Notes From A Bear's Journey

     It may have started with my neighbors, or maybe it was the arrival of my friends, or maybe just my walking with the dog.  Or maybe it was the heat.  Even my 85-year old friend, who's stubborn as a mule (clings to her landline no matter how poor the service), succumbed to having air conditioning installed in her home (she is now quite happy, as she often reminds me through a static-filled call).  But where was I? (as she would often ask during our conversations)  Oh yes, the heat.  Our second week of 100+ degree temps is breaking records, even if we do sit in the bowl of a desert.  While southern cities such as Las Vegas and St. George zoom past the 110- or 115-degree mark, we here in Salt Lake City are used to the 90s in summer.   But the 100s?  Phew, those Southern naps and iced teas are looking mighty inviting.  And so it was that we had our neighbors over, neighbors whom we've known for nearly forever and with whom we still enjoy monthly gatherings.  But that said, who

     There are quite a number of subjects which I'll likely never understand, such as the rules of cricket or pickle ball, even though both are widely popular.  Add to both of those, the fields of physics, politics, and the stock market.  Now none of that means that I'm not interested in such subjects; but as one of my friends said to me, he wanted to use his time to explore only those things in which he was interested in or at least those areas in which he felt that he could make a difference such as volunteering somewhere.  All of which made me think of the occasional times when I've talked with friends who had indeed worked in the field of physics, their talking of how easy it was to understand organic chemistry (what??) and how the world around them made sense --as it would for anyone, they told me-- if they understood physics.  My pickle ball friends, who play almost daily, are much the same in telling me how easy the rules are and how easy the game is on the body, ev

     Okay, another twisting of words, unless your in the UK where the conservatives (the Tories), have ruled over Parliament for 14 years (and yes, played both ends when it came to Brexit, hurrah when it passed and now, how-did-the-liberals-let-this-happen?).  Sound familiar?  The conservative Tories have railed against the spending habits of the liberals, and yet, virtually each leader of the their party has been a billionaire and has worked to cut services such as health care (the NHS), police, schools, and help for the increasing numbers of homeless.  So how have they won year after year?  By focusing on "those" illegals, the refugees they accuse of flooding their country and taking away their jobs, all while getting government handouts (the recent French elections show that the strategy still works...).   Never mind that the cost of everything from vegetables to meats have skyrocketed because few "legal" workers are left to do the "dirty" jobs of harve