(#5477) Unlike republicans, democratic President Joe Biden is helping Ukraine find weapons to protect their democracy

      I will always consider the treachery that republicans are displaying against the freedom fighting democracy protecting Ukrainians as a massive fail to understand that democracy is sacred. What Ukrainians are doing in Ukraine to protect themselves from the enslavement of the tyrant putin and his autocratic regime is amazing despite the back stabbing that republicans are committing to them. Our nation promised Ukraine that we would help them stave off Russian aggression to end their democracy and all republicans have done is renig on that promise when it is most needed. The worst kind of betrayal when the stakes are life and death.
     I have spent my life pointing out how republicans are not who they propagandize themselves as. Instead they are the worst of what democracy stands for. So why are so many republican voters unable to see that? Because unfortunately too many American voters are single minded about their own success in life and do not ascribe to the melting pot theory that our relatively new nation of mostly all immigrants is about. All of us not just about some of us. That kind of privilege and deserves is more in kind with tyrants who would as a rule take from all and give to a few. We Americans have lost our way when it comes to freedom and liberty. We only want it for ourselves and don't understand that freedom and liberty only works for ourselves if all are included.
     So as the confusion of republican voters continues to thwart real democratic advances for Ukraine the tyrant putin gains from it. So it is easy to see why so many accuse republicans of helping putin defeat democracy. There is no middle ground here. You are either for protecting democracy or you are not! The republican party is in the not column. Unless of course they change their opposition to helping Ukraine. Until that possibility is considered and implemented the fact that it is only democrats who are fighting to keep democracy alive is undisputed. Which political party will you follow? The democratic party that protects democracy or the republican party that by omission supports tyrannical rule?

(#5476) This post completes fifteen straight years of posting

      I would never have thought that my little idea of posting a daily blog post would have become to me what this is now. Like waking up in the morning and breathing, this allowance of my mind to speak on subjects I find important or even insignificant has become my ritual. It is an honor for me to be able to send out into the ether anything that establishes that I exist and have ideas that were hopefully acceptable by good people of honest natures. Even after I am gone the fact will remain that somewhere somehow a record of my thoughts on a few varied subjects will be available for anyone to find if desired.
     I suppose it is my way of living on past my own time in a little way that is not infamous nor scandalous. I am just a good soul who knows that most everyone else is a good soul as well. I speak about how injustice and unfairness have been far too much of our societies makeup and how our democratic form of government is the best that has ever been devised. I also speak about how our human natures can be reduced to two components, curiosity and compassion. We care and we wonder. Two magnificent natures that give we humans an edge in existence like no other species we have ever encountered. The future for our species is infinite in scope and ability.
     After all this time of posting a daily blog I have come to find that I need this as much as ever. There was a time when I felt that doing this on a daily basis was too much and that by making it a less than daily blog post I would reduce the sometimes pressure of having a topic to discuss. It seems that short lived debate I was having with myself was concluded and I continued to write daily. I seem to always find a topic that is worthy of the amount of words I put into my daily writing. I have found my niche of a hobby and although it is more than a hobby it does have the excitement of one to me. My next big milestone will hopefully be in five years so here we go again starting out ready to begin in my sixteenth year tomorrow.

(#5475) The European Union is about to break in favor of giving Ukraine military aid

      In a couple of days the European Union will be voting on a military aid package for Ukraine that is now expected to pass. The 54 billion allocated will help the Ukrainians tremendously for the near future but the aid package from the United States valued at 61 billion is still sorely needed for Ukraine to go on the offensive and push Russia out of its territories. President Biden and democrats are working tirelessly to get movement from House republicans who are the narrow current majority party in the House and determine which bills will be brought up for votes. These intransigent republicans are currently being held in check by the republican front runner in the 2024 election as to Ukraine aid.
     With more added pressure from private citizens and power brokers in Washington it is hoped that a final passage of a Senate bill addressiung Ukrainian aid will get a vote in the House and be ready for implementing after a Biden signature. All the while Ukraine is in dire need of armaments to thwart current overwhelming Russian attacks. This really is a life or death moment and the republican party is the one wild card that is threatening Ukraine's very ability to exist. It is a very terrible situation that America finds itself in as the fledgling democracy is being attacked by a dictator while republicans play games with Ukraine's survival.
     In a better world this lack of resolve on the part of republicans to aid a democratic partner country would be all it would take to vote everyone of them out of office. Yet we know that even more heinous acts by republicans go unpunished. Striking down Roe v. Wade and lessening the rights of women being just one among many. For all the harm the republican party does I hope that the American electorate finally comes out of it's stupor and gives republicans their punishing deserves. No political party in the history of our time has ever been so callous to the vast majority of Americans but have yet found a way to disguise and confuse their base voters about it. Well those who are not their base have a chance to inflict some real justice on republicans this coming November. In the meantime I hope Ukraine can make do without American aid if President Biden and democrats can't budge republicans from their unethical stance.

(#5474) No member of the working middle poor class should ever vote for a republican!

     There have to be at least 120 million registered voters who comprise the working middle poor class. So doing the math we would be by a far and wide margin the sole drivers of policy in our nation. Yet we see that isn't the case. Due to some misplaced loyalty or fear or propaganda we seem to be a group divided among ourselves enough to allow support for republicans to halt our otherwise solid agenda of correcting our society and making life better for this huge class of people. The democrats offer the greatest choice for our group. There is no other major political party that is even close. What we could accomplish for our society is so significant that just pondering the idea makes me smile with a pride yet ever felt within me.
     But we are in times of confusion and chaos and those who cannot see the uniting force we would be for all members of our group are the ones holding us back. The greatest achievements for our nation and the world are at our fingertips especially when November 5, 2024 arrives. In the meantime we need to figure out how to get all of us on the same page to create a dynamic government that serves the working middle poor class. Now the wealthy will be fine as to their ability to function and work within capitalism to envision new opportunities and to create and spread their vast wealth to those who help them create it. So it really is a win/win situation for the working middle poor class to galvanize within the democratic party and elect all democrats to Congress and the state houses.
     We the working middle poor class have always had the power over who directs our government. But now we all must find it within ourselves to understand this power. We all need to be political when it comes to elections and serve the best of who we are as a nation. Making life easier and much more accessible for pursuing our happiness is our main goal. We have to visualize what is important in life and then help that along through equality, freedom, liberty, and happiness. Our democracy is the perfect vehicle for us to accomplish our goals. I wish all of us in America and the world the best of life in our communities and pursuits. All we the working middle poor class want is a real shot at building a life that is less encumbered by those who would not allow us our own personal dreams and wishes.

(#5473) The republican party is out to destroy Ukrainian and American democracy

      I have always known that republicans are only guided by their allegiance to the wealthy. However they are now guided by their indifference and even disdain for our democracy. What republicans are doing overseas is abominable, playing politics while great Ukrainian patriots of democracy are dying on the battlefields of Ukraine waiting for promised aid to help them to defeat the dictator putin. The callous nature republicans are wont to exhibit is causing our national standing among all civilized nations to drop. No more can America be seen as a true defender of democracy, which in turn helps promote the dictator's of the world as they are now emboldened to not only crush democratic leanings within their own borders but to do it with war criminal type behavior.
     We democrats are still devoted to preserving democracy here in America and around the world but the bad faith of republicans is tarnishing us all with their unacceptable behavior. They are showing us they are not good caretakers of democracy. In fact, they are showing they are indeed not interested in democracy as a ruling template. They prefer the tyrants of the world where tyranny subjugates free speech and opposition. They would rather control our lives than allow us to control our own under democracy. They have been living the intent of coddling up to the worst of what passes for authoritarian leadership as a way of fomenting not only chaos inside our democracy as it was only 2 years ago they attempted an insurrection on our national capitol.
     The presumptive leader right now of the republican party is a demeaning soul who would rather divide than unite. His idea of our constitution is only that it must be bent, twisted, reshaped to fit his imperfect self aggrandizing ideology. The republican base has seen fit to stay with him despite the multitude offenses he has been charged with and sentenced for. He is a diabolical liar who would rather burn our democracy down than admit he would give up his quest to conquer it. Either way he thinks he will survive the rest of us who will never let him near the controls of our democracy again. He, and his republican bootlicking colleagues are in for a rude awakening come November 5, 2024.

(#5472) The republican party wants it both ways on border security/insecurity

      Threatening the federal government and Supreme Court, the renegades in Texas that are supposed to be Americans are willing to physically clash with American troops about border security. The thing is though that republicans in Congress are against a bipartisan negotiated border deal that they perceive would help Joe Biden in his reelection campaign. So they want border security and they don't want border security! So which is it republicans? You want to blame Biden for not getting a secure border but you don't want Biden to get a secure border. It must be nice to gin up a conflict that you alone are responsible for creating and then blame Biden and democrats for it.
     Under normal times it would be ludicrous to even attempt such a visible contradiction with a straight face but as we all know these are not normal times. I suppose when your political party, republicanism, is not a policy driven party but instead an attacking and deceptive one it is within the realm of possibility that talking out of one side of your mouth while saying the opposite out of the other side is acceptable to them. Will it be acceptable to the American electorate? I still say no but I have been wrong before and surely will be wrong again in the future. To me though this is just another failed attempt by republicans to force a reaction by democrats that they can then try to turn into their favor and move on from their original illogical stance.
     That the republican party has failed to be a serious counterpart to democrats in solving current and future problems is on them, not anyone else. They have chosen a path of deceit and chaos to hopefully pass their horrible agenda of destroying safeguards built within our democracy to keep it from becoming an autocracy. They would also destroy our economic system by catering to the wealthy while diminishing programs that keep our working middle poor class out of poverty. The republican agenda as to our economy, democracy, and with many social issues, like women's rights and health care, is out of step with freedom, liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. That is their choice and now we all will have a choice ourselves come November 5, 2024.

(#5471) Life is hard so the best we can do must always come first!

      There are no guarantees in life so why aren't we using every second of it making our world a most fair and just place? Are we not aware that time within our space us limited? Do we think we are going to somehow defeat the current laws of physics? What is lacking in us that allows us to do harm without caring about the consequences? Today's post will not be warm and fuzzy instead it will be a chastining to all of us for not doing everything in our power to improve our reality for all of us. If you need evidence of the frailty of all of us just look around you and be silent in your information gathering.
     There are people is awful situations nearly at our doorsteps. There are gangster type rogues who are attacking others with weapons in order to capture their souls or end their existence. When will all of us say enough of this nightmare and coalesce around the cause of freedom and justice for all? We know the template, for the US of A has evolved a constitution that is not completed but is well on its way to being a great start. There are no excuses for any of us not to be fully engaged in making sure that our planet is a place any of us can be at in any time to admire and explore. we don't need boundaries if all of us adhere to the same principles of an inclusive society.
     For those who would stand in the way of that then let them feel the reckoning of their choice. We the many must not tolerate for one second those who would deny to anyone the pursuit of happiness as a fundamental right. If we cannot nor will not stand up for justice and the rule of law then we are the ones who make our world less and we should be ashamed of ourselves if we had the dignity human beings ascribe to themselves. Living in a cognitive dissonant mindset is not conducive to solving problems or meting out our honorable will toward the better and best of who we can be. This is a clarion call for all human beings who know that equality is the greatest byword of an admired functioning society.

(#5470) Compassion is my constant reminder to keep evolving

      This is not going to be an easy write this morning. Growth takes going through something and discovering what was a previously held attitude or behavior is now no longer acceptable. I had an opportunity to see that last night when I could not distinguish between a curious inquiry and subtle distrust. My take was the wrong one and instead of trying to distinguish the moment I assumed the wrong interpretation. I am not surprised at my misunderstanding because in the past there were similar circumstances that led me to the same place. However, I cannot nor will I continue to assume when all I need to do is practice more patience and unearth the correct reasoning.
     My emotions sometimes get the better of me and I know it is a defense mechanism that I have structured to protect myself from what I perceive as a possible harm. Yet I am not in need of protecting when the perceived harm doesn't exist. Even if it does I still need to address the situation with a calm approach. I take great care to support a happiness about me and a peaceful behavior to better reflect my inner self. I do disservice to those who are in my sphere and myself when I am not approachable when complex misunderstandings come about on my part. I am not an angry person by default but it seems I have a tendency to become angry when I am under the impression I am not being held in a better light than I know I deserve.
     We all should be given the benefit of the doubt as a rule and then it is up to us to honor it. I won't go into the specifics of what I am talking about but suffice it to say it is a characteristic I need to move forward on and recognizing it is the first step in my hoped for evolution. We, all of us, have our idiosyncrises and foibles to defend or change and I am no different. I may be older and somewhat set in my ways but I have no right to be less than who I am at any point when I have the power to change. In my life I often learn from mistakes and that trial and error process must prove a positive otherwise I would never change much and then become so much less than who I really am.

(#5469) Objectivity and logic, they are what we all need!

     What is objectivity? From Google page:" lack of favoritism toward one side or another : freedom from bias..." What is logic? From Google page. "reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity." Being open to the debate argument or discussion of a set of factors relative to important events is crucial to maintaining freedom and order within enlightened society. How we approach the debate argument or discussion is crucial to how we can understand a uniform solution. We have to have to look at facts and truths with an objective eye, giving all perceptions the needed weight of their logic.
     That we need to base our objective eye toward the logic of any premise or perspective is how we are able to understand the validity of a perspective or perception. Not all premises are valid so breaking down the factors that underpin a premise is absolutely necessary. We must overall be open to objective inclusion of all perspectives and premises but those perspectives and premises must pass the test of valid logical sequencing. What we have a lot of in our societies at present are those who have power or wish to attain it using fallacious premises in their policies and statements that often go unchallenged. So each of us is required to think of the rules of logic and be open through objective analyses to discern our own understanding of truth or fiction.
     Most of us can just hear something being forwarded and know immediately whether it is correct or incorrect. Life teaches us some facts and truths that do stand the test of time. But many other somethings are less clear and more apt to being contrived at best. It is then that we must keep an open mind and evaluate based upon the rules of logic to test those somethings that are ambiguous or confusing. Let me say this here and now. It is okay to not know the answer to something, but what is not okay is to not try to know the correct answer to something. Accepting things that are difficult or controversial because it is easier that way does all of us an injustice because those things not worthy of our best should not be allowed to remain!

(#5468) Americans in a stupor about Ukraine and putin's further plans!

      For the life of me I cannot understand why Americans are not super charged about supporting the Ukrainian battle for its democracy? The bravest people on Earth right now are fighting and dying in Ukraine defending their way of life against a Russian tyrant hell bent on dominating the world. It isn't just Europe that would be next in line to fight against putin but also we Americans in our northern state of Alaska. 53 miles separates Russia from Alaska across the Bering Strait. In 1867 The America purchased Alaska from Russia, so ending the Russian foothold in North America. Do not think that putin wouldn't love to return Alaska to it's possession so that they can have a bridgehead into the American continent.
     Stopping Russia now will not only serve to end the aggressive nature of putin but most likely remove him from power. His ambitions to destabilize the world will end with a defeat in Ukraine. As an added bonus Ukraine will then become an obstructive check on any further future Russian ambitions to reach out aggressively beyond its borders. It is a win/win situation for all the world for Ukraine to defeat the Russian horde on their doorstep. Helping Ukraine achieve that goal is the most prioritized strategy in the world at this moment. We Americans who are not attuned to this yet need to wake the hell up and get our representatives to follow through on Ukrainian aid right now and not play political games with the worlds democracy at stake.
     The republican party is now the obstructing force to Ukraine being able to remove Russia from Ukrainian land. So republican voters need to shift their force of will to make their representatives align with the goal of defeating Russia now. We democrats are already supporting the brave Ukrainian society with the weapons they need to shoe horn putin's out of Ukraine and we are only waiting for republicans to join us in this critical moment. Democracy has to be protected from those who would remove freedom and liberty from our societies so every now and then when a threat to our way of life emerges we must stop what we normally do and coalesce around the ideal that democracy is our only hope for equality and the pursuit of happiness.

(#5467) Heartbreak about the missing indigenous women of Canada

     I have been sitting here at my desk for most of the morning and yet my mind won't focus on a topic. I did think of writing about the indigenous women in Canada that have gone missing over the previous decades but I am no expert on the cause and effect that tragedy has on people who are directly affected. I know that the government of Canada has attempted to answer some of the questions many families have had concerning their lost loved ones but those answers seem to fall short of solving too many mysterious disappearances. This topic may not sit well with those who cannot legislate or do the hard work of uncovering facts so a solution to find out the truth of things is less likely.
     All I know is that too many women, men and children of both sexes are too often not accounted for. The expansive geography of Canada cannot be easy to control and that does play into the nefarious nature of some who would take people for purposes not enlightened nor civil. I don't know a solution but I do wish we could find one for all of us. There is a rot in our societies that seems to be under the radar and is able to function in some ways without detection. How that is addressed while maintaining freedom and liberty is a complex problem. However, something must be done to identify those who are at their worst in taking people against their will, never to be seen again.
     Not all the missing are victims of abduction but to think that most aren't is to suspend reality. Something has happened to these people and finding out is a basic duty of any society that calls itself enlightened and democratic. The safety that society tells us is included in our membership of it must not be a broken promise. To think that if  some celebrity were taken and everything in everyone's power wasn't being done to find that celebrity would be treated the same as one who is not known much at all is ludicrous. Yet our societies react to triggers differently even though we are all members of that society. I don't know the current statistics of the missing but even so the ones who are still missing need to either be found or their families given the respect of accurate closures.

(#5466) Ukraine is a resource Russia would dearly love to have for it's war machine

      Have you even suspected why putin keeps sending 100's of thousands of ordinary Russians to their deaths in Ukraine? Do you just think he is an egoist who cannot control his lust for land and power? There is more to this. "Ukraine harbors some of the world’s largest reserves of titanium and iron ore, fields of untapped lithium and massive deposits of coal. Collectively, they are worth tens of trillions of dollars."-https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/10/ukraine-russia-energy-mineral-wealth/. The idea that putin is fighting for Ukraine because he just wants to destroy their heritage and democracy is surely a considered fact but the wealth of Ukraine is what putin absolutely wants and he will not stop sending his citizens into Ukraine to fight regardless of how many of them will die.
     If Russia can take Ukraine then they are also perched on the doorstep of all of Europe. We are talking about a world war 3 scenario where all the allies of the western states will be called in to contribute not only resources like armaments, but of troops in the many thousands. Then the threat of nuclear attacks become very real not like what is happening currently in Ukraine. So obviously the most productive help we can be to the world is to stop Russia now on the battlefields of Ukraine and by doing so establish a 1000 mile bridgehead against any movement Russia might make into Europe. Ukraine is ready and willing to be that obstructing wall to keep Russia within its borders but not if we don't help them accomplish that very object.
     So when we see the republican party playing politics with Ukrainian aid, we feel the anguish of not only knowing that Ukrainians are going to die unnecessarily during the games that are being played by republicans but we see Russia get emboldened and commit further resources in real time to take more Ukrainian land. The republican party is through their obstruction of Ukrainian aid helping Russia advance toward their goal of liquidating Ukraine off the map and enhancing their own resources to build an even greater fighting force to attack Europe. This is not difficult to discern so I and many others know republicans know this but republicans still act the fool. It is time for serious political leaders to lead and the republican party is no longer a serious political party nor do they desire to thwart anti democratic forces!

(#5465) Women are better at "keeping on the good foot"

      Keeping on the good foot is an old saying from my generation about doing the correct thing. So no matter what it is in life we must always direct ourselves toward what is honorable and respectful. I did not always heed this advice of mine for many parts of my life but at my later stages of life I have. I, like most, found that keeping my good foot forward often was not in my best selfish interest. So instead of doing the correct thing I often did what I wanted instead, regardless of outcome. True selfishness is like that, devoid of esteemed character and honor.
     Well those selfish days of mine are far behind me and for that I am thankful. But an analysis of why it took me so long to realize the detriment that selfishness causes is what is on my mind today. I persistently say that generally women should rule the world instead of we men and it is in relation to why I found myself so selfish for far too long in my estimation. It is because women are the main caregivers to the children of the world and must learn early on that selfishness is not a characteristic that is helpful in raising children correctly. Women learn early on that enduring the sacrifices in life is preferable to leaving their children without what they need.
     Women are the first to keep on the good foot because the motherly instinct that inhabits most women demands it. We men on the other hand are not adjusted to sacrifice in many ways because our egos are such that we have to have control even when we are not good at it. What many of us men learn however is that giving in to sacrifice as needed regardless of our own desires and needs is how we become more like the example our world needs of men. We learn eventually like I did that doing the correct thing in every moment we can is exactly what we need from those who would lead us. Women are much more attuned to lead because they understand at a much earlier age that making sacrifices for the good of all is less about ego and more about community.

(#5464) I have found my collaborator

      We all know this. That feeling that we are missing someone in our lives that would fill in the voids we know exist in our lives. I have felt that my entire life. As if I needed to have more than myself to be able to function the way I believe I am capable of. It seems that by taking a chance a bit ago I was fortunate enough to turn that chance into a relationship that is now building toward a future that is remarkable to me. It is just not me either. The other person is full of the same types of hopes and dreams that I am. Remarkable is not enough of a term to describe what is happening but for now it will suffice.
     Behind every good man is a good woman and behind every good woman is a good man. At least in our case that phrase is burgeoning between us. It has taken me all this time being alone and without to find this chance and for her it was a long arduous journey for herself. But we are at the starting point together in the perfect timing for each of us. That is worthy of anything in existence. What it is also is the like minded moments that have turned into an avalanche of emotion and care. We see each other not through each other. We hear each other beyond what we want to hear. In other words our minds are in a place where they are respectfully synched.
     All this to say is that my good fortune at finding her is the same with her and what we want to create together is aligned in almost every way. We are not perfect but we are well within sight of it together. I had been hesitant to speak of what has recently become but I am not as hesitant anymore. We will imagine and create together in such ways as to help us fulfill our purposes and ambitions to the best of our doing. That is what we have needed in our lives and are about to exemplify. I can boldly speak of what is to come because we have found within ourselves the knotted string that has us tied to each other's heart. My collaborator is now my beginning and end. Wish us well if you will.

(#5463) Aging is a thing!

      What I could tell the young if they would ask. The aging process begins early for some men as noted by the losing of hair in their 20's. From there it is segued to loss of flexibility and agility in motions. In my own life I palyed basketball from the teenage years right up until my fifties and the one thing I noticed in my late 20's to early thirties was a loss of quickness and bounce to my jumping. They are slow to notice because the losses are minute at first but then in a little bit of time reflect a lessening of previous attained boundaries. As well my body lost elasticity in recovering from punishing exercise.
     The aches and pains that were barely noticeable in my youth were now becoming pronounced and longer endured. Ageing does that to a person and it is difficult to register when it is minute and consistent. I am now of an age where the difference from my youth and now is obvious and without a doubt undeniable. I wish I had done things a bit differently in my youth to help offset the not necessarily ravages of time but certainly the diminution of my physical prowess. As of yet there is no remedy for all the failings that ageing demands so being a good steward of our lives in ways that are more positive toward lessening the future effects of ageing is fruitful and wise.
     I will say this about ageing, it does not necessarily have to be historically the same as it has been in our recorded history. We human beings are an exceptional species and with the advent of logic and science we may well be able to counteract many of the decaying aspects that ageing currently enforces. I will not live to see what the future holds for the generations that come after me but the hope is that with shared knowledge and innovative creative minds the possibilities are surely boundless. Ageing is a thing now but may well be at the stage where it is about to go under its own renaissance period of evolving enlightenment.

(#5462) America, do not look away from what is happening in Ukraine!

      I am sure I am of little consequence in the world but I do feel the need to sound the alarm that the fascists are coming. As if you needed any further proof than the results last night in the republican primary in Iowa. The king fascist, trump, won handily in his election bid to be the republican presidential nominee. If approximately two thirds of republican primary voters in Iowa are unaware that trump is about to destroy democracy then you had better help them to understand that anarchy in the form of tyranny is what replaces it. Then think about how much your life will change when the normalcy of everyday life is disrupted at the whim of a malignant cancer like trump.
     What is forming in the USA is on par with what is happening in Ukraine. We can see the connections because Ukraine is fighting for their lives to keep the Russian dictator putin from marching across Europe and destroying democracy wherever it exists. The current republican party is holding up necessary military aid in our Congress and the lackey, Hungary's leader orban, who is a pal of putin, is blocking EU aid of a similar amount as the US aid package. Leaving Ukraine to scramble for weapons just to defend itself with no hope of any offensive actions. The fascists within the republican party are in league with other fascists in the world to undermine democracy and lift our individual rights away from us.
     Ukraine is the cauldron where democracy is being tested and if Ukraine cannot survive the Russian invasion then that cauldron will spill out onto the rest of Europe. Then they will be at the mercy of the rejuvenated tyrant putin. All Americans need to stop the ease of their indifference and begin to coalesce around the forces that are fighting to maintain democratic values like individual freedom and liberty. There is no more time for the ignoring of what is happening in all the world at this moment. We are now being tested for our resolve and we cannot show that resolve if we are choosing to ignore the test. American citizens, look to Ukraine and then tell me that other things in your life are more important!

(#5461) The world is waking up to the danger in Ukraine!

      The putin led invasion of Ukraine had the world's attention at the beginning but other factors came into play that diminished that attention. But now the world seems to be catching back up with it's concern about what is still happening there nearly 2 years later. Ukraine has not stopped fighting hard for it's life and Russia has not stopped sending its troops to certain death to gain inches of land in Ukraine. Over 370,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine with as many injured. Meanwhile Ukraine has lost about 50,000 troops with as many injured.
     The large disparity is because Ukraine values each troops life and does not use it's troops as cannon fodder. Whereas Russia does use it's troops as cannon fodder because they value success over human life. This has been the equation in the invasion of Ukraine for both sides. Russia has many more troops to waste in Ukraine while Ukraine is steadfast in giving its troops the best possible opportunity to keep themselves alive. So the importance of western supplies to help Ukraine integrate it's offensive and defensive strategies is paramount.
     With the obstruction by putin allies in Europe and America, Ukrainian aid is being held up so as to force Ukraine to strategize from desperation instead of strength. This can have only one intent, that being helping putin win in Ukraine. Knowing this now has been a bit of a shock to both Europe and America but the shock is wearing off and anger is following. Those who think they can undercut Ukrainian aid to service putin are going to be in for a bad conclusion. We democracy loving folks all over the world are not going to tolerate the obstruction when we can force the issue in other ways so beware putin lovers your 15 minutes of obstruction is about to end!

(#5460) We American defenders of democracy must find a way around republican obstruction of military aid to Ukraine!

      The year now is 2024 which means that a national election is about to start full steam ahead. Yet that is not my greatest focus. My focus is steely eyed straight forward on how to help Ukraine defeat the greatest threat to democracy the world has seen since the second world war. While too many Americans are currently focused on their football sports teams and other personal agendas the world is at a tipping point in Ukraine. If Ukraine does not prevail in their fight to remain an independent democracy striving sovereign nation then more countries bordering Ukraine will become instantly vulnerable to the tyrant putin and his dream of world domination.
     Meanwhile a cabal of republican legislators are holding up American aid to Ukraine to the point of it becoming nearly impossible to pass a bill into law that would allow Ukraine any advantage in their mighty struggle to keep tyranny from overthrowing them. Democracy is on the line here and the powers that be that control republican politics have shown that they are fine with lessening democracy both outside America and within. We have seen republicans for decades now work behind the scenes to make democracy exclusive within our borders through voter restrictions, intimidation, and absurd gerrymandering. So no surprise there. But now to allow the tyrant putin advantages in their illegal invasion of Ukraine to destroy democracy in Ukraine is their full blown anti-democracy exposure!
     Whatever we who still believe in democracy can do to help along necessary aid to Ukraine must be explored. The gravest threat to individual freedom is upon us now and although we are distracted with our own personal lives we cannot lose sight that our own democracy will be under attack if we do not defeat tyranny in our neighbors back yard. I don't know how we are to get around the current insanity of the republican party and their desire to do harm to democracy but we must and then when we have finally found a solution for Ukraine to receive aid; we must work hard and long to defeat the republican party on every level come Tuesday, November 5 2024.

(#5459) Rising above our fears

      Nothing in this existence is worth having if it requires us to fear it. The best of what we can have will always be free from fear. I say this from experience and some logical conclusions. If whatever it is has a factor of fear, it is not worth having. I am of the mindset that being happy, good, and having as much fun as reasonably possible are the real values in life and none of them require any fear to hold onto. I could end this blog post here because I have said what I wanted to say but I will elaborate further so that I am perfectly clear in my reasoning.
     I have sought things in my life that I thought needed to be exciting and even somewhat dangerous as a baseline for surrounding myself with. Only to discover that was not who I was within me. As much as a thrill it may provide it is not lasting. I need comfortable and secure as the ends of my spectrum, not out of control spontaneity and come what may. I am older now and can distinguish between the metamorphosis that has occurred within the evolution of my time/space in existence. All that to say is I have stopped pushing the envelope on many paradigms. What it also means is that fear is not, I repeat not, where I live. I have natural alert defense mechanisms but only because of outside interference, not the making of my own.
     What we will eventually all find out if we don't already know is that life is neither guaranteed nor of a long duration. In fact if we survive our youthful learnings we all discover that life is over sooner than we suspected. So living to the best of what a human being can become is wise and enjoyable. I have no time left for fools nor fears so finding a path forward that utilizes the very best outlook and hope is of the highest priority. None of us should have to live in fear and we must all find it within ourselves to rid the fears that would keep us from our pursuit of happiness. Boldly facing our fears is what we all need to do so that we can conquer them when they attempt to rise up and interrupt our paths forward.
     
     

(#5458) Similes, metaphors, synonyms, and antonyms

      This morning my mind is racing all over the place with phrases, definitions, iconic in nature. I suppose I am in my element so to speak because I am often full of these types of thoughts that are easier to describe than the actual event. Example of a simile; I am as happy as a clam. Metaphor example; My mind is a well oiled machine. Synonym example; Peruse or to browse are two mostly alike words. Antonym example; Opposite words like strong with weak. It seems that these conceptional rules of language are always with me and churn out much of what comes from me in expression and word.
     Something else is at play within me and it is a light hearted humor that seems to dominate how I respond to most things and events that I encounter. I suppose also that it was an early on coping mechanism of my design to alleviate the uncomfortableness of life situations. Now somewhat thoroughly ingrained into my behavior I suspect that it keeps me from getting far too serious about things I care about and maybe that is sometimes another value I hadn't considered. A tempermint salve to reel me back in when I am angry about an injustice or inhumane event. Keeping my mind from exploding is always a good thing. :)
     We humans communicate through letters, numbers, and symbols for the most part and understanding our language and how we arrive at conclusions through numbers and symbols is a logical way to live a life of learning. Today I am focused on how my mind works with letters and the formula I default to when I try to define my thoughts with words. I will say this now and surely most will agree that I can be much more concise in my writing given that I have time to edit as I type whereas my mouth often has no editing feature in real time. lol. The English language is a complex tool and knowing somewhat the nuance of its defining features is a value that I cannot put a price on!

(#5457) President Joe Biden is the man!

      I can see why President Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his vice president. Joe Biden exemplifies what is best in a man who has a heart of gold and the will of a superman. So it is strange to see the dichotomy between him and the scoundrel trump who is barely staying out of prison so far. How the media can actually compare these two men on some kind of even plane takes some real audacity! More like balderdash when trump is given an edge in anything that comes close to a legitimate opinion poll. This old saw of dazzling someone with brilliance, such as Joe Biden; and the baffling with bullshit such as trump, is appropriate and the upcoming election should not even be close.
     All Joe is trying to do is help shape our world with the democratic values of freedom and liberty like in our own constitution, while serving the needs of the most vulnerable in our society to raising up the many from poverty-like conditions. There is not one doubting bone in my body that if the wealthy needed Joe's help that he would be right there for them as well. Joe is like the grandfather many don't have and to the rest of us he is the best kind of friend we could ever have. His whole life is centered on serving the people of our nation with the best of what a human can do. Joe is not infallible as we know because he is the first one to tell us when we ask.
     From Joe protecting democracy to trump wanting to take it away from us so that he can stay in power for the rest of his life should be the five alarm fire bell ringing in every voters ears. That there is even a doubt as to who is the better candidate is the fault of the corporate media who would wish for trump to win. He won't win because as of this year we are still one person one vote and given that the many of us will never vote for him the only contest left if trump is the republican nominee is how much he will get beat by. The corporate media will never tell the truth of trump and his despicable tyrannical ambitions so people like you and me are charged with stepping into their stead and delivering the truth about trump who was the worst American citizen to ever hold office in our great democracy!

(#5456) The seasons of our lives

      I am heading into the twilight part of my life but with the gusto of a young enthusiastic mind. The body is less than that but the mind is still as bright and shining as ever. Well, except when I forget things occasionally. lol. If things can align for me in the near future I will be changing my environment from Sacramento to the Seattle area. I want to explain because it seems counterintuitive for me to want to leave a warm climate to go to a cooler climate. However, I am not a young man anymore and the allure of being outside in the heat with bodies of water to explore is much less so.
     In the Seattle area the rain is dominant and that seems on the surface to be a less attractive feature for an older man such as myself. But I have had decades of warm weather to enjoy and now I want to enjoy cooler and wetter atmosphere. I find it easier to warm up in cooler temperatures than to cool down in hotter climates. Also the brown from drought and heat here in Sacramento is less than inspiring and becomes oppressing. I need color in my life and the greenery of western Washington is ever present. That would not necessarily be the concluding factor in deciding to change my environment so of course there is another reason.
     That reason is why I have decided to rebuild my life up north. Change is not easy especially when the change is dramatic and all encompassing like what I hope to do. Some things need to fall into place for me to actuate a move and I won't compromise on those things. I am a Karma kind of guy and doing anything that is less than positively acceptable will not happen. So other than the actual change I hope to achieve, I have made up my mind and that is always the hardest part but as well the best part. The Autumn part of the 4 seasons I have left to live is coming to a close so getting myself to my best place to live out the winter of my life is now my most important priority.

(#5455) A very long night and day

      I left the Seattle area at about 8:30 last night and got to Sacramento at about 11:30 the following morning. I am feeling every inch of that drive in my guts and muscles. There was much to do after that concerning the return of the rental vehicle and unpacking my belongings and restoring my normal procedure after being gone for almost 2 weeks. I haven't even had time yet to take a shower but know this it is next once I finish with this blog post. I feel kind of worn out and not clean. I will say this here right now, there is nothing like standing in a shower and letting the warm/hot water rinse all the tightness and stress out of me.
     Each way up and back from Sacramento to Seattle was a bit over 800 miles and it seems that I must torture myself and drive both legs of the run straight through. I must not have the patience gene because it seems I am always in a hurry when it concerns my own time. However as tired as I am, the feeling I get when I think about spending all my time between the two hard continuous runs makes it all worth it. A lot happened in that time I spent in the Seattle suburbs so to speak but those happenings will be for a later time when more will be revealed. more personal than not however I am saving the details for something more substantial than a blog post.
     Suffice it for me to say for now that my life is better for having made the trip. It is curious at times that the simplest of ideas can become a major force within our lives. Such is the impetus here but again, not for now. I did spend a good several full hours driving in a torrential downpour on a freeway that was luckily for me mostly abandoned. yet the trickiness of the downpour made for some real exciting white knuckle driving. I start my transfer driving part time job tomorrow morning at a site much nearer to my home and the prospects of being close to home makes me feel that many more good things are about to happen for me.

(#5454) A bittersweet post

      Two things are happening this evening. First I will be watching our Washington Husky football team try to win the national championship of college football. It has been 33 years since that last happened and may well happen again in not too many hours later today. Second I will be leaving Washington state where I have been for the last 11 days enjoying a short long overdue vacation. It is early this morning on this bittersweet day and I am kind of numb and full of emotion over both that are about to happen. As to my leaving there was a special attraction here from the memories of my past when I lived up here and the present that is hopeful with promise.
     The older I get, the closer I wish to be to the things that fill me with joy and contentment. I love my hometown of Sacramento and will not leave there to come back to the Seattle area unless ties there can be severed properly. A lot of work on my part must be done but I am settled on the idea that I will be coming back to Seattle for living out the rest of my life. Seattle with it's beauty and climate are a match made for me. The California central valley is perfect for the young at heart with access to all the outside wonders of mountains and bodies of water. But those are more appealing for the young who can explore and immerse themselves in the active wonders they provide.
     So today is the pivotal day that will include the culmination of a magical season by my alma mater and it's exceptional football team. Just an hour or two after the final score I will be setting out down the road to on my return trip to my house in Sacramento. I am hopeful for a sweet feeling of triumph for our team but I know I will feel the sorrow of leaving, when if I could I would rather not. Life goes on and so will I but just for today with the anticipation of our team doing well mixed in with not being here any longer will have me moving back and forth on the happy/sad spectrum. Tomorrow will bring about it's own experiences but for today I am acutely aware.

(#5453) Breakfast coffee and coffee cake with Judy, Karisa and I yesterday morning

      So meeting with Karisa, with Judy and I was a wonderful time. The Rusty Pelican in Woodinville was our morning meeting site and it may well be said to be a modern delectable delight. The varieties of coffee cake were offered and we settled upon the our desired temptations. I haven't seen Karisa in nearly 14 years, not since the Hall family reunion of 2010 in Lacey. So looking at each other and her being introduced to Judy we began our conversation at a comfortable table up front. The conversation was about our shared interests and those who are highly important Facebook friends. Maha Hall and Wayne Kay being the other 2 of the four musketeers types we had become with Karisa and I.
     I am trying to meet with those who have been a joy in my life and so far I am rolling right along on that front. A good hour of occupying a desired table with riveting conversation was our mission and it was a mission accomplished. We also continued our morning by driving to the Edmonds Ferry and sailed across Puget Sound to Kitsap Peninsula and continued on to Poulsbo. Meeting again with my sister and her family early on a Saturday morning got us to working in the kitchen together to make a bountiful breakfast. Peeling potatoes is important and although I did peel one potato I was quickly relieved of my duty due to inadequate production timing. :)
     Having had our fill of the delicious meal we proceeded to again talk about things that are necessary to accomplish in our own lives. Upon returning to Duvall in the evening I settled in to watch another outstanding movie that encompasses all the romance of a successful relationship with a plot that is as ordinary as a daily sunrise. My time in Seattle is coming to an end and I am starting to feel the beginning of loss. However I still have time left to experience here and staying in the moment is my best approach. No real plans for the next two days except of course watching the Husky football team go after an ultimate dream that is on the verge of becoming a reality.

(#5452) Logical factual Information is power!

      This has always been the case. Knowing the parameters of any argument is how I prepared to give a debate on any subject. I needed to know both sides of the argument so that I could be objective in my presentation whenever possible. Some arguments are always going to boil down to individual personal belief or social more perspectives but not because the facts are otherwise compromised. Knowing the logic of an argument and the truth of the facts concerning it has always been the process for determining the veracity of a conclusion to a argument/debate that is based in reality. By argument I am equating that to an honest debate.
     Once we arrive at the debate giving all we have researched about both sides of a question is what must be done. I have found that even learning both sides of a debate is sometimes still not enough insight into what my conclusion will be coming out of the presentation. There are times when a certain perspective is not considered and the outcome may come down on the wrong side of logic. Take for instance the short story by Susan Glaspell entitled "Trifles" https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/full-texts-of-classic-works/trifles-by-susan-glaspell-full-text-of-the1916-one-act-play/. The insight provided here changes the observation of what seemed to be a simple understanding to a much more complex and differing one.
     For the most part when objectivity is the ruling guideline, the arguments for and against a solution to a problem is most possibly ascertained. Reality and truth must be the basis of the factual evidence given. We are a curious species. We need to be strong enough to evolve our thoughts toward the evidence and not what we may personally want as a solution when that solution eliminates facts that conflict with our personal desire. Objectivity is not favoritism or bias. Objectivity is the neutral ground of beginning from a place that has no intervening preconceptions that obstruct the building of one premise upon another premise to arrive at a logical conclusion. The formula for learning current facts is based within logic and when we apply logic in its proper sequencing we all gain an insight that is devoid of subjective and arbitrary interferences.

(#5451) Sitting on the couch writing this post

     Normally I am sitting at my desk writing these posts but I am not at home. Soon I will be back to my desk probably Tuesday but for now I am not so instead of sitting in a hard chair or with one with a cushion on it I am on the couch. I have wedged myself into the cushions of the couch and have my feet up with my laptop on my lap. It is definitely a different writing position but there is no ache in my backside nor hunched lean into the table. I have unplugged the power cord and am running on my battery power. I use a mouse that is attached by a cord to my laptop and it is sitting on the arm part of the couch working sufficiently well. So I am leaning back letting my fingers type away in a very comfortable position.
     None of this is important but it is unique to me. I have written a lot of blog posts from my desk, from tables, even in the front seat of my car but never with so much comfort and ease as I am now doing from this couch. Ican say that I do prefer this way even though I have to see my typing keys from an angle. My fingers however know where to go so not a problem and what little editing I have done to now is nothing out of the ordinary anyway. As to what topic I was going to give a brief account about tis morning that has not entered my mind yet. I suppose that since this post is about two thirds done now I won't be doing much regardless of the eventual topic.
     I am still on my mini vacation so it is appropriate that I do try new ways to be comfortable even when writing my blog posts. I will definitely try this again tomorrow if I am able. I will be winding up this time in the Seattle area an hour or two right after the Washington Husky football national championship game against Michigan, Monday evening. Then it is on the road back to California and my home in Sacramento. So far all has been a pleasure and with being busy reuniting with family and friends I have not had much time to immerse myself in rest and relaxation. When I do get back Tuesday I will make myself available to work on the following day of Wednesday so not much rest after the not really restful vacation. I suppose I will still be happy and having fun though so rest and relaxation will have to wait for another time. :)

(#5450) We are now into the 2024 election process

      I know it is just the first few days into January 2024 but the reality is that the beginning of the election year is upon us. We are not still in 2023, no, we are here in 2024 and all our energies to keep the momentum of our blue wave rising is going to be needed. We are up against a national media that refuses to call out the callous and pain suffering destruction of our democracy by the republican party. First and foremost this year we have to make sure that everyone is aware that it is the republican party that has taken our women back to an age where they were treated as property instead of free human beings.
     We are talking about our mothers, sisters, wives and women friends who are now not in control of their bodies as defined by too many republican men. The anger at this development from last year must not subside with time. We must rally our electorate to the underlying cause of this republican attack on the free will of our women. This is just the opening salvo as well by republicans against rights that also affect our men. Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid are also on the chopping block of wishes for the republican party. Along with those protective programs and there are many others that affect the health and general welfare of our children.
     Most importantly this election year are the threats made by republicans to dismantle many of our safeguards that are in place to protect our democracy. So not only are our wise national programs designed to keep our nation civilized, safe and healthy being undermined but the whole system of government we Americans have had since our birth as a nation are under attack. The right to vote for every citizen 18 years and older is now being made less free to do so by republicans. Why you may ask? Because oppressive republican policies are not what an enlightened society yearns for. So making it harder to vote for those who are not in their camp is a crucial component to their evening the odds for themselves. We must not elect them to office as they are not defenders of our sacred democracy, rather republicans would take our democracy away from us!
     

(#5449) Sleep, water, fresh air, and caution are what is needed for moving forward intelligently

      Yesterday I had some insights into things I have for the future and they seemed to be, when combined in full consideration, an overwhelming prospect. So fortunately when I feel into a deep sleep and awoke feeling refreshed I realized that my mind had already resolved my position of the combined considerations I was less than able to come to a conclusion on the previous day. So when you hear that old advice about "sleeping on it" to help clarify sometimes difficult decisions, it is true. Not that it is always that simple but often enough true that it should be a first default operating procedure.
     I was also thinking yesterday about how water and fresh air are simple cures for many things that physically ail us. Surely not all the time are they easy cures but for many simple physical concerns it seems they are. So things like sleep, water, and fresh air, the ability to turn to those to find answers to problems, are always at our fingertips. Life is hard enough when all things are considered so having in mind the simple cures to many possibilities is foresightful. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, which is often caution for me, is also an excellent concept for those of us who are now less able to maneuver with agility and alacrity. I have slowed down from my usually quicker pace in order to keep my balance and assure myself of completing whatever task at hand I am attempting.
     So, sleep, water, fresh air, and caution, have become things readily in my control to keep me alert and able to move with the daily meaningful purposes I have enlisted to accomplish. I never used to think like this but it appears that it is quite necessary given my aging process. Both physical and mental aspects of me need to be thought about much more clearly. Allowing my environment and my adapting to it control more of how I exist I am finding a much more efficient way of continuing my life with some confidence. Sleep, water, fresh air, and caution cost me nothing and yet their value to me is becoming critically important. Life is short and I truly know that so being in the present and able to adapt to my changing physiology is well reinforced with these basic simple processes.

(#5448) What is your legacy?

      I am not sure I know what my legacy will be but I know that it has to be something that will positively endure past my life experience. I know this, it won't be selfish nor uncaring. If I was to forward a hypothesis it would be that I cared about all people and I questioned everything. How that eventually translates into a legacy focused on the how I live my life is of course yet unknown. That I am of a mind to make sure I have a legacy that is uplifting and worthy of being known is important to me and hopefully a utility to others. For anyone who would know I existed beyond my own existence is a privilege and if well lived, an honor.
     That is my hope and hopefully the hope of all of us who have a heart and a mind toward justice and equality. Being a positive influence beyond my lifespan is maybe a bit much for me to expect and certainly I don't but I will continue to strive for that nonetheless. So for me to understand the importance of leaving a legacy of some hope should be what we all would want. This is how we affect our society beyond ourselves and as well in real time. A two/fer as it were. Building our legacy while positively impacting our present time. I cannot think of a more noble way to live our lives than doing all we can for our present betterment with an eye toward beyond ourselves.
     I suppose when I started this blog nearly 15 years ago I had no idea it would have transformed into what it is now for me. This blog allows me to give a daily insight into what is going on between my ears and also builds toward an overall understanding of how I think. What I perceive as critical to the survival of our species and, our precious democracy that gives us all an opportunity to not only pursue our individual and collective happiness but add to the knowledge bank for the future of our evolving. I don't know what the future holds but if in anyway I can in some large or small way influence a betterment for our species under the freedom and liberties we all share in our democracy, then the better for me to keep at it until I either achieve my goal or get as close to it as I can before my time has ended here.

(#5447) The best of who we are

      I am fortunate enough to be in the company of those who inspire and improve my outlook and creative imaginings. Wherever I go in life now is predicated on the premise of "is this good for me". I am in the stage of my life where the time I spend is precious and not to be ignored. I say this with all earnestness. I do not equivocate on my positives whether emotional or physical. You see me as who I am and not who I want you to see me as. Being the real and true who I am is just as discoverable to the world as it is to me in real time. I cannot become the better and best version of who I am unless I am willing to be purely vulnerable and willing to fight to protect whatever that is.
     All my life I have been told what is expected of me. This is your way and this is the acceptable behavior that is required. Well none of that ever set correct with me. I spent my time growing up being inquisitive about all of my surroundings. I never saw myself as one who needed or was required to be a cog in the wheel of society. Sure, I found niches that occupied my time and space within society but not as a rule. I have always had greater ambitions than those that are just confined to traditional boundaries of current knowledge. Not that I cannot combine various paradigms of thought and action into a new concepts but the ordinary and simplistic have never held my special attention.
    We all live in a complexity of emotion and doubt. Yet both need to be defined as to their meaning. So I give them both my undivided attention because for me how I feel and how I address fear and the unknown furthers my walk through time and space. I do not propel myself into a better and best version of myself without the experiences that are within and without me. I don't fear or shy away from who I am because I have discovered that no matter the circumstance or situation I am consistent on the inside and outside. Even as I remain a robotic like at times learning and evolving machine I have all my human qualities within me to mold me and assist me to grow toward that ultimate version of myself that I aspire.