Great, Great Uncle J. Walter Wronski.

As the film title plainly attests, J. Walter was perfect for the role. Type cast, is the term for it. He was my Great, Great Uncle. And he was ... GREAT. You can see for yourself, for crying out loud!

Indeed. Women wanted to be with him. Men, they wanted to be him.  

We Wronski's are a handsome bunch. J. Walter Wronski was the pinochle of the Wronski gene pool. The quintessence of the definition of what it is to be a Wronski. 

Sheer perfection. Even if he would say so himself. Because, as good looking as our dear Uncle was, he was even more so boastful of his God given endowments. [Yes, he was doing pretty good down there too, if you catch my meaning.] 

Speaking of the women. Back in the day J. Walter cut a broad and long swath through the roster of Hollywood and Broadway A-Listers. Shown here with a very typical bevy of beauties. [One of hundreds of such snapshots.]

No need to go any further to make the point. Witness ...

So, you are probably asking yourself, why am I being asked to read about one devilishly handsome J. Walter Wronski? 

Well, there's a back story.

Recently it came out that Uncle J. Walter was involved in covert operations during the Big One. Back in the ''Brown Shoe" U.S. Army days. Stateside, and most of the other theaters of that war. 

Very little of his actual exploits is known. Still under seal. We do hear tell that if all of his amazing deeds came to light, very much of the current complicated and messy geo-political picture would come into snap sharp focus. His shadow looms large across the world, and across the march of time. Even though you can't see it. 

Well, why should you be surprised? He's a Wronski!

CLICK on this to learn about the whole Wronski lineage. Well, not the whole damn mess of them, but enough to give you a hint of the wonderful Wronski's. 

Spring 2018 in Montclair, New Jersey

See the complete set of images in Colorful Montclair.

Zen in a Cherry Tree Garden

It's that time of year again.

At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on the Cherry Tree Esplanade each springtime the spectacular cherry trees are blooming. Many varieties, in various locations, some with an extravagant display of double pink blossoms.

During the last week in April every year since 1982 the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, “Sakura Matsuri” is celebrated.

When I attended the very first festival there were several Japanese cultural exhibits. At one there was a venerable Buddhist monk executing calligraphy. Impeccably dressed in traditional robes. He worked at ground level with an ink brush over a sheet of paper on his hands and knees. The fine rice paper sheet measured something like 36 X 48 inches. He would ask every person requesting his calligraphy for their name, which he inserted into each unique drawing. A donation was appropriate. I wanted one for myself, but didn't have any cash. So I hurried back home a short walk away and arrived back with my donation.

As I waited my place in line, a big black ink spot accidentally dripped from the brush onto the pristine white paper. That sheet was about to be discarded, but I stepped forward and said that I would take that one, just as it was.

When he heard my request the old monk stood up straight and sang a beautiful song in Japanese. Then I gave my name and this is what he brushed for me. Notice the equipoise, flowing brush strokes and precise alignment.

" Seasons change. 
Flowers bloom. 
People come and go."

After all that a beautiful older woman gently folded the paper, wrapping it loosely in an even finer blank sheet of rice paper. I took it as an invitation of some kind. I never was able to find that monk, or that group of Buddhists. Another lesson in impermanence. And, Zen. 

I used that fine blank paper to wrap a wedding gift for friends. It looked pretty casual for gift wrapping, but the richness of it was there. Not everything can be seen with the eyes. 

Later on in the park I came across some friends. They asked me what I had there. Still filled with the Zen spirit, I replied, "Just some ink on paper".

PS While back in Old Nippon, they did it right.

Tree Cathedral

Imagine this. What would you call it? 

Place yourself on ground level in the middle of a circular area approximately the area equivalent to a regulation football field; or, say, half the size of an average city block. Around 25,000 square feet. Big. But, circular in shape.

Now, picture tall trees growing at close, precise spacing around the circumference of that round space. The trees are very tall. With broad branching canopies which grow into each other to make a cathedral-like vault, some one hundred or more feet over the ground below.

At very precise intervals the canopy of each tree sports two symmetrical openings, each shaped like chevrons. Window-like. The sun streams through.

And, on the ground floor, it's not covered grass; but with hard gnarled roots growing intertwined like snakes, everywhere. Almost completely covering the entire circular space.

Magical. Awesome. Terrible. 

What would you call it?

Life Lesson #1 ...

The failure of the mind to recognize its own nature is what is meant by the term "ma-rik-pa," or ignorance, the first level of obscuration or defilement in the mind. As a result of this ignorance, there arises in the mind the imputation of an "I" and an "other," something that is other than the mind. This dualistic clinging, something that we have had throughout beginningless time and that never stops, is the second level of obscuration, the obscuration of habits. Based upon this dualistic clinging arise the three root mental afflictions: mental darkness, desire, and aggression. Based upon those three afflictions are the 84,000 various mental afflictions, the third level of obscurations, called the obscuration of mental affliction. Under the influence of this, we perform actions that are obscured in their nature - the fourth level, called the obscuration of actions or karma. These four levels or types of obscurations are the cause for all sentient beings to wander in samsara. If these are removed or cleaned, then the inherent qualities of mind's nature, which we refer to as wisdom or "yeshe," will naturally manifest and spread like the rays of the sun. The word in Tibetan for the removal of these obscurations, "sang," means "cleansing," and the word for the spreading of the inherent qualities of the mind that occurs as a result of that is "gye," or "increasing." "Sang-gye," these two words together, is the Tibetan word for a Buddha. Therefore what is meant by Buddhahood is the recognition and realization of the complete purity of the mind.

– Kalu Rinpoche

The Boy Who Wouldn't Eat His Beans

It's really that simple. He just wouldn't eat beans. Not a bean. Not a one.

One wonders. If he was my kid, you know what I'd do? He'd get a bowl of beans for breakfast. A bowl of beans for lunch. A bowl of beans for dinner. Snacks too.

He'd come around. They say hunger is the best sauce. 

When my daughters were just barely old enough to talk in complete sentences the older girl at dinner one time said, "I don't like that!" As in, "I'm not gonna eat that!" I saw the younger one take that in and promptly add, "Me too!"

My simple response: "Who said you had to like it?" Never a complaint again.

Now, that boy may have some chemical reaction to beans. [We all do. If you know what I'm talking about ... and, you do.] You know, that old jingle about "magical fruit" and "toot". But, I think the bean thing for that young pup might just as well likely have been his rebellious stance.

The parent might inquire directly, "Is this refusal to eat beans some sort of juvenile contrariness you're acting out?" But, who is so psychologized with their children to speak like that?

Why, in my day it would be, "Eat your beans!" Done. ["Has Beans."]

Get Your Irish Up!

The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners ...

Delores Keane ...

Kate Rusby ...

The Saw Doctors ...

The Wolfe Tones ...

A Recent eBay Experience ... Bust

We shop on eBay regularly. And, we know pretty much how to separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of getting what we want, with the level of quality we expect.

Recently I made an offer for a vintage camera. "Like New" the seller claimed. There were no photos as the item was supposed to be with his Aunt, the widow of the deceased owner. The stock photo of the item and the description featured a 50mm lens; what arrived was a 28mm lens. And, nothing close to "Like New". (See photos below.)

I'm in the process of returning the item for a refund. So far, as of this writing, the seller has gone past his deadline for sending the return shipping label.

And, he relisted the camera and just yesterday has resold it. But this time with the price we had agreed upon, and correcting for the specs of the lens. It's still described as "Like New".

I bought the camera out of nostalgia for the exact same model I once owned. I specified with my offer that I was making the offer with the understanding that the camera was 100% cosmetically and functionally. Like he said, "Like New".

Below is the photo file for the record.

(The seller included a Flash unit with proprietary Nikon adapter. Not listed in original sale offer. Also currently has the Flash for sale as a separate item.)

Made in China

Looking forward to the time when "Made in China" has the same mark of excellence and quality as "Made in Japan" does today. Not quite there yet.

If you grew up in the post-WWII years you know that "Made in Japan" stood for cheesy crap. Well, that's because all that was exported from Old Nippon after the the war was cheesy crap. Trinkets and tin toys. Plaster and Paper Mache figures,  and dolls made of that thin, easily breakable plastic called celluloid.

You must know that all that junk is now highly collectible. 

We were not all that savvy about the world mid-Twentieth Century. Now we know Japan has a very rich and long cultural history, with an arts and crafts tradition which in non pareil. Centuries old.

Let's discuss ...

We recently bought a mesh drain insert for the kitchen sink. Started rusting in about a week. It was made in China. The previous one was made in Japan. Never any hint of rust. It needed replacement after years of service and beginning to fray at the margin.

Not long ago we purchased a Swing-A-Way vegetable peeler. We have their hand crank can opener. It's bullet proof. Went to the Moon, I've heard somewhere. That can opener was made in the USA. Currently they still market that item, but now made in China. The reviews are not good. 

The peeler broke almost as soon as I put it to a Potato. Got a replacement, very slowly delivered from the manufacturer in America. Broke. Real fast. Another replacement. Same deal. I finally gave them a call. The customer service I talked with seemed unfazed by my concern. Feckless, also. I pointed out that an important crimped metal part on the China versions was flimsy, soft and thin. They had no reaction, only offering a replacement. I declined their generous offer. 

Same with a venerable old Made in the USA Big Beam ["Trusted since 1938"] Lantern. You'll recognize it from the day. Robust, big lens with a stout metal case for a big battery, or two. The unit we ordered works well enough. Just that the case was poorly painted, with raised metal imperfections that could cause torn skin. Again, customer service ... unmoved. We got a replacement which didn't have those egregious issues. But, still poor quality paint. (If you have one in the basement or the garage you know how they were once built to last.)

My last customer service contact I'll mention was with a Colorado based clothing company. I sleep with a cap on my keppe. The one I purchased from a local runners gear store has a logo on the outside. Right next to the rear seam. Made in China. I called the folks and pointed out that I would prefer — and expect — the logo to be set in front, not at the back seam. Them: nonplussed. 

I have a nicely used Vise Grip, of the USA kind. They too are now outsourced from China. Won't even give them a try. I'll go to eBay for the original if I ever need another. Which, by the way, given their quality will probably be ... never.

I don't think I have to make much of a case that "Made in China" is a "pig in a poke" proposition. You never know what you're going to get. Foodstuffs, especially. I hear they bleach those 5-packs of Garlic coming from China. We only buy known brands.

The thing is though, just how come the American marketers of goods made in China have been so aloof concerning quality issues. My take is that the once proud makers of robust and over-engineered built-to-last American Made products have rolled over into "profit first" business models. In which, costs of manufacturing perforce are kept as low as possible.

But, that's a whole other topic related to how corporate capitalism is taking us down a stinky creek without a paddle. 

But, wait!

There's hope. 

I am an amateur photo buff. I'm seeing a lot of lenses being made in China. Many, very well reviewed by other photographers. Also, there are many manufacturers of photographic accessories also made in China. They are inexpensive, and quite functional. Not Japan or German quality, but good price value. 

Time will tell. As mother would say, "We shall see".

We Live in a Les Misérables World Now

I'm referring to how in public discourse — TV news and punditry, politics — when everything is evaluated by the letter of the law. And, out of context many times.

Les Mis ... like the guy who's family is starving. He steals a loaf of bread. Gets sent to jail for stealing. Legally, he is guilty. Yet, what would you do? Retrain for a new career, then get a high paying job? Law without justice is ... what? Tyranny. No heart. Ah, there it is. Heart.

And then, let's not even start on the subject of how so-called news journalists ask question with embedded implied biases. 

I watched the other day as a very well known TV journalist asked a former FBI official about whether the FBI could "recover" from the current onslaught of negativity coming from the White House. You know, the "Deep State" conspiracy to undo Trump. And, the collusion to manage Crooked Hillary. 

"Recover" as in, it's now a shambles, and needs to get its game back.

The official very presciently responded that the question had embedded the implication that the FBI was in disarray, or wounded in some way. Off course. He went on to say the FBI was strong. Then, the interviewer asked the question about how the FBI recovered from the J. Edgar Hoover period. Not exactly the same thing. But close enough to seem like he was doubling down on the "recover" point. Well, yes, there was some recovery to do for sure from Mr. Hoover's reign.

But, it occurred to me that the TV news man was not in fact aware of how he was introducing his unconscious bias on the matter. Probably explains a lot of what goes for news in the broadcast media around now. Just because someone is on television or on the silver screen, don't assume they have their sh#t together. In fact, recently, we've been made all too well aware that many don't. 

Excuse me, I have to go and watch my favorite liberal bigot, Rachel Maddow, with all her entertaining disparaging attitude displays, vocal inflections, body language. And, especially, the eye rolls.

Now, what was the topic? Oh, yes. Les Mis times.

If you still don't know what I'm talking about, carefully observe the news. Especially things related to what Mr. Trump may have said. He's not the kind of guy you should take literally when he's talking casually. And, he does have a way of using words which can be interpreted many ways. Slick. Not a fool. For sure.

If you still don't know what I'm talking about, see the movie Deliverance. Sometimes circumstances thrust one into a situation where doing the right thing, and doing the legal thing, may be at odds.

Just now that you are woke to the matter, keep an eye out for when everyone seems to be pouncing on the precise letter of the law. Don't be fooled. It's just a ploy to garner advantage. 

Here's one in the "When they're out to get you, you can't win' category. A fellow saves a young woman in a restaurant from choking with the Heimlich maneuver. Thankful at first. Then, she sues him for what? Inappropriate touching. 

Any comments. Please. I would prefer, however, that you keep them to yourself. I like being right just like the next guy.

One Jankuje Schlygielczheskolo Wronski. Aka, "Jake the Snake" Wronski. No one really knows what is — or even ever heard it — the correct pronunciation of that middle name.

Great Uncle Jake was himself a no good, down low, snikey snakey viper sort of a dude. "How low can you go?" was his calling card. Birds of a feather sort of thing, we figured.

"Them's good eatin' for sure." There it is! What he said. So, it's true. You are what you eat. Explains his whole deal.

And for the full bore Wronski hystericalicity CLICK to go to this page.