Tag: Words to ponder

Words to ponder

Opinion, Self improvement, Words to ponder

King Holiday words to ponder

Dr. Martin Luther King said that “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” As I look at today’s challenges this quote resonates as loudly as it ever has. We poison our planet with carbon and plastic while a few thousand billionaires have more wealth than over four billion people. In the United States and other countries tribalism is on the rise and threatens to destroy any effort at global collaboration to save, or improve life on our planet. Many Americans say they would rather have a dictator who thinks like they do rather than have a constitutional republic. Fools and foolish thinking is at high tide right now, but we can change that in 2020… it may be our last chance in more ways than one.

Opinion, Words to ponder

Did he, or didn’t he

Lev Parnas has released documents and an interview that show The current president was soliciting assistance from a foreign government for the 2020 US presidential election. Clear criminal behavior on several levels that must be confronted by our leaders on multiple levels including legally. Should the senate fail to take the assault on our elections and Constitution seriously then the republic will be undermined. Send your senators a clear message that you demand a fair and impartial hearing of all the evidence available. There is an application called “5 Calls” that you can use to contact your representatives. Be a citizen and demand the US Constitution be defended and taken seriously by Mitch McConnell and every member of the US Senate.

Opinion, Self improvement

The Big new identity theft

Today we have world leaders and regular citizens who believe that they can speak lies into truth and change people as well as reality. A hard working American diplomat who fights corruption becomes a bad person according to her own president. Everyday citizens routinely trash each other on the internet and behind each other’s backs to change the identities of those they do not agree with, or like. As our civilization deals with existential threats that will require every ounce of science and teamwork we can master it is a horrific time for the worst of human nature to be edified by social media and selfishness. Push for the truth in your life and with your friends. Get your information from more than one source. Act like your life depended on knowing and acting on truth because it does.

Opinion

I am Thankful for

I am thankful for many things that I enjoy every day living in America. I am thankful for my life and the health that gives me the opportunity to make the most of each day. I am thankful for my wife and family who provide me with challenge and support as I journey through my life with their company. I am grateful for the many good people I have known and worked with to make the world a little bit better. I am thankful for all of the great examples I am seeing of people who care about the truth and our American way of life. I am thankful for the hope that we will move toward a society that is focused on solving problems with truth, science, and policies based on the same.

Opinion

Football season is back

Football is a great American pastime that in the past has provided a sense of unity for many people. Football was an example of young men coming together to prepare and fight hard for a cause – in this case winning. This great sport has become just another example of our divided society in the past few years. I am hopeful that the sport will go back to being a fun event for fans to root for their favorite high school, college, or pro team without creating division. Standing out of respect for our great country, or taking a knee to pray for a better day should be acceptable to all citizens as the choice of our fellow countrymen.

Opinion, Words to ponder

Climate Change Report has Hope in it

The recent climate report issued by the UN has reason for hope in it. If humanity can plant 1.3 trillion more trees (enough to fill the space of the United States) the carbon in the atmosphere will be compensated for. This is good news in my mind because if we can quantify what it will take to help heal the planet then we can find a way to do it. Recent reports have been alarming in my mind, but this one stands out because while it says that things are dire; there are reasons for hope. Get together with family and friends and find places to plant some trees!

Opinion, Words to ponder

A major American paper calling the president a rat

Where are we as a country when the president calls a city disgusting and rat infested and the major newspaper of that city calls him a rat? What do young people growing up in this time think of dignity and respect for our institutions? How are we as mature members of this society supposed to explain this reality? The real question is how can anyone who is thoughtful and decent be okay with four more years of this?

Opinion

Record Heat Waves

We have entered a time where every summer (and other seasons as well) is a time of record breaking heat waves in several parts of the world. Scientist are more certain than ever that we are in a window where humanity can take action to stave off the very worst effects of climate change. The democratic candidates are discussing plans to address the issue of climate. The current administration fights with states to reduce environmental protections, and car companies who don’t want fuel efficiency standards lowered. We are in a strange place where the federal government is denying science while every indicator available tells us the emergency declared by science is real. We can all take actions to reduce the impact of climate change, but the most important thing we can do is vote!

Opinion, Words to ponder

Is the Statue of Liberty still a symbol of America?

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” is the first verse at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor. Apparently we are shutting the door to being the shining city on a hill, and becoming the torture garden for any who dare to come here seeking asylum. There are many who say that we have lost our way, and have become a pillar of selfishness on a planet that we have pushed to the limit of being able to support our species. We do little to lead the world in addressing the climate problem we have helped to create, and we allow our country to become the land of the cruel.

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.