Respect=Weakness?

*excerpts pasted from Yahoo news*

"Obama on Monday was in China, having wrapped up the Japan leg of his Asia trip two days earlier. But Washington's punditocracy was still weighing whether or not the US president had disgraced his country two days earlier by having taken a deep bow at the waist while meeting Japan's Emperor Akihito."

"Political talk shows have played and replayed the moment from the second day of Obama's week-long Asia tour, which set the blogosphere on fire and chat show tongues wagging."

"I don't know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it's not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one," said conservative pundit William Kristol speaking on the Fox News Sunday program, adding that the gesture bespoke a United States that has become weak and overly-deferential under Obama."

Another conservative voice, Bill Bennett, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program: "It's ugly. I don't want to see it."

"We don't defer to emperors. We don't defer to kings or emperors. The president of the United States -- this coupled with so many apologies from the United States -- is just another thing," said Bennett.

Some conservative critics juxtaposed the image of Obama with one of former US vice president Dick Cheney, who greeted the emperor in 2007 with a firm handshake but no bow.
(no, no, no that isn't BIASED opinion at all!)

"I'll bet if you look at pictures of world leaders over 20 years meeting the emperor in Japan, they don't bow," Kristol said.
(so much for being secure within yourself and your country-we should present ourselves as overbearing idiots instead?)

"Some said the gesture was particularly grating coming after Obama's bow to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah at a G20 meeting in April."



Excrement.

I am an American. California native. Not particularly patriotic. The only time I ever entertained the idea of joining the military was during my high school years when I was having an inner argument about whether or not I was really going to keep music as a respectable hobby and pursue my childhood fascination of becoming a fighter pilot instead. I grew up around test pilots, math books, photos and models of military aircraft, and books about the history of war and aviation. My father was an aeronautical engineer working for Skunk Works. That also meant quite a few years of not getting to see him very often or knowing exactly what he did for a living. At first as a kid when I was told pops was an engineer, I thought he drove a train. He never spoke to me at all about what he did for a living.

I will not discuss politics with him. Ever. Again. First of all because although I have strong feelings and opinions about politics-politicians are a different story. Everyone knows it but we blindly elect them and pay our taxes anyway because, well, government has a way of eventually forcing it. Do we know where all that money goes? Nope. Each new generation gets a bit closer to the rat that's stinking up the joint called Washington D.C. though. - Secondly, you cannot change the older generations mode of thought. They have subscribed to certain institutions for their entire lives and identify with them. Even if there is a rat. And, what about that older generation in Washington D.C.? Well, think of the family fortunes and reputations at stake. Just because oil and plastics along with other man made fortunes is ruining the environment and sending the planet into an irreversable catastrophe doesn't mean anyone is going to step up and "respect" the land, the ocean, or fellow human beings. Which brings me to ponder: at what point does showing respect for others and their values amount to weakness? "Deferential" is a word the worlds leaders could spend more quality time pondering if they cared to. But they don't. Either they don't subscribe to deferential thinking because they have a mind that is already officially bought, or they're smart enough to know that the people who put them in office will swiftly get them removed. Career over. Secret bank accounts, gone. Lobbyist funded family vacations, over.

For me, only a political puppet would consider it offensive to show respect towards others customs in their native country. Respect is akin to strength. Strength is gained by an initial 'respect' for things you do not have the strength to understand or control. I want to applaud the President for showing respect and acknowledging validity in other cultures while travelling away from the United States. Without experiencing other cultures, people become blind in their own little space-ignorant of others struggles, beliefs, challenges, tragedies and accomplishments. When traveling abroad, our leaders image dictates much about how we are viewed and treated by others in other countries. In Belize, suddenly to be American was to be respected and admired- we elected a black president and ran with the iconic word (in politics) "change."

We already have an international reputation for being a closed off bully ready to explode and exploit any culture for our own benefit at any time. Why not throw this curve ball? After all it's practically right out of Sun Tzu's "The Art Of War" if any conservative, warmongering politicians care to pick it up and learn something.

I know they teach it at West Point. But then again, how many politicians earned their way in to West Point?

Nuff said.

Calm Like A Bomb

U2 came in to town last night. I've never really been a U2 fan, but I've always respected their talent and The Edge as a guitar player. These photos were taken just down from the Rose Bowl. I didn't attend the concert but I did watch the YouTube feed which was actually damn good. I'm a bit more of a U2 fan now than I was before hearing the live footage. Those guys are pro. They been doing it for a long time and like Aerosmith, musically they just sound perfect live and that is not so common. I like many bands that I am sure sound like a train wreck live onstage without overdubs and a click track. I can never help but try to picture what that must be like--to be a rockstar. On their level. When I was a guitar student doing juries at the end of every semester, I could never shake the shakes. I'd get painfully nervous performing in front of anyone. Even if it was one person. I still do. When I started writing and recording original music I would turn red in the face and start to get all clammy just playing a damn cd for someone. It isn't cool. I used to picture another me standing next to me and try to coach-"dude, why you so nervous? There's no reason to be nervous! You kick ass! This piece of music is nothing! Shred this bitch and lets go find some woman!"

It never worked.

But I did find me some woman. Yes, sir.

Music can be rewarding that way--until they figure out your most likely never going to be one of those few that say, get to be in U2 for a living.

Those are hard lessons.

Music has empowered me to do some things I never thought I could. But my absolute lowest of lows in life are also tied to it.

Living with Fear means your alive--only the dead Fear nothing; even if they ain't dead yet.

The World Needs Humor

Deconstruct

Fiji, Kava, Music, and stay at home blues.

Kava Chief says "Bula!"

I'll have to snap some shots of his weapons: on the left is a Fijian "Neck Breaker" and on the right is a "Skull Crusher" or "Splitter" used to kill and then split open the skull to prepare human brains for consumption. I didn't bring back any of the traditional forks they used to scoop out the brains. It was not that long ago that these parts were known as the "cannibal isles" and were feared by all sailors who ventured too close. You'd never guess judging by Fijians extremly courteous and generous demeanor. These people are now famous for being some of the kindest folks you could ever wish to meet.

I was invited for lunch by a local and he explained to me: "the reason Fijians ate the white man was not because we disliked him or felt threatened-we saw them as divine, and thus wanted to obtain a part of that divinity by consuming the flesh within our own bodies."

Yes, that was an interesting afternoon. Kind of a split between feeling extremely vulnerable/terrified and yet fortunate to have been personally invited into their home to hear such an account from a native Fijian with generations of blood lines tied to this history.

music, kava, music, kava, then some more music, and kava...



Sunday kava with the villiage minister.
Things are a bit more laid back down there in Fiji-

...until a soccer or rugby match breaks out.

Surf City

Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing

Traveled down to Huntington Beach this last Sunday to watch the final day of the competition. I had never seen pro surfing live and found a good spot on the pier to snap some shots. These guys make it look easy but it isn't. By Sunday the high surf advisories were over but there were still some big sets coming in early before noon. The final was at 12:40pm and by then, the swells had died out. My first time surfing was more like getting my ass beat by a drill instructor than having any fun. It's hard work man! But, playing in the Sea is like starting over. It clears the mind.

4th of July, 2009 "Windy Point" Big Bear Lake, Ca

Oh man I got skunked this year. No trout for me. For the last three years I been going earlier in the season-April or May. It's cooler and makes for better trout fishing. The only fish I saw hooked were all Carp. No thanks. But, turned out I was in a prime spot to see the fireworks so I reeled in my lines and watched the show. Took a few pictures too.