Has it begun its return?
A writer is a harvester of ideas. Like a farmer pulling crops. What follows are my crops for this week. Two parts. Coping and Hoping. The crisis is escalating. But the voices for democracy, decency and freedom of speech are getting louder.
The slippery slope of a slide to dictatorship has been greased and people are being thrown down it like sacrificial virgins into a volcano. “It’s God’s will”, they say. But you don’t need me to tell you how bad things are.
As I scan the world now, during this terrifying and depressing time, I’m looking for the events and ideas that are hopeful and helpful.
In my opinion, first we need to cope and then we need to find hope.
Part 1 – Coping
Dino Alonso writes a couple of Substacks. They are thoughtful and helpful. His worldview is realistic and solution based. I might not align with every bit of his spiritual philosophy but I completely mesh with his humanity and spirit of good will. He offers a coping mechanism for the onslaught of insanity and cruelty from the Trump maladministration:
”Living Beyond the Empire’s Clock:
Rejecting the urgency of the news cycle and reclaiming time for moral work that outlasts regimes”
”…..Another executive decree from a president who thrives on chaos. Another Supreme Court ruling, dropped without warning, overturning decades in a single sentence. Another scandal cooked up to fill airtime. It feels as though every morning begins in crisis and ends in exhaustion.
Maybe you know this feeling: the chest tightens, the mind races, and every headline shouts that this—right now, this hour—is the breaking point. But I’ve started to recognize the pattern. This isn’t just anxiety; it’s tempo. A deliberate, manufactured rhythm meant to keep me off-balance.
I call it the Empire’s clock. A ticking machine designed to make us shallow, reactive, and tired before we even start.”
Read on to learn how to reclaim your TIME:
My comment to Dino:
Old clocks had pendulums. We have my grandparents “Grandfather clock”. Made of curly maple in the 18th century. It has wooden works. And it has a pendulum. I don’t run the clock much, the gears, the ticking and the bell ringing are much too loud. But I plan to get it going again when the pendulum of justice really begins its swing back.
It’s just a feeling. Not enough facts. Just intuition that is as often wrong as it is right. But a few things are giving me indicators. Maybe the return of the pendulum is about to begin…
Part 2 – Hope: section a
Trump and Hegseth once again embarrassed themselves on the international stage by displaying their stupidity and incompetence. They gathered together 800 of our top military officers – essentially the total command of our armed forces – and put them in one room. That was just plain idiotic. A terrorist enemy leveled two World Trade center buildings and a kid blew up a Federal building in Oklahoma. And/or what if there were several attacks on US assets and/or our allies – simultaneously, would our military leadership be there to respond?
Why is this event in the Hope section?
1. The generals and admirals did not applaud the Secretary of Defense or the President of the United States as they ranted their ignorant bigoted vitriol.
2. The anonymous comments from attendees were: “This was a waste of time…it could been in an email.”
3. The expressions on the faces of the men and women who had built their careers by actually being warriors were telling. No smiles, no expressions of agreement. Just stone cold stares. And a few looks that suggested amazement and disgust.
Part 2 – Hope: section b
Senate and House Democrats are now vehemently and accurately making the case that the Republicons believe that the Health and Wellbeing of Americans is less important than huge tax gifts to the super wealthy. The have FINALLY shifted the blame for the rigged, punishingly poor health care system to where it belongs – in the hands of MAGA Republicans.
Schumer and Jeffries have stepped up. Jeffries in particular has found his voice. Regardless of how this government shutdown flows or is resolved, Democrats have finally found their voices and are using them. This reminds me of union members on a picket line. Despite causing themselves temporary harm, they would fight for the big picture and a fair deal. KUDOS.
Part 3 – Hope: section c
Out of the blue, a Hollywood Rebel stakes out her position and gets enormous support from her colleagues. I haven’t always been a fan of everything Jane Fonda has done. But she is three things:
Very talented in acting and speaking from the heart.
Respected by her fellow Hollywood workers.
A powerful advocate for our right to freedom of speech – just like her Dad.
Part 4 – Hope: section d
“Climate Forward” Interview with one of my heroes, Senator Brian Schatz. He joins Senator Chris Murphy as they talk of economic/sensible justice. Did you know that there is a new practical way to talk about sustainable energy production? A way that ALL Americans can understand and support?
Give a listen. (No paywall). Schatz is practical, wicked smart and he knows his subject.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/climate/climate-forward-brian-schatz.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qk8.6lgg._pFK_psou9jr&smid=url-share
Part 4 – Hope: section e:
The Spirit of Daniel Berrigan lives on…
If pressed for time, fast forward to about the 3:15 spot on the video.
Part 5 – Tree stuff as promised:
(posted on Substack by Tracy Chrest)
“Most people think sequoias survive because they’re massive.
But that’s not even close to the real reason.
If you’ve ever had the privilege standing beside one of these giants, you’ll find it hard NOT to think of resilience.
These trees can live through droughts, fires, storms, and climate shifts that would kill almost anything else.
But as an engineer this is what I’m fixated on:
The tallest tree in the world has roots that only go 6-12 feet deep.
That should be impossible. A 300-foot tree with shallow roots makes no sense from an engineering perspective.
But… Sequoias don’t survive alone.
Their root systems spread 50-80 feet wide and interweave with every other sequoia around them.
They share nutrients, water, and structural support. When storms come in, they support each other.
The forest is the system: Not the individual trees.
I couldn’t stop thinking about this.
Most people try to build resilience by making themselves bigger, stronger, more independent. They stockpile resources, they build higher walls, they go it alone.
But the most resilient systems in nature are interconnected.
Maybe the question isn’t “how do I become more self-sufficient?” but “how do I become more meaningfully connected to the right systems?””
– Rob Avis
Let’s be sequoias…
Bill's Focus 
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