The Pope. RIP.

The passing of the Pope, not long after Ronald Reagan, and likely not too long until Margaret Thatcher, is historic and sad.

It's interesting to not how little pubic recognition such important and unique figures receive by most "opinion makers" while they're still alive.

Instead, criticism and faults are usually given equal (or greater) prominence when they are discussed, than their tremendous accomplishments. Even when they're gone, only grudging respect and acknowledgement is often noted by those who are writing the first draft of history.

Sounds depressing and frustrating, doesn't it? But, don't fret. We are on the cusp of a brand new information-age. No longer does the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN/MSNBC, Newsweek, Time, NPR, PBS, etc., have the loudest and singular voice on events of the day. No, my friend, that time is OVER.

CSPAN, FOX News, the internet, talk-radio, bloggers, etc., can't help but be heard. And, it's not that they have "overpowered" the other voices. It's just that their word is true to many of us who shook our heads when what was reported was inconsistent with what we saw/lived/knew to be true.

I live in the real world. I don't live in NY City or Washington DC (although I did go to law school and live in DC not too long ago). I don't only work with/eat with/live with/socialize with/commiserate with people just like myself. And, I'm not speaking of race, ethnicity or religtion, but rather about ideology.

My job takes me to the depths of our culture. I am always mixing in a world of educated elites in the legal profession, and a world of illegal aliens, welfare recipients, drug addicts, drunks, common thiefs, violent sociopaths, and a great majority of regular folk just like me.

People who try to live by the golden rule and treat others as they'd like to be treated themselves.

Death reminds us that life is short. It's precious and should be relished.

No one is promised tomorrow. Whether there's something more once it's over is something we'll never know for sure until we get there. But, we can be sure that the right way to live, is to live a good life.

Listen to the world. Watch it as it spins. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.

We're alive and we're alive in exciting and momentus times.

This world we know might be heading in the right direction for a change. Isn't that nice?