From Russia, with Love?

In the news lately we've been hearing that Russian hacking intentionally targeted Hillary Clinton and the DNC, with the intent of putting Trump in the Presidency.

Well, if so, I surely hope Russia is happy, because it worked.

I have to say, I'm impressed.  I've been to Russia and, although I loved the people and had a great time, I'd give the infrastructure a C at best.  Lots of potholes and grand old buildings with painted over cracks.  That a country struggling to keep up appearances was able to find the time, talent, and resources to hack-attack is amazing, but perhaps also an indication of warped priorities.

I must say I'm also sad. Russia is a magnificent country peopled by big-hearted folks with steely resolve. They make for excellent allies but can be relentless enemies.  I'd much prefer the former, and so would most Russians, if you asked.  So this alleged hacking is depressing because it widens the divide between our peoples rather than bridging it.

Now, I'd like to speak directly to any Russian's reading this (highly unlikely, but hey, maybe):

My Russian Friends, I know you like or at least admire us.  This in despite the fact we've saddled you with our fast-food culture and cheesiest of chain restaurants. You should know that most of us like you too.  We admire how the Kremlin looks, and envy the vast open spaces that are even vaster and more open than our vast open spaces.  We kind of like the idea of 'Siberia' too - its become an integral part of our cultural idiom.  And lets not forget you have had two very impressive meteor hits since 1900 to our zero (noticeable) hits.  Very scary-cool.

So my Friends, I am told that you really, really hated Hillary and worked very, very hard to help Trump be our next President.  I am sure you had what you thought were good reasons for doing this, but I'm here to give you a solemn warning.  Watch Out For The Donald.  One minute he'll be telling you what a terrific, terrific people you are the next he'll be tweeting something nasty about you at 3am.  Remember that you've just helped him assume the single most powerful position in the World, and please don't make the mistake in believing our democratic institutions will limit his actions.  You will soon be learning as many Americans are doing just now, that these institutions are largely 'gentleman's agreements' and aren't really enforceable. Even a little.

Your Friend Donald may turn on you when the moment suits him.  I hope you have an answer if that happens.  Maybe if you still have those hacks into the RNC and the Trump campaign we've heard rumor of and that you haven't released, you could use those as leverage to get Trump doing what you want. Maybe.

In any case Russia, if you intention really was to have Trump to deal with rather than Clinton, you got what you wanted.  And now that you have I'd ask you show us Americans a little pity, and yes, maybe even a little love.

Спасибо (Spasibo)!

Mars Time

Reflecting on both a recent National Geographic article on Mars Exploration, and the Ron Howard docudrama series, 'Mars' ...

Mars, so what's the attraction?

It's nothing like Bradbury's 'Martian Chronicles'
It's nothing like 'Jon Carter' (and let's be thankful for that)

The place is a dump, astronomically-speaking, or at least a run down ghost town, so what's makes this little planet so appealing that otherwise reasonable people would be willing to risk their lives to go there?

Seriously - go look at parts of New Mexico.  That's a lot like Mars, except you can breath, won't usually freeze to death, and won't be mutated by radiation (well, if you avoid the old nuclear testing bits).

But exploring New Mexico is not as exciting (no offense New Mexico, I love you).

Exploring Mars IS exciting, and I think mainly because you can't breath, will likely freeze to death and be blasted by cosmic rays (but you won't get cool superpowers out of it).

So, there will be plenty of thrill-seeking types looking for the kind of excitement that Mother Earth just doesn't pack anymore, and willing to go to Mars.  But what about the scientists and engineers who will need to spend their life's work focusing on the place and how to get there (and maybe back)?  What's in it for them?

Well, let's face it, as local space destinations go, Mars is the most appealing.  It's bigger  and farther away than the Moon and therefore automatically cooler. It also comes with a kind of atmosphere.  A thin and deadly one, yes, but an atmosphere.  And let's not forget there is always the possibility of finding recognizable life buried there somewhere.  So though the place may look like New Mexico, it's definitely cooler to planetary scientists and exobiologists.

But what does all this mean to average you and me?  All but a very few of us living today will never set foot on Mars - or work directly to get people there.  The rest of us will be cheering the lucky ones on and paying for it.

Ah yes, paying for it. Will we see any benefit from all this activity which will ultimately cost trillions?

Er ... no, not right away, anyway. There may be some cool inventions that spin off from this effort that improve (or complicate, you know tech) our lives, but nothing big and nothing soon.

But, hey, the history of humanity - or at least the history of that part of humanity that has always embraced reason, science, and technology, claims a clear path forward.  We have to go somewhere or we will go nowhere, and Mars seems like the best alternative right now to stagnation.

So, here's the bottom line:  Don't support going to Mars because we will see benefits in our lifetimes.  Support it because this country (and the World) needs to believe in something bigger than itself.  Something that transcends all the usual human desires, resentments, and resulting strife.

Mars, it's time to go!

Idiocracy or Madness?

... have we become idiots or just gone entirely mad?

The faithful few readers of this blog may remember this post from 2011: http://waynetpov.blogspot.com/2011/11/idiots-united.html, in which I reference the movie 'Idiocracy'.  The fear of my long-ago post was also that contained in the very recent LA Times story on the subject, which is that social media has amplified stupidity to an alarming level and given voice to cretins who would otherwise be powerless and ignored.

But I am beginning to think this is looking at the situation incorrectly.  I am starting to believe that some form of mass psychosis, maybe even madness, is sweeping the land.  I say this because I know many people who are most definitely not idiots who nevertheless voted for Mr. Donald Trump (all hail his excellency!)

What makes an intelligent person vote for not only the least qualified candidate ever to run for our top office, but also the most openly morally bankrupt in a generation?  How can they cast their ballots for someone who has KKK backing, support from Russia, and who proposes to install Sarah Palin in a government office (Secretary of the Interior), give high power to both Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich, and who thinks it would be wise to deport 11 million immigrants (and ignore the inhumane effects).  Let's not also forget they would have to ignore his disgusting attitude towards women and his advocacy for torture as a 'useful' tool.

But somehow these intelligent people either ignored all those awful aspects of Trump, or dismissed them as something our system wouldn't permit him to actually do, or (gulp) embraced those horrid ideologies themselves.  Somehow, someway, these intelligent people made the most illogical, damaging choice they have ever made.  These smart people added their voices to those of the truly idiotic crazy-core of Trump supporters and gave him the reigns of the most powerful office and the most powerful military in the World.

I believe something akin to temporary (I hope) insanity gripped these intelligent people, leading them to a form of blindness to the truth. I hope they will snap out of it as the reality of what they've done begins to take shape.  I hope when this happens they will use their intelligence to resist the worst impulses of the person they've put in office, to the best of their abilities.  I hope they will join with the slightly more than half of the Nation that did not vote for Trump and will fight to keep our personal freedoms (and not just our right to carry guns into a Del Taco). 

Most of all I hope this return to sanity happens very soon, so we can all work together to ensure that Obamacare isn't repealed until a workable replacement is enacted. That we can figure out a humane compromise on immigration, and that women won't be left with no options but to seek back-alley abortions.

Crunch Time

or, after all the spewed vitriol, it's time to vote (or shut up)

I can't remember when I've wanted a day to come and pass as much as I want Nov 8 to get here and then get gone. After all, the longer this mess lasts the more friends I am likely to lose - or at least majorly alienate.

It's not that I try to irritate people, it's just that I can't effectively hide my shock that sentient beings I call friends (and relatives) would actually vote for a candidate with exactly zero bonafides that befit him for the office of President.  I mean, forgetting his 'ideas' (which are abysmal) what is there that recommends him over, say, a department store mannequin?  That dummy has the advantage over the other dummy in that it can't talk (and send terror through our allies while doing so).

I can't bear to list the Republican candidate's bad plans or the times where he or his minions have fanned the flames of hated and promoted the idea of violence against his opponent.  To list them is to relive them in painful clarity.

No, all I'll do here is to urge everyone to get up off their chairs and vote this Tuesday.  Don't let anything short of medical emergencies or major natural disasters (like that Great Meteor some are praying for) deter you from exercising your constitutional right (and DUTY) to cast your ballot.  This holds true even if you are deeply conflicted about the choice for President and intend to write in Mickey Mouse or Tom Hanks.  There are lots of other offices and initiatives that need your attention - at least go for those.

OK, that's It!  Off you go - review your choices, mark your sample ballot, and plan to be at the polls in time to get 'er done on Tuesday.  Good Luck to Us All ...

Lemmings 2016

Or what lessons might we learn from a small Scandinavian rodent ...

A popular (though somewhat scary) image from my childhood school learnings was that of thousands of small rodents called Lemmings pouring over a cliff to their deaths, each blindly following the Lemmings in front of them, who were in turn following the ones in front of them until we get to the first jumper(s) and have to wonder what the heck they were thinking and did they know the impact of their verticalistic impulses on their fellow Lemmings.

Never mind that the suicidal aspect of the Great Lemming Jumps has been discredited, it is still an apt metaphor for some (or a lot) of the political insanity that's been playing out in the news and social media.

If there a better way to explain the steadfast support that many are showing for a certain republican candidate for President, no matter how many warnings they receive that he may be about to lead them off a cliff?  It seems these supporters are following the lead of those further up towards the front, in the form of some conservative 'news' pundits or faded political stars trying to stave off the end of their careers, who all seem to be clinging to a desperate belief their candidate can somehow jump off the cliff but fly, not fall, and they (if not the rest of the Lemmings behind) will grow wings and fly with him.

If that is what the pack-in-back thinks, gravity of a political sort may soon give them a painfully demoralizing lesson.

Let's imagine a reality in which the Lemmings and their human political analogs watched their Leader(s) teetering on the brink, noted the height of the fall and the distinct lack of wings, and turned and walked away, muttering something about idiots.

Great Expectations 2016

... "you can't always get what you want ... but if you try sometimes, you get what you need"

What do we need?  

How's this:

To be safer from violence (from other humans) - fewer battles and terrorist acts would be a start; innocent people not having to fear their own police would be even better; adding being treated more equally and with greater fairness despite your religion, ethnicity, gender, or social status would bolster this basic need

To have enough healthy food and drink - nobody should have to subsist on cheap fast food

To have a stable place to live - everyone should have a home they can reasonably count on being available to them; one they own, rent, or share with others, but something reliably there

To have effective basic medical care - nobody should die or be incapacitated for lack of medical care; and nobody should have to face bankruptcy to pay for mandatory treatment

To have an education- everyone should have access to the education and training needed to function in the world; this shouldn't bankrupt or burden anyone with unmanageable debt

To have gainful employment - everyone should have the opportunity for jobs that will pay a wage capable of providing the basics of life

To have the potential for social and economic upward mobility - everyone should be able to improve their condition, whether through hard work, education, or just luck; whatever the means and how difficult the task it must be possible or else we deprive our society of hope; being "able to pursue happiness" or more simply have 'freedom of choice', is an important addition to this (even if not strictly basic by definition)

These seven are what I think are basic human needs. You might be able to add more.

The Dark Mirror

... or what do you see when you stare into the internet abyss?

Sometime in my distant youth an unknowable combination of genetics, upbringing and experience conspired to turn me into what I am today,  that most hapless of internet inhabitants, the 'Voice of Reason'.

To me, everything boils down to logic and fairness. You don't lash out at someone or something unless there's a supportable, logical reason, and the lashing on balance is fairly dealt.  Better still don't lash out at all.  Fairness is the Be All and End All, and logic its guide.

This attitude put me at risk in my high school and long-haired college days during 'discussions' with local constabulary.  I can say in retrospect only my absolutely obvious innocence saved me from my righteous (but logical) indignation landing me in the clink on more than one occasion.  Does Right Make Might? No, not in the real world, Dorothy!

This attitude, though tempered with age and experience, still today makes me an outcast, weirdo, and sometimes unwelcome commentator to my 'friends' Facebook rants.  

I too often interject with what I see as a reasoned appeal to calm and careful appraisal. Logic and fairness the goal. You'd be amazed (or maybe not) on how this goes down.  

And something even nastier happens from time to time.  Just as I sometimes reveal myself on the internet to be a lame-ass 'Dudley-Do-Right' know-it-all, some other of my 'friends' who are totally nice people to meet and interact with in person, reveal themselves as ideologues only slightly to the right of Genghis Khan's right-hand man, or slightly to the left of Karl Marx's dentist.  And being me I have a hard time deciding whether I should hate these people that I normally 'like' just because they are odious baboons on Facebook or Twitter. It's a logical dilemma on what constitutes fair appraisal.

Its been a difficult lesson and I am still trying to learn it fully.  Its a lesson on what the internet really is (or at least what certain social portals within it are). 

What we post on the internet is frequently our unfiltered, unedited, innermost thoughts.  Some of us spew out amazingly toxic vitriol which we'd never say to someone face to face.  We don't want discussion or gainsaying or an appeal to logic and fairness. We want to vent and we want the world of our 'friends' to support or stay silent.  

Perhaps its cleansing internet therapy, but it shows the World, or at least our circle of 'friends' exactly how dark our dark sides can be.  

Passionate Politics

 There's no doubt that political speeches can be boring.  The more the speaker brings in actual facts, plans, and specific pronouncements, the more boring it can get.  This leads to a quick channel switch to the latest episode of River Monsters (or similar less painfully-real 'reality' escape).

Now, give us passionate sound bites, over-the-top promises, and unproven but so, so nastily enjoyable dirt on opponents, and we lap it up.  Hey, we'd say, its almost as good as the latest Mountain Monsters episode, where someone may have actually smelled a Sasquatch (!)

Personally, I like a little passion in political stump speeches.  I understand facts and wouldn't mind hearing modestly-detailed plans, but I don't need a scholarly lecture by a candidate taking up my precious viewing time.  On the flip side, I want passion but not so much to the deficit of intelligence that afterwards I come away with no clear idea as to why I am suddenly feeling scared, or angry at [insert name of group or individual].  I have enough vague unease and unspecified, poorly-directed irritations already, thank you.

So, somewhere between Cosmos and the Sharknado series lies the factual sweet spot for political speeches to hit.  I'd say so far we've been dodging a lot of bull (sharks)...

Across The Great (Political) Divide

 ... or, seeing the same light through differently-colored glasses


I am a firm believer in two theories that are currently popular in progressive politics:

Donald Trump is the least qualified candidate for President in the history of the USA

Hillary Clinton represents little or no change in the status quo

I believe both of these things, but I believe in one more than the other, which is where I come into conflict with many of my very progressive Sandersonian friends.

The theory I believe most in and actually believe is demonstrable fact is the sheer inappropriateness of Mr Trump for any national political office, most importantly President.  And this is where I veer sharply away from my conservative borderline libertarian but staunchly republican friends. However, it make me political brothers-in-arms with the 'traditional Republicans' who hate and fear Trump, as much or more than Democrats.

And this experience, my fellow captives in this political theater we are calling Presidential Election 2016, is a reflection of the political divide that has encompassed our nation this quadrennial season. It is proof like nothing else that we can appear - actually be -  the same in almost every way and yet look at the same information and come away with distinctly different conclusions.

I believe another thing; that the cause of this inability to reach the same conclusions based on the same information is we are not getting the information the same way. It is being 'filtered' for us by media and by influential people we believe are trustworthy (or at least interesting). By the time we hear the important things we need to know to make a good decision, those things have been added to, colorized, and pre-digested for us.  We are given slanted information to support the position of those who gave it to us.

If you need a blatant example, it's this:  the statement that America is in dire straights and in need of making 'Great Again', both economically and militarily.  And the counter to this statement that America is already Great, has always been, and will always be (as long as reasonable non-Trump people run the show).  Both can't be true, seemingly; however,  I think each of these views are wrong as presented yet both contain elements of truth.

America - overall - is currently the 'best' nation to be a citizen of and/or a resident of in the world. People flock here (or try to) from all over the planet, and once they are here often want to stay. But it is true that while our economy has recovered under a democratic presidency better than most nations from the meltdown of 2007 (which happened at the end of 8 years of republican administration I must add), we have not protected the middle class American dream in that recovery.  I believe some of those who support Trump believe that is what making American Great Again means.

The United States of America is also the most powerful nation on earth militarily. Our current annual military spending far outstrips any other singe nation by huge margins.  Our global capacity to strike is daunting to any would-be foe.  This ability has not appreciably decreased during President Obama's administration and is likely to increase under a Clinton administration (much to the dismay of progressives).  Yet, Trump's claim that America has been weakened under Obama is believable to conservatives when viewed in a certain Fox-news, slightly-twisted way.  Our current President has attempted to work with other western nations and NATO, instead of going mostly our own way as George W. Bush did in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Obama has attempted to avoid direct introduction of US troops wherever possible and avoid US entanglement in fights we don't understand.  This policy is long-term, complicated, nuanced, and hard to understand.  Positive results are largely unnoticed because nothing newsworthy happens while negative results make the headlines, presenting the view the policy isn't working and that America is helpless (or incompetent). I think this is what many of those who support Trump believe when they say 'Make America Great Again'.

Our mutual divide is based on our individual and collective backgrounds and experiences, but differences based on these are nowhere near as great as when they are magnified through our choice of trusted media and thought-leaders.  If you wish to believe that Obama is Satan and Clinton a Crook, then you will have plenty of media voices to support and encourage you in that belief.  If you believe Obama was too moderate and a traitor to the progressive cause, and that Clinton will be even more of the same, you have shrill voices to support you there too.  If you believe that Trump is unqualified and perhaps even an insane Hitleresque demagogue, you have ample backing from thought leaders (both democrat AND republican).

We are more alike that we are different.  We all want to see our country endure and prosper; we wish for health and happiness for our families and friends, and we aspire to enjoying our lives in freedom.  All of us are striving for these same things, but we have been told (and are being reminded everyday) that somehow our political opponents threaten our achieving these things.  We have been separated by an artificial yet impactful Great Divide of opinion.  Let's try our best not to live by that Divide; let's instead look for common ground based on real life concerns and necessities and not political theories and dogma.

I also have to add (because I believe it so strongly):  Let's agree that we shouldn't hire someone who is totally unqualified for the nation's top job.  Whether you are a fundamental conservative or socialist/progressive, or sit somewhere in the great in-between, let's agree on at least that.

Congress and the Two-Thirds Rule (of Thumb)

... or, a political commentary based on the cliche of too many cooks in the kitchen ...

I have a strong suspicion bordering on certainty that 2/3 of all bills submitted to Congress are - whatever their intellectual merits, totally irrelevant to the future well-being of the country and would not be missed in the slightest if they died a quiet death in committee.

Why so many useless bills get generated I don't know for sure. I can speculate that its due in part to a 'publish or perish' pressure not unlike that found in academia, but there must certainly be more to it. Maybe its just representatives trying to represent too many, too-specific interests; or maybe these are pieced together by lobbyists.

Whatever the underlying reason for the avalanche of crap bills, there is a good side to the situation.  The slow-down, hold-up, blockade, filibuster, or whatever you want to call it the Republicans are doing to gridlock Congress isn't harming us at all by keeping most bills from a vote.

The downside, however, is that the 1/3 of all bills that are important - maybe even essential, to the well-being of our society get blocked up too.  I wonder if the Republican gridlock would be so successful if every bill submitted  were as important as that 33 percent.

So, to all you Congressional 'cooks' out there, please most of you, stay out of the kitchen.  Write less, read and listen more, and make every roll call and vote.  Support what's important, don't waste time on the rest.

Brexiterrible, explained with the help of British Comedy

Its too bad the members of Monty Python have either left this world or have semi-retired to an innocuous nostalgia,  since who else than they would be more capable of enlightening us on the Brexit nonsense?  We can only try our best to carry on in their absence, with a little help from the past ...

Its tempting to think the forces behind the recent vote to leave the European Union were led by Upper Class Twits of The Year.  But I expect a large number of 'Gumbys' were also involved.  Probably a smattering of Village Idiots too.

Certainly a powerful force of blind ignorance to the benefits of EU membership was involved. Even blind to the realities of Britain's own contributions to the Union.

Of course all of the arguments in favor of Leave ultimately were targeted at people's fears and baser motivations. (warning - inappropriate language)

Whatever the actual reasons behind the slim majority vote to Leave, the aftermath is already looking horrific, per HBO's in-house UK expert John Oliver (warning - adult language, and OK, this is not really 'British' comedy, but its close)

Ok, I know that to many of you this is not a laughing matter.  But to paraphrase an old saying, you sometimes have to laugh to keep from crying.

Good Luck to all my British friends, by far the majority of whom voted to Remain. I know the long tradition of British humor in the face of adversity will help get you through.  (Try to create some new material to help us in November, just in case ...)

Make It Stop!

In the aftermath of Orlando, this is what millions of people in America are thinking ...

I am thinking it too.

In my decades on this planet the same issue with gun violence and how to solve it has come up again and again.  We have yet to solve it, and millions of people are beginning to despair of ever solving it.

I have hoped for a long time that cool heads would work out reasonable legislation that would balance our 2nd amendment rights against the needs of citizens in a civilized society to be protected from gun violence.  It hasn't happened.  At times it appeared to be happening, but that was a temporary illusion.

For the record, I support the right of law-abiding, mentally stable citizens over 18 to own guns for self-protection and for hunting.  I also firmly believe that gun ownership carries with it an awesome responsibility to maintain gun safety and security, and to ensure this happens I support licensing and registration of guns, just as we do for cars.

Many will disagree with my last statement, and that's OK, as long as we talk about the problem and seek a working solution.  I don't think unregulated gun sales and unlimited carry laws do anything to solve the problem, but you may think differently.  I think very few of the mass shootings would have gone differently if many in the crowds were 'packing heat', but some of you may think they would have.  I believe that unlimited gun availability leads to many more impulse killings than would otherwise occur, but you might think those impulses might have been as easily satisfied with a knife or a bat.

I may think you are misguided and you might think that of me.

But none of that matters as much as speaking about solutions rather than continually arguing the problem.  If both sides continue to block each other to the point of nothing happening, there WILL be an increasing call for total gun ban and a change to the 2nd amendment.

There will, because people just want someone to Make It Stop, and so far nobody has.

Bernie Sanders, please don't be Ralph Nader 2016

Holy Hanging Chads, I am terrified!

I heard on the news that Bernie Sanders supporters are urging him to run as a Green Party candidate if he doesn't (and it appears he won't) get the Democratic Party's nomination.

This is terrible news if he decides to go along with the idea.  Unless the Republicans also spin off an independent campaign, this could let Trump (gasp!) win the election and become our next (and maybe last) freely-elected President.

The unthinkable will become reality.

Ralph Nader, with nothing but good intentions and essentially correct ideas managed to aid and abet the debacle that was Bush Junior's administration through stubborn refusal to see the clear and present danger of his times.

Please Bernie (and your supporters), please don't fail to see it this time.  Please put love of your fellow countrymen ahead of ideology, at least this time around.

Real Reality

Let me confess up front ... I like the Daily Show, Late Night With Colbert, John Oliver, and just about any show that let's me take in and then laugh off the craziness that is Our World.

Laughter is the best medicine, right?

It does our minds and hearts good to listen to expert satirists convert our anxieties over Russia's Throw-back Thursday Soviet-style military provocations into smirks and grins. A good joke about Trump's resemblance to Mussolini can ease our fears of his resemblance to Mussolini.

You get the concept.  After a tense day of news, we get to view it comically and feel unburdened.

We all get it, and we enjoy it.  Heck, at times I think I really NEED it.

So it may come as a surprise when I claim that all of this laughter is doing us a disservice.  In fact, it may be leading us unwittingly into a very dark era.

My premise is that we've reached a place in the history of our nation and of the world where diffusing our anxiety, fear, frustration, and anger with comedy may be keeping us from getting done what must be done.  It might be that satirical relief has become our collective opiate to the pain we feel when we learn what our leaders are doing (or not doing), and the consequences of their (in)action.

So let's ease up a little on our self-medicating with TV for a while - at least until this election cycle is over, and vow to wallow a bit in the harsh news fed to us.  Let's use the energy of our anxiety to ensure we learn as much as we can about the issues and vote well in the local primaries and in the National Election this November.  We owe it to ourselves NOT to sleep-walk through this in an ironic haze.

Timing is ...

either a miracle or a bitch ...

Barely a month ago,  I was on a business trip that took me for three days to Brussels.  I stayed at the airport Sheraton and had morning coffee in a cafe in the check-in area of the airport.  My stay was pleasant and uneventful.  Just last Tuesday some crazed jihadists turned that same place into a war zone, with death and destruction blighting the same spaces I occupied just a while before.

And the calls can be even closer ...

I took my family to London in 2005 during Wimbledon Week.  We toured the city using the underground, mixing with commuters and other tourists alike, and had a great time.  Four days after we left, terrorists bombed the same trains we had ridden.

And closer ...

My cousin once worked in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.  He was late to work on September 11, having worked late the night before. He stepped out of the subway just in time to see his building hit.

Less than a year ago I was riding my favorite mountain road on my favorite motorcycle when I tipped into one of my favorite right-hand curves ... and there was a car pulling across my lane and towards me from the shoulder. I swerved and he braked enough that nothing touched, I lived, and he wasn't burdened with the guilt of being a homicidal dumb-ass.  Just a few tenths of a second slower on my part, or quicker on his, and the situation would have been much different.

And some calls sadly aren't missed ...

On 9/11, a work colleague of mine boarded a plane from Washington DC to head home to Los Angeles.  She had been asked to delay her flight to continue business discussions, but she was determined to get home to be with her 5-year old son. Her flight and her life ended at the Pentagon.

In 2008, a well-known and well-loved fellow motorcyclist was rounding one of his favorite bends when a car full of young kids searching for a campsite pulled out from a spot hidden by trees and right across his lane. The choices of timing that led him to be where he was and those kids to do what they did within the same moment, took him from this life.

Sometimes timing is in our hands; usually not ...

In the moments just described, there was some choice in the timing of events and that choice was either fortunate or fatal. But most often outcomes depend on someone else's timing, not our own.  Those commuters on the Brussels metro and the London underground didn't have much choice of where they'd be and when they'd be there; the bombers' timing determined the outcome.

So what do we do?

In this world our fates often hinge on the tiniest changes in the timing of events.  All we can do is look back on fortunate escapes with the sober reflection and happy celebration they deserve, and mourn those who were caught up in events where timing was against them.

Most of all, we should revere time for all the opportunity it provides to us:  to be with our friends and family, to do meaningful work, to experience wonder and pleasure, to take exciting risks, and sometimes even to reflect somberly on the vagaries of life and time.

Forgiveness

Sometimes, it's all you can give ...

For a brief moment today I believe I caught a glimpse, a whisper of understanding, of why one of my heroes decided to leave this world early.  No, I don't think I've suddenly developed clinical depression, nor did I come close to suicidal thought, but I do believe I've peered through a grimy window into that dark space; so, spirit of Robin Williams, forgive me thinking less of you when I should have known better.

And (this will sound politically incorrect), as I ask for forgiveness I also give it to you for doing what I and many others considered an ultimately selfish act.

Forgiveness usually means you have found a way towards empathy, have put your feet in the shoes of the person you wish to forgive, and now understand enough to do so.

With me today, it was a convergence of events, each of which would seem trivial to onlookers, that brought an emotional undertow which for a moment seemed so irresistible that it felt best to just follow it down the rabbit hole.  I don't know exactly what's down there, but my best guess would be a place where yesterdays are all bittersweet and tinged with regret, and tomorrows are dark with no promise of sunrise.

Luckily for me, the feeling didn't take too firm a hold, and now its gone (this writing has helped).  I was clearly not in the same danger as people who experience a chemical dysfunction and who for that reason can't stop their own fall without medical help.  How horrible would it be to live in that place, and how great the desire to escape?

So maybe my experience wasn't really that close to what people like Robin Williams with true clinical depression experience, but it's helped me deepen my resolve to help those in whom I recognize this dark place; to forgive them and most importantly, help them forgive themselves.

Donald Trump and The Great Divide

Or ... just what are we doing here folks?

The simple reality is that Donald Trump has so far dominated the early Republican nominating process, with the subsequent removal from the running of two of the favored 'moderates' - Chris Christie and Jeb Bush.  (Christie may end up on the ticket as VP or get a sweet cabinet deal, but that's another story).

I write this ahead of 'Super Tuesday' in which many hope Trump will get his overdue comeuppance, so if by the time you read this he's gone down in defeat, perhaps we all can breathe a sigh of relief.

Or maybe not.

We have to ask ourselves what his success so far means, even if that success ultimately falters. How has such a Barnum-style showman and long-running topic of satire suddenly become a politician to be taken seriously?  Why do voters overlook his many miscues and obvious lack of required understanding and still cheer him on?

One possible theory is The Donald is the living embodiment of the massive disconnect between the politics of both parties and the true heart of American life.  That his popularity reflects our disenchantment with the political divide that has grown between the Republican and Democratic parties.  This theory holds that people are tired of a divisive debate that is wrapped in convoluted language that sounds high-minded but ultimately is just the sound of two 'parties' circling the drain.

In this theory Trump supporters are voting for absolute transparency in thought and intention, in other words they want someone who calls it exactly as they see it without obscuring filters, so everyone can understand.  And they hope this approach will lead to ... what?  More togetherness?  Or clearer battle lines?

The other possible theory is the people truly see him as the new Ronald Reagan, an entertainer turned politician who didn't know that much himself, but who some believe had the right instincts and surrounded himself with talented people who could make things happen.   The Ronald/Donald connection would mean that people trust him, even given that he's a multi-divorced, multi-bankrupted, big business mogul which without any doubt means he's been devious and purposely misleading many times.  (Just business, right?)

This theory has Trump supporters basically 'rolling the dice' on how he'd behave as President.  Forget what he is actually saying and trust he'll get it right when the time comes.

No matter which of these theories - or both, are correct, the ultimate result is that our electorate is becoming more divided than at any time in living memory. 

Hillary and Bernie, Sittin' in a Tree

K-i-s-s-i-n-g?

Would a Hillary Clinton - Bernie Sanders, or Sanders-Clinton ticket be possible?  To fans of Sanders, seeing Clinton as President, even with their cantankerous, opinionated but-oh-so-right Uncle Bernie as VP, would be unthinkable.

Most see Mrs Clinton as a sort of ultimate sell-out, or perhaps the ultimate mole; a closet middle-of-the-road Republican paying lip-service to progressives while accepting money from all the wrong places (ideologically speaking). A Clinton Presidency, they feel, will leave them with more of the same they endured during the Obama administration, which in their opinion deleted promised progressive goals in favor of a compromise with the political right that never materialized - in fact, it worsened.

Clinton proponents see Bernie Sanders as a Man With Some Good Ideas, but who is too extreme to get elected.  Most Hillary fans support her because they feel she has the experience and the toughness it takes to be President.  And because they feel she can somehow work with the extremists in the political right better than Sanders - or Obama.  But they also support her by pointing to the candidates who might be our next leader if they faced Sanders in the election instead.  To many Hillary supporters, and I suspect to much of the Democratic Party, a vote for Bernie is tantamount to a vote for Trump (or Cruz), and who wants to risk that outcome?

But for Hillary fans, unlike Bernie's followers, a Clinton-Sanders ticket might be palatable.  Clinton would be the one facing off Trump (or Cruz, or Trump-Cruz), with Bernie there to bring in the progressives while remaining relatively under control.

It's fun to speculate about the top two Democratic candidates pairing up for the ticket in November, or who, if not each other, they'd choose for their running mates.  Not many people are talking about this now, but I certainly hope some bright minds in the Donkey Party are at least thinking about it.

The Election 2016: Canada (or Australia) Ho!

When the going gets tough .... move to Canada (or maybe Canberra)

Way back in the last millennium, at the start of the first Bush ('41') presidency, I thought this country had turned a dark corner and seriously considered a move to Canada, or even better because it was further away, Australia.  I considered this because I felt Bush No1 would move us into a warlike, confrontational stance with the rest of the World, but more importantly because I felt he was intent on continuing the Reagan work of dismantling every bit of social progress our country had made during the 60's and 70's - progress earned at great cost.  In the end I didn't make that move because my family were all here, and damn it, we had been here for 400 years (longer if you count the small splash of Native American mix in my ancestry). I would not move for Johnny-come-lately upstarts like the Bushes!

As it turned out becoming a political refugee from an unlivable Republican regime wasn't necessary.  George Herbert Walker Bush was a pragmatist at heart and acted accordingly, for the most part.  He ended up neither too socially conservative, nor too warlike.  True, he did get us unnecessarily into the Gulf War, but he didn't pursue the conquest of Iraq as many expected.  It's also true he was a social conservative, but then he raised taxes when necessary despite the fact that cost him any chance of winning a second term.  In the end he didn't advance the development of American civilization, but neither did he send it hurtling down the Time Tunnel back to the 19th Century.

Its a bit of a shame then that we won't get a chance to see if the third of the Bush presidential aspirants - Jeb! - could be as pragmatic as his Father.  Maybe its best that we don't run the risk that he'd turn into a warlike puppet of neocon ideology like his brother GW, but without this last Bush in the mix we could be facing an even scarier prospect: Trump or Cruz.  Both are running far ahead of Jeb B in the polls - and ahead of every other candidate too.

How do I state this without Screaming Loudly as I type - electing either Cruz or Trump would be the beginning of the end of an open and civilized society in our portion of North America.  Either of those two would bring the United States towards a disintegration more permanent than the Civil War.

But wait you say; cool your jets!  Neither of them have a hope of beating the Democratic Party's probable candidate, Hilary Clinton, right?  So what does it matter if either run against her?

My response would be to remind you just how prone to political missteps the Clintons can be, and who knows what mess might lie ahead to derail what we think now is inevitable?  What if Bernie Sanders, despite his avowed Socialism and his age (he'd be the oldest person ever elected to the office) beats Clinton to the nomination?  Do you think he'd appeal to Independents and those moderates in the Republican Party (there are still a few) who themselves fear Cruz or Trump?  Maybe, but I doubt he'd be as palatable an alternative as Hilary.  I'd hate to find out who those potentially deciding, still-pragmatic conservative voters fear most - an avowed leftist or a possible fascist.

So I am going to hold out hope that Republican primary voters prove wiser than the polls indicate, and pick a candidate that - if they won the Presidency - wouldn't totally alienate all of us in the Democratic camp.  After all, if we want to keep this United States one great, united, and free land, we've got to work together, and that means both parties need to nominate candidates that either side could tolerate.  Cruz and Trump would not be that.

Or we can plan start planning our migration to Canada - or Australia, now.

OK, speaking of being pragmatic ...

Canada has far fewer poisonous creatures slithering and crawling about, but is a block of ice six months a year (or used to be, pre-Global Warming). Australia has cute Koalas, lovely Parrots, and the Great Barrier Reef.  Both have semi-shaky governments in transition at the moment, and the political winds are blowing crazily in both countries.  Hmm .. how much room is left in Sweden?

Passionate Gun Love, 2016

Things never really seem to change ...

But, I'm still puzzled about what happened to the Peace and Love Generation I knew in the 60's and early 70's - you know, the ones who thought Mad Magazine's spoof on gun ownership, 'Passionate Gun Love Magazine' (Mad #131, 1969), was hilarious and true.  When I look around now, it seems most of those people must have switched sides, or stopped caring, because all I'm hearing on the news and social media are calls for unlimited gun ownership, open carry, and for all I know the right to marry your gun.

Ok, gun ownership may be protected by the Second Amendment - if you read that document looking for a favorable interpretation in that direction, but its not an inalienable right.  Convicted felons can't own guns, for example, and if you misuse your firearm often enough your local constabulary will relieve you of it (or lock you up - without your gun).

Some people draw a comparison to the privilege of driving a car, and I think that's mostly correct, except that the founding fathers forgot to create an amendment guaranteeing our right to drive (or rather the then current equivalent of owning/riding horses). I'm glad they did leave it out, otherwise we'd have our hands full with people arguing against the vehicle registration process - and where would all those people who call numbers all day at the DMV (and look totally miserable while doing it) go?

Doesn't a well-regulated militia also require vehicles as well as firearms?  Those founding fathers really missed that nugget, 'eh?

My personal take on all of this is that I understand the ownership of guns for hunting, for sport (hitting a target you are aiming at is a visceral kind of enjoyment - deep, deep neanderthal stuff), and even for personal protection if your circumstances put you regularly and inescapably in harm's way. Or if you live way out in the Boonies far from reliable police protection.

What I don't understand is the absolute fear of so many people that reasonable background checks and registration of guns will somehow inevitably result in all guns being prohibited.  In fact I think the opposite is true - without reasonable registration and tracking of guns, and means of assuring they don't fall into the wrong hands, the public outcry in the face of increasing gun deaths may become so great there would be a real risk of an overreaction resulting in banning of guns.

I'm also unwilling to regress to an every-man-for-himself society where disputes are solved at gun point, rather than by discussion over a beer, intercession by the police, or at worst in court with drawn and pointed lawyers. It took us a good hundred years to build a society where most people, most of the time, don't need guns, and I would like to keep what we've built - if for no other reason than I'd be terrible at remembering to strap on my piece when I can barely remember to put on my watch.

But I think I'm wasting screenspace here.  All the evidence I have seen, heard, and read tell me that nobody on the 'free guns for everybody side' will ever embrace a world where registration and tracking is a reality.  In their heart of hearts they believe having a stash of weapons the government doesn't know they have is their best method of ensuring they can overthrow a government they don't like.  They see unlimited gun ownership as somehow their Constitutional and Patriotic Duty - as if they are the holy interpreters of the Constitution and blessed defenders of their interpretation.

So that's my opinion, but if any of you reading this deeply disagree with me, well, there's always a place for you in Texas, or any of the other States that have enacted open carry laws.  I'd personally choose Texas, though, since it seems most like the place I could live out my childhood Western Hero dreams, by strapping on my dual faux ivory-handled Roy Roger's six-shooters, sayin' 'Howdy, Mam' to all the ladies, and planting evil-doers on Boot Hill, then riding into the Sunset on my faithful Palomino (if I have to live in a World where everyone needs to carry a gun, I want my own Trigger).