Opinion, Self improvement, Words to ponder

Words to ponder – Mark Twain on Life and Fear

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” Mark Twain

I am not sure that I agree with Mark Twain about anyone being prepared to die at any time, but I certainly think he knows more about living fully than I do. Death for the living is an abstract concept. The living only know that death is a final exit from the lives that we know. I do understand the first part of the statement. Life is where the pain that we understand is, and we all know that life with illness or trauma can be extremely painful. So I guess if we are totally engaged with life (living fully) we understand that the end can come at any time…and maybe this is as prepared for death as we can be.

Opinion

Will Ukraine help Trump’s re-election campaign?

We live in a time when a sitting President of the United States of America sends his lawyer to Ukraine to ask for help against a potential opponent in the 2020 elections. Will Ukraine help the president? We know that Ukraine desperately needs the help of the United States to resist the Russians. What will the new president of Ukraine and his team decide to do? Will they give into the pressure from Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump? The citizens of this country must pay attention and decide whether or not we want foreign countries intervening in our elections.

Opinion, Words to ponder

Truth is first line of defense for the Republic

There is a lot going on with our Congress and whether or not our representatives get a chance to review the facts of the Mueller Report. Will the executive branch get away with demanding that it control all of the evidence gathered about Russian influence in the 2016 elections, and the Trump campaign? If they get away with it; what will the executive branch be able to do in the future and avoid congressional oversight? Our Constitution is a plan of government that first describes the legislative branch, (Congress) because this branch through the House of Representatives being elected every two years is closest to the people. We don’t have a republic if our elected representatives are denied access to the facts collected by civil servants that we have paid for.

Opinion

All the smoke of Trump

We are living in interesting times as the old Chinese saying, or curse (May you live in interesting times) goes. It is easy to be worn out by the endless absurdities and conflicts that are broadcast in our media daily. The issues are incredibly important and our republic is at stake, but more important is that we the citizens get the facts and control what we can using all of our rights. “Keep calm and carry on” is a very real message and mindset for our times. We have to remain assertively patient while the facts come out, and we cannot count on some other person or group (Robert Mueller, House of Representatives, or Congress as a whole) to save us; to paraphrase former President Barrack Obama: we need to be the change we have been waiting for.

Opinion

Trump phone call with Putin

President Trump held a phone call with President Putin of Russian and said that he smiled when he told him that US intelligence made a mountain out of a molehill. Trump said they did not discuss Russian interference in the 2016 elections. There was a time when the President of the United States stood up for his nation to anyone who dared pose a threat to the country. I guess those days are over. We live in interesting times, and we must all become engaged in protecting our republic through the political process.

Self improvement, Words to ponder

Words to Ponder from Goethe

To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking.”

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This quote provokes many questions and thoughts about the nature of discipline and translating thoughts into action. You have to first assume about this quote that Goethe is not referring to negative or evil thinking. Obviously it is wonderful that we do not act on our lowest thoughts. Goethe is likely referring to our highest thinking and ideas for ourselves and others and why we so often fail to follow up. Part of the quote’s genesis could be concern about fear or social pressure (hardest thing…act in accordance with your thinking) as well as individual weakness. What do you think?

Opinion

White Nationalism

The search for identity can lead people to negative places; in fact the term negative identity is used for adolescents who don’t care about what being perceived as a good person. We live in a time when many people fear globalism, loss of status, and the weakening of the ability to determine the future (immigration, climate change, majority minority status). With all of the valid reasons to feel threatened we have national figures claiming that we should be afraid, and that we can go back to the past. It is not surprising that lost souls are turning to a negative identity that projects an image of unity and certainty for people who happen to be white. Let’s hope that the United States will be blessed with the strength and leadership to make our nation a place where good is stronger than evil.

Opinion

Citizens exercising their 2nd Amendment rights

I believe in the 2nd Amendment. I think that citizens of all beliefs should own weapons to defend their homes and ultimately the decency of the country. Just because a person is conservative does not mean that they should be more likely to own a firearm. Citizens should defend and exercise their rights to own weapons for self-defense. We live in an age where politicians attempt to excite weapon owning citizens to defend them or a belief system; we would not have this problem if citizens of all beliefs exercised their right to own firearms. As Americans we face a lot of legal issues that need to be strengthened, but as citizens we can eliminate issues by simply exercising our rights, and balancing the scales of weapon ownership and membership in 2nd Amendment organizations.

Self improvement, Words to ponder

Words to Ponder – “Communication creates Clarity” – unknown

The words or quote “Communication creates Clarity” came to me as I listened to a Jocko Podcast. I imagine that someone has uttered these words at some point in the past, but I don’t know who. In his book “Extreme Ownership”, and on his podcast Jocko Willink talks a lot about the importance of communication amongst human beings who are trying to achieve a goal. My experience is that this is very true. If we can focus and understand the desired outcome of our efforts; we can synthesize our behaviors to achieve them. Distractions come in all forms and we struggle with our individual egos and perceptions as we go through life, but if we can see benefit for ourselves and others we can not just cooperate, but create synergy. The Bible says without a vision the people perish. Maybe the vision is the clarity that we seek in life.

Opinion

Congressional investigations? – YES

It is time for the House of Representatives to get the complete Mueller Report and/or begin holding public hearings on; the election of 2016, Trump business conflicts with high government office, corruption in all departments of the federal government, and impeachment. There are so many valid issues for major investigations that the critical issue is the capacity of the public and the government to comprehend the level and depth of the criminality. We should all hope for a spring that brings cleansing sunlight to our government.