Finger Bowl?

When were you last offered a finger bowl?

Vote "Yes" or "No"

"Warriors are sacred and deeply holy."

Vote with a simple "yes" or "no" in "comments."

You may amplify or explain your vote, but your comment will be deleted if you haven't voted 'yes' or 'no.'

Oligarchy

Never a democracy.
Attempted a republic.
Moving to oligarchy.

East Saint Louis

And
Toad low.

Offsets in My Life

I feel I have been hurt by the application of offsets to my retirement benefits.

My SS benefits have been reduced by the application of an offset.

Is there an offset in your life?

Single Payer Health Insurance

What is "single payer health insurance?" What's good about it?
What's it for? What's not so good about it? Why might it be important to consider it now? Who can begin to explain it to us? Who will give us some useful information about it?

A Teacher Wrote

Recently a wiser, older teacher wrote a bit like this:

People often make decisions based on what they perceive to be fact and not on what is fact. (How do you evaluate the quality of a perception?)

Some of us have received an email that we were thankful to get because of the great information and insight it gave, only to later find out that all or part of it was not factual.

There are those who find it prudent to reserve judgment until the facts are in. (How do you evaluate the veracity of information?) They try to avoid assuming that what they think ought to be true is true.

In times of unease and stress we may tend to to conclude faster than is prudent. It is not always easy to think things through and to reason clearly. However, we may find that we make life more scary than it need be by acting too quickly or by jumping to conclusions.

I am trying to give myself time to develop a clear and accurate mindset. I am remembering to take the time to take the time.

5, 2, 7, Breathing

Certain breathing exercises seem to be good for me. I practice them occasionally. After a practice I usually feel good as well as being a bit more awake and alert.

Some are a bit more complicated or difficult than the following, but some are even simpler and easier:
Inhale for a count of 5.
Hold for a count of 2.
Exhale for a count of 7.
Repeat, say, twelve times.