ARCHIVE 39

From:     eugene     12/6/104     2:29 P.M.

oh you guys...

it ain't gremlins computers run on... it's SMOKE!!!

the proof is if you open up the computer and smoke comes
out after you stick a screwdriver or something in there...
the darn thing won't work after that!!!

well... i understand that to most people computers are
either just ok or a real pain in the ass... but i am
what is commonly known as a computer geek... i took to
computers like a duck to water... from the very beginning
i just was nuts for them... i think it is because they
are complicated but have completely consistent internal
logic... i know that it is invisible to most people...
but that isn't MY fault... hehehe

anyway after 25 years working on computers i still love
it as long as i don't do it as a job... too burned out for
that... too many 36 hour days (not joking)... but i do
miss the money... good thing i got out though... all the
jobs are now being exported to india, pakistan and china...
the good old days are gone... very hard to find any work
except hands on hardware technician...

xxxbox... isn't that what the internet is for???

although to be honest... i think there are a few rather
racy games out there...



From:     michelle     12/7/2004     5:40 P.M.

wow. i just checked in after a long time. .. rose. .. you have been brainwashed. you and many others that are spouting off the same exact hateful bullshit are in my prayers.(and i mean EXACT bullshit which tells me that you are the one tuning in to only one channel!) let your mind and your heart be opened... and may your response towards people of different thought be a response of compassion. .. i'm working on it too. . .. these are challenging times.



From:     llucy     12/7/2004     4:43 A.M.

EUGENE.. what kine SMOKE,,fresh crisp koloes or moldy ole pressed?....like every udder tíng it matters what u bye.

jobs do move around i noticed..'tis good to have a variety of skills.

MEECHELLE,hugs and hugs to u far away elsewhere. home is still here with you.i'm pretty sure the thornqueen is an erection of someone we all know, who wants ta start an argument...just fer something to do...but zeems like we already had that one eight or three times. gets old person must be stressed

MIJ, i wanna SNL scrip..you can do it! yer ready

TED the calender just plain cute...squeeze



From:     Rita     12/7/2004     8:47 A.M.

PEARL HARBOR BOMBED--DECEMBER 7, 1941--
The day that will live in infamy--


I was there, I remember--


I also remember bush's bombing of Iraq in March, 2002--
That day should put a shame on all of us--


I also remember he wants to dismantle the Social Security
program--we all should be alert for that travesty--


I also remember we had a livable enviroment for a
few years--Bush has already destroyed most of it--


I also remember we had a glowing economy, with jobs
and health care and libraries open--no more under bush--


I also know we have for a president at this time,
an ignorant, religious maniac--this we all should remember daily--and we should try to dilute his evil daily,
or the USA as we know it, it cease to exist--



From:     michelle     12/8/2004     12:11 P.M.

I like the way you put that, llucy. . . an erection trying to get a rise outta us. . . bet you are right.



From:     Irene Ferrera ( by way of Ted)     12/7/2004     7:51 P.M.

(an email)

Hola Amigos,


Many of you have probably been wondering what I have been up to this past year. Well, in summer of 2003 I accepted the greatest birthday gift from the universe- a year of sabbatical. I got to realize many of my dreams, to visit Havana, to travel in Mexico- Chiapas and Oaxaca, and to see the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela. At the end of the sabbatical, and as those times do tend to work their magic, it became obvious that it was time to quit the music business -though not the music-never!

Perhaps you can allow me to look back for a moment on 26 wonderful years of making music, of travelling almost the entire USA, including Alaska, the making of 4 beautiful CD`s, great musical collaborations, amazing team work with the best manager in the world-Nina Korican, not to mention so many concerts, festivals, Folk Alliances. Truly, my heart is full, and so are my scrap books. Both Nina and I can sincerely say- we have no regrets, only deep gratitude.


Then came another big decision. After having lived in beautiful Oregon all those years, I decided to move back to Venezuela and be closer to my family. It is the beginning of December, a warm breezy afternoon in Valencia, and my emotions are a mixture of grief for the wonderful life I left behind, and excitement as I look upon the open path in front of me, and as my destiny becomes more and more tied with Venezuela.


My immediate plans are to settle in the beautiful coastal town of Choroni, a land of drums, cocoa, and exuberant nature, where I hope to develop community projects, host family and friends, and get to explore everything that this amazing country has to offer. Feel free to join me any time!


I would love to host some small groups to visit Canaima-Angel Falls, Los Roques, the Orinoco Delta and some other magical places in Venezuela. Please let me know if you would be interested in getting some info about it.


With enormous gratitude to each one of you for all your support, I now say,
Hasta Pronto!


Irene


Visit www.farrera.com where there is still lots of music, recipes and links and more links!



From:     Mij     12/8/2004     7:49 A.M.

Still raining hard...about 5.5 inches since monday night.
They put out flood warnings, although the warnings are
mostly for rafters and recreational purposes, not because
the rivers are spilling over their banks...

Ted, I spent an hour and a half writing some jokes to the
comedy page, and the laughs were on me, because I couldn't
figure out how to post them! I have contacted a lawyer, and
he says I can take this site for everything it's worth!
My lawyers name is Altake U. Foraride...

Anyway, hope all is well with everyone. I have to make a
trip to Grants Sucks. Not looking forward to it.

Peace.



From:     Mij     12/10/2004     6:53 A.M.

We had a storm total of 9.5 inches in three days, and
O'brien had 14.4 inches. Water is everywhere and the rivers
are swollen and muddy, but I went to the coast and the
Smith river was just plain awesome. The whole way down the
canyon water was pouring down the cliffsides in torrents
and flowing across the highway in numerous spots. The river
itself was mesmerizing it was flowing so high....

Ted, I've decided not to sue you. Instead, my new lawyer,
Mr. Wehavno Case, said it would be better if we didn't.

Peace.



From:     Ted     12/10/2004     8:49 P.M.

SUNNYRIDGE POLL



From:     Grampa Ted     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     12/12/2004     7:57 A.M.

Well, I am all smiles. Here's my 4th grandchild, Tessananda . It is truly amazing to stare at the face of a newborn.



From:     jim     12/12/2004     8:43 A.M.

it's foggy, not cold, cedar and i are waiting for the rest of the family
to get up, and then we go for sunday breakfast at the grange....i
already made a cup of coffee for myself



From:     jim     12/12/2004     8:47 A.M.

lovely little pilger, give my love to adam



From:     Mij     12/14/2004     6:34 A.M.

It's funny, scratch that...ironic how everything that we
knew was going to happen when MB got re-enthroned is
already happening. The war is never going to end, the
economy is about as lively as Laura Bush, the deficit is
growing faster than oil being spilled in the Gulf of Alaska,
violence is becoming as commonplace as ignorance in
Washington, confidence is sagging like Mrs. Rumsfeld's tits,
etc, etc, etc...

Irony really sucks!!!!

Peace.



From:     Ted     12/15/2004     6:25 A.M.

What do you expect, mij?
We are living in the Iron age of a vast spiral of existence.
Not the Golden Age, not the Silver, not even the Bronze.
These times are like a bad TV season.
Time to turn off the TV and listen to the silence, really anticipating the Divine comercial.






From:     jaf     12/15/2004     12:12 P.M.
maya

still foggy here , the sun will penetrate soon



From:     eugene     12/16/104     11:37 A.M.

you guys got rain... we got snow...
snowed for two days but nearly all gone now...
just ice on the drive where the sun don't shine...

COLD!!!

my, my ted... all them little pilgers (don't know married
name) running round...

don't fret mij... america is seeing nothing new... it has
all happened before... just wait it out...



From:     Rita     12/21/2004     6:39 A.M.




HAPPY SOLSTICE EVERYONE


Winter has begun--The Sun is heading North--
Spring is just around the corner--ENJOY--





From:     Ruby     ruby_gaby@yahoo.com     12/21/2004     9:55 A.M.

Happy Holidays everybody! Hi Rita, hi Mij. Hey Jaf, I have emailed you several times and they get returned to me for some reason. Please email me at ruby_gaby@yahoo.com
Peace



From:     Ted     12/21/2004     7:14 P.M.

Happy Holidays



From:     Mij     12/22/2004     7:10 A.M.

Hello Ruby!

Nice graphics Ted!

Cool posting Mom!

Hope you warm up Eugene!

and....

Eat S--t MB!

Peace.



From:     Eatons     12/25/2004     9:08 A.M.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!


May peace and good health thrive in 2005!

Happy Holidays from the Eaton family!





From:     Mij     12/26/2004     10:22 A.M.

snowed hard for awhile early this morning. Got a nice
ground cover before it stopped which means sunnyridge
probably had a couple inches...

Just missed a white Christmas....

Peace.



From:     llucy     12/27/2004     4:40 A.M.

ahhh...TED, got anyway to find out our STAN ok? presuming he returned to thailand...



From:     Mij     12/27/2004     10:13 A.M.

The amount of damage and loss of lives is getting to be
of biblical proportions from the earthquake and resulting
Tsunamis. llucy, you mention Stan and Thailand...
I grabbed this off the internet:
"The western coast of Southern Thailand has been badly hit,
including Phuket and Phi Phi islands and the mainland
resorts of Krabi and Phang Nga"...
Do any of you remember where he was at in Thailand?
Hope to hear from you soon Stan...

Peace.



From:     TED     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     12/27/2004     7:04 P.M.

HERE'S THE LATEST I FOUND ON STAN

stan22@ekno.com

WHEN ASKED IF HE WAS STILL IN THAILAND...

From: stan 7/15/2004 10:32 A.M.

Cambodia, not Thailand. half retired, half working as a teacher 10 hours a week, almost 100% enjoying my life, but currently in US for 2 months.

HOPE THIS HELPS...





From:     Ruby     ruby_gaby@yahoo.com     12/27/2004     8:33 P.M.

Hi, I heard from Stan on Dec. 24. and he was in Cambodia working his teaching job and helping a friend run a tiny bar. I really don't think he went to the coast for the Christmas holiday, although I do know he went for the Thanksgiving holiday. Let's just hope!
Peace! Ruby Love to you all!



From:     Stan     12/28/2004     10:41 A.M.

I'm in Cambodia which is on the gulf of Thailand, not the Andaman Sea. Thailand is on both. All is cool here, we get no storms, earthquakes or anything exciting, though a Tsunami from far away could race up the Mekong River and hit Phnom Penh which is only a couple of meters above sea level... not likely, not soon



From:     llucy     12/28/2004     5:08 A.M.

well, good to hear from you stan, methoughts u were talking thailand last year...my mistake. amases me waves just didnot roll over entire peninsula. in this case no excitement is just great.
course we will all get excited if earths axis altered!
the geophysicists should be able to tell immediately if earth's rotation changes...but it makes sensational media news to be fuzzy i suppose.

JIM, any clue where michelle staying in hawaii? we have had awful rains but it may let up a little today.



From:     jim     12/28/2004     8:00 A.M.

llucy....michelle is at a motel of sorts on the big island on the down
and out hippy side.....for about nine days total and then back to
korea......



From:     Mij     12/28/2004     7:56 A.M.

Good to hear from you Stan!

I've been going all over the internet getting info and
some truly amazing stories from survivors of what is the
biggest natural disaster in our lifetimes. The scope of this
event is still being assesed, but some of the facts are
sobering:

1. The quake was so powerful that it moved some of the
surrounding islands around Sumatra as much as 66 feet.
2. The entire northwestern tip of the Indonesian Territory
of Sumatra shifted to the southwest by 126 feet.
3. The energy released as the two sides of the undersea
fault slipped against each other made the earth noticably
wobble on it's axis and it's orbit.
4.The energy output at the epicenter of the quake was
equivilant to 1,000,000 hydrogen bombs being set off at
once.
5. The resulting Tsunamis traveled across the Indain ocean
at speeds exceeding 500 MPH.
6. There are whole islands that have completely disappeared
off the map.

They say that if the history of our planet were condensed
into a 24 hour period, man's time on this planet would be
less than a second...

The Earth abides.

Peace.



From:     llucy     12/28/2004     1:24 P.M.

JIM. reason i asked about yer daughter, i have lovely, all amenities guest cottage, not on down and out but secluded and gorgous, oh and not a motel= no charges...so if Michelle wants a change...have her call me i'll email TED me number.....



From:     jim     12/29/2004     7:25 A.M.

...llucy...thank you....michelle is out of touch, if she calls me i'll tell
her to call ted for your #....thank you again....



From:     Mij     12/29/2004     7:01 A.M.

Sometimes it's just not your time to go...

Meghan Rajshekkar, 13, disappeared along with 77 other
people when the tsunami struck an Indian airforce base by
the sea on the remote Car Nicobar island.
She was found walking on a beach dazed and battered after
clinging to a dooor for almost three days at sea. She said
helicopters flew over her numerous times, but never heard
her screams for help.
But Meghan, clinging to the door and battling off poisonous
sea snakes, leaches, etc, said she new what direction land
lay and just kept floating on towards the shore. In the
end, it was the waves which took her out to sea that ended
up bringing her back to shore...

The rotation of the earth has actually increased, meaning
from now on the earth will have longer daylight hours than
before the quake.

Last night we were discussing the amount of animal life
which must have been lost throughout all those countries.
This morning a story out of Sri lanka contradicts that
belief. Officials flying over numerous wildlife reserves
throughout Southeast Asia have reported hardly any dead
animals. The director of one of the biggest game reserves
in that area said he and his colleagues have yet to find
one dead animal in the same areas countless humans
perished. Said one game reservist, "apparently what we've
always thought is true, and that is that animals must have
a sixth sense when it comes to these types of events".
He said all the animals must have sought higher ground
long before the Tsunamis hit...

Satellite pictures coming out show the before and after
pictures taken, and the differences are mind boggling.
There are places where whole sections of coastlines have
been completely changed, in some cases the shoreline has
moved inland two to three miles. Other pictures show the
opposite, coastlines moving out two to three miles. It
would be like going down to our coast and finding out that
places like Harris beach no longer exist, or that places
that use to be considered "inland areas" are now "coastal
areas". unbelievable.

More soon.





From:     llucy     12/30/2004     5:16 A.M.

TED sent phone # to pilger.com mail

how many seconds more was that MIJ? by the way did
i see the feds never gave radiofree TK license back...that's what register says....




From:     jim     12/30/2004     8:55 A.M.

hopefuly.......Sieh and other scientists said it probably jolted the
planet's rotation. "It causes the planet to wobble a little bit, but it's
not going to turn Earth upside down," .....ok



From:     Ted     12/30/2004     6:49 P.M.

1lucy, as of this moment I haven't got your email. I am not sure what to look for either since most of my mail is spam. Why not Click here to email me with the subject line already in. State what you want too.



From:     Mij     12/30/2004     4:56 P.M.

llucy, I believe it's a second or less, so humans won't
notice it unless they happen to be a walking sun-dial..

One of the worst disasters in man's history and MB had
nothing to say for days. not a PEEP! His first official
statement was to say "We send out our condolences".

His second statement, off camera, was probably, "I heard
sumpin' bout some sort a nammie' hittin a coast somewheres"

Anyway, his response has been lacking.

They just said on the news the death toll has surpassed
125,000 and that over 5 million are displaced and homeless.

I'm sure George's condolences are doing wonders.

A couple more survival stories:

-A 6 wk old baby was found alive after floating on a
mattress for 8 hours.
-A couple on a honeymoon were scuba diving about 60 ft down
when the tsunami went by. Other than a slight feeling of
being "sucked down a little" they had no idea of what was
going on up above them. They were "shocked to the core"
when they came up, and couldn't recognize a thing.
"It was a completely different world from the one that was
there when we went down".

That would've been a bit strange.

later.





From:     Mij     12/31/2004     7:17 A.M.

THE DISASTER IS OVER!!!!!!

JEB BUSH IS ON THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!


Everything will be cleared up soon. MB sent his brother,
MB2, to clear up all the strife and misery. Should all be
back to normal in a couple of days.

I was sitting here yesterday thinking who would be a good
representative for our country to install confidence and
hope to the millions of people who have lost everything...

Who else but...THE JEBSTER! You can hear the collective sigh
of relief from the millions of victims and their families
from here! in between sorting through bodies and looking
for food and water, all you could hear was "Where's the
Jebster?" "How can we do this without Jeb?"
"HAS ANYBODY SEEN JEB!!!!!!!!!!


Later.



From:     jaf     12/31/2004     8:50 A.M.
2005!! WOW !!!

here comes another fresh cycle......



From:     Mij     12/31/2004     4:58 P.M.

It's time for some George Bushes....better known as

CRIMINALLY STUPID PEOPLE!

-In Manchester, Conn., police became suspicious that Frank
Hersha, 21, was driving drunk when they saw him trying to
order through a drive-up window of a local restaurant...
that was obviously closed.
( "I'd like this to go, I mean stay"..)

-In Carrol County, MD., a man robbed a convenience store
at gunpoint, then rushed out, ran across the street to a
pizzaria, and ordered a take-out pizza. Police found him
there, patiently waiting for his pie.
( He sounds like a real pizza shit to me..)

-After the robbery of a jewelry store in Bloomington, Ill.,
police arrested Donald R. Hilger and then brought two of the
robbery's witnesses to the arrest scene to see if they
could identify him. As soon as the witnesses arrived,
Hilger pointed at one of them and said "That's the one I
robbed"!

-In Kirov, Russia, a man was arrested and charged with
vandalism after he walked into a plumbing fixtures shop,
unzipped his pants, and started peeing in one of the
toilets in the middle of the showroom floor. He told
police he just assumed that customers would be allowed to
try out the products before buying.
( I don't buy it )

-In Callaway, Fla., a couple called police to report that
someone had stolen four ounces of marijuana from them and
told police they needed it back soon because they were
planning to sell it.
( And they're allowed to breed. )

Some strange things from the newswire:

Australia....43 members of the Melbourne's Bay City Scuba
Diving Club ironed in 10 feet of water to break the world
record for underwater ironing.
( Huh? )

Nigeria....In Lagos, Police officers formed themselves into
large groups of street choirs to disperse unruly mobs by
singing.
( Huh? )

United States....In Port Angeles, Wash., prosecutors
charged a 63-year-old woman with arson after she set her
apartment on fire because, as she later told fire
investigators, "The kitty litter smelled and I was tired of
cleaning it."
( sounds reasonable )

Useless facts:

-A woodpecker can peck 20 times a second.
( I wouldn't think that possible with a wood pecker...)

-You spend six years of your life dreaming.

-The average American eats 193 sandwiches a year.

-Genuphobia is the fear of knees.
( kneesus! )

-The Chinese invented toilet paper 3,395 yrs ago.
( finger foods became a lot more popular afterwards..)

-Panda Bears do handstands to pee on trees.

-Crocodiles keep up to 15 lbs of rocks in their stomachs
to help aid digestion.

-The Bank of England was founded by a Scotsman and the Bank
of Scotland was founded by an Englishman.
( The bank of Cave Junction was founded by a Kerbyman. )

-The skin you peel off after a bad sunburn is called blype.

-You produce a quart of saliva a day.

Happy New Year to everyone, and keep your thoughts to those
on the other side of the world.

Peace.




From:     Ted     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     1/1/2005     8:39 P.M.
http://www.jazzfuneralfordemocracy.com/

Jazz Funeral for Democracy (an email I received)



From:     Mij     1/3/2005     7:20 A.M.

I see that long after the fact, after days of worldwide
greif and millions of dollars in private donations by the
American people and the rest of the world, MB is hopping on
the relief bandwagon, turning the generosity of individual
people and charities around so that it seems like he's
been the catalyst behind all the outpouring of help and
charity, when actually he was on his private million acre
ranch in Texas shooting small animals and scheming up new
ways to bankrupt the country and kill more Iraqi peoples.
What a guy.
Later.



From:     michelle     1/4/2005     11:58 A.M.

i left seoul for hawaii on christmas eve... went backward in time and arrived the morning of christmas eve. .. heard about the wave a little late because i was without tv etc. . . a coworker , friend was spending her winter vacation in phuket. .. i had no way of reaching her and worried almost the entire vacation. .. was relieved to see her yesterday. .. she was there. . . and has stories to tell. . . many western teachers here in seoul spend their holiday in thailand. ... many are still missing. .. hawaii was beautiful. fresh air. .. moonlight. . . sunshine. .. rain. . . i'm refreshed.



From:     Mij     1/4/2005     7:20 A.M.

Glad to hear your friend is ok Michelle. In this country
alone there is over 5000 people waiting to hear from friends
and loved ones, and the chances of a happy ending for these
people is slim to none.
Here's a cool story:
A ten year old girl from Britain vacationing with her family
noticed the water started "acting very strange". The water
started bubbling, had a weird smell, and started recedeing
very fast. She told her "mum" that her class had just
learned about a thing called "tsunamis" and that these were
the tell-tale signs that one was about to hit. Her mother
kinda shrugged it off at first, thinking that kids sure do
have vivid imaginations, but her daughter became very
distressed and said she was positive something very bad was
about to happen. The mom took her daughter to the resort
manager, where the young girl pleaded with him to get
everyone off the beach at once. The hotel manager, after
only a few moments of hearing what the little girl had to
say, promptly sent word out for everyone to evacuate the
beach immediately. The entire beach, which had over 100
people on it, was cleared off just moments before a giant
wave completely inundated it. Not one person on that
particular beach was killed or injured thanks to the little
girl. The hotel manager said she and she alone saved the
lives of everyone of those people.
Sometimes good things come in small packages.
Peace.



From:     Mr. Science     1/4/2005     8:07 A.M.

Fact:
It takes an average of about ten minutes after water starts
recedeing for tsunamis to hit shore.



From:     eugene     1/7/105     1:01 P.M.

just in case we have not had enough bad news this year...

i read an article in scientific american in the last year or
so about the earths magnetic field... wish i had the details
and complete facts folks... but i can only file the general
content and concepts with the aging grey matter...

in any case... the earths magnetic fields do a complete flip
over geological periods of time... that is very long periods
of time... north becomes south and south becomes north...
(will santa move to the new north pole in antartica???)

this phenomenon was first discovered when scientists were
checking out the places on the sea floor where magma wells
up (way down deep) and they noticed that the magnetic
orientation of old deposits... think many thousands of years
apart... reversed polarity... hmmmm...

so this has happened quite a few times according to the
geological record over the history of the planet... it is
also overdue based on previous periods... so watch out...

just do not be traveling by any method that requires a
compass to get where you are going... you know walking is
safer than bicyling... bicycling is safer than driving...
driving is safer than flying... and if you are out sailing
be sure to navigate by the stars and sun... not by compass...

also remember that the moss will be growing on the south
side of the oak tree...

the north star will become the south star... the southern
cross will be the northern cross...

i wonder if electric motors will start running backwards...
anyone an expert on electromagnetism???

don't worry too much... it should not happen for several
hundred to oh... maybe 250,000 years from now...



From:     jim     1/7/2005     12:06 P.M.

..a slow process, i'll adjust



From:     llucy     1/7/2005     5:58 P.M.

ahh every time i post the password i get frisson

have you heard about NOT ONE DAMN DIME DAY?
yep the day of the inagural (sp fer sure)we will not spend one damn dime
...ah yeah, will try to pass along what little organizatiuonal facts we (as in the royal we) can fine
but is pretty simple...cash strike cash strike cash strike

remember when we didna have any cash?

i sure do but always had the green

so no problem




From:     eugene     1/8/105     2:22 P.M.

damn llucy...

you done beat me to the punch... was just signing on to pass
along the same information...

on january 20th do not buy anything anywhere for any reason
ok... if you have to go to the doctor or hospital or if
you would starve to death without heading down to the local
supermarket...

otherwise... BOYCOTT everyone on jan. 20th...



From:     Rita     1/9/2005     10:51 A.M.

Llucy, Eugene, I hadn't heard about the
Boycott at all--sounds good!!
I have been hearing,via KGO, San Francisco,
the Ray Talufero talk show, from 1:00-5:00 A.M.,
Mon-Fri--that one of the biggest protests will take
place in Washington DC on January 20th, protesting
of course, Bush's insane Iraq war and his domestic
agenda too. The organizers are hoping for a whopping
turn-out, and throughout the country, various forms of
protesting will take place--I sure hope so--
This man should not be allowed to run amuck with our
country and laws. He has no mandate, 59 MILLION people voted
AGAINST him--59 million people should NOW stand against
him and his ruinous policies--like Nancy Pelosi and
senator Barbara Boxer--these women should get the 'Profiles
in Courage' award--

Peace--



From:     Webmeister     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     1/11/2005     7:01 A.M.

SUPPORT SUNNYRIDGE



From:     Mij     1/11/2005     7:22 A.M.

Ted, I know things are a bit rocky in your sphere of life
and I sincerely hope things start harmonizing in a more
peaceful and less chaotic flow. Things will get better.

The weather your getting down there is quite amazing. I'm
sure it's not so great as far as your concerned, but to a
weather nut like me it's very enthralling.
I was just browsing some of the rainfall totals. Downtown
Los Angeles has had 17 inches in the last 15 days, and in
the surrounding coastal mountains around Santa Barbara
there has been 27 inches of rain in 4 days! WOW!

We had snow, about a foot, but Jim and the folks in Williams
have had the most, 26 to 30 inches! ( actually, Sexton Pass
had 46 inches, but who the hell lives on Sexton Pass? )

I've saved a picture from the news for you Ted, and Mom will
send it a little later. It's a boulder the size of a small
nation sitting in the middle of the road down around your
area....

Stay dry.
Peace.



From:     Ted     1/12/2005     5:38 P.M.

Santa Barbara Tsunami
On December 21, 1812 an earthquake estimated at ten on the Rossi-Forel
Scale (8.3 on the Richter scale) struck Southern California. It was the most
severe earthquake ever recorded in Santa Barbara and was followed by
aftershocks for four and a half months. The December shakes were preceded by a series
of shocks starting in May of that year. The epicenter was probably a
submarine fault offshore from Santa Barbara and Lompoc. The intensity of the quake
equaled the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Five gigantic seismic
tsunamis roared on shore tumbling buildings like matchsticks all the way inland to
the front of the Santa Barbara Presidio. In his journal, a Franciscan father
described the waves "like a high mountain of water," probably fifty feet in
height.


The Channel Islands also suffered. At the Lobo Canyon on Santa Rosa
Island an enormous crack opened in the earth that was 1,000 yards long, over 100
feet wide, and 50-60 feet deep. Huge boulders and rocks tumbled and rolled
down the cliffs. The Island Chumash were so frightened that they asked the
Spanish to evacuate them to the mainland.


The 1812 earthquake in the Channel generated the largest tsunamis ever
recorded in California. The water receded out to sea about 1,500 feet on the
Channel Islands, exposing the ocean bottom with its rocks, shoals, and kelp
beds. It happened so quickly that countless fish were stranded and flapped
about high and dry. The waves were spaced about fifteen minutes apart, but it was
the third or fourth crest that produced the most destruction.


The largest wave, reported as being fifty feet high, formed off
Goleta. The United States Geological Survey estimated that the wave height was
actually 48-50 feet above sea level. The peak of the 1812 tsunami occurred just
west of Santa Barbara. As the sea swept inland, the people along the coast ran
to high ground and to the Santa Barbara and Ventura missions to escape the
incoming waves. Fear of the huge waves and the earth's continual shaking for 23
days kept the population in constant fear. A temporary church was built on
higher ground above the Ventura Mission. The reason for the Church's
evacuation was explained by Padre Senan on January 9, 1813: "the ocean waves were
considerable, although they did not occur with such force and frequency as from
December to February."


A large American ship in the act of smuggling contraband at Refugio
was allegedly carried by the water over a half mile up Refugio Canyon and was
then returned to the sea by the receding water, apparently unharmed. After the
initial quake, the few buildings in the Santa Barbara pueblo were in ruins,
and the Mission was almost demolished. Most of the roofs of the Presidio were
on the ground in piles of rubble. Mission La Purisima, about ten miles east of
Point Arguello, was completely destroyed by the earthquake.


As the aftershocks continued day after day, landslides of huge
magnitude occurred on the slopes of the coastal range, further terrifying the
residents. Small "volcanoes" belched forth a mixture of water and mud, smelling like
rotten eggs, in many places near the Mesa area of Santa Barbara. Several
asphalt springs flowed along the coast. A burning oil or gas spring near Rincon
Point erupted like a small volcano and continued to burn for more than a
hundred years after the quake. An oil spout was observed at the shoreline near what
was later to become the location of the Summerland oil fields.


The Seismological Society of America estimated that 81 earthquakes
occurred in the Santa Barbara Channel between 1769 and 1928, varying in intensity
from one to ten on the Rossi-Forel Scale. A ten is considered to be a great
disaster where fissures appear and mountain slides occur.




From:     michelle     1/13/2005     12:09 P.M.

llucy, i just read previous postings. .. that was a very generous offer. i rented a house. . . near the black sand beach. .. . though, i never ventured down the path. .. don't like the scene. .. plus, the last time i was there my sister had her car stolen. .. . did enjoy the area. . . especially the warm ponds. . . verna's. . . sunrises and even sunsets!! not often the sun sets on that side of the island. .. .. . i would like to go back and spend some more time. . . it really felt good for me to be there. .. i felt the aloha spirit . .. i also really enjoy being around my sisters kids. ..



From:     Mij     1/14/2005     7:03 A.M.

Ted, thanks for re-posting those jokes on "what's new".
I know it sounds weird, but they're funnier to me now than
when I'm writing them....
( More proof you shouldn't let children play with the
household cleaning supplies.....)

I haven't barked at Monkey Boy much lately. The truth is,
It's gotten to the point of numbness. Everything he does
and says is so wrong that I just shake my head and get this
picture in my head of Alfred E. Newman.
"What, me worry"?

So much for MB.

I leave you with Al Sleet, that Hippy Dippy Weatherman...

"Now, if you turn to the weather map, you'll see that..we
don't have one! So picture last night's map in your mind....
The map was dominated by a large Canadian low...
Which isn't to be confused with a Mexican High!"

Peace.



From:     stan     1/15/2005     10:20 A.M.

here's a good one
Disaster
Bush presidential library destroyed by fire.
Crawford Texas - A tragic fire this morning destroyed the personal library of Pres. George Bush.
Both of his books were lost.
A spokesman said the president was devastated, as he had almost finished coloring in the second one.
The fire began in the presidential bathroom where both books were kept.



From:     jim     1/15/2005     12:53 P.M.

that's a funny one stan, where are you these days ?



From:     Rita     1/15/2005     3:44 P.M.

Good one Stan--very funny indeed--



From:     mij     1/17/2005     4:19 P.M.

A boat smuggling marijuana was sighted by the Coastguard,
so the smugglers dumped all of the pot overboard. It washed
up on an island populated by Terns. In a couple of days,
over the whole island, there wasn't a tern left unstoned...

Sorry... ( NOT! )

Did you know that the story of Arnold's race to become
Govenor is being turned into a porn movie?
Well, you do now.

Or that CAP Candy CO is marketing "Booger Beans". Deirdre
Gonzales, a spokesperson for the company, says that "Four
out of five 6-year-olds say it tastes like a booger". The
company hired experts to certify that the jelly beans had a
flavor resembling "dried mucus". Gonzales also said the
company has available "ear wax beans".
( that's ingenuity at it's best! )

Oh that darn irony!...
In Chester, Pa., three men at work were injured when a
motorist hit the "Men at work" safety sign. The sign flew
up in the air, came down and hit the three men at work.
( a whole new meaning to "signing in"...)

Well, that's all folks!






From:     stan     1/18/2005     1:09 P.M.

In Cambodia, teaching part time, but return every summer to US. Opening a small bar here soon, actually taking over from a friend, hope to make just enough money to stop working. Had a great time with my bar in Kunming China, so I'm looking forward. I love being out in the warm tropical night. Have to force myself to stay home one night a week. Come visit!



From:     jim     1/18/2005     9:26 A.M.

...stan...sounds like you are settling in, i would need a good
shower a
flushing toilet, a kitchen good heating and cooling as needed to be
able to settle anywheres.....i now live mostly in williams, go to
walport to maintain studio at times....good luck with the bar....



From:     jim     1/18/2005     9:34 A.M.

ps...i forgot the computer and getting on line, as important to
settling in....



From:     stan     1/19/2005     10:54 A.M.

Jim, all possible here, in fact my new apartment has hot water, a sit down toilet and a fridge. Air con if you want but i never like it no matter how hot and muggy it gets. Howver Dec and Jan are very pleasant - temps never break 80 degrees.

On line expensive at home but in a cafe where I'm now writing it's only .50 cents an hour.
I'm definitely settled in, it's my home and I must say it would drive me crazy to live in the US right now.



From:     michelle     1/19/2005     5:09 P.M.

stan , how is the pay for english teachers? do schools set you up with an apartment like they do in china, taiwan and korea? you are in cambodia, right? i'm just finishing up my second year of teaching in korea. . . and considering trying another country. . . going back to the states for a bit... maybe longer. .. have a feeling that after the rush of seeing all my family and familiar places, i will long to be back in asia. .. we'll see... email me if you get the chanch.



From:     Ted     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     1/19/2005     8:45 P.M.

Thanks so much to Ruby (Debi) for a generous donation to sunnyridge.net. Thank you and hope your lifestyle changes for the better if your lucrative job happens to disappear. Changes changes changes. Mmmm, that was a Sunnyridge slogan, no?



From:     Mij     1/20/2005     7:11 A.M.

George W. Bush said in an interview yesterday that he sees
no reason why he needs to be inaugurated. He said that
although he hasn't had the flu this year, he believes that
all the hoopla over a flu shot is a bit overblown.
"I'll get the shot, but i think it's the high risk groups
that should get first priority at being inaugurated"

Meanwhile, he said he'll be working on his inoculation
speech.

Later.



From:     jim     1/20/2005     11:01 A.M.

demetra....i just spent some time with her, she is doing fine, i had to leave to sit down and rest in the waiting room and to enter this bit of info....surgery was succesful...she is smiling and talking...



From:     Ted     1/20/2005     8:20 P.M.

That is fantastic, jim...Tell Demetra we all need our heart worked on periodically. Hope she is feeling ok.



From:     Stan     1/21/2005     11:18 A.M.

michelle,
pay here is $8 to 10 hour but living expenses are very low and it's a free and open place where you get your own apartment.
Hot though for about 9 months and definitely not a developed country, though we teachers earn enough to simulate American life.
Come visit first



From:     SIG     1/21/2005     7:31 A.M.

For Peter K:

Bob Dylan's Dream:

While riding on a train goin' west,
I fell asleep for to take my rest.
I dreamed a dream that made me sad,
Concerning myself and the first few friends I had.

With half-damp eyes I stared to the room
Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon,
Where we together weathered many a storm,
Laughin' and singin' till the early hours of the morn.

By the old wooden stove where our hats was hung,
Our words were told, our songs were sung,
Where we longed for nothin' and were quite satisfied
Talkin' and a-jokin' about the world outside.

With haunted hearts through the heat and cold,
We never thought we could ever get old.
We thought we could sit forever in fun
But our chances really was a million to one.

As easy it was to tell black from white,
It was all that easy to tell wrong from right.
And our choices were few and the thought never hit
That the one road we traveled would ever shatter and split.

How many a year has passed and gone,
And many a gamble has been lost and won,
And many a road taken by many a friend,
And each one I've never seen again.

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain,
That we could sit simply in that room again.
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat,
I'd give it all gladly if our lives could be like that.



From:     Ted     webmaster@sunnyridge.net     1/21/2005     8:05 P.M.

Yes, it is the anniversary of Peter's departure from this frustrating but beautiful theatre. If anyone else would like to post a message, it would probably be more appropriate and enduring on Tribute to Peter



From:     michelle     1/24/2005     9:10 A.M.

it is also the anniversary of clem's death.



From:     jim     1/27/2005     9:08 A.M.

cannot post on safari ted....demetra is home again, after her heart
surgery....i'll be back in williams tomorrow



From:     Ted     1/30/2005     3:42 P.M.
http://www.sunnyridge.net/guestbook/guests4.html#end

Anyone know Alan Lafky? He posted on the GUESTBOOK.
Click the link above.



From:     Joel     1/30/2005     3:59 P.M.

The Iraqi people taught us all a great lesson this weekend. Their willingness to risk and even give their lives so that they may have a say in the future direction of their country is inspiring to say the least and should silence, at least for a while, the voices of those who have criticized their liberation every step of the way.



From:     Ted     1/30/2005     5:09 P.M.

Hi Joel! How are you doing? How is the family? Would love to hear an update on your trip.



From:     Mij     1/31/105     6:40 A.M.

Joel, everything about this war was and is wrong, and
everything about this president and administration is wrong.
Thousands of Iraqi and American lives lost, a country
completely torn to shreds, our own country's resources and
military being decimated, a deficit that Einstein couldn't
fathom, a once strong semi-respected country now hated by
the world...all so a couple of Iraqis can vote in an
election that no one will remember or care about in a couple
of weeks?
And when MB gives the go-ahead to invade the next country
on HIS list, I'm sure you'll be right there telling us what
a good thing this evil, sick SOB is doing.

Good ol' MB, the "GREAT LIBERATOR"!

yeah, right.



From:     test     1/31/105     7:30 A.M.

test



From:     test     1/31/105     7:30 A.M.

test



From:     Mij     1/31/105     7:36 A.M.

test



From:     Mij     1/31/105     7:36 A.M.

Test.



From:     Joel     1/31/2005     8:46 A.M.

mij, believe it or not I have agonized over this war since before it began. Though I have generally supported the president's course of action it has not been without, as I already said, agonizing over it. I am a peaceful man and I hate war as much or more than the next guy. There have been times over the past few years when I have doubted the wisdom and rightness of the war and questioned the president's decision. I say this to dispel any misconception you may have of me as someone who is rabidly in favor of the war and blind to the suffering and loss that it has brought about. That is just not the case.
But I have to say I think we have been lied to, and not by Bush as I know you believe to be true. Rather we have been lied to by the mainstream press that consistently reports the negative effects of this war to the almost complete exclusion of anything positive. I think that the voting this weekend is a much more accurate representation of where the Iraqi people are at then we have been hearing for a long time. You said something about a "couple of Iraqi's voting" in your message to me but I don't understand how you can say that. The number of Iraqis who voted was over 8 million which accounted for 60% of the eligible voters. When you consider the conditions under which they voted, a very real threat to their lives and safety (40-50 people were killed) the fact that so many voted is amazing. The pictures of people dancing in the streets, defying the terrorists, tell a powerful story. These are not isolated or rare images seized upon by the conservative news people. These images were seen on every station CNN and Fox alike. I believe that the terrorists or insurgents, in targeting Iraqi civilians as they have to be killed by bombs or to be shot in the head, have shown their true colors to the Iraqi people. These insurgents are not patriots but despots in the making. They maim and kill their own people in an effort to prevent democracy from taking root. They want to turn the clock back and remain in power and control. Can there be any doubt as to what kind of government or society they would institute were they allowed to win? It would be a repeat of the Saddam years and I think the voting we just saw proves beyond any doubt that the Iraqi people do not want the insurgents to win.
It seems to me the President was right in saying that the elections should take place and not be put off. Contrary to what Kerry said about the elections not being that significant, I think they are incredibly significant. For sure it is just a beginning but a very important one. The elections let the terrorists and the rest of the world know that the Iraqi people, like so many people's before them, would like a chance at living in a democracy and not under the cruel thumb of tyrants. John Lennon's words seem appropos at this time "Give peace a chance".



From:     Mij     1/31/2005     5:56 P.M.

I just don't see it that way Joel...We can't be babysitters
for them the next 50 yrs, and the only way they'll have any
more "free" elections will be if we're there like we were
yesterday. I also have grave doubts as to why Bush and crew
went to war in the first place. A lot of people in this
administration and a handful of Corporations have gotten
mighty rich from this war. Noone even mentions Haliburton
anymore..
There was a news story yesterday that there is 9 billion
dollars unaccounted for in this war. Where the heck did
9 billion go?
There is just too much bad here at home, from health care to
social security, and to many questions about the hows and
whys of this war for me.
But regardless of how we feel, I wish nothing but health
and happiness to you and yours Joel.
Peace.



From:     Mij     1/31/2005     6:24 P.M.

I just don't see it that way Joel...We can't be babysitters
for them the next 50 yrs, and the only way they'll have any
more "free" elections will be if we're there like we were
yesterday. I also have grave doubts as to why Bush and crew
went to war in the first place. A lot of people in this
administration and a handful of Corporations have gotten
mighty rich from this war. Noone even mentions Haliburton
anymore..
There was a news story yesterday that there is 9 billion
dollars unaccounted for in this war. Where the heck did
9 billion go?
There is just too much bad here at home, from health care to
social security, and to many questions about the hows and
whys of this war for me.
But regardless of how we feel, I wish nothing but health
and happiness to you and yours Joel.
Peace.



From:     Joel     1/31/2005     8:38 P.M.

Thank you very much for your well wishes mij. I really appreciate that and wish you well too! Really, I do.



From:     Mij     2/1/2005     4:41 P.M.

Went to the coast yesterday and it was sunny and warm, no
wind, and huge waves. On Sunday night, I was looking on my
website and they were predicting 13ft swells, but when we
got there they were much bigger. We go to a place called
Indian Sands where the waves crash onto tall rugged cliffs
and the spray shoots way up in the air...I like to scramble
all over the rocks and get as close as possible to the
splash of the waves, to close sometimes I'm sure. My
girlfriend is use to it, although it still makes her a
little nervous. We find a spot we know is above the splash
line for all our stuff, have a toke, and check out the
show. It's very exhilirating..

I've been checking out the website for the David Letterman
show. They have a top ten contest that I enter each Monday
where you give a top ten answer for a chance at a David
Letterman mouse pad! Yesterday's Top Ten: What will be
different about this year's halftime show from last year's?

My entry: Won't be as titilating.

I guess it's not a big mystery why I do manual labor for a
living...

Peace.

PS. Eugene, haven't heard from you in awhile...



From:     Rita     2/3/2005     11:37 A.M.

Hi everyone--
I have to comment on bush's state of union
address last night--
He is so gung-ho to destroy a program(social security)
that he resorted to his devious ways once again, LYING,
the thing he does best--social security, with no help
at all, would still be solvent until at least 2040--
But congress can fix whatever it needs in plenty of time
to have that program a truly secure retirement plan for
the retirees--
Bush is like a little kid that cant get his way, he resorts
to the lie--he knows it worked in Iraq--he is saying that
SSI would be bankrupt by 2014--now he is not getting wrong
advice, he is out and out LYING again--even his own budget
director told him that--so he changes the spin a little and
now he is going to reform SSI--that man has no shame--
why he wants to ruin a wonderful program like social security is beyond me, I guess his fellow billionaires
dont have enough money, now wall street wants some, which
they will 'clean-up' of course, if his idiotic plan is approved--
Bush's motto that he lives by--

DO NOT, NOT LIE



From:     stan     2/4/2005     10:55 A.M.

Joel,
The media has been giving the GOOD news. If you weren't stuck in a paradox of a Christian war lover and supporter of MB whatever he does and looked at the real news, on the internet, say, you would see it's far worse. The elections are a momentary ray of sunshine in a blizzard.




From:     stan     2/4/2005     11:09 A.M.

And Joel, how do you reconcile a war built on lies, regardless of the outcome? Is lying Christian?



From:     michelle     2/4/2005     2:46 P.M.

joel, you will soon learn the truth about the elections. . . should be in mainstream media within the week. ... a class in cultural competency would be good for george bush and anyone else who thinks what is happening in iraq is good for the iraqie people.



From:     Rita     2/4/2005     9:43 A.M.

Stan, I have asked Joel that question more than
once--"is lying christian?"--His answer once was
he believed bush was given the wrong advice--really Joel,
do you truly believe bush,powell,condoleeza thought we
would be nuked in 45 minutes--that's what they espoused
to the whole world--give me a break--that whole bunch
has lied since day one, and its continuing--
No Joel, that man bush and his cohorts, are pure EVIL--
And now they are at it again, LYING about social security--
and Iran and condoning a marine general who has said it is
"FUN TO KILL" There is everything Destructive in his
administration and not one thing Constructive--
IS LYING CHRISTIAN?

Peace, Love--





From:     jim     2/6/2005     11:20 A.M.

No Tomorrow
by:  Bill Moyers

One of the biggest changes in politics in my lifetime is that the
delusional is no longer marginal. It has come in from the fringe, to
sit
in the seat of power in the Oval Office and in Congress. For the first
time in our history, ideology and theology hold a monopoly of
power in
Washington.

Theology asserts propositions that cannot be proven true;
ideologues
hold stoutly to a worldview despite being contradicted by what is
generally accepted as reality. When ideology and theology couple,
their
offspring are not always bad but they are always blind. And there
is
the
danger: voters and politicians alike, oblivious to the facts.

Remember James Watt, President Ronald Reagan's first secretary
of the
interior? My favorite online environmental journal, the ever-
engaging
Grist, reminded us recently of how James Watt told the U.S.
Congress
that protecting natural resources was unimportant in light of the
imminent return of Jesus Christ. In public testimony he said, "after
the last tree is felled, Christ will come back."

Beltway elites snickered. The press corps didn't know what he was
talking about. But James Watt was serious. So were his
compatriots out
across the country. They are the people who believe the Bible is
literally true - one-third of the American electorate, if a recent
Gallup poll is accurate. In this past election several million good
and
decent citizens went to the polls believing in the rapture index.

That's right - the rapture index. Google it and you will find that the
best-selling books in America today are the 12 volumes of the "Left
Behind" series written by the Christian fundamentalist and
religious-right warrior Timothy LaHaye. These true believers
subscribe
to a fantastical theology concocted in the 19th century by a couple
of
immigrant preachers who took disparate passages from the Bible
and wove
them into a narrative that has captivated the imagination of millions
of Americans.

Its outline is rather simple, if bizarre (the British writer George
Monbiot recently did a brilliant dissection of it and I am indebted to
him for adding to my own understanding): Once Israel has
occupied the
rest of its "biblical lands," legions of the antichrist will attack it,
triggering a final showdown in the valley of Armageddon.

As the Jews who have not been converted are burned, the
messiah will
return for the rapture. True believers will be lifted out of their
clothes and transported to Heaven, where, seated next to the right
hand
of God, they will watch their political and religious opponents suffer
plagues of boils, sores, locusts and frogs during the several years
of
tribulation that follow.

I'm not making this up. Like Monbiot, I've read the literature. I've
reported on these people, following some of them from Texas to
the West
Bank. They are sincere, serious and polite as they tell you they feel
called to help bring the rapture on as fulfillment of biblical
prophecy.

That's why they have declared solidarity with Israel and the Jewish
settlements and backed up their support with money and
volunteers. It's
why the invasion of Iraq for them was a warm-up act, predicted in
the
Book of Revelations where four angels "which are bound in the
great
river Euphrates will be released to slay the third part of man." A
war
with Islam in the Middle East is not something to be feared but
welcomed - an essential conflagration on the road to redemption.
The last time I
Googled it, the rapture index stood at 144 - just one point below
the
critical threshold when the whole thing will blow, the son of God
will
return, the righteous will enter Heaven and sinners will be
condemned
to eternal hellfire.

So what does this mean for public policy and the environment? Go
to
Grist to read a remarkable work of reporting by the journalist Glenn
Scherer - "The Road to Environmental Apocalypse." Read it and
you will
see how millions of Christian fundamentalists may believe that
environmental destruction is not only to be disregarded but
actually
welcomed - even hastened - as a sign of the coming apocalypse.

As Grist makes clear, we're not talking about a handful of fringe
lawmakers who hold or are beholden to these beliefs. Nearly half
the
U.S. Congress before the recent election - 231 legislators in total
and
more since the election - are backed by the religious right.

Forty-five senators and 186 members of the 108th Congress
earned 80 to
100 percent approval ratings from the three most influential
Christian
right advocacy groups. They include Senate Majority Leader Bill
Frist,
Assistant Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Conference Chair Rick
Santorum of Pennsylvania, Policy Chair Jon Kyl of Arizona, House
Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Whip Roy Blunt. The only
Democrat to score
100 percent with the Christian coalition was Sen. Zell Miller of
Georgia, who recently quoted from the biblical book of Amos on
the
Senate floor: "The days will come, sayeth the Lord God, that I will
send a famine in the land." He seemed to be relishing the thought.

And why not? There's a constituency for it. A 2002 Time-CNN poll
found
that 59 percent of Americans believe that the prophecies found in
the
book of Revelations are going to come true. Nearly one-quarter
think
the Bible predicted the 9/11 attacks. Drive across the country with
your
radio tuned to the more than 1,600 Christian radio stations, or in
the
motel turn on some of the 250 Christian TV stations, and you can
hear
some of this end-time gospel. And you will come to understand
why
people under the spell of such potent prophecies cannot be
expected, as Grist
puts it, "to worry about the environment. Why care about the earth,
when the droughts, floods, famine and pestilence brought by
ecological
collapse are signs of the apocalypse foretold in the Bible? Why
care
about global climate change when you and yours will be rescued
in the
rapture?

And why care about converting from oil to solar when the same
God who
performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes can whip up a few
billion barrels of light crude with a word?"

Because these people believe that until Christ does return, the
Lord
will provide. One of their texts is a high school history book,
"America's Providential History." You'll find there these words: "The
secular or socialist has a limited-resource mentality and views the
world as a pie ... that needs to be cut up so everyone can get a
piece."

However, "[t]he Christian knows that the potential in God is
unlimited
and that there is no shortage of resources in God's earth ... while
many secularists view the world as overpopulated, Christians
know that God
has made the earth sufficiently large with plenty of resources to
accommodate all of the people."

No wonder Karl Rove goes around the White House whistling that
militant
hymn, "Onward Christian Soldiers." He turned out millions of the
foot
soldiers on Nov. 2, including many who have made the
apocalypse a
powerful driving force in modern American politics.

It is hard for the journalist to report a story like this with any
credibility. So let me put it on a personal level. I myself don't know
how to be in this world without expecting a confident future and
getting up every morning to do what I can to bring it about. So I
have always
been an optimist. Now, however, I think of my friend on Wall Street
whom I once asked: "What do you think of the market?" "I'm
optimistic," he
answered. "Then why do you look so worried?" And he answered:
"Because
I am not sure my optimism is justified."

I'm not, either. Once upon a time I agreed with Eric Chivian and the
Center for Health and the Global Environment that people will
protect
the natural environment when they realize its importance to their
health and to the health and lives of their children. Now I am not so
sure.
It's not that I don't want to believe that - it's just that I read the
news and connect the dots.

I read that the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has declared the election a mandate for President Bush
on the
environment. This for an administration:

That wants to rewrite the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and
the
Endangered Species Act protecting rare plant and animal species
and
their habitats, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act,
which
requires the government to judge beforehand whether actions
might
damage natural resources.

That wants to relax pollution limits for ozone; eliminate vehicle
tailpipe inspections, and ease pollution standards for cars,
sport-utility vehicles and diesel-powered big trucks and heavy
equipment.

That wants a new international audit law to allow corporations to
keep
certain information about environmental problems secret from the
public.
That wants to drop all its new-source review suits against polluting,
coal-fired power plants and weaken consent decrees reached
earlier with
coal companies. That wants to open the Arctic [National] Wildlife
Refuge to drilling and increase drilling in Padre Island National
Seashore,
the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world and
the last
great coastal wild land in America.

I read the news just this week and learned how the Environmental
Protection Agency had planned to spend $9 million - $2 million of
it
from the administration's friends at the American Chemistry
Council -
to pay poor families to continue to use pesticides in their homes.
These
pesticides have been linked to neurological damage in children,
but
instead of ordering an end to their use, the government and the
industry were going to offer the families $970 each, as well as a
camcorder and
children's clothing, to serve as guinea pigs for the study.

I read all this in the news.

I read the news just last night and learned that the administration's
friends at the International Policy Network, which is supported by
Exxon Mobil and others of like mind, have issued a new report that
climate
change is "a myth, sea levels are not rising" [and] scientists who
believe catastrophe is possible are "an embarrassment."

I not only read the news but the fine print of the recent
appropriations bill passed by Congress, with the obscure (and
obscene) riders attached
to it: a clause removing all endangered species protections from
pesticides; language prohibiting judicial review for a forest in
Oregon; a waiver of environmental review for grazing permits on
public lands; a
rider pressed by developers to weaken protection for crucial
habitats
in California.

I read all this and look up at the pictures on my desk, next to the
computer - pictures of my grandchildren. I see the future looking
back
at me from those photographs and I say, "Father, forgive us, for we
know =not what we do." And then I am stopped short by the
thought: "That's
not right. We do know what we are doing. We are stealing their
future.
Betraying their trust. Despoiling their world."

And I ask myself: Why? Is it because we don't care? Because we
are
greedy? Because we have lost our capacity for outrage, our ability
to
sustain indignation at injustice? What has happened to our moral
imagination?

On the heath Lear asks Gloucester: "How do you see the world?"
And
Gloucester, who is blind, answers: "I see it feelingly.'"

I see it feelingly.

The news is not good these days. I can tell you, though, that as a
journalist I know the news is never the end of the story. The news
can
be the truth that sets us free - not only to feel but to fight for the
future we want. And the will to fight is the antidote to despair, the
cure for cynicism, and the answer to those faces looking back at
me
from those photographs on my desk. What we need is what the
ancient
Israelites called hochma - the science of the heart ... the capacity to
see, to feel and then to act as if the future depended on you.

Believe me, it does.

Bill Moyers was host until recently of the weekly public affairs
series
"NOW with Bill Moyers" on PBS. This article is adapted from
AlterNet,
where it first appeared. The text is taken from Moyers' remarks
upon
receiving the Global Environmental Citizen Award from the Center
for
Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.









From:     Mij     2/7/2005     7:15 A.M.

Everything written in that article is 100% true...from
families as guinea pigs to the restructure ( annihilation )
of every enviromental law written in the past 50 yrs. How
does a country of supposedly intelligent, thoughtful, caring
human beings welcome with open arms their own extinction?

It's easy. start by corraling the people en masse with a
few Hail Mary's and Praise the Lord's, soak their minds with
unthinking blindness with the fear of God, Allah, whoever
the religious figure of the day is, open up a new Wal-Mart,
and call it a day.

It's sad.

Peace. ( whether we want it or not! )

PS. Tell me Joel, how is that article not true, or what
reason will you give to rebut it's validity? I don't mean
this in a spiteful or sarcastic manner, I'm asking because
you're one of the "En Masse" believers....ergo, your
response will represent about a third or more of this
country, so I'm curious what you'll say...



From:     eugene     2/7/105     11:57 A.M.

mij...

they do not need to rebut the article... they are true
believers... they are faithful... they do not believe in
"reality"... they belive in a higher reality... so they
do not need to be bothered with facts... they have higher
facts to believe in...

fundamentalist right wing christians are just nuts...
powerful nuts but nuts none the less... so you are really
wasting your time trying to engage them in an "earthly"
discussion... they only engage in heavenly discussions...

there is really no differance between them and the taliban
or any other fundamentalist group... hindu, islamic or any
other wacko religion that believes that god trumps all of
reality... yes, they are a little better about having a
"gentle" agenda... but anyone that believes that the bible
is the literal word of god is simply beyond the pale...
and beyond the reach of us "heathens"... for that is what
we are to them... heathens that are going to hell... this
is why i really see no need any longer to try and engage
them in rational discussion... they are irrational people
at the core...

i was really pleased to read such a succint (sp?) review
of the situation... something that i have been aware of
for at least ten years... these people WELCOME the total
destruction of all life on earth... they would love a
nuclear holocaust... it means jesus is coming back... i
have been talking to people about this for years and of
course everyone poo-poos it... who could believe that
anyone would have such an insane viewpoint about life...

i think a lot of fundamentalist christians do not really
consciously think this way... but it is inherent in the
belief system... if you truly believe that jesus comes
back at the end of the world... then it is a built in
assupmtion that the end of the world is a good thing...

they shame of our nation is that these whack job christians
have managed to take over the government... but do not
worry... this is not the first time these crazies have
grabbed for power... nor will it be the last... things
always swing from liberal to conservative and back again
through the generations... it may take 2-3 generations to
get things back to reality... but what the heck... we will
all be dead by then... so it won't matter much to us...
i do feel sorry for those that have children and
grandchildren... they have more at stake than i... since
i have neither... by choice...

so just keep up the good fight against these insane religious
self-righteous prigs... and be of good cheer... as the bible
says (or is it shakespeare)...

"there is nothing new under the sun"...

except for newer and better weapons...





From:     Mij     2/7/2005     5:27 P.M.

MB's new budget...Cut everything that benifits anyone, and
raise military spending.
Kill more, live less.
And Americans bend over and take the reaming with a smile
on their face and a pain in their arse.
What a man, what a country.
What a joke.




From:     Joel     2/7/2005     9:13 P.M.

I can think of no better way to counter the false views expressed in the recent postings on this website that portray Christians in such an unfavorable and falacious way than to post the following letter. It is a letter written to the President and signed by a broad range of Christian leaders of Universities, charitable organizations, churches etc. that is much more representative of where millions of Christians are at than the ridiculous articles and statements made in the last few days on this site. I do not deny that there are some Christians with very narrow views and uninformed attitudes but to suggest that they represent the majority of believers is simply put, ignorant. Bill Moyers' claims that Christians could care less about the future of the world because everything is going to end someday anyway may be true of some Christians but in my 33 years as a Christian I have never met one Christian man or woman who believed that and I never heard one sermon espousing that view. Quite the opposite for that matter. The letter below demonstrates the heart of most Christians which is to work for peace and to improve the lives of their fellow men regardless of who they are. I am not denying that there are some people who hold the views expressed by Bill Moyers but he has been around long enough and should know better (he is a very intelligent man) than to characterize most Christians in the way he did. It is just not true. I hope you will take the time to read the letter below. It should alleviate your fears or concerns about the type of people Christians are.



I wonder if it qualifies as hate speech - but don't worry hate speech applies to anyone but Christians. You can say whatever you want about them and get away with it. That is the climate we live in today.

January 17, 2005 The Honorable George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write as evangelical leaders to urge a strengthened, expanded emphasis on overcoming hunger and poverty both here and abroad in the next four years. Precisely the commitment to moral values (including the sanctity of human life) that shapes all our political activity compels us to insist that as a nation we must do more to end starvation and hunger and strengthen the capacity of poor people to create wealth and care for their families. We are grateful for your faith-based initiative and the way this approach is strengthening the ability of faith-based organizations to bring their unique gifts and passion to the task of overcoming social brokenness and poverty. We are also grateful for the way your administration has expanded the American contribution to economic development and the battle against AIDS in Africa and other developing countries through the Millennium Challenge Account and the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Initiative. Thank you also for your moral leadership in the fight against human trafficking, your commitment to rebuild the U.S. refugee program, and your sustained efforts to end decades of war in Sudan. Tragically, however, both at home and abroad, the number of people in poverty remains unacceptably high. In 2000, virtually every nation on the planet approved the Millennium Development Goals that included a commitment to halve global poverty by 2015. But adequate funds to meet these goals are not being given, and the U.S. ranks absolutely last (as a percentage of GNP) among all developed nations in its governmental assistance to overcome global poverty. Our nation has fallen far short of the increases in health and development assistance that you proposed. The richest nation in history can and must grasp the opportunity to lead. Poverty in our own nation has increased in the last several years and millions more working poor lack health insurance. We agree with you that there is a poverty of the soul and a poverty of the wallet and that government should not try to solve the first. We pledge to you to strengthen the armies of compassion in order to do more through our faith-based organizations to overcome the poverty of the soul. But our faith-based social service agencies cannot by themselves solve the problem of poverty of the wallet. As you have often said, government can and should help solve this problem. Tragically, millions of Americans today work full time and still fall below the poverty level. The moral values that shape our lives tell us this is wrong. We believe our rich nation should agree that everyone who works full time responsibly will be able to earn enough to rise above the poverty level and enjoy health insurance. We know there will be powerful pressures, from some places, as you and the Congress work to reduce deficit spending, to cut even effective programs for poor people. We pray that you will not allow this to happen. We pray that God will give you the strength to act like the righteous king in Ps. 72:12-13 and “deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help, take pity on the weak and the needy, and save the needy from death.” We call on you, Mr. President, to declare, in your Inaugural or State of the Union address, that it is the policy of your administration to make the necessary improvements in the next four years so that all Americans who work full time
responsibly will be able to escape poverty and enjoy health insurance. This policy would strengthen the family, discourage divorce, reduce out-of-wedlock births and strengthen moral values in our nation. If the Bible teaches us anything clearly on this issue, it is, as the recent declaration of the National Association of Evangelicals said, that “God measures societies by how they treat the people at the bottom.” A dramatic reduction in poverty, both here and abroad, would honor our Lord who called us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It would also be a wonderful legacy for you to leave with the American people and indeed the world. Such an outcome is clearly within the reach of the richest nation in history. The moral values you share with us demand no less. We request the opportunity to meet with you and your administration to discuss ways that we can help you strengthen your administration’s efforts to overcome hunger and poverty. Respectfully, Robert Andringa President Council For Christian Colleges and Paul Armes President Wayland Baptist University Todd Bassett National Commander The Salvation Army David Beckmann President Bread for the World Esdras Betancourt Director of Hispanic Ministries Church of God David Black President Eastern University Peter Borgdorff Exec. Dir. CRWRC William Brown President Cedarville University George Brushaber President Bethel College & Seminary Gaylen Byker President Calvin College Jerry Cain President Judson College Galen Carey Director Advocacy and Policy World Relief R.Judson Carlberg President Gordon College Joel Carpenter Provost Calvin College John Castellani President Teen Challenge International USA Daniel Chamberlain President Houghton College Richard Chamiec-Case Director N. American Assoc. of Christians In Social Richard Cizik V.P. of Governmental Affairs National Association of Evangelicals Dennis Clements Chairman Reaching Indians Ministries International John Derry President Hope International University Dave Donaldson President We Care America Larry Donnithorne President Colorado Christian University G. Dowden President Huntington College James Edwards President Anderson University Bill Emery Chairman Virginia Round Table Bernard Evans President Elim Fellowship E.Lebron Fairbanks President Mount Vernon Nazarene University Frederick Finks President Ashland Theological Seminary Paul Fleischmann President National Network of Youth Ministries Stan Gaede President Westmont College Wayne Gordon Chairman Christian Community Dev. Assoc. William Hamel President Evangelical Free Church of America Doug Hodo President Houston Baptist University Dennis Hollinger President Evangelical School of Theology William Hossier President Missionary Church Inc Clyde Hughes General Overseer International Pentecostal Church of Christ William Ipema Vice President Leadership Foundations of America
Bruce Jackson Director Christian Community Health Fellowship Bryce Jessup President Jessup University Glen Kehrein Executive Director Circle Urban Ministries J.Nelson Kraybill President Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary Richard Land President Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Steven Livesay President Bryan College Larry Lloyd President Crichton College Joel MacCollam Chief Executive World Emergency Relief Ronald Manahan President Grace College & Theological Seminary Jim Mannoia President Greenville College Josh McDowell Author, Speaker Josh McDowell Ministry David Moberg Publisher W Publishing Chuck Moore President Northern Seminary Bruce Murphy President Northwestern College George W Murray President Columbia International University David Neff Editor Christianity Today Larry Nikkel President Tabor College Michael Nyenhuis President MAP International Glenn R Palmberg President Evangelical Covenant Church John E Phelan, Jr President North Park Theological Seminary William Robinson President Whitworth College Andrew Ryskamp Executive Director Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Scott Sabin Executive Director Floresta USA Donald Sharp Pastor Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church of Chicago Amy Sherman Director Faith In Communities Ronald Sider President Evangelicals for Social Action Michael Sigman Bishop Evangelical Congregational Church Barry St. Clair President Reach Out Youth Solutions Richard E Stearns President World Vision Loren Swartzendruber President Eastern Mennonite University Pat Taylor President Southwest Baptist University Steve Timmermans President Trinity Christian College Joseph Tkach President/General Pastor Worldwide Church of God Thomas Trask General Superintendent Assemblies of God Bill Vermillion General Superintendent Evangelical Churches of N. America Jon Wallace President Azusa Pacific University Jim Wallis Convenor Call To Renewal Craig Williford President Denver Seminary James Wolff Pastor Lawndale Christian Reformed Church Tim Ziemer Executive Director World Relief



From:     Joel     2/7/2005     9:14 P.M.

Don't get confused by the sentence about "hate speech". That was part of something I thought I deleted. It had to do with Eugene's rant about "wacko Christians" but then I decided not to include it. Oh well....



From:     stan     2/8/2005     1:07 P.M.

Joel,
I would have to agree that many if not a majority of Christians are not totally wacko, however, you who consider yourselves not wacko have let the nut cases control the agenda and highjack common sense. Instead of railing against us you should be on their back.
Moreover, you may not consider yourself among the wackos and ( and I know you do good works ) yet you blindly follow the monkey boy and his lies. What about the lies, Joel? You haven't answered us. What about torture? Another conservative Christian trait? Now thanks to your boy in the WH we have Mr. torture - it isn't torture until it causes organ failure or death - as attorney general.
If you want us to respect Christians you're going to have to fight for its good name, not sit back while the main tenets of Jesus' thinking are being trashed.
And since when is taking from the poor to give to the rich good Christian politics?
Get a grip Joel, the right wing has highjacked your humanity.



From:     jim     2/8/2005     7:48 A.M.
or do we ?

do we ?



From:     Mij     2/8/2005     7:14 A.M.

You never answer the questions Joel, and thats because you
can't. Your religion does not allow your mind to see beyond
a certain point, because that would take away from the
Christian way of thought. I could ask until I'm blue in the
face and you will never tell me why "YOU" believe all the
atrocities and lies, the death and despair, the overall
plain wrongness of this man and his cronies is a good thing,
and why you and your fellow Christians voted him into office
with open arms, and would do so again if it were possible.
It's the proverbial beating your head against the wall.

And I need an ice-pack!

later.



From:     Rita     2/8/2005     2:06 P.M.

Joel--I am quoting stan's last remark to you--
"The right wing has hijacked your humanity--
What a shame--

Now this is my quote to you Joel--
Bush says 'Poop" and all the fundamentalist
christians "Squat and Strain"
What a shame--



From:     Mij     2/10/2005     4:27 P.M.

If MB fell in the woods and there was noone around, would
he hear the sound of worldwide relief?

Huh?

Moving right along, some meaningless crap I dug up for your
reading displeasure....

-Police in Milan are looking for a man who walked into an
erotica store, pulled out a pistol, and stole an inflatable
doll.
( They should be glad that's all he pulled out! )

-In Frankfurt, a drunken man bought a hand grenade at a flea
market, brought it home and then, after arguing with friends
over whether it was real, pulled the pin and tossed it out
the window.
No one was hurt in the explosion.
( drunks with hand grenades...sounds like good times! )

-In New Castle, Del., two men who robbed a Domino's Pizza
delivery woman were arrested when one of them called the
victim later on his cell phone to appologize and ask her
out on a date.
( He sounds like a real pizza shit )

-In the town of Chenalho, Mex., Pedro Lopez, 39, stunned
docters by successfully performing surgery on himself.
Lopez drained fluid from his lungs by sticking a needle
up through his belly button ( sic ) and drained three
liters of liquid out of his lungs...without anesthesia!
Said one doctor "He did it like he was a trained surgeon".

-Police in Germany are looking for protesters who have
been sticking minature U.S. flags into piles of dog shit in
public parks. Said a police spokesman: "We have extra
patrols out looking for whoever it is, but frankly i'm not
sure what we would do if we catch them red handed".
( Or in this case, brownhanded....)

-In a demonstration against the opening of a Mcdonald's in
the French town of Sete, about 500 protesters, using a
giant homemade catapult, bombarded the restaurant with
fresh octopi.
( Mcbombalds )

-A Romanian man, serving a seven year prison sentence for
stealing cars, heard that his girlfriend had married
another man so he cut off both his little toes and ate
them.
( He said they tasted "toe"riffic..)

-An English factory worker, frustrated at delays in getting
help at his local tax office, glued himself to the help
desk until they expedited his claim and assisted him.
( sounds reasonable )

-Inmates in a woman's prison in England are protesting and
demanding that they get fluffy toilet seat covers.
( sounds reasonable )

-A man in India has made a toilet car that goes 30 MPH.
( runs like shit though )

-A 22-year-old South African woman who was undergoing
surgery to add inflatable implants to her bottom so she
could look like Jennifer Lopez, is suing after her butt
implants exploded.
( "Bum"er )

later.



From:     eugene     2/12/105     11:32 A.M.

joel...

re: my rant

it is certain that fundamentalist christians are trying to
hijack the country... they claim we are "victimizing" them
because we do not want religion in our schools... because
we want evolution taught as science and not "creationism"...
because we want schools to teach things that have a basis
in reality... religion belongs in church... not the schools
and not in government...

they claim the bible as the only source for the definition
of moral standards and conduct... the only source of what
is "real" and "unreal"... and they consider their viewpoint
to be the only "real" viewpoint...

perhaps you do and perhaps you do not... but i do not want
religion to be the arbiter of my existence... not your
religion and not anyone elses...

christian theology is not the only possible worldview...
and it is (in my opinion) an extremely irrational theology...
it is fine with me that you want it to be your theology and
that others want it to be their theology... just as it is
fine with me that some want to follow hinduism, buddhism, or
islam... but when religion begins to seep into government,
then trouble is sure to follow... and i am not referring to
"one nation under god" etc... although i know this line was
added to the pledge in the early 1950's during the mccarthy
dark times...

you may be thankful that all the bushies have daily prayer
meetings as they start the day... frankly it scares the shit
since they probably think it has a effect on anything...
well prayers do not change reality... as the old saying goes:
"if wishes were horses, then beggers would ride"

i do not want irrational leaders... thank you very much...
it is ok that you like these guys... but i reserve the right
to disagree with you... and to us non-believers, yeah...
you do all seem a little nuts...




From:     Eugene     2/12/105     12:30 P.M.

mij...
just for you... and by the way... i grew up in oklahoma...
and it is true, by god...

Oklahoma Girls

Three men were sitting together bragging about how they had
given their new wives duties.

The first man had married a woman from Tennessee, and bragged
that he had told his wife she was going to do all the dishes
and house cleaning that needed done at their house. He said
that it took a couple days but on the third day he came home
to a clean house and the dishes were all washed and put away.

The second man had married a woman from Florida. He bragged
that he had given his wife orders that she was to do all the
cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. He told them that the
first day he didn't see any results, but the next day it was
better. By the third day, his house was clean, the dishes
were done, and he had a huge dinner on the table.

The third man had married an Oklahoma girl. He boasted that
he told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned,
dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on
the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see
anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the
third day most of the swelling had gone down and he could see
a little out of his left eye. Enough to fix himself a bite to
eat, load the dishwasher, and telephone a landscaper.

Got to love them Oklahoma girls!



From:     Rita     2/12/2005     1:44 P.M.

Eugene--
Love those Oklahoma girls--
You gave me a hearty laugh--thanks--
And to your posting to Joel--very well put--

Peace



From:     stan     2/13/2005     5:13 P.M.

Joel, when bushman says clear skies, he means license for corporations to pollute, when he says healthy forests he means chop them down as fast as possible. Is a filthy, degraded environment a Christian value? He calls asbestos lawsuits frivolous yet tens of thousands of people died from exposure AFTER the manufacturers knew it was carcinogenic and suppressed the truth. Frivolous or merely expensive for his fat cat cronies? Ah but you Christians just love him for his values. He wants to gut the endangered species act. Aren't they also God's creatures with the right to survive or is greed and avarice the new Cristian value?
There are many references to the poor in both old and new testaments, but nowhere does it suggest a good Christian should take from the poor to give to the rich, but that's exactly what your MB wants to do. Is that what Jesus would do? If he lived today would he be a fat cat industrial pig whose only goal is to abuse and trash the environment for profit or a committed environmentalist trying to save the earth? And yet you love him with all of his lies and deceits. Why? Abortion and gay marriage more important than 100,000 dead in Iraq? Regime change more important than truth? Torture, abuse, dentention indefinitely without charges or the opportunity to prove one's innocence ok because he's above the law? Because he's a 'good' Christian?
Joel????



From:     Mij     2/13/2005     2:30 P.M.

God is man's way of justifying the things he knows God
wouldn't do.

later.



From:     michelle     2/14/2005     12:06 P.M.

and we all make him/her in our own image. . . scarry. .. "my god is good but your god is bad. .. . "



From:     SIG     2/14/2005     5:06 P.M.

Been thinking about----politics and the hippy legacy…….
Don’t recall much political talk at SR; we were out of that loop, I think. Created our own government, and perhaps thought it had an effect on the larger one.
And here we are, 35 years later, still disillusioned by what we see the government doing. What to do? The tendency is to live in a backwater and focus on the ideal while being utterly frustrated by the real. Idealism meets the actual. I have chosen the backwater, and remain, as always, apolitical. But I definitely don’t applaud myself for it—or blame the national status quo. People—and hence the government—are always corrupt.
But I can’t help but totally admire those who get out into the midst of a corrupt society and try to make a difference. While I dwell as oblivious as possible in my personal backwater, they find housing for the homeless. As long as I choose to remain uninvolved in a real, day-to-day solution, I feel I have forfeited the right to complain.




From:     Ted     2/14/2005     8:07 P.M.

A True Story ............

Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in
and out like fingers slimming at the tips. They curl into the smaller creeks
and coves like tender palms.

The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and the ducks
who ride an inch above the waves of Chesapeake Bay as they skim their way
into harbor. In the autumn, by the thousands, they come home for the
winter. The swans move toward the shores in a stately glide, their tall heads
proud and unafraid. They lower their long necks deep into the water, where
their strong beaks dig through the river bottoms for food. And there is,
between the arrogant swans and the prolific geese, an indifference, almost a
disdain.

Once or twice each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When this
happens, if the river is at its narrowest, or the creek shallow, there is a
freeze which hardens the water to ice. It was on such a morning near Osford, Maryland, that a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window,
which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Across the river, beyond the dock, the
snow laced the rim of the shore in white. For a moment she stood quietly,
looking at what the night's storm had painted. Suddenly she leaned forward
and peered close to the frosted window. "It really is," she cried out loud,
"there is a goose out there."

She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Into
their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings
folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice. Then from the dark skies, she
saw a line of swans. They moved in their own singular formation, graceful,
intrepid, and free. They crossed from the west of the broad creek high above
the house, moving steadily to the east.

As my friend watched, the leader swung to the right, then the white string
of birds became a white circle. It floated from the top of the sky downward.
At last, as easy as feathers coming to earth, the circle landed on the ice.
My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her
mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life he
still had might be pecked out by those great swan bills. Instead, amazingly
instead, those bills began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and
curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose
was rimmed by a narrow margin of ice instead of the entire creek. The swans
rose again, following the leader, and hovered in that circle, awaiting the results
of their labors.

The goose's head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing
on the ice. He was moving his big webbed feet slowly. And the swans stood
in the air watching. Then, as if he had cried, "I cannot fly," four of the swans
came down around him. Their powerful beaks scraped the goose's wings from
top to bottom, scuttled under its wings and rode up its body, chipping off and
melting the ice held in the feathers. Slowly, as if testing, the goose spread its
wings as far as they would go, brought them together, accordion-like, and
spread again.

When at last the wings reached their fullest, the four swans took off and
joined the hovering group. They resumed their eastward journey, in perfect
formation, to their secret destination. Behind them, rising with incredible speed
and joy, the goose moved into the sky. He followed them, flapping double time,
until he caught up, until he joined the last end of the line, like a small child
at the end of a crack-the-whip of older boys.

My friend watched them until they disappeared over the tips of the farthest
trees. Only then, in the dusk, which was suddenly deep, did she realize
what a truly remarkable phenomenon she had just witnessed.




From:     eugene     2/15/105     9:57 A.M.

SIG... i know what you mean... i do not REALLY do that much
politically even though i talk a lot... we did not have that
much to do with politics in the takilma meadows either... but
when i went back to the "real" world (whatever that is) in
the 70's... i was suddenly confronted with all the "old"
ways of thinking that the rest of the world subscribed to...

this is not even to say that i still subscribed to everything
i had believed while living on the commune... we had a
suicide and an overdose... not to mention that outbreak
of hepatitus... and the thefts by those who were supposed
to be our friends and like us... so i knew better than to
believe in "utopia" by that time...

so i have spent the rest of my days since then trying to
balance what i envisioned as a way for people to live with
each other and the reality of the world... between the
reality of the world and my own little distorted perceptions
that were filtered by my hopes, dreams, prejudices, fears
and what not... and it is a hard life, a hard life a very
hard life... its a hard life where ever you go...

so i too live in a little backwater... and do what little
i can... sharing a life with friends... helping where i can
for free... giving of myself... and i vote and express my
opinions... what more is there... i am not a real crusader...
not enough energy... and i get too angry if i get too
involved... i do not like greed masked as compassion...
i do not like hypocrisy... and i do not like moralizing by
demagogues...

now... joel...
i want you to understand something... i do not think that
all christians are fundamentalist right wing whackos...
i know that there are a lot of tolerant, kind, happy,
decent christians all about... but that is not enough for
me... you need to own it if you are going to espouse it...
and that means you (individually and as a group) must take
the responsibility to confront what is going on right now...

if these people do not represent your views then you must
speak out amongst your peers... otherwise we are back to
"the silent majority"... and that means a few can hijack
the many... if you know your history... this is exactly
what happened in nazi germany (no!!! i am not making a
direct comparison)... i know people that were teenagers
growing up in germany in the late 1930's and have talked
to them about what it was like in germany and europe at
the time and through the war years... and while some of the
same kinds of tricks are being used... it is nothing like
what it was in germany in the 1930's... but it could happen
if we keep going in the same direction... i am pessimistically
hopeful that it will not end up that way here...

following the "great leader" is not always such a good idea
and ours is very divorced from reality... even if i credit
any of his ideas with being genuine... they are still
misguided... and there is very little that i can credit
as genuine...

from what very little i know of you... (aren't you involved
in helping homeless or something like that)... i believe
that you are not only good hearted... but it sounds as if
you put your efforts to work in the name of your beliefs...
and i do not think that there is no place for spiritual
belief in life... how barren and empty life would be...
and i admire (within reason) those that act upon their
believes in living their lives...

it is just that when one group decides that they have all
the answers... and then runs roughshod over the rest of
humanity... gee... you maybe see where this is going...

americans live a very privileged life... we have more of
everything than anyone else... but the thing we seem to lack
as a society is a real understanding of the nature of our
privilege... or perhaps a balance of some sort...

i wish i were better with words... but perhaps then i would be
a writer and write stories and be someone... yeah... that's
it... yeah... a famous novelist... with influence on people
and they would kind of worship me... and think i was really
neat... yeah... then i would be happy...

(just me being really silly for no reason at all)...

peace be with us... O if ever...





From:     Mij     2/15/2005     4:32 P.M.

To much death, destruction, persecution, and countless
other misery directly linked to organized religions for me,
not to mention the inherit narrowmindedness it takes to
aspire to such beliefs. The world would be a lot nicer place
if humans took organized religions, loaded them into my
big green van ( "the hedge" ) and took them to the Kerby
dump.

I'll pay for the dump cost.

Peace.



From:     stan     2/17/2005     10:34 A.M.

I too inhabit a backwater, partly because being in the belly of the beast - USA - would drive me crazy, but I keep my activist credentials alive through writing and talking and being informed. The world hasn't changed all that much in the past 35 years but it will.




From:     jim     2/19/2005     7:18 A.M.

....the backwaters are soothing....allows me to slow down and
relish in my work....i do enjoy my little cartoon ducks and blurby
nonsights....every once in a while i work on a full size visual
concept.....everyone of sr, i am as always me and i still enjoy all of
our differences in mind style.....and life....i am now all settled in
williams, with madrone, wensdae and little grandson, cedar...and
wish all of you a happy day........



From:     Mij     2/21/2005     4:11 P.M.

Happy Presidents day. Heres a little trivia for you...

-All US presidents have worn glasses.

-Of all the presidents, Warren G. Harding had the biggest
feet, wearing a size 14 shoe.

-George Washington loved cream of peanut soup.
( Mmmmmmmm )

-James Madison was the first president to wear long pants.
( Bill Clinton was the first not to wear any! )

-John Tyler was on his knees playing marbles when informed
that he was president.
( actually, he was from Frisco, and it wasn't marbles! )

-Ronald Reagan saved 77 people when he was a lifeguard.
( yeah, but what's he done lately? )

-Calvin Coolidge liked having his head rubbed while he ate
breakfast in bed.
( It doesn't specify which head. )

-Warren G. Harding once gambled away an entire set of White
House china.

-Richard M. Nixon once worked at the Wheel of Fortune game
booth at the Slippery Gulch Rodeo.

-The first asteroid named after a president was "Hooveria".
( The first president named after an assroid was "Dubya" )

-Bill Clinton prefers briefs over boxers.
( He also prefers Lewinskis over wifes )

-The Bushes are related to Benedict Arnold, Winston
Churchhill, and Marilyn Monroe.
( They're also related to the Beelzebubs )

-George Washington was an enthusiastic spelunker.
( what a coincidence, our first president loved caves and
our current president is a caveman! )

-Chester A. Arthur owned over 80 pairs of pants.

Later.




From:     Mij     2/23/2005     4:25 P.M.

MB is bored with Iraq, doesn't hardly mention them anymore.
Nope, he's got his eyes set on Iran, and if he hadn't
already depleted our military and our economy we'd already
be there. He's an evil, dim-witted putz, and may the smell
of a thousand outhouses infest his nostrils.

Well, that's all.

Peace.



From:     Mij     2/24/2005     7:01 A.M.

sitting here with my morning coffee
A jumble of thoughts swirling through my head
contemplating the world as we know it
And how to the stars and sky we are wed

Soaking up the beautiful sunrise
As the rays shine down like sparkling rain
Thinking how beautiful the world is
Forgetting for awhile all the pain

We have so much to be thankful for
Regardless of all that is wrong
The smile of a newborn child
The ocean waves playing their endless song

And though there are times of unbalance
When our world seems a few clicks out of wack
Our spirit soars over those experiences
And to love and hope brings us back

Thank you Ted for this wonderful page
Where I'm actually allowed to write
May your birthday be filled with joy
And your days never be filled with night

Happy birthday!






From:     jim     2/24/2005     8:25 A.M.

mr ted......have a great birthday day......



From:     jaf     2/24/2005     8:51 A.M.
yikes

time fries



From:     michelle     2/25/2005     8:55 A.M.

love is in the air. .. i can feel it all around. .. happy birthday ted



From:     Mij     2/24/2005     4:28 P.M.

Well, it's time for......

-Geraldo Rivera says he'll shave off his mustache in
protest if Michael Jackson is found guilty.
( Guilty?! He was only boning little children, not growing
pot! )

-88% of the Senate races won in the last election were by
the candidate who spent the most money.
( no way! )

-Bill Gates recieves about 4 million E-mails a day.
( The bastard never returns them either! )

-American men spend around 300 million a year on toupees.
( Their getting scalped! )

-A Polar bear can eat about 150lbs of meat at one sitting.
( so can Linda Lovelace )

-70% of the computer viruses spread in the first 6 months
of 2004 were created by 18-yr-old German Sven Jaschan.
( doesn't he cover his mouth when he sneezes? )

-An Iraqi is two and a half times more likely to die today
than in the last year of Saddam Hussein's regime, and 50%
more likely to die a violent death.

-There is only one State, Province, or Territory in the
United States, Canada, or Mexico that doesn't have a
Mcdonald's restaurant.

Not my best, but i'm sending it anyway--
Playing Scrabble with brother Rick--



From:     Ted     2/25/2005     6:35 A.M.

Well, which state is it, mij??? (no McDonalds)
Hey, Thank you all for your Birthday Wishes.
Birthdays come and go
so do I




From:     Mij     2/25/2005     7:03 A.M.

The state of eternal fleshless being and meatless minds..


Actually, I don't know that one Ted, maybe it's on the
web....www.billionsserved.com or www.deadanimalflesh.net
or how about www.krokofshit.eatme or how about......

later.



From:     jim     2/25/2005     7:29 A.M.

...the state of vegina



From:     eugene     2/25/105     11:52 A.M.

re: mcdonalds...

there was one state in mexico that had no mcdonalds... but
they have one now... there was an article in either harpers
or smithsonian, or perphaps in new yorker in the last month
or so... a human interest on the changes this mcdonalds
brought to the mexicans during construction and the
opening of the restaurant...

it is possible there is still somewhere in the arctic
circle maybe... does canada go that far north???

perhaps there is still a state of mind where there is
no mcdonalds???

vegina??? do you mean veggie-ina... or west veggie-ina...
is that pronounced vegeen-yuh...

later



From:     jim     2/25/2005     11:13 A.M.

yep!



.