Writing can be a chore. As someone who wishes to become better at his craft this is a poor attitude indeed. I believe that it is important to be honest. Deciding what to post is not always easy. I tend to concentrate once a week on my other Dan Kravitz blog. There I have a clear-cut goal of writing objective articles. Here I may write based upon any number of styles and purposes.
There are times I wish to inform the reader. I offer advice or information that hopefully serves some useful purpose. Christine has taught me that people take advice better if it is offered softly. This means that most adults do not like being told what to do. We would rather believe that an idea was ours originally or that we would have thought of it ourselves eventually.
Some of my thoughts seem philosophical in nature. These posts come from some idea that has been bouncing around in the nether-regions of my mind. I see the world through the eyes of an artist. Some might say a poet due to the style of of my musings. This is not my ego talking. There are just some aspects of existence that I ponder and then write about in hopes of developing some level of understanding.
Current events bring out the social-commenter in me. There are some events that occur in which I cannot remain silent. I feel strongly about the subject and hope that I can add something useful to the discussion. Too often the only opinions you hear are so extreme they would be laughable if it were not for the seriousness of the speaker. Divisive issues divide the public but knee-jerk reactions help no one.
Considering everything it is a wonder I write at all. There is so much distraction in my life that I tend to let this blog fall through the cracks. I have to wonder though what the point is after all. What is most useful to most is to read words that are uplifting in nature. We all, from time to time, need to hear kind words that pull back the curtain of sadness. Getting past my own problems makes this task so very difficult.
What I wish to do most is only impossible if I see it as such. I have decided that my whole point in writing, besides honing my craft, will be to offer words that encourage and even offer hope. This will take work. It is not always easy to see the sunny side of life. But doing this will force me to see the positives in my own life despite my personal pain. What I need, what we all need, are positive thoughts that lead to positive outcomes.
I may still comment on day-to-day happenings or post some bits of personal philosophy. No matter what I write about the end result will be that the reader will feel empowered as they see that no situation is hopeless. We may feel that what we experience is new and different but we are far from alone. Much of what humans think and feel can be related to countless others. No one is truly alone in the grand scheme. Sometimes the room just seems too quiet and our own voice may echo back at us. Believe me when I tell you, gentle reader, we are all together in this thing called life.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
To Light The Way
Our path is not always clear. We all go through life trying to attain goals. As we come to so many forks in the road we do our best to make right decisions. The tools at our disposal may be limited. Intellect, instinct and past mistakes all help to guide us to, what we hope will be, the best outcome. Sometimes these things are not enough and we must look toward others to light the way.
Throughout history there have been famous names. These individuals have been recognized for their humanitarian efforts. Although we may be inspired by their stories these are not the people that directly affect us. What they accomplished was on such a grand scale that most of us cannot truly relate. I believe that it is the everyday person that adds value to our lives.
We interact with them everyday. There is the person who hands you something you dropped. On the road we find the good samaritan who will let us into the lane. Others bring even more benefit to our lives. Acquaintances offer us good advice borne from a quick conversation. Even strangers might notice our plight and offer invaluable assistance. My point is that it is the everyman that helps us without us ever realizing it.
I see these human beings as shining lights. They help to illuminate parts of our path as we travel. Some may call them angels but my view is more grounded. There are those whom are special and they are dispersed throughout the world. They are like lanterns whose inner glow helps to stave off the darkness that threatens to engulf us. Bad people make bad things happen. Life has always been, in some basic sense, about the struggles we face daily. This is why I am thankful for these bright spots we encounter when we most need them.
Throughout history there have been famous names. These individuals have been recognized for their humanitarian efforts. Although we may be inspired by their stories these are not the people that directly affect us. What they accomplished was on such a grand scale that most of us cannot truly relate. I believe that it is the everyday person that adds value to our lives.
We interact with them everyday. There is the person who hands you something you dropped. On the road we find the good samaritan who will let us into the lane. Others bring even more benefit to our lives. Acquaintances offer us good advice borne from a quick conversation. Even strangers might notice our plight and offer invaluable assistance. My point is that it is the everyman that helps us without us ever realizing it.
I see these human beings as shining lights. They help to illuminate parts of our path as we travel. Some may call them angels but my view is more grounded. There are those whom are special and they are dispersed throughout the world. They are like lanterns whose inner glow helps to stave off the darkness that threatens to engulf us. Bad people make bad things happen. Life has always been, in some basic sense, about the struggles we face daily. This is why I am thankful for these bright spots we encounter when we most need them.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Choice
We are spoiled for choice. Cable companies offer hundreds of channels. Grocery stores contain thousands of products. Auto makers provide every car for every budget. We may feel that we have little time to choose but many decisions must be made on a daily basis. Recent articles I have read decry the fact that very few conglomerates create the majority of the products available in the retail market. They argue that so much of what could be manufactured is not and that we, the American public, suffer because of it. I think that life is hard enough with all the choices we have already.
I have no doubt that although many brands exist they are ultimately owned by a small handful of global companies. This is the nature of capitalism and I do not see the problem. Survival of the fittest is true whether we are talking about the jungle or the boardroom. And frankly there is not much of a difference between the two. In the long run I cannot see how the consumer is being denied anything. Take any category of retail spending and the options that exist are so many that even warehouse style stores cannot possibly carry them all.
Grocery stores may not have the exact brand you like but for every product there is always variety. Bookstores concentrate on what sells but if you look closely you will see tens of thousands of titles in a myriad of categories. As if the hundreds of channels on television were not enough we can now watch hundreds of shows on demand as well. Music and movies are the same. Whatever you can imagine can be bought or rented from sources as diverse as the Internet or at kiosks at grocery and drug stores. While it is true that our personal preferences may narrow our choices this does not diminish the panoply of all that we can enjoy if we so desired.
We are one of the richest nations in the world. Manufacturers and purveyors of every form of entertainment cater to almost every whim. If there is a buck to be made there is someone somewhere fulfilling that desire. If a niche is already being served there is an entrepreneur somewhere creating a new one. We are not lacking for choice. I still walk into large stores and feel my head spin as I take in the scene before me. We have more than our budgets or schedules will allow. If anything I wish that companies would produce a bit less and simplify the process a bit more.
I have no doubt that although many brands exist they are ultimately owned by a small handful of global companies. This is the nature of capitalism and I do not see the problem. Survival of the fittest is true whether we are talking about the jungle or the boardroom. And frankly there is not much of a difference between the two. In the long run I cannot see how the consumer is being denied anything. Take any category of retail spending and the options that exist are so many that even warehouse style stores cannot possibly carry them all.
Grocery stores may not have the exact brand you like but for every product there is always variety. Bookstores concentrate on what sells but if you look closely you will see tens of thousands of titles in a myriad of categories. As if the hundreds of channels on television were not enough we can now watch hundreds of shows on demand as well. Music and movies are the same. Whatever you can imagine can be bought or rented from sources as diverse as the Internet or at kiosks at grocery and drug stores. While it is true that our personal preferences may narrow our choices this does not diminish the panoply of all that we can enjoy if we so desired.
We are one of the richest nations in the world. Manufacturers and purveyors of every form of entertainment cater to almost every whim. If there is a buck to be made there is someone somewhere fulfilling that desire. If a niche is already being served there is an entrepreneur somewhere creating a new one. We are not lacking for choice. I still walk into large stores and feel my head spin as I take in the scene before me. We have more than our budgets or schedules will allow. If anything I wish that companies would produce a bit less and simplify the process a bit more.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Indian Death
The majority of Indians live in poverty. Many are employed in industries I mentioned in the previous post. There are two areas in particular, farming and waste management, that provide jobs yet involve great sickness and death. When one is poor, and has a family to support, any means of earning money is preferable to starvation. Why worry about tomorrow when today is by no means a sure thing?
Farming is one of the oldest professions. Feeding a family or a village is seen, not only as a noble pursuit, but also as integral to a society. In India, like in almost anywhere else in the world, farming has been taken over by large corporations. Agribusiness, as it is called, is a multi-billion dollar enterprise dominated by just a few corporate behemoths.
Most farmers in India have a small plot of land to cultivate, seed and grow crops. They usually only grow enough to feed their families and sell in local markets. The money earned helps to feed, clothe and send their children to school. As with any crop grown one must start with seed. It is the seed that is at the heart of the problem.
The agronomist knows that the only seed that is guaranteed to grow is that which has been genetically modified to do so. This seed does not come cheap. The subsistence farmer has already taken a loan out just to buy necessary farm implements such as a tractor. The seed, expensive as it is, must be purchased anew each season. Food grown from it will not produce viable seeds that can be replanted. Hence the need for a new supply each year.
As the seeds have been modified so too has the fertilizer. This must be purchased every year from local distributors. This is the method corporations use to ensure steady profits year after year. Their seed, their chemicals, their way. It does not take much to figure out that many poor farmers, caught up in this cycle of greed, are doomed to fail. Too often not enough money is earned to pay for the loan and the bank comes to repossess whatever that loan money paid for in the first place.
An alarming trend has developed because of this all too common scenario. Indian farmers, in their shame and disgrace, have committed suicide en masse. Some have ingested the fertilizer they could scarcely afford. Others have been found by their wives hanging from trees. Tens of thousands have taken their own lives since the 1990s when statistics began to be tabulated.
Some of these farmers grew foodstuffs, some farmed cotton for clothing, while others raised corn for use in mass-production. No matter what the crop was the farmer became caught in a genetically modified trap that they could never escape from. This is but one example of how enormous corporate profits have been made on the backs, and even on the graves, of those least able to fight back.
There is one other method that Indians use to eke out a living that causes death. Their demise does not come swiftly. It is a slow and painful process. It is one that makes suicide seem infinitely more humane. Much of the waste materials that we, the American people create, is hauled by boat to India to be sorted, processed and reused. Our trash ends up in giant heaps that poison the landscape as much as the populace.
Castoff computers are a good example of the types of trash Indians manage. Dismantling takes place in order to procure the trace minerals that can be smelted and resold. The danger lies in the method used. Large fires are set in order to burn off the plastic casings. Poisonous clouds fill the air as mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead are inhaled by the scavengers. It does not take a rocket scientist to imagine all of the painful lingering diseases these workers contract. Whether death comes fast or slow it will inevitably arrive.
This is how poor many of these people are. They are so poor in fact that they must risk their health and well-being just for the chance that our trash might make them a few dollars. This is sad and this is sickening. I do not normally subscribe to the belief that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In this case though this saying seems less than trite.
Admittedly India is not the only country with these problems. There are more than a few nations which see large migrations of poor from the countrysides travel to the inner cities looking for greater opportunities. As these latest posts have shown India is by no means lacking the will to survive. The chances the poor have there to prosper are varied. It is the quality and sustainability of these chances that must begin to improve.
Farming is one of the oldest professions. Feeding a family or a village is seen, not only as a noble pursuit, but also as integral to a society. In India, like in almost anywhere else in the world, farming has been taken over by large corporations. Agribusiness, as it is called, is a multi-billion dollar enterprise dominated by just a few corporate behemoths.
Most farmers in India have a small plot of land to cultivate, seed and grow crops. They usually only grow enough to feed their families and sell in local markets. The money earned helps to feed, clothe and send their children to school. As with any crop grown one must start with seed. It is the seed that is at the heart of the problem.
The agronomist knows that the only seed that is guaranteed to grow is that which has been genetically modified to do so. This seed does not come cheap. The subsistence farmer has already taken a loan out just to buy necessary farm implements such as a tractor. The seed, expensive as it is, must be purchased anew each season. Food grown from it will not produce viable seeds that can be replanted. Hence the need for a new supply each year.
As the seeds have been modified so too has the fertilizer. This must be purchased every year from local distributors. This is the method corporations use to ensure steady profits year after year. Their seed, their chemicals, their way. It does not take much to figure out that many poor farmers, caught up in this cycle of greed, are doomed to fail. Too often not enough money is earned to pay for the loan and the bank comes to repossess whatever that loan money paid for in the first place.
An alarming trend has developed because of this all too common scenario. Indian farmers, in their shame and disgrace, have committed suicide en masse. Some have ingested the fertilizer they could scarcely afford. Others have been found by their wives hanging from trees. Tens of thousands have taken their own lives since the 1990s when statistics began to be tabulated.
Some of these farmers grew foodstuffs, some farmed cotton for clothing, while others raised corn for use in mass-production. No matter what the crop was the farmer became caught in a genetically modified trap that they could never escape from. This is but one example of how enormous corporate profits have been made on the backs, and even on the graves, of those least able to fight back.
There is one other method that Indians use to eke out a living that causes death. Their demise does not come swiftly. It is a slow and painful process. It is one that makes suicide seem infinitely more humane. Much of the waste materials that we, the American people create, is hauled by boat to India to be sorted, processed and reused. Our trash ends up in giant heaps that poison the landscape as much as the populace.
Castoff computers are a good example of the types of trash Indians manage. Dismantling takes place in order to procure the trace minerals that can be smelted and resold. The danger lies in the method used. Large fires are set in order to burn off the plastic casings. Poisonous clouds fill the air as mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead are inhaled by the scavengers. It does not take a rocket scientist to imagine all of the painful lingering diseases these workers contract. Whether death comes fast or slow it will inevitably arrive.
This is how poor many of these people are. They are so poor in fact that they must risk their health and well-being just for the chance that our trash might make them a few dollars. This is sad and this is sickening. I do not normally subscribe to the belief that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In this case though this saying seems less than trite.
Admittedly India is not the only country with these problems. There are more than a few nations which see large migrations of poor from the countrysides travel to the inner cities looking for greater opportunities. As these latest posts have shown India is by no means lacking the will to survive. The chances the poor have there to prosper are varied. It is the quality and sustainability of these chances that must begin to improve.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Indian Labor
Outsourcing has become a dirty word. Since the signing of NAFTA there have been countless American jobs sent elsewhere. This may spell doom for our country or be a natural offshoot of globalization. Either way it is here to stay. The whole issue should not be a surprise as many retail products have been made in Asia for decades. What is interesting to note is the range of jobs that have been outsourced to India.
The first place that this outsourcing affects us is at the dinner table. Much of the farming in India is substantive yet not for the benefit of the local populace. Food grown there, in massive quantities, is for either of two purposes. Crops are cultivated for use as food additives, as in the case of corn, or more often for the formulation of bio-fuels. Farmers growing food for local use is rare as the cost of machinery and supplies is more than most families can afford.
As I mentioned there are many products we use that are made in Indian factories. Any place where the labor is cheap and regulation is lax becomes quite attractive to U.S. manufacturers. It is not just goods but services as well that have traveled overseas. Computer technology professionals are as skilled in India as any other developed country. Much of the computer code that is written for companies, large and small, is created by Indian workers. Let us not forget customer service positions. The calls we make to get help for any number of issues are routinely answered by those employed in overseas call centers.
These jobs that are performed by non-U.S. citizens are really no surprise. Anyone who reads a newspaper should be quite familiar with these realities of global capitalism. There are a few other jobs that have been co-opted by our Indian brethren that you may not be familiar with. It is these that concern me the most. When safety and human rights are trumped by those looking to make a quick buck, or save one, alarms should go off in the minds of thinking individuals.
Surgery, regardless for which body part, is an expensive proposition. Even those whom have insurance may spend more out-of-pocket than they can afford. Hospitals in India are more than happy therefore to offer their professional medical services at rates that severely undercut their American counterparts. In some cases the necessary surgery involves replacement of a failing organ. While waiting lists for donors grows ever longer here there are Indian citizens willing to sell their organs for a nominal fee.
What may shock and appall is the booming surrogacy business in India. Women who willingly sign up offer their bodies as incubators for infertile Americans. Couples here whom cannot conceive via natural methods can travel abroad and have their eggs implanted in willing surrogates who get paid upwards of $15,000 U.S. The women there are quarantined in dorm-like rooms for the full gestational period where they are monitored and kept healthy. They receive no visitors and are not allowed to take even one step outside.
I do not know how to feel about these issues. I understand certain fiscal realities dominate the retail landscape. Goods and services will always be offered by whatever country makes it easy and affordable for the business owner. When we talk about human beings and their bodies I get worried. Medical services do not come cheap no matter where one may reside. Placing a figurative price tag on a human body, be it for parts or for the whole, is demeaning. When we are told to value life in all its forms I do not think we are meant to take it literally.
The first place that this outsourcing affects us is at the dinner table. Much of the farming in India is substantive yet not for the benefit of the local populace. Food grown there, in massive quantities, is for either of two purposes. Crops are cultivated for use as food additives, as in the case of corn, or more often for the formulation of bio-fuels. Farmers growing food for local use is rare as the cost of machinery and supplies is more than most families can afford.
As I mentioned there are many products we use that are made in Indian factories. Any place where the labor is cheap and regulation is lax becomes quite attractive to U.S. manufacturers. It is not just goods but services as well that have traveled overseas. Computer technology professionals are as skilled in India as any other developed country. Much of the computer code that is written for companies, large and small, is created by Indian workers. Let us not forget customer service positions. The calls we make to get help for any number of issues are routinely answered by those employed in overseas call centers.
These jobs that are performed by non-U.S. citizens are really no surprise. Anyone who reads a newspaper should be quite familiar with these realities of global capitalism. There are a few other jobs that have been co-opted by our Indian brethren that you may not be familiar with. It is these that concern me the most. When safety and human rights are trumped by those looking to make a quick buck, or save one, alarms should go off in the minds of thinking individuals.
Surgery, regardless for which body part, is an expensive proposition. Even those whom have insurance may spend more out-of-pocket than they can afford. Hospitals in India are more than happy therefore to offer their professional medical services at rates that severely undercut their American counterparts. In some cases the necessary surgery involves replacement of a failing organ. While waiting lists for donors grows ever longer here there are Indian citizens willing to sell their organs for a nominal fee.
What may shock and appall is the booming surrogacy business in India. Women who willingly sign up offer their bodies as incubators for infertile Americans. Couples here whom cannot conceive via natural methods can travel abroad and have their eggs implanted in willing surrogates who get paid upwards of $15,000 U.S. The women there are quarantined in dorm-like rooms for the full gestational period where they are monitored and kept healthy. They receive no visitors and are not allowed to take even one step outside.
I do not know how to feel about these issues. I understand certain fiscal realities dominate the retail landscape. Goods and services will always be offered by whatever country makes it easy and affordable for the business owner. When we talk about human beings and their bodies I get worried. Medical services do not come cheap no matter where one may reside. Placing a figurative price tag on a human body, be it for parts or for the whole, is demeaning. When we are told to value life in all its forms I do not think we are meant to take it literally.
Friday, May 14, 2010
A Few Random Thoughts
Just a reminder to all: My new blog is called Dan Kravitz and contains objective article length posts that I write on a weekly basis.
Over the years I have worked with individuals whom have bragged about how good they were with children. They would exclaim that they just loved kids. What I inevitably discovered was that their temperament and demeanor was not conducive to winning over children's' trust. Fear is no way to get a child to fall in line. Another thing I discovered was that, despite my lack of experience with children, I have gotten a much better response from them whenever we interact. I have never proclaimed myself to be good with kids and I certainly have none of my own. The lesson I discovered is two-fold. Never patronize a child and always speak to them on their level. This philosophy has rarely failed me in my efforts to connect with anyone underage.
People protest en masse, all over the world, for any type of perceived injustice. Some feel that it is their job to incite violence or to instigate mass looting of innocent business owners' stores. Most peaceful protesters simply stand around with like-minded people and hold up signs with pithy slogans. I have to wonder though how much their efforts help their cause or whether they ever intended change in the first place. The more likely motivation for many of these soap box standers is nothing more than fulfilling their innate need for self-satisfaction. They stand there with smug affects, attitudes of superiority and a goal of nothing more than a display of self-righteousness. Their egos rather than selflessness is what brings so many together in the first place.
I have never tried to hide the fact that I have seen various types of therapists over the years. There have been many so-called "professionals" whose job has been to label my issues and guide me to a workable solution. In reality very few were able to be of any assistance whatsoever. The few that did help me were the ones who took the time to get to know me as a person and deal with me on that basis rather than as a walking diagnosis. Two statements seemed to reoccur with alarming frequency during my various counseling sessions. It was as if all of these people attended the same school of pseudo-psychology.
The first bit of advice offered was that I must get rid of my baggage. They were not referring to my fabulous set of leather luggage made by Samsonite with a retail price of... but I digress. I must have been channeling Bob Barker for a moment. No they were talking about my baggage as in emotional. Some actually used the term baggage, some mentioned luggage while other less articulate individuals simply called it my "shit." No one could see it but they were damn sure I took it everywhere with me. Their solution to this carry-on problem? They had none. But they assured me that if they had a magic wand they would surely wave it over me and make everything alright. Unfortunately for me they just as quickly disabused me of the notion of their therapeutic wand and destroyed the equally imaginary faith I had in their abilities.
Over the years I have worked with individuals whom have bragged about how good they were with children. They would exclaim that they just loved kids. What I inevitably discovered was that their temperament and demeanor was not conducive to winning over children's' trust. Fear is no way to get a child to fall in line. Another thing I discovered was that, despite my lack of experience with children, I have gotten a much better response from them whenever we interact. I have never proclaimed myself to be good with kids and I certainly have none of my own. The lesson I discovered is two-fold. Never patronize a child and always speak to them on their level. This philosophy has rarely failed me in my efforts to connect with anyone underage.
People protest en masse, all over the world, for any type of perceived injustice. Some feel that it is their job to incite violence or to instigate mass looting of innocent business owners' stores. Most peaceful protesters simply stand around with like-minded people and hold up signs with pithy slogans. I have to wonder though how much their efforts help their cause or whether they ever intended change in the first place. The more likely motivation for many of these soap box standers is nothing more than fulfilling their innate need for self-satisfaction. They stand there with smug affects, attitudes of superiority and a goal of nothing more than a display of self-righteousness. Their egos rather than selflessness is what brings so many together in the first place.
I have never tried to hide the fact that I have seen various types of therapists over the years. There have been many so-called "professionals" whose job has been to label my issues and guide me to a workable solution. In reality very few were able to be of any assistance whatsoever. The few that did help me were the ones who took the time to get to know me as a person and deal with me on that basis rather than as a walking diagnosis. Two statements seemed to reoccur with alarming frequency during my various counseling sessions. It was as if all of these people attended the same school of pseudo-psychology.
The first bit of advice offered was that I must get rid of my baggage. They were not referring to my fabulous set of leather luggage made by Samsonite with a retail price of... but I digress. I must have been channeling Bob Barker for a moment. No they were talking about my baggage as in emotional. Some actually used the term baggage, some mentioned luggage while other less articulate individuals simply called it my "shit." No one could see it but they were damn sure I took it everywhere with me. Their solution to this carry-on problem? They had none. But they assured me that if they had a magic wand they would surely wave it over me and make everything alright. Unfortunately for me they just as quickly disabused me of the notion of their therapeutic wand and destroyed the equally imaginary faith I had in their abilities.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Supreme Ignorance
A corporation is not a person. It can neither breathe nor can it vote. Common sense tells me this is so. Apparently though the highest court in the land disagrees. According to a recent vote of 5 to 4 a corporate entity has the right to donate large sums of cash to any and all politicians, no matter what office they hold and regardless if they are incumbents or not. This decision by the majority of the nine wise souls in Washington is based upon nothing more than a blind adherence to their political ideology.
I would like to be more optimistic about the judge's motivations but their decision defies all reason in my book. Let me mention the one and only one reason I can see for corporations to be allowed to act as individuals. It is true, of course, that what politicians do may affect, either positively or negatively, corporate profits. This cannot be sufficient cause for the court's ruling. The overwhelming harm that this decision will cause outweighs the one pro argument I mentioned above.
The whole idea behind voting is that each is no more or less important than any other. One person gets one vote. What could be more fair? Even when individuals donate money to various candidates there is a limit to how much and how often. Realistically one citizen cannot sway an election any more than another. The supreme court has radically changed what was, to quote Fox News, a fair and balanced process. Corporate powers may now dip into ever growing war chests to virtually ensure their choices are either elected to or remain in their respective offices.
This goes against everything the founding fathers held sacred. In no way did they intend that just because a company grew so large and employed so many that they would somehow be entitled to a separate set of rights from their own employees. Capitalism is a fine thing which enables much of the higher quality of life we all enjoy. I do not have a problem with any company's growth no matter how large. What I see as so abhorrent is the idea that a company, made up of people, is somehow ascribed rights as if it were a person.
The truth of the matter is that, even when a corporation spends its money, it is only the few at the top who get to decide how it is allocated. It is not as if each employee gets to have a say in the matter. It is quite possible that the people whom a corporation support politically may be detrimental to the very people that helped to create profit in the first place. This is how it has always been. Those at the top of the ladder care about those underneath insofar as they continue to help to keep them at the top. This may seem cynical but I cannot be sanguine toward the issue of more money equals more power. It is from this that inequality is borne.
I truly believe that the majority decision of the court was nothing more than giving the members of the Republican party what they wanted. Little thought was put into the decision as those who put them on the court were appeased. This is political partisanship at its worst. There has been a feeling by many, with various court decisions as evidence, that most of the court's pronouncements are being divided along party lines. It is true that many landmark cases heard by the highest court have helped to right many of society's wrongs. In this case though they have done the opposite by legalizing and legitimizing a new form of inequality.
I would like to be more optimistic about the judge's motivations but their decision defies all reason in my book. Let me mention the one and only one reason I can see for corporations to be allowed to act as individuals. It is true, of course, that what politicians do may affect, either positively or negatively, corporate profits. This cannot be sufficient cause for the court's ruling. The overwhelming harm that this decision will cause outweighs the one pro argument I mentioned above.
The whole idea behind voting is that each is no more or less important than any other. One person gets one vote. What could be more fair? Even when individuals donate money to various candidates there is a limit to how much and how often. Realistically one citizen cannot sway an election any more than another. The supreme court has radically changed what was, to quote Fox News, a fair and balanced process. Corporate powers may now dip into ever growing war chests to virtually ensure their choices are either elected to or remain in their respective offices.
This goes against everything the founding fathers held sacred. In no way did they intend that just because a company grew so large and employed so many that they would somehow be entitled to a separate set of rights from their own employees. Capitalism is a fine thing which enables much of the higher quality of life we all enjoy. I do not have a problem with any company's growth no matter how large. What I see as so abhorrent is the idea that a company, made up of people, is somehow ascribed rights as if it were a person.
The truth of the matter is that, even when a corporation spends its money, it is only the few at the top who get to decide how it is allocated. It is not as if each employee gets to have a say in the matter. It is quite possible that the people whom a corporation support politically may be detrimental to the very people that helped to create profit in the first place. This is how it has always been. Those at the top of the ladder care about those underneath insofar as they continue to help to keep them at the top. This may seem cynical but I cannot be sanguine toward the issue of more money equals more power. It is from this that inequality is borne.
I truly believe that the majority decision of the court was nothing more than giving the members of the Republican party what they wanted. Little thought was put into the decision as those who put them on the court were appeased. This is political partisanship at its worst. There has been a feeling by many, with various court decisions as evidence, that most of the court's pronouncements are being divided along party lines. It is true that many landmark cases heard by the highest court have helped to right many of society's wrongs. In this case though they have done the opposite by legalizing and legitimizing a new form of inequality.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Faith
I am reading a new book. It is filled with philosophical conundrums. The introduction compares philosophy to religion. The argument is that the former can be justified where the latter cannot. Over the years I have read this assertion in reference to many areas of study. Every group of thinking individuals places their interests above religion. They argue that faith is unscientific and therefore less than worthy of serious consideration.
It is true that religion and faith are intertwined. While many intellectuals disapprove of religion in its many forms, they also by proxy, damn the concept of faith as well. This is patently unfair. No matter what one believes in, no matter the area of science or humanities, faith is part of the equation. Belief in what we espouse is a given or why else would we think it or say it?
Faith is not solely a religious concept. I have faith I will wake up in the morning and that wild elephants will not trample me once I do. I am simply tired of being told that logic and reason are somehow concrete and yet faith is the lifeboat that the simple minded hang on to. No matter what we do or think or say there will always be an element of belief.
Believing in yourself and in your abilities is not a human failing. All of these brilliant minds in various fields should know this. Why is it so dangerous to mix what one can prove with what one cannot? Seeing and believing, no matter how persuasive the argument, requires some amount of faith. This should not be a dirty word.
I am not trying to prop up religion nor defend it from attackers. My assertion is that faith is universal. Are we so cocksure that our ability to think and behave reasonably is infallible? Of course not. What we learn so often changes or is replaced with new information. There are always limits to what we can and do know. The best we can do is take things with a grain of salt and be prepared to change our minds.
It is true that religion and faith are intertwined. While many intellectuals disapprove of religion in its many forms, they also by proxy, damn the concept of faith as well. This is patently unfair. No matter what one believes in, no matter the area of science or humanities, faith is part of the equation. Belief in what we espouse is a given or why else would we think it or say it?
Faith is not solely a religious concept. I have faith I will wake up in the morning and that wild elephants will not trample me once I do. I am simply tired of being told that logic and reason are somehow concrete and yet faith is the lifeboat that the simple minded hang on to. No matter what we do or think or say there will always be an element of belief.
Believing in yourself and in your abilities is not a human failing. All of these brilliant minds in various fields should know this. Why is it so dangerous to mix what one can prove with what one cannot? Seeing and believing, no matter how persuasive the argument, requires some amount of faith. This should not be a dirty word.
I am not trying to prop up religion nor defend it from attackers. My assertion is that faith is universal. Are we so cocksure that our ability to think and behave reasonably is infallible? Of course not. What we learn so often changes or is replaced with new information. There are always limits to what we can and do know. The best we can do is take things with a grain of salt and be prepared to change our minds.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Nature Of Time
The concept of time is subjective. We have inner clocks that affect us physically. Waking before the alarm or feeling jet leg after a plane ride are two examples. Mentally we feel time rather than intellectually track it. When having fun time flies by. Waiting in a dentist's chair seems like an eternity. Various mechanisms measure time in an exacting fashion but our minds handle it in a way that cannot be quantified.
Our past is filled with emotions. We tend to either romanticize that which was pleasurable or mourn that which was painful. Learning lessons comes from past actions. Some of us forget while others replay certain scenes over and over. Defining what qualifies as the past is a difficult proposition. Every second that passes, by its very nature, becomes the past. Where is the line of demarcation between the past and present?
This brings us to the next period. Here and now means different things to different people. This day, this week or this month may be the present depending upon whom you ask. What is current is known as the present be it one day or one decade. An old adage encourages us to live in the moment. I do not think that this is at all possible. The only way to relive an experience is to allow our minds to see it as the past. Maybe the only purpose of present events is to give us experiences to look back upon. This gives humans a sense of meaning and continuity.
The time that goes by during any experience is short yet these memories take on a life of their own. We can see them again and again in our mind's eye. In this way we can relive any interaction to our heart's desire. How we view these mental movies is tempered by experience and knowledge we have acquired since the date of the original. We tend to frame our past experiences in terms of present attitudes, circumstances and emotional states.
The line between the past and present is blurred. We need to be here today yet we still feel from our yesterday. It is natural to learn from the past and wish to make tomorrow better by the choices we make in the present. This planning, this hoping, causes us to look to the unknown which is the future. Try as we might we cannot know what tomorrow will bring. Our best laid plans are often compromised by the uncertainty of future events. It is impossible to account for all possible permutations and results of our own actions let alone the actions of others.
It is little comfort to me that we can measure time, almost control it, in a mechanical fashion. The reality is that I cannot conceive of time before I existed. The meaning of eternity is just as elusive. The closest that any of us can come to fully grasping the truth of our lives in relation to the cosmos is the calendar. A calendar is the one thing that so clearly represents the past, present and future. I only wish that I could wrap my mind around the concept of time as easily. That is probably about as likely as another person wrapping their mind around this post.
Our past is filled with emotions. We tend to either romanticize that which was pleasurable or mourn that which was painful. Learning lessons comes from past actions. Some of us forget while others replay certain scenes over and over. Defining what qualifies as the past is a difficult proposition. Every second that passes, by its very nature, becomes the past. Where is the line of demarcation between the past and present?
This brings us to the next period. Here and now means different things to different people. This day, this week or this month may be the present depending upon whom you ask. What is current is known as the present be it one day or one decade. An old adage encourages us to live in the moment. I do not think that this is at all possible. The only way to relive an experience is to allow our minds to see it as the past. Maybe the only purpose of present events is to give us experiences to look back upon. This gives humans a sense of meaning and continuity.
The time that goes by during any experience is short yet these memories take on a life of their own. We can see them again and again in our mind's eye. In this way we can relive any interaction to our heart's desire. How we view these mental movies is tempered by experience and knowledge we have acquired since the date of the original. We tend to frame our past experiences in terms of present attitudes, circumstances and emotional states.
The line between the past and present is blurred. We need to be here today yet we still feel from our yesterday. It is natural to learn from the past and wish to make tomorrow better by the choices we make in the present. This planning, this hoping, causes us to look to the unknown which is the future. Try as we might we cannot know what tomorrow will bring. Our best laid plans are often compromised by the uncertainty of future events. It is impossible to account for all possible permutations and results of our own actions let alone the actions of others.
It is little comfort to me that we can measure time, almost control it, in a mechanical fashion. The reality is that I cannot conceive of time before I existed. The meaning of eternity is just as elusive. The closest that any of us can come to fully grasping the truth of our lives in relation to the cosmos is the calendar. A calendar is the one thing that so clearly represents the past, present and future. I only wish that I could wrap my mind around the concept of time as easily. That is probably about as likely as another person wrapping their mind around this post.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Why Bad Feels So Good
Good news does not sell. Broadcasting the news brings in viewers. Viewers create advertising dollars. People only watch the news because it is bad. News organizations cater to our basest nature such as our innate desire to look at an accident on the freeway. If we are honest with ourselves we watch the news or read the paper looking for what has gone wrong in the last twenty-four hours. Learning about bad news makes us feel good.
Local news, national news and even talking-head type shows all display the negative. We learn of local deaths, fires and corruption. When larger misery occurs it gains national attention. Various pundits tell us each night about the atrocities committed by the other party. It is as if getting upset excites us. Physically there must be a need, built into our DNA, that requires upsetting emotional input. The dismay, shock and anger we feel brings on some kind of sickening rush of adrenaline.
Of all the publications I have ever seen, and I have read hundreds, I can count the number that have a positive slant on the fingers of one hand. What we read about for the most part are problems. Money is made by publishing and printing all that is wrong with the world. Can you imagine any form of media solely dedicated to all that people do that is right and good? The truthful answer is no.
We learn of all these atrocities, here and abroad, in seconds. Each story is little more than a soundbite. They are thrown at us one after another in a manner that numbs the senses. Surprise, horror, shock, dismay or complete ambivalence are the reactions we offer in return. Anyone who says they are just watching so they do not miss the weather or sports scores is full of shit. We watch because we are entertained.
If we were not receiving pleasure on some level we would simply do something else. This is why there are multiple choices for the viewers. If one station does not offer details graphic enough or details to our liking we change the channel. I will go so far as to suggest that it is our prurient nature that is satisfied when we learn of bad news. I am sure most would argue with my assertion. Yet to them I ask one simple question: If the news is so filled with the vile and evil that is humanity why watch each and every night?
We watch and we read and we discuss because there is a payoff. Any amateur psychologist will tell you that the reason for any behavior is that there is a benefit. We gain something from the act. Liking the act or feeling good or bad is irrelevant. All behavior is linked in some way to a real or perceived benefit. And what sickens me the most is that the benefit for us is pleasure. We gain pleasure from learning about the pain of others.
It matters not whether the pain was caused or felt by a stranger. In reality we seem to get more of a thrill when it is someone we know who has suffered. I am not talking about a family member. Usually when a loved one is hurting we respond in a different manner. I am referring to those with whom we have a passing acquaintance. For those we react the same while adding the trite statement, "It sure is a small world."
What do I suggest as an alternative? How can we fight against our own nature? For many it appears to be impossible. Most are quite happy to be who they are while there are plenty of others willing to feed their need for bad news. It is like we are addicts and the media conglomerates are the dealers. We love our drug. It seems to cost so little. A few bucks a month for cable and a high-definition television are all that is required. We do pay a price though. We pay a heavy price indeed with our very souls.
Local news, national news and even talking-head type shows all display the negative. We learn of local deaths, fires and corruption. When larger misery occurs it gains national attention. Various pundits tell us each night about the atrocities committed by the other party. It is as if getting upset excites us. Physically there must be a need, built into our DNA, that requires upsetting emotional input. The dismay, shock and anger we feel brings on some kind of sickening rush of adrenaline.
Of all the publications I have ever seen, and I have read hundreds, I can count the number that have a positive slant on the fingers of one hand. What we read about for the most part are problems. Money is made by publishing and printing all that is wrong with the world. Can you imagine any form of media solely dedicated to all that people do that is right and good? The truthful answer is no.
We learn of all these atrocities, here and abroad, in seconds. Each story is little more than a soundbite. They are thrown at us one after another in a manner that numbs the senses. Surprise, horror, shock, dismay or complete ambivalence are the reactions we offer in return. Anyone who says they are just watching so they do not miss the weather or sports scores is full of shit. We watch because we are entertained.
If we were not receiving pleasure on some level we would simply do something else. This is why there are multiple choices for the viewers. If one station does not offer details graphic enough or details to our liking we change the channel. I will go so far as to suggest that it is our prurient nature that is satisfied when we learn of bad news. I am sure most would argue with my assertion. Yet to them I ask one simple question: If the news is so filled with the vile and evil that is humanity why watch each and every night?
We watch and we read and we discuss because there is a payoff. Any amateur psychologist will tell you that the reason for any behavior is that there is a benefit. We gain something from the act. Liking the act or feeling good or bad is irrelevant. All behavior is linked in some way to a real or perceived benefit. And what sickens me the most is that the benefit for us is pleasure. We gain pleasure from learning about the pain of others.
It matters not whether the pain was caused or felt by a stranger. In reality we seem to get more of a thrill when it is someone we know who has suffered. I am not talking about a family member. Usually when a loved one is hurting we respond in a different manner. I am referring to those with whom we have a passing acquaintance. For those we react the same while adding the trite statement, "It sure is a small world."
What do I suggest as an alternative? How can we fight against our own nature? For many it appears to be impossible. Most are quite happy to be who they are while there are plenty of others willing to feed their need for bad news. It is like we are addicts and the media conglomerates are the dealers. We love our drug. It seems to cost so little. A few bucks a month for cable and a high-definition television are all that is required. We do pay a price though. We pay a heavy price indeed with our very souls.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Our Only Possession
I am surrounded by books. There are so many I keep them in two separate rooms. It might be the writer in me or the collector that makes me fill my shelves. Books are not the only items I have. Like most anyone I own a variety of goods which have accumulated over the years. It occurs to me though that human beings have only one true thing we can call our own. All that we have and all that we are is the mind.
Every aspect of who we are is locked up in the brain. What we think, feel and reason is determined in that body part we can never display visually. Our memories are shaped, recorded and replayed in our head. If we forget things are they truly lost or are we just unable to retrieve them? This is just one of the many mysteries of the mind.
All that we are and all that we may be is determined mentally before anything else. Our inner selves exist deep within. We can be manipulated physically but it takes much more to influence a person's mind. This is why it is so difficult to get in shape for example. Effort is required to build muscles but it first takes motivation to start. Our inner dialogue is hard enough for us to manage let alone another.
The point I am trying to make is that physical items come and go. They can be bought, sold and destroyed. What is truly lasting is that which resides inwardly. Our personalities, memories and all that we are is that which we store in the brain. We create all meaning in our lives. Whatever possessions matter only do so because we have assigned some level of importance to them.
I think about the afterlife quite a bit. I know that I cannot take my books with me. I look around and I try to understand just what matters. This is the reason for this post. What we see is fleeting. All that I have is all that I am. My intellect, my sense of humor, all that is Dan can never be taken away. I pray that all that makes me who I am will somehow live on beyond when my body ceases to function.
Every aspect of who we are is locked up in the brain. What we think, feel and reason is determined in that body part we can never display visually. Our memories are shaped, recorded and replayed in our head. If we forget things are they truly lost or are we just unable to retrieve them? This is just one of the many mysteries of the mind.
All that we are and all that we may be is determined mentally before anything else. Our inner selves exist deep within. We can be manipulated physically but it takes much more to influence a person's mind. This is why it is so difficult to get in shape for example. Effort is required to build muscles but it first takes motivation to start. Our inner dialogue is hard enough for us to manage let alone another.
The point I am trying to make is that physical items come and go. They can be bought, sold and destroyed. What is truly lasting is that which resides inwardly. Our personalities, memories and all that we are is that which we store in the brain. We create all meaning in our lives. Whatever possessions matter only do so because we have assigned some level of importance to them.
I think about the afterlife quite a bit. I know that I cannot take my books with me. I look around and I try to understand just what matters. This is the reason for this post. What we see is fleeting. All that I have is all that I am. My intellect, my sense of humor, all that is Dan can never be taken away. I pray that all that makes me who I am will somehow live on beyond when my body ceases to function.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Silent Majority
People scare me. Not every person just the unreasonable ones. The recent health care debate has really brought down the nuts from the crazy tree. Opponents have posted the home addresses of democratic politicians on the web. Sarah Palin has a map on her site with target symbols over certain states. Whatever happened to fighting fair? Is a person's home no longer sacred? What really bothers me is the way the media portrays these people as representative of the majority voice. I truly hope that they are not.
It is a given that many on two legs act more like their brethren on four. Television and radio personalities would have no audience were it not for their flock. Rhetoric, euphemisms and sound bytes are used to their advantage. People are rallied under the banner of nonsensical one-liners written on signs and banners. Getting these people to think for themselves is near impossible. Knee-jerk reactions are their stock in trade. Regardless of whichever talking head these people follow their extreme points of view get displayed on the nightly news.
There must be others like myself who realize that multiple valid viewpoints exist. Many of our nation's problems simply cannot be solved with one simple answer nor can every citizen be placated. Compromise is the key. Intelligent people understand that others exist and that their feelings and needs are valid. Too often I hear complaints that come down to one ridiculous idea: If I do not like a thing then it should not exist no matter what anyone else thinks, wants or feels.
Think I am being extreme? Look at any effort by a minority group to change the status quo. I have yet to see one of these groups willing to negotiate. They proclaim their truth and their way as the solution to the evil that only they perceive. Inevitably our political representatives will kowtow to their wishes. Why might this be? It is like the old saying about the squeaky wheel. I liken it more to a room full of babies. It is the one that constantly cries that gets the most attention. I guess I should be thankful therefore that actual babies do not get to vote.
A true majority exists. The reason that these special interest groups get so much attention for their whining is that we, the majority, are too busy with real problems rather than the sleights suffered by our narrow-minded neighbors. The silent majority is comprised of real people with real lives that take precedence over that which appears too far away and not terribly relevant. Certainly we vote when asked and get involved when the issues are tantamount. What we do not is raise our voices when the minority viewpoint does not match our own.
This has always been the biggest complaint. A small but vocal minority rallies for change and when they have succeeded the majority finally notice. We say, "Gee, where did our rights go?" It has been said that those who will not remain vigilant deserve what they get. And to some extent this is true. If we as a nation do not stand up for what we believe in we deserve what we get. I for one am damn tired of what I am getting thanks to the few as opposed to the many. I wish I knew what it will take to awaken the sleeping giant that is the silent majority. I only pray that we awaken before it is too late.
It is a given that many on two legs act more like their brethren on four. Television and radio personalities would have no audience were it not for their flock. Rhetoric, euphemisms and sound bytes are used to their advantage. People are rallied under the banner of nonsensical one-liners written on signs and banners. Getting these people to think for themselves is near impossible. Knee-jerk reactions are their stock in trade. Regardless of whichever talking head these people follow their extreme points of view get displayed on the nightly news.
There must be others like myself who realize that multiple valid viewpoints exist. Many of our nation's problems simply cannot be solved with one simple answer nor can every citizen be placated. Compromise is the key. Intelligent people understand that others exist and that their feelings and needs are valid. Too often I hear complaints that come down to one ridiculous idea: If I do not like a thing then it should not exist no matter what anyone else thinks, wants or feels.
Think I am being extreme? Look at any effort by a minority group to change the status quo. I have yet to see one of these groups willing to negotiate. They proclaim their truth and their way as the solution to the evil that only they perceive. Inevitably our political representatives will kowtow to their wishes. Why might this be? It is like the old saying about the squeaky wheel. I liken it more to a room full of babies. It is the one that constantly cries that gets the most attention. I guess I should be thankful therefore that actual babies do not get to vote.
A true majority exists. The reason that these special interest groups get so much attention for their whining is that we, the majority, are too busy with real problems rather than the sleights suffered by our narrow-minded neighbors. The silent majority is comprised of real people with real lives that take precedence over that which appears too far away and not terribly relevant. Certainly we vote when asked and get involved when the issues are tantamount. What we do not is raise our voices when the minority viewpoint does not match our own.
This has always been the biggest complaint. A small but vocal minority rallies for change and when they have succeeded the majority finally notice. We say, "Gee, where did our rights go?" It has been said that those who will not remain vigilant deserve what they get. And to some extent this is true. If we as a nation do not stand up for what we believe in we deserve what we get. I for one am damn tired of what I am getting thanks to the few as opposed to the many. I wish I knew what it will take to awaken the sleeping giant that is the silent majority. I only pray that we awaken before it is too late.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Random Thoughts
Writing can be a chore. Finding new and interesting subjects is probably easier for professional wordsmiths. My own abilities feel hampered by what is euphemistically called "fibro fog." I feel my mind is not always working at full capacity. My posts may become more sporadic as I try to give myself a break. In the meantime here are a few musings for my readers to chew on.
There is a book review in a magazine I subscribe to that talks about cheating in baseball. Playing any sport where the stakes are so high, as in monetary gain, and cheating becomes commonplace. The author argues that it is an integral part of the game. Just how many must skirt the rules before it no longer matters? It matters not whether it is one or a million. You can dress it up any way you like but any argument on the pro side just comes off as a halfhearted rationalization. We define cheating as wrong so it hardly matters how many do it. A culture may exist that espouses freely murdering its members. No matter that all accept this reality it is still murder no matter how you look at it.
There has been quite a debate as we round the corner of national health care. One side cares for people and little for corporate profits. The other ignores the sick and dying and works only to please their moneyed monolithic masters. (Try saying that three times fast!) It is not true but what other impression would one get while watching the news? I just cannot stand the pejoratives. Every one is either FAR left or RADICAL right. What happened to just left, right, or heaven forbid, centrist thinkers? All I see are "catchy" one-liners written on signs being waved at news cameras. I fear that true perspective is truly dead.
Judges are there to interpret laws or so we are taught. Assuming this is so how do we define what a law is? In every form and in every way people break the rules. Most assume they will get away with it and usually do. Lawyers either twist the law to punish or obfuscate it to relieve. Our laws have been recorded for all to see yet for what purpose? They seem like mere suggestions of what may be true depending upon who, what, when, where, which and how. Our laws are like various hobby price guides. Most prices are just starting points for dealer negotiations. Not every dealer charges the same price, and like lawyers, there are plenty of different dealers to choose from.
As cynical as I may seem there is some validity to what I write. Truth is relative. It is for this reason that there never seems to be one standard for human behavior no matter what the interpersonal dynamic might be. Sports, politics or law. Take your pick or choose any field of human endeavor and what is true one moment for one person cannot be counted to be so for another no matter how similar the circumstances. Chaos theory aside we as humans, as unpredictable and as fickle as we are, create the ever-changing miasma that is existence.
There is a book review in a magazine I subscribe to that talks about cheating in baseball. Playing any sport where the stakes are so high, as in monetary gain, and cheating becomes commonplace. The author argues that it is an integral part of the game. Just how many must skirt the rules before it no longer matters? It matters not whether it is one or a million. You can dress it up any way you like but any argument on the pro side just comes off as a halfhearted rationalization. We define cheating as wrong so it hardly matters how many do it. A culture may exist that espouses freely murdering its members. No matter that all accept this reality it is still murder no matter how you look at it.
There has been quite a debate as we round the corner of national health care. One side cares for people and little for corporate profits. The other ignores the sick and dying and works only to please their moneyed monolithic masters. (Try saying that three times fast!) It is not true but what other impression would one get while watching the news? I just cannot stand the pejoratives. Every one is either FAR left or RADICAL right. What happened to just left, right, or heaven forbid, centrist thinkers? All I see are "catchy" one-liners written on signs being waved at news cameras. I fear that true perspective is truly dead.
Judges are there to interpret laws or so we are taught. Assuming this is so how do we define what a law is? In every form and in every way people break the rules. Most assume they will get away with it and usually do. Lawyers either twist the law to punish or obfuscate it to relieve. Our laws have been recorded for all to see yet for what purpose? They seem like mere suggestions of what may be true depending upon who, what, when, where, which and how. Our laws are like various hobby price guides. Most prices are just starting points for dealer negotiations. Not every dealer charges the same price, and like lawyers, there are plenty of different dealers to choose from.
As cynical as I may seem there is some validity to what I write. Truth is relative. It is for this reason that there never seems to be one standard for human behavior no matter what the interpersonal dynamic might be. Sports, politics or law. Take your pick or choose any field of human endeavor and what is true one moment for one person cannot be counted to be so for another no matter how similar the circumstances. Chaos theory aside we as humans, as unpredictable and as fickle as we are, create the ever-changing miasma that is existence.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Unsung Heroes
I take a few things for granted. Each night my wife will be next to me while I sleep. Reaching another birthday means a few more gray hairs. Every week someone tries to sell me new gutters right from my front porch. These things occur regularly in my life. It is common for me to take people for granted as well. Certain individuals in the service industry meet our needs yet most never give them a second thought.
Eventually every car gets dirty. Many car wash establishments require the driver to get out and hand over the reigns to an employee. As the car goes through the cleaning process it is vacuumed, washed and dried. There are machines that do half the work but people handle the detailed areas manually. Payment is handed over at the end but tipping is optional. It is assumed that the workers will always do a decent job but they deserve to know that their work is appreciated.
Waitstaff are in a similar situation. No matter whether a tip is left by the patron, or how large it is, the government gets a flat percentage in taxes. Good service is by no means guaranteed. If the food is not up to one's standards or arrives late the server gets blamed. The kitchen staff have control over how and when the food is prepared. Waiters do their best to please the diner, the kitchen and management all at the same time. They are human beings after all.
Mailing letters seems passe' in our world of rapid email. Bills and catalogs still arrive each week in our mailboxes. Letter carriers are rarely seen but their delivery six days a week is expected nonetheless. It is a thankless job. Rainy days are no fun for anyone. No matter what the weatherman predicts every mail carrier must make their appointed rounds. When a friend or family member says they sent us something we expect it to arrive. We know just whom we should thank.
As painful as it is to think about emergencies do occur. Our taxes pay for public services that help during these times. Just because someone dials 911 does not guarantee that all will be well. Some of the most difficult careers are that of policeman and fireman. Complaining abounds when we get a ticket but these same people protect us as well. A kind word goes a long way. Even better is voting yes for the next millage proposal to retain these vital services.
There must be others that deserve to be recognized. I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to assuming people in service industries will meet my needs. Paying people for what they provide is just a start. Saying thank you or being kind in some way is just as important as remuneration. A tip is nice. A handshake is better. Just using a person's first name in conversation makes them feel better about themselves. I hope that next time we will remember to look someone directly in their eyes while we wear a smile on our face.
Eventually every car gets dirty. Many car wash establishments require the driver to get out and hand over the reigns to an employee. As the car goes through the cleaning process it is vacuumed, washed and dried. There are machines that do half the work but people handle the detailed areas manually. Payment is handed over at the end but tipping is optional. It is assumed that the workers will always do a decent job but they deserve to know that their work is appreciated.
Waitstaff are in a similar situation. No matter whether a tip is left by the patron, or how large it is, the government gets a flat percentage in taxes. Good service is by no means guaranteed. If the food is not up to one's standards or arrives late the server gets blamed. The kitchen staff have control over how and when the food is prepared. Waiters do their best to please the diner, the kitchen and management all at the same time. They are human beings after all.
Mailing letters seems passe' in our world of rapid email. Bills and catalogs still arrive each week in our mailboxes. Letter carriers are rarely seen but their delivery six days a week is expected nonetheless. It is a thankless job. Rainy days are no fun for anyone. No matter what the weatherman predicts every mail carrier must make their appointed rounds. When a friend or family member says they sent us something we expect it to arrive. We know just whom we should thank.
As painful as it is to think about emergencies do occur. Our taxes pay for public services that help during these times. Just because someone dials 911 does not guarantee that all will be well. Some of the most difficult careers are that of policeman and fireman. Complaining abounds when we get a ticket but these same people protect us as well. A kind word goes a long way. Even better is voting yes for the next millage proposal to retain these vital services.
There must be others that deserve to be recognized. I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to assuming people in service industries will meet my needs. Paying people for what they provide is just a start. Saying thank you or being kind in some way is just as important as remuneration. A tip is nice. A handshake is better. Just using a person's first name in conversation makes them feel better about themselves. I hope that next time we will remember to look someone directly in their eyes while we wear a smile on our face.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
All Fun And Games
I love a good game. Sports are for spectators unless you are the athletic type. Shooting a basketball or throwing a football with friends was something I used to be good at. Otherwise I prefer to watch others who are clearly more talented than the majority of the population. With most games intellectual acuity matters more than physical prowess. As we age we tend to forget how special playing a game can be.
My wife tells me how important it is to de-stress. She recommends exercises that involve the tightening and releasing of each muscle group. I believe that the best way to release stress is to give the mind a different subject to mull over. We do not spend our day working on our stressors but we tend to think about them - a lot! Games give us the opportunity to change gears and starts endorphins flowing.
Many types of games allow people to compete on a level playing-field. It may be outdoors with a team or a board game with a few or even a video game with just one or two. As nice as it is to win these experiences allow us to use our brains in positive ways. Only basic physical dexterity is required and simple luck factors more than anything else. It is all about having fun and this is a word that adults have let slip from their vocabulary.
Sometimes the smallest things bring us joy and happiness. Games of all kinds challenge us in good ways. Sex, drugs and cable television do not completely satisfy. When was the last time you can honestly say you had fun? Without it a balanced life is not within reach. There will always be challenges to our time and mental resources. What better way is there to give our mind the respite it so desperately needs? Even school children look forward to recess each weekday. I hope that adults will begin to realize the benefit it can bring to the quality of their own lives.
My wife tells me how important it is to de-stress. She recommends exercises that involve the tightening and releasing of each muscle group. I believe that the best way to release stress is to give the mind a different subject to mull over. We do not spend our day working on our stressors but we tend to think about them - a lot! Games give us the opportunity to change gears and starts endorphins flowing.
Many types of games allow people to compete on a level playing-field. It may be outdoors with a team or a board game with a few or even a video game with just one or two. As nice as it is to win these experiences allow us to use our brains in positive ways. Only basic physical dexterity is required and simple luck factors more than anything else. It is all about having fun and this is a word that adults have let slip from their vocabulary.
Sometimes the smallest things bring us joy and happiness. Games of all kinds challenge us in good ways. Sex, drugs and cable television do not completely satisfy. When was the last time you can honestly say you had fun? Without it a balanced life is not within reach. There will always be challenges to our time and mental resources. What better way is there to give our mind the respite it so desperately needs? Even school children look forward to recess each weekday. I hope that adults will begin to realize the benefit it can bring to the quality of their own lives.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Relative Cleanliness
I like to keep my home clean. Minimizing clutter is a priority. If I have an item that serves no purpose I either donate it or dispose of it. Dusting is a real pain so that only gets done once in a while. Areas like the kitchen and bathroom get sanitized regularly. When one is away from home cleanliness becomes the responsibility of someone else. Hotel rooms look clean, but below the surface, there lingers all manner of disgust.
My advice comes from what I have experienced. Christine and I have stayed in hotels hundreds of times. What we have witnessed should serve as a warning to others. Housekeeping staff is notoriously overburdened. They have many rooms to clean and little time in which to accomplish their task. Their task is not what you might expect. A room is not cleaned so much as it is made to appear so. Due to this there are things every person should do when they first walk through the door.
The bed is the first place to look. Bed bugs are quite hard to get rid of and are common to find even in expensive hotels. It is best to lift the sheet and mattress cover to get a closer look. Little black dots that jump and move is the best way to tell if your mattress is infested. The next area to examine is the bathroom. There should not be signs of the previous occupant. Floor, sink and shower areas should be stain and hair free.
When the maid comes to clean they will use chemicals of course. The concern is that what they use may not sanitize surfaces which people come into contact. Windex makes glass shine but it hardly makes anything sanitary. Bringing a can of Lysol spray is a good defense against unwanted bugs. I recommend spraying the television's remote control, all doorhandles and any bathroom surfaces. A little bit of prevention helps to keep a person healthy.
Some rooms have glasses for drinking water or for whatever beverage one might have. I learned my lesson the hard way. I assumed these glasses were sanitary until one fateful hotel excursion. I happened to catch the maid cleaning my glasses in the bathroom sink. Why did I think they would use a big dishwasher somewhere in the hotel? In this case she was cleaning them using hand soap and the same rag she used to wipe down surfaces. When I inquired as to her "cleaning method" she explained that this was how she and the rest of the staff washed glasses.
These few tips are meant to inform and educate. I certainly wish someone had told me about this years ago. There are probably more ways to keep yourself safe in a hotel room but unfortunately it is easier to stop a burglar than to stop a bug. There are similar stories of maid service in people's homes. House cleaners are often only concerned with surface appearances. Everyone deserves to get away once in a while. Please remember that wherever you lay your head there have been countless other heads there as well.
My advice comes from what I have experienced. Christine and I have stayed in hotels hundreds of times. What we have witnessed should serve as a warning to others. Housekeeping staff is notoriously overburdened. They have many rooms to clean and little time in which to accomplish their task. Their task is not what you might expect. A room is not cleaned so much as it is made to appear so. Due to this there are things every person should do when they first walk through the door.
The bed is the first place to look. Bed bugs are quite hard to get rid of and are common to find even in expensive hotels. It is best to lift the sheet and mattress cover to get a closer look. Little black dots that jump and move is the best way to tell if your mattress is infested. The next area to examine is the bathroom. There should not be signs of the previous occupant. Floor, sink and shower areas should be stain and hair free.
When the maid comes to clean they will use chemicals of course. The concern is that what they use may not sanitize surfaces which people come into contact. Windex makes glass shine but it hardly makes anything sanitary. Bringing a can of Lysol spray is a good defense against unwanted bugs. I recommend spraying the television's remote control, all doorhandles and any bathroom surfaces. A little bit of prevention helps to keep a person healthy.
Some rooms have glasses for drinking water or for whatever beverage one might have. I learned my lesson the hard way. I assumed these glasses were sanitary until one fateful hotel excursion. I happened to catch the maid cleaning my glasses in the bathroom sink. Why did I think they would use a big dishwasher somewhere in the hotel? In this case she was cleaning them using hand soap and the same rag she used to wipe down surfaces. When I inquired as to her "cleaning method" she explained that this was how she and the rest of the staff washed glasses.
These few tips are meant to inform and educate. I certainly wish someone had told me about this years ago. There are probably more ways to keep yourself safe in a hotel room but unfortunately it is easier to stop a burglar than to stop a bug. There are similar stories of maid service in people's homes. House cleaners are often only concerned with surface appearances. Everyone deserves to get away once in a while. Please remember that wherever you lay your head there have been countless other heads there as well.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
New Blog Started
I now have a new blog at WordPress. My intention for this blog is to write more comprehensive articles, on a weekly basis, in a more objective fashion than posts found here. The new blog is also called Dan Kravitz so please take a look and feel free to contact me with any comments. I will continue here, as I have been, posting two or more times per week.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Our Choices
A whole is made up of various parts. So it is with our lives. Just as we wear many hats, each representing a facet of our personality, our life is also divided. These parts do not exist on an even playing field. Some bring us joy, others strife, while others still are works in progress. I humbly submit a three-part method of clarifying and categorizing one's life. This outline may not work for everyone but I hope that it might act as a starting point for self-reflection.
Our behaviors do not always bring desired results. We want things to get better but it is not always clear how to do so. Banging your head into the wall only causes pain. Only a fool performs the same acts and believes that different results will occur. Acceptance must be the first part of the method. We must face the problem and understand that whatever we have done thus far must be revised. Only once we acknowledge what we dislike can change begin.
Not everything new must be made from whole cloth. In other words, when we break down a part of our lives, we find aspects that can be integrated into our new plan. This brings us to part two which I call compromise. Just like when dealing with others it is better to pick our battles. When it comes to ourselves small changes are often enough. Negotiation is key when changing maladaptive behaviors. Keep what works and combine it with new ideas that may lead to positive change and a positive outlook.
There will always be those things that we can do little about. Some behaviors, like other people, cannot be changed. It takes thought, time and patience to determine what is at fault and how to create a resolution. As painful as it may be we must accept the immovable objects of our lives. Resignation is the third part that saves us from further pain. As I mentioned the sooner we stop beating ourselves up the better. The truth is that some problems have no workable solution.
What I have written may be construed as a philosophical version of the popular serenity prayer. What the prayer mentions in its few lines seems trite when a person is suffering and longs for things to get better. Just as blueprints are used in construction a plan must be used as we daily build, change and remove parts of our inner selves. The greatest barrier to change is perspective. This is why it is so important to look at ourselves honestly and remain flexible. Some things can be made better while others remain as challenges we daily must overcome. Through this process we build character as we traverse the long highway of life.
Our behaviors do not always bring desired results. We want things to get better but it is not always clear how to do so. Banging your head into the wall only causes pain. Only a fool performs the same acts and believes that different results will occur. Acceptance must be the first part of the method. We must face the problem and understand that whatever we have done thus far must be revised. Only once we acknowledge what we dislike can change begin.
Not everything new must be made from whole cloth. In other words, when we break down a part of our lives, we find aspects that can be integrated into our new plan. This brings us to part two which I call compromise. Just like when dealing with others it is better to pick our battles. When it comes to ourselves small changes are often enough. Negotiation is key when changing maladaptive behaviors. Keep what works and combine it with new ideas that may lead to positive change and a positive outlook.
There will always be those things that we can do little about. Some behaviors, like other people, cannot be changed. It takes thought, time and patience to determine what is at fault and how to create a resolution. As painful as it may be we must accept the immovable objects of our lives. Resignation is the third part that saves us from further pain. As I mentioned the sooner we stop beating ourselves up the better. The truth is that some problems have no workable solution.
What I have written may be construed as a philosophical version of the popular serenity prayer. What the prayer mentions in its few lines seems trite when a person is suffering and longs for things to get better. Just as blueprints are used in construction a plan must be used as we daily build, change and remove parts of our inner selves. The greatest barrier to change is perspective. This is why it is so important to look at ourselves honestly and remain flexible. Some things can be made better while others remain as challenges we daily must overcome. Through this process we build character as we traverse the long highway of life.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Home Sweet Home
A notary public just left. My wife and I refinanced our home and the title company was nice enough to send the paperwork here. We signed and initialed and the whole process took less than thirty minutes. We had a thirty-year fixed mortgage before but now our interest rate is two full percentage points lower. Having a house is a great responsibility yet I would not trade it for anything. There is much debate over whether one should rent an apartment or get in debt and buy a house. Not all reasons for buying a home can be quantified.
Christine and I have lived in our home for over three years and plan on staying for many more. The apartment we shared for many years was more than adequate but there is no comparison to our current living situation. Every part of this dwelling is ours. When we walk into our backyard we are the masters of all we survey. Along with ownership is the option to change anything we like. There are costs involved naturally but having our home look and feel however we desire is priceless. The more we change the more connected we feel.
It is so quiet! Rarely is traffic an issue even with a corner lot. The only noises are ones that we expect to hear. The floor creaks and the washer is far from silent but these are the only sounds we deal with. There is no door loudly opening and closing, at all hours of the day and night, by people entering a common area. Weird smells are kept to a minimum. The only threat in the kitchen is from my cooking. Apartment dwellers often complain about loud televisions or stereos. Rude people do not come though my door. I can enjoy my music or workbench with nary a complaint.
These are some of the things that get forgotten when people formulate the equation of home buying versus renting. There are numerous intangible factors which a dollar amount cannot be assigned. Having friends over when you like, more space to live and entertain and enjoying a more peaceful and sedate existence are just a few of the benefits of being the king of your castle. There are still some examples of the tastes of the previous owner but what is not broken gets to stay. Plenty of items were changed or replaced the first few years we occupied this house. What is important is that one feels secure in one's environment.
I wrote this post not just because I am happy about saving big bucks through refinancing. It is also that I believe most people take what they have for granted. After almost four years I still get excited when I think of the largest purchase of my life. I will be in debt for many years to come but I will also own something valuable for even longer. The inherent worth of this property is measured in dollars. The other benefits cannot be labeled with a price tag and are too numerous to mention. Our dream finally came true and I am thankful each and every day for what we share together.
Christine and I have lived in our home for over three years and plan on staying for many more. The apartment we shared for many years was more than adequate but there is no comparison to our current living situation. Every part of this dwelling is ours. When we walk into our backyard we are the masters of all we survey. Along with ownership is the option to change anything we like. There are costs involved naturally but having our home look and feel however we desire is priceless. The more we change the more connected we feel.
It is so quiet! Rarely is traffic an issue even with a corner lot. The only noises are ones that we expect to hear. The floor creaks and the washer is far from silent but these are the only sounds we deal with. There is no door loudly opening and closing, at all hours of the day and night, by people entering a common area. Weird smells are kept to a minimum. The only threat in the kitchen is from my cooking. Apartment dwellers often complain about loud televisions or stereos. Rude people do not come though my door. I can enjoy my music or workbench with nary a complaint.
These are some of the things that get forgotten when people formulate the equation of home buying versus renting. There are numerous intangible factors which a dollar amount cannot be assigned. Having friends over when you like, more space to live and entertain and enjoying a more peaceful and sedate existence are just a few of the benefits of being the king of your castle. There are still some examples of the tastes of the previous owner but what is not broken gets to stay. Plenty of items were changed or replaced the first few years we occupied this house. What is important is that one feels secure in one's environment.
I wrote this post not just because I am happy about saving big bucks through refinancing. It is also that I believe most people take what they have for granted. After almost four years I still get excited when I think of the largest purchase of my life. I will be in debt for many years to come but I will also own something valuable for even longer. The inherent worth of this property is measured in dollars. The other benefits cannot be labeled with a price tag and are too numerous to mention. Our dream finally came true and I am thankful each and every day for what we share together.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Environmentalism For Sale
A recent article in Mother Jones magazine got me thinking. I read about a plan to save trees and forests. Much of our land is already treated as a commodity. In this case though the value would be in saving the trees and land rather than destroying it. The hope is that companies which clear cut to produce their products will fund the saving of forested areas. The businesses would pay money for the rights to print an eco-friendly logo on their product labels. This sounds more like a public relations scheme than a legitimate way to help the Earth.
The first point made in the article acknowledges the formation of a consortium of companies that would gather and formulate the rules. Their first act would be to agree to stop their deleterious ways and make amends, in the form of money, to make up for past sins. A particular dollar amount would then be paid per each acre destroyed before the groups' formation. I doubt any company will be forthright about the exact number they would then be on the hook for.
What I find so silly is the whole "eco-friendly" label concept. Assuming the best-case scenario there would be some areas of our planet saved for future generations. Others would still be co-opted as part of the manufacturing process. The label would signify that some portion of our natural resources have been rescued suggesting that the manufacturer has done its part for our planet. What is ridiculous is that the consumer will never know what land was saved and what was used in the creation of the product they hold in their hands.
The funds paid out for the right to use the eco-label would, in some part, be used to maintain valuable acreage. Developing nations earn as much, if not more, for land rights that would have been sold. Nations must be reimbursed for lost revenue and for the costs of maintenance and upkeep. Assuming that each governing body gets an equal share of corporate funds there is still a flaw in this logic. As land continues to be used in the manufacturing process fewer untouched areas will remain standing. Over time fewer parcels will receive an ever-growing share of money. These areas will end up richer than originally intended and corporations will see less of a reason to keep shelling out for that which is rapidly disappearing.
I have offered a simplistic summary of the program written about in Mother Jones. The details may help to illuminate the process and procedures but my observations were never discussed in the article. There seem to be some obvious questions, some of which I have brought up, that should be asked nevertheless. When companies that base their business model upon the destruction of land offer to help that same land you have to ask why. Paying for the right to label their products differently seems like a smokescreen to me. This is just another example of how corporate funds can make up for any evil they commit.
The first point made in the article acknowledges the formation of a consortium of companies that would gather and formulate the rules. Their first act would be to agree to stop their deleterious ways and make amends, in the form of money, to make up for past sins. A particular dollar amount would then be paid per each acre destroyed before the groups' formation. I doubt any company will be forthright about the exact number they would then be on the hook for.
What I find so silly is the whole "eco-friendly" label concept. Assuming the best-case scenario there would be some areas of our planet saved for future generations. Others would still be co-opted as part of the manufacturing process. The label would signify that some portion of our natural resources have been rescued suggesting that the manufacturer has done its part for our planet. What is ridiculous is that the consumer will never know what land was saved and what was used in the creation of the product they hold in their hands.
The funds paid out for the right to use the eco-label would, in some part, be used to maintain valuable acreage. Developing nations earn as much, if not more, for land rights that would have been sold. Nations must be reimbursed for lost revenue and for the costs of maintenance and upkeep. Assuming that each governing body gets an equal share of corporate funds there is still a flaw in this logic. As land continues to be used in the manufacturing process fewer untouched areas will remain standing. Over time fewer parcels will receive an ever-growing share of money. These areas will end up richer than originally intended and corporations will see less of a reason to keep shelling out for that which is rapidly disappearing.
I have offered a simplistic summary of the program written about in Mother Jones. The details may help to illuminate the process and procedures but my observations were never discussed in the article. There seem to be some obvious questions, some of which I have brought up, that should be asked nevertheless. When companies that base their business model upon the destruction of land offer to help that same land you have to ask why. Paying for the right to label their products differently seems like a smokescreen to me. This is just another example of how corporate funds can make up for any evil they commit.
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