In late 2024, drones were plaguing the East coast of the United States. This phenomenon was casting a sparkling shawl over the state of New Jersey. Explanations for the explosion of night fliers ranged from hobbyists to Space Aliens, and the most extreme from a Federal legislator who announced that an Iranian "mother ship" was off the coast and served as their launching and retrieval site. In any event we are now a couple of months down the road and no plausible explanation has been offered. In the absence of reason and logic, people tend to make things up and the made up explanations are mostly frightening. Here is a poem written and narrated by a Scotsman visiting the states who is mostly afraid.

This is a true story and as we sometimes find, truth can be stranger than fiction. I am an Irish Jew and was raised as a Roman Catholic. Growing up, there were interesting trends that periodically developed. At times there would be more pronounced prejudice towards Irish and at other times hatred of the Catholics. Then as Phil Ochs sang in National Brotherhood Week, "...everybody hates the Jews." A mongrel heritage , such as mine, could put one in a bind...like who can you freely hate and mock? If you're not careful, you could end up sending threatening email to yourself or burning crosses in front of your own shanty. Heady stuff.
Unfortunately, in many parts of the world hostility towards difference seems to be on the rise. Some seem to be enjoying the freedom to scorn the other while smoothing the rough edges from Totalitarianism and dictatorships. Some view those approaches to governance as more efficient, even considering taking a test drive. I thought it might be fun to open a few of those doors and see what flies out. Enjoy.

Frank Allen, aka Boy of the Beach, safely returned from his service in Korea to rejoin his life in Ocean City. Listen as Frank shares his experiences with us as he readjusts to civilian life.