Centries of Hatred

"The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago, and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today (referring to the decision to build 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem). Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is our capital." With this defiant declaration, at an AIPAC conference, Benjamin Netanyahu informed the United States that East Jerusalem, is not occupied land.  It is Israeli land and Israel's forever.


This is probably a good thing for us because it reveals the perceived vital interests of Israel now collide with vital U.S. interest in the Middle East and America cannot back down without eviscerating her credibility in the Arab and Muslim world,

Good or bad, the line, drawn in sand, is being swept away and a stick is poised to draw a new one.

The arrogance of Christian Nations has to be smarting right now.

The Brain Keeps on Going and Growing

Read the recently published NPR article on "The Aging Brain". It dispels the myth that we don't grow new brain cells after we become adults. More importantly it states that, "empathy — the ability to understand the emotional point of view of another. Empathy increases as we age. "

I already knew this from my own aging experience. I'd like to add that this is not some new out of thin air ability. After living and loving and hating and facing frustration while seeing others win, fail, redirect their efforts for a more attainable (and often more appropriate goal) and - at times - walk away no better off than when they started, it is a lessons learned sort of thing (yes the brain starts new neuron-circuitry). About the only thing I know that prevents it from improving life is over indulging in conservative politics (joke). After all, as industries and technologies change and cultures get stale and boring, so change the trends of societies. Empathy helps make sense of it all. Having empathy is not the same as having sympathy. Empathy you understand but don't necessarily agree or accept.

My little bit of philosophying. ;)

Do you have sympathy or empathy?

This is an old picture (35 mm slide) my Father took when he was a young man serving in Japan (early 50's).

So Long Fess

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