Merry Christmas!

I did not disappear off the face of the earth, merely sicker than I have been for a long time. I am, however, finally on the mend and will be up and posting before you know it.

Enjoy the day, enjoy the remainder of the season!

Well, whaddya know?

This is taken from the July 31, 2007 issue of The American Society of Radiologic Technologists newsletter. As everyone, especially thos who are having a hard time right now, can use a bit mor joy in their lives this is certainly food for thought.

Paying taxes and giving to charity appear to stimulate the brain’s pleasure center, according to a new functional magnetic resonance study.
A three-member research team, including a cognitive psychologist and two economists, used fMR to scan the brains of 19 women as they watched their money go to the food bank through mandatory taxation, and as they made choices about whether to give more money voluntarily or keep it for themselves.
Participants were asked to lie on their backs in the fMR scanner for an hour-long session and view financial transfers on a computer screen. The scanner used a super-cooled magnet, carefully tuned radio waves and powerful computers to calculate what parts of the brain were active as subjects saw their money go to the food bank and made decisions on additional giving.
The fMR results showed that when the subjects saw the charity get the money, there was activation in two brain regions: the caudate nucleus and the nucleus accumbens. The activation was even larger when people gave the money voluntarily instead of just paying it as taxes. These brain regions are the same ones that fire up when basic needs and pleasures are satisfied.
Researchers were surprised that the brain's reward center was stimulated even when the subjects did not have a free choice as to where their money was going.
"It reinforces the idea that there is true altruism, where it's all about how well the common good is doing," said Ulrich Mayr, Ph.D., from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. "I've heard people claim that they don't mind paying taxes, if it's for a good cause, and here we showed that you can actually see this going on inside the brain, and even measure it." The study appears in the June 15 issue of Science.
The study gives economists a novel look inside the brain during taxation, according to William T. Harbaugh, Ph.D., from the University of Oregon.
"To economists, the surprising thing about this paper is that we actually see people getting rewards as they give up money," he said. "Neural firing in this fundamental, primitive part of the brain is larger when your money goes to a nonprofit charity to help other people."
"On top of that, people experience more brain activation when they give voluntarily, even though everything here is anonymous," added Dr. Harbaugh. "That's a very surprising result and, to me, an optimistic one."
Dr. Mayr suggested that neural activation on fMR could help predict which people would give the most money to charity.
“We could call the people whose brains light up more when money goes to charity than to themselves altruists,” he said. "The others are egoists."
The research team noted that the study participants saw their tax dollars going to a food bank. It remains to be seen if the brain responses would have been similar if their taxes had not gone to charitable causes.
By Laurie Volkin and Richard S. Dargan, ASRT Contributing Writers

Seas of change

In the last few days, I have read some disturbing things about global warming; a phenomenon that many fiscal hawks are still saying doesn't exist. The Arctic ice has been melting at an alarming rate and the average temperature has risen in the Northern extremes by anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees. This melting has already caused an environmental impact in that area, as demonstrated by the plight of the polar bear. In other areas, the rising sea has forced residents of two Pacific Islands to be permanently relocated, as well as forcing the relocation of an Alaskan village that has been in existence for 400 years.

But what does it have to do with me, you say. I don't live in a coastal area (but a huge percentage of the Earth's population does). You would be astounded by how important it is that the Arctic environment and waters stay cold. The coldness of the water there is key in the movement of the Earth's tides and the enrichment of the ocean waters, which all marine life needs to survive. The tides help to create air movement and weather patterns. These things are critical to the current and future health of Earth.

How does this happen? Well all the water in the oceans eventually finds its way to the Arctic, where it becomes cold. The warm water stays on top and the cold water sinks, like a giant conveyor belt. I watched a documentary where you actually saw the sea folding- fascinating stuff. This turnover fed the currents worldwide, constantly moving enriched water from one place to another in constant movement throughout the world's oceans. If you raise the temperature of the Arctic and its waters, this folding of cold water under warmer water does not happen. Eventually the Earth's ocean's would become stagnant, which would negatively affect the water quality and the ocean's sustainability of marine life. While you may not eat a lot of fish, many around the world depend on it, and marine animals and plants form a major part of the food chain so it would eventually affect us all.

Take the time to read up on global warming- the potential impact it could have is staggering. Look at how you can do your part in keeping the impact of your daily life to a minimum. Any reduction in greenhouse gasses is a good one and can save you money to boot. Become aware of the environmental views of your representatives and hold them accountable for their votes. Let government and corporations know how you feel about policies and actions that harm the environment. Support the politicians and corporations who try to safeguard the environment with your dollars and votes.

You take care of yourself and your loved ones; don't forget to take care of the planet that takes care of you.

Coming to a country near you...

Over the last few weeks, the middle class in China has been a hotbed of unrest- strikes, protests, and widespread complaints. Over the last ten years, they have gotten used to their standard of living, complete with cars, vacations, gadgets, and meals out with friends. The younger generation has come to see these things as a right. The Chinese are no longer willing to live a life of subsistence; they want more.

China has become yet another country to fall to the lure of materialism, confusing the ability to have "stuff" for rights. They are not protesting for basic freedoms or human rights. Those are secondary. They are unhappy with the government because the government is not doing what they feel is necessary to guarantee their current level of material comfort.

What's the big deal, you say. The big deal is that, like any capitalist economy, the moment human rights and freedoms become secondary to material comfort beyond basic survival, then freedom becomes a saleable commodity. All a government has to do is keep you fat and happy, providing lots of "stuff" to distract you, and they have the right to treat you however they want. It's like waving a shiny object in front of your face to distract you as they get ready to kick you.

Here in the US, we trade money for basic rights every day. We allow companies to pollute our environment and to exploit our open spaces so that we can save a few pennies on consumer goods. We give up our privacy for convenience, with cell phones, EZ pass cards, and shopping and debit cards. We allow corporate interests to dictate our war policies and so send our sons to die on foreign shores. We permit greed for "stuff" to erode love and kindness toward others. We have sold ourselves and our higher ideals for cars, TVs, jewelry, clothes and more and have become so blinded that many of us do not even notice what is going on around us. While I am no conspiracy theorist, I am aware that there are injustices and short changing being done to us everyday without our knowledge.

Over concern with material wealth is a disease and it is spreading. Is it any wonder that societies who have other values do not want anything to do with us? Even why they hate us? While the ideas that founded this country are admirable: equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we have focused almost solely on the pursuit of happiness. And it is not just that pursuit, but how we define happiness that is the danger. Corporate America, in its evolution to multinational status, has spread that material vision of "happiness" far and wide with pinpoint accurancy and effectiveness. Western Europe has long since fallen victim to it, now the East is too. Next, the whole world.

The answer starts with every one of us. We must look at ourselves and our lives and start asking the hard questions. What is it we truly need? What are the things that have truly brought us lasting personal peace and happiness? What are the things that I have that are not necessary to that peace and happiness? What are the things I can do to bring that true peace and happiness into my life and the lives of others? I would be willing to bet that the answers to these questions do not gel with what Madison Avenue has been telling us.

I am not saying that all material things are evil and that we should not be striving for progress. It is only when we can focus on things other than basic survival that we can give time and space to higher principles. What I am concerned about is the unchecked pursuit of these things and the dangerously elevated status placed on them. I refuse to have the value of my life on this earth to be defined by the pile of "stuff" I have accumulated and consumed by the end of it. I am not the sum of my things; I am the sum of my actions and the effect these actions have had on this world. My life is justified by how I have brought more love, compassion, understanding, and kindness into this world.

If you had to write your obituary today, what would you want it to say? How would you want the value of your life to be summed up? What would you want your impact on this world to be?

On the flip side...

Yesterday I wrote about settling and why it should be avoided. Fear of settling leads many in another harmful direction- the pursuit of perfection and living life with blinders on. The most obvious place people do this is in relationships, but it doesn't stop there.

How many times have you spoken with a friend who is in a relationship with someone who is not "perfect", but who is a caring and good person with many suitable characteristics that make for a positive and workable relationship? This friend does nothing but focus on that person's faults and why they aren't "perfect". Maybe they don't earn as much money or is as successful as your friend would like. Maybe they aren't as attractive or as well built as your friend feels they deserve. Maybe they have children from a previous relationship who are imperfect too, or have different beliefs on issues such as religion or politics. Maybe they don't say or do exactly the right thing at exactly the right time. Your friend is so focused on these things that they fail to see what is wonderful about this person and what makes them a good potential life partner. This person's only real crime is that they are not "perfect" and so your friend dumps them, continuing to look for the one person who will meet all their requirements, even though you know that the person they are looking for doesn't exist. In their eyes, anything less than the "perfect" partner is "settling", and that they cannot do!

This is just as true for jobs, houses, cars, friends, material possessions; anything that can be judged and found "lacking". So many are constantly chasing that "something better", not realizing that if they looked with open eyes that "something better" was right in front of them. They are chasing mirages; things that seem real at a distance but are really nothing more than illusions. When I talked about settling, I was discussing when we accept the ideals, motivation, and dreams of another instead of discovering and pursuing our own. I was talking about leading an inauthentic life, one that was not true to ourselves. This is very different from the fruitless pursuit of perfection that does not exist.

There is nothing wrong with sticking to your guns and not accepting a situation that is negative or harmful. In a relationship, no one should have to accept abuse or of any kind, no matter how great their partner is otherwise. No one should have to stand for being demeaned on a regular basis in a job for little pay. Everyone has the right to expect honestly, loyalty, and decency from their friends. But do not confuse the right to have standards for the right to set such a high bar that all who allow themselves to open up to you and let you see their flaws cannot measure up.

The right partner, job, or friend for you will NOT be perfect; there will be flaws and mistakes. But in the end, those flaws and mistakes should pale in comparison with the sterling qualities you see, find and value. A man who is true of spirit and kind of heart, but who might be a few inches or dollars shorter than you'd like could be exactly the right partner for you. The woman whose bust size or personal beauty does not measure up to your ideal, but who does her best to be supportive and accepting of you might just be the one you need. The job with the annoying guy in the cubicle down the hall that gives you the opportunity to stretch yourself and grow may be the one you need to be in at that moment to learn and become the person you are destined to be. The friend who may stick their foot in their mouth sometimes and is not as attentive as you'd like, but who is always there when you really need them, may be the one who is a true friend for life.

Don't blind yourself to what is around you for fear of settling. Look at the people and things around you and judge them through your own clear lens, not someone else's. Nor through a high powered microscope or rose colored glasses, either.

A partner, job, friend, or possession may not be "perfect", but they may be just perfect for you.

Settling

I am ordinary. I have not achieved any degree of stature, notoriety, or renown. I live a quiet life, doing the same day to day things that everyone else does, maybe even a bit more under the radar then others around me. No one looking at me would say to themselves "there goes Somebody". And that's okay with me. Once upon a time, when I was younger, I had a burning desire to be Somebody; a person who has done, and continues to do, great things. I didn't believe that living an ordinary life was conducive to accomplishing anything noteworthy. To do things of merit, your name had to be written in the stars for all to see and recognize. Quiet was not desirable; I had to shout to have my words be worthwhile. Happiness hinged on having the respect and admiration of others, to be seen as being a person worthy of that respect and admiration. I've learned so much since then.

Yes, what you do is important. Your actions create ripples in this life that extend out far beyond you. I would never argue they are not. Your actions define you and your principles in the eyes of others and serve as inspiration and motivation for those whose lives you touch. You have the ability through them to make the world a better place for all and the duty to do so. But just as important is the person that you are and that you choose to be. It's the person inside; the inner being whose thoughts and feelings guide those actions. And the only person who can truly appreciate that person is you, because you are the only person that can truly see that inner being in its unadorned state. You are the only one who can hear the rhythm of your own drum and follow along.

I talk about settling because it is something that so many of us do and that we are all tempted to do. Settling on a temporary basis can sometimes be the rest we need to regroup before carrying on, but many of us get stuck there. We confuse settling in our lives, our selves, our hopes, and our responsibilities for acceptance. We tell ourselves that we have gotten "real", that we "see things the way they really are and have dealt with it." But have we done that, or are we using "acceptance of reality" as an excuse for settling and conforming to a routine, ideal, or mode of living that is easy and comfortable? One that has been handed to us by others?

Wait a minute, you say; my life is not easy. I have a lot of obligations. I have people who count on me. Some days I feel as if I am pulled in too many directions at once and there are not enough hours in the day to do all that I need to do. I am not saying that your life is carefree; the point I want to make is that by charting a course that is set out by others and their idea of what life is and should be, we have settled for the easy path in life. It is hard to decide what the right way for YOU is and even harder to follow it when it runs counter to what everyone else is doing; to follow the path that is genuine and unique to you. It is much easier to just go along with what everyone else thinks is right and what everyone else's version of a successful life is.

Look around you, look at your life. How much of it is someone else's idea of what your life should be and how much is yours? How much of what you have someone else's idea of what the trappings of success is and how much is what you need? Do you judge the worth of someone or something by how it will be perceived by others or by what it means to you? When you add things to your life, do you still continue to feel empty, even while those around you look at you with envy?

I may be ordinary. I may have a quiet life. But it is my life, the opinions of others be damned. I have chosen not to settle, I have chosen to strike my own path into sometimes unexplored territory. I do not know where I will end up at the end of this journey, because I am not following the path of someone who has ended up at a destination and has cleared the way for me to see. It is scary and hurtful sometimes; there are times I feel alone and misunderstood, even looked down upon. That said, when you hop off the beaten track it is hard to go back. Sometimes I my path runs parallel to others or even merges with others, but when it does it is by choice. In the end, it is still my path and my destination. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The fact that I am ordinary means that my "achievement" is nothing special; it is something that we all can do. Something that YOU can do.

We are coming to the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. Use this time of reflection to ask questions and take stock of your life. Listen to the answers, even if they are not what you want to hear. Listen with YOUR ears, see with YOUR inner eye and not with the ears and eyes of others. Be true to the person you are inside and make adjustments that align your life with who you really are and what you really believe. Trust your inner self; he/she is far better and more kind than you would think. Blaze a trail unlike any that has been traveled before and do not settle for the beaten track. While you may be on your path alone, you have company. Good luck and God speed.

More on perception...

Perception is a powerful force. It colors facts and the world as it exists and can change them into whatever vision the perceiver wishes it to be. This can be for the good or for the bad. People in love often turn a blind eye on the faults of their beloved, looking at all that person does through the benevolent eye given them by love. People can also let bad experience taint everything and everyone with the shadow of suspicion and mistrust, so that even the most innocent gesture seems suspect in the eyes of the perceiver.

Given the truth of the power of perception, it is not a stretch to say that we all have the ability to create the world we live in. We can make it a happy place, full of love, kindness, generosity, and general good will. We can also make it a place of full of malice, selfishness, deception, and ill will. It is up to us to decide what kind of world we want to live in and to tune our perception accordingly. Are we willing to give others the benefit of the doubt, or are we going to insist on placing a negative motive to every slight to us, whether real or imagined?

I, for one, would rather live in a world where people are flawed and make mistakes, but are essentially good people with good intentions. They are not out to deliberately hurt anyone and wish to act justly and fairly. Any bad acts are not done out of malice, but out of a lack of consideration of the potential consequences or of a human weakness (which we all have). That is not to excuse selfishness or pettiness, but to place it in context and to maintain the hope we have the ability to rise above it. The world I live in has a bright future as long as all act according to the higher calling of their nature and do what they can to act for the common welfare of all. I choose to see mankind as the force for good that they can be if they only choose to be. As the hymn says, "We are the Light of the world. May our light shine before all, that they may see the good that we do..."

What kind of world do YOU want to live in? Are you willing to make the adjustment in perception necessary to bring it about? Will you exercise compassion, patience, and understanding when the situation requires you to in order to keep this vision of the world? It is a challenge, yes, but one that is worthwhile and necessary to the world's survival and to ours as well.

Let the love and generosity of the Christmas spirit guide you, not just today, but every day of the year. Be like Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (if you haven't read it, it's a short read and I suggest you do so). Use the good will of this time of year to put you in touch with the part of yourself that recognizes and believes in hope and the goodness of others. Apply that belief in your dealings with others. If the eyes of a man like Scrooge can be opened and his perception changed, then so can yours.

The Politics of Perception

At a time when this nation is dealing with major issues on several fronts and DESPERATELY needs to work together, political sour grapes is yet again rearing its ugly head. There are small minded politicians who are on the attack and putting their own petty concerns above the demonstrated need for political unity and cooperation.

I am talking about the comments of Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the new GOP House whip: "The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Gov. Blagojevich, President-elect Obama and other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president." He is joined by right-wing pundits and the head of the RNC in their insistence on tying Obama to this man and slinging him through the mud. But the perception they are trying to create does not match reality.

In hours of tapes the FBI collected in taps of the phones on Blagojevich's home and offices, there were no calls made to Blagojevich by Obama. In fact, Blagojevich is recorded using expletives to describe Obama and complain of the lack of gratitude and appreciation from the Obama camp. This is not the only act of political corruption or influence peddling that the Governor is accused of. He is accused of trying to use his influence to silence editors who were publicly critical of him and of threatening others by withholding promised government suppot. Not exactly the words and actions that would display any long standing corruption between Obama and Blagojevich. But the Republicans are grasping at any straw to find fault with Obama, so the fact that the two men are from the same state, have spoken to each other, and are from the same party is enough to make him guilty in their eyes.

I think that the Right at this point is trying to find anything they can to bring Obama down in the eyes of the public. He has gone across party and ideological lines in assembling his Cabinet and is actually showing signs of taking his mandate seriously. Early indications show that he may even be successful in his execution of the job. The Republican leadership and right-wing pundits want anything but that. They want him to fall on his face so that they can pick up the Presidency and regain control of Congress by 2012. They even hold out hope that they can foist someone like Sarah Palin on us again and have a landslide victory on their hands. But where would that leave the American people and their nation? I really think they are so short-sighted and blinded by partisanship that they really aren't thinking about it or, even worse, don't care.

It's this type of behavior that shows the ugly side of politics which turns people off and causes voter apathy. At this point in time, we need people to feel hope, to feel inspired, to want to rise above our difficulties, and to have the strength and fortitude to take the action (and make the sacrifices) necessary to do what needs to be done. This is not a time for vindictiveness and infighting in Washington, among its public servants, or its party leadership. Nor is it for America. This is a time for unity and to show ourselves and the world what it means to be an American.

Let's all focus on sharing the credit for our future success when they arrive, not look to assign the blame for failures that have not even happened. Let's keep a proper and positive focus and knock off the petty chest thumping. We owe it to our, our children's, and our nation's health and survival.

A lesson from my father...

My father is a smart man who likes to make jokes and be silly with his children and grandchildren, but he also tosses out the occasional pearl of wisdom that on reflection can knock you for a loop. The latest occurred on Thanksgiving weekend when I went up to visit him.

My son and I went to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell on a day trip to Philadelphia. Ian loved it, asking all kinds of questions and generally keeping his hand up in the air while on the tours to get them answered. I don't know if the guides thought it was a welcome change or that he was a pain in the butt. He told my dad all about it when we got back to his place and my dad said something profound. He said that the more he found out about the founding fathers, the more he admired them because they were highly imperfect people who were committed to creating something better than themselves. I had to stop and think at that one.

Picture the founding fathers as a group. There were native born Americans and ones who came here from other places. There were old and young. There were experienced and jaded men in the group, as well as ones who had a lot of years before them but were enthusiastic and full of the grand visions of youth. There were those born well to do and those born to poverty. That this group of such different men were able to agree on a single vision is remarkable enough, but that it was such a sweeping and revolutionary vision really shows that something very special and rare occurred in those rooms. Men like Benjamin Franklin, who had seen it all, was an established businessmen, and of a very practical mind, combined their vision of what a nation could be with men like Alexander Hamilton, who grew up poor in the Caribbean but had youthful idealism, ambition, and vigor. They all cared passionately about what they were doing and said to themselves that if they were going to create the government of a nation from scratch, then they were going to sit down and do it right. It was not enough to piece something together from what had been done before.

Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were originally supposed to be mere adjustments to documents and relationships already in place. The Declaration was to have been nothing more than an official complaint letter to King George and the Constitution a revision of the Articles of Confederation. But once those men got into a room together and started talking, they all came to the mind that it just wasn't enough. They wanted to draw their line in the sand and create documents that aspired to the best in us and manifested the higher ideals of humankind in a workable way. They knew that it would not be easy and that their work would not be perfect, but darn it, they were going to give it a try and do the best they could. Their best try has lasted the better part of 250 years and are documents that have been models for similar ones the world over. While we are still a relatively new nation, our Constitution is the oldest one still in use. I'd say they were successful, don't you?

When you look at the stories of these men, their imperfections are there for anyone to see. They were no angels. Ben Franklin left his wife behind for years at a time, had at least one illegitimate son (who inherited his legacy), and died of a venereal disease (syphilis). Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate son of a woman who was drummed out by her husband for having the affair which resulted in his birth. He was brash, had a quick and nasty temper, and caused quite a few scandals. Thomas Jefferson was a slaveholder who fathered many children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemmings, yet never recognized her status in his life or freed her. John Adams was a back stabber who was moody and vindictive. James Monroe was an opportunist that betrayed Hamilton, his lifelong friend, for political gain. Thomas Paine, whose work Common Sense was an impetus for these men, was in and out of debtors prisons during his life. Not the nicest bunch of guys, but they saw the opportunity to rise above who they were, to imagine an ideal form of government that achieved what had until then been impossible, and to make it happen.

The next time you think to yourself that you aren't capable of doing anything truly inspiring, idealistic, or admirable because you are flawed, you are less than, think about these men and what they accomplished. They were no better than you, but they left a great and lasting legacy that is more than any one of them. You have the ability to do that too. While you may not have the opportunity to form a nation, there are chances to do wonderful things and make a difference all around you. Some are in concert with others, some are individual. Some are big, some are small. But all are within your grasp and allow you draw your line in the sand, say enough, and do something about it. Whatever good you achieve is that much more good than the world had before your efforts.

What are you waiting for? Stop, look, see, and, most of all, DO!

To friends old and new...

When it comes to me and friends, I don't know which came first; the chicken or the egg. Did I not have a lot of friends because it was never a priority, or was my ambivalence come from the fact I didn't ever have many friends? I have always been a bit more self-contained than most and was never uncomfortable in my own company. Is it who I am, or is it a long standing reaction to having a hard time making friends when I was growing up? As a kid, I was a bully's ideal candidate; I was skinny and a late bloomer, not athletic, bookwormish, got good grades and was liked by the teachers, had red hair and freckles, and was very precocious. The only thing I didn't have were buck teeth and glasses. I remember wanting to be invited to classmates' birthday parties, only to not be, and to being one of the last ones picked for any teams in school. I would guess that I did want to have friends, but were they picking up on a vibe I was sending out and responding accordingly?

Some people are natural magnets who attract people with their warmth, open nature, and enthusiasm; that is not me. I have never been accused of being the life of the party or the most easily approachable person, but at this point in my life that is who I am. I like who I am and as a friend, I may not be the warmest, but I am very loyal, caring, and supportive of those who I care about. There is a very clear and definite line for me between an acquaintance and a friend, and I never thought I needed very many of either. But something strange has happened- at the age of 37, I have friends, plural. And not just family members or significant others. I have looked up and found myself surrounded by people who care about what I am doing and who I am. None of this was intentional, it just happened, and I have received support for my personal growth and my work that I never would have expected. The thing I find most surprising of all is how much I have discovered that I like it.

I think this is because of a combination of things; some internal, some external. As I have aged, my outlook in life, my perceived need to defend myself, and my appreciation for the quirks and differences in others has changed. I have settled into the world and found the place where I want to be in it. The people I meet who are my age, or people I have known for a while, seem to be in the same place too, for the most part. I have found the importance of expressing myself and speaking the truth, while being diplomatic and sensitive to the feelings of others. This lets people get to know me, but not hate me before they do. I have realized that love is a thing that should be shared with all, not just a hand picked few or a significant other. I have profound moments where I just plain LOVE my friends... and I have to tell you, it feels pretty darn good. I'm no longer "saving my love" for someone "special", hording it like a secret stash of chocolate. I tell my friends I love them and that they are important to me, and mean it.

I would like to believe that I have just been lucky enough to be surrounded by the right people at the right time, but I don't think that's true. I am coming to believe that wonderful people are all around you if you choose to see them. Not to say that I have not made some mistakes and been unpleasantly surprised by people who I thought were friends, but I have been pleasantly surprised far more often than not.

At this time of year especially, thinking of all the things you are grateful for and showing appreciation for the people and things that matter most in your life is something that should be a regular occurrence. To that end, I want to send my love and admiration to all those I call my friends, old and new. I am thankful that you are in my life and all that you add to it. I would not and could not be who I am without you.

All you need is love?

Love. People spend countless hours, money, and attention in their search for it. I think the search for love, the feelings it creates, and the loss of it are the primary motivations for almost everything we do. Why do we do everything in our power to twist it and reject it?

I'm single, but I'm sure that many married people can identify with what I have to say. I think it is a given that we all want love in our lives. We all want to feel that unconditional acceptance that comes from being understood and appreciated by those who love us. We want it so badly that the fear of losing it once we have it can cause us to do all sorts of crazy things. But so many of us, if not all of us at one point or another, let that fear to cause us to act in ways that deny, destroy, or push away the love we so desperately seek. As a single person, I have seen this time and time again. And it's sad.

We all need to get real about the love that we want and need in our lives. Let's just admit that love is important and start taking the steps to clear away the clutter and roadblocks we have set up for ourselves in manifesting it. Who cares what did what to whom in the past? The past is just that- the past- and all you do by continuing to allow the past to dictate your present is to continue to give those injuries more destructive power.

Let's look at an example and I think you'll see how silly it really is. You fall in love and get used/dumped/hurt, losing the love you thought you had. You get angry and defensive and tell yourself that you won't let anyone get close to you like that again so that you won't get hurt again. However, the thing that hurt so much was the absence of love, the loss of it, right? What do you do when you hold yourself apart from people and refuse to get close? You prevent yourself from getting close enough to love someone or for them to love you. So you purposely create an absence of love. You are creating exactly the same situation that you found so hurtful and damaging. Does that make any sense?

There are no guarantees in life; not all loves end happily ever after. You might get hurt. But don't ensure that you never have the love you want and need in your life by preventing it from ever happening. Take a chance; write a new story on the blank page you are given each day. Let your past hurts stay in the past; don't carry them into your future. Don't wait for a person to come along and jump through hoops to prove themselves; make the changes to yourself that will allow love to enter into your life. The only person whose actions you can control is your own. Give others the same opportunities to make mistakes you would like them to give you and do not expect more from them than they have the right to expect from you. Practice giving every day so that it becomes a habit, not a tit for tat.

Unless there is an odd number of people in the world, there is someone out there for everyone. Someone to love and be loved by us. Love is there- just open your heart and mind, then let it in.

The art of giving and receiving

In this season of giving, the flip side of receiving comes into focus as well. I have a question to ask and want you to take a moment to really think about the answer: when you give, do you give in anticipation of what you will receive in return? Is generosity a quid pro quo?

If so, I will argue that you will never get back what you give in equal measure and that you will never receive everything there was to get from the act of giving. Value is relative; give a gift worth $100 to a poor man and it has great value. Give a $100 gift to a rich man and it has little or no value. Sports tickets given to a true fan will be met with gratitude; given to a fashionista or a bookworm and those tickets will be met with scorn. So a gift that has great value to you may not have the same value to another. If the receiver gives a gift to you that shows the regard with which they hold your gift, you will be disappointed in what you get because it will not measure up in your mind.

I have an alternative to suggest- give a gift just to give, to show the other person that you have thought about them and want to bring them a moment of happiness. The joy that comes with true generosity far outweighs anything anyone could give you. It is a warmth that comes from the soul that makes a return gift a moot point. It is a feeling that will never disappoint and any gift you receive in return an added bonus.

The warmth that comes from generosity feeds your life in so many ways and makes you a nicer person to be around. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Think of Scrooge at the end of Dickens' A Christmas Carol as opposed to how he was at the beginning. He took the joy he felt and spread it to everyone, with a far bigger impact than mere material gifts could have. Generosity fed his love, for both himself and his fellow man. And isn't love the one thing this world always needs more of?

When someone gives you a gift, instead of judging the weight of a person's regard by the gift they give, look at the act of giving behind it and appreciate it. See the generosity and love behind the gift. I know the phrase "it's the thought that counts" is tired, but that does not make it any less true.

Tune in to the spirit of the season and Christmas will be richer and fuller than you could ever imagine.

Gratitiude

First of all, sorry for the delay. Under the weather and dealing with a short week at work, but not in the workload.

Today, Thanksgiving, has become a big holiday for me. While the food is always great (I don't think we have a single bad cook in the family... well ok, we rock in the kitchen!), I have come to appreciate what Thanksgiving has come to stand for more and more as the years go by. Thanksgiving is the one holiday that has not become infested by the spirit of commercialism. That doesn't start until tomorrow. It is the holiday that is most like the way holidays used to be- a time to gather with the ones you love and celebrate that togetherness over a terrific communal meal. I think people subconsciously respond to that, which is why this weekend has the busiest travel days of the year in it.

The gathering of the family and the reflection on what I am thankful for are the things I love most about today. I am blessed to have a wonderful, loving, and supportive family. While we have all had our rough patches with each other and have had to do some work to understand and appreciate each others as individuals, we have always loved each other. I can honestly say that there is not a single person who will be around that table that I don't genuinely like as well. I know that is rarer than it should be. I need to repeat- I am blessed.

I have so much to be thankful for, some of which I often take for granted: my health, my talents, my relationship with God, the love and support of my family, the friends I have come to realize are all around me, and, most of all, my son. I have been fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to learn much and to have the hope of learning more. I have been lucky enough to have met with people along the way who have helped me and inspired me. I have been given the gift of opened eyes, so that I can see and appreciate all this. I have a wonderful life, even if it is not perfect or what I envisioned it to be. Again I say, I am blessed; possibly even more than I deserve to be.

Today is a day to focus on what's good in your life. There will be plenty of time to focus on what's not, but not today. Let the spirit of Thanksgiving fill your heart. Take a moment to reflect on the people you have met and that are in your life, the opportunities you have had, the occasions of love and generosity you have experienced, and give thanks. No matter what your circumstances are, you have something to be thankful for; something that someone else out there wishes they had. Take that moment of positivity and good feeling and celebrate it.

So, I ask you what I will ask those around the dinner table this afternoon: what are you thankful for?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The government ATM?

While I am not opposed to government intervention in the private financial sector, I have to say that I am dismayed by the extent of what is happening. The Big 3 automakers are still trying to get government money for fixing problems caused by their lack of making fundamental long term changes YEARS ago. Now Citicorp wants $20B to fix their problems, caused by giving loans and credit cards to anyone that could fog a mirror. The Big 3 had plenty of opportunity to take tax savings by making vehicles that were more fuel efficient or that used alternative energy, but decided that it was cheaper and better for their bottom line not to do so. Citicorp could have withheld credit from those that were never truly qualified to recieve it, but wanted those fat fees. As long as someone else was willing to buy the loans and accounts, they were good and could play "hot potato".

So now that these companies have taken as much as they can from the public and the well has run dry, they look to the government to give them money. Will they use the money to fix their long term problems, or will they stick a band aid on what is hemorrhaging and go back to business as usual? Given their track record, I'd be willing to bet it is the latter. But that is not the thing that makes me the most angry.

Since when do you or I get to make catastrophically bad business decisions and get a government handout to fix it? We have to declare bankruptcy and take all of the negative consequences that go along with it when we fail. Yet again, big business is getting special consideration that none of us would receive. Since when is a corporation an entity with inalienable rights that is more worthy than you or I? Corporations do not pay their fair share in taxes and support the public sector- they pay a huge staff of people to make sure they don't by writing off as much as possible; a staff of people that we can't afford to duplicate. They reward their leadership with huge bonus plans for making bad decisions and then moving on quietly to the next corporate "chump". Their leadership continues to live their lifestyles as though nothing is wrong, not taking pay cuts or making sacrifices like any struggling small sole proprietorship owner would have to.

We are already in economic crisis; that is not going to change overnight and we are already in pain. Let's use this opportunity to hold corporate America accountable in the way we are held accountable. If they can't handle their business properly, then they go under like the rest of us would. Maybe then, when they are held accountable in the only way they understand- the way of the balance sheet, they may learn that they are not above the law and above the rest of the society that keeps them in business.

Obama swings to mid field, some cry foul

What is wrong with people? Now that Obama has been given the mandate to govern the whole of the United States, not just the liberal wing, extremists on both sides are unhappy. The extreme right wants him to be an uber-liberal so he can fall on his face and give them a chance to say "See, we told you so. Come back to us and we'll do better." The extreme left saw him as the savior for all of their plans that they have had on hold for the last 8 years. He never ran as an extreme liberal- the "socialist" badge was pinned on him by conservative politicians and their media pundits.

Fortunately, Obama has realized that tackling the issues of the day that plague the country as a whole should be, and is, his main focus. He knows that the stakes are higher than just his reelection chances. He understands that this country, and subsequently the world, are poised on the brink of a serious crisis. Missteps could be extremely costly for a long time to come. However, there is also an opportunity to make the fundamental changes necessary to ensure the fiscal, military, and ecologic health of this nation for generations to come. It is an exciting, but scary, time to be president.

Obama is on the right track to do what he needs to do. We, and the pundits, should let him do it. Save the criticisms for when he actually does something wrong. He is a pragmatist- the ultimate criticism of his actions are the results. So far, he is giving all indications that he intends to go a good job FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE. And that is by playing to center field.

Charitable Giving?

I did some volunteer work last night at a local food bank and heard some touching stories from the people who work there about both givers and receivers of their work. Their zeal and commitment is touching and inspiring. I also got to see first hand how generous some people in our community are, giving of both their time and money.

Once again something struck me that I have noticed before. There is a belief by some who give to organizations like this and others like Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. that the less fortunate are fit for nothing but our trash. I have gone in thrift stories and been amazed that people have had the guts to donate clothes and items that are torn, stained, damaged, and broken. It's obvious why they didn't want them- did it occur to them that no one else would either? Last night I saw open and partially used packages, items that were just thrown in a box so they ended up damaged and unusable (who can eat anything that has been covered with fabric softener or potato chips mashed to where they were microscopic? ), and boxes stuffed with junk food that could not sustain a family. I saw people's trash, not usable donations. We were told to toss that anything we would not feed to our families, and toss we did.

While there is a huge need for charitable giving, we need to be conscious of not just that we give, but what we give. Especially given the current economic climate, anyone of us could be in a position to have to ask for and receive assistance. It is not "bad" or "lazy" people who need our help, it is the people who got caught in a situation that was more than they could deal with. These are the people who came to this food bank- people like the late middle aged woman who already had one disabled adult child living with her and then had to take in her 4 young grandchildren because their mother abandoned them. She did not choose for any of that to happen and she did not "earn" it; she was struggling to take care of everyone. She needed help to be able to help the ones in her family who could not help themselves

There are stories like that in this country every day. The single mother whose job doesn't pay enough and is trying to make ends meet while she is looking for another one. The senior citizen whose children have moved on and whose SSI check just doesn't quite cover everything. The family for whom money was always tight, but a job loss or medical bills have taken them to the breaking point. This could easily be you, or someone close to you. Wouldn't you or those you are close to deserve to get quality food and clothing, not leftover trash and junk?

So in this holiday season, please remember to give. Remember when you give to ask yourself, "Is something I would be able to or want to use or would I just throw it away?" Keep the trash for the trashcan, not for the perceived "trash of humankind" because there is none. Generosity starts in the heart- with love, kindness, understanding, and compassion.

Give with true generosity.

Injustice

I read this today in this week's issue of The Week.

Kismayu, Somalia

Rape victim stoned to death: Islamic fundamentalists brutally executed a 13-year-old girl who was convicted of adultery for being raped by three men, the United Nations confirmed last week. Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was visiting her grandmother when she sought out the rebel militia that controls the city of Kismayu to report that she’d been raped; that amounted to a confession in the eyes of the sharia court. “The evidence came from her side and she officially confirmed her guilt,” said the presiding cleric, Sheikh Hayakalah. Duhulow was reportedly dragged screaming into a soccer stadium in front of crowd of 1,000 people, buried up to her neck, and stoned for more than 10 minutes by 50 executioners. Militia members fired on a few people who tried to intervene, killing an 8-year-old boy. The rapists were not arrested.

What is there to possibly say? I took a moment this morning after reading this to say all that I could say in a prayer, a prayer for Aisha.

May she rest in peace.

And yer OUT...

Ted Stevens, the Alaska senator who had been convicted on federal corruption charges, was narrowly denied re-election after a recount. This is as it should be- the state that promotes a woman governor who platformed as a maverick who wanted to change the way politics got done booted a man who pulled the typical political insider schtick. He put his votes up for sale to the highest bidder with the deepest pockets. And he went back for more.

The shocking thing to me is that he got any votes at all! In Florida, where a representative was outed for having not one, but two affairs, the incumbent's hopes for reelection went down in flames at the hands of an embarrassing defeat. He lost because he was exposed as a liar who lacked sound moral judgement. But weigh an affair or two against not only the allegations of bribe taking, but the CONVICTION IN COURT for it. I think lying to your wife with an affair isn't up to the same standard betraying the public trust and not doing the job you promised to do by putting the interests of your pocket ahead of their welfare. However, a large number of the people of Alaska do not agree with me and the majority of Floridians, voting differently when faced with a morally flawed incumbent.

This election displays just how out of touch Alaska is with the ideals of the rest of the US and how unsuitable a woman who chooses to immerse herself in that culture to the exclusion of all others is for the Presidency of the United States. How can she lead a people she has no way of understanding. Nowhere else in this country would Ted Stevens be almost re-elected, let alone be allowed to run in the race at all. He botched his job, pure and simple, yet was almost allowed to keep it. That makes no sense to me, as it would to most Americans. Yet in Alaska, for many in the land of Sarah Palin, it does.

That Ted Stevens, bless his heart, is really nice guy once you get to know him, dontcha know?

Jonestown- 30 years later

Even as a child, I remember Jonestown and the shock, frustration, and anger many had over the news of the massacre there. A group of people left this country to follow a man and a way of living only to die in a combination mass suicide/murder. Everyone was asking things like what caused them to leave, why did this man have so much power over them, and what could be so awful that they would choose to die? People stopped and took a look at cults and realized that there was a great deal to confront about themselves and the society we live in since we helped to create the massacre that occurred.

The sad thing is that 30 years later, things have not changed for the better. There are still large groups of people who are searching for someone or something to give them hope and a reason for being. Who look at the images in the media of what life is supposed to be and find theirs lacking. Who, even though they have much, see that all of the stuff they thought would bring them happiness and fulfillment were nothing more than vessels of empty promise. Jim Jones came into their lives and promised them he could bring them what they sought and they followed him like lambs to the slaughter. One can only hope that they found in death what they could not find in life.

Everyone has their own quiet moments of doubt and pain; that is a necessary part of growth and change, a part of life. The problem comes when they begin to look for solutions outside of themselves. A friend of mine will not enter into the serious relationship he truly needs because he "can't bring security" due to the fact that he is in the military. I told him that security is not an outward condition you can bring to someone, it is one they create, from inside themselves. It is a peace you foster when you open their eyes to the world as it is, accept it, make what changes you can, and learn from the rest. Only you have the power to create security for yourself.

Other than friends and those you love, the rest of what you need is very basic and most of it you already have inside of you. Food, clothing, and shelter are needs, the rest is the fulfillment of wants and desires. It is okay to want, but when your wants become a substitute or salve for the lack of a positive relationship with yourself, that's when things start to get tricky. We all have the power to love and be loved, to give of ourselves, to understand and show compassion to all (including ourselves), and to affect positive change in the present. It is all right here inside each of us- the source of joy and contentment that exists in human beings alone.

Living a life of love, generosity, kindness and compassion can be a challenge at first, because it flies in the face of much of what we are taught and the images the media bombards us with. But like any life change, once it becomes a habit, making good choices based on these motivations for living is no longer hard. It just is the way you live. It is a way of hope- in yourself, in others, in the world; hope that is in short supply these days.

Look inside yourself, for all that you believe is right and good with the world and within mankind. Then, let it out. Share it with others. Powerful things will happen; and while it may not make you a millionaire or give you status, the joy that it brings will make the fact that you do not have those things irrelevant. You will have what every millionaire and VIP wants- true contentment.

Your journey begins today. Good luck and best wishes!

The Sins of the Husband

On MSNBC and other media outlets, a topic of discussion has been going around that, frankly, disturbs me. It shows that while with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency we have come to a place of equality that we have not reached before, we still have a long way to go. The question being asked is if the "sins" of Bill Clinton will prevent Hillary Clinton from achieving the post of Secretary of State. It wasn't, "Is she qualified?" It wasn't, "Will she do a good job?" It was if her husband's past will torpedo her. Bush's daughters were underage party girls, but no one questioned his skills as a father when considering his fitness to be president. Gerald Ford had an alcoholic wife, but that didn't matter. Senator John Warner was married to a multiple divorcee who was a known adulteress, but he was elected by Virginians while he was married to Elizabeth Taylor. There are plenty of other examples of men who were elected into office with wives or family members who carried considerable baggage, but who were never questioned on their ability to do their job because of it. If it were a man who was up for the position and his wife was the public figure, would this even be a topic of discussion?

I was wondering- when was Bill up for the job? I might be mistaken, but I thought Hillary was. Shouldn't it be Hillary's record, contributions, experience, and judgement that should be the issue? Last time I checked Hillary had no problem showing the State of New York as their elected Senator that she could think and act for herself. She has shown us all in the last eight years that she is very much her own person and that, while her and Bill may agree on a lot of things, she is not his puppet.

In his own autobiography, Bill made it quite clear that Hillary, not him, had the better political mind. Before her husband was elected President, Hillary was routinely listed as one of the 100 most influential attorneys in the US and she is an Ivy League school grad. Bill didn't go to Wellesley with her and help her take her exams. Bill did not attend law school with her and sit in the classroom with her. Bill did not go into the courtroom with her and argue her cases for her. Bill did not sit in her Senate seat and vote for her. Bill did not tour the US, stump, and give her speeches for her during the Democratic primary. She did that all by and for herself.

That said, somehow now the bad acts of her husband is more important than what she has achieved? What an insult! Hillary had the strength to be one of the standard bearers for women's rights at a time when women still weren't recognized for having any. Sarah Palin would never have even been on her party's ticket if it weren't for Hillary and the other women out there like her.

Hillary is taking a big chance politically by seriously considering the position of Secretary of State under President Obama. If the Obama administration is not successful, she is torpedoing her chances at a 2012 or 2016 nomination. Her close ties to Obama would be as much of a liability for her as Condoleeza Rice's ties to Bush are for her chances at higher office. Hillary must see that public service and getting things done are the more important consideration and that she could be a valuable part of the Obama team. She must feel a level of confidence in Barack Obama that is allowing her to be a part of the team.

Women have come a long way; we have had 2 female Secretaries of State. But women have not come far enough to be considered the master of their own thoughts and destinies except as an appendage of their spouses. For shame, America!

Revisionist history

I was given a revisionist history of Egypt from the perspective of Blacks recently by a friend. It was very enlightening and I was shocked by some of the injustice done in the name of "unbiased" historians and scientists. While I respect the African contribution to the achievements of Kemet (Egypt) and feel that their identity of these achievements as the source for a great deal of the "discoveries" of Europeans, I noticed that there was no mention of the greatness of the earliest contributions of the Asian (particularly Chinese) cultures. These were developed independently of Kemet, as there was no contact, yet were just as advanced and far reaching.

I think the lack of credit given to the advanced culture that existed in early China, as well as the scoffing of Greek contributions to the advancement of knowledge showed a bias that is just as unconscionable as the White bias the author was railing against. So, okay- the Greeks were not the originators of a good deal of what has been attributed to them in philosophy, science, mathematics, or theology. However, just because they were not the originators does not mean that they did not advance upon the ideas they imported from Kemet. By the time the Golden Age of Greece was occurring, the nation of Kemet was in decline; a decline that began before any of the invasions by outsiders. It was time for the next great civilization. The people of Kemet started the ball rolling, the Greeks took the ball and advanced it, the Romans took the ball from the Greeks and took it further, the Persians advanced it a bit more, and the European Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, and Nuclear Age took it and ran with it to places undreamed of by any of our ancestors. Who knows what nation will come in and run with it next?

Yes, Kemet, its forefathers the Nubians and native Africans, and its people deserve a great deal of credit for the achievements of our race, the human race. Yet, when giving proper credit, we should be mindful to avoid arrogance by any one culture and recognize the achievements of all; it was the sum of the contributions of all which in the end have gotten us to where we are now. All were needed, all played a part, all deserve proper credit; white and black, Asian or Anglo, urban or agrarian.

The irony, the irony of it all...

A new study found that the majority of US citizens cannot even name the 5 rights they are guaranteed in the first amendment. 56% correctly stated the right of free speech but less than 1/3 correctly stated freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government for redress wrongs.

We stand before the rest of the world and wave our freedoms in their faces as a model, yet we don't even know what rights we have. If we are willfully blind to what they are, how will we be able to identify when they are being infringed upon? We allow our Congress to pass legislation every day that infringes upon our basic rights as contained in the Bill of Rights (Patriot Act, anyone?), yet ask them to create new ones everyday. We insist that we have the right to privacy, and say that the judicial system is wrong to grant rights that do not exist in the Constitution or amendments (gay marriage). Read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights; privacy is neither a right that exists nor is identified in either document. It has been interpreted by our legal system to be an extension of the rights contained in those documents and is therefore a de facto right. Try to tell an American that they are not constitutionally guaranteed the right to privacy and they will argue until they are blue in the face. Letting the court interpret and extend rights and freedoms is necessary, lest we not have some of the legal freedoms we hold dear.

Before we go around to other nations talking about rights that they should or shouldn't have, as a nation we should be aware of, and actively protect, our own rights. Why should anyone else respect our rights and their inalienability if we do not respect them ourselves? As citizens, it is our responsibility to know our rights and to protect them. They are the safeguards against tyranny and our reward for the responsibilities inherent to each citizen of a republic. Until we take our rights and our citizenly responsibilities seriously, maybe we are not entitled to our rights. What do you think?

The Power of Perception

There’s always someone you know- a spouse, friend, coworker, or neighbor- who just seems to always have it together and be in control. Especially, it seems when you are the most frazzled. They are organized, calm, and focused. You have to wonder how they do it. They have achieved the Holy Grail of the Millennium- inner harmony. The good news is that it is easier to achieve than you think and that you are closer to it than you may believe.

If you sat down and had a heart to heart with that same person who seems to have it all together, they would probably reveal the same anxiety and pressure to “do it all” as you. They may even look at you and ask themselves why they can’t be more like you! But what’s more likely is that they simply believe that they can. I know that seems hard to swallow, but let me tell you why it may be the truth.

So much of our life and how we view it is perception- how we perceive our life to be, not how it really is and especially how it might be seen by others. In that way, we create our reality. If we see ourselves as overwhelmed or stressed, then we have made ourselves overwhelmed and stressed because that’s how we will color every experience we have.

Change the color of your perception and you will change the way you experience your life. It’s a simplistic concept, but a very real one. Let’s see how it works...

How many times have you taken something minor or simple and overanalyzed it to the point that it became, in your mind, a huge ordeal? Later you found out that it really was minor or simple and if you hadn’t built it up, it would have remained what it was and would have been dealt with and easily disposed of. Like when you overhear two people talking and they shut up when you enter the room. You could take that as evidence they were talking about you and let your imagination and insecurities fill in the rest. Or, you could just see that as they were discussing something that needed to be private between the two of them and nothing more. They could be discussing anything, but you are the one who makes it about you in your mind.

Once you assume it’s about you, and it “has to be bad” because they shut up when you came in (and didn’t one of them look at you funny, from what you remember?). So, you start acting defensive and snippy because you are upset that people are saying bad things about you. This attitude raises a few eyebrows and causes you to tick some people off. Then, guess what, you have just guaranteed that people are talking badly about you. They are all wondering what made you be such a disagreeable grump and don’t feel like dealing with you. And this is all because you made it so by taking an innocent situation and putting a negative connotation to it.

Next time, instead of “making a mountain a mountain out of a molehill”, see the molehill as not a mountain or, better yet, see the molehill as just a molehill. Don’t make more out of a situation than there really is. You control how you perceive things and it is in your control how you choose to let that perception color your experiences and how you react. If you choose to see yourself as anxious and out of control, guess what? That’s exactly what you’ll be and you will respond in a way that will only magnify those feelings. It’s time to ask yourself what kind of world you want to live in and to create it, starting in your mind.

Out of the mouth of idiots...

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may — may not, I hope not — but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."

"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."

Obama's comments about a national security force came during a speech in Colorado in which he called for expanding the nation's foreign service.

"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set," Obama said in July. "We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
The Obama transition team declined to comment on Broun's remarks. But spokesman Tommy Vietor said Obama was referring in the speech to a proposal for a civilian reserve corps that could handle postwar reconstruction efforts such as rebuilding infrastructure — an idea endorsed by the Bush administration.

This came from an article discussing comments that Paul Broun, a Representative from Georgia's 10th district (which covers the Northeast portion of the state including Athens) made to AP in an interview on Monday. To say that I am appalled, as well as embarrassed, to live in the same state as that man. He knew what he was saying was unhinged; any comment that starts with "it may sound crazy and off base" will most likely sound crazy and off base. If you feel that way about a comment and especially if you are a politician, it would probably be best to err on the side of caution and keep your comment to yourself. While I would not insult the Republican party by saying that he represents their overall views, I do find that these comments, combined with the criticisms the Republicans as a whole have levied against the administration of a man who isn't even in office yet, show just how immature and ill equipped they are to lead this country in this time of much needed change and transition. Instead of following the lead of their own standard bearer John McCain, they have already degenerated into petty bickering and infighting. They have the chance to prove themselves to be relevant and capable of true serving leadership and instead they are flushing it down the toilet. They are proving the criticisms of their detractors from the last 8 years; 8 years during which they had the opportunity and the ability to make real and fundamental changes. They aren't even asking the question "Are you better off then you were 8 years ago?", because they don't want to hear the answer. Now they have the chance to work together and make things right, but they are already setting up what they view as the inevitable opportunity to chant "I told you so" at the end of Obama's term, while ensuring that as little as possible will get done by not cooperating and taking action.

I am very disappointed- as an educated, white, middle class, female in her late 30's, I'm the vote they tried to get by bringing Sarah Palin into the race. However, all they are doing with this fear mongering, petty, BS, sniping is further pushing me away from listening to and embracing what they stand for and what they have to say. I hope that McCain truly is the maverick he says he is; maverick enough to say "Ya'll are crazy! Let's buckle down and getter done; don't make me have to come over there and smack ya upside the head with a 2x4!" I think that if he could get his party in line, get them focused on the real issues and on coming up with real solutions, and encourage EVERYONE to out their egos and self-serving interests aside, he could have my vote for president next time around. I hope that he doesn't fade into obscurity (Bob Dole, anyone) to lick his wounds, but that he takes his commitment to his country seriously and amps up his effort in the service of what is right.

The simple fact is Obama can't do what needs to be done, in the scale that it needs to be done, alone. Let's hope that he acts with humility and a focus on serving the country as a whole over ideology and acts as inspiration for others in Washington to rise above. Let's hope that Washington as a whole sees that humility and focus and reacts with humility and focus of its own. We have the chance to be the America we all want to be; the America that we can all be proud of. We will always have our differences, and that's okay- good even, but we have the ability to unite behind common principles and prudent courses of action that work for the benefit of us ALL.

Stay tuned...

It's the Sarah show part 2, by golly. From her actions- scheduling interviews, blaming the Republican party for her defeat, positioning herself as a "change" candidate as opposed to the "business as usual" positioning of her party, being coy about her future plans- it is obvious that she thinks that she has a future in national politics. It should be no surprise that it shocks and dismays me. If she's serious, shouldn't she be spending the time to address the most widespread criticism of her- her lack of knowledge and experience? Shouldn't she be buckling down with books and reports, meeting with experts in the fields where she is lacking, and getting out there to show us that she is willing to do the homework that comes from the job by learning about other parts of the US and the world other than Alaska? Apparently that is not as important as milking her 15 minutes for all it is worth and acting like the talking empty head she has shown herself to be.

As women, we need to stand up and say NO. Sarah Palin does not represent the best of us or the best in us. She is a caricature full of naive beliefs, insolence, self-righteousness, and catchphrases fronted by a pretty face topped by a beehive. The ability of women to handle the presidency will be judged by this talking head should she ever be elected and her election could very well prevent another woman from leading this country for a long time to come. But I don't think that legacy and responsibility for consequences are something Mrs. Palin concerns herself with, bless her heart. Her stance toward raping the pristine Alaskan wilderness she claims to love, the consequence of the lack of sex education for teens that is living in her own home, and the long term polarizing effects of blaming her party for her own failures bear this out.

Mrs. Palin, to me, is far from a role model- she is a walking cautionary tale of what can happen when you give ambition on hairspray fumes a stage. Dontcha know, hairspray fumes are flammable; let's hope that ambition and the bright lights of fame do not set them off. The resulting fire could burn us all, you betcha.

Ya can't please everyone...

The Republicans went on and on about Obama's lack of experience when it came to his qualifications for the presidency during the campaign. He used this to his advantage, promoting a mantra of change that even the Republicans adopted. I, too, was concerned about his lack of national experience; did he have the connections necessary to get things done, especially given the racial challenges he would have to deal with as well? Well, so far Obama is doing things right. He knows that he doesn't have the connections and that when it comes to reaching across the aisles and moving ideas forward in Washington, connections are everything. So, he is placing focused and well known "inside the Beltway" experts into the important positions within his cabinet. These are people that others in Washington know and respect, even if they don't agree with them. These are the people who would be able to vouch for Obama and his ideas and get key players to listen and cooperate. These are the "power behind the throne" people who can push agendas forward with introductions and phone calls to the right people, all of whom are in their Blackberry. The kind of people who the Republicans are, and should be, afraid of, because Obama might not fall on his face or be a lame duck as they hope he will.

The conservative press (Fox News and company) are in full cry. They are harping that Obama promised change, so why is he bringing insiders in? According to them, he should have a cabinet full of outsiders who aren't part of the system, as if outsiders are the only ones who are capable of creating change. They seem to propose that anything less than a full overturn of everything related to "business as usual" in Washington is a betrayal of Obama's mandate for change. The want him to be like Voltaire- all witty and powerful commentary, but no solutions or implementable ideas.

In picking these people, Obama is earning the trust I gave him with my vote. He is going to use the system he can't turn upside down to turn the system upside down. While he may not be experienced, he is showing a great understanding of strategy. If he came in and tried to turn everything on its ear in only 4 years, he would be destined to fail. You cannot come in and change entrenched ways of doing things and not meet with resistance and a stalemate. Too much change all at once is threatening, even if change is welcome. But, if you make the right strategic changes at the right time involving the right people and enroll others in the ideals and process behind it, you can move mountains. That appears to be Obama's game plan and he is putting the coalition behind and beside him to do it. I am very optimistically curious to see what happens next.

If I were a Republican, I'd be upset too- not because Obama "lied", but because he just might succeed where they have failed. With Obama, the Democrats have the potential to create the presidential legacy for this century. Only time will tell, but we have the next 4 years to watch and see how things unfold.

I read the news today, oh boy...

One 8 year old boy is sitting in jail pending arraignment for the premeditated murder of his father and his father's friend with a shotgun. An 18 year old just got life without parole for the stabbing death of his best friend 4 years ago. Seems he lured his friend into the bathroom at their middle school and stabbed him 42 times so that his friend couldn't tell anyone of the fact that he was planning to become a serial killer. He also had plans to murder another friend and his sister as part of the cover up.

Is it just me, or do these kinds of happenings just point out that there is something seriously wrong? If only this sort of violence was isolated, but it is not. Columbine, Heritage High, Virginia Tech, and scores of other murders committed by teens and children have been most noteworthy for the level of violence and degree of planning and foresight. While murders by children have always existed, it is this escalation of method that is truly disturbing. The other thing that stands out is the lack of awareness that the parents of the children seem to share. Everyone else around these children sensed there was something "not quite right" to outright wrong, but no one did anything about it or seemed to be able to communicate to the parents the seriousness of the situation.

There are so many reasons why this sort of thing occurs, but we need to take a look at, and take responsibility for, society's role in what happened. We card children when they try to buy alcohol or cigarettes, but do we card them when they try to get into or rent violent films? Do we card them when they try to purchase violent video games? Do we do enough to make parents aware of the damage these things do? When I can go and see a horror film on a Friday night and see parents there with their small children, there's something wrong.

These crimes are shocking, and they should be. They are a warning sign, a wake up bell. We all need to listen, pay attention, and come up with viable preventative methods to keep this from happening in the future.

The power of change

Change is a scary thing for many people; it creates unknowns in a known universe. However, even in a known universe, there are things that are not what they could be. How can anything get better if nothing changes? And why, just because something changes, does that have to mean that it will always be for the worst?

While I wasn't afraid of change, I was always wary of any change that I did not create or could not manage. Change was only acceptable if it was according to my rules or my time table. I thought that it was somehow reasonable to expect change to occur that way. Guess what... it doesn't? Change comes as it comes, for better and for worse. But sometimes change that does not seem positive or beneficial at the time turns out to be one of the best things that ever happened to you. Change is a constant and you can't stop it, but you can use it to be a springboard for growth and improvement no matter what it brings.

We cannot control what happens in most cases; outside forces and the whims of others are not subject to what we want. We can, however, control how we let them affect us and how we respond to them. By taking responsibility for how we react to change, we can shape change and its effect on our lives. Just because something happens that doesn't go along with what you think or feel things should be doesn't mean it is the end of the world. Don't make a situation that is merely uncertain into a negative one by acting out of fear; learn from it and use it to become better. Take time to think, then act in a way that maximizes your growth potential. Why should you hand your power over to someone or something else?

There is truth to the adage of mind over matter. Let your mind make change and the negative things that happen into positive learning experiences and opportunities to exert control over their outcomes. Walk away stronger and taller, with the confidence that the next time you are faced with adversity or the unknown, you will be just fine. Maybe even better than fine.

Let the fighting commence...

The scraping and clawing in the now defunct McCain-Palin campaign has already begun. McCain has not come out and said anything, but his aides and advisers have started to deflect the blame to the Palin side of the ticket. And it's not too hard to believe.

Palin did not do the homework and preparation to fully step into the role she accepted. We can only speculate why. But it is obvious that she believes that she has, and is worthy of, a national political future beyond this election. I don't think she is worthy, because she took the best opportunity she had to really make a splash and she squandered it. I know she squandered it with me. I was seriously considering a vote for McCain because of his experience, but his choice of her and how she handles herself after accepting the position of his running mate made me run too- AWAY.

If she is serious in her political aspirations, then she needs to use the next 3 years to seriously bone up, venture outside of Alaska and the US, do a stellar and unimpeachable job as the Governor of Alaska, and develop some expertise on areas that do not directly affect her daily life in Alaska. She also needs to do some soul searching and learn some tolerance and appreciation for viewpoints other than her own and the differences in the people of this nation.

The US is not Alaska, and Alaska is not representative of the US. To lead the American people as a nation, Sarah Palin needs to stop thinking like an iconoclast whose opinions are the only ones who are right and start thinking as an individual with a unique viewpoint to contribute for the benefit of the whole. When you become a national leader, your viewpoints are no longer your own to act upon, your actions affect the welfare of the whole. You must be open to what is in the benefit of the whole and act accordingly, even if it is not what you personally believe in.

Until Mrs. Palin can do that, she has no business being a leader on the national stage. She needs to stay up in Alaska with people who are just like her and who think just like her. Those are the people she would best represent and lead. Maybe one day she will be ready, but with her flippancy and smug self-satisfaction, I'm not sure she'll ever really get it. The mountain of the American people will never come to the Mohammed that is Sarah Palin.

A day worth celebrating

Today is a day worth celebrating, for many reasons. Of course the election of Obama and what it means as a mandate for change and a blow (but not the destruction of) overt racism is a reason to celebrate. The thing that I find worth celebrating the most is that I think we finally got two candidates, based on what was said last night, who realize what we are up against, what we have to do as a nation to move forward, and that both have a true commitment and love for this country. While their means to achieving what needs to be done would vary, I firmly believe that they both have their hearts in the right place. For that reason, I do not think there would have been a truly "wrong" choice, even though I am more in alignment with Obama's view on how to move forward. That we are able to, at such a critical time, come up with two candidates who I feel put a united and whole America first in their hearts is in itself a beacon of hope.

That said, it is up to us and the rest of Washington do do our part. One man alone can inspire change, but cannot MAKE it happen by himself. We must take up the banner, and the shovel, and get to work, clearing up the mess in Washington, in society, in our communities, and in our homes. The time to act is today, because that's all we have the power to truly change. The future starts now and today is the day we begin to make it. If we make the right decisions for the right reasons, we won't have to worry about the future- it will take care of itself. We all know what is right in our heart of hearts, now we all need to JUST DO IT. I believe what has been true all along- YES, WE CAN.

One more comment about yesterday's election- racism is far from dead. It has just gone underground. When asked "publicly" in polls, more than 50% of people in the former slave states were for Obama, yet in the privacy and anonymity of the voting booth, an average of 55-60% of voters voted for McCain. A coincidence? I think not. It is just another of the affects of political correctness; racists will not fess up to being racist in public for fear of ridicule, but in private (voting booth, chat rooms, blogs, radio talk shows) where they will not face any direct consequences for airing their views, all kinds of ugliness comes out. They know they are wrong and that saying it out loud is wrong, but they believe it anyway. I live in the South, I have both seen and heard it. Anyone who thinks that yesterday was some sort of death knoll to racism is sorely mistaken. If America was not more frustrated with Bush and the Republican party than they are resistant to voting for a black man, the race would have ended entirely differently. The Republicans should be the one sitting up and taking notice- white America would rather elect a black man than put up with 4 more years of the same. Yes, this election WAS a mandate for change, but not in the way that it should have been.

In saying this, I am not trying to take anything away from Obama. I voted for him. His message of hope and optimism inspires me and I think he will do his best to do a good job. If I was guilty of -ism in voting for him instead of McCain, it was ageism. I don't think a man whose views on life were formed over 50 years ago truly has the ability to understand the world as it exists today the way it needs to be understood. The world he grew up in simply does not exist. White, black, yellow... makes no difference to me. Who can do the job in a manner that I think befits the integrity this nation should have? Who has the best solutions that will best impact this nation's future? Who has the best ability to be the leader this NATION needs? Those are the questions whose answers matter to me. I would like to see a woman in the job- and not Sarah Palin- a real woman who is not afraid to be a woman in every sense of the world instead of having to prove how tough she is. But that's just me...

I will hold out hope for that day, but in the meantime, I am happy with the choice America has made and am rolling up my sleeves as we speak...

A historic day

While I recognized the importance and relevance of what may possibly happen today with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency, the impact of what it symbolised did not hit me until I heard the comments of a newscaster from one of the cable news channels. He was going on about being a proud "son of the South" and said that it hit him when his 6 year old daughter, upon hearing that Obama was taking Alabama in the polls, said, "Daddy, isn't that the place where they used to use water hoses on black people?" I saw then just how far we had come. While it saddens me that we have not come far enough to elect a woman, and that civil rights came for blacks before the feminist revolution gave equivalent rights to women, I am hopeful that one day a woman will be sitting in the Oval Office. Maybe in time for the 100th anniversary of the woman's right to vote, which did not happen until 1920. As long as it is not Sarah Palin... 'nough said, bless her gosh darn heart by golly!

I am also saddened for Mr. Obama at the death of his grandmother. That she was not able to see her grandson most likely get elected President tonight is a shame. I feel for him that he did not get the opportunity to share that milestone with her and that he has had to put his grief on hold.

I, like the rest of the country, especially those who cast their ballots early, will be sitting and waiting to see happens today.