TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES. BE WELL, EVERYONE.

THERE IS MUCH GOING ON ALL OVER PLANET EARTH RIGHT NOW.
AS MANY OF US APPROACH THE WINTER HOLIDAYS HERE IN AMERICA, PERHAPS WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN FOR A MOMENT AND STEP BACK AND LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE, COLLECTIVELY, AS FELLOW SPACE TRAVELERS, AS CITIZENS OF PLANET EARTH. 
I AM TAKING A SHORT LEAVE OF YOU AS I GO ABOUT TO VISIT FAMILY, ATTEND MY OLDEST DAUGHTER'S COLLEGE GRADUATION FAR AWAY, BE WITH BELOVED FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR A MONTH OR TWO, ENJOY HOLIDAY FOODS, SIT ABOUT REMEMBERING WITH OTHERS THE TIMES AND MISSING LOVED ONES WE HOLD DEAR IN OUR HEARTS.

IN THE ANCIENT DAYS OF MY ANCESTORS, THIS WAS A TIME WHEN THEY ALL GATHERED IN THE SMALL "ASI" HUT, EASIER TO KEEP WARM, AND SHARED THE OLD STORIES AND PLAYED GAMES AND RECONNECTED AS A FAMILY.
IT WAS A HARD TIME, BUT ALSO A COMFORTING ONE.  I WISH WE STILL DID THAT.
INSTEAD, WE HAVE TWO HOLIDAYS...THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS.

I LOOKED ABOUT TODAY AS I ALWAYS DO FOR NEWS TO SHARE.
I HOPE THAT, WHILE I AM ON 'VACATION', YOU WILL USE THE LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING.
THE DEFCON WARNING SYSTEM SITE ALWAYS HAS LINKS TO SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT NEWS THAT AFFECTS US GLOBALLY.
THE LINKS I AM DROPPING IN THIS BLOG WILL ALSO ALWAYS TAKE YOU TO THE LATEST UPDATES ON SEVERAL ISSUES.

IT LOOKS LIKE AMERICA AND IRAN HAVE REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REGARDING IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THIS HAS ANGERED BOTH ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA.
IN SPITE OF THAT, IT SEEMS A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MANY.
DARE WE HOPE FOR SANITY? 

I HAVE NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD THE AVERSION OF THE "SUPER POWERS" TO ALL NATIONS HAVING NUCLEAR CAPABILITY IF EVEN ONE NATION DOES, BUT I ALSO NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE DRIVE IN HUMAN BEINGS TO UTTERLY DESTROY ONE ANOTHER BY THE MOST HORRIFIC AND BRUTAL MEANS POSSIBLE.

WE KNOW THAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS WOULD OBLITERATE OUR WORLD AND ALL IN IT, BUT YET WE MAINTAIN ARSENALS AND GO BERSERK WHEN ANY NEW NATION WANTS THE SAME CAPABILITY THE "SUPER POWERS" HAVE.
INSANITY REIGNS SUPREME.
EITHER ALL HAVE THEM, OR ALL DON'T. 
IT WOULD BE BEST TO TERMINATE ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS, ALL NUCLEAR ANYTHING, AND DESTROY OUR MEANS OF EVER PRODUCING SUCH AGAIN.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT NUCLEAR THREAT!
NICE IMAGE, ISN'T IT?

WE CAN HOPE THIS IRAN "UNDERSTANDING" HOLDS, THAT THE SYRIAN CONFLICT WILL RESOLVE, THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE EAST CAN STOP TRYING TO KILL ONE ANOTHER, THAT THE NATIONS OUTSIDE THAT AREA CAN LEAVE THE NATIONS WITHIN IT ALONE TO SOLVE THEIR OWN CONFLICTS,  THAT AMERICA, RUSSIA, NORTH KOREA AND CHINA WILL STOP THEIR "ARMS RACE" AND THAT SANITY CAN REGAIN A FOOTHOLD ON OUR FRAGILE PLANET.

OUR WORLD DOESN'T NEED AMERICA, NOR ENGLAND, NOR RUSSIA, NOR CHINA NOR ANY NATION TO PLAY POLICEMAN OR BULLY TO ALL THE WORLD WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE AN "INTERVENTION".

IF AMERICA OR RUSSIA, OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY, HAD DEMONSTRATED THEIR OWN PERFECTION, THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS TO THEIR INNER CONFLICTS AND TROUBLES, MAYBE, BUT ONLY MAYBE, THEY'D HAVE A JUSTIFICATION TO BUTT IN TO OTHERS' AFFAIRS.
SUCH IS NOT THE CASE, SO ALL THE SUPER POWERS NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND GIVE ALL NATIONS SOME BREATHING ROOM, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO HEAL THEMSELVES AS ONLY THEY CAN. 
EVERY NATION IS A SOVEREIGN NATION.
AMERICA, ET AL, NEEDS TO ACCEPT THAT AND JUST KEEP OUT!

FUKUSHIMA LOOMS LIKE A TERRIBLE INSATIABLE, ALL-DEVOURING MONSTER OVER ALL OF US.
NO RADIATION IS GOOD FOR HUMAN BEINGS, NOT ONE SMALL ATOM OF IT.
ANYONE WHO SAYS DIFFERENTLY IS SIMPLY A LIAR OR IN DEEP DENIAL.

THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY TO CONTAIN THE CONTAMINATED WATER AT THE DAI'ICHI NUCLEAR FACILITY, NOR THE ESCAPE OF RADIOACTIVE STEAM, NOR ANYTHING THEY HAVE GOING ON THERE THAT IS POISONING US ALL.
IT IS, BY ALL ACCOUNTS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN DENIAL, A POSSIBLE "EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT", A "CHINA SYNDROME", A "RADIATION TSUNAMI" THAT WILL SICKEN AND EXTERMINATE ALL OF CREATION ON THIS PLANET.

MAYBE SO, BUT HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL...
IF WE GIVE UP HOPE, WE GIVE UP ON LIFE.
WE SIMPLY MUST NEVER DO THAT!

AS THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO LIE AND COVER-UP THE TRUTH, RISKING THE PRECIOUS LIVES OF ALL WHO LIVE THERE AND ALL WHO OCCUPY THIS GLOBE, AND AS THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES THEM TO DO SO, SOMEWHERE OTHERS ARE DESPERATELY SEEKING A SOLUTION, AND WE MUST HOPE, PRAY, WHATEVER, THAT SOMEONE COMES UP WITH A WAY OUT OF THIS FOR ALL HUMANITY.

WE CAN ALSO HOPE THAT THE WORLD CAN LOOK AT THE NATIONS THAT HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM NUCLEAR POWER AND TURNED TO SOLAR, WIND, GEOTHERMAL, AND OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY THAT DON'T KILL PEOPLE 'EN MASSE', THAT AREN'T LETHAL TO THOSE OF US WHO NEED ENERGY, THAT DON'T SICKEN OUR FELLOW CREATURES ON THIS EARTH, SO THAT ALL CAN HAVE CLEAN, EFFICIENT, AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES TO NUCLEAR, COAL, OIL, AND ALL THE OLD "STANDBY" FUELS THAT HAVE CHOKED ALL OF US FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS NOW AND POLLUTED THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE, THE WATER WE DRINK, THE SOIL WE GROW CROPS IN, AND ARE JUST TOO COSTLY AND INEFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ANYMORE.
THERE ARE BETTER ALTERNATIVES.

WE NEED TO STOP BOWING TO THE BIG CORPORATIONS WHO DEPEND ON HIGH-COST, BUT TOXIC, FUELS AND LET THEM ALL GO BROKE OR DEVELOP NEW ENERGY SOURCES IMMEDIATELY. 
SOMEHOW, THEY NEED US TO SHOW THEM THAT WE DEMAND BETTER.
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE WITHOUT TOXIC AIR, WATER, AND SOIL. 
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO USE LESS IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE THAT IS SAFE AND CLEAN.
MANY SMALLER NATIONS HAVE ACHIEVED ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY, HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON OIL AND COAL AND NUCLEAR ENERGY AND NOW USE SOLAR OR WIND OR A COMBINATION EXCLUSIVELY, AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE HAPPIER FOR IT, AND ARE RICHER IN EVERY WAY!

WE CAN ALSO HOPE THAT ALL PEOPLE LEARN TO LIVE MORE SIMPLY, WITH LESS INSTEAD OF MORE, AND TRY TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO SUSTAIN OUR RESOURCES, TO STRETCH WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKE IT LAST FOR ALL NATIONS, ALL PEOPLE.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND IF WE DON'T FIND A WAY TO CURB OUR USE OF THEM, WE CAN ONLY WAIT FOR THE FINAL SCRAPS OF THEM TO BE ALL USED UP. 

LESS CAN BE, MUST BE, MORE IF WE WISH TO SUSTAIN LIFE ON THIS PLANET.
WE HONESTLY DON'T NEED WHAT WE IMAGINE WE DO.
EVERY NATURAL DISASTER THAT TAKES AWAY ALL WE HAVE FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME HAVE SHOWN US WE CAN GET BY ON LESS.  WHEN I LOOK AT SOME WHO ARE GETTING BY ON A FEW DOLLARS A DAY AND YET CAN HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE AND LIVE SIMPLER LIVES, I KNOW THAT OUR AMERICAN HABITS TO OVER-USE AND WASTE ARE WRONG.
WE CAN GET BY ON MUCH LESS AND MUST DETERMINE TO DO SO!

THERE ARE MANY MYSTERIOUS EVENTS IN 'THE HEAVENS' RIGHT NOW. 
I'VE PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT NEAR-EARTH ASTEROIDS, COMET ISON, SOLAR EVENTS THAT CAN CAUSE EARTH TO JUST GO UP IN A PUFF OF SMOKE, AND GAMMA RAY BLASTS FROM NEARBY GALAXIES, BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL ANY OF THESE, CAN ONLY BE AWARE OF THEM.

IT IS THE DUTY OF ANY AGENCY, ANY GOVERNMENT, THAT KNOWS OF ANY IMPENDING "DISASTERS" TO NOTIFY THE PEOPLE OF EARTH OF SUCH.
THEY NEED TO STOP THINKING WE CAN'T HANDLE SUCH THINGS, THAT WE MIGHT PANIC AND GO BERSERK.
WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT, ALL OF US!
WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WITH STRONG SPIRITS, STRONG MINDS, AND WE CAN HANDLE BAD NEWS.
WE CAN ADAPT, WE CAN RE-TUNE OURSELVES TO FACE ANYTHING, BUT WE MUST KNOW WHATEVER ANY POWER ON EARTH KNOWS. 
WE DESERVE THE TRUTH!
NO ONE, NO GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO KEEP ANYTHING FROM US!
IF WE ARE, AS SOME SUGGEST, FACING SOME COSMIC CATACLYSM, SOME GLOBAL APOCALYPSE, LET THEM HAVE THE GUTS AND THE DECENCY TO TELL US SO!
WE CAN HANDLE IT!
WE CAN HANDLE ANYTHING!
THAT'S JUST HOW HUMAN BEINGS ARE...STRONG, STRONGER THAN ANY STEEL.

DURING THIS TIME OF REFLECTION, MY THOUGHTS AND HOPES FOR HEALING GO OUT TO ALL IN THE PHILIPPINES AND TO ALL ANYWHERE ON EARTH WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DISASTERS.
MY TEARS MINGLE WITH YOURS FOR YOUR LOSSES.
MY HEART REACHES OUT TO YOUR HEARTS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WHO HAVE SURVIVED SUCH CATASTROPHES ARE WELL.
I HOPE YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF ALL THAT YOU NEED.
I WISH THAT I COULD SHARE MORE OF WHAT I HAVE WITH ALL OF YOU.
IT SEEMS I CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH, BUT KNOW THAT I AM TRYING TO DO MORE EACH DAY. 

AS EARTHQUAKES INCREASE IN MAGNITUDE AND VOLCANOES INCREASE IN ERUPTIONS, WE MAY TEND TO CRY DOOM AND GLOOM, BUT OUR PLANET GOES THROUGH CYCLES JUST AS WE DO.
EARTH IS A LIVING ORGANISM. 
SHE HAS HER MOMENTS OF PEACE AND OF RAGE, JUST AS WE DO. 

HUMANITY CAN AFFECT HER AND WE MAY AS WELL FACE THAT. 
WHAT WE DO ON HER SURFACE AFFECTS HER AS DEEP AS SHE GOES. 
WE MUST RESPECT HER, CARE FOR HER AS THOUGH SHE WAS A DEAR FAMILY MEMBER, FOR SHE IS!
SHE IS OUR "MOTHER" AND WE MUST TREAT HER WITH THE UTMOST CARE.  

WE MUST ALWAYS STOP AND ASK OURSELVES IF WE WOULD DO WHAT WE DO IF WE WERE DOING IT TO OUR OWN MOTHERS. 
TRULY, WE CANNOT LOVE THE EARTH TOO MUCH, NOR OUR FELLOW CREATURES AND ALL LIFE THAT DEPENDS ON HER AS WE DO.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE EITHER STAND TOGETHER, FOR ONE ANOTHER, OR WE FALL VICTIMS TO OUR OWN SELFISHNESS AND GREED. 
HONOR THE EARTH. 
SHE HAS SUSTAINED YOU AND ALL YOUR ANCESTORS. 
WE OWE HER.
WE MUST BE CONSIDERATE OF NOT JUST THE EARTH, BUT OF ONE ANOTHER. 
WHAT I DO AFFECTS OTHERS, AND WHAT OTHERS DO AFFECTS ME. 
WE NEED AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN US ALL TO DO AS LITTLE HARM AS POSSIBLE WHILE WE OCCUPY THIS SMALL BLUE PLANET.

WE SHOULD TAKE FROM HER ONLY WHAT WE TRULY MUST HAVE, NOT ONE BIT MORE, AND WE NEED VERY MUCH TO CONSIDER TAKING LESS AND LESS, SO THAT, SOON, ONE DAY SOON, ALL ARE TAKING EQUAL AMOUNTS AND NO ONE IS LEFT WITH NOT ENOUGH SO THAT NO ONE HAS A NEED UNMET. 

WE OWE ONE ANOTHER THIS...WE ARE ALL MERELY RIDING THIS WEE GLOBE ACROSS TIME AND SPACE AND WE DON'T KNOW FOR HOW LONG, NOR WHERE IT WILL ALL END, SO LET US BE CAREFUL FOR ONE ANOTHER. LET US LIVE AS A COMMUNITY, NOT AS SEPARATE NATIONS WITH BORDERS, BUT AS FELLOW PASSENGERS ON OUR "SPACESHIP EARTH".
SHE IS ALL WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE HER TOGETHER, ALL OF US.
NONE HAVE A RIGHT TO MORE THAN OTHERS, NONE HAVE A RIGHT TO CLAIM MORE THAN THEY NEED TO LIVE WELL.
WELL DOES NOT MEAN "WEALTHY", JUST WELL.
WE SHOULD ALL BE HEALTHY, WITH ENOUGH TO EAT, ENOUGH CLEAN WATER, A WELL-BUILT SHELTER FROM THE STORMS, A MEANS TO SUSTAIN LIFE WITHOUT FEAR. 

I HOPE WE CAN ALL FIND THAT!

I APPRECIATE EACH ONE WHO READS HERE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE WITH WHAT I WRITE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE WHAT I SAY. 
I RESPECT YOUR RIGHT TO DISAGREE AND I HOPE YOU ACCEPT THAT STATEMENT AS TRUTH.
I WISH YOU ALL WELL. 

WE ONLY GET ONE LIFE, ONE SHOT AT LIVING THIS ONE LIFE (OR SO I BELIEVE) SO LET US DO IT PROPERLY, DO IT AS WELL AS WE CAN, SHIRK NOT ONE RESPONSIBILITY, WASTE NOT ONE PRECIOUS MOMENT.
WE'LL NEVER BREATHE THIS BREATH AGAIN!
IF IT IS OUR LAST DAY, LET US HOPE THAT ALL WHO REMEMBER US CAN REMEMBER US WITH JOY, AND BE GLAD THAT OUR PATHS CROSSED THEIRS.

AS I WATCH OUR ICE STORMS COMING ACROSS THE LAND INTO THESE ANCIENT BLUE MOUNTAINS, AS TEMPERATURES PLUMMET, THESE OLD BONES CRY OUT, BUT I AM WARMED FROM THE INSIDE BY ALL I'VE SEEN AND DONE AND KNOWN.
AS I APPROACH 70 YEARS ON THIS WEE PLANET, I AM GRATEFUL BEYOND WORDS FOR EACH MINUTE, AS "BAD" AS SOME HAVE SEEMED. 
THE WONDERFUL, THE BEAUTIFUL, THE GOOD ALL OUTWEIGH THE 'BAD'. 

MAY YOUR BLESSINGS FALL LIKE A SUMMER'S RAIN, PEOPLE OF EARTH. 
MAY ALL YOUR NEEDS BE MET, AND MAY YOU HAVE HEALTH AND JOY AND PEACE AND ENOUGH OF THE THINGS THAT SUSTAIN LIFE. 

I HOPE THAT I MAY LIVE TO WRITE TO YOU AGAIN...FOR THAT'S ALL THIS REALLY IS, THIS SIMPLE BLOG...IT'S MERELY A LETTER TO ALL OF YOU, TO TELL YOU WHAT I FIND GOING ON ON PLANET EARTH, TO LET YOU KNOW I CARE, AND THAT I HAVE HOPE FOR ALL OF US, THAT I AM STILL WILLING TO FIGHT FOR ALL OUR RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. 

TO MY AMERICAN READERS, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
MAY IT BE SO...MAY IT BE SO, PLEASE.

<3

                         A LULLABY FOR ALL OF YOU...SHHHHHHH...GOODNIGHT...

 The incredible Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, "Bruddah Iz"..."Ahi Wela" miss you, Iz. Thank you.