I am, like many Americans, wondering why it had to happen. What led a young man to open fire on a group of fellow human beings, fellow Americans? Was Jared Loughner angry at a single individual, the government, the country or was he trying to get noticed, become famous, make a statement of some kind? What was the motive to take so many lives and what can we blame this on?
It seems that there are many people out there already pointing the finger before all the facts are in. Fingers are being pointed at gun makers, sporting goods stores, peoples political views and statements all in an attempt to explain this tragedy. What amazes me is the lack of reason or logic that some statements or conclusions have within them. I want to believe that there is serious critical thinking happening around me and yet, once again, I am disappointed by what I have seen and heard in the media.
One of the first ideas I heard was that it was the fault of Sarah Palin. I know that people either love or hate her but lets get serious for a moment. Political rhetoric has been around since the beginning of politics, as has the love/hate relationship we have with most politicians. The using of metaphors and imagery is nothing new in politics and certainly not new within the last twenty years. I have heard a few say that rhetoric has been very toxic as of late. These people obviously were asleep during the Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush II years. Political speech has always been full of inflammatory language and will continue to be so. Can we blame the Sarah Palin's of the world. I don't believe so...lets continue to look for our answer elsewhere.
Gun makers. Once again the finger is pointed at gun makers and gun owners. Calls will be made for new gun laws and possible bans on ownership of hand guns. I challenge one and all to take a look and see how many laws we currently have on the books, both state and federal. It will amaze you. Gun makers did NOT send this Mr. Loughner a letter inviting him to come into a nearby store and purchase a Glock. He made the choice to go to a store and purchase the weapon. Had he been declined after the MANDATORY background check are we to believe that he would have just shrugged his shoulders and abandoned his plan? Most likely not. Chances are that he would have tried to obtain the weapon thru other means or use a different weapon, such as a knife or possibly a home made bomb, to accomplish his plan. Can we blame the gun makers? No, we can not. It is a cliche but it is true. A gun is an inanimate object until someone picks it up and decides to use it. The gun did not kill, the person holding it did.
If we eliminate these two arguments, the picture becomes clearer and more understandable. Now lets look at what we do know as fact. Jared Loughners' writings were most definitely on the unusual side. He had been suspended by his school for unusual behavior and asked to get a mental evaluation in order to determine whether he was a risk to the schools faculty or students. Students at the school had complained of his inappropriate behavior and usually avoided him. His friends have said that he had become different as of late and they also avoided him more. He posted remarks on facebook that some thought unusual even for him. Some of these remarks were of the anti government and conspiracy type. If you add all this up do you come to the conclusion that he was mentally unstable or , at the very least, in need of help?
If you consider the proximity of his house to that Safeway, the fact that Rep. Giffords would be there as a Representative of a government that he railed against, that there would be little to no security and that the act would bring a light onto his thoughts and his world view, then it is easy to see why this all happened. It could have been any Senator, Representative or other high ranking government official, Republican or Democrat. This was not personal. It was a statement. It is not Sarah Palins fault, not the gun makers and not Rep. Giffords fault either. It is no ones fault other than the man who pulled the trigger.
It is Jared Loughners fault and no one else. So lets stop playing the blame game ( especially if your trying to make political hay ), as it cheapens the loss of life and their memory, and place the blame where it squarely belongs. Upon the shoulders of the man who committed this crime... Jared Loughner.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
What we do....
As I was driving around today I paid very close attention to all that was happening around me. A thought occurred to me and it was this, What if that job didn't exist or there was no one that would do that job? This led to a second question.... Should everyone go to college? I realized that the answer to the first was somewhat long but not very complicated and the answer to the second is a resounding "NO"! I think that I will start by explaining the answer to the second question first.
We, here in this most prosperous nation, have told ourselves that an education is everything. That we will have no future if we don't go to college. That only losers do not go to college. Well I don't believe this and I take issue with the idea that somehow we are less valuable if we don't get a degree. I know that many of you are shaking your heads right now and believe otherwise. Well. please allow me to explain my position.
As parents, everyone wants their child to have a degree. It is a proud moment to watch your son or daughter, dressed in cap and gown, accept their degree. It is a feeling , that I am sure, of relief. You tell yourself that, now, everything will be o.k.. Your child will enter the workforce and make a boatload of money, right? Well, maybe and maybe not!
If everyone has a degree in_____insert major here____ then I, as an employer, have a large pool to pull from and the laws of supply and demand now take hold. Not to mention that college graduates have little to no work experience. Even with a degree, most will have to take an entry level position at a low rate of pay. Sure, over their life, they may make more than a non degree worker but there is no guarantee. Then there is the cost of repaying the loans that were taken out to achieve the degree. The number can be mind numbing. This can cause problems with future credit purchases such as buying a home or a car.
Last is that careers seem to be chosen not because we want to do what we love.Instead, we would rather make as much money as possible. While making money is a good thing it is, most definitely, not the only consideration one should be making when choosing a career. To do a great job one needs to love what they do. There is nothing worse than having to get up and go to a job we hate doing no matter what the pay is.
When looking at careers we should really consider what we love in life. What is it that we are passionate about? That is where we should look for work. Let me highlight a few people I have come across in my life's journey. People who have no college education in the field they chose but are exceptional at what they do because they LOVE what they do. Because they love what they do, they are both happy and constantly busy with work.
Frank. He is an auto detailer. I met him one day while I was at the barber and decided to have him detail my car while I was getting my haircut. It took him and his crew about 30 minutes and when I saw my car I was amazed. It looked like it just rolled of the showroom floor. Keep in mind, I have a black car and there are always little scratches on the car. I call them spiderweb scratches......there wasn't one scratch to be seen anywhere. He took pride in what he did and he liked his job. I asked if he was always busy and he told me that he could barely keep up with the calls. Look, I know this is anecdotal, but my point is that he didn't need a degree, he ran his own business and is successful. Plus, he has no student loans to pay off! And there is this, without Frank, I would have had to spend hours to achieve almost the same outcome with my car.
Tim. Tim is a great mechanic. He started his own shop right out of high school. His shop was specialized and he worked on VW's. He even had a few cars that he raced. Tim is one of the best I have ever watched( and I say watch because that's how I learn from him ) turn a wrench. He LOVES cars. He has owned countless classic muscle cars and has even built a few from the ground up. He is so precise with his work that if I put a real 69 Chevelle SS against one he built from a Malibu, you would be unable to tell the difference unless you looked at the VIN#. Why is it that he is so good? It is his talent.... it is what he has always loved. It is his passion.
Paul. Paul is many things. He went to college for computers. Mostly web design and so on. He has worked in that field on and off. Mostly in a free lance capacity. What is his passion? Skydiving! Not long after he got his degree and started his related career he discovered skydiving after meeting a couple of neighbors who introduced him to the sport. He has fallen in LOVE with the sport and has made it a career. First it was jumping for fun. He then bought a camera and started doing videos for those who "just want to try it once". He then worked on getting his Cert so that he could be an instructor/ tandem skydiver. Why was he able to achieve this so quickly? Because he LOVES it and that has made him very good at it.
Look, we need detailers and skydivers and mechanics and janitors and truck drivers and countless other professions that we take for granted or that we don't even think about. What we should really be asking ourselves is" are they happier than me and if so, how much value does that add to their life?" The answer may amaze you and even make you a bit envious.
Best wishes in this New Year and I hope that you are doing what you LOVE!
We, here in this most prosperous nation, have told ourselves that an education is everything. That we will have no future if we don't go to college. That only losers do not go to college. Well I don't believe this and I take issue with the idea that somehow we are less valuable if we don't get a degree. I know that many of you are shaking your heads right now and believe otherwise. Well. please allow me to explain my position.
As parents, everyone wants their child to have a degree. It is a proud moment to watch your son or daughter, dressed in cap and gown, accept their degree. It is a feeling , that I am sure, of relief. You tell yourself that, now, everything will be o.k.. Your child will enter the workforce and make a boatload of money, right? Well, maybe and maybe not!
If everyone has a degree in_____insert major here____ then I, as an employer, have a large pool to pull from and the laws of supply and demand now take hold. Not to mention that college graduates have little to no work experience. Even with a degree, most will have to take an entry level position at a low rate of pay. Sure, over their life, they may make more than a non degree worker but there is no guarantee. Then there is the cost of repaying the loans that were taken out to achieve the degree. The number can be mind numbing. This can cause problems with future credit purchases such as buying a home or a car.
Last is that careers seem to be chosen not because we want to do what we love.Instead, we would rather make as much money as possible. While making money is a good thing it is, most definitely, not the only consideration one should be making when choosing a career. To do a great job one needs to love what they do. There is nothing worse than having to get up and go to a job we hate doing no matter what the pay is.
When looking at careers we should really consider what we love in life. What is it that we are passionate about? That is where we should look for work. Let me highlight a few people I have come across in my life's journey. People who have no college education in the field they chose but are exceptional at what they do because they LOVE what they do. Because they love what they do, they are both happy and constantly busy with work.
Frank. He is an auto detailer. I met him one day while I was at the barber and decided to have him detail my car while I was getting my haircut. It took him and his crew about 30 minutes and when I saw my car I was amazed. It looked like it just rolled of the showroom floor. Keep in mind, I have a black car and there are always little scratches on the car. I call them spiderweb scratches......there wasn't one scratch to be seen anywhere. He took pride in what he did and he liked his job. I asked if he was always busy and he told me that he could barely keep up with the calls. Look, I know this is anecdotal, but my point is that he didn't need a degree, he ran his own business and is successful. Plus, he has no student loans to pay off! And there is this, without Frank, I would have had to spend hours to achieve almost the same outcome with my car.
Tim. Tim is a great mechanic. He started his own shop right out of high school. His shop was specialized and he worked on VW's. He even had a few cars that he raced. Tim is one of the best I have ever watched( and I say watch because that's how I learn from him ) turn a wrench. He LOVES cars. He has owned countless classic muscle cars and has even built a few from the ground up. He is so precise with his work that if I put a real 69 Chevelle SS against one he built from a Malibu, you would be unable to tell the difference unless you looked at the VIN#. Why is it that he is so good? It is his talent.... it is what he has always loved. It is his passion.
Paul. Paul is many things. He went to college for computers. Mostly web design and so on. He has worked in that field on and off. Mostly in a free lance capacity. What is his passion? Skydiving! Not long after he got his degree and started his related career he discovered skydiving after meeting a couple of neighbors who introduced him to the sport. He has fallen in LOVE with the sport and has made it a career. First it was jumping for fun. He then bought a camera and started doing videos for those who "just want to try it once". He then worked on getting his Cert so that he could be an instructor/ tandem skydiver. Why was he able to achieve this so quickly? Because he LOVES it and that has made him very good at it.
Look, we need detailers and skydivers and mechanics and janitors and truck drivers and countless other professions that we take for granted or that we don't even think about. What we should really be asking ourselves is" are they happier than me and if so, how much value does that add to their life?" The answer may amaze you and even make you a bit envious.
Best wishes in this New Year and I hope that you are doing what you LOVE!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A New Year...
....and a new set of resolutions. Right now, many people worldwide are putting pen to paper, dry erase marker to white board( the smart ones ), post it notes to calenders and other places.. We set out every year to do what we didn't do the year before all done in hopes of reaching goals and dreams. The only other time we reflect and decide change is needed is on our birthdays.
The goals are mostly universal. You know the list by now, don't you? Lose weight/ go to the gym, quit smoking, get a better job, get my finances under control, etc...etc. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few suggestions. To some, these may sound a touch preachy, but it is most definitely not intended to be that way. These are just a few ideas that may have a positive impact on your life and make you a bit happier not to mention the impact it may have on those around you or your community.
Lets start with the acknowledgement that for the past few years things have been bad.....real bad for some. Many Mom and Pop stores have been struggling or even closing due to the poor economy. How about this...Lets resolve to shop at these stores and support these small businesses. They are usually family owned and operated. By buying from them you will keep their store open, keep food on their table and a roof over their heads. Remember, they are the backbone of the community and if they are healthy then so is our economy.
My second idea comes from a discussion between two friends( if your reading this, you know who you are!) about what they could do on Christmas day to make someone's life better. They went back and forth and all the ideas were great but one really took hold. Our seniors spend much time alone. We have widely forgotten them and put them in storage facilities that we like to call "Retirement Homes". These "seniors" are our Mothers, Fathers, Grand Parents, WWII Veterans, Korean War Vets. These special people deserve so much more than what we give them. They, their sacrifice and hard work are why we have what we have and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. To the children of these incredible individuals....go see them more often. Show that you love and care about them not by making phone calls but by going to them and spending some time with them. Forget not what they have given you. They gave you much and you have a debt to pay and should pay that debt willingly. To the rest of you( including me ), even if you don't have a relative in a "home", why not drop in and spend some time with someone who would really appreciate it. It will put a smile on a face and that is always a good thing.
Donate to charity! What if you gave a dollar a day to charity? What if we all did that? Do the math...the number is mind boggling. Most of us can more than afford $365.00 a year and it is tax deductible. So how about it? Care enough to make it a resolution?
There are so many more but why should I have to come up with all the ideas? Sit down and think of something other than yourself and DO IT
Happy New Year to you all! May it be the best ever!
The goals are mostly universal. You know the list by now, don't you? Lose weight/ go to the gym, quit smoking, get a better job, get my finances under control, etc...etc. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few suggestions. To some, these may sound a touch preachy, but it is most definitely not intended to be that way. These are just a few ideas that may have a positive impact on your life and make you a bit happier not to mention the impact it may have on those around you or your community.
Lets start with the acknowledgement that for the past few years things have been bad.....real bad for some. Many Mom and Pop stores have been struggling or even closing due to the poor economy. How about this...Lets resolve to shop at these stores and support these small businesses. They are usually family owned and operated. By buying from them you will keep their store open, keep food on their table and a roof over their heads. Remember, they are the backbone of the community and if they are healthy then so is our economy.
My second idea comes from a discussion between two friends( if your reading this, you know who you are!) about what they could do on Christmas day to make someone's life better. They went back and forth and all the ideas were great but one really took hold. Our seniors spend much time alone. We have widely forgotten them and put them in storage facilities that we like to call "Retirement Homes". These "seniors" are our Mothers, Fathers, Grand Parents, WWII Veterans, Korean War Vets. These special people deserve so much more than what we give them. They, their sacrifice and hard work are why we have what we have and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. To the children of these incredible individuals....go see them more often. Show that you love and care about them not by making phone calls but by going to them and spending some time with them. Forget not what they have given you. They gave you much and you have a debt to pay and should pay that debt willingly. To the rest of you( including me ), even if you don't have a relative in a "home", why not drop in and spend some time with someone who would really appreciate it. It will put a smile on a face and that is always a good thing.
Donate to charity! What if you gave a dollar a day to charity? What if we all did that? Do the math...the number is mind boggling. Most of us can more than afford $365.00 a year and it is tax deductible. So how about it? Care enough to make it a resolution?
There are so many more but why should I have to come up with all the ideas? Sit down and think of something other than yourself and DO IT
Happy New Year to you all! May it be the best ever!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Every so often.......
.....we come upon something or someone that gives us a whole new appreciation for being alive. It can be a view of something majestic in nature, a person, a moment in time or?????
I have been lucky enough to have traveled much of the world and have seen many things and met many people. I have been to every country in the Mediterranean, every state in the United States and almost every territory in Canada. I have yet to travel to South or Central America, Asia or Eastern Europe. One day my friends...one day!
As for the people I meet and have met, most are nice and polite, but every so often I come across someone extraordinary. They are not extraordinary due to position, power, wealth or influence. They are extraordinary because of how they make others feel. It is a feeling one can only know by meeting that person. I had such a chance meeting. It lasted a little over an hour but it has had a profound impact on me. This person was kind, optimistic, funny, caring, vulnerable, in charge, and in some small ways sad but, over all, incredibly uplifting! This person I really don't know at all and yet I feel I know enough to make a sound enough judgement about this persons character. How can this be? It is a gut feeling mixed with looking into that persons eyes and seeing as much as hearing what is being said and unsaid. Therefore I am honored to have met this person and am also lucky enough to have absorbed a little of what they have. I feel a bit more optimistic, a bit more happy, a bit more uplifted. This individual makes the world a better place and we could use much more of what this person has......
......the ability to make others laugh, smile and feel good about ourselves!
May you all have a chance meeting such as mine...better yet... I hope you already have!
I have been lucky enough to have traveled much of the world and have seen many things and met many people. I have been to every country in the Mediterranean, every state in the United States and almost every territory in Canada. I have yet to travel to South or Central America, Asia or Eastern Europe. One day my friends...one day!
As for the people I meet and have met, most are nice and polite, but every so often I come across someone extraordinary. They are not extraordinary due to position, power, wealth or influence. They are extraordinary because of how they make others feel. It is a feeling one can only know by meeting that person. I had such a chance meeting. It lasted a little over an hour but it has had a profound impact on me. This person was kind, optimistic, funny, caring, vulnerable, in charge, and in some small ways sad but, over all, incredibly uplifting! This person I really don't know at all and yet I feel I know enough to make a sound enough judgement about this persons character. How can this be? It is a gut feeling mixed with looking into that persons eyes and seeing as much as hearing what is being said and unsaid. Therefore I am honored to have met this person and am also lucky enough to have absorbed a little of what they have. I feel a bit more optimistic, a bit more happy, a bit more uplifted. This individual makes the world a better place and we could use much more of what this person has......
......the ability to make others laugh, smile and feel good about ourselves!
May you all have a chance meeting such as mine...better yet... I hope you already have!
It is a personal thing....
Well kiddies, another Christmas has come and gone....or has it? I, for one, hope not. What the heck does he mean by that, you ask? I will try to explain as best I can. Some of you will get it and some may not but that's o.k because we are all individuals and different.
You see, I am not a religious person. My beliefs are my own and in some ways I don't know what I believe because I am still in search of answers. Maybe I will find the answers I am looking for and maybe I never will but at least I am always searching, considering, weighing. accepting and rejecting. I am a very analytical person and if it doesn't add up I keep searching for what makes sense to me. That being said, I have come to a conclusion and it is this.... the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas should not be relegated to a single day on a calender. Noo...really? you say?lol. I know! It is not like that light bulb came on this morning when I woke up! It is something that I have always known. I know this because my Mom said so, and Mom is always right( well almost always).lol.
This year I was unable to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. My job schedules vacations on a seniority basis and I haven't gained enough seniority to get these coveted times off. I was, however, able to get two weeks at the beginning of December off. When I arrived at my Moms house the feeling of the holidays was all around me. Snow was on the ground, the tree was in the living room, Christmas carols on the stereo( sorry Mom, Kenny Rogers? Really?.lol) and all the food I could possibly eat! But, when it is all said and done, is this what Christmas and Thanksgiving are all about? No, of course not. The spirit of both holidays is so much more. It is about giving, loving, caring, laughter, forgiveness, etc.... It is the one time of the year that everyone seems to put aside their petty and, not so petty, differences and just lets the spirit take hold. All of this and more was in abundance at Mom's house, as it is every time I go home. There really is "no place like home".
I have heard that some Christians are offended at the fact that non- Christians celebrate this holiday. This has always confused me. I heard a great analogy on the radio as I was driving to my friends yesterday. Remember when, as a kid, you dressed up in your Dads or Moms clothes?You pretended to be your Dad or Mom. The shoes, jacket and hat were all to big at that time but you eventually would grow into these things. Well, Christmas is somewhat the same in that people who may be on the fence about what they believe may grow into it just by trying it on. Even if they don't grow into it they may go on, after absorbing or learning some important lessons, to be better human beings. These lessons on sharing, giving, caring, loving, forgiveness etc..etc... if carried forward past the holiday, would make the world a better place! So, please don't be offended! Look at it more as an opportunity to promote the spirit and lessons of your faith.
My Christmas was awesome, as was my Thanksgiving. You see, I have incredible friends that are more like family than friends. Each year, at each holiday, they open their house and their hearts to me. To Tim, Angela, Makenzie and Alexis, I say THANKYOU sooo much for making me a part of your family and sharing the SPIRIT of Christmas with me. But wait.... it wasn't just me.....they also invited Steve and Chelsea. They also invited others who were unable to make it. They displayed the true spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas, by inviting those of us who couldn't make it home to be with our loved ones, to share in their warmth, love, giving, laughter and sense of family! I just want to say Thank you so much for, if not for them, I would have been home alone and, believe me, it is a much better movie than it is an experience.
What I'm trying to say folks is that the spirit is far more important than just a single day on a calender. Imagine if we take this feeling of love, joy, happiness, forgiveness, caring, giving and laughter forward with us into 2011 and try to treat each day as though it were Thanksgiving and Christmas. Do you think life might be better? More enjoyable? More satisfying?
What do you say kiddies? Want to make a New Years resolution with me? Right here, right now? Let us resolve to carry forth the holiday spirit into 2011 and to do our best, each and every day, to have a positive impact on those around us by implementing the lessons that we learned on these special days. I'm in...how about you?
Love you all and thank you for taking your valuable time to read my thoughts. I hope I was able to impart upon you something you can take with you into 2011. Merry Christmas to you all.
You see, I am not a religious person. My beliefs are my own and in some ways I don't know what I believe because I am still in search of answers. Maybe I will find the answers I am looking for and maybe I never will but at least I am always searching, considering, weighing. accepting and rejecting. I am a very analytical person and if it doesn't add up I keep searching for what makes sense to me. That being said, I have come to a conclusion and it is this.... the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas should not be relegated to a single day on a calender. Noo...really? you say?lol. I know! It is not like that light bulb came on this morning when I woke up! It is something that I have always known. I know this because my Mom said so, and Mom is always right( well almost always).lol.
This year I was unable to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. My job schedules vacations on a seniority basis and I haven't gained enough seniority to get these coveted times off. I was, however, able to get two weeks at the beginning of December off. When I arrived at my Moms house the feeling of the holidays was all around me. Snow was on the ground, the tree was in the living room, Christmas carols on the stereo( sorry Mom, Kenny Rogers? Really?.lol) and all the food I could possibly eat! But, when it is all said and done, is this what Christmas and Thanksgiving are all about? No, of course not. The spirit of both holidays is so much more. It is about giving, loving, caring, laughter, forgiveness, etc.... It is the one time of the year that everyone seems to put aside their petty and, not so petty, differences and just lets the spirit take hold. All of this and more was in abundance at Mom's house, as it is every time I go home. There really is "no place like home".
I have heard that some Christians are offended at the fact that non- Christians celebrate this holiday. This has always confused me. I heard a great analogy on the radio as I was driving to my friends yesterday. Remember when, as a kid, you dressed up in your Dads or Moms clothes?You pretended to be your Dad or Mom. The shoes, jacket and hat were all to big at that time but you eventually would grow into these things. Well, Christmas is somewhat the same in that people who may be on the fence about what they believe may grow into it just by trying it on. Even if they don't grow into it they may go on, after absorbing or learning some important lessons, to be better human beings. These lessons on sharing, giving, caring, loving, forgiveness etc..etc... if carried forward past the holiday, would make the world a better place! So, please don't be offended! Look at it more as an opportunity to promote the spirit and lessons of your faith.
My Christmas was awesome, as was my Thanksgiving. You see, I have incredible friends that are more like family than friends. Each year, at each holiday, they open their house and their hearts to me. To Tim, Angela, Makenzie and Alexis, I say THANKYOU sooo much for making me a part of your family and sharing the SPIRIT of Christmas with me. But wait.... it wasn't just me.....they also invited Steve and Chelsea. They also invited others who were unable to make it. They displayed the true spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas, by inviting those of us who couldn't make it home to be with our loved ones, to share in their warmth, love, giving, laughter and sense of family! I just want to say Thank you so much for, if not for them, I would have been home alone and, believe me, it is a much better movie than it is an experience.
What I'm trying to say folks is that the spirit is far more important than just a single day on a calender. Imagine if we take this feeling of love, joy, happiness, forgiveness, caring, giving and laughter forward with us into 2011 and try to treat each day as though it were Thanksgiving and Christmas. Do you think life might be better? More enjoyable? More satisfying?
What do you say kiddies? Want to make a New Years resolution with me? Right here, right now? Let us resolve to carry forth the holiday spirit into 2011 and to do our best, each and every day, to have a positive impact on those around us by implementing the lessons that we learned on these special days. I'm in...how about you?
Love you all and thank you for taking your valuable time to read my thoughts. I hope I was able to impart upon you something you can take with you into 2011. Merry Christmas to you all.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Mr. Assange
Let me see if I understand his position correctly. It is o.k. for his organization to release hundreds of thousands of government documents covering almost as many subjects but, it is not o.k. for any leaks of information about his alleged RAPE case. I am sure that you, like me, see absolutely no hypocrisy in this whatsoever.
Lets do a little comparison between the two situations. On one hand we have a government, that in many cases, has, is or, will be in sensitive discussions, negotiations or, operations with those very governments, politicians, military leaders and others that those documents addressed. Their cooperation is imperative to the success of such endeavors that our government may undertake to insure peace between other nations as well as our own national security. On the other hand, we have a man that has been accused, not once, but twice of, at the very least, sexual assault. The leak of information about this case only harms one individual as opposed to the countless many that have been harmed by his release.
He claims that Swedens release of information is a violation of law and that he has been unjustly hurt by that release. This may be a valid point but can one hurt others only if they break the law. I would say that it is possible to hurt others without breaking the law. I think we can all agree that the U.S. and some other countries have been hurt by the Wikileaks release and that a country is nothing without its people. So I would argue that we have all been hurt by those documents being made public.
He also argues that he didn't take the documents. This is true. He also has said that he only made a site available for such things to be released. Also true. He conveniently leaves out one step though. He had the final say on wether or not such information should be made public. He didn't have to release those documents, thereby creating angst between nations and peoples. He forgot the most important consideration of all.... Moral obligation. He had a moral obligation to consider which was more important. The release of the documents that most likely would and could cause some damage to foreign relations or deciding that for the greater good he would turn them back over to the government they belonged to thereby keeping the status quo.
His decision speaks more about his dislike or hatred of the U.S. than it does about his feeling that all things should be transparent fore if he truly believed that all things should be transparent then I don't think he would be shedding tears about the Swedeleak!
I'm JUST SAYING.......
Lets do a little comparison between the two situations. On one hand we have a government, that in many cases, has, is or, will be in sensitive discussions, negotiations or, operations with those very governments, politicians, military leaders and others that those documents addressed. Their cooperation is imperative to the success of such endeavors that our government may undertake to insure peace between other nations as well as our own national security. On the other hand, we have a man that has been accused, not once, but twice of, at the very least, sexual assault. The leak of information about this case only harms one individual as opposed to the countless many that have been harmed by his release.
He claims that Swedens release of information is a violation of law and that he has been unjustly hurt by that release. This may be a valid point but can one hurt others only if they break the law. I would say that it is possible to hurt others without breaking the law. I think we can all agree that the U.S. and some other countries have been hurt by the Wikileaks release and that a country is nothing without its people. So I would argue that we have all been hurt by those documents being made public.
He also argues that he didn't take the documents. This is true. He also has said that he only made a site available for such things to be released. Also true. He conveniently leaves out one step though. He had the final say on wether or not such information should be made public. He didn't have to release those documents, thereby creating angst between nations and peoples. He forgot the most important consideration of all.... Moral obligation. He had a moral obligation to consider which was more important. The release of the documents that most likely would and could cause some damage to foreign relations or deciding that for the greater good he would turn them back over to the government they belonged to thereby keeping the status quo.
His decision speaks more about his dislike or hatred of the U.S. than it does about his feeling that all things should be transparent fore if he truly believed that all things should be transparent then I don't think he would be shedding tears about the Swedeleak!
I'm JUST SAYING.......
Monday, December 20, 2010
WTF..........
.........Good morning....or is it? I woke up at 2:30 am and the first thing that entered my mind wasn't "hey, I'm alive and life is good!"....Nope.....it was "WHAT THE FUCK!". I know...I know.....not good right? Well, hold on, let me see if I can help you understand where I am coming from. I went to bed at 9pm because I have to get up at 5am so that I can be to work by 6am. Lets do the math together.......9pm to 5am....lets see ....9 to 12 is 3 hours uuuummmmm and 12 to 5 is ....uhhhhh....5 hours....uhhhh 3+5 is .....uhhhh....8 hrs! Glad I went to school otherwise I would never have been able to figure out how many hours I WAS PLANNING TO SLEEP! So...anywho.......here I am at 2:30 in the AM staring at my ceiling and all I could think is "What The Fuck". You have to understand...I LOVE TO SLEEP....so when I wake up at the crack of ass and I have only had a little over 5 hours of sleep and for some weird reason can not fall back to sleep all I can think is WTF.
Now, one of the worst parts about me is that my mind is always thinking about something...usually something important to somebody somewhere and sometimes even important to me. So what happens as soon as my mind realizes that it is not going back into hibernation? Thats right kiddies....it starts revving up and thinking of shit and I can't turn it off...hence my being awake right now and writing something that no one is going to read....or who knows...maybe I will get my first follower today....lucky them!lol.
So...what to do for the next hour and change...lets see...made my coffee....made a lunch to take with me only because I want to drop a few pounds(rant for another time).....look at todays news but everyone else is ASLEEP so there is no new news being made and always remember..no gnews is good gnews! Looked out the window to see if it is still raining....it's not....just made my own news there.
Well ....ok......rant done....now what do I do for the next hour and fifteen minutes. Hmmmmm....I could rub one out...ok...that still leaves an hour and ten minutes..an hour and five minutes after I wash my hand!lmao. Crap.....I don't know......this sucks....hope your day is better than mine and your sllep was everything you hoped it would be. LATE!
Now, one of the worst parts about me is that my mind is always thinking about something...usually something important to somebody somewhere and sometimes even important to me. So what happens as soon as my mind realizes that it is not going back into hibernation? Thats right kiddies....it starts revving up and thinking of shit and I can't turn it off...hence my being awake right now and writing something that no one is going to read....or who knows...maybe I will get my first follower today....lucky them!lol.
So...what to do for the next hour and change...lets see...made my coffee....made a lunch to take with me only because I want to drop a few pounds(rant for another time).....look at todays news but everyone else is ASLEEP so there is no new news being made and always remember..no gnews is good gnews! Looked out the window to see if it is still raining....it's not....just made my own news there.
Well ....ok......rant done....now what do I do for the next hour and fifteen minutes. Hmmmmm....I could rub one out...ok...that still leaves an hour and ten minutes..an hour and five minutes after I wash my hand!lmao. Crap.....I don't know......this sucks....hope your day is better than mine and your sllep was everything you hoped it would be. LATE!
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