Global Warming

Well it exists! Contrary to many pundits, talking heads and conservative wags, global climate change is with us. Ice caps are melting away, actually downsizing. Jet stream pathways have altered radically over the past 24 months and weather norms have shifted accordingly in many locations throughout the world. Warming air and water masses have that effect.

Those effects include hurricane patterns and formations, tornado emergence, severity of all such storms including thunderstorms, snow falls, thunder-snows, and many more examples of oddity in the world of weather.

With changing storm patterns come weird temperatures as well. High heat zones pop up in unusual places. Very cold temps are produced in other places.

We know that shifting temperature centers – both in the atmosphere and oceans – cause milder or more severe winters. Chicago had several years of mild winters in stark relief to its normal severe cold, ice and snow totals. For many years snow falls were minor and the accumulated totals far below normal. Then for many years we got warm gloppy snowfalls that melted in one or two days. Lots of water content as opposed to dry snows.

The weather experts can track the data on all of these conditions and most likely are. However, the global scene is interlaced with weather everywhere. That is what needs to be studied.

Will warmer weather at the poles be permanent? How do we measure permanence on a global basis? We need to face the reality that weather cycles we track are short lived from a few years to 50 years, or maybe even 100 years. In global terms that is a blink of the eye. Billions of years make up Earth’s history. A million years is a short time in geological terms. Recall the Ice Age ended 11,000 or 12,000 years ago. Man’s history tracks through a few thousand years of that time span, not all of it. And certainly practically none of the billions of years prior!

The scale of what we are witnessing on the weather front is the important thing. No one for certain can tell us the effects – lasting or otherwise – of current global warming conditions. But we humans ought to be aware of what is happening, how long it is likely to last, what changing conditions can we expect, and how severe an effect on our lives will it be.  Those are common sense things to consider.

The next step is to determine what effects human life has had on the global weather scene and whether we can change our behavior to alter the consequences we are witnessing now. Can we change our behavior is just one question. Another question is will the behavior change have the desired effect? Only time and experience will help us understand this complex issue.

Meanwhile denying the existence of the phenomena of global warming is pure childishness. Denial may make the present more palatable, but the future?

There’s always that question, isn't there?

September 11, 2014

Deliver Us From Evil

The video images of  Ray Rice hitting his wife in the elevator are stark. Boom! Violence. Personal and private. Yet captured on the security camera. The images spread on the internet. The reactions were as swift.

Ray Rice is/was a profession National Football League star. On the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. A running back. Swift, incisive player, talented. Strong, too. His fiancé then, now his wife, was not big and powerful. Slight and feminine. Knocked out cold. In plain view of the camera.

Today Ray Rice is out of a job. Maybe forever out of the NFL. As tragic as this event was and is, it is good that the Ravens and the NFL agree that domestic violence among their personnel must be attended to. The new NFL rules on domestic violence  carry a two game suspension for the first offense; a repeat offense is permanent suspension. Period.

Domestic violence is evil. In our nation and in our culture. Thankfully the NFL has made a strong stand with regard to its highly visible, highly paid and revered athletes. They are not gods. Some of them are evil, just like others scattered throughout humanity whether American or some other nationality. We must all take a stand against this evil.

I found this quote on the internet the other day.  It is anonymous, but the message is timeless:

            “We need to teach our daughters to know the difference between:

            -A man who flatters her and a man who complements her

            -A man who spends money on her and a man who invests in her

            -A man who views her as property and a man who views her properly

            -A man who lusts after her and a man who loves her

            -A man who believes he’s a gift to women, and a man who believes she’s a gift

                to him

            And then we need to teach our sons to be that kind of man.”

Evil is often a result, a symptom of an amalgamation of other factors. We teach or don’t, lead or don’t, stand up for principle or don’t. Sloppy living creates opportunity for unwanted results, symptoms, or evil. Think about it. The problem is ours to solve.

And we can do it by paying attention, asking for help when we need it, but above all, by not ignoring problems as they begin to emerge.

It is not OK to hit another person. It is even more not OK for a man to hit a woman, a child or any other human being weaker than he. We can instill this principle in our kids at home, in school, in social gatherings. We need to present a good role model for them to witness and be guided by when we are not in their presence. At all times.

Of course, we have events happening in our culture that send messages that can affect the outcomes we hope for. Doing violence to others takes many forms. Policies and practices of a school, an employer, a business entity, whatever, send messages and form expectations.

Hillary Clinton stated the following on the recent court case that allowed employers to escape some requirements to insure women’s reproductive healthcare on religious grounds:

“Many more companies will claim religious beliefs. Some will be sincere, others maybe not. We’re going to see this one insurable service cut out for many women…this is a really bad, slipper slope.”

Is this court decision violence against women? Is this a stretch of our logic? I don’t think so. Women must be free to determine their own future, their own medical treatment, their own advice and counsel on matters important to them. A health insurance plan should help the patient get what she needs in coping with medical and personal choices that have outcomes to her and her family’s life. This is not a court matter other than ensuring women have those rights! And it is not proper for an employer to decide what is moral and what is not in the personal life of an employee when such decisions have no impact on job performance.

It’s time to call out the Supreme Court. And employers who hide behind murky religious creeds. And politicians who cater to narrow interest groups and leverage public policy for personal gain. Shame on them all.

Evil lurks we are told. Evil exists among us. It is for all of us to see it and live accordingly.

Whether violence is a hit to the head, a slap to the face, or reduction of personal liberty, it is unwanted and dangerous to the fabric of our society.

May we remember this in all of our affairs. Meanwhile, thank you to the NFL for standing tall on domestic violence. And shame to the Supreme Court for narrowing personal freedom of women in the name of religious freedom of an employer.

Read your history books, Justices of the Supreme Court!  Freedom of religion works on many levels in our society. You've tortured it yet into a more horrible monster.

September 10, 2014

Consequences

So much to think about these days. Changing seasons, odd weather, changing climate. Future sources of energy (not oil!), domestic violence shifts, international violence, and unrest among religious minorities and still more topics to ponder. But here is a series of thoughts that oddly fit together. All of these are taken from the internet. They keep us wondering and thinking…

Please read them all through to see what I mean. This is not political, but then again it is. Try to ignore that and focus on the core ideas expressed here:

First is a quote from Andrew Sullivan:

“There’s effectively no Republican Party anymore. There is a radical movement to destroy the modern American state and eviscerate its institutions in favor of restoring a mythical, Elysian, majority-white, 19^th century past.”

In policy matters this controlling party in the U.S. House of Representatives and a controlling minority in the U. S. Senate appears to want to gut all government programs except the Department of Defense. That would leave a government only concerned in military matters and a very precarious foreign affairs arena destined to use the military power.

As Alan Grayson (Democrat Florida Congressman) has said:

“We have to get past this bizarre notion that every time there’s something in the world we don’t like, we bomb it.”

That is an overstatement but it illustrates the danger of being only concerned with military issues and then applying it to foreign affairs because you are effectively ignoring all other matters – public education, public health and welfare, public transportation, environmental issues, etc.

And if you need more ammunition for this, just look at what John McCain has said in the past 18 months:

            2013: “We must arm ISIS to defeat Assad (Syria).

            2014: “We must help Assad defeat ISIS.”

Which should we be focusing on, John? Syria or ISIS? Or your re-election, or your presidential aspirations? What drives you to open your mouth in public, John?

I may be wrong about this, but I think we Americans need to focus on what makes us human and get better at managing those issues. Lots of problems, lots of solutions, much to be grateful for, much work yet to do.

The largest task is healing from all the hurts we have suffered – real or imagined! Shifting outside of ourselves toward the needs of others is a good start. And then forgiving and ridding ourselves of resentments.

An old American Indian idea freely interpreted states the following:

“Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.” – Author Unknown

Wounded yes. But no longer letting it control our lives. A good thought to remember as we move forward doing the best we can with what we have.

Increasingly it is more valuable and potent! Just think of the positive consequences of that!

September 9, 2014

Youth Employment

Let us talk about this issue.  Kids working, perhaps at their first job. First of all let’s focus on teenagers say from 14 to 18.

Employment is generally a good thing for young people. It centers their attention on useful activity for which they get paid.  They learn how to do things for others that are useful. That’s why they can earn money from their efforts. They begin to see themselves differently, worthy of getting paid. Learning something useful. Doing something for other people or organizations, that gets them outside of themselves at the same time.

Their earnings allow them the means to pay some personal expenses so they are a little more independent of family. They may even be able to help their families if economic struggles are present in the household.

This age group also is in the life phase where they explore interests, future careers, social interactions and their consequences – a whole lot of experimentation and consequences!  Some results are tragic. Some are definitely educational, but all are worthwhile. Exploring the world of work is mostly a good thing. It helps them learn what to avoid in the future and what to move towards.

Keeping them busy in worthwhile activities also reduces their free time to get into trouble.

Most jobs for teenagers, however, are either volunteer tasks (think hospitals and churches) or are low paid (think fast food and yard care). Furthermore, and maybe most importantly, few jobs are available for teens in most communities. Age restrictions are one reason, but training is a larger obstacle.

By far, however, the largest challenge is that employers do not think of this age group and intentionally make work available for them.

Thus kids go unemployed and have lots of free time to get into trouble unsupervised. Not all of course, but these days most parents both work outside the home and leave their teenagers with lots of free time.

Employers lose out as well. They are not getting to know the latest generation of future workers and understand their interests and talents. They also miss out on attracting those same young people into their workforce once they have completed their education.

Older youth is our next focus, ages 18 to 29. They currently are unemployed at the rate of 15%. [Millennial Jobs Report, Generation Opportunity, Arlington, Virginia] Stunning high number.  Worse, 22.4% of African-Americans in this age group are idle, 15.8% of Hispanic youth are similarly idle

Idle young talent, an army of them. They will fill their time fiddling with electronic gadgets. They could explore service opportunities at local institutions that need volunteer help, but how would they earn the income necessary to support their own lives? And build a future?

Are we wasting a major portion of our newest adult generation? If yes, this is a huge waste and ticking time bomb for massive social unrest. If no, I’d like to know how these people are eventually being absorbed into the world of work, meaningful work.

But my greatest concern is simply this: I don’t think we know the answer to the question in the first place. And that begs the question: Why is America unconcerned with the how and why of career development among the youngest generations?  Is anyone studying this area and finding usable answers and solutions?

All the policy makers in Congress and state legislatures will do little good if this area of inquiry is ignored.

Who knows what is going on in this arena? Please respond if you know something on this issue.

Some anecdotal information: I work with some teens (not a huge number, but small in number) that have been caught drinking and using/trading drugs underage. To a person they are very smart and creative. Most have struggled with depression. Most have no clue as to what they will do with the rest of their lives. Some do, but most don’t. With both parents working long hours and their focus outside of the home, are these kids ignored and disconnected from their parents? Do they have dreams of their future in a positive or negative mode? What positive influences are they exposed to?

I’m just saying I think our nation has a problem here that needs creative responses if we expect good results from these young people. Once engaged I find them personable, caring and enormously creative. All positive traits that they can build on for a fantastic future for themselves and their society.

Meanwhile, how many are being wasted or imperiled?

September 8, 2014

Thought for the Day

From an organization or person wanting to be known as “Whisper of the heart” comes this quote from the internet (naturally!):

            “7 Rules of Life

1.      Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

2.      What others think of you is none of your business.

3.      Time heals almost everything, give it time.

4.      Don’t compare your life to others and don’t judge them. You have no

idea what their journey is all about.

5.      Stop thinking too much, it’s alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.

6.      No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

7.      Smile. You don’t own all the problems in the world.”

As we begin another weekend I think these are good thoughts to ponder. Hopefully most of us are dealing constructively with many of these ‘rules’?  If not, re-think them and try it again!

Have a great and peaceful weekend. And be kind to one another!

September 6, 2014

Russia Severs Ties to Europe

German President Joachim Gauck claims Russia’s recent international policies have been inimical to healthy relations with Europe. That’s refreshing. I was beginning to think I was the lone person thinking this.

Partnerships are valuable to understanding people, cultures and complex socio-economic issues between different nations. It is the root of good diplomacy: find what we can work together on, then pursue it diligently and sensitively so all parties feel like a winner.

This evidently is not how Russia’s Putin views matters presently. He talked a good game for several years, then took some time off constitutionally in Russia and put in his mentee Medvedev for a term. Then he returned with his fresh agenda. First, however, he built friendly relations everywhere he could. Mr. Friendly he was until he was ready to strike. So the Winter Olympics placed Russia’s face in a good light and immediately afterwards he took over Crimea.

Within a whisker’s breath he engineered civil war in Ukraine and manipulated it daring the rest of the world to deny him his plum: Eastern Ukraine.  With that he could bully the rest of Ukraine and establish another arguable and hot border with Europe.

Putin played the game expertly. The world did nothing but complain about his Crimean plans. The world still complains about the invasion of Ukraine. Make no mistake, Putin is attempting a re-Sovietization for Russia to rule. This time his threat is violence and energy supplies.

NATO, United Nations and all peace loving nations must understand exactly what Putin is all about. And they must resist. First, economic sanctions; second, human aid supplies; third, isolation from collaborative relations unless he brings clear peace offerings to the table.

Like Netanyahu of Israel, Putin is a bully. He feels somehow inferior to the rest of the world, broadcasts that to his fellow Russians, and claims he will turn this around!  He is making an issue that does not exist. The world admires Russia in many, many ways. It does not need to be a warrior or bully to feel good. Rather the opposite!

It is time for all nations to understand that power and influence does not require bullets, rifles, cannon or bombs. Power and influence are earned by building peaceful societies that respect life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Those are conditions of all peoples everywhere. No country has sole control over them. Each nation can and should pursue those conditions for their people. Cooperating and collaborating with other nations will speed the process along.

What a concept!  These are not American ideals alone. Or France’s, Germany’s, or any other nation. We all want this for our own lands and for our neighbors and even for those considered as enemies.

We all have worked long and hard to redefine others as our friends and not our enemies. It is not a difficult concept to understand. Why then are so many leaders seemingly intent to frame themselves as enemies of other people?

The world is an old place. We have endured many wars, violence and death. It is time to truly make peace a reality and long lived.

Mr. Putin, understand the needs of your people in the context of the globe. Mr. Netanyahu, do the same!

Maybe then we can expect different and better results?

One can hope for this. But we all must work for it too!

September 5, 2014

Netanyahu, Again

So Israel announces its intention to build large settlements in the Jerusalem suburbs. Surprised? No, I am not because I just have to check to see who’s head of government at the time. If its Netanyahu, then I know he will push to build more settlements in disputed territory.

Settlements!  Build more settlements! That is his mantra.

Of course it is all political nonsense. Settlements will destabilize the region and he knows is. His political/diplomatic theory goes like this: “keep them guessing; exercise your strengths; push them back to make a point; cede the settlements in time to ‘make peace’.” Yes, that’s Mr. N, alright.

What a putz!

First of all, America props up Israel financially. Has for many decades. America also provides ample military supplies and weaponry to Israel. These supports buys us friendship with Israel. I might add, not very good friendship because Israel will turn her back on America faster than a snap of the fingers.

We provide manufactured goods they cannot make to satisfy the demand in-country. We collaborate with policy, arts and entertainment, charitable goods and services, and constantly apologize for Israel’s rudeness to other nations.

Simply put, I doubt Israel can stand on her own.

Now America has stood by Israel for a number of reasons. First is we know she cannot stand on her own. So we help her in order to maintain some balance in the Middle East region. Second, we are part of the culture known as Judeo-Christian. Both religions come from the same root stock. Of course the same can be said of Islam because all three religions worship the same God, the God of Abraham.

Third, Israel is an inventive nation of culture, music, literature and history. Theology, too, of course! Their entire national existence mirrors much of America’s struggle to freedom, only their trek is several millennia long! Ours is only a few hundred years. But still…

I support Israel in many ways. I just don’t support Netanyahu. He is a bully. He is rude. He is domineering. That may be what he honestly feels is the road to take to protect his homeland from extinction promised by her many enemies. But there is another way this can be done.

A much better approach is collaborate partnerships with many global nations of high leadership caliber. France, England, Germany, Spain, Canada, America, most of the South American nations, and plenty other friends. Middle Eastern nations should be pulled into this collaborative partnership as well: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia to name just a few.

Middle Eastern nations have two major exports to the rest of the world; one is good; the other bad. The good is energy products, mostly oil. The bad is terrorism. The last is a sick nihilistic contortion of its culture. Islam is not militaristic. It is not violent. It is a religion of peace and serenity that both Judaism and Christianity claim.

Why then does the world get this awful image of Islam as terror-based?  Well, first of all, it’s a bum rap. Islam is not terror-based. But a few bad apples have certainly skewed the world’s view of Islam. It behooves the Islam faith community to take back its own identity and help steer a path of peace toward the rest of the Middle East including Israel. This would be a huge step in the right direction.

A second diplomatic step that would help: NATO and the United Nations pledge all the humanitarian help it can provide to calm the terror-ridden landscape of the Middle East. Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran must pull together to build a future of peace for themselves and the rest of the region. And that would help build serenity for the rest of the globe at the same time.

America is not the policeman of the world. It doesn't want to be. It can’t afford to be. And it would be wrong for it to pursue such as role.

But America can help the process along and support it along the way.  I think most Americans would agree with this goal and process.

Now if Mr. N would begin to act like a true leader rather than a bully, we would have a good start.

Anyone else have any constructive ideas in this matter?

September 4, 2014