KateThoughts

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802 about banks:

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Guess who controls the issuance of our currency.

This thought is also embodied in the philosophy and economics of the Social Credit System that has been proposed many times over many decades.

I think it is time to rethink... again.

Labor Day: not laboring, just thinking

After doing a few online chores and being VERY grateful that the rain is saving me (once again) from the pig-pen chore, I went bouncing around a few of the blogs I read.

Looks like I may need a new list.

Yes, many Americans are having a tough time. Some stories can be quite disheartening, and some of them are not so far from home.

But, tell me, please, what does all this complaining accomplish?

At this blog - KateThoughts - we hold a more positive point of view, and a much broader one. It's all about perspective. Everything is always about perspective.
Perspective and attraction. And no, I'm not fond of The Secret. But I do thoroughly believe that my thoughts, words, and actions have energy & power. Where I place my focus gets BIGGER. If I consistently focus on pain, it hurts MORE, not less. And if I spend my energy complaining of the economy, it will continue to cause struggle for me.

So, 'woe is me/us' posts don't stay on my screen very long. The one thing they accomplish for me is to switch me over into grateful thoughts, almost instantly. 

It seems very important to me - especially in times like these - that we look for the things about which we can be grateful. And about the ways we can lift up those around us who might enjoy a little 'light'. Not everyone we know will want to step out of the complaining/whining stuff. Many don't even know there can be an option. 

So, on this Labor Day, I am grateful for:

• Retirement (thanks Mom & DM)
• Tremendous opportunities to be helpful financially & energetically
• Horizons - and the pet job that brings me to the countryside
• Summer rain showers
• Computers and telephones
• and Awareness:
  that there is so much to be grateful for
  that thoughts have energy
  that tough times can bring insight & inspiration
  that how I 'take' things is a choice I make - repeatedly

So have a nice day,
unless you have other plans, of course.

:)

The Boyle Phenomenon: a rant in two parts

Why was it somehow ok to laugh at her before she sang but not after she sang?

 

I’ve been reading again; always a dangerous activity for me. My brain can run in circles and I’ve heard more than once that I just “take it all too seriously”… mountains out of molehills, that’s me. While most seem to be wondering or ranting about banks, government, politics, etc., I wonder about where civility has gone. Is it really surprising that we are here, in these times & circumstances, when we no longer value things like honesty, respect for others, courage, taking responsibility, & personal integrity?

Yes, I loved the video(s) of Susan Boyle. Like many of you, I’ve searched for her on the ‘net, listened to the song a dozen times or more, looked up Elaine Paige, and tracked downs interviews with Susan, Piers, and Amanda…
(there are more than 11,000 links to videos of SB on YouTube as of this writing, midnight 4-22-09)

Here is an article I found referenced in the comments section at Time Goes By in a post called Celebrating Old Old Age. An excerpt from the article says,

“The YouTube clip of Susan's angel voice soaring from the unkissed mouth of that scrunchy-faced, eyebrow-enforested, unprepossessingly dumpy representative of anonymous humanity was the third irresistible message to us all to get over ourselves.”

I do so completely agree with the last 4 words.

Piers Morgan, a BGT judge said in the videos,

“…Without a doubt that is the biggest surprise I’ve experienced in the three years of this show. …I’m reeling with shock…everyone was laughing at you; no one is laughing now.”

Amanda Holden, another of the BGT judges, said, “…everybody was against you…”, and called it “the biggest wake-up call ever.”

And well it should be.

But is it, really, quite the wake-up call we need? I say no.

In every reference to Susan that I have found, the wake-up call seems to be about judging books by their covers. Ok. There’s nothing really wrong with that; it's a great lesson.
But the lesson I would rather see learned is the one about respect for a human being – any human being – and every human being.  

So I repeat: Why was it somehow ok to laugh at her before she sang but not after she sang?
Susan is herself and came to the competition AS herself, with a tremendous amount of courage, because she had a dream to ‘sing before a large crowd of people’.

What was the relevance of SCowell’s question about her age in a competition with no age requirements? And the eye-rolling & laughter that went on when she answered, “47”…
Given the wide acceptance of rude and offensive behavior in the world today, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but can we really just laugh out loud in someone’s face?

Clearly so.

And then we apologize, and express that hearing her sing “was a privilege”. And all is well; we’ve learned our lesson; let’s get on with things; Susan will be a star and make records…blah, blah, blah.

And what of the woman who lives next door to Susan – or to me – who looks just like her; who does her own hair and sees no need to be or look different than she is; and whose talent is only creating a warm and comfortable home, or, as Susan did before we all discovered her, working for charities, or caring for aging parents?

We don’t applaud those talents very often. So do we just get to keep laughing?

The TGB article is related, though the focus is somewhat different. It comments, in part, on the evident shock that many feel when they learn that an old person can actually DO things, like cooking or driving or working, for heaven’s sake. As if they haven’t been doing that for some several decades already!

Here’s a short excerpt:

“The discomfort, I have come to see, is due to how such a statement diminishes the person. It negates and demeans an entire life, as though the fact that she works at age 100, and not the work she does, is the most important thing about her.”

(Do follow the link to the article, and read the comments, too. There is real meat there, and links to the story of a remarkable woman.)

How is it that we expect a different kind of behavior from our leaders today, in business, politics, government, etc. when we’ve all played our own parts in creating the culture we have? As long as the quantity of one’s possessions is more important than the quality of one’s own integrity, we will continue to live with the Madoff’s of this world. There ARE other voices out there besides the ones who rant & complain. They are just harder to find. One great one can be found here at No Safe Distance.

So when we see a Susan Boyle, and are pleasantly surprised by a rich & beautiful voice, we cry, and feel inspired…for a moment; and never think of the real life of that other woman who flips hamburgers or turns down the bed in our next hotel room, or is old.

And I’ll bet that our own American Idol would not be the raging success that it is if the audience couldn’t do their share of booing and laughing at ___. Why, even the first few episodes of each season are designed to show us the most ‘laughable’ of the contestants. I know two people who only watch those first episodes. It is of no interest to them who might win; they just want to laugh at someone. And if you think I might be exaggerating, go read the comment streams under some of those videos. But don’t read many of them; they are poisonous, symptomatic of our cultural & social ills and very contagious.

Food for Thought or Balancing on One Leg

I’m 61½ now, and I’ve been living the life of Riley for about 4 years.
Things are tougher now, as they may be for many of you, but we have the prospect of Social Security ahead to take up some slack. Joel’s income from that source really makes a difference to us now. I’m still planning to stick it out until I’m 66, but people keep trying to mess with my future.

I hope you will all read The Coming Attack on Social Security… a column by Ronni Bennett of Time Goes By.

She writes clearly, and with links to her sources, which many folks don’t bother with anymore. Follow those links a bit; learn some stuff.

So, should I tell you this? …point you to articles that may scare you, too? Well, no. To focus on the fear is to give it energy, make it bigger than it is. Doesn’t it?
Yes, I believe so.

Ronni makes it clear that SS is fine, for now. IF there is to be a real problem, it will affect our kids & grandkids.
So what am I worrying about?
Just my self, my comfort and ease.
The space between watching HD shows on TV and watching the grass grow.
The difference, in the occasional restaurant meal, between the ‘dollar menu’ and a nice Thai dinner.
The really scary one is the prospect of canceling the trip to Chicago this summer. We’ve been saving up for a year!

I’m at a point in my personal evolution where I am, frankly, stumped: caught between financial fear and its stresses, and the spiritual state of confidence that would, otherwise, allow me to rest in the knowledge that I will learn what I need to know, and be provided for as are the ‘birds of the air’. One day moment I rest in faith that all is as it should be; the next day moment my heart is pounding and I wonder how soon I must drop the cable service or (heaven forbid) the internet, or sell a car.

Maybe I just need to stop reading this stuff.
What happens to my sense of gratitude for all that I am and have?
What is the balance between awareness of current events and resting in the arms of god?

These are the thoughts I’m exploring these days; the fears I grapple with; the wisdom to which I aspire.

Feel like sharing what’s going on in your own head? I’m interested.

…just ‘had’ to…thanks for listening.

Social Credit - I can't wait to tell you...

I've started a post on this subject - about which I am newly passionate! I am awaiting permission to quote so that you can read what I've already written...

In the meantime, go read this overview of Social Credit.

Wonderful Inaugeration Photos from The Boston Globe

These are GREAT!

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html

Happy Inauguration Day

I thought I'd get to this sooner, but I just couldn't tear myself away from the events of the day. We even watched thru the entire parade; something many in the official viewing room did not do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CNN has put together this amazing collection of photos, and created a 3-D image you can explore by clicking. They've called it The Moment; the images come from thousands of photos taken by individuals at the ceremony. You won't believe it if you haven't seen it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Someone (a team, surely) in India created this other amazing thing. Check this out.
Sand sculpture in Puri, India and here is the link typed out, just in case...

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Photo-Highlight-Indian-artist-Bhubaneswar2C-India/ss/441/im:/090120/481/de38abda9d7744ceb6d820694dcc74aa/#photoViewer=/090120/481/de38abda9d7744ceb6d820694dcc74aa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

News of Kennedy is everywhere, so I won't repeat that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Were you able to watch? working? playing? I'm sure they will run great excerpts from key moments. Hooray.
and our blessings on you, Mr. President, and your family, and your administration.

Happy New Year!

Ok, New Year's Eve came; and ran over me! We had two great parties that day. Danced my socks off! Whoopee!
On New Year's Day I had enough energy to put all the furniture back, deal with the leftovers, and finish the last of the dishes. Did not have enough energy for a post...

Here's a good one, and it came from several directions, so I'll save it for posterity here:

And here's Martin Gross with a wonderful rendition of Auld Lang Syne:

Snow for Christmas? ...well, good wishes to you & yours

Here's a link to a video of the Real Drifters singing this, too. (sorry, embedding was disabled.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgGcrvApljY

Single-Payer Health Care - More Resources

Places to go for more info & ways to take action on this very important subject:

• Physicians for a National Health Plan
  Scroll down on this page for a list of informative articles, overviews, and resources.

• CNHPNow

 
I'll post more as I find them.

...thanks to commenter, Little Red Hen...

Health care: Wouldn't it be great to have some for EVERYBODY?

Ronni Bennett, about whom you already know from this blog, just keeps getting better and more on point, IMHO.
I hope you'll read her article, "Elders Lobbying for Healthcare for Others".  Here's the opening excerpt:

"As I’m sure you remember, during a speech in Cleveland on 20 July 2007,
President Bush had this to say about health care:

"I mean, people have access to health care in America.
After all, you just go to an emergency room."

For the president of the country with the worst record on health care in the
developed world to make such a statement is awful enough,
but I think the greater giveaway is that it tells us a lot about
what rich people think the rest of us are worth."

Saul Friedman, Newsday writer and long-time journalist, wrote this post recently, from which I take this opening excerpt:

"I’m old enough to remember how it was before Medicare. My mother-in-law was in declining health and my wife and I were seeing to her care. On one visit to her family doctor, a golfer whom we called Buzzie, he told us, “Boy, if she only had the money we could give her the treatment she should have.” We left him for a nice, non-Jewish doctor I had met on the police beat."
[emphasis added]

Both of these articles contain links to other reports and articles related to this issue. Here is one from the New England Journal of Medicine, penned by David Blumenthal, an unpaid advisor to Obama.

Ronni calls us to action! So go do it! Here is a link to Obama's Change.gov site where you can tell him what & why. 

Then go to these websites and tell your Congress people.
[Note, some of your Congressional leaders will be new in January; mark your calendar and write to them them. ]

The US House of Representatives
The US Senate

Ronni, thanks for the story, the links, and your encouragement to step up and say my piece. 

So, what's on MY mind? Well...

I'm 61, and in pretty good health, though I have some high blood pressure and I don't even want to know my cholesterol numbers. The most chronic problem is pain in my lower back (from a VERY old injury), and some stuff that may be the beginning of some arthritis. I have a very high threshold for pain, and don't need anything except periodic generics like aspirin or ibuprofen.

Which is a good thing, because my insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already disallowed everything that could possibly be associated with my skeletal structure and/or that old injury. In order to comfortably afford the payments, I had to choose a pretty big deductible, and because the treatments I would most like to use and from which I could benefit (chiropractic, massage, Rolfing, etc) are disallowed, I rarely meet the deductible, and so I don't use the services.

Also, there is a $400 annual allowance for 'preventative' care. I tried that out last year. My doc decided that I should have a colonoscopy. No real symptoms, just age related. So, I didn't ask a lot of questions, I just made the appointment and went. Well, part of it all was covered: the $400, of course, but then 50% of this charge and 20% of that charge and yada yada yada, until I was out of pocket almost $2500, AND HAD NOT MET MY DEDUCTIBLE for that year. Better not get the flu!

So, I have health insurance. I can use it for broken legs or heart attacks. In four years I can dump it...and will have enriched BCBS by about $15,000 for basically nothing. What a joy it is.

And the very worst thing, to my way of thinking, is that I'm actually betting with the insurance company that something WILL happen. I'm betting AGAINST myself. Wow! How's that for confidence in the laws of attraction? Crimenentlies!

So, yeah, you bet; I sent my letter to Obama. And I've plugged my calendar to remind me to send similar letters to my 'leaders' in January. Now, you go do it, too.

Prop 8, The Musical ~ (this is too too perfect!)

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Don't ya just love it?!

A Great Article "On the Election of Barack Obama"

An article on Barack Obama has just been published in the major national Native American newspaper, News from Indian Country.

an excerpt:

"And finally, a great leader, a chief or a President, inspires the people to greatness. He makes them feel not less than they are but more than they imagined. “You cannot see clearly,” said Mark Twain, “when your imagination is out of focus.” He would have the American people rise to his expectations, emphasizing the positive over the negative, a strategy much appreciated by Native American traditional healers."

Read the full article here.

If the link is no longer active, please go to the website indiancountrynews.com and do a search for 'Kenneth Cohen'. His article pops up as the first entry.

author bio info from the article:

"Kenneth Cohen is a health educator and scholar/practitioner of indigenous healing traditions. Of Russian Jewish ancestry, he has worked with American Indian traditional healers and elders for more than thirty years. Ken is the winner of the leading international award in complementary and alternative medicine, The Alyce and Elmer Green Award for Innovation. He is the author of Honoring the Medicine (Ballantine Books), national health book award winner, and more than 200 journal articles on spirituality and health."

Additionally, I've done a two-day Qigong workshop with Mr. Cohen; read from his book, The Way of Qigong; my most excellent Tai Chi teacher, Jim Blackburn, is a friend and former student of Ken's, and I feel very comfortable in recommending his work to you.

In this article, besides learning about why Cohen believes that Obama represents 'a new source of strength', you will learn some very interesting facts about the history of our presidents and the Native American nations that you probably don't know...

NOTE: The link behind the book title goes through HMHC's affiliate page and will help support the Center. The link behind the word 'book' goes to the 'books' page on Cohen's website.

This video speaks for me. I hope it does for you, too.

Keith Olbermann - at his best I think. Sometimes he is just another talking/screaming head on TV.
But THIS time he makes complete sense to me. I want to hear the answers to the questions he poses.
I, like him and so many others, simply do not understand the opposition on this issue.

(and yes, there is a commercial first - about 15 seconds)

An Open Letter to Barack Obama - Alice Walker

"Alice Walker on expectations, responsibilities and
a new reality that is almost more than the heart can bear."

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done.

read the full article   (it's really wonderful)
published at The Root.com

 

I've been thinking thoughts similar to these lately. Especially since the evening of November 4th, as I watched the faces in the crowd in Chicago, and in cities around the world who waited to hear the words of the new President-elect.

I do know that I will never have the same understanding of this event that a black person will have. Nor will a black person who remembers the 60's understand this in the same way that the black 20-somethings understand it.

And yet, I do understand that this is a new day.

One might say, "America, this is the first day of the rest of your lives...".
It will be what we all make it. All of us, and each of us. What we make of this opportunity to be new, and renewed; to aim higher than we have; to invest in our own, and in our country's integrity, our children, and our futures.

What possibilities lie ahead!

A Very Interesting Time Ahead

I'm very happy that Obama won this election. I like the fact that he is telling us that we all have a part to play in the way things go in this country. I like that he can refer to himself as "...a mutt like me." I like that he seems to be calling for more personal integrity from everyone. In fact, there is much I like about him and the potential for our country that I think can come out of his administration.

I have a couple of reservations.

They're related, actually.

President elect Obama does not support gay marriage. I read that as bigotry, no different from the bigotry of race or religion.
And President elect Obama does support faith-based initiatives. I read that as an mixing of church & state that was specifically prohibited by our constitution.
(if you need to read more sources, there are many; just do a search.)

Now, in the same interview I cited on gay marriage (above) Obama does say that he would like to guarantee the same legal rights to the LGBT community by way of civil unions. Hmmm... sounds like "separate but equal", to me. It feels like it, too. It would give me legal rights that I do not have now. AND it does allow a separation of church & state on the federal level, while allowing states to keep it all mixed up.

One of the (several) problems I see with government embracing faith-based initiatives is that the it may be very difficult for faith-based groups other than the Christian Right to receive equal treatment. It seems to me that religion (read Christian Right) is involving itself more & more in affairs of government now, and I fear that it will only get worse. We are a nation of many religions and a very large group of those who choose none. We stand to loose balance & perspective if we allow 'faith-based' groups access to government and our tax dollars, especially if those same groups remain non-taxable.

There is currently a great deal of discussion already, and at least one petition circulating about the tremendous amount of church money that was spent to influence elections in this country. In a cause dear to my heart is the controversy around the LDS churches as they relate to Prop 8 in California.
Here are a few excerpts from the linked articles:

"The LDS Church's campaign to pass Proposition 8 represents its most vigorous and widespread political involvement since the late 1970s, when it helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment."

"What is different is the Alliance Defense Fund's direct challenge to the rules that govern tax-exempt organizations. Rather than wait for the IRS to investigate an alleged violation, the organization intends to create dozens of violations and take the U.S. government to court on First Amendment grounds."

"Church-state watchdogs say that both parties are aggressively reaching out to religious voters and that many not-for-profit groups across the political spectrum continue to engage in questionably partisan practices"

Here is a link to a blogger I read fairly regularly who is also concerned about this issue. She has posted an article from the Council on Secular Humanism.
I hope you'll read it, and other articles linked herein, and just think about it. This issue is a bit scary to me, even while I practice my own personal belief that all is as it should be.  Thanks for listening.   :)

A Thought to Ponder

Thanks, Nancy :)

"Social change will now grow along a vertical axis more than a horizontal one. A few people joined together and thinking deeply will do more to affect the conditions of the world than millions of people joined in superficial thought. That is because the morphic resonance of loving thought is a literal forcefield, not just a metaphorical concept. It is the sahimsa of which Gandhi spoke, carrying within itself more potential power than any nuclear bomb or military force. The question is not whether this power exists, or even whether enough people believe that it exists; the question for our time is whether enough of us are prepared to harness that power for the purpose of national and planetary healing."

Marianne Williamson

Truth is hard to find; too few of us are looking for it.

As this campaign winds down, one of the things I've noticed is the horrendous amount of money that has been raised to support the two major candidates.
The total is a whopping $684,096,144. Holy Cow!
The site of the FEC has more interesting data.

What I have not found - and won't be spending more time looking for - is just how much was spent on all the political commercials & telephone campaigns with which we've been bombarded. And since I live in one of the 'swing states' those things are STILL RUNNING!!! We all know that the amount of money spent on these things must be staggering.

Interestingly, when I searched the phrase 'political advertising regulations', the FEC site is not what came up first. The FCC came up first, but I found only regs about who can/can't, record keeping, etc. In regard to content, there is only Section 315 [47 U.S.C. §315], which is why we here that phrase, "I'm ___  ___ and I approved this message.", and the (often tiny print) phrase that says who paid for that ad.

There were several .orgs, .edus, and a couple of .coms. I don't link those here because you can find them yourself, and because I'm not interested in opinion right now; I'm looking for facts.

Here is an article on FactCheck.Org that discusses the subject of political advertising regulations.This is the first sentence:

Here's a fact that may surprise you: Candidates have a legal right to lie to voters just about as much as they want.

That certainly caught my eye. The article is very interesting and says, basically, what we already know: "candidates have the (constitutional) right to lie to you as much as they want".

So, What's up with that??!!

Here's the FTC's regulations regarding truth in advertising.

This is an interesting, and timely, article from Time Magazine about truth and the 2008 campaign.

One thing that seems clear to me is that political candidates do not hold the 'truth' in high regard. Winning is the end goal, ads are (one of) the means; and many more people will see the ads than will read the fact checkers on any given subject.
And even when we read the facts, we don't necessarily change our minds.

I found several several links to forums, blogs, etc. that discuss this issue. I'm not going to link them here; I'm just worn out and discouraged and if you want to hear another opinion, you'll easily find many.

I remain concerned with the collective ethics of the American citizen, in general. I remain concerned with what seems to me an INCREASE in the us vs them attitude.

Rich people want to stay rich. I get that. I'd like to get rich - and frankly, by most standards I already am rich. (My income just dropped by a bunch and my IRAs are down by 25%.) I think I'd make a very good rich person. I like to think I'd do a lot of good things for my neighbors, my community, my state, etc. should the lottery gods decide to put me in charge of a ton of money.
Would that really be true? I don't know. The statistics on lottery winners doesn't really support that guess.

But, I don't get why we rich folks ride to our posh resorts on the backs of really poor people. Or why a populace who can spend nearly $700 millions dollars to elect one individual over another can't figure out a reasonable way to take care of ALL of our citizens. I don't get it. I don't WANT to get it.

So, I have this idea.

Remember that little box on your income tax form that asks if you want to give $3 to the presidential campaign? The candidates made a big deal of not taking that money this year.
What if we change that?
Let's don't give them ANY public money. Let's change the box. Let's give everyone the opportunity to give $3 to, say, the national debt. You're going to be paying it anyway.  Think how much more quickly we could eliminate that gigantic (and embarassing) number.

Here's another (radical) idea.
Since no one can regulate the content of political advertising, don't sell/allow any more of it.
What if media outlets had to give exactly the same amount of time to each candidate and it was limited to something like 30 minutes a week? There would be no time for mudslinging and lies, would there?
And let's do something about the two-party system. We don't have an effective way of getting those 'others' into the national line of vision.

Then we give a president 4 years in office. What can he accomplish if he spends 2 on campaigning?

I promise my next post will be much more fun than this one.
I don't think it will  be necessarily more important.

Well thought-out; well delivered; great choice.

Thanks, General Powell

Politics and the Art of Conversation ~ Oxymoronic these days

There are SO many things to read about the various candidates, platforms, pundits, and the technical aspects of getting someone elected...

I AM going to put some links at the end of this... but I've noticed something that is, to me at least, a very disheartening phenomena: I have been unable to find, anywhere, a civil conversation about ANY aspect of this year's election.

The best that I know of are two friends, one a Dem and one a Rep, who exchange emails constantly - each one sending their party's content to the other. One has said that she does not read the stuff the other sends (I suspect that is true for both). They just exchange the propaganda, delete or forward, and move on...

Except for this case, the responses seem to be one of these:

• We're sharing (the same) information with those who believe like we do. So we just 'forward' like mad...
• We say (or are told), "don't send any more of that $*#%% to me".
• We shunt a lot of stuff into our 'delete' folders without reading or comment.
• We hear, "Let's don't go there".

And that's probably a good thing, because there seems to be no civility left in conversation around this subject. I think of one of Joel's favorite quotes, "My mind is made up; don't confuse me with facts".  

I haven't been able to find a McCain supporter, for example, who will talk to me about the beliefs they hold that compel them to vote for him, even in an attempt to persuade me to their side. And I haven't found anyone who wants to listen to me talk about why I just voted for Obama. 

No civil conversation: just diatribes, invectives, smears, closed minds, and assorted petty hatefulnesses.

New Mexico is one of the 'pivotal' states, one to still be "won", so we are still being inundated by the political commercial ads of both parties. It is almost embarrassing.

I can't (if I wanted to) keep my opinions totally masked. I do want to share some of the stuff I've been reading. But, even in articles that are otherwise fact-filled, there is so much spite & spin that it is difficult to recommend them to you without qualms.

So, maybe...don't go read these; I'll just post them for the sake of my own journal, my personal history....

My current favorite, written by Frank Schaeffer for The Huffington Post: (not hateful, btw)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obama-will-be-one-of-the_b_132843.html

Another good one, this on S. Palin, from Garrison Keillor posted in The Seattle Post Intelligencer:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/382133_keilloronline08.html

Here's a very funny (and slanted) view from Betty Bowers who claims to be "America's Best Christian".
Her homepage: http://bettybowers.com/betty4president/
The Keith Olberman video I like:  http://bettybowers.com/betty4president/?p=138
And my Favorite from Betty, Palin attack ad bloopers: http://bettybowers.com/betty4president/?cat=44  

Here's one by Tim Dickinson from Rolling Stone magazine:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain 

I just filled out my ballot and will mail it this afternoon. I wish I were more confident that it will be counted.

BTW:
Some links to the opinions of Europeans and other non-Americans:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/european_press_and_the_preside.html

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=bebf8e61-fdd2-41ee-93a6-a0724ff304c9&k=73709

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/2049446/Barack-Obama-beats-John-McCain-in-European-vote-US-election-2008.html 

Here's an interesting page from the BBC on our election - lots of links...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/americas/2008/vote_usa_2008/ 

There's lots more; just google it...

Ok, everything is fine....well, you know what I mean...I think......

Now that's a thought, you betcha. "I think; I think."

Had to leave in the midst of the last post. Our cat, Carmel, was found injured and needed a trip to the vet. He's been out of pocket for at least a day. He loves it outside so it is normal not to see him until evening. Then last night we had company so that could have kept him away... by bedtime we were both aware that he was AWOL.

Anyway, he's not seriously injured - just a couple of punctures from another cat and a very swollen/tender right fore leg. Treated, on an anti-biotic, and home already to rest.

Mango is already beginning to ask (politely) about why his door is locked, and is clearly wondering when his freedom will be restored. For now, it is just inquiry.
Wonder how long I can hold out.  

Re: the earlier post - Principles, remember?
A whole bunch of it is just me.
I got really pissed a while ago when I noticed a vehicle named "Patriot".
                Good Grief, I'm unhinged.

WE - US  - us - the freaking people

(sorry...this is just gonna ramble...my brain is in revolt, or is revolting, or something...

It seems to me that the very bottom line to this, our culture - ours, American 21st Century - is the fact that we keep score in dollars. This is just a fact, as I understand it; the judgment comes later.
I know that there are many who feel otherwise for lots of different reasons.

We're two separate kinds of folks; I don't know if it is possible for us to EVER actually agree.

When we get into election years, though, weird behaviors get bigger and more flashy, and most people engage their brains in many creative ways while totally disconnecting from their own minds.

And all of these feelings about the human potential (and my own) impel me toward Obama. The article linked in the previous post goes to it. Obama marks, for me, a pivotal moment, a turning point. I sense a place where we all get to choose the Who that we are going to be as a nation, and how we will interact with the political and national entities elsewhere.

How we choose our leaders, now, is important because our choice will also influence our individual power to express ourselves freely, and to ask and answer some of those questions (in the other post).

This is the choice, as I see it - only - opinion; one I believe in.

Republicans  - An Us & Them attitude. Most money in least hands in shortest times. They weigh in heavily on the side of fear. Very conservative, tend toward religious fundamentalism.

Democrats - Hope - for a different bottom line, for greater personal responsibility for the Whole as well as the parts.

If the Democrats don't "win". WhatEVER the hell that means, then I'm gonna be needing a sanctuary, some kind of non-denominational convent.

(I can't help it; I was a preacher in another life...)

Partisanism, Platitudes, Pundits and Principles: which one doesn't fit?

"The measure of the journey is not in the lifespan but in the wingspan."
~Laura Young

What are my principles, and how do they impact my life?
I'm not seeing much of principled behavior in the world these days.
Does it matter to anyone?

There are so many ways to go as I sit to write this post. I don't want to try to 'sell' you my candidate. (Well, I'd LIKE to, but I prefer to hold on to the thought that you are thoughtful, relatively intelligent and self-informed, and therefore capable of making a thoughtful choice of your own.)

But I'm not sure anymore.

It seems to me that we have traded our basic values for the ability to create revenue at the expense of others.
I believe that most of us don't even know what values we hold, or even how to think about the subject. We've created all the laws AND all the loopholes that have led us to where we are right now. And I believe that the level to which you believe you are NOT responsible, is just a measure of your denial.

So what the hell does THAT mean? I'm not sure about that, either.
I'm sure it has to do with making decisions about my values. Here's a very basic one I learned from my former coach, Laura (quoted above):

Will I add to the love in the world; or will I add to the hate in the world?

And, yes; I DO think that is an either/or question. Other questions include:

• Must I seek to blame? When? Why?
• What do I understand about Love - all kinds - and what am I willing to do, say, be to support my conclusions?
• What does honesty mean to me, and what goes into the decision to be honest or not honest? When I choose dishonesty, what are the costs and to whom?
• What are my responsibilities for the behavior of others, and when/how do I act upon them?
• What things are private (if any) and therefore irrelevant to others?
• When (if ever) is what you think of me important?
• How often do I revisit these questions, adding others or subtracting some?

When I've asked myself these questions (and others) and come to some conclusions, then I write my own code of conduct. And these days, I'm really torn in several directions.

There is much to be said for the argument that we 'get what we deserve in this world'. The theory that 'what we focus our attention on gets bigger' is working especially well for those who want to persuade us through fear. There are simply TONS of things on television, radio, and other media outlets, that are perfect illustrations of WHO WE HAVE COME TO BE as human animals on this planet.

I don't want to look like that model.
All I know to do is the best that I can. And for me, that means knowing what I value, learning that I can choose to be involved in many different ways, and behaving with courage now that I know what my principles are. What is most scary to me these days is what I see as a closed-minded, rigid adherence to a set of 'guidelines' that have bypassed the individual consideration  

...oops; gotta go...

http://www.newser.com/story/38842/parker-gets-the-dixie-chick-treatment-after-dissing-palin.html 

This article illustrates some of the fanaticism I see all over this campaign. But more importantly, I see this everywhere these days: in the (extreme) need to blame someone (for ANYthing), in road rage, in the behaviors of some friends & neighbors & family.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obama-will-be-one-of-the_b_132843.html

This link goes to an excellent piece of writing that expresses something of what I feel about Obama & this election, and these times.

"The measure of the journey is not in the lifespan but in the wingspan."
~Laura Young

What are my principles, and how do they impact my life?
I'm not seeing much of principled behavior in the world these days.
Does it matter to anyone?

There are so many ways to go as I sit to write this post. I don't want to try to 'sell' you my candidate. (Well, I'd LIKE to, but I prefer to hold on to the thought that you are thoughtful, relatively intelligent and self-informed, and therefore capable of making a thoughtful choice of your own.)

But I'm not sure anymore.

It seems to me that we have traded our basic values for the ability to create revenue at the expense of others.
I believe that most of us don't even know what values we hold, or even how to think about the subject. We've created all the laws AND all the loopholes that have led us to where we are right now. And I believe that the level to which you believe you are NOT responsible, is just a measure of your denial.

So what the hell does THAT mean? I'm not sure about that, either.
I'm sure it has to do with making decisions about my values. Here's a very basic one I learned from my former coach, Laura (quoted above):

Will I add to the love in the world; or will I add to the hate in the world?

And, yes; I DO think that is an either/or question. Other questions include:

• Must I seek to blame? When? Why?
• What do I understand about Love - all kinds - and what am I willing to do, say, be to support my conclusions?
• What does honesty mean to me, and what goes into the decision to be honest or not honest? When I choose dishonesty, what are the costs and to whom?
• What are my responsibilities for the behavior of others, and when/how do I act upon them?
• What things are private (if any) and therefore irrelevant to others?
• When (if ever) is what you think of me important?
• How often do I revisit these questions, adding others or subtracting some?

When I've asked myself these questions (and others) and come to some conclusions, then I write my own code of conduct. And these days, I'm really torn in several directions.

There is much to be said for the argument that we 'get what we deserve in this world'. The theory that 'what we focus our attention on gets bigger' is working especially well for those who want to persuade us through fear. There are simply TONS of things on television, radio, and other media outlets, that are perfect illustrations of WHO WE HAVE COME TO BE as human animals on this planet.

I don't want to look like that model.
All I know to do is the best that I can. And for me, that means knowing what I value, learning that I can choose to be involved in many different ways, and behaving with courage now that I know what my principles are. What is most scary to me these days is what I see as a closed-minded, rigid adherence to a set of 'guidelines' that have bypassed the individual consideration  

...oops; gotta go...

http://www.newser.com/story/38842/parker-gets-the-dixie-chick-treatment-after-dissing-palin.html 

This article illustrates some of the fanaticism I see all over this campaign. But more importantly, I see this everywhere these days: in the (extreme) need to blame someone (for ANYthing), in road rage, in the behaviors of some friends & neighbors & family.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obama-will-be-one-of-the_b_132843.html

This link goes to an excellent piece of writing that expresses something of what I feel about Obama & this election, and these times.

Cogent Conversation on this Campaign

Follow this link to some meaty observations:
http://octogenarian.blogspot.com/2008/09/guns-god-gays-and-abortion.html
        Thanks, Mort.

                                        PS: don't skip the comments...

Anne Kilkenny email about Palin and other stuff...

I received the Kilkenny email as did tons of you. I didn't find it mentioned on Snopes.com so I wrote to them. They replied, and have now posted this article about Anne's letter:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp

I found the letter very interesting; it certainly raised a lot of questions for me & others. I am not going to reprint the contents here; it is very easy to find - just Google Kilkenny-Palin-Alaska or any combination of this.

I ask that you remember that this letter is opinion: probably informed to some unknown degree, and there definitely IS an Anne Kilkenny who lives in Wasilla. I think it is a good letter and thoughtful, but Anne has not provided documentation or links to documentation.

Re: "the jet plane sold on EBay" it didn't happen - Not True. See this link fron the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/25/us/25jet.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

In my personal opinion, the Republican team is dealing in smoke & mirrors and their smears & innuendos are to be expected from such as they. I'm appalled that so many Americans are buying their 'line' instead of being embarrassed by such behavior. I don't want my president to present that image in the world and I am certain that it will hurt us & this country a great deal. Again, my opinion: the only way to get change from the Republicans is to vote them out!

To those who get their news from the networks, both public & cable:
If you think there is no slant to the news you hear, think again. Check online, read bloggers - widely, check out opposing viewpoints. When you listen to a politician speak, what do you hear? Policies, Vision, Plans, Platform - or cheerleading, pandering, nostalgic rhetoric, sarcasm, ridicule...?

just me, asking...

Ronni B. & her tribe comment on McCain and aging...

Here are some links from my FAVORITE blogger, Ronni Bennett (a former producer for 20/20, etc.)

She is a Democrat, as am I for the sake of this election, and generally writes about aging and issues related to that such as Social Security & Medicare. Her blog, Time Goes By, has a geriatrician and a lesbian, both writing bi-monthly columns.

 

These links are about McCain, mostly, and include thoughtful commentary & discussion on his choice for Veep, and on his health & age. If you decide to read them, be sure to read the comments also. Ronni’s audience is remarkable for many reasons.

http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2008/09/age-and-john-mc.html  Age & John McCain, part 1

http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2008/09/age-and-john--1.html   Age & John McCain, part 2

http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2008/09/age-and-john--2.html   John McCain, Judgment
http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2008/09/senator-mccains.html    Sen. McCain's Catastrophic Choice

I hope you’ll take the time to read these. I’d love to hear your thoughts, either by email or on this blog.

I hope you read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

I haven't finished this book yet.

• Are you concerned about your health?
• Do you use supplements?
• Do you use 'fat-free' this & that?
• Do you use 'sugar-free' this & that? 
• Do you want to live longer, better?

Please read Michael Pollen's In Defense of Food.

And you might note that some (much) of what has happened to and in the food industry and to our food, is the result of ...wait for it...lobbyists and politics.   Arrrgggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!

Politics: What a _____ business!

Politics has always been a tricky subject to discuss reasonably. I'm not totally sure that the words 'politics' and 'reason' aren't oxymoronic when used in the same sentence.

I find it very difficult, also, to paint myself with only one political brush: I don't claim to be a Republican; I'd rather not proclaim myself a Democrat. But I find that being an Independent in the nation who's forefathers penned a Declaration on the subject, actually decreases some of my options in an electoral process - such as voting in primaries.

I find that interesting, and disconcerting.
And, given the nature of political campaigns as they have come to be operated - I refer to the mudslinging, muckraking, 'spinning' - I feel that anyone with an interest in holding a political office, may be, by temperament and character, unqualified to hold that office.

There is also considerable evidence to support the belief that NM poll results may not be a true reflection of how her citizens voted - as is true in about 42 other states.
Here's a Wikipedia article on the subject throughout the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_United_States_election_voting_controversies
This one is from Alternet on the Feb. Democratic caucus in NM:
http://www.alternet.org/democracy/76399/
You know you can find tons more on this subject if you want to do so...

Just so you know, up front, I support Obama now. Mostly, I think of myself as pretty liberal. AND I hold some opinions that agree on some issues with Republicans. I believe that most of us could find some places where we could agree with different parties on different issues - or pieces of issues.

The thing is, the campaign is only marginally about issues anymore.

I started this post with the idea of posting a video that came to me by email. Like I do, I sought to find out all that I could about the "who" of the author(s) of the video. Turns out I like 'em, believe that they mean to be honest in their presentation, etc.

They can be found at Brave New Films. http://bravenewfilms.org/about Click on "http://bravenewfilms.org/about/meet" to see photos and read bios.

The film I meant to embed here is at http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/325.html  and was produced by the Brave New Films group. I hope you'll go watch it, but I'm not going to embed it here.

My favorite fact checker, FactCheck.org, does not mention this one. They deal primarily in critiquing political campaign ads from both parties, not individual online stuff.

I go back to my beliefs that this country needs a major, complete overhaul of our electoral system:

• Down with the Electoral College; the need does not exist and has not for decades.
• Down with campaign commercials entirely. Allow coverage of debates, town meetings, etc. for all candidates equally.
• Down with lobbyists, period. 
• Find a way to eliminate this huge need for a candidate to raise money to fund her/his political campaign; control what each party can spend in an effort to keep all candidates in a race that can then be decided on the issues.

What I really fear is that there are not enough critical thinkers left in this country to see past the 'spin', the misdirection, the outright lies that infest the campaigns we see every day. Whatever your political opinions may be, I truly hope they are informed, and not just knee jerk responses to the political commercials we see on television today. And I hope that in forming these opinions, you rely on much more than the  network news of regular television.

Today's Time Goes By, in an article about elder poverty and the outlook for the future posted a great video by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). Note: Independent! I found the sound-track distracting, so I tracked down this version:  (This is a video I think YOU SHOULD WATCH. And be shocked and embarrassed. I believe that the worst part of nasty politics has made this so.)

 

Heaven Help Us...

I swear, if we gave as much energy to fixing the electoral system or Social Security as we do to keeping the "Others" out of our way, we'd have a whole new country and a lot more global respect.

This particular rant was inspired by yet another group trying to stomp on the rights of some of us - this one about gay marriage. Usually, I link articles I comment on here, but if you want to read any of that kind of stuff, go find it yourself.

But 'others' can be anyone - in certain circles, even you: Gays (that broad category that covers SO many), illegal aliens (in Roswell, they're green), Jews, Hispanics, Little People,...basically anyone different from you.

So, I ask: who do you want to be when you grow up?
Wise?
Christ-like?
Loving?
Open-minded?

Or are you one of those who say, "my mind is made up; don't confuse me with facts."?

Good grief!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to T''ai Chi class in hopes of lowering my blood pressure and enjoying a few deep breaths, and in letting go of my own prejudices for my "others", the ones who want to believe I'm different from themselves.

Saving Money or Spending it?

Here's a GREAT article from YNAB (You Need a Budget) about all those "savings" at the cash register:
http://www.youneedabudget.com/2008/wow-you-saved-more-than-you-spent

I've thought of that myself at supermarkets where they are so excited to tell me how much I've "saved".
I hope you find it funny, too.

And if you actually need to budget, there are links to his site. I recommend it and his program as practical and easy to use and at a budget-friendly price. :)