George's Writing and Thoughts

New Year's Eve 2011

2011-12-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

As a native New Yorker my first thoughts of New Years Eve are of freezing in Times Square filled with joy as that wondrous ball dropped with everyone counting down. New Years Eve has been celebrated in Times Square since 1904 with the glowing ball making it's first appearance in 1907. Now living in Fresno CA I forsake the freezing and have to settle for Dick Clark's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" on my living room TV. New Year's is a time for looking forward and making plans for the year. I prefer plans since the keeping of resolutions has a poor track record when associated with the New Year.

Self reliant individuals will always find a way to prosper. They make the best of their situation and accommodate change. They live within their means. As one of those self reliant people I'm ready to celebrate the coming of the new year with personal optimism. At the same time I can't help but be sad about the damage foisted on America by the Obama administration. Spiraling debt, political corruption, class warfare, abdication of our leadership on the world stage and many other things deeply hurt someone like me that has proudly served and loves this country. For the first time in my life I fear for my country, unlike Michele Obama I've always been proud to be an American. One more year of Obama is scary enough but the thought of five more years is inconceivable. I pray that America wakes up and votes Obama out before our once strong nation and the American spirit are destroyed beyond repair. I can't bear the thought of the end of the American dream.

I may be mad as hell about what Obama has done to America but I won't let him steal my personal optimism and determination. It's New Years Eve and I'm at my keyboard writing this post. Willie Nelson is singing "City of New Orleans" in the background and I'm enjoying a cup of coffee. A bottle of brandy is close at hand to toast in 2012. My best to all for the New Year.

Keeping Santa's Rules

2011-12-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Time goes on and empty nesters we all become. In our modern world you and your children may end up living in different parts of the country -- California and New Hampshire in my case. These days we just don't get to celebrate Christmas with our children or any child for that matter. It's a much different holiday without kids. For one, there's no one to wake you on Christmas morning long before you've had enough sleep. Look out chickens -- here come the kids. Our house is beautifully decorated but years of Christmas morning traditions have gone by the wayside. Last year when I received a Christmas present from my daughter Pat I wasted no time opening it and discovering a wonderful indoor weather station. I sent Pat an email thanking her even though Christmas was still days away. Her response was a little surprised that I hadn't waited to open it -- she was perhaps a little disappointed that I broke Santa's rules.

I look at that weather station on my desk every day. Even a year latter I remember how last year's Christmas unfolded and was motivated to rethink my approach to the season. I couldn't help but begin with Pat's first Christmas in Klienbundenback, Germany. Pat was just months old and won't remember but I always will. I thought about any child's joy in anticipating the discovery of what "Santa" had left for them. Then I realized it was their wonder and joy that made Christmas special for me as well. When you think about the Christmas season experience there's a lot to be learned about giving, receiving and caring about others. This year I'll be following Santa's rules. I can enjoy anticipating what's under the tree for me and my daughter Pat can enjoy thinking about how pleased I'll be to discover what she bought for me. I know she spent time carefully choosing just the right gift. The least I can do is wait for Christmas morning. We may not be together but keeping the tradition will make us closer and indeed make Christmas a more special day between us. Keeping Santa's rules is definitely the way to go. Especially for those of us for whom Christmas has become childless and a bit old hat. Traditions aren't for children alone. They are for everyone.

Christmas Got Pepper Sprayed

2011-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

What has become of Christmas. Have the sweet and joyous Americana images by Norman Rockwell exited stage left permanently? I can remember when "Happy Holidays" was short hand for "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" and not an atheist victory call. Thankfully, the term "Merry Christmas" is more in vogue these days because of people like Bill O'Reilly leading the charge and a lot of fed up Americans who finally realized they also had rights and could refuse to accept the renaming of their sacred day. I'd like to think that people like me refusing to shop in any store that capitulated to the atheist demand also sent the message. We're beginning to understand that political correctness is the weapon of choice for the minority to override the consensus of the majority. Hopefully it's to late for our redemption.

Political Correctness has fostered a lack of respect and consideration of others. Political correctness demands we give up our personal and individual rights to bow before sectarianism. By it's very nature, political correctness is the total lack of respect for the beliefs and feelings of others. The few dictating to the many does not a better world make. When I wish a stranger Merry Christmas I'm sharing my joy not imposing my will on them. My Jewish friends wish me, a Christian, Happy Hanukkah -- I say thank you. If you deny my right to say Merry Christmas you are imposing your will on me. A Rasmussen poll found that 81% celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday -- I'd call that the many which are told not to say Merry Christmas.

The me first mantra of political correctness has manifested itself by turning the very act of shopping for gifts into a self centered war against other shoppers. How many times have we heard of physical altercations in shopping malls -- far to many. This lack of consideration for others has reached a crescendo this Black Friday when a woman actually pepper sprayed 20 other shoppers to get to an on sale Xbox 360. Does Black Friday now signify the color of shopper's hearts and not the day stores' balance sheets go from red to black? I just can't get that insane pepper spray image out of my head. Christmas 2011 will be now known as the year pushing and shoving at department stores graduated to pepper spray. Let this Christmas be the year we take a long look at the insanity and selfishness that has taken over this time of year. Let's put the good will back in Christmas. "Peace on Earth, good will to all men."

Merry Christmas to all, regardless of religious persuasion or lack there of.

There I said it... Is that the PC Police I hear at my door?

Life Goes On

2011-12-10T15:11:00.001-08:00

It seems as if when someone you know dies, a little of you dies with them. The closer you were to them the bigger that piece. Think of them fondly but always make the best of this day and each that follows. The scars of life's sad events stay with us but they need not dictate our future or our attitude. We can choose to dwell in the past or to live in the now with hope for the future. Go forward with a smile and the knowledge that your smile without additional word or deed has the power to spread joy to all that see it.

Finding Joy for Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T20:15:00.001-08:00

For some of us this hasn't been a banner year. Perhaps you're out of work, your home mortgage is under water or even worse from a personal financial perspective. The economy is teetering on the edge of further disaster. Hell I'm concerned that by some feat of dirty Chicago politics Obama will be re-elected in 2012 and America will become beyond repair. Regardless of what happens I'll be picking myself up, dusting off and figuring how to make the best of what life and my own decisions have dealt me. Just before the big falls it's hard to identify something to be thankful for. This is after all Thanksgiving time and there's supposed to be something to be thankful for.

I've had some hard and painful downs in my life which I won't get into at this time. What I will share is that I've found a way to survive and prosper. In the midst of every disaster there is an upside hiding. That one positive thing that can make you smile. There's almost always something however small we can be thankful for. Grab onto it and put a big smile on your face. Barring that decide how to make the best of your situation even if it's the exit door. A plan always gives me a positive outcome to shoot for and I'll be thankful when I get there -- something to smile about.

Many will find solace out of belief in God and the faith that "all will be well." I wouldn't argue with those that find happiness in their faith. I'm a Christian but don't believe in waiting for His hand to come and fix things. He gave us all what we need to be the best we can be for ourselves and others. Not wasting His gifts is the least we can do -- my rule number one in life. That is why I'm rarely without a smile on my face.

A smile without word or deed brings joy to all.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs achieved a level of success in life that many envy but few attain. He has surely left his mark indelibly on the world we live in. It's sad to have him leave us at such a young age. I think his real genius was his ability to package and launch technology in a way that made us all want to use it. The iPad for example wasn't the first tablet but it sure was the first one to be a run away success. May he rest in peace and be remembered for all time -- he sure earned that.

Independence Day -- Past and Future

2011-07-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

It's been 235 years since our independence became a reality and the 4th of July is once again upon us. My fondest memories of this day were those I spent at Mirassou Winery's 4th of July outdoor concert and wine tastings. After consuming my wife's picnic finest and copious amounts of red wine we'd settle down to listen to the symphony orchestra. When the darkness fell upon us it was time for the 1812 Overture which was carefully orchestrated with the fireworks display. Listening to that moving composition while watching the fireworks seemed to concentrate the meaning of this special day. My heart pounded with pride in being an American as my eyes welled up with tears for those that died to preserve our liberty. Being a war time veteran heightens those feelings but I'd like to think that love of country is ubiquitous for all Americans.

Sadly I feel like our special America is slipping away from us. Love of liberty, truth and country is being replaced by expectation of entitlements. Rather than a beacon of hope for the world we've been reduced to apologizing for the good we've done and the sacrifices we've made. No one, least of all our president, seems to respect our borders and sovereignty. Truth takes a backseat to special interests. Can you imagine living in a country where an educational institution will no longer teach there was a Holocaust because it offends Muslims? It's happened in America. The soul of America is being systematically destroyed, unemployment is still 9.1%, we are no closer to a deal to cut spending and pollster Rasmussen announced that only 21% of Americans strongly approve of the president's performance, against 39% who strongly disapprove. What happened to our grand melting pot where everyone was free to benefit from the fruits of their labor. I for one, want my America back with it's unique dependence on personal responsibility, self reliance and unity as a nation.

Christmas Thoughts

2010-12-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

Many people seem to believe that Christmas co-opted the birthday of Jesus. I'd like to set that one strait. We don't really know what day Jesus Christ was born although some say it was in March. When the Christian church decided to select a date they actually co-opted the pagan winter solstice celebrations that had existed for years. In 1822 Clement Clarke Moore wrote "Twas the Night Before Christmas." This poem combined diverse old world legends of Saint Nicolas, some very scary, and defined the happy Saint Nick with a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Thomas Nast cartoonist and later Norman Rockwell gave Santa the grandfatherly red suit look and persona we now think of. The most enduring Christmas song, "White Christmas" was written in 1942 by Irving Berlin, a Jew. The Christmas we celebrate has many sources with common threads. Love, family, peace and goodwill are hardly inconsistent with the teachings of any religious faith with the possible exception of radical Islam which seems more based on fear and punishment than love and forgiveness.

The secular side of Christmas is best enjoyed with the innocence and wonder of youth, the mystery of Santa Claus and devoid of detailed expectations. My fondest memories of the Christmas Season are of when I was in a boy's choir that went caroling every year. I recall the pure joy of singing with friends in the chill of a winter's night and the occasional hot chocolate reward to warm us at houses decorated with Christmas lights. Caroling and other acts of Christmas sharing are rare these days. Even the Salvation Army bell ringer collecting in their hanging red pot said "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" -- how sad that is. How can we stand by as Christmas is renamed "Nondenominational Winter Holiday?" All I have to say is if atheists and Muslims don't want to hear "Merry Christmas" -- turn up the volume on your iPods. It's claimed that removing the word Christmas shows tolerance for non-Christians. That is pure BS. Renaming Christmas is really intolerance of the majority's culture. Even the choice of the generic word holiday demeans the significance of Christmas. The few are all to interested in removing God from our culture.

As we age, ghosts of Christmas past come to visit as so well portrayed in the Charles Dickens 1843 novel, "A Christmas Carol." The nature of these ghosts depends on both the happy and perhaps sad memories we have of life in general and Christmas past. This is the one time of year when reminders of the season are everywhere. Christmas can be that slap up the side of your head that gets your attention even when you'd rather it wouldn't. For most people, particularly the young, good memories outnumber those of sadness. As we get older the number of sad events in our past can build and become hard to ignore just as Christmas itself would be hard to ignore. It's everywhere for a month or more. I didn't have a happy childhood and every year in childhood innocence, looked to Christmas to somehow make it all better. Although there was a tree with presents it rarely did. Sad memories strive each year to dominate my thoughts but I don't let them win more than an occasional skirmish. Don't let Christmas become a mere joyless ritual. Savor each moment. It's not the presents, their number or their cost, it's the love and caring with which they are chosen and given. It's the love in the eyes of the giver when the recipient makes eye contact after unwrapping. That is the real magic of Christmas.

The Internet Grows Faster than a Speeding Bullet

2010-08-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

Using this blog to share my thoughts with all of cyberspace I can't help but occasionally reflect on what an amazing thing the Internet really is. Visitors have a lot of content to choose from and I really appreciate that you've selected one of my blogs to spend some of your valuable time at. Please check out http://3Joes.us as well.

On the Internet there are 234 million web sites and 126 million blogs. About 1 in every 46 inhabitants of developed countries on our planet has a blog. I'd estimate that 80% of blogs have very limited readership, perhaps just the owner. That leaves about 25 million blogs actually competing for your readership. Still a very large number. Without search engines like Google most of that information would unapproachable. If every web site was a physical book it would take perhaps 4,000 miles of bookshelves to hold them. Just for comparison there are 129,864,880 different books in the world. Google estimates there are 5 million terabytes of data on the Internet, 19 places is one huge number. From a PC perspective one terabyte is the largest capacity disk drive available from most manufacturers. We're talking about 5 million of those drives.

247 billion emails are sent every day, 81% are SPAM which still leaves 47 billion emails worthy of our attention. Personally I use Google's Gmail, because it filters out that junk so I don't need to deal with it or waste my bandwidth downloading it. These days my favored communication vehicle remains email.

The social network Facebook has more than 500 million active users who do more than 6 million page views per minute. Avid users are enthralled with it. From my perspective, Facebook is a time waster with very little intrinsic value. Clearly there are millions of users that disagree with me. It's filled with insidious applications like Farmville that generate lots of traffic but serve no real purpose past keeping users occupied and on-line. There is very limited content of general interest. Each to their own. Deleting my Facebook account was an overly complex process, perhaps intended to make you give in and stay a member.

Twitter has 105 million registered users of which 22 million are active and send 50 million tweets every day. Tweets are 140 characters long and have been referred to as micro-blogging. It can be very difficult to express a complete thought in 140 characters. Some users seem to use the short message length as an excuse to communicate without actually saying anything useful. Serious bloggers, myself included, use Twitter to inform their followers of new posts and provide URL links. Twitter is well suited for that purpose but the community is encouraged not to use Twitter to pass links. No doubt the proprietors prefer traffic that generates more traffic.

Who's to know what tomorrow will bring in terms of new applications. Some like Twitter catch on with a viral intensity and others like Google Wave fissile away never building a loyal following. One thing for sure, the Internet adapts with new applications and is here to stay. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Shiny Side

2010-06-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

I owe my success in life and even my sanity to the ability to find some good, the shiny side, in every thing I did and every place I was. With a positive outlook I had purpose and could always find happiness. As a leader, I shared that sense of purpose and happiness with others to make the teams that got the job done.

My father was a brilliant creative man but as a parent he was at times a cross between Freddy Kruger and Archie Bunker. My childhood was far from "Leave it to Beaver." Still even in that dysfunctional painful environment I found my shiny side, my mind and my free will. I had something that couldn't be taken from me. Reading and my imagination gave me a good place to be and I was driven to get there in real life — my purpose.

During Vietnam I gave up my career as a photographer and enlisted in the Air Force. My childhood experience served me well in basic training. In the military my shiny side was pride in serving the country that I loved. Here my purpose was my mission and failure was unacceptable. I will admit that having my fellow American citizens spit on me, shout epitaphs and throw trash at me made my shiny side a bit duller but I got through it all with an even deeper love of country and my adopted band of brothers.

In civilian business life my shiny side changed from time to time but was usually a morph of my childhood and military service. My mission became whatever product or project I was assigned to. My attitude and shiny side approach made me a natural leader. You can be assigned command but leadership requires creating a common purpose and sharing the spoils with your team. As an adult you balance family, career, community and society — each with it's own shiny sides.

As a member of a large democratic society we choose representation in government whose mission best dovetails with our personal beliefs. Show me a person that concurs with everything their representative does and I'll show you an individual that isn't watching. As an involved sensible person I accept that the end result or methods of government won't always be of my personal choice. But then there is Obama. Nothing is of my personal preference. You'd think that at least by accident or chance we'd agree on some things. Perhaps that's because there is no shiny side for the American people. When Obama speaks, what he says sounds good but the words are empty and all to frequently lies. I found a shiny side with an almost evil tyrant in my childhood but there is none for me with Obama. He's been assigned command but fails to lead as if command and not leadership is his purpose. The country I love and served is at risk along with the end of our self determined way of life.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

Earth Day makes little sense to many. I saw an unscientific poll asking the question "Do you care about Earth Day?" with Yes and No for answers. Last check it was 96% No. Caring about the earth one day a year is like recycling one day a year. Awareness and personal responsibility for earth has to be a daily thing. A big difference is made if we all do a little every day to weave ecologically sensible activities into our daily lives until they become habits. It only make sense to favor products that save energy because they are both good for the earth and for your pocket.

When thinking about Earth Day the subject of global warming comes to mind. We're so used to being lied to by the powers that be it's hard not to be skeptical when someone yells the sky is falling. Global warming and cooling is a fact and our planet has gone through a number of long term climate cycles. These cycles were in play without the hand of man. To blame man for the cycle we're in seems pretty outlandish. Pollution is of course an issue that we've been making progress on and have more work to do. I believe that pollution of some kinds may impact climate to some degree. I don't however believe pollution alone is the primary cause of global warming. I find it difficult to believe so called scientists that forge data and spin it as proof positive of man caused global warming. I also give no credence to anything Gore says. After all he actual claimed he invented the Internet. Can you trust a man that tells such whoppers? By the way, the Arctic ice is currently in expansion. Is that also a sign of global warming?

Let's use a little common sense when considering our planet. Anything that raises the cost of energy or increases our dependency on foreign energy sources clearly makes little sense. Cap and Tax has to be the craziest idea I've heard of yet. Sure Al Gore and GE are in favor -- they'll make a boatload of cash and Gore certainly has already. Renewable energy is a win win but not if we are fined for not using what doesn't exist. Why do we need another government bureaucracy and a new layer of profit takers that add no value, only cost? Cap and Tax invents a business that has no product but forces you to pay anyway. While we're creating cost effective ways to generate non-polluting renewable energy we should be weaning ourselves off foreign oil and making use of the resources available in the United States. Our government's mismanagement of energy resources keeps the price high while bleeding cash to other countries. Despite the fact that over 50% of our electricity is generated with coal, Obama wants to drive anyone that uses coal out of business. Why when there's nothing to replace it with and when there is technology on trial in Mongolia and India that will clean the coal before burning? The company that invented this technology is Clean Coal Technology, Inc. which is an American company totally based in this country.

As a Californian I have to ask why Delta Smelt are more important than the agricultural future of our state. When farmers' water allocations are cut to 10% of what it was the whole country looses as our farmers go out of business. If we have to import more food the prices will go up as will some of our ability to ensure that our food is safe to consume. Why does everything the government does have unintended consequences which I think would be better labeled "They didn't look beyond the tip of their nose consequences."

Death of the American Dream

2010-03-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

When our great country was founded our only entitlements were life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- Freedom. The Constitution was written to insure we kept those entitlements and so government wouldn't have the power to take them away. Freedom and personal responsibility gave birth to the American dream where hard work allowed any citizen to pursue and achieve their dream. With that achievement came pride of accomplishment, financial security for our families and self sufficiency. During adversity, our families, neighbors and churches came to our aid. We were one with others that shared freedom and our way of life. We were unique -- we were Americans. With our freedom came the ability to succeed, learn from our mistakes and benefit from hard work -- the American way.

Over time new government entitlements depersonalized the helping hand those close to us had provided. Before entitlements we were thankful for help others gave and responded in kind when others were in need. With government entitlements we loose the personal connection to the provider. Entitlements are expected rather than appreciated. Entitlements have become so pervasive that some survive totally on them while adding no value to the community. With Obamacare entitlements have gone beyond helping those in need or who have settled for existence without accomplishment to being a mandated component of everyone's life. Industrialization and the growth of the service industry had already eroded our self sufficiency making dependency on others the norm but in that case not eroding our personal responsibility. Entitlements transfer personal responsibility to the government. That loss of personal responsibility is a key killer of the American way as is the income redistribution associated the nationalization of free market businesses. Without a reward for hard work we loose our desire to achieve. Eventually individual wealth disappears and the government's can't take from the rich to give to the poor. There's nothing left to take when no one is rich. The masses have been converted from entrepreneurs to none producing dependent consumers of entitlements. The dream becomes a lost memory.

Designing for Today's Web Surfer

2010-02-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

Many web designers have very powerful PCs and the highest possible speed Internet connections. After all, we all have a bit of geek in us and really love using the Ferrari's of the PC world. We shouldn't however forget that the site experience we get on our systems isn't the same as most users will have. If anything all that power let's us be less efficient in our site development without being able to visually detect it.

In the past PCs got a little faster and more capable each year. In some ways they were barely keeping up with software thirst for more power. The rate of improvement will continue but the PCs on our desktops are now much more powerful than most applications require. We now have new classes of CPUs that are less powerful, less expensive, use less power and still meet our basic needs. Netbooks, many based on Intel's Atom CPU, have been paired with 10" screens and established a much lower price point than their X86 brethren. Now PC use is available to those who couldn't before afford it and for new applications. At the same time the more power efficient ARM processor found in many smart phones has gotten powerful enough to run many basic applications and many of these devices have small QWERTY keyboards. Slower than ATOM but even more power efficient.

Regardless of display characteristics let's not forget users may be surfing inside a window on their much larger desktop. Particularly with the wide displays becoming common users can multiple windows open and simultaneously viewable. I sometimes watch TV on my screen in one window while writing in another. Bigger screens don't have to mean bigger browser windows to surf in like in the days 640x480 12" monitors. Some users don't multi-task and will use their entire wide screen to surf in. Some designs don't view well 1440 or more wide. Another thing designers need to deal with.

I'm using a Nokia N810 to write this article. It's ARM powered with a 4" screen with 800x480 resolution. This baby will run all day on a cell phone size battery. The user experience with these devices differs when accessing the Internet. This is of great importance to web site designers. Our target PCs now vary greatly in power and display real estate. To ensure a good user experience we need to rethink our design approaches. We need to verify our web sites on different hardware platforms to ensure the best user experience regardless of device they are using. I prefer not to do my development on on some all powerful gaming machine because it isn't representative of the majority of site visitors. My Nokia N810 is one of my test targets.

Designing with static layouts leaves mobile users constantly scrolling -- very annoying for them. Designs now need to be dynamic and flow inside a large number of screen and window sizes and aspect ratios. Web page performance is a real issue and fancy Flash pages with lots of animation are too slow on some devices. The new iPad for example doesn't even have Flash. The users of our sites have changed and we must change with them or they'll surf elsewhere. Pages that download fast are the ticket. Smaller less dense image files are required as is the need to download fewer site elements. Backgrounds load faster if they are a repeating texture rather than a screen sized image. Combine multiple images into one when possible. This is even more important for surfers that have slower Internet connections.

Your can get reasonable picture of your site visitors equipment and software choices with a tool like Google Analytics. Information is available on display characteristics, browser and OS. I'd also like to see what CPU was used to get a sense PC horsepower used by our visitors. You can also get data on connections types, e.g. cable, DSL and dial-up. This information gives me a good sense of what my surfers use so that I can design for a great experience for the largest number of users.

Being 67

2010-01-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Being a big believer in positive attitude I find the following statement on age by Jule Renard right on target. "It is not how old you are, but how you are old." Granted as we get older our bodies have ways of making us aware of the passage of time. I shall never again be 18 unless reincarnation becomes a reality. Heath wise this was a tough year for me, bleeding on the brain and a pacemaker implant. Leading up to those events my body was speaking loudly. Recovering from brain surgery without impairment was good for my confidence. Healing quickly and completely I was stronger and more resilient than I thought I was. A real psychological upper for me -- not as old as I feared I was. The pacemaker came next and has greatly improved my stamina seemingly removing years from my tired body. I've more drive than I've had in some time. On balance this was a great year for me and I look forward to being around for a long while. I can recall years ago when we thought 30 was positively ancient. Time has fortunately proven us wrong.

Mad as Hell

2010-01-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Speaking as a veteran that loves his country. No more Obama apologies in our name and pretending America is the bad guy. No more government take overs of the private sector. No more political spin and lies. To hell with politically correct -- return our people to personal responsibility. Stop taxing us and spending money we don't have. Delete the words "entitlement" and "earmark" from our vocabulary. We may have to wait until 2012 to send Obama packing but we can start in 2010 showing Democrats in Congress and the Senate the door.

Christmas thoughts

2009-12-21T17:50:00.000-08:00

As time passes we collect events in our memory. Some are proud, some happy and hopefully fewer are sad. We may have been unwilling participants in a sad event but sometimes we have a pivotal role in creating the consequences. More than likely the consequences were unintended but they still occurred and the best among us will take responsibility for the resulting sadness created. Sometimes there aren't any good choices -- only the least of the bad.

I try not to dwell on my mistakes. Still, I don't want to forget them either. To forget our mistakes is to risk they will be repeated. Before the ultimate family holiday, Christmas, the sad events creep foremost in my thoughts. Despite a strong positive attitude the sad events somehow seem to be more vivid and detailed in my memory. Are these ghostly visitors my penance for life's mistakes and unintended consequences? Perhaps they are. I'd rather think of them as lessons learned. Being a veteran I've spent some lonely Christmases far from home and family. Those times the creep of sad memories became a full scale charge. All the greater reason for everyone back home to support and respect the military that serve their country in far away places during Christmas.

I pray for all in the military unselfishly protecting us at home. May they find some holiday joy even in the simple things -- to hear your name during mail call, to see a symbol of Christmas, or even a piece of apple pie in the mess tent. Never forget that many you'll never meet respect you greatly, appreciate what you do and pray for your safety.

Pacemaker -- I'm me again

2009-12-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Coming up on 67 I've been slowing down and just feeling older. Occasionally my blood pressure was in the 100/50 range which on the surface is very desirable. One morning I was feeling very light headed and when I checked my blood pressure it was too low to register on my BP machine. Time for a trip to the Emergency Room at the Fresno VA. Their machines wouldn't register my BP either -- crash cart time. The doctor said I had blocking in my heart that caused me to miss beats. After a number of tests and a shot of Atropine to get my heart going it was determined that I needed a Pacemaker. The Fresno VA doesn't perform pacemaker surgery so they sent me by ambulance to the Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital where Dr. Thampi John performed the surgery. What a beautiful hospital -- all private rooms and in some ways more like a fine hotel. The food was definitely a cut above the normal hospital fare.

The thought of surgery always gives us pause. But after my pacemaker was implanted under my left shoulder blade I found the process much less menacing than I'd imagined. First, with a local anesthetic you're awake during the procedure. They tape a tent on your chest to maintain a sterile field. You won't be seeing what's going on -- who'd want to anyway. There is no pain. They painted my left chest area with a blue antiseptic which basically has to wear off. I look a little like I'm morphing into a Blue Smurf but only with my shirt off -- it will pass.

Your hospital stay could be as short as one night. There is some pain in the area of the implant. They gave me Darvocet a narcotic mixed with Acetaminophen for moderate pain. At home I substituted brandy as my pain killer of choice. They put my left arm in a sling for a week and I needed to keep the area dry for that same period -- missed those showers. For the long term you'll need to visit your Cardiologist every three to six months so they can check the pacemaker operation and the battery level. They lay a device over the pacemaker for a wireless connection to take readings and if required adjust the device. The battery should last for five to ten years depending on how often the pacemaker stimulates the heart to beat. My pacemaker only stimulates the heart if it misses beats. When it's time to change the battery they will replace the entire pacemaker but still use the wire that was routed through a vein into your heart during the initial surgery. I assume the battery replacement experience will be similar to having the pacemaker implanted in the first place.

You may occasionally see signs telling those with pacemakers to take some specific action. Household appliances like microwaves don't effect the pacemaker but some industrial equipment might. The booklet that came with my pacemaker said I shouldn't be under the hood of a running car. I asked about metal detectors in airports. You'll get a card to prove you have a pacemaker which will set off alarms at airports. Going through the metal detector will lock my Medtronic pacemaker into 85 beats/minute for a short time. I wouldn't even notice it changed. Other brands may be different. There are a number of reputable manufacturers of these devices.

Now for the best part. I don't feel like an old man anymore. The message is clear to me. Getting a pacemaker isn't such a scary thing and the rewards can be huge. I'm not back to my normal -- I'm better than that.

Veterans Day 2009

2009-11-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day is here again and I've worn my dog tags outside of my shirt where others can see them. Hopefully their presence will encourage people to remember this special day to honor the veterans that served their country. I recall those I served with -- for them and those that came before or serve now I have great reverence and respect. We are a band of brothers that I'm proud to belong to. I'm still filled with pride whenever I see the American flag -- proud to be an American. Waves of sadness come over me for the psychological harm caused by my fellow Americans that treated solders returning from Vietnam with disrespect and in some cases hate. Sadly, disrespect of the military still exists in far to many Americans. These days it's hidden under the surface of the politically correct mantra and lie "I support our troops." Patriotism has somehow become self anointed and not earned.

A while back two soldiers, disabled by their war wounds, were interviewed on "The Factor." O'Reilly asked them how they were being treated by their fellow countrymen. He clearly remembered what happened to those in the Vietnam era. Both veterans praised their supporters but when supporters were named they were the VFW and the American Legion -- veterans all. Why only veterans? I couldn't help but to cry for them and yes, for myself.

Health Care Delivery

2009-09-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

I have a patient's perspective. Not being a medical professional, my comments are based on personal observations over my lifetime. Having experienced heath care change over the last fifty plus years I have some insights into health care delivery that others may not have.

In my earliest recollections of health care delivery there were single doctor offices and doctors made house calls. When you went to an ER the first question asked was do you have Blue Cross Blue Shield. ER's had yet to be ruled by the government as unfunded free clinics to the poor and illegal aliens.

Location determines what health care is available. When in the USAF I was overseas at a small base. When I had a small cavity they pulled the tooth instead of filling it. They also misdiagnosed allergies as a sinus condition and gave me pills to treat the symptoms. After discharge from the USAF I went to work for a large company that had a nurse's office which dealt with basic care not requiring a doctor. For example, the company nurse gave me weekly injections prescribed by my allergist. The allergies the military doctor in Germany said I didn't have. In some cases health insurance was fully covered by employers but less so over time.

As doctors trended from general practice to specialties small groups banded together to share an office and administrative costs. More medical services were offered on site and health care delivery was clinic run. They naturally delivered services they were trained for even if not necessarily well practiced in. Referrals were after all lost revenue. You might say they rationed care according to what they could deliver. One of these clinics performed out patient surgery to remove a fatty tumor from the back of my head. They didn't get it all so it grew back over time and another clinic operated. Like the first, they didn't remove it all and again it grew back.

I changed jobs after my wife became pregnant and learned about preexisting condition coverage. My new insurer wouldn't cover prenatal care, the delivery or my wifes hospital stay. Needless to say I had to come up with thousands of dollars which I didn't have. The hospital refused to release my wife and new son until I paid. I called their bluff, while at the desk of the collection person that was threatening me, I called the FBI to report an abduction. I was so angry I refused to make a specific payment arrangement just to make their life difficult. Unknown to them was my plan to pay as much as I could every payday until the bill was paid.

With a new job and this time a state residence change came a forced change of health insurance provider. Government regulations dictate you must purchase insurance in the state you live which limits competitive choices and punishes you with preexisting condition limits. I had a preexisting condition and the company offered insurance plans wouldn't cover me until after a long waiting period. I had little choice but to enroll in an HMO that had no preexisting condition limitations. This large HMO had a statewide network of clinics and hospitals which gave me better access to specialists and lab facilities, all of their choice. Remember the fatty tumor, this time it was removed by a very experienced surgeon and never grew back. Waits for getting an appointment were much longer and always resulted in long lines and waiting when you came for your scheduled appointment. In my 50's my Aortic heart value started to malfunction and only worked at 50% efficiency. Less than a month after diagnosis my valve was replaced with a mechanical one. Over time my blood pressure became more difficult to control and I ended up on four different blood pressure medications at the same time. I became potassium deficient and saw an HMO specialist that diagnosed me with hyperaldosteronism. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. They put me on huge potassium pills. What I didn't realize at the time was that my care had been rationed for the HMO to save cost. Drugs were the only option offered and the link to high blood pressure was never explained.

As a war time veteran I'm eligible for VA health care. In my case a co-payment is required for delivered services. After retiring I decided to sign up with the VA -- the HMO wanted a thousand dollars a month for my wife and I. They effectively price the insured out of coverage when they get older. I then relocated to be near the VA hospital in Fresno CA. The VA also diagnosed my Aldosterone problem but instead of medicating the symptoms they fixed it. The cause was a tumor in an adrenal gland and the VA performed the surgery to remove it at the San Francisco VA Hospital. My potassium level and blood pressure returned to normal. Clearly the cure that was best for my long term health. Routine appointments can take thirty days to get, there is waiting at the blood draw lab and waiting at the pharmacy. However if I feel I need faster attention there is always the VA's ER. I should note that the VA ER is only available to veterans. I went to the VA ER after I passed out and awoke on the bathroom floor. The ER did a CT scan of my head and found I had bleeding on the brain. They arranged for a neurosurgeon and sent me via ambulance 170 miles to his location at the Palo Alto VA hospital. The next morning my surgery was performed -- no waiting involved.

Many of the health care providers at the VA are veterans themselves. We share a common bond and a military sense of duty. Like the HMO, the VA prescribes from an approved formulary of drugs. You will get generics when available which lowers the cost to the VA or HMO. I can say that the VA prescribed more modern drugs for my type 2 Diabetes than the HMO did. One of the VA's prescriptions was even for a non-generic. The VA also has what may be the only nationwide 100% electronic health care records system and provides Internet based health information, personal record keeping and prescription renewal. I found the VA superior to the HMO in every way. They have always provided me with the most effective heath care -- not the cheap way out. Northern CA is said to have the best regional VA system in the country. No doubt the level of care and number of facilities varies in other parts of the country depending on population density and closeness to top medical schools.

There are many factors that have increased the cost of health insurance. I've already mentioned the prohibition on purchasing health insurance across state lines. The government also mandates what is covered so the customer can't choose and balance cost based on their own needs and ability to pay. Did you know that a drug developed by a US pharmaceutical company costs more in the US than let's say Canada. Our government makes sure we can't buy our drugs from Canada where they are cheaper. I for example wouldn't purchase mental health coverage. Tax treatment has made employers the default source of health insurance further limiting your choice of insurer to those selected by your employer. Individuals pay at higher rates for insurance and sometimes higher rates to hospitals if they have no insurance. It would be much better if individuals directly purchased their insurance from any of the 3,000 plus insurers in the US. There is plenty of competition if only the government allowed it to take place. Forced loss of coverage for preexisting conditions would be under the individuals control where it belongs.

I've never participated in a Socialized Public Option and hope I never have to. When examining socialized medicine in other countries I find they provide a much lower level of service and care than even the HMO I belonged to does. Months of waiting to see a specialist can be a death sentence. For example in the UK the death rate from breast cancer is much greater than in the US. Government does a poor job of running business and health care is one business we can't afford to let them mismanage. The farther away from the patients and doctors the rationing rules are made the more disconnected from the patient they will be. Formula's that devalue older individuals and ration care to them aren't my idea of health care. Health care decisions/rules in a socialized medicine system will be made primarily on cost and all health care decisions will be made according to those rules. The patient and their doctor won't be part of the decision process. In the government decisions are made totally by rules and not by a careful analysis of all factors for an individual situation.

Pomposity

2009-09-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."

Obama said "Ask what you can do for Obama." I need say no more.

Adaptable & Responsible

2009-03-05T18:28:00.001-08:00

Adaptability creates more opportunities for life and business decisions. I doubt anyone can say that our decisions always had totally positive outcomes for ourselves and others effected. Still that's not a reason not to make those decisions. I'm talking about my actions, not my principles for which I maintain stubborn devotion with a willingness to listen to other opinions. To a great extent I'm results oriented.

I've always approached life's obstacles with a willingness to take personal responsibility and adapt to achieve results. All to many refuse to dismount a dieing horse. Even better is check the horse's condition before mounting. Adapting to the reality and practicality of life has served me well. Then we have the "Change" mantra and our government saviors. Where are their principles and common sense.

When we consider today's economic situation we can easily point fingers at deserving others. Some shouldn't forget their personal responsibility for poor financial judgement. When you assume a debt without proper planning who's the bigger fool the borrower or the lender? Does one act of stupidity justify another? Clearly Congress doesn't check the horse before mounting. A huge "stimulus" bill was passed so quickly that no one had an opportunity to read it or consider the consequences. Still the bill was passed. One must wonder if bill's are passed by Congress because of the bill's content or because of the earmarks each member of Congress is bribed with. Do they say, "I don't understand the bill but if you give me money to please my constituents and keep me in office I'll vote yes anyway?" Don't forget there were plenty of earmarks to go around. I don't consider throwing a huge pile against the wall without knowing what will stick adapting and solving the economic situation. When the tab is in the trillions, trust me isn't good enough -- I want show me.

FOIA abuse

2009-02-08T11:27:00.000-08:00

We all know there are strong feelings on the subject of gay marriage. My personal beliefs on the subject aren't important to this post. Abuse of the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, for intolerance and harassment is. Eightmaps.com is a perfect example of that abuse. Those that donated to support CA Proposition 8 against gay marriage are being harassed and threatened in their homes. All because eightmaps.com used the FOIA to get donor information and Google Maps technology to identify them and their location for harassment or worse. I'm a veteran who cherishes liberty and freedom but I think this time freedom has run amok. In the intelligence community being cleared for information isn't enough. You had to demonstrate a need to know. It's time for us to consider if individual privacy shouldn't be a factor in releasing unclassified information under the FOIA. The common good would benefit from knowing the scope of support of an issue. I fail to see common good in releasing names, addresses and in this egregious case amount of donation. What an individual believes is a private issue that they can choose to share with others.

I've chosen to share my identity and opinions on some subjects openly on the Internet. These opinions are open for the reader to share. You may wonder what my opinion is on a subject I haven't shared -- that is your right to wonder. My right is privacy and that privacy shouldn't be lost because of your wonder or my choice to share that opinion with another. Sure the person I shared with may be a blabber mouth -- my bad for sharing with them. Without probable cause, as in search warrant, a person or group shouldn't be forced to evade my privacy. Wonder isn't probable cause for invasion of privacy nor is desire to harass.

Delegation & Leadership

2008-10-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

The key to successful delegation is to focus on the end result utilizing a team approach that doesn't mandate how tasks are done. It starts with a clear picture of the desired result, a team built schedule to achieve it and an understanding of the business goals to be met. In some instances it's a team of two -- leader and contributor. Schedules should always consist of measurable elements and for longer team efforts group milestones. No schedule is perfect but can still be successful if slips are identified early so adjustments can be made. It's most important that the expectations for the result are managed. In a well thought out plan some tasks take longer and other are done faster allowing adjustments to meet the original delivery date. There are times when meeting a schedule can be accomplished by adjusting expectations while still creating a positive result that will meet the project goals. All projects should have milestones and agreed upon due dates.

Micromanagement is the ultimate no no. There may be many ways to accomplish some tasks but only a few are flat wrong. Any contributor will zero in on one of those ways based on experience and personal preference -- it works well for them. The big beginner obstacle in team leadership is not to impose the way that is your preference. With few exceptions any method that achieves the desired result should be accepted. Some global constraints need to be applied to all for a quality result in a team effort to insure for example, a consistent user interface. Agreement on these team project rules should be negotiated up front in the development process. Contributor buy in and task ownership yield the best results.

How does one become American

2008-07-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

Be proud of and swear allegiance to American
Attitude that embraces equality with unity -- not superiority or inferiority
Embracing those things which are common -- knowledge, beliefs, profession, patriotism
Respecting America's laws, society and values while accepting the benefits of America
On occasion sharing our culture with an openness to others' cultures so that we may learn to embrace and celebrate our differences -- everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's day (green is the color of the day but there are no Irish flags)

How to fail

Disrespecting American law and sovereignty -- embracing groups focused on hate and anti-Americanism
Segregating one's self with language whether it be not learning English or adopting terminology that other races aren't allowed to use -- the N-word
Inventing or adopting culture to exaggerate and create differences -- gangsta' lifestyle
Demanding entitlements and preferences based on events that occurred long before either of us was alive -- defining one's self as victim -- abandoning personal responsibility
Demanding respect without giving it -- one is only respected after first respecting others

Freedom isn't mine -- it's ours

2008-07-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

The prevalent self centered definition of freedom misses the value of freedom as the glue that unites us as a nation. Freedom is the ability to say and do as I please but, with the responsibility to consider the impact of my actions on others. The gimme gimme of entitlement is a divider perverted by the false mantra of victim hood as a substitute for personal responsibility. Gimme gimme isn't freedom -- it's greed.

An Expert is:

2008-06-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

All to often in business, an expert is the person assigned and a guru is someone that did it once. I judge as professional someone that has:

A confident positive attitude devoid of cockiness and arrogance.
High ethical standards.
Time to fully understand the clients needs.
Regular communication and status reporting.

And perhaps most important of all will:

Deliver a quality product on schedule and budget that meets or exceeds client's expectations.

Question for the day

2008-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Why doesn't Congress understand democracy isn't a government of, by and for the politicians?

American

2008-06-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Racism is a comfortable place for those without the desire or confidence to take charge of their lives. It's easier to blame others than to make something of yourself. There will always be people that are negative, ignorant, lazy, racist or perhaps evil. When one decides they aren't equal, they never will be. They facilitate racist stupidity with stupidity of their own. To be equal you need to be an American above all. Equality is a blending of people measured by their individual contributions and attitude. Equality is more a function of attitude than law. When someone calls themselves a hyphenated-American they draw attention to physical attributes or genealogy which have nothing to do with the person they are. Does the hyphen say you're more or less American? I'm inclined to think less. I have to question the motives of anyone who places their race before allegiance to their country.

While on this subject I thought about physical things that uniquely identify me as American. First there's my passport that verifies my citizenship and second my prized military dog tags. Granted it's possible for a non-citizen to enlist in the military but you can't be more American than being willing to die for this country. My Greek ethnic origin doesn't appear in either. They both cry out in unhyphenated terms American.

For those not familiar with dog tags, they have your name and serial number to identify you if you die in battle. They also have your blood type to save your life if you're wounded and your religion to save your soul with the last rights. Ethnic origin and sexual preference are conspicuously missing -- American is what matters. Despite some history prior to our times, this band of brothers are all equals -- Americans all.

Marketing -- When I finally got it

2008-06-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Early on I thought a feature list was marketing. "My dog is bigger than your dog" never really sells anything. Communicating tasks performed is a leg up but still very "me too." Self anointed fuzzy words like "new, improved or innovative" are overused and without substance. If I hear anybody from Microsoft talk about "innovation" again I'll barf. How can a product be innovative if it doesn't even work? What's missing here? The answer is "emotional essence" that speaks to an inner desire.

I remember vividly the day I finally got it. In a speech Paul Revson gave, think Revlon, he said "I don't sell cosmetics, I sell hope." Talk about understanding why someone buys your products -- Wow. Your sales proposition doesn't have to be product capability based. It should deal with need or desire. Every time I develop a marketing campaign or have any public communication that piece of wisdom jumps forward in my mind. If I haven't achieved that level of insight I'm just not done yet -- grade incomplete. It's not always easy to reach that insight. Like chess you need to think a number of moves ahead. In this case moves your customer will or wants to take. Clients frequently describe a problem not by what the problem is but instead what they think is a solution. It's hard to get at the real issues but it's well worth the effort. Finally we must think like our client's customers to find the "emotional essence" that cinches the sale.

Change

2008-06-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

I love the adventure of change and the learning opportunity it provides. Always I move forward -- changing to rather than changing from. That is why I find the politics of change very questionable. Nothing is 100%. How can people accept that everything from one party is evil and from the other is good. Vote for me because the other guy is all bad just isn't logical. Change for changes sake is rarely a good thing. If an argument to change is based pure negativity we instantly know the argument is faulty. There is always room for change but not when the need for it is manufactured with misinformation and victimology.

Experience

2008-03-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Experience comes from contribution to making something happen. "I was there" when others did it is a poor substitute. Experience can't be self anointed. It's earned by participation.

Cell Phone as a Distraction

2008-03-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

When you do more than one thing at a time you aren't paying full and undivided attention to any particular thing -- Duh. We don't need a study to tell us that. Particularly when the study is designed to prove a point out of context. It has actually been proposed to ban cell phone use while walking. If talking on a cell is so distracting as to cause a danger, why don't we ban talking to passengers in a car? Perhaps the government should make a law that cars should only carry one passenger so that we will all be safe. Where will the stupidity stop?

Need to Know

2008-03-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

It has been stated that the terrorists know cells can be tapped -- true enough. However, being so open that they will know what we won't do to spy on them is valuable information for the terrorists. It let's them know how to avoid being spied on. I agree that oversight is part of the checks and balances built into our Constitution. The problem is that oversight can't be 100% transparent in this case. People uninformed about the intelligence community think that a security clearance of some level is an entitlement. They don't understand that the reason security works is because that "entitlement" is further controlled by demonstrating a "need to know". The American public has a right to know that our government is protecting them from unfounded invasions of privacy. They do however not need to know the details of what we are, or are not doing to spy on criminals and enemies that are out to do us harm.

The day has come

2008-01-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Today I graduated from the 55-64 age check box to the last one on the list. Older than dirt and so old we don't care to know. I only have one question. Is the fact that I'm still waiting for my mid-life crisis a sign of longevity? One can hope.

Hyphenated-American

2007-12-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

The United States became a great country because we were united as Americans regardless of our ethnicity or religion. There lies Iraq's problem -- the country doesn't come first. Sadly to say the United States has become a divided country. Politics and political correctness is destroying our union of common purpose. The diversity we stove for has been perverted into diverse affiliations rather than the melting pot we once were. The military and veterans have a pride and personal commitment that makes them Americans first. The civilian population is now hyphenated -- something-Americans. More thoughts on this subject at NotSilent.org.

Friends and Enemies

2006-12-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

The business of friends can be a joy or a major disappointment. Disappointment can be avoided with the right attitude and expectations. There's a whole class of people we'd all call "Strangers." Most strangers are already well equipped with friends. They neither need or want more. That's why relocation can be so hard. Everybody is all friend-ed out. When it comes to strangers the best policy is a smile and apply polite consideration. Hold a door open for a stranger. It'll brighten their day and may even result in them being nicer to another person. Now there's a contagious disease that's worth having and spreading. If you're caught on some dark out of the way street in a place like New Orleans, a brisk pace toward the nearest and brightest light might be a better path to take. Strangers are better dealt with in in well lit public places. Friendly and foolish both start with "F" but the similarity ends there.

I find the whole friend thing is best approached with a simple classification system. True friends are a rare commodity but perhaps that's a good thing because giving of your self is key to that relationship. Those that many would call friends are what I call acquaintances -- nice to be with when you see them but interaction with them is by accidental proximity. They help make day to life more pleasant. Depending on them to be true friends is a path to disappointment. Engineering extended proximity with an acquaintance won't make them a true friend it will turn them into someone that's wants to be a stranger.

The next group, hopefully smaller, is the SOBs. Bad mouthing those not within ear shot is a clear indicator of the well practiced SOB. They are often very destructive to our career. The worst SOBs, enemies, can't wait to stab you in the back. Another accidental proximity class. They can be avoided except at work. I've never found a good answer to this problem at work. The best you can hope for is steer them to self destruction. Once achieved though many will fear you'll do the same to them and forward motion in your career comes to a stop. The enemy is an SOBs that seek you out. They consider a smile and respect of others a weakness to be exploited. Smile anyway they also consider your smile a threat since they can't come up with a real smile. There's always one or more lingering around.

Lastly is the small special group of true friends that think about you and are there when you need them. They make life good even when it is otherwise bad. Don't expect to have many. Many true friends come from our childhood -- those we went to school with. True friends deserve an investment of our time and mind share. They will do the same for us. In all my years of work I've met many people I liked but added few true friends. Cherish these few because they are more meaningful in our lives than all the rest.

3's

2006-11-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

Much of life today seems based on binary world -- good or evil, right or wrong, democrat or republican. It seems as if there unfortunately is very little middle ground. I doubt anything that involves people is ever 100%. 100% is even hard in science. Just think about how truly foolish this. Our political two party system has become so binary that there a few citizens that agree with either party. Has individual thought become a crime? Has the public given up spending the time to understand the world around them? Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman is consistent with the core beliefs of his party. He's a great leader that dared not to follow the hard line on Iraq because it made no sense to him. His reward for a good and honorable job was to have his party turn on him. It's very telling though that when he ran as an Independent the voters followed him and was re-elected.

Humans are considered physically binary. Left brain, right brain, left limb and right limb. Stepping back even for one second and we can see connecting and balancing the two sides is a middle connector. Two of this are countered by one of that. Two eyes and ears but one mouth and nose. Even the left right matching parts don't match. One leg is bigger than the other, one hand is stronger. Even nature cries out with a balance of three. Think of how many times three comes up in religion. The Holy Trinity, Christ crucified with two criminals on his left and right. The Eastern Orthodox religion performs many spiritual rituals or pronouncements three times. Three strikes you're out and bad things come in three's. It's even in art. Many amateurs take photographs with the subject dead center -- visually binary. These same individuals appreciate the beauty of art which is frequently based on the composition of thirds. It's as if their subconscious was reminding them of three's.

By now you're wondering where I'm going with this -- as well you should if you're a critical thinker. Three's first came to the forefront in a college psychology class with the concept of the three selves. Self you are, self you think you are and self that others see. If you measured these three they would be constant fluctuating with a long term equity between the three. Examine true evil, mental anguish or depression and you'll find the three out of balance. It's a great way to understand ourselves and how we interact with others. Equality isn't totally required but balance is.

Now lets think about a General in war. Here we have another three that I call the quandary of motivation. A General or any leader for that matter must balance self, team and the mission. A leader has a sense of self or wouldn't have been recognized as a leader. Still the Generals decisions aren't based on self interest but on the mission with consideration for the team -- soldiers. If the team doesn't survive your not there to fight another day. If you don't focus on mission, the battle is lost. Soldiers are placed in harms way to complete the mission. Talk to any real soldier and you'll be told that his brothers on his left and right come before him. Remember that that soldier is also on someone's left and another's right. Despite that band of brothers structure the mission must have priority. One can't forget that the success of the mission insure the safety and freedom of those that stayed behind.

Applying the quandary of motivation to business the downside isn't as dire but the concept still fits. There must be a leader but if that leader is totally selfish the team will become ineffective and the success of the mission will be in question. Team first never works. Communes in business, religion and society have proved themselves to be failures that sounded like good ideas in the beginning. A team without the goal of a mission won't achieve and the enterprise will fail. When mission is the only consideration the team over time will loose its sense of brotherhood. Unfortunately, mission first may seem to function well but that won't last. There are of course other factors that impact what we do but breaking things down into three's makes everything more clear and points us in the right direction.

Abandonment of culture and God

2005-12-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is an easy target because it has two identities. I'm an agnostic with a Christian background but still protect every ones rights to believe in or ignore anything. I've never objected to Hanuka and Minauras but will admit I chuckled a bit when Kwanzaa hit the scene. There are two different dates for Easter most years -- big deal. The Koran says Jesus is a profit -- so. There's is always someone that objects to everything. We are a government of, for and by the people. Government by the few is a dictatorship. Atheists and the ACLU have no right to take that away belief in God, regardless of His name, or the culture of the many. I boycott stores that have forsaken Christmas -- it is my right to do so. Recognizing diversity and equality has nothing to do with repressing the things and beliefs that make us different.

The Pope

2005-04-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

You can't fault anyone that is totally true to their beliefs. Such a person is to be praised, even when you disagree with them. The Pope was such a person. His consistent commitment to his beliefs was nothing but inspirational. I'm Greek Orthodox but I still meditated and prayed for him when he died. Here's hoping we can keep him in our hearts and save his memory from the adnauseam press coverage.

I've Been

2005-02-15T23:31:00.000-08:00

I've been a father, a soldier and captain of industry.
I've been an engineer, a marketer and even a writer.
I've been praised, despised and even decorated.
I've been liked, hated and even loved.
I've been a winner, a looser and always a dreamer.
I've been followed, led and sometime stood alone.
I've been happy, sad but always positive.
Now, I'd just like to be me.

The Importance of Being Santa

2004-12-18T20:13:00.000-08:00

Many would agree that Christmas is, to a major extent, about a spirit of love and the associated giving. This is irrespective of religious beliefs. Belief in Santa and what he stands for doesn't require a belief in Christ. With all the joy of this season it is strange that all the sadness in our lives seem to come and roost. The sadness of a soldier in a strange country during the holidays. The sadness of a divorced father estranged from his children. The sadness of loves and dreams lost.

This year, I was asked to play Santa Claus for an Americorps function. When you think of it, this is an awesome responsibility. You wouldn't want to dash a child's belief or subvert those of the parents. I still remember the time my youngest daughter sat on the Easter Bunny's lap and whispered in my ear, "there's a girl inside that bunny." Then there's the panicked look on a parents face when a child asks for something they can't afford or feel is unsafe. I was hesitant but still agreed, insisting that this would be a "Christmas" party and there were no restrictions on my saying "Merry Christmas." I'm not a big fan of the ACLU.

The day of the party came and I got the people running the affair to agree I didn't need to cover up my own full white beard and curly hair. Still a little uneasy about the whole thing I entered the hall when introduced. A young boy bolted across the room and jumped up into my arms -- what a hug. I proceeded to my chair and put him down. From then on, every kid came to me with their arms outstretched to be held. Many didn't speak but they all enjoyed being held by Santa. My uneasiness quickly disappeared. One young man told me I didn't look like Santa. I looked like a Grampa. Of course he was right and I told him Santa is everyone's Grampa. The last little girl came up to me and quietly put her arms around me and just snuggled in, never saying a word. She was a cute little girl with corn rows and beads in her hair. At that time I was to hand out presents, which I did with her still clinging. All in all, it must have been fifteen minutes before she let go and went over to her mother. We may have set a Santa hug record. I will never hesitate to play Santa again if lucky enough to be asked.

Achieve the Believable

2004-12-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Nothing gets done without step one -- a goal. Sadly many goals are never reached. The why is deceptively simple -- belief. First, if you don't believe you can, you can't. If those you need to achieve a goal don't believe, you'll fail. Lastly, if the benefactors don't believe they need it. That's right, failed again. This time failure is based on not caring. Success is the meeting of expectations, needs or beliefs.

The moral is; if the team lacks confidence, failure is assured, and if nobody cares, success will be invisible and for that matter, less likely. Once over the confidence hurdle one can more easily see that managing beliefs and expectations is part of the goal maturity required for success. If beliefs change or the effort underestimated the goal can be adjusted and the expectations managed to bring the goal back to reality.

The power of belief demands consideration even if we discount religious faith. We have all seen, if not recognized examples. How many times has a frail older person remained resolute that they would live until some family event only to willingly pass on shortly after the event. My Godfather was badly injured when his Flying Tiger was shot down in China during WWII. Almost every bone in his body was broken and he was told he'd never walk again. He refused to accept that fate and pronounced he would not only walk again but fly as well. My very first plane ride as a young boy was with my very recovered Godfather at the stick of his own stunt plane. What a role model for the power of the mind. There is also, for me, a more personal example. A number of years ago my aortic heat valve was failing. To prepare for the eight hour open heart surgery I meditated focusing on three things. First was positive thoughts of events that brought great joy and peace to me. My Godfather was in those thoughts. The second was that I wouldn't require any blood and the third was that the only acceptable outcome was getting well. The third obviously won out but I also went through the surgery, heart lung machine and all, without needing so much as one pint of blood. Since belief has so much power in trying times, imagine how likely meeting a goal will be when we apply that same belief.

Aftermath of Experience

2004-10-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered, why am I me? Many look to others as the architects of their lives. Truth is that others, although influencial, are only laborers in building the real you. They all leave their marks on the finished product but, they aren't the architects -- you are. Why -- attitude. Regardless of the level of influence, your attitude will architect, determine, what you believe about yourself. That's the belief that's so ingrained deep inside us that it can't be changed without our help. Am I happy? Am I sad? Am I a good person? These questions and others are answered by your attitude. We may have fleeting moments of doubt but, we always come back under the control of our attitude. Sure, you can abdicate this self control of destiny to others. Then abdication becomes our final decision until we decide to take it back. It's always you. Symptoms of abdication are easily recognized and just as easily eradicated. We all know them, blaming others, acting like a victim, negativity -- not taking ownership of our lives. Life is the aftermath of experience. It's how we react and how we internalize that experience that determines the outcome. Attitude is our architect or our poison. Your decision.

Wisdom of Being Positive

2004-08-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

I once read that Ben Franklin would make decisions by taking a side and thinking of all the reasons why to do it. When he couldn't think of another reason, he'd take the other side and do the same. He'd go back and forth until he decided. This positive approach to making decisions makes a lot of sense to me. A negative is only considered as a positive for the other side. If it can't be a positive argument for either side -- throw it out. The part about considering both sides is probably part of human nature. Being negative, like prejudice, is a learned trait. Its a shame some of us learn so well.

Appliances are like Rabbits

2004-08-31T12:56:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that when you buy a new appliance your kitchen or home office will soon be filled with new appliances and electronic gadgets. The dominant gene in my kitchen has become stainless steal and my home office gene pool became Linux in a matter of months.

Sense of Wonder

2004-07-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

This is the key to a positive life. How can one be negative when they're always looking forward to what's around the corner. We're all born with this sense that diminishes over time. Don't let it! I've frequently heard people mention "child like wonder." Sounds to me as if they've already accepted wonder's passing in their lives. What a shame. This special sense has kept me sane and positive through a life of trials and tribulations. Wonder is more than mere curiosity. Wonder includes an expectation of joy, pleasure and learning. The confidence that life is a wonderful adventure -- I'm glad I'm here -- I'm happy to be me.

Courage

2004-07-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

Those with courage are frequently called to task by those without.

News is the Facts

2004-07-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

News is the facts. A documentary is a complete picture of the facts as best as we can divine it. Cherry pick the truth, spin with bias and we have an advertisement. Weave in lies and we have propaganda.

Patriotism - 7/4/04 Mercury News

2004-07-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Many today are self anointed patriots -- but they don't walk the walk. A true patriot is willing to do what's required, no matter how distasteful, even give their life for their comrades in arms and the freedom of America. Patriots earn their title.

Negativity

2004-06-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

In a world full of negativity it seems like you are never right. What options dose that leave us -- only do what no one sees, make decisions for the most profit - offsetting the pain, or just do nothing. Be negative and pick your poison. The constitution guarantees our right to be negative and -- Oh yes, to be positive.

War Scars

2004-06-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

War scars of the heart never heal -- they bleed tears forever. I'm a Vietnam era veteran that never had to fight in the jungles and rice patties or look war directly in the eye. Still, I was very wounded by my experiences. I joined the Air Force in 1964 with a sense of duty that every American should have but, many today don't seem to. Stateside, I volunteered for the honor guard because of my deep reverence for those who served. Some funerals were for old veterans but many were for soldiers that died for their country in Vietnam. The most moving moment at a military funeral is when the precisely folded flag is presented to a grieving family member. Fortunately I was in the firing squad, standing off to the side, because at that touching moment tears always came to my eyes. "Men don't cry" goes double for soldiers. Back then, this was almost the only thing that made me cry.

People that join the service give up a lot for their country -- family, friends, familiar places and in my case a career as a photo journalist. Four years of meager pay and loss of personal freedom is offset by the pride that comes from serving in uniform. A true patriot is willing to do what's required, no matter how distasteful, even give their life for their comrades in arms and the freedom of America. Early on war wounds were inflicted -- not by the enemy but by my fellow Americans. I was first wounded by protestors that cursed and spit at me while I escorted a dead patriot to their burial site. I also vividly remember the pain inflicted by loud epitaphs yelled and trash thrown at me while marching in a Boston Veterans Day parade. These are but two of many skirmishes. The constant pounding of the politicians, media and protestors took their toll as they tore away the only possessions a soldier has -- their pride, dignity and patriotism. When ever I see an American flag raised, pledge of allegiance recited or hear the national anthem, I cry for the pain brought upon our soldiers by those that enjoy the freedom and safety others gave their lives for.

The feelings have intensified since 9/11. The activist protesters are at it again and my heart goes out to the soldiers that will suffer. The politicians are again pointing fingers, spewing hate and spreading doubt for their own personal gain. Where are truth and honesty when political candidates "play to the audience of the moment"? The aid and comfort this gives the enemy is costing true patriots their lives. How dare these politicians say they support the troops when all they're doing is encouraging the terrorists. When ever I hear these self serving people call themselves patriots I get queasy and angry. Patriotism isn't anointed -- it is earned. This old soldier cries a lot these days -- still hoping nobody sees.

Americans have the freedom to speak their minds and do as they please. With that freedom comes the responsibility to respect others and consider the effects of their words and deeds on everyone. If responsibility and respect have left our culture, there can be no true freedom. Every time we exercise a right we impact others' rights. "Gimme gimme" is for toddlers not responsible adults. Please honor and respect the veterans and soldiers that have and will risk life and limb for their country. Say "thank you" to these quite heroes. Return their pride, heal their wounded hearts and remove the sadness from their tears.