Tag Life

The Orange Menace versus Pizza Man

Michael 7 Comments

Hello everyone. I’m home! Something 3 people in Minnesota will never say. In breaking with my new tradition of discovering and delivering only good news on Thursdays, we’re going to talk about the recent shootings in Minneapolis. Yes, shootings – plural.

We all know that a deranged 23-year-old, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and handgun, opened fire through a window of a Catholic Church on school children attending daily mass, killing 2 children ages 8 and 10, injuring 14 other kids, and also injuring 3 adults in their 80s. Yes, the Second Amendment gave him that right. Or so that’s the perspective of every New Wave Republican, NRA member, gun owner, MAGnut, and other disgustingly irrational fruitcake, including everybody who ever own, ran, or invested in a firearms company in the U S of A.

Less than 24 hours earlier, some other nutcase opened fire on six individuals outside a nearby Catholic high school, killing one. Depending on your perspective, they could be related. That’s as reasonable an assumption as that there are two wackos targeting religious groups in the same city at the same time. I’m not sure which is scarier.

Just two days ago, the orange menace said on camera that it’s not a dictator, it “just knows how to stop crime.” Let’s see it stop that. I’ll tell you where it’s going to land. It will tell you that the shooter at the Assumption shooting was a suspected trans person. It’s putting a stop to people deciding what gender they want to be so we can forget about this one. What will he say about the gun freaks who have killed 195 other people in 24 school shootings since the Columbine massacre in April 1999? Let’s not even bring up all the people targeted at churches, synagogues, temples, other houses of worship. So-called “normal” people committed these crimes. Come on criminal-pardoner-in-chief, let’s see what you can do to stop these crimes. What sycophant will you appoint to the committee to look into how to lie about those. Well, I suppose it a matter of perspective.

It’s time for action and we don’t mean some unhinged social media rant in all caps posted in the dead of the night. And the last thing we need are thoughts and prayers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said it best: “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying.”

In the midst of all this, here is some good news. Also from a Minneapolis suburb this week, Chuck Kolstad, owner of Pizza Man in Columbia Heights, puts food out for people who previously were rummaging through his dumpster for food. He tells them to call, or leave a note by the door saying they are hungry and he’d leave food out for them. He said there are always mistakes or extras they can’t sell and rather than throwing them away, he offers these to the hungry homeless. His efforts caught the attention of food truck and other restaurant owners who have also offered to help. That’s a perspective with a positive view.

So, now it’s time, even with this sad news, to plug the latest Uplift post, A Matter of Perspective. Not everything in life is valued equally by all, but all value everything according to their own wants and needs.

Tales from the heart

Michael 7 Comments

I have a confession to make. The last few weeks I’ve taken advantage of a random quote by fifth century Pope, St. Celestine I. Celestin founded the Vatican diplomatic corps. Imagine, 2,000 years ago the world already needed diplomats for countries to speak kindly to each other. Probably because like today, it was difficult to understand what was going on when everyone was shouting, so they needed experts at listening and whispering.

I’ve contrasted those Monday posts with Thursday’s Good News of the Week feature. Proof that even as the world’s former greatest civilized country crumbles in despotism, they are pockets, very large pockets of good in the rest of the world. They’ve been fun looking up and selecting 5 or 6 examples of, if not happy news, at least news that doesn’t want to make you throw up every time tangerine face pops up from his recharging pad and says something more stupid than you thought it could get.

The truth is, they are both easy subjects to pull together 500 words that don’t sound like 500 words of gibberish, aka what a text based social media post passes for nowadays. There were easy and I needed easy.

I am wrapping up a significant creative project that I’ll be announcing sometime in September and a lot of my creative fuel has been spent on that. At the same time, I’ve been involved with a series of speech contests again, this time as organizer and chair rather than contestant. Contestant by far is the easier gig.

With all that going on, I’d typically still be able to think up a few original thoughts to share with you but for the fact that I have all that going on while I’m running at about 60% capacity. Earlier this year, I noticed my walks were getting more difficult. To make a long story short (too late), after ruling out joint, muscle, strength and stamina, and respiratory concerns, the last organ to be looked at was heart.

As a lifelong member of the “I have a heart murmur club” I knew I had a valve that was not like the others. I also knew they can stay a nuisance for a lifetime or shift into problem gear over a very short time. Mine decided to shift. In the process of checking that out, they also uncovered a slightly uncooperative heart artery.

As this post is being published, I will be prepped for a cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, and deeper look at the mitral valve. Supposedly this will all take just a few hours, and I’ll be home to peruse today’s Reader sometime this afternoon.

I’ve taken Celestine’s quote, “We are deservedly to blame if we encourage error by silence,” to heart (no pun intended) and do not want to be also responsible for misunderstanding encouraged by silence. I hope by next week I can be more myself on Monday posts. I think I’d like to continue taking the easy way out on Thursday though and stick with Good News Thursday releases. There’s always room for good news, even if they do their damnedest to suppress it in Washington, DC.

Girls just wanna have…

Michael 11 Comments

Let’s do something different this week and find some other people who have taken Pope St. Celestine’s challenge with the words, “We are deservedly to blame if we encourage error by silence,” and see how they are speaking out.

You may not realize it because the mainstream media is not covering it as they cower under the threats of being sued by Adolph Trumtler, but there are protests happening all over the country challenging the authority of the orange authoritarian. A protest last week in Columbus, Ohio saw bunches of people holding hands and creating a human chain calling it Hands Along High Street stretching — are you ready — 8 miles!

What do you do with your spare time? There’s a lady in Florida who goes out and protests every week. Last Thursday she “marched” with the sign, “Girls just wanna have funDING for scientific research.” I put ‘marched’ in quotes because I’m not sure how far she can get. See, she is turning 105 years old this week! Happy Birthday!

Last week Washington, DC joined Los Angeles in the “list of American cities invaded by America.” Protesters in DC joined their California brethren marching against the camouflaged invaders, surrounding the more vulnerable of their fellow citizens from abuse by the leaf-patterned mobsters. By the way, why do the toy soldiers were camouflage in the cities. With what do thing they are blending in?

They weren’t invited but they are going anyway. Seven European leaders and the Secretary General of the United Nations announced this weekend that they will accompany Ukraine President Zelenskyy when he meets with the grifter-in-chief to express their thoughts, prayers, and guaranteed, continued support for the Ukraine.

From the office of the other dictator, just yesterday Russia has agreed to enact a law that it would not “go after any other European countries and violate their sovereignty.” Of course, we know that Russian law has as much authority as. U. S. Senate resolution, so there is that.

So there are some people out that not encouraging error by their continued silence, some unexpected, some likely complete fabrication – Russian law for sure, some absolutely remarkable – yes I’m talking about our new favorite centenarian who is doing her part to contribute to the possibility of their still being a USA  even after she goes.

📷 = MSNBC

Faithfully yours

Michael 5 Comments

Even though I’m still reeling from some of the most dictatorial events of all time that have happened and are happening in this country this week, I still have faith that I can find good news to celebrate. (And yes they are dictatorial. Find a German who was around in 1932 and ask if there is any difference between then there and here now.) (Anyway…)

What good went on this week?

The Wellbeing Research Centre releases its annual report on countries’ relative happiness. They polled 100,000 people from 147 countries on their perceived quality of life. This year’s report found Finland taking the top spot (for the eighth successive year), with Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, and The Netherlands rounding out the top five. Surprises included Costa Rica (sixth) and Mexico (tenth), both in the top ten for the first time. Other countries making it into the top ten are Norway, Luxemburg, and Israel. The good ole USA comes in at 24th. (In ‘Freedom” the U.S. comes in at #115. That puts us behind some democratic stalwarts like Mongolia (113), Venezuela (103), and Russia (102).)

From just as recently as 2021, statues in London honoring men have outpaced those honoring women.  Since then, more statues honoring women have been unveiled than in the entire second half of the 20th century. These included war heroes, pop culture icons, medical pioneers, and even royalty (Queen Elizabeth II, England’s longest reigning monarch, received her first statue in 2023.) Why should we care about what happens in London. Because women do things. So do all kinds of humas who are not white and/or orange males. Besides, they scored higher than us on the happiness scale so they must know something.

In April, the Salt Spring Island (B.C.) office of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) received the request from an out-of-town family to check on their elderly father who they’d not heard from. Officer Cst. Lloyd found the senior who appeared to have been living in unhealthy conditions, reluctant to engage, and adamant that he did not need help. The officer stayed with him for over an hour and developed a rapport with the older gentleman. In time, he agreed to be transported to the hospital to be checked. Last month, the man showed up at the RCMP Salt Spring Island office to share the news that he had unknowingly been bleeding internally for some time and, according to doctors, would have succumbed in the next 24 hours had it not been for the intervention of Officer Lloyd. No word if Officer Lloyd was fully masked and decked out in battle gear. I kind of think not. Canada also ranked ahead of us (way ahead of us) on the happiness scale.

Descendants of the Maya in Belize (aka indigenous people) are reviving an old game (even older than the NFL – oh my!). Pok-ta-pok, today the national sport of Belize, is billed as the world’s oldest team ballgame. It’s more curious news than good news but I wanted to bring it up because even though Belize came in one space behind the U.S. on the happiness scale, they ranked #1 in freedom. See what happens when you are nice to your indigenous neighbors.

I have faith you enjoyed this roundup of good news. Hmm. Did I use ‘faith’ properly, or could another word been better. Check out what we wrote about faith in An Article of Faith, this week’s Uplift post at ROAMcare.

Oh, if you’re interested, here’s is a link to the World Happiness Report dashboard compiled by the Gallup organization from this year’s wellbeing report.

The root of all goodness

Michael 6 Comments

In keeping with what I started last week, I’m loading up on good news from around the world. We really do have to go around the world for this because that’s where we find the good news.

Remember when the orange menace decried wind power being bad for birds? Certain Scottish cranes would like to have a word with him. Efforts to restore wetland and peatland areas have helped to return the country’s largest bird that have been gone for centuries. What’s that now about wind power? Wind power is Scotland’s fastest growing source of energy in the country, producing more than the country uses. They’ve been expanding on and off shore windmill farms and are intent on doubling wind produced energy by 2030. And after a 1,000 year absence, the cranes are back. Causation? Or just correlation? Does it matter to the birds?

By the way, in neighboring England, even though natural gas powered electricity continues to be the largest source at 30%, wind is gaining and now contributes 29.2%. Experts say estimate wind will take the number 1 space by the end of the year. No word on missing birds there.

In a rare moment of doing something that doesn’t line their pockets, a bipartisan bill has been introduced to the US Senate. The bill proposes to protect American call center jobs and make sure customers know whether they’re talking to a real person or artificial intelligence. Under the bill, call center employees must disclose their locations at the beginning of all interactions, and share whether AI technology is being used. I’d rather have the Consumer Financial Protection Center back but hey, at least it’s something different coming out of the upper chamber than the usual trend of trying to name everything in town after Dumbbell Donny.

Do you have a telescope? For the first time in 15 years, this Monday you will be able to see the underside of Saturn’s rings using a basic telescope. Saturn will be visible with its iconic rings on 11 to 12 August allowing stargazers to see the flat undersurface rather than just the band. Maybe not good news but something to look forward to besides rising prices.

There is good news coming out of Yellowstone Park. Back in 1995, when the government cared about our natural wonders, the gray wolf was reintroduced to the park area. Now, 30 years later, a direct benefit from this action has been noted. For the first time in over 80 years, young quaking aspens are in the northern section of Yellowstone National Park. The unexpected return of this iconic tree is being attributed to the return of the gray wolf. How? The loss of the gray wolves from the park in the 1930s allowed the elk population to balloon to an estimated 17,000 by the end of the twentieth century. The elk would eat the emerging aspen sprouts, never allowing the tree to flourish. Returning the apex predator wolf species returned the park to balance and now tree, wolf, and elf are flourishing.

Those trees could not have survived 90 years of lost growth without strong roots. We also need strong roots to flourish. Can we make adjustments to keep us growing? Yes! And we talk about strengthening our roots and growing great in this week’s Uplift post Growing Greatness.

 

 

 

Choose your case scenarios

Michael 9 Comments

With all that’s wrong in the world, it’s easy to want to consider the worst-case scenario. When was the last time you considered the best-case scenario? I realize I spend a lot of digital energy bringing up some pretty bad things that are happening. Given the chuckle crew based in Washington DC, it’s just too easy not to find laughingly stupid, or stupidly laughing examples of criminal behavior, let alone their usual level of just dumb crap. Given all of that, good things still do happen.

Among all the wars, conflicts, skirmishes, and scuffles going on, Cambodia and Thailand signed an immediate and unconditional ceasefire on July 28th following military activity along a disputed border. Yay, peace without insisting someone say “thank you” first.

Following months of reports regarding the unconscionable shifting of previously targeted humanitarian aid (aka money) to blood-sucking billionaires, word comes of a new medical school just opened that aims to train new doctors on preventative medicine funding by (be still, my heart) a billionaire! Walmart heiress Alice Walton put up the money for the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. So she’s not modest about it. We’ll give her that. At least she’s spending her own money.

If other cash-rich American have an altruistic streak in them, there is a opportunity in Vermont. Realizing how spotty cell phone service is in his area, Vermonter Patrick Schlott bought an old pay phone and installed it outside a local general store using a device that doe some magic and changes an internet connection to an (old-fashion) analog telephone line. He then removed the coin-operation mechanism and free phone service was available where previously no cell phone service existed. 370 calls were made from the phone in June, many of them students who needed a pickup from a parent. Schlott would like to expand the project if he can figure out financing. Billionaires of America, here’s your chance to prove you’re human too.

While we are discouraging alternate energy sources, nay, actually encouraging energy dependance on dead dinosaurs, for the first time ever, June saw solar energy become the largest source of electricity in the European Union, supplying a record 22 percent of power. At least 13 countries saw solar output hit a new monthly high in June, with solar amounting to more than 40 percent of the power generated in the Netherlands! Take that T. Rex!

While we find more ways to close parks and remove finding for environmental projects, for the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a dip in the Seine. The river is opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project.

So there are good things happening and positive influences around the world. Even in America (gasp!) What prompted my foray down the sunny side of the street? Life on the Sunny Side, this week’s Uplift post of course. We explored how by saying, thinking, and doing positive words, thoughts, and actions, we can shift the focus to looking for those best-case scenarios. Give it a read. Please.

 

Random acts of randomness

Michael 11 Comments

Over the weekend we worked on Moments of Motivation for the ROAMcare site for September and October. It’s a good thing we’re almost done with the year because I’m not so sure I can keep a positive enough outlook to find another 9 or 10 somethings to feel motivated over.

Here are some random thoughts that gave me pause this weekend.

The US has more guns than people. We currently stand at 1.2 guns per person. I know for a fact that neither I nor my daughter have any, so someone is walking around with over 3&1/2 guns. Actually, there are some walking around with way more than their 1.2 allotment. Late last week, local firefighters responded to a house fire but had to wait an half hour or so until the 20,000 rounds ammunition stored in the building stopped exploding before being able to move in to fight the fire. Crews salvaged more than 100 firearms.

Dingy Donald was in Scotland last weekend to play golf at his newly acquired second golf course there, drop in on his original course there, and visit a third that somebody else still owns. I guess because the American taxpayers paid about $10 million in transportation, lodging, staffing, and security, he figured he owes us something, so he also paid a short visit with the European Union President to sign the new tariffs deal. After signing the deal that lowered tariffs to 15%, the grifter in chief said, “We did it.” Oh, care to take a guess what the tariffs rate with the EU was before the orange menace was crowned…err sworn in. If you said 15%, give yourself a piece of Belgian chocolate.

In the interest of fairness (I suppose) news came over the weekend that not all violence is gun violence. Eleven people were stabbed at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan on Saturday in what a Michigan sheriff said appeared to be a random act. No,I don’t think so. The stabbings were done with a folding knife. So this random dude decided to go Walmart with a knife in his pocket, decided to take it out, decided to open it, and decided to slice and dice his nearby fellow shoppers. Does that sound random to you? The sheriff may have trouble with his overall view of life though. He also mentioned to reporters, “Eleven is too many.” Hmm. No word on what the right amount for a weekend stabbing spree would be.

And lastly, on the international front. On Friday, the Russian parliament (who knew they had one?) passed a law to make it illegal to search the Internet for “extremist materials,” punishable by a fine up to the equivalent of US$64. No word on what constitutes extreme. According to an article in the AP “the official definition of extremist activity is extremely broad.”

Okay, that last one did it. I can whip out another dozen Motivation Moments now no problem.

TGIAI

Michael 13 Comments

The Associated Press published an article yesterday, “Teens say they are turning to AI for friendship.” Teena quoted in the article indicated that the use of AI for help with schoolwork is nearly universal, nearly 70% of them at some point, and half of them regularly have used an AI Companion as a “digital friend.” A survey cited in the article determined “31% of teens said their conversations with AI companions were “as satisfying or more satisfying” than talking with real friends.”

As the story was picked up by local papers and news outlets, comments on it picked up, many of the “that’s scary” type. I think what’s scary is how this demonstrates how bad teens are to other teens, especially as other surveys have noted how bullying is skyrocketing, not like we’re seeing it among adults more than ever and coming from the Oval Office on a daily basis.

The survey studied the AI habits of 1,000 teens over two months. The researchers were taken back by their findings, concerned that teens will not be able to assimilate into society without having peer to peer interaction. They didn’t see then when one 18 year old said, ““AI is always available. It never gets bored with you. It’s never judgmental. When you’re talking to AI, you are always right. You’re always interesting. You are always emotionally justified,” he was describing a companion to replace the real ones who were always judgmental and emotionally damaging.

A person, even a teen, wants to feel valued. In the social media blurb to yesterday’s Uplift we began, “Nobody likes to be taken advantage of.” That’s the bully’s prime motivator – to take advantage of others’ insecurities and take without concern. Although our discussion revolved around misappropriated gratitude, we can say from personal experiences that when others perceive us as valued contributors, our self-esteem grows. As self-esteem grows, the need for validation from others decreases as we can provide our own validation.

This is what teens need. People to see them and thank them for being them. Not to have on a friend they created from a companion bot.

That Gratitude Attitude suggests some basic ways to recognize and show appreciation to people for being themselves. We even dove into the family setting. Take a look, practice daily gratitude, and save a teen from having to build a friend. 

Never can say goodbye

Michael 11 Comments

Yesterday was the 56th anniversary of the first manned moon landing. We can land a man on the moon but we still can’t come up with a good way to end a text message. It’s also the 58th anniversary of the first Special Olympics. And still after all this time I can’t come up with a good way to work that into a referene on the absence of a good way to end a text message. Then again on the other hand, we’v had text messages for 41 years old and I still can’t come up with a good way to end a text message. I think I have a texting dysfunction.(Technically texting is 33 years old. It was invented in 1984 but not first used until 1992. I guess they had a hard time coming up with a good way to say hello.)

Having been born and raised in the telephone era, the transition to short messaging systems has been long and difficult. All these abbreviations and pictures with no punctuation. Anarchy I tell you!

To be very frank, I’m still not comfortable with the habit of just jumping into the conversation. No “Hello, how are you?” “Are you busy?” “Hey, s’up!” How do people think it’s appropriate to start off a conversation with “on my way,” or “be there soon,” or worst of all, “omw.” But having gotten beyond that I still can’t just stop. It’s like just getting out of— hmmm, its like sending a card that just says happy birthday and not signing it because the recipient should be able to figure it who it’s from by checking the postmark.

Closing a phone call is easy. “Bye,” Bye.” And you’re done. Messages seldom end that cutly and dryly. Oh, someone might get a “but” in but usually it’s as abrupt as it started and I’m not sure if they’re done so I poo back on and say something to see if they’re still there.  And so on and so on and son on.

You may need shaking your head and quietly chuckling over this, but I know it’s a problem, a real problem, and others experience it too. I know because I got into a text message conversation yesterday afternoon with another who couldn’t say goodbye and we finally got around to “hanging up” around 9:30 last night. It’s a good thing we don’t have to pay for those things individually anymore.

A flood of information

Michael 5 Comments

Quick, name a devastating flood that happened in the US recently. Did you say Texas? Did you know there have been seven fatal floods and flash flood in the US since the Guadalupe River valley was flooded on July 4. There were another three in the two weeks preceding the Fourth of July Texas floods.

Indeed, the Texas July 4 flood was the most devastating, but to those who lost loved ones in Maryland, West Virginia, or New Jersey, devastation is not a relative term. Why do we not think of these or those in. North Carolina, New York, or New Mexico.

I though about all these places because of local flooding that has been happening here in my neck of the woods over the past few weeks. We’re sort of used to them. We see flash flooding routinely, and though not as often, river flooding occurs regularly also. We haven’t had a deadly flood for a few years. Those in my neighboring states of West Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland can no longer say that.

I have my thoughts about the dearth of information surrounding these floods when there should have been a flood of information. Let’s stick with that. Considering these areas will not have emergency funds funneled to them by our benevolent leader, we bear the responsibility to care for our neighbors.

In yesterday’s Uplift we talked about what it means to be a neighbor, to share your humanity, to let your goodwill flow, it was British theologian Richard Whatley who spoke of neighborliness as “an ongoing flow of goodwill.”  He identified five steps to being a good neighbor: be generous, be ethical, be fair and honest, be kind constantly, and be peaceful.

Is a neighbor just the guy next door? Your neighbor is your fellow man who deserves your neighborliness. How do we that? We have suggestions in Will you be my neighbor?