Thank you. This is quite a piece and very much needed. Thank you.

Art, an absolutely stunning piece of work. I need to reread it, probably a few times. Thank you for this.

Sally, thank you.
Really something to chaw over. And realistic...

I think the map also shows Lebanon in the mix. And Syria....

Also, The eclipse hit my Equatorial Asc, my MC, my Neptune, my Part of Fortune, Vertex and my IC. And let me tell you, starting with the lunar eclipse until now, it's been a roller coaster ride. Ricochetting (sp?) off a grand sextile in the fire/air points in my chart, I have lost my temper big time. The repercussions have been fruitful, but exhausting.

Sigh...

Thanks again.

Where are my manners? Should have also said thank you Art. A tremendous piece.

Fascinating as always, Sally.

I'm a little concerned. Like Burundi, my Sun is at 8 degrees of Cancer in the 4th House. Any insight would be appreciated...

Art,

An article by you worthy of the highest praise and admiration. Thank you.

Folks,

I need a little help here from your memories.

I've just heard from a girlfriend, whose husband has been treated for viral pneumonia by the doctors for the past nine months. It wasn't viral pneumonia. The cancer over the 9months has
spread to his liver and lungs.

I remember there's a doctor in Mexico who the AMA hates and is always trying to put him out of business - because he has cancer cures - he mixes medicines for each individual kind of cancer. But I can't remember his name or location.

Does this ring a bell with anyone? Can you tell me his name and maybe the city he's in? Was he originally in Texas and then went to Mexico?

There's also another man, a healer, not a doctor, in Mexico who has miraculous healings of people.
Does anyone remember him?

Any help you can give will be much appreciated.
It's not looking good for her husband, but there's always a chance.

Thanks

Pallas

Wow, Art gives us a real brain full! Something to reread and ponder!
Also Thank you Nancy for your darkening of the Light.
I have only skimmed in recent days, attempting to prevent the "ddarkening of my own light"
Finally escaped saturn's clutches long enough yesterday to go out sketching for a little while........
went to sleep with visions of future artwork in my mind..................and awoke this morning with a SERIOUS case of "eclipse hair" ( It was straight when I fell asleep....it is curly this AM!)
SO much for I'm not going to let this eclipse affect my life!
PQ

Revolution in another area!
March 28, 2006 -- For the global privatization corporate vampires -- the party's over. AES, which bills itself as "the global power company," has its eyes set on the privatization of Turkey's electrical generation and distribution system. AES has strong links to the evangelical Christian big business tax dodge known as the "Fellowship Foundation" and The Carlyle Group.

http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/
PQ

What a sweeping look at the eclipse, Arthur. Powerful work!

I've no "personal" thing to report about the eclipse other than feeling more connected than usual (to the grid); as if i'm myself but am also a part of something beyond my ken.

Pallas, i don't recall the Mexican physician, but there is this. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article354063.ece
I do hope it's of some help, albeit it small.

Amazingly sweeping article, Arthur! Many thanks. I trust what these British teens have done is one small example of many, many steps being taken by members of our collective to liberate us all:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,1742628,00.html

Art, wonderful and really informative article! What amazing times we are experiencing!

This has to be my two favorite lines, among many, in your article.

"This integral transit represented by the Lord of Karma in the royal sign of Leo has world leaders on the edge, just waiting to crack the whip across citizenry’s backs. But the shift is happening, things have changed, the masses are turning the tables and treating their leaders like children. "

Could the foothold be slipping for the long term?

Thank you so much for this article. Thank you for things to think about that lift my thoughts from the glumness I have felt as the American collective gears up for another lynching season-this time Spanish speaking people are the ones suspected of defiling all that is good, precious, and encouraging of our prosperity.
I don't know about all the thoughts put forward but I do know that I experienced an inner shift as my gaze was drawn up and away from the grime of race hatred and race fear. Again, thank you

Wow Clymela, those are some very powerful, and I might add, false accusations. Over on Salon the hysteria of those who seem to truly hate anyone who thinks borders are useful, is rampant. It's a divisive topic indeed.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/30/news/economy/energy_america.reut/

Survey reveals one half of Americans gave lawmakers low marks in efforts to wean country off foreign energy.

(Reuters) - Americans are nearly as worried about their country's dependence on foreign energy sources as they are about the war in Iraq, a poll released by the magazine Foreign Affairs showed Thursday.

Almost half of the 1,000 Americans surveyed for the Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index gave U.S. policymakers a failing grade in weaning the country from foreign oil.

Nearly 90 percent said the lack of energy independence jeopardizes national security.

Public Agenda, a nonpartisan group, conducted the poll in early January with funding from the Ford Foundation. It said that Americans are at a "tipping point" on energy, akin to their state of mind about the war. ...

... In the latest survey, 85 percent of respondents said the U.S. government could do something about energy dependence if it tried. The share of those who worried foreign conflicts will drive up oil prices or cut off supplies rose to 55 percent from 42 percent in the August poll.

More...

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060501faessay85309/daniel-yankelovich/the-tipping-points.html

The Tipping Points

Daniel Yankelovich Foreign Affairs, May/June 2006

Summary: A new survey of U.S. public opinion on foreign policy shows that the war in Iraq and terrorism are not the only problems on Americans' minds. Public concern over the United States' dependence on foreign oil may soon force policymakers to change course. And religious Americans are rethinking their support for many of Bush's policies, which has brought them closer in line with the rest of the public.

More...

I just dont see racism at its core. Either we enforce our laws or, if we dont like the laws, we should change them. The employers who entice them here and harbor them, paying below minimum wage, are the ones violating the law. The employers should be making sure that their employees are in this country legally and should be complying with the u.s.labor laws. Of course americans arent going to take jobs that pay so little. The illegals are being taken advantage of but dont know it because it is so much worse where they come from. I just dont see it as a race issue. It is strictly a money issue as everything is. But having said that, the issue seems skewed. It's the republican business party who wants to close the border and the dems who want to open it up. go figure.

Clymela,

I echo your sentiments about the article... it was a noble attempt to change the heated discussion of the wedge issue...

Your feelings about this issue inflaming feelings of racial hatred and fear are true, imo... not false...

and Pat C., re your statement:

"... Over on Salon the hysteria of those who seem to truly hate anyone who thinks borders are useful, is rampant. It's a divisive topic indeed."

I post and read at Salon... there is no 'hysteria' and no hatred... where are you coming from?

Here's a summary of the discussion, judge for yourself...

http://tabletalk.salon.com/webx?230@532.Ixrhahj0LBT.376@.773b93c8

Hi, Just a quick note...as I have not had time to read for the last week....Sally ...thanks for publishing Art's article, I just noted all the exactnesses in my arena...

a few of the events which touched me: Cap Weinberger died...I was friends with his daughter, Arlin, way back when we were in highschool in Burlingame, when he was an Assembly man in CA....Arlin, who was estranged from him for many years, had made up with her parents and was with him when he died....

My part of fortune is 26'44" Sag....My Mars is 8 '44 Aries. My daughter's Mars is 8'36 Sag, with the quincunx to Venus 8 Cancer and sextile to the other part of the yod at 8 Taurus Saturn. Her moon is 18 Cancer. Today she is having emergency surgery....at 9 am. I am on my way to babysit. She could have died from this condition from septic shock.

As for me....I have cut both index fingers exactly a week apart ....cutting bread; dropped objects on my feet and generally been walking into walls and furniture with great force.

None of my projects seem to be on track...I did some exciting stuff for a client in the midwest but the account exec had no 'tolerance' for it....so am redoing in a less exuberant mode. The architectural stuff I am doing keeps getting changed...luckily, I have no time to do it anyway. I spent Sat/Sun totally reorganizing and cleaning out my studio, making it work for me instead of against me, and getting rid of stuff I no longer use.

That original lunar eclipse completely changed my energy-as if I went from 'vacation, healing mode' to 'action' mode (and I have resented it, too)...oh, by progression, my sun is at 16 Leo....and my daughter's natal rising is 15 Leo and her sun is 17 Leo....we are like the same person now...everything happening the same way to both of us within days of each other.

And I have other friends who are experiencing similar stuff....I can't relate on the nation/world wave now (except the fed is raising rates...would't you know...only what is happening on the personal...which is a big change for me, too. Saturn by transit stationing on my natal Pluto....

Pallas...I know who you are speaking about, the doc with alternative methods of healing, but can't remember his name or where he is....so sorry!
And on that related front, I heard about this story from last weekend, as it happened to a friend of my daughter's boss....at a marathon in San Jose....a fellow collapsed from a heart attack...he had been running with his girlfriend's 17 year old daughter! She watched him die....can you imagine THAT...) Mars really eclipsed that time.

Pat PQ....do you look good with curly hair? Or are the faeries giving you new hairdos? Hey...a friend has written a book on faeries....and that is a constant theme....waking up with new and creative hairdo...

Oh Jo, you're such a card.

There's not a dang thing humorous about this Pat C.

((((Judi))))

Froth on.

Jo...from Salon...I would say this is pretty inflammatory IMHO...."when they are not even citizens"....in otherwords, you have no rights as PEOPLE when you are not a citizen, not even to protest? It seems quite hypocritical, and I see some of the older people I know mouthing the same stuff. Spanish speaking people ARE discriminated against on a personal level ....just like blacks still are and always were.....
I think the problem is that too many issues are being lumped together in this...ethnicity, money, laws, etc. Hey...my own fatherinlaw, born in Mexico, had illegals living on his property in San Diego county....he even had a little store for them, and they slept under the avocado trees. The INS raided him all the time....but hey, you think the local white kids would go out there with the rattlesnakes and harvest his crops of 'cados and succulents for his business?
to me this is fascism at its finest:
"I am alarmed and angry that non-citizens could take to our streets in the numbers that they are, to protest about their rights when they are not even citizens. And nothing is being done about it. Nothing.... whether peaceful or not this should not be allowed to happen. First and foremost they need to go back home and protest there to their own government and homeland where they rightfully belong."

...and that is mild anon.

Thank You Everyone!
Your response is overwhelming. My intention was not to create a divisive rift but to delineate the astrological tapestry that connects this Eclipse to
events of the world. Aries I am that I am making a primal statement of existence.
FYI
Notice that Jill Carroll is now free from her Iraq captors - per B Brady ...
"This is a time when the person needs to be free, if only for a few weeks."

We must all try to take on the courage that Aries offers us and break away from our personal, social and even self-deluded fears.
This eclipse falls right on my N Node, believe me I am grappling with my own fears of the future.

Many Blessings to Everyone!
Art Gianfermo

Ghetto is a conciousness. We must get our minds out of the ghetto mentality. What do I mean. Americans who believe certain wrok is beneath them. Here is the root of discrimination and the birth of self-entitlement. When one is hungry they will do work they hate to eat.

Nothing to do with race; it's a class issue IMHO.
Americans are classless and clueless and spoiled and out of shape and lethargic and arrogant and undereducated and without manners and most importantly have forgotten their anscestry of genuine hard workers.

I agree bhakti. It's a money issue. Not all Americans have forgotten, but the ones in charge certainly have.

As a single parent with a five and a one year old, I held three jobs at a time. I also painted houses, and cleaned them. I did yard work, and I did work in a nursing home, and that doesn't count the three jobs.

Jobs Americans won't do is a ploy in many ways.

Everyone should be paid a fair wage, with no exceptions.

YEs bhakti,

it is a class issue; but it is also racist... there is actually discussion of building a wall between US and Mexico. Is Mexico the only source of immigrants? Of course not...

Brown/black people the planet over are being oppressed... in Iraq, and here at home, especially...

moreover, those fanning the flames are continuing to do so at every opportunity... and projecting their own stuff on to the other... including the 'others' who believe while immigration may need reform, immigrants are not the problem for the demise of America.

Art, your article is wonderful... I apologize if you believe you have created a 'rift' --- that is not the case. We are all undergoing a shift and we are all under stress... the actions we choose are our own choice...

I despise disinformation of any form... BushCO is a prime example... but there are others... and they're not all over at the Freeper sites... forked tongues are everywhere... just calling it as I see it...

namaste

It's apparent that some are so far to the left that they have met up with the far right in their opinions.

* believe it or not, that was also quite mild. sigh

awesome, awesome article Art. Thank you so much. I want to re-read it several times, but I'm thrilled you took into your analysis the French revolt. The downtrodden are rising up; viva La Republic.

Clymela nd Jo

I'm with you!

Wonderful piece, Art.

I love the Chinese-painting rain outside my window... so gentle & soft.

Sounds lovely Joanna.

Pat C, the * post was mine. I don't know what happened. I refreshed my screen and I guess I did not dbl check before I hit post.

Once again, the racism card has been thrown and it just plain stinks. This issue is about Fiendco and Friends aquiring votes from the Hispanic Catholics and to increase his war chest with more stolen tax payer's money.

Yes, you can be so far left that you become a member of the far right. The two groups meet when the circle is completed. That's exactly what chimpy jr and kkkarl are counting on.

I quess my hispanic relatives and friends are racist too according to some here. Oh well, I know I'm not racist.

Art, forgive me as well. The article was an excellent read with much to digest. Thanks~

Remember when all y'all were thinking blue a couple of years ago? Well, Diebold may have countered your vision, but only temporarily, it seems.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/30/85148/1711

People should be able to have differing opinions without frothing all over eachother. It's how we sort things out intelligently, I thought. But there are personalities and sometimes discussion is smashed by emotion.

Namaste has a meaning.

shy, I wish we could go to paper ballots until there are safer voting machines.

Eclipses are erratic energy times so I immediately think that it's the Merc/Uranus, Mars/Pluto transits, MEOW is all over the blogs lately. Also been getting a ton of spammy emails and my friend said he did too just recently. People are getting ugly out there. Stay aware. Shiva/Pluto that frisky little roto-rooter is cleaning out the sludge from the ugly underbelly.
The immigration issue dredges up so many other topics of equal value. Not an either or.
I agree about the forked tongues but that was obvious ages ago. And the projecting seems sad and annoying.

My ASC at 12 Aries is getting a nice hit of juice. Cleaned out my closets and sprucing up the appearence to enjoy the Spring. My studio had 8 boxes of books from the award I judged since the last June. On Tues night they were finally all out and it was instant fung shei in here, the floors are empty again. And the studio got more minimal on the outer. Woke up on the New Moon with so much more energy.

ps thanks Art. We are all wondering what is going on with the pull from that Black Hole at 27 Sag.

The GOP's Stake In Checking The President

by Senator Russ Feingold, TomPaine.com

Many Republicans now defending the president are losing sight of what ceding powers to the executive will mean for their own party down the road.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/03/30/the_gops_stake_in_checking_the_president.php

Well, I've started a mural around the top third of the walls of one of the rooms in my house. The bottom is oak. I've been intending to start it for two years. I'm happy about that.

Congratulations Judi and bhakti. Juice is a good word for it.

National Debt Clock is Running Out of Space

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060328/bs_afp/afplifestyleusbudgetclock

ps
I thought about the 'getting emotional' issue = frothing to be over the top. We each have a voice here of diversity. I prefer genuine froth concerning important and neglected issues over phony rage-smiles any day. It's authentic and unique. Wazup with having to be so 'nice'? Why? That's the old paradigm.

Thanks Jo, for setting me straight. Namaste.

You're welcome bhakti, but you really don't need any setting... you're fine as you are :-) namaste

Art wonderful to see you work posted here! re: "My intention was not to create a divisive rift but to delineate the astrological tapestry that connects this Eclipse to events of the world. Aries I am that I am making a primal statement of existence."

Folks here were already divided and exhibiting intollerance. It started a couple articles back. My pc croaked on Monday and I don't have my astrology software fully functional yet but my feel is this energy isn't going to go away but rather this is the energy that's growing toward Summer Solstice.

from Art's excellent article:

"... Venezuela - has been leading the way for new visions in South America with Jupiter @ 8 ° Capricorn in the first house with Sagittarius ASC (based on Sept.22, 1830 when they finally marked their independence). Currently Venezuela has inspired both Argentina and Uruguay to Say NO to the SOA! Soon all of South America will Cease Training at U.S. Army's School of the Americas!"

that's hopeful news... did you know that gas is 15 cents a gallon in Venezuela and the people have full healthcare coverage...?

Wow. Ok then.

Thanks Art, that's one to reread and also to use to notate the calendar. And thanks, Sally, for posting it. You are so generous.

Jo, for years a dear friend of my protested at the School of the Americas, and was even arrested. How wonderful it would be if that place just fell into decay from non-use.

This Saturday, April 1 a Southern Regional March for Peace in Iraq and Justice at Home will be held in Atlanta. Will report back to you all afterwards.

I like what Art said about the feeling of change.

Barbara please keep us posted...

To the unnamed writer at 4:19 p.m., 3/30/06 who states that he/she took quotations from Salon.....Please let me inform you that the third quote starting "I am alarmed....was written by me on the site two days ago. It was never posted by me on the Salon site as I do not go there nor post there.

I hope that clears up the misperception about the source of this particular post.

I see nothing inflamatory about what I said and still maintain my position. These are opionions and are not directed at anyone in particular eventhough the subject is a national ethnic collective. There was no judgement placed upon this group. Simple statements were made that relect my beliefs on what I feel is best for our country.

How have I been inflamatory? Do I not have the right to express my point of view in what I feel/think to be an objective view? Please explain.

Beverly, there is nothing wrong with your opinion. There are many on Salon who were hammered into silence by those who threw out the race card. I started a thread at the request of a long time poster there called Illegal Immigration, and I thought your statement was exactly what illegal immigration brought up. I said, From Beverly, and then your statement. Now no one knows who Beverly is so that kept it neutral...I thought. NOT SO! The frothing began and continued in earnest. It truly became a place of mean spiritedness and those with a differing opinion went away. I know that because they e-mailed me.

Salon is looking a lot like the Free Republic in it's levels of vitriol. Sad, but maybe I'm suppose to give up the internet for a while. That wouldn't be such a bad thing.

I should say some of Salon. All of it is not that way.

The editor has changed and for that reason some of the articles are not like the old Salon. I'll be letting my subscription expire, and that's not a bad thing either.

Of course you have a right to your opinion.

Your words were taken to Salon... if you click on the link I posted you will see that the header for the thread I summarized contains your words in toto ---- Pat C. started the thread... with your words...

the response above is from liberals at Salon (well at Table Talk, and most are liberal/progressives) --- they were responding to your words... as brought to them...

I'm sure you will agree they have a right to their opinion also...

I do not agree that a difference of opinion at Salon manifested in hatred of people who support boundary between Mexico and USA... THAT is what I was responding to... that is incorrect... that is disinformation.

Two camps of opinion. One would expect to find support for immigrants at a liberal site... The Democratic Party is made up of a rainbow coalition as Jesse Jackson once referred to it... and a number of its members are immigrants...

Again, there is nothing wrong with a difference of opinion. It is wrong to paint Salon as a bastion of hate.

It's Spring Pat C, smell some flowers. Good for the soul.

It's so easy for us get lost in the news and the transits and forget the inner state and what's really important.
When we nurture and heal the inner state and our inner path of bliss is a potential we can acheive on the outer plane we nurture and heal the world. One being at a time. Blessings and Light to ALL.

I plan to bhalti.

TT isn't just a site for liberals flaming. I've been posting there for eight years, and bought a subscription for Jo several months ago, when she felt constrained here. Remember that Jo? It's been a little like inviting a snake into the house.

It must be my Neptune. Onward.

Thank you Pat C. and Jo for your responses although I still have not heard from the anonymous poster. Is that you Pat C? I'm getting very confused about this whole issue.

So very often we (a generality) get caught up in WHO is Right and WHO is Wrong.

We fail to look at the real issue of WHAT IS RIGHT. WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND NOT who is right or wrong.

I am like Pallas on this issue.....I just don't want to talk about it anymore or read anymore hurtful comments about it. I am a peacemaker, not an inflamer. How my words could be perceived as such is beyond me and extremely hurtful.
Enough.

Beverly, the anonymous poster is not me. I thought your words were said from the heart, and I hope you are very proud of that. I was very struck by your sincerity.

Pat C...I would truly miss your excellent comments and posts if you went away for a few days. Don't you think just a few hours off might help? I felt the same thing for the last couple of days but didn't honor the feeling. I am now though.... to go home for a good nutritious supper.

Every day starts anew Beverly.

Enjoy your supper, and please stay just who you are.

Sorry Sally, I posted this on the prior excellent article before I realized that Art had put his up (wow!), so I had to move this here ...

Jo, I know you'd like to think your comment is true and get excited about the possibilities (see post below) ... I just see it as "the powers that be want to enslave us through weakening even more our citizenship and lower our living standards by flooding the market with cheap, and soon to be, legal cheap labor". Most Americans today don't know what the Bill of Rights are, so what do you think the Mexicans will think once they become citizens - they're used to following party bosses and the feudal system". Cubans love Bush (I'm here in Miami) because they don't have a clue about our democracy and how it works. And we're going to absorb 12-20M of them overnight? Give them the right to vote?????? And then those 12-20 million then have the right to bring their families over? Forget the border, they're all going to be living here! (Disclaimer, I am not anti-immigration - but the same way I couldn't have 10 people move into my house and just decide to stay without creating huge chaos in my life - I don't see how the U.S., with all the social problems we already have and the cutting and gutting of our social services can afford to do this. Legal immigration is fine to a limit and within what the country can absorb, illegals are not. If you think about it, it's a great way to continue to erode our borders and dilute or national identity ... and it's not just happening here ... what do you think the Eurozone is? All these zones, CAFTA, NAFTA (I know ... trade agreements - whatever). In Chile NAFTA was passed and the VAT (value added tax) was increased from 18% to over 20% to make up for the lost revenue. In the end, the PEOPLE, always pay for the corporations who benefit and get nothing in exchange except lost jobs.

It's all a show. Both the ruthugs and the demoliars want the same thing and they're just playing "good cop - bad cop" to achieve it. Notice that the real issue of whether they should be deported is swept under the rug and suddenly it's a done deal. Welcome to 12-20 million new citizens. Viola!

What's amazing, again, is that these "protests" were allowed and flags handed out - nobody got arrested or sent to jail - unlike anti-war protestors like Cindy Sheehan. So that in itself makes them (these "spontaneous" protests) very suspect. Mind you, I firmly believe in the right of citizens to protest their government, something which we citizens are no longer allowed to do as witnessed during the Republican convention in NYC, and since. Make no mistake. The gubmint wants this to happen so they create the illusion that it's spontaneous and lo and behold! A bill is passed. The People Spoke (only we haven't). Nothing is by chance or accident. It's ALL ORGANIZED. And they're all in COLLUSION! Nobody has had any reality slapped into them. It's all gone according to plan. What is amazing is just how fast they do all of this stuff. Snap the fingers and it's done! No real discussion, nothing. Smoke and mirrors and actors on a stage.

-------
Jo posted:

It’s amazing what a couple million pissed-off Latinos, a united Democratic caucus, and the American Catholic Church can do to slap some reality into the GOP. And any issue where Grover Norquist paints Tom Tancredo as an extremist is good theater for the Democrats. Bush is at least smart enough to know when to accept soemthing that he may not totally like in order to stave off something worse this fall. Frist isn't even that smart.

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

As far as the Catholic church is concerned. This is not about altruism on their part. It's politics, plain and simple. They flexed their muscles during the last election (heck, they handed out fliers and had special speakers coming in to ALL of the parishes to explain why Bush was the candidate to vote for and just about threatened excommunication if "good" catholics didn't vote the party line. Their parishes are emptying out ... latinos will be a good substitute (disclaimer... I'm catholic and latino (whatever that is) .. just in case anybody was wondering).

Pat C, love your stuff ... so stick around, ya hear!

I think it would be better to argue ab out the content of such opinions than the right of people to have the opinions in the first place.

I was struck, personally, by the concept about 'not being citizens people don't have the right to dissent'...I don't understand the content of any of these post, frankly...they all seem to be going around robin hood's barn trying not to say something...what that is, I don't know. Must be Neptune again.

PS...I have gotten emails from people who not only play the race card, but the anti women's rights card, the anti liberal card, and just about every other card. I have been called all sorts of things....being a liberal. But people who respond with more invective to taunts are as guilty as the taunters themselves by playing into the game.

Smell the flowers Bhakti? It has rained for 23 days in SF, and the flowers are soaked. Morgana, I know three people whose computers have crashed and burned this week...what happenin? Must be PCs...Dell? It is only Dell I've heard about...

My daughter's surgery was postponed an hour after she got there....she will be back on anti biotics and then will go in to the OR next Friday under general anesthetic...

Marta! You really have a clear picture of this fiasco. Thanks for saying it better than I have.

Pat C, thanks ... I don't know if I have a clear picture, but I do constantly have the sensation of being manipulated. Of the "arguments" on both sides being bogus. It many times seems as if we're just being kept "busy" while lots is going on underground and like mushrooms, the "flavor of the day stuff" pops up. Last week the ports, this week immigration ... blah, blah, blah. Reminds me of my dad who sometimes, tongue in cheek (well, sorta), says my mom treats him like a mushroom. Keeps him in the dark and covered in shit ... :) sound familiar?

JudiGem, I hope your daughter gets better soon!!!!!

It's been nothing but manipulation Marta. Horrible.

I love the dad comment! They sound wonderful, and funny.

Pat C, yeah, they can be ... :) Cognitive dissonance, cognitive dissonance ... if they can confuse us they can use us.

Marta, it's the agenda. They are busily and stealthy recreating the world in the way that is most profitable to them, and the reality based community is being kept busy reacting to senarios, horroble senarios they rev up. We are part of the reality based community living under the old laws in our own minds, while they dumped those laws years ago.

I'm just hoping that there is justice in the universe and it rebounds on them sooner rather than later. The more time they have, the worse it all gets.

I just learned that unemployment here has been cut by 30%. A friend's husband lost his job, and was greeted with that news. The sad irony is that he voted for Bush.

Yes Marta, I posted those words from an article, here it is in it's entirety:

-------

Tuesday :: Mar 28, 2006

Is The GOP Stepping Back From The Political Abyss On Immigration?

by Steve Soto

After seeing signs that the Catholic Church and young Latino voters would turn against the GOP this November if the party attempted to criminalize immigrants and those who help them, some of the most strident voices for a tough immigration bill are getting religion. The Washington Post reports in tomorrow’s edition that possibly 12 GOP senators will vote with Senate Democrats to pass the Judiciary Committee bill that cleared Arlen Specter’s committee yesterday, which is largely built upon the McCain-Kennedy proposal. McCain is now of the impression that Bush will go along with his bill, and even House Republicans, after seeing the last two days of activity around the country and talking with border state experts about the downside to their extreme ideas, are signaling that they are willing to go along as well.

The only person who may still commit political suicide over this is Bill Frist, who apparently feels that he cannot allow Specter to substitute his bill for Frist's more extreme proposal if the GOP caucus isn’t with Specter. What Frist and the GOP caucus miss however is that they will lose huge politically this November if they let Specter, McCain, and the entire Democratic caucus beat their brains out over this for a couple of days. And the only person who will look like the imbecile that he is will be Frist himself.

It’s amazing what a couple million pissed-off Latinos, a united Democratic caucus, and the American Catholic Church can do to slap some reality into the GOP. And any issue where Grover Norquist paints Tom Tancredo as an extremist is good theater for the Democrats. Bush is at least smart enough to know when to accept soemthing that he may not totally like in order to stave off something worse this fall. Frist isn't even that smart.

Here's a related question: if Specter beats Frist on this issue, what happens when Specter confronts a weakened Frist on the NSA issue later?

More http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/007225.php

Posted by: Jo on March 30, 2006 12:25 AM

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=11364

Immigration Follies

One way to stem the flow of illegal immigrants would be to enforce existing labor laws.

When it comes to allowing low-skilled immigrants into the United States, Americans basically divide into two groups. The first wants to hire them at low wages and doesn’t especially care whether they’re here legally or illegally. The second group is anxious about too many of them coming here -- worried they’re taking away jobs of American citizens and use up too many public services.

So once again, as it has so many times in the past, Congress is battling over immigration -- knowing full well that any legislation that emerges will have to satisfy both groups.

This time the likely outcome will say to employers: Don’t worry. You’ll have access to lots of what we’ll call “guest” workers. And it will say to Americans who are anxious about too many immigrants: Don’t worry. These guest workers will only be here temporarily, and we’ll penalize employers who hire any foreigner who’s not an official guest worker.

It’s a compromise that will satisfy everybody but as a practical matter have absolutely no effect. The biggest lesson we should have learned about immigration is this: As long as there are lots of unskilled jobs in the United States that pay much better than jobs in Latin America or Southeast Asia, and as long as immigrants can fill them, immigrants will get here, somehow -- legally or illegally. Some will risk their lives getting here. And as long as they can buy fake documents saying they’re here legally, their employers will be able to say “Don’t blame me!"

So what’s the answer? There’s no simple solution but one major step is to enforce basic labor laws that require employers to pay all their employees the minimum wage and protect their health and safety.

You see, one of the main reasons employers hire undocumented immigrants is that people who are here illegally don’t complain when they’re paid below the minimum wage or forced to work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. So employers who hire them can cut corners and save money without much risk they’ll be caught.

More...

Celeste posted this over on Starlight News

Dear Nancy,
I thought about your remarks about the 2007 eclilpse falling on the ascendant at Los Alamos when I read this about privatization there!:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/033006C.shtml

JudiG the weather got me. A branch danced on a power line during a rain storm on Monday and my pc wasn't connected to the surge protector, fried my boot records as it crashed rebooted crashed before the reboot, crashed again again, blamo power out. When the power came back on my pc didn't want to load the software.
It has been a nightmare, lost everything and had to reload my pc, and some of my astrology software the one I publish with isn't happy so I'm having to learn how to use Solar Fire (which I told my husband I just had to have a couple of years ago then couldn't figure out how to make it go now I'm reading the user guide, it helps).
I am now on a surge connector. Sheesh! And this eclipse whacked the daylights out of my chart which I haven't been able to look at yet myself cause my software is in limbo, but another friend and astrologer clued me in on it, since I was having a giant whine. Good news is I did not have to replace my PC which in my line of work would have cost more then I've got to rob from Peter to pay Paul with, ya know? So aggravation I can cope with, cash outlay, whew, dodged a bullet.

bravo Morgana. Yes, tempers are a flarin', people seem very high strung. I've seen it for about the last 2 weeks.

bravo Marta. I agree totally with your analysis. Hasn't it been completely apparent that Bush is being thrown to the wolves? Obviously the Dems have become the annointed ones, and will "rescue" the poor and impoverished from the big bad Republicans.

Pat C, it's always an agenda here on Planet Earth. It's so funny, but it's not.

It sure is in our faces now Peg.

Glad you're back up and running Morgana. What an adventure in electromagnetics!

A political cartoon....it's a secret...

http://inthedark.openthegovernment.org/index.html

OH, Morgana....EVERYTHING needs to be on the surge protector...I would have friend 8 computers in the last 2 months if I didn't....it has been awful (losing electricity in San Bruno is like your area...hilly/trees/ pow!...and here we are in what, the 23 or 24th day of rain...in MARCH...it hasn't rained this much here since 1904....I am glad you are getting back up.

That truthout article....I just started to read it after I got home a few minutes ago from my daughter's house....(I posted on that update from there)...but just reading the intro had me furious! Privititizing everything....hired guns are back! Cowboys on the prowl...yikes.

Marta, your post wasn't up when I posted before...I think you are right on it....But do you remember that last year in Britain a report came out that the world will be overrun by immigrants by 2100...America, Canada, Europe, all nations which formerly had borders....all will be inundated. A dog fight is coming....and legislation isn't going to protect any group at this point. Unless it is the So American states which are creating, slowly, by rejecting the multinational shell game of finances, some kind of economy to compete with and give jobs to their own people. It is more than likely that So. East Asia will be the real problem....there is no way to support the populations there without a real revolution in finances....I can see why our homegrown Nike types have started that run to SEAsia...these have been very poor countries just now getting back on their collective feet after 30 years of war with America, the British and the French colonials).

WV...that is a GREAT cartoon...thanks for posting it..!

Raw Story says a 700 ton nuclear bomb to be tested in June in NV....

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1654792&C=america

Sorry...that should not read nuclear...it is a conventional devise, but it says it will be the first time since stopping nuclear testing that a mushroom cloud will be seen over Las Vegas....ooohhhh...what fun.

Marta,
A very wise assessment of the situation.
'An e-mail to Lou Dobbs:
"With Bush in Mexico, any way we can close the borders while he's there?"
The moon is beautiful! You can see the whole sphere
with shading & dimension, & the cresent moon on the edge, like a flat cut out!
PQ

OK!
Here's the REAL NEWS!

But the famed nuclear laboratories, Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia -- where the high priests of nuclear physics are free to explore the outer realms of their craft -- have long been above prosaic bottom-line or board-room considerations. Until this year, that is.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=25466&mode=&order=0
PQ

From Flo C:

More testimonies on the implosions.
It seems Bloomberg's office refused NYT to have access to copies of oral reports recorded by the Fire Dpt of NY.

Anyway these are now available to the public. Several can be read here from ICH:

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12564.htm

Firefighter Louie Cacchioli, after entering the north tower lobby and seeing elevator doors completely blown out and people being hit with debris, asked himself, “how could this be happening so quickly if a plane hit way above?” After he reached the 24th floor, he and another fireman “heard this huge explosion that sounded like a bomb [and] knocked off the lights and stalled the elevator.” After they pried themselves out of the elevator, “another huge explosion like the first one hits. This one hits about two minutes later . . . [and] I’m thinking, ‘Oh. My God, these bastards put bombs in here like they did in 1993!’

More..

Oh Pat PQ, you make me laugh, then sigh with your word pictures.

The release of Jill Carroll set me thinking. It was not through effors of the State Department nor through efforts of the military that Jill Carroll is free. It was through intentional acts of good people walking around those agencies to connect and speak directly to other good people.

Her story is an example of of what i was refering to just a bit ago about making choices between ~are you for us or against us OR ~all of our children are all of our children.

I am stirred to look at other paths that walk around the BIG OBSTACLES. I'm seeing Chavez offering lower cost heating oil directly...what else?

I consider these "small Heligs" -healing choices. I now watch for them and also for "small magic".

"Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy." -George Bernard Shaw

=
Patriotism is a superstition, one far more injurious, brutal and inhumane than religion." -Gustave Herve

=
"Patriotism - the virtue ofthe vicious." -Oscar Wilde

=
"Patriotism is a survival from barbarous times which must not only be evoked and educated but which must be eradicated by all means - by preaching, persuasion, contempt and ridicule." -Leo Tolstoy

=
"You'll never have a quiet world until you knock the patriotism out of the human race." -George Bernard Shaw

Forgive me if I posted this, don't think I did.
Chavez's generous gift to the poor in Maine, prompted Bush to compete & he has sent a lot of money to the state for heating oil assistance!
My Farmer friend called me cackling with the news the other day!
What would you call that ? a double walk around?
Concentric circles?
PQ

Perhaps embarrassing or "guilting" someone into doing the correct thing they should have done all along??? The Chavez example is perhaps too political to be a true helig but you get my drift...

Home after a strange day: my sup retired in the middle of the morning no warning.
I want to say that I am afraid for those people who are here and who speak English with an accent. I know that there are problems and we have to work them out but I am so frightened by the energy right now.
I read that Halliburton is building camps that first were supposed to be for New Orleans refugees but then it was to be for immigrants if there is a crisis whatever that might be. I don't know if that is true but it sure hooks into fears I have. I know what happened to those of Japanese descent during WWll. I know what has happened to dark skinned people all along and continues to happen.
I didn't mean to attack but to say that I feel deeply troubled and shaken by what is getting stirred up. I fear that the madness of the neocon takeover has done such deep shocking damage and that the collective pain could very easily get projected onto the "illegal aliens" and lead to tragedy. I don't think that Mexicans working here is our central problem although I don't mean that there is not a problem

According to El Arabia, on Mosaic News, Jill Carrol was released because she begged for it in. ( in a positive way) ( creative visualization?)
It's amazing how much news you can get into 1/2 hour if you leave out, sports entertainment, & commercials!
El Arabia, had a nice positive piece about a group led & funded by, by a Mr. Miller, that brings injured Iraqi children to the USA for treatment. ( Karl Rove's "dream news story" ) why aren;'t we seing it here?
Mosaic News on Link TV sponsered by the Hewlitt Foundation ( PBS sponsors) & 2 other American Family
Foundations.

The Germans think Abramof is a real corruption scandal! But on this side of the pond.........."nothing to see here!" move on, we have a REAL PROBLEM WITH THESE ILLEGALS!
PQ

Clymela, originally i assumed that the Haliburton detention centers were intended for the Chinese illegals who have arrived via cargo ships. I think something like 30,000 but this is only a flimsy memory, which China refuses to take back. I speculated that this whole detention center idea was modelling after Chinese (and other) prison labor practices. A form or "insourcing" in contrast to "outsourcing". Another business decision. Anything is possible with these folks. And detention centers may be for any/all of us who knows.

Good to buy less, re-use and renew where possible.

AND HEALTH!
ANYBODY HERE fascinated by the fact that more pregnant wopmen are choosing c section over natural childbirth.
I didn't think so!
PQ

How about everybody keeping their cool?

Marta, well said...what I think I said on the previous thread...I have to laugh that you would be called a racist by people who don;t know you're Latino.
.......................
" The Democratic Party is made up of a rainbow coalition as Jesse Jackson once referred to it... and a number of its members are immigrants..."

Yeah. But I'll bet they're LEGAL immigrants.

If hiring illegal immigrants is okay, how come the people who were vetted for appointments to government had to recuse themselves when it was discovered they had hired illegal immigrants and were not paying taxes and benefits for them?

I'm with Lou Dobbs and Molly Ivins. There's no diffference between the dems and repubs. They're in their own world, they're there for themselves, they no longer represent the LEGAL citizens of America.

And no, if you're an illegal you dont and shouldn't have the same rights that a citizen does. (But in reality the illegals have more benefits and rights than citizens do)
The illegals or the now politically correct "undocumented immigrants" (HA!) pick and choose what rights and laws should apply to them. Wait until youre hit and severely injured by a car driven by an illegal immigrant who doesn't choose to follow the law that you must have auto insurance, among other laws they dont see a need to follow. Then when you're writhing in pain, let's see whose yelling racist at whom.

The fu_king law is the fu_cking law. G_ddamit. I dont understand why some people cant understand that.

I think it used to be that if you had a child in America you could stay - but they changed that law. There have been cases in the past where they sent the parents back and told the American born children they could stay. Solomon's puzzle.

So a couple of million illegal immigrants or their children demonstrated here. Yes, it was a lot of nerve. That still leaves some 280 million citizens, most of whom want the borders secured, against anybody entering illegally...not just Mexicans and other Latinos. Build a wall? Since nothing else has worked, that might be a great idea. It worked for China for centuries.But the republicans and dems will change the law because they're counting the votes in 5 or 6 years of those children who will be able to vote then as American Citizens.

If the Mexican army continues to cross into America, assisting drug dealers as well as illegals and who knows how many are terrorists, make the crossing - and shooting at border patrol officers, we coud end up in a war with Mexico - (after this administration). Better a wall, than another war.

To those who don't see the point of following the law as it is written - I guess you all are taking lessons from w.

the law is the law, but apparently it isn't. Like Bill said, " It depends on what the meaning of is, is." Now I understand what that means.

Pat C - some people have forgotten their manners, which is unusual for this blog - although it has happened to me here a couple of times - and it's too bad - so just ignore it and them. Your contributions would be sorely missed. (((Pat C))))

P.S.

And what the heck is a "progressive"? If progressive is the new word for a Liberal it means Rush Limbough is victorious in slandering and making the party "Liberal" a dirty word.

What was his name? Will Rogers? Who said, " I didn't leave the party, the party left me".

this evening reports of 3 earthquakes , 6.0 , hitting Iran.

The astrologers called it.

Watching the protests from afar- US, France, England
etc--
the thought hit me that this is probably the beginnings of a worldwide shift of SLAVES rising up against their MASTERS!!

I think this goes beyond the arguments that are posed on both sides of each situation!! --and is only starting!! It will probably morph, change and continue in various forms for quite some while..

Trudy

Earthquakes in Iran.

Pallas, I have to find a recent publication of Venture Inward, a publication of the Association of Research and Enlightenment by the Cayce group. They have a story about a doctor in Mexico who's "clinic," has cured about 80 percent of cancers. Damn, if I could only find the magazine. I will search.

Olberman to bring down O'Reilly...recent scuttlebut on MoveOn.

You could be right Trudy.

Divide and conquer.

Instead of focusing our attention on impeaaching the slimy corporatist globalist bastid, the attention is turned, and fighting among selves is the focus.

But allowing the illegals to drive down wages is all part of the globalist goal. And many dems are a part of it - it's not just a gop thing.

speak of BETRAYAL.

BTW, Friday begins Spector's hearing on w's NSA violations. If the immigration question is any clue....you can see what will happen to that issue.

And maybe that's why we saw a very organized demonstration by 2 million possibly illegal immigrants, with no response by police . the shell game. "look here, not over there."

Thanks for looking Beasley. If you find it , it would be wonderful.

He's probably the Mexican or South American healer I have heard of.

The other doctor I found with the help of google.

HIs name is "Buzursky" (sic) in Houston.

I put in "famous cancer doctor" and read until I saw a familiar name :)

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/30/060330162648.wxde5ocl.html

Brilliant.

Has it not occurred to any of those working on the 700 tonne bombs that to explode it underground could yet move the earth more off its
axis?

There may have been earthquakes but it's water that is the big story from this Eclipse. Violent storms in the midwest, Waikiki beaches closed because of raw sewage spill into the ocean, massive flooding in Europe forcing hundreds to flee their homes, a massive cyclone hit Australia today. The water problems around the world are causing far more havoc than the earthquakes.

I am posting a list of the history of Labor Laws in this country, most of them forced upon this government and corporations because of horrific conditions for immigrants, legal and illegal; the Irish, the Italian, the Chinese, the African, the Mexican, the Native American Indian, not to mention women and children, all have been encouraged to be here, work in either slave conditions or close to slave conditions.

I wonder if this isn't a plan cooked up by the Fox and the Bush. Empty out Mexico into the US, round up the illegals eventually into dentention centers plus dissidents and the homeless/poor of this country and put them into those centers, walla slave labor, concentration camps, Nazi Germany. What would we do? What countries would go to war with us to eliminate human suffering like we did in WWII?

http://www.lutins.org/labor.html

The book "Lawless World" by Philippe Sands makes excellent reading if you want to know how global rules are made, who, why and what is happening now. We've been had and we are years away from a solution, but a solution will eventually come.

That's an extremely helpful post Sally. I'm going to pass it as far as I can.

Thank you so much Pallas for your kind words.

The thing that is so frustrating to me Pat C is the complete and total lack of creativity in dealing with issues. We (the human race) are never told the truth as to why or what is happening because they are afraid we will rise up against them in disagreement. So instead the powers that be pit us against each other to keep us occupied with fighting each other and not looking to the people who cause this constant mess. Globalization could have been accomplished with much less damage if it weren't for the fact that the power hungry and greed at the top are hell bent to keep all the toys. Our problems are with each other, not really, our problems are with the string holders and we have fallen for it time after time for over 2000 years.

Just think, better than 50 percent of the illegals in this country came from 2001 to today. Gee, just the same time frame the fox and the bush came to office.

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8GM627O0.html

Caribbean Coral Suffers Record Death

March 30,2006 | WASHINGTON -- A one-two punch of bleaching from record hot water followed by disease has killed ancient and delicate coral in the biggest loss of reefs scientists have ever seen in Caribbean waters.
Researchers from around the globe are scrambling to figure out the extent of the loss. Early conservative estimates from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands find that about one-third of the coral in official monitoring sites has recently died.
"It's an unprecedented die-off," said National Park Service fisheries biologist Jeff Miller, who last week checked 40 stations in the Virgin Islands. "The mortality that we're seeing now is of the extremely slow-growing reef-building corals. These are corals that are the foundation of the reef ... We're talking colonies that were here when Columbus came by have died in the past three to four months."
Some of the devastated coral can never be replaced because it only grows the width of one dime a year, Miller said.
Coral reefs are the basis for a multibillion-dollar tourism and commercial fishing economy in the Caribbean. Key fish species use coral as habitat and feeding grounds. Reefs limit the damage from hurricanes and tsunamis. More recently they are being touted as possible sources for new medicines.
More

Sally, it's so late here, my brain is starting to fog, but you couldn't be more succinct. Having worked in Washington, I can remember the puzzles within puzzles that people created, and that was on a much lower level. If it wern't for the nameless people there, nothing would get done. The elected people are all too of ten useless. Imagine the horrors that get created on the highest levels.

The vicious Buhes are almost beyond my comprehention. Fox is angry with our thug for some reason. I can't imagine why. We've accepted at least ten million of his people. His military is shooting at our border patrol and we are well on our way to a collapsed economy just to even things out. When Bush announced for his first race, the thought that came into my mind was, "Not just any banana republic, it's Bush's "home country". . I came to understand later that the term is an old CIA term. Interesting how that came to me.

Will we ever rid ourselves of the hydra?

I hope all this made sense. I'm tired.

Uranus in Pisces - the wild weather.
I've always thought of Neptune as ruling weather.

And Sewage spills - Pluto of course rules sewage.... hee hee - maybe that's why we're finally seeing all the dirty dealings of the bushco coming to light - sewage spill.

Did I read somewhere long long ago, that the coral reefs dying meant the oceans were dying?
who knows the cause ? the tilting of the earth, the melting of the glaciers, the pollution -

pollution is Pluto too as is death - so it makes sense that the news of the coral reefs would come to light now along with the rest of the "sewage/Pluto" spilling out.

From Caprice.

What We Did On Our 2020 Vacation
http://www.chevyapprentice.com/view.php?country=us&uniqueid=6869f296-11d3-1029-98eb-0013724ff5a7

Thanks for this Pallas.

Good night or good morning is more like it.

One more....

Corporations: Biggest Share of National Income in 40 Years

U.S. corporate profits have increased 21.3% in the past year and now account for the largest share of national income in 40 years, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

[...]

Meanwhile, the share of national income going to wage and salary workers has fallen to 56.9%. Except for a brief period in 1997, that's the lowest share for labor income since 1966.

Steve Judd thinks something big may be about to blow... at Yellowstone. A Volcano?
--

I know that I said I would write about the US economic situation, but it’s suddenly not so relevant. Looking at the current heliocentric chart, both the Sun and Saturn are approaching radical and hard aspects to Uranus, and I know from experience that this combination is common in geo-physical disturbances. If something like this is going to happen then the time scale is within the next forty-eight hours, and I’m more than a little concerned. I was talking with the well known international astrologer Santiago Mantas on Monday, and between us we figured initially the west coast of the US, but on reconsideration, Yellowstone Park was far stronger. Although the strongest potential for this is not until either the second week of August or early March next year, I kind of wonder if anything is about to blow now. The symbology is there, check for yourself.

http://www.stevejudd.co.uk/

Re: the weather, the earth conditions. This week,I think, there were cluster earthquakes here in the eastbay hills (Moraga for those who know this area). These are "small" quakes that come in clusters and which often come before a big one. Thanks, Neobuckeye. I always like your posts and info and am going to go to your link now.

I have a distinct feeling the gop follows astrology because they did a great job dividing and stirring. Suddenly, the Harvard Dean's denunciation of the lobby disappeared from the radar, and where did Charlie Sheen disappeared to? Something had to be done because their trick of using "tarnished" Charlie to do the expose backfired. They could've used Charlie the tuna; no matter, the people quickly grasped the opportunity and the polls at CNN shot off the charts (an 85% credibility index?). So something had to be done. Tancredo and the wingnuts have bashed illegals for quite a while now, but suddenly there's a gigantic march on the streets, and the wingnuts blew their tops, some dems too. Conveniently, HBO is repeatedly showing a movie called "Walkout" about Latino students walking out of class and protesting I don't know what (I didn't watch the movie). And are the ptb trying to foment a revolution? That word has been thrown around a lot lately, not to mention the movie "V for Vendetta" showing in theaters. Americans are being squeezed from every angle because somebody wants a revolution. But people are too busy watching TV and getting in debt. Nothing made the zombies blink until the illegal volcano exploded. Neptune square Mars in the US natal chart (easily bamboozled). Yep, easily manipulated. Did I mention easily distracted? No wonder we never get ahead.
To Jo and Joanna Oregon, thank you for seeing the forest, not the trees. And Joanna I love the winking face signature.
Re: Marta's quote: "Most Americans today don't know what the Bill of Rights are, so what do you think the Mexicans will think once they become citizens - they're used to following party bosses and the feudal system."
Please do not generalize. I became a citizen and I'm fiercely independent (uranus prominent in my chart). And I didn't take my citizenship test until I went to college to learn all the necessary history. Didn't need to, the test was ridiculously easy (I love history anyway). In case anyone assumes otherwise, I paid the tuition out of my own pocket. My parents followed all the rules; did it all the right way. From the initial application for residency, it took two years to get approval. Ohmygosh, and we speak English and we pay our own way. What gov't benefits? We were legal and never got any benefits.
And who said that Latinos are not racist? Racism is rampant in Latin America. The whiter you are the more opportunities you get over there. My dad's blondie sister married very well. My deceased dad would have never let me date anyone dark-skinned. He married my mom, a white Mexican lady. He was very pleased when I married an anglo.
I don't know why my crazy father (an Aquarius) moved us to the US; he was doing fine in Mexico. I think he didn't want to let us kids go to the big city to pursue higher education. The US was closer, and he'd rather pay tuition in dollars than let us go. He must have had some cancer in his chart somewhere.
Anyway, now I love the US. It's uncanny how my natal chart has so many connections to the US chart. And, the only flag that flies outside my home is the American one.
Here's a good read from Molly Ivins re: immigration. Enjoy, http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=20578

little moon I love you. Thank you so much for your post especially the part about watching tv and going into debt.
Class is a real issue too you know. Some times people are independent but must seek help for medical needs or for food when a job is lost or the weather keeps someone from working. Reagan got a long ways with his "welfare queen" in Chicago. After his death someone published a study that proved she never existed. And I am not saying that people don't cheat of course they do but I know that our troubles are not caused by these stingy social programs.
I am "fiercely independent" too but with my working class heritage and education I have gotten pretty beaten up for it and my family has taken some pretty heavy blows too. Believe me being identifiable as a "redneck" is not a great opportunity but I claim that identity with pride knowing that my "old mothers" were brave and strong enough to bequeath this life to me. I think also that is why I identify with the "illegals".

http://www.c-span.org/watch/index.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS&ShowVidDays=30&ShowVidDesc=&ArchiveDays=30

Feingold's Censure Call
Rep. Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) re-
cent motion to censure President Bush for authorizing what he be-
lieves is an illegal wiretapping program will get its day before the full Senate Judiciary Committee. Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) will preside over a committee hearing titled "An Examination of the Call to Censure the President."
FRI. ON C-SPAN AT 10AM

Little Moon (what a lovely name), thank you for the Molly Ivans piece...

and here's what the wonderful Robert Frost had to say about 'fences' and walls and 'people who need them'...

"... He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors'.

Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder

If I could put a notion in his head:

'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it

Where there are cows?

But here there are no cows.

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know

What I was walling in or walling out,

And to whom I was like to give offence.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,

But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather

He said it for himself. I see him there

Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.

He moves in darkness as it seems to me~

Not of woods only and the shade of trees.

He will not go behind his father's saying,

And he likes having thought of it so well

He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/frost-mending.html

iirc, last year Rove and his minions were stirring the pot over Social Security... it doesn't need 'fixing' either... the GOP just needs to keep their dirty hands out of the till... so now we have another 'wedge' to divide the people so they'll be too distracted to watch what the (mis)Leaders are up to...

here's an update on the GOP and this issue, from a Leftie, Steve Soto... I bring information from a lot of different views, often Libertarian --- antiwar.com --- but if a label is needed to slap on me, use LIBERAL... flaming if you like... I'm proud to be one... ('Liberal': that means I'm tolerant of others' views, btw)

and Marta, again these are Steve's words... not that I mind your crediting me with his words recently... but in addition to disinformation, I despise plagiarism - so I give credit to others...

House GOP Rejecting Any Compromise On Immigration

by Steve Soto

Tonight, it doesn’t look like House Republicans are in a mood to cut any kind of deal on immigration. In fact, conservatives in the GOP caucus seem to be quite fine with tossing Hispanics and the Catholic Church overboard and out of the GOP’s boat.

House conservatives criticized President Bush, accused the Senate of fouling the air, said prisoners rather than illegal farm workers should pick America's crops and denounced the use of Mexican flags by protesters Thursday in a vehement attack on legislation to liberalize U.S. immigration laws.

I say let the prisoners pick the fruits," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California, one of more than a dozen Republicans who took turns condemning a Senate bill that offers an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants an opportunity for citizenship.
This from a man who supports the Taliban and has taken cash from Duke Cunningham’s bribers.

"Anybody that votes for an amnesty bill deserves to be branded with a scarlet letter A," said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, referring to a guest worker provision in the Senate measure.
Nevermind that the bill supported by Arlen Specter, John McCain, and Ted Kennedy isn’t amnesty. But that didn’t stop Steve King from suddenly getting religion about how his party is really about class warfare and the elite, while not caring a bit about those moral value voters that are used every election as tools.

"The elite class in America is becoming a ruling class and they've made enough money by hiring cheap illegal labor that they think they also have some kind of a right to cheap servants to manicure their nails and their lawn, for example.
"So this ruling class, this new ruling class of America, is expanding a servant class in America at the expense of the middle class of America, the blue collar of America that used to be able to punch a time clock, buy a modest house and raise their families. ... Those young people are cut out of this process."
This would be the same Steve King who voted for the bankruptcy bill, the estate tax giveaway, and every single one of Bush’s tax cuts.

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/007243.php

March 29, 2006: 2006 PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award

Pen American

Translator Fired from FBI for Blowing Whistle on Intelligence Failures to Receive 2006 PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award
http://www.pen.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/633/prmID/172

New York, New York, March 29, 2006—PEN American Center has named Sibel Edmonds, a translator who was fired from her job at the FBI after complaining of intelligence failures and poor performance in her unit, as the recipient of this year’s prestigious PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award. Ms. Edmonds will receive the $20,000 prize at PEN’s annual Gala on April 18, 2006 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Shortly after 9/11, Edmonds was hired as an FBI Language Specialist for Turkish, Farsi and Azerbaijani. In her work, Edmonds discovered poorly translated documents relevant to the 9-11 attacks and reported these to her supervisors. She also expressed concerns about a co-worker’s relationship with a foreign intelligence officer, and reported being told to work slowly to give the appearance that her department was overworked, despite the large backlog of documents needing translation. Edmonds followed all appropriate procedures for registering her concerns. However, instead of acting on her information, the FBI fired Edmonds in March 2002, claiming she had “committed security violations and had disrupted the translation unit.”

More...

Wealth destroys those who lack in wisdom,

But not those who seek the beyond.

Craving wealth, those lacking wisdom

Destroy themselves

As well as others.

The Buddha

From Linda

This link to Mother Jones autobiography details a lot of the history of the labor movement from 1861 - 1920, because Mother Jones was one of the leaders of the labor movement.

Autobiography of Mother Jones:

http://www.angelfire.com/nj3/RonMBaseman/mojones.htm

The main Mother Jones Magazine website:

http://www.motherjones.com/

Wonderful Cybear!

Fiore - apologize now

http://www.sfgate.com/comics/fiore/

Pat C, so fitting in todays world. I was looking through the Dhammapada this morning and it jumped out and really made sense of what we are dealing with.

from Laura Rozen at war and piece:

March 30, 2006

From tonight's Nelson Report:

... Republican friends say do not expect to see any major moves, including asking Treasury’s John Snow to retire, before Bolten is in place. But when that happens, it will shock few. The “Big One” is Rummy...has President Bush finally gotten to the point where he sees Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld as a liability, not an asset? You can see evidence for this, if you want.

Specifically, note who has been run out for TV recently defending and explaining Iraq...Bush, not Rumsfeld. The President has been forced to put himself irrevocably on the line, both in public, and with the press, because Rumsfeld has lost all credibility...that’s what our Republican friends say is the “inside word”.

Sources also confirm that the President has absorbed the fact that the professional military has completely given up on Rumsfeld...admittedly a process which began for some “uniforms” even before 9/11, but which has continued to affect...or infect...virtually the whole military establishment today. (Rumsfeld’s contemptuous treatment of the senior brass...including the Joint Chiefs...has become legend, if somewhat under-reported, since these folks are loyal to the institution, if not the man, despite the provocations.)

Some insiders had been hoping that Rumsfeld would take the opportunity of the third-anniversary of the war to step down. But he either didn’t hear the hints, or didn’t care. So it apparently will be up to Bolten to pull the plug, on the President’s behalf.

Won’t Vice President Cheney step in to save his ideological and political comrade? Sources don’t think the Veep is in any position to challenge the facts on the ground...he can see that Rumsfeld has lost the confidence of both the troops, and the media.

So the question may boil down to Bolten’s authority, and capacity. Observers say that the Bolten of today is just as smart as he ever was, with an additional layer of toughness. “Now he has learned that sometimes you must fire people, even your friends, if you want to succeed”.

So does he have the authority to fire Rumsfeld? Inside betting is “yes”...so stay tuned.

If Rummy goes, who’s next? Sources say don’t be surprised if Bush goes to Capitol Hill. Some Republicans think Senate Armed Services chair John Warner might look logical, given the confidence issues within both the military and the media. And come January next year, Warned is term-limited out as chairman, so will be “available”. But if Warner is deemed too old, some sources say don’t forget that former Senator and Indiana governor Dan Coats was on the short list back in 2000-2001 transition.

Hummm....we recall reporting at that time that Coats had DOD sewed up, pending his personal interview down at the ranch in Crawford, but that Coats’ performance was SO dismal the George Bush of that time...raw, inexperienced, and naïve on both defense and foreign policy...rejected Coats out of hand.

What about former Deputy Secretary of State Rich Armitage, we hear you ask? Certainly Armitage has been known to express serious interest...and perhaps even serious hopes he could be on the list....due to his strong personal relationship with Bush, despite his loyalty to Colin Powell.

There could hardly be a stronger choice to prove that Rumsfeld has been “fired” than Armitage, but you have to figure out how to parse Armitage’s recent interviews in Australia, for example, or with The Oriental Economist, in which he had some frank and not entirely comradely things to say about the current Bush team, Secretary Condi Rice included.

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/003948.html

“Former US presidential advisor Brzezinski presents plan to quit Iraq"

WARSAW (AFP) - Polish-born former US national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski has put together a four-point plan for the United States to withdraw from Iraq.

The plan would allow Washington to disengage gradually in Iraq, "without victory, but also without defeat," said Brzezinski, who worked for US President Jimmy Carter.

The first step would involve "Washington suggesting to the Iraqi authorities that they publicly ask the United States to pull out of Iraq," he told private Polish television TVN24.

Next, a date would be set for US troops to be pulled out, following which the Iraqi government should invite its neighbours to a "regional conference of Muslim countries" aimed at stabilising the situation in Iraq, Brzezinski said.

Lastly, the United States should call an international conference to discuss funding for the reconstruction of Iraq.

"I think that a programme such as this one, set up in the space of one year, would close the affair in such a way that we might not be able to speak of a clear victory, but also not of defeat or running away," Brzezinski said.

More...
http://tinyurl.com/opmfu

"I think that a programme such as this one, set up in the space of one year, would close the affair in such a way that we might not be able to speak of a clear victory, but also not of defeat or running away," Brzezinski said.

Hahahahaaaa!!! ALL--that means EVERYTHING--must be done with GREAT care for protection of the precious supremacist phallus, no matter how much People, Natural World et al, must suffer & die. Dickie-dickie-do... dickie-dickie-dah! (Now where's that cod-piece?)

Has any of the astrologers made a prediction about the outcome of censure? I'm sorry to say that I don't have time to read all of the wonderful posts...I'm at work and have to be careful how long I'm on the internets. I try to pop in and out during the day.

It kills me how they always attack the dems for not standing up to Bush when the repugs are even worse. And yet, they never ask the question why? Could it be that little NSA wiretapping or just money?

I think one shld just forego little distracting labels like bush wars, hitler wars, alexander the "great" wars, (ad great nauseum), & just call them the nearly five thousand year Age of the Phallic Wars (by reason he can't get along with anybody or anything). Squirt, squirt here... spray, spray there... here a squirt, there a spray... everywhere a squirt-spray... Ol' MacPhallus had countless wars... yeehaa, yeehaa, Hooooooooooooooooooo!!! ;O)

Soon... SOON, dear friends... it'll be over, including the stupid cheerleading fembots. There'll be nothing left alive... including the stupid phallus. That'll be good.

Abilene,

I'll post a little now and some later on the Censure hearing:

lifted from Kossack diary (dKOS):

And now Senator Feingold is letting us know how angry he is at the admonistration. "This is Alice in Wonderland thinking." We don't know the extent of domestic spying. The reasons for so doing are patently flimsy. Feingold quoting Lindsey Gramm from another impeachment hearing. "We are a country of laws." The President broke the law. Now we need to know WHY. Feingold speaking now. Any future legislation we may pass in the future is a charade. We no longer have a Constitution. We have a monarchy. If we don't stand up for the law, we become a nation without laws. How we respond will become part of our history. He cites Archibald Cox, Elliott Richardson, and John Dean, men who put the Constitution before the man who appointed them.

and now Orrin Hatch; "The President certainly did not break the law." Three reasons: 1.Senate is not authorized to punish the President. Censure is punishment. Impeachment is the only form of punishment that is allowed.

He is sharing a one-line resolution of Pres. Jackson. This line of reasoning seems to be that they cannot do anything outside of COnstitutional authorization, including condemning the President for stepping outside of Constitutional authorization. Excuse me while my head spins...

2. President Bush may NOT have lied. 3. We are at war. Therefore this an inflammatory attempt to weaken this President in a time of war.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/31/93244/2352

And really, when one thinks on it a bit, it's all about guardinga at all cost this incredibly silly looking thing... a gobbling turkey neck n' waddles... there's not even a haid. It's actually headless... & brainless.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=132932

Church fires photog over Scalia picture: Freelancer pays for ‘right thing’

By Jessica Heslam

A freelance photographer has been fired by the Archdiocese of Boston’s newspaper for releasing a picture of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia making a controversial gesture in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday.

Peter Smith, who had freelanced for The Pilot newspaper for a decade, lost the job yesterday after the Herald ran his photo on its front page. Smith said he has no regrets about releasing it.

“I did the right thing. I did the ethical thing,” said Smith, 51, an assistant photojournalism professor at Boston University.

Smith snapped the photo of Scalia flicking his hand under his chin after a Herald reporter asked the conservative jurist his response to people who question his impartiality on matters of church and state.

Smith wouldn’t give up the photo earlier this week but chose to release it when he learned Scalia said his gesture had been incorrectly characterized by the Herald. Smith, who was standing in front of the judge, said the Herald “got the story right

Joanna,

It's more than ironic that Brzezinski, who wrote "The Grand Chess Game," among other books and pieces... wherein he strategizes the need for USA to establish hegemony... and thereby strongly affirmed the NEOCON agenda... now comes forth to suggest he has the solution for the mess the Neocons have made in the Middle East.

btw, luv your rendition of ol' macdonald had a farm! whatahoot!!!

http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/2000/330011.shtml

I dunnot. No pig has flown by my window, so I'm reserving judgment on this, but if it's true and sincere, this could be a major breakthrough for those of us who love our Constitution and country:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/31/10462/4085

Again, I've seen no pig flying past my window, and Clinton is famous for "triangulating" and the DLC is comprised of Clintonistas and they all hate Dean and the DNC.

Hold your breath--and do let me know if you see a pig flying anywhere.

Thank you, Jo, dear Seesta!! Just pulled it from the top of my head, which has a brain, even tho chemicalized by the phallic environment to the consistency of old foam rubber.

Saaaaay, shy... is that a PINK pig? ;O)

I dunno, JoannaO. I'm still looking, Interestingly, no Big Dogs (or little ones) have flown past my window, either. We can only hope, I guess--you know, as in wishes and horses and beggars.

Sorry about all the animal references--I've been following the Censure hearings (via DU) and all manner of animal offal is being shoveled around over there. And almost NONE of the Dems on the committee are even present.

The passionate Maryscott has a few words at dKOS and her own blog, MyLeftWing, about the Censure hearing... she calls the Republicans TRAITORS... warning: Maryscott uses a lot of words, some rather salty... I love her anyway...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/31/115212/592

Shy,

re the pigs, I just saw a few with stripes and one beautiful polka-dotted one... but they may be a 'momentary aberration'...

Markos of dKOS has written a front-page article declaring a rumor that Big Dog has allied with Dean...

---------

50-state strategy becomes CW

by kos

Fri Mar 31, 2006 at 10:27:02 AM PDT

Hotline Blog:

Dean has one supremely important new ally who, when he goes public, will almost certainly help with donors. In late February, Dean traveled to Harlem and sat down with former President Bill Clinton, often said to be privately disparaging of Dean.

But as Dean walked Clinton through his 50-state capacity-building project, Clinton became a convert. He vowed to help Dean win the attention of donors.

Dean isn't the DCCC or DSCC. His job isn't to win elections in 2006. As head of the Democratic National Committee, his job is to build a national party.

Republicans haven't abandoned a single one of their supporters. You could live in the Bluest part of Berkeley or Madison or Cambridge, and the party will communicate with you via mail and on TV and the radio. Drive into San Francisco over the Bay Bridge, and you're met with a billboard advertising Michael Savage's racist radio show.

Democrats hear from the party only if they live in districts that are more than 70-75 percent Democratic. Otherwise, you don't get mail. You don't get visits. And we don't have the media machine to communicate to those folks.

So our party has atrophied in all but the Bluest areas, while conservatives build a truly national movement.

That this has even been controversial was a testament of how broken our party was -- with myopic party officials and greedy consultants in DC wanting to perpetuate the failed "battleground states/districts" strategy and hoarde cash for their lucrative (and useless) late-campaign ad blitzes.

When we wrote Crashing the Gate, we thought the 50-state strategy part of the book would be controversial. Heck, people were laughing at us for suggesting as much a mere year ago. But what a difference a little time makes.

The 50-state strategy, while still opposed by some, is quickly becoming conventional wisdom. And if this Hotline blurb is true, even the most entrenched of the DC establishment are finally starting to embrace it.

(BriVT has a diary on the topic.)

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/31/12272/6391

click on the link for comments

Beatific Vision : the "face to face" vision of god in patriarchal heaven promised as a reward to good xians; an afterlife of perpetual Boredom: union/copulation with the "Divine Essence"; the final consummate union of the Happy Dead Ones with the Supreme Dead One.

cock & bull story 1: patriarchal history 2: any highly respected account of the exploits of cocks & bullies which effectively erases the existence & history of all Others.

cockocracy n: the state of supranational, supernatural erections; the place/time where the air is filled with the crowing of cocks, the joking of jocks, the droning of clones, the sniveling of snookers & snudges, the noisy parades & processions of prickers: pecker order.

cockfighting n ["the sport of matching gamecocks in a cockfight; also: the patronizing of such matches esp for the purpose of betting on the outcome" - Webster's]: the sport/game of matching misseles/munitions in multinational cockfights; also: the patronizing of such matches esp for the purpose of betting, speculation, investment & capital gain.

phallicism n ["the worship of or reverence for the generative principle in nature as symbolized by by the phallus" - Webster's] 1: the worship of or reverence for the degenerative principle in civilization, as symbolized esp by the phallus; male self-worship; ideology & practice consequent upon & reinforcing the belief that "God" is male & the male is "God" 2: phallic solipsism: the theory or view that the phallus is the only reality: the phallusy fallacy, the most pathetic fallacy.

phallic morality: morality completely unconcerned with right & wrong; system of ethics intended solely to uphold & legitimate the Phallic State; system of apology for every androcratic atrocity; the prevailing "ethical" climate in all patriarchal societies, north/south, east/west, right/left, rich/poor, "free" & "enslaved"

Phallic State 1: state of intellectual, moral, physical, & metaphysical flaccidity 2: condition of rigidity/frigidity: state of rigor mortis.

phallocracy n: rule by Godfather, Son, & Company.

Hahahahahaaaaa!!!! Conjured by Mary Daly in "Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language" wordweb 3

And there's lots lots more where that came from... ;O)

Anti-Semitism and the New "Jews"

By Bernard Weiner
Co-Editor, The Crisis Papers

March 21, 2006

Recently while surfing the web, I happened onto an article at a number of alternative-press websites by a widely-published internet author.

I couldn't believe what I was reading: the essay was a long diatribe aimed, it seemed, at an amorphous Jewish conspiracy that according to the author is at the heart of what ails America and its policies.

Maybe I misunderstood, I thought -- since the actual word "Jews" was not used -- so I googled the author's name and read another essay by him. This one pulled no punches; it was a defense of Holocaust denial and a scabrous attack on "the Jews" as the evil villains of contemporary society.

I have nothing against the right of anyone to print anything; it's the glory of free speech, and I find reprehensible Austria's throwing David Irving into prison for expressing similar Holocaust-denial thoughts in his writings. (If rightwingers can be jailed for expressing their opinions, at some point it surely will happen to leftwingers. Free speech should always be defended for one and all, the exception being actual incitements to violence -- "shouting fire in a crowded theater," that sort of thing.)

http://www.crisispapers.org/essays6w/antisemitism.htm

Bernard Weiner's Blog

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

March 28, 2005

Round 2: Anti-Semitism & The New "Jews"
As I guess I should have anticipated, my recent "Anti-Semitism and the New 'Jews'" essay stirred up a lot of dust. You can't write an article that touches on religion and expect otherwise, I suppose. When you fold in politics and mention of Jews, the mixture goes combustible.

For those who missed last week's piece, here's a quick summary. In times of crisis, scapegoats are needed; Jews historically have served that role, and, given the increasing tensions in the Middle East, continue to do so these days as anti-Semitism blossoms again both from the Right and the Left.

Sometimes it's difficult to detect the fine line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, but it's possible to do so if you pay attention to the overall thrust of the writings.

http://www.crisispapers.org/features/bw-blogs.htm

shylurker! Thank you so much for the link on Dean/Clinton! Wow!

Abilene, as promised here's more on Censure Hearings... from Firedoglake.com Parts 1, 2 & 3

http://tinyurl.com/hk6bu Part 1
http://tinyurl.com/fk2rk Part 2
http://tinyurl.com/zlco9 Part 3

"... Political leaders and legislators in every country on the globe are experiencing the transit of Saturn in Leo now stationing. This integral transit represented by the Lord of Karma in the royal sign of Leo has world leaders on the edge, just waiting to crack the whip across citizenry’s backs. But the shift is happening, things have changed, the masses are turning the tables and treating their leaders like children."

from Art's article above...

there is irony here, too, is there not? many of the 'masses' demonstrating recently are descendants of those very people who were oppressed, driven from their homeland... decades - eons - ago...

women in 3rd world countries are coming together to advocate demand what their families need...

the times they are achangin' ---

karma coming...

TPM

I can see the merits of an immigration policy that lets in lots of immigrants and I can see the merits of one that lets in much fewer immigrants. But a guest worker program -- especially one that envisages large numbers of immigrants here to work on a semi-permanent basis with no prospect or ready access to a path to citizenship -- is wrong. We're not Kuwait and we're not Germany. It's bad for America to have a permanent class of residents who are here for their labor but who are permanently barred from becoming citizens. It's bad for our society. It's bad for the immigrants. And it's bad for citizens who have to compete for jobs against an inherently exploitable class of whatever amounts to 21st century coolie labor.

No surprise President Bush is big in favor of such a bad idea. Bad economics, bad civics, bad social policy.

Late Update: Nathan Newman makes a good subsidiary point. Guest worker programs come in two flavors, bad and really unbelievably bad. It's important to distinguish the two.

--- Josh Marshall http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/008075.php

Profits surge to 40-year high
When will corporations spend some of their hoard?

Meanwhile, the share of national income going to wage and salary workers has fallen to 56.9%. Except for a brief period in 1997, that's the lowest share for labor income since 1966.

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid={C4257910-8351-437A-8C00-E4CF3B782091}&siteid=mktw&dist=

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BD6EEB94C-058E-4AAF-A191-0A7D3F36E923%7D&language=EN

Thanks Jo! You're a peach! Do you know if the hearings are going to continue next week or was this it?

They never stop trying to take it all away. They just never stop.

http://www.picayuneitem.com/articles/2006/03/31/news/13rights.txt

Debate on whether to renew parts of 1965 voting rights law heats up

We'll have to contact those Mayans (post at 8:21above) and see if they'll come here and perform their ceremony when (IF) we get to send Smirk&Co back to Crawdad. Bet that's some good beer. You know, used for ceremonial purposes only.

Abilene,

I think this is it for the hearing... don't know about the Committee's actions... will stay tuned

Cosmic delights! My fave was plate 4:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6955261/

I'm wondering about those voodoo people right here in the good old USA. Aren't they busy on this?

I dunno, Pat C., maybe they got outsourced.

They have so many reeeeesons shy.

I exorcise my house regularly, just in case their bad vibes enter my space through the tv. It could be the cause of B.I.T.S...
Muuuuuahahahahahaaa...

:-D))

Judi G., You said "I was struck personally by the comment"..... It was me who said that those not being citizens should not be so brazen as to protest in a country which is not their natural home. Seems logical and rational to me since our Earth is organized by countries. The fact that we exist gives us the right to protest but it seems to me that that protest needs to be heard and directed at the right political structures and leaders.
I wouldn't think that what I said would require such as explanation as it's just common sense based on the current divisions we live under.
What strikes you about it?

When you are not a citizen, it almost seems to me like manipulation of a democracy....The American Democracy.

Maybe I really should just cool it for a while as it was certainly never my intention to offend one person, now I have offended two. And I never really say that much when I do talk here.

I am sorry to all. I will just need to edit my writing and tone more I guess. Something that I am careful about but apparently not enough.

I'll be back later when the topic changes to something other than immigration.

Beverly, your fine. There's a lot of misunderstanding going on here now in all camps.

Everyone needs to chill, stop bashing, berating, and pointing fingers. We're all here because we share strong beliefs, spiritually and politically, not to get all in a tizzy because we do sometimes have differing opinions.

(((((((Group Hug)))))))

It's official! I start my new job Monday!!!! Just got the call and the wierdest part of it all is I got laid off two years ago today.

We the People

http://www.school-house-rock.com/Prea.html

Let's hear it for Cybear! Hooray! Way to go! Giddyup!

Oh, and congratulations, too. Wonderful news. And what timing.

Cybear, congrats to you and Monday is right around the corner! Good for you! Pallas1800 and Pat C, thanks for your support ... I missed the part where I was called a racist. What a hoot! I guess it takes one to know one.

Jo, I apologize if I offended you - what you posted got me thinking and since I was reading fast I assumed you had written it and didn't notice it was an article you posted. It wasn't a personal attack against you so I am not sure why you re belabouring the point by posting the article twice and calling me on it twice. Get a life.

Little Moon, I meant no offense to you either. But surely you know as well as I do that not everybody who is here in the U.S. is as independent as you, as proud to be an american, as resourceful, etc. Since what I was describing wasn't you - why did you take offense?

We all know the dirty little secret of people signing up for benefits they aren't entitled to have and people who are gaming the system. I live in Miami, Florida and I see it all the time. As an american citizen, do you really think that our system can continue to support those who come and don't contribute as you and your family have and as my family has?

Of course we don't want to generalize, even if sometimes we do to describe what SOME people do. Lots of latinos come to the U.S. and are very successful. Latinos are the largest segment of newly established businesses. Nobody's talking about people who come here to contribute to the system. It's the people who are a drain on the system that worries people. It's the crime from the gangs, the drugs, etc. (not isolated to latino communities by any means so please don't everybody jump up and down like hot wired jelly beans).

For the record, I was born in Chile and hold a U.S. and Chilean passport. I speak english and spanish fluently. I consider myself bi-cultural, was a single parent for 16 years with little support from my ex, don't have a college degree, run my own business, and even when I got fired from my last job never even took unemployment benefits which I was entitled to at the time. I normally root for the underdog (3/2/57 @ 12:20 a.m. Santiago, Chile) and believe in helping those less fortunate - and do.

This has degenerated from a discussion of ideas to unnecessary bashing. Enough.
Have a nice weekend all ...

Cybear, it really is interesting that it came two years to the day. Have you looked at your chart aspects for two years ago and today? That's worth thaking a look at.

I send you my best wishes Cybear. May you truly have fun with this job!

Marta, this issue seems to have infected the civility of good discussion. Pretty strange. I am pretty depressed with what I sense. I hope you keep posting your strength and humor. It's a tonic!

Oh Beverly, I wasn't 'offended'....I am talking about the fact that the kind of situation we are living in now is fascist....and fascism raises its head every so often. I am talking about this: you live in a country, and people in power are passing laws which affect you and you have no say in what is happening. Fer christ;'s sakes, it is happening right now to people who ARE citizens....gay people being the latest group....blacks in the past...(who, btw, even by our enlightened founders were grudgingly given 2/3 of a person citizenship'...it is just a very slipperly slope. We are living ON the slippery slope, and the ability to protest shouldn't be dependent on being a citizen....protest is one of the basic fundamentals of this country.

After reading all the posts, I can only conclude that we all have our own viewpoints based on our own circumstances....but we need to keep history in mind here....Sally is right...look at what happened to all the waves of immigrants over the last 150 years....they were vilified, enslaved (I am not county blacks in this, that came long before), exploited, and some achieved great and significant wealth anyway...they then managed to break the barriers to the prestigious New England Universities....at which point, without exception, each ethnic group voted not to let the NEXT wave of immigrants children into 'their' university....they wanted to close the door and pull up the ladder....!!!! it is fucking incredible.

Humans can be really revolting. Like all the rethugs on the Hill now....and many of the ones known as dems who are essentiially just as repugnant....

As far as I am concerned....we are living in a period of major change...and whether we are citizens or NOT of this country, we are NOT free and we are only dealing in the illusion of freedom. The nice citizens of this country have sold their birthrights for a pot of porridge. In the meantime, the people who have the power to guide the direction this country goes in continue to form the laws in the way they want them to go. Citizen or not, we should all have the right to protest.

Of course, the American Indian population didn't get far with THAT, did they?

((((((((((Beverly))))))))))
Don't go away I too enjoy your posts. And I was just working up to asking if your job was going better?/?
You havn't mentioned it in this last week. I hope that is a
case of "no news is good news"!
And ((((((((((((((Pat C)))))))))) ) Don't you go either. I look forward to your posts!
Don't let's forget that this eclipse was mars oppose pluto; tends to make one testy! ( confrontational & or insecure?)

Go get-um Cybear. I hope it goes very well!

Shylurker, You are so verbally expressive in print. Giddyup said it perfectly! Loved the purification ritual.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now there seems to be talk of Mexico taking back their USA territory. I have the Perfect Solution.
We give back Texas, but keep California, give them Missouri & Alabama instead. Build a fence around Texas and send them George to be King of the territory!
Big Dog will bew on Larry King Live tonight @ 9PM Eastern
PQ

Lou Dobs for President.

For a great laugh at americun cars ...http://totaltactics.org/archives/2006/03/30/heavy-on-the-chevy/

especially Chevy #1

http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/033006/thomas.html

BTW,
I don't know if anyone remembers my first post here.
I copied a forward, unfavorable to Kerry, sent me by my Republican friend, I was outraged & trying to share my outrage, but I think I was perceived as a freeper by some.
I have not succeeded in changing her mind & have backed away from trying, because we share a 66 1/2 year history. So we discuss gardening & woodstoves, and painting. She is the only woman I know who works with a router. ( I have one too, althought the men in my life have scared me from using it. And I don't have a sturdy bench to clamp it to; ..............I will)
If you opened my link about , Seabrook Farms, employing immigrant labour during the 30's 40's & 50's
As it turns out her Father & Grandfather ( Germans) escaped from Russia during the revolution and their fare to America was paid by Charlie Seabrook, to come work on the farm. After he worked off his fare, he went back to his profession cabinetmaking. ( They were in Russia making & selling furniture, I guess because Gernany was in a recession back then?) ( Isn't that why WWI began?)
Ironically her Grandfather, got a splinter from the front porch of his new home, and died from blood poisoning!

Oh for crying out loud! They are accusing ((((((((Jill Carrol)))))))) of having " Stockholm Syndrome". Yesterday she was strong having just left her captorss who treated her well!
After a day with Murikans in Germany she is now in a fragile emotional state! God forbid!~ She has put on weight because her captors urged her to eat! Of course she has put on weight sitting in a little room for months.
Send her strength!
PQ

OOOpps! No offense meant Cybear, & Travieso if you are lurking there................. Not writing you off we'll find a way to transport you & your jobs.
My Repub friend is married to a retired Coast Guard & his Dad was Bechtel! She loves her inlaws' says hey are so ..........kind & good.
It's not easy is it?????? Would a Chilean who was paying for every drop of water, feel the same way about them?
PQ

How to get your weekend off to a great start: Go to this site and play "What's under *'s Shirt?"
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2006/03/31/it%e2%80%99s-time-to-play-what%e2%80%99s-under-bush%e2%80%99s-shirt-again/

Pat, I use a router!! It's a great tool. I love working with a few natural elements. There is music there.

Pallas, he's really being a warrior. It's nice to see someone do it who isn't lieing out of both sides of their mough. I also love the work Dean is doing and Clinton is teaming up with him. People need to know they have opportunity, but to sneak in the back door and then demand you run the house their way is pretty bold. There are quite a few people demanding that Mexico take back the southwest. Things look darn "interesting". Around here the latest gang atrocity is to jump a random person and cut off their hands.

Let there be peace.

PS: I am grateful for all the kind words sent to me here.

shy, I think it is something electronic. How about you?

I think the influx of people from Mexico is an old plan. I've heard several well known artists from Mexico talk about it. They say they come in a friendly way, and they hope we give them back their land. They said it can be friendly or not. Anyway, there have been many clues for anyone who cared to listen.

My apologies for the poor typing. There are other things going on around me, and I may be more distracted than I think I am.

Just saw this posted over on Salon.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1179089,00.html

79% approve of guest worker status

One more thing on the legal/illegal immigration issue. I doubt all of the people coming from Mexico want to reclaim land. It's never everyone on any issue, but some do. They probably have plenty of revolutionary aspects in their charts.

Pat

how very very awful. where is that?

Yes - some of the remarks are pretty obvious - "it's our land anyway" - and I guess they're right. If Israel had to give back the land they won in a war...then I guess every country should give back the land they won/took in wars.
makes sense to me. :)
-------
The NSA hearing being replayed now on C Span.

we should all be calling Graham, and Cornyn, and Spector and the rest of them and telling them
"Shame On You - it's obvious you're against the Constitution and for dictatorship"

___________

I notice the people being attacked here are apologizing. I wish you would stop it. The attackers should be apologizing for their bad behavior.

to quote what was said to me, without follow up with apology " I've had just about enough of you" so I repeat it.

I've had enough of the bullying going on here. And I'm not going to apologize for saying it.

Beverly - Marta - Pat - Cybear (have I left any of the recent victims out?) don;t let others suppress you - if they continue in that manner, there won't be much left here.

Okay, Russ Feingold for president,

Lou Dobbs for Sec of Treasury

John Edwards for veep

Whatever happened to " The Liberal Party" ?

Will all Liberals vote as Independents now -

cause I sure am not going to vote for democrats

Pallas, check your mail.

From Columbian:

http://english.people.com.cn/200603/29/eng20060329_254403.html

Senior military officer says China-Russia military cooperation important

The Sino-Russian military cooperation is important for improving bilateral relations and safeguarding regional and international security under the complex international situation, a senior People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer said Wednesday in Beijing.

The two countries have continued to expand military cooperation in recent years, said Chief of the PLA General Staff Liang Guanglie in a meeting with Alexei Maslov, commander-in-chief of the land forces of the Russian Armed Forces and his party.

Liang spoke highly of the military exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. The staff of the two general have carried out effective strategic consultations, Liang added.

Maslov said the Russian side is taking a positive attitude toward the growth of friendly cooperation with the PLA, and that it is ready to work for beefing up cooperation between the land forces of the two militaries.

* [Pink supremacist geezer] chirac Offers Labor Law Compromise; Protesters Reject It

Seeking to defuse a growing revolt that has paralyzed his govt, Prez jChirac offered a ["compromise"] on Fri, saying in a nationwide address that he wld soften a divisive new labor law & calling on student/trade union leaders to begin constructive talks.

His offer was swiftly rejected, & after the speech several 1000 young people spilled into the streets in a spontaneous march that wound its way thru central Paris. The protesters, who first tried to approach Élysée Palace, eventually made their way to the Sorbonne, in the Latin Qtr, where they were dispersed by police officers firing tear gas.

In his [blather], Mr chirac was adamant that he wld carry out the new law, which will create job contracts giving employers the right to fire workers 25 & under w/o cause during a trial period on the job. "The Parliament, the country's ["white" elite] ["elected"] officials, have passed the law," he [whined]. "In a [fascist] democracy, that has a meaning & must be respected." ... http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/world/europe/01france.html

* New Hampshire audit: church didn't ensure checks

Efforts by the state's Roman Catholic diocese to protect minors from sexual abuse have failed to make sure all workers, volunteers & clergy have passed criminal background cks, according to a newly released state audit. ... The church also was faulted for inadequately monitoring a priest who was removed last year after being accused of viewing online pornography. He is being investigated because some of the pornography might have involved children. The state also is investigating whether the diocese violated the 2002 agreement by not reporting the case to the state. Delker said his office only learned of this priest from the auditors. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Church_Audit_New_Hampshire.html

Old supremacist peckers abound & never cease their pecking.

* bush Departs Mexico With Immigration Unresolved

The US & its N American neighbors sought w/o success today to ease the diplomatic irritants that con't to trouble their cross-border relations — with immigration atop the list.

[rez-rot] & his counterparts, Mexican Pres vFox & Canadian PM sHarper, ended a day & a half of mtgs agreeing to enhance economic cooperation. But bush & Harper made it clear that they had been unable to narrow differences over whether all visitors to the US—incl those from Canada—will be required to produce passports or similar govt-issued tamperproof docs before entering the country. ... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-033106bushmex_lat,0,3336983.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Anybody watching John Dean talking to the Justice Committee in CSpan? It's on now on now on CSpan 1. O, John Dean just finished. Somebody else is talking now.

Time here in Princeton is 10:05 pm 3/31/06.

Beverly don't go. Don't anybody go.

* Immigration debate to pick up over guest workers

Now the ["real"] immigration action starts in the US Senate. Senators who spent the past week clearing their throats will begin voting Mon on amending the biggest immigration bill in a decade. With preliminary debate out of the way, the crucial questions are now front & center.

"The important thing is, we've started the ball rolling," [pink supremacist] Stanislaus County rancher Tom Berryhill said. "We've got this thing going. It might take 2 or 3 Congresses to make it happen, but we've gotten it on the table." A grape grower & state Assembly candidate, Berryhill was working Capitol Hill last wk on behalf of the CA Assn of Winegrape Growers. The farmers support a comprehensive plan that includes agricultural guest workers. ... http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=IMMIGRATION-03-31-06&cat=AN

* Punish Illegal Immigrants? Welcome Them as Future Citizens? Congress Debates Immigration

I'm Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. Immigration was a major subject as [rez-rot] & Mexican Prez vFox met this wk. They were in Cancun, Mex, joined by the new pm of CAN, sHarper. The N American ["leaders"] also discussed trade & other issues during their 2 dys of mtgs. The 2 [rez & prez] both support the idea of a guest worker program that wld not punish illegal immigrants now in the US. But bush's [necroporn] Party is divided on issues of immigration reform.

The Pew Hispanic Ctr says 56% of illegal immigrants in the US are from Mex. It est that the US has 11-12 mn illegal immigrants. Some other est put the number higher. ... http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-04-01-voa1.cfm

* GOP divided on immigration issue

[necroporns] are split on how to handle illegal immigration - & the approx 7 mn immigrants working here illegally, along with 2 mn stay-at-home mothers & almost 2 mn children here illegally. Undocumented parents also have more than 3 mn US citizen children.

In Dec, the House of Reps passed an "enforcement-only" bill. Rep [jesus-hating xian] jHostettler, R-IN, chairman of the Judiciary subcommittee on immigration & the border, supports it wholeheartedly. That bill calls for a wall or fence across the length of the southern border [paid for how?!?!?]. It wld also make it a felony to overstay a visa or sneak into the country illegally. Those who help illegal immigrants - teaching them English, lvg water in the desert, serving them meals - also cld face felony charges.

This wk, the Senate is debating what kind of law to pass. [Necroporn] Maj Leader [& Shaivo psychic] bFrist introduced an "enforcement-only" bill. But [necroporns] & Dems in the Senate's judiciary committee compromised on a bill closer to [rez]'s proposal, which wld provide 6 yrs' worth of work visas for workers who are already here, & allow their families to stay here with them. ... http://www.courierpress.com/ecp/news/article/0,1626,ECP_734_4584662,00.html

OMG....I just saw an albino smirking chimp on Larry King...!!!!who the bejebus is Hugh Hewitt and when can he be put in a zoo cage so he can smirk at the zoo animals? What a slimy pack of conservative crap. I think his 1000 watt smirk outdoes PreZ's.

And hey, I want to put in a good word for triangulation....since so many people here express disdain for Clinton's triangulation problem....triangulation is a hell of a lot better than black OR white, and is a function of a much higher intelligence than the demand for a yes or no answer (I could triangulate quite easily myself on Austria and freedom of speech and holocaust deniers)....there are no easy answers with this stuff anymore, and I think Clinton on the Baseball drugging issue triangulated beautifully. As he said....all of a sudden a book comes out and we have national hearings? How do you hold people to a higher standard (or as Big Dawg said, 'look down your nose' )before there even WERE standards, especially since Baseball has done its damndest to slide away from any committment to a standard? HUH? well, let me tell you a little about the Bay Area where this happened...and how much certain groups of people hate Barry Bonds. Especially people whose kids weren't as talented as he was at Serra High School...because there is a huge number of baseball people here who are white and conservative and hate Barry because he doesn't cozy up to anyone....but that is Barry (he definitely must have a Saturn element in his chart). This stings a bit for me because I like him)....and I understand the pressures he has been under since he came here....and I also realize people HATE people who won't play the smoozing game...hey, you , boy, perform for me....(and I also remember coming to SF and finding out that black folk like the new rising baseball star Willie Mays couldn't buy a home in Burlingame/ Hillsborough (where I lived), as the unwritten law was NEVER sell to a black person.)

The worst thing is, Jeff Novitsky who is the IRS investigator who found all this stuff out is the husband of a close friend of my daughter in law. I've met him....and I am scared to death to find out that he may bepart of something worse than just his job as an IRS investigator (but no one will speak a word about it as a family). As Clinton brought up on Larry King...George Miller is heading this investigation and he's a fair man (unlike the nazi rethugs who are wining about poor deLay being a victim). I can only hope that this truly was ONLY a tax evasion case which has gone into a more lucrative (for the writers) deal....and not a witch hunt. We are in the time of witch hunts....again.

Randi Rhodes and Ed Shultz leveled the shril voiced Martha Mayhem or whatever her name is.....the Smirk and the Voice....ai aiayi yi.

* If you want to get better - don't say a little prayer

The Guardian

If a religious person offers to pray for you next time you fall ill, you may wish politely to ask them not to bother. The largest scientific study into the health effects of prayer seems to suggest it may make matters worse.

2/3 of Americans & more than a qtr of British people say they pray regularly, but the study, which took almost a decade & cost $2.4m (£1.4m) suggested that they may be wasting their time. It found that patients undergoing heart surgery did no better when they were prayed for by people unknown to them than those who rec'd no prayers. But 59% of those patients who were told they were definitely being prayed for developed complications, compared with 52% of those who had been told it was just a possibility. ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1744493,00.html

Quick! Here's a very surreal pic of the pope. http://www.cnn.com/

Joanna, I heard that on the radio today, and it cracked me up....I have a friend who keeps saying to me "I'm praying for you" and I keep saying to myself, NOOOOOOOO please don't....!

To be fair, it is because the energy training I had didn't include THAT kind of prayer.....what we were taught was to get everyone's energy the hell OUT of the sick person (including the doctor's expectations), so they could be able to heal themselves....so, maybe that works...sending prayers....or angels, or how about some great blue fairies...but PLEASE don't tell the person....!!! I second that.

Where's Beverly going? I just quickly scanned through posts above and people are mentioning Beverly going somewhere. Don't go away, Beverly. Please. And, if you would, I'd appreciate hearing about how this week went for you.

Joanna...they changed the picture of the pope from earlier today! hahahah...weird! it was a different one this afternoon...hey, do you think all the world praying for the pope actually KILLED him?

Shylurker, I haven't been able to follow half of these conversations....I have no idea about Beverly leaving or anyone else leaving...in fact, I never figured out why jm left....it is like stuff gets cut out....some people read things and others don't, or they get posted after you write something. gets confusing.

So I'm just writing to myself at this point....who cares about anyone else? heheheh...half of the stuff that goes on here (and this is so totally mild compared to the A hole freeper sites) is like poking a sea anenome....the thing immediately closes up and retreats. We are ALL stimulus - response creatures basically. Pavlovian dogs...(GOP figured that out 20 years ago, so why would anyone be surprised that the new lexicon of trigger words they invented stimulated 51% of the country to vote Repub?)

Well now, darlin' judi... I kind of like the thot of some blue fairies but mebbe make 'em big & fat & funny. That might work. And you're correct... don't tell anybody. "I'll pray for you" always seemed to me to be a "filler" for a lull in a conversation with a person... you know, like an "uh-um" or "you know" or "okay?!" or "like" when a speaker is uncomfortable with its surroundings. ;O)

Did you see the pope pic?

"Joanna...they changed the picture of the pope from earlier today! hahahah...weird! it was a different one this afternoon...hey, do you think all the world praying for the pope actually KILLED him?"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! Miss judi... you're killin' me!!!!

That's how all the Mighty & Powerful & Supreme WarGeezers end up... but usually crumpled us (with his Giant Phallus turned once more into a decent-sized cliteris) in a bed with an attendant Hispanic or Black young woman, who, fortunately for him, MAY BE compassionate. But the Supremacist itself?!? It never EVER learns.

don't feel like writing much lately but I've been paying attention, so I'll tell you Judi that jm said a quick by and took her exit to go work on her career (I think that's what she said). Hope some great opportunity came up or is on the horizon for her.

Joanna, yeh... Clinton said in no uncertain terms the house bill was punitive.

Geez....anyone who has lived in CA knows that immigration issues are ALWAYS brought up to win Rethug seats....and it ALWAYS is brought up by rethug thugs in the most punitive way. I am objecting to this punitive stuff...I am NOT saying it isn't an issue. Martha Shrill Voice trilled on about how IMMIGRATION was going to be THE ISSUE in 2006...and anyone who isn't onboard with anti immigration staus will NOT get elected...

Everyone get the picture? This is a political wedge issue. Our gov from the 1980's Pete Wilson fanned that flame WAY high and got CA to pass an anti immigration bill instead of finding a wqy to make MEXICO work out problems with the various states and feds. Of course, that would mean the states and feds would have to do something more than POSTURE and THREATEN.

Necroporns.....could term. that grim faced prick Wilson was one of the biggest (he also was behind Grey Davis being recalled and Ahnold ascendency). Just proves you can fool most of the people all of the time.

Please see what I am saying...why is this an issue now? because of IRAQ being an incredible mess...that is why.

And because MEXICO is responsible for sweeping people north...that is why.

If I understood poetry at all, and I don't have a particular insight at all into it, I would wonder why fences make good neighbors was posted....got any ideas? Just an interesting piece of trivia ? Or what? I am confused....(fences keep your dogs from running wild....I happened to grow up in Hawaii where you could run thru peoples yards or thru their houses, since no one locked doors....)

I HATE the attitudes on the "Mainland"...I HATE them sometimes...mean, vindictive, anti life attitudes. Fences don't make good neighbors....people make good neighbors. Do you think that might be a good point?

PS...what is the stuff about the pig flying past your window? Shylurker? I know about the 'when pigs fly' but what did it refer to?

"Martha Shrill Voice trilled on about how IMMIGRATION was going to be THE ISSUE in 2006... and anyone who isn't onboard with anti immigration staus will NOT get elected..."

Well (sigh)... perhaps now the gay community will get to have a nice breather at least. "Mine, mine, mine, mine, my, my, mine" is the mantra of the pinkie, ever since they swarmed down... er, immigrated from the far far north of the planet. They can't get along with anybody. Mighty thin-skinned, too.

JudiGem, there are a couple of posts up on dailykos (or were--they may have moved now) about Howard Dean having actually visited with Clinton. The result was that Clinton supports Dean's grassroots approach. You can go back upthread and get the links; I posted one and I think Jo posted another. I don't know what to make of it. I'm hoping it is true and that Clinton will work with the DNC which, in turn, is working vigorously with the grassroots to get people power going again. At the same time, I don't trust Clinton as he is very closely tied to the DLC and that is the organization that seems to have viciously torn Dean down, particularly in Iowa. Dean is no fool. He is an amazing man in that he doggedly pursues the grass-roots concept, regardless of how many knives are stuck in his back. He believes, he is committed and he is one of the greatest patriots of our time. I'm just greatly concerned that the Clintonistas (headed by the Big Dawg himself) will succumb to their usual and this wonderful opportunity will be scuttled either by doing in Dean yet once again or subverting what he's doing. So, I'm waiting for pigs to fly, or, to put it another way, I'm waiting for that horse to fly by and let me and my passionate wish hitch a ride. My passionate wish: I want my country back.

Hahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!

* Christ Weary of Terri Schiavo's Mouldering Corpse & the "Power" of Prayer:

By the end of her balloon-smilin' life, Terri Schiavo was, more or less, a zombie. In fact, if her gelatinous muscles & bones had been able to create mobility, she probably wld have risen to eat the brains of the opportunists, hucksters, & losers gathered outside her hospice to pray for her recovery. Oh, what a glorious scene that wld have been, the welcome, open arms of Randall Terry embracing the staggering Schiavo as she ripped his scalp open with her teeth & dined on the yummy goo within. God workin' in such mysterious ways, you know.

But, no, Schiavo died today a year ago. And it's particularly sad to note the ways in which right wingers are memorializing her (or, indeed, that they are memorializing her at all, as if she belonged to them). 'Cause, see, it ain't the living Terri Schiavo that's bein' remembered. It's the bed-bound pile of goo that Schiavo was when her body finally shut down after her feeding tube was removed that's gettin' all the flowers & accolades. And that's a damn shame, because she wldn't have noticed at all. Apparently, these people never read the autopsy or they simply don't believe in science. ... http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2006/03/christ-weary-of-terri-schiavos.html

Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch, but that's gross, JoannaO. Please, let that poor woman be in peace now, let no one else use her. May her soul waft out into the boundless universe and be enveloped by calm and quiet.

Hmmmmm, well I have a neighbor who cuts down my trees to expand his land. He does that to all his neighbors. Now I didn't put up a fence, but I planted a line of trees that look like a fence, so now he has swings sets, truck caps and various other peices of junk displayed right on the property line. I guess I just should have let him have the land. He would have been happier.

Hmmmm. This sounds familiar, somehow. Pat C., dig down deep on your side of the property line and put in a good, solid subterranean concrete fence. Then plant running bamboo on the side of the fence that faces his property. And let nature take its course.

* Venezuela Takes on Exxon Mobil in Oil Play

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela had a blunt message this week for Exxon Mobil, one of the world's most powerful oil companies: Get off my crude-rich turf. [WhaddaHOOT!!!!!!]

Venezuela is tightening its squeeze on the oil industry, telling oil companies to give the state a greater share of profits — or get out.

Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez on Wed said Exxon Mobil Corp was one of the companies that wld "prefer to leave ... rather than adjust" to recent policy changes. "We said we don't want them to be here then," Ramirez told the state TV broadcaster adding, if "we need them, we'll call them." Exxon Mobil indicated Thur it had no plans to pull out. "ExxonMobil de Venezuela con't to have a long-term perspective of its activities in Venezuela," it said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

The flap helped push the price of oil above $67/bbl on the NY Mercantile Exchange on Thur as the market reacted to the latest sign of tighter state-control of energy around the globe.

Venezuela is taking on Big Oil at a time when rising oil prices, political instability in the Mideast & Nigeria & new buyers in Asia have put the world's 5th-largest oil exporter in a winning position. After snubbing Exxon Mobil, Ramirez said Venezuela has other eager partners, incl state companies from Russia, Iran, China, India, awa traditional oil companies. ... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060330/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_oil_offensive_3

;O) ;O) ;O)

That's a really good idea shy! Hmmmm!

"Please, let that poor woman be in peace now, let no one else use her. May her soul waft out into the boundless universe and be enveloped by calm and quiet."

I'm sure I cannot let the poor woman be in peace now or ever. I'm really not that powerful, shy. But I think the Rude Pundit does have very valid points. Did you read the whole piece?

No, JoannaO, I didn't read the whole piece. I didn't have enough smelling salts to get through the first paragraph. Mebbe someday.

At the rate things are going it might be a good idea to learn to speak Mandarin, along with Spanish. South America and Mexico are all playing strong games of footsie with China. If you think this government is scary, wait til you meet the Chinese government.

Now you know why the neocons were attacking Chavez. If we weren't so busy destroying Iraq for Conoco and Exxon and BP etc, we'd be invading
Venezuela for Exxon. It's a good reminder of whose pulling the strings round the world. Of course the black bag boys will probably be making trips there... I'd like to see all oil nationalized. That would be a beginning of getting rid of the greedy bastids who now call themselves "multinationals".

March 31, 2006 | More on Retrogrades

ACTUALLY I noticed the time period between December 2005 and March 2006 when I was working on Bridge to the Core. At that point, I was very glad it was a year away. Today, I am happy it's behind us. Of course, Mars retrograde in Taurus was at that point only six months away. And that looked formidable. But alas, we have come out on the other side, for the most part no worse for the wear, and a lot smarter.

Retrograde inner planets are some of the most challenging experiences in astrology, at least in my experience. But like any astrological process, they represent a vital time of clearing, review, changing the patterns of our lives, and making decisions.

Extreme emphasis is placed on one house and one sign (though sometimes they cross over to the their neighboring house and sign) and that allows, indeed, compels us to focus. In a sense, we get inner planets acting a lot more like outer planets, because they move so slowly and spend so much time in stationary position.

Outer planets do this all the time. They are so far away that their retrogrades occur every year for much of the year, and we are accustomed to that feeling of slow, agonizing stationary non-movement as part of their normal process. For sure, I think that the outer planets would be a lot more challenging to deal with if they went faster. Taking it slow gives us time to get a handle on the issues, feelings, subject matter and the potentials we're being offered.

The stage now shifts to some pretty significant outer planet events, principally the next approach of Saturn opposite Neptune. We have begun that process, which arrived with news like the big hurricanes last year, but also a general slow, gradual Neptune-styled awakening. I think for our era, Saturn opposite Neptune may be just what the cosmic doctor ordered. Neptune in Aquarius has most definitely been for the most part a long phase dominated by the drugs of television and religion.

Add a little Saturn in Leo to that, and you get something solid; something meaningfully individual; something with a bit of substance.

For those curious about retrograde planets, here is a compilation. ... http://planetwaves.net/

Pallas this group of, what can I call them that isn't profane, bastids will work, have the foreign policy abilities of a baboon with a migraine. They've made sure we are hated by everyone. I have to wonder how Clinton would have handled Chavez, and the immigration situation. While I'm very suspicious of Clinton and NAFTA, he knew how to talk to people.

Steve Judd...

1 April - Too many people are going outdoors and spending too long looking at the sky through funny coloured glasses. Not only is this bad for the economy, it looks stupid and it’s certainly not cool. It’s rumoured that staring at eclipses brings people closer in touch with their inner spirits, and we can’t have that now, can we. The Minister for Astrology, Mr Patric ‘Aristotle’ Moor has decreed that from now on, all solar eclipses will only be permissible at night, and lunar eclipses only permissible in the day. Any stars twinkling without a permit will be relegated to black hole status and from now on the Sun will revolve around the Earth. Finally, as of today’s date (hint), anyone caught looking at the heavens illegally will be deemed to be an astronomical terrorist and rendered into the clutches of the inquisition for re-education.

[Hahahaaaa!!]

Daylight "Savings" starts Sat night! Spring forward.

Well, I'm ready to spring forward.

Judi gemini, my good pal.
With all the information you've sent my way I felt the urge to pop in and satisfy your curiosity.
Sharon was right. I took a quick exit to devote myself entirely to my work for awhile, as my second Saturn return has arrived and Pluto is inching toward my MC. I've gotten a lot accomplished so I have a free moment to update.

I'm a one woman show, song and keyboard artist, and I have three drum machines on which I create all my rhythms. I write all my songs and do all my arrangements, plus sew my own stage clothes. It's almost more than I can handle, very time consuming (especially the sewing), but it is all part of my Aries solo statement. Much work ahead.

Admittedly, I can easily succumb to ultra heavy posting with my Gemini stellium in the third opposing Jupiter. It is undeniably fun. It's up to me to keep the lid on it and sometimes abstinence is the only way, when, as Sally says, Saturn is in the neighborhood.
Ideally, and soon Saturn will be opposing our beloved Neptune, maybe I can stop before total immersion in the waters and marry this endlessly interesting conversation with my work in some reasonable, successful fashion, speaking of sewing.

I'll give it the old college try.

Another reason I couldn't resist the urge is because of the pleasure I experienced upon absorbing Art's beautifully expressed article. It's the kind of astrology I love.

I've been thinking a lot about the Neptune transit of Aquarius and the mutual reception with Uranus in Pisces, North Node soon to join with. This is part of why I think discovery is on the scene. If there ever was a configuration for man's imagination and inventiveness, this is it. I think it is affecting our political problems and solutions as well, which is why we are still confused. It's the same old situations, but new solutions are beckoning, especially with the advent of cyberspace communication. It is all so invigoratingly new. We are in uncharted territory and need to trust time now as we learn the lay of the land.

As far as interpersonal spats go, the ones here are mild considering the Sun and North Node are in Aries. Taurus will settle us all down.

jm, what a nice surprise...I never could figure out what the hell happened...all of a sudden you packed your metaphorical and physical bags and poof! gone....

I have been considering how little art work I've gotten done and feel the need to focus on some things myself....maybe treat AW like chocolate....you know, good for your heart but don't overdo it.

Clinton talked tonight about his year old initiative to irradicate poverty (hopefully, some of that expertise being gathered will be used in this country, too...! surely it will be needed by the time the bushiustas are finished with it...anyway....this is a brilliant man. I 've never been suspicious of him, and I think he was extremely badly treated as president by DC insiders...as was Carter. Vicious people they are. That doesn't mean I've agreed with him on everything....but he also had a learning curve to deal with and not ready for prime time players, too....there was no 'dynasty' with Clinton to draw on...infact, he 'interrupted' the current dynasty's drive for 16 years of power. For that alone we should get on OUR collective kneew, so to speak. I do not believe most of the vicious stuff circulated about either of the Clintons...and Shy, Clinton really started the DLC....so he is a lot more important than just someone 'involved'....I do believe that he will back Dean if he said he would. He ISN"T stupid. The crap that has been said about them is just puke provoking ...

Joanna, I laughed so hard at that Terri Shiavo piece...Night of the Living Dead all right...that's some good writing. I love the rude pundit. And that phrase Shy used...Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch...that made me laugh...never heard that one before, sounds pretty graphic....pigs flying and JC on a trailer hitch...we're rockin' tonight.

jm...I am in awe of what you are doing...including sewing your own clothes. That part I could do...but the rest of it....! wow...

As I said before about the fences....it is good people who make good neighbors....it is the assholes who get bamboo planted! I doubt bamboo would grow well along the desert borders....

Joanna...you've outdone yourself on the pope...! perhaps he and Teri Shiavo are hitched up now....

Pallas,

is this the Dr you were thinking of?

Welcome to Burzynski Clinic - Houston Texas - Offering Cancer treatments. http://www.cancermed.com

Then there's Dr. Budwig and the cottage cheese/flaxseedoil cancer cure

Also there's Dr. Hulda Clark who has a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, called Century Nutrition, where she treats mostly terminal cancer and AIDS patients. ...
http://www.drclark.net/cancer/cancer_start.htm

Great piece here Sally.. Thanks for all you do.

Another Sally

Great great idea, judi. AW and chocolate. A delicious treat after working hard.

Saaaay... nice to "see" you again jm! I was thinking about you today, & here you are. And why does it coincide with April FOOLS Day today? TaHA! The reason why is that Fools are sacred & divine.

I was thinking today (& it's 2:46 am here right now--can't sleep) how much folks pass off Belief as tried n' true data. They ain't. Then I thot how much of one's life is passed in diddly head constructed Beliefs that have nothin' to do with nothin' & for which we kill wholesale. There MUST be divine intervention because human becomings have lasted this long. It's a miracle! WhaddaHOOT!

judi, dear... glad somebody enjoys the Rude Pundit as much as I. He/she is as curmudgeon as myself & I like that.

Back to the Fool or foolish, we all meet that criteria I think... at least I do. In the Tarot, it's the beginning card with a big fat zero. It's about to walk off a considerable clift. That's these times all right. Nothing will go back to the way it was... nothing. No sense at all in holding on to old ways/old days... which wld be foolish. And the only thing allow as baggage is that tiny little thing on the end of his/her stick... one's experiences... not beliefs. When I can tap into that neptune/aquarius in mutual with uranus/pisces, it's an enormous help in Letting Go & then I'm merely a Divine Fool... & what relief!!! I don't have to be "in charge" anymore. Foolish, foolish, foolish... TaHA FaLA! Merry April Fool's Day everyone! Bright Blessings!!

YUUUUUMMMMMM... chocolate!!

Ohmy... that's me the last 3 posts (as if nobody could guess the particular blabbermouth)

That is so funny, Joanna. I didn't even connect it but it makes perfect sense. So many, including my dark, philosophical Eastern European, brilliant mother warned me that my my foolish bubble would burst. So far it hasn't, although these recent political events have threatened.

It's 4:27 here and while battling with elastic I poked myself with my everloving seam ripper and decided to take a break.

I love the fool card. All the infinite possibility it represents and the openness and enthusiasm for experience. Like Aries too. That was a good description, Joanna. Charlie Chaplin did a skating sequence in his great movie, City Lights, that perfectly depicts this as he circles with abandon and confidence on the edge of a many story drop in the department store at night by himself. So adorable.

Happy April Fool's Day and Daylight Savings time to all!

The post above that links to http://planetwaves.net/ has a breaking news item (posted after the retrograde article) stating that bush is going to admit planned demolition of WTC. It reads like a joke and i cant imagine that EVER happening. What is the reliability of this site?!?!

Oh, i get it probably an April Fool's joke

I wonder what Bill Clinton is really up to? Has he really been assimilated into the Bush Borg since vanquishing the father of the current problem? He seems a bit too "street smart" to be so easily deceived, even by that cunning, two-faced devil himself, George Herbert Walker Bush.

Maybe it's as the old addage goes, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer? I think maybe he's been manipulating the Bush Crime Family and their backers to give Hilary a chance at the presidency, with the hopes that he can also step back onto the scene in a big way.

I don't know. I don't actually dislike the guy, and the years of his presidency were some of the most prosperous, optimistic and hopeful that I have ever known. At the same time, I just don't know if he's liberal enough for our times, and for what lies ahead. If all Clinton could do was spare us the onslaught of the Bush/NeoCon/Corporatist Catastrophe for 8 years without sending a vanquishing tsunami back at them, the disaster that followed reduced his presidency to a mere interlude in the middle of a march to destruction, and whatever progressive gains we made during his administration to mere ash and rubble.

What we desperately need is a counter-revolution, doubly as powerful as what the Bankers and Corporate Masters have managed to manipulate together. I think maybe it's time we go after capitalism to send it packing. Or at least to severly cripple it as to prevent people like the Bushes, Rockefellers and the abusive, horrifically destructive consolidated power of Big Oil and the Military-Industrial Complex from ever rising again.

Maybe it's time for a new brand of socialism?

Lotta midnight oil burning here!
Hi jm,
Sounds like you are enjoying your career pursuit.

Mercury direct through the 10th house, sextiling or trining my sun, uranus, pluto,neptune NN,,moon, mars,............glimpsed into the past, with enlightening results! At the same time, aspects returning to aspect my grand trines in earth & water
I knew I couldn't just heave out all those boxes of papers, accumulated through 10 years of moving, every year. I opened an unsent letter to a friend from 1997, when I was in college;and read it ....................
a glimpse into HELL! & my Saturn return was the year following! ( planets were in air & fire thru this period, scorching my earth & boiling my water dry!)
Those pinko, supremist, malebot, ( insert JoannaO's best invectives here!) did their best to destroy me!
Med Dr. One a robo female pinkbot clone, & professors, school administrators; not to mention rich spoiled Gen X brats!
HAving NO thyroid gland, I need replacement to function. They had me cut down too low."it's not a diet pill, you'll get osteo!" Your TH tests too high!"
I gained 20 lb in 6 weeks then, & only had $42.00 in food stamps.( don't think I was overeating!).
One professor said I was blocked, another I didn't make good use of my time! ( funny the key to running a successful art business with 2 -6 subcontractors, for 25 years AND raising 2 kids while doing so, was excellent use of time!)
"Cheaper By the Dozen" (the original about a time motion expert) was my defining role model (tho after having the 2nd child I stopped!)
And MSM has defiled THAT story by making Steve Martin a FOOTBALL COACH???? How does that equate with production line efficiency? It doesn't ! BINGO propagandize those kids!!!!
AND I still owe $7,000. & accumulating interest in student loans for the priviledge of being destroyed!

The following year when saturn hit kerplunk! is when I aquired the small debt to the IRS that is a BIG PITA( pain in the A..)
SO anyone who gets miffed on this site...... it "ain't half bad, people here do have a heart! You are helping me to heal!
Judi G On the night of the new moon this month,I dowsed the chart you e-mailed me & came up with
"new business, $$$$.! I think ythis is a real turning point!
PQ

Dear Sally,
As a long time loyal lurker I've enjoyed alot of astrological information and politics. Maybe it's the eclipse, however like a truth serum that has totally brought up to the surface some of the poster's true colors. Division: posters saying rude and prejudice things to one another, back slapped for it and then the rudest being called the 'victims'. I'm wondering if the recent 'build a wall around the yard' topic resonates to anyone else that it is contradictory to the immigrant stance taken here and fought over.
Or is it ok to say and post immflamatory things and links which tells the world what a prejudice mean spirited person you really are then say if we do not like it too bad?

This whole thread is overtaken by personal stories and not much politics and astrology. Those who post all day long need to think about is that really healthy? Is there a saviour issue going on? Do they believe they are saving the world by posting the news? They are just postings not created by the poster. It is not their personal creative writing. Maybe they think they ARE writers posting all day. I get they really avoiding their own lives.
'Get a life', indeed.

There are parasites on your ship Sally and it's been so long that it's hard to see.
I'm jumping ship, but since I've never posted before this take over to was once a dynamite , informative site, it won't matter. Just tuning out the dull self-invovled posts. Maybe your posters who can see themselves in this can email each other privately about personal lives. With all the invasion of privacy by the * admin. why would anyone tell so much about themselves to the world? Never realized I"d be running from a cyber coffee (dinner, breakfast, lunch, all the time) klatch.

Thanks Sally, you have a good thing going, just needs a Spring Clean.

Pat Sharp... Certainly hope this is a 'turning point' for you... you have had a rough patch, haven't you?

Judi Gem... it was I who posted Frost's poem about fences/walls... I assumed most were familar with the piece... I studied it in high school... you know - back when the dinosaurs roamed the planet! I assumed most were familar with it... sorry for making that assumption. The piece is about a neighbor who thinks the wall is necessary and Frost who thinks they are not... two different points of view... there is much talk amongst the Repugs in particular and others also about a 'wall' between the USA and Mexico being necessary... I posted it to provoke thought... on hindsight, it was probably not a good decision.

Well, hello, jm! So very nice to see you again and it's wonderful to know how well things are going for you. Hot diggity!

JoannaO, I appreciate your apparent forbearance. I did not intend to offend at all and you seem to have recognized that. Many thanks.

JudiGem, yes! Let's do all we can to get unity and energy back into the Dems and keep 'em on the straight and narrow and focused on taking this country back. I'm hoping this eclipse, with Pluto to the galactic center, will provide the opportunity. We just all got to pull together!

Well, I gotta go saddle up Wishes and see what encouragement we can accomplish today.

(Hope this isn't a double post; my first attempt didn't seem to take.)

Karma's coming and it's looking pretty good:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=6381

Shy, it's about time Condi - she of the charmed life - had to face the music. Shunning used to be so effective - maybe it will come into vogue again! The chickens will come home to roost.

jm, wow! Sounds like you are beautifully, creatively, busy! Good for you!

Pat Sharp - re. your comment about the water in Chile ... no. Thank goodness it was Bolivia. I saw a documentary on what Bechtel did over their with the water privatization thing and was totally shocked to hear that when they privatized the water, it meant ALL WATER. Nobody could take water from a river or lake, they couldn't have a cistern to catch rainwater ... it was against the law. ALL WATER WAS PRIVATIZED. That's why the peasants revolted (AWE-INSPIRING). I have alot of admiration for EVO MORALES, the new Bolivian president. He went to the inauguration of the new Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, as did Hugo Chavez (who I also have alot of admiration for standing up to the Exxons and Bushes of the world). Anyway, you can imagine the scene ... since the U.S. was represented as well ... Evo and Hugo and the U.S. present at the inauguration of the first woman President (elected, not selected) of Chile, a leftist to boot! all in one little sandbox and everybody has to play nice-nice. What an amusing irony ... :)

It's a beautiful day!

Googleing "Who owns water" is darn interesting.

......

http://www.stariq.com/MarketWeek.HTM

snip

Long-Term Thoughts:

Once again the news is punctuated with themes of the forthcoming Saturn-Neptune opposition. This aspect is officially in effect August 2006-June 2007, but its influence may be noted in current affairs up to nine months before and nine months afterwards. As discussed in previous columns, this signature historically coincides with disappointment in one’s leaders -- a time when the world is looking for confident and inspiring leaders, but instead becomes bogged down in scandals involving its leaders, or scapegoats sent in to take the fall for its leaders.

Friday’s “Wall Street Journal” was filled with articles displaying great lapse of character and ethical behavior on the part of various government and business leaders. One front page article went into great detail explaining how House majority leader Tom Delay’s powerful empire came crashing down amidst a slew of potential scandals involving Lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Another article relates how computer maker Gateway destroyed evidence in “bad faith” in a patent-infringement case. There were other news articles outlining how the Justice Department went after one of its former star prosecutors, who was critical of the department’s unethical handling of various terrorist-suspect cases. It is part of this trend to not go after the source of the problem of unethical violation, but rather go after the person who points out fault with the leadership.

To say this is a dangerous time to be a “good person,” or to do “the right and honorable thing,” is an understatement -- especially if that action is perceived to be critical of the leadership in any way. It is the same psychology that says you are not patriotic if you voice concerns that may be interpreted as “critical” of one’s government (either you are “with us or against us” attitude). This is so common, and hence so dangerous, during Saturn-Neptune hard aspect periods. It the reason why this year’s mid-term elections in the U.S. are once again likely to be drowned in sensational accusations -- and even blatant lies -- against one’s opponents. And yet during these aspects, the investment community erroneously assumes these matters will just work themselves out, and equity markets tend to rally. Only a year or two later does the full effect of the truth come out, and then the markets fall hard. The last time we had this same aspect was 1971-72. The U.S. stock markets rallied as Richard Nixon easily won his second term as President. But the initial rumblings of the illegal break-in of Democratic offices in the Watergate Apartment complex began to grow and grow, and two years later, he was forced to resign amidst a scandal that could no longer be contained. Stock markets fell hard, but 1-2 years after the aspect and the event that led to his resignation.

And so here we are again, seeing the same Saturn-Neptune themes play out. There are a host of scandals on the horizon involving government leaders everywhere. There are countless examples of ethical violations from leaders who claim to be morally and ethically right, whether liberal or conservative types (conservatives are taking it hardest now, because they are holding the highest offices). And yet it is only through this “moral cleansing” period that we will be able to identify those who truly are honest and ethical. It is a time when heroes can arise, and false idols usually do fall. But willwe be able to know the truth before it is too late? It is unfortunately a time when the “good guys” may be falsely accused and even destroyed by those who truly believe and act as if they are above the law. It all comes out in the next 1-3 years. So watch for the signs, and watch to see how these signs begin to take on a life of their own. As the truth comes out, and the disappointment grows and grows, the stock markets of the world will eventually respond, and then go through their own “moral cleansing.”... More

also long time lurker - - thinking same thing as "have a life" couldnt say it better except to add that i am frankly surprised at some of the vulgarity coming from here of all places. And spraying white light and namaste around doesnt make up for it. it's no more than paying lip service. i find spirituality extremely hard in practice, but it doesnt mean that you cant strive for it. sorry if this sounds preachy - - it's just that i think that the individuals behind the invective and vulgarity are better than their words would imply. Yes the country could be run better, yes we have unbelievable problems now that we didnt have before 1/20/01. But hating people can only belittle our own souls.

Thank you NA. It's good to speak out for a change.
No offense to Sally who provides this great service to the world. But, Sally's garden has many 'plants' in denial. Sad. I'm in High School and know to do better than the dangerous hijinks played out in this weedy garden of victimhood and prejudice and who knows what could be someone's real job. I'm an indigo watching an old fashioned mentality. Not liking it.

Safe journey.

How prepared is your city for an emergency?
What do you know about biohazards?
Questions and answers here at the NW Public Health site Emergency Preparedness link page.
http://www.nwpublichealth.org/current-issue/emergency-preparedness-general-sites
Includes gripping interview of Dr Holden who helped the London bus explosion victims pull through despite having no equipment. http://www.nejm.org/

Neobuckeye

Yes the thought occurs to me also that Bill is buttering Hill's toast for her...perhaps her move to the right in conjunction with Bill;s hobnobbing with bushistas is to gain their approval and support of her (I would say it's not going to work - the gops hate Hillary and love to voice it - although they seem to be laying off Bill since he's hanging out with Pappy).

As far as his reltionship with Dean, I would say it's for the same reason - Hill has lost the left, Dean is the left and the green, so I would think Bill sees it as an opportunity to bring the left, the base, back in to support Hill.

Inotherwords - I agree with you.

We need a third party.

And I' m sorry now that Dean is so tied into the
DNC. When even the commentators are admitting there's no difference between the dems and the gops - you know we have a one party system (as Carville predicted). The only people outside of that seem to be Feingold, Leahy, and a few others.

I''m curious why the independents Jeffords and Sanders didn't stand up with Feingold.

Dear "Other Sally"

yes, that is the cancer doctor Buzursky I was looking for. Thanks for the info. It was very kind of you to search all of that out and I'm sending it to my friend with the "afflicted" husband.

Pat, thanks for the stariq article. It's quite unusual for Ray Merriman to write an article like that. He's usually cut and dry financial with the aspects.....what I didn't like was the timing of his prediction:

"It is unfortunately a time when the “good guys” may be falsely accused and even destroyed by those who truly believe and act as if they are above the law. It all comes out in the next 1-3 years. "

I have thought 2007 would be the end of this nightmare - and he's talking about not one year but three!

Bill Moyers knocks it out of the ballpark like he's never done before (and you know that's saying something):
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/03/22/a_time_for_heresy.php

Hope you can turn lots of people onto this article.

I am sorry about the extreme anger shown yesterday shown on this site regarding the immigration issue. I have been very busy at work and haven't had the time to keep up the last few days. I did see the swearing and thought about stopping it and I have in the past with a great deal of criticism, so given the fear out there in relation to illegal immigrants I thought perhaps people would come to their senses if they had the time to take a deep breath.

I live in a state that has been loaded with illegal immigrants way since before I moved here and I've been here nearly 40 years, we are use to the issue, now more are coming. This isn't going to go away, globalization isn't going to go away anytime soon, but I do know that whatever we think it's going to be or what the so called powers that be think it will gain, it won't. Globalization when the dust settles is going to look very different.

I think what saddens me most is the tendency of the human race to look for scapegoats, someone worse than they. You have it all over the world in every culture and every race, and that human tendency to find others to hate is exploited by those who think they rule the world.

For those who are raging angry over the situation (no matter what side you've taken) and want to express that rage or attack others for their opinions, might I suggest the DU website.

Frankly, it costs me money to keep this website running and money that doesn't come easily for me, I would prefer a more mature response to the issues of the day beside attacking others, debating others in a way that's destructive rather than empowering of each other. Some people don't know how to do that and I try to understand and give some latitude, but I have asked people in the past to leave the site, it's not a thing I like to do, but will.

We are all on a path and most of the time we are running a three legged race trying to get through life, there is so much pain for all of us in this life I don't want this site to add to others pain and when we hurl judgement and anger clothed in intellect we add pain. Let's try to do better.

PS I am also very conscious of the fact that no one on the face of the earth, no matter how enlightened is 100 percent thoughtful or mature 100 percent of the time.

BRAVA! BRAVA! BRAVA!

Yep, let's hear it for Cap'n Sally and all she does for us. Hip Hip Hooray! With much gratitude.

b Buckley Says bush Will Be Judged on Iraq War, Now a `Failure'

Wm F Buckley Jr, the longtime con writer/leader, said gwbush's [rezidency] will be judged entirely by the outcome of a war in Iraq that is now a failure. "Mr bush is in the hands of a fortune that will be unremitting on the point of Iraq," Buckley said in an interview that will air on Bloomberg TV this w/e. "If he'd invented the Bill of Rights it wldn't get him out of his jam." ... http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=anN._IfoJo1M&refer=us

Sally, hopefully labor organizations will prevail, if not maybe the earth will rearrange it all. I am worried about China in particular. I have a feeling which haunts me, but I don't get a settled picture yet.

Richard Cohen: Bush Wanted War

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040106X.shtml

Last week Helen Thomas changed all of the "Bush lied" disputes with a single question, according to Richard Cohen. She asked George Bush why he wanted "to go to war" from the moment he "stepped into the White House," and the president said, "You know, I didn't want war." With that, the last blue-state skeptic folded.

Troubletown
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4095/397/1600/ttown.jpg

I AM BUSH
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4095/397/1600/godofwar.jpg

Thanks Sally for your wisdom and truth. AW is an amazing site and through the years many of us have been extremely grateful for the wonderful community you worked so hard to create here.

In all honesty, the personal vitrole and nastiness that was directed toward those of us who were pro-immigration was so shocking that I found myself stooping to their level with angry retorts. Absolutely not acceptable or excusable I know and for that I truly apologize.

Please believe me when I say it was never my intention to offend or hurt you - or anyone else here for that matter. But I think like Not Alice and Have a Life the time has come for me to move on and try to find a new community where I will feel welcome rather than villified for having a dissenting opinion.

From the heart to all the AW Community - Please Stay Safe, Be Well and Above All Keep The Faith.....

Dang! bobbypins! I was hoping to get to know you a little better. ;O)

Btw, my sun/asc is in libra. The paradox is the lst hse wherein also is jup/merc/juno/mars in scorpio. Makes me an honorary super aries which certainly fits. Ruler venus in sag/2nd hse. I'm a rabid for Social Justice. What might your particulars be, bobbypins, if you don't mind me asking?

I hate it when people cut and run because they can't handle
1) language (If you all are offended by my language, please identify me so that others will not feel 'who are you talking about, me?"...I lived in LA for such a long time, and fuck is a noun, verb, adverb and adjective in LA - get used to it. I'm not going to apologize for offending people with a swear word....where do you live, permanent Disneyland?)

2) anger
3) dark humor
4) any humor
5) or dissent

And I say this coming from a personal viewpoint...and hard old aspects all over the place. The most prominent one being Pluto/CG/and my P of F and progressed ascendant at 26-27 Sag.

I posted for about a week on a Yahoo political site (try that one if you don't like any of the above)....it is run by the iron hand of another Judy. It is also eyecrossingly boring.

Geez Sally....can't we have fun? It isn't ALL the time this happens....

I just got this from a friend in MI who is ret. law enforcement:....DID NAFTA HURT OR HELP WITH ALL THIS ????

Most people link Clinton to NAFTA, BUT IT'S A FACT, that George the FIRST PASSED THE BILL..AND THEN EVEN SIGNED IT..........at the very end of his term........
NAFTA was suppose to have CREATED good paying jobs in Mexico and other Third World Countries...............and we can both agree that it hasn't............

MY focus is...........that management and the Republicans................OUTSOURCE OUR JOBS OUT THE FRONT DOOR.................FOR CHEAPER LABOR COST ( aka Corp Profits ).....and they ALSO WANT TO ALLOW GUEST WORKERS, via the BACK DOOR..............thus eliminating what we know as the WORKING MIDDLE CLASS..............

THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL, IT NO LONGER IS ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR AMERICA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,IT'S NOW ALL ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR CORP. AMERICA.........

I don't know how to slove the problem of the Illegal ALREADY HERE............but I do this problem has been a long time coming...........when I was a rookie cop, I used to catch Illegal Mexicans...and the Border Patrol finally told me this.............they house them, and when they get a Greyhound Bus full, they hire a driver to drive them to Texas................but by the time the bus got to Chicago, it was empty, except for the driver.............so I quit arresting them........

CLINTON GOT HUNG WITH NAFTA, BUT IT REALLY WAS GEO. HW BUSH WHO SIGNED THE BILL


http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104566.html

Paul Krugman | The Road to Dubai
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040106G.shtml
For now, at least, the immigration issue is mainly hurting the Republican Party, which according to Paul Krugman, is divided between those who want to expel immigrants and those who want to exploit them. The only thing the two factions seem to have in common is mean-spiritedness.

NAFTA then CAFTA, then you HAFTA relocate to get a job.

Judi, in light of recent FCC rulings I am uncomfortable OK ing obscene language, I have asked before that harsh language not be used or at least cleaned up a bit. Symbols can convey the same thing such as #@$%@$%^&, people pretty much know what those mean as they do BS, SOB, s..., etc. That's great that you lived in LA and f... was a noun, verb, adverb and adjective but not everyone grew up there and some are offended. My point is trying to value and respect everyone and language seems such a little concession to make and I sure as heck don't live in "permanent Disneyland." People from all over the world use this site including the Middle East and I would prefer they be impressed with the level of knowledge and not our ability to go toe to toe with LA's sailors.

You provide a great deal of solid information that's knowledgeable and helpful I would hate to lose that but if the site becomes too boring without being able to use LA's verbs, adverbs, nouns and adjectives I understand.

So...Jo...since your bring poetry to the party, and Frost is one of the best, I will bring up a book which I read just after I graduated from art school....and is, I think, one of the pivotal book experiences I've had in life...scared to death, too...

By the excellent Gemini, John Hersey (A Bell for Adono, Hiroshima) ...White Lotus.

I think it IS germaine to this discussion....this is the Amazon review page if anyone would like to see why...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568495323/103-6355489-9096616?v=glance&n=283155

My favorite Frost poem, among many is The Secret Sits.

The Secret Sits

We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.

From "A Witness Tree", 1942

Tonight have just skimmed the posts and am so sorry when an AWorlder leaves. On this site there is a wonderful Awareness of the Transcendant All. That awareness, and the diversity of voices expressing it, is truly unique.

E Pluribus Unum (In Many, One) truly could be the motto here. BTW, of course, that is the real motto of the USA--not "In God We Trust"--which was added to our currency during a religious revival in the 19th Century.

During the hippy era I was in college (ten years older than my classmates, because I returned to school after being widowed.) It was an interesting perspective.

Many of the "kids" decried manners as hypocrisy. Although some disagreed with me, they did listen when I proposed that manners are a lubricant that prevents unnecessary friction.

Certainly I need all the manners I can muster because of my flat-footed Moon in Capricorn, cool objective Sun & Mercury in Aquarius, and Venus in headlong Sag. I step on enough toes without meaning to.

Don't want to ramble on too much, but must add that my life experiences have hardened me and sometimes I forget the sensitivities of those not hardened. Also, an awareness of the unseen world implies itself a general sensitivity.

I remember once enthusastically recommending The Godfather as an entertaining movie to a dear couple who lived quietly in the country among a loving extended family. What a mistake I made! They had to leave and one even threw up. Thinking it over--their reaction was more "sane" if you will, than mine. I know about the violence in Shakespeare, etc., but nonetheless, we are 'way too accustomed to violent language and deeds these days, to our detriment.

Went to Peace March today and will post about it later. Please excuse this long post.

I've sent this to so many that I don't know if I've posted it here or not. If so, pls excuse this double post.

We're all used to Bill Moyers hitting 'em out of the ballpark, but with this one he even surpasses himself. I do hope you will forward it on. More and more people need to wake up (to the past as well as the present; after all, one gave birth to the other):
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/03/22/a_time_for_heresy.php

Here's a post over at DU that has lots of info in it. It concerns NAFTA, HAFTA, CAFTA, ARRRRRGTHA, etc.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x816770

Shylurker, wowie zowie! What a post! Thanks! I'm forwarding Moyers' essay on to everybody on my list.

Everybody, today I participated in the Southern Regional March for Peace in Iraq & Justice At Home. I'm not good at estimating crowd numbers, but there were enough people to fill one city block--sidewalks, street, & all.

The participants all appeared to be good ol' Lefties: all ages, poor to upper middle-class income-wise, and roughly 50:50 black/white--but with a good sprinkling of Latinos, Asians and some mid-Easterners.

A Methodist church provided their front lawn for drummers, who were just wonderful, and joined the march as it came by. There was plenty of creativity: a huge "anvil" labeled "debt", giant puppets, great homemade signs, etc.

Of course, I wish there would have also been a large number of people who have never marched before, but they weren't there. One big thing I noticed though--Nobody insulted us or responded angrily. And I mean nobody. That is really interesting.

At the beginning of the Iraq invasion, people would shout at us protesters from their car windows, calling us traitors, etc. None of that today.

Hmmm.

Oh, Barbara, what a great synopsis of the march. Each march for Peace & Justice encourages at least one more, and so we grow and grow and prgress on toward our goal.

Barbara, were you free to march? No fences?

The Only Hope For the World

By Doug Soderstrom, Ph.D.

04/01/06 "ICH" -- -- The world has gotten itself into a real jam. I mean a humdinger of a jam! As in John Paul Sartre's existential drama, No Exit, which so nicely portrays the inescapability of self-chosen evil, the inevitability of a self-made Hell, there seems to be no way out for the world; no way for the inhabitants of planet Earth to escape what appears to be the inevitability of a hell of its own making... World War III!

Of course, as I tell my students.. the history of the world is the history of war, as armed conflict seems to have been a constant companion. From the beginning of time, it appears that we have "been at each other's throats." However, since that fateful day in 1945 when "Little Boy" gave us a glimpse of what was to come, things have never quite been the same. Before Hiroshima, the world was able to deal with man's inhumanity to man, but with the advent of modern nuclear (or in the words of George Walker Bush. "nucular") warfare, things have gone from bad to worse. No longer can we afford to dabble with our weapons of mass destruction. One more mistake, one more miscalculation, and the world will go up in flames!

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12602.htm

Pat C., there were no fences or official interference with the March. But the city of Atlanta itself is a Blue area in a Red state. (Though there are some Republican neighborhoods.) The March ran from the King Center to Piedmont Park and then there was a rally in the Park.

Meant to say earlier, that one of the speakers was a Georgia House Rep from a suburban county widely thought of as conservative. He assured us that it was not only the in-town folks who know that America is on the wrong track.

That sounds so promising Barbara! I havn't been watching any news, and now I'm wondering if it got any press. I hope so. Momentum.

For most of our history we were hunters and gatherers. About 10,000 years ago in different parts of the world people began to domesticate plants and animals.

"Besides malnutrition, starvation, and epidemic diseases, farming helped bring another curse upon humanity: deep class divisions. Hunter-gatherers have little or no stored food, and no concentrated food sources, like an orchard or a herd of cows: they live off the wild plants and animals they obtain each day. Therefore, there can be no kings, no class of social parasites who grow fat on food seized from others. Only in a farming population could a healthy, non-producing elite set itself above the disease-ridden masses.

Archaeologists studying the rise of farming have reconstructed a crucial stage at which we made the worst mistake in human history. Forced to choose between limiting population or trying to increase food production, we chose the latter and ended up with starvation, warfare, and tyranny. Hunter-gatherers practiced the most successful and longest-lasting life style in human history. In contrast, we're still struggling with the mess into which agriculture has tumbled us, and it's unclear whether we can solve it." Jared Diamond: The Worst Mistake
in the History of the Human Race

(Originally published in the May 1987 issue of Discover magazine, found at Iowa State University Agronomy 342 course materials, Ricardo J. Salvador, Associate Professor.)

For thousands of years Beings wandered this land we call America with no notion of ownership. The Europeans wrought division of the land into plots, ownership and 'houses'...

As Michael Moore brings to light in his parody on Stupid White Men... first we were afraid of the Indians, then the Black man... now it's the brown man to the South, and lurking in the shadows, the Chinese for dog's sake...

I'm not advocating we move back into caves or huddle around the campfire... but a shift is coming... just because we have plotted a path for ourselves doesn't mean it is the one we will be taking... the choices we made in the past are moving the events of today... and it will be the same with the choices we make today for the events of tomorrow...

The Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran wrote of many things... here is what he said about 'Houses'...

A mason came forth and said, "Speak to us of Houses."

And he answered and said:

Build of your imaginings a bower in the wilderness ere you build a house within the city walls.

For even as you have home-comings in your twilight, so has the wanderer in you, the ever distant and alone.

Your house is your larger body.

It grows in the sun and sleeps in the stillness of the night; and it is not dreamless.

Does not your house dream? And dreaming, leave the city for grove or hilltop?

Would that I could gather your houses into my hand, and like a sower scatter them in forest and meadow.

Would the valleys were your streets, and the green paths your alleys, that you might seek one another through vineyards, and come with the fragrance of the earth in your garments.

But these things are not yet to be.

In their fear your forefathers gathered you too near together. And that fear shall endure a little longer. A little longer shall your city walls separate your hearths from your fields.

And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?

Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?

Have you remembrances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?

Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?

Tell me, have you these in your houses?

Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and becomes a host, and then a master?

Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge makes puppets of your larger desires.

Though its hands are silken, its heart is of iron.

It lulls you to sleep only to stand by your bed and jeer at the dignity of the flesh.

It makes mock of your sound senses, and lays them in thistledown like fragile vessels.

Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral.

But you, children of space, you restless in rest, you shall not be trapped nor tamed.

Your house shall be not an anchor but a mast.

It shall not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye.

You shall not fold your wings that you may pass through doors, nor bend your heads that they strike not against a ceiling, nor fear to breathe lest walls should crack and fall down.

You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living.

And though of magnificence and splendour, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing.

For that which is boundless in you abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.

Hey ho PQ, Shy and Marta! Swab the decks as this ship's little holes need to be fixed.

I am fascinated as usual as I see the clear signs of Pluto nearing Capricorn and the big changes that are scheduled. The cleaning up of language, the ethical, dignified behavior, correct action, and all of that are on deck as we start to straighten up after this Sagittarian free-for-all. The policing of Cap is also rearing its head as we decide who will have the final authoritative say. Should be quite interesting. Many restrictions will come down, both good and bad. Even I have stopped using some of my favorite off color words with such frequency. And that is a true sign.

The other sign is this immigration thing. No matter what the opinion, it is a portent of the working class struggle against the wealthy. The force has surprised people but you ain't seen nothin' yet. I mean, You have not witnessed anything as of the present time. I must practice my elocution for the upcoming transit.

But at the same time, Neptune will continue in Aquarius, and Uranus will finish up in Pisces and go into Aries as we struggle for identity, autonomy, and originality. The perfect place for this is cyberspace and these differences are just beginning, as people come and go in peace and in huffs. We have the perfect chance to work it out among ourselves in democratic fashion. That word is certainly being bandied about a lot lately. Now we can act on it.

Who will be the authority? Who's to say how much personal information is appropriate? Who's to say how many posts are correct for any one person? Who is to judge the content? Who's to say that a personal altercation should be taken somewhere else? Who will decide?

In the end, we are all free to enter and exit and to skip anything that doesn't interest us. Deliciously free on these forums, free of dictatorship. If we enforce a deletion we might be shortchanging someone else who needs the expression. Certain rules and guidelines will be automatically established as time goes on, and change will undoubtedly be a part of it all. Sally is the moderator and respect for her few rules should be easy. The more we all contribute financially, the more say we should have. And I think it isn't wrong to let our individual desires be known.

Neptune in Aquarius seeks the political ideal and we might as well get going.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060330-091543-8607r

Bacharach releases 'X-rated' protest song

LOS ANGELES, March 30 (UPI) -- Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach's "X-rated" version of his political protest song "Who Are These People?" includes an expletive not heard on the album.

Singer Elvis Costello was very upset when the expletive at the end of the song was edited out of the version on the Grammy-winning album, "At This Time," at the behest of Columbia executives, Bacharach told the Los Angeles Daily News.

"There were mixed feelings in the record company about me, of all people, having something X-rated," Bacharach said. "And the feeling was, 'You're already saying so much about your feelings, why keep the record out of Wal-Mart because of that line?' Not that it's in Wal-Mart."

Bacharach said he decided to send the original "X-rated" version to Apple's iTunes Music Store for download because he "had to say something."

"Things have gotten worse, with more lies, even in the last few weeks," he said. "I don't like to offend. My nature is to try to please everybody.

"What's going on now caught me. I felt I had to say something."

http://www.bacharachonline.com/bacharach_lyrics_chords/at_this_time_lyrics.html

Who Are These People?

Lyrics by Burt Bacharach and Tonio K.

Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
And who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
Make em stop

Who are these people that destroy everything
And sell off the future for whatever it brings
And what kind of leaders can’t admit when they’re wrong?
Make em stop

This stupid mess we’re in just keeps getting worse
So many people dying needlessly
Looks like the liars may inherit the earth
Even pretending to pray
And getting away with it

Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
And who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
We’ve got to make them stop

Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
and who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
Make em stop

See things really have to change
Before it’s too late

Read it and weep weep weep:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=146177980&p=y46y7856x&n=146178589&x=

Perspective always helps:
Our World

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:

There would be:

57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans

52 would be female
48 would be male

70 would be non-white
30 would be white

70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian

89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.

80 would live in substandard housing

70 would be unable to read

50 would suffer from malnutrition

1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth

1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education

1 would own a computer

When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.

The following is also something to ponder...

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

If you can read this, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

http://www.countryjoe.com/crisis.htm#music

* The Road to 2021 - Maya del Mar

THE PLAYERS… We are in the midst of great social change, and it’s time to review coming planetary highlights.

The three outer slow-moving planets form the backdrop for these times. These planets are Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus. They are the energies which correspond with deep changes in consciousness, and major social change. They are makers of history. ... http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/feature.shtml

LETTER FROM STARHAWK, APRIL 2006

by Starhawk

Yesterday was a sad day. The third anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie, crushed by a bulldozer in Rafah, in the Gaza strip. All day the sky glowered, dark and oppressive, while from time to time drenching showers rained down, as if nature herself were weeping.

Three years since Rachel was killed; three years since we opened fire on Iraq. Three years ago, I was in the West Bank, running down to Gaza to support the team that was with Rachel, bank to Nablus to support my friend Neta Gola as she gave birth to her first child, bank to Rafah to support the team that was with Tom Hurndall another young ISM volunteer, when he was shot by an Israeli sniper. Yesterday, I was cleaning mouse shit out of my own pantry, hearing Neta on the radio as I drove down to the city in the pouring rain, talking about the Israeli raid on the police station in Jericho, where she had gone to try once again to intervene in the violence.

http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/feature2.shtml

This is for anyone still believing Clinton passed NAFTA:
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

In three separate ceremonies in the three capitals on Dec. 17, 1992, President Bush, Mexican President Salinas, and Canadian Prime Minister Mulroney signed the historic North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Thanks Judi.

Sally, thanks for the feedback, and I certainly was NOT refering to you living in permanent Disneyland, but the persons that my post was aimed at...those who were objecting to everything that was going on here, and there for, taking a hike to a more accepting blog....

I no longer speak the adjective, adverb noun and verb of LA, but it took long training. I will however continue to speak when I feel the emphasis is needed. Symbols work...but they still reprenst the words, so ....am I not still speaking them? So I think jm for the input also on this problem which has come up before over what is too much....thanks jm!

Interesting Bacharach piece....

I also remember that my artist/writer friend Ann, who was just an artist friend in LA years ago, when people objected to certain tv programs and wanted them banned (and boy, were they mild then!)...wrote a letter to the LA Times which was published in which she gave a long description of a device that could be used to remedy the situation....it was, of course, a description of a hand changing the channel. This is how I knew my friend was also a writer! Which she did become....

OH...Has this been posted yet? http://www.guerrillanews.com/articles/2157/Illegal_Workers_the_Con_s_Secret_Weapon

Libby's Lawyers Want Fitzgerald to Step Down

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040206Y.shtml

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald is narrowing the description of his powers in an effort to counter calls for dismissal of the criminal case he brought against Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff.

Of course they do.

Here's some food for thought. It may affect your
life....

March 2006
Meeting Doctor Doom

Forrest M. Mims III

Copyright 2006 by Forrest M. Mims III.

Recently citizen scientist Forrest Mims told me about a speech he heard at the Texas Academy of Science during which the speaker, a world-renowned ecologist, advocated for the extermination of 90 percent of the human species in a most horrible and painful manner. Apparently at the speaker's direction, the speech was not video taped by the Academy and so Forrest's may be the only record of what was said. Forrest's account of what he witnessed chilled my soul. Astonishingly, Forrest reports that many of the Academy members present gave the speaker a standing ovation. To date, the Academy has not moved to sanction the speaker or distance itself from the speaker's remarks.

If the professional community has lost its sense of moral outrage when one if their own openly calls for the slow and painful extermination of over 5 billion human beings, then it falls upon the amateur community to be the conscience of science.

http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html

I posted a ffew days ago about the death of Caspar Weinberger - and Sally mentioned that Lyn Nofziger died the same day.....well, I sent the obit to an older male friend of mine who is 78 this year (Oct 2) and still is dropping acid and smoking dope.....and although I don't have access or opportunity to do the same, I am presuming that it would have led to a rather laid back response..... I thought it was interesting how my rather neutral statements on Cap Weinberger's death (I knew him as a teen) were compared to my radical liberal friend:

Casper Weinberger was a fascist bastard whose worthless life should have ended in prison.

hahahaha.....Cap nearly destroyed his daughter (my friend) emotionally....why couldn't I have cut thru my own 'nice' crap and said that? I couldn't, even for my friend....not to mention, the damn country...

So there is some value in not being conventional...and speaking ill of the dead.

JC on a trailer hitch (sorry, love, that Shylurker)....OMG, WV.....

gasp.

And here I was going to post about the decline of nutrients in food over the last 50 years (studies just confirmed by a multitude of university studies) by 1/3....

Organic food ....read it and hope you can start getting it at your local outlets and farmer's markets...http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/25/HOG3BHSDPG1.DTL&hw=50+years+of+declining+food+nutrients&sn=001&sc=1000

I just kept thinking, well, that means you have to eat 1/3 more to get the normal compliment of nutrients...no wonder obesity is epidemic...

I went out and bought all organic ingredients and made a good veg stew....and all my hunger disappeared with one normal serving.

Thanks to Monsanto's better way of living, the world is being starved to death in malicious ways....

Let me take a wild guess, wv... the "scientist" was pink-colored & male, yes?

* Bridge march hails justice, voter rights
1000s join Jesse Jackson in crossing river

The Crescent City Connection set the stage Sat for an event that was both protest & voter-rights rally for a celebrity-studded, almost exclusively African-American crowd of 1000s who marched across the bridge, which they consider a symbol of injustice in post-Katrina New Orleans.

The march across the Mississippi River bridge, organized by the Rev Jesse Jackson & his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, was designed as a reminder of an incident on Sept 1, 3 dys after the storm struck, when a large group, mostly black New Orleanians trying to escape the chaos at the Ernest N Morial Convention Ctr by crossing the bridge on foot, was turned back by Gretna police. But a 2nd theme--ensuring that New Orleanians displaced by the storm get to participate in the upcoming municipal elections--dominated the day.

Among the 1000s drawn to the protest was Harrietta Reed, 56, a local woman still living in Houston after losing her home in eastern New Orleans to the floodwaters. ... http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-13/114396672951600.xml

That's correct, judi... people are stuffin' theyselves AND... starvin' to death. There's little or no nutrition in the food, particularly processed foods.

Joanna...the book which really scared me was The Botany of Desire...the section (one of four) was his treatise on Potatoes....

It was written by Michael Pollin...the other sections are wonderful...on tulips and on apples. And I can't remember the 4th one....but on Potatoes, he profiled his experience with Monsanto/potatoes/Idaho farmers being screwed/organic potatoes and the fact that he would NOT eat a potato he grew from Monsanto seed out of fear. What is even more interesting, is that this east coast author was lured out here to U of CA at Davis to teach after this book was published....

OH...funny me, the 4th section was on mari jane!!!!

Barbara...that story of sending a peaceful couple to see the Godfather movie really gets one....you must have just felt terrible. That is one of those things that if I had done it (as I have done other things badly or insensitively), I would once again wake up in a sweat and never be able to get rid of the memory.....but that is what happens when we are only dealing with one level of reality....one layer being, it is a hell of a good movie! ' No blame' on this one (as the I Ching says on certain occassions)

A comment on the slow moving planets (Pluto in this case)....we have just been living thru the era of Pluto moving 'quickly'....going thru a sign in less than 12 years, since it's stay in Virgo from 1958-1971 (? too lazy to look it up)....so we have had Pluto zip thru Virgo, Libra, Scorpio (for me it felt like a million years tho) and now Sag. And now, suddenly...Pluto is going to stay for 16 years......

I think that sense of speeding out of control in Sag and suddenly going into Capricorn will definitly be different energy.

Look at these articles, JudyGem, and you'll see how hard Clinton pushed NAFTA. The initial stuff may have been done by Smirk-Pere, but it was Clinton who championed the thing through the US Congress.
http://www.ilsr.org/columns/1996/11March96.html

http://www.historycentral.com/Documents/Clinton/SigningNaFTA.html

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1994/01/perot.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/trade/stories/tr111893.htm

What a mess. And now, what is the motivation to disassociate Clinton from NAFTA? Very interesting. Lemme know what you think.

Yes,
My 20 lbs. in 6 weeks on too little thyroid meds. also coincided with the advent of processed foods with additives!
As a busy student, on a budget, I ate mostly canned stuff!
PQ

JudiG, here's an article from just three months ago that covers Gore and Dean, too, re NAFTA. Interesting.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/18/81733/7731

Explanation needed please.

I'm receiving gardening books that advertise tomatoes the size of canteloupes and other fruits similarly.

Are these those tampered with engineered seeds?

What are their negative effects?

The ones called something like GMO or something.

What is that please?

_________

Shylurker,

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=146177980&p=y46y7856x&n=146178589&x=

Taylor's killing rampage began with Pappy in office, who did nothing, and continued with Bill in office, who did nothing - and as you said before Taylor is partner to Preacher Robertson in the diamond mines.

Is no one making that public? and shouldn't it be?

And if Iraq is attacked for "his brutality" why did the US not do anything ( I remember Clinton saying if he had known how bad it was he would have done something...which after reading that article you posted I don't believe he couldn't have not known)

I'd like a political explanation of why that was allowed to go on ???? Seems to me worse than anything saddam did.

Shylurker, it isn't anything sinister (that info was sent by a retire cop in MI who sits on a newspaper editorial board, so please don't read too much into it coming my way)...but it is accurate...Clinton didn't sign the law or originate it...perhaps he had to do it....because it was a legal document? I don't know, perhaps he really believes in it? I don't think that means he is part of this cabal, but geez...his major at Oxford (on his Rhodes terms) was international relationships....why do people keep forgetting that? He is seeing things differently, and is currently working at a world level of trying to assist in getting governments, NGOs, and businesses to work on the problems of global poverty. Perhaps it is basically his karma to do this?

and maybe it is the bush family karma to destroy the world? I don't know....do I think they are working together on it? No...because so far I have only seen that Clinton works a certain way....getting different groups together and trying to make things work(he did the SAME thing in Arkansas).....I would imagine whatever opportunism people see in that is his practical mindset as opposed to an idealistic mindset...

Shylurker, here is a question....in 1986 the Democratically controlled Congress passed the act which closed the loopholes in the IRS tax deduction for real estate properties upon which so many tax shelters were based. It was a legal operation, operating within IRS/USA rules.

Did the Democrats (Di FI among them) understand that when they closed those loopholes in the IRS laws, and THEN MADE THE ACTIONS RETROACTIVE ON ALL TAX SHELTERS that it would bankrupt the Savings and Loan industry, and precipitate the huge recession? (Or in my case, cause the IRS to issue a 100% penalty on my investment in a tax shelter recommended by my financial person) for both state and federal taxes, thereby forcing me into bankruptcy, like so many others then? ) The fact that some shady characters (asnd bush family members, and congress people) were involved at the top of these shelters didn't help all the little investors who lost everything, including, like me, their homes?)

Congress passes lots of stuff they haven't thought out....or haven't you noticed?

The fact that all of these have caused problems for working people was predicted....so either the Congress, the presidents (3 if you count #43) and vice presidents (you do the math) have promoted this, as well as leaders from around the world, would you say it is a giant risk they took and it didn't work the way they thought? Or was it a deliberate and cold blooded move to make a new ruling class (which Clinton would never have promoted)... And that we need to go back to the drawing board and make something new happen? Of course, as long as it is only the working people......maybe that won't matter to this bunch.

At some point NAFTA, CAFTA, HAFTA go back to the drawing board, me thinks.

Pallas
Genetically Modified food and Organisims...yep, they have been genetically modified....

Quote from Michael Pollin who wrote the Botany of Desire I mentioned above (the potato thing):
Gardening, as compared to lawn care, tutors us in nature’s ways, fostering an ethic of give and take with respect to the land. Gardens instruct us in the particularities of place. They lessen our dependence on distant sources of energy, technology, food, and, for that matter, interest. For if lawn mowing feels like copying the same sentence over and over, gardening is like writing out new ones, an infinitely variable process of invention and discovery. Gardens also teach the necessary if rather un-American lesson that nature and culture can be compromised, that there might be some middle ground between the lawn and the forest—between those who would complete the conquest of the planet in the name of progress and those who believe it’s time we abdicated our rule and left the earth in the care of its more innocent species. The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.

Author: Pollin, Michael

Attribution: Michael Pollin, U.S. author, journalist, editor. “Why Mow? The Case Against Lawns,” repr. In Best American Essays 1990, Ticknor & Fields (1990).

Shylurker, in the article you posted on the signing of NAFTA agreements, those were SIDE agreements, not the original ones. Apparently all of these presidents were there: Bush 41, Clinton, Carter, Ford and VP gore were present....so they thought it was a pretty important thing...and they were right, it was big. Just in the wrong way.

The MOther JOnes article on Clinton and Nafta...it looks to me like he used the NAFTA agreements to beat Ross Perot back....all politics all the time. Good article, and really enlightening....of course, little Ross was right about Nafta, but speaking for myself, I couldn't stand him.....

That issue was about political survival by any means, not about the merits of NAFTA. I would bet that many people have changed their minds by now on this....I'd bet Carter is sorry he spoke out... (and Clinton couldn't stand Perot personally either; sure would love to know how many of those players realize that they played politics with people's lives? GOP included....).

* Changes in human sex ratio

Usually, the sex ratio (numbers of boys born divided by the numbers of girls born) is slightly greater than one. In fact, world-wide about 106 boys are born for every 100 girls. This number is also reported as the male proportion of total births, or 106/206 = 0.514 = 51.4%.

Several researchers, however, have reported apparent recent declines in the proportion of male births, in the US, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands. These declines have been very small but statistically significant. Fewer boys are being born than would be expected on the basis of the recent historical worldwide average. ... http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/newscience/reproduction/sexratio/sexratio.htm

OK..here is my last post ....I was organizing loose astro charts into a binder when I came across an email from my flower essence friend date Sept 5, 2001.

It was about the Star of David formation with Moon/Venus/Pluto in Fire and Mercury/Saturn and Neptune in Air. It said 'This is a gret energy to begin new undertakings, pojects, what have you...it is also a good time to sign contacts, especially the posperity contact given below....may you make excellent use of this special time. then what followed was a Sacred Prosperity Contract.

My...I did sign it, too....

It really blows my mind....because this sacred contract turned into something else 6 days later. ANd it certainly wasn't properity.

I don't even know if Astroworld existed then....has this every been talked about Sally?

Pallas,
Last year Seminis Seeds sold out to Monsanto, causing a big scramble in the seed world.! They had supplied about 1/3 of the garden seeds suppliers we all use.
Here's a site with safe seed Garden Centers.

Johnny's was targeted earlier this year year by anti-biotech activists in the Northeast, under the umbrella of NERAGE (Northeast Resistance Against Genetic Engineering), for publishing a statement in their 1999 seed catalog suggesting that they might offer genetically engineered varieties in the future. The company received many hundreds of letters from its regular customers and other concerned individuals suggesting that Johnny's had severely damaged its reputation as a supplier to organic growers in the region. Several major growers in New England said they would not buy from Johnny's until they took a firm stand against the use of genetically engineered seeds.
.........................more ( GO New England!)

Other regional companies that have signed the pledge are Fedco Seeds (Maine), Cook's Garden (Vermont), Butterbrooke Farm (Connecticut), Zwann Seeds (Vermont) and the seed saving networks in Maine and Western Massachusetts.
http://www.biotech-info.net/johnnys_seeds_pledge.html
PQ

You know, I am thinking now that we really need to be specific about who we are blaming for what! What seems so overwhelming are the amount of players vying for political power, political privelege, political dominance....and these are groups of people, not just one (yes, I include the Chimp in this)...and political spoils.

The ones who achieve notoraity and fame....they can influence so much....and also be blamed for stuff they haven't done (that just happened in the Dubai ports deal, where Clinton was accused of helping Hillary on the ports deal...when he hadn't even talked to her)...and it seems that odious types can speak truth and the great can do stuff that is odious. I'd sure like it to put blame where it belongs....but that doesn't always mean the people doing this are bad people all the time. I think that is thankfully quite rare.

Pat Sharp, glad you posted this stuff on the seeds. This was a huge part of the expose Pollin wrote on Monsanto's potato blackmail....in The Botany of Desire

JudiGem, I certainly agree about the blame-game. I'm trying to sort all this stuff out myself, which is why I'm posting about it. I think there's enough responsibility (rather than 'blame', ok?), as those posts show, to cover an awful lot of folks thrughout the political spectrum. I appreciate your comments and I'll keep digging until I figure I do understand it all better. The first time Gephardt (sp?) really came to my attention was with the NAFTA thing. I had a tee-vee then and as I recollect there was a big meeting about it. Gephardt said he just didn't know what the thing was about, he couldn't understand it and so didn't know how to vote for it. He was looking (again, if my memory is holding up well enough here) toward Clinton there on the dais, and while they were all smiling, you could see Gephardt was genuinely confused about it. Obviously, as our posts here indicate, we continue to be. Anyhoo, thanks for following-up on my post. My apologies to all who find this boring, but I do think that whole movement (and the Star of David chart is , well, Wow!, JudiGem) was essential for getting us into this global population displacement and shattering of the western middle class we're in now.

JoannaOregon, yet in China too many first born girl babies were killed because in the late 1970s they passed a law saying families could only have one child, which is still in effect. Right now there is a whole generation (25 years later) that is mostly young men. Studies show the rise in violence has been very steep. Lots of frustrated 20 somethings. Many Chinese parents didn't kill their girl babies, but did abandon them. In the last 20 years many chinese girl babies have been adopted by US parents.

China, the land of the Great Leap Forward!

Poll doing ok but could use your help to make it better:
http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?brd=2264

Judi, it wasn't a true "Star of David" Mercury was way off, if she is looking by sign that's a Vedic system and would need to use the Vedic system of astrology which would take Pluto, Saturn, and Venus out of Fire, Mercury and Neptune out of Air, and the Moon is just way off at the late degrees of Aquarius. I think it might be an astrologer trying to stretch too far for this and I am not sure how the "contract" would ensure prosperity with Venus opposing Neptune, that can be a "washing" away so to speak

Goldensilence, it is so true.....and look at the hardline muslim countries...ai yi yi yi....the separation of the sexes makes so much stress and anger....and war.

Shylurker, I am with you....some of this stuff is just starting to make sense to me....I feel alot like Gephardt at times....I just don't think these politicians are any clearer than we are...they just have more power to make rules about it! scary....and I would bet they do the same thing that Richard Darman did when he was presenting (for Ronnie Ray Gun) the trickle down economics theory that would 'save the world' and someone said, you know, this will bankrupt the country eventually and he said....'shrug'...yeh....let's go! It'll work while we are in power....

One of the most interesting things Clinton said in a cover story in Esquire was that his mortality question after the heart surgery was 'what have I done to make a difference' (parphrasing) and what can I do with the rest of my life. These people should all have collective life threatening stuff happen to them....maybe we'd get somewhere then.

Thanks Sally....I do think the timing was really mind boggling, and it did change the world.....so maybe it was a 5 pointed star rather than a Star of David, if we remove Mercury....according to the email, then first was 1999, then the next would be 2002....That 1999 eclipse started an awful lot of stuff too, didn't it?

Shylurker, that poll is from PINETOP, AZ? how funny...(.I used to visit the area when I lived in Scottsdale.) ....home of the famous UFO story from the late 70's which was made into the movie...what was it, Fire in the Sky? Travis Walton? anyway, it is the White Mountains/Apache country.... Pinetop was also the place my daughter first played in snow....

Shy...if you notice, we are really covering a lot of territory with this posting of Art's on the CG/Pluto lineup....opening doors to all sorts of related stuff. Maybe connecting a lot of dots about where we are going? Certainly a great many topics have emerged which are life changing....

Don't miss Zinni (on Timmy Russert show today--scroll down just a bit). Amazing man!
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/02.html#a7762

Judi, you made an excellent comment about the slowing down of Pluto. I think we will see this fairly soon as we get off this whirly-bird and get to work. I've never been convinced that some major calamity is in the cards, any more than the usual ones, although I have to allow for the possibility.

For me, this Aries time has been exciting and marked by a spark of optimism. The eclipse and the transiting North Node finishing up in Aries, along with the stanstill moon, I think are driving some points home. As painful as conflict is at times, it is vital. The recent one here had spirit and a certain glory mixed with the negative aspects. They are part of the fire element and now we have all the fire elemnts activated. We can't prevent these expressions, just try to direct them in an individual way. When they are forcefully prohibited, some life force goes missing and a kind of tyranny results with iron fisted control. Heat and light diminish.

Aside from the criticisms and hurts, quarrels are an essential part of reaching a peaceful moment. They provide a necessary separation in relationship in orded to seek the self and re-establish identity. We don't usually know how to achieve this schism easily, so quarrels serve the purpose. We often see something about ourselves and others in retrospect that can be useful. The thing is to keep practicing and improve the technique.

What gives me a good feeling is the possibility that we have learned something. The Iraq conflict started in the Aries season and has sent a ripple of extreme disturbance through the entire world. This kind of primitive, brutal approach to conflict might one day diminish as it simply fails to work. We're all stuck here together and murdering one only leads to the birth of another as we struggle to co-exist. As our progressed Mars goes retro and we continue to learn how to battle one another with the intention of creating harmony, we might progress. I get the feeling right now that this is possible and that we've taken a step, no matter how infinitesimal, from the start of Iraq, and that our expression of conflict will transmogrify into another form to some extent, as we recover from last century's horrible wars. In nine years the North Node will transit Libra and we should know something, with our P.Mars progression well underway. Of course the bloodletting could merely be redirected. Time will tell.

Good one on NAFTA. Hasn't helped any of us, but it sure has helped the concentration of capital:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/the-taboo-subject-at-the-_b_18344.html

And here's more on NAFTA, illegal immigrants from Mexico and the future of Mexico itself:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0403/p06s03-woam.html

I haven't heard from anyone in a while, so I'm assuming ya'll have had enuff of this, so I'll quit posting about it for awhile.

will post an excellent link to Bill Herbst letter...(thanks Joanna)
http://www.billherbst.com/newsindex.html

Shy, this bears posting from your link on Zinni...
ZINNI: I saw the - what this town is known for, spin, cherry-picking facts, using metaphors to evoke certain emotional responses or shading the context. We know the mushroom clouds and the other things that were all described that the media has covered well. I saw on the ground a sort of walking away from 10 years’ worth of planning. You know, ever since the end of the first Gulf War, there’s been planning by serious officers and planners and others, and policies put in place - 10 years' worth of planning were thrown away. Troop levels dismissed out of hand. Gen. Shinseki basically insulted for speaking the truth and giving an honest opinion.

The lack of cohesive approach to how we deal with the aftermath, the political, economic, social reconstruction of a nation, which is no small task. A belief in these exiles that anyone in the region, anyone that had any knowledge, would tell you were not credible on the ground. And on and on and on, decisions to disband the army that were not in the initial plans. There’s a series of disastrous mistakes. We just heard the Secretary of State say these were tactical mistakes. These were not tactical mistakes. These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policies made back here. Don’t blame the troops. They’ve been magnificent. If anything saves us, it will be them.

Mistakes, schmistakes... "mistake" is something done in error AND ignorance. These were not "mistakes" but done deliberately to accomplish a certain set of incredibly nasty outcomes for somebody elses that weren't letting on their agenda... imo. How I detest these creatures... if I haven't said it recently. ;O)

You seem to be visionary activists here. I know you are quite busy with your own projects, but perhaps you would be interested in helping me to promote this project, or even have stories or ideas for stories to contribute.

I have been working on creating a project to write a series of flash utopian fiction [flash fiction=ultrashort stories] pieces around an imaginary federation of diverse villages each working out their methods of community life. I am visualizing little dramatic impacts that also impart information about how the people of the community involved solve their social problems, dramatic storytelling with a purpose -- speculative fiction with which to fashion visions from which to expand our collective view of how collective life can be more happily structured.

I want to do a fictional project because I figured that way I could go outside of the currently "possible" and promote ideas in an easily digestable and enjoyable form, like a chain story -- each person involved adding their bits to the overall project, although its seems to be turning out more like wheel spokes out of a hub idea.

So far, this project is basically just a figment of my imagination, easily able to morph to fit whatever results from it. I have had some interest expressed by other writers, and even a couple of possible stories have been sent to me. I would love eventually to publish, if I get enough stories for a book. I am hoping eventually to have a whole world of ideas created through these short bursts of fiction, little vignettes or as one person suggested, peeks into open doors. So, at the moment there is no set format to fit. What you write, if you choose to participate, in fact would be helping to create the structure itself.

I don't know if you have any interest in such a project, but perhaps you are aware of someone who does. I am totally open to collaboration and inspiration. If you have or know of or feel inspired to create such stories, please let me know about them.

If you are interested in participating in this project or have other ideas to add, please respond directly to me at:

libramoon42@mindspring.com

If this project actually works out, it will result in a book in need of publication. If any of you have affiliation with or knowledge of any small press that would be interested in working with such a project, please let me know.

I am posting information about the projects it evolves on my blog under the heading Flash Utopian Fiction Project, so if you like you can check there from time to time to see how it's going:

http://people.lulu.com/blogs/view.php?user_id=38353 libramoon's observatory

I have posted there the first (and so far only) story I've come up with, an example of what I mean, called "Sanctuary."

If you would like to help promote the project, here is a blurb you can leave where you go:

Laurie Corzett is seeking collaboration for her Flash Utopian Fiction Project: series of flash fiction pieces around a federation of diverse villages each working out their methods of community life -- little dramatic impacts illustrating creative solutions to social problems. Got ideas?

http://people.lulu.com/blogs/view.php?user_id=38353 libramoon’s observatory (blog); libramoon42@mindspring.com

Peace,

jm, so enjoy your posts, and admire the astrological knowledge you share.

JoannaOregon, ha! was surprised and interested to learn that your passionate voice is a sun-sign Libra. Read once that many generals are Libras (though the only one who comes to mind at present is Eisenhower.) It fits, though--the thirst for justice--the scales. Peace, yes. But peace on the firm foundation of fairness to all.

More to add re the Atlanta Peace March: there was a display of boots to commerate the dead American troops and my emotional Scorpio daughter cried when she saw them.

But the most effective display was a clothesline hung with squares and rectangles of fabric about the size of a crib cover or a large pillow sham, and each one commerating a person slain in the Iraq war. One square with a transfer photo of a little 6 year old Iraqi girl killed in a bombing, hung next to a fabric with the name, date of birth, and hometown of a 21 year old American boy who died in Iraq. Victims all.

Reminds me of the scene in Farenheit 9-11 where the African American soldier says to Michael Moore, "I won't go back. I won't go again to kill other poor people in another country."

And I like stories like yours, Barbara... they're good stories, they're real stories, with meat n' bone to them... they're not calculated genetically modified stories meant to starve people to death.

I'm sure the first words to come out of a libra child's mouth is not "mama" or "dada"... but the whine: "That's not FAAAAAAIIIIR." (I'm just sure that's what came out of mine ;O))

Joanna....hahahahahahah....love it...! I also know never to ask a Libra a yes or no question...because you won't get one....a yes or a no I mean...you will get an entire book....oh the endless ruminations...

Barbara, art (of all kinds) tells more than all the communications, electronic and otherwise, ever could in one simple and emotional way. It can destroy the arguments of the most skilled prevaricators and open the eyes of the blind.

Ohps. Too bad.

* [Shiavo psychic] Frist Has Lost The Respect Of GOP Colleagues… http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,1179318,00.html

Ohps. Too bad again.

* BLACKBURN, England (AFP) - [Lizard] cRice was to head back from her trip to NW England after a visit which shaped up as a public relations nightmare. ... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060402/wl_afp/britainusricediplomacy_060402015813