Hunger and World Poverty

With such an abundance of food on the planet you'd think no one should ever go hungry. But 25,000 people die from starvation every year. And get this, of all the countries in the free world (calculated according to wages earned) the United States contributes the least in donations (1). I'm not proud of it, so I'm on a mission.

These are difficult times. But there's something wonderful about digging into your pocket and giving your last dollar to someone in need ... if it doesn't have a terrible affect on your finances. And don't make assumptions as to how that person will spend it. Who are we to know? Don't assume that someone's a drug addict or drunk, that he'll use it to buy alcohol or pot. How does a poor person look? He or she can look destitute, ravaged by conditions, or mainstream in dress and manner. Don't assume and don't judge. Just give. It just might be an angel in disguise.

If you enjoy word games and would like to help donate rice to the needy, visit Free Rice and make a difference. Thanx!

Guess My Number

Numbers are interesting. When I first played this game, I guessed the number within 1 to 3 clicks. Since that time, I haven't come close to such odds. See if you can click the right number.

The 4th Dimension

Someone once asked me why it was that I wrote short stories in the fantasy/horror/sci-fi genre? I told her a few things about how I grew up and some details about my propensity for otherworldly things. That was my wobbly attempt at answering the same question I'd asked myself for many years. But now I know exactly the reason.

I, like many people, am looking for the places and spaces beyond my everyday existence that gives me a broader perspective of God's greatness. I'm not talking about Ghosts and Aliens or things that go bump in the night. I'm speaking of the universe and all the imagined and unimagined realities. It's not that I've mastered my own personal reality ... not in the least. But understanding the greater picture helps me make since of the ugly, beautiful, craziness of life on earth.

My questions led me to the overwhelming importance of the relationship between Science and God. God is the creator of all, the intelligent designer of life. We can produce scientific evidence for most things such as death (the deterioration of a body). Yet death is an act of God, if you're a believer. Or take, for instance, the beautiful diamond patterns found on the skin of snakes. Who designed it ... because it is an artistic endeavor. Science would reveal that it is a natural occurrence. Nature is the intelligent designer. God.

So now I'm attempting to understand the unseen, as in God's other creatures, those referred to in the bible such as angels. An analytical person, I study quantum physics and the possibility of other realms of existence. It's quite simple, in fact, to see how there would be a 4th dimension, if you understand how the 2nd dimension becomes the 3rd dimension. The best way to explain this is to visit Flatland.

The 4th dimension is a shadow of our now, present-time existence. I have the concept down, in a scientific fashion, but I have yet to understand the reality of this concept. When I do, I'll be that much closer to understanding myself.

Potpourri of Links

I find delight in reading and researching topics that interest me. Sometimes I become fixed on an issue and never move on till I make my friends and family sick-to-death of hearing about it. I've become that older-woman (not too old) who's long ago considerations have now become outbursts of messages and warnings, passionate about issues that many give little or no thought.

In my day-to-day journey towards becoming more enlightened, I find truths in many places. I'm Christian, yet I find Christ in Buddism. I'm educated, but I find wisdom in listening to the so-called ignorant. Oddly, I'm at peace, and yet I find the rescources for tranquility through the intellectualizing of war.

Part of my blog space (the right side of this page) has become a haven for links that I've found important in some way or another to my growth. They're important to me and I hope they can benefit others. I don't agree in whole with any one of them but they are, in part, a piece of the whole picture of our existance. This is why there are many varieties of spiritual and philisophical thought posted here. With each visit I find more insight. And with continued research and recommendation to visit other sites, more pieces of the BiG Picture may come together still.

My plan for the coming year is to post some impressions of what I've discerned from each of the links that I've shared here. I am thankful and blessed. May your Thanksgiving be of good spirit.

Water out of Thin Air

The Water Mill goes on sale next year for about $1,250 American dollars (£800). This looks to be the answer to many prayers, as water becomes a comodity. The machine pays for itself and is more productive during storm seasons, when there's moisture in the air. It's not advised for areas with low humidity.

What do you make of this?

Call me weird, tell me I have no life, but this is too fantastic!!! Anyone who doesn't see this for what it really is also believes the world is flat. What do you make of it?

Dragon Slayer - by Daryl Cagle

This is an amusing cartoon. I'm sure everyone's got the message already. I received this in an email and thought it was really creative and well done. In reality, Obama is non-violent and wouldn't hurt a fly. Case in point, what's up with this Hillary and Joe Lieberman thingy ... as possible cabinet members? Obama admires Abraham Lincoln and his politics. It seems he's being lead by the teachings of our 16th president. I hope he remembers that some of our rivals are destructive and self serving. They don't all have our best interest at heart.

"In winning the Republican presidential nomination, Lincoln had to defeat some powerful rivals--particularly, William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates. When he was elected, Lincoln appointed them to his Cabinet, because he wanted to bring his opponents together so that he could benefit from their talents and sharpen his judgment in response to their critical advice." (1)


My hope is that the dragon is not revived and remains where he is. Who needs his advice anyway?

Tis the Season for Scammers

Scammers are growing in numbers and getting very smart. It takes alertness to avoid being taken for a ride.

I almost dug myself into a deep deep hole. While searching Craig's List during October looking for a second source of income, I found an interesting venture. It was a market research group looking for business professionals in certain industries. I fit the profile and sent my info to the group, hoping to earn the $150 for 2 days and 2 hours per day of research development sessions. Well, I didn't get in, as I'd responded too late to make the cut, but the idea of doing market research for pay piqued my interest.

Some days later I received a notice from a group (I thought it was the same research group) telling me that they were responding from Craig's List regarding my request to keep me on there records for further opportunities, and that there was to be another study. Yippie!!! I didn't hesitate one second to respond, putting my name in the que for a quick response.

Over the next week I received several emails, one of which stated that I'd be working with their client, Moneygram. I would receive $300 for the study and $100 for gas and expenses to get to the location. Something about it didn't feel good or sound right, but I wanted to see it play out, as I'd hoped the earnings would be legit.

Another email gave me the logistics. November 6th was the day that I was to visit Moneygram and adhere to a list of requirements. I was to receive a check in which $400 of it I could keep and the balance sent to them through Moneygram. By now I was sure that this was a scam. So I ignored the message and washed my hands of it.

On November 6th I received, in the mail, a check for $3,753. I stared at it for 5 minutes, imagining that some agency was refunding money due to me for some strange reason. But I just couldn't fabricate a scenario where this could be true. Oh shucks!

Mr. David Bircham, the scamming party, expected me to deposit the check into my bank, leaving $400 there and taking out $3,353 in cash to be sent to him through Moneygram. When, if I'd been so ditsy as to deposit the check, my bank would have found that the check was no good, there would be no way to retrieve the funds from Mr. David Bircham, and I would be the great looser.

This scam is a twist on something similar that I've heard many lost money. Be careful. Money is earned. If an offer looks weird, it probably is. That applies to anyone buying a mansion he can't afford as well.

Are We Gonna Miss Him?

Folks are already complaining ... "Obama's not doing this ... Obama's not doing that ... Obama isn't handling the issues". Well, give the man some breathing space. He's not officially in office yet and I think he's got his hands tied. None of this mess will get fixed over night and Obama hasn't even spelled out what his real plans are. I say ... let's wait and see ... Peace be Still.

I recall soooo many republicans who rallied around Bush for president. And now, soooo many churches, republicans, and hate mongers are talking trash about the new President Elect. I'm confused. Are we looking for change in the right direction or just more of the same old corruption on the backs of hard working people?
It's obvious we're headed in a new direction, from dumb to smart, crazy to sane, and comic to presidential.

Here's a montage of Mr. Bush at his best. Say goodbye to comic.



The Inauguration is only a few months away and everyone I know is trying to go. The hotels have no vacancies, there are no more Inauguration tickets to be had, Obama only plans to attend 2 of the many Inauguration parties, and the crowds will be staggering. Here's what I say: Buy a bottle of your favorite champagne, invite some friends over, tune into the Inauguration, and have a joyous time. I plan to have a blast!

Inspired to Write

Today I strolled upon the website, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It came to mind that this is about the that time of year when I'm most stimulated to write my best, and write more often. The quantity is noted in the recent posts I've contributed these last days, as I've not posted so much in one week. Well, of course there's the element of having voted a magnanimous political leader into office that can cause anyone with a pen to want to voice a word. Yes, it's all of that. It's the fact that the holidays are upon us; a season for creativity and a time to reflect. November is a time for creativity.

So once again I'm attempting a novel. I've written more than a dozen short stories and half a dozen incomplete novels. There are a bunch of reasons why I haven't finished a novel ... one reason is that I have a case of attention deficit when it pertains to holding on to a good storyline. I get great ideas all the time and squash them when I inevitably come upon another, one that I think is even better than the one before. But now I'm going to try something different.

NaNoWriMo is holding a contest that requires writing a 50,000-word novel by the end of November. The cool part about this is that it's a creative endeavor that focuses on, not quality, but quantity. I, for one, am challenged without having to be anal about the finished product. Can I produce 50,000 words in one month? I'll let you know as we get into the month. Check out the website and try it.

America Grows Up

We celebrated tonight, excited that the US is in agreement with making significant changes in the way we run our country. What stimulates me the most is not how President Elect Obama plans to end the war in Iraq, bring health care to all, or Social Security reform. It's the fact that he inspires a country that is desperate for the government to work for them, and not against them. The inspiring words of Obama uplifts those who had no hope for a better world. For many, all it takes is just those words to stimulate energy and passion from a lethargic nation. Today I'm proud for many reasons. I can't wait to participate in this new movement of peace. I'm especially proud of my diversely-colored brothers and sisters who judged by the content of character and not the color of skin. I'm Proud that we've grown up.

Peace is quite simple

Are You Clueless ?

Last Wednesday night I attended a revival meeting at my parent’s church, Allen Temple. I loved a parody that the pastor, Dr. Leslie Braxton, gave on how rules are made to be broken.

He told a story of a family gathering in some out-of-the-way home one holiday. A young girl was in the kitchen watching her mother help with the cooking. Her mom was fixing the ham. She watched her chop off half of it and throw it away before placing the remaining part into the oven.

The child asked, “Mama, why did you cut half the ham and throw it away?”

“Well, honey. That’s how my mama taught me,” replied the mother.

“But why did she make you do that?”

The mother paused for thought. “Hmm. I really don’t know, sugar. You’ll have to ask your Grandma.”

So the child went to see her grandma, who was sitting on the couch sipping tea.

“Grandma. I asked mama why she cuts off half the ham and throws it away, and cooks the rest, and she said she didn’t know, and that I had to ask you.”

“Well, baby. I learned that from my mama and I don’t know why we did it. We just did it. Go ask your Great Grandma.” So the child went upstairs to where the Great Grandma slept.

She whispered to the Great Grandma and she woke.

“Great Grandma. I asked my mama why she cuts half the ham off before she puts it in the oven and she told me to ask Grandma. I asked Grandma and she said to ask you. So now I'm asking you. Do you know why everybody cuts off half the ham before cooking it?”

“Well sure I know, baby. See, when I was little we had a small stove. We couldn’t fit no big ham into the baking pan and we didn’t have no refrigerator neither. So my mama had to chop off the end of the ham and throw the rest of it away.”

Rules were made for man, not the other way around. It’s never too late to start asking questions. The ones you believe know the answers may be clueless.

A Bitter Melon To Swallow

The number of Americans with diabetes is up 15 percent from 2 years ago. This is extraordinary. Somehow, we have allowed the financers of illusion to convince us that settling for artery clogging fast foods, and vacillating in lethargic states of mindlessness in front of TV sets or the Internet is good living. How did we allow ourselves to fall for such misinformation?

More and more people are learning that they have diabetes. It’s a disease that causes the pancreas to be ineffective in processing sugars. Sugars can be deadly in that they deteriorate organs, causing heart failure, eye disease, high blood pressure, and a plethora of other ailments. Medications can be expensive but with the right change of lifestyle, a person can live without the dread of ill health or the expense of medication. Some have found just the right healing agent that is not a medicine, cost very little, and can be purchased at any Asian produce market.

People in the Philippines who suffer from diabetes tend to avoid pharmaceuticals to curb the affects of the disease. They use a vegetable-type fruit that grows readily in their climate called bitter melon. It’s sold for about .60 a piece at Asian markets. When consuming this fruit, check with your doctor first, as your current medicine will need to lowered or eliminated. If you aren’t currently on medication, bitter melon can be just the natural product for coping with this disease.

Let's Get it Straight

I realize that there's a lot of important information on current events to learn and disseminate in a very short framework of time. We shouldn't be talking about the New World Order unless we know the who, what, when and where of it all. We shouldn't be whining about oil prices without figuring out how it happened and who should carry the blame. Be specific about just why you don't like your government and what changes you would like to see. Make good choices, vote in the November election, and challenge your leaders, both seen and behind the scenes. Become aggressive about your future.

Many of us think we know the issues only to find that the fine details are illusive. Here are a few links that will answer a lot of questions about what's really taking place on this planet. They are simply-put so that each of us gets the full picture.

The Truth About Oil

How did the Banks Fail?

Creature From Jekyll Island
The full story about the Federal Reserve and how they met on Jekyll Island in 1910. Downloading takes a while but is a recommendation.

Half a Million Plastic Coffins

It seems so simple.

I've been traveling the local transit system in the Northern California area these past few weeks. It beats the price of driving a car and daily parking fees. It's tolerable but not so easy. The problems that I've run into are regarding the diversity of people and my inability to suffer the vast differences between myself and others. In my fifty-something years, I've come to abhor loud noises, angry voices, body odors, and bad conduct. And somehow it seems so much worse than when I once took the buses to school and work as a young person. Something is gravely wrong with the foundation of our country, schools and homes. It wasn't always this bad.

On the corners of some neighborhoods I watch kids and adults from lower to middle class families demonstrating just how dysfunctional our society has gotten. These are the same people I once lived and worked around. Yeah, young people wear hair and clothes that make me shriek, but that's a norm for all generations. That's not the problem. What I'm noticing is more people who revel in the antics of disrespecting themselves, and therefore disrespecting others becomes an easy form of entertainment. Morals and values mean nothing to a kid who shows ill conduct if that kid dislikes himself. It's not a concern for an adult to slap a child when all that adult knows is punishment. Anger begets anger. Hate begets hate. The streets can be a real ugly scene, and it paints a picture of the lives of many unhappy people.

Obama is my candidate for president, but no matter who gets into office, I hope they can address this problem with one that seems so simple. It's said that the way to change the world is to "teach the children" how it's done. How can we teach the children when we don't know ourselves. So let's teach the parents how to parent first. It's a start ... and a good one. Lessons must begin before the birth of a child, hoping that parents acknowledge their own misgivings and wish to create a better life for the next generation to come. Don't make it an option, since few would take it. It must be a mandatory part of each and every parent's health plan.

Parenting classes should become mandatory for the sack of creating a world of functional, motivated, effective, and compassionate adults. Parents should attend workshops before and after the birth of each child. Sessions should run for several years, as the growth process for children require parents capable of instilling the right values during the first 9 or 10 years of their lives. How is this done? It becomes part of our health plan, whether it's government funded, gotten through employment, or whatever means that allows a mother an ability to get health care. Parents are then taught how to parent, and mostly, how to give their children the fundamentals that they themselves my not have received in their own lives.

This is the greatest problem that we face as a world, that people don't have a clue as to the mechanics of the brain and how important it is to have insight into child development before bringing children into the world. I thought I had all the answers when I was raising my kids, but I look back and regret that I didn't learn some greater points about parenting correctly.

Some women should not run for president

We may all, as children, have desired to one day become president of the United States. Later, as adults, even few of the most intelligent, charismatic, and successful in business qualify. Traditionally only men aspired to the job of running the country, yet today it’s no longer just a man’s job. Women are equipped for the task and highly capable of doing an even better job. Unlike our testosterone driven counterpart whose propensity for violence and power pits nations against nations, women bring a healing, nurturing spirit to the stage. I believe women make better managers at work and at home for the same reasons.

A president must not only possess intelligence, moral judgment, be decisive, well spoken, and by all means have integrity, but that person must have few to no flaws, which could impinge upon their ability to perform the task of governing the strongest nation in the world. This can be a much greater challenge for females, not because women haven’t yet met the challenge, but because their physical and chemical make-up could negatively affect their resolve.

The dreaded Menstrual Cycle creates havoc for nearly every normal woman of childbearing years, every month, although most would prefer to withhold this fact to maintain equal positioning with men at the workplace. It has been defined as the curse for numerous reasons. We suffer mild to severe cases of cramps, headaches, nausea, backaches, blotting, and emotional handicaps.(1) It is cause for abstaining from work and it’s often the excuse used for irrational behavior.

The Menstrual Cycle begins for a young woman as early as age 10 and ends sometime during menopause, the end of the childbearing phase of life. The menstrual cycle is a ritualistic monthly event that galvanizes most women for 3 to 5 days, negatively affecting the things that they do. Therefore, it’s hard to imagine a female of childbearing years, positioned in the White House, making crucial decisions that affect the entire world, while in the throws of menstrual pressures.

I can only wonder how Mrs. Palin would have managed the Cuban Missile Crisis, as the country was on the verge of a third world war and every decision was susceptible to extreme consequences. Given the 21 to 25 days that she was without the concerns of a monthly cycle, we would hope to God that no decisions were made the remainder of the month. Having elected such a person to run the country, we all would need to know the schedule of her menstrual cycle … as a cautionary measure … to understand her mood. Unfortunately, the world does not pause for the curse and women (those of childbearing years) are not capable of effectively running a country every day of the month.

Some would argue that I speak wrongly of women regarding this subject. Again, I speak for most. In addition, I have the same considerations regarding any candidate who falls short of the mental and physical attributes that make for the best president of a country. I believe that the US is too slow to think, and unwise when deciding a persons ability to hold these positions. President Bush was elected January 20, 2001, and we later learned he was a recovering alcoholic. Chronic abuse of alcohol leads to brain damage, which is irreversible. You do the math. President Ragan, although not checked for Alzheimer’s while in office, was known to be forgetful, falling asleep in meetings and so on. He left office at 69 years old after falling from a horse. Given that the brain is an organ and organs deteriorate quickly around that age, it was wise that he not run for another term. Senator McCain is 72 with health concerns, which should raise a red flag. And still I say that women shouldn’t run the country unless they are no longer getting their cycle.

I know first hand just how menstruation affects ones life. At 11 I began my cycle and suffered from all of the usual pains. Not all women endure the same ailments but most are affected in some way, emotionally and/or physically, due to the imbalance in the blood. (2) In fact, I’ve been called a number of ‘B’ words during those occasions: Bitch, and Barracuda, to name a couple. The ‘Bulldog with Lipstick’ term is a new one, and since I no longer experience the dreaded cycle, I don’t expect anyone to have much reason to address me as such.

It is no secret that women can become irrational and emotionally imbalanced during this time. We can be too sick to think properly, and too angry to speak, which is why women of childbearing years cannot be trusted with the authority to run a country. Aside from that, once having passed menstruation and menopause, a woman president or vice president may be just what we need to avert the path of destruction that we are now traveling.

Running on Compressed Air - Is this our Life Saver?

My daughter works for Green Peace. She rants about the issues plaguing the planet and I listen, frustrated that there was ever a need for advocates to fight so hard to save the world we live on. But what bothered me the most, after hearing her talk about a number of alternative eco-friendly automobiles proposed, is that the powers-that-be just won't allow it to be. Listen to the objections made regarding bring this car to market. If you're concerned about the planet you'd try hard as hell to perfect this machine and replace the gas polluting vehicles on our roads.

The Joke's on Me

In my feeble attempt to post what I regard as interesting information, I find that the facts are sometimes not the facts. The author of "Canada to Annex North Dakota, Residents", an article that stimulated me to write my last blog, says the piece he did was completely made-up. Well, go figure. I wondered why no one was talking furiously about the subject of North Dakota being sold to Canada. I went back to review his article and still, it seemed so real. What did I miss? There had to be a word or bit of information that some other savvy political mind would have caught. Somehow I didn't get the relief I should have in knowing that North Dakota, it's elderly and it's oil, remained part of the states. I think I've just been egged.

US and Canada

I'm wondering if others are aware of these so-called secret negotiations between Canada and the Us regarding the 19th largest state in the US. It seems that North Dakota will soon become the 11th Canadian Province. It'll be the first US state ever sold to another country.

I read this bit of information on Cats With Thumbs, where the author described it as Canada's victory over the US.

At the same time, North Dakota is experiencing a surge in crude oil from great reservoirs during a time when oil prices are high and in great demand. It would suggest that North Dakota will soon have more jobs, an increase in population, and more money than you can shake a stick at.(1)


But an anonymous US State Department official was quoted saying "North Dakota has been sucking the life out of the Treasury ... if those crazy Canucks want 'em, I hope we can get the deal signed and run before they realize what they bought."

What Canada is purchasing is land with furious oil activity and a population of senior citizens who are anxious to partake in the Canadian health care system. What does it mean for the US economy? It doesn't look like a fair exchange to me.

It's a Bird It's a Plane

I was in a heated conversation today with a woman who, by all educational standards, is considered very smart. She earns a 6 figure income, has her Bachelors in education and travels extensively. One would believe that she is worldly, having acquainted herself with many cultures. I thought so, which lead to the false impression that she was also a great thinker.

Our conversation was on my favorite topic, aliens. It's not exactly the most confrontable issue, and not always well received. The reason it came up was because of an incident which took place at her office. She stated that she'd been sitting at her desk responding to a few emails at about 9 in the morning, and suddenly realized that 3 hours had slipped away. It was already a quarter after twelve. This piqued my interest. So I suggested she check into it, that it could be a sign of some abnormal condition. And, of course she wouldn't have anything to do with that idea, sure that because of her healthy lifestyle, she was immune from all possible mental or physical problems. When I asked if anything like it had ever happened before, she pondered, “Hmmmm. Yeah, quite a few times, now that I think of it”. I suggested the theory of missing time, where somehow she was taken, made to experience something, made to forget that it happened, and finally lost the frame of time in which it occurred. It was merely a suggestion, posed quite frankly as bait to see how far I could go with the subject. But, I found myself once again in a familiar place, listening to the rantings of the sightless.

My first question to a nonbeliever is, are we alone in the universe? It seems pretty scary to imagine that we are. I get a bit paranoid thinking of us, like ants, sitting on a small mound of rock in an immense, dark expanse of space with other lifeless rocks and a fiery mass called the sun and who knows what else further out in the distant universes lounging around with nothing to do but wait for our death. Why do other planets exist? Were they created to fuel the poetic, artistic nature in man. Or are we so 3 dimensional that we can't begin to fathom the many greater expressions of God outside this mere planet we live on and therefore only believe what we can see? We'll, by the same token, since you can't see me over this strange wireless connection of optics and cyberspace, I should be no real than aliens or ghosts. I must not exist.

My friend believes that the idea of aliens was a fabrication to appease the imaginative natures in humankind. She believes that we are bored and need to believe that there 's more to the stars than what we see through a telescope. While that may be true, how does one disregard all of the evidence even as far back as writings on ancient cave walls. Were they making it up as well?

Here's my take after reading a few books, watching some videos, and basic history. Aliens do exist. They are not here to take our planet away but they are here to insure that when this wonderful mass called Mother Earth goes berserk in the near future, there will be designated humans remaining to replenish the earth.

So what does that mean? I watched a series of videos that tell the story of a coming mega planet called Planet X. It's presently on the outskirts of our solar system but it's causing mass disturbances on this planet right now. In a matter of years, specifically 2012, it's projected that our planet will come under major cataclysms so intense that it will leave few of us behind. Their thoughts are that our government is preparing safe locations, maybe even at distant planets, to take chosen healthy people that can repopulate the earth after this apocalypse. Governments are presently testing for the brightest, healthiest people. How is this being done. Think for a moment about alien abductions. My take is that this is a joint venture and that aliens are aiding in this process. It brings to mind all that I've read about the Rapture, although it's God that does the taking.

Watch the series of videos for yourself. Planet X

I do invite further discussion on this subject and the series of videos. I once had another perspective on the fate of our planet, from the writings of Zecharia Sitchin and infamous Marduk from “The Tenth Planet”. We'll just have to see, won't we?

Our Polar Bears

Greenpeace, the environmentalists, have been on a diligent campaign to save the polar bears of the North Pole. They filed a lawsuit against the Bush Administration because it failed to meet the January deadline for including polar bears, per the Endangered Species Act (ESA). So how does one make a government follow the law?

Putting polar bears on the endangered species list is no drop in the bucket. It costs an average of $400,000 to list. Back in 2003 the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (3)announced that they wouldn't have the funds to meet the obligation of 32 animals proposed for this list. Yet, Congress continues to give itself pay raises. The money to fund the protection of these animals must be skimmed from the salaries of those who usually take the most.

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wisconsin, who every year stands up against pay increases, said that with the economy still weak and many Americans finding it hard to make ends meet, it was "the wrong time for Congress to give itself a pay hike."

"This automatic stealth pay raise system is just wrong," he added.
CNN.com/INSIDE POLITICS

Worse, President Bush is pushing for historically higher military spending on the war in Iraq. It already costs us over 500.5 billion dollars and he's asking for another 28 billion. Where will it come from? Today, right now, what could we do with the $28,000,000,000? Besides invigorating our own economy, putting people into jobs and not on the streets, it could certainly do a lot for the environment, save the polar bears and our own future.

The bigger problem is that polar bears are dying at a great rate. They've resorted to cannibalism, as the broken ice caps hinder their mobility, forcing them to feed among themselves.

What is wanted and needed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to create an environment that will protect these animals. It requires making changes, passing laws, and great sacrifices by our government as well as you and I. We're all at fault and we have a chance to make it right.

Cooties in our Restaurants

Germs. We touch them. We inhale them. We swallow them. Over decades we continue to learn how to combat illnesses due to germs, and we even know how to avoid them. But there's always some new virus to rear it's ugly head and cause a stir. Germs will always be around.

I just watched a video on the findings of a microbiologist who said that lemons used in restaurant drinks have the potential of making you sick. She said that the sliced wedges that often adorn ice tea and other drinks carry anything from fecal bacteria to Staph infections. It's obvious that food handlers aren't washing their hands. But this isn't anything new. Cooties have always been around. The problem is that there are many new ugly contaminants in our progressive world, and they're killing us (2). There must be a way to avoid having the public become ill because of unsanitary food preparation due to negligence. Here's a simple solution: Wash your hands!

Fifteen years ago my son was in kindergarten. I’d volunteered one day as a teacher's assistant and observed something that disturbs me still this day. As much as I’ve always told my own kids to wash their hands before eating, it was a horror to watch a class full of 5 year olds being escorted from the dirty playground directly to the school cafeteria. Between runny noses, dirt, and shared toys, this was a hot spot for illness. No wonder kids are often sick. The simple solution was to have all of them wash their hands before eating.

There are hand sanitizers on the market that are more effective than soap and don’t require water. My local Trader Joe's and Cost Plus both keep Purell sanitizer bottles at the cash registers, aware of the high risks of germs while handling money. I applaud them. Restaurants, schools, and institutions that serve food should be the leaders in this approach rather than the losers affecting the populous. It's time that the FDA mandate the use of such products as well as advise that sinks be placed outside of employee restrooms. What better way to see good hygiene in action?

And once again, as smart and well advised as we believe we are, why hasn't this been implemented already?

Home Schooling

How can this be true? I received in the mail a commentary regarding a ruling that just came down from a California Appeals Court. In a nutshell it said that it’s illegal in California for a parent to home school a child if the parent is not a certified teacher.

Kids who are home schooled achieve higher test scores, according to a recent report published by the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). The reasons for home schooling will vary widely but for some it’s a reaction to the rising crime rate in the classrooms and generally because of inferior education. Many colleges don’t accept these children with home education. I believe it’s because of the policies which require formal education as a prerequisite. If they're getting good grades, why does it even matter?

My take on this is that there are people in high places who wish we stay ignorant and substandard. In such conditions we are easier to mold, manipulate, and destroy. So far they’ve done a good job of it, trapping our culture into an era of brain dead button pushing robots. My next venture might be to get my teaching credentials and open a home school. Follow my lead.

Daylight Saving Time

Yesterday was a glorious day. I woke up early and got out of the house. The sun was radiant, the air was crisp, and it smelled of flowers with just a hint of coffee and sweets. I love mornings like these. They remind me that life is good in spite of the ugly conditions that sit at the edge of our personal realities. On this occasion, it inspired me to put it in words.

Connected

Bare foot,
Mud between my weathered toes,
Sun upon my caramel frame where dust and dew alight,
Look at me,
Spinning,
In one congruent circular dance,
My skirt afloat as whispers lift its subtle folds of gold and blue,
Join me here,
This space.

I laugh,
When touched by wisdom and hit by vision,
Lifting my spirit through echoes of sound to praise and honor
That which I cannot see,
Or touch,
While bound by flesh.
Yet,
Comfort is and joy remains
In faith of this sweet mystery.

I kiss,
Joining,
Stretching energy from here to there,
Lips to flesh a conduit,
Love rolling divinely over space and time
To child and friend.
So kiss me in your warm bare feet,
And dance upon this place,
While blindly go
No flesh I see,
Just spirit beauty space.

Southern Storm

Born and raised in New Orleans, I have a warm appreciation for, what some call, a country all it's own. It's music, food, culture, and even smells were unique and utterly endearing to all who lived or visited. Most famous for its French-Creole architecture with Spanish influences, it was the quintessential vacation spot for all.

The dialog over these past years regarding Katrina has outraged those who knew the city, particularly me. I was 9 when a similar disaster changed lives and threw communities into disbelief and rage as well.

It was 1965 when Hurricane Betsy arrived in the crescent city. I recall the excitement of having to leave school at 10:30am because of the coming storm. My father prepared the house, boarding up windows and gathering extra water for the worse possible scenario. We went to the stores and bought everything that was not already purchased, as the entire city was out shopping as well. And by nightfall, the winds came and the lights eventually went out.

My dad had gone outside in winds of almost 85 miles an hour to check on neighbors. When he returned he was shouting orders and very anxious. Water had begun to move over the expanse of land that separated our home from the corner of the block. To see it coming in the moonlight was indescribable.

We forged our way to Holy Cross High School for shelter. In the end, we lost our home and most of the real estate that my dad had nurtured and lived on.

He was a community leader for the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the poorest areas of the city. Along with other city officials and community heads, they learned that the levee had been compromised by dynamite.

This was the information that I gathered while listening-in on adult conversations and speaking to others as I grew into my teens. I understood it well. An undercurrent of racial tension and greed existed that tourists and fans of the city did not know. The ninth ward, as impoverished as it seemed, was thriving and boosted a homeownership rate of 59 percent compared to the 46 percent of the parish as a whole. If not financially strong, it was healthy and stable, with some of the strongest grassroots and civic organizations in the city. There were efforts all the time to purchase the land of these residents by city state and national groups but they were faced with strong resistance. This was the climate of the Lower Ninth Ward.

It was understood that there would be a flood in that tremendous hurricane, but where and how? Should it affect prime property in the city or could it be diverted and thus save a thriving upper-class community. This was the premise for many. I feel the same.

Such conflict spawned leaders and activists. My father became the State Representative of the Lower Ninth Ward. His story, when he finally writes it, speaks of corruption from high places, places not seen from the humble streets of proud New Orleanians.

The landscape of New Orleans just before Katrina was not picturesque. Crime was the worse in the country. Big business left. People like myself left to find greener pastures only to learn that the grass was greener and taller in New Orleans.

So when Katrina came and the city experienced the worse catastrophe of our time, everyone who's heart was in it knew the truth. (1) The sound of the explosion was heard by many. The question that remains is "Why?" Government cover-ups are the threads which tie this country together. Who's plan was this?

The place where the levee broke during Katrina was literally in the backyard where I once lived. Who better to tell the story than I?

Call Me

I've been giving thought to the great and much sought after gadget called cell phones. It seems the best invention since TV. But since it's inclusion in the world of communication, the quality of life has plummeted.

Years ago when there was only land line usage, we were hostage to the confines of our homes for making and receiving calls. It meant going an entire day at work before finally arriving at home to learn of some important event missed while away. Or arriving at a shopping mall to pick-up your child only to learn, after hours of waiting, that your child has already left with a friend. It was very inconvenient, and cell phones became our salvation. Yet did they?

One Christmas I'd given my 14 year old a phone because it would help me monitor her after-school activities. She loved me for it. I was at her fingertips and she mine until the novelty wore off. It was no longer a pleasure and a comfort when I was capable of knowing her every move. So, on those occasions when she was late arriving home and I was interested enough to dial her number, her phone was inconveniently turned off. It was the beginning of a nightmare.

But there was a mutual freedom that she and I did enjoy. She no longer tied-up my land line for hours. Instead, she talked in her room as long as she desired ... after 7pm of course. With the land line I always knew if she was on the phone. Now I had to knock on her door to find out.
Sometimes it could be 1 or 3am.

On one occasion she was dating a special boy who phoned her day and night. My routine was to get both of my kids in bed by 11pm, and up the next day by 7. So as we said our good-nights, one evening, I assumed conditions were as they always had been. At 3am, needing water from the kitchen, I heard giggling and peeked into her room. She was wide awake and chatting up a storm.

There's nothing new about the abuse of cell phone usage. Situations like this go on in most households across the country. I also observe it while shopping, on college campuses, and in cars. Young people in particular have found this to be an alternative to the usual human social interactions that were once the basis for human connection. Gone are the days of the casual smile or greeting along a sidewalk or in the doctor's office. Some are too busy on phones to recognize on opportunity to talk to the person next to him. Although certainly not the case for everyone, cell phones have become the catalyst for the breakdown of human exchange; eye to eye, face to face. As necessary a tool it may be for society, does it out-weigh the advantages of interpersonal relationships had on our streets, highways and byways?

I add this to the growing trend for video games. In a 24 hour day, where is there time for thought, of serious contemplation, of sports activities or study? After learning the statistics from schools all across the country, we seem to have created a generation of (1) gamers and internet surfers who spend the rest of their leisure on cell phones.

I can't help think this is part of some grand plan. It's obvious that in the near future there will be fewer well-rounded personalities capable of driving a country or running a business. We'll be too submerged in the entertainment of cell phones and other time consuming gadgets to make the big decisions. Who's plan was this?

Eyes Wide Shut

In 1974 I found myself standing on the lawn of my 'newly enrolled' college campus. Burdened with books and the weight of the coming 5 years of study ahead of me, I stood alone and petrified, on the brink of knowledge and change.

There were students, the future leaders, future mothers and fathers of the country, walking, talking, sitting and conversing with an energy that I didn't yet command. So it was a surprise when a young man carrying a hand-full of papers, bounced up to me and thrust 3 or 4 stapled sheets into my face. He told me to read it. He said it would change my life. He said "... down with the system". I had no clue what he was talking about.

So I giggled; he'd taken me by surprise. I tucked the papers in with my books and went to class. Later, I found a bench and began to read the xeroxed pages.

I didn't know to believe in the Illuminati, the new world government, or corruption at the hands of those in places higher than president Nixon or Ford. I was excited by the possibility of new knowledge and I asked everyone I knew to read the material as well. I was merely looking for answers, and hoping that someone could show me, finally, that the information I'd read was false.

And what I learned was that people were afraid to question that which could change their stable realities: the US government could not possibly be the root of evil doings, there were no secret societies with great untold knowledge and power, the idea of placing a mark or chip on our bodies to monitor and control was merely science fiction, and we are the only beings in the universe.

The same people would have been convinced that the world was flat.

And now, moving forward 27 years, America gets a wake-up call. 911 was engineered by powers unknown. Was this the first malicious act at the hands our government? Of course not.

Is there a chip created to monitor and control people? Yes. They're being placed in pets and children for GPS tracking. It won't stop there. Under the guise of security, I suspect that there will be a mandate that everyone be implanted with such a device. The ramifications are astronomical. Just as the manipulated attacks on 911 facilitated reasons for such barbaric exploitations as racial profiling and phone-tapping, a micro-chip can put the last vestige of freedom that we as individuals have into the hands of corrupt and barbaric leaders.

We're just waking up from an overdose of BS. Wipe the coal from your eyes and take a good look at the issues. Was aides a disease that sorta-just showed up in African monkeys (why at that time?) during the 19th century or was it man-made? Could Katrina and other world disasters be a man-made front to create new world order? Why not. 911 was a hoax so why imagine that it was the only horrific abuse create to fuel the needs of master powers on this planet? It's worth checking into.

Confronting the issues is important for a free world. Close your eyes and your children and grandchildren can become slaves to one society run by few instead of many. Thirty three years later, since I was in college, the theories are taking shape. I don't have enough answers but I continue to ask questions.