tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24396477833478193622024-03-15T21:10:16.054-04:00"THE VIEW FROM OUTSIDE MY TINY WINDOW"Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-4659669979515391342023-09-24T10:46:00.001-04:002023-09-26T23:06:27.216-04:00Post No. 212: How I Long for the Days of a Gal Like Judge Judy in My Life<span class='fullpost'></span>
© 2023, <i>The Institute for Applied Common Sense</i>™<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I haven’t written a post since March of this year. That I choose to do so now suggests that the past 6 months contained more than its share of wackiness about which I must try to make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I filed papers to formally establish <i>The Institute of Applied Common Sense</i> ™, and despite using it for the past 15 years with only the permission of its original creator, Curvin O’Reilly, and my mentor, Willy Hopkins, no one else chose to seize on the concept in the intervening period.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Why am I obsessed with Judith Sheindlin, who I’ve been watching since 1996? She has become less and less amused by litigants with each passing year, and that is just one thing that we have in common.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I sent a text to a buddy acknowledging my infatuation upon my return to California. Such precision and clarity of thought, I noted. No frigging nonsense. From his silence, I suspect he thought I had gone off the deep end when I mused that we could live in a fantasy world all our own. I even contemplated passing out flyers: “Man seeks Judge Judy type female; Looks, age, and sexiness unimportant.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Several months ago, I realized we had a standing, virtual date. I found myself glued to the screen while she eloquently expressed what I could only quietly think, “You’re both so stupid.” My favorite? “Mr. Jones, I can legally give you rights to the dog left by your wacked out, former roommate, but I recommend that you simply return the dog, and remove both her and her mother from your life.” When asked what he wanted to do, the man who described himself as “compassionate” replied, “I want to keep the dog.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Every single day, she suggests to parties that having negative energy in their lives is unhealthy and not the preferred option, and yet they always smile and point to Door No. 1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Oh, how I long for the days of a gal like Judge Judy in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Earlier today, while communicating with a former girlfriend of 50 years, I found myself walking down the street laughing at, and talking to, myself about the current wackiness. I’ve become concerned that residents in my newfound, bedroom community, where there is absolutely no crime, might feel “uncomfortable.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I take some degree of comfort in the straight-shooting lay version of Judge Judy who joined my Facebook page, who regularly shares, “Another Week of Stupid,” alluding to our elected leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Despite all, the assessment of my 1980s secretary, friend, and confidante, that the world is spinning “out of control,” seems spot on. Madison Avenue feels similarly, as we watch back to back prescription drug commercials with people dancing, as No. 2 becomes easier to do. My money is on the firm which can repair your destroyed home and lost possessions, “Like it never even happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Oh, how I long for the days of a gal like Judge Judy in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
So, placing this in the proper ADHD bi-polar context, I just returned from the laundry room, after the most invigorating conversation with a stranger about the fact that all four washers are working at the same time for the first time within the past year (with remote wi-fi monitoring), and found it stimulating. I suggested to her that last night was a good night to return to my more than adequate version of a college dorm room, and touch base with you folks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
COVID really messed us up, in ways that are not immediately apparent, except to the Chinese and Russians, and it paved the way for the emergence of Corporate Drug Dealers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
And that’s what I’ve concluded at 72 years of age, using my world-class education, as I walk down the streets of Paradise. I am reminded there’s nothing more fascinating than the human capacity to adapt, as I watch the latest episode of the History Channel’s <i>The Unexplained</i>. Last night’s episode explored how they divided 80,000 pieces of the body of Buddha, and distributed them to disparate locations around the globe, so that hundreds of millions could worship them. The most sacred item (one of his teeth) landed in Sri Lanka, and others around the corner from me in Rosemead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Good night, Los Angeles, where I no longer choose to live, despite the excitement generated by that guy who pulled a butcher knife on my subway car a couple of weeks ago, which I might have mistaken for a machete, as 25 people scrambled on top of one another within a moving, confined space. It provided a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Up close and personal.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
[I managed to almost complete this piece without one mention of sex, Nora O’Donnell, Halle Berry, Shyanne Malone, or Jessica Alba.] It’s been an exceptional 6 months.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Oh, how I long for the days of a gal like Judge Judy in my life.
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-43039386727899181672023-03-12T04:25:00.010-04:002023-03-13T16:13:47.073-04:00Post No. 211: The Problem Being A Forward Thinking, Solution Grounded, Pragmatic Optimist<span class='fullpost'></span>–
© 2023, The Institute for Applied Common Sense™<o:p></o:p></span></p>
If I did not know better and did not have the input of hundreds who studied under my mother during the 1950s – 1960s, I would suspect that she was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang">reincarnated, ancient Chinese philosopher</a>. Always trying to get me to see both sides of everything, thus suggesting therein lies potential solutions. She was bigger than the racial and gender parameters generally assigned to her.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Here once again, I find myself at 3 am reading the <i>National Review</i>, which I am compelled by her memory to absorb on a daily basis, along with watching Fox News, in an effort to: (a) understand the mindset of the conservative / authoritarian governance faction; (b) determine whether there is a commonality of interests amongst a super majority of American citizens; and (c), being a "forward thinking, solution grounded, pragmatic optimist," try to articulate some amorphous consensus around which we ordinary everyday citizens can coalesce.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Contrary to many, I honestly believe that both sides in this ideological and cultural war should listen to and try to understand one another, because the stakes are bigger than any faction, no matter how defined or framed. As hard as I try, I find myself intellectually incapable of defining the word “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke">woke</a>,” other than the time I get out of bed. A central tenet of democracy is consensus finding. However, the professional politicians, like the handlers of heavyweight boxing championship contenders, can’t have that. There’s no money to be made.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Believe it or not, my distant cousin, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Taylor_Greene">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>, and I have not conferred on <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2023/02/22/marjorie-taylor-greene-national-divorce-liberals-conservatives/11314504002/">this idea of dividing up the country</a>. To her credit, she came right out of the blocks advocating it, while those of you who have followed my roller coaster views know that I consider it an option of last resort before bloodshed. Despite coming from two dramatically different types of idiots, our positions have been severely criticized and labelled illogical and insane by 99% of the voting public, or at least the professional, non-resolution oriented talking heads on the media outlets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
And therein, perhaps, hope springs eternal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Back in 2008, my writing mentor, Willy Hopkins, suggested I take a side on issues occasionally to develop an audience of any value. I ignored his advice, stating I preferred having both sides throw rocks at my positions. All I ever wanted was to have 2 or 3 readers say, “Hmmm.” “Interesting,” is the highest compliment in my view.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I am sure that my cousin from the great, sovereign state of Georgia is dead serious about her position, while I have proposed a national divorce facetiously on occasion, and to stimulate some debate on others. My primary motivating consideration has always been <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War">the avoidance of bloodshed</a>, not the practical difficulties, and yet <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-new-brain/201610/humans-are-genetically-predisposed-kill-each-other">many consider bloodshed to be a periodic, necessary evil, before civilization returns to its senses</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I’m not a fan of politicians. They have few socially redeeming values. The vast majority of them cannot successfully maintain relationships with spouses of their choosing (as opposed to pure happenstance like citizens), successfully provide guidance to the offspring of their delusional blood flow distractions, or even balance their household checkbooks, and yet they have somehow convinced us that they should be our leaders regarding the big policy issues in life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I invite you to read <a href="about:invalid#zSoyz">this piece</a> from <i>National Review</i>, in depth, to gain a better appreciation of how complex a country we really are. No monolithic nothing, according to this analyst. It might also prompt some really creative approaches so we can surgically and strategically focus our work at the local and state levels, to avoid backsliding on individual freedoms and choices. I have to give the <i>National Review</i> writer his props, having exhaustively analyzed the s_ _ t out of the statistics, to show us that there are no true <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states">blue or red states</a>, let alone “The American People.” The manipulators impress upon us that we are in separate camps since that advances their interests and enables them to further manipulate us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I found the following quote at some point within the past couple of weeks and realized that although an ancient Chinese philosopher did not pen it, she could have: “The most powerful way to heal someone is to listen. Don’t think or judge. Just listen. People start to heal the moment they feel heard. You can’t be a healer if you refuse to step outside of your own emotions and view things entirely from the perspective of the other person.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Our purported elected leaders aren’t in the business of listening. They are in the business of framing, to advance their own interests. The sooner we recognize that, the better off we will be without them, and their manipulative influences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-42692518296512432402023-02-26T02:20:00.011-05:002023-02-27T04:24:30.373-05:00Post No. 210: She’s So Fine, There’s No Telling Where the News Went<span class='fullpost'></span>© 2023, The Institute for Applied Common Sense™<o:p></o:p></span></p>
SPOILER ALERT! Today, I’m an Equal Opportunity Offender. The success of this post is based on how many groups I manage to offend.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Despite my appreciation of consequences in life, I’m not concerned; because (unlike politicians) no one is paying me for my inconsequential nonsense (unlike politicians who we pay and whose nonsense is consequential). There is nothing like the power of money, having prompted the Vatican “Founding Fathers” to propose “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greed">greed</a>” as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins">Deadly Sin</a>. A black friend of mine is sending out proposals this week to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan">KKK</a> chapters, to build their websites, if the price is right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I called him a few minutes ago to warn him that despite my failure to identify him and his location, he might see some protesters out front. He said that he would be on the lookout and get him promotional materials ready. He noted that he tried to join several of the chapters from which he solicited business, but he couldn’t get past the application question whether he was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christians">Christian</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
And yet, many were confused about the motivations of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herschel_Walker">Herschel Walker</a>, which upon investigation, arguably <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/inside-herschel-walkers-decades-long-relationship-donald-trump-84800891">go back to 1983</a>. Unlike the inability of police to identify “motive” amongst the mentally ill, I always say, “<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/17/business/fox-news-dominion-lies/index.html">Follow the money</a>, or <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html#:~:text=Official%20Poverty%20Measure,and%20Table%20A%2D1%29.">lack thereof</a>.” Its accumulation promotes unparalleled devotion and loyalty. Its absence has long term ramifications.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I delayed posting this for 7 days. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards">Michael Richards</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seinfeld">Seinfeld</a>’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmo_Kramer">Cosmo Kramer</a> fame <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQh3BAQFriQ">destroyed his career in less than 100 words, and forfeited millions</a>. Then I thought, “I ain’t getting paid. People ain’t reading my nonsense. Why should I care?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
A positive feature of old age is not worrying about offending others. To some extent you don’t care. You realize that by uttering a phrase which was unacceptable just 9 weeks before as an employee, no one will call from <a href="https://hbr.org/1965/07/human-relations-or-human-resources">HR</a>, or, as a business owner, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_harassment">serve you with a lawsuit</a>. Despite my concerns about the current divisive environment, something is “unsettling comfortable” about being able to identify those who do not wish me well. Don’t forget about the convenient <a href="https://memory.ucsf.edu/dementia/rapidly-progressive-dementias">sudden onset dementia</a> option. “He used to be so sharp.” You can get elected president by simply noting, “<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/video/trump-jokes-150223195.html">I was just joking</a>.” And then there is “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Old_Man">I'm just a dirty old man</a>” option available when needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
As one of my former girlfriends oft says to me, “Greene Man, but you digress. Focus.” I move to prospective “offended group No. 21.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
After a full year of drinking California <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool-Aid">Kool-Aid</a> and breathing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smog">smog</a>, I may be delusional about manipulation by elected leaders of “<a href="https://news.usc.edu/194874/why-is-america-divided/">deeply divided</a>” citizens. I don’t think so. I regularly speak to ordinary citizens of every variety, including friends of 45 years. I’m convinced (like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama">Obama</a>), there is more that binds us than divides us. Consider the reactions to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Floyd">George Floyd</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Buffalo_shooting">the Buffalo supermarket massacre</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre_Nichols_protests">Tyre Nichols</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/news/sports/damar-hamlin-cheers-buffalo-bills-playoff-game-home-rcna65912">Damar Hamlin</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
It’s the professional <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician">politicians</a> who stink, along with their sycophants. (I got that from one of my die-hard Trumper friends of 45 years.) On one of my no income platforms, someone noted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Reich">former Labor Secretary Robert Reich</a>, an academic I enjoy while on Kool-Aid, suggested a memo to media outlets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Paraphrasing, he ordered that they stop referring to “labor shortage,” and try “living wage shortage” instead, along with “hazard pay,” childcare,” “paid leave,” and healthcare” <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortage#Labour_shortage">shortages</a>. Of my readers, 97% cheered as if they won the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a>. I asked, “Is it because it’s (a) not true; (b) needs more detail description; (c) scares / discourages people leading to anxiety; (d) the media has too much power / influence; (e) we ordinary citizens can't handle the truth, or (f) a combination?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
They pretty much obliquely suggested that the message to “the American people” needs to be crafted, framed, and spun, in pursuit of their goals. They engage in the same tactic about which they complain of the other faction. Heretofore, I appreciated why professional hubris and greed merchants felt citizens lack sophistication / ability and right to make their own informed decisions. But the fact that those of us not seeking elected office felt the same way caught me off guard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Admittedly, Overbooker, once again, I digress. Focusing now, the most disgusting phrase which the most disgusting people in our country utter is “the American People.” We are not some monolithic body. Perhaps the local “Founding Fathers” were prescient opting out from direct democracy?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
For those of you on the young side, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=she%27s+so+fine+i+don%27t+know+where+the+money+went&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1015US1015&oq=she%27s+so&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j46i131i433i512j46i433i512j0i512j46i512j46i433i512j0i512l3.6857j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:492b05c2,vid:UrGw_cOgwa8">click here to watch an entertaining video explaining the title of this piece</a>. For older folks who still read, <a href="https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/robert-palmer/simply-irresistible">click here for lyrics</a>, which you may have been previously reticent to sing or whistle out loud in our politically correct world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
I’ll just keep choosing my news outlets based on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norah_O%27Donnell">who captures my visceral attention</a>, as I scan channels, with the sound off. I know the names of all 173 of them that really matter.
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-74332808267611017202023-02-11T23:50:00.022-05:002023-02-26T02:36:51.283-05:00Post No. 209: Sneaking Peeps Down Rabbit Holes During Negro History Month<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© 2023, <i>The Institute for Applied Common Sense</i>™<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of us
find ourselves complaining about the role of new media and social networking
platforms in our lives, particularly that of kids. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/01/16/1149423335/encore-seattle-sues-social-media-over-youth-mental-health">Seattle recently sued Big Tech companies for a purported detrimental influence on the mental health of kids</a>, which implicitly acknowledges the futility of parental involvement / responsibility.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">While I
appreciate the value of formal education in my life, it was not nearly
as eye opening as two recent periods on internet platforms: (a) blogging since
2008 on Google’s Blogger platform; and (b) engaging folks on the Facebook group
page I started, “Black Baby Boomers Who Seek a Better Future for All.” The page was
prompted by my desire to better understand Donald Trump and the huge segment of the population, including
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelicalism">Christian Evangelicals</a>, who considered him akin to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Coming">Second Coming</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Consideration
of and being open to widely varying, different views and positions, followed by
revisiting our own, can't be anything but a good thing in my silly but pragmatic
world. And here it was I thought that <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cognitive-decline-predictors-besides-dementia">dementia</a> was going to spoil the fun. One
of our group page members has often forced me to use the phrase, "While I
agree, I have a slightly different take...." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">People on the platforms (and even friends throughout life), have always complained about the
absence of hard and fast positions on my part regarding much in life. I quickly disabuse them of that notion by
informing them that I know the position that I would take should both Jessica
Alba and Halle Berry pay me a visit, alone, and naked, should they be so
inclined.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I was just saying yesterday that
many of us in the late 1960s - early 1970s espoused anti-establishment views. We campaigned against tradition and the old
rules and values. Now, many of us appreciate how important they were in our lives
and wish that we could bring them back, many of which cannot be rescued. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">The real institutions of value, I
suspect, have changed with the times in some respects, but have continued to embrace
the same fundamental rules and principles which existed long ago.</span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">Consider, for example, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins">Seven Deadly Sins</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">During my teenage years, I was the least
experienced, least sophisticated, clueless creature on the planet, still trying
to make sense of things.</span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">It was a
constantly changing landscape during those days, as it arguably should be with
young adults.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In my
dedicated effort to derive some modicum of benefit from my experience over the
past 71 years, plus have </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">forward thinking</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> dominate my remaining years,
history suggests that black folks have no choice but to at least intellectually
segregate ourselves, take care of our own, build our own businesses and thus
create our own jobs, with the ultimate goal of improving our communities as
components of a civilized and evolved society.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I argue on a
daily basis that while I consider it important to "appreciate” history,
there is a danger associated with being consumed by the past, its wrongs, and
wishful thinking. Interestingly, most protest and ask why I wish to deny our
history; in response to which I ask, "Has humankind solved the racism issue?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Black Baby
Boomers are the last significant group with segregation, in all of its various forms,
appearing prominently on our resumes. That's why duty requires us to seek a
better future for all. We, as societal
members, ought to get the best out of that “learning opportunity,” as mucked up
as it may have been.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In my view, every
country and society, throughout history, has been built on gaslighting segments
of the populace, beating them into submission, or instilling fear to suppress
their interests. One of my partners used to refer to management as "herding
cats," and the governance of citizens is most certainly not any easier.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Our challenge here in America is one of expectations in that our documents set a high
standard. Reading the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence">Declaration of Independence</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States">Constitution</a>, and
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address">Lincoln's Gettysburg Address</a> might make one stare up in the sky as if they were
handed down by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_providence">Providence</a>. I often use the term "aspirational" to describe them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The stark,
pragmatic reality is that humans will never live up to the ideals outlined. That
doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep trying, and yet we should always keep in
mind the inherent limitations of humankind. My favorite <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uki4lrLzRaU">Clint Eastwood /"Dirty Harry" line is, "A man has got to know his limitations....</a>"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, the most significant difference
between being 17 and 71 is simply more experience under our belts and thus the
ability to reduce the number of stupid things we do. But we still have to at least keep trying to engage
others and keep taking peeps down potential rabbit holes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">Simply put, rigidity is counterproductive.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">P.S.</span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">As I put the finishing touches on this piece, PBS was featuring a
revival of the Youngbloods singing “</span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=c%27mpon+brother+try+to+love+one+another+right+now&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1015US1015&oq=c%27mpon+brother+try+to+love+one+another+right+now&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i10i160l2j33i299j33i22i29i30i625.14911j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:de643040,vid:w_inXx-J3nU" style="font-size: 14pt;">Get Together</a><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 14pt;">.”</span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-44186812731772926892023-01-29T15:59:00.011-05:002023-02-03T05:47:09.115-05:00Post No. 208: Desperately Seeking Solutions; When There Are None - At Least Not Long Term<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© 2023, <i>The Institute for Applied </i></span><i><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Common
Sense</span></i><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">™<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I may be the most conflicted black man in America – situated somewhere
between the towns of Hope and Pragmatism, USA.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reeling from having viewed the savage beating of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre_Nichols_protests">Tyre Nichols</a>, yesterday
I called one of my former partners whose father was a civil rights icon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I told him I was visiting a local shop, where 1 of 5 black people
I encounter per week in my latest Southern California home, generates his version
of southern fried chicken. Neither <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi">sushi</a> nor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saag">saag paneer</a> would do. I needed to perform
an immersion back into time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I considered having <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Alba">Jessica Alba</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halle_Berry">Halle Berry</a> work with me to
produce some <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=cedric+entertainer+entertains+on+stephen+colbert+show&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1015US1015&oq=cedric+entertainer+entertains+on+s&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j33i160l2j33i299l3j33i22i29i30l4.11570j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:bf8eaa3c,vid:dxsqDG-qBNo">entertaining, dancing video for this post</a>, but they were not immediately
available for the price I was willing to pay.
However, I do have a musical selection, if you can make it to the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I often tell the story of how my parents and I were traveling in
the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_South">Deep South</a> in the mid-1950s, and stopped for gas. Being a thirsty 6 yrs.
old, I saw 2 water fountains, one clean and sparkling white, the other dirty
and grimy where I suspected mechanics washed their hands. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I gravitated to the clean one, but before I could take a drink,
I felt my Father’s hand snatch me by the rear collar, while shaking. He turned me around while trembling, and whispered,
“Don’t you ever do that again!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suffice it to say, I’ve long known my place in America, along
with the real deal. While I didn’t
envision that black mechanics working at the station might come out to whip my
ass (and that of my Father), perhaps I should have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About 3 years ago, as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election">2020 presidential election</a> approached,
I started a Facebook group page, <i>Black Baby Boomers Who Remember</i>, which was
later changed to <i>Black Baby Boomers Who Seek a Better Future for All</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All I wanted to do was share accounts of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws">segregation</a> with young
people, and encourage them to vote, thus emulating the efforts of the old
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP">NAACP</a>, which my Father held so dear. I called
myself following in his footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What I found most fascinating was that Black Baby Boomers spoke
of the “good old days” and how solid our little villages were, despite being
sprinkled all throughout the Deep Segregated South. I realized that many of us were
“conflicted.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had three, deeply held, but controversial positions. One, that racism will never be eliminated, being
DNA / gene driven for survival evolutionary purposes. Two, that we need to talk
<i>less</i> about the past (while recognizing the importance of history and
repeated patterns), and come up with some new, creative approaches for tweaking
our system since humans do not change in the long term. Three, having had a
little legal experience, I argued that those in power have the ability to give,
and the equal ability to take away. I
developed a mantra – watch the debate on abortion, and you will see what is
about to take place in the civil rights arena.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I found myself surprisingly emotional over the past couple of
days. Not about anything specific; just things
in general on the planet. But I’ve
thought about three things the most: (1) how sad I am that my Mother only lived
to 52 and did not see America at its optimal best; (2) how happy I was that
my Father lived two weeks shy of 97, and saw America get better during his
lifetime; and, (3) how happy I am that my Father, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II">WWII</a> vet, died before he saw
this world seemingly descend into chaos, again.
While it might not have surprised him that 5 black police officers beat
the crap out a 148 pound black man, it might have destroyed his optimism, and the optimism he shared with me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thus, the conflict in me runs deep, and arguably should in us
all. Ain’t nothin' new, as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApthDWoPMFQ&list=PLc60gkdW0bcFbUwumMvBpxVrFbkeRzoPf">Marvin noted in 1971 in <i>What’s Going On</i></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lest there be some confusion on the part of the "twisters" out there, I love this country with all of my heart, soul, and every fabric of my being. Our aspirational documents are works of art and science. They don't get any better and are considered marvels by every freedom-loving creature. It is we humans who screw up the system in the application of whatever we come up with. Just look back <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/key-components-civilization">5,000 years</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505;">The best that we can do in the short term (our lifetimes) is to
engage one another, despite our fears and apprehensions, and recognize that for
complex issues, there are no real solutions, and definitely not simplistic
ones. There are only </span><i style="color: #050505;">trade-offs.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With that mindset, we just might maintain some modicum of
optimism and generate some longer lasting, more effective band-aids, before we
go out. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-37645725149130171312022-10-01T02:34:00.003-04:002022-10-01T02:50:20.823-04:00Post No. 207: An Unusual Post for Me<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© 2022, <i>The Institute of Applied <b><span style="font-size: large;">Common Sense</span></b></i>, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm a m</span><span style="color: #050505;">ajor fan of Turner Classic Movies. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505;">Watching "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_(1956_film)">Giant</a>,"
for the 2nd time in 4 weeks. If you thought that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._J._Simpson">O.J. case</a> touched on and
revealed many contradictions in American society, check out <a href=" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elMP6PqGBo0&t=4s">this movie</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Class, wealth, racism, extreme inequality, tolerance, the lunch
counter long before Woolworth's in Greensboro, greed, addiction, revenge,
matrimonial loyalty, hubris, intolerance, politics, prejudice, religion,
patriotism, the flag(s), regional pride, miscegenation, family, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ian">a tropical storm</a>, arrogance, comeuppance, the role of women in society, and how people can
change as they age, starring <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hudson">a guy who would ultimately</a> "die of
complications related to the virus known as AIDS," and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor">a white gal</a> who
married 8 times, and ultimately became best friends of one of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson">the more unusual black cats in the world of entertainment</a>, too much reality (and not enough in
the way of conspiracy theories) not to mention all 14 of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins">the 7 deadly sins</a>, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> And all of that within the first 20 minutes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AND THE MOVIE which <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Smith">Will Smith</a> studiously absorbed before deciding to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Smith%E2%80%93Chris_Rock_slapping_incident">hit Chris Rock in front of millions</a>.... <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Simply Special.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-79139150840393897472022-08-22T01:35:00.005-04:002022-08-22T14:23:41.292-04:00Post No. 206: If Only Amber Heard and Johnny Depp were Like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© 2022, <i>The Institute for Applied </i></span><b><i><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Common
Sense, </span></i></b><i><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LLC ™<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Earlier this morning while I was watching <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLN_(TV_network)">CNN Headline News</a>, I
saw a banner appear containing the phrase, “Are We Taking Out the Trash
Incorrectly?” Initially I did not take the issue very seriously, expecting a
light – hearted humorous segment to follow. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, much to my surprise two “experts” on the subject suddenly
appeared to expound on the best practices associated with taking out the
household trash. There was, I must admit, an occasional oblique allusion to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/health/face-mask-debate-covid-19-pandemic-cmd-intl/index.html">the need to reduce the transition of bacteria or disease</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that in addition to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Hendricks">Susan Hendricks</a> snickering, the two experts were working hard to suppress their
laughter. It made me question whether anyone should take them seriously while
performing a routine straight out of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_and_Costello">Abbott and Costello</a> playbook. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But it did get me thinking. I have often suggested that because
of our seeming inability as citizens to really solve the true mysteries of the
desert, we take the easy route and focus on the trivial. But then again, <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/">one million of our citizens</a> might <a href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/10/politics/covid-disappearing-trump-comment-tracker/">quickly disappear (like magic)</a> due to some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkeypox_virus">exotic viral complication</a>, unless we approached this with caution. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But that’s unlikely. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, it was with a great deal of excitement, that I discovered a
potential solution to all my societal concerns. Let’s say that <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-gov-greg-abbott-doubles-busing-migrants-nyc/story?id=88541210">one disgruntled state sends problems to which it does not wish to devote resources, or people who they regard as problematic, to another state</a>. Factor in the target dump off location which is
very carefully chosen based on whether the destination jurisdiction is
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)">Republican</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)">Democratic</a>. After all, that’s just about as good as any other determining
factor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Wisdom">when confronted with complexities</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The more and more that I thought about it, if <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Heard">Amber Heard</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Depp">Johnny Depp</a> had simply just bused the other to another city or state based on the
political party affiliation of the current mayor or governor, they could have saved
all of that moolah spent on that nasty divorce litigation, not to
mention the cost of the appeal. Plus, Amber could have avoided a punitive damage award.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But then again, that would not have
fared very well once the mayor or the governor of the very carefully chosen
target city or state was removed from office. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I will say this: the concept forces one to consider the stark
differences between Republicans and Democrats about the role of government in
our nation, and the role of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War">the United States</a> as the leader of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_World">the Free World</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.Can we realistically take care of our own on some basic
subsistence level?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. If we took all the wealth in our nation and divided it up
equally between all citizens, what would that amount to, and would it make a
difference?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. Should we open our borders to the disenfranchised and the
homeless, and the poor of the world?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. Should one poor person be allowed to come in for each rich
person we allow to come in?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. Should border states bear a disproportionate share of the
burden associated with people who wish to enter our country?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6. Should there be an equal percentage of blacks, whites,
Hispanics, Asians, and South Pacific Islanders allowed in each year?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The reality is that <i>we do not have answers or solutions to
any of these problems</i>. The fact that our operative governance
model is "rule by current committee," and we cannot plan beyond the
next election, makes governance even more difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, as an elementary schoolmate of mine reminded me,
paraphrasing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sowell">Thomas Sowell</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University">Stanford</a>, "With complex
issues, there are no solutions; <i>there are only trade - offs</i>." That’s
what happens when folks get a world – class education.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My solution? Eliminate all the frigging politicians! They are all liars, even if not by choice! :) We need a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_Convention_(United_States)">Constitutional Convention</a> to update our governance model and tweak it to repair the broken parts of our vehicle. Take the chance to identify the 3 parts of the system
which work, and produce <i>new, innovative</i> approaches. But I doubt that will happen because we are humans.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard">1932 Packard</a> has just about travelled its last mile. It's time to
trade it in, or upgrade, before it breaks down <a href="https://www.newgreenbookfortravel.com/">in the backwoods at midnight on the way to the family reunion</a>. Nothing persists forever, except <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Nature">Mother Nature</a>.
And <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_denial">we don't control her</a>....<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, you might ask, what is the applicability of all of this to
the proper way to dispose of something posing complexities for you? For all those things for which you no longer have a need or the
motivation to address, just wrap em' up, make sure that you use a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/6-mil-plastic-bags/s?k=6+mil+plastic+bags&page=2">6 mil</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glad_(company)">Glad brand</a> trash liner, and take it over to your neighbor’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patio">patio</a>. But only if you suspect them to be a member
of the opposite political party. That approach should work as long as that
neighbor continues to live in that house in your area. I guarantee that will
be longer than one political party is able to maintain control of the
presidency and the legislative branch. At least you can depend and plan on
that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you, Susan. Watching you snicker made my day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-74990474385197441402022-07-24T01:45:00.010-04:002022-07-24T10:26:12.346-04:00Post No. 205: I Have a Newfound Respect for 7 - 11<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">©
2022, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If only our nation’s leaders were as sharp as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven">7 – 11</a> executives.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve alluded to the importance 7 – 11 has played in my life-
particularly during my return to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsbad,_California">Southern California</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I considered naming this post, “Things I Learned, or Had
Affirmed During the Past Few Months.”
However, after reflecting on my trip to 7 -11 a couple of weeks ago, I
thought that I should pay tribute to the true source of the inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have lived in numerous locations and patronized different 7 –
11s to get a sense of the demographics, while trying to figure out where I
should land permanently. My Father taught
me to look in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_advertising">classified ads</a> to gain a sense of a community. In my effort to use more cutting-edge
technological tools, I simply go to a 7 - 11.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I missed this refuge during 16 years in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina">North Carolina</a>, since
they are few and far between. The Southern
California store which I first visited always has two clerks, and an amazing
array of “junk.” You’ve never seen so
much sugar assembled, of every imaginable color, consistency, price – prompting
patrons to spend hours perusing 5 aisles, seeking that one, special, fuel
injection. Imagine a junk food version of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart">Walmart SuperCenter</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I first visited that property, I made a foolish comment to
one of the clerks regarding the scientific marketing approach to everything
that was in the store, having just read an article about warehousing and
inventory. She disabused me of that notion rather quickly. She said bean counters were constantly
changing their approach, which she regarded as a waste of time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I routinely find the homeless at these locations, since the
clerks are always willing to engage them. The clerks themselves are an
interesting bunch, prepared to deal with virtually any calamity which might pass
through the door. One of the clerks was
a man about 21 years of age, who wore a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Lee">Bruce Lee</a> T – shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As is my wont, upon encountering 20 something folks wearing
shirts of some kind reflecting 1960s and 1970s icons, I asked my classic
question, “And what does a young fella like you know about _________. You are too young to know anything about
Bruce Lee, or perhaps <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley">Bob Marley</a>?” Yet,
they always reveal that I am the fool. My
latest clerk simply informed me, “I learned how to fight from Bruce Lee.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He went on to describe his matriculation watching Bruce Lee
films (or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video">videos</a>). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I refrained from watching videos for the past 14 years, not
wanting to waste my time while they buffered up, and I suffered the ads. I heretofore argued that I could read text 4
times as fast. Despite being a member of
the <a href="https://m.facebook.com/pg/TriadAVUserGroup/community/">Triad Audio Visual Group</a> for years, I continued to express my resistance to
videos.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But them something significant happened about 2 months ago. I discovered the healthy line of foods put
out by 7 – 11. In particular, I found a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-selling-7-eleven-juice-is-organic-cold-pressed-and-now-a-top-private-brand-award-winner-300748446.html#:~:text=Smart%20organic%20cold%2Dpressed%20juice%20blends%20are%20Tropical%20Glow%C2%AE,under%20the%207%2DSelect%20brand.">green colored, cold pressed, not from concentrate drink</a>, and fell in love with its <a href="https://www.7-eleven.com/products/cold-pressed-juices/clean-green">mint flavor</a>. It occurred to me that instead of bitching
and moaning about how people didn’t share my values, I needed to embrace the
times and make a change. I needed to
reach across the 7 – 11 aisle and find the healthy products and start watching
videos.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then I realized the 7 – 11 executives were way ahead of me. They started their healthy drink line 4 years
ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazing what one finds when one takes time to leave one’s
comfort zone and check out what others have to offer. Over the past couple of years, I’ve
encountered people who, in pursuit of the goals of comfort and security, are no
longer to even venture near a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland">rabbit hole</a>.
Knowing that I am still willing to at least entertain the notion of
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_abduction">alien abductions</a>, without <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Scully">Dana Scully</a> being around, is perhaps the most
important thing that I have learned about myself over the past several months –
I’ll just keep on looking out for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now I appreciate that the clerk may have been wrong about the
waste. Being willing to entertain those
who think differently just MIGHT be a good thing for an old man as I approach
71 years on the planet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">P.S. Those of you still interested in viewing Gillian Anderson on occasion might check out <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_(TV_series)">The Fall</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-25248765262284661012022-07-07T23:50:00.006-04:002022-07-09T01:31:02.988-04:00Post No. 204: And Now for Something a Tad Radical - Before We Implode or Russia Attacks (Whichever Occurs 1st)<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">© 2022, The Institute for Applied Common Sense</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I've had many problems during my soon – to - be 71-year-old
existence on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">the planet</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s my mother’s fault. She forced me to read anything and everything on
which I could get my hands, and consider all points of view, even thought I may
have vehemently disagreed with the positions of others.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then to compound my wackiness (God knows she tried), when
I asked a question, she would never answer it.
Instead, she would point to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Book_Encyclopedia">World Book Encyclopedias</a> (which she sold in
her <i>spare</i> time), and say, “Go look it up, and then come back to me with
your question.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thereafter, she forced me to attend engineering school where
I slept through the acquisition of an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_engineering">industrial and systems engineering degree</a>. Consequently, I think that
everything in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe">physical universe</a> can be fixed or tweaked, while conceding
that humans cannot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Now
that we've had some time to appreciate the significance of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)">4th of July</a>, and perhaps ignore it, we peaceful citizens need to make an
overwhelming statement as we approach the next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election">presidential election</a>. Simply put, it can't
be close the next time around. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">No frigging
51%- 49% BS so that the disappointed can perform their rendition of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Business_(1931_film)">Marx Brothers routine</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">If: (a) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)">Democrats</a> are willing to "adopt" <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_Cheney">Liz Cheney</a>
(or write in her name); and (b) we can garner the support of moderate
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)">Republicans</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_politician#United_States">Independents</a>, we may be able to reach 70% - 75%. (I know what you are saying, "Silly boy!")<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Complicated?
Yes, but can anyone suggest another pragmatic way to assemble 70% of the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin">popular vote</a> so that the next President has a legitimate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_(politics)">mandate</a>? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden">Biden</a>
can't do it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris">Harris</a>
can't do it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump">Trump</a>
can't do it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_DeSantis">DeSantis</a>
can't do it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">(Check out the pictures and ask yourself why they are always wrapped in the flag.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">There
is simply no way that we will have peace if either party runs with their
preferred candidate. We ordinary everyday citizens have more power than we
realize, and we need to defy and tweak the system that has been forced on
us. (That’s the engineer in me standing on my shoulder.) We don't have time to form a viable <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_party_(United_States)">3rd party</a>. We may not be able to get around
the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_primaries_in_the_United_States">primary</a> impediments forced upon us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">However,
we can try to cross party lines and occupy the middle, where (I firmly
believe) there is a <a href="https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/commonality-of-interest#:~:text=Commonality%20of%20Interest%20means%20the,al.">commonality of interests</a>.
There is no way to get to 60% - 70%, unless we tweak the system, and
form a "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_government">peace coalition</a>." Can't be done by either party separately.<br />
<br />
For all of you naysayers who disagree with this goal, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_war">PLEASE</a> tell me an
alternate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving">SOLUTION</a>. If not, spread the word #LizCheney4Prez. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney">Mitt Romney</a>
is my 2nd choice but Cheney has been standing up more recently, and Liz and Prez both end with a z, which may be more important than we are willing to admit.)<br />
<br />
Our country was founded through a balancing of competing interests so that we
could all live as one people - citizens of one country. There has always
been a "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract">tension</a>," and always will be should we continue to exist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">A
wise former partner of mine once said, “A good settlement / compromise is when
all parties walk away somewhat unhappy and partly dissatisfied," and
I later added, "...not when one side bullies the other into submission
through some type of power." <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">P.S. 1: This post is well under 750 words, which my now
departed mentors horse - whipped me about repeatedly. That leaves time for you
to watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZOV4YhquXI">one of my favorite movies about the power of ordinary citizens</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">P.S. 2: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krxU5Y9lCS8">You Can't Always Get What You Want</a></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-83550648230497877002022-04-10T10:11:00.004-04:002022-04-10T23:18:07.971-04:00Post No. 203: Something Good to Wake Up To On a Sunday Morning - From Anne Lamott<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">I
WAS ABOUT TO CALL IT A NIGHT, after eating a burrito (after midnight) as big as
my upper arm running from my shoulder to my elbow, and after telling the clerk
at the 7 - 11 how foolish I felt and that I was no longer 27, I re - discovered Anne Lamott on Facebook, who made it all
seem okay, <i>and placed everything into perspective</i>:</span><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"I
am going to be 68 in six days, if I live that long. I’m optimistic. Mostly.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"God,
what a world. What a heartbreaking, terrifying freak show. It is completely
ruining my birthday plans. I was going to celebrate how age and the grace of
myopia have given me the perspective that almost everything sorts itself out in
the end. That good will and decency and charity and love always eventually
conspire to bring light into the darkest corners. That the crucifixion looked
like a big win for the Romans.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"But
turning 68 means you weren’t born yesterday. Turning 68 means you’ve seen what
you’ve seen—Ukraine, Sandy Hook, the permafrost…Marjorie Taylor Greene. By 68,
you have seen dear friends literally ravaged by cancer, lost children,
unspeakable losses. The midterms are coming up. My mind is slipping. My dog
died.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"Really,
to use the theological terms, it is just too frigging much.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"And
regrettably, by 68, one is both seriously uninterested in a vigorous debate on
the existence of evil, or even worse, a pep talk.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"So
what does that leave? Glad you asked: the answer is simple. A few very best
friends with whom you can share your truth. That’s the main thing. By 68, you
know that the whole system of our lives works because we are not all nuts on
the same day. You call someone and tell them that you hate everyone and all of
life, and they will be glad you called. They felt that way three days and you
helped them pull out of it by making them laugh or a cup of tea. You took them
for a walk, or to Target.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"Also,
besides our friends, getting outside and looking up and around changes us:
remember, you can trap bees on the bottom of Mason jars with a bit of honey and
without a lid, because they don’t look up. They just walk around bitterly
bumping into the glass walls. That is SO me. All they have to do is look up and
fly away. So we look up. In 68 years, I have never seen a boring sky. I have
never felt blasé about the moon, or birdsong, or paper whites.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"It
is a crazy drunken clown college outside our windows now, almost too much
beauty and renewal to take in. The world is warming up.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"Well,
how does us appreciating spring help the people of Ukraine? If we believe in
chaos theory, and the butterfly effect, that the flapping of a Monarch’s wings
near my home can lead to a weather change in Tokyo, then maybe noticing
beauty—flapping our wings with amazement—changes things in ways we cannot begin
to imagine. It means goodness is quantum. Even to help the small world helps.
Even prayer, which seems to do nothing. Everything is connected.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"But
quantum is perhaps a little esoteric in our current condition. (Well, mine: I’m
sure you’re just fine.) I think infinitely less esoteric stuff at 68. Probably
best to have both feet on the ground, ogle the daffodils, take a sack of canned
good over to the food pantry, and pick up trash. This helps our insides
enormously.</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;">"So
Sunday I will celebrate the absolutely astonishing miracle that I,
specifically, was even born. As Fredrick Buechner wrote, “The grace of God
means something like, “Here is your life. You might never have been, but you
are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you.” I will
celebrate that I have shelter and friends and warm socks and feet to put in
them, and that God or Gus found a way to turn the madness and shame of my
addiction into grace, I’ll shake my head with wonder, which I do more and more
as I age, at all the beauty that is left and all that still works after so much
has been taken away. </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><b>“So
celebrate with me. Step outside and let your mouth drop open. Feed the poor
with me, locally or, if you want to buy me something, make a donation to
UNICEF. My party will not be the same without you.”</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-88423377911965248612022-03-26T03:42:00.003-04:002022-03-27T14:13:27.089-04:00Post No. 202: On Whose Team (or Side) Are You; Should It Make a Difference?<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>© 2022, the Institute for Applied Common Sense<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>This is a post I generated a year ago, but never published - partly because
I wanted to ensure that my position was <i>clear</i>,
even though out of the mainstream. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Around that time, I promised myself that I would never write anything again
about being a black man in America. Why?
Because it doesn’t really accomplish anything in terms of advancing any
meaningful societal interests. Either
one already recognizes the complexities associated with the race issue, or one
doesn’t. Either one feels that America
is a racist country; or one doesn’t. I’m
not sure that the conversation really matters, unless one believes that they
can sway the sentiment amongst the “undecided.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Unfortunately, I’ve always tried to find solutions to problems, and not
just repeatedly complain about them. (It’s the engineer in me.) Thus, I prefer
to talk about human issues (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_(economics)">widgets</a>), and the commonality of interests
facing all widgets, and not just black widgets.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>So about two years ago, I started a Facebook group page entitled, <i>Black Baby Boomers Who Remember – </i>namely
segregation. I later changed the name to
<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/748045705930055">Black Baby Boomers Who Seek a BetterFuture for All</a></i>, seeking to attract more Chinese followers. (Seriously! During the early days of this blog, I tried
every imaginable tactic to reach Chinese students. Silly me, once again.) I’ve
been amazed, quite frankly, with the nature of the discourse on the <i>Black Baby Boomers</i> page, which I expected
to become “self – executing,” and take on a momentum of its own. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then this black guy, who was a member only briefly and
supported most things Trump, accused me of assembling a bunch of Trump haters
and feeding them raw meat, which led to this: <i>“</i></span><i><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just so that there is no confusion, or a claim that the goals of
this group page have been misrepresented, I started this group page with no
particular political agenda in mind, either explicit or implied. Additionally,
I welcome, and encourage, people of all ideological views to participate. I do
not belong to either major political party. I am unaffiliated. This page is
focused on the potential reversal of civil rights laws as it affects
minorities.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Then,
shortly thereafter, a different black guy (as far I could tell, although he might
have been a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_disinformation_since_2000">Russian operative</a>) asked me to expel him from the group, because he
could not figure out how to do so himself.
He was offended by my intellectual dishonesty for including the word
“Black” in the name of the group, which had white members.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>All of this reminded me of a time when I had a 4 or 5 hour layover in
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City">Mexico City</a>, and decided to walk through some neighborhoods to get a “real feel”
for the city, but chose to walk down the middle of the street to avoid being
attacked from either side. It actually worked.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Consistent as is my wont to entertain the views of all humans I encounter, and
learn “something” from them, I thought about something often said by one of the
most despicable (and devoid of socially redeeming values) childhood friends of
mine, "Take the names and faces off of the individuals involved, and then
analyze the conduct."<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>In theory, and in principle, doing the right thing and having integrity and
principles SHOULD NOT CHANGE FROM SITUATION TO SITUATION or event to event, no
matter which team you find yourself associated. There’s a phrase which I have
been uttering to folks for the past year, and I believe that there is a modicum
of truth to it: “There’s no need to take
a side, unless you have a dog in the fight.”
And if we find ourselves rooting for one dog over another, we should
consider the nature and consequences of the fight, and whether it is a good
fight. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>I am still amazed to this day about two things in history pertaining to the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church">Roman Catholic Church</a> – the first being the <a href="https://upstanderproject.org/firstlight/doctrine">Doctrine of Discovery</a>, justifying the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_doctrine">exploration and colonization of lands not inhabited by Christians</a> - hhmm, hhhmmmm...,
and if that wasn’t deep enough, the second, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_and_Nazi_Germany_during_World_War_II">Church cozying up</a> to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler">Hitler</a>
and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany">Nazis</a> (reminiscent of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump">Trump</a> cozying up to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin">Putin</a>). <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><b><span color="windowtext" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m done for tonight. I can’t make
sense of any of this, despite spending an entire year thinking about it. On whose team or side are you; and should it
make a difference? That is the question.</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Historic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-60586485875193055282022-03-19T23:59:00.011-04:002022-03-20T13:40:43.092-04:00Post No. 201: Oh What a Difference Ethno – Cultural Experience Can Make<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">©</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> 2022, the
Institute for Applied Common Sense<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When I am with some of my Japanese friends, I often
mention that when I was a Hispanic kid <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws">growing up in North Carolina during the 50s / 60s</a>, if I saw a Caucasian woman on the street, I immediately crossed to
the other side. They often appear confused, not sure whether to laugh, cry, or
even comment. </span> </b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As of 5:35 am Monday, March 21, I will have been back
in Southern California 4 weeks. Since my
arrival (excluding time spent in the train station and walking through <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_Row,_Los_Angeles">homeless camps</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSGQjTNU_a8">on Los Angeles County Superior Court and United States District Court property</a>, I've seen roughly 8,372 people.
<a href="https://www.cc.com/video/7nnosh/chappelle-s-show-frontline-clayton-bigsby-pt-1-uncensored">Only 28 – ½ of them have been Negro, black, or perhaps, African –American</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I encountered 4 fellow black folks in my 3 week stay
in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanside,_California">Oceanside</a>, and another 24 – ½ in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsbad,_California">Carlsbad Village</a>, where I arrived on
Monday. During a conversation with a Nashville friend, she asked what I thought
of the numbers. I told her that I wasn’t
sure, but imagined there might be at least 27 possible explanations, not one
about which I felt confident. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">During a period some years ago, which some might call,
“Open Season on Young Black Men,” I generated a post, <a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2015/05/post-no-193b-exist-with-caution-you-may.html"><i>Exist with Caution: You May Not Be Who You Think You Are; Or Be Seen the Way You Want</i>.</a> Having had all of this preparation over 70
years for people seeing me with different <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray-Ban">Ray - Bans</a>, I developed a response
while visiting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_Tree">Dollar Tree</a> stores, when cashiers asked me whether I wanted a
receipt. “A black man should <i>always</i> have a receipt,” and perhaps a few
old ones in his pocket, just in case.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Despite this pro – active approach, I actually found
myself unprepared last week. I bought a
bumper case and screen protector for my smartphone at 8:38 am at a local
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart">Walmart</a>, and was concerned about having it properly matched to my phone. The sales clerk provided a few hints, but was
not allowed to assist me. She suggested
that a manufacturer’s rep would arrive at 10 am, and that I could avail myself
of their services. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I proceeded to my <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco_Bell">Taco Office</a>, which did not open
until 9:00 am, and waited a few minutes to take care of “bizness.” During my wait, I filled out the <a href="https://survey.walmart.com/?walmart-store&list=1">onlineWalmart survey</a> (expressing my sincere satisfaction with rude sales associates who
never appear in Walmart ads), thinking a $1,000 gift card would be right on the
money right then. I carelessly threw the
crumpled receipt in the trash, and it was only after I crossed half of the
parking lot separating the two, that I realized it. Walking ¾ mile back to Taco Bell, I was
unable to find it. Undeterred, I
returned to the electronics department at 10:22 am, thinking that the
manufacturer’s rep had surely arrived. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Silly me. Now,
not only had he not arrived, but there was an elderly lady in line ahead of
me. I walked around the store and returned
at 11:15 am, only to see the elderly lady depart, and no rep. I figured that I could apply the screen
protector myself, or have the fellow at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_by_T-Mobile">Metro PCS</a> store, who had switched
my service the day before, apply it.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I was preparing to leave the store, a friendly
Walmart sales associate requested my receipt.
And there I stood trying to <i>simply</i>
explain how I managed to come from the rear of the store with two still packaged
items, and no receipt. She had that look
of having heard my explanation before. Fortunately, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-zSJljpKNc">I was able to resurrect mycorporate business voice</a>, and it only took me 45 minutes to be gone.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, fast forward to this afternoon, when I was in a
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshalls">Marshalls</a> with no black folks in sight for miles around. As is my wont, I left packages from other
stores close to the entrance, to avoid walking around with open bags. I was immediately approached by a security
lady who advised me against it, suggesting that someone might take my
previously purchased items, and that Marshalls would not be responsible. I explained that I preferred not to walk
around the store with open packages out of concern for… well, you know. Not having any appreciation of my issue, she
insisted, and said, “You have nothing to worry about, Sir. “<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I put on my newly purchased Ray Bans, and left the
store, I realized: There are many situations where a black dude walking through
a white anything would be regarded as suspect.
I guess that it just depends on… “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatever_(slang)">Whatever</a>.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-10971910678940109462022-03-19T05:56:00.002-04:002022-03-25T01:21:00.123-04:00Post No. 200: So Who Are These People ?<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">©</span></b><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> 2022, the
Institute for Applied Common Sense</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Throughout my life, I have been humbled by people with
whom I studied and worked, and had the opportunity to brush shoulders. I was always the least sophisticated, least
intelligent, individual in the room – not to mention the most naive. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Those around me always seemed to have a “game plan”
for their lives; and to view the world with such clarity and simplicity. I love people who say, “When I was in
college, I decided to….” Others speak
with such confidence, and with such certainty about issues. As for me, I long ago concluded that I’m not
certain about much in life, except those things which I mucked up in the
past. I’ve always been curious - trying
to make sense of things, and as time has moved on, I’ve become less certain about
more things. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I started writing in 2008, under the title, <i>The View from Outside My Tiny Window</i>. </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">™</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> When I meet strangers and suggest they read my stuff,
I mention the title. What’s interesting
is the difference between folks who instantly comprehend the meaning (repeating
it back to me with nary a mistake), and those who struggle, generating some
contorted version 4 or 5 times. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I frequently relieve them of the pain, by using a
visual descriptor: Imagine you have a
globe before you, and you are on the outside trying to look in and make sense
of the world, through a very tiny window – <i>my</i>
window. And thus, <i>The View from Outside My Tiny Window.</i></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> ™</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ll be the first to admit that I am having extreme
difficulty understanding the Trump phenomenon, on multiple levels (not to mention the fact
that it is global). He simply does not
strike me as one with much in the way of socially redeeming values. Yet who he is and what he tries to accomplish,
however contrary to my core values, should NOT be the end of the analysis.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In anticipation of the upcoming presidential election,
I started a Facebook group page in August of 2020, <i>Black Baby Boomers Who Remember</i>.
I wanted those of us who lived in segregation to share our memories with
young folks, and encourage them to register, get to the polls, and assist
others in doing so. Not wanting to simply limit participation to just black
folks, I decided to change the name to <i>Black
Baby Boomers Who Seek a Better Future for All</i>.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I tried to avoid the use of the names of the two
political parties. Although I have always
considered myself an independent, there have been phases in my life when I was
more closely aligned with “Republican” values, and on other occasions, the
balance tilted the other way. As I
observed the discourse between the members of the group, and the opinions
expressed by Trump supporters and adherents, I came up with two other,
admittedly less than satisfactory descriptors:
the authoritarian governance faction, and the anti – authoritarian
governance faction. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Silly me - none of this
seems to really work. First, calling
Trump supporters “racist” is intellectually dishonest, and insufficiently
supported by the facts. Second, they are
not just a fringe element, consisting of extremists – <i>there are too many of them</i> constituting 47 – 49 % of the voting
public. Third, attaching simplistic labels
to them and summarily dismissing them as “something” which we do not like, gets
us absolutely nowhere – with no interests advanced except perhaps on a personal
level.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">However, there is a more
significant reason the labels don’t work.
They are people who I care about, who care about me, who I’ve had in my home
over the years, and who have invited me into their homes to watch their kids
grow. There’s a buddy with whom I have
been friends since 1979, and another business associate who has been one of my
biggest fans since 2002. Followed by the
nurse who used to travel miles to attend to my ailing Father, on Saturdays,
when she was technically off work. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As I talk to people and
describe this blog, we seem to agree about one thing – there ought to be a
better way for common, ordinary, everyday citizens to find the commonality of
interests which binds us, rather than focus on the forces that divide us. I say, get rid of ALL the politicians, and
the money out of politics. But then
again, I am just one, not particularly smart, unsophisticated, naïve guy. Silly
me.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-76259367952412359972022-03-16T14:02:00.006-04:002022-03-16T14:16:48.835-04:00Post No. 199: Son, Everything is going to be Alright<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;">©
2022, the Institute for Applied <i>Common Sense</i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>S</b></span><b style="color: #050505;">ix hours ago, I returned to my temporary home
of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsbad,_California">Carlsbad, California</a>, fresh from a productive day dealing with my 3 week transition.
I had become a resident of the Golden State, once again. When I woke up at 4:30
am, Pacific, I was consumed with the notion of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberterrorism">cyberterrorism</a>, prompted by
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin">Putin's</a> desire to accomplish "something," although elusive it may have
been from my personal perspective. (I
will not comment on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump">our former President's</a> emotional support). Despite the
relative youth of the day, I found myself shelling out cash for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network">VPN software</a>
(free being deemed inadequate), and sharing my internet concerns with many a
friend, and a thousand or so strangers.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>As the day wore on, despite an absence of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN">CNN</a> input,
I became increasingly concerned about the future of humanity. As the day wore
further on, I realized that I had transformed myself into an itinerant
preacher, proselytizing far and wide about how we citizens might <i>collectively</i> seek a better future for all.
I must have struck a chord since, much to my surprise (and perhaps dismay),
roughly 99% of people who I engaged took the time to listen.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Of course, the more prudent side of this
tradition - based Negro suggested I exercise care to avoid being labelled
paranoid, over reactive, out of sync with the prevailing mood, or what was
perhaps, trending. I managed to get home on the last bus, using a new route, at
9:38 pm (having inattentively missed the preceding 3). I soon found myself 1/4
of a mile from the vast Pacific, while waves beat peacefully against the shore.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Although the shore itself was hauntingly quiet, I
heard youngsters partying at the local bars, having a good time, perhaps as
they should have been. As I walked the remaining 3/4 of a mile to my temporary
home, I thought how this time it might be different, and how the giant moats
called oceans, just might not be enough to protect us. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>I crossed the street to my old reliable haunt
(which I had not visited during my 14 years back in North Carolina), the local
7 – 11. It was my place of refuge following <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake">the Northridge earthquake of 1994</a>, at 4:30:55 am. I remembered how I was thrown out
of my bed onto the floor, stepped on my glasses trying to stand up, and that
lights disappeared all over Southern California. I spent 37 minutes perusing
bottles of red wine (which I had not consumed in the preceding 18 months), cost
be damned. I grabbed some bacon jerky
strips (which I had never previously consumed), before approaching the clerk,
who exhibited a strained smile, wondering whether I was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown">Michael Brown</a> and this
was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_unrest">Ferguson, Missouri</a>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>And this I said, without the least bit of
hesitation, and no introduction or segue following the usual transactional
conversation: "I'm 70 years of age, and will soon turn 71 in a few months,
and this s _ _ _ is <i>serious</i>. THIS is the most unsettling time of my entire
life after having endured a 3 – ½ day <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak">Amtrak</a> journey across the country just
three weeks ago, today." I
suggested that we all might consider discontinuing doing business as usual, and
start getting prepared.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>He looked at me with a responsive demeanor and
degree of seriousness which suggested that he knew exactly what I was talking
about, and implicitly appreciated that I had not even opened the bottle of
wine. Any smile or even grimace, which he might have possibly entertained,
suddenly disappeared. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>As I exited my refuge, which had comforted me
during many an earthquake during my 30 years in Los Angeles, I wondered,
"How many other people are as afraid on a basic, visceral level as I
am?" I'm frigging scared. You can call me a weakling if you want. I prefer
honesty and being a realist. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>And then I recalled one of the most comforting
conversations I ever had with my Father, a World War II veteran, D - Day plus
6, and a great man, and not just because he was my Father. Prior to that time,
I could not <i>ever</i> recall him
discussing his experiences in the war. He called me a few hours later during
that morning, and said that everything was going to be alright. He imagined
that the earthquake was similar to when he was in London, when Hitler was
tossing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-1_flying_bomb">V - 1 rockets</a> (not even close to those of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner">Francis Scott Key</a>
variety) across <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel">the Channel</a>. He said the percussive nature of the bombs made
the buildings shake in a way that he had never envisioned. Although he was
terrified, he said that he got through it, and that I would also. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Here's hoping that my Dad is right this time
around, although he is no longer with us....<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b> </b></span></p><span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-10822543143339304672020-08-02T15:09:00.039-04:002022-03-16T14:17:13.768-04:00Post No. 198: There Has to be Something Bigger than One's Self <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">©
2020, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">My last blog
post was on June 4, 2016. It has been a
complex 4 years. Shortly before that date, my good friend, mentor, and Founding
Member of the Institute for Applied Common Sense, Willy Hopkins (a/k/a The
Laughingman), left, as he would characterize it, “…this mortal coil.” My father, who I consider to have been a
great man (and not just because he was my father), passed a couple of weeks
short of his 97<sup>th</sup> birthday. He had that indomitable spirit and
positive influence on me to the end. Finally, one of the most in-depth thinkers
and a calming influence in my life, Darryl Jackson (a/k/a The Optimizer of the
Institute), passed far too early in life when he had so much more value to
bestow on the young people who he taught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So here I stand,
the only surviving member of the Institute for Applied <i><b>Common Sense</b></i> (2 weeks
shy of the tender age of 69 and before I start the 2<sup>nd</sup> half of my
life), trying to figure out what to say in 750 words or less, which pays
tribute to these men in life, and yet encapsulates all my thoughts for the past
4 years. In September of last year,
while observing the Senate hearings on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Kavanaugh">Brett Kavanaugh</a>, I decided on the title
of this piece, but did not get around to writing it until today, when the
memorial service for civil rights icon, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis">John Lewis</a>, took place. I listened to all of the speakers at his
service, and there appeared to be a common theme, and thus the title of this
piece. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";">Recently, I have been
concerned about the extent to which many people think that, “it’s all about
them, and what they want.” My dad was a caring, humble,
relatively quiet man, who did wonders for his community. He won several
community service awards from the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial;">NAACP</a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";"> and never mentioned them to me while I
was living in California. But then again, he never had to be concerned about being re-elected.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I first started
gathering my thoughts about this life principle when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton">Bill Clinton</a> was facing
impeachment. It just seemed to me that
the office and institution of the presidency, and the goals which he sought to
accomplish, were more important than Bill Clinton, the individual, remaining in
that position. He was not the only individual who could advance those
goals. Additionally, his credibility and
effectiveness were severely affected by his indiscretions. My position is that he should have
immediately resigned, and allowed his vice – president, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore">Al Gore</a>, to carry on the
mission (which Clinton did not personally own). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I felt the same
way during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Kavanaugh_Supreme_Court_nomination">hearings with respect to prospective Supreme Court Associate Justice</a>, Brett Cavanaugh. Even if he
felt that the allegations of sexual misconduct had no validity whatsoever, I felt
that he should have removed his name from consideration and fought the
allegations outside of the context of the hearings. Once again, it seemed to me that the seat and
institution of the Supreme Court justice, and the goals which his party and
supporters sought to accomplish, were more important than Brett Cavanagh, the
individual, putting up a fight to acquire that position. He was not the
only individual who could advance those goals. </span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Additionally,
his credibility and effectiveness, and respect for the Court would be, arguably,
negatively impacted by his getting the seat.
Why would someone want that to satisfy one’s personal desires? Interestingly, right after Mr. Kavanagh was
successful in fending off the challenges, and confirmed by the Senate, President Trump congratulated Mr. Kavanagh for putting up the vigorous fight, and alluded to
former <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken">Senator Al Franken</a>, as having “<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/trump-rally-wacky-al-franken-tina-smith-minnesota-1154008">folded like a wet rag</a>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">So,
what is my message to <b><i>college students</i></b>, who are my target
audience? It seems to me that <b><i>personal
responsibility</i></b> includes thinking beyond one’s self and one’s personal
goals. Though the Laughingman and the
Optimizer are gone, I still reach out to others to expand my thinking about the
concepts and issues about which I write.
The Laughingman introduced me to someone who often provides kernels of
thought. During an exchange with him
earlier this year, he suggested that I pose two questions to the readers of
this piece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The
first was, “What would your grandfather or grandmother have done confronted
with your current situation?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The
second was, “While you may presently be strapped for money because of being ‘sheltered
in place’, you now have a lot of free time. What can you do with this
free time to make a difference in the quality of someone else’s life?” He suggests that thinking about improving
someone else’s life can help you improve your own....</span></div>
<span class="fullpost"></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-36586349827801155332016-06-04T18:20:00.000-04:002016-06-11T08:13:32.443-04:00Post No. 197c: Muhammad Ali<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2009 and 2016, the Institute for Applied <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Common Sense</span></span><br />
<i><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali">Muhammad Ali</a> died yesterday, on June 3, 2016. Today, the airways are full of documentaries and special programs discussing The Champ's life. Back in 2009, I generated two posts about Ali, "Who is This Muhammad Ali, and Why are So Many Still Saying Things about Him," and "More Things People Have to Say about Muhammad Ali." I decided to re-post them today. (You can access the first article through a link in the second.) <br />
<br />
I, like many people, always had a special affinity toward Ali, despite the fact that my Mother so intensely disliked him. My good friend, Willy Hopkins aka the Laughingman, who grew up in Louisville at the same time, often spoke of him as his personal hero. No matter where you stood or stand on his contributions to the Universe, you would have to agree that he made a difference, and that has to be a "good thing." I hope that you enjoy reflecting....</i> <br />
<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, we posted a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/mhumnl">piece on how Muhammad Ali still commands the world’s attention</a>, even though his boxing days are behind him, and Father Time has been in his opponent’s corner in recent years. By writing it, we gained a better appreciation of the man, and what sets him apart. <br />
<br />
For decades, many have asked why so many admired him, <span style="font-style:italic;">warts and all</span>. He never claimed that he was perfect, just that he was pretty.<br />
<br />
Our readers from all across the philosophical and ideological spectrum, even at its extremes, shared their admiration. Something about his appeal is obviously universal. <br />
<br />
Simply put, Ali is the quintessential “Fighter.” He has always stood up for what he believed in, even if society did not always believe in it with him. For all of us who do not stand up for ourselves on occasion, he represents the possibility.<br />
<br />
During his recent trip to Ireland, much was written about Ali’s legacy. Sports Illustrated and PBS commentator Frank Deford, in a poignant piece, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112442325">A Fading Champ, But a Champ Still</a></span>, claims that, “… a great many people find it as upsetting as it is sad that the old champ continues to make personal appearances.”<br />
<br />
But, as one of our readers noted, “They don’t really understand who Ali is.” His eternally youthful attitude, humor, and quick wit have served him well, and counter the ravages of time.<br />
<br />
One of our friends loves The Champ – always has; always will. Ali made 3 personal appearances in his life, although the first was not exactly face-to-face, and perhaps apocryphal in nature. They reflect certain aspects of who Ali is.<br />
<br />
In 1978, on his way to a wedding, our friend visited a friend in St. Joseph, Michigan on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River. At the time, The Champ maintained a training camp in nearby Berrien Springs.<br />
<br />
After getting off the train in a torrential down pour, he took a cab along the winding road alongside the river, and noted people sitting on its banks in the dark of the night, with giant lanterns. He inquired as to what they were doing out in the rain, in the dark.<br />
<br />
The cabbie said they were illegally fishing. The area was known for its salmon, and fish are attracted to light emitted by the lanterns. The poachers simply extended their nets from banks, catching salmon as they sprang into the air.<br />
<br />
The cabbie told of how The Champ was once on a boat fishing with a local resident, when a group of salmon sprang into the air, and surprised him. Without hesitation, he instinctively turned and punched one of them in mid-air, with his eyes wide open.<br />
<br />
The second meeting took place in Universal City in the offices of MCA Music. Our friend maintained his office in the same building. One of his associates had just traveled up the elevator with Ali and his confidante, Bundini Brown. She burst into our friend’s office and yelled that one of his idols was in the house.<br />
<br />
He ran back and forth through the halls of the 2nd floor to find Ali, and found him in the dark gray, glass, Italian motif, minimalist lobby of MCA Music. There he stood panting from his run, alone with The Champ and Bundini. Even the receptionist had left her desk to get the person Ali was to meet.<br />
<br />
He nervously approached this massive man, and said, “Champ, I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity.”<br />
<br />
Ali flicked his head, clinched his teeth, shot out his left fist stopping just short of our friend. In that characteristic Ali tone, he said, “Whew! Bundini. He’d better be glad that I’m so fast. He look like Joe Frazier. I thought that you were Joe Frazier! I was about to kill him Bundini!” His face reflected that special Ali “join me in the joke” smile.<br />
<br />
The third meeting was even more personal. During the 80s and 90s, our friend ran the Los Angeles Marathon, and The Champ frequently shot the starter pistol for the race. It was necessary to arrive early, in order to park, store one’s sweat suit, get a massage, and then stretch.<br />
<br />
While warming up one year, he encountered The Champ wandering alone among the trees and grass outside of the Los Angeles Coliseum, and once again shook The Champ’s hand. However, by this time, The Champ was more distant, already suffering from the condition which makes him tremble, and appear dazed. Additionally, the one-time, rapid-fire “loudmouth,” as proclaimed by our friend’s Mother, was more subdued and mumbling slightly.<br />
<br />
But he still had that twinkle in his eyes, and that smirky smile. He wished our friend a good race.<br />
<br />
He was, and still is The Champ.<br />
<br />
It made us consider what many have learned from this man, with very little formal education?<br />
<br />
1. Backing up your promises is generally viewed as a positive attribute.<br />
<br />
2. Cheating on your spouse is not.<br />
<br />
3. There is some value to recognizing that there are some issues bigger than your short-term personal issues.<br />
<br />
4. There is tremendous value to being open to associating with people of all backgrounds, faiths, social position, classes, races, and such, and not judging them.<br />
<br />
5. Society admires people who just keep going like the Energizer Bunny.<br />
<br />
6. A Father must ensure that he takes care of and is involved in the lives of his children.<br />
<br />
7. Saying that you are sorry and admitting that you messed up goes a long way.<br />
<br />
8. Society will always admire someone with a twinkle in his eye.<br />
<br />
9. Your legacy is enduring and long-lasting, and doesn’t die with you.<br />
<br />
There’s only one Champ in our book.Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-43922635833714840782016-05-04T14:19:00.000-04:002016-05-04T15:09:09.212-04:00Post No. 197b: Now That Cruz and Kasich are Contenders of the Past<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2012 and 2016, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><br />
<br />
<i>Yesterday, Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz dropped out of the race. Rumors are swirling today that John Kasich will do the same. That will leave Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee for the election for President. We revisited an earlier post to see how much has really changed since November 7, 2012, the day that this post was originally posted after Mitt Romney lost to Barack Obama. By the way, a prominent political operative noted roughly 100 years ago, that, "In the realm of politics, passion and prejudice will kick the ass of reason and principle on any given day."</i><br />
<br />
We constantly re-visit posts to see if our views change. Although we occasionally find grammatical mistakes, the underlying thought process generally remains the same.<br />
<br />
There is one post we never re-visited, and we are not going to do so now. It’s irrelevant. That post, <i><a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2008/11/post-no-65.html">The Morning After</a></i>, was written hours after Obama was elected the first time. <br />
<br />
On the other hand, there is an article we re-visit far more than others. It accurately outlined what we expected Obama to face in the event he was elected in 2008. <i><a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2008/10/post-no-60-why-i-am-concerned-that.html">Why I am Concerned that Obama Might Win</a></i> (October 25, 2008), noted that the global economy was in bad shape, predicted it would continue for years, and that Obama would be blamed for not pulling the U.S. out of the economic doldrums quickly enough. <br />
<br />
That was a no-brainer, but we re-posted that fluff piece 28 times, and each time a bunch of people exclaimed, “Amazing!” <br />
<br />
Politicians, like lawyers on corporate payrolls, are necessary evils and part of our current governance model. But politicians have a significant problem <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/8e5rgmh">apart from trying to act like money does not influence their decisions</a>. In the real world, to solve problems it is far more efficient and effective if one’s analysis in addressing them is a thing apart from one’s values. Just imagine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath">an ER doctor taking into consideration whether the patient was at fault before providing treatment, or how much money he or she will make if the patient lives or dies</a>. Unfortunately, politicians have the dual, often conflicting, goals of defining what they stand for (depending on who they’re talking to), and ultimately getting re-elected.<br />
<br />
Many Republicans are already heading down the wrong road today as they emerge from last night's limousine, caravan pile-up. They claim their message and mission are still on point; implicitly suggesting they were “right” all along, but that they picked the wrong driver for their vehicle.<br />
<br />
Actually, Romney could have been the right man, and probably would have been in an earlier version of the Party. Our sense is that he is a good and decent man, with nothing but the best interests of our country at heart. Additionally, America could really use a business-oriented technocrat right now. <br />
<br />
However, truth be told, the man never was as extreme or angry as the loudest elements of his Party wanted him to be. The most vocal and angry members of his Party out-shouted the thinking members.<br />
<br />
This is a preview of our <i><b>common sense</b></i> presentation to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_National_Committee">RNC</a> on where the Republicans went wrong, and what they need to do to get back on track:<br />
<br />
(1) You threw everything in the kitchen sink plus all of the crap in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outhouse">outhouse</a> at Obama. By doing so, you lost credibility with sensible folks, and your message became, per <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Hagler">Marvin Hagler</a>, “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deodoriser">odiferous</a>.” (<b><i>College students</i></b> simply held their noses.) If your positions on a few key issues were really that strong, you didn’t need all of the other stuff, or the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_trump">Donald Trumps</a> of the world.<br />
<br />
Last week, someone sent us a chart outlining “<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/chart-obama-conspiracy-theories">Almost Every Obama Conspiracy Theory Ever.</a>” The visual representation overwhelms you. It did not matter whether every single allegation was true. <i>The President is an Incompetent, Dangerous, Treasonous Retard Side Show ™</i> was simply “over the top,” suggested something kooky was going on, and more importantly, unnecessary.<br />
<br />
(2) The relatively small, extreme, fringe elements of your Party high-jacked the larger Party, in much the same way as the relatively small, extreme, fringe elements of Islam have high-jacked their religion. The Democrats also have such folks, but they shut the muck up. Your problem was that heretofore sensible, thinking members of your Party joined the fringe chorus, because they thought it was their ticket to Disney World. As the Laughingman often says, “If you think that hitchhikers you pick up are going to pay for all of your gas, you’ll probably never reach your destination.”<br />
<br />
The Party needs to expel the kooks and extremists. Right now, there is no other club where they can hang out. Take some of that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_activities_of_the_Koch_brothers">Koch Brothers</a> / <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_PACs#Super_PACs">Super PAC</a> money and <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2e5sgr2">build a third club house, where the bigots and narrow-minded can go party</a>. They are pulling you down, in very much the same way Islamic terrorists are hurting their religion. <br />
<br />
Deep down inside, your Party as presently constituted scares not all, but many, thinking people. <br />
<br />
(3) The leadership of your Party abdicated responsibility and went on the road with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_show">The Fringe Circus</a>. That suggests you don’t really have any leaders. It looked more like a revolutionary movement. Someone needed to take control, show some non-kooky qualities, and get the ship out of the rough seas. No one did that. The Good Governor didn’t want to do that. That’s not who he is.<br />
<br />
(4) Our last point is the same one we made in October 2008. Economists predict another 5 – 7 years of economic sluggishness, GLOBALLY. Your Party asked us to believe that one man was supposed to turn around this giant ship in the middle of the ocean after both Parties had charted the same route for 30 or so years, AND you expected us to ignore all of the past trips where you collected bounty. <br />
<br />
In 2016, you need to clearly articulate that your solutions will yield (not would have yielded) better results than those achieved during the preceding 8 year period, without making it seem as though you are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_the_Money_and_Run">Virgil Starkwells of the economic world, who want to <i>Take the Money and Run</a></i>. <br />
<br />
Quite frankly, the middle class never really believed that you cared about them. <br />
<br />
You just looked greedy and disingenuous. <br />
<br />
This is not to suggest that Democrats do not have significant comparable problems; just that they proved to be the lesser of <i>the</i> 2 evils this time around.<br />
<br />
To the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_National_Committee">RNC</a> Chair-Person [?], you need some new image consultants for the next round. We here at the Institute will gladly assist you, at a rate 1/1000th of what you were paid by your largest campaign contributor. Give the Koch Brothers our telephone number.<br />
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-11039556091474783612016-01-18T10:53:00.000-05:002016-01-18T10:53:10.599-05:00Post No. 197a: What Would Dr. King Say?<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2011 and 2016, the Institute for Applied <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Common Sense</span></span><br />
<br />
We considered calling this piece, <span style="font-style:italic;">What Would Dr. King Do?</span>, or <span style="font-style:italic;">What Would Dr. King Think?</span><br />
<br />
Frankly, none of them would be really appropriate, since none of us has any first hand knowledge of his thought process, or even a comprehensive appreciation of his view of the world.<br />
<br />
For example, most think that Dr. King adopted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhi">Gandhi’s non-violent philosophy</a> on his own. Yet, many involved in the movement contend that it was actually <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayard_Rustin">Bayard Rustin</a> who counseled Dr. King to adopt non-violence as his MO. <br />
<br />
There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, that after having his home and family threatened, Dr. King grabbed a rifle on his way to confront his attackers on the front lawn. <br />
<br />
Rustin supposedly stopped Dr. King in mid-stride and suggested how to get the upper hand on his attackers, that being to take the higher moral ground - less subject to attack. <br />
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Per Rustin, resorting to a tactic that placed the good doctor in the same violence stratum as his attackers only served to hurt <span style="font-style:italic;">the cause</span>, and made it less likely that others would side with him (defense of his castle be justified or not).<br />
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On this past MLK Day, those of you fortunate enough not to have become infected with that virus commonly known as Twitter [which should be changed to “Twitcher”], would have been amazed at the volume of thought-provoking MLK quotes posted by “kids” of every imaginable color, age, country, and station in life.<br />
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But two situations or events, both featuring the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP">NAACP</a>, kept bothering us. <br />
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Why the NAACP? [That’s exactly what we asked.] Because, in theory, one might think that their positions and the interests advocated by Dr. King would bear some resemblance to one another. In both instances, we’re just not sure what was going on. [Plus, we recognize that only certain racial groups are monolithic.]<br />
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The first involved something seemingly innocuous as school snow make-up days. <br />
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In many districts around the country, schools are required to end their year by a certain date. Most states also require that a school year consist of a certain number of days. Because of severe snow storms, many districts found themselves trying to discover make-up days on the calendar.<br />
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Some announced that they were “considering” having their charges attend school on MLK Day. The NAACP, in virtually every region where such a plan was “considered,” shifted into Sharpton-Jackson mode. [Where is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Steele">Michael Steele</a> or an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Keyes">Alan Keyes</a> when you need one?]<br />
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We need not even explore the substance of their arguments. Many prominent in the black community even suggested that parents keep their kids home. [That’ll show them.]<br />
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But it occurred to us, what better day to spend the time in school, reflecting on <span style="font-style:italic;">all</span> that Dr. King represented, and <span style="font-style:italic;">all</span> that he valued? <br />
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What better opportunity for black folks to consider the importance of, or show the outside world how much they value, that education thang?<br />
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What better day to suggest and support the extension of the school week to Saturdays, or the school year into the summer? <br />
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What would Dr. King have said, or done?<br />
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The second situation involved <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_LePage">the Governor of Maine</a>. This maverick of a politician was invited to participate in an NAACP celebration in memory of Dr. King, and he declined. [Uh, oh…!]<br />
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When questioned further about it, he simply said that there are only so many special interest events that one man can attend in a 24 hour day. <br />
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He further suggested that if someone thought that his declination was racially motivated, they could “kiss his butt.” [At least he has the balls to tell some group to kiss his rear end.] He finally alluded to the fact that all one needed to do was examine his family portrait, and they would find that he has a black [adopted] son. <br />
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Once again, the local NAACP went ballistic, and suggested that whether he had a black son was <span style="font-style:italic;">irrelevant</span>. [Any of those NAACP folks have any white sons?] <br />
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Once again, we asked what would Dr. King have said, or done? <br />
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Of course, we don’t know. But we have a guess. <br />
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As great as all of the quotes posted on Twitter were, there was one missing that may reflect how he might have reacted. <br />
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On Monday night, we watched a tape of one of Dr. King’s speeches at the close of an MSNBC segment. During it, he said: <br />
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“We must conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline.”<br />
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Did the NAACP heed his word? <br />
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You be the judge.<br />
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P.S. Yeah, we know. This was not a very dignified post.Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-4344317372728419532016-01-02T14:07:00.001-05:002016-01-03T21:49:14.297-05:00Post No. 197: Have We Arrived at the Point Where We Should Consider Toy Gun Control?<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2015, the Institute for Applied <i>Common Sense<b></b></i><br />
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I do not know the source or provider of the toy gun being “wielded” by 12 year old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Tamir_Rice">Tamir Rice</a>, who was killed by Cleveland police officers arriving on the scene. However, who provided the kid with the toy weapon is something which has bothered me since I first heard the story. <br />
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I also recognize that “kids” today are taller, larger, and in some instances, appear to be more mature in appearance, than in years past. (We might also consider addressing the distribution of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone">human growth hormone</a> to adults who might <a href="http://www.cnn.com/search/?text=%22peyton+manning%22">share it with their underage children to boost their Little League performance</a>. But that’s a story for another day.)<br />
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Yet, I had toy guns when I was a kid, and never had to worry about police showing up in response to a call (or human growth hormones for that matter).<br />
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Knowing what I know today, and taking into consideration the intense media coverage and public debate surrounding <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_in_the_United_States,_March_2014">officer involved shootings</a>, if I were a black parent, or perhaps a grandparent, I would not buy any member of my family under the age of majority, any toy weapon which resembles a real weapon. If I were a white individual, even though I might not have the same level of concern, I would not let any of my kids play with such a weapon. Toy guns arguably rise to the level of illicit, street drugs, with respect to their danger potential, depending on your neighborhood. They can lead to your death, or that of your minor loved one.<br />
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The same arguably applies to extended family members, and friends and neighbors of the affected family, whether they be black, white, or polka dot (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6_cj35ZMnk">referring to the purchasing adults not the kids</a>).<br />
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Several questions come to mind, assuming a kid is killed by police while wielding a toy gun. For purposes of this discussion, although I speak of toy guns, it is my intent to include any type of toy weapon, including toy knives, which, now that I think about it, I had as a kid, and which I could affix as a bayonet to my military style toy rifle):<br />
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1. Should adults (including parents) providing toy weapons to kids, killed by police who mistakenly think that the weapons are real, be responsible for the deaths?<br />
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2. Should those adults be civilly liable or perhaps <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abuse">have their other kids taken from them</a>?<br />
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3. Should those adults be criminally liable, perhaps for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abuse">child endangerment</a>? (Or, should parents be charged with child endangerment when they inadequately prepare their kids for the dangers and complexities outside of the home before they reach the age of majority?)<br />
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4. Does an adult who is merely a passerby or who sees a kid with a weapon prior to the arrival of the police, and who thinks or knows that it is a toy, have any personal, ethical, moral, community, or societal responsibility to disarm the kid, or notify the parents, because a dangerous confrontation might develop once someone calls the police?<br />
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5. Does the adult making the call to the police bear any responsibility to determine whether the weapon is real?<br />
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5. Do the manufacturers of toy weapons bear any responsibility for making toys look so realistic that it is difficult to tell what’s real and what’s not, or as some would argue, for making any toy weapons at all?<br />
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6. Should manufacturers of toy weapons bear civil legal responsibility?<br />
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7. Should manufacturers of toy weapons bear criminal legal responsibility?<br />
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My blog’s target audience is <b><i>college students</i></b>, and my goal is to raise some <b><i>personal responsibility</i></b> issues (ahead of time) so that when stuff happens, at least they will have mulled the issues and considerations over, instead of trying come up with solutions on the spot. After all, <b><i>There are More Than 2 or 3 Ways to View Any Issue; There are at Least 27. ™</i></b> <br />
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Processing those 27 or more possible explanations for the kid having the weapon as the sirens blare and the force rolls up is a tad complicated for even the best trained and well-intentioned officers. So it arguably behooves us to think about this stuff before the call to 911, since the “talking heads” offer no solutions. But then again, perhaps we do not want law enforcement first responders considering the other 26 reasons if the goal is efficiency.<br />
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Would we, as a society, having answered or addressed any of the questions enumerated above, reduce the number of instances where kids are killed by police arriving on the scene after being informed that “someone” is carrying a “weapon.”<br />
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The cynic in me says no.<br />
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However, as we begin this New Year, in a nation where there is such a level of fear of others and we are seemingly incapable of addressing the number of officer involved shootings of adults (including those who have committed minor infractions but paid the ultimate penalty), I sure as hell hope that we adults at least figure out a way to deal with this kids with toy weapons issue.<br />
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I didn’t have to worry about carrying my toy weapons in the 1950s. Perhaps it was an expectation on my part that my adult parents and others in the community would protect me, as naïve as that may have been.<br />
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However, today, I can’t help but think that we purportedly responsible adults ought to be able to figure out something. After all, we are capable of sending a man [and now a woman] to the moon. We ought to be able to figure out how to keep our kids safe and allow them the freedom to play… and simply be kids.<br />
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The really is that we can't change how police perceive threats, and who they consider to be threats primarily driven by <a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2015/12/post-no-196-why-i-suspect-dna-trumps.html">DNA</a>. So the question is, "Have we arrived at the point where we should consider toy gun control," or leave it to free-market economic, private enterprise entities to police themselves? <br />
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Happy New YearInspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-14532469239248281752015-12-18T16:45:00.000-05:002015-12-21T12:15:44.135-05:00Post No. 196: Why (I Suspect) DNA Trumps Everything in Determining Which Side of the Fence One Sits on Banning Muslims (Temporarily?)<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2015, the Institute for Applied <b>Common Sense<i></i></b><br />
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I am fascinated by people who take sides on an issue. In my view, taking a side means that you think that (1) you are right, (2) you have something to gain; (3) your position is the better or preferred position, or, perhaps (4) your God told you to do it. Even in the physical science realm, it is <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/scientists-see-evidence-of-parallel-universe/
">becoming far more difficult to be certain about one’s <i>chosen</i> position</a>.<br />
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I admit that I do not possess the skills or wisdom of Samuel Clemens, but we are kindred spirits in terms of <a href="http://www.twainquotes.com/Politics.html">our attitudes about politicians</a>. No group of citizens distresses me more. Not only are they absolutely certain about their positions, and that their positions should dictate the conduct and lives of all over whom they exercise dominion, but the logic they use and positions they take are so patently goal- determinant.<br />
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On those issues which affected my business, I was a staunch Republican, while with respect to issues which now affect me in my retirement, I am a Democrat. It is with this background that one of my buddies recently sent me a <i>Washington Post</i> article entitled, <i><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/11/what-social-science-tells-us-about-racism-in-the-republican-party/?postshare=541449872921819&tid=ss_mail
">What Social Science Tells Us about Racism in the Republican Party</a></i>.<br />
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After reading the article, I suggested to him the issue is far more complex than discussed in the article. He is aware of <a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2015/06/post-no-why-as-some-frame-it.html
">my position on racism, namely that although it is problematic, it has a pragmatic and utilitarian function, driven by DNA</a>. <br />
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As for how we respond to the terrorist threat from certain factions of the Islamic faith, I think that where one stands is related to, and also derives from, our DNA. To a significant extent, it determines what we are fearful of, or paranoid about, and the whole <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response">fight or flight syndrome</a> bears on our short-term concerns about our longer-term evolutionary survival. <br />
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Take for example the issue of guns. I used weapons while serving stateside in the Army, and appreciate what they can do. However, despite traveling in some very dangerous neighborhoods (in the U.S., and Mexico City, Rio, Caracas, Marseille, and Naples), I've never felt the need to have a gun on me or that a gun would make a difference. Yet, I respect those who feels differently. <br />
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It’s not that I see myself as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker,_Texas_Ranger">Cordell Walker, Texas Ranger</a>. It’s just that I don’t <i>feel</i> the need for a gun. Additionally, I could <i>care</i> less about the government coming to take away the gun I don’t have.<br />
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I am convinced that so much is emotion-driven (primarily dependent on our particular electro-chemical formula along with some environmental factors), and not logically driven. It should come as no surprise that so many support Trump's view of the world; they are on Trump’s side of the electro-chemical brain determinative fence, with respect to what we should fear and loath. It’s functional; it works for them, and the options in their toolbox which eliminate fears and threats (and thus makes them feel more secure) are those which decisively accomplish their immediate goal.<br />
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We here in America, in my humble opinion, waste far too much time, energy, and resources discussing race, prejudice, and discrimination. People are going to feel what they feel. <br />
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Right now, the more interesting issue to me is why so few have really challenged Trump on what he would practically be able to do as the Chief Executive of only 1 branch of government, within the confines of the Constitution. After all, he is not a dictator. The Constitution did not establish a monarchy. But that doesn't really matter, does it, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=i_ihCeNpcaQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22michael+shermer%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiA-KDAoubJAhXCXR4KHSu8BcsQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=%22michael%20shermer%22&f=false ">if the reality is in the mind of the beholder</a>? After all, arguably only the intellectual elite care about the legalities of what one elected leader can or cannot legitimately do.<br />
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Trump is perhaps the best thing to happen to America in a long time; he's laid bare our visceral concerns, taken off the intellectual veneer and fine clothes, and he's revealed us to be who many in our society really are. I want to know the true feelings and motivations of those who potentially pose a danger to me so that I can figure out what to do; not have a bunch of actors and actresses playing roles suggesting co-existence.<br />
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The reason America will have a difficult time winning the war on terror is because we want people to think that we will take the high philosophical road motivated by some higher moral authority. However, unfortunately that doesn't win wars, and we are not generally inclined to bomb civilians. A recent program on WW II suggests things really began to turn around when the Allies started bombing civilian areas occupied by Germans.<br />
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Ask the typical person whether, given the choice, they would rather be the noble loser, or the unethical winner. Check out nature shows about how dominant animals / predators handle themselves. We're just animals with larger brains.<br />
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For those of you who feel that I pulled this straight out of my rear orifice where the sun doesn’t shine, you are absolutely correct. However, there is a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=%22Robert+Sapolsky%22">modicum of scientific proof</a>, to support my position, upon examining the work of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sapolsky">Robert Sapolsky</a>. But then again, neither he, nor I, would ever considering running for political office.<br />
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Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-36642178107528937252015-08-19T14:06:00.002-04:002015-08-19T17:07:44.724-04:00Post No. 195: Why Those of Us Who Consider Ourselves to be “Pretty Smart” Should Not Be So Quick to Label Donald Trump a “Clown”<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
© 2015, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><br />
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A buddy of mine sent me a copy of a blog post by another blogger where reference is made to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump">Donald Trump</a> as the “clown genius.” Many other commentators have chosen to leave off the word genius. The following is my response, which I originally entitled, <i>Why I Think that Donald Trump is Doing So Well in the Polls</i>, after reading the other blogger’s post.<br />
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I have always felt that the political discussions (and almost all discussions about most anything for that matter) which take place on TV (and now other technological platforms) are dominated by those of us fortunate enough to have acquired at least some type of higher education, become professionals of some sort, read certain types of books, make enough money to consider ourselves truly middle-class, OR who are motivated for whatever reason to actively seek out information and analyze it with some degree of detachment.<br />
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Some years ago, there was a C-Span2 Book TV program where the author or authors discussed their book about how politics in particular is controlled by roughly 20% [if I remember correctly; it may have been as little as 10%] of the entire population here in the United States, and that ½ of whatever the percentage is considers themselves progressive, and the other ½ considers themselves conservatives.<br />
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We sit around talking about policy this and policy that, and position this and position that, just like we do (or did) in our respective professions, and we hang around, socialize, and live near people who might have different views than we do, but still have similar educational, class, and socio-economic backgrounds and experiences, and similar appreciations of history.<br />
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When I returned to my hometown in the South after living in Los Angeles for 30 years, and started teaching at the community college level, working day laborer jobs, selling watermelons and peaches (particularly to people in housing projects and poor communities), and traveled “down east” to interview people about the impact of unions and large corporate employers on their lives, it became very clear to me that those who I refer to as “regular folks,” do not have the discussions we “intellectual snobs” have. They have far more significant issues to face in life on a daily basis. When I started blogging, and coming across the views of those who previously did not have a voice which reached beyond their communities, I saw it even more clearly.<br />
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They could give a shit about listening to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Rose">Charlie Rose</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Friedman">Thomas Friedman</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brooks_(journalist)">David Brooks</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Will">George Will</a>, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_the_Nation">Face the Nation</a>. I contend that they constitute about 80 – 90% % of the population, but that the vast majority of us within the educational or “higher interest” snobbish elite fail to really comprehend their size because we do not deal with them on a regular basis. <br />
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It is my position that Mr. Trump speaks to, and to some extent represents, those who have “real issues” in life on a daily basis and who have FEELINGS and positions which may not politically correct, but which are very real. We routinely minimalize their issues and concerns because we intellectual snobs are too busy controlling the agenda and the discussion, and telling others what to do, and how policies should be applied “for the benefit of society.” Donald Trump at least claims (whether rightly or wrongly) that he will get certain things done and take action, not merely talk about them or intellectualize <i>ad nauseam</i>. I believe that he speaks to the huge segment of society with whom we intellectual snobs have little regular contact – folks with REAL issues, and who fight REAL battles on a daily basis.<br />
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That so many of us in the rarefied air laugh at him and designate him as a clown speaks volumes in my view.<br />
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At the end of the day, big money interests and Super PACs unleased by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC">Citizen’s United</a> will control, and the vast, vast, vast majority of us will continue to be the pawns that we are. As a practical matter, 95% of us who consider ourselves "sophisticated" really have no more marginally significant power than regular folks. We’re just 5 or 6, or maybe 10 paychecks or Social Security payments from disaster, as compared to most of society which lives from paycheck or payment to paycheck or payment.<br />
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Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-15391537842828340792015-06-21T13:58:00.000-04:002015-06-28T22:28:03.984-04:00Post No. 194 : Why, As Some Frame It, "A Conversation about Race," Will NEVER Happen in America© 2008 and 2015, The Institute for Applied <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Common Sense</span></span><br />
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<i>The original title of this post when I first generated it in 2008 was, "Why Racism, Although Problematic, Serves a Pragmatic and Utilitarian Purpose." In the context of the recent <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/18/us/charleston-south-carolina-shooting/">shootings by a young Caucasian of numerous African-Americans at a Bible study session in Charleston, South Carolina</a>, many have spoken about that elusive "conversation about race," which we seem to be incapable of conducting here in America. It is my contention that such a conversation will never, never, never, happen.... I periodically review my thoughts from earlier posts to determine whether they are still consistent with my current views, or whether I should change them in light of intervening events. In this instance, they remain the same 7 years later.<br />
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Hold tight, give me a moment while I put on my Kevlar protective vest and body armor. “<span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Racism</span></span> problematic!,” you say; that’s an understatement. I realize that I’m about to take a journey filled with land mines and sniper fire. As I have often said, sometimes you have to go to a place to appreciate that you don’t want to be there on a regular basis. At least I know that I am going to take some heat on this one. Well, maybe not…<br />
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I’ll tell you at this point – my intentions are good. Additionally, it is my hope that by the time that you finish reading this, you will consider at least some of what I have said, and return your weapons to their rightful and appropriate place. I’ll also warn you that this piece should be read while sitting on the toilet seat of your favorite bathroom. It’s a tad labyrinthine in nature. Addressing the entire racial history of humankind requires at least two pages.<br />
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You see, I’m 56 years of age, and I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> never really given much thought to this thing called racism. It is a concept that I recognized from a theoretical perspective, and about which I had read. However, I simply could not imagine spending much of one’s time dwelling on it. <br />
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I also was afraid that by visiting the issue, even intellectually, it might have a “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bittering</span>” effect. Consequently, I came up with a construct in the 1950’s that worked for me, and I must say reasonably satisfactorily, at least for most of my years.<br />
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You will recall the recent furor generated by Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s comments during a sermon. In the context of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Obama</span> campaign, many commentators reminded us that “America has never really dealt with the race issue,” or that we “have never had a conversation about race.”<br />
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I beg to differ. We’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> dealt with it in many different ways, and during the course of many conversations. The frustration expressed has really come about as a result of our inability to reach some satisfactory resolution, or at least some consensus about the issue.<br />
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I would submit that the reason that America has never really come to grips with the issue is because America has always dealt with it in a manner that results in it becoming an emotional issue at the very beginning of the conversation.<br />
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It is difficult to come up with an effective way to address a problem if you just focus on the symptoms, and do not really address the underlying sources. Approaching the subject from a little different perspective might enable us to formulate new solutions.<br />
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Quite frankly, although I do not have any empirical evidence to support this, it is my suspicion that we really have not made any progress in racial relations over the past fifty years. By relations, I mean how we feel about other races in our hearts and private thoughts. <br />
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That’s what really matters. <br />
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America has mucked this whole thing up in about as many ways as possible. There is plenty of resentment and seething anger out there, although it may be “inappropriate” to express or display it.<br />
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I actually hold my former secretary, Anne, responsible for setting me up on this racial thing. Virtually everyone who knows me knows that it is not a place that I like to go. (I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ve</span> even been accused of denying that racism exists because of my philosophical attitude.) <br />
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Anne sent me an e-mail and inquired as to whether I thought that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Obama</span> (who I understand is African-American) was “for real.” She said that she was somewhat intrigued by him, but that she had her reservations, as she did with virtually all politicians. She was interested in my take.<br />
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I responded by first noting that at a very early age, I remembered someone saying that the most important thing that an elected leader can do is to convey an attitude or feeling to his or her followers. That person went on to describe the attitude that Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill both displayed during their terms. They had the hearts and minds of their people. Both made their respective nations feel that certain goals were achievable. Some would say that Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator, did the same thing for most of his years in office, whether you agreed or disagreed with his policies.<br />
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I continued by proposing to Anne, on a more personal level, that we might take some cues about this leadership thing from our parents. Fortunately, for most of us, when we were kids, we thought that they were the greatest people on earth. When we became adults, particularly when we had to deal with them during difficult times, we realized that they are just people, ordinary people, with all of the human flaws and problems that we see in others, and in ourselves. <br />
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However, during the period of time when their “leadership” was most important, and had its most significant impact, namely our developing, childhood years, they did what they needed to do to provide sufficient guidance for us to become decent, thinking, human beings and hopefully positive contributors to society.<br />
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Whatever our personal issues with them may be, that is about the best that you can ask where there is no instructional or operational manual, or even agreement as to what is right or wrong. I suggested to Anne that it’s not dramatically different with the Leader of the Free World. Stay with me, I’ll get back to this racial thing.<br />
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One other thing: When one observes celebrities and famous people, one person can say or do certain things, and you have some doubts about their sincerity. You’re just not quite sure whether it is about the celebrity and his or her ego, as opposed to their really being interested in doing things for the benefit of society. <br />
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On the other hand, you observe others, who might say or do some of the exact same things, and folks will say that he or she is sincere and really means it. Then again, there are some folks in whom you do not have much faith or confidence initially, and then you have to mature, or you see them mature over time, resulting in you having a different view.<br />
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I suggested to Anne that she had to follow her heart; feel it in her gut. I told her that if you think too hard, and look too long, you’re bound to find disappointment and flaws. It’s inevitable. They exist in us all – and we know it.<br />
<br />
Actually, I had not paid much attention to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Obama</span> until Caroline Kennedy endorsed him. I had not even entertained the theoretical possibility that a black man might become President in America at this point in our country’s evolution. However, Caroline crystallized a nebulous uncertainty in my mind. Those few, carefully delivered words did the trick for me. <br />
<br />
Paraphrasing, she essentially said that in her youth, she did not appreciate or comprehend what her Father meant to others. However, listening to the expression of feelings by others who were around when she was a youth, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Obama</span> instilled in her the same type of inspiration that those folks claimed her Father did for them. It’s obviously not about experience, is it?<br />
<br />
Is he more qualified than any of the other candidates? Hell, I don’t know. I’m not sure, contrary to the case of race, that it really matters. (Parenthetically, I wondered whether a person, contemplating the selection of a spouse, might consider whether various potential “candidates” were more qualified than others, and whether experience would be a prime determinant.) But, then it hit me – the realization that race was not the primary, instinctive, instantaneous factor that I processed upon focusing on him.<br />
<br />
Kennedy’s comment suggested that (1) he had the potential to inspire something in us to move beyond our personal crap; (2) this certain amorphous quality was rare; and (3) we really haven’t seen it for far too long a period of time, and yearned for it. It reminded me of Jack Nicholson’s comment to Helen Hunt, “You make me want to be a better person.” It draws or tugs on your whole being. For millions, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Obama</span> apparently makes a lot of people want to follow him, regardless of his position on issues, and irrespective of his lack of experience.<br />
<br />
I told Anne that it was, quite frankly, transcendental, in nature.<br />
<br />
It occurred to me that not knowing, or not paying attention to, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Obama</span>’s race, like the position that most of you occupy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">vis</span>-à-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">vis</span> me at this point, might be a good thing. But it also got me “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">athinking</span>.” Are there some “good” things about racism? Well, “good” might be too strong a word. Although the academicians would question the appropriateness of this, I use the words “race” and “racism” interchangeably, since, as a practical matter, if you did not have the latter, the former would be a non-issue. Let’s get back to why racism, although problematic, serves a pragmatic and utilitarian function in all societies, and has done so since the beginning of humankind. Are you still angry with me now?<br />
<br />
There is analysis, and then there is drawing a line for one’s self. A few years ago, I met this gal of a different race. A number of her friends had met me and said that I was “acceptable.” She was apprehensive and uncomfortable about meeting me, and had to get drunk and show up at 11:00 pm in order to face me alone. She reiterated that she had been brought up in a home in a working class town, where her Father had clearly expressed his disdain for members of other races. <br />
<br />
Her Sister in the Navy had married a man of a different race, and they had an interracial child, who her Father refused to acknowledge or even see. The Father disowned his daughter. My friend struggled with our relationship for years. She frequently made reference to her internal conflict in getting to know me better, and what she had been taught by her Father. She also noted that the friend, who was most supportive of her Brother as he was dying of AIDS, was a member of a racial group that her Father despised.<br />
<br />
What I told her, and what I have come to accept about folks who hold views with which I disagree, is that people adhere to the principles and values that they think or feel work for them. It does not advance our cause to be angry with them if our view of race is different. <br />
<br />
While some might view it as ignorance, or a lack of sophistication, I call it “muddling through.” Some folks do not seek out information, education, or people of other races, because knowing more stuff complicates their thought process and ability to function in everyday life. There is, after all, only so much time in a day.<br />
<br />
For some folks, occupying it with trying to understand what is really going on is problematic. If one has the benefit of being around certain groups of people, and the time, interest, and resources that permit you to engage others outside of your group, you will probably not view those new and different as threatening. However, if your position in life is less secure and more tenuous, the threat appears to be more real. That is not to suggest that it should, or that I am an apologist for racists.<br />
<br />
However, for certain segments of the population, it is simply more efficient for them to deal with people and cultures that they recognize, and concepts that they understand, or take positions that someone else, or some other institution, controls. Does that sound familiar? I admit that it may not be the most palatable thing to say in certain settings.<br />
<br />
There are two phrases that I have begun to use with more frequency now that I have reached my mid-fifties. They are, “Don’t try to make your issues my issues,” and, “It’s not the way that I want to spend my time.” Racism is frequently about efficiency, with respect to conduct, thought, and emotion. <br />
<br />
We only have so much time or energy that we are willing to devote to relationships with folks outside of our known realm, or our realm of priorities. Racism is also about probabilities. Arguably, there are fewer complications and unexpected events associated with sticking with our own and what we know. Is it limiting? Perhaps it is, if that is an issue for you. However, for people who subscribe to it, racism “works.”<br />
<br />
Additionally, there will always be a need for humans to feel that they are better than some group of people, and a recognition that they are less well off or fortunate than others, even though it might not be accurate, fair, or justified. Are there perhaps other ways, not comparative in nature, to establish one’s place in society and establish self-worth and value? That we are still uncomfortable with the subject of race, during an era when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Obama</span> might have a chance, is reflective of its enduring problematic legacy.<br />
<br />
Have you ever watched any shows following animals in the wild, and wondered about their applicability to understanding human conduct? Imagine that you are a tiger, amongst other tigers. Let’s assume that there are other, different animals in your vicinity. If you are familiar with them, and have had other experiences with them, then your reaction or attitude will reflect that prior experience, however limited it may have been. <br />
<br />
If the new animal in your midst is a total stranger, who you have not encountered before, then you need to size it up, your guard is immediately raised, and you must make a decision fairly quickly as to whether it is friend or foe. You may or may not be able to run away or successfully fight the strange new animal.<br />
<br />
As humans, we have advantages over our animal counterparts. We can move to certain parts of town, join certain organizations, place our kids in certain types of schools, and otherwise take steps to reduce certain undesirable events, and to increase the probability or number of those events occurring that we consider positive in nature. <br />
<br />
But having a larger and more complex brain, we can also do others things. We can depersonalize acts that might be interpreted as racist acts toward us, and realize that the act is really not about us, but about the actor. We can also try to address those systemic and structural issues or conditions that encourage the practice of racism, or that make it such a useful coping mechanism for so many.<br />
<br />
Hope springs eternal. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Laughingman</span>, of the Institute for Applied Common Sense, wrote in a recent piece:<br />
<br />
“[T]he dilemma that this Nation faces is significantly more apparent amongst us aging baby boomers, than amongst the kids who will be inheriting the future implications of our, and our parent’s, mistakes. Half of our racial perception problem is hard wired genetic preference. Those of our ancestors who sought out their own kind, (and we still do this on the basis of first blush visual similarity), were more likely to enjoy the support and protection of the group. Adherence to group think advanced the chances of finding a desirable mate and passing along one's genes through reproduction.”<br />
<br />
“The other half of the boomers’ perceptual problem is environmental. We may have learned to shake off the fear driven prejudice and behavior, acquired as children from our less enlightened parents. However, acting equal and thinking equal are different things. This may help explain why the most libertine, least cautious, generation in recent memory (we were, after all, willing to swallow damn near anything put in front of us) has become the most compulsively concerned, micro-managing, group of parents...ever.”<br />
<br />
“The good news is our kids seem to have inherited our best thinking, rather than our worst fears. So, the ground work put in by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">MLK</span>, Muhammad Ali, Bill Cosby, and Malcolm X, is showing up as a very new irrelevance of the importance of racial background. Affirmative action has nothing to do with the value of Tiger Woods' endorsement contracts, Oprah's audience, Senator <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Obama's</span> chances to be our next president, or with the extraordinarily talented Lewis Hamilton's probability of being the next Formula One World Racing Champion.”<br />
<br />
“I can't help but think that this is a very good thing. As the population continues to divide into ever smaller tribes based primarily on personal interests, those who pick their leaders based on performance, and emulate their behavior by choice, will enjoy more than their fair share of economic prosperity, and the unfair advantage in the genetic crap shoot.”<br />
<br />
“Those who limit their learning to conforming to a previous generation’s preferences may go the way of the Dodo.”<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, the world witnessed a generational and philosophical chasm between Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Senator <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Barack</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Obama</span>. Rev. Wright has personalized this whole of issue of race, and a result, feels that it is about him.<br />
<br />
<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Obama</span> on the other hand, and this is why he will probably not prevail, has recognized all along that the significance of him even being in the hunt is bigger than the racial factor. However, I don’t think that we are ready for that level of conceptual evaluation yet in this country. (Remember Adlai Stevenson?) That’s why many in the media have turned this into a media circus and resorted to demeaning and demonizing those with whom they disagree.<br />
<br />
Yes, America, racism works; and it runs both ways.<br />
© 2008 and 2015, The Institute for Applied <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Common Sense</span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-78473978987792637872015-05-02T09:08:00.002-04:002015-05-02T12:58:11.728-04:00Post No. 193b: Exist with Caution: You May Not Be Who You Think You Are (or Be Seen the Way You Want Others to View You)<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
<br />
© 2014 and 2015, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><br />
<i><br />
I previously wrote this piece and posted it in December 2014, when there were numerous instances covered by the media of police coming in contact with citizens resulting in disturbing results. Since then, it appears that the media coverage has increased exponentially. <br />
<br />
Yesterday, charges were filed against 6 Baltimore police officers in connection with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Freddie_Gray">the death of Freddie Gray</a>. I invite you to <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/online/baltimore-police-release-photos-of-6-officers-charged-in-freddie-grays-death/">check out the various ethnic groups of which the officers are members</a>. Interestingly, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzpI4lzs37o">the police union supporting them thinks that they are one and the same, namely police officers</a>. I think that the police - citizens events which have occurred between December 2014, and May of this year, make me feel even stronger about the comments I originally made in December 2014.</i><br />
<br />
This is Christmas Day, 2014. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens">Dickens</a>, on Christmas Eve in 1812, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Expectations">a young orphan by the name of Pip encountered an escaped convict</a>. That meeting changed Pip’s life, but more importantly, his appreciation of the event evolved over the years which followed. We’re at that point where many reflect on what the year has brought us.<br />
<br />
I considered naming this piece, “Everything is in the Eye of the Beholder.” I am often fascinated by the contortions we humans go through trying to understand other human conduct, and our seeming inability to understand why we as individuals are so frequently misunderstood.<br />
<br />
Back in my legal days, when I interviewed and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deposition_(law)">deposed</a> hundreds, if not thousands, of witnesses under oath (who seemingly had no dog in the fight), I was struck by how honest people who witnessed the same event could testify so differently about what they saw.<br />
<br />
To some extent, I think I may have gained a better understanding of this phenomenon when I saw a PBS program on eyesight and the brain. What I came away with was that instead of the eye and brain working together to take a snapshot or picture of an event, the brain functions more like a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive">hard disk</a> in a computer. Once the eyes (really the senses) transmit the image (or a message in the case of the other senses) to the brain or hard disk, the question is posed, “Where have I encountered this before?" <br />
<br />
If it is something familiar, or that we encounter with some regularity, then we go with what we know, or as close to it as we have the time and energy to process it. For that which we don't recognize at all, we come up with an interpretation which we think ensures our continued survival.<br />
<br />
Numerous news analysts who have ruminated about this year claim that it has been one dominated by conflict and tension at every imaginable level, and in virtually every geographic area. <br />
<br />
Back in the early 1980s, when I used to hang out with a group of 5 fascinating and extraordinary women who called themselves the “Slut Sisters,” several of them maintained that all conflict was due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone">testosterone</a>.<br />
<br />
This year, we’ve had numerous events featured in the news, where the typical citizen was emotionally forced to take a position on one side, or the other, often without even a paltry appreciation of the facts. Reporters sought out friends of those <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown">individuals who died at the hands of police</a>, or <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/24/us/virginia-hannah-graham-remains-identified/">fugitives from justice who the authorities were pursuing</a>. In almost every instance, the friends and neighbors related diametrically opposed perceptions of the people involved. “He is the most generous person you’d ever want to meet, and he wouldn’t harm a fly,” or “He was vile, scum who should be put to death.” <br />
<br />
And this was during the first 2 hours of the coverage of the event, and before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Grace">Nancy Grace</a> had an opportunity to render a guilty verdict.<br />
<br />
It causes one to wonder whether the side we choose is really not by choice, analysis, or even about our participation in the event, but rather about which group to which we can relate the most. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/aq4cdb">I previously shared my thoughts about race</a>, which I believe is primarily driven by DNA and genetics. In my reality, it’s not a delayed conversation, or one which we keep trying to avoid, as much as it is one which we cannot have (and never will), because it is so deep within us that we cannot explain it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038574/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Mr. Jaggers, the lawyer for <i>both</i> Miss Havisham and Pip’s benefactor in the 1946 film version of Great Expectations</a>, suggests to Pip, "Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There is no better rule."<br />
<br />
One would think that this would suffice for making decent and fair judgment calls, assuming once again that one has the time, interest, and motivation to pursue the evidence. But two other events threw a monkey wrench in my quest to understand this year’s conflict.<br />
<br />
I started thinking about the issue of fear, and how important a factor it might be. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/279jjh5">In an earlier post, I questioned why fear was not characterized as the Eighty Deadly Sin</a>. There is a television network by the name of TVOne. An African-American journalist and syndicated columnist, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Martin_(journalist)">Roland S. Martin</a>, who appears regularly on CNN, also anchors a news show on TVOne. During the frequently aired trailer for his show, he asks, “Why is America so afraid of black people?”<br />
<br />
Then a couple of years ago, while watching <a href="http://booktv.org/Program/12705/FreedomFest+2011+Michael+Shermer+quotThe+Believing+Brain+From+Ghosts+and+Gods+to+Politics+and+Conspiracies+How+We+Construct++++Beliefs+and+Reinforce+Them+as.aspx">C-Span2, Book TV, I heard a book discussion involving author Michael Shermer</a>, a columnist for Scientific American, and the publisher of Skeptic Magazine. The title of the book says it all, <i>The Believing Brain: From Ghosts to Gods to Politics and Conspiracies – How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths</i>.”<br />
<br />
So, what’s the take away from all of this? I must confess that I don’t know <i>with any degree of certainty</i>, but suggest that neither should you. However, we need to consider something different. Perhaps we could focus on the restructuring of those systems or modifying those environments where there are higher probabilities of conflict, and not focus as much on explaining conflict on an individual or even a group level. Maybe we should accept conflict on an individual or group level, as a given. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Wolf">Martin Wolf</a> is the Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator for the <i>Financial Times</i>, who <a href="http://www.charlierose.com/watch/60461616">recently appeared on the Charlie Rose show</a>. He suggests that we need to urgently address some global economic issues which were also extant during the years leading up to World War II. His concern is that if we do not, we may find ourselves in another major, global conflict. In an environment where intense competition and paranoia rule, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party">that more animal, survival-oriented part of our brain takes over</a>. <br />
<br />
I’m not sure if he is right. However, I’m not looking forward to another year of conflict like we had this year. And neither is Pip.<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas to all, and remember what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_the_State_of_California_vs._Orenthal_James_Simpson">the O.J. trial</a> may have revealed about us…. <br />
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-18565597320050874252015-01-20T19:14:00.000-05:002015-01-20T19:14:12.828-05:00Post No. 193a: The Anticipation (Or Perhaps, The Lack Thereof)<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
<br />
<i>We first generated this piece in January 2011, just minutes before President Obama delivered his State of the Union Speech at that time. Upon reviewing it earlier today, we concluded that not much has changed. What do you think?</i><br />
<br />
© 2011, 2014, and 2015, the Institute for Applied <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Common Sense</span></span><br />
<br />
It is now 7:59 pm EST, as we begin to type this piece. President Obama delivers his State of the Union message in just 61 minutes, and it is our intention to have this article posted long before the broadcast begins.<br />
<br />
In addition, <a href="http://www.tcm.com/index.jsp">Turner Classic Movies</a> will air, at 8:00 pm EST, what some consider the best <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_and_Hardy">Laurel & Hardy</a> movie ever made, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_the_Desert">Sons of the Desert</a></span>.<br />
<br />
Suffice it to say that we are ”under the gun.” But not nearly as much as our President, following what many have termed the shellacking he took during the mid-term elections. As he walks to the podium, he will be subject to intense scrutiny, and before the night is over, he might wish that he had walked across the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara">Sahara</a> under the glaring light of the equatorial sun.<br />
<br />
This piece is not about how he will perform or be received, at least not in an objective sense, but rather how so many have already peeped into their crystal balls, and <span style="font-style:italic;">know</span> how he will perform. For the past three days, the talking heads have told us what they expect of him this evening.<br />
<br />
Part of the responsibility for this attitude can be laid at the foot of the President and his staff themselves. In preparation for the speech, the White House has leaked its intentions, put out press releases, and employed all manner of preemptive and public relations vehicles to gain the upper hand and capitalize on the moment. <br />
<br />
His detractors have exerted an equal, if not greater, amount of energy preparing to do the Tonya Harding, and test his knee caps with their version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obamacare">Obamacare</a>, a lead pipe.<br />
<br />
As ridiculous as it may seem, somehow we yearn for an era (if ever one existed), where all of us wait in anticipation to <span style="font-style:italic;">listen</span> to what our President has to say, hoping that it will somehow inspire us, and lift us out of our doldrums. <br />
<br />
In a recent documentary on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant">Gen. Ulysses S. Grant</a>, and the final days of the Civil War, a noted historian quipped, “One of the great ironies about American democracy is that we claim that control is within the power of the people, and yet we yearn for a savior to deliver us from our problems.<br />
<br />
[Those of you reading this before the President’s speech might switch over to the Laurel & Hardy movie right now. It’s a beauty.]<br />
<br />
A couple of posts ago, in <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2011/01/post-no-151-where-our-heads-take-us.html">Where Our Heads Take Us</a></span>, we spoke of preconceived ideas and their power. At the end of the evening, we strongly suspect that the Democrats will give the President an “A,” and the Republicans will provide a grade of C-, noting that the President is a gifted orator, although he is wedded to the teleprompter.<br />
<br />
And that can’t be good.<br />
<br />
For any of us, and definitely not for the Nation.<br />
<br />
And so we must confess that we are guilty of having preconceived notions also, because we anticipate that nothing will change, and the politicians will all return to business as usual, and all the talk about the potential for a change in tone in Washington following the Arizona shootings will be for naught.<br />
<br />
Is that sad? Yes, especially because we consider ourselves to be idealistic optimists. We are also pragmatists. <br />
<br />
But there’s hope out there even amongst some of our most cynical followers. Take for example Douglas, who has been with us from the very beginning. In response to our last post, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://theviewfromoutsidemytinywindow.blogspot.com/2011/01/post-no-153-sticks-and-stones-may-break.html">Sticks and Stones May Break Our Bones</a></span>, he commented:<br />
<br />
“I would argue that each of us, if we are concerned about violent speech, not engage in it. Who knows? It might catch on.”<br />
<br />
Douglas is also the guy who from experience told us that when he decided to not argue with his wife and agree with her, it didn’t work, and that she continued to argue.<br />
<br />
We’ve often told friends of the Institute that this experience (operating this blog) has been simultaneously one of the most rewarding during our lifetimes (in that we have learned so much about how others think), and one of the most frustrating (wondering whether they read the same article that we wrote).<br />
<br />
S___ has to got to get better than this. It just has to….Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439647783347819362.post-20837927087675132802014-12-25T19:26:00.000-05:002014-12-26T20:33:57.320-05:00Post No. 193: Exist with Caution – You May Not Be Who You Think You Are (or Be Seen the Way You Want Others to View You)<span class='fullpost'></span><br />
<br />
© 2014, the Institute for Applied <b><i>Common Sense</i></b><br />
<br />
This is Christmas Day, 2014. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens">Dickens</a>, on Christmas Eve in 1812, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Expectations">a young orphan by the name of Pip encountered an escaped convict</a>. That meeting changed Pip’s life, but more importantly, his appreciation of the event evolved over the years which followed. We’re at that point where many reflect on what the year has brought us.<br />
<br />
I considered naming this piece, “Everything is in the Eye of the Beholder.” I am often fascinated by the contortions we humans go through trying to understand other human conduct, and our seeming inability to understand why we as individuals are so frequently misunderstood.<br />
<br />
Back in my legal days, when I interviewed and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deposition_(law)">deposed</a> hundreds, if not thousands, of witnesses under oath (who seemingly had no dog in the fight), I was struck by how honest people who witnessed the same event could testify so differently about what they saw.<br />
<br />
To some extent, I think I may have gained a better understanding of this phenomenon when I saw a PBS program on eyesight and the brain. What I came away with was that instead of the eye and brain working together to take a snapshot or picture of an event, the brain functions more like a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive">hard disk</a> in a computer. Once the eyes (really the senses) transmit the image (or a message in the case of the other senses) to the brain or hard disk, the question is posed, “Where have I encountered this before?" <br />
<br />
If it is something familiar, or that we encounter with some regularity, then we go with what we know, or as close to it as we have the time and energy to process it. For that which we don't recognize at all, we come up with an interpretation which we think ensures our continued survival.<br />
<br />
Numerous news analysts who have ruminated about this year claim that it has been one dominated by conflict and tension at every imaginable level, and in virtually every geographic area. <br />
<br />
Back in the early 1980s, when I used to hang out with a group of 5 fascinating and extraordinary women who called themselves the “Slut Sisters,” several of them maintained that all conflict was due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone">testosterone</a>.<br />
<br />
This year, we’ve had numerous events featured in the news, where the typical citizen was emotionally forced to take a position on one side, or the other, often without even a paltry appreciation of the facts. Reporters sought out friends of those <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown">individuals who died at the hands of police</a>, or <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/24/us/virginia-hannah-graham-remains-identified/">fugitives from justice who the authorities were pursuing</a>. In almost every instance, the friends and neighbors related diametrically opposed perceptions of the people involved. “He is the most generous person you’d ever want to meet, and he wouldn’t harm a fly,” or “He was vile, scum who should be put to death.” <br />
<br />
And this was during the first 2 hours of the coverage of the event, and before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Grace">Nancy Grace</a> had an opportunity to render a guilty verdict.<br />
<br />
It causes one to wonder whether the side we choose is really not by choice, analysis, or even about our participation in the event, but rather about which group to which we can relate the most. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/aq4cdb">I previously shared my thoughts about race</a>, which I believe is primarily driven by DNA and genetics. In my reality, it’s not a delayed conversation, or one which we keep trying to avoid, as much as it is one which we cannot have (and never will), because it is so deep within us that we cannot explain it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038574/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Mr. Jaggers, the lawyer for <i>both</i> Miss Havisham and Pip’s benefactor in the 1946 film version of Great Expectations</a>, suggests to Pip, "Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There is no better rule."<br />
<br />
One would think that this would suffice for making decent and fair judgment calls, assuming once again that one has the time, interest, and motivation to pursue the evidence. But two other events threw a monkey wrench in my quest to understand this year’s conflict.<br />
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I started thinking about the issue of fear, and how important a factor it might be. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/279jjh5">In an earlier post, I questioned why fear was not characterized as the Eighty Deadly Sin</a>. There is a television network by the name of TVOne. An African-American journalist and syndicated columnist, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Martin_(journalist)">Roland S. Martin</a>, who appears regularly on CNN, also anchors a news show on TVOne. During the frequently aired trailer for his show, he asks, “Why is America so afraid of black people?”<br />
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Then a couple of years ago, while watching <a href="http://booktv.org/Program/12705/FreedomFest+2011+Michael+Shermer+quotThe+Believing+Brain+From+Ghosts+and+Gods+to+Politics+and+Conspiracies+How+We+Construct++++Beliefs+and+Reinforce+Them+as.aspx">C-Span2, Book TV, I heard a book discussion involving author Michael Shermer</a>, a columnist for Scientific American, and the publisher of Skeptic Magazine. The title of the book says it all, <i>The Believing Brain: From Ghosts to Gods to Politics and Conspiracies – How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths</i>.”<br />
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So, what’s the take away from all of this? I must confess that I don’t know <i>with any degree of certainty</i>, but suggest that neither should you. However, we need to consider something different. Perhaps we could focus on the restructuring of those systems or modifying those environments where there are higher probabilities of conflict, and not focus as much on explaining conflict on an individual or even a group level. Maybe we should accept conflict on an individual or group level, as a given. <br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Wolf">Martin Wolf</a> is the Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator for the <i>Financial Times</i>, who <a href="http://www.charlierose.com/watch/60461616">recently appeared on the Charlie Rose show</a>. He suggests that we need to urgently address some global economic issues which were also extant during the years leading up to World War II. His concern is that if we do not, we may find ourselves in another major, global conflict. In an environment where intense competition and paranoia rule, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party">that more animal, survival-oriented part of our brain takes over</a>. <br />
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I’m not sure if he is right. However, I’m not looking forward to another year of conflict like we had this year. And neither is Pip.<br />
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Merry Christmas to all, and remember what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_the_State_of_California_vs._Orenthal_James_Simpson">the O.J. trial</a> may have revealed about us…. <br />
Inspector Clouseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09373932797333038561noreply@blogger.com19