I open my eyes and see your face,
I follow it up with another embrace,
I embrace the safety and the sassy,
The warmth within me grows...

I close my eyes and feel you there,
Reveling in your skin, your hair,
Encapsulated in your life...your energy,
Overflowing with feeling, with joy...

I decide not to leave, I remember to breathe,
I feel myself open to you,
You rush in filling my space, gently you flow,
I wrap around you feeling your space...

So precious and priceless, so effortless yet strong,
So much value, so timeless and long,
Here I stay all and every day,

Is there another way? I can’t say and I don’t care,
I smell you, I bite you everywhere,
No longer are you there, you are here...

The 'bull's eye' fallacy

If one has taken a logic or debate course, then one has heard of the 'bull's eye' fallacy.  However, every where I go and every one I talk to has to be given a quick lesson to understand it.

This fallacy is promulgated in the media, on Facebook, and of course in politics by all sides.

All fallacies takes advantage of emotion and raw data to direct or sway an opinion.

Imagine a humongous 'old' west style barn.  It has been standing for many years.  Every year a cowboy comes out and fires many shots without aiming at the barn, just to let off some steam.  After a few years he comes out with some paint, looks for an area where there is a tight grouping of many shots and paints a normal size bull's eye around that spot.  When he has friends over, shows them the bull's eye, they are in awe and convinced that the cowboy is an expert marksman.

In our world, raw data is gathered concerning murders, school violence, political agendas, and other biased uses.  Out of all data collected, whoever wishes to bias it, takes only the data that supports their views.

Then they draw a conclusion from just the data they have gathered, and then use that same data to back up their conclusion, making it appears that the data clearly and only supports their view.  They step back and let everyone assume that the facts are speaking for themselves.

So, much like the cowboy gets everyone to ignore the other random shots and focus on the bull's eye.  So, biased persons don't mention all the data that doesn't support their agenda, they allow everyone to believe that all the facts support their conclusion.  In either case no one has lied, they just haven't revealed the truth!

How might I use this fallacy in my own personal life, other than how the cowboy did?  It doesn't take a political mastermind to use this fallacy.  It would be hard to find a commercial that doesn't use at least this fallacy to steer consumers toward their product.

Let me give an example that I have been thinking about recently.  Where we live Walmart competes heavily with Kroger.  Walmart is the same as Walmart everywhere, but Kroger give points for every purchase that takes money off of gas that is purchased at the Kroger gas station.  Myself I have saved 20cents-30cents off of every gallon of gas for one purchase, lowering my price per gallon to $2.69.  When filling up that is considerable savings.  Kroger I am sure, uses this fallacy just as much, but for the sake of this example, I am going to share a Walmart commercial I saw on TV.

Walmart picked items off of their shelves and picked the same items off of Kroger shelves.  They compared the savings on gas at Kroger to the savings on the Walmart items themselves versus Kroger items.  The resulting data was:

Save $2.80 at Kroger on Gas  OR  save $9.00 at Walmart in cash

My first thought is why am I shopping at Kroger then?

Why isn't Kroger up in arms about false advertising?



I only have theory at this point, I didn't not do the footwork to confirm.

Walmart could pick items that they chose to put on special sale at their store to compare normal (without card) prices at Kroger.

Walmart is probably choosing items that supports their conclusion (that their prices are better on everything) out of the millions of items they sale.  Then showing the consumer a full shopping cart of items also leading the consumer that this comparison is on the up and up, and completely random.

Then take a look at the data that Walmart is showing about Kroger:  The gas savings.  Kroger offers from $.10-$1.00 off of each gallon of gas for one purchase.  What it I took my van in to fill up with $1.00 off per gallon?  I would save $15.00 on Gas!  So Walmart chose the items out of millions, chose the car out of millions, chose the amount of Gas out of many different gas tank sizes all to get consumers to come to conclusion that all or most of items at Walmart are cheaper than all of the items at Kroger.

In real life, I have experienced that some items are cheaper at Walmart, some items are cheaper at Kroger, so we buy Groceries at Kroger, and other items we need at Walmart, and save on items we need and gas.

What is another example you can think of or theorize about?  Or perhaps you disagree, please let us discuss this together.

What boxes cannot hold

Boxes are not always as open as this picture portends.  Boxes can hold a lot of things.  I have been digesting all the things that boxes cannot hold.

'Thinking outside of the box'  is a popular anecdote for finding creative solutions to a problem, or to problems that will happen down the road. This box represents the structure of one's day to day life.  This structure provides comfort by the fabrication of the illusion that life will be very much the same tomorrow. In other words, to sum up, thinking outside of the box is at least; thinking from a different perspective, a helpful perspective.

I was raised in a conservative baptist home.  I set my alarm and was awakened every morning hours before school. I made a commitment to myself to read the Bible through, to try to see what life is all about. To examine and process outside of church. I continually ran into a God that was far removed from any of the frail boxes in which I begin to find myself.

As a young adult, I discovered that I was somehow trapped within layers and layers of boxes.  Boxes which defined right and wrong, God's will, how to act, how to live, what to judge, the framework for how to view God.  Every time I went to church (4-5 times a week) the boxes were manufactured and reinforced.  School, home, work, church, were making boxes like it was their industry.  I started to mint my own boxes for many different reasons.  My perspective here is negative, but it bears mentioning that many of these boxes were a necessity to me.

I was able to push through abuse, school, work, and into the Marine Corps because of boxes.  The trouble with boxes is that they don't grow.  They hold a finite amount of...stuff.  I grew but my boxes did not.  I had to grow, my world expanded exponentially when I left home and started out haphazardly.

Most of the people I have encountered in my pioneering journey did not understand me at all, and vice versa.

Let's skip ahead to today.  Now I seem to revel in bursting out of these boxes.  It wasn't too long ago that I realized that God didn't fit in any box, especially not the nice, safe, comfortable box I have seen people put him in for so long.  The next logical realization is that I do not fit into any box either.  The bad part about boxes is that they not only limit one's perspective, we give them the power and authority to limit our lives.

What doesn't fit in boxes?  Love!  Love for others (seen in consideration and charity) Love for oneself, and the most socially acceptable use of the word: Romantic love (the sum of the previous two plus a little something extra).

Can love be legislated?  Can we create  rules that make love happen?  My discovery is that the inverse is true.  The more rules we create; the less love happens.  People get married with some basic rules embodied in the vows they make to each other.  If every act has to be scheduled and mandatory does that allow love to grow?  Spontaneously picking up a pretty bouquet can be a fun, familiar way of showing a person that you love them.  What if picking up a pretty bouquet is scheduled for every Monday, and Monday is the only day one picks it up and presents it?  Does it express the same love?  Is the expression of love greater because of this new rule?

How I answer these questions allows me (and perhaps you) to get a peek at 'my' (your) boxes.  The wonderful thing that I am finding?  Love doesn't require rules, it naturally exceeds the standards of rules.

My significant other may feel upset if I don't ever get flowers.  A rule doesn't need to be made to govern flowers, because I pick up flowers spontaneously out of consideration (love) for my spouse, because I know that my spouse likes them.

The search for deeper truth isn't about exploring religion, but growing out of the boxes that are limiting one's love.

I gain a greater respect for the other inhabitants of this planet, when I realize, they, just like me are all  trapped in boxes. Some try to burst out, some need the boxes to survive or to push through tough times.

Flexibility

As long as you keep breathing it will all work out.  When one breathes through the pain or the stress of life it sets one up to be flexible.  Questions arise, answers float into awareness.  Asking the questions are as crucial as the answers.  Float the questions to the subconscious and to the Divine.  Quietly wait for answers while doing what one can.

Answers will come that seem illogical and strange, do not discard them out of hand.  Follow them to their conclusions.  Steps will appear.  Follow these steps and they will lead to even more answers.  Flexibility allows an objectivity that will lead the way to solving the problem.  This is not believing in miracles this is trusting the synergy of ones subconscious, body, and conscious mind and Divine providence.

Stiffness and pain brought me to the Kinesiologist.  So there I lay on my back getting ready to be lightly beat with the snap-a-jack.  I look straight ahead at the ceiling and see a piece of paper taped there.  On this piece of paper one word offers inspiration to my transitioning life:  Breathe.

Breathe.

It seems so easy, so natural, so normal, almost mundane.

I still sit reeling over this one word.  All I really need to do is keep breathing.  The big problems of today will find a matching solution in the tomorrows of life.  If they don't then perhaps they didn't need a solution after all.

Breathe seems like such a small imperative action.  I pause in the biggest problems to take a long deep breath, and the problem is cut in half.  As in the counter attack of chess, the problem begins to transform into a stair step to accomplishing my long range goals.

I have found that this word is the first one out of my mouth when something unexpected happens to someone else.

It is ironic that telling someone to breathe seems redundant and unnecessary, but it some how resets focus, by concentrating our minds and bodies on present needs and off of the problems that seem so impossible to solve.

Just keep breathing and you will make it through.  Sometimes the 'worse case scenario' will happen, most of the times it won't, because if you 'breathe' through it you are set up to make better decisions which will solve the problem in the mid and long term time frame.

Community Policing (a random assignment from college)

  Here you go, my latest forum post assignment.  This writing held slave my curiosity, as well as the reference.

  Community policing complements and completes traditional policing in many ways, as demonstrated in Jasper, Texas, over a ten year span. The unfortunate murder of James Byrd sparked the need for police to fill a community policing role. The community fell back upon the existing leaders in the community, the “Ministerial Alliance”. The sheriff became the catalyst, forging a unity in the citizens of the community with the leaders, by relaying quick and consistently correct information. The efficiency with which the sheriff communicated the information from the police and town council to the community, in and of itself, squelched fear, and inspired unity between the community and the police. For example, the sheriff warned the community through the community leaders of a Klu Klux Klan rally, and suggested that shop owners close their stores early and for citizens to stay in their homes and off the streets, as a result, the many rallies that took place caused only insignificant crime. The sheriff led the community through a myriad of problems: Media bias against the town, Black Panther rallies, NAACP rallies, and more. He accomplished this feat by decisive action, problem solving, community involvement, and quick, efficient communication. (Wicke & Silver, 2009).

  The example of Jasper, Texas also provides much information about community policing. Community policing complements traditional policing, for instance, information provided by the leaders of the community, fellow citizens, though received separately was accurate, timely, and identical. This attribute and others, drew all members into an alliance to solve problems before they arise. These policing strategies foster organizational ethical behavior.

  The situation in Jasper, Texas shows that ethical behavior is encouraged through everyone filling their individual and group roles in the team. The police filled the traditional role of processing information, problem-solving, and fighting crime. The community filled the role of gathering information they in essence were ‘senses’ for the police: Seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting the trouble and reporting to the police. Police officers were held accountable for corruption fostering ethical behavior inside the police unit, and directly applying to the ethical conduct of the citizens. Due to this dynamic, citizens didn’t have to fight crime or fear injustice from police corruption, and police didn’t have to gather all the information themselves. 

  Consider a less ideal situation: Police attempting to gather information from uncooperative citizens. The police would, more often than not, have doors slammed in their face. After hours of attempting to gather information, the police officer has little or no information for the effort. It is inefficient and ineffective for police to cross this line. Citizens attempting to fight crime, in groups, or individually without the physical, marksmanship, ethical, and moral training are ill-equipped to investigate and respond, especially without the authority to arrest. Chaos, fear, and injustice will quickly result.

 Community policing, as effective it was used in Jasper, Texas, is only a part of policing that presumes ethical law enforcement and ethical citizens. For the unethical police and citizens the traditional role of policing is required. In a perfect world perhaps Community policing could do the job by itself, but this is not a perfect world.

  Community policing was taught to Second Battalion, Second Marines (2/2)(infantry), of the 2D Marine Division, before deploying to Iraq. The phrase: “Winning the hearts and minds” became an abbreviated slogan, as operations were planned and implemented. It meant solving the problems in their communities as well. Water, food, batteries, cell phones, and many other goods and devices were purchased and given, gratis, to solve the problems of the local communities. I sat down with a sheik (pronounced “Shake”) to a meal the locals prepared as our commanding officer discussed the communities problems with the sheik, with the input of the officers in his staff. These are examples of the community policing tactics that were used all throughout the Al-Anbar province in Iraq.

References 

Wicke, T., & Silver, R. C. (2009). A community responds to collective trauma: An ecological analysis of the james byrd murder in jasper, texas. American Journal of Community Psychology, 44(3-4), 233-48. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10464-009-9262-8

Explanation: Retiring from the Marine Corps

First fact? It isn't really retiring! As I read the seperations manual on the subject of my hastening retirement date, I came upon the term time and again "retainer/retirement pay." I continued to read. Sure enough, because I haven't been in for thirty years, my pay is considered retainer pay, not retired pay. Retainer is not quite as good as retirement, as far as the Marine Corps is concerned. I get paid about 1/3 of the net total monthly income I received when on active duty , because if needed I can be instantly ordered back into active duty service!!

That confusion aside; other reason my 'retirement' isn't really retirement. First reason? Look around, no one retires, at least not until 65, and many aren't even retiring then. This is why it boggles the mind of most people, to think that at the ripe old age of 39 I am retiring. Second reason? Who wants to retire at 39. I posit that humankind needs to work as much as work needs humankind!

Retirement, at least the kind that the Marine Corps gives, is definitely a misnomer. I am not ready for retirement by the widely accepted definition: 

The action or fact of leaving one's job and ceasing to work.

My dream is to work until my dying day. Let me quantify this statement a bit more; My dream is to work at a job I enjoy until my dying day. Think about everything you want work to be, and then you begin the grasp the work I long for. Work on my schedule, which, allows for dates with my soul mate, allows time to share important events with my children, and grants me time to visit relatives which are scattered around the United States. Work that I have fun doing. Work that provides money to match my needs and many of my wants.

Is this kind of work possible to find? Not as an entry level position! I plan to enjoy the journey to the kind of work I want, as much as I enjoy a rollercoaster ride, with its ups and downs. I encourage anyone that reads this to start defining your dream job, start putting together the pieces you like, about the jobs you have worked.

I implore you not to ever choose retirement as it is defined, but slowly, steadily gravitate to the job you need.