In Defense of Herman Cain

I just listened to the latest bit of news about Cain’s current attacker. She is doing some good acting, But I believe it is just acting. Perhaps not “just” acting. There may be a mental illness that describes what she is doing. If you listen to her carefully, you will note an abundance of repetition, told in a smooth and practiced way. The other day, I read the inscription Cain penned in a book which he autographed for her. It was a touching one. However, it might have been the same message he wrote to several dozens of people he worked with. At that moment, I envisioned her as having taken the inscription to mean more than he meant it. Many a female, especially teenagers, have fallen in love with an idea, and lived that idea for years, maybe even for the rest of their lives, and possibly ended up this way, accusing the secretly loved one, in revenge, even to the point of physical danger to the one “loved.” To speak as well as she did, she might have had a small bit of tranquilizing drug to get through it calmly. The recent telephone calls Cain made to her, if he really did, could have been to beg her not to go through with this charade.

I am not being political in this. Cain is not my choice for president, but someone else is. I am not of his race. And I still think he is a good man. Is he stupid enough not to know these affairs would arise if he ran for office? He may not be wise in many ways, but I do not think he’s stupid about the possibility of such scandal—if it were truth. I think he has worked too hard to get where he is, to risk a scandal, if it were true.

My blog about the concentric circles is still why I think this is happening. ♥

Little Boys Can Say Cute Things Too

When “Gooch” was barely old enough to have a Halloween mask of his own, he was wearing it up on top of his head. Susan asked him. “Why are you wearing that thing on top of your head?”

He said, “So I can see God.” He was not yet three years old.
♥
Once Gooch hadn’t eaten the peas on his plate. I admonished him to eat them, and added, “Do you know there are little children in the world who do not have anything to eat?”

He said, “Let’s send the peas to them.”
♥
When the third child joined the family, he didn’t talk much. He didn’t need to, for his older siblings talked all the time, and he just smiled at them. But one day the family made a visit to a farm, where Mike, one year old, saw his first live chickens. Later in the week, fried chicken was on the dinner table. Mike wouldn’t eat any of it. In fact, he almost cried. I realized he was remembering the live creatures he’d seen on the farm. He said something like, “Can you put it back?” I think he meant could I put the chicken back together again.

Gooch, age three, spoke up, “All the king’s horses couldn't do that.”

I looked at Susan and shook my head no, she was not to add, “And all the king’s men.” That was just ready to pop out of her mouth.

What great kids they were.♥

Three Cute Remarks from Little Girls

When our daughter was only two years old, she and I were discussing milk at the breakfast table. I told her milk came from a cow. She beamed, exclaiming, “Did the cow spit up this milk last day?” When I hesitated for an answer, she added, “Did he?”
♥
Another little girl said to her mother, “Mother, I love father, but I feel closer to you.”
“Why is that, dear?” the mother asked.
“Well, I’m your flesh and blood, but I’m related to father only by marriage.”
♥
Our daughter, still about two years of age, was playing outside with a friend in a fenced-in front yard [a river ran parallel to our road], when I heard Susan cry out. She had hurt her hand. I watched through an open window as she hurried to the steps, as if to come inside to me. Then suddenly she stopped, kissed her hand, and said, “Now, it’s all better,” and went back to play.
♥♥♥

Another Word about Man’s Unconquerable Mind

In deleting letters from my files tonight, I ran across a great note from my friend Mary McKenzie. She wrote: “I began reading that book you lent me [one of several] at 4:00 Sunday, and I didn’t stop till I finished it around 10:00. You know, one time a lady gave me a book to read, and I’ve said for years it was the best book I’d ever read. But now I must say, it’s the second best book, for this one is the first best.” She was talking about Man’s Unconquerable Mind (MUM) by Gilbert Highet. My blog stats show 80 hits for my blog about MUM, which I wrote about on February 15, 2010. I wish I had time to read it again. Of course, I have read it several times, and have parts of it memorized unintentionally, but it’s good for many more reads. ♥

A Question for the Media

Earlier, I mentioned I like to see a bit of intellectuality from the man in the White House. Then last night a business man in Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, in quoting Henry Kissinger, told a group of people that only two things are required from any president, intelligence and character, for he will have all around him the best brains in the business to advise him. That fits Cain.

Then a comment from Brit Hume was sort of what I had been trying to say about Cain. Hume said, in the debates, Cain talked about the topic up to an edge of his information and understanding, and then only repeated himself after that. But he said Newt Gingrich could talk in great depth on the subject, for he had always been able to do so, for he was brilliant. I agree with that. Newt is still climbing in the polls, but rough times are apparently ahead from the media.

But I want to pose a question about Gingrich, or rather about the media. We have probably all heard him say over television he is aware of his past sins, and that he has confessed them to God and has been forgiven. Then he has joined the Catholic Church and is happy and fulfilled with that experience. Now Media will be bringing up these past sins, of course, and will ignore the new man that Gingrich has found in his religion. My question to the media is: isn’t this change in Gingrich exactly what the Christian religion is about, repentance, forgiveness, and redemption? If Christ were among us today, He would likely ask, “Which of you will cast the first stone?” ♥

Cain’s Book

The chief element of Herman Cain’s book This Is Herman Cain! is his confidence he will become the 45th president of these United States. When he was trying to decide to run, his wife Gloria told him she didn’t want him to run. He asked her, why not? She said, you might win! Good enough reason for a wife not to want her husband to run for the highest office in the land. He has succeeded at everything else he has tried, why wouldn’t she expect him to win in this?

And he could win. As I’ve said before, he is a good man, a patriotic man, and a conservative one. “Conservative” refers to the wish to conserve our Constitution, which others are trying to destroy, wittingly or unwittingly.

The 222-page book takes us through various jobs and positions Cain has held, while being aware of the “45” that appears in odd places, such as on his flight 1045 and hotel room, 45. He has interpreted this number in such a way to be signs of God’s will for him. And he may be right. But could not that 45 also mean he might win the office of Vice President? But Cain doesn’t feel called to be Vice anything, He’s ready for the top post.

From where I’m watching, something is missing in this scenario. I keep saying he’s a good man, and I know he’s a college graduate, but I like to see a bit more intellectuality in the person who becomes president. You read what his first grade teacher told his class, that black children were not getting the same education as white children, and his decision to work hard to succeed. That’s highly commendable, but for me, it is not enough. I want the man in the White House to be able to discuss great literature, great art, and great music, not after a night of cramming for some state visitor’s arrival, but from a lifetime of a cultured background. The humanities (literature, art, music, history, etc.) are subjects every child needs to study in school, the sooner, the better. Students, fortunate enough to continue their study of such subjects in the college of their choice while getting that degree in business, engineering, or whatever, will have a more fulfilled life.

But Mr. Cain is versed in the Holy Bible. That is a great asset and Biblical Literature is one of the humanities. And he is a good man. ♥

Frying Bread

When I got to the kitchen this morning, I detected the delightful aroma of frying bread somewhere in the neighborhood. If you haven’t experienced that, take another look at the DVD of “Julie and Julia.” Early on, Julie is frying chunks of a specialty bread, as she rhapsodizes about the glory of butter. When they are golden brown, she tops them with chopped tomatoes, and we don’t see what else, but perhaps some cheese, and of course, herbs, and then she probably puts them under the broiler a few seconds. As her husband wolfs these down, he talks with his mouth full and says, “This is good!”

Such a scene makes you want to go to the kitchen and prepare the same delight. But you don’t, for you know there is no butter in the house, and you know, butter is the ingredient that makes this feast delicious.

The houses in this subdivision are well insulated. Nevertheless, cooking smells often permeate the area at least as far as to the next house. Last winter, almost every work-day evening, around 9:00, I knew someone was heating up a frozen entrée, often of turkey. I wanted to put that person into a story, with the female protagonist going out into the snow to find the poor soul who has come home after a long day’s work, and has only a frozen entrée to heat up for his supper. She wouldn’t make herself known, for after all, she doesn’t know everyone in the subdivision, and she might have some surprises. It is enough for her to know who is tantalizing her taste buds. If she should be a writer, she might even concoct more to the story: yes, while the man lets his food get cold, she may learn he is also making a bomb in his kitchen. Here, in this nice neighborhood? The suspect is a business man, owner of a hardware store! If that writer’s name is really James Patterson or Robin Cook, she will really get into trouble and may not live to get out of this house again. For a while, that is. She doesn’t get rescued; she must get herself out of this mess.

Why do readers always ask, “Where do you get your ideas?” when zillions of them are floating around in your brain? The dilemma is which to choose. (That thing in your brain is called imagination. If you don’t have tons and tons of that, you’d better get out of the kitchen.)

“Kitchen” reminds me of why I wrote this. The sense of smell is not used enough to help detect crime in our fiction. I don’t mean smells of horror—which dominate plots well enough—but ordinary odors that could inadvertently lead to the bad stuff.

Why not fry yourself some chunks of bread in butter now and see if anyone comes smelling around. You may meet someone exciting. ♥

Catch-up

You read about the 45 hits this blog received before 9:00 this morning and about my prediction that number might be doubled in the afternoon. It was. Before 4:30 there were 91 hits for the day, with more time left of the day. What I want to point out is that the most popular blog today has been the one called “The 39 Steps and North by Northwest,” primarily for writers. That pleases me greatly. Some members of my writing group are creating a complete novel in the 30 days of November. I have no idea how many in the state’s several writing groups are doing that nor how many are reading my blog. I hope my writing has helped someone in their efforts.

If you haven’t seen the 2008 version of “The 39 Steps,” you’ve missed some great acting. Hitchcock made his film of that name in 1935, but this 2008 version is so much better. But then he made “North by Northwest,” as his repeat. It’s also a great one, but not quite so great as the 2008 one with Rupert Penry-Jones. ♥

A Busy Monday for My Computer

What a flood of hits on today’s blog, 45 before 9:00 a. m. That may double in the afternoon.

Monday is a busy day on my computer. What gives? Are you readers checking the blog on computers at your offices? I’ve long wondered how you can tell you want to read a certain blog without first opening it. In my abundant ignorance, I’m open to ideas on this.

But plans are to get a little more less-abundant in my ignorance. I will reread Yours Is the Earth, and this time, take notes on the computer (since my handwriting is unreadable even for me these days). Then I may publish these notes onblog. That won’t be this week; it will take me awhile, but I will try to rush it a bit. ♥

Progress!

The worst invention of the 20th century was the telephone. That is, after the 21st tinkered with it. If you ever call a doctor’s office these days, you may agree with me. Menu after menu, often with no dish listed fitting your appetite, or perhaps hunger. So much of the patient’s time is wasted, with badly worded info, non clear numbers, and even ads. At the other end, the office feels what a great service it is doing, and the money it saves. Them. And how costly it is for the patient in time spent. So, I’m going to change all that.

When I run for president, I will promise the people that all such menus must start with the option that says, “If you need to talk with a human being, press 1.” And such calls must be taken right then, not in a call back at 5:00, when it may be too late with your situation.

I hear you cheering! I’ll expect your vote. ♥
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The Latest Book I’m Reading

While I can hardly put down John Grisham’s Litigators (Darcy’s Story moves much more slowly), the new one is This Is Herman Cain! A book of only 222 pages with several family photos, it holds one’s interest, for this is a man most of us hadn’t even heard of before he got into the presidential race. And even now, the television does not tell all we might want to know about him. I’ve barely begun reading the book, but can tell you what his earliest memory is. On page 13 he says:

“My very first memories were of when my brother and I were little boys—Thurman must have been about four; I was five—and we were living in an apartment at the end of a building in what we called ‘the Projects,’ government supported housing downtown, on Gray Street . . .

“I can remember attending Gray Street Elementary School, up the street from the Projects. One day the teacher told us, ‘You are not getting the same education as white students.’ When she said that, I didn’t get mad. I just decided: Okay, I know that, but I’m still going to work as hard as I can to succeed . . .”

Like others’ first memories, this aim to succeed seems to have carried through the rest of his life. He has succeeded! Not only has he succeeded, but in several areas of activity, including business and the arts. And everyone seems to like him. He has a great sense of humor. In his recent debate with only Newt Gingrich, he began his last question to Gingrich, with “If you were elected Vice President, . . ." That brought down the house.

At this point, I still believe Herman Cain is a good man. I believe those blondes that are after him are/were paid to do that. From what source? Well, who would most desire his dropping out of the campaign? I believe that, in a situation like this, it would take concentric circles to get the job done, with impunity. And who is the current best worker of concentric circles? You decide. ♥

Yesterday’s C-SPAN’s 1st Sunday Treat

Ben Mezrich was the featured guest on C-SPAN’s in-depth interview with an author yesterday. He probably could have talked another three hours about his work, as he is indeed full of it. Mezrich calls himself a cinematic writer, rather than a literary one. He doesn’t start a book unless he can envision it as a movie, not with specific actors in mind.

This program covers only nonfiction writing and while Mezrich’s books [that have sold] sound like fiction, he says every bit of them is true. This proved to be a controversial point from a caller or two, but what he writes is generally called Creative Nonfiction. The creative aspect makes the writing sound like fiction and, of course, could be exactly as it really was, and delights many readers.

Mezrich enjoys casino gambling and it seems each book may have some of that in it. Bringing down the House was the first one that sold big. His research proves to be prodigious on such topics. You can find the first page of this one on the Net, where you can get a taste of how he sends the reader to page 2 quickly. I won’t list all his books and movies here, but I want to point out three other worthwhile notes for writers.

His father insisted that the children in the family read two books a week, beginning when they were little. It didn’t take Ben long to graduate to reading many more books than the required number, a great many more. From the age of twelve he knew he wanted to be a writer. His parents were not too happy with this, but supported him his first year of trying to write.

He writes quickly, after about three months of research, and after revising a bit as he goes along, he does not edit his work. Once he wrote one paragraph of a story and sent it somewhere and received an offer of $400,000 for the story. Almost unbelievable, right? I think all that reading in childhood paid off.

Let me tell you about his sports life. He said he had never hit or caught any ball thrown to him! He is hardly ever outside, is a nut about writing. He is married and has a son, 19 months old.

I’d like to tell you more about this interview, but this is too much now. Perhaps you can locate it on Book-TV and watch the entire three hours of it. ♥

The Herman Cain-Newt Gingrich Debate

Unlike two other current presidential candidates who pick at each other, Cain and Gingrich got along extremely well together with this debate. As for substance, Gingrich had the edge on Cain. He had his answers and the discussion of them without hesitation more readily than Cain did his answers and comments. Gingrich is a scholar, a historian, and a brilliant man. He knows how to be president and would have the best brains available to form his Cabinet and Staff.

Cain is a good man, I believe, and has some excellent ideas for leading the nation. However, I felt he took ideas from Gingrich along the way, ideas that Gingrich has long lived with and advocated. That only proves Cain is a fast learner. And Cain gets an A+ for humor. Gingrich gets only an A. ♥

Catch-up

What a busy, hectic week I’ve just had. Workers were here at the house Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and I was out all day—till about 7:00 p. m.—on Thursday. But I did manage to read a little before I retired at night. 10th Anniversary is finished, as well as The Terrorist Next Door and A Point in Time. Other reading continues. I have added two other books to the stack, both in progress. One is john Grisham’s The Litigators and the other is Janet Klymer’s Darcy’s Story. There’s more to say about them later.

For family news, let me tell you son Gooch and his wife Shirley were in a car wreck a few days ago in Australia (not their fault). She was bruised enough to be in the hospital and he broke his left wrist. I saw a picture of them there. She was in a bed and he was sitting beside the bed, showing off his bandaged wrist and hand, both smiling big.

My second son, Mike, called me this morning just as I was about to eat my breakfast egg, around 10:15. He knew about the wreck in Australia and he said, in essence, “One of these days we are going to get news that someone n the family wasn’t so fortunate.” How that breaks my heart just hearing it said. I hope they are all good drivers and I know they don’t drink or take illicit drugs. But the other driver on the road? That’s another story.

Grandson Rob hurt his ankle playing volley ball and yesterday he said the problem has gone into his shin. He’s the one who is six feet, seven inches tall, and who played basketball all the way through college. The first four years, that is. He is planning to go to Australia in the near future (and his wife and Rocco), where he will work and also study on his master’s degree.

So far as I can tell, the rest of the family is doing all right. I am still receiving the antibiotic in my left eye and Doc reported the hemorrhage has lessened and he says the vision is better. You could not prove that by me.

Phase 1 of my kitchen remodeling is now done. This week, the floor got its new vinyl, a historic pattern, black and white squares on the diagonal, covering a length of 28 feet without a seam. The chandelier over the dining area was moved over about three feet and the table is more centrally located than it had been. I read in a new magazine last evening, “The kitchen is where everyone lives, why not make it fabulous?” Well, “fab” doesn’t exactly fit mine, but I’m on my way.♥