Sobering. Heartbreaking. Maddening. And yet ohhhhh so fixable with right thinking, open hearts and expanded consciousness.
Just out today, January 28, 2009.
**
Baker—Nearly half, or 46 percent, of the county's schoolchildren qualified for free and reduced price lunch, an increase of 10 percentage points from 2000.
Benton—The number of people living in poverty increased 41 percent over its 2000 level.
Clackamas—The poverty rate increased from 6.6 to 9.5 percent, a sharp rate of increase that affected 13,498 more people than in 2000.
Clatsop—Forty percent of households headed by single mothers lived in poverty.
Columbia—Three quarters of the people identified as homeless attributed their homelessness to unaffordable rents.
Coos—Fifty-four percent of families headed by single mothers lived in poverty.
Crook—Poverty increased four percentage points between 2000 and 2007.
Curry—Two-thirds of families in poverty had children younger than 18.
Deschutes—Deschutes County families needed incomes of more than twice the federal poverty level just to pay for a basic family budget.
Douglas–Poverty in the county increased from 13.1 percent in 2000 to 14.3 percent in 2007.
Gilliam—The number of people receiving food stamp benefits grew from 11 percent of the county population in 2004 to 14 percent in 2007.
Grant—Nearly half of all public school students qualified for free or reduced-price lunches.
Harney—Fourteen percent of people age 65 and older lived in poverty, significantly higher than the state average of 8 percent for that age group.
Hood River—More than 3,000 Hood River County residents lived below the poverty line in 2007, or 14.5 percent of the population.
Jackson—The number of children receiving free and reduced-price lunches grew eight percentage points between 2000 and 2007 to 42 percent of all students.
Jefferson—Poverty in Jefferson County reached 18 percent of the population in 2007, with one-quarter of the county's children living in poverty.
Josephine—Fifty-seven percent of households with children under 18 and headed by single women lived in poverty.
Klamath— One quarter of all children lived in poverty in Klamath County in 2007.
Lake—Twenty-two percent of the county's population enrolled in the federal food stamp program.
Lane—Half of all low-income households spent more than 30 percent of household income on housing.
Lincoln— Between 2000 and 2007, the population in poverty in Lincoln County increased 30 percent
Linn—A single-parent with a preschool-aged child needed to make more than $15 an hour to afford child care, healthcare, transportation and other necessities.
Malheur—Twenty-three percent of Malheur County's children lived in poverty in 2007.
Marion—Twenty percent of Marion County children lived in poverty in 2007.
Morrow—Sixty-five percent of Morrow County students qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch in 2007, up from 49 percent in 2000.
Multnomah—Nearly 30 percent of Multnomah County residents with disabilities lived in poverty.
Polk—Among the Polk County residents identified as homeless in 2008, 78 percent attributed their homelessness to unaffordable rent.
Sherman—Sherman County had no primary health care providers.
Tillamook—Fifty-two percent of Tillamook County's school children received free and reduced-price lunches in 2007, up from 43 percent in 2000.
Umatilla—A two-parent family with one child needed a combined hourly income of $16.56 to pay for basic expenses. Two adults working full-time at minimum wage did not earn an adequate income.
Union—From 2005 to 2007, poverty averaged 16 percent for the population of Union County. This rate reached 23 percent for people with disabilities.
Wallowa—One in five children in Wallowa County lived in poverty in 2007.
Wasco–An alarming 27 percent of Wasco County residents with disabilities live in poverty.
Washington—Washington County faced some of the highest costs in the state. A single parent of a preschooler needed to earn $16.90 and hour to afford necessities such as housing, food and childcare.
Wheeler—Nearly two-thirds of Wheeler County school children received free or reduced-price lunches.
Yamhill—A single mother with a young child needed to make $31,620 a year to pay for the basics; more than she would make at the county's typical entry-level job.
1.28.2009
State Of The Economy
Media outlets are coming up with all sorts of little slogans and cutsie phrases to hide from the dismal reality of our current economic "crisis" (put in quotes because hey, it has been manufactured/created to fall apart).
Here's just a few of their little catch-all phrases.
*Deep recession.
*Lingering recession.
*A recession not seen since___ (fill in with the date of your choice--that date changes depending upon who you're watching)
And my personal favorite:
*Our New Economy (meaning this is how it's gonna be for a long time folks so get used to it)
I'd like to include my own little phrases now:
*THIS FUCKING SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*A sewer drain of shit to oblivion.
*Take The Money And Run
*Highway To Hell
*Dazed and Confused
Care to add your own? Please feel free to do so. Work off a little frustration while you're at it. The most creative (as I deem so) will take home a jackpot of $1,000,000 paid for by Bank of America's top Executives.
Here's just a few of their little catch-all phrases.
*Deep recession.
*Lingering recession.
*A recession not seen since___ (fill in with the date of your choice--that date changes depending upon who you're watching)
And my personal favorite:
*Our New Economy (meaning this is how it's gonna be for a long time folks so get used to it)
I'd like to include my own little phrases now:
*THIS FUCKING SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*A sewer drain of shit to oblivion.
*Take The Money And Run
*Highway To Hell
*Dazed and Confused
Care to add your own? Please feel free to do so. Work off a little frustration while you're at it. The most creative (as I deem so) will take home a jackpot of $1,000,000 paid for by Bank of America's top Executives.
1.27.2009
Heaven...
...is a Cream Cheese filled Chocolate Eclair made by the awesome kitchen staff at the Co-Op. One bite and you know you have found heaven on earth. A tongue-gasm if you will.
Seriously these things are SO FRIGGING WONDERFUL! The ingredients are pure. Dark organic chocolate. Real organic cream cheese filling. Instead of 58 ingredients (of mostly chemical garbage and unnecessaries) for a simple pastry you have 7 or 8. Mr. N recently picked up a package (they come in packages of 2). It was a rather funny trip. He picked up the eclairs, potato chips and a snack mix he found in bulk. Me? Mango's, bananas, salad greens and organic apple juice. On the way home I said I bring the healthy light of food into his life and he brings the sweet dark temptation of food into mine.
A rather nice balance.
Seriously these things are SO FRIGGING WONDERFUL! The ingredients are pure. Dark organic chocolate. Real organic cream cheese filling. Instead of 58 ingredients (of mostly chemical garbage and unnecessaries) for a simple pastry you have 7 or 8. Mr. N recently picked up a package (they come in packages of 2). It was a rather funny trip. He picked up the eclairs, potato chips and a snack mix he found in bulk. Me? Mango's, bananas, salad greens and organic apple juice. On the way home I said I bring the healthy light of food into his life and he brings the sweet dark temptation of food into mine.
A rather nice balance.
UFO Seen Over Skies On Inauguration Day
Interesting.
Perhaps part of Obama's new administration?
Secret galactic adviser's?
Ensuring GW and Company actually left DC?
Leave your theories in the comment section, whether of the legit or tongue-in-cheek kind.
I did read where this is not the first time a public appearance by Obama has brought forth UFO sitings. I have my own theories which I will keep to myself. However, I will offer this. I do not think it was a coincidence.
Perhaps part of Obama's new administration?
Secret galactic adviser's?
Ensuring GW and Company actually left DC?
Leave your theories in the comment section, whether of the legit or tongue-in-cheek kind.
I did read where this is not the first time a public appearance by Obama has brought forth UFO sitings. I have my own theories which I will keep to myself. However, I will offer this. I do not think it was a coincidence.
Kip Schoning and Bula Enterprises: The Fall Of An Empire
A continuation of justice for so many taken advantage of by these folks.
I haven't posted about these people for many moons. I originally decided to do so after reading numerous person's accounts of deplorable living conditions while renting from the Bula Enterprise couple. I had already spoken with the local City Housing Representative on a whim who could only say "the stories I could tell you" about these people. Having looked at a few of the Red Door properties ourselves and being horrified at what we found, I decided what the hey. Write up a little piece about them. Encourage those speaking to speak louder, those who weren't yet speaking to do so.
The talk continued to increase in loudness and in numbers.
To this day, I still receive regular hits on my blog by people around the globe (you read that right--around the globe) from folks googling "Kip Schoning".
Hats off to Bennett Hall for sharing the stories of the renters and for exposing the community to the business practices (lack thereof) of Bula Enterprises and Kip Schoning.
Sometimes speaking up loudly and continuously does render some justice. YAHOO!!
I haven't posted about these people for many moons. I originally decided to do so after reading numerous person's accounts of deplorable living conditions while renting from the Bula Enterprise couple. I had already spoken with the local City Housing Representative on a whim who could only say "the stories I could tell you" about these people. Having looked at a few of the Red Door properties ourselves and being horrified at what we found, I decided what the hey. Write up a little piece about them. Encourage those speaking to speak louder, those who weren't yet speaking to do so.
The talk continued to increase in loudness and in numbers.
To this day, I still receive regular hits on my blog by people around the globe (you read that right--around the globe) from folks googling "Kip Schoning".
Hats off to Bennett Hall for sharing the stories of the renters and for exposing the community to the business practices (lack thereof) of Bula Enterprises and Kip Schoning.
Sometimes speaking up loudly and continuously does render some justice. YAHOO!!
Mercury Found In High Fructose Corn Syrup
Yet another reason to avoid this stuff as much as you can.
"(Jan. 26) – Almost half of the corn syrup tested in a new study contained mercury, according to HealthDay News. And a third of commercial food products with corn syrup had mercury as well."
"(Jan. 26) – Almost half of the corn syrup tested in a new study contained mercury, according to HealthDay News. And a third of commercial food products with corn syrup had mercury as well."
1.26.2009
Memories
Time to lighten things up a bit.
I was thinking back to the first time I was drunk. I don't know why. Weird random thoughts run through my mind quite often. Some of them kind of pop out and say "Hi!" This one did. Maybe it was that part of me that likes to gently barge into my head and say "Hey, chill out. Relax. Yeaaaahhhh." Remember when...
I was 14 when I first learned what it meant to hug the porcelain god. Until that time I had visions of adults running up to some statue carved out of porcelain in the figure of a male. I didn't know it meant hugging the toilet while thanking it after-the-fact for being so cool to the touch.
My girlfriend and I, who otherwise had a million other things to do such as call some boys, watch a movie on the VCR (beta--wahoo!), walk to the video arcade or talk about our pick of future husbands and how many children we would have, decided instead to learn for ourselves what the big fuss was all about when it came to drinking. We were at her house and her folks were gone for the evening. So we did what any teen that age does. Search mom and dad's house for alcohol.
It wasn't difficult to find. Her parents had bottles of sour smelling liquid in them in a variety of colors. I picked up the bottle with the bright green liquid. Peppermint liquor the bottle read. It looked a bit like listerine, but the color was prettier. It smelled minty.
After a swig I realized color and minty freshness is not a determining factor in the taste department. It was horrible. Time to try another. This time I headed for the brown liquid. Rum. There ya go. I'd heard stories about Rum. I took a swig.
Whew someone get me some H2O fast! Mouth on fire! Throat on fire! I ran to the kitchen sink and by the time I got the glass and filled it up, my mouth and throat were no longer in heat. In fact, I was starting to feel very warm inside. It tickled my tummy, I thought, giggling. Hey, this stuff wasn't so bad. But I being I was curious and had a short attention span (today I would likely have been slapped with the ADD label), I wanted to continue my exploration into the world of alcohol.
I reached for bottle with the clear stuff. Tequila. Oh, yeah. As I unscrewed the lid, my friend yelled "Hey, I watched my sister drink that stuff once. She called them tequila poppers."
Sounded fun to me.
So my girlfriend, who had been chugging a beer while I explored the harder stuff went to the cupboards and took down a couple of shot glasses.
"Oooh, those are so CUTE!" I exclaimed, holding one close to my face. Little cups that looked like they were meant for babies, I thought.
I put it on the table.
"So what do we do with them?" I asked, ready to go.
"Um, well, I think we put the tequila in there," my friend said.
The two cute little baby glasses get filled up with tequila.
My friend looked at me, her cheeks rosy. I could only assume mine looked much the same way considering how warm my face had become. She smiled. I hadn't stopped smiling since the heat of the rum turned into that wonderful warm tummy tickle.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Um, I think you slam the glass onto the counter and yell TEQUILA. Then you drink it fast," she said.
Unbelievable, I thought. How much fun life could be! Adults have it SO good.
So we slammed those cute little cups that looked like they were made for babies onto that counter and chug-a-lugged. The sound it made was wonderful. SOOO adult I felt. That is until the taste buds spoke.
Holy crap. This stuff was AWFUL!
So out it came from my mouth, much to the sudden burst of hysterical giggles from my girlfriend, who had managed to keep the tequila in her mouth.
"Quick, fill mine up with some of that Rum. This stuff is TERRIBLE!" I announced.
So in went the Rum into the glass then down the hatch.
This went on a few more times, in between long stretches of giggles and the occasional belching, before the room began to do strange things. Suddenly I did not like how I was feeling. Standing had become a challenge. And the giggles were quickly gone only to be replaced by a rumbling in my tummy.
"I don't feel so good," I said weakly, running, make that stumbling, to the bathroom.
Oh no, I thought. This can't be happening. Please don't throw up please don't throw up please don't throw up, I pleaded inside my head. I even prayed to God, Jesus, Budda, the President. Anyone in the position of authority who, in those few drunken moments, I thought could possibly stop the growing inevitability.
Well not even the President himself was able to stop the outcome. Into the toilet it all went with me clinging to it, thanking it for being so cool and well, for being there. And it was there I remained for the next couple of hours, sleeping.
When I finally awoke I went back out into the living room. My girlfriend had passed out on the couch. She had escaped the part of throwing up. Lucky her considering she had mixed hard alcohol with beer.
I cleaned up the mess and managed to get the two of us into bed before her parents arrived home, which they finally did at 2am. I began to think how lucky they were to be able to stay out as late as they wanted. Then I thought about the evening, the alcohol, the spinning room and the results at the toilet. I remembered how I had thought how good adults have it. That freedom to drink.
Yeah. Drink then puke.
Maybe they didn't have it as good as I thought.
I was thinking back to the first time I was drunk. I don't know why. Weird random thoughts run through my mind quite often. Some of them kind of pop out and say "Hi!" This one did. Maybe it was that part of me that likes to gently barge into my head and say "Hey, chill out. Relax. Yeaaaahhhh." Remember when...
I was 14 when I first learned what it meant to hug the porcelain god. Until that time I had visions of adults running up to some statue carved out of porcelain in the figure of a male. I didn't know it meant hugging the toilet while thanking it after-the-fact for being so cool to the touch.
My girlfriend and I, who otherwise had a million other things to do such as call some boys, watch a movie on the VCR (beta--wahoo!), walk to the video arcade or talk about our pick of future husbands and how many children we would have, decided instead to learn for ourselves what the big fuss was all about when it came to drinking. We were at her house and her folks were gone for the evening. So we did what any teen that age does. Search mom and dad's house for alcohol.
It wasn't difficult to find. Her parents had bottles of sour smelling liquid in them in a variety of colors. I picked up the bottle with the bright green liquid. Peppermint liquor the bottle read. It looked a bit like listerine, but the color was prettier. It smelled minty.
After a swig I realized color and minty freshness is not a determining factor in the taste department. It was horrible. Time to try another. This time I headed for the brown liquid. Rum. There ya go. I'd heard stories about Rum. I took a swig.
Whew someone get me some H2O fast! Mouth on fire! Throat on fire! I ran to the kitchen sink and by the time I got the glass and filled it up, my mouth and throat were no longer in heat. In fact, I was starting to feel very warm inside. It tickled my tummy, I thought, giggling. Hey, this stuff wasn't so bad. But I being I was curious and had a short attention span (today I would likely have been slapped with the ADD label), I wanted to continue my exploration into the world of alcohol.
I reached for bottle with the clear stuff. Tequila. Oh, yeah. As I unscrewed the lid, my friend yelled "Hey, I watched my sister drink that stuff once. She called them tequila poppers."
Sounded fun to me.
So my girlfriend, who had been chugging a beer while I explored the harder stuff went to the cupboards and took down a couple of shot glasses.
"Oooh, those are so CUTE!" I exclaimed, holding one close to my face. Little cups that looked like they were meant for babies, I thought.
I put it on the table.
"So what do we do with them?" I asked, ready to go.
"Um, well, I think we put the tequila in there," my friend said.
The two cute little baby glasses get filled up with tequila.
My friend looked at me, her cheeks rosy. I could only assume mine looked much the same way considering how warm my face had become. She smiled. I hadn't stopped smiling since the heat of the rum turned into that wonderful warm tummy tickle.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Um, I think you slam the glass onto the counter and yell TEQUILA. Then you drink it fast," she said.
Unbelievable, I thought. How much fun life could be! Adults have it SO good.
So we slammed those cute little cups that looked like they were made for babies onto that counter and chug-a-lugged. The sound it made was wonderful. SOOO adult I felt. That is until the taste buds spoke.
Holy crap. This stuff was AWFUL!
So out it came from my mouth, much to the sudden burst of hysterical giggles from my girlfriend, who had managed to keep the tequila in her mouth.
"Quick, fill mine up with some of that Rum. This stuff is TERRIBLE!" I announced.
So in went the Rum into the glass then down the hatch.
This went on a few more times, in between long stretches of giggles and the occasional belching, before the room began to do strange things. Suddenly I did not like how I was feeling. Standing had become a challenge. And the giggles were quickly gone only to be replaced by a rumbling in my tummy.
"I don't feel so good," I said weakly, running, make that stumbling, to the bathroom.
Oh no, I thought. This can't be happening. Please don't throw up please don't throw up please don't throw up, I pleaded inside my head. I even prayed to God, Jesus, Budda, the President. Anyone in the position of authority who, in those few drunken moments, I thought could possibly stop the growing inevitability.
Well not even the President himself was able to stop the outcome. Into the toilet it all went with me clinging to it, thanking it for being so cool and well, for being there. And it was there I remained for the next couple of hours, sleeping.
When I finally awoke I went back out into the living room. My girlfriend had passed out on the couch. She had escaped the part of throwing up. Lucky her considering she had mixed hard alcohol with beer.
I cleaned up the mess and managed to get the two of us into bed before her parents arrived home, which they finally did at 2am. I began to think how lucky they were to be able to stay out as late as they wanted. Then I thought about the evening, the alcohol, the spinning room and the results at the toilet. I remembered how I had thought how good adults have it. That freedom to drink.
Yeah. Drink then puke.
Maybe they didn't have it as good as I thought.
Technology Has Made It Easy To Behave Inconsiderately
I feel quite annoyed today.
The following scenario's push my annoyance button:
I reply to an advertised job via e-mail as requested. I wait and wait and wait for some response. After a couple of weeks I reply, inquiring as to the status. I receive nothing. Or I reply after a few days to ensure the e-mail went through. I receive nothing. I'm tired of kissing the potential employer's ass while I receive silence in return for my, well, ass-kissing. Give me something, people. A simple: Yes it was received. If we are interested we will inquire with you further. There ya go. Quick and easy.
Next scenario:
I am doing business with an individual at a local agency. I call to speak with the person. I receive their voice mail. I leave a message. 24 hours pass. 48 hours. 72. No reply. So I phone again. And wait. And wait. And wait. Finally two weeks later I receive a response. And yet, no apology. If I point out the obvious--I have had to leave two messages and wait a considerable time for a reply--I am met with some lame defensive answer. "Oh, I've been busy." How about "I apologize for my late response" and leave it at that. Short and simple and to the point. No excuses. They make you sound uncaring.
And yet another:
I read an exchange between people online. What starts off as an offered opinion turns into a game of "who can insult the other the quickest". The basic tenets of the argument get lost in an exchange of insults and assumptions.
And my favorite:
The e-mails sent out with specific questions and the responses that come back to you that do not address the questions. So ok, you think perhaps they didn't read carefully the e-mail. So you re-send. And don't hear back. Or you do hear back and again, all questions aren't addressed.
What does this world need? A new book of manners in the technological age? "Achieving Adult Maturity In This Era of Technological Adolescense". Hey, that's a pretty catchy title, eh?
Technology has made us lazy, folks. Lazy and inconsiderate. The energies of consideration, grace and concern have been replaced by what-the-fuck-ever-i-will-do-whatever-i-want-without-any-self-responsibility-or-careful-thought. I am in e-mail contact with a couple of folks through some professional organizations here locally. Their response times are appalling slow. They often misspell my name. And their punctuation and spelling are outrageous at times. Where did these folks attend school? E-Mail University: where anything goes and the rest, out the window, including spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.
And I needn't mention the cell phone issue considering I've blogged enough about it in the past, but what the hey. It's a new day. People having their loud conversations next to others out in public places, in line at the stores, in banks, not to mention the very foolish folks who think they can drive effectively and responsibility and talk on their cell phones at the same time. (Newsflash: A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, put out by the University of Utah concluded that "drivers using mobile telephones are as impaired as drivers who are legally drunk." And despite what many folks think, "a hands-free device does not lessen the risk.") Not surprising considering the near-misses I've experienced by such drivers. I shudder when I think of the near-misses I've seen with such drivers and bicyclists. I despise Big Brother, but I support bans on texting and talking whilst driving only because people are often blinded to their own behavior. A common mindest: "Oh, I can do that just fine. It's other people who can't."
Logic flaw 101: Thinking one is superior to others in order to avoid facing the truth.
We all do it, don't we?
Then there are the people who visit your home and during the middle of a conversation, their phone rings. Rather than do the polite thing, which is to turn it off, they instead answer the phone and proceed to have a conversation, leaving you sitting there twiddling your thumbs. The last time this happened, I turned on the television and engaged myself in a program. Upon termination of the call, my guest said they were ready to resume the conversation. Oh, sorry, you will have to wait until I am finished watching this, I announced.
You are in my home. You have come to visit me. Unless you are expecting an emergency or important call, shut the damn phone off. Or let it go to voice mail. Certainly when I have guests over and the phone rings, I let it go to voice mail (it's there for a reason folks--USE IT). If I am expecting a call, I apologize and say as such. If it is not the expected caller, I say I have company and end the phone call. Why do I do this? Specifically: because I have already committed my time to the individual in my home. Generally speaking: I think about how my actions may affect others. A behavior I find to be grossly missing today.
Yes, perhaps my recent behavior was a bit immature. It certainly wasn't one that was as honest as I would normally like to be. But damnit, I should not have to point out this behavior. Sometimes perhaps a dose of their own behavior thrown their way will be the wake-up call they need. I have noticed a trend in this regard: that some folks simply respond more to that kind of behavior than they do with a respectfully given, honest assertion of ones opinion.
As my girlfriend says at times "I should not have to scream to be heard."
Ah, sadly, sometimes we do.
The following scenario's push my annoyance button:
I reply to an advertised job via e-mail as requested. I wait and wait and wait for some response. After a couple of weeks I reply, inquiring as to the status. I receive nothing. Or I reply after a few days to ensure the e-mail went through. I receive nothing. I'm tired of kissing the potential employer's ass while I receive silence in return for my, well, ass-kissing. Give me something, people. A simple: Yes it was received. If we are interested we will inquire with you further. There ya go. Quick and easy.
Next scenario:
I am doing business with an individual at a local agency. I call to speak with the person. I receive their voice mail. I leave a message. 24 hours pass. 48 hours. 72. No reply. So I phone again. And wait. And wait. And wait. Finally two weeks later I receive a response. And yet, no apology. If I point out the obvious--I have had to leave two messages and wait a considerable time for a reply--I am met with some lame defensive answer. "Oh, I've been busy." How about "I apologize for my late response" and leave it at that. Short and simple and to the point. No excuses. They make you sound uncaring.
And yet another:
I read an exchange between people online. What starts off as an offered opinion turns into a game of "who can insult the other the quickest". The basic tenets of the argument get lost in an exchange of insults and assumptions.
And my favorite:
The e-mails sent out with specific questions and the responses that come back to you that do not address the questions. So ok, you think perhaps they didn't read carefully the e-mail. So you re-send. And don't hear back. Or you do hear back and again, all questions aren't addressed.
What does this world need? A new book of manners in the technological age? "Achieving Adult Maturity In This Era of Technological Adolescense". Hey, that's a pretty catchy title, eh?
Technology has made us lazy, folks. Lazy and inconsiderate. The energies of consideration, grace and concern have been replaced by what-the-fuck-ever-i-will-do-whatever-i-want-without-any-self-responsibility-or-careful-thought. I am in e-mail contact with a couple of folks through some professional organizations here locally. Their response times are appalling slow. They often misspell my name. And their punctuation and spelling are outrageous at times. Where did these folks attend school? E-Mail University: where anything goes and the rest, out the window, including spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.
And I needn't mention the cell phone issue considering I've blogged enough about it in the past, but what the hey. It's a new day. People having their loud conversations next to others out in public places, in line at the stores, in banks, not to mention the very foolish folks who think they can drive effectively and responsibility and talk on their cell phones at the same time. (Newsflash: A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, put out by the University of Utah concluded that "drivers using mobile telephones are as impaired as drivers who are legally drunk." And despite what many folks think, "a hands-free device does not lessen the risk.") Not surprising considering the near-misses I've experienced by such drivers. I shudder when I think of the near-misses I've seen with such drivers and bicyclists. I despise Big Brother, but I support bans on texting and talking whilst driving only because people are often blinded to their own behavior. A common mindest: "Oh, I can do that just fine. It's other people who can't."
Logic flaw 101: Thinking one is superior to others in order to avoid facing the truth.
We all do it, don't we?
Then there are the people who visit your home and during the middle of a conversation, their phone rings. Rather than do the polite thing, which is to turn it off, they instead answer the phone and proceed to have a conversation, leaving you sitting there twiddling your thumbs. The last time this happened, I turned on the television and engaged myself in a program. Upon termination of the call, my guest said they were ready to resume the conversation. Oh, sorry, you will have to wait until I am finished watching this, I announced.
You are in my home. You have come to visit me. Unless you are expecting an emergency or important call, shut the damn phone off. Or let it go to voice mail. Certainly when I have guests over and the phone rings, I let it go to voice mail (it's there for a reason folks--USE IT). If I am expecting a call, I apologize and say as such. If it is not the expected caller, I say I have company and end the phone call. Why do I do this? Specifically: because I have already committed my time to the individual in my home. Generally speaking: I think about how my actions may affect others. A behavior I find to be grossly missing today.
Yes, perhaps my recent behavior was a bit immature. It certainly wasn't one that was as honest as I would normally like to be. But damnit, I should not have to point out this behavior. Sometimes perhaps a dose of their own behavior thrown their way will be the wake-up call they need. I have noticed a trend in this regard: that some folks simply respond more to that kind of behavior than they do with a respectfully given, honest assertion of ones opinion.
As my girlfriend says at times "I should not have to scream to be heard."
Ah, sadly, sometimes we do.
1.23.2009
Portland Mayor Sam Adams Scandal: A Perspective
I don't live in Portland so I don't know much about Sam Adams other than he's the first gay mayor, which is a cool thing in and of itself. It shows progress!
Being we receive the Portland news station affiliates on our television, I've been watching this scandal, and, as I usually do with such things, I mull it around my mind before coming to any conclusion.
For starters, the term "lying politician" is of course an oxymoron. Actually the term "lying human" is an oxymoron. We all lie. It isn't the fact of lying that I like to consider. It's what was lied about and how that effects me. I also want to know if the lying or the events that lead up to the lying caused others to be unnecessarily hurt.
From what I've heard and understood, Adams had sex with a former intern. At the time of their meeting the intern was said to be 17 and Adams is reported to now be claiming he told the intern they needed to wait until he was 18 before engaging in a sexual relationship.
Here's what I'm thinking. If this had been a straight middle aged white man who had been showing interest in a 17 year old girl and saying the same thing: gotta wait until you're 18, there would be a huge backlash. Most on the backlash side seem to be citing the fact that he lied.
So what. There's something more bothersome in this to me.
A young teenager, who, if like the typical teen, is vulnerable, impressionable. I realize the idea of maturity and being an adult can be fuzzy in terms of one's ability to truly watch out for themselves and protect themselves from harm. Maybe this young boy was wise and mature beyond his years in terms of adult sexual/emotional/romantic relationships and all of the ramifications that go along with that.
I have serious doubts about that though. And, most young adults typically engage with other young adults in such relationships.
I know what I was like at that age. I know I would have been easily taken with and flattered by the attention of some well known older adult male with clout and power. As such, I also could have very easily been taken advantage of.
Thinking along the lines of a parent, I also know if I had a 17 year old and knew that a middle age man (or woman) was showing interest in my child, sexually, I would have huge red flags about that. Actually who am I kidding. I would be incensed with rage and would have fantasies of castration.
And comeon. What on earth would someone Adam's age have in common with a 17/18 year old that would lead Adams to desire and explore a sexual relationship?
The likely answer? A beautiful, hard body and a trusting, innocent spirit who obviously was very supportive of Adam's and his political desires given the young man's position as Intern.
Something about this doesn't sit right with me.
So back to what I do when I am lied to. Sam Adams lied to the public about this relationship.
1) How does this effect me? It doesn't, other than raise concerns. But putting a dent in my life? Nope. Even if I lived in Portland, the lie itself wouldn't put a big dent in my life.
and...
2) Did the events leading up to the lie, in this case a sexual relationship with an 18 year old intern, cause unnecessary harm to the young man?
That is the unanswered question. That is what I want to know. That is what I want to see the public and media go after.
That being said, as I keep coming back to, something in me is very uncomfortable with all of this. Middle aged men having sex with 18 year olds, male or female, especially having begun courting them or even discussing a relationship with them at the age of 17 just feels wrong. Creepy and wrong.
Being we receive the Portland news station affiliates on our television, I've been watching this scandal, and, as I usually do with such things, I mull it around my mind before coming to any conclusion.
For starters, the term "lying politician" is of course an oxymoron. Actually the term "lying human" is an oxymoron. We all lie. It isn't the fact of lying that I like to consider. It's what was lied about and how that effects me. I also want to know if the lying or the events that lead up to the lying caused others to be unnecessarily hurt.
From what I've heard and understood, Adams had sex with a former intern. At the time of their meeting the intern was said to be 17 and Adams is reported to now be claiming he told the intern they needed to wait until he was 18 before engaging in a sexual relationship.
Here's what I'm thinking. If this had been a straight middle aged white man who had been showing interest in a 17 year old girl and saying the same thing: gotta wait until you're 18, there would be a huge backlash. Most on the backlash side seem to be citing the fact that he lied.
So what. There's something more bothersome in this to me.
A young teenager, who, if like the typical teen, is vulnerable, impressionable. I realize the idea of maturity and being an adult can be fuzzy in terms of one's ability to truly watch out for themselves and protect themselves from harm. Maybe this young boy was wise and mature beyond his years in terms of adult sexual/emotional/romantic relationships and all of the ramifications that go along with that.
I have serious doubts about that though. And, most young adults typically engage with other young adults in such relationships.
I know what I was like at that age. I know I would have been easily taken with and flattered by the attention of some well known older adult male with clout and power. As such, I also could have very easily been taken advantage of.
Thinking along the lines of a parent, I also know if I had a 17 year old and knew that a middle age man (or woman) was showing interest in my child, sexually, I would have huge red flags about that. Actually who am I kidding. I would be incensed with rage and would have fantasies of castration.
And comeon. What on earth would someone Adam's age have in common with a 17/18 year old that would lead Adams to desire and explore a sexual relationship?
The likely answer? A beautiful, hard body and a trusting, innocent spirit who obviously was very supportive of Adam's and his political desires given the young man's position as Intern.
Something about this doesn't sit right with me.
So back to what I do when I am lied to. Sam Adams lied to the public about this relationship.
1) How does this effect me? It doesn't, other than raise concerns. But putting a dent in my life? Nope. Even if I lived in Portland, the lie itself wouldn't put a big dent in my life.
and...
2) Did the events leading up to the lie, in this case a sexual relationship with an 18 year old intern, cause unnecessary harm to the young man?
That is the unanswered question. That is what I want to know. That is what I want to see the public and media go after.
That being said, as I keep coming back to, something in me is very uncomfortable with all of this. Middle aged men having sex with 18 year olds, male or female, especially having begun courting them or even discussing a relationship with them at the age of 17 just feels wrong. Creepy and wrong.
Obama + Change = Lie
Before I begin, let me add a caveat to the potential new reader: I voted for Nader. I voted for real change, not the same 'ole crap in different packaging. I considered not voting, but I went with my idealistic stubborn side. Now, I'm under no illusion that my vote had an impact. That won't happen until more people look, ask, look, ask and look and ask some more.
Ok folks, here it is. The "Change" we've wanted to see in D.C. Let's take a looksie at some of these Obama Cabinet picks and their years in D.C. and well well now, whattya know! What a coincidence! Why most of these people have been affiliated with the Clintons and/or served under the Clinton Administration. Doing some googling on this subject, I came across several articles by Obama supporters who ain't so pleased.
*Eric Holder. Obama's pick for Attorney General. 32 years in D.C. Former Clinton era Justice Department Official.
*Rahm Emanuel. Obama's pick for Chief of Staff. 10 years in D.C. Former Clinton White House Senior Advisor.
*Timothy Geithner. Treasury. 16 years in D.C. Served as Undersecretary for International Affairs during the Clinton era.
*Gregory Chair. Obama's pick for White House Counsel. 37 years in D.C. Led Clinton's defense during the impeachment hearings. Friends of the Clinton's since their days in law school.
*Larry Summers. National Economic Council. During the Clinton years, held positions in the Treasury Department.
*Janet Napolitano. Homeland Security. Was appointed U.S. Attorney for Arizona by Bill Clinton.
*John Podesta. Transition Team. 32 years in D.C. Clinton's last Chief of Staff.
*Hillary. Secretary of State. Do I really need to talk about her affiliation with Bill?
For more insight and to see the entire list, check out this site.
While Obama has added in some newbies (unknown to you and I that is), overall he's simply installed people who have been part of the D.C. Disease that have bankrupted our nation.
Change? Change from reversing some of the Bush Administration policies, yes.
But real change? Change we need to create a legitimate honest government of and for the people?
As Jerry Seinfeld would say, laughing: I don't think so.
Ok folks, here it is. The "Change" we've wanted to see in D.C. Let's take a looksie at some of these Obama Cabinet picks and their years in D.C. and well well now, whattya know! What a coincidence! Why most of these people have been affiliated with the Clintons and/or served under the Clinton Administration. Doing some googling on this subject, I came across several articles by Obama supporters who ain't so pleased.
*Eric Holder. Obama's pick for Attorney General. 32 years in D.C. Former Clinton era Justice Department Official.
*Rahm Emanuel. Obama's pick for Chief of Staff. 10 years in D.C. Former Clinton White House Senior Advisor.
*Timothy Geithner. Treasury. 16 years in D.C. Served as Undersecretary for International Affairs during the Clinton era.
*Gregory Chair. Obama's pick for White House Counsel. 37 years in D.C. Led Clinton's defense during the impeachment hearings. Friends of the Clinton's since their days in law school.
*Larry Summers. National Economic Council. During the Clinton years, held positions in the Treasury Department.
*Janet Napolitano. Homeland Security. Was appointed U.S. Attorney for Arizona by Bill Clinton.
*John Podesta. Transition Team. 32 years in D.C. Clinton's last Chief of Staff.
*Hillary. Secretary of State. Do I really need to talk about her affiliation with Bill?
For more insight and to see the entire list, check out this site.
While Obama has added in some newbies (unknown to you and I that is), overall he's simply installed people who have been part of the D.C. Disease that have bankrupted our nation.
Change? Change from reversing some of the Bush Administration policies, yes.
But real change? Change we need to create a legitimate honest government of and for the people?
As Jerry Seinfeld would say, laughing: I don't think so.
1.22.2009
Thoughts on Democracy and Cosmic Connection
I know the title's strange, but please read on.
I find I often get those quiet insights when I'm near or in water, whether it be at the beach, near a lake or in the bathroom. I was thinking about the concept of democracy earlier today.
I once read a thought that has stayed with me. "Democracy is really mob rule." At first I was offended by that assertion. And yet, today, I realize there's truth in it. While I may remove the word "mob" and instead use "majority", that really is what Democracy looks like. Majority rule.
And yet, that leaves a group of individuals feeling on the outside, where often times their voice, their wants and their needs go overlooked, neglected, often ridiculed.
Something about this doesn't sit well with me. Even if I happen to feel I am in the majority (which I am under no illusion that I am), how just, how fair is it for those who feel on the outside?
We're all connected. Remove the beliefs, the labels, the earthly "things" and we're all Cosmically connected, for better, for worse, for everything in between. And as such, what I do effects you, what you do effects me. That effect can be much less hindering and harmful if we were to embrace Freedom.
All of this has my creative juices flowing, the wheels in my mind turning. Perhaps we need a new way of "governing" ourselves. Perhaps we need to forgo the notion of a federal government and even of states altogether. Perhaps instead we need to simply create communities of various sizes of like-minded individuals, whose beliefs, needs and wants are similar/alike and create government's around such communities whose purpose is to ensure those needs and wants are provided for. The caveat: The principles of Freedom must be followed.
All of this is idealistic of course. As a species we are nowhere near the level of wisdom and self-awakening to live so freely, to live in such a way as to know neighboring areas are living quite differently and, most importantly, to allow that without interfering. But it is possible if we were to embrace the truth of what Freedom is. Live and let live. No imposing of one's will. Do no harm.
So in the meantime, there will continue to be folks like myself who feel on the fringe of society, who feel left out, who feel neglected, kicked to the curb simply for holding a different vision and higher ideals (while the masses continue to applaud certain folks and political figures who mislead them by claiming to hold a higher ideal when their version of "higher" is half a step at most or what is usually the case, new packaging for the same 'ol crap, er, ways). Folks like myself who wish for something as described above but see that the majority around them either aren't ready, don't believe it's possible while wishing for it in some way, or are completely opposed to such an idea. And as a result, their will is interfering with my needs, my wants. Their support of the "way things are" interferes with my need for "the way things could be."
We are all connected. If you believe you support freedom, you must support it for all. And I don't see this happening. A truly free society isn't about Democracy. A truly free society recognizes the common connection we all share, sees our varying beliefs and says "I respect and support your right to live your life as you see fit in so long as doing so allows me to live the same".
Think about that one for awhile.
I find I often get those quiet insights when I'm near or in water, whether it be at the beach, near a lake or in the bathroom. I was thinking about the concept of democracy earlier today.
I once read a thought that has stayed with me. "Democracy is really mob rule." At first I was offended by that assertion. And yet, today, I realize there's truth in it. While I may remove the word "mob" and instead use "majority", that really is what Democracy looks like. Majority rule.
And yet, that leaves a group of individuals feeling on the outside, where often times their voice, their wants and their needs go overlooked, neglected, often ridiculed.
Something about this doesn't sit well with me. Even if I happen to feel I am in the majority (which I am under no illusion that I am), how just, how fair is it for those who feel on the outside?
We're all connected. Remove the beliefs, the labels, the earthly "things" and we're all Cosmically connected, for better, for worse, for everything in between. And as such, what I do effects you, what you do effects me. That effect can be much less hindering and harmful if we were to embrace Freedom.
All of this has my creative juices flowing, the wheels in my mind turning. Perhaps we need a new way of "governing" ourselves. Perhaps we need to forgo the notion of a federal government and even of states altogether. Perhaps instead we need to simply create communities of various sizes of like-minded individuals, whose beliefs, needs and wants are similar/alike and create government's around such communities whose purpose is to ensure those needs and wants are provided for. The caveat: The principles of Freedom must be followed.
All of this is idealistic of course. As a species we are nowhere near the level of wisdom and self-awakening to live so freely, to live in such a way as to know neighboring areas are living quite differently and, most importantly, to allow that without interfering. But it is possible if we were to embrace the truth of what Freedom is. Live and let live. No imposing of one's will. Do no harm.
So in the meantime, there will continue to be folks like myself who feel on the fringe of society, who feel left out, who feel neglected, kicked to the curb simply for holding a different vision and higher ideals (while the masses continue to applaud certain folks and political figures who mislead them by claiming to hold a higher ideal when their version of "higher" is half a step at most or what is usually the case, new packaging for the same 'ol crap, er, ways). Folks like myself who wish for something as described above but see that the majority around them either aren't ready, don't believe it's possible while wishing for it in some way, or are completely opposed to such an idea. And as a result, their will is interfering with my needs, my wants. Their support of the "way things are" interferes with my need for "the way things could be."
We are all connected. If you believe you support freedom, you must support it for all. And I don't see this happening. A truly free society isn't about Democracy. A truly free society recognizes the common connection we all share, sees our varying beliefs and says "I respect and support your right to live your life as you see fit in so long as doing so allows me to live the same".
Think about that one for awhile.
Keith Olbermann: Obama Must Prosecute Bush Administration
It won't be happening of course given Obama already said this is an issue he won't be pursuing, but at least one journalist is showing signs of riding his ass to do just that. Below is the transcript. Of course he's blinded by the notion of this nation being a :::cough gasp::: people's democracy, but hey, at least he's removed a large portion of his head from the sand. And given the Obama Mania sweeping the nation from those looking upon him like the next Messiah and as such, aggressively defensive towards anyone who may offer the slightest criticism, this took some guts. Rock on Keith!
"Sadly, as commendable as the intention here might seem, this country has never succeeded in moving forward without first cleansing itself of its mistaken past. In point of fact, every effort to merely draw a line in the sand and declare the past dead, has served to only keep the past alive, and often to strengthen it. We compromised with slavery in the Declaration of Independence, and, fourscore and nine years later, we had buried 600,000 of our sons and brothers in a civil war. After that war’s ending, we compromised with the social restructuring and protection of the rights of minorities in the South. And a century later, we had not only had not resolved anything, but black leaders were still being assassinated in the cities of the South. We compromised with Germany in the reconstruction of Europe after the First World War. Nobody even arrested the German kaiser, let alone conducted war crimes trials then. And 19 years later, there was an indescribably more evil Germany and a more heartrending Second World War.
We compromised with the trusts of the early 1900s, and today, we have corporations too big to fail. We compromised with the Palmer Raids and got McCarthyism, and we compromised with McCarthyism and got Watergate. And we compromised with Watergate, and the junior members of the Ford administration realized how little was ultimately at risk. And they grew up to be Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.
But, Mr. President-elect, you are entirely correct. As you say, what we have to focus on is getting things right in the future, as opposed to looking at what we got wrong in the past. And that means prosecuting all those involved in the Bush administration’s torture of prisoners, and starting at the top. You’re also right that you should not want your first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt. But your only other option might be to let this sit and fester indefinitely because, Mr. President-elect, some day, there will be another Republican President or even a Democrat just as blind as Mr. Bush to ethics and he will look back to what you did about Mr. Bush or what you did not do, and he will seek precedent or, as Cheney saw, he will see a not to get caught next time. Prosecute, Mr. President-elect, and even if you get not one conviction, you will still have accomplished good for generations unborn because merely by acting, you will deny Mr. Bush what he most wants, right now, without prosecutions, without this nation standing up and saying this was wrong, we will atone, Mr. Bush’s version of what happened goes into the historical record of this nation: Torture was legal. It worked. George Bush saved the country. The end.
We have tortured people. You and I, Mr. President-elect. This is a people’s democracy. We are the people. These were our elected officials. That they did not come to us and ask to act thusly in our names is unfortunate and indeed criminal, but it is almost irrelevant. They worked for us, they tortured people, and so we have tortured people. Thus, beginning tomorrow, it is up to you, not just to discontinue this, but to prevent it. At the end of his first year in office, Mr. Lincoln tried to contextualize the Civil War. For those who still wanted to compromise with the evils of secession and slavery. "The struggle of today," Lincoln wrote, "is not altogether for today. It is for a vast future also." Mr. President-elect, you have been handed the beginning of that future. Use it to protect our children and our distant descendants from anything like this ever happening again. Good night and good luck."
"Sadly, as commendable as the intention here might seem, this country has never succeeded in moving forward without first cleansing itself of its mistaken past. In point of fact, every effort to merely draw a line in the sand and declare the past dead, has served to only keep the past alive, and often to strengthen it. We compromised with slavery in the Declaration of Independence, and, fourscore and nine years later, we had buried 600,000 of our sons and brothers in a civil war. After that war’s ending, we compromised with the social restructuring and protection of the rights of minorities in the South. And a century later, we had not only had not resolved anything, but black leaders were still being assassinated in the cities of the South. We compromised with Germany in the reconstruction of Europe after the First World War. Nobody even arrested the German kaiser, let alone conducted war crimes trials then. And 19 years later, there was an indescribably more evil Germany and a more heartrending Second World War.
We compromised with the trusts of the early 1900s, and today, we have corporations too big to fail. We compromised with the Palmer Raids and got McCarthyism, and we compromised with McCarthyism and got Watergate. And we compromised with Watergate, and the junior members of the Ford administration realized how little was ultimately at risk. And they grew up to be Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.
But, Mr. President-elect, you are entirely correct. As you say, what we have to focus on is getting things right in the future, as opposed to looking at what we got wrong in the past. And that means prosecuting all those involved in the Bush administration’s torture of prisoners, and starting at the top. You’re also right that you should not want your first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt. But your only other option might be to let this sit and fester indefinitely because, Mr. President-elect, some day, there will be another Republican President or even a Democrat just as blind as Mr. Bush to ethics and he will look back to what you did about Mr. Bush or what you did not do, and he will seek precedent or, as Cheney saw, he will see a not to get caught next time. Prosecute, Mr. President-elect, and even if you get not one conviction, you will still have accomplished good for generations unborn because merely by acting, you will deny Mr. Bush what he most wants, right now, without prosecutions, without this nation standing up and saying this was wrong, we will atone, Mr. Bush’s version of what happened goes into the historical record of this nation: Torture was legal. It worked. George Bush saved the country. The end.
We have tortured people. You and I, Mr. President-elect. This is a people’s democracy. We are the people. These were our elected officials. That they did not come to us and ask to act thusly in our names is unfortunate and indeed criminal, but it is almost irrelevant. They worked for us, they tortured people, and so we have tortured people. Thus, beginning tomorrow, it is up to you, not just to discontinue this, but to prevent it. At the end of his first year in office, Mr. Lincoln tried to contextualize the Civil War. For those who still wanted to compromise with the evils of secession and slavery. "The struggle of today," Lincoln wrote, "is not altogether for today. It is for a vast future also." Mr. President-elect, you have been handed the beginning of that future. Use it to protect our children and our distant descendants from anything like this ever happening again. Good night and good luck."
1.21.2009
A Letter from Michael Moore
...along with my comments in brackets...
"We have made it through the Dark Ages and here we are, in one of the most redemptive moments history has ever witnessed. Barack Obama is our best hope to get it right, to heal our national soul, to reach out to the rest of the world with an olive branch instead of shocking brutality. [Actually, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich would have been more suitable for this role given they were the only candidates for presidency speaking about such things as the bank cartel, the federal reserve, the stupidity of having a currency not backed by gold, the deeply dire situation much of our nation's infrastructure is under, the crimes committed by the former administration, the damaging effects of NAFTA and the WTO, etc. etc....]
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has worked to make this day happen. For many, the madness goes back, not eight years but twenty-eight years, to the tragic day Reagan was sworn in to dismantle our precious "government of the people" and our beloved way of life. [I'd say more like 50 years.]
To all of you who have spoken up and spoken out, who have written letters and marched for peace, for all of you who never gave up, you are the true heroes today. Many of you have suffered great economic losses. Some of you have endured a loved one being shipped overseas to senseless and shameful wars, and thousands of you have seen those loved ones returned home, no longer alive. It has been a heartbreaking time. [Our entire history as a country has been one of heartbreak. Freedom, in it's purest form, has yet to be achieved for We The People.]
But the sun comes out at noon today. The disgraced outgoing president will slide out the side door and head to Crawford to sell the Hollywood set known as the Bush "ranch" before he settles down in an exclusive neighborhood in Dallas. I would encourage Mr. Bush to issue one final pardon before noon today -- his own. He had better issue a blanket pardon for all crimes that may have been committed since 2001 by himself, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the whole gang. Serious laws were broken, a war was concocted on a lie, and now, please, justice must be carried out. [Don't count on the Obama administration do carry out any of that justice. He's already announced he will not be pursuing that agenda, or did you miss that little comment? What do you surmise we do now, Mike?]
So let us move forward and fix the horrible mess we are in. We are fortunate to have a new president who is smart and kind and committed to serving his country. Take a moment today and think about what you can do to join him in helping him do his job. We're all in this together. Our country has been so profoundly wrecked by an administration who decided to mug our constitution and then steal what they can for their Wall Street cronies on the way out the door.
Here is my plea: Let's not leave Barack Obama alone to clean up the mess. As he takes his oath today, please take one yourself -- to work harder than ever to end these wars, create universal health care, save our planet, end poverty, increase knowledge and establish a true government "of, by and for the people" (instead of "of, by and for the lobbyists, the bankers, and the war profiteers"). [Well if you wanted that kind of a government, you wouldn't have voted for Obama. And for the McCain voters, you wouldn't have voted for him either. If you had done your homework and checked out the groups, both government and private, that Obama has been a part of, the people he has been using as advisors, seeking for counsel, you could not in good conscience have voted for him for you would have seen we were going to continue to see a government of the bankers, the lobbyists and the war profiteers. Who do you think $$ backs Obama? You see Mike, I did my homework. I didn't rely on the mainstream media, left or right. I kicked off my leftist liberal boots (while never ever in my LIFE wearing conservative republican books) and got down to business. I voted for Nader. I release any and all responsibility from here on out in terms of what happens to this nation now. That responsibility, I put on you and all others who voted for business as usual, both Republican and Democrat while continuing to dismiss me and folks like me. I sent you quite a few letters, Mike. If they were read, the words obviously went ignored. That being said however, if....when (always the optimist I am) you do further awaken, I will be more than willing to point you in the direction of the research I engaged myself in. Perhaps at that time I would be willing to work together at removing the ongoing, appointed, elitist, dollar/ass kissing business-as-usual folks in D.C. and democratically electing real leaders.]
On a personal note, it's no secret that I have had to suffer an avalanche of hate and attack as I stuck my neck out to simply do my job. Some day I will tell you what the true cost of this has been for me, but not today. Today is a time for celebration and optimism and hope. I'm glad we all lived to see this incredible moment. And I thank each of you for your support of my work and your dedication to our democracy. [I hear ya, although my level of anomosity I received for speaking out against Obama mania or anything challenging the left and right was nothing compared to what you have had to endure. I offer my sincerest empathy and compassion to you and your family for whatever ugliness you have faced simply for speaking your truth. It's deeply saddening that one still cannot speak their truth without risking such attack. Forget the american patriotism diatribe. It is against the deepest fabrics of our beings to throw hate and threats against those with whom we disagree. It's easy to engage in. It's even celebrated. An evening journeying through the internet and television reminds us of this celebration. Respect even in the midst of strong differences. We can do it. It is a lesson for all of us to embrace and vow to do better on.]
12:01pm can't come soon enough! Happy Inauguration Day! [It came. It went. Let's move forward to our tomorrow's with eyes and mind wide open while remembering to carry respect in our hearts, actions and words. Happy day to you.]
"We have made it through the Dark Ages and here we are, in one of the most redemptive moments history has ever witnessed. Barack Obama is our best hope to get it right, to heal our national soul, to reach out to the rest of the world with an olive branch instead of shocking brutality. [Actually, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich would have been more suitable for this role given they were the only candidates for presidency speaking about such things as the bank cartel, the federal reserve, the stupidity of having a currency not backed by gold, the deeply dire situation much of our nation's infrastructure is under, the crimes committed by the former administration, the damaging effects of NAFTA and the WTO, etc. etc....]
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has worked to make this day happen. For many, the madness goes back, not eight years but twenty-eight years, to the tragic day Reagan was sworn in to dismantle our precious "government of the people" and our beloved way of life. [I'd say more like 50 years.]
To all of you who have spoken up and spoken out, who have written letters and marched for peace, for all of you who never gave up, you are the true heroes today. Many of you have suffered great economic losses. Some of you have endured a loved one being shipped overseas to senseless and shameful wars, and thousands of you have seen those loved ones returned home, no longer alive. It has been a heartbreaking time. [Our entire history as a country has been one of heartbreak. Freedom, in it's purest form, has yet to be achieved for We The People.]
But the sun comes out at noon today. The disgraced outgoing president will slide out the side door and head to Crawford to sell the Hollywood set known as the Bush "ranch" before he settles down in an exclusive neighborhood in Dallas. I would encourage Mr. Bush to issue one final pardon before noon today -- his own. He had better issue a blanket pardon for all crimes that may have been committed since 2001 by himself, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the whole gang. Serious laws were broken, a war was concocted on a lie, and now, please, justice must be carried out. [Don't count on the Obama administration do carry out any of that justice. He's already announced he will not be pursuing that agenda, or did you miss that little comment? What do you surmise we do now, Mike?]
So let us move forward and fix the horrible mess we are in. We are fortunate to have a new president who is smart and kind and committed to serving his country. Take a moment today and think about what you can do to join him in helping him do his job. We're all in this together. Our country has been so profoundly wrecked by an administration who decided to mug our constitution and then steal what they can for their Wall Street cronies on the way out the door.
Here is my plea: Let's not leave Barack Obama alone to clean up the mess. As he takes his oath today, please take one yourself -- to work harder than ever to end these wars, create universal health care, save our planet, end poverty, increase knowledge and establish a true government "of, by and for the people" (instead of "of, by and for the lobbyists, the bankers, and the war profiteers"). [Well if you wanted that kind of a government, you wouldn't have voted for Obama. And for the McCain voters, you wouldn't have voted for him either. If you had done your homework and checked out the groups, both government and private, that Obama has been a part of, the people he has been using as advisors, seeking for counsel, you could not in good conscience have voted for him for you would have seen we were going to continue to see a government of the bankers, the lobbyists and the war profiteers. Who do you think $$ backs Obama? You see Mike, I did my homework. I didn't rely on the mainstream media, left or right. I kicked off my leftist liberal boots (while never ever in my LIFE wearing conservative republican books) and got down to business. I voted for Nader. I release any and all responsibility from here on out in terms of what happens to this nation now. That responsibility, I put on you and all others who voted for business as usual, both Republican and Democrat while continuing to dismiss me and folks like me. I sent you quite a few letters, Mike. If they were read, the words obviously went ignored. That being said however, if....when (always the optimist I am) you do further awaken, I will be more than willing to point you in the direction of the research I engaged myself in. Perhaps at that time I would be willing to work together at removing the ongoing, appointed, elitist, dollar/ass kissing business-as-usual folks in D.C. and democratically electing real leaders.]
On a personal note, it's no secret that I have had to suffer an avalanche of hate and attack as I stuck my neck out to simply do my job. Some day I will tell you what the true cost of this has been for me, but not today. Today is a time for celebration and optimism and hope. I'm glad we all lived to see this incredible moment. And I thank each of you for your support of my work and your dedication to our democracy. [I hear ya, although my level of anomosity I received for speaking out against Obama mania or anything challenging the left and right was nothing compared to what you have had to endure. I offer my sincerest empathy and compassion to you and your family for whatever ugliness you have faced simply for speaking your truth. It's deeply saddening that one still cannot speak their truth without risking such attack. Forget the american patriotism diatribe. It is against the deepest fabrics of our beings to throw hate and threats against those with whom we disagree. It's easy to engage in. It's even celebrated. An evening journeying through the internet and television reminds us of this celebration. Respect even in the midst of strong differences. We can do it. It is a lesson for all of us to embrace and vow to do better on.]
12:01pm can't come soon enough! Happy Inauguration Day! [It came. It went. Let's move forward to our tomorrow's with eyes and mind wide open while remembering to carry respect in our hearts, actions and words. Happy day to you.]
1.19.2009
Bush Exits. Now Who Will We Joke About?
It just hit me. Bush is leaving. Yeah great and all of that, but suddenly, with great shock and sadness, I realized:
Who will I poke fun of now?
I don't do much of that here on this blog, but I do at home, with friends and family.
I've enjoyed doing the laughing shoulder shrug/snort.
I've loved saying "nucular".
I've laughed seeing his verbal mishaps, hooted while watching him walk offstage to a nearby door that was locked only to stand there like the goofball he is waiting for someone to remind him "pssst George, try the other door".
Will any of us ever be able to look at a monkey in the zoo with the same eyes?
I mean people, think about it. This is really a sad moment in history.
Smirking will now be out of fashion...
My Pet Goat won't be known anymore for literary brilliance...
Red neck talk and misspelled words will stop being funny and will now become annoying again...
Hearing a President say "we're kicking ass" will now seem rather strange...
And hey, who will we now have at which to throw our shoes?
I mean Obama is going to end up pissing us all off (some later than others), but you know, he's just too damn smart, too excellent of an orator, so thrown shows simply wouldn't make us laugh.
Sigh...
So this is it, Georgie Boy, ya pompous narcissistic little tyrant. This is farewell. Whatcha thinking tonight? Are you having dreams of new adventures? Or are you having your usual dream scenario of grilled cheese sandwiches? You were a soul-sucking nightmare for so many people, but I gotta say: you will be missed. In some strange, twisted way that I don't wish to even touch much less explore, you will be missed.
Who will I poke fun of now?
I don't do much of that here on this blog, but I do at home, with friends and family.
I've enjoyed doing the laughing shoulder shrug/snort.
I've loved saying "nucular".
I've laughed seeing his verbal mishaps, hooted while watching him walk offstage to a nearby door that was locked only to stand there like the goofball he is waiting for someone to remind him "pssst George, try the other door".
Will any of us ever be able to look at a monkey in the zoo with the same eyes?
I mean people, think about it. This is really a sad moment in history.
Smirking will now be out of fashion...
My Pet Goat won't be known anymore for literary brilliance...
Red neck talk and misspelled words will stop being funny and will now become annoying again...
Hearing a President say "we're kicking ass" will now seem rather strange...
And hey, who will we now have at which to throw our shoes?
I mean Obama is going to end up pissing us all off (some later than others), but you know, he's just too damn smart, too excellent of an orator, so thrown shows simply wouldn't make us laugh.
Sigh...
So this is it, Georgie Boy, ya pompous narcissistic little tyrant. This is farewell. Whatcha thinking tonight? Are you having dreams of new adventures? Or are you having your usual dream scenario of grilled cheese sandwiches? You were a soul-sucking nightmare for so many people, but I gotta say: you will be missed. In some strange, twisted way that I don't wish to even touch much less explore, you will be missed.
1.18.2009
Sometimes A Good Glass Of Wine Is The Answer
Sitting outside today in the sun, I listened to some tunes and enjoyed a good glass of wine. My brain was weary, my mind tired, my heart pained, my soul seeking refuge. It has been a tough week. Oh hell, who am I kidding, it's been a rough month. Year. LIFE. It's a lonely road being the black sheep. Of the family. Of the neighborhood. Of the community. Of the world.
There have been health issues to contend with without so much as a nickel of insurance coverage. The car has once again let us know that it does not like the ethanol we are forced to use (don't you think car insurance should include financial help when cars get sick?) The kitchen light decided to stop working. And the $100 plus shower filtration system we purchased decided to break. 6 weeks past the one year warranty. Which means showers of rusty chlorinated h2o. Small issues compared to what many are facing, but enough to threaten to toss me over the edge. Of course it isn't like we didn't already have a full plate of crap. Two out-of-work individuals seeing the economic crisis unfolding thinking wtf is there to do once unemployment runs out or the state suddenly announces "sorry, we simply don't have the $$ for unemployment".
Oh yeah. It was my birthday week. Happy fucking birthday to me.
North Korea has announced they have enough plutonium to make 4 nuclear weapons. Israel continues its slaughterfest while western politics on both left and right vow to support Israel at all cost. Over half a million jobs have been lost the past month, that number expected to continue throughout the year. While the world goes bankrupt, our political leaders are handing out blank checks in the hundreds of billions to the banking cartels. Small banks continue to have their assets seized while the big bully banks gobble 'em up.
The value system of our society, of our people, is so fucking out of synch with the principles of freedom and love and peace. You know, all that is beautiful, fair and kind. I feel alone and freakish in it.
People are speaking out against Obama, and yet it isn't with any real clarity, originality or intellect. It's the right wing nut jobs doing their McCain/Palin support. Damn, shut the hell up already folks. Where are the Nadar, the McKinney supporters to add real intelligent dialogue, to add the missing pieces? All I can hope is that this mania will continue even once the masses are shown the deep change that is needed is not gonna happen.
We're just getting different icing for the same 'ole cake job.
The banks will continue to rule (albeit there will be less of them, the ones left to stand will continue the powerful rule). Insurance companies will continue their corrupt rule playing doctor and in determining whether you and I are worthy of help if we should need medical care and help paying for it. Schools will continue to feed our children's minds with unnecessary crap, politically-correct/freedom of speech dismantling rhetoric, and distorted information. The vaccination disease will continue to grow in number and cause havoc on our children's health. Our infrastructure will continue to slowly resemble that of 3rd World Nations, despite Obama's financial pledge to help reverse the trend (his pledge being very meager compared to what is truly needed). And wars will continue to be waged to continue the spread of American Dominance and Imperialism. Although I don't know how much longer that will last given our collapsing economy and in truth, the lack of financial means to correct it is going to leave America very vulnerable for a REAL attack/invasion. We're bankrupt. Piss off the wrong nation (China comes to mind) and watch out.
There's my own search for creating an income. I'm thinking my own ideas aren't so practical, even though what the hell, they're only my dreams. I'm quite used to my dreams being crushed, so what's another one, right? What do people need right now (other than a big 'ole hug, a million dollars and a place far away from the fucks who run the global show)? Something tangible. Something they deem worthy investing in. Finding a need and fulfilling it.
I don't know. I just don't fucking know.
But I will tell you what I do know. For certain. I am fucking fed up....FED UP...with trying to come up with innovative means of creating an income. I'm tired of thinking about it. I am burned out thinking about it. My mind can't take much more.
I also know something else as well. For certain. I am burned out looking for work, fed up with seeing the bullshit strings you have to go through all for a low paying, go nowhere lame ass paper pushing desk job, all designed to make bossy rich. Fuck that shit, as my sweet hub loves to say. FUCK THAT SHIT.
And I will also tell you one other thing I know. For certain. The days of being told "no" are also over. Being polite in the face of such "no's" is most certainly over.
And one last thing I know. For certain.
What I experienced today.
Sometimes...a glass of good wine is the answer.
There have been health issues to contend with without so much as a nickel of insurance coverage. The car has once again let us know that it does not like the ethanol we are forced to use (don't you think car insurance should include financial help when cars get sick?) The kitchen light decided to stop working. And the $100 plus shower filtration system we purchased decided to break. 6 weeks past the one year warranty. Which means showers of rusty chlorinated h2o. Small issues compared to what many are facing, but enough to threaten to toss me over the edge. Of course it isn't like we didn't already have a full plate of crap. Two out-of-work individuals seeing the economic crisis unfolding thinking wtf is there to do once unemployment runs out or the state suddenly announces "sorry, we simply don't have the $$ for unemployment".
Oh yeah. It was my birthday week. Happy fucking birthday to me.
North Korea has announced they have enough plutonium to make 4 nuclear weapons. Israel continues its slaughterfest while western politics on both left and right vow to support Israel at all cost. Over half a million jobs have been lost the past month, that number expected to continue throughout the year. While the world goes bankrupt, our political leaders are handing out blank checks in the hundreds of billions to the banking cartels. Small banks continue to have their assets seized while the big bully banks gobble 'em up.
The value system of our society, of our people, is so fucking out of synch with the principles of freedom and love and peace. You know, all that is beautiful, fair and kind. I feel alone and freakish in it.
People are speaking out against Obama, and yet it isn't with any real clarity, originality or intellect. It's the right wing nut jobs doing their McCain/Palin support. Damn, shut the hell up already folks. Where are the Nadar, the McKinney supporters to add real intelligent dialogue, to add the missing pieces? All I can hope is that this mania will continue even once the masses are shown the deep change that is needed is not gonna happen.
We're just getting different icing for the same 'ole cake job.
The banks will continue to rule (albeit there will be less of them, the ones left to stand will continue the powerful rule). Insurance companies will continue their corrupt rule playing doctor and in determining whether you and I are worthy of help if we should need medical care and help paying for it. Schools will continue to feed our children's minds with unnecessary crap, politically-correct/freedom of speech dismantling rhetoric, and distorted information. The vaccination disease will continue to grow in number and cause havoc on our children's health. Our infrastructure will continue to slowly resemble that of 3rd World Nations, despite Obama's financial pledge to help reverse the trend (his pledge being very meager compared to what is truly needed). And wars will continue to be waged to continue the spread of American Dominance and Imperialism. Although I don't know how much longer that will last given our collapsing economy and in truth, the lack of financial means to correct it is going to leave America very vulnerable for a REAL attack/invasion. We're bankrupt. Piss off the wrong nation (China comes to mind) and watch out.
There's my own search for creating an income. I'm thinking my own ideas aren't so practical, even though what the hell, they're only my dreams. I'm quite used to my dreams being crushed, so what's another one, right? What do people need right now (other than a big 'ole hug, a million dollars and a place far away from the fucks who run the global show)? Something tangible. Something they deem worthy investing in. Finding a need and fulfilling it.
I don't know. I just don't fucking know.
But I will tell you what I do know. For certain. I am fucking fed up....FED UP...with trying to come up with innovative means of creating an income. I'm tired of thinking about it. I am burned out thinking about it. My mind can't take much more.
I also know something else as well. For certain. I am burned out looking for work, fed up with seeing the bullshit strings you have to go through all for a low paying, go nowhere lame ass paper pushing desk job, all designed to make bossy rich. Fuck that shit, as my sweet hub loves to say. FUCK THAT SHIT.
And I will also tell you one other thing I know. For certain. The days of being told "no" are also over. Being polite in the face of such "no's" is most certainly over.
And one last thing I know. For certain.
What I experienced today.
Sometimes...a glass of good wine is the answer.
1.17.2009
Not Much To Blog About Lately
Haven't had much of an urge to blog lately. It isn't like there is a shortage of topics. The upcoming prez inauguration, which in the coming months, is going to leave a growing number of people wishing they had voted for Nader or McKinney instead. There's the genocide taking place on the Palestinian people and the unbelievable number of folks, both in and outside of the government, who really believe the Israeli's to be the chosen ones. Snap out of the illusion and USE YOUR OWN MIND! No one is more "chosen" than the next.
And yet, topics based conversation don't seem to be my thing at the moment. I know what's going on at the surface level of society. Most days I say "let 'em have their chaos I want no part of it" while keeping some level of consciousness open to at least understanding how it will effect me.
I've been at a crossroads as far as what to do with my life. I've been exploring a small biz idea. And yet I also have moments where I feel a calling to change at least one aspect of the System. I am the type of person who is an idea person. I have many go through my mind. Sometimes it is overwhelming. I know this: my longing for a mentor has steadily increased. Someone to talk to about all of these ideas of mine. I visualize and think on this daily. Perhaps I need to add this person to my Vision Board.
I had a very visual dream the other night. A being visited me--one who has visited me in the past, on one occasion, visiting me while I was awake as a young girl. She always presents herself looking like my mom, likely to comfort me and ease any fear I may have. In this particular dream, I was wanting to drive a super slick, revved up muscle car out with the masses. She then appeared and began driving the vehicle. Normally in such dreams I would have felt small, or angry, feeling I wasn't in charge of my life. However in this experience, I felt ok. I didn't feel controlled. I resisted a bit at first though, saying "hey don't you wanna see me drive fast down this hill?" She just smiled, remained calm, then pulled the car over, telling me to remain calm and ride out the storm. We sat there in the car. I grew impatient. Why are we just sitting here, I wondered. I wanted to continue on my journey. Suddenly, I looked out the front window and saw these cars begin to spin out of control. It turned into a madhouse of cars not seeing the other cars around them. Some headed towards the nearby river. Most simply crashed into one another. I looked out back and cars were racing down the hill behind us, doing the same thing. I became terrified. And horrified. This being however remained calm and told me if I would remain calm, I would be ok.
In time, the insanity came to a standstill. People were walking around, in a daze. At that point, I got out of the car. I felt the need to help those around me. I had watched the whole scene unfold in front of my eyes. The being then exited the car, removed some of the wreckage around and on the car to pave the way for me. I even helped and found it was quite easy. She smiled and then rose above the car. The dream then ended.
A metaphor for what's to come? If anything, I embrace the idea that staying calm in any and all situations is important. But was this my guide? Some "divine" assistance? I don't know.
I'm not sure what to believe these days. My spiritual beliefs have been deeply challenged the past year. I don't know what's "out there", both in this dimension and in others. How many dimensions are there? Obviously there is other intelligent life. Who are benevolent, who are malevolent? Is there a separate God? Or are we simply just one consciousness "divided up" in these bodies spread out throughout the Cosmos? Is there an alien race attempting to control us? What thoughts are mine? I am already aware about the brainwashing/control dogma's found in our churches, in our schools, the media, entertainment, etc.... However, what about technology such as sonar, microwaves and the like. Secret dark groups sending out "thought bubbles". I recall reading some warning for folks not to mass organize and send out positive thoughts (which now I've come to believe as ridiculous). There is a massive amount of information about all of this and as always, varying opinions, and as always again, each organization or site claiming THEY are right. Frankly, I've come to believe anyone claiming to hold the truth, especially about such elusive topics where facts or any information other than opinion are missing, while dismissing all others is half awake and likely still a prisoner of the "matrix".
And yet, really, what is Truth?
I haven't been able to answer that one.
I've read up on Universal Laws. Somewhere, something tells me nothing is ever so rigid and unwavering as a law. Take karma. What you put out you get back. I see truth and flaws in this, which makes me wonder about the idea of free will and other conscious beings either helping or hindering. This brings up the question "how powerful are we?" As an individual, how powerful am I?
All of this makes my head spin. At least I do know this: I no longer take ANYTHING at face value. I no longer blindly embrace things. I take it for how I have perceive it and mull it over, chew on it like I would gum, seeing how it feels to me. And when I am honest, lately, the answer I receive is "I really don't know".
Maybe there's nothing to nail down, nothing to know. Maybe all there is to do is be who I am now. For maybe the idea of nailing down some truth is an impossibility given we're all really energy and energy is always on the move, always changing in some way shape or form.
I just know the search for truth has become a frustrating experience for me. Like holding water in my hand. Just when I think I have it, it changes into something else.
And I thought I had nothing much to say. :)
And yet, topics based conversation don't seem to be my thing at the moment. I know what's going on at the surface level of society. Most days I say "let 'em have their chaos I want no part of it" while keeping some level of consciousness open to at least understanding how it will effect me.
I've been at a crossroads as far as what to do with my life. I've been exploring a small biz idea. And yet I also have moments where I feel a calling to change at least one aspect of the System. I am the type of person who is an idea person. I have many go through my mind. Sometimes it is overwhelming. I know this: my longing for a mentor has steadily increased. Someone to talk to about all of these ideas of mine. I visualize and think on this daily. Perhaps I need to add this person to my Vision Board.
I had a very visual dream the other night. A being visited me--one who has visited me in the past, on one occasion, visiting me while I was awake as a young girl. She always presents herself looking like my mom, likely to comfort me and ease any fear I may have. In this particular dream, I was wanting to drive a super slick, revved up muscle car out with the masses. She then appeared and began driving the vehicle. Normally in such dreams I would have felt small, or angry, feeling I wasn't in charge of my life. However in this experience, I felt ok. I didn't feel controlled. I resisted a bit at first though, saying "hey don't you wanna see me drive fast down this hill?" She just smiled, remained calm, then pulled the car over, telling me to remain calm and ride out the storm. We sat there in the car. I grew impatient. Why are we just sitting here, I wondered. I wanted to continue on my journey. Suddenly, I looked out the front window and saw these cars begin to spin out of control. It turned into a madhouse of cars not seeing the other cars around them. Some headed towards the nearby river. Most simply crashed into one another. I looked out back and cars were racing down the hill behind us, doing the same thing. I became terrified. And horrified. This being however remained calm and told me if I would remain calm, I would be ok.
In time, the insanity came to a standstill. People were walking around, in a daze. At that point, I got out of the car. I felt the need to help those around me. I had watched the whole scene unfold in front of my eyes. The being then exited the car, removed some of the wreckage around and on the car to pave the way for me. I even helped and found it was quite easy. She smiled and then rose above the car. The dream then ended.
A metaphor for what's to come? If anything, I embrace the idea that staying calm in any and all situations is important. But was this my guide? Some "divine" assistance? I don't know.
I'm not sure what to believe these days. My spiritual beliefs have been deeply challenged the past year. I don't know what's "out there", both in this dimension and in others. How many dimensions are there? Obviously there is other intelligent life. Who are benevolent, who are malevolent? Is there a separate God? Or are we simply just one consciousness "divided up" in these bodies spread out throughout the Cosmos? Is there an alien race attempting to control us? What thoughts are mine? I am already aware about the brainwashing/control dogma's found in our churches, in our schools, the media, entertainment, etc.... However, what about technology such as sonar, microwaves and the like. Secret dark groups sending out "thought bubbles". I recall reading some warning for folks not to mass organize and send out positive thoughts (which now I've come to believe as ridiculous). There is a massive amount of information about all of this and as always, varying opinions, and as always again, each organization or site claiming THEY are right. Frankly, I've come to believe anyone claiming to hold the truth, especially about such elusive topics where facts or any information other than opinion are missing, while dismissing all others is half awake and likely still a prisoner of the "matrix".
And yet, really, what is Truth?
I haven't been able to answer that one.
I've read up on Universal Laws. Somewhere, something tells me nothing is ever so rigid and unwavering as a law. Take karma. What you put out you get back. I see truth and flaws in this, which makes me wonder about the idea of free will and other conscious beings either helping or hindering. This brings up the question "how powerful are we?" As an individual, how powerful am I?
All of this makes my head spin. At least I do know this: I no longer take ANYTHING at face value. I no longer blindly embrace things. I take it for how I have perceive it and mull it over, chew on it like I would gum, seeing how it feels to me. And when I am honest, lately, the answer I receive is "I really don't know".
Maybe there's nothing to nail down, nothing to know. Maybe all there is to do is be who I am now. For maybe the idea of nailing down some truth is an impossibility given we're all really energy and energy is always on the move, always changing in some way shape or form.
I just know the search for truth has become a frustrating experience for me. Like holding water in my hand. Just when I think I have it, it changes into something else.
And I thought I had nothing much to say. :)
1.15.2009
School Days and Childhood: Reminiscing
I was bored earlier, so I decided to browse around my former high school's website. I don't know why. I don't know what I was looking for. For some crazy reason, I registered as an alumni several years ago. I say "crazy" because high school was hell for me. I went to a school that was full of kids who came from wealthy families. The parking lot was often filled with newer BMW's and VW's. My family wasn't rich. At all. My dad was just good at pretending we were.
There was a group of prissy little cheerleaders who, for some reason, liked to pick on me. They first began to pick on a friend of mine, then suddenly found me more interesting. I hid the pain and embarassment by writing nasty things about them on the bathroom walls, stuffing used kleenex into their lockers, that sort of thing. One evening, I got up the courage to ask the leader of the pack to "take it outside" after a confrontation inside of a pizza parlor. At 5'5" and 115 lbs, I obviously wasn't a giant, but at 4' 11", I towered over her. I looked tough but inside I was shaking. Apparently I fooled (and frightened) her for she shrugged me off. However, she pretty much left me alone after that episode. Her friends though picked up where she left off. Where young girls get this urge to bully and belittle I haven't a clue. Gossipy pretentious little attitudes--I find it all sickening. But I was at the receiving end of such treatment from grades 5 to, believe it or not, college graduation. No joke. The other strange factor: each of the girls were blonde. To this day if I meet some petite blonde, young or old, alarms go off inside and I have the urge to punch her lights out. Thank goodness for adult onset wisdom and discernment. :)
Lately I wonder how life would have been for me had I been allowed to go to school where I wanted. Had my dad hadn't packed us up and moved us across the river to the "elite" subarbs where he could erase his memories of his poverty-stricken childhood, where he could then show to the world "See, I am somebody!". Thanks to dad's decision, my life completely changed after that. Before that move, I had many friends, male and female. I was well liked. I loved our neighbors. I loved the school I attended. After that move though, my school years slowly turned into a never-ending nightmare, each year becoming more challenging.
Reading some of the alumni's discussions of the "wonderful" high school with the "awesome" teaching staff we attended makes me shake my head, much in the same way I shake my head towards those who don't see the political movement afoot. What on earth was there to brag about at this particular school? Overall, the teaching staff was terrible. We had the pervert who would watch the girl's asses as they walked out of the room and look down their shirts when they would bend over at his desk to speak with him. We had the teacher who dated (openly) a student. We had the algebra teacher who obviously hated teenagers and teaching. Then there was the alcoholic biology teacher who, when he wasn't having one of his rage attacks or slurring his words, would hide in the closet and drink while we watched 1960's black and white films on the wonderful world of amoeba's. There was his best friend and drinking buddy, our Vice Principal, who, for some reason took a liking to me, which came in handy when I would get busted for skipping class (which I did a lot after my sophomore year). He'd take one look at me and say "this sweet young thing skip class? Never! Let her go!" Our principle was an ignorant twit who overlooked all of the problems and lived in a bubble whereby he sent us regular messages on the loudspeaker about how we were to have "PRIDE" for our school.
I tried, unsuccessfully, for all 4 years of my high school "career", to convince my parents to pleasssseee send me to another school. I relayed my concerns, but they blew them off as just a case of teen angst and a bad attitude. That coupled with the teasing I received left me with a chip on my shoulder and lead me to a world of drinkin' and smokin' herb, which I did both whenever I could. Despite the fun I was having during these partying ventures, inside I was crying out for help, but no one noticed. I desperately wanted someone to notice me, someone to care enough to ask if I was ok, to ask what I needed, to ask what I wanted for my life. Someone to say "you are an amazing, talented young girl. You deserve better than this what can I do to help?" I wouldn't be lying to say that I still don't have that same longing. Eventually I got so bold, I put alcohol pictures all over my walls, left bottles in my closet with the door open, came home drunk, high. Nothing. Again, all likely just chalked up as normal teenage angst.
Oh well, my concerns were validated when 3 years after I graduated, there was a big shake-up with the school and the school board. The result? Over 25% of the teaching staff was fired (including the pervert, the drunk, the algebra teacher, the vice principal and principal). I remember rushing home to tell my folks and was deeply disappointed in their response of "mmm hmmm." Mmm hmmm? My 3.5 gradepoint which slowly slipped to a 2.00 by the time I was a senior wasn't just about me. They were also about the quality of the teachers I had had. Didn't they see that? Didn't they care?
Painful it also was to me to see people from my class talk about the wonderful bonds they had with one another. I tried fitting in, but after two years of attempts to "be somebody", I stopped trying. I accepted my role as the wallflower, the invisible one. I had a few friends, acquaintances really, when I look back on it. I remember this one girl who used to dress all in black. She was so mysterious to me. She both frightened and intrigued me. She dressed the way I felt. Despite being open with the substance use, I was fairly conservative in my dress. It was the early 80's. Preppy was in.
Ugh...
As I said at the beginning, sometimes I wonder what my life had been like had my dad stayed put in our wonderful little house. Would I have continued to fit in? I remember once going to a party hosted by some of kids from the high school I would have attended had we not moved. I had an awesome time. I, well, I fit right in. I wasn't ignored. I wasn't teased. That was one of the nights I came home, begging my parents again, pleassssssse let me transfer schools.
The idea of a life "do-over" may not be possible, but if it is, in some cosmic way, I would sure like the chance. While I obviously have no desire to repeat my childhood as it was, I would like the chance to do it over, my way, in a way that suits my needs, with the knowledge I have today coupled with that childlike innocence.
If that were possible, would you do it? How do you think your life would look? What would you do differently? I'll post my thoughts on that at a later time.
There was a group of prissy little cheerleaders who, for some reason, liked to pick on me. They first began to pick on a friend of mine, then suddenly found me more interesting. I hid the pain and embarassment by writing nasty things about them on the bathroom walls, stuffing used kleenex into their lockers, that sort of thing. One evening, I got up the courage to ask the leader of the pack to "take it outside" after a confrontation inside of a pizza parlor. At 5'5" and 115 lbs, I obviously wasn't a giant, but at 4' 11", I towered over her. I looked tough but inside I was shaking. Apparently I fooled (and frightened) her for she shrugged me off. However, she pretty much left me alone after that episode. Her friends though picked up where she left off. Where young girls get this urge to bully and belittle I haven't a clue. Gossipy pretentious little attitudes--I find it all sickening. But I was at the receiving end of such treatment from grades 5 to, believe it or not, college graduation. No joke. The other strange factor: each of the girls were blonde. To this day if I meet some petite blonde, young or old, alarms go off inside and I have the urge to punch her lights out. Thank goodness for adult onset wisdom and discernment. :)
Lately I wonder how life would have been for me had I been allowed to go to school where I wanted. Had my dad hadn't packed us up and moved us across the river to the "elite" subarbs where he could erase his memories of his poverty-stricken childhood, where he could then show to the world "See, I am somebody!". Thanks to dad's decision, my life completely changed after that. Before that move, I had many friends, male and female. I was well liked. I loved our neighbors. I loved the school I attended. After that move though, my school years slowly turned into a never-ending nightmare, each year becoming more challenging.
Reading some of the alumni's discussions of the "wonderful" high school with the "awesome" teaching staff we attended makes me shake my head, much in the same way I shake my head towards those who don't see the political movement afoot. What on earth was there to brag about at this particular school? Overall, the teaching staff was terrible. We had the pervert who would watch the girl's asses as they walked out of the room and look down their shirts when they would bend over at his desk to speak with him. We had the teacher who dated (openly) a student. We had the algebra teacher who obviously hated teenagers and teaching. Then there was the alcoholic biology teacher who, when he wasn't having one of his rage attacks or slurring his words, would hide in the closet and drink while we watched 1960's black and white films on the wonderful world of amoeba's. There was his best friend and drinking buddy, our Vice Principal, who, for some reason took a liking to me, which came in handy when I would get busted for skipping class (which I did a lot after my sophomore year). He'd take one look at me and say "this sweet young thing skip class? Never! Let her go!" Our principle was an ignorant twit who overlooked all of the problems and lived in a bubble whereby he sent us regular messages on the loudspeaker about how we were to have "PRIDE" for our school.
I tried, unsuccessfully, for all 4 years of my high school "career", to convince my parents to pleasssseee send me to another school. I relayed my concerns, but they blew them off as just a case of teen angst and a bad attitude. That coupled with the teasing I received left me with a chip on my shoulder and lead me to a world of drinkin' and smokin' herb, which I did both whenever I could. Despite the fun I was having during these partying ventures, inside I was crying out for help, but no one noticed. I desperately wanted someone to notice me, someone to care enough to ask if I was ok, to ask what I needed, to ask what I wanted for my life. Someone to say "you are an amazing, talented young girl. You deserve better than this what can I do to help?" I wouldn't be lying to say that I still don't have that same longing. Eventually I got so bold, I put alcohol pictures all over my walls, left bottles in my closet with the door open, came home drunk, high. Nothing. Again, all likely just chalked up as normal teenage angst.
Oh well, my concerns were validated when 3 years after I graduated, there was a big shake-up with the school and the school board. The result? Over 25% of the teaching staff was fired (including the pervert, the drunk, the algebra teacher, the vice principal and principal). I remember rushing home to tell my folks and was deeply disappointed in their response of "mmm hmmm." Mmm hmmm? My 3.5 gradepoint which slowly slipped to a 2.00 by the time I was a senior wasn't just about me. They were also about the quality of the teachers I had had. Didn't they see that? Didn't they care?
Painful it also was to me to see people from my class talk about the wonderful bonds they had with one another. I tried fitting in, but after two years of attempts to "be somebody", I stopped trying. I accepted my role as the wallflower, the invisible one. I had a few friends, acquaintances really, when I look back on it. I remember this one girl who used to dress all in black. She was so mysterious to me. She both frightened and intrigued me. She dressed the way I felt. Despite being open with the substance use, I was fairly conservative in my dress. It was the early 80's. Preppy was in.
Ugh...
As I said at the beginning, sometimes I wonder what my life had been like had my dad stayed put in our wonderful little house. Would I have continued to fit in? I remember once going to a party hosted by some of kids from the high school I would have attended had we not moved. I had an awesome time. I, well, I fit right in. I wasn't ignored. I wasn't teased. That was one of the nights I came home, begging my parents again, pleassssssse let me transfer schools.
The idea of a life "do-over" may not be possible, but if it is, in some cosmic way, I would sure like the chance. While I obviously have no desire to repeat my childhood as it was, I would like the chance to do it over, my way, in a way that suits my needs, with the knowledge I have today coupled with that childlike innocence.
If that were possible, would you do it? How do you think your life would look? What would you do differently? I'll post my thoughts on that at a later time.
True Hero's: Israeli Soldiers Object To Slaughtering Innocent Civilians
This is the way we end wars that serve no one but fascist empires. Soldiers who can still think for themselves refusing to participate in genocide, refusing to fight the battles of their leaders. Bravo to these young men!
Bill To Abolish The 22nd Amendment
President For Life To Become A Possibility?
"Representative Jose Serrano (D) has introduced a bill in the House to abolish the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two consecutive terms or ten years in office."
The obvious: If we had a true democracy and a government of and for the people, we wouldn't need such an amendment. And yet of course even with such an amendment, that doesn't protect us from the criminal element that's taken its stranglehold on our government these past 40 plus years. That being said, given the current climate, abolishing this would open the door to further corruption. Does the term Dictatorship ring those bells of caution in anyone's mind?
Interesting it is to me that earlier today on CNN, a couple of media pundits were comparing Obama to FDR. It isn't the first time I've heard such a comparison. And lookie what little bit of history is mentioned in the article:
"Until 1951, there was nothing preventing a president from seeing election for more than two terms. But all presidents prior to Franklin Delano Roosevelt honored a tradition begun by George Washington and served only two consecutive terms. Roosevelt stood for election for an unprecedented third term at the dawn of World War II and was elected to a fourth, only to die in office within months of his inauguration. He is the only American president to serve more than two terms."
Were these media folks referring to the potential reality of Obama become a 3 term and beyond President? Who knows. Given the national Obama mania, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to discover a herd of Obama supporters, both in the public and private sector, to applaud the abolishment of this particular amendment.
"Representative Jose Serrano (D) has introduced a bill in the House to abolish the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two consecutive terms or ten years in office."
The obvious: If we had a true democracy and a government of and for the people, we wouldn't need such an amendment. And yet of course even with such an amendment, that doesn't protect us from the criminal element that's taken its stranglehold on our government these past 40 plus years. That being said, given the current climate, abolishing this would open the door to further corruption. Does the term Dictatorship ring those bells of caution in anyone's mind?
Interesting it is to me that earlier today on CNN, a couple of media pundits were comparing Obama to FDR. It isn't the first time I've heard such a comparison. And lookie what little bit of history is mentioned in the article:
"Until 1951, there was nothing preventing a president from seeing election for more than two terms. But all presidents prior to Franklin Delano Roosevelt honored a tradition begun by George Washington and served only two consecutive terms. Roosevelt stood for election for an unprecedented third term at the dawn of World War II and was elected to a fourth, only to die in office within months of his inauguration. He is the only American president to serve more than two terms."
Were these media folks referring to the potential reality of Obama become a 3 term and beyond President? Who knows. Given the national Obama mania, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to discover a herd of Obama supporters, both in the public and private sector, to applaud the abolishment of this particular amendment.
Ovestimulation! Is Society Becoming Louder?
I've noticed this trend when visiting stores that the music, which used to be (and is supposed to be) for background purposes only, has become louder. Certainly stereo systems are designed to be louder than ever. Commercials have become louder. And those ridiculous ipod's and other mini-stereo gadgets that have addicted the masses to tuning out their surrounding environment whilst ensuring they damage their precious gift of hearing are only adding to the masses becoming used to unhealthy levels of noise.
Need I even talk about the lighting in stores, too? Those god-awful fluorescent lights that blind the eyes, numb the brain and overwhelm the senses. Add in the loud music and you have created an environment that is simply too stimulating for the brain to process all of that external noise and sight pollution.
I took my little pooch to the park today. The sun was shining, there were no other visitors at the park. The birds were singing their tunes. All was well. That is until the street sweeper decided to pass by. I've never stood near one of those things. Loud doesn't describe the noise. Overwhelming strikes of obnoxious buzzing at frequencies not designed to be taken in by the brain without some sort of negative effect. I ended up plugging my ears. It that wasn't enough, the guy decided to back up, which added in that annoying "beep beep beep", ringing at decibels again that are not healthy or conducive to normal hearing.
Once the street sweeper exited, someone drove past with their stereo playing very loudly. After that, the lovely sounds of low frequency thumping pass was heard coming out of another vehicle.
The overstimulation instinct kicked in and I simply had to cover my ears and scream "ENOUGH!!!!"
By this time, pooch was getting tired and wanted to go home. However, a couple of children had arrived with an adult and were playing on the swings, their joyous squeals and laughter a much welcome sound to the senses. I realized for the moment, all was well again. I could hear the birds squawking and whistling again. Natural sounds.
We stayed for awhile longer, just to take it all in.
Need I even talk about the lighting in stores, too? Those god-awful fluorescent lights that blind the eyes, numb the brain and overwhelm the senses. Add in the loud music and you have created an environment that is simply too stimulating for the brain to process all of that external noise and sight pollution.
I took my little pooch to the park today. The sun was shining, there were no other visitors at the park. The birds were singing their tunes. All was well. That is until the street sweeper decided to pass by. I've never stood near one of those things. Loud doesn't describe the noise. Overwhelming strikes of obnoxious buzzing at frequencies not designed to be taken in by the brain without some sort of negative effect. I ended up plugging my ears. It that wasn't enough, the guy decided to back up, which added in that annoying "beep beep beep", ringing at decibels again that are not healthy or conducive to normal hearing.
Once the street sweeper exited, someone drove past with their stereo playing very loudly. After that, the lovely sounds of low frequency thumping pass was heard coming out of another vehicle.
The overstimulation instinct kicked in and I simply had to cover my ears and scream "ENOUGH!!!!"
By this time, pooch was getting tired and wanted to go home. However, a couple of children had arrived with an adult and were playing on the swings, their joyous squeals and laughter a much welcome sound to the senses. I realized for the moment, all was well again. I could hear the birds squawking and whistling again. Natural sounds.
We stayed for awhile longer, just to take it all in.
1.13.2009
Christian Movement Creates Another Stranglehold On The Nation And Our Constitution.
That's it. Insanity has officially wiped out what's left of sanity...
Taken from "Reader's Digest":
"Texas legislators have cleared the way for schools to teach-not preach-the bible, especially how it has influenced art, literature and history. By fall of 2009, all Texas high schools must [you read that correctly peeps- must] teach a Bible-based curriculum in English or social studies courses or in a separate elective. Since that state holds sway over many textbook publishers, look for the trend to spread nationwide."
Obvious points:
1) This is blatantly, glaringly unconstitutional. Separation of church and state. P E R I O D
2) Interesting choice of words: "teach" rather than "not preach". Like hell. This opens the box wide open for teachers TO preach. And I want to know who is going to be in those classrooms to ensure there is no preaching. ?? Who determines what is teaching and what is preaching? Too damn fuzzy of an area to even be considered an acceptable part of a curriculum. (Of course the obvious states this has been a planned agenda to further create tensions between Muslims and Christians. Keep the brainwashing going to help serve the Agenda.)
3) Another interesting choice of words. "Must". Fucking draconian bullshit.
4) "Look for the trend to spread nationwide." Sigh. Just one more reason to get the farm fuck out of this country. It isn't America, land of opportunity anymore. It's the land of opportunists who have used and abused the laws, the constitution and the people, most particularly at the bottom, laughing their way to the banks, both on and off-shore.
Look for protests, most particularly out west and on the eastern seaboard, if this does indeed become a nationwide trend. And of course look for court challenges as well. I'm sure Bushie boy is tickled pink and thanking the twisted "gods" who speak to his brain and told him to nominate right leaning conservative justices.
Taken from "Reader's Digest":
"Texas legislators have cleared the way for schools to teach-not preach-the bible, especially how it has influenced art, literature and history. By fall of 2009, all Texas high schools must [you read that correctly peeps- must] teach a Bible-based curriculum in English or social studies courses or in a separate elective. Since that state holds sway over many textbook publishers, look for the trend to spread nationwide."
Obvious points:
1) This is blatantly, glaringly unconstitutional. Separation of church and state. P E R I O D
2) Interesting choice of words: "teach" rather than "not preach". Like hell. This opens the box wide open for teachers TO preach. And I want to know who is going to be in those classrooms to ensure there is no preaching. ?? Who determines what is teaching and what is preaching? Too damn fuzzy of an area to even be considered an acceptable part of a curriculum. (Of course the obvious states this has been a planned agenda to further create tensions between Muslims and Christians. Keep the brainwashing going to help serve the Agenda.)
3) Another interesting choice of words. "Must". Fucking draconian bullshit.
4) "Look for the trend to spread nationwide." Sigh. Just one more reason to get the farm fuck out of this country. It isn't America, land of opportunity anymore. It's the land of opportunists who have used and abused the laws, the constitution and the people, most particularly at the bottom, laughing their way to the banks, both on and off-shore.
Look for protests, most particularly out west and on the eastern seaboard, if this does indeed become a nationwide trend. And of course look for court challenges as well. I'm sure Bushie boy is tickled pink and thanking the twisted "gods" who speak to his brain and told him to nominate right leaning conservative justices.
1.12.2009
In The Words of John Lennon
While reading another blog post about the System of Control (my words) and breaking free from it, "Instant Karma" came on my walkman. Yes, I said my walkman. I don't own an IPOD. Nor do I own a Blackberry (it was weeks before I even ventured to determine just what that was--and I'm still not actually sure just what it is and what it does but that's ok I don't wish to know). And as some of my more long-term readers know, I also do not own a cell phone. About the only new high-techie stuff we own is my digital keyboard and our high def television. If Mr. N would let me, I'd trade that in for the older versions of the 1960's and 70's that weren't made from cheap plastic.
So I digress.
John was singing and suddenly I felt my entire body begin to "pop". When I feel I am in tune with that other dimension and when I am in tune with my truest form, I "pop". I feel tingly all over, sort of like having that sensation we had as kids when we would eat pop rocks. Only this doesn't make your jaw ache. I know when I experience this, I am to just stop whatever I am doing and beeeeeeee.
I have a feeling the energy that was/is John is going a bit nuts. Get the message! Get the message! I felt. You're all connected. We're all connected. We go on forever. We're amazing beings with equally amazing potential. Wake up to that knowing. This change can happen now. This knowing can happen in an instant. The struggle is in remembering.
I believe the desire to love is stronger than the desire to fear and hate. I believe there are oh so many more of us who authentically desire love.
Let the crazymakers do as they will.
Give love. Ask for love. Receive it. Look for it. It will find you.
I think that's my "get it" message for today. Love will find it's way to you. To me.
So I digress.
John was singing and suddenly I felt my entire body begin to "pop". When I feel I am in tune with that other dimension and when I am in tune with my truest form, I "pop". I feel tingly all over, sort of like having that sensation we had as kids when we would eat pop rocks. Only this doesn't make your jaw ache. I know when I experience this, I am to just stop whatever I am doing and beeeeeeee.
I have a feeling the energy that was/is John is going a bit nuts. Get the message! Get the message! I felt. You're all connected. We're all connected. We go on forever. We're amazing beings with equally amazing potential. Wake up to that knowing. This change can happen now. This knowing can happen in an instant. The struggle is in remembering.
I believe the desire to love is stronger than the desire to fear and hate. I believe there are oh so many more of us who authentically desire love.
Let the crazymakers do as they will.
Give love. Ask for love. Receive it. Look for it. It will find you.
I think that's my "get it" message for today. Love will find it's way to you. To me.
1.10.2009
Joe The Plumber Becomes Joe The War Correspondent
Well folks, just when we thought life on this planet couldn't get any more insane, it has. Samuel Wurzelbacher (aka Joe The Plumber) has been hired by a website media outlet (conservative outlet pjtv.com) as a War Correspondent over in Israel.
So let me get this straight. Let me understand what is required for this job.
Journalism experience?
Nope.
Knowledge of Foreign Policy?
Nope.
Knowledge of the history of the region you will be covering?
Nope.
Know how to fix a leaky toilet?
Yep.
I first heard about this last night on The Daily Show. When asked if he fears for his safety, Joe had a brilliant answer (paraphrased):
"As a Christian, I know God will be on my side."
As Jon Stewart (jokingly) said (paraphrased): "Hey Joe, make sure you say that a LOT when you're over in the area."
What's next?
Joe Six-Pack to become White House Press Secretary?
Jane Soccer Mom, wife of Joe Six-Pack, to become UN Ambassador to Pakistan?
Susie and Johnnie, daughter and son of Jane and Joe, to become House Minority Leaders?
Somebody
please
stop
this
insanity!!!!!!!
So let me get this straight. Let me understand what is required for this job.
Journalism experience?
Nope.
Knowledge of Foreign Policy?
Nope.
Knowledge of the history of the region you will be covering?
Nope.
Know how to fix a leaky toilet?
Yep.
I first heard about this last night on The Daily Show. When asked if he fears for his safety, Joe had a brilliant answer (paraphrased):
"As a Christian, I know God will be on my side."
As Jon Stewart (jokingly) said (paraphrased): "Hey Joe, make sure you say that a LOT when you're over in the area."
What's next?
Joe Six-Pack to become White House Press Secretary?
Jane Soccer Mom, wife of Joe Six-Pack, to become UN Ambassador to Pakistan?
Susie and Johnnie, daughter and son of Jane and Joe, to become House Minority Leaders?
Somebody
please
stop
this
insanity!!!!!!!
1.09.2009
Help Write Obama's Inaugural Speech
If you've ever wanted to be a presidential speechwriter, now's your chance:
Go to the address below to collaborate with Washington, Lincoln, JFK—as well as other Slate readers—to write this year’s Inaugural Address.
http://www.mixedink.com/Slate/InauguralAddress/
I received this in my e-mail box a few days back. Honest and for truly the website above is giving people the chance to help write the inaugural speech. Really and for true! Write something beautiful and brilliant and maybe, just maybe, Obama will be inspired to use it. Afterall, he is the "CHANGE" we've all been seeking, right? Oh, ok, so he's appointing Washington Insider Puppetheads. But who cares? All of that "Change" mantra sunk in our psyche's to such a level that we still believe, right?
Of course it's all tongue and cheek given these speeches are written well in advance and any deviation away can get an individual in trouble with the PTB. But hey, it could be a fun activity to compose your own speech. Hmmm now that I think of it, I'm inspired to do just that. But what would I want the man to say? What little scene is playing out in my mind as I type this....
I wonder......
Hmmmm.........
January 20, 2009
Our New President's Speech
(inspired by the movie Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange)
"My fellow Americans:
"I stand before you today, proud and humbled. Proud to accept your nomination as Commander In Chief, President of the United States of America."
pause for applause
"Proud to be a Citizen of the Greatest Country On Planet Earth."
pause for more applause
"And proud to know I step into the shoes of the Greatest Leaders this world has ever known."
pause for applause and yet also prepare for some hissing and thrown fruit
"And yet, I am also humbled. Deeply, deeply, deeply humbled to have this opportunity to serve this Great Nation as the Highest Leader. Deeply humbled to be standing before all of you who have been so supportive of me and my family these past two years. And perhaps most importantly, even more deeply humbled to know you have put your trust in me to step into this position at this most historic time in history."
assuming people are still paying attention, pause for some applause
"And yet my Fellow Americans, this day is not about fanfare and celebration. This day is about taking this country in a new direction. It is about tearing down the walls that we have erected, walls that divide us, young and old, male and female, republican, democrat and independent, rich and poor. It is about restoring this government to a place where the virtues of honesty and integrity are again echoed in the halls of Congress and the Oval Office, exercised in the behaviors of our political and business leaders, and embraced by each and every American, embraced because they know their leaders extole once again such virtues."
this will wake up the crowd again. pause for more applause
"And as such, I would like to take this opportunity to be honest with you. For you see"
unbotton jacket
"I am not just an african-american."
loosen tie
"I am not just a man."
unbotton shirt, revealing bra
"I am a man-in-becoming."
remove shirt
"For you see, I wasn't born Barrack Hussein Obama."
remove bra
"I was born..."
fling bra into the crowd
"Barbara Emira Obama!!"
smile brilliantly
"And with another surgery and continuining hormone treatments, by months end I WILL BE a fully fledged man!"
look over at Hillary and wink. This prompts her to run to the stage screaming
"I'm A Lesbian! I'm A Lesbian! Great God Almighty, let the truth be known I AM A LESBIAN!"
This act of courage prompts Dick Cheney to run to the stage with his own little revelation
"I'm The Dark Lord! I'm The Dark Lord! Great Satan Almighty I have no soul. Let the truth be known I AM THE DARK LORD!"
As if a chain reaction is taking place, Nanci Pelosi feels inspired to get in on the action
"I'm a fake! I'm a fake! I don't give a shit about any of you! I take your money and I spend it on ME like, take for example, this ridiculous haircut and on my housecleaners who, by the way, I DO NOT TIP AND I DO NOT CARE!"
This inspires 95% of Congress to run up on stage, chanting
"Ditto! US TOO! We're all fakes! We're all fakes! We don't like you! Don't care about you! Hell we don't really even WANT to represent you! But we do because the perks are UNBELIEVABLE!"
By this time a massive hysteria has enveloped the crowd (and in some places, orgies, which catch the eye of Bill Clinton). And yet meanwhile, back at home on a little ranch in Crawford, Texas, a bumpkin watches the scene unfold and has the following words to say:
"Well I'll be damn. Them weather forecasters called for light drizzle and there ain't a cloud in the sky. But that Obama, he sure does have a pretty smile don't he?"
Grumbles: "Lucky SOB got to walk. I had to be escorted in a damn limo by the Secret Service." (uses a mocking tone when saying "secret service")
Looks over his shoulder and calls:
"Hey Laura, bring me a Coors from the box and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich will ya?"
Go to the address below to collaborate with Washington, Lincoln, JFK—as well as other Slate readers—to write this year’s Inaugural Address.
http://www.mixedink.com/Slate/InauguralAddress/
I received this in my e-mail box a few days back. Honest and for truly the website above is giving people the chance to help write the inaugural speech. Really and for true! Write something beautiful and brilliant and maybe, just maybe, Obama will be inspired to use it. Afterall, he is the "CHANGE" we've all been seeking, right? Oh, ok, so he's appointing Washington Insider Puppetheads. But who cares? All of that "Change" mantra sunk in our psyche's to such a level that we still believe, right?
Of course it's all tongue and cheek given these speeches are written well in advance and any deviation away can get an individual in trouble with the PTB. But hey, it could be a fun activity to compose your own speech. Hmmm now that I think of it, I'm inspired to do just that. But what would I want the man to say? What little scene is playing out in my mind as I type this....
I wonder......
Hmmmm.........
January 20, 2009
Our New President's Speech
(inspired by the movie Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange)
"My fellow Americans:
"I stand before you today, proud and humbled. Proud to accept your nomination as Commander In Chief, President of the United States of America."
"Proud to be a Citizen of the Greatest Country On Planet Earth."
"And proud to know I step into the shoes of the Greatest Leaders this world has ever known."
"And yet, I am also humbled. Deeply, deeply, deeply humbled to have this opportunity to serve this Great Nation as the Highest Leader. Deeply humbled to be standing before all of you who have been so supportive of me and my family these past two years. And perhaps most importantly, even more deeply humbled to know you have put your trust in me to step into this position at this most historic time in history."
"And yet my Fellow Americans, this day is not about fanfare and celebration. This day is about taking this country in a new direction. It is about tearing down the walls that we have erected, walls that divide us, young and old, male and female, republican, democrat and independent, rich and poor. It is about restoring this government to a place where the virtues of honesty and integrity are again echoed in the halls of Congress and the Oval Office, exercised in the behaviors of our political and business leaders, and embraced by each and every American, embraced because they know their leaders extole once again such virtues."
"And as such, I would like to take this opportunity to be honest with you. For you see"
"I am not just an african-american."
"I am not just a man."
"I am a man-in-becoming."
"For you see, I wasn't born Barrack Hussein Obama."
"I was born..."
"Barbara Emira Obama!!"
"And with another surgery and continuining hormone treatments, by months end I WILL BE a fully fledged man!"
"I'm The Dark Lord! I'm The Dark Lord! Great Satan Almighty I have no soul. Let the truth be known I AM THE DARK LORD!"
"I'm a fake! I'm a fake! I don't give a shit about any of you! I take your money and I spend it on ME like, take for example, this ridiculous haircut and on my housecleaners who, by the way, I DO NOT TIP AND I DO NOT CARE!"
"Ditto! US TOO! We're all fakes! We're all fakes! We don't like you! Don't care about you! Hell we don't really even WANT to represent you! But we do because the perks are UNBELIEVABLE!"
By this time a massive hysteria has enveloped the crowd (and in some places, orgies, which catch the eye of Bill Clinton). And yet meanwhile, back at home on a little ranch in Crawford, Texas, a bumpkin watches the scene unfold and has the following words to say:
"Well I'll be damn. Them weather forecasters called for light drizzle and there ain't a cloud in the sky. But that Obama, he sure does have a pretty smile don't he?"
Grumbles: "Lucky SOB got to walk. I had to be escorted in a damn limo by the Secret Service." (uses a mocking tone when saying "secret service")
Looks over his shoulder and calls:
"Hey Laura, bring me a Coors from the box and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich will ya?"
"Stripping" Takes On New Meaning In Today's Economy
Owners faced with foreclosure strip the house of everything but the kitchen sink.
And even sometimes the kitchen sink is included.
"Jack O’Leary has seen foreclosed homes where ex-owners put paint on the carpets, anti-bank graffiti on the walls or took everything but the kitchen sink - then stole that, too.
“I’ve gone into houses where the light fixtures are gone, the toilets are gone, the kitchen is gone. And when I say ‘gone,’ we’re talking stripped down to the bare walls,” said O’Leary, a Brockton Re/Max real estate agent who specializes in foreclosed homes."
Can't say as though I blame these folks. If some greedy bank came after my home because I was unable to pay the mortgage dollars (dollars that only exist on some damn computer screen), I'd take everything from the house I could.
Want to solve this mess? Get the banks out of the housing business and return to the days when people would homestead. Eliminate the scam 15-30 year interest bearing mortgage program. Government allocates folks a plot of land and said people, with the help of others in their particular communities, develop the land as they see fit. But this is obviously a pipe dream. Too bad as this "stripping" business seems to be on the rise.
Florida.
Arizona.
Woodbridge, VA.
And even sometimes the kitchen sink is included.
"Jack O’Leary has seen foreclosed homes where ex-owners put paint on the carpets, anti-bank graffiti on the walls or took everything but the kitchen sink - then stole that, too.
“I’ve gone into houses where the light fixtures are gone, the toilets are gone, the kitchen is gone. And when I say ‘gone,’ we’re talking stripped down to the bare walls,” said O’Leary, a Brockton Re/Max real estate agent who specializes in foreclosed homes."
Can't say as though I blame these folks. If some greedy bank came after my home because I was unable to pay the mortgage dollars (dollars that only exist on some damn computer screen), I'd take everything from the house I could.
Want to solve this mess? Get the banks out of the housing business and return to the days when people would homestead. Eliminate the scam 15-30 year interest bearing mortgage program. Government allocates folks a plot of land and said people, with the help of others in their particular communities, develop the land as they see fit. But this is obviously a pipe dream. Too bad as this "stripping" business seems to be on the rise.
Florida.
Arizona.
Woodbridge, VA.
1.08.2009
Sometimes I wonder...
I saw a little baby in the store today. Male. Probably 3-4 months old. Beautiful. Precious. Inquisitive.
Adorable.
Everything in me wanted to hold it. Give me something.........SOMETHING innocent and not yet corrupt to hold. Let me drink in that pure energy. Let me bask in it. My heart, my soul, needs it oh so desperately.
Then something made me ask: Why did this soul come here?
Then I also had the follow up thought: Why on earth would anyone bring another child into this world?
Probably because of that little quirk within us all called "hope". Hope that little baby will remember his true nature and will help continue the trend to wake up the masses. Hope that maybe by bringing into this world a bit of light that will put yet another dent in some of that darkness.
I don't know. I can only hope that child doesn't have to experience that slap-in-the-face "sorry idealism and new ideas are out tow the line or else" bullshit so many of us have experienced far too often. Or if he does, I hope he has a solid support system around him to offer a safe place during such times.
Or maybe his parents have their heads in the sand and think the system is just grand because they've found a way to make it and they own that little home in the subarbs and have good paying jobs and have health insurance and all of that crap and as such maybe they'll just spit out another puppet.
I hope not.
But sometimes I wonder...
Adorable.
Everything in me wanted to hold it. Give me something.........SOMETHING innocent and not yet corrupt to hold. Let me drink in that pure energy. Let me bask in it. My heart, my soul, needs it oh so desperately.
Then something made me ask: Why did this soul come here?
Then I also had the follow up thought: Why on earth would anyone bring another child into this world?
Probably because of that little quirk within us all called "hope". Hope that little baby will remember his true nature and will help continue the trend to wake up the masses. Hope that maybe by bringing into this world a bit of light that will put yet another dent in some of that darkness.
I don't know. I can only hope that child doesn't have to experience that slap-in-the-face "sorry idealism and new ideas are out tow the line or else" bullshit so many of us have experienced far too often. Or if he does, I hope he has a solid support system around him to offer a safe place during such times.
Or maybe his parents have their heads in the sand and think the system is just grand because they've found a way to make it and they own that little home in the subarbs and have good paying jobs and have health insurance and all of that crap and as such maybe they'll just spit out another puppet.
I hope not.
But sometimes I wonder...
Madness.
"All this madness, around me.
Makes me question, my own sanity."
(c) 2007, Arching Rainbows
I remember when I was into the new age crap years ago...being told to take a detached p.o.v. when looking at the chaos of the world. "Everything is happening for a reason," I was told. "There's a divine plan at work." And my favorite, "You don't know what the person's soul contracts/personal plan is" spoken when I felt the need to help, to do something. All of this was a way of saying: "I can't handle what's going on so I am going to make up a bunch of flowery bullshit to avoid speaking out for those who can't speak for themselves."
Instead I'm going to write a book about this flowery crap, make a lot of money after going on Oprah, then sitting on my fat ass for the rest of my life as I detach myself from the injustice all around me.
While I know it's important to watch what I take in, I also know I am unable to take a detached position on anything I deem to be injust. I believe within us all is the need to "DO SOMETHING" when we see such acts. That instinct is there for a reason, only we allow religious bullshit, apathy, depression, fear and other emotional states to silence us.
There's so much of this madness going on right now, in particular with the genocide taking place on the Palestine people by the Israeli's. Now granted Hamas has seemed to lost its way and has become just another terrorist group in that it has no regard for human life, that does not justify the actions of Israel any way shape or form. You don't take by force ANYTHING from another individual or group of individuals.
This has nothing to do with the Jewish people, but rather a movement spawned by Zionism whose followers believe Israel to be God's Chosen Land and the citizens of Israel, God's Chosen People. The particular plot of resides in Palestine. One needn't be Jewish to be a Zionist. Just corrupt, greedy, power hungry, utterly blinded by religious falsehoods and most of all, with no concern for human life. Although I realize this is one such explanation, I have an inner confidence that, at its core, religious belief has nothing to do with this theft of land and way of life.
The wisespread level of support by folks creates that level of madness within. Makes me question my own sanity, like the long lyrics mention. You know the concept. Such support receives the most accolades while the words of myself and those like-minded are considered crazy and conspiratorial.
WTF?
On the flip side, there are those who support the Palestine people. Most are well meaning but some are as equally fucked up as the Zionists.
I mean come on now. How is peace ever going to be created when Zionists scream "death to the arabs" and Arabs scream "death to the jews"? Personally I'd like to see both sides engaging in the violence, doing the actual fighting, take their shit away from the people. Let the people live in peace. You have an issue with your neighbor? Take up the cause yourself. Quit drawing in other's to further the violence.
Let's create a vacuum in space to send such folks. Can't work out your conflicts peacefully? Can't work them out so that you don't infringe on the freedoms of others? Off to the vacuum of conflict resolution. Won't resolve it without using violent means? Well guess what my little friend. You've suddenly become food for the Universe.
Let's recreate the military. Let's train and use these folks to help out those who are suffering, who are in need of help. Natural disasters. Poverty. Hunger. Let's put them to work cleaning up the environment we've polluted (and tossing the corporations like Walmart, et al who have gotten away with on-going polluting practices into that space vacuum). No more need to fight. For if one government decides to invade another nation, it's an automatic toss into the space vacuum to work it out. A Universal time-out.
Yeah, a crazy idea for sure. But only crazy to those too ignorant to think for themselves and too lazy to care. All of which only serves to fuel the madness.
Yep.
Madness all around me. Madness all around you.
Makes me long for more of those beautiful Arching Rainbows.
Makes me question, my own sanity."
(c) 2007, Arching Rainbows
I remember when I was into the new age crap years ago...being told to take a detached p.o.v. when looking at the chaos of the world. "Everything is happening for a reason," I was told. "There's a divine plan at work." And my favorite, "You don't know what the person's soul contracts/personal plan is" spoken when I felt the need to help, to do something. All of this was a way of saying: "I can't handle what's going on so I am going to make up a bunch of flowery bullshit to avoid speaking out for those who can't speak for themselves."
Instead I'm going to write a book about this flowery crap, make a lot of money after going on Oprah, then sitting on my fat ass for the rest of my life as I detach myself from the injustice all around me.
While I know it's important to watch what I take in, I also know I am unable to take a detached position on anything I deem to be injust. I believe within us all is the need to "DO SOMETHING" when we see such acts. That instinct is there for a reason, only we allow religious bullshit, apathy, depression, fear and other emotional states to silence us.
There's so much of this madness going on right now, in particular with the genocide taking place on the Palestine people by the Israeli's. Now granted Hamas has seemed to lost its way and has become just another terrorist group in that it has no regard for human life, that does not justify the actions of Israel any way shape or form. You don't take by force ANYTHING from another individual or group of individuals.
This has nothing to do with the Jewish people, but rather a movement spawned by Zionism whose followers believe Israel to be God's Chosen Land and the citizens of Israel, God's Chosen People. The particular plot of resides in Palestine. One needn't be Jewish to be a Zionist. Just corrupt, greedy, power hungry, utterly blinded by religious falsehoods and most of all, with no concern for human life. Although I realize this is one such explanation, I have an inner confidence that, at its core, religious belief has nothing to do with this theft of land and way of life.
The wisespread level of support by folks creates that level of madness within. Makes me question my own sanity, like the long lyrics mention. You know the concept. Such support receives the most accolades while the words of myself and those like-minded are considered crazy and conspiratorial.
WTF?
On the flip side, there are those who support the Palestine people. Most are well meaning but some are as equally fucked up as the Zionists.
I mean come on now. How is peace ever going to be created when Zionists scream "death to the arabs" and Arabs scream "death to the jews"? Personally I'd like to see both sides engaging in the violence, doing the actual fighting, take their shit away from the people. Let the people live in peace. You have an issue with your neighbor? Take up the cause yourself. Quit drawing in other's to further the violence.
Let's create a vacuum in space to send such folks. Can't work out your conflicts peacefully? Can't work them out so that you don't infringe on the freedoms of others? Off to the vacuum of conflict resolution. Won't resolve it without using violent means? Well guess what my little friend. You've suddenly become food for the Universe.
Let's recreate the military. Let's train and use these folks to help out those who are suffering, who are in need of help. Natural disasters. Poverty. Hunger. Let's put them to work cleaning up the environment we've polluted (and tossing the corporations like Walmart, et al who have gotten away with on-going polluting practices into that space vacuum). No more need to fight. For if one government decides to invade another nation, it's an automatic toss into the space vacuum to work it out. A Universal time-out.
Yeah, a crazy idea for sure. But only crazy to those too ignorant to think for themselves and too lazy to care. All of which only serves to fuel the madness.
Yep.
Madness all around me. Madness all around you.
Makes me long for more of those beautiful Arching Rainbows.
1.03.2009
Prophesy. Intuitive Knowings. And Yellowstone.
I've been known to have intuitive knowings on things, either while awake or asleep. For example, the day before 9/11, while sending out a fax at work, I looked at a calendar to confirm the date. I saw where the next day was 9/11 and immediately had the thought "something awful is going to happen tomorrow and there's nothing you can do to stop it". When Laci Peterson went missing, I had a dream where I saw how she was murdered and where her body was. Both turned out to be true. When the space shuttle crashed in Texas, I had a dream that morning where something crashed in an open field and there were people running around everywhere, debris and fresh smoke all over the place. My spouse woke me up just as I was having this dream, saying "honey something's happened! wake up there's been a crash!" Most recently a friend of ours invited us to a local spaghetti feed. Something told me "no, stomachache". Our friend went without us and he ended up having terrible stomach pains for days afterwards.
Today I am recalling a dream I had back in 2004. It was powerful and something within has encouraged me to remember it. I was in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, driving northward to pick up my brother and his family in the Portland area. At the time they were living in Seattle so I thought it odd I would be getting them in Portland. I also remembering worrying about my mom and knew she was living in the Portland area, too. At the time, she was living in eastern Oregon. Something told me she was ok, though and not to worry about having to get her too. So again, my mind thought all of this was rather odd. As we got closer to Portland, near Oregon City to be precise, I could see the Willamette River was filling with lava and mud. There were large tree's swirling around as well. Suddenly I knew: somewhere there had been a massive volcano. At the time I thought it may have been Mt. Rainier. I had the urge to get out of the area ASAP. After picking up my brother and his family, we barely made it over a bridge to safety before it was to be wiped out by the lava and mud flow.
Since that time, my brother and his family have moved to Portland. And so has my mom. Currently my mom is in another state on vacation for the next couple of months.
If this was a prophetic dream of some sort about Yellowstone, then I know she's safe given her location. Which would explain why, in the dream, I knew she would be ok. However, my brother and his family could be in danger.
Given Yellowstone has had over 400 eruptions since late December, making for very unusual circumstances, as described by seismologists and geologists, I have to wonder about the accuracy of my dream. Coincidence? I don't know. I wish I did though. It is something I will be paying very close attention to.
To see the projected territorial impact (with a 600 mile radius) if such an event were to occur, please visit http://www.piglipstick.blogspot.com/ fmi.
Today I am recalling a dream I had back in 2004. It was powerful and something within has encouraged me to remember it. I was in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, driving northward to pick up my brother and his family in the Portland area. At the time they were living in Seattle so I thought it odd I would be getting them in Portland. I also remembering worrying about my mom and knew she was living in the Portland area, too. At the time, she was living in eastern Oregon. Something told me she was ok, though and not to worry about having to get her too. So again, my mind thought all of this was rather odd. As we got closer to Portland, near Oregon City to be precise, I could see the Willamette River was filling with lava and mud. There were large tree's swirling around as well. Suddenly I knew: somewhere there had been a massive volcano. At the time I thought it may have been Mt. Rainier. I had the urge to get out of the area ASAP. After picking up my brother and his family, we barely made it over a bridge to safety before it was to be wiped out by the lava and mud flow.
Since that time, my brother and his family have moved to Portland. And so has my mom. Currently my mom is in another state on vacation for the next couple of months.
If this was a prophetic dream of some sort about Yellowstone, then I know she's safe given her location. Which would explain why, in the dream, I knew she would be ok. However, my brother and his family could be in danger.
Given Yellowstone has had over 400 eruptions since late December, making for very unusual circumstances, as described by seismologists and geologists, I have to wonder about the accuracy of my dream. Coincidence? I don't know. I wish I did though. It is something I will be paying very close attention to.
To see the projected territorial impact (with a 600 mile radius) if such an event were to occur, please visit http://www.piglipstick.blogspot.com/ fmi.
1.02.2009
Blog Visitors
Time once again to acknowledge a sampling of the folks who pass through this blog, this time over the past few days. As I typically do, I list the location and search engine keyword(s) that brought them here. Today's search proved to be very humorous on a couple of occasions. Without further ado....
1) Someone from Australia stopped by in search of a "new year's message".
2) A blogger from Asia found me by searching for one to "write us for pay". (I hope you found a paid writing gig. If you did, could you hook me up too?)
3) Along those lines, an individual from an unknown location wanted information on "pay nothing". Maybe it was the nemesis of the person from Asia.
4) Someone out of the UK typed in "aaawww" and found me. How cute is that?
5) A Brazil blogger was in search of "matrix phrases wake up Neo". (Keep up that matrix explorin'.)
6) Someone out of Illinois was in search of "chantix misleadings".
7) I've had several hits from people all over the country who are in search of information on "national collector's mint scam/fraud".
8) Along those lines, I continue to receive daily hits, again from all over the country, from folks googling "Kip Schoning." Perhaps he should go to work for the National Collector's Mint.
And now for the finale, the final two, the searches that had me laughing out loud:
9) Someone from the UK was seemingly quite desperate in their need for information on a "dribbling wheezy sleepy baby".
10) And last but not least, a Kentucky blogger found me by typing the following mouthful: "what does it mean when a kitty meows when you pick it up and it also wont (sic) move."
While I am not a Veterinarian or an Animal Psychic, I do have a suggestion. Perhaps kitty has been partyin' it up with the baby from the UK.
1) Someone from Australia stopped by in search of a "new year's message".
2) A blogger from Asia found me by searching for one to "write us for pay". (I hope you found a paid writing gig. If you did, could you hook me up too?)
3) Along those lines, an individual from an unknown location wanted information on "pay nothing". Maybe it was the nemesis of the person from Asia.
4) Someone out of the UK typed in "aaawww" and found me. How cute is that?
5) A Brazil blogger was in search of "matrix phrases wake up Neo". (Keep up that matrix explorin'.)
6) Someone out of Illinois was in search of "chantix misleadings".
7) I've had several hits from people all over the country who are in search of information on "national collector's mint scam/fraud".
8) Along those lines, I continue to receive daily hits, again from all over the country, from folks googling "Kip Schoning." Perhaps he should go to work for the National Collector's Mint.
And now for the finale, the final two, the searches that had me laughing out loud:
9) Someone from the UK was seemingly quite desperate in their need for information on a "dribbling wheezy sleepy baby".
10) And last but not least, a Kentucky blogger found me by typing the following mouthful: "what does it mean when a kitty meows when you pick it up and it also wont (sic) move."
While I am not a Veterinarian or an Animal Psychic, I do have a suggestion. Perhaps kitty has been partyin' it up with the baby from the UK.
12.31.2008
A New Year's Message
How to sum up 2008: Up and down, courageous and fearful, belief and disbelief, hope and apathy.
As 2009 approaches, I think "it's just another day, really". I also think "it signals something new". This is the ONE DAY when every one of us marks the end of one year and welcomes in a new one in our own way. It is the one day where most of us are thinking about this past year and our hopes for something better, regardless of how we celebrate, if at all. Some have intentions for good, some have darker intentions. While I want to remain aware of those with less-than intentions, I also want to spit on them and their agenda. It's my life, my planet, too.
My focus is on answering the following question: What now? For myself and Mr. N, that means where do we live? How will we make a living? The old is simply that--old. The tried, no longer true. My other focus is on honing those skills that I already have while exploring new creative means of producing an income.
It is my wish for 2009 that we begin to work (and play) together to form ways of living that take the best of the System (technologically speaking primarily) and form small communities off the grid. Communities where everyone contributes what comes to them naturally, joyfully, easily.
For it is long past time to turn this nation of "Pottersville" back into "Bedford Falls".
A solid, peaceful, creative new year to all.
As 2009 approaches, I think "it's just another day, really". I also think "it signals something new". This is the ONE DAY when every one of us marks the end of one year and welcomes in a new one in our own way. It is the one day where most of us are thinking about this past year and our hopes for something better, regardless of how we celebrate, if at all. Some have intentions for good, some have darker intentions. While I want to remain aware of those with less-than intentions, I also want to spit on them and their agenda. It's my life, my planet, too.
My focus is on answering the following question: What now? For myself and Mr. N, that means where do we live? How will we make a living? The old is simply that--old. The tried, no longer true. My other focus is on honing those skills that I already have while exploring new creative means of producing an income.
It is my wish for 2009 that we begin to work (and play) together to form ways of living that take the best of the System (technologically speaking primarily) and form small communities off the grid. Communities where everyone contributes what comes to them naturally, joyfully, easily.
For it is long past time to turn this nation of "Pottersville" back into "Bedford Falls".
A solid, peaceful, creative new year to all.
12.29.2008
Movie Reviews
Okie kiddies, it's movie review time again. Here's a run-down of just some of the movies we've watched in recent weeks along with my comments and recommendations.
1) Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This is a quirky film about Peter, a songwriter/composer who lives with film and tv star Sarah Marshall. Sarah breaks up with Peter after a 5 year relationship and so he decides to take a vacation to Hawaii to help mend his broken heart. Unfortunately Peter chooses the same island and resort that Sarah has also decided to visit. Putting the obviously ridiculous coincidence aside, this is a funny little film. It drags a bit in the middle (as many films do) and the ending is predictable. However, there are both funny and odd moments in the film that kept our interest, like the surfing instructor who lays out the same line to all who visit his stand, and some of the moments with customer service employees at the hotel who take pity on Peter. Then there's the very comedic crying scenes of Peter and his lonely cereal bowl moments. And then there's Sarah's new love interest, british rocker Aldous, whose huge ego and blatant self-centeredness coupled with his "love and peace my dear friend" complexity make him quite funny. His ability to stay calm in all situations only adds to his character. And one last little addition: there's nudity in the film, only it isn't female nudity. It's the male this time. Front and back (or as Mr. N pointed out "they showed his penis THREE TIMES"). Quite refreshing when we're so bombarded with female butts and boobs in most films.
2) Definitely, Maybe. This stars Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) as Maya, a young girl whose parents are going through a divorce. While visiting her father, she wants to know how her parents met and how many other girls he dated. (In one scene, she asks her dad, who has just told her about 3 women he slept with prior to marriage, "Dad, what's the male word for slut?" Dad comes back with "They haven't come up with a name yet.") Much of the film dives into dad's past, where Maya has decided to turn it into a game whereby she tries to guess which of the women he is talking about turns out to be her mother. A decent film to rent. Kind of smarmy in a disney sort of way in a few scenes, but overall it's a storyline that kept us wanting to know who the mother is. And the obvious question: Will mom and dad's love for Maya be enough for them to stay together or is divorce inevitable?
3) A Streetcar Named Desire. Ok, so I probably don't need to write about this one or say whether I recommend it or not. If you haven't seen it, see it. If you have, see it again. It's a dark and disturbing look at love and obsession. With the acting brilliant, the black and white film providing the perfect mood (wish more films would opt for that) it's no wonder it's a classic. And for those who haven't seen it and are a Seinfeld fan AND you have wondered why Elaine yelled "Stellllllllaaaaaa" during the episode where she and Jerry went to Florida and she was looped up on pain pills, watch the movie and you will understand. And who cannot resist the young Marlon Brando and that amazing body. Those biceps. Y U M M Y. Although by the end you hate his character so much, he ain't so hot to look at.
4) Burn After Reading. Classified as a "dark comedy", this Coen brother's film (Fargo was another of their films) stars Brad Pitt as a bumbling/sweet gym dude, Frances McDermond as his co-worker and partner-in-crime and obsessed with getting plastic surgery, George Clooney as some married Department of Treasury employee obsessed with sex and discreet affairs and John Malcovich as recently ousted CIA operative whose wife is having an affair with Clooney. Upon his termination/quitting (depending on how you look at it), Malcovich's character decides to pen his memoirs. His wife, thinking that filing for divorce will land her a permanent relationship with Clooney, secretly gathers her husband's financial records and somehow his memoirs end up on the CD. Thereafter, the CD ends up being accidentally left in the locker room of the gym where Pitt and McDermond work. Pitt thinks they're on to something top secret upon finding out the author of the records is Malcovich. He and McDermond cook up a plot to hold the CD for ransom and will return the information to Malcovich in exchange for $50,000. A series of mishaps soon follows. Part of their attempt at the big money includes going to the Russian Embassy, thinking the Russians would be interested in the top secret U.S. Intelligence information they assume is on the disc. This film really held my interest from the get-go. Brilliant comedy. And Pitt and McDermond are excellent together. I hadn't seen Pitt pull off a comedic role like this and I have to say, he was very very good at it. However, the dark really took over near the end with a gruesome murder scene and at that point, the humor dissipated and was replaced by violence. So I guess I am saying watch and enjoy 3/4 of the film but be prepared to watch the comedic element abruptly end and (possibly) prepare yourself to be turned off by the violence in the remaining scenes. Of course I realize some enjoy such films, so it may be to some people's liking. It just seemed to put on the brakes and go off in a whole new direction that didn't follow the energy of the film up until that point.
5) Tripping The Rift: The Movie. This is some CGI/animated flick that Mr. N chose. I watched maybe 10 minutes of it and was not entertained. I found the material stereotypically offensive in its juvenile-like references to sex and the world at large. Mr. N fast-forwarded through most of it and was equally as unimpressed. I would think this would suffice to the male/under 25 crowd. Likely with a lot of beer drinking going on to boot. Not impressed.
6) Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Another Frances Mcdermond film (she now tops my list of favorite actors). Set in 1930's (or so) London, Guinevere Pettigrew (Mcdermond) has once again lost another job as a governess. She seems to have difficulty in keeping her opinion to herself. In order to avoid homelessness, she plots her way into taking the job as a social secretary for an American actress, Delysia Lafosse, who despite being a bit flighty and holding a rather high opinion of herself, is nonetheless innocently good hearted, well-intentioned and likable. Never having worked as a social secretary before, Miss Pettigrew must deal with the competing love interests of Ms. Lafosse, help her keep her social and professional life in order and ensure Ms. Lafosse selects the best man. She pulls it all off beautifully, despite some real comedic mishaps and near-misses. She also finds herself faced with the possibility of finding love herself. A wonderful, refreshing, charming, comedic film with wonderful costumes and even more wonderful music (jazz and big band).
1) Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This is a quirky film about Peter, a songwriter/composer who lives with film and tv star Sarah Marshall. Sarah breaks up with Peter after a 5 year relationship and so he decides to take a vacation to Hawaii to help mend his broken heart. Unfortunately Peter chooses the same island and resort that Sarah has also decided to visit. Putting the obviously ridiculous coincidence aside, this is a funny little film. It drags a bit in the middle (as many films do) and the ending is predictable. However, there are both funny and odd moments in the film that kept our interest, like the surfing instructor who lays out the same line to all who visit his stand, and some of the moments with customer service employees at the hotel who take pity on Peter. Then there's the very comedic crying scenes of Peter and his lonely cereal bowl moments. And then there's Sarah's new love interest, british rocker Aldous, whose huge ego and blatant self-centeredness coupled with his "love and peace my dear friend" complexity make him quite funny. His ability to stay calm in all situations only adds to his character. And one last little addition: there's nudity in the film, only it isn't female nudity. It's the male this time. Front and back (or as Mr. N pointed out "they showed his penis THREE TIMES"). Quite refreshing when we're so bombarded with female butts and boobs in most films.
2) Definitely, Maybe. This stars Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) as Maya, a young girl whose parents are going through a divorce. While visiting her father, she wants to know how her parents met and how many other girls he dated. (In one scene, she asks her dad, who has just told her about 3 women he slept with prior to marriage, "Dad, what's the male word for slut?" Dad comes back with "They haven't come up with a name yet.") Much of the film dives into dad's past, where Maya has decided to turn it into a game whereby she tries to guess which of the women he is talking about turns out to be her mother. A decent film to rent. Kind of smarmy in a disney sort of way in a few scenes, but overall it's a storyline that kept us wanting to know who the mother is. And the obvious question: Will mom and dad's love for Maya be enough for them to stay together or is divorce inevitable?
3) A Streetcar Named Desire. Ok, so I probably don't need to write about this one or say whether I recommend it or not. If you haven't seen it, see it. If you have, see it again. It's a dark and disturbing look at love and obsession. With the acting brilliant, the black and white film providing the perfect mood (wish more films would opt for that) it's no wonder it's a classic. And for those who haven't seen it and are a Seinfeld fan AND you have wondered why Elaine yelled "Stellllllllaaaaaa" during the episode where she and Jerry went to Florida and she was looped up on pain pills, watch the movie and you will understand. And who cannot resist the young Marlon Brando and that amazing body. Those biceps. Y U M M Y. Although by the end you hate his character so much, he ain't so hot to look at.
4) Burn After Reading. Classified as a "dark comedy", this Coen brother's film (Fargo was another of their films) stars Brad Pitt as a bumbling/sweet gym dude, Frances McDermond as his co-worker and partner-in-crime and obsessed with getting plastic surgery, George Clooney as some married Department of Treasury employee obsessed with sex and discreet affairs and John Malcovich as recently ousted CIA operative whose wife is having an affair with Clooney. Upon his termination/quitting (depending on how you look at it), Malcovich's character decides to pen his memoirs. His wife, thinking that filing for divorce will land her a permanent relationship with Clooney, secretly gathers her husband's financial records and somehow his memoirs end up on the CD. Thereafter, the CD ends up being accidentally left in the locker room of the gym where Pitt and McDermond work. Pitt thinks they're on to something top secret upon finding out the author of the records is Malcovich. He and McDermond cook up a plot to hold the CD for ransom and will return the information to Malcovich in exchange for $50,000. A series of mishaps soon follows. Part of their attempt at the big money includes going to the Russian Embassy, thinking the Russians would be interested in the top secret U.S. Intelligence information they assume is on the disc. This film really held my interest from the get-go. Brilliant comedy. And Pitt and McDermond are excellent together. I hadn't seen Pitt pull off a comedic role like this and I have to say, he was very very good at it. However, the dark really took over near the end with a gruesome murder scene and at that point, the humor dissipated and was replaced by violence. So I guess I am saying watch and enjoy 3/4 of the film but be prepared to watch the comedic element abruptly end and (possibly) prepare yourself to be turned off by the violence in the remaining scenes. Of course I realize some enjoy such films, so it may be to some people's liking. It just seemed to put on the brakes and go off in a whole new direction that didn't follow the energy of the film up until that point.
5) Tripping The Rift: The Movie. This is some CGI/animated flick that Mr. N chose. I watched maybe 10 minutes of it and was not entertained. I found the material stereotypically offensive in its juvenile-like references to sex and the world at large. Mr. N fast-forwarded through most of it and was equally as unimpressed. I would think this would suffice to the male/under 25 crowd. Likely with a lot of beer drinking going on to boot. Not impressed.
6) Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Another Frances Mcdermond film (she now tops my list of favorite actors). Set in 1930's (or so) London, Guinevere Pettigrew (Mcdermond) has once again lost another job as a governess. She seems to have difficulty in keeping her opinion to herself. In order to avoid homelessness, she plots her way into taking the job as a social secretary for an American actress, Delysia Lafosse, who despite being a bit flighty and holding a rather high opinion of herself, is nonetheless innocently good hearted, well-intentioned and likable. Never having worked as a social secretary before, Miss Pettigrew must deal with the competing love interests of Ms. Lafosse, help her keep her social and professional life in order and ensure Ms. Lafosse selects the best man. She pulls it all off beautifully, despite some real comedic mishaps and near-misses. She also finds herself faced with the possibility of finding love herself. A wonderful, refreshing, charming, comedic film with wonderful costumes and even more wonderful music (jazz and big band).
12.27.2008
CFL Bulbs: Much Ado About Nothing
We had our first CFL bulb burn out. While it lasted for 3 years, I am not impressed with these things. I'm not falling for this game anymore. I'll give them away or sell the rest. Here's why I am doing so:
1) We replaced all but 2 lights in our house with these bulbs and we did not see our electric bill reduce in any way shape or form.
2) They take several minutes to fully turn themselves on.
3) The lighting is not that good. Fluorescent lighting is something I'm sensitive to to begin with. And that yellowish tint. Ugh.
4) How did we know it burned out? We smelled a strong burning stench and at first thought something was on fire. When Mr. N went to unscrew it, he about burned his hand. The base of the bulb was VERY HOT. 15 minutes later and it is still quite warm. It also had a yellowing mark around the base as though it had overheated.
Think we've ever had that experience with a good 'ole Thomas Edison bulb?
Nope.
Now that it's burned out, what do we do with it? I haven't a clue. I'm certainly not throwing it away. I want to recycle it. However, upon doing some digging, I discovered that only approximately 25% of cities are equipped to deal with recycling these bulbs. Insane considering this massive movement to get them in every home. Hopefully our local waste removal company is equipped to do just that.
We've replaced the bulb with the good old fashioned incadescent bulb. We will be stocking up on those and buying them on the black market once they are phased out.
These things are nothing but a scam, something I intuitively knew from the get-go, but I decided to try them out anyways. We bought 30 of them.
Break one and you expose yourself to toxic mercury vapors.
Fluorescent bulbs have been associated with health issues in sensitive individuals.
It was one thing when these were presented as an option. However, Uncle Sam wants to phase out the incadescent bulb, where our only choice will be the CFL.
Uncle Sam telling us what kind of light bulb to use goes against the principles of freedom in so many ways, I am astounded so many applaud this agenda. For it is a joke to me that Al Gore and his posse tout responsible carbon footprints while living lavish lives that knock their carbon numbers off the charts. Once I saw Walmart pushing these bulbs, I knew something dark was behind this movement.
The claim about saving the environment is a joke. Want to save the environment? How about we get these buildings in cities and towns all across America to turn out their damn lights when not in use. It's grossly wasteful to have this 24/7 lighting. REQUIRE the Big 3 Automakers to produce high efficiency, reliable vehicles like their European counterparts (maybe then we american's will start buying them again). Grow hemp and use that to power our vehicles and our lives. Stop the worldwide destructive, deplorably irresponsible and reprehensible deforestation practice. Yank the rug out from under Montsanto and their deplorable, big brother controlling and toxic farming "practices". Stop Big Business from polluting our waterways. Yeah that's right: S T O P. End the use of toxic chemical sprays on our crops. No reason not to when viable, organic, environmentally friendly products ALREADY EXIST.
And yet, Joe and Jane America. Use CFC bulbs. Save the environment. Save the planet.
Wake up folks.
This is not about saving the environment or the planet.
It is about placing further restrictions on our lives, our personal choices and about making a lot of money taking advantage of our naivete'.
Nothing more, nothing less.
*this message is the opinion of yours truly, nina and nina only and does not reflect the opinion of blogger, its affiliates and the typical american. nina receives no money from republicans or big oil or right-wing special interest groups, contrary to what some may think when reading some of her posts. no animals were harmed in the creating of this post. however the feelings of certain elitist pond scum were disturbed as hidden truths were exposed.
1) We replaced all but 2 lights in our house with these bulbs and we did not see our electric bill reduce in any way shape or form.
2) They take several minutes to fully turn themselves on.
3) The lighting is not that good. Fluorescent lighting is something I'm sensitive to to begin with. And that yellowish tint. Ugh.
4) How did we know it burned out? We smelled a strong burning stench and at first thought something was on fire. When Mr. N went to unscrew it, he about burned his hand. The base of the bulb was VERY HOT. 15 minutes later and it is still quite warm. It also had a yellowing mark around the base as though it had overheated.
Think we've ever had that experience with a good 'ole Thomas Edison bulb?
Nope.
Now that it's burned out, what do we do with it? I haven't a clue. I'm certainly not throwing it away. I want to recycle it. However, upon doing some digging, I discovered that only approximately 25% of cities are equipped to deal with recycling these bulbs. Insane considering this massive movement to get them in every home. Hopefully our local waste removal company is equipped to do just that.
We've replaced the bulb with the good old fashioned incadescent bulb. We will be stocking up on those and buying them on the black market once they are phased out.
These things are nothing but a scam, something I intuitively knew from the get-go, but I decided to try them out anyways. We bought 30 of them.
Break one and you expose yourself to toxic mercury vapors.
Fluorescent bulbs have been associated with health issues in sensitive individuals.
It was one thing when these were presented as an option. However, Uncle Sam wants to phase out the incadescent bulb, where our only choice will be the CFL.
Uncle Sam telling us what kind of light bulb to use goes against the principles of freedom in so many ways, I am astounded so many applaud this agenda. For it is a joke to me that Al Gore and his posse tout responsible carbon footprints while living lavish lives that knock their carbon numbers off the charts. Once I saw Walmart pushing these bulbs, I knew something dark was behind this movement.
The claim about saving the environment is a joke. Want to save the environment? How about we get these buildings in cities and towns all across America to turn out their damn lights when not in use. It's grossly wasteful to have this 24/7 lighting. REQUIRE the Big 3 Automakers to produce high efficiency, reliable vehicles like their European counterparts (maybe then we american's will start buying them again). Grow hemp and use that to power our vehicles and our lives. Stop the worldwide destructive, deplorably irresponsible and reprehensible deforestation practice. Yank the rug out from under Montsanto and their deplorable, big brother controlling and toxic farming "practices". Stop Big Business from polluting our waterways. Yeah that's right: S T O P. End the use of toxic chemical sprays on our crops. No reason not to when viable, organic, environmentally friendly products ALREADY EXIST.
And yet, Joe and Jane America. Use CFC bulbs. Save the environment. Save the planet.
Wake up folks.
This is not about saving the environment or the planet.
It is about placing further restrictions on our lives, our personal choices and about making a lot of money taking advantage of our naivete'.
Nothing more, nothing less.
*this message is the opinion of yours truly, nina and nina only and does not reflect the opinion of blogger, its affiliates and the typical american. nina receives no money from republicans or big oil or right-wing special interest groups, contrary to what some may think when reading some of her posts. no animals were harmed in the creating of this post. however the feelings of certain elitist pond scum were disturbed as hidden truths were exposed.
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