Is inflation a problem? Quality of life should be the true bottom line.

Sunrise. Image from my smartphone at the end of the hallway in public housing outside my studio apartment. Hallway lights reflected on window glass to the right.

Republicans have won some elections being propelled by public concern about inflation. Some folks would like to roll back prices to pre pandemic levels, but that would be deflation; something associated with depression.

Deflation can lead to much less consumer spending as consumers postpone purchases till the price comes down farther. In the computer, we have already had deflation, but consumption does continue. For decades, advancing technologies have lower prices while increasing capabilities. This trend is often called "Moore's Law."

Moore's Law has not lead to a total collapse of spending as people still buy things in order to use them. Waiting years, before buying a computer or smartphone, while waiting for a better deal, means going without the use of such devices for years. People buy anyway and then upgrade when the newer models become available.

There is still a brisk enough consumer market, in electronics, so many good phones go to landfills. Phone and internet service providers still push upgrades making their networks less compatible to older devices.

Certain things, like housing and healthcare, continue to get more expensive and deflation, in those areas, could lower the overall cost of living. Do homeowners want their home values to deflate? Deflation is usually seen as bad and leading to unemployment as well. We all need to be careful what we ask for as we might get it.

Often it does seem like the economy is a meaningless treadmill. For every step we go forward in wages, we fall 2 steps back in prices; especially for things like housing and healthcare.

Taking a deeper look at what we are trying to accomplish, with our economy, is what needs to be done. How gratifying is life? Are we happier? Are we heathier? Is the economy making progress toward climate stability? Is our technology improving in ways that enhance civilization?

This fuels the pendulum of politics as in we have met the enemy and that is us.

It seems like when the government starts to lean a bit left, most of the pushback from the people is from the right. When those in power, in government, are right wingers, pushback from the people tends to swing more to the left. This provides hope for the left after election 2024. It's the pendulum of politics.

Those following Taylor Swift.

My 2012 picture of BC Place Stadium.

A billionaire, Taylor Swift, coming to Vancouver, BC; near Bellingham.

This is expected to have an effect on I-5 traffic to the border. I hear the tickets to see her in concert sell for around $900 (my guess $900 Canadian, maybe not quite $900 US).

I guess people on the right of the political spectrum can worship Donald Trump and Elon Musk while folks more toward the left have their billionaire idols as well. We might need the billionaires on our, more left side of the political spectrum, as in fighting fire with fire, so to speak.

The priorities I spend my money on are quite a bit different than going to live concerts like that. I don't go to football games either.

I have gone to Vancouver, BC to be among 500,000 folks in Vancouver's Gay Pride Parade, however. I bicycled to a motel in Surrey and took the Skytrain from there. No luck finding an affordable room in Vancouver, itself during that big event. The gay parade, itself, was free.

56 people killed in Guinea soccer stadium disaster following controversial referee decision.

Competitive sports can be hazardous. Here in USA, we recently had some controversy over a logo, or something, displayed in the opponents side of the field. Stirred up news headlines that I didn't fallow, but now I can't find that news.

Things have been even worse overseas as this headline was also in the news, around the same time.

56 people killed in Guinea soccer stadium disaster following controversial referee decision.

Monday's events are the latest in a long line of soccer stadium disasters over the last three decades.

I remember, in the 1980s, when a riot broke out in a stadium in Great Britain and part of the old stadium structure collapsed killing many fans. They talked about suspending the games for a while in UK back then.

The quiet time I spent while others were doing Black Friday.

Not feeling obligated to buy gifts for kids and relatives, I wasn't at the malls for "Black Friday."

I guess I did go shopping, so it wasn't "Buy Nothing Day" for me either. I biked through the quiet campus of WWU on my way to Sehome Village for some regular shopping; such as groceries. Sehome Village, near WWU, was fairly mellow. WWW wasn't in session due to the holiday weekend. Most students were out of town.

Instead of Buy Nothing Day, it was No Rat Race Day for me. Even the walk zone in Red Square, on campus, wasn't necessary as there wasn't likely to be any conflict between pedestrians and bicycles.

It's been many years since I've traveled for Christmas, or Thanksgiving.

My two sisters still live in Pullman, WA where I grew up. In more recent years, I've visited during summer months and I've traveled by bicycle. Most recent bike trip to Pullman was summer of 2022.

The old neighborhood looks similar, but some changes as well.

I have a brother in Kentucky and another in southern Oregon. I would be welcome to visit any of my brothers and sisters. If we were to sit around a Thanksgiving, or Christmas table, our politics would be similar enough that we would get along fine on that score.

Still, when I plan to visit my sisters, they often say they would love to see me, but this would not be a good time to visit. There are often problems and other needs going on that make a visit somewhat uncomfortable and inconvenient.

During my last two trips to Pullman, rather than staying with my sisters, I did enjoy a new perspective of staying at a motel in Pullman, rather than my childhood home.

Visited my sisters during the day and also did much sighseeing on my own around town.

A new perspective looking over downtown with WSU campus in background from the Cougarland Motel.

The old high school across the street.

Memories from my freshman to Junior years in high school. My senior year in a new building in another part of town.

This old high school is now "Gladish Community and Cultural Center" named for a former principal of the school, Oscar Gladish, who was a neighbor across the back fence as I was growing up.

My most recent visits to Pullman were by bicycle in 2022 even at age 67 and then in 2023. In 2023 it was by car.

2023 was for the 50th high school reunion. I rode, by car, with a classmate who lives in the Bellingham area. We had a good visit going across the state. I didn't bike in 2023 as the reunion was in August when temperatures, in the middle of Washington State, can climb into the 100s. My 2022 trip was in June, a relatively cool and lush time in the Columbia Basin.

I still do some bike / and now transit combo tours to other areas. Pullman is still a possibility, but mid summers might not be a good idea.

I still have memories, from Christmas visits back to Pullman, during my college years in Bellingham. I grew up in Pullman where WSU is, but still did go away for college.

Taking the Greyhound Bus with transfers in Everett and then Spokane was the way to go for Christmas visits. Trying to do it in one day with snow on the mountain passes and in eastern Washington would cause delays. We usually made it, but sometimes got in real late; like next day after midnight. By bicycle, it usually takes around a week to get to Pullman, but it's a scenic trip; warmer months that is.

I live car free so maybe the most pragmatic way to get to Pullman is by air. Pullman has recently completed an airport upgrade that can accomodate jet service.

One memory, from my college Greyhound Bus days, was the lunch stop at "Martha's Inn Truck Stop." That stop was in the town of George, Washington.

Martha's Inn is only a faded memory, but the old sign is still there, faded by the years of hot sun and cold winter winds.

Image taken during my 2022 bike trip.

I did take the bus back to Bellingham, from Pullman, in 2022 as I planned. Bus and train has returned me from many a bicycle tour.

In 2022, I shipped my bike back to Bellingham using a service called Bike FLights.

It would be better if Greyhound style buses didn't require bikes to be boxed for shipment. County transit buses have bike racks, but service is very limited in Eastern Washington. From what I hear, Flix Bus might work to Spokane without the complexity of finding a bike box.

I had a good local Thanksgiving.

It started with ecstatic dance, a Thanksgiving morning tradition at Presence Studio in Bellingham. Then a potluck turkey dinner downstairs in the dining room of the building I live in. Then another potluck turkey dinner at the Unitarian Church.

Then a nap. Then I dropped by Betty Desire's place. I got there by evening so the place was all lit in Christmas lights. They plan to have 25,000 lights; like in the movie National Lampoon Christmas. They are almost to the 125,000 mark. These days, LED lights.

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go, but we are not out of the woods yet.

This seems to happen every year. Of course, the holidays happen during a season of harsh weather. Glad I have no plans to travel a long ways to family. A community potluck at Unitarian Church in my neighborhood is more my speed. Photo from Yahoo News.

Possible effects of tariff on natural gas from Canada to USA.

A 25 percent tariff on Canada might mean more expensive natural gas in the Pacific Northwest. We get our gas, for heating and much of our electricity, from Canada. Not much, if any natural gas produced in the Pacific Northwest. It comes from Canada by pipeline.

Picture above: Steam rising from cooling fans of a natural gas fired powerplant on Bellingham's waterfront. Amtrak Train on its way from USA to Vancouver, BC.

Trade with Canada and Mexico is good for the economy.

I the long run we still do need to rely more on greener energy, however.

Today, on Canadian Radio, I heard some interesting takes on the tariff proposal from Canadian politicians.

One commentator, who happened to be from BC hoped that it would spur more security at Canadian ports which he said were bringing fentanyl into the country. Apparently some ports up there have no port police and lots of containerized cargo comes through shipping ports.

He said that local police often have to get permission to enter port district property and that process is cumbersome for the police. He thought they need to have more control of the flow of drugs through shipping ports.

Then, on another topic, I heard, a few days ago, that some people, in the Alberta oil patch, found the proposal to be devastating to the economy. Oil and natural gas sales to US customers play an important role in many pocketbooks.

The missing middle of attention span for political discussion.

To read a whole book takes too long for me.

At the same time I don't use X (formerly Twitter). Sound bytes are too short for me.

I prefer things like NPR round table discussions, TED Talks, short articles, thoughtful Facebook posts and face conversation about big ideas.

A need for the missing middle affordable housing can unite labor, minority, environmental and other interests.

Very interesting podcast about Washington State's new bill for affordable housing.

House Bill 1110, which legalized “missing middle” housing statewide. A conversation with Rep. Jessica Bateman.

After decades of effort by urbanists, housing has arrived as a political issue. Big environmental groups have come around to the idea that dense housing is a crucial climate strategy, support is growing from unions worried that their members can’t afford to live where they work, and polls show that the public is increasingly convinced that there is a housing crisis.

Over the last five years, a wave of good housing legislation has been building on the West Coast, spreading from California to Oregon and now to Washington state. In this last legislative session, some 50 housing bills were put forward in the Washington legislature and more than a half dozen passed, any one of which would have been historic.

One of the most significant bills that passed this session — and one of the biggest surprises — was House Bill 1110, which legalized so-called “missing middle” housing statewide. Every lot in the state will now be permitted to build at least two units of housing, four units when located near transit, and up to six units if some portion are set aside for low-income homeowners.

Podcast on Volts.

Arguing over goals not met and compensation not available fails. How about making next Climate Conference into a tradeshow for green energy technology?

Seems like COP29 climate conference at Azerbaijan was mostly a failure. Not worth the jet fuel it took for bringing the delegates there. The conference was mostly about arguing over who should pay for the cleanup; so to speak.

An elephant in the room was USA who I doubt will pony up any money since Donald Trump has won the 2024 election. Maybe the US private sector will contribute however. Wealthy individuals, non profits and corporations can make a difference.

Besides fighting in the global sandbox over money, no goals were set for reducing carbon emissions. In reality, setting goals doesn't do any good if they aren't followed. In spite of past goal setting, by elite delegates at past climate conferences, world carbon emissions continue to increase.

Might there be a better strategy to reduce worldwide carbon emissions. I got to thinking that a better conference plan could be a tradeshow to show off alternative energy technologies. A trade show instead of an argument over goals that don't usually get far from the documents they reside on. Take a page from the more optimistic and enjoyable trade shows that Las Vegas is famous for; tradeshows exhibiting new computer technologies.

Maybe there could be an uplifting tradeshow presenting solar technology where products are improving and the price of solar is going down. Other technologies, such as electric vehicles, energy storage systems and wind power would be there also. Even nuclear power and hydrogen fusion research could inspire folks about the future.

I tend to have somewhat of a cynical view about mainstream human culture versus the promise of innovation and technology. At the same time, I feel like my own personal life has some lifestyle innovations around less desire for money than most folks seem to have in this culture. Yes, money for survival and a bit more is still needed, but downsizing is a good thing. I do find that there are many people in this world who do value quality of life over personal pocketbook issues.

Should some international force invade and temporarily occupy Haiti for it's own good?

Apparently, the gang violence in Haiti has gotten worse in spite of the troops from Kenya that finally arrived to try and improve that situation. From what I hear, on CBC Radio news from Canada; the gangs are so powerful that they outgun the Kenyan Troops.

I'm a bit of a cynic. Maybe the world should invade and occupy Haiti to try fix the problem. There is talk of a powerful UN force. I'm Remembering when George Bush II lead the "Coalition of the willing;" an international force invading Iraq in 2003. That, probably didn't end well, but might have looked, at the time, as the right thing to do, according to some people at least.

After 911, in 2001, Bush II's popularity soared providing political support for invading, occupying and trying to install democracy in Afghanistan at least. It didn't really end well. It wasn't really a slam dunk. Fixing Iraq was thought, by some, to be a good thing; liberating that country, we had earlier invaded related to oil, from the dictatorship of Sandam Hussein.

I remember the pottery barn rule after the 1992 Persian Gulf War; "you break it you fix it." The second war (2003) tried to fix that. By the end of Bush's term. Democrat Barak Obama won the 2008 election.

Haiti doesn't have oil, however.

Still it might be a good idea to invade Haiti for humanitarian reasons.

Folks on the left might think it's a bad idea similar to colonization. On the other hand, the enemy is often within due to some aspects of human nature. Maybe there is a way that an invasion, or possibly call it an "intervention," as in an intervention to help some drug addict, is needed.

Remembering the George McGovern, Richard Nixon race in 1972.

Start of my Senior year in high school, 1972 George McGovern was pretty far to the left. He wanted to end the Vietnam War.

The Democrats did back him after a pitched nomination contest. He won the nomination and ran for president, but lost badly in the general election only carrying the state of Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.

Republican Richard Nixon won all other states, but by spring of my Senior year, he was embroiled in the Watergate Scandal.

By the summer, between my freshman and sophomore years in college, Nixon became the first US president to resign from office under threat of impeachment and possible removal from office.

Trickle Down Economics might boost the economy, but not necessarily the amount of happiness.

By a slim margin, the Majority of US voters have voted for the concept of "trickle down economics in November 2024." This, in spite of that concept's bad reputation.

There is some logic to that concept. I remember the phrase, "what's good for General Motors is good for America."

USA has a robust economy, but still ranks low, among developed nations for happiness, health and even longevity. Material wealth isn't the only value in life.

Businesses and corporations do provide many of the jobs, services and products that people use; for instance big problems at Boeing airplane manufacturing company are now leading to large layoffs among Boeing workers.

Vacant land in Bellingham area that is held for investment purposes is vulnerable to becoming troublesome encampments for the homeless.

Privately owned vacant lots, in Bellingham and county areas, are vulnerable to becoming homeless encampments. This is due to the high value of property / cost of housing in this area as well as nationwide.

The city will sometimes have to clean up an encampment if it becomes too large and troublesome. The bill can be sent to the landlord in the form of a lean on the property.

Owning vacant lots, for investment purposes, is a bad idea; if just to wait for appreciation. It's better to have plans for building, or using the land soon, rather than letting it sit.

Reducing regulations, such as single family zoning, can help. Some of the vacant lots could be fast tracked into housing and density. Hopefully, this can address the need for more affordable housing.

Other lands could be used for garden space and parklands for quality of life in the neighborhoods. Sometimes volunteers can turn vacant land into garden space. On the other hand, open space is often owned by the public, as in city parks, but that requires spending tax dollars.

Cared for open space, or even development, is better than just a bunch of vacant lots with absentee private owners.

Where can the homeless go without vacant lots for tent encampments?

If housing was less expensive, less people would be pushed into that downward spiral of homelessness and sometimes angry, destructive behavior.

Even some tent encampments might be okay. Living in RVs, parked along Bellingham streets, can be an innovative solution for affordable housing. Tiny home villages are good.

If there isn't sewer service, composting toilets can work. Providing garbage pickup to RV, tiny home and even tent, low income neighborhoods, could work in my idealistic world. Then again, the people, including residents of these Hooverville type areas, should live responsibly as well.

There is the concept of "intentional communities."

Today's rat race society may be driving many folks mad, however.

Both Republicans and Democrats should back away from class and identity warfare rhetoric.

Some folks think the Democrats should back off a bit from social issues and focus on economics. I have a somewhat different take.

I do think both the Democrats and Republicans should back off from class and identity warfare. They should place less emphasis on resentment of others over differences in income, privilege and so forth. Not that those aren't important factors, however. It's just that the politics of resentment hasn't been working. There are more creative ways to reduce income, wealth, privelege and race inequality.

I do see social issues as important to the environment and the economy. For instance more modern attitudes toward sexuality reduces the burden that population growth places on the environment.

Topics discussed in local politics tend to be more useful than topics discussed in national politics.

Where the rubber meets the road, local community planning, in cities and counties across USA, are the most interesting topics to me.

There are many tradeoffs in life. The Walmarts can offer lower prices and even sometimes higher wages due to something called "economy of scale." Big, such as in bulk buying, or the most advanced technologies, is often an advantage, but what are the tradeoffs.

We can't have it all, but we can take a clear look at our priorities and our planning. Small is often better for intimacy and community spirit. Do we need all the material wealth that efficiency, alone, can provide? Is efficiency our only goal, versus our humanity or our lives not being reduced to stressful rat races.

Can lower income people have what they need to survive if we seek community over efficiency? Is maximizing consumption and money measured wealth our most important goals or are there other ways to measure wealth; such as quality time and personal fulfillment with community.

These are all tradeoffs we need to discuss as we strive for consensus in our local communities across the nation.

Can minority voters be blamed for Harris' loss?

I've heard that if the 2024 vote was up to minorities, while white males were not counted in the vote, Kamala Harris would have won. It's still the case that enthusiasm for Harris, among minority voters, has significantly degraded; relative to the minority vote for Biden in 2020. For instance 45% of Latino voters are said to have voted for Trump in 2024 versus a much lower percentage for Biden in 2020.

I do think that the Democrats and the left do place too much emphasis on trying to make things fair. Fairness is one of many things that is important, but I think there is too much emphasis on personal pocketbook issues.

How much consumption, income and wealth is enough? Resentment of folks, who are better off, can be problematic. Comparing oneself with others can lead to unhappiness. Yes, fairness is important and certain basics; like a place to call home, safety, food and fulfilling lives are important, but beyond that the struggle for equality is like hitting one's head against a brick wall.

Society is unlikely to ever be totally fair, but it can be more reasonable than it is today.

I do think the economy is important, but there is more to economics than just distribution of wealth. There is also quality of life, preservation of the environment, health and so forth. What are the end goals of our economy? Those are the big questions. What type of communities does the economy create?

I would like to see the emphasis, of the left and the Democratic Party, shift toward things like sustainable communities, health and happiness.

We need to change the national discussion toward issues like affordable housing, transportation, how to implement greener energy, technology, logistics, science and so forth.

Some of these issues are dealt with at the local levels, in cities and counties across the country, but they are sadly missing from the big stages of national politics.

Pointing the finger at the people, themselves, might empower the people.

I'm not surprised that Trump won the popular vote. It was only by a close margin, however. At the same time, It does seem to confirm my idea that the people are the problem; not the institutions of government or business.

Yes, the big institutions do have more power than a single individual, but the people, in whole, are the ultimate power. Culture is part of the problem, for instance the lust for money.

I think the people are most of the problem, but I would also like to believe that the people can be empowered. The way we live our lives each day, in the marketplace and in our communities, can hold lots of power.

Some immigrants wish to pull up the drawbridge.

I read that 45% of Hispanic vote went for Trump. Still, if the vote was just among Hispanics, Harris would have won, but why did Trump's percentages increase among voters normally thought of as in the Democrat's base?

One factor might be drawbridge thinking among immigrant populations. Drawbridge thinking is certainly evident among white populations. When people move to a place they like more than where they lived before, they often want to put up the drawbridge to keep too many from following. Also to keep out some of the elements, in the countries they have fled, from following them to where they now live in USA.

For many years, I've jokingly said that conservatives want to build a wall on the southern border while liberals, here in Bellingham, WA. want to build the wall on I-5 to keep our small city from turning into a big city.

Global South giving up bicycles for the West's old toxic cars.

Some folks thought it was a good idea to send used cars, from the west, to Africa. If they are still drivable, they can provide less expensive transportation, but small nations, like Ghana, are flooded with cars, traffic and pollution; plus, when the car dies, toxic waste.

Second hand computers, cars and so forth might seem like charity, but not always.

This very interesting recent segment on PBS News Hour.

Poetic justice. The Onion buys Infowars.

Poetic justice.

Seems like this makes lots of sense. The Onion that honestly admits it is a fantasy / fake / humorous / creative media outlet buys Inforwars.

Maybe RFK Jr. should stay away from medical science. Could he fight obesity by overseeing a department building recreation centers, bike paths and sidewalks?

RFK Jr. does think obesity is a bad thing. He has some quack like science ideas, but a broken analog clock is correct twice per day.

Obesity is a health hazard, but the solution is partially outside the scope of medical science so it can also be addressed by city planning.

Build more sidewalks, encourage less rural sprawl, build bike paths, think about parks plus recreation and community centers; where people can meet face to face.

Are these the things RFK Jr. would be promoting? Compartmental thinking tells me that's the job for other departments outside the scope of Health and Human Services.

Some Arabs in Michigan shot themselves in the foot by not voting for Harris.

Anger is usually a bad tool in politics. Excerpted from a recent article I saw.

Visuals of the conflict — with tens of thousands of deaths collectively in Gaza and Lebanon — stirred anger among many in Arab and Muslim communities about President Joe Biden and Harris' backing of Israel.

Trump picks what pro-Israel conservatives call a "dream team." Those in the community with concerns have specifically pointed to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, nominated as Trump's ambassador to Israel. Huckabee has consistently rejected the idea of a Palestinian state in territories seized by Israel, strongly supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposed a two-state solution, claiming "there really isn't such a thing" as Palestinians in referring to the descendants of people who lived in Palestine before the establishment of Israel.

Michigan-arab-american-voters-trump-cabinet-picks.