Feature

Today’s Middle Class American of all sexes, all races, all ethnicities, all creeds, and all family backgrounds—whether their ancestors sailed to these shores on the Mayflower centuries ago, or flew into the United States on an immigrant visa a decade ago—are all stunned by the anti-Christian, anti-Western, and anti-American revolution now currently in progress. Family members, teachers, friends, co-workers, and team-mates are forcing these Americans to choose political sides so they may then decide whether or not to disown their fellow family members, fail their students, end their friendships, or find other ways to stop associating with them—even if it means ending their livelihood.

And now many find themselves also being forced to address one of the key issues facing Middle America, by asking themselves and each other, “Do we still honor the heroes and heroines of our past?”

James Kirkpatrick has observed, “[T]he question of ‘who is or is not an American’ is being answered for us in the streets, as statues of Union and Confederate leaders, the Founders, heroic presidents like Teddy Roosevelt, and other symbols of the American identity are destroyed and defiled.”

Identity politics has heralded in an age where simply being proud to be an American is considered by many to be a disgraceful and bigoted outlook. And so, the buildings named after great Americans, the halls named after great Americans, the streets named after great Americans, the parks named after great Americans, and the schools named after great Americans are all being renamed.

The result? On one side the appetite of the mob is not being satiated—but merely whetted for more symbols of the past for them to gorge on—while on the other side, white hot anger further inflames American patriots; the ones who follows the rules, respect the founders, pays their taxes, love their country, and try to fulfill their civic duties, who were at first bewildered, then vexed, then finally enraged.

Conversely, the mob is never satiated because as soon as one fall guy or gal has been purged, “someone else—a former innocent—must take his place,” as stated by Georgetown professor Joshua Mitchell in American Awakening, Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time.

This is multiplied by an ahistorical philosophy currently being embraced which has sent out a diktat that tells the naïve, the gullible, and the historically ignorant that, simply by having the advantage of living in the contemporary present, this generation is the most virtuous in all of history. Where does this assertion come from? Certainly from not any objective criteria. No, it is just simply (and self-importantly) asserted!

This is an intellectual fallacy known as presentism, labeled by C.S. Lewis as “chronological snobbery.” Too many people today presume they are superior to all of their forefathers simply because they live in the present. It may be plausibly argued that measured with regard to race there may be some merit in patting themselves on the back. And yet if we measure ourselves against our forefathers in terms of other examples – such as family stability – we are much worse now than any previous generation. This has had the effect of not only damaging our children, deeply, but affecting society towards a greater extent as well, including societal inequality.

Casey Chalk has suggested one way to respond to the question of whether or not we continue to honor the heroes and heroines of our past is to follow the “approach with ancient roots in Aristotle,” and “honor those whose lives in some (albeit imperfect) sense reflected a universal, objective good, like the cardinal virtues of courage, justice, prudence, and temperance.”

Another prominent writer, historian Wilfred M. McClay, has suggested in Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, that we should honor those who – however imperfectly – attempted to make this country a better nation for all of its citizens. Civic traits such as virtue and patriotism are acknowledged as always being worthy of pursuing.

These traits are also meant to be conveyed to our descendants who are naturally predisposed to neglect and disregard them.

Consider that there are actual people who hold positions today in academia, the bureaucracy, and at all levels of government who sincerely believe the ever-shifting emotions and opinions of the zeitgeist is the only reliable way to measure the accomplishments of the past; if public art, or schools, or military bases, or civic institutions must always and only reflect this ever-metamorphosing measurement then the only function they serve is a self-congratulatory one.

As Casey Chalk writes, “We self-righteously laud ourselves for our woke, inclusivist sensibilities, seemingly ignorant that the fickle, increasingly ignorant mob will one day come for us for our own misdeeds. This is narcissistic, self-destructive, and inimical to societal preservation.” In short: a recipe for disaster.

Those of us who love our country continue to acknowledge the wisdom of the ancient Roman philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero, “Poor is the nation that has no heroes, but poorer still is the nation that having heroes, fails to remember and honor them.”

My Annual Costume Conundrum

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, right up there with Christmas, Easter, 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day and Arbor Day – who doesn’t like planting trees? What’s the biggest difference between Halloween and all other holidays of lesser fun? On Halloween you are required to wear a costume. Dressing up in a costume is so cool. If you can find just the right apparel and accessories a good costume can transform a person into anything or anyone that they might want to be for a night. The same can be said about cross dressing, not that there’s anything wrong with that. As much as I like and take pride in my annual costumes, every year it’s the same question, what am I going to be for Halloween? It doesn’t matter that I’m now 58 and stopped Trick-or-Treating when I was a kid (23), there’s still a lot of pressure to find just the perfect costume.

“I’m going to be a cowgirl, cause I already got all the stuff. I’ve got boots, a hat, a vest and a bandana. Wanna see?” Lauren B. Age 9, Danville.

When I was a youngster, my mother made most of my costume decisions. I never minded this, however, try as I might, she just wouldn’t buy into my creative costume ideas of serial killer, big time wrestler or adult film star. Despite my protests, I wore all the traditional homemade classics such as pirate, cowboy, caveman and toilet paper mummy. During those tough adolescent years, when money was tight because dad was dressing up as a degenerate gambler every weekend during football season, I was convinced to wear dirty old clothes and tell people I was bum or a hobo. Sadly, a lot of neighbors just thought I was too lazy to dress up. Today, it’s not politically correct to pretend to be homeless, but dressing up as a bum or hobo is more a lifestyle choice. Isn’t a bum or hobo just a businessman who got tired of the grind? FYI, a bum resides in one place while a hobo travels the country, by way of an empty freight car, utilizing Amtrak’s elaborate national train system.

“I might be Captain America. Did you know his shield can cut through metal and protect you from bullets?” Carter L., Age 7, Danville.

High school had its ups and downs when it came to dressing-up for All Hallows Eve. As a freshman, you certainly didn’t want to stand out or appear dorky showing up for a school Pumpkin Walk that may never actually happen. I once found myself standing all alone on one of the school’s tennis courts wearing a wicked cool matador costume while my peers mocked me. Tears of pain don’t just bounce off a spandex bull-dodging suit like you might think, they stain. Damn those Chess club pranksters! It was different when our sophomore Glee Club dressed up as the cast of Grease. Regrettably, I drew Sandy as my character. Hells Angels was the theme our Drama Club junior year and we were bad ass. That was until we ran into some actual Hells Angels and they made us strip down and walk home in our underwear…..3 miles….and it was raining. Finally, my senior year rocked! Me and my boys dressed as the members of the rock band KISS. After an exhausting round of candy collection, it’s a little tough to look “rocker cool” while wearing 11-inch platform heels and runny stage make-up. By the end of the night, we looked like a teenage drag queens.

“Guess what I’m going to be. He’s from Star Wars, he’s on the dark side and he’s Darth Vader.” Jake A.  Age 6 ½, Pleasanton. 

College brought all kinds of new and exciting costume ideas despite every Halloween frat party I ever attended, during my six years of collegiate bliss, had a “Pimp and Hooker” theme. Not that I’m complaining. Fortunately, there are a lot of television pimps to draw inspiration from for costume ideas. There was Huggy Bear from the series Starsky and Hutch, Rooster from the show Baretta and let us not forget Prime Time Neon Dion Sanders of the Dallas Cowboys. Fortunately, I still had my 11-inch Kiss platform shoes and a slick burgundy crushed velvet smoking jacket (thank you Goodwill) to get me into character. My signature line was, “back off sucker before I cut you”. The co-ed “ladies-of-the-night” loved my protective pimping dark side. 

“I’m going to be a princess because I like them, I want to be one and that’s the costume mommy bought me at Costco.” Madison O., Age 5, Danville

In my bar hopping early 20s, it was one Superhero costume after another. Captain America, Captain Marvel, Captain Underwear, Captain Drunk Guy and my favorite, Captain Hit on Every Girl in the Bar. That was the year I met my wife.

As a married man and father in my 40s, I found myself tending toward a more conservative, yet alluring, costume. There was the ever popular plastic surgeon (a lot of women want a second opinion), youth sports coach (the mommies loved my tight fitting dry fit shirts and whistle) and the fan favorite, parish priest (if you don’t mind listening to people confess their sins and I don’t). Then, in my early 50s, my goal was just to achieve maximum shock value and embarrassment from my daughters. Male cheerleader, Studio 54 Roller Disco Superstar and Tooth Fairy were my “go to” costumes when I did get invited to a party or soiree.

“I think I’m going to be a cheerleader because I like cheerleaders and cheering is fun,” Nadia L., Age 7, Danville

But alas, I’m back to where I started. What am I going to be for Halloween this year? To dress as an Alive columnist would unfairly drive the neighborhood women crazy and I might draw unwanted attention to myself if I were to suit up as something scary, such as a Presidential candidate, California wild fire or COVID-19 spore.  I could always be a construction worker, sailor, Joe Exotic or one of the other members of the Village People. I respect firemen and policemen way too much to pretend to be a first responder. No one would buy me as a professional athlete, unless I dressed up as a member of the Pro Bowlers Tour. Apparently, it looks like life has finally come full circle and I’m destined to bring back the pirate, cowboy or caveman. My mother would be so happy. Although given the current economy and present state of commercial real estate, bum or hobo might not be too big a stretch from reality. Just don’t be surprised if I ring your doorbell and ask for candy. I’m old school that way.

“I have no idea what I’m going to be! What are you going to be Mike?” Michelle C., Age 9, San Ramon

 You’re killing me Michelle!

All the candidates out there during this election cycle have been dangling this one big prize in front of the voting public: Free college for anyone who wants it, and some have even promised that recent graduates would have their college tuition loans forgiven; in other words, paid off by the “government.” Ha! Where would all that money come from, you think? Probably out of the pockets of the working taxpayers with or without a college degree, now in the workforce, who by the way, would not have their college tuitions refunded retroactively by these marvelous candidates. However, the real question is, “Does everyone need a college degree?” My answer would have to be a great big, “NO!” The fact is some people need one and some don’t.

Allow me to turn the clock back to the year 1955. My parents and I were still living in Algrange, Moselle, France. I was in the sixth (6^th) grade at Ecole Mixte (1), now referred to as Ecole de la Mairie (2). That year, all children in my class were sent to a large auditorium in Algrange and given a one-half day test to see who among all of us, would be going to Gymnasium, which was the equivalent to High School, here in the United States. The top three boys and top three girls were going to go to a district Gymnasium, about 15 km, from where we lived. I came in second. That wasn’t too bad for a foreigner, in France, as my father would find out on the day of our departure from Algrange, as the principal explained to him that (and this was on the QT) only a French National was allowed to come in, in first place. So, this was 1955. Perhaps now, things are different. Be that as it may, I had come in 2^nd. That meant, had we stayed there, I would have gone to Gymnasium, with a possibility to attend a university. So, as we had decided to emigrate to the United States, I had given up my second-place spot, allowing one of my school buddies, who had come in fourth, to take my place.

What was the point of my little story above, you might ask? The rest of the class, boys and girls, were than selected, based on their aptitudes, to attend various local and regional Trade Schools. They would be trained as apprentices in the many trades, that were needed to fill jobs as machinists, electricians, seamstresses, cooks, bakers, and so on. Even back then, these were reasonably well-paying professions.

Now, we jump across the pond—as the Brits like to call the Atlantic. Here at Berkeley High School, I completed my American education and was looking forward to college. Back in 1960, if you graduated with a certain GPA, you would be accepted by UC Berkeley, without having to go through any testing. Otherwise, you went to JC, that would be Junior College. There were, and may still be, several in the Bay Area. I signed up for Oakland Junior College, down on Grove Street in Oakland. The main reason I did was that although I had vanquished my language difficulty, I had no idea what I wanted to study.

I liked Art and my father wanted me to be a diplomat, since by this time, I knew four languages rather well. When he passed away in 1958, I thought, just maybe, I could go into Art. My mother had other ideas. She told me that I should at least want to study to be a doctor or an engineer. I took all the prerequisites for a medical career, until one day our instructor informed us that we would be viewing an autopsy, the following week, and where that would be. As I had seen my father die just a couple years prior, the thought of watching a human being getting carved up put an end to my medical career. One thing led to another and I found myself in the workaday world, first in a machine shop, then as coil-winder in an electrical shop. The jobs paid well enough and I no longer had a desire to go back to school since I was making money.

Now, we get to the point I am trying to make by telling you my story. Over the years, I met a lot of kids who were just like me; undecided. Some didn’t know if they wanted to on to school, due to the cost. Some liked to work on cars. Some liked messing around with electrical stuff, like working on radios and remote-control airplanes. Many felt that they had no need to go on to college or university. Why should they have to? Back then, unions of various sorts took in young people, mostly young men to teach them a trade, such as electrician, machinist, auto-mechanic, pilot, or pipefitter. However, the openings were limited. So, a lot of high school graduates, and even some who had attended Junior College, ended up in the workforce, not necessarily doing something they would enjoy, just doing a job that would pay.

One of the strangely sad, while at the same time funny stories around 1970 was the one about the guy that worked at the corner gas station in Berkeley, pumping gas, with a Ph.D. The funny part was, “I had a Ph.D. fill my tank, today”. The sad part was, this guy had spent from eight to ten years, earning this degree, just to be pumping gas at a corner gas station. Could this still be happening today? Very possibly. A better question would be, “Should this be happening today?” The answer should be “no!”

We should be taking better care of our human resources so that their lives are more meaningful and not wasted in pursuit of unnecessary goals that will not improve their chances of getting better jobs.

As of today, college graduates in general, make more money than those who have only graduated from high school. One of the reasons for this is, vocational training centers are not as plentiful here in the United States as they are in Europe, where vocationally trained professionals, make almost as much as college graduates and sometimes, even more. So, what should happen in the United Sates?

To improve the prospects of those who have graduated from high school and do not necessarily want to attend college or university, there should be an opportunity for mid-skilled vocational training, outside of universities for those in need of post-secondary education and training, but less than a bachelor’s degree.

The following comes from WENR – (World Education News and Reviews) – The Trump administration recognizes the urgency of advancing vocational education in the United States. In June 2017, President Trump signed an executive order on Expanding Apprenticeships in America that seeks to increase the availability of such programs. In today’s rapidly changing economy, it is more important than ever to prepare workers to fill both existing and newly created jobs and to prepare workers for the jobs of the future. It certainly makes a lot of sense to me. What do you think?

For the past twenty or more years, vocational training opportunities have declined. Unless you know of someone in a specific union and can get into their apprenticeship program, you are out of luck. Specific unions can only take on so many new trainees. Hence, the need for a NEW Vocational College System, offering a variety of specialized programs, where students can sign up and receive a “Certificate of Specialization,” or an even higher level of accomplishment by earning a ‘Technology Certificate,” where students get in-depth, hands-on training in technologies and specialties, without having to spend enormous amounts of time learning about geography, history, sociology or philosophy. How about a certificate in Viticulture, or Oenology (enology)? Where Oenology is the science and study of wine and winemaking, viticulture deals with the growing of grapes. Should one really have to attend a four-year college or a university to learn about the process of making wine?

As you all well know, automobiles don’t fix themselves, neither do television sets, washing machines, dishwashers or cable systems, and cakes, cookies and specialty bakery items don’t appear magically on store shelves. Books and magazines don’t get printed magically. With some of the certificates available, students can get jobs they are qualified and trained for. Or, they could simply go out and start their own enterprises, such as a garage, a bakery, or whatever business or specialty they had been studying for.

How about training to work in publishing, where things have changed quite a bit? For instance, I worked in publishing for a short while, back some fifty years ago, where I did all the layout and color separation of artwork by hand. Today, it’s all done with computers. It’s a brand-new world in publishing as it is in a multitude of endeavors. Computers have taken over in many fields. Getting into these and other new fields, would be more attainable with a certificate of completion from an accredited Vocational Specialty Institute.

In contrast to the USA, Germany has a highly successful specialized work based, system of vocational training that has gained world-wide recognition. Again, according to WENR: 47.2 percent—nearly half—of the German population held a formal vocational qualification in 2016. Fully 1.3 million students in Germany enrolled in VET programs in 2017, compared with only 190,000 individuals (that would be 0.055% of the US population) who registered for  apprenticeship programs in the U.S. in the same year.

That’s a shame! Can you imagine all those wasted lives, wasted talent, with nowhere to turn?

Can you imagine what a similar approach to a vocational education program in the United States could do to improve the employability of specifically, young people as well as those, more mature workers,  who have been forced to look for new and different employment following the closure of certain industries? Currently, most apprenticeship programs are only available through specific unions, and it is understandable that these unions can only take care of the training of a limited number of candidates. Hence, there is an obvious reason for the establishment of a system of ‘Specialized Vocational Training Institutes or Colleges’.

The benefits of accredited, professional, vocational training would mean, a brighter future for young and old, a better chance at employment and a higher earning potential. So, the establishment of a system of Accredited Vocational Institutes (Colleges) should be a priority going forward. It would be a win-win goal providing opportunities for further education and career goals to young people, as well as to formerly employed older citizens who may want to try their hand at baking cakes, fixing cars, or the vinification of wine making!

The weather is finally changing. While we weren’t looking, fall was quietly ushered in with shorter days and changing leaves, a riot of color in our city streets. The air has grown cooler, pleasantly nippy, masking winter’s icy bite in its swirling, playful breezes. As day turns to night and our fireplaces are again ablaze with light, what’s in our glasses to warm our bodies and souls? Cognac, of course!

Cognac is an elegant drink, the best brandy you can buy! French in heritage, and steeped in history and tradition, Cognac never goes out of style. Although the rich amber color is nearly indistinguishable from that of whisky, one sniff of Cognac’s sweet aroma defines with clarity that this fine liquor finds its humble origins in fruit not grain.

The word “brandy” is derived from the Dutch, “brandiwijn,” which means “burnt wine.” Brandy is made in many countries around the world, usually from grapes, but often from other local fruits, such as apples or plums. Brandy can be sipped alone or blended into a multitude of cocktails. While brandy used to be front and center in terms of popularity, in the past 20 years, it has taken a decided back seat to clear white spirits such as vodka, rum, and gin.

But while generic brandy may be commonplace, Cognac is remarkable! Cognac is a premium brandy and considered the first global spirit. Hailing from Southwestern France just above Bordeaux on the Charente River, the beautiful rolling hills of Cognac are awash with history. This extraordinary brandy has been crafted in the region for centuries, tracing its lineage back more than 400 years.

Originally a white wine producing province, Cognac’s name became known to the world when some intrepid soul endeavored to distill the wine. The production of Cognac became somewhat of an art form. While there are no restrictions on using the name “brandy”, there are many restrictions on using the name “Cognac.” As is the case with Champagne, Cognac can only be produced within France’s demarcated Cognac zone. While the same brandy may be made just outside the perimeter, it is forbidden from using the moniker, “Cognac.”

And the rules don’t stop there! Cognac has a specific method of creation which may not be varied. Cognac can only be crafted from grapes grown within the boundaries of the Cognac region on the legendary chalky soils. The spirit must be aged for a minimum of two and a half years in pricy French oak barrels. Cognac is always blended except in rare cases, such as a single-vintage bottling. These production and aging requirements are virtually set in stone. After all, why mess with perfection?

The famous houses of Cognac include Remy Martin, Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martell, and Hine. Each has a “house style” for which it is famous. Often extremely old Cognacs are blended with very young to achieve the exact style desired.  Bottles of Cognac are labeled by age: VS indicates 2-4 years of age, VSOP indicates 4-6 years, and XO indicates the Cognac has been aged more than 6 years. The age listed on the bottle is the age of the youngest brandy in the blend.

Cognac is celebrated and revered all over the world. There is simply no disputing its intoxicating allure. Nothing compares to sharing the glory of Cognac’s heady delight with friends and loved ones. While many landmark cocktails like the Sazerac are based on Cognac or brandy, good Cognac is best enjoyed neat, served in a brandy snifter. It is never gulped or taken in shots. Cognac is a sensual delight, meant to be sniffed and luxuriated in, like fine French perfume. It should be swirled and sipped and savored, each drop precious, like honey on the tongue.

Lucky for you, Cognac can be found in all fine wine and spirits shops. Stop by your favorite location and pick up a bottle or two. We are tumbling towards the Holiday Season. Be sure to have a bottle of Cognac on hand to offer your guests!

Cheers!