A few days ago, I took a good hard fall on the playground equipment while playing with my kids. This is typical for me. I always thought it was due to just being clumsy or ungraceful. I later discovered there was actually a name for it. It's called Multiple Sclerosis. I fall about once a week, and no matter how hard I try, I just can't convince my feet and legs to work the way everyone elses feet and legs work. Simple reality. And when I do fall, I am reminded how pain is a gift. Allow me to explain.
Pain serves an important purpose. It helps us know when we are in danger of potentially life threatening situations. When my MS takes over my arms and hands, it makes my limbs numb to touch. This is mainly a problem when I take objects out of the microwave. Note to self: Objects with high sugar content should only be removed from a microwave with potholders. I usually only know a day or two later when the inevitable return of sensation comes back in full force, and hypersensitivity makes me realize I was stupid for not paying attention to what I was doing. Pain warns us, and those who are not gifted with it, discover only too late they should have stopped while they were ahead.
Pain also builds character. Case in point: Keith Zeier. This guy suffered HUGE pain when he took a hit while serving in our country in the Marines. Now he raises money for our fallen heroes by turning the pain he endures every day into a commodity. He runs despite agonizing pain to secure financial contributions for his charity, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. So far he has raised over $41,000 and is pushing hard to demonstrate that pain doesn't need to be feared, but rather, conquered. (If you want to learn more about Keith's charity, go to http://www.firstgiving.com/keys100 )
Most of all, pain highlights the ultimate battle we all face: Fear of death. But suffering and pain can be used as a catalyst to show others how a small, weak or delicate individual, such as Farrah Fawcett, can be strong, determined and great. Although criticized for the reality TV approach to her own struggle with cancer, Farrah does us all a huge favor. She shows her great faith in every step of her agony. In her story, she shows us that which is greatly feared, namely pain, is something we can all overcome and endure. How does she do this? By looking for the reason for her mission. She sees her cancer as a mission to accomplish, and death is NOT the end. Faith helps Farrah to see beyond death and, thus, gives her pain a purpose: She shows us how to be brave.
Both Keith and Farrah have learned the secret to overcoming pain. By giving pain a purpose, and suffering for the sake of others, they take the power from the pain as a victim and twist it. They take control and cease to be victims of the pain inflicted by others, or by an unknown entity. They become survivors, even in death, to show us that WE are the architects of our own destiny. Ultimately, they embrace the very pain that causes other to recoil. In doing so, they lift themselves, and others, up.
When I was 18, my grandfather, Alfonso Merino, died from cancer. He decided he would not look at the pain, but at its purpose. He offered his suffering up for those in his family who had left the Catholic Church. Some may question the effectiveness of this, but noone can argue the impact. His suffering went on for ten months, and when it was over, most of us were sadly relieved. But we all knew his determination to offer his suffering for the sake of our souls. Even if you were an aetheist, you couldn't help but admire his determination to give his pain a purpose. As a result, those who knew him, always thought fondly of him and his courage, not his suffering. While we have to wait to our own deaths to know if his suffering worked to save the souls of others, there is no denying his sacrifice was noble.
When you take control of the pain and embrace it, you discover the real power you have. You discover the value of pain, and the art of suffering nobly for others, just like Keith, Farrah and my grandpa. Ultimately, you discover your foe, is your friend. Pain and suffering become the vehicle to strength and courage.
So the next time I fall, I will simply laugh and say, "Oh, I meant to do that." In doing so, I will have done so.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Full Circle Time: The Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis!"
Okay kids...let's all get on the mat for full circle time. It's time to tell you a story about the Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis." Do you remember the original story, where the little shepherd boy cried wolf, and all the townspeople came running. He did it to MANIPULATE the townsfolk to his own perverse sense of pleasure. But when the time came that a REAL wolf appeared, the townspeople thought his cries were another b.s. alarm and they wouldn't come to save him. What happened to the little boy? He was torn to tiny pieces by the wolf...and rightfully so. Do you think ANY of the townspeople shed a tear? Well, I'm sure some saw the boy was still a youth and too narcissistic to realize the impact his decisions were having on the townspeople, but most of them probably said, "He had it coming! Serve the little jerk right!"
Does anyone remember where we were, boys and girls, about two weeks ago? That's right! We were at the Tea Parties on Tax Day. And what was our purpose there? Right again! To remind people that our government should be OF the PEOPLE, BY the PEOPLE and FOR the PEOPLE. Now in our story of the Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis", the Little Boy President saw all of us standing around, protesting the bad decisions made by our so-called 'representatives' in Congress. He began to throw a temper tantrum because the people did not want to play the game his way after he changed all the rules to make himself the winner. So the little boy devised a nice little idea that would make people stop gathering.
First, the Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis" thought, "I'll show those American Townspeople!" So he took his favorite airplane and fighter jets and had them fly low over Manhattan, just to make the American Townspeople run away scared to think there was another terrorist attack coming. The American Townspeople in Manhattan began to cry because they were AFRAID that their city was going to be dessimated again by men that hate Americans. But just when they thought the plane was going to crash into a building, it tilted and someone said, "Hey, isn't that the Little Boy President's plane? Why is he trying to scare us? They got angry that the Little Boy President was so stupid as to think he could scare us away with his planes. So the American Townspeople stopped being afraid.
Next, the Little Boy President told some of his little boyfriends in the White House to take a little bottle of un-medicine that the world hasn't seen since 1977 and, before that, 1950, (http://www.virology.ws/2009/03/02/origin-of-current-influenza-h1n1-virus/) and release it in rural Mexico where the silly little peasants would never know what hit them. Then, it would spread and they could tell everyone what a deadly disease it was and how everyone should stay inside because it normally KILLS PIGS but now it is KILLING HUMANS. The Little Boy President had his best little boy friend, the Little Boy Vice President, even say on national television that he wouldn't have his own family ride the trains, even though the Little Boy Vice President LOVES trains. The American Townspeople heard this and began to worry. They stopped gathering, because they were AFRAID of this sickness. You see, boys and girls, noone really remembered having it before, and fewer understood how it managed to jump from just making pigs sick to making humans puke their guts out, so the American Townspeople were very scared of getting sick. Really, they were just afraid of throwing up so hard that vomit would come out their noses, but they were more afraid of that which they didn't understand.
After a few days, when people who got sick from it started to feel better, the American Townspeople began to realize that, just like every other illness humans get, our immune system fights it pretty well, and we get better, although some of us had the added advantage of having such violent vomitting and diahrrea that we finally dropped those pesky few pounds that wouldn't come off after having the last baby .
Well boys and girls, in the original story, it only took the townspeople two times to realize the Little Boy was full of crud and they began to ignore his cries of the wolf coming. But the American Townspeople haven't stopped being afraid when the Little Boy President cries Crisis. Although he has cried Crisis with the Economy, with the Auto Industry Collapse, the Banks, and now, with the Pig Flu, the American Townspeople still respond out of fear. But the American Townspeople are starting to be brave and not be so afraid. Pretty soon, they will begin to ignore the Little Boy President altogether when he shouts about the new Crisis of something or other.
And although the American Townspeople want to make sure their town is safe from all the silly Crisis, they now understand that things like a bad economy, having to find a new job and paying cash for everything sometimes has a good side. They understand that we all get sick, and some sicknesses, like viruses, actually PROTECT us from some forms of cancer and worse illnesses: chicken pox versus Shingles...Cow pox versus Small Pox...common cold versus brain cancer http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(06)00610-4/abstract .
The American Townspeople began to be BRAVE just like their forefathers. They began to remember, they live in the 'Land of the Free, Home of the Brave' and that the two can't be seperated. They realized that being Free, meant being Brave. They started coming back together in town to protest, to let their voice be heard. Most of all, they began to ignore the Little Boy President every time he cried Crisis and started to live life again, without fear.
After they did that, they all lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
Does anyone remember where we were, boys and girls, about two weeks ago? That's right! We were at the Tea Parties on Tax Day. And what was our purpose there? Right again! To remind people that our government should be OF the PEOPLE, BY the PEOPLE and FOR the PEOPLE. Now in our story of the Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis", the Little Boy President saw all of us standing around, protesting the bad decisions made by our so-called 'representatives' in Congress. He began to throw a temper tantrum because the people did not want to play the game his way after he changed all the rules to make himself the winner. So the little boy devised a nice little idea that would make people stop gathering.
First, the Little Boy President Who Cried "Crisis" thought, "I'll show those American Townspeople!" So he took his favorite airplane and fighter jets and had them fly low over Manhattan, just to make the American Townspeople run away scared to think there was another terrorist attack coming. The American Townspeople in Manhattan began to cry because they were AFRAID that their city was going to be dessimated again by men that hate Americans. But just when they thought the plane was going to crash into a building, it tilted and someone said, "Hey, isn't that the Little Boy President's plane? Why is he trying to scare us? They got angry that the Little Boy President was so stupid as to think he could scare us away with his planes. So the American Townspeople stopped being afraid.
Next, the Little Boy President told some of his little boyfriends in the White House to take a little bottle of un-medicine that the world hasn't seen since 1977 and, before that, 1950, (http://www.virology.ws/2009/03/02/origin-of-current-influenza-h1n1-virus/) and release it in rural Mexico where the silly little peasants would never know what hit them. Then, it would spread and they could tell everyone what a deadly disease it was and how everyone should stay inside because it normally KILLS PIGS but now it is KILLING HUMANS. The Little Boy President had his best little boy friend, the Little Boy Vice President, even say on national television that he wouldn't have his own family ride the trains, even though the Little Boy Vice President LOVES trains. The American Townspeople heard this and began to worry. They stopped gathering, because they were AFRAID of this sickness. You see, boys and girls, noone really remembered having it before, and fewer understood how it managed to jump from just making pigs sick to making humans puke their guts out, so the American Townspeople were very scared of getting sick. Really, they were just afraid of throwing up so hard that vomit would come out their noses, but they were more afraid of that which they didn't understand.
After a few days, when people who got sick from it started to feel better, the American Townspeople began to realize that, just like every other illness humans get, our immune system fights it pretty well, and we get better, although some of us had the added advantage of having such violent vomitting and diahrrea that we finally dropped those pesky few pounds that wouldn't come off after having the last baby .
Well boys and girls, in the original story, it only took the townspeople two times to realize the Little Boy was full of crud and they began to ignore his cries of the wolf coming. But the American Townspeople haven't stopped being afraid when the Little Boy President cries Crisis. Although he has cried Crisis with the Economy, with the Auto Industry Collapse, the Banks, and now, with the Pig Flu, the American Townspeople still respond out of fear. But the American Townspeople are starting to be brave and not be so afraid. Pretty soon, they will begin to ignore the Little Boy President altogether when he shouts about the new Crisis of something or other.
And although the American Townspeople want to make sure their town is safe from all the silly Crisis, they now understand that things like a bad economy, having to find a new job and paying cash for everything sometimes has a good side. They understand that we all get sick, and some sicknesses, like viruses, actually PROTECT us from some forms of cancer and worse illnesses: chicken pox versus Shingles...Cow pox versus Small Pox...common cold versus brain cancer http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(06)00610-4/abstract .
The American Townspeople began to be BRAVE just like their forefathers. They began to remember, they live in the 'Land of the Free, Home of the Brave' and that the two can't be seperated. They realized that being Free, meant being Brave. They started coming back together in town to protest, to let their voice be heard. Most of all, they began to ignore the Little Boy President every time he cried Crisis and started to live life again, without fear.
After they did that, they all lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Connecting the Dots: Deja Vu...Have We Been Here Before?
I received an email from my all-time favorite hippie type the other day. All those scratching their heads (either at the confusion that I would have a favorite hippie emailing me or at the idea of the lice that is associated with such) rest your weary minds. I'm not jumping sides. The sides, however, are not what you thought they were.
This favored hippie was John Michael Talbot. He was the former (brilliant) guitarist for Mason Proffit, opening for bands like Pink Floyd, The Byrds and The Grateful Dead. Now, remember the name of his band. It all ties in beautifully. John Michael (JM to those who love him) heard a unique call and answered it. He abandoned the rock star future and did a 180. He left the lifestyle that promised money and fame, and turned to contemplation and the peace that only the Master can offer. In his abandonment to himself, he found his real purpose and his talents weren't laid aside either. Here is a snippet of his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYecuDlDYM
Now, while some would say it is airy fairy, there is a much bigger message for you all. He sent me an email, calling us all to rethink where we've been and where we're going as a nation.
In other words, we've been redirected out of providing food and sustenance for our families by leaving the family farm and gone into the cities in the hope of finding wealth by working for a bunch of elitists who promise us riches if we just work indefinitely for the corporation.
While reading, of all things, an art history book, I stumbled upon this gem. (Proof that not all university institutions are full of lies.) Regarding the post Napoleonic era, it outlines the societal situation that lead to the Great Depression:
We have, once again, become the unwitting pawns of the upper classes in their addiction to more wealth and power. John Michael is right. We need to get back to the basics. The Depression was the direct result of this kind of industrialization, and we're headed in that same direction, unless we stop and turn things around.
John Michael speaks to the idea of answering a call from God that seems so fantastic, so unbelievable for us, that our defeated egos believe it impossible. I'm sure if someone told him where he would be at the age of retirement back when he was with Mason Proffit, he would have laughed. But the truth is, sometimes we sell ourselves short.
Now, the big tie together. John Micheal, my favorite hippie, runs a hermitage called the Little Portion, where they farm, raise their own livestock and barter for services. He has inspired many to do the same. He is married, and answered the call to live a holy family life (not equal to giving up sex,) in answer to what his heart told him was right.
If you watch the video, you can't help notice the peaceful place some of the notes in his musicplaces the soul, through the crescendoes. Remember this place. It is where you usually get when you meditate, or pray, or look at a little baby's sleeping face. It hits you in your heart, right in the center of your chest, and fills you with a feeling you can't explain. That is what talking to God is.
JM turned away from the pursuit of wealth and focused on what God was calling him to do. The ills of our society are caused when we pursue wealth and ignore what God is calling us to do. Once the "Great Generation" started to come out of the Depression, after finally getting the message that they needed to turn away from the misdirected path the elites had veered them towards, they responded to God's call and had the courage to fight a maniacal ruler named Hitler. They defended the gift of liberty God willed for all humanity. They overcame the evil, and were horrified when they realized how evil he was. Will we do the same?
Remember JM's original band name? Mason Proffit? Supposedly, the Masons were a group that met secretly to gain political control and domination of Europe in response to the control of the Medieval Catholic Church, although this is speculative. The open Masons started in England in 1717 and were predominantly aristocracy who never dirtied their lily white hands. (Interesting.) Proffit..well, that goes without saying. Together, JM turned away from an oppressive group that was drawing him towards virtual slavery.
We can do the same, but we all have to start at the same origin. Where did we come from, and where are we going? As a nation, as a people, as a parent, as a person? It all comes back to the One.
This favored hippie was John Michael Talbot. He was the former (brilliant) guitarist for Mason Proffit, opening for bands like Pink Floyd, The Byrds and The Grateful Dead. Now, remember the name of his band. It all ties in beautifully. John Michael (JM to those who love him) heard a unique call and answered it. He abandoned the rock star future and did a 180. He left the lifestyle that promised money and fame, and turned to contemplation and the peace that only the Master can offer. In his abandonment to himself, he found his real purpose and his talents weren't laid aside either. Here is a snippet of his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYecuDlDYM
Now, while some would say it is airy fairy, there is a much bigger message for you all. He sent me an email, calling us all to rethink where we've been and where we're going as a nation.
Plato and even St. Thomas Aquinas said that the majority of the population should be those who produce the basic food we need to live. They are rural farmers. The reason is simple: If we do not eat, we die. The city should have most of its needs produced locally from the farms in its immediate vicinity. Trade with other cities and towns is necessary, but should be kept to a minimum. Cities should be largely self-sufficient from the land around it. The result was to be a healthy and colorfully rich environment for everyone on the city and on the farm. Today cities are a polluted grey sprawl of factories, warehouses, urban and suburban houses, and cookie cutter strip malls. Most of us produce a specialized service that we really don't need. Then we have to convince everyone else that we all NEED this specialized product. A friend of mine said that his city was a population of restaurant owners where everyone goes to another restaurant for dinner every night. Somehow this seems rather inane.
In other words, we've been redirected out of providing food and sustenance for our families by leaving the family farm and gone into the cities in the hope of finding wealth by working for a bunch of elitists who promise us riches if we just work indefinitely for the corporation.
While reading, of all things, an art history book, I stumbled upon this gem. (Proof that not all university institutions are full of lies.) Regarding the post Napoleonic era, it outlines the societal situation that lead to the Great Depression:
Drawn from pre-industrial home industries and farms, the new machine worker class lived and worked in often deplorable conditions. No longer their own masters, they became virtual slaves. Unable to help themselves, they remained subject to severe organizing restrictions, hampered by a lack of education, and threatened constantly by the prospect of unemployment. The middle classes, caught up in their own aspirations to wealth and political power, largely ignored their plight. Into this mix came the philosophy of Karl Marx.Reality Through The Arts Dennis J. Sporre Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ
We have, once again, become the unwitting pawns of the upper classes in their addiction to more wealth and power. John Michael is right. We need to get back to the basics. The Depression was the direct result of this kind of industrialization, and we're headed in that same direction, unless we stop and turn things around.
John Michael speaks to the idea of answering a call from God that seems so fantastic, so unbelievable for us, that our defeated egos believe it impossible. I'm sure if someone told him where he would be at the age of retirement back when he was with Mason Proffit, he would have laughed. But the truth is, sometimes we sell ourselves short.
Now, the big tie together. John Micheal, my favorite hippie, runs a hermitage called the Little Portion, where they farm, raise their own livestock and barter for services. He has inspired many to do the same. He is married, and answered the call to live a holy family life (not equal to giving up sex,) in answer to what his heart told him was right.
If you watch the video, you can't help notice the peaceful place some of the notes in his musicplaces the soul, through the crescendoes. Remember this place. It is where you usually get when you meditate, or pray, or look at a little baby's sleeping face. It hits you in your heart, right in the center of your chest, and fills you with a feeling you can't explain. That is what talking to God is.
JM turned away from the pursuit of wealth and focused on what God was calling him to do. The ills of our society are caused when we pursue wealth and ignore what God is calling us to do. Once the "Great Generation" started to come out of the Depression, after finally getting the message that they needed to turn away from the misdirected path the elites had veered them towards, they responded to God's call and had the courage to fight a maniacal ruler named Hitler. They defended the gift of liberty God willed for all humanity. They overcame the evil, and were horrified when they realized how evil he was. Will we do the same?
Remember JM's original band name? Mason Proffit? Supposedly, the Masons were a group that met secretly to gain political control and domination of Europe in response to the control of the Medieval Catholic Church, although this is speculative. The open Masons started in England in 1717 and were predominantly aristocracy who never dirtied their lily white hands. (Interesting.) Proffit..well, that goes without saying. Together, JM turned away from an oppressive group that was drawing him towards virtual slavery.
We can do the same, but we all have to start at the same origin. Where did we come from, and where are we going? As a nation, as a people, as a parent, as a person? It all comes back to the One.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Show Me The Money
My next series will focus on "Connecting the Dots" and demonstrating who is REALLY running the country. You will notice a large proportion of money going to B.O., but a much smaller amount going to J.M. This is due to the standard (campaign funds from the government versus private companies.) This is just the Presidential Campaign. I will also go after the Speaker, the Senators (Majority vs Minority) and the individuals known for pushing the key pieces of legislature through that has gotten us in the Depression thus far. Note the names seem to keep reappearing. This is no accident.
Barack Obama's top contributers
University of California $1,385,675
Goldman Sachs $980,945
Microsoft Corp $806,299
Harvard University $793,460
Google Inc $790,564
Citigroup Inc $657,268
JPMorgan Chase & Co $650,758
Stanford University $580,904
Sidley Austin LLP $574,938
Time Warner $547,951
National Amusements Inc $541,251
WilmerHale $524,292
UBS AG $522,019
IBM Corp $518,557
Skadden, Arps et al $510,274
Columbia University $503,566
Morgan Stanley $490,873
US Government $479,956
General Electric $479,454
Latham & Watkins $467,311
John McCain's Supporters
Merrill Lynch $371,295
Citigroup Inc $320,251
Morgan Stanley $271,152
Goldman Sachs $230,095
JPMorgan Chase & Co $225,557
US Government $207,829
AT&T Inc $194,913
UBS AG $182,079
Credit Suisse Group $179,053
Wachovia Corp $169,057
PricewaterhouseCoopers $167,900
US Army $162,870
Bank of America $155,251
Blank Rome LLP $154,426
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher $150,396
Greenberg Traurig LLP $146,437
FedEx Corp $132,974
US Dept of Defense $131,675
Lehman Brothers $125,357
Bear Stearns $117,498
Now, you will first notice the names all sound like investment firms and banks. This is no accident either. Next, look at the so called TARP fund payments and then look at the stimulus plan. Notice the similarities? The U.S. Government gave our money to these folks like candy, then committed us, our children and our children's children to pay back the stimulus funds at exhorbitant interest rates that will send future generations into poverty.
Consider the president's budget. Carbon taxes, aka cap and switch, aka bait and switch, and the other members of the green movement and low and behold...who do you see on the big contributors list? None other than The University of California (i.e. the grant money for research on green tech) and General Electric. They have another back door perk. Remember the idea of doing universal healthcare? Along with doing energy and financing, GE also does healthcare equipment. A coincidence? Probably not. Broadband and internet access in the stimulus assists the Silicon Valley crowd, and all the banks that swallowed up the smaller fish exist on BO's list. Finally, I find it curious that so many uni's contributed to BO, and Pell Grant increases were also part of the 'stimulus' (ironically sounding more and more like 'stimulate us') and you'll finally understand what has been happening. We, as a country, have been duped, shanghai'd, bamboozled and taken for a ride. In other words, we fell for it.
In Karl Marx' Communist Manifesto, Marx declares that religion is the opiate of the people. Like so many parts of this piece of literature, he was ALMOST right. Religion isn't the opiate, OPIATE is the opiate of the people, heretofore known as television. Anything that renders its minions catatonic must be an opiate. But it isn't so much what the opiate is, it is what it does to them that is so dangerous. It renders the victim complacent and impressionable. That makes them very easy to manipulate. Watch BO's manner when he speaks...he either talks side to side, even when the teleprompter is in front of him, or he says Uh...Um...Uh..a lot. This has a hypnotyzing effect on people as well. Add to it all the subliminal and overt messages in television ads and programming, and you have the perfect storm. How do you think the members of Congress and the Senate were convinced people would be okay with $700 billion in spending? Because the 'crisis' mantra was plastered all over the boob tube.
Notice, they use 'crisis' whenever it means pushing important legislation through, and it was both parties. It worked for the Patriot Act. It worked for pushing through the TARP and making the Sec of Treasury the Money King. Finally, it is now being used to manipulate a new bill, Senate bills 773 and 778 to limit the internet access in the time of a 'crisis'. Now, which crisis could they be referring to? The real kind, or the last three that have been presented by Bush and Obama?
Now, this is a lot to absorb, and you may say, "But Mama, this is how politics work." Maybe so, but let's consider the gajillion small businesses that were conveniently left out of TARP and the stimulus. Notice also that this keeps going back to the bankers. So, just for the fun of it, let's follow the money.
The banks on the list for BO include JP Morgan Chase. Chase was also known as the Rockefeller Bank. Who is now introducing the bill giving the President the authority to limit the internet? David Rockefeller. This appears to be a bit of a power grab to control the information resources. If the President throws around the word 'crisis' at the drop of a hat. I doubt they would require much criteria to use it to stop information that is damaging from getting out.
Also, you might take note the direction all this is taking. Look at the key players here. Rockefellers, Gates (Microsoft), Harvard...who exactly is calling the shots? Us, or them?
They are taking over the control of the banks, with the intention of putting it all under one umbrella...the Federal Reserve and the Treasury. They have proposed a bailout for the nation's newspapers. If they do that, do you realize what it means? It means all the safeguards for our country are in peril. I know, I know...just TRUST me. What makes us different from Communist China? Not much, outside of religion. But if we defer our laws to an international body, such as the UN, we're totally screwed on that because their Rights of Children specifically states a parent should NOT choose religion for their children.
Now, with all this in mind...a banking system owned by the government, a car industry owned by the government, the newspapers and the internet potentially owned by the government, a system of law authorized by the UN and a government that flips the voters the bird when they say DON'T GIVE THEM OUR MONEY and you have one thing....China, North Korea, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba...all communist or socialist governments that claim to have elections that are 'democratic.'
Next time...Nancy Pelosi and Howard Reid.
/?
Barack Obama's top contributers
University of California $1,385,675
Goldman Sachs $980,945
Microsoft Corp $806,299
Harvard University $793,460
Google Inc $790,564
Citigroup Inc $657,268
JPMorgan Chase & Co $650,758
Stanford University $580,904
Sidley Austin LLP $574,938
Time Warner $547,951
National Amusements Inc $541,251
WilmerHale $524,292
UBS AG $522,019
IBM Corp $518,557
Skadden, Arps et al $510,274
Columbia University $503,566
Morgan Stanley $490,873
US Government $479,956
General Electric $479,454
Latham & Watkins $467,311
John McCain's Supporters
Merrill Lynch $371,295
Citigroup Inc $320,251
Morgan Stanley $271,152
Goldman Sachs $230,095
JPMorgan Chase & Co $225,557
US Government $207,829
AT&T Inc $194,913
UBS AG $182,079
Credit Suisse Group $179,053
Wachovia Corp $169,057
PricewaterhouseCoopers $167,900
US Army $162,870
Bank of America $155,251
Blank Rome LLP $154,426
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher $150,396
Greenberg Traurig LLP $146,437
FedEx Corp $132,974
US Dept of Defense $131,675
Lehman Brothers $125,357
Bear Stearns $117,498
Now, you will first notice the names all sound like investment firms and banks. This is no accident either. Next, look at the so called TARP fund payments and then look at the stimulus plan. Notice the similarities? The U.S. Government gave our money to these folks like candy, then committed us, our children and our children's children to pay back the stimulus funds at exhorbitant interest rates that will send future generations into poverty.
Consider the president's budget. Carbon taxes, aka cap and switch, aka bait and switch, and the other members of the green movement and low and behold...who do you see on the big contributors list? None other than The University of California (i.e. the grant money for research on green tech) and General Electric. They have another back door perk. Remember the idea of doing universal healthcare? Along with doing energy and financing, GE also does healthcare equipment. A coincidence? Probably not. Broadband and internet access in the stimulus assists the Silicon Valley crowd, and all the banks that swallowed up the smaller fish exist on BO's list. Finally, I find it curious that so many uni's contributed to BO, and Pell Grant increases were also part of the 'stimulus' (ironically sounding more and more like 'stimulate us') and you'll finally understand what has been happening. We, as a country, have been duped, shanghai'd, bamboozled and taken for a ride. In other words, we fell for it.
In Karl Marx' Communist Manifesto, Marx declares that religion is the opiate of the people. Like so many parts of this piece of literature, he was ALMOST right. Religion isn't the opiate, OPIATE is the opiate of the people, heretofore known as television. Anything that renders its minions catatonic must be an opiate. But it isn't so much what the opiate is, it is what it does to them that is so dangerous. It renders the victim complacent and impressionable. That makes them very easy to manipulate. Watch BO's manner when he speaks...he either talks side to side, even when the teleprompter is in front of him, or he says Uh...Um...Uh..a lot. This has a hypnotyzing effect on people as well. Add to it all the subliminal and overt messages in television ads and programming, and you have the perfect storm. How do you think the members of Congress and the Senate were convinced people would be okay with $700 billion in spending? Because the 'crisis' mantra was plastered all over the boob tube.
Notice, they use 'crisis' whenever it means pushing important legislation through, and it was both parties. It worked for the Patriot Act. It worked for pushing through the TARP and making the Sec of Treasury the Money King. Finally, it is now being used to manipulate a new bill, Senate bills 773 and 778 to limit the internet access in the time of a 'crisis'. Now, which crisis could they be referring to? The real kind, or the last three that have been presented by Bush and Obama?
Now, this is a lot to absorb, and you may say, "But Mama, this is how politics work." Maybe so, but let's consider the gajillion small businesses that were conveniently left out of TARP and the stimulus. Notice also that this keeps going back to the bankers. So, just for the fun of it, let's follow the money.
The banks on the list for BO include JP Morgan Chase. Chase was also known as the Rockefeller Bank. Who is now introducing the bill giving the President the authority to limit the internet? David Rockefeller. This appears to be a bit of a power grab to control the information resources. If the President throws around the word 'crisis' at the drop of a hat. I doubt they would require much criteria to use it to stop information that is damaging from getting out.
Also, you might take note the direction all this is taking. Look at the key players here. Rockefellers, Gates (Microsoft), Harvard...who exactly is calling the shots? Us, or them?
They are taking over the control of the banks, with the intention of putting it all under one umbrella...the Federal Reserve and the Treasury. They have proposed a bailout for the nation's newspapers. If they do that, do you realize what it means? It means all the safeguards for our country are in peril. I know, I know...just TRUST me. What makes us different from Communist China? Not much, outside of religion. But if we defer our laws to an international body, such as the UN, we're totally screwed on that because their Rights of Children specifically states a parent should NOT choose religion for their children.
Now, with all this in mind...a banking system owned by the government, a car industry owned by the government, the newspapers and the internet potentially owned by the government, a system of law authorized by the UN and a government that flips the voters the bird when they say DON'T GIVE THEM OUR MONEY and you have one thing....China, North Korea, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba...all communist or socialist governments that claim to have elections that are 'democratic.'
Next time...Nancy Pelosi and Howard Reid.
/?
Monday, April 6, 2009
When Size Really DOES Matter
Last night, I watched a program which constitutes pornography here on Irish television. It was a documentary investigating sperm dysfunction, testicular cancer and reproductive abnormalities in men (commonly referred to as 'small penis size'.) I'm not kidding. This was prime time television in rural Ireland and they were discussing...small penises...as if it were the end of the world. After about ten minutes, I was able to see the television through the blur of tears caused by the laughter. It was then I began to understand how serious the whole thing is (the subject, not the penises!)It may really BE the end of the world if the average penis size becomes small. And not just for the pleasure of women!
The Canadian Medical Association Journal January 1999 edition hthttp://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/160/2/213.pdf cites a number of possible causes, but penis size was an indicator in a number of problems that all combine to paint a very disturbing picture. Small penises, hypospadius and non decendant testicles were all associated with slow sperm swimming. It was also linked to a higher frequency of testicular cancer. Testicular cancer, on the rise in Canada by 2% annually (a 60% increase in ages 15 - 29 over the last 30 years) was the most alarming.
Interestingly, they managed to blame the mom, citing influences caused in the fetal period that contributed to the increase in cancer. You read that right. Now, some people are being exposed to things that will cause their death BEFORE they are even born! While a curious argument for the pro-life debate crowd, a 60% increase is crazy scary! And the fact that it has been increasing steadily every year is also alarming. OK, so it IS Canada, and there are some who would argue whether this was really a bad thing, but it is also happening in Danish populations too. (Again, there are some...) But the journal makes this incredible statement:
The Canadian Medical Association Journal January 1999 edition hthttp://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/160/2/213.pdf cites a number of possible causes, but penis size was an indicator in a number of problems that all combine to paint a very disturbing picture. Small penises, hypospadius and non decendant testicles were all associated with slow sperm swimming. It was also linked to a higher frequency of testicular cancer. Testicular cancer, on the rise in Canada by 2% annually (a 60% increase in ages 15 - 29 over the last 30 years) was the most alarming.
Interestingly, they managed to blame the mom, citing influences caused in the fetal period that contributed to the increase in cancer. You read that right. Now, some people are being exposed to things that will cause their death BEFORE they are even born! While a curious argument for the pro-life debate crowd, a 60% increase is crazy scary! And the fact that it has been increasing steadily every year is also alarming. OK, so it IS Canada, and there are some who would argue whether this was really a bad thing, but it is also happening in Danish populations too. (Again, there are some...) But the journal makes this incredible statement:
Which environmental agents are the likely culprits? A
number of microcontaminants have hormone-disrupting
properties, either with estrogenic or antiandrogenic activity.
The list includes DDT, PCBs, nonylphenol, bisphenola
and vinclozolin
- Epidemiologic trends support the concept that testicular
cancer, undescended testis, hypospadius and impaired
spermatogenesis are related biologically. A substantial
amount of evidence indicates that environmental pollutants
with estrogenic or antiandrogenic activity result in
hormonal disruption and are responsible for the steadily
increasing incidence of testicular cancer.
- This hypothesisis also supported by wildlife studies. For example, small
genitalia and decreased semen quality have beeen reported
in Florida alligators and American panthers.
Guillette LJ Jr, Gross TS, Masson GR, Matter JM, Percival HF, Woodward
AR. Developmental abnormalities of the gonad and abnormal sex hormone
concentrations in juvenile alligators from contaminated and control lakes in
Florida. Environ Health Perspect 1994;102:680-8.
Facemire CF, Gross TS, Guillette LJ Jr. Reproductive impairment in the
Florida panther: nature or nurture? Environ Health Perspect 1995;103(Suppl
4):79-86
The point here is the fact that we have bigger problems than the economic crisis on the horizon. If toxins (which are currently approved by the FDA) are actually reducing the population of many species, including man, we won't have to worry about money. There won't be enough people to do the jobs. We'll be looking at number reductions that border on that of the Black Plague during Medieval Europe! Carbon footprints won't be an issue. Hell, any footprint will be acceptable if this happens.
Why, you ask? Aren't there too many people on the earth as it is? Well, aside from the reality that the population explosion is just another manufactured crisis to distract us from the real problems, it means few species in certain locations, across the board. Fewer species mean less food. And if humans are also going to see fewer numbers, or face greater cancers (remember, this could also have an influence on breast and uterine cancers) we, as a nation, will be facing a healthcare crisis, and possibly other man made catastrophes (thought I'd throw that in, just for fun, Ms. Napolitano!)
This IS the real problem. We need to pay attention to what is happening around us ALREADY...not some fairytale story about global warming that has no basis in fact and was contrived by a bunch of dreadlock hippie throwbacks who smoked a lid of bad pot and got paranoid. Oh, but they better check the pesticides on that pot. Drug use has also been indicated in sexual dysfunction. Coincidence? I think not!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Vices and Virtues: Learning From This Moment
There Minos sits, grinning, grotesque, and hale,
He examines each lost soul as it arrives
and delivers his verdict with his coiling tail.
That is to say, when the ill-fated soul
appears before him it confesses all,
and that grim sorter of the dark and foul
decides which place in Hell shall be its end,
then wraps his twitching tail about himself
one coil for each degree it must descend.
Now, for those of you who might think these lyrics were composed about Barney Frank or Tim Geitner, they weren't. They were actually written by Dante in The Divine Comedy, Circle Two, Canto V The Carnel in the thirteenth century. But it might as well have been written for this day and age. Minos would have admired Geitner's evil grin, as well as Frank's evil lust which may topple the largest economy in the world.
Some may wonder why I would use a thirteenth century writer/poet to illustrate a point. To highlight the fact that there is nothing new under the sun, as another Great Author once wrote. Human nature, in its base, doesn't change from era to era. The only change is its heroes and villians. The two great forces behind both, good and evil, are in a struggle for the eternal soul. But we delude ourselves into thinking we have become enlightened enough to see it. Fat chance!
When the Main Stream Media identifies sin, it is in the form of sensational scandal. Madonna's divorce to Guy Ritchie, Bernie Madoff's Wall Street con game, the Pope's (seemingly) unenlightened statement on condoms, all make headline news, but the real evil, broken families hurt by broken commitments, greed overwhelming one man to steal other's life savings, or the transmission of a deadly disease caused by promiscuous sexual behavior, all seem to vanish from the story. But these ARE the real story. We get caught, missing the forest in seeing all the trees. People have allowed society to degrade into this type of sorrow and pain, in the name of individual rights.
Here's a news flash. Individual rights, that cause pain to others, diminish another individual's right to the pursuit of happiness. We can stand and finger point, but until we are prepared to see how our own actions affect others and change our actions, we are running in circles. Criticising the AIG bonuses does NOTHING until we look in the mirror and ask the obvious question, "How greedy am I?"
I'm not suggesting that we should let anyone who has injured another off the hook. That would further injure the very same victims a second time. What I am suggesting is we should elevate ourselves above the vice we see and commit to overcoming it in our own lives. Although most of us haven't stolen from another, how many times have we thrown away the appeal for charity envelope we see in the church pews? Although we haven't swindled millions, how many times have we fibbed a little to our spouse to avoid admitting we were wrong? Although we may not have cheated on our spouses, how many times have we bitched about the way they cook or clean? Although we don't beat our children, how many times have we yelled at them without seeing the hurt in their eyes?
Yesterday, I was in Mass with my husband. He had been gone for over a week, and his back was bothering him from the long journey. My autistic son, Liam, had been fidgeting because the Mass went on a little longer than usual. He went up to his dad to give him a hug and Daddy, who was absorbed in his own pain, failed to recognize the gesture and told him to sit down and be quiet or he wouldn't give him any more candy. (The reward system we use with him to get him to behave during Mass.) The crushed look of anguish on Liam's face still haunts me. My husband missed it though. The moment was lost to him because he was too absorbed by the pain.
My point is this: Don't miss the important message in the moments. Even though most of us will never do the heinous evil that will send us plummetting to the seven levels of hell, we deny ourselves some of the seven levels of heaven when we miss the moments to change and love. Look in the mirror this Lent, honestly consider your own soul, and rise above the slightest reflection of the things that are ugly in your life. Not only will you avoid looking like a hypocrite when you discuss the Financial Crimes on Wall Street, you will be able to see the smile on your childrens faces and count them as part of the jewels that can never be stolen.
He examines each lost soul as it arrives
and delivers his verdict with his coiling tail.
That is to say, when the ill-fated soul
appears before him it confesses all,
and that grim sorter of the dark and foul
decides which place in Hell shall be its end,
then wraps his twitching tail about himself
one coil for each degree it must descend.
Now, for those of you who might think these lyrics were composed about Barney Frank or Tim Geitner, they weren't. They were actually written by Dante in The Divine Comedy, Circle Two, Canto V The Carnel in the thirteenth century. But it might as well have been written for this day and age. Minos would have admired Geitner's evil grin, as well as Frank's evil lust which may topple the largest economy in the world.
Some may wonder why I would use a thirteenth century writer/poet to illustrate a point. To highlight the fact that there is nothing new under the sun, as another Great Author once wrote. Human nature, in its base, doesn't change from era to era. The only change is its heroes and villians. The two great forces behind both, good and evil, are in a struggle for the eternal soul. But we delude ourselves into thinking we have become enlightened enough to see it. Fat chance!
When the Main Stream Media identifies sin, it is in the form of sensational scandal. Madonna's divorce to Guy Ritchie, Bernie Madoff's Wall Street con game, the Pope's (seemingly) unenlightened statement on condoms, all make headline news, but the real evil, broken families hurt by broken commitments, greed overwhelming one man to steal other's life savings, or the transmission of a deadly disease caused by promiscuous sexual behavior, all seem to vanish from the story. But these ARE the real story. We get caught, missing the forest in seeing all the trees. People have allowed society to degrade into this type of sorrow and pain, in the name of individual rights.
Here's a news flash. Individual rights, that cause pain to others, diminish another individual's right to the pursuit of happiness. We can stand and finger point, but until we are prepared to see how our own actions affect others and change our actions, we are running in circles. Criticising the AIG bonuses does NOTHING until we look in the mirror and ask the obvious question, "How greedy am I?"
I'm not suggesting that we should let anyone who has injured another off the hook. That would further injure the very same victims a second time. What I am suggesting is we should elevate ourselves above the vice we see and commit to overcoming it in our own lives. Although most of us haven't stolen from another, how many times have we thrown away the appeal for charity envelope we see in the church pews? Although we haven't swindled millions, how many times have we fibbed a little to our spouse to avoid admitting we were wrong? Although we may not have cheated on our spouses, how many times have we bitched about the way they cook or clean? Although we don't beat our children, how many times have we yelled at them without seeing the hurt in their eyes?
Yesterday, I was in Mass with my husband. He had been gone for over a week, and his back was bothering him from the long journey. My autistic son, Liam, had been fidgeting because the Mass went on a little longer than usual. He went up to his dad to give him a hug and Daddy, who was absorbed in his own pain, failed to recognize the gesture and told him to sit down and be quiet or he wouldn't give him any more candy. (The reward system we use with him to get him to behave during Mass.) The crushed look of anguish on Liam's face still haunts me. My husband missed it though. The moment was lost to him because he was too absorbed by the pain.
My point is this: Don't miss the important message in the moments. Even though most of us will never do the heinous evil that will send us plummetting to the seven levels of hell, we deny ourselves some of the seven levels of heaven when we miss the moments to change and love. Look in the mirror this Lent, honestly consider your own soul, and rise above the slightest reflection of the things that are ugly in your life. Not only will you avoid looking like a hypocrite when you discuss the Financial Crimes on Wall Street, you will be able to see the smile on your childrens faces and count them as part of the jewels that can never be stolen.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Why Did We Leave England Again?
In September of 1620, a little 13 year old girl by the name of Constance left England for the New World. She, like most of the travellers on the vessel, was a Puritan. Life under Elizabeth, Mary and Henry was less than ideal, and new thinkers were not very much appreciated. Therefore, the idea of a two month journey across a huge ocean in order to land in a place where there was no established niceties (aka, brick homes with fireplaces, fabric, farms, etc.) was seen as preferable to staying in England. Constance arrived in Plymouth, Massachussets in November, 1620 with all the determination a 13 year old is known to have. She survived that first winter, which took the lives of have the other passengers on the Mayflower, including Constance's baby sister. This determination to survive was later rewarded when she met Nicholas Snow seven years later. He arrived on the Anne, coming to the New World for the same reasons. They met and the love affair began. After a successful marriage and twelve children, Constance was known to her fellow settlers as 'Goody' (short for Good Lady.) She outlived her husband and lived long enough to see several new generations before she died in her nineties. Ten generations after Grandma Constance, I was born.
It took my great (add about ten of those) grandmother hard work and sweat to even get enough food to eat that first winter. Because she didn't give up, America became a world power that could easily wipe out hunger (if it wanted to) in a single generation. So what does our government do? Gives BILLIONS to a financial industry that has no self control and no idea of what the phrase 'hard work' or 'hunger' means! And now the idiots at the top, now running the country, are going to send it all spiralling downward because they were too lazy to do any REAL work themselves? NO WAY! NOT ON MY WATCH!!
I left California to be with my husband in Ireland, so he could return to work. After all the crap with AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the rest, we have decided to go back. It is not because things are worse in Ireland. It is because I dread to think what my Grandmother will say to me after I die. To think she struggled to build a new country, her children struggled to establish it on the foundation of goodness, hard work and honesty, only to have it collapse after lying, cheating and laziness destroyed it is too much to consider.
God gave me the gift of Gab. I open my mouth and often put my foot in it. But once in a while, I open it and it helps others understand the importance of virtue. For the last few weeks, I have blogged on Virtues and Vices. Virtue is what built this country. To Confucius, it was the foundation for any government. But I have not seen virtue in most of the House or Senate. Virtue has been replaced with Fame and Fortune. But that is about to change. I am going back to California in order to work on Sarah Palin's Presidential Campaign. If she doesn't run for President, I'll work on Mike Huckabee's campaign. I'm going to work to keep Tom McClintock in as my representative. I'm going to fight like hell to throw out people like Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi. I am going to demand every politician claiming to be Catholic or Christian to SHOW ME they are Catholic or Christian...not by kissing the ass of the local bishop, but by LIVING THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN!
I know some of you won't agree with my choice for President, but we need Common Sense back in the Government. Moms are very good at Common Sense. Look at the moms that organized the Tea Parties in Orlando, Florida. They aren't legal professors. They are folks like my grandmother, who understand hard work should be rewarded and laziness (sloth to Grandma Constance) should be punished.
Punish the lazy jerks in AIG, the Treasury Department and the Government. Elect people with VIRTUE and throw the blaggards out!
It took my great (add about ten of those) grandmother hard work and sweat to even get enough food to eat that first winter. Because she didn't give up, America became a world power that could easily wipe out hunger (if it wanted to) in a single generation. So what does our government do? Gives BILLIONS to a financial industry that has no self control and no idea of what the phrase 'hard work' or 'hunger' means! And now the idiots at the top, now running the country, are going to send it all spiralling downward because they were too lazy to do any REAL work themselves? NO WAY! NOT ON MY WATCH!!
I left California to be with my husband in Ireland, so he could return to work. After all the crap with AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the rest, we have decided to go back. It is not because things are worse in Ireland. It is because I dread to think what my Grandmother will say to me after I die. To think she struggled to build a new country, her children struggled to establish it on the foundation of goodness, hard work and honesty, only to have it collapse after lying, cheating and laziness destroyed it is too much to consider.
God gave me the gift of Gab. I open my mouth and often put my foot in it. But once in a while, I open it and it helps others understand the importance of virtue. For the last few weeks, I have blogged on Virtues and Vices. Virtue is what built this country. To Confucius, it was the foundation for any government. But I have not seen virtue in most of the House or Senate. Virtue has been replaced with Fame and Fortune. But that is about to change. I am going back to California in order to work on Sarah Palin's Presidential Campaign. If she doesn't run for President, I'll work on Mike Huckabee's campaign. I'm going to work to keep Tom McClintock in as my representative. I'm going to fight like hell to throw out people like Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi. I am going to demand every politician claiming to be Catholic or Christian to SHOW ME they are Catholic or Christian...not by kissing the ass of the local bishop, but by LIVING THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN!
I know some of you won't agree with my choice for President, but we need Common Sense back in the Government. Moms are very good at Common Sense. Look at the moms that organized the Tea Parties in Orlando, Florida. They aren't legal professors. They are folks like my grandmother, who understand hard work should be rewarded and laziness (sloth to Grandma Constance) should be punished.
Punish the lazy jerks in AIG, the Treasury Department and the Government. Elect people with VIRTUE and throw the blaggards out!
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