A Twilight of Sanity?

 

        It would be easy to make the case we are in decline, slipping into another brutal epoch but that would foreclose on what history tells us about human resilience. I'm betting on recovery, but not ignoring the darkness that shrouds us and deepens its setting.

    As spring reveals itself in California we've turned a few miles and tried to buffer the insanity with open space, and hints of the life we knew before Covid, political pathos and the war madness of Putin. There is evidence of light in the gloom and darkness that our media screens feed us.

        In the heartbreak and devastation wrought by Russian war criminals is extraordinary human excellence and strength. Neighboring nations making space for refuge, the international condemnation and network of sanctions, volunteers in arms and the outpouring of humane support. 

        The people of Ukraine tower as lights. The Ukrainian defiance and defense of democracy encourages, inspires western nations and NATO and, by its dedication, shames the US, or at least a portion of the populace.

        There is legend and lore in the Coachella Valley about the witch of Tahquitz, seen in the shadow above. 

        We saw evidence of a curse of another sort in the US Senate Judiciary Committee's treatment of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. The behavior of a party was an embarrassing new low. The acting was lame and the ham handed play of their culture war cards bespeaks intellectual and moral bankruptcy. Oh how history will score those cretins. 

        Despite conditions, sometimes severe, California's poppies signal vibrant life and color every spring. They were napping near the Poppy reserve on this day, but they were evidence of rebirth.

        A new and important question in Washington this spring is "What did Justice Thomas know, and when did he know it?" His wife and "best friend" is revealed now in her own words as an enemy of truth, democracy and the republic.

     Truth always comes out. The Justice's bunk mate is a conspirator, and a kook. There is a growing call for the Chief Justice to censure Thomas. This linkage to the plot of insurrection is a new low, a crazy new low. But sober minds  are calling for action.

        The crazy high we all should be working on is inflation. Inflation has a way of wrecking the order of things and becoming THE dominant political concern. No party or politician is responsible this time. Blame the higher prices on pandemic supply spasms, price gouging, the elevating cost of energy because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the tumble down chain reaction. 

        The political poltroons and sluggards will try to fix blame and score points since "deplorables" are real and on the loose.                                              

        Real patriots understand complexity; we will pay a bit more for gas and some items as the world tries to stop the war on democracy. Economic warfare does not come without sacrifice. 

        Senate and house democrats will need republican support to get inflation control legislation passed. Guess what party would prefer to watch inflation rise so they can gripe about it? 

        A spirit lifting adventure was a visit to an art and plant exhibition. People together again, celebrating life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This was our first "cultural event" since March of 2020, and it felt good to see people celebrating life and creativity.

        I was on a Zoom meeting today where a couple of the participants were talking about a wind chill temp of zero. It's been a while since you've been able to enjoy something as simple as this. So, until spring reaches you, enjoy vicariously. 

      It is in such moments we appreciate what is "noble, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy" and a fulfillment of our life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

        I'm reminding myself not to take for granted, the life and the aspirational government structure we enjoy, imperfect as it may be. There are inequities, inequalities, inefficiencies, and corrosive players indeed, but there has been since the birth of the republic. 

        It should be ours to fix, make better, and live into the promise. Like many of you we mourn what happens in Ukraine, and in Russia too. Both nations victimized by a despot and human villainy in ignorance of international and moral law.

 

        There is nothing guaranteed about our freedoms.

As citizens it would be good to invoke to ourselves passages of the oath taken by our military, and our elected representatives.

        "I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."

        It is the sane thing to believe, say and do.

        Stay well. Live strong.

        See you down the trail.

 

    

THE LEADER DISCONNECT

WRENCHING IN SHORT SIGHTEDNESS

      Far more lucid, expert and impassioned analysts and players have critiqued the failure of American government and the political process that feeds it.  But for my two cents worth it appears most political animals lack imagination and creativity, or they certainly don't evince it.

      Energy policy is case in point.  I've heard every President back to Nixon proclaim that we need a new energy policy that leads to independence.  How much older are you since then?

      California doesn't hold the patent on original, and there are plenty of old school political issues here as well, but activists have begun building a fresh approach to a new energy future.  I like the idea because it is simpatico to something I've advocated.  I'd like to see neighbors form small energy cooperatives, and jointly fund the placement of solar and or wind energy technology in the neighborhood to feed our individual needs and then to dial excess energy back into the grid, for which the neighbors association would get cash, credit or some compensation.  

      SLO Clean Energy, which you can learn more about at this site proposes to work on a similar model, using communities in an aggregation. Of course this moves on the power of the current power companies-Big Business and Big Political Contributors-two of the greatest evils in our political life.  

      Eliminate big money influence and you are on the way to making giant strides of improvement in government and politics.  In this case of "power to the people," that is exactly what could happen.  

      Radical?  Not really. It is simply a method to put leveraging influence or control to those of us who pay taxes and live without the perks and influence of those whom we elect and the fat cats who lather up politics, legislation and government with money for favors.  

     I'm hopeful emerging generations will find imaginative and creative solutions to old problems that even the once idealistic boomers have failed to fix. Neighborhood or community energy alliances could be a start.  They are doable.

THE YOUNG SAVAGES

     New, fresh and cutting edge in California art is front and center in Paso Robles.

      Through the end of March the YOUNG SAVAGES show will hang at the Studios on the Park on the square in Paso Robles.

     Full disclosure here, YOUNG SAVAGES is curated by my daughter's friend, Neal Breton. I think Neal has done a great job in building an energetic and exciting show. Here's how it was reported in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

 Studios in the park is a great art space to begin with. The

work of the Savages adds even more life and spirit.

   Several art patrons have made it a good show for a few of the Young Savages.  Skulk, the piece below, done by Neal,

is one of the pieces that has been purchased thus far.

A LITTLE FRESH COLOR

This is for those of you where spring comes later than it does here on the west coast.  This is what will come your way, eventually.

    See you down the trail.