At Last! News of Randy.
Annie,
I apologize for not responding sooner. Randy’s main email account was lost soon after his passing in March and we could not retrieve information to send details to friends online. I know you and the others he met online/in person were a great part of his attempt at recovery from the cancer. You helped to make his final months as he wanted – to continue to experience life on his terms.
I certainly understand the need for closure. Randy accepted his passing with courage, grace and love. He was surrounded by his family and close friends and was himself until the very end. In fact, the Monday before his passing he was sitting at the kitchen table discussing with my son what to do with the investment account they created and how to prepare himself for entering college this fall. Randy was always enthusiastic about listening and sharing with his neices and nephews. It brought him great joy to know he and my son shared the same keen interest in investing, architecture and Asian art.
Thank you for your making our brothers’ life so rich.
Keep the faith,
Ron
On Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 5:46 AM, Annie Gottlieb <a-twelve@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
Many of us love Randy and need to know about the last months and weeks of his life. We have heard absolutely nothing.
If this e-mail address is still alive, please make contact. Karen, who met Randy and his mom in Vermont; Annie, who hosts the blog “Ambiance” to which Randy sometimes contributed, and about a dozen more of us need — I hate the word “closure,” we just need to know.
Thanks.
Platform for a Generic Political Party
. . . along the lines of “Basic English.” With these simple blocks one could rebuild a lot.
I care:
- how people behave themselves, and
- how they treat each other.
I don’t care:
- where they come from,
- what they look like,
- what they have in their underwear, or
- whom they choose to share it with, or even
- what they believe.
Basic building blocks of behaving oneself are:
- Self-responsibility,
- Courtesy, and
- Keeping your word.
P.S.:
- Everybody who wants to be an American should learn English, and
- Everybody should study a second language in school.
(Note that the requirement to “behave oneself” cunningly qualifies the “I don’t care”s: certain ways of looking would violate courtesy; some sexual conduct would violate self-responsibility and keeping one’s word, not to mention courtesy; beliefs that had noxious behavioral consequences would disqualify themselves, etc.)
What have I left out that can’t be derived from these?
A Dialog about Business and Government
Below is a dialog between Annie and me. It took place during the three days after the election. I am leaving it largely unedited, though some changes are being made for clarity. I am leaving out some of the more intemperate remarks on my part.
This mostly follows the title. A couple of digressions have been put in towards the end. This two digressions are, as best I can manage, the only things taken out of order, and even those occurred near the end, as here. I could scare up links for some of it, but if you care enough you can look it up yourself. I have only included one link as that was all I included in the exchange.
Anyhow, what follows is roughly 4500 words. I’ve said enough so don’t expect me to hang around in the comments, should any follow.
On Election Day…
Vote! Like Ginger Rogers and her mother Lela back in the day….
cross posted at Fluffy Stuffin
Ambiance 