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Friday, July 09, 2010
Jail and Rehab and Justice, Oh My
I try not to comment on the foolishness that is celebrity news. But this
business with Lindsay Lohan, probation violations, and crying over a
jail sentence got my dander up. In the real world, when you do the crime
- you do the time. . . . 
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Anyone who ever stood before a judge will tell you that there is nothing vague about a sentence. Each defendant knows exactly what it takes to stay out of jail, if they are lucky enough to not go to jail (go directly to jail ...) straight from court. It may not be easy, it may not be convenient - but undoubtedly, it will be better than a cell. And, undoubtedly, you will be expected to comply with the judge's orders.
There is no I tried my best, no substantially compliant, no conflicting work commitments when one is talking about the terms of probation. If the judge tells you to go to meetings, you go to meetings - each and every one. In fact, if you have the sense God gave dirt, you go to extra meetings. Prove yourself.
Whatever the judge requires is what happens. Your freedom depends on toeing the line - at all times. Well, except in the addled mind of a spoiled-brat celebrity.
Now, after repeatedly proving herself to be non-compliant and unreliable, Ms. Lohan is shocked that she is going to jail. A mere 90 days that will, if history is any indication, be whittled down to about 3 weeks. Three weeks spent outside the main jail population. Lonely, but safe.
I seriously doubt that the 'average-Jane' would fair as well.
So, please! stop quoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights! Breaking the law, violating the terms of your probation and, subsequently, being sent to jail and rehab is nothing like what has happened to millions of people in South Africa, Darfur, Rwanda, and Srebrenica, to name just a few.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
WooHoo and YeeHaw!
I must admit - I was pretty certain that this day was just never going to come. But - lo and behold, and sakes alive - We Have Comments
And they actually work!!
While I was in here rearranging and updating, I decided to tweak the colors and format a bit as well. Let me know what you think. Even if you don't like it.
Me? I really like it - but it is awfully similar to my other blog. May have to break down and change color schemes on this one. We'll see.Monday, October 15, 2007
Do You Really Need That Much Water?
Living in the desert, one quickly learns that water is a gift from the Earth, not a guaranteed resource. Conservation becomes a natural part of every daily task. But, happily, what Arizonans do isn't limited to any specific environment. . . .
Read More Do You Really Need That Much Water?
- One of the best conservation tools we've found is for the shower. Mark likes short showers, so he's not much of an issue. I, on the other hand, love my showers - long-lasting and hot enough to melt the polish off my toenails. Our solution is a hand-held shower attachment that let's me turn off the water while I'm shampooing and scrubbing. Now, I don't have to rush, but I'm not wasting gallons of water, either.
- Because our drinking water varies in quality between undrinkable and patently toxic, we have a filter on our kitchen faucet. Every time we change the filter, approximately once a month, the instructions require that we run our water for 5 minutes to eliminate excess charcoal.
Rather than letting that water run down the drain - five minutes is a long time - we collect the water and save it to use on plants. (The charcoal keeps the soil refreshed.) Kept in a large pitcher, at room temperature, we don't have to run the water every time a plant needs a drink. And speaking of drinks, we keep a pitcher of filtered water in the fridge - guaranteed cold water, without running the tap until the water gets cold. (Summer in Arizona doesn't really lend itself to cold tap water. Trust me.) - Dishes are another big water waster, since we have to do them by hand and seem to be at the cool end of the supply in our complex. To save as much water as I can, I do the dishes once a day, rather than after each meal. But, it still requires a lot of water.
I've been reading about tankless hot water heaters, which can be installed at the kitchen sink. Imagine being able to have immediate hot water on demand for rinsing dishes. We wouldn't have to keep the water running to keep it warm, saving heaven only knows how many gallons each time we do this already onerous chore. - We don't have a yard, so we're not using water outdoors. Our complex, however, insists on having several patches of grass, which regularly require more moisture than we usually see here in a year. In their favor, at least they run the sprinkler system in the middle of the night, rather than the middle of the day when the heat evaporates the water before it gets anywhere near the lawn.
Many schools and businesses around here don't use sprinkler systems. They flood their grounds, which not only wastes water through evaporation, it creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes, not usually found in large numbers in Southern Arizona. If we decide to buy a home in Arizona, Mark and I have already determined that a desert landscape is our perfect choice - no lawn and only plants that naturally survive here, without excessive watering.
No matter where you live, water conservation is much easier than you might think.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Karma
Karma is a fairly well-known, but often confusing, concept.
I always thought that karma was fate, that certain events were destined to happen and free-will wasn't involved. But the more I read, the more I realize that I have a lot to learn. . . .
Read More Karma
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit."
The Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya V.57 - Upajjhatthana Sutta
In simple terms, karma is causality - actions have consequences. Whether we see those consequences immediately, or in the next life, they will come back to bite us or reward us. Intention is a mental action which can also affect karma. As each physical or verbal action is preceded by a thought or intent to act, consistently negative thoughts may cause us to act in consistently negative ways, causing consistently negative karma.
"Do not think a small sin will not return in your future lives.Just as falling drops of water will fill a large container,
The little sins that steadfast accumulate will completely overwhelm you.
Do not think a small virtue will not return in your future lives.
Just as falling drops of water will fill a large container,
The little virtues that steadfast accumulate will completely overwhelm you."
I have learned recently about 'karmic seeds', which I believe is where I developed the misconception that karma supercedes free-will. Karmic seeds are planted in the mind as a result of our thoughts or intentions. Unkind thoughts plant a small seed; unkind speech or action helps the seed grow. As that seed ripens, it creates a negative karmic influence that can carry through to the next life. Hence, my belief that karma cannot be changed.
Positive thoughts, words, and deeds plant and nurture karmic seeds, as well. What I didn't understand is that these positive seeds can actually destroy negative seeds and reverse the effect. Therefore, I do have control over my karmic future, in this life and the next. I can choose to banish negative thoughts and not speak or act on them; I can choose to nurture positive thoughts and treat all creatures with kindness and respect.
Which leads me to wonder - if it is the thought or intent that determines the nature of the karmic seed, what is the effect if one does a good deed for personal gain?
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