February 27, 2025 Now I know why Trump admires Putin and Kim Jong-un so much!  It’s because they’ve held onto power for a long period of time: Putin since 1999 (26-years-or-so) and the Kim Dynasty for three generations since 1948 (a 77-year reign).  Kim Jong-un took over in 2011 and has been-in-charge-of Korea for 14-years […]

February 14, 2025 Awhile back, when Kiwi Phil still worked at Rosenthal, I learned that the wine tasting room was on a coveted piece of real estate — and that developers were interested in transforming the rustic Malibu beachfront area (Topanga Canyon and PCH) into a chic Newport/Laguna/San Clemente/Dana Point-type waterfront–that would draw many more

January 20, 2025 To the delight of many-a-White South African – US swears in a racist president today! For 47 years-or-so – the practice of apartheid made South Africa the pariah of the world.  The international eye really got focused on South Africa and apartheid when the Vietnam War ended.  With nothing left to protest,

December 18, 2024 …join ’em! This title doesn’t mean that I’ve joined the Trumpsters — it simply means that I will respect the will of a somewhat slim majority of voters who would prefer a scoundrel telling them what to do rather than a woman of color wearing the presidential pants! Don’t get me wrong!

Begun on November 11, 2024… With acknowledgement to all of our dearly departed service men and women. Well, judging by this year’s election results — I suddenly find myself in the minority — so I think I shall leave off of political discourse — as over half the country  wanted the Donald (despite his many

October 30, 2024 (November 5th looms) …Lost in a Roman wilderness of painAnd all the children are insaneAll the children are insaneWaiting for the summer rain, yeah… …sang Jim Morrison in The End.  I can’t pretend to understand what Morrison was suggesting in the first line of this verse–but I do think that the Trump

October 3, 2024 Since I last looked at this attempt — Israel pulled off a rather brilliant attack on hezbollah — which will unfortunately negate a peaceful solution to the conflict, and, which killed a number of innocents. Not for the first time.  Iran responded and has now made itself fair game.  Oh yes, Donald

…otherwise known as writer’s block! September 9, 2024 I thought for sure that in January of this year I would be monetized, and, that my readers — exercising subscriber rights — would be feeding me perspectives and feelings I might not have thought about (or experienced) within my Own Self. And while a number of

August 7, 2024 Does not liking certain aspects of the Jewish experience automatically make you an antisemite?  Does disliking Catholic mass and the predatory behavior of some of its priests automatically make you an anti-Catholic? I love the post bar and bat mitzvah parties — but not the formalized ritual one has to endure before

July 28, 2024 Many years ago I did a college Summer Break working the graveyard shift (till 11pm) on the docks of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  One night, while smoking ganja with an all Black African crew, a wizened senior member of the crew (who I hadn’t had any prior communication with) called me a