Bad tidings seem to abound this
Christmas. Turmoil and uncertainty are the norm rather than the
exception. Here in the States we have just finished a rather painful
election, giving us an inexperienced and, some might say,
ill-conceived President-elect. Europe and Turkey have experienced a
number of terrorist related acts. The Russian ambassador to Turkey
was just assassinated. Where is there to go in search of the meaning
of Christmas?
Strange as it may seem I found it in
Aleppo. Aleppo is part of the conflict in Syria that has been raging
for years, leaving many dead, injured and displaced. I ran across
this OpEd piece with regard to the conflict.
With so many people intent on their own
agendas it was amazing to find some who were intent on something
else. They started out as simple neighbors helping neighbors. They
are the White Helmets of Syria.
60 Minutes did a piece on the White
Helmets recently, which is what this short video references.
There are others, of course, who
believe, or want others to believe, that the White Helmets are part
of a terrorist organization and the rescues we see are staged. It is
a war zone and there is much disinformation and propaganda. There is also extreme anger, which you saw from the one woman
interviewed at the end of that 60 Minutes clip.
Since these interviews Aleppo has fallen to the regime of Syrian President Assad and it is uncertain the fates of many of the people involved in these scenes.
But what I saw were people trying
desperately to save other people's lives at the risk of their own,
unlike terrorist propaganda videos which glorify killing. So for
those who genuinely tried to aid the civilians in this shattered
city I send out a Christmas wish that this year will bring peace.
For your self-sacrifice truly embodies the meaning of Christmas.
As the oil extraction from the Bakken
has increased so to have the trains hauling oil. They are long and
frequent, shunting aside trains containing other commodities, such as
agricultural products. We are used to seeing them crawling through
our neighborhoods backing up traffic at crossings. It was a
situation in need of a solution.
But there was a problem. A problem
that was not addressed when the project was planned. The pipeline
runs through the Dakotas. Maybe you remember the region from the
movie Dances with Wolves. It is a land of rolling plains. A land of
open spaces where native Americans lived a nomadic life hunting
buffalo. While that life ended many years ago the land is still home
to many whose ancestors roamed the plains. The pipeline was planned
to run under the Missouri River, just upstream from the Standing Rock
Sioux's drinking water supply.
And thus a protest was born.
From a few hundred people it grew to
thousands, despite the onset of winter weather.
I can see both side's point of view.
This pipeline is needed to address bottlenecks in transportation as
well as safety concerns. But as one protester said, “we are
stewards of the Earth”. He is right. We must be careful with our
environment, because it is our home. We destroy it and we destroy
our future.
As of this writing the protesters have
prevailed. The US Army Corps. of Engineers has pulled the permit
until a new route is found and environmental concerns are addressed.
On this day of Thanksgiving I am
offering a story from long ago. Amistad is a movie based on a court
case from 1841 which was heard before our Supreme Court. It revolved
around a group of people who were abducted from their native country
of Sierra Leone. They were sold as slaves and were being transported
to a Caribbean plantation aboard the ship Amistad when they revolted,
killing the captain and the cook.
As I look at the uncertainty of our
future I thought there might be some wisdom to be garnered from our
past.
Two of my favorite scenes from this
movie:
And this:
So today I am giving thanks for those
who have struggled to overcome hardships, fought to uphold our
Constitution, and tried to adhere to the principles that were
envisioned when our country was created.
For a little break from American
politics I thought it might be interesting to visit a nice cold
place. Take some of the heat out of that emotional roller coaster we
have been on. If there is one entity that doesn't care about who is
in the White House it is planet Earth. She will do what she will do.
Unless, of course, you believe that human activity does have some
bearing on our climate. Then that might change things a little.
So today I have for you a video on
Antarctica. We have heard so much about the melting ice in the
Arctic and on Greenland, but we haven't really looked at the other
end of our planet. I think maybe we should do so.
This is just shy of an hour long. But
it is worth watching.
With this being an election year here
in the US our news media has been focused primarily on the political
scene. One can hardly blame them I suppose considering the fireworks
in this election. But while we have been so distracted there has
been the start of the long awaited battle to retake the Iraqi city of
Mosul from Daesh (ISIL). I thought perhaps I should take a moment to
consider the significance of this event.
It has been approximately two years
since the advent of Daesh in the city of Mosul. It was what one
could say an accidental invasion. From all accounts they did not
intend to stay, but merely to harass. But the collapse of the Iraqi
Army allowed the seeds that were planted years previously to find
ground and take root. From Mosul they spread to other Iraqi cities,
smothering what small pleasures there were to be found after years of
war. Daesh was more than just a terrorist organization, it was a
symptom of the divisions within Iraqi society. What we see now is
more than just a battle for one city, but a battle for an entire
nation, a battle for a unity of a people that have not yet healed
after years of war.
This video has a good panel discussion
on the various nuances of this battle. While it is Iraq's battle to
fight, it has a significance beyond one nation or one region of the
world.
Some realities of the situation on the
ground.
While we consider the various
candidates in this election it would be wise to understand that our
choices affect others and that the situations in Iraq, Syria and
Europe are extremely delicate. This battle will have consequences
for years to come, as will our choices on November 8.
Last week Frontline televised a special on the various terror attacks in Europe. Obviously we are all concerned that such attacks can happen, anywhere. We have had our share as well. It doesn't hurt to examine the circumstances under which they have occurred. As free societies we have unique problems in dealing with such things, because we hope to maintain open, all inclusive forms of governments, and lifestyles. We shouldn't lose who we are in our search for solutions. If you haven't seen the special it is worth watching.
Down through history people have used
music to express their emotions. It has been an outlet for love,
anger, protest, and at times sadness. This year the Nobel prize for
literature went, not to an author of books, but to a singer/writer of
songs, Bob Dylan. A rather unique circumstance, but then he is a
rather unique individual. He rose to fame during a period in US
history that was aflame with war and protest. His songs followed a
generation through the turbulence of the Vietnam War and growing up.
Probably my favorite Bob Dylan song.
.
Last week there was an article in my
newspaper about a musician who was going to be playing at the Walker
Art Center, Amir ElSaffar.
It caught my attention because I
remember listening to some maqam over at Zeyad's site, so I thought I
would check it out.
I found that I enjoyed his blending of
jazz and maqam.
What Amir ElSaffar and Bob Dylan have
in common is not just musical talent but an artistic ability to
create a new form of expression with their music. In our fast paced
electronic world stopping and taking a moment to listen is well
worth the time.
Recently I've been hearing about artificial intelligence. One of
my readers sent me an interesting article which gives a nice
explanation of our progress towards creating AI.
Coincidentally they have been discussing the same thing on Fareed
Zakaria's show. Must be something in the air. So I thought it
might be time to think about this a little.
Some things are already operational or in the pipeline. Computers
that operate machinery are already ubiquitous in manufacturing. A
vacuum that needs no human to push it has rolled into our ad space
offering the overworked an excuse to take a break. A car that needs
no driver will allow those who cannot drive, the elderly or the
disabled, a freedom of movement unheard of in times gone by. So many
ways in which a device controlled by those not human can be of help.
Of help...it is those two words that stick in my mind. Yes,
robots are useful, yes, they can make our lives easier. But how much
do we really want them to do? How much of our lives do we want to
cede to a machine? After I read that article my first thought was of
the movie Wall-E. For those of you who haven't seen it, it is a
cartoon depicting life in the future. Yes, I know, you are
thinking..a cartoon? How serious is that? But there is one scene
that gives me pause when considering artificial intelligence.
Is that really how we want our lives to be? Granted, it is
perhaps an exaggeration, but there is some truth behind that
depiction. Is a life of ease really the answer to happiness?
Consider this article.
While they are not in the workforce for other reasons than being
supplanted by a robot, their experience in being among the willfully
unemployed may give us some insight into what that life could be
like.
Where is the joy in accomplishing the impossible? Where is the
feeling of satisfaction of a job well done? Where is the chance for miracles to occur? Where is the humanity?
Consider this trailer from a movie I just saw:
Maybe that is what life is really all about. Living to the
fullest possible. Not just existing.
Recently there was an article on CNN about women in Saudi Arabia who have started a social media campaign in an attempt to get the Male Guardianship law revoked.
Many of us look at the situation of women in Saudi Arabia and think how fortunate we are to live in the US where we have more freedom, where women have been an integral part of building our country, where we have fought so hard for our rights.
So I will stand with the women of Saudi Arabia who are struggling to have their voices heard, just as so many women in my country have struggled in the past. I will hope that they find their way to freedom.
It has been fifteen years since the attacks of 9/11. We have launched a war on terror, been through a Great Recession, seen uprisings in the Middle East with millions of desperate people being forced from their homes by violence on a massive scale, and headlines that resonate with hate speech from one of our candidates for president, or the greed of bank employees.
So on this day I want to remember the extraordinary men and women who gave of themselves to help others, who showed us the good that exists within the human spirit, if it is allowed to fly free. Without people like you we would be nothing.
If you are from Minnesota you know
Jacob. Twenty seven years ago Jacob Wetterling, his brother Trevor,
and his friend Aaron, were riding their bikes home after visiting a
convenience store to rent a movie. That was the last time Jacob was
seen alive. He was abducted by a masked man at gunpoint. For twenty
seven years Jacob's family have lived in a hell of somebody else's
making. This past week because of a tip from “a person of
interest” Jacob's remains were found, just thirty miles from his
parent's home. It has brought closure, yes, but it has also opened a
wound again to fresh grief.
Because of the selfishness of another
this boy will not live to be a man, raise a family, or enjoy a life
of possibilities. But, while his time on this earth was short, his
life had a meaning that will live beyond him. Because of the
circumstances of his disappearance, and the dedication of his
parents, we now have laws put in place to register sex offenders.
This at least gives people a heads up that there may be a greater
risk to their children than there normally would be. It also raised
awareness of the issue of missing children.
Jacob, your light will never die.
***
A few weeks ago there was a story out
of Syria about a boy. He was pulled from the rubble of a destroyed
building. His picture was splashed across mainstream and social
media. We saw him sitting dazed and still with the dust of his home
sprinkled in his hair. A sad testimony to the failings of adults to
protect and nurture the best hope of our future.
So why am I talking about two seemingly
diverse stories?
Unfortunately, bad things happen to
good people. It is what we do with those experiences, as bad as they
are, that will determine who we become.
It's a rainy day here again. So what
better time for exploring the past? Recently I heard in the news
that they have discovered a planet orbiting Proxima Centauri. A planet that has the
potential to sustain life.
It seems we have always been fascinated
with what exists up there in that space beyond our reach. Are there
other worlds that will sustain life? Are there others out there?
Back in 1938 Orson Welles created a
radio show that was so real that if you tuned in after the beginning
credits you might have thought it real. And many did. It created
quite a panic in places.
In 1965 a popular TV show of the time
revolved around the journey of a family, and various crew members, to
explore the outer regions of space, for the most part
unintentionally. Hmm...I couldn't get a link to the full first episode, but if you want to see all of it you can zip over to You Tube. They have it there.
And there might actually be people out
there who remember the movie ET and one of its more iconic scenes. A
far more warm and fuzzy rendering of alien life than in War of the
Worlds.
They've found other planets before that
had the potential for life but which turned out to be a false start.
But in the meantime it is fun and maybe, if the future of climate
change proves to be as dark as some suggest, critical to imagine what
could be another world for human life.
So if you have a rainy afternoon to
fill, and want a break from current events, check out our imaginings
from the past, and maybe the future? :)
I know, I know, I have been promising a
lighter post, but somehow circumstances arise that point me in
another direction. Recently Lee sent me a link to a piece he had
found on Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Syria, the countries that have been so affected by war and the rise of ISIS(Daesh) in the region. What I found unique was that it wasn't
just on one country, or one turn of events, but on the series of
events that have placed that region into such turmoil today. It also
followed various people in their travels through the violence that
has so shattered their homes, and their dreams.
We so fear those who are seeking refuge
in our countries I felt it might be appropriate to at least shed a
little light on their plight. This magazine article does that. It
is long, but well worth the time to read.
I was planning on doing a lighter post as we've been so serious of late, but I ran across this interesting piece on the PBS Frontline website about Benghazi and thought you all might be interested. It appears that another front has opened up in the fight against Daesh that may prove just as challenging as that of Syria and Iraq.
The video isn't very long, just shy of 20 minutes or so.
Like so many Americans out there in an
election year I normally would have shut out all of the hoopla,
rhetoric, and posturing by our political establishment, until the very
last moment. But this year I have actually tuned into parts of the
Republican and Democratic conventions. As of this writing you will
know that the nominees for both parties have been chosen, Donald
Trump for the Republicans and Hillary Clinton for the Democrats.
More so than any other election that I
can remember this one seems to be a pivotal point in our history.
It is the first time in history that a woman has been nominated for
president of the United States by a major political party. At the
same time it is an election that has exposed deep divisions within
our society, not just of race and economics, but of how we view our
country and its potential, and how we treat each other. I have
listened with sadness.
But on the first night of the
Democratic convention, among the very good speakers there was one,
Cory Booker, who made me smile. Obviously a partisan speech, but it
embodied the hopeful spirit that I have always felt lay at the heart
of who we, as Americans, are.
That is the America I want to live in. That is the America that can face its problems and prevail.
I have been busy with real life tasks
so haven't had the opportunity to consider a new post, until now.
But, oh my, does there seem to be a plethora of topics to discuss.
We have the multiple police shootings in the United States, which led
to protests, and more violence. We have the aftermath of the Brexit
vote starting to ripple through economic activity and the political
spectrum. We have had a truck attack in France, resulting in mass
casualties. We have had a coup attempt in Turkey. I
simply could not pick. But as I considered my topic I realized that
some of those events do actually have something in common. Except,
perhaps, for the terror attack in France all of the other events seem
to be symptoms of divisions within various countries. I qualify the
terror attack with that “perhaps” because it too seems in a way
to be a symptom of divisions between peoples. The division in that
case being between moderates and extremists.
People
are not all alike, they have different beliefs, different dreams,
different problems. So how do we deal with the differences? I think
if a country has a wise government it listens to the people. While
we can't please all of the people all of the time it is expected that
all of the people should be given the respect and due process that is
necessary for a country to continue to function successfully. So I
have listened to a couple videos that I wanted to share with you.
The
first is a Sky News Special on the aftermath of the Brexit vote.
(Yes, you know who, I wrote “the” before Brexit. Lol!). I
thought it a decently balanced report with voices from both sides of
the issue weighing in. It runs about 26 minutes.
The
next is a Town Hall discussion that President Obama engaged in
recently regarding race relations here in the States. It too was a
nicely balanced event allowing all voices to be heard. It's about an
hour long, but there are some very interesting viewpoints expressed
that are worth hearing.
We
will always struggle with differences. It is how we respond to those
differences, and resolve the problems that arise, that will
differentiate a peaceful, prosperous country from one that slides
into chaos and anarchy, or a dictatorship.
Another July 4th is just around the corner and we are still here, despite those out there who wish us ill. This
year I decided to dedicate a post to the people who have worked so
hard to make this country, its laws, its economy, its coat of many
colors social fabric. Despite people, who in the past, or currently,
have decided the best thing would be to close the door on certain
groups of people, we have persevered in maintaining a society that
allows newcomers a place. It may be a slow, grinding process, but it
does eventually create new Americans, and they are the people who
contribute to a vibrant, flexible, country.
What amazes me is that while we have
focused on certain immigrant groups, such as those from Syria, people
are still coming from around the world. I took a peak at various
citizenship ceremonies. I liked this one because it was a nice
snapshot of where people came from. I don't know the lady who was
the reason for the video being made, but I hope she won't mind my
letting my readers watch.
I don't know why any of those people in
that citizenship ceremony decided to come to this country, but they
have all taken an oath to follow the laws of this country, support
and defend her. Because the United States is now their country. It
is their home. It is now their responsibility. And it is the
responsibility of those here who came before to make room for them,
to give them, within the protection of our laws, the freedom to grow
to be valuable citizens.
While I do not know the hardships our
new Americans have experienced on their journey here I did look at
the last step they needed to take to become American, the citizenship
test, or at least part of it. Here is a link to a few of the
questions. You may want to see how you do. I was relieved to
realize that I would pass it. Lol! I was also rather amused that in
the two tests I looked at the question of when your taxes are due was
included in both.
On Thursday June 23, 2016 the United
Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. As you may recall I wrote a post regarding the possibility of a Grexit. I never considered for a moment that it would end up being a Brexit. I have been
listening to various people, reading, and watching coverage
of this event. What many are calling an historic event, which in my
humble opinion I agree with. So many people who are analyzing what
went wrong and what will be. While I wanted to post on this,
because it is extremely important, affecting so many areas of the
world, I know that I will probably not be able to add much to the
analysis that has already occurred. So I will just add my thoughts.
As an American I can certainly
understand people's desire to control their own destiny rather than
leave that to others. But as a concerned citizen of the world I have
to wonder if people have forgotten how easily it is to fall into
violent conflict, even in supposedly modern states such as the
countries of Europe. WWI and WWII are not that long ago. Lest
people forget, that was part of the reason that the European Union
was created, to bind people together in an effort to avoid those
types of conflicts in the future. It was also formed as a trading
block to, hopefully, bring prosperity to those who were its members.
From my view from across the pond it would appear that to this date
it has actually performed those two functions quite well. And
perhaps that is part of the problem now, because it has been so
successful it is a desirable destination for many who are in
desperate need of a safe haven. The strain on the various countries
of Europe to absorb mass migrations of people is putting huge stress
on a system that was put in place so long ago. We in America have
also had to deal with illegal immigrants, but not to the ratio of
newcomers to natives that we are seeing in Europe at this time.
The world is facing so many challenges
today, wars in the Middle East, economic uncertainty in many
countries, a climate that may not be so desirable in the future, a
general disgust with our political leaders, to the point that we
would just like to replace all of them. But isolationism, the
attraction of an authoritarian type of leader, are all things we
have tried in the past. They didn't work then, and they won't work
now. The Brexit, the attraction of a man like Donald Trump in the
US, or a Putin in Russia, seem to me to be all signs of fear of a
change that we probably can't avoid. Perhaps it is better to face
our fear rather than run from it. Start looking beyond the sound
bites that are being thrown at us and start trying to find out what
the facts really are. Because in the long run it is ourselves, and
our ability to judge what is or is not, that we need to rely on, not
a talking head on television.
What will happen with the Brexit? No
one knows for sure. I hope that it turns out well for our friends in the UK.
I wish them and the rest of Europe the best. They are all important
friends and allies of my country. I also hope that my fellow
countrymen and women choose wisely in November, because some votes
have long lasting consequences.
Update:
I have a couple of things to add to this post that you, my readers, may find of interest. I have received an objection to my suggestion regarding the ratio of immigrants to natives in Europe compared to the ratio in the US. My reader suggested that I was not correct and provided the following links as substantiation.
I do note, though, that in table number 1 in that second link there are five countries that appear to surpass the US, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Spain. The numbers for the European countries do include immigrants from other European countries.
I was also sent a link to a very informative talk about the consequences of a Brexit.
It was rainy and cold for the first
part of Memorial Day weekend so I took the opportunity to rent a few
movies that were recommended to me. Yes, believe it or not we
actually have a video store near where I live. I know, I know, I too
thought they had gone the way of the Dodo, but this one opened up a
couple of years ago and I have enjoyed browsing in the brick and
mortar environment again. Anyway, as you can probably tell, this is
going to be another movie post. Well, it is Saturday night after
all.
I enjoyed all of the movies, but the
one that stands out for me was “Trumbo”. Bryan Cranston plays
Dalton Trumbo, one of the screenwriters who were subpoenaed to testify in 1947
before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). This committee was
looking into those who were members of the Communist party, which
included Dalton Trumbo. What Trumbo and 9 others did was refuse to
testify on the basis that Congress had no right to question anyone's
party affiliation. Trumbo and the others were charged with contempt
of Congress and sent to prison. But perhaps just as bad was the
reaction of Hollywood. The Hollywood Ten were subsequently
blacklisted by the Hollywood studios and weren't allowed to work in
the film industry. At least not openly. But they did eventually
work with the help of various people in the industry. So this is the
story of a group of people who refused to be intimidated, who,
despite what people may have thought of their beliefs, stood up for
something that is integral to what we believe our country to be.
In this election year perhaps we should
try to look more closely at what being an American should mean.
One of my favorite scenes, and whoever uploaded it cut if off. *sigh*
If
you haven't seen the movie, do. You won't be disappointed.
What happens when you mix poor
governance, collapsing oil prices, and drought? You get a nation in
crisis. I am not talking about the Middle East, but a country closer
to home. At least for us here in the United States. That country is Venezuela. What seems to be happening is a perfect storm
of consequences resulting from policies put in place years ago, mixed
with an ill conceived revolution.
Venezuela, with its large oil reserves,
chose to rely on hydroelectric power for domestic energy while it
exported its oil. It seemed like a good idea at the time. However,
now they are facing a drought which has resulted in lower electricity
production and power outages. The price of oil collapsed below $40
a barrel resulting in a decrease in income from exports. And a
socialist revolution started by Hugo Chavez has left the country with
shortages of just about everything.
I thought it might be time to take a
peek at a situation that may be a lesson to us all. Here are a couple short news clips.
This piece is the first part of a debate aired on France 24 about the crisis. It's somewhat informative on the political situation regarding President Maduro, the current President, and people's feelings. Of course, there are those who try to blame the United States for some of this. The interviewer for France 24 and at least one of the panelists seem intent on putting that spin on the story anyway.
If you would like to see the rest, here is the second part of that show. I don't think that the United States is at fault line is working for others.
Today I have for you a link to a special that was aired on Frontline in March. I watched it the other night and thought I would bring it to your attention. It is 54 minutes in length, but is worth watching, if you haven't done so already.
Today
on Fareed Zakaria they aired a clip of a debate between Fareed and
Edward Snowden regarding the question of whether or not the
government should have access to an encrypted device, as was the
issue with the iPhone that belonged to the San Bernardino attackers.
Edward Snowden took the position that encryption should be
unbreakable, using the argument that computer security is of primary
concern for our security, which in a way kind of struck me as ironic
coming from Snowden. But be that as it may, that is not what I saw
as the critical point. What he seemed to be suggesting was creating
something that did not include a back door. I am not sure how old
Snowden is, but perhaps he should be reminded of something.
Snowden
spoke of our security. Yet he seemed to completely ignore the fact
that unbreakable encryption is not just something that we could
create. There are others out there with the knowledge and, perhaps,
the motivation to create the same thing. What we should be
concentrating on is how to go about breaking unbreakable encryption.
Because some day that is what may be critical to our security.
I
have this feeling that Edward Snowden's analysis on this issue lacks
as much maturity as did his decision to leak classified data. One
wonders if he will learn eventually.
Yeah, I know, that film is over 30 years old. But apparently it still has relevance today. Giving our lives, and our security, over to a machine is perhaps not wise.
Hmm...I see that the video I linked to has been removed due to a copy right claim of some sort. Ahh...I suppose that is the risk when linking to something on You Tube. For anyone who happens by and would like to know what it was, it was a link to Prince's song, "Gold". While it was not a huge hit here in the US it seemed to me to be a song that said something about Prince's feelings, which is why I linked to it. And, I wanted to do something besides "Purple Rain'.
I'm paging through my newspaper today
and I happen upon a small article tucked away on page 4. At first I
pass it by as I search for information on the latest happenings in
Europe with the Brussels attack and the situation with the
deportation of migrants from Greece, thinking that these are the
stories of the moment, the ones that are of the most importance. But
then I look back and realize what this small article is telling me.
It's about the SpaceX launch, and the test recovery, of a booster rocket. I
emphasize the word “ recovery”. There have been many
breakthroughs in the history of mankind, many inventions that have
improved our lives. They have been created by people who never let
set backs stop them, who strove to contribute something useful to the
world. SpaceX has tried this before only to fail. But they didn't
give up and on Friday April 8, 2016 they managed to land a rocket on
a barge at sea. A critical maneuver to making sending supplies into
space a routine and affordable mission.
On the same mission SpaceX successfully
launched a resupply rocket for the international space station. So
today I tip my hat to those at SpaceX who didn't give up.
Congratulations!
It's Easter Sunday and I could think of
no better day to do a movie review of “Risen”. I saw it a number
of weeks ago and debated whether or not to post about it, as religion
tends to be a controversial topic. But whether you are religious or
a non-believer I felt the movie had something to say. We are
inundated with violence in real life and at the movies. And this
movie is no exception, as it starts with the crucifixion of Jesus,
and the search for his followers after his death, in connection with
the disappearance of his body. The reaction of the Roman government
to the possibility of a Messiah that could encourage an uprising of
the people was believable. Anything that could threaten their rule
was to be snuffed out.
In the story line what struck me was
not the belief in the power of Jesus to heal, nor even that he could
rise from the dead, but the belief in non-violence as the answer to
life everlasting. As I watch the terror attacks on the news, or the
bigotry and hatred seemingly espoused by some of our presidential
candidates, it's nice to think that once upon a time there might have
been a movement that really believed that there was an alternative to
the violent lives of humans on this earth, and that everyone had
value and were deserving of respect.
This clip actually leads up to one of
the best lines in the movie. But for some reason whoever uploaded it
cut it off at the critical moment. I guess you'll just have to see
the movie to find out what I mean. :)
While I have been immersed in our
rather depressing electoral process here in the States I have not
totally forgotten events taking place on the other side of the pond.
I heard about the new agreement between the EU and Turkey to send
migrants, who are currently in Greece, back to Turkey. For some
reason that struck me as a plan that might have a few problems, so I
decided to see what I could dig up on YouTube about the situation. Here are a few clips for your viewing.
So, for every migrant sent back from Greece to Turkey they are going to allow one refugee in Turkey to enter the EU. Hmm...well, I can seen where that might help Greece in the short term, assuming the flows of migrants/refugees stop, but I'm not sure how it will help Europe in the long term.
Or how it will help these people,
Somehow this makes our problems look rather small.
Apparently the FBI has asked Apple to
create software that will unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino
shooter, as they seem to think there may be information on the phone
that may prove useful in further investigations. Despite a court
order Apple has refused, saying this would set a dangerous precedent.
I have to admit that I am struggling
with this. I do not see the difference between unlocking a phone,
which has private information on it, from unlocking a home, which has
private information in it. Obviously a court has the power to issue
a search warrant, allowing law enforcement to enter and search a
private home. Apple's argument that code is speech, and thus
protected under the First Amendment, would seem to me, in this case,
to take second place to law enforcement's right to pursue their
investigation of criminal activity.
I have to wonder if Apple is really
concerned more about the First Amendment or more about the possible
loss of future sales due to people being upset with the possibility
of someone having access to their phone?
I also have to wonder how difficult it is to unlock an iPhone, as there seem to be any number of videos on YouTube on how to do it?
Major events are always waiting around
the corner to grab our attention. Recently there have been a number
that have caught mine. I just thought I'd share a few and also some
brief thoughts.
Just today there has been the recent
news of the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. For the
United States this is huge, especially given that it is an election
year. Scalia was a prominent member of the conservative component of
the court. His death raises the possibility of tilting the court to
a more liberal bent depending upon the result of this year's election,
thus having far reaching consequences for the future of America. I
understand that Obama will nominate someone, but it is doubtful that
the Republican dominated Senate will confirm someone before
election day. This is something people may want to keep in mind when
they vote. As in, do you want someone who is nominated by Trump, for
example?
During the past week we have learned of
the confirmation that gravitational waves do exist, as was theorized
by Albert Einstein. A scientific break through that furthers our
knowledge of space and our existence. A credit to human intelligence
and creativity. And for all science geeks out there a Christmas
present in February. Yeah, I was going to go with different
phrasing there, but thought I'd keep it G-rated. Lol!
The refugee crisis in Europe continues,
with fresh streams of people continuing to flow out of Syria. While
there have been so many people out there willing to blame the United
States for all of the problems in the Middle East, I can't help but
feel that the cause of this latest chapter in the Syrian war saga
should be laid directly at Putin's door. I have grave doubts about
any so called cease fire that Russia is willing to participate in.
So
many things going on in the world today. Things that appear new and
at times insurmountable. As I sit contemplating events I am reminded
of a book I read a couple years ago. Perhaps you have already read
it, or not, but in any case I wanted to bring it to your attention.
It encompasses a span of time that, for me, was a bit of a gray area
in my education. The book is Fall of Giantsby Ken Follett. It
is fiction, but is so well written, with so many historical avenues
explored, that it not only expands your knowledge of the time period
and the events that shaped the world at that time, but makes history
come alive in a fascinating way.
The
book takes place just prior to World War 1 and the Russian
Revolution. Yes, you can probably see where I am going with this.
There are events taking place in the world today that seem to echo a
time where major shifts occurred in various countries of the world.
It isn't always clear at the time that these major shifts are taking
place, it is only as we look back that we realize what the sequence
of events wrought. This is not to say that I believe Russia will
revisit another revolution or that we will slip into a world war, but there do seem to be forces afoot that may affect the major powers
of the world in ways we may not at first understand.
Follett
does a nice job of dovetailing the stories of multiple characters
from different countries, keeping a smooth flow of plot. Their
actions are believable and the historical facts appear accurate. Or
at least those I am aware of, such as dates, times and places. The
descriptions of life style flesh out and provide context for the
events that unfold. What I hadn't been aware of was the difficult
life of the miners in Wales or the extreme situation of the peasants
in Russia. It is easy to see where the rise of socialism came from,
for instance. It is also very illustrative of the class divisions in
Britain at the time. When you have a large schism between the haves
and the have nots you are running a huge risk of violent change, just
like we may be seeing today with the mass migration from poorer
countries to wealthier ones.
This
book is long and is actually part of a trilogy which runs through the
1960's. I have not read the second two books yet so will not get
into those, but have heard from those who have read the entire trilogy
that the first book is really the best. If you have some, okay a
lot, of free time give it a look. It reads very quickly, one of those rare books that you regret ending. and may provide a little background for events taking place today.
With so much going on I have struggled
to find a new topic to compile a post about. As I was cruising
through some YouTube footage I ran across a video that seemed to
encompass a spectrum of ideas about what is going on in Europe. We
here in America have always received immigrants to our shores,
welcome or not, and have tried hard to integrate them into our
society. It has not always been easy. But what we are seeing
happening in Europe today seems to be a mass shift in populations
from one area of the world to another. For integration to occur on
this scale would be a challenge of historic proportions.
You will note that some of the
following video has no sound. I believe they had to do that in order
not to violate copyright laws. But the scenes portrayed speak for
themselves. I realize that some of the views are extreme, on both
sides, but they are real, and they speak to the danger ahead for
Europe.
Here
we are at the start of another year. It seems like only yesterday
that I was writing a New Years post highlighting a song by John
Lennon. Obviously not too many people listened as very little has
changed for the better...yet. I was trying to think of something to
write about for the beginning of a new year, but was having some
difficulty with the creative process. Lol! Thankfully someone gave
me a little help. I have not read much philosophy and so I had to
do a little Googling. While we may not always agree with everything
a person believes, that doesn't mean there is no wisdom to be found.
“Every
man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the
world.”
What I found rather ironic about that quote was the source,
Arthur Schopenhauer. He was a man who seemed to have little faith in
positive outcomes for various paths in life. To expect to be happy
in life would be a fools errand. Yet he didn't seem to realize that
perhaps that was his limitation.
In any case, I understand how
hopeless things can look. But within all of the weeds of life there
are small wildflowers reminding us that there is beauty in the world.
There will always be rough patches, there will always be tough
times. The trick is to find those little wildflowers and hang on to
their hope for a better place.
While pessimism may shelter us from disappointment it will also shut
out hope. And hope is what makes life during difficult times
bearable. And, okay, maybe just a little chutzpah. :)
(What can I say, it's New Years Day, and you all know what's on TV!)
Happy New Year Everyone! Update: I have been told that I have maligned Arthur, that he was a man of humor who loved animals, that he was merely trying to make sense of the wretched existence of some. If so, I make my apology to his memory. But I still believe that hope is what will make that wretched existence bearable.
