Whatever Happened to Compassion?

Derrick L Weston discusses the dehumanizing of America from within.  Because truly, we are not miserly in our ethnic or racial meanness under the current administration.  We shoot our own citizens, under the least riskiest of situations.  In the back, running away…

via Whatever Happened to Compassion?

Deep Education Politics; What Everyone Needs to Start Knowing!

Ugh… GET SMART America, and grow up.  As long as the Parkland, FL students are doing the work adults should have been doing for the past 50-odd years, the very least YOU GUYS can do in return (as long as you’re sitting on your brains watching the Kardashian’s and The Bachelorette), is get jiggy on your pc’s and Mac’s.   So listen-up!

Educators participating in the January, 19, 2017 March on Washington.

First off, get up to snuff on Google search bells and whistles, and start researching what is happening under your noses to our public school systems.  A bachelor’s degree is not necessary to learn a little about how your children and grandchildren’s minds will be co-opted by corporations dressed in sheep’s clothing offering charter school vouchers, iPad’s, and now, SIB‘s, to keep track of – and worse, dictate to – their dreams.

via EducationAlchemy Baltimore’s Promise: The “promise” of privatization

by Morna McDermott

Happy Valentine’s Day! The American Reformation Era Has Begun, Chapter I.

THIS was my last glimpse of the VERY RARE, super moon triad, as the energetic portal closed, January 31st, 2018.

Just when I was about to give up, the Eagles won the Super Bowl, and I knew, at that moment, the Era of the American Reformation had begun.

Oh, the symbolism and signifiers surrounding this year’s Super Bowl winners abound, and I can barely wait to symbol, and signify, for anyone who cares to read beyond this point. (I’m ecstatic!)  To wit:

• The Super Bowl occurred barely a week following the closing of the super triad blood moon portal on January 31st, 2017; a very rare cosmic event, that creates volatile energy bursts, positively kicking us into the next six months with edge, and agility. (Okay, I’m pretty sure I explained that whole lunar thing wrong, which is why I included the hyperlink, for anyone who would like a little clarity on this tangent.)
• Eagles soar, with majesty.  And of course, our country’s symbol, is the American bald eagle.  This matters a lot right now, because this past year, flying both high, AND proud, has not been our nation’s catchiest jingle.

The eagle’s nest behind the 10th green at the Golden Bear Golf Club in Indigo Run on Hilton Head Island, SC, got a celebrity visitor from Philadelphia this week.

• In politics 2017, executive orders were signed, followed by devastating hurricanes, mass shootings, earthquakes, the Russia investigation, protest marches turning into crime scenes, then California suffered forest fires, and landslides…  And Puerto Rico –  a shameful national disgrace!  Not taking the biblical hint, the Orange Menace actually became MORE insulting (if that was even possible from the year before, he did manage it without breaking a sweat).
• As you can imagine, I forgot to look at the bright side of last year, which has kicked us into a stellar, TAKE THAT 2018! Starting with my prediction that…
• Mr. Kaepernick WON’T be short on job offers into the new year.  Movie rights on the book deal (plenty of escarole…) Oh! Endorsements galore in the coming few years for being the American Reformation Era civil rights harbinger.  So, I wouldn’t worry too much about the over-fed, pale-faced, NFL plantation owners NOT picking you up for another season, my new favorite celebrity athlete.  The world is now your oyster.  As far as I’m concerned, the NFL has major soul-searching to do, before they make any more public statements about… pretty much, anything.  You can check out The Intercept for a bit more on THAT tangent.
• I forgot – and then remembered (real quick, I remembered!) that I spent my first ten years growing up just outside of Philadelphia, before moving to Hilton Head, SC. So, there. I was born an Eagles fan! Go figure.
• All right now.  Since when, did cheaters, and liars in this country start getting off the hook, with a wink, and a fine just for getting caught?  WHEN DID THAT CRAP BECOME OKAY AROUND HERE?  I never received an addendum to the list of deadly sins and Commandments saying, “(heh-heh), deflating footballs, inflating market values, rigging voting elections, doping yourself with steroids, and betting on games you have a stake in, aren’t a big deal any more, so have at it.  America will bail you out, as long as you’re rich, white, and remember to vote for the Man.”  Some of us, who still respect good sportsmanship, AND THE LAW, don’t just get over it that easily!

• Time is of the essence when it comes to establishing a new era, so brevity is our goal today.  Yes, I can hear some of you chortling to yourselves, “Carmen wouldn’t know brevity if it smacked her three pages down.”  I know, very funny.

It might be hard for you to believe, this past year has been difficult containing myself after downsizing my firm, in the interest of… reducing my carbon footprint, among other reasons.  Since restructuring here at hiltonheadblogangel.me, we have found a more suitable schedule and, of course now, since the lay-offs, and less overhead, well, it’s just me and Sam here, running things, for now.

Hi, it’s Sam. Blogging to you, from Hilton Head.

So, that means, we expect to see you guys back here next time, because we’ve got a lot more work coming up.

Like, I’m still busting a gut, waiting to see if Trey Gowdy will repeat – with a straight face – what he said on Face the Nation last Sunday, “I enjoy the pursuit of fairness as a virtue.”   Yep.  He said that with yellow whiskers growing awry all over his face.

It’s okay, if you all need to go somewhere and put you finger down your throat, go ahead.  This is probably a good stopping off point for today.

See you next time for Chapter II of the American Reformation Era!

 

Aces, for Fareed’s Commentary on South Korea!

For anyone unfamiliar with the recent history and conflict of North and South Korea and why the United States figures into the mix, Fareed Zakaria boils it all down into a few clear paragraphs.  Wow.

I’ve never been able to boil anything down to clarity, ever.  I guess that’s why I’m blogging from my Carolina room in the marshes of SC, and Fareed has a cool Sunday show with CNN.

So, read on, for Fareed’s Fabulous Cliff Notes Version of South Korea’s historic rise from rubble!

via Give South Korea a gold medal

The State of the Union Conveniently Overwhelms the Insidious, Penetration of Big Industry Into Public Education

While mainstream media chases the Orange Menace around to see what predictable, staged, outrage he will bestow upon the American citizenry, real stories that have an impact on the future of our children and families, untold, unacknowledged, laughed off in late-night routines as soon as the grizzly bear hearings were over, scream out to be told.

But no one’s in Philadelphia covering this huge, digital/data-mining of children’s minds; this interweaving, interlocking tale of deep corrupt capitalism, now feeding on the brains, the desires of children, because everyone is covering, Donald’s yawning rants, or Tweets.  I guess he really did make Trumperica great again.

via Last Night We Lay Down In The Street To Protest Closed Door Meetings About Public Education in Philadelphia

Whoaaoaoa, now… HELLO!

HELLO!  Once again, our neoliberal superhero, Morna McDermott, has found yet another corrupt corporate boondoggle of ethics, and civil rights violations (for starters) who couldn’t make enough easy construction profits the normal, briefcase-full-of-money-in-kickbacks way, right there in Maryland College Park.  But don’t let me ruin the fun for you, check it out here, via A New School to Prison Pipeline that Might Surprise You. 

 

 

Meatball Mayhem & Madness Challenge/Feast of San Gennaro – IACHH

Hi folks. I’m Sam, the Beach Beagle on Hilton Head, pinch-hitting again for Blog Angel because – as Johnny D says – she has too much going on, and gets her head stuck someplace up her keister – a place I can’t reach because I’m short-legged.  My job is to bring things into focus around here, and get the word out about the only important thing in the world I can think of, right?

A 1,500 LB MEATBALL.

Just saying this, makes me.. me very,… wait… I gotta go outside a minute,… and collect myself….

Okay, let me begin again.  Because these two knuckleheads, Mom and Johnny D, are so strung out, with all their shi-shi events, I knew this blog was going to wind up in my food dish.  See, Mom gets side-tracked with all kinds of dumb PR stuff, forgetting about important things like the Loggerhead Turtle necklaces she sells at the * Italian Club Events,* to help save the little turtle hatchling nests on the beaches at the Coastal Discovery Museum, because a couple weeks ago, she had to dress up like Marilyn Monroe, like last year, to surprise Johnny D, who’s president of the IACHH (that stands for the the Italian.-American. Club. Of. Hilton. Head. for those of you, Unawares), on his birthday for the annual Omni ZinFest, in October.

Except, that little bright bulb idea fritzed-out pretty quick this year for a couple reasons, so she’s running around like a nut, telling everyone that they suck; meanwhile Johnny D, has to be in the dark about it, because he’s supposed to be organizing the annual ZinFest at the Omni Hotel – ON HIS BIRTHDAY, like the JFK bash a bunch of years ago –  because she’s got to surprise him again, and it works; but by the end of the night, I don’t think we could take anymore Marilyn surprises as you can see.

Johnny D & I crapped out after the 2nd Annual Marilyn Monroe Birthday surprise.

[You know, last year, Marilyn sang after a guy named Matthew stormed through here, now that I think about it. Maybe Marilyn needs strong winds to ride around on her broomstick.]

Awright, just like BlogAngel, I digressed a momento, here…  where was I…

So, Irma comes up from Florida, whirling around, totally ruining the whole Eating Feast, the Hilton Head, Italian-American Club (IACHH) hosts every year for St. Januarius, (which is SAN GENNARO, to you discerning Italian-Americans out there), while SOMEONE IS SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN CLARITY ON THE GIANT, DRIPPING, 1,500 LB MEATBALL.

I lost again… my train… of thoug.. clarity about the…thhe meatburblschmiemiener…

So, the seed for this world meatball record thing got started like, kinda’ like a small snow ball rolling down a hill in Meshanticut Valley Parkway, which is where we used to live in Cranston, Rhode Island, eight years ago like, in this picture,  when Johnny D and I were still getting to know each other.

Johnny D and Sam make meatballs in Cranston, Rhode Island, (circa 2009)

I was trying to mind my manners, but back then, when I was fresh out of “college” (that’s what the boys on the Hill said, when one of their buddies went someplace for a while), if a guy was cooking ground beef, Johnny D always says, FUGGETABOUTIT! There was no way, I was going to sit on my duff with the moonie milk chocolate eyes my Mom likes, with a little paw at the ready…

No way, when Johnny starts rolling a meatball, and then says, “I’ll make one as big as your head, Sam!” Well. I can’t even think straight, now.

This was the size of my head, when Mom found me in the Providence City ” college”. She said it was a heart-shaped, mushroom cap for kissing.

A meatball as big as my head? How big is my head?  Mom’s always smooching it, so it can’t be that big, but then I’ve got a lot of thoughts in my head, and she also likes my velvet lop-ears, so, it must be pretty big to handle all that, right? Smooches, thoughts, and velvet lops?  How big a meatball is Johnny D talking about?

Well, I’m telling you now, 1,500 lbs of meatball is more than my beagle brain can handle every couple minutes without getting vertigo, maybe drooling, and my back knees buckling; I am aged 70 -ish dog years, which may be the average Hilton Head Island resident demographic, but it doesn’t mean I’m like Snoopy the Red Baron, flying around at night on top of his doghouse.  I’m just Sam the Beach Beagle, trying to hold it all together down here on Governors Road sucking it up occasionally, for BlogAngel.

Starting at 8 am for the 5K Run, and going all day including a Silent Auction, food vendors, craft booths, a kid’s zone, live entertainment. Don’t Fuggetaboutit!

So now, Johnny D’s at the Veteran’s Day Memorial event which is very important, and we’re out of ink cartridges and paper, and they got a rule around here that whoever uses it last has to restock the printer, so I better run to Staples before Blog Angel wakes from her nap – she likes her naps – in the mornings, because she works late night with Rachel Maddow and Seth Myers (yeah, really yukking it up with those two, with pencils sticking out of her pony tail and Johnny D, snoring away on the sofa).

The current world record for the largest meatball stands at 1,100 lbs, which is pretty big, when you think about it.  So our own genius engineer, Joe Carpinteri, who designed the oven (with a little input from another member, a retired NASA guy) to conduct heat with like, big stainless steel prongs to go inside the meatball, and then there’s this whole POD- RIGHT-  THEY HAD TO MAKE A POD – to hold the meat in like a form, so it wouldn’t all fall apart while it was cooking, which, I told them I could spread my body around it and hold the thing with my four paws, but Johnny D thought maybe, I was getting carried away.  I could see he was getting that look on his face he gets, when it’s time for me to walk outside and shake it off… you know…

Next Saturday, the 18th! A 1,500 lb meatball! Don’t FUGGETABOUTIT!

All right you guys, darn, I don’t have time to tell you anything else, except be there next weekend sharp  in the morning, because of the 5k race, and limited parking, and tv cameras and the Guinness Book of World Record people….

What: Meatball Madness Guinness World Record Challenge – 8t Annual Hilton Head Italian Heritage Festival

When: November 18th, 2017, 8am – 4 pm

Where: Shelter Cove Park, Hilton Head, SC

Cost: $6/Adults, Children under 10/free

Proceeds to Benefit Local Charities with a focus on hunger awareness and organizations that provide our neighbors with the comfort, and nourishment they may be lacking .

Festival Info: Paul Caimano, Festival Chairman (412) 897-1148, paccomkt@aol.com

IACHH President, Johnny DeCecco, (401) 524-1416, jdc3@hargray.com

Meatball Challenge Marketing & PR: Triad Design, Rob Lembo & Christina Belen (843) 706-3320

*IACHH is a 501 (3)(c) non-profit organization. Proceeds from events benefit local charitable organizations and scholarship funds. Proceeds from the Meatball Madness Festival Guinness World Record Day Challenge will go towards hunger awareness specific organizations and charities that directly service the underserved in our community. More information can be found on our website here.  http://iachh.org/about-us.html

 

 

Interregnum Mile: Chapter Eight

Source: Interregnum Mile: Chapter Eight

Okay now, I’m just getting into this, with author, Morna McDermott, and it’s pretty gripping…‘bring your enemy into the tent if you want to eliminate them.’     [????]  And it totally doesn’t help that this narrative draws relevance from current hot-button, socio-buzzword ridden headlines of today, while telling a story attempting to vanquish the dehumanizing of future generations with embedded microchips in their bodies; a form of identity security employed in Wisconsin as we speak here in Making it Great Trumperica!

Talking about mental health after mass shootings is a cop-out

Source: Talking about mental health after mass shootings is a cop-out

This is impressive commentary, by Fareed Zakaria, on what should be obvious to Americans by now. I would even go a step further, and call out the NRA as probably a criminal organization at this point, not unlike the Mob, of the early twentieth century, when they relied on racketeering, bribing politicians, illegal gambling, extortion, etc., to manage and sustain their corporate infrastructure. For some reason, the FBI still follows 88-year-old paroled gangsters who just want to have an espresso on the hill and make it to a friend’s wake, before they die, rather than follow the trail of bullet casings, dollars, and Republican votes to maybe stop the next Norman Rockwell American Massacre.

Imagine; From ‘Chaos Springs Creation’ Wafting From a House Called Imagine…

Music Wafting Through the Trees, is the title of Nancy Mitchell’s latest collection of wall sculptures and oil-on-canvases on display at the Art League of Hilton Head

Art League of Hilton Head’s Exhibiting Member, Nancy Mitchell’s, ‘Music Wafted Through the Trees’, wall sculptures and oils exhibit in the gallery at 14 Shelter Cove through Sept. 23, 2017, with a special reception on Thurs. Sept. 7th, from 5 – 7 pm, featuring live music from Mitchell’s children, Hannah Wicklund and Luke Mitchell.

Once again, Nancy Mitchell captures all that is magical, wondrous, and musical, about living, working, dreaming, creating, and growing up in this Shambala, we call Hilton Head Island.  And, she does it all from her family home, IMAGINE, in Palmetto Bay.

House of IMAGINE where, “Creation comes from chaos,” says artist Nancy Mitchell.

‘Under the Oak’, oil, $1200.00

Having recreated South Carolina’s lowcountry scenes of morning mists, and marsh sunsets for thirty-plus years in oil-on-canvas landscapes, and commissioned murals all over the island, Nancy began sculpturing memories, inspirations, and people, in accessible wall sculptures, that she also paints reminiscent of shadow-boxes, but adding perfect, recognizable figures from the collective Hilton Head conscience.

‘Love Song’, clay, $350.00

Her work borrows from the fabric of Hilton Head’s quilt; decades upon generations of families reared in the marshes, lives sustained by shrimp boats, and oyster beds, children climbing live oaks, wax myrtle growing wild, and grand magnolia blossoms providing background perfume.  Throughout this tranquil history, kids learned to play music under the stars, at the knees of fathers, mothers, and touring bands, who sang outside the marina bars, and restaurants, through the coming years of development.

‘Tiki Hut’, clay, $275.00

One of the many glorious advantages about living in, and visiting this neck of the southeast coast (one that is oddly, under-promoted, in national marketing efforts), is the constant sound of live, ‘Music Wafting Through the Trees‘ wherever one wanders in the late afternoons, and into the wee hours of the next day, all over the island.

‘High Divers’, oil, $850.00

 

Whether riding the bike trails, or walking along the beach towards a boardwalk, or putting into the 18th hole of the HarbourTown golf course late in the day, outdoor live music beckons from one of the many restaurants and outdoor bars for which Hilton Head is famous.

‘Hannah’, oil, $1200.00

Nancy’s husband, Matt Wicklund, a house painter, and former drummer for the local rock band, The Bonzo Brothers, helped her manage a household that included her own art studio, and accompanying… supplies, but also two kids growing up as musicians practicing rock and roll in the house, going to school, and playing gigs all around the island.

Which led to one of the many enduring gifts of having children musicians always practicing in the house and performing in venues nearby; the constant, cosmic-like inspiration for fresh art themes for Nancy’s projects, like this current show at the Art League of Hilton Head’s gallery location in the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina building at 14 Shelter Cove. (see below for exhibit & gallery hours).

So, what does it really take to rear two kids in the arts realistically, and successfully?

“You can only help them by driving them to gigs, running sound and reminding them to practice. Then let them go, creatively,” Nancy says.

***’Family Tree’, clay, commission example piece, not for sale.*** Ask Nancy Mitchell for more information about this excellent COMMISSIONED GIFT IDEA; a personalized Family Tree tailored to your family!

On giving out creative advice: “I remember, the only times I ever noticed if Hannah made a mistake while she was performing, was when she would look over at her dad while he was doing sound. It was really funny, because I told her to stop telegraphing that she made a mistake, and maybe he wouldn’t notice either.”  Nancy also remembers being critical of her son Luke who – later on – told her, that he remembers what she had advised, when he is on stage.

Most importantly, from the Oracle Nancy, “Sometimes being supportive is knowing when to be quiet.”

It’s not a coincidence that a hurricane sharing the moniker with Father Matthew, railed through Hilton Head almost a year ago, lightening up the spaces between the sandy southern coast, and the branches of the remaining trees, including a total ass-kicking at the Wicklund’s. Fully recovered from the devastation, the painted sign is back up above the front door, imploring guests to IMAGINE. Forget welcome. Artists and musicians OWN welcome. You’ve got to imagine, if you’re going to enter the House of Wicklund.

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Music Wafted Through the Trees
Exhibition runs August 29 – September 23, 2017

Opening Reception, free and open to the public
Thursday, September 7, 2017, 5pm-7pm
featuring live music by Hannah Wicklund & Luke Mitchell
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday
10am – 4pm and 90 minutes prior to all
Art Center of Coastal Carolina performances.

For more information, call: 843-681-5060 or www.artleaguehhi.org