Panic

About 2 hours later, the contractions started. About 7-8 minutes apart at first, lasting around 30-45 seconds. A half hour later, 6-7 minutes apart, lasting 50-60 seconds. So we made her a bath to help with the pain that was now, pretty intense. While bathing, her contractions jumped to 4 minutes apart, lasting for 60+ seconds. Time to go!

By the time we got to the hospital, the contractions were obviously hurting her every 3 minutes or so. We thought we were going to have a baby tonight. Unfortunately, she wasn’t even dilated, at all. The nurse called our doctor to see what to do next. The doc said to give her a “knockout cocktail,” a concoction of morphine and a sleeping aid, for the pain, and send us home. The drugs will put her to sleep soon. I can’t believe that she’s not even close to giving birth and the pain is so bad that it stops her in her tracks, paralyzing her. It hurts to see her in this pain. I can’t even do anything but stick my fist in her back, and twist it around, just to ease the pain. Every three minutes of so, I’m doing this.

We get home, and hours pass in agony. She still hasn’t gotten any rest, because the pain is so bad not even the morphine and sleeping drugs are doing their job. She’s all groggy and starry eyed, but still can’t sleep. So I need to stay by her side at all times to help her through this. Holding her hand and pressing hard on her back every few minutes.

It’s hard to see her, my rock, my wife, in so much pain. In the back of my mind I am freaking out wondering, how bad is it going to be when the morphine wears off! The contractions are getting stronger and closer and longer now. And to think that the pain is going to get a lot worse breaks my heart. It’s going to be a long night. Tomorrow morning, we have a doctor’s appointment: Ultrasound, stress tests, and some other tests to see what’s going on and how the baby’s doing. Hopefully tomorrow’s the day.

By the way, now the contractions and pain are so close, it seems to never stop. I cannot wait to go to the hospital

The Internet Right - Are They Doing It Right

Viewing things as a whole it would seem that the internet right is providing some powerful contributions that the rest of the media right can’t provide for several reasons. Let’s take a look at some of those contributions and some of the leaders in the pack.

It looks overall like the liberals are advocating for no lines to be drawn on most matters. The right insists there are lines, very clear and important lines. This alone puts the right clearly ahead in the battle. The idea that there is nothing to fight for leaves the left with no real soldiers. There are of late, however, a lot of embarrassed civilians among their ranks. Those in the internet right are providing a good part of the scathe that discomforts them.

The single most important contribution the internet right is offering at this time is a full effort, a concentrated effort, replete with facts and figures to support their right wing views. Unlike newspapers that are cluttered with everything from recipes to obits the Internet sites and blogs hunker down and concentrate on the business at hand. If you want the full story the internet right provides it.

A second contribution is linkage. Most people subscribe to one or two newspapers and watch one or two favorite TV news broadcasts. Should they want or need more on a subject they are forced to wait on the editorial whims of the paper and the paper boy’s next delivery. Following online links can provide anyone with more information on a subject in only a half hour of surfing than the papers or the networks could provide in days.

Last but not least are the time and space constraints that newspapers and broadcast media are straddled with. Who has not been listening to an interview with keen interest and waiting for a summary when the host exclaims, “that’s all the time we have for now.” The right sites on the internet don’t have this restraint. In the X generation it is acceptable to be fed with half second blips and spots but if you need the whole story the internet alone can fill the gap.

Many excellent right wing platforms are online today. I won’t create a list of big boys and small fry but rather let’s look at something more important. Keep in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive list, I haven’t the space here to mention them all. There are dozens of great rigt sites out there and I only wish I could include them all. I think that website design is very important. Using normal guidelines for a good site, those right sites that are easy to understand seem the best. One look at the first page should give you the clearest picture of everything you can expect to find on that site, and a clear path to it. Some sites that come into this category are, Volconvo, The Conservative Voice, The Nashif Report and The Rant.

If your looking for good old down home straight talk with a bit of humor don’t miss Jackass Democrats.com, where the site heading reads…”where the conservatives come to gloat and giggle about…jackass democrats.” Some of the best writing can be found on the pages of The Conservative Voice where apparently they would rather unleash a few truth dogs than to feed pabulum to the public. Volconvo, has an unusual feature called… “Massive Topics” where they dive head first into the big scraps like evolution, gays, and abortion. Speaking of special features check out the…”Hall of Shame” and “Hate Mail” on The Rant.

Well seasoned and well blogged is The American Daily, http://americandaily.com or the sister site http://moveoff.net Here you will find a rather innovative item that could even be considered brave. American daily actually puts the articles, opinions and stories of the liberals in its own section on that site. This is done so the opposing views can be compared and it also serves as a means of stopping the complaint that liberals aren’t given equal space on the internet right. Bravo!

If you are new to the internet right you should be warned that the sites mentioned in this article are considered right wing only not what is known as “Radical Religious Right.” (RRR) These sites have their merit but this treatment is not about either the moderate or extreme right political activist’s sites.

Unfortunately most liberal internet sites crop all the right sites into one lump. What’s worse is that on the extreme left all these sights unfortunately may be viewed as hate sights or dangerously fanatic. But that is why they are called, the extreme left.

Many of the best internet right wing sites are simply platforms for common sense, good citizenship and good government they can’t help from being controversial. But hey, it must have been the biggest controversy to hit the streets of our original colonies when some people started gathering together to try to form a new country. The last time I looked at the internet right it was only trying to recognize and preserve the outcome of that earliest of our national controversies. In this writers opinion the internet right sites are…doing it right!

About the Author

Rev Bresciani is from New Orleans La and the author of…Hook Line and Sinker or What Has Your Church Been Teaching You, PublishAmerica 2005 and…An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ, Xulon Press 2005. His website is,
http://americanprophet.org

Fair Tax for Free People

The absolute fairest tax on all the free people in the world is zero tax. Who does the emperor tax, his own, or the stranger? If you are paying no taxes, you are free, for what that may be worth. When you pay tax, you are not free; you are someone’s part time servant. You are incorporated in a system of exploitation and dominance through threat of force and force itself. You may be willing to kill or die in an effort to become free and be called patriot. You are likely deceiving yourself to say you are fighting and dying to remain free or to keep others free or to free others, for freedom is taxed by the freedom providers. The free man is commanded to serve those in corporate bondage. But he still may be called patriot by many.

In Islamic, Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, we are assured we owe a tax. In many cases it is a nominal 10% of increase. That is, if we invest a hundred dollars of savings in a venture for profit and we earn a thousand dollars total from that investment, we owe $90. However, Scripture encourages us to be more generous in our giving. The most important aspect of this system of public finance is that it limits public finance. The second most important thing is that the taxpayer determines exactly what his tax will be used for, or at least who it will be used for. What a novel idea! The control of giving is the control of public service. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Many tithers of all faiths declare that benefits accrue to the tither; benefits which can seldom be measured in dollars. Simple things like love, health and happiness.

Many tithers tithe to local need, city, state and national expense, even though they exercise little control over most of it, which is the crux of the problem. Those who pay, relinquish all control of the use of the gift. Those who claim to be professional servants do all this hard work for the givers. The givers are now obliged to watch the people they are paying to watch out for us all. If the giver takes this responsibility seriously, she is double taxed in money and time. Way too much to pay for the service offered! Simply a bad bargain.

Many will ask how government will be financed if free people pay no tax. The answer is corporate tax. Consider that both government and corporations are artificial creations to accumulate capital and political power, which derives from the people who support them. Corporations finance the political candidates of their choosing. Governments insure corporate growth and reward supportive corporations through regulatory process. Everyone wins except those who are not artificial creations-the people to whom corporations and governments pander for validation and economic support.

Since corporate government has all the economic and political power, it is reasonable they should bear all the associated costs. A straight ten percent tax on the gross profits of every corporation that does business within the United States is a reasonable expense for the maintenance and growth of the existing power structure. It handicaps neither foreign nor domestic corporations. The corporation that cannot afford ten percent in support of its competitive advantage over individuals and unincorporated partnerships deserves to fail. It is wasting a golden profit opportunity.

When the real people are forced to support corporate government, which returns only a percentage of this support in selected benefits to segments of society, it easily divides the society to impotency and has done so. It puts real people at an economic disadvantage relative to the artificial creation. It would matter not to me which corporations are lining up at the public feed trough for contracts, legislation and favors, if they were supplying all the feed. If it matters to you which corporations are feeding, write your representatives as you do now.

Corporate government has virtually unlimited credit with which to compete with free people; a tremendous economic advantage in the marketplace. But corporate government is fear driven. What if the credit advantage is not enough to support monopoly and dominion? To further discourage meaningful competition from real people, they impoverish the people by taxing them and exporting their work. The taxpayer responds that no matter what the odds, no matter how the deck is stacked, they want to play the game. Corporate government grows like the cancer it is. Cancers are never cured by ignoring them. They are cured or controlled by restricting or removing them from the environments they require.

Frauds such as income taxes are not promoted because corporate government needs the money. Who needs money with unlimited credit? Corporate government wants the information the taxpayer supplies. The paperwork tells them more about the taxpayer and society in general, than torture and interrogation ever could. It certainly reveals far more than media polls.

The public servant is saying; “How can I possibly serve you except I know the details of your life?” I say; you would serve me best if you would go home and watch TV. I don’t want you to know as much about me as I know about you - which is very little. Fair is fair. If you are working for me as you claim to be, you show me your life details and mine are none of your business. Which of today’s candidates for public service are publishing their income tax returns? How can I choose a servant if I don’t know the things many tax returns will tell me? Turn about is fair play. If citizens wanted fairness and honesty, they would insist upon it and accept no substitute. They don’t and they don’t. When they are truly struggling to live, as billions now do around the world, they might; but certainly not before then.

Freelance writer published on many websites and in newspapers.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front: Another Terrorist Group?

A timely evaluation whether the MILF Group in the Philippines remains to be a political party or a terrorist group.
“Davao City airport is bombed!” These were the very words of my mother. No way! After hearing this news, I started to become panicky. Who would not be when my relatives and friends are in Davao City? Before coming over to Japan, I was very confident that they were all living in a safe haven. I have reasons for believing so. After all, there is Davao’s tough Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. At the same time, the MILF group promised to exclude Davao from their aggression.

But the bombing incident at the Davao International Airport on March 4, killing 19 civilians (including an American missionary) and wounding 144 others, resurrected in me the fears that Davao is once again shaken. Decades ago, I personally experienced how to live in the middle of atrocity, reminiscing the dark days of the Communist Party of Philippines-New Peoples’ Army (CPP-NPA) insurgents in Mindanao. Just imagine to be wakened up by the sounds of the guns in the middle of your sleep. Sometimes, Communist insurgents would barge inside your house asking for shelter and food. With all of these things coming back to my memories, I could not help but become very anxious. Years before the bombing, while Davao’s neighboring areas and provinces suffered from the atrocities brought about by the presence of the Abu Sayyaf bandit and secessionist groups in Mindanao, it had been spared.

I could not help but ask, how come the Philippines recognized the MILF as a political group, when the latter was presumed violent attacks to both military and civilians in the country? With this, I started to become curious about the founding principle, origin and cause of the MILF group as a political party? I was intrigued whether theories and accounts of political party violence could ever justify their cause? To sum it up, what is the MILF actually?

While I was trying to pool my sources to check the origins, objectives and means of the MILF, I was beginning to question, how come the Philippine government considers the group to be a political party of the country. Is the government only trying to apply diplomatic tactic on the group towards some peace negotiation by initially acknowledging it as a political party operating in the Philippines, as it did to the MNLF? Or, is it plainly because the Philippine government has no clear-cut definitions as to the real meaning of a political party operating in the Philippines?

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front started as a factional group after Hashim Salamat, its founding chairman, denounced the ways its mother group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) made a bargain to create an Autonomous Region for Moslem Mindanao (ARMM) in 1996. More so, when Nur Misuari, his contemporary official in the MNLF, became the governor of the region, Salamat started to create his own party, the MILF. Under the MILF, the call for the “Islamic State in Mindanao” was resurrected. Salamat outlined the group’s objectives, such as to 1) make supreme the Word of Allah, 2) gain the pleasure of Allah, 3) strengthen the relationship of man with his creator, 4) strengthen the relationship of man and man, 5) regain the illegally and immorally usurped legitimate and inalienable rights of the Bangsamoro people to freedom and self-determination, and 5) establish an independent state and government and implement Shari’ah (Islamic Law). Salamat justified the struggle of the group as a result to the Philippines’ “illegal usurpation of their legitimate rights for freedom and self-determination of the Bangsa-Moro people. For them, they were the legitimate native inhabitants of the islands of Mindanao, Basilan Sulu and Palawan, independent hundreds of years before the Spain and the United States colonize the country. He also claimed that the United States helped the Philippines to create the newly created imperialist puppet succeeded in her plot to annex the Bangsamoro homeland when she was granted independence by the USA in 1946. For Salamat, the “Philippines has inherited and developed a deep hatred against Islam and the Muslim people.” It is crucial to note that the MILF group does not recognize the Philippine government in Mindanao. In this sense, they do not consider themselves Filipinos. Salamat revealed that they are in the third phase of their “Moro Jihad.” The first phase was during the Spanish Invasion (1521-1898) 377 years; the second phase, against the American colonizers (1898-1946) 47 years; and against the Philippine crusade (1970 Epresent.) This has been the clear guideline of the group to wage an all out war against government of the Philippines.

In a separate interview with Salamat, he claimed that the MILF group is stronger; ready to take up arms again if the Philippine government decides to do so. The group had already acquired more sophisticated arms and trained more people to fight. According to Salamat, the Bangsa Moro consultative assembly attended by more than two million people vowed to arm their own selves.

The MILF once negotiated with the government in 1997. But for Salamat, it was aimed to expose the Philippine government’s deceptive design during the negotiation process. This particular rationale reflects their assumption that the Philippine government was not honest in helping the Muslims in Mindanao. When the government was busy trying to solve corruption problems (such as the embezzlement of funds by government leaders, including Misuari), the MILF group became busy recruiting Muslims to join his cause. There were even speculations that the MILF was only utilizing the cease fire period to give them more time to train and recruit young Muslims (16-60 years old) in the area. So far, more than six bombings were attributed to the MILF group. They were also charged for multiple murder of the bombing in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat in December.

When is violence politically justified? Despite the alleged “terror” activities by the MILF, should the government still implicitly consider it a political party of the Philippines, or should it be appropriately tagged as another terrorist group?

Bertrand Russell (1872), in his book, Theory and Practice of Bolshevism, defended the use of violence to be morally acceptable if it removed the bad systems of the government, to put an end to wars and despotism, and bring liberty to the oppressed.

Vladimir Lenin (1902), in his published pamphlet, What is to Be Done? encouraged the formation of a party of professional revolutionaries in order to overthrow Tsarism in Russia with a large fringe on non-party sympathizers and supporters. Julius Martov (1873), however, opted for a large party activism. Both theorists believed in the necessity of overthrowing the autocracy in Russia through revolutions.

Based on the long history of political parties of the world, the idea of utilizing violence and insurgency by a political party is not an isolated case in history. For example, the German Sudeten Party, in close co-operation with the German state, played a part in the sabotage of the Czechoslovak state; first demanding merely autonomy, it finally insisted upon and won separation from Czechoslovakia and incorporation in the Greater Reich by the Munich Pact of 1938.

The Malayan Communist Party (MCP) in 1948, in Malaysia, under the direction of Chin Peng-Lai Teck organized guerilla units, under the name of the Malayan People’s Anti-British Army (MPABA), later named as the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA) were behind the series of terrorist attacks and ambushes, operating from jungle camps in the Peninsula’s interior. When the party reconstituted in 1965, it was known as Paperi, which later on urged Muslim Malay support for the secessionist efforts of Muslim in both southern Thailand and Southern Philippines.

The famous African National Youth League by Nelson Mandela, advocated the weapons of boycott, strike, civil disobedience and non-co-operation as its official policy. In 1952, Mandela himself was the one organizing resistance especially to discriminatory legislation. Also, the Vietnam Quoc Dan Dang (Vietnam Nationalist Party) sought to bring about national revolution by military force with a view to overthrowing the colonial and feudal systems and found a democratic republic. Under the leadership of Nguyen Thai Toc’s they staged simultaneous attacks to government interests.

At present, Algeria has the Front Islamique de Salut (FISIslamic Salvation Front) a political party, which was established in 1989. It initially started as the largest and most influential opposition movement, capable of developing a nation-wide organization based on mosques and Islamic organizations. In April 1990, the party’s supporters demonstrated in Algiers, demanding the dissolution of the National People’s Assembly (NPA) and the introduction of Sharia, the Muslim code of religious law. The new constitution led the way to general elections held in December 1991. But when the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) won 188 seats in the Assembly and the (National Liberation Front) FLN just 15, President Chadli Benje did step down and a military junta assumed control, establishing a Higher Council of State. Violence caused the declaration of the emergency and the FIS was banned, exacerbating political violence with the formation of the group’s military wing, the Islamic Salvation Army. The group has been behind attacks in Algeria targeting civilians and foreigners. I am sure there would a very long list yet not mentioned in this text with regards to the employment of violence by political parties. The actions by the MILF, as a political party may be therefore gleaned as the utilization of violence with the goal of destabilizing the government. Finally, Duverger claims “fascism” aims to overthrow a democratic government and not help it.

However, the concept of “violence” and “insurgency” are given another dimension in the 21st Century politics. This should lead us to an important undertaking. That is, we should be able to identify the real definition of “terrorism” against the acts of “violence” and “insurgency” employed by some political parties. For example, under the anti-terrorism Patriot Act of 2001 of America, which was signed by President Bush, terrorism is defined as, “threatening, conspiring or attempting to commit acts of violence on any unprotected persons, such as government officials. What is crucial is that the Act also defines terrorism as any crime committed with the use of any weapon or dangerous device, when the intent of the crime is determined to be the endangerment of public safety or substantial property damage rather than for “mere personal monetary gain.”

If we go back and re-examine the activities of political parties and their means of employing violence and insurgency in order to show their grievance and cause, then they could also be tagged as terrorists. Though, I have to admit however that it depends on the kind of definition being used, and who uses this particular definition. There is therefore an issue whether “violence” and “insurgency” would really be tantamount to terrorism when some governments do support and employ the use of violence and terrorism to maintain and support its cause.

Sadly, the Philippines has not yet come up with clear definitions as to the concept of “terrorism.” Bills have been pending the Senate and the House of Representatives to counter terrorism in the country. Although, President Arroyo said activities like the blowing up of transmission lines and towers and harassment on civilians only bolster the argument made by more and more people that the MILF is not a political organization but a terrorist group.

There are even growing speculations that both the MILF and the Abu Sayyaf belonged to the same organization. This is a serious allegation since the United States and the Philippine governments have already considered the Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group. House national defense committee chairperson Congressman Prospero Pichay said peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are proving futile and the government should finally decide on branding the Muslim secessionist group as a terrorist organization. He said “all indications” showed the MILF, which had been embroiled in intense fighting with government troops since Feb.11, are “terrorists.” The documents seized form a fallen rebel camp in Pikit, North Cotabato showed the MILF was “definitely strengthening their arsenal” by buying mortars and rocket propelled grenades, Pichay said. He also accused the MILF of receiving funding from Osama Bin Laden’s al Qaeda terrorist network.

The MILF group’s employment of violence and terror in the Philippines reflects not only its growing anxiety to destabilize the government in order to achieve its objective of an Islamic state in Mindanao. In whatever sense, violence could never justify a noble political objective, especially when they could include innocent civilians and exacerbate political tensions and economic underdevelopment. With these things I have in mind, who could blame me for taking part in the speculations of my fellow “Dabawenyos” that, indeed the MILF is after just another terror group?

About the Author

Currently a Monbukagakusho (Japanese government) scholar; about to finish his second masters degree in International Relations (IR) in Japan. His first masters degree program was on public administration (MPA) focusing on the area of Social Capital Formation of the Families of Overseas Filipino Workers. He hopes to achieve a greater understanding on international labor migration in particular, taking into consideration an assessment of Philippine Labor Migration. His current thesis is on the socio-economic security of Overseas Filipina workers in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. His current courses in the International University of Japan (IUJ) prompted him to have a better understanding and perspective on the diverse issues in the field of peace, security, and international relations.

Tim Berners-Lee: A Tribute

It’s hard to be impressed anymore. But when I learned of the phenomenal achievements of Tim Berners-Lee, I became not only impressed, but awestruck.

Tim Berners-Lee is credited with inventing the World Wide Web. And what did you do today?

The World Wide Web is the portion of the internet which is basically involved with websites, as opposed to other internet usages such as email or FTP.

Fifteen years ago, there was no web and only a very rudimentary internet. No Travelocity. No iTunes. No Ebay, Amazon or American Singles. No Mapquest. No Google, Yahoo or AOL.

But then came Tim Berners-Lee.

In 1989, at the European Particle Physics Laboratory where he worked, he proposed that “a global hypertext space be created in which any network-accessible information could be refered to by a single “Universal Document Identifier”.”

A year later, he developed the of the language of the web, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), along with the rules by which information flows across the internet, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and the web addressing method, URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

In order to demonstrate this new technology, he was also involved with the development of two other essential firsts: a web server - the computer which hosts web content, and a browser, the software which enables users to access web content.

In a classic example of technology enabling its own replication, some of the first content posted on the first web server was the specifications for HTML, HTTP, and URL. This allowed academics, and later business people across the world to set up their own web servers and connect to the web.

Soon, in 1994, he organized the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT, and also in France and Japan to promote ongoing development and uniform implementation of new protocols. Reality check: that was only 11 years ago!

Now a few quotes from Mr. Berners-Lee to demonstrate the largeness of his thinking:

“The dream behind the Web is of a common information space in which we communicate by sharing information. Its universality is essential: the fact that a hypertext link can point to anything, be it personal, local or global, be it draft or highly polished.”

There is a “great need for information about information, to help us categorize, sort, pay for, own information…”

“There was a second part of the dream, too, dependent on the Web being so generally used that it became a realistic mirror (or in fact the primary embodiment) of the ways in which we work and play and socialize. That was that once the state of our interactions was on line, we could then use computers to help us analyse it, make sense of what we are doing, where we individually fit in, and how we can better work together.”

These words point to a vision of a global interconnectedness which could actually help us understand ourselves better, at many different levels, and assist us in realizing our optimum placement within the global community.

Berners-Lee does not stop at that utopian vision, he goes on to map out where we need to go next:

“…very few people in practice have access to intuitive hypertext creation tools.”

A next step, therefore, would be to develop and disseminate the tools to create web content, so that the mass of web visitors become not just surfers, viewers, searchers and downloaders. They become creators, too.

Now, in 2005, it is estimated that over 700 million people, or over 10% of the world population have internet access. From 1994 until present the web has grown an average of 275% each year. All of this and much, much more has stampeded into and created our future as a direct result of the work of Tim Berners-Lee.

As I said, I am awestruck.

Quotes from Mr. Berners-Lee were taken from his website, which I highly recommend: http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/Overview.html

About the author:

Mark Meshulam offers the Poingo Productivity Suite, a suite of simple software programs which make your work, easier and much more fun at http://www.poingo.com

Also, see his blog at www.blog.poingo.com

RSS meet targets Advani

The RSS is getting feedback from its 140 pracharaks or local leaders from across the country and the news is not good for BJP President LK Advani.

Many pracharaks want more pressure to be put on Advani after what they call his “ideological deviations”.

However, with BJP National Secretary Sudheendra Kulkarni’s resignation yesterday, one of the major RSS demands has already been accepted.

RSS ideology

NDTV has learnt that these 140 pracharaks want to force Advani out of the post of party president.

They say the BJP chief’s comments praising Jinnah have made it very difficult for them to project the RSS ideology.

However, those attending the meeting ostensibly to discuss training are not saying much on record.

“All the issues are being discussed in the meeting. We will tell you the outcome at the end of the three-day meet,” said Kanshiram Rana, BJP leader.

Pressure tactics

In a move directed at putting pressure on LK Advani, the RSS pracharaks are even considering the extreme step of closing down their shakhas or daily meetings of their cadre in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

It’s a move they gamble aimed at hurting the BJP politically as the shakhas feed the BJP cadres.

The RSS is also considering to recall all those Sangh workers who were on deputation in the BJP - again a move to hurt the BJP at an organisational level.

The only thing that has emerged clearly is that LK Advani is no more the blue-eyed boy of the RSS and any attempts made by him to reach out to the Sangh are not working.

While the RSS is not keen to spend its entire meeting on Advani’s political future, they do want to tell all the workers within the Sangh Parivar that LK Advani is to be blamed for the existing problems.

About the Author

SE

It Could Have Been Me- But For The Grace Of God

This week the world has reeled in shock at the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in the southern Gulf States of America. Although other major events have also happened this week, people who live in North America, in particular, are still trying to come to terms with the reality and extent of this disaster in their own back yard. Thoughts and images of the affected area come to mind many times a day. With the highly developed technology available today, the media enables us to follow the tragic events as they unfold, and it feels as if it has happened closer to home, than the reality of thousands of miles away.

The Hurricane Katrina disaster, for me, and I’m sure many others, has evoked many questions and emotions. Although days have past since Hurricane Katrina took its toll, I still have strong feelings of shock and disbelief that this has actually happened! Feelings of empathy and sorrow for the millions of people who have lost so much overwhelm my heart, and then come flashes of anger at the looters and criminal element that are taking advantage the misfortunes of others. I understand how desperate people might resort to stealing to meet their urgent need for survival, but the violent and self centered behaviour that caused the police to have to stop rescuing those who are still stranded to maintain safety seems incomprehensible to me. Then comes into my mind many questions -’Why didn’t that 20% of the population of New Orleans evacuate?’ ‘Why did they choose to stay?’ There are so many questions of ‘Why’ and ‘What if’ that remain unanswered now, and may never be answered.

Could this disaster have been prevented? Looking with hindsight it is always possible to see things that might have prevented a disaster or accident, and as humans we have a strong desire to lay the blame somewhere in a desire to become reconciled with harsh reality. The sad truth is that no one knows when a disaster or accident might happen. Fatal accidents and tragedies can happen to any of us at any time, any where, and we could become an innocent victim. We just might happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. When I see those suffering people in such dire circumstances, I am so aware that, but by the grace of God, that could be me. I could have been visiting New Orleans, and been unable to get out in time. Perhaps you also have passed by a fatal car accident, and realized, as I have, that if you had left your home a few minutes earlier, you might have been the victim instead of that person. Although everyone is able to take reasonable precautions towards their personal safety, it is impossible to protect ourselves from every potential tragedy, unforeseen disaster or accident.

It is not healthy or realistic to live life in fear of disaster either. Human nature, however, can often go to the other extreme, and we find ourselves living with a sense of denial and feeling of ‘It won’t happen to me’. This could be true, but of course, we don’t know that for sure. For example I live in an earthquake zone, with a major fault line in the ocean. Seismotologists record an average of 500 minor earthquake tremors everyday in our vicinity, but they are so small that they are not felt. Recently we have felt of two or three larger earthquake tremors. Everyone knows that the ‘Big One’ is due, and could happen at anytime. ‘The Big One’ would cause a tidal wave that would severely damage the areas that are below sea level near the ocean. Yet these areas are also known to be the fastest growing areas in terms of increased population and industrial development. No one really believes the ‘Big One will happen - surely if they did they would not move there.

When tragedy hits perspective of what is important changes. A common theme from interviewed victims of Hurricane Katrina, has been that they are grateful that their life has been spared. Homes and possessions can eventually be replaced, but life cannot. I wonder if the victims had known last week what their life would be like now, whether they would have lived their lives differently.

None of us know what the future holds, not even the events of the next hour of our life. If anything good can come from the Hurricane Katrina disaster perhaps it would be that people would stop and evaluate their life and review what is really important. For myself, I want to be more appreciative of what I have, live my life with the purpose of making a difference and live more fully each the moment. I would like to give more time to what is really important and valuable, and that will mean some priorities for me will change.

After all is said and done-but for the Grace of God it could have been me. How about you?

About the Author: Barbara White is the President of Beyond Better Development. This article was extracted form her newsletter ‘Growing Beyond Better’ To subscribe visit http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com For more self improvement articles Blog http://www.hurricanekatrinadisaster.blogspot.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Pictures! Of Mayor Daley!!!!!

I’ve got pictures. So give me the money.

Right hear in this sealed yellow envelope. Real pictures.

Pictures that will get me the ten thousand dollars offered by the Cook County Republican Party for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. On what crime? Beats me.

But I can’t be bothered with details right now—because I’ve got to write this fast. Get my name and my pictures in there quick. Before somebody else gobbles up that ten thousand dollars. Sure, I know the story was buried in the Chicago newspapers. Relegated to a small item inside the metro section of the Chicago Tribune. We all know about the liberal bias of the media—so no surprise there.

But TV picked it up because there was footage. The Mayor’s lawyer yelling about the whole thing being absurd.

This story is the kind of thing that makes people in St. Louis smile and say “See? They think they are so high and mighty up there at the other end of I-55—lording it over us.”

While New Yorkers just smirk and roll their eyes.

So just wait till TV gets a hold of my pictures. THAT will be a story. Might even be the lead story that night. Unless of course there is a really bad car crash or fire with footage.

I know how this stuff works. I know there’s danger in this. I’m the guy that is finally gonna bring down Daley. Think that’s a small deal? Uh huh. Gosh, ten thousand dollars. Maybe I could take my check to one of the shopping centers owned by the guy who’s offering the money. Maybe I could help him by spending it there? I mean the more money he makes, the more will trickle down to me. Right? At least it will hold me until my next tax refund check.

But no time for daydreaming. I got to get this down on paperso I can alert FOX and let them know that I am giving them exclusive rights to the pictures I am now holding in my hand. And just in case something happens to me—I will now describe my pictures. Insurance to make sure I get that money.

PICTURE NUMBER ONE: Look at this! I know it’s hard to believe. But it’s true. Go aheadrub your eyes and look again. Here it is. Total PROOF because that is Mayor Daley. And do you see that he is smiling??? Smiling!!!!!! And what he is doing is as clear as one of those freedom hating, suicide bombing terrorists - yes it is as clear as one of those Muslim fella’s that blow themselves up simply because they hate freedom so much: Mayor Daley is riding a bicycle!!!!!!!!!

Yes it’s been reported that this MIGHT be true. But my picture confirms it! Mayor Daley rides bicycles! And I don’t think I have to spell out what this means. All that talk about being a White Sox fan? Forget it. How many republican’s ride bicycles? Not many! Oh sure—our great President has had an accident or two as zealous security forces on the look-out came across radical cells of terrorist squirrels and smashed their bikes into the President. At least THAT is what we read in the liberal press. But did that really happen? Is there actual proof? Proof like this damning picture I have right here? And the worst part is that as a bicycle rider —Mayor Daley is only one step away from that Lance Armstrong person who thinks its important to spend all that time riding his bicycle in France!

We all saw who was there at the end of that race—a certain Senator John Kerry. Once again siding with the French over the Americans! John Kerry watching that Frenchman Lance Armstrong win the race. And the topper? Monsieur Armstrong’s girlfriend Sheryl Crow. Some sort of flower power singer with a song called “All I Want to Do Is Have Some Fun.” This picture PROVING once and for all that Mayor Daley both rides bicycles AND has radical French connections—this picture would be enough.

But there is more.

PICTURE NUMBER TWO: What you’re looking now isn’t quite as shocking as the man on the bicycle. This is actually our street here in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago. Our place is the little white house on the left. Yeah I know the front porch looks terrible. I’ve been scrapping off the paint all summer and I will get around to painting it. Really I will—because my wife will make me finish it. But that’s not important now. Look carefully at this picture. What do you see more than anything? That’s right! You see TREES! TREES! I tell you. They are sprouting up EVERYWHERE in this city!!! And who’s fault is that??? Who’s the tree hugger, green peace, hippie nut job that actually puts real environmental concers on top of his agenda? You guessed it. Mayor Daley! Travel west on Madison Street towards the United Center—walk down Michigan Avenue, LaSalle Street, my street—and you see trees and flowers !!!!! Everywhere!!!! The man has planted a garden on the roof of City Hall! And I think we have all learned from the example of that great public servant—our Vice President—that what’s best for the environment is what’s best for business. Period. End of story. That’s all there is!

Oh we need program names like “The Forever Clean Air and Water” Act the “I promise I won’t rip the crap out of the forests” act—the lumber mills in Yellowstone—is it really all that bad? act. Sure. We need those. But the trees on my block as my real estate keeps value keeps rising. That’s just wrong! And I know who’s accountable.

The man bulldozed a small airport in the middle of the night so the city could have a park!

The man is a menace with all this emphasis on making our city continually more beautiful And this picture of my block PROVES it!

But that’s not the worst of it. . . . .take a look at this last picture.

PICTURE NUMBER THREE: Now I’m not saying that he is for the terrorists. But I’m sure you can understand Mr. Cook County Republican Chairman—the man who can give me my check for ten thousand big onesI’m sure you can understand that this picture of Mayor Daley standing in front of a bunch of TV monitors shows an approach to security that is different than most every place I’ve seen.

Do you SEE a Color Code Warning chart here? Hmmm. Don’t you find that STRANGE? Do you see the ripping into libraries that we know will make us safer? Nope. Searching backpacks in the subway? Nope. For goodness sake—”no one here is even telling us to BE VIGILENT! And how can we BE VIGILENT—which we know is what stops the terrorists—if no one tells us!!!!

No—what we see here in my picture PROVES that Mayor Daley is different.

We see a sophisticated system of cameras —hundreds of themtied into a central location, coordinated police, fire and emergency services, strong managers, a commitment from the top and a plan. There is accountability and responsibility in this picture. And what kind of a politician is THAT? Will somebody please bring up the evils of gay marriage or stem cell research quick—because I am getting confused here!!!!!

Worse yet—look at the people standing around the Mayor. They are DIVERSE!!!! There seems to be an emphasis on somehow getting good managers and getting a representative rainbow of managers—instead of just friends. Now in the shopping center business, we know the value of networking, we know the value of friends in the right places. Not all this DIVERSITY stuff. Reminds me of that ad they had on TV—well, actually it was just cable because thankfully the networks banned it—that ad that said there is a church out there that welcomes all.

And we certainly can’t have THAT! Not in our government and certainly not in our CHURCHES!

So I think I’ve made my case here. And just in case I haven’t there are other pictures. All of them are for sale—because of course what isn’t for sale?

In fact—if you’d like to make it a hundred thousand instead of ten—I’ve always wanted my very own Hummer. And with a hundred thousand—I could even buy a better camera. Maybe make this a career. Just me and my Hummer. We’d never sleep. Driving around the city looking for ways to get the goods on the Mayor. I’ve got this camouflage outfit I bought at the surplus store. And a helmet my Uncle Max got off a Japanese fella in the war.

C’mon. I’m a good republican.

Can I have the money?

About the Author

Roger Wright’s blog is Church Food Chicago. Located on the salon.com server.

Olympic Aspirations

Olympic Aspirations

The war-drum throbb’d no longer, and the battle-flags were furl’d
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world…
— Tennyson

In an hour long ellipsoid procession of various sized groups, each sporting its unique colors and uniform, the segregated delegations of Olympians enter the stadium each four years behind the standard of their respective nations. After a frenetic fortnight of agonistic woes and triumphs the stadium again sees the contestants assembled, but on this occasion, competition now history, they are permitted to mingle, exchange pins, hats, addresses and recollections in a poignant heterogeneity of colors, raiment, and, very probably, with newly awakened perspectives and cultural perspicacity. One cannot but wish that the procession could go that one step further and achieve a less transient manifestation of cooperation which would, like some benign epidemic, disperse itself around the world.

Imagine what might happen if the games were to start where they leave off, with athletes unfettered by nationalism. Imagine contestants competing as themselves with no flag of allegiance beside names on the scoreboard; multinational teams whose members have been able to train together in an exchange of disparate techniques, outlooks and cultures; and, perhaps some ad hoc assemblages just for fun. Imagine athletes being given the option of competing as a “world citizen” free from association with a nation in support of whose mind-numbing propaganda they would prefer not to dedicate their efforts, with whose policies they take issue, or with whose hubris they feel supremely uncomfortable.

Suppose one nation, perhaps a small one, perhaps one which has never participated in the games before, were to open its doors and permit citizens of any nation to compete under its auspices as a member of a world team. Participation would no doubt be minimal at first, with nations prohibiting the practice and disparaging anyone who would abandon his or her national identity; but starting small, with a few countries secure enough in their own national character to remain unthreatened by aspiring to a larger more universal identity, productive seeds could be sown. As it becomes more generally recognized that prohibiting or discouraging the practice of world representation is symptomatic of a parochial attitude of self aggrandizement and disdain for others, one might even see the larger nations, always so eager to outdo each other, compete to be the most open minded and universally conscious. It would indeed be strangely ironic if nationalistic fervor were to bring about the downfall of nationalism in the games.

It is hard to fathom the depth of disappointment felt by an athlete, who has achieved the peak of form through years of determined practice and conditioning, suddenly being faced with nonparticipation due to some politically motivated boycott of the games. The option of world representation would certainly put a damper on future boycotts and on the use of the Olympics for political ends.

As if waking from a sublime dream, one is forced to conclude that the games are likely to continue to take place much as they have in the past. It cannot hurt, however, to plant ideas here and there. With well meant thoughts, it is remarkable what can be achieved.

– K. Titchenell
http://www.abacus-es.com/sat/

About the author:

K. Titchenell is the author of SAT Practice: The New Verbal Section (Abacus Educational Services, 2004 ISBN: 0-9758796-0-X) a quick and delightful way to learn vocabulary, grammar, writing style, or
how to have fun preparing for the new SAT and similar exams requiring verbal skills.

The website ( http://www.abacus-es.com/sat/)contains extensive material on English vocabulary, usage, grammar, writing style, and testing resources.

No One Expects The Inquisition

I was just thinking about the ludicrous nature of the Republicans killing the filibuster. Something struck me as odd when I was reading an email on the subject. You see the use of the filibuster started in 1806. For those of you keeping score that would be 199 years ago. I thought to the recent debate about removing the word “God” from the pledge of allegiance. During a discussion with a European mate I was enlightened to the fact that most of the free world doesn’t have a pledge and they look at us and consider our pledge to be a wee bit scary. I guess it kind of reminds them of the nationalism that allowed Hitler to murder 30 million people on their continent.

Anyway, I was thinking that in a country with a political climate as bizarre as ours why would conservatives push so strongly to keep the word “God” in the pledge when they don’t feel the need to keep the filibuster. I decided to look into the history of the pledge and found, of all things, irony. First of all, according to Kerby Anderson’s Commentaries the pledge was only written in “1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister who also embraced many socialist ideas.” The original writing DID NOT include the word “God.” In fact, “God” wasn’t added until 1954. That’s just 51 years ago. Most people I know are older than that!

I asked myself if I could ever see a Republican argument for the pledge that didn’t include them mentioning that it is an institution that has been around for generations, which as I just pointed out is obviously not true? I think the answer is clearly no. Why then do they so loudly condemn those that claim that the filibuster is an institution in this country that has protected minorty rights for 199 years? Why all of a sudden is there such a pressing need to do away with it? Are the Democrats acting in a way that is so revolutionary and threatening to our Republic that drastic measures must be taken? Or is it more likely that dangerous fundamentalist “Chrisitans” have overtaken this party? Is it possible that what makes them so dangerous is their prideful ignorance where they neither understand history nor care to? Is it that they don’t care about the means so long as they reach their ends?

Draw your own conclusions but it looks to me like it’s just another attempted “Christian” inquistion seeking to purge the heretical dissenters from this country, but this time instead of Torquemada being “The Grand Inquisitor,” it’s an almost mythological beast that has the face of Bill Frist, the patience of Jerry Falwell and the logic of Pat Roberston.

About the Author

The Indy Voice is a no-nonsense and hard-hitting blog that discusses politics, current affairs, and American society and culture and everything in between, without being married to any cold corporate conglomerate. Check it out: The Indy Voice