Below is a photo of Michael Stubbs aka Mikey (www.mrstubbs.net) who was dressed well for the occasion with his artwork. There is also a picture of an interesting guitar strap that we appreciated.
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| A restored Jaguar...piece of art. |
Monday, April 29, 2013
The Brewery Art Walk on Sunday
Colleen and I roamed around the "The Brewery Arts Complex" on Sunday and appreciated the creativity of dozens of artists who live and work in these artists' lofts. The complex began in 1982 at the site of the Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery. The artists rent live/work space is the worlds largest artist-in-residence community. The complex covers 23 acres in 14 buildings with 500-700 artists and businesses in residence. Twice a year they open their doors to the public to enjoy over 100 open studios at The Brewery Art Walk.
Below is a photo of Michael Stubbs aka Mikey (www.mrstubbs.net) who was dressed well for the occasion with his artwork. There is also a picture of an interesting guitar strap that we appreciated.
Below is a photo of Michael Stubbs aka Mikey (www.mrstubbs.net) who was dressed well for the occasion with his artwork. There is also a picture of an interesting guitar strap that we appreciated.
Veterans Changing America?
On Saturday I attended a half-day forum at UCLA entitled "How are Veterans Changing America?"
The excellent program sponsored by UCLA and Zocalo featured three panels and a key note speech from a Congresswoman from Hawaii.
The first forum moderated by Tony Perry, San Diego Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times included Colin Archipley, CEO, Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training, James Cragg, Director of Green Vets Los Angeles, and Raymond Toenniessen, Director of New Initiatives and External Relations, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University.
Archipley stated that training young people to be warriors is not a natural process...we prepare them to fight but not help them transition to regular living. Also military families are isolated. He said that those who serve in the military should be trained to prepare for transitioning to civilian life from day one of their enlistment.
Cragg said that government jobs are not like the private sector. Some in the military get used to "living on the government dime." We need to provide vets with the structure for success. We need to appreciate military leaders and not pity vets. Also the V.A.needs to get it story out on the many resources available...better public relations campaign.
Toenniessen said that Vets are drivers for success and that the G.I. bill is a great resources...Vets need to use it...spouses can use it too...service members train well. He said the families experience just as much stress as the soldier. Large corporations are doing a lot for Vets but small business don't have the resources. For Reservists and National Guard soldiers, they are isolated when they return home and if small business owners...they loose while they are deployed. He recommends a government and private business partnership to prepare for the needs of veterans.
Panel 2 was entitled "How are the Wars Changing Medicine?" Kelly Kennedy, health reporter for USA today moderated the panel made up of Dr. Kodi Azari, Co-director, Operation Mend, and a plastic surgeon, Dr. David Hovda, Director, UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, and Dr. Dean Norman, Chief of Staff, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
Dr. Norman talked about the many services of the L.A. V.A. including a female veteran clinic, integration of medical and mental health clinics, and the focus on homeless vets. He said he had 80 Social Workers when he started and now has 400. He said they had 700 beds for homeless Vets on the campus plus 5,000 in the community. They have gone from 25,000 homeless in L.A. to 6,000 and have a goal of zero by 2015. In addition they now have integrated health care records and communicating with Vets by e-mail, facebook and through telehealth. They also have team care to manage polytrauma. This is where care coordinators are important. They are also using an array of services including dance therapy, Tai Chi, and art therapy and service military nurses as well as soldiers who also have PTSD.
Dr. Azari said that more people are surviving war with tremendous injuries. This is due to the excellent emergency response by Medics and others. The knowledge gained has transferred to civilian life as seen as the response to the Boston bombing. He also said that the dirty bombs used...including body parts of animals...has lead to severe infections. The medical field has gained skills in extremity transplants and tissue engineering...they now can grow skin. They are even transplanting faces. He said that military personnel are good patients...they follow orders. He is amazed by their spirit.
Dr. Hovda's knowledge of brain injuries in the military has transferred to treating head injuries in athletes. He said that traumatic brain injury affects the whole family. These "invisible wounds" can now be seen through brain imaging. He said the V.A. now has tremendous rehabilitation centers for those with traumatic brain injuries.
He said that his work with the National Football League has resulted in the identification of brain concussions and the treatment which is rest and rehabilitation. A brain needs at least 10 to 14 days to heal and sometimes longer.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block introduced the key note speaker. He talked about their collaboration with the V.A. and their programs to prepare vets for university life including "Boots to Bruins." He introduced Tulsi Gabbard, born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii is the youngest person to be elected to the Hawaii State Legislature, she then volunteered for the military, deployed in Iraq for two tours of duty, serves in the Hawaii National Guard and represents Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House. She is one of the first two female combat veterans, the first Hindu and the first female of Samoan ancestry to ever serve as a member of the U.S. Congress.
Representative Gabbard said that many Washington leaders don't understand the impact of service on soldiers and family and that they need to recognize the sacrifice, service and talents of the veterans. This includes leadership, being a good team member, and the ability to get the job done. She said that 250,000 soldiers are transitioning to civilian life each year. She talked about special programs such as the Small Business Administrations programs for Vets. Her goal is to get the skills easily transferable recognized by easily license as a truck driver, medics and praised programs like "Operation Mend."
The final panel, "How Do Wars Affect Families?" was moderated by Patricia Leigh Brown, report, the New York Times with panelists Megan Glynn, Deputy Director of Membership, Blue Star Families, Dr. Judith Broder, Founder and Director, The Soldiers Project, and Dr. Patricia Lester, Director, UCLA Nathanson Family Resilience Center.
Patricia Brown began by stating that military children move 6 to 9 times between kindergarten and high school graduation. Megan Glynn is a UCLA graduate and member of the women's soccer team. After graduation she was married and moved with her husband to Germany, eventually having 3 children. As a military spouse for 10 years, she has mentored and assisted many other families. She said that her husband deployed 3 times and each one was difficult...especially the weeks before and after. She developed the 2 week rule where her husband is not allowed to criticize or comment on her parenting of their children for at least two weeks after returning. She said that spouses are ambivalent about deployment ending and that sometimes the break from married life was appreciated.
Later one member of the audience said that he is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a Marine and now in the MBA program at UCLA on the G.I. Bill, but admitted that the hardest thing for him has been the re-entry into family life that at times he is afraid of his two young children.
Dr. Lester is a psychiatrist and works in the welcome back program with families under stress. She is helping families build on their resilience. She encouraged schools to be aware of the children of military personnel and be sensitive to their needs.
Dr. Broder is also a psychiatrist and engages volunteer therapists to provide free service. She said that the bond of military service...brothers in battle...is very powerful and is a big loss after leaving service. She said that Vets have trouble finding purpose and meaning in the new lives. She said that they were children (brains are not fully developed until age 25) when they enlisted and then had children.
The afternoon was very powerful and at times moving. I learned a lot about the needs of military service personnel and their families. Hopefully our society learns a lot as well and responds to the challenges and gifts.
The excellent program sponsored by UCLA and Zocalo featured three panels and a key note speech from a Congresswoman from Hawaii.
The first forum moderated by Tony Perry, San Diego Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times included Colin Archipley, CEO, Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training, James Cragg, Director of Green Vets Los Angeles, and Raymond Toenniessen, Director of New Initiatives and External Relations, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University.
Archipley stated that training young people to be warriors is not a natural process...we prepare them to fight but not help them transition to regular living. Also military families are isolated. He said that those who serve in the military should be trained to prepare for transitioning to civilian life from day one of their enlistment.
Cragg said that government jobs are not like the private sector. Some in the military get used to "living on the government dime." We need to provide vets with the structure for success. We need to appreciate military leaders and not pity vets. Also the V.A.needs to get it story out on the many resources available...better public relations campaign.
Toenniessen said that Vets are drivers for success and that the G.I. bill is a great resources...Vets need to use it...spouses can use it too...service members train well. He said the families experience just as much stress as the soldier. Large corporations are doing a lot for Vets but small business don't have the resources. For Reservists and National Guard soldiers, they are isolated when they return home and if small business owners...they loose while they are deployed. He recommends a government and private business partnership to prepare for the needs of veterans.
Panel 2 was entitled "How are the Wars Changing Medicine?" Kelly Kennedy, health reporter for USA today moderated the panel made up of Dr. Kodi Azari, Co-director, Operation Mend, and a plastic surgeon, Dr. David Hovda, Director, UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, and Dr. Dean Norman, Chief of Staff, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
Dr. Norman talked about the many services of the L.A. V.A. including a female veteran clinic, integration of medical and mental health clinics, and the focus on homeless vets. He said he had 80 Social Workers when he started and now has 400. He said they had 700 beds for homeless Vets on the campus plus 5,000 in the community. They have gone from 25,000 homeless in L.A. to 6,000 and have a goal of zero by 2015. In addition they now have integrated health care records and communicating with Vets by e-mail, facebook and through telehealth. They also have team care to manage polytrauma. This is where care coordinators are important. They are also using an array of services including dance therapy, Tai Chi, and art therapy and service military nurses as well as soldiers who also have PTSD.
Dr. Azari said that more people are surviving war with tremendous injuries. This is due to the excellent emergency response by Medics and others. The knowledge gained has transferred to civilian life as seen as the response to the Boston bombing. He also said that the dirty bombs used...including body parts of animals...has lead to severe infections. The medical field has gained skills in extremity transplants and tissue engineering...they now can grow skin. They are even transplanting faces. He said that military personnel are good patients...they follow orders. He is amazed by their spirit.
Dr. Hovda's knowledge of brain injuries in the military has transferred to treating head injuries in athletes. He said that traumatic brain injury affects the whole family. These "invisible wounds" can now be seen through brain imaging. He said the V.A. now has tremendous rehabilitation centers for those with traumatic brain injuries.
He said that his work with the National Football League has resulted in the identification of brain concussions and the treatment which is rest and rehabilitation. A brain needs at least 10 to 14 days to heal and sometimes longer.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block introduced the key note speaker. He talked about their collaboration with the V.A. and their programs to prepare vets for university life including "Boots to Bruins." He introduced Tulsi Gabbard, born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii is the youngest person to be elected to the Hawaii State Legislature, she then volunteered for the military, deployed in Iraq for two tours of duty, serves in the Hawaii National Guard and represents Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House. She is one of the first two female combat veterans, the first Hindu and the first female of Samoan ancestry to ever serve as a member of the U.S. Congress.
Representative Gabbard said that many Washington leaders don't understand the impact of service on soldiers and family and that they need to recognize the sacrifice, service and talents of the veterans. This includes leadership, being a good team member, and the ability to get the job done. She said that 250,000 soldiers are transitioning to civilian life each year. She talked about special programs such as the Small Business Administrations programs for Vets. Her goal is to get the skills easily transferable recognized by easily license as a truck driver, medics and praised programs like "Operation Mend."
The final panel, "How Do Wars Affect Families?" was moderated by Patricia Leigh Brown, report, the New York Times with panelists Megan Glynn, Deputy Director of Membership, Blue Star Families, Dr. Judith Broder, Founder and Director, The Soldiers Project, and Dr. Patricia Lester, Director, UCLA Nathanson Family Resilience Center.
Patricia Brown began by stating that military children move 6 to 9 times between kindergarten and high school graduation. Megan Glynn is a UCLA graduate and member of the women's soccer team. After graduation she was married and moved with her husband to Germany, eventually having 3 children. As a military spouse for 10 years, she has mentored and assisted many other families. She said that her husband deployed 3 times and each one was difficult...especially the weeks before and after. She developed the 2 week rule where her husband is not allowed to criticize or comment on her parenting of their children for at least two weeks after returning. She said that spouses are ambivalent about deployment ending and that sometimes the break from married life was appreciated.
Later one member of the audience said that he is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a Marine and now in the MBA program at UCLA on the G.I. Bill, but admitted that the hardest thing for him has been the re-entry into family life that at times he is afraid of his two young children.
Dr. Lester is a psychiatrist and works in the welcome back program with families under stress. She is helping families build on their resilience. She encouraged schools to be aware of the children of military personnel and be sensitive to their needs.
Dr. Broder is also a psychiatrist and engages volunteer therapists to provide free service. She said that the bond of military service...brothers in battle...is very powerful and is a big loss after leaving service. She said that Vets have trouble finding purpose and meaning in the new lives. She said that they were children (brains are not fully developed until age 25) when they enlisted and then had children.
The afternoon was very powerful and at times moving. I learned a lot about the needs of military service personnel and their families. Hopefully our society learns a lot as well and responds to the challenges and gifts.
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| U.S. House of Representatives member, Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii |
Friday, April 26, 2013
Jazz at LACMA
John Proulx's piano with bass and drums are on tonight. His singing favorites like " It's a Long Way to St. Louie" gets one into the groove... Beer helps too.
California Scene Paintings from 1930 to 1960 at PMCA
Cousin Rob and I roamed around the Pasadena Museum of California Art's exhibit entitled "California Scene Paintings." These paintings have been described as art that captured scenes of everyday life in California with a sense of humanity including people or representations of man-made creations...people going about their every day lives. The 75 paintings are both water colors and oils.
Here are some of my favorites:
Here are some of my favorites:
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| "Holiday" 1931 by Phil Dike, 1906-1990 Southern California. Looking up the channel at Newport Harbor from the beach in Corona Del Mar. |
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| "On The Porch," 1958 by Roger Kuntz, 1926-1975, Claremont Group, Southern California Kuntz lived in this beach house at Crystal Cove |
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| "Casa Blanca Morning," 1939 water color by Rex Brandt, 1914-2000 Southern California Casa Blanca is located on the outskirts of Downtown Riverside near where Brandt grew up and later lived. |
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| "Afternoon at the Harbor,' 1950 watercolor by Ralph Baker, 1908-1976 Northern California Could this have inspired Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"? |
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| "San Pedro," 1935 watercolor by Millard Sheets 1907-1989 Southern California Teacher, educational director at Otis Art Institute and designer of mosaics and murals for banks, library, Mayo Clinic, Notre Dame University Library ("touchdown Jesus") and the dome of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. |
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| "Wilshire Blvd." 1936 watercolor by Charles Payzant, 1898-1980 Southern California The Bullocks Wilshire department store is shown beyond the drive-in restaurant. |
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| "San Pedro Street," 1944 watercolor by William Jekel 1927-2000 Southern California |
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| "Ranch Near San Luis Obispo," 1935 oil by Phil Paradise born in Oregon, raised in Southern California |
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| "Near Modesto," 1940 oil by Emil Kosa Jr. 1903-1968 born Paris, France, lived in California and France |
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
"Is Our Marrige with Mexico Working" with Shannon K. O'Neil
I visited ZOCOLO Public Square at The RAND Corp. on Tuesday evening and was rapt by the presentation by Shannon O'Neil about the U.S. and Mexico relationship. She has lived in Mexico off and on for nearly 20 years. Her new book, "Two Nations Indivisible" outlines her premise that the two countries are in many ways symbiotic in their relationship especially since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. She talked about the political and economic changes in the country, citing the ousting of the decades of political control of the P.R.I. and the rise of the middle class.
She said that in a recent return to Mexico City, with 20 million people, she could see the difference in the quality of the air, improved housing, and big box stores bringing affordable food and goods to the masses. Our interdependence in manufacturing is seen in the multiple transfer of products from country to county until it is completed. She said that Mexico is our most important trading partner because of this. She said that 40% of a product labeled "Made in Mexico" may actually be made in the U.S. The population has urbanized with 80% of Mexicans now living in cities.
Regarding Mexican immigration, she said it now is a net zero due to the rising Mexican economy and border security. However, there still is a brain drain with 50% of Mexican PhD's residing in the U.S. and 25% of the college grads. "We have benefited from their best and brightest." The remittances that Mexican-Americans send to their families in Mexico has helped to advance education for some and furthered economic investment in that country.
Although with the recent election the new president is from the P.R.I party, the politics have changed with the Mexican congress made of multiple parties. This plus the stronger supreme court and a strong free media will check the strength of one party.
The main problem in Mexico is the continuing problem with corruption and violence. This has slowed business development somewhat. She visited the City of Juarez, the most violent city in Mexico, and was struck by the massive manufacturing plants there. She said they need to get control of the underground violent elements just as the U.S. had to in our past. She said the future of Mexico depends on this...whether they are pulled down by violence or whether they can develop into a first world country.
In summary, although the U.S. has many important trading partners, Mexico has become the most important to us on a day to day basis for both exporting and importing goods, interdependence of manufacturing and the integration of Mexican people in our society.
She said that in a recent return to Mexico City, with 20 million people, she could see the difference in the quality of the air, improved housing, and big box stores bringing affordable food and goods to the masses. Our interdependence in manufacturing is seen in the multiple transfer of products from country to county until it is completed. She said that Mexico is our most important trading partner because of this. She said that 40% of a product labeled "Made in Mexico" may actually be made in the U.S. The population has urbanized with 80% of Mexicans now living in cities.
Regarding Mexican immigration, she said it now is a net zero due to the rising Mexican economy and border security. However, there still is a brain drain with 50% of Mexican PhD's residing in the U.S. and 25% of the college grads. "We have benefited from their best and brightest." The remittances that Mexican-Americans send to their families in Mexico has helped to advance education for some and furthered economic investment in that country.
Although with the recent election the new president is from the P.R.I party, the politics have changed with the Mexican congress made of multiple parties. This plus the stronger supreme court and a strong free media will check the strength of one party.
The main problem in Mexico is the continuing problem with corruption and violence. This has slowed business development somewhat. She visited the City of Juarez, the most violent city in Mexico, and was struck by the massive manufacturing plants there. She said they need to get control of the underground violent elements just as the U.S. had to in our past. She said the future of Mexico depends on this...whether they are pulled down by violence or whether they can develop into a first world country.
In summary, although the U.S. has many important trading partners, Mexico has become the most important to us on a day to day basis for both exporting and importing goods, interdependence of manufacturing and the integration of Mexican people in our society.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at U.S.C.
Saturday was a beautiful day for roaming around the U.S.C. campus listening to music, poetry, talented authors and creative people discussing life.
I first listened to Michael Silverblatt interview Margaret Atwood. Michael is the host of KCRW's "Bookworm" who interviews authors and advises listeners on great works. Margaret has written over 40 works of fiction, poetry and essays. She has written "The Year of the Flood" and a new book coming out in September, "Maddaddam." She received an award from the L.A. Times for Innovation.
She has written in "The New Yorker" which she calls the "oasis of writers...they pay people." She praises the advent of the web site and technology...tweeting to people all over the world...where people can read literature on cell phones even in third world countries. Tweeting messages has saved libraries slated to close. She grew up in a house hold with a father and brother being biologists. "Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey is dissected at the table with parts named."
She made several profound statements such as "Ecocide...if we kill the ocean, we will die, 80% of our oxygen comes from the algae in the ocean."
She writes from a woman view such as her short story in "The New Yorker" called "Stone Mattress" about violation and anger.
Then I enjoyed jazz music provided by Forshay high school musicians on the U.S.C. stage and then off to the L.A. Times outdoor stage for a reading and discussion by Julia Sweeney of Saturday Night Live, "God Said HA!" and "Letting Go of God." I have enjoyed live performances of these two solo plays and just enjoy listening to her. He new book from which is read is called " If it is not one thing, it's your Mother."
Julia talked about her writing style as the "power hour" where she forces herself to set in front of her computer for an hour...no interruptions. Some times she writes notes before she goes to bed and sleeps on them. It seems to work. She is a great writer and entertaining performer.
After a few words from the poetry stage, I enjoyed more music from various stages including "Trio Ellas" three beautiful ladies playing Mariachi, L.A. Times booth discussions with columnists Sandy Banks, Nita Lelyveld, Robin Abcarian with Steve Padilla. I then squeezed in the auditorium with Robert Scheer and political cartoonists Dwayne Booth (Mr. Fish), Victor Navasky, and Ann Telnaes. The main point made very strongly by Robert was that political cartoons need to stir things up....the question is where and if you draw the line some place. He said "people should be out of control"...sometimes.
I first listened to Michael Silverblatt interview Margaret Atwood. Michael is the host of KCRW's "Bookworm" who interviews authors and advises listeners on great works. Margaret has written over 40 works of fiction, poetry and essays. She has written "The Year of the Flood" and a new book coming out in September, "Maddaddam." She received an award from the L.A. Times for Innovation.
She has written in "The New Yorker" which she calls the "oasis of writers...they pay people." She praises the advent of the web site and technology...tweeting to people all over the world...where people can read literature on cell phones even in third world countries. Tweeting messages has saved libraries slated to close. She grew up in a house hold with a father and brother being biologists. "Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey is dissected at the table with parts named."
She made several profound statements such as "Ecocide...if we kill the ocean, we will die, 80% of our oxygen comes from the algae in the ocean."
She writes from a woman view such as her short story in "The New Yorker" called "Stone Mattress" about violation and anger.
Then I enjoyed jazz music provided by Forshay high school musicians on the U.S.C. stage and then off to the L.A. Times outdoor stage for a reading and discussion by Julia Sweeney of Saturday Night Live, "God Said HA!" and "Letting Go of God." I have enjoyed live performances of these two solo plays and just enjoy listening to her. He new book from which is read is called " If it is not one thing, it's your Mother."
Julia talked about her writing style as the "power hour" where she forces herself to set in front of her computer for an hour...no interruptions. Some times she writes notes before she goes to bed and sleeps on them. It seems to work. She is a great writer and entertaining performer.
After a few words from the poetry stage, I enjoyed more music from various stages including "Trio Ellas" three beautiful ladies playing Mariachi, L.A. Times booth discussions with columnists Sandy Banks, Nita Lelyveld, Robin Abcarian with Steve Padilla. I then squeezed in the auditorium with Robert Scheer and political cartoonists Dwayne Booth (Mr. Fish), Victor Navasky, and Ann Telnaes. The main point made very strongly by Robert was that political cartoons need to stir things up....the question is where and if you draw the line some place. He said "people should be out of control"...sometimes.
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| Oh Yes, Susan Feniger, of Street Cafe and others was fun to watch on the cooking stage...something about ways to dice without cutting off a finger....and if you do, use a sharp knife as it causes a smoother cut that's easier for resewing back. She was going on about loving lime leaves...before I left for the food court...made me hungry. |
Arturo Sandoval at LACMA on Friday Night
Arturo Sandoval and his band were on had for free jazz night at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The 63 year old Cuban-American played out on his trumpet and electric piano with a bongo player, pianist, guitarist, and bass. The crowd enjoyed the up beat sounds with many dancing on the perimeter.
Sunset in the Marina
On Thursday night, Colleen and I enjoyed a sunset dinner at Marina del Rey and enjoyed the seals in the water and the hunting of the pelicans...circling and diving for a fresh fish dinner. When one lives in a city, it is wonderful to escape to the edge and enjoy nature...even if that means having a huge yacht in the background with private helicopter on board....tis L.A. after all.
The Getty Center with the Veterans
On Thursday we took a field trip to the Getty Center and enjoyed the amazing view on a pretty clear day....could even see Catalina Island. We viewed the French impressionists and other paintings of the 19th century as well as the Baroque period...Rembrandt and his contemporaries.
Here are a couple of new things I found to appreciate as well as the wonderful views:
Here are a couple of new things I found to appreciate as well as the wonderful views:
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| This is a 1857-58self-portrait by Edgar Degas, a French painter who lived from 1834 to 1917. This is one of about twenty self-portraits that Degas painted in Italy when he was about 23 years old. |
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| "Landscape with the Castle of Massa di Carrara," 1827 by Leo von Klenze, German, 1784-1864. Klenze was primarily know for being the chief architect and head of public works in Munich from 1816-1864. He painted this view, while living in Munich, of Massa, a town near Genoa, from the many sketches he had made in Italy seven years earlier |
Frans de Waal and Amy Parrish at Aloud
On Wednesday evening I went to L.A.'s central library for a discussion between Frans de Waal and Amy Parish, both primatologists, he from Holland. Frans de Waal's newest book is "The Bonobo and the Atheist...are primates wired for morality?'
Bonobo's have been referred to as "Left bank chimpanzees" that I guess refers to their creativity in addition to their similarities to humans. Both Amy Parrish and the author have studied and lived with the Bonobo and talked about the animals' empathy and compassion toward each other. They talked about how all mammals have shown these traits including elephants, cats, dogs, whales, etc. Dr. de Waal showed videos of animals recognizing themselves in the mirror, opening their mouths and looking inside and trying to removed tape placed on one side of the head that they only discovered by looking in the mirror. Other videos showed chimps helping each other and coordinating their efforts to achieve a goal. This empathy and sense of fairness demonstrates that morality came before religion. Religion only appeared after the population grew and the need arose to create some rules attributed to gods. The notion that God keeps an eye on people resulted in greater external control.
They talked about how science came later and explains how all this has come together. Both scientists talked about how they have evidence that the Bonobo and other mammals show empathy and grief in how they deal with the loss of loved ones. For example, elephants visit remains of loved ones bones and treat them with respect and reverence. They also said that the degree one demonstrates empathy toward others depends on the amount of parental nurturing they received. We know this about humans as well through the study of the effects of child neglect.
Their premise is that morality is innate and it did not come from a higher order as proved in the behavior of animals. Bonobos give us hope that peace and empathy can survive and grow in humanity.
Bonobo's have been referred to as "Left bank chimpanzees" that I guess refers to their creativity in addition to their similarities to humans. Both Amy Parrish and the author have studied and lived with the Bonobo and talked about the animals' empathy and compassion toward each other. They talked about how all mammals have shown these traits including elephants, cats, dogs, whales, etc. Dr. de Waal showed videos of animals recognizing themselves in the mirror, opening their mouths and looking inside and trying to removed tape placed on one side of the head that they only discovered by looking in the mirror. Other videos showed chimps helping each other and coordinating their efforts to achieve a goal. This empathy and sense of fairness demonstrates that morality came before religion. Religion only appeared after the population grew and the need arose to create some rules attributed to gods. The notion that God keeps an eye on people resulted in greater external control.
They talked about how science came later and explains how all this has come together. Both scientists talked about how they have evidence that the Bonobo and other mammals show empathy and grief in how they deal with the loss of loved ones. For example, elephants visit remains of loved ones bones and treat them with respect and reverence. They also said that the degree one demonstrates empathy toward others depends on the amount of parental nurturing they received. We know this about humans as well through the study of the effects of child neglect.
Their premise is that morality is innate and it did not come from a higher order as proved in the behavior of animals. Bonobos give us hope that peace and empathy can survive and grow in humanity.
Friday, April 19, 2013
French Quarter Festival
I roamed over, around and through over 2 days of the 30th New Orleans French Quarter Festival over the weekend of April 11-14. 'twas full of great music on stages and in the streets of the Quarter. Here are a few scenes:
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