Resolutions or revolutions?

Here we are, once again, at lots of people's favorite -- and for others, their least favorite -- time of year. Sweep out the old, usher in the new. The problem is, the new isn't always that new, and it's astounding how soon the new starts looking a whole lot like the old.

Today's the day of resolutions, too. Most of us may pooh-pooh them, play them down, say they don't matter, but I'm always surprised at how many people still make them ... to themselves for the most part. We don't need to hang our failures out like the rest of our dirty laundry that we too often air in public. Sure, we'd like to be better persons, we'd love to take off a few pounds, we wish desperately that we got along better with friends, lovers or spouses, we think we can do something, but in the end, we only end up disappointing ourselves. Why? Because resolutions are revolutions.

Nothing in the history of the world has changed because someone, or even a lot of people, thought, "Gee, wouldn't it be nice if ..." It doesn't happen that way. For every progressive, life-altering change that we experience, there's a lot of agony, pain, suffering and resistance that precedes it. Sound, profound change has to be smelted in the fire of resistance, hammered by the force of will, and tempered in the waters or renewal. Change is just that: change, not merely a-lot-of-the-same-with-a-little-bit-of-difference. That's not change, that's accommodation. We love that change best that affects everyone else and not ourselves. That's why resolutions don't work. We'd like to, but we're not really willing to; we mean to, but we're not going to; we want to, but we just can't bring ourselves to it. Forget the resolutions.

Change comes by revolution. That's just how it is. Oh, it may be political, it might be personal, it might be violent, or it might be benign, and it might involve others, or it might just involve ourselves. What it does involve, however, is energy and actual change. A revolution, it should be remembered, is a full turn of the wheel. It's going all the way around, not just part of the way. It's the bringing forth of the new, not a reestablishment of the old. You want change? You need a revolution.

Our new year is an arbitrarily chosen date (there were lots of other, more meaningful ones available, but we chose this one ... so be it), but it's as good as time as any to at least reconsider. Arbitrary or not, it is an opportunity and it's up to each and every one of us to embrace it or reject it -- in the end, it's all our own choice. I can only encourage you to go for it. What have you got to lose, other than that which you really don't want anyway ... or you wouldn't be thinking about changing it in the first place.

New year, new chance, new start, or just more of the same, old same-old? It's your call.

It's all over but the shouting

When we hear the shouting -- or maybe the fat lady singing -- we know it's over ... whatever it is that needs to finish. The same is true of the year. This is, thankfully, just about behind us.

This wasn't a good year. Oh sure, we avoided another major economic crash, but the American managed to pass legislation to at least allow their banks to make even riskier deals that the first time they ruined so much. What is more, the next time around, even simple savers will be cleaned out before the taxpayers have to step up and be counted. The rest of the industrialized world just sat by and watched and never made a sound.

This was a terrible year for geopolitical machinations. It took some effort, but we've managed to turn the clock back to the Cold-War days; we can demonize one side or the other, knowing full well it is everybody in the middle, the ones between the millstones that will be ground to dust. No, this was not the year that we learned anything from history.

This was an awful year for human rights and justice. The Americans can't their racism under control, and their smug sense of superiority led them to believe that all they needed to do was make different laws and they could be above those too. Almost 70 years ago at Nuremberg, they were singing a different song, but if you're the bully on the block, I guess you believe you can decide which tune is hummed. ISIS, of course, doesn't care in a whole different way. They're not better nor worse than whatever it is they think they're fighting. The old adage stands: you become what you hate.

This was a catastrophic year for the environment. US-China agreement be damned, the Canadians started shilling for Big Oil, America's trying its hardest to spread its fracking disease abroad, the Saudis are protecting their own interests and Mother Nature is simply getting screwed. We all know that we are not going to do a single thing for the environment until it is too late to do anything reasonable at all.

This was a distressing year for the poor and persecuted. It doesn't matter if you are poor here or poor there. You're not wanted anywhere. Whatever reason you think you may have for wanting a better life or at least the chance at one is mere foolishness on your part. Those that have don't want to share. They've made it indisputably clear, and there are a whole array of fears and prejudices that the manipulators can invoke to get you to do just what they want.

Glimpses of hope? Sure, small though they be: Pope Frank is still kicking butt, cleaning up one crony at a time and reminding the rest of us that if we're not doing whatever we can, we're not doing enough. I'm not even Catholic and I like the guy ... Person of the Year in my book. Several thousands of Americans made it out into the streets, finally -- adequate media coverage or no -- demanding more fairness and more justice. Thousands of Germans made it out into the streets, finally -- misplaced media coverage or no -- demanding that they allow their fears to rule them.

All in all, simply a bad year for all of us normal, everyday people. Our politicians ignore us, our enemies hate us, our friends mistrust us, and we're so afraid of our own shadows that we aren't about to go making waves. In the end, you know, we're going to get what we deserve. 2014 was proof of the saying that the inmates are running the asylum.

Don't forget to make sure you party to oblivion in a couple of days. You're going to need it.

Merry Christmas

May the spirit of the season
give you just a little reason
to be happy, warm and kinder to yourself.
May the joy you see in others
give you pause to see what matters:
it's not money that's the real true source of wealth.
And may the peace that knows no knowing
fill your heart to overflowing
with good cheer to toast to everybody's health.

We're all in this together,
and it really doesn't matter,
if it suits us, if we like it or we don't,
We'd might as well just face it,
that just together we can make it,
it's up to us, we've got to 'fess up or we won't.

So, overcome your sorrow
and help make a bright tomorrow,
make a world that's worth the life of you and me,
a world of understanding
in which Love does the commanding,
in which togetherness is really all you see.

Let's celebrate.
We can't wait.
There is fun
for everyone.
Ain't it great.
Let's celebrate.

Now's the time to think about it
not the time for you to doubt it.
We can do this, if we want to, that's for sure.
But we have to get together
and we know it's now or never,
Love and Peace and Joy for now and evermore.

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas

One of the silliest notions out and about these days is that there's a War on Christmas. It takes a pretty simple mind to think that just because one group of people celebrates one way and other groups celebrate other ways, their way is the best or only acceptable way. This is the kind of thing that turns me off from religion: when it becomes so exclusive and chauvinistic that any other form of belief is not just intolerable, it is downright wrong. And this insistence that I am right and you are wrong is the guarantee for many other people not wanting to celebrate at all.

The month of December (as we call it today) and the time of the winter solstice (which has been recognized by people for practically as long as there have been people) were taken as times for celebration. The ancient Romans celebrated the Saturnalia, the Mayas and Incas had their festivals at this time. At the solstice, the Scandinavians celebrated Juul and the custom was taken over by the English (as in Yule Log), in Poland some still celebrate Gody, in Northwest Pakistan there is Chaomos, and even today the Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day on the 8th, and Hanukkah was from the 7th to the 14th this year. So belated Happy Bodhi Day to my Buddhist friends and Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish ones.

For those who think that political correctness has taken over, it is only because you have allowed it to. You're not going to go to jail for saying Merry Christmas, and people who are so thin-skinned and easily offended not only need to get over themselves, they need to recognize that any holiday greeting, even the wrong one, is simply intended as a friendly, human gesture. If you think it's any more than that ... if you take it as any less than that ... you've got more problems than most of us can help you with.

Unfortunately, I could not see that the Hindus and Sikhs have a holiday around this time, nor does Islam this (or next year). But, as everyone else has a reason to celebrate and things are going to be closed down on this day or the other, take the time to enjoy it with friends and family, and if you have no one to celebrate, feel free to celebrate with me, at least in spirit, because we probably won't be able to get together.

When there is so much going on in so many different quarters and for so many different reasons, there is nothing wrong with a quick "Happy Holidays" to be inclusive (as long as it's well-intended and heartfelt). It is a busy time of year, as we all know.

What all of these celebrations have in common, however, is that they give special attention to light (of hope, of good faith in the future, and well-being), warmth (at least in the Northern Hemisphere where it is coldest), peace and good-will to others. All of them share this. All of them. To think of "war" at all at this time of year is bizarre, narrow-minded, intolerant, and, well, ignorant. I don't have to share another's belief (or non-belief, for that matter), but the most decent, human thing to do, at minimum, is respect it.

So, Happy Holidays to all, no matter what you're celebrating. And if you have no real reason to celebrate, borrow someone else's or even make up your own, but make it a celebration of peace, joy, and hope. We'll all be the better for it.

Winter is here again

Many winters have come and gone since I started my Great Journey. Of some of them I was aware, and there are others that have melted away without leaving the slightest trace.

What I have noticed in recent years is that they're getting colder. Well, in the way I'm thinking all the seasons are starting to cool off. Oh sure, temperatures are increasing. Physically, climatologically we're experiencing a global warming, and its effects are being noticed the most in the developed regions of the world. We have the time and opportunity to devote to things like that.

But inside ... well, that's a whole different story. Inside, it's getting colder. Inside, we're getting colder.

This is also in my experience a developed-country thing. We in the West have got it good ... in some regards, too good, in others, there is plenty of room for improvement. But I've noticed a coldness descending upon our hearts. We're too ready to blame the victims for being victims. We're too quick to judge by appearances. We're ignorant of our collective history and when we find out how different it is from what we were told -- in school, at home, in church, wherever -- we distance ourselves and cry foul when we as individuals are asked to accept our responsibility from it. We're lightning fast at generalizing from our own anecdotal experience and so slow and recognizing, let alone, acknowledging the bigger picture.

The detachment from others that comes from individualization has many positive aspects. It is a good and necessary part of our development that we become our own persons, but we become less, not more, of a person when we allow that detachment to actually separate us from others. We can still smell, hear and see far beyond the boundaries of our own bodies and those oders or aromas, those wails or harmonies, those nightmarish images or inspiring visions still affect us ... if we let them. Most people know on the inside how they are affected, even if they don't often show it on the outside. To know more, to use our other senses, to taste or to feel, we'd have to get closer, but we don't ... for fear of becoming infected, I suppose.

And so we distance ourselves from our own world. We avoid being touched or touching. We stay aloof, unmoved, ensconced in our individual little fortresses that we foolishly think will protect us from what's "out there". And we become isolated, and lonely, and cold.

Many winters have come and gone since I started my Great Journey. And they're getting colder.

All protests are not created equal

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had to endure a barrage of not-so-insightful posts and comments about protesters. There was a backlash to the grand-jury decision in Ferguson; there have been excessive responses to even peaceful protests throughout the year. And it makes me wonder.

The reason it makes me wonder, I have to admit, is because one theme recurs so often in these expressions: the abhorrence of the destruction of private property. Don't get me wrong, just because I think if any person, on either side, gets hurt in a protest of any kind that there should be some kind of investigation doesn't mean that I condone destruction of private, or public, property, for that matter. Quite the contrary. I do have problem, however, with how this is portrayed by far too many posters ... as some sort of heinous crime perpetrated by mindless barbarians or criminals, how stupid it is to punish private owners of property because of public or governmental decisions. Oh, the anger, the outrage, the incredulity, the indignance, the ... well, you get the picture.

For these people, in particular, I would like bring back to memory a little event -- a protest -- that occurred a mere 241 years ago today. Yes, even the 16th of December has its uniqueness. Under the cover of darkness, a number of law-abiding, upstanding, male citizens, disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians (how better to divert attention to a hated and abused minority), boarded a ship in Boston Harbor and destroyed the entire load of tea by throwing it into the harbor. In today's terms, it was about $2 million worth of damages ... not a broken window or a looted convenience store, rather 7 digits worth of damage. The protest directed itself against a legally ordained statute affecting the taxes to be paid on said commodity that was then damaged.

My question, of course, is how all these disgusted and offended protesters feel about this. I'd be more than willing to be that the first thing out of their mouths is, "Well, that's different." My problem is, I don't see how. The law was broken. The law was taken into these citizens' own hands. Their actions were prompted by what they considered to be an unfair decision made by their legitimate government. Their rage against this government was directed against the property of a legal corporate entity, and the damage was great. Why is it, then, that the property damage then is so much different than the property damage now?

Oh, I know all the answers to my questions. This isn't the first time I've asked them. The answers each time, however, have always been the same whining accusations about the incomparability of the situations. The answers each time have been as wrong as they ever were.

When we agree with the cause, any means can be justified. When we disagree, no means could possibly be justified. This is what we these days call "hypocrisy". I would really appreciate it if people would think before they post, think before they comment, and above all, inform themselves before they decide to express their oh-so righteous opinions.

No, not yet ... please

For all of you who haven't quite caught on yet: no, today is not the First Day of Christmas. For that, you have to wait another 12 days. You're going to have to be patient. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, go here and find out. If you're disappointed, well, sorry, somebody had to tell you sometime.

What's often fascinated me the most about this joyous season of the year is that there are many, many businesses that generate 75% or more of their revenues during these few weeks. What do they do the rest of the year? If they're in retail, do they just wait around for customers who never come, paying rent on space they're not really using, paying employees who aren't really doing anything? I'd be the last person to fire the people. I think these companies should continue to pay the employees, close down the store, and re-open when it's worth it. And are there still factories cranking out stuff year round even though they're only going to unload it at the very end of the year? How inefficient is that? What kind of bonuses do those CEOs get?

Are you starting to get the hint that maybe -- just maybe -- some of the stuff we do -- and place so much value on -- are simply, well, nonsensical?

We're strange creatures, we human beings. Recently, I (re-)read a quote from Charles Darwin: "It is not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change." Personally, I think he's right on this one. And then I see us buzzing around in our pre-Christmas frenzy, doing the same things as the year before, causing the same problems as the year before, buying the same junk as the year before, giving it to the same people as the year before, or, if I'm a business, finally greeting those same customers as the year before, or receiving the same orders as the year before, and counting my money as the year before, and I start wondering what it means if Chuck was right. If he is, we're doomed.

OK, I'll admit it: I think we're doomed anyway, and it's not Christmas all by itself that is going to be our undoing. No, it's deeper than that. Christmas is just one of the many examples of how human beings do the same thing over and over again but expect different results. That, according to Einstein -- no intellectual slacker -- is the definition of insanity.

As far as I'm concerned, Christmas is as good a reason as any to be jolly. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la, but watching the scene play out, I have to admit that I do wonder a bit about our sanity. There's a big difference between feeling merry and simply being out there where the busses don't run.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program ... for torture

This week, the Senate Committee's report on torture was released. I would have liked to have ignored it, but I can't. I would have liked not to feel compelled to say something, but I can't. I would have liked that it didn't turn out like it did, but it did.

Disclaimer: Unwillingly, I was a soldier in the United States Army on active duty between 1971 and 1975. My Military Occupational Specialty was Interrogator of Prisoners of War. In other words, there's a part of this post that is simply personal.

Two things, in particular, bother me. On the one hand, there are voices that say the report should never have been made public. I couldn't disagree more. While I know it's not true in reality, I still believe that a government should be the servant of the people, and the people have a right to know what those who are acting in their name are doing. I know from first-hand experience that far too much is classified and too often it is because we simply don't want others to know what we are doing. But we know anyhow. On the other hand, there are those who assert that the release of the report could tarnish America's image in the world. It is already tarnished, by its own actions. My mother told me that if I did something wrong, I should own up to it and take the consequences. I don't know why this wisdom would not apply to supposedly adult representatives of one of the most influential nations on earth.

And, oh, for all of you national-security paranoids who believe that the release of such information could be a threat to the safety and security of the nation: wake up, get real, and get a life. The United States has never been more threatened that it is right now, and this report had nothing to do with that. The people who authorized the actions that are the focus of the report bear the full responsibility for that threat.

There is a fairly strong consensus across what little there is of a political spectrum in the US that the actions which were investigated did in fact take place. It might have been the Nation or The American Conservative or the wire agencies or the mainstream press or so-called liberal news or journalistic services on the internet.

But the list wouldn't be complete without at least one voice that would like to play it off as nothing more than a partisan ploy by the Democrats to distract from the "real issues" facing our country. Oh yes, there's always one. How calloused and, well, ignorant does one have to be?.

I, for one, am appalled that it took this long to get this far. As an interrogator, I was trained not to torture for it was well-known in those circles that the only thing torture gets you is inaccurate intelligence. There were, I will admit, some heartless, nasty, immoral, and downright sadistic folks in the branch who looked for every excuse to satisfy their own dishonorable desires. Unfortunately, they weren't send home (or anywhere else where they might have got some help), and so they remained, and, as it appears, eventually gained the upper hand.

What the (the executive summary of the) report tells us is that we, as a nation, are guilty. We betrayed our own values in the name of expediency. We committed acts of inhumanity and violated the human rights of others for our own trivial ends. We might like to think we are the beacon of hope to all freedom-loving peoples of the earth, but we have shown our true face, the twisted, distorted grimace of power-addicted bully.

But, we still have a chance. We can own up to our actions and face the consequences, just like my mom once encouraged me. The perpetrators need to do the same, and if they are not willing to do so on their own, they need to be brought to justice by the rest of the world. If we, as America, fail to act, we forfeit every right we ever thought we had to the moral high ground of international politics.

Are we able to do the right thing? I can only hope so.

Half-way there

We're about halfway through Advent. For the secular amongst you that means nothing. For most of the more religiously inclined whom I know, it doesn't mean much either. Unfortunately, my experience has been, for too many years of my life, that those who most often claim to be the most religious don't know many of the details of the religion they claim to believe in so strongly. If it weren't so sad, it would be ironic. But that's not why I'm here.

For most people, Advent; that is, those few weeks between Thanksgiving (in the US) and Christmas (most other places) is our time of getting ready for the big holiday. I know many, if not most, of my American friends and acquaintances have their trees up and lit, the houses are decorated inside and out, all those once-a-year songs are trilling out of the speakers, and there is still Christmas shopping to do.

We might as well face up to it: shopping is the "best" part of Christmas. Oh, I know everyone likes to complain about it, but what can be more exhilarating than spending money you don't have on things nobody really needs to function as gifts for people you may not like all that much and who really don't want them.

Far be it from me to rain on anyone's parade, but if you're really into gifts, have you ever asked yourself if you prefer giving or getting them. Most people I know at some time or another admit that they much prefer getting to giving, and I wonder how much that plays into what they get as gifts for others. I wonder how often we ask ourselves what someone else may get us, how much it might cost, whether we're obligated to respond in kind (or, worse, value), whether it will be seen as clever, cute, or whatever as we think it is. And how many of us don't hesitate after the exchanging takes place and the "guilty parties" are not around to let others know exactly what we think of their gift-giving abilities. Don't tell me it's only other people who do that. I simply don't believe you.

However, have you ever really thought what a gift is? A true gift is something you give to someone else who does not expect to get anything, especially from you, for no other reason than you want to make the other person happy and which -- and this is most important -- places zero responsibility on the receiver. No, this doesn't have to only happen at Christmas. In fact, the best gifts are those given for no apparent reason. That "something" of which I speak, may be a thing, a physical object, but maybe it's not. In fact, more often than not, the best gifts are not things at all. But, the most important characteristic of any true gift is that it is given without absolutely any expectations and no thoughts of obligation. If there are, it's not a gift. It's just a tool of manipulation.

So, think about it. We're only half-way there, so there is still plenty of time to exchange, or simply return some of that stuff you've got. Don't just think about what that "other" wants, think about what they actually need. It may be the best gift you ever gave.

Remember Pearl Harbor

For those of you without much of an historical memory, it was 73 years ago today that World War II started, right? Wrong. It was 73 years ago today that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor (in Hawaii), and this incident was the catalyst for Congress to declare war on Japan on 8 December, and to declare war on the other Axis powers (Germany and Italy) on 11 December; later in June 1942, Congress also declared war on Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, and that finally got us fully involved in the war. You see, history isn't always (or even very often) in reality like it is presented in our history books. We tend to grow up pretty misinformed. But I suppose we like it that way.

We Americans, in particular (though the Brits and French aren't far behind), love World War II. That was really the last decent war when you think about it. Who the good guys and the bad guys were was perfectly clear. The reasons for fighting were understandable and communicable, and it took only the least bit of propaganda (there is to this day a bit of unclarity on whether the Americans knew the attack was coming and let it happen as it did for the greatest dramatic effect ... but that's sort of irrelevant, as it wouldn't have been the first time we were willing to sacrifice a few hundred innocents in order to wage war for the "greater good"), to get everyone on board. No, the big picture was clear; the threat had been made visible; the level of response seemed reasonable. No, they just don't make wars like that anymore.

What most people are not aware of or what a good number of people like to ignore is that the United States has been at war, with somebody, somewhere, ever since. The reasons have becoming increasingly fuzzy. We're not sure what Korea was really all about; Vietnam certainly didn't go over very well in the end; and that whole Middle East thing has been so messy that in the end, we had to blatantly lie and deceive the American public to get ourselves in there.

And it doesn't look like it's going to get much better any time soon. We've committed to a longer stay in Afghanistan even though we accomplished nothing. The pressure to get those infamous "boots on the ground" in what used to be Iraq is still growing. We're trying hard to ensure IS is the villain, but all those pictures with McCain and their predecessors just won't go away. And, let's not forget the heating up of the old Cold War. After all, someone has to put Putin in his place ... though some of us are wondering why we always think it has to be us.

I for one think we should remember Pearl Harbor, but not as a tragic travesty against America, but as a constant reminder that good, bad, or indifferent, for those who want to wage war, they will always be able to find a reason. Maybe there are good reasons for war, but I doubt it. There may be times when the it's the best bad decision you can make. What haunts me, though, is why America feels so compelled to make the decision so often.

Ooops, I almost forgot. June 1942 was the last time we actually declared war; these days we're apparently just more comfortable going ahead and waging them. At least that keeps you from making bad decisions, or so some must think.

The authoritarian mind

Most of you have most likely never have heard of Bob Altemeyer, but he is, I think, probably the most knowledgeable person on the planet when it comes to the authoritarian mind. What is that, you ask? It's the kind of mind that you find in people who are either authoritarian themselves or would prefer to an authority they can turn to who will make their decisions for them. Whew! I hear most of you saying, so you're not going to like it one bit when I tell you I'm probably talking about you. I also know that those of you who are still willing to read on will doubt much of what I have to say, so here's a link to his definitive work, The Authoritarians, freely available online, so you can read it for yourself, and you can check the science that backs it up. I'm not blowing smoke.

I know, I know, you're riled that I would even suggest that you're not a freedom-loving, freely acting, self-defined and voter-ID-carrying individual, a person who does their own thing and doesn't take crap from anybody. I know that's what many of you think, but that's not the person you say hello to every morning in the bathroom. It's the person you would like to say good morning to. I know that too.

Let me tell you whom I'm thinking about: a person who likes things to be clear-cut, black-and-white, right-and-wrong, because, hey, that's how things are supposed to be; a person who has standards they uphold for themselves and those close to them, people who know what's good for themselves and for others; a person who is willing to give anyone a real chance, even if it's clear that some people are more deserving of that chance than others; and finally, a person who has strong beliefs (and opinions) are a number of important issues and doesn't (or won't) recognize that these beliefs and opinions are at odds with each other or perhaps even contradict one another.

Humor me. Take a look at the following statements and see how many you agree with:

1. The grand-jury verdict in Ferguson was appropriate.
2. Obama's executive actions on immigration is an overstepping of executive authority.
3. Harsher punishments deter crime.
4. Most welfare recipients have become dependent on public assistance.
5. Though there might have been some wrongdoing, the banks really are too big to fail.

The more statements you agreed to, the more authoritarian you probably are. You would prefer strong, clear, decisive action be taken against those who deserve having such actions taken. Be honest. Ever since we gave up the rod, we've been spoiling the child. Every time we tried to be more sensitive to the feelings of others, the more they simply take advantage of us. Local authorities can do no real wrong; they have a tough job. National authorities too often overstep their boundaries and put us all at risk. That's how most people tick these days.

More distressing than anything else is the fact that these days things are just messy. Too many boundaries have been blurred, too many people are living at the expense of others, too many sound, helpful principles and simple rules are being ignored; it's high time we start doing something about it. Authoritarian-minded individuals tend to have stronger opinions are the types of things that I've mentioned herein, and they tend to be less tolerant of deviations from accepted norms. They also often feel that they're being pushed into a corner and they really don't know how much longer they want to put up with it.

So, let me remind you of a wise, old adage: You become what you hate. So stop, take a good look at what you're irate about, and then keep in mind ... that'll probably be you before it's all over.

It's that time of year, again

The Church Year has run its course; the calendar year is approaching its end. And although time has passed far too quickly (at least as far as I'm concerned), we're not a bit better off than we were the last time I found myself reflecting on "the season", what it means or could mean, and why it would be to all our benefit if more people would reflect with me. Maybe it's because I'm getting older (aren't we all?) but there are times when I wonder how often you have to say something before another actually hears what you're saying.

Oh sure, most readers/listeners are well intentioned. And while I appreciate that for what it's worth, you'd think that after so many years and so much effort, you'd see a bit of a change somewhere, but there's none as far as the eye can see in any direction.

As this is a season of rejoicing, you can all rejoice that you're not going to get any uplifting or (hopefully) thought-provoking, Christmasy, or spiritual, lectures. If you're interested, there are almost 40 posts in the December blogs of the past three years where you can get your dose of that if you need it. For those of you who have read them, or most of them, or even some of them, you'll know that I don't care so much what you believe as long as you believe in something; I really don't care about what you do as long as it's not harmful or destructive; and I could care less if you are offended by others who believe differently than you. Get over it and get over yourself.

We need to face up to the fact that we use the "joy of the season" to distract us from things that matter and things that could make a difference. We who can are going to eat too much, party too much, buy too many things we don't really need with money we don't really have to impress people we probably only marginally like in the hopes of getting a bunch of useless stuff ourselves. We're going to drive more, have the lights on more and more lights on, we're going to spend a lot of time and energy trying to one-up a lot of others, and as a result, we're going to increase are carbon footprints significantly, produce tons of waste and refuse that has no where to go, pollute the steams, rivers and oceans, and ensure that we're not a bit better off than we were before the whole diversionary delusion started. Yes, we can certainly be proud of ourselves.

Meanwhile, the poor are getting poorer - around the globe; the numbers of the poor are growing too as are those of the homeless and incarcerated. The hungry are going hungry; the sick are not getting healed. The strangers are being shown no hospitality, rather are being shown the door. Although crime in general is decreasing, violence is increasing, often institutionalized and authorized violence in fact. The threat of terror and epidemics is thrown in our face every day. We are bombarded by advertising every moment of our waking lives. No, if we were to be truthful with ourselves, we'd admit that things aren't getting better, they are slowly and steadily getting worse.

But, hey, we've got a whole lot of celebrating to do. We wouldn't want to get all sad and depressed just because others don't know how to have a good time, do we? No, I suppose we don't. It's that time of year, again.