OneNabi Consulting, Inc.

“It is compromise that prevents each set of reformers…from crushing the group on the extreme opposite end of the political spectrum…there are few if any issues where all the truth and all the right and all the angels are on one side.” John F. Kennedy

As I have said before, I don’t think we are going to get health care reform done by bipartisanship. Not because I don’t honor the idea of bipartisanship; it is a noble desire, or at least it was at one time in history. I did not vote for one politician to be responsive to my will alone but rather because I hoped they had the capacity to exercise the kind of judgment that is in the best interests of the entire nation. That at times, requires the courage of dissent; the very thing that helped give birth to Protestantism (those “protestors”).  Now I know some may quibble with that last comment saying politics and religion are separate realms. To them I say, “Wake up!” I make this suggestion because it has been my experience that the qualities it takes to question and stand against a religious entity are the some of the same qualities it takes to make unpopular decisions against the perceived wisdom of the constituents one represents. Sometimes the constituency is wrong particularly because we are constituents and not daily engaged in the nuts and bolts of politics. Are politicians answerable to their constituents? Yes. They will pay for their decisions by the power of the constituent vote. Unfortunately, this very reality is more respected by some politicians than the exercise of informed conscience. Indeed, some even lie about representing constituents when they are really only speaking for themselves unconcerned about the preponderance of evidence given them that suggests their position is contrary to national interests.

It seems to me that the intersection between the constituency and one’s conscience is the opportunity to accomplish compromise. This is not always wise nor doable, but where it can be done I think we are made better thereby.

My parents taught me that sometimes you can’t get everything you want. So ladies and gentlemen in Congress, stop irritating us! Be courageous. Do what’s right FOR THE COUNTRY!!!!  It’s not going to be pretty; it’s not going to be bipartisan. It will involve some compromise and you may lose your job as a result. But damn it, take courage! Don’t worry about losing money. You’ll make up for it on the lecture circuit. Ask Sarah Palin.

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I recently read an article that showed how vulnerable the social network site, Facebook is to hackers. The group “Control Your Image” was able to get valuable information about Facebook members by hacking into groups where the administrator was no longer active.  With members’ information, the hackers were able to send out some horrible posts using the members’ names.  Friends were receiving strange messages totally out of character and wondering what was going on with their dear friends

I enjoy Facebook and have been able to catch up to old friends and make new friends through it.  I have always been uncomfortable joining groups, causes and any of those tools (especially those fun little games) that clearly state you will have to allow it to access some  of your profile information in order for you to sign on.  I’ve always felt that was too much access and too much potential for my personal information to be stolen.  Now, once again, I agree with that old saying, “Follow your first mind.”  My sneaky suspicion has proven correct.

Just another reason to enjoy these sites but be careful, very careful.

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I had the privilege of sitting at a table of scholars gathered together to review the upcoming pastoral letter which is a rewriting of the 1986 Council of Bishops’ letter entitled, “In Defense of Creation.”  The new document focuses on three areas: 1) pandemic poverty and disease, 2) environmental degradation, and 3) the proliferation of weaponry and violence.  Very often, these areas are handled as single entities.  I am thrilled to know that the bishops of the United Methodist Church are - at least at this time - acknowledging these as all interrelated.  Of course, why not?!!! (more…)

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I was going to marry him even though he was an older man.  Well, that never happened, but marrying Michael Jackson was the fantasy of all the girls in my neighborhood growing up in the 70s.  We absolutely adored him.  Michael Jackson embodied what Nina Simone sang, “Young, Gifted and Black.”

News of Michael Jackson’s death at the tender age of 50…well, one is tempted to say words like “shocking,” or ”unbelievable.”  This morning two musical terms seemed most fitting: con dolore and fermata.

Learning to play the violin, I always enjoyed playing songs that contained interesting changes in style.  Playing fast, jubilant songs was fine but playing songs that dropped in hints of sorrow and melancholy appealed most to my ecletic taste.  Approaching a section marked con dolore I would take the finest posture and prepare myself to almost absorb the notes into my soul.  Deep, rich, mellow moments within the composition.  I had an affinity for those measures played con dolore - with sadness - simply because so much of my young life was at that time filled with the sadness of child abuse.  Playing con dolore gave expression to those early days of severe whippings, mental beat downs and cussin’ outs. 

Unfortunately, where this was only a segment of my life, the song of Michael Jackson’s life - despite the tremendous success - always contained more con dolore measures than any of us - his fans - cared to admit.    Allegedly a victim of child abuse by his father, Jackson’s abuse was carried forward into his adult life by tabloid writers, paparazzi, “insiders” and money vultures.  Sufficeth to say, he was not always an innocent bystander in his life drama.  Michael Jackson was as troubled as he was talented.  But mostly, when not on stage, Michael Jackson was lonely.

It’s simply tragic that here was a man who worked all his life to be at the top of his game, such an expert in his craft, yet so lonely in his life.  We loved Michael Jackson’s musical abilities and he gave us more and more of his giftedness.  But he paid a high price: severe stress.  And Jackson had absolutely no amorous relationship.  No one who absolutely loved him intimately, in his nakedness, sans the material stuff of life. He lived for the stage and his life became a public stage with a terrible lot of dramatis personae.

For all the lessons we may glean from Michael Jackson’s life, there is one not so obvious:  His songs had no abrupt endings (if so, I can’t think of one).  Once on stage, this performer gave us all he had.  Jackson carried his songs out, he pushed them beyond what we thought was possible.  We watched him as orchestra does a conductor as he signalled fermata - hold for a little longer - on the final note.  We always wanted his work to last longer than the standard count.  Who doesn’t want to leave that kind of legacy?

And though the ending measure of Michael Jackson’s life seems so con dolore, like a tear slowly dropping to the floor, the final note - which is so beautiful, too beautiful, as though it shouldn’t but must be played to complete the song -  is held fermata.  Today, we are holding on a little longer to his talent.  Replaying those hits we grew up with.  Rewinding, over and over, those music videos and concerts just to see him “do it” again.  Yeah, holding on to some beautiful memories.

Rest in peace Michael, rise in victory.

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Like other Americans I was extremely disgusted upon hearing that the nation’s largest insurer, AIG, recently gave $165 million dollars in bonuses to some 400 of its employees.  This was especially troublesome given AIG is the recipient of a $170 billion federal bailout.  Prior to the bailout the American public was met with a media blitz declaring an economic apocalypse would ensue if the company - which holds life insurance policies for millions of Americans - were allowed to fail.

Strange math?  How can a company needing $170 million to keep from failing, afford giving $165 million in bonuses?  Now the government, which owns 80 percent of the company is rushing to pass (more…)

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