Friday, January 23, 2015
Notes From The Common Man: Drunken Christianity
Notes From The Common Man: Drunken Christianity: I like to ride a bike, so I was doubly struck last month when I read that the newly appointed and first female Episcopal Bishop of Maryland ...
Drunken Christianity
I like to ride a bike, so I was doubly struck last month when I read that the newly appointed and first female Episcopal Bishop of Maryland hit and killed a cyclist, and, without stopping, left scene of the accident. According to the news stories, Bishop Suferagan Heather Cook hit the cyclist on a wide residential street while he was riding in the designated bike lane. The biker was struck by the front of the car, and he then caved in the windshield of the car on his way to the pavement. Bishop Cook kept on driving. She was followed by another motorist, who witnessed the accident, back to her gated apartment complex where, not being able to enter he lost sight of her. After about 20 minutes she returned to the scene of the accident and accepted responsibility for the hit and run. This same woman was arrested in 2010 for drunken driving and possession of marijuana. Perhaps her level of self awareness has improved since that first incident, because, in the hit and run accident she only blew a .22, while back in 2010 she hit a whopping .27 blood alcohol content. In both cases, she was dead drunk, while in the latest incident her unfortunate victim is just dead. I'm sure she's very sorry this happened. Particularly, now that she has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. As I said, I'm doubly struck by her apparent ability to compartmentalize her Christianity and her regard for her fellow human beings.
I don't think my blood has ever enjoyed the intense high that a .27 BAC can provide, but I know I've been on the road having had too much to drink. I've often joked that M.AD.D. has taken all of the fun out of drunk driving, but in truth, there is not much fun in the death or injury of someone because of negligent behavior. Of course, you don't have to be drunk to be cavalier about the safety and welfare of the people around you.
I often see (what's the right word?) obnoxious, rude, uncaring, irresponsible, aggressive, psychotic, impatient, dangerous, thoughtless,unkind, (wait; I've got it.) sadly human behavior when I'm out on my bike. Not that I don't see these traits elsewhere, but I'm more aware of them when I'm at my most vulnerable, that is, on the side of the road, on wheels that have less than one square inch of contact with the pavement, and I'm being approached either from behind or from ahead by a 3000 pound + vehicle perhaps driven by a person exhibiting one or more of the above traits.
I've often commented that religion is of practical use to only about half the population. That is, I suspect that around 25% of people have a good enough moral compass without the need of religious guidance, 25% of the population is irretrievably immoral, and the other 50% can accept proper moral training, if the trainers themselves have proper moral grounding, which, when it comes to religion, is not guaranteed. I'm afraid that this also is analogous to the drivers I encounter on my rides. So here is a rule for the trainable 50% of drivers, so that I can live when you approach me on my bike.
Act as if an impatient or thoughtless move on your part could result in death or injury on my part.
I'll come back to this topic later with some more specific suggestions that can help us co-exist.
Note: When writing this blog, for some reason I was unable to edit a few places properly. The blog site would not let me use my space bar to enter commas or additional words in a few paces where they were needed. As in the above sentence where I left off the s on spaces. Strange!
I don't think my blood has ever enjoyed the intense high that a .27 BAC can provide, but I know I've been on the road having had too much to drink. I've often joked that M.AD.D. has taken all of the fun out of drunk driving, but in truth, there is not much fun in the death or injury of someone because of negligent behavior. Of course, you don't have to be drunk to be cavalier about the safety and welfare of the people around you.
I often see (what's the right word?) obnoxious, rude, uncaring, irresponsible, aggressive, psychotic, impatient, dangerous, thoughtless,unkind, (wait; I've got it.) sadly human behavior when I'm out on my bike. Not that I don't see these traits elsewhere, but I'm more aware of them when I'm at my most vulnerable, that is, on the side of the road, on wheels that have less than one square inch of contact with the pavement, and I'm being approached either from behind or from ahead by a 3000 pound + vehicle perhaps driven by a person exhibiting one or more of the above traits.
I've often commented that religion is of practical use to only about half the population. That is, I suspect that around 25% of people have a good enough moral compass without the need of religious guidance, 25% of the population is irretrievably immoral, and the other 50% can accept proper moral training, if the trainers themselves have proper moral grounding, which, when it comes to religion, is not guaranteed. I'm afraid that this also is analogous to the drivers I encounter on my rides. So here is a rule for the trainable 50% of drivers, so that I can live when you approach me on my bike.
Act as if an impatient or thoughtless move on your part could result in death or injury on my part.
I'll come back to this topic later with some more specific suggestions that can help us co-exist.
Note: When writing this blog, for some reason I was unable to edit a few places properly. The blog site would not let me use my space bar to enter commas or additional words in a few paces where they were needed. As in the above sentence where I left off the s on spaces. Strange!
Friday, January 16, 2015
Wild Flowers
Here's another maudlin observation about getting old, but stick with the tale because I want to speak of the sad loss of a very nice lady. One of the unpleasant things you do more often in the last third of your lifespan, besides frequent urination, asking people to repeat themselves, and occasional constipation, is going to the funerals of friends and family. I convinced my cousins to have a monthly lunch together, because, we are just about out of parents funerals to attend and get to see each other. This has really worked out well, and if you love you cousins as much as I do, I suggest you start your own monthly family reunion. I've not always been the best at paying my last respects, and I regret some of the funerals I missed, but should have attended. I'm trying to do better. Today was one of those days.
Sarah Howard was my third grade teacher. She was one of only a few, whom, I felt sincerely liked me. Every time our paths crossed, she would always, to my embarrassment, comment on how much "horse sense" I had. This, in opposition to the "mulish stubbornness" opinion that most of my other teachers had of me. I must have responded in kind. I don't remember many details of my third grade class, with the exception of singing "16 tons" in front of the class with Michael Allman, and first displaying my lifelong love of reading, but, that year I don't think I got into any fistfights (an exception for me), went to the Principal's office, or spent any time in the utility closet where I spent a good portion of my second grade. She was a good influence. She had a kind, sweet voice that, whenever I heard her, made me feel I was still in the third grade, and wish I was.
I often ran into Sarah, because her husband, Bill, befriended me when I as a high school student worked for him at the Coca- Cola plant. I worked there through most of college, and also helped him with the ice skating rink. It's always been a treat to see and talk to Bill. He grew up here and has lots of interesting stories about Concord, and about his time in WWII as a pilot instructor. He told me once how he first met his wife, and it was as they say "love at first sight".
Sarah had transplanted wildflowers into her front yard with little signs indicating their plant names. I guess I'll think of her every time I see a Trillium, Turks Cap, or a Pink Lady Slipper.
My sincerest condolences to Bill and his family.
Sarah Howard was my third grade teacher. She was one of only a few, whom, I felt sincerely liked me. Every time our paths crossed, she would always, to my embarrassment, comment on how much "horse sense" I had. This, in opposition to the "mulish stubbornness" opinion that most of my other teachers had of me. I must have responded in kind. I don't remember many details of my third grade class, with the exception of singing "16 tons" in front of the class with Michael Allman, and first displaying my lifelong love of reading, but, that year I don't think I got into any fistfights (an exception for me), went to the Principal's office, or spent any time in the utility closet where I spent a good portion of my second grade. She was a good influence. She had a kind, sweet voice that, whenever I heard her, made me feel I was still in the third grade, and wish I was.
I often ran into Sarah, because her husband, Bill, befriended me when I as a high school student worked for him at the Coca- Cola plant. I worked there through most of college, and also helped him with the ice skating rink. It's always been a treat to see and talk to Bill. He grew up here and has lots of interesting stories about Concord, and about his time in WWII as a pilot instructor. He told me once how he first met his wife, and it was as they say "love at first sight".
Sarah had transplanted wildflowers into her front yard with little signs indicating their plant names. I guess I'll think of her every time I see a Trillium, Turks Cap, or a Pink Lady Slipper.
My sincerest condolences to Bill and his family.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Pogo
This should cheer you up.
Here it is, a few days into 2015, and my 67th birthday is fast approaching. I've become an old man. When you are young, your life stretches out seemingly without end into the the future, and your past is only yesterday. But now, a large part of my history happened before the majority of people on this earth were born, and the future is a line of falling dominoes with the end in sight. Fortunately I seem to be in pretty good health, with, so far, only the aches and pains of a much abused body. I can still read, remember, and comprehend. I can still ride my bike for hours on end, and I still work, although I'm not going to much longer. But when these things fail me, I may decide that life is not worth living. Of course, things can change for the drastic worse in a heart beat (or the lack of) as some of my friends have already found out. In any case, I'm going to cling to life and make the best of the time I have remaining, for, after all, time is the most valuable, yet dwindling commodity I own.
Life expectancy in America was, for men, 45 years in 1900. In 1948, (the year I was born) it was 65, and today it is almost 75. By the standard of the year I was born, I have already lived beyond expectation, and it is likely, but not guaranteed, that I will live beyond today's standard. I am a small part of our country's, and most of the civilized world's greatest problem. I have lived too long. Pogo the possum was born, or should I say, was first drawn in 1941, making him 74 years old. More than ever, he would surely say today, "We have met the enemy, and he is us".
I started working full time in 1973. I've never made a lot of money, but between me and my employers, around $200,000 in Social Security and Medicare has been paid into the Social Security fund. Since going on medicare, I have had one major surgery, which cost Medicare probably $50,000. If I stay perfectly healthy and die in my sleep, Social Security will be in the red with me in about 6 more years, although it is most likely that I will have exceeded my contributions in much less time. But wait, you might argue, the Federal government uses that money to pay off previous claims, and borrows the rest to fund the government, and pays the money back with interest when there is a deficit in the Social Security pay outs. Currently, the fund is about 3 trillion in the black, but the government has loaned all of that money to itself, and going forward, as claims exceed contributions, the government is required to pay this money back to meet future claims. There are only two legitimate ways to do this. One, we borrow from someone else, (maybe the Chinese or Vesuvians), or two, we raise the money through taxation.
Of course it was not supposed to be this way. At least in theory, each generation would have paid in enough to cover the pay outs required by claimants. But, the baby boom spike, and more importantly, the longevity spike, and the increase in health care costs, and advances in health care technology have profoundly altered this dynamic.
This new dynamic has had a huge impact on every 1st world country. In most third world countries, older people are still dying at a convenient rate, with only a modest increase in longevity. But, in 1st world countries, a reverse pyramid has been created, where a declining birth rate combined with the aforementioned increase in longevity has created a situation where fewer and fewer working people are available to support those that no longer work. It's as if a destitute parent has moved into the spare bedroom, and you no longer have the money or the room to have children. Today, America's fertility rate is only about 1.93, compared to a 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population. And, as you go up the socioeconomic ladder, the birthrate declines even more, to around 1.6, equivalent to the Chinese one child policy. In Japan, the birth rate is down to 1.4, and by 2050 it is projected that only 51% of the population will be in the workforce age between 20 and 65. You can hardly find a 1st world country with a sustainable birthrate. On the other hand, you can hardly find a third world country without a surplus birthrate. I wonder where all these extra people will go?
I don't have a grand solution to this problem, I'm not quite willing to agree to take a "Social Security Pill" when I reach a certain age. But I'm sure that if we don't do something, our children, grandchildren, and future generations will face an increasingly dismal future.
Here it is, a few days into 2015, and my 67th birthday is fast approaching. I've become an old man. When you are young, your life stretches out seemingly without end into the the future, and your past is only yesterday. But now, a large part of my history happened before the majority of people on this earth were born, and the future is a line of falling dominoes with the end in sight. Fortunately I seem to be in pretty good health, with, so far, only the aches and pains of a much abused body. I can still read, remember, and comprehend. I can still ride my bike for hours on end, and I still work, although I'm not going to much longer. But when these things fail me, I may decide that life is not worth living. Of course, things can change for the drastic worse in a heart beat (or the lack of) as some of my friends have already found out. In any case, I'm going to cling to life and make the best of the time I have remaining, for, after all, time is the most valuable, yet dwindling commodity I own.
Life expectancy in America was, for men, 45 years in 1900. In 1948, (the year I was born) it was 65, and today it is almost 75. By the standard of the year I was born, I have already lived beyond expectation, and it is likely, but not guaranteed, that I will live beyond today's standard. I am a small part of our country's, and most of the civilized world's greatest problem. I have lived too long. Pogo the possum was born, or should I say, was first drawn in 1941, making him 74 years old. More than ever, he would surely say today, "We have met the enemy, and he is us".
I started working full time in 1973. I've never made a lot of money, but between me and my employers, around $200,000 in Social Security and Medicare has been paid into the Social Security fund. Since going on medicare, I have had one major surgery, which cost Medicare probably $50,000. If I stay perfectly healthy and die in my sleep, Social Security will be in the red with me in about 6 more years, although it is most likely that I will have exceeded my contributions in much less time. But wait, you might argue, the Federal government uses that money to pay off previous claims, and borrows the rest to fund the government, and pays the money back with interest when there is a deficit in the Social Security pay outs. Currently, the fund is about 3 trillion in the black, but the government has loaned all of that money to itself, and going forward, as claims exceed contributions, the government is required to pay this money back to meet future claims. There are only two legitimate ways to do this. One, we borrow from someone else, (maybe the Chinese or Vesuvians), or two, we raise the money through taxation.
Of course it was not supposed to be this way. At least in theory, each generation would have paid in enough to cover the pay outs required by claimants. But, the baby boom spike, and more importantly, the longevity spike, and the increase in health care costs, and advances in health care technology have profoundly altered this dynamic.
This new dynamic has had a huge impact on every 1st world country. In most third world countries, older people are still dying at a convenient rate, with only a modest increase in longevity. But, in 1st world countries, a reverse pyramid has been created, where a declining birth rate combined with the aforementioned increase in longevity has created a situation where fewer and fewer working people are available to support those that no longer work. It's as if a destitute parent has moved into the spare bedroom, and you no longer have the money or the room to have children. Today, America's fertility rate is only about 1.93, compared to a 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population. And, as you go up the socioeconomic ladder, the birthrate declines even more, to around 1.6, equivalent to the Chinese one child policy. In Japan, the birth rate is down to 1.4, and by 2050 it is projected that only 51% of the population will be in the workforce age between 20 and 65. You can hardly find a 1st world country with a sustainable birthrate. On the other hand, you can hardly find a third world country without a surplus birthrate. I wonder where all these extra people will go?
I don't have a grand solution to this problem, I'm not quite willing to agree to take a "Social Security Pill" when I reach a certain age. But I'm sure that if we don't do something, our children, grandchildren, and future generations will face an increasingly dismal future.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Advice
My wife, Kathy, and I are rapidly approaching retirement, and I'm trying to decide what I'm going to do with the next 30 years of my life. So, today, as we are headed to the movies, and as we go through town, Kathy comments on the old empty gas station at the corner of Corban and Union Streets. She wonders if it will ever find a use, as it is small and has very little parking.
This gets me thinking, and as my stream of consciousness progresses, I come up with a use for the building, and a retirement project for me. I think I will go into the advice business. Now, I've lived a long life and have learned from my numerous mistakes, and from a few good decisions, so, I think that I am well qualified to tell others what they should do. Stay in school, don't major in English Literature or medieval history, don't join a cult. Having thoughts about marrying you boyfriend when he gets out of prison, come talk to me. I've been doing a lot of this work on the side for free, so why not get paid for it.
I know I can't charge like a doctor, lawyer, or a plumber, but advice demands a high price. After all, who wants free or cheap advice. You get what you pay for. Charging a fee ads credibility to the advice, and the higher the fee the more profoundly it enhances the advice and increases the chance that it might actually be followed. I think there is a huge market for this service. It seems that every time I turn on the TV someone is offering free advice. There's Dr Phil, Suzy Orman, Joel Osteen, Martha Stewart, and Bobby, giving advice on things that support their products, whether it be prosperity religion, recipes, or high priced heating and air service. I simply propose to cut out the ulterior motive. You pay me directly for my completely unbiased expert advice.
I'm not even sure I can handle the work load. I'm thinking of offering positions to a few of the old guys in my morning coffee klatch. They have the immense wisdom of the ancients, and have shown an unselfish desire to offer their advice to someone almost every day.
I do have some concerns. How should I charge for my services, by the hour, or by the amount of intellectual capital I invest in the solution to a particular problem. Another concern is the potential liability I might incur in the unlikely occasion of someone following my advice to an unacceptable result. I plan to consult with the experts over coffee in the morning.
This gets me thinking, and as my stream of consciousness progresses, I come up with a use for the building, and a retirement project for me. I think I will go into the advice business. Now, I've lived a long life and have learned from my numerous mistakes, and from a few good decisions, so, I think that I am well qualified to tell others what they should do. Stay in school, don't major in English Literature or medieval history, don't join a cult. Having thoughts about marrying you boyfriend when he gets out of prison, come talk to me. I've been doing a lot of this work on the side for free, so why not get paid for it.
I know I can't charge like a doctor, lawyer, or a plumber, but advice demands a high price. After all, who wants free or cheap advice. You get what you pay for. Charging a fee ads credibility to the advice, and the higher the fee the more profoundly it enhances the advice and increases the chance that it might actually be followed. I think there is a huge market for this service. It seems that every time I turn on the TV someone is offering free advice. There's Dr Phil, Suzy Orman, Joel Osteen, Martha Stewart, and Bobby, giving advice on things that support their products, whether it be prosperity religion, recipes, or high priced heating and air service. I simply propose to cut out the ulterior motive. You pay me directly for my completely unbiased expert advice.
I'm not even sure I can handle the work load. I'm thinking of offering positions to a few of the old guys in my morning coffee klatch. They have the immense wisdom of the ancients, and have shown an unselfish desire to offer their advice to someone almost every day.
I do have some concerns. How should I charge for my services, by the hour, or by the amount of intellectual capital I invest in the solution to a particular problem. Another concern is the potential liability I might incur in the unlikely occasion of someone following my advice to an unacceptable result. I plan to consult with the experts over coffee in the morning.
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