Bush Classics

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Thanks to Mick Gallagher!

"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country."
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"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
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"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared.'"
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"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."
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"The future will be better tomorrow."
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"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."
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"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
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"We have a firm commitment to NATO; we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe; we are a part of Europe."
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"Public speaking is very easy."
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"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls."
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"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
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"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
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"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."
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"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."
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"It's time for the human race to enter the solar system."
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And it's time for people to wake up!
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Parallel Universes

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I do not know anyone so backwards or so foolish as to suggest that anything is possible for any person. For me, the question, "Is anything possible?" was approached from the cosmic view. Not, "Is anything possible fora human being?" but simply, "Is anything possible?"

Here is my own aquarian dream: I believe that the entity called the "Soul" is very enormously complex. Your Soul, for example, contains the entire life of Jack [pseudonym] on this earth. But, I believe, it could also contain the life of Jack 2 on earth 2, in a parallel universe, where that Jack made several different decisions than you did here. And, btw, there is also a Jack 3, Jack 4, Jack 5, ... etc. Perhaps the number of Jacks is infinite, like everything else cosmic. And, when you leave this world, your mind will merge with those of all the other Jacks.

This must be so in order to fulfill the condition, "Everything that can happen must happen." For if not, the cosmos is incomplete, not to mention your fullest and greatest lifeducation. So, in some parallel universe, Jack is a rock singer, and whatever else you dreamed that he could be. That gives total fulfillment. The cosmos was not shabbily or cheaply made. It was dreamed up in enormous complexity and detail, and still is being dreamed up by the great Mind. That Mind has all resources, so why not dream up a cosmos that is complete, not to mention, maximilly entertaining and educational?

But if there are an infinite number of Jacks, it gets even more fascinating. For let us say that you trace out the Jacks to universe number 342586. That "Jack" is the being whom you now know as John Smith! He, in turn, can backtrace all the John Smiths to the same distant number, and that "alternative John Smith" is the guy whom he knows as Jack! In this way, as in others, we could all be "one," in the bigger picture, as the mystics love to say. If you could keep on tracing the Jacks, at some point, one would be a woman. And, if you kept tracing, an "alternative Jack" would become the lady whom you now know as "Mary." Traced for eons, who knows? Your dog, or the tree in your yard, could be yet another "Jack.":)

Mindfrying, isn't it?
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Choosing a Mantra

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Transcendental Meditation has become a cult, with all the dangers and severe restrictions of freedom that this implies. So, although we can recommend the method of tm, we cannot endorse its modern activities.

"Transcendental meditation" is by no means limited to one method, but includes all forms of meditation. For they are all aimed at "transcendental " goals. This means that their purpose is to lift us "above" the ordinary world, or being controlled by it, into the world of the interior and pure Mind.

As an example of the corruption of cults, tm people claim to give each student a "vibrationally compatible" mantra-- a phrase, often in Sanskrit, an ancient language. But each student is not given a unique mantra, as claimed. The leaders are lying. Interviews with former slaves of the tm cult have proved that hundreds of people actually share the same mantra.

There is no reason for a person to try to keep her mantra a "secret." This is just trying to behave "mysteriously," as if in possession of deep dark spiritual secrets. It is only a game played by the ego, and leaders of tm play it all the time.

A mantra can be any short phrase in any language. It often has better psychological (unconscious) effects if it is meaningful and understandable. It plants the seeds of transcendence and Love.

A mantra can have any reasonable number of syllables. We have had great success with four-syllable mantras, because they fall into such an easy rhythm. The most effective and useful practical mantras are in English for people who speak that language. A few sample mantras are: "I am at peace," "I am Love, and...," "God is Love, and...," "Does not matter" (for people too "stuck" to the world in Velcromind), "Amitabha" (Lord of limitless light), "Jesus Christ, and...," "Gentle Kwan Yin," "Brahman, Brahman," "I love all, and...," "I am Buddha," "I am the Christ," "loving Goddess," "Love's in control," and, "I am wisdom." Of course, you can choose any positive, uplifting, spiritual phrase in the world as your mantra.

Mantras are extremely powerful, but, at first, they seem very weak. It takes time for them to become stronger than ordinary thought. In time, they can overcome negative thoughts, by replacing them. But in order to maximize the strength of the mantra, it is recommended that you not "bounce around" too much: After carefully choosing your mantra, stay with the same one for at least a year, to empower it and yourself. Used for many years, a good mantra can begin to "run itself." It can wipe away all negative thoughts.

You should run your mantra as often as possible, all during the day and night, until it becomes automatic. This will, in time, help to erase the hang-ups and trivialities of the egomind, and will "clear your mind" for stillmind, crystalmind, which will allow the Mind of the great Spirit, deep within, to manifest Itself, as purest Love and bliss. This state of clarity, also called "Teflonmind," is highly therapeutic and healing.
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Self-Love

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Without selflove it is impossible to love others. Selflove is not simply thinking about yourself, or putting yourself first. It is loving yourself equally with your Love for your neighbor-- not more! So, selflove has no arrogance or selfishness about it.

What you would not do to a dearly beloved and sensitive friend, you do not do to yourself. If you would not drive a friend to work more after she is exhausted, do not do this to yourself. If you would ask that friend to get reasonable rest and relaxation, do that for yourself.

Especially mothers are often called on to exhaust themselves, and often, children do not know where to draw the line. For kids, work seems at times never to be "enough." So, a mother must listen to her own bodymind, and receive its signals. When the bodymind asks for rest, she must respond. Otherwise, the "call" for rest gets louder: She might succumb to a cold, for example. A cold is quite often a signal that we are overworking our bodies. It is a signal to rest.

Meditating every day, doing some deep breathing and visualization, eating well, sleeping and exercising regularly, can prevent exhaustion and its attendant illnesses, to some extent. So, let us reasonably commit time to moderate daily exercise, watching our diet, avoiding too much junkfood, meditation, deep breathing (often in a room with an airfilter), regular sleep, good food, and herbs, vitamins, and minerals if we need them. If you do all this out of true selflove, your life will be happier and brighter.

Special Love Project

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David Hem Sagar has announced that, for the poorest kids in the world, he wants to have a give-away on the streets of his very poor town in Darjeeling, India. He will be giving, not candy, but useful things such as pencils, erasers, paper, and other educational supplies. He will be giving these free to small school-age children.

This is a fine way for us to invest in our planet's future, for it is a real investment in the education of children. True, they are very poor children, but some of the most kind and beautiful examples in history started out as poor children from neglected and despised villages. Jesus comes to mind.

According to a principle which he himself set down, if you do anything, or do not do anything, to "the least" of his brothers, you have done that, or failed to do that, to Him!

Please carefully note the wording of this statement: He did not say, as people often hear, "It is as if you have done it to Him. He actually said, "You have done it to Me."

So, let's work to make our spirituality real and solid by donating to this most worthy cause. Please send all questions and help to our friend David at lacindia@gmail.com

A Moral Disgrace

Note to readers: Early this morning, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget proposal (217-215) that, if enacted, would make severe cuts to our nation's most vital anti-poverty programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and child care. The margin was small because of your prayers, phone calls, e-mails, and letters to the editor. Thank you. In the coming weeks, the budget will face a House-Senate negotiation, followed by separate votes in each chamber. We will continue to raise our voices to demand justice for the poorest among us.

Washington, D.C. ------(Friday, November 18, 2005) Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and Convener of Call to Renewal, made the following statement today on the narrow passage of the House Budget Reconciliation Bill.

STATEMENT BY JIM WALLIS:
The prophet Isaiah said: "Woe to you legislators of infamous laws ... who refuse justice to the unfortunate, who cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey and rob the orphan." Today, I repeat those words. When our legislators put ideology over principle, it is time to sound the trumpets of justice and tell the truth.

It is a moral disgrace to take food from the mouths of hungry children to increase the luxuries of those feasting at a table overflowing with plenty. This is not what America is about, not what the season of Thanksgiving is about, not what loving our neighbor is about, and not what family values are about. There is no moral path our legislators can take to defend a reckless, mean-spirited budget reconciliation bill that diminishes our compassion, as Jesus said, "for the least of these." It is morally unconscionable to hide behind arguments for fiscal responsibility and government efficiency. It is dishonest to stake proud claims to deficit reduction when tax cuts for the wealthy that increase the deficit are the next order of business. It is one more example of an absence of morality in our current political leadership. Budgets are moral documents that reflect what we care about. Budget and tax bills that increase the deficit put our children's futures in jeopardy - and they hurt the vulnerable right now. The choice to cut supports that help people make it day to day in order to pay for tax cuts for those with plenty goes against everything our religious and moral principles teach us. It says that leaders don't care about people in need. It is a blatant reversal of biblical values - and symbolizes the death of compassionate conservatism.

The faith community is outraged and is drawing a line in the sand against immoral national priorities. It is time to draw that line more forcefully and more visibly.

I applaud those House members who have stood up for better budget priorities and fought hard all year to keep issues of basic fairness at the forefront of this debate. And I thank those on both sides of the aisle who stood up and did the right thing in voting against this bill, despite pressure from the House leadership. These strong voices provide some hope for getting beyond an ideology that disregards the role of government for the common good.

Will Exxon Be Held Accountable

Senate Hearings: Will Exxon Be Held Accountable?

Dear Friends of the Heart,

ExxonMobil reported a record- breaking $9.9 billion in profits last quarter alone. Yet Exxon spends its profits both bankrolling Republicans who protect their interests and fighting all steps towards energy independence.

Can you sign the petition to ExxonMobil and tell them you're going to hold them accountable until they change?

During last week's hearings on recent record high oil industry profits, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) told the oil executives, "People are concerned about fairness and justice at a time of sacrifice. Your sacrifice appears to be nothing."1
ExxonMobil just reported the largest quarterly profits—$9.9 billion—of any American corporation in history.2 ExxonMobil spends its record profits fighting virtually all meaningful efforts towards ending our dependence on oil.

That's why we're working with a large coalition of public interest and environmental groups to call on Exxon to start investing its profits in real solutions to our energy crisis. Can you sign the petition to ExxonMobil and tell them you're not going to buy their gas, work for them, or invest in their company until they change? We'll send the petition to Exxon and to Congress. The coalition already has over 200,000 signatures, and we're aiming for 100,000 more immediately to respond to the hearings last week.

Sign the Petition

The only answer to the current energy crisis is energy independence. That's something we'll be working on together in the next few weeks—one of the big positive things progressives stand for. And we're starting with ExxonMobil, the biggest obstacle in the way.

Exxon owes much of its lobbying success to close ties to Republican leaders. Over the last decade, Exxon has given more than $5.2 million to Republicans, while giving less than $650,000 to Democrats.3 This year, 91% of Exxon's political contributions have gone to Republicans.4 In turn, Republican energy policy has amounted to a series of massive handouts to the oil industry. Even now, with Republicans grandstanding with show hearings on television, they refused to make the oil executives testify under oath.5 Together with the coalition, we'll deliver your petition signature to ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond, and we'll send a copy to Congress to help break Exxon's stranglehold on our government.

There are four main areas in which Exxon needs drastic change:6

Invest in clean energy: With gas prices near $3 a gallon, it's outrageous to watch ExxonMobil rake in record profits while refusing to support greater fuel economy or invest significant amounts in cleaner, healthier energy.

Stop pushing to drill in the Arctic: ExxonMobil is the only oil company that remains part of Arctic Power, the group lobbying Congress to open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Congress will cast the final vote on drilling in the Arctic shortly.

Stop fighting efforts to prevent global warming: ExxonMobil has spent over $15 million since 1998 to deny the existence of global warming by funding junk science groups to cloud the debate. The company lobbies against efforts to fight global warming even as it alone is responsible for 5% of the world's output of the main type of global warming pollution.

Pay damages to the victims of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill: Remember the Exxon Valdez tragedy? Exxon's tanker killed hundreds of thousands of seals, otters, birds, fish and whales when it spilled 11 million gallons of thick, deadly crude oil into the waters of Alaska's pristine Prince William Sound. Yet despite making a record profit of $25 billion last year, ExxonMobil is still shirking payment of the full amount it owes fishermen and natives hurt by the spill 16 years ago!

The Exxpose Exxon campaign includes a dozen leading environmental and public interest groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), True Majority, the Alaska Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Defenders of Wildlife, and more. By signing this petition you'll be joining hundreds of thousands of Americans working to expose one of the largest and most powerful oil giants in the world and their protectors in Congress.

Sign the Petition

Thanks for all you do,

–Adam, Nita, James, Matt and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Monday, November 14th, 2005

SOURCES :

You can learn much more about ExxonMobil and the campaign at http://www.ExxposeExxon.com. It is also featured in a recent New York Times article about the hearings:
"Senators Grill Oil Executives on Profits and Prices"

1. "In heated hearings, oil bosses defend big profits," MSNBC, November 9, 2005

2. "Exxon profits hit fresh US record," BBC News, October 27, 2005

3. "Business sees Gains in GOP Takeover," Washington Post, March 27, 2005

4. "No Disruption In Flow Of Oil Company PAC $," Political Moneyline, November 8, 2005

5."Big oil CEOs under fire in Congress," CNNMoney, November 9, 2005

6. This section is from http://www.exxposeexxon.com/facts and the 5% figure is from the Friends of the Earth report

7. "House Shelves Alaska Drilling in Budget Fight," New York Times, November 10, 2005

"Stand Up and Fight" award

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) found a clever way to highlight problems in the Republicans' budget: he filed an amendment to change the official name of the bill to the "Moral Disaster of Monumental Proportion Reconciliation Act."

Tell him thanks.

Oppose the Radical Right's Supreme Court Choice

Dear Friends of the Heart,

I have just read and signed the petition: "Oppose the Radical Right's Choice for the Supreme Court!"

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 20,000 signatures - please sign here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/732883824

Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to sign as well.

You Cannot "Buy" the Priceless

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It is a sad and regrettable assessment of "new-age" teachers. They are as dirty and contaminated with ego-greed as are politicians and other criminals. An "easy buck" is a very tempting target, and most go for it! It is obscene for new-age teachers such as Sylvia Brown to charge $700 for a half-hour phone-call; and others charge even more! Some "channelers" are so consumed with greed that they charge over a thousand dollars an hour for private sessions!

Oddly, and paradoxically, some "new-age" teachers teach nongreed and egolessness even while simultaneously stretching out their hands to grab all the money that they can get! Guess that just proves the old adage, "Talk is cheap."

People can say anything, but it is what they actually do that shows their true values-- the values in wich they believe. Jesus said this. "By their fruits, you will know them." Some teachers are rather violently upset when they discover that I do all my work for Love-offerings only. I refuse to "make a profit" on even my books. Counseling, teaching, lectures, seminars, phone-work, and email-work are all supported by Love-donations only. Some feel understandably threatened, and I am not at all liked, or popular, in some circles. Happily, spirituality is not a "popularity contest"!

It is necessary to follow the highest calling, and the best historical examples, in spiritual nonreligious education. And the Buddha, and Jesus, never charged for their work or message!
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"Idiot-god," Pathetic "Prophet"!

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Thanks to Ty Scharrer (Gator)!
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What a petty, petulant, pathetic, and vindictive "god"! This "god" is hate!

Televangelist Warns Town of God's Wrath, By Alan Elsner

"Christian" televangelist Pat Robertson told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design," and warned them on Thursday not to be surprised if disaster struck.

Robertson, a former Republican presidential candidate and founder of the conservative Christian Broadcasting Network and Christian Coalition, has a long record of similar apocalyptic warnings and provocative statements.

Last summer, he hit the headlines by calling for the assassination of leftist Venezuelan Present Hugo Chavez, one of President George W. Bush's most vocal international critics.

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said....

In voting on Tuesday, all eight Dover, Pennsylvania, school board members up for re-election lost their seats after trying to introduce "intelligent design" to high school science students as an alternative to the theory of evolution.

Adherents of intelligent design argue that certain forms in nature are too complex to have evolved through natural selection, and must have been created by a "designer." Opponents say that it is the latest attempt by conservatives to introduce religion into the school science curriculum.

The Dover case sparked a trial in federal court that gained nationwide attention after the school board was sued by parents backed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The board ordered schools to read students a short statement in biology classes informing them that the theory of evolution is not established fact, and that gaps exist in it.

The statement mentioned intelligent design as an alternative theory, and recommended that students read a book that explained the theory further. A decision in the case is expected before the end of the year.

In 1998, Robertson warned the city of Orlando, Florida that it risked hurricanes, earthquakes and terrorist bombs after it allowed homosexual organizations to put up rainbow flags in support of sexual diversity.

Gator’s comments: Due to nut cases like Pat Robertson, our country and the world is full of hate because of religious fanaticism. If there is an Armageddon for the world, it will be caused by religious fanatics who are hateful, not by a benevolent God.