Next Attack Imminent: Muslims Ordered to Leave the U.S.

A couple of thoughts after reading the article. . . .

I went through the usual links to check on the validity of this article. It is a valid article and was originally jointly posted on September 16, 2006 in the Canada Free Press and Northeast Intelligence - two web-based "news" outlets. The fact that we haven't seen anything about this in the mainstream reporting is indicative of the fact that there is little that can be done to validate the claims.

Thus far, the interviewer, Hamid Mir, has not responded to the claims so there is no independent corroboration that the article is actually from him. Nor is there any independent validation for the claims in the article. None of which mean that it is either true or false - there isn't enough information to prove either position. If true, we still do not know whether or not the claims made in the article have any basis or if they are solely propaganda. It is often easier to make people afraid simply by telling them, that something bad will happen rather than actually doing that.

So, if the story is true there are several responses:

1. We can cower and hide - not my first choice
2. We can ignore it altogether - possible but difficult now that it's out there.
3. We We can consider it valid and act accordingly - but what does THAT mean?

Since we have no way of knowing what is being proposed and we have no means to do anything about it, I propose the following. First, we should pray that there is a positive solution to the situation - that God will intervene to protect innocent lives and thwart evil. Second, we can continue to live our lives knowing that God is in control and we are not (and never were in the first place). Thus, the net effect is that we do nothing differently than before in the way in which we live out lives; except perhaps to be a bit more conscious about prayer in our lives and the fact that God walks with us daily.

All in all, I suppose its a positive thing - in a strange way.

Pessimist or Optimist?

Which is better -- an optimist who is rarely justified by internally rewarded or a pessimist who knows that bad things will happen but is rewarded by seeing the correctness of his thinking?

In a recent radio show (see link) on NPR I listened to the debate and came away with a bit of a different thought. So what’s my opinion? Neither of them is better. It’s the best of both concepts that allows us to continue to act in the best manner possible. So, I’m “stuck in the middle” again. But, stay with me for a minute. I keep talking about balance and here’s a real example.

To be the pessimist you must accept the fact that regardless of what you do, things will go wrong. It is the second law of thermodynamics in real life. Enthalpy grows; order decreases whenever given the opportunity. Bad people exist; the other guy isn’t always looking out for you; and, the sun just might NOT come up tomorrow. A pessimist knows that there is always going to be a hiccup in the process; people will sink to their lowest level of depravity; and it is always darkest just before it gets worse. If it sounds depressing, it can be. Yet look at all the truths therein.

The optimist sees the other fact that there is always something you can do to make things better. It’s often just because we don’t try hard enough that we fall short. Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Mother Teresa accomplished what they did because they overlooked the naysayers and kept on going. Sure there’s bad in the world but good can overcome bad. And, as Annie says – there’s always tomorrow. An optimist will keep on going, looking for that path that will lead over the mountain to the other side. It’s hope in its purest state.

So are they both wrong? Or, could it be that they are both right?

Absolute pessimism leads to paralysis. All the overwhelming things that stack up against you can force you to abdicate control to the winds and surrender to the worst that exists. Absolute optimism leads to frenetic activity without effects – it’s the attitude that “if we just DO something . . . .” But doing without considering the costs is just motion without a notion. At both ends of the spectrum is nothingness.

It is in the middle where we gain insights from both sides and decide effectively how to manage the odds that seem stacked against us. We can act only when we look at the positives and the negatives and balance them against what is desired. So, be pessimistically optimistic or optimistically pessimistic – knowing that regardless of what we decide to think or do there will always be people who can do it better than us and people who can do it worse; people who care and people who care not; and, that we need to weigh all the options – good and bad – to determine whether we should step this way or that way. But, step we must. After all, we came to being from nothing – that’s optimism and we return to the dust of the earth leaving behind only that which will make a mark on the next generation. What mark will you leave?

It’s been a while. . .

It’s been busy!

Work has taken the best part of me lately. And then there was vacation. So excuse me for not bothering to publish while I was away.

Anyway, I want to get things back on track again so I needed to insert just a blip here. Blogs tend to be about:
1. Things you did
2. Things that made you angry
3. Things that are pet peeves
4. Things that make you irritated

See a pattern?

Every once in awhile there is a “thinking blog” that just makes you sit and go “Well! I never considered it THAT way?” But those are mostly few and far between. So, I guess today’s entry gets put into the #1 category with a touch of #3 added in for good measure.

And, while I’m doing random thoughts for the day, I’m trying to figure out what will happen in a year from now when both my “children” graduate from college. THAT is both scary and hopeful at the same time. Anyone else relate?

So, I need to get to the business of taking care of a few things. I’ve put almost 60 hours in this week at the office and I’m tired. Tomorrow is Saturday. Wake me up at noon!