Thoughtful and Committed Citizens

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

~ Margaret Mead
Culture and Commitment

Of Note: This past week more than one hundred members of the La Costra Nostra, otherwise known as the Mafia, were arrested on the east coast. A handful is still at large. Several of those indicted are in prison. When reading Mead's quote, we think that "thoughtful, committed citizens changing the world" refers only to people with the common good in mind. Think again. All organized crime, whether it be perpetrated through Russian mobsters, Chinese gangsters or Mexican drug cartels, is "thoughtful and committed and changing the world" but headed down the left-hand path. Each criminal group has their specialty, which range from white-color health insurance scams and medical fraud to more nefarious pursuits like gambling, drug-trafficking, prostitution, robbery, extortion and even murder. On this planet, where desire and material wealth are king, these criminals do very well and never lack followers. As a matter of fact, people are literally dying to get into their ranks. For now. We humans are being honed on this planet of pain by these fights between the good side and the bad side. It's always a knock 'em out kind of movie scenario between these and other pairs of opposites. One day we will look up and find that our minds will lead us through this astral world into the world of ideas where goodness and love prevail. When enough of us have done that, the dark side will simply destroy itself without the Light Side raising a finger. That is good because the Light Brigade will be occupied with other matters for the good of all. That day is coming; that new beginning is guaranteed. The timing is up to us.

Today's Weather Report: Cloudy again today at 16 degrees Fahrenheit. Apparently, now that the full moon has past, so has the sub-zero temperatures. That is good because the boiler-man was getting weary filling it three times a day. On another note: thoughtful and committed citizens joined hands 30-years ago to end smallpox globally. The question then remained what to do with the final cache of smallpox virus stocks held by the United States and Russia. The two caches were set to be destroyed soon, but now the two governments have asked permission of the World Health Organization to keep them intact. Why? To counter a bio-terrorist attack using unsanctioned stocks. Seems to me the request signals that the two governments know or highly suspect such "unsanctioned" stocks exist in the criminal world. They must have convinced WHO's Executive Board, who will recommend to the full board in May keeping the smallpox caches. I am appreciative someone is watching these things, aren't you?