The Cycle Of Scandal

I heard a political pundit say this the other night while talking about Congressman Anthony Weiner, '' He disgraced his office. He lied to his supporters. He should resign.''... Now for those that don't know the story, Mr. Weiner is the latest politician to get caught with his pants down. He texted some pictures of his private parts and sent them to a blackjack dealer in Vegas. Mr. Weiner-- yes, I know the irony of his name-- is a married man, so, the media is making a scandal of it, as they always do. Whether it be Arnold with the live in help, or John Edwards having the mistress while his wife is dying of cancer, it is the same movie we see all the time with these morons. Now first of all, whenever I have gone to Vegas and played blackjack, I get some old, bitter crone as my dealer. Where are the hot ones?... And, second, Weiner didn't break the law--unlike Bill Clinton, who was impeached for lying under oath about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. The fact that Weiner is married is the only reason he should be worried. But, the larger issue is the suppossed ''outrage'' of the public, as the pundit I saw on tv said. What ''outrage''? Aren't we used to this type of behavior from politicians, celebrities, athletes, etc? I am. There is no ''outrage''.. If anything, it is business as usual. Whenever a public person gets some power under his or her belt, the belt comes off fairly quickly and the person starts shopping around for some action. This is as old as the beard on Moses' face. Look through our history of sainted figures. Thomas Jefferson had slaves he had sex with. George Washington had a mistress he was nailing after he crossed the Delaware. There is strong suspicion that Abraham Lincoln was gay. And, of course, JFK and his harem. Almost all of these people didn't do anything wrong legally, it is your own judgment if they did something morally wrong. I don't think Weiner should resign... It is classic spinning of what is really going on and how the media doesn't fixate on the true story. And, the true story is this: these charlatans, who are screwing around in their private lives, are screwing us royally in terms of our lives. While the public is looking at the sex scandal, they are not looking at the escalating debt. While the public is making jokes about the sex scandal, we are fighting wars that go on forever with casualities continuing to mount up. While the public is trying to download the pictures of Weiner and his ilk, the climate change that threatens ALL OF US, IS HAPPENING NOW!!. Tornadoes and intense heat. And, now, it is colder in June likes its never been. And, lets not forget the terror of terrorism. Call me a complainer, but, I believe these issues-- and, many more that affect our daily lives-- are more paramount to think of than someone ''spanking frankie'' and sending it to a ''21'' dealer.... What will happen? Probably not much. Weiner may or may not resign. The public will get a little more joking in about the story, and, we will go on to the next scandal involving whomever, doing whatever, to whomever. Change the names, but, you get the picture... And, as I write this, someone , somewhere is in a war zone fighting for their life-- and, maybe, losing it.

To The Class Of 2011

''Dear class. Well, you made it!!! Four long years of high school, and, a few of you have told me that it flew by. There were days, I'm sure, when it crawled at a snails pace and the finish line seemed an eternity away. Understandable. I have a little secret for you: that is exactly how life is. There are going to be moments in your life when it crawls, then, usually followed by the times it will fly past. I'm glad you have had a little taste of it in school... Now, go out and live the rest of your lives. The world is now open to you and you should embrace it. It is ok to be a little afraid. I still am and so is every adult you will encounter. However, there are many joyous moments to experience. You live in a free country-- not all of the world can say that. With that comes the ability to do whatever you want in life. You are young. You want to take over the world. You want to live life to the fullest. Good for you!!! Do that!!!... With that freedom comes responsibility. You should never, in your pursuit of your life, hurt anyone else. I know you have heard that your whole life. But, you will encounter people in life that will try to turn you bad. Usually, there is money wrapped around this technique. Don't fall for it. Stay good. It is much easier to live with yourself that way... Mentioning money, another thought: it is nice to earn big money, but, make sure it goes hand and hand with a career that you like. There is nothing harder to do in the world than to go to a job you hate , regardless of the monetary value. Follow your heart, not the dollar sign.... And, that ole heart of yours: find the person for you that makes you glad to be alive. They are out there--sometimes it takes a while to find them, but, once you do, there is nothing better in life!!! But, you must give back to that person love also. The needs of the other person should be of the same concern to you as your own personal needs. That is what an adult relationship is about. Take it from an old war horse like me: there is no greater joy in life than to love and be in love!!!....  Enjoy your friends and family. Be there for them. A wise man , my dad, once told me that you should never lose your friends wherever you are in life. This is true... And, your family. In the sometimes cold and rough world, these are the people you will lean on . Let them lean on you also. It builds character in you and them. Remember, love comes in all forms, not just the physical, but, in relationships....So, wrapping up: there are a lot of problems in the world that you won't be able to overcome. Make the best of them. It won't be easy in life. However, you will survive. Change the world for the better. Take an interest. Make your generation the best that there ever has been. I know you have it in you... I am proud to have known you .... Thank you for the memories.... With Best Wishes, Mr. Scoleri.

Can You See The Real Me?

I have gotten many nice compliments regarding my blogs. I, of course, appreciate all of the kind words. It means a lot to me that people leave their busy lives for a few moments to take a trip through my thoughts. But, I have noticed with the nice words comes a most interesting statement: '' You are a different person when you write these blogs, Jim.'' I take it to mean that people are seeing an alternate side to my personality. Now, I have been down this road before many times. Whenever I start dating a woman and we get to know each other, at some point the woman will say ''You are much different than I thought''. I ask them how so, and the reply goes along something like this, ''I thought you were wilder. I thought you were a joke a minute. I thought you went at a much different speed, but, you are quiet, shy, and enjoy taking life at a slow pace.''.. This is very true... Now, tying that into people's perception of me and my blogs, I guess you can connect two thoughts. 1: Never take a person at face value. 2: Never assume to know a person completely just by interacting with them.... The front I put up for most of the public is a carefree, funny guy. I suppose there is some of that in my personality. But, I have always put up this front to protect the real me. And, the real me, as family and close friends know, is a  more sensitive, caring person. You may snicker at that statement, but, then you are projecting ''Public Jim'' not ''Private Jimmy''-- a name people close to me call me. That is fine with me. That is the persona I chose to be in the world. I am not trying to fool people, but, I do smile internally when I am described as carefree and not serious... I am always amazed that there are people in this world who instantly open up about ALL aspects of their lives upon meeting me. You have met them too. Suddenly, you are their best friend, and, you know their entire history without the slightest provocation on your part. How do people open up so quickly?? The answer, of course, comes from the loneliness these people feel. They have no one else. I have great sympathy for these people, that is why I listen to them.... I am lucky. I have those around me that care and see the real me. There is no better support group to have than people who want nothing but the best for you... I wish everybody had that. Sadly, many people don't... The key is to find quality, not quantity in the people who care for you. I know people who have many friends to go out socially with and fuck around with. That is fine. Everybody likes that. However, when it comes to having someone there is times of trouble or emotional upheaval, those ''friends'' disappear... I tend to ramble, I know. I have gone a little astray from the beginning thought of people knowing the real me. I will end with this synopsis: the real me is like you. Fun and depressed. Active and lazy. Smart and naive. A talker and a listener. Selfish and unselfish. In short, very human. I do not believe it is wrong to go with a cover personality for the world. Self preservation is a must. Just let the special people close to your heart in-- you will know them right away.... By the way, I wrote this blog completely naked!!!!

The Unknown Man

It is still an image I can't put out of my mind. The man was looking out of the building for help. The fire was above him. The panic below him. Who knows if he knew he was going to die soon... It was that day we all remember-- our day of infamy-- 9/11. In the next few months , we will  see the stories detailing the event because we are coming upon the 10th anniversary of that day. Everyone has their moments that are seared into your mind. Mine is that man. I suppose it is natural to wonder what it must have been like for the victims. We do that with all tragedies. He seemed young, maybe, in his twenties, starting a career. Beyond that I do not know anything else about him. But, what made him so poignant for me was the sense of waiting for help that never arrived. There were more people like him in those buildings that day, but, he is the one who stood out for me. Because that could have been me... And, it could have been you. He was, and is, nameless. Who knows if his body was ever identified? Who knows if he was a hero at the end? His story will never be told in the retrospectives, but, it is the story of all of them. Innocent victims trying to live their lives like the rest of us. He was somebody's son, lover, best friend, brother, etc... He knew love and good times. He planned for a future that was not to be. And, if he knew who had attacked them in the buildings, he wondered what we all do, ''How can human beings do this to each other?'' It is the unanswerable question... A year later, there was an article in the Chicago Tribune with a Mother and Father who had lost a son in the buildings. His body was never found, but, there was a picture of a man hanging out of the building. The parents seemed to think it was their son, but, they weren't sure. It was the man I saw that day, I believe. I wish I could remember the family name, but, in a way, its best I don't. The victims are everybody's son... Now, with the death of Bin Laden there was a lot of celebrating. People jumped and whooped in the streets like the Bulls had won a championship. I didn't find that sort of thought process appealing to me. Yes, I am glad that the son of a bitch got his comeuppance.  But, the revenge factor long ago went away. That night I shut the t.v. and said a prayer for all of his victims. Then, I turned off my light and tried to sleep. There was no immediate drop off, I was thinking about the man in the building. I hope he and the other victims that day have a little more peace now.

Excerpt From The Diary Of The Widow Bin Laden

Dear Diary. Here it is a few days after the death of my beloved, and the cave where we shared so much together is playing to yesterday's ghosts. I miss him. I miss everything about him-- from his musk of not bathing for 8 months to his childlike glee over watching ''Glee''. How we used to sing together over ''our songs'' like, ''Who bombed the World Trade Center, doo da, doo da.''... So many memories... I remember our first date: a couple of his pals came to our village, blew it up, kidnapped me, slaughtered my family, and played Menudo music really loud. And, when I saw his face for the first time--- I thought he was Scottie Pippen of The Bulls--- through my veil, I knew I had found the man for me!!! There was a gentleness to him as he cut off heads of strangers. I would be lying to you if I told you I wasn't turned on by that!!! Plus, the man could dance!!! Many a night our cave was rocking with parties and music. The guest list was a virtual Who's Who of the terrorism world: Hussein, Qaddafi, Noriega,  Merv Griffin. One night there was a rather heated argument about religion: But, my beloved settled it by killing his enemies and taking us to White Castle... As a father, he was the tops!!! His 49 kids with me and the other Goommas were his pride and joy. That is another source of hurt for me now: we lost 2 of our sons-- Binny Jr and Tito-- when those ''infidels'' ripped my family unit apart!!! ...Now, I am single. What do I do? Who could top him? No one, dammit!!!.. I just signed up for Al Qaeda E Harmony. Who would want me? After 14 years of marriage, who wants a old woman like me? I just turned 21... Somebody desperate, I know... Here is my profile: '' Lonely, single woman, recently widowed. Looking for a man who knows how to treat a woman worse than a dog. Must love camels, HATE AMERICA, love sunsets, and the aroma of gunfire. Must have the runs!!.. and, looking at those camels-- he must have a penis longer than 1 inch.''.. That is my profile. I have only one response so far: Who is this Charlie Sheen???... Now, it is late. I have the real estate agent coming over tomorrow to put the cave up for sale. Then I must move-- I'm thinking Libya for the peace and quiet. But, it won't be the same.

Interesting... The People Who You Meet!!!

Ivan Vaughn invited his pal out to hear some music and to pick up some girls. He and his friend were born on the same day and year. They had just turned 15. Now, this was 1957 and picking up girls was a lot harder to do than later generations. But, Ivan and his friend-- Boy A-- were pretty good at it. Boy A already was a good looking kid who turned heads on older women. The second reason , the music, was of some interest to both boys. Ivan wanted to introduce Boy A to his other friend, Boy B. Ivan wasn't sure if it would work-- both boys were of different temperament. Boy A was a bit of an apple polisher. Boy B was the neighborhood hoodlum. But, he knew that they all shared an interest in rock and roll, so, what the hell, he would try to get his two good friends together. So, on this sunny July 7th, Ivan and Boy A went to the Woolton Church Festival to have some fun. As they approached the fairgrounds, they heard the music. Twenty Flight Rock was the song. Boy B's band was playing this simple song, but, Boy A noticed that the lead singer was making up his own words. And, the words were pretty good!!! And, the singer sure had stage presence!!! After watching the performance, any thought of meeting girls evaporated. Boy A wanted to meet the lead singer and to see if he could somehow play with the band. There was the intermission. Ivan took Boy A backstage-- which was actually the inside of the church--- and introduced Boys A and B to each other. Boy A was full of compliments for the band. And, never being short of confidence, he preceded to grab a guitar and show his near perfect imitation of Little Richard to the band. He also sang the correct version of Twenty Flight Rock. The band was mightily impressed. As Boy A was playing, he noticed that a drunk old man was leaning over him. He turned and realized his mistake. It wasn't an old man, but, the lead singer, Boy B. After this quick audition, the intermission was over and it was time for the second half of the show. The band took the stage. Boy B became charismatic again. The crowd loved him. The girls started surging towards the stage. Boy A  decided he wanted to join THIS BAND!!!... Ivan soon left with Boy A. And, after the performance, Boy B sobered up enough to take stock of the meeting. He had to admit that Ivan's friend was talented. He would be an asset to any band. Certainly, the band would be stronger. But, could he stand the challenge of being leader? He had been Kingpin up until that point. Could he put his ego aside and improve the band? Boy B called Ivan up that night and said he wanted Boy A in the band. Boy A was asked and he said yes. Now, the band called The Quarrymen, had two strong leaders...This was July 7 1957. It has gone down in history-- both of music and of pop culture... Boy A was named McCartney and Boy B was named Lennon. The band changed several names before it became...well, you know....

Mom Part 3

Okay. I want to go quickly on this last part. Mom had quadruple bypass surgery 6 months after my father's passing. The operation went well, but, in the recovery room, her heart stopped 4 times. She was in a coma for 2 days. She survived, but, one kidney was destroyed and the other was severely damaged. She became a dialysis patient. 3 days a week for the next year and a half. It really doesn't help you get better-- it just keeps death away. She wasted away and passed away in June 1998-- I found her curled up in the fetal position... Now, I have zoomed through this last part because it is too painful to write. Also, looking back at the first two parts I realize that I have made my Mom a victim. At the end she was, but, her life, and my Dad's, were anything but. They lived a fairy tale romance. They had joy. They loved and were loved. They had friends galore. To give the impression that they lived in doom is wrong. Please take away from this a lesson: Live life well. Love well. Enjoy your family and friends. They did. I could go on days about them, but, my space is limited. I will just say that those of you who knew them know how special they were. And, those of you who didn't know them-- well, when we all go to Heaven I will introduce you to my parents. You will love them... But, bring an appetite. Mom will have some pizza waiting for you to eat. And, trust me: You will love it!!!