The Manchurian Candidate

Special to Swift-Boat-Veterans-for-untruth-and-lies-who-can-utter-any-falsehood-they-want-because-they-use-the-words-veterans-and-truth-in-their-name:

Watch the new 'Manchurian Candidate' starring John McCain as Sgt Raymond Shaw and Sarah Palin as the vile VP candidate John Iselin. Watch as McCain slowly loses his mind as he toys with the queen of diamonds and the evil VP candidate tears at the democratic ideals of the country under the guise of being pro-American.

There is a certain undeniable truth to this parody. McCain seems to be slowly losing control of himself as the election nears; for someone who says 'Country First' and lauds his own heroic service he certainly seems ready to despoil and vilify anything and anybody who gets in his way. And what contempt he has shown the American people with his choice of running mate. What happened to respect and consensus, and caring about what the majority of the country feels?

Rather than 'Country First', the Republican Party motto should be 'Hate and Ambition', for that is how they act out their drama. Their message is "Hate as much as me" and "Revile institutions and individuals as much as me and we can be mutual partners in destroying what is good and decent in government and people."

He is the Manchurian Candidate, and in a way that is far more subterranean and nefarious than the characters envisioned by Richard Condon in his 1959 novel.

Cottonwood Canyon Road

Shirley and I recently crossed the Cottonwood Canyon Road in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. We traveled the route from south to north, and the road left north from rte 89 at a point east of Kanab, Utah and west of Page, Arizona. The road crossed the barren Paria Rimrocks before it descended into the Paria River Valley. The road then turned north away from the Paria and followed along the side of Cottonwood Creek as it meandered through the Cottonwood Wash. The wall of the Coxcomb rose above the wash and formed its border to the west. The cottonwoods gave way to cedars as the road gained elevation, and the wash disappeared behind us after we crossed over the height of land and descended into another valley. A side road left right for Grosvenor Arch. After crossing another ridge, we descended into the town of Cannonville on rte 12, east of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Shirley and I spent 3 hours traversing this road. The length of the trip was just over 47 miles, and this included the side trip to the arch.

Follow the link below to view the images taken during this trip.

Cottonwood Canyon Road

Laudizen

October 8, 1971, remembering friends

Today is October 8, and that means today is the anniversary of my separation from the US Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1971. That was truly one of the great days of my life.

Can it really be 37 years ago?

On that day at Fort Bragg, I had two friends with me that also separated from the Army, Dave Reed and Gerald Coley. Dave was from Pheonix, and Gerry was from a town near Chicago.

Later that day, we began a great adventure together by traveling to California. I don't know where they are, but today I hope they are well and remembering me on this important anniversary.

Dave Reed and Gerry Coley, I remember you.

Laudizen King

Remembering October 5, 1980

Today is October 5, and as is usually the case on this date, my thoughts drift back to 1980, and I revisit a motorcycle accident that I was involved in on that day in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I was riding with three others, including my friend, Ed Mainville Jr. We had left Manchester, Connecticut earlier that morning, and we were now heading south on route 7 towards Pittsfield after having crossed the crest of the Green Mountains of Vermont on the Arlington-Stratton Road earlier in the day. Up to that point, it had been an uneventful autumn foliage cruise through southeastern New England.

To read the entire story of that fateful fall foliage ride, follow the link below.


October 5, 1980

Laudizen King

Baseball on my Mind

Now that the Angels are facing the Red Sox in the 2008 ALDS, I remember two stories from my past that center on the Angels and Red Sox. One story centers on Galehead Hut, one of the High Huts of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the classic baseball battle of the 1986 ALCS.

The other story describes an Angels game in Anaheim in the 1990s when I almost got a foul ball.

Follow the links below to read these stories.


Closing Galehead

Baseball and Coffee

Laudizen