Merry Christmas

Dated: 6 Dec 2008
Posted by JB
Category: Announcement, Thoughts
0 Comments

Thoughts

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas is celebrate in many different ways around the world but the overwhelming theme should always be: togetherness. With hard times upon us, we as a global community should take time out this season to help our fellow global brothers and sisters in a time of need. Instead of buying so many gifts, set a little money aside and give it to one local charity and one global charity. You will feel great.

Let us carry a hope in our hearts and minds for global peace, better economic times, and better understanding between people’s of our world. An lets all promise to be a little bit kinder to “Mother Earth” as she is all we have to survive.

Merry Christmas!

I will see you in the New Year!

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The Blame Game Begins

Dated: 17 Nov 2008
Posted by JB
Category: Thoughts/Opinions
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Opinion

I am absolutely amazed! It has been less than 2 weeks since the election and the media (especially conservative right wing) is, already, blaming President-Elect Barack H. Obama for the problems of the world. Understanding that there is only one elected President of the United States of America at one time, the media still thinks that Obama should be taking action on a number of fronts such as the economy.

I know that this pressure will grow and by January 20, 2009, it will be expected that Obama will have all the problems solved in a week’s time. It must be understood that 80% of any success is in the planning not the execution.

I believe that Election Campaign  2012 has already begun. The Republican Party does not want Obama to succeed. There will be no “coming together” for the good of the country. There will be only lip service for such a great cause. I think that Obama should “stay the course” in which he will spend a large amount of time in planning his actions in secret. If he is to be successful, he can not be a great friend to the media. In the end the media will stab him in the back when they get tired of him. Knowing that media, that will be in a very short period of time.

I feel that it will be up to “major and minor” bloggers to keep the media at bay and try and be more objective in their postings. This is not a time in history to waste our edge in the ability to be objective and informative with our audiences. We, as a community, must be the vanguard in doing everything possible to support this president. We must give him the time and space to solve the many domestic and global problems that affect each and everyone of us in the world. Otherwise, we will all be the losers regardless of political loyalty.

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A Time to Heal and Reflect

Dated: 11 Nov 2008
Posted by JB
Category: Thoughts
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Thoughts

As you may have noticed, my postings have not been daily. A couple of months ago, I fell and injured my left shoulder and both arms. I fractured my wrists and  the humerus bone in my left arm. I, also, seriously injured the muscles in my upper arms. I can’t raise my left arm above the 90 degree level and I am in a constant state of pain. It has been very hard for me to use a computer keyboard.

At my age, I feel pretty good about the general condition of my body to come through a serious accident and start the process of healing so quickly. The fractures are “hairline” and that says my bones are in strong condition. I, also, realize at my age it will take a longer than normal period of time to heal.

This period of inactivity has given me much time to reflect on the general election campaign and the final outcome. To be very honest, I held my breath for a very long time. I had this feeling that people were giving “lip service” to the idea of a first African-American President. I thought that many would “talk the talk” but when they entered into the voting booth, would vote on the basis of race. It did not happen.

I am old enough to remember John F. Kennedy and the wonderful days of Camelot. To have such a young president with a beautiful family was a wonder. The general global feeling was he could do miracles and could do no wrong. Was that idealistic? Of course, but it was a great feeling at the time. I, also, remember his murder and the great loss that I and  most people around the world felt.

We have been given another chance with this young, energetic president-elect. He is an intellectual and compassionate person at a time when we need a leader with those strengths. He has a great future and the capacity to do great things. My only fear is I don’t want history repeated with a similar tragedy.

Today is Veterans Day. A day of remembrance and reflection. It was on the 11th day, 11th hour, and 11th minute that the “War to End All Wars” World War I ended. Millions of people were killed in a war that was to repeat itself two decades later. After World War II, the world was not able to see peace as the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict and Gulf Wars were to follow. As a soldier /warrior for 21 years, I truly know the meaning of the famous quote: “No one hates war more than a soldier.” Still today, I question myself if my service really had any bearing on the pursuit of peace. I, more than many, know that conflicts and disagreements are only solved  through intellect and compromise and not  through force and aggression. My generation is lost to the past but the future of my children is open to change. I pray that this U.S. President will bring a new future to my children and their children.

Sometimes it takes a minor event to slow us down and take the time to reflect on our lives and the world around us. We have been given an opportunity to make a global change in the way we live our lives. Let us hope that we use it for good as I believe  we are running out of opportunities.

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