across from the photo display.  The food, as always, was excellent.

Photography Exhibit Update

"Bent At The Waist"

A while back, actually almost 3-1/2 months ago, I wrote about being inspired as well as encouraged to develop a photography exhibit of some of my work.  I have not given up on that endeavor and I have been busy developing and redefining my original concept.

A local business has offered me some space to display some of my photographs and to handle any sales that may arise.

The prints have been selected and the prints arrived two days ago.  Frames and other mounting materials have been ordered and through the power of the Internet I am able to track their progress across the USA for a scheduled 5 August delivery.

I have been using http://www.adorama.com/ in New York City for several years for prints as well as my other photography equipment needs.  I have never been disappointed with their products or service.  I have even had them ship items to me in Thailand.  The prints that arrived the other day were sharp and correctly colored just as all the other prints that I have ordered over the years.

Only recently I have gotten into mounting and framing of my photographs.  After researching suppliers on the Internet, I selected http://www.documounts.com/ for my supplies.  Documounts has an extensive selection of frames, mats, and supplies required to display photographs.  Like Adorama, you are given a tracking number for your shipment.  I found that the pricing from Documounts to be very good and their customer service to be excellent.

This will be the first public display of my work and the process has been a learning experience.  Developing an exhibit, albeit a small exhibit, requires a great deal of work.

Based upon the three books that I have produced, I have developed a style for displaying my photographs.  As in my books, the photographs will be surrounded by a black mat.  The displayed photographs will be placed in black metal narrow frames to avoid distracting from the photograph as well as for economical considerations. Separate labels will be mounted below each of the framed photographs.  The labels mirror the style utilized in my books; black background, yellow lettered captions, and white lettering for information.

Prior to producing labels, I had to give a name to each piece of work and determine a price for the work.  Developing a price for your work can be quite daunting,  Photography discussion groups on the web are filled with people asking for help to price their work.  Fortunately I have had plenty of experience in pricing work related to construction projects so I did not have to seek assistance. However I did some research on what other people were charging for similar photographs and evaluated those prices against my wants and needs to develop my pricing.

Labels Created In Photoshop Elements


With names and prices determined, it was time to develop the individual labels.  I had read on the Internet that one person produced their labels using Photoshop.  I decided to try and make my labels out of Photoshop Elements, a watered down $100 version of the $600 Photoshop software program.  Using Photoshop Elements, I was able to create individual 1.5 inch high by 3.5 inch wide labels.  I created a jpeg file to print three labels per 4 inch by 6 print.  When all the labels were completed, I uploaded the files to a flash drive, drove to a nearby CVS Pharmacy, and printed the photographs on a Kodak Kiosk.  In five minutes I had my prints and was ready to move on to the next step of the process.

The 4x6 prints were glued to 3/16"  thick foam board using Scotch Craft Stick.  After allowing the glue to thoroughly dry, I cut the individual 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" labels using a metal straight edge and an Exacto knife.  The edges of the foam board labels were painted with black acrylic craft paint.  After the paint was dry, two small circles of double edged sticky foam were affixed to each label to complete the process of making individual labels for each displayed photograph.

The next order of business was to design the layout for the display.  This required taking measurements of the space and drafting a scaled drawing to develop the arrangement for the photographs.  Either through dumb luck, beginner's luck or Divine intervention, the layout was rather easy as well as symmetric - and more importantly fit the available space!

Discussion groups on the Internet are filled with tales of anger, disappointment, and betrayal regarding people doing business.  The standard question that is sent in response to the initial posting is usually along the lines of "What does the contract say?"  invariably the original poster acknowledges that there was no formal contract.  Having dealt with many claims and a few of construction lawsuits over the years, I understand how important and helpful a contract can be when conducting business.  I am hoping to avoid a personal tale of woe so it was back to the Internet to research contracts and consignment agreements.  Once the research was completed, I developed a proposed contract for the exhibit that is intended to meet the needs and concerns of both parties involved.

It appears that the exhibit will be set up by the middle of August.  I will announce the location when it is available for viewing.

In the mean time I have made a submittal to a local gallery involving my original concept for an exhibition.

Sailfest 2011 Fireworks



Fireworks Over the Thames River

 The past two weekends have been busy here in Groton.  There have been two celebrations which provided Duang a little more flavor of American culture.

On July 4th, we attended the annual Groton Fourth of July parade.  The parade had a small town flavor to it and the highlight actually was watching the small children around us.  I was able to explain the Revolutionary War and Groton's role in the rebellion fairly well to Duang.  However I was not able to explain very well the large women roller skating down the street as part of the parade - they were representatives of a women's roller derby league.  Duang was just as much at a loss of understanding of the concept of "roller derby" as to why large women in unflattering clothing would be roller skating down the middle of a street in full public view.  I don't always succeed in explaining the idiosyncrasies of American culture but I always try.  As Duang often says "Thailand not same America".  I have seen women walking down the street in Thailand but they were always wearing their best clothing and behaving demurely and acting dignified - often part of a religious procession or celebration.

The big highlight of early July was the fireworks display on July 9 as part of Sailfest Celebration in New London across the river from Groton.  The fireworks display this year was sponsored for the 19th year by the Mashantucket Indian Tribe.  My parents had often told me how nice the fireworks were so I was determined to see them with Duang this year.  The Mashantucket Tribe own and operate Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard.  As I posted on FaceBook "Thank you to all those who gambled and lost (I guess that means just about everyone) for making this spectacular show possible."

I had been told that approximately 300,000 people could be attending the fireworks celebration so I knew that Duang and I needed a plan.  My first decision was that our plan would exclude driving our car to the event.  Fortunately the fireworks are fired from barges in the Thames River just upstream from Electric Boat - an area that I had walked to many times as a young boy.  I figured that the best place would be in the parking lot of Garbo's Lobsters.  Saturday afternoon just after lunch Duang and I drove down to the area to scout out optimum viewing locations.

As we drove, I was shocked to see how many streets were going to be closed to parking for the event.  This only reaffirmed my decision that we would be walking that night.  We made it down to Garbo's and the entrance to the parking lot was roped off.  Some people were lined up at 12:50 PM to enter the parking lot.  I spoke with some people and they said the the street along the river was going to be closed to traffic at 3:00 P.M.  Just before 1:00 PM a couple of men showed up to remove the barrier to the parking lot.  I spoke to one of the men, obviously the "Boss" since he was carrying a clipboard, about being able to walk onto the parking lot later for the show.  From our conversation I determined that it was possible but whether I had a car or not the fee for a space was $30.  I informed me that there were only a couple of spaces remaining.  It didn't matter to me because I had no intention of paying that amount!  Upon leaving the property I spoke with a family waiting to enter, the husband informed me that he had spent $90 to view the fireworks that night.  He also told me how crowded that it got in the Garbo lot and surrounding area.  He suggested that we walk down and place lawn chairs on the sidewalk across the street.  That sounded like a pretty good alternative to me and definitely a great deal cheaper.

Duang and I returned to our car and drove down Thames Street reconnoitering vantage points.  Everywhere along the river bank barriers had been set up to restrict access.  Property owners were either denying access to the river for their own use or were charging $20 to $30 a car for parking.  I remembered many fond days at Fort Griswold State Park overlooking the river, so I turned the car right to climb the heights to get to the Fort.  Just as our drive along the river vantage points were roped off and parking was severely restricted along the streets - either no parking along one side or no street parking allowed at all.  However when we got to the Fort, I could see people already entering the park carrying blankets, ice chests, and blankets.  From the sights it was obvious to me that this would be our site to view the fireworks.

Since the afternoon was still young and we had our plan, we drove over to New London to attend Sailfest.  Once we arrived in new London, I could not find any available parking for less than $20.  Undeterred I had an idea; we would drive to Shaw Cove, park the car, and walk to the festival.  Shaw Cove is an office development which houses government offices such as Social Security and Veterans Administration along with many doctor's facilities.  Since it was a Saturday afternoon, I thought that there would be plenty of parking,; free parking.   Well I was partially right there was plenty of parking but it was $20 a vehicle.  I found an empty lot that had a sign stating "Event Parking" with no barrier tape or attendants.  As I pulled in, the attendant from the lot across the street walked over to me.  I asked if I had to pay for parking and he confirmed that it was $20.  I told him that it was not personal and had nothing to do with him and inquired if he had a boss.  He confirmed that he had a boss after which I responded "Tell your boss, he can go ... himself"  The guy laughed and we returned to our home in Groton.

I had lived for a time in California where we also had festivals.  At those festivals the city persuaded or perhaps strong armed the local developments to allow the use of their vacant parking lots for festival use.  I suspect that the city provided police surveillance as well as clean-up services for the lots while they were being used.  The businesses contributed to the festival at no cost to themselves - a good deal for everyone.  The city also provided free shuttle service between the parking lots and the festival site.  I believe that New London is missing out on an effective and economical way to encourage festival attendance by not doing something similar.  However New London is the city that a few years ago made international notoriety by refusing to hire a policeman candidate because he scored too highly on an aptitude test.  They informed the applicant that he was too smart to be a policeman in New London.  I will write no more on that matter.

Part of the Gucci Fireworks Show

After returning to Groton, commencing at 6:00 P.M. we walked from my parent's house to Fort Griswold with our car conveniently parked in the driveway.  It was a beautiful night for a walk and most importantly - fireworks show.  The sky was clear.  There was no wind and the temperature was just right for sitting outside without a jacket.

I selected a scenic as well as nostalgic route to get to the Fort, showing Duang the way and building that I attended elementary school, pointing out where long gone restaurants, movie theatre, and friend's homes were located.  It was interesting how much the area had and had not changed over the past 4 decades.  Of course it was all new to Duang which made it exciting for her.

We had not travelled far when the wisdom of not driving a car was readily apparent.  The roads around the park and leading to the park were all closed to traffic other than pedestrians.  Police were at the intersections maintaining control.  We like so many other people walked up the center of the streets past the homes where residents were grilling as they enjoyed ice cold beverages.  All in all it was a very relaxing and festive atmosphere on our way to Fort Griswold.

We arrived at the east side of the park and walked leisurely towards the monument and Bill Memorial Library.  It was very impressive.  There was a mobile Connecticut State Police command center set up along with some ambulances staffed with several EMTs.  The area was well organized and under control.  The control was not oppressive or intimidating but just sufficient to keep thousands of people from getting out of control.  There were vendors booths set up along the road as well as booths where you could buy food and non-alcoholic beverages.  There were also plenty of Porta-Cans available should the need arise.  All in all I was very impressed with the planning and organization apparent along the viewing venues.

I stopped and asked a Policeman if the Fort it self would remain open for the duration of the show.  I believed that the park typically closed at sunset.  He replied that it would remain open for the show.  That was good enough for me.  Duang and I entered the fort and soon found a nice spot on the slope to set our beach blanket.  As it turned out we were actually almost directly behind and about 150 feet above my original planned destination of Garbo's Lobsters. After seeing all the closed roads, I knew that this location was superior for getting out at the end of the show.  It was also cheaper - $0.00 each.

There were a great deal of people watching the fireworks.  Many of the people were drinking.  We were out for 4-1/2 hours and did not see one incident of bad or threatening behavior.  It was, unlike many events in Isaan, a very peaceful as well as relaxing celebration.  Back in Isaan we attend many outdoor shows and we have only stayed from beginning to end at about 4 shows out of about 35.  There is drinking at those shows too but Duang always makes me leave when the fights start and the fights almost always start.  In Isaan it seems like the people get drunk, sloppy drunk; the kind of drunk where the person loves everybody and wants to be every body's best friend.  At some point this aggressive friendliness crosses the boundary of acceptance and becomes a perceived slight or affront.  A push or a punch is made and the fight is on.  Once a fight starts the night is fairly well ruined.  The initial combatants are usually separated but ancillary skirmishes break out between the people trying to break up the inital combatants.  "Face" is often lost which requires combat until "Face" is somehow believed to have been restored.  In general people are not afraid of the Police so running skirmishes continue until the concert is completed or shutdown by the Police.  Duang is afraid that somehow I will get involved in the middle of all this so she has me leave.  The funniest thing was the closest that I got to being involved was at the last show.  I had been dancing at the front of the stage in the "Mosh Pit" area.  Duang became fearful and walked up and brought me back to sit on a chair in front of the police.  While I was cooling off, she went off to buy me a soft drink.  While she was away, the first fight broke out followed quickly by a couple more.  The crowd ran in panic down the center of the viewing area.  The combatant ran along the edge of the viewing area right where Duang had placed me for "safety".  I dodged a couple empty beer bottles that had been thrown not directly at me but in the general vicinity of some "bad guys" that happened to run near me.  I went over to Duang's mother and hovered over her as I told her to go back to our truck.  She was impressed that I was concerned with her safety to the point that I am still in her good graces almost 9 months later.  Needless to say the excellent behavior of the crowd at the fireworks show made a very big impression on Duang as she told me "Amerika not same Isaan"  For me, this was an occasion that I was glad that "Amerika not same as Isaan".

 
 

 
The fireworks lasted about thirty minutes but it was a very intensive thirty minutes.  Tandem fireworks were constantly being fired into the sky.  There were all kinds of colors, sounds, and sights from the exploding fireworks.  There were special fireworks that when they exploded created star patterns and even "Smiley" faces.  Some fireworks exploded to create bi-colored hemispheres.  By chance we had watched a show on cable two weeks before about how fireworks were manufactured or more appropriately "created".  For us it was even more enjoyable to see the melding of science and art to create such an enjoyable art performance.
 

Our surprises for the night were not over.  The police kept the roads closed until most of the pedestrians had cleared the area.  Duang and I were home 30 minutes later and in bed and I am convinced - before many people in their cars had even got on the feeder roads out of the area.

The night had been very enjoyable and a tribute to the organizers of the event.
 

Frozen In Time



Duang Hibernating On Cold Afternoon In New England

We have been in America for two weeks establishing our home in my boyhood town of Groton, Connecticut.

My wife is getting accustomed to American culture and Connecticut weather.  Everything is so new as well as different for her.  It is also very new as well as different for me.

I essentially left my home town in 1967 when I went off to college.  In 1975, I left New England for 35 years.  Although I had made some visits during those years the visits were never longer than 5 to 7 days until last May when I came alone for a month to care for my parents.  We are now becoming residents once again.

Duang is adapting and adjusting to New England climate - 15F (-11C) low temperatures, ice on the roads and sidewalks, snow on the ground, and cool temperatures in the house.  She often wears an outdoor coat, scarf, and sometimes even a knitted hat inside of the house.  She has even taken an afternoon nap wearing outdoor clothing underneath a sheet, a blanket, and two bedspreads on top of the bed.  I had tried to explain to her what -5C, or -11C was like but it was difficult for her to comprehend since she considers 68F (20C) to be "cold".  I believe that the coldest weather that she has experienced was around 55F (13C) in Vietnam.  I told her about "nam kiang" ice cubes on the ground, and in the rivers but I am not certain that the concept of temperatures below freezing was familiar to her.  No matter the case she is aware of it now.

The strange thing for me is that places and things have also been frozen in time so to speak.  Last week two of my Aunts visited.  One of my Aunts is going to be a Great-Grandmother once again - for the ninth time.   My cousins that I last saw in the late 1960's are now Grandparents.  In my mind they are still the 8, 9 and 10 year old children that I knew in the late 60's.

The same is true for my home town.  I remember places and things from the 50s and 60s.  Many of the places and things that are long gone in reality.  The former Melody Rolling Skating Rink was used by Electric Boat for so many years as office space that it has now become a roller skating rink once again.  As the French say - "The more things change the more that they stay the same".  It also may be like being lost in the wild, once you become lost you will most likely end up walking in a big circle to whence you came.  I do not believe that the "King" and Queen" of the Melody Rolling Skate Rink have returned to the venue.  I last heard that April is now in Australia and who knows where Bruce with his DA (Duck's Ass) haircut may have ended up - hopefully wherever he is, he has a different hairstyle!

I drove Duang down to Eastern Point Beach where so many of my summer days were spent swimming and playing basketball. During the summer of 1967, I spent all but one day at the beach - even playing basketball or swimming in the rain.  The beach has changed - the Kiddy Pool, a small beach on the Thames River is now walled off.  The grassy area where the "In Crowd" congregated seems so much smaller now and so much less important than it was in the early 1960s.  the beach that was free to "walk-ins" now charges admission.  Parking for non-residents is $10.  The offshore rafts which served as a right of passage are no longer there - removed upon the advice of a city

Pfizers large pharmaceutical plant down the road from my parent's home is long gone.  All the large buildings that produced antibiotics, medicines and other chemicals are been demolished and replaced by campus style research buildings.  The manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to far away places like Ireland, India, Puerto Rico, and probably China.  Last week it was announced that 1,100 of the highly paid white collar positions at the research labs were being eliminated - once again outsourced to low cost centers such as China and India.  In the global economy, very few jobs are really secure - there is always someone willing to do your work just as well for a lot less money somewhere else.  For companies and stockholders focused solely on profits, those are the places selected to do the work.

Yesterday, Duang and I went to see the film, "Doctor Zhivago", at a local theater.  I had seen it several times before since it was first released in 1965.  Duang who was 2 years old at the time has never seen the movie.  In 2006 on a date, I brought her to only the third movie that she had ever seen.  Life is different back in Isaan.  Her life experiences are so much different than mine.  I am pleased to finally be able to show her some of the places and things that have shaped a large part of my life as well as introduce her to some of the people who have affected my life.

Duang loved the movie and it was fun to watch her viewing the film.  I enjoyed the film also and saw it in a different light.  On previous occaissons I viewed it as a history lesson, an instructional in cinematography and directing, a story of class struggle, as well as a portent of what was to come if the Soviet Union prevailed in the Cold War.  All perspectives influenced by current events and personal experiences of the given times.

Yesterday I viewed it from the life experience of a man who also had left his wife to be with a younger woman who he thoroughly loved despite social conventions.  For the first time, I could emphathize and appreciate the heart as well as the soul of the film.  I could value the passion that the film so realisticly portrays.  It is passion and the value placed upon passion by other cultures that has richly enhanced my life and brought me great happiness.  Becoming unabashed regarding recognizing and accepting emotions can be liberating.  I consider myself to have reached this point with the help and encouragement of my  friends.

On an aside, after experiencing two winters in Northern Alberta, the winter scenes of the film had lost much of their impact upon me.  Once when travelling through the barren ice ladden country between Edmonton and Fort McMurray in December on a bus in -40 weather I thought of "Doctor Zhivago".  After seeing the film yesterday, I realize that my Northern Canada experience was more beautiful and memorable.

Upon returning home last night from our first date here in America, my parents asked if I saw anyone that I knew.  I said I most likely did but I did not recognize anyone.  It has been 43 years since graduating from high school and I am beginning to realize that although people are frozen in time, in reality they have moved along in the years, growing older, and changing their appearance just as I have.

By chance the movie "Mystic Pizza" was on television the other night.  I used to go there often with my friends Nicky and Nick - long before it was Mystic Pizza and famous; back when it was smaller and called "Ted's".  We had a good childhood back in those days; days when the shipyard was working to capacity to build submarines, and we used to say that we didn't need to take vitamins because the odors from Pfizer kept us healthy.  Some landmarks remain from the old days, one of them being "Angie's Pizza" on the Mystic - Stonington border on Highway 1 - gonna have to try it out once again.

As time moves on here in Groton, I am confident that memories will become updated and new memories will be created. Until then people, places and things will remain for me remain frozen - frozen in time.

The Times They Are Changing, Allen's World Too



Duang With A Pakama Wrapped Around Her Head

 A great motivation for pursuing an Immigration Visa for my wife was to be prepared for the time when I would have to return to America to care for my parents.  That time has arrived.

In one week Duang and I will be in America, staying in Connecticut, caring for my parents.

Life does not always, or perhaps it never plays out the way we planned or would have hoped.  However changes present opportunities as well as challenges.  It really is all up to us and how well we allow ourselves to adapt, recognize the opportunities, take advantage of the opportunities, and overcome the challenges.

I had looked into visiting Malaysia to visit Batu Caves during Thaipusam.  Thaipusam is a Tamil Hindu festival where people pierce their bodies to carry ornate structures up to the cave as demonstrations of their faith.  Over a million people attend the event.  It has a tremendous photography potential as well being another unique Southeast Asia experience.  Not attending this year will just have to be greater motivation and justification to attend a future celebration.

We had planned on returning to Maehongson to attend the Poi Sang Long Festival where young Shan boys are ordained as Novice Monks.  It is a very colorful and inspiring event - an event that we will attend once again in the future.

My blogs have largely dealt with my experiences in living here in Isaan as well as our travels and experiences in Southeast Asia.  Now with my return and Duang's immigration to America, I suspect that the focus of this blog will change.  Although I will continue to write blogs and share some of the photographs of far away places, many of the blogs will be related to Duang's experiences in adapting to America and American culture.  I also expect that some of the blogs will also deal with my observations and experiences re-adapting to life in America.

I have lived outside of America for all but 2-1/2 years of the past 11 years.  When I did live in America it was in California - a long way physically and culturally from New England.  It should be interesting for sure.

A Lesson Taught A Long Time Ago

First Notes of "Civics" Class - Sept 5, 6 1963

Recently on Facebook, friends of mine started to reminisce about the years that we spent together back in the early 1960s at West Side Junior High School in Groton, Connecticut.  Their posts and some of their photos caused me to review a special binder that I have kept over the past 47 years - my class notes from Mr Dander's 9th grade "Civics" class 1963 to 1964.  "Civics" as defined by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary is "A social science dealing with the rights and duties of citizens"

Strangely enough, yesterday when I reviewed the binder it was exactly 47 years to the day of our first class with Mr. Dander.

I was struck by some points from the first classes with Mr. Dander.  The first was:

"Have and keep an objective mind (see the good and bad of a person)"  As some of were to say later in that decade "Wow man that is heavy!"  How many of us fail to see both sides of a person?  Isn't it so much easier and comfortable to only see the "good" or only the "bad" of a person?  However being easier and perhaps more comfortable does not necessarily mean accurate or truthful.  However seeing the "good" as well as the "bad" in a person makes giving them a label much more difficult.  Labelling is the sanctuary and refuge of the intellectually lazy.  A label most often does not fully account for the complexities and nuances of a person's experiences, actions, personality, or beliefs.  A label confines a person to a narrow definition which makes judgement very easy.  A label encourages all the abuses that prejudice can justify in one's mind.  How many labels are being tossed around so casually today?  Racist, Terrorist, Socialist, Radical, Liberal, Conservative, Marxist, Progressive ... How are these labels making it more difficult to compromise and to have a reasonable discussion of real issues, and the finding of "common ground"?

When I am asked about who are my heroes I respond "There are people that I admire. There are people that I respect. What is a hero? To make someone a hero is to give them a free pass. People should not have free passes. Each and every day we need to prove ourselves, and to be judged on what we did or did not do that day."  I believe this and now wonder if this class planted the seed or was it a compilation of disappoints in people over the years?

The second point from the first class notes, is "Base all your statements on fact not prejudice" Prejudice, according to Random House American Dictionary, is "opinion formed without specific evidence"  So we are all guilty at some point of prejudice.  It is not solely a racial philosophy.  We can be prejudice "for" or "against" anything or anyone. It is the fact that our opinion is formed without specific evidence.  The other day I read an article on the Internet regarding the alleged enslavement of 400 Thai workers in America.  The article went on and stated that are more workers enslaved in America today than at the time of the President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. According to Wikipedia, 4,000,000 slaves were freed at the end of the Civil War.  Are there more than 4,000,000 enslaved workers in America today?  Where did the author of the get a number for "enslaved workers" in America today?  What is the definition for being a "enslaved worker" today?  These questions were not answered in the article.  They should have been.  They need to be. As citizens we should demand that authors and their related organizations be held accountable for the factual basis or lack of factual basis of their statements and opinions.  We should accept no less from ourselves or from those that we agree with.  What is the specific evidence that is the basis for your opinion?

The third point from Mr Dander's class was "We must forget our prejudices".  This goes hand in hand with keeping an objective mind.  If we remain prisoners to our prejudices we are unable to have an objective mind.  Without objective minds cooperating together to resolve common problems is extremely difficult with each person barricading themselves behind the walls of their prejudices, hearing only their own voice, spending their time as well as energy defending their unsubstantiated opinions. Much like what appears to be going on in so many circles today.

These were lessons to be learned a very long time ago.  These lessons were followed by lessons regarding the US Constitution and Connecticut Constitution.  I have long ago forgotten what Article 8 of the Connecticut Constitution (something to do with Yale University) and to be frank it has not had any impact on me in the ensuing 47 years.

 However, I have never forgotten the concepts of  "Have and keep an objective mind (see the good and bad of a person)", "Base all your statements on fact not prejudice", and "We must forget our prejudices".  These concepts have served me well and I suspect that I am not the sole beneficiary of these precepts.  These were lessons learned a long time ago but just as important to be learned today.

Mr Dander was not necessarily one of my favorite teachers but even after 47 years his impact on students, at least me, is evident and undeniable.  Teaching is much more than getting students to memorize a series of events and dates.  The true impact of teaching is instructing students on how to think rather than what to think and exposing students to different concepts so that they may formulate their own opinions based upon evidence.  Mr Dander did a fine job so many years ago.

It is astounding to contemplate how many lives a good teacher can impact.  It is frightening to contemplate how many lives a poor teacher can impact.

In those days there was a campaign for CARE - "Give a man a fish and he will eat for the day.  Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime".  The saying actually goes back many hundreds of years to Confucius.  So it is with teachers - They can teach us facts and dates in order that we can succeed on an exam.  They can teach us how to think for ourselves and expose us to themes as well as concepts in order that we may succeed and contribute in life.

It is to good teachers that we all owe our thanks and appreciation - for lessons taught.