El D'Rage Rants

My musical alter-ego, El D'Rage the Elder Rapper, is a cantankerous old guy. Here's a link to the blog he wrote a few years back.

El D'Rage's Rants.

El D'RAGE MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE

It's been quite a few years since I made the El D'Rage CD, When We Were Kids. The idea was, "rap is terrible - I sing terrible ... I should be a rapper."

I recorded the CD in Minnesota, did a few performances for seniors and church groups, then, as so often happens, I drifted off to other projects.

Here's a link to El D'Rage's YouTube page. As you can see, the most popular "Minit Rap" video, with more than 20,000 hits, is the one with the beautiful woman on it.

Here is the video of the most moving song on the CD, Warrior Nation, is a tribute to America's veterans and the people who love them.



EXPAT EXCELLENCE

The other day I received an invitation from the founder of Expat Blog, Julien Faliu, to write a post about the Expat Blog and how it relates to Puerto Rico. Well, his letter pretty much says it all about the Expat Blog, so here it is:

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Dear EFTinPR,

Driven by my passion for discovering new cultures, and myself being an expatriate for several years, I launched the Expat Blog project seven years ago. I wanted to gather all the expatriates' blogs throughout the world on a unique platform.

Expat blog is mostly aimed at sharing experiences of people living abroad. I have always thought that the real life and experience of expatriates could really help those people wishing to start a new life abroad.

I would like to thank you for registering your blog with the Expat Blog directory. I sincerely hope you've gotten a lot of regular visitors from the website and that it will keep going on that way!

I am getting in touch with you because we need a hand in announcing the launch of two functions which would greatly help expats and soon-to-be expatriates.

As a matter of fact, we just released two new sections dedicated to jobs and housing in Puerto Rico and we would be grateful if you would help us introduce these sections and the Expat Blog to your readers by mentioning them in an article.

Julien - expat-blog.com

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One more thing: I have to confess that I'm not all that great a blogger and I really don't blog that much - or well - about Puerto Rico and the Expat experience. 

Not to worry!

The hands-down best blog about Puerto Rico - heck, the best blog about anywhere! - is written by Robert Westmoreland. It's called Scurvy Dog's Puerto Rican Blog . . . Shipwrecked on the Isle of Paradise. His photography is stunning, his prose delightful and his love of rum admirable. Check it out!

THE MISSION: GRATITUDE

This morning I watched an inspiring ten minute TED Talk by Louie Schwartzberg. Perhaps you've already seen it, as it's reputed to be the most popular TED Talk on YouTube.

After watching this amazing video, I couldn't help but think how easy it is to have a sense of gratitude when you live on a beautiful tropical island like Puerto Rico.

Sadly, there are plenty of places on this Earth where it is a real challenge to muster a sense of wonder. In the Sudan, for instance, I suspect that life is just too hard to devote much energy to ferreting out beauty, wisdom or a sense of awe. Many places - Syria, Afghanistan, Congo - are torn by war, famine or disease. Billions of our brothers and sisters on this planet are just too busy surviving to be grateful for the wonderful gift we share: life.

So, here's my new life's mission. I will awaken each day, brew some excellent Puerto Rican coffee, step out onto my balcony, look out at the azure sea or the emerald-green mountains and give thanks for this terrific place we all call home.

I'll send gratitude up to the heavens on behalf of all of us. I'll do it for those you who have other things to tend to. I'll do it on behalf of the Somali woman barely able to feed her child. I'll do it for the Pashtun warlord,  the Tibetan dissident and the Brazilian favelados.

Wow! This is a big goal I've set for myself - being grateful for billions of people. 

Too big, actually.

I'm going to need your help.

Here's what I'm asking you to do. If you are one of the lucky ones like me - one of the people who gets to spend a few minutes each day expressing your gratitude for the gifts you've been given - then send me a note on this blog. Tell me what you're most grateful for, what delightful gifts you've received, what makes your day so enticing.

Inspire me.

Knock me out with your gratitude.

Make me look like the Grinch of gratitude.

I dare you!

"Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."

Kahlil Gibran

I'M IN THE CLOUD

I got an e-mail last week notifying me that my book, Radar Contact Lost, is now available in digital format. Awesome!



I wrote this novel in the mid-1990's, just after I retired from the FAA. I'd always said that I would write a book one day, and, since I had nothing much else to do back then, I sat down for about six months and penned Radar Contact Lost.

I make no claims to literary greatness, but I did accomplish what I had set out to do and I'm proud of that even now, some fifteen years later.

When Radar Contact Lost was first published, I reveled in the role of Auteur. I appeared, dapper in tweed and twill, at book signings at the local Barnes & Noble and I gave talks to libraries, newspapers, aviation mags - anyone who would put up with my not-so-sophisticated blather.

It was great fun, and yes, I did manage to sell a few books back then.

Less than a year after publication, however, I returned to Puerto Rico to live. Down here, there is a very limited market for English-language authors promoting romantic aviation thrillers.

No market, actually.

I watched as my sales dwindled and my dreams of fame and fortune drifted slowly out to sea.

Until last week.

Now, for some reason known only to God and the publisher, my book is online.


In this very moment, it can rain down from "the Cloud" into every Nook, Kindle and iPad. You can get me in London, Lisbon or Lansing with the mere stroke of your finger.

You can download me, app me, zap me - whatever.

For just a couple of bucks, I'm yours for all time.

I'm your next must-read on the plane or your next page-turner at the beach. Why, you can even take me to bed with you!

So, my friends, did I mention the title?

Radar Contact Lost: now available as an eBook!

Get yours now!

HOW TO FIX AMERICA - QUICK!

I have the answer to all of America’s problems.

Seriously.

I read them in the Good Book when I was a boy growing up in small-town Willmar, Minnesota.

No, not that good book. I’m talking about the Boy Scout Handbook.

In it you can read the following:

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

You can also read:

Scout Law

A Scout is:
Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful,
Friendly, Courteous, Kind,
Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty,
Brave, Clean, Reverent.

It’s that simple, ladies and gents.

If we – every last one of us – actually followed these basic rules . . . no more, no less . . . our nation would be that shining beacon to the world we aspire to be.

I love simple and true answers to complex issues.

How about you?

AMERICA: TOO BIG TO FAIL?

I've been looking into Americans Elect, a digitally inspired take on the democratic process, and, so far I'm intrigued.

Here's the situation: American politics has become polarized and the result is politicians fiddeling while the US burns. At a time in our history when able leadership is required, we get a slew of hack politicians pandering to special interest groups. It's true, we also get a spate of brilliant officials, but some of these fail to take hold as able leaders.

A possible solution might be the addition of more political parties, but won't that just create another target for lobbyists' dollars, idealogues' crusades and crazies' rants?

The links below will shed light on the Americans Elect "virtual" political party. Take a few minutes to examine this new idea and post your thoughts to the Comment section.

Americans Elect


John Avlon


Thomas L. Friedman


Micah L. Sifry