Saturday, February 28, 2009

A new age of enlightenment.

A man of action. A man who looks at the big picture. And tries to deal with it. In constructive, positive ways. That's what I see happening. Yes, Barack Obama. A take-charge guy. Willing to take chances. And willing to compromise a little bit with Republicans. Yes, willing to be a nice guy. Imagine that. A decent politician. And highly intelligent. What a pleasant change. After 8 years of George Bush and obstinate neo-conservatives running the show in Washington. Of course, many Republicans will drag their feet. Wishing and plotting for Obama to fail. So they can regain power. And lead us to even more colassal failure. Under the old trickle-down politics designed to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Yes, the make-a-buck Republicans out to make greed the byword of American-style capitalism. Took a long time for America to give equal rights to women and to blacks. Yes, almost two centuries to wake up. The privileged elites of a white supremecist society would like to cling to power forever. But just maybe we are entering into a new age of enlightenment. Thank gawd. --Jim Broede

In order to survive.

I suspect many people with depression have it almost solely because of their situation. The environment and circumstances they find themselves in. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Sure, sometimes it's because of a chemical imbalance. And maybe a pill will make a difference. In other words, there are many causes of depression. I don't think I've ever been what's referred to as clinically depressed. I may be unhappy at times. But when that happens, it almost always seems connected to something going on in my life. A situation that can be changed. Corrected. Made better. To make me reasonably happy again. So that's what I do. Go about making change. And that changes my attitude or outlook. To a more positive one. In recent years, I've seen lots of depressed Alzheimer's care-givers. Because I was a care-giver. For 13 years, to one extent or another. Sometimes, part-time. Other times, 24/7. Ain't easy. Not a situation that I wish on anyone. But life has its twists and turns. And you gotta deal with it. One way or another. Anyway, if I'm sad or unhappy, I don't like the feeling. So I immediately begin a search for a way to happiness once again. Eventually, I find it. Because I have to. In order to survive. --Jim Broede

Friday, February 27, 2009

...in this mind-boggling universe.

I'm fascinated by the possibilities of life abounding. Scientists speculate that there may be 100 billion Earth-like planets in our Milky Way galaxy. Yes, one for every sun-type star in the galaxy. More and more planets are being discovered all the time. With new, profound types of detection. In a paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology, researchers concluded that at least 381 intelligent civilizations have emerged in the Milky Way since its creation, and as many as 38,000 may have formed. It's all educated guesses right now. The Milky Way is believed to be more than 13 billion years old. It is just one of billions of galaxies in the universe. The Milky Way has a circumference of about 250,000 to 300,000 light years. That means one can circle the galaxy in about 250,000 years traveling at the speed of light, some 186,000 miles a second. And it would take about 100,000 years to travel the diameter of the Milky Way. Man oh man. Think about it. Our tiny planet in this vast galaxy in a universe consisting of billions of galaxies. Makes me feel a trillion times smaller than a speck of sand. But still, I'm thrilled to be alive and conscious in this mind-boggling universe. --Jim Broede

Thursday, February 26, 2009

My hero, Prometheus

I remember a class, maybe in junior high school, in which we studied the Greek myths. And we each had to pick out a mythical character we liked, and then tell the class why. And I chose Prometheus. And what I liked most was that he had the courage to defy god (Zeus). By stealing fire and giving it to humankind. And I thought it horrible that god would punish him for that. I think that I had a feeling that I would defy god, defy authority, for good reason, and I thought that shouldn't be a punishable offense. I was being brought up as a Christian. Hauled off to Sunday school every Sunday. And I already had the impression that god was vengeful. Unjust. Too autocratic. Yes, I was already rejecting the Christian notion of god that I was being taught. But I didn't quite yet know how to formally reject it. But I was questioning. Right from the beginning. Of course, I've come around to the notion that god is love. And all this other crap about a vengeful god doesn't fit in with a god of love. --Jim Broede

No more need for a ski mask.

We're supposed to get a snowstorm in Minnesota today. Maybe a foot of snow. With 40-mile-an-hour winds. But still, I have a sense that spring has arrived. Because the Chicago Cubs opened the exhibition baseball season in Arizona yesterday, and won, 5-3. I'm still in Minnesota. But I'll be fleeing to Arizona next week. Maybe for two weeks or so. Where I'll attend Cubs games virtually every day. Before I return to Minnesota. To shovel, I'm sure, more snow. Knowing, though, that it won't last for long. And knowing that the ice probably will leave the lake in the first or second week of April. Yes, the change of seasons will be well underway. Spring. And baseball. And flowers. And no more need for a heavy jacket and thermo boots and a ski mask when I go for a walk. --Jim Broede

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A minor character in god's dream.

The human brain. It's wonderful. Allows for all kinds of thought. For consciousness. For awareness. And the ability to imagine almost anything. What I cherish most, I suppose, is freedom of thought. No shackles. I could even be put in prison. But still, I would have freedom of thought. I can even write what I want to write. Maybe in some societies I wouldn't be allowed to print or speak my thoughts. But still, no matter where I am, I can think. Freely. I suppose when I die, so will my brain. And I won't be able to think any more. I'll lose consciousness. Awareness. That's sad. But still, at this moment I can still imagine that consciousness and awareness may survive death. Physical death. My brain tells me that anything I can think is possible. That nothing is absolutely impossible. The very fact that I have life - well, that's amazing. Of course, this all could be an illusion. And all I am is a piece of god's imagination. Maybe I'm just a minor character in god's dream. --Jim Broede

He's gonna lead the way.

George Bush was a front man. For master manipulators. That made him a puppet. The manipulators took a shell of a man and made him president of the USA. Quite an achievement. Barack Obama, meanwhile, is the real thing. He's the manipulator. And I mean that in a positive sense. He's the real man. He's taken charge. And he doesn't allow others to manipulate him. Obama has a real brain. Real intelligence. He knows what he's doing. Bush never knew. Bush was manipulated primarily by the neo-conservatives behind him. The likes of Dick Cheney. The neo-conservatives found their ideal candidate in Bush. A guy too dumb and too shallow to know he's being manipulated. Maybe toward the end of his eight years in office, Bush just began to get an inkling that he had been manipulated all these years. But it was too late. He did refuse to pardon a guy that Cheney wanted pardoned. For once, Bush took a stand against his manipulators. But 99.99 percent of the time, the manipulators got their way with Bush. Give the neo-conservatives credit. They know how to manipulate. They're crafty. At making puppets. Well, Obama is an entirely different kind of manipulator. He's totally himself. Like I say, the real thing. Abe Lincoln was that kind of guy, too. He took charge. He swayed the nation on to the right course. By manipulating in adroit ways. Well, we need another Lincoln in these tough times. A president capable of manipulating public opinion in favor of what needs be done. We have some hard choices to make. We need radical changes in our economic, political and social systems. We need an overhaul of America. A new way of thinking. The Bushie manipulators are still mired in 18th century dogma. But Obama is a man of his times. He's living in the 21st century. And already, he has a grasp of what life will be like in the 22nd century. He's gonna lead the way to a brighter future. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Oh, how refreshing.

In a speech tonight, Barack Obama made it clear. Anyone making $250,000 a year or less won't get a tax increase. But if you're making more than $250,000, be prepared to pay higher taxes. Of course, Republicans don't like that. They want everybody to have a tax cut. Even the rich. And the super rich. But Obama made it clear that he's left of center politically. He wants tax breaks for the middle class and the poor. And he's going to let the tax cuts given to the rich under the George Bush administration expire in 2010. That's part of Obama's plan to cut the federal budget deficit in half by the year 2013. To achieve that, Democrats have to cut spending (especially on national defense) and to make the rich pay more. In essence, Obama is saying we've got to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Oh, how refreshing. --Jim Broede

The power of words.

Every day I do the same thing. Think. Think about lots of things. Different things. In a sense, thinking is a routine for me. But I have so very many thoughts -- that it adds variety to my life. I don't know what I'll be thinking about next. Sometimes, I'm surprised by a thought. Pleasantly surprised. If I just let my mind wander, it'll take me to all sorts of places. Exotic places. Crazy places. Some days, I have a sense of adventure. And my thoughts take me on a journey. To places I've never been to before. Makes me feel like an explorer. Makes me aware that there are no limits to thought. I'm free to think anything I want. Absolutely no shackles on me. I can be daring. And don't necessarily have to keep my thoughts to myself. I can jot them down. Put them in a blog. Yes, share 'em. With varying results. Some people like my thoughts. Others don't. Many, I suppose, are indifferent. I've cultivated some friendships this way. Also, I've made some people angry. Just with words. Shows the power of words. They can win friends. And enemies, too. --Jim Broede

Monday, February 23, 2009

The rich will do as always.

Just think. If we had taken all the money we've poured into senseless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and routed it instead into improving America's infrastructure. We'd be so much better off. The economy might still be weak. But it'd be a heck of a lot better than now. Because the money would have been well-spent. On re-building America. And providing jobs. We'd have something to show for all that expenditure. Instead, it's wasted money. Poured down a rat hole, so to speak. Now we're finally getting around to belatedly spending economic stimulus money on the very projects that should have been built with money that went into national defense. And now Republicans are complaining because Democrats are spending too much. These are the same Republicans that spent exorbitant sums on unnecessary wars. The Republicans inherited a budget surplus in 2000. And turned it into mind-boggling deficits. Largely by waging war. While ignoring the nation's domestic needs. Yes, they are the ones that got us into this mess. And if they had their way, we'd stay bogged down. We elected Barack Obama and the Democrats to try to lead us out of the wilderness and back to respectability. Back to good times. But Republicans seem to have an attitudinal problem. They're still mired down in the old ways of doing things. They want to keep giving the rich more tax breaks. On the theory that the money will trickle down. To the common folk. To the middle class and the poor. When really, the rich will do as always. Pocket the money. Live in luxury and splendor. And not give a damn about the widening gap between the rich and poor. --Jim Broede

Sunday, February 22, 2009

They need help.

I do get a few crank letters to this blog. Addressed to me. You don't see 'em. I choose not to publish the letters. Because I think the people are sick. Yes, there are strange people in this world. It amazes me. How strange. If you do get your letter published -- well, then I think you're reasonably all right. I share some of the unpublished letters with friends, or with mental health experts. And they concur. At the very least, these letterwriters need counseling. They have mental problems. They often are angry and bitter people. Never do they sign their real names. If they did, I'd try to see that they get help. --Jim Broede

A big change in tone.

Give Barack Obama credit. For trying to change the tone of politics in Washington. He talks to the opposition respectfully. He calls for a bi-partisan approach to solving the nation's many problems. Yes, it's a nice tone. A good start. However, I won't hold my breath waiting for bi-partisan outcomes. That may be almost impossible. Because it's not in the nature of our politicians to be open-minded and fair. They don't even like to socialize together. Often, they insult each other. But Obama is different. He's kind and gentle. And get this -- intelligent, too. How's that for a president of the USA. An attribute called intelligence. We haven't had that for a while. Maybe this shows a lack of respect for George Bush. But hey, I justify my negative opinion. Because Bush showed a lack of respect for the American people. And for the rest of the world, too. Bush was highly partisan. Anyway, Obama promised change. And he's delivering. Yes, a big change in tone. --Jim Broede

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Things can't get much worse.

I'm a patriotic and confident American. Despite the fact that there's plenty wrong with the USA. There's quite a mix of good and bad stuff. Room for lots of improvement. Admittedly, I focus on what's wrong. Because I want to see it fixed. Maybe that's what makes me a patriot. I have great faith that sooner or later, America will get things right. Like after 8 years of George Bush, we got Barack Obama. That's a giant stride in the right direction. We Americans tend to wake up. Eventually. Yes, it was a long slumber under Bush and his Republican cronies. Americans have learned from the nightmare experience. The economy in a shambles. A spiraling debt. A widening gap between the rich and poor. Almost 50 million of us without health insurance. Two active wars. Political bickering. Corruption. Greed. A federal government influenced largely by lobbyists and corporations. But still, I'm the eternal patriotic optimist. Things will get better. Because things can't get much worse. --Jim Broede

Friday, February 20, 2009

Yes, it will take a revolution.

We need a complete cleansing of American-style capitalism. And I'm not sure we'll get it until the economy gets worse. Until there's an even wider gap between the rich and the poor. I just get the uneasy feeling that all this bailout stuff in the end will put far too much money into the pockets of the greedy rich. They'll find a way to snatch it. Right out from under the people who really need it. In America, the rich always find ways to get richer. Even in the toughest of times. Yes, they know how to milk the system. To reap the benefits. That's why they are rich in the first place. They play government like a fiddle. They buy influence. Access. They control Washington. Congress. The Senate. Oh, a few Democrats and independents put up token resistance. And virtually no Republicans. They're all in collusion with the lobbyists and the vested interests. We common folks get the crumbs. The scraps. The leftovers. Little wonder that the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. That won't change until there's big, big changes. A whole new kind of political and economic system. Yes, a government truly run by the people. Not by the rich and the corporate interests. Yes, it will take a revolution. The rich won't surrender power without a fight. They'll have to be overthrown. In a national uprising. We common folks will have to take to the streets. We'll have to take control of our government. So that the American government truly serves the common good. --Jim Broede

I went away laughing.

I think laughter is good therapy. When I'm upset over something, I try to look at it from a funny angle. There's some humor in almost any situation. One just has to recognize it. Kind of like the guy that slips on a banana peel. Yes, the guy could get hurt. But a pratfall also can be seen as humorous. Several weeks ago I slipped on the wet floor in a grocery store. Fortunately, I didn't get hurt. Maybe it was a little embarrassing. Having landed on my tush. The store manager asked me if I wanted to file an insurance claim. "No," I said. And I went away laughing. Not only at my pratfall. But at the worried (could there be a lawsuit) look on the manager's face. --Jim Broede

Heeding South Africa's example.

I like the notion of a debate. Over war crimes. And whether George Bush and others in his administration should be put on trial for war crimes. At least, if we have a discussion, we'll be letting the world know that we are concerned over what happened over the past eight years. Personally, I'd like to see the matter go to a World Court. Not to just leave this up to the United States. Allow Bush and his cronies to defend themselves. But at the very least, we should have a truth and reconciliation commission. Similar to what they had in South Africa. Just to uncover what really happened. The atrocities. That doesn't necessarily mean that if found guilty of war crimes that Bush and others should be punished. Instead, it should just be for societal recognition that wrong was done. And that we intend to correct the errors of our way and not let these things happen again. Maybe the guilty could even ask for forgiveness. It happened in South Africa. Why not in the USA? --Jim Broede

...another civil war.

I gotta assume there's something fundamentally wrong with America. And that whatever it is, it can be fixed. There's a solution to every problem. We just have to find it. Can anyone deny that there are things very much wrong? The economy, for instance, has tanked. It's bad, bad, bad. And getting worse. Nobody seems to know how to get it right. Some folks say just let things be. That the economy will fix itself sooner or later. Others argue that we need a concerted stimulus program. That unless the government intervenes, we're headed for a disaster even worse than the Great Depression. Well, I think there's a solution. There has to be. But it'll take some kind of national effort. Everybody pitching in. Like we did in World War II. But still, I sense there isn't a sense of urgency/emergency. Republicans and Democrats can't even agree over what to do. The longtime partisan bickering continues to become even more intense. Yes, we're a nation divided. We are unable to come together. Almost seems like we are fighting another civil war. --Jim Broede

The limburger cheese problem.

Stubborn Republicans. I find 'em fascinating. Used to be they drove me crazy. But that was because I was too close. I didn't step back. And see that they really are funny. Downright comical. Like this Rush Limburger guy. A Republican pundit on the radio. For years, I thought maybe he was a put-on. The guy was too outlandish to be real. Well, now I'm of the persuasion that the guy has inhaled too many fumes from smelly limburger cheese. And that can cause brain damage. I often wondered what would happen if I took to snorting limburger cheese. After seeing what has happened to Rush Limburger, I don't even want to try. When I go to the supermarket, I take a wide skirt around counters that stock limburger cheese. My guess is that Rush convinced others to snort. And that may result in the demise of the Republican party. Here it is we thought the big problem on the drug scene was cocaine. Only to find out that it's really smelly limburger cheese. --Jim Broede

Thursday, February 19, 2009

I wouldn't put it past the GOP.

I really shouldn't say that all Republicans are bad. Ain't so. There are exceptions to the rule. The two senators from Maine, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. They supported the Democrats' economic stimulus package. If it hadn't been for them, the mean-spirited Republicans could have filibustered the legislation to death. The bill was really bi-partisan because the Democrats made changes to suit Collins, Snowe and Specter. And if Republicans had genuinely wanted to negotiate an even more bi-partisan stimulus, they easily could have. But they chose to be obstructionists. They don't believe in give and take. Republicans tend to want to take, and not give. Even when they are in the minority, they act as if they should be treated like the majority. They don't want to accept the fact that they were the big losers in the last election. For so many years under the George Bush administration, Republicans repeatedly shoved stuff down the Democrats' throats. Barack Obama has tried to be kind to the Republicans. To give them respect. To give them concessions. To meet them part way. And what does Obama get for it? No appreciation. Not even a single vote in the House of Representatives. And only three votes in the Senate. Maybe that means Republicans will try to disown Collins, Snowe and Specter. I wouldn't put it past 'em. --Jim Broede

Therefore, I have everything.

I have more than I need. Always have, I suppose. I mean in terms of material things. Possessions. I’m not considered rich or wealthy. Maybe a middle class American. Even in these so-called difficult economic times, I’m really not hurting. I have a nice roof over my head. I’m able to pay my bills. I have health insurance. Just in case I get sick. I’m able to travel a little bit. I eat well. I have more clothes than I can wear. Far more books than I can read. More recorded music than I can listen to. I have a computer. And the ability to write. I have a fair amount of freedom. In that I’m retired, and so I don’t have to report for work. So, I suppose I have no reason to complain. But still, I do. About lots of things. See, I’m never fully satisfied. Albeit, I’m happy. With my general lot in life. But I look around. At the world, in general. And I think things could be better. If only we shared more. If there was a more equal distribution of wealth. After all, I have more than I need. I could spare some of it. I do, to some extent. But not as much as I could. I’m probably like most people in that regard. A bit selfish. Maybe because I live too safely. I want to hold something in reserve. For tomorrow. Yes, maybe it’s a form of greed. This idea to accumulate more than one really needs. Like the millionaire who feels it’s not quite enough. So he’s driven. To become a billionaire. Always, we want more. I want more, too. More life. Longer life. I’d like forever. And then I just have to remind myself. I have today. This moment. A beautiful moment. A recognition that I have life. Therefore, I have everything. –Jim Broede

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Faith...in the spirits.

It's a cold day here in Minnesota. And windy. Temperature is supposed to dip to zero tonight. But that doesn't bother me. Because I accept weather. Nothing I can do about it. Other than to learn to live with it. The best I can. I'll go out for a 6-mile walk tonight. Won't be a problem. Because I'll bundle up. Even wear a ski mask. My feet might get a little cold. Especially if I decide not to wear my heavy thermo boots. But I can put up with cold feet. Last night it snowed while I was walking. A light, fluffy snow. Rather nice. Today was sunny. That helped take the sting out of the cold. But I wouldn't have minded if the clouds moved in. I like clouds. Especially big, puffy clouds. Sometimes, I see better on cloudy days. Shades me from a bright sun. I really like atmospheric variety. I welcome thunderstorms. Often, I go out in 'em. I know I could get struck by lightning. But I have faith...in the stormy weather spirits. --Jim Broede

The results are wonderful.

Most days, I can choose my focus. Not every day. Like today, I'm going to my tax man. To prepare my tax returns. I'd just as soon not do this. But I have to take care of it sooner or later. So, I've been busy collecting information. And it's sort of a headache. I don't like to do this. I'd rather be doing something else. But hey, after I finish with the tax man, I can pick and choose what to do. And I'll find something more to my liking. In other words, I'll salvage the day. And I'll still have a sense of accomplishment. Because I have to file a tax return. And hopefully, I'll get a refund. But maybe not, too. Whatever. I'll adjust and live with it. Anyway, I'm retired. Have been for 10 years now. That allows me some flexibility. In terms of free time. I don't have to report to work. I'm unemployed. But I'm able to make ends meet. Because I have social security and a pension and a little bit of savings and a home and good health. And it helps that I'm in love, too. That's a real big bonus. Oh, I'm not happy with everything. With the state of the economy. With some political and social matters in this world. But I have no or very little control over this stuff. So I've learned to accept it. And to moreorless live quite happily in my little niche in the world. One might call it a cocoon. A haven. At times, I even refer to my environs as Paradise. It's relatively easy to have Paradise when I live one day at a time. I shut out yesterday and tomorrow and focus entirely on today. Didn't always do that. But hey, I do it most days. And the results are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

...doing the wrong things.

In 100 years, historians will look back on the early 21st century and tell us how we could have avoided the world economic collapse. Rather simple. Rather easy. Unfortunately, we’re too dumb, too stupid, too blind to see it. Yes, we can’t see the forest for the trees. Another way of saying we’re too close to the problem to see the solution. Unfortunately, that’s the dilemma of humankind. We’re quite an ignorant bunch. If only we had hindsight when we were in the midst of a problem. We could have averted World War II. And World War I, too. And even our bloody Civil War. If only we could think like god. We’d be brilliant. Omnipotent. All-knowing. But I suggest we could try harder. We could learn to think more like god. By thinking rationally instead of like idiots. We know now how we could have averted the Civil War. By negotiating the end of slavery. Even if it took 40 years to accomplish. So that by 1900 every slave would have been emancipated. Given complete freedom. And educated in a way that allowed blending into society. Given full civil and human rights. Yes, it would have been the right thing. And avoided the grievous civil war. Saved so many lives. I can think of scenarios, too, that would have averted the world wars. So many ways. But we humans refuse to think like god. Instead, we insist on being frail humans that keep doing the wrong things. –Jim Broede

Monday, February 16, 2009

The way to affordable health care.

Americans spend more money per-capita on health care than any nation on earth. But still, we have something close to 50 million people without health insurance. And in terms of outcomes, we Americans are far from being the healthiest in the world. We are put to shame by many nations that spend far less. But apparently more wisely. I think this is an indictment of our health care system. One designed to make exorbitant profits for insurance companies and other health providers. Countries with socialized medicine do a much better job. Even little countries like Cuba outshine us in many ways. But we Americans seem to have a notion that socialized medicine is bad, bad, bad. Well, it ain't. It can be run effectively. Often under a single payer set up. And it can bring affordable health care to everyone. But the providers raking in big profits under the present system keep telling us that socialized medicine will hurt. Yes, it'll hurt the providers pocketbook and profit-margin. But it'll help the consumers. The people who need affordable health care. --Jim Broede

...wise and thoughtful ladies.

I'd like to see more respect for socialists and communists. They ain't all bad. They have some good ideas. And good motives. Hey, everybody has some good in 'em. Even george bush. And capitalists. And republicans. And christians. And atheists. And bankers. And wall street brokers. Even that guy bernie madoff. And sarah palin. I write off nobody. If nothing else, we're all reclamation projects. Unfortunately, we tend to divide the world into good guys and bad guys. Into saints and sinners. Today, I'm thinking of everybody as inherently good. The comedian rodney dangerfield had a nice schtick. Said he never got respect. Well, I thought he was a good comedian. One of the best. That's respect, isn't it? Today, I'm giving everybody respect. Even fidel castro. And gorbachev. And genghis khan. And my new-found friend maebee...and her wise and thoughtful associates. --Jim Broede

Sunday, February 15, 2009

An era when greed prevailed.

I'm not sure that I want people to have the right to an unlimited amount of wealth. Maybe there should be a limit. At some level. Yes, I'm thinking that society should have the right to impose some sort of limit. Maybe by confiscating rather significant sums from huge sums of wealth. To be dedicated, instead, to so-called common good. Spread around. Shared. We do that now, I suppose, to some degree through our taxing structures. Maybe that's all I'm calling for. Rearrangement of the taxing system. So that the rich pay more. And the poor and middle classes pay less, or nothing at all. I want a utopian society, I guess, where everyone's basic needs are met. Maybe that's unachievable. But it's a worthy goal. It would require some redistribution of wealth. The 'haves,' of course, will most likely resist such proposals. Arguing that there's an inalienable right to limitless amounts of wealth. I'd dispute that. As would many socialists and communists. But they shouldn't be condemned for that. Anymore than I should castigate the very wealthy from wanting to keep every penny -- if that's their desire. I suspect we'll see a gradual shifting of attitudes. In 1,000 years, we'll be putting much more emphasis on the common good. People then will look back on the 21st century as sort of medieval and unenlightened times. An era when greed prevailed. When there was a wide gap between the rich and poor. --Jim Broede

He's gonna dazzle us all.

I sense that Barack Obama may try to bypass Congress. Not totally. But in large part. To get his legislation through. He'll try to sell his programs to the people. By traveling. Going out and about. Going right into Republican hotbeds, for instance, and talking to people at town and city hall meetings. And the audiences won't be screened. Come one, come all. And then it'll be the people in grassroots America that bring pressure on their senators and representatives to support the Obama legislation. Obama is a smart man. Maybe the most intelligent president we've ever had. He knows how the political game is played in Washington. Politicians are bought by lobbyists. Even the news media are in the pockets of special interests. The people who report the news, unfortunately, play the political game just as much as the elected politicians. They're all bedfellows. And it's us citizens out in the hinterlands that get ignored. Well, Obama is gonna change the nature of the game. In coming weeks, coming months and coming years, the Washington establishment elites will discover that they've been outmaneuvered by Obama. This guy Obama is interesting. He has an amazing grasp on how to get things accomplished. How to deal with people. A mix of people. He grew up with relatives both black and white. With Christians and Muslims. And atheists, too. He's lived in Hawaii and Indonesia and Chicago. He went to Harvard. He taught law at the University of Chicago. And he seemed to come out of nowhere in a short time and became elected to the highest office in the land. And now he's gonna turn Washington on its head. He's gonna dazzle us all. --Jim Broede

...blind to the truth.

Oh, those poor, sad Republicans. I feel so sorry for 'em. They are suggesting that Barack Obama and the Democrats aren't being bi-partisan enough. Well, I look at it another way. The Republicans aren't willing to compromise enough. The GOP's definition of bi-partisan is to let the Republican minority rule. Seems to me that Obama made concessions to the Republicans. But the conservatives want everything. Like they got under George Bush. Well, the tide has turned. Obama is treating Republicans much more kindly than the Republicans treated Democrats during the Bush years. Turns out Bush was a liar. Deceptive. Told us when he initially ran for president in 2000 that he'd be bi-partisan. Yes, that was a big lie. He also told us that there was no doubt -- that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Another lie. And now, quite ironically, the Republicans are trying to paint Obama as a liar. Problem is, the Republicans wouldn't know an honest man if they saw one. They've been blind to the truth for a long, long time. If they perceive Obama as a liar, then that makes him an honest man. --Jim Broede

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Makes one appreciate love.

On this Valentine’s Day, I reflected on how much love my dear Jeanne gave me. Particularly in the last three years of her life. While she was dying of Alzheimer’s. Jeanne was so nice. So responsive. The dementia never took away her inner spirit. We were still able to communicate. Our love. It was a two-way love. Right up to the end. Actually, even today, two years since Jeanne died. Jeanne went through a period of agitation. And belligerence. But we never lost faith in each other. Jeanne got better after she went into the nursing home. Maybe I had something to do with it. I got daily respite. Oh, I still spent 8-10 hours a day with Jeanne. Didn’t miss a day in 38 months. But I was rested for a change. I kept my cool. Didn’t really lose it with Jeanne. Except on the day she died. Then I broke down. But Jeanne calmed me. From the spirit world. Really, she comforted me virtually every day as her life wound down in the nursing home. Because she was sweet Jeanne again. No, not cured. But some how, she battled through the dementia. And smiled. And relaxed. And recognized that I still loved her. And she was returning the love. Oh, in so many ways. With looks of contentment. We exchanged good vibes. With our eyes. With touch. With presence. With thought. So many, many ways to communicate love. Amazing thing about Alzheimer’s. One can still salvage and savor little pieces of love. Makes one appreciate love more than ever. –Jim Broede

How to fall in love.

I'm assuming that one can fall in love. No matter what. One doesn't have to be rich. One can even be dirt poor to fall in love. Love is a priceless commodity. It's there for the picking. Seems to me love is the key one needs to enter Paradise. Heaven. Impossible to buy one's way in. Seems to me that some guy about 2,000 years ago speculated that it's almost impossible for a rich oligarch to make his way to heaven. It'd be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Love comes from inside one's being. It's a feeling. An attitude. More precious than money and other forms of material wealth. Can't convince many people of that. Many say they can easily fall in love -- with money, that is. But the point is, if we horde money and have far more than we need, it's not true love. Love has to be aimed at our fellow beings. At the common good. Not just for ourselves and the few. But for humanity as a whole. Only then will we as a society have truly fallen in love. --Jim Broede

I'm for a revolution.

Heard a professor from MIT on Bill Moyers' Journal last night who thinks America is really run by a handful of oligarchs. Bankers. Rich people. And that they really control our government. Because they've got the money. The influence. And I tend to agree. It's downright scary. The suggestion is that these bailouts are tailored to benefit the few. The oligarchs. And it remains to be seen whether we more ordinary people wake up and seize control and demand economic policies that are aimed for the common good. A good start might be to nationalize the banks and financial institutions. My notion is that things won't change significantly unless we have a revolution. We'll have to take to the streets in every city and town in America and demand change. Even change far beyond what's being touted by the likes of Barack Obama. We need a total overhaul of America's economic and political systems. Unfortunately, that may not happen unless we have a total collapse. Yes, a Depression that would dwarf the Great Depression of the 1930s. --Jim Broede

Friday, February 13, 2009

Obama has the GOP puzzled.

Hey, Barack Obama is playing fair. He's trying to be non-partisan. Nice to the Republicans. But he's quickly learning that doesn't pay. Republicans don't know how to be nice. To be non-partisan. To work for compromise. They're really a rather hateful bunch. So very, very partisan. But the Republicans are lucky. They're playing with a very nice guy. One can cross Obama. And he's still the gentleman. Forgiving. Keeps his cool. No sense in acting like a Republican. People are able to treat Obama rudely. Without him returning the animosity. He just takes it. Republicans would like to make Obama lose his cool. They've taunted him. Called him all sorts of derogatory names. Even questioned his patriotism. Obama invites Republicans into his tent. And he's nice. And cordial. And kind. And understanding. That has Republicans a bit puzzled. They're used to a president such as George Bush. Highly partisan. And not too smart. Then along comes Obama. Just the opposite of Bush. Wanting to end partisan bickering. Intelligent. Fair-minded. It must be some trick. This Obama can't be a real politician. He's far too nice. He must have something up his sleeve. Assuming, of course, that there's no such thing as an honest politician. --Jim Broede

Thursday, February 12, 2009

If Abe were still around.

Imagine that. Abe Lincoln would have turned 200 today. Had he lived. Chances are, there's no one living today that was alive when Lincoln was alive. We've had a complete turnover. An entirely new cast of characters in this world. I find that fascinating. But I wonder how much different the world would be if we could lengthen the average life span to 200 or 300 years. Doesn't seem so outlandish to me. I've been told that Methuselah lived to 900 and some years. Must have been a pretty good health care system then. Or maybe the environment was cleaner and healthier. Anyway, if 200 was considered the onset of old age, I'd still be a relative youngster. I'd still be working, too. Rather than retired. But one of the biggest benefits would be that we all could listen to the sage advice of Lincoln. Maybe the world would be in better shape. Of course, we might have different kinds of problems. Such as overpopulation. --Jim Broede

Let's feed 'em...in prison.

Let's nationalize the banks. And adopt a socialized medicine plan. Yes, that would be the way to do what's good for most of us. Rather than for the elite few. Our taxpayers would be the shareholders in the banks. And that way, maybe common folk would have a say over banking policy. We certainly wouldn't be giving big bonuses to the bank executives, would we? Banks should be operated in a way that serves the common good. Not to make big profits. There's a general lack of public confidence in the banking system. For good reason. Inept management. Bungling. Greed. Too many bankers see banks as an instrument to make big profits. For bankers. And the public be damned. Private bankers can't be trusted. Unless they are under tight rein. Under close government scrutiny. Banks should be a public asset. Instead, they've become liabilities. Taxpayers are bailing 'em out. Let's face it. Without government intervention, many of our banks would go kaput. Our health care system is in similar dire straits. Run in large part by insurance companies more interested in reaping obscene profits than doing what's good for the public. Yes, it's time to tell the insurance companies to go fly a kite. Instead, let's establish a single payer system under government auspices. Over the years, we've been fed baloney from the private sector -- that one can't trust the government to run anything efficiently. That private enterprise out-performs government all the time. Maybe that's true when it comes to greed, corruption and profiterring. Private moguls are good at that. They've managed to all but destroy the economy in the process. And now they are seeking government handouts. Well, let's give the corrupt ones three free square meals a day. In prison. --Jim Broede

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

...natural born worry warts.

I do worry about my friends sometimes. It's not good to never ever worry. So, I do some token worrying. To make sure I don't lose the ability to worry. And I think when I worry about friends, it's a useful worrying. Because I worry about their problems and well-being. My friends occasionally drift into spells of anxiety. And then that prompts me to suggest solutions to their immediate problems. By not worrying so much. Instead, let me do the worrying for them. I could be their designated worrier. If I do it, then that frees my friends up to do other things than worry. Makes sense, doesn't it? The other day, I suggested that I be one of my friend's rejuvenator. Then she'd need less rejuvenation if she spent less time worrying. Try to do as I do, I tell my friends. Just do a token amount of worrying. It's a skill. A craft. Something to be retained when a situation arises in which one should truly worry. In a life and death situation, for instance. I want my friends to start thinking about worrying in a funny, lighthearted way. That it's nonsensical to worry when they really don't have a legitimate reason to worry. That means they are worrying for the sole sake of worrying. Maybe it makes some of 'em feel good to worry. But I doubt it. After all, worrying has been known to make some people sick. Physically ill. It affects their whole being in negative ways. Of course, if they don't worry for a long, long time, they may become fearful of losing their god-given ability to worry. They'll just completely forget how to truly worry. And that may put them too much at peace. And out of touch with the human condition. We humans, it seems, are natural born worry warts. --Jim Broede

It's the decent thing.

I'm jobless. Have been for 10 years. Because I'm retired. In today's economy, I don't know if that's good or bad. I have social security. And a pension. I own a home. Bought and paid for. I have Medicare. And supplemental insurance. For which I pay a premium every 3 months. I'm not rich by American standards. But I get by. I suppose that makes me relatively lucky under present economic conditions. Especially since I'm healthy. But hey, at 73, one never knows. Suppose the same goes for a 43-year-old. Health can be the most important thing in one's life. That's why I'm for universal health care. I think it's unfair and wrong that not every American has guaranteed health care. It's a basic necessity of life. It should be a societal obligation to see that everyone has it. Yet, in America, some 50 million people are without health insurance. I suspect more and more Americans are losing their health insurance, too. When they lose their jobs. Ain't fair. In other industrialized countries, the jobless (actually, everyone) has access to paid health care. Yes, socialized medicine. A good thing. Especially in bad economic times. That's why we have government. The private sector will sell you health care. For a price. The relatively affluent can usually afford it. Albeit, at a fairly high premium. Because there's lots of profit built in. Maybe sometimes an obscene profit. I like it when government finds a way to put a lid on those costs. By forcing providers to take less profit. By regulation. Seems to me that government's responsibility is to serve the common good. Particularly, the needy. In a capitalist society, such as ours, we can't always leave that up to the private sector. Because there's so much greed. That's what has America and the world, for that matter, in such a bad economic way. A big gap between the rich and the poor. To fix it, I'd like to become something of a Robinhood. I'd take from the rich. And distribute much of it to the poor. The needy. I know that's an alien thought. Especially to Republicans. And to many of the 'haves.' Many of the 'haves' think that the 'have-nots' are lazy bums. Wanting to be on the public dole. Well, when it comes to health care, I think that's all right. Even a lazy bum should be covered under our health care system. It's a basic human right. It's the decent thing. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I agree with grandma.

The mother of those octuplets. I've been writing about her in this blog. Sort of taking a neutral stance up to now. But the more I learn from news accounts, the more I think she'd have difficulty handling one child. Let alone, 14. The octuplets and 6 more she already had. I've seen her living conditions. A 3-bedroom home. Owned by her mother. The woman is unemployed. Unmarried. This is an absurd situation. This woman has far more than she can handle. Even if she gets public financial assistance, there's no way she'll be able to take adequate care of all those youngsters. It's an overwhelming task. And for a single mother, it'll be a horrendous task. My guess is that social services won't allow her to keep all those children. Wouldn't surprise me if she's not allowed to keep any of the octuplets. Three of the older children have serious health problems. And it could be that some of the octuplets, born 10 weeks prematurely, also may have health problems. It's a wonder that a fertility doctor agreed to invitro fertilization in this woman, despite the fact that she already had 6 children. And no visible means of support. The woman denied being on public assistance. But that has proved untrue. She was already receiving $492 a month in food stamps. And the three children with health problems have medical bills being paid for out of public funds. The woman's mother said her daughter's decision to become pregnant again was an unconscionable act. I agree with grandma. --Jim Broede

The limburgers will be sorry.

American politics. It's a nasty game. Many conservative Republicans, for instance, want Barack Obama to fail. Miserably. Because that'll be good for the Republicans a year or two or three down the line. Of course, it won't be good for America. But that doesn't matter. Political parties often wear blinders. And do what's good for the party. Not what's good for America. If the aim was to do the best thing for America, Republicans would work cooperatively with Democrats. And Democrats would be friendly to Republicans. For the sake of America. For a unified, bipartisan approach to solving the nation's many, many social and economic and political problems. But that ain't gonna happen. Republicans will root for the Democrats to fail. The defacto head of the Republican party, pundit Rush Limberger (as in smelly cheese) said he wants Obama to fail. To show that progressive policies are no good. As if the archaic neo-conservative policies of the past two decades didn't get us into our present economic crisis. It's always the other guy's fault. Look at George Bush. When's the last time he admitted to a mistake? Bush and the foul-breathed limburger cheese big-mouth claim to know it all. As if they are the true patriots. The wise men. Well, we'll see. I'm betting that Obama and the Democrats know what's best for America. And two years from now, the sorry Republicans (limburgers) will be sorrier than ever. --Jim Broede

Monday, February 9, 2009

No absolute right or wrong.

Maybe it's gonna be impossible to overcome partisan politics in Washington. There's just too much of a divide. That's the nature of the beast. Politicians aren't happy unless there's rancor. Politics is a game. And the motivation is to tear down one's opponent. Good guys. Bad guys. Black and white. And oh, so much pressure to follow the partyline. We've got it mastered in America. Pretty much a two-party system. It's one or the other. Both Democrats and Republicans resist allowing a 3rd or 4th party to enter the fray. That would confuse the situation. Imagine that. Five or six or seven sides to a political debate. But that's the point. One should look at issues from many, many angles. Not just from two angles. Often, there is no absolute right or absolute wrong. --Jim Broede

Time to savor.

Maybe I've learned to slow down. Because I was in a fast-paced endeavor. Writing. Writing. Writing. For deadline. I had only so much time to write a breaking news story. To collect the information. To organize and condense it. I had to think fast. Write fast. That's a hell of a way to write. A hell of a way to live. Because it's stressful. Gawd. How I've spent so much time hurrying through life. Ridiculous. Absurd. I think life's most tranquil moments are the best moments. Time to savor. --Jim Broede

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Like a happily married couple.

Amazing. I think my cats Loverboy and Chenuska understand English. They understand what I'm telling them. They had a little spat tonight. Loverboy was getting a little rough with Chenuska. I suppose in an amorous way. And so Chenuska got annoyed. And I just talked to both of 'em harshly. Told them to behave themselves. And sure enough, they did. They're on my desk now, cuddled up with each other. Behaving. They knew what I meant. They know I'm the boss. And they have to act like a lady and a gentleman. Like a happily married couple. --Jim Broede

Learn to live in peace.

It's difficult, if not impossible, for me to hold a grudge. I know people who won't talk to each other. Because of some slight. They just cut off communication, period. Won't even say hello if their paths cross. I try to be reasonably nice. To everyone. Even my so-called enemies. Of course, people who dislike me -- well, some of 'em won't give me the courtesy of a friendly greeting. Even if someone has crossed me, I still try to be reasonably cordial on a chance meeting. There just doesn't seem to be anything gained by being discourteous. Or downright rude. I suppose ignoring would be a better alternative. But the best option, it seems to me, is to try to patch up differences. At least to some degree. We have too many conflicts in this world that linger, that never get resolved. Because of grudges. Take the Israeli-Palestinian rift, for instance. For gawd's sake, I say, settle things. Learn to live in peace. With each other. --Jim Broede

There'll be a grand celebration.

I have a feeling that winter is on the wane. Happens every February. Spring training opens in Arizona soon. The Cubs play their first exhibition game on the 25th. Wow. That's not far away. And I'll be going down. For about 15 games. In the sunshine. Fleeing Minnesota. Oh, I like winter. But I like spring, too. And summer. And autumn. Yes, I like the change of seasons. But I like spring the most. Always a time of optimism. I'm thinking this is the start of the grandest baseball season in 101 years for the Chicago Cubs. The World Series. Yes, there'll be a grand celebration in Chicago in October. And that'll make for a nice autumn. --Jim Broede

Saturday, February 7, 2009

I'm divided on the Nadya issue.

Nadya. That woman who gave birth to octuplets. I don't begrudge her that. She wanted multiple births. Now she has 14 children. And maybe she won't quit at that. Won't surprise me if she goes for more. That's her mission in life. To have children. Lots of 'em. She's only 33. So she has time in her favor. Anyway, to each his/her own. It's no skin off my back if she ends up with 30 children. And it doesn't matter that she's not married. I certainly wouldn't want to be Nadya's husband. That would be hell. For me. For Nadya. We probably couldn't be more different with our attitudes. I have no desire to bring children into this world. I have two step-children. That's enough. I would more likely be drawn to a woman who doesn't want to have more babies. And 14? That's outlandish, from my perspective. But it's all right for Nadya. Let her have 'em. Nadya says she's gonna be a good mother. That she's gonna hold and nurture and love 'em all. Bless her. But I think she's full of baloney. She's gonna be spread so thin she won't know whether she's coming or going. She'll need hired help. Nannies. Assistants. A husband or two or three. To help support a family this size. There's no stopping Nadya. Unless, of course, she moves to China. The Chinese have a notion that it's time to curb the fast-expanding population on Earth. To severely limit family size. That seems to make sense, too. So I'm a bit divided. Over whether Nadya should be made to put a rein on her productivity. --Jim Broede

...the meaningful aspects of life.

I suspect that unhappy people wish too much. Instead of just letting things happen, they wish this and that. And when they don't get it -- well, that makes them unhappy. I find I'm happiest when I just let the day unfold. Naturally. Rather than wishing, I accept the day as it comes. And often, it's full of surprises. Pleasant ones. But even if something unpleasant happens, it's a challenge. Just finding a way to cope. And turning the day around. Often, all it takes is just reminding myself that I'm in love. But even in times when I wasn't in love, I still found ways to be happy. In solitude, for instance. And just by letting things happen. Finding something to savor.

But I have to admit, it's easier to be happy now than it was 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. Maybe it's because I'm retired. I have fewer responsibilities, fewer pressures. Less stress. Sure, I'm getting older. Toward the end of life. But I've learned to savor the days that are left. And not to get too far ahead of myself. I suppose I could have done that long ago. But I didn't know better. I have a different idea now of the meaning of success. Really, it comes down to happiness. What makes one happy. I'm aware now that when I am in love and in good health, I'm the happiest. That's quite a nice combination. But then again, I was in love 30 years ago, too. And healthy. But I wasn't as happy as I am now. Maybe it was because I had far more responsibilities then. A full-time job, for instance. Making a living. I didn't have as much time to focus on the most meaningful aspects of life. --Jim Broede

Friday, February 6, 2009

Vive le revolution!

Barack Obama talks about big change. The need for it. But the change won't come in our political system until the people take to the streets. In protest. We need riots. A revolution. We need people genuinely disgusted with politics as usual. I'd like to see protestors marching by the millions in big cities and small cities and even out in the countryside. Let's tell the politicains in Washington that we want the dawning of a new era. Let's tell 'em we mean business. We want a narrowing of the gap between the rich and poor. We want more jobs. We want universal health care. We want more domestic spending and less spending on senseless wars. And let's tell the greedy fat cat lenders and bankers that we won't tolerate them anymore. Vive le revolution! --Jim Broede

...what Jeanne taught me.

Took me 10 years to learn to cope with Alzheimer's. I don't know if that makes me a slow learner. But at least I learned. How to be a decent care-giver. Guess what I learned most was acceptance. My dear Jeanne had Alzheimer's for at least 13 years. It came on rather gradually. Sneakily. Little signs. Then it got worse. And worse. However, seems to me in the last 3 years, it got better. Maybe that was just my subjective perception. Because I was finally able to deal with it. In a manner that I think made Jeanne feel more comfortable. Could be that I never lost my cool in those 3 years. At least, not in Jeanne's presence. I immersed her in good vibes. In positive responses to everything she did. I tried to remove stress from Jeanne's life. The best I could. And I think that made a significant difference. I wish I had done a better job of it in the first 10 years. It wasn't necessarily a bad effort. It just wasn't good enough. Didn't meet my current standards. I made too many mistakes. Oh, I can find excuses. For a while, I was overwhelmed. It was impossible to keep going 24/7 year after year. Too much of an emotional, mental and physical strain. I doubt that even a saint would make it through that kind of grind. Without relief. I finally got daily respite when Jeanne entered a nursing home. She lived there for 38 months. But I was there every day. Usually for 8 to 10 hours. And I truly tended to Jeanne. In so many, many ways. One on one. And I enjoyed it. In large part because Jeanne was so positively responsive. Pleasant. Loveable. I was wishing this routine would go on forever. When Jeanne died, I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't sure I could live without Jeanne. I thought maybe I wanted to die, too. But I began to reflect. And it was as if Jeanne was talking to me. From the spriit world. That life is a blessing. And that every day of it should be savored. Not wasted. And so I'm following Jeanne's orders. I'm doing what Jeanne taught me. --Jim Broede

It won't be America anymore.

Maybe we Americans should just let the bottom drop out of the economy. And forget about any stimulus. Maybe that's the best way to bring an end to American-style capitalism, aka rampant greed. Let it fail. Miserably. Let the banks and other businesses go under. Let the stock market go into the dumpster. Let's have vast hordes of poor people. And millions and millions without jobs. It'll create conditions that call for great change. Maybe a revolution. For a sharing of whatever wealth we have. Because it sure beats what we have now. A huge gap between the rich and the poor. An everybody-for-himself mentality. In which 1 percent of the population controls half of the wealth. Guess that's not working for the rest of us. But the fats cats -- well, they have moola to spare. They'll survive. Because they know how to manipulate. To milk the system. To monopolize the wealth. To live in luxury. They know how to control our minds, too. Our thinking. They encourage even common folk to become Republicans. To oppose government intervention in tough times. Because that's socialism. Of course, it's okay to bail out the rich, the power elites. They oppose welfare for the poor. But corporate welfare. That's all right. Yes, that's what we Americans have bought into. Keeping the rich rich. And keeping the poor poor. We ordinary Americans. We're a stupid lot. So stupid that we listen to the Republicans' idiotic sound bites, and believe 'em. Those damn Democrats. They just want to spend, spend, spend. On infrastructure projects. On creation of more jobs. On universal health care. Yes, on the basic necessities of life. They want to take from the rich and give to the poor. That's unAmerican. Next thing you know, Obama and the Democrats will lead us down the road to socialism. Before you know it, we won't have any more rich and privileged people. America won't be America anymore. --Jim Broede

Thursday, February 5, 2009

...a one-way ticket to hell.

It's time for Barack Obama to tell Republicans to go to hell. He ain't gonna get much, if any, GOP support for the economic stimulus bill. Republicans want what they've always wanted -- tax cuts and more tax cuts. Obama and the Democrats want jobs and public improvement and infrastructure projects. Yes, it's the same old same old Republican policies of the past decade or two that have ruined the nation's economy. And Republicans haven't learned that lesson. They are too ornery, or too Bushed. Well, there's enough Democratic support for a stimulus package to get through Congress. Without Republicans. So go to it, Obama and Democrats. And if the Republicans try to block it with a filibuster, there'll be public outrage. Enough to give Republicans a one-way ticket to hell. Just where they belong. --Jim Broede

Admitting to mistakes.

We've always had government by trial and error. Feeling our way along. Especially during a crisis. But if you were George Bush, you never admitted to an error. Or if you did, you blamed somebody else for it. Not yourself. So it's very refreshing when Barack Obama admits to making mistakes. Actually, to "screwing up." That makes Obama a relatively honest and knowledeable man. Yes, moreorless the opposite of Bush. For eight years, we had a president who stubbornly steered ruinous courses. Rather than to mend his ways. Rather than to listen to the advice of people in the know. Right up until a few months ago, Bush thought we had a healthy economy. He had no idea that the bottom was about to drop out. His economic and pre-emptive war policies have all but bankrupted the nation. We'll probably be paying off debt for a generation or two to come. Hard to believe that when Bush assumed the presidency, our government was operating in the black. The Bushies thought that the capitalist free enterprise system would regulate itself. It sure did. Widened the gap between the rich and poor. And created the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. The Obama administration is trying to get us out of this catastrophic mess. And it ain't gonna be easy. It's gonna take some trial and error measures. And the restoration of faith in a system left teetering on the brink of collapse by the mistake-prone Bushies. Yes, the guys that still find it hard to admit that they ever made a mistake. --Jim Broede

How about vacations in prison?

As I understand it, the initial idea behind the bailout of Wall Street and the banks was to stimulate money lending again. By the banks and other financial institutions. But our capitalist bank executives decided otherwise. They either hoarded the first payment or spent it in unholy and greedy ways. Such as giving themselves big pay bonuses. Or by throwing extravagant parties. Or by buying fancy decorative toilets. Or by purchasing new corporate jets. In other words, by making their nests look more like castles. And as for us common folks, their attitude seems to be, "Let 'em eat cake." Sounds to me like our bankers are descendants of Marie Antoinette. Of course, we all know what happened to Marie. Didn't she get her head lopped off by an irate rabble? But today, we've learned to be more humane. We allow the privileged elite to get away with proverbial murder and other obscenities and we poor and middle class eat the cake crumbs they see fit to toss us. Meanwhile, they retire to their fancy mansions and yachts with full pockets. I'm not advocating that they be sent to the guillotine. But how about expense-paid vacations...in prison? --Jim Broede

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Honesty can be unkind, too.

Seems to me we're all dishonest. To some degree or other. It's impossible to live a totally honest life. Could be there never has been an honest man or woman. Not even Jesus. Not even Muhammed. Not even the most saintly saints. Complete honesty is impossible. An honest being wouldn't stand a chance in this world. Just as well, too. Because being honest would also make one unkind in many instances. One has to lie to make people feel good. I'd tell a sick person that he looks good -- if I thought that would make him feel better. But some people are dishonest for the wrong reasons. Like greedy people. Or just to be mean. Or to deceive for personal gain. So many, many reasons to be dishonest. If we criticize someone for being dishonest, maybe that's being too judgmental. I get a kick out of the politician Newt Gringich for criticizing Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinski affair. Turns out that at the very time that Gingrich was castigating Clinton, Gingrich was cheating on his wife. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

And he won't find one.

Can't find a politician without a blemish. Some are better than others at hiding their taints. But they're all in the same boat. Dishonest. They can't be honest, and still succeed. Because an honest politician will be framed. Made to look bad. Because he won't play the political game. He refuses to act like a politician. Which means he would have to be a liar. Dishonest. And the moment he becomes honest, he disqualifies himself. The rest of the politicians will drag him down. For not being like the rest of 'em. For not joining the club. Sad to say, but even Barack Obama has to be dishonest to some significant degree. Otherwise, he'd never have made it all the way to the White House. But I suspect that Obama has an overwhelming desire to be honest. Only thing is, he'd never achieve power being totally honest. Impossible. He has learned to be dishonest in clever ways. In ways that some people construe as honesty. He's a master of the art. Which really allows him to be more honest than most politicians. Obama knows that every member of his cabinet is dishonest. It's just a matter of degrees. Turns out his nominee for secretary of health and human services, Tom Daschle, was well-qualified for the job. But he was ultimately judged as being a little too dishonest. Evading something like $128,000 in taxes. Which was pretty stupid, considering that Daschle is a multi-millionaire. So Daschle withdrew his name from consideration today. Probably at the urging of Obama, who would really like to find an honest man or woman. Problem is, he could look forever among the field of politicians. And he won't find one. --Jim Broede

Paradise makes all things possible.

I'm a firm believer that one can create Paradise. Because Paradise is concocted within one's soul and mind. One might call it a cocoon. It's sort of a retreat. That one can escape to. If not for fulltime, at least part of a day. For a few hours. And yes, there's no better place to get respite than in Paradise. Often, it's achieved with a loved one. Or maybe just in solitude. With one's self. Or with god. And this cocoon called Paradise can be created in virtually any place. Even in hell. I suspect that Nelson Mandela even experienced a life in Paradise during his 17 years in a South African prison. Actually, it may be where he cultivated the art of forgiveness. While in Paradise. I know of what I speak. Because I've been to Paradise. Often. I know how to get there. I haven't been able to stay in Paradise permanently. Maybe never will. But hey, all it takes is a few minutes. And that replenishes one's spirit. Makes it possible to even live in hell. --Jim Broede

...learning to do the right things.

I'm for guaranteeing everyone who wants to work a job. A decent job. I want our government to create work. If there aren't enough private sector jobs to go around, then let's make public sector jobs. Rebuilding and expanding the nation's infrastructure. Roads. Bridges. Transit systems. Schools. Libraries. Art centers. Recreation centers. Athletic fields. Gymnasiums. Swimming pools. Parks. Hospitals. Nursing homes. Let's even form a domestic work corps. To help provide essential services to all citizens. Maybe it's the way to end poverty in America. Sure, it's gonna take government intervention and redistributing the nation's wealth to make this happen. Yes, exactly what we need. Centuries from now, we're gonna look back on the 20th and early 21st centuries in America as an immoral way of life. An era of greed and selfishness. When there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor. Just as we look back now on slavery as a national disgrace. Because now we know better. The America of today is still shameful. Far from where we need to go to serve the common good. Yes, we Americans are still learning how to do the right things. --Jim Broede

Monday, February 2, 2009

...more in tune with life.

There's something nice about grieving. To feel a bit of sadness. To acknowledge that we are going to miss a loved one. I say it's nice because that's a sign we are human. That we are capable of love. Sometimes, we wish that life would always be smooth. And tranquil. Peaceful. Full of joy. But if we didn't have death. And sadness. Well, then maybe we wouldn't have love. We need the contrast. To appreciate life. In that sense, sadness and death are blessings. Gifts. We need all this to make us more aware...more in tune with life. --Jim Broede

...as if I've lived forever.

Ah, the wonder of it all. To have lived this long. Here I am. At 73, and counting. Longevity. And good health. It's a gift. A blessing. An opportunity to love. Even if this proves to be all there is, it's been a nice ride. A pleasant experience. Sure, there's been some sadness mixed in. Some grieving. But that's a sign that I have loved. That I miss a loved one. But life goes on. In so many grand and romantic ways. And it begins to feel as if I've lived forever. --Jim Broede

When it's bed-making time.

My cat, Loverboy, helps me make the bed. Virtually every day. Doesn't matter the time. It can be shortly after I get up in the morning. Or an hour or two later. After breakfast. Or even in the afternoon on a lazy Sunday. As soon as I start to make the bed, Loverboy comes prancing in. Up he comes. On to the bed. Pressing down the covers. But Loverboy has a motive. Yes, he knows exactly what we're gonna do as soon as the bed is made. I bring out a long shoestring. Pull it across the bed. And Loverboy pounces on it. Pretending he's a mongoose. A snake killer. And I'll flip the shoestring/snake high. Into the air. And Loverboy leaps. In hot pursuit. Like a ballet dancer. Oh, he has so much fun. And he gets his daily exercise. The snake disappears after a minute or two. But Loverboy knows it'll return tomorrow. When it's bed-making time. --Jim Broede

Babies, books and birdhouses.

That woman, who gave birth to 8 babies at once last week. Well, she's drawn some criticism in the comments section of this blog. From a woman who lamented that the mother -- who's unmarried and now has 14 children -- will probably end up on the welfare rolls. Personally, that doesn't bother me. Anyway, if I had my way, I'd take the $18 billion dished out as bonuses to Wall Street bankers in December, and channel every last penny of it into welfare. For distribution to the poorest of the poor. That might even include this woman at the moment. Although she's talking of selling her story. For millions of dollars presumably. If I question anything, it's the ethics of this woman. She already had 6 kids. And she was treated with fertility drugs. So she could have more. When is enough enough? The woman's mother says her daughter has an insatiable desire to have children. I suppose just like some people have an insatiable desire to have money or sex or booze -- or as in my case, books and birdhouses. --Jim Broede

Sunday, February 1, 2009

As if we live in a tropical paradise.

When it comes to the weather, I take what I get. And make the best of it. Pretty much the same way that I take life. Yesterday was a wonderful day here in Minnesota. The temperature soared to the upper 40s. Above freezing for the first time this year. Cooled down a bit today. To the upper 20s. But still, that's above average for this time of year. Makes me grateful. There's something nice to be said about winter. Tends to toughen one up. I'm no sissy anymore. Heck, we'll still get sub-zero temperatures through March, and maybe even into April. Most likely, the ice won't leave the lake until the first week of April. And often, March is the snowiest month of winter. Albeit, it melts fast. Doesn't stick around for long. Yes, we're slowly coming out of winter. Spring is on the way. Imagine that. The 40s seem like a heat wave. Folks living in sissyland just shiver at the thought. But we Minnesotans bask...as if we live in a tropical paradise. --Jim Broede

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I think it's difficult for most politicians to be nice to the opposition. So many Republicans find it nearly impossible to be nice to Democrats. And you don't find many Democrats being nice to Republicans. Hostility has built over the years. Especially recent years. Almost as if the two political parties are at war with each other. So far, Barack Obama has tried to play it nice. Polite. Suggesting he's ready and willing to listen to Republicans. Even putting two of 'em into his cabinet. And he's invited conservative Republicans to cocktail parties at the White House. It's a nice try. An effort to bring about some degree of harmony. Camaraderie. Cooperation. Give and take. Certainly, a sharp contrast to the highly partisan George Bush administration. But I suspect Obama is fighting a losing cause. Ain't in the nature of most politicians to cooperate with those across the aisle. Not in America. My guess is that Obama is willing to turn the other cheek. Take a slap or two or three. But in the end, he'll start slapping back. Can't blame him, I suppose. My style is to turn the other cheek for awhile. But sooner or later, I declare that enough is enough. And I stand up for principle. And wow. I slap back. Now maybe Obama is the exception. If he slaps back, it'll be much later. Maybe Obama has true religion. And takes the adage to turn the other cheek very, very seriously. Growing up in a mixed race family -- that probably taught him an immense amount of understanding. And tolerance. How to deal with racism, for instance. How to counter racists. In kindly and subtle ways. That might make dealing with Republicans a lot easier. After all, Obama has dealt with the worst of the worst because he grew up black. Obama may be a little like Nelson Mandela. The forgiving sort. Allowing bygones to be bygones. And getting on with the rest of life. Could be that we Americans are blessed with the right kind of leader at just the right time. Wouldn't that be wonderful? --Jim Broede