Lessons learned from my Friend

Hi Friends;

This is the start of the new go at it....got some flesh to share. So, you ask, how does one call this Lessons from my Friend?

You ever seen how dogs introduce themselves? Maybe it has merit! Ha! (Couldn't help myself)

a vid that left me rolling

Hi Everyone; To give you a bit of information I kept to myself and one other, my computer crashed, and hard. I lost almost everything I've collected over the years. Yep, didn't backup. Dumb. I know, get it out of your system....I'll wait. Done yet? No, ok, I'll wait some more........ Okay now? Hey, laugh if you want...I got a new computer out of it. :) But, I've got a lot going on with this and all on top of my normal stuff. It's going to be a long week or so. Well, I saw a clip on tv about streaking, and the cops were chasing right after the guy. So, wondering what the consequences are in this puritanically hypocritical era, I began to search for that answer and instread I found this video. I all but fell out of my chair.

A bit out of the loop for a moment...

Hi Everyone out there in outhereland; I had a small caboom! -that's a technical word translated from the generally archaic "oh shit" and followed by the proverbial "thump" . So, I need to take a day, maybe two, before I get myself going again. Forgive the error of my ways, O Reader, where-ever thouest abide. I shall think of you as I dig myself out of this small problem. Back soon. Hugs, randy

ASL and Music

When I was about 12 my best friend was named David. His mother was deaf, completely deaf. She was able to talk...with that monotone way deaf people talk. And when she got pissed! Whoo! Look out. Well, I loved her. She was just plain cool. And, I had a crush on her son, so that helped. One day we had the ghetto blaster on....that's what we called it then. Hey, it was cool - then. And, we were blasting it. Well, David's Mom finally got our attention and the hands began to fly. I had no idea she would haved a problem with the loud music as I didn't think she'd notice. That was one of the fun aspects of playing at David's house; we could scream and laugh all we wanted and no one cared. Unfortunately for us, she could feel vibrations and I guess we had the whole house shaking. Oops. So, both she and David were talking in ASL, hands flying and he was trying to translate as fast as he could. The jist of it: what was the awful racket that was shaking her house down? This was it - Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. She made him sign the whole song and both of us to sing it...mostly for comic relief, I'm sure as we danced along. But, from that point on I fell in love with the use of ASL and music, especially with someone who is a talented dancer. The expression and emotion that can be conveyed through ASL and dance is phenomenal. It takes understanding, of course, to get the full effect. It's been so long, I have forgotten most of what I knew through lack of use. I only know one sign, it's universal though :) I have a couple other songs in here for the heck of it. I loved the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus", and here is the clip from that. Also, I love Sarah McLaughlin's voice....can't spell her name, tho.

Sanctity for the Sanctimonious

Effective Time Consultants...

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organization... The spoon:Last week, we took some friends to a new Indian restaurant, ‘Muthu’s Place,’ and noticed that the Indian waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket. It seemed a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the Indian staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, ‘Why the spoon?’ ‘Well, ‘he explained, ‘the restaurant’s owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.’ As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. ‘I’ll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now..’ I was impressed. I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the Indian waiter’s fly. Looking around, I saw that all of the Indian waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, ‘Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?’ ‘Oh, certainly!’ Then the Indian waiter lowered his voice. ‘Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom.By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%.’I asked quietly, ‘After you get it out, how do you put it back?’‘Well,’ he whispered, ‘I don’t know about the others, but I use the spoon.’

Corporate Condom

Have you ever noticed that prejudice is only logical in the absence of logic?

noticed this in my wanderings today... A conversation about marriage (with some classmates) Classmate #1: Like, I'm okay with gay people wanting to be with each other. But marriage should be between a guy and a girl. Classmate #2: I don't even want to see it. Like, it's nasty. Me: Oh my god! I know! My neighbor was talking about how he and his Jewish girlfriend wanna get married and I was like "Why should you two be allowed to get married?" in my head. I mean, why would they think it was okay for a Christian and a Jew to get married. Disgusting. Classmates: .... Me: And let me tell you about this other couple I saw making out at the mall. It was nasty. The boy was white and the girl was black. Can you believe that? Two people of different races being together? That's just wrong. Classmate #2: What the hell is wrong with you? So what if they want to be together? Classmate #1: Yeah, there isn't anything wrong with it. Me: Are you kidding me? It's completely wrong.There is only one kind of marriage that is okay. And that is between a man and a woman of the same race, religious background, with the same income level and from the same place. We wouldn't want kids to think that diversity is okay. God wouldn't appreciate these people ruining the sanctity of marriage. Classmate #1: Why are you even in this conversation? God loves everyone. Me: What? So you're telling me that God doesn't care who you marry, because he loves everyone? Classmate #1: Yeah... Me: Does he love animals, too? Classmate #1: He loves human and animals and living creatures all around. Me: Whoa. That just blew my mind. Well it is a good thing that gay people can't get married then. Because everyone knows that gay people aren't human, or living for that matter. Haha. Classmate #1: .... Me: Go choke on a dick you stupid prick. I got in trouble, but it was worth it ;)

For Doug, and us all...

Doug pointed me to a wonderful song....but, while I love the songs of the Beatles, I'm always looking for people doing covers and putting thier own touch on them. This is one such. My friends, when it is all said and done, all we need is love. (Bum-da-Dum-da-dummmmmm)

This artist is named Sungha Jung. He was actually the first I found doing a cover of this song, and I didn't know this, but he has a number of such songs. Quite talented, huh?

Lessons from my Friend

It's good to be loved.

a vid that caught my attention

I was emailed regarding the loss of an associate. He was not a "friend" due only to lack of time I hope as he was surely someone I would have felt so honored to call friend. The one who emailed me spoke of his children now fatherless, and it was an image that has stuck in my mind and heart. So, perhaps that is why this vid seemed to make my heart jump just a bit. I'm sure this great man is looking down on his children now, and always will watch over them. Warning: this one may break your heart, Miles.

For Darryl

Aw, dammit, not another one!

Gadhafi vows

'long war' as strikes hit his forces

When does this crap stop?

Send in the Clowns

The Clown, the Fool, the only one who could tell the king that which was embarassing or spoke against the king. He was thought to be insane, out of his mind, open to abuse....and so whatever he said was irrelevent. Or was it? They were and are important to our world, and yet most have gone the way of Shakespeare, lost in the past and forgotten for the typical fools of today.

I was always one to deflect the conversation. It was easier to be thought the fool than to face the bullets.

Isn't it rich? The fools now days are the folks like my previous post. So intent upon attention that they have lost thier way. So focused on themselves they don't see what they show others. Or, perhaps they don't care.

And, in the background, in the behind scenes from this media assisted fools, lie our soldiers - fighting for ??? There lie our children, starving. There lounge our rich while there scrounge our poor.

I received a vid recently in the mail. It began a spiral of anger and outrage that really had little to do with the vid. It was because as seems to be the case more and more, we are told to follow the white rabbit and not look at the scene going on behind the clown. The media point towards the foolish, the irrelevent, the inconsequential to distract from the truth, or in this case the lies. I am tired of being "entertained" while the ship sinks. And, yet....could we even face the enormity of what is really happening?

We, thankfully, still have some who are willing to tell the king that he's naked. We, thankfully, still have some who are willing to tell the king (David) that he just sent a man to die so he could have the wife. If only we had more who would speak out, and if only we had more who would see the error and try to change.

This came in the mail today...

This just made perfect sense to be shared.

Lindsay Lohan is 24 and her story is all over the news because she*s acelebrity and a drug addict.

Charlie Sheen is all over the news becausehe is a celebrity and has multiple issues.

While...Justin Allen 23,

Brett Linley 29,

Matthew Weikert 29,

Justus Bartett 27,

Dave Santos 21,

Jesse Reed 26,

Matthew Johnson 21,

Zachary Fisher 24,

Brandon King 23,

Christopher Goeke 23,

Sheldon Tate 27

Are all Marines who gave their lives this week for us.There is no media for them. Not even a mention of their names.

Honor Them, by sending this on!

AMEN.

Sort of makes a point, huh.

-randy.

An Interesting Find

Hi Friends; Searching through this odd little world of the internet, I found this very interesting and almost sacrificial testimony. I was taken by the manner in which the author bared his soul. I could feel pain and anguish in the words, I could feel desperation in the cadence. I realized that I just wanted to reach out and pull this author in for a hug. I wanted to shield him for a few moments from the slings and arrows of the judgemental. I wanted to tell him that he was free to be himself with me. I guess I sometimes spout like I know something; I don't. I find that the more I try, the less I understand....just hoping to fake it, I guess. My history is filled with foolishness, and so often I sought to hide the truth from the world and even myself that I'm finding it difficult to understand what is from what I simply portray. And, that, perhaps is why this struck so interesting. This is someone who understands himself. He understands that he is not like others seem to be, and in that understanding finds that he must hide the truth or suffer the consequences. I don't share this author's sissyness - is that a word? It's just not me. But, I share his realization that his likes are not seemingly acceptable in this culture. I share his desire to be respected and to be able to share himself more openly. And, I admire his ability to speak about it so openly. In this land of the free and of the brave, sometimes it takes a lot of bravery to be free.

Sissy like Nigger is one of the most dangerous words in the American language. Both carry death with them. Both say you’re less than nothing. Not a soul, not a person. You’re fair game for violence even murder. Sissies are non-men. Not men, but not women either. To men Sissies are the ultimate “Other”. In the world of males there’s a gender police. These are fathers, uncles, your brothers your mates, boys from the block. They make sure that the boundaries of Manhood, Guyhood are ‘never’ crossed. No one is allowed to stray into the land of the Other. The realms of Sissy-hood. This fearful frontier is well guarded with threats, and violence. Racial, and religious divides are similarly protected. If a father or guardian suspects that a boy in his care is not right they take action at once. Usually beatings, and humiliations are used. “Do you want to be a woman?!” they shout as they beat, and traumatize these gentle boys. Manhood is the issue. “I’ll make a man of you if it kills you!”, sound familiar? Sometimes father’s have killed sons. Today in our so called era of acceptance. Classmates, and neighbors outright murder young Sissies or drive them to suicide. All this has become the American version of Middle Eastern honor killings. Over the years I’ve come to realize that this suffering is a cruel tradition. An ongoing deadly rite of passage for Sissies, and Queers. A kind of male equivalent to the violent molestation of young girls by trusted family or friends. I wonder what frightens them so much? What is it about Sissies that makes otherwise rational men go violently berserk? …and that is what they do. I have seen this. As I mentioned a boy doesn’t have to be a Homosexual to be a Sissy. Indeed in my life I have sadly found that more than a few so-called gays are either uncomfortable with Sissies or outright despise them as much as straight do. In my view Sissydom isn’t primarily about genital sexuality. Sissydom or Sissyhood is a unique way of honoring life. All life. It’s about having a special awareness of all the world around you. “Sensitive” I remember that was the word that my mother, and aunts used to describe me as a lad. I actually like it because coming from them it was an endearment. A sincerely given one. Some cousins, and classmates had other words for me. So how did I know I was a Sissy, a Queer one at that? When did I know how profoundly different I was from most around me? How did I know I was Sensitive? Each of us has a special moment of realization. For me I was perhaps eight years old. It was fall I was in our school yard, and I was watching the sky. The mornings that time of years are so beautiful. The sky, the deep, deep blue sky. I felt as if I were being lifted up embraced, enveloped by it. The clouds were curled, and briskly sailed across the horizon. The looked like the waves at sea. The churning ocean in Hokusai paintings. I was lost in the beauteous wonder of it all. Indeed so lost, and removed from the gray everyday that I hadn’t noticed that my class had gone in. Sister Alice had to come back out to get me. That simple long ago morning magic was, and is the essence of Sissyhood. Being a Sissy is to have the natural ability to be lost, so lost in beauty, and gentleness that you forget all else. A Sissy does this without trying. No special prayers, no meditations or gurus. It just happens. Of course this blessing, this sensitivity exists in all beings, but in men it’s beaten out of them in childhood. It’s tortured away from them. It’s as if it were surgically removed. It’s gone, and they’ve come to forget they ever had it. However with Sissies it’s different. It’s who we are. Threaten us, beat us all you want we don’t change,..can’t change. We don’t lose it. The sky will ‘always’ be beautiful to us, and we will always say so. We will be taken up by it, and lost in it. I wonder how many Sissies have been martyred for loving the heavens for loving color, sweetness, and gentleness. Amen.

I didn't post the source to this. It isn't for some desire to take credit, but to protect him. He didn't ask me to repost this, he didn't ask me to share his story - but it's a story that seems to cry out for others to hear.

Racism

An Interview with Morgan Freeman;

Hell yes… the man is right on the button. We are all humans and need to get over these moronic ideas and bigotry.

Interviewer: Black history month you find…

Morgan Freeman: Ridiculous.

Interviewer: Why?

Morgan Freeman: You’re going to relegate my history to a month?

Interviewer: Oh, come on.

Morgan Freeman: What do you do with yours? Which month is white history month?

Interviewer: (pause) Well, I’m Jewish.

Morgan Freeman: Okay. Which month is jewish history month?

Interviewer: There isn’t one.

Morgan Freeman: Oh, oh. Why not? Do you want one?

Interviewer: No.

Morgan Freeman: Right. I don’t either. I don’t want a black history month. Black history is American history.

Interviewer: How are we going to get rid of racism?

Morgan Freeman: Stop talking about it.

http://pfowolf.tumblr.com/post/3885193365/hell-yes-the-man-is-right-on-the-button-we-are The above all comes from the link posted...the link doesn't seem to be working, but?...... I stumbled upon this interview with Morgan Freeman. He's one of my favorite actors of all time. He has a genuineness about him that I like. But, having read this interview, I started to think: Do you suppose it is at all reasonable to say that racism, bigotry of any nature actually, is only encouraged by being talked about? Obviously, the negative talk engenders the bias, but is it the same if the "positive" talk is used? Is it like saying "I do not believe that George is cheating on his wife" and thereby creating the debate that he is? Is it then the same by saying "I believe that gays should be able to marry" then creating the debate? I don't know how to say this...it is a concept that is beyond my words right now. It's almost like speaking something into existence. What are your thoughts?

Odd looking houses

Hi Friends I started doing the dog pics, and in the process of that I found some other pics that seem to catch my attention. One, I've always liked sunsets, especially over water. But, in addition, I've started enjoying seeing pics of odd castles and mansions. So, here is a bit of that. Hope you like them too.

From the mouthes of babes...

Perspective

I saw this picture and it made me think. In 50 years, how will people look at the actions of our political parties? How will historians think about our actions? If you look at this picture and see the smiling faces, the happy children about to receive cake, the nice ladies and gentlemen observing, you would perhaps forget the end result of that political party's direction.

We all know the horror story that evolved into WW2. Some could probably remark on the real effects that they lived through. But, that's not really my point here. My point is perspective.

From the inside looking out, from what is known and lived in, we often don't even have a clue as to what the others in the world may see looking in. And, let's face it, sometimes the choice is to go with it or beat yourself against the wall of inevitability. In utter despair for lack of options, we shrug our shoulders and adapt.

Too often we are sheep, following whoever is leading, going where-ever they lead, and never really thinking about the impact of our leaders decisions. Often, our issues deal more with the objections to convenience, comfort, even entertainment.

Let's ask ourselves: would we be more grieved because our country is at war or because our cable is out? Would we begrudge higher gas prices or involvement in other country's affairs? The price of cornflakes or feeding starving people? I imagine I could come up with other examples, but you get my point.

Blind obedience to our leaders is dangerous. Forsaking one's conscience in the fight for political power is foolish. Losing one's sense of right or wrong, giving up the fight for good, presuming that the future will take care of itself will all end in ........

Some pics I found interesting

oops...I stole this one from Scottie. Hey! I liked it!

Lessons from my Friend

The start of a beautiful friendship.

Sorry to be out of touch lately. I had a bit of extra going on at work. I also had some dealings with my family. Put that all together and I was too fuzzy-eyed to see straight.

Lessons from My Friend - Thanks Miles!

Wakey, Wakey! Hey! We're Awake! Let's Play!

lessons from a friend- from our Friend, Miles

Cuddle naps are awesome!

Internal Bleeding

Ameture blogger and writer, I sought out a title to this article that would catch the attention. There's no phrase that does it justice. For many men, living with the facts of our childhood is difficult at best and terrible very often. There is no way to understand unless you have been there, and no action by a victim of abuse will ever make sense. So, we bleed in silence, keeping it to ourselves, and only let it out in whirlwinds of destruction and floods of inappropriate behavior. Don't ask us why, we won't know. There is a limited time frame for me to watch tv. Typically it happens while I am doing other things. Such was the case today as I set about to prepare some work meals. I flipped on the kitchen tv and there was Oprah....yeah, big surprise....speaking with Tyler Perry and an audience of 200 men who were all abused as children. It was not a pleasant show for me. But, it was a good show to watch. http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/A-Two-Day-Oprah-Show-Event-200-Men-Who-Were-Molested-Come-Forward_1 If nothing else, it tells me I'm not alone. If any of you need to talk, you have my address. I'm here. -randy

Lessons from my Friend

Friends. This is sent by our good friend...you know who you are!! Thanks! This pic reminds me of the movie "Homeward Bound".

Thought provoking pic

provided by reader Nikki.

source was http://corbeau12.tumblr.com/post/3694944164 It's a bit disconcerting just how accurate this pic may be, huh?

Lessons from my Friend - another comes from Miles

"New generation of the "Bremer Stadtmusikanten".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Musicians_of_Bremen

Miles teaches me a whole new story with this one picture. Thank you, Miles.

Prejudice comes in many flavors

Some time ago I wrote a parody on prejudice. I don't think it went very well. So, it is with some real trepidation that I even think about writing on this topic again....and yet, if I want freedom for me and my friends, if I want to end prejudice in one part but ignore prejudice in another, then I must not really care about prejudice - I just want what I want. If you haven't figured out yet, I'm what most refer to as "white". I am friends with and work daily alongside those who are typically referred to as "black". (For some reason we still seem to need these designations in this country) I guess I recognize on a certain level that a person is white, black, etc., and it gives a certain amount of information, but really it means little more than that it's part of that person's characteristics and very quickly it is a minor part. That's just, "Joe", "Sue", "John". It's who that person is under the skin that is far more important. We may differ in our poliltics, religion, our taste in music, even our preference of food. But, well, it's Joe. What if "Joe" suddenly started wearing a red bow-tie and a conservative suit. Would I believe he is now Muslim, a follower of Malcolm-X? Is that a threat to me? Would I correlate that to mean that he doesn't trust me as I'm white? Would I then not trust him because I think he doesn't trust me? Will I begin looking for Black Panther marches? Will I be afraid if I find what I think is a march? What if all of that? Does it mean that Joe is against me? What if none of that and it only means that Joe was given the tie and perhaps even the suit as a gift from someone he loves? What if we could care less because we are friends and co-workers? Do you see? This is a very touchy topic, the concepts are so very subjective that things can easily be misunderstood. The definition someone places on a symbol can really determine what they see to be the truth. And yet, to others, that very symbol may mean something else entirely. In the end, isn't more logical to ask if you are concerned? Isn't it more likely that a person's views may differ from anothers but that doesn't make them hate mongers? Isn't it quite simple to judge a person by his actions rather than some "symbol" that can be subjectively interpretated? Why do I bring this up? Well, recently the story came out that Kid Rock is being honored, and some are refusing the festivities because he incorporates a symbol in his music that is, well, very charged . http://www.detnews.com/article/20110304/METRO/103040360/1409/metro/Boycott-planned-over-NAACP-honor-for-Kid-Rock That particular symbol is the flag typically called the Southern Flag, the Stars and Bars, the Dixie Flag....it is also called the Rebel Flag. For some, it symbolizes a period of hatred, bigotry, abuse and violence. As such, it screams of racism and anyone who flies that flag must be a racist. What if it means something different to that person flying that flag? What if that person sees that symbol in a different light? Do I think Kid Rock's use of that flag is a great idea? Not really. It's too charged, too loaded. A good example is the crossed ss of the Nazi flag. Did you know that is a very old symbol of luck, like a four leaf clover? For that matter, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that somewhere the clover is a symbol someone flew who abused someone else...we seem good at that on this world. My point, symbols carry a message....but sometimes the message is very subjective. Since the symbol is so subjective, maybe it's not so reliable as a means of casting someone as a terrible person. Here are some links to some Kid Rock videos. Watch if you like. I like the energy he puts into his music, I like his range. And, I think some people have seriously misjudged him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glb2U6y-GdU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKFx0MMqb48 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OrNS2zbTZg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DQup4hd1_o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XfKGI2o_VQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_dUc2uU48

Lessons from my Friend - from Miles

"" gimme your love -- so I'll give my love to you--- but please don't ever forget to feed me, okay." Thank you Miles. Isn't this a cute puppy!

I wonder about Republicans...

Hello Friends; I guess I have to confess something to you. A long time back, when Bill Clinton was in office, I would have counted myself as a Republican. I was fairly conservative in my views...still am in many, and I even thought Rush Limbaugh had some really great ideas. Then, some very strange things happened. First, ole Rush lost whatever objectivity he had. I noticed that he couldn't conceive of an idea that the Democrats had as being anything but disastrous, ridiculous, or theft. It didn't matter what the idea was, he downed it. The very inverse was true of Republican ideas... they were all gold. Well, you can't be that partisan in your thoughts. The two words can't coexist; and there died Rush, with lips firmly attached to the GOP's backside. (Someone please pull him to the side and clue him in that he's irrelevant, irritating and polluting the air. Let Glenn Beck and Bill Oriely in on the conversation, too.) I don't know if I consider myself a democrat. I have held such strong beliefs that they are all crooks that I often don't know what to think. But, as time goes, I am finding that there are a great deal of Republican values currently in the news that go far beyond what is ethical or even reasonable. We are in a time of necessary change. The fact that Obama ran on this issue is not escaping me, but not my point. We are moving into a realm of world economy and world workforce conflicting with national interests, technological advancements conflicting with current infrastructure and methodology, and personal greed conflicting with public need. I don't claim to have any even remotely reasonable answers to the problems we face in this country, except to say that if we don't accept the fact that vast changes need to be made we will doom our succeeding generations to poverty and chaos. Right now the Republicans seem to be a pack of rats eating away at the hull of a ship. Intent on becoming fat at whatever the cost, they are willing to sink the ship in the process. The obvious war with the EPA comes very much to light on this one. Why would you choose to allow someone to destroy the environment? It makes no sense in the long run. Do you republicans have some rocket ship to another planet on standby and just need more money to make your trip? Health care. Right now, hospitals will treat someone despite their ability to pay. So, Obama finds a way to get everyone to pay and thereby reduce the costs to those who already have insurance. Ought to be a Republican issue. Nope. Do you suppose the insurance companies, who are now at risk of losing this particular cash cow, have any influence? Do you? Union Busting vs. Corporate greed. Did you see the duplicity exemplified by this issue? The very same words that are being used to back the CEO's getting huge bonuses and other Wall Street bailouts are turned about and used to bash a teacher's expectation to fair wage. I guess the teachers need to buy them some republicans. They are obviously for sale. Energy. There is no reason in the world outside of greed that we do not have windmills dotting the landscape like those dandelions that fill my lawn in the summer. Wind energy is free once the initial outlay is made. Likewise, there is no further pollution. Similar with solar energy. And, what may sound silly: Can we capture lightning energy? Seems like we out to be able to do so. Then also there is the need for electric cars.....Obama should have done clunkers for hybrids. My belief is that if everyone owned at least one electric...and perhaps rented a gas car if needing a long drive...the savings would be huge. We sure wouldn't be worried about where our oil was coming from. All this likely doesn't matter. I don't know enough about political issues. In fact, as I finished this today I felt like a mouse roaring in the dark; who'd notice. But, let me say this: If the people who are so very much smarter than I don't pull their heads out of their asses and start looking farther down the road than their wallets, we are never going to get anywhere but to the bottom of this particular sea.

Rescue Me!

Hello Friends; I was about to post my happy dog pics, a feature that has quickly become enjoyable for me. But, just as I'd found the one that I wanted to post, my own dog caught my attention. Not an unusual event, she's an attention junkie. I have her in a twelve-step program...it isn't working. But, as some of you may recall, I adopted my dog from a no-kill adoption agency for stray dogs; for rescue dogs. I never know if the term "rescue" refers to the dog or the new owner. My little monster has been a constant source of companionship, love, laughter, and the occasional frustration....and in all of that, she has reshaped my thinking and the way I feel about things. So, hot topic for me. Therefore, I sought out a national adoption agency that was no-kill to post the happy puppy dog pics, the Lessons from my Friend posts for today. Please visit http://www.hua.org/ to see these dogs that are posted today and many others. Also, please see the information on puppy mills and the horrid effects they have on dogs. (Come equipped with hanky or tissue.) I've not put any captions for these pictures. The beautiful animals speak volumes all on their own. Please consider adopting or donating to a no-kill agency. In these hard economic times, your help - at whatever level you can give - is so very much needed. Thank you...and I'll get off the soap box now. -randy.

http://www.hua.org/

the Life story of Jordan Brown in Penn?

Hi Friends; Meet Jordan. Jordan Brown. 11-years old. Jordan was pulled from his class and questioned by the police, with the presence of another state worker, his guidance counselor acting in stead of his parent or lawyer, and is informed that his step mother has been shot and is dead, does he know anything about it? Oh, don't worry, the police also questioned his 7-yr.old sister. Same way. Jordan has been in jail since shortly after that. Yep. They believe he did this act. Evidence? A shotgun....he hunts and shoots, a typical activity of mid-western youth. Splattered with blood? No. It needed to be cleaned, as he and his father were shooting that weekend and hadn't cleaned it yet, but no blood. Evidently Jordan was smart enough to keep the blood off of the gun from a close range shot, but didn't think to clean it. Oh, well, surely he was peppered with blood, right? no. Gun powder residue? no. They found two small specks....and remember, he was shooting just that weekend with his father at targets. What is the evidence against him? Well, his story is not fully consistent. Yep, a kid of 11 isn't sure what happened when after being told that someone who not only lived in his home was shot and killed, but that it happened in his home. You'd think he'd know exactly what to say. Oh, and the 7-yr old thinks she saw him with the gun that day and that she heard a bang. This only after extensive questioning by the police, actually a second series of extensive questioning, and all after being told her step-mother was dead just down the hall from her bedroom. Surely her memory of events would be unshakable, right? Ok, well, she didn't bother to check on her step mother after supposing to have heard a big bang after supposedly seeing her brother with a gun, but surely that's immaterial, right? Oh, also she said that she noticed he dropped something on the way to school....an empty shotgun shell was found near where she said she thought she saw him drop something. Yep. That must mean that he did it. We won't consider at all the fact that the shell could have been there from some other time. Nope, completely irrelevant. Why is this an issue? Why hasn't the guys from csi come riding on the scene with loads of evidence? Well, there doesn't appear to be any. He is expected to prove that he didn't do it. Further, he is being charged as an adult.....at 11. Why, because the judge doesn't feel he is showing enough remorse - for what? He said he didn't do it. What sort of remorse is necessary then? Isn't the definition of remorse sadness due to guilt? Don't worry, they only had him in the adult jail for a few days....5. Then they transferred the boy of 11 years old to a juvenile placement after getting a judge to ok that. Seems appropriate... he is a juvenile, right? I can't believe you hadn't heard of all of this! Surely it's in all the papers. Oh yeah, maybe it was because that was two years ago and he is still in jail.... without trial, evidence, and with a life sentence hanging over his head if convicted as an adult. The prosecutor seems fairly intent upon that. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So, here come the questions.

• When did it become acceptable for the authorities to circumvent the rights of the child by questioning him without a parent or lawyer?
• How is it that an 11-yr old boy is expected to know enough to commit such a crime without getting a realistic degree of particle evidence on him or his clothes and yet be so dumb as to be seen carrying a gun to the stepmother's room? And, why is that information only due to considerable questioning of a seven year old girl after the shock of learning her step mother is now dead? Further, why is that information so compelling when it is obviously suspect, at best, for idea planting by the police to a traumatized and impressionable 2nd grader?
• Why is it that bond is not available? Do they feel he would be a flight risk? How far can you get on a Schwinn?
• Why does one need to be remorseful about something to which he is pleading Not Guilty in order to be given the appropriate protections of the law?
• How much evidence and reason is appropriate to determine that a child, who is not able to get into movies with strong language, has the other adult faculties necessary and should be tried as an adult?

There's no denying that a woman and her unborn child is dead. There's no fact that takes that away. I hope you will investigate this further. I'm sure I didn't do the best job here. It is even possible the kid did it. But, is it unreasonable to expect that the state have some evidence worth of the name before trying to take away the life of an 11-yr old suspect? Is it just a word of convenience that calls an 11-yr old a 'child' - to be removed and listed as an adult at the state's whim?

Some Cuties

Hi Friends;

It's been a while since I added some cuties, or some naughties. I guess I just got caught up in other things that seemed more important at the moment. How? got me. Well, here are three that caught my attention. I hope they do for you as well.

The first and last pics are obviously professional model pics. I really like the relaxed and warm nature of this first one, and the last has just wonderful lighting. I got a thing for chests and abs....and butts and..... ok, maybe I should stop here. But, this second pic; I need to find this beach!

Everyone have a great day, think warm thoughts. ;) r

MattyB raps - Born This Way

Hi Everyone;

I saw this vid on the blog "born this way". Have you checked the blog out yet? Why not? Go there! Well, this was such a great and happy vid. He had another there with a girl singing and I was just amazed. I couldn't carry a tune if you put it in a backpack. So, please, enjoy the vid, go visit this great blog...it's in the blog roll, just click the link! ... and please visit the other links on his page as you see fit.

I think very often people look at their lives and go beyond wishing it was different, they begin to believe they are defective. Monsters. Friends, I don't have answers, but I know that living in a society that doesn't always agree with your choices makes life very difficult. It does not make you a monster. How you choose to live is your choice - and yes, there are often consequences to those choices. But, please, believe you are a star, loved, worthy of love. Tell yourself that as you look into the mirror. In this sometimes trying world, you may be the only one to tell you that you are loved, but it really doesn't matter if one person says it or a million - you are the only one that can believe it.

Lessons learned from my friend

There's nothing like a good nap!