Socialism - NOT

A week ago a boss cut his salary so he could raise the salary of his workers to 70K/year. Most responses said YEA... some people did not like it. It sounds good to me! The most significant criticism I read was that it would "likely inspire resentment among colleagues who once sat on the higher end of the pay divide". That is possible but really? I ask really because sometimes (even legally) it is not clear who is making what.

Furthermore - I don't think this is socialism nor charity. I think it may primarily be what Dan Price said it is... a way to highlight the great pay/income divide which our country is experiencing and to try to change that divide.

Rather then consider that there may be happier employees who may be more productive at Gravity Payments (the company which Dan Price owns) I would look at other employers where CEOs and other high level administrators get outrageously high salaries and where those salaries are based, not on work done or productivity, but is based on what others in that class get... AND THEN when regular workers ask for pay increases based on what others doing similar work are getting elsewhere these same CEOs/Administrators have and exercise the power of NO. And they usually can succeed in todays world where the solidarity and strength of workers in UNIONS is so much weaker then it was in the days when 40 hour work weeks, and minimum wages, and sick and vacation days, and other rather taken for granted by many work rules were demanded and gotten!

Greed and power are apparent as CEOs and others like them (university presidents for example, from my life) as they take wage increases for themselves while blocking similar wage increases for professors, librarians, janitors, nurses, etc, etc, etc....

Power and greed! Take it or leave it or fight it. Are the times changing? I think they should change. I think that someone earning several million dollars a year can live on a couple of million dollars less a year. REALLY. I think someone almost surviving on minimum wage can maybe thrive, he/she and children, with a living wage which will pay bills and put more money into more places in the economy then the rich are doing. REALLY.

But I am not a few things... I am not an economist who can prove some of these assertions. I am not good at pursuading others. I am not powerful.

I was a union member and did some negotiating. The other side was unfair, powerful, secretive, and very hard to move. My co-workers could not effectively strike and we didn't. We didn't succeed as well as we deserved.... while more adminstrators got hired and higher and higher salaries even as rhetoric from the top said... less administration and administrative costs... Information is power and public relations can put out bad information and too many people equate unions with higher costs or taxes and laziness. REALLY?

Unions are made of people who want to work well and be effective and be treated fairly and reasonably. Workers go into work to work. They want to be productive. They do not want to be bored. They do not want to sit around and do nothing. We all want to work well. We want to use our time well. Isn't that how YOU WOULD DO IT? Or are YOU A SLACKER....???  Look into yourself and find the best in you and see the best in others. It is there because if it is not there it isn't anywhere!

oh yea... the Death Tax

We all think that people should benefit from the work they do. They should earn a decent living for a decent job... etc, etc... Yes - I am being vague....

What about children of the rich? How much should they benefit from the work of others... - their parents for instance? Well - traditionally the wealth of families has stayed within the families and essentially that is ok - but not an absolute right and certainly there are variations. For instance - in some cultures the children inherited the wealth of their parents in equal shares amongst the children. In other cultures - only the first born inherited and HE (usually that was part of the system) inherited ALL with younger siblings having to do something for themselves.

Well - what about today? Today - families choose how to distribute their wealth after deaths. AND -- during life - the children also benefit from private schooling where a good education and connections are had. Good...

BUT -- really - is it not OK to take some of the billions and billions of dollars from a family which has had the benefits of lots and lots of money and move some of it out of the family and to workers and consumers and others who have been part of the whole system and who have contributed, really - to the wealth of the wealthy? REALLY!?

Yes - I want some benefits of my work to go to my children. And yes - they have benefited from a reasonably good public education (in my town of Davis, CA and in the public universities of California). And yes - others should benefit, too. I can share and others can share and sharing and redistributing wealth is sharing which is for the benefit of ALL!

the cost of space exploration and infrastructure...

When we spend money for space exploration that money and most planetary resources (iron, aluminum, oil, gas, --- nuts and bolts... and all) is used on Earth and stays on Earth. Only a very little in the way of resources (and no money) is on the way to Mars or Jupiter or the Space Station or the Moon. All the money is circulating in our economy and I think that is good.

There was a note I saw that said: A one trillion dollar investment in our infra-structures (roads, wiring, rails, bridges, school buildings, etc) would create 13 million jobs.... AND the money would circulate in our economy. GOOD!

Am I wrong?

its getting better all the time.. right?

I hope things are getting better. Had chinese food yesterday with Michael and the fortune cookie said; "A lifetime of happiness lies before you".

SO -- I wnet to find that fortune message since I am following a way of an old friend who put her fortunes into a bowl so she could take one out anytime she needed the kinds of messages you get. Nice!

Another thing others do with fortune cookie messages is they add a phrase at the end of the message, that phrase being; "in bed". That, too, is nice.

I look forward to future happiness as I sit here contentedly mindful that things are good, have been good, will be good, and have also been difficult, are difficult, and will be difficult. I hope to be able to meet what comes with equanimity.....

Whatever equanimity is!? Is it calm, is it openess, is it peace, is it love?

And thinking of love -- I need to take a break and move washed clothes to the clothes dryer. Back soon....

And now I am back.....

Politics is on my mind and I wonder why the Democratic Party can't win every election almost everywhere since they really do serve all the people all the time with some take-aways from the rich. Those take-aways though have the advantage of being fair as they are done to all equally. Yet even people who are not rich and who get many, many benefits from the policies of the Democratic Party do not vote Democratic. And may never! Why? Because of some social issues such as abortion and gay marriage, perhaps. Because of hopes that someday they will be in the place of the rich and they want those benefits then. Because of hate for those they think really/only benefit? I really wonder!? And most importantly I wonder how to achieve a different result!? ALSO -- I am NOT sure that if more people voted - especially those who are very poor and tired - I am not sure they would vote their basic interests or they would vote in a similar way that people are now voting... on a curve which does not match up with what they actually get and need and even want.


Information and mis-information makes it very difficult to decide well. Fact-checking web-sites help but nothing is absolutely clear-cut enough to be absolutely convincing... or so it seems. On balance I believe what comes from the Democratic Party and less so from the Republicans. On balance I believe - Democrats TRULY CARE FOR OTHERS while Republicans essentially ONLY CARE FOR THEMSELVES... Yet having said that it is also true that each of us needs to take care of ourselves first and then we can care for others... it is as the airlines say - put the oxygen mask on yourself and then your child, etc. HOWEVER --- in the political world the people making laws and policies have already taken very good care of themselves. They, if they really were good! - would being taking the best care now and always of others.

when stressed

Writing when stressed can be difficult especially when putting down in a public space complaints and concerns related to the stress is not what I want to do... BUT I am stressed today. Enough said!

An issue to consider is ... ??? I don't know. What about foster parenting or traveling to volunteer somewhere doing something. What about giving plasma? What about the effect of such things on others in my life? Children, partners, friends? Most people are happy to hear about my doing any of these things although each has its downsides. Health relative to plasma. Long term committment relative to foster parenting. Overseas volunteering might be near dangerous places and in any case is far away.

Well - nothing is perfect for everyone! I can think of so many interesting things about all of these ideas and I have other ideas, too.

I could go back into the congregation's library and do stuff there. I could get some group together to read through the Ustinov play. I could join another chorus. I could add practicing piano to my "Agenda" and could even find a teacher who I could talk and learn with. I could look at the Davis Senior Center for things to do. I could call some people I know and make some plans or at least ask some questions. LOTS TO DO!!!! So much....

Write book reports for myself. Write movie reviews for myself. Read more. Go to more movies. Etc, etc, etc..

And that is all for today... short, sweet... sour... but at least done a little.

Hilary, Hilary... and the Democrats, imho

I have an opinion about how the upcoming USA Presidential should be done. I am a Democrat and very happy being part of the party which has a heart and a soul and which really cares. It cares about the many diverse groups that compose the party including the very rich and the very poor. I believe that with the money and the people available to the Democratic Party that it could win both the White House AND the Congress and I hope it does.

I would like to see the campagne run on electing BOTH the party's presidential candidate and the representatives and senators of the party in all districts. I would like to see that stated boldly and everywhere and I hope all the candidates can be in agreement are certain basics such as climate change, taxation, Social Security, education, homeland security, universal (or near universal) health care, human rights for all, and other issues which are national and political in nature.

All political issues are also economic issues. We get what we pay for and if we pay less and less into our pooled resouces, which is our government, then we will get less and less government and the fact is that there is good to government.

What is good about government? Government protects all of us. With less taxes coming into to government for police departments we get less police protection and we need private security and private, company police departments which are paid for by those rich enough to pay for such things. The same thing happens with education. I suspect the fall of good public schools for all has been mirrored by the rise of private schooling for those who can afford it or otherwise need it. Those who otherwise need it probably and sadly include those who have beliefs which are narrow and prejudiced. Thus there has been a general abandonment of public schools in many places. And the home-schooling movement is part of the declines in public funding for schools. This is rational to a point. Why would a home-schooler want to pay for public schools they are not using. The same thing may be said by the rich who send their children to private schools and who figure out how to pay as little in taxes as legally possible. THE LAWS NEED CHANGING. Everyone should pay their fair shares for the good of all AND I would go further and say that all Americans should spend some time together in public schools so that understanding and knowledge and connections can be experienced.

We need to pay for education for all, protection for all, and there are other things that effect us all and which needs to be paid for!

(I left off my list of issues abortion because I think, first of all, itis a human rights issue, secondly, it is a generally settled issue, and thirdly is is a matter of personal conscience and choice for a women and her most local commuunities (family, religious, town, etc). If a women chooses to have an abortion I hope all communities would support her in that decision but if some do not then I don't think those opposed can be forced to be accepting although everyone needs to be civil within parameters which are respectful and that privacy for all should be maintained. NOTE: this is a complex and personal issue which may be beyond the realms of the political but which has been brought into the realm of the political so that other broader and more universal issues get sidetracked or held hostage. YES there are those who argue that it is THE issue which MUST be decided one way or the other but I think that the issue is best decided privately as are so many aspects of sex and families and marriages and values are essentially personal and private. Having said this I know that some will not let this issue alone and some will contend for ever for the rights of those they think need to have certain rights. I think there are limits which apply to the born and the unborn and those limits are hard to define and really settle on for all. Therefore, personal, private choice in each instance should be well honored and known. (but I am vague here, am I not! The abortion issue is very difficult to rationally and comprehensively discuss as the two basic sides seem very uncompromising. SO..moving on... and beyond this true quagmire....)

a new day this week

NOTE I am in writing time and I have realized that sometimes I don't have something I want to write about and sometimes I will go back and edit to improve what I have already written. Today could be that day....

NOTE TOO -- this is not a journal as much as it is a place for my essay and/or memoir types of things.

Writing today -- a memoir of: Bicycles and me

(I struggled a bit today to get something written and then choosing something "memorable" to write about was not easy)

I have had a long history of difficulties with the two-wheeled human powered vehicle known as a bicycle. There are many notable memories including: it took me a long time to learn to ride, I broke my arm riding my bike soon after leaning to ride, I almost got caught by my father riding my bike where I should not have been riding (and where I had been doing nefarious things), I rode into Manhattan from the city line in Queens (a pretty long ride), after getting married I discovered my wife could not ride a bike and we worked at getting her to know how, my older daughter learned to ride her bike quickly (oh how I worried!), and my daughters had bikes given and then taken away from them by a step dad somewhat because of me.

Today I live in Davis, CA which is arguably the Bicycle Capital of the United States of America. I have commuted to work at times and this spring I may finally get a new bike. I ride an old, used, 10-speed Nishiki, I have an old 3-speed Raulegh which was my ex-wife's, I have a heavy but good tandem bike, and I think there is another women's Nishiki here, too.

When I was about five years old I began to try to learn to ride a bicycle. All my friends tried and did learn to ride. I had several bikes of various sizes which my father either purchased or borrowed for me so as to help me learn. I used training wheels and there was a lot of help given to me. BUT I did not learn. The years passed and I did not know how to ride a bike while all my friends did ride and I had to try to run after them to keep up and I hate running, but that is another story! I lived in a surburban area of Queens which is a borough of New York City and kids walked to school. Bikes were not used for transportation as much as they were toys to play with. At least for five year olds, and six and seven and etc. year olds.

Just before my 9th birthday, which was in August, 1958, I had some time on my hands and I decided to learn to ride a bike!!! I essentially went into seclusion with my bike in a small parking lot and spent hours and days trying to stay upright while riding the bike on its two wheels. Finally! I could ride and I told my mother to come a watch which she did and she said after a little while - "So, can you make a turn?" WELL I could not at that time and so she left and I spent another couple of hours and days figuring out how to turn and turn and turn! By mid-July, 1958 I could ride a bike and turn it and stop it.

I then went off to camp for three weeks. When I returned home I got on my bike a rode. The bike was a cruiser type with coaster brakes operated by one's feet. All my friends would ride down this dirt hill and they had been doing that for a while. I rode down that hill, too, but it was a bit difficult for me as I was not very experienced and one day, in late August, 1958, I rode down that hill, lost control of the steering and speed, got my feet straight up and down so I could not apply the foot brakes and went into a wall! I cushioned the blow by stretching out my hands and thus broke my right wrist. By the way -- I had some trouble identifying my right from my left until I broke my right wrist! Even today I will look at my right wrist and say -- ah that is the right and therefore the other side is the left.

After hitting that wall I was hurt, my head was bruised, my wrist hurt and I left my bike and went home crying! My mother (mom's were generally home in those days!) knew something was especially wrong since I had left my bike at the site of the accident. This was the same hill and site where I had a snow-sledding accident a year or so earlier but then I brought my sled home (there was a friend who helped at that time and this bike accident happened when I was alone).

The hill and the wall are still there but some fencing has been erected since (many years later, I think) and so using that little hill for fun is not possible any longer.

My difficulty in learning how to ride a bike came to mind years later when my daughter Sarah began riding a bicycle. She started on a tricycle. She graduated to a two wheeler with training wheels and one day her friend took the training wheels off her own bike and started to ride on two wheels. This meant that my daughter needed to graduate off of the training wheels and I remember thinking, I hope she can, I hope she can, I hope she can!!!! I didn't share these concerns with Sarah and maybe not with her mom, either. The hour came when Sarah had me remove the training wheels and set her off on her own on just two wheels. AND SHE DID IT!! I was so proud and happy and relieved.

And now I am wondering -- how did Amy learn to ride a two wheeler and when? Maybe at about the same age as Sarah and without her father hiding any angst since Sarah had lead the way so well. I will have to ask her.

All the other memories about bicycles pale in comparison to the memories of learning how to ride. Here in Davis, CA, years later, I would begin wearing a helmet so to encourage my daughters to wear helmets. I wanted them to do as
I did not as I only said. In one occasion the helmet saved me from a big bump (or worse). I feel naked if I am sometimes riding without a helmet. I rarely do that. I think the last time I rode without a helmet was the evening I rode the tandem bike back from the fund-raising auction where I got it. That was an interesting ride since I had drunk several glasses of wine and I didn't have a helmet, but nor did I have a truck to bring this big bike home.

And so it goes.... Soon I may buy myself a brand new modern bike!

GROW world population - not!

Do we need more or fewer people in our world? Why or why not? More importantly HOW do we support more people on this finite planet or HOW do we reduce the world's population without a catastrophic collapse of civilizations as we know them?

Recently the news reported that China was modifying its one-child policy. It was going to allow or encourage couples to have additional children. Today's New York Times reported on sex education in Denmark a modification of the curriculum. It the past the emphasis was on how to prevent pregancy and now they are teaching how to increase pregnancies. More people are needed in these and other countries for the future economic viability of these countries as they consider of death and disappearance of cultures and nations.

Fifty years ago we heard about Zero Population Growth. There was and may still be an organization by that name. Today we hear about climate change and global warming and how much of the cause is due to human activities. In some parts of the world there is often famine and death. California is in the middle of a major draught which demonstrates the limits on how many people can be supported by the water resources in the state.

Population growth is outstripping the generally available resources of The World. By generally available I mean easily available or naturally available. Take the example of water. Rain and snow and ground water and runnoff into reservoirs is rather natural and even water conservation may be rather easy. Desalinization is a hard, unnatural, and costly alternative which seems unlimitted. Global warming can be reduced by changing from a carbon-based energy system to a solar and wind and other such sources of energy. Reducing the world population can also be helpful.

The difficult question is now can we reduce world population so that economies do not collapse and cultures are not lost?

I offer that question without knowing a clear positive answer. A positive answer would be, I think, some systematic and planned changes to how things are done in our world which would be implimented gradually and peacefully. Yes - PEACEFULLY. Change can come by way of evolution or by way of revolution. I hope we can consciously evolve and change and survive and thrive.

A way forward would have all people working towards goals such as the four freedoms which are freedom of speech, freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion. More to my point people need to be free from many things such as concerns about enough food, appropriate shelter, and clothing. Freedom from "wants" can be achieved today if we distribute goods and services well. It has been scandalous in a world where people go hungry to hear about the destruction of fruits and vegetables because they can't shipped and sold. The distribution of goods and services to all on the basis of basic needs can be done on the basis of religious righteousness, Judeo-Christian goodness or political expediency, socialism/communism. There are probably other means of redistributing wealth and the question will we find the will and the way by fair and democratic means or will the question be anwered by catatrophes such as wars, disease, or dictatorships.

Growing the world's population seems to be a way towards the future which is understood by many because it does answer the question of the future of economies in the short term, i.e. the next 50 to 100 years. This will likely result in many people surviving for a while and some people thriving for a while.  OR we can use the time to help many people thrive. Everyone needs to do what is needed, I think, and that includes creating new wealth and relinquishing old wealth. Instead of growing the world's population grow the amount of goods and services that each individual has ready access to. SHARE! Share resources and energy and information and sweat and money. Everyone give up somethings for the good of everyone. Quality instead of quantity. The best instead of the most. Solid homes and distribution systems! Good lives for the number of people who can live in a sustainable world. Not too few people and not too many people. Some number - just right - for a good future!

Trust and faith

Trust! Trust yourself. Trust your partners. Trust G-d.

Trusting oneself or one's partners (friends, spouses, neighbors, etc) is problematical and so we test ourselves and others to see if we can trust. Do we analyze issues and come to conclusions which are right? Do our partners do what we want, need, expect?

To trust is to expect something. It is more then hope which lacks the quality of expectation. To trust in G-d is to trust that right and justice and mercy, all together or any one of those will be done. We expect that G-d will do all that is correct. Which combinations or which ones are G-d's to chose and open to our observations and interpretation.  There is uncertainty about what we see and think or feel and when combined with WHEN things are done our trust is often a matter of patiently waiting and waiting and sometimes not realizing in a lifetime.

So, faith is needed. To trust one must have faith. Faith is the absolute basis for knowing anything and as noted in another essay: faith should not be blind although at some point in ones thinking or feeling one comes to a point where ones ability to know is at the edge of an abyss.

Yes an abyss. The abyss is a chasm which cannot be crossed. It is where you step forward and fall and die or where you stop and turn and live. The abyss is the limit of knowledge and capability and talent. It is different for each person and it is real. In some ways the abyss also changes as we move though life and checking on the abyss is part of life.

Trust and faith are linked to the extent each is strong and powerful in our lives. The stronger our faith the more we can trust. In ourselves, our partners, our G-d. The three aspects, me, you, G-d, give us three areas in which to practice having faith and trusting.

To conclude today - it is my great burden to be a person who struggles to trust and who struggles with the faith needed to trust. I hope I can be more comfortable with faith and therefor trust soon!

forgiveness for what?

I think a lot about forgiveness. There have been and will be more that I will write about forgiveness and today I wonder:  what do I or anyone have to forgive? What needs to be forgiven? I do something, something is done to me, something happens to me, accidents happen, etc, etc.. Stuff (shit?) happens! Regretting that something happened or was done is one result of our actions. When does forgiveness come to be or seem to be necessary? What do I have a right or need to demand forgiveness?

One thought that comes quickly to mind is that I have no control over the actions of others nor can I control random acts, events, etc. If I do not have control over anything or anyone except myself then how can I hope for or expect an apology and the forgiveness that comes from that exchange.

I strongly think forgiveness is a negotiation between parties. Self-forgiveness is useful and maybe necessary and is also a negotiation between a person's inner selves, past, present, future, etc. Forgiveness is a feeling that sooths and promotes hope for the future. Forgiveness is always a matter of the past dealing with the present for the sake of the future.

Some say (Albert Ellis, et al) that we all have too many shoulds and it would be better for our mental health if we had, instead, preferences. Should that are not met engender the need for forgiveness. Preferences are a lot less absolute and demanding of forgiveness. Preferences may engender personal feelings of regret and as I hear people say they have no regrets I really wonder if regrets are a true and useful rationalization.

Regret is personal and we can control what and how we regret something. Forgiveness I argue is interpersonal and each of us does NOT have control over another who we may think needs to apologize. And while we can forgive ourselves I think getting over our regrets is the better issue and work.

More later, sometime.

Faith but not blind

In a recent post I tried to explain how I have faith in science at some point in my understanding of scientific knowledge and theories. One point to make that wasn't made before is related to the word: theory. In science almost all is theory with the possibility that new information will change if not confirm some theory. In other words, science always has its eyes open, so to speak. Science is not blind.

Faith is at the core of all religious systems and in my opinion the key to being a religious person is to have faith with my eyes open. I hope to have my faith confirmed and if not then have my faith redirected more correctly.

Most of us (all of us?) do not know everything there is to know about all the sciences or all religions (or even all of our own religion) and so most/all of us will always be learning something new if we keep our minds, hearts, and spirits open to new information and experiences. With openess may come input which challenges and/or clarifies and/or changes our current knowledge. And so - if we can see new inputs, if we are not blind to new information, then we can, I hope, progress to what is really real! Whatever that is!

Aprez Passover, 2015

Actually, it is only the beginning of day 3 of Passover and by "aprez" I mean after the first two days and the two Seders. Seder 1 was lovely at the home of a friend and Seder 2 was good, too, at my house. I got a lot of help from Diane and as this was our third seder that we hosted things went pretty well as we worked well as a team.

At this year's seder I asked only that people bring wine and I cooked, as did Diane, all the foods (except Diane's friend Lorna brought the primary desserts as they don't drink wine and she does desserts VERY well!), The main course was was brisket which came out well and there was gefilte fish and matzah ball soup and egg soup and kugels (sweet noodle and potato) as well as broccoli and a salad. It WAS a lot of work but I was very happy doing it and it went very well in terms of coordination and collaboration. As is my mantra: no one went hungry and no one reported any food-poisoning.

The "adult" seder was comfortable and there were lots of questions and discussions as well as basic movement through the haggadah.

One question raised was: Do I have any unanswered questions about Passover? To that question I wondered - how do I really feel the commanded feelings: view yourself as if it was you who went out from Egypt?

Michael brought up the issue of the NARROW space though which we live our lives. We are constricted and less then free as we might be. What does that mean to us in our daily lives? An old song ends with a verse: "Freedom is a work I rarely use when I'm thinking --- of the times when I've been loved." That thought is most interesting all the time for me. I am loved and I love and I am free and I wonder about freedom and doing all the things it is possible for me to do. Things that I, especially I, can do!! Traveling and being still and volunteering (here or there?) and playing and reading and consuming and building and maybe producing and GENERALLY IMPROVING MYSELF are all possibilities for me. I do not have to restrict, constrict, or otherwise limit myself, really!

The idea of Generally Improving Myself - GIMing me -- refers mostly, today, to my physical, medical self. I need to lose weight, gain muscular strength, and regain flexibility. AND I CAN DO THAT! -- I do work out most days (with breaks for health or travels). I CAN eat better! I can stretch and walk more. SO .....

And this is Aprez (after) Passover (the first two days), 2015.

FAITH

FAITH -- I realize how little I know about fundamental physics while still knowing a lot about general physics and others sciences. The point  is - science at the places where it is most correct or nearing correct and comprehensive explanations is not something I am likely to ever really understand. Quantom particles, string theory, multi-verses, infinity, space and/or time curvature, etc. I have heard of these things all my life. I am comfortable believing that there are scientists who do understand this stuff and that it is important. I am left, essentially, with a belief in science. I have faith science done right? is good! And that is also the essence of my faith in G-d and religious teachings. Done right = good!

the economy and taxes and who care!?

The economy ... our society --- really what is up with taxation and costs and payments for such important things as education and roads and safety. The rich can take care of those things themselves (private schools, personal drivers, pilots, etc. and private security). AND when they pay for those things they have no incentive to pay fairly into the community pot for others. Really - they are not using those basics! Same goes for some not so rich when it comes to schools. Private schools blossomed, I think, in relation to racism and again the general public doesn't see why they should pay for something they are not using!

So - simply put - taxation is currently too low to support important aspects of our society and that IS rational from the point of view of those who pay little and who are rich enough to not be concerned. The rich can take care of themselves and everybody wants to take care of themselves and few really want to take care of others. And so here we are!