Last names and the print media

When we are having a conversation with someone, we seldom address that person just by their last name; rather, we use their first name, nickname, or Title, such as Sir or Miss, and so on.  That is to say, when we address somebody strictly by their last name, it typically is in a situation in which the superior person, such as a  Sergeant or a Teacher of some sort, addresses everyone that way, pretty much as a demonstration of their authority over the other person.  Therefore, it is rather surprising that when we examine any form of print media, whether in actual print or online through various social forums and the like, the industry standard is often just the last name, with seldom anything else included.

 Perhaps this doesn’t bother most people, because they are used to it, but then again, the people that aren’t bothered are typically the readers, but not the person, so being involved, because that person hasn’t been directly asked.  So too, perhaps the person that is being written about isn’t bothered because they are used to it, or inured to it, but it has to be admitted that for most of those people being written about, just being addressed by their last name is not how they are dealt with in the real world and therein lies the rub -- for the bottom line is that there surely should be some sort of compromise that can be obtained which satisfies all parties, and that would seem to be something as simple as adding that person’s first initial, or the initials of their first and middle name, so that what you have, for example, with a person such as James David Smith, is instead of writing Smith, it’s J Smith or JD Smith, which not only flows just fine, but is also going to be more satisfactory to James David Smith, as well.

 At the end of the day, it just makes sense when writing about people to write in a manner which is consistent or at least in harmony with how we might address them in person, and adding an initial or two doesn’t seem to be all that daunting for those that are utilizing the written word, because most people desire to be dealt with in a respectful manner and just the last name without the first name or initials with it, could be seen as disrespectful by some, and therefore should be subject to being changed.  After all, there are plenty of things that have been standard practice back in the day, but have ended up being changed, because it was seen as being beneficial in making that change, of which, an adjustment to just utilizing the last name of the person so being written about just seems to be one of those things that should be changed, and therefore ought to be changed, and the sooner that this occurs, the better that it will be.

Compensatory consumption

The thing about America is it is, by definition, filled with ad after ad that sell the story that this particular good or item will make someone’s life to be appreciably better. In addition to the perceived fact that they will also be admired for having obtained it.  This is seconded by today’s social media influencers who, because they are often perceived to be somebody that we can identify with, sell the very same sort of story, of which the good that they are pitching and praising will bring status upon the recipient if only they would purchase such.

 Logically, we know that status symbols, especially when bought to achieve that status, really don’t change who and what we are at our core.  Yet, that siren song seems to appeal to many a person and in particular appeals to those that feel that they aren’t where they want to be or ought to be, and therefore need surface like things and labels to sell their story that they are successful, and that they are to be a person to be admired, so signified by the fact that they have the right prestigious accouterments that typically they make quite visible to friends and associates, as well as to the population, at large.

 Not too surprisingly, companies that sell goods are quite cognizant that some of their buyers, if not the majority, so of, are people that are eager to purchase those goods that will make them to believe that their status will be embellished, and they play upon that urge by focusing on that consumer base, by basically telling their customers, that indeed they will after they have purchased that item, be now respected, be now recognized, and be now envied.  Whether such is literally true or not, doesn’t matter so much as long as the person making that purchase believes it, themselves.

 So too, those items that have taken on the aura of being something that enhances one’s image are the very same that stores are able to charge consumers for at a higher price, by virtue of providing the access and therefore the privilege of helping the consumer upgrade their image, which ends up being quite good for the seller’s bottom line.  So then, those that are in that business are only too happy to have customers that perceive the need to purchase what they are selling, so as to make themselves feel better about who and what they are – though beneath the surface it would be fair to assert, that these purchases are often being done as a perceived needed compensation to make up for the fact that many of these clients are either not of the favored race, or have not come from the most favorable circumstances, in which these visible items represent proof positive that they should now be accepted as being successful and of visible merit, which seems to say that they are in their own way now on the same level as those that were fortunate enough to be born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths.

“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it”

The above quotation is typically attributed to the great George Orwell, but in fact, although it is consistent with his beliefs, it is not contained within his known writings.  That said, the profundity of what this statement means is apropos of what we see in the society of today, which expends far too much time and effort creating a narrative that oftentimes isn’t close to the truth, and those that propagate these lies are the very same that know the truth but dare not speak it, because to do so would take from them their power and authority.  Indeed, we live in a time in which more and more we find that the government that is supposed to be of, for, and by the people, in addition to providing beneficence to the people, has instead its own agenda that predominates its narrative, which is to control and to manipulate the people for the greater benefit of those that are the power brokers of this nation.

 When truth dies, so does the society that we are members of, because those who live in lies are the same who have forsaken truth for that which is the anathema of truth.  So too, not only will those that lie to us, desire to hunt down those that would distribute the truth, as well as to hate those truth-seekers and truth speakers, but they will make it their principle interest to see that those that stand up for truth that contradicts the lies that they are spinning day and night, are shunned, silenced or compromised as much as they are able to do.

 To live within a construct in which lies are king is to live in a type of hell, because those who are subservient to lies are the same who have done so to the disgrace of their good character and are therefore harmful to the society which they are a member of.   To live for truth is to live for goodness, to live for justice, and to live for what is right, and those who will not break and run when faced with the troubling winds of lies are those who are the epitome of what it means to be a noble and true soul.

 To testify to truth, especially when those that are in power are full of lies and deceit is not an easy thing, but it needs to be done because the only way to take down those that lie to us, is to stand arm in arm with truth, because not only is that the right thing to do, but it is the necessary thing to do, for when good people, sell out the qualities that humankind need in order to build successful and vibrant communities, they have done so to not only their own personal destruction but also to the destruction of that which we were meant to uphold, as our highest duty, for those that are true, are those that have run their race well and proper, and are the same that we should faithfully follow to the only finish line that matters.

Concentrated power is never good for freedom

Look, it has to be admitted that concentrated power is the type of power that, while it may well do some good, seems to be outweighed by the distinct tendency for those who have that concentrated power to take care of what they desire and want first, and perhaps if they are generous and somewhat fair-minded, to subsequently provide some sort of benefit or aid to those that they have power over.  This, in the scheme of things, in any form of government that is by Constitutional decree, of, for, and by the people, is clearly at loggerheads with what a democracy should represent, for a democracy should have a diffusion of power, with appropriate checks and balances in play, so that no one particular entity or department can lord it over all others.  While it could be said, because of this diffusion of powers, perhaps getting things done or achieved will be more difficult to accomplish, whether true or not though it has be taken into fair account that the most important thing is that the people have their fair say, for it is the people that governments are supposed to be created for and for whom they serve.

 Regrettably, in the United States, we find that mega corporations that have profits year in and year out, of billions upon billions of dollars, and of which, the competition with other mega corporations of a similar ilk seems to be on a steep decline, this thus indicates that what these mega corporations want they are often going to get, because not only does money talk, but also because those that could influence mega corporation policies, are in way too many cases, the same type of representatives that have been “captured” by those mega corporations and are thus in place to take care of mega corporations desires.

 So too, the more power in the hands of opaque governmental operatives, which track and monitor more and more of what Americans are doing in their lives, presents to these operatives the power to compromise or to manipulate the people, so that their various freedoms of speech, and of assembly, are constrained by the government, in one way or another, thereby signifying that the people are more and more having to cede their freedom to the government, for their alleged safety, or homeland security, or just about anything that seems to make sense.

 Those then that want to remain free, need to have the power to be free, and when mega corporations have seemingly all of the power, then those that are the employed, which are the laborers of this nation, but without a powerful union to back them up, are at the mercy of mega corporations when it comes to their pay, their benefits, and the security of their employment.  Additionally, those who trade freedom for supposed security from elements that could harm them or take away what they have, are the very same who have played into the hands of concentrated power, because concentrated power wants, above all, obedience, and cares not a whit about freedom, but rather believes that freedom needs to have in place appropriate restraints, so determined by those with the power, and none other.

Matthew 5:16

We read in Holy Scripture “Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).  This type of sentiment is something that more people that profess to being Christian, and a good Christian at that, need to pay very close attention to and be mindful of, because those that claim that they love Christ, should be able to prove that by their good deeds, for faith without works isn’t much of a faith, at all.

 Indeed, those that have ever gotten in trouble with the law and therefore have had to face a judge to pronounce judgment upon them, are almost invariably the same that admit to their regret and remorse, of which, the bottom line for those that are sincere in what they have just said, is thus demonstrated by how they subsequently perform in their interactions with others, wherever that may be, because sincerity starts with doing the right thing, and especially doing so, when there is something of merit on the line.

 To be a fair-weather Christian is to be the sort of person who means well, or means to do well, but never seems to get to the actual business of doing good for others, and additionally never seems to involve them engaging in any sort of self-sacrifice for the greater good.  Those who love Christ are the ones who, when faced with a challenge or a dilemma, are able to rise up and to do what needs to be done, because only when that is occurring does the rubber truly meet the road.

 In life, we are given the fair opportunity to demonstrate our character, again and again, of which those that step up and do the right thing, are demonstrating good character; whereas, those that don’t step up and cannot be counted upon when it really matters are the same that nobody should consider to be of a good Christian character, because they do not have the corresponding works that demonstrates this very thing.

 Look, while we cannot control what does or does not happen to us, or the interactions that we are involved in, what we can control is how we react and what we do about those things that are of most importance to us.  So then, those who stop and make the extra effort to be kind and of service to others are Christian, which is what we should aspire to be, because the greatest amongst us are those who serve, so as to make society a better place for their valued participation in it.

 So too, there are plenty of people that don’t tremble when they think of judgment day, but these typically are made up of those that have an ego that has deceived who and what they really are because they don’t really desire to know that -- but having made this fateful decision they will rue that day when they are called to account for those that lack good deeds are the same which won’t find the only destination that really matters being available for them.

Oftentimes, traffic tickets are way too expensive, and they are always regressive

The way that our income tax system works is that it is progressive, which essentially means that those who earn more pay more, which is fair, because there is a need for the redistribution of income so that those who are most needy are provided with the necessary funds and aid so that they can have a decent life.  Indeed, those who are wealthy are the very same who can afford to pay more in taxes, which is why the tax structure of this country is progressive in nature, and why taxes that are regressive in nature should be minimized as much as they can be.

 When it comes to traffic tickets, a traffic ticket and its associated fees as well as possible punishment for failure to pay that ticket, or failure to appear in court, and so on, are structured so that those being issued such a ticket, no matter their income or lack thereof, pay the same amount, which thus signifies that these are regressive taxes, which in and out itself, might be tolerable, if the traffic tickets were actually commensurate with what the traffic violation was all about.  In other words, someone that is exceeding the speed limit or has run a stop sign when there literally is no other traffic about, appears to be unfair, when the fine for such is excessively high; whereas, those that are speeding on the highway and darting from lane to lane in traffic which is fairly heavy, should definitely have to pay a serious fine, because their bad driving could well cause an accident. 

 Yet, we find that except for driving without a seatbelt, that just about every traffic ticket nowadays has a fairly hefty penalty to it, in addition to the fact that traffic tickets increase the insurance that the driver has to pay, signifying that getting a traffic ticket while never being welcomed, can be especially problematic for those that are just struggling to get by, of which, in the United States, there are a multitude of people that are just scrapping by to begin with.  All this becomes even more troublesome for those who have received a traffic ticket when they aren’t able to make an on-time payment or work out some sort of payment schedule, if so available, which leads these unfortunate people to be on the pathway in which their license could well be suspended, and they could even at some point, have to suffer jail time.

 All of the above would not be necessary if traffic tickets were structured so that for the most part the fines were significantly lower than they are presently, especially for those things which don’t represent a real hazard, all things considered; but in actuality, the price of tickets is something that seems to increase yearly and definitely exceeds the inflation rate, signifying that those that determine the amount of these fines simply are doing so because they want that money and seemingly don’t care how much of a burden this may or may not represent for those that have been ticketed, under the distorted belief, that people should not commit the traffic violation, if they are unwilling to pay the fine.

 In actuality, this really comes down to fairness, and regressive taxation which doesn’t take into account what people can actually afford to pay, or take into account, how certain areas of a given community are going to have more tickets issued not because the drivers are worse, but simply because there is more police presence isn’t fair at all, especially when those police officers have an implied quota of tickets that they need to issue, day by day.  In sum, traffic tickets for offenses that are minor should not be overly punitive.

Bank fees for handling cash transactions

One might be excused for believing that banks are in the business of specifically handling cash transactions, as well as checks and electronic transactions of all types, and that pretty much everything is therefore fairly covered as a feature provided to customers' accounts with said bank.  In actuality, for some reason, major banking institutions don’t seem to like businesses that have what they claim to be an excessive amount of cash transactions, which might only be at a monthly limit of just $20,000 or even much less, and thereupon mandate that a fee be imposed for cash transactions above that monthly limit, which is applicable each month.  The reason for the fee seems to be that cash transactions involve more personal labor than transactions of an electronic nature or what a check would represent.

 While to some people this type of reasoning might seem to make sense, it has to be acknowledged that all forms of electronic or checking-type transactions are essentially representations of cash.  That is to say, a check of $1000 is the representation of cash, and is therefore if so cashed, that entity would receive $1000 in cash – so that it would seem to make sense that all those businesses that bring in cash, shouldn’t have to pay a fee for having what checks and electronic forms of such represent, because ultimately cash is the real deal.

 When it comes to banks we find that part of their policy appears to be to find a way to nickel and dime the consumer or business, so that the fees associated with an ATM, or having a banking account, or overdraft protection, and so on are structured to be the type of nuisance so that while people and businesses might not like it, they won’t though take their business elsewhere.  This, in a nutshell, is why cash transactions that exceed a certain amount are presently having to pay an additional fee -- as this isn’t something that existed from the beginning, but rather was no doubt tested, and when not enough pushback was received, subsequently implemented by those banks.

 Another way, though, of looking at the fees involving cash transactions is that we know for a certainty that big businesses aren’t going to have to pay that fee, because their size and the business that they bring protects them from having to pay those nuisance fees.  Rather, it is the smaller businesses that have to pay the piper, which is quite unfortunate, because they are the very same that they don’t have enough power or influence that thus permits them typically to get a better deal, and since they have to pay that fee, it only makes sense that they pass that fee onto their customer base as the cost of doing business, which means that small businesses and the consumers of such, pay a bit more, in which the big banks earn a little more, all at the expense of those that deserve a fair deal.

The legality of the Executive Office's enactment of the United States' foreign wars

Whether we desire to call what is currently transpiring in regards to aggression made by America against foreign nations and principalities to be war, or to be a form of terrorism upon them, isn’t so important as the fact that we live within a construct in which the Executive Office, without expressed authorization from the legislative branch of America, is continually waging war against all sorts of foreign countries and is thus utilizing the armed forces of America to bring that war upon them.

 The question that needs and ought to be asked is whether or not these essentially undeclared wars are legal under not just our Constitution, but rather are legal in all or any of their aspects as practiced -- so that the United States Justice department should have the right and therefore the prerogative to weigh in as to the legality of what the United States is doing through its Executive actions that are the equivalency of war, but somehow aren’t held to account by the jurisprudence of this nation, and further aren’t held account to the people of this nation, either.

 Indeed, those that are our duly elected representatives have an obligation to represent not only the people well, but to do so in conformance to the highest law of the land which is its Constitution; and it doesn’t do the people of this country any favors, when only after the fact we discover that actions taken by the Executive office are perceived to be or are held to be illegal or illicit. Rather, in things as important as war, this needs to be resolved at the get-go, and to the degree that the judicial branch countenances that such is in accordance with the Constitution or is not, so be it -- but the people of this nation should understand the reasoning so of, regarding whatever the decision is, so that this not only sets precedence but also permits the people to respond through their representatives per their inclination with the urging, if so warranted, that an appropriate Amendment to the Constitution be enacted if so is deemed to be necessary as a surety to the people that this country will not devolve into being a nation in which the Executive branch is permitted to conduct foreign policy and thereby wars with the armed forces of this nation, which ignores or pushes to the side the Constitution, the legislature, and the judicial branch.

 The bottom line is that wars have consequences, not only for the people of this nation, but also for those that are warred upon, and the least that this nation owes to its people, is to conform to the highest law of the land, which should be adjudicated when so necessary and appropriate, for to not do so lends itself to all sorts of trouble, in which, essentially the democratic voice of the people doesn’t much matter, because when that voice is silenced for that which involves foreign policy and warfare, then that seems to strongly suggest, that the people’s voice doesn’t matter for much of anything, at all.

America without a vibrant middle class would not be America

When it comes to the middle class, the general definition is that the middle class is defined by a household’s income that ranges between two-thirds to double the national median income.  This, though, doesn’t really say enough about the wealth of the middle class, or their status, or their overall comfort zone, or consider their debts.  Being middle class should consist of having enough wealth so derived from their income and savings, which permits those who would be of the middle class to either own their home outright, or to have the assets in hand that would permit them to own their home outright.  This should also be the same case for their best household vehicle.  Also, to remain in the middle class, the occupants need to have all the appropriate insurance, such as home, auto, and medical, that would serve to backstop them in case of an unexpected adverse event. It should also be noted that debts from credit cards and other loans should be at a percentage of the overall wealth that servicing such would be manageable. Additionally, to that, the money being earned by the household should be no less than two-thirds of the median national income, with that job position essentially being secured or as close to secure as possible, and these combined would make that household to fairly represent being a successful member of the middle class.

 For those that are making good money but have not yet obtained enough wealth to own a house and/or their vehicle, rather than seeing them as being middle class, it would be more appropriate to see them as being on the pathway to middle class status, but because so many jobs are not secure in America, and debts accumulated through credit cards, student loans and the like are so prevalent, it is not a certainty that they would actually ever achieve such, which is why we see that the present generation is perceived as being in worse shape than previous generations that have come before them, because the cost of living in America has risen, without a corresponding increase in salary for so many of those that would traditionally make up the middle class, in addition to the fact that job security in this nation, is problematic, at best, for a whole lot of working people.

 Indeed, what makes America great is not the rich, and it certainly isn’t the fact that we have so many poor people amongst us, but rather it has everything to do with its strong middle class, which represents all the good qualities of what it means to be part and parcel of America, which is why the governance of this nation should make its top priority to do everything possible to see that this nation has a robust middle class for as long as possible, and that the middle class should be expanding within our borders and not therefore contracting -- for the middle class to be found to be contracting would typically represent that not all is well within America, signaling perhaps the end of America as we know and love it.

Miscegenation

There was a time not so long ago in which it was a crime to marry somebody outside what was considered to be your given race.  That is to say, this law was especially in effect and specifically meant to deal with a white man who desired to marry a black woman.  It also quite frankly applied to a black man desiring to marry a white woman; however, in that particular case, the law was pretty much superfluous because mob justice would take care of the perceived problem in its own way, through banishment, intimidation, or much, much worse.

 We now know in this present day that the concept of race is a social construct, because biology tells us that there is no “pure” race in all of the world, indicating through these genetic studies that we are all part of a greater whole.  So then, when it comes to miscegenation the main reason why this law was the law of the land in so many States for so long has an awful lot to do with the fact that those that were considered to be black, were legally classified as property, so that those that enslaved such could therefore do pretty much whatever that they desired to do with their property, because it was their property, with basically the sole exception being not that the white man couldn’t rape and ravish the black woman -- but rather that it was considered not just bad form, and not just a slap in the face to societal norms when a white man deign to marry a black woman, but also by doing so, this would in its effect, serve to legitimize that which could not be legitimized, because it would serve to interfere with that peculiar institution and could not and would not be countenanced by society, whatsoever -- not under any circumstances, ever.  This meant, therefore, that laws had to be put on the books that would stipulate that this was forbidden and therefore not permitted by law.

 Indeed, in America, somehow it was perfectly fine and accepted to have all sorts of offspring that came forth from illicit liaisons between black and white, but it was not accepted that black and white could ever live together legitimately as husband and wife.  After all, to permit this would be pretty much anathema to the institution of slavery, because it would basically mean that blacks would be, by implication, on the same level as whites, and in this nation in which blacks had no rights which the white man was bound to respect, was therefore never to be tolerated.

 Fortunately, the better angels of our nature eventually recognized, but not until 1967, with the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case, that miscegenation laws were in violation of the 14th Amendment, which thus meant that miscegenation was now null and void in all fifty States.  However, we need to recognize this: the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, but prejudices die very hard, and in truth, still live today.

World War III and the end of America as we know it

There isn’t much doubt that the military-industrial-technology complex has a great desire to see that the American empire initiates World War III under whatever pretext, which sort of makes sense from their perspective, so that America can essentially profit from and exploit those that have been either conquered or have no choice but to acquiesce to American corporate and governmental demands.  Regrettably, this seems to be one of those things in which it is believed that the damage so done to America and of its infrastructure will be minimal, or if not exactly that, will be tolerable, and with billions of people now under American dominance with lands rich in oil and rare earths, along with abundant cheap labor, this would thereby make for profits that would endear those in the corporate world while also making those at the highest echelons of our military exceedingly proud to be the unquestioned number one and thus the only superpower existing in the world.

 The problem with this whole scenario is the fact that, first of all, America and its people really don’t have a conception of what the hell of war consists of, because America has essentially not had its land invaded by a foreign nation since the War of 1812, which is an exceedingly long period of time.  Further to the point, wars of today are far more ugly and far more vicious than they were back in previous generations, because air power, drones, bombs, and the armaments that can be utilized today are extremely effective in wreaking destruction, and whatever rules of engagement that there ought to be have been wholly discarded.  Apparently, nobody at the wheel actually cares or is concerned whether the American people are fully protected, driven by the mistaken belief that America can’t be successfully attacked.

 Indeed, the American military-industrial-technology complex absolutely loves war, not only because it provides power and prestige to those intimately involved in it, but mainly because it pays so well in wartime profits, as well as the fact that it increases corporate influence upon the government in all sorts of ways, which thereby benefits private enterprise.  Those then who profit greatly from war are the very same who want more and more of war, because money and power are far more important to them than being civil, just, and humane to one another.

 Yet, what the military-industrial-technology complex has not taken fully into account is that because American civilians have not directly or even indirectly suffered from all the warmongering and bellicosity displayed by America, that they have to a large extent grown fat and lazy, so that to believe that these same civilians can handle being hit hard by the opposition, if it so comes, and it will come, is to read the tea leaves wrong, because far too many Americans are fair-weather Americans that aren’t going to be able to handle the type of hell that will come their way, because as much as the military-industrial-technology complex believes that “they got this” – in actuality, they don’t, because those that are driven by profit and power aren’t necessarily well positioned to have or to display the courage when courage is called upon, because America loves to fight, mainly because those that they have picked upon, haven’t had the capacity or the resources to effectively fight back, but should America pick a fight with the wrong nation-states that are prepared to do what they need to do, it’s going to be the type of hell that no civilian in America asked for or would desire, and therefore the end result will be an America that once was great, but now clearly the sun has surely set upon and thus disappeared forever.

Is the President the most powerful person in America?

The United States has three branches of government: the legislative, the judicial, and the executive branch.  The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch, of which he does indeed have many underlings under his power, as well as the fact that the President is the Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces  That said, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the President is the most powerful person in America despite his great power, because in actuality, the President is under the restraint of not only the legislative branch, as well as the judicial branch, but also the political party that the President is aligned with.

 Indeed, when it comes to politics it needs to be recognized that some of those elected in the Congressional branch have been in their position for over thirty years, which makes a material difference in their effectiveness and their influence, because of the fact that they have been there for so many years, which means they have developed numerous contacts and connections, which make them to have a lot more influence and usefulness over anybody else that has just been elected.  So too, the judicial branch of the government has judges that have been appointed for life, so that they can serve for well over thirty years and beyond, which signifies that both of these branches have senior members who are well-positioned, to therefore to have their say when it comes to those things that are part of their domain.

 Further to the point, Presidents come from different walks of life, so that a President, who was formerly a well-seasoned member of Congress, is going to already have the contacts within government as well as private enterprise that they can call upon, which is wholly different than a President, such as someone known as a successful businessperson or celebrity would have at their disposal. In other words, those who have not served their country faithfully in the political arena, no matter their image or competency outside such, just aren’t going to have the type of influence and power that someone on the inside who has developed governmental and corporate relations has achieved, which they have obtained and developed over the years.

 So too, it has to be recognized that the President is only one person, so that, the numbers of all those that are in great positions of power and influence in aggregate considerably outweigh what the President brings to the table, signifying that the President in order to wield real power is going to have developed agendas that have broad public as well as inside political support or else the President will find it difficult to pass into law or through Executive Order the items that means the most to him and his desires.

 No doubt, the President is powerful, but to a large extent that power must be combined with others that in aggregate are far more powerful, or else the President will not be able to put into effect the changes that the President richly desires to see changed, which is why, those that talk the talk, aren’t when they become President, necessarily able to walk the walk, unless they are in harmony with those that are in agreement with what that talk so signifies.

To be conquered

In any war, in any battle, there will ultimately be a victor, and to the victor go the spoils. So too, we find that even when a people do not wish for war, have not asked for war, have not been warmongering, and tellingly do not have the armaments to defend themselves appropriately, that though leaves their people vulnerable to being tampered with by a domineering type foreign country that through some pretext will see them thus conquer the other because the spoils are still there to be taken and taken they will be.

 To be conquered means that the civilization that previously was in charge of its people, whether such was good, bad, or indifferent to its people, no longer is sovereign but rather marches to the beat of the conqueror’s drums, regardless of whether the conquered people actually desire to march to those foreign drums or not.  So too, through this conquest, the land will also be occupied by that conqueror so that they can properly extract whatever materials or wealth that they can get their hands upon, for there is little point in defeating the other if the spoils are not fully extracted and taken from them.  Tellingly, no matter whether the color of the skin of those that are now occupied matches or doesn’t matched who now runs the show, there will be some form of racism impressed upon those that have been vanquished, because to somehow equate the vanquished people as being of equal worth to the conqueror just can’t ever be permitted, therefore whether it is religion, or the habits of the people, or their historic background, or this or that, those that have lost, will be thoroughly dehumanized, so that the pathway for the exploitation of the conquered people becomes far more smother to justify for the conqueror.

 To be conquered is never going to be a good position to be in and for all those that believe that those who have lost the fight, will have their day, have got to recognize, though this may be true from time-to-time, that in many a case, it isn’t true, so that what a people once had that was theirs, will no longer be there for them, for they will be seen as less than the conqueror, and this isn’t going to be easy to overturn, despite the greatest of efforts, though it can happen, and sometimes is accomplished through the aid of a would be competing conqueror for whatever reason, known or unknown.

 Indeed, as much as people proselytize that it’s different today than it was back then, they seem to protest too much, and thus would appear to suffer from selective memory that doesn’t pay attention to the events of today, let alone, the events of yesterday, for many a present-day nation still suffers from being exploited for their oil, or their rare earths, or their strategic location, and so on, of which, whenever a powerful country finds it problematic to diplomatically put themselves in the prime position to have what they want from a weaker nation, they thus make it their point to do so through a coup or outright war to take what they desire and clearly care not a whit about the sovereignty of the people that they have taken advantage of.

 In sum, to be conquered is part and parcel of the history of the world as well as the world today, and those who stand with the conquerors probably do so not so much out of ignorance but rather because of the spoils that come their way, directly or indirectly.

It is not good to be alone

While the truth of the matter is that each of us does need some time alone in order to contemplate quietly and to be about our personal business, it has to also be admitted that humankind has an innate need to connect with one another, or else in this world, it would consist of just one person and no more, because if we really didn’t need or desire anyone else, there wouldn’t be anyone else here, for that which we are tested upon could simply be done with just one and no more.

 We read in Holy Scripture, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18).  Indeed, the concept of this world is to understand that through our connections with one another, that we are therefore best able to assist each other to get thereby to the only place worth reaching, of which, through out friendship and through the challenges that we face, alone as well as together, each of us can draw upon our own experiences and wisdom to aid the other, thereby permitting us to accomplish what needs to be accomplished all that much better and with the lasting satisfaction that we did it together.

 To be abandoned is to be alone, and whenever we are abandoned, the tasks that we have to face become all that much more daunting.  So too, we are provided with a voice, and when we have nobody to talk to, then there doesn’t seem to be any purpose in having such.  Additionally, we have a drive within us to find those who will help make us more complete as people, because they not only backstop what we are weak at but also encourage us to develop ourselves to the fullest extent possible.  It is that friendly teamwork that permits us to better appreciate this world and to thereby overcome the difficulties and challenges that we face.

 How far we get in this world is dependent upon myriad factors, but one of those factors consists of those that we meet upon the journey that we tread upon, in which those that align best with us are the very same that will help us along that journey by being our loyal companions, so that together in the end we will reach that place which is our eternal sanctuary.

 In all that we say and do, we are monitored and watched by that which first created us, and because we have free will, which permits us to do right or to do wrong, we need to be held in check by those who are our friends and have our best interests in mind, because they see it as their divine purpose to not only wish the best for us, but to do their fair part to see that we accomplish all that we need to do by joining together with us in true friendship and thereby helping us to face the challenges that will define who and what we are. 

 Finally, our Creator, who breathed life into us, has a vested interest in seeing that we willingly desire to be His friend by our actions, thereby strengthening the bond between us now and forevermore, for it is not good to be alone.

Dreams are a portal to immortality

As human beings, we need a proper amount of sleep; otherwise, we will not be able to function or live well.  When we do sleep, besides the fact that it renews us and is part and parcel of dealing with the general fatigue of the physical body, it has to be recognized that all of us spend some of our time while sleeping, having dreams.  Those then that recognize the value of those dreams as bringing insight to their own life are the very same who are cognizant that from these dreams we may derive wisdom and comfort, though for some of us, who have nightmares and things of that sort, this may bring a reckoning to our mind of that which ought to be dealt with, more forthrightly.

 The dreams that we have may consist of literal as well as symbolic qualities, and may or may not be something that we are able to correctly interpret but as in anything of importance, the more that we make up our mind that we will pay attention to our dreams and desire to know the meaning of such, the better that we will become at doing that same thing.  While it is possible that our good friends can help us interpret what we dream, it has to be acknowledged that nobody has a greater personal insight into our own mindset other than ourselves, so that to the degree that it is possible, we should do our level best to try to figure out the message of what we dream.

 No doubt, some dreams do seem to serve nothing much more than entertainment.  Then there are those dreams that seem to be concentrated on the difficulties or issues that we are facing, which may permit us to see these problems in a different light.  So too, there are those dreams in which people that we know but have left this physical dimension, are back alive in the sense that we are doing things together with one another, which not only typically brings us a lot of joy, but also lets us to know that when we are in our dream state that the concept of what is real and unreal changes, permitting us to recognize that what we believe has a known beginning and a known ending may well be something that is immortal, instead.

 Indeed, whenever we focus too much on this material world and the everyday activities that keeps us busy and our mind occupied, we have a strong tendency to forget that this world should best be seen as a proving ground, and is not and never will be, the beginning and ending of our existence, which is one of the salient reasons why dreams are so important to us, because when we quiet our mind that is overly concentrated on the things of the day, we better recognize that there is a dimension beyond this dimension, which erases time and space, so that we are able to see that which will let us to know, of the who and what we really are, is definitely beyond the physical for it is ever immortal and always will be.

Clarification on Heaven and Hell

America can basically be seen as the land of perceived shortcuts, of which there doesn’t seem to be any attempted shortcut or wishful pathway of more prevalence and therefore of eternal importance than the destination of our souls.  So then, we find in America, but also especially in other Western nations a tendency to believe that to get to Heaven is as easy as simply accepting Christ as our redeemer, without therefore our previous sins, mistakes, and wrong thinking apparently being held against us – signifying for those that are astute that according to this interpretation they can still get right into Heaven, no matter their previous faults, by having confessed their sins and subsequently receiving a baptism that makes them born again, which signifies that all is good which will thereby send them on their way to Heaven. 

 In truth, while it is good for the soul to confess sins to the right person and while it is also good for the soul to evaluate and to examine one’s behavior, it has to be admitted that to make things right, we can’t just take on the aura of sincerity but we need also to be sincere in what we profess to believe. Finally we need to top this off by thinking and performing actions that are in conformance to the essence of what we believe, which signifies that where there is wrong, we need to do our part to make it right, and thereby to live a life of integrity and of purpose, so that through our good exemplar we will encourage others to do the same sort of thing, which will be beneficial for society at large, and help therefore to make this world a better place for our good participation in it.

 So too, our mind is the builder of the edifice that we so create, and those that are aligned with God and the attributes of God are the very same that are on the sacred pathway to reunification with God.  On the other hand, those that make poor decisions and clearly aren’t doing right, are on a pathway that takes them ever further from God, and even worse, makes what they have to do to make good on their previous mistakes a much more difficult task than it need be, because of their stubborn willfulness in doing that which is anathema to what God is and what God stands for, thereby creating separation from that which represents eternal sanctuary.

 To believe somehow that Heaven is meant only for those who profess the right words is to get the concept of Heaven entirely wrong, because words without corresponding actions that bring life to those words are just empty words that a parrot could say.  We are required by our being to be that which we ought and should be, and those who do what needs to be done are the same that will return to the bosom of God, which is Heaven.  As for those who insist that their way is the right way or, even worse, don’t really care, their separation from God will be a living Hell, of which, gratefully, the portal to God is forever open, if and when these lost souls forsake their wicked ways for the only pathway worth treading upon.

Resist what needs to be resisted

Life can indeed be a struggle for a significant number of people, so that when pushed to the edge of tolerance, a choice needs to be made as to whether to resist or give in to what is happening, no matter how bleak.  Indeed, sometimes there isn’t any real good choice that will permit us a fair chance to overcome what oppresses us, but nevertheless, there is a choice, and those who are wise and with self-respect will not go quietly into the night when they recognize that to do so is to surrender to that which deserves no surrender, whatsoever.

 Not every battle is going to be our battle, and not everything that we see that is unfair and unjust necessitates our response to it, for those things that are relatively trivial and of no real concern should simply be left alone because to spend all of our time battling little things is pretty much a waste of our time.  Rather, we need to understand that life consists of occasional real battles that will define who and what we really are, and those that recognize that this is indeed their time to stand up and to make a stand are the same that have done right to their conscience, as opposed to those that are simply too cowardly to do what they need to do, when call upon to do so.

 Regrettably, no matter how right we may be in our cause, does not guarantee us success when we fight back against injustice, but just because we are not successful does not mean that we were wrong or stupid for resisting what needs to have been resisted, because part of life is to stand for something of merit, and by our actions we demonstrate that we will not surrender to that which deserves no surrender from us, no matter the personal cost, because at least when we resist, we do so knowing that we have demonstrated the courage to make that principled stand.

 In this life, we will be tested, and those that make easy statements about how they will never surrender, or never disavow that which is of most importance to them, need to be tested, or how else will anyone know their sincerity behind such statements if not put to the test -- which is part of the reason why we will be tested, because words are not the same thing as actions which are in conformance to those words, because when push comes to shove, there are plenty of people who are only too willing to eat their words, and submit to the other, often for an incredibly cheap price.

 Those of integrity are the very same that will when put to the test, be true to who and what they really are, willing to accept what comes their way, just or unjust, because they know when challenged to do the right thing, no matter the cost, no matter the choices so presented to them, that they resisted, which thus are the very same as those that have paid the price for the ultimate freedom granted to those that resist what needs to be resisted.

The lure of easy credit

Look, it has to be acknowledged that most people have a desire for material things that they believe will help to make their lives better by purchasing, for instance, a cellphone and its corresponding plan, or furniture, or a vehicle. No doubt, things of that sort have a true value, especially when it comes to a vehicle which, because so many communities have public transportation which is barely adequate, permits the vehicle owner to get to their place of employment, as well as to perform necessary tasks, and to just in general to have freedom of movement.

 The problem when it comes to purchasing items in which the person so desiring to make that purchase has poor or bad credit is that their avenues to make that purchase are limited, thereby meaning that they will often have to take up offers that express that “everybody qualifies”, or “nobody is turned away,” and others of that same general ilk.  The lure given to these consumers is the lure of credit provided to them, which will permit them to purchase something that they desire, though not everything so desired through this easy credit is necessarily a needful thing.

When it comes to so-called “easy credit” it has to be recognized that such credit comes with a cost to the consumer of such, of which that cost is typically that the consumer will pay a sky-high interest rate with significant penalties for a late or short payment, along with the fact for more expensive items such as an automobile, that delinquency means that the loaner of that particular good may well have the legal right to recover that automobile, which will mean for the consumer even more fees and penalties in order to recover the car, if that is even possible.

 So too, when it comes to easy credit, the loaner wants the consumer of such to focus upon the monthly or bi-weekly or even weekly payment amount and to not be concerned about penalties, recovery fees, repossession, or the length of time of the credit contract, and because so many consumers of easy credit don’t readily understand what they are signing up for, or possibly don’t even consider it because all they care about is purchasing the product that they want, this means that they are going to far too often make a “deal” which is quite favorable to the loaner and not favorable to them.

 No doubt, it’s human nature to want and to have desires, and because we live in a material world in which it’s pretty much a requirement to have certain things in our possession or to have access to them, or else we won’t feel good about ourselves and our place in life, that the upshot is that for far too many people, they go into a store with the basic idea that no matter how much that a given item costs they just have to have it, making it all the easier for those that offer easy credit to take wholesale advantage of their ignorance and lack of preparedness, with the penalty being wholly paid by the consumer to their probable lasting regret.

The three-fifths compromise conundrum

Certainly, politics make for strange bedfellows, of which those that were formerly the thirteen colonies, who had bravely fought for their freedom, thus decided that they needed to have a new Constitution to replace their Articles of Confederation. One of the main difficulties in getting these thirteen colonies to agree, though, and to ratify the Constitution, was the issue of slavery.  Indeed, these colonies recognized that if an acceptable accommodation could not be reached which permitted those of the Southern States to agree to that Constitution, than America before it was even truly formed, would subsequently have been divided between North and South, which in and of itself, could have led to European nations, such as France, Spain, and England to exploit such differences and troubles for their own European benefit.  So then, while there were lots of ideas debated and expressed during that convention, somehow it was decided that they who were legally considered to be personal property were when it came to congressional representation, to be designated as three-fifths of a person, which definitely made a difference upon that representation, which thus permitted the Southern States to have fourteen additional seats in the Second Congress. Those Southern seats would continue to be augmented over the subsequent census years of 1820 and 1830 and beyond.  This thus meant that those who most supported slavery had a bigger voice than their population of free people actually represented.

 While in this modern age we clearly recognize the injustice that slavery so represented, it has to be acknowledged that back in that time and age, slavery was something that not only existed, but when it came to the Southern States there was a strong belief that only with slavery would they be able to turn a tidy profit on the production of cotton, tobacco, and agricultural goods.  Further to the point, the South recognized that those immigrating from Europe had a strong affinity to immigrate to the Northern States, because it was these States which were far more industrialized and thereby provided a much better pathway for good employment and overall opportunity, so that the demographics of the South necessitated, especially in the Southern mind the need to have their population representative numbers as high as possible or else they could find themselves to be outnumbered in the question of not only slavery but also in other areas of interest and thereby without an effective voice in governance.

 History tells us that while the three-fifths compromise did permit the thirteen colonies to become the United States, it did not, though, bring forth a nation that truly supported justice, equality, and opportunity for all.  This meant that there would come a time when those of the South who were scared that their peculiar institution would be under assault from the national government decided that their best move was to rebel against that government under the wrong belief that not only were they right for doing so, but that they could enact their supposed Constitutional right to disband what had been joined together. 

 Indeed, the State representatives who got together for that initial Constitutional convention were some of the best and brightest, of which there probably wasn’t any way to come to a successful agreement without compromises, but in that Southern compromise, the die would be fatefully cast, which would ultimately result in a great reckoning, and thankfully, a new birth of freedom.

This world is a world of opportunity to prove your mettle

Indeed, life has its purpose, and that purpose can be best defined as an opportunity for each of us to prove our mettle in the challenges and temptations that life presents to us.  So then, wherever we may currently be at, as well as the circumstances of our life, recognize that what is presented to you, is there to provide you with the opportunity to prove yourself and those that do so successfully, are the very same that advance; whereas those that do not, are the same that will have to find a way to make good on what they need to make good on, or else they will not ever find themselves in that timeless sanctuary of serenity, peace, and truth.

 This thus signifies that what we say and do most definitely makes a difference, not just in our personal development or perhaps regression, but also through our interactions with those that we deal with, which will influence others for the better or for the worse, and while it could be said, that what people do or don’t do is their responsibility, what we have done to contribute or to harm such, reverts back to our own self, so that we are not only our brother’s keeper but we also are part of the overall milieu that society is made up of, which signifies that we need to do our fair part to help make society better for our good participation in it.

 Each of us is unique as an individual, for our circumstances are unique within who we are, which means that whatever that is our burden to bear, we must do our level best to deal with such with aplomb and with determination so that we will at the end of the day prove that when given the chance to do right, that we have done right or else to suffer the fair circumstances for our failure in judgment and our subsequent bad actions.

 For certain, there will be justice, for that is how the moral universe works, and therefore it needs to be recognized that more than anything, we earn our way to Heaven by the good deeds so done, as well as our contribution to the betterment of those with whom we congregate with in our interactions with one another. 

 So too, everything that we do actually does matter, for in skeins of time all is recorded and all is known – but this information held in the mind of that which is Infallible is not done with the attitude that this will oppress us or convict us, but rather as an object lesson for us to learn from and to therefore better ourselves so that we can develop into what we were always meant to be, for this world is the proving ground, provided for us to test our mettle with a fair challenge, and those that do not pass those tests will find that they are stuck in an endless cycle that they cannot escape from until they figure it out, by the subsequent thoughts and actions which do right by that which first created them.