The wealthy want to own everything — For sixteen wonderful years, I had the privilege of living in Hawai’i. I loved the land (‘ãina), I loved the people. I lived on O’ahu, but I rarely spent time in Waikīkī (shown in the above photo). This tourist spot is the commercial version of Hawaii. The name Waikīkī translates…

Finding a sense of community — I have never been one to follow the status quo. When something I read seems “off” to me, I question, research, and search inside myself until I can figure out just why I feel so unsettled. My own thinking has been greatly influenced by the words of Noam Chomsky, Thich…

Facing Reality in the dying American Empire — The situation gets more ridiculous by the day. I find myself surrounded by people who swallow whole the inane rhetoric of the talking heads of the mainstream media, and respond like children when anyone tries to offer an alternative point of view. Their facial expressions and denials remind me of…

Admitting I was duped so I can move forward — No one wants to admit, “I’ve been had.” It’s embarrassing; the ego is bruised. But, I like to follow the advice that my father repeated often: “When you make a mistake, admit it. Covering it up, or doubling-down, only compounds the problem.” Here in the United States, where the science…

Learning to Practice Right Speech — “ Right Speech means that if we are not aware-as normally we are not-then we don’t know what we are saying or doing. Inadver­tently, we indulge in all kinds of negative forms of speech such as lying, backbiting, haughty speech, and gossip. It is important to be­come aware of our…

Fragility vs. Truth — Summer gatherings of family and friends offer opportunities for important conversations, but such discussions rarely occur. After catching up on the latest marriages, babies, and graduations, the conversation stalls, then regains vigor in the form of gossip concerning those who aren’t there. Advised since childhood that the topics of politics…

“If you are prepared” — I wish the following video was satire, but it is very real. The FBI actually produced this video a few years ago. You can even go to fbi.gov/survive to learn more. It seems that profits from the sales of guns and weapons are just too much to expect the…

Everyday life in the dying American empire — As a child growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, I was raised to believe in the American Dream. My parents had benefited from programs like the GI Bill, and were employed in workplaces with strong unions. …

From cradle to grave — PROMPT #1: The first stage in the five stages of change is pre-contemplation. In this stage, an individual or collective is unaware, or not as aware, of a problem and the need to change it. In this stage there is no intention for change. Just an unawareness of the issue…