I haven't really known what to say after last week's election. I temporarily fell into a hopeful state, lasting about 15 minutes. Likely this state was due to the little swoop of energy that spread through the country when it was announced Obama was to be Number 44. Perhaps the momentary lapse of reason was also due to knowing those damn annoying political ads were over and that I wouldn't have to see anymore Palin jokes or references.
For those who have been paying attention for enough time, we all know an Obama presidency, while tweaking things a bit here and there, is not going to offer up the change this country needs.
Not as long as the Banks continue to hold us hostage with credit debt and mortgages.
Not as long as Big Business continues to be on the government corporate welfare payroll.
Not as long as our government continues along it's road to Imperialism.
Not as long as Nafta remains a part of U.S. policy.
Not as long as the gap between rich and poor continues to widen.
etc. etc. etc.
What I don't comprehend is why people voted for either of the two major candidates. What I especially don't understand is why people voted for Obama when many of these same people were shouting at the top of their lungs speaking out against the wall street government bailout. Obama voted for it. Now he's saying he supports bailing out the automotive industry.
What I don't comprehend is why people voted for either of the two major candidates. What I especially don't understand is why people voted for Obama when many of these same people were shouting at the top of their lungs, speaking out against the Iraq war from the beginning, when our new VP Elect has been a staunch supporter of the war since the beginning.
If we want change, then we withdraw from Nafta.
If we want change, then we get the banks out of the housing business.
If we want change, then we get the insurance companies out of the health care business.
If we want change, then we tear to shreads the document titled The Patriot Act.
If we want change, then we stop invading other nations who pose no threat to us and who have made no strike against us first. Although seriously folks, isn't it the classic schoolyard, childhood tale to say "well he hit me FIRST" as reason to harm back. After thousands of years, you would think we (well, we really meaning the unbalanced male energy of arrogance, dominance, control and absolute power) would have "gotten" this by now. We need a strong infusion of the feminine energy to bring back to whole this inbalance. (I am not speaking of gender here--but of energy and behavior patterns).
If we want change, then we recognize our issues, our defensive patterns that keep us blocked and locked into states of judgment.
If we want change, then we not only believe in but we embrace and live out the values of respect.
If we want change, then we look within to determine where, how and why we have chosen to accept certain values that go contrary to respect. Empathy. Love. Kindness.
Perhaps as a good place to begin, if we want change, we break down this archaic, heavily controlled, deeply corrupt Two Party System. For come 2012, I hold a high expectation for those folks who voted for Obama will come to these above realizations and if anything, at the very least, will be diligently, vocally and assertively supporting 3rd and beyond party candidates.
For those who are apathetic (a most understandable state of mind), you help continue business as usual as well. I hold a high expectation for you as well that you will begin to find hope and belief in this country and most importantly, the people, and will begin your support for the dismantling of the two party system and support 3rd and beyond party candidates. I read on David Icke that to vote was to give them permission to continue on business as usual. Therefore, don't vote. Yes, if you vote for one of the major candidates this is true. But if the majority of voters would vote for other candidates, that would send a message that states "we no longer support this business as usual".
My wish is that this wave of hope and enthusiasm continues in a way that is grounded in reality and solid in it's desire for real change. My hope is that it inspires all of us, especially those who voted for Obama, to be that public watchdog, to be vigilant in ensuring he sticks to his plan and puts his listening ear to the attention of the people instead of just his advisors and financial contributors.
While I believe he has some sense of idealism, I'm also aware of the puppet factor. Therefore, my eyes will be less on him and more on his supporters and their actions and what they will do if....or when....he gives indication he's a business as usual political figure.
10.29.2008
Kitty Tails.
In all of its glorious mystery, the universal life energy has a way of reminding us how all life is connected. ALL life. That means even our fur baby friends pick up on our emotions and thoughts and as such are connected to us. And the most mysterious of all is that these fur children need not even be ours for that connection to be experienced. Which leads me to tell you a little story about a little cat who has decided to make our place her temporary home until her mama is able to care for her again. It wasn't planned. At least not on our part. But like animals often do, they tend to pick us. Little kitty certainly did just that.
Our union began one afternoon many weeks ago. I was outside in the yard going about my business of unexciting yardwork when I heard this crying sound. I quickly realized it was a cat in some sort of distress. I determined the location: under the house. Following the sound, I walked to one of the vents and sure enough, there was this sweet little face with beautiful light green eyes looking up at me, meowing at me, making it clear she was in need of help. NOW. Realizing that she didn't appear to be injured, I knew what she wanted was simply to be out from under the house. Considering the vents on our side of the house are closed, I set off to the other side of the house to find the open vent in which she entered. By the time I got to the other side of the house, she came trotting around the corner, walked right up to me and began what is by now her very familiar meow cry.
I have a cat allergy so I'm careful in how I handle cats. I never know which ones will affect me and to what degree. I felt such an immediate bond with this little creature that I decided to risk it, so I picked her up and wondered who she belonged to. She had a collar, but no identity tags. Well fed and groomed, she was obviously not a stray. Just as I began to put together some sort of a plan to find her owner, our new neighbor opened the front door, looked at me holding this cat and said "Oh, THERE she is!"
"Ah, so she's your cat," I said.
"Well, no. We're just cat sitting for her until her own comes to get her," he said.
"Oh, ok," I said, handing him the cat.
I went back home and thought no more of it.
That is until the next day when she appeared at our patio door, crying again. So I went outside and gave her some attention. That didn't stop the meowing. So I picked her up. Nope. That was not what she wanted.
Now I'm used to dogs and dogs don't cry. At least mine doesn't.
Maybe she's hungry? I thought.
We just happened to have some canned cat food. Our home, wherever that has been, has been a place that the occasional stray or lost pet will find. As such, I keep extra cat food on hand for just such an occasion.
So I popped open a can, placed it on a plate, put it in front of her and watched this cat eat as though she hadn't eaten in days. Her crying? Completely stopped.
After she was done, she looked up at me, gave me a little meow as if to say "thank you" and took off.
Thinking that was the end of it, I went back inside.
Wrong again.
She showed up again the next day. And she was there when we went to bed later in the evening.
What does this cat think this is? I thought. The Hilton?
So I paid the neighbors a visit.
"Your cat keeps coming into our yard and she seems hungry. Are you not feeding her?"
I was told for whatever reason, little kitty likes to run out the door whenever they open it. And she is impossible to catch (something I have since discovered to be true). The end result is a cat who had been spending most of the nights outside, sometimes going all day without food.
What to do?
It was becoming obvious she liked being over at our place, despite our having a dog. (More on that relationship in a bit.) I'm not sure if she just doesn't like her new pet sitters or if it's due to their having a cat, but she seemed to pick our place at her new living quarters. I certainly didn't feel ok knowing this little creature was going all day without food plus not having a place to sleep at night. And it didn't seem as though these young boys were interested in changing their behavior. So I took it upon myself to take care of the cat until the owner returns. Or if that doesn't happen, find her a new home.
That means we had to invest in more cat food. Canned can get to be expensive, so we supplemented it with some dry kibble I bought in bulk. We then hauled out our dog kennel, put in some pillows and a cover, a blanket and some fleece I bought at the local sewing/craft store. It's sitting next to the house and given the rains are about to return, we have a protective tarp over the side to cover the slats. So now she has 2-4 meals a day (cats eating habits are different from dogs I have discovered) and a warm place to bed at night. She cries at our door sometimes to come in and we will let her, for a few minutes, until the dog has her disgusted, she will then cry to go outside. And now and then when she's sleepy, we'll pick her up and bring her inside, hold her in our laps on a blanket until we start to sneeze or feel wheezy (mr. n it turns out also has some cat allergies) then we'll place her outside in her kennel. I like to cover her up.
It's been a pain in the ass as well as a blessing. Just when I think my god she's hungry AGAIN I will look at her face, that sweet little face and watch her little paws bat at the food dish as I bring it outside and my heart melts. Completely.
She is quite vocal and has no insecurities whatsoever about telling you what she wants and does not want. For her happiness though I hope her owner returns soon for she is indeed an indoor cat who needs to be the only animal in the home.
In the interim, our dog is adjusting. She makes it known to little kitty that it is SHE that is princess. SHE that is the center of the human's lives. In short, she was here first and is not about to give up her seat on the animal throne. But thankfully, little kitty is amazingly docile. She's a true pacifist and as such, has no interest in the dog and cat battle. Therefore, there seems to be a mutual understanding between the two of them. Dog says "I will tolerate you". Kitty says "Yes you will."
Aside from the food differences, cats are also very nervous creatures. They also have amazingly short attention spans. I have to watch how I open doors and move things outside. A chair being dragged along concrete won't phase our dog. But this little cat? She'll leap straight up in the air and take off as though she's just come in contact with the world's biggest most meanest dog. And as far as her attention span, I will be crouched down, petting her and talking to her and she'll be digging it, then in a flash, she's running away from me, going after who knows what.
And her sleeping habits are also just as unpredictable. Sometimes she will be out most of the night and sleep most of the day. Other times she's full of energy during the day and is out like a light for the night. I check on her every night. Sometimes she's sleeping in her kennel. Other nights she's nowhere to be seen. Our dog? Same sleeping habits every single day, no exception.
So there you have it. Adventures in kittyland. Kitty tales, or tails as I like to refer to this experience. I know it won't last long, which is why I'm closing up this post so I can go get in some kitty laptime snuggles before bedtime. That is, if she will let me. Afterall, cats really do rule their universe. Including the homes in which they choose to live in.
Our union began one afternoon many weeks ago. I was outside in the yard going about my business of unexciting yardwork when I heard this crying sound. I quickly realized it was a cat in some sort of distress. I determined the location: under the house. Following the sound, I walked to one of the vents and sure enough, there was this sweet little face with beautiful light green eyes looking up at me, meowing at me, making it clear she was in need of help. NOW. Realizing that she didn't appear to be injured, I knew what she wanted was simply to be out from under the house. Considering the vents on our side of the house are closed, I set off to the other side of the house to find the open vent in which she entered. By the time I got to the other side of the house, she came trotting around the corner, walked right up to me and began what is by now her very familiar meow cry.
I have a cat allergy so I'm careful in how I handle cats. I never know which ones will affect me and to what degree. I felt such an immediate bond with this little creature that I decided to risk it, so I picked her up and wondered who she belonged to. She had a collar, but no identity tags. Well fed and groomed, she was obviously not a stray. Just as I began to put together some sort of a plan to find her owner, our new neighbor opened the front door, looked at me holding this cat and said "Oh, THERE she is!"
"Ah, so she's your cat," I said.
"Well, no. We're just cat sitting for her until her own comes to get her," he said.
"Oh, ok," I said, handing him the cat.
I went back home and thought no more of it.
That is until the next day when she appeared at our patio door, crying again. So I went outside and gave her some attention. That didn't stop the meowing. So I picked her up. Nope. That was not what she wanted.
Now I'm used to dogs and dogs don't cry. At least mine doesn't.
Maybe she's hungry? I thought.
We just happened to have some canned cat food. Our home, wherever that has been, has been a place that the occasional stray or lost pet will find. As such, I keep extra cat food on hand for just such an occasion.
So I popped open a can, placed it on a plate, put it in front of her and watched this cat eat as though she hadn't eaten in days. Her crying? Completely stopped.
After she was done, she looked up at me, gave me a little meow as if to say "thank you" and took off.
Thinking that was the end of it, I went back inside.
Wrong again.
She showed up again the next day. And she was there when we went to bed later in the evening.
What does this cat think this is? I thought. The Hilton?
So I paid the neighbors a visit.
"Your cat keeps coming into our yard and she seems hungry. Are you not feeding her?"
I was told for whatever reason, little kitty likes to run out the door whenever they open it. And she is impossible to catch (something I have since discovered to be true). The end result is a cat who had been spending most of the nights outside, sometimes going all day without food.
What to do?
It was becoming obvious she liked being over at our place, despite our having a dog. (More on that relationship in a bit.) I'm not sure if she just doesn't like her new pet sitters or if it's due to their having a cat, but she seemed to pick our place at her new living quarters. I certainly didn't feel ok knowing this little creature was going all day without food plus not having a place to sleep at night. And it didn't seem as though these young boys were interested in changing their behavior. So I took it upon myself to take care of the cat until the owner returns. Or if that doesn't happen, find her a new home.
That means we had to invest in more cat food. Canned can get to be expensive, so we supplemented it with some dry kibble I bought in bulk. We then hauled out our dog kennel, put in some pillows and a cover, a blanket and some fleece I bought at the local sewing/craft store. It's sitting next to the house and given the rains are about to return, we have a protective tarp over the side to cover the slats. So now she has 2-4 meals a day (cats eating habits are different from dogs I have discovered) and a warm place to bed at night. She cries at our door sometimes to come in and we will let her, for a few minutes, until the dog has her disgusted, she will then cry to go outside. And now and then when she's sleepy, we'll pick her up and bring her inside, hold her in our laps on a blanket until we start to sneeze or feel wheezy (mr. n it turns out also has some cat allergies) then we'll place her outside in her kennel. I like to cover her up.
It's been a pain in the ass as well as a blessing. Just when I think my god she's hungry AGAIN I will look at her face, that sweet little face and watch her little paws bat at the food dish as I bring it outside and my heart melts. Completely.
She is quite vocal and has no insecurities whatsoever about telling you what she wants and does not want. For her happiness though I hope her owner returns soon for she is indeed an indoor cat who needs to be the only animal in the home.
In the interim, our dog is adjusting. She makes it known to little kitty that it is SHE that is princess. SHE that is the center of the human's lives. In short, she was here first and is not about to give up her seat on the animal throne. But thankfully, little kitty is amazingly docile. She's a true pacifist and as such, has no interest in the dog and cat battle. Therefore, there seems to be a mutual understanding between the two of them. Dog says "I will tolerate you". Kitty says "Yes you will."
Aside from the food differences, cats are also very nervous creatures. They also have amazingly short attention spans. I have to watch how I open doors and move things outside. A chair being dragged along concrete won't phase our dog. But this little cat? She'll leap straight up in the air and take off as though she's just come in contact with the world's biggest most meanest dog. And as far as her attention span, I will be crouched down, petting her and talking to her and she'll be digging it, then in a flash, she's running away from me, going after who knows what.
And her sleeping habits are also just as unpredictable. Sometimes she will be out most of the night and sleep most of the day. Other times she's full of energy during the day and is out like a light for the night. I check on her every night. Sometimes she's sleeping in her kennel. Other nights she's nowhere to be seen. Our dog? Same sleeping habits every single day, no exception.
So there you have it. Adventures in kittyland. Kitty tales, or tails as I like to refer to this experience. I know it won't last long, which is why I'm closing up this post so I can go get in some kitty laptime snuggles before bedtime. That is, if she will let me. Afterall, cats really do rule their universe. Including the homes in which they choose to live in.
Write For Us! We Pay Nothing!
I run across ads quite frequently, usually from start-up publications, seeking writers to write for them for free. I found such an ad today. It's so insulting not to mention a very poor way of doing business. It's one thing to ask friends, family and those supporting you in this venture to donate time and work the first few issues until enough advertising revenue comes in. It is quite altogether different when asking complete strangers to work without any financial reward while your little project gets off the ground.
Unfortunately, this happens all too often in the creative fields. We simply do not value artistic expression in the same way we do other fields. I cannot tell you how many times I've been asked to play the piano for free. Nor can I share the number of times I have submitted my writings to publications who, for whatever reason, do not pay. Some publications love to say what a great opportunity it is to write for them. What great exposure.
Hogwash.
This giving-away-of-my-talents-for-free crap has not helped in my creative pursuits whatsoever.
Hence, I made the decision a couple of years ago that if you desire my work, you will pay me for it. And hey, I'm flexible. I'm open to payment. I'm even open to bartering to some degree.
So I am making a request to such folks who think it is acceptable or even wise to seek writers who will write for free. KNOCK IT OFF. If you cannot afford to pay those who work for you, then you need to find the time to do the work yourself. Or ask friends and family for such help until you have built your business, your publication, to the point where you can offer payment. But please, please, please stop insulting us with your false promises and silly insinuations. You may convince the newbies and the naive optimist. But you don't fool those of us who have been around the block a few times. We're wise to your tactics.
Unfortunately, this happens all too often in the creative fields. We simply do not value artistic expression in the same way we do other fields. I cannot tell you how many times I've been asked to play the piano for free. Nor can I share the number of times I have submitted my writings to publications who, for whatever reason, do not pay. Some publications love to say what a great opportunity it is to write for them. What great exposure.
Hogwash.
This giving-away-of-my-talents-for-free crap has not helped in my creative pursuits whatsoever.
Hence, I made the decision a couple of years ago that if you desire my work, you will pay me for it. And hey, I'm flexible. I'm open to payment. I'm even open to bartering to some degree.
So I am making a request to such folks who think it is acceptable or even wise to seek writers who will write for free. KNOCK IT OFF. If you cannot afford to pay those who work for you, then you need to find the time to do the work yourself. Or ask friends and family for such help until you have built your business, your publication, to the point where you can offer payment. But please, please, please stop insulting us with your false promises and silly insinuations. You may convince the newbies and the naive optimist. But you don't fool those of us who have been around the block a few times. We're wise to your tactics.
10.23.2008
Political Dribble For Thursday
It's difficult for me to take seriously this election. With the obvious corrupt two-party dominance, with the bogus polling and likelihood of more voter manipulation, how else is one to think?
Of the most comical to me is this Sarah Palin business. While I never did much like Hillary Clinton, as a woman, she is smart. She is well-read and well-spoken. And most importantly, she knows the role of the President and Vice President. Sarah Palin, it seems, doesn't know what her role would be. At least according to the Constitution. Yes, while she has said the VP presides over the Senate, she is under the illusion that the VP has influence over the Senate. She believes the VP has a special set of powers that allow her to influence policy. I'm waiting for someone to photoshop some super hero costume over one of her photos. Women of America: THIS IS NOT THE ROLE MODEL WE FEMALES NEED. You want to get excited about a woman in politics, look to Cynthia McKinney, Green Party candidate.
There are the references to Obama being a terrorist, to his being an Arab, to his being a Muslim. My questions of course are who cares if he were of Arab descent (Constitution says NOTHING about one being EUROPEAN--only one being born in the United States) or a Muslim. It's silly to me when people say "well you don't worship MY god", implying as though there are hundreds of "god's" in the cosmos. Imagine the cause for confusion: Jesus: "oh, hey, Allah, this muslim sent up a prayer and it came to me instead." (hint: maybe there's just one continous ball of energy of which we're all a part of.) And then there's this whole terrorist reference, which is tossed at ANYBODY who speaks out against the government, against the war, against whatever political/social agenda is being presented, when in reality the thinking amongst us knows real terrorism is the individual or group of individuals who seek to strip away the freedoms from others and who seek to impose their will upon others through violent, harmful means.
Sort of changes the spectrum of things when thought of in this manner, doesn't it?
I am going to vote though, if for anything to put out an energy of "regardless of what you criminals opt to do, I'm still putting out a vote of conscience anyway". Some may say it won't count, but that depends upon how you look at it. Knowing how my candidate doesn't stand a chance of being elected (largely due to the fear and apathy of our society), I still know I am making a stand for what I believe in and in that way, my vote does count. It counts to me and that is what matters most to me at the end of the day.
Of the most comical to me is this Sarah Palin business. While I never did much like Hillary Clinton, as a woman, she is smart. She is well-read and well-spoken. And most importantly, she knows the role of the President and Vice President. Sarah Palin, it seems, doesn't know what her role would be. At least according to the Constitution. Yes, while she has said the VP presides over the Senate, she is under the illusion that the VP has influence over the Senate. She believes the VP has a special set of powers that allow her to influence policy. I'm waiting for someone to photoshop some super hero costume over one of her photos. Women of America: THIS IS NOT THE ROLE MODEL WE FEMALES NEED. You want to get excited about a woman in politics, look to Cynthia McKinney, Green Party candidate.
There are the references to Obama being a terrorist, to his being an Arab, to his being a Muslim. My questions of course are who cares if he were of Arab descent (Constitution says NOTHING about one being EUROPEAN--only one being born in the United States) or a Muslim. It's silly to me when people say "well you don't worship MY god", implying as though there are hundreds of "god's" in the cosmos. Imagine the cause for confusion: Jesus: "oh, hey, Allah, this muslim sent up a prayer and it came to me instead." (hint: maybe there's just one continous ball of energy of which we're all a part of.) And then there's this whole terrorist reference, which is tossed at ANYBODY who speaks out against the government, against the war, against whatever political/social agenda is being presented, when in reality the thinking amongst us knows real terrorism is the individual or group of individuals who seek to strip away the freedoms from others and who seek to impose their will upon others through violent, harmful means.
Sort of changes the spectrum of things when thought of in this manner, doesn't it?
I am going to vote though, if for anything to put out an energy of "regardless of what you criminals opt to do, I'm still putting out a vote of conscience anyway". Some may say it won't count, but that depends upon how you look at it. Knowing how my candidate doesn't stand a chance of being elected (largely due to the fear and apathy of our society), I still know I am making a stand for what I believe in and in that way, my vote does count. It counts to me and that is what matters most to me at the end of the day.
10.21.2008
Socialism and Redistributing The Wealth: A Lot Of Ridiculous Hysteria
The more time passes, the more I observe the political scene and all of the people supporting it with a sense of bewilderment. The question I most ask of myself is: Do these people really believe or even hear their own words?
The next question: Do these people even know how to think for themselves?
Socialism. A nasty word to some. And in some ways, I can understand the outcries against. Who wants government to control capital and production? In order to do that in a way that is truly socialistic, it would have to be a fair system where ALL benefit. And are our government representatives enlightened enough to be in charge of such a system?
Hardly.
And yet, when do we ever hear or read such questions or insights? All we hear is caveman speak: "Socialism is evil!"
Perhaps in truth it isn't socialism that is "evil" but rather those who haven't been able to release or even acknowledge the need to release greed and the fear that surrounds it.
Rugged individualism rules. We're only responsible for our own asses. Every man/woman/child for him/herself. And my favorite: the self-made man.
All short-sighted, narrow viewpoints, the last being a blatant lie.
Socialism, according to some, would chip away at these illusions. And yet I ask, is that such an awful thing?
Then there's the whole "redistribution of the wealth" that's being tossed around like a hot potato. It's pointed out, but it isn't handled with any real thoughtful dialogue for any real length of time. Instead it's passed off to the next pundit long before any real consideration is given.
Redistributing the wealth can be a rather scary concept. Imagine all workers who help create wealth for an individual or group of individuals actually get to share in that wealth.
Again, I ask, is that such an awful thing?
We (well, 90% of us) are a religious folk here in America. Let me rephrase that. We claim to be a religious folk. We claim to love Jesus. We claim to worship Jesus. We claim the desire to walk the path of this man, real or myth, God or not. And yet when it comes to these two principles, isn't it obvious by now that those who claim to define wealth distribution and socialism as "evil" and also claim to be a follower of Christ are a bit hypocritical?
Didn't Jesus condemn greed? Didn't he speak out against using others for any means, including financial gain? Didn't he speak frequently on sharing? On prosperity for all?
Which is it going to be for you, Joe and Jane America? You can't have it both ways. You cannot have capitalism the way it is and rugged individualism and be a follower of Christ. You simply cannot.
It's time to make a choice. Greed or love.
The next question: Do these people even know how to think for themselves?
Socialism. A nasty word to some. And in some ways, I can understand the outcries against. Who wants government to control capital and production? In order to do that in a way that is truly socialistic, it would have to be a fair system where ALL benefit. And are our government representatives enlightened enough to be in charge of such a system?
Hardly.
And yet, when do we ever hear or read such questions or insights? All we hear is caveman speak: "Socialism is evil!"
Perhaps in truth it isn't socialism that is "evil" but rather those who haven't been able to release or even acknowledge the need to release greed and the fear that surrounds it.
Rugged individualism rules. We're only responsible for our own asses. Every man/woman/child for him/herself. And my favorite: the self-made man.
All short-sighted, narrow viewpoints, the last being a blatant lie.
Socialism, according to some, would chip away at these illusions. And yet I ask, is that such an awful thing?
Then there's the whole "redistribution of the wealth" that's being tossed around like a hot potato. It's pointed out, but it isn't handled with any real thoughtful dialogue for any real length of time. Instead it's passed off to the next pundit long before any real consideration is given.
Redistributing the wealth can be a rather scary concept. Imagine all workers who help create wealth for an individual or group of individuals actually get to share in that wealth.
Again, I ask, is that such an awful thing?
We (well, 90% of us) are a religious folk here in America. Let me rephrase that. We claim to be a religious folk. We claim to love Jesus. We claim to worship Jesus. We claim the desire to walk the path of this man, real or myth, God or not. And yet when it comes to these two principles, isn't it obvious by now that those who claim to define wealth distribution and socialism as "evil" and also claim to be a follower of Christ are a bit hypocritical?
Didn't Jesus condemn greed? Didn't he speak out against using others for any means, including financial gain? Didn't he speak frequently on sharing? On prosperity for all?
Which is it going to be for you, Joe and Jane America? You can't have it both ways. You cannot have capitalism the way it is and rugged individualism and be a follower of Christ. You simply cannot.
It's time to make a choice. Greed or love.
10.12.2008
A Bedtime Story
For you all.
From me, Nina.
Once upon a time, a beautiful angel set off to visit the earth. Never having been, she could only go by the words of other angel's who had already paid the planet a visit. While all enjoyed experiencing the textures, sounds and sights, most proclaimed they could never return. For you see, the lack of light and love was terribly missing and as such, well, made the angels feel rather sick.
This beautiful angel, while a realist, was also the proverbial optimist with a heart of pure radiant joy and kindness. When asking the other angels what they had done to inject some light and love into the planet, she was met with a sense of apathy and dismissal. There was really nothing that could be done, they said. Just pray.
Determined to prove them wrong, and knowing angelic prayer was simply not enough, she set her intention to locate herself on earth. And in the blink of an eye, she found herself in the middle of what appeared to be a large city. She looked around in awe at the crowd of people milling around her. She jumped at the sound of a horn blasting itself off to her right. She gazed skyward and was amazed at the heights of the buildings. Why, some appeared to almost reach the heavens!
Then there were the smells. Oh, the smells! What a glorious, strange concoction of smells she experienced. Heavy, sweet bitterness hit her senses hard.
After adjusting to the sensations around her, she noticed the people. Most looked, well, sad. It was almost as though most were sleep-walking. Half awake. Most surprising to her was how, in spite of the large numbers of people walking right past one another, even at times bumping into one another, not one person looked another in the eye and offered acknowledgement. There were no greetings. No smiles.
But why, she wondered. Don't these people realize what a beautiful, amazing gift it is to be alive? Don't these people realize how many beautiful, amazing people are walking right past them?
A sense of darkness overcome the angel. Looking around, desperately hoping for some ray of light to exit from one of these humans, she remembered the words of her angel friends. She began to understand why they did not desire to return. Maybe this really was how the people were. Maybe there was no hope for love to govern this species and the planet.
Threatening to get lost in this thought, she turned her thoughts to love and using her intention, asked to be shown SOME sign of love. Some ray of hope.
And just then, she looked down and saw a child looking up at her with a look of inquisitiveness.
"Are you an angel?" the child asked.
"Why yes I am," the angel responded gently, with a smile.
"I thought so," the child said, returning the smile.
Looking out at the swarm of the crowd, the angel asked why the people seemed to be ignoring one another, to be ignoring her.
"Oh well, big people don't talk to people they don't know. And, they don't believe in angels," the child responded.
"They don't?" asked the angel, rather flabbergasted.
"Nah. They believe in cars and money and jobs. Stuff like that," the child said non-chalantly.
The angel thought about that. Where she came from there is no judgment, there is no right or wrong. And yet she suddenly realized that maybe the reason people seemed to be so sullen was that instead of believing in themselves and in one another, in love, they instead believed in things.
Suddenly, the angel had an idea. Looking down at her new friend, she asked the child to help her with something. Whispering in the child's ear of her plan, the child nodded enthusiastically, agreeing to help.
Taking one side of the street, the small child began approaching people, saying hello and offering them a small card that said "always remember how amazing and beautiful you are". That was it. It wasn't a plan designed out of the intellect. It wasn't one that would win a nobel peace prize. It was simple. And yet sometimes, simpleness is the most effective teacher.
The responses varied. Some ignored the offering of the card. Some seemed not to notice either the child or the angel altogether. Most of the rest took the card, stuffing it into their pockets. I say "most of" because one person, an elderly gentleman, took the card, stopped and read it. Looking down into the eyes of the child he began to weep.
"No one has ever told me that," he said, his voice trembling, burying his eyes and nose into a hankerchief. Looking up, he suddenly saw a beautiful, well, being before him. Was this an angel? And if so why was he suddenly seeing her now?
"My, my god, are you, are you what I think you are?" he asked increduously, his voice small.
The angel smiled, took his hand and nodded.
Well, by this time, a small crowd had gathered to see what all of the commotion was about. One by one, the small child handed each of them a card, which each read. And no sooner had they read the words on the card and felt what it meant to them in their hearts, did they see the angel.
Well, you can imagine what happened next. Tears of pain flowed from every person, followed by tears of joy and then laughter. While each of them experienced it in their own way, each felt something new and alive within as a result. Suddenly people were talking with one another, laughing, some even hugging, but every single person was offering up those around them some form of acknowledgement.
Love In Action, is what the angel and her child friend decided to call it. It was an activity the angel took upon herself to deliver daily to cities and towns and villages all across the planet. There was certainly a need for such a message, as she soon discovered.
On the last day of her mission, as she silently said good-bye to the earth and all of its beautiful people, she looked around the planet and saw and sensed a lighter sensation. The bleakness had diminished, replaced by the embracing of inner love and joy, spreading out across the globe as people shared them. Oh, yes, there was still darkness. There were still people, often people of great earthly power she discovered, who refused or were not willing to embrace the light. And yet, a new movement had been created amongst the people.
For instead of believing in things, they returned to believing in themselves and in one another.
From me, Nina.
Once upon a time, a beautiful angel set off to visit the earth. Never having been, she could only go by the words of other angel's who had already paid the planet a visit. While all enjoyed experiencing the textures, sounds and sights, most proclaimed they could never return. For you see, the lack of light and love was terribly missing and as such, well, made the angels feel rather sick.
This beautiful angel, while a realist, was also the proverbial optimist with a heart of pure radiant joy and kindness. When asking the other angels what they had done to inject some light and love into the planet, she was met with a sense of apathy and dismissal. There was really nothing that could be done, they said. Just pray.
Determined to prove them wrong, and knowing angelic prayer was simply not enough, she set her intention to locate herself on earth. And in the blink of an eye, she found herself in the middle of what appeared to be a large city. She looked around in awe at the crowd of people milling around her. She jumped at the sound of a horn blasting itself off to her right. She gazed skyward and was amazed at the heights of the buildings. Why, some appeared to almost reach the heavens!
Then there were the smells. Oh, the smells! What a glorious, strange concoction of smells she experienced. Heavy, sweet bitterness hit her senses hard.
After adjusting to the sensations around her, she noticed the people. Most looked, well, sad. It was almost as though most were sleep-walking. Half awake. Most surprising to her was how, in spite of the large numbers of people walking right past one another, even at times bumping into one another, not one person looked another in the eye and offered acknowledgement. There were no greetings. No smiles.
But why, she wondered. Don't these people realize what a beautiful, amazing gift it is to be alive? Don't these people realize how many beautiful, amazing people are walking right past them?
A sense of darkness overcome the angel. Looking around, desperately hoping for some ray of light to exit from one of these humans, she remembered the words of her angel friends. She began to understand why they did not desire to return. Maybe this really was how the people were. Maybe there was no hope for love to govern this species and the planet.
Threatening to get lost in this thought, she turned her thoughts to love and using her intention, asked to be shown SOME sign of love. Some ray of hope.
And just then, she looked down and saw a child looking up at her with a look of inquisitiveness.
"Are you an angel?" the child asked.
"Why yes I am," the angel responded gently, with a smile.
"I thought so," the child said, returning the smile.
Looking out at the swarm of the crowd, the angel asked why the people seemed to be ignoring one another, to be ignoring her.
"Oh well, big people don't talk to people they don't know. And, they don't believe in angels," the child responded.
"They don't?" asked the angel, rather flabbergasted.
"Nah. They believe in cars and money and jobs. Stuff like that," the child said non-chalantly.
The angel thought about that. Where she came from there is no judgment, there is no right or wrong. And yet she suddenly realized that maybe the reason people seemed to be so sullen was that instead of believing in themselves and in one another, in love, they instead believed in things.
Suddenly, the angel had an idea. Looking down at her new friend, she asked the child to help her with something. Whispering in the child's ear of her plan, the child nodded enthusiastically, agreeing to help.
Taking one side of the street, the small child began approaching people, saying hello and offering them a small card that said "always remember how amazing and beautiful you are". That was it. It wasn't a plan designed out of the intellect. It wasn't one that would win a nobel peace prize. It was simple. And yet sometimes, simpleness is the most effective teacher.
The responses varied. Some ignored the offering of the card. Some seemed not to notice either the child or the angel altogether. Most of the rest took the card, stuffing it into their pockets. I say "most of" because one person, an elderly gentleman, took the card, stopped and read it. Looking down into the eyes of the child he began to weep.
"No one has ever told me that," he said, his voice trembling, burying his eyes and nose into a hankerchief. Looking up, he suddenly saw a beautiful, well, being before him. Was this an angel? And if so why was he suddenly seeing her now?
"My, my god, are you, are you what I think you are?" he asked increduously, his voice small.
The angel smiled, took his hand and nodded.
Well, by this time, a small crowd had gathered to see what all of the commotion was about. One by one, the small child handed each of them a card, which each read. And no sooner had they read the words on the card and felt what it meant to them in their hearts, did they see the angel.
Well, you can imagine what happened next. Tears of pain flowed from every person, followed by tears of joy and then laughter. While each of them experienced it in their own way, each felt something new and alive within as a result. Suddenly people were talking with one another, laughing, some even hugging, but every single person was offering up those around them some form of acknowledgement.
Love In Action, is what the angel and her child friend decided to call it. It was an activity the angel took upon herself to deliver daily to cities and towns and villages all across the planet. There was certainly a need for such a message, as she soon discovered.
On the last day of her mission, as she silently said good-bye to the earth and all of its beautiful people, she looked around the planet and saw and sensed a lighter sensation. The bleakness had diminished, replaced by the embracing of inner love and joy, spreading out across the globe as people shared them. Oh, yes, there was still darkness. There were still people, often people of great earthly power she discovered, who refused or were not willing to embrace the light. And yet, a new movement had been created amongst the people.
For instead of believing in things, they returned to believing in themselves and in one another.
10.05.2008
Sunday Thoughts: Ode To Corvallis
The mister picked up the Gazette Times today.
Why did you do that? I asked.
I mean, it isn't like the GT even makes any real effort to pass itself as a legitimate piece of journalism. If you want regurgitated crap with local fluff fillers, well then this is your rag.
On the front page was a brilliant piece about our beloved college students. Oh yes, it is that time of year again when 20,000 bright eyed, eager students fill our streets and our stores. When they aren't studying, they're usually filling their bodies with alcohol, seeing how loud that stereo really does go and staying up all night, their place of preference for drunken yells seemingly to be in our quiet residential streets.
According to the paper, well let me be more specific, according to our own Mayor Tomlinson, such students are quite rare. Overall, there isn't really any real problem with noise coming from our college students.
He must never have lived in a college kid-filled neighborhood.
Oh but wait, I am mistaken. He says he once did live "close to" the University. According to our politically correct Mayor, he claims the students provided a great energy and weren't any trouble. And when likely was this? Twenty years ago when the student population was half of what it is today? When instead of a neighborhood consisting of 50% students, you had perhaps 20%?
My my, how our memory eludes us as we age. If Mayor Tomlinson has that positive of a memory and is that enthusiastic about including our beloved college students in our neighborhoods, perhaps he would like to swap houses with the mister and I. Perhaps after being woken up every night for one week between the hours of 1-4am would have him singing a different tune. Doubtful though. I say doubtful because people in this community are great at putting on a happy face rather than dive into anything of REAL substance. It's easier, or so it seems, to carry signs and write letters to the editor--all using words only--than it is to show any REAL emotional truth to pressing issues.
Imagine our Mayor speaking the truth: There are noise issues with our students and we need to enforce the local laws. Let us make the message clear to the students: you are welcome to reside in this community as long as you abide by said laws. Imagine the shocks and surprised guffaws over such a thing. And also imagine the silent (or vocal) cheers of those who have lived this.
The truth spoken. Sigh. One can dream...
Also of note in this amazing hit piece of journalism was the concern expressed about Corvallis turning into an Elitist/Gated Community.
Newsflash: It already is.
Corvallis Government, Big Business and the like cater and I mean cater to the money makers in this town. Passing itself off as some progressive, enlightened community, Corvallis is simply a reflection, albeit it a smaller one, of our current society where we give a lot of lip service to ideas such as ending homelessness and poverty, dealing with drug and alcohol abuse, creating affordable housing for all, establishing health care for all and alternative, clean energy and yet continue to shake our heads in confusion as to what to do about our social ills while we go about building riverfront condos around homeless individuals and kissing the asses of the big wigs at our University and places like HP. THOSE behaviors, now that's easy to do. It is when your pockets are being lined. But being the elite and their talking puppets, even those who ARE NOT elite and are still under their illusional spell, well they don't want to share. To share money is "unamerican". They think that the term "redistributing the wealth" is a communist sin. Equality and freedom: two values we chant in our western world, two values your typical human knows nothing of. Ask a child though. They will usually offer up a more truthful definition than most adults.
Problems are easy to fix. And yet what slows this fixing down? It isn't necessarily government gridlock. It's deeper than that. It's people's emotional and mental blocks. Emotional and Mental Gridlock. That may be THE disease behind all of our current difficulties and struggles. Our chants we tell ourselves. Staunch convervatives chant the do it on your own speech. Liberals chant the buddist/new age/zen philosophy of the only one having any effect on your life is YOU. (That philosophy is like saying the only person on the highway is me. Simplistic and grossly naive.)
Yep, problems are easy to fix once we remove the chokeholds of political correctiveness AND System influences of who we are and how we SHOULD be.
For instance, when have any of you heard ANY of the System puppets talk about establishing a sliding scale fee on all goods and services?
When have any of them talked about the EMOTIONAL scars that lead people to abuse drugs and alcohol? Oh wait, I forgot. Yes, some do. And yet even after treatment, loving support followed by living wage employment is simply not offered. Although, if you happen to go through certain treatment centers that focus on Jesus Christ, well as long as you convert, you're loved. If you're rich or an elitist, well you can abuse whatever substance you want. The System doesn't care. Oh sure, now and then the System will feign concern by offering up some drunken celebrity or political or business figure as a scape goat. See, we care. We really do, the System monkey's chant.
Lie.
When have ANY of them once admitted this little truth: We could have had clean, sustainable and even affordable if not free energy over 50 years ago.
Will we ever hear these words: Housing for all? No problemo. Remove the banks. Embrace the part of love that says housing is a right. Same for health care (remove the insurance companies). How about opening up the markets so that they are TRULY free to let the small investor launch his clean, cheap energy idea?
Do not let the guises of professional titles, political parties, academic credentials and the like fool you. Do not let flowery phrases fool you, especially phrases and words used repeatedly by the System monkeys. They love doing that one. And it works. (We have a band wagon of Americans who now love Sarah Palin because she can say "John McCain is a MAVERICK.")
Underneath all of this garbage of chants is a human being who has been brainwashed since birth to crush, forget about and deny those idealistic traits of love. The result? A puppet. Nothing more, nothing less.
Until we remove the sticks the System and others, whom, through the System, have shoved up our asses, we'll continue to walk around asleep or even half awake.
It's time for the labels to be removed. The signs to be put down. The letters to the editor to cease. It's time to do the real work. It's time to remember again who we really are. And along with that, to stop the bullshit excuses, the chants, the quoting of others and the phony smiles. Metaphorically speaking, it is time to tell that little obnoxious, loud youngster that there is such a thing as courtesy and respect and while certain people (ahem) may deny this small but blatant problem staring us right in the face, I see it. And smiling at it does not make it go away.
Why did you do that? I asked.
I mean, it isn't like the GT even makes any real effort to pass itself as a legitimate piece of journalism. If you want regurgitated crap with local fluff fillers, well then this is your rag.
On the front page was a brilliant piece about our beloved college students. Oh yes, it is that time of year again when 20,000 bright eyed, eager students fill our streets and our stores. When they aren't studying, they're usually filling their bodies with alcohol, seeing how loud that stereo really does go and staying up all night, their place of preference for drunken yells seemingly to be in our quiet residential streets.
According to the paper, well let me be more specific, according to our own Mayor Tomlinson, such students are quite rare. Overall, there isn't really any real problem with noise coming from our college students.
He must never have lived in a college kid-filled neighborhood.
Oh but wait, I am mistaken. He says he once did live "close to" the University. According to our politically correct Mayor, he claims the students provided a great energy and weren't any trouble. And when likely was this? Twenty years ago when the student population was half of what it is today? When instead of a neighborhood consisting of 50% students, you had perhaps 20%?
My my, how our memory eludes us as we age. If Mayor Tomlinson has that positive of a memory and is that enthusiastic about including our beloved college students in our neighborhoods, perhaps he would like to swap houses with the mister and I. Perhaps after being woken up every night for one week between the hours of 1-4am would have him singing a different tune. Doubtful though. I say doubtful because people in this community are great at putting on a happy face rather than dive into anything of REAL substance. It's easier, or so it seems, to carry signs and write letters to the editor--all using words only--than it is to show any REAL emotional truth to pressing issues.
Imagine our Mayor speaking the truth: There are noise issues with our students and we need to enforce the local laws. Let us make the message clear to the students: you are welcome to reside in this community as long as you abide by said laws. Imagine the shocks and surprised guffaws over such a thing. And also imagine the silent (or vocal) cheers of those who have lived this.
The truth spoken. Sigh. One can dream...
Also of note in this amazing hit piece of journalism was the concern expressed about Corvallis turning into an Elitist/Gated Community.
Newsflash: It already is.
Corvallis Government, Big Business and the like cater and I mean cater to the money makers in this town. Passing itself off as some progressive, enlightened community, Corvallis is simply a reflection, albeit it a smaller one, of our current society where we give a lot of lip service to ideas such as ending homelessness and poverty, dealing with drug and alcohol abuse, creating affordable housing for all, establishing health care for all and alternative, clean energy and yet continue to shake our heads in confusion as to what to do about our social ills while we go about building riverfront condos around homeless individuals and kissing the asses of the big wigs at our University and places like HP. THOSE behaviors, now that's easy to do. It is when your pockets are being lined. But being the elite and their talking puppets, even those who ARE NOT elite and are still under their illusional spell, well they don't want to share. To share money is "unamerican". They think that the term "redistributing the wealth" is a communist sin. Equality and freedom: two values we chant in our western world, two values your typical human knows nothing of. Ask a child though. They will usually offer up a more truthful definition than most adults.
Problems are easy to fix. And yet what slows this fixing down? It isn't necessarily government gridlock. It's deeper than that. It's people's emotional and mental blocks. Emotional and Mental Gridlock. That may be THE disease behind all of our current difficulties and struggles. Our chants we tell ourselves. Staunch convervatives chant the do it on your own speech. Liberals chant the buddist/new age/zen philosophy of the only one having any effect on your life is YOU. (That philosophy is like saying the only person on the highway is me. Simplistic and grossly naive.)
Yep, problems are easy to fix once we remove the chokeholds of political correctiveness AND System influences of who we are and how we SHOULD be.
For instance, when have any of you heard ANY of the System puppets talk about establishing a sliding scale fee on all goods and services?
When have any of them talked about the EMOTIONAL scars that lead people to abuse drugs and alcohol? Oh wait, I forgot. Yes, some do. And yet even after treatment, loving support followed by living wage employment is simply not offered. Although, if you happen to go through certain treatment centers that focus on Jesus Christ, well as long as you convert, you're loved. If you're rich or an elitist, well you can abuse whatever substance you want. The System doesn't care. Oh sure, now and then the System will feign concern by offering up some drunken celebrity or political or business figure as a scape goat. See, we care. We really do, the System monkey's chant.
Lie.
When have ANY of them once admitted this little truth: We could have had clean, sustainable and even affordable if not free energy over 50 years ago.
Will we ever hear these words: Housing for all? No problemo. Remove the banks. Embrace the part of love that says housing is a right. Same for health care (remove the insurance companies). How about opening up the markets so that they are TRULY free to let the small investor launch his clean, cheap energy idea?
Do not let the guises of professional titles, political parties, academic credentials and the like fool you. Do not let flowery phrases fool you, especially phrases and words used repeatedly by the System monkeys. They love doing that one. And it works. (We have a band wagon of Americans who now love Sarah Palin because she can say "John McCain is a MAVERICK.")
Underneath all of this garbage of chants is a human being who has been brainwashed since birth to crush, forget about and deny those idealistic traits of love. The result? A puppet. Nothing more, nothing less.
Until we remove the sticks the System and others, whom, through the System, have shoved up our asses, we'll continue to walk around asleep or even half awake.
It's time for the labels to be removed. The signs to be put down. The letters to the editor to cease. It's time to do the real work. It's time to remember again who we really are. And along with that, to stop the bullshit excuses, the chants, the quoting of others and the phony smiles. Metaphorically speaking, it is time to tell that little obnoxious, loud youngster that there is such a thing as courtesy and respect and while certain people (ahem) may deny this small but blatant problem staring us right in the face, I see it. And smiling at it does not make it go away.
10.03.2008
A Brief But Insightful Explanation Of Our Monetary System In Relation To The Bailout
Kudos (once again) to Dennis Kucinich for this explanation:
Here is a very quick explanation of the $700 billion bailout within the context of the mechanics of our monetary and banking system:
The taxpayers loan money to the banks. But the taxpayers do not have the money. So we have to borrow it from the banks to give it back to the banks. But the banks do not have the money to loan to the government. So they create it into existence (through a mechanism called fractional reserve) and then loan it to us, at interest, so we can then give it back to them.
Confused?
This is the system.
This is the standard mechanism used to expand the money supply on a daily basis not a special one designed only for the "$700 billion" transaction. People will explain this to you in many different ways, but this is what it comes down to.
The banks needed Congress' approval. Of course in this topsy turvy world, it is the banks which set the terms of the money they are borrowing from the taxpayers. And what do we get for this transaction?
Long term debt enslavement of our country.
We get to pay back to the banks trillions of dollars ($700 billion with compounded interest) and the banks give us their bad debt which they cull from everywhere in the world.
Who could turn down a deal like this?
I did. [Bet you're wishin' you had voted for him in the primaries, eh?]
The globalization of the debt puts the United States in the position that in order to repay the money that we borrow from the banks (for the banks) we could be forced to accept International Monetary Fund dictates which involve cutting health, social security benefits and all other social spending in addition to reducing wages and exploiting our natural resources.
This inevitably leads to a loss of economic, social and political freedom.
Under the failed $700 billion bailout plan, Wall Street's profits are Wall Street's profits and Wall Street's losses are the taxpayers' losses. Profits are capitalized. Losses are socialized.
Here is a very quick explanation of the $700 billion bailout within the context of the mechanics of our monetary and banking system:
The taxpayers loan money to the banks. But the taxpayers do not have the money. So we have to borrow it from the banks to give it back to the banks. But the banks do not have the money to loan to the government. So they create it into existence (through a mechanism called fractional reserve) and then loan it to us, at interest, so we can then give it back to them.
Confused?
This is the system.
This is the standard mechanism used to expand the money supply on a daily basis not a special one designed only for the "$700 billion" transaction. People will explain this to you in many different ways, but this is what it comes down to.
The banks needed Congress' approval. Of course in this topsy turvy world, it is the banks which set the terms of the money they are borrowing from the taxpayers. And what do we get for this transaction?
Long term debt enslavement of our country.
We get to pay back to the banks trillions of dollars ($700 billion with compounded interest) and the banks give us their bad debt which they cull from everywhere in the world.
Who could turn down a deal like this?
I did. [Bet you're wishin' you had voted for him in the primaries, eh?]
The globalization of the debt puts the United States in the position that in order to repay the money that we borrow from the banks (for the banks) we could be forced to accept International Monetary Fund dictates which involve cutting health, social security benefits and all other social spending in addition to reducing wages and exploiting our natural resources.
This inevitably leads to a loss of economic, social and political freedom.
Under the failed $700 billion bailout plan, Wall Street's profits are Wall Street's profits and Wall Street's losses are the taxpayers' losses. Profits are capitalized. Losses are socialized.
Bailout Plan: Prosperity For The Rich, Bankruptcy For You.
And the beauty is, you and I are paying for it.
In what is probably the most deplorable, criminal acts of Congress to date, the House passed the $700 billion bailout plan. Of note, the majority of the Yes votes were Democrat whereas the Republicans made up the majority of the No votes. Hence, this simply proves the point I hammer away time and time again on this blog and on others: Both parties are simply different sides of the same coin.
Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who voted No on both bills, spells it out for what this will mean for you and I and for the Wall Street Criminals:
“The public is being led to believe that Congress has reconsidered its position because we have before us a better bill than we had a few days ago. It is the same bill plus hundreds of new pages for hundreds of millions of tax breaks. What does this have to do with the troubles of Wall Street?
“Driven by fear we are moving quickly to pass a bill, which may produce a temporary uptick for the market, but nothing for millions of homeowners whose misfortunes are at the center of our economic woes. People do not have money to pay their mortgages. After this passes, they will still not have money to pay their mortgages. People will still lose their homes while Wall Street is bailed out.
“The central flaw of this bill is that there are NO stronger protections for homeowners and NO changes in the language to ensure that the secretary has the authority to compel mortgage servicers to modify the terms of mortgages. And there are NO stronger regulatory changes to fix the circumstances that allowed this to happen.
“We should have created a mechanism for our government to take a controlling interest in mortgage-backed securities and use our power to work out a new deal for the homeowners. We could have done this. We should have done this. But we didn't.
“Now millions of Americans will face the threat of foreclosure without any help. And the numbers will soon rise for a number of reasons. Not only because of the Alt-A, jumbo mortgages which will soon be reset at higher interest rates, but because the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is pushing up rates on adjustable mortgages and more than half of the US adjustable mortgage rates are tied to LIBOR. Homeowner defaults will grow in significant numbers. Let’s see if Congress will be as quick to help homeowners on Main Street as they were to help speculators on Wall Street.
“Now the government will have to borrow $700 billion from banks, with interest, to give banks a $700 billion bailout, and in return the taxpayers get $700 billion in toxic debt. The Senate "improved" the bailout by giving tax breaks to people in foreclosure. People in foreclosure need help paying their mortgage, they do not seek tax breaks.
“Across our Nation, foreclosures continue to devastate our communities, people are losing their jobs, and the prices of necessities are skyrocketing. This legislation, just like the one we defeated last week, will do nothing to solve the problems plaguing American families or help them to get out from underneath the oppressive debt they have been forced to take on.
“Unfortunately, there has been no discussion of the underlying debt-based economy and the role of our monetary system in facilitating the redistribution of wealth upwards.
“It is not as though we had no choice but to pass the bill before us. We could have done this differently. We could have demanded language in the legislation that would have empowered the Treasury to compel mortgage servicers to rework the terms of mortgage loans so homeowners could avoid foreclosure. We could have put regulatory structures in place to protect investors. We could have stopped the speculators.
“This bill represents an utter failure of the Democratic process. It represents the triumph of special interest over the triumph of the public interest. It represents the inability of government to defend the public interest in the face of great pressure from financial interests. We could have recognized the power of government to prime the pump of the economy to get money flowing through out society by creating jobs, health care, and major investments in green energy. What a lost opportunity! What a moment of transition away from democracy and towards domination of America by global economic interests.
“Years ago, in a Cleveland neighborhood, I saw a hand-scrawled sign above a cash register in a delicatessen. The sign said: "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash." The sign above the Speaker's rostrum reads "In God We Trust," but we are paying the cash to Wall Street.
“It is not as if we had no other choice but to pass this bill.”
In what is probably the most deplorable, criminal acts of Congress to date, the House passed the $700 billion bailout plan. Of note, the majority of the Yes votes were Democrat whereas the Republicans made up the majority of the No votes. Hence, this simply proves the point I hammer away time and time again on this blog and on others: Both parties are simply different sides of the same coin.
Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who voted No on both bills, spells it out for what this will mean for you and I and for the Wall Street Criminals:
“The public is being led to believe that Congress has reconsidered its position because we have before us a better bill than we had a few days ago. It is the same bill plus hundreds of new pages for hundreds of millions of tax breaks. What does this have to do with the troubles of Wall Street?
“Driven by fear we are moving quickly to pass a bill, which may produce a temporary uptick for the market, but nothing for millions of homeowners whose misfortunes are at the center of our economic woes. People do not have money to pay their mortgages. After this passes, they will still not have money to pay their mortgages. People will still lose their homes while Wall Street is bailed out.
“The central flaw of this bill is that there are NO stronger protections for homeowners and NO changes in the language to ensure that the secretary has the authority to compel mortgage servicers to modify the terms of mortgages. And there are NO stronger regulatory changes to fix the circumstances that allowed this to happen.
“We should have created a mechanism for our government to take a controlling interest in mortgage-backed securities and use our power to work out a new deal for the homeowners. We could have done this. We should have done this. But we didn't.
“Now millions of Americans will face the threat of foreclosure without any help. And the numbers will soon rise for a number of reasons. Not only because of the Alt-A, jumbo mortgages which will soon be reset at higher interest rates, but because the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is pushing up rates on adjustable mortgages and more than half of the US adjustable mortgage rates are tied to LIBOR. Homeowner defaults will grow in significant numbers. Let’s see if Congress will be as quick to help homeowners on Main Street as they were to help speculators on Wall Street.
“Now the government will have to borrow $700 billion from banks, with interest, to give banks a $700 billion bailout, and in return the taxpayers get $700 billion in toxic debt. The Senate "improved" the bailout by giving tax breaks to people in foreclosure. People in foreclosure need help paying their mortgage, they do not seek tax breaks.
“Across our Nation, foreclosures continue to devastate our communities, people are losing their jobs, and the prices of necessities are skyrocketing. This legislation, just like the one we defeated last week, will do nothing to solve the problems plaguing American families or help them to get out from underneath the oppressive debt they have been forced to take on.
“Unfortunately, there has been no discussion of the underlying debt-based economy and the role of our monetary system in facilitating the redistribution of wealth upwards.
“It is not as though we had no choice but to pass the bill before us. We could have done this differently. We could have demanded language in the legislation that would have empowered the Treasury to compel mortgage servicers to rework the terms of mortgage loans so homeowners could avoid foreclosure. We could have put regulatory structures in place to protect investors. We could have stopped the speculators.
“This bill represents an utter failure of the Democratic process. It represents the triumph of special interest over the triumph of the public interest. It represents the inability of government to defend the public interest in the face of great pressure from financial interests. We could have recognized the power of government to prime the pump of the economy to get money flowing through out society by creating jobs, health care, and major investments in green energy. What a lost opportunity! What a moment of transition away from democracy and towards domination of America by global economic interests.
“Years ago, in a Cleveland neighborhood, I saw a hand-scrawled sign above a cash register in a delicatessen. The sign said: "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash." The sign above the Speaker's rostrum reads "In God We Trust," but we are paying the cash to Wall Street.
“It is not as if we had no other choice but to pass this bill.”
9.28.2008
A Better Means Of Distributing $700 Billion: We Deserve It Divident
I found this on outtheretv.com. A viewer sent in his idea on what to do with that $700 billion. An idea that would have a much more positive effect on the economy. Copy it and spread it around. It may be a bit of tongue and cheek, but damnit, it's possible, doable and needed. This guy rocks. Let's stop giving attention to OBooBoo and McPain and put this man in the spotlight instead.
***
I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
I'm also against the $700,000,000,000++ bailout being proposed in Congress right now!
Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.
To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.
Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..
So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon -- that equals $425,000.00.
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.
Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.
But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Pay off credit card debt.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – It'll be there for Junior.
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth
Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we're going to redistribute wealth let's really do it...
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG – liquidate it.
Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.
Sure it's a "crazy" idea that can "never work."
How do you spell Economic Boom?
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.
And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.
Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.
Kinest personal regards,
T. J. Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!
***
I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
I'm also against the $700,000,000,000++ bailout being proposed in Congress right now!
Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.
To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.
Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..
So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon -- that equals $425,000.00.
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.
Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.
But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Pay off credit card debt.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – It'll be there for Junior.
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth
Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we're going to redistribute wealth let's really do it...
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG – liquidate it.
Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.
Sure it's a "crazy" idea that can "never work."
How do you spell Economic Boom?
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.
And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.
Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.
Kinest personal regards,
T. J. Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!
9.24.2008
A Declaration of Sexy
Embrace Your WOW! Factor Ladies
i do declare.....
we start a trend....
of sexiest women over age 40.
for enough of this
who is hottest
under 30 crap.
for it is indeed crap.
stinky garbage
of false words
said to make up
the truth
of what's ok
and what is not.
over 40 is where it's at.
so says i.
over 40 is hot hot hot
where mindless chatter
of perky bosoms
is not not not.
beauty can only rise
where experience
is gleaned.
for wisdom
is the result
of inner truth
meeting such experience.
so who again sayeth you loseth your hotness factor after 40?
not i.
not i.
***
so it isn't emerson. big deal. much better than the filth of financial news being batted around like an out-of-control pop fly.
i do declare.....
we start a trend....
of sexiest women over age 40.
for enough of this
who is hottest
under 30 crap.
for it is indeed crap.
stinky garbage
of false words
said to make up
the truth
of what's ok
and what is not.
over 40 is where it's at.
so says i.
over 40 is hot hot hot
where mindless chatter
of perky bosoms
is not not not.
beauty can only rise
where experience
is gleaned.
for wisdom
is the result
of inner truth
meeting such experience.
so who again sayeth you loseth your hotness factor after 40?
not i.
not i.
***
so it isn't emerson. big deal. much better than the filth of financial news being batted around like an out-of-control pop fly.
9.22.2008
Let's Stop Being Upset
You know how the line from "Listen To The Music" goes: "Don'tcha feel it growin', day by day. People, gettin' ready for the news. Some are happy. Some are sad. Let the music play."
By now, most of us have been able to feel that growing distress based on the sounds and sights of economic crumbling, not to mention the ongoing drama of yet another political election season. We feel it at every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Thought is energy and what we're doing is spreading heavy, unhealthy energy to one another.
It's time to stop. Take a deep breath. Slow it down some. And ask ourselves: Is any of this really all that surprising? By getting upset what we're really doing is expecting a different outcome. And yet, really, how can we really expect a different outcome by now? The game playing and manipulation are obvious. Time to remove the masks. Time to remove the expectations. Time to cease being so upset. Worry. Fear. Rage. These states of thinking and being only deplete us. They're not the catalysts for change. They keep us focused on what's not working instead of what COULD BE.
Of course, like the song lyric goes, some are happy. CEO's of companies like Walmart, the Elite Ruling Class, the Puppetmasters and their Puppets in Business, Government and "Secret" Societies" are calm and happy. Well ok maybe not happy in the way a healthy individual would describe as authentic happiness, but they certainly aren't worried or distressed. (Psychopaths and those incapable or unwilling to experience empathy are incapable of experiencing authentic happiness.)
Aren't you tired of reading about Wall Street? Worn out from following the election drama? Fed up with the news on the ongoing wars? I am. Diving in and swimming in that murky, dark, heavy filth isn't healthy. Preparedness and awareness have their place of course as long as a balanced state of mind/body/being is created.
So what's a person to do? Well to begin with, limit exposure to all of the chaos and ugliness. Scanning the headlines for a minute or two is sufficient enough to keep yourself in the know. Then spend the rest of your time normally devoted to the crap to understanding your needs, speaking with others about the same, and then create small communities of individuals to gather with regularly and talk about how we are going to go about meeting those needs.
We have a System that's been built on lies and darkness. However, that is just part of reality. Certainly that is just ONE potential reality in an endless possibility of others. When groups of people form together, creating new things (from how we feed/clothe/shelter/provide for ourselves for starters), and most importantly KEEP ON GOING, resisting outside influence peacefully and assertively, in time said System will have no choice but to change with the time. Or collapse altogether. People, the time is now to start recognizing our power, our hidden inner selves. The time is NOW to start relying on each other instead of on whoever has the most power, money and the most impressive title.
Whether it's people, other wordly beings, or combination of both who are displaying the Oz-like behavior, that need never stop us from doing what we know is possible: Turning this beautiful planet into a paradise. Like it or not, we're here. We chose to come here. Regardless of how falsely influenced we were in that decision, we made the choice. I don't know about you, but I have a deep sense of needing to take care of this planet and its inhabitants by helping us all remember who we really are and what can be. Such changes we desire to see may not happen in our lifetime, but once the awakening begins, it cannot stop. Like a pebble tossed out in the ocean, it carries an energy to it that never ends. It's already begun. Let's keep it going.
Through love in action we can have paradise. It's our potential. It's who we are and it's truly all we have.
By now, most of us have been able to feel that growing distress based on the sounds and sights of economic crumbling, not to mention the ongoing drama of yet another political election season. We feel it at every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Thought is energy and what we're doing is spreading heavy, unhealthy energy to one another.
It's time to stop. Take a deep breath. Slow it down some. And ask ourselves: Is any of this really all that surprising? By getting upset what we're really doing is expecting a different outcome. And yet, really, how can we really expect a different outcome by now? The game playing and manipulation are obvious. Time to remove the masks. Time to remove the expectations. Time to cease being so upset. Worry. Fear. Rage. These states of thinking and being only deplete us. They're not the catalysts for change. They keep us focused on what's not working instead of what COULD BE.
Of course, like the song lyric goes, some are happy. CEO's of companies like Walmart, the Elite Ruling Class, the Puppetmasters and their Puppets in Business, Government and "Secret" Societies" are calm and happy. Well ok maybe not happy in the way a healthy individual would describe as authentic happiness, but they certainly aren't worried or distressed. (Psychopaths and those incapable or unwilling to experience empathy are incapable of experiencing authentic happiness.)
Aren't you tired of reading about Wall Street? Worn out from following the election drama? Fed up with the news on the ongoing wars? I am. Diving in and swimming in that murky, dark, heavy filth isn't healthy. Preparedness and awareness have their place of course as long as a balanced state of mind/body/being is created.
So what's a person to do? Well to begin with, limit exposure to all of the chaos and ugliness. Scanning the headlines for a minute or two is sufficient enough to keep yourself in the know. Then spend the rest of your time normally devoted to the crap to understanding your needs, speaking with others about the same, and then create small communities of individuals to gather with regularly and talk about how we are going to go about meeting those needs.
We have a System that's been built on lies and darkness. However, that is just part of reality. Certainly that is just ONE potential reality in an endless possibility of others. When groups of people form together, creating new things (from how we feed/clothe/shelter/provide for ourselves for starters), and most importantly KEEP ON GOING, resisting outside influence peacefully and assertively, in time said System will have no choice but to change with the time. Or collapse altogether. People, the time is now to start recognizing our power, our hidden inner selves. The time is NOW to start relying on each other instead of on whoever has the most power, money and the most impressive title.
Whether it's people, other wordly beings, or combination of both who are displaying the Oz-like behavior, that need never stop us from doing what we know is possible: Turning this beautiful planet into a paradise. Like it or not, we're here. We chose to come here. Regardless of how falsely influenced we were in that decision, we made the choice. I don't know about you, but I have a deep sense of needing to take care of this planet and its inhabitants by helping us all remember who we really are and what can be. Such changes we desire to see may not happen in our lifetime, but once the awakening begins, it cannot stop. Like a pebble tossed out in the ocean, it carries an energy to it that never ends. It's already begun. Let's keep it going.
Through love in action we can have paradise. It's our potential. It's who we are and it's truly all we have.
9.20.2008
Freedom. Anyone Seen It?
I've often talked about the term "freedom" on this blog. One of the best definitions I've read comes from David Icke, who says, in a nutshell, that freedom is the right to live, do, be, consume, think, speak as one wishes in so long as that choice is not interfering with anothers right to enjoy the same freedom. (I like to add that freedom does not mean being free from being offended.)
With that definition in mind, anyone seen freedom? I know I'm in need of it. And yes, blah blah, I know others will say we have it better than other people in other parts of the world. No shit we do. And yet we still aren't free in the truest sense of the word and that in and of itself should royally have every one of us heated to our core, even those who like to pull the "yeah but we have it better than..." diatribe.
There are all sorts of movements underway, new talk, new ideas about what kind of a society we could have. Some of it lifts me. Some of it gives me pause for concern. To those who talk about powering our lives with cleaner technology such as the sun, water and the wind, I'm right there with ya. To those who speak of buying more locally, creating more communities who are mostly self-sustaining, again, right there with ya. To those who speak of vehicles that run on water, electricity and air, again, right there with ya. To those who speak of affordable homes (in the truest definition of the term that is) that are energy efficient/responsible, again, all for it!
But then there are those who think we have to go back to the days when everyone grew their own food or live in some little hut or who think we need to give up our vehicles and resort to foot and peddle power. There are those who think we need to stop consuming (no more tv, computer, video games, etc.). Such ideas concern me, if not outright offend me. The idea of everyone growing their own food is simplistic if not absurd. That takes a great deal of time and most people simply lack the land space to do that. And when in history has anyone ever been totally self-sustainable? We've always depended upon others in one way or another. Bring back bartering instead of thowing out the baby with the bath water. While I support the idea of people growing more of their own food (if space allows for it), I believe we can have a sustainable economy by having a small group of farmers growing the food for their local communities, certainly food that many simply wouldn't have the space for (wheat, cows/sheep/pigs/chickens, corn, etc.). And until we address the wage issue, we need to install a sliding scale fee on everything.
Giving up of our vehicles is also a ridiculous idea. As mentioned above, I am completely for vehicles that are environmentally friendly. I'm more than happy to give up my gas consuming vehicle for one that is earth friendly. And I also support the idea of smaller vehicles (although I do like the idea of having an old truck around to haul things). But to expect others to give up their vehicles altogether goes contrary to the principle of freedom. If my vehicle isn't polluting, what business is it of yours how I choose to transport myself? I'll tell you: it is none of your business.
Then there's the whole idea of consumption. How much is too much? And most importantly: Who gets to make that decision? I don't want someone telling me what I can and cannot consume, although I do believe we need to be conscientious of the products we buy. More on that in a bit. Personally, I enjoy my movies, my television, my computer, my music. I like my a/c during the hot days. I enjoy eating out now and then. I have no desire to give any of it up, nor should I or anyone else have to. What's more important to me is where these products are made and are the workers making a living wage (living wage amount for their area) and being treated with respect. If not, then that's an issue for my choice is contributing to someone not enjoying freedom in its truest sense. Obviously our choices presented to us today mean we're interfering with others freedoms. This must change.
I've taken numerous online quizzes about my carbon footprint. I've received different results with each quiz. Rather odd, isn't it? I've even tested some of these sites by saying I lived in a 5,000 square foot home that was energy efficient and used solar and wind to power it. One site claimed that reduced my carbon footprint in the sustainable zone while another said it mattered little how my home was powered--the size alone was too big for the planet. A little voice within reminded me that while there was some truthful insights to these tests, they were still being presented by people with an agenda and it is human behavior to do whatever it takes to convince others of our personal truths. You do it, I do it, we all do it.
I truly deeply believe to the core of who I am that we CAN enjoy our "creature comforts" and that such comforts can be created in ways that are sustainable and friendly to the planet AND to the people. We can enjoy lives of abundance, however we define that abundance (it will be different for everyone). We can have it all and enjoy it without guilt for knowing others have been enslaved to some master to present us such comfort/enjoyment. Embracing the concept of freedom must be part of the picture if we are to have anything lasting and peaceful.
The answers, I believe, rely on looking to one another to create things anew. Government and their like have their own agenda. I'm so tired of writing letters and supporting grass roots organizations whose focus is to install new parties, etc. That's been like watching grass grow. Enough of the wait. Let's gather now, rich and poor, young and old, and talk about how we can create a new system where we maintain a good standard of living by measures that support freedom. Let's examine the idea that we don't need government. We don't even need a country or states. Let's look within and remember how enlightened we really are, remember where we come from. Let's remember all of the rules and expectations and should's we place on one another are human made and most haven't a thing to do with our potential, our hidden selves.
Technology is not the problem. Irresponsible (and archaic) technology is the issue. Western living isn't the problem. Western living without conscious is.
With that definition in mind, anyone seen freedom? I know I'm in need of it. And yes, blah blah, I know others will say we have it better than other people in other parts of the world. No shit we do. And yet we still aren't free in the truest sense of the word and that in and of itself should royally have every one of us heated to our core, even those who like to pull the "yeah but we have it better than..." diatribe.
There are all sorts of movements underway, new talk, new ideas about what kind of a society we could have. Some of it lifts me. Some of it gives me pause for concern. To those who talk about powering our lives with cleaner technology such as the sun, water and the wind, I'm right there with ya. To those who speak of buying more locally, creating more communities who are mostly self-sustaining, again, right there with ya. To those who speak of vehicles that run on water, electricity and air, again, right there with ya. To those who speak of affordable homes (in the truest definition of the term that is) that are energy efficient/responsible, again, all for it!
But then there are those who think we have to go back to the days when everyone grew their own food or live in some little hut or who think we need to give up our vehicles and resort to foot and peddle power. There are those who think we need to stop consuming (no more tv, computer, video games, etc.). Such ideas concern me, if not outright offend me. The idea of everyone growing their own food is simplistic if not absurd. That takes a great deal of time and most people simply lack the land space to do that. And when in history has anyone ever been totally self-sustainable? We've always depended upon others in one way or another. Bring back bartering instead of thowing out the baby with the bath water. While I support the idea of people growing more of their own food (if space allows for it), I believe we can have a sustainable economy by having a small group of farmers growing the food for their local communities, certainly food that many simply wouldn't have the space for (wheat, cows/sheep/pigs/chickens, corn, etc.). And until we address the wage issue, we need to install a sliding scale fee on everything.
Giving up of our vehicles is also a ridiculous idea. As mentioned above, I am completely for vehicles that are environmentally friendly. I'm more than happy to give up my gas consuming vehicle for one that is earth friendly. And I also support the idea of smaller vehicles (although I do like the idea of having an old truck around to haul things). But to expect others to give up their vehicles altogether goes contrary to the principle of freedom. If my vehicle isn't polluting, what business is it of yours how I choose to transport myself? I'll tell you: it is none of your business.
Then there's the whole idea of consumption. How much is too much? And most importantly: Who gets to make that decision? I don't want someone telling me what I can and cannot consume, although I do believe we need to be conscientious of the products we buy. More on that in a bit. Personally, I enjoy my movies, my television, my computer, my music. I like my a/c during the hot days. I enjoy eating out now and then. I have no desire to give any of it up, nor should I or anyone else have to. What's more important to me is where these products are made and are the workers making a living wage (living wage amount for their area) and being treated with respect. If not, then that's an issue for my choice is contributing to someone not enjoying freedom in its truest sense. Obviously our choices presented to us today mean we're interfering with others freedoms. This must change.
I've taken numerous online quizzes about my carbon footprint. I've received different results with each quiz. Rather odd, isn't it? I've even tested some of these sites by saying I lived in a 5,000 square foot home that was energy efficient and used solar and wind to power it. One site claimed that reduced my carbon footprint in the sustainable zone while another said it mattered little how my home was powered--the size alone was too big for the planet. A little voice within reminded me that while there was some truthful insights to these tests, they were still being presented by people with an agenda and it is human behavior to do whatever it takes to convince others of our personal truths. You do it, I do it, we all do it.
I truly deeply believe to the core of who I am that we CAN enjoy our "creature comforts" and that such comforts can be created in ways that are sustainable and friendly to the planet AND to the people. We can enjoy lives of abundance, however we define that abundance (it will be different for everyone). We can have it all and enjoy it without guilt for knowing others have been enslaved to some master to present us such comfort/enjoyment. Embracing the concept of freedom must be part of the picture if we are to have anything lasting and peaceful.
The answers, I believe, rely on looking to one another to create things anew. Government and their like have their own agenda. I'm so tired of writing letters and supporting grass roots organizations whose focus is to install new parties, etc. That's been like watching grass grow. Enough of the wait. Let's gather now, rich and poor, young and old, and talk about how we can create a new system where we maintain a good standard of living by measures that support freedom. Let's examine the idea that we don't need government. We don't even need a country or states. Let's look within and remember how enlightened we really are, remember where we come from. Let's remember all of the rules and expectations and should's we place on one another are human made and most haven't a thing to do with our potential, our hidden selves.
Technology is not the problem. Irresponsible (and archaic) technology is the issue. Western living isn't the problem. Western living without conscious is.
9.18.2008
Ramblings of This and That and Well, Nothing, Really.
My body and mind seem to have done a sudden screeeeeech sloooooooooow dowwwwwwwwwn since our weather seems to have done the same thing. This sudden switch to needing the a/c to needing the heat is telling us Fall is here, a time to slow down, bundle up, look inward, reflect, prepare for winter's hibernation (I would have made an excellent bear). Time to make stews and soups and homemade breads.
While nature seems to be adjusting just fine, my mind and body seem to be a bit out of sorts. Maybe it's just my body doing it's normal monthly cycle. All I know is that in the last 36 hours, my physical self has said STOP SLOW DOWN REST ME. I thought exercise may do the trick. I was wrong. Not quite fifteen minutes into it, my body simply had had enough.
Perhaps it's also partly due to the barrage of depressing news (as if there's anything different) about the economy that's being slammed down our throats everytime you turn on any news channel or open up any paper. Maybe it's also due to the picking up of other people's mental states, which, unless you're one of the very few who are financially secure or living in a cabin in a remote area, is likely to be chaotic, unsure and frightened. The past couple of days I've been so overwhelmingly tired, I haven't really given much of a shit about the markets. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. I'm content to curl up with my blankie and my free-trade dark chocolate for now.
On a lighter note, I'm getting new glasses. Soon I'll return to contacts. But for now, I'll finally be able to wear glasses that don't feel like a brick on my face. They're lightweight and stylish. Cool. Funky. I had quite the time trying on frames. I tried some of those styles that are all the rage now--the black/dark rimmed rectangular types. I laughed at myself upon seeing them sitting on my face. I looked like a stern school teacher about ready to launch into a lecture on abstinence only. Either that or I looked like I had wings and was ready to fly away. I tried on some round spectacles. I always thought John Lennon looked so cool in that style. But alas, they looked too small on my face. I tried on a variety of other frames, and either laughed or let loose an expletive. Frustration set in after about 20 minutes of this. I had done my research. I had learned what shape my face is: oval. I did this by measuring my face, putting little pencil dots at select points then measuring the distance. Those dots and my measuring tape said I was an oval, which according to all the sites, this is the ideal shape because I can wear most any shape. So then why was I having such a difficult time selecting a frame?
Oh well, I finally found a pair, a wider more squarish frame of the popular rectangular style. If that makes sense. I glanced at the price tag. Yikes. I had selected one of the most expensive frames. And the price didn't include the lenses OR the Transition coating I was adding. Oh well. I've often said I am a poor girl with rich girl tastes.
A girlfriend of mine, who used to blog, never shared much about her personal life in her entries, which was too bad. She's had a fascinating life. She kept her blog focused on social issues and the like. When I asked her why she never ventured more into the personal side, she said she wasn't that ego-centric. Hearing that had me question my own desire to share the occasional personal story. Was I some insecure, approval seeking loon? Maybe in a way, yes. But then I remembered something out of a line from one of my songs I wrote, about the stories we all have, the stories that somewhere within we all desire to share, but we don't out of fear. Instead, just as we do in person, we tend to talk about the weather, politics, religion, cars or about others. But our personal stories? Forget it. And that's sad, for it is our personal stories that really make us who we are. It's those things big and small that help paint the landscape of who we are.
Given fall is here and winter's headed our direction, and given the condition of our economy and the brewing storm, maybe it's time to start sharing those stories. It's time to really bond with one another. Instead of focusing on all that's crazy about the world, maybe it's time to talk about what's crazy and wonderful about ourselves.
Speaking for myself, I'm much more interested in such things than I am on what Oboo-boo/McPain/Shit/Murky said/did. Frankly my dear, I just no longer give a damn.
While nature seems to be adjusting just fine, my mind and body seem to be a bit out of sorts. Maybe it's just my body doing it's normal monthly cycle. All I know is that in the last 36 hours, my physical self has said STOP SLOW DOWN REST ME. I thought exercise may do the trick. I was wrong. Not quite fifteen minutes into it, my body simply had had enough.
Perhaps it's also partly due to the barrage of depressing news (as if there's anything different) about the economy that's being slammed down our throats everytime you turn on any news channel or open up any paper. Maybe it's also due to the picking up of other people's mental states, which, unless you're one of the very few who are financially secure or living in a cabin in a remote area, is likely to be chaotic, unsure and frightened. The past couple of days I've been so overwhelmingly tired, I haven't really given much of a shit about the markets. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. I'm content to curl up with my blankie and my free-trade dark chocolate for now.
On a lighter note, I'm getting new glasses. Soon I'll return to contacts. But for now, I'll finally be able to wear glasses that don't feel like a brick on my face. They're lightweight and stylish. Cool. Funky. I had quite the time trying on frames. I tried some of those styles that are all the rage now--the black/dark rimmed rectangular types. I laughed at myself upon seeing them sitting on my face. I looked like a stern school teacher about ready to launch into a lecture on abstinence only. Either that or I looked like I had wings and was ready to fly away. I tried on some round spectacles. I always thought John Lennon looked so cool in that style. But alas, they looked too small on my face. I tried on a variety of other frames, and either laughed or let loose an expletive. Frustration set in after about 20 minutes of this. I had done my research. I had learned what shape my face is: oval. I did this by measuring my face, putting little pencil dots at select points then measuring the distance. Those dots and my measuring tape said I was an oval, which according to all the sites, this is the ideal shape because I can wear most any shape. So then why was I having such a difficult time selecting a frame?
Oh well, I finally found a pair, a wider more squarish frame of the popular rectangular style. If that makes sense. I glanced at the price tag. Yikes. I had selected one of the most expensive frames. And the price didn't include the lenses OR the Transition coating I was adding. Oh well. I've often said I am a poor girl with rich girl tastes.
A girlfriend of mine, who used to blog, never shared much about her personal life in her entries, which was too bad. She's had a fascinating life. She kept her blog focused on social issues and the like. When I asked her why she never ventured more into the personal side, she said she wasn't that ego-centric. Hearing that had me question my own desire to share the occasional personal story. Was I some insecure, approval seeking loon? Maybe in a way, yes. But then I remembered something out of a line from one of my songs I wrote, about the stories we all have, the stories that somewhere within we all desire to share, but we don't out of fear. Instead, just as we do in person, we tend to talk about the weather, politics, religion, cars or about others. But our personal stories? Forget it. And that's sad, for it is our personal stories that really make us who we are. It's those things big and small that help paint the landscape of who we are.
Given fall is here and winter's headed our direction, and given the condition of our economy and the brewing storm, maybe it's time to start sharing those stories. It's time to really bond with one another. Instead of focusing on all that's crazy about the world, maybe it's time to talk about what's crazy and wonderful about ourselves.
Speaking for myself, I'm much more interested in such things than I am on what Oboo-boo/McPain/Shit/Murky said/did. Frankly my dear, I just no longer give a damn.
9.16.2008
What's The Point?
I have moments when I wonder why bother to share what I know with the world. What's the point? People aren't waking up. Or when they do, they typically walk around like a deer caught in the headlights, only to return to the forest.
After 9/11, when I mentioned the idea of controlled demolition, I was met with a lot of hostility.
When I suggested that perhaps we take some deep breaths and THINK before acting. That perhaps the Government was not being truthful with us, that it seemed rather odd that within HOURS of the Twin Towers collapsing, Bin Laden's name was connected to it. That perhaps heading off to Afghanistan to blow up a bunch of shit in search of ONE PERSON was not a rational thing to do. Perhaps, I said, he wasn't behind it. Saying such things I was attacked yet again, this time from family and strangers alike.
When I said, 4 years ago, that the dollar would continue to decline and gold would reach upwards of $1,000 an ounce, I got criticized for thinking such thoughts, criticized even more when I suggested I was thinking of investing in some gold.
When I suggested a year ago that Hewlett Packard was gearing up to leave Corvallis, I got accused of spreading lies by some HP Employees on an online venue. I was threatened to keep my mouth shut lest I be accused of slander.
When I have spoken about the Health Care System, about Corporate Greed, the Corruption of our Two Party System, about NAFTA, The New World Order, Globalization, about living wage jobs, even about the idea that certain things need be RIGHTS instead of Privileges (such as home ownership, education, food, clothing, water and health care), meaning NOT BASED ON INCOME, it's a rare day I find support. The majority of the time I'm attacked.
I wonder what would happen if I were to stand on a podium and start sharing such thoughts. I wonder what would happen if I were to write this in a book and sell it. Begin speaking publically throughout the country on such issues. Would those verbal attacks turn in to the physical kind?
I keep having this need to SPEAK UP and WARN and UNITE and yet, now and then I stop and think what's the point? How can one person undertake such a task? I may look like an adult, but inside I often feel like I'm 5. People like John Lennon and Martin Luther King JR. had great support around them, people who believed in them. All the true leaders do. And yet, I have my spouse and a dog. It's a start, but it isn't enough. I need more. Real support, authentic support. Not the "I'll cheer you from the sidelines" rah rah type.
Oh well, until such time, I guess I'll just continue to type out my thoughts, trying to convince myself that when that miraculous moment occurs, when someone actually says "thank you for speaking for those of us who can't or don't", that this will continue to give me the spark, energy and motivation I need to carry on.
After 9/11, when I mentioned the idea of controlled demolition, I was met with a lot of hostility.
When I suggested that perhaps we take some deep breaths and THINK before acting. That perhaps the Government was not being truthful with us, that it seemed rather odd that within HOURS of the Twin Towers collapsing, Bin Laden's name was connected to it. That perhaps heading off to Afghanistan to blow up a bunch of shit in search of ONE PERSON was not a rational thing to do. Perhaps, I said, he wasn't behind it. Saying such things I was attacked yet again, this time from family and strangers alike.
When I said, 4 years ago, that the dollar would continue to decline and gold would reach upwards of $1,000 an ounce, I got criticized for thinking such thoughts, criticized even more when I suggested I was thinking of investing in some gold.
When I suggested a year ago that Hewlett Packard was gearing up to leave Corvallis, I got accused of spreading lies by some HP Employees on an online venue. I was threatened to keep my mouth shut lest I be accused of slander.
When I have spoken about the Health Care System, about Corporate Greed, the Corruption of our Two Party System, about NAFTA, The New World Order, Globalization, about living wage jobs, even about the idea that certain things need be RIGHTS instead of Privileges (such as home ownership, education, food, clothing, water and health care), meaning NOT BASED ON INCOME, it's a rare day I find support. The majority of the time I'm attacked.
I wonder what would happen if I were to stand on a podium and start sharing such thoughts. I wonder what would happen if I were to write this in a book and sell it. Begin speaking publically throughout the country on such issues. Would those verbal attacks turn in to the physical kind?
I keep having this need to SPEAK UP and WARN and UNITE and yet, now and then I stop and think what's the point? How can one person undertake such a task? I may look like an adult, but inside I often feel like I'm 5. People like John Lennon and Martin Luther King JR. had great support around them, people who believed in them. All the true leaders do. And yet, I have my spouse and a dog. It's a start, but it isn't enough. I need more. Real support, authentic support. Not the "I'll cheer you from the sidelines" rah rah type.
Oh well, until such time, I guess I'll just continue to type out my thoughts, trying to convince myself that when that miraculous moment occurs, when someone actually says "thank you for speaking for those of us who can't or don't", that this will continue to give me the spark, energy and motivation I need to carry on.
9.15.2008
Per$pective: All In A Day. Black Monday.
Given "black" is actually a GOOD thing financially speaking and being in the "red" is not, I don't see why they call days like today "Black Monday" when "Red Monday" is more appropriate. Likely the "black" means the higher ups, who already sold their stock, are getting out unscathed.
These are some of the things I heard today whilst the tv was on in the background.
*Dow takes biggest hit since 9/11.
*Lehman Brothers tanks and files for Chapter 11.
*Merrill Lynch is bought out (eaten up) by Bank of America.
*AIG (American International Group) is looking for some $$ to rectify its balance sheet.
*CNN News Anchor says conditions such as this haven't been seen since the start of the Great Depression. (You know when the word "Depression" is being tossed around by the MSM, it's already here. They're just simply preparing folks for more to come. I wonder if Big Pharma will start marketing anti-depressant's for the economy.)
*Talk Show spending an hour talking about surviving the financial crisis, where advice such as "sell the house" and "get another job" are the best tips the "experts" have to offer. Of course there is no mention of the SYSTEM or of the CONTROL'S put in place by BEHIND THE SCENES PEOPLE to CREATE such conditions.
*Walmart CEO was said to be spending the day giggling hysterically while prancing around one of his 25,000 square foot mansions, spitting on his hired help, knowing that the more the economy tanks and the more people become unable to spend their money on high-cost, quality products, they will start visiting their local Walmart in increasing numbers. He was also said to have made a call to one of his Sweat Shops in Bangaladesh, whereby he demanded the Manager hire more pre-teen girls to sew the clothes. Such labor costing Mr. CEO $1.00/day per slave, er seamstress, with a turn-around retail price of $16.95 per item.
All In A Day, In America.
Right now, I'm headed off to play with the puppy dog and make some spaghetti and a nice green salad for dinner. Do some praying and uplifting intentions. And continue to hope that people not panic and remember: We can make it through anything together. Where there once was a way of life, another can be built. Better. Stronger. Healthier. Happier. It is possible. It always has been and always will be.
N.
These are some of the things I heard today whilst the tv was on in the background.
*Dow takes biggest hit since 9/11.
*Lehman Brothers tanks and files for Chapter 11.
*Merrill Lynch is bought out (eaten up) by Bank of America.
*AIG (American International Group) is looking for some $$ to rectify its balance sheet.
*CNN News Anchor says conditions such as this haven't been seen since the start of the Great Depression. (You know when the word "Depression" is being tossed around by the MSM, it's already here. They're just simply preparing folks for more to come. I wonder if Big Pharma will start marketing anti-depressant's for the economy.)
*Talk Show spending an hour talking about surviving the financial crisis, where advice such as "sell the house" and "get another job" are the best tips the "experts" have to offer. Of course there is no mention of the SYSTEM or of the CONTROL'S put in place by BEHIND THE SCENES PEOPLE to CREATE such conditions.
*Walmart CEO was said to be spending the day giggling hysterically while prancing around one of his 25,000 square foot mansions, spitting on his hired help, knowing that the more the economy tanks and the more people become unable to spend their money on high-cost, quality products, they will start visiting their local Walmart in increasing numbers. He was also said to have made a call to one of his Sweat Shops in Bangaladesh, whereby he demanded the Manager hire more pre-teen girls to sew the clothes. Such labor costing Mr. CEO $1.00/day per slave, er seamstress, with a turn-around retail price of $16.95 per item.
All In A Day, In America.
Right now, I'm headed off to play with the puppy dog and make some spaghetti and a nice green salad for dinner. Do some praying and uplifting intentions. And continue to hope that people not panic and remember: We can make it through anything together. Where there once was a way of life, another can be built. Better. Stronger. Healthier. Happier. It is possible. It always has been and always will be.
N.
9.11.2008
New Age Movement: Simply Another Religion
I swear, I gotta get someone to help me market a t-shirt and bumper sticker venue so that I can tell the world: Religion: The Original Sin.
Religion of any kind. Christianity. Hindu. Buddhism. Muslim. Judiasm. Even New Age.
I was raised with only minor religious influence. My dad was adament that I not have anything church-like forced upon me. He wanted me to be free to explore this area of life on my own. Even though this was more about his own stuff than it was about my young, influential mind, I am grateful he made this choice. My mother, a Baptist (who is now a lax catholic, a term with which many catholic's end up defining themselves), wanted me to get in some Jesus training, so I hooked up with some girl's group at a small Baptist Church. I got into it for awhile. I longed for a gentle, kind male figure in my life, someone who didn't scare me for certain, and Jesus seemed to be it for me at the age of 9. I went through a stage whereby I would write "Smile! Jesus Loves You!" whenever I could. Like all stages though, I eventually grew out of it. Jesus didn't answer my prayers. He didn't calm my father's rage. He didn't get the kids at school to stop teasing me. Jesus has failed me, just like every other adult 'figure' in my life had. He had abandoned me.
Several years passed when I decided to check into the Catholic church. Something about the mass appealed to me. I found it oddly familiar. I decided to do the baptismal thing at 24, although unlike the other young adults up on the alter with me, I crossed my fingers behind my back when asked if I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I had wised up since childhood and realized Jesus, if he even existed, was a person, just like me. Surprisingly, I felt no guilt over this little white lie. I figure what I was doing was for me and me only and was between me and god or whatever it was I was a part of. All of my childhood unanswered prayers? All of that got buried, only to be uncovered and dealt later. After all, dealing openly with our pains was certainly not allowable back then. Suck it up was the mantra in my house. Either that or bury it and it'll go away.
It wasn't long, maybe 4 years, before I began to outgrow the entire Catholic religion. Going to church every week and being asked to donate money and shaking hands with people who wished me peace, but whom I knew would really not be interested in getting to know me in such a way as to learn what things I was actually in need of peace of had gotten old. Stale. Boring. Fake.
So off I dove into the New Age Movement. It was the mid 90's, the peak of the new age craze. I was a junkie. I got hooked on the idea that I was God. I had the power to shape my life any way I wished. Nothing could stop me with the right thinking, the right intention. Certainly nothing of an earthly nature. I and I alone drove my ship and nothing could stop me from what I wanted to do, how and where.
For awhile, my life began to flow really smoothly. I began making decisions for myself--big decisions--and began to discover the wonders of synchronicity. I was, in many ways, flying high. At the time a very well-meaning friend told me "Girl, you are lit up like a Christmas tree. But, you're not grounded. If you don't get grounded in reality, you're going to get hurt." I dismissed her thought. New Age books told me nothing could hurt me with the right thinking, the right level of intention.
Well, it seems as though just as soon as she told me those very powerful words, my life began to go to hell. Friends were suddenly betraying me, disappearing. Jobs were hard to hold onto. Emotional struggles soon followed. Suddenly I began really feeling these thoughts about how worthless I was. I began thinking my value was based on my income, certainly based on what I did instead of who I was. On and on this went until I sunk into a deep depression, one that continued on for a long time and still lingers a bit.
First Jesus had failed me. Then New Age had failed me. What else was there? What else was there for me to believe in? I hadn't a clue. Around this time, September 11, 2001 came and went. Prompted by an inner urging, I tossed aside all things religious and dove into the underworld of the new world order, the illuminati and the workings of our government and corporations. In doing so I began to see a reality that both the Church and New Age were neglecting to see. The idea that there are people who have intentionally taken away our right to free choice by limiting that choice. There are people who have created a system of enslavement all to serve the Elite Empire. Public Schools teach us to be good little sheep and fall in line by focusing on left-brain dominant learning and by filling our heads with government's version of history, of the world. Once Public School has done it's job, the System doesn't give an 18 year old much in the way of options. It's either flip burgers, pump gas, sign up for duty to support Uncle Sam's Industrial Military Complex/On-Going Global War or spend thousands of dollars entering the higher education system, whereby you may have a little more room to move and freedom (which means: professor isn't gonna call mommy and daddy if you don't show up for class), but other than that, free thought isn't encouraged, not in its purest form. Churches fill our heads with their LEADER'S VERSION of biblical events and truth. Mass Marketing using subliminal messaging directly accessing our computer-like subconscious mind with additional filth, such as you NEED Product X Y and Z if you are to be SOMEBODY. Corporate Food Giants putting toxic chemicals, hormones and pesticides into our food and water supply which creates a host of health issues, ranging from minor to serious and even deadly.
War. Poverty. Minimum Wage. Massive cover-ups into the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Skyrocketing cost of living factors. Monopolies galore with little government oversight.
The nightmare of our "free" market system.
And yet, the New Age movement said my reality was based solely and completely on my thoughts alone. I was to focus INWARD to learn that ALL of my own suffering and struggles were all about ME and ME alone.
What a crock of shit.
So for a time, I did the proverbial "throw the baby out with the bathwater". I wanted nothing to do with the New Age idiots. Nothing to do with anything labeled "christianity". Not even anything labeled God. And I stewed. I blamed. I judged. And then I started the process all over again.
But then I began to remember something I read years ago. You know how something will just stick with you like that? You read something, forget about it and then years later it revisits you? That's what happened to me. I had read something about balance. And I realized that pointing the finger outside of myself, looking purely outside of myself, wasn't the answer to end my pain. For in doing that I was giving away all of my power to forces outside of me. I then remembered the wise words of my friend about being grounded in reality while also being open to Source/Life Energy. I had gone from being solely focused on Source to being solely focused on all of the control's put in place on Earth.
The answer for me to escape this cycle was to be found through Balance.
And that's not something the New Age movement had taught me. Oh sure, it was discussed briefly, likely for effect. But damn, try and find some New Age freak who was willing to talk about the System and how it operates and influences our lives was met with the proverbial "I am going to go stick my head in the sand over here on that one" while walking away, fingers in ears, humming the "la la la la la" tune. Look to yourself alone for your own suffering, they say. Uh huh.
And Church people? No better. Pray to Jesus. That's about as in depth as they go.
Balance.
We affect one another. That's the truth. Others make choices that influence what we do, what we can do. I once remember a conversation with a New Ager who, when I asked what their thoughts were on the child who had his leg blown off by a roadside bomb said, in all seriousness (well, with that glazed la la all is ok look New Ager's seem to wear), "I cannot answer that. That is that child's journey. But they did ask for that experience. That is all I know."
Uh huh. Toddler's walk down the street saying "You know what God? I want to have my leg ripped off. I wanna know what that feels like."
Unbelievable.
When I presented the idea that, perhaps, this happened because some War Hungry Politician CHOOSE with his own FREE WILL to attack some nation because he felt it would make his dick, ego and bank account larger and as such, sent over brain-washed military young men to plant the bombs, who also CHOSE with their own FREE WILL (well, heavily influenced free will) to plant the bomb, she could only say "Nothing happens to us that we don't ask for."
Sorry folks. I don't buy it. It isn't that simple.
Let's insert some balance into this. Let's say person's X Y and Z make policies, create laws and the like and present them to Joe and Jane and little Sally and Bobby as their OPTIONS for LIVING. Joe, Jane and the little ones are told "this is what you have to choose from" and as such, the family takes it as is. However, this option may create some obstacles. Maybe this option is home ownership. This grossly unregulated system whereby home ownership is not just about providing the basic needs of others but is now seen primarily instead as some insane game to make as much money as possible has made it ever the more difficult to own a home. Joe and Jane are not able to afford a home where they live and so their only other option in their area is to rent. And yet, they desire to remain in their area and own a home. System says "No".
Or maybe the option is employment for Joe. Joe really wants to be a musician and make a living at it, enough to support his family, but the Record Companies all say Sorry, you're too old/Not skinny enough/Not what we're looking for (meaning not marketable enough for us to make millions of dollars off your work). Since there aren't any "Wanted Musician to entertain. $65,000/year with benefits and pension plan" job listings, he instead opts to work on computers and plays the clubs on the occasional weekend.
Or perhaps the option is energy. Joe and Jane don't wish to support their energy company and wish instead for more options, more companies in which to select from. They don't have that luxury. The System has made it such that only one company supplies electricity for homes in their area.
Sad. But that's just how things are is the mantra. However, in reality we KNOW the System doesn't have to be like this. We could have a society where everyone could own his/her own home. We could have a society where musician's were able to make a good living doing what they love. We could have a society where there were several ways of providing oneself energy, several companies in which to choose. (Isn't that what the free market is largely supposed to be about? Competition?)
System says "No". And anyone who wishes to mess with the System can get hauled off to jail, harassed, fine, even killed.
The System has influenced this family's life and has no regard for this family's wishes, needs or desires. Hence, it ignores their thoughts.
However, when one becomes aware of such things, one begins to reclaim his/her own power. You begin to awaken. You begin to get angry (if you aren't angry, you are not awake for anger is that wonderful emotion that tells us THIS IS NOT OK WITH ME). You see things do not have to be this way. You begin to KNOW there are UNLIMITED ways of living, and yet the Oz folks behind the curtain push back and say "NO" repeatedly to those seeking new ways.
That doesn't mean one must stop trying. Our thoughts are powerful. Put to action, together with others of like-mind, they take on even more power. What we put out with that pure intention, that pure knowing will pay us a visit eventually. Others, through their own free will, can either help or hinder that process. And yet, more and more are growing restless. If you're awake or are awakening, you FEEL that energy. And all that is is the thoughts of others in energy form. That is the beginning, the start of new things, new movements, awakening. For once the majority are awake and are embracing freedom and peace in their purest forms, we will want to help one another, we want to WORK TOGETHER to create what we want and desire AND need. Without being told "No". Without resistance. Resistance from the System is simply about fear--fear that the may have to start sharing and letting go of the control.
Together and awake. Focused and aware. 'Tis the way to change. 'Tis the new religion so desperately needed.
Religion of any kind. Christianity. Hindu. Buddhism. Muslim. Judiasm. Even New Age.
I was raised with only minor religious influence. My dad was adament that I not have anything church-like forced upon me. He wanted me to be free to explore this area of life on my own. Even though this was more about his own stuff than it was about my young, influential mind, I am grateful he made this choice. My mother, a Baptist (who is now a lax catholic, a term with which many catholic's end up defining themselves), wanted me to get in some Jesus training, so I hooked up with some girl's group at a small Baptist Church. I got into it for awhile. I longed for a gentle, kind male figure in my life, someone who didn't scare me for certain, and Jesus seemed to be it for me at the age of 9. I went through a stage whereby I would write "Smile! Jesus Loves You!" whenever I could. Like all stages though, I eventually grew out of it. Jesus didn't answer my prayers. He didn't calm my father's rage. He didn't get the kids at school to stop teasing me. Jesus has failed me, just like every other adult 'figure' in my life had. He had abandoned me.
Several years passed when I decided to check into the Catholic church. Something about the mass appealed to me. I found it oddly familiar. I decided to do the baptismal thing at 24, although unlike the other young adults up on the alter with me, I crossed my fingers behind my back when asked if I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I had wised up since childhood and realized Jesus, if he even existed, was a person, just like me. Surprisingly, I felt no guilt over this little white lie. I figure what I was doing was for me and me only and was between me and god or whatever it was I was a part of. All of my childhood unanswered prayers? All of that got buried, only to be uncovered and dealt later. After all, dealing openly with our pains was certainly not allowable back then. Suck it up was the mantra in my house. Either that or bury it and it'll go away.
It wasn't long, maybe 4 years, before I began to outgrow the entire Catholic religion. Going to church every week and being asked to donate money and shaking hands with people who wished me peace, but whom I knew would really not be interested in getting to know me in such a way as to learn what things I was actually in need of peace of had gotten old. Stale. Boring. Fake.
So off I dove into the New Age Movement. It was the mid 90's, the peak of the new age craze. I was a junkie. I got hooked on the idea that I was God. I had the power to shape my life any way I wished. Nothing could stop me with the right thinking, the right intention. Certainly nothing of an earthly nature. I and I alone drove my ship and nothing could stop me from what I wanted to do, how and where.
For awhile, my life began to flow really smoothly. I began making decisions for myself--big decisions--and began to discover the wonders of synchronicity. I was, in many ways, flying high. At the time a very well-meaning friend told me "Girl, you are lit up like a Christmas tree. But, you're not grounded. If you don't get grounded in reality, you're going to get hurt." I dismissed her thought. New Age books told me nothing could hurt me with the right thinking, the right level of intention.
Well, it seems as though just as soon as she told me those very powerful words, my life began to go to hell. Friends were suddenly betraying me, disappearing. Jobs were hard to hold onto. Emotional struggles soon followed. Suddenly I began really feeling these thoughts about how worthless I was. I began thinking my value was based on my income, certainly based on what I did instead of who I was. On and on this went until I sunk into a deep depression, one that continued on for a long time and still lingers a bit.
First Jesus had failed me. Then New Age had failed me. What else was there? What else was there for me to believe in? I hadn't a clue. Around this time, September 11, 2001 came and went. Prompted by an inner urging, I tossed aside all things religious and dove into the underworld of the new world order, the illuminati and the workings of our government and corporations. In doing so I began to see a reality that both the Church and New Age were neglecting to see. The idea that there are people who have intentionally taken away our right to free choice by limiting that choice. There are people who have created a system of enslavement all to serve the Elite Empire. Public Schools teach us to be good little sheep and fall in line by focusing on left-brain dominant learning and by filling our heads with government's version of history, of the world. Once Public School has done it's job, the System doesn't give an 18 year old much in the way of options. It's either flip burgers, pump gas, sign up for duty to support Uncle Sam's Industrial Military Complex/On-Going Global War or spend thousands of dollars entering the higher education system, whereby you may have a little more room to move and freedom (which means: professor isn't gonna call mommy and daddy if you don't show up for class), but other than that, free thought isn't encouraged, not in its purest form. Churches fill our heads with their LEADER'S VERSION of biblical events and truth. Mass Marketing using subliminal messaging directly accessing our computer-like subconscious mind with additional filth, such as you NEED Product X Y and Z if you are to be SOMEBODY. Corporate Food Giants putting toxic chemicals, hormones and pesticides into our food and water supply which creates a host of health issues, ranging from minor to serious and even deadly.
War. Poverty. Minimum Wage. Massive cover-ups into the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Skyrocketing cost of living factors. Monopolies galore with little government oversight.
The nightmare of our "free" market system.
And yet, the New Age movement said my reality was based solely and completely on my thoughts alone. I was to focus INWARD to learn that ALL of my own suffering and struggles were all about ME and ME alone.
What a crock of shit.
So for a time, I did the proverbial "throw the baby out with the bathwater". I wanted nothing to do with the New Age idiots. Nothing to do with anything labeled "christianity". Not even anything labeled God. And I stewed. I blamed. I judged. And then I started the process all over again.
But then I began to remember something I read years ago. You know how something will just stick with you like that? You read something, forget about it and then years later it revisits you? That's what happened to me. I had read something about balance. And I realized that pointing the finger outside of myself, looking purely outside of myself, wasn't the answer to end my pain. For in doing that I was giving away all of my power to forces outside of me. I then remembered the wise words of my friend about being grounded in reality while also being open to Source/Life Energy. I had gone from being solely focused on Source to being solely focused on all of the control's put in place on Earth.
The answer for me to escape this cycle was to be found through Balance.
And that's not something the New Age movement had taught me. Oh sure, it was discussed briefly, likely for effect. But damn, try and find some New Age freak who was willing to talk about the System and how it operates and influences our lives was met with the proverbial "I am going to go stick my head in the sand over here on that one" while walking away, fingers in ears, humming the "la la la la la" tune. Look to yourself alone for your own suffering, they say. Uh huh.
And Church people? No better. Pray to Jesus. That's about as in depth as they go.
Balance.
We affect one another. That's the truth. Others make choices that influence what we do, what we can do. I once remember a conversation with a New Ager who, when I asked what their thoughts were on the child who had his leg blown off by a roadside bomb said, in all seriousness (well, with that glazed la la all is ok look New Ager's seem to wear), "I cannot answer that. That is that child's journey. But they did ask for that experience. That is all I know."
Uh huh. Toddler's walk down the street saying "You know what God? I want to have my leg ripped off. I wanna know what that feels like."
Unbelievable.
When I presented the idea that, perhaps, this happened because some War Hungry Politician CHOOSE with his own FREE WILL to attack some nation because he felt it would make his dick, ego and bank account larger and as such, sent over brain-washed military young men to plant the bombs, who also CHOSE with their own FREE WILL (well, heavily influenced free will) to plant the bomb, she could only say "Nothing happens to us that we don't ask for."
Sorry folks. I don't buy it. It isn't that simple.
Let's insert some balance into this. Let's say person's X Y and Z make policies, create laws and the like and present them to Joe and Jane and little Sally and Bobby as their OPTIONS for LIVING. Joe, Jane and the little ones are told "this is what you have to choose from" and as such, the family takes it as is. However, this option may create some obstacles. Maybe this option is home ownership. This grossly unregulated system whereby home ownership is not just about providing the basic needs of others but is now seen primarily instead as some insane game to make as much money as possible has made it ever the more difficult to own a home. Joe and Jane are not able to afford a home where they live and so their only other option in their area is to rent. And yet, they desire to remain in their area and own a home. System says "No".
Or maybe the option is employment for Joe. Joe really wants to be a musician and make a living at it, enough to support his family, but the Record Companies all say Sorry, you're too old/Not skinny enough/Not what we're looking for (meaning not marketable enough for us to make millions of dollars off your work). Since there aren't any "Wanted Musician to entertain. $65,000/year with benefits and pension plan" job listings, he instead opts to work on computers and plays the clubs on the occasional weekend.
Or perhaps the option is energy. Joe and Jane don't wish to support their energy company and wish instead for more options, more companies in which to select from. They don't have that luxury. The System has made it such that only one company supplies electricity for homes in their area.
Sad. But that's just how things are is the mantra. However, in reality we KNOW the System doesn't have to be like this. We could have a society where everyone could own his/her own home. We could have a society where musician's were able to make a good living doing what they love. We could have a society where there were several ways of providing oneself energy, several companies in which to choose. (Isn't that what the free market is largely supposed to be about? Competition?)
System says "No". And anyone who wishes to mess with the System can get hauled off to jail, harassed, fine, even killed.
The System has influenced this family's life and has no regard for this family's wishes, needs or desires. Hence, it ignores their thoughts.
However, when one becomes aware of such things, one begins to reclaim his/her own power. You begin to awaken. You begin to get angry (if you aren't angry, you are not awake for anger is that wonderful emotion that tells us THIS IS NOT OK WITH ME). You see things do not have to be this way. You begin to KNOW there are UNLIMITED ways of living, and yet the Oz folks behind the curtain push back and say "NO" repeatedly to those seeking new ways.
That doesn't mean one must stop trying. Our thoughts are powerful. Put to action, together with others of like-mind, they take on even more power. What we put out with that pure intention, that pure knowing will pay us a visit eventually. Others, through their own free will, can either help or hinder that process. And yet, more and more are growing restless. If you're awake or are awakening, you FEEL that energy. And all that is is the thoughts of others in energy form. That is the beginning, the start of new things, new movements, awakening. For once the majority are awake and are embracing freedom and peace in their purest forms, we will want to help one another, we want to WORK TOGETHER to create what we want and desire AND need. Without being told "No". Without resistance. Resistance from the System is simply about fear--fear that the may have to start sharing and letting go of the control.
Together and awake. Focused and aware. 'Tis the way to change. 'Tis the new religion so desperately needed.
9.09.2008
We're Fucked
I'm tossing all of the "wise" "feel good" words of the other day for a few moments while I engage in some much needed bitching about how fucked we are as a nation. How do I know this?
Glad you asked.
I read an article where a cross-section of undecided voters were sharing their opinions on the prez candidates. Their responses clarified why I feel like such an outsider in this land o' the free. In short, I'm awake, wise and aware. And they're not. Politically speaking that is.
Excuse me while a take another sip of my mixed drink. I'm not a drinker, but tonight since I'm throwing caution to the wind with my mouth, I figure why not add in some alcohol to the party......
Ok. So where was I? Oh yes, ranting on the people who call themselves informed voters. Let's look up that term as it applies today in the official Nina Dictionary, shall we?
Ah, here we go. Hmm. That's interesting. It shows a picture of a donkey's ass with a monkey holding his hands over his eyes sitting on top. And hey, there's another holding his hands over his ears.
Sometimes no words are needed.
Back to the wisdom of the american voter.
Some were repukes. Others were democraps. Others, independent.
One guy claims to have voted for Nader one year and GW Bush in another. Really. Yes, I myself as well was wondering how in the hell is that possible? What was he smoking?
One of the females said one of the things she liked about Obama was how he wasn't surrounded by special interest groups the way some other politicians are. Good thing I wasn't eating when I read that one. The page may have become littered with spaghetti as a result.
There were folks who support the war in Iraq and think we're doing a good job. There were others who don't support the Iraq war but support the fighting in Afghanistan. It seems all were supportive of our desire to capture Osama and kicking his ass for 9/11, despite our own FBI not linking him with the hell of that day.
These folks came from a myriad of states. Most were between the ages of 28 and 50. There were blacks, hispanics, whites and asians. A variety of income levels and marital status were part of the make-up. In short, this was a representation of the American Voter.
Hence, we're fucked.
We're fucked because these folks fail to give any level of real importance to who is running the show and who wants to lead this nation. We're fucked because of the lack of intuition and inner exploration used by these people. We're fucked because of their lack of insight and their obviously lack of desire to question, search and then question and search some more.
Lack of time is no longer an excuse. Neither is ignorance. We can't afford another puppet to be put in place, certainly not voluntarily that is. But alas, that's what will happen in this presidential election year. And this time next year, I will do what I did when the democrats took over the congress two years ago, when pissed off democrats began saying "HEY! You guys and gals didn't fix a damn thing! What's up with that?" I will patiently and quietly say, "They're simply two sides of the same coin, supported by the same people, those people who dictate policy." Only this time I won't be so patient. Or quiet. This time I may just say those words I usually refrain from saying in such situations: "I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO!"
Glad you asked.
I read an article where a cross-section of undecided voters were sharing their opinions on the prez candidates. Their responses clarified why I feel like such an outsider in this land o' the free. In short, I'm awake, wise and aware. And they're not. Politically speaking that is.
Excuse me while a take another sip of my mixed drink. I'm not a drinker, but tonight since I'm throwing caution to the wind with my mouth, I figure why not add in some alcohol to the party......
Ok. So where was I? Oh yes, ranting on the people who call themselves informed voters. Let's look up that term as it applies today in the official Nina Dictionary, shall we?
Ah, here we go. Hmm. That's interesting. It shows a picture of a donkey's ass with a monkey holding his hands over his eyes sitting on top. And hey, there's another holding his hands over his ears.
Sometimes no words are needed.
Back to the wisdom of the american voter.
Some were repukes. Others were democraps. Others, independent.
One guy claims to have voted for Nader one year and GW Bush in another. Really. Yes, I myself as well was wondering how in the hell is that possible? What was he smoking?
One of the females said one of the things she liked about Obama was how he wasn't surrounded by special interest groups the way some other politicians are. Good thing I wasn't eating when I read that one. The page may have become littered with spaghetti as a result.
There were folks who support the war in Iraq and think we're doing a good job. There were others who don't support the Iraq war but support the fighting in Afghanistan. It seems all were supportive of our desire to capture Osama and kicking his ass for 9/11, despite our own FBI not linking him with the hell of that day.
These folks came from a myriad of states. Most were between the ages of 28 and 50. There were blacks, hispanics, whites and asians. A variety of income levels and marital status were part of the make-up. In short, this was a representation of the American Voter.
Hence, we're fucked.
We're fucked because these folks fail to give any level of real importance to who is running the show and who wants to lead this nation. We're fucked because of the lack of intuition and inner exploration used by these people. We're fucked because of their lack of insight and their obviously lack of desire to question, search and then question and search some more.
Lack of time is no longer an excuse. Neither is ignorance. We can't afford another puppet to be put in place, certainly not voluntarily that is. But alas, that's what will happen in this presidential election year. And this time next year, I will do what I did when the democrats took over the congress two years ago, when pissed off democrats began saying "HEY! You guys and gals didn't fix a damn thing! What's up with that?" I will patiently and quietly say, "They're simply two sides of the same coin, supported by the same people, those people who dictate policy." Only this time I won't be so patient. Or quiet. This time I may just say those words I usually refrain from saying in such situations: "I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO!"
9.06.2008
Wake Up Crowd Needs Some Waking Up, Too
I was inspired to write this after reading a piece from what I call the "wake up" crowd--those of us who believe there's a global agenda for continual war, global domination and the reduction in the human population, amongst other things. In fact, my original idea for a new blog entry was going to contain some rather insulting and hurtful jabs at those for whom I believe are giving way too much attention to this Palin teen pregnancy situation. But something called me in a different direction instead.
Back to these wake up crowd pleas. These pieces I read are very passionate and full of great thoughts. Behind each one is a plea to those not in the wake up camp to WAKE UP AND JOIN OURS.
An understandable plea. One I've engaged in myself. And as mentioned above, something I almost did again today, even though it was perhaps spouting a different sort of pov.
Today wasn't anything new for me, for such new thoughts have been prompting me for the last several months, causing me to look at my own behavior in all of this. I've been studying things such as cause and effect and perception. As such, despite my own cries to others to 'wake up', I have also needed some of my own 'waking up'. The following are some such thoughts that have been allowing me to further expand and awaken.
Point number 1:
When trying to influence someone to view things from your pov, it's helpful to know your motivation(s). What do you wish to accomplish? This is a thoughtful activity, one requiring complete honesty, self-discipline/effort requiring the release of judgment for self and others, and importantly, not to be done when already distressed/upset. This takes great effort, but I believe it's well worth any potential pain and struggle.
Point number 2:
If one of your motivations is to truly influence others to view things from your perspective, to agree with you even, well then casting insults, name calling and other (potentially) hurtful behaviors ultimately fails in the end. Human defensiveness kicks in and insults are tossed back to the other side and continue like a ping pong game. The original topic and agenda usually gets lost and hurt takes center stage. See point number 1 and perhaps rethink your motivation/agenda, for sometimes while your original motivation may have been to seek camaraderie through peace, our own issues sometimes kick in, followed by old behavior. But hey, it's all a great opportunity to heal some of those old wounds and I think that's pretty important in this ongoing movement to create a free and peaceful world.
Point number 3:
Truth is a tricky thing to nail down. Conclusions are, in the end, formed from perspective. Perspective is formed from a persons experiences and is the result of ones values, beliefs, morals and the like. Take an issue. ANY issue. It doesn't matter. You will always have people arguing their pov to the end, each side offering up studies and statistics and other things to back up their opinion. As someone I know brilliantly said: "Even Hitler was right. According to his own beliefs and such, he was right." While most would agree he was ill, many even saying a puppet, his agenda absolutely contrary to the concepts of peace and love, you simply cannot truthfully say he was wrong not when you embrace that how we view life is based on perception.
Point number 4:
Continuing along that train of thought, there is no right or wrong. Again, it's opinion based on perception. The only creatures who judge and label are people. Certainly that's what life has shown us anyway. If The Universe/God/All There Is/whatever you to call It really cared about what we humans do, cared in such a way as to form strict guidelines for what is right or wrong, we would either all be banned from inhabiting this planet by now, or at least be banned from wearing these physical bodies whereby we would be sitting in some ethereal classroom or solitary confinement being taught how to love. Certainly life already allows for this awakening--on our own--without external judgment from that energy we're all a part of.
All of the above being said, I'm certainly not advocating that we sit back and do nothing when we believe we are witnessing any sort of harm or abuse. Our passions speak to us for a reason. They tell us who we are. They motivate us to seek love and peace and all of those behaviors and characteristics these entail--respect, tolerance, kindness, freedom etc.. While they may originally make themselves known in anger and the need to control and dominate, ultimately the core motivation is love. The main point I'm trying to make here is that trying to convince someone who is absolutely set in his/her belief to change it is a very difficult task. But it can be done. And I believe that recognizing and embracing the previous 4 points (there are likely others) introduces the behaviors of compassion, acceptance and openness into the dialogue. And that is what is needed to defeat any sort of destructive agenda, for these behaviors UNITE. While for some occasions quick action is needed to ensure the harm and abuse against an unwilling person or persons is stopped, if peace is what we really want, we all need to know that peace, feel it, believe it and live it.
While I can't say with complete truth and absolute certainty that Love Is All There Is, I can say that this is what I want and wish for.
Back to these wake up crowd pleas. These pieces I read are very passionate and full of great thoughts. Behind each one is a plea to those not in the wake up camp to WAKE UP AND JOIN OURS.
An understandable plea. One I've engaged in myself. And as mentioned above, something I almost did again today, even though it was perhaps spouting a different sort of pov.
Today wasn't anything new for me, for such new thoughts have been prompting me for the last several months, causing me to look at my own behavior in all of this. I've been studying things such as cause and effect and perception. As such, despite my own cries to others to 'wake up', I have also needed some of my own 'waking up'. The following are some such thoughts that have been allowing me to further expand and awaken.
Point number 1:
When trying to influence someone to view things from your pov, it's helpful to know your motivation(s). What do you wish to accomplish? This is a thoughtful activity, one requiring complete honesty, self-discipline/effort requiring the release of judgment for self and others, and importantly, not to be done when already distressed/upset. This takes great effort, but I believe it's well worth any potential pain and struggle.
Point number 2:
If one of your motivations is to truly influence others to view things from your perspective, to agree with you even, well then casting insults, name calling and other (potentially) hurtful behaviors ultimately fails in the end. Human defensiveness kicks in and insults are tossed back to the other side and continue like a ping pong game. The original topic and agenda usually gets lost and hurt takes center stage. See point number 1 and perhaps rethink your motivation/agenda, for sometimes while your original motivation may have been to seek camaraderie through peace, our own issues sometimes kick in, followed by old behavior. But hey, it's all a great opportunity to heal some of those old wounds and I think that's pretty important in this ongoing movement to create a free and peaceful world.
Point number 3:
Truth is a tricky thing to nail down. Conclusions are, in the end, formed from perspective. Perspective is formed from a persons experiences and is the result of ones values, beliefs, morals and the like. Take an issue. ANY issue. It doesn't matter. You will always have people arguing their pov to the end, each side offering up studies and statistics and other things to back up their opinion. As someone I know brilliantly said: "Even Hitler was right. According to his own beliefs and such, he was right." While most would agree he was ill, many even saying a puppet, his agenda absolutely contrary to the concepts of peace and love, you simply cannot truthfully say he was wrong not when you embrace that how we view life is based on perception.
Point number 4:
Continuing along that train of thought, there is no right or wrong. Again, it's opinion based on perception. The only creatures who judge and label are people. Certainly that's what life has shown us anyway. If The Universe/God/All There Is/whatever you to call It really cared about what we humans do, cared in such a way as to form strict guidelines for what is right or wrong, we would either all be banned from inhabiting this planet by now, or at least be banned from wearing these physical bodies whereby we would be sitting in some ethereal classroom or solitary confinement being taught how to love. Certainly life already allows for this awakening--on our own--without external judgment from that energy we're all a part of.
All of the above being said, I'm certainly not advocating that we sit back and do nothing when we believe we are witnessing any sort of harm or abuse. Our passions speak to us for a reason. They tell us who we are. They motivate us to seek love and peace and all of those behaviors and characteristics these entail--respect, tolerance, kindness, freedom etc.. While they may originally make themselves known in anger and the need to control and dominate, ultimately the core motivation is love. The main point I'm trying to make here is that trying to convince someone who is absolutely set in his/her belief to change it is a very difficult task. But it can be done. And I believe that recognizing and embracing the previous 4 points (there are likely others) introduces the behaviors of compassion, acceptance and openness into the dialogue. And that is what is needed to defeat any sort of destructive agenda, for these behaviors UNITE. While for some occasions quick action is needed to ensure the harm and abuse against an unwilling person or persons is stopped, if peace is what we really want, we all need to know that peace, feel it, believe it and live it.
While I can't say with complete truth and absolute certainty that Love Is All There Is, I can say that this is what I want and wish for.
Must Read: Market Spin
I recently wrote to Kashi foods, inquiring as to whether they use any GMO ingredients. The following is their reply (with my comments in brackets).
Thank you for contacting us about our products and the use of genetically modified organisms. At Kashi Company we believe in providing pure, minimally processed foods for our consumers. [My definition of pure means we do not mess with mother nature.]
The basis for our product line is our proprietary blend of Seven Whole Grains & Sesame. The whole grains include oats, long grain brown rice, hard redwinter wheat, rye, buckwheat, barley, and triticale. None of these grains that are commonly harvested using genetically modified organisms. [Their products contain soy, a crop that is notoriously known for being GM. I find it rather insulting that they instead focused on the basis for their line.] We do not voluntarily source ingredients that are genetically modified. [So then they don't check the SOURCE of their ingredients. Is it just me, or is this disturbing?] Due to the potential for cross-contamination, cross-pollination and other factors outside of our control, we can not 100% guarantee that our non-organic line of products are GMO free. [Outside of their control? How about getting ingredients from Organic Farmers who do not use GMO ingredients?]
To learn more about our Organic Promise™ products please click on the following link:
http://www.kashi.com/products/organic_promise_cereal_autumn_wheat
We wish you the best with your health and wellness goals and appreciate the time you took to communicate with us.
In other words, blah blah blah gibberish gibberish gibberish marketing spin marketing spin marketing spin. It would have been much more appreciated by yours truly if I had been told this instead: We don't check all of our product sources. We choose not to buy from non-GMO sources. We use soy, which is largely GM'd. So odds are, you've been eating GM ingredients as a result of using our products.
Thank you for contacting us about our products and the use of genetically modified organisms. At Kashi Company we believe in providing pure, minimally processed foods for our consumers. [My definition of pure means we do not mess with mother nature.]
The basis for our product line is our proprietary blend of Seven Whole Grains & Sesame. The whole grains include oats, long grain brown rice, hard redwinter wheat, rye, buckwheat, barley, and triticale. None of these grains that are commonly harvested using genetically modified organisms. [Their products contain soy, a crop that is notoriously known for being GM. I find it rather insulting that they instead focused on the basis for their line.] We do not voluntarily source ingredients that are genetically modified. [So then they don't check the SOURCE of their ingredients. Is it just me, or is this disturbing?] Due to the potential for cross-contamination, cross-pollination and other factors outside of our control, we can not 100% guarantee that our non-organic line of products are GMO free. [Outside of their control? How about getting ingredients from Organic Farmers who do not use GMO ingredients?]
To learn more about our Organic Promise™ products please click on the following link:
http://www.kashi.com/products/organic_promise_cereal_autumn_wheat
We wish you the best with your health and wellness goals and appreciate the time you took to communicate with us.
In other words, blah blah blah gibberish gibberish gibberish marketing spin marketing spin marketing spin. It would have been much more appreciated by yours truly if I had been told this instead: We don't check all of our product sources. We choose not to buy from non-GMO sources. We use soy, which is largely GM'd. So odds are, you've been eating GM ingredients as a result of using our products.
9.05.2008
UFO Over Corvallis Skies Last Night
Mr. N and I decided to lay out under the skies last night and star/satellite/ufo gaze. We do this quite often during the warmer months. Most of the time we only see a shooting star or two and some satellites. Last night though, you can add in a UFO. Mr. N saw it first. At 11pm in the NNE, heading south, he saw what looked to be like a satellite or two moving in unison. He told me to look in that direction and at the same time, we both saw point of light #3 and saw it was a triangle shaped object. And it was massive. We immediately jumped up off of our sleeping bag and watched it for several and I mean several minutes. It was moving very slowly to the south. After a few minutes we saw a faint white glow along the edges and then it left the atmosphere.
Trying to ascertain the size of such a craft is very difficult. The way we describe it to others (this is UFO triangle #4 for us) is to put your forefingers together and your thumbs together and form a triangle. That is the approximate size as we see it in the skies. Now considering a regular jet liner may take up the size of a pinky tip, you know what we saw and have seen is massive indeed. Trying to ascertain the elevation is even more difficult. It was definitely higher in elevation than any jet liner. Given how vast the universal skies are, I am not even going to venture a guess.
For those who have never seen anything of the kind and wish to do so, my advice is to sit outside at night and plan on being out for at least 30 minutes. Pick an area or two in the sky and simply focus on it. That's how we've seen such objects. Most of the objects we've seen have been after 10pm. And each one has caught us by surprise. That's probably the best part, when you aren't expecting to see it!
Trying to ascertain the size of such a craft is very difficult. The way we describe it to others (this is UFO triangle #4 for us) is to put your forefingers together and your thumbs together and form a triangle. That is the approximate size as we see it in the skies. Now considering a regular jet liner may take up the size of a pinky tip, you know what we saw and have seen is massive indeed. Trying to ascertain the elevation is even more difficult. It was definitely higher in elevation than any jet liner. Given how vast the universal skies are, I am not even going to venture a guess.
For those who have never seen anything of the kind and wish to do so, my advice is to sit outside at night and plan on being out for at least 30 minutes. Pick an area or two in the sky and simply focus on it. That's how we've seen such objects. Most of the objects we've seen have been after 10pm. And each one has caught us by surprise. That's probably the best part, when you aren't expecting to see it!
9.04.2008
Pre-Election Humor To Inspire
Pre-election humor. Pre-electile dysfunction. Call it what you want. Going through my vast collection of writings in an attempt to put together something resembling "organization" so that I may actually DO something ($$) with it, I stumbled upon this little piece I wrote, um, well I'm not sure when I wrote it. It was obviously written after 2001, given I did not carry this level of awareness or anger politically speaking prior to that time. Maybe the folks at The Daily Show could use it. It's a poem, lyrics if you will, inspired by Twas The Night Before Christmas. Here ya go...
Twas The Night Before The Election
Twas the night before the election
and all through Uncle Sam's house...
Not a creature was stirring
except for a real louse.
Stealing from the stockings
of the poorest of the poor...
While grinning and chanting
"Gimme more! Gimme more!"
Pork barrel programs.
Tax relief for the rich.
Lavish conventions and parties
and other useless shit.
Until that day
when a new breeze began to blow.
Mr. and Mrs. America began to shout
"We ain't gonna take this anymore!"
This is our land.
Our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
We're taking it back
and we're prepared to fight.
For we outnumber you.
We're awake and we're strong.
You may think you own this land.
But we're here to tell you: YOU ARE WRONG.
(c) Me 2000 something.
Twas The Night Before The Election
Twas the night before the election
and all through Uncle Sam's house...
Not a creature was stirring
except for a real louse.
Stealing from the stockings
of the poorest of the poor...
While grinning and chanting
"Gimme more! Gimme more!"
Pork barrel programs.
Tax relief for the rich.
Lavish conventions and parties
and other useless shit.
Until that day
when a new breeze began to blow.
Mr. and Mrs. America began to shout
"We ain't gonna take this anymore!"
This is our land.
Our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
We're taking it back
and we're prepared to fight.
For we outnumber you.
We're awake and we're strong.
You may think you own this land.
But we're here to tell you: YOU ARE WRONG.
(c) Me 2000 something.
9.02.2008
Who Is Behind That Organic Label?
Shit.
Ok, I thought I was an educated consumer in the area of food, especially organic. Recently, however, something prompted me to do some research into the food I was buying. I started off in search of companies who don't use ANY genetically-modified (non-GMO) ingredients. What inspired me to do this with a sense of urgency, besides my own intuition and common sense radar that says GMO BAD, was reading of a study that was done that involved a researcher/scientist, a lab and some potatoes. The Scientist grew his own potatoes in this lab, both of the regular variety and genetically modified. Upon harvest, he fed them to the proverbial lab rats. The results shocked him. The rats who ate the genetically-modified potatoes showed significant changes to their health, noticably smaller brains (!!) and damage to the kidney and liver.
!!!!!!
His conclusion was GMO products were not safe, or at least, he could not give them the safe to consume label. More testing needed to be done. Much more testing. As he concluded, "I would not eat these potatoes I grew." Refusing to comply with pressures from his superiors who wanted a different answer, superios who were pushing for the genetically modified movement, the Scientist was fired.
How's that for a bedtime nightmare story?
GMO foods have always made me nervous. Everything in me has given me the red flag warning when I first heard about this movement. It changes protein in the foods. No one can say for sure HOW the human body will respond to this effect. Studies that show the damaging effects on rats are destroyed. The FDA gave cart blanche approval for food manufacturers to use GMO ingredients in their foods several years ago, DESPITE the damaging, buried reports and DESPITE any real long-term studies.
Whatta they want? Human studies? Well then ok. Let Nina organize it. We have a huge number of political and business leaders who don't utilize their time responsibly or ethically. Let them take on the challenge. Let the nominations begin...
I digress...
I mean come on. We're not talking about a GMO golf club or computer. We're talkin' food here. That little thing we ALL NEED FOR SURVIVAL.
So I went on a mission to find the lists of non-gmo food suppliers. The most current I could find was in 2003. I can say with 99.999% certainty that the entire population of the US of A has been eating GMO foods. If this doesn't top and I mean top the list of crisis needing resolved immediately, I don't know what is. War can wait. Global warming. Political and biz corruption. This is our food production we're talking about. The FOOD WE EAT. What we cannot live without.
Christ...
Upon doing this research, I discovered something that made me feel, once again sick on the inside. Sick. Betrayed. Abused. Fucked. All without someone asking for a kiss first. All without someone asking for my permission.
Buying organic makes people like myself feel good inside. We feel we're supportin' the little guy. We're supporting the healthy food movement. We're saying "NO" to chemical and heavily processed crap and "YES" to good health, healthy food. Foods that SUPPORT our health rather than foods that damage it. Foods made by folks who care about the environment. I thought I was doing this when buying organic. I thought I was supporting the small business, dedicated to the health of its consumers and environment as priority number one.
Wrong.
I discovered many of the organic labels I buy are actually owned by Big Corporate food producers, such as Kraft, Coca-Cola and the like (ilk).
Check this out FMI.
And if that weren't enough...
Not only have I been very conscientious of the food I put into my body, I'm equally conscientious of the make-ups and lotions and shampoos I slather on my body. I've discovered an independent company that makes pure mineral make-up that is very friendly to my sensitive skin (contrary to the bare minerals and other celebrity-endorsed infomercial outfits who use some ingredients that can be irritating and damaging to the skin). The lotion I use comes from an equally small, independent company called earthworm herbals. The ingredients are pure and organic and absolutely positively NOTHING artificial. We're talkin' hemp oil, olive oil, aloe, chapparal, mugwort, chamomile and other REAL OF THE EARTH stuff. Zero colors. Zero perfumes. Amazing stuff. I love it and would not go without. The shampoo I use, made by a family owned company--rather large, but still independently owned, has very few ingredients, including none of the sodium laureth crap in it. Since I began using it, I've noticed my hair is so much softer, I often don't need conditioner, which of course is the same manufacturer of my shampoo.
And last but not least, on my lips, I use Burt's Bees products. They're great for moisturing my lips and they add the perfect touch of natural color. Again, I thought I was supporting a small, independent company.
Wrong again.
Burt's Bees is now owned by Clorox.
The bleach people.
The chemical people.
The bad for your skin, eyes, mucous membranes, people.
The bad for the planet chemical people.
FUCK!!!
When will this monopolization end? And why in the hell do these small businesses sell themselves out like that?
In the end, was it money and money alone they were really after?
I expected more from them. In the end, they weren't really part of the solution. While they may have begun that way, they turned into being part of the problem called monopoly. What was once an innocent child's game has turned into a nightmare. And I am royally pissed about it.
Ok, I thought I was an educated consumer in the area of food, especially organic. Recently, however, something prompted me to do some research into the food I was buying. I started off in search of companies who don't use ANY genetically-modified (non-GMO) ingredients. What inspired me to do this with a sense of urgency, besides my own intuition and common sense radar that says GMO BAD, was reading of a study that was done that involved a researcher/scientist, a lab and some potatoes. The Scientist grew his own potatoes in this lab, both of the regular variety and genetically modified. Upon harvest, he fed them to the proverbial lab rats. The results shocked him. The rats who ate the genetically-modified potatoes showed significant changes to their health, noticably smaller brains (!!) and damage to the kidney and liver.
!!!!!!
His conclusion was GMO products were not safe, or at least, he could not give them the safe to consume label. More testing needed to be done. Much more testing. As he concluded, "I would not eat these potatoes I grew." Refusing to comply with pressures from his superiors who wanted a different answer, superios who were pushing for the genetically modified movement, the Scientist was fired.
How's that for a bedtime nightmare story?
GMO foods have always made me nervous. Everything in me has given me the red flag warning when I first heard about this movement. It changes protein in the foods. No one can say for sure HOW the human body will respond to this effect. Studies that show the damaging effects on rats are destroyed. The FDA gave cart blanche approval for food manufacturers to use GMO ingredients in their foods several years ago, DESPITE the damaging, buried reports and DESPITE any real long-term studies.
Whatta they want? Human studies? Well then ok. Let Nina organize it. We have a huge number of political and business leaders who don't utilize their time responsibly or ethically. Let them take on the challenge. Let the nominations begin...
I digress...
I mean come on. We're not talking about a GMO golf club or computer. We're talkin' food here. That little thing we ALL NEED FOR SURVIVAL.
So I went on a mission to find the lists of non-gmo food suppliers. The most current I could find was in 2003. I can say with 99.999% certainty that the entire population of the US of A has been eating GMO foods. If this doesn't top and I mean top the list of crisis needing resolved immediately, I don't know what is. War can wait. Global warming. Political and biz corruption. This is our food production we're talking about. The FOOD WE EAT. What we cannot live without.
Christ...
Upon doing this research, I discovered something that made me feel, once again sick on the inside. Sick. Betrayed. Abused. Fucked. All without someone asking for a kiss first. All without someone asking for my permission.
Buying organic makes people like myself feel good inside. We feel we're supportin' the little guy. We're supporting the healthy food movement. We're saying "NO" to chemical and heavily processed crap and "YES" to good health, healthy food. Foods that SUPPORT our health rather than foods that damage it. Foods made by folks who care about the environment. I thought I was doing this when buying organic. I thought I was supporting the small business, dedicated to the health of its consumers and environment as priority number one.
Wrong.
I discovered many of the organic labels I buy are actually owned by Big Corporate food producers, such as Kraft, Coca-Cola and the like (ilk).
Check this out FMI.
And if that weren't enough...
Not only have I been very conscientious of the food I put into my body, I'm equally conscientious of the make-ups and lotions and shampoos I slather on my body. I've discovered an independent company that makes pure mineral make-up that is very friendly to my sensitive skin (contrary to the bare minerals and other celebrity-endorsed infomercial outfits who use some ingredients that can be irritating and damaging to the skin). The lotion I use comes from an equally small, independent company called earthworm herbals. The ingredients are pure and organic and absolutely positively NOTHING artificial. We're talkin' hemp oil, olive oil, aloe, chapparal, mugwort, chamomile and other REAL OF THE EARTH stuff. Zero colors. Zero perfumes. Amazing stuff. I love it and would not go without. The shampoo I use, made by a family owned company--rather large, but still independently owned, has very few ingredients, including none of the sodium laureth crap in it. Since I began using it, I've noticed my hair is so much softer, I often don't need conditioner, which of course is the same manufacturer of my shampoo.
And last but not least, on my lips, I use Burt's Bees products. They're great for moisturing my lips and they add the perfect touch of natural color. Again, I thought I was supporting a small, independent company.
Wrong again.
Burt's Bees is now owned by Clorox.
The bleach people.
The chemical people.
The bad for your skin, eyes, mucous membranes, people.
The bad for the planet chemical people.
FUCK!!!
When will this monopolization end? And why in the hell do these small businesses sell themselves out like that?
In the end, was it money and money alone they were really after?
I expected more from them. In the end, they weren't really part of the solution. While they may have begun that way, they turned into being part of the problem called monopoly. What was once an innocent child's game has turned into a nightmare. And I am royally pissed about it.
9.01.2008
Labor Day. Religion Day?
Labor Day. The day dedicated to workers. The day that is to be free of work. While I am all for days free of any type of work, especially if that work is being used to make another wealthy, this got me to thinking. How about a day free of religion? A Religion Day. Rest from Religion.
No preaching. No quoting from the bible or whatever text you read/follow. No leaving little leaflets on the doors of sinners yet to be saved. No standing in front of a pulpit screaming about hell fire and sin whilst that vein on your forehead threatens to burst open. Even a day of no focused prayer.
Imagine that!
Religion of course infiltrates all parts of society, but lately I've noticed it more than usual. With the upcoming election, each candidate tries to one-up the other with biblical quotes and how much they love Jesus Christ and follow the tenets of Christianity. While I would love to hear just one candidate say "My religion is love" or "My religion is truth", or even "YOUR CHURCH LEADERS HAVE BEEN LYING TO YOU", this is doubtful to happen here in America.
We watched a documentary on some of the top events that could equate to the end of life on earth as we know it. It had my interest until words and terms like "the bible" and "armagaddeon" and "God's wrath" began to be incorporated into it. Yep. If life on this planet ends, it will be due to God's will. Excuse me, God's wrath.
I hesitate gatherings of new folks for this very reason. I inevitably end up meeting someone and given who I am, I like to talk about things outside of the cocktail party dialogue, I encounter someone who is Christian and then, when I mention things like God or the Universe, they automatically assume I am Christian, too. Nope. Sometimes there's a questioning. But you believe in God.
Uh huh.
And you believe in the message of Jesus.
Uh huh.
But you're not Christian. ??
That's right.
How can that be is the look received.
Do you have a few hours? Let me explain...
I need to design a t-shirt for such events in my life. Something with a saying like "Religion is the Original Sin" or "God Is Cool. Your Church Is Not."
Religion Day. A day free of religion. Instead we think for ourselves and ourselves only and share what we uncover with one another. This removes the need to judge and fear and brings us closer to peace.
Even Jesus would give that a mark of approval.
No preaching. No quoting from the bible or whatever text you read/follow. No leaving little leaflets on the doors of sinners yet to be saved. No standing in front of a pulpit screaming about hell fire and sin whilst that vein on your forehead threatens to burst open. Even a day of no focused prayer.
Imagine that!
Religion of course infiltrates all parts of society, but lately I've noticed it more than usual. With the upcoming election, each candidate tries to one-up the other with biblical quotes and how much they love Jesus Christ and follow the tenets of Christianity. While I would love to hear just one candidate say "My religion is love" or "My religion is truth", or even "YOUR CHURCH LEADERS HAVE BEEN LYING TO YOU", this is doubtful to happen here in America.
We watched a documentary on some of the top events that could equate to the end of life on earth as we know it. It had my interest until words and terms like "the bible" and "armagaddeon" and "God's wrath" began to be incorporated into it. Yep. If life on this planet ends, it will be due to God's will. Excuse me, God's wrath.
I hesitate gatherings of new folks for this very reason. I inevitably end up meeting someone and given who I am, I like to talk about things outside of the cocktail party dialogue, I encounter someone who is Christian and then, when I mention things like God or the Universe, they automatically assume I am Christian, too. Nope. Sometimes there's a questioning. But you believe in God.
Uh huh.
And you believe in the message of Jesus.
Uh huh.
But you're not Christian. ??
That's right.
How can that be is the look received.
Do you have a few hours? Let me explain...
I need to design a t-shirt for such events in my life. Something with a saying like "Religion is the Original Sin" or "God Is Cool. Your Church Is Not."
Religion Day. A day free of religion. Instead we think for ourselves and ourselves only and share what we uncover with one another. This removes the need to judge and fear and brings us closer to peace.
Even Jesus would give that a mark of approval.
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