"God is an absent landlord"

"God gave us the forest so that we could take what we need. My ancestors are not angry. There are still many trees in the forest."FRANCEL, a villager in Madagascar, on widespread poaching of rare rosewood trees.

And so, once again, humans condone or even encourage the total destruction of a rare resource by invoking “God”. The idea of stewardship is totally missing from God’s equation apparently. The forests of Madagascar are already more than 90% gone, the most valuable species of tree, rosewood, is more difficult than ever to find, and the wood hungry Chinese are demanding more and more trees.
In an unrelated article this morning the opinions of Britons are reported to be moving quickly to the skeptical side of global climate change. Are these two news reports really unrelated? Let’s look more closely.
A disinformation campaign about climate change has been waged since the early 2000’s, when the Bush Whitehouse began the systematic dumbing down of science. The worlds industrial giants would lose big time if real measures to address climate change were adopted, so a worldwide media effort has been underway to minimize the impact of scientific reports and to bolster the ideas that big businesses were socially concerned and would do the right thing by us. And in the UK it has worked. And in the USA it has worked. And in China it has worked. Many people around the world no longer think of the climate “wierding” as unusual or threatening.
And that leads to apathy when Madagascar allows the raping of its last rainforests. Madagascar is already one of the poorest countries in the world with a per capita income of around $2.50 a day. A growing population on a deforested landscape filled with incredibly poor people governed by corrupt officials who are corrupted by industrial players. Just change the name to “Haiti” and you get the picture.
But we don’t have to worry, do we? See, Francel, the villager quoted above, is sure that God is behind him and his ancestors aren’t angry. Well I got news for Francel. His ancestors are really pissed, and God is an absent landlord.
Image and reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/africa/25madagascar.html?scp=1&sq=rosewood&st=nyt
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/science/earth/25climate.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/opinion/17friedman.html

The Oil Spill (What, more?)

Well, weeks into it and there is more oil than ever in the Gulf, in marshes, on beaches, on birds and other sea-going creatures. There is also enough blame to go around. I get so tires of everyone taking “full responsibility” and then blaming someone else. The BP people, the Halliburton people (the same ones that are still ripping us off in the desert?), the Obama people (we will do everything in our power to get this mess stopped and cleaned up). Where the hell is responsibility? Why can’t everyone just say “God, this is the worst mess we have ever seen and we will join forces to fight it?” While the price of oil booms (the floating things that hold back the river of oil) doubled in price (surprised?) the “dome” was failing and congress was asking questions. While the Gulf was suffering the worst catastrophe in our history the “drill baby drill” crowd was saying in so many words “drilling is NOT the problem, the government is the problem” The government is always the problem until it is the solution. My old friend Rich says watch out when you hear “somebody has to do something about this”, because the “somebody” is the government, and that is US (paying the bill or carrying the debt). Well SOMEBODY has to do SOMETHING, don’t you think?
I know. Pray. Funnily enough the Florida crowd that prayed away hurricanes (to hit New Orleans?) prays that the spill doesn’t hit Florida beaches. Why not pray for the leak to stop? Why not pray for the leak never to have happened? Why not pray for, oh, what’s the use? Pray baby pray. Can’t hurt.
Image: www.zianet.com/relo-lan/1Portfolio.html

Image: http://www.examiner.com/x-43075-Bird-Examiner~y2010m5d11-Where-are-all-the-oil-soaked-birds-in-the-Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill

Finding a Twin (of sorts)

I decided for who knows why to look myself up on Google. I used my official name and got 2 hits. The first Richard Search is from Leeds, UK. I never got to the others. He is the managing director for William G Search, Ltd. in Leeds.He is on Facebook. He has a daughter named Sophie.The coincidences are really remarkable: my name is also Richard Search; my middle name is William; my English wife was born a stones throw from the other Leeds, in Kent and I am on Facebook. And I have three sons, none named Sophie. Now don’t go all squishy on me here. I don’t have any interest in paranormal connections or the like. I just think it’s interesting to find someone with the same name, especially when the name is not very common. The rest is just interesting.
But, if I find out that he is a West Ham fan, then you can roll out the Twilight Zone theme.

Twilight Zone Theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y

Image (Twilight Zone): rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/.../

Image (Leeds castle): http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracylee/1557981/

Las Vegas Five: What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

Don’t you believe it for a New York minute (1). What stays in Vegas is money. What follows you around are memories. A few readers have wondered out loud when the next chapter of “Las Vegas” was coming. Here is the last chapter, with no revelations (to speak of). We had a great time, saw wonderful sights (see LV one and two), ate at a really funky Italian place (not L.V. plastic), got high (see LV three) and just enjoyed the scene. On the last trip to Vegas I heard a young wife say to her husband whilst walking through the faux Eiffel Tower “Now we don’t have to go to Paris”. Or Egypt or New York or anywhere else. She sounded serious, but I hope not.
We on the other hand are off to Portugal in 2 weeks and will eat, drink and be very, very merry. We will see the mountains, the rivers, the castles, the churches, the ---- everything there is to see. We will leave money behind and bring memories home. Not so different from Las Vegas really. We could have gone to Disney World instead, and left some money behind and brought some memories home, but why not go for the real thing? Along the lines of “Drink the Wine Now”, I suggest going to the places you have on your list as soon as possible. Why wait for the dollar to crash?
1. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=New%20York%20Minute.
Image: members.virtualtourist.com/m/c470b/cc416/

“For God’s Sake Put That Damn Thing Down!!”

My old guitar.
I picked up my old Harmony classic guitar the other day and plucked. God. So out of tune I couldn't get close. Then I picked up my old electronic tuner. In a few minutes it was tight and tuned. Wait 5 minutes and sour again. Retune. Wait. Retune. Wait. Play (euphemism for making not so good noises). Retune. Play. Retune. Put down with sigh.
I last played with the “axe” about 10 years ago. New strings. Electronic tuner. Sore finger tips for a week. Then on to other things. My old college roommate, Charlie, will vouch for the hours of “The Sloop John B.” to get some semblance of finger placement. Then on to bar cords and moving up and down the neck. Then playing around with a blonde (dirty minds) solid body electric. What fun. Finger calluses and strong fingers. Interspersed with fishing and drinking, that was the life. Charlie was a good sport about all this, learning the words to the “Sloop” and never once yelling “For God’s Sake Put That Damn Thing Down!!”.

Image: hubpages.com/hub/vintage-harmony-guitar

Haiti: Leading Indicator?

NPR again. This time an essay that really makes you wonder. Since the earthquake in Haiti (hear much about Haiti lately?) attention has been directed to their overpopulation, the deforestation of their mountains, the political corruption that leads to a very rich class and a very poor class and other problems like lack of health care, crumbling infrastructure, fiscal disaster and no regulation of anything. The natural reaction to this portrait is “poor Haiti, they are Sooo (1) backward”. But are they really? It looked to the writer of the essay, and to me, that Haiti may just be a leading indicator of where the rest of the world is headed. If you read back to the second sentence and think about it a minute you will find some frightening parallels to much of the rest of the world. Combined, these and other problems that are all manifest in Haiti are plaguing the world (and the U.S. too).
Is Haiti backward or a leading indicator? Scary to contemplate.
1. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sooo
Image: http://www.nasaimages.org (Haiti left, Dominican Republic right)

Drink the Wine Now.

NPR yesterday aired an essay about a couple that saved a good bottle of wine and two glasses for a “special occasion”. She died 20 years later, the wine undrunk (1), and, when opened, the wine was spoiled. Given the urgency of all the problems facing us in the immediate future, I recommend like the writer of that piece that you drink the wine now. Don’t wait for a special occasion to celebrate. Every day you wake up alive is a special occasion that calls for celebration. Remember that one day you or someone you love will not wake up. That is also a special occasion, and you can celebrate their life with the bottle that should have been shared. Bittersweet celebration, though.



1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undrunk
Image: American bittersweet at home.howstuffworks.com/american-bittersweet.htm

Some Things You Can't Write

In the old days journals were private writings that only the writer read. They were used for all sorts of things but were considered private and sacrosanct. Blog postings are a kind of journal for the modern age, but are public rather than private. Care should be taken to be sure that what is written is accurate, and if remarks are hurtful or mean-spirited the writer better be ready to take the heat. It's easy to rail about politics and political correctness. It's easy to poke fun at anomymus people and events. It's easy to reflect on a life well or badly lived. But a fair number of essays are written as drafts or in the head and then discarded in favor of civility. Publicly lashing out at the President for something is OK, but don't lash out at your boss publically. Talking about an old roommate who had a big and funny nose is OK, but don't describe your best friend in unflattering terms. See what I mean?

I love writing these little essays that range over "Woodys World" high and low. To anyone interested in someday putting thoughts on "paper" and hanging them out for the world to see I say this: Editing is more important than writing. Write it; let it rest; read it; edit it; let it rest; read it again. If you still want everybody to read it THEN publish. Saves a lot of grief in the long run to be somewhat circumspect about what you say publically.

By the way, this goes for Facebook too.

Image: http://coachcreativespace.ning.com/groups/group/show?groupUrl=journeyofjournals

Significant Others

Don’t you just love to hate the term “significant other”? Code for what exactly? I suppose if you go back to the dark ages of the 70’s and early 80’s this was a person with whom you were probably “living in sin” or close to it but didn’t qualify for the appellation husband or wife. In those days the majority assumption was that the “other” was indeed the other sex from yours. Gays also used the term to indicate a solid relationship and for many the assumption of “other” obscured the sex of the partner. The term sort of settled into meaning anyone someone was committed to in a relationship and marrieds used it to indicate their spouse.
I have never been comfortable with the limitations of the above. To me, significant others are all sorts of people that are a significant part of a life. Siblings, cousins, best friends. Not the milkman (OK Barbara: Milk person) or bag person at the grocery store though. Not close enough.
Then on the scene comes the term “life partner”, used mostly by Gays that have been denied the right of Marriage. I like the term “partner” more than spouse, though. Partnership carries with it a demonstrable sharing of responsibilities and resources whereas spouseship is a vague and slippery condition. I like the sound of “partner”, and having a life partner is a wonderful thing. Having a wife or husband that is also a partner and best friend is just plain wonderful. And this combination should be available to everybody.
Today the terms for someone that shares your life on a more or less permanent basis are numerous and somewhat fluid, but all convey a kind of permanence. Although it is easy enough to do-si-do your way through life changing partners with every dance, I see this as a road with a gloomy and lonely end.
So grab your partner and get out on the floor of life and dance until dawn. Then dance until dusk. (For an additional treat go to the link below and read about the DIY parade and look at all the photos. Life as it should be.)
Image: www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/04/18470067.php

Don’t Forget to Smell the Roses

I got an email this morning telling of an old friend whose mother just died. I didn’t know her, but knew she was ailing. So no surprise. I also got an email from a colleague who is working on fall scheduling. These do not appear to be related in any sense other than they both arrived this morning But they are and here is how: they both serve to remind all of us that time moves on and life is short. On the one hand, the passing of a dear friend or relative is a direct reminder of mortality and the shortness of this experience called “life”. On the other, working more or less all the time leads to an accelerated journey to the end of life without time for reflection, relaxation or “loving time”.
You know the old line: He worked right up to the day he died. To which I say “bullshit”. Sure, I still work some. I love my students and colleagues, and never want to be totally without them. But I look forward to down time and quiet time and reflective time, and time to putz around where ever. To anybody that reads this I have this advice that is neither new nor profound: take time to smell the roses before they fade and wither. Take a little time out of the day/week/month/year/life for yourself and your partner or family or friends. Put another way and quoting Tracy Ullman: “Go home”.

Image: sudoku.com.au