❧❧❧ Whatever you can do or dream, you can BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe ❧❧❧
❧❧❧ You were born whole, not broken. Sandra Hammel ❧❧❧
Be aware that this post is not meant to be well organized....just thoughts
Glenn Beck - a spokesman for God? Sarah Palin - a spokeswoman for God?
If I was God, I would need to be on an antidepressant due to those who are claiming to speak for me.
Those claiming to be Christian and who also promote hate, racism and/or are the epitome of rudeness and narcissism are walking and talking contradictions to what a Christian is by definition. Or if not, and they all go to heaven, then I don't want to go there. Living in the mortal world and listening to them is so close to unbearable that the thought of living in eternity in a place they claim is where they are going is not a desire I have.
If there is a heaven and those like Glenn_Beck, Rupert_Murdoch, Sarah_Palin and Mitch McConnell are going to be there, then I have to wonder what are the standards of that kind of a heaven? Inciting bigots is leadership, just not good Christian leadership. Or if it is, again, I don't want to belong to that kind of religion.
Good leaders lift us up to our best selves, which certainly doesn't include blatant polarizing statements. As for politicians who care more about their careers in politics than the good of the country and its people, I deeply suspect they are not in the "good leadership" category. I put Mitch McConnell in this category, as well as all the "just say no" politicians the first two years of President Obama's time as the President.
THE FEAR ISN'T ONLY THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL GET ANOTHER TERM Racism is the central reason people, including politicians want President Obama to fail, more than they want the country's people not to fail. These people will do anything to make President Obama look like his Presidency is a failure. They are afraid that if it is perceived that he is succeeding not only will he get a second term, but their even deeper fear is that we will one day have another President who isn't "white". Jon Stewart's - The Manchurian Lunatic of November 18, 2010
Note: After watching Jon Stewart with Rachel Maddow and their Discourse I have this to say ~
I believe Jon Stewart is wrong, when he claimed that his show is not a part of the dialog of politics in the USA. It is for me. And I believe it is for many others who watch his show. He holds that Rachel Maddow's show and his show are in different "mediums", but in reality he makes "statements" even though it is humor. And his claim that his show is more like Jerry Seinfeld's show than Rachel Maddow's show is wrong. "Seinfeld" was a show about "nothing" by Jerry Seinfeld's definition. And Jon Stewart's show is about "some thing(s)". "Some thing(s)" that are very important and and at times need some levity, though they have serious responses and sobering resulting residual effects.
And . . . ...................................................
................................................... I am not qualified to be President. And I know it . Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President. She doesn't know it. Retired Governor Palin said this week that she could win against President Obama.
What is the country that I want to live in? One that owns its huge "mistakes" and the intentional wrongs (example: treatment of the indigenous peoples of this land * ), then one that lives up to its national creed. We are a nation of human beings and yet we hear shouts of "Kill him!" about a Presidential candidate in the middle of masses who supposedly have leaders on the stage who are complicit in this unacceptable language in a country where respectability is falling off a cliff.
Each person who can, must vote. It is not enough to vote, though. The loudest and most pervasive voices must not be those who are calling for the Democratic Presidential candidate's head. We must not be a silent majority. We must not allow our elected and appointed politicians think we are not watching them. If they do, they may do things in our names that are appalling. We can admit this because there is a trail left by our countless leaders who have been guilty of this from the beginning of our history.
Obama ~ Leadership for the 21st Century, written by best-selling author Victoria C. DePaul, is now available for a limited time as an Ebook download at no charge. This book will be available as a pdf download or readers can view it online via Scribd. The book is available at www.ebookobama.com .
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So just how did Barack Obama, a junior senator, become the nominee of the Democratic Party? How has Barack Obama amassed two million financial donors, raising over 400 million dollars? What is it that Barack Obama knows, that the Republicans have yet to discover? What is it that will make Barack Obama one of the greatest leaders in history?
Barack Obama understands that while the negativity of smear and fear has its initial impact, what really moves most of us is a desire to feel good about and to be in control of our circumstances, our futures, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves. He understands the difference between inspiration and motivation. Understanding this difference is what moves ordinary people from complacency to positive action. Positive action, originating in positive energy is what yields positive results.
Obama doesn't call forth volunteers– he calls forth the leader that resides in all of us. He demands personal accountability—and gets it. He has created an army of grassroots volunteers that is not only contributing financial resources but hours of service in any number of tasks. He has tapped into the spirit of first-time voters and re-kindled the spirits of baby boomers.
There are still so many undecided voters out there, weighing both sides as they determine which candidate will best serve the presidency as we move further into the 21st century. Until November 5th, "Obama ~ Leadership for the 21st Century" will be available at no charge to assist voters in making their decision. This book details how Barack Obama has succeeded in establishing a culture of ingenuity, enthusiasm, passion and collaboration– unlocking new levels of personal power and control. Leaders such as Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King know the secret to unleashing the human potential. These leaders understand that the power of the human spirit is the fuel on which we will ride into the third millennium.
Please take some time to read this book and especially take the time to pass this on. Please post on your blogs, send to your friends, family and co-workers and include the website in your email signature until election day.
The Daily Show - Jon Stewart - October 2, 2008 ...........................................................
........................................................... Clusterf#@k to the Poor House - Bailout Bill Passes
8:24
I am not happy with the Senate's Financial bailout/rescue bill. I am voting for OBAMA - BIDEN but that doesn't mean I agree with everything. This bill is not fit for the problem we have been hearing about since Paulson brought us the deal.
WALL ST.'S RESCUE LEGISLATION: MAKERS OF RUM, TOY ARROWS TAG ALONG
Bill larded with 'goodies' for all
PAUL WALDIE
October 3, 2008
The U.S. government's $700-billion (U.S.) rescue plan won't just bail out Wall Street, it's also going to help rum makers, film producers, race car drivers, sheep farmers and children who play bow and arrows - provided their arrows are wooden.
The bailout legislation passed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday night contains dozens of special tax breaks and spending measures, many of which have been pet causes for some politicians for years. They were inserted largely to make the rescue package more palatable to members of the House of Representatives, who voted down an earlier version of the plan on Monday.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson proposed the rescue package last week as an emergency effort to get billions of dollars worth of bad housing-related investments off the books of financial firms. Since then, the plan has swelled from a three-page document to a 451-page piece of legislation loaded with $150-billion worth of extras. They include:
Dropping a 39-cent excise tax on wooden arrows made for children, a cause of politicians in Oregon to help manufacturers in their state;
Extending a cut in the excise tax on rum made in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands;
Increasing funding for the Wool Research Trust Fund, which provides grants to wool makers and sheep farmers, and for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund;
Extending tax breaks for film and television productions, mine rescue training, undercover operations, motorsport race tracks, railway maintenance, idling reduction units in trucks, refined coal used by steel producers, small wind power projects, donations of food or books to charities, hurricane relief employees and people affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill;
New rules for mental health benefits and the disclosure of information in terrorist cases.
Adding tax and spending measures to proposed legislation is common practice in the U.S. Congress, but the financial rescue plan was supposed to be an emergency, targeted at just the bailout.
The bill now heads for a vote in the House of Representatives, where some members are proposing to stick on more measures including a $61-billion stimulus package.
The legislation "is no longer an emergency package, it's no longer a bailout package, it's just your typical year-end Christmas tree with goodies for everyone," said Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union, which has opposed the bailout bill.
Here is Bernie Sanders Senate Floor Speech on the Bailout: Easy Street -- 10/02/2008
While the middle class has declined under President Bush's reckless economic policies, the people on top have never had it so good. For the first seven years of Bush's tenure, the wealthiest 400 individuals in our country saw a $670 billion increase in their wealth, and at the end of 2007 owned over $1.5 trillion in wealth. We have the most unequal distribution of income and wealth of any major country on earth, with the top 1 percent earning more income than the bottom 50 percent. There has been a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthiest people in this country, when, among others, CEOs of Wall Street firms received unbelievable amounts in bonuses, including $39 billion in bonuses in the year 2007 alone for just the five major investment houses.
"“Maybe I am the only person in America who thinks so, but I have a hard time understanding why we are giving $700 billion to the secretary of the Treasury, who is the former C.E.O. of Goldman Sachs, which, along with other financial institutions, actually got us into this problem,” Sanders said. “Maybe I am the only person in America who thinks that is a little bit weird, but that is what I think.”
“Most of my constituents did not earn a $38 million bonus in 2005 or make over $100 million in total compensation in three years, as did Henry Paulson, the current secretary of the Treasury, and former CEO of Goldman Sachs,” Senator Bernie Sanders said moments before the Senate voted Wednesday for a $700 billion Wall Street bailout.
“Most of my constituents did not make $354 million in total compensation over the past five years as did Richard Fuld of Lehman Brothers,” Sanders added. “Most of my constituents did not cash out $60 million in stock after a $29 billion bailout for Bear Stearns after that failing company was bought out by J.P. Morgan Chase. Most of my constituents did not get a $161 million severance package as E. Stanley O'Neill, former CEO Merrill Lynch did.”
Sanders argued that those who caused the problems in our economy should pay for the solution. "If we are going to bail out Wall Street, it should be those people who have caused the problem, those people who have benefited from Bush's tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, those people who have taken advantage of deregulation, those people are the people who should pick up the tab, and not ordinary working people,” the senator had argued.
He offered an amendment that would have taxed the very wealthy to pay for the bailout. It lost on a voice vote.
So Sanders voted against the bailout bill, which nevertheless passed by a lopsided majority in the Senate. The plan reportedly is gaining ground in the House, which could take it up on Friday.
................................................. Sarah Palin has her own rules. If/when she has problems as Vice-President and/or President one day, will she simply ignore the ones she doesn't like? I think this question is ridiculous in a way: Who Won the VP Debate? You can look good on the TV screen and come across as someone who has answered the questions good enough for a beauty contest, but that has no bearing on whether or not you are qualified to be Vice-President. I am hoping there are enough smart voters to see through the charm and vote for the one with real knowledge. The kind that didn't come from cramming. .........................................................
......................................................... Palin: How long have I been at this? Like five weeks? I skipped all but a few minutes of pundits after the VP debate tonight.
Am I the only one who noticed, that Sarah Palin smiled all the way through this debate? This looked more like what a beauty contestant does. She smiled all through talking about war. War and smiling just don't go together.
I am voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. However, the Senate bailout bill is wrong. The extra junk in the bill are as wrong as those who sold mortgages to those who couldn't afford them. We need to do something. But doing something shouldn't be an excuse to do things with rum and arrows.
Jon Stewart episode summary President Bush's speech on the financial crisis is very similar to his speech on Iraq five years ago. John McCain arrives in Washington, DC 22 hours after he suspends his campaign. Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke ask Congress for a loan, and Bob Schieffer doesn't know if McCain will attend the first debate.
This is Thursday, September 25, 2008 episode below. ..............................................
.............................................. McCain Returns to Washington
(05:12)
John McCain is the only man who can impulsively overreact to something 10 days old.
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.............................................. Clusterf#@k to the Poor House - Dive of Death
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO YOUR HISTORY. NO RIGHT TO YOUR TRUTH. WHY? BECAUSE IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO FLY PLANES FROM TURKEY TO IRAQ……*
When there is a list of genocides, you never see on that list the United States of America and the indigenous people that the immigrants from across the Atlantic called - Indians. But in my opinion it was a genocide. Others want to argue it. http://www.hnn.us/articles/7302.html
And those immigrants who came to North America to claim the land as “This Land is My Land” were Christians, right? Nice people, right? Who were practicing the biblical standard of “Love thy neighbor as thyself", right?
What if we don’t call the treatment of the Indians "genocide", but acknowledge how wrong it was to treat the Indians in the way they were - and continue to be - treated?
What if some other group of people came to the shores of the United States of America today and invaded us and took over not only “our” land, but made laws to make it illegal to speak English, changed our names to their comfortability sense, took our children away from us and put the children in boarding school to force them to take the New People’s culture, language, customs, government and religion? Everything that we have done our whole lives that was indeed our personal and community’s identity was now against the law. We had to give up our way of dress, cut our hair to a foreigners' proclamation and we were limited to land that these foreigners chose to put us on. Then generations later, as the Rhode Island Narragansett Indians have found the state does not recognize them as a sovereign people. What would we do if we were invaded? Would we seriously let this happen without trying to maintain our beliefs, our way of life?
Slim to none chance, don’t you think? And yet that is exactly what happened to the indigenous people before this land was stolen in reality from the “Indians”. A good dose of acknowledgement of what really happened is long over due. And the USA government's "stealing" of the trust funds belonging to the Indians is a crime that we would have to know about and "search" for the news coverage on it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobell_v._Kempthorne http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/009852.asp http://www.indiantrust.com/
The Mission Statement of the American Indian Genocide Museum: The purpose of this museum is to bring historical truth to light through the means of education using actual documentation of events that have transpired in the near extermination, and in some cases, the total extermination of native tribes and cultures. It will be a memorial to the victims of ethnic cleansing. Racism, discrimination and injustice will be addressed with the purpose of promoting public awareness that these elements of genocide which existed in the past, continue to exist today. A further purpose of the museum will be to address prejudice which is generated toward native peoples through biased reporting of history. http://www.aigenom.com/
* This is Bush’s quote regarding the Armenian genocide which more people acknowledge than have ever acknowledged what happened to the Indians between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. “We all deeply regret the tragic suffering of the Armenian people that began in 1915,” Mr. Bush said in remarks that, reflecting official American policy, carefully avoided the use of the word genocide. “This resolution is not the right response to these historic mass killings, and its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNjzTIPllbw Jon Stewart on Bush and Rice dissing the Congress non-binding resolution of calling the Armenian 1915 human crisis - GENOCIDE
Barack and Jon were great together on The Daily Show last night. I like them both individually and together there was a visible comfortability factor. Before Barack came on the set, Jon said he is still working on getting Hillary Clinton to come on the show. That will be an interesting comparison to Barack's way in handling what others would have stiffened over with Jon's jabs and stuff in the news the last few days.
What a breath of fresh air. Will it happen? And who would be his choice for VP? Hmmm... .............................................................................................
............................................................................................. See Barack Obama on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night at this link:
I don’t like those debate things that much.The YouTube one was interesting.And I liked the AFL-CIO one.Sort of.I have come to be intolerant of being “sold” things.Commercials that are hard-sell turn me off.Campaign messages that are contrived and try so hard to sell me a President with clips are a turn-off too.But I like the way Barack is smooth.It’s a classy smooth that I can actually enjoy.And I like that he thinks.Thinks!Imagine a President who can think and has a moral compass.
My visceral reaction to Mr. Bush is repulsive and depressing.I want a President who thinks.In a way, with the multiple messes that George has us in, I can’t fathom anyone wanting to become President and step into The Mess.
I just wish that we would have 90% of the voting population actually show up and vote.
Tonight’s Christianity segment was the most interesting to me, but I had a Darfur Lobbying Conference Call and missed an hour of it. Karl Rove used the Religious fundamentalists in both of the Bush runs for President.They are mobilized and energized.And as the moderate tonight said, the moderates are …well, moderate.Which means in the end that they aren’t so energized to become involved like the more dogmatic do when it comes to voting and going after politicians for their focused agendas of homosexuality, abortion and no sex unless it’s married sex.
I just would like to pose one question:Why is it that abortion is such a lightening rod moral issue for the fired up fundamentalists and yet genocide gets no mentions by them?I attended a Wednesday night church service in my childhood congregation this past summer when I was in Indiana to attend my dad’s funeral.And the subject was the Christian’s role in politics. It was a Bible study class, actually, not the Wednesday night testimony nights that I remembered from childhood.Those were interesting meetings.When asked for an issue that the government is wrong about, I mentioned the Patriot Act and another lady very intensely attacked the subject of abortion.Later I mentioned the Darfur genocide.The only one there who seemed to respond like he/she knew of the genocide was the minister.Well, praise the Lord for that anyway.
It seems that the most intense fundamentalist Christians have issues that they want to politicize, abortion, homosexuality, one man + one woman = marriage, no sex until marriage, no stem cell research… but no talk about poverty, children going hungry in the so-called richest country in the world, genocide, forced child labor or soldiers, slavery today, justice……
Having been raised in the fundamentalist Christian mentality I do have a perspective on it.But the subjects that I think are vital include those I listed just above.Not the homosexuality, etc list.
As a couple of the Jon Stewart audience members called out tonight:
I love my life. I love where I live. And I am passionate about my passions. I love to dance. Necessary to live: music, piano, singing, writing, acting, painting.
I have been fighting for and supporting the arts all my adult life. Since 2004, I have been working with other activists to end the Darfur genocide.
I have traveled to Europe many times since my early twenties. Places I have been: many USA states including Hawaii, Montreal, Canada, Barbados, France, Spain, Luxembourg, England, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Germany - and have wonderful memories.
My last trip was in May - June 2013 to Spain.
I would like to travel to Europe and Kyoto, Japan.
I love the southwest where I have visited Hopi, Navajo, Zia and San Idlefonso potters.
Life is exciting and I intend to live it full-out to the end.
B.S. and M.M., both in music
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Khartoum, Sudan Stop Genocide Time
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Spain Time
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Melbourne Time
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Hawaii Time
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RAFA NADAL -BRING BACK LONG PANTS - SLEEVELESS TOPS
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Darfur - The Abandoned Genocide - a video by Sandra Hammel
Want to help? Call 1~800~GENOCIDE
"May I Suggest" by Susan Werner
Satchita - Playing for Change
Stand By Me ~ Playing for Change
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Genocide is not only a word,
it is crying of the whole human race.
There is nothing redeeming about being silent
when speaking up is the humane thing to do.
The honor and integrity of the human race is at stake.
