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Jeff Ackerman
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There are three stages of man: He believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus.
A fellow named Bob Phillips wrote that, and I was reminded of those words on Sunday morning as my children opened their gifts.
Santa Claus gets to sleep a little longer every year, it seems. It was 8 by the time the first knock came. Luke wanted to know when he could start searching the packages for the list he'd taped to the wall next to the fireplace. Luke is 13, but his autism keeps him younger than his years and we don't mind that one bit. Most children grow too fast, so it's nice to have one who still believes in the magic of Christmas.
In his two-page note to Santa, Luke indicated that he was "halfway to being nice and happy." He then tried to soften up Santa with a few compliments. "I am so proud of you doing a great job," he wrote. "I'm also proud that you gave lots of toys to children that didn't get one because they are poor."
Then he dropped the list that included items Santa had never even heard of, so Santa had to Google them online. I know ... you didn't think Santa could Google. But you try finding two Bionicle Toa Hordikas and one black Visorak at the North Pole without high-speed Internet access.
Okay ... enough with the Christmas At The Ackermans ... a fellow already chided me for writing a column about "my stupid dog" not long ago. It seems some would prefer me to stick to the heavier issues, such as war and drugs, or the war on drugs.
So here's some of that:
I got a piece out of a George Mason University think tank indicating that the methamphetamine problem in America has been blown out of proportion by the media (guys like me) and by county law enforcement people (guys like the police chiefs and sheriffs) who are using it as a way to get more federal money.
"Counties are fighting a federal budget cut which could take $634 million from local law enforcement for anti-drug task forces," reads the report. "Is it any wonder that the feds want to play down meth, while counties hype it up? Of course, a budget battle - between two law enforcement agencies that haven't given us a drug-free America yet and don't seem likely to do so."
Okay ... got it. Repeat after me: "There are no sharks in the water. There are no sharks in the water."
Tell that to the father we profiled on page one Monday; the life-long drug addict (the last several years on meth) who was given a final chance to clean up his life so he could get his baby boy back from a foster home.
He's been clean for 19 months now, and he cried for joy as he held his 3-year-old son (who was born on Christmas Day) on his lap in The Union offices as he recalled his difficult journey to hell and back.
Perhaps the folks at George Mason University know more than I do. They have some terrific stats in their computers and they do indicate that some communities don't have much of a meth problem.
Statistics aren't my cup of tea. I have seen the eyes of methamphetamine abuse and still believe it's a community problem worth fighting.
In a classic silent film called "Metropolis," we are reminded that between the head and the hands rests a heart. It's the Great Mediator, the thing that is supposed to bring the thinkers and doers together in a compassionate and empathetic way.
I was reminded of that as our soldiers, or the doers, continue to work the path outlined by the thinkers in our nation's capital.
Speaking of empathy ... we need more of it from our leaders today. One of my Christmas gifts was a book titled "The Power of Servant Leadership." Inside are some characteristics of a servant leader (whether it's a CEO, or politician) that include the ability to listen, empathize, heal, be aware, persuade, conceptualize, have foresight, practice good stewardship, and be committed to the growth of the people and building of community.
That's a pretty good list of New Year's resolutions and something to consider next time we go to the election booth, don't you think?
Thanks to all of you for helping keep the doors to this 141-year-old newspaper open for another year. I look forward to working with you in 2006.
Peace.
<I>Jeff Ackerman is the publisher of The Union. His column appears on Tuesdays. Contact him at 477-4299, jeffa@theunion.com, or 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley 95945.</I>
A fellow named Bob Phillips wrote that, and I was reminded of those words on Sunday morning as my children opened their gifts.
Santa Claus gets to sleep a little longer every year, it seems. It was 8 by the time the first knock came. Luke wanted to know when he could start searching the packages for the list he'd taped to the wall next to the fireplace. Luke is 13, but his autism keeps him younger than his years and we don't mind that one bit. Most children grow too fast, so it's nice to have one who still believes in the magic of Christmas.
In his two-page note to Santa, Luke indicated that he was "halfway to being nice and happy." He then tried to soften up Santa with a few compliments. "I am so proud of you doing a great job," he wrote. "I'm also proud that you gave lots of toys to children that didn't get one because they are poor."
Then he dropped the list that included items Santa had never even heard of, so Santa had to Google them online. I know ... you didn't think Santa could Google. But you try finding two Bionicle Toa Hordikas and one black Visorak at the North Pole without high-speed Internet access.
Okay ... enough with the Christmas At The Ackermans ... a fellow already chided me for writing a column about "my stupid dog" not long ago. It seems some would prefer me to stick to the heavier issues, such as war and drugs, or the war on drugs.
So here's some of that:
I got a piece out of a George Mason University think tank indicating that the methamphetamine problem in America has been blown out of proportion by the media (guys like me) and by county law enforcement people (guys like the police chiefs and sheriffs) who are using it as a way to get more federal money.
"Counties are fighting a federal budget cut which could take $634 million from local law enforcement for anti-drug task forces," reads the report. "Is it any wonder that the feds want to play down meth, while counties hype it up? Of course, a budget battle - between two law enforcement agencies that haven't given us a drug-free America yet and don't seem likely to do so."
Okay ... got it. Repeat after me: "There are no sharks in the water. There are no sharks in the water."
Tell that to the father we profiled on page one Monday; the life-long drug addict (the last several years on meth) who was given a final chance to clean up his life so he could get his baby boy back from a foster home.
He's been clean for 19 months now, and he cried for joy as he held his 3-year-old son (who was born on Christmas Day) on his lap in The Union offices as he recalled his difficult journey to hell and back.
Perhaps the folks at George Mason University know more than I do. They have some terrific stats in their computers and they do indicate that some communities don't have much of a meth problem.
Statistics aren't my cup of tea. I have seen the eyes of methamphetamine abuse and still believe it's a community problem worth fighting.
In a classic silent film called "Metropolis," we are reminded that between the head and the hands rests a heart. It's the Great Mediator, the thing that is supposed to bring the thinkers and doers together in a compassionate and empathetic way.
I was reminded of that as our soldiers, or the doers, continue to work the path outlined by the thinkers in our nation's capital.
Speaking of empathy ... we need more of it from our leaders today. One of my Christmas gifts was a book titled "The Power of Servant Leadership." Inside are some characteristics of a servant leader (whether it's a CEO, or politician) that include the ability to listen, empathize, heal, be aware, persuade, conceptualize, have foresight, practice good stewardship, and be committed to the growth of the people and building of community.
That's a pretty good list of New Year's resolutions and something to consider next time we go to the election booth, don't you think?
Thanks to all of you for helping keep the doors to this 141-year-old newspaper open for another year. I look forward to working with you in 2006.
Peace.
<I>Jeff Ackerman is the publisher of The Union. His column appears on Tuesdays. Contact him at 477-4299, jeffa@theunion.com, or 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley 95945.</I>
