Living Green - Have We Been Duped?
I want to rethink the living green issue.I’m not saying we don’t need to be good to our planet, pick up after ourselves and leave it better than we found it, or even minimize our “footprint” to allow for nature’s beauty and magnificence to shine through. But, seriously, do we really and truly believe we’re going to run out of fuel?
Do we really believe that we have so much impact on the planet that we can change the future?
Probably, but I don’t believe it comes from the kind of car I drive. I don’t believe the kind of house I live in has a whole lot to do with the amount of energy I use. I’m STILL only in one room at a time.
Do we really believe the scientists and politicians telling us that we’re using up our world? We’re causing the destruction of the planet?
I do believe we shouldn’t polute our planet, intentionally by throwing trash out and destructively dumping waste products, but what about the natural order of the world? We use things, there’s some trash and there’s waste products. They get tossed. We find sanitary ways to clean up after ourselves, but there are still waste products.
Even back in Adam and Eve’s day, they had to toss the carton from the mac and cheese. In their case, the carton may have been cow turds and wheat chaff, but they still had waste.
Politicians are now spouting their own brand of insanity about a Clean Air Bill, doctoring it and diluting the message to convince the people of the United States that we must stop poluting or we will ultimately kill ourselves. Their goal is NOT to stop polution, but rather to increase income into their own pockets. The false information they’re implanting in your pea sized brain to convince you that you should be paying more to drive your car is going to stop your lifestyle. We’re not talking about walking one day a week here… We’re talking your car, parked on the driveway until they decide to come tow it away because you can’t afford EVER to drive your vehicle. We’re talking DOUBLE ENERGY BILLS. Energy bills that on any given month last year were $400.00, will be $800.00 or MORE by the end of this year.
Consider for a moment that your highest energy bills were a pinch for you to pay last year, and this year, they’ll be double. What date will they turn off your gas? Do you have an alternative source of heat?
Can you get to work without gas in your vehicle? $3.50 a gallon for gas last year was difficult. But can you afford another $3.50 this year, or more? What about $7.00 a gallon gas? Can you afford that?
The CLEAN Air Bill will CLEAN out your pockets, beyond what you have available to get by. Transportation, heat, and your livelihood will end when the prices go that high. Can you survive that kind of change?
We’re not talking three generations away here - we’re talking this year. December gets cold. Can you afford that kind of change?
Holding on - Making Adjustments for Irregular People
You’ve met them, I’m sure. Irregular people who simply strike your YUK bone and make you wonder if there’s really a purpose for them… I’ve met a few in my lifetime.
One in particular just keeps rearing up his head in my life and I find myself in a quandry. Do I pray for him that God will speak to his heart and recreate him into the person he could be, or should I simply look the other way and pretend he doesn’t exist. I’ve chosen to take the prayer route.
It’s possible that allowing him to know I’ve taken this route will give him ammunition against me, at least in his mind. Allowing him to know that in some way he gets to me? Well, I suppose, if he did get to me, that would be a problem. But, the reality is, he doesn’t get to me. I can overlook stupid and send up prayers that God will take care of him.
What makes a difference is, he’s hurting other people. I’ve watched him hurt other people throughout the time I’ve known him and it’s amazing how he seems to keep walking over people and they allow it. Amazing and SAD. Extremely SAD that he’s so spoiled that his needs are the only needs he understands in this process of being selfish and self possessed.
In the same breath, a mother who’s lost her son shed tears for the life that he lived, the life that she had to let go of, yet every moment of every day - misses. The dear combination of emotion spread between these two individuals is a dire contrast to the life I live. The treasure of a life… Can’t be replaced.
Even a life of one so selfish and immature that he hurts all he comes in contact with, and seems not to care - because his needs and desires come first - in his mind. Even this life couldn’t be replaced. There’s value in the life of each person born on this earth and every life impacts every other life.
I hold on, making adjustments for the irregular people in my life by praying for them, acknowledging their existence in my life and in most cases, finding something about each of them to appreciate and be grateful for - in whatever small way I can be grateful.
Tonight, I’m grateful for each of those irregular people who remind me how blessed I am to have so many wonderful loving members of the group I call friends and family. I just pray that the Lord will bless the irregular people in my life and help them to know they’ve got an important purpose in life, and their purpose can only be fulfilled when they find the Lord and invite Him to be the center of their lives.
I’m so blessed!
Is the Greenhouse Effect a Political Game?
I don’t know about you, but living green is a rather natural state of existence out here in Rural America. It’s normal to have a small house, turn the lights off when you leave the room and walk a lot. So, how is it that we humanoids have created the Greenhouse Effect? Or is it a political game?
At the Coffee Clatter, Philip Wheeler discusses the concept and points out the realities many of us are led NOT to believe when the Politician’s talk Greenhouse Gases. Even the Politicians don’t seem to buy into it when they build OMNI POWER PLANTS out of SMOG producing COAL.
Take a look and see what you think…
Rip it out, Re-write it, Sketch it again
Those phrases have all been familiar in my life. No matter how perfect a project seems to me, someone has reminded me that it could be better. So, I ripped it out. My apron for 4-H in 4th grade had more seams ripped out than I’d sewn in, but it won first prize. My first publication was rewritten 38 times before it was “good enough” for me. Then I rewrote it 7 more times for the publisher. My favorite editor still bleeds red ink on my work at every opportunity. My pride has always been my art. No matter how many times they said to rewrite or rip it out, seldom have I heard the words “fix this” or sketch it again, on my art work.
However, as a graphic artist, I’m often asked to fix a color, rewrite a word, or add a shadow in some particular place that I didn’t think the work needed a shadow when I started working with the project. Today, I had finished a project I loved working on, and when I printed it out, I wasn’t satisfied. The client, one of the people I admire most in the whole world, chose not to tell me that he wasn’t satisfied with it either. I’m still smiling at the thought that he didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I’ve been terribly hard on him as a writer, and yet he was tender and kind when my feelings were involved.
Now, I smile because I know I’ve redone the project and it’s better, but I know it can be improved, and I’ll work on it more, until it’s “more” perfect. So perfect that none could be better - because when it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. That’s what doing the best job you can do is all about.
Oris, thanks for motivating me! I’m looking forward to seeing this book in print! I’ll be reformatting it for printed publication tomorrow morning. Because I want it perfect, too.
Entertainment - The Required Directive of Parenting
It’s summer and the plague derivative of “I’m bored!” keeps popping into conversation. Tuesday night a friend took the boys to the movies and they had a great time, so Wednesday morning, they got up and did some of their chores. Life was good, it was hot, and they spent the afternoon reading and working on various indoor projects.
I took the van to be repaired and spent an hour or so visiting a friend while we waited on - whatever it is women wait on when they need time to chatter. We talked. We laughed. We cried. And my car wasn’t done, so she brought me home. The world was still turning and my boys were just fine, although the tomato plants still needed water, and they hadn’t gotten their chores done… I let it slide.
So, today, the morning starts and life is good. But one complained of being bored.
“Mom can we go swimming?”
“Are your chores done?”
“No.”
“Get your chores done, we’ll see.”
“Okay.”
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He didn’t move a muscle. I kept writing.
Then I thought of a question from another parent recently about entertaining children. He mentioned that he schedules some activity for every day of the summer while his kids are home. I frowned. I asked if he had scheduled events on every weekend. He said, “Sure, I schedule something for each weekend. I like to keep busy.”
I looked around the room at my bookcases filled to the brim with books, crafts supplies, and other hobby activities and considered when I’d have time to do those things if every minute of my day was scheduled out. Then I remembered who I was talking to, and asked, “Who mows your grass?”
“Oh, I hire that done.”
Solution found.
“Sean, why don’t you go get the lawn ready to mow. We’ll get the mower out Monday when we get home from Denver. Just pick up all those stick and twigs from the wind.”
Farrah Faucett Escapes the Bounds of Earth
Looking back on my life, there’s little to question about the role of the 1970’s in my personal history. Although my hair was more “Kate Jackson” than “Farrah Faucett” I still tried the style. Straight dark auburn hair just didn’t do a thing for the feathered look Farrah made popular. However small her impact was, she did have an impact on my life.
My interest in criminal justice is directly related to watching the crime fighting “Angels” Charlie claimed as his own. My favorite of the group was Kate Jackson, because she seemed the most logical, stream-lined of the three, a leader in her position and field. I saw Farrah in a different role, among the Angels, she was the defiant rebel who managed somehow to solve the problem as she rebelled against the system.
My view of Farrah in life is much the same. She was a rebel, fighting the system, and winning. Even now as she escapes the bounds of earth and the pain of cancer, I’m sure she’s flat footing a cloud and rebelling against the forces of the next life too. Her smile and sparkle have probably returned as she greets those who have gone before. What a lady!
Politically Correct - You Have OFFENDED Me
That line simply gives you too much power. Therefore, I refuse to accept that line. I’m not going to allow you to offend me, because I can choose not to be offended by what you say. The reality.
Life is what you make it and no matter how difficult you choose to think that is, it’s still your choice.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve heard several people say, “What you said, offends me.” When I ask them to point out what I said that offended them, they referring to statements referencing my own personal beliefs. What I believe offends you? Why would you give me that much power over your emotional well being?
In the course of living a full and well managed life, I’ve found many people in my circle of friends believe that we must attempt to be politically correct in our language. I refuse. At the tender age of 49, I’ve figured out that I probably don’t really care what other people think of me - so why would I attempt to please them by speaking in a politically correct manner.
The reality is:
- I don’t care if you’re gay or straight, I don’t want to hear about your sex life. If that statement offends you, perhaps you’d better figure out if you’re gay or straight to please ME, and if you figure that out, and you are — find a different, better reason for your sexual gender choice.
- I don’t particularly care if you’re religious or not. I’ll pray for you either way. It’s up to the Holy Spirit to fix your sinful self, not me. If that offends you, I’ll pray for you anyway. Yes, I pray in Jesus name.
- If you send your children to public school and they’re doing well, Congratulations! I home school my children and they’re doing great, too. Thank you for asking. No, I’m not afraid they’ll be psychotic killers because they aren’t properly socialized into little government clones.
- I don’t care what color your skin is. I won’t vote FOR you for that reason, and I’m not voting against you for that reason. I simply don’t give a rat’s backside what color your skin is, skin color is absolutely NOT a reason to give you special privileges.
- I believe it is my right to carry a gun, whether or not I do is none of your business. Deal with it.
- I kill flies, mosquitoes, snakes and ground hogs. If you have a problem with that, you must be a snake, a ground hog, a mosquito or a fly. No there is not a humane way to kill a rattle snake. Any way you do it, he’s still going to be dead.
- I drive a gas guzzler, use the a/c, and sometimes fart in public. I say excuse me, but it still stinks. My feet are big and I have a HUGE foot print. I figure if Al Gore can live in a 5000 square foot home and hire three maids, I can live in a nice house and be cool in the summer.
- I own my own business and I don’t hire illegal aliens. I don’t care what language you speak. I figured out that taking Spanish in high school doesn’t mean I have to speak it for your convenience. I’m an American, I speak English.
- Sometimes my jeans and my shirt clash, but I’m comfortable so deal with it.
- Just because you have a lot of money doesn’t make you better than me, or anyone else. It just means you can pick up the tab more often, or not. It’s still your choice. But don’t think picking up my tab means you own me - I’m not for sale.
Those are ten of the ways I’m not politically correct, and if that bothers you - SORRY, you’ll have to leave a comment and see if you get results. How you respond to what I believe isn’t my problem. It’s yours. I don’t have enough power over you, nor do I want enough power over you to offend you. I’m only saying what I believe, take it or leave it, I assure you, I won’t be offended.
Yes, as a matter of fact, someone did piss in my wheaties today, and I’m pissing back.
Social Network Advantage
Have you been watching the news in IRAN? As the United States falls more and more into Tyranny, the rest of the world fights the battle of democracy with technology. This article in the Los Angeles Times states the obvious abominations of our times, with a succintity that few understand completely.
Today, I spoke with a friend who has cause to worry about our own democracy here in the US. As per the laws that took effect after the tragedy of 9-1-1, in an effort to protect ourselves from the terrorism of others, the people of the United States have allowed government to become the “end all” of our protection, as current administration and previous administrations have stepped into the middle to relieve us of our freedom to protect ourselves. In the effort to gather information, our privacy has dimenished, disappeared and come to a screeching, screaming halt none of us expected.
Not only are our airports being shrouded in surveilance, but our homes are being invaded. Our rights are disappearing at alarming rates, and we’ve sat back and waited for “someone” to do “something” until the Government has stepped in to protect us from ourselves. They now tell us to buckle up or we’ll be fined for not protecting our selves in an accident. They tell us we must reveal our income, our personal business, our private knowledge for the government to understand and tell us how to live. The government now tells some businesses how to operate, because they’re too big to fail.
NO. STOP!!! This isn’t the AMERICA we signed up for. This isn’t the LAND we were born into. This isn’t the limitation of freedom we agreed to when we asked for protection from TERRORISM.
Terrorism is an outside force, threatening. We don’t need or want to be protected from ourselves. Give us back our liberty and freedom and do what GOVERNMENT is supposed to do, so we can get on with guiding our own business, making our own choice whether to buckle up or cut our weeds to 8 inches in height, or determine our own personal security.
You can’t have our guns, our rights, or our freedom.
You can however, stop apologizing for our values, our morals, and our position on the planet. You darned right the USA is on TOP, no matter how we spin on the AXIS, and we PLAN to stay there.
The social network advantage of having people with cell phones that take pictures, talk, and record is valuable to building International FREEDOM, greater world liberty and increasing the awareness of personal power around the world. We are the people! We are the strength! We are the power! We the PEOPLE are strong and powerful and we CAN change our world.
Living Above the Line - My Choice
No matter what family you live in, or who may be in your circle of friends, everyone has choices they must make about the people whose lives touch theirs. I’ve had to make those choices in my family and in other relationships as well.
The simple matter of accepting people for who they are and letting them be just that, without adding additional expectations becomes difficult when you realize that you have to step up above that plane that you allow others to exist upon. You can’t live on the same level, because you’ll be squeeshed in the realities of that level of living, if you’re acknowledging others on that level. The reasoning is simply this: At the point where you determine that you’re going to accept what others do and give them room to be themselves, you’ll have to choose to step away when they do not meet your needs. Whether our step away consists of a temporary step with continued relationship strings where you can remain friends, but distance yourself from the problem temporarily or whether it must become a permanent rift, the choice must be yours.
In-laws make a good topic in this instance.
My first in-laws were simply “different”. They had their own set of disturbing boundaries that didn’t really effect me, unless I allowed myself to get caught up in their limitations. By continuing to be who I was, they FELT imposed upon. My choice was to continue being myself and offend them or change who I was when I was with them. Because I was young, I chose to be myself. The offense was a constant thread of difficultly between us, and they were constantly calling me to task for offending them. It didn’t change the way I did things, and eventually, it tore them from my life. I don’t miss them.
My second in-laws had allowed their son to ridicule and control their lives from his limited perspective on how life shoud be until they denounced my existence and right to be in their family shortly before we were married. Little did I know, his ridicule and control would become, eventually, the straw that broke our marriage, my own choices would be the reason he walked away. When I said, “Enough, I’m not living this life of solitude and demand that you’re choosing for me and I’m not neglecting family and friends so you can be king and lord over my life.” He left and never looked back. I wasn’t the wife he wanted, and he wasn’t the man I’d believed him to be.
My children are strong and solid, with high moral values and capable of achieving great goals. Their lives are exemplery and they are leaders in their own fields of interest.
When my younger daughter married, her husband’s family chose to exile him (and her) from their family because of their choice to marry each other. Their loss. These two young adults are moving strong toward lives of solid values, unified strength and assurance between the two of them, and I’ve seen both of them grow over the past year into incredibly strong and sure-footed young adults. They may have married too young, they may not have had all their eggs in the right carton, but they made their choice and they’ve stepped up to the plate with the bat in hand. Yes, they’ve walked a few balls, but they’ve taken their swings and hit a few home runs too. Their cheering section is still encouraging them on, full speed ahead. B-B-B-B-B-Batter UP!
My older daughter, a single mom, is a loving and giving mom. Her ideal home isn’t what she has, but that wasn’t entirely her choice, there was someone else who made choices too. Sometimes in life, we can’t make ALL the choices that effect our lives and our ultimate choice must be to persevere in the face of difficulty to the finish line. She’s taking that walk, one sure-footed step at a time.
As each of us faces the obstacles set before us, we must realize that what doesn’t break us will make us better. We may not be able to overcome every obstacle. There may be a few that get us down. But our choice must always be, to get up and take the next step with the assurance that God placed us on this earth for a reason and we’re moving toward the destination HE gave us, one sure-footed step at a time.
Sometimes we must hit the dirt to slide home safe, but then we must get up and pick up the bat for our next turn and take our swings at the ball. That’s how winners are made.
Michael Cheney sent me an email…
It started out in the subject line with, “Obama says Jan is our only hope…”
I’ll admit, there are times when I feel like I’ve got a lot of clout. Like for instance today… I had an appointment to meet with a client, but I’ve had this never-ending headcold kind of thing that just sucked the life right out of me, so at the appointed moment, Oris George arrives with his one horse carriage in waiting, at my disposal. I mean, you can’t beat that with a stick. I have an appointment and a driver and a buggy to carry me there in style. I felt like the queen of the buggy. (Oris even brought me a maple frosted donut to eat on the ride out to my appointment. I felt spoiled.)
But, does that make me the only hope for a nation in need?
I read Michael’s message.
+ + + NEWS FLASH + + +
The war against machines rages on and the all-powerful Googletron is squashing thousands of newbie skulls under its tracks every day.
So, I consider the current state of affairs, and how I’ve been battling Google for position power over the past several months. They are a bit contrary at times, but there are ways to deal with them. You just have to get a new set of keywords, bring on your best phrases, and you’ll get where you want to go in no time flat! But those thousands of newbie skulls, I had to think about for a bit. I suppose a newbie tot he web could misunderstand bad enough to be taken to slaughter before they got a grip on the process of business they needed to fulfill in order to achieve their goals.
But the end may be in sight because President Obama has released a plea for Jan to come forward and save the world.
There it was, right there in Black and White. Mr. Obama wants ME to come save the world. I read that line three times before I realized the impact of that statement.
Now, I know I can’t save the world. The Son of God has already done all that can be done, He gave his perfect life on the Cross at Calvary and if that wasn’t enough, I certainly have nothing to offer. But then I remembered what Mr. Obama said in his speech about us not being a Judeo-Christian nation and I decided I probably don’t have anything to offer him at all, because he won’t get the connection if I tell him about Jesus dying for his sin.
Then I came back to that last line that he released a plea for Jan to come forward and save the world. This is really big. I mean, really big stuff he’s asking for, that he called me, from somewhere in Colorado to come out and SAVE the WORLD.
I can’t turn down an offer like that. I mean, can you just imagine the publicity? It’d be all over the world, Jan Verhoeff saved the world! That’s big stuff, bigger than Bombs in Korea or even some chickie in England singing her heart out on stage. Everybody would know my name.
So, I decided to give it a whirl and show my dedication to saving the world with the most important piece of information known to man, found in the Bible in the book of John, Chapter Three, Verse 16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
That really awesome piece just kind of lies there if you don’t think about the meaning of it for a moment. So, lets take it a part a little bit and see if we can’t make it more effective for those who don’t understand the pertinence of Biblical reasoning.
For God so loved the world…
Out of all the universe that God created, he didn’t send his son for the people on pluto or neptune. He sent His Son here to planet Earth for US.
He gave His only begotten Son…
He didn’t give his eldest son, or his middle son, or his youngest son for this position of great and tremendous duty, he gave his ONLY begotten Son. Meaning, this is the ONLY one he has or will ever have, for this HUGE duty.
Whosoever believeth in Him…
Whosoever means everyone. He didn’t single anyone out, he left it open for EVERYONE to participate in this program of salvation. He didn’t say, this is for the black men who live in Africa and wear red robes, or for white women who live in Europe who wear purple gowns, or eve to distinguish between men or women anywhere. Folks HE said Whosoever believeth. You don’t even have to have any great and tremendous talents or skills to do this, you just need to believe.
Shall not perish…
This may be the most significant line of the whole program, if you understand any of the Biblical principles. It means God doesn’t want ANYONE to perish, so he gave them a simple way out of the depths of hell, by way of their own choice to BELIEVE.
But to have everlasting life…
This is it, the big number one reason for this statement, for this verse to exist. God wants us to choose EVERLASTING Life. He provided a way and gave it to us, for the sheer cost of believing that His Son, Jesus was sent here that NONE should parrish, but ALL should have EVERLASTING LIFE.
But… You’re right. None of that has anything to do with Google or machines, because none of those existed back then.
So the next phrase Michael Cheney used was this…
For years newbies have been dominated and controlled by the Googleton as it sucked their wallets dry and spat them out into debt-ridden oblivion…
There’s a phrase I understood. That debt-ridden oblivion stuff was about as clear as mud on the Mississippi. No doubts there. If you’ve been playing the adwords game without a clear plan and enough cash in your pocket to play, you’ve been sent to the land of doom and debt. So, you don’t really want to go there. It’s not necessary, and in most cases, not required to get what you really want to get from the Internet, so let’s stay afloat with a different means of understanding the big machine Googleton and how it’s made up of pay per click success or doom.
Search Engine Optimization is easy once you understand that algorithms change and along with those changes come the course of time it takes for your website to grow or plummet on the search engine. You go up as the algorithms climb and you come down as the air flows out of your plan. You can’t always be at the top, because others are climbing and falling too. Be willing to go with the flow and watch the flow as it comes and goes on your computer system.
They don’t call me a Marketing Guru for nothing, y’know.
The other sneaker that Google does with each player is — if you’re always searching for specific keywords on your computer, Google knows you’re looking for something in particular. Once the system recognizes that, everytime you click on that search, the same things will come to the top of the ranking. Whether they are naturally there or not, the same pages will come up on YOUR computer every time. So you have to change your searches frequently to keep up with the process.
But now, for the first time, Jan could be the savior of the world and conquer Google for good and make the machine work for THEM rather than the other way around.
Now! You’re talking, Cheney. It isn’t the world I must conquer, but rather Google. Them I can handle. (Not to be too cocky or cheesy here, but seriously, it’s just Google.) My fighters are ready to take them on and I’ve even got a brand spanking NEW site to play with, and see if my plan works. Ye ole Masterpiece Photography shall burst bubbles, records and Google with Fundraising mastery of the Internet. Let’s ROLL.
The site will be up and running tomorrow, at which time, I’ll place the first links. (Yes, I’ll have to EDIT.)
Michael Cheney is up to his old stuff again, his next line says this:
An underground resistance movement started by “Agent Goad” has started gaining momentum as he looks for brave recruits looking to suck out money from Google.
Hey, hey, pick me, Mr. Cheney! I wanna play footsee with Agent Goad and see if I can’t pull some pocket filling cash from Google. So, now that we’re up to playing the games and calling out recruits, I’ve got my armor on and I’m ready to fight.
Google shall be my personal ATM by morning!
and he says:
So Jan, if you’re out there, and you’re listening to this, PLEASE, step forward and claim your place in the history books of humankind by standing up to the almighty Google and extracting HUGE amounts of cash from the machine.
Well, Michael, alls I have to say is, you just need the right pin number. If you ain’t got it by now…
Michael Cheney is trying to sell you a code book with all the right numbers in it. And his book is probably at least as good as this one. But this is the book I use to grab my clientele the best results from Google page ranks, placemakers, and adsense campaigns. And it works…
So, if Cheney’s right that JAN is the savior of the world in Adsense Ranks, then you’d better be listening and get a copy of MY BOOK.
If not, well, go get Cheney’s - but mine’s easier to find… And even Cheney admits that Obama says I’ve got the best opportunity to turn this world around. Better listen.
The weirdest part of this whole thing is, I don’t agree with one thing Obama has ever said, so I don’t know why he’d say*I* was his only hope. Guess there’ll be many tomorrows to figure that one out.
