PICTURE THIS GEOGRAPHY PERSPECTIVE SUMMARY
The following list serves as a comparison of geographical and political divisions of the world. Its purpose is a comparison, to give perspective to some regions that are not usually treated together in the same analysis. These include: acquisitions, arable lands, bays, boroughs, accessions, channels, continents, counties, departments, deserts, disputed areas, federal lands, gulfs, hemispheres, islands, lakes, national monuments, national parks, national preserves, oceans, parishes, provinces, seas, states, straits, territories, territorial seas, and other areas. Usually, islands less than 10 sq. mi. are not included on most lists. There are actually thousands more individual islands, landforms and political divisions than those listed, but this list includes those normally shown in similar form elsewhere, plus some comparisons never seen anywhere else. Any errors you may discover are probably mine, as the combinations necessary for building the list make errors more likely. The world’s arable lands, if consolidated into one place, would occupy an area approximately equal to the size of Russia. As a global average, there are approximately .5554 arable acres-per-person. There are 3098 boroughs-counties- parishes and other similar political units within the 50 states of the United States. They are an average of 1140 sq. mi. each. The average U.S. county is therefore larger than the 29 smallest countries in the world, and the smallest U.S. county, San Francisco, is still larger than 5 countries. The first 286 U.S. “county” divisions shown on this list, if regarded as individual countries, would comprise an area between the 60th position and the 163rd position out of the 193 nations of the world. So that a mental picture of the global areas becomes more easily recalled and grasped, the following examples are given: Did you know that Iceland is larger than Virginia? Did you know that Indiana, Hungary, Jordan and Portugal are the same size? You probably know that San Bernardino is the largest county in the U.S., but did you know that it is also larger than over 100 countries? The Yukon division in Alaska is larger than Japan. San Bernardino County in California is larger than Bosnia. Long Island NY is larger than Rhode Island. Perhaps it is better to think of this list as a helpful way to picture some of the more well-known political and geographical areas, whose sizes may compare with areas more familiar to you. This is a very short list of political and geographical areas of the earth. There is no complete list in existence, as that would encompass hundreds of thousands of entries, and not suit our purposes. This shortened version allows comparisons to be made with familiar North American and other world areas. Only the largest 318 counties/divisions are shown on this list. It should be noted that there are about 2780 “county” divisions in the U.S. which are not on this list, of which each is less than 2000 square miles in area, but which still are much larger than 18 countries and other autonomous regions. In addition, only a few of the largest political divisions within countries are shown for comparison, while in-fact, these various political and geographical subdivisions number into the thousands, and of course, there are several hundred thousand individual islands, groups, islets, reefs, etc. that are too numerous to mention. My intention is to provide a reference tool beneficial to the student, traveler and historian. Perspective, then, is the worthy goal toward which this study is aiming. As the list grows, and the sizes become smaller, the temptation is to write-off such seemingly inconsequential areas, until you remember that areas which comprise only a few acres or square miles may contain vibrant countries, cities and political infrastructures such as Liechtenstein, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Hong Kong, Monaco and Vatican City. Imagine then, if you will, that someday even smaller areas than these will contain similar entities, and it follows that every area should be considered on its own merits as well as for its potentialities. When you see, for example, that Sumba is approximately the size of more well-known locations, such as Jamaica, Kosovo and Ellef Ringnes, this should awaken the sleeping geographer within you to discover something about Sumba, its location, etc. Although there are currently only 194 countries recognized, there are 233 shown with asterisks, indicating 39 additional autonomous regions in varying stages of political independence, and which may, in our lifetimes, be recognized as independent nations. Most of Los Angeles County has a low-density population when compared with Tokyo, Seoul and Mumbai. Still, if North America had an average population density like Los Angeles County, it would hold the entire population of the world, leaving the rest of the planet available for growing food. For those who are still not convinced that our planet is large enough to provide for our nutritional needs, I offer the following example—if all of the world’s people lived in a place with a population density like San Francisco County, they would all fit within Venezuela, leaving the rest of the world available for agriculture. A further example for the unconvinced would be Hong Kong. If the entire population of the world were to live in an area with a population density equal to that of Hong Kong, they would easily fit into an area the size of Panama. Are you picturing this yet? For the record, I would never wish for all of us to live in North America, Venezuela, or Panama, but I hope that these examples serve to explain why I feel that we can solve our nutritional shortages. To help keep things straight, the following designations will apply: countries=*, states=^, “counties”=+. The Sahara Desert is approximately the size of Canada. Do any of you look at the Sahara and see vast agricultural opportunity? Depending on how you look at it, U.S. federal land holdings, if considered as a separate country, would be the world’s 10th largest nation, or Western Australia, by itself, would be the world’s 10th largest country. Let’s not just make better use of the arable land we already have, but let’s increase the amount of arable land through zoning, desalinization plants, soil amendments, wind breaks, catch-basins, land conservation, irrigation, green-housing, terracing, trellising, rooftop, patio and home gardening. By the way, let’s stop building on top of our best agricultural lands, and let’s stop building on river bottoms, flood plains and coastal flood zones that are at obvious risk of flooding. These are obviously much-better-used for agriculture. I tend to favor more populist governmental policies of land-distribution, such as that practiced in the settlement of the Midwest in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and in other places like Australia in the mid-1960’s. For example, the 1,020,780 square miles of U.S. land currently under the control of the federal government could be equally divided among the nation's 305,000,000 people, (which works out to about 2 acres per man, woman and child), and the revenues derived from this land as well as the ultimate control could be assigned to the people of the United States on a per-family-unit sectional basis. There are those who would argue that governments are better-able to decide issues of land-usage, and there are some cases where that is true, but far more often, governmental ownership of the land discourages progress, independence and accountability. Globally, there are about 5 acres per person, which when evenly divided by family group, would encourage the development and diversity of land that would otherwise remain unusable and unused. Whether the land is developed individually or governmentally, the object is to make the best possible use of the land that is available, and at least so far, the current policy of landholding has left billions of acres under and undeveloped, while there is domestic poverty and global starvation, while Nero fiddles and Rome burns, and everyone sits around waiting for someone else to do something about it. Let’s examine this problem and make some plans to deal with it! While we are addressing the problem of population versus land area, it is often stated that there are too many people and not enough land to go around, and that this situation is only getting worse. One of the suggestions for dealing with this problem has been population control, which we are told will solve the problem of food-shortage. Fewer mouths to feed sounds alright until we consider that there will also be fewer hands and brains to accomplish the task. Those mechanistic infrastructures which are necessary for the accomplishment of agricultural improvements require the human ingenuity and manpower necessary for their implementation. What about the ever-present dangers of plague and climate change, which until very recently in human history were responsible for the annihilation of huge portions of humanity? Those who suggest and fund studies of population control should direct their efforts toward more equitable distribution of land and capital development and stop throwing a risky monkey wrench into global biology. (Note: This comparative summary list will follow as soon as formatting is completed.)
Mark Overt Skilbred
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES: 28-Gram Daily Maximum Of Added-Sugar Intake Per Person?
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES: 28-GRAM DAILY MAXIMUM OF ADDED-SUGAR INTAKE PER PERSON?
CBS News had an interview this morning with a diet expert who was discussing the differences between sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It seems that experts are trying to discover the reasons for the recent increases in obesity and diabetes, and corn syrup is their number one suspect. Recently, American food corporations have begun to reduce their usage of high fructose corn syrup and are substituting other forms of sugar which have not received as much negative publicity as corn syrup. 28 grams has been fixed as the current maximum daily amount of added sugar in any form and for any diet, a level beyond which obesity and diabetes are possible and even likely. Current U.S. levels are nearing 4 times that rate of sugar consumption, causing widespread fears of dire consequences amongst leading health authorities. Experience seems to validate this figure based on current estimates, and certainly there needs to be a benchmark number established so that future studies will have a comparison reference point. We know that there was little obesity at the turn of the 20th Century, when far lower amounts of sugar were consumed and a higher level of exercise and physical work in that predominantly agrarian society were normal. Returns to those same levels of sugar consumption and physical activity have been rare in the past century, with notable exceptions being in the cases of those who pursue a much more physical and health-conscious life style. It has also been pointed out that at least there was no obesity in concentration camps during wartime, although there were other more serious health concerns, for obvious reasons. All other circumstances being equal, apparently levels of sugar consumption and exercise have a great deal to do with health and obesity issues. Walking continues to be the most highly recommended form of exercise, due to its adaptability to various lifestyle regimens and its historically low negative-impact rate. Other forms of aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling, jogging, running, dancing, calisthenics, weight-lifting and various other workout regimens help to round out the list of other recommended exercise programs. Those who are just beginning to reverse their bad eating and exercise habits must proceed cautiously, particularly in the beginning, to avoid setbacks and delays to their progress. Consistency is the best friend of those who practice improvements of any kind, and will reward those who are most diligent. Slowly and gradually increasing the level and difficulty of exercise programs is far better than drastic changes, and of course, the older you are when you begin to make these lifestyle changes makes this even more imperative. Depression is a frequent cause and result of negative physical lifestyles, but can be reversed and eliminated by positive changes in diet and exercise programs. Examination of one’s diet should be the first step when seeking reasons for depression, and exercise is often referred to as “the poor man’s anti-depressant” because so many have reported the reduction and elimination of anti-depression medications as a result of exercise. As always, a holistic approach to health must include healthy diet and exercise choices accompanied by improved attitudes toward one’s fellow man, surroundings, and Creator. Vibrant and creative lifestyles can be found at all levels and ages of society, regardless of circumstances, so make the most of this life which we have been given!
Mark Overt Skilbred
CBS News had an interview this morning with a diet expert who was discussing the differences between sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It seems that experts are trying to discover the reasons for the recent increases in obesity and diabetes, and corn syrup is their number one suspect. Recently, American food corporations have begun to reduce their usage of high fructose corn syrup and are substituting other forms of sugar which have not received as much negative publicity as corn syrup. 28 grams has been fixed as the current maximum daily amount of added sugar in any form and for any diet, a level beyond which obesity and diabetes are possible and even likely. Current U.S. levels are nearing 4 times that rate of sugar consumption, causing widespread fears of dire consequences amongst leading health authorities. Experience seems to validate this figure based on current estimates, and certainly there needs to be a benchmark number established so that future studies will have a comparison reference point. We know that there was little obesity at the turn of the 20th Century, when far lower amounts of sugar were consumed and a higher level of exercise and physical work in that predominantly agrarian society were normal. Returns to those same levels of sugar consumption and physical activity have been rare in the past century, with notable exceptions being in the cases of those who pursue a much more physical and health-conscious life style. It has also been pointed out that at least there was no obesity in concentration camps during wartime, although there were other more serious health concerns, for obvious reasons. All other circumstances being equal, apparently levels of sugar consumption and exercise have a great deal to do with health and obesity issues. Walking continues to be the most highly recommended form of exercise, due to its adaptability to various lifestyle regimens and its historically low negative-impact rate. Other forms of aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling, jogging, running, dancing, calisthenics, weight-lifting and various other workout regimens help to round out the list of other recommended exercise programs. Those who are just beginning to reverse their bad eating and exercise habits must proceed cautiously, particularly in the beginning, to avoid setbacks and delays to their progress. Consistency is the best friend of those who practice improvements of any kind, and will reward those who are most diligent. Slowly and gradually increasing the level and difficulty of exercise programs is far better than drastic changes, and of course, the older you are when you begin to make these lifestyle changes makes this even more imperative. Depression is a frequent cause and result of negative physical lifestyles, but can be reversed and eliminated by positive changes in diet and exercise programs. Examination of one’s diet should be the first step when seeking reasons for depression, and exercise is often referred to as “the poor man’s anti-depressant” because so many have reported the reduction and elimination of anti-depression medications as a result of exercise. As always, a holistic approach to health must include healthy diet and exercise choices accompanied by improved attitudes toward one’s fellow man, surroundings, and Creator. Vibrant and creative lifestyles can be found at all levels and ages of society, regardless of circumstances, so make the most of this life which we have been given!
Mark Overt Skilbred
Monday, March 23, 2009
THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH
THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH
There should be serious consideration given to a flood control project in the Red River Valley aimed at improving the management of one of America’s premier waterways and its environs. A similar project in Canada, undertaken to prevent a recurrence of the flood which damaged Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1950, which has now grown into a metropolitan area of about 700,000 people, has saved the Canadian government an estimated $10 billion in damage repairs just since 1969, when it was completed. The 1997 flood alone caused approximately $3.5 billion in damage on both sides of the border, including widespread devastation in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a city with a metro population of approximately 100,000 people. To give you some idea of the potential for devastation, residents in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge and the Fargo-Moorhead metro areas, along with thousands of volunteers and the National Guard are expecting river levels to surpass the record of 40 feet over flood stage, on Monday, March 23, 2009, while Grand Forks is preparing for levels above 52 feet. Forecasts of rain and snow are expected to further complicate sandbagging efforts surpassing one million bags, with calls for an additional second million or more bags as volunteers and responses increase to protect the lives and property of the Fargo-Moorhead area, a metro region of approximately 200,000 people. The states of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, which contain the Red River of the North have managed to survive numerous floods in the past through diligence, persistence and often massive relief efforts and capital expenditures. Thoughtful regional cooperation amongst the various states and Canada should develop a flood-control plan aimed at the protection of the lives and valuable agricultural lands and infrastructure which surround the Red River from its origin in Big Stone Lake in South Dakota along the shared boundary line of North Dakota and Minnesota and to its terminus in Lake Winnipeg in Canada. Various governmental entities, including the Army Corp of Engineers and environmental agencies, as well as the equivalent Canadian representatives should undertake a fact-finding study to determine environmental impact and the changes in infrastructure which are necessary to adequately address the needs of the various entities impacted by the Red River of the North and its environs. A proactive discovery team must consider the issues of safety, agriculture, transportation, parks and recreational use which are affected by a project of this magnitude. A proactive approach should consider the greater and lasting human and economic benefits of a venture that has the ability to transform the region by providing jobs and business related to the building of levees, dikes, catch-basins, dams, pipes, pumps, overflow and irrigation waterways, various connecting roadways and parkways and their maintenance and support networks. A prompt and inclusive strategy which focuses on areas of immediate need as well as future development is certainly long past due and necessary to safeguard and minimize future catastrophic flooding in the region. (Writer’s Note: Having grown up in the region, attended college at Concordia Moorhead and worked in the area, I know that due to the stoic nature of Midwesterners generally, and particularly those who live in this region, it is unlikely that the rest of the country and world would hear of this ongoing need for infrastructural change, were it not for the welcome, but intermittent reporting from news agencies.) For this reason, the rest of us need to be made aware of a situation that will not improve on its own with time alone. And because the best time to repair a leaking roof is before it begins to rain again, I recommend that we quickly employ much-needed stimulus dollars in a region which knows well how to stretch dollars, make the most out of gainful employment and has one of the best records of volunteer relief effort in the nation. Executive and bipartisan stimulus support for those improvements which create dollar-for-dollar savings in the long run and which will make up for the investment many times over in years to come are dollars well-spent, as we can clearly see from the example of our forward-thinking Canadian neighbors to the north, whose investments in infrastructure have been repaid many times over in real savings of human and financial capital.
Mark Overt Skilbred
There should be serious consideration given to a flood control project in the Red River Valley aimed at improving the management of one of America’s premier waterways and its environs. A similar project in Canada, undertaken to prevent a recurrence of the flood which damaged Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1950, which has now grown into a metropolitan area of about 700,000 people, has saved the Canadian government an estimated $10 billion in damage repairs just since 1969, when it was completed. The 1997 flood alone caused approximately $3.5 billion in damage on both sides of the border, including widespread devastation in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a city with a metro population of approximately 100,000 people. To give you some idea of the potential for devastation, residents in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge and the Fargo-Moorhead metro areas, along with thousands of volunteers and the National Guard are expecting river levels to surpass the record of 40 feet over flood stage, on Monday, March 23, 2009, while Grand Forks is preparing for levels above 52 feet. Forecasts of rain and snow are expected to further complicate sandbagging efforts surpassing one million bags, with calls for an additional second million or more bags as volunteers and responses increase to protect the lives and property of the Fargo-Moorhead area, a metro region of approximately 200,000 people. The states of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, which contain the Red River of the North have managed to survive numerous floods in the past through diligence, persistence and often massive relief efforts and capital expenditures. Thoughtful regional cooperation amongst the various states and Canada should develop a flood-control plan aimed at the protection of the lives and valuable agricultural lands and infrastructure which surround the Red River from its origin in Big Stone Lake in South Dakota along the shared boundary line of North Dakota and Minnesota and to its terminus in Lake Winnipeg in Canada. Various governmental entities, including the Army Corp of Engineers and environmental agencies, as well as the equivalent Canadian representatives should undertake a fact-finding study to determine environmental impact and the changes in infrastructure which are necessary to adequately address the needs of the various entities impacted by the Red River of the North and its environs. A proactive discovery team must consider the issues of safety, agriculture, transportation, parks and recreational use which are affected by a project of this magnitude. A proactive approach should consider the greater and lasting human and economic benefits of a venture that has the ability to transform the region by providing jobs and business related to the building of levees, dikes, catch-basins, dams, pipes, pumps, overflow and irrigation waterways, various connecting roadways and parkways and their maintenance and support networks. A prompt and inclusive strategy which focuses on areas of immediate need as well as future development is certainly long past due and necessary to safeguard and minimize future catastrophic flooding in the region. (Writer’s Note: Having grown up in the region, attended college at Concordia Moorhead and worked in the area, I know that due to the stoic nature of Midwesterners generally, and particularly those who live in this region, it is unlikely that the rest of the country and world would hear of this ongoing need for infrastructural change, were it not for the welcome, but intermittent reporting from news agencies.) For this reason, the rest of us need to be made aware of a situation that will not improve on its own with time alone. And because the best time to repair a leaking roof is before it begins to rain again, I recommend that we quickly employ much-needed stimulus dollars in a region which knows well how to stretch dollars, make the most out of gainful employment and has one of the best records of volunteer relief effort in the nation. Executive and bipartisan stimulus support for those improvements which create dollar-for-dollar savings in the long run and which will make up for the investment many times over in years to come are dollars well-spent, as we can clearly see from the example of our forward-thinking Canadian neighbors to the north, whose investments in infrastructure have been repaid many times over in real savings of human and financial capital.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS--THOUGHTS FROM LAMENTATIONS 3
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS—THOUGHTS FROM LAMENTATIONS 3
“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; indeed, He has turned His hand against me again and again, all day long. He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead. He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains. Even when I call out or cry for help, He shuts out my prayer. He has barred my way with blocks of stone; He has made my paths crooked. Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding, He dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help. He drew His bow and made me the target for His arrows. He pierced my heart with arrows from His quiver. I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long. He has filled me with bitter herbs and sated me with gall. He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your Faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love, for He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, to deny a man his rights before the Most High, to deprive a man of justice—would not the Lord see such things? Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” (The Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Chapter 3:1-40)
This remarkable passage records one of the darkest periods in the history of the Jewish nation, when the Jews had forsaken God, their rulers had perverted justice, and God sent Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah captive to Babylon. Jeremiah, who was God’s prophet in Jerusalem before, during and after the final invasion by Nebuchadnezzar and who witnessed some of the most horrific suffering by his people as a punishment for their sins, was placed there by God to warn the Jews, participate in their suffering and faithfully record the consequences of their sin for posterity. Lamentations is an extreme example of the lengths to which God goes in pursuing His chosen people. He remains faithful to them in their punishment until the bitter end, and even then cares for those in Babylon and those who remain behind in the land surrounding the ruins of Jerusalem. In the midst of lament there is hope and reassurance that our God is faithful! Even when His chosen people had been unfaithful to Him and deserved His punishment, God promised them that there would come a day when He would bring them back and restore them in Jerusalem. A much different example from the Book of Job shows God’s Omniscience and provision before, during and after a time of testing. In this case, God proves to Job and his friends that He is faithful in preserving Job’s life and restoring him to health and prosperity. This example of testing a faithful man for the purpose of increasing his faith and relationship with his Heavenly Father shows another extreme example of God’s faithfulness in the further improvement of an exemplary man. Although most of us never experience anything like the extreme tests of Jeremiah and Job, we still endure those difficult and particular tests which address areas of our lives which need improvement. “For I know the plans I have for you—plans to prosper you and do you good.” God wants us to realize that if He has remained faithful in the most extreme cases in history, that He will also remain faithful to us. We who are but dust have had the breath of life breathed into us by a God Who Is Faithful! Our lives are a gift of creation from a loving and Faithful God Who understands our sorrows and is acquainted with our grief. Maybe it has been awhile since you have talked with God. Perhaps you feel that He is no longer listening to you and you think that God has abandoned you. God asked Abraham and Sarah a rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for God?” to which the answer is a resounding NO! Paul tells us, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) Jeremiah and Job both questioned where God was in their circumstances and doubted that God was listening to their cries for help, and yet God was patient with their complaints and lack of trust and granted them eternal life with Him. God will reward us for our trust and faithfulness towards Him and has provided us with His Holy Spirit, Who will provide the strength and endurance that is needed for each day until we are reunited with Him in heaven. Life is difficult, and designed to be just as hard as necessary to bring us to the end of ourselves and to the realization of our need for a Savior. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) These familiar words provide assurance to us in our darkest hours that our God is faithful and committed to our salvation, if we will only trust and follow Him.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:1-7)
May God grant you the patient endurance which is needed as you confront your daily obstacles and may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Mark Overt Skilbred
“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; indeed, He has turned His hand against me again and again, all day long. He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead. He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains. Even when I call out or cry for help, He shuts out my prayer. He has barred my way with blocks of stone; He has made my paths crooked. Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding, He dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help. He drew His bow and made me the target for His arrows. He pierced my heart with arrows from His quiver. I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long. He has filled me with bitter herbs and sated me with gall. He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your Faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love, for He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, to deny a man his rights before the Most High, to deprive a man of justice—would not the Lord see such things? Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” (The Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Chapter 3:1-40)
This remarkable passage records one of the darkest periods in the history of the Jewish nation, when the Jews had forsaken God, their rulers had perverted justice, and God sent Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah captive to Babylon. Jeremiah, who was God’s prophet in Jerusalem before, during and after the final invasion by Nebuchadnezzar and who witnessed some of the most horrific suffering by his people as a punishment for their sins, was placed there by God to warn the Jews, participate in their suffering and faithfully record the consequences of their sin for posterity. Lamentations is an extreme example of the lengths to which God goes in pursuing His chosen people. He remains faithful to them in their punishment until the bitter end, and even then cares for those in Babylon and those who remain behind in the land surrounding the ruins of Jerusalem. In the midst of lament there is hope and reassurance that our God is faithful! Even when His chosen people had been unfaithful to Him and deserved His punishment, God promised them that there would come a day when He would bring them back and restore them in Jerusalem. A much different example from the Book of Job shows God’s Omniscience and provision before, during and after a time of testing. In this case, God proves to Job and his friends that He is faithful in preserving Job’s life and restoring him to health and prosperity. This example of testing a faithful man for the purpose of increasing his faith and relationship with his Heavenly Father shows another extreme example of God’s faithfulness in the further improvement of an exemplary man. Although most of us never experience anything like the extreme tests of Jeremiah and Job, we still endure those difficult and particular tests which address areas of our lives which need improvement. “For I know the plans I have for you—plans to prosper you and do you good.” God wants us to realize that if He has remained faithful in the most extreme cases in history, that He will also remain faithful to us. We who are but dust have had the breath of life breathed into us by a God Who Is Faithful! Our lives are a gift of creation from a loving and Faithful God Who understands our sorrows and is acquainted with our grief. Maybe it has been awhile since you have talked with God. Perhaps you feel that He is no longer listening to you and you think that God has abandoned you. God asked Abraham and Sarah a rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for God?” to which the answer is a resounding NO! Paul tells us, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) Jeremiah and Job both questioned where God was in their circumstances and doubted that God was listening to their cries for help, and yet God was patient with their complaints and lack of trust and granted them eternal life with Him. God will reward us for our trust and faithfulness towards Him and has provided us with His Holy Spirit, Who will provide the strength and endurance that is needed for each day until we are reunited with Him in heaven. Life is difficult, and designed to be just as hard as necessary to bring us to the end of ourselves and to the realization of our need for a Savior. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) These familiar words provide assurance to us in our darkest hours that our God is faithful and committed to our salvation, if we will only trust and follow Him.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:1-7)
May God grant you the patient endurance which is needed as you confront your daily obstacles and may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Mark Overt Skilbred
SKILBRED COMPARATIVE WEATHER CALENDAR
SKILBRED COMPARATIVE WEATHER CALENDAR
This is a useful tool for comparing weather data based on
angle from the sun. Try checking Google weather by city
for that date and see how similar they are! Note the
following example:
23rd and Mountain, Upland, CA — Current Conditions
Daily Summary for March 18, 2009
Current: High: Low: Average:
Temperature: 87.1 °F 87.1 °F 54.2 °F 65.5 °F
Dew Point: 43.7 °F 48.5 °F 31.3 °F 39.2 °F
Humidity: 22% 58% 22% 39%
Wind Speed: 0.0mph 0.0mph - 0.0mph
Wind Gust: 0.0mph 0.0mph - -
Wind: North - - South
Pressure: 29.97in 30.06in 29.97in -
Precipitation: 0.00in
(By scrolling down and entering the corresponding date
in the weather history date selector, you will see
the following comparison history:)
23rd and Mountain, Upland, CA
Daily Summary for September 24, 2008
Current: High: Low: Average:
Temperature: 86.7 °F 99.0 °F 65.1 °F 80.2 °F
Dew Point: 44.5 °F 59.8 °F 34.0 °F 46.6 °F
Humidity: 23% 48% 22% 31%
Wind Speed: 0.0mph 0.0mph - 0.0mph
Wind Gust: 0.0mph 0.0mph - -
Wind: North - - South
Pressure: 29.97in 29.98in 29.78in -
Precipitation: 0.00in
The following list shows the corresponding
angle-distance date based on proximity to
winter and summer solstices.
COMPARATIVE WEATHER CALENDAR:
December 21 ----- December 20
December 22 ----- December 19
December 23 ----- December 18
December 24 ----- December 17
December 25 ----- December 16
December 26 ----- December 15
December 27 ----- December 14
December 28 ----- December 13
December 29 ----- December 12
December 30 ----- December 11
December 31 ----- December 10
January 1 ------- December 9
January 2 ------- December 8
January 3 ------- December 7
January 4 ------- December 6
January 5 ------- December 5
January 6 ------- December 4
January 7 ------- December 3
January 8 ------- December 2
January 9 ------- December 1
January 10 ------ November 30
January 11 ------ November 29
January 12 ------ November 28
January 13 ------ November 27
January 14 ------ November 26
January 15 ------ November 25
January 16 ------ November 24
January 17 ------ November 23
January 18 ------ November 22
January 19 ------ November 21
January 20 ------ November 20
January 21 ------ November 19
January 22 ------ November 18
January 23 ------ November 17
January 24 ------ November 16
January 25 ------ November 15
January 26 ------ November 14
January 27 ------ November 13
January 28 ------ November 12
January 29 ------ November 11
January 30 ------ November 10
January 31 ------ November 9
February 1 ------ November 8
February 2 ------ November 7
February 3 ------ November 6
February 4 ------ November 5
February 5 ------ November 4
February 6 ------ November 3
February 7 ------ November 2
February 8 ------ November 1
February 9 ------ October 31
February 10 ----- October 30
February 11 ----- October 29
February 12 ----- October 28
February 13 ----- October 27
February 14 ----- October 26
February 15 ----- October 25
February 16 ----- October 24
February 17 ----- October 23
February 18 ----- October 22
February 19 ----- October 21
February 20 ----- October 20
February 21 ----- October 19
February 22 ----- October 18
February 23 ----- October 17
February 24 ----- October 16
February 25 ----- October 15
February 26 ----- October 14
February 27 ----- October 13
February 28 ----- October 12
March 1 --------- October 11
March 2 --------- October 10
March 3 --------- October 9
March 4 --------- October 8
March 5 --------- October 7
March 6 --------- October 6
March 7 --------- October 5
March 8 --------- October 4
March 9 --------- October 3
March 10 -------- October 2
March 11 -------- October 1
March 12 -------- September 30
March 13 -------- September 29
March 14 -------- September 28
March 15 -------- September 27
March 16 -------- September 26
March 17 -------- September 25
March 18 -------- September 24
March 19 -------- September 23
March 20 -------- September 22
March 21 -------- September 21
March 22 -------- September 20
March 23 -------- September 19
March 24 -------- September 18
March 25 -------- September 17
March 26 -------- September 16
March 27 -------- September 15
March 28 -------- September 14
March 29 -------- September 13
March 30 -------- September 12
March 31 -------- September 11
April 1 --------- September 10
April 2 --------- September 9
April 3 --------- September 8
April 4 --------- September 7
April 5 --------- September 6
April 6 --------- September 5
April 7 --------- September 4
April 8 --------- September 3
April 9 --------- September 2
April 10 -------- September 1
April 11 -------- August 31
April 12 -------- August 30
April 13 -------- August 29
April 14 -------- August 28
April 15 -------- August 27
April 16 -------- August 26
April 17 -------- August 25
April 18 -------- August 24
April 19 -------- August 23
April 20 -------- August 22
April 21 -------- August 21
April 22 -------- August 20
April 23 -------- August 19
April 24 -------- August 18
April 25 -------- August 17
April 26 -------- August 16
April 27 -------- August 15
April 28 -------- August 14
April 29--------- August 13
April 30 -------- August 12
May 1 ----------- August 11
May 2 ----------- August 10
May 3 ----------- August 9
May 4 ----------- August 8
May 5 ----------- August 7
May 6 ----------- August 6
May 7 ----------- August 5
May 8 ----------- August 4
May 9 ----------- August 3
May 10 ---------- August 2
May 11 ---------- August 1
May 12 ---------- July 31
May 13 ---------- July 30
May 14 ---------- July 29
May 15 ---------- July 28
May 16 ---------- July 27
May 17 ---------- July 26
May 18 ---------- July 25
May 19 ---------- July 24
May 20 ---------- July 23
May 21 ---------- July 22
May 22 ---------- July 21
May 23 ---------- July 20
May 24 ---------- July 19
May 25 ---------- July 18
May 26 ---------- July 17
May 27 ---------- July 16
May 28 ---------- July 15
May 29 ---------- July 14
May 30 ---------- July 13
May 31 ---------- July 12
June 1 ---------- July 11
June 2 ---------- July 10
June 3 ---------- July 9
June 4 ---------- July 8
June 5 ---------- July 7
June 6 ---------- July 6
June 7 ---------- July 5
June 8 ---------- July 4
June 9 ---------- July 3
June 10 --------- July 2
June 11 --------- July 1
June 12 --------- June 30
June 13 --------- June 29
June 14 --------- June 28
June 15 --------- June 27
June 16 --------- June 26
June 17 --------- June 25
June 18 --------- June 24
June 19 --------- June 23
June 20 --------- June 22
June 21 --------- June 21
I hope that this proves to
be of some help in your
weather predictions!
Mark Overt Skilbred
This is a useful tool for comparing weather data based on
angle from the sun. Try checking Google weather by city
for that date and see how similar they are! Note the
following example:
23rd and Mountain, Upland, CA — Current Conditions
Daily Summary for March 18, 2009
Current: High: Low: Average:
Temperature: 87.1 °F 87.1 °F 54.2 °F 65.5 °F
Dew Point: 43.7 °F 48.5 °F 31.3 °F 39.2 °F
Humidity: 22% 58% 22% 39%
Wind Speed: 0.0mph 0.0mph - 0.0mph
Wind Gust: 0.0mph 0.0mph - -
Wind: North - - South
Pressure: 29.97in 30.06in 29.97in -
Precipitation: 0.00in
(By scrolling down and entering the corresponding date
in the weather history date selector, you will see
the following comparison history:)
23rd and Mountain, Upland, CA
Daily Summary for September 24, 2008
Current: High: Low: Average:
Temperature: 86.7 °F 99.0 °F 65.1 °F 80.2 °F
Dew Point: 44.5 °F 59.8 °F 34.0 °F 46.6 °F
Humidity: 23% 48% 22% 31%
Wind Speed: 0.0mph 0.0mph - 0.0mph
Wind Gust: 0.0mph 0.0mph - -
Wind: North - - South
Pressure: 29.97in 29.98in 29.78in -
Precipitation: 0.00in
The following list shows the corresponding
angle-distance date based on proximity to
winter and summer solstices.
COMPARATIVE WEATHER CALENDAR:
December 21 ----- December 20
December 22 ----- December 19
December 23 ----- December 18
December 24 ----- December 17
December 25 ----- December 16
December 26 ----- December 15
December 27 ----- December 14
December 28 ----- December 13
December 29 ----- December 12
December 30 ----- December 11
December 31 ----- December 10
January 1 ------- December 9
January 2 ------- December 8
January 3 ------- December 7
January 4 ------- December 6
January 5 ------- December 5
January 6 ------- December 4
January 7 ------- December 3
January 8 ------- December 2
January 9 ------- December 1
January 10 ------ November 30
January 11 ------ November 29
January 12 ------ November 28
January 13 ------ November 27
January 14 ------ November 26
January 15 ------ November 25
January 16 ------ November 24
January 17 ------ November 23
January 18 ------ November 22
January 19 ------ November 21
January 20 ------ November 20
January 21 ------ November 19
January 22 ------ November 18
January 23 ------ November 17
January 24 ------ November 16
January 25 ------ November 15
January 26 ------ November 14
January 27 ------ November 13
January 28 ------ November 12
January 29 ------ November 11
January 30 ------ November 10
January 31 ------ November 9
February 1 ------ November 8
February 2 ------ November 7
February 3 ------ November 6
February 4 ------ November 5
February 5 ------ November 4
February 6 ------ November 3
February 7 ------ November 2
February 8 ------ November 1
February 9 ------ October 31
February 10 ----- October 30
February 11 ----- October 29
February 12 ----- October 28
February 13 ----- October 27
February 14 ----- October 26
February 15 ----- October 25
February 16 ----- October 24
February 17 ----- October 23
February 18 ----- October 22
February 19 ----- October 21
February 20 ----- October 20
February 21 ----- October 19
February 22 ----- October 18
February 23 ----- October 17
February 24 ----- October 16
February 25 ----- October 15
February 26 ----- October 14
February 27 ----- October 13
February 28 ----- October 12
March 1 --------- October 11
March 2 --------- October 10
March 3 --------- October 9
March 4 --------- October 8
March 5 --------- October 7
March 6 --------- October 6
March 7 --------- October 5
March 8 --------- October 4
March 9 --------- October 3
March 10 -------- October 2
March 11 -------- October 1
March 12 -------- September 30
March 13 -------- September 29
March 14 -------- September 28
March 15 -------- September 27
March 16 -------- September 26
March 17 -------- September 25
March 18 -------- September 24
March 19 -------- September 23
March 20 -------- September 22
March 21 -------- September 21
March 22 -------- September 20
March 23 -------- September 19
March 24 -------- September 18
March 25 -------- September 17
March 26 -------- September 16
March 27 -------- September 15
March 28 -------- September 14
March 29 -------- September 13
March 30 -------- September 12
March 31 -------- September 11
April 1 --------- September 10
April 2 --------- September 9
April 3 --------- September 8
April 4 --------- September 7
April 5 --------- September 6
April 6 --------- September 5
April 7 --------- September 4
April 8 --------- September 3
April 9 --------- September 2
April 10 -------- September 1
April 11 -------- August 31
April 12 -------- August 30
April 13 -------- August 29
April 14 -------- August 28
April 15 -------- August 27
April 16 -------- August 26
April 17 -------- August 25
April 18 -------- August 24
April 19 -------- August 23
April 20 -------- August 22
April 21 -------- August 21
April 22 -------- August 20
April 23 -------- August 19
April 24 -------- August 18
April 25 -------- August 17
April 26 -------- August 16
April 27 -------- August 15
April 28 -------- August 14
April 29--------- August 13
April 30 -------- August 12
May 1 ----------- August 11
May 2 ----------- August 10
May 3 ----------- August 9
May 4 ----------- August 8
May 5 ----------- August 7
May 6 ----------- August 6
May 7 ----------- August 5
May 8 ----------- August 4
May 9 ----------- August 3
May 10 ---------- August 2
May 11 ---------- August 1
May 12 ---------- July 31
May 13 ---------- July 30
May 14 ---------- July 29
May 15 ---------- July 28
May 16 ---------- July 27
May 17 ---------- July 26
May 18 ---------- July 25
May 19 ---------- July 24
May 20 ---------- July 23
May 21 ---------- July 22
May 22 ---------- July 21
May 23 ---------- July 20
May 24 ---------- July 19
May 25 ---------- July 18
May 26 ---------- July 17
May 27 ---------- July 16
May 28 ---------- July 15
May 29 ---------- July 14
May 30 ---------- July 13
May 31 ---------- July 12
June 1 ---------- July 11
June 2 ---------- July 10
June 3 ---------- July 9
June 4 ---------- July 8
June 5 ---------- July 7
June 6 ---------- July 6
June 7 ---------- July 5
June 8 ---------- July 4
June 9 ---------- July 3
June 10 --------- July 2
June 11 --------- July 1
June 12 --------- June 30
June 13 --------- June 29
June 14 --------- June 28
June 15 --------- June 27
June 16 --------- June 26
June 17 --------- June 25
June 18 --------- June 24
June 19 --------- June 23
June 20 --------- June 22
June 21 --------- June 21
I hope that this proves to
be of some help in your
weather predictions!
Mark Overt Skilbred
Friday, March 13, 2009
TOO BIG TO FAIL?
The banks want less governmental oversight? According to a comment in today’s news, someone in the treasury department, who is a holdover from the Bush administration, is requesting less governmental interference regarding how the bailout money should or should not be spent, including whether it should be loaned to foreign companies or withheld from domestic consumers. First of all, how appropriate that an administration which prided itself on fiscal non-intervention should seek to reinsert itself with more of the same failed rhetoric that got us into this mess in the first place! The notion of deregulation which led to our fiscal collapse is making another attempt to steer us away from the real culprits in this fiasco—the banks themselves. This Bush appointee essentially argues that no matter how well-intentioned the government may be in its oversight, that it is in no position to make requirements of banks, which are in a much better position to judge credit-worthiness, etc. If that were really the case, there would be no demand for governmental oversight in the first place! The banks—especially the large insolvent ones, lost their opportunity for less governmental oversight when they accepted the first bailout dollars. Does it really need to be explained to them that the American public is unwillingly loaning them money which they don’t have and passing along higher taxes to their grandchildren to bail out banks which were fundamentally under-regulated and were allowed to grow so large that they pose a threat to the stability of the national and world economy? Banks should be nationalized and broken up into small independent banks which are much easier to regulate and far easier to take over and recapitalize or sell in case of failure, without jeopardizing our banking system and our economy. The theory of “too big to fail” has sustained another torpedo strike in this latest congressional hearing, and now Gulliver finds himself protesting by way of his spokesperson that the Lilliputians have restrained him without cause and are seeking to govern his free exercise. Furthermore, Gulliver claims that he knows a lot more about his business than the Lilliputians do, and therefore deserves to proceed unimpeded to conduct business which he feels is more beneficial to his interests. Additionally, Gulliver feels that the Lilliputians have no rights in their own domain to restrict his movements or to make demands regarding his care and maintenance, including the cleanup and removal of waste generated by himself. The scale of Gulliver’s corporate ego is only matched by his disdain of the little people around him who are desperately attempting to go about their daily lives unimpeded by the giant in their midst. Similarly, the Spanish Armada considered itself too big to fail until it encountered a much more maneuverable British Navy. We Lilliputians have witnessed the rise of big business, big banking, corporate greed and mismanagement, and we know when Gulliver has overstepped his bounds and is in need of restraint. Indeed, the whole world agrees with us that a day of reckoning has come for those who endanger the fragile lives of Lilliputians and many of their companions throughout the world. There are those who argue that the use of the term “nationalize” is too harsh and polarizing, when in-fact it is prudent and necessary for the legal representatives of the Lilliputians to make it clear to Gulliver that he is an unwieldy giant who is trying to maneuver in a land where he is devouring more than his share of the land’s abundance, that he is bankrupt and no longer welcome in his present form, and that it is not okay with the Lilliputians for him to bribe and corrupt their government officials in order to curry their favor and influence their voting and to make-off with any additional resources, nor is it alright to enslave their children and grandchildren with false promises of easy credit and beneficial results to ensure another round of banking and wall street bailouts. Too big to fail? Better to ask “how are the mighty fallen?” and proceed with the governmental oversight which is now necessary to restrain Gulliver before he continues to maim and destroy any more of our precious national resources and citizens. If it were possible to find a mirror large enough to reflect the image of Gulliver, perhaps he would realize that he has been shipwrecked in a storm of his own creation, that he has been beached in a land where giants are not welcome, and that he is now restrained by the cords of the people who live here in order to protect the land and her citizens from further encroachments. Nationalize the banks!
Mark Overt Skilbred
Mark Overt Skilbred
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
Lines blur when examining our emotions, logic and motivations for defending our homes and countries against invasion, depending on how close you happen to be standing to the disaster, how threatened you feel, how imminent the danger to you and your loved ones, how accessible the enemy, and the overall state of national defense. This is a subject that could use further scrutiny, and one which we should explore as individuals and nations. It is far better to have guidelines in place for dealing with a crisis rather than waiting for the fatal moment to arrive and then flying by the seat of our pants to undesirable destinations. In retrospect, most modern warfare, needless slaughter and destruction of international cultures could be avoided by thoughtful examination, careful introspection and realistic diplomacy instead of investing our blood and treasure. Because in World War I&II there were such massive losses of life and limb, culture and wealth, (estimates of the human casualties for both wars exceeded 100 million lives), it is imperative that serious students of history seek to avoid their repetition. I would like to think that true diplomats are willing spokesmen for responsible solution and sustainable harmony, who are too-often ignored by political forces which pursue darker purposes. Global peace depends on temperaments and political and military recommendations which are most appropriate to the occasion--neither too passive nor too harsh. Similar to a family, we all need to maintain some degree of rational equilibrium when living in such close proximity to one another. Caveman thought and reaction lose their appeal in the modern world where instant communication and modern weaponry have created an urgent need for diplomacy and appropriate reaction to various assaults on our established cultures. How do we decide which actions deserve our attention and response? When the world disagrees with our vigilante plan of action, should we forge ahead, oblivious to the collective wisdom of our most-trusted allies? We who would instruct the world—do we fail to heed instruction? Are our motives purely peacekeeping and bridge-building? Perhaps if the Western response to 9-11 had been to collectively “turn the other cheek” and patiently strengthen our ties with each other and our allies in the Middle-East, we may have encouraged those in authority to reign-in harmful and destructive elements within their own borders and build regional consensus. Rather than assuming a broader conspiracy against the West by our Middle-Eastern brothers, we could have viewed the actions of a few as the exception to an otherwise more stable and self-regulated political environment. Our over-reaction has polarized the region by insisting that lines be drawn between their cultures and their loyalty to the West. It is likely that the increase in Muslim fratricide can be blamed more on loss of infrastructure in the wake of regime-change, than on historical precedent. Can the erosion of the Middle-Eastern mindset towards the West be improved through greater respect for their cultural autonomy? Are political and economic impotence the perceived and actual reasons for their disagreements with the West, or are religious and cultural differences at the core of the conflict? When the citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank demonstrate a desire to choose their own systems of law and governance and clearly desire less interference in their internal affairs, what is our justification for further confrontation? Because our methods of civil and moral law have tended to diverge not so much in principle as in methods of enforcement, does this justify condemnation and contempt? We also have a history of exploitation and mistreatment, rather than the careful examination and rehabilitation of our misunderstood and neglected native populations, our imported slave populations and our dissident and criminal elements. Our own Code of the West, in effect until fairly recently in our nation’s history, was enabled and enforced as long as we deemed it effective, yet we wag our hypocritical fingers at those whose legal systems, through the use of all measurable indices of crime and dissidence, have historically tended to maintain greater civil harmony with less injury than those who would be their instructors. We cannot expect other nations who have ancient and stable systems of law enforcement to adopt our Western methods and timetables as though we shared the same historical development. Those who live in glass houses and moralize about the methods used by others should carefully consider their own hypocrisy before throwing stones. There are those in the West who pride themselves on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, while denying these same freedoms to others. By focusing on governmental differences rather than on our shared interests in tolerance and development, we delay our diplomatic progress and risk further polarization and its attendant perils. If the governing systems of the West are truly superior to those of our Middle-Eastern neighbors, then this truth will be self-evident, and history will benefit when we lead by good example, and reward us with success without needless struggle for domination. We can do a better job of encouraging others by practicing diplomatic restraint and developing more hopeful agendas. If our Middle-Eastern strategy towards Israel and her neighbors is merely the defense of Israel from her more surly neighbors, why not bolster her defenses without further antagonism of her enemies? Just as Israel’s right to defend herself rests upon the same claims as freedom-loving peoples everywhere, depriving or restricting her neighbors’ ability to create their own sustainable culture is ideological hypocrisy as well as a recipe for disaster. Since Christianity, Islam and Judaism share common religious roots, whose purpose is devotion to The One God’s eternal principles of law and justice, why is it that in the pursuit of such lofty aspirations, we forget our shared faith in the command to love our neighbors as ourselves, which is the fulfillment of all the law and prophets? If our Mid-Eastern policies result in the further proliferation of anti-American sentiments among grassroots Muslims, wouldn’t any logical diplomatic assessment infer that our policy is misguided? A shared commitment to basic standards of human decency and infrastructures which support the common dignity and beneficial development of humanity must engage in those border-neutral pursuits which strengthen our shared advancement. The command to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” presumes a proactively-peaceful and helpful attitude, agenda and actions. When Madison Avenue seeks to create the desire for goods and services, do they begin by destroying the lives and homes of potential customers, and then assign blame and make demands that their victim-customers help to pay for the new infrastructure? Shall we blame the victims for their political and physical inability to reign in harmful elements, or should we rather assist them in their decision-making ability by presenting viable alternatives as choices rather than mandates, and show by our own good example that we are patiently working toward stability and humanitarian solutions? Are bullets and bombs the key to a peaceful and holistic diplomacy? Why not discourage rogue elements by treating the majority as our friends instead of lumping them all into the same category and assuming the worst about their character? If the carrots the West is offering to the Middle-East are not desirable, helpful, wholesome and constructive, why are we surprised by rejection and retaliation? When you plant weeds, should you be surprised at the harvest? If our motivation is the protection of the West, why not counterbalance the opposition by modeling an effective strategy, while observing their methodology and their peaceful and aggressive behaviors from a diplomatic frame of reference and formulating an appropriate solution in solidarity with our Western partners? If we are promoting democracy as the Mid-Eastern savior, why do we increasingly appear as intruders, both uninvited and unwelcome? With current human casualties in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank numbering well over 2 million dead, wounded and destroyed lives, with shaky infrastructures in peril of military and economic collapse, and ancient cultures in ruins, the least that we can do is to admit our misguided premise and fundamental failure to bring stability to a troubled region. None truly believe that our results justify the incalculable and ever-increasing costs of these wars in terms of human and financial capital. We are in desperate need of an overall rethinking of our Mid-Eastern policies so that they are aimed at peaceful coexistence and mutual development rather than political and military posturing. Narrow-agenda anarchy, guerrilla warfare, and various other methodologies of revolution which overthrow leadership and encourage mayhem and destruction are tools which will fall into disuse when we remove the motivations which created them. One wonders how different the perpetrators are from their victims when both the methods employed and their results are so similar. Is our opposition to certain governments based on real or perceived injustice, or is it merely an excuse for our own intolerance? Globally, one out of three people are Christians, while one out of five people are Muslims. Since together we represent over half of the world’s population, and in-name if not in-example, we are devoted to The One God, isn’t it about time that we learn to get along without torturing and killing each other? Forgiveness is a basic Christian requirement, while Muslims consider it exemplary and recommended, if not mandatory. Surely not all of those who in-name are Christian practice forgiveness, any more than all who in-name are Muslim do, still we all benefit from the free and willing forgiveness of each others’ daily trespasses. Rather than attempting to outdo each other in a race to the bottom of our diplomatic ladders, we should use every opportunity to encourage each other in the promotion of a more stable and peaceful world, where tolerance and goodwill are the hallmarks which replace the weapons of war and fanatical rhetoric. We can begin by inviting all the participants in these regional conflicts to a diplomatic roundtable which will focus our efforts on stability and self-governance which is supported by a world community whose goal is sustainable and lasting peace and goodwill. Now is the time for the bold pursuit of reconciliation between these brothers who have so far resisted each others’ individual claims of cultural autonomy and freedom. Perhaps the world together can accomplish what we have been unable to achieve by our own efforts—a Middle-East whose culture, dignity and autonomy are able to peacefully coexist with her Western neighbors. When the source of our diplomatic inspiration is brotherly love and goodwill toward our neighbors, boundaries are transformed into bridges of hope. May God help us as far as possible to build an enduring and peaceful planet and a diplomatic framework that will inspire future generations to pursue harmony in their regional and global dialogues, and let’s begin this process today, before pointlessly destroying any more lives through misguided diplomatic adventures.
Mark Overt Skilbred
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