Questioning Pickles, Symbols, Greed, Idols, and Patience

 

"How camest thou in this pickle?"

-- Shakespeare

 

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A note to my readers: I'm continuing to update the statistics for those who'd like to follow with me and we'll see where it levels off, which it doesn't seem willing to do.

The following was touted by the site I answer questions on as being "featured" in over 100,000 individual reader digests. The answer was posted on March 30, 2022, and, to date, has been viewed by over 350,800 people, and has been upvoted 4,516 times, and counting. I assume because it was "featured" this is a big deal, whatever "featured" means. I will contine to share it, as I get more information.  And, for those who haven't read it:

Did you ever get a request for a favor from a neighbor who never showed any respect or interest in you or your family? What did you do? 

The guy next door. He asked if he could cut down a rotting tree the raccoons use. Wanted to bill me $2000 for a $500 job. I told him not to touch it. He cut it down anyway, when I wasn’t around, then billed me $2000. My legal team, lawyers from Louisiana and Mississippi, both advised me to tell him to go f*** himself. You have to love Southern lawyers. I cleaned the language up and sent him a form letter concerning trespass, ignorance, and the fact that he wouldn’t be getting any money out of me. (Last lines have been updated) We don't talk, not because I'm not willing, but because he seems to think he's all that. He flies a Marine Corps flag. So far, I'm not impressed.

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How did Sri Lanka find itself in a pickle that it might not be able to get out of? What, then? 

Understand that this is a 25,330 sq mi island with a 22 million population on it. It’s half again the size of Taiwan. As a retire intelligence analyst, reading the administrative description, provided by Wikipedia, my head hurts trying to think of any way this doesn’t fall apart. This is what happens when people have lived there for over 124,000 years, I suppose.

This, from Wikipedia, kind of explains a big part of the problem, as I see it:

“For administrative purposes, Sri Lanka is divided into nine provinces and twenty-five districts… Each district is administered under a district secretariat. The districts are further subdivided into 256 divisional secretariats, and these to approximately 14,008 Grama Niladhari divisions. The districts are known in Sinhala as disa and in Tamil as māwaddam. Originally, a disa (usually rendered into English as Dissavony) was a duchy, notably Matale and Uva.

There are three other types of local authorities: municipal councils (18), urban councils (13) and pradeshiya sabha, also called pradesha sabhai (256). Local authorities were originally based on feudal counties named korale and rata, and were formerly known as "D.R.O. divisions" after the divisional revenue officer. Later, the D.R.O.s became "assistant government agents," and the divisions were known as "A.G.A. divisions". These divisional secretariats are currently administered by a divisional secretary.”

What are the 10 reasons to be less busy?

It gives you more time to contemplate 9 other reasons.

"Vengeance is mine says the lord I will repay.” what should the victims do when the wrongdoer is still not avenged but still committing more evil acts?

Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. If they’re breaking a law, turn them in and let the law handle it. If not, sooner or later, someone will tire of waiting on the Lord and will take matters into their own hands. Evil begets bad karma. Unfortunately, revenge also begets bad karma. Better to let evil take care of itself.

Under what circumstances is employee participation not necessarily important?

Board of Directors meetings.

Is knowing too much a good thing?

As long as you practice due humility, yes. Nobody likes people who lord their knowledge over everyone else. “Knowing too much” is a way you can selflessly mentor others, when asked, by showing them the way. Show them, don’t walk the path for them. Let them, also, learn. If they fail, explain that failure is the best way to learn. Assist them in critiquing why they failed so they can try again until they attain the goal. This is learning.

"If there's anything worse than knowing too little, it's knowing too much. Education will broaden a narrow mind, but there's no known cure for a big head. The best you can hope is that it will swell up and bust."

-- George Horace Lorimer

How do you symbolize yourself using fidelity?

A bending tree branch. It is impossible to attain perfection. We can only strive for excellence. Excellence, however, requires an occasional “bending” of the rules. On rare occasions, rules need to be broken in order to prove a point. So, I choose the bending tree branch of an ageless oak. Sturdy and steadfast, yet, when a storm arises, the branch is capable of bending until it breaks. The tree, however, still survives, with all the other branches in place, even if loyalty and support need tending.

Can someone think of something profitable that nobody else has thought of before?

Yes. It happens all the time. 

How important is the role of the father as a pillar of the home?

It doesn’t have to be a “father” as the pillar, a father “figure” will do just as well. It is important for someone, as in business, to be in charge, manage, supervise, mentor, set the rules, and dole out the discipline. Without this “figure,” there will be anarchy and chaos. The business will fail just as the family without a father “figure” will struggle or fall apart. 

What deceptive ways will politicians use to win?

Lying or bending the truth, comes to mind. It happens all the time in political parties, and media outlets, that have no good ethical filter. Investigations are ongoing, as a matter of fact.

How do you help an employee who struggles with time management?

Happened all the time in the military. You have them make a schedule, then you critique the schedule until it meets the requirements you expect from them. Post the schedule at their workstation and have them hold to it. They will, in all probability, fail. You sit down with them and critique why they failed. They go back to work. You will check their progress over time, questioning them, and getting their feedback. They will either hold to the schedule or be assigned another position, like unemployment, but not because you didn’t try to assist and train them. Some people are their own worst enemy. Nothing you can do about it.

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report written on birds that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books about birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

-- Anne Lamott

What is the most important ingredient for a good society?

Adherence to good rules of law.

Giving money rather than food makes a poor person greedy. Is this context true?

I’m not so sure all poor people would become greedy, as much as they might not spend the money on what they need to survive. I’m more apt to buy a burger for a person holding a sign saying, “HUNGRY, NEED FOOD” than I am to give money to a person saying, “HUNGRY, NEED CASH.”

My dad, however, did give a guy a buck, on a corner in New Orleans, that was holding a sign saying, “I'M NOT GOING TO BULLSHIT YOU, I NEED A BEER.” He said the guy was, at least, being honest. Can’t fault that.

Which quotes help to change one's lifestyle?

Do the crime, you do the time. You break it, you buy it.

How would you productize yourself?

Short skirt, high heels, proficiency, and a busy street at night. If you’re going to be a product, you’re going to have to find a buyer and sell yourself. Dress well, groom well, educate yourself, become proficient, have an outstanding curriculum vitae or resume, and choose your buyers. Simple.

Why are pride and dignity important?

If you treat everyone with dignity and respect, people will be proud to know you. Their pride might translate into treating everyone with dignity and respect.

"There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance."

-- John C. Maxwell

Why do we idolize people in the entertainment industry instead of elevating authors, philosophers, and first responders, to the same status?

I don’t, and people that do should probably look at getting some kind of real life. Like everyone else in the world, if you idolize them, they’ll probably let you down. Better you go out and impress yourself. 

How can I see good as stand-alone and not as something that can only come from comparison? I don't mean moral good I mean general goodness. My counselor has told me this is a false definition and unhealthy to believe is the definition.

I’d be interested to hear the reasons it is false and unhealthy.

Is life easier being in the known or the unknown, depending on the subject or context?

Either way, it depends on you. The Unknown can be easier until something goes wrong. The known can be easier because live it all the time, until something goes wrong. Something can go wrong all the time, then, in the unknown, because we don’t live it all the time. 

It’s gratitude Friday, what are you grateful for this week?

I woke up every morning. Any day on this side of the dirt is cause for celebration.

How can I fight for a change to put end an advocates?

Fighting for change would make you an “advocate” for change. If your goal is to put an end to advocates, don’t “publicly supports or recommend a particular cause or policy.” Am I misreading your question?  It isn't very clear.

"Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind. Clarity is key."

-- Brene Brown

How can a leader build unwavering courage?

They don’t. Courage is always wavering in the mind. If a leader isn’t afraid, they aren’t living in reality, and that is scary. Fear keeps them on their toes and their people alive. If I ask my leader if they're scared, and they say no, I’m on my own. I’m also questioning their judgment, which is never a good thing to do.

Aside from the basic "bads" like taking a life, lying, and stealing, what are rare wrongdoings that are universally bad anywhere?

Disrespect, rudeness, anger, and being perpetually offended at every little thing.

What compliments started out as put-downs? How do put-downs eventually end up becoming compliments?

“You have to work on your public speaking, but you are becoming an asset to this company." You mean, like that?

How true is it that there is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose or a definite goal?

Success is finding true happiness in life. There is always hope for success, so make that your central purpose, As far as attaining a goal is concerned, you can’t attain what you admit you don’t have - a goal. Better for this person to focus on being truly happy always and in all things until a goal is defined. Being truly happy is simply a choice you have to make for your life and, as a life choice, it becomes sustainable. You can not be happy unless you choose not to be. Who would do that? 

If there are 1000 people, how many would be more patient than you?

Quite a few, I would imagine. Patience is not my strong suit, especially when it involves dumbass drivers. I am constantly working on it, however.

“Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”

-- Joyce Meyer

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com