Syrian Refugees Begging for Relief and a Warm-up for Columbus Day

By Fred Owens

Syrian refugees begging for relief. Leaving aside all the pain and suffering, death and injury, abandonment and destruction -- leaving that all aside, think of the sheer embarrassment of knowing, and admitting to your self, and describing in detail to total strangers, that your country is falling apart.

Imagine for a moment that the Syrian people love their country as much as we love ours. And they would boast of its good fruits, its beautiful vistas and its ancient heritage. They would have such a natural pride in the good things and they would invite to us to come and share it.

All that is lost now. Now they have only the embarrassment of confessing that Syria is a shambles and they must beg for shelter and safety in other countries.

But it could be worse.

Vladimir Putin wants to help. Imagine that you have a very big problem -- a mortal illness, an unpayable debt, a famine, an epidemic. Imagine some total disaster that brings you and your family to the brink of death.

Then imagine that Vladimir Putin has come to help you. "You can trust me," he says, "I only want to help."

Putin has come to Syria to help the people. God save them.

Bernie Sanders. He's too old. As Senator or Governor I'll take the chance on his continued vigor, but as President I want somebody in the prime of late middle age, 55 to 60.

I won't vote for Bernie Sanders because he's a socialist. Socialists are not bad people, but they like to form committees and have long meetings and produce volumes of new rules and policies and procedures. I have no patience for that.

Hillary Clinton. She squats in the middle of the road like a 300-pound toad. She gets my vote and I expect her to win. I want to vote for the winner -- terribly shallow of me but true. She's the safest bet. She occupies the most central position and that's where you win elections in this country.

But could she please send her husband on a long-trip to Bulgaria? I'm really tired of that clown. He had his eight years.

The President's Spouse.  The spouse of the President should occupy an utterly non-political position, to be an esteemed architect or a research scientist  -- some field of great endeavor, but not political. I only vote for one person when I vote. We can praise Eleanor Roosevelt, but we should not repeat that pattern.

Monarch Butterflies. Migrating Monarch Butterflies have been spotted in Santa Barbara. The advance guard is flitting about here and there, in twos and threes. Might there be thousands or tens of thousands coming soon? They will roost in eucalyptus groves near the marine breezes for their winter's sleep.

We trekked out to Elwood Mesa this morning for our first butterfly jaunt. None were spotted in the trees, but they are coming in a few weeks, and the only question is how many.

Hail Columbia. Frog Hospital celebrates Columbus Day with great enthusiasm. On October 12, 1492, the whole world changed and for the better.

Samuel Eliot Morrison wrote the best book on the subject.....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Eliot_Morison

Admiral of the Ocean Sea

The Columbus Day Parade was the great celebration of Italian-American immigrants who were, and maybe still are, quite proud of him for being originally from the Italian city of Genoa..

Many places are named after Columbus -- the Columbia River, Columbia University, the city of Columbus in Ohio, the province of British Columbia in Canada and the nation of Columbia in South America.
We might consider Columbus to be the first immigrant and rename the holiday Immigrants Day, in celebration of all the people who dared to cross the great water to find a new home.
In 1491 there were no Jews in America, no Hindus in America, no Moslems in America, no Buddhists in America, and no Christians in America, but now we are all here and that is a good thing. In 1491 there were no Africans in America, there were no Chinese in America, and there were no Italians in America, but now we are all here and that is a good thing.
It was a good thing for all the peoples of the earth to discover each other..... Prior to Columbus we were in a state of mutual ignorance. It matters little what Columbus did when he got here, what matters is that he found the way, and kept good records, and made it possible for others to make the same crossing.

We celebrate Christopher Columbus for his voyage across unknown waters. He found the way over, and he found his way back. He showed the way and millions followed.

Some people dream of a pre-Columbian purity in a realm of utter paradise, but I don't yearn for the past. I look to the future. I am inspired by explorers and discoverers and wanderers. I am descended from people who were not content to pass the time sitting under the old chestnut tree, but my ancestors looked away yonder and wondered, "What lies over that hill?"

Hail Columbia!

Frog Hospital Subscription Drive.   Your contribution of $25 is greatly appreciated. The Frog Hospital newsletter has been cruising down the Internet for 16 years now. I have tried to kill this newsletter several times – tried to stomp it out like the ember from an old campfire, or dig it up like a pestiferous weed, but it won’t die – Frog Hospital just keeps on going.

So please send a check. Your contribution keeps me from getting cranky. It helps me to maintain a detached attitude. Let’s keep it going….

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Fred Owens

1105 Veronica Springs RD
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Thank you very much,

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Fred Owens
cell: 360-739-0214

My gardening blog is  Fred Owens

My writing blog is Frog Hospital