Not Enough Laughter, Too Many Tears

It's A Mystery To Me

Knowing that while on vacation I'd be away from the constant inundation of dreary news I had hoped to come home with a modicum of refreshed clarity.  It was not to be.

Shortly before we left I watched an interview with a Muslim woman who was asked to explain the radical Islamic mindset.  Her reply made me stop and think.  In essence what she said is the radicals are more concerned with what life after death will be than life while living while westerners are more concerned with life before death.  In other words we live in the here and now; the radicals are looking ahead so nothing now has value unless it will enhance that after life.

That may be a little convoluted, but it helps me understand their complete disdain for life. Actually I think it's an excuse for barbaric behavior by bastardizing the true meaning of their "religion".

Now I'm wondering about the mindset of my peers as in western civilization if you will and ours in the U.S. in particular .

For instance why does the President think his rhetoric is so powerful all will fall in place once he has decreed it should?  Especially since such thinking has been proven faulty.

Why is his closest advisor, Valerie Jarrett, one who has no national nor international expertise?

Why does he make promises he has no intention of fulfilling?  What is his mindset?

Why isn't Congress in Washington working on not only domestic issues but pushing the administration for a cohesive strategy for calming a warring world?  Why is the entire institution impotent in this time of great need?  Is it an issue of character of the modern day career bent politician?

Why do the Democrats march in lock step to ideology rather than working for the good of the country?

Why can't the Republicans find at least one voice behind which to rally? What is Congress' mindset?

Why do talking heads invite worthy guests to their shows then shout them down? Why do the guests agree to appear?  Whatever happened to objectivity over opinion?  They may love to hear themselves wax profound but those of us trying to gain insight of substance don't.

Does anyone else wonder about these things?  As we inch toward the fall elections I'll be watching to see who questions, who besmirches, who listens and most of all who thinks in an objective manner and has some concrete solutions for a myriad of issues.

My guess is I'm going to find the pickin's mighty slim.  Can the country afford more of the same?  In a simple word - no.

There's No Place Like Home

No matter how good a vacation I have it's always great to get back home.  Especially to my own bed.  More on the trip later.  For now, I'll just say we went to the Indian Art Market in Santa Fe and lots in between.

This is just to let you know I'm back and primed for election season.  On that note, there should be no under informed voters at least among those who travel by car.  Nearly every chain  motel in the country serves a free breakfast.  In the breakfast room there are often complimentary newspapers if they haven't been delivered directly to your room.  There is always a television set usually tuned to CNN.  People watch and listen and talk.  That's good to know.

One comment on the current news cycle before I head off to overdue yard work.  It's about the issue of the cloud being hacked and nude photos of celebrities being made public.  Don't they know nothing uploaded to the web is sacred?  And deep down, do you wonder if they really wanted it to happen?  Why else would one post nude photos of themselves?  Any where.

Vacation, Sweet Vacation

The President does it.  Congress does it.  Schools do it.  Europe does it for a whole month.  What?  Go on vacation.

Now it's our turn.  In a day or two we'll be gone for a week or two, whatever suits the mood.

It would be nice, too, if the rest the world would take a vacation.  In Iraq, in Syria, in Ukraine and here at home. Take a breather.  Get some rest.  Come back relaxed.  I'm hoping to enjoy some good time with good friends and tranquil scenery.

I'm praying nothing in our travels reminds me of guns or violence or dead kids, for any reason, or frenzied media or over taxed cops.  Wishful thinking?  There was a time it could be accomplished by not turning on the TV.  That seems to no longer be the case but wishful think I will.

We'll see if the wish comes true when I return.  In a week or two, whatever suits the mood.

Police Overkill?

It scares me when I see the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. It seems to be coming more and more common place and I wonder if it isn't time for police departments to go back to the very basics of training and make some adjustments.

While the stories that make the most headlines seem to be between whites and blacks, it's not just that.  We have plenty of white upon white conflicts in our area and someone usually gets shot.   Whatever happened to taking a suspect down with a billy club?  Do they even carry them?  Or even mace or tasers? Why must it always be lethal gunfire?

I listen to a nearby sheriff always ask us to put ourselves in the officer's position.  I get that, but must he always use his gun?  Recently an officer even took out a black Lab in a van because the dog lunged at the partially opened window when the officer approached. Anyone who has the slightest knowledge of dogs knows this is going to happen if someone gets too close to 'his' vehicle! A walk through any parking lot teaches that to you.

So what's the deal? Not only does the training have to be more inclusive of less lethal techniques perhaps the character and personality traits of those applying to serve need closer scrutiny too.

It seems to be going the other way with little departments like ours getting military surplus vehicles which are hardly called for in most circumstances.  Between the militarization of police departments and the focus on lethal methods of taking a suspect, I'm very leery of police.

I don't believe there is mal intent.  Rather a certain sloppiness in execution because of the ease of what is acceptable procedure.

It's a dilemma when in some circumstances officers are forbidden by higher authority from even doing their jobs.  The border mess is the best example. To the circumstance where one shot is all it takes on the other end of the spectrum.  In the case in Missouri it was several shots.

It's the people in between who bear the brunt. Anyone can make a move that seems threatening when there is no such intent.  But to be killed for it?  It's a slippery slope and it's time to throw some sand on it to stop the trajectory!