The Goddess CoverDBabe's blog: "Thought provoking articles"

----------------- Bulletin Message ----------------- From: Confederate Starz Artist Mgt. Date: Feb 8, 2007 10:04 AM People, parents, family members and friends, FOX BROADCASTING and their new show DRIVE may put your kids in their grave before their time. THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL. Do not sit there and think I can't make a difference. It's going to take appoximately somewhere in The neighborhood of 40 to 50 million people speaking out against this show to stop DRIVE, FOX AND THEIR INSANITY FROM DESTROYING YOUR LIVES. FOX WILL BUILD DRIVES NUMBERS THRU ADVERTISING ON AMERICAN IDOL. I read an industry article today, FOX made no apologizes for their position that AMERICAN IDOL is making FOX BROADCASTING THE CASH COW OF NETWORK PROGRAMMING. Fox and their associates,do not care about the dramatic reality that they will unfold before your childrens eyes. DO NOT think it's OKAY, it's JUST ANOTHER REALITY SHOW, In Fox Broadcasting words, this show is sinister. This show will drive you to the finish line, they have that right, It may be your childs last call. At this point I see Fox as Sinister, they care about ratings, not losing the numbers when American Idol is off season, and MONEY HONEY. They do not care that your children will see this as acceptable, because, hey, mom and dad watch it on tv it must be okay. Your child leaves for a while and decides to copy what they see as you accepting this show as being acceptable. In the blink of an eye, they are in their car going to the corner for soda and try and duplicate it. They are not professional drivers. They do not realize the risk, because all of America is watching, it has to be okay. Then you hear a knock on the door. It's the local police telling you you have lost your child to an accident. FRIENDS, WAKE UP, DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO STOP THIS, IT'S BAD ENOUGH STREET RACING IS OUT OF CONTROL TODAY, BUT THIS, WELL, I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO LOOK BACK AND SAY WHY DIDN'T I DO SOMETHING. IF YOU ARE IN THAT SITUATION. IT IS TO LATE. THOSE FAMOUS WORDS, 'TOO LITTLE TOO LATE." Bottom line, do not be so naive as to think oh they are going to be driving old beaters, no big deal. FOR IMPACT, FOR DYNAMICS, FOR CAUSE AND EFFECT, THEY WILL HAVE BLOWN TO THE HILT MOTORS AND TRANNYS AND PERFOMANCE, SO YOU CAN FEEL THE THRILL. I'm sorry and apologize if the picture I painted for you was too graphic, however, I have to do something to wake some of you up to the reality ahead of us. I don't want one parent to write to me later, that they lost their child and I wish I had done something. Please, Pray about this, please do something and tell everyone you know about it and ask them to help. Sincerely, and with much sadness that Fox can now in "their reality show" Change and alter your reality and your childs for eternity. Sher Project Director and Executive Producer http://www.foxcentraloregon.com/news/4542706.html PLEASE REPOST THIS OR SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS IF YOU FEEL LED TO.

This Land is Your Land: Why the Preservation of Natural Resources is important for the future By: Tim Danos In the song This Land is Your Land, Woody Guthrie sang about the importance of the protection of our inherited land. By singing, This land was made for you and me, he describes the state of how humans have acquired the worlds natural resources and how mankind is just as much a part of nature as the smallest ant. Just as the evolution of technology is exciting, it can also be damaging to the balance of biodiversity in surrounding habitats. However, by setting goals and regulations, the needs of the diversity in an environment can be done without damaging the American economy. Throughout the 20th century, leaders in the United States have shown that the preservation of our resources can intertwine with the needs of industries. Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to effectively regulate in support of the environment. President Roosevelt declared fifty-one wild bird refuges, doubled the number of national parks, set aside one-hundred and fifty million acres of land for a national forest reserve, and enacted protection for sixteen sites that included redwood forests in Murr Woods, Mount Olympus, and the Grand Canyon. He also withdrew twenty-six million acres of land from private industries and turned them into public lands (Evans 96). He supported a bill called the National Reclamation Act, which provided the government with ownership of lands for the development of irrigation. Because of the law, the midwest has become a major agricultural area in the world, which provides the nation with 60% of vegetables and 25% of fruits and nuts (USBR, CCRH). By 1909, President Roosevelt left the nation with one hundred and ninety-three million acres of national forests, as opposed to twenty million acres in 1898 (Evans, 96). In the late 1960s, the American public began to call for effective legislation in the preservation for the environment. President Richard M. Nixon pushed great environmental policies throughout his terms of office, which have been called the Magna Carta of environmental laws, including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1972, The Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the first celebration of Earth Day in 1970 (Dickinson 44). The establishment of effective regulations brought results, including a 98% reduction of toxic lead emissions, a 33.34% reduction of sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions, the doubling of swimmable waterways, and the cleanup of toxic waste sites (Pope Sept. 2005 6-7). During the 1970s, domestic and international affairs called for a greater conservation of fossil fuels. The 1973 oil embargo caused by the Yom Kippur War caused great burden on the supply and price of oil in the United States. Automobile drivers had to wait in endless lines for gasoline and experienced a ten cent rise in gasoline from thirty-five cents to forty-five cents (what a bargain!). Many places of employment had to adapt to under heated homes and offices because of the costly price of electricity and oil (Evans, 604). In 1975, Congress passed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which held the provision of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which requires automobile manufacturers to make vehicles run on a minimum amount of fuel per gallon. President Jimmy Carter helped raise the fuel efficiency in vehicles from 13 mpg in 1974 to 25 mpg in 1982, which resulted in a 87% drop in Persian Gulf oil imports (Kennedy 108). President Carter declared the moral equivalent of war on energy. Leading by example, Carter promoted conservation by lowering White House thermostats and wearing a cardigan sweater during fireside chats (Evans 604). Leadership on environmental advocacy came from ordinary citizens as well. During the 1970s, Lois Gibbs became a national icon for her role in advocating for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. Gibbs lived near the Love Canal in New York, which was heavily polluted from hazardous materials produced by the military and the petrochemical industry. She began canvassing her neighbors to sign a petition for federal assistance in evacuating the area after her son and other children in the 99th Street School began developing unusual disorders, including epilepsy, a disorder that causes seizures. Because of the delayed government response to the Love Canal, Gibbs and her supporters took two EPA officers hostage for seven minutes in front of the nation. A week later, the EPA announced the evacuation of citizens residing near the Love Canal (Regenstein). President Carter pushed a bill through Congress called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which provided funding and regulation of cleaning up toxic waste sites (SF). Since the passing of the 1980 bill, over 297 Superfund sites have been cleaned and because of Lois Gibbs dedication and perseverance, no commercial sites for hazardous wastes have been opened in the United States (Pope 6-7). Because of the dynamic leadership of environmental advocacy, many issues have been dealt with successfully. Currently, our country has even more issues to deal with in regards to the state of our environment, including mercury contamination, water pollution, smog, and global warming. Mercury contamination is a serious health risk that can lead to the dysfunction of the central nervous system, brain damage, loss of concentration and memory, depression, irritability, stress, sleep deprivation, and ultimately death. The release of mercury pollution comes primary from the emissions of smokestacks,which comes primarly from the coal and chlorine industries, as well as crematory emissions. Mercury emissions are released into the atmosphere, where it forms with rain and settles into bodies of water like lakes and oceans. Marine species like swordfish, tuna, and whales contract the mercury, which are then consumed by humans. The EPA has estimated that one out of every eight women eligible for giving birth have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood stream. In 2000,fifteen percent of the babies born (600,000 out of 4 million) were exposed to unacceptable amounts of mercury (MJ, 40). Another critical issue is the livelihood of our bodies of water. The Chesapeake Bay is a large body of water that runs throughout the state of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Bay is currently suffering from hypoxia waters, which means it lacks a balance of oxygen in the water. Currently, one-third of the Bay is covered in dead zones, which are caused by the release of chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus, which comes from automobile exhaust, fertilizers, sewage, and the overproduction of chicken farming, which produces over 300,000 tons of litter annually (MARYPIRG). The dead zones have challenged the livelihood of marine life, the fishing business, a $300 million dollar annual industry in Maryland, and the general health of humans. Recent reports have found that rockfish populated in the Bay are carrying a disease called mycobacterosis, which can cause skin infections that lead to arthritis. In the past four years, cases for fish handlers disease have grown from 18 to 46 (Williamson). Air pollution is also a significant problem in our country. Smog pollution, the combination of air pollutants like carbon monoxide and ground-level ozone, is a large contributor to the contraction of asthma, heart diseases, and lung diseases. According to the United States Public Interest Research Group ( US PIRG), over eighty-eight million Americans are vulnerable to fine particle pollution. The EPA has reported that seventy-two out of ninety-seven monitored counties have reported levels of fine particle pollution that exceed national health standards. The department also reported that the state of Maryland ranks tenth in excessive fine particle health standards and the metropolitan area of Baltimore-Towson, MD, which is the home to over 2,532,994 citizens, ranks ninth in large areas plagued by smog pollution (US PIRG). The American Lung Association (ALA) has reported that 48% of people they surveyed stated that lung disease limits their participation in sports and many other recreational activities, 36% stated that asthma limits normal physical functioning and 25% agreed that asthma has interfered with social activities. Studies have shown that over twenty-four and a half million work days were lost in 2003 because of asthma-like conditions, which lead to $4.6 billion in indirect costs (ALA). Smog pollution is harmful to the health of our air, the health of our citizens, and the health of the economy. Though mercury poisoning, smog pollution, and water pollution are evident environmental issues, the most pressing and prominent issue of our time is global warming. Global warming is the process of the warming of the Earths atmosphere, which is caused by the release of greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and water vapor, which comes from automobile exhaust, coal smokestacks, fertilizers, power plants,etc. The warming of the earths temperature changes the Earths climate, which causes higher global temperatures, deforestation, the melting of ice sheets, the pollution of oceans, and adverse weather conditions (Subin). Since the 19th century, atmospheric scientists and climatologists worldwide have studied the chemical changes to the global climate. French scientist Jean-Baptiste Fourier discovered the greenhouse effect, which describes the Earths atmosphere as a greenhouse, which traps heat and maintains a stable climate, but when greenhouse gases are released, it changes the earths climate. In 1890, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius expanded on Fouriers studies and found that carbon dioxide played a significant role in the stability of global temperatures. A decade later, Arrhenius began to caution that the combustion of coal and fossil fuels would bring enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to change the temperature of the planet over the course of a few centuries (Subin). Ever since the times of Arrhenius and Fourier, scientists worldwide have studied the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the Earths climate. With the growth of technology in the scientific field and the use of agricultural surveying, global models, satellite images, and the studies of ice and water levels, scientists have been able to gather the overwhelming amount of accurate and precise evidence in support of global warmings effects on the climate of the Earth. In 2001, reports had shown that the earths temperature had increased by one degree over the past century and concluded that the thirty-percent increase of greenhouse gas emissions over the past two centuries played a role in the changing of the climate. Since 1998, when scientists began investigating more into the records of global temperatures annually, the past eight years have been consecutively warmer than the previous one. For instance, reports have shown that the global temperature in 2005 was the warmest ever recorded, just above 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 1998 (Kolbert, 12). The increase in warmer global temperatures is also playing a large role in the melting of ice and the changing of chemistry in oceans. Recent findings have presented that Antarctic ice sheets are shrinking by an annual lost mass of thirty-six cubic miles, which is causing the sea levels of oceans to rise by 0.4 millimeters annually (Eilperin 1). In 2005, researchers and scientists have found evidence that over the past forty years, the temperature of the oceans has become increasingly warmer. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has estimated that the ocean has absorbed over one-hundred and eighteen billion metric tons of carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution, which has caused the altering of the chemistry of oceans . Because of this change, twenty percent of the worlds coral reefs are damaged by bleaching and water temperatures. Over the past ten years, fifteen percent of the worlds sea grass has disappeared, which deprives species like the juvenile fish, manatees, and sea turtles of natural habitats and a stable food supply(MJ 38-44). Global climate change is causing significant problems worldwide. In November of 2005, a report by scientists at the University of Wisconsin and the World Health Organization (WHO) disclosed that Africa is being effected by climate change-related diseases like malaria, diarrhea, and malnutrition, which are all caused by sensitivity of an unstable climate (Papasain). The severity of storms has grown, especially in 2005. During last fall, the Gulf Coast region was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst disasters ever to hit the United States. Shortly after the storm, specialists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published studies that concluded that tropical storms have grown sixty percent larger, winds are fifty percent more powerful, and the likeliness of Category 4 &5 storms has increased over the past twenty-five years. Scientists like Norman Myers have predicted that without immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rising waters will leave 150 million people worldwide displaced, which would be equivalent to having 150 Hurricane Katrinas, with the exception of areas without places of retreat like the Superdome or Convention Center in downtown New Orleans, and without the financial resources to produce $200 billion dollars in government appropriations for repairs (McKibbon 32). Global warming also poses a threat to ecosystems, forests, and the livelihoods of various species. In Canada, voracious mountain pine beetles have infested acres of Canadian forests that are three times the size of the state of Maryland. In the past, colder weather patterns were able to control the pine beetle swarming the forests, but because of the changing climate, the weather has allowed the species of the pine beetle to overpopulate the region. Because of the growing rate of greenhouse gas emissions, the Canadian Forest Service has predicted that eighty percent of pine forests will be dead within the next seven years because of the parasitizing from the pine beetle (Struck). Many species of animals have become vincible due to unstable climates. The red-breasted goose, which breeds near the Arctic river, has seen a decline in food sources because of vulnerablity from rising sea levels. Many species of frogs are endangered because of diseases and droughts. The melting of ice caps and rising sea levels has left the Arctic polar bear to be one of the most vulnerable species to climate change. By the late 1970s, the Arctic polar bear had a population of over 1,200 in the region. Today, only 950 populate the area. Global warming is leaving the Earth very insecure to the pressures of higher global temperatures, the melting of ice sheets, the pollution and modification of the chemical makeup of oceans, adverse weather conditions, deforestation, and the endangerment of species worldwide (MJ, 46, Kluger 36-38). Although our ecosystems, forests, health, and waters are becoming much less safe due to the increase of human-imposed activities, the most important factor in our country, our democracy, is being endangered by our government, which is being corrupted by special interests over the interests of the American public. President George W. Bushs administration has not only been absent in taking effective measures to protect our natural resources and providing steps for future energy sources, they have purposely manipulated our democracy in order to fulfill an agenda set forth by corporate interests. The Bush administration has consistently ran on an agenda that has suppressed the debate over public energy and environmental policies. In 2001, scientists and representatives from around the world met in Kyoto, Japan to discuss an international agreement on actions to restrain greenhouse gas emissions. After relentless lobbying from the Global Climate Coalition, a group of automobile and oil corporations, (and the administrations own ideology), President Bush backed out of the treaty, leaving the United States of America to be the only country not to sign or participate in the Kyoto Protocol because it would hurt the economy (Dupler). What corporate ties also make up part of the US economy? The automobile and oil industries. In early 2001, Vice President Dick Cheney was appointed to establish the administrations energy policies. During closed-door meetings at the White House, the Cheney Task Force discussed an energy policy that included environmental deregulation, energy industry tax breaks and loopholes with executives from the energy industry. Cheney never included any advocates from consumer, environmental, or health organizations during those specific meetings to debate the policies and only invited these advocates for a five-minute meeting and a photo-op in the Oval Garden (Dean, Kennedy). The current administration also has ties with the manipulation of the science surrounding global climate change. In 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency made the effort to summarize climate science in a State of the Environment report. The White House constantly interfered with the report by inserting excerpts of information from the American Petroleum Institute, a lobbying group for the natural gas and oil industries, to clout the section in order to subvert scientific consensus. By the time the report was issued, the climate science section was missing (Kolbert 164). In June of 2005, Philip Cooney, the chief of staff on the White House Council on Environmental Quality, resigned from his position after reports proved that he had edited governmental climate change reports to undermine the scientific consensus on global warming. By changing the language in the reports, for example, changing the words point to to is and indicate with maybe, the consigns on global climate change would be undermined, which would give reasons for lacks of legislative action. After his resignation, Cooney went on to work for Exxon-Mobil (Kolbert 165). In 2001, Republican party activist and pollster Frank Luntz told Congressional Republicans that by challenging the science of global warming, voters [will] believe that there is no consensus about global warming in the scientific community. Because of public skeptism on the validity of the scientific proofs of global warming, the attention will be dropped from public demand to create effective policies by imposing regulations on big business. The Bush administration has not only corrupted scientific evidence, but corrupted federal agencies with appointees whose actions contradict their job titles. Shortly after the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the city was filled with debris that produced harmful chemicals like asbestos, concrete dust, and lead. The EPA was ready to make new releases that the air in Lower Manhattan was not safe and would require a long cleanup of the area. However, on September 18, 2001, after pressure from the White House, the EPA announced that the air met government standards and was considered safe. With these declarations, brokers and stockholders on Wall Street would benefit from the reopening of the stock market, but would leave the health of Lower Manhattan residents vulnerable to deadly chemicals (Dean, 163). The White House also interfered with EPA warnings over 2,800 miles away from New York City. In September of 2001, former EPA director Christie Todd Whitman traveled to Libby, Montana, where the hazardous material vermiculite has led to high levels of asbestos contamination in the area. After records and reports had shown that billions of tons of the chemical had been shipped throughout the US in ventilation systems, the EPA was ready to call a public health emergency declaration. However, after pressure from the White House, the EPA did not make the declaration, leaving citizens that reside in fifteen to thirty-five million homes vulnerable to cancers like asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. (Dean 162). The Bush administration also pushed the EPA to accommodate the coal industry with relaxed emission regulations. As mentioned before, mercury poisoning can lead to many serious problems involving the functioning of the central nervous system and would add complication to a womans pregnancy. Nevertheless, the EPA implemented new rules to override President Clintons efforts to cut ninety percent of mercury emissions by 2008 by allowing up to three times the amount of mercury emissions and delay mercury emission cleanups until 2030 (Dickinson). Another governmental agency that has been corrupted by special interests accommodations is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which oversees public lands under the Department of the Interior. The Bureau has granted over 13,070 drilling permits in public forests and is still struggling to keep up with the first 6,000 permits, while restricting biologists from being able to monitor the environmental damage from energy drilling on the lands. In the state of Wyoming, former pristine land like the Jonah Field is now open to drilling platforms, polluted ponds, and pipelines from the natural gas industry (Hardin, Drilling ..). These federal agencies have proven that they are unable to offer protection to the environment and manage our public lands. The most prominent branch of the federal government, the legislative branch, which creates and protects the laws of our country, is also being controlled by politicians looking for corporate interests instead of making informed decisions and valuing the credibility of scientific studies. Recently, a bill sponsored by Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR) has been called into dispute because of contrary scientific findings. The Forest Recovery Act, which would allow logging after a catastrophic event like a wildfire, was written to be the best way to suppress fires, both present and future. However, a graduate student, Daniel Donato, at Oregon State University found that post-wildfire logging would disrupt the process of recovering forests and would increase risks on the biodiversity in a forest environment. Donato has endured a lot since the release of his studies. First, the Department of Forestry at OSU, which receives ten percent annual funding from the timber industry, attempted to interrupt his publication of the findings in the journal Science. The Bureau of Land Management threatened to cut off the $300,000 federal grant given for that specific research on wildfires. Finally, Donato faced ridicule from Congressional members in support of post-wildfire logging. At a recent Congressional subcommittee, he was accused of having a deliberate bias, lack of humility, and ignorance of statistical theory because his findings did not support their legislative agenda (Hardin, Logging). Congressional members have also shown to great persistence in pushing their special interests through Congress. Senator Ted Steven's (R-AK) has attempted to drop the federal protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil interests in the region. ANWR was originally established by President Eisenhower in 1960 and expanded in 1980 by President Carter. The Refuge is the home to caribou herd, foxes, grizzly bears, wolves, and many other species. Countless studies have proven that even if the land was opened to oil drilling, it would not make the country less dependent on foreign oil and would only affect the price of oil by pennies. However, Sen. Steven's continues his effort to push this provision throughout the Senate. Last December, Steven's pulled a desperate and greedy move by adding the provision to a defense appropriations bill that would give funding to American soldiers in Iraq and federal assistance to the Gulf Coast region. Finally, a few days later, just before the winter holidays, the provision was dropped from the bill (Sierra Club, ANWR). Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA) is attempting to eliminate the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires major projects on federal land to be disclosed with facts on environmental impact and the opportunity for debate from the general public. Recent panels in California, Texas, and Washington state have had disproportionate ratios between industrial leaders and environmental advocates at these meetings, with environmentalists representing only fourteen percent of the panel, or the ratio of one environmentalist to seven corporate representative. (Pope, Nov-Dec. 2005). Pombo has also planned for many years to repeal the Endangered Species Act, which is a law that protects species whose habitats are endangered from human activity, especially from urban sprawl. Pombos intentions in running for Congress came when his ranch was devalued because of the law. Pombos reformation of the bill, which includes revisions like the destruction of habitats, federal compensation for devalued homes, letting government agencies, such as the Department of the Interior, decide on the fate of an endangered specie and the removal of marine life protections, passed through the House of Representatives by thirty-votes last fall (Rauber). These politicians are not only undermining the voice of the American public, but becoming the rubber stamp for large enterprises not only at the expense of the American people and essential habitats many species need to survive. Though there is plenty of frustration with the actions of the federal government, many public officials, scientists, and ordinary citizens are providing alternatives for the restoration of ecosystems, recovery for endangered species, providing independent energy sources for the United States, and most importantly, restoring the public voice in public legislation on the federal, state, and local governments and personal actions ordinary citizens can adapt to. First, the health of bodies of water can be restored by reducing nitrogen fertilizer applications by twelve-fourteen percent over ten years, reducing fossil fuel pollution, the restoration of wetlands, the banning of fertilizer applications during the winter, and imposing limits on mercury pollution from the coal industry. (MJ, 42-43). Water restoration can also be done by better management of ecosystems and marine life, which includes adding more marine reserves, offshore national parks, and managing U.S. fish stocks more efficiently (MJ, 37-40). Second, the reduction of human activity on critical habitats can reestablish the livelihood of endangered species. Because of ozone depletion, which is caused by the release of CFCs (chloroflourocarbons) primary from air coolant systems, species of amhipibians like the Cascades frog are facing difficulties in their breeding cycles, causing the reduction in their population. Development in the Alaskan Tongass forest threatens the lives of species like the bald eagle, deer, and grizzly bears. However, by using safer alternatives like HCFCs (hydrochloroflourocarbons) and recycled paper, the need for CFCs and regular paper will diminish, and thus will help with the restoration of the ozone layer and the protection of public forests. Third, the use of renewable energies will lead to an independent energy source for the United States, provide jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With the increase in the investment of flex-fuel automobiles, which run on a combination of E85 ethanol, derived from the sugars from corn and grains, and gasoline, and the development of ethanol plants will lower gas prices by as much as eight cents a gallon initially, create jobs in rural communities, lower the $700 billion trade deficit by keeping energy revenues in the US, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent by 2050 (NCGA, NRDC). By using solar energy, which converts the energy from the sun into electricity, citizens will see the deduction of energy and utility bills and the diminution of over 350 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually (SC). The development of wind energy, which converts mechanical energy into electricity by a wind turbine, will bring tax revenues and royalties to local areas, create 80,000 jobs annually, and lead to the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (SC, Clean Power). Currently, many actions are being taken on the federal, state, and local governmental level to promote clean energy for the United States. In Congress, a bill titled the Fuel Security and Consumer Choice Act (S. 1994) (H.R. 4673), sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA), plans to set a national goal of ending U.S. dependence on Middle East imports within ten years, increase the fuel economy of our cars and SUVs to 40 miles per gallon over the next ten years, mandate that all vehicles are capable of running on gasoline, ethanol, or a combination of both by 2015, and mandate that 25% of all residential and commercial energy be generated by renewable sources by 2020 (US Fed, Markey). Ten states are taking the initiatives on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of clean energy. The Clean Cars program sets standards that include cutting eighteen percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and the promotion of the use of hybrid cars. This reduction of gas emissions would be equivalent to taking sixty-eight million cars off the road annually, which would save 7.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually and save consumers over $14.6 billion dollars over fourteen years (STATE PIRGS). Local governments are also playing a role in energy policies. The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is a policy that 178 mayors in 37 states have joined to improve government building energy sources, the planting of trees, and purchasing hybrid and other clean energy buses (SC, Climate Control). In Burlington, Vermont and many California cities have promoted the use of solar energy, wind energy, and conservation throughout public programs. At last, there are plenty of actions that can be done on the personal level to promote conservation, including recycling, using recyclable paper, car pooling, public transportation, properly inflating tires on personal automobiles, using fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs, limiting water use by taking less showers and washing dishes and laundry less, unplugging lights and electronics while sleeping, and most importantly, participating in the legislative process by advocating for effective public energy and environmental policies on the local, state, and federal levels of government. John McConnell, the founder of International Earth Day, once said, "Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure." While technology can be convenient, it can also be detrimental to our air, health, water, and our indigenous planet. However, by using emerging technologies and pushing for effective actions from our government, we can promote independent energy sources, create positive changes for the economy, provide safety for our country, and restrain pollution from our air, land, water, and bodies, protect the species we share the planet with, and restore the democratic political system of the United States of America. Works Cited American Lung Association. Asthma in Adults Fact Sheet. 14 Mar. 2006. . Dean, John. Worse than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush. New York: Warner, 2004. Dickinson, Tim. A Polluters Feast. Rolling Stone Sep. 2005: 44-45. Dupler, Douglas. "Kyoto Protocol/Treaty."Environmental Encyclopedia.Eds.Marci Bortman,Peter Brimblecombe,Mary Ann Cunningham,William P. 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Bush and His Corporate Pals are Plundering the Country and Hijacking our Democracy. New York: HarperCollins, 2004. Kolbert, Elizabeth. Field Notes From a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change. New York: Bloomsbury, 2006. McKibbon, Bill. Year One: Climate Choas Has Arrived. Sierra Jan-Feb. 2006: 30-35. Maryland Public Interest Research Group. Protect Marylands Waters. 30 Mar. 2006. . National Association of State PIRGs. 10-State Clean Car Standards to cut 64 Million Metric Tons of Global Warming Emissions pear years by 2020. Papasian, Melanie. Climate Change and Disease. EnvironmentWashington Mar 2006: 4-5. Pope, Carl. Closed Door Democracy. Sierra Nov-Dec. 2005:6. Pope, Carl. Phony Federalism. Sierra Sept-Oct. 2005: 6-7. Rauber, Paul. Eco-thug: Richard Pombo. Sierra Jan 1996:16. Regenstein, Lewis G.,andDouglas Smith. "Lois Marie Gibbs (1951 ) American Environmentalist and Community Organizer."Environmental Encyclopedia.Eds.Marci Bortman,Peter Brimblecombe,Mary Ann Cunningham,William P. Cunningham,andWilliam Freedman.Vol.1.3rd ed.Farmington Hills, MI:Gale,2003.639-640.2vols.Gale Virtual Reference Library.Thomson Gale.Georgetown University.07 March 2006 Sabin, Paul. "Global Warming.Dictionary of American History.Ed.Stanley I. Kutler.Vol.4. 3rd ed.New York:Charles Scribner's Sons,2003.5-9.10vols.Gale Virtual Reference Library.Thomson Gale.Georgetown University.07 March 2006 Sierra Club. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Americas Natural Treasure in Peril. Sierra Club. Clean Power Comes on Strong. Slater, Dashka. Climate Control: U.S. Mayors take the lead on global warming. Sierra Nov-Dec. 2005:12. Struck, Doug. Rapid Warming Spreads Havoc in Canadas Forests. Washington Post. 1 Mar. 2006: A01. US Fed News Service, Including US State NewsWashington, D.C. Rep. Markey Offers President a cure to Americas 'Oil Addiction. Jan 31, 2006. United States Public Interest Research Group. Plagued by Pollution: Unsafe Levels of Soot Pollution in 2004. Jan. 2006: 4-15, 19. Whitty, Julie. The Fate of the Ocean. Mother Jones Mar-Apr. 2006: 32-48. Williamson, Elizabeth. Chesapeakes Rockfish Overrun by Disease. Washington Post 11 Mar. 2006:A01.

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her. "Who was that man?" he asked. The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered. "No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life." "Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed." The next time someone needs you ... just be there. Stay. WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY HUMAN EXPERIENCE. (love this line) PLEASE PASS THIS ONE ON AND GOD WILL BLESS YOU! THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO DO ANYWAY. RIGHT? HAVE A GREAT DAY AND BLESS SOMEONE ELSE IN SOME LITTLE WAY TODAY! GOD IS SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD.

I am so very proud to post the following e-mail. Jaz McKay is a very good friend of mine that I had the chance to get to know while he spent 2 years in Houston helping his sister care for his now deceased mother. I did get a chance to work with Jaz on air doing a live open chat from my home office. Unfortunately, the pics from that night were in my computer when it got stolen. If you get a chance to actually go to his website, please do so. He has some excellent information on it. ________________________The Goddess CoverDBabe_________________________ It was quite an honor to be mentioned in this recent email sent to all the members of Move America Forward.org. Check it out. Move America Forward wrote: The war on terrorism is something we can't lose. There's no option for our nation but to persevere and win. Some days it might seem like the struggle is too difficult - that the deck is stacked against us with a biased mainstream media and a vocal anti-war movement in this country. At a time when you might feel too frustrated to press ahead, or feel defeated or beaten down, we at Move America Forward want you to realize how many other people are fighting for this cause. We want you to know you are not alone, and that at any given moment during each and every day, others are fighting to make sure we win the war against terrorism here on the home front as well. These great people and groups deserve to hear a huge "THANK YOU" for their efforts from every supporter/member of Move America Forward. Please read the summaries below, visit the weblinks, and be sure to drop these people an email and let them know how much we all appreciate their efforts. Make sure these fine people hear from supporters all around the nation, and are emboldened to keep up their great work! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jaz McKay - 1560 AM Bakersfield, California Every weekday from 12:00 Noon - 3:00 PM Pacific, radio talk show host Jaz McKay leads the pro-troops charge over the airwaves at 1560 AM - KNZR in Bakersfield, California. Jaz is an ardent supporter of the men and women of the United States military and the missions they are serving in the war on terrorism. Jaz has spoken out against the United Nations, called for the securing of America's borders, and urged his listeners to send letters, cards and notes of support to our troops who are stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In a world where politicians flip flop on their support for the troops, and the media castigates conservative talk show hosts for "indecent speech" or "hate speech," Jaz McKay doesn't back down. He deserves our support. Please send him an email letting him know he's appreciated for his efforts at: Jaz@knzr.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blogger/Activist Debbie Schlussel Debbie Schlussel is not just a dynamic blogger and political commentator & activist, she's a one-woman force against Islamic extremism. Debbie has targeted faulty airline screening methods, exposed examples of groups who have given cover to Islamic terrorists or worked on their behalf, and she has never wavered from supporting our troops and their missions. You should make an effort to read her blog and pass the link on to others. Whether or not you always agree with everything she says, you know that Debbie will stick to her principles and fight for what she believes in. She's earned my respect, and she endures a great deal of criticism and condemnation from the anti-military constituency. I urge you all to please read her writings and then drop her a note of support at: dschlussel@yahoo.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talking With Heroes - Bob Calvert The Talking With Heroes Show spotlights some of the best and brightest members of the United States military. Bob Calvert has developed a radio program, and accompanying website, that documents the acts of heroism that take place every day by U.S. troops. As Calvert says, Talking With Heroes is about, "...helping, honoring, supporting, and providing information for our men and women in the military and their families. It is also about giving our men and women who are serving an opportunity to share their mostly untold stories about helping the Iraqi and Afghan people. Calvert recently returned from Iraq where he interviewed military personnel. Check out his website to hear more about these accounts. I ask that every Move America Forward supporter also send a note of support to Bob Calvert and the Talking With Heroes program via email to: bob@youngheroes.us --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STYLE type="text/css"> Thanks To D-7 stan Make a Wish ¢¾ Although all men share a common destiny, each individual also has to work out his personal salvation for himself. We can help each other find the meaning of life, but in the last analysis, each is responsible for finding himself. --Thomas Merton One of the great spiritual truths is that each person must work out his or her own personal growth. When a person you care about is in trouble, you can reach out to support his or her healing, but past a certain point you can do no more. No matter how much you love, you cannot carry another person's burdens. What can you do when someone you love is in pain? First, affirm that there is a purpose behind the experience. Know that the spirit has some important lesson to learn that will be of great value to him or her. Second, although you cannot directly intervene, your positive thoughts and prayers do make a difference. Visualize your friend surrounded by light and love. This type of healing acts directly on the spirit level and does not encounter resistance from the conscious mind. Finally, know that Divine protection is present. The forces of light are always available to the person who requests help. Ultimately, no soul can be lost; as all who ask will be guided to the safety of their spiritual home. Listening to Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch "Open your heart to Love and Love will open your heart" Love Stan

Jewel - Hands

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By all means spread the Love please repost

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.break-free-from-the-affair.com www.infidelity-help.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feature Article Romance is Overrated - Get Over It and Move Beyond It! (and two other articles posted to the blog) Get Your Holiday Gifts from the Staff of Break Free and Infidelity-Help 50% off until Day after Christmas Free CDs to Keep You Focused Support and Guidance Accelerate your Healing and Marriage Saving Send to Family/Friends How to forward this newsletter Recommended Sites A list of helpful sites to visit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feature Article Romance is Overrated - Get Over It and Move Beyond It! Almost daily I encounter those entangled in a kind of extramarital affair I describe as "I Fell Out of Love...and just love being in love." The cheating or "offending" spouse has encountered someone where there are "sparks!" Here are common phrases: (to the spouse) "I love you but am not 'in love' with you. The romance in our marriage is gone. I found someone who really loves me." (self thoughts) "I don't want to settle. I have a lot of love to give. He/she treats me like no one else. I feel special with the other person." The "offended spouse" often responds with increased or new romantic gestures. They fall flat. At the core of this kind of affair is a deeply engrained belief that "romance" is the savior and benchmark of a great marriage or intimate relationship. Here are some reflections on romance: 1. "Romance" is subtly touted in our culture (USA) as the ultimate experience in an intimate relationship. Romance is idealized in movies and books as the ecstasy of being "in love." We can't get enough (hugely profitable grocery counter tabloids) of which "stars" are currently "in love" with whom. And, it often does not matter (really) if the are married. Oh gosh, to be like that, to experience that. Wouldn't that be wonderful? 2. Romantic movies are often called "romantic comedies." Ever wonder why they are so funny or why they should be? Or, at the other end, romantic movies are tragedies (Romeo and Juliet). How about the smaltzie "Bridges of Madison County" where the woman and man (Clint Eastwood) never get at the huge "emptiness" in their lives? Ever see a "real" romantic movie? 3. The search for romance whether through an affair or within our marriage often belies powerful personal needs. It has little to do with love and more to do with getting our personal needs met. Most of us have strong needs such as to be acknowledged, adored, cared for or perhaps cherished. Another powerful need is to feel "special." This is often the pattern for a man overindulged by his mother (forgive me for bringing in Freud) or a woman who was the "apple of her father's eye," yet was emotionally deprived in that relationship. Romance becomes the vehicle through which these needs are supposedly met without needing to name those needs or talk about them. (Gosh, he/she knows what I want before I do - he/she can read my mind. He/she/we are special!) Don't get me wrong. Personal needs are ok. We all have them. Personal needs drive, often powerfully, what we go after. But, and this is a huge but, if we do not consciously name them and get them met once and for all (and that can be done!) they continue to drive us and we live perpetually in frustration, always wanting more. Once we move beyond the merry-go-round of personal need meeting we discover our personal passion, our purpose and reach down and touch the essence of real joy and peace. 4. Romance is for mating. Sex (sexual union) is often the bottom line. The "chemistry" described in "romantic love" we are finding, is truly that - raw chemistry. Studies now show (just read this last week) that those "in love" have a high concentration of specific dorphins (chemicals) in their bodies. These are the chemicals found when animals are in "heat." I also believe that we run into 2-3 people in our life-time where we experience this "chemistry." I have no idea why this happens. There appears to be some attraction, based on a huge number of factors that stir our juices - literally. Interesting. But, doesn't mean that I must jump into bed with this person. Maybe some animals do, however. 5. A person seeking romance is often someone looking for a high. They want to feel good. They expect they should feel good. They believe they should jump on something that feels good. They want the pill, the drug, the retreat, the experience that will take away their pain, their emptiness, their loneliness and make them feel good. Of course, it is only temporary. The nagging pain continually emerges and their eternal search for quelling the storm within seeks a new substance. So, should I forget the cards, the notes, the special events I plan secretly for him/her, the I love yous and be cold, frigid and distant? Of course not. Please understand the temporary place of "romance" and the fact that your relationship longs for moments, days, weeks and years in which you declare your self more and more fully and welcome (sometimes with trepidation) the declarations of the other and together explore the depths of acceptance and heightened awareness (love) that moves beyond romance and knows no end. Please go to the blog and leave a comment. Notice how others will appreciate your input! I added a couple new articles to the blog: Feels Like the Agony of the Affair Will Never End Hanging on to the Silver Lining in Infidelity Read and please leave a comment or two. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get Your Holiday Gifts from the Staff of Break Free and Infidelity-Help Gift #1 We wish you a blessed Holiday Season. It may seem difficult, but we want for you to hold your pain, confusion and uncertainty, to acknowledge and embrace it. Please allow yourself to receive comfort from us, others and your self. Then, when you begin to feel the relief, begin to envision the rebirth of your life. Yes, it is possible. More than that, we, the universe, God and others wish for you that rebirth. It is that time of the year! Have you thought of purchasing my helpful and ground-breaking E-book, Break Free From the Affair but haven't gotten around to it, or money is a little short? Well, as part of the Holiday Spirit I'm offering the E-book and the bonus material for half off. Yes, that's a 50% discount. You pay only $24.98! This offer is available only to subscribers of this newsletter. Get it now! The offer will last only until this Friday noon, EST. Click here now to claim your copy of Break Free From the Affair and all the bonus material! Gift #2 This gift came my way as a result of one of you who read "Break Free From the Affair." She also mentioned another resource that dramatically impacted her life and accelerated her healing. It enabled her to shift her focus away from the constant stabbing thoughts of his adultery to the untapped dreams she had for her life. She raved about this resource and suggested we offer it to all of you. Great idea! Here it is! It's two cds by Glenn Dietzel titled: "The Person You MUST Become." I personally listened to the tapes and recommend them. Glenn is easy listening and offers systems to help you reclaim your self confidence and move ahead on the road of becoming the person you really want and can be. And, yes, the CDs are free (a $154 value.) You pay for the shipping and handling and you receive them through the mail. Click here to claim your two free CDs! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Support and Guidance Accelerate your Healing and Marriage Saving If you want to move more quickly through your pain and mend your self and your marriage, sign up for one of our coaching packages. Unhook yourself from the blind spots and move ahead not around in circles. Jen and I will support you, encourage you, love you and help plan a way to break free. You might want to hurry, because when the new E-book, "Infidelity Recovery - Marriage Makeover" comes out, the coaching prices will go up. Telecoaching: Coaching takes place over the telephone. Some call it telecoaching. We schedule a half hour phone consultation per week over the phone. (Sometimes more, depending on your needs.) It's simple. It's convenient. It's easy. It's confidential. Check out the coaching packages. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send to Family/Friends Thinking of family or friends who might benefit from this Newsletter? Forward this Newsletter and let them know they can sign up in the top right corner. Thank you! We hope you find the relationships that give you the support, understanding and encouragement you need. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended Sites Please visit these sites for more highly recommended resources: acespy.com chatcheaters.com pig-dogs.net askmaple.com womansdivorce.com Dec. 19, 2006 Published every other week. To change your subscription, see link at end of e-mail. Sign me up for this Newsletter! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Robert Huizenga Coaching Jennifer Bazner Coaching -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archived articles -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Break Free From The Affair E-book -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testimonials -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Bob Huizenga - the infidelity coach http://www.break-free-from-the-affair.com http://www.infidelity-help.com http://www.break-free-from-the-affair.com/coach.htm If you no longer wish to receive communication from us: Cancel To update your contact information: Update

REPOST THIS ITS BEAUTIFUL TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE. I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS. WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I 'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE"; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY HOME." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT." This poem was written by an unnamed Soldier. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable..... PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to pass on this small seed of remembrance

Saturday, April 15, 2006 Review of My First Bondage Party Current mood: content Category: Parties and Nightlife Wow! What an experience! I had a great time! It's really hard to describe what was there so I copied Michelle's words from what she had set up and I will write how I felt after this: MichelleFromHell wrote 4/14/06: The rooms already have the signs on the doors describing what they are going to be used for. M's room is going to be the massage temple. There will be two beds, the stone massage set up and oils/lotions. I know the ladies love this room! The smaller bedroom will be set up for bondage and sensory play. I'm moving equipment in there which is a great deal of fun to tie people up on. There will also be baskets of ropes and sensory play items in the room for the guests to use for their enjoyment. The dungeon always has the spanking bench in there. The bed I got from Virginia is all set up for tying someone up to it too. All of my toys live in here, and guests are welcome to use them as long as they clean up when they are done. The livingroom is set up as the indoor non-smoking socialization area. I am hoping people will feel comfortable playing in there too. Remember I have a california king size bed for a couch, so its great for folks who like to puppy pile together. The make-up/transformation area is set up near the kitchen. I have tons of costuming, jewerly and make up out for the guests to play around with. Cross dressing curiousities can be explored very easily, including but not limited to panties and bras, except for shoes. I have not bought cross dresser shoes yet. I'm getting there. I have a rack of extra sarongs in this area too for anyone who may need them. I know some folks would get into costume once they see others braving it, so I made sure to put these out for them. I hope many folks do not need this extra push, but I am prepared if they do. The buffet will be inside. It's already decorated and Richard is preparing to cook the main dish. It is so lovely having a chef to handle these things for me. He is always a blessing to have working beside me. The bar is going to be outside on the patio. We have the space set up in a very open flow pattern to accomidate the fourty guests we are expecting. Smoking is allowed out here. I prefer we keep the socializing outside, so that the indoor spaces can be used for play. The little house out in the back yard has the sex swing in it. You are welcome to play in there as well, but try to keep the screaming to a minimum. If you need duct tape, just ask. lol.... __________________________________________________ Ok so I was a little scared of what to expect but I knew Michelle from long ago and I knew that she wouldn't let me get hurt. I wanted to find out what her lifestyle had changed to since we were little girls. The world of BDSM scares most people because they don't understand what it is that attracts people to it. The just think of pain and not care to learn anymore. I felt that way too for a long time. When I saw that she was into it, I was shocked at first. I felt scared for her. You can't know what a person is like until you know their interests and you can't shun a lifestyle that you know nothing about so I wanted to learn why she was doing it and I was curious myself. The them for the event was a Tropical Paradise. I bought material for the sarong, put it on with leopard print panties underneath. I promised to make vegtables for the buffett and went. I drove down the street and saw cars all up and down. I thought "Oh my! There's a lot of people here" I drove the street twice because I couldn't find a parking space and I was still a little nervous. I saw a man get out of his car and walk up so I parked and went to the door loaded down with food. I walked in and was stunned to find a big bed in the living room. Couches, chairs, bean bag chairs all around it. People sitting and talking in various sarongs and regular clothes. Michelle greeted me with open arms and introduced me as an awaited guest. A new star on the horizon kind of way. It freaked me out at first. I was readily accepted by everyone. I saw people in all different kinds of clothing who felt free to wear what ever they wanted to and express who they were. It wasn't a vanilla party where people gathered in little cliches to talk about one another, it was friends accepting people as they were. I marveled at that. As I ate outside, I listened to different people in various stages of exploration of their own interests. It was very intriguing to see couples who looked normal to the outside world and talk about their bedroom pleasures. Then a 6 foot tall cross dresser came out and did a show. He loved it and so did his mistress. I stayed out socializing for an hour more then I ventured in to check out the different rooms. I watched many different acts being performed with varying degrees of props being used. People that came as couples were allowing another to dominate the partner as they watched with other people. I was never sent away. One dom allowed me to sit and listen to her explain all the props or toys she had brought in her bag. It was very interesting to hear what each one was used for and how it was a sensory item etc. I later got to watch her use them on a man. Really cool. Toward the end of the night, I walked into the "Dungeon". There was a man in plain clothes spanking a sub female that I had talked to earlier and many other people standing there watching. She saw me come in, looked at me and smiled as he wacked her. He turned to one of the sub men and said, "Don't walk away, she is hot right now and needs to be cooled down." The sub kissed and licked her. She asked if she could see herself and he complied. She was excited by the redness of her butt in the mirror. She said, "I like to look at it as my red badge of courage and I wasn't going to leave here until I got my spankings!" She trotted out the door and the subs started cleaning up the toys. I just stood there and watched. The dom walked over to put away the toys and looked straight up at me and said, "Do you want yours?" I'm sure my eyes were as big as saucers. I stammered and felt uneasy. I said, "I'm new here. This is my first party and I thought this was a FemDom party?" Then, I was questioned about what I was or even if I knew. I was then taken to the spanking bench. I didn't know what to expect but he made the others leave since it was my first time. Since many of my readers have no experience with BDSM, I will try to explain each of the toys that were used. The first one was many speghetti sized nylon cords knotted and attached to a handle. He raised my sarong and commented on my leopard print panties turning him on. He then proceeds to spank me with this thing. Holy crap it hurt after the 5th swat and I stood straight up. He figured that I couldn't tolerate it so he got a paddle. This was much better for me. In fact, it turned me on greatly. He would swat me and I would thrust my ass back out antagonizing him for another. This turned him on as well and he brushed himself up against me to let me know that he too was excited. He took his hand and moved my panties out of the way to check the redness and then ran his fingers down the edge to my soaking middle. He liked that I was so wet and spanked me more. He made me turn around to him and he told me that I was a good girl. He then provided some "Aftercare" We walked outside after it was done and I saw the cross dresser there with his mistress. I told her that I missed his beating. She said, "Well have at him." She tells him to bend over for me and I smacked his ass with my hand and pinched his legs. She gets up and shows me how he likes having fingernails dug into his back and we both spank and claw him. This was sort of a power trip for me because I was abused by my ex husband. Here was this man liking it and thanked me for it. I was always considered Dom after leaving my ex husband because I swore that no one would ever beat me like he had. BDSM is quite different. This is about trust. It's about knowing that the beatings can stop and you can walk away with no one's feelings being hurt. It's consentual. You don't get beat unless you want it. The depth and degree is as much as you want to allow. Nobody FORCES you to do anything. No one will hunt you down if you choose never to do it again. That's the difference. The Goddess has spoken!

MEMPHIS, TENN. — A church that wanted to do something special for Hurricane Katrina victims gave a $75,000 house, free and clear, to a couple who said they were left homeless by the storm. But the couple turned around and sold the place without ever moving in, and went back to New Orleans. "Take it up with God," Joshua Thompson told a TV reporter after it was learned that he and the woman he identified as his wife had flipped the home for $88,000. Church members said they feel their generosity was abused by scam artists. They are no longer even sure that the couple were left homeless by Katrina or that they were a couple at all. "They came in humble like they really needed a new start, and our hearts went out to them," said Jean Phillips, a real estate agent and member of the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ. "They actually begged for the home." The church was also shocked by an ungrateful interview the couple gave with WHBQ (Channel 13) in Memphis. "I really don't like this area," said Delores Thompson. "I really didn't, and I didn't know anybody, so that's why I didn't move in and I sold it." Thompson, reached in New Orleans on Tuesday, thanked the church for its generosity but said she saw nothing wrong in selling the three-bedroom, two-bath house. "Do I have any legal problems? What do you mean? The house was given to me," she said. "I have the paperwork and everything." She refused to comment further and hung up. The church had decided that it would do something special for one Katrina-displaced family, in addition to its other efforts to help evacuees. The church set up a committee to find the right family and conducted several dozen interviews. Delores Thompson told the committee that she and her husband lost their jobs, their home and their possessions, committee member Joy Covington said. The family said it wanted to resettle in Memphis. Thompson took possession of the house in February and sold it in September. Property transfer records for the resale list her as unmarried; the papers from the original sale list her as married. "I feel like it was a sham or a ripoff," Covington said. Church members

COWBOY SEX... Prior to her trip to Texas, Buffy (a New Yorker) confided to her co-workers she had three goals for her trip to the Lone Star State: 1. She wanted to taste some real Texas Bar-B-Que. 2. She wanted to take in a bona fide rodeo. And.. 3. She wanted to have sex with a real cowboy. Upon her return, the girls were curious as to how she fared. Let me tell you, they have a tree down there called a Mesquite and when they slow cook that brisket over that Mesquite, it's ooooh so good. The taste is unbelievable! And I went to a real rodeo. Talk about athletes those guys wrestle full grown bulls! They ride horses at a full gallop, then jump off the horses and grab the bull by the horns and throw them to the ground! It is just incredible! They then asked, Well tell us, did you have sex with a real cowboy?" Are you kidding? When I saw the outline of the condom they carry in the back pocket of their jeans, I changed my mind!"