Remembering La Festa

This time of year I can’t help thinking about a pleasant part of my childhood in Utica, New York. In the 1930’s and early 40‘s (yes it was that long ago) summertime ushered in a flurry of Italian street festivals in East Utica. A litany of saints were honored with their own festival usually hosted by a quasi religious society representing some region of Italy. The feasts of Sante Giuseppe, Sante Rocco, L’Assunta, Sante Antonio, Santa Rosalia, Santi Cosmo and Danmiano were the most popular.

Several street blocks were cordoned off with Christmas-like lights ( usually red, white and green) spanning from one side to the other. Food vending booths and booths sporting various games of chance appeared out of nowhere at every corner. A place of honor was reserved for a statue of the saint adorned with dollar bills. Separated by a respectable distance were two bandstands for La Banda Rossa and La Banda Bianco.

The faithful were beckoned to the feast by a procession thru the streets of East Utica featuring a band ,members of the society hosting the feast and a statue of the saint . We were particularly fortunate in that our landlady was the president of La Societa di Sante Antonio since this called for the band to come to our home where it played while the president exited her home in all her finery and joined the procession. As I recall, as the procession proceeded it was customary to offer a dollar bill to be pinned to the statue. I don’t think the money went to any charity unless you could call the festival organizers a charity

Thinking back it seems that the festival or feast was more of a social event than a religious event. People got to spend a festive time with their paisani, compare and famiglia. The feast was all about food and music. Italian sausage simmering on a grill, tomato pie, gelato, lupini, pizza fritta and my favorite, - zippoli . The music - a battle of the bands with La Banda Russa dueling La Banda Bianco. Looking back, it amazes me that a small group of amateur musicians under the direction of Maestro Lalli would dare tackle the Triumphant March from Aida.

From a family point of view the most memorable part of attending “ the feast” was that occasionally our father would take us to a nearby neighborhood bar where in the backroom we indulged in some refreshments - beer and tomato pie for pop and mom, ginger ale and tomato pie for myself and my sister. Afterwards it was off to of all places the city dump for the highlight of the festival - fireworks. Considering the economically depressed times the fireworks display was extravagant. Aerial bombs , rockets, “ Niagara Falls”, a fiery outline of the particular saint, a glowing American and Italian Flag. You knew that the fireworks were over when a rocket went up and out popped two parachutes lowering an Italian and an American flag. As the Italian flag came down La Band Russa played an Italian fanfare ( for obvious reasons this practice was stopped as World War II clouds gathered).

The feast was officially over with an eleven o’clock Sunday mass. It was a “three priest high mass” complete with incense and ornate vestments. In attendance were the societa members with their sashes and haughty looks. It was mandatory that pastor give an emotional sermon in Italian praising the saint being honored. It was also mandatory that the collection baskets overflowed. As the priest raised the chalice during the Consecration, the serenity of the mass was interrupted by fireworks going off outside the church and La Banda Russa going into action with you guessed it, an Italian fanfare. With the completion of the mass and one final procession, La Festa was over but in Utica it would only be a matter of a few weeks before another festa took place.

The most recent festa that I have attended is the Feast of The Assumption (L’Assunta) celebrated in the Little Italy area of Cleveland, Ohio. No way did it measure up to the Utica feasts. As soon as I saw pieroggi and Elephant Ears being vended alongside fried dough and gnocchi I knew that times have changed and the essence of an Italian street festival had been compromised. The biggest disappointment - no Banda Russa!

( I have been told that delving into nostalgia is a sure sign of old age. That’s true but being old and able to remember is better than being old and not being able to remember.)

On Immortality

Death is inevitable! Or is it? It seems there is an exemption from death - immortality. Being immortal gives one an unending existence and lasting fame. The trick is to achieve immortality. Beethoven did it. Edison did it. Shakespeare did it. Mozart did it. Verdi did it. da Vinci did it. How did they do it? They were creative. Simple enough, be creative and achieve immortality. But there’s a catch. You can’t acquire creativity, at least not the kind that leads to immortality, you must be born with it. Even being born with creativity is not enough. Apparently immortal composers, writers and inventors had an additional advantage over mere mortals. Everyone of them was a genius and you don’t acquire that either. But what about immortals such as Enrico Caruso and Babe Ruth? Hardly geniuses and certainly not overly creative. But they had talent, a lot of it, which was the key to their immortality. Talent alone does not get you there but tons of talent ( and a little luck) will do the trick. Then we have the saints. If you’re a Catholic , being elevated to sainthood gives you instant immortality. Beware, achieving sainthood is a difficult process since it requires the performance of miracles. Unfortunately, in these days sainthood appears to be reserved for a few high profile individuals. No amount of charitable acts, prayer or bribes will get you sainthood. So what do we have. If you are not a genius, if you are not creative, if you don’t bristle with talent, if you’re not a miracle worker with connections, the door to immortality is closed. Still all is not lost, history tells us that there is another way to sneak in. Hitler did it. Stalin did it. Nero did it. . How did they do it? Viciousness! Unlike genius, creativity, talent and holiness , there is no lack of viciousness in the world. Fortunately most people either do not have enough viciousness or find no suitable platform to display it. Lets face it. If you’re not a genius possessing creativity, if you are not bubbling over with talent, if you are not vicious to the point of destroying countless lives, and if you are not a saint , there is no way you can achieve immortality. We are back where we started. Death is inevitable! A granite tombstone is the only semblance of immortality the vast majority of us will ever have. Notwithstanding , if you are still set on achieving immortality you might consider being a suicide bomber. Death is involved but it is said that a successful suicide bomber has an automatic lock on immortality and as a bonus enjoys an inexhaustible supply of virgins. As for me, I’ll settle for the granite tombstone.

Living With A High Primal Thinker

What is a high primal thinker? Since I live with a high primal thinker I should be able to come up with a definition. I find however, that it is indefinable. That’s part of being a high primal thinker. You proclaim that you are and no one can dispute it since its not definable. The last sentence is an example of high primal thinking (living with a high primal thinker is contagious). One thing I do know is that a high primal thinker is not stupid. In fact high primal thinking is a front for a fountain of knowledge. My high primal thinker puts the likes of Leonard Maltin to shame when it comes to recalling movies and actors ( especially supporting actors). Wolf Blitzer should consider her for a position of senior political analyst in the Situation Room. Rachel Ray has nothing on her when it comes to innovative recipes. Her knowledge of grammar acquired from overzealous nuns makes me self-conscious every time I speak or write. I have also learned that high primal thinkers are not humble, have an opinion on everything, will volunteer their opinions even when they are not solicited and of course are never wrong. It goes with the territory and makes life lively. Something else I have discovered about high primal thinkers - they are caring persons, great mothers, and loving spouses.

Unbelievable!

In a little over four years the Middle East is in shambles. Now we have Gaza controlled by Hamas and the West Bank controlled by Fatah (fat chance of any peace with Israel). Then we have the Taliban making a comeback in Afghanistan and Al Qaeda romping around in Iraq. Iraq? The civil war in Iraq is getting hotter. A civil war is being kindled in Lebanon. So goes our Middle East policy. Democracy doesn't appear to be a workable form of government in the Middle East yet Washington keeps making that a priority in our approach to peace. A surge in military action has had little effect in bringing about any sort of stability in Iraq. The only surge that seems to be having any effect in the Middle East is the surge on violence and civil war. We can't seem to hold back Iran's rise as the power broker in the Middle East. Russia will not allow any effective action by the United Nations that would stop Iran's nuclear program .( Of course we have done a pretty job of putting in place the ingredients of a "cool war" with Russia.) What more can happen ? An invasion of Iran? Should this occur we can kiss goodbye to our standard of living. We can garage our automobiles. We can ground our airplanes. Our democracy will face its sternest test ever. Where is the leader who will lead us out of the Middle East mess? He or she better emerge soon. Middle East peace must take priority over the "War On Terror"- peace is the worst enemy of terrorists.

You Can't Handle The Truth - Part 2

It looks like Bud Selig is bound to make Jason Giambi the fall guy in Baseball's steroid scandal. Giambi is the only superstar to even address the use of performance enhancing drugs. Why is he now being persecuted by Selig? Commissioner Selig can put the whole steroid issue to rest by doing three things:

• Announce that he will be in attendance when Bond breaks the home run record
• Apologize for Baseball's steroid scandal when interviewed at the game
• RESIGN

About Longevity

Longevity, blessing or curse? As today’s septuagenarians and octogenarians bathe themselves in a fountain of wonder drugs yielding the results of the oft sought fountain of youth , families and the country are faced with an aging population the proportions of which were never fully anticipated. Both face challenges they would rather not have.

The curse? Savings are being depleted. Globalization is forcing corporations to reconsider pension and healthcare commitments. An aging population cries out for social reforms but the Congress shies away from doing anything about Social Security and Medicare ( its an election year which will be followed by another election year and then another) leaving confusion in its wake. Insurance companies feverishly update their actuarial tables ( and premiums). A generation which once looked forward to their golden years now suspect that those years may be a bit tarnished. With seniors running around displaying bumper stickers such as “ I’m Spending My Children’s Inheritance” and the government reluctant to face up to the problems of an aging population the question comes up “ who in hell is going to take care of these geezers?”.

Fortunately the geezers have not all succumbed to dementia , Alzheimer or denial. They either have or are making plans to cope with the limitations of old age. The lofty objective is to fend for themselves with a little help and understanding from family (should there be an off year perhaps the politicos will do their share to help). Optimistically the young geezers and the old geezers will reach some accommodation as to how they can co-exist and make those golden years survivable. As for the wonder drugs, they have their limitations. The aging process will not be denied - life will end!

Longevity a blessing? Of course! Longevity permits one to watch their children succeed in this world. Longevity permits one to watch his granddaughters grow into lovely young ladies. Longevity permits one to proudly proclaim, I have a great-grandson! Longevity permits one to marvel at and use technological advances once thought improbable. Longevity gives one the opportunity to grow old gracefully with a loving spouse and family.

Six distractions that baseball can do without:

1. The tomahawk chop at Braves games

2. The bass drum banging away at Indians games

3. The taunting chants at Yankee games

4. The thunder sticks at any game

5. The rally towels at any game

6. The wave at any game

(I thought about listing Rudy Giuliani at Yankee games but he'll be too absorbed trying to become president to attend many games.)

MALOCCHIO!

The high cost of health care could be reduced somewhat if instead of rushing a child to the doctor every time the child feels ill , the parents would consider the possibility that “malocchio” was at work.

Among Italian immigrants malocchio or evil eye was something to be feared. Malocchio was caused by the bad thoughts of other people especially in respect to children . A child feeling ill was very possibly the result of someone having cast an evil eye upon the child. If one suspected that this was being done, the first line of defense was to point an index finger and small finger ( a. k. a. giving the horns) unobtrusively at the "looker" . If this did not ward off the malocchio it was time for more drastic action. Not a visit to an urgent care center but a visit to someone "possessing the power" to expunge the malocchio.. This individual, usually a female, would place a few drops of olive oil on the forehead of the infected person and incessantly rub the oil in the form of a cross while mumbling some unintelligible prayer. If she yawned a lot during the incantation the effects of the malocchio were being driven out. The poor child was usually scared out of its wits and after the treatment would announce a cure rather than submit to more incantations. The cost? Very reasonable - just a few coins.

(How did one acquire the powers to cure ailments due to malocchio? On the job training. My sister suffered frequently from malocchio. Since she was getting very familiar with the whole procedure of removing malocchio she was considered a prime candidate to learn the powers. As far as I know this never happened, although sometimes I wonder.)

Immigrants And Flags

Some argue that the presence of the Mexican flag at immigration reform demonstrations signifies disrepect for this country (the argument being that if you are aspiring to legal residency and possible American citizenship, “Old Glory” is the only flag you should wave). I almost bought into this argument but in a nostalgic moment I recalled that the Italian flag was prominently displayed at festivals. I mentioned this to my son who reminded me that even today St. Patrick Day events prominently feature the Irish flag. Immigrants and in some cases their descendants have always brandished the flag of "the old country" albeit more in celebrations rather than demonstrations. So what is wrong with a Mexican immigrant honoring the flag of his native country along with “Old Glory”? Nothing as long as this country is his country of choice and the country that he left is an important part of his past but only his past. Flags are banners and we should be careful about revering them as religious-like icons.

Baseball And God

Watching a baseball game is almost a religious experience. The pitcher kneels behind the mound and offers up a prayer. Notwithstanding the pitcher's apparent allegiance with God, the batter vigorously blesses himself, points his finger up toward heaven and hits a home run. The home run becomes an evangelistic event as the batter crosses the bases with his arms raised praising the Lord. The pitcher who was denied God’s help scowls and bows his head in remorse. Then we have “ an eye for an eye” right out of the bible as the remorseful pitcher drills the next batter in the back in retribution. For his sin , he is banished to the clubhouse where he drowns his sorrows in some holy water.

Toilet engineering jobs will disappear

On May 25th the Forum section of The Plain Dealer carried an article by Alan S. Blinder, “ Free Trade is not good for you”. Blinder is a professor of economics at Princeton University. His opening words, “I’m a free trader down to my toes. Always have been. Yet lately, I'm being treated as a heretic by many of my fellow economists. Why? Because I have stuck my neck out and predicted that the offshoring of service jobs from rich countries such as the United States to poor countries such as India may pose major problems for tens of millions of American workers over the coming decades. In fact, I think off shoring may be the biggest political issue in economics for a generation”. Professor Blinder’s views and predictions are an eye opener.

Much has been written about the flight of blue collar jobs to countries boasting cheap labor. Now there is an equal threat to white collar jobs and it is the technology that white collar workers created, electronic service delivery, that will bring this about. Per Blinder “ it’s not just low-skill services such as key punching, transcription and telemarketing. It’s also high-skill services such as radiology, architecture and engineering - maybe even college teaching”. This is scary! It will have minimal effect on me or my children .My grandchildren will be impacted more. My great-grandson, however could very well face horrific economic challenges.

This a bit facetious but consider this scenario. Toilets designed by American engineers are being manufactured in China for export to the United States. Factory jobs are lost. Suddenly it’s cheaper to have the new generation of toilets designed by Chinese engineers. Who needs a toilet engineer in the USA. So what toilet job is left for the American worker? Cleaning toilets!

At least its encouraging that a free trader such as Blinder is raising concerns as to where free trade is going. I strongly agree with one of his proposals which calls for more science and engineering and more spending on R&D. Then again, how do we attract young men and women to an engineering or scientific career when there is the prospect that their job may be offshored?