The Ken Burns and Lynn Novick 10 part documentary THE VIETNAM WAR airing each night this past week on PBS has been eye opening even for someone who "thought" they knew their Vietnam history. I’ve read a lot of books over the years and lived through most of the war stateside in real time (to be honest, I was pretty young). As a few of the emotional moments were being shared, I couldn’t help but realize just how relieved my parents were when the war (and draft) ended just as their two boys were coming of age. I was personally relatively sheltered from having to make any decision, but suspect if I were a few years older, it would have been a big deal.
The early episodes (what I’ve watched so far) are exceptionally important for those trying to put the Vietnam War and the protest movement that coincided in context to the cold war and spread of Communism history. From the year of occupation and the long bloody war with the French, it was easy to see why the Americans were seen as no different by the Vietnamese people … particularly rural and in the north. The political struggle and corruption within the South Vietnamese government were many … and realizing the exact same struggle was happening (unknown to most in the US) in the North between Ho Chi Minh and his generals. Neither side trusted or believed each other or in the countries backing them (China, USSR and the United States).
The history and documentary style is something I enjoy, but my wife is not as interested so I’m even more immersed in the program since I’m watching it in our home theater … something we just haven’t been doing lately. Both cinematography and sound is exceptional … well worth enriching your understanding of the events leading to, the war and political decision-making struggles, the individual emotions and citizen protests that eventually brought and end to this terrible war (although I’m not sure what war isn’t "terrible?") That said, if you go into the program with an open mind, you’ll come way with a better understanding and "maybe" a little more appreciation for all involved in the decisions in a war that took the lives of about 2 million people (58,318 American) between the years of 1955-1975.
There is something about this classic muscle car photo that spoke to me. Maybe it the tone or just the classic American steel? At any rate, I’ll use it as the first “Foto Friday” post and see who else see this as art? Probably the only thing better would have been to include a GM vehicle … maybe a vintage Camaro?
My brother passed along the message that one of my late mom’s closest friends passed away yesterday. Elinor Korte had many of the same interests as my mother and often enjoyed doing those activities together. Along with her husband Joe, they would regularly take interest in our family … inviting us to Indian Lake or to see their place in Florida. Both of them regularly visited with mom and dad in their final years as all were facing debilitating age issues. They friendship and compassion was most appreciated. Elinor was a wonderful lady and had an addictive smile that couldn’t help but make you feel good. My condolences to the Korte family (ALL of them including her 24 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren! What a life!!)
Tuned into Motley Fool’s Industry Focus podcast this week talking about how drugmakers get patents and drug trials through the FDA. The Q & A segment was helpful for those looking to understand the process and pitfalls before adding shares of these companies to their portfolios.
Motley Fool Industry Focus Podcast (mp3) | 9/20/2017
I enjoyed the education on drug trials, but I also knew they were going to answer my question regarding “the struggling and stagnant drugstore and pharmacy business” even with aging baby boomers with more prescriptions and living longer?
In looking at a few improvements and bug fixes, it also looks like the “widget” process has seen a few changes. Will test the Video Widget in the center column of the blog. So far so good — targeting Friday for customers if all goes well.
A successful install after receiving the Andrew Rodriguez “group buy” iDrive Android Avin replacement for my BMW X5 35d on Saturday. It was a bit intimidating seeing the bundles of wires and 4″x4″ instruction sheet. But after disassembling the dash, most of the plug n play was very smooth. If there would have been a better audio patch setup, I would have giving this upgrade and A+ … OH, and you’ve got to appreciate the “Dail” typo!
Here are a few disassembly photos as well the CarPlay, Apple Maps, Waze maps, YouTube video, etc on my drive today. An added plus is that the flickering backup camera looks like it is fixed?
Photos below without captions … but from dash disassemble to testing a few of the apps and Apply Carplay connection while on a first drive (click for larger):
Hurricane Maria is seeing rapid intensification and is now a Cat 5 with 160mph winds. Looks to be closing in the Leeward Islands slightly further south than Irma. The U.S. Virgin Islands are again in the hurricane’s path again, but this time Puerto Rico may not be spared — it very well could be a direct hit.
Shifting back into the "oldies" mode, here’s a Music Monday song that practically everyone knows from Gary Wright. The Dream Weaver is a 1975 hit recently being used in an insurance advertisement.
I still think the decade of the 1970s produced the best music?
In 1972, my friend George Harrison invited me to accompany him on a trip to India. A few days before we left, he gave me a copy of the book Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Needless to say the book inspired me deeply, and I became totally fascinated with Indian culture and philosophy. My trip was an experience I will never forget. During the early ’70s while reading more of the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda, I came across a poem called God! God! God!. One of the lines in the poem referred to the idea of the mind weaving dreams and the thought immediately occurred to me, weaver of dreams… Dream Weaver. I wrote it down in my journal of song titles and forgot about it.
Several months passed, and one weekend, while in the English countryside, I picked up my journal and came across the title ‘Dream Weaver.’ Feeling inspired, I picked up my acoustic guitar and began writing. The song was finished in an hour. The lyrics and music seemed to have flowed out of me as if written by an unseen source. After the record was released and became successful many people asked me what the song meant. I really wasn’t sure myself and would answer ‘it was about a kind of fantasy experience… a Dream Weaver train taking you through the cosmos.’ But I was never satisfied with that explanation, and as years went by I began to reflect on what the song actually meant and then it came to me: ‘Dream Weaver, I believe you can get me through the night…’ was a song about someone with infinite compassion and love carrying us through the night of our trials and suffering. None other than God Himself.”
Just one more … since Love Is Alive from a year later in 1976 popped up when I was linking the above!
time (to be honest, I was pretty young). As a few of the emotional moments were being shared, I couldn’t help but realize just how relieved my parents were when the war (and draft) ended just as their two boys were coming of age. I was personally relatively sheltered from having to make any decision, but suspect if I were a few years ol
der, it would have been a big deal.
program since I’m watching it in our home theater … something we just haven’t been doing lately. Both cinematography and sound is exceptional … well worth enriching your understanding of the events leading to, the war and political decision-making struggles, the individual emotions and citizen protests that eventually brought and end to this terrible war (although I’m not sure what war isn’t "terrible?") That said, if you go into the program with an open mind, you’ll come way with a better understanding and "maybe" a little more appreciation for all involved in the decisions in a war that took the lives of about 2 million people (58,318 American) between the years of 1955-1975.
