In 10 years ahead, it looks like

Please fill in the blank at the end of the title.

What I see is bigger than the blank.

Here's what I see.

I see peace and prosperity.

I see the Mideast Council of States which has banished arms within their circle. I see one of the states to be a Sunni Iraq state which they have named themselves. I see a Kurdish state which they name themselves, and a Shiite Iraq state which they have named. I see a Palestinian State and an Israeli state. The light of truth illuminates the table of those who come with open eyes.

I see a World Bill of Rights guaranteeing every person freedom from oppression, healthy food, clean water, private warm shelter, and sufficient clean clothing changes for their weather and health. To deny these rights diminishes each of our own lives.

I see every person having both the means and ability to go everywhere, and to be welcome everywhere. How else can we define freedom?

I see all to be allowed to practice their religion freely wherever, as long as it does not diminsh anothers right to do the same. I see diversity treasured, as each of our own lives is enriched by it.

I see the unfortunate well cared for until transformed.

I see forgiveness and amnesty. I see peoples listening to those who believe they have been wronged, and then doing what they can to help the wronged out.

I see moneys and resources provided for all those who believe they have been wronged. I am not here to judge if they have been wronged. I am here to judge myself. Although their losses can never be replaced, let us honor all their sacrifices by finding the light in the darkness.

I see counseling, and medical care, and emergency relief available for all, for as long as needed.

A seed well cared for grows.

I see soldiers smile at the dust gathering on their weapons while they perform rewarding, paid work which helps out their families and communities.

I see widows having the money to live honorably and comfortably with their children and families. I see poverty and homelessness only a memory, and achievement and education attainable for all children.

I see greed and aquisition of material wealth abandoned, for greatness is found in benificence.

To be able to give and to give is to find the way.

We have all been given life, our single common gift.

To increase the breadth and scope of life is the path.

.'Support our troops' means exactly... what?

Can someone help me out here?

I don't quite get this 'support our troops' thing.

On one side of the story, there's this decider guy saying "Go along with the program, to do otherwise undermines the troops."

And on the other side of the story, theres these criticizers responding, "Well, we don't really like the program, but the show has to go on, because we got our troops out there in it. ..Just to show you how much we don't like it...'Hey! Everybody who doesn't like it, please raise your hands!'

"Oops, sorry."

"Hold on, we can't count hands yet, some of the decider guy's people are saying we shouldn't raise our hands. That might be a sign to our enemies that our democracy isn't working right. 'Hold on, everyone! We have to look this one up beffore we can raise our hands. "

Anyway, as just a regular person rubbing my eyeballs at this thing, I just can't quite get this 'support' thing in focus. Golly, what am I missing here?

First off, please feel free to go ahead and call me stupid or whatever. I just do what I can, thats it. I know I'm not the smartest person who ever knew everything ebout everything, but if you are that person please let me learn from you.

Actually, I'm one of those people who hasn't figured out why war has to more complicated than the card game by that name, "War". You know that game right? That's the game where each player lays down a card, (or is it 3? I forget it's pretty complicated I told you) and the highest ranking card takes the oppposing player's card prisoner. Then the game goes on, until one time the players have the same card showing at each other, like each has an 'Ace', or an 'Eight' or some such. Then, each opposing player gets to have sort of a shootout by their underling patrols to see who wins, and the losing patrol gets taken prisoner by the winning patrol. Finally, the card game 'War' ends when everyone on one side has been taken prisoner by the other side.

Whew! Wow! Did I figure that out pretty good or what, huh?

You know, as kids, weren't we all figuring that the grownups would have been smart enough to not make the real war thing more complicated than the card game?

We all thought that, right?

So why am I missing something here? I think maybe some of the grown-ups got things goofed up.

It wouldn't be the first time I got this grow-up thing wrong. I just can't figure out this whole live shooting War thing and the 'support our troops' sideline activity thing. What I don't get is this:

All these people who get into this whole 'support our troops' thing, why don't they just pack up and join all those fighters on the front lines? I keep hearing they need fighters on the front lines. Seems like there's plenty of room at the moment.

Near as I can figure is that some kids got it wrong from the get go and never got it right. I'm seeing that all of these sideline encouragers are the same playground kids who got recess closed down. Remember them. Well, it worked then but now these playground instigators are all grown up, and they get packed together. They were the kids who liked starting fights for others to finish. They'd go around sicking the 'prove it' types on some 'not want to be called a coward' types. Once the fight got going, the instigators cheeered and cheated on the sidelines, making small talk and instigator alliances. They absolutely loved it when some 'bully' types jumped into the fray and then of course the 'protector' types popped in. Just like in the comic books these sideline goaders yelled as the various fighters bloodied themselves up.

Anyway, these 'support our troops' types seem like those sideline instigators. They don't fight themselves, but they sure like getting others to do it for them. And their biggest problem is that they don't even know they are acting like that.

Yeab, well, I never much liked this playground drama, which is why I tended to jump in to break up the fights. Whenever I woud get into a fight, I'd just grab the belligerent person and hold then down until everybody calmed down. I never wanted to hurt anyone and I didnt want to hurt anyone else either. I just figure, if my sense of self worth is dependent upon beating somebody else up, that isnt really saying much about me, is it?

I figure my life is always richer winning friends than it is in accumulating enemies. With friends, the whole world's your home, and with enemies, you can't go anywhere.

So, I really have more important things to do than trying to figure out all these peoples problems who can't get along. Its actually too bad they never got it worked out. Darn, even dogs can work it out. If a dog has even a lick of dogness in it, it can get in a fight with another dog without killing it, and once they have that worked out, the dog pack gets along ok.

But with these instigator people , until they solve their problems, they just look at other folks as sort of puppets who might work out their angst. Of course, that doesnt work worth heck. People got to work it out on their own.

Its pretty hard for these folks to accept but theres is only one way to work out their instigator trouble. These 'support our troops' types got to go to the front lines to work it out of their system, with others like them who got the same trouble.

Yeah,as you can see, this latest war thing going on these days, its just getting too complicated for me. Actaully a better word for it is boring. So here's what I propose. What I think it really needs is a big series finale. Call it something like the 'War Games Decade Championship'.

This could really be a big event. Bigger than the world series, bigger than the World Cup, even bigger than the Super Bowl. It could be something that just happened once a decade, as that would really add to the drama.

Every ten years, all the people who wanted to fight would go all at it, for a reasonable amount of time, like 3 weeks or such.

When I first got this idea, I was kind of hoping it could happen pretty soon, as you can't even listen to the radio for much worthwhile news anymore because of all the junk stuff about a stupid war going on for 5 years now. When are these instigator types going to get their troubles figured out, or are they going to make a career out of it?

Plus wanting to discover more worthwhile things about this planet and such, I wouldn't mind a quick war finale as it seems like its about time. Seems like a lot of folks are getting bored too. Seems like this thing should get done before spring really warms up.

Actually, theres also a couple impending doldrums in the annual sports calendar, that could use some livening up with a big media event.. The first blank spot is between the Super Bowl and March Madness. I know, most people are thinking thats too soon to get ready. Well, there's also a second blank spot between March Madness and the NBA Finals.

I suppose it would probaby be ok to wait a little bit longer for this time period, as it would be a big giant event. the reality is that an event this big would need time to line up all the big sponsors you need for these type of things. So,for that reason, I suppose it would be ok to wait just a little longer into spring for the 'War Games Decade Championship'.

Not too much though. After March Madness its a long time until the NBA Finals in June.

Ok, so heres the basic idea for the event. Every decade, we get all the people in the world who want to kill each other, and and let them all go at it in some big empty desolate place that isn't worth anything. Now, I know that some particular type readers might object to this, worried that all the warfare would damage some such place for a few eons or so, what with all the leftover war junk everywhere when the event is all over .

Well, this is just sort of an emergency solution I am flying off the seat of my pants. It just seems like somebody has to come up with something. I haven't really spoke up much before now. Like I say, I'm not too good at figuring why these things go on in the first place. I just can't figure out why this 'War' idea keeps cluttering up history. Its just so much trouble.

So , unfortunately, yes, this is a bit hurried idea, and I want to apologize in advance to those particular people who will be disturbed by all the war junk left around in some desolate place.

But look at it this way, there's a big upside to this, if you will permit me to explain. I, for one am willing to make this temporary sacrifice of some desolate spot, as I see this inaugural event as only a one time thing that willonly temporarily mess up our planet with more war junk. See, we wouldnt have war anywhere until ten years later. Then, the next generation of war attacker types could appear in the war championships in a new place where it wouldnt be so bad to have war junk laying around. That would be some place far out in space. Real far.

Of course, we' have to figure out the finances. Somebody has to pay eventually anyway, might as well get it out in the open.

First, the finances would actually cost way way way less than the continuous cost of war around this planet. If all the fighter type people had to wait for a whole ten years, you'd think there'd be some big big money in media licensing fees to air the various events for all the people who find this entertaining. Heck, for a lot of folks, I suppose it would be even bigger than the Olympics! And think of all the money all the governments would save by not having any wars for a decade, just saving it up for one big shootout with all interested parties!

After doing this initial event we could clean up this initial war junkyard sacrifice spot, and then open it up as a tourist memorial to help pay for ongoing clean-up costs, as a one-of-a-kind international monument to the last war on earth. See, we could take all the money we both saved in defence industries and made in event licensing taxes, and use that money to commence a great big world wide space program. When the next championships came up in a decade, then we'd be ready for that championship to be held somewhere far out in space where it wouldnt mess up anything on our planet!!!!

Yeah! Seeing as how there's so many people who are really into this 'support our troops' thing, there certainly would be a real turnout for such an event! All the various aggressive militaries around the world and all of the clandestine single-focused fighters and all the war voters from everywhere can all go participate in this event! It could even have a different name than I suggested, if anyone wants to come up with one. Maybe, The Inaugural War Championships? Heck, I don't know. I bet the media sponsors could cook up something,... and even license out the naming rights,... for a few billion too! Yeah, leave it up to them, we need all the money we can get to get all the world into space bigtime!

Boy, it should be really exciting for participants! Think of all the wierdo integration things going on, all of the communication difficulties with allied parties who couldnt understand each other fighting for their lives on the battlefield! They;d be thinking just like everyone huddled behind their flags, unfamiliar and scared to trust some strange foreingers. God forbid they try! Thats what they say anyway. Think of the drama! It could just be as confusing as possible!

Of course, it would have to set up so the first string players on the front lines would be the head honchos, like the commanders in chieves and generals. And of course we'd also have to let all the big cheeses in the war industry run plays in from the sidelines. Yeah, these darn millionaires and billionaires are surely going to demand to see firsthand how all their equipment performs. Oh well. Fortunately though, the media people will come through, keep the excitement up, and we shouldn't have to water down the front lines with a lot of lower level players right away. That would take away from the first weekend drama.

Yeah, that's the great thing about capitalism, the media really comes through for these big war events! They really know how to play it to get everyone all confused and misled so these type things can realy pick up steam, and keep going on so everyone keeps making sacrifices for some media programmed cause.

After the first weekend opening ceremonies, I suppose of course we will have to start plugging in replacement warriors. But hey, dont get too dicouraged, think of it as another revenue stream. Even though the first line fighters on opening weekend ceremonies got in free for getting it started, all of the replacement players would have to pay healthy replacement entry fees. Maybe something like 100 grand for the first week entry players, to keep it really interesting.

I suppose the front liners in the second week could get in for 50 grand or maybe even 25. It could be scaled down after that, so that fighter replacements in the third week could get in as for 5 grand, or in special admissions, or such. Actually there could be lots of gimmicky entry ways, like frequent flyer miles, and vacation specials, and industry junkets and such. And surely there would have to be some guided tours for all those voyeuristic instigator types who we were talking about earlier, as I am sure they dont want to miss a thing.

I suppose in the final week we'd have to spice up this war championship up by letting in everyone else. Yeah, so all those lower level players and the regular war commader voters would have to just stay in the back lines at first, and wait their turn. They may not have an opportunity to play for quite as long, but by the third week it should be really intense, so that should make up for it in quality instead of quantity. We have to all remember now, that this would be the third week, and everything has to get wrapped up.

Just like in the card game.

Ok, the main thing is to try and keep the rules more simple than the card game, so everyone can understand it somehow. I guess the basic rule would be that the championships would just go on until theres nobody left amongs the contestants who wants to go attack the other side anymore.

At that time the championships would be over.

Of course there woul be a winner.

Anybody who still wants to fight has to go do it with anyone else who wants to do it . When theres no one left like that, then that person is the winner.

We lock this person up, so that they can be safe until they can defend their title in the next championship in 10 years more.

Anyone else who wants to go attack people well, they have to wait for 10 years until we have the next championship out in space. Somewhere real, real, real far away.

By that time, maybe we all will have figured out what it means to 'support our troops'. It means getting on the frontlines. It means staying there until the war is done, or until one is incapable of fighting more.

For grownups, 'War' is not a game.

Make the decision.

Mentoring, the second best form of education

I woulnd't even be on this blog if it wasnt for the mentoring of an old friend of mine, W.W.
This friend guided me through the process of establishing this blog, so I think this blog should spring from a conversation that we had earlier in the day, an example of which has led me to the subject here, mentoring.

We have many ways of learning, and much to learn about how to learn. I am not going to delve into the huge variety of ways we learn, but specifically expand upon what I think to be the second most effective, mentoring. The most effective learning technique is experience, the second is mentoring, the third is directed self-education, and the fourth is up for grabs. It could be necessity, coercion, formal education, imprinting, modeling, peer pressure, belief-immersions, or many other learning techniques.

I believe that old saying, "experience is the best teacher". I don't think a valid argument can be made against this. For example, look how detached a general populace is from a far-away war, or from a homeless person on the street. But get that person shot on a battlefield, and they are going to learn about wounds. Or have an office manager one day recognize that the huddled person on the street corner is the beloved mother of a childhood friend, and watch the helping hand extend. In both cases, experience has made one care, made one learn about something, because it is personal.

Mentoring is also personal, but it is proactive, instead of reactive, as experience is. Mentoring is a personally guided tour into learning. Its effectiveness depends on an inborn concern for another to progress, and so is based on selflessness, more than personal gain. Students rely more on this than on expertise, as they cannot recognize expertise as easily as they can friendship or caring. For this reason, mentoring is often ephemeral, as mentors are rarely available for extensive learning situations, except occasionally in the rare combination of broad specific mentor expertise with strong bonds based on trust. In such cases, mentoring is not the primary relationship, friendship is. Mentoring is only an occasional, if at all, occurence in these instances. Friendship does not depend on it. It is a gift when mentoring occurs in friendship, it is not a required characteistic.

In summary, experience is the best teacher, and mentoring the second best. To discover a mentor, be a friend. Mentoring works both ways, and occurs because of benificence, not demand.