Making To-Do Lists: My Three-Step Approach

If you’ve ever forgotten a birthday, anniversary, doctor’s appointment, homework assignment, weekly work schedule, etc., you likely realize the benefit of writing important plans down. Creating a to-do list is often an effective way to do this. It‘s my preferred way.

Furthermore, regularly making and following a weekly (and daily) to-do list is a common attribute of many successful persons. The list can take many forms. Below I briefly discuss some approaches before focusing on my technique. I also include a photo of a page from my notebook of weekly to-do lists.

Keeping track of what one plans to do (God willing) during a particular day or week isn’t easy, especially if a person’s schedule is busy. Writing things down on a list that can be carried around in one’s pocket often helps. Making a larger list in a bigger notebook that can be consulted in your room, apartment, or house in the morning and again at evening is nice in some cases too.

Various Approaches
It is increasingly common for persons making a to-do list to create it on their smart phone. If that works for you, great. But I find it takes me more time to type data into a cell phone than to write it on paper. Also, I don’t always have my phone easily accessible. Furthermore, there is the potential problem of a low battery, etc. But if you choose to do it that way, there are numerous apps available that may help you. The website Quire lists 15 of these apps. But I prefer doing it my way.

A desk planner of some type may work too. But for a list of a particular day’s specific plans, I prefer a pocket-sized planner I can carry around with me.

Other persons can help in some cases too. A secretary, wife, husband, parent, child, sibling, friend, etc., may help you keep your schedule sometimes. But even if one or more other individuals is/are dependable, they may not always be with you. Therefore, I think it’s best to keep up with one’s own schedule when reasonably possible.

My Three-Step Approach
I take a three-step approach to doing to-do lists: annually, weekly, and daily.

(1) I usually carry an annual pocket-sized calendar/planner with me in my pocket when I leave my apartment. I can add things to it as necessary during the day.
(2) At my apartment I keep a notebook of 8 ½ x 11 inch sheets containing weekly to-do lists. This provides space for more details than my annual planner.
(3) I carry a small piece of paper, perhaps 3 inches x 5 inches or 4 x 6 inches with me that has the daily schedule for the current day on one side and plans for the next day on the other. This is the one I consult during my daily activities. Persons with many daily activities may prefer an 8 ½ inch x 11 sheet they fold up instead. Persons with few activities may find the small annual planner I mentioned suffices.

But for me, this three-step plan works. The following sections detail my three-step approach.

(1) Annually:
Each year I purchase a small pocket-sized planner where I can list things I want to remember for the year (work schedule, other activities, birthdays, etc.). My favorite is a small At-A-Glance® planner. You can purchase it at places like Staples stores or on ataglance.com's website, (product #72-01, SKU # 72010522).

Its small size (approximately 3 inches x 4 3/8 inches) fits easily into one of my pockets. This planner provides equal space for each day of the week--unlike many business or school planners that devote less space to weekend days. And it contains sections in the back for names and addresses, anniversaries and birthdays, planning for next year, etc. The cost of the At-A-Glance® planner ($12.99 at a Staples store or $14.00 on the ataglance website) works out to less than 5 cents a day, which I consider reasonable. However, you can purchase other types of pocket planners much cheaper, if you prefer.

(2) Weekly:
In addition to my annual pocket planner, I keep a notebook of 8 ½ inch x 11 inch sheets for a weekly to-do-list. Unlike the long-term annual pocket planner, this one lists my weekly activities. Some of its information comes from the annual planner, but this one is more detailed.

The sheets in this notebook (one for each week) are subdivided into three sections. At the end of this subsection is a photo of a page from my notebook that may help you see what these pages look like. I took the photo before the week it covers, so the page is not filled in.

The first section lists fourteen virtues I seek to acquire or improve upon. Each day (at least most days) I mark in a box whether I did okay on it or not. This list of virtues is patterned after one Benjamin Franklin discussed in his autobiography, a book viewable in ebook form on Gutenberg.org. I modified Franklin's list a bit for my purposes. Each week I seek to focus on improving on one of the fourteen, while listing my progress toward each of them each evening, as Franklin apparently did. This process has helped me over the years, though I confess I haven’t attained the success Benjamin Franklin apparently attained with it.

The second section lists ten things I want to devote at least a bit of time to each day. You may choose different items. But my list includes:
1. Country: devoting a few minutes to learning a bit about some country,
2. Vocabulary: seeking to review ten vocabulary words,
3. Read in a book: seeking to read in some book (in addition to the Bible, which I seek to read a brief passage in each morning and evening),
4. Write: writing on something (a journal entry, letter, article, book, etc.),
5. Career: doing something to further develop my career,
6.Wash dishes: this helps me avoid procrastinating on washing my dishes,
7. Sort and file papers: daily I seek to organize some of my papers and/or throw away some unnecessary ones,
8. Straighten, clean, and/or organize: daily I seek to either do some straightening, cleaning, and/or organizing of my apartment
9. Prayer, devotional, walk and/or bicycle: I seek to have a daily devotional and prayer time in the morning and evening--ideally to remain in a prayerful spirit throughout the day. I also seek to get some exercise by walking and/or bicycling,
10. Listen, talk, help others: I seek to listen to the voices of others and other sounds around me, speak appropriately, and do one or more things to help others.

The third section of my weekly to-do list provides two columns. The left column lists “some things I consider appropriate to do that I seek to do,” if God wills. The right column lists some things I actually did that day. The bottom line of this third section allows a space for notes.

I hope the photo below of an actual page from my weekly to-do list planner (which I designed and printed myself, hopefully under God's Holy Spirit's leadership) helps you visualize how it looks.

(3) Daily:
The third step of my approach to to-do lists consists of an individual sheet of paper approximately 3 inches x 5 inches (or 4 inches x 6 inches, depending on what I have handy). On one side I list some specific things I plan to do on a particular day. The reverse side provides a similar list for the following day. Many of the items on this list are taken from the weekly list, but this one is more detailed.

How I Handle My Weekly To-Do Lists
I normally carry my pocket-sized annual planner with me in a pocket. I typically carry the daily planner when I’ve got several things to do while I’m away from my apartment. I keep the folder with the 8 1/2 inch x 11 inch weekly-planner sheets in my apartment where I typically consult it in the morning and again in the evening.

Though I throw away my daily to-do list sheets after using them, I save the weekly ones in a binder. I also save the annual pocket planners.

Closing Thoughts
What works for you may be different from what works for me. The pocket-sized annual planner alone may suffice for you. Or you may choose to focus solely on the individual daily sheets. You may prefer the larger weekly to-do list format of my notebook of weekly sheets. You may even prefer a desktop planner or a large wall calendar.

By the way, in addition to my general to-do lists, I also like to keep a separate to-do list for my grocery shopping--and to remember to take the list with me when I shop.

Furthermore, in addition to making out a to-do list, it’s good to prioritize the items you want to do in some way, maybe by numbering them in order of priority or by color coding them.

Praying over the list in the morning and in the evening can help too.

You may find a PCMagazine list called "10 Simple Ways to Make Better To-Do Lists" beneficial too.

Making the list(s) out is a nice action. But follow through is key. Seek to follow the list within reasonable limits and to update it as necessary. I’ve been accused in the past (justifiably) of devoting more time to doing my to-do lists than to doing the things on the lists. It’s important to keep a balanced perspective.

But I firmly believe that most persons can and will benefit from keeping some type of daily, weekly, monthly, and/or annual to-do list. Few (if any) persons can remember all the things they need to do. It can be embarrassing and harmful to miss appointments and deadlines. To-do lists can help prevent that embarrassment and harm.

Why Can't Antibiotics Be Purchased Over-the-Counter in the United States?

Why can’t antibiotics be purchased over-the-counter in the United States? Antibiotics sometimes seem like miracle drugs the way they help cure diseases.

A huge number of antibiotics are available via prescription for persons to take. But none are available over-the-counter.

I support making at least one common antibiotic purchasable without a prescription. This may improve persons' access to healthcare while decreasing costs.

The United States arguably has the finest health care system in the world at its best, yet many cannot afford treatment. Millions either lack insurance, lack the ability to pay deductibles, or their insurance claims are denied. Office visits and prescriptions cost a lot.

In some cases self diagnosis can help save money, time, and improve medical treatment. Responsible medical websites like WebMD and MayoClinic provide quality information that in some cases enable persons to come closer to diagnosing their own problems, although such sites make it clear they are not a substitute for professional personal medical advice and they are not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Indeed, many medical professionals turn to online information to help with their diagnoses.

While office visits and examinations by a medical professional can be productive, they can also be very expensive. And often the main thing a physician does is prescribe an antibiotic for a condition the patient has—a condition the patient may already suspect they have due to past experience, viewing online medical websites, etc.

I support making at least one or two commonly prescribed antibiotics available without a prescription. For example, amoxicillin has been around for decades and is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Why not make amoxicillin available without a prescription for a start?

Risks From Making Antibiotics Over-the-Counter

Perhaps the biggest risk of making antibiotics available over-the-counter is the risk of overuse. Persons may seek to take an antibiotic for a virus or something else that antibiotics are not effective against.

Indeed, physicians sometimes overprescribe antibiotics now, perhaps just to be extra cautious in case they misdiagnosed a virus. Furthermore, misusing antibiotics is reported to lead to the development of “superbugs” that are resistant to many antibiotics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website reports (See endnote 1) that “Each year in the U.S., at least 2.8 million people get an antibiotic-resistant infection, and more than 35,000 people die.” Misuse of antibiotics likely contributes to this.

But I feel the benefits of providing a common antibiotic without a prescription outweigh the risks, even if the particular antibiotic(s) made available over-the-counter are not suitable for all purposes.

Also, if only one or two antibiotics are made available without a prescription, it still reserves a huge number that physicians can use their discretion in prescribing.

While persons may misuse over-the-counter antibiotics, individuals already abuse tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and numerous over-the-counter medications. These can be far riskier than a common antibiotic, especially if persons take appropriate dosages of the antibiotic only when necessary.

Many Over-the-Counter Medications and Dietary Supplements Exist

A large number of medications and dietary supplements are available over-the-counter, including those pictured below that I own. But prescription medicines are not.

Precedent for Making Prescription Drugs Over-the-Counter

There is a precedent for medicines to progress from being available only via prescription to being available over-the-counter. For example, my mom told me that many years ago when I was a boy a doctor prescribed Benadryl for an allergic reaction I had. Since then, Benadyl has been made available over-the-counter. For many years now Benadryl has been available over-the-counter and benefits huge numbers of allergy sufferers without the need for or expense of an office visit and prescription.

The article (See endnote 2)"Prescription to over-the-counter switches in the United States” in the Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice, viewable on the journal website and the website of the National Center for Biotechnical Information, discusses these conversions, as well as some of the benefits, potential problems, etc.

Current Situation and Recommendations

Some persons in the United States already take antibiotics without a prescription. They ingest leftover medicine from a previous prescription or use medicine from another person’s prescription. They also may buy antibiotics online from a website that may or may not be reputable and may or may not offer genuine products that are packaged, stored, and shipped safely.

I'm not a medical professional and can't give any medical advice. Many medical professionals who know far more about antibiotics and medical care than I are opposed to making antibiotics available without a prescription.

Still, I strongly support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration either taking action to make some common antibiotic available over-the-counter or clearly stating why it opposes doing so. And I urge readers to prayerfully consider urging the Food and Drug Administration (and/or Congress) to act to make some type of common antibiotic available for purchase over-the-counter rather than via prescription.

Endnotes:

1 “Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance (AR/AMR)”; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; page last reviewed July 20, 2020 https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/index.html webpage accessed July 21, 2021

2 Chang, Jongwha; Lizer, Allison; Patel, Isha; Bhatia, Deepak; Tan, Xi; and Balkrishnan, Rajesh; “Prescription to over-the-counter switches in the United States”; Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice; 2016-July-September; 5 (3): 149-154; https://www.jrpp.net/downloadpdf.asp?issn=2319-9644;year=2016;volume=5;issue=3;spage=149;epage=154;aulast=Chang;type=2 webpage accessed July 21, 2021

Juneteenth (June 19th): Legal U.S. Slavery Ended Months Later in Dec. 1865

Juneteenth
Juneteenth (June 19th, 1865) was not the end of legal United States slavery.

In Kentucky and at least a couple of other states, slavery remained legal until December 1865.

On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill making Juneteenth a national holiday. Juneteenth.com states "It was on June 19th [1865] that . . . Union soldiers . . . landed at Galveston, Texas with news . . . that the enslaved were now free." That website and many others provide much information about the holiday and its history.

It’s wonderful that the United States finally has a national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Furthermore, Juneteenth may be a great day for such a holiday, since it is already celebrated in many parts of the country.

13th Amendment to Constitution Ends Legal U.S. Slavery
However, legal slavery in the United States did not end until December 1865, months after Juneteenth. It was in December 1865 that ratification by the necessary ¾ of the states of the 13th amendment to the Constitution occurred; Congress had passed the amendment January 31, 1865.

Section 1 of the 13th amendment states “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

Emancipation Proclamation
What about the Emancipation Proclamation?

I thought of the Emancipation Proclamation when I saw the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Viewing the structure in person was a moving experience. I took the photo below of the statue on June 22nd, 2017.

Many incorrectly think Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation ended all legal slavery in the U.S. But that’s not true.

First of all, it was debatable whether Lincoln’s proclamation was constitutional. He may have usurped Congress’s authority. Indeed, Lincoln later urged Congress to pass legislation to end legal slavery.

Second, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to slaves in border states like Kentucky that allowed slavery but remained in the Union.

Slavery was legal in Kentucky, but Kentucky did not secede from the United States. Therefore, Kentucky slavery was not outlawed until the passage of the 13th amendment in December 1865.

Lincoln’s preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September, 1862 stated that all slaves in states (or parts of states) that were fighting against the U.S. on January 1, 1863 would be officially free if liberated by the Union army or they could escape. Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

Since Kentucky was not fighting against the United States, the Emancipation Proclamation did not apply in Kentucky. It also did not apply in other slave states that remained in the Union, such as Maryland, Missouri, Delaware, and New Jersey, for the same reason.

Maryland and Missouri took action at the state level to prohibit slavery before the 13th amendment passed. Howere, slavery remained legal in Kentucky, Delaware, and New Jersey until that amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed. Kentucky had far more slaves at that time than either Delaware or New Jersey.

My home state of Kentucky was one of the few places in the United States where slavery remained legal until the passage of the 13th amendment.

Illegal Slavery and Discrimination
Although the 13th amendment ended legal slavery, some illegal slavery continued.

Indeed, even now in the 21st century we occasionally read of cases of illegal slavery in the United States. Immigrants are sometimes enslaved to work under inhumane conditions. Girls are sometimes kidnapped into sexual slavery.

Furthermore, even after the 13th amendment passed, discrimination, segregation, and other injustices continued.

In addition, slavery also continues to exist illegally in some other countries in the world.  

Progress Continues
Additional laws and improved enforcement of the laws are leading to positive changes in the 21st century. Celebrating Juneteenth is one step in the right direction. But June 19th, 1865 wasn’t the end of all slavery.

NOTE:

This article was last revised on March 8, 2023.

Biden and Trump: Some Accomplishments Expected and Achieved

Joe Biden’s Presidency will experience both accomplishments and failures, as has President Trump’s. In this article I focus on potential successes of Biden and actual successes of Trump.

The President is the leader of the United States government, at least of its executive branch. The U.S. flag symbolizes the government. This photo is of a flag flying near the county courthouses in Lexington, Kentucky in October 2016.

Below I’ll list some expected accomplishments of the Biden administration. Then I’ll list some actual accomplishments of the Trump administration.

First, Biden:

* Renewing Commitment to the World Health Organization--This organization is flawed as Trump noted, but it also does much good. It’s important for nations to work together on health issues. We can seek to improve the organization as an active member.

* Rejoining Paris Climate Accords--These accords unfairly set different standards for different nations, as Trump noted, but they are a step in the correct direction. Regardless of whether or not global warming will continue over the long term, taking actions to reduce pollution and cooperating with other nations is the proper thing to do. We still need to seek to modify the agreement though. 

* Restoring immigration from Muslim countries and the “dreamers” program--Trump correctly noted the problem of terrorist immigrants and excessive immigration that many European countries have faced. But Trump’s approach to solving it was divisive and excessive as I see it.

* Emphasizing positive rather than confrontational relationships with allies--Biden seems to be a moderate who will create more constructive and less confrontational international relations, a big plus.

* Minimum wage raise--The U.S. minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 2009. Many costs have increased substantially since then. Liberals want a raise to $15 an hour or more which would likely cost many jobs and be excessive in some rural areas where the cost of living is lower. Conservatives oppose any increase. I optimistically think Biden will succeed in creating a middle-of-the-road fair compromise of perhaps a $1 per hour raise each year over four years from the current $7.25 per hour to $11.25. But that’s my view, not a stated policy of Biden.

* COVID-19--Biden aims to create a task force to work on it. And states he will emphasize a mask mandate and other actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This accompanied by the likelihood of a vaccine in coming months may help reduce the COVID-19 problem. Trump’s reluctance to wear masks or emphasize social distancing has likely been counterproductive, and Biden’s approach will likely be more effective. But Biden will likely find issuing a mask mandate and enforcing it are two different things. Solving COVID-19 isn’t easy. Biden may be lucky enough to have a safe, effective vaccine available before he takes office though.

* Appointing a moderate Supreme Court justice--One or two Supreme Court vacancies will likely occur during the next four years. The most likely retiree is Stephen Breyer, a liberal. If Biden replaces Breyer with another liberal, it won’t change the balance of the court. But if Biden nominates a moderate instead of a liberal or conservative, he may move the court in the correct direction over the long term. I optimistically hope he does if/when an opening occurs. I am also optimistically hopeful Biden will resist calls by liberals to “pack the court” by seeking to expand the number of justices beyond its current nine for ideological reasons. Biden avoided discussing that during the campaign either to hide plans to do so from conservatives or to avoid upsetting his liberal supporters or because he didn‘t know his plans. I hope one of the latter two is true. 

* BidenCare HealthCare--ObamaCare made health care coverage much more expensive overall while millions remained uncovered or unable to afford coverage due to high deductibles and exclusions. It was a failure for most, except those who had expensive preexisting conditions or lacked any coverage before and qualified for subsidies or expanded Medicaid. Trump sought to eliminate the problems of ObamaCare, but wasn’t successful in implementing his own plan. I optimistically think that Biden will seek reforms that improve the current situation. But doing so won’t be easy. Personally, I’d support a single-payer system for basic health care similar to what Ralph Nader proposed, IF it is accompanied by much better preventive care. Some claim over 80% of health problems are preventable by improving diet, exercising properly, avoiding drug abuse, etc. We could have quality health care for all at a much cheaper price if we engaged in better preventive care. We need better treatment and better prevention. To get a single-payer system passed by the Senate, Biden will need to find a way to reduce costs before seeking to pass it. We can’t afford to provide multiple organ transplants, etc., for millions of drug abusers if it comes to that. There is a big division between persons paying huge costs for health insurance they can’t afford to use due to exclusions and deductibles, and drug addicts who pay nothing for insurance but get free clean needles that may not solve their underlying addictions.

* Personality--Biden’s personality is less divisive than Trump’s which I consider a plus. I hope he will be effective in interactions with Congressional leaders such as Pelosi and McConnell, as well as effective in choosing and appointing quality cabinet members. To succeed he needs to be effective in controlling the extreme liberal faction of his party while negotiating with moderates in the Republican party.     

Now, Trump:

* Renegotiated a trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.--NAFTA may have improved trade when implemented, but it had numerous flaws. And it was not a free trade agreement due to its thousands of pages that included favoritism for various groups. How would you like to be a businessperson seeking to do business internationally and having to read and adhere to a 10,000 page agreement? While not a one-page totally free trade agreement, the one the Trump administration implemented seems to be improved and certainly has a more accurate title. I confess though that I’ve not read either agreement entirely . . . and doubt anyone else has either.

* Border wall construction--Ideally I’d prefer being able to travel internationally as easily as one travels from one state to another. But due to terrorism, different national policies on  vaccinations against disease, limited capacity for immigrants, language barriers, etc., some limits are necessary. European nations overwhelmed by massive numbers of immigrants in recent years, and major problems due to them, have constructed barriers, fences and walls. The U.S. is wise to do so also. While a wall won’t be 100% effective and won’t be cheap, it’s more cost effective than enormously expensive military actions the U.S. has been involved in that have created more problems than they‘ve solved. 

* Reducing terrorism and international military actions--Trump effectively reduced the activity of terrorist groups and took actions to reduce the number of U.S. troops and military activity overseas. Too often our military actions created more problems than they solved.

* Raised tobacco minimum age for purchase to 21--Some health professionals claim tobacco use is the #1 preventable cause of death. The Trump administration’s action to raise the minimum age for tobacco use from 18 to 21 may dramatically decrease tobacco use over time. It’s a big first step toward reducing health care costs.

President Trump's most lasting accomplishment may be his appointment of three U.S. Supreme Court justices. This photo of the Supreme Court building was taken in June 2019.

* Appointed pro-life Supreme Court justices--I dislike the term of liberal and conservative Supreme Court justices, and would like to have open-minded moderates. But I am a conservative on the abortion issue, and grateful to Trump for appointing justices who are likely to rule on the side of life. I do recognize however that abortion is a symptom of the underlying problem of casual, selfish sex and not the root problem itself.

* Simplified federal tax forms--The Trump administration greatly shortened the 1040 tax form. And he opened the door for further simplifications. It is a shame that persons must devote hours to filling out tax forms or pay part of their income to professionals to fill them out for them.

* Lowered taxes--Trump lowered taxes for millions, if not most, persons while still increasing federal revenue. He even supported a payroll tax cut which, although I feel would be counterproductive due to its damage to the retirement funds, would have helped the working poor more than the wealthy.

* Eliminated the ObamaCare mandate and tried to repeal ObamaCare--Before ObamaCare the U.S. had the most expensive health care system in the world, with many lacking health insurance. ObamaCare made health care much more expensive, and millions still either lacked insurance or couldn’t afford to use it due to exclusions and deductibles.

* Moved Israeli embassy to Jerusalem--This controversial move had been proposed by other Presidential candidates but abandoned after their election, presumably due to career diplomats changing their minds. Trump did it. While I’d prefer Jerusalem be an international city, allowing Jews to have ownership while allowing visitation from others may be the most realistic approach to attaining peace there.

* Israeli relations--Trump helped negotiate normalized relations between Israel and three Arab nations. This may lead to more such agreements and put more pressure on Palestinians and Israelis to seek a fair and lasting peace agreement.

* COVID-19 vaccine--President Trump has taken a leadership role in funding and promoting the development and production of a vaccine for COVID-19. It’s likely one or more vaccines will be produced in record time, probably before spring. Though Trump repeatedly misstated when a vaccine would be available, and it remains to be seen how safe and effective vaccines will be, Trump deserve much credit for pushing hard for a vaccine.

* Low unemployment rate before COVID-19--Before COVID-19 hit, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was very low. The economy seemed to be booming in some ways.

* Trade reform--Various countries have often behaved unfairly in their trade with the United States. Patent and copyright infringement, limited safety standards, low wages, high tariffs, and limitations imposed on imports created problems for U.S. companies. Trump sought to change this. I dislike Trump’s confrontational approach, but it was effective in producing constructive changes in some cases. As some have noted, Trump didn’t start a trade war, he just increased our fighting back in it.

* Criminal justice reform--The Trump administration passed a bipartisan criminal justice reform that helped many.

* Race relations--Trump has faced much criticism on this issue. But Trump reduced unemployment, creating record low unemployment for some minority groups before COVID-19. Trump condemned the George Floyd death and urged prosecution of the officer directly responsible for holding Floyd down and not offering aid. Floyd’s death was videotaped and widely reported by major news outlets and social media. This incident perhaps more than any since the Selma Bridge violence decades ago may do much to achieve police and civil rights reforms.

* Maverick--Trump is a maverick who for better or worse thinks for himself instead of following his party. Indeed, during his lifetime, he’s been registered as an independent and a Democrat, in addition to now being a Republican. He sought infrastructure improvements despite opposition from Republicans who opposed them. He reduced military troops overseas despite opposition from others in his party and military leaders. And he urged taking military action to remove the Syrian President from office after his alleged use of chemical weapons, though was urged not to by his Secretary of Defense who stated Syria was a friend of Russia and Russians would be furious, according to Bob Woodward in his book Fear: Trump in the White House. Being a maverick is okay as long as others intervene to limit errors. Trump may have been wrong on multiple occasions including his desire to remove Syria's leader, but at least he didn’t strictly follow what his party or military leaders advocated.

* Health care cost disclosures--Trump supported disclosing health care costs in advance and lowering drug costs by making U.S. costs more comparable to those internationally despite opposition from the drug industry whose lobbyists donate to many Congresspersons in both parties.        

Closing Thoughts

The above lists are not comprehensive. Furthermore, only time will tell what Biden’s accomplishments actually are.

Biden and Trump differ dramatically in their personalities and in their beliefs on how to run the country. But in their own way, each has constructive ideas.

And while many persons seek to retire at an early age in their 50s or 60s, both Biden and Trump chose to keep on serving their country in their 70s. I commend both for their dedication to helping others.

Biden will be 78 when he takes office in January. House Majority Leader Pelosi is 80. Senate Majority Leader McConnell is 78. There is likelihood that one or more of these leaders will either be called home sometime in the next four years or leave office for health-related reasons or some other reason. Therefore, change is likely to come in various ways.

It remains unknown which party will have a majority in the United States Senate the next two years. My guess is that Republicans will win both runoff elections in Georgia in January and hold a slim majority in the Senate. But, regardless of which party controls the Senate, it will be a close division, with a few swing votes being able to decide how votes go.

I hope and pray that persons on each side seek to listen and learn, and that fair resolutions to conflicts come. I know it is possible, but I’m not sure how probable.

NOTE: This article was last modified on November 17th, 2020.

Happy Father's Day

It’s great that the United States officially sets aside a day each year to honor dads. Father’s Day 2021 is June 20th, 2021.

Father’s Day did not become an official U.S. holiday until 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a Congressional Resolution officially establishing Father’s Day as the third Sunday of June in the United States.

Dads’ Roles

Dads fulfill a special role. Society’s future depends on the children and grandchildren that are growing up. Quality parenting is a key for their successful development. Fathers traditionally have provided them financial support, some discipline, training, and love.

Fathers teach their children various skills. I remember my dad helping me develop various interests and abilities, from riding a bicycle to the “look it up” habit that helped me access accurate information from encyclopedias and other sources. 

Memories

My dad passed on to heaven April 27th, 2013 at age 82. Father's Day 2021 will be my ninth Father's Day without dad. I cherish many wonderful memories of him and look forward to a reunion with him in heaven.

I am glad that I kept in touch with dad during my adult years. I phoned regularly, as well as renting a car and visiting a few times a year. I'm glad I got to visit him for a few days during his final hospitalization in April 2013 and to enjoy some phone conversations with him during those last days. Below are some photos of my dad. The first one is from 1967 when he was standing at Sky Bridge in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky. Below that is one of him in his Wayland High School football uniform; he told me he played guard on offense and defense. Following are two from his college days at VPI. Then there's one of him holding his younger daughter Deborah in August 1975 on a vacation trip. Below that is one of him standing in the dining room of his house in Jenkins, Kentucky in 1990. Then one of him standing in the vicinity of where an amphitheater was later built in Jenkins, Kentucky. In the final photo, he is sitting on the porch of his house in Jenkins, Kentucky.

I urge adult children whose dads remain alive to keep in contact with them via visits, phone calls, emails, text messages, etc. Say “I Love You,” and thank them specifically for some of the things you remember them doing for you.

During my childhood, dad worked long hours at his job and other career-related activities. Dad didn't say "I love you" much when I was a boy, which was probably common for dads in the 1960s and 1970s. But he demonstrated his love in numerous ways. He worked to support his family. And he taught me many things. He also devoted time to playing games with me despite his busy schedule.

In his later years, we said "I love you" to each other often. We did it much more during my adulthood than when I was a child. And dad often took the initiative in saying that first.

Dad taught me the importance of an education and the importance of asking questions and looking things up in books. He taught me how to drive a car--I was less nervous with the police officer when I took the test than with dad during my training. And I passed my driver's exam the first time.

I cherish many happy memories of joyful times with dad. We hiked together in various scenic areas in southeastern Kentucky when I was a boy. We played lots of fun games of Rook,® chess, croquet, etc.

Dad did a lot for lots of people. During the course of his lifetime, in addition to his career as a mining engineer and land surveyor, he became involved in numerous other activities. At various times, among other things, he served as a Boy Scout troop leader, church deacon, church as well as county church conference treasurer, held offices in the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers, and at one point I think he was even a PTA president. He possessed numerous strengths. Of course, as a human being he also had human weaknesses. But I feel fortunate to have had him as my dad and prefer to focus on his positive aspects and my many happy memories rather than his shortcomings. Whether your dad did achieved more or less than mine, your dad contributed to making you who you are. Seek to appreciate him for being the individual he is or was and for his achievements.

Dad’s Passing On to Heaven and Afterward

Dad's passing on to heaven wasn't totally unexpected. A few decades ago, he said a doctor told him he was a walking dead man. Dad had various health problems.

Still, when dad and I talked on the phone the afternoon of April 26, 2013, I hoped he would be released from the hospital in a few days. But he took a major turn for the worse that evening and passed on to heaven shortly after 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 27.

Often a dad’s death comes unexpected. Say “I love you” to your dad and show him love regularly. You never know when it may be your last chance to.

The visitation (April 28, 2013) and funeral (April 29, 2013) went well. Fellowship with relatives and friends made it a special time. The funeral messages offered a nice celebration of dad's life and his passing on to heaven.

Closure has largely come, I guess. But I still typically think briefly about dad at least a few times a day, even eight years later. I cherish wonderful memories while looking forward to that reunion in heaven.

Closing Thoughts

This Father's Day (June 20, 2021) I plan to devote some time to quiet reflection about my many wonderful memories of dad. And I plan to budget extra time for prayer to God, my Heavenly Father.

If your dad is alive, I urge you to seek to contact him on Father’s Day and regularly afterward. If his health is poor and you are the primary caregiver, bless you for helping repay your dad for what he’s done for you.

I urge readers to cherish happy memories of their dads. And I urge those whose dads still live Earthly lives to keep in contact with them and to tell them that they love them. Their next conversation with daddy may be their last one.

I miss dad. But I look forward to seeing him again someday in heaven. And I love my many marvelous memories. Yes, I will be remembering dad on Father's Day. I hope you will remember your dad too.

NOTE:

This article submitted to Google Blogger on Jane 20, 2020 is virtually identical to one submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by the author's friend Paul Craft, earlier the same day, on June 20th 2020. Part of it is reprinted/adapted from an article the author wrote in 2013 just before his first Father‘s Day without his dad. This article was last revised on May 19th, 2021.

We Need Reform Now: Flag Day, Flags, Statues, and Policies

The United States flag. Worthy of respect? A symbol of evil? Maybe some of both? June 14th is Flag Day in the United States. It's a day for honoring the United States flag. President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Flag Day in 1916.

Flags, statues, and other symbols have a variety of meanings for various persons.

This has been illustrated again in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, a few weeks before Flag Day. His murder led to renewed calls for much-needed police reform. Among other things, protesters chose to avoid standing for the national anthem at sports events and damaged statues.

Constructive reform is good. Wonderful! We need change. I hope reforms come soon and existing laws are enforced more effectively.

However, we need to do things the correct way. It’s wrong to vandalize statues instead of legislating to remove them. It’s wrong to destroy the property of others. It’s wrong to kill or injure innocent people.

Confederate Flags

Lots of persons are urging that Confederate flags be removed from public display. I agree.

Now is an especially good time to enact change while George Floyd’s murder remains in our minds. I think everyone (or almost everyone) who saw that video of George Floyd being kneed for 8 minutes give or take a minute, including a few minutes after he became unresponsive, even though he was handcuffed and stating he couldn’t breathe, agrees that we need to prevent such things from happening, and the officers responsible for his death needed to be prosecuted.

What does this have to do with Confederate flags? Confederate flags have negative connotations for many African-Americans and others. These flags are increasingly banned in many places, just as Nazi flags are banned in Germany.

For some, the Confederate flag may symbolize quality aspects of southern life, not slavery and discrimination. But the fact is that the Confederate flag designs came into being during a secession and war that was primarily fought over the issue of slavery. Furthermore, in recent years Confederate flags have been used as symbols by white supremacist groups and persons opposed to civil rights, equal rights.

As I see it, Confederate flags belong in history museums rather than on public display out of context. But as a proponent of freedom of speech, I support the right of private citizens to display a Confederate flag on their own private property--though I think it would be better if they didn’t.

Statues of Southern Leaders

Statues of prominent Southern leaders such as Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis are controversial too. In 2020 a statue of Jefferson Davis (who was born in Kentucky) was removed from Kentucky’s state capitol building rotunda where it existed with a few other statues including those of Abraham Lincoln and Henry Clay.

I agree with the decision to remove the statue. However, I would prefer to have it placed in the Kentucky Historical Society museum rather than in the county where Jefferson Davis was born.

Indeed, I’d prefer to move the other statues in the rotunda to the history museum also. The state capitol building ought to be a place for all Kentuckians, not a place to honor a few specific individuals.

All human individuals have strengths and weaknesses. Henry Clay was called the “Great Compromiser” for his efforts to attain compromises between the north and south. But he was a slave owner. Robert E. Lee had numerous good qualities; in fact, he was apparently Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union Army in the Civil War, but Virginia’s vote to secede (and maybe other factors) led to Lee declining the opportunity.

Abraham Lincoln is hailed by many as the greatest U.S. President in history, but his election and policies led to a war that killed a huge number of persons and to divisions that still exist today in this country. Indeed, many of the freed slaves who often had limited ability to read and write, and limited resources in other ways, went north to live in slums. In some cases their descendants remain in them now.

Numerous nations around the world ended slavery without a war, and I’m confident that the United States could have with better leadership too. Maybe not as quickly, but in a better way. Sadly, African-Americans even today suffer because of the improper way the Civil War took place and the aftermath of it.

Jefferson Davis was not an evil man. Abraham Lincoln was not a saint. Davis did much wrong. So did Lincoln. Civil War Monument and U.S. Flag The best approach to creating monuments is providing a balanced perspective, one that presents both sides. "Brothers Once More" is the theme of a civil war monument beside U.S. Route 23 near the top of the mountain above Jenkins, Kentucky that is pictured below. Well done! On one side the structure depicts both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. The other side depicts a military leader from the Union and one from the Confederacy. The monument focuses on unity, the nation being united again. The area near the monument features multiple United States and Confederate flags of different designs, but my U.S. flag photo is from a different location.

The United States Flag

United States flag photographed Oct. 23, 2016 near the Lexington, Kentucky courthouses

For many, including me, the United States flag is a positive symbol that reflects much of what is good about this nation. 

But, just as the Nazi flag and the Confederate flag symbolize evil to many, so does the United States flag.

Read history. Learn about the numerous times the United States military intervened for selfish reasons in Central and South American nations (and elsewhere), sometimes helping overthrow the nations’ legitimate governments.

Our nation stole land from the Native American Indians. Our nation enslaved African-Americans and Native Americans. Our nation intervened in Hawaii to protect sugar interests. Our nation took land from Mexico. Etc.,  Etc., Etc.

As long as the United States is in existence (which I hope is for a long time), the United States flag needs to remain as a symbol of the country. Persons have no right to vandalize flags at public buildings.

However, persons have a right to freedom of speech, a right to refuse to salute the flag. Jehovah’s Witnesses who put God, Jehovah, above the flag, have a right to do it and to refuse to stand for the national anthem. Native American Indians who choose not to support the flag have a right to do so. Maybe persons who disagree with such Native American Indians could leave the United States, since our ancestors who immigrated here took the land unlawfully from the Indians.     

Broaden Our Horizons

Going to school in southeastern Kentucky in the 1960s and 1970s, at times I attended segregated schools that were all white. In one town we lived in, I didn’t even know a large number of African-Americans lived in the town until one day I saw a gathering of many of them on a hill on the other side of the railroad tracks. I learned they were there and knew they deserved an education.

Growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s, I thought all Russians were evil Communists. I later learned that Russian people are human beings who love their families and want to avoid the horrors of war as we do.

Studying history superficially, I thought all Germans were evil in World War II as they obeyed Hitler. I learned later that huge numbers of “Christians” in Germany supported Hitler.

Growing up in southeastern Kentucky, I thought the United States supported freedom and democracy for everyone. I learned more later about the evil way we opposed freedom and democracy for women, Native Americans, African-Americans, residents of Central and South American countries, etc.

I learned how the United States government instituted and backed military coups to overthrow governments elected by the people in various countries in Central America and elsewhere.

I learned that there are secretive organizations that require prospective members to go through initiation rites, including hazing. These require prospective initiates to do wrong, thus enabling the organizations to get power over them. This is wrong too.

Hillbillies and African-Americans

The hillbillies (I like the term Appalachian-Americans too but am proud to be called a hillbilly.)  who immigrated to Appalachia and built log cabins, farmed, got water from springs, and built outhouses for toilets lived a tough life in many ways.

But even they didn’t suffer like the African-Americans who were slaves, prevented from attending schools, beaten, forcibly segregated, etc.

And many in my generation of hillbillies, including me, were blessed with reasonably good schools, stores, homes, etc., thanks to the coal companies and the prosperity they brought. Yes, coal companies did evil to some, but they did good for many too, including me.

I think it’s unfair to compare the hardships encountered by us hillbillies with those endured by African-Americans.  

Changes

Police and military brutality needs to cease. No-knock warrants need to cease. Yes, maybe in some cases evidence will be destroyed after officers knock. But my guess is that in such cases there was typically relatively little evidence to start with. The risks outweigh the potential rewards.

One of the things that separate the United States from many other nations is our relative freedom of speech and freedom of the press. We can read about and see pictured online many of the evils our government has done if we do research instead of just following propaganda from one particular group.

However, tearing down public statues is not the answer. Instead, I support relegating many inappropriate statues to museums with accompanying placards that explain their context.

Furthermore, we need to separate individuals from individual sins. As a Christian, I believe we all have sinned and fall short of God’s perfect will for us. But we can love one another and help one another. We can seek positive change. And we can do it peacefully.

NOTE:

This article submitted to Google Blogger on June 14, 2020 is a longer version of one published earlier the same day on Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft. This Blogger article was last revised on June 2, 2021.