Month: March 2026

Girls’ School

  By ,

Girls’ School

Girls’ School

 

By John Curran

 

Hi, I’m Joe, the landscape gardener for this wealthy fat cat Washington, DC so-called power player and we are here on his beautiful estate out here in the Hamptons where he is fixing to have an evening get together for some other fat cats so called power players and their wives or servants in tow. And even though I do do house functions as well as tending to the grounds, Mr. C. has decreed that I make myself scarce for this particular gathering.

You see I am not one of those. I am just a regular ‘ol middle aged black guy from originally the deep south, Podunk, Alabama; and I know how to make myself scarce up here in the Hamptons, going invisible in million dollar shrubbery as the sun is going down over the million dollar horizon and the limousines are pulling up. I slip through the cracks, just a black man, they know what that’s all about, I guess. So, just Joe the gardener, making himself scarce. ‘An it just so happens my favorite hideaway is this cool little grotto type arrangement right outside of and underneath the dining room where the big cat gathering was gonna happen.

I tucked in there, I could hear everything, and I must say these white people just never come with a dull moment, its always entertaining. I sat right back down back up against the wall, last beams of sunlight streaming in on me, all warm and comfy, and took it all in ‘an most interesting it was, the proceedings. Early on I’d kinda’ thought this was gonna be like some big important kind of thing where the actual fate of the entire planet was gonna sorta depend on the state of these very important people’s digestion.

But no, seems otherwise, seems it was more like gonna be a party, with this comedian even, this guy, I’d heard his name, Mr. C. talking ’bout this guy, like serious. But no again, now it’s like this guy is actually the comedian, Hegseth his name I think, Pedro, ‘cept he prefers Pete, says no Pedro for Pete. One of his jokes I guess.

Anyway, there I am in position as where I can hear them arriving. And there’s the usual low murmuring thing rising now a bit in volume as more and more of ‘m pile. And then one more louder voice among the rest, damn they ain’t all even got seated in there yet, and this one guy, already starting in with a veritable non stop one liners and zingers demolition. And so I figured this must be the comedian ‘n he can’t even wait to get started and he’s getting into this theme of demolition like the way a good comic can milk a depressing subject for laughs sometimes for laughs and it becomes like a kind of therapy, facing up like to the bogeyman.

And this guy at least was coming on with it good, he actually sounded a little drunk but damn sure wasn’t stopping him until someone yells out, like a heckler would do, saying, “So Pete, tell us about the girls’ school.” And then, right then, the Pete guy, the sorta comedian, well I could hear as his whole voice tone speaking thing had bouncy along so like suddenly became more like the hissing of some reptiles I have encountered as he says back to the heckler, “okay pal, I guess you were there huh, ’cause ya sound pretty girlish to me. Well, I’m sorry I missed ya, ha ha. And man,  it got quiet in that room, and afterwards nobody was laughing much at all. White people, Lawd, I’m saying, I ain’t never gonna figure them out.

Women’s History: Making a Better Future

  By , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Women’s History: Making a Better Future

Women’s History: Making A Better Future

By Cate Rees-Hessel & Wes Hessel

 

History In The Making

As Women’s History Month heads toward it’s close, we look to the theme for 2026: “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” highlighting women who work towards sustainable improvement in economics, environment, and society. Hand in hand is the International Women’s Day (March 8th, now celebrated for 115 years) theme for this year: “Give To Gain,” reminding us that sharing multiplies time, talents, and treasure for all.

Women In Front, Push Back

Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Behind every successful man, there is a woman.”  Behind every successful woman is one or more women who succeeded before them, breaking ground and building up new progress. Right now arch-conservatives are trying to roll back women’s rights decades, if not centuries – we need to remind all that every human is here and worthy because of at least one woman, and likely countless more. And the advancements made by women are deeper and broader than one may think. For instance, most of us know of Madame Curie, and her ground-breaking radiation work. But what about Tabitha Babbitt, a Shaker who came up with the prototype for the circular saw? Or Nancy Johnson, who patented the original hand-cranked ice cream freezer?

Intrepid Inventors

Josephine Cochrane created the first dishwasher to achieve commercial success, with the first use of water pressure to scrub. Sarah Boone improved the portable ironing board to the familiar wedge shape of what we use today for our pressing engagements. Alice H. Parker created the first natural gas central furnace.

Men Don’t Have A Monopoly

Elizabeth Magie gave us “The Landlord’s Game,” the forerunner of what we now know as probably the most recognized board game ever, “Monopoly.” In its design she made social commentary on property owners of her time in their treatment of tenants and materialistic priorities, as well as the benefits of home ownership.

Science This!

The first female scientist hired by GE, Katharine Burr Blodgett, developed the first method to put one-molecule thick coatings onto glass or metal, making possible non-reflective glass, which is used for lenses on common items such as eyeglasses, cameras, microscopes, and other optics, as well as picture frames and the like. She also invented screens during World War II to protect troops from toxins in smoke.

Even More Data

In 1944, data processing pioneer Grace Hopper worked with Howard Aiken to create the Mark I computer at Harvard, then later came up with the computer slang “bug” and its companion, “debug”, after finding an errant moth had caused a system problem; she was also on the team that developed COBOL. Architect Eleanor Raymond collaborated with biophysicist Maria Telkes to build the first home heated by solar power in 1947.

She Didn’t Just Play A Spy…

Hedy Lamarr didn’t rest on her acting laurels – her work with George Anthiel in 1941 created a “Secret Communication System” that depended at least in part on frequency-hopping for security. Initially created to make torpedoes less vulnerable to jamming, these innovations and further work on her part gave us the beginnings of “spread-spectrum” technology, which became the basis for fax machines, cell phones, GPS, Wifi, and other related wireless communication advances.

Create Like It’s 1966

1966 was a bellwether year – in it Marie Van Brittan Brown came up with and patented the first closed-circuit TV security system, and also during it Stephanie Kwolek invented one of the most important synthetic fabric fibers there is – Kevlar. She created it in the process of working on strengthening material for auto tires, which it is used for, as well as brake shoe linings, boat hulls, flame-resistant clothing, and other composite materials. But its most well-known use is something countless law enforcement and military personnel are thankful for – the bulletproof vest.

Dr. Jackson, Dr. Jackson…

The first black woman to receive a M.I.T. PhD, Shirley Jackson, helped develop modern communication technologies such as touch tones, call waiting and caller ID, and fiber optic cables, in addition to solar cells. And she was the first woman to head one of the major technological institutions, in her case Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

They Figure In

Since this is about women in history, we cannot bypass the great figures of the ages. Explorer Sacagawea, original First Lady Dolley Madison, abolitionist Sojourner Truth, women’s suffrage advocate Susan B. Anthony, famed authors Louisa May Alcott and Harriet Beecher Stowe, Red Cross founder Clara Barton and fellow super-nurse Florence Nightingale, aviatrix Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart, poet and author Julia Ward Howe, civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, just to name but a very few…

Wells, Wells, Wells…

Women typically have to be multi-taskers – many took this to levels of great feats. Ida B. Wells was a women’s rights and civil rights activist (one of the founders of the NAACP), while also wearing the hats of teacher and investigative reporter, particularly focused on the horrors of lynchings. She, working with Frederick Douglass and other African-American leaders, orchestrated a boycott of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, since Blacks were not permitted to enter the exhibit areas. Ms. Wells also advocated for school integration, and helped found many African-American clubs, particularly for women of color.

Working It In

Contemporary to Ida B. was housing reformer, women’s suffragette, social work pioneer, and political administrator Jane Addams. Harriet Tubman made a career out of multiple jobs – in addition to her famous slavery freedom trips, she was a spy for the Union, an abolitionist, and a political advocate.

Multi-mavens

Multiple talents aren’t just a precedent of years gone by – what about actress, director, and producer Penny Marshall? Or dancer, choreographer, singer, and reality talent judge Paula Abdul? Queen Latifah handles music (including songwriting), acting, and producing equally well.  You don’t have to be too swift to know the name Taylor (Swift or Dayne). While we’re on the subject of entertainment, we can’t forget Cher and Madonna. Then there’s the lifestyle mavens such as Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, and Ree Drummond. And, of course, there’s one lady we only need one word for: Oprah.

Sporting It

Great women of sports also abound. Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias excelled in baseball, golf, track and field, and basketball. In the 1932 Summer Olympics, she received two gold medals for track and field events, then became a golf professional, and went on to win ten LPGA major championships. In 1951 she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and she was married until her death in 1956 to George Zaharias. Babe is seen as a lady ahead of her time.

They Have the Drive

Ms. Zaharias has been followed by other outstanding female athletes, such as Swedish professional lady golfer, Annika Sörenstam. She has received numerous awards, including H.M. The King’s Medal, AP Female Athlete of the Year 2003-2004, Bob Jones Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And who could forget Nancy Lopez’ precedent setting career.

Tennis Anyone?

The tennis dynasty of the Williams’ sisters is one of near domination of a particular sport. And before them was the legendary Billie Jean King, who even beat out Bobby Riggs in the much watched “Battle of the Sexes,” in 1973.

Do Something…

We can continue to commemorate women’s history in various ways:

  1. Involve yourself with female supporting groups that empower girls and women
  2. Create a brand-new book or movie club on-line, or join an existing one
  3. Treat a special lady that you receive inspiration and friendship from to a mocha latte, lunch, or bouquet of flowers
  4. Invite female entertainers, speakers, writers, and other professionals to online events
  5. Utilize all social media outlets to encourage women
  6. Utilize intersectionality to understand women of all walks of life
  7. Take an online class that enlightens women’s history
  8. Help involve children and teens in art, writing, performing, and reading women’s history related material
  9. Support STEM/STEAM initiatives targeted at encouraging young women in science and creative pursuits
  • Write a play, article, song, book, or poem about women, or read one

Color Purple And White

Let’s all wear purple, the international color which symbolizes women, and white, which represents women’s suffrage, to highlight those ladies who have contributed and continue to do so. We will keep using our voices for the advancement of female equality. For more information, visit www.nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org, www.internationalwomensday.com, and www.womenshistorymonth.gov. In the words of Elle Woods, “What? Like it’s hard?”

The Legends of St. Patrick

  By , , , ,

The Legends of St. Patrick

 

The Legends of St. Patrick

By Wes Hessel

 

Irish You Were Here…

Hello from Chicagoland, where we take our “wearing o’ the green” very seriously; green river, anyone? And I don’t mean the soft drink… Today, with the coldest St. Patty’s (or is that St. Paddy’s?) in about 60 years (the low was in the mid-teen’s this am; no, there isn’t any climate change – NOT!), our thoughts turn to the saint whose day we celebrate, separating fact from fiction.

Lady First…

But first, we mention the other saint commemorated on March 17th, patron saint of cats and their people, gardeners, travelers, widows, and the mentally ill, St. Gertrude of Nivelles. So if you’re having a rodent problem, a prayer to her might be in order…

Not A Pat Answer

As is typically true with so many real world historical figures whose life story is expanded to epic proportions, St. Patrick was a man who did many significant things that historians primarily agree on. The tales and traditions which surround him, however, are the stuff of legend, though they may be rooted (one almost literally) in an aspect of fact.

The Beginning Is A Very Good Place To Start

It is generally accepted that Patrick was a man who lived in the fifth century, born in the area of Britain under Roman control, who went to Ireland when he was in his mid-teens.  In his semi-biographical treatise, “Confession of Saint Patrick”, Patrick wrote that he was kidnapped by Irish pirates when he was 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave.  He went on to write that he escaped six years later, and eventually made his way home to Britain.  Some years after, he had a vision which he believed was God calling him back to Ireland, where he went to serve as a Christian missionary.

The Stuff That Legends Are Made Of

The first of the St. Patrick legends is probably just an amplification of the plausible idea that he taught about the Holy Trinity using a common three-leaf clover, the shamrock.  This triple-leafed plant has long since been the main symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, and by extension, Ireland. The second folklore was that the patron saint of the Emerald Isle had banished all snakes from the country – evidence suggests that Ireland never had any snakes to begin with. The third tale is about the saint’s reputed carriage of an ash staff on his journey from his home to return to Ireland to minister.  Patrick’s practice, it was said, is that he would thrust his staff into the ground at the place where he would speak about Christianity – one such stop dragged on for so long, it is said, that his walking stick took root.

Celebrate Safe…

Whatever you may believe, raise a glass (Guiness, perhaps?) to the saint associated with the land of blarney, beer, and beauty (not necessarily in that order). Thank you, St. Patrick, for inspiring countless generations with your work to spread the message of a loving God and the green of life.

Moving On

  By , , , , , , , , , , ,

Moving On

Moving On

 

D. S. Mitchell

 

I went to 27 different grade schools, and it probably won’t surprise you; I’ve been married five times. The only reason I’m confiding these tidbits of ancient information is to cue you to the fact that I’m no stranger to packing up the car and moving on.

So, now you ask, “are you going somewhere?”

“Aahhh, yes, and as always, I have no idea where.”

I came to the charming Southern Oregon town of Grants Pass in 2022, lured by an older double wide mobile home on a beautiful lake front lot. I bought it and have been loving it ever since.

So, now you ask, “why would you leave; if you love it?”

Aahhh, because somewhere deep inside me there is a malfunctioning gene. A gene that will never let me be stay in one place; no matter how well things seems to be going. In fact, the better that things seem to be going all the better reason to move on. Sounds a bit crazy, doesn’t it? Well, I think you’d be absolutely correct. Unhinged, perhaps? Spoiled? Entitled? Probably all of those things and a few more unflattering descriptors, when the truth is known.

On the other hand, in two capitols thousands of miles apart, two sociopathic heads of state show their willingness to throw their soldiers and citizens into their psychopathic conflict. A war with no purpose, other than to keep Bibi out of jail and the Epstein files out of the headlines. A war that conservatively is costing the United State a fuckin’ billion dollars plus per day. That ought to make your hair stand on end as you wait in the unemployment office for an interview, or you struggle over how to pay for groceries, or fill the gas tank. A fuckin’ billion dollars a day; while rural hospitals are closing across this country. Again while Trump and Bibi burn up a billion dollars a day Health and Science Universities across the United States are experiencing dramatic federal funding cuts. Outrageous, scandalous an unbelievable middle finger to civilized nations.

For the last week I have watched near 24/7 coverage of Donald and Bibi’s War against Iran. It is here I want to say that despite all my malfunctioning genes and general bullshit over the years my craziness has never cost one person their life; certainly not 185 school girls, leveled  a city, destroyed oil fields and stored reserves,  or sank ships and their crews at sea. Why aren’t these two guys in jail or a padded cell? How does it happen that these two men, both criminals, run two of the most powerful countries in the world? Where are the restraints? What went wrong in the election? Right now we have two of the most dangerous men in history threatening the world military and economic stability.

Trump while raving illogical “short term pain and long term gain,” he and his brother in pain are  running wild with Tomahawk missiles and endless bombing raids against Iran. If congress can’t stop them, the American people and the Israeli public CAN halt this despicable activity, but that requires action. Action on the street. Protests. Screaming our damn heads off. Time to put the American people first, that means affordable housing, access to child care, universal health care, basic income, and superlative public education.

It’s time for the few remaining sleeping Americans to come out of the MAGA coma and see Trump for what he is. Show your disapproval for this president and his fuckin’ foreign wars. Register for the No Kings Protest, and turn out with whistle, drum and sign, March 28, 2026. A goal of 10 million Americans on the street will move even psychopaths to change course. Come on America, PROTEST!