Being a Jew in Canada Who Supports Israel - My Thoughts

If you want to read about the conflict in Gaza and Israel, there are literally millions of words on the subject. I wanted to write about it but I didn’t want to be repetitive…I wanted to chronicle my own thoughts and I wanted them to be personal. The other day, I was scrolling through my Facebook timeline where I always see a lot of material. I have 4200 “friends”. It's important to know that many actually are my personal friends, but more are people who signed on with me because of my political background and my public persona which, to this day, continues to impact issues and events as they occur or as they are perceived to affect those who live and/or work in Ontario and around the GTA. And I love to engage in the public debate.

I stopped to look at a photo recently. It was of very good quality with lots of detail. It showed a father cradling his son who was in a Gazan hospital bed. The dead child, perhaps 10 years old, had the rear part of his skull blown off and grey matter quite literally hung out of the gaping wound. I was revolted and shocked, obviously the reaction that the person who’d posted it expected of viewers. The poster (a Canadian) decried Israel’s horrific and barbaric actions that had resulted in such a catastrophe. I couldn't help myself from posting on his timeline as well. I made my opinion clear…that the photo was far too graphic to have been used (as it was) solely to incite heated, visceral reaction and that the sole responsible party for this poor child’s fate was Hamas. What ensued was nothing short of chilling. Numerous posts followed, also from Canadians, holding Israel entirely to blame and, basically, calling Israel and its’ supporters, in essence, child murderers. I was so taken aback that I could not continue. I deleted my thoughts and ‘unfriended’ the initial poster.

I am now feeling ashamed that I retreated to an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. I suppose it fits with what many are feeling currently…that it’s easy for people to simply react, but not to educate themselves...and it’s equally easy to hate Israel and, indeed, to hate Jews the world over. Well, I am one of those Jews and, for me, it's pretty personal.

In my younger days, friends would sometimes ask “if Israel and Canada were ever at war, who would you fight for?”…stupid question, really, and I’d never answer. Here is how I relate to Israel…and I think it speaks for the feelings of many other Canadian Jews as well. My allegiance is and always has been to my country, Canada. But my heart is with Israel. Why? Because I, like most Jews, come from parents and/or grandparents who fled some eastern or western European country 50, 60, 70, 80 years ago, lest they be killed. They were good Germans; good Poles; good Russians; good Czechs…and the list goes on and on. But when situations destabilized, which "good citizens" got singled out? You know the answer…and here we are again.

Israel was born of these conflicts and of hatred. Israel became the Jewish homeland, though indeed it always was, even as all of those displaced people of the diaspora sought a home of their own. That arid desert dates back thousands of years as the historical homeland of the Jews and now, by God’s hand, it is again and in a miraculous form. And so my heart tells me I’m happy that there is a land that is not dominated by others and that will always be a safe haven for Jewish people. That, and the fact that Israel remains the epitome of an open society that is home to citizenry of all backgrounds and all orientations with all of the rights and privileges afforded people in any free country. Israel is, as such, a tiny island in an ocean of hate.

Why do people in many countries, people of sound mind, good background, and high educational level want to create some sort of false equivalency with a terrorist group bent on the total annihilation of Israel and of all Jews the world over? For the life of me, I don’t know.

Returning to my opening thought, I reviewed another piece of social media that flashed across my screen just two days ago. It was a YouTube monologue by a young girl…a teenager living on a kibbutz in western Israel right on the Gaza border. By her accent, I knew she’d emigrated with her family from South Africa. She sat on a bench or a swing in her kibbutz and simply spoke from her heart to the camera in hopes those who viewed her post would benefit by her verbal and visual recounting of her experiences in the past few weeks.

She cried as she talked about how horrified and awful she and her fellow Israelis felt when they viewed the same pictures and videos of atrocities such as the one I described earlier. She went to great lengths to say there was no pleasure whatsoever in bearing witness to events like these. She also described many times in the recent past where people around her described hearing noises seemingly emanating from beneath them…underground and, indeed, the noises  were coming from underground. The objective of Hamas fighters was to emerge simultaneously inside Israel from dozens or hundreds of underground tunnels wearing manufactured Israel Defense Force uniforms to attack and kill as many Israelis (like this young girl and her family) as they possibly could…and, of course, it would be carried out simultaneously with massive rocket attacks. Left unchecked, this could have done incredible damage…indeed, it could have hobbled Israel. And that has been the intent of the diversion of billions in aid to the construction of a vast underground network and the acquisition of thousands of rockets.

Now, what have I learned from my perusal of all of the material on this terrible conflict? The answer, for me, is no ceasefire! The world cannot watch this unfold again at some future time as it undoubtedly would. There can be no ceasefire  until there exists no more threat; no more tunnels; no more rockets; no more weapons caches; no more fake IDF uniforms…no more ANYTHING that can harm Israelis of any faith or background. That Hamas must be removed from control  should be obvious. That any military capability must be silenced is equally clear. 

And at the end of the day, the billions in aid to Gaza must continue to flow and must be used for the productive construction of a working country with a working economy…ultimately, jobs and productive lives must result for the people and the families in this impoverished strip of land. In the meantime, Israel simply must get the job done. If it means putting other little boys in the line of fire so that their small bodies are also shattered, the guilt will not be on Israel…that will be for Hamas' account. 

And to any and every person the world over who needs to believe that this is a Jewish offensive, believe whatever you like but know this -- if you are simply a Jew hater, I can accept that because I’ve been at the wrong end of nonsense like that  before. Just have the courage to say so and spare me the 'anti-Zionist', 'anti-Israel' bullshit. But, if you are a thinking individual, just decide you're not buying the spin. Prime Minister Netanyahu got it right: Israel uses missiles to defend its children. Hamas uses children to defend its missiles. 

Peter

The Truth, the Whole, Truth & Nothing But the Truth

This is "kinda, sorta" like my original entry in this blog. This time, though, I wanted to be a little more specific. It's about how I approach the issue of personal opinion. Absolutely, everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to have one. But in 2014, we have personal access to social media which allow us to give voice to our views on a broad public scale. Why do we accept some opinions as worthy and dismiss others? That's what I want to talk about today.

Recently, I read a post from an old friend who was (professionally) discussing leadership. She was pointing out that leadership equates with being trustworthy and being seen to be trustworthy. She talks about building one's brand around the trust one has earned. We often forget about the trust factor, but my friend's recommended approach is appropriate because it applies to whether you can 'lead' opinion. Trends change but trust endures.

So, how does that connect with whether you read and see credibility in this blog or anything else? Let's call this the second chapter about why I'm blogging. People generally tend to believe me. Is it because I'm so much more direct than others...or am I just that much smarter than most people? Ya think? Yeah, well I wish!! Fact is people DO believe me (no, they don't always agree!). People perceive me as someone who speaks with conviction because I speak from the heart...that's right, I am speaking my truth with no BS. Most of us smell that stuff a mile away.

Recently, I created a minor public incident because I used a nasty term to describe a local political candidate during a conversation on radio. My critics said I was being 'sexist' but I argued (successfully, I think) that the language I used, while imperfect, pretty much described the candidate's presentation style in colloquial terms, notwithstanding another connotation attached to the descriptive word I'd used.

Going back another eight weeks, just as the Ontario election was beginning, and also on radio, I predicted a win for the Liberal Party because, as I stated publicly, its leader, Kathleen Wynne, was the better sales person.

Those are two examples of what results from a clearly expressed opinion spoken according to personal perception of the subjects at hand...in the first instance, people complained because they wanted to advance an agenda aimed at leveraging it to the advantage of their candidate...their complaints did get people talking about her! So, I became an intermediary or medium. In the other situation, people suggested (dare I say whined?) that I must have been using my electronic bully pulpit to attempt to damage the former leader of the PC Party because I was 'out to get him' - all I had done was to speak the truth in line with my own perception. The prediction proved accurate.

In both cases, the criticism leveled at me was without merit because it had other objectives. Interestingly, a majority of radio  listeners, newspaper readers, and online followers discerned it as noise. They understood that I was simply calling things as I saw them. That was interpreted by me as trust in my opinion actually being my own and, therefore, acceptable as a  'credible truth'.

What were my critics upset about? They were worried about a perceived threat to their own beliefs. Why? Perhaps because my brand is strong and has been through many years of public life. I have an audience only because people who already know me are aware that I speak an unvarnished truth with no hype. Both of the little 2-minute examples I used happened on morning talk radio and each made headlines for two days straight. Why? Because 'credible truth' always trumps 'spin cycle'!

I value truth and I underscore it with personal credibility earned over time. Moreover, I enjoy leveraging my own credibility to evoke discussion. I was raised to speak the truth, always understanding that credibility was being derived from my own belief in what I was saying. So, as a grown man, I require both truth and credibility to be clear and unequivocal in my personal presentation. And I demand the same from others. My own brand is built on these precepts. I like the idea of 'credible truth' because those listening or reading something from me can take what I say as a given. I sleep well at night and I enjoy having an opinion to share. I am only successful if you accept my opinion as being honest and truly from me. You may, and often do, disagree. But you should never think that what I'm saying is contrived...because it never is. The world already has too many people speaking the truth of others rather than developing their own views.

Being an opinion leader is about telling it like it is and about being a credible source. It is also about leveraging the two elements to build a consensus of trust. People are intuitive...so they inherently clue in! Last week, for example, a "speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu" circulated across the Internet. I used quotes because it was contrived...it was not a speech Netanyahu ever gave. I read it and viewed it as over the top, even for the outspoken Prime Minister. I did a bit of research and found no record of such a speech ever having been given...because it hadn't been. I went out of my way to correct friends and acquaintances, telling them either not to continue spreading this bogus material or, at least, to caption it "speech I'd like Netanyahu to make". Point is, your intuition has a way of telling you if you're reading or hearing credible truth. Mine reacted the way it should have. Yours will too if you allow it to.

So, this blog is a relatively new experience for me...I hope you keep reading it and stick with me. If you know me, you already know I'm a straight shooter. If you get to know me, you'll learn that. It took me many years to decide to write in this new type of public forum but I have always written. I just never do so unless I have something worthwhile to say, but also something that presents my opinion as credible truth.

Peter

Flight MH-17 and the Conflict in Gaza

I've thought quite a lot about the two main news stories of the day, the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine and the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. I can't help but draw some parallels and, within them, a significant double standard. In the Middle East, Hamas, a universally acknowledged terrorist group, controls Gaza and has consistently scored an 'F' in "works and plays well with others"...no matter who those others might be. Hamas fires rockets into Israel non-stop. Israel retaliates against LAUNCH SITES with surgical precision and provides pre-strike warnings, yet men, women, and children are used purposefully as human shields and they die. So, according to many, Israel is an awful country and, by the way, 'Israel' includes all Jews everywhere! Hamas would kill them all if it were possible. For now, take what I've just written as a given and read on.

In Ukraine, meanwhile, we have yet to be definitively provided with all of the facts on what happened to Flight 17 nor heard any admission from those responsible for such a heinous crime, and it was a crime! We've been told the plane was shot out of the sky by a Russian missile clearly capable of a high-level mission (the plane was at 33,000 feet flying about 800km/h). That would likely have been a 'BUK' SA-11. A recorded radio exchange heard around the world is said to be from 'pro-Russian rebels' inside Ukraine telling their superior they’d shot down an aircraft and “f----d up”. We already know these so-called rebels have this capability because they’ve previously claimed success downing two military aircraft in like fashion during the prior week.

This is no rag-tag rebel group. You can't stroll into ‘the missile emporium’, swipe a credit card, and buy the sophisticated and expensive armaments needed to shoot down high altitude, high performance military aircraft - this equipment was purposefully supplied to the 'rebels' and speculation is that Russia and Putin are behind it. These are serious weapons and they can/did take out a civilian airliner as easily as a hot knife goes through butter. Launching such monstrosities can be done at the push of a button on a control panel from a mobile launcher. Any child could do it. But, targeting the missiles is entirely another matter. Radar acquires all airborne traffic (aircraft) displaying the targets on a screen – anything from a small Cessna to a giant Boeing 787 will show up -- however, only trained technicians with significant tactical and communications training can possibly distinguish between the blips.

My belief is that the so-called pro-Russian rebel group is nothing but a proxy for higher interests…if not, how did they get their hands on this weaponry? Think Hamas and Iran and let your mind wander...but not too far...say, to Moscow! Moreover, the “kills” scored on military planes surely served to embolden these idiots only days before one of their missiles locked onto Flight  17. To use their own language, they “f----d up”…and, wow, killing 300 innocent people makes that a vastly understated description of what they are responsible for.

We all feel genuine heartbreak and despair as we reflect on the deaths of the unwitting victims in a conflict that was not theirs; in a country they didn’t know; and that was carried out by incredible incompetents in control of devices they had no business operating.

Interestingly, this has, for the moment, overtaken the Israel/Gaza story and the decision by Israel to amp up that engagement by deploying ground-based forces. My reason for raising it in tandem with the Malaysian Airlines disaster is simply this…over the past several weeks, Israel’s precision approach to destroying Palestinian missile sites (e.g. bedroom windows, schoolyards, hospitals, etc.) has resulted in the deaths of innocent victims too. No matter that these poor men, women, and children perished when they were used by Hamas as human shields to be martyred for PR purposes. For now, let’s just accept that they were indeed victims – exactly like the people aboard Flight 17. However, using a single, deadly, hi-tech projectile, the shooters in Ukraine snuffed out more lives in an instant than those lost in Gaza to that point - about 300 lives gone with a single shot! 

Let's be clear...terrorism is what Hamas practices and self-defense is Israel's understandable reaction. Hamas has the blood of innocents on its hands. The parallel is that the 'pro-Russian rebels' are equally terrorists with blood on their hands using deadly weapons and, it would strongly appear, with Russia behind them. Whose hands are bloodied now?

My question is will the same people around the world who so readily deny Israel’s right to self-defense have even a single word of condemnation for Russia and its' proxies in their aggression against 300 souls aboard Flight 17? Will there be any negative sentiment even close to the invective hurled constantly at the State of Israel and Jews the world over? Everyone knows who is behind the 'pro Russian rebels'...so, will Russia and Putin be vilified for causing the deaths of innocents in any way resembling how Israel and all Jewry are assigned responsibility for the disaster that is Gaza? And beyond that, while Israel acts in self-defense and Russian proxies did not, will anyone even acknowledge that?

I wouldn't bet on anyone being taken to task in any serious way for the savage act over Ukraine and I wouldn't bet either on hearing criticism from the citizenry that, by its' inaction, allows such treachery in utter silence. Besides, Israel and Jews are ready targets and the facts are always secondary. Being Russia is just using might to bully whomever it chooses with no regard for what anyone thinks. Being Israel is different. The haters exist because it always goes far beyond just being anti-Israel, doesn't it?    

Peter

Olivia Chow, Me, and the 'B' Word

Olivia Chow and others weren't happy with me for using a street version of the ‘b’ word on radio this week. I reacted viscerally on a free-for-all roundtable discussion about her demeanor in the latest Toronto mayoral debate saying “she is (pardon me) a major league bi-yatch”.  The entire point of roundtables is to generate discussion and controversy…and they are always ad lib. So, they elicit real and immediate reactions from the array of writers, politicians, business people, performers, and personalities who participate. I was engaged in just that when the comment was made.

The ensuing controversy became less about Chow’s amped up rhetoric and style and more about that word and me. According to people who know only what they’ve heard or were told by the Twitterverse, I am (apparently) a “racist”; a “sexist”; a ”misogynist”; a “clown”; an "idiot"...and a variety of other things that don’t bear repeating. Several people questioned me politely during the few hours following Moore in the Morning on NewsTalk 1010, but what broadened the discussion was a feature article in The Huffington Post that labeled my comment as disgraceful.

Well, I apologized both on the air and on social media to those who were offended, explaining that this was an off-handed use of a colloquial expression and in no way indicative of any misogynistic feelings, beliefs, or characteristics on my part. “Not good enough”, said many. Well, yes…good enough, says me!

The main question seems to be whether I would tolerate being called some equivalent as a public figure. Well, that is no hypothetical question. I’ve been called a bastard; a son-of-a-bitch; a prick; an a—hole; along with several other lovely four, eleven, and twelve letter words by people I don’t know. I’ve never liked it when it’s occurred but I always accepted that it went with the political landscape – oh yes, and that it was neither personal nor sexist anymore than my intentions were to be so in describing Chow’s debating approach at Tuesday evening’s event.

I grew up in a home where my mother decided to work when I was 11 years old and my siblings were both younger…she wanted her own car and my father couldn’t afford one for her. Women back in the 50s basically stayed home. “Hubby” went to work and did the driving. My friends’ moms would ask me if we were poor and was that why my mother “needed to work”. My mother told me to tell them she thought they were just jealous. My mother demonstrated a belief structure for what was yet to become a movement called feminism. I was, therefore, brought up in a home where women were never in question as to their equality or their rights. The result, as I grew up, was that I’d hire female executives as readily as males…often tilting in favor of females. I still view  women as more focused and trustworthy. Guys…please don’t take offense!!

As an adult and a former politician, I’ve worked with women’s organizations and, notably, with elected female politicians of all stripes. I doubt you’d find a single one who’d apply any of the labels hurled at me by people seeking to advance a legitimate and worthy cause, more women in public office. In summary, it was correct for me to say I was (and am) sorry for any offense I caused but that none was intended. I’ll continue to engage in ad lib repartee on radio, TV and elsewhere in the future. I’d even bet there’ll be times where my take or language is questioned…and I’ll respond then too. Meanwhile, this full explanation was required and if you accept this as my truth, thank you…because it is. If not, then go ahead and throw more invective around, remembering that repeating your insults won’t make them so.

Peter

Good Luck, Kathleen Wynne!

Why would a long time Progressive Conservative like me wish our newly minted Liberal Premier with a decisive majority government “good luck”? Well, because I am an Ontarian first and we all really need her to succeed. And that’s before I tell you that I believe she’s the ‘real deal’.

Kathleen Wynne and I are not personal friends but we sat opposite each other at the Ontario Legislature for about seven years. The PC caucus, of which I was a member, has not been in government since 2003, so I have only ever known Kathleen as a member of both Government and Cabinet and, more lately, as Premier. At the beginning, I saw her as very brash, agitated, and staccato. In the other direction, she appeared to see my dark, heavyset visage and deep voice as angry or threatening.

Then, one evening, my wife and I attended a huge event organized by and for Canadians of Iranian (Persian) origin. We found ourselves being ushered into a VIP reception area and deposited by our hosts within about three feet of Kathleen Wynne, then the province’s Education Minister. She didn’t exactly look thrilled to see me so I broke the ice by saying “hello Kathleen…here’s the softer side of Shurman, my wife Carole”. Both ladies smiled and Carole excused herself for a few moments leaving me standing alone with Kathleen. I turned to her, saw her back go up, and said “I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a long time…from where I sit, I observe every member of the McGuinty Cabinet in action, and there’s no one more diligent or competent than you – you’re the best he’s got”. I don’t think she saw it coming and I saw her relax and soften immediately. We chatted for a few moments, my wife returned, and that was all. But we communicated and got along after that.

Bottom line is I’ve respected Kathleen Wynne for a very long time. We do not share our politics but I can say, with sincerity, that I believe her to be honest, applied, extremely intelligent, and truly desirous of a new and better Ontario. Well, now she has the means to deliver on that objective…her own majority government. So, while I remain a strong fiscal conservative, the Ontarian in me wishes the Wynne Government good luck in achieving the growth and stability we all desperately want. As Finance Minister Charles Sousa again delivers the budget unveiled last May (and which triggered the election) it's time to be positive. The budget will now be debated and it will pass. I wish the Finance Minister the success he seeks, as well. I, myself, am in discussions and contact with Americans from both coasts seeking to invest in Ontario...they think it's a pretty good bet. Elements of this budget are indeed controversial…the Ontario Pension Plan would be the most significant example of that and there will be much discussion on it. However, the idea of infrastructure investments, criticized by some as an attempt to spend us out of a financial downturn, is precisely the route taken by the late Jim Flaherty and the Harper Government when things went south in 2008/09. It buys many essentials that we require (roads, bridges, transit) and it puts people to work on many levels. The Wynne Government is showing courage in proceeding, despite the threat of a credit downgrade by the various rating agencies…they must quickly demonstrate a definitive economic uptick for Ontario -- and they know it.

So yes, if I were still an MPP and the Opposition Finance Critic, it would be my job to tear the budget apart. As I write this, I am watching Finance Critic Vic Fedeli do just that. Indeed, Opposition exists to “oppose”. But I am now just an educated private citizen expressing my opinion which is founded on my own experiences and observations. That opinion is that all Ontarians must now get behind a government that will (for four years anyway) be cutting the path it hopes will lead us to that elusive prosperity and to a new day for our province. I can be PC and still support that.

Peter 

Peace in the Middle East - Ever?

How many words have been spoken or written about the Middle East, the existential concerns of the State of Israel, and the hostile environment in which it exists? Israel is surrounded by a sea of hostility and yet, is maligned the world over as everything from local bully to racist state.

Modern Israel’s distraction, since its formation, has been the neighborhood. Failed states, kingdoms, caliphates, and Islamic republics, all unfriendly to Israel and ever unwilling to send out the welcome wagon. The reverse is not true. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze are all, and always have been, fully integrated citizens of Israel. Personal rights and freedoms are much like Canada’s. Israel, for example, hosted World Pride Day (same celebration Toronto just had) back in 2005.

Israel never seeks confrontation but does firmly respond when attacked. Three teens went wandering where they (arguably) shouldn’t have, were taken and killed. Israel mounted a police action to warn against repetition. Sound fair? I think so. Hamas, in Gaza, saw this as a signal to fire hundreds of deadly Iranian-made missiles into Israel thus opening a Pandora’s Box. Israel commenced surgical strikes within Gaza to eliminate launching sites purposefully placed in residential areas; to take out Hamas leaders; to crush military-like action. That’s called protecting your citizens. Palestinians, meanwhile, carry the bodies of their dead children, whose blood is on their own hands, through the streets…they seek (and often obtain) sympathy from less informed people around the world watching their ‘made-for-TV’ spectacle.

That isn’t the Jewish version of what’s happening…it is, in fact, a now escalating situation. Add to that the well-known actions of some Canadians who espouse more rights for Palestinians through BDS (boycott-divest-sanction) resolutions to “end Israeli apartheid” when there is verifiably no such thing. It all combines to make things difficult for Israel and also for Canadians (Jews and others) who believe in her legitimacy. My own view is that BDS is quite simply the new anti-Semitism! Take a look at this video from an American non-Jew...his take is interesting...

                     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfN2IvnIA4M

Canadian Jews are not like ex-pat Greeks or Italians who can celebrate their country of origin by flying a flag or supporting a soccer team. They are just strong Canadians who are happy that a modern Israel exists. Israel is their country of origin - a very long time ago, say 5000 years or so. In the last 100 years, Jewish immigrants kicked or chased out of their own countries of birth, took a tiny piece of desert, converted it to lush farmland, built world-class cities, created a business empire, developed a cultural oasis, and live in a welcoming and successful, socially-integrated country. All of this in an area where people ruled by terrorists and potentates have little because their leaders fail to lead. Until the focus changes to one of peaceful co-existence by instilling good values and the ethic of hard work in their own backyard and in their youth, the cycle of violence will sadly continue.

Peter

My New Blog, Learning & Time

Welcome to a new side of the multi-faceted "shurmanator". Whether you're just discovering that I exist or have encountered me as a business executive, owner/operator, talk radio host, politician or friend, I hope our relationship has been or is about to be an interesting one.

This website and the blog you're reading are brand new. They will showcase what I am doing but I can promise you that, as in all stages of my life, it will never be static. I am known for my "trademarked" opinions. Yes, I admit it...I always have one. So do most people...it's just that most people will never share their opinions broadly. I have, I do and I will continue to. 

Expect me to blog regularly. Expect to read about what's going on now in the Middle East. Or in politics. Or the media. Or what it's like living in an ex-urban rural environment following 60+ years as a city boy. Or anything else that happens to come along that I find of interest.

I never stop learning...I am convinced it's the secret to a long and interesting life. Older people (80+) who are vital and active confirm to me that their longevity and sheer enjoyment of life comes as a result of living their lives versus waiting for them to end. I think, for example, of my very favourite and long time flight instructor Don Ireland who, in his mid eighties, continues to fly with me and improve my piloting skills. Why do I still trust a guy of that age to be my instructor and safety pilot in my small single engine airplane? Because he is fully competent and the irony is that if he weren't actually doing this work, he wouldn't be!

I just bought a guitar and began lessons. In your sixties, my friends ask? Yeah dumbass, I answer! I had a guitar briefly when I was in my teens but I just screwed around with it and sold it to buy the next play-toy. This  time around, I want to play and sing and sometimes accompany my son who loves playing the guitar and ukelele -- he has several.

I have referred to age a few times. Let me address that subject directly. A friend of mine, Sid Margles, celebrated his 75th birthday recently. We worked together when I was in my 20s and he, in his 30s. I wrote to him and told him that my life had been better for having become fast friends with him and I still enjoy our visits. I asked him if we appear to young people like the old farts we thought 60-plus people were when we were those young men of 1966 or '67. He said that perhaps we might but that those young people would not think (as we did) that guys our age are "old"...simply "older". How wise! Why? Because we continue to work full time, or play tennis, golf, work out vigorously, fly airplanes, wakeboard...or, yes, take up a new musical instrument!

I am currently looking at several new opportunities and I am hoping one or two will materialize. I don't want a new 9-5, 'working for the man' job (never did too well with those anyway)...but I want to keep right on contributing as I did most recently in politics. I hope that, if you are in my general age range, you are having similar thoughts...and I equally hope that, if you're younger, you can clearly see that what I and my contemporaries have is experience and knowledge you cannot as yet possess because you will still be amassing it for the next couple of decades. People need to use the tools they have. It helps them but, more importantly, it helps so many others.

Check back here often...it's going to keep changing as much as I like to!

Peter