We, You, Future?

The coffee shop was abuzz. Talk rumbled at every table. An occasional burst of laughter over in the corner, a muffled shriek of delight at one table; hurried greetings and hugs at others as meetups were initiated. How many places like this are hubbubs of activity this day? And in how many places?

Meetups. People gathering two by two, or by threes; talking and sharing ideas. Connecting. Little by little ideas are spoken, shared. Inch by inch ideas are built, new ones, from the bodies of the earlier ideas. Emergent thinking created. Over a cup of coffee. Or bowl of soup.

This is how the future is made. One idea at a time. One casual meetup at a time. Brains thinking and building. Building fresh ideas, approaches. Solving one problem at a time. Forging ahead through the power of we.

Power of we. You and I. you and some other person. Two people sharing, now a third, maybe a fourth. Suddenly they understand something they had missed before. Like a snap of the fingers realizations dawn. And they did it.

Of course all of this is going on at many of the tables, even the ones with solo folks, sitting at their computer chewing a sandwich. They are not alone; they are on the internet or deep in an email exchange where a conversation is underway. They are doing what the others are doing, only electronically. Ideas are being shared. Notes are scribbled on paper or tapped into a keyboard.

The hubbub of the coffee house. In this case a Panera Bread storefront. Duplicated in countless shops just like it all over America. Think of it. Think of the sharing, the conversations and the idle thought. All of this producing understanding and expansion of minds.

I’ve often wondered what the store managers think about the buzz in their stores. Do they realize what their patrons are doing in their spaces? Are they aware of the problems being discussed and fresh thinking emerging from those chats? All seemingly casual. But oh, so important.

I observed strangers meeting, by appointment of course, but they hadn’t known each other before. One spoke broken English; his companion spoke employer English. They were meeting to follow up on a possible job opening. An interview! Later I saw them raptly listening to one another. Animated reactions to their talk popped up from time to time. They were getting into it and understanding each other. I wondered if the fellow with broken English was an immigrant, a visitor to America, or a bookish researcher in a lab or university think tank. Just wondered.

At another table bits of conversation burbled into public airwaves. They were talking organizational issues and problems; possible solutions. At another table a philosophical point was being pieced together. At another I know they were talking science. A little math over there.

All around people were connecting dribs and drabs that became mighty ideas. Making sense of the complex world. Bringing a little light to dim recesses of the mind.

And so it goes in that coffee shop. How many others were doing the same in other diners, restaurants and coffee houses? How many more people were building the future one idea at a time?

Is our future so bleak that no one talks about it?

Not where I live! The times are alive with thinking and connecting and inventing.

Are you part of this? Are you aware this is happening? All around at other tables? Maybe at yours as well?

If so, you – and we – are making the future right this instant. The answers are right there at the tip of your fingers, our fingers. At a table with a cup of coffee, a spoon, and a rumpled napkin.

A place where thinking and sharing are welcome. And your ideas. Our ideas. The future?

September 29, 2017

Paying Attention

Scan the news these days – whether in print, radio or TV; or more likely the internet news feeds and websites. Lots of issues hitting prime time. Comments, rants and ugly with the sweet.  Wide variety of topics, followers and opinion setters.

Most of us pay attention to all of those. But doing so dilutes concentration on what is most important. Of course ranking those issues complies with each of our own focal points. What is of interest to you is not likely to capture my rapture. Do I sympathize with your concerns? Of course I do. Do I fully support all of your points? Not very likely. In general, though, I get it that you are upset with something and I wish you peace and solutions to those concerns.

What concerns me the most, however, is the variety of topics under the spotlight at any given time and day, and what actually are the important issues we should be concerned with. Here is my list:

·         Global peace, goodwill among all peoples

·         Global warming and the rising tides of what that means

·         Access to full, fair justice for all

·         Access to educational supports that actually mean something to each person and as long as they need them

·         Access to quality healthcare regardless of the ability to pay for it

·         Economic systems working for everyone, not just the ‘owners’ who most often do not consider the social costs of their operations or lifestyles

That’s it. I could add to the list but to me these six are the building blocks of our existence – our continuing existence! Nothing is guaranteed so we need to pay attention to these six issues or the other nonsense topics will not be of any concern at some point.

That being the case, resist the impulse to read all Facebook entries. Resist responding to each FB entry or comment. Like what you like and skip the rest.

Meanwhile, off of social media, read background on the interests of your choice; and bone up on the facts of them. That’s when understanding begins to form and you’ll wonder why you didn’t know these things before. Save time to invest in this type of reading and internet searching. Rather than spreading meaningless bits and pieces, you will have time to invest in deeper understanding of the issues that matter.

And then you and millions more will have the ability to discern what is important and what is not. It certainly made voting easier for me! For you, too, I bet!!

So, withdraw from the sound-bite slop of meaningless sharing and get to work! You now have the time to do so.

September 28, 2017

Healthcare and Governance

Interesting civics lesson going on all around us. Several, actually. I wish to focus on the debacle in healthcare legislation, but certainly the diplomatic skirmish over North Korea, and the nonsensical public discourse over kneeling for the national anthem at football games, expands our view of what goes for civics today.

First of all, the trump/NFL struggle is nothing; it means nothing. If you are an ideologue you will make it into whatever you wish. But the truth is this: the anthem is not needed at all public sporting events; standing or kneeling is not a real issue, nor should it be. The issue of Black Lives Matter has been lost in all of this. And of course Black lives matter, but so do all of our lives matter. The question is whether police behavior nationwide is living up to the standards we set for them especially in instances of treating Black citizens the same as everyone else. I would prefer we deal with this important issue in a way that truly makes a difference. Kneeling or standing for the anthem doesn’t carry the day for me in this matter.

Besides, trump is using this issue ‘trumped up’ for his own purposes and it doesn’t have anything to do with patriotism or governance. Just nonsense politics pampering his base bloc of voters.

North Korea, however, is another issue that deserves 100% attention on a diplomatic basis. Childish school yard banter is not helpful. Its unhelpfulness is on full display and threatens the peace globally. Utterly ridiculous that this has played out in this fashion. Shame on trump for mismanaging diplomacy so badly. He is used to people doing as he has told them, but in government you also have to have the moral authority and logic to win support for your ideas. Well, without the moral authority or logic, trump has performed poorly for everyone to see.

Now to the main point of this posting: healthcare is a vital life issue for each and every one of us. At every age of our individual lives healthcare poses specific needs. As we age those needs become critical. Yes, we take care of ourselves as best we can through most of our life. But there comes a time when that is impossible. Doing nothing equals death and most likely a lot of suffering before the end.

We as a people have agreed over and over again that our nation will provide help and assistance for each of us throughout our healthcare lives. It is the right thing to do to minimize suffering. And yes it costs a lot of money. So we have answered that reality with Medicare taxes, which are actually premiums. We also have Medicaid assistance which is a social program paid for from our tax revenue pool. That is a standard of care and a life quality issue we settled long ago.

Similar arguments can and are made for Social Security. That is also funded by premium taxes; it is not paid for by general taxes at all; however, Congress has borrowed heavily from the Social Security Fund and wishes not to pay it all back, so they would like to cut benefits for that purpose. Sleight of hand, you see?

If the social security program and Medicare program have funding issues, those need to be addressed in the normal course of Congressional operations. They are not to be addressed in 11^th hour political shenanigans that we see today.

Congress: do your job appropriately and stop the political games. This is our nation you are tinkering with and you do not have the authority – moral or otherwise – to change the rules of the game in midstream. Period. Got it?

It is clear from all of the above that a very large part of our federal government does not know how to govern. They opine and attempt to pass a law on that opinion. That’s not how it is done; not in the books, rules, protocols or laws. And they, of all people, know it.

Trump I understand can’t govern. He doesn’t understand the concept of governance. Just his ego-driven thought pattern and what ‘seems right’ at the time. Only it is not ‘right’ with the rest of the nation or world. And that’s where he is found lacking.

Boy, is that an understatement.

We have a president without clothes. He’d prefer to think of himself as an emperor, but even still he is without clothes. And it is not pretty.

Time to remove him from office as soon as possible. Congress – Do Your Job!

I’d write this to Peter Roskam, my congressman, but he would not read the message or even understand it. He’s much too much playing to the republican leadership to do right by his own constituents. What a poor excuse for a representative.

We need statesmen in the government. We need people who plan and govern for the long term outcomes the nation will need. Where oh where will we find such statesmen? 

September 27, 2017

A Pastor Passes

Nineteen days before, she began an exciting new chapter of her life.

She had become a full time pastor of her own church. After many years spent in the insurance industry, she entered seminary and began a campus ministry at a university known for its technology education. Eight years in that challenging field – bringing pastoral care to young adults questioning everything in life – she moved to another campus ministry calling in downtown Chicago serving three campuses. In a few short years she was called to a part time pastorate at an aging south side church that had a dim future due to aging demographics.

Now in midlife Pastor Megan answered the call to pastor her own church full time in suburban Chicago. She bought a car for the first time in seven years, said good bye to many friends and boldly stepped into her new job. The congregation was expectant and over joyed at her promise with them. She was a breath of fresh air and calm. Sweet, too. Wise well beyond her years, we ached to know her better.

And then it was gone, both the promise and the ache to know her better. She died in her sleep leaving many behind who wondered how all this came to be.

The ‘little church that can’ faced another challenge. To pick up the pieces and return to the business of calling another new pastor. The Bishop and Synod office jumped into action; we have an interim pastor returning to us; he had left 7 weeks ago in preparation for Pastor Megan’s arrival. We will gladly welcome him back to our church family as we seek our way forward with new circumstances. The Call Committee can and probably will be called back to service and re-open the search for a new pastor. Time will tell how this unfolds, but for now it is comforting to know that many are ready and willing to jump back into action for the good of the congregation.

Meanwhile we ponder what has happened and ask the age old question, ‘Why?’ It will take time to come to grips with any and all answers to that question. The process of seeking will bring its own rewards and peace. We pray for that to come sooner rather than later. In the meantime we grieve a loss we do not yet understand.

Peace and Glory be to you Pastor Megan. Shalom.

September 26, 2017

Making Sense of the Nonsensical

If we are to own and operate our own nation then it is up to you and I to do the daily tasks. Obviously ‘leaders’ are not going to do so. The president makes his tweets and off the cuff announcements. No facts back them up. No policy surrounds them. Only blank verbal nonsense is shared by him to his nation and the rest of the world. His own staff cannot explain him or his words. They make excuses but those don’t hold up for even five minutes. Yes, they are attempting to make sense of the nonsensical.

So too the media. Their job is to observe, see, hear and analyze all of that to discern the meaning of it all. But a minute into the analysis and the obvious becomes apparent: there is no meaning of it all; just nonsense.

The president says what he wishes were true. He misrepresents facts in the same manner. And he signs executive orders which have no validity or power. He claims DACA is rescinded but it really hasn’t been. He claims the US has withdrawn from the Paris Climate Accord but for all the world there is no proof that that actually has happened. Meaning has actions attached; so far none.

The same with treaties like NAFTA and so many others. He claims one thing and does another that is in opposition to what he said. What to make of it? After all these months, I think we can make out these conclusions:

·         There is no governance by the president; what existed before he took office remains in force

·         There have been no new policies placed into operation; none

·         He doesn’t understand his job or its responsibilities; he is play-acting at the job and doing so quite poorly

·         If all of the above is true, then he is mentally afflicted and is not fit for the job

·         If the last statement is true, he should be removed from office as quickly as possible

·         Major work is begging to get done and must be done for the safety of countless lives

·         It is dangerous to retain him in office under any circumstance

There; that is said and I believe it to be true.

That still requires the rest of us to administer our government as before. Just because someone doesn’t do his/her job doesn’t mean the job disappears. The work still needs doing. That is for the rest of the staff and us, the public. Why? Because this is our country, lock, stock and barrel. We are the ones who fought for it, died for it, dripped blood for it and sweated through every era and struggle we ever had as a nation from its inception. This is not what trump has done; it is what all of us have done.

So, we don’t answer to trump; he answers to us.

That may seem a little backward but have you ever experienced our nation so ill represented as it is today? Have you ever witnessed a time in which America simply didn’t stand up for its own principles?

Each of those questions can be debated endlessly because clearly America does not have a perfect story or history. It is as fallible as we the people are. America makes mistakes. We need to stand up and own those mistakes. We should not cover them up and change history’s script to make it more pleasing. It is what it is; accept that and go on to do better.

We are now facing this task as a nation. The White House is not functioning. A vacuum fills its space. Congress and the Judiciary are standing alone. It is for the rest of us to stand up and take on the duties of the White House.

Who among us will lead this charge? Who will corral the Congressional powers to move toward resolution of the current constitutional crisis? Will the Judiciary support such actions?

Time will tell if we the people are up to this task. Clearly, it is ours to do.

Peace!

September 25, 2017

Bluff ‘N Stuff

North Korea knows how to play the trumpster. They play their war games and let trump blow off hot words with no action. I don’t really want any action, but I must admit diplomacy hasn’t gone very far in recent years.

North Korea is a stubborn case. It is a small impoverished nation tucked up next to its protector, China, borders on an age-old enemy, South Korea, and has two sea coasts allowing them access to sea lanes to many lands, protectors, and shippers of goods they cannot produce themselves.

North Korea is a poor, seemingly abandoned child, but it is more the love child of enemies and frenemies of the US. And that’s its power base. It has powerful friends on the one hand, and naughty brats on the other hand who have materiel for bomb making and missile production to goad and threaten peace loving peoples.

Actually these ‘protectors’, whether or not they work in collusion (most likely they do to some degree), don’t really worry about the peace loving peoples. They are only concerned with goading powerful nations and building a power base that might yield them some benefits.

Diplomacy has been a guiding principle for generations among global cultures. It has made many disparate parties sit down and learn of one another. It has built working relationships with strange bed partners. It has built a semblance of peace and it continues to do so currently. It just doesn’t yield the big answers and solutions most of us hope for.

Here are some outcomes people of goodwill want to see happen:

·         Peace in the Middle East; Israel becomes a partner and collaborator with its neighbors; all of them finding reasons to maintain peace and share their rich cultures and religions

·         Peace on the Korean Peninsula; North and South Korea become one nation and share the wealth and cultural genius they share

·         China/Russia/America join hands to safeguard peace and tranquility throughout the global community. This is not an ideology. It is a status of mankind living together in peace and goodwill; and harmony

·         South America finds governance of its many separate nations without violence and poverty; criminal activity and energy is converted to positive economic development that supports quality of life for the masses

·         Africa finds a way to meld the many tribes and nation-states into larger, productive nations that deliver quality of life services and benefits to all of their citizens; and world wealth and health is broadly shared throughout the continent

I don’t mention Europe here because it is already at peace. But it has issues to solve as well, as does America.

Isn’t it time the global community earnestly worked toward solving all of these issues? These effect all of mankind, not just one or two nations. We have much work to do. Let’s get to it.

The role of the United Nations is more in demand today than ever. We have squandered much of its assets and energy in fruitless bickering and posturing. That behavior needs to end. If progress is to be made, goodwill must be the dominant power present. To access goodwill all of the super powers need to seek it together. That means China, Russia and America.

If they don’t, there is no one else to turn too but God. Earthly power will cease as consequences too horrible to conjure will occur without Goodwill.

Let’s try to fix this mess. Do not leave this to trump; he has no vision or base of intelligence to work from. This is up to the rest of people of goodwill to do. Now is a good time to take the right steps into the future.

September 22, 2017

Technology, Blggfft!

We have Inifity cable from Comcast. We’ve been customers before of Comcast but several times in the past either the technology has gone bust or the pricing goes on a tear that is totally beyond us.

The current situation is: we have good TV support (technology) but not choice; you only get so much for $110/month. Along with that comes Wi-Fi so we can get another TV in the bedroom to work via netflix streamer. And we have high speed internet with this deal, and the wi-fi connects our phones with the internet as well. Our phone service is with another provider.

So far the package sounds reasonable. For retirees in their 70’s living on a fixed income (Social Security only) [you don’t want to know how this came to be….] the cost of $110/mo is high. Very high.

Now turn to the fact the system goes out with no warning. We are watching TV one moment and the next we are confronted with an error message on the screen blocking out the picture. The TV is still working, but channel selection is frozen; no wi-fi; no internet; no nothing. We go through the motions of what the error message instructs us to do to no avail. Being elderly we do this process three times to be certain we are doing it correctly.

Then we call Comcast. Nice people, great voices, and fast attention to what we are saying. However, their routine does not fix the problem. So they report their intention of sending a repair person to our home to check things out. If the problem is in our condo or building, it is at our expense; if it is in their system, it is at their expense. I can recount this to you because we have been through this drill three times, maybe four in the past 5 weeks or so.

The first time the repairman didn’t have to come because overnight the system either reset itself, they reset it remotely, or magically the system fixed itself in the dark of night. Regardless, we were delighted and went about our business after calling them to cancel the repair visit.

Another week goes by and the same thing happens. Over dinner the system returns to operating just fine. Cancel the repair visit. Again in another week, the same thing happens, we don’t bother calling, we go to bed early and surprise, surprise, the system is up and working the next morning.

Bear in mind I do about 35 hours a week of volunteer coaching and mentoring for SCORE. That is heavily reliant on internet connections. I also write a daily blog and publish it on the internet. Other volunteer tasks are accomplished over the internet and email as well. We are retired, not dead. So we are active and in the modern age we are connected with technology.

This afternoon as the news hour approaches, the TV goes through this same scenario. The conversations are pleasant enough with Comcast but the results are disappointing. This is Friday and they are making an appointment for mid day Sunday. Nice, huh?

We have found a way to power our laptops via hot spot wi-fi with our cell phones. That keeps me publishing and current with emails. Not much more, however without constantly charging the phones.

It makes one wonder just how reliant we are on technology and delicate electronic systems. I think $110 each month automatically withdrawn from my checking account should get me better service than this. I also think we deserve some rebates for the disruption. While we are at it, if our country cares about itself and its people, and especially about elderly folks staying connected and productive, I think there should be a large discount for elderly cable customers. I think the $110/mo should be $60/mo and allow full access to desired channels that they really want to watch rather than forcing us to take 200 channels that we only watch 8 of.

Of course, for $60 I still expect the system to work almost flawlessly. That would be a good start on a higher road, don’t you think?

[Update: the repairman came on Sunday afternoon as scheduled. He found our system working fine, their system working fine but a fault in the cable that comes up from the utility level of our building to our condo. The cable must have a split or fracture in it that allows the signal to come and go. They set an appointment for another repairman to come Monday to replace that cable. He did not come. We called on Tuesday and another appointment was set for this Friday. So far the service has not gone down on its own free will! That's a blessing. But an end is in sight on this problem; hopefully.]

September 21, 2017

Where Are The Adults?

It takes a village to raise a kid. Yes, it really does. A family alone can do wonders, but the next door neighbor helps, too; so does the crossing guard, the teachers, the church people and the childhood friends. All play a role in raising a kid. Simple facts of life.  

But all does not go well. Kids run awry of norms all the time; it is part of testing and attempting new things; some of those things lead to great self-discoveries; some do not. Rather, some new things are perilously dangerous and lead to crime, violence, drugs and death. This too, is a fact of life. If you don’t believe me shadow my steps working with teenage drug addicts. The story comes alive in an instant. Scratching your head like me, you will ask questions and wonder how to solve their problems. Without help they will crash and burn. No doubt in my mind.

So, how could we have helped avoid this problem in the first place? I’m not sure we could have. It may be a sign of our times like bath tub gin in the flapper era. But we can try to make a difference in the outcomes that will surely occur without our help!

It will require some adult thinking and acting. It will take mature perspective to help the situation. Parents need to get involved in their kids’ lives. Know where they are and what they are doing. Sense what they are struggling with. For God’s sake, ask them what they are thinking about and what questions would they like help with? Love them unconditionally as well. That’s the best first step anytime!! They need assurance that you will love them and support them through thick and thin. I know this is difficult. Been there; done that! Not easy when you are juggling expenses and income, home maintenance, careers, commuting and hopes and dreams of your own. But now you are a parent; dive in and experience it and enjoy it. All too soon it will have passed by and you will solemnly wonder where it all went; and when!

The kids have much to say and need to say it. Best it be heard from someone who loves them and has the motivation to protect them and help them in their journey of maturation. It is hard enough; remember your own? Give them what you ached for when you were their age.

Now, if we have this loving, kinder nation developing, we will be able to better solve other omnipresent issues plaguing our nation. Like equal access to excellent education; access to excellent medical care; access to continual learning and career development; access to a caring and loving society.

No this is not Pollyanna or a pipe dream. This is the real thing and we humans can do this. It takes sharing and caring. Get it? If we all pulled our own weight in these matters then our perplexed political leaders might be able to handle their responsibilities better. Just a thought.

And a hope, too. I know that expecting much from our elected leaders is a leap of faith, but at least give yourself credit for having the talent and genius to help solve some of society’s largest problems. If we don’t, who will?

Don’t look for other adults until you look in the mirror yourself and assess the request. And then answer it with your blood, sweat and tears. Joy will result; I promise you that.

Yes. I promise you joy. First you have to give of yourself and get out of yourself.

Try it. I am confident you will like it!

September 20, 2017

North Korea and the Global Community

For years we have alluded to the global community. To many this is not a real community, just  a figurative one. My thinking accepts and encourages a real global community. The governance structure is marginally the United Nations, but the rest of interacting and co-existing is up to the rest of us. We either make each other feel welcome or we don’t. The latter is a poor tactic to adopt! We will always gain more through collaboration and cooperation than solitude. For proof of that just look at North Korea. To control its bad behavior the global community shunned North Korea. It isolated the nation and punished it economically when needed.

Trouble now is apparent: the global treatment of North Korea has only emboldened it to be more independent than ever and represent a major stumbling block to world peace.

Exactly how NK came to be this open sore on humanity is open to debate. It did not have the assets to become a military power without help. I suspect other rogue nations played their part. I also suspect Iran, Russia and yes, even China, played an important role. Unraveling the how and when is not the issues currently; no, the issue is what is the global community going to do about the situation as it currently exists?

Left as it is the situation will only grow worse. It could easily slip into a hot war with unknown consequences. Will this convergence lead to World War III?

A good question and a sobering one. Let’s make this crystal clear: WWIII will only happen if Russia and China let it. They both sit on the doorstep of the miscreant nation. If they have had any role in arming NK, then they alone bear the responsibility of solving the problem. Besides, an uncontrolled hot war in their region will damage them badly.

Look, the Global Community is real. We need to treat it as such. We need to get serious about endowing the UN with the power and resources to do its job and stop the endless gamesmanship that leads to endless dead ends. One day the real dead end will happen. What then? Well, essentially it will be the end of the planet and done so at the hands of mankind in general.

Innocent or not, the end will not be a matter of blame. It will just be the end.

Now do we get it? Do we fully understand the stakes at risk with North Korea.

China, you alone have the most at risk and the most to gain by solving this problem. And quickly. Do not demur. Tell North Korea the facts of life and disarm them. The rest of the world community will help rebuild NK to a kind and gentle nation worthy of its people and age long culture. None of us want another super power making mischief; we all want the people of North Korea to live safely, comfortably and well long into the future. Let them contribute their perspectives, culture and inventiveness to the benefit of the rest of us.

Such a future is possible, but only through collaboration with the Global Community. That route is a two-way street. It will take all of us to make it work. The job requires people of goodwill getting involved. This includes China, and Russia as well. And the United Nations, too. The USA will do its part as it always has.

Do not wait for the trump-ets in Washington DC to take action or spout words of wisdom. They don’t have that talent among them at this time. So, global community step up to the plate and make good things happen.

While America continues to grovel in place over inane issues and small mindedness, the rest of the world is moving ahead. Please do this with a concerted effort in North Korea. They deserve it and the rest of us will be grateful for your leadership and resolve.

Thank You!

September 19, 2017

Change of Seasons

The honey locust are turning yellow. Have been for about a week now. Lifting my eyes to the horizon I sense deep greens yielding to thinner greens; a hint of yellow and gold; and maybe a hint, too, of orange. Other younger trees are more bold; they are turning crimson and orange. But hey, they are just whippersnappers daring to flaunt their colors early!

The temperatures start mild to begin the day then quickly warm to mid to upper 70’s. Maybe an 80 or so? Nights are cool and damp in the 60’s. Daytimes, however, are dry and very rarely humid. This weather describes the Midwest in September. Hopefully October will be similar with crispier nights in the high 40’s and mostly 50’s. Daytimes in October, though, will mostly be in the 70’s with an occasional dip into the 60’s. Days will be dry and the air ‘soft’ as my father in law used to say. I like that phrase – the soft air of October. It is very much like that here.

And so as a wonderful summer ebbs into fall, we are still not sad to see the foliage go. Great weather is ahead of us for the next several weeks.

Then as we approach Thanksgiving the climes chill, the leaves drop, and emerald green lawns provide the perfect backdrop for the russet leaves scattered near and far.

2017 has been a terrific weather year in the Midwest. Period. End of story. We cannot often say this. Normally the winters are fierce, very cold and loaded with snow and ice. This year was not like that; only short snaps of cold, short snow storms quickly melted. It was a winter easy to ‘weather’ and gratefully so. Early fading of winter into an unusually warm and early spring was our experience in 2017. Then a cooling, some rain to green up the world, and finally summer was here. But not savagely hot and dry. Moderate temps and occasional rain kept our surroundings green and verdant for most of the season. And now fall.

We can imagine forward to November and December. With hope we will have a gracious fall and gentle start for winter. That would make 2017 one of the kindest years of all for us in the Midwest. Will we remember this like we do the winter of 1978-79? I hope we do. 2017 has earned it’s A+ rating.

Not so for the rest of the nation. Drought and fires along the west coast; forest fires, too, for them. Hurricanes and tornadoes for the gulf states and Florida. The eastern seaboard weathers deep hurricane aftermaths as it did the earlier rainy season with floods and severe weather.

It seems the Midwest was the place to be this year! But soon enough it will be January and February. One wonders what will happen then? The snow, ice and bitter winds are sure to visit us again. With the wonders of 2017 still fresh in mind, we can take those icy futures in 2018. For now, we bask in the soft air of September and October.

May we remember it well.

September 18, 2017

Try, Try Again!

Well, at least republicans and trump took heed of the childhood lesson: “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” And so they did, time and again, many times before the trump era and many times during the so far short era of trump. I’m referring to ‘Repeal and Replace Obamacare’, of course.

It seems the erstwhile powers are going to try to repeal Obamacare once again. Hopefully they will fail. The ACA is a well-meaning act and worth America’s while to keep, repair and make better. Just like so many large programs from the past – Social Security and Medicare as examples – the initial legislation worked as far as it went. But more tweaking and amendments were needed for it to work well in the long term. Such tweaks were made; the programs are still operating proudly. Those efforts were many and very non-partisan. Of course there were fights along partisan lines at times, but in the main the legislation survived and improved over time.

The same pattern should be provided for the ACA. The American people know this, evidently better than Congress and the White House. Even with its many faults, Americans support Obamacare. For the first time they didn’t have to worry about pre-existing conditions, total poverty due to crushing medical costs, or extended benefits for their kids before they could fully support themselves in their mid-twenties.

Besides, republicans know full well what bombs they planted in the ACA; they allowed ACA to pass initially although they didn’t want it to. But implanted in the legislation are intentional errors, goofs and omissions that were sure to plague the ACA for years. And they have. And the republicans know where they are. Ask them!

So hateful is America for people of different colors and cultures, they just couldn’t accept a black man in the White House. Such nonsense! Obama will clearly go into the history books for his achievements and class. He is an inspiration for most Americans. And most of us want him back in the White House (I know, that can’t be).

So suck it up, Congress. Repair and strengthen Obamacare. 

Besides, there is no replacement legislation for the ACA. In their zeal to embarrass Obama, they ended up embarrassing themselves and displaying their racism in full technicolor. They don’t have a plan to actually replace the ACA. They don’t even know how to do it.

Shame on them double and triple. They are to be pitied if they were not so dangerous to the rest of us.

Maybe the mid-term elections of 2018 will successfully address the leadership issues? One can only hope so!

September 15, 2017

Immigration SNAFU

I get it. Protecting our borders is an elemental step in defending our nation. BUT another element of who we are as a nation is welcoming immigrants to our nation. It is in our blood and DNA. Always has been.

Politically much gaming has been done over this issue through the years; none more so than during the recent presidential campaigns. But the Statue of Liberty – Lady Liberty – is our monument to acceptance and assimilation of all newcomers.

Yes, it is true that there are times when open doors is inconvenient. Yes, there are times when open doors is even dangerous. But people of faith will and have taken risks to keep our national reputation and DNA alive. We are an open society and welcome all comers.

In the 1500’s explorers came to North America to explore the lands. They were looking for many things – freedom, new lands to ‘conquer’ and settle, deposits of minerals and ores to make them and their sponsors rich, and just to learn who was already here.

They found Canadian Indians, North American Indians, and southern tribes of Indians or Mayan peoples in the southern region of the continent. Finding them friendly, they began trading with them. In the northlands of Canada French/Indian traders shared animal skins, furs, salt and other goods. Less than 100 years later the rush was on to settle North America and English and French settlers arrived.

American Indians are the only native peoples to our lands. Even they came thousands of years earlier via land bridges with Asia far to the north. But for all intents and purposes, America was home to the Indians and the European immigrants ‘invaded’ Indian territory to set up the colonies of what became the United States.

The Melting Pot began then and has continued ever since. To claim anything other than this fact is a bald attempt to rewrite history. We are sorely used to such attempts, but we reject them eventually. History, after all, is our story of the why, when and wherefore of our earliest beginnings.

So, where does this leave us today? A pickle, I say!

As young kids we were told ‘you can’t have your cake AND eat it too’. Of course we claimed otherwise and somehow got the cake and ate it on the sly.

It is more difficult today to accept immigrants and immerse them into our society and make them one with us. The laws and legal/political forces are stacked against us. Clearly the intent of the American people, however, is to welcome newcomers to our shores. That is why we have 14 million undocumented immigrants living among us today. That’s a helluva SNAFU. But we let it happen. Several presidential administrations attempted to address the situation even as it was already out of hand; but Congress would have none of it. They simply turned their backs on the problem. The why most likely has to do with alienating key political supporters and voter blocs.

American agribusiness relies on foreign labor to harvest crops, especially delicate ones and individually picked fruit and vegetables. Without these laborers willing to stand under the hot sun in a stooped position, the crops will wither and die or rot on the trees and vines. Simple facts of life.

Another stumbling block is the sheer size of repairing this problem: 14 million people is an enormous population to settle and/or resettle. So, for the meantime, the problem was allowed to fester. There are politicians and leaders who did try mightily to solve the problem, or at least attempted to address the problem. One such leader was John McCain; he worked with George W. Bush to do something about it, but the Congress shut them down unceremoniously.

This problem is a Congressional one. But it also is an American Values problem.

Who we are as a people must resonate with what we do. Our actions speak much louder than our words. And so it must be.

The so called illegal immigrants are here to stay and should. We simply must find a way to document them and finish the job of actually welcoming them. They are good and productive people. They have much to offer America, and in most cases, already have. Their cultures have already enriched our culture and we appreciate all of that.

So let’s make it official. Immigrants are welcome in America. Stop deporting them unless they are felons of the highest order. The rest we can sort out. And need to.

DACA should not be rescinded. Jeff Sessions and donald trump should be rescinded.

Sooner rather than later, please.

Welcome, immigrants. You are loved. We want you here.

September 14, 2017

Making Choices

You make choices every  day, many times each day. So do I. We all do. It is how we live life. Always have. Step by step, moment by moment, options taken, options ignored.

Tens of thousands of years ago options were few: escape the wild animal or die; kill the animal or starve; skin the dead animal and be clothed; huddle together for overnight warmth or freeze to death; build a tent for shelter or find a cave for a home.

Modern society provides more choices. What kind of food, when to eat it, in what fashion to eat it, and where to dine. Same with clothing: style, design, function, color, texture. Options to pursue. Where to go is an option, and in what mode of transportation will we ride?

We make so many choices we are unaware of them. Automatic responses and reactions, almost autonomic. Modern times, modern options.

The older we become the fewer options are needed. We are satisfied to remain seated for long periods of time; we are able to move about well enough to maintain function and usefulness. But choices? Now it is about what to read, what TV program to watch, when to arise in the morning and when to retire for the night. During the day we have an option (or two!) for a nap.

When young we had a myriad of choices to manage. What school to go to. What program of study to pursue. Which interest do I have that may give me a life-long pursuit? Even a career? How do I find the job that makes use of my education, experience and interests? How do I go about this? And preparation? For how long, and in what manner?

So many questions. So many options. It is bewildering. When a very young child I wanted to be a fireman, or a policeman. They were doers and heroes. That’s why they were interesting and they caught my attention. Later I did not wish to follow those careers. Other things came to mind that interested me. To be truthful, other things came to fascinate me. I thought about them a lot and even had dreams about them. I remember such things; do you?

Today the music is everywhere, so too the news and advertising and constant commotion of modern day living. Noise. I am struck by the amount of noise we surmount each day. That alone creates distraction, information and options. Just to survive all of that, we choose the ways and means to live.

Later again, much later, we are asked to discern what is more important than another thing, and then make decisions based on that decision. This is how we choose careers or educational paths. And yes, it is how we choose to spend our time.

Autonomic maybe; with some thought probably; with much pondering and considered analysis, not likely.

And that’s the problem. Research is now suggesting that many people find options too numerous to process. Instead of finding freedom in this circumstance they, instead, find it onerous work and too uncomfortable for their minds. They ignore the choices. They let them slip by. They let chance choose for them.

And then, one day a friend with drugs offers insight and escape through chemistry. Curious they answer the invitation. The result is even more curious. They explore it some more and in a few days and weeks they have found an outlet for their minds with very little pondering and analysis required.

Months or years later they are caught in a web of duty to chemicals; they cannot escape. Others near them realize something is amiss and try to help. Rebuffed they shun the person and move on with their own lives. Our subject, however, is still rooted in what is now addiction.

He or she finds light one day when they awake in an emergency room with nurses and doctors rushing around in chaotic noise and activity. Slowly they become aware of their surroundings and make some sense of it; not totally but some. Later it is explained to them that they were found unresponsive with heavy doses of drugs in their system. On the final lap of a death cycle, EMTs were summoned and a life was saved. His.

Months later this individual is processed through varying levels of rehabilitation and counseling in an attempt to bring him back to the world of the living and willing. The choice to be counted as willing has not yet been attained. He is still pondering choices for which he has no training or experience.

This is modern life. This partially explains the drug culture and opioid and heroin crisis we are facing as a nation.

Too much freedom? Too much choice? Have we overloaded our kids to that extent? Or have we allowed them too much freedom. How do we respond to this crisis. Can we? Do it justice?

Heavy question but one we need to ask; and answer.

September 13, 2017

In a Cloud

The events of the past few years have left me befuddled. Even the last few months have been a challenge. Today, though, we are post Irma, post Harvey, post flooding, winds and earthquakes. Mother Nature has ruled public attention. We muddled through it and that was in the news as well. CNN and MSN have been on our TV a lot in recent days. Checking out the storms and watching the drama unfold, wondering how we all will get past such challenges.

We have survived them before. Generations of such challenges. We not only survive but go on to invent new lifestyles, products, technologies and viewpoints. Change is the theme. As it always has been.

Watched the 60 Minutes interview of Steven Bannon by Charlie Rose last Sunday evening. Fascinating interview. Impressions: Rose is smart and prepared; he is rooted in history and broad perspective. Bannon is smart, cunning and flexible. He has a street fighter mentality and spars well with challenges. He parried well with Rose. The two men were well matched. New information emerged from the conversation. I now have a clearer idea of what Bannon is about; not totally clear, but much clearer. Progress.

And I also came out of the interview with a deeper respect for Charlie Rose. He is a champion newsman with classic credentials. I trust this man and his mental acuity. I trust his thinking process, too. It doesn’t start with a conclusion and work backward. It starts with facts, checking facts, pitting different points of view against those facts and then watches for results that lead to fresh understanding. That’s how news is supposed to work. Just because excellent news craft leads to different understandings doesn’t mean it is liberal, left, conservative or right wing.

News is the understanding of the world as it unfolds. If you have a preconceived notion of what that is and means, then you are already not dealing with the news but with your own ideology.

Thanks to Charlie Rose and 60 Minutes; they have provided an important service to the public. That’s how it is supposed to be.

Now, what does this have to do with the muddle I’m in currently? Plenty. Mother nature is always with us. When she ruffles our feathers we are reminded of her presence and strength. We are reminded we are not in control of her or of life in general. We only have partial control over our actions and reactions to events around us. How well we prepare for such will tell the tale of survival and forward progress. Or not.

News based on events, natural events – fire, earthquake, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, weather – is one category of news happening. The rest is manmade and therefore a different nature of news. This is the interpretive news – what was said, what actions were taken, what does this mean, what was meant by all of this, and so on. This is the news that builds history. After all, history is the story of mankind interacting with all manner of stimuli leading to yet other stimuli and actions caused by them. Accumulation of events and interactions makes for movement of meaning and consequences merited by them.

The tale of history is never done. It is always building.

I observed during college the work of a professor specializing in the history of Abraham Lincoln. He read every book about Lincoln. He studied all the history surrounding Lincoln. What was Abe’s life as a child? What living conditions did he deal with every day and night? What were the customs and conditions of those times? What effect on his life did these things have? How did he mature from childhood to early adulthood, get an education, a job, and a life’s calling. From that perch how did he become involved in government and finally be elected President of the United States? What were the forces shaping political thought at the time, and why were they particularly important to Lincoln? How did he come to act the way he did while President? Of course the Civil War occurred then and changed history of the USA enormously. Those results still are argued and studied to this day.

Today that professor is the leading expert on Lincoln’s life. And still he writes new dialogue of the past era so we can better understand its meaning for our lives today.

Irma is a blip. So too Harvey. They recur. Mother Nature lives and rules a part of our lives we do not control. We abide by that and learn to live differently to improve survival. Some make it; some don’t. The rest of us go on and hope for the best.

But 60 Minutes and Bannon and Rose keep on ticking. Ever forward through time making history and uncovering it at the same time. Us? We observe and think and weigh what we see and hear. Then we think. Making sense of it is a process similar to history. After all, history may be comprised of facts, but it is we the people who observe, hear, see and deal with those facts; some of us ignore all of it and offer consequences accordingly. But it is all of a piece.

Always has been. We are left to deal with it as best as we can, sort of like the ravages of Irma.

Now do you see my muddle? The cloud may be a mythical place, a computer data resting place, and a haze of mist. For me it is all of those things and more all of the time.

Welcome to my world!

September 12, 2017

Remembering…

Sixteen years ago we all remember where we were and what we were doing. It is imprinted on our brains. If we tried to forget it we couldn’t. I was working at my computer on client consulting research and report writing. It was early in the work day. Rocky had gone to work and we had finished breakfast, the kitchen was cleaned up and I was deep in concentration. 

Then Rocky called and told me to turn on the TV. A plane had hit the World Trade Center. So I did as he asked and there it was in real time. Not long after I watched in horror as the second plane hit. Later another plane flew into the Pentagon. Still later we had reports of a plane crash in Pennsylvania and all of these actions were pegged together.

We were under attack. It seemed surreal but wasn’t. This was the real thing. What it all meant would take days and weeks and then months to figure out. Soon enough it was clear. America had been attacked by Al Qaeda. In no time at all we learned what that was and still shook our heads in disbelief.

Since then we have been engaged in a ‘war on terror’ as indistinct a term as it sounds. There is no nation with which we are at war; no we are at war with an ideology maybe, a religion marginally. Islam became something we researched or Googled. We were uncertain what Islam is, and certainly no clearer on what a Muslim is. 

Hot heads claimed that terrorism was being waged only by Muslims, so clearly all Muslims were suspect. Well, not really! That was then and is now a wild over exaggeration. Ignorant people still believe it because it is easy to think and say; and it is difficult to understand, research and educate one’s self on the facts of the matter. 

Cool heads point out that terror has been waged within America by Americans as well. Just look over the list of hate groups compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The list is long and includes many religious fringe groups who spout hate against liberals, gays, lesbians and anyone who doesn’t look like them. Or think like them. Hate groups also include private militias dotting our maps from coast to coast and from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. 

The Murtaugh Federal Building in Oklahoma City was blown up by a white nationalist, white supremacist militia man. The Unabomber was a misfit white guy living in the forests. The Klu Klux Klan is a white supremacist hate group clearly out to disrupt peace and order wherever it can. Charlottesville was their most recent scene for nonsense.

So the war on terror is not all about foreign intruders or miscreants. And decidedly 9-11 was an act of hatred and revenge most of us cannot fully understand.

America is present in most international issues and has been for many generations. We have fought wars and won them, but not just for ourselves. We have done so to restore world peace for nations who could not do this for themselves. We have policed the world when asked to restore peace where it is threatened. Along the way our culture has been absorbed and adopted by many nations and not all of their citizens agree with it. Neither do all of our own citizens agree with all of our own culture! A lot of us don’t understand it; how could we agree with it all?!

So, clearly some foreigners think America has intruded on their lives unwelcome and now are upset. And we have been blamed for much that is wrong in the world. Not all of that blame belongs to America. But some of it does only because we often are not aware of what damage our culture brings to others. In our nation we know to be open to accept or reject such things, but in other lands it is not so open. No wonder some people think America brings unwanted change to their lives.

They are wrong of course. You and I don’t feel any ill will toward other nations and their peoples. We are peace loving and respectful of our differences. That is not a universal trait among our people, unfortunately. Yes, we are boorish at times and some of our people are rude and disrespectful of people who are different from themselves. But please, all of us do not deserve to be marked by those labels; we are not party to such. In fact, we often agree with foreign opinions on many topics.

So, today, we remember the 3000 lives taken from us that day sixteen years ago. We recognize the tens of thousands of people affected directly by the loss of life. The Six Degrees of Separation algorithm is at work here - 3000 yields 20,000 or more connections.

Property damage alone was great. $20 billion of rebuilding and reworked defenses were met in the following 4 years. As well we fought a war in Afghanistan that eventually cost over $1 trillion. And it is not over yet; we are still fighting the longest war in our history. The deaths, injuries and lasting disabilities continue to grow along with a mighty cost in materiel.

The 9-11 of 2001 continues to this day. But that is not what we remember today. We remember the loss of life and innocence. Nothing has been the same since that fateful day. It changed us. 

And I can’t hide from it. It is part of my life just as it is of yours.

May we never forget. But please; let’s figure out how to benefit from all this suffering. Surely we can let go of victimhood long enough to find just one little benefit to have made all of this worth it?

September 11, 2017

View From Here

[Note: This is a reprint from September 9, 2015. Is the message still valid today?]

It has been a while since I last considered the name of this blog. I’ve used View From Here as the title for the blog (4 years), but also for a weekly newspaper column (7 years) in a local newspaper.

When I first began writing for publication I searched for a name. View From Here popped into mind nearly at the outset. So I searched its uniqueness on the internet. I learned it wasn’t unique. Plenty of people have used and are using this title for all sorts of written material. I also learned that the title really isn’t copyrighted. All you have to do is associate the title with your name and consistently do so. I have so the title is mine to use.

Why this title? For some reason it speaks to me.  View is not a fact or factoid. It is an opinion held within someone’s mind, in this case, mine. So View From Here is a reference to an opinion or idle commentary on something worth focusing on. From is another word that holds a particular meaning. For me it refers to the environment or situation that embraces the issue being examined. My life and yours are different from each other; primarily because each of our lives exists and functions in their own space, time and relational elements. Although much of our lives may be similar, they are not the same. You and I are complex beings. We live in a highly disparate confluence of elements which conglomerate to form an environment or gestalt that forms a unique subculture. We react to that culture, appropriately or inappropriately. Those reactions set up other elements in the subculture to be reacted to as well. And soon our worlds are very separate indeed.

The from is very important in this sense. And it leads to…

The Here of the title. Here  is this unique moment and place. It is not yours or anyone else’s. It is mine. Only mine. My words pertain to this time capsule place in which I inhabit and form a commentary.

So, View From Here is an intellectual pinpoint upon which I write ideas, theories, memories or whatever that relates back to the pinpoint. It is uniquely mine as it would be uniquely yours should you be doing the writing. Comparing notes with each others ideas holds an interest for some readers. Or perhaps not.

I don’t know why people read my words. It has always been a mystery to me. But oddly it pleases me. I don’t feel alone in the world knowing someone is reading my stuff. I wish this exercise were somehow more of a two way street, but it isn’t. I get some comments on the blog but very few considering the number of posts (1250) and the number of reader hits (73,000). I think only 119 comments have been received in the four years of the blog. This does not constitute a two way channel of communication!

My pinpoint is momentary in time, of course. It also explains why I can have so many ideas about so much that seemingly is the same. It isn’t the same. Each moment conjures its own milieu. It is the playing field of thought. And that is what I write about.

For some reason it doesn’t bore me. I hope it doesn’t bore you. If my readership disappears perhaps that is a sign of boredom? Ah yes. Of course!

Until then, I will continue with my mission: making sense out of the nonsensical. Somehow we each do this. Most of us don’t write about it, though. I wonder why?

Maybe that’s the subject of the next blog post?

September 8, 2015

[Note: posts currently are 1800 and readership nearly 200,000]

September 8, 2017

Comparing Bits and Pieces from Last year

One year ago I wrote a blog on these bits and pieces:

“Political National Anthem: We have encountered and survived many periods of social history in America where symbols of our national pride are used as political totems. The flag and the national anthem are most often the symbols used.

Sporting events in America usually begin with the national anthem and the waving of the flag. I’m not sure why this is so but it is the norm throughout the nation in high school, college and professional sports.

So it is an ever present symbol that can be honored or disrespected for effect by anyone who wishes to make the political statement. The latest incident is in pro football with Colin Kaepernik’s refusal to stand during the playing of the national anthem while black citizens are being killed by police throughout the nation. This is a serious issue the country faces. The why’s and where for’s are not fully understood. But making this a political issue involving the national anthem is most likely not an effective method of registering a complaint.”

Is this still an issue today? Yes, it is. Kaepernik sits today without a job, a team to play for. He is talented and worthy of inclusion, but his political voice is disruptive to the game, the sport and the team. The question lingers: is his method worthy or misplaced?

I still think it is misplaced. There are many ways he can voice his concerns about ‘Black Lives Matter’ and make a great impression doing so. The issue is real; the method of free speech is in question.

The issues remain the same as they did one year ago. Interesting.

And on September 7, 2016, my blog also had this item:

“Putin’s Denials: We know before he opens his mouth that he will say something opposite the facts. Westerners are conditioned to this. Russian premiers do not have credentials of truth when they speak to the press inside or outside of their Mother Russia. We know them to be purveyors of what they want us to think and believe, not what the facts support.

The latest proof of this is Putin’s denial that anybody in Russia or connected to Russia had anything to do with the hacking of Western data bases especially the Democratic National Committee. But for several months that’s what the press has been reporting from reliable sources throughout the global computing industry. Hackers have been trained for espionage of information culturally, politically and militarily. The process is actually one and the same. Why not hack all data bases and learn what you can?”

Interesting. One year ago we were talking about this issue. And today? We are still on the topic, only now we are engaged in deep investigations about Russia’s involvement in our national elections and whether the trump campaign was knowlingly involved in the matter. Not yet proven, but much grist for the mill and the findings are ominous for both Russia and mr. trump.

As time goes by many things remain; and do not change; and stay the same. Hmmm!

September 7, 2017

Trusting Others

I heard someone say the other day, “I know that 95% of people are good and trustworthy. It’s the other 5% that I don’t trust.”

I add, that the 5% identified might tell us a lot about all of us. Who would you say are untrustworthy? For me my neighbors and family are trustworthy; so too most of the folks in my church. Oh there are those in the congregation who fear many things and they don’t place trust in many places because of this.

Reading the news we learn of those who do not trust the federal government. They think of self- serving politicians; they see huge bureaucratic departments stumbling over their own procedures and policies. They feel the national government is not responsive to their needs; worse, they think it too large to be worthy of its puny outputs. For them, there is no faith in their national government.

Many citizens feel the same way about their state governments. Now, when we get to local governments, there is more trust, but unease still lingers there! They scoff readily at their local town’s plans for roadway expansions and ‘improvements’. They see such efforts as ineffective. Not worth the money spent on it. They often tell others that they would prefer their taxes lower and the projects not attempted.

But then, a tornado hits town (if you are in the midwest), or a flood from heavy storms (if you live in coastal areas) or a forest fire decimates your region. They suffer first from the fear of the approaching menace, then they scramble for exit routes and safe haven. When disaster strikes their neighborhood they seek rescuers and angels to keep them alive and well.

Suddenly it doesn’t matter if the government is large or small, or merely a volunteer reaching out to help a fellow human being. Merely a volunteer? A volunteer? Merely? Really?

We are all volunteers. We pay our taxes voluntarily. We donate time, talent and money to those things we believe in and care about. We help our neighbors, our fellow church members, our families, and countless others. We donate on-line to help veterans, handicapped and the poor. We give at church for the same reasons. But when it comes to the really large calamities in life, we rely on our government agencies.

For the most part they meet our needs nearly perfectly. Oh, there are exceptions in our history. But those exceptions are few and far between. For the most part our system of government works very well and very efficiently.

If one complains about inefficiency, we must remember that checks and balances cost money. And those checks and balances are important to be more certain that our governments are doing what they are supposed to do and doing it honestly and faithfully. Not to invest in those checks and balances would open all government units to mismanagement and fraud. And then we would have something to complain about!

In my experience – 7+ decades – government has generally run very well. The nearer to the people – towns, townships, cities and counties – the better run they are. Those units are also much more responsive to the real needs because they are made up of people just like us who have ‘volunteered’ to do the duty for the rest of the community. They know us and our needs. They function well.

State and national governments are farther from the citizens served. Because of that distance we do imagine accountability suffers. Analyzed, however, the fears do not measure up to the outcomes. We Americans are well served by our government entities.

For proof of that statement, observe FEMA’s response to Hurricane Harvey. Observe FEMA’s preparation for Hurricane Irma’s potential landfall along the eastern seaboard. Eye carefully the forest fighters waging war against capricious winds and mountain landscapes as fire devours forests, canyons, homes and ranches. Observe, too, the American Red Cross and countless other volunteer agencies that respond to human needs – food, clothing, shelter, transportation and medical care – as the horror of the disasters affect many thousands of lives.

And that is just the beginning of the horror. Those victims also need resettling for a time while their homes are repaired or replaced. Jobs are often lost in such disasters. So too livelihoods, careers, and family stability. Memories inform us of what we have lost; those memories are not lost, just the things and the places. Memories are ours to rekindle and keep.

Loved ones killed by the disasters are the lasting sorrows. Things can be replaced. Lifestyles can be re-engineered and explored, even new exciting ones adopted. But loved ones, friends and lives cannot be replaced.

All the disasters that inevitably occur need a human response. In America we have that response. Always. Professionally. And voluntarily.

It is one of the reasons I have full faith in my governments. They are made up of people like you and I who believe in our nation and values.

Yes, there are rotten apples in most barrels, that includes elected officials. But there are more of us than of them. Together we will surpass their calumny. If you and I read and prepare for issue discussions and voting, we have nothing to fear but fear itself. By now we know that fear is fruitless.

Carry on!

September 6, 2017

Madmen at the Top

We’ve known for quite a while that mad men have run North Korea for many years now. None worse than the present boy wonder with a self destruction gene rattling around that head of his.

What’s worse, that mad man targets the USA for fun and games. Not a good thing in normal times when the occupant of the White House is prepared, intelligent and alert. More than that, he or she is supported by a crack team of international specialists and diplomats ready to analyze precise threats. They help the President sort out the nonsense from the serious stuff. And then military advisors and national security analysts pore forth their study and advice.

But these are not normal times. With the donald sitting in the White House we are vulnerable to capricious acts of retribution for slights real or imagined. Will this lead us to war or just the brink of war? Does it matter which? Isn’t the damage done in either case? To view the US as vulnerable at all provides opportunity to anybody else who fancies an expansion of their own power.

I’d say this suggests Russia’s Putin; not for Russia’s sake but for his own. It would swell public adulation for him if he took decisive power to consolidate even more nations under the Russian tutelage, just like the old Soviet era. He misses that. He wants it back. And he despises the western bloc nations for its demise. The US is his special target.

So Putin sees North Korea and mad boy dictator as an opportunity. A choice opportunity. He could play that circumstance in a number of ways and win an international chess game of high stakes. With America involved in a skirmish or all out war with North Korea, Russia could do a lot of damage elsewhere. They’ve been hinting at it now for 3 years. Looking for the opportunity is all.

Is this it?

China does not want this. It prefers peace and balance. Always has. But she will be resolved against any super power that enters its neighborhood. Its work with North Korea is to maintain peace and calm. It does not want disruption. It has economic goals to meet in order to feed a 1.4 billion population. It is making huge progress on its technological manufacturing base and a broadly expanding standard of living for its citizenry. It would hate any kind of wasteful delay like a war in its backyard.

But China shares a very long border with Russia and it does not want troubles with any part of that. However, Russia beware; China is no pushover. You would be irking the wrong frenemy if you did.

That may be donald’s saving grace at the moment. Not because of him, but because of circumstances.

In any case this is not an American problem; it is a UN problem. It is a global community problem. Nuclear arms should be removed from the planet. Military solutions to diplomatic impasses should be removed from our thinking. Only defensive maneuvers should be prepared and at ready. Defensive only! Not offensive. The difference is huge.

In the meantime, however, we have a sitting President who is in full authority of the military might of the USA. He is not in full control of his own emotions or thinking, however. That is the larger problem. He is goadable. By a boy wonder brat in North Korea. Two kids playing in the school yard with toys that kill millions per shot.

Not a good thing. It is a catastrophe of the highest order.

And we need to do something about it. The elected leaders of the American Federal Government need to come together to determine what can be done to remove the donald at least temporarily until it is learned if he has any capability remaining to serve out his term of office. If not, he should be removed by all legal means at hand.

Not to do this places the world in peril. We best not explore that!

September 5, 2017

What in the World?

Writing a book takes focus. On a related set of topics or just one topic. This is because the reader will be confused if the author doesn’t corral the issues into a logical whole, enough to maintain order and cogent thoughts.

So, I’m trying to write a book. This arduous task has been on my to do list for many years. Writing a blog has helped keep my sanity. The blog has also helped me articulate a broad range of issues. Over time we see that the many issues are actually interwoven into pretty much one mass.

One mass. But it still needs to be discussed and written about so both author and reader know what is being focused on at any given time. Then the written thoughts are available for more analysis and pondering. The mass thus is broken down into digestible pieces.

And then the purpose of doing this must be identified. So many purposes are possible here. Which one to choose? What will be the most logical ones to pursue? Which will the masses of people everywhere support for implementation?

Why talk about all these things if we don’t plan to do something constructive about them? To choose to do nothing only exacerbates the problems and worsens them into tighter knots that become indissolluable. Not fixable. Hopeless.

So, with Hurricane Harvey raging on the American Gulf coast inundating entire states and hundreds of thousands of homes and cars, life as those residents know it will be forever changed. For the rest of us we wonder if we will be affected similarly one day. And of course, Texas’ problems will have an economic and governance impact on the rest of us. It is inevitable that we share the costs of such burdens.

This and many other current events are roiling and amassing in our culture today. We need to withstand them and understand them. We need to adjust to them and accommodate them for future living methods.

So selecting the major topics to write about, and propose solutions for, is what I’m faced with at this time. It is not easy. I’m not alone in this task. I have friends who are talking me through this. We so far have enlarged the concerns and issues to be studied. So options elude us for the time being.

I’ll keep you posted on progress made on this project. It is so much easier to ignore it and let someone else do it. But then that’s why we all have the problems weighing on us today. Too many people failed to take note and do something responsible about them when they were less complicated and cheaper to fix.

Let’s hope we don’t keep doing that. That is not fruitful in finding solutions we need now.

I think we all need to think on this a great deal. And talk about it. I call it ‘noodling’. Then jot down the most important elements discussed, with fresh ideas. I call that ‘doodling’.

Maybe noodling and doodling will do the trick. Want to be a part of this?

Let me know. [saffordcu@gmail.com]

September 4, 2017

Armageddon?

So much bad news is written these days it is difficult to determine what we should be afraid of and prepare for. We have people claiming global warming will sink most land masses in water from rising ice cap melt that billions of people will migrate inland to higher ground and take away homes from residents.

We have climate change scare mongers who claim food crops will be decreased exponentially thus leading to global starvation threats.

We have others claiming the internet and Artificial Intelligence will steal jobs from humans and lead to drastic poverty and misery.

We have still more heralding a huge decline in the housing market leading to another crash of prices, mortgages and new threats that will take down the banking system for good.

And still others claim similar collapse of the auto loan industry leading to bank failure and the demise of the auto industry.

Yes, and Chicken Little is still running around warning the sky is falling; take cover!

We have heard all of this before. Yes global warming is upsetting weather patterns; yes global warming is a reality and ice caps are melting. Yes ocean levels are rising slowly and threaten low lying islands everywhere. Yes migration of population will occur and resettle to higher ground. Eventually. Some time in the future. Maybe 50 years from now, certainly 100 years from now.

So we have time to adjust to the new realities that are headed our way.

There is no telling if the forecasts are correct. Too many of them, and too harsh are their warnings that surely not all are true. And over what time frame will these occur if they occur at all?

My hunch is we can do a lot to lessen the impact of some changes that are caused by human behavior. We can lessen air pollution, and water pollution. We can reduce soil pollution. We can help save the environment in countless ways and should do so. Now and always we should be doing so. A little here, a little there, and progress will be noted.

Will the earth cease to exist because of all this? Maybe. But it is not for certain. And there is no telling when this might occur.

So many variables.

And yet, housing patterns will change because mankind changes. Our culture changes. Our living standards and manners change. We will not always live in houses. We will not always live in residences made from lumber or stone.

Surely our auto culture will collapse upon itself eventually. Meanwhile new forms of personal transportation will be invented. In our lifetime? Maybe, for those of you who are young enough. For the rest of us time will run out for our lives and we will still drive or be driven in private automobiles.

Public transportation will increase in popularity and convenience. So will density of housing so the transportation systems can move the most people in the most convenient manner in the most efficient use of time. It will happen. So many things will drive these changes. Some we will be in control of and others we will not.

That’s the way of life, history and the universe. It has always been so.

Are we so frustrated at having little control over this that we are now panicking? Why is this so? Not much has changed; just the rate of change and its veering pathways from time to time.

Let’s take a big breath and relax a bit. A fresh day and some sleep will help us figure it all out. I have faith that this will work. Don’t you?

Well, now; that might be the larger problem!

September 1, 2017