Has The U.S. Gone Completely Insane?
Will this scene be repeated in the U.S. shortly?
Will the surname be: Morgan, Bush, Clinton, Rockefeller, Rothchild,
Murdoch, Gates, Sharon, Beck, O’reilly, Robertson?
Friends, as if the election of Brown within a year of the disappearance of George W., the Village Idiot, wasn’t enough, now the Supreme Court in America has given the corporate world open slather regarding donations for Presidential and Senate-Congress elections.
Obama, quite rightly, has told the citizens of the U.S. that democracy itself has been undermined by this. How right he is! “This ruling opens the floodgates for an unlimited amount of special interest money into our democracy,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.
“It gives the special interest lobbyists new leverage to spend millions on advertising to persuade elected officials to vote their way — or to punish those who don’t. This ruling strikes at democracy itself,” Obama said, according to Reuters.
In the ruling, the court’s conservative majority said the previous limits had violated corporations’ constitutional right to free speech. What garbage!
A corporation is a legal entity, one which, because of this special status, avoided the heavy responsibilities of each citizen who, if they err, can be sued and lose their house and shirt! And only humans had the right to free speech. How exactly do corporations speak? Do all the Directors form a chorus and speak in unison?
Imagine the average American punter trying to make sense of the barrage of endless advertising that will come from this ruling. Imagine the corporate Robber Barons licking their lips concerning this huge impetus to their selfish, profit-driven agendas. Imagine the MSM Barons gloating over the advertising dollar surge that will come their way. Imagine the rabid Republican politicians who’ll have unlimited money to fund their election and hide their shortcomings. Imagine the lobbyists who’ll become overnight millionaires!
Friends, an insanity is gripping America. Americans are rapidly losing the plot. I fear they are moving towards a stage where some right-wing, religious megalomaniac will seize control, impose a 1984 regime, and, assisted by a few crazy nations like the U.K. and Israel, move to take over the world before China or India does.
We live in perilous times! The future is unknown but it is filled with uncertainty and potential trouble.
Enjoy each day while you can.
SOCRATES: AN ICON.
DRIVEN AS IT IS BY AN EXTREME RELIGIOUS, MILITARIST, RACIST, CORPORATIST, GREED-BASED IDEOLOGY, THE U.S. MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE WORLD!
Greetings David -
The US has come a long way from the days when a corporation was very tightly controlled and had a definite length of time established for it’s charter. Some of our earliest presidents such as Jefferson (and even Jackson!) warned us that the power of corporations represented a threat to our democracy. Lincoln warned us that the “money power” that he saw arising could destroy our system of government. Then in 1889 the Supreme Court ruled that corporations were legal “persons” and that began the real downfall of our democracy. At least we had the campaign contribution limits but now even that has been done away with. It should be noted that one of those 5 despicable right-wing “judges”, Clarence Thomas, stated that the ruling didn’t go far enough! He wanted no records of the contributions made by these special interests to be kept as is currently required by law! It is one of the great hypocrisies of right-wing pundits that they are quick to condemn liberal-leaning judges as “activist” and unworthy of being confirmed. Ms. Sotomayor, our most recent Supreme Court appointee, was subjected to that even though she has a judicial record of being quite friendly to corporations. However, when we are subjected to this most recent act of Constitutional subversion by the “Gang of 5″ there is no mention from the blathering idiots at Faux News and their ilk that this is an example of “activist” judgment.
The writer, Sinclair Lewis, said that when fascism comes to the United States it will be wrapped in an American flag and carrying a cross. I see a great deal of that now. From the rise of right-wing “megachurches”, the influence on our political system by both the military and the “Christian” warriors like Eric Prince and his loathsome mercenaries at the formerly named Blackwater and the reports I have read of an ever-growing number of military officers who consider Jesus as their real Commander in Chief. Just recently we had the news item that the manufacturer of telescopic sights for our military’s guns had put a reference to a biblical passage on each one. Undoubtedly, that would help to vindicate killing another one of those “ragheads” over there who, as George W. Bush said, “hate our freedoms”.
As my country sinks ever deeper into the abyss of a Depression and as Obama continues to play the game of “bipartisanship” with the Repubs and gets nowhere I can see the populace becoming increasingly primed for the emergence of a despot. We had a whiff of that stink when Sarah “I can see Russia from my house” Palin was running for VP. When our country seriously considers a reactionary, militaristic know-nothing to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency then we have crossed a real line. Yes, we have done this before with an idiot named Dan Quayle but at least he knew what the Korean War was about! To me, Palin represents a growing number of Teabaggers who are staggeringly ignorant of the world around them. At a Tea Party march in Washington, DC one of them had a sign which read “Keep the government away from my Medicare”. Someone that stupid will fall for anything that promises them order and security. As this country moves toward the Fall elections and probably hands over even more Congressional seats to the GOP (“God’s Own Party”) I am deeply worried that “Business as Usual” will completely wreck the economy and bring about huge civil unrest. Your photo of Hitler could be updated with one of Glenn Beck of someone like him.
Lastly, I recommend two movies. The first is “Seven Days in May” a political thriller about the attempted military takeover of the U.S. starring Burt Lancaster and Fredric March. The second is “V for Vendetta” about a fascistic England in the near future after the U.S. has dissolved into civil war. Both of them are thought provoking and timely.
Best regards,
Bruce
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Grace Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 3:25 am
“Seven Days in May” and “V for Vendetta”, in the queue. Thanks!
Oh Gawd, Palin is runnin’ with the Teabaggers! She has found her nitch. I never wanted to believe she could still, possibly be dangerous after all her gaffes,.. but apparently a fool is born every day! The country is split and divided we fall. In my heart I know we all (the people)have Everything in common with each other. Just a lack of genuine leadership. Anyone who starts to show any real leadership gets whacked. It is what our cia does best.
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David I am glad to see this blog whenever as it tells me you are still up and running..well walking anyway…any energy movement would be restoring to you, Qi Gong,Tai Chi…very easy to do , a wonderful experience if this is new to you…Both you and Bruce have nailed it and I can add nothing..Bruce you are a very clear and paragmatic writer..thank you for the movie references will see if Netflix has them. One thing is that I don’t think people lack the political or moral will to effect change..they just need to have an issue like this one to unite their differences. The arrogance that is displayed by the priviledged may very well be their Achilles Heel…international finance may see the cancer that is this empire as one not benefiting their interests..Uncle Obama finds himself going to the Chinese Check-into-Cash and the interest rates astronomical…what troubles me deeply is the level of ignorance and fear that Bruce mentions..these groups are very scary…I am 65 and see everyone looking for a bunker. Leaving this country makes more sense all the time but where to go? I t is hard to see very far into the future to find any sense…Kate
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Grace Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 7:28 am
“Uncle Obama finds himself going to the Chinese Check-into-Cash and the interest rates astronomical…” That is so funny ..because it is true and scary too.
It seems it is safer living in the shadow of the Monster, than in its sights.
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Grace Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 7:34 am
Uncle Obama finds himself going to the Chinese Check-into-Cash and the interest rates astronomical… Too funny, because it is too true and scary too.
Somehow it seems safer to live in the shadow of the Monster, than in its sights.
It will be ugly – when China comes to exact its dues.
I prefer to live in a Jon Lennon, Imagine, kind of World. Not the one where he gets shot.
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“… as a teenager I had a real zest for reading tales … Wild West.”
yes David, also me. [I read plenty of "BILL&BEN"] – I don’t know? was it translations from English authors or what ?.
After all, it was just another way of brainwashing / keep people from discovering the realities of what happend, especially with respect to what happend in Palestine/Israel etc.I guess. We never heard the real story (in Danish radio) from there.
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With take-off in yesterday’s post, “unfortunate evolution” what I ‘ve wondered about is how (the united 50 states) of America ) has as it’s highest ideals, privatism / capitalism / competion to make/have people do their utmost to make ‘the world a better place’.
The contradiction (the doublestandards ) with this idea lies in that America by all means, (by use of force, killing people in the thousands etc.) in order to rectify, the whole world into ONE and only (American standardized) way of ’save the planet / make a good life ‘. and by so counteract ‘free’ competition. by disqualify others way of doing things.
To talk about a ‘free’ market / competition in such a violent/bloody world, is a joke.
Just like Hitler and his jugend did in the 1930-40th’s so do Americans / zionists feel superior to the rest of the world today, and I fear/suspect , in their ecstacy of self-righteousness, they do their utmost to clone them self (like Hitler did then ) in order to (over) populatate the world.
That isn’t evolution, that is (sickness) cancer.
As the United states (of America) has shown itself to be a ‘war-criminal’ it ought IMMEDIATELY to be divide into 50 countries.
In my wiev for the future world to forestall illegal wars / killing in the millions in the future, when ever a country shows it’s disrespect to the world for the suvereignities / borders of other countries and disrespect to international laws etc. it should (by the UN) be divided into seperate independent states of not bigger than (say) 10-20mill. citizens – DEPRIVED every form of armaments.
This ’small job’ [divide US into fifty small countries] should be the future ‘task’ of a ‘United Nations’. (where all countries has a vote (weight of) related to the number of population ) to do.
Hopefully – after such doing, peace and tranquillity would’ve a chance to prevail on earth.
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Grace Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Capitalism was seen as superior in comparison to Russian Socialism. For example, the story goes that the Russians didn’t even try very hard, becasue no matter how much effort, result will be same. So Capitalism meant that : the harder you work = the more money you will make And the belief that: Yes, you too, can be a millionairre if you work hard enough. No matter how hard the Russians tried they were stuck in Govt issued apartments and bread lines. That is the simplistic explanation and it was developed during a time that we were in a Cold War with Russia. Everything they did was perceived as the opposite of how we should do it.
I like your idea of The 50 Autonomous States of America. Sounds good! Locals running things is what we need. That would truly invigorate people.
Peace.
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JohnLJ Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thanks Grace, that you took heed of and liked my proposal to split ‘the beast’ if showing disrespect , up into smaller autonomous entities.
Jugoslavia divided it self (1992-95), without being forced by the outside world. although I’m not sure this country can be used as a comparison here because it hasn’t ever (as united) tried to invade and occupy other / adjoining countries.
The reason why I have those thoughts is (not least on behalf of our beloved (grand) children / descendants if and so that they also could have at least a microscopic chance also, to have a peaceful life on earth, in a world without everlasting struggles of wars) how and what the world has experienced WorldWars (one?) after the other, time and again ,started by ‘great nations’. To take Germany (bordering to Denmark) as a very good / ugly example.
and
With respect to that country it especially annoys/ aggravates me that this country’s east and west dividings back from the 1945 division has been reunited (in 1989).
It should never have happend, and will likely give problems (to the world) in the future also.
Regarding to countries joining together to inflate in order to make bigger impact on the world stage and especially what concerns armies I have absolutely NO good thoughts, dreams and hopes for a united Europe, EU (27 countries) either. It can sooner than anyone imagine, become a nightmare.
When people talk about pros and cons in that respect, one of the ‘pro’s is that a united EU will keep (the usually belligerent) Germany in check!!. Why increase the size of country which beforehand has shown to be unmanageable dangerous and, by the outer world, need to be kept in chech – all the time ?!.
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Not only has Germany started a WrldWars two times but if we go back in time the Germans took a big mouthful of land from the Danish kingdom back in 1864, what is named south SLESVIG.
Of the same reasons as I’ve described here I hate Germans, and I early promised myself NEVER to learn the German language which IS unfortunate when it inflicts, if not everything, then very much in daily life like Radio/Television, work and leisure (time) etc.
A big ‘beast’ is ok if as long as it’s peaceful, but if not – then it’s
‘good’ for one thing only, and that is, it’s are able to kill, subdue, suppress at will, the world around it without no one are able to stop it . As Obama say’s, ” the buck stops with me” if&when the ‘beast’ is hurt.
– when will people learn from history.
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David G Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
John, it seems that most humans never learn from history. It’s what makes us human!
P.S. The U.S. has, for a long time, managed to pretend to be peaceful while it conducts never-ending war. It has conned a lot of people. The con must be exposed before it consumes the world!
Grace Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Talk about a superiority complex! For sure the Germans have, historically had that. They are extreme and disciplined, but it is severe. I used to be a member of an International meditation group. I used to go every year and stay in New York for a couple of weeks. For some reason I always stayed in the German “girls” house (we were infantilized by our cult leader). It was an interesting insight into the human nature and groupthink of the German. My mother’s family is Catholic, Bohemian-German. Because of the hatred of Germans in WW2, they only spoke German in secret and did not teach my mother or me. However, certain words slipped out, mein liebshen(sp?). They are a formidable people who I believe must be periodically reminded of their inclusion in the rest of the human race. They can be cruel. This is something I have had to finally come to terms with. I think for evolution to happen, we must be honest about all of our inclinations. Keep a perspective. That is why protests are so important- like the one recently in Egypt. We all realize that we don’t exist in a vacuum and we all affect each other, therefore we must aspire to rise to our highest human nature. Good luck with that living next to the German Beast, thing! : )
Kate -
I understand your desire to seek a more humane reality elsewhere. I am 61 and have plans to take early Social Security later this year. I have very modest means (I was laid off more than 2 years ago from my medical librarian’s position at a hospital that practices the “bottom line” just like a corporation) and I wonder if there are any viable alternatives out there. It saddens me greatly that I would even be considering such a thing.
I grew up believing that my country would provide for me when I was ready to retire but now I have heard that Obama and his Demos are discussing ways to cut entitlement programs like Security and Medicare. They will say the country can’t afford to pay out these things anymore and I wonder whether they will even think of revoking the outrageous tax cuts to the rich that were instituted during the heinous Bush years or returning the kind of tax rates that corporations used to pay OR getting us the hell out of our trillion dollar fiasco in the Middle East. Those things could probably pay for all kinds of social infrastructure.
I would also like to recommend a website to you all. Joe Bageant is a wonderful writer and blogger who has written about many of these things and more. His website has some of the best essays on the United States that I know of. He decided to live part of the year in the small country of Belize. He is an ardent socialist and a very keen observer of the time we live in. Highly recommended!
Best regards,
Bruce
p.s. David, I wish you all the best!
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Grace Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 3:59 am
Hi Bruce, I just heard about retirement – communes. Here is one example, but it seems that more people of various bends are creating natural, beautiful places to live and share expenses, yet have your own little cabin on the land. It is an intriguing idea. It is something I may end up considering. (Not sure why the state prison in the link). Peace.
http://articles.sfgate.com/2003-03-02/bay-area/17480514_1_commune-hippies-state-prison
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Grace Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:05 am
Hey, I checked out Joe Bageant and have been reading since. Also Therese (lazy, combining posts), that RedDragon link is awesome too! Thanks, all!
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” I fear they are moving towards a stage where some right-wing, religious megalomaniac will seize control, impose a 1984 regime, and, assisted by a few crazy nations like the U.K. and Israel, move to take over the world before China or India does.”
Like that has been done before. Who have “they” groomed for such a role. Who will be the Hitler of this day?
..And regarding this whole “take over the world before China or india…” Not so far-fetched these days.
Thank you David. “Enjoy each day while you can.” Will do. : ). Cheers!
Here is an edited version of an email I received and am sharing it here.:
Most don’t realize that next to the Jews, the Poles were a prime target for extermination.
The woman in this (email) also reflects the many people who spent their lives as [my Dad did,] helping people and paying a price for hiding those running from predators.
These honorable people have been forgotten on history. Keep them alive by passing this 0n
WE must NEVER FORGET…..
Irena Sendler
There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ‘ulterior motive’ … She KNEW what the Nazi’s plans were for the Jews, (being German.) Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids..) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi’s broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.
Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize ….. She was not selected.
Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.
Let us never forget!
It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe has ended. [Not to forget what humans are capable of] in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated.
Peace Now.
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:28 am
Germans are no crueler than any other humans, and I dispute the story that Jews died by being gassed by Germans, and that there were 6,000,000 Jews that perished during WWII.
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Hey All, I thought my comment got erased so I re-wrote, but then added more. Now you understand the repetition. Sorry for that.
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Friends, the D.C. blog is filled with people who are on the ball, who can see the potential for serious trouble, who can see what should be done. The problem is that most Americans aren’t aware and don’t care!
How do we reach these people, stir them into action before it’s all too late, before the religious, militaristic, wealthy right-wingers seize control and lead us all to hell?
The photograph of Hitler shows what can happen and has!
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With the lack of knowledge most people in this country seem to have I too fear a new Hitler will come along wrapped in an american flag and carrying a cross. With so many people facing hard times and looking for answers he will not have any real problems taking over the country. All he has to do to be assured of success is make sure to give corporations free rein to make as much money as their greedy hearts desire.
Joe Bageant is a great writer who really gets to the truth about what is happening in the world. His book Deer Hunting With Jesus is a must read.
Thanks Grace for the info about Irene Sendler. I had never heard of her or her remarkable courage. She is a wonderful example of how even one person can do something to make a huge difference.
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I fear they are moving towards a stage where some right-wing, religious megalomaniac will seize control, impose a 1984 regime, and, assisted by a few crazy nations like the U.K. and Israel, move to take over the world before China or India does.
As I mentioned on Ragebot!, though the situation is very dangerous, this particular scenario is unlikely. The new corporate masters of the United States, to the extent that they hate anything, hate extremism, hate instability, and will work to ensure that no such megalomaniac ever achieves any measure of power…bad for business, you know.
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Have you read the PROTOCOLS OF THE LEARNED ELDERS OF ZION, kvatch. You can read SUBVERTED NATIONS GUIDE FOR REVOLUTIONARIES, on line.
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kathy Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:00 am
Thanks for this information Therese. I just read Subverted Nations Guide for Revolutionaries. Very interesting and eye opening for one like me trying to learn more about Zionists
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Oh…and sorry for forgetting to close that tag. :-\
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Iraq executes Saddam henchman “Chemical Ali”
My first reaction is: they have destroyed evidence. At one time, we were Saddam. We supported him and his allies, fully. He was paid for and trained by our own CIA and Rummy and The Others.
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Jeannie, perhaps America has already been ‘taken over.’ It’s just that most people don’t realize it.
When you look at who is holding the reins of power there: (the military, the corporations, the judicial system, the Churches, the politicians, the MSM, etc) it sure as hell doesn’t include the ‘people.’
Kvatch, I don’t share your belief. To the average corporation to have a megalomaniac controlling the country who they in turn control would suit the Robber Barons very well. The Hitler-type could lead the people into a buying frenzy by telling them that buying was patriotic as was dying for your country! Most the sheeple would believe it!
Grace, what the U.S. did with Saddam shows just how two-faced they are! WIth a friend like America, who needs enemies?
As to the question as to what we, the enlightened, should do about the current situation, I feel that it’s time we began to build the barricades. It’s time we began to name and shame the U.S. and those capitalists from around the world who support it. It’s time for we who live outside America to raise our voice in our own country against politicians and corporations which are servile to America (Australia’s servility to the U.S. completely sickens me).
We must act now before it’s too late!
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Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Capitalism has spiralled because America has had free reign to push its philosophy. What we could do with is another competing superpower to check it because it is just going to run even further out of control. As we see now, it is the rich only who can hold powerful positions and influence and they are not going to do anything to put their position in peril. They may throw a bone to the poor every now and then but they run things for their own self interest and their rich friends.
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David G Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Problem is, Lucy, there is another superpower on the horizon and that is China.
The U.S. knows it and is doing whatever it can to grab resource-rich countries or strategically useful countries to try to stop or slow the growth of China.
The U.S., driven by its deranged belief in its exceptionalism, will do whatever it takes to hang on to its ‘most-powerful’ nation status. That could well include the use of nukes!
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Maybe it’s the series of events that has me nervous.
War spread from Pakistan to Yemem
Underwear bomber (terrorist attempt)
Earthquake in Haiti/American occupation or aid?
another alleged recording from Osama Bin Ladin that they can’t authenticate yet
Britian raises it’s terror threat code
Brown election has nation in uproar
Supreme court ruling beyond crazy
President Obama to give his state of the Union address Wednesday night. I had an email from Obama’s team this morning encouraging us to get with groups and listen to his speech together because he has some important things to say about the state of our nation.
So much is happening that it can make one dizzy trying to keep up with all of it. I just wonder if these things are staged in a way to keep our attention away from something even bigger that we should be noticing. I don’t have a bunker to run too either but I wish I did!!!
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David G Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
In the nuclear world we live in, a bunker wouldn’t be much use, Kathy!
And I’m sure that ‘I’ll bring change’ Obomber will have a lot of dire things to talk about that will further frighten the average punter and stop them from looking too closely at what he’s been up to – and hasn’t.
But his speech will be short on facts and he won’t spell out the real intentions of the U.S. Government and those who make it dance!
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coco Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 3:24 am
i’m with you on this kathy………..i’ve been saying for a long time that something ‘big’ is going to happen but we are not party to the info………however, i don’t believe it will come out in the ’speech’…………………..that’ll just be more gobbledegook……………….
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Thanks, David G., for this hot topic! The quintet of evil in the Sup Ct who did this engagement in using the ct. for litigation, are all Catholics, appointed by the Republican freaky Bushes, namely, Alito, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, and Roberts. Gordon Duff wrote a great piece, at: http://www.VeteransToday.com, calling for their arrest for treason, and in the alternative (sm) a Constitutional Convention for a new American government, which he describes beautifully. Read there when you can. Take good care of yourselves, all. Haiti is now occupied by the military forces of the USA.
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Coco, goobledegook is a language perfected by politicians. It’s the art of saying something trivial and making it sound profound! Obama is a genius at it.
Therese, a year or so ago I was asked to be the voice of those who want Constitutional Conventions to become more a part of American politics. I declined because I’m not an American and, resultantly, I felt that my voice would’t have weight.
Obviously, these Constitutional Conventions could make the American Constitution more relevant to the year 2010. Getting rid of political appointees to the Supreme Court would be a good start as would limiting the power of the President and the Pentagon!
And shooting all lobbiests would also be a good step forward.
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:37 am
For sure.
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I must commend this article because as an American educator, I have seen the ever quickening demise of a once great nation. In addition to the shameless lobbyists and their governmental whores, another shameful form of decay has taken place. The gradual erosion of American intellect and enthusiasm for industriousness has gotten to the point where it is out of control. The downward trend had its beginnings in the late 1960s with the dumbing down of education.
I began teaching junior and senior high in 1969 after having been turned down by 14 schools because of the governmental mandate to integrate racially (affirmative action). My beginning salary was $6,100 per annum. Even then, my job was not secure because of racial quotas and I lost a position as an English teacher after twenty days to a woman with less experience who posted a sign on her door that read, “This Door Must Stay Close.” Next, they re-named the course to “language arts” and stressed the need for students to speak and write in their ghetto vernacular (Ebonics).
At the high school where I was finally assigned, they confiscated our grammar books, saying that grammar should only be pointed out whenever the need arose. I was admonished by my department chairwoman to stop teaching sentence diagramming because the other members of the department didn’t do it AND that it was “confusing for the minorities.” Then, in 1985, this same chairperson told me that it was the consensus of the Language Arts Committee (which I was not invited to join despite my seniority) to eliminate “1984″ as the required novel in twelfth grade because, as she put it, “That book is no longer relevant.”
By the time I retired after teaching in both Florida and Colorado, I had witnessed increasing “soft and fuzzy” types of classroom activities, like playing “educational” games and drawing pictures to illustrate feeling instead of actually writing a formal composition. New teachers by then had no concept of the subject they were hired to instruct.
One instance stands out where a social studies teacher had her students pose in tableux depicting various scenes from WWII. One showed a Victory Garden, the kids holding shovels and rakes while dressed in Massachusetts Bay Colony Pilgrim costumes! Another showed a “typical” American bomb shelter and she narrated it by telling the tour groups that Americans had to hide in these when the Germans bombed our cities!
One teacher I knew regularly showed movies like “Finding Nemo” in biology in and “Dante’s Peak” in earth science classes. Just about all physics and math teachers let their students use calculators and never their own mathematical skills. I remember a science project fair in which every participant got either first place or second place ribbons, and one kid who didn’t do a project got “honorable mention.”
There is more than one way to destroy a nation. Destruction from above with blatant corruption and rampant greed from the top downward , and destruction from below with illiteracy, ignorance, and brainwashing from the bottom upward.
America as we knew it no longer exists.
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David G Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Judge Joe, this is an excellent comment. Though humourous in parts, it catalogues the sad decline of America which seems to parrallel the fall of the Roman Empire which fell apart from within.
The problem is that America, with its arsenal of weapons, may not go quietly especially if some maniacle Hitler-type arrives on the scene.
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coco Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 4:50 am
stupefying…………….this reads like a horror story. and all the more scary because it’s true.
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Therese, did you see the article posted on infowars today about Hillary saying in her speech that she resents some of the international news questioning American’s trying to help Haiti? It’s pretty short but still ….oh the propaganda machine that we have here!!!
http://www.infowars.com/clinton-deeply-resents-foreign-criticism-on-haiti/
Have you read any articles by Sheriff Mack? He has some youtube video speeches too. I’m impressed with the way he upholds the Constitution.
http://www.sheriffmack.com/
He sued the feds and won. He goes around preaching that the sheriff of each county has more power than the president of the USA. I believe this lowests level (county government) is where we can win this battle between us and government. Goodness knows that I haven’t had any success at a state or federal level at having my voice heard!!
But aside from what sheriff Mack is proposing, there is another thing at ground level where I believe we can make our voices heard and take back the country one county or one city at a time. We forgot that we have three important elections in our country. They are the big election where we go cast our useless electronic vote, the grand jury and the jury. We forgot about the importance of the last two. This is the ground level where we the people still get to enforce law regardless of how corrupt everything else gets. Being a member of a jury makes us more powerful than the president of the USA too. But only if we understand and stand together!!
Our court systems are corrupt. Early America was founded under common law. Common law was very simple. If you didn’t injure anyone you were not guilty of a crime. I think it was Ben Franklin who said ‘if you don’t pick my pocket or break my leg then why do I care how you live?’ That kind of thinking represented freedom thinking in early America.
David, those old west shows might have shown a few episodes where two old cowboys got into an arguement inside the saloon and challenged each other to step outside to settle things in a gun fight. Someone got shot and it was a fair and agreed upon fight so the sheriff would not arrest the winner as a murderer. People back then could arrange their own affairs (even to their own demise sometimes) without government interference.
Today the American courts operate under the rules of commerce ..Uniform commercial codes instead of common law. We have over 800,000 laws on the books just ready for us to break. Over 40,000 new ones will be coming into affect this year. Since there is only one law for mankind to live under which is common to all of us ‘do unto others as we would have them do unto us’…. then these other 800,000 aren’t real law. They are given the ‘force of law’ and they are the ‘color’ of law under the uniform commercial codes but they aren’t the real law. They are called codes, acts, policies, statutes.
An example would be: David you mentioned shooting all lobbiests as possibly a good step forward. LOL and true!
One of our statutes is that we have to wear a seat belt. Who pressed for that statute to pass? The insurance companies and their lobbiests. They realized that less damage is done in an accident when folks wear their seat belts and therefore less payout for them. I’ve been wearing a seatbelt since the 1980’s so it doesn’t bother me.
The insurance companies are also the ones who lobbied to make sure it was illegal to drive a car if you didn’t have insurance. So I could now get busted by the ‘pigs’ because of two things the insurance companies have lobbied for and that my congressmen have passed. I can be detained for not having a seat belt on while driving and then again for failing to have proof of insurance. These things will land me in traffic court having to pay the price for the tickets plus the court costs. A simple traffic stop or road block can land me in big trouble financially and if I protest they could land me in jail. Where is the common law in that? If I haven’t injured anyone how can they fine me or take me to jail? They can under commercial codes because I have violated the corporate policy that the insurance companies lobbied for and got!
Evidence that America is a prison State is that we have more prisons than any other country. We have roughly 2.2 million in prison here with half million Americans sitting in these prisons for so called crimes where there was no injury to anyone!! These no injury crimes are mostly drug crimes. (You know how America is the warmonger with the war on drugs too??) Someone caught with marijuana will be sent to prison. No injury, just living against the big pharma statutes.
I wrote my congresswoman about this because my youngest son was arrested 3 years ago with simple possession of marijuana. He was 19 and he will have a crimminal record for the rest of his life because of it. She wrote me back and said she could never be ‘pro’ legalization of marijuana because the supreme court had ruled against it and because the AMA (American Medical Association) would not back it. She also sited the high crime rate associated with illegal drugs.
I wrote her back and told her the crime rate would drop if it wasn’t illegal. I told her the AMA has it’s pockets padded by big pharma who would rather have our doctors push anti depressant and anti anxiety drugs onto the public.
I told her that supreme court judges can be bought off by corporations such as big pharma and DuPont who has soooooo many patents on synthetic plastics and nylons that aren’t bio friendly to our environment where as hemp plastics and ropes are bio friendly.
So anyhoo….my two cents isn’t worth one cent to my congresswoman.
But for Therese and anyone else who might want to know about our jury power against the corrupt government and courts that support the corruption here is one more link..
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8087742032034320420&q=x+rated+by+judges&total=22&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0#
When the video starts you will soon see a chart that has “GOD” written on top. Please don’t think this is going to be a religious video. It’s portrayed as God given, creator given, or natural birth rights that belong to the people.
Coco, thanks for making me know I’m not alone in my intuitive feelings. I just don’t know if something big is going on now (and we just haven’t spotted it) or if it is about to come soon. I have a feeling it’s here and now and right under our noses and we are being distracted by all this other stuff. Love and peace to all ….and sorry for going on so long again!!!
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:49 am
Oh yeah, what a propoganda machine our zionist government has. I cannot even blog at my local Democratic site, a documented criticism about the way my government is acting in Haiti, without, pronto, an anonymous detractor maliciously personally insulting me. I agree with all here, and Chuck Baldwin, at his site, that something is going on, about which we only can speculate.
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:58 am
I adore Sheriff Mack, and pity you your ’selected’ congresswoman, kathy. I can’t stand knowing that your son was arrested for marijuana, a plant, in this century.
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Judge Joe, I was writing my post while you were writing yours so I will comment on yours now. Please don’t grade me too harshly (you old English teacher you). I was 8 years old when you started teaching junior and senior high.
I have an older cousin who was an English teacher for years and I never wanted to write to her because I felt that she would be grading my paper… lol..(that red marker in my mind still hurts my ego)…
Judge, my early years of school were spent in a very small country school. (Population about 80 kids grades 1 – 8. In the beginning my teacher taught first and second grade. There were about 8 of us first graders. The next teacher up the chain taught grades 3 and 4. Next teacher taught 5th and 6th. The last one taught 7th and 8th and he was also our principal and our coach!!
We only had one black family in our whole county. They were just as much my friends as anyone else in our school so we didn’t have any racial tension or quota that I know of. If our teacher had a different criteria for grading their papers, I never heard about it of course.
So you lost a position to a teacher who posted a sign “This door must stay close.” (Not Closed)???
I’ve never been on that side of education but I feel sorry for all you had to go through. When did UNESCO become involved in the education system in America? Was it 1954? It was somewhere in that time frame I think. And I passed over reading something about a court ruling…was it Brown vs Board of education? Sorry, I’m aware from my research that our education system was hijacked but have not committed the details to memory just yet.
I’ve been focusing on the banking/money/commerce system more than anything. But everything in America has been hijacked from it’s original founding ideas. The only thing that remains constant is the propaganda that tells us everything in America is still the same. (Land of the free and home of the Brave)
If anyone takes a logical look at America now compared to then…they would see that the propaganda doesn’t match. But somehow logic doesn’t work here any more.
I feel for you, not because I can relate to your SIDE of education but because I think what was once America is now gone…and the majority don’t see it. You represent something that was important for younger Americans to learn and they disrespected what you had to offer.
Judge, out of curiosity, do you text message anyone? My adult children wanted me to learn but I revolted against it. I just couldn’t go for the slang non language that they use while texting!!
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Judge joe Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 2:12 am
David G and Kathy, thank you both for the kind words and support. Kathy, to answer your question about texting: Certainly NOT! Like you, I’m very old-fashioned. In fact, being on the internet is a major accomplishment. I don’t even own a cell phone or microwave oven, nor do I have cable or satellite TV. I still re-heat leftovers by using the double boiler that was good enough for my mother.
After sending that verbose but true account of my teaching experience, I began dwelling on other things that occurrred during those years. At the urban high school where I taught for a decade, I had to deal with students other teachers didn’t want (I always got along with the tough kids, anyway.) Imagine trying to teach vocabulary to a classroom of 30-35 fidgety students with a classroom set of assorted dictionaries with no covers, and curled and missing pages. I begged for seven years for a new classroom set of dictionaries, always to be informed by my department chairperson that there wasn’t enough funding. Period. Finally, I took one of the coverless old dictionaries to the principal and showed him the “new word” section that was at the front of the volume. It contained such novel terms as “plastic,” “quonset hut,” and “Quisling.” He cursed out loud, and saw to it that I got a new set of dictionaries.
I impressed upon the students how important these books were, and they treated them with deference. However, during the following summer school session one of my colleagues knew I had them locked in a cabinet in my classroom. She got the janitor to open my room and break the padlock with bolt cutters to get my dictionaries. When I got back for the regular term, I had to search for them, finding most on the floor of her classroom, but others in hallways, the lunchroom, and even two outdoors underneath the football bleachers. A couple were lost and never found.
How about this? In a department meeting my “colleagues” were agonizing over the best way to teach paragraph building to tenth and eleventh graders. After an almost unanimous vote, it became policy to teach that ALL paragraphs must contain five sentences, a topic sentence, three supporting sentences, and a “clincher” sentence. This was a part of the state-mandated “writing enhancement” program in which we were monitored and audited by the officials to make certain we were following the guidelines. I was always opposed to kids being told to write a 300 word or 500 word composition because they spent more time counting words than actually thinking and composing. Now I had students who were counting the number of sentences in their paragraphs, as well.
Why did I stick to my profession? I don’t know. Maybe because with a liberal arts degree and a quarter, I could have made a phone call. To answer the question of the article’s title, America has gone insane. It has been systematically and deliberately driven into lunacy by the political correctness movement, reverse discrimination, a litigious society, the tendency for blaming others for every failure, and a sense of entitlement for getting as much as possible for as little effort as possible. I can truthfully say that several of my students became successful teachers of both English and Spanish over the years. I know that they live up to the old standards that served us all so well, way back when.
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Kathy, thanks for your two comments. Along with Judge Joe it reinforces the message I’m trying to get across.
What really occupies my mind now is how to waken the sheeple in America. They hold the key to bringing back the values that America once had. There must be some way to shake each person, get them to start thinking for a change, force them to see what is happening to them and their country, where it could lead.
CHANGE OR PERISH could be a good slogan to work with!
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coco Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 4:55 am
first you’ll have to prise them away from the latest episode of pop idol or some such rubbish….
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:55 am
I like talent shows, much more than organized sports, and I much prefer the behavior of their audiences than those of football, et al, if I may generalize.
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Therese Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:56 am
I will try that slogan, and let you know how it went over, David G.
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Grace Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Listening to Obama’s State of The Nation speech last night. He sounded like he was talking to cattle! Have you ever stood in a herd of cattle? If one gets startled they all get startled. It was like he was trying to calmly explain where the pens are and where we need to go.
I still want to believe. Just like that old sci-fi poster, “I want to believe…”
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Grace Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 8:15 am
For your viewing pleasure,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ycu3JFRrA&feature=player_embedded
Temple Grandin, The woman who thinks like a cow.
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Therese, I’ve already changed the slogan to PROTEST OR PERISH. It seems to be more focused! Probably it will evolve several times!
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I’m sorry Grace as you my have felt a lash of my ‘hatred’ to Germans. I can assure you that, that wasn’t intentional – please forgive me if so. It was a bit too clumsy (black/white) said, – a short for how much this piece of history invariably has inflicted on my life, living in a land bordering to Germany.
Though, after Iraq (2003) war, where especially German showed it’s very clear anti war stand (in the UNSC) – ‘Today’ I see Germany with new eyes, with the hope that times of bad economy never more will return to the country, or EU as a whole. But – this can’t ever be assured – can it ??
Unfortunalely the MSM like to portray ’scuffles’ between countries, e.g. the ‘war’ between Iran / Israel-US in black and white. for example to portray all people in Iran as mad religious freedom haters who’s only purpose in life, is to wipe out Israel etc. – that kind of info hasn’t much to do with the truth – does it ?.
Therese says it right: “Germans are no crueler than any other humans” – and also I dispute the number (6 mill.) Jews perished during WWII.
In the end we all descends from the same stock in western world. e.g. the Danish language is in many ways more close to German than Swedish. The Danes (vikings) also invading the Isles of Britain
a bit of [*excerpt]: from InfoPedia…
“Scandinavians 900-1300. Pagan Danish and Norse (Viking) adventurers, traders, and pirates raided the coasts of the British Isles (Dublin, founded c 831), France, and even the Mediterranean for more than 200 years beginning in the late 8th century. …….”
… as such, we haven’t much to blame each other for.
never the less the world need to learn, from history, to take precaution against when and if a (new) GREAT LEADER (hitler) OF THE PEOPLE with the ‘right ideas’, appears on the scene, able to whip the national mode up to the hysterical,,, finding a BlackMan to pass the buck to like HITLER / Germany did then (1930′th), [or US - now] where mass unemployment are prevailing.
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Howard Zinn (Rest his soul) said something to the effect of, ‘ When you don’t know history, it is like you were born yesterday.’ Timely words as recently I have been thinking that if we could just learn from history, we would know so much more about what to do and how to act effectively. All the answers are there, as everything that is being done – has been done before – to greater and lesser degrees. Ha- just like when I got my heart broke and realized how many songs had already been written about it! So, take it from me…So much of the way of life in Europe is superior, yet we are only told of Russian breadlines and Amsterdam brothels. Breaking through the purposeful ignorance feels Herculean. Yet, the truth will set us free. Hearing Howard Zinn’s words these days is very timely for me. Yeah, I suppose you are all right; all people have the human capacity to be cruel. We are also wired for compassion and there is new scientific undertanding of this. Very exciting.
David, people can change; just gradually over time or possibly in an accellerated revolution. New thoughts take time to process. So much effort has gone into the supression of information. Once another view is introduced, 10 years later it could be possible. It is a time game. But there is some accelleration that I don’t undertand. I use to understand when I would go within. I have my own way – between dreams, perceptions, interactions and nature – I take all my signals. These days..I don’t know. And that is from someone who used to Know!
Bless you all. Peace.
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Oil found in Haiti! I guess we know why America was so eager to send troops over there!
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Yes Irfaan, Oil in Haiti! Also body parts. Israel was Johnny on the spot – in the first hours after the disaster. While visiting an Israeli medical tent, a CNN reporter asked what the bowl of corneas was for..!
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That Israelis are harvesting body parts is disgusting, Grace! It seems crazy to me that a people who try to preserve their racial ‘purity’ would allow parts belonging to inferior ‘Gentiles’ to be implanted in their bodies.
Irfaan, the oil thing is just a bonus. I think it’s the strategic thing (being close to Venezuela) that is the attraction!
John, I can understand that dislike of Germans still lingers in Europe among those who experienced WW2. In Australia, many people still haven’t forgotten what Japan did in WW2 either.
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Grace Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Disgusting is what it is! Time for journalists to ask the tough questions! Or is this what we are becoming; where half of the population is to serve or be harvested for the other half?? No, there is another way. It doesnt have to be like that. I would rather be blind than to receive an unethically obtained body part.
http://www.asylum.com/2010/01/19/cnn-finds-box-of-corneas-in-haiti/
http://michaelsantomauro.blogspot.com/2010/01/was-this-box-of-corneas-sent-to-haiti.html
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Grace Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
“It seems crazy to me that a people who try to preserve their racial ‘purity’ would allow parts belonging to inferior ‘Gentiles’ to be implanted in their bodies.”
When I had a cadaver bone surgically implanted in my neck, it was assured to me that it was sterilized. That there was no way my body would reject it as foreign because of a process of preparation. I wish I could remember greater detail. It seems that either through surgical purifications and or as well as Kosher Rabbis praying over soft tissue implants, offerings are rendered an acceptable sacrifice.
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Hello to all from cold (7degrees) and snowy(2-3 ft piled up)from northern mich. Have enjoyed all the thoughts here…I believe they have the state of fear they want and we will become used to new horrors till we can no longer look…there are many psyops ways to take over…we are now effectively without homes and cash and that is all any country’s peoples have…we have been reduced to serfdom in 10-20 yrs….one big difference is the speed at which things are happening now…did anyone on this blog see the Campaign debacle coming? I sure did not…these are the things they are doing behind closed doors as they keep us eternally distracted…a amust read..Michael Crichton’s last book before he died..A State of Fear”..it gives a truly balanced look at all the fears and allows reson to exist…How can anyone expect the average person to understand what is going on..Judge Joe you are sooo right about the concereted effort to dumb us down…economics…inductive reasoning..legal…health…make the masses dependent and ignorant and most esp fearful..as emotion increases in a person logic goes down…I have great compassion for people…make a people wretched and miserable and you will see great wickedness flourish..however I am continually reminded of the Explicate (what is seen) order and the Implicate (becoming but not seen yet) order…we do not see what is all going on…there are many people who are much smarter than me and who care and have resources…if we are so upset can you imagine what is arrayed on the side of Good? Work your own Tikkun (your acre as described in Jewish language) and let us give each other inspiration and hope for there is no alternative and if we are all just done for I will inhabit an alternate reality as much as poss…you are all invited…tell me yours…David thoughts to you and your energy needs…Kate
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Well, friends, today I passed the halfway mark in my treatment. Only 20 more to go and I can get off the treadmill down to Sydney and settle down a bit.
I’m very involved at the moment thinking how I can try to get more people to see the threat that the U.S. poses to the world because of its imperial warmongering and its arms sales.
Any ideas you have would be most welcome.
Cheers!
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David, yay! You (just) have to do one more round of what you have done. I envision you strong and well – also getting all the rest you need. Thank you for keeping your blog going. It really has helped me.
As a person in a peaceful little enclave; far removed from death and destruction. How to bring the empathy home? How to empathize with others when we can’t see or hear or feel what it is? ART. Like Christo’s silk sheet back in the 70’s. A big art installation that is like a mirror showing people -how other people around the world -see us. Large scale murals. Interaction with victims that are part of a traveling show. Americans see themselves as the World, when our collective couldn’t be farther from it. When Obama said in his SOTU speech, “We won’t settle for being second! We are Americans!”(paraphrased) The crowds cheered. He hit a big source of pride and power inside of people. Unfortunately, what it takes to be Number #1 in the new world of co-existence requires a much greater empathy and view of ourselves. Evolution of all humans must involve how we see ourselves: As Plantery Citizens. If Obomber would have said,’ We are Planetary Citizens, we won’t settle for anything less. We will do our part to ensure the survival of this rare little planet and a life of quality for all humans and animals we share the Earth with..’ People might have been confused, but they would quickly get with the program. We have evolved past the NEED for a nationalistic rousing. We need a leader that will help us navigate our evolving needs and ensure a Planetary home in this Universe. Ok, I ‘ll jump off the stump now. : )
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Grace your last comment is right on…I also live in a “bubble” and the people around me are not oblivious but ignorant how others less fortunate live..privilege inherently means you have the luxury of “not knowing”..I cannot join these groups as they do things like sending “smiley” cards to Haiti!!! It is beyond my comprehension but I am trying not to judge anyone and respect their views. I can respect them but not their ignorant views. However I worked 40 yrs in very stressful 1:1 situations with real people who astounded me over and over with their courage and strenght..I believe we have as a mission hardwired in us to give and share..If this is not nutured in the young child it becomes problematic as to how their adult self will turn out…..David I know you are always returning to the theme of this blog…how to reach others with information they need…I think you are doing exactly that and we all take from this and affect those around us and so on….our quiet example is tremendously powerful..the very presence of a well-balanced human draws others to them like a magnet…The Joe Bageant referral is great and I signed up…I esp love his irreverent speaking to great powers…we have to make these great powers totally irrevelant…in spite of the obvious chaos I believe in the greater good that is also unfolding alongside great Evil….love to all you souls…Kate
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Grace, certainly being half-way there is great. The rest of the time will go well, I’m sure. Your comment about: ‘Americans see themselves as the World,’ is spot on. Trying to get indoctrinated Americans to see themselves and their country as flawed is about as hard as teaching a pig to fly. The Poms aren’t much better!
Kate, as another American, your comment about: ‘I also live in a “bubble” and the people around me are not oblivious but ignorant about how others less fortunate live..privilege inherently means you have the luxury of “not knowing”..’ is also a great comment.
But getting Americans to change is the big challenge.
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I am very glad to know / hear that the treatment goes well – sounds really good
The latest posts of yours has [of one or another reason?] landed in the “Google” SPAM box ?.
WHY ? I don’t know.
I just want to say how grateful and thanksfully I am, to you and, thanks god, to all other great people e.g. Wagelaborer, leftwings, indefatigable in their trying to raise the consciousness of the ’sleeeping’/dormant people to right (the) wrongs in the world of today.
The is a proverb saying: “You can lead the horse to the water-trough, but you can not cause (force) it to drink!”
I don’t know if there is any more effective ways of spreading the GOOD message.
I am perhaps a bit of a pessimist, but I don’ t think anything is going to happen [of upheavals ] as long that 90-95% of the working force is employed. (and the rest are fed (though) with a more or less pared(-down) amount of public assistance.
The procentage of disgruntled is simply to low for any upheavals.
In the political life in Denmark my parti, “Left-socialists’, ( 2%+ of the voting-people only) the ONLY party in Denmark who really concerns about (the) poor people i.e. immigrants and are against Danish participation in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo. etc. [2% ONLY!!]… i.e. 98% think it’s OK to participate in (even) illegal wars !!! why ? is it because the zionist has told them how ‘dangerous’ and unhuman they (the arabs) are ?.
In the end it is ‘the money’ which counts. Unfortunately, I have no money. The fact is that the talk made by those who haven’t ‘provided against a rainy day’ do NOT bother the master of the universe. – at all.
I guess you all know the former Swedish premierminister, Olof Palme, now dead, murdered in cold blood by a gunshot, in the back (wasn’t it in 1986?) one of the greatest left-orientet leaders of our time and a strong dissident to USA and it’s imperialism.
This – just to let you know, that (a like minded to us) the Danish author “Carsten Jensen” (an outspoken critiziser of the Danish participation in the Iraq-/Afghanistan-wars and the islamophobic smear campaign against the muslim immigrant/communities etc. – has been awarded the “Olof Palme Prize” recently.
[an award made in 1987, a year after the murder, in order to pay tribute to people like Olof Palme - NOT afraid to speak their minds against wrongdoings]
If you, here, just could read (understand) the Danish language you should have seen in the newpapers -, and comments on blogs … “the readers boils of anger”, “a hypocrite and a coward” “he should move to Sweden to be with all the Swedish cowards…”, “the Swedish debate-culture is closed and censured”. so on and so fort… what an outcry!!! from the Danish (islamophobic) media / community.
(UNLIKE, when Obomba was awarded the Norwegian ‘peace’ award).
I, and appr. 2% (only!) says congratulation to (you) Carsten Jensen, with this honorable prize. and I am proud to be of the same family (surname) “Jensen” like my own surname, it’s a great honour.
BUT
Sorry to say – the rest of, the other, 98% of the Dane’s has obviously more or less strayed into some form of of anti- human /- muslim / xenophobic self-obsessedness able to completely ignore the sufferings by those who are suppressed by it’s [as a loyal stooge to the GWB/US] gigantic imperialistic war-machinery in their conceited unattainable superiorities.
I wish continued good luck to you and your treatment, in Sidney, David
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John, it is shocking do hear of the 2%/ 98% disparity! I always think some European countries, like Denmark and Sweden, are superior to US because of all the socialization and participation. There you all have healthcare and all the social safety nets – and yet the countries are just as Republican and war mongering and you said it better,
“Sorry to say – the rest of, the other, 98% of the Dane’s has obviously more or less strayed into some form of of anti- human /- muslim / xenophobic self-obsessedness able to completely ignore the sufferings by those who are suppressed by it’s [as a loyal stooge to the GWB/US] gigantic imperialistic war-machinery in their conceited unattainable superiorities.”
When I was hanging out with a Zionist, he used to make a point of loudly discussing the Evils of Muslims!! Like he was educating all the tables of people around us! (How embarrassing).
Man, maybe Jesus is going to come down out of the sky. It couldn’t be any more far-fetched than trying to change the minds of the 98%!!!
Peace, brother Jensen.
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JohnLJ Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Yeah Grace, pushed to the extreme – it is so, 2 (good) / 98 evil)
The unequal fight between ‘good & evil’ (seen in the light of the Danish Parliament) is heart-breaking, if not out-right hopeless.
Perhaps the question is – do the member of the parliament vote according to those who have voted them in ? because I DO NOT BELIEVE that 98% of the Danish voters want to go to war in far away countries, though it seems that everybody fall into line when challenged with, if they think it’s better the ‘fight’ be fought here, within the border of Denmark etc.
There’s no doubt, 9/11 was what scared the hell out of (the) people. you can argue what ever you will – “they killed (more than?) 3000 ‘innocents’ !” they argue – [no one wants to talk about Timothy McWeigh, Oklahoma and his killings (170 * 19 = more than 3000)].
But there’s neither any doubt what year long brainwashing campaign can do about how ‘good and just’ the Jewish people are (the only democracy in the middle-east) and how much unjust they had to suffer back in Hitler Germany WWII. etc.
We (my generation) were NEVER told in schools, media etc. how and why the Jews were ‘allowed’ to occupy Palestine.
The Danish public Radio has a (what I will denote “embedded”) correspondent in Israel who tells the ’story’ from there, seen from the the ‘Israeli point of view.
I haven’t been especially interested in politic in my younger days. and least of all what lied beyond the borders. (I had ample enough to do with my ‘music’ and the money coming out from it.)
I can remember, back in the late sixties, how fancy it was, between young people to take a ‘exhange’ journey to the middle-east, Israelli kibutzes, and with every event, of course, routinely was emphasized how dangerous ‘they’ those (beduin / nomader – arabs ) were. The only thing they wanted – was TO KILL. – and of course – we believed in it.
Also, an older brother of mine has been on a United Nation peace mission in Cypress in the early seventies, and I can tell you that if not anything else can, such a ‘mission’ can, is equal for a ‘young’ soldier to be forever brainwashed [although he normally is the most friendly and loving human being in the world. He, and another brother, recognizes / concedes to be razists. – I am sorry.
MORE HYPOCRISY from the Whitehouse:
It would be nice if the US goverment could learn or at least try to imagine how it may be felled and eventually effects on (daily life) for those countries hanged out by the US to be the ‘axe of evil’ .!
Today I heard mrs. ‘America’ (Clinton) reproach the Iranian for it’s desire to have nuclear ( bombs or energy?).
She said such a wishing would incite ARMSRACE in the area !!!! (welcome to world mrs Hilarious !! ) – you should have through of this, back then, when you occupied this counties neighbors, Afghanistan 2001 and Iraq in 2003 !.
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John and Grace, all people in the world are subjected to massive amounts of indoctrination. It’s a wonder that anyone’s mind works at all.
Of course, if the Corporate Fascists gain control, what we experience now will be but a drop in the ocean. Humans are potentially intelligent but we are being nobbled.
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John, Grace, et al…have you ever listened to or read any articles which appear on http://www.redicecreations.com which originates in Sweden? You will find many like minded people who are interested in learning what and who are behind our current situation and even some explanation as to “why”. Heinrick (Palmgren) and his brother do a wonderful job with their interviews, research and articles. Personally, I believe that we anti-war people are in the majority and are only made to feel minimalized by the media who never report anything without a slanted viewpoint.
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Season
I think, or at least hope that you’re right in your assumption that a majority are anti-war / if not leftwing.
I think a part of an explanation why people (soon after elected) becomes part of a ‘responsible’ goverments then those people comes under an overwhelming pressure to behave ‘responsible’. – that nothing evil will happen to the citizens.
Everything is put on avoiding that the ‘terrorist’ do harm the to ‘vulnerable’ people.
NO – - People need to learn to take more responsibility onto them self.
To take a person we all knows, Obama, as an example.
How can he (one person) be loaded with the responsible for that no atrocities / bad or evil thing will happen to the US citizens (300 mill. people) ? – it is, in my view, simply absurd – to put such, so much responsibility upon the shoulder of one person.
How can a person in such a position give the ‘enemy’ the benefit of a doubt.? what is, what we require of the judicial system to do. – that everybody is to be considered innocent until PROVEN quilty.
I am happy and very thankfully to everyone who struggles to bring the ‘good’ message to the common people, also because it will NOT be told by the corporate media.
http://www.redicecreations.com looks fine, but seems a bit heavy for a slow internet connection. I stay away from / avoid heavy data sites with sound and video- bites etc.
like YouTube.com etc…
You could ask, why ? do I have such a slow internet.?
It is simply because of a ‘weird’ Danish public media license law, which ‘trigger off’ when you have a connection faster than 256Kbit/sec. (and will NOT pay this)
I could hope for the future that all PRO-peace-web-sites can join on a beautifull ’sunny’ day in the future – gratulating each that peace eventually has prevailed thank to the common people has taken goverment in their own hands, away form the PRO corporate (payed) politicians.
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Season, a real treasure trove. However it made my old laptop crash. I am attached to this things because it has all my settings. My husband keeps saying I need a new laptop and there are other computers I can use – so I will check it out again. Many of the interviews got my attention. I have never visited Europe. Makes me want to go.
John, do you still play music? Sounds groovy and gee, those were different times and more fun when I think about it! Not that I was where you are, but the world in general was alot of fun. I lived in Hollywood and alot of people gravitated there to have fun. I like the days of block parties and not all the worries. I never listened to political suff till all the food I was eating was making me sick. That was where it started. That and my step father’s left wing literature laying around the house. Don’t feel bad for your famiily. There is nothing you can do. I learned that with my family. As long as they are not toxic to you is what matters. Peace.
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JohnLJ Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 2:37 am
Grace, am I just one out the thousands, I think, that in the sixties/seventies was listening to, Beatles, Cliff/Shadows, Bob Dylan, the Searchers and dozens of other great great bands, , you name them – not to mention all the flower power music we were awashed with from ‘over there’ America, wood stock etc.? also, anyone who had a desire for to ‘do it yourself by our own hands / instruments.
I exercised like crazy to learn to play a guitar like Hank Marwin, Eric Clapton, Mike Knoffler and other great guitar-players, playing in different bands in the periode until I/we got a family, then thinking that it might be enough of that kind of ‘hu la hop la, lets twist again, ‘flinging / jumping (jack) music’ etc. for now.
But (of course) as your (my) heart was lost to music I / we started up again, now playing organ, and made it for a living up through to eighties and into the first of the nineties until my stomach said, “enough is enough”.
It was beer and alcohol on a empty stomach which did it, not that I became an alcoholic, but because in of lack of a good food / nourishment but also that smoking choked my appitite etc..a very unhealthy life style where day and night was upturned, sleeping in the day times and awake in the night- dittos.
As time goes by, eventually? (my life isn’t ended yet!! – though) it is seldom that I pull/fetch my old guitar / keyboard out in the (sun) light but that’s NOT because I, at all, have lost my love for music, – -[ luckily there is so many great and talented mucisians already on earth ] (al though they die out, also)], just to mention the great singer-band, BEE GEES, like The Beatles, shrinks and as such soon will become history.
I, my self, feel that I’ve been extremely lucky with the time I was born into, where hope for a better and more equal world allways was on the agenda.
I can only wish for that (my) descendant can be able to say the same thing when they come to my age – but sorry to say, I doubt it – sorry future – but DO NOT believe in me – I am not a prophet, either.
Ok – not everything is that much black&dark for the future. Yesterday I heard they have found plenty of GOLD in Greenland – if this can be a consolation to anybody.
peace’n love
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Grace Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 3:50 am
So much Great music, John. You are right. I too feel lucky to have known so much great music.
Recently I am listening to more music. I admit, I love modern technology. Plug in the i phone, put thousands of hours of listening pleasure on “shuffle” and it is like having a deejay playing all day in your own house. Fun. Also, I am also addicted to listening to progressive news on KPFA. The programming can be accessed online – if you have a shortage of news where you are. Also some awesome music on Bay area station 103.3. I think it is a University station and the variety is interesting. I hear music I never heard before there. There’s lots of good music in the Bay Area.
I was just recently thinking about how the life of the modern musician allows the musican a freedom that many others don’t enjoy. BUT, the lifestyle! As you described well, the abuse the body endures for all it allows. My father was a trained classical pianist. He badly wanted to go on to music school and be a musician, but his mother refused to allow that and so he went on to a Business Degree in Chicago, but was never a happy man. His cousin, OTOH, went on to Juilliard in NY. However, he ended up a heroin addict, playing the showrooms in Vegas. My mother’s mother was a child prodigy piano and organ player. She supported herself her entire life playing music. At first in movie theaters before sound and she played every pipe organ West of Chicago. Those were the days where a woman musician could buy many houses around San Francisco with her hard earned money. However, as a result, my mother grew up in orphanage type boarding schools because her mother played music at night. Great gothic buildings run by nuns and priests. Had a big affect on her parenting style and thus, my life.
I encourage my son to just play without thinking of time. Sometimes he sits down at the piano and you can hear, feel the emotional content. That is a wonderful state to be in. For the pleasure of the music, without the self-abuse.
My son was describing to me the space capsule he would one day live in. When he says these things, I have to really wonder..
Gold in Greenland! Woohoo!! We know all about Gold-rushes here in California. All the gold hoarders of the world, Rejoice!
: )
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Hey speaking of, “Has the US gone completely insane..” I am starting therapy this week with a famous psychologist. I will let you know how it goes : )
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Grace, I hope your treatment goes well. At the end of this week I’ll only have 13 more zaps to go. Yippee!
If only we could get the sheeple into therapy and zap them for a time so they’d wake up! Is that asking too much?
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13 sounds better that 26! Thank you, David. It is exciting actually. The [idea] of healing (my life) like it has never been healed before is what I am beginning to see. I havent had any desires beyond my own little shut in world for a long time now. Pain is so limiting -both physically and psychologically. It is great to think I could participate again. Thanks for the kind words and I will hope that time will fly and see yourself at the end of this 13 in a place where true healing can take hold; Body, mind, and spirit. A magnificence is emerging from you. Thanks for being such a gracious host, here online. Peace.
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“If only we could get the sheeple into therapy and zap them for a time so they’d wake up! Is that asking too much?”
Ha, I don’t think it is asking too much.
: )
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“If only we could get the sheeple into therapy and zap them for a time so they’d wake up!”
so right again, David
I have a very fresh example of a man who “has woken up” from the real Danish politcal life.
As you may, or not, know The Danish peoples Party, Denmarks most extreme party in what concerns incitement / whipping up hatred against muslims, and too are the most pro America – war mongering etc.
The [MP], Christian H. Hansen, of this parti, Danish Peoples Party has been suffering for longer periode of time from a seldom disease, called [hortons headache].
Now recently when he returned to, after he has suffered for several month he has come back to the political life proclaiming that he NO LONGER want to be a member of this racistic, anti-social party, Danish Peoples Party..
……HURRAraayy..yeppee – I say. that IS indeed ‘the medicin’ it takes to convert (the) stupid and ignorant people after they’ve ‘faced’ the realities of suffering, to be a not ‘that’ lucky people, what ‘they’ used to denote ‘ the weak’.
Sorry to say it should compulsory for every one to experience and discover how feeble we all are (can be) and as such need to share goods times with the bad with each other.
Good luck with count-down of treatment, sound very good.
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Horton Hears A Who!
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JohnLJ Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 11:00 am
seems you are some confused, Grace ?
[[ Horton Hears A Who!]]
I do not know more about this “Hortons” [Danish "hovedpine" means HEADACHE ] than you do….
The Danish “EXTRABLADET” write:
“Christian H. Hansen har i meget lang tid været sygemeldt på grund af den sjældne sygdom >> Hortons hovedpine <<"
can be read at:
http://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/article1285471.ece
(if you can understand the Danish language )
Fantastic story, Grace, which once again tells me how outright dependent, and especially form the early beginning we all are of our parents, and the responsibility there of.
You are right, a life lived as a musician is for most people is preferable to most other jobs, where of most are more or less of a brainwashing character or with perpetual, to the unconsciouness, repeating jobs available on the job market, where people often after years in the same job are able to carry out the task, sleeping etc….
I am not sure about what it is that urges the individual wanting to play music / an instrument themself – other – than it has much to do with passion and a faculty to distinguish between (dis&) harmony / notes etc. . The only thing we can be relative sure about is that pressure someone (the prodigy) into practise the instrument, be it piano, guitar or what ever, will only backlash in the long run.
On the other hand I believe that, lets say, out of thousands musicians there will not be two stories comparable. Every single person will have it's own very special and very different background story, – or – in other words, there cannot be set any recipe on how to foster a 'great' musician.
I am sure that your child are very lucky to have you as a mother and guide and I wish and hope the best for you and your litte prodigy.
"Sigh. The task is so large and we are so few!"
David
For my part. I have never had any desire to follow mainstream. I simply don't like big crowds.
I use to go to a / the tranquil wood etc. when most people crowds on beaches in the summer-time.
.
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Grace and John, I thank you both for your kind words.
I was thinking, if only we could grow our little army of salvation on this blog, spread the word further, reach out and challenge people everywhere. But, of course there are millions of blogs all competing with each other.
Sigh. The task is so large and we are so few!
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Grace Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 2:30 am
“Sigh. The task is so large and we are so few!”
I think this is where “faith” comes in for me. I know this is a non-theological blog, however, I think part of the reason I am able to experience any peace within, is..knowing that I can only change myself. I cannot change others. If others want to change, they will, but it is out of my control. Therefore, I am free to change myself and if others are inspired, so be it. That is the only way I could possibly effect change in the world – cleaning up my own act. IMHO.
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John, I really Need new glasses!! I could have sworn the man Hansen was Horton. How embarrassing! Really great story.
I do better with cut and paste.
“I use to go to a / the tranquil wood etc. when most people crowds on beaches in the summer-time.”
Before I had a kid, I used to spend every Christmas day at the ocean, when nobody was there. I would go to the forest when it was raining because it was dry under the canopy of the redwoods and quiet.
Yes, to your insights about the life of a musician. I make the kid practice , but I am no slave driver. My grandmother’s mother was a slave driver and for an outlet my grandma would hang by her fingers from the second story of the house. Not so great, She died by suicide when she was in her 70’s. She lived a full life, but could have been a little happier. I think I learned that from my ancestors: happiness is important. Peace.
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Happiness is important, Grace, but so elusive. Just when you think you have it, something happens and, like a butterfly, it’s gone again.
In life, it’s a question of learning to take the good with the bad, accept that that’s the way life is. Stoicism is a virtue!
Love and peace to all.
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“Stoicism is a virtue!”
I am going to meditate on that.
“Love and peace to all.”
Backatcha.
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oh Grace
just to reflect on some of the many details you’ve thrown into the arena from your posts , to mention the one I came to laugh at (not by schadenfreude) when you wrote that your computer has broke down (collapsed?) ( I have a good imagination – was there smoke ??) when you, encouraged by ‘Season’, visited the site: http://www.redicecreations.com. sorry, I hope you are ‘up’ again. The site is what I’ll denote, a ‘heavy’ (on data) site.
To the:
” Bay area station 103.3.” that you – news on KPFA etc.
Unfortunately I can not reach this ‘Bay Area’ music. (or at least not at the time) I have a relative slow inter- connection at the time being.
I listen, most of the time to (CD-quality) non-stop / non talk (no poor deejay jokes, either) form SWISS RADIO. [Can be found at the satellite, HOTBIRD, 12399Mhz H 27500.] You can choose between Jazz, Pop or Classic, where also many fantastic german music channels can be found.
” love modern technology.”, i phone,”
As I’ve said before, our ‘generation’, born into this time of history, are extremely lucky with all that kind of IC micro technology, of which I don’t want to exchange for anything else – although the most of those gadgets needs very good sights and that isn’t what ‘age’ brings (you).
I have a PDA/GPS with a very small text and I may have to say it is hard to read the very small text with my (today) sight , and near impossible when in sunlight etc. but of course – ‘ve to take the good with the bad.
“Horton” ! did you know a man of that name ?
-
“I can only change myself. I cannot change others.”
Don’t forget, Grace, those who has been mislead – and that YOU, also, can bring the ‘truth’ to those (mislead – whatever we can agree or disagree what that true’, is.)
Just to bring one example of that, by the west, deliberate misleadings of a whole continent through the last sixty+ years is when people has been told that it is the Palestinians who are THE terrorists and the Jews are the/a poor people, who have to suffer BECAUSE OF the murderous, insane, with an irrepressible lust for killings or what else we have been told of lies and defamation of the Palestinians since the jews (1948), by the west, were allowed, to invade and occupy the ‘holy’, land – NEVER told this lands rightfully owners and inhabitants for thousands of year, were THE Palestinians.
was a slave driver ….
” and for an outlet my grandma would hang by her fingers from the second story of the house”
is it possible to put other words on this sentence, Grace “for an outlet”? “hang by her fingers” ? Do she climbs outside the house hangin on the gutter, or something ??
” She died by suicide when she was in her 70’s. ”
I am sorry
Your grandma was from ‘another’ time of ‘reality’, Grace – they were used to cope and fight without much support from the society and to that, hasn’t been any easier as German fugitive in a foreign country to live a easy life either.
I don’t think or expect, at all, that life has much to offer aged people when comes to the ages above sixties, or older.
I have a (just call it) crazy thoughts about how ‘the world ought to determind a expiration (of human life) date.
Imagine this ["NOW,,,Mr Jensen, you have reached the date of expiration (of 75) so - now - it's GOODBYE - will you please go into and take place, in the 'death-machine"?]]]. but that will never happend.
My mother, born 1914 died three years ago and I can tell you the last three years of her life was for her, a living mare. I think, that people at least ought to have the opportunity to choose if and when they wanted to ‘leave’ this place/planet (for some hell – if in pained etc.) in a from an authority supported and dignified way. especially when people have lots of pains etc..
But ‘ homo omnipotent’ will never really come to terms with those kinds of tough issue ‘death’ when and how to (help) ending miseable/wretched lifes.
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John, This morning I went to the kid’s school. He and others were awarded for courage. For him because it is courageous to move and start a new school with new ways and new friends. What a nice school he attends! Leaving our old house, I never saw his heart broken like that. He had been told that would be his house to grow up in. He learned that some people are not trustworthy. His choice of word. This turned out to be a better town. I never thought I would have to uproot from that town. -but then, things are better, overall here. Who knows why things are like they are. Some things are out of my control. So I have to focus on the things I do have control over. Which just happens to be daily matters that need attending to. Life can be simple. I aspire for a simple life. Thanks for listening.
Yes that site was heavy on content. I am very suspicious of everything and everybody these days. Things that make my computer crash are rare and get my attention. I will still check it out on our more secure line. We are fortunate to have heavy security on two here. This laptop will just shut down which is good for it.
My son has a copy of the Dr. Seuss based movie, Horton Hears A Who. Maybe it was on my mind! Oh, John, I am getting help in the nic’ of time.
OMG, too true about the Poor Israelis and those Murderous Muslims! Dudley do Right must save the Victim. We have been shoveled the same load of sh*8. I had a friend who grew up her whole life dreaming of a homeland in Israel, The holy Land. She finally went there and worked for a summer waitressing and massage at hotels. She learned about the black hats and how they treat their women and she lost a lifetime of dreaming in one trip. She saw who was in charge and how it really worked and was appalled. She no longer considers herself an Israeli, but rather holds a spiritual vision of herself that doesn’t rely on a particular location. I think that is the least we should expect of any decent person who happens to be of Jewish descent, IMO.
My Grandmother would crawl out of the second story window and hang by her fingers on the window ledge, as I understood it. Always very dangerous. But then, my mother, for a good time, would sneak out of her boarding institute and play run and dodge the cars on The Chicago Expressway! That was when she wasn’t smoking cigarrettes starting from age 9. When I rebelled when I was young, she acted like she had never heard of such a thing and I was the first to Ever rebel! She was SUCH a fraud. OMG I am so glad I am starting therapy.
“Your grandma was from ‘another’ time of ‘reality’, Grace – they were used to cope and fight without much support from the society and to that, hasn’t been any easier as German fugitive in a foreign country to live a easy life either.”
Interesting insight, John.
Also about the aging people. They were once valued for all their wisdom and such.. But I see now it is all about serving The Machine. It is about :How much Use is a person to the system. The Machine would just as soon turn our elders to Soylent Green. I have mixed emotions about the whole subject. Have to go right now. I will send this and talk later. Have a nice day.
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Grace, in our society, an aged person has no value unless they are rich. We have reversed something that has been important for thousands of years: the wisdom of the seniors.
Now, young hotheads rule the roost, ones still wet behind the ears. It explains much about our world!
John, the aged have much to offer after the age of sixty. I fall into that group!
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David
I do NOT disagree, at all.
I wrote “(the) sixties”, not sixty(60) , meaning the whole decade. In the case of own my father he lived his seventies (the decade of) also coping by himself, in his own home, without being send to hospitals etc.
But do not hang me op on fixed digits, please. I have no desire to deprive healthy persons their lifes before times up.
I just want to give support to those who acknowledge that death for many suffering from the one or the other, can be preferable for life. but of course you don’t even be an elderly for this condition to come into effect.
Talking about mercy killings / euthanasia, I give credit to those who dare , and have the courage and the remedies to, to do the very tressparsing job.
Especially I think of an incident with the doctor, Harold Shipman, a convicted serial killer.
read more:
http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHarold_Shipman&rct=j&q=Harold+shipman&ei=plVzS81F0MDiBp6OrMkJ&usg=AFQjCNGcSHeWw9ksH0odBMyFTMmKm5-wBg&sig2=qnovd0ae077fqkVffiW9aQ
I personally doubt that this story uncover the whole truth of this unhappy story.
There was a similar story in Denmark, in 1997, where a nurse who was hanged out in the media as having murdered 22 elderly in a old peoples home.
She has later become totally acquited of any charges.
read more (in Danish)
Dorte Gramkow convicted 22 murder Dorte Gramkow was found guildy of murder on 22 people, no doubt about it. And even it’s now proved she has’nt done anything wrong, she will in the conscioness of the many for ever be the criminal… …
http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=8&ved=0CCEQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristeligt-dagblad.dk%2Fartikel%2F240414%3ALeder–Plejebo&rct=j&q=Dorte+Gramkow+for+22+drab&ei=X0RzS4ehA4bZ-Qb2×6zUCQ&usg=AFQjCNHisG_zFqJOCsy3p02XRj_gDIe0fA&sig2=DL-KMt59Uilt_ozeXazAYw
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John—the reality behind how we treat and care for our elder people is a natural outcome of a society that for 50-60 yrs has planned on a nursing home indudtry..for profit…make people want things so badly that they work so much there is noone home to care for the elders…as a nurse for so many yrs I was in a position many times to help shorten the suffering we inflict on the old..getting pain orders from willing docs to adm pain injections every 1-2 hrs…advising home hospice pts not to treat an infection that has the potential and is in the process of shortening a miserable end…that being said more of our elderly stay at home than are incarcerated in nursing homes…I am all for a hippie commune for the old tokers and I will sign up..there is a place called the Farm..in Summertown Tenn…one of the original founders is doing just that…let me be around hippie like minded people and live with some dignity…eat well…get sunshine..get off the grid..love and share…Kate
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Grace, there is a barbarity about the way we prolong death and wilfully cause unnecessary suffering. Every person should have the right to die with dignity when they choose to.
During my course of my treatment I’ve seen many sad cases where the intervention just goes on and on until there is only a shell of a human left. We treat our animals better than we do some humans!
Cheers.
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Years ago I worked with a family and the husband was a Doctor. He said the biggest problem he saw was the families unwillingness to let a poor sick person go. I believe that a long life is a Blessing. We are capable, I believe, of growing and learning right up to the last breath. What I have changed, since I have been very sick at moments, is that death doesnt’ seem so bad then. It must be a mechanism of nature..when our bodies are spent. At that point, I say live and let die. Now that I feel better, of course, I want to live. Life wants to live, that’s what it does.
David, what an experience you are getting from this. My god, bless ‘em all.
Gee, hang in. I am glad you are able to get out and switch up the routine, being able to go home and all sometimes. I need to rest more, as you must too. There is so much to do in a day.
Kate, I am with you. The place in Tennessee sounds lovely. I think you are a really right on woman. My son got an award for Courage, so maybe it is on my mind, but you are courageous too. Happiness comes from the inside out. Especially so in cold snowy, politically wrong environs. Stay strong and let us know about the good things you learn.
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David, you get a Courage award too!
It takes alot to have been through all you have and to be where you are today.
Cheers!
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Grace, coming home on weekends, though tiring, keeps me sane. Four and a half hours of driving is worth it.
I have learned much during my treatment time. I know what I will accept and what I won’t! When it’s time, I will die with dignity and no one will stop me.
It is my right!
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Your so right Kate, the whole western world of capialism are completely obsessed with money, and about who can do fastest, cheapest or whatever …..est etc. a world more designed /suitable for machines than for vulnerable human being, where slowness, depth(ness / profundity (wisdom) has no value.
As a Dane, struggling to put reasonable sentences together in a foreign language so when ever I see an opportunity to – I borrow – this time from Grace. She wrote so beautiful
Kate, I am with you. The place in Tennessee sounds lovely. I think you are a really right on woman. My son got an award for Courage [congratulate to you and your son Grace!], so maybe it is on my mind, but you are courageous too. “Happiness comes from the inside out”. Especially so in cold snowy, politically wrong environs. Stay strong and let us know about the good things you learn.
The subject of how to end ‘life’, to ’say goodbye’ from here without too much pain isn’t unineresting, to say the least to the huge WWII generation who has more or less dominated the (western) world since the sixties . I hope and pray be freed from too much suffer.
APROPOS SUFFER!!
I came to thing of the lastest incident of a young man rescued from the rubbles in Haiti. Wasn’t it 28 days ? he had been ‘buried’ ?.. For God sake don’t do this to me. GOD! PLEASE..
==============================
Grace thanks you
I wish you and your family, luck on your way to healthiness
There’s details in your late post I don’t quite understand – but I hope I’ll be able to piece the whole ’story’ of yours together one day. you have a great mind.
David
be happy
I wish I were (living) in Australia, I am so tired of frost ( 18 degree is measured lately), with frozen (no) water and snow all over, here in Denmark.
pease and love to all
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“a world more designed /suitable for machines than for vulnerable human being, where slowness, depth(ness / profundity (wisdom) has no value.”
Your words are profound, John. I will try to write more complete thoughts to aid in your reading and comprehension.
A long life when in strong health is a blessing. However, once a person is sick, it is tricky. If the doctors can help the person with a plan to be able to function, then life should be extended. If the person is just sick and not getting better at all, then it is a personal decision. What a sad topic of conversation, yet so relevant for all humans. It was a miracle to find that man after 28 days. There – is an example of a bad situation where dying probably crossed his mind in those long days, yet, he had a life force that kept him here. Fortunately, he was found and now he can live out his life. Whew, close one! Buddha said, Life is Suffering.” There are many times that those words come ringing in my ears. So I pray, that I may learn my lesson. That said, I don’t want you to suffer unneccesarily, John!
Ok, here it comes, John, you get an award for Courage, too! You are very brave to learn English and to bless us all with your thoughts and insights. Thank you for persevering. : )
Stay warm and cozy, especially all of you in the cold climes.
Peace and love, too.
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Thank you, Grace
I am so happy and very PROUD for this AWARD. Since the ‘thing’ is NON physical I want to share it with you, Grace, and all other, in their own right, marvellous people here.
- you are the light at the end of the tunnel.
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John, no one should have to suffer at all! It’s the religious who believe in fantasies about living forever that impose this suffering upon all people, believers or not.
Death should be seen as part of the life cycle and it should be made as easy as possible. A nice meal with friends, a few pills, then you go to sleep forever, with dignity.
John, living in Australia is better at the moment with good rains lessening the effects of the drought. It is humid though and frequent storms are causing damage in some places in New South Wales.
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