The Way I See It - Heart and Gut

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Wed, Jun 16, 2010, 4:56 am  //  Ham Hayes

Our society is out of its mind. Well, maybe not quite completely, but it needs to be. We have taken our problem-solving methods so far down the line of “rational thinking” that our primary value is virtually all economic. Yes, we are concerned about the environment, or are we? And yes, we are concerned about social and cultural justice, or are we? 
 
Headlines about the environment are in our faces. It is easy to find out about BP, global warming, climategate, lead poising of children in the Sub-Sahara and volcanic ash. Blog it, Google it, read it to our heart’s content. But does all that information change our behavior? How do we really respond as a society? The evidence that we are really concerned, is underwhelming. My measure of our behavior is not what our government or business community does. I believe both are too sloppy, or into excessive control and greed to make decisions that are in our overall best interest. Instead, I look for behavior patterns exhibited by a large part of our population. Since driving is so closely linked to our concerns about pollution, present and future energy resources and, if you believe some sources, climate, it seems to be a perfect measure of how conscious we are. If you go out on I-5 and drive the speed limit, you will quickly learn how unconscious our general population is. Oh, and Americans shouldn’t feel unnecessarily picked upon. I’ve seen the same behavior in Canada, France and the UK as well.
 
Three of our biggest social problems are drugs, domestic violence and the oppression of women. These are local as well as regional, national, and international issues. Interestingly we don’t see too many protests, angry mobs, or political rhetoric on these pandemic health and justice issues. Sure, there are occasional articles (Bellingham Herald – June 13) or news programs, but the fact is, we turn the other cheek or a blind eye to behavior that saps our beings far more than immigration, political corruption, or even war do. In fact, we see more outrage expressed at soccer matches than at human rights conflagrations. These other issues are at least in our consciousness, reported on, and occasionally discussed and acted upon. With the exception of some dedicated healthcare, social service, and law enforcement folks, we don’t seem to exhibit a conscious and consistent intolerance for these behaviors, which turn our souls into wastelands. 
 
Our rational-thinking approach has even brought us such profound questions as, “Is a harmonized sales tax a sales tax?” We have rationalized ourselves into arcane, self-serving, overly complex rules based on political (i.e. greed) pressures. It leaves our government coffers emptier and our merchants confused. The rest of us just wonder how we get ourselves into such silly pickles, and how we can get out. 
 
So far this century, the old ways of thinking seem to be producing a lot of unappealing and harmful results. But there are other ways to approach the problems in our lives and complex societies. Two that immediately come to mind are intuition and compassion. Whether viewed as a “gut feeling,” or a carefully developed skill, intuition is often used. Battlefield commanders, scientists, business executives, teachers, moms, and many others use their intuitive abilities at one time or another. Perhaps most often it is used as a last resort, when reason or logic have failed to explain, illuminate, or solve something. Because we seem to be totally addicted to having certainty in our lives, we have driven intuition almost out of our vocabulary, let alone our decision making processes. However intuition works, my sense is that people are widely endowed with it.  I believe it is a powerful and trainable skill and can be improved with practice. 
 
Compassion is another trait humans can access when they choose. It seems many of our decisions and choices are made without understanding the possible consequences to others. With the complex natures of science and our society, rational thinking and logic just don’t seem to have enough horsepower to provide good horse-sense. What compassionate thinking provides is an overlay to our decisions. It asks the question, “How will my choice or decision affect others?” Compassion is about being concerned that the actions we take will cause harm.  
 
Using intuition and compassion can move us into new possibilities and the appropriate acceptance of broader responsibilities. We need to let go of believing that rational thinking is the only valid tool at our disposal. We need to lose our rational minds and bring in some new ways of thinking, because the old ways keep giving us the same old results and that's a good definition of failure, if not insanity.

The Big Business of Breast Cancer

Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 8:14 am  //  Guest writer

There’s no profit in searching for causes, and we know there's no real cure. But there's big money in the detection and treatment of breast cancer.

2 comments; last on Feb 11, 2012

An inexpensive way to save children’s lives

Tue, Feb 07, 2012, 1:41 pm  //  John Servais

Bellingham is slowly installing flashing yellow lights for school zones. This is far better than trapping drivers with speed zone cameras. But, no city revenue.

2 comments; last on Feb 09, 2012

Open thru February - Village Books has opened a shop at Bellis Faire Mall - next to Macy's.

UPDATE: City of Bham Moonlighting Issue - More Documents

Mon, Jan 30, 2012, 10:58 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley updates us on the latest facts coming to light about City of Bellingham employee moonlighting

2 comments; last on Feb 01, 2012

Compliance, Noncompliance and Invalidity in Whatcom County

Sun, Jan 29, 2012, 10:16 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's rural planning actions have not just failed to comply with the GMA...they have contradicted the goals of the GMA.

3 comments; last on Feb 05, 2012

A Worm’s Eye View of our local WorkSource Center

Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 9:42 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley visits the local WorkSource center and interviews the regional director

0 comments

Watch out for basement flooding

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 9:03 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Stormwater surge may back up sewers

5 comments; last on Jan 21, 2012

The Political Junkie interviews Kathy Kershner

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses the Jail, Jack Louws, and an impartial council with our new Council Chair

1 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

SOPA - A Step in Destroying Democracy

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 12:17 am  //  John Servais

NWCitizen.com went black for Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012, as a protest against proposed legislation, SOPA and PIPA. Here is what was posted.

1 comments; last on Jan 19, 2012

Why SOPA is so terrible

Tue, Jan 17, 2012, 6:28 pm  //  John Servais

On Wednesday, thousands of websites will go dark to show opposition to SOPA. I will be posting a single article explaining who SOPA is so bad.

0 comments

Planning Commissioner Mocks Environmental Concern For Coal Terminal

Sat, Jan 14, 2012, 11:06 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Commissioner Onkels should recuse himself from review of environmental impacts at GPT.

3 comments; last on Feb 08, 2012

Jack Petree, Olympia, the Whatcom Council and Obama’s Inner Circle

Wed, Jan 11, 2012, 8:04 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Latest from the Political Junkie on a variety of subjects

7 comments; last on Jan 15, 2012

Commmunity Governance at its Best

Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 8:27 pm  //  Tip Johnson

We have a new mayor!

4 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Property Rights Protected Under Lake Whatcom Stormwater Proposal

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 11:02 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's proposed stormwater regulations for Lake Whatcom will increase development without improving water quality

2 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

Riley Rouses Row Over Domestic Violence

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 1:21 am  //  John Servais

Issue is County Council member Kathy Kershner and how our social service programs are funded.

3 comments; last on Jan 08, 2012

Some thoughts on the Occupy Bellingham issue

Sun, Jan 01, 2012, 12:05 am  //  John Servais

A third note on Jan 1 about the Herald photos with links. And previous thoughts on the trivia around the militarized evictions.

9 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Kelli Linville has taken oath as mayor

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 2:07 pm  //  John Servais

Kelli assumes office of mayor at midnight Dec 31

6 comments; last on Jan 02, 2012

Bellingham Herald removes comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:59 am  //  Wendy Harris

Decide for yourself if this blog comment, posted under my own name, should have been flagged and removed from the Bellingham Herald Online Edition.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Herald Permits Censorship of Pro-Occupy Bellingham Comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:14 am  //  Wendy Harris

Anyone can "flag" a blog posting, resulting in immediate removal of your comment, regardless of merit. This is occuring for comments supporting OB.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

City Exceeds Scope of Occupy Bellingham Eviction

Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 8:26 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The City infringed on the public’s right to peaceful assembly in a public park by enforcing an inappropriate public safety law

2 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Dan Pike Issues Order to Evict Occupy Bellingham

Tue, Dec 27, 2011, 11:55 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley questions Pike's timing, and Occupy's choice of tactics

2 comments; last on Dec 28, 2011

Updates from The Political Junkie

Tue, Dec 20, 2011, 2:19 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Where Riley provides more info on the City of Bellingham employees moonlighting issue and Crawford's ethical troubles

0 comments

Dock Increases Risk of Invasive Species on Lake Whatcom

Sun, Dec 18, 2011, 8:43 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Relocation of a dock to Bloedel Donovan Park underscores failure to protect Lake Whatcom from invasive species

0 comments

Sam Crawford Faces Ethical Concerns . . . AGAIN

Thu, Dec 15, 2011, 12:44 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Local blogger Shane Roth files ethical complaint over Crawford's sweetheart deals

3 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

Planning Commission Fails to Remove Cherry Point From Birch Bay Mitigation Plan

Wed, Dec 14, 2011, 7:05 am  //  Wendy Harris

Claiming it is unfair to treat large property owners different than small property owners, the Commission refuses to remove industrial areas from buffer mitigation proposal.

0 comments

Rick Perry, Can We Talk?

Tue, Dec 13, 2011, 9:58 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley has a conversation with Rick Perry

2 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

For Gift Ideas, Think Beyond Parker Brothers

Sat, Dec 10, 2011, 9:32 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses his love of board games and some good gift ideas

2 comments; last on Dec 11, 2011

The Political Junkie needs your input

Thu, Dec 08, 2011, 12:47 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Please take my reader's survey, I'm planning 2012

0 comments

Loophole Benefits SSA and Undermines Birch Bay Mitigation Proposal

Wed, Dec 07, 2011, 7:00 am  //  Wendy Harris

Tell the Planning Commission to eliminate this loophole

2 comments; last on Dec 14, 2011

Washington United for Marriage: It’s Time!

Tue, Dec 06, 2011, 11:12 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley attends a public meeting on equality

0 comments

The Cole Train: Loads of BS

Sun, Dec 04, 2011, 4:53 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the sooty prospect of economic necessity rears its ugly head

2 comments; last on Dec 04, 2011

Update on Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Proposal

Fri, Dec 02, 2011, 1:08 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Staff's recommended revision will not prevent SSA from reducing wetland buffers.

0 comments

UPDATE: City’s response focused on favoritism, not lost revenue

Wed, Nov 30, 2011, 5:51 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

More on the city employee moonlighting issue

0 comments

TPJ Exclusive: Little Documented Oversight for City Employee Moonlighting

Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

The Political Junkie breaks a story of employee moonlighting within city of Bellingham

7 comments; last on Nov 30, 2011

Deer me!

Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 3:30 pm  //  Tip Johnson

O.K. Who's in charge of all these ungulates?

14 comments; last on Dec 01, 2011

County Proposal Includes New Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Requirements

Tue, Nov 22, 2011, 9:29 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's new mitigation proposal is unlikely to be adequate for Cherry Point's industrial impacts to habitat buffers

3 comments; last on Nov 24, 2011

CameraGate:  Red-light safety or city revenue?

Mon, Nov 21, 2011, 1:00 am  //  Guest writer

With budget woes, Bellingham passes on safety in favor of cash. Starting in 2008, Bellingham officials were coached by ATS on how to get Red Light cameras through…

26 comments; last on Nov 29, 2011

Cameras, not coal, decided the election

Sat, Nov 19, 2011, 8:24 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Looking at the numbers for the Bellingham elections

11 comments; last on Nov 22, 2011

Election Analysis: What does it take to win a county seat?

Fri, Nov 18, 2011, 12:28 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley examines Maginnis/Crawford and Kremen/Larson

0 comments

Election Analysis: Dropoff, Lynden Suburbs and the “Buys Bounce”

Thu, Nov 17, 2011, 5:20 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley looks at Lynden and coins some new phrases.

0 comments

Political Junkie Election Analysis: Louws/Ericksen

Wed, Nov 16, 2011, 12:31 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley takes a look at Louws/Ericksen in the search for moderate Republicans

1 comments; last on Nov 17, 2011

Kelli Linville is elected Mayor of Bellingham

Tue, Nov 15, 2011, 5:21 pm  //  John Servais

Results are posted as of 5:21 pm. Use links at top of right side column.

2 comments; last on Nov 15, 2011

 

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