America … Melting Pot … and NOT!!!

The recent activity in Arizona and a conversation with my "idea person" brought this incident to mind ...

A couple of years ago, when ICE was still INS and I still had my own business and wasn’t dealing with high school teen-agers everyday, I had a client who owned a 1,500 unit apartment complex – one of the largest in Houston - and a number of other properties around the US and Canada. They were based in Montreal and the CEO (and client) went to college at Cornell. Houston was their US headquarters.

My company did the newsletters and much of the other printed materials required for running the operations in the United States … including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, flyers, and bandit signs. We even designed the advertising for newspaper, magazines, malls, and bus stops.

So, one day, members of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services show up at the apartments on Gulfton Drive in Houston and orders the owner to round up all his housekeeping, maintenance, grounds and other assorted support staff and asks them to produce their Green Cards. He does and they do ... every one of them is “legal” and some are second, third and FOURTH generation Americans!!!

“You need to see anything else?” the owner asks. “Anyone else???”

When informed they were satisfied with seeing all the ID’s they’d requested, the owner (CEO) and the accountant (CFO ) then produced their own Green Cards, from Canada and India, respectively.

The INS leader paused and stammered … “y’all didn’t look ‘illegal’.”

LOOKS??? What did “looks” have to do with the “raid???”

Unfortunately, we’ve used “looks” many times in America. Today, we call it “racial profiling” ... and I have, in fact, been racially profiled and “mistaken” for a Hispanic in a multimillion dollar neighborhood (twice). My "crime" was driving a beat-up little pick-up truck that was favored by lawn maintenance workers .. and being in the neighborhood after 6:00pm.

Forget all the problems of segregation in the South, perhaps the greatest (and most disgusting) instance of racial profiling took place in the 1940’s when thousand of Japanese Americans were herded into “relocation camps” based on the color of their skins and shape of their eyes ... when at the same time on the East coast of America, millions of Germans and Italians were allowed to go “free” because there were NOT as easily identifiable!

But ain't that America ... for you and me ... ain't that America ... something to see, baby ... ain't that America ... home of the free!!!

40th Anniversary - May 4, 1970

Lest We Forget ... Four Dead in Ohio

I remember the Kent State shootings and wrote about it in my ninth grade journal in Mr. Stander's class. That was 40 years ago today. I lived less than 200 miles from Kent State University.

After Lyndon Johnson left the presidency, I had really hoped the Richard Nixon would quickly bring an end to the war in Vietnam. It wasn't as quick as we thought (sound familiar?).

In the late 1990's, I was in a group in Houston and one gentleman's name sounded familiar. When I asked him if he was perhaps in someway related to a victim of the Kent State Four, he said, that yes, one was his daughter.

"I am so sorry to have asked," I said.

"No, thanks you so much for remembering," he said.

As I teach, I have become so attached to the students. They are our future. How sad we lost William Schroeder, Sandra Scheuer, Jeffrey Miller and Allison Krause on May 4, 1970.

for more info ...

http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/05/04/kent-state-40-years-on-why-four-died-in-ohio/

Four Dead in Ohio

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are gunning us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are cutting us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.

Fish thoughts

It's no secret that fish are the laziest of all animals. Consider the warm, saltwater baths you indulge your feet in after an especially taxing double shift traipsing the floor of the town aglet factory. Now consider that this is the environment in which fish spend their every waking moment, floating effortlessly on warm ocean currents or, if they're lucky, the bubble-bath-esque wakes of a passing jet boat.

In fact, fish are so lazy that they can't be bothered to evolve unique species traits and instead crib their distinguishing characteristics from other animals. This well-documented biological plagiarism is evident in the "dogfish," the sea "horse," and the "tiger shark," a particularly loathsome hybrid that sullies the noble ferocity of the tiger with the moist, pallid gumminess of the useless shark.

Most common, of course, is the heavily whiskered "catfish," which half-heartedly chases undersea mice before falling asleep in an undersea sunbeam on top of your undersea computer monitor.

Triathalon Weekend

"I'm covering a triathlon this weekend," I said

"You're DOING a triathlon?" a friend inquired.

"Do I LOOOOOK like a triathlete?" I said, with self depreciating humor.

Actually, I was taking pictures of the triathlon. My assignment - to photograph the "flavor and the fun" of the event. They're feeding me, putting me up in this great house, and PAYING me ... to take PIX! (Another company does the individual photos of the participants - about 1,800 people).

ohhh ... I had to pick up 1,000 chicken wraps on my way down on Friday afternoon.

This is where communications is the key. My Fit Food called and said 1,000 wraps was a huge undertaking and instead of 4pm, could I pick them up at 5? No problem, I have a planning meeting with the APO/Theta Rho group, so I stopped to work on that. I called at 5pm - would 6pm be okay? No problem, still at meeting. I called at 6 - they'll be ready when you get here.

I'm glad I had the mini-van, because 1,000 wraps took up most of the mid cargo department. Think 18 milk crates! I put the two captain's chairs in the back area, and there were 9 crates on the bottom, 6 crates on top of that .. and we're off to Kemah. The mini-van now smells "healthy" with scents of chicken, curry, garlic, camino ... yummmm ... and why are these people jogging after me??? LOL (not really - just imagining)

Got to Kemah later than expected but took pix of the charity dinner, silent auction items, and had my first meeting with US Olympic triathletes Andy Potts and Matty Reed. We saw LOTS of each other during the weekend. Dinner was penne pasta and Barefoot Pinot Grigio (Barefoot was one of the event sponsors).

Found the house ... and it was awesome!!! It's a Bed and Breakfast right on the bay. If you followed my Facebook posts, you know that I slept on the porch. It just felt great. Sat in a chair and drifted off the the sounds of the waves ... birds ... wind .. the smell of the salt air ... and a "deliciously cold wind" - it felt great!!! Just a spur of the moment thing that really enhanced my mood and feeling!

Saturday morning it was rise and shine. The staff and workers were up at 3:30. I woke up later - 5:00am! LOL I'll post some links for my Saturday pix.

Now, I found the first problem on Saturday that was to become one of many - I didn't have my name badge or staff shirt. I had to talk my way through all the security places. Second, it was way cooler than I'd expected, but I had a sweatshirt. But what about tomorrow?

what else could go wrong????

About 8:30, I found out. I could see this triangular white spot in my pix. I double checked my meter setting. I looked at the scene, I checked my white balance again. Then I saw a black shadow. It was there, then gone, then on every third photo shadow. I hoped. I prayed. I knew it was a shutter problem. But maybe ... ??? Then the camera stopped working. I asked several other guys but no one had a camera I could borrow.

Soooo ... I emailed, sent tweets on Twitter, and posted a note on Facebook. As it started to rain, I took off to Houston.

Professional Camera Repair opens at 9:00am on Saturday and I was there to see Mike, the owner and DSLR guru, just a little past opening time. Ohhh - I had been there on Friday afternoon because the camera wasn't reading my memory cards - neither of them. A quick cleaning of the contacts seemed to do the trick. Maybe that was problem number 1. Mike didn't charge me and wished me luck in the photo shoot. This time, however, the fix wasn't as quick or simple.

First Mike looked at the pix, shook his head, then looked inside the camera.

See that, he said, shining the flashlight inside the body? One of the three shutter blades pulled off a rivet. That shouldn't happen, he said, and added that he wasn't able to do that detailed of a repair. It would have to be sent to Canon USA and would take 3-6 weeks. My heart sank.

I was on my way to meet Neal Scott and borrow his camera. It was now raining harder. I had to back out of the small parking lot onto Richmond Ave. As I concentrated on the traffic, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. Crrunch! I stopped and looked. I had dislocated my driver's side mirror. I pulled forward to check out the damage. The electronic adjustment still worked - wheww! When I stepped outside, I could see the cracked housing. I was able to push it back into place And I saw the smudge of yellow paint and the dent. I wasn't bad ... it could have been worse. I just shook my head. What else could happen???

I drove CAREFULLY through the rain to meet Neal. We can always cheer one another up and so he did to me. We talked abot the camera issues, discussed whether the rain would stop for the Dynamo game Saturday evening, and made plans to meet.

As I left, a friend called. The day was getting better as we talked.

But talking was a distraction, and going back to Kemah I was in the wrong lane and ended up taking a tour around the University of Houston campus. I wanted ot be here for the Dynamo game about 6pm .. but not right now!!! LOL

Who does road work on a rainy Saturday??? TXDOT in Houston! What a mess sitting in traffic. Don't ask what could get worse!!!

I returned to the race in time for the seminars with Andy and Matty. They were great, the participants asked good questions, and both athletes had personal time talking and signing autographs. Some great pix. I sized some for friends and sent them off to Sam's Club and told them I'd pick them up that evening and bring them back on Sunday. Cool! Smiles!!!

With the day seemingly saved, I talked with the organizers and promoters (the guys who hired me) and they said I had some great shots, not to worry about what I missed.

As I left, I looked out, and here come Matty Reed on a jog ... just working out by himself. I grabbed the camera and snapped some shots. For a comparison, think about going to a local park and seeing Lance Berkman tossing a baseball in the air and hitting it ... or finding Phil Mickelson working on his 9 iron shots ... ??? Again - coolness!

Going into Houston a second time.

First, Patty had agreed to meet me with my official shirt and some warmer clothes. Got them and moved on. I got to Sam's and picked up the pix. They were okay but acceptable. As I changed into a long sleeve undershirt and Dynamo polo, I was looking for my glasses. My second crunchhhhh of the day - I stepped on them. I looked at the damage and the only thing I'd done was pop the wire off the bottom. Had I been thinking clearly, i would have run straight to Eyemasters.

But the rain and other problems had clouded my mind, and I was off to Robertson Stadium to see La Ponte Najarana. The good thing about Canon DSLR's ... and others ... you can adjust the eye piece to your vision - so I could see clearly through the lens. I didn't get the flashlight give-away item because I was late. I had missed tailgating with sally and Neal and others. So I wandered around the Soccer Fest ... took some pix ... chatted with folks ... but it was blurry.

I took lots of pix at the game watching from the end zone. But the Galaxy scored two goals at the opposite end. One of the Dynamo players received a red card. Not only did the Orange now have to play a man short for the rest of the game, but Luis Landin will be ineligible for next Saturday's game, and we've already lost Brian Ching to a hamstring injury for several weeks - so we're short both our key strikers!

I drove back to Kemah without incident ... but without the usual post game party. A bright spot were text messages from friends ... tough to read with just one lens though.

The night on the porch was windier ... but I had more clothes. And the shower was awesome!!! I had the house to myself each morning to get ready. What a fantasy!

Other than not being able to focus clearly, Sunday was a great day. It was bright and sunny and chilly. I took great pix (thanks again Neal for the great camera). The light house pix are awesome!!!! I had to adjust the camera by feel and there was a lapse or two. But more keepers than deletes!

The athletes enjoyed the race, the post race, the awards. Did I mention the weather was great??? I went back to the house and sat on the porch again, worked on photos, took a shower and headed out. I stopped at the fish market and picked up two pounds of fresh calamari - yummmm. I stopped at Baybrook Mall and EyeMaters - it took about 15 minutes to fix my glasses! Talked to my folks in two different conversations. Got some text messages. Did I mention how pretty the weather was???? Awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

No further damages or conflicts! The camera had a great time as well!

The weekend ended better than what it seemed. The good outweighed the bad. It always does!

Facebook status and comments

We like to have fun. We don’t take things too seriously … or do we???

One of my high school FB buddies was stressing over a chemistry test and let the whole world know about it. I thought I’d bring some levity to the situation. Apparently I did.

BTW … my Facebook friends policy is - I don’t accept any HS undergraduates unless I know their parents.

Christine Mesecher wrote …

if I don't get an A on this chem test, I will be eternally pissed!

Mike Rine commented …

Dear Lord ...

Please help Christine get an A on "this chem test."

Not for HER sake, but for the REST of human kind, her brother, her family, and all those she will meet along the way. And especially for her future husband (whomever he might be).

"Eternally pissed" is such a LONNNNNNNNNG time and, speaking for the male half of the world, not something we'd like to endure.

Lord. if you grant this prayer, I promise to never again pray for your help with a Texans game or the Astros season.

Thanks

Shalom and Amen

PS Lord ... Christine did give up swearing for Lent, so one could only imagine what "eternally pissed" might have been had this test been after Easter.

Raul Lopez commented …

AMEN!!! ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Christine Mesecher commented …

wow Mr. Rine hahahahahaha

you definitely just made my day 100% better!!

I haven't laughed that much in a LONGGG time.

but you're right, if I don't get an A on this test my "future husband" (AKA Gerard Butler)

will have to put up with an “eternally pissed Christine” for the rest of his life

hahahaha

so surreal

I made my post about Craig Dix for St Patrick's Day ... a remembrance to the 29th anniversary of his mission in Cambodia.

In the Houston area this week is a group of aircraft from The Collings Foundation.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_schedules.htm

I had planned to go see the planes at Ellington Field on Wednesday, but my schedule was changed because of a funeral in the family. I'll instead go see them Saturday or Sunday when they are in Sugar Land. Maybe even get there on Friday to watch them land ... ??? .. or to the HEA to see them take-off??? We'll see how the schedule plays out.

But here's the story ...

We were standing at the cemetery on the Katy Freeway at Eldridge Parkway about 1:00pm (March 17, 2010) and I hear the sputter of a prop engine ... several engines ... and I look skyward to see the Colling Foundation's B-17 flying over us at about 350 feet. It was close enough to see the decals and numbers. It's one of only 14 still flying.

A few moments later I caught the notes of another prop plane ... this one much stronger ... and here came the B-24J. It's the only one of its kind still flying.

Now, several of us were talking about airplanes and were looking skyward with anticipation. It didn't take long. We could hear the scream and strain of the P-51 Mustang coming at us. Wow ... what power!!! It gave us all chills and brought smiles to our faces as it zoomed by.

As we were preparing the leave, I head the soft "thump ... thump ... thump" and had to take a deep breath to catch myself. I knew what was coming ... a Bell UH-1 Huey. It was very similar to one Craig was in when he was shot down 29 years ago today. I could feel my lips tighten and I just shook my head and watched it come at me. I let out a huge sigh as it flew past.

Wow! Just ... so ... surreal.

Remembering Craig M Dix, MIA 3-17-71

When I was a freshman in High School, I received my Eagle Scout award in February (1971). Just a few weeks later, Craig Mitchell Dix of Livonia was shot down in Cambodia on St. Patrick’s Day.

I came to know the Dix family over the next several years with a number of trips to their home off Six Mile Road. I did interviews with family members and friends finding out what I could about Craig … his hobbies, his skills, his plans. I made a number of speeches on behalf of the soldiers who were MIA in Southeast Asia. I wore Craig’s POW-MIA bracelet for a number of years and still keep it on my desk.

Whenever one of the mini traveling "walls" would come to the Houston area, I would go visit. I knew Craig’s name would be there, along with three other crew members, on panel 4West, Line 54. That’s where you’ll find the group of guys who all were killed or listed as MIA on St. Patrick’s Day 1971. The mini wall is certainly that - smaller, and it’s easier, I found, to view and review.

On November 17, 2007, I made my first trip to “The Wall” in Washington D.C. I didn’t know what to expect, but found myself with way more emotion that I ever expected. To see the actual wall and sink into the ravine that holds the names as you pass panel by panel, you can just feel yourself getting quieter and tuning out the noise around you. I didn’t spend anywhere near the time I had planned … to observe, reflect, or contemplate. I did get a chance to touch Craig’s name and I made a memorial rubbing, courtesy of the US Parks Service.

Although Craig wasn’t officially declared dead until October 27, 1978, March 17 is still the date that I feel is “official” and remember him every year on this date.

http://www.virtualwall.org/dd/DixCM01a.htm

Here is the POW Network synopsis … all words are theirs ...

On March 17, 1971, Capt. David P. Schweitzer, pilot and 1Lt. Lawrence E. Lilly, co-pilot, comprised the crew of an AH1G helicopter (serial #69-17935) conducting a visual reconnaissance mission. As the aircraft was near a landing zone at grid coordinates XU488458, it was hit by enemy fire of the F-21B Infantry Regiment, 5^th Viet Cong Division and forced to the ground. The LZ was deep inside Cambodia in the Snuol District of Kracheh (Kratie) Province, near Seang Village.

Rescue efforts were successful in extracting Capt. Schweitzer, but due to heavy enemy fire, they were forced to leave the area before Lilly could be extracted. Lt. Lilly was last seen by U.S. personnel lying on his back with his shirt partially open and blood on his chest and neck. He was observed being fired upon by Viet Cong forces. In mid-April 1971, a report described two U.S. personnel onboard a helicopter shot down in this region getting out of the helicopter and climbing a tree, and firing upon enemy forces. One of the crewmen was shot to death, and the other was captured by Viet Cong soldiers of the 6^th Company, 2^nd Battalion, F21B Infantry Regiment. The report continued that both crewmen were caucasian and had light complexions. The source described the POW and said that he was later told that the dead airman had been cremated by Cambodian villagers who had come to salvage parts from the aircraft. Joint Casualty Resolution Center (JCRC) evaluated the report and concluded that it could possibly relate either to Lilly’s incident or another the same day at the same location. The other incident related to a UH1H helicopter flown by WO1 James H. Hestand and carrying CW2 Richard L. Bauman; SP4 Craig M. Dix; and SP4 Bobby G. Harris. The aircraft was shot down near Snuol. A medivac chopper lowered a jungle penetrator to men seen on the ground through triple canopy jungle, but was forced to leave the area due to enemy fire and low fuel.

Five ARVN were captured in the same operation and were told by Viet Cong guards that three chopper crew members had just been captured. One was killed in the crash, one was shot in the leg (ankle) trying to escape. The wounded crewmember and two others were finally captured.

James Hestand was captured and was released in 1973. In his debriefing, he reported that Craig Dix was the one who had been shot in the upper right ankle. Hestand stated that Dix was ambulatory and evading capture at the time of his own capture. Hestand also stated that, when last seen, CW2 Bauman was alive, in good condition, and was hiding with Dix. Hestand said that he had seen the body of Harris, whom he believed to be dead because of throat lacerations and a discoloration of his body. Harris had been thrown from the aircraft. Hestand was separated from the others when he was captured, and had no further information on Dix, Bauman or Harris. Defense Department notes indicate that Harris was killed in the crash. Defense Department notes indicate that some intelligence say that Bauman, Dix and Harris are dead, yet other intelligence reports placed Dix in a Cambodian hospital after having been captured, and according to Hestand, the two were alive and well the last time he saw them.

An ARVN ground unit entered the battle area to try to rescue Lilly, but found him dead. The unit came under heavy fire, and in the course of the battle, the body was lost to the enemy. Lilly’s remains were never recovered.

In 1988, the Cambodian government announced that it had the remains of a number of American servicemen it wished to return to the United States. The U.S. did not respond officially, however, because there are no diplomatic ties between Cambodia and the U.S. Several U.S. Congressmen have attempted to intervene and recover the remains on behalf of American family members, but Cambodia wishes an official overture. Meanwhile, the bodies of Americans remain in the hands of our former enemy.

Even more tragically, evidence mounts that many Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia, still prisoners from a war many have long forgotten. It is a matter of pride in the armed forces that one’s comrades are never left behind. One can imagine any of the men lost in Cambodia on March 17, 1971, being willing to go on one more mission for the freedom of those heroes we left behind.