All We are Saying, is Give Peace a Chance...

Global Peace Index Rankings - Countries most at peace ranked first;

1 - Norway
2 - New Zealand
3 - Denmark
4 - Ireland
5 - Japan
6 - Finland
7 - Sweden
8 - Canada
9 - Portugal
10 - Austria
11 - Belgium
12 - Germany
13 - Czech Republic
14 - Switzerland
15 - Slovenia
16 - Chile
17 - Slovakia
18 - Hungary
19 - Bhutan
20 - Netherlands
21 - Spain
22 - Oman
23 - Hong Kong
24 - Uruguay
25 - Australia
26 - Romania
27 - Poland
28 - Estonia
29 - Singapore
30 - Qatar
31 - Costa Rica
32 - South Korea
33 - Italy
34 - France
35 - Vietnam
36 - Taiwan
37 - Malaysia
38 - United Arab Emirates
39 - Tunisia
40 - Ghana
41 - Madagascar
42 - Botswana
43 - Lithuania
44 - Greece
45 - Panama
46 - Kuwait
47 - Latvia
48 - Morocco
49 - United Kingdom
50 - Mozambique
51 - Cyprus
52 - Argentina
53 - Zambia
54 - Bulgaria
55 - Paraguay
56 - Gabon
57 - Tanzania
58 - Libya
59 - Cuba
60 - China
61 - Kazakhstan
62 - Bahrain
63 - Jordan
64 - Namibia
65 - Senegal
66 - Nicaragua
67 - Croatia
68 - Malawi
69 - Bolivia
70 - Peru
71 - Equatorial Guinea
72 - Moldova
73 - Egypt
74 - Dominican Republic
75 - Bosnia and Herzegovina
76 - Cameroon
77 - Syria
78 - Indonesia
79 - Mexico
80 - Ukraine
81 - Jamaica
82 - Macedonia
83 - Brazil
84 - Serbia
85 - Cambodia
86 - Bangladesh
87 - Ecuador
88 - Papua New Guinea
89 - El Salvador
90 - Saudi Arabia
91 - Kenya
92 - Turkey
93 - Guatemala
94 - Trinidad and Tobago
95 - Yemen
96 - United States of America
97 - Iran
98 - Honduras
99 - South Africa
100 - Philippines
101 - Azerbaijan
102 - Venezuela
103 - Ethiopia
104 - Uganda
105 - Thailand
106 - Zimbabwe
107 - Algeria
108 - Myanmar
109 - India
110 - Uzbekistan
111 - Sri Lanka
112 - Angola
113 - Cote d'Ivoire
114 - Lebanon
115 - Pakistan
116 - Colombia
117 - Nigeria
118 - Russia
119 - Israel
120 - Sudan
121 - Iraq

The Economist Intelligence Unit was commissioned by a group of businessmen, academics and peace institutions to rank 121 nations according to their relative state of peace.

The index was comprised of 24 indicators, ranging from a nation's level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights.

"New Zealand's lofty position in the Global Peace Index (GPI) partly reflects its lack of internal and external conflicts and its very good relations with neighbouring countries, namely Australia and fellow member states of the Pacific Island Forum," the GPI reports says.

The report said New Zealand's diplomatic and economic links with Australia had been underpinned since 1983 by the Closer Economic Relations agreement.

It said the nation's political scene was stable and the index gave New Zealand very low scores on the likelihood of violent demonstrations and the number of homicides.

However, violent crime is higher than in Norway and the number of jailed population is considerably higher than the four Nordic nations surveyed."

The report noted New Zealand's military expenditure as a percentage of GDP was low and notably lower than Australia.

"New Zealand's ability to play a security role within the Pacific region was nevertheless demonstrated in July 2003, when it sent 35 policemen and 230 military personnel to the Solomon Islands as part of a 2225-strong Australian led peacekeeping force."

Prime Minister Helen Clark said New Zealand's high ranking on the index recognised the nation's long-standing contribution to international peacekeeping.

"New Zealand is a significant contributor to both UN-led and regional peacekeeping missions.
"New Zealand has played its part in promoting peace and prosperity. We have deployed forces to restore stability in Timor-Leste, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Bougainville, Afghanistan and other troubled places around the world."

She said the hosting of the Alliance of Civilisations High Level Symposium last week and the Waitangi Regional Interfaith Dialogue this week were examples of the positive role New Zealand was taking to encourage inter-religious and inter-cultural understanding and co-operation.

"Our firm commitment to international disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, in particular our strong stance on nuclear disarmament, are key elements of New Zealand policy.

"Our principled stance contributes to New Zealand's reputation as a world leader in peace and security" Miss Clark said.

- thanks to the folks over at the New Zealand Hearld, online (www.nzherald.co.nz).

Pain-Filled Words From a Brave Lady

"I am deemed a radical because I believe that partisan politics should be left to the wayside when hundreds of thousands of people are dying for a war based on lies that is supported by Democrats and Republican alike. It amazes me that people who are sharp on the issues and can zero in like a laser beam on lies, misrepresentations, and political expediency when it comes to one party refuse to recognize it in their own party. Blind party loyalty is dangerous whatever side it occurs on. People of the world look on us Americans as jokes because we allow our political leaders so much murderous latitude and if we don't find alternatives to this corrupt "two" party system our Representative Republic will die and be replaced with what we are rapidly descending into with nary a check or balance: a fascist corporate wasteland. I am demonized because I don't see party affiliation or nationality when I look at a person, I see that person's heart. If someone looks, dresses, acts, talks and votes like a Republican, then why do they deserve support just because he/she calls him/herself a Democrat?"

- Cindy Sheehan.

I must admit that other than when she was splashed over the news during what is being described as a "quiet news month" I payed little real attention to Cindy. My heart went out - and still goes out - to her and all the grieving-for-absolutely-nothing parents, family, and friends across the United States, but I didn't follow events in Crawford, TX.

Cindy was also quoted as saying that she has realized that the public in this country are more interested in who will be the next "American Idol" not in how many have died, or will die, in the months to come.

Sad commentary indeed, but - even sadder still - true.

"Change is Good", I am told...

So I am thinking it was about time I had a change, took a break from heart-break, and put in some serious re-invention effort. I realize acutely now that if I am going to have a happier life I have to take opportunities when they avail themselves of me.

Not unlike the man who drowns in a great flood and complains to to the Holy One as to why he was not rescued by the divine hand. Divinity, rightly enough, asks the man what he was waiting for? That indeed he had been sent a man, a truck, a boat, and then finally a helicopter.

"How direct do I have to be?" asks G-d in the end.

There isn't any point dragging my ass and waiting for the helicopter. So I took myself for a tour of the post-anesthesia care unit, better known as the Recovery Room. They are a nice bunch of folks, with a manager who seems proactive, supportive, and caring.

I was so impressed that I then took advantage of her offer to spend a couple of hours with one of her staff on a regular morning, to get an idea for the place. Again, a very positive and interesting situation was presented to me.

So now I am working out my last 4 weeks in Oncology, and will soon be a new orientee on the team in the P.A.C.U. I am somewhat anxious about being the new kid, being "stupid", and feeling like a complete idiot. But at the same time I'll be learning a new skill set, re-thinking my self concept, and re-formulating my care delivery, and hopefully allowing myself the greatest gift - that of re-inventing my Nursing self.

I haven't done that in a really long time.

I've ordered a textbook from Amazon, and broken the news to the Oncology team. People have said some really lovely things. They are a great bunch of people, but I need to be a different animal. I'll miss the shared connection, and I am quite sure that I will have some interesting experiences being less connected to the people I give care to.

The best reaction was from my friend Annie. She and I have known each other well for the past seven years. She is probably the colleague I admire the most. She is one smart cookie.

"I think you should do it" she exclaimed when I told her I had been thinking about the transfer, "change is good, I always say" she went on. "Just do it"

The Goodnight Kiwi

Takes me back...

Not Much Stranger Than This...

Things are generally strange around here, by New Zealand standards. I spend the vast majority of my life here wondering what they think they are doing, I’ll freely admit it.

Once in a blue moon along comes an experience that is at one time incredible, and yet, completely out of the script of some crazy movie. I walk away wondering to myself, what it was I just experienced.

The other day was – indeed - one of those days.

Our Internet connection was dead, by way of the sad demise of the desk-top machine. It was, I assure you, very sad indeed to hear it gurgle and die. Our efforts of resuscitation were futile, it needed to be taken to the computer E.R.

Made all the worse, in that I was “just about to make an appointment” with the GeekSquad. The past few weeks had been kind of hectic, and they seemed about ready to settle down into some semblance of normalcy. So, I was ready to shell out the cash and have an expert come trouble-shoot us. The sad cliche of it all disgusts me.

So – I went to try and connect with the laptop at the local Coffee Bean. To no avail. Instead, I was that annoying guy on his cell-phone who has a long-distance phone call with some friend-or-another. I wasn’t too rude, it is a loud place, after all.

I bought a coffee and a fat-free whole-grain muffin, called a friend, and had a yack. It was great, she is doing well.

After we were done the place had really started to fill up. I’m not one for crowded places, and certainly not the local Coffee Bean. There was a guy crouched ready to pounce on the table I was at as soon as I left, so I did just that.

I then set off on my short walk home.

I had noticed, when I was back in the Coffee Bean, a man, wearing a birds-egg blue turban, with a beautiful, flowing black and grey beard. A yogi? A Sikh? I’m not sure. And for the story, it doesn’t actually matter.

As I strode out of the Coffee Bean towards the pedestrian crossing, as the west-bound lane of Santa Monica Blvd streams beside me - like a river – “You’ll be Lucky” I heard. I turned and it was the man in the turban, the man I had seen on the street outside the window. He continued, in accented English, the likes of which I hadn’t heard for a very long time. I would be lucky, he could see it in my face, and he could see it with his third eye. I would be lucky.

He proceeded to explain, writing notes on a small piece of yellow paper, the three levels of my luck; in money, in travel, and in happiness. While I felt myself jumping almost, to be skeptical I chose instead to be open, to welcome the words that he was saying, receive the blessing he was going to give me.

"You need to pray more - G-d can't see you if you don't see G-d". Hmmm...

It lasted probably 7 or 8 minutes, and at the end of it I had chosen to make the requested $7 donation to the yogi, to the teacher. But I had received the blessing of this holy man.

He actually got a lot of it right, he knew his shit. I do need to pray more.

I was going to have five weeks of luck, five weeks of money, and happiness. He saw that I had just had five weeks of bad luck. But that there was relief at hand. But I had to pray more, every day. G-d will not see me if I do not see G-d. He saw that I am good and kind, to everyone I meet, and to all I find on my journey. For he could see that I had traveled, had I been to London?

Rapid fire connection and infiltration points “into me”.

It was actually quite amazing to me to allow myself to have my fortune told by someone that I took the decision to trust, instead of mis-trust when they came up to me on the street.

He asked me to think of a number between 1 and 100. I chose 67, the year of my birth. He asked me for money, when the fortune was done, and that was the figure. No, he didn’t expect me to give him $67, that was a lot of money. Seven dollars would be better, he knew I had that much.

I tried to offer $1, but then realized that I had been contracting him in something unique. I looked and there it was exactly, a five and two singles. I thanked him, handed over the $7, and in return he gave me a small, red, walnut-like, bead. It is from his temple in India, it is sacred. I took it, smiling deeply, and feeling strangely elated.

I felt a lightness in my step the rest of the walk on the blustery streets of West Hollywood. Past the frenzy of the car wash, as the clouds billowed by overhead, home to the apartment, rolling the small, red ball in my fingers.

I figured that there must be something that I need to do to make room for the luck soon to be mine. I cleaned out my closet of all the clothes I’ll never wear again. I’ve gained some waistline of late, and have been hanging on to a few pairs of pants, that I really will never wear again. Out they go. And some shirts I once thought were cute, but realize now are more about who I was when I bought them, and where I was when I bought them.

I had fretted this week about stacks of things bearing down on me, so I purged and tidied the closet space, and thought more about seeing G-d.