On the Jim Lehrer Newshour last night, both a British and an American reporter discussed BP's dividends. It seems that BP pays into a lot of pension funds both here and in Britain. By asking BP not to pay its dividends this quarter but to put the money into clean-up of the spill, some pension plans would be hurt. That concerns me directly. Guess a lot of Brits are emailing their government concerned about this issue as well. The bigger question, of course, is whether BP has the money to pay both for the clean-up and the dividends. The answer is "of course."
Meanwhile, the ramifications of the oil spill do not just involve the ocean, the ecosystem, the wetlands, the shrimpers, the fishermen, and the entire East Coast. The economic ramifications spread like the ever gushing oil to all of us. Looked at from several angles, this spill potentially threatens to take down parts if not all of both British and American economies.
I have already written Congress asking that we drop our 30,800,000,000 + in government contracts with BP. But, can we do something that dramatic without hurting pension plans? Things are so interconnected that the dimensions of this oil spill extend not only into the grasses of the Louisianna wetlands but seep into the safety nets of many retirees both here and in Britain.
All I can ask at the moment is why haven't Costner's clean-up centrifuges been put to work where they can do the most good? Why haven't microbes been jettisoned onto the spills to "eat" up the oil and restore the waters--as advertised--to their pristine condition? Why didn't the Army Corps of Engineers build the sand barriers in front of the wetlands when they had time? And, what has happened to the BP boss who pushed the drilling into the unsafe practice that led to the explosion and fire?
Gven a Senator' s comment that President Obama is "helpless" in this situation, why haven't we had a national, nondenominational weekend of prayer and ceremony across the United States and Britain to stop this spill? Don't we believe in the ability of a higher power to which we are all connected two fingers below our hearts to bring a conclusion to the spill? Our own inner technology may be just what is needed at this point to eliminate chaos and restore order.
The public needs to employ its considerable power, not remain paralyzed by Them and Their failures. If the threat is to us all, we collectively need to pray or do whatever ceremony seems right to end this spill. Things happen first in higher dimensions either with our intention or because of a lack of it. Ancient peoples understood this fact. We have lost it. Energy follows attention. If we collectively put our attention on stopping the spill, we might get the help we seek.
After all, everything is connected by That.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Our Two-front War: A Letter in Opposition
Dear Senator Merkley,
I am pleased with your positions on several issues about which I've emailed you.
One issue remains that concerns me most: spending more money on the war in Afghanistan. Although I understand the complexity of this war that should never have happened and then should not have initially been under-funded and under-manned, I do not believe that more war is the answer.
The Afghan people represent a very different culture, much of which has been destroyed. They have suffered terribly, first from the Russians and now for the nine years of the U. S. invasion. They have also suffered, particularly women, under the Taliban. But, I don't believe that we should spend more money on war, since we have borrowed so heavily from both China and Japan, to finance further destruction of the Afghan culture.
I recently spoke with a young loan officer at a local branch of OCCU. He had served in Afghanistan and, though it may be for reasons different from mine, opposes the wars--as do many former Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans.
War should be the answer of last resort. Diplomacy, economic aid for education and the people of any given country seem to me to be better choices for our tax dollars--if we can truly get such money to the people, unlike so much foreign aid that ended up, particularly in the 20th Century, in the pockets of the corrupt.
Unfortunately, thanks to a conservative Supreme Court, we had the wrong president foisted upon us in 2000 and 2004--two stolen elections and two wars of aggression, which the Founding Fathers would have condemned out of hand.
Please do not vote to fund anything beyond what it takes to withdraw our troops safely and pay reparations to the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. I remember several stories and images over the years: an Iraqi girl living in an open shell of a house who had her leg removed without anesthesia and enjoyed no hope of a prosthesis; a boy who was severely burned and was the only survivor from his large family; a wife and mother whose Iraqi husband was trained in the U.S. but whose car was blown up by one U. S. tank while the husband tried to explain to the crew of another U. S. tank why he was taking his family out of the city--the children in the back seat were afraid of U. S. bombs. Only the mother survived somehow when she was thrown from the car. Then, too, our damaged service members at home need better VA care. By all accounts, many VA programs are underfunded, resulting a lack of proper treatment for our veterans.
Abroad, we owe those whose homes have been destroyed, those who are injured, and for the infrastructure which Haliburton and other contractors failed to provide, though tax dollars were allocated and have since disappeared into no-bid corporate coffers. We especially owe our own troops and their families for their losses and the suffering they have endured.
Would Sadam or the Taliban have killed more people than we are guilty of having killed in collateral damage? Somehow, I doubt it.
Bush left us with a the mess of a two-front war, from which only the corporations will ever emerge as winners. We need to end both now. Our government has no business trying to tell others how their lives should be, particularly when we have been responsible for the damage to and the deaths of so many innocents, including, perhaps, that young serviceman poignantly hugging a giant teddy bear as he sat on his cot before the Iraq ground war began.
As one U. S. mother said, "I sent the Army my son; they gave me back a murderer." Among many American artists, Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises and Tim O'Brien in The Things They Carried have demonstrated that war destroys lives--both the lives of the dead and the living.
No more, please.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Barber
I am pleased with your positions on several issues about which I've emailed you.
One issue remains that concerns me most: spending more money on the war in Afghanistan. Although I understand the complexity of this war that should never have happened and then should not have initially been under-funded and under-manned, I do not believe that more war is the answer.
The Afghan people represent a very different culture, much of which has been destroyed. They have suffered terribly, first from the Russians and now for the nine years of the U. S. invasion. They have also suffered, particularly women, under the Taliban. But, I don't believe that we should spend more money on war, since we have borrowed so heavily from both China and Japan, to finance further destruction of the Afghan culture.
I recently spoke with a young loan officer at a local branch of OCCU. He had served in Afghanistan and, though it may be for reasons different from mine, opposes the wars--as do many former Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans.
War should be the answer of last resort. Diplomacy, economic aid for education and the people of any given country seem to me to be better choices for our tax dollars--if we can truly get such money to the people, unlike so much foreign aid that ended up, particularly in the 20th Century, in the pockets of the corrupt.
Unfortunately, thanks to a conservative Supreme Court, we had the wrong president foisted upon us in 2000 and 2004--two stolen elections and two wars of aggression, which the Founding Fathers would have condemned out of hand.
Please do not vote to fund anything beyond what it takes to withdraw our troops safely and pay reparations to the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. I remember several stories and images over the years: an Iraqi girl living in an open shell of a house who had her leg removed without anesthesia and enjoyed no hope of a prosthesis; a boy who was severely burned and was the only survivor from his large family; a wife and mother whose Iraqi husband was trained in the U.S. but whose car was blown up by one U. S. tank while the husband tried to explain to the crew of another U. S. tank why he was taking his family out of the city--the children in the back seat were afraid of U. S. bombs. Only the mother survived somehow when she was thrown from the car. Then, too, our damaged service members at home need better VA care. By all accounts, many VA programs are underfunded, resulting a lack of proper treatment for our veterans.
Abroad, we owe those whose homes have been destroyed, those who are injured, and for the infrastructure which Haliburton and other contractors failed to provide, though tax dollars were allocated and have since disappeared into no-bid corporate coffers. We especially owe our own troops and their families for their losses and the suffering they have endured.
Would Sadam or the Taliban have killed more people than we are guilty of having killed in collateral damage? Somehow, I doubt it.
Bush left us with a the mess of a two-front war, from which only the corporations will ever emerge as winners. We need to end both now. Our government has no business trying to tell others how their lives should be, particularly when we have been responsible for the damage to and the deaths of so many innocents, including, perhaps, that young serviceman poignantly hugging a giant teddy bear as he sat on his cot before the Iraq ground war began.
As one U. S. mother said, "I sent the Army my son; they gave me back a murderer." Among many American artists, Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises and Tim O'Brien in The Things They Carried have demonstrated that war destroys lives--both the lives of the dead and the living.
No more, please.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Barber
"Selfishness keeps man blind through life."
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
Christ's teaching that man should be kind and charitable, and that of all other teachers who showed humanity the right path, seems to differ from what one sees from the practical point of view which is called common sense; yet according to uncommon sense*, in other words super-sense, it is perfectly practical. If you wish to be charitable, think of the comfort of another; if you wish to be happy, think of the happiness of your fellow men; if you wish to be treated well, treat others well; if you wish that people should be just and fair to you, first be so yourself to set an example. * Italics mine
____________
Since I've begun receiving the Bowl of Saki quotes with commentary, I' ve been led to interesting insights from the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, perhaps a grandson of the 20s master. Kahn's teachings are reminders that I recommend as daily exercises in kindness. The insights fit all human action required of us on a daily basis.
I will be away from my blog for about 24 days. In the meantime, I recommend Bowl of Saki for your reflection and enjoyment.
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
Christ's teaching that man should be kind and charitable, and that of all other teachers who showed humanity the right path, seems to differ from what one sees from the practical point of view which is called common sense; yet according to uncommon sense*, in other words super-sense, it is perfectly practical. If you wish to be charitable, think of the comfort of another; if you wish to be happy, think of the happiness of your fellow men; if you wish to be treated well, treat others well; if you wish that people should be just and fair to you, first be so yourself to set an example. * Italics mine
____________
Since I've begun receiving the Bowl of Saki quotes with commentary, I' ve been led to interesting insights from the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, perhaps a grandson of the 20s master. Kahn's teachings are reminders that I recommend as daily exercises in kindness. The insights fit all human action required of us on a daily basis.
I will be away from my blog for about 24 days. In the meantime, I recommend Bowl of Saki for your reflection and enjoyment.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Stieg Larsson's "Girl" Trilogy
I first heard about Stieg Larsson's trilogy, which begins with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, on Charlie Rose. The Swedish and American editors were discussing Larsson's life and career as a magazine editor and investigative journalist. Although I'd passed the books up several times at Costco, I determined I to try the first one. After passing through The Girl Who Played with Fire, I'm on my way to the most recently published: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Lisbeth Salandar, the 4' 11'' heroine, has been empowered since the age of 12. Unlike her twin Camilla, Lisbeth takes charge. As a result, she finds herself in a traumatic childhood, controlled by the State and its institutions. Thankfully, they're not all bad, and she eventually finds a champion in her guardian, though his case load and eventual stroke prevent him from doing "the right thing."
Computer buffs will enjoy the technological aspects of the stories. The Swedish editor says that they verified the accuracy of advanced technology Lisbeth and her network of geeks use. Mathematicians will enjoy Lisbeth's exploration of mathematics in the second thriller. I look forward to the final motif in the book sitting on my shelf.
Unfortunately Larsson died (possibly murdered?) shortly after giving his editor the third and final manuscript. There won't be any more stories about "the girl." But, through epigrams citing Sweden's statistics on violence against women that precede each section in the first thriller, Larsson underscores his dominant theme: physical and sexual violence against and exploitation of women. Given the books' popularity, Larsson has opened a dialogue that needs to continue on women's status not only in Sweden, the books' setting, but also has extended that discussion through Lisbeth's year of travels in book two to the entire world. How much more may be contained within the works is speculative as is the possibility that Larsson was murdered, perhaps for what he had written or was about to have published (see Rose interview).
An expose of violence against women has been needed. Larsson has chosen a highly visible method in writing his thrillers. Thanks to the trilogy's world-wide popularity, the Swedish movie and the American version that's in the works, Larsson has written books to "do good," much like Lisbeth's friend Mikael Blomkvist. Like Larsson, Blomkvist is an investigative reporter and editor on a monthly magazine, Millenium, that seeks to expose economic criminals and their crimes. Though Lisbeth scoffs at Blomkvist's use of writing to change the world, ironically Larsson has done just that.
The trilogy delights because of its fast pace, fully drawn characters, and Larsson's masterful writing. Have some time to kill? I can't think of too many other authors who will make that time a supersonic flight.
Lisbeth Salandar, the 4' 11'' heroine, has been empowered since the age of 12. Unlike her twin Camilla, Lisbeth takes charge. As a result, she finds herself in a traumatic childhood, controlled by the State and its institutions. Thankfully, they're not all bad, and she eventually finds a champion in her guardian, though his case load and eventual stroke prevent him from doing "the right thing."
Computer buffs will enjoy the technological aspects of the stories. The Swedish editor says that they verified the accuracy of advanced technology Lisbeth and her network of geeks use. Mathematicians will enjoy Lisbeth's exploration of mathematics in the second thriller. I look forward to the final motif in the book sitting on my shelf.
Unfortunately Larsson died (possibly murdered?) shortly after giving his editor the third and final manuscript. There won't be any more stories about "the girl." But, through epigrams citing Sweden's statistics on violence against women that precede each section in the first thriller, Larsson underscores his dominant theme: physical and sexual violence against and exploitation of women. Given the books' popularity, Larsson has opened a dialogue that needs to continue on women's status not only in Sweden, the books' setting, but also has extended that discussion through Lisbeth's year of travels in book two to the entire world. How much more may be contained within the works is speculative as is the possibility that Larsson was murdered, perhaps for what he had written or was about to have published (see Rose interview).
An expose of violence against women has been needed. Larsson has chosen a highly visible method in writing his thrillers. Thanks to the trilogy's world-wide popularity, the Swedish movie and the American version that's in the works, Larsson has written books to "do good," much like Lisbeth's friend Mikael Blomkvist. Like Larsson, Blomkvist is an investigative reporter and editor on a monthly magazine, Millenium, that seeks to expose economic criminals and their crimes. Though Lisbeth scoffs at Blomkvist's use of writing to change the world, ironically Larsson has done just that.
The trilogy delights because of its fast pace, fully drawn characters, and Larsson's masterful writing. Have some time to kill? I can't think of too many other authors who will make that time a supersonic flight.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Knee Replacement is "Like Buying a New Car"
According to the anesthesiologist I saw for a pre-op consult today, the up-side of knee replacement is that it's "like buying a new car." I'll have a new knee. Yes, and I'll have hours of painful rehab and a week in a rehab center, hopefully the one of my choice--though that's not guaranteed--depending on space. So, while I appreciate his short-circuiting my self-pity, I'm not certain about his metaphor.
For example, when I purchased a "new" used this car this past spring, I didn't go out to the shop to watch the mechanic as he stuffed my front doors to eliminate the annoying "canaries" that chirped as I drove the winter-rutted streets. Instead, I sat comfortably in the dealership's waiting room, drinking coffee and reading a novel. My participation in repairs wasn't necessary. The only discomfort I experienced was wishing they'd hurry up since it was an early spring day, and I wanted to be outside enjoying it.
I did ask if I could have both a spinal block and general anesthesia. Silence. I said, "Knock me out." We determined that, since I once was totally awake during one of my colonoscopies watching the video of the exam as it went on, I might remain aware. Therefore, we decided I need a general. They also provide a knee block, which should keep me painfree until the painkiller "catches up." I don't care to hear the saw or listen to the commentary or what the team may be planning post-surgery.
A nervous twitch has appeared in my right eye, probably thanks to the upcoming surgery. Never had it with a new car purchase. It has appeared seemingly in conjunction with a viral medication I recently started, so I asked about it. But, I have had it before--when aggressive students gathered around my desk at grading periods. My right eye would start its little dance. Just how deeply the prospects of this surgery are affecting me became clear when I started to tear up while talking to this Russian immigrant anesthesiologist--had trouble placing his accent, but it's probably Russian. Not sure why the unshed tears and voice quaver surprised me.
No guarantee that he'll be my anesthesiologist either. Whoever it is will have this guy's notes about what we've talked about. Hope that s/he chooses the correct type of anesthesia since he listed both choices with an arrow up to "General." Recently I bought a bed. When I made the final downpayment, I told a furniture saleslady to put the second page on top so that I'd get the normal rather than the reduced box spring. My original saleslady had rewritten the order because I had changed my mind, wanting to put a bedskirt on the new box spring without having to make alterations. Of course, the second lady argued about putting the second page on top. When the delivery men carried in the box spring, I stood there pointing at it saying, "No, no, no. I told her to switch the pages." The men redelivered the right size the next week. But, buying a bed isn't quite like having knee surgery--there isn't a redo the next week, at least I hope not.
When I first saw the hospital and its adjunct buildings, I thought, "That looks like the Titanic." It dominates the mountains behind it because of the size of the facility. I hope that the analogy stops with the name. I have already had an argument with the woman who called to ask me to return tomorrow. I didn't provide enough of a sample for the required tests. I told her it was because I suffered anxiety, not being sure the bathroom door was locked (apparently it wasn't). She argued with me. As she argued, I repeated my observation: "I suggest you put an arrow showing which direction is locked." After I repeated that a couple of times, she finally quit saying, "Yes." Sure hope those who will be caring for me have better hearing than this lady did. After all, I taught school for 32 years, and I'm great at repeating myself until the "student" gets it.
As one of my meditation teachers used to say after he'd taken us so far in a visualization, "The journey is yours." Sometimes the "journeys" we took were a bust, and sometimes they connected us to the Divine. I suspect that "journey" is the better metaphor for a surgery. Today I took the second leg. I trust and will be happy if my upcoming journey is merely fine because Divine might mean I had a near death experience.
For example, when I purchased a "new" used this car this past spring, I didn't go out to the shop to watch the mechanic as he stuffed my front doors to eliminate the annoying "canaries" that chirped as I drove the winter-rutted streets. Instead, I sat comfortably in the dealership's waiting room, drinking coffee and reading a novel. My participation in repairs wasn't necessary. The only discomfort I experienced was wishing they'd hurry up since it was an early spring day, and I wanted to be outside enjoying it.
I did ask if I could have both a spinal block and general anesthesia. Silence. I said, "Knock me out." We determined that, since I once was totally awake during one of my colonoscopies watching the video of the exam as it went on, I might remain aware. Therefore, we decided I need a general. They also provide a knee block, which should keep me painfree until the painkiller "catches up." I don't care to hear the saw or listen to the commentary or what the team may be planning post-surgery.
A nervous twitch has appeared in my right eye, probably thanks to the upcoming surgery. Never had it with a new car purchase. It has appeared seemingly in conjunction with a viral medication I recently started, so I asked about it. But, I have had it before--when aggressive students gathered around my desk at grading periods. My right eye would start its little dance. Just how deeply the prospects of this surgery are affecting me became clear when I started to tear up while talking to this Russian immigrant anesthesiologist--had trouble placing his accent, but it's probably Russian. Not sure why the unshed tears and voice quaver surprised me.
No guarantee that he'll be my anesthesiologist either. Whoever it is will have this guy's notes about what we've talked about. Hope that s/he chooses the correct type of anesthesia since he listed both choices with an arrow up to "General." Recently I bought a bed. When I made the final downpayment, I told a furniture saleslady to put the second page on top so that I'd get the normal rather than the reduced box spring. My original saleslady had rewritten the order because I had changed my mind, wanting to put a bedskirt on the new box spring without having to make alterations. Of course, the second lady argued about putting the second page on top. When the delivery men carried in the box spring, I stood there pointing at it saying, "No, no, no. I told her to switch the pages." The men redelivered the right size the next week. But, buying a bed isn't quite like having knee surgery--there isn't a redo the next week, at least I hope not.
When I first saw the hospital and its adjunct buildings, I thought, "That looks like the Titanic." It dominates the mountains behind it because of the size of the facility. I hope that the analogy stops with the name. I have already had an argument with the woman who called to ask me to return tomorrow. I didn't provide enough of a sample for the required tests. I told her it was because I suffered anxiety, not being sure the bathroom door was locked (apparently it wasn't). She argued with me. As she argued, I repeated my observation: "I suggest you put an arrow showing which direction is locked." After I repeated that a couple of times, she finally quit saying, "Yes." Sure hope those who will be caring for me have better hearing than this lady did. After all, I taught school for 32 years, and I'm great at repeating myself until the "student" gets it.
As one of my meditation teachers used to say after he'd taken us so far in a visualization, "The journey is yours." Sometimes the "journeys" we took were a bust, and sometimes they connected us to the Divine. I suspect that "journey" is the better metaphor for a surgery. Today I took the second leg. I trust and will be happy if my upcoming journey is merely fine because Divine might mean I had a near death experience.
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