I attend church forums whenever I find one!

 The ones I really have liked is the religious forum at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco (I was a member of the Church one of my stays in SF).  Dean Alan Jones, whom I talked with sometimes and his new wife at the time, put the programs together and catered to those who just had their books published on some topic of religious interest.  That was sometime ago; and now that I'm in DC, I attend Grace Episcopal Church, Rev/ Richard Miles, interim Rector.  He's retired from a career in the ministry in the L.A. area and he's got going a church forum group--small but lively.  Instead of presenting authors, he has videos of Episcopal clergy on a range of religious topics.  Currently, we're taking up the religious function of communion at the altar (in the Episcopal Church, that's practiced every service).

Having the church forum presents an opportunity to reflect on the impact religion has on each of our lives.  It's held on Sunday morning, just prior to the featured Sunday mass, so we're already in a mood to think about the relevance of religion to our daily living.

I have found that just as it is recorded in the Scriptures that God rested on the 7th Day from creating the heavens and the earth, and saw that the Creation was "good." so we have a chance to reflect on the week's activities just past and to evaluate how we're doing in life, viz., in meeting goals we've set for ourselves--possibly, after praying meditatively.

Indeed, each week, in addition to a forum discussion, the church offers a time for its members and friends to go off in meditation, something like a yoga session.  It too adds to the reflective attitude in finding avenues for spiritually developing ourselves toward worthwhile projects that dovetail with who we are becoming--the reputation in the world we are seeking to make for ourselves.

Having a religious orientation keeps me open to accepting new knowledge through which I can better express myself, I find.

That's my life approach--becoming humble in the realization I know so little of what the universe is.

My gestalt.   

  

Health Aide essential for the old: they have their own life!

 I've got a health aide that I hope I'll have for sometime in the future.  You get a good one, they become significant, especially in your health care program to long life.

But they have their own financial burdens, and it's important that it remains theirs and, in my case, my sponsor's.  I can't carry anymore any thought about it.  It's theirs (and my sponsor's).

Thanks, for my health aide!  She's fantastic, but her business has to be kept away from me!  (I'll share her joy, however!  She's worth it.)

To my mind, they're essential.

JLO  

Brookings: "What is the future of the Sudans?"

On January 24th, 2022, 3 PM, the Brookings presented online a discussion on the present conditions in the Sudans.  Mr. Michael O'Hanlon of Brookings was the moderator and among the participants were Professor Peter Ajak, Michigan University; Nyagoah Pur, Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and Joseph Tucker, United States Institute for Peace.  Be it noted that South Sudan became an independent, landlocked country in 2011; and there has been violence ever since on both sides of the border separating them.

That is, the countries have been embroiled in attempts to establish peace between them; trying one interim council after another to organize themselves each into a stable but interim government, hoping to establish a permanent administration in each that will uphold the doctrine of the rule of law and the democratic process of elections, I understand.  In the Sudan, the amount of order achieved amid occurred among attempted coups, some successful, to topple a reigning administration.  

Take the Sudan.  Presently, the military seem to be controlling the government.  The civilian Hamdok just resigned as Prime Minister this month.  Aljazeera reports, the country is dotted with crowds of protests demanding a civilian government.

There are particular circumstances that demonstrate to my mind the military, already entrenched as the country's leaders aren't going to sacrifice their privileged positions: there's oil in the land; and the military might be permitted to be heads of companies that may benefit from its sale.  The traditional Near-Eastern Countries of Saudi Arabia, etc. as well as Arab countries, are meddling in the affairs of Sudan, perhaps to retain a say in oil distribution from the Sudans.  In any case, nobody, but nobody, of these parties are going to give up their access to controlling the Sudanese largesse.  They are entrenched in there; and the civilian-government backed protesters are set with their hands out to get whatever they can once the military goes from government that would only bring in another crop of entrepreneurs with insider trade information and deal-making propensities in world markets.

In general, nobody's hands--no leader's--is clean in countries drenched with oil fields!

This means that despite the sage comments of the speakers at this discussion, there can be no peace in the Sudans among the thieves that walk the streets of Darfur, where the strife of competitive factions seek to control the Sudanese oil.  Though I concur from my readings and familiarity with the area in the point emphasized among the participants that relatively little has changed since 2011, when South Sudan became an independent state.  As long as there's oil the prize, groups of financial graspers will vie with one another to head the government.

A way out of this situation is for some independent agency, AU or UN, announce another transition government be selected and overseen with extraordinary  powers by an international accounting firm, a credentialed human resources agency and other technocrat institutions.  Its members could not be candidates for the installed government that would conduct elections and appoint a constitutional convention to fashion the new government's laws and establish a system of checks and balances to permit oversight henceforth.  

Anyway, you get the point: change actors; and let those entrepreneurs stay out of government to permit fair dealing in the marketplace.  

                

Brookings Institution: Europe in an era of disruption: Where does the Russian-Ukrainian Crisis Go from here?

 The think-tank event occurred online, divided into two panels, on January 21, 2022, 11AM.  The overall question was taken up by Panel 1, moderated by Steven Pifer, Brookings, under a subheading "Why  is the Russia-Ukrainian crisis happening now?"  The Panel included Professors Jeremy Shapiro, Georgetown University, Angela Stent, Stanford, and Pavel Baev, Peace Research Institute, Oslo, Norway.  Panel 2 consisted of Constance Stelzenmuller, moderator, Fiona Hill, James Goldgeier, and Doug Rediker, and the sub-heading of their discussion was "The United States' Role in De-Escalating Tensions."

But the over-arching task of each group, as the panelists seem to proceed, was to determine what on earth was Putin up to?  One analyst would throw out a possibility, e.g., vouchsafing Russian security from NATO, and it would be discussed a bit then dismissed.  About the only plausible explanation to my mind was brought up in the second Panel--having something to do with climate change; and in  particular, what was Russia's posture in addressing it at the COP meetings of the United Nations, particularly, COP26 last November.  

The Russians are indeed concerned over what they should do about climate change, being that their revenues are about 40% drawn from the sale, primarily to EU customers, of carbon-based oil and gas.  Moreover, Putin recently admitted that when the demand for coping with serious issues are before the country it is required of Russians a suitable solution--or, any number of them--so to rectify their financial area of deep concern.  It is interesting that the panicky way President Putin has broached making demands on the West about the Ukrainian regional status is in keeping with the sense of urgency he insists the Western nations of Europe must accept his ultimatums about Ukraine--being in Russia's sphere of influence and must remain free of Western ties, e.g., joining NATO at some juncture.   

All-in-all, I came away with my intuition confirmed by these insightful scholars that Putin has manufactured indeed a Ukrainian crisis, because Russia is looking to itself for internal means to handle the climate problem involving as it does that Russia, too, must acknowledge the scientific fact of climate change; and that Western nations must accept however Russia decides to deal with it so long as it meets the energy-starved needs of the European nations.

Alternative paths, mentioned by the BBC in its reporting on Russian attendance at the November meeting of COP include, but not limited to, developing further its nuclear energy program, e.g., the Rosatom's Prodajem Project for processing spent fuel; use of their forests, which span more acreage than the Amazon, to develop bioecosystem services; mining minerals needed in producing renewable energy; and finding ways to store carbon residues after processing underground.  

But what seems unlikely is that Putin would turn to solar energy as a source--through deploying solar panels and windmills.

Too expensive and would take too long to meet the electric car market off the ground already.   

        

Brookings Institution: "Biden's First Year: Successes, failures, and what is ahead!"

President is Biden has been calling upon Congress, "Wake up, Congress, our very lifestyle is being threatened!"  He promises to take this message to the American people in his forthcoming tours around the country.

You will recall he told the Afghans at the time of the (unnecessary) US military pullout that the Taliban were coming; but to no avail; the Afghans would not fight for their own freedom, claiming they had been occupied by US forces for decades!

On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, 10-11 AM, the Brookings Institution held an online review of Biden's first year in office as President.  Ms. Elaine Kamarck moderated the event: William Galston, John Hudak, Rasham Ray, and Gabriel Sanchez--all connected with Brookings, either the Effective Public Management or the Governance Studies groups.

The glaring utterance from the President had not been heard yet that day.  It came at 4 PM over national television broadcast: if Ukraine is invaded by threatening Russian forces, they are likely to take the country over--but the US and its allies will issue sanctions galore in response.

Yet we know what happens when a country friendly to the West is taken over.  Afghanistan is fresh in our memories:  viz., any Afghan that contributed to the US presence is subject to disciplinary action of the conquering forces, e.g., as in Afghanistan.  Wake up America!  There are many thousands Ukrainians that welcomed US aid in their fight with Russia, that had invaded them--an independent people!  And the Russians have the reputation of not less than placing dissidents in prison!

Are we willing to keep freedom loving people who sought American succor to be sacrificed for giving up on Communism and Dictatorship?  If so, what will happen to Taiwan, off China's coast?  Should the Taiwanese expect to be sent to re-training centers until they longer remember their asking for US assistance to maintain their independence from a China takeover?

Points that the participants made: inflation is on a spiral upward; the pandemic seems to be on another surge (this after the past two years of experiencing many surges!); Congress can't pass national standards for elections; the Republican Congressional caucuses can't stand with the Democrats in promoting democratic procedures whatever these may be; Biden is an ineffectual leader of his party--letting 2 members of Congress hold up passage of his Build Better Best program that would significantly improve the lot of impoverished citizenry and enable many more married women to enter the workforce instead of being caretakers of children, etc.

Clearly, despite the rhetoric coming from his administration, the year amounts net loss for the Democrats and a disaster for the American way of life.  Not to mention that climate change has yet to be front and center priority of his administration as it is for American businesses!

I, like many other Americans, are disappointed by his lack luster performance.  Thanks, Brookings, for bringing to the force specific disaster-elements that occurred during the year!

     

 

      

   

A lot of my visit to Moscow in 1989 is still remembered, I think!

One of the items I explored while in Russia was the question as to what major industry Russia could embark upon to get itself out of bankruptcy.

The solution was readily apparent to me and those with me.  OIL.

But that was not for me to talk about.  My attitude: let the Kremlin make its own decisions.

Now, today, Russia should turn away from oil as its major product reliant.  The era of relying on carbon in energy processing is coming to a close, unless Russia finds what to do with the carbon residue after use in the energy processing cycle.  I even pursued the former Prime Minister Tony Blair's recent insistence that there must be a way to get rid of the leftover carbon.  I have come across no answer to that enigma.

I am not certain how the world will respond to China and Russia's continued heavy usage of carbon, in a time when countries around the planet are trying to cope with climate change--affecting the rise of water in the oceans, etc.-- and when both of them can be major players in the solution to this problem that affects us all:  climate change.

Solar panels (that China has already turned to in a significant way); and wind mills--to start with!

    

My job is to train for future world figures!

I came back to DC to do what I can (with encouragement!) to help create a rosy picture for the future of mankind.

And, have fun along the way, always!  Glad for what support and training I'm able to provide.  I do what I can; hope it is helpful.

Debate over Kashmir continues: Pakistan prepared to govern area populated by Muslims

Some news agencies report that both India and Pakistan want to rule the entire Kashmir territory, a valuable resource for agriculture and mining.

I've never understood why India refuses to talk at a negotiating table with Pakistan to divide the territory between those who are Muslim and wanting to unite with Pakistan from the rest of Kashmir.  Until that time, there will continue to be strife in that region and ominous moves on both sides to seek remedy on the battlefield.  Both sides--India now purchasing planes from France and Pakistan from China.  There will be no lasting peace, if the two parties of India and Pakistan don't let the inhabitants of Kashmir coexist as separate and independent cultures by means of partitioning the territory. 

My opinion: see what years of hostility between these two over Kashmir have netted.  And, I don't believe Pakistan wants to take control of all of Kashmir. 

A Great Idea: SEATO, Asian NATO counterpart, with US Navy technology!

What if SEATO were resurrected (it once existed) with a military mission to coalesce forces in Asia for the peace and security of the Asian hemisphere of the world! 

Just a thought, sparked how enthusiastically Australia is responding to receiving the latest in submarine knowledge as built into US warship fleets.

SEATO's preparedness strategies could bring to bear the fact that much of the earth's surface is water, since member nations would already rely upon water defenses.   

Opportunity Costs are Cheap!

 I was in the field for lo some 40 years!  

But I'm back in DC for 4 years since!  And, one of the things I'm learning fast (4 years isn't that long to learn another lesson), is the importance of seizing an opportunity while it's there staring me in the face!  And, it might not come along so opportunely, if I don't do everything in my power to bite at it (like a crocodile)!

Here comes an opportunity in Russia.  RIGHT NOW!  Staring us all in the face!

Putin is staying to the script--oil to generate electricity, etc.  If Russia stays on that course, it will face another bankruptcy, as the world moves away from hydrocarbons.  

When I was in Russia in 1989, I knew how oil was a lucrative commodity then; and I knew it would be pounced on as an easy course to get the Russians out of their financial woes--just as any government would light upon.

But I also knew that the world would have to develop some alternatives, e.g., taking energy from the sun, but I was not there in Russia to deal in those matters at that time.

We know there's wind and the sun's heat available now as viable alternatives.  Imagine if Mongolia and Russian forests were used in the process of generating electricity.  A veritable gold mine!

The point is to turn Russia from trying to install more piping and transport of oil products to becoming a leader--as in the case of China--electricity from sources other than hydrocarbons.  Of course, there are die-hards in China, too.  Attempts to clean up the carbon residues generated from burning hasn't proved a solution to the problems inherent to using carbon for generating energy forms.

It was needful, in my opinion to have a period for Russians to recover from the Second World War and the Soviet Union collapse--one following closely upon the other.  But now is the time to awaken the sleeping Bear to the wonders of a new world of opportunity that should include their active participation.