What Is the Limit to Liberty?

An email from Minnesota for Marriage asked me to support defining marriage as between one man and one woman. They also gave me the option of receiving no more emails. This is how I responded:

I do want to continue receiving emails from you, but not because of your mission. Rather, I want to keep abreast of how you are doing on it, as I will be working to allow all people in Minnesota to choose th

eir partners by their own free will.

Remember? That is what the Constitution protects--our liberty. Government does not have the power or the right to limit our choices, but must protect them, as long as those choices hurt no one.

God gave us free will. The state cannot limit that divine gift.

My wife and I are are straight, and would not choose otherwise. We do not want others to choose for us, so we will not choose for them.

A Christmas Gift

I am happy to be spending this Christmas with our daughters and grandson. The love shared with family is most precious.  So far we are lucky enough to live in a country where we can express our love in liberty and honor.  Though there are threats to that freedom, there are also opportunities to spread the word about what it takes to keep it.  Because the raising of consciousness is the way of love.  May your holidays be happy.

A Christmas Gift for My Daughter

by Harry Browne

 This article was originally published in 

December, 2002.  A previous version of it was published on December 25, 1966, dedicated to Harry’s then 9-year-old daughter.

-------------------------

It’s Christmas, and I have the usual problem of deciding what to give you. I know you might enjoy many things – books, games, clothes.

But I’m very selfish. I want to give you something that will stay with you for more than a few months or years. I want to give you a gift that might remind you of me every Christmas.

If I could give you just one thing, I’d want it to be a simple truth that took me many years to learn. If you learn it now, it may enrich your life in hundreds of ways. And it may save your having to face many problems that have hurt people who’ve never learned it.

The truth is simply this:

No one owes you anything.

Significance

How could such a simple statement be important? It may not seem so, but understanding it can bless your entire life.

No one owes you anything.

It means that no one else is living for you, my child. Because no one is you. Each person is living for himself; his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.

When you realize that no one owes you happiness or anything else, you’ll be freed from expecting what isn’t likely to be.

It means no one has to love you. If someone loves you, it’s because there’s something special about you that gives him happiness. Find out what that something special is and try to make it stronger in you, so that you’ll be loved even more.

When people do things for you, it’s because they want to – because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.

No one has to like you. If your friends want to be with you, it’s not out of duty. Find out what makes others happy so they’ll want to be near you.

No one has to respect you. Some people may even be unkind to you. But once you realize that people don’t have to be good to you, and may not be good to you, you’ll learn to avoid those who would harm you. For you don’t owe them anything either.

Living your Life

No one owes you anything.

You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you’re giving to them.

Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. Don’t make someone else’s problem your problem.

Once you learn that you must earn the love and respect of others, you’ll never expect the impossible and you won’t be disappointed. Others don’t have to share their property with you, nor their feelings or thoughts.

If they do, it’s because you’ve earned these things. And you have every reason to be proud of the love you receive, your friends’ respect, the property you’ve earned. But don’t ever take them for granted. If you do, you could lose them. They’re not yours by right; you must always earn them.

My experience

A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything. For so long as I’d thought there were things I was entitled to, I’d been wearing myself out – physically and emotionally – trying to collect them.

No one owes me moral conduct, respect, friendship, love, courtesy, or intelligence. And once I recognized that, all my relationships became far more satisfying. I’ve focused on being with people who want to do the things I want them to do.

That understanding has served me well with friends, business associates, lovers, sales prospects, and strangers. It constantly reminds me that I can get what I want only if I can enter the other person’s world. I must try to understand how he thinks, what he believes to be important, what he wants. Only then can I appeal to someone in ways that will bring me what I want.

And only then can I tell whether I really want to be involved with someone. And I can save the important relationships for those with whom I have the most in common.

It’s not easy to sum up in a few words what has taken me years to learn. But maybe if you re-read this gift each Christmas, the meaning will become a little clearer every year.

I hope so, for I want more than anything else for you to understand this simple truth that can set you free.

--December 2002

The late Harry Browne, the author of Why Government Doesn't Work and many other books, was the Libertarian presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000. See his website.

Redress of Grievances Against Oppression

After discussion with a friend on the deterioration of our constitutional rights and what could be done about it, he emailed me a draft of a possibility. First a text to me on 12/09/2011 concerned some realizations of the possibility we discussed:

 “Apologies… I’ve hit a snag or two. 1st is, the realization that there is a dichotomy inherent within the political process which fails to see the power and fundamental base of the Constitution, to which the political factions ascribe as being peculiar to their political party (i.e. inalienable rights of individuals)… the document [the Constitution] does not say, white men only, nor capitalists, nor corporations, nor Republicans only, nor religious peoples only, but ALL individuals… No political party holds to this natural principle, but to its own social special interests using its own interpretation to foster its special interests. 2nd So, this leads to my concern that the grievances petition will not succeed unless it brings together a much broader, thus popular political base, uniting all free persons in their appeal. 3rd I now think the old fashion town hall meetings would become mired down (I’m at a stand still trying to outline how, who,… comprises such a meeting on a national scale, and the enormity of the task on such a short timeline. And it made me realize, the only way is to go digital, to find the right techies, volunteers to create a website to carry this petition from the people to the Government their redress of grievances; the current campaigning process will not succeed in this, as recent and earlier history has shown, that money controls the elections, not the voters, as we witness how the Media ignores the popularity of Ron Paul, who is the closest candidate supporting the Constitution, whereas the Republicans seem hell bent on invalidating it (the Constitution) in favor of a Fascist State. Ron/Rand Paul would do well to broaden his/their political base by supporting such a petition about which we are discussing. Peace, Ken.”

 [P.S. I do not know how such a petition is formally legalized, or how to go about it; but I do know for a certainty, that such is legally established by the Bill of Rights. It would be an impossibly beautiful thing if this petition became the focus of the candidates in the upcoming election campaigns, don‘t you think?]

 -------------------------------------

 [See draft below…which was being created to format how actual “town hall meetings” would be structured to handle the petition…now I am suggesting that Ron Paul? You? A techie friend of yours? A Constitutional lawyer? take over this idea and draft it into a website to handle the petition; I‘ve done what little I can; someone needs to pick up my banner and carry it forward; I haven‘t the know-how on how to formalize a legal document to protect it, nor do I know of anyone personally of such capability.] 

[DRAFT 12/10/2011]

 “DECLARATION OF GRIEVANCES” [abbreviated title]

“PETITION OF REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES” (As legally granted under the Bill of Rights, Amendment I) [legal / formal title]

STATEMENT OF INTENT OF THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS: March 4, 1789 Bill of Rights: Amendment I: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This meeting is being lawfully convened based upon the Bill of Rights, Amendment I, to peaceably assemble and to discuss a compilation of a list of grievances by the citizens of these United States, in light of the actions of the present Government in power, which continues to diminish the Laws of this nation as originally stated and written and established by our Founding Fathers of the original Constitution of these United States. In light of this, it is also an appeal to the policing agencies of these United States, to the militias of the States of this Republic, and to the military forces of this nation, all of whom are sworn to defend this Constitution of these United States, to protect and defend such meetings across this nation for this purpose, as defined by Amendment I of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of these United States.

We are not assembled to protest, nor to disrupt social order whether legal or illegal. We are not “terrorists”. We are not meeting with the intent of seeking to be arrested, tear gassed, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, killed, but are convening a legal / lawful meeting for the purposes of appealing to the “Government presently in power“ and who are unlawfully and illegally establishing laws detrimental to the Constitutional Laws of these United States, and detrimental to the inalienable rights of the citizen’s of these United States, who are naturally and Constitutionally endowed with inalienable rights as set forth by the Bill of Rights and are legally protected by the Constitution and by those authorities of this nation, who are sworn by oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of this nation, to uphold and to allow and to protect such meetings as defined by the Constitution of this nation.

TITLE OF THESE LEGAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS ACROSS THIS NATION IS AS FOLLOWS: “Petition of Redress of Grievances”. (As legally granted under the Bill of Rights, Amendment I)

DATES FOR THE MEETINGS TO BE HELD ACROSS THIS NATION: Beginning on January 2012 any Sunday of any week until the date of: 2012-07-04 at which time the list of grievances, as established, written, and finalized by the people of this nation, will be submitted as a petition to the Government (i.e., the President of these United States, the Speaker of the House of these United States, the Senate of these United States, the Justices of the Supreme Court of these United States, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the military, the Generals of the States Militia and the National Guard.

WHO MAY ATTEND THESE MEETINGS: These meetings MUST be open to all peoples who possess inalienable rights, which is, all freemen (free-persons) who accept, recognize and uphold the Constitution of these United States, and who are seeking collectively to petition the Government a redress of grievances‘. Neither specific political exclusions , nor specific preferred inclusions are to be allowed in order to avoid narrowing down the political impetus and popularity of this petition.

This Petition will not succeed politically so long as it remains politically divisive. All political differences must come together as one voice. And it is by virtue of the Constitution which must be the legal commonality of this Republic if it is to succeed in its petition. Otherwise, the usual political partisan splits will continue to compromise the Constitution and the Republic will be compromised such that special interests will seize political power from its citizenry, and a globalist Fascist tyranny will result. 

PLACE/S WHERE MEETING/S SHALL BE CONVENED/HELD: Town Halls, Civic Centers, Public Auditoriums (places in which are local, traditional places for legitimate civic meetings, for purposes of maintaining a civil and legitimate meeting, not requiring policing to disband the meeting, but for protection of the participants attending the meeting, that is, for the protection of the people holding the meetings to be protected from outside interference, or closure. And also protection from participants who try to use the meeting to protest, to demonstrate, to disrupt, the meeting’s purpose as defined in Amendment I, Bill of Rights.

PERSON/S TO PRESIDE OVER MEETING/S TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND TO MAINTAIN ADHERANCE TO THE MEETING/S GUIDELINES (Strictly all must be volunteers): MODERATOR: The person who shall preside over these meetings should be any local civil servant who is presently in a civil office or in an elected office who has sworn to uphold and to defend the Constitution of these United States, such as the a Mayor of the community. Oversees action of meeting by: reading this paper aloud to attendees, introduces the persons fulfilling the roles outlined in this section, times the progress of the meeting to make certain the schedule is maintained, limit’s the time involved in the attendees presentation of their grievance by their reading aloud and submitting their grievance to the Panel (no more than 5 minutes).

 CONSULTANT/ADVISOR: Ideally, a Constitutional Lawyer, or a local Judge in or a person who has local recognition of being in good standing, known as articulate leader. PANEL: group of individuals, professionals (local radio, local editor), but laborers as well, even unemployed, successful (own business, own farm), cross cultural/races/gender. Comprised of 12 persons (using jury # as guideline). The Panel will accept the grievance and compile, sort according to paralleling similar grievances,…… this is where I find this too cumbersome and unsuccessful…and that a website needs to serve as a collection/compiling/condensing the grievances, and present a condensed list of grievances, on the website, then have the population to vote on approval or disapproval of the grievances listed…..but again, how to manage this….circulate a printed petition in every township taken from the website, and have each township to send their signed petition by the people, to their local rep, or at the website offer the finalized petition in document format for the public at large….but I don’t know how to keep it all together as one formal document rather than it becoming a chaotic unorganized and illegal debacle….so I’m back to my frustration on how to proceed….so I stopped here and will send it as is…

RECORDER: Secretary to record, and transcribe the meeting as is done in a court of law.

SECURITY: County Sheriff (if meeting encompasses a collective of townships within a given county, or a small town not having a police in its township). Police (if small towns do have a police within its township, or larger towns). [It is at this point I realized that it is reinventing the wheel, that is, the political and social infrastructure is already in place, and is failing in not petitioning the Government; there needs to be an efficient, and unprecedented vehicle whereby the petition is much faster, and covers an availability/access to all individuals within this nation, and is made visible and does not subject its participants to harm since it does not attempt to interfere with the welfare of the social order. It may take a court order to provide this protective legal umbrella, and to prevent those in power who would seek to sabotage the petition.]

 DECLARED GRIEVANCES: [Ok… I am not a lawyer, nor a Constitutional lawyer, so I am only stating a grievance number 1 to serve as an example of a grievance. It is vital/of utmost importance that these grievances be put forth in the meetings, discussed, and written in a simple and clear and accurate (Constitutionally based) statement so that it is self-evident as the Founding Fathers stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident”, to all peoples. And the list be formalized into a legal document (?). 

GRIEVANCE NUMBER 1: No Branch of the Government of these United States has been Constitutionally empowered to corrupt, nor to redefine, nor change the very fundamental base of the inalienable rights of the peoples of this nation as established and defined within the Constitution and its Amendments, the Bill of Rights. This grievance derives from the Supreme Court Justices who have corrupted that base by ruling that CORPORATIONS are individuals, thereby establishing a treasonous ruling to dis-empowered and disenfranchise the individual voter monetarily in any elective and political process. Corporations do not have inalienable rights; the individuals within corporations as well as at large have inalienable rights. A corporation is not an individual and the Supreme Court Justices cannot overrule the fundamental base upon which the Constitution derives.

 [ok, help keep it simple, and truthful and Constitutional…otherwise it goes down an unpaved road into mire and mud as history has shown.]

Spiritual Events and Well-Being

There is a lot happening in our lives and the world today. Events unfold in ways controlled and seemingly not. Forces of nature, the state of economy and human difference (intimate to worldwide) seems to direct our lives as often as our own choices. Do we gain or loose by such influence?

A spiritual perspective may shed some light. Spiritual events--what are they? They may dominate our awareness or appear as non-events in our day-to-day lives.

For example, a disagreement with another could go in several directions. Emotions could accelerate into angry words, or even physical confrontation. Such an encounter would not go unnoticed by anyone nearby; and it would certainly affect ones demeanor and state of mind the rest of the day. Maybe even several days or longer, depending on the severity of the dispute.

But if one just walked away from an argument, or better yet, recognized Spirit in the mix at the beginning, the day would be different. Seeing how Spirit works in our lives may influence understanding and maintaining of temper. If so, the incident could be forgotten in short order.

Any scenario of interaction is always a spiritual event--all adding to life's journey of experience. Learning from our experiences is what makes it so. When we recognize the need for better communication skills, or adjustments in behavior, the event is of a higher nature. Acting in a more balanced way always uplifts ourselves and those around us. Passing a test, even taking the test, both are legs in our spiritual journey.

Every moment is a spiritual event when we recognize the possibilities of divine love in its unfolding. Try not to miss the moments. Spiritual masters are those who practice love and peace in every moment. The better we can do this, the less we may be noticed by the world of drama and emotion around us.

Action and reaction, without learning the lessons from the events are the makings of lives after lives in this world of living with passion. What do we gain by co-existing and interacting with our fellow humankind?

Without love and understanding, patience and forgiveness, there may be little. Possessions, power and fame do not produce fulfillment and well-being in life. But acting out their opposites will, sooner or later lead to less.

Recognition of our higher calling and instigating greater spiritual events in our lives is a key to better results. Find what you love in life, then pursue it, do it, with love and passion. Do it while supporting the same for others. This is well-being.


-AK 10/30/2011

Minnesota Government Shut-Down

What Have We Learned?

Now that the state is again funded, I am wondering about a few things.  Am I just way out of touch with economic reality, or is common sense not an attribute of our governmental leaders?  

I’d like some answers to the following questions:

1. Why do state agencies that bring in revenue shut down when money shortage is the issue?
2. Don’t these agencies bring in enough to cover their own operation?
3. Couldn’t they operate like a ship at sea?  If they loose communications with their land base, doesn’t the captain take over and proceed?  The ship’s engines aren’t just shut down to let it drift and wreck on the rocks.
4. Wouldn’t it be wise to create a plan to have such agencies “self-navigate” in the event of a government shut-down? At least the money would still be collected.  

If the chickens are still laying, at least collect the eggs, even if you don’t have bacon to go with ‘em.  Is my thinking wrong here?  Or are the politicians less savvy than a hungry chicken farmer?

Independence Day – Why We Celebrate July 4th

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as celebrated with parades, fireworks, feast, family and friends is possible because it was fought for by the 13 original colonies, and claimed on this day in 1776. We are pretty much free to indulge as we like because of the foresight and wisdom of the founding fathers of the United States of America. Those who are serious about keeping this liberty in self-determination might check out the roots of our independence from tyranny by monarchy or majority. 

 Wikipedia is a good source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution#Preamble:_Statement_of_purpose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_republic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance

The latter includes these words as originally written: 

I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stand, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.  

Notice it says republic, not democracy.  Individual rights are of a higher law than that of the will of the majority.  Mob rule is also majority rule.  Revolution is not by out-of-control passion, but rather by advanced creativity and thought toward allowing others what we want for ourselves.  

Why I consider myself conservative

I believe in protecting what is right, or what is rightfully ours, without taking what isn't, or not being able to pay for it. I create my own well-being while considering that same right for all.

Here's One I Couldn't Put Down

  

The Food Dictators

Wouldn't it be nice if our public servants (government) was really serving us, the people, instead of promoting fear?

Farmageddon Trailer from Kristin Canty on Vimeo.

What do you think? Comment below please.

How to Recognize an Alien

Posted by the Hummus Offensive. I love this piece. Check it out.

A Message to My Congressman

How often do you contact your congressman? Here is my latest email to Keith Ellison:

I certainly hope you, as a public servant, oppose H.R. 4173 and support a stand-alone vote on Ron Paul's Audit the Fed bill. How could 1500+ pages of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo improve our understanding of where the heck our money went. Please listen to sense. Anyone who hears Ron Paul cannot deny the truth in his message. I'm sure you agree. If not, let me know your reasoning in a return message--instead of a canned reply of all that government needs to take care of. All we need from government is support in our liberty and enforcement of the laws that protect our lives and property.

Keep it simple! No more complex laws and regulations that only construct a lace-work of loopholes for those who would limit our freedom and route more revenue to their own pockets.

I believe it is wrong to take other people's money--even if the government says it's okay. What do you think?

Our public official work for us. Let them know what you want them to do.

Health is Our Choice

There is the prevalent opinion in the media that our lives are at risk in this winter flu season, especially since the current variety of the swine flue (H1N1) is rampant.

But is it? What authority should we look to for facts on the subject?

The popular media would have us accept the edicts of the CDC. But the Centers for Disease Control has been given more voice than science seems to support. If you want a balanced view of the current health concern, you would do well to expand your sources of scientific information. Ultimately, our health is a function of our choices in care and lifestyle. There are more choices than the media commonly presents. And health is not necessarily a result of the most popular method to address the flu this season.

Here is an excerpt from a post by Dr. Joeseph Mercola on the subject:

Oh, how short our memories are.

It was only four short years ago when President Bush projected that TWO MILLION Americans would die from the bird flu . Guess how many in the US died from bird flu?

Zero, not one person…

I actually wrote a NY Times best seller on this called The Great Bird Flu Hoax.

With the H1N1 flu we have yet another example of how the CDC and the World Health Organization brazenly distort reality.

In addition, they ignore and deny the dangerous and life-threatening side effects of their expensive solution, encouraging innocent people to suffer for the cause of “herd immunity” – the idea that the benefits of vaccinating everyone outweigh the rights of those who are harmed by the vaccine.

And even though reports of severe adverse reactions to the H1N1 vaccine, including deaths, are streaming in from countries around the world, these two governing bodies are continuing their campaign in the U.S. and around the world to promote a vaccine that has not been proven safe – or even necessary.

H1N1 is the Pandemic that Never Materialized Just Like Bird Flu

I’ve already addressed the non-necessity of this vaccine in previous articles revealing that H1N1 is nothing but a hyped-up blip on the radar. In fact, a former Ontario, Canada, chief medical officer of health went on CBC/TV and called H1N1 a “dud” as far as a pandemic goes.

Sadly, you’re not hearing this in the mainstream media, although stunning coverage by CBS Chicago has finally blown the lid off the hype. In an investigation by reporter Sharyl Attkisson, this station recently revealed that only a fraction of reported H1N1 cases actually are H1N1!

Sharyl found this out by doggedly pursuing the numbers, first through a Freedom of Information Act request from the CDC, and then by contacting each state individually when the CDC refused to respond.

The states’ responses were shocking: The vast majority of cases being reported as H1N1 actually are not flu at all – instead, they are some other kind of respiratory infection!

To read about this report and listen to an interview I did with Attkisson on this topic, please see this previous article.

See the rest of the story on his website: mercola.com. Take responsibility for your health and the health of those you love. Make your choices based on facts of safety and health. Don't give up your health freedom to those who may have contrary motives to your own.

Liberty and Justice for All

An article in the Arkansas Times made me ponder the words of the Pledge of Allegiance. I guess I could really only stand and say the following words from it with conviction:

"I pledge allegiance to liberty and justice for all."

And that is with the #2 definition of "allegiance" on dictionary.com: "loyalty or devotion to some person, group, cause, or the like."

If I were to reword that shortened version to better suit the way I believe and think, it would be:

"I will support and defend liberty and justice for all."

I believe that any political system or religion or leader which/who encourages followers to do the same is good for those who choose such. And we are still (at this point) free to choose our own affiliation. Words or the "letter of the law" are meaningless unless we support good law (liberty and justice for all). That is the Spirit of the Law.

Forced Vacinations? -- Fear Not

A friend sent me this message:

My dear friends:

You must read this and forward to all your loved ones; go to YouTube and search this title:
Forced vaccinations: a whistleblower's clear warning - reposted by Project Camelot.

Or, click onto this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNrMY9vsiCc
　
Or, you can get to the YouTube video via the ProjectCamelot website at this link:
http://www.projectcamelot.net/

And at this website you should see the YouTube Video by arrowing down below the photos (about 1 page down).

Love you all; this young courageous woman is a national hero in my eyes.

Scary?? If it is a fact that forced vaccination is on the way, what is your response?

Here are some common-sense suggestions by Dr. Joseph Mercola, MD, DO.

Also, I am currently attending a conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota on essential oils and aroma therapy showing safe, effective healing methods for many diseases, illnesses and injuries. The information is shared by professional doctors and scientists, including MDs, PTs, physicists, chemists and more. Some of the maladies being addressed are cancer, diabetes, influenza, inflammation, stress, autism and Alzheimers. There is no reason to risk the dangerous side-effects of drugs when these less expensive and more effective alternatives are being integrated into many practices with outstanding results. This is real science, not the pharma-funded brain-washing the media is paid to promote. How many doctors or nurses do you know that will get the untested swine flu shot? All those I have heard from will not. And if you freely choose to, perhaps you might ask your doctor if his/her family has. And how are they doing since.

There are still those who believe that healing is an honorable service to humankind, rather than a means to reap huge corporate profits. Check it out while you are still free to do so: http://preview.tinyurl.com/klkx5d.

Fear serves only those who promote the insanity. React not with fear, but rather respond with the calm of knowledge and wisdom.
.

Gran Torino—A Great Ride with a Good Old Bastard

Last night we watched Gran Torino. Clint Eastwood plays Walter Kowalski, a bitter old man with nothing good to say about the world or anyone in it since the early ‘70s, except that he married the best woman on earth. The story starts with her funeral and his attitude decrements from there on interaction with his ungrateful sons and grandkids, the boyish priest who promised his wife he’d hear his confession, and the foreigners degrading the neighborhood.


His disposition doesn’t seem salvageable due to some unknown baggage he’s been carrying since the Korean War, and worsens with an attempted theft of his 1972 Gran Torino. But the situation starts a turn after he intervenes in a gang incident protecting the Hmong family next door. Other Asian families in the area honor him as a hero with gifts of food and flowers—which he precedes to toss in the trash. He begins to soften after accepting an invitation to the neighbor’s party only after he realizes he’s out of beer himself.


Walter’s honesty in expressing his wrath with life and everyone affecting, or confirming, his redneck awareness is far from politically correct (refreshingly so), very colorful – and hilarious to those who know today’s world is built by ex-military construction worker sons-a-bitches.


You’ll learn to love the main characters of this film, despite their human condition. It is a story about hearts opening with the maturity of diverse relations, and tolerance of blatant imperfection. It’s about learning the fine line between rough-shod walking the calf-paths of the mind and doing what’s right because someone’s got to do it.


I’m giving it the 5-Star (Really-Loved-It) Netflix rating.

Adaptation

It started with random thoughts that coalesced into a review -- of a movie, and of my writing life . . .

We watched "Adaptation" again last night. On Netflix I gave it a 5 rating--Loved it! It's a movie about the writing life, writers block and the freedom of creative expression. It's about love and passion, about our connections with the origins of being--our very genesis. And about how our culture would suppress the drive of Soul.

Yet that expression does ultimately prevail. It's a story of hope and beauty, and daring to live ones passion. I love this flick, and the title says it all--Adaptation. In this world of hazard and suppression--man-made and natural--we can not only survive, but thrive. The focal point of the movie is the fragile life balance of a rare flower, the Ghost Orchid.

Waking up with variations on the movie topics rolling in my mind, the voice spoke: You can write lightly or with rigidity. Like the wingtips of an eagle, or with the weight of a freight train. You have the freedom to write by formula, and never use it. Run on the track, or lay down a new one. Or soar to unknown heights.

As I write this, the only blossom I see in the early morning light of the bay window is a large, pink orchid. It says, Patience is a virtue. So is decision. I've seen the ghost, and fear no more. I write as I like.

The Law of Allowing: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Last night we watched the movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Watch it if you dare. After seeing it, as well as a few other significant news items lately -- like the forced medication of Danny Hauser, and the torture memos -- I decided to distill into words my outlook on the matter of liberty. Here goes:

There is one law -- the Higher Law -- that all others or based on, either in support of, or in defiance of that law.

• The Law grants the freedom to do anything . . .

But because we live here, and the Higher Law is manifest in this world of opposites, it proceeds in statement as:

• . . . except denying others the same freedom.

And because the passivity of allowing has an opposite activity, it continues:

• Only the defense of freedom will assure it. Passivity in its defense is activity in its corruption.

* * *

There is awareness and there is action. Where do I stand?

What do we do when we become aware that freedom is denied to another who is not being justly defended? Should we speak out, state the obvious and make others aware? Or is not doing so passivity in defense of The Law? Passivity, I believe, will result in heightened action -- either in defense of The Law, or its corruption. Revolution need not be violent.

* * *

Be aware that
what and when and where
to speak and act
is best guided by
a more direct connection
to The Source
of the Higher Law.

The Spirit of Life
does not degrade it.

* *

There are no Others. We are all Soul. Soul is a spark of the Divine.

*

Some points to ponder . . .

. . . in this time of economic uncertainty:

1. News of the economy is a lot like reality TV: Dramatic challenges and extravagant plans of action that do not seem to align with common sense, except for the new emotional charge it gives the watchers of and players in the drama. Somehow it seems so unreal. A lot like primetime TV.

2. The announcers of every day’s bad news always seem to add a glimmer of hope, (though not sounding like they really believe it themselves) only to be overshadowed by the next day’s spiraling descendance in the stock market, state budget news, layoffs, foreclosures and corruption.

3. I personally believe that the situation has deteriorated to beyond the point of no return, and that things will actually get much worse before they get better. I wish I didn’t believe this, because I know that the more people that do hold a certain belief, the more likely is its inevitability.

4. How can one prepare for what is coming? Buy gold or silver? Invest in foreign currency? Some say by putting food and provisions in storage. Even taking certain security measures, such as beefing up a room in the basement or acquiring some weapons for self-defense. Some of these may be prudent, but as I see it, the better off anyone is materially, the more they will be targeted by those who are not. Therefore . . .

5. Better actions of preparation would be in the non-material areas. That is, communication and community building skills. Better yet, spiritual attunement. This may be the only way to face a desperate situation. Immediate threats take immediate action. Spiritual preparation is really the only way we can face an event never experienced before.

6. One thing that will not help, but only make any situation worse, is to project negative energy toward the party or parties who we believe to be at fault. Hope for remedy is by responding with love, rather reacting with fear or counteracting with power. Loving all those involved is the virtue of crisis.

7. Though things may be getting worse in the objective/material sense, spiritually there is now great opportunity for growth as soul.

Financial Responsibility

As I was bemoaning the woes of this long, Minnesota winter the other day, I felt weighted down, as if in armor. A poem came to mind. (See Shedding the Mask on River Tree Whispers, my poetry blog.) As I wrote it down, other conditions of this bleak time also began to surface, as if to support my lament. Not wanting to get up on a political soapbox in that e-venue, I step up here.

And to start, I’d like to say that, even though I did not vote for Obama (I wrote in Ron Paul), I do not dislike our new president. I think he has a good heart. Barack Obama gives many people more hope than they had before—in economy and world harmony. That can never be wrong. And to finally have a black president indicates a giant and positive change of consciousness. My best wishes and heartfelt support goes to President Obama.

But that does not change the fact that taking on debt to pay off bad debt is never a good idea, nor is it even possible. It will never be paid off. Eventually we will have to face the full measure of consequence and responsibility.

The right course is to stop borrowing. Stop creating dubious programs we can’t afford. Stop subsidies that prevent the self-righting of a free market. Stop funding an illegal, private corporation that charges us interest to use our own money. Check it out. The system that taxes our productivity and maintains an arbitrary value of its worth is not part of our government, nor was it ever authorized by it under constitutional law. It can be stopped.

Increasing the money supply (printing money) only raises the cost and lowers the value of all that we have and produce. And the burden is on us. Not the banks or the automakers with poor and illegal business practices. Making risky loans for houses we can’t afford, knowing profits return in interest as long as payments are made and then foreclosing when we can no longer afford them—this is wrong. Withholding the technology for clean and renewable energy and fuels because of arrangements with suppliers of unclean energy (with all the political and global manipulation in its support) is criminal.

Remember, public servants serve us and must be accountable to us. When we demand a return to constitutional responsibility and prosecution of criminal activity we will once again be heading in the right direction. We have been blind or ignoring what is evident too long. Because of that, it won’t be easy, but only we can make it right.

Money, Banks and Free Trade – Common Sense Can Rule

-- by Ardi Keim

What would it be like if we weren't isolated from the real world?
What is real? And what is illusion?

Take the economy, for instance:

I'm not an economic analyst. I'm not even sure how the whole monetary system works. I do understand that money is supposed to be an instrument to make exchanges between people easier. And that banks are sort of the safe-keepers of money. I'm all for easy and safe. And that all would make complete sense to me if money itself had any real value. Like it did when it represented an amount of precious metal in Fort Knox. But, as I understand it now, currency has a somewhat arbitrary value. That value is completely outside the control of most people using it in exchange. If it was backed by gold or silver, or if those metals were still used commonly as legal tender, then I could understand the reason for banks. They would be intermediary (or point of use) forts with guards to protect against loss (theft) of the value therein. And I guess because currency is currently ever-decreasing in value, the fact that it takes so much more to buy what it could have bought when it was backed by gold — well then maybe banks are needed now.

But, since gold or silver isn't used anymore, why do we even need currency at all? Aren't agreements between parties in a trade all that is necessary? If I trade my potatoes for your flowers, or your hours of labor repairing my car (or the nuts and bolts to fix it myself) – a few words and a handshake would be the instrument of trade. If the transaction is to take place over time, then a documented agreement would be that instrument. Need any other party or institution be involved? If one side of the bargain was complete and the other was not, or if it was delayed beyond the agreed upon time, and no resolution was forthcoming, then a trade for legal service might be in order.

Keeping agreements, and respecting other people and their property seems so simple to me. Who is acting under illusion? Those who put their trust in an arbitrary system that devalues the worth of those using it? Or those who know what they want and know others with it, willing to make an exchange. Simple, free trade makes sense to me.

Do we really have an economic crisis? Or a shortage of common sense?

What do you think? How much do we pay in taxes for support of unnecessary government and laws that put us in servitude, instead of our public servants with six-figure incomes? Remember – they work for us. That includes county clerks, governors, senators, representatives ... all the way to the top.