The fight for freedom started in 1773 in Boston.
At the time, we were ruled by the British.
But, apparently, the Brits pushed us too far – they imposed a tax on imported tea. Thus, an event called the Boston Tea Party took place whereby rebellious tea lovers masquerading as Indians stormed a ship and threw the tea overboard.
This act of public unruliness didn’t sit well with King George, so British troops were sent to America to straighten us out.
On July 4, 1776, a bunch of men who didn’t want to be straightened out held a meeting and hammered out a document called the Declaration of Independence.
When it was his turn to sign the document, Benjamin Franklin told his fellow delegates that anyone willing to sacrifice some of their freedom in order to gain a measure of security was entitled to neither.
John Hancock made the biggest signature, probably hoping to make a name for himself in the insurance business.
In all, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. Then they FedEx’d it to England and waited for a response. This started a confrontation that became known as the American Revolution.
Of the 56 men who signed, nine died from wounds or hardships of the war. Five were captured as traitors and tortured before they died. Many of them lost their property to the enemy who looted their homes and burned them to the ground.
Francis Lewis not only lost his property but his wife was jailed and died a few months later.
John Hart was forced to leave the bedside of his dying wife. He hid in caves, for more than a year, while his wife died, his 13 children vanished and his property was destroyed.
Thomas Nelson had his home confiscated by British General Cornwallis. During the battle of Yorktown, he urged General Washington to open fire, destroying the home. Nelson died bankrupt.
Carter Braxton, a wealthy trader, lost his fleet of ships to the British Navy. He was forced to sell his home and possessions to pay off his bills. Broke and destitute, he died in rags.
We owe these 56 brave souls a great debt.
One way we can honor them is to make sure we continue the struggle for freedom because freedom is never free.
Crazed fanatics in foreign lands wish to destroy us. You cannot negotiate with or surrender to or hide from this type of insanity. As unpleasant as it is, we must confront those who are determined to exterminate us and we must prevail. It's called self-preservation.
On our own soil, our rights are continually under attack and slowly being eroded.
Our Constitution is meant to guarantee every American citizen the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To this end, certain provisions were included called the Bill of Rights, detailing a set of basic freedoms. Its primary purpose is to protect us from an oppressive government.
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are so fundamentally important that we would lose all other freedoms without them. We can’t know truth without being free to express the truth.
The freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures has all but been eliminated. Our incessant war on drugs has given the government authority to break into our homes and seize our property almost at will. By doing so, we have given the government authority over our individual state of mind.
The right to bear arms is under constant attack. This provision was not written to permit us to hunt game; it was meant to allow us to protect ourselves from the rest of the world.
A right is not what someone gives you – it's what you cannot allow to be taken from you.
Martin Luther King once said that if a man hasn’t found something worth dying for, he has no reason to live.
Freedom is worth dying for.
___________
Quote for the Day – "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose." Kris Kristofferson
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
-
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
George Carlin, R.I.P.
Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom by a means of speculation and beliefs. Most philosophers have a knack for getting right to the point in very few words.
Plato – “Philosophy begins in wonder.”
Socrates – “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Aristotle – “All men by nature desire to know.”
Descartes – “I think, therefore I am.”
George Carlin – "Always do whatever's next."
Known primarily for his comedy, George Carlin often stumbled upon the truth and had enough balls to say it out loud. He was a philosopher for our troubled times.
A dozen George Carlin observations listed below for your philosophical pleasure:
1) I believe the money I make belongs to me, not some mid level government functionary be it Democrat or Republican.
2) I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.
3) I think if you’re too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don’t want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.
4) I believe owning a gun doesn’t make you a killer, it makes you a smart American.
5) I believe that it doesn’t take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.
6) I don’t hate the rich and I don’t pity the poor.
7) I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.
8) I’ve never owned a slave, nor was a slave. I didn’t wander 40 years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt. I haven’t burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you. So shut up already.
9) Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
10) Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.
11) If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten.
12) Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
George Carlin departed for the Great Beyond on June 22, 2008.
Rest in Peace.
___________
Quote for the Day – "There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls." George Carlin
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Plato – “Philosophy begins in wonder.”
Socrates – “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Aristotle – “All men by nature desire to know.”
Descartes – “I think, therefore I am.”
George Carlin – "Always do whatever's next."
Known primarily for his comedy, George Carlin often stumbled upon the truth and had enough balls to say it out loud. He was a philosopher for our troubled times.
A dozen George Carlin observations listed below for your philosophical pleasure:
1) I believe the money I make belongs to me, not some mid level government functionary be it Democrat or Republican.
2) I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.
3) I think if you’re too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don’t want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.
4) I believe owning a gun doesn’t make you a killer, it makes you a smart American.
5) I believe that it doesn’t take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.
6) I don’t hate the rich and I don’t pity the poor.
7) I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.
8) I’ve never owned a slave, nor was a slave. I didn’t wander 40 years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt. I haven’t burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you. So shut up already.
9) Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
10) Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.
11) If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten.
12) Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
George Carlin departed for the Great Beyond on June 22, 2008.
Rest in Peace.
___________
Quote for the Day – "There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls." George Carlin
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Men are Sheep, Women are from Venus
When I was a young corporate stooge, I always wore a dark three-piece suit with a flashy necktie. Now that I’m older and wiser, I wonder what took me so long to burn all my neckties.
The necktie dates back to 1660 when a crack military regiment from Croatia visited France. They had recently defeated Turkey and were presented to King Louis XIV in Paris where they were honored for their glorious victory.
Louis XIV apparently had an eye for men’s fashion. He was particularly enchanted with the brightly colored silk handkerchiefs adorning the necks of the Croatian officers. He soon created his own regiment of silk-handkerchief-adorned soldiers he called the Royal Cravattes.
France has always been a country of pretentious snobs and girly-men. Their major accomplishment for the betterment of mankind was the invention of the soufflé.
Before long, the new fashion statement made its way across the channel to England.
By 1700, no man in Britain was considered a gentleman without a cravat or necktie. Some cravats were even worn so high that a man had to turn his whole body just to turn his head.
Unfortunately, this folly eventually drifted across the Atlantic Ocean to the colonies. To this very day, men in America, although a fairly enlightened species, still wear neckties.
The only conceivable logical reason a man would wrap a fabric around his neck is to keep warm. Short of that, the only other plausible explanation is that men wrap a fabric around their necks because other men wrap a fabric around their necks and they desperately want to be associated with them.
Obviously, men are sheep. And if you're a sheep following other sheep, you only get one view of the world and it isn’t pretty.
A man who wears a necktie is a man who cannot think for himself. He's merely playing a role. If his attire is dishonest, perhaps he is dishonest as well. Politicians all wear neckties. So do bankers, lawyers and used car salesmen. None of them would score very high on a Trust-O-Meter.
The biggest idiots of all are the men who wear a bow tie. They consider themselves to be rebels. But in reality, they are merely followers with bad taste. A man who wears a bow tie is a man in serious need of a brain transplant.
The functionless necktie, worn by men under the illusion of being socially acceptable within the circle of men who wear neckties, is overwhelming proof that men are shallow seekers of approval. They do what other men do simply to blend in with the crowd. Men dress to be like other men.
On the other hand, women have a flair for fashion, which changes with the seasons. They don't want to blend in, they want to stand out and be noticed. Women dress to be annoying to other women.
Men are sheep, women are from Venus.
___________
Quote for the Day -- A man is as good as he has to be, a woman is as bad as she dares.
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
The necktie dates back to 1660 when a crack military regiment from Croatia visited France. They had recently defeated Turkey and were presented to King Louis XIV in Paris where they were honored for their glorious victory.
Louis XIV apparently had an eye for men’s fashion. He was particularly enchanted with the brightly colored silk handkerchiefs adorning the necks of the Croatian officers. He soon created his own regiment of silk-handkerchief-adorned soldiers he called the Royal Cravattes.
France has always been a country of pretentious snobs and girly-men. Their major accomplishment for the betterment of mankind was the invention of the soufflé.
Before long, the new fashion statement made its way across the channel to England.
By 1700, no man in Britain was considered a gentleman without a cravat or necktie. Some cravats were even worn so high that a man had to turn his whole body just to turn his head.
Unfortunately, this folly eventually drifted across the Atlantic Ocean to the colonies. To this very day, men in America, although a fairly enlightened species, still wear neckties.
The only conceivable logical reason a man would wrap a fabric around his neck is to keep warm. Short of that, the only other plausible explanation is that men wrap a fabric around their necks because other men wrap a fabric around their necks and they desperately want to be associated with them.
Obviously, men are sheep. And if you're a sheep following other sheep, you only get one view of the world and it isn’t pretty.
A man who wears a necktie is a man who cannot think for himself. He's merely playing a role. If his attire is dishonest, perhaps he is dishonest as well. Politicians all wear neckties. So do bankers, lawyers and used car salesmen. None of them would score very high on a Trust-O-Meter.
The biggest idiots of all are the men who wear a bow tie. They consider themselves to be rebels. But in reality, they are merely followers with bad taste. A man who wears a bow tie is a man in serious need of a brain transplant.
The functionless necktie, worn by men under the illusion of being socially acceptable within the circle of men who wear neckties, is overwhelming proof that men are shallow seekers of approval. They do what other men do simply to blend in with the crowd. Men dress to be like other men.
On the other hand, women have a flair for fashion, which changes with the seasons. They don't want to blend in, they want to stand out and be noticed. Women dress to be annoying to other women.
Men are sheep, women are from Venus.
___________
Quote for the Day -- A man is as good as he has to be, a woman is as bad as she dares.
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Hollywood Role Reversals
Life is all about choices. Buy the ticket, take the ride.
It's also about being in the right place at the right time. Some might even call it destiny.
In the late 70’s and 80’s, I lived in Hollywood and studied screenwriting for several years under many prominent screenwriters. One was Ernest Lehman, who has won more honors than any other screenwriter in history. In 2001, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Motion Picture Academy.
About twenty years earlier, while living in New York, Lehman had written a short story titled THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. A major movie studio soon acquired the rights to the piece and hired Lehman to write the screenplay.
Lehman went on to write scores of famous screenplays including NORTH BY NORTHWEST, WEST SIDE STORY, THE KING AND I, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, SABRINA, HELLO DOLLY, BLACK SUNDAY, SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME and many, many more.
Lehman told us many stories about working with the great director, Alfred Hitchcock.
When Lehman and Hitchcock did NORTH BY NORTHWEST, they never had a complete script prepared. Lehman would write the next day’s script and Hitchcock would film it. Then each night they would get together and plan the next few scenes. The only thing Lehman knew was that Hitchcock wanted the film to climax with a chase across the faces on Mount Rushmore.
According to Lehman, Hitchcock wanted James Stewart and Grace Kelly to play the lead roles. Since both were shooting other films at the time, Hitchcock settled for Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
Over the years, I have become aware of other movie roles where the originally desired actor was replaced due to various circumstances.
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID – Steve McQueen was cast to play Butch and Paul Newman was to be the Sundance Kid. But McQueen soon backed out because he wanted to have top billing over Newman in the opening credits. So Newman switched roles to play Butch and a relatively unknown actor named Robert Redford was brought in to be the Sundance Kid. The movie rocketed Redford into stardom.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – Director Steven Spielberg wanted Tom Selleck to be Indiana Jones, but Selleck was bound by contract to continue doing his TV series. Spielberg was forced to settle for an obscure actor named Harrison Ford to play the lead. Ford went on to become a top star.
THE GODFATHER – Jack Nicholson was offered the role of the Godfather but rejected it because he thought it should be played by an Italian. Marlon Brando got the role by stuffing wads of cotton in his cheeks and doing a screen test, which was approved by the money backers before they learned it was Brando, considered to be a difficult actor to work with.
THE PINK PANTHER -- Writer/Director Blake Edwards wanted Peter Ustinov to play a character named Inspector Clouseau in a series of films about a diamond called the Pink Panther. Instead, he was forced to look elsewhere whereupon he found a minor British actor, Peter Sellers, to play the part. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in that role.
THE MATRIX – Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix to star in the WILD WILD WEST movie instead, which turned out to be a real stinker. Meanwhile, Keana Reeves got the part of Neo and the Matrix went on to become a cult classic.
DIRTY HARRY – The script was originally written specifically for Frank Sinatra. After he balked at accepting the role, Clint Eastwood was cast in the lead.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN – John Travolta turned it down. Eventually, Richard Gere got the role.
ROMANCING THE STONE – Sylvester Stallone turned it down. Later, Michael Douglas won the role.
BEVERLY HILLS COP -- Originally written for Sylvester Stallone, but he turned it down. Eventually, Eddie Murphy landed the part.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN – Sylvester Stallone wanted badly to get the role but it went instead to Arnold Schwartzenegger. Apparently, Stallone is only able to play characters with five letter names that begin with the letter R, such as Rambo and Rocky.
THE TERMINATOR – O.J. Simpson was considered for the lead role as the Terminator but the producers thought he was "too nice" to be believable as a cold-blooded killer. Finally, Arnold Schwartzenegger got the part.
And around and around it goes.
Being in the right place at the right time is a terrific experience if you can somehow pull it off. One of the requirements for pulling it off is to be someplace other than the couch in front of your TV.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is like waiting in line to renew your driver’s license, only to discover you are in line to get a fishing license, and meeting your next ex-wife standing in line behind you.
___________
Quote for the Day – "Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." Marilyn Monroe
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
It's also about being in the right place at the right time. Some might even call it destiny.
In the late 70’s and 80’s, I lived in Hollywood and studied screenwriting for several years under many prominent screenwriters. One was Ernest Lehman, who has won more honors than any other screenwriter in history. In 2001, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Motion Picture Academy.
About twenty years earlier, while living in New York, Lehman had written a short story titled THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. A major movie studio soon acquired the rights to the piece and hired Lehman to write the screenplay.
Lehman went on to write scores of famous screenplays including NORTH BY NORTHWEST, WEST SIDE STORY, THE KING AND I, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, SABRINA, HELLO DOLLY, BLACK SUNDAY, SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME and many, many more.
Lehman told us many stories about working with the great director, Alfred Hitchcock.
When Lehman and Hitchcock did NORTH BY NORTHWEST, they never had a complete script prepared. Lehman would write the next day’s script and Hitchcock would film it. Then each night they would get together and plan the next few scenes. The only thing Lehman knew was that Hitchcock wanted the film to climax with a chase across the faces on Mount Rushmore.
According to Lehman, Hitchcock wanted James Stewart and Grace Kelly to play the lead roles. Since both were shooting other films at the time, Hitchcock settled for Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
Over the years, I have become aware of other movie roles where the originally desired actor was replaced due to various circumstances.
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID – Steve McQueen was cast to play Butch and Paul Newman was to be the Sundance Kid. But McQueen soon backed out because he wanted to have top billing over Newman in the opening credits. So Newman switched roles to play Butch and a relatively unknown actor named Robert Redford was brought in to be the Sundance Kid. The movie rocketed Redford into stardom.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – Director Steven Spielberg wanted Tom Selleck to be Indiana Jones, but Selleck was bound by contract to continue doing his TV series. Spielberg was forced to settle for an obscure actor named Harrison Ford to play the lead. Ford went on to become a top star.
THE GODFATHER – Jack Nicholson was offered the role of the Godfather but rejected it because he thought it should be played by an Italian. Marlon Brando got the role by stuffing wads of cotton in his cheeks and doing a screen test, which was approved by the money backers before they learned it was Brando, considered to be a difficult actor to work with.
THE PINK PANTHER -- Writer/Director Blake Edwards wanted Peter Ustinov to play a character named Inspector Clouseau in a series of films about a diamond called the Pink Panther. Instead, he was forced to look elsewhere whereupon he found a minor British actor, Peter Sellers, to play the part. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in that role.
THE MATRIX – Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix to star in the WILD WILD WEST movie instead, which turned out to be a real stinker. Meanwhile, Keana Reeves got the part of Neo and the Matrix went on to become a cult classic.
DIRTY HARRY – The script was originally written specifically for Frank Sinatra. After he balked at accepting the role, Clint Eastwood was cast in the lead.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN – John Travolta turned it down. Eventually, Richard Gere got the role.
ROMANCING THE STONE – Sylvester Stallone turned it down. Later, Michael Douglas won the role.
BEVERLY HILLS COP -- Originally written for Sylvester Stallone, but he turned it down. Eventually, Eddie Murphy landed the part.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN – Sylvester Stallone wanted badly to get the role but it went instead to Arnold Schwartzenegger. Apparently, Stallone is only able to play characters with five letter names that begin with the letter R, such as Rambo and Rocky.
THE TERMINATOR – O.J. Simpson was considered for the lead role as the Terminator but the producers thought he was "too nice" to be believable as a cold-blooded killer. Finally, Arnold Schwartzenegger got the part.
And around and around it goes.
Being in the right place at the right time is a terrific experience if you can somehow pull it off. One of the requirements for pulling it off is to be someplace other than the couch in front of your TV.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is like waiting in line to renew your driver’s license, only to discover you are in line to get a fishing license, and meeting your next ex-wife standing in line behind you.
___________
Quote for the Day – "Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." Marilyn Monroe
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Dogs and Cats
Dogs are extremely social animals whose psychological welfare is dependent on an association with other dogs in a pack while following the guidance of the pack leader. Domestic dogs rely on a human master as a surrogate pack leader. Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
Cats don’t need a pack leader to show the way. They’re self-contained units of indifference that rely mostly on whim.
Dogs don’t dwell on the past and give little thought to the future beyond their next meal. They live almost exclusively in the present.
Cats don’t dwell on anything, including the present. They live almost exclusively in a different dimension.
Show dogs fall into six categories, depending on their talents and lineage: sporting breeds, hound breeds, working breeds, terrier breeds, toy breeds and non-sporting breeds. A non-pedigree dog is called a mutt.
Show cats fall into two categories, depending on the length of their hair: longhaired division and shorthaired division. A non-pedigree cat is called a cat.
Dogs perform functional tasks such as herding livestock, following scents, retrieving game and providing protection.
Cats perform dysfunctional tasks such as unraveling a ball of twine or chasing an imaginary object.
Dogs can hear frequencies up to 35,000 vibrations per second, as opposed to 20,000 in human beings.
Cats can hear frequencies up to the eleven dimensions of the Astral Plane, including the Twilight Zone. They can also hear Elvis, Jimmy Hoffa and the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Dogs have a superior sense of smell.
Cats have a sense of superiority.
Dogs are eager to learn new commands. They are pleased whenever they please their human masters.
Cats are eager to be treated like royalty. They are pleased whenever they feel like being pleased.
Dog people love their canines and consider them to be members of the family. In return, dogs love, honor and obey their human companions. It’s a lasting relationship.
Cat people love their felines and consider them to be members of the family. In return, cats couldn't care less. There is no relationship.
Dog people have a psychological desire to be needed.
Cat people have a psychological desire to be rejected.
I’m a dog person. My current dog, Buddy Lee, is a rambunctious dude of unknown breed. I found him in a local animal shelter. Acquiring a dog is the only opportunity a human being ever has to choose a relative.
Taking naps and eating are Buddy Lee's major activities. He dislikes being disturbed, particularly by anyone knocking on the front door. We have much in common.
If you want to be loved, get a dog.
If you want to be ignored, get a cat.
___________
Quote of the Day – "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." Mark Twain
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Cats don’t need a pack leader to show the way. They’re self-contained units of indifference that rely mostly on whim.
Dogs don’t dwell on the past and give little thought to the future beyond their next meal. They live almost exclusively in the present.
Cats don’t dwell on anything, including the present. They live almost exclusively in a different dimension.
Show dogs fall into six categories, depending on their talents and lineage: sporting breeds, hound breeds, working breeds, terrier breeds, toy breeds and non-sporting breeds. A non-pedigree dog is called a mutt.
Show cats fall into two categories, depending on the length of their hair: longhaired division and shorthaired division. A non-pedigree cat is called a cat.
Dogs perform functional tasks such as herding livestock, following scents, retrieving game and providing protection.
Cats perform dysfunctional tasks such as unraveling a ball of twine or chasing an imaginary object.
Dogs can hear frequencies up to 35,000 vibrations per second, as opposed to 20,000 in human beings.
Cats can hear frequencies up to the eleven dimensions of the Astral Plane, including the Twilight Zone. They can also hear Elvis, Jimmy Hoffa and the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Dogs have a superior sense of smell.
Cats have a sense of superiority.
Dogs are eager to learn new commands. They are pleased whenever they please their human masters.
Cats are eager to be treated like royalty. They are pleased whenever they feel like being pleased.
Dog people love their canines and consider them to be members of the family. In return, dogs love, honor and obey their human companions. It’s a lasting relationship.
Cat people love their felines and consider them to be members of the family. In return, cats couldn't care less. There is no relationship.
Dog people have a psychological desire to be needed.
Cat people have a psychological desire to be rejected.
I’m a dog person. My current dog, Buddy Lee, is a rambunctious dude of unknown breed. I found him in a local animal shelter. Acquiring a dog is the only opportunity a human being ever has to choose a relative.
Taking naps and eating are Buddy Lee's major activities. He dislikes being disturbed, particularly by anyone knocking on the front door. We have much in common.
If you want to be loved, get a dog.
If you want to be ignored, get a cat.
___________
Quote of the Day – "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." Mark Twain
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
The Color of Skin
Manifest Destiny was a term used primarily by Democrats in the 1800s to describe the concept of expansion of white European settlers in North America, based on the premise that expansion was not only good, but that it was also obvious (manifest) and certain (destiny).
As a result of the belief of the superiority of the White race, Manifest Destiny was used as justification for westward expansion and the adverse consequences perpetrated on those outside of the White race.
Recently, Oregon added the state's racial history to its public school curriculum, causing a great deal of controversy. Some parents believe it makes White people look evil.
1) After slavery was declared illegal in Oregon Territory in 1844, the territorial government passed a "Lash Law" requiring that Blacks be whipped if they refused to leave the territory.
2) In 1849, it was ruled illegal for Blacks to settle in Oregon.
3) In 1850, "Whites and half-breed Indians" could claim land under the new Donation Land Act. Blacks were excluded.
4) The Lash Law was changed in 1862 whereby Blacks, Chinese and other multiracial people were accessed an annual tax of five dollars.
The list goes on.
Does this mean White people are evil?? No.
Does this mean those who control government are often bias and unjust?? Yes.
History is history. Teach it all and be honest about it.
I have a friend who is for Obama because Whites screwed it all up and it's time for a change. Apparently, this person believes the color of a person's skin should be the deciding factor in their leadership ability.
However, some of the most oppressive and evil governments today are in Africa. Black governments ruling black people.
1) In Zimbabwe last week, the ruling party tortured 70 people, killing 6 of them, in a "re-education" meeting. Suppression of human rights and organized torture are daily occurrences, based on political affiliation.
2) There were 21,000 murders in South Africa last year, much of it sanctioned by a corrupt government, based on social status.
3) According to the United Nations, as many as 400,000 people have died in western Sudan as a result of attacks by government forces, based on tribal differences.
The list goes on.
It's not skin color that makes a person good or evil, or leadership material.
When choosing a President, many people are swayed by race, personality and shallow promises. But what's really important is honesty, courage and common sense.
In the USA, it costs 1.7 cents to create a penny.
In the USA, taxes are unreasonably high.
In the USA, the government spends far more that it takes in.
In the USA, we are nearly $9 trillion in debt, and rising.
You don't need to be a genius to figure it out.
Governments inevitably become ever-expanding, inefficient, suffocating organisms if not properly administered and held in check. Plus, they tend to attract people who have an overwhelming desire to control others. Instead of protecting individual rights, they demand conformity. And in the wrong hands, regardless of skin color, they can become forces of evil.
Government is often the problem, rather than the solution. We need less of it, not more of it.
Manifest Destiny was neither obvious nor certain. It was a choice, made by those who assumed they were superior to others, based on the color of their skin. Perhaps they were mistaken. Perhaps they were simply self-centered, greedy people abusing their power.
Life on Planet Earth is a work in progress.
The human body is a container for a soul. The quality of the contents has nothing to do with the color of the container.
___________
Quote of the Day – "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
As a result of the belief of the superiority of the White race, Manifest Destiny was used as justification for westward expansion and the adverse consequences perpetrated on those outside of the White race.
Recently, Oregon added the state's racial history to its public school curriculum, causing a great deal of controversy. Some parents believe it makes White people look evil.
1) After slavery was declared illegal in Oregon Territory in 1844, the territorial government passed a "Lash Law" requiring that Blacks be whipped if they refused to leave the territory.
2) In 1849, it was ruled illegal for Blacks to settle in Oregon.
3) In 1850, "Whites and half-breed Indians" could claim land under the new Donation Land Act. Blacks were excluded.
4) The Lash Law was changed in 1862 whereby Blacks, Chinese and other multiracial people were accessed an annual tax of five dollars.
The list goes on.
Does this mean White people are evil?? No.
Does this mean those who control government are often bias and unjust?? Yes.
History is history. Teach it all and be honest about it.
I have a friend who is for Obama because Whites screwed it all up and it's time for a change. Apparently, this person believes the color of a person's skin should be the deciding factor in their leadership ability.
However, some of the most oppressive and evil governments today are in Africa. Black governments ruling black people.
1) In Zimbabwe last week, the ruling party tortured 70 people, killing 6 of them, in a "re-education" meeting. Suppression of human rights and organized torture are daily occurrences, based on political affiliation.
2) There were 21,000 murders in South Africa last year, much of it sanctioned by a corrupt government, based on social status.
3) According to the United Nations, as many as 400,000 people have died in western Sudan as a result of attacks by government forces, based on tribal differences.
The list goes on.
It's not skin color that makes a person good or evil, or leadership material.
When choosing a President, many people are swayed by race, personality and shallow promises. But what's really important is honesty, courage and common sense.
In the USA, it costs 1.7 cents to create a penny.
In the USA, taxes are unreasonably high.
In the USA, the government spends far more that it takes in.
In the USA, we are nearly $9 trillion in debt, and rising.
You don't need to be a genius to figure it out.
Governments inevitably become ever-expanding, inefficient, suffocating organisms if not properly administered and held in check. Plus, they tend to attract people who have an overwhelming desire to control others. Instead of protecting individual rights, they demand conformity. And in the wrong hands, regardless of skin color, they can become forces of evil.
Government is often the problem, rather than the solution. We need less of it, not more of it.
Manifest Destiny was neither obvious nor certain. It was a choice, made by those who assumed they were superior to others, based on the color of their skin. Perhaps they were mistaken. Perhaps they were simply self-centered, greedy people abusing their power.
Life on Planet Earth is a work in progress.
The human body is a container for a soul. The quality of the contents has nothing to do with the color of the container.
___________
Quote of the Day – "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
The Birth of Basketball
Basketball is a peculiar game. Five half-naked men (or women) compete against another set of five half-naked men (or women) in a monumental effort to toss a round ball through a hoop, called a basket, more times than their opponents in a prescribed period of time.
Men play basketball to get some exercise and show off. A handful of them are good enough to make a very lucrative living at it.
Women play basketball so they can have a place to shriek continuously without directing it at a husband or boyfriend. Blind people attending a women’s basketball game might mistakenly assume they are in a large room where cats are being electrocuted.
Basketball season is almost over. Only the pros, the Lakers and Celtics, are still slipping into jock straps and dribbling with their hands.
In 1891, a fellow named James Naismith was instructed to create a game at his YMCA School in Springfield, Mass., to occupy his students between football and baseball season.
Apparently not blessed with great genius, Naismith hung peach baskets from the ceiling, got a soccer ball and told his students to shoot the ball into the baskets.
Since there were 18 people in his class, he divided them into two teams of nine.
Naismith called it basketball and made a list of five rules.
1 - There must be a large, light ball handled with the hands
2 - No running with the ball
3 - No one is restricted from getting the ball
4 - No personal contact
5 - The goal shall be horizontal and elevated
One of Naismith’s 18 students was a fellow named Ray Kaighn. In 1893, Kaighn was hired by Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., and soon became physical education director.
Apparently blessed with even less genius than Naismith, Kaighn introduced basketball to his students in the basement of Hamline’s Science Hall where he hung peach baskets, with no backboards, from the 9-foot ceiling.
On Saturday, February 9, 1895, a group from another college, the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture, entered the basement of the Hamline Science Hall to participate in the first ever basketball game between two colleges.
Nine against nine, they battled it out.
When it was all over, Hamline lost 9-3.
In 117 years, the game has changed a bit. Five players to a side has taken some of the human clutter out of play and most basketball courts now have ceilings exceeding the 9-foot level, which is a pretty good idea since the standard basket is now 10 feet high.
The only other sports that are more strange than basketball are golf, where a relatively sane human being tries to swat a tiny white ball with a club into a small hole several hundred yards away, and naked skydiving.
___________
Quote of the Day – I may be insane, but I'm not crazy.
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Men play basketball to get some exercise and show off. A handful of them are good enough to make a very lucrative living at it.
Women play basketball so they can have a place to shriek continuously without directing it at a husband or boyfriend. Blind people attending a women’s basketball game might mistakenly assume they are in a large room where cats are being electrocuted.
Basketball season is almost over. Only the pros, the Lakers and Celtics, are still slipping into jock straps and dribbling with their hands.
In 1891, a fellow named James Naismith was instructed to create a game at his YMCA School in Springfield, Mass., to occupy his students between football and baseball season.
Apparently not blessed with great genius, Naismith hung peach baskets from the ceiling, got a soccer ball and told his students to shoot the ball into the baskets.
Since there were 18 people in his class, he divided them into two teams of nine.
Naismith called it basketball and made a list of five rules.
1 - There must be a large, light ball handled with the hands
2 - No running with the ball
3 - No one is restricted from getting the ball
4 - No personal contact
5 - The goal shall be horizontal and elevated
One of Naismith’s 18 students was a fellow named Ray Kaighn. In 1893, Kaighn was hired by Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., and soon became physical education director.
Apparently blessed with even less genius than Naismith, Kaighn introduced basketball to his students in the basement of Hamline’s Science Hall where he hung peach baskets, with no backboards, from the 9-foot ceiling.
On Saturday, February 9, 1895, a group from another college, the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture, entered the basement of the Hamline Science Hall to participate in the first ever basketball game between two colleges.
Nine against nine, they battled it out.
When it was all over, Hamline lost 9-3.
In 117 years, the game has changed a bit. Five players to a side has taken some of the human clutter out of play and most basketball courts now have ceilings exceeding the 9-foot level, which is a pretty good idea since the standard basket is now 10 feet high.
The only other sports that are more strange than basketball are golf, where a relatively sane human being tries to swat a tiny white ball with a club into a small hole several hundred yards away, and naked skydiving.
___________
Quote of the Day – I may be insane, but I'm not crazy.
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
The Center of Population in the USA
According to the 2000 Census, the new center of population of the USA is a point three miles east of Edgar Springs, Missouri. This is the spot where there are just as many people north as south, and as many people east as west.
Located some 100 miles southwest of St. Louis, on the edge of the Mark Twain National Forest, Edgar Springs has a population of 190. It has a café, grocery store, convenience mart, feed store, lumber store, car wash, beauty shop and four churches.
There’s not much to do in Edgar Springs, except wash your car and go to church.
The USA center of population has been steadily moving west and south since it was first introduced in 1790 where it was then pinpointed 23 miles east of Baltimore.
Over the years, it has been located in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
In 1990, Steelville, Missouri, over 800 miles from Baltimore, had the honor. Ten years later, it drifted another 32 miles west and 12 miles south to Edgar Springs.
Based on the last 10 years, the center of population has been traveling at a speed of 3.4176 miles per year or about two feet per hour. This is slightly faster than the U.S. Congress moves when in session.
The west-southwest drift of the center of population is no great surprise.
In 1950, Phoenix had a population of about 40,000. Today, It’s well over a million.
California had a population of 10 million in 1950. In 2000, it reached 35 million. During those forty years, the population of California increased by approximately 1,370 people per day. That’s a lot of Ryder trucks heading one-way.
If this west-southwest drift of the USA population center continues on its present course, in a few years it should hit Tulsa, Oklahoma, about the same time gasoline hits $99 per gallon.
By the way, the exact Center of the Universe at any given moment is wherever I'm standing at the time.
________
Quote of the Day – "Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw, for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all." Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux (1863 - 1950)
________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Located some 100 miles southwest of St. Louis, on the edge of the Mark Twain National Forest, Edgar Springs has a population of 190. It has a café, grocery store, convenience mart, feed store, lumber store, car wash, beauty shop and four churches.
There’s not much to do in Edgar Springs, except wash your car and go to church.
The USA center of population has been steadily moving west and south since it was first introduced in 1790 where it was then pinpointed 23 miles east of Baltimore.
Over the years, it has been located in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
In 1990, Steelville, Missouri, over 800 miles from Baltimore, had the honor. Ten years later, it drifted another 32 miles west and 12 miles south to Edgar Springs.
Based on the last 10 years, the center of population has been traveling at a speed of 3.4176 miles per year or about two feet per hour. This is slightly faster than the U.S. Congress moves when in session.
The west-southwest drift of the center of population is no great surprise.
In 1950, Phoenix had a population of about 40,000. Today, It’s well over a million.
California had a population of 10 million in 1950. In 2000, it reached 35 million. During those forty years, the population of California increased by approximately 1,370 people per day. That’s a lot of Ryder trucks heading one-way.
If this west-southwest drift of the USA population center continues on its present course, in a few years it should hit Tulsa, Oklahoma, about the same time gasoline hits $99 per gallon.
By the way, the exact Center of the Universe at any given moment is wherever I'm standing at the time.
________
Quote of the Day – "Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw, for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all." Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux (1863 - 1950)
________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.myspace.com/bret1111
www.bret1111.blogspot.com
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
__________
Baby Named By Highest Bidder
Except for conceiving and raising them, one of the hardest things involved with bringing children into the world is agreeing on a name.
For many years, Michael has been the most popular name for a boy. Lately, names like Cody, Wyatt and Dustin have been moving up the list in popularity.
Believe it or not, my cousin in Phoenix has a neighbor who had difficulty coming up with a name for his kids so he named them after the model name of his two trucks: Cheyenne and Sierra. I wonder what other vehicle names he was considering, perhaps Volvo and Hummer.
Some people come up with even more outlandish names. Rock star, Frank Zappa, named two of his kids Dweezle and Moon Unit. When your last name is Zappa, I guess anything is fair game.
A couple of years ago, a New York couple expecting a baby boy within the next 30 days put up a web site where they accepted bids from corporations. They intended to name their son after the highest bidder, such as Pepsi, Ajax, Goodyear or Microsoft.
It’s bad enough to name your kids after the model of the truck sitting in your front yard, but this is going a little too far. To me, this is another sign that civilization as we know it is about to come to an end.
Some of the potential names this poor kid could be saddled with include:
1) Mr. Clean
2) Dr. Pepper
3) Green Giant
4) Drano
5) Minute Maid
6) WD-40
7) Easy Off
8) Roach Motel
9) Captain Crunch
10) General Electric
11) Brillo
12) Amazon.com
13) Stop Leak
14) Frito-Lay
15) Taco Bell
16) Jiffy Pop
17) Milky Way
18) Spam
19) Fruit of the Loom
20) I can't Believe It's Not Butter
So what would you name your baby boy if you had to name him after a corporate sponsor??
Personally, I think I'd name him Stop Leak or Drano, and send him to medical school.
________
Quote for the Day – The weather is here, wish you were beautiful.
________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.myspace.com/bret1111
__________
For many years, Michael has been the most popular name for a boy. Lately, names like Cody, Wyatt and Dustin have been moving up the list in popularity.
Believe it or not, my cousin in Phoenix has a neighbor who had difficulty coming up with a name for his kids so he named them after the model name of his two trucks: Cheyenne and Sierra. I wonder what other vehicle names he was considering, perhaps Volvo and Hummer.
Some people come up with even more outlandish names. Rock star, Frank Zappa, named two of his kids Dweezle and Moon Unit. When your last name is Zappa, I guess anything is fair game.
A couple of years ago, a New York couple expecting a baby boy within the next 30 days put up a web site where they accepted bids from corporations. They intended to name their son after the highest bidder, such as Pepsi, Ajax, Goodyear or Microsoft.
It’s bad enough to name your kids after the model of the truck sitting in your front yard, but this is going a little too far. To me, this is another sign that civilization as we know it is about to come to an end.
Some of the potential names this poor kid could be saddled with include:
1) Mr. Clean
2) Dr. Pepper
3) Green Giant
4) Drano
5) Minute Maid
6) WD-40
7) Easy Off
8) Roach Motel
9) Captain Crunch
10) General Electric
11) Brillo
12) Amazon.com
13) Stop Leak
14) Frito-Lay
15) Taco Bell
16) Jiffy Pop
17) Milky Way
18) Spam
19) Fruit of the Loom
20) I can't Believe It's Not Butter
So what would you name your baby boy if you had to name him after a corporate sponsor??
Personally, I think I'd name him Stop Leak or Drano, and send him to medical school.
________
Quote for the Day – The weather is here, wish you were beautiful.
________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
www.instituteforquantumliving.com
www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php
www.southmissouriannews.com
www.areawidenews.com
www.villageronline.com
www.myspace.com/bret1111
__________
Your Share of the Global Pie
What would be your fair share if everything was divided equally among everyone on this planet?
If all the land on Planet Earth was divided into equal parcels, each person would have slightly less than five acres. This would include many uninhabitable areas, such as Antarctica, Greenland, high mountain peaks, swampy lowlands, areas preserved for wildlife, recreational parks, restricted areas and most of Minnesota, further reducing reasonable inhabitable land masses to less than four acres per person. And if you add the amount of land required to grow food for the ever-increasing population, it's down to about two acres available per person.
As the world population continues to increase year after year, less land is available for each person. There is only so much land on this planet and they aren’t making anymore.
A more startling statistic is how much money each of us would have if divided equally.
If all of the currency in circulation in the world was converted to US dollars and divided equally among everyone on the planet, we would each have approximately $500, give or take a few dollars depending on fluctuating factors.
Currency in circulation means all the money you have in your wallet or purse or cookie jar, plus all the cash businesses, including banks, have on hand. Basically, all the paper money and coins that have been printed or minted in all the countries in the world and are in public circulation, even if it’s sitting in a vault in a bank somewhere.
This does not include accumulated wealth, such as stocks, bonds, real estate holdings, net worth and so on. This is not currency; it's a paper trail. Most banks only have enough cash on hand to cover a small percentage of customer deposits.
So if you own a couple of acres and have $500 in your pocket or cookie jar, you have acquired your share of the global pie.
If you’re content with what you have, I salute you. Peace of mind is far more important than land or money. And if you have more than your fair share, so much the better. Through effort or good fortune, you’ve exceeded the norm.
But if you’re dissatisfied unless you have more than your fair share, I pity you. More for you means less for others.
We live on a planet of credit and consumption, where more is better and endless growth is encouraged. We work far too many hours to acquire far too many things, and governments bleed us dry while keeping the cycle of earning and spending and expanding going.
There’s a difference between having as much as you want and having as much as you need.
If you want more than your fair share, you suffer from envy.
If you need more than your fair share, you suffer from greed.
Greed and envy are two of the Seven Deadly Sins. In either case, perhaps you should reappraise your lifestyle.
If being opinionated were a deadly sin, I’d be dead by now.
___________
Quote for the Day – "He who knows enough is enough will always have enough." Lao Tzu
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
Institute for Quantum Living -- www.instituteforquantumliving.com – (Toronto, Canada)
South Missourian News -- www.southmissouriannews.com – (newspaper in rural Missouri)
The News -- www.areawidenews.com – (newspaper in Salem, Ark)
The Villager -- www.villageronline.com – (newspaper in Cherokee Village, Ark)
Nupathz -- www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php (Self-Help Website in West Plaines, Mo.)
Bret on Myspace -- www.myspace.com/bret1111 – (Center of Universe)
___________
If all the land on Planet Earth was divided into equal parcels, each person would have slightly less than five acres. This would include many uninhabitable areas, such as Antarctica, Greenland, high mountain peaks, swampy lowlands, areas preserved for wildlife, recreational parks, restricted areas and most of Minnesota, further reducing reasonable inhabitable land masses to less than four acres per person. And if you add the amount of land required to grow food for the ever-increasing population, it's down to about two acres available per person.
As the world population continues to increase year after year, less land is available for each person. There is only so much land on this planet and they aren’t making anymore.
A more startling statistic is how much money each of us would have if divided equally.
If all of the currency in circulation in the world was converted to US dollars and divided equally among everyone on the planet, we would each have approximately $500, give or take a few dollars depending on fluctuating factors.
Currency in circulation means all the money you have in your wallet or purse or cookie jar, plus all the cash businesses, including banks, have on hand. Basically, all the paper money and coins that have been printed or minted in all the countries in the world and are in public circulation, even if it’s sitting in a vault in a bank somewhere.
This does not include accumulated wealth, such as stocks, bonds, real estate holdings, net worth and so on. This is not currency; it's a paper trail. Most banks only have enough cash on hand to cover a small percentage of customer deposits.
So if you own a couple of acres and have $500 in your pocket or cookie jar, you have acquired your share of the global pie.
If you’re content with what you have, I salute you. Peace of mind is far more important than land or money. And if you have more than your fair share, so much the better. Through effort or good fortune, you’ve exceeded the norm.
But if you’re dissatisfied unless you have more than your fair share, I pity you. More for you means less for others.
We live on a planet of credit and consumption, where more is better and endless growth is encouraged. We work far too many hours to acquire far too many things, and governments bleed us dry while keeping the cycle of earning and spending and expanding going.
There’s a difference between having as much as you want and having as much as you need.
If you want more than your fair share, you suffer from envy.
If you need more than your fair share, you suffer from greed.
Greed and envy are two of the Seven Deadly Sins. In either case, perhaps you should reappraise your lifestyle.
If being opinionated were a deadly sin, I’d be dead by now.
___________
Quote for the Day – "He who knows enough is enough will always have enough." Lao Tzu
___________
NOTE: You can also access Bret's blog at the following websites:
Institute for Quantum Living -- www.instituteforquantumliving.com – (Toronto, Canada)
South Missourian News -- www.southmissouriannews.com – (newspaper in rural Missouri)
The News -- www.areawidenews.com – (newspaper in Salem, Ark)
The Villager -- www.villageronline.com – (newspaper in Cherokee Village, Ark)
Nupathz -- www.nupathz.com/weblog/weblog.php (Self-Help Website in West Plaines, Mo.)
Bret on Myspace -- www.myspace.com/bret1111 – (Center of Universe)
___________
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