These are the last few moments that I have access to my Savannah Tech office. I have "done the rounds" and said "good-bye" to all my closest friends here -- no tears, just joy. Many of them asked if they could go with me -- which bespeaks the state of morale here.
Leaving STC is easy -- but not for those left behind. For them the "greener grass" on the other side of the fence always beckons. As it should. Right now this is a "deprived place" to work -- low salaries, good students, very little hope of upward mobility, or positive change --- especially for the faculty and low-level administration.
Given the budget cuts, hiring freezes, and general stupidity in the State Legislature of Georgia (too many Republicans! too many Trumpians!) -- prospects for the future of Georgia education, on this level at least, are slim to none.
So, RESIST while you can, as you should!!!
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Monday, January 8, 2018
Final Crisis in America
This piece does not concern Donald Trump: his impeachment, his removal from office via the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, his indictment, his resignation, his disgrace, his hospitalization for mental problems, his bankruptcy, his moral repugnance. It does however concern each of us -- all of us: Americans, world citizens, peoples of all nations, all human beings!
We are the creators of our own future. We in America made a mistake in electing Trump as President; we must now "get past him." We must not only survive him, but also put aside all our own overt and covert attempts to "use him" to achieve our own selfish agendas. Yes, we have a "tax cut/restructuring;" yes, it will aid the rich and the corporations most of all; yes, we have allowed a selfish set of actions to override our "good common sense."
But what now? Now we must survive -- we must get back to a sense of holistic "balance." We must regain and re-establish our morals and mores. This is not the "end times." This is not the "omega of America"; is it the "alpha time." It is the time to love, help, support, and triumph over greed. Be a Warren Buffet instead of a Paul Ryan; be a Bill and Melinda Gates instead of a Donald and Ivanka Trump. Be a humanist instead of a capitalist!
And continue to "RESIST."
We are the creators of our own future. We in America made a mistake in electing Trump as President; we must now "get past him." We must not only survive him, but also put aside all our own overt and covert attempts to "use him" to achieve our own selfish agendas. Yes, we have a "tax cut/restructuring;" yes, it will aid the rich and the corporations most of all; yes, we have allowed a selfish set of actions to override our "good common sense."
But what now? Now we must survive -- we must get back to a sense of holistic "balance." We must regain and re-establish our morals and mores. This is not the "end times." This is not the "omega of America"; is it the "alpha time." It is the time to love, help, support, and triumph over greed. Be a Warren Buffet instead of a Paul Ryan; be a Bill and Melinda Gates instead of a Donald and Ivanka Trump. Be a humanist instead of a capitalist!
And continue to "RESIST."
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Sex and Love
Together, in the same relationship, sex and love are beautiful and humanly perfect. Or as perfect as humans can get. Ecstasy is as close to physical perfection as a human being can get.
I will not talk about Divinity, spiritual perfection, God, Angels or Saints in this regard. I have no "direct" experience of any of them except through "faith" -- which is true of most of us. Sex is in my level of experience -- and is the reason I believe that "sex is not a sin" -- in nearly all cases. Sex as power is a sin; sex with the unwilling is a sin; sex across species is probably a sin; sex without purpose is also probably a sin. Sex for pleasure is not a sin; nor is sex for enjoyment; sex without the intention of procreation is also not a sin.
Religions generally are afraid of sex -- they (the religions) label sex as "the original sin" equating it with Adam/Eve and the Forbidden Fruit in the Garden of Eden. So God punished mankind for eating an apple? (More likely a peach or mango?) Why? Because God is vengeful -- or doesn't understand his own creation -- or has some kind of "hang-up" about sex? I don't think so; and neither do you.
If the "original sin" is something as small as sex -- then God is not God, but is a human fiction created by men to limit human behavior. Religion as a belief system, as a moral structure, can be a wonderful aid to mankind. But as a limiting power, as a parameter of what is human; religion itself is driven by the worst constraints within humanity, and is thus, immoral (or at least amoral).
So, continue to resist -- the stupid, the unthinking, the denizens of repression and inhumanity.
I will not talk about Divinity, spiritual perfection, God, Angels or Saints in this regard. I have no "direct" experience of any of them except through "faith" -- which is true of most of us. Sex is in my level of experience -- and is the reason I believe that "sex is not a sin" -- in nearly all cases. Sex as power is a sin; sex with the unwilling is a sin; sex across species is probably a sin; sex without purpose is also probably a sin. Sex for pleasure is not a sin; nor is sex for enjoyment; sex without the intention of procreation is also not a sin.
Religions generally are afraid of sex -- they (the religions) label sex as "the original sin" equating it with Adam/Eve and the Forbidden Fruit in the Garden of Eden. So God punished mankind for eating an apple? (More likely a peach or mango?) Why? Because God is vengeful -- or doesn't understand his own creation -- or has some kind of "hang-up" about sex? I don't think so; and neither do you.
If the "original sin" is something as small as sex -- then God is not God, but is a human fiction created by men to limit human behavior. Religion as a belief system, as a moral structure, can be a wonderful aid to mankind. But as a limiting power, as a parameter of what is human; religion itself is driven by the worst constraints within humanity, and is thus, immoral (or at least amoral).
So, continue to resist -- the stupid, the unthinking, the denizens of repression and inhumanity.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Exposing Donald Trump
Literally hundreds of blogs, columns, postings, and podcasts have already exposed the "real Donald Trump" for what he is, a man unfit to be President of the United States. That is my opinion, as one who has seen Donald Trump lie openly in a courtroom; and deceive millions more in all media.
Donald Trump is my President, unfortunately. I can honestly say I did not vote for him, though some friends and relatives of mine did. Nonetheless, I am ashamed of him. Every day he embarrasses us by his petty over-sensitive "hubris." Every day he besmirches the office and the power of the Executive Branch by his over-reaching use of statements, opinions, directives, and intentions. He is certainly living up to his campaign promises -- though I think none of us expected him to be as crass, stupid, and autocratic as he openly appeared during the campaign.
Trump fooled us all then. But he can't fool anyone now. He is a schoolyard bully -- a feeble excuse for a leader; a ridiculous non-example for our children. Though he is not the "anti-Christ" he may be the least interesting man in the world. He is a Wharton "bumpkin" with neither social nor political savvy. He is a L-O-S-E-R!
I am not lying when I say I "pray" for the end of the "real Donald Trump" era.
Resist!!
Donald Trump is my President, unfortunately. I can honestly say I did not vote for him, though some friends and relatives of mine did. Nonetheless, I am ashamed of him. Every day he embarrasses us by his petty over-sensitive "hubris." Every day he besmirches the office and the power of the Executive Branch by his over-reaching use of statements, opinions, directives, and intentions. He is certainly living up to his campaign promises -- though I think none of us expected him to be as crass, stupid, and autocratic as he openly appeared during the campaign.
Trump fooled us all then. But he can't fool anyone now. He is a schoolyard bully -- a feeble excuse for a leader; a ridiculous non-example for our children. Though he is not the "anti-Christ" he may be the least interesting man in the world. He is a Wharton "bumpkin" with neither social nor political savvy. He is a L-O-S-E-R!
I am not lying when I say I "pray" for the end of the "real Donald Trump" era.
Resist!!
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
The New Era of Trumpdumb
Trump claims that "deregulation" is the key to prosperity; that the "only thing holding back 'winning' is the government's interference with corporations (via taxes, control of toxins, control of human rights in the workplace, health regulations for consumers, etc.). His notion that all will be well if the corporations will be in charge of everything and "deals" will mean prosperity for all --are outright lies, and at the very least "naive and superficial" solutions to world level problems: destruction of the earth through pollution, extinction of species due to uncontrolled use of resources, putting hardships on the poor and the non-corporate types via paying for the messes that will follow.
Trump's claims are so moronic and one-sided (including his condemnation of Obama policies as well as those of all former Presidents) that they are a nightmare of ego and solipsistic hubris. Trump is not so much insane as he is non-sane. When crises come, and they will; Trump will continue to blame others, the Democrats, the "deep state," the Liberals -- and he will pass into history as the man that sanity forgot.
Trump's claims are so moronic and one-sided (including his condemnation of Obama policies as well as those of all former Presidents) that they are a nightmare of ego and solipsistic hubris. Trump is not so much insane as he is non-sane. When crises come, and they will; Trump will continue to blame others, the Democrats, the "deep state," the Liberals -- and he will pass into history as the man that sanity forgot.
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Drinking and Other Addictions
Do Americans realize how much drinking alcohol has increased over the last decade? As much as the reliance on opioids, pain killers, and other addictive behaviors. Games and gaming, (and soon) virtual reality, exercise, diet changes, sex, porn, and even simpler things like shopping, travel, and social media use -- all of these, in their extreme, could be classified as addictions.
The results are also clear -- all the addictions, which are deviations and excesses that pull us away from a balanced life style, result in damage to our overall health. Sometimes that damage is psychological (we pretend we are doing what's best for us); sometimes the damage is physical (organs, blood pressure, brain health, and cellular health) can all be damaged by excess. And yet we continue.
I am no crazed apostle of balance and long life. By simple observation I perceive that Americans are increasingly harming themselves. Why? Perhaps to compensate for what's happening around us: crime, gangs, drugs, immorality, character lapses, and even the collapse of old institutions and mores like: government, the legal and ministerial professions, and our own standards of good behavior.
Take a look at your own life -- are you living the best life you can. Are you happy, or just medicated. Are you willing to do the work to achieve what you want?
In any case you must: RESIST!
The results are also clear -- all the addictions, which are deviations and excesses that pull us away from a balanced life style, result in damage to our overall health. Sometimes that damage is psychological (we pretend we are doing what's best for us); sometimes the damage is physical (organs, blood pressure, brain health, and cellular health) can all be damaged by excess. And yet we continue.
I am no crazed apostle of balance and long life. By simple observation I perceive that Americans are increasingly harming themselves. Why? Perhaps to compensate for what's happening around us: crime, gangs, drugs, immorality, character lapses, and even the collapse of old institutions and mores like: government, the legal and ministerial professions, and our own standards of good behavior.
Take a look at your own life -- are you living the best life you can. Are you happy, or just medicated. Are you willing to do the work to achieve what you want?
In any case you must: RESIST!
Friday, December 29, 2017
Life is...
Finding ways to help others. Giving love and receiving love. Hoping for tomorrow. Honoring yesterday. Listening to other people. Listening to your own heart and mind. Helping all children to thrive. Realizing that not everyone is like you. Hugging others without hidden agendas. Being unafraid to speak the truth.
Life is also...all about time and energy. Working for the greater good. Helping understanding spread throughout the universe. Respecting time passing. Honoring all generations. Smiling at the sun. Surviving the extremes in life, love, and the weather.
Being yourself. Living up to...your own expectations. Loving yourself first. Expecting and honoring beings greater than yourself. Kissing the world ... on all its levels. Touching what needs to be touched. Rendering to caesar what is caesar's, and to God what is God's. Opening up your mind and keeping it open.
Continuing to "resist."
Life is also...all about time and energy. Working for the greater good. Helping understanding spread throughout the universe. Respecting time passing. Honoring all generations. Smiling at the sun. Surviving the extremes in life, love, and the weather.
Being yourself. Living up to...your own expectations. Loving yourself first. Expecting and honoring beings greater than yourself. Kissing the world ... on all its levels. Touching what needs to be touched. Rendering to caesar what is caesar's, and to God what is God's. Opening up your mind and keeping it open.
Continuing to "resist."
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