2008

[paul bruesch]

Incredibly well put, RicB!

Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN

On Dec 30, 2007 3:12 PM, Richard Brekne <ricb at pianostemmer.no> wrote:

> Hi Alan
>
>    I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, hale and hardy New
> Year.
>
> The same back to you !
>
>    I dread the upcoming avalanche of political BS, nastiness, and hard
>    feelings that we in America are about to experience. Let us resolve
>    to not partake of any negativity among our pianotech community,
>    friends and colleagues, regardless.
>
> Why are you expecting more political BS then usual prey tell ?
>
>    We are still at war and things just took a very nasty turn with the
>    murder of Benazir Bhutto. As I see it, this war, of which Iraq is
>    only one skirmish, will likely last for many long years; and that
>    will be regardless of who is elected next November. Let us resolve
>    to remember that what we share as free people in free nations is
>    bigger than our political or religious disagreements and that
>    freedom, itself, is more fragile than we can imagine.
>
> Hmm... Hard to avoid debate here when disagreements go deep into the
> whole basis for why the US is <<at war>>.  As for the fragile freedom...
> last I checked it looked rather shattered already.... barely hanging
> together as it were. My own personal take on all this is that Orwell was
> far more foresighted then we even now give him credit for... and that
> the golden heyday of great western democratic adventure of the past 300
> or so years is hastening to its end.  The US's power is spent and
> overextended, regardless of the reasoning behind the various sorties of
> the recent past.  Its % of the GWP is dwindling and on a probable
> irreversible downwards spiral whilst China now nearly equals it and is
> on a very steep upwards curve.... conveniently they also have a
> non-intervention policy which basically holds their international
> engagements budget to zip diddly. The EU is slowly consolidating... but
> probably will be to late to assume leadership in the world.  Our
> grandchildren at the latest will see a world in which Asia calls the
> shots... what will become of the Americas is anyones guess. An ominous
> uncertain future is in front of us to be sure. Democracy in any real
> sense of the word is already being shoed out the back door. Nasty shame
> if you ask me. Anyone ever seen a painting of the city of Rome anno
> circa 1000 A.D. ?  Scary thought. But then I suppose in the end it is
> inevitable. Grin... I wonder how long it will be when someone will
> seriously try to interpret the right to bear arms to include your
> average backpack sized nuke....
>
>    Other than those two somber thoughts, I have resolved, absolutely,
>    to make no New Year's Resolutions whatsoever; so far I have been
>    completely successful in that resolve.
>
> On these more then somber words I'd remind you all of a Christian
> precept...  one that I tend to see as more then reasonable despite not
> being particularly religious myself... at least in the usual sense of
> the word.  Mankind... despite all his/hers good intentions and efforts
> are doomed to fail... and have been since the proverbial original sin or
> beginning if you prefer.  In the end our inability to get along with
> ourselves and our environment will be our undoing.  Indeed... thats the
> main justification for the need of salvation.  I'm not all that sure
> about the salvation bit... but that we in the end don't quite <<make
> it>> isn't hard to see.  In fact I find it more then a little difficult
> to shut out enough of that vision for my daily dose of sanity.
>
> Still... we have ourselves.. and those we can influence... and there is
> more then a little comfort in that thought.  We CAN choose to be part of
> that which stands against the tide... to resist the prevalence of evil.
> That <<fight>> doesn't start with any far away war or distant woe.  It
> starts in each of our own hearts.... with the will to reach out in
> friendship instead of fiendishness. The willpower to not lash out in
> scorn or criticism or worse.  Or... as another one of my favorite folks
> so many claim faith in said it... to love even ones enemies.... to turn
> the other cheek when struck.  We CAN as individuals choose which life we
> ourselves will live.
>
>    Best wishes to all and Happy New Year! Stay tuned ...
>
> Best wishes to you to Alan.... and don't worry about staying tuned...
> not much of a choice really.  Besides... whatever the future may bring I
> doubt seriously it will be boring.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>
>    Alan Barnard
>    Salem, MO
>
>
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