tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82587582482068093652024-03-13T04:29:03.147-04:00Yiayia OnlineYiayia Online: Whatever runs through my mind that I can and want to put into words. As a psychotherapist I sometimes write things I have learned over the years but am too lazy to try to publish.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2040125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-52488190209299970532013-04-29T10:27:00.001-04:002013-04-29T10:27:20.011-04:00sitemeter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-12804857961126225492013-04-09T00:02:00.000-04:002013-04-08T22:30:05.723-04:00THIS IS TO LET YOU KNOW I WILL NO LONGER BE DOING A DAILY BLOG<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For almost seven years I have written my blog daily, its purpose was a discipline for myself to force me to stay in touch with with what is going on in and with the world. As long as I enjoyed writing it, I wrote daily. It is no longer fun for me (I truly am ADD and I feel 'been there, done that; time for something new) So I have decided, at most, I may write once a week and think I will work more on letting my opinions (after all some things won't change) spread on Titter.<br />
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Thanks to all of you have been around and all of you who have offered comments. I will try to be a bit more faithful to Facebook, as well. I am beginning to get used to my iMac and my mail seems to be available to me more easily than for the last month (though it seems forever!).<br />
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If I get an I want to develop, I may write it down here from time to time. I just refuse to remain faithful (fickle blogger that I have become).<br />
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So, while I divorce myself from the obligatory daily routine, I am reserving visiting privileges. <br />
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Bye for now. You will see me from time to time should you choose to drop in.<br />
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Thanks to all of you who have faithful. Your comments and feedback has enriched me. <br />
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Yiayia</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-46335154574431902062013-04-08T08:53:00.000-04:002013-04-08T09:00:20.367-04:00SUICIDE AND SOME OF ITS FACETS Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One must first differentiate between a suicide and an attempt at suicide. When you suicide, it becomes a done deal. You are permanently dead. <i>Psychology Today</i> had an article, written by Alex Lickerman, MD. It listed six reasons why people attempt suicide. They are: 1. They are depressed (perhaps once sad but then chemistry shifted to a clinical depression for which medication is usually more effective than talk therapy. The two combined are good. 2. They're psychotic 3. They're impulsive 4, They are crying out for help 5.They have a philosophical desire to die 6. They made a mistake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">More detail can be read directly from the article by <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-six-reasons-people-attempt-suicide">clicking here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many people who feel that someone should be able to end their life, if they choose to do so. It is typical of our current time when religion has been allowed to dictate much our government is choosing for us, in its hypocritical way, not only deciding we should continue to live even when our bodies and minds are being eaten away by neurological disease, cancer, or other lingering maladies causing much pain and suffering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett">Terry Pratchett</a>, an author of fantasy novels, diagnosed with Alzheimer's at age 59. At age 62, he made a documentary which you should <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slZnfC-V1SY">read here.</a> This was made in England, where he lives and writes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Around the world there have been people arguing the right to die as strongly as they advocate one's right to live. Vermont, a leader in many social concepts, argues it. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/01/31/1523311/vermont-legislature-debates-controversial-right-to-die-bill/">Read here.</a> The question then arises, as so many states are trying to enact laws to prevent abortion, contraceptives (which actually prevent abortion), and even sex education to allow pregnancies through ignorance. The logic behind that set of laws and decisions is unfathomable but somehow is growing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hopefully, our country will reach an enlightened age when the one thing that everyone will be allowed to own is their own mind and body. Of course, the controlling choices about the body of women, especially today, is being made by men, for the most part. Will we be able to change this in the near future? We an only hope the malevolent powers trying to take over control of our country will be removed from choice over others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To read about the bill in Vermont and other states with similar bills at this date, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/04/02/doctor-assisted-suicide-column/2043773/">click here</a>. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-62244544674867050522013-04-07T11:05:00.002-04:002013-04-07T11:05:09.879-04:00SUICIDE AND SOME OF ITS FACETS Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpI27_1yuYqnCnGcx3B7cgNA3A_snklc97hgsbDmD-o1dVGXFBMBmrQ-jTk2bzQY3nvnyJabeeg5VBl2YoKKb3GDtgwdF4kWahBt2xSYE0rq8xAichsR_Xk4mY1Jti-xKt440_kwOQ_Yk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-07+at+10.35.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpI27_1yuYqnCnGcx3B7cgNA3A_snklc97hgsbDmD-o1dVGXFBMBmrQ-jTk2bzQY3nvnyJabeeg5VBl2YoKKb3GDtgwdF4kWahBt2xSYE0rq8xAichsR_Xk4mY1Jti-xKt440_kwOQ_Yk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-07+at+10.35.26+AM.png" /></a>Th concept of what follows suicide is so different for so many who commit it.. For some it is a route to oblivion from intolerable physical or emotional pain. For others, is is a route to a glorious afterlife. Those who believe in Heaven may think to join a loved one in after life unless they are of a religion that forbids that image. Death by suicide is probably one of the few crimes for which there can me no punishment by our own legal system though it is against the law in most places, a commentary of the ridiculous thinking behind those who think laws can stop anything..<br />
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The brain is a human organ, without which there is no life. President Obama has realized it needs much studying for scientist to get a better understanding of factors effecting its formation, what change how it functions and many other criteria. Since the Iraq war during this last decade, the greatest number of brain damaged veterans ever in history are returning. Doctor and other scientists need to gather more information on how to improve the quality of life experience, mobility, perception, reading of senses, as well as many other causes that change the brain including both legal and illegal drugs.<br />
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Suicide is a personal choice. The person who uses suicide as an option for a problem solution often thinks little of the effect that choice has on others. Children walking to their home to find a father having shot himself in the head on the doorstep, with pieces of brains scattered around them in the snow, cannot easily recovery from the shock, sight and loss. Nor can the wife, dependent on her husband's income for herself and her children, easily recover after opening her front door and seeing her husband's feet hanging before her at eye level at her eye level.<br />
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It leaves survivors always wondering what they may have done wrong, whether they could have done more, with the hopelessness of knowing they can never get an answer to that question. Suicide is death and death is final. ...to be continued.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-54589365558119825242013-04-06T00:02:00.000-04:002013-04-06T00:02:00.862-04:00THERE ARE STILL THINGS WE CAN COUNT ON<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whenever I hear the 'call waiting beep' when on a call, I can count on either being without my glasses or on a phone that does not show caller ID. It makes me wonder if those who call have that kind of luck when gambling. Another annoyance is to be in the basement when the phone rings and I have forgotten to take as remote phone with me. Again, no caller ID and I am afraid I will miss an important call. so I either race upstairs, in great pain because of naked of cartilage knee, only to find it is a telemarketer that either wants me to consolidate my credit card balances (of which I have none), sign up for a life line in case I've fallen and can't get up, or let me know that there will be a truck to collect old clothes or whatever I would like to give clean (with no need for repair and if other than clothing, must be in working order). These conditions usually describe things I still want to keep!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has become habit now to take the phone with me and set it within reach of the shower while I am in it. I keep a strap wrench handy because I believe that all jar tops are now put on with a pneumatic tool with strength far beyond the strength of most women.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm convinced the real sneaky enemy lives within technology. Having learned to type on keys that were distinct and raised, I can no longer type a 'y' without it adding an 'h'/ I finally realized it is because all the keys are adjacent at the same level and extremely sensitive to the touch even when you are only near one. The mouse I use is even more sensitive and I have to keep fast to outsmart it. If I hold a finger near it, I will move everything away. At least I finally learned on my new iMac where that Apple hides things and can even get most of them back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lately I have fewer reasons to leave the house. However, I can count on it raining when I have plans to work in the yard (there is raking, pruning, planting, etc to be done within the brief April window before the jungle appears in the yard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm sure my readers could add to this list. I know I am not alone with the spirits who hang around to make our lives more difficult. They seem to get around to everyone with no prejudice. I can hear them making strange house noises but I just can't see them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But those we can see are in Washington, DC. We can count on Boehner always saying 'no compromise'. We can count on Republican states continuing to try to eliminate legal abortion and contraceptives. We can count on<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/03/cuccinelli-challenges-virginia-sodomy-ruling-in-teen-case/"> Cuccinelli </a>acting as though he is above the Supreme Court.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-16803399648451569292013-04-05T00:02:00.000-04:002013-04-05T14:28:11.346-04:00REPUBLICAN SUPPRSSION OF WOMEN IS NOT CALLED WAR EXCEPT BY ALL OTHERS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One must ask someone who reads the Bible, 'Is there anywhere in the Bible a prediction that women will continue to be treated as inferiors to men in 2013?' It is difficult to address just what is behind the current misogyny in <span style="font-size: small;">an</span> attempt to curtail all contraceptives and abortions. The foolish people who support the Republicans behind this treatment cannot see what is being done to the country. The behavior has not increased the shrinking number of voters who will back Republicans. Whatever can thee state governors be thinking? How much are they being paid to hurt women? Do they realize they are also hurting men...husbands, fathers, and all men connected to women?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How much can the bribing powers behind the Republican politics possibly pay them to continue in such a losing position with the majority of the populace? Most of the powerful Republicans seem to have slipped into some deep denial and complacency, at least when on camera. Can they really be so blind to arithmetic as they have come across when they speak? The numbers are totally against them. Cheating as they are doing with Gerrymandering will still be unlikely to work. Eric Holder is not unaware of<span style="font-size: small;">what they are trying to do. </span>There is no group that can be easily wooed since it is clear there<span style="font-size: small;"> is</span> nothing of worth being offered<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> They are not creating jobs, they are not stopping violence, they are not stimulating the economy thy are not fixing education they are not repairing infrastructure. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are seven states working very hard to shut down abortion clinics. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/author/tculp-ressler/">Tara Culp-Ressler</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> wrote about this for <i>ThinkProgress.</i> </span></span>
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<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/abortion-clinic-closed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1816081" height="209" src="http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/abortion-clinic-closed-300x209.jpg" title="abortion clinic closed" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span>Abortion opponents are chipping away at reproductive rights <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/01/22/1472421/roe-anniversary-republicans/">from all angles</a>
— and one particularly insidious attack on women’s health is currently
advancing in states across the country. Under the guise of “<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/02/27/1644671/anti-abortion-glossary/">protecting women’s safety</a>,”
Republican lawmakers are successfully pushing unnecessary, complicated
restrictions on abortion clinics that will ultimately force them to
close their doors." To read the entire article by her, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/04/03/1815111/states-advancing-trap-laws/?mobile=nc">click here,</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Women will not cease to have abortions but the reason for which <span style="font-size: small;">abortion</span> was made legal was to prevent women from dying from botched, <span style="font-size: small;">non-</span>medical abortions. The Republicans are trying to eliminate sex education in<span style="font-size: small;"> schools so that girls will probably have more pregnancies <span style="font-size: small;">which will force them to <span style="font-size: small;">bear</span> child<span style="font-size: small;">ren they do not want and can't support.<span style="font-size: small;"> I cannot make sense of this ex<span style="font-size: small;">cept to believe the men planning this are misogynistic or insane, or both.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-1111265662485567142013-04-04T01:16:00.001-04:002013-04-04T01:16:30.618-04:00THOSE WHO SHALL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS THE 'NO' CONGRES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The House and the Senate are filled with people being bribed to say 'No!' to anything on the unpublished agenda of the anonymous , old, white men who think they are running the country by simply standing in the way of progress. I sincerely hope there will be enough intelligent voters in 2014 to correct the balance in Congress and that we go back to the majority rules plan our democracy had when it functioned as one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Right now, President Obama is trying to get a bill passed to begin to end the plethora of war weapons being sold to the public without background checks. To hear what the President has to say in bringing his message across the country,<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22023083"> click here.</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji76181IT9-1nF0vgkphJ1fxVjnkjjf5CaqDs4RdOfQ3pO4ON78NgU3rQzZfjppunwCaSrR5Z5SFPIwBtw5AbZjNSWp-BDxSNKSAePmHJRYbhQ4kG2xsOIju_HJgiJeCjESBN-4Zy_Cu0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-04+at+1.06.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji76181IT9-1nF0vgkphJ1fxVjnkjjf5CaqDs4RdOfQ3pO4ON78NgU3rQzZfjppunwCaSrR5Z5SFPIwBtw5AbZjNSWp-BDxSNKSAePmHJRYbhQ4kG2xsOIju_HJgiJeCjESBN-4Zy_Cu0/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-04-04+at+1.06.16+AM.png" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The NRA would have us arm everyone. Then we could have a repeat of High Noon daily. NRA also wants to ignore the suggestion that nothing being done keeps the amount of killings by gun violence at the current unacceptable rate. While some people will get around the checks, the same thing that applies to liquor servers should apply with guns. The seller should be held responsible if there is no background check and a crime is committed and proven. Likewise, those who keep guns in their homes unsecured. How people think they can get ammunition and their secure gun our in time to stop an intruder is not clear to me. It is as rational as the<span id="goog_487718094"></span><span id="goog_487718095"></span> assumption that God will protect you at all times if you have faith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would prefer having a stun gun or even pepper spray or mace to disarm an intruder. It is less lethal so if it is kept more available it is less likely to kill someone but quite likely to save your life and give you time to disarm the threatening one.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-82028446510287100902013-04-03T02:31:00.001-04:002013-04-03T02:31:04.558-04:00THE TIP OF THE POLITICAL, CHEATING ICEBERG<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was relieving to hear that 6 politicians in New York were arrested for taking bribes to get themselves positioned where they wanted to be with not a thought as to why they were elected. Without a doubt, there are some law enforcement officials around who care enough to pursue some of thee people. Fortunately, one man had a 'wire' on him which was missed by the person who frisked him. It is well known that there are many working the system, illegally so that it works for them and not the citizens who elected them to office.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Reuter article described the NY politician trying to buy himself a position on the ballot as a Republican (though actually a Democrat) to get on the gubernatorial ballot. Bipartisan collaboration (3 Republicans and 3 Democrats) certainly didn't work out here for these cheats. To read the Reuters article, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/02/us-usa-politics-newyork-idUSBRE9310FH20130402">click here</a> I guess you can buy elections as well as high ticket items like campaign dinners (with later benefits) if you have enough money</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheats seem to come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and wealth. They ar hard to stamp out. Once you take away the moral compass, hang a carrot out in front of them, you can hook almost anyone. Whether you can reel them in and keep them on the hook is yet another story.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-53306600947029508922013-04-02T00:05:00.000-04:002013-04-02T00:09:35.659-04:00WILL WE HAVE DEMOCRATIC VOTING BY THE NEXT ELECTION?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is now somewhere around 30 states who are trying to make voting impossible for anyone they do not believe will vote Republican. Virginia has added themselves to the list of un-American governing bodies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Republicans are such clear cheaters, yet there still seem to be a lot of them. It is good they don't know math. Even with their cheating, if they get every Republican to vote for them, they still will not have a majority but I think they are going for other than popular vote. Deviously, they are going for electoral votes. Despite the best attempts top cheat, Obama won the electoral vote as well in the 2012 election. <a href="http://www.270towin.com/">See here. </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There must be many suits before high judges though I have not heard that the Supreme Court will be taking this subject up. Of course, I do not know their long term schedule, either.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Th most positive pol<span style="font-size: large;">itical event I can see is the remarkably strong movement now growing by Democrat volunteers throughout the country. I can only hope enough <span style="font-size: large;">people have quit their ennui and realize if things will ever change, ordinary people have to help.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-44352934070047559852013-04-01T08:22:00.002-04:002013-04-01T08:22:21.657-04:00APRIL FOOLS' DAY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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April Fools' Day</div>
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April
Fools' Day is celebrated in many countries on April 1 every year.
Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national
holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when ... <a class="fl q" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools%27_Day" style="color: #999999; font-size: 11px;"><span class="kno-desca">Wikipedia</span></a></div>
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<span class="kno-desca">Google Maps joins the celebration of the day by publishing Captain Kidd's treasure maps for the world to combine effort to solve. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/01/google-maps-april-fools-day_n_2991216.html">click here.</a> Be sure to watch the video.</span></div>
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<span class="kno-desca">All Fool's Day (or April Fools' Day) has been around for several centuries. <a href="http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/society/april-fool-day.html">See history here. </a></span></div>
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<span class="kno-desca">Most of us prefer to do the fooling rather than be fooled.</span></div>
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<span class="kno-desca">One site lists several ways to fool people on this day. </span></div>
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<br /><strong>1. </strong> This one's for diabolical parents: When the kids
are sound asleep, switch them to each other's beds. Just make sure
you're there to see their reactions when they wake up!</div>
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<span class="kno-desca">2. </span><strong></strong>Change your victim's cell phone settings from English to another language.<br />
<strong>3.</strong> Replace the cream filling of Oreos with toothpaste, then invite your target for a snack.</div>
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For those who see humor in this sort of prank, (I readily admit I am not among them)<a href="http://www.parade.com/parade-picks/2013/03/31-april-fools-day-tricks-to-try-at-home-and-work.html"> click here</a>.</div>
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Watch your back today!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-19473496657766961192013-03-31T02:18:00.003-04:002013-03-31T02:18:47.752-04:00HAPPY EASTER TO ALL CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christians will be celebrating Easter on all continents. Others will be enjoying the Sunday in their usual way. Some will work, some will play. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whatever you do or believe in, pray or play, enjoy your day.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-5268047285043063512013-03-30T00:31:00.000-04:002013-03-30T00:31:03.070-04:00HAVE A HAPPY EASTER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For those of you celebrating an Easter with families; whether it is getting together for a belated Passover, or just a nice spring day, I hope you enjoy the Holiday/ For those who have to work, I hope you enjoy the extra pay or the day off to ma ke it up. I hear that the Easter Bunny is living with the Tooth Fairy. I knew the birds and the bees couldn't make all those colored eggs so prettily..</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-78192795295876752272013-03-29T00:07:00.000-04:002013-03-29T00:10:32.541-04:00ENFORCEMENT OF AIDING AND ABETTING A FELON IS VAGUE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Aiding and abetting a felon, knowingly, it being an accessory to a crime. <a href="http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/aiding-and-abetting-accessory.html">Click here</a> for some small clarification. It is my understanding from the media that a 22 year old woman made a straw purchase of a gun purchase for a felon, knowingly. The gun was later traced to the murder of a Colorado prison chief by the felon to whom she passed the gun. Media said there is no law to make straw purchases of guns for felons, a felon. While the straw purchase itself may not be seen as a felon, she took a risk that he would use it as he did so, shouldn't she be responsible? <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2013/0322/Colorado-parolee-suspect-in-warden-s-slaying-dies-after-Texas-shootout">Click here</a>. It was pointed out that a bartender is held responsible if he sells an intoxicated man a drink who then has an accident or hurts . Why should a straw purchase of a murder weapon be any different?</div>
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Republicans are playing fast and loose with the safety of our government, economy, and lives. I guess I do not understand the function of the Attorney General. Shouldn't Attorney General Holder be involved in some of these grossly unfair practices such as redistricting for which I read states must ask Federal permission before they act to make changes that influence voting unfairly.</div>
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Who is minding the store? Is there a recourse for laws being unenforced. Is that a factor influencing the Republicans pushing the budget to pay for fewer police? </div>
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Will th damage done to middle class people in the past eight years ever be made up to them?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-33736220080837945042013-03-28T01:13:00.001-04:002013-03-28T01:13:30.594-04:00WE HAVE BECOME A SELFISH AND UNKIND COUNTRY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We can no longer afford charity though we give it everywhere in the world but our own country. They say 'charity begins at home'. The charity in the US is coming from individuals rather than our government. While I do not see the primary task of our </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">elected officials in government as being charitable, that is what Republicans have been calling it when we are trying to rescue our own people. Those who pulled us into the war by promising that we would not have to pay anything drove us into being close to bankruptcy. In fact, not only have they freed themselves of responsibility financially but also from responsibility for the more than four thousand who died and over 30,000 wounded whose lives have been changed forever. Today, Republicans see our saving our citizens from the result of their poor governance and criminal handling of the war, as charity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My personal story would suggest otherwise. During the great depression, my father (who had worked his way up as an immigrant) used profits from his farm to a house in Boston near stores and offices in a building he had bought. As a result of the depression, stores and offices were remaining empty. He could see that he would lose the building and probably his home if he couldn't pay the mortgage as many others were seeing for themselves. Unlike others, however, he borrowed more money and bought a farm. The two totally different properties served him well with totally different sources of income. He survived the depression and the war and was eventually able to move back to the city home he had built when he was getting too old to farm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Republicans who are trying to balance the budget and curb spending seem not to understand that there will be fewer jobs and far more personal suffering. They do not understand the old saying, "It takes money to make money". Those who say our government is broken are wise. It is. We have too many people voted into office on lies who have no idea about how a government runs. They are only there to be self-serving, though they are being paid to serve forces out to destroy our government. They no longer care at all about what their constituents think or want and expect to con their way back to re-election.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sweden is more humanitarian. Perhaps they can afford to be ion that they didn't bankrupt their economy with a useless war. For details about their handling of medical needs of strangers as well as citizens, <a href="http://www.government.se/sb/d/15471/a/213522">click here</a>. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-52337423132433813472013-03-27T00:20:00.000-04:002013-03-27T00:20:02.253-04:00HOW SUPREME IS THE SUPREME COURT?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the colonies were started in America, the blend of ethnicities, spoken languages, and religions made us a 'melting pot'. However, as we understand our biology better, we should include in that melting pot group all races, and all humans, regardless of condition granted by birth or Nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> All day, we the public, were offered sound bites and bits of what was happening in Court as Prop 8 i California was being evaluated. It was my understanding that the task for which the Justices are appointed is to evaluate the constitutionality of whatever is before them. Since it was the media that chose what we were allowed to see, I presume, we shown some rather ridiculous exchanges between the Justices and the lawyers. It was rather disappointing as I have seen mock courts by high school students with more ability to stick to their task. Justice Scalia made it sound as though he thought he should be evaluating whether there as sufficient on research to prove there will be no harm to heterosexuals and children. It does not require a rocket science degree to know that it is not a relevant question. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brett LoGiurato writing for Business Insider has an interesting article on the question Justice Scalia asked. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Click here</a> for the whole article. Perhaps in keeping with his being an <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-26/originalism-scalia-and-gay-marriage-an-interview-with-jack-balkin.html">'originalist'</a>, he asked when did it become unconstitutional for homosexuals to marry. Attorney Olsen said he had no answer for that but focused on P{rop8 which had been voted in by California voters, despite it had previously been permitted and there are many 'married' homosexual couple married in California today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We will be watching for the similar questions which must be raised as the court considers the <i>Defense of Marriage Act </i>(DOM). To someone who thinks back to the least common denominator, as a rule, it seems pretty simple to me. Our constitution says all men are created equal and gives us all the same rights. While there is homosexuality observed among animals, we are limiting our Supreme Court to judging only for humans. Therefore, homosexuals are human and should have equal basic rights with all other humans in our country.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-84162589598387378102013-03-26T16:02:00.000-04:002013-03-26T16:02:00.398-04:00CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN ANYH OF THIS??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When laws are made with the intent that they will become obsolete at a particular time, like the tax to the rich during GW's tenure in the White House, the Republicans did not want to end it and treated it as though a tax was being added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When abortion was the law of the land (and actually still is that) states have decided to find ways to get rid of it by getting rid of the clinics which perform them. The numb brains behind this have short memories. They have forgotten that abortion was made legal to prevent <b>illegal </b>abortions which were killing too many women. If these elected officials care about life, in truth, why would they try to make abortion illegal again. What possible ideology can be behind that? They claim to respect the constitution. They claim it is against their religion. No one is forcing anyone to have an abortion. If it their religion is at stake, they violate the constitution by injecting religion into our legal system</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have always considered it treason to want to bring down our government. How is Grover Norquist not brought to task for publicly stating he wants to shrink our government small enough to frown it in a bathtub?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">President welcomed servicemen and women as citizens today. We should be proud of all of them in that group. They had incredible investment in this country and have achieved remarkable service to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How can we solve any problems when we have a majority representative in the House who follow Norquist and want to stop Obama and the government at any cost to the country? </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-31819373193065465972013-03-25T14:45:00.000-04:002013-03-25T14:45:00.292-04:00ATHEISSTS VERSUS 'BELIEVERS'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Religion has always been like the 'Emperor with no clothes' to me. Many of the masses </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">see that he is naked but do not dare to be alone to speak up. It took children with no prejudices or investment if they said something other than that which all others did not dare to contradict the majority. I believe it is that way in Washington still today. Republicans, in majority, see that the party has no clothes', no platform that coincides with the wishes of its constituents. No one dares to break rank. They fear not holding the fat cow they currently have and little realize the party is quickly losing ground and so will they.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Don </span>Merico<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (CNN) has written an article which heads: "</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The money man behind atheism's activism" </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To read this in entirety, </span><a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/23/the-money-man-behind-atheisms-activism/?hpt=hp_c1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here.</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Todd </span>Stiefel<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is from Raleigh , North Carolina. He is a former Catholic but, more importantly, he has enough money to fund the </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.stiefelfreethoughtfoundation.org/about.html">Stiefel Freethought Foundation.</a></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 25.5px;">“What I am trying to accomplish is multifold, he told CNN. “I consider myself working on the next civil equality movement, just like women’s rights, LGBT rights and African-American Civil Rights. We are still in the early stages of eliminating discrimination against atheists and humanists. That is something I really want to accomplish.” At Duke University, taking a class in the Old Testament, he said: " </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7em;">he saw a flawed logic in the Old Testament. In particular, he said, he began to see much of the Old Testament as unoriginal stories that had been told in many pagan traditions.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7em;">“</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7em;">'Wait a second, is what I believe in really the truth or is it really the accumulation of myths bundled in a package?’” Stiefel remembers asking himself. “That was the end of my faith right there.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7em;"> That is how most begin to question what various churches teach. It is easier to find people with whom to discuss this today, though most are still hiding in the closet. Especially in government, because the religious right is not tolerating the anti-religious, it is more difficult to openly question and retain office. Though our Constitution asks to separate church and state we are not following that in our government today. Hopefully, some day as the curtain revealed the Wizard of Oz as a fake, religion as a business, well-funded, will morph into what it should have been all along...a place for socializing, a place where children can be brought with their parents and mingle with other children well supervised, and a place that will foster an understanding of morals and integrity no stipulated by fanatics, paranoids, and celibates ho do not accept that we are 2000 years after Christ and do not wish to live in the dark ages of society and reason.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-56462683350197450852013-03-24T01:48:00.001-04:002013-03-24T01:48:49.652-04:00GUNS ARE A TOOL USED BY PEOPLE TO KILL OTHER PEOPLE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQOxQL1KqcCmg0SRfisrCETCoT1XzHlxHKkUl6G1FQ8O1umT5JzqXRpHiwelAxyq0g7QqjXNYKoW8UbClkw0Q9H5k4qV880QeFMWTJVeGI4Z4vpP3Zl9D151Ufj2F4GwxARVau4_e578/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-24+at+1.40.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQOxQL1KqcCmg0SRfisrCETCoT1XzHlxHKkUl6G1FQ8O1umT5JzqXRpHiwelAxyq0g7QqjXNYKoW8UbClkw0Q9H5k4qV880QeFMWTJVeGI4Z4vpP3Zl9D151Ufj2F4GwxARVau4_e578/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-03-24+at+1.40.16+AM.png" width="121" /></a>It i beyond me how anyone can be against controlling guns in our country when they have all been assured that their second amendment rights will not be forsaken. While I cannot be more sympathetic to the children who were lost in Sandy Hook, I am equally sympathetic to all the children who have lost parents, as well as parents who have lost children. I am sympathetic to all whose lived were prematurely snatched and for all those left behind to grieve them, not only lost loved ones but, at times, lost bread winners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The religious right is basking in their hypocrisy. They claim they want a smaller government yet want to crawl into the wombs of pregnant and non-pregnant women. They have been voted into elective office on their lie and, as soon as they gt there, they try to take away women's rights to health care and choice about their own bodies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They claim to represent constituents but, in fact, follow the NRA and others who drum for them. Since Sandy Hook, less than a hundred days ago, there is a shocking number of deaths by shooting in our states. For a shocking truth about the number and a picture-of just where these occur, <a href="http://data.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/gun-deaths">click here.</a> As soon as you read the first screen, hit next to the right of the title.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-77799752274773374062013-03-23T01:05:00.001-04:002013-03-23T01:05:40.801-04:00I'M TAKING A DAY OFF<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was a tpss up; shall I write my blog early or shall I get the things done that need to be taken care of? Actually, out of habit I was going to get a blog set up in my head, but Morpheus got into a power struggle with me first. I lost, Morpheus won. <br />
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I'll be back on Sunday morning.. See you then.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-63272214366582655772013-03-22T00:02:00.000-04:002013-03-22T00:02:00.689-04:00ISRAEL'S MEDAL OF DISTINCTION TO PRESIDENT OBAMA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
History will record the speech given to the Israeli people on March 21, 2013. The Ne York Times printed a complete transcription of that speech and I believe everyone should read it. My background shows no past of a Jewish ancestor nor does Jerusalem hold anything special for me except in Christmas carols. However, I do believe in the principles of our Constitution that all 'men' are created equal. That should include the many races and ethnic groups in the United States as well as all other countries and the people who have NO country, the Palestinians those who had to flee for havens when their own country was no longer safe for them. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/22/world/middleeast/transcript-of-obamas-speech-in-israel.html?_r=0">Click here for the NY Times transcription.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0u92K9DLgMPicIEgYOqwZYP932WrQZMvQxV2eQJktfQG1XCZm5wEOx6wE4PPXLl5NT2zxBg5RtItPHZY52Yd4CWI3B4MeQqzzQevkTkK0YbdVmQN9wfv7pLfLgMMKGvx4hn8wrcPrQ0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-21+at+10.58.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0u92K9DLgMPicIEgYOqwZYP932WrQZMvQxV2eQJktfQG1XCZm5wEOx6wE4PPXLl5NT2zxBg5RtItPHZY52Yd4CWI3B4MeQqzzQevkTkK0YbdVmQN9wfv7pLfLgMMKGvx4hn8wrcPrQ0/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-03-21+at+10.58.35+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pres Obama by Associated Press</td></tr>
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The part of the speech that brought tears to my eyes and made me so proud of our President and so ashamed of those Republicans who block him at every turn, came highest when he spoke the following: "So peace is necessary. But peace is also just. Peace is also just. There
is no question that Israel has faced Palestinian factions who turn to
terror, leaders who missed historic opportunities. That is all true. And
that’s why security must be at the center of any agreement. (Scattered
applause.) And there is no question that the only path to peace is
through negotiations, which is why, despite the criticism we’ve
received, the United States will oppose unilateral -- unilateral efforts
to bypass negotiations through the United Nations. (Applause.) It has
to be done by the parties.<br />
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But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to
justice must also be recognized. (Cheers, applause.) And put yourself
in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes. It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of
their own -- (cheers, applause) -- living their entire lives with the
presence of a foreign army that controls the movements, not just of
those young people but their parents, their grandparents, every single
day. It’s not just when settler violence against Palestinians goes
unpunished. (Applause.) It’s not right to prevent Palestinians from
farming their lands or restricting a student’s ability to move around
the West Bank -- (applause) -- or displace Palestinian families from
their homes. Neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer. (Cheers,
applause.) Just as Israelis built a state in their homeland,
Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land.
(Applause.) </div>
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But I -- I’m going off script here for a second, but before I -- before I
came here, I -- I met with a -- a group of young Palestinians from the
age of 15 to 22. And talking to them, they weren’t that different from
my daughters. They weren’t that different from your daughters or sons.
But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to
justice must also be recognized. (Cheers, applause.) And put yourself
in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.
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I honestly believe that if -- if any Israeli parent sat down with those
kids, they’d say, I want these kids to succeed. (Applause.) I want them
to prosper. I want them to have opportunities just like my kids do.
(Applause.) I believe that’s what Israeli parents would want for these
kids if they had a chance to listen to them and talk to them. (Cheers,
applause.) I believe that. (Cheers, applause.) </div>
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Now, only you can determine what kind of democracy you will have. But
remember that as you make these decisions, you will define not simply
the future of your relationship with the Palestinians; you will -- you
will define the future of Israel, as well. (Applause.) As Ariel Sharon
said -- I’m quoting him -- “It is impossible to have a Jewish,
democratic state at the same time to control all of Eretz Israel. If we
insist on fulfilling the dream in its entirety, we are liable to lose it
all.” (Applause.)"</div>
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This is a very small portion of an extraordinary man speaking honestly to his audience as he has continually done while campaigning and in office. He talked of what it takes to build trust and of 'two stat for two people"</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-30758706402798855412013-03-21T00:05:00.001-04:002013-03-21T00:05:08.406-04:00WHAT'S REALLY OUT THERE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Years ago, my husband tried to gt me interested in the sky to identify stars and all the speculation about what as going on up there. I resisted spending time (or as I looked at it then...wasting time) string at something that meant nothing to me. I have no control of what is in the sky, therefore, it doesn't matter to me. That was then and this is now. Man has become far more knowledgeable about what is in our solar system. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wired magazine offers an interesting article on something that has been up there for 35 years. It is still in our solar system. While the Bible limited to science known in the years 2000 years ago, we have moved on far beyond that. Those who ridicule science are only showing their own ignorance and resistance to change. If we all resisted change we would remain as Aborigines </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWWFXhfXhpGvW46pQy07QONmaMPWRUyXAEsu1mPh-5SVtLshsifvQCRIGVbZ43FnmzSTNMgJMvdUNOwoHC9lnhNwkGJejOUA0hoSMYNeGxIFym5IbVJITuEWugrrioxhVjAWd9xc0z28/s1600/voyager1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWWFXhfXhpGvW46pQy07QONmaMPWRUyXAEsu1mPh-5SVtLshsifvQCRIGVbZ43FnmzSTNMgJMvdUNOwoHC9lnhNwkGJejOUA0hoSMYNeGxIFym5IbVJITuEWugrrioxhVjAWd9xc0z28/s320/voyager1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To see some wonderful pictures of what is up beyond what we can see with the naked eye, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/01/space-photo-of-the-day-2/?pid=6524">click here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Be sure to look at all the pictures using the left and right arrows at the sides of the photo. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-36109885990044052642013-03-20T00:32:00.000-04:002013-03-20T00:32:05.166-04:00WHOM CAN WE TRUST?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is about to be spring but someone forgot to mention it to Mother Nature. In the Northeast, the six inches of snow struck a feeling of deja vu. There is something about that kind of unpleasant repeat calling for action (like shoveling snow) that just weighs one down with the added overload of information.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is unclear to me whether we are finally hearing about the lies of G W Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and the others that seem not to care or feel any responsibility for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost because of them and, worse, the 32,000 maimed for life military personnel returned to the US while our Republican house majority is making their lives uselessly miserable for them and their families so they can continue to have the backing of the powers that pay them campaign funds, or some other equally shameful impetus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When people have such little human empathy for their fellow men, they are viewed suspiciously as sociopaths. The same can be said about CEOs of huge corporations whose salaries have expanded three hundredfold while minimum wage remains just that, as little as they can get away with paying. More people should be educated in the signs and symptoms to look for in people not to be trusted. It amazes me constantly that people seem so little able to put together people's behaviors and character as somehow not being connected. Not so, my friends. How people behave and judgements they make definitely indicates what you may except from them in other situations. Romney's taped talk to his $50,000 a plate contributors tells much about his pleasure at telling about the conditions of young women in his factories in China. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Would he want one of his granddaughters to work in such conditions. He likely would never consider it because his family is so moneyed that such conditions would never occur. How did he think he could be President when he is hiding his money off shore to save his taxes so that the poor people (now the former middle class) can pay it all while he build 5 story elevators for his cars.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At last, we have been hearing media admits they were not doing their job when the Iraq Was was being pushed through. I hope they will realize they are not supposed to run the country but simply hold elected politicians to truth and their jobs being honestly and competently performed. In today's world that seems to be more to ask from them than for which they have prepared.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-44184866366622387102013-03-19T20:52:00.000-04:002013-03-23T20:56:39.757-04:00WHY RELIGION IS LOSING ITS FAITHFUL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There was a time as recently as the early 90s when two-thirds of the US called themselves Protestant. I don't believe the downshift in numbers is a true count because more people are now able to put 'none' on forms. Jut as there are more people who can call themselves mixed or bi-racial when there was never a place to put that down before the last few years.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLZwEwJVaxPb6IP5cnYwBP1YFq3AxBNN4wCek01T5BKNvOV5gx71VLBxqm3QO9UNWciRERojZXvkQe-7ya1KFYSNggOV1u-CWoaobAbOTcvwgdxE97qe9p2akM9tCf70Ge5EIMreYGsA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-18+at+8.41.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLZwEwJVaxPb6IP5cnYwBP1YFq3AxBNN4wCek01T5BKNvOV5gx71VLBxqm3QO9UNWciRERojZXvkQe-7ya1KFYSNggOV1u-CWoaobAbOTcvwgdxE97qe9p2akM9tCf70Ge5EIMreYGsA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-18+at+8.41.02+PM.png" /></a>Negative judgements would have been handed down as they are today if running for elective office in Washington. No c would dare put Atheist or 'none' for religion for either party in today's world. I would hope soon people will respect our constitution and leave religion out of our politics and government.<span id="goog_1414378843"></span><span id="goog_1414378844"></span></div>
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Adam Lee has written an excellent article: <i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You Wouldn't Believe How Fast Americans Are Losing Their Religion -- But the Fundamentalists Have a Plan. </span></span></span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To read this, </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/belief/you-wouldnt-believe-how-fast-americans-are-losing-their-religion-fundamentalists-have-plan">Click here.</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-27556028556742672062013-03-18T00:02:00.000-04:002013-03-18T20:37:01.004-04:00ISABELLA STEWART GARDINER MUSEUM - CALDERWOOD HALL FOR GREAT ACOUSTICS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbSZeO6X3iBDE6t1MAzbx8Ws-js-pDveUZUaOFoiTmBJX1SIrZ7YKt7odc8xjPvblAtMkjgnerfZTIpCyPQCMjzBtRuDr6kG37LH3PfZHQJs9ARyuOCy2tKWhaRpkeug047VzDY0DSrs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-17+at+9.50.16+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbSZeO6X3iBDE6t1MAzbx8Ws-js-pDveUZUaOFoiTmBJX1SIrZ7YKt7odc8xjPvblAtMkjgnerfZTIpCyPQCMjzBtRuDr6kG37LH3PfZHQJs9ARyuOCy2tKWhaRpkeug047VzDY0DSrs/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-03-17+at+9.50.16+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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There is a relatively new venue for great acoustics and great musicians at the Calderwood Hall at the <a href="http://www.gardnermuseum.org/">Isabella Stewart Museum</a>. The hall is built in a square. On the floor there are two rows of seats on each side and one row on each of the three balconies. (see picture at right). On 3/17/2013, chamber music by musicians from Marlboro played. They were: They were, Ida Levin, Michelle Ross, violins; Emily Dean, Michael Tree, violas; and Gabriel Cabeza and Pail Wiancko, Cellos.</div>
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The first quartet number (Haydn) was quite predictable for those who have experienced Haydn before If one felt, instead of listening for form, you could hear mosquitoes, bull frogs, and other sounds of Nature. It was String Quartet in G Major, Opus 77, No. 1for those of you who may be familiar with the piece. Haydn is predictable and a bit like a metronome but the music is pleasant. The musicians from Marlboro were superb.</div>
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No matter how I try to enjoy the classical world, someone is always slipping in a Schoenberg piece. This was was a trio, Op. 45. I will be happy never to hear the first 44. It started with squeaks followed by the sound of rushing water in a flooding river where the debris was backing up. It then drifted off to sleep with quiet. It changed to horrible discordant sounds (as Shoenberg's version of 'different') with more squeaks and thumps. It was an exercise in tolerance for me. A growling cello made flatulent sounds then tip-toed toward sounds I thought I would never experience again of fourth graders struggling to make musical sounds as they practiced on their stringed instruments. It pained me that such well trained musicians were forced to sound as though they were suffering (or was that an echo from me?). The piece then turned to scary music (if one were playing for a silent movie) with lots of suspense building with some naps intruding. It felt like a climbing to the attic to find ghosts misbehaving. At times it sound like the chitter-chatter of gossips having tea. Fortunately, three excellent musicians on strings could not disturb my brain with Shoenberg as much as a huge Symphony Orchestra did with the massive sounds it can produce. New movements began with a pop of a string that sounded like a champagne cork. </div>
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The final number was String Quartet in F Major, Op. 41. No. 2 by Robert Schumann. The first movement started with a feeling of lying on a water bed, rocking with gentle waves. It was soothing as a lullaby and, since the audience was mostly senior citizens, it worked that way and there were many drooping heads and closed eyes. The second movement woke everyone up the last two shut off the snooze button, both being 'presto'.</div>
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The musicians have been trained by their use of bows and body language that indicated they are not through playing, only taking a slight break between movements. It was refreshing not to see the mortification of those who would start to applaud with gusto of those unfamiliar with the piece. I realize that i hear music with my emotions and body as well as the instruments for pitch and all the other criteria that maks good musicians.</div>
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For those who love concerts, I cannot recommend the Calderwood Hall highly enough, as it deserves.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258758248206809365.post-42158048594844952032013-03-17T02:58:00.000-04:002013-03-17T02:58:00.861-04:00UNSOLVED PUZZLES FROM THE OCEANS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the greatest mysteries is the <i>Bermuda Triangle.</i> It is among many other unsolved mysteries. For ten of those mysteries published in 2011, <a href="http://thumbpress.com/10-fascinating-unsolved-mysteries/">click here</a>. Recently I became particularly interested in the Bermuda Triangle. People keep looking for a singular solution and the most recent I hear about is that methane gas is produced either from a fissure or from rotting sea vegetation. Because the methane is lighter that water, if there are enough methane bubble in the water,, it can cause heavy things like ships to sink. Of course, that should be coupled with the theory that the loss of plane has to for with something that makes changes in the magnetic pull.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I came across an excellent article on the Bermuda Triangle. <a href="http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bermuda-triangle.htm">click here.</a> This is an interesting article but only for those of you who don't mind reading a few pages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On October 27, 2011, this You Tube by National Geographic made this film. Heavily watched, for those interested, it is good to watch. Articulately explained, this make theories clear. <a href="http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bermuda-triangle.htm">Click here.</a></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lme08VWiYh0316j53m8cMPrYs1de3odrVzUN3Y2U1mdOTI_0nqnkERkcp54SynkM9ZusikiWk5OcsPiuIE-LLXKiPeeN0Ad2E6N6qtIru4wUfBfEjBvPfh8VAMJC8Ik9Wo7b3yS0XZM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-17+at+2.51.27+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lme08VWiYh0316j53m8cMPrYs1de3odrVzUN3Y2U1mdOTI_0nqnkERkcp54SynkM9ZusikiWk5OcsPiuIE-LLXKiPeeN0Ad2E6N6qtIru4wUfBfEjBvPfh8VAMJC8Ik9Wo7b3yS0XZM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-17+at+2.51.27+AM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treasure Map </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Lastly you might examine the top 10 Bermuda Triangle explanation. <a href="http://havetopten.blogspot.com/2012/08/top-10-explanations-about-bermuda.html">Click here </a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1