Happy New Year!

I know, it is the eve of the new year’s celebration, but what the hell. I’ve run out of things to say that are worth reading, talking about or whatever. At least for one day.

So, to all my readers everywhere around the globe, let me be an early wisher of happiness to you and yours in the new year. We have fresh opportunities to do amazing things. Let’s resolve to do just that.

December 31, 2015

Working Through Problems

This is a daily journal. Its purpose is to offer an outlet for my personal musings whatever their source. You know, sources of feelings, whether of joy, wonder, awe, or sadness. Sometimes those feelings come from discoveries, other times from realizations that something is wrong, or a problem is looming. The hollowness of fear grows evident. It isn’t always known – either the issue or the severity of it. It might be related to health, or finances, or relationships. Any of those are fodder enough!

In my current case it is financial. We live on social security benefits. The program was not meant to be the sole source of retirement income, but for many it is. In my case I never planned it to be the sole source of income. But it is. Ill health, early retirement and settling obligations left me without my retirement investments. So social security it is.

Luckily, Rocky and I both have these benefits and together we can cover the basics – rent, auto payment, health insurance premiums, medications, food, and auto expense. It’s tight, but it has worked out for two years.

The issue now is higher costs and stagnant income. Over the past few years there has been some income from the tail end of my consulting practice; not much, but some. And then there has been the occasional service to someone who opts to pay me a stipend for that attention. These bits of income paid for the occasional pair of new socks, underwear or a shirt. It also paid for a lunch or supper out at a restaurant; but no travel, entertainment venues or shopping sprees.

In the past 14 months we have often deferred refilling medications in favor of modest food purchases. Putting off an oil change for the car is another short term solution. So are any actions to reduce routine costs. At this time, however, those options are slim to none. We could eliminate cable TV and one cell phone. That would provide some flexibility in our monthly budget; not much, but some. Cheaper housing would be helpful but that requires moving and the associated costs. Reducing our grocery budget would also help, and it would provide a kick to dieting that would pay other benefits!

But these are stop gap measures that do not really spell sustainability. And that’s what’s bothering me. I’ve always had a rainy day fund or a routine inflow of funds on a seasonal basis that I relied on for taxes, auto repairs, or just a cushion. The rainy day fund is no more and not likely to be rebuilt.

Larger solutions need to be found and implemented. I’m in the process of finding them.

Meanwhile I share this with you because I think it is a sign of the times. It may be a normal thing for elders that I’ve not known about in the past. But I know it now. I’m living it. And I doubt we are alone. The fabric of our society is much more frayed than I had thought and someone needs to talk about it.

I worry about this because being on view is an admission of failure, for anyone who has the nerve to write about it. I don’t want anyone to think I feel entitled to something I didn’t earn. I don’t want to be a burden to society. But increasingly I recognize that I am such a burden, and than many people my age and older are as well.

My situation is fully understood by me. I’ve analyzed every which way and realize what went wrong, what I should have done, and what most people should be doing as well. Lordy, I did all the right things in the past for much of my life, but as push came to shove, short term solutions were acted on that did long term damage. Sustainability was the casualty. And now the problem is much more difficult to repair.

Sort of like the state of Illinois and its unfunded pension debacle! Short term solutions constructed a massive problem that is nearly impossible to repair without hurting an awful lot of people.

Just as the state leaders did themselves in, so did I with my own finances. The only difference is I admit it and take responsibility for it. They don’t. They suffer from a lack of humility. I have the humility to admit it. It doesn’t solve the problem, but it does remove a barricade to finding the answers to the problem.

So be it. Now for the hard work.

Stay tuned as I/we work this out.

Meanwhile, live life in the present, but plan for the future!

December 30, 2015

Year End Wrap-Up

Well, the end of year is an allure to sum up the year just ending. Lots of things happened, some good and many bad. Each happening, however, informed us of our surroundings, circumstances and how and why things occur. We learn from these events. We can count our blessings because of what has happened to others and not us, or we can count our blessings that our lives were spared and the 'stuff' of life we collect can be replaced or wasn't of much value anyway. So what?  People are important and our relationships to each of them.

So I don't really care much for summarizing the year's events. I would much rather attempt to determine – at least for myself – what is most important and what we all should be striving toward. Yes, I'm a goal person. So writing down goals helps me keep my mind focused on what's important and taking action to bring about good things.

This is a noisy year. Presidential campaigns are underway and they make a lot of noise. The media goes overboard covering the campaigns but instead of making sense of them they really only report the outrageous-ness of each camp. And there is plenty to report on in that vein! Much of it, however, is of little value or relevance.

Let's see if I can explain myself on this point.

First, what the candidates say are likely to be a poor reflection on what they can actually do. Words are not actions. They may predict what the candidate wants to do or see happen, but the words are not power or authority to actually achieve them. Or anything for that matter.

The US Constitution provides authority for the three branches of government to take actions. Each action is proscribed – limited in scope and purpose. The Legislative Branch has powers but it cannot make a court decision. It makes laws for the courts to consider for enforcement, but in the end, the courts also have to decide if the laws themselves are constitutional. So Congress has limitations.

The Executive Branch has specific powers as well. Primarily it is tasked with enforcing the laws made by Congress. It can also enact policies that direct executive agencies under the management of the Executive Branch, to shape and pursue desired policies and policy outcomes. Executive Orders have the force of law, as well, and the President can issue these orders to side step Congress when they don't seem apt to perform as the president wishes. These orders, however, can be undone with a stroke of the pen by the successor President. Such orders, then, are not long lasting normally.

The Judicial Branch considers court cases brought before it and judges the fine points of the law to determine if the court decisions of lower courts are fair, just and in accordance with the law. Constitutional law is the result of these considerations and decisions. Each decision has the potential of making law by the mere fact of defining what is and what is not constitutional. Such decisions make precedents in the law and are followed in the future until Congress changes the law, or the constitution itself is amended by the people of the United States.

The separate powers of the branches form checks and balances on each other and themselves as well. The Constitution was well thought out on these elements.

Knowing the above what is possible for America to do or pursue? And that is our nation, not a bunch of nations or the world community as a whole. Somehow each nation has to make its own decisions and also attempt to work in concert with other nations. Then a host of nations must figure out how to work well with all of the nations to make a lasting difference.

Let us not be myopic and think what's good for America is good for the world. That is not necessarily so. If we are truly honest about this we will readily understand it.

The world will do better as a whole if we all are working together on the big issues and finding lasting solutions to them. So we have based this discussion broadly. With that as prologue, what are the issues the globe (and thus America) should be laboring over? Here's my list. See if you agree or would suggest changes large or small.

1. Safe, healthy environment
    a. Pollution free water; access to adequate water supplies for all people
    b. Pollution free soil for growth of adequate food supplies for all people
    c. Pollution free air for healthy breathing for all people

2. Universal access to education and human development support
    a. Preschool and elementary education provided to all children
    b. High school and career preparation provided to all students
    c. Secondary education for career, professional schooling provided to all students interested and
        capable of successful studies
    d. Free access to education support to navigate career shifts and changes

3. Universal access to health care and pharmaceuticals

4. Free trade and a level playing field for all markets throughout the globe (and cultures!)

5. Shared global governance structure in which all nuclear weapons are banned and destroyed and
    war made obsolete

That's my list. How would you change it?

December 29, 2015

Looking to the Future

What is our collective dream? Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all men? Is that your dream? Is that what you want all of us to work toward?

Not a bad goal. It is something mankind has claimed to have pursued throughout all of history. It is just too bad that we haven't achieved it after all of this time.

Of course, history is relative to the period of time referred to.  All of time? Well, just what is that? If the planet is 10 billion years old or older (14 billion, maybe?), what has been the role of mankind in all of that spectrum of time? Not much; mankind wasn't present for most of it.

Man's anthropological history on the planet dates back no more than 3.3 million years, and most would claim history to be only for the past 9000 years or so. Archeology, paleontology and other sciences inform us of life before then, but no written history is available to substantiate it. If you push it, we probably can find etchings and cuneiform from only about 4000 BC. That would make mankind's written history only 6000 years old.

We know the Ice Age ended about 11,700 years ago. What did mankind do from that age to the present? Living in or under massive ice formations must have been impossible. So how did mankind emerge from this age? How, why and when?

Imagine it, ice was thick – 1.9 to 2.5 miles thick! Think of the weight. Crushing weight and it moved upon the face of the earth slowly grinding the surface into lakes, rivers and hills. When it melted, oceans, lakes and rivers further shaped the contours of the planet. In all of this chaos mankind came into being. At least humankind that is recognizable to us. Of course our ancestors existed millions of years ago but lived and appeared much different than modern man.

During the Ice Age, though, mankind is believed to have sheltered in caves in South Africa in what is now termed 'a Garden of Eden'. Perhaps their number were limited to only a few hundred while all other ancestors perished from the extreme temperatures and lack of food. But in 'Eden' the clan survived by relying on each other and living day to day very, very carefully.

Mankind emerged to the end of the Ice Age and spread across the face of the globe. At the time tectonic plates were not where they are today. Land bridges existed to connect Asia with what is now North America. Peoples migrated among continents looking for warmer temperatures, and sea and land food supplies. Flora and fauna were fed upon to support life.

Later, thousands of years later, man's tribes gathered and roamed creating histories and cultures that would later be uncovered in anthropological digs. A far cry from present day man. We are the result of thousands of years of history and striving.

Which leads to the question: what is our striving? Are we as tenacious as our forbears? Do we have a sense of future different from them? Theirs was survival based; ours is less so on survival and more on thriving, yes? If that is so then what are we going to do with it?

Current activity is broad and deep. One wouldn't know this from news reports. The story of man is not a 15 minute news summary from any news organizations. Our story is more an essay from a university's research departments based on their discoveries of the last year. This is more appropriately a reflection on what mankind is doing and achieving than the nightly news.

And then one ponders the political campaigns so prominently evident in newscasts.  Who among the candidates will focus energy and resources on what is important?

Being rude, crude and pushy does not make a politician a valuable person in elected office. What we need are people who will discern what is going on, what is imminently important and what is not. And then those same people discern together what ought to be done. What are our opportunities to pursue? What are the threats we need to defend ourselves from? What weaknesses do we share that need to be addressed, reversed and turned into strengths? Indeed, what are our strengths to be protected and used to manage all of our affairs with intelligence?

Did we say intelligence? Yes, we did. It is the intelligence and shared tasks we focus on that are the most important features of modern day man. We have important things to do. We have lives to protect and to develop for the good of us all.

Not just Americans, but all of mankind all over the planet. This is our interplanetary abode. We must protect it and all peoples who inhabit it. We can only do that by working together. We must shun divisiveness. Apart we accomplish little but trouble. Together we make the future happen.

This is a good time to consider what that future will be. Opportunities are plentiful. Which will we use? In what order will we select and use which opportunities? And how will we use them? For the good of all or only a few? Hopefully the former!

Yes, so much to do. So much to decide. The future is like that. It demands much from us. But it promises much for us, too. It is for us to decide and implement.

Will we? And how well will we?

December 28, 2015

Happy Holidays!

This is a family day. Early morning we will rise and walk the dog, then on to my son’s home with his beautiful wife and son. Joining us will be my daughter and her wonderful husband and two gorgeous daughters. My former wife and her gracious husband will round out the gathering for breakfast, laughs and then settling before the Christmas tree.

Hoots of laughter, memories shared from over the years, and hopes and dreams for the future will sparkle. The glitter of the decorations is a small part of the twinkling sparkle of the day. The main course is the people in the room. And we will chalk up another Christmas Day spent together. That alone is gift enough.

Later in the day we will attend another family gathering, this one of the widow of Rocky’s brother, Sharon. Her granddaughters will be there, a daughter in law or two will be present, and a great granddaughter, too. We will catch up with one another, share some laughter and a few gifts, then consume a large meal.

Sharon has a few more surprises in store for the family. We have been a part of that process to produce a special memory for the rest of the family. They should be well pleased and be warmed by it.

We will stop by our home to pick up the dog while transiting between son John’s home and Sharon’s home. The dog is part of the family and brightens the lives of others, too. And then home to our quiet space with the dog. We will cuddle in our chairs and watch TV and while away the remainder of the holiday.

The quiet is good. It is comforting. It is a cocoon that allows meditation and remembering. Music of the season will brighten our evening. So too will an old movie or two on cable. All are part and parcel of our holiday. And it is good.

The hustle and bustle of the season was not a component for us this year. Much more simple times than past holidays. That means the day after Christmas is quiet, too. Our errands are done. Our social obligations are at rest. We can read a book, take a nap, clean a room, eat a snack or watch TV. No scurrying around to stores for returning an ill-fitting sweater. No coupons or gift certificates to redeem. No, ours is the simpler, quieter holiday that keeps giving its reward.

And that is a blessing to be cherished.

Merry Christmas to you all. And may peace and goodwill be yours in the coming year.

December 25, 2015

Tender Times

Life presents us with tender moments often. A physical hurt that consumes some of our attention is one such tender moment. A stubbed toe reminds us frequently when we are walking to watch for immovable objects that will heighten the tender toe. So too with feelings.

Emotions are tender due to internal mood changes sparked by a host of different causes. Tenderness calls on us at moments of sweet love, encounters with favorite people, an aroma that takes us back to childhood, and many other stimuli like this. Sounds, music, tastes, foods of our life’s memory bank are but a few examples.

I get tender hearing the news that disappoints and then I ponder it for quite a while. What do I do with the news? How can my behavior and understanding help the situation, or not? Media attention focused on loud and lewd people do not represent the true feelings or spirit of most Americans, but the attention is on them just the same. The boldness, the nervelessness, the pomposity on display, such are the elements the media deems newsworthy these days. And it is newsworthy if a cajillion people pay attention to it and respond to it. It becomes the language of the day just like an errant fad or fashion point. Not very important but newsworthy anyway. For a time.

Relationships with others that don’t go well. Either I expect too much from them, or they from me! Or maybe the functional identity associated with our relationship is too much compromise on my part and too little on the other person. That imbalance calls forth a tenderness of spirit that can bloom into hard feelings, resentments and trouble. Tenderness just the same. It is there to be dealt with.

Sometimes we deal with these matters by shrugging it off, ignoring it, going on to other things on which we have more impact. Labor in the fields where fruitfulness lies; steer clear of the barren tasks that yield no joy.

In time, however, these shunted items become major obstructions to be managed. By that time they have often grown in complexity and hard feelings. Resentments are like that. Tough and ornery. Resistant to solution, too. That’s why most management training encourages open, frank communication at the outset of difficulty so all parties can craft an agreeable solution based on sound principles of collaboration and compromise.

Family relations might be the sole exception here. The feelings are too complicated and deep to be understood by the principals and handled deftly to successful repose. Too often the feelings are anchored in perceived slights during childhood; if such is the case one would be forgiven side stepping the problem and hoping for a professional psychologist to get involved!

The childhood might be recent, but more likely is 40 years or more distant. I’m dealing with something in the making for over 70 years.  Fix that, will you! I don’t think so.

So my answer is to side step the issue and go on with my life. Twinges of abandonment – both directions – will echo for a while.

As a friend of mine told me once, you cannot fix what you didn’t break. That task belongs to the other person. If you are willing to engage and they are not, then the path forward is clear. Take that path and live life to the fullest on your own terms.

So I have. Silence from one sibling is disengagement. Misplaced anger and misunderstanding is another signal of disengagement. So be it.

I have a nephew who is fond of saying, “It is what it is.” And he is right. The Beatles’ song “Let it Be” says the same thing. Most often we cannot have an effect on the things that most bother us. Recognizing that reality is a step towards maturity. Leaving it alone is all I can do.

But I can turn my attention to other things that are important to me and I will. I promise!

May you and yours have a merry, personal and safe Christmas/Hannukha/Kwanzaa.

December 24, 2016

Expectations

We hope and then plan for fulfillment of that hope. We envision Christmas this way – from when we were children and knew the excitement and expectation with immediacy. We carry that memory and history of memories connected with Christmas onward into adulthood. We just do. It is the way things are.

Then we live our adult routines attempting to re-enact, rebirth those memories so they are real in our new family – at the beginning for our bride or groom, then for our kids, and their spouses and kids, too. In the doing of that, however, we encounter failure to produce. The memory is not relived. It is not rebirthed in others. It falls dejectedly on our own laps while we wonder what happened. It is one of the mysteries of life we accept as adults: we cannot duplicate our life experience in the lives of our loved ones. Only they can experience the new and retain them as memory and tradition.

We continue the tradition and the traditions so they might live on in the lives of our family however large it grows.

When we come to this understanding we are then free to experience fresh joy and wonder within the season. Our experience is first hand but as a second hand observer. In that we find the mystery lived out by others younger than we. And therein is the tradition that holds meaning. It is the tradition that will live on in their lives and the ones they will attempt to rebirth for their loved ones just as we did.

They too will learn soon enough that joy will come from fresh understanding and as traditions come into being in an endless loop of expansion.

Thus expectations are ours alone and most of the time fruitless. This we learn. It is wisdom gained from realizing loss of currency and authorship of old 'traditions'. So be it. So be it.

The energy saved by releasing expectations can be used to discover meaning. That takes a lot of energy. But it is well used for seeking. Looking. Searching. What is that? Who is that? What does this mean? How does it all fit together? Am I asking the right questions? Am I even on the right page?

So many questions and so many paths to follow. Where do I begin and what do I do with the information once found.

Well that requires logic and understanding. Experience will lead to deeper understanding and finally to wisdom. When will I use this wisdom? Will it serve purposefully?

That's up to the people who encounter it. Why are they on this journey to discover meaning? What do they intend to do with it. Can we trust them and their motives? And what does all of this have to do with expectations? That is the title of this posting after all!

I think the connection is experience leads to expectation. The disappointment that expectation does not live up to what we hoped for instructs us on the meaning of life. The lesson is foisted on us with no clarity. We have to work with the ideas to find the meaning. It is not automatic. Just like life, not automatic!

Meaning is ours to discover and apply. No one else can do it for us. They can help with the process but not with the actual discovering and use of the wisdom.

We each live our life apart from others and that is the core of our authenticity. Embrace it gladly for it enriches our every breath.

December 23, 2016

Getting a Reaction

So a customer comes into your store and expresses interest in a product you have on display. You show it to her. She feels it, maybe tries it on, asks questions about it, and makes the decision to buy or not at that moment. You offer a product. Customer shows interest in it. A reaction is expressed. Action to buy we don’t know at this point, and probably is not the point of this post.

No, getting a reaction is often unintentional but in the mix of daily life just the same. Brrr its cold outside!  Ugh, it’s hot and humid outdoors. Isn’t she pretty, or he handsome? Nice. We react bidden or not. Of value or not is not even in the calculation.

Others, however, take action precisely to get a reaction. A nation builds a strong defense to thwart threat of take over or attack. Sometimes the strong defense attracts challenges and minor skirmishes. Were the latter intended by the defender? Or was this intended by the challenger, to get a rise out of the defender.  Sounds like the old Cold War to me. Maybe, maybe not.

Today China is building islands, yes islands, in straits off their mainland to shorten the distance between their shore and a targeted piece of real estate they feel belongs to their national identity. So yes, they are actually raising the sea floor high enough to build tiny land spits that will eventually become the core of a small island. They built it so they will name it and claim it as theirs.

Evidently this is a tactic to expand their defined sea lanes so international waters are pushed farther off. Interesting. Prior to the ‘land mass in the making’, it is not actually a nationalized land. So international waters remain as before.

The US Navy  has cruised through the area and China now claims the US is causing trouble, engaging in ‘provocations’, I think they said.. They claim the US has entered China’s waters in violation of international law.

I think not. Most others in the global community would agree that China is constructing a shadow issue. For what reason? Only they know. Meanwhile others are curious. No action is taken, imagined or otherwise. Just curious cruise-bys and maintaining open international waters regardless of what China claims.

So, have they taken an action to create a reaction? Maybe so. What else is the world to think?

Same with Russia: Crimea was a staged take-over disguised as a civil uprising. And they did this in the shadow of hosting the Olympics. Followed swiftly by their hostile actions in Ukraine. Staged actions to create reactions. A test, if you will, of the temper of the western nations and how they would counter Russia’s bold actions.

The west responded with diplomacy, behind the scenes negotiations and posturing. Such are the tools used to maintain peace and keep a hot war from happening of any size.

Political campaigns do the same action/reaction engineering. It is a way to get your name and ‘brand’ in front of the press and the public. Good or bad imaging, the issue is being controlled by someone for their own gain. The truth doesn’t matter at this point. Provocations are manipulative regardless of who does it. Has America used such a tactic? I don’t know but probably it has. But China, Russia, Iran and Syria certainly have. And of course Russia claims Turkey has done so by shooting down the Russian fighter jet although so far the proof shows the jet strayed into Turkish territory even after several warnings. That’s what happens – mistake or not – when hostile actions are taken in small regions. National boundaries are not printed on the soil as on a map! The location of a plane in flight is not always known precisely by the pilot and crew. But the folks on the ground know.

Actions and reactions staged for effect. We see this in advertising as well, personal relationship management, too. Some people are naturally pushy; we label that controlling. They act this way to force their interests to the fore in a negotiation or power play. They may be viewed as effective by some parties, but others will label them bullies. And that’s what they are.

Bullies. We see them on the highway, city streets, and even on the sidewalks. Over-important thugs dressed in suits and ties pushing their way around. The NRA does this to master its public relations challenge concerning gun rights. They are successful, too.

Same in congress and the Illinois legislature.  Regardless of the facts, parties are stating what they want people to believe as though it is fact. It isn’t. and so they get away with doing nothing while blaming someone else for the problem.

But the work remains to be done. And I for one am watching them manipulate issues and thinking they are growing their own cover. However, they are in the open and nude of such cover. We know they are doing this. When will we remove them so dedicated public servants finally get the job done?

Indeed.

December 22, 2015

Things that Go Bump in the Night

Lately I’ve noticed things that don’t make a lot of sense. Mostly they are counter-intuitive news stories. See if you agree:

1. China angry with US over naval cruises in international waters China claims as their own because of their man-made islands
2. China irate with US for selling Taiwan military hardware of $1.8 billion
3. China claims US is making military trouble intentionally while they…
4. Federal Reserve raises interest rates while massive cash hoards remain unused in banks and corporate treasuries
5. Federal Reserve raises interest rates while inflation near historic lows and stable
6. Federal Reserve raises interest rates even while 5% or more of workforce has given up on seeking work; unemployment remains at 5.2%; GDP nearly stagnant
7. Who’s benefiting from higher interest rates? Who is hurt by higher interest rates?
8. For several days stock market values fall based on worries on what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates; when the decision is made, markets soar; then they slump big time. Who knows what moves the market and why? Anyone?
9. Russia enters Middle Eastern military skirmishes in Syria; picks fight with Turkey
10. Russia claims fight against ISIS but fires on Syria’s rebel encampments who are also fighting ISIS
11. Russian fighter jets cram airspace where Anti-ISIS coalition jets also operate; probability of erroneous dog fights soar
12. Trump admits being a little divisive; trying to pull Republicans together
13. Fossil Fuels cause global warming; global markets still compete for oil sales
14. Fossil Fuel demand falls; prices plummet; alternate fuel markets still struggle
15. Affordable Care Act hits targets; number of uninsured Americans declines
16. Congress works overtime to kill Affordable Care Act programs
17. Congress votes for huge spending bill without sourcing means to pay for it
18. Congress decries surge in national debt
19. Conservatives preach the Gospel but decry lack of religious freedom
20. Oh don’t bother….

This list could go on and on. One statement doesn’t make sense given the context in which it was given. Sometimes the statement contains the antithesis of its meaning in the same sentence. I suppose I could be confused by the times, or the language or the personalities involved. But I doubt that, truly I do!

In any case there is much confusion at large on many topics these days. It will remain so until we make sense of it or ignore it long enough.

Rather than get agitated and bollixed up, I think I will ignore the chaos and seek serenity somewhere else. Others will either do the same, or become bollixed. Either way it is on them and not me. This time, anyway.

Ah peace.

December 21, 2015

An Open Letter to My Brother and Sister

It’s been a long time since we connected. Sis and I do occasionally during the year with email letters and focus our attention on Mom and her needs as she approaches 102 years of age. Not so brother to brother. Our lives seem to be apart and busy in their different orbits.

Such is life at times like these. And such is life at our respective ages, too. Bro is 77; Sis is 74 and I’m 72. Our trajectories are not only different but probably on different maps, too. One is in New York, one is in Arizona, and I’m in Illinois. Three distinct regions and cultures of America. We are caught in the vortex of context quite different from each other. That is the way of life. That is as it is supposed to be.

Odd that we are all married/partnered with people with large extended families when our own nuclear family was so small. The five of us – parents and three kids – each partnered. I had two kids, sis had none and bro had three. Even the kids don’t connect among cousins. In our day that was unthinkable but today it is the norm. Facebook and internet networking keeps some of us in touch but not in person. No face to face meet ups, or trips, even.

There were times in the past when we visited each other with some frequency although many miles separated us. That is not the case these days. Health and age, and finances keep distances great. But our thoughts connect at least in our own minds. We are still family as tenuous as that may seem at times.

Lives do grow apart. We each have our struggles with meaning, faith, ideology and understanding of life. And purpose: what are our lives to mean in the future, what have they meant in the past? Do we even care to know this? Is it assumed? Is it an automatic fact of life that needs no attention? Most likely that is so.

I write this blog every day. Have done so for over four years now. Along the way I’ve collected over 74,000 visits to the blog. I wonder who they are? I do know they are from all over the globe and many visit daily while others catch up intermittently. Russia, China, France, England, Africa, South America and the Maldives and Indonesia are some of the homelands of the readers. And India, too! Such a polyglot of cultures and peoples. It is somehow comforting that so many people are interested in what an American thinks about anything. Evidently they do.

I think it is especially interesting that they are interested in an opinion – mine – on so many topics. This may be an opinion blog to some, but it is a search journey for me, making sense of whatever pops to mind after all these years of experiencing life. It is a good thing for me, a mental health outlet to be sure! Hopefully it contains interest for them. But to my siblings? Somehow I doubt we give each other credit for having an informed opinion! How sibling-esque is that!?

Well, maybe this posting will explore that a little more fully. One can only hope. In the meantime it is a good life. Not without its struggles, but a good life just the same. May this be true for brother and sister and their families as well. And to all of you readers, too!

Many happy wishes to you all in this special time of year.

December 18, 2015

Possibilities

Most likely I have written something before under this title. If so, place a ‘2’ or ‘B’ after today’s title. I’ve lost track of repeat use of titles and frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. It truly doesn’t.

What does matter is that we allow ourselves to be in the present authentically enough so we interact productively with others in real time. The here and now is important. We get caught up in details so often we forget the here and now, and we also forget why we are working hard in the first place. What is the purpose of this effort? Why are we so committed to it? And what is the ‘it’?

Mission. I’ve said it before. Mission is a definitive purpose of what we are serving or doing.

I’ve attended several meetings of late where our discussions ultimately came down to revisiting our purpose, yes, our mission. If we talk about something as though it is a problem in need of attention, why is it a problem, and if we fix it, what good will that do? Will it further our mission in any tangible form? Will our efforts today be of value tomorrow? Are we moving forward?

Perhaps our discussion is not to fix anything, but rather to refocus on what we are about in the first place. Not a bad exercise, really. We often become hazy on why we do things. The mission ought always be in full focus, perhaps a placard on the wall or hung around our necks to fully remind us of what we are about.

Our church is small. The congregation has committed members and walk-ins, too. It has diverse ages and backgrounds but not so much ethnic selection among its gatherers. It has a music ministry comprised of volunteers and home-grown talents. All good. All dedicated and reaching outward. Not all confident in quality or artistry, but somehow so very real and beautiful in its honesty.

Faith journeys are like that. Not knowing all the theological purposes of our denomination’s history, dogma, traditions doesn’t deter us from individually moving along the journey’s track toward fuller understanding. That growing sense of faith – in something, if not God alone – is more a blossoming of the self into a bundle of energy bursting with possibility. What will be will be, what I am is here before you this very moment, what God means in your life and mine is an individual spark of discovery in the moment. It is not the product of dogma or ritual. It is meaning conjured in the brain for each of us in our own time. Moments. Connected moments. Disconnected moments. We experience this mystery of faith in believing and hope of power and senses that bring great joy and meaning for life.

I am not a very good Christian as it turns out. I do not believe in the absolute divinity of Christ as the son of God. I do believe a man named Jesus existed in the historical sense, and in a virtual sense, is the son of God just like you and I are his sons and daughters. I view Christ as a model or ideal to compare our lives to and to challenge our faith in God.

Will our faith be rewarded? No one knows. Only you and I can know for ourselves. And that’s the point of this posting today.

The point is we all make our own journey in purpose and faith day by day to serve our own sense of value and worth. Luckily that value can only be measured in our effect on the lives of others. They too have an effect on our lives. Together we make the world a better place in which to live. And that becomes a grand stage for something much larger than ourselves.

A grand stage. A place to launch possible outreachings of love, and care and purpose. A mission of love and care so we might all share peace and serenity with one another. A central core of peace within.

Possibility of joy planted in the lives of others so we live fruitful lives of happiness and purpose. The faith of love. The faith of purpose. The church universal of caring and touching others. That is our ministry. Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, only the latter we don’t really focus on because we are intent on doing the former. The latter just happens. Just like peace happens – because enough of us care that it does.

Could all of life be this simple? Is this what education is all about? And history? And math? And science? And theology?

I believe in many things, but God is one constant I’ve been lucky to have in my life from the beginning. I didn’t always know this, but it was there and this is the root of faith. The rest is our effort to share it with others. Sometimes we do this well; other times not so well. All the more reason to refocus our attention.

Let me count my blessings…no, let me count the possibilities!

Now we’re getting somewhere.

December 17, 2015

Finding a Fit

So this fellow enters the store. Sauntering down aisles looking for something. At no time does he perk up or follow toward a specific display. He just wanders along looking. Sometimes touching the goods, even hefting them for weight and balance. Fabrics he feels for pliability, softness and texture.

Next he enters the furniture department but soon reappears without interest as to where he has been. He spots the men’s clothing department and goes toward the slacks and trousers. He holds some up to his waist to check which size might be good for him. He looks about for a sales clerk who might advise him, maybe even check his size for a proper fit. But no one is around. Just a sea of goods on racks packed tightly together. Lots of selection, an array of color, fabrics and styles.

What’s next? Suits with jackets, or sport coats in need of separate slacks? Maybe shirts? The selection is boggling. All sizes and fits – trim for the slim, V-shaped for the muscular body, Y-shaped for the non-muscled (!), and of course the stretchy for anything in between (or rapidly changing shape!).

The fellow probably saw the same goods on-line for this store’s website but didn’t think he got the true feel or sense of the products. Besides, he didn’t know his size and thought it would be better if he tried on the clothes, maybe asked for help from someone in the know. Shopping was such a chore these days. What to buy and for what purpose? Was this attire to be for work, social gatherings or casual, relaxing times? And how durable ought they be?

It had been a long time since the fellow had shopped for new clothes. He had forgotten how to do it. That’s the sad truth, but then it mostly didn’t matter. Well it did matter to some friends and family. They said he was looking a little tacky and worn lately. Perhaps a fresh shirt and pants? Maybe even new shoes?

So he set out to find himself some of these things. Only the store was overwhelming in its selection of everything.

As he tired while shopping for clothing, he settled on the electronics department and wandered among new cell phones, sound systems, electronic cameras, TV sets and even some handy home computers. He immersed himself in a toy land of electronic possibility.  

An hour later he emerged with two small packages swinging in a bag. A new cell phone and a small computer pad. His step perked up. He had purpose. Confidence was evident in his very posture. He had come. He had seen. He had bought.

On his way out of the store he stumbled toward the exit. It was then he realized the cuff of his jeans was frayed and trailing behind him. It was that rugged look that had caused the stumble.

Suddenly he realized why he was there in the first place. With panic in his eyes he sought  a store employee for help. And there she was spraying the air with perfumes enveloping shoppers as they passed through the cosmetics department.

He approached her. He stuttered his plea for help. She neared him to hear better. Her face went from question to frown, then a lifted brow of recognition. An idea! She signaled to a colleague and took the man’s hand and led him away.

They arrived in the men’s clothing department again. She caught the eye of a clerk and explained the situation. A nod from both employees and then a broad smile. The perfume lady left and the sales clerk took over.

In a trice the fellow knew his sizes, even wrote them down! And then he was led to each display for a considered review of the possibilities. He bought six shirts, three ties, one suit, a sports jacket, and four pairs of slacks. On to the shoe department he bought a pair of dress shoes and a pair of causal sports shoes. He was set. He had a new appearance. And for more than one or two occasions.

Along the way he realized that his electronic purchases were now not really needed. He wouldn’t use the computer pad for purchases of clothing. He now knew where help was available. And where the selection was readily available at finger tip.

He returned the electronic buys for a full credit.

He then strode out of the store loaded with his new identity. And with such confidence!

December 16, 2015

Gratitude

For things large and small. Mostly small. Those are the things we take little notice of but which have cumulative impact on our lives. A sidewalk that may be wet or snowy at times, but is not muddy and yucky. Curbs that keep storm water at bay but also slush from melting snow. Lights that go on when a switch is flipped. Hot water at the tap. A car that starts at first try. Tissue box at the fingertips. Windshield wipers that really work! Brakes that stop the car without throbbing. Wheels that seem round and smooth.

So many things that work well for us, and smoothly, on demand, without a hitch. And yet, do we think about these things? Do we even feel a little bit grateful for them?

I can’t answer that for you, but I can for myself. I do notice these things; but I am not always grateful because I am too much focused on what is not going well. Well damn!

It’s true, isn’t it? For you as well? How jaded we become in a life filled with good things. We note what goes wrong, not what goes right.

Here are a lot of things we should think more about:

• When a fire rages, the firemen arrive and take control
• When a burglar, a fight, a loud noise in the night wakes us, the police respond
• When storms rage we know public services will be on the scene to help us with floods, earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes, blizzards and a host of other natural disasters
• When I flush the toilet, it works! And the sewers take whatever I send to them
• Tap water flows on demand, quickly, safely and healthily
• My local community has great amenities: library, park district, fire protection district, schools, public services well planned and well financed with a minimum of long term debt
• The military is Johnny on the spot for all emergencies; they are prepared for the unexpected and often put their lives on the line for me without my knowing it
• Same for local, county, state and federal police agencies; they are on duty 24/7 to protect us all; they live with chaos at times, crushing boredom other times, and quick thinking threatening conditions almost always. They take responsibility for our well-being even as we quickly condemn them and suspect them of abuse and wrong doing even while warring gangs and crime mobs are killing each other
• Our schools continually receive assignments of social concern and engineering that have little to do with learning and development of the minds of students. Schools long ago succumbed to the weight of pseudo parenthood when the parents no longer cared for their own kids; yet teachers teach through it all and for unworthy salaries

 This list is probably endless. I am making a point that needs to be made, however. And it is this:

American citizens too often let others do what they should be doing for themselves; and yet they are quick to condemn and criticize details that they truly do not understand. They often don’t vote; they often reduce all government and governance to one sentence or one issue.

Life is complicated enough, let alone adding complications of communal life to the mix. If a person doesn’t like government, or doesn’t trust it, then do not receive the benefit of what government provides in your life: order, consistency and fairness. Don’t like what you get? Work to improve it. Run for office. Learn about the issues and their alternatives. Learn their costs. Help elected officials make informed decisions. And trust their good intentions whether or not their decisions coincide with your particular needs and wants at the moment.

There are 330 million Americans being served by many levels of government. All are working their best with the resources provided to them and for your benefit not theirs. They are not becoming millionaires on your dime. Most officials work long hours for mediocre pay to strengthen the community for the broadest number of people. There are more demands from the public than there is time or money to devote to them. Choices have to be made. Choices that have to be made in spite of mind-numbing conflicting issues demanding resolution at the same time.

We Americans get the kind of government we invest in and pay attention to. If you personally don’t like what kind of government you are getting, perhaps you ought to spend some time understanding the issues better. Then take a personal interest in electing the right people to control the outcomes you expect. Then, and only then, if you don’t get what you think you deserve as a citizen, complain. At least now you will know who to complain to, and why they should be listening to you!

Instead of turning on the TV and watching a political debate that is anything but, spend the time instead on more worthwhile study about the very governance you are paying for.

Now that should make you grateful. And me too!

December 15, 2015

Agreeing to Agree

When a fire starts in the neighborhood, people come out of their homes and watch. They shudder knowing this could happen to them. And then they spring into action to help.

Blankets are brought to cover the now homeless occupants, friends bring them into their homes nearby, coffee is made, and phones are brought out. Family and friends are notified of the fire and the need for their help.

The family gathers from far and wide to lend a hand to the family unit most affected by the tragedy. Luckily, no one is hurt or killed in the fiery chaos.

Of course fire and police personnel arrive on the scene quickly to put out the fire and rescue any and all life possibly trapped at the scene. They marshal forces and the fire is extinguished. Hot spots are wetted down some more while the rest of the equipment is gathered and transported back to fire stations. Police patrol the area, keep onlookers away and safe. Data for reports is gathered and the long haul of producing those reports goes on and on in several offices in the town.

Meanwhile neighbors and friends from afar descend on the scene to help the survivors. Clothing is donated, so too, food stuffs and cash. A group begins the search for temporary housing for the family. Another group works with the police and insurance company to determine how soon the family might be able to return to their home. Financial assistance needs are laid out for the family and arrangements are made.

In this situation a bunch of people came together to help others. This is what community looks like. This is what people look like when they agree to agree to do something. Almost without design their reactions are a potent reminder that we share more than we talk about.

In times of tragedy most of us respond to lend a hand. We are then a part and parcel of our shared values. Funny. We didn’t sit down and discuss these things. We didn’t determine if the victims were like us or different from us. We didn’t discuss their religious beliefs or political ideology either, for that matter. No, we just acted on what we felt was right at the time.

And of course it was right – then and even later. Our actions were made in response to human need. And that is always right to do any place and any time.

Like the world conference on climate change recently concluded in Paris. Twenty-plus nations gathered to discuss and develop an agreement they could work on together to protect the planet from destruction by pollution of water, air and soil mankind contributes to his environment. Acts of pollution have taken a toll on our living environment and the planet is likely to become a less hospitable place to live in time.  That is, unless we do something about it. That’s what the conference is about. What to do about sustaining the livability of our planet, together.

Finally we agree to agree on something important. It took courage to show our humility: we have contributed to the problem which promises to be deadly if we don’t take action. Better if that action is taken together in planned and shared objectives.

We haven’t witnessed much agreement lately in the national or global communities in which we live. Instead we view daily contempt and complaint from many parties against many other parties blaming them for shared problems. Missing, of course, is the awareness that we are in this together. We share these problems. We share possible consequences. People are already at work to solve them. It is the lack of agreement on what should be done that frets us.

That should be the key here. We have something we are sharing, a condition, problem or threat that would best be managed together. We can only take such action if we agree to make an agreement to work together in some manner. I’m not saying we have an agreement to act definitively, only a willingness to work on agreeing on some future action.

Agreeing to agree. That’s the first step. It takes courage to stop what we are doing (complaining about something) and decide to do something about it. This is the pause that makes all the difference.

Accepting things that we can do nothing about is one such act of courage living life. Gathering the courage to do something about the things we can change for the better is an entirely different phase of living. It creates its own energy to pursue solutions that matter, like helping the fire victims in the neighborhood.

We will just have to tackle the part about having the wisdom to know the difference between the first two challenges (acceptance and doing) for a later time. Methinks this requires a great deal more agreement to agree!

December 14, 2015

Boots on the Ground?

Yep, once again the American public has vented their frustrations with the ISIS threat on American soil and has stated 53% to 47% that they want American troops on foreign soil fighting the ISIS threat.

There are two likely locations for these troops: Syria and Iraq. Libya and Turkey are sites following closely behind the first two. At any rate a Middle Eastern war front is envisioned by the Americans polled.

Here are very likely consequences of this action:

1. Without an agreement with Russia as a coalition force, an open war with Russia in Syria is virtually a done deal; such a war would not be limited or constrained by Russia, so the temperature of this hot skirmish/war would be intense
2. A front in Iraq would be joined by Russia, Iran as well as ISIS partners. You think the American war in Iraq was ugly and ineffective? You haven’t seen anything like what this new one will be like
3. A war in Libya would be more constrained in all likelihood, but others (dissidents, Al Qaeda, Taliban and ISIS) will jump right in. Of course Russia would remain a threat in this theater of war
4. Turkey is a showdown region: a nation sandwiched between the Middle East and Russia. It is a region of major contention in the eyes of Russia so they will not fade back into the background. It would seem Russia is spoiling for a fight in Turkey and hopes American troops will provide the focus for them to enter the fight 

For all Americans spoiling for this fight I would remind them that innocents killed in Iraq under American war direction amounted to probably 400,000. This number does not include injured and maimed casualties. Those number in the several hundred thousands, perhaps as many as a million.

We are not including here Afghanistan. Innocents killed and maimed are seriously in the hundreds of thousands.

And then there are American troops killed and maimed. Visit the Pentagon and the Veterans’ Administration for up-to-date numbers for both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The numbers are staggering but nothing compared with what those two nations suffered among their domestic populations.

War is hell. It is also expensive. The past wars stemming from 9-11 cost over $2 trillion and the costs continue to mount. With little exaggeration a new war against ISIS would cost $2 trillion more and could very likely be double that figure.

The President has outlined his plan for fighting ISIS. The plan is both old and new and improved. What he cannot talk about in public are other aspects of the enhanced plan. He’s no fool and will not divulge intentions and strategies for the enemy. But he also figures that his own citizens will be smart enough to understand that diplomacy saves lives and also serves our values well.

Obama’s strategy so far is to protect American soil with our existing effective defenses through Homeland Security and its partner agencies. Those agencies all are learning more details on ISIS and its forays into America. Bolstered budgets and personnel will increase the effectiveness of our defenses on the home front.

In the Middle East Obama has invested much power – military, diplomatic, economic, and cultural – to build an effective coalition of Middle Eastern nations to fight ISIS on their own soil. This strategy ties in with local interests to preserve their own nations and cultures – and religions – rather than rely on foreign powers. This is their fight first and foremost. America is a giant helper, supplier, mentor, coach and organizer in their efforts. We also have invested high tech solutions, training, personnel and equipment to the effort both on site and at remote locations. This methodology has been very effective so far in the early fight against ISIS.

Perseverance and dedication will pay huge dividends by staying on course. It is way too early to give up valuable ground already earned and raise the costs in dollars and lives by sending our troops to the region in massive numbers.

This would be foolish in the extreme. Wisdom dictates a smarter strategy. The pentagon, military leaders, diplomats and coalition partners know much more about this than the citizens who responded to an American political poll.

The time for calm and steadiness is certainly upon us. To protect our homeland is one front of activity. To take the fight to the enemy (ISIS) is the job of the nations already in the region. It is their homeland region, not ours. It is their culture and religions to be protected and preserved, not ours. Help them help themselves and the world community. It is this partnership and collaboration that is needed.

American leadership, yes; hegemony, no.

Take deep breaths and remain calm. Trust your government and your military. They know better than the rest of us what is going on and must be done. The rest of what you hear is empty fear mongering and political trumpeting.

Shame on the noise makers. Blessings upon the peace makers.

December 11, 2015

My Struggles

I don’t want this to get too personal, but I am having trouble getting by day to day. Some of this is caused by the exuberant holiday season in which so many of us hurl ourselves toward tasks impossible to accomplish by key dates like Hanukah, or Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Or Kwanzaa or whatever Islam dates are central to their worship.

It would appear that each person is hell bent on producing the perfect holiday for themselves and their families, or very special friends. Their dedication to this seems to be at the expense of their other obligations – work, health and sanity. The ideal is firmly implanted and that’s the objective they pursue.

Trouble is the ideal is perfect only in the mind and memory. Rarely is it possible to touch or obtain.

Life’s maturity teaches us this lesson. But we still are swept away in the hubbub just the same. And that’s precisely when the struggles begin.

The struggle to be yourself, true and honest, despite the cultural vortex surrounding you. The struggle to help loved ones understand reality and be reasonable in their expectations. The struggle to comfort when expectations are unrealized and sorrow and disappointment rage. The struggle to pay for all the hoopla and trappings of the season when their comfort and joy last but minutes or hours at the best.

You see my struggles are your struggles. You might not recognize them yet but you will. Time does teach us that. Surely it will. Perhaps already you are aware?

But my struggles are farther afield as well. I am concerned about the health and well being of my family – how well are they prepared to deal with the very real facts of life and still live joyous full lives? How well will they cope with their encounters with disaster and sorrow that surely are part of each of our lives? Will they accept these happenings willfully with open minds? Will they learn valuable lessons each occurrence contains for our understanding? Even our maturity?

Also, I am concerned for my country. It is in the depths of unrealistic expectations. The world has always been at our doorstep. The world craves security and health and wealth. America has that. Others want it too. This is only natural human behavior. Some of those ‘others’ want what we have by taking, not asking. Some feel entitled to our good life because they somehow feel we have caused them pain or poverty and we ought to make amends for that.

In this ballyhoo we have elections where those not in power seek to be in power. To get there they say and do outrageous things. Diminishing their enemies is one tactic they use. Disrespect is another tactic. All the while they are acting out others in power are doing the work we expect them to do for us.

Take violence in America. I guess we have always had violence by our side forever: the wild wild west is an example; so are cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, and sport hunters. Guns of all types are part of our history. But those armaments had a purpose of productive specificity. Not so much today; we buy guns and wield them because we are afraid of someone else, or something lurking behind the bushes or closet door, or perhaps we are afraid a birthright will be usurped if we do not brandish it now.

We are blinded by our own fears and bravado. Empty ones at that.

I struggle with this: a good and decent man sits in our Oval Office doing all the right things to keep us safe while everyone and his aunt and uncle decry his every move because nuts and crazies stalk our land and political campaigns. People are spewing nonsense and we do not heed or hear it. Instead we act let down.

In truth careful, wise diplomacy, military preparation, military readiness and actions, are taken in our name to protect us. It is most effective when unannounced and the foes do not expect us. We do not broadcast our moves in advance. We read the enemies, understand their motives and movements, and then take action.

That is how adults handle responsibility. They don’t jump up in a crowded space and shout fire. They do sit quietly with experts in countless fields and help them craft responses and plans to handle the many situations. They don’t call mass violence terrorism until they know it to be. They protect us however they can and will, not because some nut says so, but because they recognize the obligation to do so.

I’m proud of my President. He is a man of history, law, understanding and wisdom. His maturity shows. His braggadocio is absent.

Thank God! And thank you Mr. President!

Yes, I struggle, but Mr. Obama makes it easier for me.

December 10, 2015

What’s to Fear?

What are you afraid of? Come on now, you know you have fears. Some are the daily run of the mill sort while others are the gut sucking variety. The latter would usually include having a sudden auto accident in which your life is snuffed out and you will never know how your family will cope with this. Another is an unexpected loss of your job, its income, and the financial problems that will surely follow. Loss of the house is one such consequence you worry about, but so too the inability to keep the utilities running, the food on the table, and the car – how will we live without a car if it gets repossessed?

Another set of fears are pretty routine: the kids, once at school get hurt and it takes too long to get them safely at home, or the doctor’s office, or God forbid, the hospital! But these concerns are easily managed. What about the larger ones?

Such as a mass shooting at the kids’ school, or a bomb detonated at the office building in which you work. A terrorist attack that disrupts our life and our way of life is suddenly much more on our personal radar. Before today it belonged to the people of New York City, or Washington, DC; but now San Bernardino is full in our vision.

In Paris it was a concert venue, sports arena and restaurant. In other cities it has been a train, a bus or two, and now a plane in the Sinai Desert. Israel knows what terrorism is like in its nation. Buses and cars, sidewalk cafes, large night clubs and busy shopping areas. London knows the IRA attacks of the Tube, buses and government buildings.

America is just now getting some experience, and even more worry about terrorism that could easily occur here.

The problem with fear, however, is the unknown expectation that others speak of and reinforce. The terrorists need only cause one or two events before we await more such events and larger ones, too. Then there are people – our own here at home who press the fear into our consciousness. Politicians do this when they want you to be afraid and look at them as the problem solver.  But will they be? The problem solver? I haven’t heard any solutions offered to any problem we have in America. I hear complaints from these same politicians, and I hear them say they will do the opposite of the guy in power now if you elect me to that same office.

I wonder. I wonder if they really think this tactic will work to get them elected. Does their rhetoric make you more fearful? Are you afraid of terrorist attacks, mass murders done by mentally ill people with an arsenal of guns and ammunition? One is foreign terrorism; the other is domestic terrorism. Which is worse? Which is more controllable? Are the solutions the same?

Not very likely. But one is more solvable than the other. Domestic terrorism is solvable through attending to cultural issues, stronger education, perhaps more effective gun control, and better diagnosis of mental illness in the first place. Long term we have to tackle the causes of mental illness; perhaps we can avoid domestic terrorism entirely if we can tap the causes and head off disaster before it occurs. That’s a big question mark in our minds, but still one worth pursuing.

Foreign terrorism, however, is another matter. It is national defense, global involvement, diplomacy and a host of policy formation that will need to be wielded to stem terrorism and build our safety. But who is responsible for doing all of this?

Our hired staff at many levels of government come to mind instantly. The boards and organizations elected to hire and direct these governmental units and their staff also come to mind. Congress is one of those, but now we know they are incapable of doing much of value while they spend all their time on political maneuvers and nonsense. State legislatures also come to mind but many states have state houses in worse disarray than Congress.

Thank God we have very good state police organizations, police departments, sheriff departments, and of course national jewels in the FBI, ATF, and a host of other law enforcement bodies dedicated to keeping the public safe. Homeland Security is another agency that works 24/7 to ensure public safety. These are all professional organizations containing talented professionals. More of the same will continue to ensure we are safe.

International cooperation and collaboration with quick response teams designed to stop terrorists in their tracks, or avoid attacks in the first place, will be needed. All nations are needed to play a role here. This is a very practical and down to earth diplomatic mission. Such missions are now engaged by some nations, America included. So we are not starting from scratch.

But what else needs to be done?  Here are some more ideas to think about:

1. Resolve to focus on the issue, not the ideology
2. Understand religion is not the culprit; the misunderstanding of religion is
3. Seek involvement with people in different religions like yourself to talk about what unites us; what separates us; and why the two are malfunctioning
4. Grow your understanding to others so the larger understanding spreads to millions and billions of others

Then and only then will the planet have a chance to turn away from self-absorbed violence and heal.

We know now that the Crusades were a travesty of justice and theology. I am certain we will know the same about Jihad and our own mistaken retaliation.

December 9, 2015 

To Govern or Not to Govern?

As Hamlet would say, yes, that is the question.

I have a theory that I’d like you readers to look at. Consider it. Then let me know if I’m off the track or on it with this thinking. Either way we will need to determine what to do about it. It can not be ignored.

Currently I live in Illinois. Have since 1961 when I arrived as a freshman at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. After graduation I remained in the state, married, built a family with two children, furthered my education, provided educations to the kids, and eventually settled down owning my own business until I was too ill to continue.

During that entire saga I encountered ideologues in the state who felt then and do today that governance is best left to the people without much structure or legal restrictions. I would describe this as the non-government government. Today the Illinois legislature is locked in a political standstill unable to write or approve a budget. The conservative governor refuses to act until a budget is approved, a balanced one at that. Yet he does nothing to make that happen. No compromise. No governance.

The result is that only public safety services, court functions and basic education supports are working partially; most everything else is not working. Our roads get plowed of snow and salted, but not much more. A disaster of unknown proportions is growing in Illinois and will be unveiled one day when the kids in the political parties agree to disagree and then compromise on a budget and get back to work.

If this doesn’t work I suppose we will need to appoint a trustee to govern in their stead until new elections are held; meanwhile all elected officials would be removed from office and their paychecks cancelled.

This chaos resides in Illinois. But our state is not alone. Many others face gridlock or something very much like it; some now and others in the near future.

Congress of course is stuck in gridlock. They refuse to do anything. No agreement, no funding, late budget approved only after unseating the then Speaker of the House. But now the same clowns are arguing over the debt ceiling and a government shutdown is in the offing.

To govern or not to govern is the ideological issue at hand. We thought it was conservative versus liberal, but that isn’t so. Left of center are the doers and supporters of government. Right of the center are the distrusters of all things government and want it shut down and perhaps permanently disbanded. We don’t know the latter very well because they don’t speak of consequences or solutions to anything they say. All they really say is that they are against someone or something. And the answer is not more government.

Then, pray tell, what is the answer? If you don’t speak up with proposals, programs and solutions to the very problems you catalog, then we can only infer that you are against all government and won’t rest until that is a reality.

Doing nothing about everything will lead you to that consequence. Do you really want that? Is this an accurate reading of your rhetoric?

Not one republican presidential candidate has proposed one program or solution to any problem they have castigated. They seem to blame everyone but themselves, especially the current president. But hey, the problems they saddled him with were of their own making and the lack of solutions is not his but congress’. They control the purse strings. They hold oversight on all government operations. They make the laws. So they are busy blocking anything appearing to be a solution so they can go on blaming anyone but themselves.

We have watched this for several years now. Nearly 7 years with Obama; 8 years with Clinton. They didn’t act this way with GWBush, but then, they shared his party label. Truth be told he was embarrassed and chagrined with their intransigence. Just ask McCain about this.

So, I guess governance is back in our lap, the people’s lap. America’s governance structure is of, for and by the people. The structure currently in place has ground to a halt so I guess it is time to take the bull by the horns and remove the people in power and establish a temporary system that will get the daily work accomplished.

Now, to do this we will need some constitutional lawyers and academicians to find the legal way through this forest. We need to get started soon if we are to protect our nation from the nuts residing elsewhere in the global community. But then, we understand about them because we have our own brand of nuts living among us here.

Who says we need border defenses? We have crazies on both sides of the border and last I checked there is no control for that!

December 8, 2015

Doing Nothing is Not an Option

Mass murder and chaos are not acceptable in any society, least of all in America. So let’s do something about it.

First steps should include:

1. Politicians should not make public statements about ideology on the matter, but rather pledge to cooperate with forming a task force whose job will be to coordinate research, data gathering, and behavioral sciences that will form reasonable action plans for the nation to follow in the future.
2. Depoliticize mass violence issue; this is not a political party or ideology related issue; nor should it ever have been.
3. Task Force on Mass Violence should be entrusted to academic experts in the related fields of study; management should be assigned to non-profit organization managers of experience.
4. Task Force will include constitutionally protected rights, including gun ownership, but not ignore possible solutions connected with these rights.
5. Funding to come from a federal grant under White House supervision but not controlled by the White House or Congress.
6. Time limit for Task Force: 18 months to produce preliminary report outlining possible solutions, timelines and costs for each of those solutions, and a recommendation as to the preferred solution to implement. Five years to implement the chosen solution. If successful the solution will be used as a template to guide public policy going forward for all affected levels of government units.

 Two key elements from the above:

• Non political nature of the issue; this is public safety, not ideology
• Powerful Task Force unabridged by political power centers so it has freedom to research, propose and act in the interests of public safety now and in the future

I have no qualms with the freedom to act by this Task Force. We have much to lose by doing nothing, and much to gain from taking reasonable action. Without public safety none of us has the ability for ‘pursuit of happiness’.

If elected politicians do not understand this then they do not deserve our support and should be removed from office.

President Obama has asked for the American people to gather behind a collaborative process to address and hopefully solve the problem of mass violence in America. He cannot do this alone, nor does he have the authority to do this alone. This is a national need and must have a national response to be workable.

Congress has proven its inability to respond to national concerns of any kind. Therefore solutions to our largest problem will necessarily avoid their involvement.

Now, when do we start on this project?

December 7, 2015

To Be or Not To Be?

That appears to be the drop dead argument between for and against government.

That may seem overly simple, but think about this: conservatives hate and fear government, especially big government, but then they have never defined what big is. Liberals are purported to believe in endless large government. I doubt that has ever been defined, either, and in fact, there is no one speaking up for this position in the first place. Who is making the claim of what liberals are supposed to believe? Certainly not the liberals themselves. I think this is a conservative tactic. Speak of the evils of liberalism as though that alone defines the argument.

It doesn’t.

Furthermore, middle of the road folks both believe in the legitimate role of government and limits to that role at the same time. Middle of the Road supporters actually borrow workable ideas from both the left and right. It keeps balance front and center but it empowers government at the same time to get things done. That’s what government is for: getting necessary things done.

So, it seems we need to define what the conservatives are fighting for and what they are not.

The pure position of conservatism, I think, is no government other than that which organizes and operates the military in order to defend the nation. That would be the limit of government. If that is so, I think the position is ridiculous, but let’s let the conservatives speak for themselves.  What is it they want? What is their definition of limited government?

And which government? Do we at least agree that local governmental entities are legitimate and necessary? If not, how do they propose to provide public education, streets, traffic control, storm water controls, water, sewer and all the other base line utilities a modern society relies on? Is all of this to be owned and operated by private organizations?  If so, who controls their standards, policies and what not? Is this by management fiat of the owners of the utilities or is this a government role? If so, which government?

At this very moment conservatives are plotting to shut down the federal government yet again on December 11^th when the funding agreements in Congress expire. The budget is approved, but the funding of that budget is not. Debt ceilings need to be expanded. Taxing authority adjustments need to be made. Money and banking policies also need to be tweaked to make all of this work.

Also at this moment, conservatives are attempting to defund all of Planned Parenthood. If they were given full sway here, abortion wouldn’t be outlawed, but from a practical point of view access to abortion would be severely limited. An increase in unwanted births would result, social programs would once again be overloaded with an expanding case load, and all the issues conservatives abhor would be front and center again.

Again, conservatives have high ideals to talk about but they are oddly silent when it comes to effective policy generation. Wishing a problem away doesn’t make it so. It is not like fibbing about facts; policy actually gets work done. Wishing doesn’t. Neither does fibbing.

Conservatives, if you think governance includes more than just national defense, please spell it out. Meanwhile, raise the debt ceiling and put the government back to work. When that is done, begin a serious discussion about your ‘demands’ from the rest of the nation. Your ideology is not well spelled out. And your programs are oddly missing unless that’s part of your ideology – no government, therefore no programs.

You see the problem? Is America to be or not to be? And whichever you choose, how do you make that happen? What higher power do you believe will magically make all of this work without a hitch?

We are listening. But please, let’s have a serious discussion with no tantrums and pouty faces!

December 4, 2015