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Cottonwood Arizona Revealed

October 6, 2014 — 2 Comments

The Verde Valley north of Phoenix has a very interesting history.  I had not visited the area for years and had read about the popular wine trail as a destination.  I decided to spend a night in the restored historic section of  Cottonwood.  It is charming and very laid back.  Folks are friendly, and most of the merchandise I saw on offer was of high quality.  There are several antique dealers with very large inventories of interesting items.  There are excellent restaurants and plenty of wine bars for tasting or evening entertainment.  The wineries are doing good business here selling mostly limited small batch varieties. I did a tasting at the Burning Tree Cellars that I enjoyed.  I liked all of the reds I tried, to my surprise.  The Arizona wine industry has vastly improved the quality of their products in recent years.  Some of the Burning Tree wines are made from California grapes, but made  and bottled in Camp Verde, AZ.  Arizona can be proud of our wine now.  It has come a long way, baby. The walkable downtown makes tasting here a breeze. There are four upscale wineries located in a two block area, all very popular.

I don’t drink much wine these days, but am always immersed in history.  I like to learn everything I can about places I visit.  Knowing what happened in the past brings the place to life for me.  I was unaware that Cottonwood had such a famous and checkered past.  This tiny town was the bootlegging capitol of the state in the 1920s.  There were tunnel systems below the streets leading from one storage place to others.  The typical establishment had a pool hall, a barber shop, or another small business in the front and liquor sales in the back of the building.  The tunnels were connected to homes and shops, as well as to automotive garages.  Cottonwood bootleggers were supercharging cars and filling them with liquor to transport out of the area.  It is said the garages had two tanks on the street out front, one with gasoline and another with hootch.  Al Capone was once held in the local jail and there is a carving of his name that still remains.  A still blew up and caused a very large fire that destroyed many wooden buildings in 1925. I learned all this and more when I took a short walking tour with Karen Leff, Cottonwood businesswoman and enthusiast.

I entered the lobby of the Cottonwood Hotel and found Karen, who is the owner, at the reception desk.  She has made a study of the town’s history by questioning old timers who remember, and looking up documents and newspapers from the past. Her knowledge is extensive.  She shares it by leading tours for interested groups by organizing Custom Cultural Heritage Tours. It was my lucky day because she had a short window of time to give me a quick version of her walking tour.  I had a wonderful time touring some of the rooms in her hotel before we walked around to see the places the bootleggers made famous.  Mae West did stay at the hotel, and a charming suite dedicated to her memory is one of the choices for accommodation.  The small former rooms have been updated and expanded for modern taste.  The balcony is a treat because it gives a full view of Main Street below.  The view came in handy for a group of bank robbers who checked in. I fully enjoyed my time learning about history and some present day ghost stories as well.  If you are in the area I fully recommend one of the tours Karen offers. She is in love with her town and it shows. You will get in touch with the spirit of the past by looking around historic Cottonwood.  Karen added greatly to my appreciation of the town.

Fall Food Fiesta, Pecans

September 30, 2014 — 2 Comments

Pecans grow abundantly in Arizona, with large commercial groves to be found both north and south of the city of Tucson.  Green Valley Pecan Company is the largest pecan farm in the world.  I love the organic pecans from our neighbors just 20 minutes south of Tucson.  They sponsor the Sahuarita Pecan Festival to celebrate the harvest and get festive with the local population.  This year the festival will take place Nov. 8, 2014 from 9 am to 5 pm at the farm.  Parking is free until 8:30 am, and $5 per car after that time.  I adore food festivals.  I am a bigger fan of nuts than I am of wine, so this local festival is particularly appealing to me.  I am not waiting to start eating my organic Green Valley pecans.  I have already polished off half of the first bag I purchased eating them straight up. That is honestly my favorite way to have them.  I do cook with them, and when I was in Austin this summer I heard about a pecan syrup being used in bourbon cocktails that intrigued me.  My friend made a wonderful concoction of bitters by using a whole pecan in the shell as one of the local ingredients she was testing.  The flavor of the nut came out nicely in the final product, the shell lending some bitter notes.  My mother used to shell loads of pecans each year and give them to me as a holiday gift.  It was the best thing she gave me, and she kept doing it until she was very old.  She would spend a month or so shelling pecans in the fall for her holiday gifting.  She was from Texas, so I imagine this came from her childhood.  She made a decent pecan pie, but my mother, Ruby, specialized in pralines.  She made no other kind of candy, and it only happened once a year (for the holiday gifts).  She put pecans in her fruitcakes too, but then she ruined them with fruitcake (I was never a fan of this extremely labor intensive preparation).

Here are some savory examples of pecans for fall festivities:

Most of the classic pecan recipes are for sweets:

If you have made the ice cream you can them have a:

What is your favorite way to enjoy pecans, Gentle Reader?

Anne Bringham, 10th Great-grandmother

September 27, 2014 — 3 Comments

Bringham coat of arms

Bringham coat of arms

headstone

headstone

My 10th great-grandmother came to America on the ship Suzan and Ellen in 1635. She was born in Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England. Her profession on the ship’s log is listed as vixor (a word for which I find no definition) , her husband’s as a husbandman, and my 9th great-grandfather, Thomas Crosby, was 8 weeks old. He was lucky to survive the crossing at such a tender age. Ann’s husband died young, and she married a minister who went broke and died of melancholia. This was a huge drag for Ann. Lucky for me they survived.

Ann Brigham (1606 – 1675)
is my 10th great grandmother
Thomas Crosby (1635 – 1702)
son of Ann Brigham
Sarah Crosby (1667 – 1706)
daughter of Thomas Crosby
Sarah Sears (1697 – 1785)
daughter of Sarah Crosby
Sarah Hamblin (1721 – 1814)
daughter of Sarah Sears
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Sarah Hamblin
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse
Ernest Howard Crosby, In the portion of the family history taken from the October New York Genealogical and Biograpical Record, Surmises that Simon Crosby ‘may have come to America as one of the company of the Rev. Thomas Shepard, who crossed the ocean in that year (1635) and settled at Newtown, now Cambridge, Massachusetts. This Mr. Shepard was preceeded or accompanied by a large number of his freinds and acquaintances. He had taken orders in the Church of England, and had held livings in Yorkshire and Northumberland, but he enertained conscientious scruples regarding the ceremonies of his church, and was consequently so harassed by those in authority that he left England, and became one of the most eminent clergymen in New England. The Cheif reason for establishing Harvard College at Cambridge is that he lived there.’

This record goes on to state that before the end of 1635 we find Simon Crosby living at Newtown (Cambridge). He was admitted as a freeman on March 3, 1636 and chosen as a selectman in the fall of that year. In September of 1637 he was elected surveyor of highways; was selectman again in 1638, and in October of that year was elected constable.

On Dec. 5, 1636 land was granted to him and six others for pasture. He died in Cambridge in September 1639, at only 31 years of age. The cause of his death is not known, but we can surmise that his death may have been fairly sudden, since he died intestate. An addendum to Ernest Howard Crosby’s record quoted above says that the orginal inventory of the estate of Simon Crosby, signed by his widow Anne, is on file in the archives of Massachuetts at Boston. It places the value of his property at 433 pounds.

Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, in York Co., England is an extensive Parrish located 15 miles SE of the city of York.

Simon and his wife came over in the ship “Susan and Ellen.”

Notes for ANNE BRIGHAM:

It is from Thomas 7, the firstborn, that our line descends, but before proceeding to his generation, it may be of interest to record some of the facts of the later life of the widowed Anne Crosby. In 1646 or l647, she married the Rev. William Tompson, aa distinguished clergyman in Braintree (now Quincy), Mass., who apparentlly pursued his religious duties with zeal but with little regard for financial gain. Ernest Howard Crosby’s record says that in Aug. of 1652 she sold the Crosby house4 with six acres adjoining, and also 147 acres of land in the neighborhood. Mr. Tompson’s health was finally undermined ‘by melancholia’, and he retired from preaching in 1659. He died in 1666, leaving his family in straitened circumstances. In 1668 Anne petitioned the General Court, complaining that moneys due her for his services were witheld. She died in 1675 and was buried in the Quincy churchyard. We have no record of what became of her daughter Ann, her only child by Mr. Tompkins.

At this point, it may be as well to record what is known of two other brothers, both younger than Thomas:

Simon Jr., born 1637, moved early in life to Billerica, Mass. and was the first innkeeper in that town. He was Representative in the General Court in 1691, 1697, and 1698. (Indications are that it is from him that the Alonzo Crosby descent is traced.)

Joseph, the third son, is the ancestor from which Ernest Howard Crosby descends. Born in 1639, he was just 7 months old when his father, Simon the Emigrant, died. When his mother remarried, he was taken by her to live with his stepfather’s family. He passed his life there as a farmer, but was always prominent in town affairs, frequently serving on committees.

Children of SIMON CROSBY and ANNE BRIGHAM are:

  1. i. THOMAS 11 CROSBY, RE V, b. 26 Feb 1634/35, HOLME, YORK, ENGLAND; d. 27 Jun 1702, BOSTON, MA..

ii. SIMON CROSBY, b. Aug 1637, CAMBRIDGE, MA.; d. Unknown.

iii. JOSEPH CROSBY, b. Abt. 1639, CAMBRIDGE, MA.; d. Unknown.

Here are the notes from the ship on which they arrived in Salem:

In the Ship Suzan And Ellen EDWARD PAYNE Mr for New-England Theis pties herevnder

expressed have brought Certificates from the Minister of Justices of their Conformitie and that they

are no Subsidy Men.

Columns represent: name, occupation, and age of each passenger.

1 Procter, John Husbandman 40

2 Proctor, Martha 28

3 Proctor, John 3

4 Proctor, Marie 1

5 Street, Alice 28

6 Thorton, Walter Husbandman 36

7 Thorton , Johanna 44

8 North, John 20

9 Pynder, Mary 53

10 Pynder, Francis 20

11 Pynder, Marie 17

12* Pinder, Katherine 10

13 Pynder, Jo: 8

14 Skofield, Richard 22

15 Weeden, Edward 22

16 Wilby, George 16

17 Hawkins, Richard 15

18 Parker, Tho: 30

19 Burd, Symon 20

20 Mansfield, Jo: 34

21 Cole, Clement 30

22 Jones, Jo: 20

23 Burrow, Wm 19

24 Atwood, Phillip 13

25 Snowe, Wm 18

26 Lumus, Edward 24

27 Saltonstall, Richard Husbandman 23

28 Saltonstall, Merriall 22

29 Saltonstall, Merriall 9 mos.

30 Wells, Tho: 30

31* Coop, Peter 28

32 Lambart, Wm 26

33 Podd, Samvel 25

34 Belcher, Jeremy 22

35 Clifford, Marie 25

36 Coe, Jane 30

37 Riddlesden, Marie 17

38 Pellam, Jo: 20

39 Hitchcock, Matthew 25

40 Nicholls, Elizabeth 25

41 Carpenter, Tomazin 35

42 Fowle, Ann 25

43 Gordon, Edmond 18

44 Sydlie, Tho: 22

45 Leach, Margaret 22

46 Smith, Marie 21

47 Swayne, Elizabeth 16

48 Wells, Ann 20

49 Bewile, Grace 30

50 Taylor, Dvonis 48

51 Smith, Hanna 30

52 Backley, Jo: 15

53 Battrick, Wm 18

Theis vnder written names are to be transported to New-England imbarqued in the

Suzen And Ellen

EDWARD PAYNE Mr:

the pties have brought Certificates from ye Ministers of Justices of the peace

yt they are no Subsidy Men: and are conformable to ye orders and discipline of

the Church of England.

54 Hudson, Ralph A Drap 42

55 Hudson, Marie vixor 42

56 Hudson, Hanna children 14

57 Hudson, Eliz: children 5

58 Briggham, Tho: 32

59 Thwing, Ben: servant 16

60 Gibson, Ann servant 34

61 Kirk, Judith servant 18

62 Moore, Jo: servant 41

63 Knowles, Henry servant 25

64 Richardson, Geo 30

65 Thomlins, Ben: 18

66 Thomlins, Edward 30

67 Ford, Barbara 16

68 Broomer, Joan 13

69 Brooke, Richard 24

70 Brooke, Tho: 18

71 Crosby, Symon husbandman 26

72 Crosby, Ann vixor 25

73 Crosby, Tho: child 8 weeks

74 Rowton, Ric: husbandman 36

75 Roswton, Ann vixor 36

76 Rowton, Edmond child 6

77 Greene, Percivall husbandman 32

78 Greene, Ellin vixor 32

79 Trane, Jo: servant 25

80 Dix, Margaret servant 18

81 Atherson, Jo: 24

82 Blason, Ann 27

83 Buckley, Ben: 11

84 Buckley, Daniell 9

85 Corrington, Jo: 33

86 Corrington, Mary 33

  • The transcriber notes that the port of arrival in New England was Salem, Massachusetts.

Durga Days

September 25, 2014 — 5 Comments

Durga is the mother goddess capable of killing demons.  She was born from the anger of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and outfitted with every weapon of the gods.  She was brilliant, and extremely bad assed.  She is the very angry mother who drives demons from the earth and puts the fear of retribution in all her children.  She has nine different forms she may assume in her motherly duties. During the festival of Navaratri she is worshiped in three of her forms. First Durga the destroyer purifies for three days as only wrathful mother can.  Then Lakshmi takes over for three days of bestowing spiritual wealth.  The final three days are ruled by Saraswati, the mother of wisdom. To skip any one of the three mothers is to fail to grasp the whole meaning of the creative essence.  The feminine spark, or Shakti, does all the work and holds all the energy.  In 2014 Navaratri lasts from 25 September until the 3 October.  The Durga puja is an affirmation of good over evil, a classic version of mother knows best. She will remove the miseries of life and chase the demons out of the building.  Respect her in all her forms…..you want to stay on her good side.

Pomegranates and Persephone

September 23, 2014 — 3 Comments

pomegranate

pomegranate

pomegranate

pomegranate

pomegranates

pomegranates

One of the most symbolic of all the foods we harvest in the fall is the pomegranate.  This is the fruit of the dead Hades gave the goddess Persephone before she was retuned to her mother.  The pomegranate seeds she ate in the underworld created a magical bond she could not break.  She was doomed to return to Hades for three months each year.  This complicated story is about birth and death, cycles and seasons, sabotage and fate.  She was kidnapped and raped by her husband Hades who planned to keep her forever.  Persephone’s mother, Demeter, goddess of fertility, went into such a tizzy about her daughter’s kidnapping that Zeus, her husband, finally relented and brought Persephone back to her.  The entire incident could have ended at that, but the pomegranate seeds she ate magically sealed her relationship with Hades and the underworld.  She was, after all, since her kidnapping and rape, the queen of the underworld.  Now we have three months of winter, and during that time Demeter will not produce crops or warmth for the land.  Each spring when Persephone returns from her underground realm life begins anew and Demeter gets busy providing ample food for humans.

The ruby red color and the delicious taste of the pomegranate makes an exotic ingredient in all kinds of dishes and drinks.  Here are a few ways to honor Persephone and enjoy the season:

Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern grocery stores, and is a wonderful ingredient.  It is very handy at the bar.  This beautiful alcohol free drink is named after the queen of the underworld:

Last but certainly not least I leave you with a recipe for an exotic cocktail with chocolate covered pomegranate seeds:

Enjoy!!!

Equinox Celebration

September 20, 2014 — 3 Comments

fall colors

fall colors

pumpkins in the house

pumpkins in the house

The Fall Equinox is a time to reflect, budget, delete, and take stock of what we have.  In modern times our personal harvest is less crucial to our survival than it was hundreds of years ago.  We import and ship what we want all over the world.  Because so much of our food costs are transportation related this might be a time to take stock of what we have in our local market or garden that can be a substitute for imported or processed foods. We like convenience, but may be able to find  better priced locally made foods, goods, and services of superior quality.  We like to be served, but can save money and enhance creativity by doing more of our own food preparation and preservation.  It is time to create, prosper and appreciate.  Do you have practices to note the day when the whole world has an equal amount of darkness and light?  Normally the moon rises about 50 minutes later than the previous night.  On the equinox it rises only about 10 minutes later, and the effect is that of almost standing still for a few days.

In ancient Greece this time of year was the time for grand rituals known as the Eleusian rites.  From the equinox until the end of the month processions and rites to the goddess Demeter were performed.  The elaborate rites involved bathing in the sea, building an altar around a tree, blessing the earth with wine and special potions, and a giant party to honor Demeter, goddess of the earth.  Holy Night, on September 28, when the goddess Koré would turn from maiden to krone, and then into the young queen of the underworld.  Some of the celebrants were granted the chance to see their own deaths on the Holy Night in order to free themselves from fear of the afterlife.  The following day was a sports and games day before the final eighth day of the festival returns to solemn ritual to signify spiritual rebirth.  This was very different from football season or American festivities for fall because everything was viewed as sacred.  The rituals were believed to be an important spiritual gift to mankind.  Can you find a way to honor that seasonal shift in your life this year?  I would love to hear any ideas you have, gentle readers.  I believe we have instinctive spiritual patterns that evolve, but are also part of historical beliefs and rites.  We are still connected to Demeter even if we don’t know who she is.

Warriors and Wellbeing

September 18, 2014 — 4 Comments

In our dreams characters, including ourselves, play grand archetypes. Last night as I dreamed military factions were fighting it out in a prolonged battle. The warrior rarely appears in my dream life so I have considered it as a signal of some kind of change. The dream did not really upset or frighten me. In fact, after a while awake I fell back into sleep and dreamed about the same theme for a while again, which is very rare in my life. I normally do not go back to sleep, but I felt there was a story I needed to finish. Nobody won the war and I believe there were more than two fighting factions, sort of like Syria today. The warrior is an important archetype without which we would all be too vulnerable. Protection is something everyone needs, from within as well as from others.

In yoga the warrior pose is a wonderful strengthening posture. When one masters it one truly does feel like a warrior and a hero. To be a warrior archetype does not always mean to be a soldier or professional in the business of protection. The best attributes of this archetype are skill, strength, discipline and self sacrifice in the conquest over ego. The best warrior is stoic and possesses a tough will to conquer. The worst warrior is indifferent to the suffering of others. The shadow practice of this soldier in the dark is trading ethics for victory at any cost. The hero as well as the heel are contained within the warrior archetype. Loyalty and invincibility are identified with this character. Mercenaries and gunslingers are also part of the tribe.

I wondered today if thinking about my ancestors and the Civil War in the United States might be part of this dream’s arrival.  I have been studying and considering how my family moved from Selma, Alabama to East Texas after the war and bought property with gold.  They traveled by oxcart to get there.   Both my 2nd  great grandfather and his father-in-law were in the war, the older man conscripted to make steel in Birmingham Alabama to provide munitions to the Confederacy.  The Confederate money was worthless after the war,  so I wonder how they managed to have enough gold to buy property in Texas.  Many southern cotton farmers had moved to the area, so the majority of the population was black, as a remnant of slavery and cotton.  My people were religious and donated land for a church in the area.  I have been thinking about what it is like to fight in a war like that and be on the loosing side, then move to a new place.  They had to handle a lot of change and hardship during one lifetime, and the period after the war may have been as difficult as the war itself.

My relationship with this dream is asking me to be stronger and more disciplined.  I have done very little self-sacrifice or tough willed commitment during my time on earth.  I know few soldiers in my real life, and have no contact with war and the risk of loosing a loved one.  As war explodes around the globe I stay relatively insulated until someone new invades Tucson. We all depend on cops, soldiers, and sailors to keep us safe from harm, but I normally give them little thought.  War is hell, and most of us defer that hell to warriors and prefer not to know much about the details.  Historical wars seem to me to be linked to spiritual warfare. How do you relate to the warrior archetype?  Do you take the role of protector in your life?  Who protects you?

Penca, Downtown Tucson

September 8, 2014 — 1 Comment

Our Sunday brunch today was exciting new and different. We went downtown to Penca, a restaurant we have been wanting to try.  We both loved our experience and want to return very soon and often.  The cuisine is labeled Mexico City style, but it is also a very fine example of fresh combinations and very artful mixology.  Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Tucson burned to the ground a few months ago, so we have been hunting for a new one.  Penca wins for many different reasons.  The decor is post industrial modern with as much of the old building in tact as possible for style.  The design successfully tells you that the place has a unique flavor and point of view.  It is refreshing after so many meals in the corny Mexican restaurant decor with pictures of parrots and Javier Solis. (not that I want to get rid of that forever).  The open kitchen also sends the smells of the kitchen wafting through the space in just the right way to make you hungry.

The restaurant is housed in a building that was once owned by the Graham Truck Company.  The brick openings  still visible on the walls are large enough for vehicles to pass.  The  designer did a great job of keeping the industrial feel with plenty of metal features.  I particularly love the swiveling doors that can create privacy in an area in the back for parties or events.  The mural on the wall is the street view of the building in the past.  They warm up the room and the acoustics by using wood for tables, walls and the bar.  It feels spacious because the ceilings are high.  The exposed duct work becomes a design element and sets a modern tone.

We arrived before the crowd arrived and therefore had very personal service.  The chef dropped by our table to chat, which was fun and informative.  He let me know that the dish I had ordered, the corn cakes with chalula butter and jalapeño syrup with a side of 2 eggs and some black beans, was his favorite on the menu.  He also told me to get a side of Chalula to add to the flavor.  This was the perfect suggestion for me because although the butter had some heat, and the syrup also, the complete sweet and heat balance was brought out by using that extra hot sauce.  I loved the whole thing. Bob had to help me finish after he enjoyed his own pork hash breakfast.

One reason we favor this as our new Mexican restaurant is the creativity at the bar.  When I was first told about the place my friend mentioned the tepache, a pineapple drink with a slight fermentation that is made in house and used in some of the cocktails. I ordered a bourbon and tepache, the preparation of which you can see here below.  The flavors were really intricate, including the bitters sprayed on the top, making it both pretty and giving a distinct bitter note to the first few sips.  They also make their own shrubs, and a pineapple shrub (they refer to it as pineapple vinegar) was used in my drink as well.  Bob reported that the Bloody Mary he had with his has was spicy and went perfectly with his food.  This is a pleasant departure from the usual margaritas and mojitos.  We are planning to go back again soon early on Sunday to repeat this super dining delight.  I want to try the tacos, and Bob wants to have the corncake special.  Compared with places we dine with similar gourmet offerings, the pricing at Penca is generous.  We were pleasantly surprised at the bill and I had to take my beans home because we both were so full.  If you enjoy delicious food and inventive bar service, try Penca.

 

Elena DeNazzi, Tenth Great-grandmother

September 4, 2014 — 5 Comments

My 10th great-grandmother was born near Venice and died in London. Her husband was a musician from a musical family hired by Henry VIII to play and compose music in court. She and her husband were probably Jewish in origin.  She is buried in All Hallows Barking, a very old church in London.

Elena DeNazzi (1515 – 1571)
is my 10th great grandmother
Lucreece Lucretia Bassano (1556 – 1632)
daughter of Elena DeNazzi
John Thomas Lanier (1631 – 1719)
son of Lucreece Lucretia Bassano
Sampson Lanier (1682 – 1743)
son of John Thomas Lanier
Elizabeth Lanier (1719 – 1795)
daughter of Sampson Lanier
Martha Burch (1743 – 1803)
daughter of Elizabeth Lanier
David Darden (1770 – 1820)
son of Martha Burch
Minerva Truly Darden (1806 – 1837)
daughter of David Darden
Sarah E Hughes (1829 – 1911)
daughter of Minerva Truly Darden
Lucinda Jane Armer (1847 – 1939)
daughter of Sarah E Hughes
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
son of Lucinda Jane Armer
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor

Elina DE NAZZI died on 23 Sep 1571 in All Hallows By The Tower, London, England. She was born in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy

BIOGRAPHY: Elina (Ellen) was the daughter of Beneditto de Nazzi. She was born in Venice, Italy, probably as that is where she married Anthony Bassano on Aug. 10, 1536. He stayed there until their daughter, Angelica was born In Nov. of 1537. One can not help but wonder about the name of their daughter. At least three of the brothers named daughters, Angelica, Angell and Angela, possibly indicating that could be the name of their mother. BIOGRAPHY: Beneditto de Nazzi is considered to possibly be a Jewish name because Nasi or Nasis means ‘leader’ or ‘prince’ in Hebrew. So this makes both families Bassano and de Nazzi probably Jewish.

What Terrifies You?

September 3, 2014 — 6 Comments

Terror is the new leisure.  We have become so accustomed to the word being used all over the world to describe atrocities, political take overs, and now the rising stars of the terror world, ISIS.  The meaning has become scattered and diluted, so now that real sociopathic mobs roam the desert with intent to do massive destruction we have no new way to describe what they do.  We have allowed fear and loathing to become part of everyday living.  While I am personally glad I am not in a position to direct military or political policy I do see a reason for declaring exactly what we are doing (besides fear and loathing) with our military might.  When war is actually declared there is incentive to negotiate peace and end the war.  By free styling war with no declarations we have gathered new enemies and spread distrust all over the globe.  I have objected and protested publicly against war since I was a teenager, but in all that time the government has never had the guts to declare one.  We are just participating in one huge covert operation that changes frequently and irrationally as we become less popular.

John McCain and I have never agreed before and will not be likely to do so in the future.  I usually think my Senator from Arizona is a paranoid militaristic dweeb with too many houses.  If a bunch of violent punks can declare themselves to be a sovereign nation and run rampant over rule of law the United States needs to declare SOMETHING!!!  Are we bullies?  Are we cowardly?  Are we completely out of touch with reality? I think yes to all of the above questions.  I personally think this is more than a decisive moment in history.  It is  pivotal now to stop this armageddon warm up before momentum takes us to a new world order that we can’t imagine.

What terrifies me is the idea that our government is full of self serving and dishonest people who have no will to act. I am not naming any names because there is no individual responsible.  It is a culture that tells us to “support our troops” without telling us what those troops are really doing and why.  Going to war is serious business, but going straight to hell because we won’t declare war or peace terrifies me.