Dash For Power

Barack Obama brings the great hope of change, not only to America but to a worried world. John McCain has been seen generally to be supportive of the Bush policies, although distancing himself most recently. There has been such an outpouring of need, as eloquently stated by Hilary Clinton in her gracious speech in support of Barack, even to the frustrated boos of some. Hilary made the point that for any of her supporters to vote for McCain would be a denial of all they had worked to try to achieve, and civil wrongs they want changed.

The possibility looms high that this built up frustration of the American voters will create a sea change in American domestic, as well as foreign policy. The likelihood of a common universal health care system, as is in most of the civilized world, is much greater under a Democrat than under the leave things much as they are attiude of the right, and John McCain. Again, not since Roosevelt when human degradation had reached such lows, and a barrage of social security for those most in need began a proud tradition in America.

This social security safety net so proudly placed in position by Frank Roosevelt’s Democrats has been allowed to unravel so extensively for tax cuts to the rich, America finds itself far behind most European and other western level of civilization nations. It is the shame of a great nation that America finds itself with more than 40 million people without medical attention. Hilary Clinton’s touching example of the single mother holding three jobs and who cannot afford medical care for herself or her children.

Few civilized nations turn their back on so many of their own people as America in this way, and the need has become more than apparent. A likely Democratic Congress, Senate and President has the potential of seeing a renewal of social security network safety net tightening for those most in need, again. The Economist magazine estimated that a two percent tax increase on the two percent highest tax brackets could right the American budget. It could be that simple, yet right wing water muddying implies the Democrats need to tax those already struggling.

And, John, it ain’t necessarily so. In fact, it is just not factual to imply that, as the right always does. America could again enjoy the prosperity of the Bill Clinton era, and his wise use of implied power, rather than the hasty use of it, as when he paraded the leaders of the mid east past hundreds of the mighiest fleet of aircraft bombers on earth at Akron. after seeing the power that America might feel itself required to use, all signatures were on the Akron Agreement.

We suspect also the bathrooms were quite busy after that raw roar of power not used, but wisely displayed, did occur. With such wiser tactical military use, funds could flow to do as Roosevelt and Eisenhower did, fund social equity and rebuild the road and communication systems to make a modern nation more efficient with its freeways, as had the Romans, to carry goods and troops quickly anywhere in the empire. The collapsing bridges and lungs of America need attention. The world does have a fever, and serious care is long overdue.

And the Samurai soldier who could best defend the Shogun was mighty indeed, and welcomed into the inner court at will. For the swordsman, and the Shogun, both lived in such an untrustworthy world of their own father’s creation, clung to each other while they inflicted more pain on others. Those magnificent swords parted many a black ant head from it’s body. And if the swordsman did fail, himself would impale. A bloody history, magnificent swords. They did save Japan from the Great Khan of China. Twice.

Worth respect these Japanese swords; we know how the Great Khan greeted his new subjects. It usually involved pain, then death. So, progress. You can have the keys to the warehouse vault, no Shogun or Samurai on duty with sword, just for you to view. You could buy one, put up a photo of your worst Khan on a thick block of foam, and defend the homeland!

Japanese history involves warlords, two fearful Mongol attempts to invade, fearful and inward until Admiral Perry’s fleet forced open trade. From 1854 to now has been quite a ride, swords, bombs, now prosperity, peace.

And so with India, and within limits of mutual human dignity and respect for the rights for all, restricted still in China today, progress yet is being made. And this comes to the point on whether you choose to be a victim or a fellow rider on your golden pony to riches. So take a new plan, Stan. Skip the traffic to the mall, leave the huge buggy of fakes from China to lead head Paul, and get on the net. Check out what is still left over from the precious past, where they are not making any more.

And crunching under dozers the little still out there. For the world needs resources, out where people used to live. And we’re grinding into ashes, history and artifacts. Buy old, not new, cut down a coal burning CO2 emission or two. Win, and later win win, retirement mantle filled with items that will not end up at the garage sale down the block. Years ago I listened to the words of Will Rogers who said buy land, they ain’t making any more. Well, even better is to buy some of the artifacts and native jewelry as it is still surviving, those are getting less.

Land can only hold it’s own; these ancient native jewelry items should only go up if they also aren’t making any more, and keep losing a few. Since Will said his ancestors met the boat of those snooty Boston types who came over on the Mayflower, I bet he would love to walk in some of those mocassins again. You would be best to have them in a glass case, appreciating daily.

And this system shows such promise that we now watch in some amazement at a British television crew in the Africa western nation of Congo, that fabled darkest Africa in century old novels. Joseph Conrad had his ship to hell travel up the Congo River to the hellish conditions that the King of Belgium really allowed during this time of enslavement of the people of the Belgian Congo as property of the king of Belgium. A very, perhaps worst, case of shame by white over black during a long litany of such cruelty.

And in this case, golden people are going to show the world that they will bring in their own contractors and employees to avoid the local corruption, employ and buld homes for the locals, in this plan schools and hospitals will dot the nation, and road builders and trains will soon encircle Congo, also making quick export possible of the copper and cobalt left, after the Belgians and others have stripped the diamonds and gold.

The Congolese and Chinese governments, we learn, employed a Canadian lawyer as a middle man to protect the interests of each, and we see him involved in the plans with representatives of each side. This is historic, and the west should wake up to this, as China has begun in several other African nations. But never so boldly, and so complete in using the old Roman, 30’s Germany, and modern American model of a complete roadway for the army through the empire, as India is trying.

This is shown to greatly expand trade and increase efficiency, standards of living improve, more schools, more hospitals possible. This, if China does not renege on the spirit of this historic new agreement between donor and recipient, with essential copper and cobalt to China. Wise use of power, and the honest meeting of a need on both sides, sharing, not enslaving. Now if that principle is shown happening in Tibet, we will feel the world is becoming a better place, and we do pray for those in suffering and need in those earthquakes areas, everywhere.

And I just spent an hour with a BBC reporter, a tall lovely black woman with an English accent, who took us on a tour of areas she has delighted in, during the short time since she moved from London to New York City. And while London is likely the only other competitor in the world as world city, she feels New York City is it: it’s acceptance of anything, now much more friendly and a large home after everyone was brought more together after 9/11. These are just high steel buildings, we are the people who must be here for each other.

So this is to say, how interesting from this BBC black woman with an Oxford English accent, so different from me, likely you, and how easily she and we related as we watched an artist near the Brooklyn Bridge sketching downtown Manhattan, in neighborhoods, much time on the streets, squares, places where people are, and it all seemed like a pretty nice place. That terrorist attack made it seem more like a place you would want to visit, but you could also happily live there.

We show many American antiques and artifacts, originals, that as American right values show the light again, these arise as well.

We all have a mom created little inner cub scout in us that was cheered when we helped, knows love: and something kicks in when we see a total stranger in dire stress, in any way. People are innately good, unless trained to hate and kill, as in Taliban schools in Afghanistan, where they planned and carried out the aircraft bombing of the world trade centers, and Osama We almost Forget His Bin Name carries on with impunity and a smirk at his fool for a foe. I do feel it a shame that we have a President who seems to me to possess the attention span of a squirrel, and the aim of Elmer Fudd.

When we finally just say no, and actually leave Iraq, it will raise an army and learn to take care of itself as it has done well since the days of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the present ones who were allowed to steal the most historical precious artifacts of the Sumerian civilization. Shame, that collateral damage, and the deaths. No weapons of mass destruction, but we did create hell on earth through the region and are damned if we can figure a way out: let the next guy or gal deal with that. We understand, President Fudd.

Once that massive financial drain tap of spending is cut down, more Peace Corp, bring back the just retired mighiest aircraft carrier in tandem with the USS Abraham Lincoln, is bring us back his twin, BIG JOHN, the USS John F. Kennedy, and make it America’s new statement to earth, is that this Peace Corp ship will tend to follow the scientifically base of where and when often season related floods, typhoons, of pre earthquake warnings, lava blasts, danger villages. And how that would play well around the world.

This would overlap gradually the unfavorable outside press habits as America of the Roman Sword, not America, the Greek hero, defending the right, the weak, the tired, the….is that only America Past? No, by darn. It is again to be America’s future. On that newly commissioned USS Jon Fitzgerald Kennedy, BIG JOHN to his revential proud crew. We could well give an Admiral’s Cap to the wife of the Governor of California, her husband Arnold Schwartzenagger,the Governator, as good will ambassador.

And like that seniors ad about health care, a donkey and an elephant would be as one kicking and trumpeting against misfortune and need: good America together. Nice start, great symbolism.

While this is happening, we should be aware that at least when an ancient product is not being made any more, and they seem to be destroying much of it, a wise investment might be to begin a collection of some favorite item that you would enjoy having around. While it rises in value. Skip the line of huge buggy buyers at the discount stores, and find some net bid auction sites that would have your purchase become an investment, rather than junk you consumed, got bored with, and found all the other lead copies are at garage sales up and down the blocks.

Leave that to the block heads, see that you acquired wisely, in a theme that some rich buyer in a decade sees what you had seen. Only now, it may be rich Chinese buyer. Be inscrutable, you kowtow which is to bow low like Confious to the Emperor. He or she must now cut off your head or pay you too much. Whose investment was there right under our native feet, and you will wish you had bought more. Imagine a decade from now, the demand, the supply.

Whether in Wyoming or Alberta or Peru or Angola or Mongolia scientists and archeologists are trying to keep ahead of the machinery and extract bones or artifacts as the mining begins. Every heavy rainfall in desert areas often strips sand away and offer up another ancient artifact, natural or man made, that may have been buried and exposed over the eons. However, since the rise of China and India and lesser tigers in the past decades the demand rises each year, chasing supply to expand relentlessly.

Me too.

Derek Dashwood

Only then did they dare open their borders to allow people to get on a train in Paris and travel to Amsterdam, switch trains and be in Berlin for dinner and no passport shown, as I have done in amazement. It became clear that those inside this new Club were now prospering as their commerce and people traded and traveled and shopped, as if going between Baltimore to Boston, state boundaries of no concern.

Elders such as I who recall war and us sending famine relief, care packages for the starving people of Europe are the most impressed as they pass from tiny Holland into mighty German and do not have to salute or click their heels. And the shops of Berlin are exciting and lively, and different than those in Paris that we saw last week. So these modern Teutonic knights and ladies may work in Estonia, shop in Rome or Paris, take the Chunnel under the sea for fun to London, winter near Carthage in north Africa, and leave their passport home.

Not yet, Salladin, but your turn is coming. If Europe helps these new citizens and sees they prosper at home, and they will, they can come in careful lots, hopefully after we have gotten a science degree into you. This new part of Europe would be helped by grants and from the job many a dad will get at some new wing assembly supply plant for a new Euro aircraft or some prospering plant in Europe keen for the cheaper labor.

This march of the wealthy center has lifted Ireland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal to a generally high standard of living, and oft-decried regulations for health to all. A civilized Europe is aware that during the dark ages after the fall of Rome that the Moors in Spain kept the knowledge of civilization alive. Granada and other cities in south Spain were safe havens for many from Jews to Christians, particularly those of intellect and talent. This brave but wise inevitable reaching out is a wondrous possibility for this oft bloodied area. The mind can soar and imagine.

Leonardo da Vinci designed a bridge for the Sultan to cross the Bosporus at Istanbul. This would be the mighty expression of faith and goodwill between east and west, Europe and Asia in a magnificent bridge. I have seen a model of that bridge when the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit came to our museum: it is exquisite and simple, like the top half of a diamond ring it was to bridge that gap. It did not happen, wars, disputes, got in the way. There is a bridge there now and while it has that general shape it was not the bridge of Leonardo.

But hark. With this new news that the Roman Empire will join with the Teutonic Knights and Visigoths and Vandals, may as well include Attila so Hungary and ‘Finland are happy. And that Salladin. Well, being a Turk, we will probably twitter and twitch and then some day hold onto our trousers and let them in. But as for north Africa, now that is news. To see European Euro grants pour in would be as predictable as turning on a money tap over here. Building things would begin at once, new jobs, more confidence. Look at the Baltics and the smiles on once grim faces. This will require many huge leaps of goodwill and forgiveness for the rash reactions of some.

Most envy the rich, and all want in. This could begin quite a new democratic super nation, that might just keep evolving. Perhaps if Alexander had attacked west, we could have arranged this in 230 B.C.E. But then he might have burned down Carthage too, so here we are. Great position.  So how about this: when the likely first candidate, Morocco applies and is accpted, that we place the bridge meant by Salladin and Leonardo to bridge differences. How beautiful it would be, and what a way to get a sun tan is to talk to Louie at Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca.

Meet you at the casbah. Where is that, anyway? Well, it will soon be a part of Europe, or we of it. What will they call this new nation? The name Pakistan is a collection of each area; they could do that.  But fur will fly and the word crusader will come out if it is to be EuroAfroAsia. No, how about The United States of Salladin and Hannibal and Caesar and Kaiser and Wenceslas and Kings all the way to Reindeers. Much Better. What about the Eskimos? Sell them a refrigerator.

We have a nation to build.Do they ever, and we applaud this amazing brave step when all such a party could gather in one tent and no blood be spilled. Even as we hide and duck some times, it may be that a better world is coming yet. Little Greece, who started it all, is in the east middle, and should be very proud of when she began to allow plays and free speech. Bravo. They perhaps should be first over that bridge to Casablanca.  You know that is ‘White House in Spanish. Move the capitol to Rick’s Place. If he can play if for her, they may play it for us.

Peace is a five letter word in English, we may need to print it in 26 languages even now to drive border free around in Europe, let alone bringing in those characters from Rick’s Cafe. It should be great adventure, invigorating. Be careful, practice your stop drop and roll just in case. Bring Alexander along: he started it all. The Europe coming may include the African side and the Asian side as well as now most of the European side of the Greek and later Roman Empires, if E.U. delegates have their way. As well it has all the Germanic and Hun bits up to the Arctic, and Celtic Ireland and Scotland, who with the Germans had been beyond the pale. That is, too feisty. But now all can learn to get along, if not love. That too may come.