What Should We Do about an Aging Population?

An ageing population means the government needs to spend more (on pensions and health care) it will also receive lower income tax.

If the government does nothing it will experience a rise in the structural budget deficit. This has many problems

1) Resource crowding out. government borrow from private sector so private sector have less to spend and invest. Furthermore the private sector is usually more efficient than government

2) Financial Crowding out. To Borrow more money the government may need to increase interest rates, to make sure people buy enough debt. The problem is that this will put upward pressure on general interest rates and causes lower spending and growth in the economy.

3) Increase the national debt and annual interest payments. Italy already borrows over 100% of GDP. The effect is that a high % of GDP goes on servicing the debt, which will only increase over time.

4) It will require higher taxes or lower spending for future generations.

Policies to deal with an Ageing Population

Option ONE: Make people work longer.

From an economic point of view this is beneficial, this leads to more tax revenue and more spending. The main problem with this policy, is that it will be highly unpopular, especially from people who are nearing retirement age. People may say the government is going back on its word to provide pensions at a certain age. In the UK, the government has pledged to increase retirement age to 67, but this will not come in for a long time and therefore does not tackle the short term debt.

Option TWO: Increase income tax.

If the government increase income tax, they will increase revenue to pay for the higher pension bill. However, higher income tax may lead to lower work incentives. It may discourage people from living in a certain country. Because income tax is low in the UK, a higher rate may not reduce incentives that much; however, there is a high opportunity cost of taxing for pensions. Pension spending does not increase productivity in the economy.

Option THREE: Means tested pensions.

This means pensions are targeted just to those on low incomes, and those who do not have a private pension. This helps to reduce inequality and reduce the total cost of pensions.

However, it creates a very big incentive for people not to save and avoid getting a private pension. This is because if you did save, you would receive little from the government. Therefore, in the long run it may make the situation worse

Encourage private pensions.

Governments could make it obligatory for firms to provide a private pension. Alternatively, they could give more generous tax breaks for private pensions. This is good for reducing the governments pension burden. The concern is that some people may not have sufficient private pension provision when they retire. Therefore, there is still a need for means tested pensions.

Is Collective Bargaining Gone Forever?

On this day of the 25th of June, 2007, Senator Kennedy gave one of the most moving speeches that I ever heard in the Senate. It seems that the workers of our once great Nation are getting poorer and poorer, while the profits of Big Business are getting higher and higher.

You see, Labor Unions are losing their battle against employers who do nothing more than take advantage of the people who produce their goods and services. Those workers who express their desire to join organized labor are, in about 25% of known cases, simply fired. Did that happen to you?

To the credit of Senator Kennedy, to illustrate those facts, he provided many charts and grafts in which to prove his reasons to protect those workers from the many employer injustices and practices that our Government has allowed to occur by simply not enforcing the collective bargaining laws in place for all working people to save for their retirement, provide an education for their children and receive health care insurance at a reasonable price.

This, dear reader, comes at a time when our largest employers are multinational corporations who have taken away tens of millions of jobs from our people and gave those jobs to people in China, Mexico, Canada and a dozen other Countries where collective bargaining doesn't exist in any way, shape or form. In fact, the last worker revolt in a U.S. auto plant in Mexico resulted in the deaths of several workers after the Mexican Army arrived and simply shot them.

The truth be known, Senator Kennedy's proposed legislation is nothing more than trying to put a band aid on a deep knife wound and hope that the injured person won't bleed to death afterward. We workers of the United States need laws to prevent the continued loss of those jobs. Then again, maybe we should revoke the right for all of those multinational corporations to do business in our Country and create new corporations whose management is loyal to the greatest political system and Country that has ever existed in the World to date.

Crooked Car Insurance Company Practices

Insurance companies have begun buying or investing their monies into car repair businesses in recent years. Insurance companies that own car repair shops can result in the consumer getting bad service and substandard replacement parts. Many people in the car repair industry have complained of being pressured by insurance companies that own them to keep costs down, and if they do not, they risk losing referrals.

Vehicle owners also have rights when getting their cars repaired following a collision. This applies to regular maintenance repairs as well.

The Automobile Service Association (ASA) suggests that car owners ask insurance companies the following when shopping for an auto body repair shop following a collision.

Do I have to get three estimates?

This is a standard procedure among insurance companies, but in reality you do NOT have to get three estimates. This is only an option and NOT a requirement that puts the burden on the car's owner to get the cheapest price.

Can I choose any repair shop?

Yes. You have the right to choose any auto body shop you like, and any attempt to direct you to a particular shop should raise some suspicions. Many times, the dealership does not have an auto body repair shop, and the vehicle's owner is referred to one with whom they have a contract. It is not required that they have one.

How can I ensure that they are going to fix my car with quality parts?

Any parts used other than Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) car parts must be disclosed in writing by the insurance company. It is up to the owner to agree if the insurance company will install other market parts, rather than be pressured to use OEM parts. In some states, this disclosure is not required.

The ASA recommends the following advice for vehicle owners to maintain their car:

Always check your owner's manual for regular maintenance schedules. A good rule of thumb is to change the oil and filter once every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

Check all fluids including brake, transmission, washer, power steering, and antifreeze. These fluids are necessary for the safety and performance of your vehicle.

Check tire pressure. Under-inflated tires can waste gas. This is the cheapest form of preventive and safety maintenance. Check tire pressure once a month.

My Car is a Lemon--Lemon Law Advice

If you bought a new car that turned out to be a lemon, there are lemon laws that were designed to benefit the buyer.

The following is some advice regarding that lemon you purchased in case you need to prove you case at a future time. These Lemon Law advices are designed to assist consumers to collect information they will need to prove that their car is a lemon.

Keep Copies

Safeguard all copies of documentation you have with regard to your car and its history. This includes all repair invoices, purchase contracts, written warranty, and owner's manual that came with your car.

Take Written Notes

Take notes on all conversations you have with your car dealer and its repair staff regarding your car and its "lemon" potential. Write down the time, date, and specifics of the discussion. This also includes in-person contact and phone calls.

Ask About Technical Service Bulletins (TSB's)

The manufacturer regularly sends out TSB's to alert car dealers of specific defects or necessary repairs in certain models. Be sure to ask about these TSB's, or your dealer might not disclose this information. Therefore, speak up and request that your repair technician write your request on the repair invoice.

Prepare a Timeline

If you have many repair invoices on hand, make a timeline to organize each repair attempt by date, the number of times you brought your car to the shop, and how many days overall your car has been out of service.

Do Not Get Discouraged

Repair technicians, car dealers, and others might tell you the problems you are having with your car do not qualify under the lemon law for any sort of relief. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM! They are lying through their teeth to save themselves a buck or two. Only a licensed attorney who practices law in the state where you bought your car is qualified to make such a determination regarding lemon laws.

There are many forms of fraud going on nowadays. It is up to you to educate yourself on what is or is not legitimate. Hopefully, our advice will minimize your chances of becoming a victim of a crime of this form of consumer fraud.

FBI Surveillance E-mail Scam

Beware not to open e-mail attachments supposedly sent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI has issued an alert regarding fake e-mails supposedly sent by their agency informing internet users that their net surfing and internet activities are being monitored. Furthermore, the e-mail tells online users that they been tagged for visiting illegal websites and they should open an attachment to answer questions.

The FBI has reported that "These e-mails did not originate from the FBI." Recipients of these e-mail solicitations should be aware that the FBI would never engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public this way."

The FBI is looking into this scam and wants people to know that opening attachments in unsolicited e-mails is risky business because these files many times contain viruses which can infect the user's computer.

Guard yourself from e-mail scams by following these simple tips:

• Never provide personal information to e-mail requests
  
  
  Do not give out confidential or financial information in response to an e-mail request. Reputable companies will never request personal or financial information over an insecure medium like e-mail. Any attempt to fool people into disclosing personal and financial information through phony e-mail messages is known as phishing. Be very careful because some of these messages are very official-looking. Con artists pretend to be well known companies when running their phishing scams. Do not become a victim to these perpetrators.


• Do not open unsolicited e-mail attachments
  
  
  Following this sacred rule will eliminate you as a phisherman's next target. If somebody unknown to you sends you an e-mail, then you should never think about opening an attachment in the e-mail. This is akin to opening Pandora's box. This means big trouble for you and your computer.


• Scam e-mail attachments that you do open
  
  
  If you open up e-mail attachments coming from friends, family, or business associates, be cautious and scan all e-mail attachments for viruses. Their computers may be infected, and they do not even know it. Self-replicating viruses can infect a computer and then send an infected e-mail attachment to everybody in the owner's address book. Simply put, some e-mail messages supposedly coming from your friends are nothing more than a self-propagating virus.

There are many forms of internet fraud going on nowadays. It is up to you to educate yourself on what is or is not legitimate. Hopefully, our advice will minimize your chances of becoming a victim of the crime of internet phishing.

Baptism A Memorable Religious Family Occasion

A sacred and important ceremony in the life of any Christian, baptism has taken on a meaning of its own in the English language. The original word, from its Greek root, meant washing or cleansing or even possible submersion into water. The rite in Christianity now implies becoming a full Christian. Usually, young babies are baptized quite early in life in order to complete their membership of the Christian faith.

A beautiful white robe looks lovely and pure on any little baby, girl or boy; he or she will look like a little angel. You may even have a baptism party with a twist – ask your younger guests to dress like angels or shepherds. They are sure to enjoy it, as are their parents. Decorate your home with candles and white flowers, to give it a clean and celestial ambience.

Make sure you and your family are dressed in their best clothes, as this will no doubt be a day when lots of pictures will be taken. An idea might be to try and take pictures earlier in the day rather than later, as it's great to see happy and smiling faces rather than grizzly children who haven't had their nap yet!

Sharing a meal afterwards with your family and friends is a great way to round off the occasion. One option is to have a 'pot luck' dinner, with each family bringing a dish to share. If you opt to do this, it might be an idea to ask half the families to bring savoury food and the other half to bring dessert. Another good idea is to serve food that you can prepare the day before; that way you get to relax and enjoy your baby's day.

Your baby's baptism is a special occasion worth sharing with all your loved ones. It doesn't take much to add a special touch to the day, and make it truly memorable.

Life and Peace

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; 2. for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

Malachi 2:5 "My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me; so he feared Me and was reverent before My name.

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

God's covenant is an unbreakable covenant that was established so that His creation could once again have life and peace.

When Adam fell and became separated from God, he lost both God's life and His peace.

Genesis 3:3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, `You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' ''

Spiritual death is not a cessation of being, but separation from the life of God. Adam and Eve continued to exist, they did not physically die that day. Death was working in them, and it took nearly 1000 years for it to kill them. You either have the life of God or you don't, there is no middle ground in this.

Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

To say death reigned simply means death dominated man. He could not escape it.
God wants His creation to have His life. He went to great lengths to establish a covenant that could bring man back to the place where he could again have His life. This means that man would once again have God's life, and because he had God's life he would have the authority to walk in it in such a way as death could no longer have dominion over him.
In other words, he not only had God's life infused into his very being, but he could walk in total victory over the very thing that had the power to destroy him. Death no longer dominates or has power over us.

Life and peace work together in order bring about God's desired result. That result is for us to walk in dominion over the things that once dominated us. If you don't have His life you can not have his peace. The fear of death will dominate you. You can not have the peace of God until you partake of the free gift of life which comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15. and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

The power of death has been destroyed. We have been granted this life, and released from the dominion of sin, and the end result of that sin, being spiritual death.

My question is, are we as God's children enjoying the life God has given to us.
I have come to believe that in order for us to walk in the benefits of God's great redemption, we have to also walk in peace. They go together. If we are not walking in peace, we truly are not partakers of the benefits of the life God has given to us. What good is this great redemption and the wonderful benefits that come with it, if we are not partakers of it? God went to great lengths to reunite us. He wants us to partake of His free gift, and enjoy the benefits of being His children.

-- Living Bible


1 Timothy 6:17 Tell those who are rich not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone, but their pride and trust should be in the living God who always richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

This would come as a shock to many Christians, but God wants us to enjoy His blessings.
Many Christians have the mindset that we are supposed to go through life torn and tattered, barely getting along. This does not sound like being richly blessed and enjoying life to me. Jesus said…

John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The word abundant means - (in the sense of beyond); superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); by implication, excessive; preeminence:

The Amplified says it like this… 10. The thief comes only to in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

Jesus Himself said this. I trust Him to mean what He says, don't you?

Abundance is to have everything you need and then some. More abundant is more than that. That's hard to comprehend, but as the Amplified translation says; till it overflows. That's the kind of life God wants us to have. He wants His life to fill us up so completely and totally that it just overflows from us and blesses everyone else around us. Glory.
What an awesome God. As I so often say, we have a part to play in this.
Let's reread one of our opening Scriptures…

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Carnal means natural. Natural doesn't sound bad, but natural or carnal is earthly where spiritual mindedness is to think on the things of God. We are being told to do this. This is not something God can do for us. We have to make the choice to think Godly thoughts or Earthly thoughts. When the natural contradicts the things of God, we have to make a choice. Peace can only come when we make the correct choice. When we are in turmoil, we can not partake of the life of God. Peace and fear just do not coexist. We are told how to deal with this situation.

I have seen this over and over. It is a lesson I had to learn and I endeavor to teach others. God's Word says to cast your care upon Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

A simple adjustment can put you on the road to victory. I didn't say it would always be easy, especially if you have a habit of thinking negatively. Habits have to be changed.

When we are full of anxiety and care, we are not walking in faith and trusting God. This is one of the biggest indicators. It's sort of like the canary in the mine shaft. If we have no peace, it is an indicator that we are not walking in faith. When you truly trust God, you are not going to be worried and full of fear.

There is good news, this is a condition that can be changed. Do as the Word of God says and become spiritually minded. The spiritually minded Christian is not going to be full of fear and anxiety because he or she is not thinking on those things that allow fear and anxiety grow and be present. We know this because spiritually minded Christians have life and peace. If not, you are not spiritually minded. This may sound hard, and it is not meant to condemn, but to correct. We all have to make the necessary adjustments and do as the Word of God says, or we will continue to do the same things, and have the same results. The results can be changed. Some have a hard time believing this can actually happen. They have been living this way so long that they don't think anything about it, it seems like the normal way to be. God wants us to have a way of life and peace.

We need to continually monitor or judge ourselves and check up on ourselves. We have to ask ourselves this question, do I have peace? If the answer is no, then check on up on your thoughts. If your thoughts are constantly on the problem, then you have created a breading ground for fear and anxiety, and a place where depression can set up a stronghold. Begin the process of renewing your mind with the Word of God. We can replace our negative thoughts with thoughts that will be breading grounds for God's life to work in us. You will gain more and more confidence as you begin to put these principles into practice. We have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to loose. I really like what the Apostle Paul said to the Philippian church at by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit…

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7. and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things.

God wants us to succeed, and has given us the instructions on how to do it. Let's take His instructions to heart and begin to allow God's peace to keep us, and the end result will be life.

President Jimmy Carter Has Lost All Sense Of Propriety

I did not vote for President Carter. I also did not vote for President Ford. To the best of my recollection this was the only Presidential election I did not vote in since I became old enough to vote.

I liked Carter but felt that he was too trusting and naive to be our President. While he turned out to be one of the worst presidents of the 20th century, I still liked and respected him. That is untill the last several years. Each year my respect for him has diminished. Now I just think of him as a big mouthed publicity hound.

His latest rants, such as
I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history

and


The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me.

and

on Tony Blair support of President Bush
Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient.

and


And I think the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world

have just gone too far.

To the best of my knowledge, no former President has ever spoken out against a seated President or leader of one of our most important allies like Carter has.

There is an old saying "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". Well, Carter because of all the mistakes he made while President, lives in the biggest glass house of all. As far as I'm concerned he should just close his mouth and shut up before he makes an even bigger fool of himself.

What Does a Shaman Do?

Shamans guide and protect a community that depends on them. They heal people, animals and the environment, find lost things and people, and work to keep the community in harmony with nature.

Shamans receive their power directly from the spirit world. They do whatever their spirits guides and teachers tell them to do. Shamans do whatever they must to protect and heal their people and to keep the community in harmony with each other and the environment.

Shamans go into deep trance (theta state) to journey to the spirit world to do their work. In trance shamans actively work with energy and manipulate images and metaphors to cause change to happen in the real world. When the shaman is successful, the sick and the mentally ill are cured, and lost people and things are found.

In the spirit world the shaman may bring back lost souls, battle with spirits or with sorcerers, finding lost items, get spiritual guidance, or find remedies for injuries or illness.

Shamans also often guide the dead to the spirit world, help hunters find food for their people, and help bring rain or protect their people from extreme weather. Shamanic Ceremonies In the shamanic world, ceremonies are powerful magical events held for specific purposes. Ceremonies are done to change the energy of the past, present or future, or to cause things to happen in the spirit world and in this world.

Shamanic ceremonies generally include some ritual elements, such as cleansing, prayer, and protection. The ceremonies themselves, and even the ritual elements, depend on interaction with the spirits and energy.

No ceremony ever happens exactly the same way twice, because the energy is different every time. The shaman must be constantly aware of the energy and the response from the spirits throughout the ceremony.

The shaman constantly adjusts what he or she is doing according to what is happening. For example, the time spent on cleansing and protection may be longer or shorter, depending on what the shaman senses from the spirits at the time.

Shamans may do public ceremonies where they may sing, dance, do surgery, recite poetry, make sand paintings, do sleight-of-hand, or administer plant medicine. Shamans do whatever the spirits lead them to do to get the desired results.

A single healing may include physical, spiritual, magical, theatrical, and psychological components. Shamans use whatever works.

Shamans also use private ceremonies to heal themselves, increase their skill and powers, and protect themselves and others while they are working with the spirits.

Making a Living Members of the shaman's community and the families of the people they help usually give them gifts, such as animals, food, or money in return for their help. But most shamans still need to support themselves.

Most shamans must also work, gathering food and plant medicines, hunting, gardening, herding animals, or whatever else people in their culture do to make a living. Where a traditional culture exists alongside a modern, westernized culture, a shaman may even have a modern day job.

Impeachment For The Hell Of It

The pages of history are full of events where the little guy without a chance of victory destroyed the stronger opponent through shear obstinatnance. During the battle of the Coral Sea the Japanese plans were destroyed when a US naval forces consisting of a couple of cruisers and half a dozen destroyers encountered the main Japanese naval task force. Common sense would have dictated the US forces run for it, out numbered and out gunned the cruisers and destroyers instead steamed directly for the Japanese fleet.

The Japanese commander was astonished to see this weaker force begin to attack knowing the Americans weren't suicidal and not in a position where they could afford to lose warships. He feared he was being lured into a trap the Americans were trying to hold him there until reinforcements arrived. The American commander felt he had no other option if they ran the Japanese could destroy them but if they fought it out they at least had a chance. The Japanese fleet turned and fled to the astonishment of the American commanders.

A lesson lost on this Congress, cowed and totally lacking testicles they bend and shuffle while mumbling, "Yes sir." Apparently there is not a chess player in the bunch someone who knows the value of "check."
Congress is made up of pool players aiming for angles not wanting to disrupt the shape on the table. Sheep who dream at night about becoming ninja warriors by just following along quietly and not making waves.

Legendary football coach Bear Bryant sent his team into a national championship game with this speech, "Go out there and make something happen," The message was clear the time for talk was over. Whether his team was the favorite or the underdog was irrelevant it was what the team did on the field right now to make things happen that mattered.

The case for impeachment is clear and incontrovertible the only questions left are whether to list the crimes in alphabetical order or in order of heinousness. Dennis Kucinich is on the right tact by impeaching Cheney first a proverbial shot across the bow. But the sheep lift their heads and mumble, "shhh, don't make them mad we don't have the votes." Even Al Gore who I consider a damn fine fellow is against impeachment but his argument that we don't have time and that it would be counterproductive doesn't hold water either.

The Democratic leadership by announcing their plans complete with a timetable handed their nut sack to the Republicans. All the Republicans need do is stall and the Democrats will appear impotent and so far the Democrats ability to horse trade rivals Jack with the family cow. There comes a time when temerity is not a virtue and politeness is but a shield for cowardness. Excuses such as not enough time or it would be counterproductive or we have to work with them on other issues so we mustn't upset them is merely prolonged capitulation. Sun Tzu the military genius of the Art of War advises, "If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant." The Democrats have mastered the pretend to be weak strategy and Bush has achieved a famous level of arrogance, now is the time to irritate him.

Upwards of 80% of the American population has turned against the war make the Republicans explain to America why they support the continued illegal carnage. A solid majority believes the President lied to lead us into this war what possible advantage is there in giving the Republicans a free ride. Make the Republican candidates explain how they supported Bush and should be elected over those who didn't!

1. But we don't have the votes!

No, and you never will until you try! Putting the issue on the front burner generates heat, a heat that cannot be tolerated by the Republicans it refocuses the issue from flag waving and posturing to was this legal? Or was this a sham? Want to be a patriot and wave the flag? Fine, now defend a sham, an illegal humbug a fraud perpetrated on the American people. Wave your flag and defend your Presidents illegal sham as the bodies pile up in your district. It's damn difficult to lose an argument when you hold the moral high ground the logical high ground and 80% of American public opinion.

Even Custer wouldn't charge blindly into that fight the Republicans will run from Bush faster than the rivers run in spring! John McCain has tied himself to the President's positions and see how's that working out for him among Republican voters?

2. We don't have the time!

That's easy enough to say sitting in your cozy Washington flat, however if you were in your trailer outside Baghdad ducking mortar rounds every night you might judge time a little more liberally. Or if you're a mother in Omaha or Galesburg counting the days waiting on your son or daughter one day is sufficient enough for a lifetime.

3. We must work with the Republicans on other issues!

No, no you don't they have to work with you! You are in the majority now. And besides if you back them into the corner defending Bush and Cheney with all the scandals and illegal war they won't be around there much longer and you can work with the new guys. The Republican's are in a quandary, contributions are falling, their base splintering, and their ideological philosophy totally debased. Bush hasn't just broken the treasury or the military he's broken the Republican franchise to smithereens.

4. It would be counter productive and we have so much work to do!

Point blank! Like what! What's more important than American boys fighting and dying half way around the world more in service to multi national oil companies than to the American flag. They're fighting and dying to defend their buddies not America, Tell me, what's more important than that!

The reasons for impeachment are clear and justified; we are not talking blowjobs or indiscretions here.
We are talking about war crimes and if this President is not to be impeached none ever will be again and we lose the ultimate safety valve on our government. For any future President can call on history for his or her defense, by simply saying they didn't impeach W so the charges against me must be frivolous or pure politics' and he or she will be right. Maybe the current flock of sheep grazing on congressional paychecks are too afraid to upset the status quo.

I'm sure they have a lot of friends among the Republican's and don't want to herd them towards the cliff or force them into the butcher's wagon. But we are past comfort zones here! There is a mad man at the helm who makes Richard Nixon look like a boy scout, was Nixon impeached for a blowjob or with good reason? But I will give them no respite they have no choice here in this, this isn't about pandering or politics' this is about procedure and justice for the American people. For the men who have died needlessly and those who will spend the rest of their days living with that truth and for all of us who must pay the bills yet to come due.

Just like the US navy in the Coral Sea the battle is forced upon you, if you run you will be defeated. You must move forward with the attack not just because it's your best chance of victory but also because it's your duty and it's the right thing to do! So don't you dare wrap yourself in the American flag and talk about our brave troops! They're doing their duty while you mumble your weak excuses, excuses that make you an accomplice by refusing to act! To paraphrase our clueless leader, "Your either with us or against us"

A Religion In Need Of Redemption

Generally, religion figures human beings need redemption. Now, we note, at least one religion is in dire need of redemption: Islam.

The explosive evidence speaks for itself – unfortunately, louder than any other voice in Islam.

But can enough Muslims be convinced that their religion needs salvation?

If a humor magazine can't do it, who can? Here's a short course, called Good Religion 101.

Is a religion supposed to be an enhancement of life or a liability against it? What is its merit to the living when it becomes a liability against life? For that matter, what is its merit to the ultimate source of life – in this context, taken to be Allah, the one true pal of us all?

To be meritorious, a religion must be primarily about the sanctity of life, not the sanctity of death. The more it subordinates life, which is what we have in our care, the more it has gone wrong.

To be fair, we do hear or read an occasional Islamic voice that has not lost sight of what a meritorious religion must be, but where are the voices of Islam's millions, most notably its multitude of mullahs?

To the extent that Islam's we-know-better members do not raise their voices against their religion gone wrong, they permit it to be denigrated in the service of death.

The question is, can it be put pervasively in the service of life? Can it be made exemplary for the lives of Muslims themselves – men, women, adults, and children – as well as good for all the infidels who just wish it would go away?

If it is to be transformed into a religion that doesn't need to be saved, it must become one that is good for all the living. After all, only behavior that is good for everyone can be held up as a standard for everyone or as proper reverence to the ultimate source of us all.

We leave right-minded Muslims with the question wrong-minded Muslims have forced into the foreground. Can Islam be redeemed?

A lot of good people don't think so. They think the religion is a hopeless case. Since their opinion could only arise from ample cause, it's all the more urgent for right-minded Muslims to bestir themselves on behalf of their religion gone wrong.

Asleep Too Long, Wake Up

Back Off

Why are you sleeping? Can't you hear the rolling thunder blasting the sky? Wake up, I tell you, wake up. See, the billows and the sky rolls, the winds furious, mountains and hills move from their base, and you are still asleep. Your enemies laugh because they see your fall. Continue sleeping and they will have the last laugh. Leave me alone, I'm just tired of your foolish talk, just back off Paul, Okay, Mary.

Time to Wake from Sleep

The idea of scaring me about world events is just not acceptable, Paul; so what if the sea and winds are angry and the thunder rolls. Why are you finding these things so odd, Paul? I don't understanding why you are so concerned about world events because for many centuries nature has taken its course. That is true, Mary, but not in such quick succession as we see today and that is the difference. If you do not wake (not observing what is happening or taking place in our world today) up now, you will not escape the terror that awaits sleepers (not reading the sings of the times, too busy doing your own thing). What on earth are you talking about, Paul? I'm talking about the mark of the beast and the mark of God, Mary.

Mark of Beast and Mark of God

What about the mark of the beast and the mark of God, Paul? Well, Mary, all peoples who refuse to believe in God, read his word and live by it, will have the mark of the beast in their forehead; but those who love and obey God will have his mark in their forehead. However, the unbelieving will not discern or recognise Bible Prophecy fulfilling right before their eyes and will not be able to stand against injustice. Instead, they will agree with those who will take away liberty from the earth and persecute those who will stand for God and his truth. What are your thoughts now, Mary? Well, Peter, what you have discussed with me so far is thought provoking. Also Mary, remember that the signs of the times tell us all that the eminent return of Jesus Christ is near.

Returns as a Thief in the Night

Mary, you need to understand that those who reject God and his word will feel that they are doing God service by trying to eliminate all those who do not agree with their wrong doing. Come on, Paul, you are living in a world of fantasy; no, Mary, I'm not living in a fantasy world because what I have discussed with you may seem to be fiction but believe me it is reality and all based on the word of God. Jesus will come as a thief in the night to all those who have rejected God and his word. But to those who believe and do his will, Jesus' second coming will not be a surprise but a joy to his people because they had been expecting him.

It is Done

One day Mary, you will want to listen but it may be too late because once the mark is set on each person it cannot be reversed. So today and not tomorrow you need to give your heart to Jesus because tomorrow may be too late. You sure make things sound scary, Paul, no, not I, Mary, but the word of God tell us that sin and evil will be destroyed some day; and according to Bible Prophecy (seen in the world events) this time is near. It may be that we are the last generation who will see freedom taken away from the earth, see the mark of the beast placed on the unbeliever, and the mark of God on the saints. You see, Mary, God has given all a choice; either receive his mark or the mark of the beast. Will you choose for him today, Mary?

However, soon after the marking takes place, the trumpets will sound, the graves of those who died in the Lord will be opened and will rise to meet the Lord in the air. Also, the living saints who are alive will meet the Lord in the air (they are those who never tasting death or went to their graves). Nevertheless, the unbelieving who died without the hope of the resurrection (first resurrection at the second coming of Christ) shall remain in their graves, waiting the second resurrection which will take place after the saints reign with Christ for one thousand years in heaven. Those who were alive (those who rejected God and his word) when Jesus returned and was slain by the brightness of his coming will also be waiting to awake from their graves at the second resurrection (after one thousand years). Mary, you need to understand that Jesus will shine brighter than the sun when he returns the second time, hence, the reason the saints will have a new body, a body that will be able to withstand the mighty power and glory of God. Unfortunately, those who rejected God will not have a new body and will not be able to stand before his presence and live.

Whom Will You Choose?

Well, Peter, I would like to know more about giving my heart to Jesus. Will you tell me more about him? Sure, Mary, but right now I have to go but one more thing, you need to remember that God loves us so much that he gave his only son (Jesus) that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but rather have eternal life. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to give up his life and so he did. His death was awful because before his crucifixion soldiers spat in his face, pulled out his beard and was beaten so badly by them that with every lash given came out blood and muscle (flesh). The belt or rod used on Jesus included spikes, spikes which tore his flesh apart. His suffering was so intense that no tongue, language, actor or actress could ever portray his intense agony and torture. He suffered and endured such cruelty so that we could have hope of living with him forever. Living, with our Lord and Creator means living free from: pain, diseases, distress, disappointments, loneliness, rejection, hunger, cruelty, wickedness, evil, and death. Must go now, Mary, speak to you later and God Bless.

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