THE STORY SO FAR. PART 194

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF DROPPING OUT AND GOING TO LIVE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE?

THE MEMORABLE ‘THE OLIVE GARDEN’ BY ACTRESS CAROL DRINKWATER TELLS JUST SUCH A STORY IN A HIGHLY PERSONAL, EVOCATIVE, AND SENSUAL WAY

http://www.caroldrinkwater.com

I don’t know how I missed THE OLIVE GARDEN when it was first published in 2001—I tend to be fairly alert to key words or phrases like “South of France” but somehow I missed the book completely. Fortunately Jo, who I had the honor of helping to nurse as she was dying of cancer, had the book in her collection—and though most of her books were donated to worthy institutions before I moved into this apartment, somehow THE OLIVE GARDEN remained.

Let me confess that I picked it up reluctantly. I was looking for a thriller to relax with. Nonetheless, I was soon gripped by Carol Drinkwater’s vivid tale—and finished it with great regret. I know the area she was writing about and have great affection for it.

The story is not complicated. She and her lover, Michel, find a house set on ten acres not far from Cannes—which they can’t really afford—buy it (a saga in itself) and gradually restore the property despite numerous setbacks.

The author, Carol Drinkwater, is arguably best known for her role in ALL CREATURES, GREAT AND SMALL—a TV series which was widely popular, but which I do not recall having seen. What I can say, is that whatever about her talent as an actress (and I gather she is highly regarded) she writes beautifully—with energy, empathy and a senusality that is entirely appropriate to her subject.

This is a must read book.

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 193

THEMOTH.ORG—TALES OF THE MOTH—REPRESENTS THE HUMAN CONDITION, AND THE POWER OF RADIO, AT THEIR FINEST.

IF YOU ARE NOT MOVED BY SUCH TRUE STORIES, YOU ARE MADE OF STONE

I commented some time ago that, as I have been getting older—within the limits of being a member of a different sex—I have been turning into my much loved grandmother in terms of beliefs and lifestyle. Would it were so, in many ways, because she was an admirable human being with a big heart, but I fear my flaws exceed hers.

Nonetheless, there are similarities to our lifestyles—quite a few, in fact—apart from the fact that we both lived, or live, alone. One of them is that we both share (or shared) a passion for the radio. It’s informative, companionable, thoroughly entertaining, and remarkably inexpensive. Here I am referring to NPR in its various forms—not corporate radio (which has pretty much trashed a great medium).

One of the most impressive programs is TALES OF THE MOTH. These consist of nothing more that a single person telling a true story from their own experiences to a small audience—which is then recorded and transmitted. Many are extremely funny. Some are desperately sad. All are moving.

Stories are innate to the human condition. They give us identity, make us laugh—and give us hope. TALES OF THE MOTH represents the zenith of storytelling.

They make me proud to be a teller of stories, part of a fraternity that may just be—though the competition is formidable—the oldest profession.

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 192

DEFEATING TERRORISM—WHAT WORKS BEST, AND WHAT WORKS RARELY

Note well the above sobering figures: Terrorists have only been defeated militarily in 7 percent out of 268 cases reviewed. But surely U.S. military might is different?

Well, it might be nice to think so, but America’s track record does not support such a view.

But what rotten Leftist organization did the research? Actually, it was RAND, who were set up by the Air Force, and who can scarcely be described as liberal. Could it be that that they are merely reporting the facts?

I first encountered terrorism in the Fifties while staying with a friend who lived near the Curragh in Ireland. We were both about twelve at the time.The Curragh is a large area of flat-ish heathland which not only boasts a rather famous race course, but also housed a substantial force of the British Army when they occupied Ireland. Now the Irish Army hold sway, and have since the British withdrew from most of Ireland in 1921—though they, the British, have remained in the North (Six counties out of Ireland’s 32).

My friend and I decided to go to the movies, and since the fastest way there was to cross the Army’s lands, that is exactly what we decided to do. We doubted we would be seen. It was dark, and we prided ourselves in being able to cross country undetected. We were, so to speak, not only going to a movie—but in a movie.  Such is the power of a child’s imagination.

All went well until we came face to face with what looked exactly like a prisoner of war camp straight out of the movies. There were barbed wire fences, watch-towers, a brilliantly lit perimeter, and armed guards. If their weren’t mines and machine-guns, our imaginations painted them in. Frankly, I doubt there were mines—or we would have been blown up. We were crossing the area where such devices are normally placed. As for machine-guns, yes, there were there in all their lethal reality. If a small number of guards has to contain large numbers of prisoners, such are the tools of the trade.

We crouched in the shadows. The weakness of a brightly-lit perimeter is the darkness beyond. This was before the days of night vision.

A POW camp in Ireland! Why?

The sight left an indelible impression on me. It was a graphic demonstration of the power of a government—and I wasn’t entirely relieved when I learned that the camp’s occupants were suspected IRA terrorists who hadn’t actually been convicted of anything, but had merely been interned on the word of a police officer. So much for due process.

Since that time, I had a great deal to do with terrorism and its consequences—sometimes merely though reading, sometimes as a byproduct of living in Ireland and the UK during the decades of the Troubles, and sometimes in places like Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Italy where I suppose I went looking for trouble to get material for my books. When I look back, I shudder—but I was lucky despite quite a number of experiences I would prefer not to repeat.

Have I learned anything about terrorism from my research and experiences? We are talking over 50 years here, so I would like to think so. What I will stress—with some emphasis—is that I don’t think it is good enough to regard terrorists as a bunch of bad guys whose sole fate is to be killed.

• There are normally good reasons why terrorists do what they do. You might not agree with them, but it is vital to understand them.
• If terrorists have valid grievances—and they often do—then remedying those grievances is a good place to start.
• A major terrorist goal is almost always to cause their enemies to over-react.
• One of the best ways of making sure terrorist targets over-react is to make it inevitable that the military will be brought in. Soldiers are trained to kill people and break things—and have never been renowned for their patience or subtlety. They positively excel at alienating the local population. Reflect that soldiers and marines are mostly young, ignorant of the context, and trained to kill without hesitation. As a consequence, they do kill—and then have to live with the consequences the rest of their lives. Society pays.
• As mature people learn in normal life, in most confrontational situations, one of the best courses of action is to refuse to be provoked. Self-righteous is not a substitute for brainpower.
• Once initiated, violence has a momentum of its own—and is extraordinarily hard to stop.
• Neither governments nor terrorists tell the truth, and never all the truth. Typically, such conflicts are supported by a positive flood of propaganda and lies.
• The consequences of such carnage are horrendous beyond our ability to grasp the meaning of that word. They effect every aspect of life, and frequently translate into death. Such consequences can last for generations—and frequently do.

So, what are my conclusions? Have our numerous conflicts in Vietnam, Latin America, the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan really served the National Interest?

Personally, I think it is about time we got to work re-building the United States of America. From education to infrastructure to Middle Class earning power, we are losing ground under more headings than I care to mention. And yet, there seems to be no sense of outrage. The general view seems to be that we remain the richest and most powerful country in the world—so what is the problem?

The problem is that Middle Class earnings have been in decline for about 40 years and that two people are now needed to maintain a reasonable Middle Class life style—whereas one could have coped before. In short, the standard of living of most Americans is in decline.

I have no answers except one: Conditioning—in the sense of dumbing a population down through a combination of distraction and outright lies—works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 191

PTSD—POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER—SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY

Personally, I don’t think PTSD is confined to combat veterans. Instead, it is a cognitive consequence of extreme stress in virtually any situation which has a semi-permanent to permanent effect of significant proportions. It can manifest itself in numerous ways, but essentially it distorts our ability to cope with life in a calm and positive manner. The consequences are severe and span the gamut—everything from flashbacks and nightmares, to marital discord and alcoholism. They can and do wreck lives.

Yes, I know that is not the medical definition, but I am writing more as a concerned layman.

The point about combat, or even a combat environment, is that everyone is affected to a greater or lesser extent because to live in a world of near constant threat is an assault on all one’s fundamental survival instincts. In addition, those who experience actual combat can be—it varies— exposed to situations and events which are truly horrific and life changing.

But here is the thing: Despite the fact that we have been at war since 2001, we don’t seem to be coping with PTSD very well. The sheer number of sufferers is way too large for the resources that have been committed and the Veterans Administration seems to be bogged down in a bureaucratic morass.

I’m prompted to write about this because I recently met a remarkable woman who has been helping PTSD sufferers. She has no medical qualifications, but her empathy and understanding of the core issues are impressive.

This piece is merely a placeholder. I’ll return to this important subject when I am more up to speed.

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 190

TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE LURE OF A WRITING CAREER—WITH ALL IT’S INSECURITIES—TO PEOPLE WHO MOSTLY HAVE REGULAR JOBS—IS AKIN TO TRYING TO DEFY GRAVITY

LIVE WITH IT

THE PLEASURE OF WRITING IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE COMPENSATION

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 189

THIS REMARKABLY STYLISH AIRCRAFT IS ACTUALLY A TILT ROTOR—AND IT IS ELECTRIC

If you examine this picture carefully, you will notice two shrouded rotors positioned horizontally to the rear of the extremely elegant wings. This is not a conventional fixed-wing airplane. The rotors allow it to take off and land vertically—just like a helicopter—but then rotate 90 degrees to provide forward thrust. At that point, the wings, and not the rotors, provide most of the lift.

But can Project Zero—yes, it really is called that—hover? It can do that too.

This aircraft has been designed with unusual style and flair. Yes, it is only a technology demonstrator, but most great aircraft technology breakthroughs originate in just such a manner. Beyond that, the reports are that Project Zero works—which is why it is finally being shown. Previously, for over a year and a half, it has been kept secret. This is scarcely surprising. It demonstrates some remarkably original thinking—yet, reportedly, it was designed and built in a little more than six months.

I have long believed in the concept of an electric aircraft—starting with a hybrid electric version. There are good reasons for this:

• Conventional fuel is a major cost component.
• The use of conventional fuel is decidedly detrimental to the environment.
• Hybrid electric power is becoming well proven in automobiles.
• Hybrid electric power is significantly less expensive.
• Hybrid electric power is vastly quieter.
• Electric motors are constantly being improved and are innately simpler and less bulky than the alternatives.

In the case of Project Zero, the aircraft’s control systems, flight controls and landing gear actuators are all electrically powered—which means no hydraulics are needed—and the aircraft does not require a transmission. This all adds up to a significant decrease in mechanical complexity and cost—and an increase in reliability. It also saves a great deal of weight, which has all kinds of positive implications.

Currently, the aircraft is battery powered—which, given the limitations of existing battery technology—allows for only limited flight duration. But a hybrid electric version is being considered using diesel to power a generator.

Conventional helicopters are wonderful things, and extremely useful, but they are also slow, noisy, expensive to buy and maintain—and spend their time trying to vibrate themselves to pieces (vibration is in a major problem). Could it be that Augusta Westland—a particularly interesting company—have come up with a viable new approach to rotary flight?

It would seem to be a decided possibility.

Augusta Westland’s management have stated publicly that they believe the future of rotary flight lies with tilt rotor aircraft. Given the cost and complexity of the V-22 Osprey—which is currently in service with various branches of the military—I would have doubted that, but Project Zero is such an original conception, they may well be right.

The company already has considerable experience of tilt rotor aircraft. It has recently developed the AW609 (see below) which is, in effect, a civilian derivation of the V-22 Osprey. Project Zero, with its emphasis on simplicity, would suggest they have learned a great deal from this exercise.

 

 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 188

WHAT IS CURIOSITY—AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR A WRITER—OR IS IT?

My much loved sister, Lucy, has a habit of coming up with provocative illustrations which she features on Facebook—so, once again, I am using her as a source of inspiration.

When Lucy was a baby, she was described by my mother as: Lucy the boosy—milky and juicy.

My mother was a difficult woman, but she had her tender moments. She loved Lucy—we all did—and we still do. Lucy is the matriarch of the family—yet the youngest. Yes, I know that is not logical. Humans are not logical. It is a matter of respect. It is an honor which has been earned.

The first question I asked myself was: Can you be a writer if you are not curious? Well, clearly you can in a mechanical sense—in that you can string words together—but the word writer to me implies much more.

It suggests an observer of life whose work helps to illuminate and advance the human condition. Yes, that does sound like a lofty goal, but I am not being that arrogant. One can achieve such desirable objectives in small ways—by entertaining, by contributing a little perspective, by stimulating the reader’s mind, by simply distracting him or her. Frankly, if I can do all that, I am vastly pleased. Do I have higher objectives? Of course—but I will settle for the practical.

But can you do that if you aren’t curious—if you are not remotely concerned about the behavior of your fellow human beings?

In effect, you are the ultimate disinterested observer. Perhaps, you observe; and perhaps you take notes—but since you are not remotely curious about motivation, or indeed any detail, your involvement is less dispassionate than inhuman.

Roll on flawed human beings. Curiosity may well be your primary redeeming feature.

My conclusion: curiosity is endemic to the role of a writer. Nothing matters more than a simple word: Why?