Blog! September 2004

Time to Blog

September 29, 2004

Why Tangsoodo Karate is important to me.

If you have been reading my Blog, you have noticed that from time to time I mention my karate training. I'd like to tell you why it is important to me.

I am not a religious man. I have said it before. But I am spiritual, and strive to a higher calling. People need to be better than they are. People need to try harder. People need to have more patience and understanding.

The world is filled with hate. It isn't necessary. We are better than that. Hating each other isn't going to solve anything. It isn't going to accomplish anything.

I do believe in many of the teachings of Lord Buddah. Many people believe that when Jesus Christ left home and disappeared for all those years, he in fact traveled to India and Tibet and studied the religious teachings of the time. Many of the things Christ talks about in the New Testament are very similar to The teachings of Buddah, and the philosophy of God-realization.

The final spiritual goals of Lord Buddah, and Lord Krishna's are similar. The roots go back to India. Yoga is also closely in twined with these two philosophies, having developed in India as well.
They all focus on meditation as a building block to self realization or to God-realization. Meditaion's goal is to calm the mind, and when this is accomplished, the true meanings of human existence will be revealed to you.

There is a story in the Martial Arts about the First Patriarch. He is called by many names, but the more popular name is Bohdiharma. He left India, and traveled to China to spread the teaching of Buddhism. His particular school of teaching is now called Ch'an Buddhism. In Japan, "Ch'an" translates into "Zen". This is where Zen Buddhism came from, and how it came to be called Zen.

As the story goes, the Emperor of China didn't like the First Patriarch, or his teachings. Bohdiharma was an odd ball. He was extremely intense, and he tended to rub people the wrong way.
So the Emperor told him to hit the road. He left, and went to stay with the monks living at the Shoalin temple.

Bohdiharma was disappointed with the monks. They were sickly and physically weak. They were unable to concentrate on his teachings. They often fell asleep. This greatly troubled the First Patriarch. He had to figure out a way to strengthen the monks physically so they could mentally comprehend what he was trying to teach. He went into a cave near the temple, sat down and began to stare at the wall. Legend tells us he stared at the wall for seven years, never leaving the cave. The monks brought his food to him, but other than that, he had no contact with them. As I said before, Bodiharma was something of an odd ball, but the great masters usually are.

After seven years, he came out of the cave and began to teach the monks certain exercises that focused on building their internal strength. These exercises increased their physical endurance, and strengthened their immune systems. Now they were physically prepared to focus on his teachings.

Because of the popular television show with David Caradine, everyone has heard of the famous Shaolin monks and their secret fighting style called Kung Fu. It is believed by many people in the Martial Arts that the monks were training their Kung Fu fighting style before Bodiharma arrived. But what is interesting is that the monks incorporated the style with the concepts of using internal strength. By doing this, the hand and foot techniques became deadly, and hence the reputation of the Shaolin monks and their deadly Kung Fu fighting style. Because Bohdiharma was the first person to discover a way to increase and use this internal power, he is often refereed to as the founder of martial arts.

What does all this have to do with me? Karate is meditation in motion. Tangsoodo Karate focuses on forms training. Taekwondo Karate focuses on the sport of karate. This is the philosophical difference in the two. Taekwondo practitioners think Tangsoodo practitioners are sissy boys because we do more form training. But the forms are meditation in motion, and by doing my forms, I am training my mind, my body, and my spirit. The body is exercised. Concentration is emphasized. Proper breathing techniques are stressed. That is why I need to keep training. This is how I pray.

The main goal of Tangsoodo Karate is health. It isn't about the ability to kick the daylights out of someone. Tangsoodo Karate also has the reputation of having the most powerful kicking techniques, and Taekwondo people will argue that point, but they know it is true and many articles appear from time to time in the trade magazines stating this fact. They will say, "ok, you have the kicks, but you don't fight, so what good are they?" We reply, "if we have to fight, we will, and it won't be for points".

I heard Steven Siegal say in one of his movie, "Anyone can hurt a person. It doesn't take a special person to hurt someone. You want to be a special person? Learn how to heal someone." Needless to say, he then proceeded to kick the shit out of anyone who got in his way. But that's what sells at the box office. The point he was making is valid, and it shows his understanding of what the roots of martial arts was all about. It was about health. With greater concentration, I can hear what my fellow man is trying to tell me through the screams. I have the inner strength and confidence to stand my ground without quickly resorting to physical blows. I can defeat my enemy with a glance. And if that doesn't work, I have the skills to rip his flesh from the bone as a last resort.

Since my knee operation last year, I have gotten lazy. I am not training. My mind is not strong. I easily feel distress and hopeless. Things are not going well for me. I am alone. I don't have any close friends. Financial stresses are wearing me down. I am still hanging in there, but it is difficult. This is because martial arts are not a central part of my life. I know they need to be. I will shake off this depression that has swallowed me up, and I will start to pray again. That is why I know I need to get a small school going and to bring the benefits of "moving meditation" to them. I need to do it for myself. People need to believe in something. They need to feel good about themselves. They need goals and achievement. Tangsoodo will accomplish this. This is why I believe in Tangsoodo. This is why it needs to once again become the central focus of my life. This is why it is important to me.

September 28, 2004

Here is the latest news.

I had to call the unemployment office again and try to sort out the red tape. Apparently, five weeks of checks were mailed yesterday. The remaining weeks are still on hold because I worked as an independent contractor for a small company August 28, 2004. I earned fifty dollars. The State is trying to tell me since I am now self employed, my benefits are over. I told the person on the phone that this company doesn't have any work, that they never offered me a job, and the only reason I worked for them in the first place was because I was hoping this opportunity might build into something. I was trying to earn a living. Unfortunately, it isn't going to build into anything. You know what? It doesn't matter because "the rules" say once you tell the State you are "self employed", they take your unemployment benefits away.

45 million Americans are living in poverty today. Makes you wonder why. This is an example of why.

I told her I understood that this is they way things are, but added that it isn't right. I don't care what the "rules" are, it isn't right. A telephone interview will have to take place, and then I will see if I get the remaining $2000 owed to me. It isn't going to happen. I can see that right now.

Jenny's exhaust system is rusting. I started her up today, and I could hear that there was a hole somewhere. I crawled underneath, and sure enough there it was. The pipe that connects to the muffler is rusty, and has a big hole in it. So I took two Mountain Dew cans, cut them into four strips, and wrapped them around the connection between the pipe and the muffler. I clamped them down with some hose clamps, and wired the muffler up to hold it better in place, and to insure that it didn't drop off into the street if the pipe disintegrates. I have to say, it did the trick. It sounds good for now. I will just have to keep an eye on things. I can not afford to get a new pipe right now.

Lord Buddha teaches that at times like this, you should rejoice because you are being tested. If you are never tested, you will never grow. If you never have the opportunity to grow, you will forever remain in a state of suffering. I try to live by that philosophy. At times like this, I can look at my life and see that I am always being tested. The amount of "testing" I have endured could make a person bitter. I don't want to be bitter. The seeds of opportunity are presented in any adverse situation. I realize that. I am stronger because of the adversities I have faced. I am not happy about it. I long for a period of calm time. I don't think it is going to happen. I sometimes think I will end up winning the lottery, and I'll get all my good fortune in this life in one gigantic lump sum. I laugh when I think that, but it could happen. I don't expect it to. I have a good sense of humor. I have soul. You don't get that without climbing the mountain. I have to accept that the climb never ends. When I reach one summit, another one is in the horizon.

I got a call from Sitel yesterday. They offered me a job, and I accepted. I start Monday, October 4, 2004. I am happy that I found a job. If I hadn't I would be thrown into the gutter since the State is doing everything it can to deny me the benefits I am legally entitled to. So this is good news. By next week, I will have a new job, and $1500 dollars in the bank. I can pay for my car repairs, and pay my bills. I am not getting ahead. I am not falling any farther behind.

The additional $2000 was going to help me get a karate program started. I will have to get it started some other way. It isn't going to happen for a couple more months anyway, but it would have helped me tremendously. I will just have to make it without those funds. I am still considering the idea of a grant. I will have to study up on how to write the proposal, and find a proper source to send it to. As long as I don't roll over and die, I will be OK. I had to fight for this unemployment. I have to fight for everything. I am not living a charmed life. I am getting tired. I hate to admit that, but I am. I am getting sick and tired of everyone, and everything. Sometime I don't give a rat's ass about building a karate program for people because they don't deserve the effort. But that is negative thinking, and I can't let life beat me down to the point that I give up. I could make a decent living working full time for Sitel, and running a small program for a corporation part time. If I had 50 students, I could afford a home. I could have some nice things. I deserve that. If I have to work day and night to make it happen, then I will do it. I am going to end up working myself to death, but that is the only option I have. Unless I win the lottery!

Septembet 23, 2004

As the planet goose steps towards a "one world government", the personal freedoms of individuals are going to be destroyed. I have focused on personal rights being questioned, and even denied in this Blog. I am deeply troubled by what I see happening in the world today. It isn't just what is happening in the United States that concerns me. It is what is happening on a global scale.

Take this article on China. If people want to enjoy adult pornography, they should be allowed to. I am totally against child porn. I think there is no place in a civilized society for it. But if talking dirty on the phone, watching strippers, or looking at pictures of naked bodies floats your boat, who am I to say you can't do that? When what you are doing in the privacy of your own home becomes focus of government regulation, we might as well line up and get 666 tattooed on our foreheads.

Pornsters face life in China on smut crackdown.

The Register

China is stepping up its hard line against Internet pornography by threatening life imprisonment for anyone caught peddling porn.

Ne'er-do-wells involved in the production and distribution of online adult content - including "phone sex" - faces a range of punishments including compulsory surveillance and imprisonment. Those behind sites that generate more than 250,000 hits will be treated as "very severe" and could face life imprisonment.

The rules, drawn up by China's Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate, come into effect today. The new regime applies to both profit-making and non-profit-making operations that deal in sex, official news agency Xinhua reports.

A legal official quoted by the agency said the new rules "aim to maintain the normal order of the public network and communications and the legal rights and interests of the public".

In recent months China has closed hundreds of sites in a massive crackdown on Internet pornography. Officials are concerned about the rampant increase in online porn, claiming that it "severely damaged social style, polluted the social environment, and harmed the physical and psychological health of the young people".

Last month, a Chinese woman was jailed for four years for running an online strip joint. Wang Yanli is believed to be the first woman to be locked up, following China's tough stand against Internet pornography.

September 22, 2004

Jenny is home, and she has never run smoother. For the last year, I have had problems with the engine killing. I thought it might be the regular grade gasoline I was using, so I started using premium. It helped some, but it did not alleviate the problem entirely. Recently, the engine was loosing zip, and making this horrible sound that I can only describe as a cross between a grinding noise and a banging sound. It was disturbing. So, I finally took her in. I had to. No use beating Jenny into the ground because I am too cheap to take proper care of her. I have always been diligent about changing the oil and filter every 3000 miles. No reason to slack off on this needed repair. The engine has great pick up. She idles great too. The boys in the shop said the compression is good, the cylinders are sound, and generally speaking the car is in excellent shape. I guess I can't complain.

All I want at this point is my past unemployment compensation money. I really, really need it. Getting hired tomorrow would also be very good.

I hope Cat Stevens isn't involved with funding or supporting terrorism. This incident reminds me when they deported John Lennon during the Vietnam War . When asked why he thought he was being kicked out of the U.S. he replied, "because I'm a peace-nik." I hope this is the case here.

Reuters News Service

WASHINGTON - Former pop singer Cat Stevens, a Muslim, was deported to Britain on Wednesday after U.S. officials said his activities could be "linked to terrorism" and his name was put on a U.S. no-fly list.

Arab-Americans and Muslims in Britain voiced outrage over the treatment of Stevens, who changed his name to Yusuf Islam when he shelved his singing and songwriting career and became a Muslim almost three decades ago.

He was seen being escorted by U.S. security officials onto a United Airlines flight at Dulles International Airport bound for London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday evening.

Homeland Security spokesman Brian Doyle said Islam's Washington D.C.-bound plane was diverted on Tuesday to Bangor, Maine, after his name turned up on U.S. lists of suspected terrorists. He was questioned by officials and then taken to Boston to catch a connecting flight in Washington for London.

"Why is he on the watch lists? Because of his activities that could be potentially linked to terrorism. The intelligence community has come into possession of additional information that further raises our concern," Doyle said.

A leading Arab-American group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), sent letters to President Bush and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge asking them to explain why Islam was barred from entering the United States.

"Yusuf Islam is perhaps one of the most widely known and respected personalities in the Muslim world. He has a long history of promoting peace and reconciliation and condemning terrorism," said Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR.

Islam was the second high-profile Muslim in recent months to be barred entry to the United States. Swiss-based Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan was prevented from taking up a lecturing post at Notre Dame University in Indiana in August after the U.S. authorities revoked his visa with no explanation.

CAIR said treating mainstream and moderate Muslims as terrorists sent the wrong message. "This does not help the war on terrorism, it just makes it harder," Awad told a news conference.

September 21, 2004

Just a few of the headlines today.

Reuters News
Iran defied the United Nations on Tuesday by announcing it has begun converting a large amount of raw uranium to prepare it for enrichment, a process that can be used to develop atomic bombs. The announcement was likely to provoke an angry reaction from Washington and increase suspicion in Israel, which plans to buy 500 "bunker buster" bombs from the United States that could take out Iran's underground atomic facilities.

CAIRO, Egypt - An Islamic Web site posting Tuesday claimed an al-Qaida related group slaughtered a second American hostage in Iraq, an announcement that came as the group's 24-hour deadline for meeting its demands ran out.

CNN News
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Turkish Embassy in Baghdad said Sunday that 10 employees of a U.S.-Turkish company were kidnapped in Iraq, a day after the wife of an American held captive in Iraq pleaded for his life.

Tropical Storm Jeanne brought mudslides and flooding to Haiti, killing at least 90 people in the last few days as emergency services struggle to reach families stranded in the worst hit areas.

When I read about the death and destruction happening all around the world on a day to day basis, it puts into perspective how small and insignificant my problems are. I took my car in yesterday to have it looked at. The engine hasn't been running smoothly, and I hoped a simple tune up would fix the problem. I have two fuel injectors that have to be replaced. The other four will have to be cleaned. General Motors suggests that ALL of the injectors be replaced, but that would cost a fortune, so the garage does it this way. They run around $150 each, plus the tune up and the labor. We are talking $650 to get Jenny back home safe. This place is reliable. I checked them out with several people in town and they are not a bunch of gypsies. I was hoping it wasn't going to come to this, but Jenny has been running badly. It makes sense that there was a problem that might cost me more than I planned on spending. I need a reliable car like everyone else. So, I am stuck with the bill. More credit card debt I can't afford to take on that I have no choice but to take on. I know my unemployment check will be coming in the mail. I just don't know when. I got a letter today telling me the claim I put in Sunday was not accepted because my claim is still in the denial stage. The court's paper work hasn't caught up with the agency issuing the checks yet, and that is understandable. By the time I get the check, I will be getting the bill for this car work. I will just send them a check, or at least half of it when the time comes. I have a job interview this coming Thursday. I went to a company called Sitel and took a series of tests ... spelling, grammar, typing, financial math, and a Windows 98 test. I scored in the upper 90%, and they requested an interview. That is positive news. I have to keep the faith that everything is going to end up OK with me. I tend to worry about things. I realize some things are just out of my control. My back pay will come when it comes. The judge said it was mine, so it will arrive in my mailbox when it arrives. As long as I don't shoot myself in the foot, I should have a job soon with this company. I know they are hiring at this time, so they need people. I did well on the test, so I am in the driver seat. I just have to keep my spirits up. People in the world are getting their heads cut off. The Middle East is ready to explode into a full scale war. Mother Nature is picking off innocent people left and right. I should be happy my problems are miniscule in comparison.

September 20, 2004

Associated Press

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield answers reporters' questions about his brain surgery in this May 7, 2003, file photo taken during a news conference at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dangerfield has been in a coma for a couple of weeks after undergoing heart valve replacement surgery on Aug. 25, but has begun to show some awareness, his wife Joan said.

I was reading about this upcoming surgery a few weeks ago, but this is the first I have heard that Rodney had slipped into a coma. I really like this guy's great sense of humor. When asked how long he expected to be hospitalized for this heart surgery, Dangerfield replied, "if it all goes well, three weeks. If it doesn't go well, about an hour and a half." You got to respect that. The man has comedy in his soul. My thoughts are with him. They say laughter is the best medicine. Here are some of his jokes.

A girl phoned me the other day and said .... Come on over, there's nobody home. I went over. Nobody was home.

My mother had morning sickness after I was born.

I remember the time I was kidnapped and they sent a piece of my finger to my father. He said he wanted more proof.

I could tell that my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio.

And we were poor too. Why if I wasn't born a boy.... I'd have nothing to play with.

If it weren't for pick-pocketers I'd have no sex life at all.

When I played in the sandbox the cat kept covering me up.

My wife made me join a bridge club. I jump off next Tuesday.

September 19, 2004

I admit that I am disgusted with the likes of Micheal Jackson, and the rest of the rich and powerful who think they are above the law, or that different standards apply to them because of their wealth and talents. This is wrong, plain and simple. There is no justification, excuse, or explanation to be made. But with wealth, come privilege. And Micheal Jackson has enough wealth to hire the best spin doctors (AKA attorneys) to plead his case. Here is a statement made recently explaining why Jacko paid ten's of millions of dollars to hush up past allegations of sexual abuse.

I don't hate Micheal Jackson. It is wrong to hate someone because of they way they look, or because of the things they have you don't. It is certainly wrong to hate someone because they may be mentally ill. I truely feel Micheal Jackson is a disturbed man who needs help. He can receive this help while he pays his debt back to his victims locked away where he can't harm anyone else for awhile.

Just so you know, the picture on the left is an alien rumored to have been recovered from the Roswell crash. The picture on the right is Micheal Jackson.

Friday, September 17, 2004
STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY THOMAS A. MESEREAU, JR.

Regretfully, we are compelled to vigorously respond to numerous and false statements being made about Mr. Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson was recognized as a musical genius as a child. His life and development were devoted to cultivating his musical talents and extraordinary gifts. Discipline, hard work, and a desire to heal and better this world through his creativity were emphasized throughout his youth.

It was recognized very early that Michael Jackson�s musical talent and genius could generate many millions of dollars to him and others around him. From the time he was a little boy, others have sought to exploit and take advantage of his creative talent and inherent goodness.

Mr. Jackson has donated large sums of money around the world to foster the interests and welfare of our world�s children. Early in his life, he learned and believed that while others sought to exploit and take advantage of his vulnerabilities and idealism, children did not.

Believing that children are the true example of God�s beauty, innocence and purity, Michael has devoted much of his life to helping the world�s children. He has donated millions of dollars to healing children with disease, helping children with AIDS, and traveling the world to emphasize the importance and welfare of our children. He would never harm a child.

Mr. Jackson has been a target of frivolous lawsuits throughout his career. To date, well over a thousand ridiculous lawsuits have been filed or threatened against Mr. Jackson for all kinds of reasons by those who sought to obtain money by exploiting his achievements and love for people. None of these claims involved allegations that he ever harmed a child. However, they involved, for the most part, creative and outrageous attempts to take money from Mr. Jackson. Throughout his career, Mr. Jackson�s desire to create and help our world has been subjected to efforts to exploit, undermine and take advantage of this wonderful human being.

Mr. Jackson has been repeatedly advised by those who stood to make fortunes in his business affairs to pay money, rather than face certain false allegations. As a result, many years ago, he did pay money, rather than litigate, two false allegations that he had harmed children. People who intended to earn millions of dollars from his record and music promotions did not want negative publicity from these lawsuits interfering with their profits.

These two false allegations must be placed in a proper perspective. Mr. Jackson has interacted with millions of children. Many millions of children around the world love Michael Jackson and never alleged that he harmed them in any way.

Those who wanted to profit from his good deeds and vulnerabilities were also threatening to destroy his ability to raise his own children and to champion the welfare, integrity, humanity and interests of children around the world. Michael Jackson occupies a world where his privacy is continually violated.

Michael Jackson now regrets making these payments. Nevertheless, these efforts to settle are now being used against him regardless of the merits or the truth behind them. These settlements were entered into with one primary condition. That condition was that Mr. Jackson never admitted any wrongdoing. Mr. Jackson always denied doing anything wrong.

Mr. Jackson had hoped to buy peace in the process. He was advised that while these sums of money appeared large, they were actually very small compared to money he could make in music. Mr. Jackson has earned well over one billion dollars in his career. Placed in this perspective, they were very small sums, indeed.

Greed begets greed. Mr. Jackson now realizes that the advice he received was wrong. He should have fought these actions to the bitter end and vindicated himself. The recent publicity about these settlements is unfair and damaging to him, his family and his dedication to the world�s children. The false charges he is facing will be battled in a court of law within our justice system. He is innocent and will be vindicated.

Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr.

September 17, 2004

Good news! The administrative law judge ruled in my favor, and my unemployment benefits are reinstated. I will be getting a check next week for 10 weeks of back pay, and I am good to go for another 15 weeks or so. I can look for a decent job now, and not be slaving away doing grunt work just to survive financially. I'm so happy, I hardly know what to say.

The "brief" I submitted as my testimony was very good. The judge quoted my testimony several times in his decision, and related what I was saying to particular legal statues. I am very happy I was able to support my argument that my quitting was justified and that I was able to show cause. It didn't hurt that RFDF called up the court office at the last minute and declined to attend the hearing. My testimony were the only facts to judge the case on. Despite this, I still had to justify my facts, and I was able to do that. My entire testimony rested on misrepresentation by RFDF. If I was unable to support this with facts, I would not have won the case.

Now that I can breath a little easier, it is time to use this opportunity to advance myself financially and spiritually. I have not had the benefit of many good things happening to me, and when they do, I take advantage of them. This is a rare instance indeed. I will be even happier still when the check is in my hands and the money is deposited into the bank! That is all I can really say about it. I could ramble on for hours on this, and how relieved I am that it is all over, but I am not an attorney.

September 16, 2004

I just got home from the unemployment hearing. RFDF called the court office and informed them they would not be attending. Because of this, the decision to deny or instate my benefits would be based solely on my testimony.

The judge was professional and to the point. He asked me if I quit, I said yes. He asked me if I gave notice, I said yes. He asked me if I quit with good cause, I said yes. I presented my documents to substantiate my claim. The judge told me it might take several weeks for the decision to go through, but he would do his best to get it out this week.

If body language says anything, I will be OK. He did give me some reassuring looks during the hearing. Once when he said his decision would be based solely on my testimony. And when he said he would get the decision out this week. What that translates to my way of thinking is, "I'll get your check to you as soon as possible."

When the hearing was over, I thanked him, and he told me to have a good day.

I really need this money. $3000 is nothing to sneeze at, and it would be a blessing to hold me over while I look for a decent job. I went to a temporary job service last week. I busted my ass in a cheese plant stacking 30 pound slabs of cheese onto a cart for 10 hours at $7 an hour. I did it for two days. I can't live like that.

I am also working for It's Your Party doing some corporate parties dealing blackjack, but I can't pay my bills from this alone. I need to get back into the workforce full time and at a decent hourly wage. I just pray everything works out and I get unemployment benefits to tide me over. I do not intend to soak it for all it's worth. I want a real job. Unemployment will give me the cushion I need to make this happen.

September 15, 2004

I've seen alot of these kinds of drawings, but I like this one. It's radical, and a bit irreverant. My unemployment hearing is tomorrow. I think they have dragged it out this long in order to starve me out. I really don't plan on soaking the system. I do need the back pay desperately. At least I will know where I stand after tomorrow and I can start to make some concrete plans on what I need to do now. I hate when things are hanging in limbo.

"Sometimes I feel like I've been tied to the whipping post ... good Lord I feel like I'm dying".
The Allman Brothers

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September 13, 2004

People have been talking about the world coming to an end for a very long time. People will tell you different things. They all agree on certain things happening first, or that "signs" will reveal the coming of the "End of Days". Here is a list of signs I found that have a modern theme.

1) There will be a world wide famine, do to natural disasters and governments' abuse of power.
2) A UN style of one world government will be formed.
3) People will first be encouraged to carry a "smart card" or to have a tiny chip inserted into their right hand. They will then be TOLD to have it done in order to do any trading, including the purchase of food and necessities. Those who resist will be interned in camps which are presently in position and manned by foreign UN troops. These "smart cards" and chips have the ability to transmit as well as receive, which will make tracking each person quite easy. Sounds like science fiction, doesn't it? Well, these chips are already in use. Many pet owners have already had them implanted in their pets and several celebrities have had them implanted in their children in order to discourage kidnapping and ransom. The military is planning to use the chip in the hand to replace the "dog tag".
4) There will be a world wide collapse of the stock market.
5) The pope will be forced to leave Rome. A cardinal will take his place illegally. This will be the "anti-pope".

If you look to the Bible, you can't beat Revelations. In the Book of Revelations, The prophet John sees the world destroyed. Chapter Eight says it all.

THE BIBLE
Revelations
Chapter 8

8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

8:4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.

8:5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.

8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,

8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.

8:10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters.

8:11 The name of the star is called "Wormwood." One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

8:12 The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn't shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.

8:13 I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!"

Maybe it's me, but it sure sounds like a description of an asteroid falling into the ocean, and a series of smaller objects kicking the daylights out of poor planet Earth. Scientist have told us that there is a killer asteroid belt that is on a 65 million year cycle on it's way back to Earth. The last time it was here, it wiped out the dinosaurs. When it will be back, who knows, if it ever comes back. Space is an unpredictable, and dangerous place.

I don't know what to believe anymore. I'm not a religious man. I do have a spiritual side that I have to answer to. I do feel I have a purpose for being here at this time, and at this place. I do have a mission to accomplish before I leave this world. If I don't shoulder that responsibility, I will have to live with the failure. I have read a great deal of articles by all sorts of people from all different religious views on what will happen during the "End Times". I have read about all sorts of signs occurring in the heavens, and things that will happen here on Earth. Nothing has frightened me more than the following article. Surely, the "End of Days" is at hand ....

Couple 'raise' Cabbage Patch doll as son.

A couple from the US state of Maryland have "raised" a Cabbage Patch doll as their only son for 19 years.

Pat and Joe Posey treat the 1ft doll, christened Kevin, as a human.

He goes everywhere with them, they talk to him - and he "replies" through Joe putting on his voice.

The doll has his own 1,000 sq ft playroom at the couple's home, a red doll-sized Chevrolet Corvette car, a pet dog, a full wardrobe and a �2,000 savings fund for when he goes to college.

Joe and Pat love him so much they prefer him to their real child, an adult daughter named Vicky, says The Sun.

Pat said: "With every kid that you adopt, you promise to love them and be a good parent and take care of this child. And that's what we did with Kevin." She said the doll is "easy-going, quiet and well-behaved".

Joe says the doll's favorite hobby is fishing, and father and son go on frequent trips to a pond near their home.

September 12, 2004

I have the greatest respect for technical people, doctors, and all those individuals who have specialized skills. There are many times I question their credentials, and wonder if they really are any more intelligent than the rest of us. I don't believe they know everything. I don't trust anyone who thinks they are superior. Having special skills in a particular area doesn't make you smarter than anyone else. We all have special knowledge, or skills to some degree that others don't have. Some people are getting paid more for the knowledge they have because it is in demand.
I feel badly for the man in the following story. I love the story because it just goes to show how stupid specialized, technical individuals can be. In the final analysis, we are all human beings who make mistakes, regardless of our IQ's, or formal educations. I'm no medical genius, but I think I know the difference between a testicle, and a scrotum.

Forearm skin forms new penis
Ananova

A Romanian man whose penis was mistakenly severed by a surgeon will have a new organ made from skin on his forearm.

The 34-year-old from Bucharest was being operated on for a testicle problem when the incident happened three months ago.

Dr. Ioan Lascar, who operated on the man after a colleague made the mistake, told Libertatea newspaper: "The patient's condition is good and evolving as we expected. He comes to medical checks once or twice a week."

The doctor said the man might need some subsequent minor operations.

The surgeon who cut the man's penis has lost the right to perform any operations and is still under investigation for malpractice.

September 11, 2004

I can't imagine the horror that the men and women who worked at ground zero witnessed. I do remember them working 24/7 to recover all the bodies, and to clear the debrie as quickly as possible. It was a miracle to watch as the site was cleared. Let us remember everyone lost there, and those who suffer now because of the exposure.

Health problems plague Ground Zero workers By Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY

Nearly 18 months after the World Trade Center collapsed in a rain of dust, Frank Noviello still feels the aftereffects. The construction foreman toiled for months in a choking haze of smoldering debris to help clear the wreckage. Today, he worries about the toll that cleanup has taken on his emotional and physical health.

"Where's that crushed concrete? It's in our lungs now," says Noviello, 39, of East Islip, N.Y. "Do I feel depressed? How would you feel if you smelled death for two weeks? You saw body parts and body bags go by. I'm a Long Island boy. I've never witnessed anything like that before."

There may be thousands more like him. An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 workers � including carpenters, construction crews, firefighters, day laborers and volunteers from around the country � joined in Ground Zero recovery efforts.

Only now are medical researchers beginning to understand the health problems those Ground Zero workers still face:

Nearly 80% of emergency responders reported at least one pulmonary symptom that developed or worsened as a result of their World Trade Center-related efforts. Fifty percent of all responders examined were still experiencing pulmonary, mental health, or ear, nose and throat symptoms a year after the attacks.
That's according to preliminary data released Jan. 27 by the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Data were analyzed from a random sample of 250 Ground Zero workers, the first of at least 9,000 workers who will be tested under the federally funded screening program. To date, more than 3,500 responders have been screened. The study is scheduled to conclude in July.

Evidence of lung problems such as asthma and chronic sinusitis were found in about 60% of the workers 10 months to one year after Sept. 11, and one in five reported symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In December, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that workers and others exposed to debris immediately after the collapse are at risk for acute and possibly chronic lung and heart problems.
Elevated airborne contaminants were detected up to three months after the attacks, and tests didn't show a return to normal air levels at the site until January or February 2002.

Up to 500 firefighters could be placed on disability in coming years, according to estimates from union members and medical officers. From 11,000 to 15,000 worked at the site. Many are showing a reduction in breathing capacity, and long-term effects could include asthma, heart disease, cancer and emphysema.
The results of these and other new health studies are alarming medical researchers, who say health woes linked to Sept. 11 should lead to policy changes that could prevent and better treat such illnesses if another disaster strikes.

"I am surprised. People are still ill a year after the attack, and they are people in the peak of their earning years. Patients have become disabled," says Robin Herbert, co-director of the Mount Sinai study. "For some, this has been devastating. We don't want to see these heroes become unemployed and economically destitute. We're very concerned that these workers receive long-term monitoring."

After the attack, workers sifted through more than 1 million tons of debris at the World Trade Center site and the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. They were exposed to a toxic brew of contaminants that may have included lead, silica, PCBs, dioxins and asbestos, as well as pulverized glass fibers from shattered windows. Some workers inhaled so much dust that they would cough it up for days afterward. Toxins can be absorbed through the skin, lungs and eye membranes, with possible long-term damage to liver, kidneys, lungs and other organs.

Hazards also have existed for those who live or work near the site. Health officials say that although many buildings have not been tested at all for asbestos dust or other toxins from Ground Zero, studies by federal and university researchers show risks are low for the general population. Millions of dollars are being spent to study the health of residents and employees in Lower Manhattan.

According to the EPA, "Except for exposures on Sept. 11 and possibly during the next few days, persons in the surrounding community were unlikely to suffer short-term or long-term adverse health effects."

In many cases, respiratory masks were provided for those who worked at the site. But some rescue workers say they lacked training in how to properly wear them. Others say the working conditions were so severe that they had to occasionally remove the masks to see. Some at the site, such as some immigrant day laborers who hauled away debris or rescuers on the scene immediately after the collapse, had no respiratory protection.

Today, the health effects vary. Upper and lower respiratory illness � commonly known as the "World Trade Center cough" � are the most common. But acid reflux disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, stomach ailments and back or shoulder problems caused by lifting also plague workers. Most of the afflicted are men, although more women with problems are beginning to come forward. The median age of workers hovers around 40.

Joseph Firth of Glen Rock, N.J., worked at the site six days a week right after the attack, sifting through the rubble. Today, he suffers from breathing problems. He used to be able to run a brisk six or seven miles. Today, he's lucky to finish three before getting winded. He is still working at Ground Zero, overseeing carpenters involved in the rebuilding efforts.

"I just take it day to day," says Firth, 38, adding that the emotional fallout is also hard to leave behind. He tried seeing a therapist but says his best support system is talking to others who saw what he did. "My best therapy was talking with the other guys who removed the body parts. That's what was best for me."

For John Nimmo, 42, it's meant surgeries and skin grafts. The ironworker from Danbury, Conn., was injured at Ground Zero on Oct. 6, 2001, when an electrical pipe pinned and crushed his right leg. He has had three surgeries to remove dead skin and muscles and was out of work for five months.

"I also had the hack for quite some time, and I didn't even have that much exposure," says Nimmo, who is now back working on light duty.

While research and support services do exist, union members representing firefighters, ironworkers, carpenters and other trades say the system is a poorly set up patchwork that has failed to reach most workers. Many with health problems are getting no treatment at all. Hundreds of day laborers � primarily Hispanic immigrants � may never be tested.

"We need more money for treatment and monitoring," says Richard Weiss of New York, with the Mason Tenders District Council. Their members include construction workers, hazardous-material handlers and others. "We don't even know what's out there yet."

The federal government is spending at least $12 million to fund the Mount Sinai screening, which is reaching beyond New York to include out-of-state rescue workers who worked at Ground Zero. In Ohio, for example, workers who were part of search and rescue teams sent to the World Trade Center site will be screened at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and other members of Congress successfully pushed for $90 million to fund a long-term study of workers exposed to toxins at Ground Zero.

But many say more attention and outreach are needed.

"We've done a good job of taking care of the dead but such a terrible job of taking care of the living," says Phil McArdle of the Uniformed Firefighters Association in New York. "It's despicable that more isn't being done. Everyone's concerned about the long-term health effects. We don't want this to be the same as with Vietnam soldiers and Agent Orange."

Researchers studying the health effects say the occupational hazards posed by Sept. 11 should spur changes that could reduce exposure-related illnesses in the future. Doctors are calling for a review of respiratory equipment to determine what workers should wear and what sort of training should be provided before disaster strikes.

They say procedures should be established so that individual doctors can report illnesses, allowing for systematic data collection such as those used in the surveillance of infectious diseases. If such a referral system had been in place after Sept. 11, doctors say, more workers would have gotten proper treatment by now.

Finally, doctors say, the tragedy has shown the need to set up a way to disseminate information rapidly about how best to treat workers. Without such communication, workers are likely to get treatments that may not help.

"In these tumultuous political times and concerns about future terrorist attacks, I'm very concerned about identifying strategies to prevent these situations in the first place," Mount Sinai's Herbert says.

Some workers agree that such study is needed. John Greaney of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Local 608, says long-term follow-up and care are needed not just now, but in the years to come.

"Mentally, it affected me. Many still suffer today. Guys are having nightmares," Greaney says. "If there are other long-term effects, I don't know if they will be followed. What we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg."

September 6, 2004

I love the following news story about this guy from Canada and his body piercings. I attended the first annual Madtown Body Piercing and Tattoo Expo in October of 2003. I have to admit I found the entire proccess of inserting needles into your body fasinating. I watched for hours as one person after another lined up to get an area of choice embellished with cold, hard steel. A young lady standing next to me asked, "are you going to get your nipple pierced?" I told her I really hadn't thought of it. She said, "you should, women really go for it." The next thing I knew, I was laying flat on my back and someone was shoving a surgical ice pick through my chest. The pain was excruciating. Now I know what it feels like to be stabbed. For me, this was an act of rejuvenation. It was a way of expressing youth. I have no regrets, but I won't be getting anything else pierced. I have stretched my one ear lobe to a 6 gauge, but that is as far as it goes. I have a "tunnel" I like to wear, and I don't think it is anything too bizzare. Having experimented with body piercings, I can't point my finger at anyone else and say, "hey moron, get a life!" But this guy from Canada makes me wonder if he has both oars in the water. How do you accidently shoot your self in the stomach? I suppose it is possible.

Annanova
Brent Moffat of Canada has the most body piercings. On January 15, 2003 he had 700 surgical needles inserted into his body � all 18 gauge (1.2 cm or 0.47 in long) � in 7 hours 19 minutes at Metamorphosis Custom Piercing and Tattoo in Winnipeg, Canada.

The 34-year-old human pin-cushion described the sensation of 700 needles in his legs like "a million insects crawling all over me." The final piercings were pushed through his nipples. He is going for a new record by having 3,000 piercings inserted into his body as a 9/11 tribute.

Brent Moffat says four tattoo artists will begin piercing his skin at 9:46am - the time the first hijacked plane hit the World Trade Centre - on the third anniversary of the terror attacks.

Mr Moffat, 35, from Winnipeg, said: "This is done as a memorial to the people who lost their lives in the Twin Towers that fateful day.

"This is in no way a financial or political statement, but a remembrance of the lost men and women due to a senseless act of violence."

Mr Moffat, who is known as "The Human Pin Cushion", has set two Guinness world records, reports the Washington Times.

On the Guinness website, officials attempt to explain Mr Moffat's affinity for pain: "Moffat has endured half a lifetime of pain since accidentally shooting himself in the stomach with a .22 caliber rifle as a teenager."

Mr Moffat says he spends up to 20 hours a day putting piercings and needles all over his body.

His girlfriend Chrissy Medina reveals she sometimes worries she is going to get hurt when he comes near her, according to the Splash news agency.

September 4, 2004

I've always liked Arnold. I respect a man who can come to this country penniless and rise to the heights he has. He has done well for himself. He worked hard. He deserves all the success he has. No one gave him a free ride to the top. If he was running for President, he'd kick Kerry's and Bush's ass hands down. I also think people like him can be dangerous. The average man in the street is mesmerized by people like Arnold Schwarzenegger. They take what he says at face value without question. By worshiping him, his success translates into their success. Strong figures like Arnold keep hope alive, and hope is something people are starving for right now. I watched his speech at the Republican Convention. I was surprised at the comment he made that as a young boy growing up in Austria he saw Soviet tanks in the streets. The following article puts the story staight.

Schwarzenegger bashed for flubbing Austrian history at Republican convention.
Canadian Press

VIENNA, Austria - Austrian historians are ridiculing California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for telling the U.S. Republican convention that he saw Soviet tanks in his homeland as a child and left a "Socialist" country when he moved away in 1968.

Recalling that the Soviets once occupied part of Austria in the aftermath of the Second World War, Schwarzenegger told the convention on Tuesday: "I saw tanks in the streets. I saw communism with my own eyes."

No way, historians say, challenging Schwarzenegger's knowledge of postwar history - if not his enduring popularity among Austrians who admire him for rising from a penniless immigrant to the highest official in America's most populous state.

"It's a fact - as a child he could not have seen a Soviet tank in Styria," the southeastern province where Schwarzenegger was born and raised, historian Stefan Karner told the Vienna newspaper Kurier.

Schwarzenegger, now a naturalized U.S. citizen, was born on July 30, 1947, when Styria and the neighbouring province of Carinthia belonged to the British zone. At the time, postwar Austria was occupied by the four wartime allies, which also included the United States, the Soviet Union and France.

The Soviets already had left Styria in July 1945, less than three months after the end of the war, Karner noted.

In his convention address, Schwarzenegger also said: "As a kid, I saw the socialist country that Austria became after the Soviets left" in 1955 and Austria regained its independence.

But Martin Polaschek, a law history scholar and vice-rector of Graz University, told Kurier that Austria was governed by coalition governments, including the conservative People's party and the Social Democratic party. Between 1945 and 1970, all the nation's chancellors were conservatives - not socialists.

Polaschek saw the moderate Republican governor's recollections at the convention as a tactical move. Schwarzenegger, he said, was "using the old Communist enemy image for Bush's election campaign."

"He did not speak as a historian, after all, but as a politician," Polaschek said.

Norbert Darabos, a ranking official of Austria's opposition Social Democratic party, sharply criticized Schwarzenegger's "disdain for his former homeland."

"The Terminator is constructing a rather bizarre Austria image," he said.

September 2, 2004

I remember when I was in the ninth grade, we had to watch a series of anti-drug educational films. I will never forget watching the classic, and totally lame film called "Refer Madness". It was 1969. The "summer of love" was just around the corner. Woodstock was gearing up for Jimmie and Janis. A few of my classmates had smoked pot, but not many. The government was concerned about the hippie movement, so they came up with these films to inform us on the dangers we faced. I had never experimented with drugs or smoked marijuana. I didn't know of anyone who had flipped out from smoking the stuff. But I do remember this, we all laughed during the showing of this totally stupid film. The teachers were really pissed off, but you couldn't help it. In fact, it was so out of line, and filled with so much anti-marijuana propaganda, I had to smoke some and find out for myself what the real story was. So much for keeping me away from pot!

There are new herbal substances out there on the market I have never heard of. Since I am not into the drug culture, I am not up on the latest news. The "summer of love" was a long time ago. I have done some research into this herbal substance called Salvia Divinorum.
It is still legal in the United States, and available for purchase over the Internet. I think I will buy some and see what it is all about.

If the government wanted to scare us away from drugs, they should have produced a film where the main character, under the influence, cuts his nuts off with a pair of garden shears. That would have done the trick for me.

More Herbal Highs
By Paul Dillon
Sydney Star Observer

It�s always interesting to watch what is going on in Europe at this time of the year � summer is drawing to a close and it�s usually the time when new trends in drug use are starting to identify themselves. As has already been discussed in this column over the past few months, this does appear to be the �summer of the herbal high�. Magic mushrooms continue to grow in popularity (with over 300 legal outlets across the UK at the moment) and there is also a range of other plants emerging as the drugs of choice for both clubbers and festival-goers alike.

Herbal highs have been around for some time but for many who have experimented with them they have been a huge disappointment. However, in recent months plants like salvia, a Mexican plant related to sage, and kratom, a Thai herb, have made an impact upon the illicit drug scene. Business in the multi-million-pound legal high trade in the UK and across Europe is now booming with the number of products on offer having quadrupled in the past five years.

One of the most popular products is salvia, used for centuries by Mexican Indians in religious ceremonies, which produces a powerful hallucinogenic effect when chewed, drunk in an infusion or smoked through a pipe. Users claim to have vivid out-of-body experiences, though others suffer only terrifying nightmares. Salvia is a prohibited drug here in Australia, as well as in Finland and Denmark, but it currently remains legal in Britain and the rest of the world with the Home Office having no plans to take any action against it. There are hundreds of outlets openly selling the substance in the UK. Salvia is available at �10 for a bag of leaves or �30 for a bag of the more powerful �extract� version.

Kratom, a tree native to Thailand and other parts of south-east Asia, has been available in the UK for the past six months and is proving popular. Believed to work on the same receptors in the brain as heroin, kratom initially induces alertness, increasing physical energy and the desire to interact with others. At higher doses it becomes a sedative, constricting the pupils and desensitising the user to physical and emotional pain. The effects last for up to six hours.

These natural products are believed to be popular because many users see them as safer than chemicals like ecstasy and likely to be better quality. However, just because a substance is herbal or natural does not mean it is safe.

Natural hallucinogens are not for everyone � many fear the loss of control and the length of intoxication that are part of this often extreme experience. Be aware there are real risks associated with natural highs. Once you go tripping, you�re really in for the long haul � if you have a bad trip you will just have to ride it out. Also, things can go horribly wrong � a story coming out of Germany late last year told of a young man who used a pair of garden shears to cut off his tongue and penis after drinking a tea made from a natural hallucinogen.

Remember: if you do not want any negative consequences, do not use the drug, and no matter how many times you have used a substance, never be blas�.