Doctor Wu's Views

USA Foreign Relationships

2010-09-01T13:49:00.000-06:00

THIS FROM THE LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH EDITOR

Ya gotta love the Brits (at least some of the time). This writer really nailed our unesteemed president. Long may he write.
This is a very sobering article. Our handling of relationships with the Britons over the oil spill won't help either.
From The London Daily Telegraph Editor On Foreign Relations

Quote:

"Let me be clear: I'm not normally in favour of boycotts, and I love the American people. I holiday in their country regularly, and hate the tedious snobby sneers
against the United States. But the American people chose to elect an idiot who seems hell bent on insulting their allies, and something must be done to stop Obama's
reckless foreign policy, before he does the dirty on his allies on every issue."

One of the most poorly kept secrets in Washington is President Obama's animosity toward Great Britain, presumably because of what he regards as its sins while ruling
Kenya (1895-1963).

One of Barack Hussein Obama's first acts as president was to return to Britain a bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office since 9/11. He
followed this up by denying Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on his first state visit, the usual joint press conference with flags.

The president was "too tired" to grant the leader of America's closest ally a proper welcome, his aides told British journalists.

Mr. Obama followed this up with cheesy gifts for Mr. Brown and the Queen. Columnist Ian Martin described his behavior as "rudeness personified." There was more rudeness
in store for Mr. Brown at the opening session of the United Nations in September. "The prime minister was forced to dash through the kitchens of the UN in New York
to secure five minutes of face time with President Obama after five requests for a sit down meeting were rejected by the White House," said London Telegraph columnist
David Hughes. Mr. Obama's "churlishness is unforgivable," Mr. Hughes said.

The administration went beyond snubs and slights last week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed the demand of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner,
a Hugo Chavez ally, for mediation of Argentina's specious claim to the Falkland Islands, a British dependency since 1833. The people who live in the Falklands,
who speak English, want nothing to do with Argentina. When, in 1982, an earlier Argentine dictatorship tried to seize the Falklands by force, the British -- with
strong support from President Ronald Reagan -- expelled them.

"It is truly shocking that Barack Obama has decided to disregard our shared history," wrote Telegraph columnist Toby Young. "Does Britain's friendship really
mean so little to him?" One could ask, does the friendship of anyone in the entire world mean anything to him?

"I recently asked several senior administration officials, separately, to name a foreign leader with whom Barack Obama has forged a strong personal relationship
during his first year in office," wrote Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor of the Washington Post, on Monday. "A lot of hemming and hawing ensued." One official
named French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but his contempt for Mr. Obama is an open secret. Another named German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But, said Mr. Diehl, "Merkel
too has been conspicuously cool toward Obama."

Mr. Obama certainly doesn't care about the Poles and Czechs, whom he has betrayed on missile defense. Honduras and Israel also can attest that he's been an unreliable
ally and an unfaithful friend. Ironically, our relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have never been worse. Russia has offered nothing in exchange for Mr. Obama's abandonment of missile defense. Russia and China won't support serious sanctions on Iran. Syria's support for terrorism has not diminished despite efforts to normalize diplomatic relations. The reclusive military dictatorship that runs Burma has responded to our efforts at "engagement" by deepening its ties to North Korea.

And the Chinese make little effort to disguise their contempt for him.

For the first time in a long time, the President of the United States is actually distrusted by its allies and not in the least feared by its adversaries. Nor is
Mr. Obama now respected by the majority of Americans. Understandably focused on the dismal economy and Mr. Obama's relentless efforts to nationalize and socialize
health care, Americans apparently have yet to notice his dismal performance and lack of respect in the world community. They soon will.

--London Daily Telegraph editor -- Alex Singleton,

Liberals invade Canada

2010-09-01T13:47:00.000-06:00

The Manitoba Herald, Canada, as Reported by Clive Runnels, August 6, 2010

The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has

intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to stop the

illegal immigration. The recent actions of the Tea Party are prompting an exodus

among left-leaning citizens who fear they'll soon be required to hunt, pray,

and to agree with Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck.

Canadian border farmers say it's not uncommon to see dozens of sociology

professors, animal-rights activists and Unitarians crossing their fields at

night. "I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood

producer huddled in the barn," said Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield, whose

acreage borders North Dakota. The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry. He

asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken. When I said I

didn't have any, he left before I even got a chance to show him my screenplay,

eh?"

In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher fences,

but the liberals scaled them. He then installed loudspeakers that blared Rush

Limbaugh across the fields. "Not real effective," he said. "The liberals still

got through and Rush annoyed the cows so much that they wouldn't give any

milk."

Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals near

the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons and drive them across

the border where they are simply left to fend for themselves." A lot of

these people are not prepared for our rugged conditions," an Ontario border

patrolman said. "I found one carload without a single bottle of imported

drinking water. They did have a nice little Napa Valley Cabernet, though."

When liberals are caught, they're sent back across the border, often wailing

loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors have been

circulating about plans being made to build re-education camps where liberals

will be forced to drink domestic beer and watch NASCAR races.

In recent days, liberals have turned to ingenious ways of crossing the

border. Some have been disguised as senior citizens taking a bus trip to buy

cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a half-dozen young vegans in

powdered wig disguises, Canadian immigration authorities began stopping buses

and quizzing the supposed senior - citizens about Perry Como and Rosemary

Clooney to prove that they were alive in the '50s. "If they can't identify the

accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show, we become very suspicious about

their age." an official said. Canadian citizens have complained that

the illegal immigrants are creating an organic-broccoli shortage and are

renting all the Michael Moore movies. "I really feel sorry for American

liberals, but the Canadian economy just can't support them." an Ottawa resident

said. "How many art-history majors does one country need?"

In an effort to ease tensions between the United States and Canada, Vice

President Biden met with the Canadian ambassador and pledged that the

administration would take steps to reassure liberals. A source close to

President Obama said, "We're going to have some Paul McCartney and Peter, Paul

& Mary concerts. And we might even put some endangered species on postage

stamps. The President is determined to reach out." he said. The Herald will be

interested to see if Obama can actually raise Mary from the dead in time for

the concert.

2010-08-30T17:31:00.000-06:00

Obama Bows Again!

2010-08-14T08:37:00.002-06:00

But THIS time, he did it before ...New Jersey Governor Chris Christie!

Add Israel to the list of po'ed allies.....

2010-06-23T08:47:00.000-06:00

From The London Daily Telegraph
On Foreign Relations

"Let me be clear: I'm not normally in favour of boycotts, and I love the American people. I holiday in their country regularly, and hate the tedious snobby sneers against the United States . But the American people chose to elect an idiot who seems hell bent on insulting their allies, and something must be done to stop Obama's reckless foreign policy, before he does the dirty on his allies on every issue."
-- London Daily Telegraph editor -- Alex Singleton, April 11.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the most poorly kept secrets in Washington is President Obama's animosity toward Great Britain , presumably because of what he regards as its sins while ruling Kenya (1895-1963).

One of Barack Hussein Obama's first acts as president was to return to Britain a bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office since 9/11. He followed this up by denying Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on his first state visit, the usual joint press conference with flags.

The president was "too tired" to grant the leader of America 's closest ally a proper welcome, his aides told British journalists.

Mr. Obama followed this up with cheesy gifts for Mr. Brown and the Queen. Columnist Ian Martin described his behavior as "rudeness personified." There was more rudeness in store for Mr. Brown at the opening session of the United Nations in September. "The prime minister was forced to dash through the kitchens of the UN in New York to secure five minutes of face time with President Obama after five requests for a sit down meeting were rejected by the White House," said London Telegraph columnist David Hughes. Mr. Obama's "churlishness is unforgivable," Mr. Hughes said.

The administration went beyond snubs and slights last week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed the demand of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, a Hugo Chavez ally, for mediation of Argentina 's specious claim to the Falkland Islands , a British dependency since 1833. The people who live in the Falklands, who speak English, want nothing to do with Argentina . When, in 1982, an earlier Argentine dictatorship tried to seize the Falklands by force, the British -- with strong support from President Ronald Reagan -- expelled them.

"It is truly shocking that Barack Obama has decided to disregard our shared history," wrote Telegraph columnist Toby Young. "Does Britain 's friendship really mean so little to him?" One could ask, does the friendship of anyone in the entire world mean anything to him?

"I recently asked several senior administration officials, separately, to name a foreign leader with whom Barack Obama has forged a strong personal relationship during his first year in office," wrote Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor of the Washington Post, on Monday. "A lot of hemming and hawing ensued." One official named French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but his contempt for Mr. Obama is an open secret. Another named German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But, said Mr. Diehl, "Merkel too has been conspicuously cool toward Obama."

Mr. Obama certainly doesn't care about the Poles and Czechs, whom he has betrayed on missile defense. Honduras and Israel also can attest that he's been an unreliable ally and an unfaithful friend. Ironically, our relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have never been worse. Russia has offered nothing in exchange for Mr. Obama's abandonment of missile defense. Russia and China won't support serious sanctions on Iran . Syria 's support for terrorism has not diminished despite efforts to normalize diplomatic relations. The reclusive military dictatorship that runs Burma has responded to our efforts at "engagement" by deepening its ties to North Korea .

And the Chinese make little effort to disguise their contempt for him.

For the first time in a long time, the President of the United States is actually distrusted by its' allies and not in the least feared by its' adversaries. Nor is Mr. Obama now respected by the majority of Americans. Understandably focused on the dismal economy and Mr. Obama's relentless efforts to nationalize and socialize health care, Americans apparently have yet to notice his dismal performance and lack of respect in the world community.

They soon will.

Foreigner in our midst.....

2010-06-09T15:19:00.000-06:00

The following essay by Robert Weissberg, Professor of Political Science - Emeritus at the University of Illinois, Urbana, offers a description of what most Americans are feeling about our government, but haven't been able to articulate.

Every once in awhile, someone comes along and uses just the right words to describe a situation. This is it.

April 29, 2010

A Stranger in Our Midst

By Robert Weissberg, Professor of Political Science - Emeritus at the University of Illinois, Urbana

As the Obama administration enters its second year, I -- and undoubtedly millions of others -- have struggled to develop a shorthand term that captures our emotional unease. Defining this discomfort is tricky. I reject nearly the entire Obama agenda, but the term "being opposed" lacks an emotional punch. Nor do terms like "worried" or "anxious" apply. I was more worried about America's future during the Johnson or Carter years, so it's not that dictionary, either. Nor, for that matter, is this about backroom odious deal-making and pork, which are endemic in American politics.

After auditioning countless political terms, I finally realized that the Obama administration and its congressional collaborators almost resemble a foreign occupying force, a coterie of politically and culturally non-indigenous leaders whose rule contravenes local values rooted in our national tradition. It is as if the United States has been occupied by a foreign power, and this transcends policy objections. It is not about Obama's birthplace. It is not about race, either; millions of white Americans have had black mayors and black governors, and this unease about out-of-synch values never surfaced.

The term I settled on is "alien rule" -- based on outsider values, regardless of policy benefits -- that generates agitation. This is what bloody anti-colonial strife was all about. No doubt, millions of Indians and Africans probably grasped that expelling the British guaranteed economic ruin and even worse governance, but at least the mess would be their mess. Just travel to Afghanistan and witness American military commanders' efforts to enlist tribal elders with promises of roads, clean water, dental clinics, and all else that America can freely provide. Many of these elders probably privately prefer abject poverty to foreign occupation since it would be their poverty, run by their people, according to their sensibilities.

This disquiet was a slow realization. Awareness began with Obama's odd pre-presidency associations, decades of being oblivious to Rev. Wright's anti-American ranting, his enduring friendship with the terrorist guy-in-the-neighborhood Bill Ayers, and the Saul Alinsky-flavored anti-capitalist community activism. Further add a hazy personal background -- an Indonesian childhood, shifting official names, and a paperless-trail climb through elite educational institutions.

None of this disqualified Obama from the presidency; rather, this background just doesn't fit with the conventional political résumé. It is just the "outsider" quality that alarms. For all the yammering about George W. Bush's privileged background, his made-in-the-USA persona was absolutely indisputable. John McCain might be embarrassed about his Naval Academy class rank and iffy combat performance, but there was never any doubt of his authenticity. Countless conservatives despised Bill Clinton, but nobody ever, ever doubted his good-old-boy American bonafides.

The suspicion that Obama is an outsider, a figure who really doesn't "get" America, grew clearer from his initial appointments. What "native" would appoint Kevin Jennings, a militant gay activist, to oversee school safety? Or permit a Marxist rabble-rouser to be a "green jobs czar"? How about an Attorney General who began by accusing Americans of cowardice when it comes to discussing race? And who can forget Obama's weird defense of his pal Louis Henry Gates from "racist" Cambridge, Massachusetts cops? If the American Revolution had never occurred and the Queen had appointed Obama Royal Governor (after his distinguished service in Kenya), a trusted locally attuned aide would have first whispered in his ear, "Mr. Governor General, here in America, we do not automatically assume that the police were at fault," and the day would have been saved.

And then there's the "we are sorry, we'll never be arrogant again" rhetoric seemingly designed for a future President of the World election campaign. What made Obama's Cairo utterances so distressing was how they grated on American cultural sensibilities. And he just doesn't notice, perhaps akin to never hearing Rev. Wright anti-American diatribes. An American president does not pander to third-world audiences by lying about the Muslim contribution to America. Imagine Ronald Reagan, or any past American president, trying to win friends by apologizing. This appeal contravenes our national character and far exceeds a momentary embarrassment about garbled syntax or poor delivery. Then there's Obama's bizarre, totally unnecessary deep bowing to foreign potentates. Americans look foreign leaders squarely in the eye and firmly shake hands; we don't bow.

But far worse is Obama's tone-deafness about American government. How can any ordinary American, even a traditional liberal, believe that jamming through unpopular, debt-expanding legislation that consumes one-sixth of our GDP, sometimes with sly side-payments and with a thin majority, will eventually be judged legitimate? This is third-world, maximum-leader-style politics. That the legislation was barely understood even by its defenders and vehemently championed by a representative of that typical American city, San Francisco, only exacerbates the strangeness. And now President Obama sides with illegal aliens over the State of Arizona, which seeks to enforce the federal immigration law to protect American citizens from marauding drug gangs and other miscreants streaming in across the Mexican border.

Reciprocal public disengagement from President Obama is strongly suggested by recent poll data on public trust in government. According to a recent Pew report, only 22% of those asked trust the government always or most of the time, among the lowest figures in half a century. And while pro-government support has been slipping for decades, the Obama presidency has sharply exacerbated this drop. To be sure, many factors (in particular the economic downturn) contribute to this decline, but remember that Obama was recently elected by an often wildly enthusiastic popular majority. The collapse of trust undoubtedly transcends policy quibbles or a sluggish economy -- it is far more consistent with a deeper alienation.

Perhaps the clearest evidence for this "foreigner in our midst" mentality is the name given our resistance -- tea parties, an image that instantly invokes the American struggle against George III, a clueless foreign ruler from central casting. This history-laden label was hardly predetermined, but it instantly stuck (as did the election of Sen. Scott Brown as "the shot heard around the world" and tea partiers dressing up in colonial-era costumes). Perhaps subconsciously, Obama does remind Americans of when the U.S. was really occupied by a foreign power. A Declaration of Independence passage may still resonate: "HE [George III] has erected a Multitude of new Offices [Czars], and sent hither Swarms of Officers [recently hired IRS agents] to harass our People, and eat out the Substance."

What's next?

Just as a reminder Mr. Pres

2010-05-17T05:22:00.002-06:00

Wacky Rulers Speak (a series)

2010-03-16T05:36:00.002-06:00

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez Wednesday accused the United States of causing the destruction in Haiti by testing a 'tectonic weapon' to induce the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country in January.

President Chavez said the US was "playing God" by testing devices capable of creating eco-type catastrophes, the Spanish newspaper ABC quoted him as saying.

A 7.0-magnitude quake rattled the desperately poor country on January 12, killing an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people. As Haiti looks to the world for basic sustenance, the authorities say the biggest dangers facing survivors are untreated wounds and rising disease.

Following the quake, appeals for humanitarian aid were responded to globally. However, the nation is struggling with violence and looting as aid is still not enough for the tens of thousands left homeless and injured.

Chavez said the killer earthquake followed a test of "weapon of earthquakes" just offshore from Haiti. He did not elaborate on the source of his claim.

The outspoken leader had earlier accused the US of occupying Haiti "under the guise of the natural disaster."

At least 11,000 US troops have been dispatched to the country to provide security for aid distribution efforts.

Venezuelan media have reported that the earthquake "may be associated with the project called HAARP, a system that can generate violent and unexpected changes in climate."

HAARP, the High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, is a study run in Alaska directed at the occasional reconfiguration of the properties of the Earth's ionosphere to improve satellite communications.

Former US Secretary of Defense William Cohen in 1997 expressed concerns over countries engaging "in eco-type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves."

Stepping into the afternoon of life.....

2010-03-08T19:43:00.002-06:00

“Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life. Worse still, we take this step with the false presupposition that our truths and our ideals will serve us as hitherto. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be little at evening and what in the morning was true, at evening will have become a lie.” ...Carl Gustav Jung

Wacky Rulers Speak (a series)

2010-02-26T07:08:00.004-06:00

Holy war is in response to Swiss ban on minarets - and the arrest of Gaddafi’s son for assault

Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi has called for the Muslim world to rise up and wage jihad against Switzerland in the latest escalation of a two-year-old row between the countries.

Colonel Gaddafi told a televised rally to mark the birthday of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad: "Let us wage jihad against Switzerland, Zionism and foreign aggression. Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate, is against Muhammad, God and the Koran."

The holy war, Gaddafi said, was in response to a Swiss referendum in November 2009 that banned the construction of minarets on mosques.

Gaddafi instructed his fellow Muslims to "go to all airports in the Islamic world and prevent any Swiss plane landing, to all harbours and prevent any Swiss ships docking". The people of Switzerland, a landlocked country which has been at peace for 200 years, surely had no inkling that things would get this bad when, in 2008, their police arrested Gaddafi's son Hannibal at a hotel in Geneva for allegedly assaulting his servants.

Although the charges were later dropped, Gaddafi hit back at Switzerland by cutting off oil supplies, withdrawing billions of dollars from Swiss banks and refusing visas to Swiss citizens. Two Swiss businessmen were also arrested, one of whom is still in a Libyan jail.

The row went Europe-wide when Switzerland submitted a list of top Libyans, including Gaddafi, it said should be banned from the Schengen area, the zone free of border controls which includes all EU countries except Britain and Ireland.

In retaliation, Libya banned visas to all citizens of Schengen countries. It is debatable how serious Gaddafi's call to arms will be taken in the rest of the Muslim world. Given that the majority of countries in the Arab world are dictatorships – and Switzerland is a popular repository for the ill-gotten gains of such regimes – his fellow leaders may object to the insinuation they are "apostates".

His suggestion that Switzerland is in league with Zionism is also ironic. Israeli-Swiss relations are currently at a low ebb following the Alpine country's denunciation in November 2008 of Israel's bulldozing of Palestinian homes, which it called "violations of international humanitarian law" – concerns it repeated six months later.

(from The First Post By Tim Edwards

LAST UPDATED 11:03 AM, FEBRUARY 26, 2010)

{My comment: Figures this syphilitic brain damaged coward would strike out at Switzerland. ......Remember the Lockerbe bombing?}

Dan Miljanich

2010-02-13T10:34:00.006-06:00

Dan rented from us for the past five years. In that time he became much more of a friend than a renter. We shared a lot of conversation about a lot of things and shared several meals. Dan had several health issues but his positive outlook and general good nature made you look over his health problems. And so it was a shock when I got the call that Dan was found dead sitting in his car in the driveway. His heart apparently quit working. God rest you Dan. We will miss your smiling face.

All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”……John Donne

Doctor Wu's Views: Air Force Academy to Open Outdoor Worship Circle for Wiccans and Druids

2010-02-02T06:38:00.000-06:00

Doctor Wu's Views: Air Force Academy to Open Outdoor Worship Circle for Wiccans and Druids

Air Force Academy to Open Outdoor Worship Circle for Wiccans and Druids

2010-02-02T06:20:00.004-06:00

Networks like ABC have hyperventilated about the "outrage" of "endangering" soldiers with rifle sights with "secret Bible codes" on them. [0] They worried about Christian proselytizing on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Will these TV reporters notice as the Air Force responds to the liberal-media complaints by opening an outdoor chapel space for Wiccans and Druids [1]?

If Christians in the military were emblematic of George W. Bush, would the media suggest that this great Pagan Opening is symbolic of the Obama era?

From an offical Academy press release:

The Air Force Academy chapel will add a worship area for followers of Earth-centered religions during a dedication ceremony, which is tentatively scheduled to be held at the circle March 10....

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier, NCO in charge of the Academy's Astronautics laboratories, worked with the chapel to create the official worship area for both cadets and other servicemembers in the Colorado Springs area who practice Earth-centered spirituality...

The presence of diverse worship areas reflects a sea change from five years ago, when reports surfaced alleging religious intolerance at the Academy. Sergeant Longcrier became Pagan shortly after arriving at the Academy in 2006 and said he believes the climate has improved dramatically.

"When I first arrived here, Earth-centered cadets didn't have anywhere to call home," he said. "Now, they meet every Monday night, they get to go on retreats, and they have a stone circle. ... We have representation on the Cadet Interfaith Council, and I even meet with the Chaplains at Peterson Air Force Base once a year to discuss religious climate."

Earth-centered spirituality includes traditions such as Wicca, Druidism and several other religious paths that, while relatively new, trace their roots to pre-Christian Europe, Sergeant Longcrier said. Gerald Gardner founded the first Wiccan tradition in England in 1952, with neo-Druidism following in the early 1960s.

Some Earth-centered traditions involve the worship of gods and goddesses, whereas others may involve only one deity or none at all. Reincarnation is a popular concept, as is rebirth and celebrating the cycle of the seasons.
.... By Tim Graham
Created 01/31/2010 - 23:07

The Secret of Good Karma

2010-01-17T08:12:00.000-06:00

The Secret of Good Karma

by Owen Waters

Karma, in the popular view, is often perceived as the bogey man of Eastern philosophy, as the stick that punishes you for doing the wrong thing. In reality it is much simpler than that, and it carries no judgmental overtone at all.

Karma is simply reflectance. Reflectance is a property of the universe. Therefore, life reflects what you project. This principle of reflectance or karma states that life reflects your beliefs, emotions and actions. The stronger these are, the more apparent it becomes that life is a mirror of whatever you project.

Whenever you change the way you view life, the universe, just like a mirror, reflects your new view of reality. This may not occur instantaneously as, often, circumstances do not allow the new reflection to immediately manifest. In this case, the new reality is held, like a pressure within the aura of your body's subtle magnetic field. You then walk around in life, surrounded by this magnetic potential, your "karmic pattern," as it influences your circumstances to adapt into a form where the new reality will be able to manifest and operate.

Reflectance, sooner or later, produces manifestation. Therefore, if you don't like something in your life, the most powerful way to change it is to discover how, consciously or subconsciously, you have generated that reflection. Then change your point of view - the beliefs, viewpoints and energies that you put into your life - so that the reflection is changed.

It's just like the law in physics: "For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction." This law goes much deeper than just a law of mechanical motion. It is how the universe is designed at all levels.

Reflectance is entirely automatic. There is no judge. No one looms over you, threatening retribution for imaginary sins. However, because this law of life is automatic, you have to be the one to initiate change. It will not come to you until you take the initiative, until you create the action so that there can be a reaction.

If you seek more happiness from life, the mirror of life will shine more happiness back upon you, just as soon as you decide, within yourself, to become a happier person. Then it will reflect your new reality.

Your power lies in how you respond to the circumstances which have been created in your life. Circumstances, within themselves, are inherently neutral. It is human judgment that assigns positive and negative values to those circumstances. It is a paradox of life that the challenges of difficult times can produce the most happiness in the end.

Remember that if "bad" circumstances are affecting you, it is often not because of some "bad" way that you thought or behaved in the past, but it may be because you planned your life so that it would present certain challenges. How you respond to those challenges is the whole point of the exercise. The strongest steel is that which is quenched from great heat and the most compassionate heart is one which has seen great suffering in the world.

Your viewpoint is your response to the picture that life presents, and it is totally under your control. Your viewpoint determines what energies you will put into life and therefore what the mirror of life will reflect back.

Life is a mirror. Smile, and it will immediately smile back at you!

…….This material was extracted from "Freedom of the Spirit: Four Powerful Steps to Spiritual Freedom" by Owen Waters.

Make your life into Heaven now!

2010-01-14T08:11:00.002-06:00

"If you will venture beyond the way you now think you will come to the solution which is outside of yourself and at the same time inside of yourself. It is outside of your present ways of thinking and the Kingdom of Heaven is always within."

Your Power of Natural Knowing, p. 200...Vernon Howard

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, ²¹nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." ...(Luke 17:21)

Its so cold.....

2010-01-08T07:52:00.002-06:00

Welcome to 2010 and for you ......

2009-12-30T08:12:00.000-06:00

We invite you to address this new year with high expectations and a commitment to something bold and daring and grand. Affirm this wisdom from Goethe:

Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Boldness
has magic, grace and power in it.

All is Well, Life Is Good, We Are Truly Blessed

Adoration of the Magi

2009-12-25T11:45:00.001-06:00

Christmas 2009......by Albrech Durer

The Doorway to the Meaning of Life

2009-12-13T06:28:00.001-06:00

Wandering through life looking for its meaning can be a
heart-rending task. You begin life looking to your parents for
meaning, then to your teachers and friends until, one day,
you're grown-up, educated, and still clueless.

You stand there, thinking that there has to be a reason why
you're here on this earth because you are constantly haunted
from within by a sense of knowing that a reason really does
exist. If only you could remember what it was.

At some point in your life, you look up from the hypnotizing
clamor of daily existence and seek meaning in that which is
above the physical realm of existence. In that moment, when
your attention is focused on whatever higher consciousness may
bring, you are receptive to new ideas and new information.

My life has been spent in pursuit of the awareness that there
is a whole universe of discovery within each person's higher
awareness, just waiting to be explored. Earlier in life, when I
was an employee, I'd often sit at my desk and drift away
mentally into more interesting planes of awareness. Later, as a
business owner, I was able to find quality time for some really
deep reflection. I used to rise bright and early for a
fascinating morning of study and meditation and then roll into
the office, ready to begin work, at the crack of noon.

Today, when people ask me about how to find the meaning in
their lives, the first thing I do is point out the doorway to
their own personal world of inner knowledge. The doorway is
within your heart and it leads from the world of physical
tumult into spiritual realms of inner peace and revelation.

You have only to detach from the stress and turmoil of daily
living to enter your own heart consciousness, feel the love
there which patiently awaits you, and move through the doorway
into a higher awareness.

It is in that state of higher awareness that you discover the
unique meaning of your life. It is there that you find the
peace of mind that always eluded you. It is there that the
light of inner wisdom joins with the love that flows freely
throughout the universe.

This union of love and light brings forth the enlightenment
for which all sentient beings strive, and it all begins with
unconditional love. Acceptance of yourself and everyone as you
are, followed by gratitude for life itself and the experience
that this life brings, opens up the doorway of the heart and
leads onwards into the realms of self-discovery.

....Owen Waters is the author of the e-book, "Discover Your
Purpose in Life,"

Embarkation of the Pilgrims

2009-11-25T07:46:00.002-06:00

Robert W. Weir
Oil on canvas, 12' x 18'
Commissioned 1837; placed 1843
Rotunda

Protestant pilgrims are shown on the deck of the ship Speedwell before their departure for the New World from Delft Haven, Holland, on July 22, 1620. William Brewster, holding the Bible, and pastor John Robinson lead Governor Carver, William Bradford, Miles Standish, and their families in prayer. The prominence of women and children suggests the importance of the family in the community. At the left side of the painting is a rainbow, which symbolizes hope and divine protection.

Weir (1803–1890) had studied art in Italy and taught art at the military academy at West Point.

The Shift---Maslow

2009-11-15T17:12:00.001-06:00

Abraham Maslow (1908-70) was a psychologist who became famous
for his hierarchy of human needs. When he developed his theory
in the 1950s, he predicted the transformation of humanity
into a realm of spiritual transcendence, but he had no idea
just how soon this would develop into a major movement.

Maslow's hierarchy of human needs shows that basic human needs
have to be fulfilled before people can attend to higher needs
and values.

First, the basic physiological needs of food and shelter must
be catered for in order to ensure survival.

Second, once food and shelter are obtained, safety and
security must be achieved.

Third, acceptance by others is sought, in both the social and
romantic senses. To fulfill this 'belonging' need, people
become part of a group, a tribe, an extended family or a
community.

When these deficiency, or outer-directed, needs are
satisfied, then the individual works to acquire self-respect.
Recognition by others produces self-esteem.

Once the outer needs are fulfilled, the inner-directed need
for self-actualization comes into play. To self-actualize
means to become the best you personally can be.
Self-actualized people include those who have achieved
material abundance, and also those who, as a decision of
personal power, have chosen simplicity over the pursuit
of further abundance. At some point, when a person says
"That's enough" to the endless pursuit of additional
financial security, then they become free to accomplish
anything that inspires their inner joy the most.

Self-actualization is achieved after the individual ceases to
have deference to hierarchical authority, and instead matures
into the ability to make their own rules of personal
responsibility. Personal responsibility is always more
powerful and effective than any system of imposed rules.
For example, you can threaten to punish someone if they
steal and hope that the threat works. But, a self-responsible
person simply wouldn't steal because they would feel empathy
for the loss that a would-be victim would feel. They simply
wouldn't have the heart to do such a thing to another person.

It's a matter of increased maturity. When a person abandons
the impositions of external authority and becomes their own,
self-directed authority, then they become far more
functional in the world. This is, in fact, a higher state
of consciousness, one which provides a higher vista of
awareness. From this expanded vista, they see clearly how
they as an individual can best serve humanity.

In this state of awareness, the person acquires the ability
to think and analyze situations independently. As a result,
new and creative solutions spring to mind. They have enough
self-esteem to be able to clearly see their own needs,
skills, strengths and weaknesses, and from that they see
where they can best be of service to humanity.

Once basic needs are fulfilled, the next values to require
attention relate to being. The first of these being-values
is self-actualization, which is the instinctual need of a
human to make the most of their unique abilities.

Above that, Maslow placed transcendence, which he considered
a spiritual value. Traditional universities typically presume
that spiritual matters are beyond the understanding of their
students, so they present the Maslow hierarchy of human needs
differently. They present it with self-actualization as the
ultimate human goal, and omit the transcendence stage beyond
that.

The being-values of self-actualization and transcendence are
the higher, more beautiful aspects of human consciousness.
They include unconditional love, altruism, inner joy, a love
of nature, the development of intuition (in males as well as
females), idealism, and a sense of wisdom which springs from
within. These skills develop the right-brain functions of
creativity and intuition.

In the 1950s, Maslow believed that only 2% of the population
had achieved self-actualization. The mid-1960s changed all
that when masses of people began the search for the higher
values, such as unconditional love and spiritual wisdom.
Today, that core group of progressive society has blossomed
from 2% to over 20%, and is climbing every year.

The Shift is not a temporary by-product of the baby boom
generation, or any other generation of modern society.
It is not a passing fad. It is not going away. It is a
cosmic pressure that is unfolding and relentlessly
increasing the frequency of all consciousness upon the
planet.

It is a part of the plan of Infinite Being that we progress
to the next stage of conscious human achievement. The Shift
is, to put it simply, the most wonderful transformation in
recorded history. This is where humanity gets to build,
literally, Heaven on Earth.
....Owen Waters

The Stimulus Plan at Work

2009-10-24T04:09:00.001-06:00

The small Whitetail, Mont., checkpoint along Montana’s border with Canada, which serves about three travelers every day, will receive $15 million for repairs under President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan. At right is the Canadian border crossing station. Associated Press

u go levon......

2009-10-20T04:06:00.002-06:00

"Winter time is coming,
my windows are filled with frost,
went to tell everybody, but I could not get across......

Say wha.........?

2009-10-11T04:37:00.000-06:00

Utah

2009-10-06T04:20:00.000-06:00

Tourism

______________________________________________________

Utah is so many stacked saltines; this state is

overcooked. Hopefully this road is already

nameless; I am sure that the wind behind your

car will suck it down into the tire-strewn

canyon with the snakes and sage. Heat

bends the road, browns the stones,

burns the clouds.

The already wide open valley opens up

and we are incomprehensibly small together,

both from the lush Southern hills,

you pause your thoughts of God to ask me

in genuine interest if I am writing poetry

when I see these things and I can’t reply

precisely, but I know that a poem would

crush the scenery in a way that prayer

wouldn’t. Later, you won’t see the dime-sized

lizard hatchlings, these serious jewels, but

I will. Crossing my path, darting under rocks,

frantically alive, all over, and already at home

……………..Andy Trebing

I loved this as a child.

2009-09-27T05:03:00.003-06:00

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

A little Jung today...

2009-09-27T04:56:00.003-06:00

"The little world of childhood with its familiar surroundings is a model of the greater world. The more intensively the family has stamped its character upon the child, the more it will tend to feel and see its earlier miniature world again in the bigger world of adult life. Naturally this is not a conscious, intellectual process."

— Carl Jung, “The Theory of Psychoanalysis

So he is saying that if you had a good, secure childhood you will have the same adulthood. And the opposite; bad childhood, bad adulthood. All this going on in the sub-consciousness. So anyway, I think a bad or rough childhood can be overcome into a happy life. I don't think his rule is cast in stone.
I know its not as a matter of fact.

Miss me yet?

2009-09-26T08:56:00.002-06:00

This is pretty sorry return for bucks spent no?

2009-09-19T04:52:00.001-06:00

September 19, 2009
Graph of the Day for September 19, 2009
Randall Hoven

"Every major education law passed since the 1960s has borne Kennedy's imprint, from Head Start to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. He has proven himself, time and again, to be a fighter for children and educators."
-Reg Weaver, the immediate past President of the National Education Association President, as reported by Air America in listing the accomplishments of Senator Ted Kennedy.

Source: Andrew J. Coulson at Cato@Liberty , compiled from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data. (The vertical scale on left is inflation-adjusted dollars per student in public elementary and secondary schools.)

Hoven's Index for September 19, 2009

Distribution of sources of revenue for public elementary and secondary schools in 1929-30: 0.4% federal, 16.9% state, 82.7% local.

Distribution of sources of revenue for public elementary and secondary schools in 2005-06: 9.1% federal, 46.5% state, 44.4% local.

Human History (Condensed)

2009-09-15T09:52:00.000-06:00

The condensed version of human history:

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.

The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals, and

2. Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery.

That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer.

This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.

Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing.

This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.

Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. Those became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer, mostly Bud or Miller. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes,members of the military, airline pilots and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today's lesson in world history:

And there you have it...

YOUR mask is in the mail......

2009-08-30T09:08:00.003-06:00

...from the Tao

2009-08-04T16:00:00.001-06:00

Thirty spokes converge on a single hub,
but it is in the space where there is nothing
that the usefulness of the cart lies.
Clay is molded to make a pot,
but it is in the space where there is nothing
that the usefulness of the clay pot lies.
Cut out doors and windows to make a room,
but it is in the spaces where there is nothing
that the usefulness of the room lies.
Therefore,
Benefit may be derived from something,
but it is in nothing that we find usefulness.

...Tao Te Ching

A note on kindness

2009-08-01T04:35:00.001-06:00

"A positive virtue - the real thing - is not something that you do_.

It is something that you are.

A genuinely kindly man and his kindness are a single unit;

they are_one_ .

A really gentle person cannot help acting with kindness

any more than a cruel person can help but act with cruelty."

Psycho-Pictography, p. 160…Vernon Howard

N. Grigsby knew....

2009-05-19T04:23:00.002-06:00

Letter from God at Easter:

2009-04-12T18:51:00.001-06:00

So much for Easter....

2009-04-12T18:48:00.001-06:00

Pandering to The Oil Man.......

2009-04-06T14:59:00.004-06:00

NO WAY!

YES WAY!

Damn that sucks!

The President of the USA bowing, kissing the hand (or ring) and kowtowing to an equal head of state. Maybe Abdullah pulled O's tie causing his head to go down? NAW!

I don't like it but;

Bowing to King Abdullah, Barack Obama was simply following the well-documented, well-known tradition of US Presidents to pander to the Saudis.

To sum up, presidential pandering to the Saudis has been going on for decades, it didn’t start with Barack Obama, and it’s purely hypocritical to make excuses for George W. Bush while screaming that Obama did something no other President has ever done.

America has been bowing to Saudi Arabia for a long time, and it’s going to continue until we wean ourselves off their oil.

And another wake-up call for anyone who thinks Americans shouldn’t bow to anyone: John Adams kowtowed before King George III.

From Adams’ letter to Secretary of State John Jay:

"I went with his Lordership thro’ the Levee Room into the King’s Closet, the Door was shut and I was left with his Majesty and the Secretary of State alone. I made the three Reverences, one at the Door, another about half way and the third before the Presence, according to the usage established at this and all the Northern Courts of Europe, and then addressed myself to his Majesty in the following words..."

Go here, read more, watch the vid.

(....thanks to Little Green Footballs and American Thinker)

In A Moment

2009-03-28T06:32:00.001-06:00

In A Moment

Sure we know the problem lies
With some insecurities
But we'll never see eye to eye
As long as our tongues are tied
And we'll never be seen as one
Until we find love

In a moment it could happen
We could wake up and be laughing
In a moment it could happen
We could forgive and be happy

It's a shame our world responds to life
As a puzzle in disguise
I wish our course would lead us towards
The peace and loving kind
But we'll never walk hand in hand
Until we let old wounds mend
And we'll never sing songs as one
Until we find love

In a moment some wisdom could be learned
In a moment new voices could be heard
In a moment we could make heads turn
In a moment we could change

…..Collective Soul

Collective Soul is an Alternative rock band from Georgia that dominated mainstream radio in the 1990s with their unique brand of pop melodies and post-Grunge rock grooves. Their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid (released in 1994) spawned the massive hit single "Shine". Subsequent albums had fewer and fewer hits and the band has yet to re-create the success of its debut album - although they continue to record and release albums

Afgan Women Gather to celebrate.....

2009-03-10T14:43:00.003-06:00

Yes, gathering to celebrate International Womens Day....

I'm not making this up.

Geez.

A real man's love song...

2009-02-25T16:15:00.001-06:00

I’D RATHER SLEEP IN A BOX
LIKE A BUM ON THE STREET
THAN A FINE FEATHERED BED
WITHOUT YOU LITTLE OL’ COLD FEET

I RATHER BE DEAF
DUMB AND STONE BLIND
THAN TO KNOW THAT YOUR MORNINGS
CAN NEVER BE MINE

I’D RATHER DIE YOUNG
THAN TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU
AND I’D RATHER GO HUNGRY
THAN TO EAT LONESOME STEW

YOU KNOW IT’S ONCE IN A LIFETIME
AND IT WON’T COME AGAIN
IT’S HERE AND IT’S GONE
ON A MAGNOLIA WIND

I’D RATHER NOT WALK
THROUGH THE GARDEN AGAIN
IF I CAN’T CATCH YOUR SCENT
ON A MAGNOLIA WIND

IF IT EVER COMES TIME
WELL IT COMES TIME TO GO
SIS PACK UP YOUR FIDDLE
SIS PACK UP YOUR BOW

IF I CAN’T DANCE WITH YOU
THEN I WON’T DANCE AT ALL
I’LL JUST SIT THIS ONE OUT
WITH MY BACK TO THE WALL

I’D RATHER NOT HEAR
PRETTY MUSIC AGAIN
IF I CAN’T CATCH YOUR FIDDLE
ON A MAGNOLIA WIND

IF I CAN’T CATCH YOUR SCENT
ON A MAGNOLIA WIND
.....Guy Clark

Guy Clark...."Baton Rouge"

2009-02-21T03:34:00.003-06:00

Guy Clark More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

"I'm gonna get me some alligator shoes."

The Natural Flow...

2009-02-16T10:50:00.000-06:00

Effortless Action
by Owen Waters

The Chinese philosopher, Lao Tse ("Lay-OTE-say") gave
teachings which were designed to confuse the conscious mind.
The idea was that, when the conscious mind tires and gets out
of the way, the seeker could discover the deeper truths within.

Lao Tse is credited with the 2500 year-old work, the Tao Te
Ching, which is full of apparent contradictions or paradoxes.
He refers to the Tao (the "Dow") as that which is everything
and yet nothing. What he means is that the Tao - the Absolute,
the Isness, or Infinite Being - is the transcendent
consciousness which is behind all manifestation. It is not the
active manifestation of the created universe, but the original
consciousness behind it. It is that which, in silence and
unchanging perfection, always was and always will be. And yet,
so the paradox goes, all of manifestation came from it and
therefore is it.

Similarly, he uses paradox to promote the philosophy of Wu Wei
("Woo Way") as the way of "action without action." Sounds
impossible? That's the point. He wanted people to give up
making logical sense of the idea and, instead, go within to
find the truth behind the paradox.

The principle of Wu Wei really means effortless action. The
secret to achieving effortless action is to realize that there
is a natural flow of influences at work in all parts of the
universe. You sense the natural flow of the moment and act
within that flow. If the moment is not right for a certain type
of action, then the attuned person delays the task. When they
sense that the right moment has arrived, then they act and
easily accomplish the task.

It can also mean not forcing a situation to be what it isn't.
If a situation comes about which is beyond your control, then
making the best of it is often the elegant solution.

The saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again,"
is attributed to the 14th Century Scottish king, Robert the
Bruce. According to legend, he once took refuge in a cave,
where he watched a spider trying to spin a web. It failed
several times to make a connection from one area of the caves
roof to another, but each time it started all over again until
it finally succeeded. People, today, take that saying to mean
that if something doesn't work, you need to be obstinate and
keep trying harder until you overcome all obstacles and
eventually make it happen by sheer force of will.

The Wu Wei approach to life is quite the opposite. It suggests
that, if at first you don't succeed, there is a reason for it.
It means that you are not acting with the natural flow of
energy within that place and time and it may also mean that you
need to discover a more suitable solution.

First, take a deep breath, relax and step back from the
situation. After that, you'll be able to judge it objectively
and in a state of balance. Then:

A) Decide if you're trying to force something into existence
that shouldn't be, or

B) Look for a better solution to achieve your objective,
and/or

C) Wait for your innate sense of timing to feel right.

One of the benefits of the spiritual consciousness which is
emerging in the New Reality is the ability to sense the natural
flow of universal influences and know when the time is right
for certain types of action.

The legacy of O or The Taxman Cometh Soon...

2009-02-15T05:54:00.003-06:00

One, two, three, four...
Hrmm!
One, two, (one, two, three, four!)

Let me tell you how it will be;
There's one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don't take it all.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

(if you drive a car, car;) - I'll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) - I'll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) - I'll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) - I'll tax your feet.

Taxman!

'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Don't ask me what I want it for, (ah-ah, mister Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more. (ah-ah, mister heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Now my advice for those who die, (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes. (taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

And you're working for no one but me.

Taxman!

....George Harrison

A Tax Poem

2009-02-09T09:14:00.000-06:00

Subject: A TAX POEM

At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it.
Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt..

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.

Put these words
upon his tomb,
' Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recu rring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What in the world happened? Can you spell 'politicians!' And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?!?!?!?

Thousands attend global warming protest....

2009-02-03T15:07:00.002-06:00

Barack fools us....

2009-01-28T08:11:00.001-06:00

•Whole world will pay for America's electoral mistake

A young student friend e-mailed me on Tuesday night.
"Have locked myself in my room because the place is full of little idiots -- who cannot spell Barack Obama's name and could not name one of his foreign or domestic policies -- running around screaming obscenities about George Bush, conservatives and how Sarah Palin is a bitch. I love democracy!"
Even so, the people spoke. A victory for the hysterical Oprah Winfrey, the mad racist preacher Jeremiah Wright, the mainstream media who abandoned any sense of objectivity long ago, Europeans who despise America largely because they depend on her, comics who claim to be dangerous and fearless but would not dare attack genuinely powerful special interest groups. A victory for Obama-worshippers everywhere.
A victory for the cult of the cult. A man who has done little with his life but has written about his achievements as if he had found the cure for cancer in between winning a marathon and building a nuclear reactor with his teeth. Victory for style over substance, hyperbole over history, rabble-raising over reality.
A victory for Hollywood, the most dysfunctional community in the world. Victory for Streisand, Spielberg, Soros and Sarandon.
Victory for those who prefer welfare to will and interference to independence. For those who settle for group think and herd mentality rather than those who fight for individual initiative and the right to be out of step with meager political fashion.
Victory for a man who is no friend of freedom. He and his people have already stated that media has to be controlled so as to be balanced, without realizing the extraordinary irony within that statement. Like most liberal zealots, the Obama worshippers constantly speak of Fox and Limbaugh, when the vast bulk of television stations and newspapers are drastically liberal and anti-conservative.
Senior Democrat Chuck Schumer said that just as pornography should be censored, so should talk radio. In other words, one of the few free and open means of popular expression may well be cornered and beaten by bullies who even in triumph cannot tolerate any criticism and opposition.
WEAK TOWARD ENEMIES
A victory for those who believe the state is better qualified to raise children than the family, for those who prefer teachers' unions to teaching and for those who are naively convinced that if the West is sufficiently weak towards its enemies, war and terror will dissolve as quickly as the tears on the face of a leftist celebrity.
A victory for social democracy even after most of Europe has come to the painful conclusion that social democracy leads to mediocrity, failure, unemployment, inflation, higher taxes and economic stagnation. A victory for intrusive lawyers, banal sentimentalists, social extremists and urban snobs.
Also a defeat for one of the weakest presidential candidates in living memory.
Why would anyone vote for a man who seemed incapable of outlining his policies and instead repeatedly emphasized a noble but, if we are candid, largely irrelevant war record?
He was joined by a woman who was defended so vehemently by her supporters when it was cuttingly evident that she is years away from being, and perhaps never will be, a serious candidate for senior national office.
Most of all it was a terrible defeat for democracy and the United States. A politician of nothing defeated a nothing politician and a credulous electorate screamed in adoration. I fear we will all suffer very much indeed.
By MICHAEL COREN, TORONTO SUN

A sand sculpture of Barack Obama in Puri, India

2009-01-23T04:27:00.003-06:00

We'll See
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China. He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an old horse to plow his field.

One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, Oh, what a horrible thing to happen. The farmer said simply, We'll see. He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.

Everyone's reaction now was, What a lucky man. And the farmer said, We'll see.

A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, What a poor fellow!

The farmer smiled and said, We'll see.

Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, What a fortunate man.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, What a shame for the poor boy.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.

Everyone said, What a fortunate young man.

The farmer smiled again - and said We'll see.

Moral of the story:
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from.

Modern Day Nazis

2009-01-19T05:42:00.002-06:00

Jan 18, 2009

Newly sworn in Hezbollah members raise their hands during a ceremony in support of the Gaza Strip, in the southern village of Qana, Lebanon.

Photo: AP

"Prisoner" and "Secret Agent" star dies....

2009-01-15T07:22:00.003-06:00

The actor often played villains on TV and in movies. But he gained his greatest fame as the TV spy John Drake. He also won two Emmys for 'Columbo.'

By Dennis McLellan (LA Times)

Patrick McGoohan, a two-time Emmy Award-winning actor who starred as a British spy in the 1960s TV series "Secret Agent" and gained cult status later in the decade as the star of the enigmatic series "The Prisoner," has died. He was 80.

McGoohan, whose career involved stage, screen and TV, died Tuesday at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica after a short illness, said Cleve Landsberg, McGoohan's son-in-law. The family did not provide further details.

It was the height of James Bond mania in 1965 when McGoohan showed up on American TV screens in "Secret Agent," a British-produced series in which he played John Drake, a special security agent working as a spy for the British government.

The hourlong series, which ran on CBS until 1966, was an expanded version of “Danger Man,” a short-lived, half-hour series on CBS in 1961 in which McGoohan played the same character.

But it was McGoohan's next British-produced series, “The Prisoner,” on CBS in 1968 and 1969, that became a cult classic that spawned fan clubs, conventions and college study.

Once described in The Times as an "espionage tale as crafted by Kafka," "The Prisoner" starred McGoohan as a presumed British agent who, after resigning his top-security job, is abducted in London and taken to a mysterious prison resort called the Village.

Known only as No. 6, he is interrogated by a succession of officials who are known as No. 2. But he refuses all methods of breaking him down to reveal his past or why he resigned, and he repeatedly makes failed attempts to escape.

The seemingly idyllic village contains "seeing eyes" that monitor activities and signs such as "A Still Tongue Makes a Peaceful Life."

McGoohan co-created and executive-produced the series, which ran for only 17 episodes, as well as wrote and directed several episodes.

In a 1967 interview with The Times, he described the series as "Brave New World" stuff.

"Nobody has a name, everyone wears a number," he said. "It's a reflection of the pressure on all of us today to be numbered, to give up our individualism. This is a contemporary subject, not science fiction. I hope these things will be recognized by the audience. It's not meant to be subtle. It's meant to say: This little village is our world."

Of the enduring cult status of the series, McGoohan once said: "Mel [Gibson] will always be Mad Max, and me, I will always be a number."

McGoohan, who reportedly turned down an offer to be the big screen's original James Bond, appeared in films such as "The Three Lives of Thomasina," "Mary, Queen of Scots," "Silver Streak," "Escape From Alcatraz," "Scanners," "Ice Station Zebra" and Gibson's "Braveheart," in which he played England's sadistic King Edward I.

In his review of "Braveheart" in The Times, critic Peter Rainer wrote: "Patrick McGoohan is in possession of perhaps the most villainous enunciation in the history of acting."

As a guest star on Peter Falk's TV detective series "Columbo," McGoohan won Emmys in 1975 and 1990.

Falk once described McGoohan, who also occasionally worked as a director and writer on the "Columbo" mysteries, as being "mesmerizing" as an actor.

"There are many very, very talented people in this business, but there are only a handful of genuinely original people," Falk told the Hollywood Reporter in 2004. "I think Patrick McGoohan belongs in that small select group of truly original people."

He was born to Irish parents in the Astoria section of Queens, N.Y., on March 19, 1928. Some months later, his family returned to Ireland, where he grew up on a farm before moving to Sheffield, England, when he was 7.

In the late '40s, after working a number of jobs, he became a stage manager at Sheffield Repertory Theatre, where he soon launched his acting career.

In 1951, he married actress Joan Drummond, with whom he had three daughters, Catherine, Anne and Frances.

In 1959, he received a London Drama Critics Award for his performance in a London stage production of Ibsen's "Brand."

On television, McGoohan also starred in the short-lived 1977 medical drama "Rafferty."

Sharif Ali, McGoohan's agent, said McGoohan had been writing and had two acting offers on the table before he died.

"He really didn't talk much about his illness," said Ali. "We were too busy talking about his future; he was excited to get back to work. He had so much more to give."

(My comment: I was a big fan of both shows way back in the day. The shows were really different from tv in those days. Both shows drew me in with a "suspension of disbelief".
Black and white tv at that. RIP Mac)

Imad Mughniyeh

2009-01-13T11:30:00.004-06:00

I just caught on to this guy. We got him last February. He was truly a bad guy. Go here to see some photos of his foul deeds. Good riddance on him.

Starting the new year.....

2009-01-01T07:26:00.000-06:00

"I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!"
~Alice (Through the Looking Glass)

The Silence...

2009-01-01T06:36:00.001-06:00

Vernon Howard's
SECRETS OF LIFE (R)

**********************************************************************

"Here is what we must do: we must get our usual, conditioned,
limited thoughts out of the way. We must become mentally silent.
That silence leaves room for the voice of wisdom from within.
Nothing is more practical in everyday affairs than this inner
voice."

Psycho-Pictography, p. 67

Go to the Bookstore link at http://www.anewlife.org/html/home.html

Christmas Greetings

2008-12-18T05:10:00.002-06:00

Christmas Greetings to you from The Illinois's Governor's Mansion

Major free stuff for pcs...

2008-12-07T14:18:00.003-06:00

This is the web address of the free office suite made by Sun. It is the same thing (well kinda) as Microsoft Office with all the different apps in it. And its FREE. If you don't have MS Office (which changes every few years and MS charges BIG BUCKS for each new version) this is the cheap man's dream. Open Office is fully compatible with Windows or Ubuntu (Linux).

While we are talking cheap, Ubuntu is a open source, pc graphical user interface (gui) which is a FREE replacement for Windows operating systems. You can download this from the web, burn your cd from the download and have a bootable, installable latest version of Ubuntu (Linux). You can install it on its own or try it out by installing side by side with your current version of Windows. Ubuntu is fully supported on the web by a growing number of enthusiasts.

Hey, Microsoft is charging higher and higher for Windows products and their latest product is not so good (Vista). MS is also beginning to put limits on how many times you can install Windows without calling home (MS). MS is now working on a new version of Windows (because Vista is so bad) due out in 2010. I'm sure the price will be really high (relative to my income).
And is FREE not a good thing?

Click photo for larger image.

2008-12-03T08:33:00.002-06:00

A Happy Sky Over Los Angeles
Credit & Copyright: Dave Jurasevich (Mt. Wilson Observatory)

Explanation: Sunday, the sky seemed to smile over much of planet Earth. Visible the world over was an unusual superposition of our Moon and the planets Venus and Jupiter. Pictures taken at the right time show a crescent Moon that appears to be a smile when paired with the planetary conjunction of seemingly nearby Jupiter and Venus. Pictured above is the scene as it appeared from Mt. Wilson Observatory overlooking Los Angeles, California, USA after sunset on 2008 November 30. Highest in the sky and farthest in the distance is the planet Jupiter. Significantly closer and visible to Jupiter's lower left is Venus, appearing through Earth's atmospheric clouds as unusually blue. On the far right, above the horizon, is our Moon, in a waxing crescent phase. Thin clouds illuminated by the Moon appear unusually orange. Sprawling across the bottom of the image are the hills of Los Angeles, many covered by a thin haze, while LA skyscrapers are visible on the far left. The conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will continue to be visible toward the west after sunset during much of this month. Hours after the taking of this image, however, the Moon approached the distant duo, briefly eclipsed Venus, and then moved on.

A little more Vernon Howard...

2008-11-30T05:08:00.000-06:00

"Give thought to this thought: I live and feel my own nature.
I live and feel only my own nature. So my inner location,
whatever and wherever it may be, is the only factor that
determines whether I'm going to be happy or unhappy, free
or chained.

That is astonishingly clear information for you to wander
around in, meander around in, all day long. And that
revelation that you only live, feel, experience yourself
will open dozens of doors to self-transformation and self-
uplifting." ....Vernon Howard

From Vernon Howard

2008-11-28T19:06:00.001-06:00

Vernon Howard's
SECRETS OF LIFE (R)

**********************************************************************

"Unpleasant behavior is sick behavior. Few people want to think
about this fact, but you will do so. From now on, you will see
that unpleasant people are sick people. You know the thousand
varieties of unpleasantness including sarcastic accusations,
delirious demands, repulsive self-worship, a cold and hostile
face. If another person is unpleasant, realize that your wish
for sunlight must have nothing to do with his darkness."

A Treasury of Trueness, # 476

a little Tolstoy...

2008-11-22T17:30:00.002-06:00

“…now our whole life, from birth to death with all its dreams, is it not in its turn also a dream, which we take as the real life, the reality of which we do not doubt only because we do not know of the other more real life?”…..from Letters by Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy, or Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (September 9 [O.S. August 28] 1828 – November 20 [O.S. November 7] 1910) (Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й, Russian pronunciation: [lʲɛv nʲɪkɐˈlaɪvʲɪtɕ tɐlˈstoj] listen (help·info), was a Russian writer widely regarded as one of the greatest of all novelists. His masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina stand, in their scope, breadth and vivid depiction of 19th-century Russian life, at the very peak of realist fiction.

Tolstoy's further talents as essayist, dramatist and educational reformer made him the most influential member of the aristocratic Tolstoy family. His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Gandhi^[1] and Martin Luther King, Jr.

The teaching of mature Tolstoy concentrated exclusively on the moral teaching of the Gospels. Tolstoy's Christian beliefs were based on the Sermon on the Mount, and particularly on the phrase "turn the other cheek", which he saw as a justification for pacifism, nonviolence and nonresistance. Of the moral teaching of Christ, the words "Resist not evil" were taken to be the principle out of which all the rest follows. He condemned the State, which he saw as sanctioning violence and corruption,^{[citation needed]} and rejected the authority of the Church, which sanctioned the State. His condemnation of every form of compulsion authorizes many^[who?] to classify Tolstoy's later teachings as Christian anarchism.

……. Wikipedia

Anger Management

2008-11-16T06:21:00.002-06:00

ANGER MANAGEMENT

When you occasionally have a really bad day, and you just need to take it out on someone, don't take it out on someone you know, take it out on someone you don't know. I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I'd forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it.

A man answered, saying 'Hello.'

I politely said, 'This is Chris. Could I please speak with Robyn Carter?'

Suddenly a manic voice yelled out in my ear 'Get the right f***ing number!' and the phone was slammed down on me.

I couldn't believe that anyone could be so rude. When I tracked down Robyn's correct number to call her, I found that I had accidentally transposed the last two digits. After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.

When the same guy answered the phone, I yelled, 'You're an asshole!' and hung up. I wrote his number down with the word 'asshole' next to it, and put it in my desk drawer. Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills or had a really bad day, I'd call him up and yell, 'You're an asshole!' It always cheered me up.

When Caller ID was introduced, I thought my therapeutic asshole calling would have to stop.

So, I called his number and said, 'Hi, this is John Smith from the telephone company. I'm calling to see if you're familiar with our Caller ID Program?' He yelled 'NO!' and slammed down the phone. I quickly called him back and said, 'That's because you're an asshole!' and hung up.

One day I was at the store, getting ready to pull into a parking spot. Some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I had patiently waited for. I hit the horn and yelled that I'd been waiting for that spot, but the idiot ignored me. I noticed a 'For Sale sign in his back window, so I wrote down his number. A couple of days later, right after calling the first asshole (I had his number on speed dial), I thought that I'd better call the BMW asshole, too.

I said, 'Is this the man with the black BMW for sale?'

He said, 'Yes, it is...' I asked, 'Can you tell me where I can see it?'

He said, 'Yes, I live at 34 Oaktree Blvd , in Fairfax . It's a yellow rambler, and the car's parked right out in front.'

I asked, 'What's your name?' He said, 'My name is Don Hansen.'

I asked, 'When's a good time to catch you, Don?'

He said, 'I'm home every evening after five.'

I said, 'Listen, Don, can I tell you something?' He said, 'Yes?'

I said, 'Don, you're an asshole!'

Then I hung up, and added his number to my speed dial, too. Now, when I had a problem, I had two assholes to call.

Then I came up with an idea. I called Asshole #1. He said, 'Hello.' I said, 'You're an asshole!' (But I didn't hang up.) He asked, 'Are you still there?' I said, 'Yeah.' He screamed, 'Stop calling me!' I said, 'Make me.' He asked, 'Who are you?' I said, 'My name is Don Hansen.' He said, 'Yeah? Where do you live?' I said, 'Asshole, I live at 34 Oaktree Blvd , in Fairfax, a yellow rambler, I have a black Beamer parked in front.' He said, 'I'm coming over right now, Don. And you had better start saying your prayers.' I said, 'Yeah, like I'm really scared, asshole,' and hung up.

Then I called Asshole No. 2. He said, 'Hello?' I said, 'Hello, asshole.' He yelled, 'If I ever find out who you are...' I said, 'You'll what?' He exclaimed, 'I'll kick your ass,' I answered, 'Well, asshole, here's your chance. I'm coming over right now.'

Then I hung up and immediately called the police, saying that I lived at 34 Oaktree Blvd , in Fairfax , and that my gay lover was on his way over to kill me. Then I called Channel 9 News about the gang war going down in Oaktree Fairfax. I quickly got into my car and headed over to Fairfax . I got there just in time to watch two assholes beating the shit out of each other in front of six cop cars, an overhead news helicopter and surrounded by a news crew.

NOW I feel much better. Anger management works!!

my thanks to: Real King of France

Drug costs for seniors growing...

2008-11-12T06:07:00.002-06:00

By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY, Nov 12, 2008

Elderly and disabled people in Medicare prescription drug plans with the largest enrollments will pay 43% more on average in monthly premiums next year than when the drug program began in 2006, and some enrollees will see increases of as much as 329%, two analyses show.

The rising costs "are wreaking havoc on seniors' wallets and are simply not sustainable in the long run," says Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Overall, the Medicare drug program is costing taxpayers less than originally estimated. The government's drug spending on the program fell by 12% to $44 billion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, largely from the widespread use of low-cost generic drugs. The government pays part of the drugs' costs for seniors and helps subsidize premiums for low-income people.

Still, seniors have seen their actual expenses for premiums and drug co-payments go up each year. Insurers have raised prices for many reasons, including increases to cover higher drug costs and more prescriptions filled.

Monthly premiums in the drug-only plans will go from an average $26.03 in 2006 to $37.10 next year, according to Avalere Health, a private consulting company. People who signed up for a policy marketed as the low-price leader in 2006 — Humana's standard plan — will pay $40.83 next year, up from $9.51 in 2006, according to Avalere's analysis and a similar one from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-partisan research group.

Humana raised premiums to reflect its actual costs, according to its government filings. Spokesman Tom Noland says its prices remain competitive with other insurers.

The amounts Medicare beneficiaries pay at pharmacy counters as their share of drug costs, particularly for brand-name products, jumped in many plans as well — from $1 a month per prescription to more than $13 per drug, Avalere reported.

Enrollment for the drug program next year will begin Saturday. About 17 million people are enrolled in drug-only plans and an additional 9 million are in plans that cover both drugs and medical care.

Avalere and Kaiser looked at drug-only plans with the largest enrollments. Kaiser studied six plans nationally that cover about half of all enrollees. Avalere studied plans that cover about 60% of the enrollees.

Medicare spokesman Jeff Nelligan says most beneficiaries should be able to find a plan that is the same price or cheaper than what they're paying now, as long as they are willing to change plans. In some cases, the lower-cost plans cover both medical care and drugs and are offered by private insurers as an alternative to traditional Medicare.

Yet many seniors are worried. Mary Madden, 80, a retired administrator from Cleveland, says her premium will rise next year from $33.70 to $38.20, and the monthly amount she pays for two of her drugs will go from $30 to $38 each.

She's tempted to drop out of the program and go without drug coverage — but she knows she'll face a financial penalty if she rejoins later. "So, I'm leaning (toward) staying in," she says.

My comments: Since I am a senior with Heart Disease and taking three Rxs daily, I will cut my costs in half by taking my pills every other day. A roll of the dice to be sure but you have to do something to live within the budget. I'm sure I'm not the only senior to take this route.

Tuesday is Veterans Day

2008-11-10T06:52:00.003-06:00

Thanks to this soldier and his brothers in arms and all who have served our nation over the course of its history, we are still a free nation. Our Military Forces are the only reason we are still a free society. Thanks and a salute to all serving in uniform. And a 'rest in peace' to all who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We cannot express enough gratitude for your service to our nation.

We'll See.....

2008-11-08T07:02:00.000-06:00

We'll See

Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China. He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an old horse to plow his field.

One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, Oh, what a horrible thing to happen. The farmer said simply, We'll see. He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.

Everyone's reaction now was, What a lucky man. And the farmer said, We'll see.

A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, What a poor fellow!

The farmer smiled and said, We'll see.

Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, What a fortunate man.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, What a shame for the poor boy.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.

Everyone said, What a fortunate young man.

The farmer smiled again - and said We'll see.

Moral of the story:
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from.

"Think we should add another car?"

2008-11-04T06:40:00.002-06:00

Sir, have you registered yet?

2008-11-02T02:23:00.002-06:00

Wall of Crazy...more on Phil Spector

2008-10-29T05:11:00.004-06:00

This guy fascinates me. A prolific and original music producer whos a real whack job.
Thats John Lennon's white piano ca. Imagine in the background.
Read this story here.

I'm just saying...

2008-10-23T03:38:00.000-06:00

SUPER-SLICK 'ICE' IS A RIFF-O-RAMA

2008-10-20T04:34:00.001-06:00

AC/DC, Black Ice
Rock like it oughta be.

I got into these guys in the ninties, when I used to to a lot of work related driving at night. They rocked me through the early morning hours many a night. Yeah, its simple , straight ahead riff-rock but, hey, r & r is supposed to be simple. "Have a Drink on Me" is the ringtone on my cell.

Heres a review of there latest effort:
"It's all about the intros with AC/DC. Listening to the infinite variety of electrifying riffs that the veteran Australian band can conjure with three chords and the dirty deeds of a pulsing rhythm guitar, you start to wonder whether there was any point at all in hard rock's burgeoning complexity over the past four decades.

With AC/DC, you get no lugubrious, snail-paced, detuned angst-rock, no hapless hip-hop embellishments, no tortured cookie-monster metal/emo screaming. (Brian Johnson's pinched, leather-lunged wails sound almost soothing in comparison.) You get primal rock with '70s power, '60s tunefulness and the wild abandon of the original '50s recipe.

Variations are few -- Rock 'n' Roll Dream nearly fools you into thinking it's a ballad before the crunch comes in, a couple of other cuts have a blues feel, and once or twice a slide guitar intrudes like some foreign objet d'art. But mostly it's non-stop riff-o-rama for 15 tracks, and for those listeners who are all about rock, nothing could be more salutary." -- Ken Barnes

Voyageurs become personal....

2008-10-12T05:11:00.004-06:00

"Voyageur strength hauled more than goods; it also allowed explorer Louis Joliet and missionary Father Jacques Marquette to search for a route to the Gulf of Mexico. These men became the first Europeans to see and map the Mississippi River along with many other natural landmarks. As they returned northward through the Illinois Territory, news reached them of a faster route back to the Great Lakes: the Illinois River. Joliet and Marquette would continue to the current site of Chicago, and Father Marquette would return to start the first Christian Mission in Illinois near Starved Rock. Today you can follow the strokes of Father Marquette when you paddle into the Illinois River at Starved Rock State Park."

Why you are interested:
So my daughter-in-law, Bridget, grew up in Ottawa, IL and her mother, Kathy, still lives there. We have visited there several times and its a historic small town of about 18,000. The Lincoln-Douglas debates, its on the slave underground railroad route and the voyageurs and others (see above) traveled the Illinois River which runs through the heart of town. We have also been to Starved Rock State Park, a really nice, beautiful spot.
We also followed the trail of the Illinois River Road (inadvertently) in traveling from Chicago (from Andy's home) to Ottawa to visit Kathy and on to Peoria, to visit Nedra’s close cousins.
While I was not aware of following this historic route at the time, I was aware of the beauty of the country and how most of it is still rural and undeveloped.

Errr...scratch Goa as a tourist stop...

2008-10-09T15:33:00.000-06:00

Waiters have allegedly beaten an Australian tourist to death for being "arrogant" while ordering a beer in an Indian restaurant.

John Kelly, 65, is reported to have died of internal injuries sustained when he was beaten by staff at the Club City Restaurant in the Indian resort region of Goa yesterday.

The incident follows the murder of 15-year-old British tourist Scarlett Keeling, who was allegedly raped and left for dead by two local men in Goa in February.

The Times of India and local reports said Mr Kelly's beating followed an altercation in which he displayed an "arrogant attitude".

He reportedly arrived in Goa on September 29 and entered the bar at 8am local time on Wednesday.

Some reports said security staff at the bar joined in the bashing.

Others said Mr Kelly was set upon by "a group" of waiters, who also tore up his clothes.

Deputy Superintendent Gundu Naik said Mr Kelly died 10 hours after being attacked while drinking a beer in the bar at Calangute, about 10km from the state capital, Panaji.

"He died 10 hours after the assault, while being treated at Goa Medical College and Hospital here,'' Superintendent Naik was quoted as saying.

"He entered into an argument with the waiter which resulted in the altercation. The deceased was pushed down and assaulted.''

No further details were released but Superintendent Bosco George said two waiters and a security guard at the premises had been detained, but not arrested, in connection with the incident.

The Times of India quoted another local police officer as saying that the incident was being treated as murder.

...thanks to Foxnews.com

Go Vandy!

2008-10-07T06:34:00.001-06:00

U.S. college football's 19th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores upset the number 13 Auburn Tigers, 14-13, Saturday, to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1943.

Favored Auburn built a 13-0 lead in the first quarter, before backup Vanderbilt quarterback MacKenzi Adams came off the bench to replace the injured starter, and threw two touchdown passes for the win.

Commodores' coach Bobby Johnson said "This is what coaches live for . . . to walk into the locker room and see how happy our players are."

Vanderbilt is the powerful Southeastern Conference's smallest school and only private university, known more for its academics than its football.

Sox go down also....

2008-10-07T06:21:00.002-06:00

They shared hugs and smiles as they packed their belongings in a subdued clubhouse.

"We did our best, but we ran out of gas," Paul Konerko said after the White Sox's mercurial season ended Monday night in a convincing 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay in the fourth game of the American League Division Series.

After surviving four elimination games, the Sox fell to a deeper Rays team that limited them to four hits while displaying a timely blend of speed and power.

The Sox can at least hold their heads up and show faces around Chi…..the Cubs have gone into hiding.

Read this article for comparisons between the two clubs….

Dodgers Sweep Cubs in THREE!

2008-10-05T04:28:00.002-06:00

LOS ANGELES — It's a century and counting for the Chicago Cubs. Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers shoved Chicago into another long winter Saturday night, completing a three-game sweep of their first-round playoff series with a 3-1 victory.

The Cubs' latest flameout has to be among the most galling, considering they fell flat against the Dodgers after their best regular season since 1945.

And the Cubs head home without having come close to their first World Series triumph since 1908. They have lost nine straight playoff games, including three to Arizona in the first round last year.

Anyone interested in buying some cubbies tee shirts, caps? Cheap.

White Sox win AL Central!

2008-10-01T05:13:00.003-06:00

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have no idea how it happened, but wiping the champagne and disbelief from their eyes Tuesday night, they really didn't care.
The White Sox, with a 1-0 victory against the Minnesota Twins in a one-game tiebreaker, are going to the playoffs. They won the American League Central in front of 40,354 fans at U.S. Cellular and will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series on Thursday at Tropicana Field.
GAME REPORT: White Sox 1, Twins 0
"Man, oh man, I'm having a hard time breathing I'm so excited," said White Sox DH Jim Thome, who provided the run with a colossal seventh-inning home run to center off Twins starter Nick Blackburn. "This is great for the city of Chicago."
It's the first time since 1906 the White Sox and Cubs reached the playoffs in the same year, which appeared remote last week after the Twins swept the White Sox.
Gratz to the Sox who looked liked they were sinking toward the end. And Gratz to Jim Thome, friend of my wife’s cousins in Peoria. They say he is a really nice guy.
Photo is of Jim Thome slamming the 7th. inning home run to win the game.

Depression Bank Run?...I'm just showing the photos...

2008-09-29T04:22:00.003-06:00

July 14, 2008
August 5, 1931

Ah so.....

2008-09-25T03:36:00.002-06:00

The tragedy of modern man is not that he knows less and less about the meaning of his own life, but that it bothers him less and less.
— Václav Havel

Tourism

2008-09-16T18:04:00.003-06:00

Tourism

______________________________________________________

Utah is so many stacked saltines; this state is

overcooked. Hopefully this road is already

nameless; I am sure that the wind behind your

car will suck it down into the tire-strewn

canyon with the snakes and sage. Heat

bends the road, browns the stones,

burns the clouds.

The already wide open valley opens up

and we are incomprehensibly small together,

both from the lush Southern hills,

you pause your thoughts of God to ask me

in genuine interest if I am writing poetry

when I see these things and I can’t reply

precisely, but I know that a poem would

crush the scenery in a way that prayer

wouldn’t. Later, you won’t see the dime-sized

lizard hatchlings, these serious jewels, but

I will. Crossing my path, darting under rocks,

frantically alive, all over, and already at home

....Andy Trebing

Palin Panic for the Dems...

2008-09-16T05:44:00.003-06:00

The "Not My Job" Award:

2008-09-14T16:39:00.002-06:00

Real (not photoshopped)

2008-09-13T09:11:00.003-06:00

This was taken at the intersection of US27 & I-471 (SE of Cincinnati) by a friend of mine.

Let the meltdown begin....

2008-09-10T03:56:00.003-06:00

Tuesday the Cubs lost for the eighth time in nine games, leaving them 41/2 games ahead of second-place Milwaukee in the National League Central with 18 games to play.

Is this the famous cubbies September meltdown?

Mzungu will eviserate you!

2008-09-08T14:59:00.003-06:00

The whole damn lot of 'em....

2008-09-05T17:59:00.000-06:00

Vernon Howard's
SECRETS OF LIFE (R)

**********************************************************************

"Watch television, watch all those...officials who...stand
up and talk about bringing peace to the world and they talk
about curing inflation and they talk about new energy programs
that we're going to have. And they're well-dressed in suits
and ties, and they don't appear scared behind the microphone.

I wonder if there's one of you, I'm serious, I wonder if there's
one of you in this room who really sees that that man and that
woman are talking in their sleep. They don't know anything.

The last thing they know is how to cure inflation, because that's
a spiritual problem. The last thing they know is how to save
energy - that's a spiritual problem. The last thing they know is
how to make other people happy - that's a spiritual problem.
Therefore, they are lying, they're deceiving you because they've
first deceived themselves. Is there one of you here who sees
deeply into that, who understands it? I'll guarantee you the
first time you see it you will collapse in horror at what is
going on on this earth.

If you don't see it, you're still a part of it."

Teachings DVD 36, Talk # 1

U. S. of Obesity

2008-09-03T18:05:00.002-06:00

Mediocrity Mask

2008-09-03T18:03:00.002-06:00

Then and Now or the ravages of time...

2008-09-01T04:41:00.003-06:00

Mick today.

Thats Mick Jaggar on the far right looking at the camera ca. 1968

Steampunk Tree House

2008-08-28T05:11:00.004-06:00

As the night comes alive, the Steampunk Tree House can also come alive with soft plumes of steam. Working in collaboration with The Kinetic Steam Works, KSW can drive up to and hook into the Tree via a steam hose, releasing endless curls of steam into the Tree, and making Tender fleeting dumplings of its lucky inhabitants!

The steam is provided via a series of semi-visible steam pipes and outlets installed throughout the Tree’s branches and trunk. In addition, the House component has its own independent steam ports, enabling it to occasionally function as a nocturnal steam sauna. The base of the Tree has a series of independent steam ports that, when opened, gives the impression that the House is floating on a cloud.

Why I'm A Happy Guy:

2008-08-25T05:04:00.001-06:00

Pain and foolishness lead to great bliss and complete knowledge, for Eternal Wisdom created nothing under the sun in vain.

…..Kahlil Gibran

I'm just saying......

2008-08-25T04:44:00.001-06:00

Pause a moment, reflect back.

These events are actual events from history.

They really happened!!!

Do you remember?

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by Muslim male extremist
between the ages of 17 and 40.

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred
by Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by Muslim male
extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by
Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by Muslim male
extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achilles Laura was hijacked and a 70 year old
American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair
by Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver
trying to rescue passengers was murdered by Muslim male extremists
between the ages of 17 and 40.

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by Muslim male extremists
between the ages of 17 and 40.

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by Muslim
male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by
Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles
to take down the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one
crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by
the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by Muslim male
extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

Twenty Seven Strikes The Perfect Game

2008-08-24T16:25:00.001-06:00

Author:

Robert Arthur Miller, USA

Poem

Twenty Seven Strikes The Perfect Game, a poem by Robert Arthur Miller from USA

Baseball diamond
pitchers mound,
catcher squatting
to the ground.
Throws the signs
for next pitch,
ball released
with every stitch.
Approaches batter
at a high speed rate,
swings his hardest
but much too late.
Umpire calls
the pitch strike one,
then the pitcher sets
and reloads his gun.
He stares into home
just below the hitter,
to read his next sign
and he throws a sweet splitter.
Never making contact
with the pitch that he threw,
The ump turns to his side
and calls it strike two.
The count is 0-2
and the next pitch would be,
a high fastball
that made it strike three.
Two more outs
to strike out the side,
the feat was repeated
when he pitched them inside.
On nine straight pitches
this feat was done,
he repeated it eight times
and with a no hitter,he won.
Unpredictable historic events
theres nothing like it at all,
you never know what will happen
in a good game of ball.

A Little On Desire....

2008-08-23T06:45:00.000-06:00

"Have you ever noticed how your life, how your day is dominated
by desires? Take a look at it. You can do that, right now while
you're seated here. Take a look and see how much of your time and
energy, your thoughts are wrapped all around trying to get some-
thing, trying to achieve something, wanting to go somewhere,
wanting to do something, wanting to attract someone. If you were
to do this fully you might be shocked to see how your whole life
is indeed, one grand desire, one want after another, all pain and
anxiety, all going in different directions, none of it making any
sense at all. More than that you don't know what to do about it,
do you?"

A New Kind of Help DVD 2, Talk # 1…Vernon Howard

It was 39 years ago today....

2008-08-16T05:14:00.001-06:00

Some real solid advice...not

2008-08-09T06:39:00.004-06:00

Only us old farts remember the decline our nation suffered under Jimmy Carter's mis-administration. The Iran Hostage debacle, sky high interest rates ( in the 20's %),
inflation, and the energy crisis caused by the gasoline shortage.
Jimmy Carter's cure for the energy crisis was: "put on sweaters when you're at home" and be sure to "turn off unnecessary lights".
Obama's cure for the current gasoline price crunch is to "be sure your car tire's air pressure is correct".

Obama could have added that waxing your car allows it to glide through the air with less resistance thereby increasing gasoline milage.

Don't like McCain either. Wonder whatever happened to Ross Perot?....maybe draft T. Boone Pickens?

Bush's reign has turned me into a solid Independent voter.

An Open Mind

2008-07-23T15:58:00.001-06:00

Consider your problem, whatever it might be. Perhaps it involves
marriage or finances or health. Or perhaps you fear losing your
security, or maybe you cannot obtain what you feel you must have.

Next, remember that there is a great difference between thinking
about a problem and having a completely open mind towards it.
Thinking about a difficulty cannot end it because the thought
and the difficulty reside on the same psychological level.
Conditioned thought is the very cause of the problem, therefore
it cannot save itself. Something higher is needed. This some-
thing higher exists within a truly open mind, a mind which
neither attacks nor defends a problem. An open mind ends the
illusion of an individual self, which ends the illusion of a
problem-burdened person, which ends the illusory existence of
the problem.

Have an open mind towards the preceding paragraph."

Esoteric Encyclopedia of Eternal Knowledge, p. 152

…..Vernon Howard

Big Dog

2008-07-23T15:36:00.004-06:00

Go here and watch the video. You will also want to read about this machine. Amazing.

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam!

2008-07-04T05:22:00.003-06:00

Fireworks over Nashville.

Sunday Affirmation:

2008-06-29T08:06:00.002-06:00

I shall recognize all disease as the result of my transgressions against health laws and I shall try to undo the evil by right eating, by less eating, by fasting, by more exercise, and by right thinking.
....Paramahansa Yogananda

(...the last ravages of a bbq dinner have convinced me to give up beef and pork, which I seldom eat anymore anyway. That bbq was memorable in its revenge on my body. My last meal out was a Thai noodle dish with Tofu and veggies. Very satisfying with no ill after effects.)

My candidate :

2008-06-18T05:45:00.001-06:00

Tee shirt of the day.....

2008-06-18T05:44:00.001-06:00

Heres Al......(again)

2008-06-18T05:41:00.002-06:00

In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President’s home energy use surged more than 10%, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.

“A man’s commitment to his beliefs is best measured by what he does behind the closed doors of his own home,” said Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “Al Gore is a hypocrite and a fraud when it comes to his commitment to the environment, judging by his home energy consumption.”

In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month.

From Bill Cosby....

2008-06-15T03:50:00.000-06:00

Article from Wall Street Journal:

Rev. Wright epitomizes the thoughts and actions that have prevented and continue to prevent black America from moving ahead and achieving their potential as a people. He suggests that this United States of America made up of sons and daughters of immigrants (I'm talking of the millions of 1st, 2nd, 3rd generation immigrants in this country) of every race, creed, color and religion, each and everyone of them who had nothing to do with slavery, somehow owe something to a group of people who have never been slaves?

It's amazing. It seems everyone is to blame for the shambles black society is in with its violence, drugs, and high school drop out rates, misogyny, and a host of other real and virulent problems, except for the very people who engage in such behavior.

Enough. As a society, culture or people, they should look within themselves and fix their problems. When did this man become the spokesman for the black church? And of course his church is different, but that doesn't mean his message and philosophy is acceptable, or productive or non-offensive or not-racist or indicative or our greater cultural behaviors, values and norms as Americans.

And yes, the link between this man and Obama really does matter. At a very minimum, it provides insight into the political and philosophical strain that Obama adheres to.

Comment by Bill Cosby - April 28, 2008