Sit back, relax and go on a self-revealing memory trip, which will expose the folly and farcical lives, the most highly evolved species(man) exhibits to his own humiliation and personal degradation. This folly and weakness characterizes all of mankind, regardless of their place of residence and their ethnic origin. This revelation is akin to standing before a mirror and uttering in total disbelief: “ Is this how I am perceived by the outside world and more specifically, by my family and friends?

            Man has always prided himself as being irreproachable in matters of morality. There was a period in time, when a person kept his weakness, a closely guarded secret. He did not want to openly reveal his shortcomings to his family, friends or to the larger society. It was a social embarrassment, he was not willing to risk. His reputation and social standing in his home, amongst his friends, in his community and in society, was top on his priority list. In days gone by, the stain of social embarrassment could dog you for the rest of your life. No effort to erase this blemish by the offender, was considered worthy of being absolved. Society assumed the role of moral watch dogs, who growled menacingly at your smallest infraction.

            Returning home intoxicated was an unpardonable sin, especially to a home where family morals were treasures to be guarded and respected. Despite serious attempts by the transgressor to mask the offending stench of liquor, he was caught out and berated for breaking the family traditions and rules which were religiously executed for decades. The same censure and reproach were meted out to those who smoked. The patriarch in each family set out rules to be obeyed and carried out diligently by each member of the family. These rules were verbal in nature, but its adherence was written in stone. Those who defied or attempted to flout these rules, experienced the full wrath and disdain of all members of the family.

            All forms of social misdemeanor were viewed with disdain and contempt. The church and all religious institutions selected appropriate verses from their holy scriptures and delivered sermons to their congregations, damning these practices, which were destroying the social fabric of societies, leaving them morally tattered. Indulgences in all shapes and forms were not tolerated. Throughout the history of man, these deviant behaviors and transgressions in man were criticized and condemned. Has history taught us anything?

            There have been instances of genuine repentance and remorse from offenders. However, the weak and unprincipled individuals, reverted to their old ways and faced dire consequences. They were ostracized and became pariahs in their own families.

            How times have changed ! The old treasured values have become yesterday’s garbage, relegated to the sidewalk, awaiting the arrival and pick-up of the Waste-Management Truck. Cherished family values, once the hall mark and cornerstone of each family, have rapidly crumbled and are facing extinction from the invasion of uncensored and unstoppable modern ideologies … the New Age Philosophy. Exercising freedom of speech/expression has taken on a totally new meaning. The once, moral public guardian, the Censor Board, has become toothless and ineffective.     With the proliferation of X-Rated material and their easy availability to everyone via movie houses,  the internet and now in unsupervised vending machines, one wonders how this form of  obscenity, passed the scrutiny of the Censor Board ? The Censor Board needs a serious overhaul. It might be a good idea to create another body, that would oversee the decisions taken by the Censor Board, before the helpless public is bombarded with, yet another installment of obscene thrash. Vulgarity and immorality characterize today’s society. Nothing is sacred. Dressing, which once was viewed as the first outward test and evaluation of a person’s  dignity and character, has been cast aside with contempt and disdain by today’s standards. Today, the mini skirt is welcomed as a respectable garment by moralists and guardians of our present society. If this represents today’s acceptable standard, I leave the rest to your imagination. Even the sanctity of God and religion are ignored, disrespected and considered fair game. Both men and women falsely believe that it is fashionable to use current terminology, however offensive; anywhere, anytime and before anyone.

            With the greatest reluctance and embarrassment, I wish to mention just two ( there are countless) such offensive clichés: “holy shit (crap); I am working my ass off.” A close analysis of just these two utterances/ expressions will reveal that the person using such terminology, is mechanically repeating them and hasn’t the faintest idea of their meaning and consequently, uses them randomly, in all or any context. He is a shallow, mindless follower, who believes that by using such terminology, he is a part of the in-crowd and will gain social acceptability. Such is the mockery of our current human existence. It may surprise you to learn that the highly educated amongst us, are also guilty of such usage.

            With the rapid and accelerated introduction of modern technology, man’s cognitive abilities and his discriminatory powers are being seriously eroded. His dependence on the modern gadgets to survive on a daily basis, is considered sacrosanct and inviolable. Students and adults employed at the banks and financial institutions cannot add or subtract, without the aid of calculators. They perform their duties mechanically. They have become “living robots” carrying out their responsibilities with no thought or reasoning behind their actions. We have become a mechanical society ! The next time you stand before a bank teller, ask him/her to tell you how much in interest you will receive if you deposit $1000 for one year @ 5%. Ask  the teller to do the calculation on a piece of paper before you. The reaction to your request will surprise you.

            The Cell Phone Invasion created a new and never seen before, dependence by man on this new technology. From child to adult, everyone has to own or be in possession of a cell phone. No matter where man goes or whatever his mode of transport, the cell phone must accompany him. He feels lost or helpless without it. It takes priority over everything. He will neglect or ignore his wife and kids, but his attachment to his cell phone, demonstrates his first love and priority. I fondly remember, never leaving home without two handkerchiefs, a hug and a peck on my wife‘s cheek. A candid observation of man today in a busy mall, will lead you to conclude that you are watching a segment of humanity gone berserk. Each one talking to himself; laughing out aloud, when nothing around him is amusing; each one with either the right or left hand clutching a tiny device to the ear and walking erratically, sometimes stumbling into another person, who is similarly pre-occupied. This has become the accepted pattern of man’s modus operandi in his society. To the sane observer, he still presents an abnormal and demented image. This is the new, emerging picture of modern man !

            Delving into the past became essential, so you the modern reader, can evaluate the rapid transition and social decline that have been thrust upon you.

            At the outset, I solemnly promised the readers that I would hold up a mirror to man, to reveal his idiosyncrasies in settings applicable universally .I will endeavor to deliver on my promise.

Sit back, relax and go on a self-revealing memory trip, which will expose the folly and farcical lives, the most highly evolved species(man) exhibits to his own humiliation and personal degradation. This folly and weakness characterizes all of mankind, regardless of their place of residence and their ethnic origin. This revelation is akin to standing before a mirror and uttering in total disbelief: “ Is this how I am perceived by the outside world and more specifically, by my family and friends?

            Man has always prided himself as being irreproachable in matters of morality. There was a period in time, when a person kept his weakness, a closely guarded secret. He did not want to openly reveal his shortcomings to his family, friends or to the larger society. It was a social embarrassment, he was not willing to risk. His reputation and social standing in his home, amongst his friends, in his community and in society, was top on his priority list. In days gone by, the stain of social embarrassment could dog you for the rest of your life. No effort to erase this blemish by the offender, was considered worthy of being absolved. Society assumed the role of moral watch dogs, who growled menacingly at your smallest infraction.

            Returning home intoxicated was an unpardonable sin, especially to a home where family morals were treasures to be guarded and respected. Despite serious attempts by the transgressor to mask the offending stench of liquor, he was caught out and berated for breaking the family traditions and rules which were religiously executed for decades. The same censure and reproach were meted out to those who smoked. The patriarch in each family set out rules to be obeyed and carried out diligently by each member of the family. These rules were verbal in nature, but its adherence was written in stone. Those who defied or attempted to flout these rules, experienced the full wrath and disdain of all members of the family.

            All forms of social misdemeanor were viewed with disdain and contempt. The church and all religious institutions selected appropriate verses from their holy scriptures and delivered sermons to their congregations, damning these practices, which were destroying the social fabric of societies, leaving them morally tattered. Indulgences in all shapes and forms were not tolerated. Throughout the history of man, these deviant behaviors and transgressions in man were criticized and condemned. Has history taught us anything?

            There have been instances of genuine repentance and remorse from offenders. However, the weak and unprincipled individuals, reverted to their old ways and faced dire consequences. They were ostracized and became pariahs in their own families.

            How times have changed ! The old treasured values have become yesterday’s garbage, relegated to the sidewalk, awaiting the arrival and pick-up of the Waste-Management Truck. Cherished family values, once the hall mark and cornerstone of each family, have rapidly crumbled and are facing extinction from the invasion of uncensored and unstoppable modern ideologies … the New Age Philosophy. Exercising freedom of speech/expression has taken on a totally new meaning. The once, moral public guardian, the Censor Board, has become toothless and ineffective.     With the proliferation of X-Rated material and their easy availability to everyone via movie houses,  the internet and now in unsupervised vending machines, one wonders how this form of  obscenity, passed the scrutiny of the Censor Board ? The Censor Board needs a serious overhaul. It might be a good idea to create another body, that would oversee the decisions taken by the Censor Board, before the helpless public is bombarded with, yet another installment of obscene thrash. Vulgarity and immorality characterize today’s society. Nothing is sacred. Dressing, which once was viewed as the first outward test and evaluation of a person’s  dignity and character, has been cast aside with contempt and disdain by today’s standards. Today, the mini skirt is welcomed as a respectable garment by moralists and guardians of our present society. If this represents today’s acceptable standard, I leave the rest to your imagination. Even the sanctity of God and religion are ignored, disrespected and considered fair game. Both men and women falsely believe that it is fashionable to use current terminology, however offensive; anywhere, anytime and before anyone.

            With the greatest reluctance and embarrassment, I wish to mention just two ( there are countless) such offensive clichés: “holy shit (crap); I am working my ass off.” A close analysis of just these two utterances/ expressions will reveal that the person using such terminology, is mechanically repeating them and hasn’t the faintest idea of their meaning and consequently, uses them randomly, in all or any context. He is a shallow, mindless follower, who believes that by using such terminology, he is a part of the in-crowd and will gain social acceptability. Such is the mockery of our current human existence. It may surprise you to learn that the highly educated amongst us, are also guilty of such usage.

            With the rapid and accelerated introduction of modern technology, man’s cognitive abilities and his discriminatory powers are being seriously eroded. His dependence on the modern gadgets to survive on a daily basis, is considered sacrosanct and inviolable. Students and adults employed at the banks and financial institutions cannot add or subtract, without the aid of calculators. They perform their duties mechanically. They have become “living robots” carrying out their responsibilities with no thought or reasoning behind their actions. We have become a mechanical society ! The next time you stand before a bank teller, ask him/her to tell you how much in interest you will receive if you deposit $1000 for one year @ 5%. Ask  the teller to do the calculation on a piece of paper before you. The reaction to your request will surprise you.

            The Cell Phone Invasion created a new and never seen before, dependence by man on this new technology. From child to adult, everyone has to own or be in possession of a cell phone. No matter where man goes or whatever his mode of transport, the cell phone must accompany him. He feels lost or helpless without it. It takes priority over everything. He will neglect or ignore his wife and kids, but his attachment to his cell phone, demonstrates his first love and priority. I fondly remember, never leaving home without two handkerchiefs, a hug and a peck on my wife‘s cheek. A candid observation of man today in a busy mall, will lead you to conclude that you are watching a segment of humanity gone berserk. Each one talking to himself; laughing out aloud, when nothing around him is amusing; each one with either the right or left hand clutching a tiny device to the ear and walking erratically, sometimes stumbling into another person, who is similarly pre-occupied. This has become the accepted pattern of man’s modus operandi in his society. To the sane observer, he still presents an abnormal and demented image. This is the new, emerging picture of modern man !

            Delving into the past became essential, so you the modern reader, can evaluate the rapid transition and social decline that have been thrust upon you.

            At the outset, I solemnly promised the readers that I would hold up a mirror to man, to reveal his idiosyncrasies in settings applicable universally .I will endeavor to deliver on my promise.

As humans, we live our entire lives as performers on the world’s stage, exhibiting behavior, which portray us in a variety of characters and emotions. The different emotions which we reflect, are the outcome of our interaction with the people we encounter in this lifetime and the environment we share. We direct and stage manage our performances, which can be box office hits or colossal flops. We personally determine the success or failure of our performances. In some instances, we perform so well that the spectators and audience are unanimous in demanding an encore presentation, which can be accompanied  by a standing ovation.

            These are the candid, unrehearsed and spontaneous images we freely and unhesitatingly allow the Mirror of Life to store in its memory bank. As humans, we possess the capacity to enhance and refine our images, as we live out our human existence. Yet the converse can equally apply. The images of the latter blend and merge to reflect a diabolical, distorted and unidentifiable picture….a blur of what started as a well-defined face of humanity. The Mirror of Life provided a blank canvas, allowing each one of us an equal opportunity to produce a master piece. Some exploited this opportunity , while others forfeited it. Thus we determined the success or failure of our performances, earning applause or boos.

            The Mirror of Life will be the constant, faithful companion, recording and reflecting both the serious and humorous performances of man in natural, universal settings. The author will attempt to steady the mirror in an effort to avoid distorting the images and capturing actions  in real time, both past and present. The Mirror of Life will endeavor to present these authentic and real- life performances, in a light-hearted,  satirical way. Being able to laugh at ourselves and allowing others to enjoy our antics, while attempting to correct or rectify our images, defines our humanness and our resilience to life’s challenges.

As humans, we live our entire lives as performers on the world’s stage, exhibiting behavior, which portray us in a variety of characters and emotions. The different emotions which we reflect, are the outcome of our interaction with the people we encounter in this lifetime and the environment we share. We direct and stage manage our performances, which can be box office hits or colossal flops. We personally determine the success or failure of our performances. In some instances, we perform so well that the spectators and audience are unanimous in demanding an encore presentation, which can be accompanied  by a standing ovation.

            These are the candid, unrehearsed and spontaneous images we freely and unhesitatingly allow the Mirror of Life to store in its memory bank. As humans, we possess the capacity to enhance and refine our images, as we live out our human existence. Yet the converse can equally apply. The images of the latter blend and merge to reflect a diabolical, distorted and unidentifiable picture….a blur of what started as a well-defined face of humanity. The Mirror of Life provided a blank canvas, allowing each one of us an equal opportunity to produce a master piece. Some exploited this opportunity , while others forfeited it. Thus we determined the success or failure of our performances, earning applause or boos.

            The Mirror of Life will be the constant, faithful companion, recording and reflecting both the serious and humorous performances of man in natural, universal settings. The author will attempt to steady the mirror in an effort to avoid distorting the images and capturing actions  in real time, both past and present. The Mirror of Life will endeavor to present these authentic and real- life performances, in a light-hearted,  satirical way. Being able to laugh at ourselves and allowing others to enjoy our antics, while attempting to correct or rectify our images, defines our humanness and our resilience to life’s challenges.

This book in addition to the fun passages, is loaded with good tips and advice from what the pros have said in their magazine interviews. Read them and use them wisely and watch your game improve each time you go out to play. It also has caricatures drawn by the author, Jack Lane, who was the artist who drew celebrities at the Hollywood Brown Derby for many years. They are of some of the greatest of them all, Tiger Wood, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriguez, and Greg Norman. This is one that you will find you can't use up all your smiles in a lifetime.

This book in addition to the fun passages, is loaded with good tips and advice from what the pros have said in their magazine interviews. Read them and use them wisely and watch your game improve each time you go out to play. It also has caricatures drawn by the author, Jack Lane, who was the artist who drew celebrities at the Hollywood Brown Derby for many years. They are of some of the greatest of them all, Tiger Wood, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriguez, and Greg Norman. This is one that you will find you can't use up all your smiles in a lifetime.