Musing ...

While we want to think that we are a composite of our ideals and beliefs, we are - in reality - a composite of our actions.

The Caucus System and Delegates

Below is an excerpt from an e-mail debate:

BA - Do anyone of you believe in the party system?
EE - Yes. It has its flaws but I do think it works better than any others. I think the partys do need to change though, to become the COnservative and Liberal Parties rather than cloak them behind Democrat and Republican labels.

BA - Do you actually know what the dem or rep platform is?

If you say yes then tell me how how they don't put it together until the convention
EE - The problem is that the party should let the nominee set the platform as he/she is who the public wants. Instead the party sets the platform and supposedly the nominee is to work for that goal.


BA - No one has the balls to rock the system. The party system should be over same with the electoral college.
EE - Again, it has its flaws but has worked better than any other. It needs some changes, but I do not think it should be tossed. As far as the electoral college, I think the whole country should have primaries on the same day. The system where a candidate gets knocked out because he didn't do well in Utah and New Hampshire when they might win in Ohio and Pennsylvania is ridiculous. Barring that, we need a system where delegates vote on the public behalf. For example: Joe, Jim, and Fred are running for office and Fred and Jim are very, very similar in views. Joe is very different. Joe wins 40% of the vote. Jim wins 39% of the vote, and Fred wins only 21%. If all votes go to the winner of the state, 60% are unhappy. If Fred drops out and it comes to a fight, his delegates should be able to support Jim. We need a system that addresses that... one where you are locked in for your candidate as long as they are in, but can switch if they drop out or are voted out.

Just one man's opinion.
K - You are not alone my good man.

40 Tips For Better Life

From a site I stumbled upon... I have added comments (in green) where I thought appropriate.

40 Tips for Better Life - 2008

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
E - Not sure about this one but I have heard it often...
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
E - Even if its in the car while you drive. Try not turning on the radio for 10 minutes. Or use the last 10 minutes before you fall asleep to think.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
E - Watch those you really want to see when you have time, instead of watching the other garbage and staying up to see late night programs. I may stay up late but never to just watch television.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to __________ today.’
E - Or at least think about what you would like to accomplish or what you would like changed. Then do something about it.
5. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice meditation and/or prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
E - More good advice I don't listen to... Yet.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
E - Everyone 'wants' to look good and be fit. But it doesn't come by accident. If you take the easy road and make the easy choices (eating sugary and fatty foods, not exercising) then you will shorten your life and eventually look like someone who eats sugary and fatty foods and doesn't exercise. It isn't rocket science.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
E - Avoid things with saturated fat, Crisco, etc. If it doesn't spoil or break down, why would you want it in your body surrounding your organs and floating through your veins? Does that even sound like a remotely good thing?
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
E - Probably the most important step here. It goes well with Step 40.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
E - Unless, to you, that means boxed Mac N Cheeze ;-)
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the negative blues away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
E - Sure things can always get better or less stressful. But do not let that make you unhappy where you are now.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
E - And "Can I change this so that it won't matter so much?"
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
E - FOrgive even if you can't forget.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Remember God heals everything.
E - God or Time, whichever. Everyone has bad events befall them. Don't let them continue to drag you down any more than they have to.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
E - Not because someone will know. Not because you feel God is watching. Not because you'll get credit. Do it on principle and to make yourself a better person that you yourself can be proud of.
36. Call your family often.
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for _______. Today I accomplished ____.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can’t change.
E - And, of course, Treat others as you want to be treated. Do not do things you wouldn't want done to you.

America Has Alzheimer's

Why is it that we remember all of WWII and how we saved the world but seem to forget what has happened over the last 5 years?

Maybe we just refuse to deal with our shortcomings and would prefer to sweep them under the rug. Maybe that is it. It would explain why we remember finally being dragged into a European battle and leading the reversal of mis-fortune to retake Europe and free it from the Fascist grip, but we forget that we recently we lost thousands of men, women, and children, a large portion of a city, and one of America's greatest and most unique cultural experiences.

"What? Huh? Where?", you ask?

NOLA. New Orleans.

The fact it didn't immediately come to mind by all who read this rant proves my original statement.

Then again, maybe it is because we, Americans, seem to have an optimistic nature. Maybe we would simply prefer to remember how we helped rebuild Japan and Europe after the Second World War but are forgetting how devastated we were after we were attacked on 9-11. We prefer to think of ourselves and remember ourselves as compassionate allies instead of victims.

Could be.

Either way, no matter what the collective reason, I do not think it is good for the American fabric. I don't think we should be dwelling on the bad, no. But I do think we need to be reminded of our sorrows and of our shortcomings until we are healed both physically and emotionally.

Until we fix the scar on America that is New Orleans we should run pictures of its rebuilding nightly on the news or as Public Service Announcements. We should not forget the city, its inhabitants, or slack in the rebuilding of our brother's homes.

Until we deal with the root causes of the WTC bombings and come to grips with what we must do, we should run pictures of that horrible morning each night on television. Now I won't expound here on what that solution is: War with those that supported it or debate and talks with those that hate us and wish us harm... I am not advocating either way of handling the situation here; I am simply stating that we are still firmly in the grips of its aftermath but are losing site of what happened back then. Sure we all remember it, right? But do we remember how we felt that morning? Do we think it couldn't happen tomorrow? Again? Unless you can tell me that watching a video of the attack and deaths of the 3000 men and women wouldn't move you, still, then you have to admit it has been pushed back in our minds and hearts and is no longer of utmost importance as it was on 9-12. We have not fixed the problem or healed from its wounds. We have simply pushed it to the back of our minds.

I could go on, but there are too many examples.

What our ancestors did was terrific. Unbelievable. They certainly earned the nickname 'The Greatest Generation'. But its time for present Americans to stop taking credit for it and to start changing the world for the better ourselves.

You decide which actions should be taken and in what direction we should head.