UNPLUGGED

As summer doles out its languid, warm days, I can't help but feel that fall is already waiting in the wings, and I'm not ready for it. The lovely days are already shortening, as to give warning that summer will not last long. The cricket filled evenings give quiet melody to the busy, days. Time never before seemed so fast moving as it does now---is it one's age, or the electronic era we're living in that makes everything seem so temporary--so just passing bye? Log in, click on, and there it all is--the world at our fingertips. Click again, and it's gone. I heard recently that scientists have decided that some of us may suffer from a lack of ability to enjoy the texture, detail, and richness of life, so accustomed are we to instant, sterile feedback via all our electronic equipment? Punch a key and get a result, then move on----if so, that's probably not a good thing. The antidote, according to the people who study these things ,is to go away somewhere where there are no phones, TV, computers, etc. and unplug for awhile. Are they kidding? Where would that be? Perhaps,they suggest, right in your own backyard---things like weeding the garden, cleaning the gutters, sewing a button on a shirt, knit a scarf or cook a good meal--anything that gives your hands something constructive to do and your mind focus. Studies have shown, these manual activities translate to the brain as good and worthy, and that in turn produces serotonin in the brain which then---voila--- translates to a form of happiness. Seems we are designed to do good. intrinsically satisfying things, not just observe or click a button. Our technology, however wonderful, has taken over much of our leisure time.

The trick is to dis-connect. Sometimes life pulls the plug for you. This week a close relative found herself suddenly very ill and in the hospital. Tests revealed a "systemic bacterial infection" which had somehow invaded her whole body. In addition, and separate, further tests revealed an anuerysm which if left untreated would eventually result in sudden death. Surgery will have to be performed, but not until the infection has left her body. As I sat and visited with her, she seemed bewildered and lost, as if she had just found herself in a foreign country--- but strangely upbeat. I asked if she had watched the TV or would be interested in reading. The answer was no---she had no desire yet to re-connect with the world,---she had disconnected and wanted nothing more than to see her family, make sure her dog was fed, and feel well again. Life had slowed this very busy lady down, and she said, "I have had lots of time to think", as though that was a luxury not usually afforded her. It occurred to me that in some way, her forced hospital visit was an enviable gift. She had been pushed off the merry go round, allowed time to gather her thoughts---and her concerns were reduced to the important basics of family, her dog, and health.

And so as we look ahead to whatever awaits us--- personal problems, more recession, further involvement in wars, pre-election debates and decisions, constant news flow of global crises---may we unplug for at least a while, once in a while, and note the smallest of pleasures--- or even surprise visitors.

My aunt, the woman mentioned above, said that the first night she was at the hospital, she looked up and saw an unfamiliar man standing at the foot of her bed. She said he was quite tall, had on a blue shirt and pants, was just gazing at her, and then faded away. Before I could ask if seeing a strange man in her room had frightened her, she remarked that on the contrary, it had given her a sense of comfort. I hope it was her guardian angel---and I wish we didn't need times of distress to be able to see them.

This week I am going to weed a little,sew a button on a sweater that's been needing it for a long time, and try to slow my racing pace. The war in Libya will have to go on without my constant monitoring, as will the Afghanistan pull-out and all the controversy surrounding it. The debt crisis will clamor noisily on till the decision deadline of August, and Republicans will have to continue searching for the best man/woman to wage their election campaign. The world will keep spinning its story, but for just a moment in this June of 2011,I want to leave it all and bask in the glory of a summer that, boiled down, still sings its songs of morning doves, buzzing bees, rustling breezes, and simmering heat. And somewhere in the middle of this simple symphony is a voice that says "be still ---". I will cling to that---and remember the thought of an angel quietly watching over a woman who in her exhaustion, did not need the distraction of TV ---but was comforted by the visit of a stranger in her room, who asked nothing of her but her returned attention. If angels exist, do we miss them because we refuse to see, or do they not come to visit because we are too busy to notice? I have never seen an angel, but sometimes in the middle of a restless night I imagine that one is holding me close.

It's the still of the night,I'm half asleep, and see no blue shirt or anything at all--the lullaby of summer rocks me. The TV off light is still glowing, the computer is always on, and the cell phones are re-charging---- waiting to reclaim me. But for now, I'm free---unplugged,floating timelessly, and in my dreams an angel wraps her wings around me. Her gown is not blue---it is white, the whitest of white I have ever seen---or just imagined. Maybe I'll look up angelic visits on Wikipedia tomorrow----

WEINER'S WAYWARD WAYS---HIS OR OUR PROBLEM?

You know you've been busted, when your picture shows up on the news---and you're in your underwear. Congressman Anthony Weiner, that's "e" before "i" in this case and pronounced, unfortunately, the same as that which is found in hot dogs. Mr. Weiner has more than his name to blame for this latest escapade in phone hanky panky---or "sexting", as they call it these days. Why, oh why do these politicians, think they can play in the sand box and not get sand all over them? Do they really think they won't get caught, and is this a huge sign of arrogance---as in, I'm too big to abide by every day rules of decent conduct? Weiner seems to not only have thought this, but continues to think he still deserves to be kept on the job as a paid government employee. "I'm not resigning", he staunchly proclaimed. The troubling thing is, some polls show a good number of people standing behind him---but not Nancy Pelosi, who is ready to self righteously hang him out to dry in front of the Ethics Committee---and well she should, so as not to appear the definition of major hypocrisy, given the Democrats past record of nailing Republicans who have been caught with similar sins. But is this for show, and will he be asked to resign as so many Republicans have? Somehow the knife of party criticism doesn't cut quite as sharp both ways. One cannot help but remember a Senator from Massachusetts whose car accident left his young female passenger dead in the waters of Lake Chappaquaddick, and it was the next day, before he notified the police. Though given a suspended jail sentence, he never served time, was quite forgiven by his party and went on to be highly respected and revered as a "lion" in the United States Senate. What's in a name? A lot and in this case, it meant everything to the life and political future of the now deceased Senator Edward Kennedy. Justice is never completely blind, nor is it always applied in black and white terms--human subjectivity always enters in, rightly or wrongly. We are after all, human, and see everything through our own limited wisdom ---and prejudice.

For now, it's again the Dems who must endure the embarrassment of their own---enter another sinner, John Edwards, a very close runner up to the last Presidential election. Mr. Edwards in an appalling display of indiscretion, dishonesty, and lying, now faces even more serious charges than Weiner. He has been charged with spending campaign money to keep his mistress and now mother of his child, hidden from public view while still campaigning for the presidency. He could go to jail for a number of years, which in of itself will be another tragedy in this unending sad saga, as he will leave his children without a parent. Elizabeth,his wife, died of cancer while all this was going on. Edwards' lack of judjment, integrity and character are astounding---but should he go to jail for these crimes of immorality? Yes, he may have spent the campaign money---but would it not be sufficient for him to pay back these monies and perhaps lose or have his bar license suspended, but then continue to live his life, in shreds of past glory? I harbor no sympathy for this man and what he did to himself and his loved ones, but it is my opinion that the public humiliation and financial payback, perhaps with additional fines could be enough. Our jails are overcrowded with crimes much more egregious, and it would seem that this man would better serve his time at home raising his children. In this case, at least, it would seem an act of societal grace to not punish the children further by taking their father away. Is that any worse than the sentence given Edward Kennedy?

If you still think this too generous, think back to President Clinton and his antics with the inglorious Lewininsky lady. Did I want him impeached at the time? It was tempting, butI did not. And neither did the Senate who gave him a pass, though the House did vote for impeachment. I could not condone or excuse his behavior---it was a lasting scar on our national pride and a denigration of our moral code. It made a mockery out of the most respected and venerated position in the world---but impeachment at that time, it seemed, would have been far more damaging to our stability as a country than allowing Clinton to serve out his presidency, bowed and chastened, and unlikely to repeat his sins---at least not while in office. I happen to think the Senate made the right call at that time. President Richard Nixon,however, had not been so lucky---the winds of public forgiveness did not blow his way. Maybe it was the way he excessively perspired while on TV.

Punishment for crimes need to be assessed and measured out,and certainly not ignored when our trusted officials lend themselves to dangerous vulnerabilities and even blackmail,as could have been the case with Clinton and many other politicians who have stepped over the line . But it would also seem that we are leaning over backwards to completely destroy the accused and with it the symptoms of an increasingly immoral society, rather than to address the problem. We don't tar and feather the wayward social misfit anymore, or brig them in the town square, but the complete stripping of dignity is hard to watch---humiliation is not a fun or healthy spectator sport, even if deserved. But "Let him who is without sin throw the first stone" may not apply to our attitude toward our elected officials, for we demand accountability for one's actions, both personal and professional-- and very few second chances. They are supposed to be who we want them to be---squeeky clean and without any skeletons in their closets. Is that getting to be too much to ask??

The incidents of inappropriate behavior seems extreme and out of control lately--but is it beyond the norm? Even Thomas Jefferson was guilty of having an affair with at least one of his slaves. John F. Kennedy, one of our most beloved Presidents was unbelievably indiscreet---but the media was incredibly protective at that time, and turned their eyes away from his numerous and indiscriminate affairs. It seems that today, however, with our more open, relaxed attitudes, there is less personal discipline and more tolerance towards it---unless it happens to our national leaders--and then it depends whose party is in power, or how liked they are by the media. Recent case in point would be ex-Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican whom the media seemed to adore, perhaps because of his Kennedy ties and very moderate ways. He seems to have gotten off fairly easily compared to Weiner and Edwards. How much of his government salary was used to support his mistress and child?? The media and some of us feign utter shock and awe---as if we'd never expected anything different from what we see all around us in our more tolerant society. To hear the wry comments, the talk show jokes, and observe an almost gleeful "gotch'a!" response to the naughty boys in Washington is a nice distraction from other much more serious issues in our government, but do we need constant running of the same scandal to the point of overkill? Yes, we should hold them to a higher standard as our representatives, but are they not unsurprising reflections of the society we live in--and are our scales of justice evenly weighed when there is such disparity between political preferences?

Perhaps we, as a country, are naively puritan in our insistence that our political officials be somehow immune from the temptations that power and money bring to many. There are those who demand extreme separation of church and state, proud that we do not inflict the mores and morals of religion upon the citizens of the country---but then act horrified and dismayed when suddenly it seems immorality is rampant among our leaders. Though it may be worse now, the frailties of our human condition have always been there---we just didn't have the means to see them. Technology now gives us much tranparency--a blessing to some, and a tattle tale monster to others. Mamas don't let your children grow up to trust their cell phones with their secrets.

Perhaps in the end, those who would betray the trust given them by the people of the land, will finally learn the value of a more virtuous and disciplined life--and we will also learn that it isn't enough to condemn, shame, and punish those who trespass against our moral code, which is changing all the time, for they will keep coming. It would seem we must first nurture a culture that puts emphasis on ethics, character, and professional responsibility. For "they" are us and we are "they". Left to our own devices, without a religious framework to guide us, is it possible we will never see the end of our parade of sinners? But to be religious, especially Christian in the USA today, is to be scorned and thought narrow minded. We instead worship secularity and mock those who would use religious morals to guide our national conscience. And so, perhaps it follows that we should also separate personal failings from professional competency, unless the latter is seriously compromised, in order to be consistent.

Anthony Weiner's fall from grace was unbelievably stupid, ridiculous, and almost sadistically riveting to watch--as Jay Leno, talk show host, remarked---'what are we, nine year olds?' But perhaps the real shame is that our outrage is focused more outwardly than inwardly.Our leaders are only as strong, honest, and moral as the people from whom they are borne, raised, and cultured. To joke about Weiner and his childish pranks is tempting, and part of the way we deal with things, but perhaps we should wonder whether we are reaping what we've sown--excuse the Biblical reference. Do we really want secularity to be our God vs. for example,the Ten Commandments? Or would that be way too Biblical----surely there's something else. Maybe David Letterman could come up with the ten best ways to behave,per his 10 Best list every night.

One final bit of unsolicited advice to those out there who think Weiner's photo shoot of himself is the new way to flirt and attract---here's a news flash--- your chesty, ripped six packs and your whatevers aren't really " the turn on" you seem to think ---struttin' your stuff has never been particularly attractive to most of us women. We still like to be romanced the old fashioned way, and it has nothing to do with "sexting" or graphic pictures --not cool--kind of creepy, in fact. So, whether you twitter, text, or sext---be nice, and for heaven's sake---zip it before you click it!

BAD AS IT'S GOING TO GET????

I grew up under the impression that things were never as bad as they seem---that people tend to exaggerate, and there was always a silver lining. My dad loved to tell the story of the little boy who cried "Wolf, wolf!" all the time just to get attention--until one day there really was a wolf---and nobody paid any attention. Lately, one gets the feeling that perhaps things really are much worse than they appear---the wolf story in reverse. Are we paying enough attention?

There is a creeping, sinking feeling in this country that we're in a deep morass, and that it's possible we'll have to suffer a "double dip" and suffer yet another hit to our already staggering economy. The problem is that the obvious cures are too hard to swallow, and potentially political suicide for those who might suggest and administer the medicine. And so our leaders fuss,flail,complain, and blame, but nothing is getting done ---what else is new in Washington? But this time, at this critical juncture in our history, to do nothing could be not only worse than the existing crisis---but the end of our powerful economy, which is now at breaking point. We are told we must raise the debt ceiling by August 2 in order to avoid default to our creditors. Really? Then why can't the two parties come up with a plan? Actually, the Dems have-- of sorts. They call it a "clean debit limit hike" amounting to 2.4 trillion increase in the debt limit--- the "clean" part? No major cuts to the budget. You've got to be kidding-- sounds more like "dirty pool", with higher taxes arriving in the very near future in order to take up the slack. The Republicans weren't amused and immediately turned down this proposal in an attempt to persuade the Dems into agreeing to more substantial spending cuts in order to balance the debt increase---no dice, so far. The Republicans also have a plan--the highly controversial Paul Ryan proposal, which offers real answers, but tough, unpopular sacrifices---over hauling the Medicare and Medicaid systems and trimming other entitlement programs. The Democrats won't even discuss this, let alone consider any part of it, preferring instead to characterize it as "mean spirited" and throwing senior citizens and children under the very proverbial bus. Such name calling and gamesmanship is getting really old, as it is they, the Democrats,who have been known to agree for a very long time, that medicare and medicaid are the big money pits.

In the meantime, another rating agency following on the heels of Standard & Poor, Moody Investor's Service, has just warned that our triple A credit rating was in urgent jeopardy and the only fix is a vote to increase the debt ceiling asap. Hm-m-m---excellent timing for the Democrats. Chicken Little is alive and well, but it's doubtful the sky will fall, if we don't immediately succumb to the hysterical cries to spend more money in order to stay alive financially--an upside down logic only the government could get away with. This week both sides met to decide whether to raise the debt ceiling, or whether to slash the spending; but ended with each side daring the other to either do something or refuse to-- the Dems, going through the motions, but with no real plan--- in hopes that the Republicans will die on the sword of Ryan's plan, or be accused of obstructionism for not going along to get along. Then, at least the path to election victory will be cleared. The Republicans will have to show true grit in order to stand by their principles---but do they have it? They, too, are politicians, and the game must be played in order to stay in it.

"It's the economy, stupid" used to be the election rallying cry for the Democrat party---now, it seems to be, "It's almost election time, don't be stupid." And so, here we are in gridlock with both parties blaming each other for lack of action or answers. Even some Republicans are fighting among themselves, debating whether for self preservation, they should back off from the very obvious debt crisis, and concentrate on other less incendiary issues. It was interesting to learn that recently 150 noted and respected economists, including former Treasury Secretary George Shultz, said that "increasing the debt ceiling without significant spending cuts and budget reforms will bring further harm to private sector job growth in America." Like the elephant in the room, this is an issue that deserves more than political pandering and posturing.

And so while the Democrats stonewall the crisis and accuse the Republicans of villainous acts and non-cooperation, the Republicans in turn try to engineer a trade off---massively downsizing the budget in order to justify raising the debt limit--- without a snowball's chance in hell of Senate passage. This is the acid test for both parties. But the extreme polarization of our two party system is the real deal breaker, and unless the two can come together, compromise, and hammer out a solution, we and our children will pay the price. Something has to give---care to bet that the old can won't get kicked again? And there you have the reason for the feeling of gathering gloom.

It is no wonder that while Washington fiddles, and our Rome burns, the people themselves, otherwise known as "grass roots", form their own groups, such as "The Tea Party",in hopes of being heard beyond the din of politics as usual. Meanwhile, Sara Palin with her "Rolling Thunder" bus tour and message of less government is drawing huge crowds---even over shadowing those of the current front Republican runner, Mitt Romney. Hello, Washington, and heads up mainstream media---the "you betcha' girl means business, and it isn't as usual. Having not officially decided to run for the presidency, Sara is not to be ignored or marginalized, and perhaps in this day of polished politicians, she appeals precisely because she isn't. Whether or not she throws her hat into the storm of the presidential election, her plain spoken words, heart felt words are being heard despite her critics. The natives are getting restless, and there is a growing drum beat for change away from the Washington elite, who seem to value their careers more than their country.

Obama and his administration have not caused all the ails of this weak economy, but they will have to live with the decisions being made---or not made under their watch. One gets the feeling that they know very well, that we're dangerously losing ground, but that somehow if given enough time, they can somehow avoid doing what desperately needs to be done. Even Bill Clinton, in an unguarded moment last week after the Ryan bill was voted soundly down, was heard to say quietly and almost apologetically to Paul Ryan, author of the bill, that sooner or later Medicare and Medicaid will have to be addressed. Too bad, he isn't saying it publicly---and even sadder that Obama and his crew aren't stepping up to the real problems, instead of strategically staring down their opponents and engaging in demagoguery. On the other hand, the Republicans are being watched closely by their own conservative wing who have mandated change---or else. They are in no mood or position to compromise. The wolf is at the door, but our leaders are too busy playing "Chicken" to do anything about it---or maybe to coin an old phrase, they are the chickens, as in "too chicken" to move.

Could things get any worse? Stay tuned----and Sara, baby---keep rolling.




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WILL THE REAL REPUBLICAN NOMINEE STAND UP?

Shortly after President Obama was elected, I asked a friend why he had voted for him. He replied, "I just like him". When I pressed him as to why,he seemed stymied but finally said he just liked his personality. Elections, like first impressions are clearly won or lost on the bottom line---we have to like before we can love--or vote for you. But based on what??

It's still very early, but one would think the 2012 election was next month, according to much of the media, and as far as they are concerned, it's pretty much a done deal. Every day brings reports of Obama already on the campaign trail, raising money, talking the talk, greasing the right palms, and setting the stage for 2012. But the other day, he sat down for a little chat with the Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu, who as it turns out, can talk pretty well, himself. Mr. Netanyahu didn't take kindly to the remarks of Mr. Obama regarding how Israel should return to the old boundary lines of 1967, thereby giving up some of their land to the Palestinians. It was a teachable moment for both Obama and us who were watching, the Prime Minister proceeded to look Obama in the eyes and tell him in no uncertain terms how he felt about this issue. He later spoke in front of congress with great diplomacy, tact, and confidence--and received much applause. Here, at last, was a man who worked the room---and it wasn't President Obama. A shift had occured---there are others out there who can speak well and capture an audience. I hope the Republicans were taking notice---

Will it be possible that the Republicans could bring forth someone who might have Netanyahu like qualities?? Someone who has presence, confidence, sincere convictions, a certain savoir faire, a sense of having lived long enough to have a more seasoned, mature, balanced world view and our place in it. The meeting between these two men was a rare moment--Obama looking more like a student, than a leader. The Republicans should be looking for such a nominee---but are they? Why is nobody grabbing the same attention that Netanyahu caused? Likability wasn't this man's goal---persuasion by reason and conviction was.

The choices as they appear now, are interesting, but not arresting. Let's just look at the top candidates according to a recent Republican poll: Mitt Romney with 30%, Newt Gingrich at 15%, Michelle Bachman (surprise!)dropping to 7% and Tom Pawlenty at 5%. No one stands out or up with seemingly the "right stuff"----let me re-phrase that---they may have the right stuff, but they aren't blessed with the right look---yes, sad, but true that we put a lot of emphasis on outward appearances. But wait--- if that were all we wanted, why aren't we more excited about Mitt Romney? The guy is movie star, and hunk handsome. He's also Morman, a possible negative with some voters, and on top of that, he instituted a health care bill that bears a too-close-for-comfort resemblance to Obama's plan---"Romneycare", and not a good thing in many conservatives' minds.

Next, we have a man who probably has much of the right stuff, a memorable name, Newt Gingrich, and most notably a previous Speaker of the House. His stuff may be right, but it's packaged wrong. He will not win any Mr. America beauty contests. The media likes to play up his "baggage" of divorce and adultery history---I doubt the average American cares much about that, but they don't like his "image"---what's that? Middle aged white man with a slight paunch--boring, and not at all cool. We like 'em cool and "hot" these days. Smart counts, but only if it's in a handsome box.

Michelle Bachmann, Minnesota member of the House of Representatives and the lone female candidate so far, is hanging in there with 7% of voter polling, and certainly would pass the camera test, but seems to lack depth of knowledge. Is she another Sara Palin, who speaks to the hearts of Republican voters, but not to their minds?

Tied with Bachmann at 7% ---is a new kid on the block, Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza. What makes him an interesting contender is that he is an African American---the Tea Party likes him, and so does the media. But will they cast him and the Republican party as a "copy cats",trying to cash in on the race card?

Tom Pawlenty, preceding governor of Minnesota, is running surprisingly behind with 5%. He is plenty qualified, nice looking enough, but does not seem to have that "it" factor, the mojo that says, "Look at me, I'm up to the job, and further more I can beat Obama". He simply doesn't have it going on.

There are other candidates who make up the remainder of this poll's percentages, such as Ron Paul who keeps popping up in the news with his Libetarian ideas, but no one seems to be paying much attention--maybe it's his non-commanding voice, or his milque toast demeanor--he's like the smart little kid in the classroom who keeps putting his hand up with the answers, but nobody cares. Maybe his light is just too bright for these dark times--we're not in the mood for radical change, and just want to veer away from the cliffs of economic disaster, not jump across the chasms.

Of course, the liberal slanted media loves that the Republicans seem unable to come up with a winnable, wannabe presidential candidate. For the most part, Obama's their guy, and they want to keep him for another four years. Have they scared off potential possibilities who view this race too unwinnable to win? On the flip side, beware of any Republican candidate the media claims to like very much--think John McCain. It sounds paranoid, but it's called politics in action. The media is a big time player, and they are not above stratigery.

It will be a tough mountain to climb, with an encumbent president who even now in the midst of very serious world problems is on and off the campaign trail, bouyed by a rich Democrat party money chest, and his recent Bin Laden conquest. But is there more to the almost intractable popularity of Barack Obama and historic election? Is it a love/hate dynamic that keeps his poll numbers north, even though some of his decisions would sink way south for other presidents? Do we hate what he does sometimes, like the forced into law health care bill,his refusal to drill domestically, even in the face of rising gas prices, the Libyan mess, but continue to tolerate him because he's just so cool, urbane, and well spoken? Some suggest that we love the fact that he's African/American and that very thing speaks well of us and our enlightened evolvement. Whatever it is, there are many who predict Obama is unbeatable---and unless the Republicans can offer up someone who has "winner" written invisibly on his forehead, i.e. has the Romney good looks, the Gingrich intellect, Bachmann's passion, and Netanyahu's "don't mess with me" attitude, they should put away their party hats and get out their handerchiefs.

And how about us? Who do we like, and why? Are we guilty of a certain complacency, a sort of vicarious approach to all things politic? Do we passively watch, but do not more actively seek out our choices for at least the Presidential nominees? Should we be making our voices heard more loudly for people we admire, and should we put less stock in image and more in what it will take to offer people a clear choice come the 2012 election? Some say Republicans are too gentile to come out fighting for their ideals, that they are running scared, and that they are too split within their party to form a strong platform. All this may be true, but if it is, then the country will surely suffer from the result of the ruling party's will, therefore an atrophy of new ideas, absence of guts to speak of them, and a general lack of Republican backbone expected by the voters.

The 2012 election is still a ways off, but the Republicans need to begin shaping their lineup of nominees. And we must begin to focus on all of them with more than a casual observer's eye. First impressions count, but I used to like diet cola and cigarettes---

FINDING BIN LADEN---LOSING PART OF OURSELVES?

And so,predictably, the national conversation was filled with conflicting opinions on the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. One of the main talking points seems to be whether interrogation methods were key in finally putting enough pieces together to locate the hiding place---and whether we, as a country, should condone this method of interrogation---otherwise known as torture. Waterboarding is supposedly the technique used to induce information which finally led to the capture of Osama bin Laden. Though unpleasant and quite awful, it seems the mildest among an array of torture methods. We abhor the thought of torture, even in a war situation---but this wasn't and isn't your grandparents war---this enemy is different and everything about them and their war strategies were completely foreign to us. We were not sure where they were, who they were, or when they might strike next. And the worst, perhaps most unsettling and bewildering of all --- they played by different rules, even willing to blow themselves up for their cause. Beheading, torturing, and killing innocent people were totally within their game plan. This was and is a different war,and unless we found a way to retaliate, we were sitting ducks for more attacks. Our very survival as a country was at stake-- we had to learn fast. We had been reluctant to recognize the danger signals that had been flashing for years with the previous bombing of the World Trade Center, and other attacks around the world of our U.S. embassies and the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen. Awakened literally overnight on the morning of 9/11---we finally realized we could no longer passively resist or labor under the illusion that this strange enemy could never over power us. Who could have even imagined the commandeering of our own air planes being flown into our magnificent buildings? It was unthinkable, but it was done---and it could well happen again. Game on--but how? Where was the enemy,and who was their leader? His name was Osama bin Laden, and he took full credit for 9/11. He had no actual army, just "cells" of people all over the world. It was only a matter of time before they would strike again.

Already fighting a group known as the Taliban in Afghanistan who supported terrorists and oppressed their own people, our President Bush and our military now turned their sights on Iraq, who was also suspected of being a terrorist-sympathetic country---and one which by all accounts were hiding weapons of mass destruction. "Either you are with us", Bush threatened, "or you are against us". He meant it, and we went to war against Iraq. We won, and today Iraq is on its way to becoming a democracy of sorts. George Bush lost his credibility, his popularity, and the respect of many when weapons of mass destruction were never found---but in return, his greatest achievement and gift to us was protecting us from further attacks during his presidency.

The search for Osama bin Laden, however went frustatingly on and on, and the terror continued unabated, as his videos and speeches continued to taunt and threaten us with more attacks to come. We had to find this man---our enemy number one. He seemed invincible and invisible. But if we couldn't find him---- we did find and detain many of his followers and leaders. One of them, a Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,supposedly talked via methods of interrogation,which some call unacceptable torture. His information undoubtedly led to the eventual capture of Osama bin Laden. The military and the politicians claim it was a "mosaic" of information which when put all together pin pointed the unlikely hiding place of this most wanted of men---but it is widely accepted that the key piece of information came from this captive and his distaste for waterboarding. There seemed to be no other way to locate bin Laden---he was rich enough to buy his invisibility and clever enough to escape a whole world of hunters.

Hiding in plain site, it seemed, in the middle of a Pakistan city, questionably near a military base, Osama bin Laden finally met his inevitable fate. It had taken nearly 10 years since he brought his war to us and killed 3000 innocent people on a sunny day in New York. He ran, but he couldn't hide forever---or could he have--- without the very serious use of the interrogation technique called "torture"? We will never know. President Obama has outlawed any further use of torture, saying "that's not who we are". But nor are we who we were. The events of 9/11 changed us in many ways, and perhaps one of them is that we could no longer afford our usual rules of engagement or our same views of morality. Rule number one had become---something called survival. We survived and outlived bin Laden---but there are others like him out there, still plotting our destruction. Will we manage to survive them and/or ourselves in our struggle to remain moral, fair, and above the disturbing, but often effective means of obtaining information that could save our lives? Time and history will tell---

DETAILS, DETAILS---WHO CARES?

In the middle of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" last Sunday night, the alert bulletin flashed across the TV screen--"News Alert from the White House". "Gotcha'", I thought--Obama is getting even with Trump's audacious remarks regarding Obama's qualifications. But it was the real deal, the biggest deal of the year--Osama bin Laden was not only found, but captured and killed---details to follow. The devil may be in those details, but let him give it a rest for now. It was a rare moment of stunning news----good news, grateful news, relieving news. We had waited a long time for this, and had all but given up hope that Osama, the man who became the face of terrorism and who had changed this country overnight with the attack on 9/11, would ever be brought to justice. President Obama gave a short speech---he asked that we rejoice together and remember how it is to come together as a united country. We did and we do---but probably not for long. We are united in our ability to divide over anything at all, and this was no exception. The details coming out will give us much to opine about---but do we have to? Apparently so.

For starters, who was this man--and why did he hate us? His message was murky, but his methods were deadly. He denounced our way of life, and took it upon himself to change it. But who was he to judge and take us on as his enemy? It was always a tricky thing---what did we call this rogue muslim who had somehow managed to wage war against the most powerful country in the world? He had no army, no uniforms, no rules of engagement, and no respect for even the lives of his own followers. He was responsible for many attacks prior to 9/11, but that one got our full, stunned attention---we were in the cross hairs of this one man and his scattered "cells" who were hell bent of destroying, if not all of us, enough of our security to rattle our national phyche ,dramatically change our life style, and alter many of our freedoms. We were now not so free, and sadly watched as we sent our men and women off to fight this phantom enemy called Al Queda. Their numbers seem to multiply and morph until finally they were here among us, like a contagious disease, infecting even some of our own citizens who were wooed at the prospect of becoming a martyr for a cause they thought was worth dying for---extreme jihadists, or lost souls, doing the bidding of a man and his hatred for "infidels"---or so he proclaimed.

Like most other cult figures, Osama bin Laden was a false prophet, an arrogant, egotistical, but rich and charismatic leader who used religion as a cover and an excuse to murder and gain notoriety for his own political/religious views. In the end he was nothing but a pathetic old man, an outlaw on the run and forced to hide for the rest of his life, and finally in a "mansion", which turned out to look more like a cold, fortressed prison. He could trust no one and ultimately was betrayed by others of his "troops" who had been captured and interrogated. He died at the hands of his self made enemy, having not accomplished much but chaos ,mass murder, and a terror which did indeed change, but did not bring us to our knees. He would never accomplish his goals, but he paradoxically managed to cast a shadow upon his own Islamic religion, even as we struggled to separate it from the extreme and perverted beliefs that he touted.

The great irony is that as his quest ended to conquer the world with his version of a fringe, religious society, where freedom and democracy would no longer exist, the opposite has begun to flourish in the middle east, known now as the Arab Spring. Egypt was the largest explosion of the thirst for democracy, and other Arab countries will surely follow in her wake, as the youth in their ability to connect with freer nations will rise up and demand their freedoms. Iraq has already been unshackled from the constraints of a oppressive, despotic rule, and Afghanistan is slowly finding its way to a democracy, as we help it along. Perhaps technology and its wide spread communication effects was and is the real enemy to those who would attempt to stifle and over power whole countries with their ideologies and exclusionary religions. The light of a free people shines brighter than of those who must bow and subjugate to other mens' wishes---and that light will draw and warm the world as more and more people see it shining brightly via their television sets, their cell phones, and their computers.

Before this week is out, there will be many conflicting opinions and debates regarding the killing of Osama bin Laden. As usual we will turn ourselves inside-out arguing and debating as to whether it was right and just, or wrong and illegal. There are those who say the body should not have been given even the dignity of a Muslim ceremonial burial at sea, that the gruesome photos should be made public, that we should have co-operated more with the Pakistani government, ya-da, ya-da. But for most of us, the deed is thankfully done, the witch is dead, and hang the details.

Terrorism will no doubt live on for awhile, but we know the enemy now, and it knows we will fight back hard and long. We have toughened as a nation and perhaps in our awareness of those who would harm us, we have become less self absorbed and more resolved to spread and encourage democracy, so that others may enjoy our freedoms and not be caught in the paralyzing grip of those who would enslave them to their particular beliefs and agendas.

I was proud of President Obama the other night as he approved the plan and gave the order to finish the hunt for Osama. That couldn't have been easy and was fraught with the possibility of failure. I have always been proud of George W. Bush for leading us through one of the most tumultous, frightening times in our history . But I was most proud of our brave military men who pulled off a highly skilled military manuever and risked their lives for us all. All of them deserve our respect and gratitude for performing their most solemn duty--to keep us safe. They kept their promise, and it would seem fitting that we dispense with hair splitting details and the bickering among ourselves.

To those who wish to pick over the minutiae and find fault with the execution of the plan to capture and possibly kill upon certain orders the man who thought nothing of beheading, bombing, and burning those he hated, may I say--- get over it. Was he a criminal, deserving of a trial, or a militant combatant, who was sought and killed as any other enemy number one would be? That may be up to a higher authority than ours. Either way, his guilt was self confessed many times over, and he wasn't done with us yet, as evidenced by material from his computer files taken during the raid. This was a man who willfully chose his fate. May God have mercy on his soul--and may there not be a virgin in sight.





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TAKE NOTICE---A PRINCE, A PRINCESS, AND PERSPECTIVE

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to float through life with the greatest of ease---and others are constantly caught up in this drama or that trauma? What's the x factor, the thing that allows some to rise to or above challenges and pitfalls while so many seem barely able to survive what life throws at them. Is the ability to remain steadfast and even cheerful in the face of adversity a learned trait, or is one born with it? Studies show that while money certainly helps, it does not completely insulate from life's hard balls. So consider for a moment one young man's stellar, but not always happy journey and his happy "ending" ---so far.

This weekend we saw a prince marry a commoner in Great Britain. That used to be the stuff of fairy tales, and if done, not at all amusing---now it's a welcome sign of a more modern ,reasonable, and far more acceptable monarchy. Opinions and perspectives have changed. We remember Prince William as he marched with his younger brother and father behind his mother's casket 30 years ago and how sad he looked. We grieved with him and wondered if he would survive that tragedy. Would it define him, force him to see the world as an ugly, mean, and dangerous place---or would he manage to move on healthy and strong? Of course, he had many advantages, but still one wondered if the sadness would color his life and keep him from reaching his full potential. Would that we could all have the riches and entitlements that Prince William was born into, yet a recent poll found that human happiness does not come necessarily from wealth---much of it comes from intangible things--like good relationships, health, exercising, helping others---but falling in love tops the charts. All the world loves a lover, and the lover's world turns from black and white to vivid color over night. But everything is really the same---it's the beholder who has changed.

In the book, "The Noticer", by Andy Andrews, the author tries to show that it's all about one's perspective that can make the difference between a life spent struggling and complaining, or one which sails and soars in spite of one's circumstances. It all has to do with how you look at things, and whether you are noticing the right things at the right angle. The author used a character by the name of "Jones" to bring perspective to the lives of those living in a small town. Jones would show up out of nowhere and help a man about to commit suicide,a husband about to leave his wife, or a discouraged business man. In every case, Jones, who seemed to resemble a spiritual being,but without any obsequious mention of it, managed to adjust their vision, so that they began to see their lives differently. It has to do with values and attitudes, of course, but it was a good reminder that how we respond to events has much more importance than the events themselves.

At the end of the book, the author asks whether the reader has ever had a "Jones" in their life,someone to show them the way when inevitable darkness descends. I could not say that I had. But then I began to remember times in my life when there had been isolated incidents-- and one might say, a "Jones" appeared out of nowhere to help me find the way, or to look at the situation from outside my isolated lens. For me, they have usually been strangers, who once having come to my aid, have disappeared never to be seen again. There was the reputedly rude, uncaring cabbie in New York, who loaned me $3.00 for his fare, when I was dead broke as a young flight attendant, the unapproachable looking nun on a train in Italy who seemed to arrive out of thin air and showed my friends and me where to safely sit when we were totally confused, the overly friendly gentleman I was sure had ulterior motives, but who guided me through the of streets of Venice to my hotel when I was lost, and asked for nothing in return, a wise old window washer who spoke words of comfort to a pain I had buried and thought out of sight, until he addressed it quite out of the blue and lifted my spirits, and on and on, sign posts along my way, held by people I didn't notice or expect answers from until they helped me to find and to view things differently. Andy Andrews' message is that, contrary to what we have been told, it is the small stuff in life that matters---not the big job, the fancy car, the ideal marriage, the perfect children,etc. The woman who referred this book to me told me that it had changed her life. It did not change mine, but it reminded me to look at things from all sides, before locking into one view point.

I hope as I have been helped, I have been someone's Jones or simple sign post along their way. Could it be that's our real lesson, the thing we need to notice most? That what is the most important in this life is to take the focus off of self and direct our gaze at the beauty that is always there, the peace that floats all around us even in the midst of turmoil, the wisdom that is inherently deep inside for the tapping, and most importantly, the person in our life who may be in need of a different perspective---or a hug. Look around, take notice, and see beyond to a place called understanding--or heightened perspective. You will sometimes see it in the eyes of children---they have not yet been blinded by the abrasions of the world. You may also find it in the the very old---some lucky ones rediscover their sight again as they see the circle of life coming back around to complete their journey, and they finally gain a new appreciation which eluded them in their pre-occupied lives. That appreciation is a perspective free of what ifs, should haves, fear, pride, greed, or anxiety about the future---it doesn't agonize over the past, it moves forward, it forgives, it submits, it accepts what is,it changes what can be changed, it keeps trying, it bows gracefully and finally to fate, and it has faith in a higher power. It continually tweaks the cloudy prism through which we see, until we see, not up against, but beyond to clarity and hope . It shimmers with a knowledge that speaks to the soul, and silently whispers--- all will be well, be still, and see the light that shines even on the darkest days.

This weekend as the world watched Prince William marry his love, Kate, we felt what we all hunger for---a fairy tale love story and respite from all the dreary world news. May they live happily ever after and may we see if for just for a moment, an example of a perspective that perhaps we could not see when Princess Diane died, and everything about her and her family seemed dark and overwhelmingly sad ----that all things do indeed pass, and joy returns to live another day. While watching the royal couple today, as they settled into their horse drawn carriage, Princess Katherine, as she will be called from now on, turned to William and seemed to say, "Are you happy?" Smiling back at her, he seemed to be saying, "Yes, are you?" "Yes", she replied. And the world seemed to smile upon them. Long live the prince and his princess---and their new found happiness. And may they find the perspective to make it last---because even fairy tales don't always have final happy endings.

Now, no one has to remind me that the life of a prince is no proof that we can all rise above the adversities of a life more common--but this weekend's story book wedding was a shining example of triumph over sadness and happy re-beginnings. We kind of needed that, but we ordinary mortals also know that many of us suffer much worse difficulties than the prince---and still manage to overcome and live life to the fullest. I think of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was shot by a would be assassin, and is battling her way back, perhaps never to be quite the same, but unwilling to give up. There are people in my own family who, against all odds, have come out the other side of tragedy, perhaps scarred, but stronger and smiling. The point is that the human spirit is an awesome thing, and if fed ,nurtured, and disciplined, it will see us through to the end---because the x factor is the soul that knows it is built to last, even without royal blood---or maybe because it is of the most royal of all.