So, because life is worse somewhere else we should not want it to be better here? Can we not hold two thoughts simultaneously, being grateful for what we have and also wanting to improve our community, the country and maybe the world? Also, who is he to tell me how I (or anyone) think? If he wrote "many people" or "it seems to me" I'd be more interested, but the quote is a bit too certain to be acceptable, in my view. It strikes me that he is using the system to be quoted, to build his own brand. Meh.
The first half of the first quoted paragraph from Gurri describes the relationship between Trump and his vassals to a T, from what I've seen and read. Even the loyal ones get abused, just to keep them in line and off balance.
But I like Gurri's prescription of courage. We've seen a few great examples of those who summoned their courage in the face of that pocket of un-American tyranny enforced by fear.
NPR published the results of a worldwide happiness summary (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/20/1239537074/u-s-drops-in-new-global-happiness-ranking-one-age-group-bucks-the-trend). The US dropped out of the top 10 except in one category. Those over 60 are happier than the younger set. Why is that the case? Here I confess to not having read the details but my first thought was that I think that as we get older we develop a different set of priorities. Our sense of what really matters shifts to the more important things in our personal lives and we are less preoccupied with earning money, raising a family and worries about our kids and, of course, our parents. No longer being middle aged means no longer being in the middle and having to worry about everything, make that EVERYTHING. We have the luxury of focusing on what really matters. My grandson is searching to find his way, work-wise. However, he wants to come spend a day with me in my workshop. He'll find his way, but he wants to come to my workshop and learn to make a bowl on my lathe! That's cool and serves as an example. His mother may be happy for me, but she must also worry about him in a way I don't. I care, but do not have to hold the worry. So, today I'll spend some time in my workshop and quite possibly I'll take a nap later, while the world around me has little time for either. Life is good.
I looked at my precinct data last night (we reported out before 8:30pm), and the good news is I wasn't the only one to vote for Nikki! 4 others joined me! 😀
Regarding Bernie Moreno, as of 11pm last night he was leading in every Ohio county. I don't know if that held or not (Cuyahoga County hadn't checked in, which is Dolan's home area).
I looked at my precinct data last night (we reported out before 8:30pm), and the good news is I wasn't the only one to vote for Nikki! 4 others joined me! 😀
Regarding Bernie Moreno, as of 11pm last night he was leading in every Ohio county. I don't know if that held or not (Cuyahoga County hadn't checked in, which is Dolan's home area).
Good morning. Temperature about 40. It’s supposed to be another Indy day. Yesterday’s primary election was won by the Trump-endorsed Senate candidate, Bernie Moreno over my pick. Non-Trumpy state senator Matt Dolan. Nikki Haley got something like 14% of the vote.
The mothership today is reporting on the upcoming (and informal) process of choosing the next NATO Secretary General. The LUK question is an interesting one, about the resurgence of classical education in schools, asking if that is a good idea.
"Fear strips away humanity and leaves behind a panicked animal, hoping only to survive. Fear demands obedience, conformity, sycophancy ..."
This describes the atmosphere behind the scenes in my church right now. My friend the communications coordinator said that when Assistant Pastor walks into the office and closes the door, she just looks at her desk and mumbles, "Yes," or "You're right," until he wears himself out and leaves. There doesn't have to be a risk of death or injury or deportation or confiscation of goods for our viscera to react with the "freeze, flight, or fight" instinct, which mainly means "freeze" in the kinds of environments where a Southern lady experiences abuse.
Although I find the idea that either of our American political parties is a major threat of legal tyranny on the Russian model to be overblown, I think the urge is there. They want to be tyrants, they want to control everyone: they just don't have the mechanisms.
Good morning. E and F are shuffling around and will be leaving by 7:30, I hope. They have a notion of stopping at Taco Bell to pick up Second Breakfast on their way to Envirothon.
High School Envirothon results: F and the Girls were 2nd, and the Tall Boys, featuring the eponymous Son E, were first!!!
Our arch-rivals from Davidson County Homeschool were shocked to be 3rd.
So, because life is worse somewhere else we should not want it to be better here? Can we not hold two thoughts simultaneously, being grateful for what we have and also wanting to improve our community, the country and maybe the world? Also, who is he to tell me how I (or anyone) think? If he wrote "many people" or "it seems to me" I'd be more interested, but the quote is a bit too certain to be acceptable, in my view. It strikes me that he is using the system to be quoted, to build his own brand. Meh.
The first half of the first quoted paragraph from Gurri describes the relationship between Trump and his vassals to a T, from what I've seen and read. Even the loyal ones get abused, just to keep them in line and off balance.
But I like Gurri's prescription of courage. We've seen a few great examples of those who summoned their courage in the face of that pocket of un-American tyranny enforced by fear.
NPR published the results of a worldwide happiness summary (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/20/1239537074/u-s-drops-in-new-global-happiness-ranking-one-age-group-bucks-the-trend). The US dropped out of the top 10 except in one category. Those over 60 are happier than the younger set. Why is that the case? Here I confess to not having read the details but my first thought was that I think that as we get older we develop a different set of priorities. Our sense of what really matters shifts to the more important things in our personal lives and we are less preoccupied with earning money, raising a family and worries about our kids and, of course, our parents. No longer being middle aged means no longer being in the middle and having to worry about everything, make that EVERYTHING. We have the luxury of focusing on what really matters. My grandson is searching to find his way, work-wise. However, he wants to come spend a day with me in my workshop. He'll find his way, but he wants to come to my workshop and learn to make a bowl on my lathe! That's cool and serves as an example. His mother may be happy for me, but she must also worry about him in a way I don't. I care, but do not have to hold the worry. So, today I'll spend some time in my workshop and quite possibly I'll take a nap later, while the world around me has little time for either. Life is good.
I looked at my precinct data last night (we reported out before 8:30pm), and the good news is I wasn't the only one to vote for Nikki! 4 others joined me! 😀
Regarding Bernie Moreno, as of 11pm last night he was leading in every Ohio county. I don't know if that held or not (Cuyahoga County hadn't checked in, which is Dolan's home area).
I looked at my precinct data last night (we reported out before 8:30pm), and the good news is I wasn't the only one to vote for Nikki! 4 others joined me! 😀
Regarding Bernie Moreno, as of 11pm last night he was leading in every Ohio county. I don't know if that held or not (Cuyahoga County hadn't checked in, which is Dolan's home area).
Good morning. Temperature about 40. It’s supposed to be another Indy day. Yesterday’s primary election was won by the Trump-endorsed Senate candidate, Bernie Moreno over my pick. Non-Trumpy state senator Matt Dolan. Nikki Haley got something like 14% of the vote.
The mothership today is reporting on the upcoming (and informal) process of choosing the next NATO Secretary General. The LUK question is an interesting one, about the resurgence of classical education in schools, asking if that is a good idea.
I think Martin Gurri is right, and yet ...
"Fear strips away humanity and leaves behind a panicked animal, hoping only to survive. Fear demands obedience, conformity, sycophancy ..."
This describes the atmosphere behind the scenes in my church right now. My friend the communications coordinator said that when Assistant Pastor walks into the office and closes the door, she just looks at her desk and mumbles, "Yes," or "You're right," until he wears himself out and leaves. There doesn't have to be a risk of death or injury or deportation or confiscation of goods for our viscera to react with the "freeze, flight, or fight" instinct, which mainly means "freeze" in the kinds of environments where a Southern lady experiences abuse.
Although I find the idea that either of our American political parties is a major threat of legal tyranny on the Russian model to be overblown, I think the urge is there. They want to be tyrants, they want to control everyone: they just don't have the mechanisms.
So true.
Good morning. E and F are shuffling around and will be leaving by 7:30, I hope. They have a notion of stopping at Taco Bell to pick up Second Breakfast on their way to Envirothon.