Stargazing and giving a terrorism a run for its money

"The Earth is just too small and fragile a basket for the human race to keep all its eggs in."

                                                                                                                                — Robert Heinlein

"Terrorism is the tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gunpoint."

                                                                                                                           — Christopher Hitchens

AUBURN — Call us a couple of nerdy stargazers who enjoy scanning the universe for things that go bump in the dark skies above the Pine Tree State.

Actually, don't use the word nerdy when addressing me or you and I will have a big problem! It could get ugly.

For the past two nights, Anthony and I bundled up and stood outside our home, patiently waiting and watching for the International Space Station to pass over New England.

We learned online that it would streak across Maine at the usual 17,500 miles per hour to remain in orbit or plummet to earth. 

We kept a vigil despite the chill in the air, waiting for that fast-moving dot in the sky to race across the darkness and thrill a father and son who never miss an opportunity to check out a man-made object traversing the heavens.

Some people say studying the stars is a straight waste of mankind's time. I say bully for NASA, which put a bunch of brave guys on the moon and brought humanity closer to understanding the universe's randomness.

We as a species have always been adventurous and have taken bold risks to see what is over the next ridge during our evolution as human beings.

Space, like the ocean, is a new frontier that must be explored or man's quest for knowledge will become stagnant. There is enlightenment in the stars and all of us should keep looking up at the vast darkness known as the universe.

My son and I stood outside with our cameras and watched in awe as the space station passed above us from a height of approximately 255 miles.

I was hoping for a shout-out from the astronauts as they raced through the night. Sure enough, the station passed over us at 7:54 Eastern Standard Time and didn't disappoint two fans on two chilly, April evenings on a quiet street in central Maine.

Giving terrorism a run for its money

No matter how hard terrorists try, they can't repress a nation that raised the bar for all of humanity when our founding fathers wrote this one sentence in the Declaration of Independence: "All men are created equal."

That one phrase is why the Boston Marathon will be held on another Patriots' Day under the watchful eyes of 3,500 law enforcement officers.

All those pathetic and misguided brothers did was make a nation stronger. What I will never understand is how two young men could target an athletic event that defines peace. Runners from every walk of life and religion come to the Bay State to compete in an event that brings people together. 

There is no question America also has a past littered with dark moments in its history, but it is a nation that tries hard and still stands as the cradle of liberty.

When the starter's gun goes off in Hopkinton on Monday morning, we will be cheering for the runners as well as for a nation and a city that hasn't missed a step in spite of an ugly act of terrorism.

Something new

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

— Bill Vaughn

AUBURN, Maine — I am hoping this New Year won't be the same old, same old.

There are no guarantees and there will be no resolutions from me. The universe is a funny place and the cosmos makes no promises and could give a damn about you and me!

Resolutions are a crock of ... well I won't use that word because this is a family blog even though I could give the late Harry S. Truman a run for his money when it comes to firing off a round of vulgarities. I admit I am no stranger to the F-word, but I do try to use it sparingly. I know this raunchy word offends people, but as an adjective, it is second to none.

While the rest of humanity was celebrating 2012 with rum and vodka, I spent the evening putting out a major daily metropolitan newspaper about — you guessed it — 2012. Of course, there are many people (please stay away from me) who believe the human race is at the end of its rope because the Mayan calendar expires this year.

For those of you who think 2012 is our epilogue, find a good shrink and ask for those little green pills that will make you happy again. Better yet, get a life.

There are at least dozen ways humans will go the way of the typewriter, but basing armageddon on a group of people who lived hundreds of years ago and sacrificed thousands of their fellow men to deities is simply absurd.

Knowing the show will go on and I remain above ground, I have made goals for this year. There are still many things I want out of life, but many remain out of my reach.

I would like to make more money, but I don't strive to be rich. The almighty dollar is not my Holy Grail. I am already a wealthy man who is married to woman who possesses beauty and brains. My son excels in his academics and is a gentleman who understands why please and thank you might just take him to the top. That makes him priceless. I have three sisters who I consider assets despite our skirmishes.

I want to use the cash to buy experiences, not things. I want to travel more, fix up the house, and pay off the nefarious banks which own the note on my house. I want to make credit cards obsolete — and I am not giving a dime to any politician.

I also realize all the money in the world will not rescue my mother from eternity. Money can't buy back Louise's love and understanding. That also goes for Dorothy Millett — my mother-in-law, who was buried the day after Christmas. I miss her cooking and common sense.

If I had the cash, I would invest in finding a cure for Alzheimer's, which, at this moment, is stripping my father's brain of his precious memories. I am losing bits and pieces of a proud man whose integrity and loyalty seems outdated in a world enveloped in greed, corruption and indifference.

If I could use the money to step back in time, I would intervene on behalf of two acquaintances who committed suicide over money woes brought on by a bad economy.

I figured the quickest and devious way to make money is run for Congress. I like the perks that come with a job, where special interest money comes rolling in and health insurance is guaranteed for life. The job requirements are simple: Promise your constituency everything but give them nothing, and ignore the Greater Good.

I wouldn't mind giving world peace another shot. But I doubt that will happen. The human race seems to enjoy fighting over religion, resources, pride, the Red Sox, the damn Yankees or those sneaky Canadiens. I like peace, and it's cheaper than war.

I am also hoping for no major health emergencies. My wife has had to endure two serious operations. Enough, already!

I am growing a bigger garden this year. Grocery shopping is traumatic. Food prices are ridiculous and the amounts are shrinking even though you are paying more for cereal.

I would like to purchase a car that runs on hot air. There's a huge untapped supply in Washington D.C., and its renewable, too.

What I really want out of this New Year is peace of mind. It's something money can't buy and it isn't asking for too much.