Feminist Kudos

Fabulous interview Bob Baldock did with Kathleen Weaver [on the life of South American feminist Madga Portal, OPEN EXCHANGE, Oct.-Dec. 2009.] Wonderful stories, history, spiced with the wit between this marvelous couple.

Kathleen Weaver's interview is archived online at www.openexchange.org/features/OND09/weaver.html.

Support Obama—Or Be Quiet!

I was very disappointed to read in the Healthy Living News column in the Fall edition that you quoted Chris Hedges on and on against President Obama. Isn't he the guy who hates everybody and everything, even Mother Theresa? He talks about "our permanent war economy" and our "doctrine of preemptive war." Not true. So much negativity. Give us information re. what Obama has done or hopes to do—or be quiet.

When polled, most Americans want an end to foreign wars, and frankly so do we. We want Barack Obama to succeed, but his escalation of the Afghanistan war is a dangerous gamble by most accounts. And his humble Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, invoking Gandhi and King while apologizing for war, was masterful, ironic—and deeply troubling. Is your position that Obama should not be criticized so long as his intentions are good? That's scary and just a little bit fascist, whether you call yourself Democrat, Republican, or anything else! Would you have given George W. Bush a pass, too? Chris Hedges, agree with him or not, is an honored journalist with an admittedly progressive bias. We quoted him and Ralph Nader as representative of many progressives who are frustrated with Obama's war policies. The second half of our article then explored practical political strategies to reenergize the peace movement, including the unlikely "Hail Mary" of uniting progressives with antiwar Republicans. We offered it as constructive criticism, not "so much negativity," but readers can judge for themselves. Read "Pushing Obama Toward Peace" archived at www.openexchange.org/features/OND09/HLN_OND09.html

Agent Of Change

Thank you for publishing my articles in your past issues. A client told me that she was so down one day after a particularly tough day. She was going home on BART when she read my article in your July-Sept 2008 issue ("The Joy of Giving,") and she felt her spirit lifted. "I could feel the wind and the sunshine you spoke of, even when I was inside BART!" She called to let me know about that. My heart felt so filled with deep gratitude. What an honor to uplift another human being and in such an unexpected way!
So, thank you for enabling me to be an agent of change. I am so proud to be listing with you.

"Christine Metawati, Agent of Change...." That sounds so cool, kind of like a new age James Bond! Find Christine's newest article listed in Articles.

Crazy Love

What would you recommend for my friend? He is so obsessed with his ex-wife that he can't function without her! He spent his life savings on her, but once the money was gone she walked out of his life. Now his self-esteem is shot and he's massively depressed and drinking uncontrollably. Can you help?

We're not therapists but we do know quite a few. Our guess is that psychiatrists might describe your friend as obsessive-compulsive and put him on meds; Freudians would explore why he's trying to buy mommy's love; family therapists would discuss control issues; Reichians would remove his emotional kinks with a combination of talk and bodywork; hypnotherapists would break his bad habits; and NLPers would try to repattern his mind. Coaches often focus on goal setting and positive choices rather than on analyzing past mistakes, so there's another option. Journal writing could also help him make sense of his internal chatter.

Exercise is a great mood elevator, so your friend should consider tai chi, or yoga, or dance, or nature walks. Going vegetarian might help him clean up his body. Meditation or soulwork might help him renew his spirit.

Of course, it would help if your friend were dating a nice, stable woman, but I doubt he's ready for—or would be attractive to—a "quality" partner, as the singles gurus say. Eventually he might find his soul-mate at a single's mixer, or perhaps in an art or drama or music class where people bond over common interests and shared experiences.
Meanwhile, could your friend benefit from sessions with a surrogate sex partner...?

There you have it—almost everything OPEN EXCHANGE offers in about 225 words. Share this with your friend!

Global Warming 'Climategate'

The global warming believers are losing the media war, at least in this country. The ranks of the skeptics are growing and the skeptics' media campaign is getting more and more sophisticated and convincing. With charges of "Climate-gate," we don't really know if the planet is getting hotter or cooler or what. This is hardly unique to the global warming "debate." Progressive causes and basic science are losing their own media wars across the board.

For the most part, corporate media has done a poor job by manufacturing a "debate" where none exists. Climate change is real, and the skeptics have about as much science cred as flat earthers. Has global warming data ever been faked? Yes, but mostly by the climate change deniers funded by big oil. (Where was big media on THAT story??? Just as important, why aren't enviros playing offense, not just defense?) Enviros are frustrated that their warnings have gone unheeded, but that's no justification for them to cheat, either. "Two wrongs don't make a right." If anything, the dangers of global warming have been vastly understated. Check out NASA photos of the thinning arctic ice and see for yourself: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/icesat-20090707.html.

So, the issue is not whether climate change is happening but how mankind collectively responds to the challenge. Our solution: conserve, buy green, and vote greener candidates!

Finally, A Special Note of Thanks

Thanks to all who wrote and called to offer congratulations on our milestone 35th Anniversary Edition. And you're invited to help make the next 35 years better than ever! Please send us your comments, feedback, and story ideas. There wouldn't be an OPEN EXCHANGE without YOU!