Slice of Life: Untimely Passing of UMass Minuteman Marching Band Director, George N. Parks

Far to often, people forget that their friends and family are truly the most important things in life.  No matter the highs we reach or the lows we approach, a gentle hand, a warm touch, a kind word, some inspirational wisdom, or even a swift kick in the pants can always be appreciated.  Then there are the kind of people whom you meet rarely and interact with extremely little but through their influential nature, have the ability to forever change your life.

George N. Parks was exactly that kind of person.  In my brief two years with the Delaware Marching Band, I had a rare chance to interact with Parks on a level that was yet unrealized until today.  Unfortunately, that realization comes upon the sad mind and heavy heart to report his passing.  While my personal interaction with Parks was extremely little, if at all, his tremendous reach and outward character has shaped the lives of many young women and men whom have an appreciation for music on all levels.

My wife, my friends, and myself have all learned the "Park's way" through one of his best friends and disciples, Delaware Marching Band Director, Heidi I. Sarver.  Through following Facebook feeds to support our mentor Sarv, we remember George's self-processed mantra that every person should be Santa Clause.  Individually be great, together be unsurpassed and do this every time in everything you do simply because you can.  Learn to do things the right way while having fun and making it so contagious that everyone around you will catch it.  That "it" obviously being tradition, education, leadership and values, and molding kids into adults.  Some of us got it during college, others not until our early professional career, but anyone who has ever been associated with Dr. Parks certainly understood his excitement for life.

That excitement for life is exactly what we need to remember today.  Not the legacy he leaves behind, nor the tradition and excellence that he taught and drilled into everyone of his band members,  Drum Major Academy students, or "baby band" members, but the fact that today is just as good as yesterday and we are going to do something fun!  Sarv captured that and spread it to her own program at Delaware and undoubtedly her students have spread it to area high school bands where they now teach.  It's in every one of us to remember that life is what we make it, and that we can all be Santa Clause and should be every day.  I admit, a small part of me has shed a few tears for a man I've barely known, but the memories and friendships forged through the experience of UDMB that was so inspired by what Parks' teachings, how could I not feel some sorrow?

With all of this said today, I feel only a fraction of a pain that can be expressed by those who were and are personally close to one of the greatest musical educators the world has ever known.  My thoughts, sympathies, prayers, and condolences go out to every member of the "baby band" community whether they wear Blue & Gold, Purple & Gold, Maroon & Black, or any other color that George Parks infected with his lively spirit.  To Mr. Park's family, may you find comfort in support from band members everywhere.

To Sarver:  I will say what I've already told you in your question of how you go on.  You go on Sarv with all of us behind you.  You continue to keep those feet together, that stomach in, your chest ouy, your elbows frozen, your chin most importantly up, and you can let tears of pride be shed.  A man's body is not nearly as strong as his spirit, and Dr. Parks knew that better than all but the greatest spiritual prophets that have walked this earth.  It is apparent to this band member, that God needed a band director this day, and he got a damned good one; the best one.  All of UD and UMass band members are behind you, because all of us were behind your great friend.  Even though your friend did it "My Way,"  we will make this easy for you Sarv, and do it HIS WAY!

And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain

I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes there were times I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing

To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Yes it was my way

Constitution Day: 223 Years of Simple, Enumerated Powers

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Happy Constitution Day!  A mere Two Hundred, Twenty-Three years ago today, our glorious piece of parchment paper was ratified, thus cohering our great nation as a free and open society, with the hope of limited government intrusion into our every day lives.  For today, let us focus on the great prosperity that has been bestowed upon the hard working, average, individual Americans for these last two and a quarter centuries.  

World War II Ace Gets First Jump at 93!

As always, I love to bring you the cutting edge, feel good articles that we don't see in your average lamestream media.  Today's edition involves the Military Time's coverage of a WW II fighter jock that got to make his first skydive a few days before his 94th birthday.  I guess I should relent and let my wife do a jump considering a 93 year old fighter ace is tough enough for the task, shouldn't I?  Dear readers, please feel free to dissuade my change of heart and mind.

At any rate, thanks for your contribution to the free world Airmen McCauley.  May you make another jump next year and until God takes your blessed soul!

After Action Review: Maryland Primary

Finally!  The gloves are off and maybe we can get a good old fashioned street fight going.  Instead of two heavyweights going at it in the ring with an official to keep the hits above the belt, we'll just bill it as a rematch, a slug-fest, a winner-take-all event!  Perhaps we could even mix in a little mud slinging and a few good lies to go with it to make it that much more interesting. 

Well, of course, that's what we have!  We've got a rematch.  O'Malley vs. Ehrlich, 2!  Hell, we don't even have to wait for the mud slinging, it's already happening.  Thanks to Martin!  Your commercials on the radio make Rex Ryan's football smack talk appear as a though it's the gospel.  Yes, Bob worked for a lobby firm, even though he never took any lobby money or even directly lobbied himself.  True he's an advocate for drilling for oil but so are a lot of hard working Americans to get a reasonable assurance of an "all of the above" energy independence strategy.  Yes, Bobby raised fees and property taxes, but that was also at the hands of the legislature, since THEY make the budget and the Governor's office only proposes it.  What have you done Martin? 

Oh, that's right OWE'Malley has done nothing but raise taxes:  Sales tax 20% increase, a new "millionaire's" tax on not only businesses, but the individuals as well.  No, our fees haven't gone up, but we've borrowed profusely to balance the budget and have endangered Maryland's Triple A bond rating (assuming that bond ratings mean anything in this casino investment economy these days).  Additionally, we plugged the holes in the defect with handouts from the FedGov that is basically stolen property from states with better fiscal responsibility.  Oh, and of course, the two biggest campaign promises were what, no BGE rate hike and no need to have slots in the state of Maryland to save horse racing or balance the budget, right?  I guess you were for the BGE rate hike and slots before you were against them, only to be ultimately for them again dear current Governor? 

But, I digress, and these are not the only reasons why I am writing this post today.  Most of us know that Maryland is blue through and through (and no, not Elvis blue), and the apathy showed itself in the primary.  In a state of over 5.6 million people, only 724,659 total ballots were cast in the Gubernatorial primaries for both parties.  Compared with the previous Gubernatorial primaries of 2006, that's down from a total of 738,415 votes cast.  It will be interesting to see just how much that apathy bleeds into the general election come November.

Of personal note and interest was the primary race for District 8 Maryland Delegate.  Being a Hazzard county native and not understanding Baltimore county politics, I wanted to get the low-down prior to the election on this race, and several others.  A friend of mine gave me some good insight, but it seems that the party backed candidate who is effectively a closet dem, closely beat out an up start Tea-Party candidate by 127 votes.  I still hold out hope that the absentee ballots can turn the tide in that race, but it appears that won't be the case.

I have yet to understand why the party establishment wants to back those who are moderate or RINO leftists like Mike Castle, when clear alternatives with conservative and libertarian principles are now mainstream and are showing us they can win, or run a very close second.  If the party had thrown it's weight behind candidate Merryman, might she have won in a fairly conservative dem district?  Considering it shot itself in the foot for power over policy, I guess we will never know. 

That means I will probably support the returning democrat Delegate since he is pro-business, pro-gun, and good at communicating with his constituency.  Fortunately there will be two good alternatives on the Republican ticket and it would be nice to make district 8 a two republican and one dem district.  It just means that I'll have to hold the dem's feet to the fire so he doesn't vote aye with his party on every bill. 

Ah yes, the largest Tea Party countdown may no commence.  Welcome ye Reds to Blue Maryland. 

QOTD: Lasting Recession Effects

A joint IMF-ILO report said 30m jobs had been lost since the crisis, three quarters in richer economies. Global unemployment has reached 210m. "The Great Recession has left gaping wounds. High and long-lasting unemployment represents a risk to the stability of existing democracies," it said.

The study cited evidence that victims of recession in their early twenties suffer lifetime damage and lose faith in public institutions. A new twist is an apparent decline in the "employment intensity of growth" as rebounding output requires fewer extra workers. As such, it may be hard to re-absorb those laid off even if recovery gathers pace. The world must create 45m jobs a year for the next decade just to tread water.

Today's quote comes from an article written by the best journalist on the planet, Ambrose-Evans Pritchard.  While I do not welcome prolonged employment mediocrity, I do welcome the skepticism of our government overlords, the world over.  Our US system of government was born out of skepticism and our overall distrust of the officials who had been entrusted to treat us as ends in ourselves.  Today, that skepticism is returning and people have to look into the hearts and minds of those in power and see where things are headed. 

Hopefully, the keepers of the US Republic have been awakened enough to change our course towards moderation and balanced budgets and away from irrational exuberance.  Obama was correct in running on change, because change we have got, and change will continue to come.