David Michael Bruno

Back Down to 93 Things

A quick update. I sold my sleeping bag and self-inflating sleeping pad. So I'm back down to 93 things. Eventually I will replace the sleeping bag. It was a very nice 40f degree down bag. But most of my trips would be more comfortable with a 20f degree bag. For now, I don't have any trips planned that will require a bag, at least for a few months.

Portraits of Our Economic Meltdown #4 - Does Leadership Matter?

There always is more to a story. I suspect that the life of high-profile politics is full of behind the scenes issues we'll never learn. Yet I cannot help thinking, are our out-of-touch politicians a portrait of our economic meltdown?

First Geithner, and now Daschle. I suspect that the reason the improprieties of these two leaders have come to light is because they are in the limelight.

For a number of reasons, this year I'll have a pretty hefty tax bill. I wonder...maybe I should make a "mistake" on my taxes and, er, just not pay them. Who knows, maybe I'll get a job offer from the government.

Cynicism aside, I feel strongly that a person's mistakes are not an indication they are unfit to serve, lead, whatever. God knows I'd be sitting on a stool twiddling my thumbs, if all my mistakes counted against me. I just wonder, though, if too many of our leaders are out of touch. Seriously, I wonder...

Small Burundi Update - Floresta.org

Over the last year I've been taking the long-view regarding Floresta.org. I would like to settle into years of support. Floresta is a great organization that nurtures communities in developing countries, providing training in sustainable agriculture practices, as well as spiritual discipleship.

So I have been glad to participate a little bit in their new Burundi program. Over time, I hope to get to know the folks involved. Hopefully learn about the country. Observe and write about the progress. I'm still pretty green, and I don't know a ton, but what I've been learning is really cool.

Late last year Floresta Burundi officially launched. They have hired an indigenous staff, formulated a first-year plan, and begun their agricultural programs.

I will try to keep you updated on milestones and general progress over time. Consider joining in financial support and prayer. As I've mentioned before, the first-year budget for the Floresta Burundi is $65,000. That means that even a small contribution goes a long way for this very worthy program.

I decided Not To Buy

For now I am holding off. The 100 Thing Challenge has helped me (obsessively?) evaluate my purchasing decisions. And two opportunities to buy have cropped up over the last couple of weeks.

A new laptop. Well, kind of new. I buy refurbished Mac computers from the online Apple store. I've saved anywhere from 15 percent to 41 percent over the years. The computers are like new, come with the same warranty, and have all held up very well. Anyway, the more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense that I own a laptop. Last night it would have been good to sneak away to a quiet area of the house to write. I've got a chapel presentation coming up at PointLoma Nazarene University in a couple of months and it would be nice to include visuals. But, though I could come up with more examples of "why" it makes sense to own a laptop, none feel like needs. I'll get by without for now. Perhaps later in the year I'll be swayed. Not now.

The other opportunity has little to do with my vocation. It's pretty much down-and-dirty consumer opportunity. REI has sent me one of their generous coupons - an extra 20 percent off any one REI Outlet item. And they have lots of nice trekking poles on clearance! A set of trekking poles would likely have saved me a good deal of pain on the way down Rabbit Peak a couple weeks ago. I've known that as I continue to push myself hiking, eventually it will make sense to buy some trekking poles. Yet as I look over the next few adventures planned for the year, I don't really need trekking poles. Not for a few months, at least. And perhaps I'll be able to borrow. So I'm going to let my REI coupon go unused (unless the kids need some new clothes or something).

I'm not a huge advocate of only buying what you absolutely need. It's like that chocolate pudding tart downstairs. I don't "need" to eat some more tonight. But I'll likely grab just one more little square. (Besides, I should show my appreciation for my wife!) Yet gluttony is a vice. And so, too, is covetousness, even when it turns into American-style consumerism.

From One Republican to Another - Get Right With Nature

I've been advised not to write about politics. This recommendation comes from those who see my blog as being about consumerism. Well, of course it is. But that does not mean it is not about other issues. Moreover, it's my feeling that a healthy perspective on any one issue usually involves a balanced perspective on other issues. So this is a political post. I'm not offended if you don't care to read.

On the way into work today I heard that California state legislators and the governor are getting closer to a budget compromise. It turns out that Republicans and the California business community have seen the light -- there simply is no way out of the budget mess without raising some taxes. There's a lot to be said about that. This is not my point here, but let me summarize the financial situation California is in: you reap what you sow. Lower taxes without fiscal responsibility always leads to budget crisis. Republicans and Democrats are both to blame for this lousy financial crop.

But that's not what I'm writing about this morning. What bothered me about the compromise legislators appear to be moving toward is that Republicans, accepting that taxes must be raised, want to get something in return. Turns out Republicans are seeking to roll back several environmental protections. Ironically, California Republicans are loosening environmental protections even as the new Obama administration and career EPA staffers (free to speak, now that the Bush administration is gone) are praising California's environmental laws as forward-thinking and an example for the rest of the nation. Thus, as the nation's environmental policy follows California's lead, California Republicans are seeking to go backwards.

The reason is that California environmental protections are "unfriendly" to business and, of course, Republicans are pro-business. Now follow me here. This is where, as a Republican myself, I get really frustrated with the current state of the Republican party.

The primary Republican argument against the Democrats goes like this. Republicans accuse Democrats of seeking higher taxes so that people can receive services as state welfare. Allegedly Republicans want to work hard for their money, keep all their money, not let the state waste all their money, and use their money however they see fit. Republicans don't want loafers living off of their unnecessarily high tax dollars. Essentially, Republicans don't believe in handouts.

Well, at least handouts that don't benefit them. Remember, I'm a Republican. But let me say something to my party. Republicans are not willing to pay the price. They're loafers. In fact, the most dastardly loafers. They want handouts, not as a flawed charitable policy. Republicans want handouts in order to be selfish and irresponsible and harmful. The Republican leadership in California and in the federal government are seeking environmental handouts. In order to be "friendly" to business, Republicans advocate being irresponsible to the environment. Instead of a handout of welfare dollars, they want a handout of environmental blindness. And for what? The opportunity to generate more personal (don't tax me!) wealth.

Look, there is a lot of good things about the Republican party. I know I have many Democrats who read this blog and will roll their eyes. It's true, though. Republicans have done some amazingly great things for the country and the world. But the Republicans are nearly dead wrong on environmental policy. Despite what many of my conservative readers will say, Republican environmental policy is not based on science or social concern. It's based on selfishness and greed and an unwillingness to steward the earth responsibly. And that frustrates me.