Are you what you earn?

The Western world seems to be structured around money, the making of money, and the value of that money.  Therefore, there are many people, that see their value being fairly reflected by the assets that they have or don’t have.  This sort of viewpoint is corrupt, for to value one’s self solely by the coin of the realm, does nothing to value the true worth of a human being and their corresponding character.  It is a grand mistake to believe that our value is tied to our material worth, and therefore that our utility to society should be based solely upon whether we are net contributors to society by the assets that we have or the money that we have in our possession or control. 

 The fact that so many of us, are judged, fairly or not, by our material assets, demonstrates a society that doesn’t have its priorities right.  The better way to value anyone is whether or not they are contributing in a wholesome way to the society that they are an active member of, along with whether or not their character represents positive traits, such as generosity, compassion, sincerity, honesty, and helpfulness.  That is to say, we should not be judged by what we earn or have but rather we should be judged as to whether we are doing our fair part to help make society a better place for our contribution to it.

 Yet, because Western nations, inundate us with all sorts of advertisements and try to make the point, again and again, that happiness comes from material objects that we obtain or the appreciative acceptance that we seemingly get from others who want what we have, thus creates not only an ongoing tension between members of society but also means that the default structure of capitalist nations, represents not a society founded upon our collaboration and cooperation with one another but rather seems to prefer that we see this world, as a competitive sport, so judged as to whether or not, we have played the game well, demonstrated by the material assets that we have.

 In truth, what we earn through our labor and the amount of assets that we have accumulated, does not reflect whether we are a good person or not, but rather simply represents the pay that we receive and the wealth we have accumulated, that is in our possession.  To have money and to make a good salary, has its value, mainly because many material things require money in order for us to have ownership of such.  However, in the scheme of things, what we really need, is often a much smaller subset of what we either perceive that we need or reflects our pursuit that the accumulation of ever more material things equates to more happiness, which to the degree that this takes us away from being a good person, is a serious mistake.

 In sum, what we are, is reflected in our character, so lived out by our interactions, day by day, recognizing that how we treat one another, and how we care about the other, has lasting purpose; whereas, what we earn or have, should be seen as a sideshow, and no more.

Governmental statistics and governmental lies

This government provides the population with all sorts of statistics on all sorts of things, such as the poverty rate, the graduation rate, the unemployment rate, the growth of the economy, the labor hourly working rate, the inflation rate, and so on and so forth.  The thing about those statistics is even if a given governmental agency was truly trying to provide the most accurate information and thereby disseminate that to the general public, the fact that the United States is so large and that it takes time and resources to gather all of the pertinent information so needed to provide a precise picture, is that we have to take into full account that the government also has an abiding desire to paint a picture that is more positive than negative, and further to the point, the government has the inclination to manipulate numbers to make that government look like its more effective in its programs and agencies than it actually is.

 The truth of the matter is that governments the world over, lie to the people, for various reasons, but the most important reason that governments lie is to keep those in power, at their positions of power, and to a lesser extent not to worry the people, about things that they might rightly worry about.  This is why the government does not present the whole picture, because it doesn’t want to look bad when it comes to the actual inflation figures, employment numbers, or real wages, and just about anything in which the general public wonders what is going on with their tax dollars, and why it is that nothing seems to change for the better when the government insists that times have never been better.

 Indeed, governments don’t desire to tell the inconvenient truth, which thereby makes it more difficult for the general population to hold them accountable to the truth, because the public doesn’t know the long and the short of it. So then, the public may rightly believe that what they are being told, is not the full truth.  Perhaps this is a good thing, because fear leads to restlessness, and restlessness leads to civil unrest, but what governments seem to not take into account, is those that who suspect and then eventually know that they have been deceived, are going to take offense at that, and that therefore this will invariably cause some sort of payback.  After all, our eyes seldom deceive us, and those then that propagate and thereby distort the reality of what is going on, aren’t actually doing anyone any favors, because that which needs to be attended to, remains unattended because it has already been propagated that all is fine.

 This is supposed to be a government of, for, and by the people, and the very least that the people deserve to know is the good and bad of where they stand within that government, and further to the point, it’s difficult to correct what needs to be corrected, when what needs to be accomplished, isn’t known for a fact, because the supposed facts are purposely distorted and wrong.

Finding that which will end all searches

There are plenty of people, religious or not, that profess to have a desire to find the true Actuator of their life.  Here is the thing, though, as in anything worthwhile, to get to where we need to get to, is going to require not only some good fundamental characteristics, but also the determined drive and dedication to get to where we are trying to go, or else we will come up short.  In other words, it isn’t going to be good enough to put forth a halfhearted effort, or an effort that is there for a little while and then gone, but rather step by step, day by day, we must be determined to find God, for when we don’t, then we probably won’t ever achieve what we were meant to achieve.

 It is never that God is hard to find, but rather it is our lack of commitment to find God, that makes God appear to be so distant from us.  In truth, God is omnipresent, so then when we are unable to communicate with that Godhead, the fault lies not in the stars, but rather lies with us, which is why, we need to have the type of determination that puts God first place in our life, for if God isn’t first, then we don’t have our priorities, correct.

 Each of us, when we quiet our minds and take the opportunity to reflect, have got to intuitively know that beyond us, is that Truth that we are meant to engage, and when we realize that we will never be satiated and also that we will never be truly happy until we find that which will end all sorrows, which will enlighten us as to the meaning of everything, we will be restless because, without that connection, we are never going to be complete.

 So too, it isn’t required that we try to find that stairway to God, by ourselves, for those personages who are wise and perceptive, can help us to get to the only destination that really matters, which is why we have institution after institution which is foundationally based on God and God’s precepts.  This then, can provide us with the needed structure and helpful impetus to keep us on the straight and narrow, so that we will not give up in the accomplishing of that which we must accomplish.

 Again, it isn’t so much that God plays hide and seek with us, but rather it is for us, to have the wherewithal and the determination to make it our point to connect with God, of which, a lackadaisical effort is never going to be good enough.  Indeed, if we are so enamored of the gifts and the creations that have come forth from God into this dimension, but never have the courtesy to acknowledge the Creator, as being preeminent, then we have fallen for the illusion, over the reality and permanency of God.  That which pings our conscience to do the right thing is the very same that encourages us to find God, for in that ultimate finding, we will have reached that point, in which we will search no more.

What makes a saint

To be a great saint, one has to be far more than book smart or spiritually smart, but rather one has to be able to prove their character and their wisdom through actual actions, and typically this is demonstrated through the overcoming of character faults, that have precluded one from becoming a saint.  That is to say, this world is a proving ground, and the object of the lesson is not only to learn our lessons but to apply our lessons in our interactions with all those that we meet. This means, that whatever faults that we have, especially those that seem to be unconquerable, are the very faults that we need to overcome, more than anything, so that those that have a bad temper, or are selfish, or dismissive, are going to have to develop those good traits so necessary to make it as if these faults never existed, or else, that person won’t be achieving sainthood.

 As it has been said, the difference between a sinner and a saint is that a saint never gave up on improving themselves, and thereby eventually developed into a saint. This means no matter where we currently stand in life, it is our responsibility to stand up and start doing the right thing, and the sooner that we put our nose to the grindstone to do that very thing, the sooner that we will progress our way to the only destination that actually matters.  Indeed, to believe, somehow, that saints are made, just because somebody is quiet and contemplative, is not ever going to be good enough, because we prove our mettle, day by day, by how we treat others, and the more that we are in keeping with the attributes of God, the closer that we will get to becoming saintly in our behavior.

 So too, we will be tested, time and time again, because that is necessary to prove that we have graduated beyond mere theory and learning to the realization of what we are supposed to do in the real world.  No doubt, those who lack experience and wisdom, are going to go through some difficult times, of which, these are necessary thereby to burn off the dross that precludes them from accomplishing what they are meant to accomplish.

 Indeed, saints are made, when those that have free will, are the same that utilize that free will and the knowledge that they have accumulated for the betterment of humankind.  None of us, lives solely to our own self, but rather, we are here, collectively, to aid one another, in the sure knowledge that by doing so, we are not only benefiting our soul development, but we are also benefiting those that need such development, themselves.  While it is true, that we can admire those of great character, it is wrong to believe that somehow we can never achieve those same heights, for each of us has the capability, to be a saint, if only we would make that the priority of our life, and to do all that we can do to accomplish that very thing.

Lying by omission

There are plenty of people who don’t feel that they ever really lie.  For them, their belief is that when they leave out certain relevant information germane to the subject matter, this isn’t really a form of lying, while additionally they believe that when it comes to “little white lies” that isn’t lying, either.  In other words, from their perspective, they are truthful, and if they have to fudge a little bit, they do that, not because they are a liar, but rather as a supposed courtesy to the other, so as to not hurt their feelings, or create discord.

 In a court of law, we are told to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Indeed, when it comes to the truth and the telling of the whole truth, this is where those who leave out important information, are thereby lying by omission.  The thing about lying by omission is those who do this, consciously or not, are thereby deceiving the other, for the impression that the other will receive when pertinent information has been withheld, is going to invariably be different than what it would have been if they were informed of everything in regards to the subject matter.

 People lie for all sorts of reasons, such as to protect themselves, to save themselves from embarrassment, to save another, or to not suffer the personal consequences of an action that was wrong, and they believe that when omitting important information—it really isn’t their concern when the person so hearing this, is not able to successfully to read between the lines.  The thing is though, is that lying by omission has not only a way of catching up with us, but those others who surmise that the whole truth has not been told, are not going to perceive us as being authentic, which thereby hurts our trust one to another.

 Those then that lie by omission, believing that even though they didn’t tell the whole truth, but tellingly have not mouthed actual lying words, often believe that this makes them honest, though that belief is fundamentally wrong.  Look, there are a multitude of ways to lie, and omission is one of them, so is misdirection, so is pretended ignorance, so is changing the subject, and so on and so forth.  Those who for whatever reason, somewhat justified or not, won’t willingly face the music, are not people of integrity, which makes for relationships that are going to be damaged, because of that lack of candor.

 So too, our lies by omission, that we impart to others, surely will have consequences for us, in the future, for what is good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander. Those who lie by omission, believing it produces no harm, or stealthily shows their ingenuity or creativeness, have got to realize the same games that they play will be played upon them. This would indicate that those who suffer the effects of those same types of lies of omission by being on the receiving end are not going to appreciate how clever and deceptive the other is but rather are going to see them as being those that lack integrity, as well as the courage to do the right thing when obligated to do so.

Book knowledge and true knowledge

Just about everyone understands the importance of knowledge, with at least the general understanding, that those with more knowledge, are in the superior position of knowing what they ought and should do.  That is to say, those who are ignorant, mentally lazy, or something in-between, are going to be susceptible to making bad decisions because they don’t have the proper knowledge, perspective, or experience to see the full panorama of how their thinking and thereby their choices make a material difference in their life.

 Additionally, it is important to take the knowledge that we believe we have acquired and to apply it in our everyday actions and interactions so that we know the good and bad of that knowledge.  That is to say, we have to endeavor to get beyond mere theory to actual application, of which, by doing so this enables us to learn more about that which we have knowledge of and the dangers or nuances, so of.

 Then there is the inconvenient fact that there are plenty of people who are knowledgeable about plenty of things, but when that knowledge is limited to just the tangible and not that which is intangible, then the knowledge so obtained has not been fully developed, because it has limited itself to this world, and not recognized appropriately that there is a hidden dimension, that is beyond time and space, which has the ultimate knowledge, that is worth considerably more than could be imagined when being limited to envisioning just this earthly plane and its limitations.

 We are meant to discover that which actuated us, and from that knowledge, we will properly comprehend that God is the ultimate knowledge, and therefore to concern ourselves exclusively or to limit ourselves to what this world represents, and no more, is to miss the forest for the trees.  It isn’t so much that book knowledge and the learning that we do, has no purpose – for it certainly does have good purpose, but rather it has everything to do, that we should always endeavor to desire to find that eternal fountain of knowledge, which is well beyond book knowledge, that will not only satiate our curiosity but that will in its function, provide us with the key to that golden door which will dissolve the illusion that precludes us from that true knowledge.

 We are meant to pursue God, because God is the be-all and end-all of our existence, and those who get so caught up in the play of this world, knowledgeable or not, good players or not, have placed themselves in the unenviable cycle of unending good and evil, which while having its place is never going to be our ultimate destination, because it has not the velocity power to bring us to where we need to be.  Those who have true knowledge are those who properly comprehend who and what they really are, understanding completely that they will not rest, and will not find lasting satisfaction until they reach that destiny that answers all questions and brings them everlasting peace.

The telegraph, the internet, and governmental censorship

While the internet is of very recent vintage, we find that communications that allow people and organizations to quickly communicate their thoughts and news from one entity to another have been around, since the implementation of the telegraph in the 19th century.  At the time, when the telegraph was invented, this permitted those who desired to communicate the option to utilize a device that would allow near instantaneous communication from one part of the country to the next.  This meant that news or other items of interest could be disseminated pretty much in real-time, along with providing areas of the country that were limited to timely information being just local in nature, to get a perspective beyond their provincial town and to hear that which was of national interest, instead.  Indeed, part of what makes news so newsworthy is the timeliness of such, and when this is as close to real-time as possible, it makes that news not only to be more actionable but of much more interest.

 We find then that when the South seceded from the Union, and even before, that the South made it its point, to censor news from Northern newspapers as well as mail communications from Northern enclaves that were reaching the South, so that they could control the narrative of what they wished to disseminate to the Southern population.  This meant that the South censored, suspended, criminalized, and intimidated all those that stepped out of line, of what those that were the powers that be in the South, deemed to be damaging to their cause. 

 So, when it came to the telegraph, it was imperative for the South to take control of the information being transmitted because unlike a publication or a letter, which must first be printed or written and then still needed to be delivered to its destination, the telegraph, which could be equated to a sort of Victorian internet, permitted news to be sent nearly instantaneously, and therein lies the rub.

 What the South did back then, is similar to what certain governmental agencies are attempting or desiring to do in the present age, which is to control what is disseminated to the general public and therefore to suppress any and all information that does not follow the orthodoxies of those that are in power.  While there may be legitimate reasons why certain information, needs to be suppressed, such as in times of war, the bottom line is that once it has been decided that the government should have an agency, so labeled as the “Ministry of Truth,” and that all such being posted on social media and the like, must first be approved by that Ministry or their minions, then freedom of the press, and freedom of speech, has been vacated, and therefore the people are not free.

 Indeed, freedom can be messy, and not everything read or disseminated is constructive, true, or of merit, but to permit governmental agencies to determine or to suppress or to intimidate those that are gateways of that information being available to the general public, is anathema to any people, that would be free, or desire to come to their own thoughts, without undue interference.

Repent!

There are plenty of Christians, who just want to go to church, and never to be challenged to be a better person – perhaps because they consider themselves already to be a good person, but also more likely because they don’t want to be reminded of their faults and their failings.  Yet, all of us have room for improvement and therefore all of us have character faults that we need to repent from, especially those faults which are detrimental not only to our own being but to other people, as well.  Yet, through it all, few people actually want to own up to their sins, and even fewer want to do something constructive to correct them.

 We read in the Holy Scripture, “Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5: 31-32).  So clearly part of Jesus' mission, if not the main part, was to awaken the people to change their wicked ways so that they would rise up and therefore do right, and not, therefore, to fall down and continue to do wrong.

 This world is a proving ground, and all those who believe that simply accepting Christ as their savior, will somehow be good enough to reach Heaven, have sadly got it wrong.  What we think, say, and do always has consequences, not just for ourselves, but also for those that we interact with, day by day, which is why we need to repent from our sinfulness and determine to do better and thereby to be of benefit for those that we congregate with and influence.

 To somehow believe that Christ entered this world, never to challenge us to become what we ought and should be, is to misunderstand the mission of Christ.  Christ came to awaken us from the errors of our ways, and thereby to make us better people, which is why we need to not only to recognize our sins and errors but also that we have an obligation to overcome them.  Indeed, it is never too late to do the right thing, though time may be short, and even though there are those sinful things that we have done or have occurred that cannot be changed; yet, our attitude and our doing can be changed for the better in the present, and the sooner that we do so, the better it will be for us.

 All those that believe in an easy Christianity, in which, not much of anything is demanded of us, and pretty much we’re considered to be okay, if we behave civilly, most of the time, have got it wrong.  Christianity is an active faith, which necessitates us actually doing something of merit for ourselves and for others, and fundamentally this requires us to repent of our sinfulness, and when weak we are advised to lean upon others of good moral strength, so as to build the good character to be a better person, so that we can become that which we were always meant to be, which requires good purpose, sacrifice, and the staying on the straight and narrow, through our conscious repentance that doing of the wrong thing, is never going to be right.

The return of the white world

There are plenty of people who are concerned that America is turning its back upon the amalgamation of the races, because there is a subset of unenlightened white people, who want this nation to be a nation of, for, and by whites, which clearly the orthodox body politic has distanced itself from in recent decades.  Further to their point, these prejudiced whites believe that the very reason why America seems to be in decline is because these non-white people have taken over America, or are being coddled by the American governance, of which, everything would be a-OK if America simply became all white again.

 While America has never been completely white, mainly because of the presence of American Indians and blacks, it absolutely was exclusively run by whites, and only in the 20th century, did things really begin to change, of which, when that change came -- America did change.  That said, all those who are prejudicial for whites and only whites, seem to feel though that it’s not too late, for America to become all white again, as well as there are plenty of people in Europe who feel that their European nations should also return to being all white. 

 What seems to be forgotten, though, for those that seek an all-white America, and therefore of the belief, that everything that ails America presently, would be resolved if it was all white, is the history of America.  When we look at that history, we see that the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, consisted primarily of whites fighting against other white people. In other words, as much as white people want to currently believe that whites just love each other, history tells us that this isn’t true, at all.

 Indeed, what people tend to forget, is that wars and disputes are seldom fought on a strictly color line, but are more akin to dealing with disputes about religion, or class status, or just for lucre and exploitation, which signifies that as much as whites want to believe that they are all similar, the fact of the matter is, that they aren’t, and if there truly was a white America, that somehow magically re-appeared, there would be plenty of things for whites to complain and fight about amongst themselves, which typically would come down to the same things, that annoy so many whites today, such as opportunity, religion, education, fairness, and money.

 To believe that somehow if everyone was of the same skin color that there would be thereby a Shangri-la in America, is to believe in a myth that will never occur. This should be fairly obvious when we see the territorial fights between present-day whites, such as at football games, or on the streets, or just the general disdain that those that have, display against those that have not, and of more poignancy, the believed necessity that those that have, need the poor and disadvantaged, to exploit and to take advantage of, so as to maintain or to augment their status. This is why an all-white America, will never be a land of non-conflict and happiness, because humankind will always find something to war about until there comes that day when it recognizes that the inherent equality and unalienable rights of all, is the creed to truly live by.

What one word sums up the credo of America

Plenty of people believe the best words encapsulating what America represents are words such as liberty, freedom, justice, or many other words of the same general uplifting ilk.  Yet, as appropriate as these words might seem, they don’t really encapsulate what America is all about because America was founded on not just great principles, but also established through the violence so directed against their English oppressors.  So too, America has a history of enslaving peoples, which is hardly becoming of a land of liberty, of which, those so enslaved, were not freed, through peaceful means, but actually this necessitated a brutal and bloody civil war to accomplish such.

 Indeed, when we look at the incarceration rates in America as compared to other Western nations, and the violent crime, so of, it has to be admitted that America doesn’t even seem all that civilized, which seemingly makes no sense, for a country that is supposed to represent the bastion of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.

 Instead, it has to be admitted that America despite all of its well-reasoned laws and great principles, has never been able to successfully shake off the fact that time and time again, America just can’t help itself, and thereby dismisses treaties and diplomacy to reach for its guns, as if to say, that justice comes through the barrel of a gun, which obviously is something not becoming of a nation known for its rule of law, and supposed tolerance of other peoples and nations, in their having the right to sovereignty and self-determination.

 It would be desirable that this land would actually live up to its creed to be a “sweet land of liberty” but all the evidence demonstrates that this is patently untrue.  Rather, America asserts again and again, that might makes right, and proves that point by the utilization of its military throughout the world, as well as controlling its own population when it is becoming uncivil, through an iron fist, that oppresses especially those people who are the furthest away and with the least amount of hope to ever fairly obtain the American dream.

 This is a nation that has clearly lived by the sword, since its inception, and while knowing what the right thing to do is, insists upon ignoring such, so as to simply take care of business through its guns, to thereby take control of whatever it doesn’t desire to engage with in a civil conversation, or to establish any real form of justice with.  Rather, America makes it its point, to shoot first, and ask questions later, which is quite unfortunate -- for a true leader of democracy and freedom, would conduct itself in a way and manner that would be consistent with a mature and balanced view of the world along with contributing to accomplishing the appropriate interactions which would reflect that very thing.

 In truth, “guns” is the word that sums up America, appropriately, for it is those guns that fought for American independence, and it is those same guns, that kept the Union together.  No doubt, a strong argument could be made that this was appropriate – yet, what has been forgotten throughout all this drama is that America still has its guns and still uses them, and seemingly won’t relinquish its hold on those guns because it is those guns that America truly lives and stands by.

For the love of family

While there are those families that seemingly can’t get along with one another or are dysfunctional in some fundamental way or another – it has to be admitted that many a family really appreciates and loves one another, which makes for a far more satisfying life, for the knowing that our family members truly have our back.

 One of the seminal things about great family units is that they are not “fair-weather friends” to us, but rather, accept us foibles and all, as we are, and thereby deal with us along the lines of unconditional love, which includes patience, empathy, and concern, which thereby helps us greatly to maintain our sensibility and to have thus the appropriate perspective when it comes to the trials and tribulations that life presents to all of us in one form or another.

 The attributes of a great family structure include qualities such as trust, acceptance, friendship, and a general caring for one another.  This means that when something goes wrong, or when there is an argument, we find that because we have trust between one family member to another, and an understanding that each of us is flawed and has our own weaknesses, that we don’t give up on one another, but rather we help and aid the other, in the sure knowledge that when we need their assistance, that they will be there for us.  Indeed, forgiveness and an appreciation for the other, are necessary attributes for families to maintain their balance and to thereby be good to one another.

 That said, the great fault that we have in societies, is the inability for so many of us, to treat one another, more along the lines that we are all an integral part of the family of God’s creation, and thereby because we are all one big family, created by the same immaculate hand, we need to be more patient, to be more tolerant, and to be more caring, one to another.  That is to say, the best of the qualities that we demonstrate with our family members, should not ideally be exclusive just to our family but rather needs to be spread around with others that we congregate with, and by doing so, we will help make this world a better place for our good connection one to another.

 We love our family because we know them, and we understand, though imperfect, that they are lovable, all the same.  This is a sort of gracious characteristic we need to develop more in the society that we are an active member of, where we see the good in the other, and help to make things better, where we can, as opposed to not wanting to be involved in the troubles that we come across, or even worse, to contribute to those troubles, by our misbehavior.  While it is good to be good to those that we know, care for, and love, it is to our everlasting credit when we do our level best to provide that same care and consideration to those that we interact with, so that we can be seen as good and faithful servants to that which actuated us, in the beginning.

Traffic lights need to get even “smarter”

We live in a day and age in which there are traffic sensors and cameras that provide real-time information to traffic signals so that those traffic signals can thereby adjust from red to green in order to enhance traffic flow.  While this has been a material improvement to those “dumb” traffic lights, there is still ample room for improvement, because those traveling along our streets in which there isn’t any other cross traffic impeding their forward motion, are averse to wanting to stop at a traffic signal for apparently no good reason, which is why traffic light efficiency needs to and should improve even more.

 No doubt, there are plenty of times during the day when traffic is heavy and so drivers are going to have to stop at traffic lights, and may even have to cycle through a traffic light sequence more than once to cross an intersection.  Drivers understand this, and while they might be somewhat frustrated, they correctly comprehend that busy intersections are an exercise in patience and of which there isn’t much that can be done to improve that flow, except for those traffic signals adjusting to whatever direction at the intersection seems to have more traffic than normal.

 However, there are plenty of times during the day, such as in the early morning hours, or the late evening hours, or upon those stretches of road in which there never really is heavy traffic, that drivers typically do not desire that they therefore have to slow down and come to a complete stop when there isn’t any cross traffic in sight.  To alleviate this type of situation, traffic signals should incorporate any and everything that would help to make the traveling of those roads more efficient for drivers, such as overhead cameras that pick up vehicles at a greater distance from the light than currently done or devices embedded in vehicles which communicate through GPS or similar with traffic lights, as well as more strategically place sensors embedded in the road.

 No doubt, the best way to improve that traffic flow would be to experiment with just about anything that reasonably comes to mind that would represent something that is both reliable and cost-efficient to improve traffic flow, which in its own way, would also help reduce carbon emissions, along with providing to drivers of vehicles a more pleasant driving experience, as well as the appreciation of the efficiency and smartness of those traffic signals.

 Look, it has to be said, that drivers believe that they are in command of their vehicles, and therefore whenever they come across an obstruction that seemingly doesn’t seem right, such as a red light, when there isn’t any cross traffic, they rightly feel that their implied right of way has been impeded.  So then, in an era of hi-technology, it would behoove governmental authorities to do their level best to see that traffic lights serve their intended purpose better by being more efficient in their duties, which thus makes for a better experience for those so traveling the roads.

Let there be Light

Even those that do not read the Bible, or care not for it, are familiar with this passage from Genesis 1:3 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”  Indeed, not only is there light, but God is that Light, and from that Light everything good and just commences.  In the Holy Scripture, it is important to comprehend that light should be seen as a metaphor for God  That is to say, Light represents God, and all those that are within that Light and answer to that Light, are in harmony with God; whereas, those that are in darkness, are those that are either ignorant of God, or have willfully turned their back upon God, of which, by doing so, they suffer the fair consequences of their ill-advised actions.

 The great thing about light is the fact that we can be in the darkest of darkest rooms, or in the deepest of deepest dungeons, and seemingly without hope of ever seeing or being in light, again – but when we find the metaphorical switch for that Light, or have someone bring that Light to us, the darkness and despair which has overwhelmed us, will be gone in a flash, and will thereby be as if it never existed.  This thus signifies that God is as close to us, as we are willing to accept God, and that those that have made error after error, and mistake after mistake, need not fret, that all is lost, for the eternal Light which is God, is that Light, that illuminates forever and ever, without end.

 Indeed, this world is our testing ground, and the challenges that each of us faces are never to defeat us, but rather serve as a thorn in our side, or a spur to our being, to awaken us from the delusion that so often takes us away from that which is Light, so that, we can thereby remove ourselves from not seeing clearly the brightness and clarity of that Light.  God cares for each and every one of us, and abandons none, no matter the time and space, that seemingly separates us from that brilliant Light.

 So then, it is vital for each one of us to not make the error of identifying so strongly with that which represents our mistakes, regrets, and errors in life, without seeming to recognize that so much of what we think is permanent and therefore unchanging, is not, in essence, actually true.  No matter the great distance between us and the God who created us, we are not ever alone, and never are we abandoned.  The key to our enlightenment then is at our disposal, through the usage of our free will, and our desire to do our good part to rediscover the Light that is within and without us, and the sooner that we do that, the sooner that we will realize that as a special creation of God, that we are ourselves beings made of Light, meant to merge with that one Light, so as to bring illumination and insight to all those that have lost their way, and thereby need the Light that we help provide to find their way back home.

To lose a democracy

There is a general belief in America, that this is a nation, of, for, and by the people, of which, through the democratic process of voting upon our legislators as well as the propositions presented, the people thereby control the direction of the nation that they are ostensibly in charge of, through that representative government.  That said, the fact of the matter is that the people’s voice is pretty much an irrelevancy when it comes to what does or does not occur from subsequent governmental actions and decrees, of which, despite having the vote, it has to be recognized that voters are often being manipulated to vote against their own interests basically, made easier because many voters have not successfully developed the insight to understand the actuality of what is truly going on.

 The first thing to recognize when it comes to power is because the United States has the most fearsome military might in the world, while also having the biggest economy and worldwide footprint, is that those powerful entities that are most intimately involved with politics, government, or business, do not desire to see their hegemony infringed, especially by people, that don’t seem to recognize their appropriate place.  This is why, those who hold the levers of power, whether visible, or behind the scenes, are absolutely determined to see that they continue to get their way, which is why, they use the political process to make sure that those being voted into office will toe the appropriate line, and further that the legislative laws so contemplated and passed are in tune with what the true actuators of this nation, deeply desire.  Sure, it is recognized that there will always be some pushback from the people or from certain politicians, but as long as those entities are in the minority, what needs to be done, will continue to be done.

 So too, while religion appeals to many people of many different faiths, for many a reason, it has to be noted that those who are typically most inclined to be religious, aren’t the biggest movers and shakers in society, who are often more practical or pragmatic, but rather religion appeals primarily to those that are the least amongst us.  In other words, a lot of people turn to religion, because their life isn’t where it ought to be, and see religion as a way to buttress themselves, so as to when not readily able to change their circumstances, to at least change their perspective. This thus indicates, that the powers that be, for a certainty, have an abiding interest in the religious faith of the people, not though from the perspective of being of benefit to the people, but rather as a way and means to get more people to accept their lot in life, and to understand that rebellion of any sort, should be seen as anathema to all those of any religious faith.

 Indeed, the principle point of those that are the most powerful personages in America, be that political, business, or the military, is to take what is ostensibly a democracy with the right to vote equally applied and see to it, that the people are manipulated into voting for that which those powers desire, which takes the concentrated effort to effectively mold people through applied political and religious pressure to see things that are in harmony with what those powers desire, which basically thereby subverts what a true democracy should be about.

Beyond finiteness

There are many people who believe that life is finite.  That is to say, we are born and we will invariably die, and thereupon our existence will permanently end.  This is only true in the sense that nothing finite, can ever become infinite, so that, because physicality is finite, and because this earth as presented is material, we cannot escape the prison of being finite, of which, therefore there is a known beginning and thereby there will be a known end, because that which is finite is subject to the laws of space and time.  On the other hand, to believe that we are finite beings is to be ignorant of the fact that we are not actually finite, because our true identity as soul is infinite, for God has begotten us, and God is not limited by anything and never will be, for God has no beginning and God has no end. 

 This signifies that for all those who are so caught up in this world, of which, they sincerely believe that this is the be-all and end-all of their existence, must surely recognize that since they cannot preclude physical death, nor can they bring forth infinite life to any other progeny or student, then they are stuck within the belief that could be stated, that life has no real significance, for it has no infinite continuum.  Indeed, this philosophy is foundationally wrong, and we intuitively know this, because out of nothing, no life, as we know it, could ever exist, or be imagined, or be birthed into existence.  That is to say, there must not only be a First Cause, but the First Cause could only exist outside of time and space.

 How a given individual desires to devote their time in this worldly existence, is up to them, for they have been gifted the unalienable right to free will, and therefore are privileged with thinking and thereby doing whatever that they wish, subject to humankind's laws, and the limits of that free will that meets up with those that are utilizing their own free will in their own way.  The object of the exercise when we incarnate into human beings on earth, is to not only to develop our skillset so as to become closer and more in harmony with the valued attributes of our Creator, but to challenge ourselves to take what we know to do, and to thereby do those very things, to therefore make society a better place for our good participation in it.

 Indeed, the sooner that we recognize and acknowledge what we truly are, the better we will be able to traverse that which is time, so represented as the changes that we see transpiring all around us, as well as to deal forthrightly with the divisions that seemingly divide us, which regrettably leads so many of us to war upon one another, verbally or physically.  We are meant to see the bigger picture and to recognize that this world is our proving ground, to take that which has been unproven by our character, and to thereby mold, through fire and ice, to become that which eventually becomes a great pillar in the palace of God, thereby presenting ourselves as a mature being that will not ever waver, come what may, in the vicissitudes of any other conscious existence.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

We are told that what we have learned in previous generations and through earlier great and visionary personages, permits us to take that knowledge and thereby to make continual progress in the understanding of our world and thus we can take the resources of this world, along with our insight, to make this world a better place than it so was in the past.  Indeed, humankind has made such great progress in recent generations, that the material things that we so often take for granted today, are oftentimes that which didn’t even exist at any previous time in human life, and of which, a lot of what we most appreciate in having, are those vital items that are of very recent vintage and are utilized daily.

 It might be fair to state then that all we know readily comes forth from our previous understandings, garnered through organizations and people, that have thereby opened the doors to knowledge that previously was unknown or even fathomed by us.  That said, when we look at mythology we find that gods and goddesses have been around societies and humankind for eons, of which, while this can just be dismissed as folklore or superstition, there is however a fairly reasonable theory, that perhaps what we now have designated as myth, has its origins in that which has far more to do with historical truth, then modern humankind seems willing to give any actual credence to, whatsoever.

 That is to say, the galaxy is large and vast, which presupposes that advanced civilizations, that desire discovery or to be of aid, may have previously come to this planet, and may even at this late day, still visit us from time to time.  In fact, when we look at history, and the storytelling that we read, we find that oftentimes past human civilizations, believe that some of the most fundamental things that were learned came forth, not from sudden insights from human beings, but rather that this is something that the gods above, brought down to us on earth.  While many of high intellectual status and high education dismiss this as something not becoming of their time or energy, it shouldn’t be, because in fairness to past civilizations, it has to be recognized that even people today have noted that both UFOs and extraterrestrials seem to actually exist; even though this seems to be suppressed by governmental agencies, for the supposed protection of the people, so as to not interfere perhaps in long-held beliefs that might upset religious creeds or scare unduly those that would believe that extraterrestrials mean us harm.

 Yet, when we fairly ponder upon this point, we find that those societies who consider themselves more “civilized” typically propagate to those who seem more primitive and thereby less advanced, what we know about medicine, health, food, transportation, and the like so as to help those that seem to be lacking those good things, to have therefore a better and more fulfilling life – for the enlightenment that we bring to their communities that have seemingly been left far behind to the accouterments of this modern age.  In other words, we are giants to those who lack the educational foundations that we have in abundance which we duly pass on to others so that they can advance their communities.  This then seems in harmony with what a god or goddess from above theoretically first provided to us, eons ago, to help therefore the human race and civilization to progress.

Life is a proving ground meant to transcend our errors

A lot of people either don’t know the purpose of life or have it basically wrong.  The very first thing we ought to want to do is to figure out the purpose of our life, and then live to that principle purpose.  That said, even knowing what we should do, is not ever the same thing as actually doing those things, for many a person, seems to have faults within their psyche, or with their discipline, or have various other issues, which seemingly precludes them from making good decisions consistently, and what we do day in and day out, defines who and what we are in this material experience.

 The object of the exercise is to take who we currently are and to thereby transcend our errors so that we grow into becoming what we were always meant to be.  This definitely means that we will be challenged time and time again for how else can it be fairly determined that we have taken our lessons to heart if we aren’t tested upon those lessons?   Indeed, when we are schooled, the way that a teacher ascertains that we have learned our lessons and have successfully applied them is to test us, upon such, and those who pass those tests with flying colors are those who grow and have proven their merit; whereas those that have fallen short, know that they have yet to fully develop their skillset.

 One of the most difficult things to overcome in this world, is bad habits, for bad habits are deleterious to our being because these have become seemingly ingrained within our thinking and our doing, which therefore means that we keep doing the same stupid or erroneous things again and again, that produces no benefit for us, yet we seem either not to care about such, or can’t seem to overcome or shake off these bad habits, but this is though the very thing that we need to overcome so as to transcend our errors and to thus develop into a better person.  That is why, those who point out our errors, are typically doing us a service, because the very first step in correcting that which is wrong, is the recognition of it, and the next step is to do something constructive about such so that we can be of better character.

 So then, life is a challenge, of which, each of us has our challenges to overcome and conquer.  That doesn’t mean, though, that we need to go about it alone, for those who work in collaboration, can strengthen themselves to collectively get to where we all ought to be, which is why a team that works together to overcome obstacles helps all those that participate in achieving that overriding objective.  How far we go in any given life, really comes down to our effort, our thinking, and the prudent usage of the tools that we have at our disposal, along with the grit to get it done.  Those who keep their nose to the grindstone and behave in a manner in which nothing is more important than resolving what needs to be successfully resolved are the same who transcend their previous errors so as to obtain the only prize truly worth winning

The decline of efficiency at the USPS

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has been in a steep decline in the efficiency of delivering individual first-class mail since 2020 and seems no closer to resolving its delivery inefficiencies today than it was yesterday.  Look, it has to be said, the average customer is not so concerned about premium services provided by USPS and how good or great that they might be, but definitely cares about the mail that they send out or receive from family, friends, and the like, of which, because so many families and friends end up living some distance away from one another it is thereby imperative that mail being sent is received by our valued friends and family in a timely manner.  Yet, disappointingly, this isn’t occurring even close to an acceptable level, of which, the USPS just offers excuses, that at the end of the day, don’t register with individuals because they know that the USPS has previously proven that it can deliver mail on time.

 It shouldn’t have to be this way and it shouldn’t be this way, because the one thing about America, is that companies, all over this great nation, are constantly innovating and getting better at performing what they need to perform, day after day.  Further, it isn’t like the USPS doesn’t have competition, because it does, from the likes of UPS and FedEx, so that it would behoove the USPS to rise up and to be competitive against these private enterprise companies that quite frankly are far more reliable and dependable than what USPS presently represents.

 It is to  USPS’s lasting shame that it offers nothing but excuses for why it can’t perform what it needs to perform, as compared to coming up with needed innovations and thinking outside the box to better perform its valued service.  Those who make excuses, and complain about this and that as the reason why USPS can’t do better, don’t seem to recognize that, unlike private enterprise companies that are consistently making profits and doing well by the shareholders, that USPS can’t even come close to breaking even, but rather in fiscal year 2023, lost an incredible $6.5 billion.  To believe, somehow, that USPS can’t right its ship because there isn’t any profit in the delivering of goods and mail, is belied by the fact that private enterprise companies are proficient at doing that very thing.  Further to the point, it’s aggravating to the taxpaying citizens of this nation, to recognize that there isn’t any real guarantee that what they send out via first-class mail will arrive on time, which is not only embarrassing when it comes to seminal events such as a wedding, a birthday, or an anniversary, but it seems that this happens far too often with nary a concern or care at USPS.

 There is definitely something that needs to be fundamentally fixed with USPS, and fixed soon, because what USPS represents at the present time to those that it is supposed to competently serve, is far short of acceptable, and it isn’t trending in the right direction, either.

The fixed 30-year mortgage at a competitive rate is the only way to go

It does seem sort of strange, that banks would willingly issue 30-year fixed mortgages in America, in consideration that this sort of commitment by a bank could be disadvantageous to banks when inflation is persistent and high. Still, a 30-year fixed mortgage is the norm in America and has been for quite some time.  We find though that there are other options available for home buyers, such as the 15-year fixed mortgage which might even be a better fit for certain individuals, as well as there being also Adjustable Rate Mortgages which many a person is enticed into taking.  There are, indeed, quite a few options that consumers can avail themselves of when it comes to getting a mortgage, but in short, a 30-year mortgage is often going to be the best bet for most consumers and there are some very valid reasons why.

 An important issue when it comes to a mortgage is the understanding that inflation is part and parcel of the American economy at this point and is not going to go away, anytime soon.  Additionally, governments, the world over, do not want deflation to ever be a norm within their economy, because deflation means that goods are getting cheaper over time, and when this is the case, consumers are going to be patient and purchase what they need to purchase, later as compared to sooner, which is why we don’t see deflation, and instead see inflation.  Additionally, America has for nearly a century seen its dollar depreciate in value because of that inflation. 

 So then, it is important to recognize that inflation is here to stay, of which, the Federal Reserve is comfortable with 2% inflation, though in recent times, inflation has been significantly hotter than that, in addition to the salient fact that the government has a massive deficit which needs to be serviced, which puts pressure on the dollar and its worth, and thereby plays its own influence upon the overall inflation rate.

 The very good thing about a 30-year mortgage is the fact that the payment coupon each month does not change, whatsoever, for 30 years.  It is the same amount of money, year in and year out, which signifies that for all those consumers who believe that their income will surely go up and at least match the inflation rate, or do even better than that, they will intuitively recognize that the paying of their 30-year mortgage as time goes on, will get progressively cheaper.  That is to say when a person’s income doubles over a period of time, but their mortgage payment coupon remains the same, the amount of one’s salary thus being dedicated to that mortgage payment has been slashed significantly.  This is why a 30-year fixed mortgage is so beneficial to the consumer, because that debt first incurred, is going to get progressively cheaper, because of inflation, and therefore their ability to pay that mortgage will get progressive easier; whereas, for those that have signed up for an Adjustable Mortgage rate, they are stuck within a construct in which higher inflation, necessitates a higher mortgage coupon payment, which is something that they should want to do their level best to avoid.

In defense of the rolling stop

In America, there seemingly is an endless procession of stop signs, of which, for virtually any trip that a driver makes, they will encounter one of those ubiquitous stop signs and the law states, that at a stop sign, the vehicle needs to come to a full and complete stop which is defined as being no forward momentum at the designated stop sign marker, and to proceed only when they have ascertained that there is no oncoming traffic or pedestrians that have the right of way over them.  One might think, since everyone has taken a driver’s test, that everyone would not only know what the law is regarding what is appropriate for a driver to do at a stop sign but that the general public would unquestionably obey it, pretty much every time.

 Not too surprisingly, to ascertain whether or not drivers are consistently coming to a full stop at just about any stop sign, that isn’t incredibly busy, we discover that a significant percentage of drivers, do not come to a full and complete stop.  Rather, they come to a rolling stop, of which, when they see that there are no pedestrians or cross traffic, they proceed along their way – and if they do see a pedestrian or cross traffic, they will almost always stop, but typically not behind the designated stop sign marker.

 Look, it has to be said, that when people are driving they don’t like having to come to a complete stop, mainly because that keeps them from making progress to their intended destination, and knowing that a full stop is equivalent to making no progress, they find it to be a bit irritating.  Indeed, in a lot of cases at a significant amount of stop signs, there isn’t any cross traffic and there aren’t any pedestrians, of which, when traveling at five miles per house or less, the field of vision for the driver is adequate to take in this information, which is why many a person, does not come to a full and complete stop, but rather makes a rolling stop, which is defined as slowing down when approaching the stop sign, but never completely stopping the vehicle’s forward motion.

 The fact of the matter is that violating the stop sign rule and thereby when ticketed by a police officer, for such, will mean that the driver has to pay a monetary fine and will also suffer the penalty of a point or more being added onto their driving record, which could mean a higher car insurance rate.  Yet, a rolling stop, in which, nobody was endangered, whatsoever, but the driver is ticketed, just seems unfair.  Not only that, but any police officer, strategically placed where the officer’s view of the stop sign is unobstructed, could issue ticket after ticket after ticket for rolling stop sign violations because it happens so frequently.  This would presuppose that there should be more flexibility in the law, about what constitutes a legal stop, especially in those intersections in which there hasn’t been an accident in years, which would better reflect that a rolling stop is not nearly as dangerous as the busybodies might so imagine or fear.