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Yet I'm Hopeful Edition #127 —January 30, 2010 Well, here we are. It's the first month of the second decade of the third millenium and I'm expecting the coming years to be good ones, despite what many fear will be the worst. I guess it all comes down to attitude. Some people need the world to fail so that they can succeed, others like me are hoping that we can all win somehow. I think we all want that "better" world, even those trying to kill us; it's just that they can't see "better" while we're still living in it. But we're all guilty of playing that exclusion game to some extent, sometimes putting others through hell so that we might have our future heaven. Yet I'm hopeful that there are answers coming. Haiti Doesn't Need More Problems. In my daily reading of the news, I find evidence both for and against hope. In watching Haiti's earthquake disaster unfold, I was shocked yet relieved to see the unconditional aid response from so many countries. Yet I also read that some Haitian men were luring hungry children away with promises of food in order to kidnap them and turn them into household or sex slaves. That is some tragic human behavior. Child slavery is apparently a long standing problem in Haiti. Sadly, as we're helping people to rise, others are destroying children's lives for selfish gain. Fortunately, starving locals are chasing off some of these predators, even beating them. Yet they have already suffering so greatly and don't need the extra burden of being exploited by their own. I wish Rev. Pat Robertson would go over and help those kids instead of calling their dead parents devil worshippers. Yet I'm hopeful that there are answers coming. What's Wrong With Politics? I also watched Barack Obama's ambitions being put through hell so that others could have their corporately funded heaven. Yesterday in Baltimore, for instance, president Obama met with Republicans to discuss a clearer way to future progress. As the story tells it: "President Barack Obama chastised Republican lawmakers Friday for opposing him on taxes, health care and the economic stimulus, while they accused him in turn of brushing off their ideas and driving up the national debt." What stands out for me is that the end result was a sign of what to expect if Republicans win more seats again. To quote the article: "Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said of the event, 'In some places I kind of felt like I was in my high school assembly being lectured by my principal. In others, I felt like he was listening.' In other words, when Obama was talking, he felt mistreated, yet when their side was talking, he felt good. How ironic. Furthermore, the article said: "When it was over, House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio issued a statement saying Obama 'acknowledged the fact that House Republicans have offered better solutions over the last year.'" In other words, he went out in front of his voters and lied to make the party look good. And that is neither fair, nor balanced, but a shameless act of human depravity. I wish there was some standardized emotional maturity test so that when we voted to put grown men into office, we wouldn't wind up with politicians who act like little school children. Yet I'm hopeful that there are answers coming. Tal Wilkenfeld - Bass Goddess! The brightest light that I've seen on the horizon is a young woman of immense talent. Having grown up in the era of macho rock where guitars were played by men and women were assigned to...well, other musical duties, it makes me very happy to see a young, superbly talented women bursting onto the music scene who plays circles around most male bass players at any age. This bass wiz, now in her early twenties, is Australian born Tal Wilkenfeld. She moved to Los Angeles when she was only 16 and was playing with music legends Chick Corea and Jeff Beck within a few short years of picking up the instrument. In other words, she was born to play the bass, and watching her I can see that the instrument is the natural extension of a very developed creative spirit celebrating life from within that compact little body. To put the year on the right footing, I offer you talent, grace and beautiful musicianship from someone who her peers are calling "The future of bass." Here are some Tal Wilkenfeld videos which have put a smile on my face over the last few weeks. I think when you watch her play you'll realize that this is indeed something to smile and be hopeful about.
Tal Wilkenfeld - with Jeff Beck (solo)
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