El Nino Weather patterns are very
different today than they were in our re-callable past. Yes there have been
years of odd weather; yes there have been many years of normal weather
patterns. But not 2014 and 2015. These two years are quite extraordinary. Don’t
go by what I say; read reports from NOAA and NASA. Both agencies work with weather
forecasts and research. NOAA does it because it is its job. NASA does it
because it truly has a global perspective – even from space – and relies on its
data for space shots as well as recovering returning space craft.
All data suggests truly large changes have taken place. Of
course these could be averaged out in time to make barely a blip on the
historical records. But we are living through these weather days in real time.
Right now. And it tells us that the climate has changed to warmer patterns,
that jet streams and ocean currents have been altered. Those altered courses
bring colder weather to some regions while others experience much warmer air
temps. Precipitation follows suit: too cold and rain becomes snow or ice or
hail; too warm and snow and sleet become rain; too much rain and floods are
birthed; too much flooding and mud slides occur. Too much water and earthquakes are engendered.
Too little water, and aquifers dry up, shrink and earthquakes are also
engendered.
Weather affects life. What scientists have been saying is
that life affects weather. Together we live in harmony or not. Adjusting how we
live might soften weather changes. Maybe we should look into this to learn what
we can do best. We need to be kind to our planet. It is our home.
Killing Innocents Terrorism is a hideous specter on any
society. It upsets routines. Mostly, it upsets expectations. We expect calm and
order in our lives. This allows us to take walks, visit with people, commute to
jobs, experience relaxation as well as entertainment. If a terrorist enters our
midst we suddenly confront violence, death, explosions, damage, injury,
suffering and stark fear.
That changes how we spend our days. And nights. We think
more of the unexpected, waiting for the shoe to drop, wondering where, when and
if it will be me next. That is precisely what a terrorist wants to happen: to
upset our lives of comfort and normalcy.
They think their lives mean nothing because of what others
have done to them. They are the victim. They feel it necessary to repay others
for their suffering and misery. And so they kill themselves by blowing
themselves up in our restaurants, nightclubs, buses, trains and planes. Car
bombs destroy buildings and streetscapes. This is the horror of hate unleashed
with very little logic. The consequences, yes; logic no. Only in the twisted
and tortured minds of the terrorist is this logical. Not to you and I.
So we protect ourselves. And we overreact. We actually shoot
innocents in the act of protecting the larger society. Innocent kids and
bystanders are killed by mistake. It is called collateral damage. Russia bombs a hospital and makes light of it; America
mistakes a hospital for a strategic target and we are condemned the world over.
We all are guilty of this stuff; we all have to take responsibility for the
lost lives of innocents. But then the terrorists want us to shoot at them
mistakenly to kill innocents; they are pressing the role of terrorism on us –
we become them! Unwittingly or not, the
roles reverse. Hideous fallout of terrorism. We shake our heads in sadness and
grief.
School Killings
Continue Nuts and crazies exist
the world over. They read the news or watch it on international TV broadcasts.
So nuts with guns, knives, bombs and swords enter schools and kill students and
teachers. It is the way of the world. It is the fashion of the day. America is not
alone in this scourge. Other nations and societies have the same problem.
Only in America
is it worse. Here we allow killing kids and staff ten or more at a time.
Because we encourage individualism that includes ownership of guns without
restriction, liability or qualifications. Insane. We expect drivers to be
vetted, insured and controlled. If not they are removed from the road. Or
jailed for their mayhem. But not gun owners. Even property owners are
responsible for the damage done by crumbling curbs and tripping hazards, or not
shoveling snow from sidewalks. But gun owners? Nope. They have rights, don’t
you know. I guess the rest of us don’t.
War Time Atrocities So
we know that atrocities are committed in time of war. Hundreds of innocents are
gunned down and pushed into mass graves and buried. We discover them
generations later as a footnote to history. This was done in Germany , Russia ,
Poland
and many other nations throughout the First and Second World Wars. Japan , too, did
this against American soldiers and Chinese citizens. Germany
and Japan
both performed human experiments in secret laboratories; heinous
experiments. Some we touted to the world; others we kept secret in order to
build and maintain later peace. But know this: atrocities were committed in
times of war throughout history. America is certainly included in
this. We just don’t know much about such things. Propaganda exists here at
home, too. We are not always the innocent. We are not perfect.
So as adults we accept the consequences of our past actions
and resolve not to do that again. We move forward and try to be better people
and build a better future. Wounded and scarred though we may be, we aspire to
something better. And hope others do the same. That’s all we can do.
Speaker of the House Held hostage again in so many ways
affecting so many things, the republicans continue their staged drama of
ineptitude and leadership. Their past speakers used to be heros; now they are
child molesters, drunks, addicts, tanning bed golfers, and do nothings. And yet
we are expected to believe conservatives will yield their insane ideas for a
moment or two to allow a family man who wants to be home with the kids on the
weekend (Paul Ryan) to become Speaker.
This is the man who has held the nation hostage with unrealistic
budgets. Commonweal spending is curtailed for people in favor of their
lunatic ideas for war and defense while gutting health, education and welfare for the weakest among us.
Nice people, they. Bet they go to church on the weekend,
too. They want to follow the teachings of their churches, their Bibles, their
Torahs, and Korans. Also their prophets speaking for their gods.
Trouble is all of their prophets speak for one God and say
the same things. Love one another; do unto others as you would have them do
unto you. Period. End of story. The rest is dogma and nonsense. If you truly
believe, then why do you persist to screw up governance for the good of us
all? Huh?
Huh?
October 23, 2015
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