Word of the Day

Zeitgeist \TSYT-guyst; ZYT-guyst\, noun:

[Often capitalized] The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.

The best writers of that predawn era were originals who had the zeitgeist by the tail.
– Gary Giddins, Visions of Jazz: The First Century

As most critics and all professors of cultural theory note, Madonna is nothing if not a skilled reader of the zeitgeist.
– “Techno ‘rave’ just the same old Madonna”, Chicago Sun-Times, March 3, 1998

Besides, the zeitgeist seems to be working against any hope of Hormel officials to limit…the usage of [the word] ’spam’ on the Web.
– Gracious Concession on Internet ‘Spam’, New York Times, August 17, 1998

Like other figures who seem, in retrospect, to have been precociously representative of their times, Kerouac was not simply responding to the Zeitgeist, but to the peculiarly twisted facts of his own upbringing.
– Jack Kerouac: The Beat Goes On, New York Times, December 30, 1979

Zeitgeist is from the German: Zeit, “time” + Geist, “spirit.”

We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

— Joseph Campbell

Here's The Joke

A teacher was attempting to help one of her kindergarten students put on his winter boots. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still did not want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, the teacher had worked up a sweat.

She almost cried when the little boy said, "Miss Brown, they are on the wrong feet." She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back -- this time on the right feet.

He then announced, "Miss Brown, these aren't my boots."

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she really wanted to.

Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, "They are my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."

By now, the teacher did not know whether to laugh or cry. But, she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.

Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?"

The boy said, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."

She will be eligible for parole in three years.

The End of the Road for George W. Bush

It is the end of the road for George Bush. The world takes less and less notice of him. He strutted and swaggered across the stage. He bellowed and raged. He plundered and murdered. And now he wants to be anointed as a peacemaker. His presidency, like his life, has been a tragic waste. But he at least he has a life. There are tens of thousands of mute graves in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan that stand as stark testaments to his true legacy. If he wants to redeem his time in office he should kneel before one and ask for forgiveness.

Read full story HERE.

Government attempting to restrict use of National Mall

At a public meeting called by the National Park Service on Saturday, January 12 in Washington, D.C., representatives from the Partnership for Civil Justice, ANSWER Coalition, Nicaragua Network, Grassroots America, ImpeachBush.org and others demanded that there be no new restrictions placed on the right of the people to access the National Mall for free speech activities.

The National Park Service (NPS) is undertaking an initiative similar to that launched to exclude protests from New York City's Great Lawn. It will be used to further restrict or ban protest on the Mall from current levels. This is a component of a nationwide campaign of corporate-sponsored organizations working in partnership with government entities that claim that protests, rallies and demonstrations harm grass or "green space" or "natural resources" and must therefore be restricted or banned or shunted off to designated protest pits.

Take Action

Right now, you can email the National Park Service demanding that there be no restrictions on the right of the people to assemble. We have set up an easy to use mechanism that will allow your message to be sent to the National Parks Service by clicking this link.

It is urgent that people around the country take action to stop the plan of the Bush Administration's Interior Department to obstruct free speech rights for mass assembly protest in Washington, D.C. The Bush White House plans to complete this process and deliver a knockout punch to free speech rights by January, 2009, the very last month that Bush will remain in office.

The National Mall has been associated for decades as the site for mass assembly protest and gatherings. On January 18, 2003, the ANSWER Coalition organized a demonstration of 500,000 prior to the invasion of Iraq. The Nation of Islam led the Million Man March in 1995 on the Mall. The National Organization for Women sponsored the March for Women's Lives bringing more than a million people to the Mall in 2004. A huge gathering for immigrant rights took place on the Mall in 2006 as part of a nation-wide outpouring. From the Bonus Marchers of the early 1930s, to Dr. King's Poor People's March of 1968, and the anti-war Moratorium of 1969, the Mall is the historic anchor for the exercise of free speech rights in the United States.

A lawsuit filed by the Partnership for Civil Justice on behalf of the National Council of Arab Americans and the ANSWER Coalition successfully overturned regulations in New York City that were used to prevent mass assembly protest in the Great Lawn of Central Park during the Republican National Convention. Those planning changes to the use and access to the National Mall have stated that they see structure used to restrict use of the Great Lawn as a model for their activities.

The NPS has set up a "public-private" partnership that allows business interests and real estate developers -- in coordination with the government -- to determine the future of the National Mall. The Jan. 12 public meeting was intended to have low attendance to allow the government to claim public involvement while simultaneously excluding it. When confronted with the fact that they had done no legitimate outreach about the public meeting to the hundreds of thousands of people who have actually used the National Mall, the President of the Trust for the National Mall responded that she had sent notice to the Board of Trade! The NPS issues 3,000 permits a year for the use of the National Mall, but there has been no effort to notify any of those organizations about the proposed changes. Their attempt to exclude people from this process could not be more clear.

At the hearing the officials tried to quiet the outraged voices of the people, to change the topic of discussion, and to dismiss their concerns. They did, however, keep saying, just send us a message on-line. That is what we are asking everyone to do today.

The government is trying to end the public "comment" period by February 1, 2008. The ANSWER Coalition also demanded at the hearing that the sham process of the NPS be halted. We demanded that a moratorium be declared so that the people of this country can be able and informed to weigh in with their opinion. The National Mall belongs to the people. Click this link to send your message to the National Park Service.

Please tell a friend about this important fight for free speech by forwarding this email by clicking this link.

Everything You Know about Green Cars is Wrong

Setting the Record Straight on Hybrids, Electric Vehicles and the Smart

Waving at girls costs man his arm

Sensationalist Media Did Pentagon's Bidding in Fake Naval 'Provocation' with Iran

National security expert: This is the "most egregious case of sensationalist journalism" in the service of Pentagon and Bush administration.

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Sensationalist Media Did Pentagon’s Bidding in Fake Naval ‘Provocation’ with Iran

National security expert: This is the “most egregious case of sensationalist journalism” in the service of Pentagon and Bush administration.

Waving at Girls Cost Man His Arm

An Australian man who waved out of a car window at two young women was expected to lose his arm Monday after it was almost severed by another passing vehicle.

Everything You Know about Green Cars is Wrong

Setting the Record Straight on Hybrids, Electric Vehicles and the Smart

Government Attempting to Restrict Use of National Mall

At a public meeting called by the National Park Service on Saturday, January 12 in Washington, D.C., representatives from the Partnership for Civil Justice, ANSWER Coalition, Nicaragua Network, Grassroots America, ImpeachBush.org and others demanded that there be no new restrictions placed on the right of the people to access the National Mall for free speech activities.

The National Park Service (NPS) is undertaking an initiative similar to that launched to exclude protests from New York City’s Great Lawn. It will be used to further restrict or ban protest on the Mall from current levels. This is a component of a nationwide campaign of corporate-sponsored organizations working in partnership with government entities that claim that protests, rallies and demonstrations harm grass or “green space” or “natural resources” and must therefore be restricted or banned or shunted off to designated protest pits.

Take Action

Right now, you can email the National Park Service demanding that there be no restrictions on the right of the people to assemble. We have set up an easy to use mechanism that will allow your message to be sent to the National Parks Service by clicking this link.

It is urgent that people around the country take action to stop the plan of the Bush Administration’s Interior Department to obstruct free speech rights for mass assembly protest in Washington, D.C. The Bush White House plans to complete this process and deliver a knockout punch to free speech rights by January, 2009, the very last month that Bush will remain in office.

The National Mall has been associated for decades as the site for mass assembly protest and gatherings. On January 18, 2003, the ANSWER Coalition organized a demonstration of 500,000 prior to the invasion of Iraq. The Nation of Islam led the Million Man March in 1995 on the Mall. The National Organization for Women sponsored the March for Women’s Lives bringing more than a million people to the Mall in 2004. A huge gathering for immigrant rights took place on the Mall in 2006 as part of a nation-wide outpouring. From the Bonus Marchers of the early 1930s, to Dr. King’s Poor People’s March of 1968, and the anti-war Moratorium of 1969, the Mall is the historic anchor for the exercise of free speech rights in the United States.

A lawsuit filed by the Partnership for Civil Justice on behalf of the National Council of Arab Americans and the ANSWER Coalition successfully overturned regulations in New York City that were used to prevent mass assembly protest in the Great Lawn of Central Park during the Republican National Convention. Those planning changes to the use and access to the National Mall have stated that they see structure used to restrict use of the Great Lawn as a model for their activities.

The NPS has set up a “public-private” partnership that allows business interests and real estate developers — in coordination with the government — to determine the future of the National Mall. The Jan. 12 public meeting was intended to have low attendance to allow the government to claim public involvement while simultaneously excluding it. When confronted with the fact that they had done no legitimate outreach about the public meeting to the hundreds of thousands of people who have actually used the National Mall, the President of the Trust for the National Mall responded that she had sent notice to the Board of Trade! The NPS issues 3,000 permits a year for the use of the National Mall, but there has been no effort to notify any of those organizations about the proposed changes. Their attempt to exclude people from this process could not be more clear.

At the hearing the officials tried to quiet the outraged voices of the people, to change the topic of discussion, and to dismiss their concerns. They did, however, keep saying, just send us a message on-line. That is what we are asking everyone to do today.

The government is trying to end the public “comment” period by February 1, 2008. The ANSWER Coalition also demanded at the hearing that the sham process of the NPS be halted. We demanded that a moratorium be declared so that the people of this country can be able and informed to weigh in with their opinion. The National Mall belongs to the people. Click this link to send your message to the National Park Service.

Please tell a friend about this important fight for free speech by forwarding this email by clicking this link.

The End of the Road for George W. Bush

It is the end of the road for George Bush. The world takes less and less notice of him. He strutted and swaggered across the stage. He bellowed and raged. He plundered and murdered. And now he wants to be anointed as a peacemaker. His presidency, like his life, has been a tragic waste. But he at least he has a life. There are tens of thousands of mute graves in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan that stand as stark testaments to his true legacy. If he wants to redeem his time in office he should kneel before one and ask for forgiveness.

Here's The Joke

A teacher was attempting to help one of her kindergarten students put on his winter boots. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still did not want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, the teacher had worked up a sweat.

She almost cried when the little boy said, “Miss Brown, they are on the wrong feet.” She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back — this time on the right feet.

He then announced, “Miss Brown, these aren’t my boots.”

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, “Why didn’t you say so?” like she really wanted to.

Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, “They are my brother’s boots. My Mom made me wear them.”

By now, the teacher did not know whether to laugh or cry. But, she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.

Helping him into his coat, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens?”

The boy said, “I stuffed ‘em in the toes of my boots.”

She will be eligible for parole in three years.

Window washer who fell 47 floors likely to walk again says stunned doctor

He fell 47 stories, breaking his ribs and right arm, shattering both legs and injuring his spine.

He needed 24 units of blood, had a catheter inserted into his brain and underwent at least 14 operations in the 28 days since his Dec. 7 plunge.

He was in a coma for weeks after the horrifying 500-foot fall that killed his brother, but window washer Alcides Moreno is awake, talking and likely to walk again, his doctors said Thursday.

“If you’re a believer in miracles, this would be one,” said Dr. Philip Barie, chief of critical care at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell.

Magic Number House

Click on the house!

Word of the Day

gnomic \NOH-mik\, adjective:

Uttering, containing, or characterized by maxims; wise and pithy.

A long pause, during which the group reflects on this gnomic pronouncement.
-- Ruth Shalit, "Send in the clowns", Salon, June 21, 2000

They consisted of strange, short, sometimes witty, sometimes gnomic, often semiautobiographical essays about architecture.
-- Geoff Nicholson, Female Ruins

But the young man's gnomic utterances -- that life is "a journey" and "a big circle" -- might reflect not Buddhist-tinged wisdom so much as the fact that he has been skating around in circles for years.
-- Gary Kamiya, "Flight of the wonder boy", Salon, February 14, 2002

Gnomic derives from Greek gnomikos, from gnome, "intelligence, hence an expressed example of intelligence," from gignoskein, "to know."

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."

-Betty Smith
1896-1972, Novelist

The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love

Rudy Guliani Abandons 911 Heros

Here's The Joke

In the middle of a huge metropolitan city was a skyscraper where at the top was a bar. At the end of a particularly hard day at work Jim went up to the bar to let go the stresses of that day. When he got there, there was already a man sitting at the bar drinking a particularly vile looking drink. This strange man said "watch this" and proceeded to walk over to one of the large windows lining the wall. He then picked up a chair and smashed out the window and stepped out.

He started falling toward the ground turning end over end and right before he hit the ground he stopped and proceeded to drift up. He floated back up through the window and went back over to the bar.

Jim looked at the bartender and said "I'll have what he's having!"

After a few rounds of the drink, Jim stumbled over to the window and fell out. He fell all the way to the ground and landed with a loud SMACK.

The bartender turns to the mysterious man and says "Superman, you're such a jerk when you're drunk!"

Word of the Day

multifarious \muhl-tuh-FAIR-ee-uhs\, adjective:

Having great diversity or variety; of various kinds; diversified.

She is good at constructing a long, multifarious narrative, weaving many minor stories into one, so that you are left with a sense of the fluidity and ambiguity of historical interpretation.
-- Jason Cowley, "It's bright clever... but the result is academic", The Observer, May 27, 2001

Men's opinions, accordingly, on what is laudable or blamable, are affected by all the multifarious causes which influence their wishes in regard to the conduct of others, and which are as numerous as those which determine their wishes on any other subject.
-- John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

But as he reached the verge of the lawn and vaulted the retaining wall there, crossed the flagstone walkway and started up the steps of the ad building, the multifarious marvel of his congested brain surprised him--the apes flew right out of his head and he was thinking about California.
-- T. Coraghessan Boyle, Riven Rock

Multifarious derives from Latin multifariam, "on many sides; in many places."

My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require.

— Edward Elgar

Does Chris Matthews have a problem with women?

Using overtly sexist language, he has referred to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) as a "she devil" and compared her to a "strip-teaser." He has called her "witchy" and likened her voice to "fingernails on a blackboard." He has referred to men who support her as "castratos in the eunuch chorus." He has suggested Clinton is not "a convincing mom" and said "modern women" like Clinton are unacceptable to "Midwest guys." He has called her "Madame Defarge" and "Nurse Ratched."

Had enough? Contact MSNBC to tell them what you think.

You Know You’re Living in the 21st Century When…

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven’t played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don’t have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn’t have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You’re reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn’t a #9 on this list.

Website of the Day - Eat Better America

Eat more green, save more green. Register today at eatbetteramerica.com to receive coupons t help you live healthier.

4 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day

Try these tips to getting off to a healthy start, courtesy of Alice D. Domar, PhD, director of the Mind/Body Center for Women's Health at Boston IVF, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deacones Medical Center.

• Reach for the sky. Stretching your body when you wake up is a wonderful way to loosen joints and increase flexibility.
• Indulge in a water massage. Use your morning shower to cleanse your body and mind and use the pressure of the warm water to stimulate your muscles.
• Break the fast. Fuel yourself with a high -fiber breakfast that includes whole grains, fruit and low-fat protein
• Wake up your metabolisim. Exercising in the morning energizes your body - helping you feel good about yourself all day.

POLITICS-US: Official Version of Naval Incident Starts to Unravel

Despite the official and media portrayal of the incident in the Strait of Hormuz early Monday morning as a serious threat to U.S. ships from Iranian speedboats that nearly resulted in a "battle at sea", new information over the past three days suggests that the incident did not involve such a threat and that no U.S. commander was on the verge of firing at the Iranian boats.

The new information that appears to contradict the original version of the incident includes the revelation that U.S. officials spliced the audio recording of an alleged Iranian threat onto to a videotape of the incident. That suggests that the threatening message may not have come in immediately after the initial warning to Iranian boats from a U.S. warship, as appears to do on the video.

Also unraveling the story is testimony from a former U.S. naval officer that non-official chatter is common on the channel used to communicate with the Iranian boats and testimony from the commander of the U.S. 5th fleet that the commanding officers of the U.S. warships involved in the incident never felt the need to warn the Iranians of a possible use of force against them.

Further undermining the U.S. version of the incident is a video released by Iran Thursday showing an Iranian naval officer on a small boat hailing one of three ships.

Continued...

Spaghetti With Artichokes, Beans, And Spinach

Enjoy a simple and healthy pasta recipe that includes fresh vegetables and hearty beans.

Courtesy of The Big Book of Quick & Healthy Recipes, Published by Hearst Books / Sterling Publishing ©2007.

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 scallion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced
1/2 cup fava beans, fresh or frozen
2 3/4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
4 artichoke hearts, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon raw cane sugar
1 tablespoon marjoram
Salt and black pepper to taste

PREPARATION
1. Boil the spaghetti in plenty of salted water with a little oil.

2. Meanwhile, gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper and gently fry for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the beans, spinach, and artichoke hearts. Add the tomato paste, sugar, and marjoram, and a little water, if necessary.

4. Cover and very gently simmer for 10 minutes. Season and serve with the cooked spaghetti.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
(based on individual servings)
Calories: 599
Cholesterol: 0

Experts Warn of Recession -- Duh, We're Living in One Already

Pentagon, Big Pharma: Drug Troops to Numb Them to Horrors of War

The DoD is flirting with the idea of medicating soldiers to desensitize them to combat trauma -- will an army of unfeeling monsters result?

While America Was Sleeping

Another Blonde Joke

A blonde was driving home one night when she suddenly found herself in the middle of a bad hail storm. The hailstones were the size of golf balls. Her car was dented beyond description.

The next day, she took it to a repair shop. Noticing that she was blonde, the technician decided to have some fun. He told her to take the car home and blow real hard into the tailpipe and the dents would pop out.

When she got home, she started blowing into the tailpipe as she was instructed. At that moment, her blonde girlfriend drove by and saw her puffing on the tailpipe.

Thinking the worst, the friend was startled and said, "What are you doing?"

She said that the man at the body shop told her to blow into the tail pipe real hard and the dents would pop out.

Her girlfriend said, "Well, duhhhhhh! You need to roll up the windows first!"

Word of the Day

bibulous \BIB-yuh-luhs\, adjective:

1. Of, pertaining to, marked by, or given to the consumption of alcoholic drink.
2. Readily absorbing fluids or moisture.

Vineyards are everywhere, especially when Felix approaches Paris, the most populous city in Christendom -- and the most bibulous too, since lousy local wine had to be drunk before it turned sour in a few months.
-- Eugen Weber, "Renaissance Men", New York Times, April 13, 1997

Ever since the joys of the fermented grape were discovered, the bibulous have been waking up feeling the worse for wear.
-- Sally Chatterton, "The Daily Website: www.hungover.net", Independent, September 3, 2001

Bibulous comes from Latin bibulus, from bibere, "to drink."

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."

Earl Nightingale
1921-1989, Radio Announcer, Author and Speaker

Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles

This article which appeared in today's NY Times is the first in a series of articles about war veteran's who kill when they come back home. The story is not only riveting, it's sad and tragic and I encourage you to read it in it's entirety HERE.

-SNIP-

The New York Times found 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war. In many of those cases, combat trauma and the stress of deployment — along with alcohol abuse, family discord and other attendant problems — appear to have set the stage for a tragedy that was part destruction, part self-destruction.

Three-quarters of these veterans were still in the military at the time of the killing. More than half the killings involved guns, and the rest were stabbings, beatings, strangulations and bathtub drownings. Twenty-five offenders faced murder, manslaughter or homicide charges for fatal car crashes resulting from drunken, reckless or suicidal driving.

About a third of the victims were spouses, girlfriends, children or other relatives, among them 2-year-old Krisiauna Calaira Lewis, whose 20-year-old father slammed her against a wall when he was recuperating in Texas from a bombing near Falluja that blew off his foot and shook up his brain.

A quarter of the victims were fellow service members, including Specialist Richard Davis of the Army, who was stabbed repeatedly and then set ablaze, his body hidden in the woods by fellow soldiers a day after they all returned from Iraq.

Continued...

The Wayback Jukebox - John Lennon - Woman

The Great Invocation

Here's The Joke

Three little old ladies, Gertrude, Maude and Tilley were sitting on a park bench having a quiet conversation when a flasher approached from across the park.

The flasher came up to the ladies, stood right in front of them and opened his trench coat.

Gertrude immediately had a stroke. Then Maude also had a stroke.

But Tilly, being older and feebler, couldn't quite reach that far!

Last Air Jordans?

In a photo released by Nike Inc., the Air Jordan XX3, one of three versions to be released in the coming months, is shown. The Air Jordan XX3 will be released in three hyped-up rounds from January to February, starting with a limited edition to be sent to only 23 retailers to be sold for $230 and concluding with the national launch at $185. (AP Photo/Nike, Inc. / January 8, 2008)

Click HERE to see slide show of Air Jordans through the years.

Word of the Day

hermitage \HUHR-muh-tij\, noun:

1. The habitation of a hermit or group of hermits.
2. A monastery or abbey.
3. A secluded residence; a retreat; a hideaway.
4. (Capitalized) A palace in St. Petersburg, now an art museum.

She had left her father's surviving subjects to manage as best they could and climbed even higher in search of the lonely sanctity she had always craved. Now Rose requested her to keep an eye open for the twins who would pass within a few miles of her abandoned hermitage.
-- Alice Thomas Ellis, The Sin Eater

When it grows cold, we return to the hermitage where I am ending my days.
-- Christophe Bataille, Hourmaster (translated by Richard Howard)

Your oath I will not trust, but go with speed
To some forlorn and naked hermitage,
Remote from all the pleasures of the world.
-- Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage.
-- Richard Lovelace, "To Althea from Prison"

Hermitage is from Old French hermitage, from heremite, "hermit," ultimately from Greek eremites, "dwelling in the desert," from eremia, "desert," from eremos, "solitary; desolate."

“Let there be nothing within thee that is not very beautiful and very gentle, and there will be nothing without thee that is not beautiful and softened by the spell of thy presence.”

-James Allen, Author of As A Man Thinketh

"Let there be nothing within thee that is not very beautiful and very gentle, and there will be nothing without thee that is not beautiful and softened by the spell of thy presence."

James Allen
1864-1912, Author of As A Man Thinketh

Couple Has 1st Baby Two Years In A Row

A Gettysburg couple is celebrating the new year with a baby for the second year in a row.Becky and Kyle Armstrong rang in the holiday at Gettysburg Hospital where, shortly before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Becky gave birth to the hospital's first baby of the year, Faith Lynn Armstrong."We're amazed. What are the odds? We were tickled to death last year. The first baby in the county, and everyone was teasing her all along. Sure enough, she did it again," said the baby's grandmother, Rose Collier.

Continued...

An Engineering Masterpiece or Why Gas is $3 + per Gallon

During the construction phase......Dubai United Arab Emirates

Notice the size of the palm trees outside. Can you guess what it is ???

Remember, this is in the middle of the desert......the very HOT desert where temperatures get up to 120 degrees.

Unbelievable! But true.....It is a self contained Ski Resort.

The INSIDE view:

Flexible work schedule may foster healthy habits

People who feel they have flexibility in their job schedules tend to have a healthier lifestyle than those with less workplace freedom, new study results suggest. (DUHHHH) Researchers found that among nearly 3,200 U.S.-based employees of a large pharmaceutical company, those who felt they had the most workplace flexibility were more likely to report healthy habits such as exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep.

Continued...

We Forget What It Was Really Like Under the Clintons

NAFTA failures; deregulation of banking and ENRON's rise; "Welfare Reform" that led to more poor people. This and more is what the Clintons gave us.

Peter Gabriel on human rights and citizen journalism

Musician and activist Peter Gabriel explains the personal motivation behind his work with human-rights watchdog Witness. He shares stories of everyday people using video cameras to expose human rights abuses around the world, and poses the question: if injustice happens and a camera is there to capture it, can it be ignored? Peter Gabriel first took the musical stage by storm with the band Genesis, but has enjoyed a successful solo career with hits like "In Your Eyes." In 1989 he founded the Real World label for global music and the Real World Studios in Bath, England. In 1992 he co-founded Witness, a watchdog organization that gives video cameras to ordinary citizens to document human-rights abuses, so the perpetrators may be brought to justice. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 14:50)

My New Favorite Thing

Order these and other goodies HERE.

Here's The Joke

At the banquet of their 25th wedding anniversary Tom was asked to give his friends a brief account of the benefits of a marriage of such long duration.

"Tell us Tom, just what is it you have learned from all those wonderful years with your wife?"

Tom responds, "Well, I've learned that marriage is the best teacher of all. It teaches you loyalty, forbearance, meekness, self-restraint, forgiveness -- and a great many other qualities you wouldn't have needed if you'd stayed single."

This has got to be one of the cleverest E-mails I've received in awhile. Someone out there either has too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble.

DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters: DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION: When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES:!
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

Word of the Day

calumny \KAL-uhm-nee\, noun:

1. False accusation of a crime or offense, intended to injure another's reputation.
2. Malicious misrepresentation; slander.

They would see to it that every suspicious whisper and outright calumny would be repeated in print, breathing fire into the growing spirit of faction.
-- William Safire, Scandalmonger

They protest to him against the universal order, and then reward his kind words by calumny and accusations of . . . inhumanity and cruelty.
-- Paola Capriolo, Floria Tosca

Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.
-- Shakespeare, Hamlet

Calumny comes, via Middle French, from Latin calumnia, from calvi, "to form intrigues, to deceive." The adjective form is calumnious.

No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap.

— Carrie Snow

Track star Marion Jones sentenced to 6 months

Citizens unite! Flood the White House switchboard and demand that President Bush pardon Marion Jones so that she never has to spend a night in jail. If Scooter Libby is entitled to a pardon after being convicted of lying to a grand jury investigating the outing of a CIA agent who specialized in weapons of mass destruction - surely, someone who lies about injecting themselves with an illegal substance deserves a pardon as well. Scooter Libby compromised national security and lives of agents around the world. Marion Jones - harmed herself.

Olympic track star Marion Jones was sentenced in a federal court Friday to six months in prison, two years of probation and community service for lying to federal prosecutors investigating the use of performance-enhancing substances.

Continued....

Paul Simon - American Tune (1975)

Clues from the mists of time

A breakthrough in Chachapoya scholarship was the recovery a decade ago of more than 200 well-preserved mummy bundles from a steep cliff above a sacred lake known as the Lagoon of the Condors. Looters initially found the more than 500-year-old funerary assemblage, leading to a salvage operation. The mummies were swaddled in cotton bundles, some embroidered with stylized faces. This mummy is among those on exhibit at a museum in Leymebamba, near the ruins. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For The Times)

Read L.A. Times article HERE.

Test your knowledge of the presidential candidates.

This Sunday's cover story in The New York Times Magazine makes plain the threat: The winner of the 2008 presidential election could be decided by flawed, insecure, and hackable electronic voting machines.¹

This is the most prominent news coverage this issue has ever gotten, so it could be our one last chance to get this right before the election in November.

Congress is poised to consider a new emergency paper ballots bill next week—but we'll have to convince them to act right away.²

Can you sign this urgent petition asking local, state, and federal officials to require paper ballots for our votes? Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/paper2008/o.pl?id=11873-3396758-VZ72wa&t=3

The petition says: "We must act quickly to secure our elections with paper ballots and audits before November."

Elections are run at the state level, so we'll deliver your signature and comments to local election officials in addition to members of Congress.

Shoe Industry Wants to Boot Import Tax

Footwear makers and retailers are trying to stomp out a Depression-era U.S. government shoe tax, a move they say could save American consumers hundreds of millions of dollars annually and kick-start relatively flat footwear sales.

Continued....

I Believe

For every nine people who denounce innovation, only one will encourage it... For every nine people who do things the way they have always been done, only one will ever wonder if there is a better way. For every nin people who stand in line in front of a locked building, only one will ever come around and check the back door.

Our progress as a species rests squareloy on the shoulders of that tenth person. The nine are satisfied with things they are told are valuable. Person 10 determines for himself what has value."

-Za Rinpoche and Ashely Nebelsieck, in The Backdoor to Enlightenment

Here's The Joke

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had an open heart bypass surgery.

He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, IL.

As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions regarding how he was going to pay for his treatment. She asked if he had health insurance.

He replied, in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."

The nun asked if he had money in the bank.

He replied, "No money in the bank."

The nun asked, "Do you have a relative who could help you?"

He said, "I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun."

The nun became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God."

The patient replied, "Then send the bill to my brother-in-law."

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to thefullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.(That's why they call it "fur"niture.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3 Are easier to train
4. Normally come when called
5. Never ask to drive the car
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college.

And finally,

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

Word of the Day

finical \FIN-ih-kuhl\, adjective:

Extremely or unduly particular in standards or taste; fastidious; finicky.

The paintings incorporate the random and arbitrary . . . within a practice that nonetheless requires finical accuracy; there is a degree of almost mindless repetition and filling in involved, but the resulting forms are unpredictable and uncategorizable.
-- Barry Schwabsky, "Ingrid Calame: James Cohan Gallery", Artforum, February 1, 2004

That the director, who is known for his finical selection of stars, has zeroed in on Aamir says a great deal about his faith in the actor.
-- "Images: Movie Matters", News India, November 15, 1996

Finical yet never fussy, thorough but not obsessive, Westermann the woodworker is a joy to behold.
-- Mario Naves, "H. C. Westermann", New Criterion, May 1, 2002

Finical is probably derived from fine.

Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

— Swami Sivananda

Most On-Time United States Airlines

He had a golden ticket -- and gave it away

A Brookline man bought his family lottery tickets for Christmas. His in-laws hit the $1 million jackpot. And he has no regrets.

Jammin - Bob Marley

Moron For Hire

Here are actual excerpts from real resumes and cover letters...And these people think they can get a job?

* I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience.

* I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computor and spreasheet progroms.

* Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year.

* Wholly responsible for two(2) failed financial institutions.

* Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave

* Failed bar exam with relatively high grades

* It's best for employers that I not work with people

* Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience.

* You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time.

* Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.

* I was working for my mom until she decided to move.

* Marital status: single: Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No commitments

* I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse.

* I am loyal to my employer at all costs... Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voice mail.

* I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing.

* My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I possess no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage.

* I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant.

* Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.

* As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments.

* Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store.

* Note: Please don't misconstrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping'. I have never quit a job.

* Marital status: often. Children: various

* Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 am every morning. I couldn't work under those conditions.

* The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers.

* Finished eighth in my class of ten.

* References: none. I've left a path of destruction behind me.

Showing off the new baby

White Cloud, the albino bison, stand with her 4-month-old calf, Dakota Miracle, in a pasture at the National Buffalo Museum in Jamestown, N.D. The white buffalo is sacred to most Plains Indian tribes and often is seen as a sign of great changes in the world. (AP photo by John M. Steiner / January 8, 2008)

The Paradox of Our Time

The Whole Wheat Tollhouse Cookie

Here's a version of a cookie classic from 1937, made a bit more nutritious with whole wheat.

Excerpted from Bob's Red Mill Baking Book by John Ettinger and Bob's Red Mill Family, © 2007, Published by Running Press. All rights reserved.

SERVINGS
Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream the butter with the brown sugar until light in color, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg until well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend well. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until brown. Cool on a wire rack.

'Yes, We Can' -- The Magic Behind Obama's Message

Unlike other candidates who say what they will do for you, Obama says "Yes, we can" and pledges to work together.

Resolution Makeover: 5 Things To Consider When Setting This Year’s Goals

Here's The Joke

A guy is driving around the back woods of Tennessee and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there."You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says"So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting inrooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."

"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in.""I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals.I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. "Ten dollars," the guy says.

"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

"Because he's a liar. He never did any of that stuff.

YOU might be a school employee if........

.... from Jeff Foxworthy....

...You believe the playground should be equipped with Ritalin salt lick...

...You want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off."

...It is difficult to name your own child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bring high blood pressure as it is uttered.

...You can tell it's a full moon or if it is going to rain, snow, hail, anything--without even having to look outside.

...You believe, "shallow gene pool" should have it's own box on a report card. ...You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you of anyone says, "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."

...When out in public, you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior.

...You have no social life between August and June.

...You think people should have a government permit before allowed to reproduce.

...You wonder how some parents MANAGED to reproduce.

...You encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter shcools or home schooling, and are willing to donate the UHAUL boxes--should they decide to move out of district.

...You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

...You can't imagine how covering your students chair with Velcro and then requiring uniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever be misunderstood by the public.

...Meeting a child's parent instantly answers the question, "Why is this kid like this?"

...You would choose a mammogram over a parent conference.

...You think someone should invent antibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for that matter.....

...The words, "I have college debt for this?" has ever come out of your mouth......