What's Wrong With Talking?

Today there are headlines about Iran testing missiles. There are comments from the Iranian government that it will defend itself against attacks from Israel and comments from Israel that they will defend themselves against Iran. Of course, the U.S. is responding with words like Secretary of State Rice’s comments about “our obligation to help our allies defend themselves.”

Doesn’t it all sound very familiar? Each side pounding their chests saying “Don’t mess with me!” Each side putting on the tough front. Each side trying to mask fear with the hard line. The worst part is that events like these often escalate to full scale war, and thousands end up loosing their lives. Yet we repeat the same old patterns… patterns that don’t work.

On a visit to the John F. Kennedy Museum in Boston, I had the privilege of viewing the actual correspondences between President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis. (Of course, the English translations of Khrushchev’s correspondences were presented.) Keep in mind the both of these men were known for tough rhetoric. Kennedy had made many anti-communist speeches, and Khrushchev was famous for telling America “We will bury you!” However, the two leaders communicated directly with each other. They talked. Neither showed weakness in these letters, and they had a lot to sort out. But they communicated.

Many have said that the Cuban missile crisis brought us very close to a nuclear war. I can imagine if today’s leadership was in place during that time. Tougher and tougher language would get used more to appease the public than to address the crisis. Leaders would refuse to communicate directly with each other out of fear of being perceived as weak. There’s no way of knowing what would have happened, but a very reasonable guess is that thousands—if not millions—would have died.

It’s sad that that mentality is so prevalent in America. The Republicans are constantly attacking Obama’s plans to talk directly with leaders in countries perceived as our enemies. Why? What you’re doing now isn’t working. Never has. Never will. We’re not gorillas. We are homo sapiens which means “wise man.” Let’s act like it.

I don’t’ think Obama is any kind of savior. He has his blind spots and imperfections like the rest of us, and should he become president I’ll be the first to criticize anything I disagree with. But I’m voting for him because I think he is just plain smarter than McCain and other so-called conservative thinkers. We need intelligent leadership, not some silly tough guy image. Our safety and security is a really important issue in this election.

Oh yeah, one more caveat. The Bush administration is using this as justification for their “missile shield.” Again, the contractors are the only winners.

Fox News is a propadanda machine. That is not an exageration, and it is not partisan bickering. It is a fact. The management at Fox news deliberately manipulate uninformed and uneducated people to vote for Republicans. Please try to understand that there are hundreds of billions of dollars at stake in this election. The petroleum power structure, the war contractors, and those who profit from creating greenhouse gases all want to preserve the status quo.

Throughout history, there have been ruthless individuals who will do whatever it takes for wealth and power. They have no regard for any death or human suffering they may cause or contribute to. They have no reservations about using deceit or deception. Those individuals tend to rise to positions of power. That also happens in America. Our government is under their sway.

In a constitutional democracy where the people have the means to protect themselves from all of this, those who would wield power must manipulate the thinking of those who vote. In an information age, they must insert sufficient misinformation to confuse. Hence we have Fox News, talk radio, and various propaganda web sites and blogs. It is all to manipulate our thinking for someone else's profits.

Turn off your TV. Turn off your car radio. Put down the booze. Open an encyclopedia. Take a night class. Educate yourself. Exercise your intellect. Don't be a mind-controlled fool.

http://www.outfoxed.org

The Real John McCain

Typical Fox News Commentator

Some Fox News commentator (typical) tried to associate Obama's name with "Osama" and then she jokingly makes a comment about killing Obama. Pretty sick.

In spite of the hatred and fear mongering, there are good people in America. There have always been those who fight for change for the better. It's happening now.

Getting Tough

I feel like puking when I hear people go on and on about being “tough on terrorism” and so on. They are just being manipulated by crooks who are robbing us blind in the name of defense and the war on terrorism. Paying thousands of dollars for wrenches and hundreds of dollars for toilet seats doesn’t create a strong defense. Paying contractors to do soldiers’ laundry at $100 a bag or paying Halliburton/KBR to build oil rigs in Iraq with tax payer money instead of allowing the petroleum companies to pay for it themselves does nothing to protect us from terrorism. A major military deployment in Iraq makes a lot of contractors really rich, but does nothing to secure us from the real threats to our security.

People need to pull their heads out of their… the sand… and face reality. The administration has knowingly and willingly lied again and again about the war in Iraq. The defense establishment is corrupted. Private contractors have taken over military functions without accountability. When will people see that our government has become a puppet show for those who are blinded by greed?

An effective defense requires non-corrupted and intelligent leadership. However, it is hard for non-corrupted individuals to break into the inner circles of government, and it is hard for intelligent individuals to win elections.

Any solutions will have to start with us. We need to become more awake and aware. We need to put down the alcohol and turn off the TV’s. We need to exercise our intellects. We need to learn to discriminate between information and garbage. We need to become responsible for the so-called leaders we elect. Ignorance is getting harder and harder to excuse.

Let’s get tough on corruption. Let’s get tough on lies and deceit and deception. Let’s get tough on the lobbyists and special interests. Let’s get tough on ignorance. Let’s get tough on ourselves. Then we can be in a better position to deal with the very real threats to our security.

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Phew! I just read some blogs about Clinton vs. Obama. Between those and the debates and the political pundits on TV, I think I need a break from this election. In other news, there are corrupt governments and human rights abuses and diseases and poverty and wars being waged and more wars brewing and vast human suffering. Oh, yeah, and everyone seems to have forgot that there are STILL thousands of nuclear warheads out there.

I don't think that politics holds the answers. I don't believe that any leader figure is going to make it all better. Sure, try to sort out the best candidate and vote, but don't make more out of that then what it is.

I think that a little bit of consciousness can make a big difference in this world. Not just consciousness of the issues and problems, but consciousness of what life is made out of. Maybe if human beings woke up to what exists within them, things could become more balanced. Turning on a light can make a lot of difference when it's really dark. I'm not just talking about some flaky spiritualism or group hugging movement. I'm talking about genuinely becoming more awake and aware. Becoming more conscious.

I guess I have to start with myself.

New Hybrid Car

Well, I up and bought a Prius. Leased, actually. A 2008 Magnetic Gray Toyota Prius with option Package #6. This package adds smart key, backup camera, vehicle stability control, really good JBL sound system, Bluetooth, satellite navigation with voice control, high intensity discharge headlights, very nice leather seats, and a few other things. Really cool!

OK, so this is no high-performance car. It does not have head-jerking acceleration or road-racing steering. It certainly is no luxury car (though it has many of the amenities--see option package above). But this car is an engineering marvel. Try Googling "Hybrid Synergy Drive" and learn more. It's actually more complex than the simplistic portrayal of an electric motor supplementing an internal combustion engine. Much more complex. Read up if you’re interested.

Truth be told, greenhouse gases are a serious problem. Global warming is a reality. Politics and economics related to petroleum resources is creating a lot of death and suffering. It's easy to talk about these things at tea parties, but I as an individual want to do a little more. I want to at least reduce my energy consumption. I use energy-efficient light bulbs in my home, I only buy Energy Star compliant appliances, I don’t waste paper, and I recycle plastics. And now I drive an extremely fuel-efficient car.

When I'm on the highway surrounded by thousands of huge trucks and SUV's, I have no illusion that I'm making a big difference in reducing greenhouse gases. However, one more person buying a very fuel-efficient car may influence one or two others to do so. One person can contribute to creating more of a market for fuel-efficient cars influencing manufacturers to make and sell more of them. This is already happening. You may have read in the financial sections that Toyota is kicking butt with their hybrid cars while GM is having a hard time with little more than TV commercials promising them in the near future.

However, to my surprise, there’s no big sacrifice. Sure, I could have bought a Cadillac CTS or Acura RL and had a little more luxury and prestige, but as it turns out the Prius is actually quite fun to drive. You can watch the hybrid system status screen and see exactly when you’re using the internal combustion engine, the electric motor, or both, when you are generating electricity to the battery, and your average miles per gallon. The car is completely silent when it is running only on electricity. Even wind noise is minimal due to an extremely low drag coefficient (i.e. it’s very aerodynamic). I’m no expert on sound systems, but the JBL system creates crystal clear music with excellent thumping base. There are steering wheel controls for just about everything. The navigation is awesome. It’s pretty cool to just press a voice command button and say “Home” to have the voice-guidance system direct you home. My cell phone connects automatically via Bluetooth when I start the car allowing me to make and receive calls with the press of a button using the sound system as a speakerphone This car has a lot of goodies.

As far as prestige, there are different kinds. I’m not particularly concerned with what others think when I’m driving, but I’ve noticed a lot of heads turning especially around universities (there are many where I live) and in places like Whole Foods parking lots. People sometimes respect consciousness more than wealth. I’m all for that.

The Military-Industrial Complex

After World War II, weapons industries became a permanent, major component of the American economy. They have also become a major influence on government policy due to the movement of high-ranking individuals between the government, the military, and weapons industries.

In this video, President Eisenhower explains the necessity for the development of the military-industrial complex, but he also warns us of the dire consequences if we are not diligent. We have not been diligent.

I just wanted to point out that this is a personal blog, and it only contains my personal expressions and opinions. I do not represent any organization or group or other individual. I do not represent any religion or political party. I post my real name, and I stand accountable for what I say.

It is unfortunate that the Internet is more and more becoming the misinformation superhighway. Of course, people are going to have different views, and I am a staunch advocate of free expression. But it is also a fact that we live in a word full of liars. People will lie for money. People will lie for position. People will lie just out of hatred.

There are many web sites, blogs and other commentaries on the Internet that are nothing more than vicious attacks motivated by hatred. The commentaries are full of lies, and their only purpose is to hurt. The authors of these commentaries rarely reveal themselves and use anonymous monikers like sug8656. They do not stand accountable for what they say.

Sometimes those in pain lash out at others. Misery loves company. I do not place myself above others when I say this because I’ve been there and I’ve done that. However, I’ve come to realize that the way out of frustration and despair is to consciously seek inner peace. Lashing out at others just perpetuates a vicious cycle of pain, misery, and yes, war.

Peace!

A Definition of Patriot

My patriotism has been questioned because I have disagreed with some policies of decision makers in our government. Somehow, a certain group of people have decided that they are the “patriots” and those of us who don’t think like them are not. Consequently, I would like to put forth my own definition of a patriot. In this definition, I use pronouns “he” and “his” but it applies to women and men alike.

A patriot keeps his mind sharp. This is the information age, and only a clear, sharp mind can make a meaningful contribution. A patriot doesn’t sit in front of a TV for four or five hours a day because he knows that too much TV makes his intellect weak. A patriot doesn’t drink alcohol more than occasionally because he knows that alcohol makes one dull and dimwitted. A patriot studies, whether it is science or math or literature or history or whatever, because a patriot exercises his brain. A patriot doesn’t read big headlines with little information; he reads and digests the many long paragraphs in the better information resources.

A real patriot doesn’t do a lot of flag waving. He understands that the flag is the symbol of our nation, but that human beings are the reality of our nation. He understands that a single human life is far more precious than any symbol. A patriot doesn’t need to make public displays of his patriotism. Instead he knows what he stands for and acts accordingly with or without recognition. Anyone can publicly pledge allegiance to a flag, but a real patriot is the one who has the courage to do the right thing in the most difficult times.

A patriot doesn’t think American blood is more precious than the blood of any other human being on this planet. That kind of thinking is the thinking of a Nazi. A patriot believes in one of the founding principles of our nation that all men are created equal. He understands that although we must be strong, we must also be just and humane. All men are created equal.

A patriot would never try to use the government to force his religion on others. He believes what he needs to believe, but he knows that the government should never be used to institute a religion. A patriot would never try to use the public schools to force his religion on other people's kids. A patriot would never use religion as an excuse to deny someone else their rights. A patriot does not use the name of God to push his political agenda, and he does not allow himself to be manipulated by those who do.

Finally, a patriot has integrity. Chronic liars need not apply. Thieves don’t qualify. Someone with integrity is someone who lives in reality. Someone who lives in reality doesn’t deceive. Someone who doesn’t deceive is difficult to deceive. Our nation needs more people who are difficult to deceive.

Well, that’s my definition of a patriot. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of disagreement, but it works for me.

Obama for President?

(I had posted the following commentary on January 16, 2007, well before the primaries and Obama's fast rise in popularity.)

I saw Barack Obama and his wife on TV recently. Here are my personal observations.

First of all, he is likeable and charismatic. He speaks well, and he responds well to questions although some of his answers seem rehearsed. He is a skilled politician. He is an expert user of rhetoric. Of course, these are not the right reasons to vote for someone, but it is not a terrible thing that the candidate knows how to walk the walk and talk the talk of politics. The point is he could win.

But will he really be a good president? What would his positions be as opposed to his rhetoric? Will he be able to take on this awful state of the union that he would be inheriting? How will he address important issues like Iraq, corrupt war pofiteering, our carbon fuel dependency, and the many other issues?

I have learned in my lifetime not to put too much faith in politicians. There is no political "savior" that will make it all better. These guys are only human. They have personal ambitions. They have egos. Politicians have to be players and manipulators—it goes with the territory. Sadly, integrity and conscience can be big liabilities for politicians.

That all being said, I think it's possible to get reasonably intelligent people with basic conscience into decision making positions. I think that Senator Obama is one of those people.

Then there's the Hillary question. She's popular enough to win the Democratic primary. But, as many pundits have already pointed out, she may have a polarizing effect since she is so hated by those to the right. (I usually hate to repeat what the pundits say, but in this case I believe there's something to it.) It would be a drag on the country to have to deal with more constant, vicious attacks like the ones that were made on on the other Clinton.

Hillary Clinton's biggest liability is that she initially supported the war in Iraq. That's enough to discourage the very large anti-war constituency from even going to the polls. (That could go both ways, but it seems the anti-war numbers are growing.) Obama, on the other hand, has always opposed the war in Iraq. No waffling.

I know I haven't said anything really original here, but that's not the point. Some things are just obvious, and I think Obama is the obvious choice for president in 2008. And I hope he kicks McCain's butt!

http://www.barackobama.com

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Tax on Water

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is asking the government of Zambia to put a tax on water. Really! They're also asking them to put a tax on food in a country where 80% of the people live in abject poverty (source https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook). Oh yes, and they also want to tax agricultural supplies like seeds and fertilizer which are required by the very large population of low income subsidence farmers.

Zambian leaders are quick to jump and dance for the IMF to continue to receive large amounts of donor aid. Because of the IMF's demands, children in Zambia have to pay to go to school. The majority of Zambian children are not in school, mostly because they can't afford it. Even in the richest developed countries, elementary and secondary education is free. Also, very low income people in Zambia who do not even make enough to feed their families are required to pay income tax, again, because of IMF demands on the Zambian government.

Many people think that organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank are benevolent organizations that are helping the poor in developing countries. I think that assumption needs to be seriously questioned, and these organizations need to be monitored more closely. If my perceptions are correct, these organizations could be some of the biggest contributors to human suffering on the planet, and if that's true they need to be stopped.

I lived in Zambia in 1993. By that time, the Zambian government had already received billions of dollars from the IMF and the World Bank. Yet there was no visible sign of this money being invested in the infrastructure. The roads were unbelievably dilapidated. The hospitals were disgusting deathtraps. The schools were filthy shacks where the children sat on dirt floors and didn't have books.

School House, Petauke, Zambia, 2007

However, ruling party members and their families lived in luxurious mansions (even by our standards), and mostly drove around in new S-600's. Their kids studied in Europe, and God only knows what other assets they owned. What's interesting is that there were no other visible sources of income for most of these ruling party types, but there was definitely someone draining the donor aid. That was 1993. Zambians that I know inform me that the situation has gotten even much worse.

These absurd demands of the IMF on donor recipients make me question their motives. Are they really trying to help the poor, or is there something else going on? I suppose that it's little more than conspiracy theory to suggest that IMF is concerned with the interests of Western big business and investment opportunities in Africa and elsewhere. Nevertheless, the sheer probability of these things happening warrants serious investigation.

At the very least, we should be concerned about the vast human suffering which may be caused by IMF economic policies in Zambia and other developing countries. We should stop naively assuming that the IMF is doing everything right. We should take a good look at their policies and motives.

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