#humanity #voting #elections #PoliticalCandidates #VoterIntimidation #vote We value humanity as integral to our existence. The Golden Rule says: “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” But, some in public life are working very hard to try to tell us that SOME of us are worthy of our humanity, while others are not. If you favor X, you should be treated well. If you oppose X, you should be treated badly. As a result, we have public policies that literally dehumanize the opponents of those in power. The policy takes shape by first dehumanizing those who don’t LOOK like, or whose surnames are dissimilar, to those in power. Then, it moves on to those who look and have surnames similar to those in power, but express views differing from those in power. It goes further, thereby declaring those in science and others who live by and tell the truth as something less than human. If you believe this is not who we are, or this is not who we should be, YOU can do something about it. You can work for political opponents of those in power, who strive to restore humanity. If you can’t do that, make it a point to vote for those candidates at every level, and at every opportunity. Working for candidates requires a great deal of sacrifice. Voting may also require some sacrifice. But, if you want to restore our humanity, the sacrifice will be more than worth it. Those in power want fewer people to vote, because their dehumanizing policies are not popular. They will try to mess with elections. They may even try to interfere at polling places. That puts voters at some risk. But, don’t let their tactics deter you. Don’t let long lines deter you. In fact, if the lines are long, be thankful as well as patient. Local law enforcement and election authorities must do all they can to prevent ANY interference – foreign or domestic, federally authorized or otherwise – with our elections. Remember: State and local authorities control elections, not the federal government. Most of the local officials are dedicated to free and fair elections. They encourage ANYONE eligible to vote to vote by whatever methods are allowed. They ensure that if one votes, and follows the rules, his or her vote will be counted. The goal is to have as many eligible voters as possible at the polls casting votes. So, this year’s elections may not seem like a threat to our existence. But, they could be a threat to our humanity. Under no circumstances will sitting out the election solve this problem, particularly if you are looking for change. So, work for candidates if you can. But, having all eligible voters vote is a must. Peter
#parents #children #GoodBehavior #BadBehavior #respect In the Angi ad, kids are whacking adults with harmless weapons. In the VRBO ad, dad asks his teens whether there is room for him in the hot tub. They say no. He leaves. Isn’t dad paying for the VRBO with the hot tub? These two ads say a lot about how kids rule their households. It used to be the other way around. Even though the weapons in the Angi ad are harmless – they look like pool noodles – the adults getting whacked had to have been annoyed. In decades past, if a child annoyed an adult, he or she would have been punished. And, to show such annoying behavior in a TV ad would have been taboo. Are parents, or other adult family members, so oblivious to the children’s behavior that they don’t notice? In decades past, parents prioritized good behavior in children. It required work, for sure, but a parent could never allow their children to misbehave. In the VRBO ad, the hot tub appeared to be small, just big enough for two people. Dad would have made it cramped for everyone. But, if dad is paying for vacation, he should be allowed to take his turn in the hot tub. Perhaps he did, eventually. One should only spend so much time in a hot tub in one sitting. But for the teen girls to rebuff him would have been considered misbehavior decades ago. Children need to be taught good behavior and manners at as young an age as possible. Decorum is important to learn not just for their interaction with adults, but for their interactions when they become adults. If there have never been rules at home, they will be surprised when schools or future employers impose behavioral rules on them. Running wild and whacking adults with pool noodles is not good behavior. Not allowing dad a turn in the hot tub shows disrespect for the person responsible for your nice vacation. In fairness, some households are overly restrictive on kids. Kids need opportunities to blow off steam, particularly if they are bored. Bored children can create the kind of mischief that might be beyond the pale, because imaginations can run wild amid boredom. And, kids need time to be kids, just as teens need time to be teens. The good parents know when behaviors need to be curbed and respect for others – particularly elders – needs to be taught. That requires work on the part of both parents and children. Kids need established behavioral rules. Parents need to know when those rules can be broken. Good behavior among children is not just for the benefit of non-parental observers. It’s for parents’ sanity and children’s education. A good rule for both parents and kids: Treat others as you would like to be treated. If you practice that, good behavior, and good parenting, will be a natural outcome. Peter
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #government #RegulatingAI #progress #jobs #LostJobs Talk about push and pull? Technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is advancing quickly. Government, which is trying to figure out how to manage the AI onslaught, moves slowly. CNN commentator Fareed Zakaria discussed this on his “GPS” show July 26, 2026. His commentary begs many questions, including: Do people want AI to advance quickly? Do people want government to act more quickly to mitigate its bad effects or to regulate it? Would government be able to move that quickly? Many candidates for public office want to make government more efficient. They don’t want it to stand in the way of the progress AI is making. People, who don’t seem to like anyone in government, are still in the dark about what AI will do to their lives, their jobs, their creativity etc. They are not sure whether they want government to slow or help advance the progress of AI and related technology. So, what’s a person running for office to do or say to those still unsure whether they want AI to move more quickly, or slow it down? It’s a dilemma for those candidates, but they would be wise to figure out what they can and cannot do as part of government. It’s clear the technology will advance at its own pace. It’s not clear what that will mean, and what can be done to mitigate its ill effects on people. Almost everyone presumes that some jobs will go away, while others will be created. How individuals navigate that landscape in the job market is not something government can really control. Government can help find ways for people to cope with the effects of AI. Government can pass laws that will govern how best AI can be productive, while minimizing any ill effects. One might compare AI to a fast-moving car, and government to potholes. But, it might be better to compare AI to a tractor-trailer and government to a speed governor inside the vehicle. Some of today’s public officials want to harken back to yesteryear, when things were “good” for many people. But, during those “good” times, many people suffered. Therefore, some politicians today seem to be choosing sides, fighting for some people but ignoring, even hurting, others. Some even go so far as to fight for those who already have good, prosperous lives, and ignoring or hurting the rest of the population. In a few years, when more AI advances are prevalent, who will be the prosperous ones? Who will be left behind? None of us knows now. But, what is known is that AI is moving quickly. Government can do little, if anything, to stop it. People, in general, can do little to stop it. So, both government and people have to deal with results. How they do will make all the difference in who prospers and who doesn’t. Some may advise people to strap in and ride the tide. But, better advice might be to surf the tide. You could wipe out, but you also could find a beach on the other end. Peter
