Tom Murphy,  July 9, 2008

It’s a hot day among the redwoods of Northern California, with a temperature over 100. But I feel lucky to be here. This summer, we’ve already seen brutal tornados, enormous wildfires, catastrophic flooding, and the first hurricane of the year. These may not reflect the threat of global warming, but they provide a mild reminder of what may lie ahead if we don’t aggressively change our ways. It’s horrifying the vice president’s office censored scientific testimony about global warming. And it’s terrifying the richest eight countries lack the leadership to set aggressive short-term goals to address this mounting crisis. There are alternatives to driving gas-guzzling cars or burning coal to produce electricity. And if the government won’t pursue them, we all should anyway. Unless global warming is stopped quickly, the question of who to blame will be the least of our problems.

Tom Murphy,  June 12, 2008

What can you do when gas is well over $4 a gallon and corn jumps to a record $7 a bushel? Lots. You can drive less and ride a bike for short errands – it’s good for your health and your wealth. You can combine your shopping trips. If you have to commute by car – and most of us don’t – you can figure out how much you spend each week on gas and adjust your personal budget to make up the difference. That might mean cutting a few capuccinos, eating out less, and barbecuing chicken instead of steak. Read a book instead of seeing a movie. Talk to a friend face to face instead of on the cell phone. Gas prices are likely to stay high for at least a year. So get used to it. Maybe you’ll end up with a healthier body, a better mind and closer friends.

Tom Murphy,  May 29, 2008

Boomers should be the last ones to complain about how younger people don’t listen. It was the boomers who didn’t listen about Vietnam, marijuana, premarital sex, segregation, health food and so many other things. "Never trust anyone over 30," they said. Well, now workers under 30 – even those under 43 – don’t listen to the boomers, and there’s some concern that might hurt businesses as the more experienced workers retire. I tend to think life will go on, perhaps in a new and better way, as younger workers find their own ways of doing things. Companies that obsess about passing on old procedures won’t change, and change is good.

PS: A week ago, we speculated that oil prices will fall as speculators start to get cold feet. Since then, they’ve fallen about 5 percent. Look for much steeper drops in the months ahead. We can’t say what oil’s really worth right now, but it clearly isn’t $138 a barrel.

Tom Murphy,  May 20, 2008

Are we being gouged on oil? Some senators are demanding an answer and for good reason. Oil prices are affecting almost everything these days: retirement portfolios, car prices, airline tickets – even the price of food. This simply can’t go on. Part of the problem stems from the weak US dollar, which has fallen steadily against other world currencies during the Bush era. And consumers are still wasting gas in gas guzzling cars. But a big chunk of the blame falls to market speculators, who have driven up the price of oil just as Wall Street investors inflated the price of stocks during the dot-com bubble. Oil may be selling for $133 today, but its true value may be half of that – nobody knows. In the meantime, we’re all paying the price. The end will come as the speculators realize that they can make a bundle by swapping their increasingly risky bets on oil to undervalued stocks, which will take off like a Ferrari on high-test if oil prices fall. That day is coming, and none too soon.

Tom Murphy,  May 10, 2008

A few months ago, when tensions were high in Myanmar over the street protests by monks, the whole world stood by helpless as government troops cracked down on the demonstrators. There were expressions of concern, but no action. Now the country is suffering from an enormous natural disaster: a cyclone that has killed thousands of people and left uncounted others missing or homeless. This time, we cannot ignore the crisis. Hopefully, the Myanmar government will welcome such aid. Whether it does or not, an international effort should bring relief to these long-suffering people. The world has grown too small to ignore disasters, whether they are in Darfur, Myanmar or New Orleans.

Tom Murphy,  April 23, 2008

We’ve gotten awfully spoiled in America over the past half century, and – I hope I’m not the first to tell you – the good times may be ending. Quickly. Thanks to the war and our own careless spending habits, we’re deeply in debt. And with boomers on the edge of retirement, it may be hard to pay all that money back before the bills start rolling in for Medicare and Social Security benefits that have to be paid. Cutting benefits just isn’t an option and would probably make things worse. But there are things we can do. We can live sensibly, which in turn will help keep us healthier and costs lower. We can use recycled goods wherever possible, even in remodeling our homes. And we can look out for our neighbors, especially the poor ones in the next town, who may be losing their homes and watching the public schools deteriorate. Americans are at their best when they’re facing the worst, and it’s time to make the best of what lies ahead.

Tom Murphy,  March 31, 2008

For months, we’ve heard John McCain and George Bush insist that the troop surge worked in Iraq. You’ll recall that Bush proposed a brief "surge" in US troops in early 2007 with the idea it would end after the summer. After fall and winter, we’re now nearing the one-year anniversary, and there’s rising pressure to end the surge and shift more of the responsibility to Iraq’s army, which has been trained under US supervision and expense for five long years. But what if the surge wasn’t the only reason the violence declined last year in Iraq? What if fat US payments to Muqtada al-Sadr helped to stop attacks by his Mahdi Army? Well, with the Iraqi army now attacking Mahdi fighters along with other Shiite militia, we’ll soon see if the Iraqi army is ready to take over and whether the fragile truce with al-Sadr is about to end. If all hell breaks loose, we can only wonder what McCain and Bush will say then.

John McGowan,  February 26, 2008

Call it the ghost of Woodrow Wilson – the president who took the US into World War I, ending forever the long-standing American policy of remaining aloof from the world’s affairs. It is Wilson’s call for making the world “safe for democracy” that the current administration echoes. But it’s another one of Wilson’s phrases – this one from his 14 points – that has greater resonance in the world today: “the self-determination of peoples.” Wilson tried to limit this principle of self-determination to the Eastern Europeans emerging from the collapse of the the Austro-Hungarian Empire. But the Egyptians and Arabs coming out from under the Ottoman’s thumb liked the idea as well. So did the Indians and the Irish, who deployed it against the British Empire. A powerful moral and political force was born. Each self-defined people was entitled to its own nation. Much of 20th century political history attests to the principle’s appeal, and, so far, the 21st century looks likely to follow suit. The Kosovans have declared independence, the US recognized their right to do so and the Serbians assaulted the US embassy. The Kurds have, de facto, gained a sort of independence in today’s chaotic Iraq, and are using their "homeland" to attempt to pry lands from Turkey that they consider part of the Kurdistan. The resulting violence is all-too-predictable, and the US is once again placed in an impossible position: helpless to stem the killing, hopelessly compromised from taking any coherent position because of our geo-political commitments in the Middle East, and fecklessly trying to deny the severity of the conflict. It’s enough to make one think that the isolationists had a point. Where is William Jennings Bryan when you need him?

Tom Murphy,  February 15, 2008

The "Whole Life" as we think of it here at RedwoodAge, refers to balancing the intellectual, physical and spiritual sides of life. We generally talk about that in a personal sense, but it applies to the whole planet, as well. For example, cutting down a forest can trigger global warming while wiping out a culture. But the harshest case is war, which reflects a world badly out of balance. The ongoing conflict in Iraq – for all the president’s talk about its progress – has forced millions from their homes, triggered widespread disease and damaged some of the earliest and most revered sites known to mankind in the very cradle of civilization. Each of us is affected by the war and each of us is responsible in some way. We pay taxes, we vote, we serve, we remain silent. Right now, our elected representatives in Congress are debating a bill to continue funding the war. If all of us wanted to end the war, we could; we can. A generation ago, hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the street to stop a war, and they did. It may be time to do it again.

Tom Murphy,  January 1, 2008

A new year offers another chance to meet our own expectations, an opportunity to bring peace, to choose new leaders, to turn long-held dreams into realities. Boomers promised to change the world, and they’re still working on it. They’ve already started changing the way we view aging in America. They’re healthier, wealthier and, we hope, at least as wise as those who’ve come before. There are 77 million boomers – a powerful economic and political force. Those who threaten to cut Social Security or expect to shove boomers into bingo halls be warned: They’re still going to change the world, so please help, or get out of the way.

Tom Murphy,  December 27, 2007

Just four days ago, we wrote how Benazir Bhutto had spoken out on the threat of militants in Pakistan. And today she was assassinated after another campaign rally. Fingers will be pointed at the militants and at the government of President Pervez Musharraf, who had been asked repeatedly to increase security for her campaign as threats against her life continued. Already, there is talk of civil war in Pakistan, which appears ill-prepared for the elections scheduled to take place January 8. This event is already being compared to the assassination of President Kennedy in the US, for Bhutto was also a charismatic leader in a country ripe for change. We cannot predict evolving events far, far away, but we can take a moment to honor the life of Benazir Bhutto, who ignored threats from those around her, lived her life fully and spoke out bravely against injustice. The greatest tribute we can pay her is to do the same.

Tom Murphy,  December 23, 2007

We keep hearing how things are getting better in Iraq, but a look around the neighborhood finds no cause for optimism. Turkey, an American NATO ally, has been using US intelligence to bomb Kurdish rebels in Iraq who have been attacking inside Turkey, often with American-made weapons. In Afghanistan, even the President is worried that NATO may be getting tired of the war, raising the specter of the Taliban coming back to power. The Taliban is living in exile in Pakistan, where former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says Islamic militants have been able to mount bombing campaigns. And Iran, well, Bush says it remains a great danger, despite recent findings it is no longer trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Even in Baghdad, our own commanders say there is a potential for a quick return to violence. And now there’s concern about some of the militias that the US has backed to fight al Qaida. If the end to the wars is anywhere close, what will happen when the US and/or NATO forces leave? Between the militias, al Qaida, Kurdish separatists, Iranian militarists, Pakistani rebels and the Taliban, will this region be less prone to violence than it was before the wars began, or more so? This is not a war we can win with more resources because it is a regional conflict that must be resolved by the parties who must live there after the US troops are gone.

John McGowan,  December 16, 2007

The Bali climate talks ended with a bang, not a whimper. I wish that meant there was more reason to be hopeful. But if it takes such dramatics just to get an agreement to keep talking, what are the chances that the talks themselves will yield anything? The countries of the world dither and bicker while the planet, steadily and surely, is walking off the cliff. As someone who never bought into Y2K hysteria, color me skeptical about the most dramatic doomsday scenarios. But if we need such apocalyptic visions to focus the world’s attention and, even more crucially, its actually doing something, then give the fantasists free rein. The ordinary, steady impact of climate change is already upon us, and it’s plenty scary enough for me. But apparently not for craven politicians and diplomats worried about home industries and the possibility that the other guy won’t pay his fair share of the costs for preventing the degradation of the earth. An inability to take remedial action in the face of demonstrable harm makes the irrationality of the ironically self-named homo sapiens plain to see.

Tom Murphy,  December 11, 2007

Money used to make the world go ’round. Now it’s oil, especially for the US where the greenback has sunken so low that American-made goods are starting to look cheap on the world market. This affects everything from our foreign policy to the temperature in your living room. Here’s how it works: if the Federal Reserve Bank cuts interest rates, it makes money cheaper. That spurs on the US economy because businesses have greater access to capital to hire people, buy raw materials and build factories. The bad news is that the value of the dollar tends to fall in comparison with other currencies, and that means it takes more dollars to buy oil, which those factories need to run and those people need to commute to work. Stocks rise when rates are cut, but they fall when oil prices rise. Without oil, the wheels don’t turn. Unless, of course, you find another source of energy, like wind power or solar energy, that costs very little and doesn’t add to greenhouse gasses. With cheap energy, stocks would rise and the Fed wouldn’t have to cut the value of the greenback to spark the economy. You might even turn your thermostat up a couple of degrees because energy would be cheaper and the dollar would be stronger.

Tom Murphy,  December 3, 2007

Back in the mid ’70s, when Richard Nixon was bounced from office and Woodward and Bernstein were household names, journalism was a highly respected profession in America. People seemed to realize that great reporting was essential to the proper functioning of democracy. Now, only about one in four Americans rank journalism highly. What’s changed? More than anything, the ownership of major media. Today, a handful of corporations control the majority of news organizations, and the FCC is currently loosening ownership rules to allow more consolidation. Those corporations have cut news budgets to raise profits, firing thousands of reporters and editors and photographers who worked to keep the public informed. Not surprisingly, the result is an inferior news product dominated by news of celebrities and disasters. No wonder the public thinks less of it. However, there is a growing movement for independent media – small startups like RedwoodAge.com, nonprofits like Newsdesk.org, and many others – that are determined to bring a chorus of new voices to the media stage. Some believers are holding a "Save the News" conference in San Francisco on Dec. 12; if you can make it, please come. In any case, we urge you to support, read and share independent media as they go about the business of informing the public.

Jennifer Meacham,  November 28, 2007

The housing hubbub has a silver lining for boomers looking for their ideal retirement home. Home prices have fallen sharply in the several sunbelt cities, marking a  buyer’s market for those of us with an eye on retirement-ready homes in lake-front Tampa, tropical Miami, sunny San Diego, casino-friendly Las Vegas, desert-arid Phoenix or fast-paced LA. Meanwhile, if you’re planning to move from Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Portland or Seattle to your dream town, now may be the time. Home values there are bucking declines and continuing to rise. The bottom line? Now may be just the time to examine your retirement.

Cathie Ramey,  November 23, 2007

At a time when parents may be downsizing, gift cards are a wonderful option. Many of us, however, really want our gifts to feel personal. If that’s your desire, or if you need to save money this year, try creating your own gift cards that feature time and favors from you and your family. A special trip, a tea party, washing the car, help in the garden, watching a favorite classic movie together, or a musical trip down memory lane, the list is endless. If they have vision problems, what about reading aloud once a week? If your loved one is hard of hearing or lives out of town, try creating a special memory book, written or electronic, that includes personal thoughts from each family member. Gifts of love not only come from the heart, they create memories.

Cathie Ramey,  November 19, 2007

For baby boomers, a one-size-fits-all retirement hat simply doesn’t, well, fit. At least not according to Marc Freedman, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures, and sociologist Phyllis Moen, PhD. The two, who spoke to a packed house at a gerontology conference in San Francisco, believe the time for custom tailored work in retirement has come. Freedman referred to boomers as “pioneers on the new stage of life,” citing retirees’ desire to couple meaningful work with the needs of society. Moen decried the status quo and challenged the audience to think of retirement as a process filled with options and strategies. Mature workers, she said, want to be offered an “encore” with alternative work schedules. It’s good to see some companies are getting the idea, as noted in Cecily O’Connor’s story on RedwoodAge.

Tom Murphy,  November 11, 2007

It’s been a year since US voters sent a strong message to Washington by electing a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress. The message was clear: end the war and return the government’s focus to the many problems here at home. By overriding a Bush veto of a comprehensive water bill, the House finally took a step in that direction. The $460 billion defense bill left out some of Bush’s pet projects, including a request for another $196 billion for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A revised child health bill is designed to be veto-proof. But a lot remains to be done. Why is it, for example, that veterans make up a quarter of the country’s homeless? And, with another big election less than a year away, Congress might want to keep its mission on track or face more change.

Cathie Ramey,  November 4, 2007

Did you know there are things older adults can do to enhance their driving skills? The National Traffic Safety Administration and the American Society on Aging have developed the DriveWell program and many local law enforcement agencies conduct CarFit events. Driving skills can be evaluated and possibly enhanced by working with a specially trained therapist. AARP offers 55Alive courses to keep older drivers on track and the National Center for Senior Transportation links to information for older drivers and their families. No matter what our age, we have a responsibility to be at our best when we’re behind the wheel.

Tom Murphy,  October 30, 2007

It’s budget time in Washington, where our elected officials are sniping at one another as they divvy up our hard-earned dollars in ways none of us would. Ask the typical American if the government wastes money and they’re likely to smile broadly before answering "of course!"  Even Sen. Norm Coleman, a former hippie who went to Woodstock, knows it’s a bad idea to spend $1 million on a Woodstock museum. Beyond that, there’s not much sense. The president wants another $46 billion for his unpopular wars, but won’t go along with $35 billion for a children’s health program. Both Republicans and Democrats have their own pork in the spending bills trying to win votes back home, but they’re all afraid of shoring up Medicare or Social Security. The polls tell us that the public is quite unhappy with its government and it isn’t hard to see why. The most important thing to voters is the health and welfare of their families, now and in the future. That should be the top priority for lawmakers – not wars we can’t win, bridges to nowhere or museums about a rainy weekend long ago.

Tom Murphy,  October 17, 2007

At RedwoodAge.com, we publish a lot of stories about the economy, health, peace and the environment. And it often seems like most have one thing in common: sensible living. If everyone made small efforts to live a healthier life, the planet would be a much better place. Want an example? In her story about an Alzheimer’s breakthrough, Senior Writer Cecily O’Connor points out that daily exercise, a healthy diet and intellectual stimulation may help ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Those same things may also help reduce heart disease and cancer. And if that exercise includes biking or walking, it may reduce the use of cars. That, of course, would cut greenhouse gasses and reduce demand for oil. Lower oil demand would, in turn, help the economy and reduce the reasons for war. So, if you want to save the world and live well at the same time, ride your bike to the store and buy some apples. And, of course, keep reading RedwoodAge.