Simone Biles and Courage

Greatest Of All Time. GOAT. She came out of past Olympics as a champion. She entered the following Olympics as a champion. Along the way we all told her she was the greatest of all time. We thought we were honoring her and her talents. But we were not.

Instead, we saddled her with enormous expectations. Of perfection. The perfection we all dream of but cannot touch. We invested in her our hope and dream that she was our perfect model. We were proud. We celebrated her being female. We celebrated her being Black. We adored her posture, attitude and character.

Once at the Olympic games, the weight of our honors crushed a brave soul who is so much more than we ever thought. Dealing with the weight, Simone Biles stood up and said, “enough is enough.” She pulled herself out of competition. She felt she could not perform as she could under normal circumstances. She held to her own standard of perfection, of excellence.

Stepping aside, she saved herself but opened herself to blithering attack from disappointed fans.

Not me. I think I love her more. She is a model of maturity, balance, and poise. She faced the pressure and what it was doing to her mental and emotional health. Enough was enough and she removed the cause of the pressure.

What a strong person she is. And talented.

Winning has many faces. Today that face is Simone Biles. A true champion of life and value.

July 30, 2021

 

Iraqi Outcome

The Iraqi Prime Minister has stated his nation does not need US troops in his country at this time. The need for them has passed. Given the standing threats from Turkey, Syria, Russia, Iran and other minor players, his position is surprising.

Now the question needs to be asked: What strategic interest does the US have in Iraq at this point in time? Is it in our interest to remain and safeguard the region? If so, why and from whom? If the region is in peril, what would its loss mean to the US?

If the peril is slight, and if the loss of the nation to US interests means little, then the Iraqi PM is correct. Remove the troops and focus on other meaningful duties.

Iraq represents an enormous gamble by the US to secure the region because Saddam Hussein was a tyrant and was killing his own people. Actually, more of a case could be made that the then sitting president of the US (George W) was intent on revenge against Hussein. That case has been made several times and is compelling.

Meanwhile, thousands of US troop deaths were sustained, injuries by the hundreds of thousands were incurred, and life-long disabilities are the result for many thousands of US military personnel. The US treasury was sacked to the tune of at least $4 trillion. Giving up and withdrawing our troops now is tantamount to an admission of futility, of failure in Iraq. If I am wrong with that conclusion, then someone please point out the positive outcomes from our presence there.

Nation building was the objective in Iran after removing Saddam. That was the first priority set by the Commander In Chief. The second objective, however, was more complicated and involved remaking the nation into a reliable partner and form of government with which we could build defensible military options. The region is unstable and a threat to oil and other strategic interests. Protecting Israel is but one of those interests.

So, we hazarded our way into the region and did the dirty dance. A lot of innocent people paid the price of this folly. It is now up to historians to figure out the outcomes and value of them. My hunch is we didn’t need to be there at all.

Rather than saving millions of Iraqi lives, we actually witnessed at least a million civilian deaths in the civil war that resulted from our heavy handedness. Historical treasurers were looted and lost forever. The balance of power in the middle east is still imbalanced and fragile, volatile. Our work has not helped with that at all.

Still other civilian lives were upended in the millions. Destroyed housing, quality of life, unstable economic conditions and disabilities from war injuries were the horror visited on the Iraqi people. No wonder they want the troops gone. They want the occupation over and done.

Perhaps the Iraqi PM is correct? If he isn’t, then we had better understand the why of that response.

July 29, 2021

 

COVID Cuomo Investigation?

Just learned the Department of Justice is not going to investigate New York Governor Cuomo’s role in the COVID case reporting with regard to nursing homes. That is a good thing in my book. Here is why.

First, the early days of COVID-19 were frantic with projections and calculations. No one knew how many cases there would be eventually. No one knew how the disease spread. No one knew for certain who was most at risk and who was least at risk. Numbers were floating around like at back room betting parlor.

Second, in nursing homes specifically, no one was sure what a patient died from. Was it the underlying medical condition with which the patient was admitted? Was it the flu? Was it COVID? Was it the deathly march of aging? Was Alzheimer’s taking yet another patient?

Third, data gatherers were hard pressed to keep all of these factors straight in those early days of following the march of COVID-19. They did not want to inflate COVID deaths, nor did they want to cover them up. They just wanted to get the number right. Mistakes were undoubtedly made.

In the eye of the storm were both New York State and New York City. Both were the epicenter of the pandemic’s spread. At the center of that was a governor who jumped right in to gain control of the situation and direct resources to the most affected sites and populations. No one knew then what we know now. Epidemiologists were just getting started with their data gathering and projections to track the disease’s current and future track.

Governor Cuomo worked long days, everyday with keen attention and high energy. Even his enemies gave him high marks for service and dedication.

Second guessing him later in a never ending saga of the blame game is a travesty. What mistakes were made early on simply come with the territory of early crisis management. Hindsight is always 20-20 and insightful. Clever that. Leaders, however, work with what they have and take action to save lives as best they can.

It is best that we as a people harness our energy to build the best outcomes possible with the resources at hand. Especially now. We have the vaccines thanks to enormous strides in science. We have ample vaccine supplies, thanks to fantastic manufacturing skills. We have vaccines distributed where they need to be thanks to the genius of logistics experts. The medical community is marshalled to administer the shots. The vast inoculation program worked well until politics and ignorance entered the picture.

Now the outcome of our nation regarding COVID is in the hands of those who refuse the logic of their own life. I guess it is their life to lose. Too bad they will take others with them, even those they love and revere.

Ignorance is like that. They know not what they do. I recall that phrase being used before, don’t you?

July 28, 2021

 

Bits and Pieces

Cleaning House: With only one of us capable of cleaning the house, I have taken to cleaning my bathroom throughout the week. I focus one day a week to do a more inclusive clean, but the bathroom is mostly clean if not spotless anytime one would wish to use it. Not true of the other bathroom which I will not enter! That is up to Rocky to struggle with. Keeping the kitchen tidy is one thing, clean another. I keep the stove, sink, counters, and breakfast table orderly and clean. Inside the microwave, refrigerator, and oven, that is another issue entirely. I struggle with it and do occasional spot cleans.

Vacuuming the carpeting and cleaning the kitchen floor is a problem. We spot clean the hard surface floors, but carpeting? The vacuum is light and effective but pushing and pulling it is exhausting. I used to do this chore as part of my daily aerobics plan. Same with the shower with deep knee bends. Those days are behind us. Deep knee bends are a fancy of memory. Getting down with the knees now is accidental; getting up requires teamwork. No, we avoid that.

The point of this piece is to mention we hired a cleaning service to clean the entire apartment. Only one visit; they promised 4 hours of vigorous cleaning. The vigorous was correct, but the visit ended at 2.5 hours. Later we found many small tasks avoided or poorly done. Still, the cleaning got us back to a condition that we will continue to keep up bit by bit.

My parents did not inform me of aging issues. They hid their struggles well. Now it is ours to accommodate. And thrive?

Traffic: During the pandemic traffic was light. Parking was easy. Foot traffic in stores and institutions which were open for business, was sparse. With a return to life with fewer COVID protocols, traffic has exploded. So too, foot traffic everywhere. But it is the car traffic that worries. Drivers act like they are championing the Indy 500. They dart in and around traffic switching lanes at will. They speed to get ahead at the next traffic light. The other day we drove on I-88 to visit my son’s family. I set our speed at 70, then 75, this in a 60 mph zone. I sped up because others passed me right and left going at least 10 mph faster than me. At least 10 mph. maybe even 20? Breathtaking. It made me think about using surface routes in the future. As the world comes out of pandemic, the wild drivers are everywhere. Be very aware!

Staying Put: As the world comes back to life, foot traffic is apparent. Downtown streets, side streets, and around institutions. People are coming out to be themselves. Outdoor concerts are a draw for the  young but not for the older. News coverage of those events show mobs of people in close proximity and most not wearing masks. The young are the ones most likely not to be vaccinated against COVID. Two weeks after the event it is apparent COVID infections are on the rise among this age group. The science continues its proof. Vaccines work. We will remain distanced, masked while outdoors and in stores. We will stay close to home. It is safe. We are busy. We do not live in a cocoon. It is a small price to pay to remain healthy. Besides this lifestyle is simple and easy to live with. Visitors are welcome anytime as long as they are vaccinated or masked.

July 27, 2021

 

Billionaires in Space

What is the value of two, and soon, three, billionaires traveling to space and back? That they had the vision and the courage to pursue their dream of achieving this goal. It was once the goal of governments only because of the huge cost. Now, three independent businessmen have dared to do what nations once did. That says a lot about organization, teamwork, and management discipline.

If these three business organizations can attain these heights, then what else can they accomplish? That is an appropriate question for our times.

A nagging question remains on the periphery: how much did these three space races cost and could that wealth have produced answers to large social problems that continue to plague earthlings?

The answer is blunt: the problems exist and grow because governments are unwilling to take on the tasks. Ideological battles stand in the way of governments spending public dollars on such things.

That reality is tragic when viewed from another perspective: investing in people and the quality of their lives produces societies worth living in. Not doing the hard work to solve social ills suggests governments do not care about their people or the future.

No doubt a lot of money can be earned from conquering space. No doubt a lot of money is earned from the continuing health care of billions of sick and dying people. More money is earned building scarce knowledge bits among people who can bid up their own worth while suppressing education and intellectual gains among millions of capable people.

The raw argument focuses on the value and purpose of government. In my mind that is security, peace and quality of life. Government alone cannot solve the attendant problems, but they can work with educated, motivated individuals to make the magic happen. That requires equal access to healthcare, education and opportunity, the bedrocks of personal freedom. Without those we are a society devoid of caring and ability to reach beyond ourselves.

I do not think we have sunk so low, but there are forces among us making government meaningless when what we need is government willing to empower and expand individual potential to achieve for us all what alone we cannot do.

When will congress awaken to their duty? Ever? In our lifetime?

July 26, 2021

 

Do Nothings

Mostly I refer to Congress. The warring political parties try to block each other from getting credit for anything done that is good for the nation. The result is little is accomplished.

When the White House asks Congress to act and they don’t, their reply is that the President has failed to accomplish his goals. When Congress enacts a law that is clearly unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has to balance the governing equation. When it doesn’t, then complicated problems grow worse.

Block and dodge is the game being played. From my perspective it has been going on for several decades. The time to make compromise work for the nation is now. Failure to do so is too high a price for the country to bear. These issues include:

·         Global warming, weather emergencies

·         Equal access to healthcare, universal health insurance

·         Equal access to quality education for all of us, lifelong

·         Freedom from gun violence

·         Immigration reform that mirrors our nation’s values

·         Finance election reform that removes corporations; better yet, fund all campaigns with government funds formula driven

·         Eliminate homelessness

 

Something must be done, but what? That is the question.

Meanwhile the rest of us watch our country burn, flood, collapse and debate the ridiculous. Not a pretty picture. Nothing but games. No substance.

The abiding truth of all this is we enable those who represent us. When they do not represent us, we have a duty to remove them and elect doers in their places. Doers or do-nothings? That is the question. What will be our answer?

Let’s face it, the government of the USA is us, you and I. We alone can fire the do nothings. So let us do just that.

We need people who understand the constitution to plan our way forward. We need clear thinking political scientists to implement the plan forward. We need an educated public to vote for the people best suited to operate our governance system.  A lot of good things have to happen for us to make a difference. Are we ready to do that?

Are you?

July 23, 2021

 

China’s Big Lie

Hong Kong. It was supposed to be left alone by China’s governing approach, leaving them to continue their own form of hybrid democracy. Only China lied. Hong Kong is subservient to Red China just as she meant it to be.

What does that mean to the rest of the world? Here are some thoughts:

1.       China’s intent to control not only its territory but what goes on within it is on full display

2.       China’s commercial interests are more important than its military vision because commercial pays for the nation’s independence from the world community

3.       Yet China has not invented its own modern commerce as much as bought or pirated it from other free societies, mainly American

4.       China promises freedom and independence to foreign commercial interests then demands rigorous regimentation; the threat of noncompliance is take over or egregious tariffs

5.       The result is diminished foreign investment in China; even abandonment of once fruitful manufacturing sites and research and development partnerships

6.       As for Hong Kong? Foreign banking and financial interests will soon realize it is folly to remain in a captured city. They will abandon Hong Kong.

7.       With that reality, China will find herself once again marooned from the world community and its creative forces.

I doubt Chairman for Life Xi envisioned this outcome. He alone, however, has made it inevitable.

This is a force that educates the rest of us. We have something China wants – freedom, creativity, collaboration, group manufacturing might, adaptability to change and an expansive educated spirit that produces stunning results.

Rather than build that on its own internal strengths, China has chosen to steal it from the global village.

We know this is the case. China will soon discover its lonely reality. Those foreign interests that remain with Xi will soon learn their fate for staying.

It is not a good thing to watch. Turn away!

July 22, 2021

 

 

Facebook Duty

I am not sure this is a duty of Facebook, but their protestations of responsibility for the tone of America’s civility – or incivility more likely – strikes me as hollow.

Facebook is about people connecting. It is also about people expressing themselves, you know, freedom of speech and all that. Well, keep moving along that logic string and it is inevitable that extremes are reached. That explains our current state of public discourse these days.

People do say the darndest things. Unsurprisingly, people will react to those statements. From that point on, the fight is on.

That is the juice that keeps people coming back for more. Facebook knows this. It is the core of its success, not freedom of speech, but a means by which people empty their spleen of ill will. Venting is the new fad.

Without Facebook, 100’s of millions of people would not have the method to vent their spleen. And there you have it. Facebook as a tool.

Do not even attempt to tell me Facebook does not know this. Uh uh, don’t go there.

I use Facebook to keep up with scores of people. I use Facebook to post my daily blog; the blog is actually on Blogspot.com but I have more readers on Facebook. So I use FB as a channel of communication.

What is on that channel is the responsibility of two parties – first, the owner of the channel (Facebook), and second, the writer of the content. Both have a responsibility for content. Facebook has the duty to monitor the content and remove inappropriate material. That duty comes with ownership of the channel of communication.

The creator of the content – author – is not off the hook. He/she has the responsibility, indeed the legal obligation, to fairly represent the facts. If opinion is the content, then it must be clearly labeled as such. The reader then has the duty of accepting it or rejecting it. Don’t like it? Or agree with it? Then don’t read it; move on to something else.

But the author and channel owner have the duty to present fairness and accuracy. If propaganda is the purpose, then the channel manager must remove the material. They own the channel. The channel is available to the public free and clear. Protection of the public resides with the channel operator.

Blaming President Biden for the nation’s failure to achieve a reasonable goal set for it, is nothing more than political gaming by Facebook. Shame on them.

Perhaps it is time to dump Facebook.

July 21, 2021

 

Transactional

Late at night the thought came to me: so much of our daily activity is driven by input, action, output. We are taskers much of the time. Do we think of why we do anything? Do we wonder about the value of the outcomes?

If you do – if we do – then life becomes intentional not transactional.

Intentional is also purposeful, mission driven, hopeful of positive outcomes. It is not just about earning money or putting in my time without being fired. It is the big picture that draws us toward the value of what we do.

Transactional living is robotic, unmindful. It leads us to trouble like doing the same thing expecting different results.

Maybe that explains why I pound the computer when it does not work right? Or kick the washing machine when it hiccups? Pushing the same buttons or keys does not seem to work. Why keep pushing them?

If politicians continue to produce little of value, why do we continue to vote for them? Why not run for office yourself, or at least learn who has the credentials to run, is interested in the job, and work for him or her to replace the do-nothings currently in office?

On the personal side of things, if the house needs cleaning, identify the tasks included in the project, and plan what you can do in certain timeframes. For us, vacuuming is a luxury rarely done because we cannot stand for long, nor push and tug a machine over every square foot of space in our apartment. We are exhausted and need to sit down a bit from time to time to see the task through. Meanwhile, we realize anew the meaning of the phrase – “things own you, not you them.”

From that realization comes the motivation to declutter and toss out unneeded stuff. Out come the trash bags, out goes unworn clothing, unread books, and doodads that long ago lost their meaning in our lives. A decluttered home is a home easier to maintain and keep clean.

Now dusting; there’s a gritty subject! It would be easy if it did not involve moving so much stuff in the way, stuff that we soon realize no longer has importance to us. More decluttering.

But the most difficult space of all are closets. Suits that do not fit; suits that are not worn any longer even if they do fit. Same for slacks, dress shirts and ties. All I need are four ties now to coordinate with any possible outfit. Even then, the four ties could be replaced with one black one. The only problem with decluttering closets is the fresh space now available to stuff other things that are in the way in the rooms. Soon those are tossed into the closets and our tasks for another day is to junk that stuff.

As we age these issues become more critical. Window blinds? Oh for God’s sake, they are brutal to clean. Forget dusting them; left alone too long they need scrubbing or replacement!  The latter is easier, more costly, but faster.

No doubt we are not alone in this stage of life. Elder experiences shared at mealtimes with others is a hoot of sharing the aches, pains and inabilities. We know we do it. Bet you do too! 

July 20, 2021

 

 

Bush W’s Lament

I know George W is a saint compared with Mr. T, but really? George W thinks Biden made a mistake in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan? He is certain total disaster will follow.

Good for him. That country was a disaster before US troops landed there. It will return to its normal disaster once we have left. The cause and effect in this instance has nothing to do with one another.

Afghanistan is ungovernable without violence and Talibania. That simply is its norm.

We were in Afghanistan to get Bin Laden. We did that but in Pakistan, a nation ally of ours who proved its perfidy by hiding Bin Laden. Meanwhile, we were in Afghanistan to have a convenient military base from which to attack and resupply our troops in Iraq. That was a boneheaded move, but we did it anyway. Afghanistan proved unworthy of our investment. The Iraq war went south regardless. So did Afghanistan.

Might I remind readers that George W and Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld were the three joy boys who got us in both of those nations? $5 trillion later, we are no better off, and neither is the global community. An utter waste.

Russia had the same results many years before. Afghanistan is ungovernable. Until its people rise up and take back their country, it will remain ungovernable. The consent of the governed is required in these matters.

China will have no better result. Only Afghanis control their outcome.

For George W to complain at this late date only demonstrates his total lack of foreign policy competency. But then what should we have expected from a drop out?

July 19, 2021

 

Competency

A favorite pair of shoes developed a hole in its sole. The shoes fit beautifully and comfortably. I could spend a day in them commuting, working, standing and walking all over campus. They looked terrific and were stylish. Yes; I loved those shoes. They were Allen Edmonds and were costly, about $325 for the pair. So, I contacted Allen Edmonds in Wisconsin (yes made in America!) and they told me to send them back and they would repair them free of charge. By the way, they would dismantle the shoe to determine why the sole failed. They promised not to alter the fit and comfort for me!

A few weeks later the shoes were returned like new but worn into by my feet and fit. Beautiful and comfortable.

Allen Edmonds demonstrated competency. They know how to build a shoe that lasts and works as it is supposed to. They even stand behind it and fix it like new.

My other shoes wore out, too, but I took them to a local shoe repair man, one in Wheaton, Illinois. John’s was a special shop. You brought your favored shoes to him and he lovingly repaired them to continue their useful life pleasing the wearer. Competent. Specialist in his craft.

My doctors are specialists in what they do as well. Cardiologists, pulmonologists, urologists, general practitioners, neurologists and other specialties, too. I know they know their fields of medicines. I trust their judgments, diagnoses, and treatments. I have trusted surgeons in the same manner.

Best we all do.

Researchers in many fields of specialty demonstrate their competencies daily. They delve into history of long ago eras and make sense of them. They inspect current events for clues as to why they became events in the first place. They take cues from history to better understand the happenings of today. I trust their thoughts on these matters and want to hear what they have to say. I don’t accept or approve everything I hear, but it is all food for thought. It edifies my understanding.

Competency in history, writing, literature and more of the liberal arts is all good. Nothing exists alone. All is interdependent on everything else. Cause. Effect. Result. We do not always know the ‘all’ that is involved, but we are alert to possibilities of their existence. That realization comes from disciplined thought and effort.  Competency learned over time.

Same for scientists. Did the NASA engineers know how to place men on the moon? No; they did not. But they learned how to do it by sharing scientific knowledge among many disciplines and engineering fields to arrive at the methodology. Within a decade NASA placed men on the moon and brought them back safely. Not an easy task but now we have built a space station and manned it continuously for many years. We have cooperated with other nations to do this as well. We do not do this in a vacuum of others, or of sole disciplines of thought.

Competency. HIV/AIDS has been survived, not solved, but survived. Polio has been eradicated. Same for Small Pox, the Bubonic Plague and so many other diseases. With new science and equipment, we have nearly conquered COVID-19 in record time. The trick is to get everyone vaccinated. But competency gives us the tool to solve problems, like vaccines.

What we need are competent citizens who trust competency and get vaccinated.

Competency comes in many shades, shapes and methods.

Like Mikey said: “Try it. You’ll like it.”

July 16, 2021

 

Self-Limiting Crisis

Sitting on my city council one winter evening, a citizen rose to point out that some of his neighbors in a townhome complex were warming up their cars in their garages before driving off to work in the morning. Since the homes were all closely connected exhaust fumes had become a problem for other homes. The concern was carbon monoxide entering homes and killing residents. Could something be done about this?

The council discussed the issue a bit, then one alderman muttered under his breath, “a self-limited problem.” That tickled me and I chuckled audibly and the alderman slyly caught my glance.

It was funny then, and still is. Tragic as a casualty from such stupidity is, the truth of the matter is the stupid will eliminate themselves from humankind by their own actions. Like Darwin’s Theory of Survival of the Fittest, the theory applies equally to humanity as to the animal world.

Same goes for anti-vaxxers. The facts are becoming clearer that COVID-19 vaccines are working. They work for the original strain of the virus, and appear to be quite effective against later strains of the virus. Even the most recent strain from India, the vaccines show solid results protecting those vaccinated.

Recent reports indicate one region has experienced COVID deaths for only those who have not been vaccinated.

Read that line again. Only those unvaccinated patients were the ones who died. Now, some unvaccinated patients survived, to be sure, but think about it. If you have not been vaccinated and contract the virus, you are more likely to die of the disease.

Is that proof enough for an anti-vaxxer? Not sure they will be moved by such logic. Their reasoning does not include facts. They are ideologues who believe in conspiracy theories.

Fine. Let them. Survival of the Fittest theory says they will eventually disappear leaving the rest of us hale and hearty. Self-limiting crisis. Indeed.

I rather like surviving. Following directions and competent scientists, health professionals and leaders is one method of surviving. Another method is luck. It works some of the time. But what about improving those odds?

Hmmmmm?

July 15, 2021

 

 

What About China?

Let us add some air to all things Chinese, geopolitically that is.

First, Xi has made himself Chairman for life or nearly so; time will tell if this title sticks.

Second, China’s military has been very busy:

·         Building defensible ‘islands’ in the South China Sea. You see, China has had limited access to seaports throughout its history and feels it necessary to extend its ‘borders of influence’ to defend itself. Thus the ‘islands’ built in international waters. They are not supportable by international law, and China knows this. But, hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. And Xi intends to gain.

·         Expanding missile sites in hundreds of locations throughout the nation. Again, this is a defense thing, but it is so large as to suggest offensive positions should they wish to attack the world, or at least ransom the global village. Think about it.

Third, China has acquired massive manufacturing capacity using their enormous manpower pool. They now control the largest portion of manufacturing in the world. Trouble is that the only way they could do that was steal intellectual property from nations with open universities and corporations for sale. They stole the ideas on the one hand and bought the companies with the other hand. The problem, however, is that this is not self-sustaining behavior. At some point they need to invent and innovate on their own intellectual capability. We know they can do that, but first they acquired the capacity for economic reasons. Meanwhile American and European corporations are welcomed to build plants in China. There is a catch; those plants and companies while operating in China must conform to standards of speech, thought and behavior. None of those is consistent with the corporations’ home nations culture, so what awaits a Chinese site in the future? Takeover? Nationalization?

Fourth, China long ago began an internationalization process for their own business leaders and welcomed foreign business leaders to the same process. That helped lure American innovation and invention into China. It was reciprocal but mostly in selling American businesses to China and educating their students inside American research universities. This process has been going on for many years now, decades really.

Those four topics miss several things that Xi should be thinking about. They are:

·         What happens after he is gone? He will eventually step down from his high office or die. What is the plan for after?

·         What of people from both countries understanding each other? What is the plan to help each other share cultures, history and intellectual competence? Without that sharing the peoples remain apart and objects, not human beings.

·         The problem with helping people know, accept, understand, and interact positively with each other is that they do not wish violence or war among themselves. Such behavior brings peace. That would be a strange outcome given the military stance and rhetoric of the supreme leader.

Perhaps Xi is thinking about all of these things? If so, he has a strange way of showing it.

I have long stated that peace within the global village is the only way forward for the common good of all. It is also economical to pursue that. Peace is much cheaper than war. Outcomes are so much more pleasant as well.

Xi, please listen to many voices before choosing a fateful, ill-conceived path. America is not the aggressor nor is it the dreamer of world domination. Its people are peaceful and creative. As are yours.

Please keep it that way.

July 14, 2021

 

Vaccination Goal Missed

Yes, President Biden set a strenuous goal for us to reach, 70% of adults vaccinated (at least one shot) by July 4^th. The actual number came in around 67%+. We missed the goal. We The People missed the goal.

The goal was for our own good. Vaccinate as many people as possible to gain ‘herd immunity’. We rapidly approached that until some political geniuses thought this would be a victory for Biden and so the anti-vaxxer movement was reignited.

With a missed goal, you see, they thought Biden would be blamed for the failure. Hardly. He is a leader and set a good goal that would benefit us all.

Instead, even the press is touting this as a Biden failure. What utter nonsense.

Vaccinations are proven effective. Those avoiding the shots are most likely trumpers and political hacks. The science is in; vaccines work. If you are without a shot for a valid health reason, fine; but if you lack that reason, then you are the problem.

Take the gloves off this issue and tell it like it is.

We either work together to solve big problems or we work to block that progress as enemies of the state.

Deal with it.

July 13, 2021

 

Crime and Punishment

The crime we know about. A lot of it. Mayhem, murder, beatings, spousal abuse physical, mental and sexual, plus abuse of kids. Racism is rampant as well as is incivility that entices violence. There is theft, fraud, propaganda, lying, cheating and a whole lot more. You name the crime, we got it. Plenty of it.

Punishment? That’s easy; it’s the crime we endure.

And that is because we cause it. A crime unaddressed is a punishment earned. Sounds almost biblical.

Guns. We allow guns. We worship guns. And ammo. High caliber, small bore, hidden or cannon sized. Firepower is America. Always has been. At our nation’s beginning, we settled a frontier of mostly uninhabited space. Yes, native Americans were already here, but we European white folk did not accept their dominion over us. So we played at humoring them and then killed most of them. The remainder were relegated to distant reservations on inhospitable landscapes. Before the great death march, we used guns to tame the land.

Guns, again. We have more guns than people today. Over 330 million guns, rifles and God knows what included in that census. The point is the longer we allow guns to prevail as anointed God given rights, we also allow nasty behavior of the gun owners to do as they pretty much please. Oh, there are laws to control bad behavior, but that does not work well. Never has. Death penalty and all that, no real deterrence.

We became appalled at the death toll from using automobiles freely in America. We were horrified at the carnage of maiming and disability caused by auto crashes. So, we wrote laws to control the situation. Lots of laws, so many it is difficult to keep track of them. In the main, however, they work to reduce the carnage. From nearly 60,000 deaths annually we are down to about 30,000 annually. That’s with a hugely increased population on top of it!

But guns are special. Yes, there are laws about guns, but they are so weak they do little to deter the carnage. Not only that, but the weakness of the laws was planned and designed so guns and the rights to own and bear them were never in doubt. No shade is allowed on gun rights.

And that’s where we are. Guns in most homes. Guns in poverty neighborhoods. Guns among those with little wealth, prosperity or whatever to protect. Just dignity and freedom. And so the guns are used to burnish the dignity. All the way to the funeral parlor.

Black neighborhoods throughout America, especially in urban areas, have a surfeit of guns. That’s where much of the violence and death is. That’s where drive-by shootings occur. That’s where car jackings occur. That’s where family abuse and murder abide.

Yes, there is much of this throughout society regardless of race, but the statistics prove black violence against black people is horrendous.

Complaining about any violence is natural. But in the end, what we all do about the violence is critical. If we do nothing to remove guns from the playing field, we have nobody to thank for the violence but ourselves.

The press loathes to say this. So are columnists, novelists, researchers, politicians, and people in power. We have boxed ourselves into a bad place. We don’t like being here, but we created it and maintain it. Change that and violence will change, too.

You don’t have to believe me. It may be helpful, though, if you reviewed the laws and justice systems in other lands that ban gun ownership. They have a different kind of violence, but not gun violence.

We are insane by definition. Doing the same thing but expecting different results. Get over it. Move on.

Banish guns. Now. At least put the onus of solutions on those who insist they have the right to own guns. Stop crowing about that. Work to end the violence. You now own it.

July 12, 2021

 

 

Time to Fight

Not with fists or weapons, but with truth.

The republican party has made a mess of itself and the nation for many years now. It is time for the rest of us to simply say ‘enough is enough’ and move on.

That means we need to press forward with what we believe is the meaning of our nation’s purpose, and to do that job well.

Racism is a problem in America. It has been so for over 400 years. That is awful and needs to be fixed.

Schools work hard to do their jobs, but they are saddled with everyone’s expectations and political nonsense. Teach the truth, teach the facts, and then prepare students for a life of critical thinking. If we don’t, we will produce a know-nothing society willing to swallow anything told to them by con men. Just look at our present day political environment to see the truth of this statement.

Increase access to all education to the extent the student is interested and able. That will produce motivated, innovative thinkers and workers society needs. For those unwilling or unable, we will employ them in satisfactory jobs that will support them and their lifestyles.

Work for peace throughout the world. Start here in our own land. Then work hard to help everyone else live lives of freedom and purpose that builds positive forces throughout mankind. Spending vast sums of money on military capability is wasteful and dangerous. Protect and defend, yes; offend and destroy, no.

Protect the planet that sustains our lives. Fix ecological disaster aggressively. Now. Before it is too late.

Work toward positive. Being critical thinkers does not mean we are critical blame finders. The latter is wasteful of energy and resources. Instead, build the positive. Fix the broken. Replace the obsolete.

We have much work to do without making things up.

Democrats, you have a huge challenge before you. Use the majority of our society to accomplish the good it needs. Ignore the republicans and let them stew in their own juices.

They can win (as they have) by being dirty. We can win by being clean. And we will.

Fight! Onward.

July 9, 2021

 

Changing History

History changes. It does. At least in two ways.

First, change is a constant. We live with it. The tree out our window remains in place, but it grows. And grows some more. From a young sapling it grows into a mighty oak, or fir, or maple. Big it becomes. Shades lawns and entire homes. Provides a bower of leaves overhead to soften the sunlight, rains and so much more. It even breaks up the wind, softens its impact on us as people, but also our houses and buildings.

Until they become so large they become unable to withstand the onslaught of wind, snow, rain and age. They crumble before us. They cease living and growing.

All the while, the tree was in one place but truly never the same. It changed moment by moment.

Just like you and I. We begin as babies pooping and peeing on ourselves, and hopefully many years later end up the same, only larger. We age. We grow. We become different persons in many phases of life. We age more and eventually die. It is a cycle of forever.

That is change. Our story is in constant motion.

That also means our story must change. Its meaning shifts to include more details, more meaning, more cause, effect, and result. What we thought something meant one day, means something else, more and different than before.

Teaching history is teaching process of reason, not facts.

One day we learn something that causes us to compare it with what we learned, what we came to understand earlier. Suddenly the meaning has changed. It is not what we thought. It is something larger. It is the change that helps us understand, and to continue to understand even more.

Critical thinking is a process. It requires us to ask questions of what and why, cause, effect, and result. The more we know, the better our understanding. Critical thinking is a tool that uncovers much truth primarily because it asks questions we did not think of before or were too uncomfortable asking.

Race in America is just one topic that grants us better understanding of long ago events. So much of what we know today was not reported before. We begin to see. We begin to ask. We begin to understand.

Tulsa race riot and total destruction of a vast and valuable Black community? Was that reported to me in school when I was a youngster? No. It was not. How much of post-Civil War reconstruction was taught to our classes back then that explained the policy was to keep slaves enslaved in poverty, servitude under the control of whites? Not explained to me. Not shared. No critical thinking asked for or applied.

When American history is brought under the critical thinking microscope, we perceive a broad, pernicious White Supremacy value structure imposed over all of the nation. It was accepted without much thinking. Most whites went along without examining it. It became second nature. We were inured to it. When asked if all people are equal, of course we said yes. Deep down, however, that was not true as a societal norm. This is so true we did not recognize the dichotomy.

One day we did notice. One day we awaken to the reality of something we had hidden for generations, hundreds of years.

This is not changing history. This is uncovering it. Best we continue doing so. We would not want future generations to be as uninformed as we.

Or do we?

July 8, 2021

 

Given the Choice

Rocky is hard of hearing and should replace his hearing aids. His eyesight is fading due to diabetic retinopathy. Cancer took his voice box and dulled his senses of smell and taste as the bronchial tube was re-routed to the front of his neck, sidetracking his throat, mouth, and sinuses. He cannot speak, therefore. And Parkinson’s Disease is limiting his movement more and more, including mouthing words for lip reading and diminishing written notes to dots.

I speak and hear for Rocky. I am the go between at stores, doctors offices and emergency rooms. I don’t always know what he wants, but I know instantly if I have it wrong.

His computer died as forecast by Geek Squad. He still has his Apple I-Pad, 4-G android phone, and the use of my computer. But he wanted a new lap top. Geek Squad was scheduled for Tuesday of this week, but he could not wait. So Saturday we visited Best Buy and looked at replacement options. Turned out an All-In-One Lenovo was the right ticket. On sale. Big screen. No wires or cables. So Rocky bought it. Then and there.

On the ride home I told him he got computer in trade for new hearing aids. He indicated he knew that and was good with it. He had the choice. He made his decision.

Now we shall see if he can and will live with it.

Meanwhile, Geek Squad arrived yesterday and really helped us out. Learned we have a faulty Comcast cable into the building or underground leading to the building. Also learned we have 200 MBPS WiFi speed but only 15 to 22 are getting through the cable and router. Likewise, cable box is not working properly and limiting communication with the TV and its remotes. So, a Comcast call is in the works this morning! 

And Geek taught me how to use two screens simultaneously and switch/drag images between the two screens anytime I want; and, and, and...I can listen to my CDs on my computer now and feed the sound through my Bose radio for better sound. 

I know this post started as a stark decision for Rocky, but look how it ended! So much more to work with and experience for both of us old galoots.

Stay tuned!

July 7, 2021

 

Afghanistan

A sad place, Afghanistan. A troubled land with warring war lords, Taliban, and incompetent civilian leadership. Even their military is lackluster and has received decades of international support for training, equipping and organizational development just to defend its own land and people.

The story is one of failure. Continuous failure.

Not for the lack of trying. Russia tried it for many disastrous years. So did America for more than 20 years. And other nations have stepped in to help. Some of that help was a hindrance, some was a tilted mess toward the interests of the helper, but just the same, Afghanistan has consistently not done well as an independent country.

With American military withdrawal, Bagram Air Base, regional military bases, and equipment left behind will all be looted by anyone with an interest. Mostly Taliban and their supporters, but others are on site to line their pockets with whatever they can grab. This is consistent with Afghanistan history. Nothing new.

Reports are rife that China and Russia are licking their chops to enter the region and take up where Americans left off. For what end geopolitically? That is the question, but the reality is Afghanistan will continue to be the mire that frustrates all efforts.

Afghanistan was of critical importance as America tracked down Bin Laden. But it also was of strategic interest in waging the nonsense war within Iraq. We should have left Afghanistan when Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan. We should never have entered Iraq. End of story.

But no, the story continued because leaders in the White House at the time (Bush W and mostly Cheney) waged their war of hubris. At the cost of nearly $7 trillion dollars of our taxpayer resources. That does not count thousands of our war dead and hundreds of thousands of injured and maimed American troops. Then there is the war dead and injured on the side of Iraqi and Afghani nationality. Civilian death counts in both countries are enormous.

That is and has been the cost of waging a war of hubris. Make no mistake, this political, military, and diplomatic mission was of no strategic consequence for America. It was a colossal failure as have been most wars.  

Waging war appears to be a specialty of America. I wonder what would happen if we waged peace?

Perhaps we should attempt some strategic moves on that plane?

July 6, 2021

 

Freedom

The many shades and shapes of freedom are everywhere. We have the freedom to rise and stand when we wish, sit when needed, walk or stride to wherever we desire. We have jobs to choose among, occupations to dream about, prepare for and strive for. We have freedom to choose our spouse, build a family and continue our family, society and all that comes with it. We can invent something new or better that what already is, and take the risk to start our own business, make our product, deliver it those who want it, pay our bills and rest at day’s end.

We live in a country of no tyranny. Well, I’m not sure of that these days, but, certainly we live in a country of less tyranny than many or most others?

Not sure that is saying much.

The collapse of the Surfside, Florida condo building is a great analogy. Build something big and strong, live in it for many years. Its construction is solid and massive. Steel. Concrete reinforced with steel rods. Massive concrete beams bolstered by steel. Strong enough to last hundreds of years.

Maybe not. In fact, not. 40 years into its life, the building was in more trouble than the condo board knew. Oh, it knew some facts, but not certain how they all combined to spell disaster. But disaster happened.

Expected or not, we have the power to know what the facts are. We face them or not, at our peril.

In this case, peril aplenty. At least 24 dead, most likely 145 dead. And 150+ homes destroyed. Nothing to salvage but memories and some insurance checks, and those are in doubt now. The living will have difficult times being without loved ones, and perhaps their possessions and a secure home. The latter’s security forever now in doubt.

What was once safe is in question. What freedoms we knew are now gone. What was believed to be strong was weak.

Same for our nation. Our history. Our lives today. Our expectations for tomorrow.

Think about that line of words. Think about our beliefs and reliance’s on the beliefs. Do we truly believe in freedom and it being always in our lives? Do we? Why do we believe that? Do we take it for granted it will always be there?

The condo building failed. Our nation could fail. Our way of life is in doubt. Always has been. It is safe if we work to maintain it. If we do our duty and the required work, freedom will remain. Our way of life will remain.

It will disappear like the condo building if we do not do our duty, our maintenance.

Responsibility comes in many forms. Some of it is in the form of casting a vote every time the opportunity is offered. It takes the form of understanding that ballot and the people on it. Will they represent our form of government well enough to maintain it? Or must I run for that office to guarantee my expectations will prevail?

Want a lovely home? Paint it. Repair it. Remodel it. Make it into your own shape and function. Attend to it. Safeguard it. Work for what you believe it should be. Same for your community, block or town. Your state and nation needs your commitment as well.

Never take that for granted. If you do, plenty of Florida condos await your purchase.

Freedom? For what?

July 5, 2021

 

Fractured Dem Leadership?

Reading the news – online or print – makes you wonder if democrats are of one party and one leadership? But then we know republicans are neither of one party or of one leadership. So what is the point of the discussion?

Good question. Perhaps the point is to cast confusion among all parties so decisions are put off or not made. Truth be told, putting things off only makes the no decision option a reality for dems. This is exactly what happened during the Obama administration. The president wanted to negotiate and include both parties and their leaders so we returned to a governance structure of collaboration and cooperation. Only the republicans played dems for fools. The lack of progress played to the favor of repubs and the final six years of Obama’s tenure is history. The midterm elections at the two-year point of his first term, changed the math on all House and Senate votes. Dems lost. Repubs won. And the American people lost their democracy.

There are those who don’t believe this is or was the case. Time has proved them wrong and my assertions correct.

If we want democracy to work the way it was intended, then the repubs must be deterred from their old ways. Do I think this will happen? No. No way. Love him or hate him, Mitch McConnell has the keys to the kingdom he wants. It has made him rich and powerful. It has been shared to other kingmakers in the republican party. But this has been done at the total demise of dems effectiveness. When that happens, democracy is checkmated.

One party power is not democracy. We know that. It is not what the founding fathers intended. But modern day leaders shout, “Who Cares?” Evidently no one seems to care enough to fix this woeful situation. Except We The People.

The dem leadership is not fractured. It works the way it is supposed to. Problem is, republicans work the opposite way. They are only concerned about negating dems and checkmating all change that is not of their own design.

Sad but true.

I don’t like this. But I’ll be damned if I know how to fix it. Does anyone? If so, please step up and fix this mess. Our future is at stake.

Why can repubs do this and dems cannot?  I don’t have an answer to that question either.

July 2, 2021

 

Egads! Another Month!!

My parents told me time would accelerate when I got older. They were spot on with that remark.

As a kid time seemed to stand still. Not knowing the workings of events or their preparations, we had no gauge for the passage of time; just waiting. Biding time was what we did then.

Later, we could see time pass as it was broken into smaller pieces. Mom making breakfast; first the main ingredients of the meal were assembled, preparations for cooking them together began, then the cooking. While that was in play the table was set, dad juiced the oranges, milk was poured and soon the food was on the table. Anticipation of sounds and aromas paid off and breakfast happened!

Filling time with activities and chores was another yardstick of time passing. Once in school, we learned about deadlines and due dates. The paper was due when? Would that be enough time for me to get it done? Or, yikes! The final exam is next week. Can I study enough to pass it at this late date?

And then jobs and careers where expectations of achievements ruled our days. Getting to the achievement part was not easy. It took time: time to study the problem; time to gather possible solutions; time to weigh options; time to choose; time to implement solutions; time to see if the desired result would arrive; on time!

As I write this blog I am stunned by the passage of time. Today is July 1, the beginning of yet another new month. I just wrote the blog for June 1, or so it seemed. A week ago I turned 78. I remember when I turned 8, then 18, 28, and so on. Where has all this time gone? Has it been used wisely? Were achievements worthy of the time invested?

I also recall being 22 and claiming – “Now it is my turn to do something to save the world.” Heady thought, but we had courage and confidence then. Don't we all? Nearly sixty years later we fully understand how the claim was a pipe dream. The question is not did we save the world, but did we accomplish anything?

Of course we did. For one we populated the nation and world with another generation of people to continue the human race. For another, we raised those kids to know themselves and their surroundings, and yes, the world itself. This was preparation for them to ‘save the world’ for the rest of us. I’m certain they felt that way; as adults I doubt they still feel that way. The job to be done is too large for them to tackle, at least alone.

And that is a valuable lesson – too large to tackle alone. Cooperation and collaboration must be enabled if we as the human race are to succeed, survive, prevail. Another lesson: change is a constant; what you are working on today will be replaced by something else tomorrow. The job is never done. It is always beckoning and demanding attention.

Oh yes; we older generations learned those two lessons well. It is part of making us humble so we can admit our own frailty. For younger generations, please learn these two lessons well: there is always another new month starting; and, one day you will not be there to witness it. But others will.

Hopefully, they will work with what you left behind so all may champion the needed tasks.

July 1, 2021