"The most dangerous job in the world is being the world's oldest person....

"... They always die in office, and usually pretty quickly"

Uscrambling the HATEtriot Jumble

Each new reichwing talking point is like Jumble the Scrambled Word Game (tm).

There's a pile of nonsense that you get to sort out into words which give you clues to delightfully silly little joke. It's a harmless amusement on the funny pages, but in our politics it tries to be more serious.

"No Enforcement Mechanism!" is a Jumble currently being spread about by those who claim to be patriots but hate the majority of Americans (remember, Obama got more votes than the other guy, making the Birthers and the Deathers officially anti-American!). It seems that someone offered an amendment to HR3200, specifying the computer system that would be used to verify citizenship.

Now let's keep in mind that this system is unusable in an emergency; no EMT is going to check your citizenship before saving your life. It is designed for situations in which there is a little more leisure, such as Medicare. However, perhaps the reichwing is fearful of a horde of Mexicans leaving a country where quality health care is so inexpensive that thousands of Americans retire there every year specifically for health care!.

Or it may be that the reichwing really does want us all to carry some sort of Federal ID card, to prove citizenship before the bleeding is staunched. People who blurt out "You Lie!" in a joint session of Congress has clearly "got issues".

More to the point, it is simply inadvisable to specify in legislation a particular computer system, unless one is very confident that the system will never be replaced by a better system, will never go down for an extended period (requiring backup procedures), and that its vendor's payments to you will never be made public. A better design, from a technical standpoint, is to make a general law and have the executive enforce it. That is, after all, why our agencies tend to be run by the Executive Branch and not by our Congress.

Thus the "no enforcement remedy" argument is simply silly. Section 142 of HR3200 specifies duties and so forth of a commissioner whose job will include seeing to it that people served by the bill's provisions are eligible. No illegal aliens are eligible. There is always the risk that the Commissioner may be as incompetent as FEMA's Brownie but, then again, computer software may be known to have flaws in them from time to time.

One may prefer that a particular system be built into law, but to construe that the lack of such a specification in a law means there will be no enforcement is simply another HATEtriot Jumble.

Or, as the punchline of the week goes: "You Lie!"

What's a Czar?

This very morning I had a "noisy conversation"[*] with a guy at the gym who was agitated because Obama was running our county with "32 Czars!"

I asked him, "What's a czar?"

Now he's a nice guy & a hard worker, so I don't want to embarrass him. But he had no idea. He was agitated about the "32 Czars" but he did not know what they were.[**]

I think lots of people are upset these day, and I think they have a right to be angry about something. Our Middle Class is collapsing, real wages have been shrinking for years, health care costs doubled last decade and are on track to double again, most of our manufacturing base has been offshored, and so on. Our nation's prosperity is being disassembled and auctioned off, while our privacy is shrinking and so on and so on and so on.

The problem is, the aristocracy has organized a band of HATEtriots to point out the enemies: blacks, hispanics, liberals, jews ... anybody EXCEPT the people who own the companies that collapsed our middle class.[***]

In general, if you are worked up and angry about something that you cannot define, the first thing to do is sit down, have a cup of coffee or whatever relaxes you, and think it over. Change the channel, get a different point of view.

You may be angry for a lot of reasons: maybe your angry because jobs are going overseas, or maybe because you're getting older and life is not as wonderful as you thought it would be when you were a kid; or maybe (...and this is a very common issue...) maybe your body chemistry is just acting up, and your brain is trying to find a target.

Ask yourself: should you really be angry at the people who want all Americans who have health care, or the people who want 30% of the American health care dollar to go into "overhead"?

=======
[*] argument

[**] A Czar is basically a project manager with cross-departmental responsibilities. This is very common and very useful in private industry and anytime you have something to do that doesn't fall neatly into existing organizational lines.

[***] You think I'm kidding? Ask yourself how much Rupert Murdoch lost on "Fox News" for years. It's a propaganda channel, not designed as a money-making venture at all.

Leading with the Secret Squash

I'm working my way through General Anthony Zinni's book "Leading the Charge: Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom".

It's pretty good, but actually putting his thoughts into practice is going to be a challenge. He's obviously correct that the leadership qualities and styles of 50 years ago are no longer sufficient in today's world; naturally he makes a stronger case for that proposition than I can but let us just note for the record that the people being lead today have far better access to information than anyone ever before. That makes the unit potentially far smarter but only if it is lead well.

Zinni seems to have some pretty good ideas on how we can ... if we choose ... develop our leadership ability. This can be very useful and I'm eager to try it. But am I willing to pay the price?

The first thing to do (of about 11, looking at the chapter headings) is to acquire solid self-knowledge. Hey, I figure, who doesn't have THAT! Maybe I should skip the chapter ... but I slog on through. I don't like to read how-to manuals but once I've made the commitment, I try to be meticulous. Hey: self-knowledge! I can be meticulous, but it's not my first impulse; I prefer to wing it if I can. Uh-oh, does that really sound like a leadership quality?

Zinni tells of an exercise he puts into each of his leadership courses: to write down a self-description. Invariably, he says, the students write up some bullshit (...he doesn't use that word...) expecting it to be read to the class, so it's nice and shiney and not very accurate. Then he tells his students to hold on to that description, and write one solely for themselves: brutally honest. Invariably, the 2nd description is very different and why not? if we choose to fool ourselves, the whole effort is wasted so we may tend to be more honest.

I suspect that Zinni's trying to get at another point: if you present yourself as person X but really are person Y, you're going to fail as a leader because your followers will figure out you're a phoney. But I have a deeper concern.

I spend a day or two thinking what I would write. The 1st description is easy: it's on all my resumes: I hope people like it! But the second, true description: what it is? Heck, I don't really know myself what I'd write!

This is very interesting. The one tool we have that we completely control, that no-one can take away from us, is ourselves; and if we cannot figure out what that is, how can we succeed at all?

It's like I've been trying to use a tool, and I don't know if it's a hammer or a saw!

---

It's going to take a long time to figure out this tool called the self. But that's o.k.; it's better to get started than not even to try. And perhaps I can get this task done faster for having about five decades of life to ponder, than I might have back in high school when I was a bit short on the life experience that tests you.

After two days of pondering, I have two elements of self description:

• I have a sort of ADD that involves what Thom Hartmann calls the Hunter's Mind in a Farmer's World. I would not fit in as a scribe in a medieval monastery, reproducing scrolls word-by-word ... even though that is the basic mentality of our school system. I prefer to look at a lot of things at once and zero in on things only as needed; I can hyperfocus on something extremely minute to the exclusion of everything else (including food burning on the stove) but have no interest in routine what-so-ever. Just look at my weeding style; I really don't care about a little bit of grass here or there; I'm more interested in seeing if I slide a squash into an empty space under a pine tree (see photo). I positively enjoy grabbing odd little opportunities that would not even occur to the "Farmer Mentality"; indeed there is more joy in a squash raised in secret than in the one grown normally in a pot. I suspect that this attitude grossly affects my style in working on projects whether as a leader or not; it certainly drove some of my managers mad, although in my programming life, I can't recall missing a deadline but once (I'll have to write about that one time some other time...).
• The other characteristic of myself that I can identify so far is that I have a deep, nearly religious belief in fairness; that is to say, although I have no evidence what-so-ever in its existence or utility, and often have doubts, I still feel deeply and unreasonably that fairness is very very important. What can I say? You can't carve some things out of your soul even if you wanted to.

The secret squash, by the way, was a classic "Hunter" move. There was a bit of dirt unused in the pot; I had some extra seed. The staff that went around weeding tended to pull up any guerilla gardening I'd done elsewhere; they literally wiped out a crop of small sunflowers I had growing in a large pot that they'd left as naked dirt and rock on the north patio, apparantly reasoning that the authorized naked dirt was better than the unauthorized flowers. What a bunch of sillies!

However, the pine tree protected the Secret squash. Pine needles don't look like much, but they concealed the growing squash and perhaps with their sharpness discouraged the weeders from looking too closely. Eventually the squash leaves got big enough to be an identifiable plant that the weeders would leave alone. It looks like, in return, it will grace us with a few small squash; we'll be sure to save some seeds for next year.

Everyone wins, so long as the "Farmer" weeders stay out of the way.

Just Say No to Styro

Can I live without styrofoam?

I never thought about it before this weeks's Change the World Wednesday challenge, but it would be something worth trying for reasons detailed here. I don't use styro on purpose, ever. The cups taste AWFUL and I don't think I've used one in years. I never use styro packing peanuts; cardboard can pack anything I need to pack! So eliminating styro from my life is little sacrifice, and it's a great benefit to our earth and our descendants.

However, there are a few areas of life where the elimination would be difficults. When I buy computers and the like, they usually come packed in awefully big chunks of styro. I'm not sure what to do about that but complain to the manufacturers. This is something I pledge to do, starting with my next purchase. It may be a little thing, but in my experience, companies notice. They may not act right away but if enough people complain, they'll do SOMETHING if not always what we want.

Food is another area where styro occurs. I can decline to buy eggs that come in styro boxes. As long as I politely tell the store manager what the issue is, there may actually be some effect greater than my single purchase. In my experience, store managers really do want to please customers by providing stuff customers want to buy. As long as I'm polite and enthusiastic, they've always given me back a positive attitude - and why not? it is what they do for a living!

Meats can be an issue. I usually get it pre-packaged on styro trays. However, whenever I go by the meat counter, the meatstaff (...or whatever they may be called ... "Butcher"?) say hello and what do I want. Whenever I've asked them for something, they pack it in paper.

So I resolve to cut out the meat-on-styro, and buy directly from the people behind the counter. What the heck, it's fun talking to them anyway;usually they're good for a cooking tip and so on. I'm never in too much of a hurry for a good cooking tip!

Maybe knocking styro out of my life will lead to a little more social interaction and that's a good thing!

How to Balance Obama's Speech to Kids

"Kids, studying is hard work.

Don't do it. Don't study and do not stay in school!

If you picked your parents well, your daddy will get you into college and set you up in business with your buddies. If you were born poor or middle class, well it sucks to be you!

In America, it may be true that even a man who has a funny name and was born into a family that had troubles can stay in school, study hard, work hard and run for President! And even get more votes than the other guy!

But it can't happen to you! We're working hard to ensure that, so don't bother trying, 'k?
Remember, kids, whether you're in the classroom or just walking around wearing a suit ... if something really bad happens, you should freeze for six or seven minutes. Sooner or later, another man in a suit will come along to tell you what to do.

You already know that school is hard work. And I'm here to tell you that it does not matter. Don't study! Don't stay in school!

Hope sucks. Give up!"

--- This message offered by the Republican National Committee, in reply to the President's message to America's children

We Fight For the Teabaggers, Too!

Across the street from my post office was an old man, seated in a lawn chair with a "No Rationing!" sign, two old ladies with similar signs, and a middle-aged guy with a "No Communism!" sign.

I asked the old man respectfully what he wanted; sir, are are you worried about the way private health insurance rations health care? He said he didn't want the government to running health care. I asked if he was on Medicare, and he said yes but he just didn't want the government to run health care. I asked if that meant he wanted to give up his Medicare. He stared ahead stonilet ... liars?

It was the "dog" remark ... intended as a childish insult .dies had obviously had some skin disease on her face. She shouted at me proudly that she had won every appeal with her insurance company, but you couldn't appeal government health care! I wated to ask if she'd ever heard of an appeals court; I wanted to ask why she had to go through an appeals process to get healed, how long she had to wait for the process to complete before she got care, or whether the scarring on her face had been caused because of the delays she'd experienced while fighting the insurance company in an ultimately successful appeal. However, some questions, however fair, cannot be asked, out of decency. Instead, I asked, What about people who can't get insurance? You can always get insurance, she said. What if you're poor or unemployed? Should the poor just die? She had no answer; she knew she was speaking untruths, and she was unwilling to say, yes, the poor should just die.

The other old lady informed me everyone could get health care just by going to a hospital. I asked about cancer and diabetes; were they treated in ERs? No, she said, of course not. There were always charities to pay for that. No-one, she said, was denied health care. Even the elderly poor I asked? She didn't reply; how could she? She was lying, and she knew it.

The ladies started chanting "Freedom! Freedom!". The middle-aged man (who was obviously their Commissar) said, "Let's go. Don't pay attention to a dog barking," and the ladies went off, abandoning the immobile old man to protest alone, against the very system that was keeping him alive.

These were elders, respectable people, who you would instinctly trust to be good and honest citizens. No doubt, they felt that they were and nothing anyone can say would change their feeling about that - not even pointing out that they were saying things they knew to be untrue. There was no rational discussion possible because they could not admit simple facts; it was entirely an emotional discussion, comparable to debating the Yankees vs. the Red Sox, or Miller vs. Miller Lite. What was going on?

Why were elderly, respectable people who under other circumstances be called nothing but sweet ... liars?

It was the "dog" remark ... intended as a childish insult ... that gave me enlightenment. There was no more reasoning going on here than when a dog barks. It was all emotion, to them.

They were not lying, because they felt they were right. The mere words didn't matter; they were right and they were together, and they could not bear any mere facts that would split them apart. And for me to hit them harder and harder with the facts accomplished nothing except feed my own desire to be right, at the expense of being effective.

For example, the old man was in a spot. I was someone who drifted into his life for a moment, and then would be gone. OTOH, the old ladies were his ride home. How could he possibly agree with me? How could he dispassionately consider my questions? Should he displease me, or displease the people he'd known for decades? Would I be his companion? Would I give him a ride home?

On an emotional level, there was no choice. How could he possibly admit that he owed the continuance of his life to a government that he hated, and come into conflict with his friends who hate their government just as they hate the Yankees?

What To Do?

Identifying a problem is nice, but a solution is better!

If the emotional argument is all that matters, let us make one thing very clear: "We fight for health care for Teabaggers too!"

Teabaggers don't have to be alone. We're on their side, fighting so they won't have to die for lack of health care.

We're fighting so their grandchildren will not face death if they happen to be very sick.

We are friends of the teabaggers, even if they don't want us - in fact, ESPECIALLY if they don't want us. It is easy to befriend those who agree with us; the victory is in befriending those who oppose us.

This solution has many advantages. It may defuse the emotional issues; it may be comforting.

But most of all, it has the very great advantage of being true.

We fight for the Teabaggers, along with all of us.

---

UPDATE: Sinfest made much the same comment on Friday (see top of post)

Charging Station Saves Time, Money and Planet

I found a small space in which to collect ALL of our charging devices - for cellphones, SoniCare toothbrushes, rechargable batteries - and plunked them next to a power strip, creating a sort of "Charging Station".

The US Department of Energy recommends unplugging battery chargers when not in use and this is easier to remember when they are organized into a charging station, rather than scattered all through the home. Now whenever we need to charge something, we can plug the charger into the strip and flip the strip on. When nothing's charging we turn the strip off so we don't have to bother unplugging the chargers.

I've long had a similar arrangement with my computer: a charging strip supplying the computer itself, the internet modem/router, a printer (when I had one - which I don't any longer), and my computer desk lamp. It was a convenient was to ensure I was powering the entire computing complex down when I was done for the day (which is the topic of this week's Save The World Wednesday - thanks!). Extending the idea to chargers is not exactly genius work but it has some advantages that make it well worth the minor effort:

Advantages:

• No more time wasted searching for the chargers
• Less energy wasted with chargers plugged in and unused
• Less money wasted because less energy wasted. Admittedly, this is not a huge amount of energy and money, but every little bit helps. According to the US Department of Energy; waste is simply irrational.

Disadvantages:

• We had to locate a convenient place to keep all our chargers. (Frankly, this was not much of a disadvantage!)
• We needed a power strip, but I always have a couple bumming around. They're maybe a dollar at a thrift store; for this application, there is no need to go for the expensive kind
• When I'm charging one thing but not another, I often forget to unplug the unused chargers from the strip. This means I'm not saving the maximum amount of energy and therefore money; however the system as designed is an improvement over our previous system of having chargers all over.

Collegehood's End

To the friends of our youth we often ascribe virtues far in excess of their merit. I feel that my college friends were smart, witty, true leaders and wise. I remember many deep, wise and/or humorous discussions late into the night; if recorded for posterity, these would have revolutionized the course of civilization!

Or something.

The more likely explanation is that, at the time, I had actually met rather few people and acquired not very much wisdom. I had few social skills, in part having been raised by an alcoholic millworker and in part to having attended a religious highschool that valued unquestioning obedience over personal hygiene. However, having nothing to compare my condition to, I naturally felt rather sophisticated although, mysteriously, not well accepted by people who wore nice clothing. (Didn't they know that inner qualities are more important than knowing about taking a shower regularly? How foolish of them! or so I felt.)

That I can look back over the decades and understand the mere facts of my youth does not overcome my still firmly-felt belief that the friends of the time were exceptionally fine.

This may work in reverse. I had a roommate enrolled in courses that I'd taken the year before. I helped him whenever he hit a snag and thereby acquired an entirely undeserved reputation for knowing what the hell I was talking about. I hope he never figures this out ;-)

Over time, we grow. We meet more people and realize that the chance acquaintances of a large but mediocre university are no longer the smartest, most clever or even the most interesting people we know.

Pre-internet, we'd gradually move apart, as we moved to different cities in pursuit of romance, career or better karma. The gradual attenuation of relationships is almost painless, as others better suited to our maturing selves fill any gaps. Eventually there may be a 25th-year-reunion, at which we jovially note our receding hairlines/expanding waistlines, promise to stay in touch, and rarely do. Eventually, with few exceptions, the things of the extended childhood we called college fade away like the Earth of Clarke's greatest novel.

Email changed this natural process by radically cutting the overhead of staying in touch. Now we are limited not by the effort of sending messages, but by that of reading them. This can be great for that keeping in touch with those friends of our youth who have continued to grow up; I'm quite happy to have regained contact with many. But when the natural filter of time and effort is removed, too often our inbox is clogged with those whose glory days were those we should have grown past.

This became painfully evident during the run-up to Bush's invasion of Iraq. In an extensive discussion on a college-friends listserve, it became clear that some of my college friends are simply bellicose assholes who have not earned one point of wisdom since high school; some others were BMOCs who couldn't come to grips with the fact that this mattered nothing anymore. I'm not gonna name any names because what would be the point? In my experience, most assholes are perfectly happy being assholes, and of those who aren't, very few grow up through nagging. Self-knowledge comes other ways.

Of far greater interest is why should this have surprised me? There's no reason to suspect that a randomly selected set of attendees of a mediocre college would not roughly reflect the population from which it is drawn (despite my still fervantly-felt but intellectually-unsupported belief that the friends of my youth have superior qualities.)

This might not be a problem in a social-networking situation where I could filter out the assholes, e.g. facebook, twitter. However, listserves don't filter except at the level of membership admission; if your admission criteria is simply to have been a member of a group at some point in time, you're stuck. Worse, there seems to be a form of Gresham's Law operating: bad writers drive out good writers. This makes it rather profitless to participate in a listserve-style networking beyond a periodic "Hello, here is how to contact me" message; such occasional pinging lets those old friends with whom there is a point in having a discussion to do so in other, more efficient venues.

I enjoy staying lightly in touch with many friends of my youth. They've moved on, grown up and (based on their Facebook pages) gathered many accomplished friends, in whose company I am proud to be numbered. Those who first encouraged me to try martial arts and amateur theater are still inspirations; my first lover is still the standard by which all others are judged (and all but one fell short.) If they happen to travel to my vicinity, we enjoy a coffee together, or some drink a little stronger. But frequent contact via listserve? we don't need it.

Childhood must end.