Rest in Peace, Spiderman

While on a photo shoot on the afternoon of 9/7/13, at Patterson Park, home of New Jersey’s highest waterfalls; Spiderman – urban legend, crime-fighter, folk hero of millions fell to what can only be surmised as his death.  It is with a heavy heart that I report this to you True Believers.  He plunged from the bridge to the bottom of the gorge during said photo shoot.  I still remember his last few moments.

“Ok, Spidey, could you back up a bit?” I said waiting for the tourists to move along so that we could grab just the right shot.

“Sure.” He said briefly looking over his shoulder. “It sure is a long way DOOOOOWWWWWWNNNNN!”

I ran to the railing but it was in vain.  He was gone.  Crews are still searching for his body at the time of this report.  I am in shock.  It does not seem real.  It has been my great honor to photograph Spiderman over the years at different locations and places the he told me that he wanted to travel.  Spiderman leaves behind his friend the traveling Stormtrooper who was unavailable for comment at time of press.  Some of Spiderman’s past adventures can be found here: http://pinterest.com/theevilchicken/travels-with-spider-man-his-amazing-friends/.   

I get asked, “Do you know who he is?” all the time.  I shake my head and I always counter with, “Does it matter?”  Although responses have varied over the years, for the most part, this silences the inquisitive.  The fact of the matter is it never mattered who he was – what mattered was that he was there.  Always ready to self-sacrifice never asking for anything in return.  I guess ole’ Webhead could honestly be summed up in that song he kept humming…

Spiderman, Spiderman

Friendly neighborhood Spiderman

Wealth & fame

He’s ignored

Action is his reward

The song used to drive me batty but it made him happy.  He always had an odd sense of humor.  Spiderman has been in tough scrapes before and there have been times when we thought him dead in the past.  I hold out hope that he will make his way back to us someday.  They say that you are lucky to know a handful or even one true friend in the course of a lifetime.  Spiderman was my friend.

Goodnight, Sweet Prince.

Godspeed.  

Silhouette Man Speaks the Truth

I've seen this on Pinterest & now on Tumblr.  It always give me pause to reflect.  I wanted to put a copy of it here on Chicken Scratch so others could pause and reflect as well.  And now, without further ado, Silhouette Man.

Syria #WarIsDumb

I’ve gotten a little political here on the electronic pages of Chicken Scratch.  I will be talking about the usual distractions and trivialities soon enough; however, I couldn’t just let this one go.  Long story short, I don’t like war.  Especially wars with no constitutional reason to be declared.  I don’t like the loss of life, credibility (mostly domestic but foreign too), or sanity.  We have no business butting into a ghastly civil war in Syria.  None.  We’re pulling out of Afghanistan and it would be a good thing to bring soldiers home instead of putting them onto another front line that we have not been asked to police.  President Obama has said that he had the authority to declare war on Syria.  He does not.  To do so the motion must be brought to Congress and they have to say, “Yes, we would like to participate in a useless war that will be paid for with American dollars and blood.  Sign us up!”  To not go before congress is unconstitutional.  Not that the Constitution has been at the forefront of attacks from within recently (you read me NSA & FBI?  Loud & clear?  Good). 

Look, war is a dumb idea.  Here is a petition: http://dontattacksyria.com/.  Now I don’t know Congressman Alan Grayson (the man who is sponsoring this) from Adam but I agree with him on this issue.  I can say, in no uncertain terms, that I signed the petition and that I encourage you to do the same.  War is dumb.  War for no reason is even dumber.

Instead of lobbing cruise missiles into Syria here is another alternative: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/refugee-crisis-in-northern-iraq/?utm_source=SPFacebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=m_Y000-SOCM_SocialMedia.  I’ve seen Samaritan’s Purse work up close and personal with my own eyes.  They do good things; regardless of religion, nationality, or heritage.  War is dumb – civil war even dumber.  There’s nothing civil about war anyway.  Needless to say, war churns out refugees by the millions.  Samaritan’s Purse is doing something for the people who are in crisis through no fault of their own.  I’m not made of money, I work two jobs and I may have a third on the way.  These are tough times.  But, relatively speaking, I am fortunate that my country is not being torn apart by some ridiculous civil war.

So there you have it, Gentle Reader.  My anti-war, help the refugee rant.  Sign the petition and, if you can, help out the people who are really in crisis.  Never forget, war is dumb.

God help us all.