A Problem in Search of a Solution

There are days when the search for a bit of good news can seem to be a fruitless endeavor, particularly if you are expecting it from the media.  No matter where I turn (minimal TV, some radio now and then, a lot of reading) finding something inspiring, or even to make me smile, seems an overwhelming task.

But then on date night over a nice dinner, the love of my life tells me about a funeral service she attended earlier in the day that honored the life of the mother of a member of her Lions Club.  The recently deceased lady had lived almost though her ninth decade and during the latter part of her life had become an ardent supporter of her church’s activities – not to mention attending to eight children, thirty-two grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren.  This was a lady who fought through abandonment by a first husband who left her with four children and eventually remarried to wind up with a family of eight.  She lived most of her life in rural Maine and was not rich in a material sense, but she left behind a letter to her family and friends which she requested be read at her service.  My wife said it was one of the most moving things that she has ever experienced, because the message that she wanted passed on dealt with how blessed she felt because of family, friends and faith.

I was not there to hear this missive, but it certainly did start me thinking.  For one thing, the meal that we were enjoying was the result of a gift card given me at a recent birthday celebration by two ladies who have been great friends and neighbors for over thirty years.

I am fortunate in having two intelligent, productive, caring young men for sons and the most wonderful woman I have ever known has been willing to put up with me during the best years of my life.

My health is good enough to allow me to stay active in many physical activities and so far my mental faculties are sufficient to keep me alert and involved.

I have a young, active, affectionate canine companion who enjoys with me my forays into the back acreage.

So, if I direct my search away from the seemingly never-ending stream of crisis-laden reporting that centers upon our rapidly declining nation, it is possible to find some reassuring news.

But unfortunately, one cannot always avoid the invasive nature of our government-dominated modern society, particularly at tax time when one is faced with coughing up what the current overlords have decided is one’s “fair share”.

And that brings me back to what I view as an increasingly disturbing facet of life in America.

I would ask my readers to spend a few minutes viewing a movie cartoon that can be found at:

http://nationaljuggernaut.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-cartoon-seemed-far-fetched-in-1948.html

This illuminating little gem was sent to me by a friend and if you can view this without a cartoon light bulb going on over your head, then you are ultimately doomed and it may come sooner than you think.

Despite glowing promises of “hope and change”, “the most ethical administration ever”, and the ascension of a self-proclaimed “Great Unifier”, America is currently under the stewardship of an autocrat who in his shrill, divisive rants (disguised as campaign speeches) seems intent on pitting citizens one against another in matters of race, social and economic status (rich against poor, have-nots against those who, due to their own efforts prosper), rule by man – or woman - vs. the rule of law, capitalist cronyism vs. the free market, and the subjugation of the God-Given rights described in the Constitution to the “entitlements” conferred by the state upon non-producers.

The resulting chaos is one of the more important tools in the plan to implement rule by the secular Progressives who dream of an enforced “equality” that will ensure their oppressive Utopia.  One of Kurt Vonnegut’s most illuminating works is his 1961 short story “Harrison Bergeron”.  If you want a preview of what Obama and his band of fascist oppressors have in store for us, do not fail to read this chilling tale.

There are so many different warnings available for us, but don’t count on being exposed to them via the current government-directed educational system.

Nor can you expect any good news from the government apparatus, the politicians who infest it, or the corrupted news media who is under its sway.  If you truly seek inspiration, look to the traditional sources of our national welfare: family, friends, and faith.   

Opening Doors

I have had linkage with the martial arts community for many years and one of the things that helps to maintain that bond is my ongoing discovery of new thresholds and concepts.

Martial arts are many and varied although there are multiple common threads that one can recognize, no matter which particular school (or schools) one may decide to attend.  Discipline and respect are core concepts in all well-run dojos, along with commitment, a strong work ethic, a drive to obtain knowledge and a tolerance for certain levels of physical discomfort.

Also available, for those who are willing to expand their personal horizons, are opportunities to explore philosophical and spiritual concepts that offer timeless lessons honed by many centuries of observation of the interactions between humans and of humans’ connections with their physical and spiritual environments.  Not a bad example is the old television series “Kung Fu” starring David Carradine.  Even though many might regard the plot line and episodes as simplistic, the concept of the “warrior priest” is threaded throughout many different cultures and their martial arts.  Contrasted with the cult-like popularity of the Bruce Lee – style martial arts films, “Kung Fu” offered more substance for thoughtful consideration.

My current martial arts instructor is an intelligent, educated man who teaches in many different ways, offering insight and education for all who are willing to maintain an open mind and forgo acceptance of popular/current dogma in exchange for investigation of more long-lived conceptual approaches.  Contradictory, you say?  Consider the following.

I was recently introduced to “footprintism”.  You can Google this (or use any number of other search mechanisms) and become frustrated at the paucity of information available.  Or, you can explore the term on a conceptual basis.

At the simplest level, this belief and value system can be described as being cognizant and respectful of the “footprint” one leaves on the milieu in which one exists.  What is the effect of our actions on our family, our friends, our community, our environment?

It is immediately evident that such concerns are multi-layered and potentially far-reaching.  How to make sense and organize such an enormous and wide-flung concept?

By opening yourself to your immediate surroundings, Grasshopper.

For many, the major barrier to pierce will be the culture-induced unwillingness to accept personal responsibility.  That alone is perhaps the major cause of the failure and angst that prevent so many from reaching even a small level of their potential.  “I can’t do that because ……”  Substitute the word “won’t” for the word “can’t” and be prepared for some discomforting damage to your self-image.

But let us look at some examples.

Harsh words are deliberately used to manipulate the feelings of a loved one.  Your personal footprint has expanded to affect another entity.

While driving under the influence of intoxicants your automobile is involved with another vehicle and the result is severe injuries that affect not only you, but several passengers in the other auto.  Your footprint, for which you are responsible, has now affected many others from those who are also injured to the efforts of medical personnel and law enforcement personnel who are supported by taxes paid by the community.

A large company, of which you are the CEO, manufactures products whose existence are responsible for contaminants affecting the health of surrounding communities and far beyond.

Grim, eh?  But …….

You volunteer to help provide meals for a family that has fallen on hard times due to extended illness of the breadwinners.

You give to charities of your choosing.

You volunteer to plant trees to help reforest areas that have been blighted by neglect or abuse.

You adopt a rescue dog.

You help a child learn to read.

All from choices that you decide upon while considering the impact that your personal footprint makes on your surroundings.

Can you learn this overnight?  Nope, but history, tradition and exploration will help in the journey.

So what does this have to do with martial arts?  A lot or a little, depending upon how willing one is to accept the gifts that a good teacher so freely and generously offers.

What does it have to do with life?  Review all of the above …. repeatedly, if necessary.

 

One Obama Plan is Working

The recent “Wall Street Protests” have managed to bring to fruition perhaps the only Obama success story of his nearly three years in office.

Almost from the very first days of his reign, Obama has demonstrated that one of his main tools for implementing his domestic policies has been the careful cultivation of social unrest through identity politics resulting in divisiveness.  Despite his campaign promises to “bring America together”, the current Administration has worked diligently to subvert the rule of law, promote class envy and stir unrest through a massive promulgation of new regulations and an expansion of federal bureaucracy that seems designed to ensure that the general public will be constantly in violation of some obscure fiat put in place by unelected overseers.

One result is the spreading anarchy generated through demonstrations by so-called “members of the middle class” who seem to have ample time to crowd the streets and protest against the “rich fat cats” that they claim are the sole cause of America’s current financial woes.  Their support of the “middle class” apparently does not include going out and getting a job and spending their time at work being productive and contributing to the national economy.  But at least they are well prepared with radical talking points provided by the far Left to explain exactly what it is that they would like to see changed in our country.  Well …. sort of, anyway.  One recorded tirade by a youngish woman made reference to the overweening corruption of the education process by “corporate empires”; apparently (in her mind,) the foul manipulators behind her burdensome student loans.  It’s more than a little scary that this individual seems unaware of the massive and overbearing Federal Department of Education’s involvement in every aspect of education – which has a direct bearing on the crushing costs of education at all levels.

Then again, introspection and evaluation were never the strong points of the Saul Alinsky playbook for community organizers, anarchists and (in at least one case) presidents.

And speaking of playbooks, proponents of communism around the world have long included civic unrest and disorder as valuable tools to effect the overthrow of standing governments.

So now we have the entrance of union organizers and their trained protestors into the increasingly volatile mix fermenting on the streets.  I have to admit that it is a real stretch for me to understand exactly how the unions, whose increasing demands for lavish pension plans (funded through the same Wall Street firms they are now castigating) feel that they are genuinely representative of the middle class when the vast majority of America’s workers don’t want anything to do with them.

Perhaps an important key as to the motivation of these civic-minded protestors can be found in their declared solutions to the problems that they see as behind our country’s woes.  “Make the rich pay their fair share” seems to be a prominent note.  Now let’s see …. where have I heard that before?  Other than the dismantling of the free market and wealth redistribution to the “deserving”, I have not been able to discern any other implementations that the mob feels would be applicable.

Certainly it helps the cause to have widespread coverage of “brutal” NYC cops employing pepper spray and batons to restrain some elements of the protestors seemingly bent on property destruction and general vandalism.  But we see no replay of the widespread looting and destruction that enveloped England only recently where a “do not provoke” police attitude encouraged disastrous results.

So, who benefits from this growing “civil unrest”?  Good chance that it might be the same powers who feel that the only answer for America is to succumb to the despotic advances of a central government that will be the only hope to save our nation from the increasing anarchy – which in part is the result of us changing from a nation of rule by law to a nation ruled by men.

 

From Which to Learn

George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series, “A Song of Ice and Fire” (Bantam Books)  is an excellent summer reading project for many reasons.  The four novels currently in print – with a fifth due in July of this year – are a densely packed treasure trove of high adventure, romance, mystery, intrigue and magic, with exceptional character development and a brilliantly limned tapestry of the never-ending battle between good and evil for the souls of mankind.

HBO has ventured to capture the medieval-like splendor of this roaring tale with a season’s offering of episodes built around the first of the novels, A Game of Thrones, and initial reports convey an enthusiastic response from a growing fan base.

I have always been a sucker for the Fantasy/Science Fiction genre.  Even though these stories often feature wildly improbable settings and characters, there is always an underlying theme that depicts with unsettling clarity the chasm between nobility and savagery that defines the human race.  Our past and our future are equally represented through these traits and although the past has been written the future remains an empty page and therein lies the hope for all of us.

Mr. Martin’s tale can be compared to the ending of the European Dark Ages, when the brutality and lack of moral structure endemic among the fractured society of “kings and lords” (or warlords and bandits, depending upon one’s perceptions) began to give way to the unifying efforts of such heroes as Richard the Lionheart, Barbarossa, and Charlemagne.  Eventually the common or “small people” were able to slowly gain the human rights that with the support of Christianity grew into the basis for Western civilization.

But the suppression of the horror, unmitigated evil and atrocities that can become the hallmark of an unrestrained Ruling Class is never completely eliminated, as can be attested to by the actions of regimes such as Nazi Germany, Japan, the fractured Balkans, Uganda and Communism in all its variants.

Mankind can rightfully recoil in horror from such examples and vow to prevent their perpetration.  Such determination produces entities such as the Magna Carta, the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union.

But even as societies continue to evolve, our ancient proclivities remain.  The Ruling Class tenaciously survives, determined to maintain its assumed superiority, its privileges and its aristocratic smugness.  Power is its only goal and all else is subservient, as evidenced by such diverse examples as the droit du seigneur proclivities exhibited by International Monetary Fund  managing  director Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the arrogant antics of Congressman Anthony Weiner, Senator Ted Kennedy and other national and international figures.

But surely, you might protest, such mild transgressions hardly compare with the beheadings, amputations, endless war and uncountable other atrocities portrayed in Mr. Martin’s fictional saga.  A logical point.

We can regard with justifiable pride the enormous strides we have made from Thomas Hobbes’s view of life as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” as expressed in his famous book, Leviathan, published in 1651.  But Hobbes was also an unrepentant advocate of a strong central government and would undoubtedly be profoundly disturbed by the more vocal elements of libertarianism to be found in today’s society, let alone the French Revolution of 1848.

As a species, humanity seems to find itself careening madly from extreme to extreme, from anarchy to totalitarianism.  But we are indeed evolving, as history might indicate, and our major societal shifts are somewhat tempered by the implementation of such restraints as the rule of law, elections, and religious values.

We are far from perfect, but with our capacity to read, understand, evaluate, discuss, and make cooperative decisions we have the opportunity to influence what our future may bring.

Hopefully, we will come to recognize the genius and talent of some of our most prolific writers and incorporate their teachings into our march toward the future.

 

 

 

Wisconsin Hacks up a Furball

First of all, if you really want to understand what is going on in Wisconsin spend a few dollars on Amazon.com and order a copy of Angelo M. Codevilla’s excellent book, THE RULING CLASS: How They  Corrupted America and What We Can Do About It.

In this one slim volume, Prof. Codevilla brilliantly illuminates the decades of effort spent by the “elites” of government, industry and American society in structuring what is now a fiefdom for a Ruling Class that now openly demands the subservience of what he terms the “Country Class”) the vast majority of United States citizens who actually focus their activities on providing the hard work and talent that has made our country unique.

Wisconsin, with its few thousand demonstrators (composed mainly of teachers and clueless students who are relishing a few days of playing hooky) is a classic example of “Machine Politics” whereby the Ruling Class works to maintain its power by bestowing favors upon selected groups in return for their slavish support.

In this particular instance, Wisconsin faces a $3.6 billion budget shortfall due in no small part to the lavish pension and health care benefits bestowed upon members of unions consisting of teachers and other state employees.  Rather than agree to small increases in union member’s contributions to these benefit plans (which would amount to considerably less than half of what workers in the private sector pay), teachers have literally closed down a number of school districts by staging a “sick out” in protest of what they consider an attack on their benefits that are guaranteed under current contract – ignoring, of course, their own contractual responsibilities to do the work that they were hired to do.

A majority of Wisconsin voters elected Republican Scott Walker to find a solution to the state government insolvency issue.  The media, naturally, is focusing on the hysteria of a few thousand members of special interests groups who apparently feel that they should be excluded from the financial discomfort that all taxpayers are currently feeling.  It is telling that the salaries of these protesters are funded by the taxpayers.

Still looking for the links?  Yesterday, the President of the United States weighed in on the side of the unions.  No big surprise there, since it was in significant part the support of the unions that helped elect him.  What has gone mostly unnoticed by the mainstream media is the participation by members of the current Administration who are involved in active support and the coordination of these union-based demonstrations.

Personally, I never worked a union job and never would.  It rubs me the wrong way to pay dues for the right to work, not to mention the long history of corruption, crime and violence involving union leadership and a small portion of their membership.

We are presently observing efforts to preserve a special exempt status from our country’s financial hardships for workers in the public sector.  They self-righteously resist any attempts to impose limits or cuts on their favored-status employment agreements.  For the second year in a row, Social Security recipients and military retirees have been denied any cost of living increases, but the government and union workers decry any attempt to balance budgets by changing their compensation plans.

Equally reprehensible is the conduct of a group of Democratic Wisconsin state senators who have violated their oaths of office by cowardly fleeing into seclusion in a neighboring state rather than participating in a scheduled session of the Wisconsin Legislature.

Read Prof. Codevilla’s book.  It may help you too understand how the Ruling Class has caused this growing schism between the taxpayers of America and those who live off the fruits of the public’s labor.  For those who do not have public-funded paychecks, it may just suggest to you that it is time to impose some controls of the excesses of the self-appointed poobahs of our nation and their supporting sycophants and wannabes.

A New Start?

Maine, like other parts of the country, is under new leadership.  For the first time in decades, the Democratic Party has been relegated to the sidelines in the Pine Tree State and both the Legislature and the Governor’s office are under Republican control.  What does such sweeping change portend?

Clues may be found in the new Governor’s Inaugural Address.  Other than the traditional recognition of previous governors in attendance (4) and the lengthy processional of House and Senate members (186 slow-moving dignitaries seemed to take an inordinately long time to get seated, which may be only one indication that Maine is burdened with too damned many politicians), the Supreme Court Justices, the presentation of the colors and, finally, the new Governor, there was a notable lack of pomp and circumstance.

Gov. Paul LePage was interrupted numerous times by applause during his relatively brief (approximately 20 minutes) speech.

He began by publicly thanking outgoing Governor John Baldacci and his wife Karen for their service to the people of Maine and for making the transition less stressful for the incoming Chief Executive and his family.

The new Governor touched briefly upon his background as a successful businessman and mayor of one of Maine’s larger towns and went on to promise that his administration would “put people ahead of politics”.  There is no mention of Democrats, Republicans or Independents  in Maine’s Constitution, the Governor went on to say, but the phrase “the people of Maine” appears over thirty times.

Maine taxpayers, he stated, “are tired of footing the bill for the bloated establishment in Augusta” and “a new start is needed”.  Gov. LePage promised to “learn from the people” through regional breakfasts, Town Hall Meetings and an open door policy for his office.  He also stated that his administration would be open and forthright since, “good policy is public policy for everyone in Maine”.

Politics must be put aside in the area of education, he insisted, and dollars spent should be focused on the classroom and not administrative positions.  Vocational education should once again be an integral part of high schools, the governor went on, and he advocated a 5-year approach to high school education with the result being either an Associate Degree or one year of credit to be applied toward a traditional 4-year degree.

Governor LePage next addressed the subject of state government assistance programs.  He reminded the audience that one in three people in Maine receive some sort of benefits from the state and that it was time to impose limits on the system, with programs to be focused on proven Maine residents with a goal of moving recipients from “dependency to self-sufficiency” and providing leadership for those who want to move ahead.

The governor again reminded his audience of his businessman’s background and promised to lend his support to the business community with the view of bringing new jobs to the state.  “Only the private sector can create the jobs that we need to move forward”, he maintained.  “Profit is not a dirty word, but a solution to our problems” in that, “profit pays the bills” (including the salaries of everyone doing the state’s work, he might have added).  He described his approach as including simplicity (make it easy to do business), savings (less expensive to do business through reducing government-initiated costs) and skill (focusing on training the next generation of workers).  Gov. LePage also mentioned (to enthusiastic applause) that an integral part of his administration would be a commission tasked with finding ways to reduce the regulatory burden crushing the state’s business climate.

His remarks included recognition of the sacrifice of Maine’s military veterans, past and present (46 Mainers having given their lives during the past seven years as part of their military service).

The new Governor took pains to insist that if Maine was to “find balance” that all elected officials needed to work together.

All in all, his remarks gave the appearance of a sensible approach to solving Maine’s problems.

But Paul LePage is not a simple, uncomplicated man.  He remarked during his speech that although his office and his ear were open to public input, he would not be as receptive to “special interests” as others holding his office may have been in the past.  During his campaign, Mr. LePage was not infrequently outspoken and that gained him a variety of critics.

Most recently, Gov. LePage had stated that he would not be attending any Martin Luther King Day ceremonies due to prior commitments and that drew immediate fire from the Maine Chapter of the NAACP who quickly stated that this seemed to indicate a “pattern” of avoiding their activities.  The Governor appeared to interpret this as a dealing of the race card and responded that the NAACP might do well to check his family portrait (an adopted son is of black Jamaican origin), described the organization as a “special interest group”, and suggested with a smile that if they had a problem with his agenda they could “kiss my butt”.  It should be noted that as of this writing (Monday, Jan. 17, 2011) the Governor’s office released a statement saying that Gov. Lepage would be attending the 9:00 am Martin Luther King Day breakfast sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the NAACP.

And therein we have the reality of politics.  Gov. Paul LePage has a plan that may well improve the lot of all Maine citizens.  To achieve his goals, he must maintain focus on his stated end results while attempting to solidify the Maine Legislature – talk about “herding cats” – and improve government services and lower government expenses and interference.

I wish him well.  The last time Maine had a governor with such an ambitious approach (Independent Gov. James Longley, 1975-1979) he earned the vitriolic dislike of Liberals, unions and state employees – but also gained the appreciation of many Maine people.  Four years from now we will see what the record has to say about Paul LePage.

Maine at the Crossroads – Again

Yogi Berra had it right; “It seems like deja vu all over again”.

Once more Maine is standing at the crossroads and facing staggering debt, dwindling revenues, a sub-standard economy, crushing taxes and fees, and a lack of good-paying jobs.  All of this following three decades of Democratic control of state government featuring broken promises, fiscal irresponsibility, and the construction of a massive welfare and entitlement machine .  A recent proclamation from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services bemoans the results of a recent survey that claims 20 percent of Maine children live in poverty, even though in recent years Maine has spent in excess of $2 billion per year of taxpayer dollars – both in state and “Federal-matching funds” -  on budgets supposedly designed to provide for the needy.

MaineCare owes over $165 million to hospitals and other providers.  The State Pension Fund is underfunded by over $600 million.  Federal funding is shrinking and Maine State Government has had to repay some of that money previously received because of unacceptable eligibility criteria applied to Medicare aid.  The Dirigo Insurance plan has capped the number of its enrollees due to skyrocketing healthcare costs and the absence of anticipated savings.

Folks, things are not improving in this neighborhood.

The November elections are a chance to improve our lot.  We have five gubernatorial candidates to choose from and many options to affect  the State Legislature.  Our future direction can be forward or back (should we elect more of the same).  One of my family members recently told me that if  a majority of the citizens who fail to exercise their right to vote would only get off their duff on election day, then we would see some real changes in Maine.  I agree.  The only way that your vote will not count is if you fail to use it.

It is important to remember that a Maine Governor is not a king or a queen.  They are unable to, by themselves, dictate policy, dictate what schools teach, or implement laws.  Instead, their value lies in the leadership that they can exert in their dealings with the Legislature and in their interactions with the public.  It is also helpful for the Chief Executive of the state to have managerial experience, an understanding of economics and business practices, the ability to formulate solutions appropriate to Maine’s current and future problems, and the ability to bring opposing sides together for the public good.

Check individual campaign websites for in-depth details, but ……

Elizabeth Mitchell has by far the most political experience – over twenty years in Maine’s Legislature.  She has also served as a board member for numerous non-governmental organizations.  Her solutions for Maine’s problems generally are based on growing government, bond issues and borrowing.   Her non-governmental work experience is in the field of law and teaching.  Unfortunately, she has reneged on her promise to run a “clean campaign based on the issues” and her television ads are based mostly on the premise that her major opponent, Paul LePage, “is wrong for  Maine” because of his personal and political views.

Paul LePage holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Public Administration from the University of Maine as well as a degree in Economics.  In addition to a management position with Marden’s  surplus stores, he owns his own consulting firm and is in his second term as Mayor of Waterville.  He is an unabashed conservative, with a tendency to speak his mind that has provided opponents with plentiful ammunition during the gubernatorial race.  Tax Reform, Welfare Reform, Program Reform and improving the job market highlight his agenda.

Eliot Cutler, a proclaimed Independent with a background that is standard Liberal Democrat is a highly successful member of an environmental law firm who was a member of the Carter administration.

Shawn Moody and Kevin Scott are also proclaimed Independent candidates, neither of whom has managed to rise above the low single numbers in the polls.

In this particular election year, it is a staunch member of Augusta’s Ruling Class against all other candidates.  The choice is starkly simple in at least one respect: continue down the same path with the current failed policies and be bound in servitude either as a recipient of the largesse of the welfare state or a serf beset upon to financially support its ruinous policies – or look to a different path and select the beat of a different drummer.  Of the candidates not currently beholden to the policies that have contributed to the ruination of Maine, Paul LePage stands out as the one who offers the best credentials to restore Maine to the needed levels of fiscal responsibility and economic opportunity.

Can we all participate this time around?  Please?

Support Your Local Coyotes?

A neighbor of mine is attempting to continue the family farm tradition.  His is a small operation, centered around less than a score of beef cattle.

A couple of days ago, he asked me to attend a meeting at the local library, featuring a “conservationist biologist” who presented a program sponsored by Project Coyote (http://www.projectcoyote.com).  My neighbor has lost two calves and a mature cow  (in the process of giving birth) to a local pack of coyotes during the past year or so and is stymied as to how to deal with the problem.  He was determined to gin up some interest in attending this presentation – both to insure that farmers and hunters were represented and hoping to perhaps pick up some pointers as to how to deal with these invasive predators.

The middle-aged lady who presented the lecture was passionate about her subject and her graphic material was professionally prepared.  It was obvious from the beginning, however, that her intent was not to inform, but to disseminate a specific point of view loaded with half-truths and downright fabrications that would have left the late political scientist, author, and “historian” Howard Zinn green with envy.

She lost no time in informing us that:

Europeans coming to the United States in the 1500′s were “terrified” of the endless forests and wilderness since there were no comparable environments left in Europe by then.

The wilderness was then populated by native Americans and predators, the latter keeping the environment in perfect ecological balance by regulating the growth of native species.

The invaders quickly transformed the land by introducing domestic animals, robbing the natural inhabitants of their freedom and rights and quickly spreading coast-to-coast while boisterously slaughtering native Americans and predators (along with the buffalo) to the point of extinction.

Their actions left us, their descendants, with only a “legacy of killing”.

All propaganda is only effective if sprinkled with grains of truth and the lecturer made sure to include the laudable efforts of Teddy Roosevelt and other pioneer conservationists that resulted in saving many native species from absolute extinction and preserving the beauty of our country for future generations.

Then she truly warmed to her main subject, the “abuse” that the coyote has endured through the centuries, despite its cleverness, its “positive” role as a policing predator, and the reverence shown by native Americans toward its “healing powers” (complete with a sketch picturing a coyote supposedly “licking the wounds” of an injured warrior while protecting him until help could arrive).

The audience of approximately 15 – 20 people sat patiently through another hour of rhapsodizing over the coyote’s virtues, although the farmer/outdoorsman/concerned citizen component (about half of the group) grew increasingly restive.

When it came time for Q&A, this segment immediately pointed out that coyotes were not native to Maine (the earliest determined coyote discovered was in 1937) and that frequent sightings did not begin occurring until the 1960′s.  They referred to studies placing the current coyote population as between 15,000 to 20,000 animals, despite determined efforts to slow or reduce the explosive growth of a predator that menaces the Maine deer herd, innumerable small animals, household pets, and farm animals.

It was pointed out that coyotes are now frequently seen not only in housing developments and outlying towns, but also in Maine’s cities.  One attendee from a small town described how, in broad daylight,  a coyote had passed with a few feet of his young son before attacking and carrying off a fowl from his dooryard.  A farmer told of losing a 600-pound steer to a pack of coyotes and hunters recounted numerous slaughters by coyotes of deer herds constrained to deer yards by heavy winter snows.

It seemed obvious by now, and the point was made, that the coyote in Maine has become an invasive species and is larger by almost a third than the western breeds (interbreeding with Canadian wolves and/or domestic and feral dogs is suspected).

Not surprisingly, the lecturer’s response was that the blame lies on people, who draw the wild predators to their locations when they don’t secure their garbage, or employ “guard animals” to protect their pets and domestic stock, or (worse still) feed the coyotes because they are “cute”.  Good propaganda; there is some truth to these accusations.  Less than pleasing was her insistence that we “must learn to respect and coexist with the coyote”

The evening ended with the “anti” group leaving in high disgust and a few people lingering to bill and coo with the lecturer.

To me, it was a perfect example of a condescending and patronizing “professional”, using corrupted and mislabeled “scientific” findings, postulating an elitist and impotent answer to what has become not just a problem, but an increasing danger.

Reacting to “The Information Age”

During a recent trip to a Border’s Book Store, my curiosity got the better of me and I could not refrain from asking the pleasant and attentive people who were helping me find a specific item how they felt about the never-ending speculation that stores such as theirs would soon vanish due to the growing popularity of electronic mediums for online reading materials of all kinds.  Accessibility through Kindle, Sony Reader and other “electronic books” is improving at a rapid rate and the competitive pressure is fueling the anxiety of the print publishers and outlets.

The Border’s employees seemed pessimistic, at best.  That disturbs me.  I truly enjoy the time I spend browsing through book stores, although I freely admit that I not infrequently find myself turning to the ease of shopping provided by the excellent indexing, very competitive pricing, and massive inventory of print products found at Amazon.com.

This incident started me thinking about reading and the learning process.  I am an unabashed fan of print for a number of reasons, not the least of which is simply the comfortable feel of a book in my hands.  Also, the years that I spent as a sales representative for West and other legal publishing firms left me with a deep appreciation of the structure and indexing systems that print has to offer.  The latter third of my career in legal publishing involved first CD-Rom products and then internet-based research tools, so I have had the opportunity to look closely at all three mediums.

I like the tactile and visual components of books.  I can read for a while, set the volume down, and then return to my exact page an hour, a day, or a week hence without having to log in, remember a password, or retrace my steps.  I also like to turn pages, rather than “Page up”, “Page down” or laboriously press the “Back” key or mouse button.  There is a freedom in handling print medium that does not require slavish conformation to application protocol or having to decipher vague directions written by computerphiles who have the annoying habit of assuming that “everyone knows” certain key steps and therefore leave them out of instruction manuals.

I can recall, as I attempted to convert attorneys from their beloved shelves of books to a keyboard and screen, many times when I was informed that the “tunnel vision” resulting from a computer search not infrequently resulted in frustration at not finding the exact answer while perusing an extra couple of adjacent paragraphs (or pages) would produce the desired results.  Anyone who has used both books and computers is well aware of the differences in the indexes of each.  At this point, it might be helpful to consider the yawning gap between information and “knowledge”.

The old saw, “Information is power” is misleading.  Information, no matter what the source, should be strengthened through application and experience and the knowledge thus obtained carefully assimilated.  Knowledge, coupled with reflection, results in wisdom and wisdom is the true precursor to the effective employment of power.  Power will be short-lived unless based upon judicious wisdom.

In this modern world, so many of our desires are susceptible to the “quick fix”, the instant gratification, the refusal of historical import, and the illusion that there is a simple, yet complete, instant answer available through the collection and indexing of information by a technology community that is challenged by the task of clear communication to all of those who attempt to benefit from their products.

We have access to an ever-widening trove of information, but are constrained by its content and veracity and by the abilities and intent of those who structure it.  But, you might reply, does not the concept of the expanding blogosphere undercut your argument?  My answer would be: only if all of this new information is not subject to the rigors of attaining wisdom that I have enumerated.

In his book, Grand Strategies: Literature, Statecraft and World Order, Charles Hill quotes Henry Kissinger’s sober reflection on how, “We have entered a time of total change in human consciousness of how people look at the world.  Reading books requires you to form concepts, to train your mind to relationships.  You have to come to grips with who you are.  A leader needs these qualities.  But now we learn from fragments of facts …  Now there is no need to internalize because each fact can instantly be called up on the computer.  There is no context, no motive.  Information is not knowledge.  People are not leaders but researchers, they float on the surface.  This new thinking erases context.  It disaggregates everything.  All this makes strategic thinking about world order impossible to achieve”.

Let alone placing hobbles on the citizen trying to reconcile his place in a society addicted to sound bites, celebrity worship and materialistic values, and assailed by the advocates of moral relevancy.

I hope that Borders bookstores find a way to remain and prosper.  And I hope that careful reflection and examination remain an integral part of our quest for knowledge to help explain our world and our relationship to it.

Class Reunions … A time for Reconnecting, Recollecting and Anticipation

Last weekend I took advantage of the opportunity to participate in my 50th high school class reunion.  I had attended only one other, the 25th.

The festivities took place over two evenings.  The first get-together was designed as an extended social hour and gave the participants time to get together and catch up on a half-century of events.  My spouse and I agreed that she would most likely get little from this event since we had no common acquaintances within the group, so she skipped the first night in favor of attending the scheduled dinner on the second.  A good move, on her part.  I truly enjoyed talking with people who I had not seen for many years, but that would have provided scant entertainment for her.

Actually, the entertainment mostly occurred on the second night when general reminiscing featured some unfortunately revealing recollections such as the time that I dropped a live frog down the back of a dress worn by a female classmate (an event which I honestly did not recall, and I deeply and sincerely apologized for that juvenile idiocy to the irate lady who brought it to my attention), or when on a “costume day” I showed up with a beard (real) wearing a beret and a T-shirt imprinted with the likeness of Fidel Castro.  In 1960 that drew considerable fire, particularly from the school principal.

As the evening wore on and even more recollected hijinks came to light, my long-suffering wife’s eyebrows reached truly impressive heights.

Nonetheless, I had a great time reconnecting with old friends and fellow classmates and most of the group who had entered the Army together.  Our school served several different communities at that time and the class that graduated nearly two hundred students included town kids, farm kids, sons and daughters of fishing families, and military dependents from the nearby naval air station.  It was an interesting group.

And, as I discovered over the two evenings, it was even more fascinating as the lives of my former classmates unrolled before me.  There were educators, contractors, business owners, musicians, artists, managers, therapists, attorneys, accountants, policemen, firemen, retired military, writers and authors of many descriptions, and some occupations that were entirely unknown to me.  And not a few folks had multiple careers under their belts.  People whom I had known as immature and untried had emerged from the crucible of life as urbane, accomplished, self-confident adults.

Our school, which could charitably be characterized as a small-town institution, had evidently prepared its charges well.  No one that I spoke with complained that their education had put them at a disadvantage or left them with feelings of inferiority when they had left Maine for college or work opportunities.

The organizing committee had done a superlative job in putting things together, choosing a location and designing a program that included a moving moment when a list of those we had lost was read, with a single, solemn chime accompanying the pronouncement of each name.

As I looked out over the crowd, it struck me that we all had reached full maturity (OLD!).  Lots of gray and white hair, walks that betrayed stiffness, and no unlined faces made it clear that this was a group who had experienced much of what life has to offer.  But, I mused, another outstanding characteristic was success.

In the first place, we were all, “on the right side of dirt”.  And these were people who had raised families, who been involved in the growth of businesses and other organizations, who had been charitable to others, who had served their fellow beings in many different ways, who had fostered loving relationships, had proved themselves many times and in many ways, and yet still exhibited grace and humor.  I hope that all can recognize and understand the importance of what they have accomplished.

Many have accepted the option of retirement, recognizing that this means the opening of many new doors of opportunity rather than the departure of enthusiasm and creativity.  Still others continue to pursue full-time careers, offering experience and maturity to younger generations.

This is a group who can find enjoyment in the recollections of the high school experience, that period of self-awakening and self-doubt endemic to adolescents.  I found in conversation that so many of my classmates could still visualize those neophytes, but found them a thin shadow of what their total lives represent.

I hope that my classmates will look forward to the rest of their lives with enthusiasm, with confidence, and with satisfaction in whom they have become.  Y’all done good.

See you at the next get together.