One of our last days on this wild and wooly trip was in Queenstown, a beautiful city on Lake Wakatipu in southern New Zealand.There was a mysterious mist as the clouds lay softly in the valley between soaring mountains. They hung there like a down duvet keeping the residents below tucked in their beds. The Kiwis are either lazy or sane. They wait till 7:30 or 8:00 AM to rise and shine.

We had started our week in Wellington. We left the mothership and took the ferry across the Cook Straits. The clear blue water dropped straight down to depths of many hundred meters. We came into the harbor of Picton within just a few yards of the shore. Not like that crazy Italian captain.

We stopped that night in a simple B and B in Nelson after touring a few too many wineries. At breakfast we met an unassuming couple who turned out to be anything but. He was a pediatrician and she was a neonatal cardiac surgeon at the only major children’s hospital in NZ. This was intentional to give the best of care in the most expeditious way and children came from far and wide.

Not only NZ, but Tonga, Fiji and Samoa were under their wing. It’s just the way they do things here. She told of a problem figuring out how they could have a surgery date for a newborn prior to the birth date. That dateline thing you know.

They also told of their teenage child who was severely autistic. How difficult. They spent their days assuaging fears and conquering turmoil in young parents only to go home to face their own.

As we drove down the coast Kathy and I marveled about how dedicated and soft-spoken these people were. No egos. Just serving mankind in their own special way. They drove a not so late model Subaru wagon.

The major highway is two lane. There is a particular quirk of one lane bridges. One side or the other has the right of way. You wait for the all clear. No rush. There is too much to absorb. The speed limit is 100 KM(60mph). Cops will fine you, take your license and impound the car on the spot for heavy infractions. Funny, not many people break the law here….in any way.

The scenery is breathtaking. Much like the Big Sur in spots except more dramatic and lush. You weave in and around several microclimates descending the west coast for several hundred miles. From the sea to the rain forests. From 10-15 foot ferns to the edge of a glacier. We pass a rusted out road grader in a field. Don’t worry big fella.I am sure they are stopping at two lanes.

We became stranded in the outpost of Haast. The road ahead was blocked by three landslides that might take awhile to clear. No worries. We holed up in a motel without clocks and mini bars. They couldn’t depend on the electrical supply.

We met a couple from the Netherlands. He had done work with AT&T and knew of our former homestead in NJ. One of several three degrees of separation we had on our trip. The next day we sprinted while viewing the washouts along the way. Natures fury is fascinating.

These people are green but in a particular way. Some are tree huggers but most just understand nature and live within it. It brought us to just sitting back for a moment and enjoying life. Take what the world gives you and work with it. It wasn’t so much striving but doing the best they could with what they had. Very cool.

The Maori people discovered NZ over a thousand years ago. They now number only 15% of the population. Both the colonists and originals have intermingled. There are no reservations to defend but the comfortable melding of two distinct groups. The Kiwis are one. They maintain the culture but move forward. On the way back from a trip to Milford Sound we watched “Whale Rider”. It put a lot into perspective.

It is with a touch of sadness we leave this part of the world. As we go through security at the airport there are smiles and graciousness from their TSA. You feel you are friends and not just beef on the hoof. There is a better way and it costs nothing.

Kathy has done a fabulous job of organizing us to a tee on very short notice. I managed to drop off the car without killing us after driving on the left for some 1200 kilometers. Let me get this straight. Driving on the left is right. Too complex for this simple mind.

We have met literally hundreds people from big deals to small. The captain of the ship.The captain in the restaurant. The barrista at the coffee shop.A barrister on his way to work. Tour drivers. Waiters and waitresses. Widows and couples. A bellman named Kevin.They have all affected our lives for the better. I wish I could have told that to all of them. I wish I was more talented at relating it to you.

It’s not a grass is greener thing. We have had a great time learning another part of life. We are looking forward to being home. It is where we should be. As they say here “Good on ya”. Have a great day. Thanks for bearing with me and tagging along. I ‘ll probably be back to my feisty self after a few brief encounters with US media of all kinds. Such is life.

As always
Ted The Great

Definitions:
Tall Black….a large coffee.
Goods Inward….service entrance
Tag In Tag Out……swiping your ID card on a reader.
Slow Vehicle Bay…….passing lane
Gated Community….prison( Now think about that one.)

Posted From Hobart,Tasmania

Cliff Notes. The savior of every self respecting underachieving student. You didn’t have to read the book but you had all the important features including a few well placed quotes to prove you had been hard at work. Who knew?

Is it just me or do the Village Idiots in Washington really seem to be playing out some sort of theater? Tragedy or comedy? Name your poison. Like Les Miserables it seems to go on forever. We all have known for the last 18 months the day was coming. Yet they all fiddled while the country was burning. Pick whomever you want to play Nero.

What am I thinking? I am enroute from Melbourne to Hobart, Tasmania. I should just sit back and join 99% of people on this cruise. Sip champagne on this New Year’s Eve. Finally, I am one of the 1% of something. It doesn’t feel that great.

A newfound cigar buddy and I were dwelling on the cosmic. I spoke of how we could make a real dent in this mess with a few simple steps. He was in the Army for twenty years and now works as a contractor to the government. He did not disagree. 

Let’s go to the spending side of the ledger. On a roll I want to start with Medicare. We could lop off billions with one stroke of the pen by repealing the one section of the Prescription Drug Bill that says we can’t bid out the drugs. The VA pays 1/2 of what Medicare does. Sorry former congressman Billy Tauzin and Mr Merk, Lily and the Johnson twins. You lose. We win.

Then let’s take fraud. There is approximately $80 billion of illegal billing by scam artists, docs and hospitals alike. We can’t hire more investigators because Congress does not want to be accused of spending money. This even though it can be proven that money spent on curbing fraud can return 12-20% return on investment. As in ROI all you corporate types. Rocket science at its best.

So let’s outsource. Put out a bounty on the crooks. Let’s say The Fraudbusters  get 20% of whatever we find. Let’s not get greedy. Twenty per cent of $10 billion is $2 billion and our operating costs should be around $100 million. Now we are talking some serious scratch TTG. 

Don’t stop there. Let’s take on my beloved Navy. Forty years ago as First Lieutenant on the Good Ship Lollipop, the supply officer showed up on deck. He said we needed new mooring lines and the ship’s boats refurbished. Okay, what’s up pork chop? It seems we had to spend $1 million by November 1 or we would lose the money for next year.

Now a mill was big dough forty odd years ago. I went back to my stateroom and tried to figure out what the multiplier was as one ship in the Atlantic Fleet, of a bigger US Navy, that was part of the Department of Defense, which in turn was a part of the US Government. 

Sorry kids my poor feeble brain fell short. But what I lacked in horsepower I hope I made up for in common sense.This budgetary nonsense  goes on each and every day of every year.Year in. Year out. 

 Just think of all the land owned by the Government. Incredible amounts of raw dirt and office buildings. If we sold off even a portion we could get a pretty penny and put a lot of land back on local tax rolls. Sorry big guy, what was I thinking? That’s way too easy

Now let’s talk about farm subsidies. We pay farmers not to grow things. We have quotas and taxes to protect sugar growers. Dairymen. Wheat farmers. We have pushed this little boondoggle called ethanol and presto changeo the price of corn has gone through the roof. 

The worst part is that there have been huge consolidations of every sort in the farming industry. So what we are really talking about is corporate welfare at its worst. But wait there is more. In the last twenty years the number of independent farms has fallen drastically but the Department of Agriculture has almost tripled in size. 

I don’t have an MBA. I was a poli sci major at Georgetown. But what I am talking about could clean up our act in a few easy steps. We are talking about saving money where it is being wasted. We are not even eliminating anything. That comes later. We are just talking about a different way of doing business. Not bookkeeping gimmicks. Real live savings. 

All right you conservative hacks don’t think you are escaping. Yes we do need higher taxes. The farce of cap gains on hedge fund managers has got to stop.  Tell your big mouthed champion, Liberal Chuck Schumer to knock off the BS. He bobs and weaves like Ali when asked the question. 

In addition all the argument about higher taxes on the wealthy could be solved by eliminating or putting caps on deductions. But all the higher receipts have to go towards  reducing the debt not creating some new agency.

What is beyond bizarre to me is this negotiating behind closed doors.What in God’s name could they be talking about? I suggest we put every meeting on CSPAN. That’ll fix em.

Look, I should be chilling by the pool but this is much more important to me. If anything I say surprises you then you are either not listening to what is going in the world or you don’t care. Either way that is shameful. Let’s take one thing like the repeal of parts of the prescription bill or the formation of the Fraud Squad and run with it. Let’s be our own pressure group. 

Okay. I have given you the Cliff Notes. You don’t even have to read the book. Just show up for class and make noise. Ask questions. Don’t take stock answers. It will be an easy A.

Happy New Year from your happy wanderer.

As always

Ted The Great.

Factoids:

Sorry.Can’t get things factual. My access to the internet is almost nil. If any of you are having difficulty receiving parts of Ted’s Head, my apologies. Lastly, thank you as always for your many comments. I will get back to you whenever I can.

Posted from Freemantle, Australia

It’s like a dream. As I put pen to paper here in the Indian Ocean I really wonder how I got here. Not just this smooth sailing ship but all the things that have happened to me over the years. You like to think you worked hard. That you deserve it. That’s bull. We are all just members of the lucky sperm club and don’t forget it. We could have wound up in Siberia or Calcutta.

As the nautical miles peel away I think of the presents I received this year and in particular three. The best part is that they were all total surprises and distinct. Probably the gift givers were unaware of their effect. As usual life is good.

The first occurred on a Sunday in Denver. Waiting for the Broncos to do battle, the phone rang. It was my cousin Sean in the town of Boyle in Abbeytown, County Roscommon. It was beyond eerie that I had just gotten his number out that morning, vowing to call before I left on our journey. Great minds think alike. He’s the type of man that brings a smile to your face at the sound of his voice.

He and his beautiful wife Liz have what I guess is the family homestead of sorts. We surely have no title to it but they are kind enough to always have the door open so we can really understand what family is all about. The land is verdant and they have 70 cows that need to be milked and grazed twice a day. All this Sean handles quite ably with only his 6 year old grandson Glynn as a sidekick. 

My gift from him was simple. It was a reminder of goodness and gentility in the world. His quick Irish wit melds effortlessly into mine and the conversation is pure joy. He is gracious in his ways but oh so wise for his young years. Thank you my friend.

The next happened on my last shift at hospice. I knew it would be a miracle if I ever saw these sweet souls again so I wanted to linger and try to say something profound. I have found in working with the dying, unscripted works best. Just share thoughts in an honest and forthright way. It’s good for the soul. Both of ours. 

My friend Terry had fought a long battle. He attacked everything with almost scientific precision. That was the part that frustrated him. He didn’t know if it was going to happen in the next hour or next few days. We sat in front of the Christmas tree in the living room for what was well over an hour and a half. He talked. I listened. It’s the way it should be.

He believed in God but it was a journey. Most importantly he believed he was going join the Man Himself. That was not only comforting but elating. He had fought the good fight and he was ready to go home. It was more than courage. It was a shared moment that I hope I always remember. It was gift number two.

Last monday we arrived in Bali after 22 hours on several airplanes. This is a grind no matter how you look at it. Kathy and I were flying steerage because that’s what latecomers do. It was just fine. The blast of steamy humid air brought back memories of 40 years ago in a scary land a few kilometers north and west. 

We drove through streets clogged with scooters and dust. It could have been Saigon without the guns. We made a hard right and travelled down a lane that had Kathy and I looking at each other. Then out of nowhere we were inside a resort right out of a movie set. The cruise line was putting us up there to make connections. It was nothing short of idyllic.

Open air and large fans reeked of teak. Gardenias were all over the paths and crazy sounding birds screeched from hidden trees. Every one of the staff greeted you with a slight bow and hands raised in a praying motion. This was very cool for TTG and Kath. We had a couple of drinks and a light fare by the water and then off to get a decent night’s sleep.

I didn’t know what day or hour it was when I awoke but I have been through this drill before. You can always find a cup of Java in Java. Get It? I ran into this young man named Sebagio. He know where the coffee was and put me right up in front on the beach. The air was damp from a torrential rain and it smelled sweet.

I quickly became Mr. Ted and we shared a good hour of conversation before anyone else in the place was even stirring. At first we spoke of Bali and Jakarta. And then of his life. He was thirty and single but he was raising his brother’s two boys. His sibling had died of a heart attack five years ago. If you think I was being set up, think again. There is no tipping in Bali.

Our talk finally wound its way to Hinduism. A friend back home had asked me what is was like to be going to a totally Muslim country? Surprise. Although Bali is part of Indonesia it is 92% Hindu. So much for stereotypes. 

The Hindus continually try to make themselves a better person both intellectually and spiritually. There is this crazy thing called balance. They strive but don’t run people over. When they finally get it right it is karma and that’s it. They are a very warm and incredibly gentle people.

No, I am not going over to Hinduism. They neither drink nor smoke cigars. But it does give me pause. Peace, gentility, balance, harmony, happiness. I think my three wise men are trying to give me a message here. I hope I am perceptive enough to get it.

As Always and Merry Christmas

Ted The Great.

Homework:

Get a cup of coffee or glass of something stronger. Take ten minutes and watch the enclosed. Then thank whatever God you praise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Vnt7euRF5Pg&vq=medium

Posted From Taipei Taiwan

Kathy and I are once again demonstrating how nuts we are. I will begin in this post at Denver International Airport and will probably finish it some where over the Pacific on our way to Bali via Taipei.

About four weeks ago we received a brochure from a cruise line for a trip from Bali to Aukland,NZ with port calls in Tasmania/ Australia. It was on our bucket list and the price could not be beat and so here we are. 

I was actually going to place all sorts of witticisms in my epistle but events of the past few days called for a different course of action. Maybe 35,000 feet is the proper viewing port as I try to process the carnage. I have thought in so many ways as a dad, grandparent and resident of this place we call planet earth. Don’t take me for a moralist but rather an observer. And Houston we do have a problem.

I searched websites on human behavior for insight. To be sure it is framed by a multitude of forces such as family, events and to a large degree by social mores and customs. What seeds have we provided to grow as a people and a country?

We are enraptured by violence. We see it on our streets, TV’s, movies and laptops. As I watched events unfold I switched from channel to channel. I hit the wrong one and got Maury Povich. There were 6 participants all yelling and screaming at each other, cursing and all the time the audience was egging them on. Give us our daily bread.

Our gun fetish is beyond the pale. Go to a gun store and really get scared. You can buy all manner of mayhem. Background check? Concealed weapon permit? Not a problem. I have often wondered if my right to live trumps your right to bear arms. 

 Right now we are a nation of hate. It starts in downtown DC. Obama, Boehner, Pelosi, Reid, McConnell, Cantor. Ideologues have thrown away reason and we all suffer for it. We are pissed at the muslims, the immigrants, liberals, conservatives. Not just annoyance but bitter hatred. 

To this wonderful cocktail we add a healthy dose of mental instability. Years ago in the name of economy we shut state hospitals and cut back on local programs. We turned these poor souls out onto the street and today they are our homeless or kept by friends and family who are ill equipped to do so. Stigma prevents any treatment and without intervention,well you know how it ends.

We speak of rights and of A number one is the right to bear arms. We want free speech. We want the ability to do drugs or make the decision on life or death. I guess my real question is “Are we ready to take responsibility for those rights?” Is there any culpability or can you just go out and go nuts? Good Question.

We thrive on ambivalence and grey areas. The cloudier the issue the more it is open to personal interpretation.I am for improving the system just don’t let it rain on me. Everyone interprets things to their own ends. 

But then the crazies shoot up Aurora, Portland and even a sleepy Eden like Newtown. Rural and urban America are suffering the same destruction. Everyone says ,”How could this happen?” Just look around. We have all put the ingredients in this soup that tastes so bitter. We are worried about one person,ME.

I opened the classifieds in the Denver Post prior to last Friday. I was just running a trap. Lo and behold I came upon the firearms section. There listed for all to see were approximately 20 weapons of mass destruction of every description. Rugers and Lugers. AK’s. High capacity magazines. We now have 285 million firearms in the US for 325 million inhabitants. From my cold dead hands? You might get your wish.

Last Friday probably could not have been prevented. We can’t lock down everywhere. But we better change our way of doing business. We have to address mental illness that affects 30 million Americans. We better get real about guns that took the lives of over 10,000 of us last year. We have got to get away from this “anything goes” mentality. 

Despite this dire treatise I am by some strange reason optimistic. After 9/11 we were so together and we squandered it on vengeful wars and short memories. After every tragedy there is a brief  spurt of reformative energy. Then we tally up who we are going to piss off and the price becomes too high. Can’t afford to blow your political capital, you know.

If you like the way we have become then go for it. Let the cards fall where they may. If you are a hunter, have a gun. Leave it at that. If you can’t kill it with one shot, don’t shoot. If you think violence should be the norm you are quickly getting your wish. 

I hope and pray some one comes to their senses. That they have the guts to stand up and do what is right rather than politically expedient. We can start ending the hatred by striking a deal on the madness called the fiscal cliff. We can begin to allocate resources to get people better rather than filling up armories with superfluous weaponry. We can really understand we have to start treating one another as human beings and not just lines in a balance sheet. 

Me.? I am going to keep banging away. I am going to keep looking for a leader. A hope. I will look up not down. I will find a way. I just can’t let this all go on.I hope you can’t either.

As Always

Ted The Great

Factoids

Google “Killer Games”. You will see a variety of games to be downloaded free. Anywhere from 75,000 to 150,000 hits per site

There were actually 14.612 murders in 2011. 66% (approximately 10,000 were attributable to guns. In Great Britain there were 58.

Approximately 30,000 deaths were attributable to suicide by firearms.

I was struck the other day by a crazy thought. How much of our day  is spent on negative energy? You know when you are driving down the road and someone cuts you off. You see an annoying big mouth on TV. Your spouse blisters you with an insensitive remark. Your stocks are dropping like rocks. Sometimes this ain’t fun.

More importantly it sucks the life out of your system. Depending how hard it rankles you, it might last for hours, even days. There is something visceral about negative vibes that far surpass feelings of euphoria. Is that innate or a learned talent? Dunno.

I looked over the newspaper this morning. Page after page of killings,hit and runs, wars all over, car bombings, tunnel collapses. It’s enough to get one depressed.

I was in Florida a few weeks ago. A good friend from the northeast laughed as I went around saying hello to people in the Publix supermarket. What were you thinking TTG? Some dude actually referenced that wonderful moniker for the Sunshine State, “God’s Waiting Room.” Oi Vey. An old lady glared me down in a parking lot for looking like I was going to invade her privileged position in a crosswalk. How do you say “Up yours” to an old lady? Sorry, I will have to try harder.

Think about how your day starts off? Does your spouse spit out a couple of nails and light up a Camel or is there a little more love in his or her heart? On your way to work is there traffic, red lights and some idiot who doesn’t know how to work the parking gate and the line behind is a block long? Then walk through the door to the office and Mr. or Mrs. Sunshine Boss is on a tear and your personna has a bullseye planted square in the middle. Nice.

I do remember years ago when we would come home to New Jersey from a couple of relaxing weeks in the Colorado Mountains. The first person to open my entry hatch Monday morning was the toll collector at the Holland Tunnel at 6:00 AM. Aaaargh! Next was the guy in the bagel shop who never looked up even though the emporium was empty and yelled “Next” What do you mean you don’t want a schmear or go easy on the butter? What are you a f…ing moron? Welcome back, Kotter.

Now some of these are just glancing blows and part of a thing called human nature. I have often wondered at the residual effects. There are some folks that can’t break a smile under any circumstances. There are some that just drive you crazy. Here’s a few you might recognize.

The Whiner. Nothing is ever right. Life sucks. He or she married the wrong person. If only is their mantra. Partly cloudy or sunny?Half empty or full? You know which.

The Wunderkind. Whatever your plan, theirs is better. Let me show you how to do it right. They have been everywhere,know everything. You are just okay. They are the best…and their kids too.

The Grump. Never says anything just always looks cranky. You constantly ask,WHAT? He is both non responsive and non committal.You don’t like kids. You don’t like dogs. Can’t be all bad.

The Gloater. Has never lost. His team is above the rest of the universe. We beat you but also let me take you through every play and nuance. Did you see how I hit that shot? 325 yards and I was only hitting a five wood. Usually hovers around the scorer’s table to ask everyone how they played…oh, you want to know my score?

The Patient. Can be man or woman. Don’t say how are you doing? They will tell you every last gross detail. You want to see my X-rays ? My scar? My abcess? They have been to the Mayo, Cleveland Clinic and Stanford….all in the last two weeks. This all gets exhausting for anyone in earshot.

The Head Patient. This one is really bad, especially after they have had a few drinks.You just have no idea what they have have been through. The life they have had. Look I feel for these people but not at a Broncos game or Christmas party.

So you see the road is fraught with danger. You can start your day off on a great note and then get derailed by any number of cannon balls. That is truly sad. But what if you are the villain? Perish the thought that you are not exactly a wonderful person to be around.

You run hot. You run cold. You go high. You hit low. Truth be told I speak from experience. At times I have been one of those dudes. Sometimes I think it is the curse of artistic or creative people. We get so wound up we expect everyone else to share the love.

But I also continually to fight the fight. I try to be the most optimistic person I can. Maybe it’s because it is just a hell of a lot more fun to be positive. My wife and kids have had to deal with both sides. Hopefully I have learned many lessons over the years. Maybe the best one is to just say thank you for sticking with me.

Most importantly I have learned your mood and demeanor is a learned talent. You and I can react to anything and I mean anything in one of two ways. You can be angry and wallow in self pity. You can be a genuine pain in the butt. Or you can choose to make any interaction you have with a loved one or stranger a positive experience.

It’s not always easy. But corny as it sounds if you take a deep breath and just pause you can realize just how very good life is. You will get it. Whatever is going on, you can survive. Most of the time you won’t remember what was so bad an hour or a week from now.

If you were struck by Sandy or have a loved one in harm’s way overseas you can cop an attitude. If you are homeless or dying you have my thoughts. But for most of us life is very good. Better yet let’s just call it POSITIVELY wonderful. I can drink to that. Hope you can too.

As always

Ted The Great

Factoids:

The human brain actually generates  25,000 to 75,000 thoughts per day. No wonder you are tired.

Cognitive therapy, which is very successful in treating depression, actually teaches you how to react differently to life’s situations. The event doesn’t change but you are taught to handle in much more positive ways. You’ve got the power.

The human brain weighs about three pounds. Einstein’s was actually about 2 1/2 pounds. I guess size doesn’t matter.

On that line of thought, the myth about men thinking about sex once every ten seconds is totally false. It’s once every twenty seconds! Just kidding. Lighten up. Get positive.

We went to a party on Election Night. Billed as a prelude that was supposed to linger into the night,  we barely got through cocktails. The writing was on the wall. And one women who seemed who seemed a touch closer to a suicide watch than  others exclaimed,”this is the end of the world as we know it.” That was pretty heavy duty and of course yours truly saw this as perfect fodder for cogitating.

Our world and for the moment let’s call it our United States, is being turned topsy turvy.YES WE ARE CHANGING. Get over the melancholy and yearning for yesteryear. We white folk are going to be a minority soon. The country may vote for legalization of marijuana, same sex marriages, gays in the military etc. We may be a dependent mommy nation or maybe this idea of entitlement is starting to run its course when the masses realize the taxation of the rich cannot begin to approach solvency.I don’t like it all. Yet I  know that pendulum just swings so far and starts coming back the other way. That in itself is change. And our nation and world keeps moving forward.

The Renaissance, Protestant Reformation, Industrial Revolution, WWII, 9/11, cyberspace are to name a few of sometimes violent turnings this way or that. What about Sandy and war torn veterans?I think about creche scenes disappearing and Black Friday that will soon become Grey Thursday and then Blood Wednesday and it bugs me. But I also think of people around the planet who are voting for the first time. Seeing their brackish drinking water turn clear. Maybe just maybe those barren fields are turning a pale shade of green for sustenance and maybe the slightest glimmer of profit. Over four billon of the citizens of earth make less that $300 a day. Do you think they want change? Wouldn’t you?

 My first take is if you like the staus quo you are agin it and if you for some reason aren’t getting the most out of things you can’t wait for the next revolution. We change physically, mentally, morally, politically and whatever. But is there any way to stop it? Should we? More on that later.

Let’s face it. Predicatability is like a pair of old loafers. Just slip them on and you don’t have a care. I am in my own little world and it fits just fine. We are raised to be ordinary and conforming. Don’t rock the boat. Why? Because we have always done it that way you fool. Wear the same clothes, think the same thoughts. Yeah every so often some one comes along with a new concept but before you know it we are all doing it and then it is not change but merely altering targets of life. Feel better, don’t you?

You are talking to the wrong dude here. I was fat dumb and happy on Wall Street when I came home one night to announce to my wife I was going to build post and beam houses in a 15% mortgage rate market. A couple of years later and feeling my Wheaties, we moved to Colorado to get into the computer business. Worked great until I was flat ass broke and had to come back to New York because I had three kids to educate. In our almost 42 years of marriage between our personal residences and investment properties we have had over 35 real estate closings.

Now some of you think I am a little out there for our relative instability. You may be right but I am not going to the insanity defense just yet. Kathy might. With each turn of the dial or departure from the norm two things have happened. There is an exhilaration that happens when you roll the dice. Not so much a rush but a breath of fresh air. Any thing and everything seems possible. We worry about the process and not necessarily the outcomes. And it has been great.

Secondly, we have grown incredibly. We have lived in new neighborhoods and states. We have had to get off our duff to learn new ideas and customs. We have experienced both good and bad but moreover we have found new instincts to rely on and ground rules to play by. Every so often Kathy pronounces after a stay somewhere,”Ted, I think it is time to grow.” She has been a little silent over the last few years. I think she wants to stay this time.

Our world is in flux or turmoil depending how you look at things. You can fight it or embrace it. If you hate Obama and it makes you feel better, just go right on doing it. If you think the world is crazy for cutting your entitlements be my guest. But if you really are a citizen you will get up and see how you can affect change yourself. You know a lot of you went crazy at the election results but how many of you manned phone banks for your candidate? How many went to a rally? Did you have a sign in your front yard or drive someone to vote? Hmmm, I thought so.

Change embodies creativity. Breaking the mold. Questioning and trying to look to the stars. If everyone sat on their tails over millenia maybe we would still be in the Dark Ages. We wouldn’t have computers,IPhones, color TV’s and of course thanks to Al Gore the internet. Easy gang, that is a joke. Point being that change is good on average. But most of all it is a force of life. Yes it may be the end of the world as we know it. But you know if somehow we put our hearts andsouls into it, it may just bring a new and better day.

As Always

Ted The Great

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead

Writers Note…

Greetings. I am sitting down at the keyboard once again. I have been on a bit of a journey. A good friend said I had to figure out what I wanted to write about and what medium I should use to transport my myriad of thoughts and comments to paper or whatever. I can’t play the piano and I am a lousy artist. So here I am.

I have missed all of you. It’s lonely in here at Ted’s Head…Centcom. I was thinking about finding a mistress like all the other big wigs but I fear the bald guy might have a hard time attracting one. Besides, Kathy said I couldn’t afford it. Lowrey AFB is closed. Socialites in Denver? Not really.   So here I am, warts and all.

As always it will be a variety of topics. At my age it might mean losing track. So please be patient. I feel passionate as always. I feel humble you would take the time to listen. Man, life is good.

One final note. There is a lot to be said about this communication thing. I now have a smart phone and it is interesting but I still like the face to face. The Donald has taught us all to think before you write. What is that idiot really thinking? Is it Ready,Fire Aim?

TTG

Nature Versus Man…..

We have all been stunned by the power of a gal(or was it a guy?) named Sandy. Let’s assume it was a she. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. It fit’s the narrative. You say the inhabitants of Breezy Point and Beach Haven did nothing to Mother Nature to deserve such a fate. As in so many cases the grunts and the rank and file absorb the brunt and pay for the follies of all.

As we have traveled I marvel not at the glitz and gauche outcroppings of steel and glass but at the absolute beauty of the land and the sea. I have been in places so quiet and still you can hear nothing but your breath. I have seen villages and ways of life that have survived centuries or war, turmoil and probably at one time fiscal cliffs. And with all this roiling there is just one constant and it is Mother Earth.

Let’s not argue whether it was creation or evolution. The fact remains that somehow, some way this place came to be. If you study the planet you realize it has come through a lot. Asteroid bombardments, ice ages, floods and yes, probably man. But in the past it was taken as a growing process. Right now I think we are treading far too close to a destroying process.

We assume as the most intelligent form of life that we know what is best. We are not only going to live in the world we are going to control it. You see it is ours to use as we wish. We own resources. We own the flora and fauna. The sea is there for our edification and plunder. And now we come into that surreal stage of knowledge where we figure we can recreate anything we want. Wow. We are God.

Maladies of all sorts. Cancer. Plagues. Old age. We are going to beat them all. Step right up and order what kind of child you want. Blue eyed. Brown haired. Boy. Girl. Artistic or scientific. Just fill out the application. The creator will be with you in just a few moments. What? You don’t want to wait nine months? We will get you a surrogate. Hold it. You changed your mind? That’s okay we will shitcan that baby until it is a better time for you. Boy it is great being God.

There is an arrogance afloat that flirts with disaster. We thumb our noses at so many things with the rather flimsy notion that we are the greatest people in the greatest nation on earth. Don’t put us down TTG. What bummer you are. We will just put it off until tomorrow and before you know it, a 3.3% growth rate will cure everything. Don’t doubt a thing because the computer modeled it and they are always right. Just ask Karl Rove.

We have reduced everything to categories, percentages and projections. Let me see the odds of the world destroying itself are 10 to 1 if the following variables over the next fifty years hold true. We have to balance the budget by 2030 and stop throwing crap in the atmosphere at the rate of 27 zillion tons per day and find a way to supply food and water for billions of people. Lead pipe cinch.

I guess I am a bit overwhelmed by the pace and lack of empathy in today’s society. As we grow in the world we become more and more anonymous. It all about me. And by the way if me can’t get it done then you have to provide for me. I don’t care how you do it. Just get it done and spare me the details. I am reminded of the musical, “Stop the World I Want To Get Off”. The hit song was “What Kind Of Fool Am I?”

Look I am not tree hugging or maybe I am? I know we need to frack and frick. I know there is a logic that feels we must grow. But as we grow do we have to blow everything off along the way? Mine is not so much a feeling of conservation but responsible stewardship. We are into “things” like never before. I own this or that. It is mine. I earned it and no one is going to take it away. I will treasure it. The world is my oyster and whether I serve it raw or fried or in a stew it is mine to eat. And no one is going to get in my way.

I want people to grow. I want the world to be a better place. I want to make advances in science. But not at the expense of our fellow travelers and our beautiful earth. I want people to stop just for a moment and see how far we have come. To see what we have. To see what we are leaving for those coming after. Just a brief pause. And then maybe we will understand we are not God. That we have been given so much. And maybe humble pie should be served on Thanksgiving instead of minced meat.

And on that note I think that is how I will end my first day back.

Happy Thanksgiving

As always

Ted The Great.

PS: Haven’t figured out what to do with factoids or what day of the week I will publish. So for now bear with me.

I remember several years ago playing the Parkland Golf Course in Killarney. There was a wee caddie whose lack of stature was made up for by his wit and personality. As we said good bye he said, “It’s been a pleasure and I hope some day that our paths meet again.” Couldn’t have put it any better myself.

I have had a lot of fun writing Ted’s Head but I believe it is time for a break or maybe a total cessation of hostilities. I was going to call it a sabbatical but that sounds both haughty and requires me to come back. I have posted 90 times over the last year and a half and God bless all of you for checking on well over 8,000 occasions. Those who have read it every week will surely get into heaven because we know they have already been in Purgatory or worse.

Somewhere between Sunday and Tuesday evening I try to assemble my thoughts. Sometimes fiery. Sometimes meditative. Sometimes melancholy. Always from the heart. As I have said many times I hope I have been able to make you think. Not necessarily agree but at least pause to study your own convictions to test their reason.

Kathy and I are going to do a bit of traveling. Taking in sights but more trying to understand this crazy world we live in. I will listen attentively and maybe share some of those insights I glean with some of you in the future. Soon I may be banging on your email box again or then again maybe I will spare you.

As for our country I believe the right path has not come to the fore. I am torn between right and left. I can’t be charitable towards the disenfranchised because I know we don’t have the discipline to pay for it. I also can’t turn my head and say fend for yourself. My heart and my beliefs just won’t let that happen. Ah yes the answer probably lies in the middle but we are too raw and proud to give up any ground.

Actually the worst part is the procrastination. If you have been elected or appointed to lead you must do so. Washington has lost any shred of accountability or decency. I say in all honesty that I think they are all a bunch of bums who have turned service into a career. That longevity has  to be protected at all cost. Giving your vote to the highest bidder in the name of democracy.

As far as a free market driven economy I feel we have distorted that too. Might is right. Crony capitalism has replaced hard work and sacrifice. The playing field is uneven. We scream bloody murder about regulations. On the other hand if people were honest and diligent, regs and inspectors and auditors would not be necessary. Such is the folly of man. Probably my naiveté looks even sillier to you corporate titans.

I may sound down on the United States and maybe even the world. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have asserted many times I am a pragmatist. Take the hand you are dealt and work with it. Be critical to make things better not just bitch. If you have a gripe have a solution to fix it. Above all get off your ass and participate.

I am going to try my best to work on a couple of problem areas where maybe my pen or my love of public speaking can make a difference. I want my generation to go from a liability to an asset. I want to pass on to those coming up whatever kernels of wisdom I can. Someone asked if they could pick my brain? I told them I there wasn’t much there but they were welcome to it.

I would appreciate any thoughts some of you might have. As to Ted’s Head, things we should work on or whatever. I thank so many of you for offering comments both pro and con over the course of my stay. It keeps me grounded and plugging for more.

Most of all I just want to say thank you for your interest and your friendship. You are all the best.

As always

Ted The Great

Factoids:

Au Revoir is similar to adieu, ave, bon voyage, farwell and Godspeed. I think that covers it.

If one Googles legislative procrastination you come up with page after page of nations and states that can’t seem to make a decision.

Crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, specil tax breaks.  Crony capitalism is believed to arise when political cronyism spills over into the business world; self-serving friendships and family ties between businessmen and the government influence the economy and society to the extent that it corrupts public-serving economic and political ideals.

I have been thinking since I wrote this last treatise. I have come up with three more things I want to share. Cool it TTG.

Our future lies with our kids and our grandkids. Let’s give them every opportunity to make it right. AND THAT IS MY FINAL FACTOID….FOR NOW

I am now going out on the front porch with a cigar and Vodka and tonic to savor the moment. Please join me. Pax.

The ever dour Sergeant Joe Friday would look the person in the eye after they had rambled on for minutes and just ask for the facts. We could use Dragnet today and maybe we have finally found it. Maybe now we can stop prancing around the ring and get into some heavyweight boxing.

The injection of Paul Ryan is beyond healthy. I don’t care what side you are on. We now have more than platitudes to work from. This guy is a budget wonk at 42. Maybe, just maybe we will have a substantive discussion over the role of government and someone getting to a brass knuckle debate over the deficit.

Ryan is the first one to specifically address entitlements. If you think we can keep them the way they are I have some wonderful swamp land to sell you. We have to change the age of Social Security. Not 30 years from today but now. We have to means test both SS and Medicare. We all know it. Let’s just bite the bullet and do it.

I have written before and will write again that we have to inject copays into every aspect of medical treatment. People will say that if we do that, then some won’t be proactive in their approach to life. DUH!! I think it’s far time for people in general to take responsibility for their own welfare. I hear the whining now. If I do that as a legislator then I might not be reelected. Well that might be the case. Should go with the turf.

We are in a tizzy about defense spending. That we don’t have enough. We outspend the next four countries in line including China. We have bases, weapon systems, and staff that we do not need. No more studies. No more committees. Just do it.

We duplicate in every aspect of life in DC. There are twelve different agencies that are involved in affordable housing. Count’em.TWELVE! These are little fiefdoms that have been created and have to go. This isn’t Tea Party. It is rational human beings that have said enough is enough.

From this day forward let’s just knock off the personal attacks. Let’s not keep complaining about what you have inherited if you are Obama. That story is four years old and very stale. Cut out the crap about getting the rich. Robin Hood died many years ago. Your populism sounds great to any one who is downtrodden or has sat on their ass dealing with dreams and fantasies.

If you are Romney let’s not say you will work with Congress in order to nail down the details. Give us your plan in depth. Your tax cuts don’t work as laid out. Your vagueness on what subsidies and loopholes you will do away with does nothing for me. Tell me what they are and you may very well earn my vote. Cut out the breaks for the wealthy. You all play the game the rich pay more. They do because they earn more and pay at a lower rate. The fair share is everybody.

So here it is. If you are over 60 and have done nothing whatsoever to plan for your retirement you have a tough road ahead of you. If you want to become a ward of the state so be it. But don’t expect that to be lollipops and roses. Sorry but you are owed nothing. If you haven’t taken care of yourself physically then I will tell you where the nearest track is. After a certain period of time do not expect extraordinary measures. We are not going to cure you at all costs.

If you are under 60 lower your standards. Forget the big house or the new car for now. Start saving. Everything does not have to come to you when you want it. How about needing it to survive but putting the rest on the back burner. No one said you have to have a better life than your parents. Get creative. Be industrious. Make do.

We have had tough times but let’s just stop bitching. It solves nothing. Whether you are rich or poor, get real. Life can be fun with the simplest of things. We don’t need the latest and greatest. When you have to wait or earn something it is going to feel better. Otherwise it is like a sugar hit. Feels great for a few minutes and then you are craving more. Haven’t done drugs but I am sure it is the same.

Wake up America. Deal with difficulty and don’t let any politician tell you he or she has the way out. I just haven’t see it yet. Just tell them “Just the facts Maam or Sir”. They’ll squirm. They will blather. They will stall. Hold their feet to the fire.

As Always

Ted The Great.

Just the Factoids:

Everyone does pay taxes. $1mill+ 29.1%, $50-75K..15% $40-50k 12.5%, $20-30K ..5.7%

There are $1 trillion per annum in exemptions and credits but most benefit higher earners. E.G the rate on interest earned is 15%.

1470 households making more than $1million in 2009 paid no taxes.

The Social Security surplus will be gone in 2033.

Medicare racks up $80 billion in fraud every year. The cost of our health system as a whole is $2.5 trillion which includes 30% in accounting and paperwork. In other countries the cost is 7-15%

We spend approx. $700 billion on defense. The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard all have their own air operations.

There are Fort Drums everywhere.

We admitted a man in his early fifties to Hospice tonight. He has incurable brain cancer. I rest my case.