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Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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When Does The Ship Come In?
July 9, 2016
— 3 Comments
Pacific
When I was a freshman a the University of Texas at Austin in 1968 I was an idealist. I was a folk singer, hum dinger. I protested the war in Viet Nam and civil rights atrocities. We thought that an egalitarian, high minded society was just around the corner. We thought the empire of fascist evil would end as soon as Barry Goldwater died. We knew less about world affairs then, but we knew that war was not only the only true sin amount nations, but also unconstitutional in the way it was being waged with no declaration. Since 1968 the United States has been at war with at least one part of the world all the time. Peace has not been achieved, and civil rights have been all but forgotten. Now we have the for profit prison system to mass incarcerate people of color, and laws designed specifically to feed that system. Our war on drugs has produced an epidemic of cheap heroin and an addiction crisis.
I was too young to march on Washington in 1963. I was busy living as an ex-pat petroleum princess in Venezuela. I spent a lot of time listening to Radio Havana because it was the only station that we got with a strong signal on the radio. I usually turned it off when Fidel went off on his speeches, but I liked the music from Cuba. Back in those days Venezuela had a natural contempt for Cuba and Fidel, and dependence on oil companies for their entire economy. This worked very well for the preteen petroleum princess, but not so well for the impoverished worker class. Like the historical Buddha I was exposed to suffering I never could have imagined in the world. The really interesting part was that my parents had no problem with the semi slavery and obscene show of wealth we enjoyed. I didn’t either until I thought about it. Now my own country has almost the same level of income disparity I observed in 1963 in Venezuela. The hippies have not yet accomplished our mission. I wonder if in the chaos and violence of this time, so similar to 1968, we might finally see the ship come in. The whole wide world is certainly watching.
Pacific
The Case For #TattleTuesday in Tucson
June 27, 2016
— 1 Comment
Dropping the truth bomb
In Tucson we experience a major dilution of our tattle as it passes through needless layers of middlemen to reach law enforcement central. We report one thing and the bureaucrats report quite another, which results in chronic problems that might be solved by collecting really reliable intelligence in the first place. Pure tattle goes from your lips to the ears of the principal. It does not travel through the teachers, the students, or the PTA. Tattle, and the need to deliver pure, unadulterated tattle, is not only a basic human right, but a basic human instinct. To make use of this instinct one simply needs to direct and manage it professionally. A vessel, a place, and a time must be established for the task of collecting pure intelligence from citizens and using it to both prevent and stop chronic crime.
I am urging my police department to initiate a program on-line as well as in person at the station near me to give folks a chance to express themselves for ten minutes at ten a.m. each Tuesday. I am choosing this increment of time because they always say they are too busy to try new communication methods. They can’t possibly argue that they don’t have 10 minutes a week. Citizens in my neighborhood have gone to the station with evidence of black tar heroin in a vial and a report of on going crime near their home, but were turned away at the window of the cop shop and the vial of evidence was thrown in the trash in front of the two ladies. We need a system that works much better than that. We need to trust that what we report and evidence we submit is used to help solve the crime problems here. I think a funnel that directs intelligence to the attention of the police live on a regular basis will make a difference to the level of trust in the whole operation. I believe intelligence is the most valuable commodity police can have. It protects both them and us.
Sun Sets on Empire
June 24, 2016
— 1 Comment
Brits become curious
https://twitter.com/biancatesfaye1/status/746394668485742593
The British voted to leave the European Union and then started to google “What is the EU?” They also started to inquire into getting Irish passports, since Ireland is in the EU. The vote was dramatically divided between young and old in the electorate. Scotland is furious because they stayed in Great Britain recently because the Brits told them that by leaving Britain they would leave the EU. Now they voted overwhelmingly to stay, and feel mighty baited and switched. To add insult to injury Donald Trump flew to Scotland to “celebrate” the Brexit with his peeps. Ever the party boy, he started tweeting his glee to the horror of Scottish people. He has run into controversy in that country with conservation groups. Now he is indicating he is thrilled at the collapse of the currency because more people will visit his golf course. He knows how to make a point. Sometimes the only way to deal with current events is to laugh at them.
https://twitter.com/Jenn_Abrams/status/746388211195248641
https://twitter.com/RosieBlackadder/status/746392996682285058
Death by Side Effect
June 2, 2016
— 1 Comment
skull and crossbones
The death rate in the US has risen in 2015 for some alarming reasons. The new statistics for Alzheimer’s disease, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis show that our population suffers from toxic overload. The liver disease is normally caused by alcohol consumption, and Alzheimer’s is still a mystery. I took care of both of my demented parents until death. My own suspicion about their memory loss issues is that they were primarily caused by alcohol consumption that continued for more than 65 years. My parents were not seriously into drugs like people are today, but they did like to drink. Their diet choices and alcohol consumption worsened as they aged. I often wondered if could have been reversed if they had reformed rather then slipped into worsening habits. We will never know. For myself I am making different choices. I don’t think I have a genetic risk from my parents, as much as I cultural one, from being raised at a cocktail party.
Now the middle aged white population is into opioids. There is an increase in suicide by drug overdose happening in this group. Heroin is often a cheaper option for those who begin their use of opioids with a doctor’s referral. I don’t use any prescription drugs, but I know very few people of any age like me. Almost everyone is on something. The idea of taking meds for everything, real or imagined, has become so common that doctors have basically become drug dealers. Now Americans are killing themselves willfully and accidentally with these dangerous substances. I am concerned about our society. These are not social drugs, but drugs designed to kill pain. Have we no skills to deal with pain? I am afraid of this trend. I watch the evening news that is punctuated with drug commercials that must quickly mention the side effects. Often the side effects mentioned in the commercials include increased possibility of death. In my mind the whole country is on one dangerous drug or another with increased risk of death as a general side effect. I have no solution, gentle reader. I will close with the words of Prince, our recently deceased rock royalty:
You can be the president. I’d rather be the Pope.
You can be the side effect. I’d rather be the dope.
It is assumed that Prince’s death involved a drug overdose of pain killer.
The Tweet is Mightier Than the SWAT
May 23, 2016
TPD SWATTER Salisbury
I want to convince the commander of my local police station to learn more about the progressive use of social media. Controversy and conflict spread like wildfire on all platforms today. This is a reflection of our relationships in real life. It is easy to get into a political argument but not so easy to locate community spirit. We drastically need dialog and understanding to build better neighborhoods. The tension between police and citizens must be treated. Lack of trust must be brought to light and replaced with understanding. We need better communication, and I believe it can be achieved with judicious use of social media. I believe twitter has the power to prevent crime if used with imagination and good strategy, just as it has influenced some to fight for ISIS. The only way to stop an evil force with a twitter account is with a loving force with a twitter account.
In the photo above a young detective is joking around with SWAT Officer Salisbury, who was working showing off the SWAT stuff at the station the other day. I had just asked him what he detected about Officer Salisbury. He was telling me he that his colleague is very speedy. Their camaraderie is evident and the good nature of the joking between them was fun to see. These young men are charming and professional, but I certainly hope I will not require their services. It is fine to hang out in the parking lot, but I don’t want them to come to my house in the middle of the night.
It was all fun and games until I said, “I know you saw the PBS special last week about SWAT.” They didn’t really say much, but they indicated that this PBS reference had bummed them out. I don’t blame them because it is another blow to the already ragged respect for police across the country. News coverage brings scary evidence that violence is escalating in certain cities. Tucson is one of them. These young cops face ever-growing danger with no hope of a pay raise in sight. For them, as well as for all of us, we need to find ways to communicate to prevent crime of all kinds, particularly crimes against cops. We will find ourselves unable to recruit people who are willing to take the job if we don’t kick in and help them reduce crime and violence.
I believe social media has the potential to transform crime prevention because
- A picture is worth a thousand words
- A penny saved is a penny earned
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
- A stitch in time saves nine
- The tweet is mightier than the SWAT
What do you think, gentle reader, is the answer to the social disorder we are experiencing today?
SWATTER Stoner
Police Mendacity
May 17, 2016
— 4 Comments
Police
I have watched with interest the specials PBS aired last week about police and gun violence in America. The problems are even worse for law enforcement professionals than I thought they were. The panel discussion of police chiefs and victims of SWAT team violence revealed a shocking systemic practice of lying to the public to protect officers who make deadly mistakes on duty. A lively discussion on-line took place at the hashtag #PBSPeaceOfficer.
Both sides are heavily polarized on the issue, as we might expect. The police chiefs stressed that the problem needs to be addressed to the mayors and councils to find solutions. The cops themselves are following orders and protocol and strategies set by those in command. Hiring, training, and supervision are needed by the agencies to correct the current problems. In most cases they lack the funding to buy enough essential training and adequate supervisory personnel to equip and supervise recruits. The officers lack the skills they need to both protect themselves and the public. This seems to be the case across the country. While the citizens arm up and carry guns everywhere the cities refuse to provide enough funding to operate functional law enforcement agencies. This is an obvious recipe for more violence.
When the government declared war on drugs and terror, they began to distribute military surplus to police departments to fight these “wars”. Included in this discussion is the tendency to use this military equipment to occupy neighborhoods rather than protect them. The police chiefs were quick to point out that much of the surplus they receive is office equipment and other non lethal much-needed supplies. The police professionals also agreed they needed the military weapons because their own communities failed to arm the force adequately. There is now a new policy against militarized police forces, but they already have plenty of gear to continue the heavily occupation of America. The NRA has a strong lobby in support of arming the entire population. This is escalating an already terrible problem. We need disarmament negotiations between the cops and the citizens, apparently.
I have seen the TPD employ the SWAT team in my neighborhood. They came in the middle of the night to bust some dope dealers who had been operating boldly in the open for years, right on the street. I could have busted them myself any day during the previous couple of years, either making drive by deliveries from the front yard, or by busting the group of youngsters on tiny bikes that fanned out to deliver drugs throughout the hood before dawn daily. Some of the bike delivery guys were able to stay in the apartment and have a yard sale after the SWAT bust which I found to be amazing. I know for sure that one of my neighbors reported this obvious ongoing dealing but was told by a group of cops who had answered a call at his house that they were not interested. About 6 months after Russ told them about the dealing they showed up with flash bombs. This was evidence to me that they enjoy this use of force too much to be safe with all that fire power.
More of a concern to me than the use of force is the use of mendacity. They use statistics to tell us about themselves, yet they compile these statistics. If they are willfully blind to their own errors the law enforcement agency becomes a dangerous street gang. If they are encouraged by municipal authorities to hide mistakes rather than learn from them they become the villain rather than the hero in our society. This trend is very dangerous to our public health.
The Road to Truth is Paved by Politicians
May 10, 2016
— 4 Comments
vehicle
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not sharing.”
The Buddha
The truth for a grade school student is not the same as the truth for a senior citizen. Perspective is the reason we believe one thing or another at any given time. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. This means that we have more knowledge of the bigger picture as we mature and travel along the road to truth. We should be acquiring sophistication and compassion for other living things as we become more visionary on this path. Observation of the world political situation leads us to believe that we are failing at that mission. We have wandered off the route into unmapped territory. Dark ignorance and evil intent appear to be taking ground in the battle against harmony and peace.
In all fairy tales and mythology the hero learns from tragic mistakes. At the end of the story the moral is clear and the lesson is imprinted in the mind of the audience. Once committed the hero has no choice. Like Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, the hero is taught mastery through trust in divine guidance in freaky circumstances. He fights the symbolic battles he finds obstructing his way. The hero is fated to go all the way. That is what distinguishes his character from others. He finishes the difficult job, then shares the wisdom he has found within his quest. He saves the day and teaches an important social and political object lesson to the people.
Action without attachment was the lesson Krishna taught Arjuna during the heat of battle. It is impossible to know the moral of a story until it ends, so it is imperative that the hero finish his job. As I experience the presidential politics of 2016 I certainly hope there is a blue guy driving the chariot who will lead us into a surprise ending. These are certainly freaky circumstances with strong catalytic tendencies. How do you think this story will end, gentle reader? Fill in the blank.
Insight
It Could Be Verse
May 1, 2016
— 3 Comments
NaPoWriMo2016
I am a happy graduate of National Poetry Writing Month, 2016. This, my third time participating, taught me some good lessons. The best part of the month is always reading and discovering other poets. Here are just a few wonderful poems I found written during April:
- Water Nymphs by Lillian the home poet
- to fetishists (to hunters) by poems and doodles
- Delicious Delirium by Musings of a Blueberry
- Sour Grapes by Michele Vecchitto
There are more poets than I can possibly mention that show great talent and unique perspective. I hope you will investigate to find some poetry you like to read in this group or at the library. People take this 30 poems in 30 days challenge for different reasons. I find it stimulates my vocabulary as well as my visual sense because I always use an image with my poem. Sometimes I draw it. Each year I tell myself how therapeutic it is to create poetry and that I will continue the craft on my tumblr, which is linked for #NaPoWriMo with my wordpress for poetry month. This could be the year, gentle readers. The consistent lesson I have learned from these three years of participation is that other people like the poems that are not my own favorites, and vice versa. Later when I read some of my work I am kind of surprised it came from me, but there it is. These are a few of the reasons I urge you to write some verse:
- The process reveals the subconscious
- Words and dream images have powerful connections
- Poems by others stimulate the muse
- Once a poem has a concept the mind works on it in the background
- Poetry clears the soul of repressed feelings and notions
You don’t have to show anyone what you write in order to benefit from trying your hand as a poet. You might be one…and don’t know it. Don’t wait until April 2017 to start. If you start now you will be sufficiently warmed up for the next round.
Narrow Vision
April 29, 2016
— 1 Comment
the city
Blind to either side, the galloping force chases the scoundrels with intent
Misses the ongoing story, producing poverty, lowering standards for life
Hunger, insecurity, pessimism, lack of healthy enviornment, to a growing extent
Contribute to a downward spiral for those already sinking in economic strife
Streams and creeks full of excuses mixed with social work are clogged
Water is evaporating above the ground while we sink the drills deeper for the prize
NaPoWriMo2016
Join poets around the world for #NaPoWriMo this April. Find new meaning in words.
Fluid Forrest
April 28, 2016
— 1 Comment
Lazy floating clouds float over the roaring river in the canyon deep and steep
Rushing rapids, fishing birds, pine forrest covers the hillside where strangers sleep
Enveloped in dreamtime full of predictions, curses, spells, natural magic double
Sifting through remnants of vanishing memories found by picking in the rubble
Of abandoned relationships, casues, philosophy, belief, loyalty learned by rote
The current of memory is swift, rocking and shaking the flimsy leaking boat
Carrying karma back to the tributaries, evaporation lifts moisture toward the sky
The cycles are eternal never breaking the contract first to float and then to fly
NaPoWriMo2016
Join the poets of the world at #NaPoWriMo in April to read, write, and indulge in poetry.
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