Short meditation on death

Sorry about irregular posts lately. There are only so many hours (or miles) in a day. Still, I think I have a thought to share about what to stand for in the brief time we are alive.

Here's the deal. We are only here for a little while. Therefore, it seems to me that what we do while we do here matters.

I don't know with certainty what if anything happens after this life. We could die into God, into karma, or into nothingness. Or into any number of other possibilities.

Still, given the shortness of it all, I can't understand the mentality of people who, at the end of it all, will only be able to say that they helped the rich and powerful stick it to the vast majority of the human race. It seems cowardly. Dishonorable. Disgusting even. Pitiful. What a waste of a human life.

Meanwhile, here are two items, apropos of nothing, that caught my eye today:

CUTTING 5 MILLION FROM FOOD STAMPS seems to be the goal of Republicans in the US House.

A FRIEND OF MINE CALLS B.S. ON THE NRA here.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: INCOMPREHENSIBLE

Three for the road

My word-horde, to use the language of Beowulf, is running a little low at the moment. Fortunately, that is not the case with everyone.

THE ZIMMERMAN VERDICT. Here's a response from the New Yorker.

GROWING FROM THE MIDDLE. President Obama made the case this week for growing the middle class-and thereby growing the economy. Aristotle would probably agree. So would several economists discussed here.

MORE FUN AND GAMES WITH THE WV AG discussed here.

Good weekend wishes to one and all (mostly).

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

A little rationality, anyone?

Here's a bit from the Charleston Gazette.

A LITTLE MORE RATIONALITY HERE. Sorry, NRA...well, not really...but most West Virginians agree with Senator Manchin on background checks.

SPEAKING OF SENATOR MANCHIN, some of us will be talking with him today about immigration reform. If nobody else does, I plan to mention this report that it could slash the deficit by billions.

THE FIRST TWO YEARS. Here's an op ed by yours truly on how important the first two years of life are for child development.

LASER TECH finds ancient city in Cambodia.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Holiday wishes and other stuff

Sorry about irregular posts lately. The Spousal Unit and I are on the road visiting relatives, dodging storms and such. I always get a bit nervous on the road given possible calamities that can happen at or around the farm...until I recall that they can happen when we're there as well.

One such already happened when the Aged Parent had a fall and banged up her face.  Fortunately, I think she's going to be OK. I hope there's less drama on the animal front.

Re: current events, how 'bout that NRA? I kind of like a saying going around the internet that calls for putting a teacher in every gun store.

WORTH A LOOK. Here's a NY Times story on how class and inequality can play out in a college setting.

HERE IT COMES AGAIN. Meanwhile, it's that time of year again. Regular readers may recall that this is when I bring out the annual Christmas quote from Hamlet:

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
This bird of dawning singeth all night long;
And then, they say,  no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

So have I heard and do in part believe it. May it be so this time around.