Hello from Arizona

I didn't realize that Arizona was so beautiful at this time of year. It's quite a change from LA, as there aren't too many trees, but the temperature is perfect. It was 80 degrees today, and absolutely gorgeous. Eighty degrees in the South means lots of sweat for me because of the humidity, but the low humidity makes 80 feel comfortable. Having been to Las Vegas last summer (on business), I do know that even dry heat can get too hot, but springtime in Tucson is awesome.

The conference has been so-so thus far. I picked up a bug on the trip here, so spending last night bowing before the porcelain god in my bathroom may have skewed my perspective (that's the last time I'll be able to eat a Caesar wrap for a while). My take-away at this point is that Knowledge Management is important, we're way behind in the Air Force, and I have lots of work to do when I get home. Now I'll go try to enjoy the last rays of sun.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

On the Road Again

I'm off today for sunny Arizona to attend a Knowledge Management conference. The rapid acceleration of technology has outpaced our means of managing information, so the Air Force is now trying to figure out how best to leverage the technology available. There was a time when the problem was not enough information, but today's problem is usually that so much data is at the warfighter's fingertips that he doesn't have time to find what he needs. Anyway, I'm off to solve all our problems in the hardship location of Tucson, Arizona. Assuming I have time to access the Internet, I'll try to pass on something interesting as the week progresses.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

No Easy Answers

My wife and I engaged in an animated discussion about the moral implications of the Terri Schiavo case the other day. I always like a good debate, so I took the opposite position to help stimulate the conversation. The truth is that right and wrong is not clear-cut in these cases. To be honest, I didn't follow the Schiavo case closely enough to make a judgement call, but I think it's important to know what you believe and prepare yourself and your loved ones appropriately. The situation could happen to any of us.

For the record, I think the husband had the authority to make the decision for his wife, not the parents. I'm not saying he made the correct decision, only that he was the correct person to make that call--not the parents.

I think the Assemblies of God website has a good position paper on Euthanasia, and Extraordinary Support to Sustain Life (actually, they have a number of excellent papers that clearly outline their beliefs, although I don't agree with all of them). There are no easy answers in many situations. You first have to define life. Is it a heartbeat, brain activity, or breathing? Then you must decide at what point you cease to rely on human technology and put it in God's hands. Should you preserve life at all costs? If so, a person is dying of cancer is obligated to try every possible experimental treatment, no matter the pain it causes. That person may have to spend his/her last moments in the hospital undergoing painful chemotherapy that has only a slim chance of killing the tumor, even if they would prefer to spend their last days at home with their family.

Like most of life, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for every situation. I do agree with President Bush:"I think it's important to promote a culture of life. I think a hospitable society is a society where every being counts and every person matters." But if all life's answers were obvious, why would we need prayer?

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!