Life On A B-I7

Red vs. Blue Part Deux

See Journal Entry on 10/9

I think the reason there are people that want to take the country back to the previous century, is simply because they don’t have the capacity to deal with modern society’s complexity. It’s ironic because the leaders implementing this transformation are not dumb. They are the opposite of dumb in fact, but there is a vital part of their capacity to deal with the complexity of modern society that is simply missing from their intellectual makeup.

Oversimplification? Perhaps. Give me a better answer… please…

Four Favorite People

Well maybe not my favorite, but pretty close, especially when you compare them to certain people in similar positions of judicial, science, health and political leadership today.

These paintings were done by artist, and I’m proud to say my friend, Adam Hansen out of Seattle. He specializes in urban and pop art. You can learn more about Adam at Addicted To Paint

Don’t Be Fooled

Trump rules (note the use of the word “rules” over the more appropriate “leads”) by declaring emergencies. Don’t be fooled. Not every event that occurs every day is an emergency. If you believe this nonsense you are a sucker. Trump’s use of emergency declarations as a means to implement policy is completely out of hand. He is on a pace to announce 70 emergencies in his administration, which would almost match the total number of Presidential emergencies announced over the last 45 years. I’m sorry, things are not bad enough to warrant that approach to governing.

The Constitution

The Constitution of the United States was intended by our Founders to be a living document. As society evolved, the Founders expected that the meaning and application of the Constitution would evolve as well. Tools were provided to accomplish that goal. The notion that today we can magically infer what the Founders intended the document to mean when it was written so long ago and apply that original meaning across the expanse of time is ludicrous. The conservative right has found an argument for interpretation of the Constitution that unthinking people easily swallow. It would be better for all of us if the Founders could return long enough to put out a podcast clearly outlining how we should be interpreting the product of their hard work. I fear that unless that happens (sadly it will not) we are on a path that will see the best accomplishments of our history become little more than polluted memories. I for one intend to hold on to those cherished memories even if there are some bent on destroying them.

After writing these words I went out to the mailbox to find this month’s Atlantic Magazine. Emblazoned on the cover were these words by Jill Lepore, a teaser for the cover story inside.

”The authors of the Constitution believed that it could, and should, change over time. The process of amendment is built into the document. Why have we abandoned — and all but forgotten — this essential democratic tool?”

[Inside] “is the story of how partisans of the legal philosophy known as originalism have undermined the process of constitutional evolution envisioned by the Founders. The Constitution is not a living document, originalists say. In the words of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, it is ‘dead, dead, dead.’ And the only people who can be trusted to interpret its meaning, they argue, are the originalists themselves.”

Pardon me, that is simply wrong, wrong, wrong.

Our Response to Political Violence

If flags are going to be flown at half staff for the assassination of a right-wing activist then flags should also be flown at half staff for the assassination of left-wing activists.

The fact that we have entered a new era in our history where a distinction is made based on party affiliation is an indication that we are loosing our way as a nation.

I object to the use of the terms “right-wing” and “left-wing.” As a country we have become more politically intolerant than I ever dreamed we would become. I’m appalled.

Please view this as not only my denunciation of all political acts of violence but also my condemnation of treating others that do not share the same political views as an enemy instead of as a fellow citizen.

Words to Live By

I have to repost. “Words are not violence, violence is violence.” If someone’s words anger you, that is a natural human reaction. Anger never gives you justification to hurt someone. Never. Even those of us (myself included) that do not have what it takes to physically harm, much less attempt to murder a fellow being, still have to remind ourselves of this. I admire George Packer for putting such a noble thought into so few words. Living by these words is the key to peace and security for all of us.

Charlie Kirk

Three days ago the outspoken right-wing organizer Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered. There are those calling for vengeance against his left-wing opponents. Retribution is not the answer. Retribution, especially that dealt through the use of violence is an authoritarian response. America has, at least up until now, prided itself on avoiding authoritarianism as a response to heinous acts. In the words of George Packer, “words are not violence, violence is violence.” Let’s keep these two concepts distinct from one another. Violence (in all its forms) is not a solution for political positions that are different from the ones that we may hold.

Nothing New Under the Sun

From the early 1800’s to the late 1800’s there was a concerted effort by the French government to suppress political thought using censorship. It didn’t work. The eagerness with which our current administration is attempting to limit political expression through the withdrawal of funding for public media and the far to frequent use of the phrases “fake news”, “enemy of the people” and “witch hunt,” is equally repulsive. History has demonstrated that censorship of thought cannot successfully be achieved. It’s time the administration grew up and started acting like adults. If not acting like adults, at least realizing that they are not any smarter than their historical antecedents.

9/11

Today is the day to honor those who perished on 9/11 when the twin towers in lower Manhattan were destroyed. Not only did innocent people die that day but many brave first responders also perished. The best way to honor all the fallen is with an act of kindness. It will not only honor their memory but it will also make the world a better place. The event that occurred yesterday (unspeakable) is a perfect example of actions that degrade and lower us. We must rise above our worst impulses, not only in our actions but also in our thoughts, if we are ever to become a truly humane society.

Watershed Moment

Just to be clear, the Supreme Court of the United States has thrown 250 years of democracy in the toilet and turned the country into an authoritarian dictatorship with their ruling in July of 2024 that a sitting president can not be prosecuted for any criminal act.

Just to be clear, starting a sentence with the word “just” is bad grammar and makes no sense… Those of you who understand such things are probably abhored with me.

I’m Having a Bit of Trouble

It’s September 9th already. Where in the hell does time go? I’m almost a third of the way through the month and I haven’t accomplished a damn thing, at least that’s how it feels.

I’ve certainly thought about doing a lot of things… That’s the problem. I spend too much time thinking and not enough time doing. I suppose thinking is good. Thinking and not accomplishing is better than not thinking and not accomplishing. It would probably be better however if I got in the habit of doing both.

I know this will sound like a bit of a stretch, but part of my problem is I chose to study Political Science in college. Let me explain. It made me too sensitive to how our country is run. The current reality in that area is down right depressing. It’s affecting my emotional outlook. I’m embarrassed to be an American. If I hadn’t studied Political Science during my formative years, I might be a more focused and a happier person. (Or that could just be an excuse.)

That raises the natural question, why did I choose to study Political Science? The answer is simple, I fell in love with a woman that was a Political Science major. There’s no better reason than that, right? It so happens her father was the Dean of the department, so naturally I declared Political Science my major and selected him as my advisor — to increase my chances of winning the favor of his daughter. A brilliant strategy. I did manage to wrangle one Sunday dinner out of the gambit. I suppose it would have been a brilliant strategy, if I had wanted to spend my life in academia. My love interest followed in her father’s footsteps but I didn’t quite have the inclination to do the same, so my plan never quite came to fruition.

What followed the failure of that plan is not all bad, in fact I have to admit, things have worked out pretty damn well over all. (Oddly enough, the person that became the love of my life is pretty damn politically astute, as it turns out.) The only side effect of all this is I probably take political issues a bit more seriously than most voters, and that can have a negative influence on my outlook at times.

Beer

What does the beer you drink say about you?

I stopped in at my neighborhood tap room for a glass. The bartender asked me for my choice, I told him I wanted a beer that was “exactly like me.” That drew a strange look and silence. He was waiting patiently for me to elaborate so I told him I’d have the “Irrelevant IPA.” To his credit he burst out laughing. (It would have been another matter if he hadn’t batted an eye.)

I finished the draft and as I was walking out my bartender friend asked me how my beer was. I looked at him and smiled and told him I was “feeling much more relevant now.” We both got a good chuckle out of that.

Gustave Flaubert

Gustave Flaubert wrote five words per hour. Madame Bovary was written at that pace. I suppose you might say that is why it is such a good work. Although I can’t say that for sure since I haven’t read it yet (it’s on my lifetime reading list.) It’s really no wonder I’m not a good writer, My best calculation is that I write at a rate of roughly 111,600 words per hour…

Injury

I’ve injured my leg. It hurts. I’m playing Pickleball anyway but I am being careful. I have no idea how I did it. This is about day six. I’m going to give it a rest next week (after playing two more times…) hopefully that will put me on a fast track to healing. I’m not used to being injured and I’m not enjoying the experience all that much.

Hello

Today is Labor Day. Traditionally the day when America pauses to celebrate what makes America great, the wage earning working man.

When will MAGA voters wake up from their angry dream and realize that the richest people in America don’t pay any taxes. Since it is MAGA voters and the middle class that are shouldering the burden for the social and economic stability of the country, when will those supporting the policies that are enriching the few, vote for representatives that want to ensure stability for everyone, not just the non-contributors?

Genius

What is genius? I think that can be examined a couple different ways. My answer to that is anyone that generates a new idea. Those can be hard to come by — but no doubt a sign of genius. What about other types of genius? Genius can be combinatorial. That is, a unique ability to synthesize newness from existing reality — facts, experience.

When someone says (for example) Gustave Flaubert was a literary genius, I think it’s fair to say that is correct. Definitely a genius of the second form and if you look at his work through a broad lens, probably a genius of the first form as well.

Where does that leave the rest of us? Most of us probably aren’t geniuses. So what is it we should be striving for? I believe knowledge is what we should be striving for. Enough knowledge to be able to appreciate, and with luck, understand what is and isn’t genius. Not easy. To do that we need to be committed to continuous learning.

It is important to be committed to continuous learning. Sadly, my impression is that only a minority of the population is thus dedicated. I think that explains a lot of why we are socially and politically as divided today as we have ever been as a nation. I’m not saying everyone needs to be a genius, but everyone needs to be able to think, ask questions, and struggle intellectually with solutions And of course, be able to discuss what they have learned with others with an open mind.

When you listen to someone, can you tell if they are a thinking person, or simply someone with randomly acquired opinions with no real expression of where they came from or what makes them correct… I think you can. A key part of being able to do that is spending time yourself in the task of gaining knowledge.

My First

I had my first Mushroom Coffee this morning. I liked it. Even better, it does affect your mood positively. I was pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s cup. I will have to remember not to chase it two hours later with a beer…

Research Librarian

I sent the following request to our Research Librarian…

“I would like to read an assortment of literary classics. I’ve been a non-fiction guy most of my life but it’s time to diversify. I realize that is kind of like saying I want to swim the Pacific Ocean. So as preparation for selecting a few that would be most interesting to me, I would like to do some reading about the titles considered by those knowledgeable to be the major classics of literature. What makes them classics? Why should they be read? What one might expect to gain from reading them? That sort of thing…”

The next day I got this response…

“You will be receiving a great list of recommendations from one of our librarians soon, but in the meantime I had to jump in to offer this article that I just read this week and it was so timely with your question:”

 Italo Calvino’s 14 Criteria for What Makes a Classic 

Note…

I picked up a copy of Calvino’s book “Why Read the Classics.” The introduction covers the 14 criteria mentioned above. There are many reasons to read the classics (which classics is another matter) but the answer to why read the classics may boil down to the fact that reading them is better than not reading them — whatever they are.

Youthful Mind

You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind. And if you can change your mind, you can change anything.

I wish I had said those words. Unfortunately I didn’t, I found them on the label of a can of coffee substitute. An unlikely find perhaps, but if the coffee substitute is as good for me as that thought, I’ll keep drinking it.

Reading Goal

I would like to read 100 pages a day. I’m retired now. All I have that can possible interfere with that is Pickleball, Cycling, Skiing, Camping… I digress…

What the Universe has Given Me

• A wonderful partner
• A cat that adores me
• Independent caring children
• Health beyond my years
• Curiosity
• Joy in building things
• Desire for knowledge
• A belief in being kind to everyone
• A caring about others

I’m not trying to flatter myself. This is as much a reminder as it is an observation. I consider myself lucky to be able to posses these attributes and I want to continue to grow in them. I think that is my true purpose.

Book a Librarian

I submitted this to my local library. I am anxious to see what this turns up. This might be the start of fun reading project.

I would like to read an assortment of literary classics. I’ve been a non-fiction guy most of my life but it’s time to diversify. I realize that is kind of like saying I want to swim the Pacific Ocean. So as preparation for selecting a few that would be most interesting to me, I would like to do some reading about​ the titles considered by those knowledgable to be “major” classics. What makes them classics? Why they should be read? What one might expect to gain from reading them?

Here is the response I received…

AI

No AI was used in the creation of this website. That would be lazy and untruthful. No AI will ever be used here. I don’t even use it for “research.” I realize that makes me a luddite. I suppose if the shoe fits. The problem is that too many people are using AI and not owning it. Truth is becoming harder and harder to decipher. AI will not ultimately improve that situation until we learn to be honest about its usage and our personal role in that usage.

Announcements, Announcements, Announcements

We used to sing that ditty in Boy Scouts before, you guessed it, announcements…

Some days I’m so happy I could cry.

I know I shouldn’t tell you that. You’ll think there’s something wrong with me. No one does that. Occasionally I do.

Pickleball

I haven’t written yet about Pickleball. America’s fastest growing sport. I play and I enjoy it. Now you know everything you need to know about me vis-a-vis Pickleball. It’s actually a bit more complicated than that…

I am a competative person but I prefer to compete with myself not with other people, especially people 40 years younger than I am. So I occasionally find myself overmatched on the court. I try and get by as best I can, but I have to admit it is frustrating. Someone recently asked me if I have a desire to play at the next higher level of competition, I said definitely not. My goal is to be playing at the same level and not lower 10 years from now. I think that’s a smart goal. There you go! That is definitely Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. (I might have to take the “A” out of that list, we’ll see.)

My real goal when I step onto the court is to be a good competitor and to leave the court with my partner and opponents saying to themselves, there goes a gracious man. I think I accomplish that most days. I have to admit, I think that’s more important than winning. However, I do like winning, who doesn’t?