Picture of the Day

Beautiful Theodore Roosevelt collectible piece.  Also a great Naval collectible piece, The Great White Fleet, 1907 -1909.  I believe it is a textile item.

Picture of the Day

Little Church in the Spring

Somewhere in North Georgia (USA).

Picture of the Day

Beautiful silhouette photography.

Picture of the Day

Great poster by my facebook friend, graphic artist Tracy Krauss.  It features the legendary slavery abolitionist Fredrick Douglas, and Dr. Martin Luther King.  You can count me in on the message.

Thought for the Day

I like this message.  I like Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark.  It's much more important how we live our lives than what we say we believe.  My view is Cory will likely be on the 'short list' for Vice President in 2016.

Picture of the Day

The Big Apple.....NYC.

Springtime Storefront

French Quarter Spring Garden

Great Photo and Funny Story From NC Political History

This is such a historic image for those who love North Carolina political history.  Left to right is "Old Buncombe Bob" Reynolds, Frank Porter Graham, and Willis Smith.  Dr. Graham was, of course, the  legendary liberal President of UNC.  Willis Smith, Professor of Law and Chairman of the Board of
Trustees at Duke, was the racist candidate who ran against Dr. Graham in 1950 for the U. S. Senate from North Carolina.  Jesse Helms was Smith's young, behind the scenes, campaign manager.  The senate race was the most bitter, historic, and interesting in NC history. For your interest, there is a March 15, 2011 blog on the Senate race here on ThePoint.

"Old Buncombe Bob" Reynolds was U. S. Senator from North Carolina from 1932 to 1945.  He was a character to say the least.  He was a "populist" candidate for the senate in 1932 during the beginnings of the Great Depression.  He was opposed by, and surprisingly defeated, the "machine" candidate, interim Senator Cameron Morrison. 

Reynolds was very popular with FDR early in his career, as he was a big supporter of FDR's "New Deal".  Later in his career Reynolds got way "off track", and , after being entertained a number of times in Europe by Adolph Hitler, became an apologist for Nazi aggression in Europe. This quickly ended his influence and career.

Reynolds was a dapper, smooth talking, rather flamboyant attorney from Asheville.  A great story from early in his career has him in the Oval Office with his friend and buddy President Roosevelt.  They spent much time together.  Reynolds was lobbying FDR hard to get a friend of his appointed to a judgeship in western NC.  FDR looked Reynolds straight in the eye and said, somewhat to Reynold's surprise, "Old Bob Reynolds, I'll not appoint that crony of yours from Asheville to that judgeship.  I've heard he keeps a fat whore in Charlotte."  Reynolds stepped back, and without missing a beat, said, with a smile,  "Well, Mr. President, she's not that fat!"  FDR laughed uncontrollably, and said, "give me the paper", and he signed it and the appointment was made. 

There are many great "Buncombe Bob" Reynolds stories..........stories from such a colorful era.

'A Change is Gonna Come' - Sam Cooke

A great Sam Cooke piece put to civil rights graphics from the times.

Pictures of the Day

Yaroslavia, Russia on a snowy night.

Amsterdam, Netherlands on a snowy night.

Provence, France

Picture of the Day

There is something very real and very human about this photograph. These three guys have lead the world for the past 20 years, 1992 to 2012. What a awesome task, in light the challenges and in light of the opposition they have confronted, both inside and outside of our borders. Obviously, they're less than perfect. But as for my cap, it's off to all three of them.

Thought for the Day

Yeap, always taking Holy Scripture literally just doesn't get it. I know, some of my conservative friends just can't help themselves. Very good piece and TV show.

Picture of the Day

Very nice early American room grouping..........my type of interior decorating.

Picture of the Day

I love the colors of Spring and Summer.

Republic of Cuba

The Caribbean island nation of Cuba is fascinating. It is a fraught with contradictions; a relatively good health care system (the infant mortality rate exceeds the U. S.), a 99% literacy rate, but rampantly gross human rights violations, and a repressive government which has crippled the economy of a nation which is rich in Caribbean culture.

Cuban culture is influenced by it's melting pot of cultures, especially Spanish and African. Cuban music, literature, and cuisine is rich, and the nation's passion is sports.

It is astounding to reflect on what might have been over the past 60 years in this nation of 11 million creative Latinos, a nation just 90 miles from Miami with the largest land mass of all Caribbean islands. As Cuban / American relations begin to normalize and with Castro officially out of power, the creativity and initiative of the people of this culturally rich island will at last hopefully be unleashed. The potential for a 21st century Cuban rebirth and renaissance is fascinating and exciting to contemplate. The keys will be thawing Cuban /American diplomatic relations, and a climate being created to attract private investment.

I would like very much to visit The Republic of Cuba some day. The images above give a flavor of Cuban life on the streets. Economic development has obviously been repressed.

"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"

Without question, my favorite song from the "folk song" era of the '60s.......the great Peter, Paul, and Mary. Good way to start a beautiful Spring 2012 weekend.

Picture of the Day

Above is a great image of Hideki Matsui's first trip back to Yankee Stadium after he was traded to the Angeles in 2010. There appears to be such genuine affection for him. He was a great Yankee. He is now with the Oakland A's.

The Babe and Lou Gehrig

Nice image of The Babe and Lou Gehrig. There was said to be some tension between them. Never seems so in their photographs together. This appears to be some type of barnstorming exhibition game. Great autographed photo. Hopefully it is in a museum or The Hall.

Picture of the Day

A classic Norman Rockwell painting. It hangs outside of President Obama's office in the West Wing of the White House. It depicts little Ruby Bridges being escorted into court-ordered desegregrated first grade class in New Orleans, La. in 1960.

Conservatives Should Learn to Better Dialogue and Interact With Others

It interests me how difficult it can be for conservatives to sometimes enter into dialogue about issues. I see evidence of it on facebook. I have seem evidence of it in Bible study where the more conservative teacher is often not open to discussion or challenge. I have observed it in other settings.

Conservatives are less open to developing new ideas. They are more certain of the answers they believe. They are less interested in questions and more interested in their own answers. They are more rigid and less willing to hear out alternative ways of viewing the world.

Conservatives rely of their own rigid interpretation of the Constitution and of the Bible and are less open to the interpretation of others. Actually, many times, they don't believe in interpretation at all. They often view the words and phases in both documents literally, not understanding that others have interpretations or views of their own of the same words and phrases.

Openness to the attitude, values, opinions, and beliefs of others is essential to both moving the world forward, to developing new and better ideas and solutions to problems. It is essential to peaceful co-existence in a diverse world. The willingness and ability to engage with others in rational, constructive debate and discussion is an important human attribute, and it is an important "emotionally intelligent" attribute. It is the only way to create an atmosphere where growth, solution, and creativity can flourish.

Regardless of our views, my hope is that we all, especially the more rigid, "absolutest" conservative, strive to listen to and respect the views of others, and that we learn to dialogue more constructively and effectively with our brothers and sisters........creating what the great humanist and psychologist Dr. Carl Rogers called "a process of becoming."

Picture of the Day

Wonderful, revealing, poignant portrait of Keith Richards, one of the world's greatest guitarists of all-time. He is age 69. He was, of course, long-time songwriter and a 'staple' with The Rolling Stones. That face reveals some pretty hard living, without question. He was certainly 'part of our times.....'

Picture of the Day

Phoenix, Arizona

Bill Clinton Over The Years

College days with Hillary.

With George McGovern.

With Obama and GW Bush.

With President Kennedy.

With me, after a lecture on his 'Clinton Global Initiative' in Greensboro.

With President Reagan.

Cool Locales

Hallstatt, Austria

Copenhagen, Denmark

Stockholm, Sweden.

Old Towne Quebec

St. Petersburg, Russia

Quite an Ad........Dedicated to the "Crazies"

Picture of the Day

Picture of the Day

'America the Beautiful'.........a small town in Colorado.

Matt Santos on the Definition of Liberal

This is good.

Great Opening Day Shot

This is the great Fenway Park in Boston. I am a Yankees fan, but I love Fenway. It is the oldest ballpark in America, having been built in 1912. I have been there many times, especially when I played in the Cape Cod League and when I worked for John Hancock which is headquartered in Boston. For me, baseball season rolling around, just as with the seasons of the year, signals life's continued orderly flow. Play ball!!

Picture of the Day

A couple of those rare five President's photos.

Reporting of Dr. Martin Luther King's Assassination

It was 44 years ago today, April 4, 1968..........a tragic day in American history..........one of those events I recall like it was yesterday.

North Carolina Legends

Smith and McGuire

Back: Jordan, Hodges, Ervin; Front: Bowles, Kennedy, Sanford

Andy Griffith, "What It Was Was Football" -Kenan Stadium 1954

Sam Ervin, Luther Hodges, Kerr Scott

Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice, Woody Durham, Johnny Swofford

Billy Graham, Doc Watson, Joseph Bryan