Who Owns the Earth?

Up here at the Old Place, we take great pains to keep the area around the lake and the creek that passes through it as pristine as when it was first discovered. The trees and undergrowth around the lake flourish, and the animals go about their lives as if people were not even here. A few descendants of the original Native American, "Dinea," still live nearby as well. Legally, the parcel is in Catahoula Parish but who owns this tiny piece of land is a carefully guarded secret.

So, old, tired planet Earth, have you ever thought about who it belongs to? Humans, of course. Oh, I do not know, does ownership of a celestial ecosystem even require what we so arrogantly call “sentience?” Maybe the animals own the earth, or the plants and the rocks? Nah, it's people. Religious people, like the Jews or the Buddhists, perhaps the Islams? It could be Hindus or even Zarathustras that own the earth. The atheists live on the earth, but they don't want it, and it certainly does not belong to us Christians. I look at it this way, depending on who you ask, the earth is either millions or billions of years old, "so arguing over who owns it is kind of like two fleas arguing over the dog they live on."1.  This quote from Australian actor/producer Paul Hogan started me thinking. Australia's "aborigines" see the earth as their mother, so maybe they own it. When the Europeans arrived, they were astounded to learn that, without ever having met a Judeo-Christian before, the aboriginal people instinctively knew that humans were stewards of the land, not its owners. Whoa now, all you socialists just settle down for a second. Another word for Stewardship is Responsibility. . . uh oh. So, Col. Jim, what's it got to do with Safety?

History will likely chronicle the 20th Century as the age where humans once and for all legally accepted that ownership of their planet was divided among many countries, but gave up their responsibility for the planet as a whole. Oh sure, there have been areas of the planet that peoples of the world referred to as "their" countries, but until the formation of the League of Nations in 1919, no one had been willing to, apparently, bind themselves to legal boundaries. The interesting part, however, will be seeing which chronicle will be believed?

People have been successful at rewriting history for millennia, mainly to make "their side" look better. Sadly, despite herculean efforts taken to keep an accurate record, that part of the earth's history, not lost to the sands of time, has been perverted beyond recognition. It is, to say the least, fantasy; it is to say the most, perjury!

For the last 2,000 years, the only unbiased factual accounting of world history has been maintained by the faithful. That is to say, the world's religions, those with a belief in an afterlife, anyway. These religions, technically, have no ax to grind. However, if the behavior of religions in modern times has taught us anything, it is that every one of them is grinding away anyhow.  Sadly, this "grinding" has resulted in a desire, almost an obsession, really, to use violence and coercion to force people to join their religion or to be executed.

In conclusion, the only religion, wishing no one harm and having no designs on the planet, is, of course Christianity. Please note: I did not leave the Jews out by chance but by design. The Jews are the only humans indigenous to Earth who are born with a religion. The rest of us are born pagan and must choose from the plethora of religions available. According to God's law, as set down in the Tora and the Talmud, Jews must have designs on the planet or at least that part of the planet that was given to them by God Himself, the Holy Land, Israel.

So, back to our topic question, Who Owns the Earth?  According to the laws of men, many people own bits and pieces of the Earth. If we follow Judeo-Christian law, a strong case can be made that the Jewish People own the Earth.  Remember that word, "Stewardship?" When the king is away, his Steward is responsible for the kingdom. The Steward holds the scepter but sits not on the throne. Rather, he sits on a plain hard chair set a few steps below the empty throne.  Hard so that he does not become overly comfortable. When the king returns, the Steward is Responsible for giving the king an accounting of the events, judgments, profits, and losses that occurred in the king's absence. If the king is satisfied, the Steward will be rewarded. . . If not, well, he is the king with the power of life and death over all his subjects.  Who Owns the Earth?  I believe we have settled that question.

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am, Col. Jim.


1. Paul Hogan, Crocodile Dundee

The Final Storm

Up here at the Old Place, we have finished all of our hurricane preparations. Anything that could be picked up or blown away has been brought inside or tied down. The shutters are closed and their covers are in place. The generator has been tested at full load, the tank is full and there is plenty of extra fuel. There is a small tintype of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the patron saint of Louisiana, hanging over the front door. The miracles surrounding her veneration are manifest during times of greatest threat: the sparing of the Ursuline convent during the great New Orleans fire of 1812, the sparing of the city during the Battle of New Orleans three years later and (Katrina notwithstanding) the sparing of New Orleans from hurricanes for over 200 years. So, Col. Jim, what's it got to do with Safety?

A storm is upon us, my family, and friends. It is, to paraphrase H.G. Wells, a storm that is vast, cold, and unsympathetic. It is a storm of devastation, wrought of greed, lust, and a thirst for power over anyone who even wishes in his heart to stop it. This is not a storm of wind or rain, hail or flood. This is a storm perpetrated by domestic terrorists with propaganda, subterfuge, and prevarication on a scale never before seen in the history of the world and it is here, now in our own country.

Who are these terrorists? In his book, The Art of War, the author, Sun Tzu extols us to, “know your enemy," and we do. Their names, faces, even their locations are well known to us all. Many of them we see every day in our very homes. 'This simplifies matters' you say; 'we know the face of our enemy!' The face. . .  Sun Tzu outlined 17 signs to help us to know our enemy. These included: Signs of Exhaustion, Thirst, or Hunger; Fear; Eminent Retreat; Poor Leadership; Manipulation; and Advantage. These are all good things for the warrior to know before the battle is joined.

What of those of us who do not see ourselves as warriors? Note, I do not mean those who are afraid or even those who may run away. No, fear and retreat are both things for which the prudent warrior plans. I speak rather of the Spiritual Warrior, whose sword is the word of God; whose shield is the Holy Spirit, whose battle cry is a prayer, and whose commander is Jesus Christ. 

An army must be able to communicate effectively and it is here that the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor comes to bear. This is a storm as sure as any that has come ashore from the gulf and the prayers of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on our behalf are proven. Inspired by this confidence we fly to our patron and implore her assistance as we pray:

Oh Dear Lord and merciful Father, through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, extend Your salvation so generously lavished on the citizens of Louisiana to the entire peoples of the United States of America. We who are even now under threat of a storm with intent so terrible that it could devastate this great nation so long ago consecrated to Thee. We beseech Thee to bring comfort for the living, rescue for the lost, and peaceful rest for those whom you have called home. Amen.

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place I am, Col. Jim.

Another Green Initiative

Up here at the Old Place, most of the children are grandchildren, not all but most. When summer rolls around, the bangs and hisses of bottle rocket wars and young 'uns playing army resound through the woods around the lake. (No cell phones here.) So when an article popped up about a six-year-old Arkansas girl with an idea to honor our military, we noticed. The youngster's name is Vivian, and Miss Viv is being praised for her initiative in requesting that toymakers add Green Army Women to their packages of little toy soldiers. Vivian sent a letter to several toymakers explaining why this was important to her. You see, Vivian's close friend has a mother who is in the Army.  When Vivian realized that all of the green toy soldiers in the packs were men, she realized that her friend's mom and all the other women soldiers needed to be represented as well.

  

I showed the article to Ruth, our retired Marine who runs the general store. She dashed off a letter to Vivian herself and learned that, apparently, young Vivian is one heck of a recruiter. From now on, female soldiers will be included in at least some little green armies. Well done, Miss Vivian!

  

So Col. Jim, what's it got to do with safety? It is about preserving life. While I like the idea of adding little green plastic women to bags of toy soldiers, out there in the real world, women in the line of fire have been a reality for some time. I personally know women in three branches of our armed forces. Geri was trained to teach instrument flying to Navy nuggets during Vietnam. Rose Ann, a now-retired US Army ground pounder, did two tours in Afghanistan and two in Iraq; Liz, a Naval Aviator, flew F-14s in the first Gulf War; our own Ruth taught combat arms in the Marines, "Step" flies rescue choppers for the Coast Guard. Now, make no mistake, I am proud to be beholding to our military personnel and am grateful for the peace and freedoms their service affords me and my family. Thank you, ladies, thank you for your service!

Safety, just this. The fact that there are Ladies out there on that wall in the freezing snow, the scalding sun, or on a pitching deck ready to die, for me, frankly, makes the ole Colonel feel as though he has failed at something. Maybe it is the dad in me, or maybe it is just the natural male compulsion to want to shelter and protect our girls. I don't know. I do know that the call to serve comes from deep inside, "down where you keep your guts, boy!" 1. I imagine it is similar to the call one receives to the religious life. Man or woman, that call is extremely personal and cannot be denied.

  

In trying to resolve this in my heart, it has always puzzled me that God chose to create Adam first. So what difference did that make? Only this, for the first and only time, in the history of creation, God caused another person, Eve, to be brought forth (Born?) of a male! From that point forward, women have been God's vessel with whom He shared His power to create another human being. The man was created to defend the family from predators, to slay the deer, and to carve out the cave. The woman was created to make that cave a home, a haven from the outside world, a place to rest, to bear and raise children in safety. The female was then given life in order to create life, not destroy it. Her safety must be paramount.

  

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am, Col. Jim.

1. The movie, Iron Eagle

Walls: God's, Nature's and Ours

Up here at the Old Place, we believe in walls. There are fences to keep livestock from wandering.  Our houses and businesses have walls, but that is mainly to keep out the varmits! We do not lock doors cuz we are too well-mannered to just walk in without an invite. Of course, there was that one time when young Timmy McCardle was riding his bike when he heard a commotion up in Ruth's house. Concerned, Tim went in to see, "if I could help," and walked in on Ruth and her gentleman friend. According to Tim, "they was wrasslin' on the kitchen counter, and Ms. Ruth was a holdin' her own.". . . Oookay!

Walls are a hot topic these days, and safety, of course, plays a big part. If we think about walls rationally rather than emotionally, they are easy things to understand. A wall is a place, thing, or action that provides a separation between two or more things. Walls can provide seclusion, security, or safety. They can delineate locations, be part of a memorial, or merely be an architectural statement. In fact, other than the former Berlin Wall and the old Soviet Gulag, a researcher would be hard-pressed to find any walls with a nefarious purpose.  As the saying goes, "Strong fences make for good neighbors," and a fence is just a wall you can see through, or "A locked door keeps an honest man honest." No one will argue with either of these statements, even a thief locks his door. 

Now, Nature abhors walls but tolerates them. Why is that, do you suppose? Walls require a great deal of energy and materials to build and maintain, or they will fail. At the simplest level, some plants create walls. They grow in circles or even produce secretions that are toxic to other plants. Some animals stand in circles facing outward with their young in the middle for protection. Other animals dig holes, build nests, or live in caves. Think of the constructions of dirt daubers or honey bees. Two or more species only coexist without walls when the benefits of their association outweigh the liabilities. Walls, then, are a normal and natural part of life.

With all this evidence, a wall on our southern border should be an easy sell. The error occurs when we contrast the security of a country with the security of private property. The Socialist sees nothing wrong with allowing everyone into their country without permission, while the Communist will let you in, but once you are in, they will not let you leave!  Oddly enough, neither would allow strangers into their home without permission. This well illustrates how both concepts are contrary to nature.

From a Catholic perspective, our Church leaders say that with southern border walls, we abrogate our responsibility to aid our fellow man. Jesus said, "For as much as you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me." Jesus went on to say, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." We have changed that to "What goes around, comes around." There is little doubt that many of the people congregating on our southern border are in need.  A need of their own making?  Perhaps, but does that even matter? . . . Hmm.  In fact, the Vicar of Christ on Earth (the Pope) himself lives in a walled city, but with seven narrow, ungated portals that allow free but manageable access 24/7.  (The media ignores this fact.)

So, Col. Jim, what's it got to do with safety? In the safety business, we say, "Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan."  What the media calls "Hispanic Exodus" seems to have no plan...or does it? From day one of THIS exodus, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs took over.  Along the way, the people foraged for food, medical attention, shelter, transportation, clothing, and, selectively, other people's possessions to sell or barter. There is no reason to expect this to change if the USA throws open its borders. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years, with nothing but faith in God. He gave them manna and Moses, and lest we forget, saved the Israelites using...that's right, a WALL of water.

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am, Col. Jim

The Safety Certification Boondoggle

Up here at the Old Place, we value a person's experience and abilities. We never ask for certifications and only occasionally a license or badge. Perhaps we are too trusting, but since we all open carry, there is little incentive for rascalry.  Today, the ole colonel has a question: how many of you folks have a license or a certification? We pretty much all have a driver's license and some of us, myself included, are certainly certifiable. Okay, okay. No, what I am asking about are professional licenses and certifications. With the exception of medical and legal personnel, as well as engineers and architects most so-called "certifications" are based on achieving a certain score on a test given by the certifying company. Some certifications do require the candidate to have completed certain prerequisites before they are allowed to take the test: a certain level of education (GPA usually does not matter nor does the major), number of years experience (again, it usually does not matter in which profession that experience was gained) and in some cases an additional certification. Take safety for example. There are no fewer than a dozen "certifications" from an equal number of companies. Some of these companies are themselves, "certified" to provide these certifications, by some other company. Many however are mere "certification mills." Keep in mind, the only oversight is provided by the certifying certifier. Okay, Col. Jim, so What's It Got to do with Safety?

Back around the turn of the century, I taught the Basic Orientation Plus (BOP) over at the Safety Council.  BOP is a six-hour safety course required for everyone who wants to work in our local chemical and refining industries. One day a genuine, no-foolin' Certified Safety Professional (CSP) showed up. He was not happy and had complained to several plant managers and our own CEO. He demanded that he be allowed to just take the test. After being told no, he grudgingly paid up and sat down. He so disrupted the class with his questions and opinions, that I pulled him aside during the first break. Rather than berate him for his rudeness and insensitivity to his fellow students, I offered him a suggestion. Stay for the class, take the test, I could not change that, then write a critique, including all the incorrect information he noticed and send it to me in an email. Guess what?  He shut up, copiously took notes, passed the test with an 80% and yep; he emailed me his notes.  He found 39 errors in the BOP presentation. 

So, what does all this say about Mr. CSP?  Is he a rude jerk. . . pretty much. Could he run a safety program? Maybe. Does being able to pass the toughest safety certification test there is mean you will make a great safetyman? Well, it means nothing, except that he could pass a test.  Oh, are you wondering how many of the 39 errors he was right about, not even one . . . not even one.

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place I am, Col. Jim

White After Labor Day is Good for You, In Moderation

Up here at the Old Place most folks keep a seasonal schedule.  The new year starts on Labor Day and ends on August 31st.  We hold autumn to be the start of the new year because of college football. Sure, the "Boys of Summer," still have two months to go, but even they would not start the new year in March. The start of college football season is a confirmation of expectations. The months of recruiting and the promises implied at the spring game are brought to a conclusion, for good or ill. So why do we leave a couple of days at the start of September? I suppose it is just to finish up summer. The Old Colonel uses those days to change his clothes: pastel shirts, white linen and seersucker suits join white buck shoes Monet' and sailboat ties in retirement until spring. The reds, oranges, browns (And purples) are starched and wait patiently to be ironed. So, what's it got to do with safety?

The annual ritual of change comforts and reassures. It invests us with a feeling of solidarity and gives us something to look forward to, even when there is little else. Autumn paints our homes and ourselves with the colors of changing leaves and of course, in purple and gold. Straw, Indian corn and pumpkins find their way into our preparation rooms while an ambush of anything striped turns the den into a Bengal tiger's hunting ground. The tailgating gear is pulled out, the giant "Gumbo" pot is wire brushed and the butane tank refilled. Almost any excuse will do to buy that three foot spoon with "LSU" molded into its handle.

October settles in, and the prep room is emptied of its autumnal fruits and veggies. The works join pale skeletons, and freckle-faced, gingham-clad scarecrows on the mist-covered veranda. Dark trappings of the "Wizarding World" take on a second life as witches, ghosts, and giant spiders inculcate their blacks and greens into the mix!

Before you know it, pumpkins magically transform themselves into Thanksgiving pies, and earthy colors steal away with the ghosts and mist. Red poinsettias and green garlands herald the start of Advent, soon to spread joy-filled wings across the lake. Children rake up piles of dry leaves only to leap laughing and scattering into their midst. Tired witches and wizards, now in Muggle clothing, ply their brooms against multicolored detritus covering the sidewalks. 

Sure, white is okay if you are trying to stay cool, but does not the tie-dye change the white shirt for the better?  Do not purple and gold stripes make a plain white shirt into an LSU jersey?  Does not a fat man in a red velvet suit, trimmed in white, make us all feel like children again?  A little bit of white does go a long way, or would you rather shovel sneaux?

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am, Col. Jim

Spiritual PPE

The denizens are aging up here at the Old Place.  Some like a fine whiskey slowly mellowing to perfection, others like a favorite pair of shoes becoming softer and more comfortable. Our values were forged in the old days, by the old ways.  All perfect, proper ladies and gentlemen. . . oh, not hardly. We have someone who drinks too much. We have someone who went to prison, oh, all right, he was the assistant warden. We even have one Weather Underground radical who is hiding out. Look, I make "magic" wands.  We are eclectic.

How is it then that all these so-called "pedophile priests" are Catholic?  The obvious answer is that priests are, after all, pretty much exclusively a Catholic thing. However, if you change the moniker from Catholic priest to Christian minister, well, gee whiz, there just do not seem to be any pedophiles among any other Christian leaders, at least no reports of any by ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, BBC, or PMS-NBC. (Local news? There are plenty, but none on big media.) Here is the telling part: there has not been one report of any Islamic imam, Sikh, Shinto, or Buddhist pedophile on any of the Big Cs, only Catholic priests, hmm.  Are Catholic priests really the only ones?  Now, why do you think that is?  If you wanted to ruin someone's reputation, undermine their character, bring down their business, and destroy their lives, what would you do? Easy, get some dissatisfied group or person, real or imagined (Islam, Radicalized women, LGBTQ, etc.) to make an accusation, then get the help of the wealthiest, most powerful people on earth, the Big Cs TV news media.

Think about it, how do you beat the biggest gang on the block?  You subvert their leaders. Start rumors, tell stories, and get their followers to become suspicious and doubt their ability to lead. Then you get one to turn on them, and before you know it, the leaders and the gang are down. Where is the best place to punch? The head, of course.  A sniper shoots the head, not the body.

History tells us that every other Christian "church" (45,000 by last count) was formed by someone who became dissatisfied with the church of which they were already a member. "I'll teach them a lesson. I've had a revelation from God. I'll start my OWN church." How does Satan tap into this dissatisfaction?  He wants to destroy Christ's Church on earth and send everyone to hell, so what does he do? He whispers in the ears of priests and bishops. "God understands confession, but you must first protect the church." Satan subverts some of Christ's Catholic priesthood, undermines their character, destroys the flock's trust, and thereby their faith in the shepherds. Satan wants everyone to abandon Christ's Church in favor of any of the scattered, weaker ones. Satan is not going to waste time with the weaker flocks. He is going to bring down the Royal Priesthood of Catholic shepherds that have protected the flock from the wolves for 2,000 years! So, what's it got to do with safety? 

If we abandon the bride and her shepherds (Our Personal Safety) to Satan, then damnation (Injury and Death) becomes "quicker, easier, and more seductive." The Catholic Church is our Spiritual PPE. Right now, it is Christ's yoke (Safety Plan) that is easy, His burden (Safety Compliance) that is light.

Now Woa-Up, Wait a minute!  Before you burn up your keyboard, this is not a defense of the disgusting and criminal actions of pedophiles and their protectors. This is not a Catholic problem, it is not a Liberal problem or an LGBTQ problem, it is a problem of people, imperfect, sinful people... all people. Like the Ice Man said, "Maverick, it's not your flying, it's your attitude. You may not like the people you fly with; they may not like you, but whose side are you on?"

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am Col. Jim