Sideline Comments on Israel-Hamas War

The war between Israel and Hamas demands that the U.S. Government and its political leaders act responsibly, cautiously and forcefully. But it’s national election time and as the RNC Chairwoman proclaimed this crisis is a “great opportunity” for Republican candidates. It may be a better opportunity for Republicans to get their house in order and elect a Speaker of the House who won’t disgrace Congress as so many of its members are doing (Gaetz, Greene, Boebert, Jordan, Santos etc.).

I question whether the hatred and enmity between Israel and Hamas is that much different than between Democrats and Republicans.

Can anyone imagine how Donald Trump would handle this crisis if he were now President? I can’t imagine…

So many lies already…Republicans falsely claiming that the Iran money unfrozen by Washington was used to finance these attacks. Have they no shame????

If any of the hostages in Gaza are American, this would greatly acerbate the danger of this crisis worldwide. The images of women being assaulted and families separated are horrifying enough.

I don’t think that the Israeli people are interested in a negotiated settlement. The U.S. was not interested in a negotiated settlement after 9/11, just revenge.

Scary how the level of outrage is muted even within the U.S. about this atrocity. Harvard students blaming Israel for the attack, deaths and abductions???

Civille Bellum

As I grow older, my sense of disappointment toward my country, its government, and its people deepens. I was born seven years after our nation, as part of the Allied forces, achieved a significant victory over the original Axis powers—Germany, Japan, and Italy. At the age of 17, I witnessed our space program successfully landing a man on the moon, less than seven years after President John F. Kennedy made that ambitious commitment. I struggle to find a comparable scientific or societal achievement in my lifetime.

However, today, our education system appears to be in disarray. Many students are graduating from schools without essential skills such as reading, writing, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities. It’s disheartening to see that issues like abortion, civil rights, and equal rights, once believed to be resolved, are now being re-litigated, forcing us to fight battles we thought we had already won. Shocking events like school shootings and instances of political corruption fail to galvanize the public as they once did; they are met with indifference and apathy.

Decades ago, our nation had a responsible and respected press. Figures like Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings, Edward R. Murrow, David Broder, and David Brinkley delivered the news. Today, however, a concerning number of people consume propaganda rather than news, relying on figures like Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Fox News. Contemporary news media seems more focused on inciting emotions than providing factual information.

It’s astonishing to witness individuals like Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Jim Jordan, and Marjorie Taylor Greene holding influential positions in Congress. These individuals now occupy the same halls once walked by statesmen like David Webster, John Calhoun, John McCain, and James Madison.

Our national politics have become a source of mockery. The leading Republican candidate for President is currently embroiled in legal troubles, including accusations of inflating assets for loans, election interference in Georgia, misuse of confidential documents, hush money payments to a porn star, and attempts to overturn certified election results. He has even lost a civil case involving sexual assault allegations. Shockingly, a significant portion of our populace, including many religious individuals, remains supportive of him.

In contrast, Joe Biden now serves as the country’s “Paul von Hindenburg,” an aged politician placed in power to safeguard against an impending threat that could jeopardize our nation’s very fabric.

As I reflect on these troubling developments, I find myself wishing I could live another 20-30 years to read what historians and writers will have to say about these times. I fear the unknown challenges that may arise. We seem to be in the midst of a civil war, though, so far, only harsh words have been exchanged. I hold out hope that someone will step forward to unite our fractured nation. However, history has shown that most well-intentioned politicians and national leaders are often rejected.

( There was a time when I used to discuss and argue politics. No longer. Too partisan. Too many closed and uninformed minds. Political arguments are expressed in rage, not reason. I don’t see this changing anytime soon.)

Moving Violations

Moving can be a daunting task for anyone, but when you’ve lived in the same place for 38 years and are transitioning to a new environment, the physical, emotional, and mental toll can be overwhelming. My wife and I recently moved to a new construction home in an over 55 community, and it was an experience that tested us in many ways. I’ll share some valuable tips, thoughts, and observations based on our journey.

Legal Safeguard: Consider hiring a lawyer to review any sales agreements, contracts, or negotiations. While you may hope for smooth sailing, having legal counsel in your corner can provide a safety net if things go awry.
Budget Realistically: When creating a moving budget, be sure to add 30-50% more in expenses than you initially projected. Our estimated packing and moving expenses were around $4,000, but the actual cost ended up closer to $6,000. Some companies may provide lowball bids, so it’s essential to anticipate potential hidden costs.
Vet Your Contractors: For any work exceeding $100, obtain multiple bids and exercise caution when encountering lowball offers. Trust recommendations from friends or family for selecting contractors or handymen. Reliable professionals are crucial during a move.
Expect Delays: Be prepared for unexpected delays in your move. My wife and I found ourselves as vagabonds for ten days because our new home wasn’t ready as anticipated. Planning a budget for accommodations and meals during such delays is wise.
Balance and Diversions: To combat the overwhelming stress that often accompanies a move, make time for downtime and activities unrelated to the moving process. Personally, I found solace in playing pickleball as a distraction from the hustle and bustle of relocation.
Lean on Your Support System: Having friends, family, or a support system can be invaluable when you’re feeling down, angry, or frustrated during the move. Their emotional support can make a world of difference.
Problem Solvers vs. Problem Creators: Choose to work with individuals who are proactive problem solvers rather than those who create more issues than they resolve. Too often, I had to step in to handle problems that the professionals I’d hired should have managed.
Selling Items: Sometimes, you can’t sell everything you planned to. Despite our efforts, we found it challenging to sell items like a snow thrower, furniture, and kitchen items that were in good condition but we were unable to move to the new home. In the end, we had to donate or give away 90% of what we had hoped to sell, despite significant discounts.

Moving is undoubtedly a formidable challenge, and our recent experience highlighted the importance of thorough planning, realistic budgeting, and a strong support system

GOP Debate Review 8/23/23

Notes from GOP Presidential Debate sponsored by Fox News

Best to Worst
Nikki Haley
Chris Christie
Mike Pence
Tim Scott
Ron DeSantis
Asa Hutchinson
Governor Burgin
Ramaswamy

Best Insult: Christie comparing Ramaswamy to Chatgpt
Best Moments: Pence and Haley reading the riot act to a “smarmy” Ramaswamy on his lack of foreign affairs experience and knowledge
Biggest Surprise: Feistiness of Mike Pence
Biggest Loser: Debate mob that booed Ukraine and a defense of our Constitution, applauded Putin and their irrational support of Donald Trump

Haley has a remote chance to be the nominee. Hard to see the others get the GOP nomination.

Equanimity

“True equanimity arises when we embrace the flow of life without being swept away by its currents.” – Ram Dass

In memory of two high school classmates who recently died…

As we grow older, we descend like a starship pulling from the gravity of our youthful endeavors, and settle into the “orbit of mortality.”

The sounds of ocean waves lapping along the shore, like hymns from a church organ evoke peace and soulful contemplation.

There is no better sedative than sitting on the couch, cool drink in hand and dozing off to one of my wife’s Hallmark movies.

How I look forward to summer! By July 1, how I look forward to autumn!

My True Confession: I never flirted with a woman I desired. AI version: Desire unspoken, a confession true: I never flirted, yet yearned for you.

Three mindsets of a life long athlete: in youth, WIN; in good health, COMPETE; in old age, PARTICIPATE.

I was surprised to hear of the current writers’ strike in movies and TV. Based on what I view on the screen, I thought their work stoppage began in 1990.

Future historians will equate January 6, 2021 as this era’s Fort Sumter, the start of a new civil war.

Three Ingredients for a Successful Pickleball Partnership

As the popularity of pickleball continues to soar and tournaments and informal leagues thrive, the significance of successful partnerships on the court becomes increasingly evident. Whether you’re aiming for victory or simply seeking enjoyment, a well-matched pickleball partnership can make all the difference. In my opinion, here are the three most important criteria for a pickleball partnership.

Shared Mindset

A successful pickleball partnership begins with a shared mindset, where both partners align their expectations regarding the balance between competitiveness and fun. This shared mindset will help create harmony, ensuring both partners are on the same page and working towards a common goal.

Two of my best partners: Julie Close (serving) and Anna Marie. Very skilled players. Great personalities and they put up with me.

2. Communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful partnership, and pickleball is no exception. On the court, partners must communicate their strategies, tactics, and intentions to synchronize their efforts and maximize their performance. Verbal communication is essential, but non-verbal cues, such as body language and eye contact, also play a significant role in maintaining a strong partnership. Partners should offer encouragement and support to each other, particularly during challenging moments.

3. Synergy

To elevate their game to new heights, partners should strive to achieve synergy—a state where their skills, strengths, and playing styles complement each other. One partner may excel in power shots while the other may possess exceptional finesse and precision. By capitalizing on these strengths, partners can form a dynamic duo that outmaneuvers their opponents and adapts seamlessly to changing game situations.

Conclusion:
Whether you’re aiming for victory in tournaments or seeking joy in friendly matches, embracing these key ingredients will undoubtedly enhance your pickleball experience and help you forge long-lasting partnerships that thrive both on and off the court.

Review: King-A Life by Jonathan Eig

As I immersed myself in this captivating biography, a whirlwind of emotions, memories, and contemplations flooded my mind. Recalling my teenage years, I realized how little I truly comprehended the magnitude of the civil rights struggle, especially in the deeply segregated South during the 1960s. Although I had heard of Martin Luther King Jr. as a young boy, I had no inkling of the profound impact he would have on our nation’s history.

This book, a compelling account of King’s life, stirred within me a deep sense of shame for the violence and hatred inflicted upon Black individuals due to their skin color and the prejudiced perceptions held by many white people. The author’s vivid descriptions of the bombings that claimed innocent lives, the brutal attacks on peaceful demonstrators by police dogs, and the countless murders committed by racists and law enforcement are a haunting reminder of the dark stain on our collective history.

Undeniably, Martin Luther King Jr. was an extraordinarily brave man—perhaps one of the bravest. Despite being subjected to jail, beatings, threats, and mob attacks, he remained steadfast in his commitment to nonviolence. The author adeptly captures King’s experiences, leaving readers in awe of his unwavering equanimity in the face of such brutality.

Moreover, the book delves into King’s personal flaws, including accusations of numerous affairs. The author, Eig, does not shy away from these indiscretions. It is revealed that King was targeted by the FBI through wiretapping and attempts to blackmail him with incriminating information. The book effectively dispels accusations of King being a communist sympathizer, providing compelling evidence to the contrary.

King faced adversaries from all angles: the FBI, racist politicians and officials, the police, fellow Black individuals who disagreed with his nonviolent philosophy, as well as ministers, church leaders, and conservative commentators who opposed his influence. Even Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, while initially ambivalent about King’s politics and impact on the civil rights movement, became entangled in a complex relationship with him. Johnson’s sentiments towards King soured when the latter publicly voiced his opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Meticulously researched and skillfully written, this biography stands as the pinnacle of my reading experiences this year. It effortlessly transports readers into the turbulent era of the civil rights movement, providing a profound understanding of the indomitable spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. and the transformative power of his vision.

In conclusion, this book is an absolute must-read, capable of evoking an array of emotions and leaving a lasting impact. I wholeheartedly give it five stars, and then some.

The Truth, The Truth, You can’t Handle the Truth

And, nobody died in the Holocaust either. That’s the truth. It should happen. Six million Jews should die right now cause they cause all the problems in the world. But, it never happened.”
Roseanne Barr

“COVID-19 attacks certain races disproportionately,” COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”“We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact.”
RFK Jr.

“That [the war in Ukraine] does nothing to protect our borders, and that’s your hard-earned tax dollars. We’re funding them with equipment, we’re funding them with ammunition…Biden’s war in Ukraine, a proxy war with Russia, has depleted our military. Our military is the weakest it has been in decades and decades.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene

“Millions of illegal aliens have stormed across our borders, it is an invasion, like a military invasion. Our rights and liberties are being torn to shreds. Your country is being turned into a third-world hellhole, run by censors, perverts, criminals and thugs.”
Donald Trump

“Rosa Parks didn’t sit in the back, and neither am I gonna sit in the back.”
George Santos

Years, maybe it was decades ago, politicians, public officials, commentators and celebrities were much more circumspect in their public comments and behavior than their counterparts currently. It seems that chronic stupidity and ill behavior go unpunished. Instead, it gains you more poll points from your party’s voting base, gets you invitations to speak on talk shows and can be a stepping stone to having your own talk show or podcast.

In today’s media, stupid is overwhelming smart. Politicians, political commentators and many news organizations lie with impunity. Very few liars and incompetent people are punished or lose their jobs. Maybe the last time something like that happened occurred with Sarah Palin in 2008.

Today we have Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lisa Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Tommy Tuberville, Tucker Carlson, Jim Jordan, George Santos and countless others who are free to lie, slander and exaggerate. The public does not punish them. In many cases, a good portion of the public supports “a narrative” that gives weight to their slanted political, religious, cultural and prejudicial views.

I’m not sure the exact date when public discourse died but I’d say life support was pulled around 2016. That’s about the same time that the political IQ of this country fell into mid two digits. It’s still plunging…

Few for the Pew

In their new book “The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back?” Jim Davis and Michael Graham with Ryan Burge argue that the most dramatic change may be in regular attendance at houses of worship. “We are currently in the middle of the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country,” they postulate, because “about 15 percent of American adults living today (around 40 million people) have effectively stopped going to church, and most of this dechurching has happened in the past 25 years.” The Largest and Fastest Religious Shift in America Is Well Underway NY Times Jessica Grose

Six Quick Observations about Trump Indictment

In the United States judicial system, it is customary to presume innocence when someone is charged with a crime. However Donald Trump is an exception to this presumption of innocence. He does a bad job of hiding his transgressions, personal, business, political and legal. He has a big ego and a bigger mouth. The weight and breadth of the evidence against him in the documents matter are overwhelming. My God, 37 counts!!!

Are there any stupider people than those who defend Donald Trump? They ignore his traitorous behavior, financial malfeasance, greed, allegations of him committing sexual assault and rape, and general ineptitude. As a leader, he is Barney Fife. I have no respect for the opinions and judgement of those who support Trump just based on this criteria.

If I had could question Donald Trump I’d ask: Do you think that you are a good role model for your son Barron? Would you want Barron to grow up and act like you? Would your wife Melania want Barron to grow up like you?

Laurence Tribe, the Constitutional scholar, said he was profoundly disappointed that the American people elected a man who was so bad at protecting national security and the American public. Tribe uses the word “sad.” I am furious that voters elected and support Donald Trump, a con artist and a “small man.”

My previous thinking was to offer Trump a pardon if he pleaded guilty to several counts and promised to withdraw from politics and public life. I’ve changed my mind. There would be no greater example of justice in our system that Trump going to jail for a long time. No pardon! Trump’s conviction and incarceration would serve as a great deterrent that no man is above the law.

I intend to avoid any Trump news. I don’t want to hear from him. I certainly don’t want to hear from anyone defending him.