I have so many to draw on but two loom large for very different reasons. The first is Carl Rogers, the psychologist who discovered the full link between how a person FEELS and how they then act, to bring a different kind of counselling to the profession. He is certainly my hero and mentor. 

The next person has to be William Bridges, the author of 'Transitions', for the simple knowledge that one cannot start a new life without concluding the old. It might seem like common sense but not to the millions of people living in limbo between relationships, dragging their carcass of hurt around with them continuously, refusing to let go off the past while being robbed of a present and future. Very tragic.

I needed to hear that advice between 2001 and 2003 because that period represented the worst 18 months of my life. Bridges' book certainly made the difference to me in how to deal with such trauma.

Additionally, my mother will always be my biggest influencer simply because of the amazing way she lived and brought us up, despite being estranged from her own family, being a victim if racism and having very few resources. She taught me two things mainly: the power of love and to value myself, and they have been the foundation of my own approach to life.

©Elaine Sihera (Ms CYPRAH) 2011
Emotional Health and People Management Consultant
"Respect and love begin with the self. If we have none, how can we give away any?"

"So because I got a lotta paperwork to do this morning, we're gonna flip on the TV and watch some Spongebob and chill, ok?"

That right there is one part of the first sentence that the instructor said to my class in Driver's education, the supposedly single most boring week of a teen's life. If you guessed, you are correct. This week has been turning out to be anything except boring. My instructor is hilarious and features a profanity-filled vocabulary, my class "gells" really well and is full of future comedians, and we have so far spent more time watching the Maury show and Jerry Springer than discussing vehicles.

But when we aren't watching trash tv, we are actually discussing the meaning of "Stop" signs, a very complex and confusing aspect that baffles drivers everywhere. We also compared the likeness of a yield sign to a martini glass (I'm not making anything up here), witnessed what would happen if two cars got into an accident (one falls off the whiteboard or something), and proved that the driver's manual is a lie: RR signs are not the only circular signs (and according to the instructor, the smart-ass who made the comment (who does that sound like) can take their stupid evacuation signs and shove it).

So to give you some insight into what could possibly be the least boring class I've ever had to take, I present you the best answers ever heard in Driver's Education:

If a "Speed Limit" sign says 50 MPH, what is the speed limit?"

70!!!

What is the legal way to transport an open container of alcohol?

Paper bag.

And a few more memorable quotes:

(While watching the Maury show): 30 kids? Which f***ed up dude has 30 kids? Homie ain't right!

Yeah I saw a cop show once where they bagged a kid for transporting a keg of beer in the passenger seat. You gotta be f***ing stupid to do that.

Aw, the cops LOVE pulling the kids over. Even if it's just for a chat, they will always get you for something. But me, they never pull me over! You guys need to get those puffy wigs or somethin.

California Roll", what's that, some new kind of joint?

Well if the cops pull you over and a big cloud of marijuana smoke is comin out the window, I think you're past the point of "probable cause" to search the vehicle.

The cops aren't stupid. You are gonna have a bunch of them (beer bottles) in a bag, not one in the center console. What you gonna say- "I was just going to recycle it"?

WHO TOUCHED MY F***ING AIR CONDITIONER?!?!?!

Now that I've got you, you know. If I ever hear about you gettin pulled over for DUI, I'll kick your ass

My son and I got an agreement. If he calls, I'll go and get him, and then kick his ass for getting drunk. If he drives home drunk, I'll kick his ass, and then kick his ass again. And then I'll take his license away.

Oh and here's a good song (and video) that we watched for fun only- not required by the RMV or anything. Highly suggest you check it out- it's about stupid road signs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLm3HMG8IhM

Chain letters have entered the digital age.

While I’m immeasurably annoyed by repeated “Send to 10 people and receive undefined blessings” messages via text, I don’t necessarily blame the friend who forwards it…

However, I doubt that any extra luck or salvation lies within.

I’ve had good and bad luck independent of my instantaneous deletion and flagrant failure to heed warnings… but if I find the jerk-off(s) responsible for this garbage… 

…As far as I’m concerned, these crap generators owe me countless days of neutral luck since they’re constantly trying to pigeon-hole me into extremes based solely on my willingness to bother those on my contacts list.

Stop the madness!

 It is the long warm evening shadows

and the first real cicada song that turns

into a bright noisy opera

it tells of the last heady days of summer

what a bummer

 huh,

But it is how we use

before we lose

that is the quality of these days

save them and it pays

when the window is frost glazed,

Warmth is a temperture to endure

a sultry deal that is pure

now that we will have fewer

that is its real lure

nothing can be truer,

Nesting is all done

growing then will cease

time for fattened geese

pass me the peas please

was that just a sneeze

please pass the hankies

or we all weeze,

winter does look near

warm days fly in fear

leaves all fly so dear

now that sky is clear

where'd they "dis-a-peer"

those warm days we held here,

Only in our hearts

that's where summer starts

when we look ouside

at the wide white blanket

that does there glide

darkness it does slide

quicker now

and with winter pride

glad I'm warm inside,

That's when real summer starts

 only in our hearts!

Why is the word black such a negative, insulting or offensive word? Any non black person when trying to insult a black person can simply say: You're black! Is that all it takes to insult someone? Is simply the fact of being black such a bad thing?

Why won't a "white" person be offended if called white?

In Brazil, the word Negro is not an insulting word. It's known as "black people's race" therefore we don't take it as a bad thing. The word black, as the color, is however an insulting word in Brazil. While here in the US, both words are insulting to African Americans.

I've heard recently from an older Jamaican lady who moved to New York many years ago: "We moved to the US for financial reasons. But until we came here, I didn't know my color was a problem". And speaking with a fellow Brazilian who's been living in the US for a few years now, her answer was: "It's more like I never had to be reminded of my color until I lived here". 

It is a fact that we are reminded of what ethnic group we belong to (on a daily basis even) anywhere where you need to fill out a form for anything in the US. Until not so long ago I used to think the reason for this "putting people into categories" was for census purposes or marketing purposes, I don't know.

When speaking to different black people about their experience, I find that most of them always have some terrible racist story to tell and it's sad to hear that people will treat others badly simply because of their skin color.

And this is not only a issue of Black American people. This issue happens everywhere in the world but for some reason it just seems like it's more intense here than anywhere else.

Because it makes people feel like they need to be aware of their skin color, and work harder on everything to be accepted. There are people who are very conscious of their skin color. Once while in a company meeting, this older Black lady turned to me and said: "wow we are the only two dark skinned people in here". I asked her why she said it and she responded that she wasn't used to it...that because she was from Florida, she was used to seeing more Black people around.

Now, how does one get away from being "Black"? How will black children feel when they have to realize that they are colored and it makes a difference to them being the few or only one in the crowd? They need to understand that the negativity on the word is only other people's opinion. 

For some reason I believe that (some) people do make themselves go through that consciously or unconsciously. The feed back I got are mostly from older people. But I still think that we are the ones responsible for how we feel about ourselves not other people. We have the power to let things affect us negatively or not.

If people start to look at themselves positively and not pay attention on how others perceive them it might make things a little better or easier to deal with.

Because, really, who said white people are better than anyone else? Who said Black, Hispanic, Asian and Middle eastern people are different from white people, except for the "outside" physical features? 

This is the 21st century, it's years and years from the beginning of times where ignorance and lack of information reigned and played a huge part in society. We are no longer ignorant...information is available everywhere and most people know that all humans have the same capacity and that there is no such thing as superior "race". 

People need to realize that they need to value themselves and not let words affect them in such negative manner. We no longer live in times where people can get away with killing others simply for disliking them for being "different". We have the freedom of speech power and laws to protect us.

I have not yet experienced racism in this country, at least not directly; but do not look for it and maybe this is why I don't feel it. Or maybe because 'black' foreigners here are not seeing as "African Americans" therefore we receive "special treatment"?!?

But I never had problems with the law, maybe because I never committed any crime; renting or buying a house, maybe because I have good credit; getting a job, maybe because I have experience and the skills required. And if I didn't, especially in this economy, it's because there are candidates way better qualified than me, etc.

Maybe I am being naive? I don't know...but there is racism in Brazil also! I don't expect or need to be treated differently because I'm from a different country. I'm a person just like everyone else. And being that the color of my skin is the first thing people see before they know me, this is especially why I do not like to believe in racism based on "race" alone. Because if someone doesn't like black people, they won't like me regardless of where I come from.

The more I get to know people's stories, the more I realize that yes, there are some really negative, ignorant individuals out there. But I also notice that there are those who are afraid, or aren't confident enough or simply can not get away from the negativity that other people put in their minds about their own selves.

We need to keep in mind that we can not change other people's ways or mentality and we have no control over anyone. We can however change ourselves and the way we think, and this is what makes the difference!

Being Black, or red or yellow is not a bad thing at all, be proud of who you are. It's actually awesome!! The idea that white people are better is a myth.  We are all humans, there is no one human better than the other, period!!

When is everyone going to realize that?

I love this song from 3 Doors Down, let me be myself. I think we live in a world where we are not at all allowed to be ourselves. We have to always be watching out and be careful to "no insult others". Alot people probably struggle with this issue because they are always trying to please everyone else, while feeling miserable for not being able to be themselves. It's not at all fair to anyone to have to live like this. We should not have to be hold responsible (or hold anyone responsible) for what others think we mean and what assumptions they make in their minds. When people do that, they are the ones hurting themselves.

If you are a good person, you should try to be yourself at least once!

I dropped two articles yesterday ... and both were buried and didn't make it to top news and politics which was very unusual ...... not clear how that happens .... it has happened before though .... and just as I'm not clear on the fluctuation of earnings in relation to analytics over the past year or so .... I'm not clear on what goes on under the covers in the back room of newsvine .... are computer programmers running the show? is there any investment being made in improving newsvine?

Manual interventions and administrative subjectivity? ... the arbitrary application of procedures or constraints or even censorship?

That's all I have say. What has occurred  ... nothing more ... unanswered questions .... since emails are often not responded too ... that seems to be a policy when touchy questions are asked and not just a coincidence ..

All I know is just has what occurred  ... since most newsviners really DON'T know how the black box works (except perhaps the "insiders"?) ;-)

Something(s) are not smelling right in the back room. Are we actually in Denmark?

ps: I'm not here for ppc and check earnings every few months against analytics out of curiosity .... but I suppose some here might be making enough to buy coffee .... am I missing some change bulletin on how earnings works? I see now that adsense are interspersed with comments ... was there an announcement I missed? who gets the clicks?

pss: one other thing that irks me is being black balled by the newsvine main group and the politics group ... I've made some mistakes posting to groups but nothing unusual ... there is a certain amount of mean-ness and bias involved here .... in my opinion ... 

then again it seems many acknowledge that newsvine certainly is a republic and not a democracy ;-) and they capitulate as we all do

politically ;-)

just some thoughts

SALT LAKE CITY: All hell has broken loose in the most mountainous part of the United States as the entire Mormon religion has taken up arms and issued a formal declaration of war against the town of South Park, Colorado, the birthplace of the popular musical, "The Book of Mormon".

Mormons this morning listened for God, supposedly received their answer, and declared war against the tiny town. Shortly after, citizens were taking up their armor, swords, and sharpened crosses and congregating outside the city, where they began their trek through the snow to Colorado. Prayers could be heard throughout as men, women, and children whispered to each other and to their 2 inch tall statue of Joseph Smith, which each Mormon possesses.

Our own Loretta von Birch was in the city today and will be marching with the Mormons for their entire journey, bringing us the breaking news first. She chimed in on the issue a few hours ago:

"Leafy, I've been with the Mormons since the word was out at 6 in the morning and I must say that most of the state of Utah is marching on Colorado right now. There is almost no one left in Salt Lake City right now because everyone has picked up their weapons in anger, thirsting for the blood of Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The march this morning began quickly on the edges of the city and since then, the pace has gradually slowed as the leaders of the march have begun to realize that God has failed to provide directions to the town."

In fact, the Mormons are in for a very big shock, since South Park does not exist.

"The Book of Mormon" which won no less than 9 Tony awards and has become the #1 musical of the season has angered the religion like no other musical ever has. It pokes fun at almost every aspect that ever existed, from founder Joseph Smith to God's sudden change of heart about African Americans in 1978. Since the release of the musical, the religion has endured a loss of membership and becoming the laughingstock of the entire nation and beyond. 

Today, the rage that has boiled over into an all-out war. How exactly you wage war with a fictional town is beyond me, but the Mormons have always done things in an unconventional manner. 

I got a chance to speak briefly with Matt Parker and Trey Stone, the creators of the popular TV show South Park and the writers of this musical. When asked if they were worried about this war, they replied:

"Well, we've pretty much battled everything from aliens to Barbara Streisand in South Park and so far we've been successful, so to say that we're wetting ourselves with some Mormon nuts with sticks is a bit far from the truth."

To follow the Mormon march on Colorado, visit leafydebater.newsvine.com, where Loretta will be posting updates as the march continues (or not). For now, this is LeafyDebater from Newsvine.com.

Hey Sperm Donor,

Well here I am, you have likely forgot I exist. You knocked up my mom and ran like hell. Your selfish, self-centered life must be complete, although I looked and looked for you, it seems you never tried to check on me.

I have always wondered who you were or where you ended up. A rich business man, a cowboy, maybe a convict. Whatever it was it didn't matter I guess. I made up stories to tell my friends. You were a military man, away in a distant land, a spy for the government, working to defend us all. You even died protecting me from the bad people.

Despite your inability or unwillingness to be a dad, I have made it. I almost went down the same path you did. Mom told me a million times "your just like your father", but the evidence would be to the contrary. You have missed 4 beautiful, pain in the butt grandchildren. They know their dad, and I am here for them. Through the good and the bad. You missed your 1st great-grandchild's birth recently, and her daddy, although still having alot to learn and having some more growing up to do, is trying to do right and has an example to look up to. No thanks to you.

Whether your dead or alive, locked up or free, the father of other abandoned kids or not. I am glad I have not had to worry about you or your miserable life this year. We have likely done better without you. And grandpa and others have filled in for your good for nothing butt when they could, so when they institute a "sperm donor's day" I will acknowledge you more positively. Until then, buzz off. I am the one being celebrated today.

Without Regret,
© Mark H. (Maddad) Newsvine, 2011

Whenever I journey off leaving Sage behind, I turn on the Animal Planet for her to enjoy while I’m walkabout-

More often than not I hang around a bit with her, stretching out my coffee slurping, watching Steve Irwin run around behind the screen doing all sorts of incredible things.

Some time before now I drove with my bushie mates from Mooloolaba to Beerwah to visit the Australia Zoo that Steve Irwin’s father had founded some years before our visit. My Aussie friend, a barefoot bush enthusiast, knew Steve and his Da and wanted me to have a look at what they had created with their zoo. He also wanted me to see a crocodile jump vertically to further educate me on crocs prior to our jump off to the Pennefather, north of Weipa, where these critters flourish full of crankiness.

When we arrived we were disappointed to find out that Steve had headed to Brisbane for the day. All was not lost as his wife Terri was on the property. My friend Terry made the introductions and she enthusiastically gave us a bit of a tour before getting into a “do you know so and so” with one of our group who had family in Eugene, Oregon, where Terri was brought up.
We blokes broke off from the conversation to watch the feeding of some mighty hungry crocs. When one went vertical to snatch a piece of meat dangling from a tree branch Terry leaned over and said, “Mick, be sure to climb to the top of the tree.”

After a few hours of we said our goodbyes and headed back to the beach at Mooloolaba for a swim and a pint or two.

I wish I had met Steve Irwin.
Knowing what I know about the kind of men who tramp around the bush of Australia caring for the land, the animals and the people I am positive I would have held that meeting as one of those “special good times” that have thrown themselves in my path.
In some ways Steve Irwin represents all my friends downunda. His spirit, enthusiasm, humor, knowledge, courage and love for Australia radiate off of all of them-

I miss them.

Aroo.

The idea of dealing with your own death scares the hell out of most people… as well it should.

I was recently reading a story, though, about semi-recently deceased actor, Leslie Nielsen’s grave marker.

For any who don’t know his work, Leslie Nielsen was the comic genius behind the portrayal of a number of professional twits in super-hilarious flicks including, but not limited to, “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun” series.

He was a man who found something he was good at, tried to be serious about it, realized he didn't really want to be all that serious and had more to offer by being a buffoon, embraced it, and endeared himself to generations.

My friggin’ hero.  (For the whole “better at being a buffoon” thing)

Most recently, Mr. Nielsen has continued his quest for anonymous laughter by preemptively dictating his own epitaph which reads… “Let ‘er rip”.

Again, MY… FRIGGIN’… HERO!

Being an aspiring comedic buffoon myself, caring only about the few drips of laughter I might be able to wring out of anyone who will spend a few moment to read some of my nonsense…  I started thinking.

“If I’m going to make fun of everyone/everything else…  Why not death too?..  Just like good ol’ Lieutenant Frank Drebin.”

Now, it may sound weird to those of you who know me or have taken the time to read my insanity before; but I am struggling with exactly which words I might want inscribed on-or-near my final resting place.

People have said very nice things about me in the past, but I don’t want to be presumptuous.

How many “An always loving father”s have you known that were occasionally complete @!$%#s to their kids and the rest of their families when they were still alive? (Me included)

“He was awesome” would be cool, but that only happens occasionally, and putting “He was occasionally awesome”, although funny, is also kinda lame.

I need help here folks… some of you know me and might be able to offer up a few good suggestions… or maybe just tell us all what words you’d like to be remembered by.

It should be noted that I, in no way, shape, or form want to die…  I just like to be prepared (I was a boy scout… it’s my nature).

On a final note, the same story reported that a bench near Mr. Nielsen’s grave stone was also dedicated in his name and reads, “Sit down whenever you can.”…  I love that guy.

Ever since, I got "smacked" down by Soph 0571 for "honing in" on her site and trying to suck off her loyal readers, confuse them with my nonsensical rantings, coated in date rape drug fumes; then, drag 'em "screaming and hollering" against their will to my deranged site, Pigeon Report, I have been plotting my revenge - er - analysis of what ails America, China and the "Free World."

After an exhaustive, original study, lasting an incredible 11 minutes on the Greenwich time scale, I believe that I have uncovered the most shocking Conspiracy since Hillary Clinton's "VAST RIGHT WING" conspiratorial one that she found evidence for on the tip of her husband's penis. 

It ain't so, Brother and Sisters of the Corn-Hole generation!  There is absolutely no "Vast Wing Right Wing Conspiracy".  There is clear evidence, however, that a lot of Right Wing, Born Again, Tea Republicans folks just  want to walk America back two hundred and forty odd years to the GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA, the 1770s, and, re-make her into a pure virginal, Christian Nation that the Born-Again, Homo-Hating God wanted it to be in the first damn place before that liberal sexual deviate, Benjamin Franklin, screwed it up with talks about Democracy.

Forget the "Socialist Take Over OF America Via The First Black President - Orchestrated by America's First SOCIALIST PRESIDENT -FDR and His Lisbon - Born Wife, Eleanor."  That touching conspiracy and its accompanying fee bible is currently running 24/7 on Fox TV Network TV new Reality Fox Network.   But, as interesting and it sounds, as a conspiracy it ain't happening, either. 

Throw out that "Luke warm" Wat-er-boar-ding conspirarcy first put forth by the less than prestigious, Bird Droppings Institute, A Think Tank For Morons, that dishonestly claimed, without a "lick" of actual facts to back it up, that "DICK CHENEY IS THE ALIEN Found At The Roswell, New Mexico's UFO CRASH SITE".

That is just so not true!

Everyone that is in the know, knows that Dick Cheney is the extreme Right Hand of Lucifer and came straight here from an methane explosion in the lowest bowels of Hell, the Born Again, "Jesus Wants You T o Be Rich Le-veil".

Now, Children of the Corn-Hole generation, so named, because of the popular game sweeping the nation and entrancing America's young and old alike into frittering away their worthless lives tossing a bean bag into a hole cut into a piece of plywood. Obviously, this is the work of the Devil and the ply wood industry.

Nope, it ain't the "Obama Yo Momma, Now" advocates either, those great patriots that produced the "FAKED LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE," disabused by our first illegal, Kenyan born, really black, "Temporary President," Ba-rack Obama.  That, is so passe.

And, I am sorry to report that the much heralded, "BIN LADEN - HIDING IN PLAIN SITE  - IN DONALD TRUMP'S COMB OVER!" is so over that even Saturday Night Live rejected it out of hand and told Jonathan Livingston Pigeon to stop sending material.  He was fired years ago.

No, brothers and sisters, its the "BRITISH CONSPIRACY!" 

The Brits, as they affectionately like to call themselves, have never surrendered their maniacal desire to "TO TAKE AMERICA BACK HOME AND GIVE IT TO THE QUEENS IN ENGLAND", or, so our highly discredited sources from Hell (reporter666) discovered while "Strangling Pigeons In The Park Just For a Lark", a practice he does only on Sundays under the watchful eyes of Tea Republicans who hate pigeons.

If I wasn't a dyslexic pigeon - I would hate the filthy things, too.  But, I have carnal knowledge and know that they are really nice birds suffering from an enlarged colon and perfect aim.

Ferget the Hispanics, you can see them from a mile away - it's the flood of well spoken British folks swarming into America in a desperate attempt to get out of that collapsing Socialistic country, England, cause it is about to implode due the unrestrained growth of queens and to it lack of a descent dentist.

To tell you the truth, Opal, my first cousin and the first wife of my nineteen (19) wives,  and, I , flew there not long ago.  I'll tell you what, I have never seen so many big, snaggled yellow tea stained-teeth as I did on our "research trip" to that uncivilized, stiff, upper lip, accent talking, Muslim-loving, uppity-crust country.

We was forced to swell that awful mind soughing TEA junk every day until I could not pee, see or find my rifle.  In disgust, Opal and I flew home on the wings of a Jet Blue aeroplane at little or no expense to taxpayers.

The Brits are coming, I tell you.  They is infiltrating the "vine," America's own Hollywood movie industry, national American TV as newscasters cause they can read, and overwhelming Republican "gay bath", even in your neck of the woods, cowboy. 

Wake Up AMERICA - Afro Ya Are Smothered In POO! Flock Off - Children of the Corn-Hole Generation

Disrespectfully Yours,

Jonathan Livingston Pigeon ("doctored") FOUNDER OF THE BIRD DROPPINGS INSTITUTE - A Think Tank Fer Smart Ale-cs (An Under Served, Forgotten Population of Cracker - Jacks).  That's, BDI, the world ONLY  source of Fair and Unbalanced News! God Bless!  LOL

To all those that are have served, their families and friends, And in special memory of those brave men and women that never returned.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. -John F. Kennedy

“Democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.” - Ronald Reagan

Maddad, USN 87-91

Going silent in remembrance. See you Tuesday... USA!

Did we just kill the Third Anti Christ?

According to Nostradamus, the first two anti-Christs were extremely evil, and history has shown this to be so; however, Nostradamus speaks of a third anti-Christ who is more hideous than all the others combined.  Some say Sadaam Hussein, the dictator from Iraq, could be this evil tyrant. (Balderdash, I feel this applies to Osama Bin Ladin more than Saddam Hussein, look for yourself)  Others say that he has not yet appeared.  What does Nostradamus say about this third anti-Christ?  First, Nostradamus tells us he will come from the Middle East.

     Out of the country of Greater Arabia (Osama Bin Ladin was from Saudi Arabia...)

     Shall be born a strong master of Mohammed...

     He will enter Europe wearing a blue turban. (As an Afghan Freedom fighter Osama Bin Ladin sometimes wore a blue turban in his video recorded interviews)

     He will be the terror of mankind.

     Never more horror.

Here, Nostradamus says that a man from Greater Arabia will lead his forces on an invasion through Europe.  (Massive immigration in 1996 then in 1998 and adoption of Islam has occurred in most European nations. Many nations such as France and Sweden are trying to push back on their influence)

This invasion will start a third world war that will be far worse than all the other wars put together .(International WAR ON TERROR or the democratic pushback in middle-eastern Nations occurring  now?)  

When will all this take place?  In one quatrain Nostradamus gives us an exact date in which the war will be well under way.

     In the year 1999 and seven months

     From the sky will come the great King of Terror.

     He will bring back to life the King of the Mongols;

     Before and after war reigns.

Nostradamus predicts  the war will begin shortly before the year 1999 .  (1998 US Embassy Bombings...1998-99: Grand jury indicts Bin Laden in embassy bombings)

He also tells us how long the war will last

     The war will last seven and twenty years. (1998-2025? or 1996-2023?)

(Osama Bin Ladin's desire to establish a Muslim World ruled through Shari Law and his dissatisfaction with Saudi Arabian Governments Westernization as he saw it, and his hate for Israel caused him to issued two fatwa's against everything Western...one in 1996 another in 1998. (Massive Muslim immigration to European Nations occurred in two waves 1996 and 1998)

    Nostradamus says that the war will be so terrible that the world will come face to face with final annihilation.  Here, he implies that the war might involve some kind of horrible weapon, possibly nuclear.  Nostradamus tells what the first target will be. 

(I think he is seeing two things at once..one the WTC Airplane attacks and then the subsequent FukuShima meltdown)

     The sky will burn at forty-five degrees.

     Fire approaches the great new city.

In this phrase, Nostradamus refers to a great city in the new world of America near forty-five degrees latitude.  Experts agree this could only be New York.

     By fire he will destroy their city, (New York)

     A cold and cruel heart,

     Blood will pour,

     Mercy to none.

    Although Nostradamus 's predictions for our future sound frightening he does give us some hope by telling us how this third world war will end.  He says it will end as a result of an unexpected alliance.

     When those of the Northern Pole are united, (US and Russia?)

     In the East will be great fear and dread... (Japan nuclear meltdown maybe? Rather than referring to Middle-Eastern, Eastern Nations or China political unrest?)

     One day the two great leaders will be friends;

     Their great powers will be seen to grow.

     The New Land will be at the height of its power:

     To the man of blood the number is reported.

The new land was a common term used by Nostradamus to refer to what we now call America.  The countries of the northern pole could be Russia and the United States.  We have recently seen the breakdown of Communism in Russia and an increasing friendship between Russia and the U.S. . (So if there is total nuclear disaster in Japan; Nuclear war in Pakistan and India or political destabilization in the East, then only through US/Russian cooperation can we all be saved... hmm makes sense)

(Or MAYBE it's only partially right and it turns out a mercenary named PRINCE  is the "Blue Prince" of the Middle-East who starts the final war through political destabilization?  :) Guess we will have to wait an see.  Ok I'll stop now and come back to reality...

I've recently found it interesting to find several very vocal newsviners who have been around a few years yet have not posted an avatar or a bio .....

Not that they should have too ..... but it got me to thinking why?

There are likely a lot of personal reasons - yet I can't think of any that I would consider valid off hand.

So I am posting this poll to help me understand what the general feeling and mood is about this subject. Is it paranoia or privacy?

I personally find it odd that anyone would be active on newsvine and yet hide their persona 100% when just a few words and an image would suffice to give them some personality even if only an alias or a fictional representation of what they believe in ....

Perhaps that is the answer ... a lack of conviction about what they think and say

come out come out whoever you are ... ;-)

GANG RAPED-GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY-1975

Writer: DASGW --Thursday, 28APR2011 [10:00 AM]

Fall-1975: A young woman, who dreamed of becoming the 1st of her immediate family to graduate from Grambling State University, was BRUTALLY GANG RAPED, by STAR Football Players, in a tall building, no longer standing on Grambling’s campus; where members of the Football Team once resided.

Her story is one we've heard far too many times, of how young woman are RAPED on colleges campus', by STAR Athletes, only for the incident to get brushed under a desk, and forgotten about.

Local Newspapers never mentioned her name, only stated she was a student from Louisiana Tech, a predominately white Campus, 3-miles East of Grambling, La. The truth is, she was brand new on campus [a FRESHMAN], excited about being a student at such a prestigious name College; Grambling State University.

The Louisiana Tech student brand was one of many LIES the STAR GANG RAPIST would BOAST about, down through the years, as they LAUGH about how she KICKED, and SCREAMED. She was barely 1-month into her 18th birthday. Never in her wildest imagination, would she have thought something so WICKED and GRUESOME should happen to her, or any other young woman, who left home for college, to make something of themselves.

She was told, years later, that some Younger Football Players [Freshman & Sophomores], were arrested, and blamed for the BRUTAL GANG RAPE. There are rumors that the late Coach Eddie Robinson would give money to the families of the RAPE VICTIMS, in exchange for then to NOT PRESS CRIMINAL CHARGES against his precious SUPER STARS.

The Administration WITHDREW her from school; USHERED her into a SPEEDY on CAMPUS HEATING; stood her in a HALLWAY; with the STAR GANG RAPIST; SUSPENDED her from school; concluding she violated a rule; a RULE, that even now, 2011, she is still confused about. They then gave her 24-Hours to pack her things, and GET OFF “THEIR” precious campus. Whatever the Star Football players told them about the incident is what they DISMISSED her from school for, as if the BRUTAL RAPE never happened to her. She still does NOT understand “WHY”, especially when she was the one, DRAGGED into a BUILDING; STRIPPED of her clothes; and RAPED, repeatedly by the Legendary Coach Eddie Robison’s STAR FOOTBALL players. She was treated as if she was the CRIMINAL, while the Star Football players got a slap on the hand; a kiss, a hug, and a smile from Administrators, Deans and Coaches. They LOVE their SUPER STARS, so much, and they would do anything to protect them and the name of Grambling.

She NEVER received any counseling; even after suffering a nervous break down, and attempted to commit suicide; right in their precious campus dormitory. She shares "The nightmares NEVER go away!". She recently found out that Grambling built a Museum on campus, where their SUPER STAR RAPIST, who never served JAIL time, is being honored as HEROES. She also learned that one of Grambling State Universities’ Greatest Football SUPER Stars suffered a massive stroke, and died, the day before he was to be dedicated as a FOOTBALL GREAT from Grambling State.

She shares "It has taken me years to be able to openly speak about that horrible night. For years, I tried to get information about the incident, but because my name wasn't mentioned, I could never find anything."

While checking with local authorities, in the state of Louisiana, she learned that her case was stored away as a 'COLD CASE' file. The last thing she remembers, the day of court, was the Judge saying recess. But she was ushered out the court room; being told it was over, when she saw Coach Robinson talking to her Mother.

In wake of the 'SLUT WALK'; where RAPE VICTIMS marched in streets across the country, chanting: 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, we understand that no means no.' …

She quietly dropped her head into her hands, crying "NO MEANS NO – LET ME GO!" She realized that she was NOT in this FIGHT, ALONE. She found a new strength that she HOPES and PRAY, will save the LIFE, MORALS and INTEGRITY of others.

She shares “I know who the RAPIST were [ARE]. I’ve always known who they were.” She shared that most recently, several of them [GSU Star RAPIST], had the nerve to contact her on Facebook.”… Stay tuned, there's more to come of this story.

Writer: DASGW-Newsvine Reporter – Abuse N Da Kingdom

F.U.T.U.R.E. Production-PO Box 610132-Dallas, TX 75261

Email: abuse-n-da-kingdom@hotmail.com

Contact: (877)342-8727

By Daily Mail Reporter Last update [10:47pm - 25th April 2011]

… read more: “Yes means yes and no means no! Scantily clad protesters join in 'Slut Walk' to end rape victim blaming” …

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1380450/Scantily-clad-protesters-join-Slut-Walk-end-rape-victim-blaming.html#ixzz1Kq1iDy00 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1380450/Scantily-clad-protesters-join-Slut-Walk-end-rape-victim-blaming.html#ixzz1Kq1iDy00

  Last night--I must be in the midst of a borderline-personality disorder crisis--I had a big blow-up over nothing (demons banshees whatever..)with a housemate (Mister Merry Man, we’ll so designate the oaf) last night. We bellowed like bools (nod to e.e. cummings).

Well, here we are again, the egg dye is on the counter and the experiments in color mixing will begin.

We, as a society have certainly come a long way.....

When I was a kid, everyone just said "Happy Easter", we got a bunch of chocolate bunnies & in my case, my grandparents took us to church Sunday morning while my mother nursed a hangover.

Now (especially in print) you can easily offend by using an insensitive word like "E-A-S-T-E-R". I am a confirmed, happy agnostic and the word has never upset me. My oldest child, now in his mid 20's used to bring home colored pictures of eggs (not spheres) and his class had Easter parties, not spring flings at...wait for it....PUBLIC School. Did not care then, would not care now. They never told him anything about a savior being crucified or coming back to life. Maybe I was too busy with life back then to strain gnats and herd camels.....

So, I guess the cat is out of the bag....Not much interest in the politically correct insanity here. Whatever you want to call it...any excuse for a fine ham and fixin's will do fine with me.

In conclusion, to all that have taken the time to read a word or two I had to write..."Happy Easter!" -Maddad

The plot of a Sherlock Holmes story was behind a jewellery raid in Russia, police believe.

He says he clocked almost 850 bylines - the Daily Star says he was merely a casual reporter disgruntled at being passed over for staff jobs. Either way, Richard Peppiatt's open letter of resignation to Richard Desmond is an absolute must-read.

An empty book entitled What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex has soared up the bestseller charts.

An unpublished and previously unknown Enid Blyton novel is believed to have turned up in an archive of the late children's author's work.

Mr Tumpy's Caravan is a 180-page fantasy story about a magical caravan.

It was in a collection of manuscripts that was auctioned by the family of Blyton's eldest daughter in September.

"I think it's unique," said Tony Summerfield, head of the Enid Blyton Society. "I don't know of any full-length unpublished Blyton work."

Today, tragedy struck hard and close at home this morning at the Less Than Prestigious BIRD DROPPINGS INSTITUTE, when it was learned that "pigeon" was busted trying to smuggle cocaine and marijuana into a prison.

"When one of your own is caught up in the clutches of the drug world it breaks your heart," stated world renown CEO & Founder, of the Pigeon Report, Jonathan Livingston Pigeon. "Sadly, this morning we received a garbled cable from Bucaramanga, Columbia confirming the worst, it read: Pigeon Arrested' - stop - Detained For Smuggling - STOP - '1.6 oz of cocaine and a small amount of marijuana -stop - into area prison - stop- . We are still trying to figure out what the "STOP" means. Do any of you know?

At approximately 4:15 PM, this afternoon, we, here at the Bird Droppings Institute, A Guano Style Think Tank For Smart Alecs, got telephonic confirmation that the rumor was true. "Pigeon Arrested!" The phones went berserk with hostile Right Righteous Right Wing Nut Job callers jamming the phone lines, emailing and texting their hateful messages, to wit: "I told ya he was a drug addict, hop head, strung out lefty", etc., ad nauseous. Few, if any, express concern for his large dysfunctional family.

Today, it is our sad duty to inform you, that, yes, it is true, a Carrier Pigeon was detained for trying to smuggle contraband substances into a Colombian prison by attempting to fly over the prison walls with the cocaine and marijuana tied to his left leg. This is clearly a violation of the Code of Honor of The Carrier Pigeon Guidelines and of the laws of the country of Columbia, drug capital to the world. Fortunately for all, that naughty pigeon is now in the care of the local police department in Bucaramanga, Columbia. The spokesperson for the department, police commander, Jose Angel said, "We found this bird about a block or so from the prison trying desperately to fly over the prison walls."

Apparently, its handler had placed the illegal substance in a white package and tied it to the pigeon's leg. Unfortunately, the greedy culprit or culprit(s) added a wad of marijuana, too, which make it impossible for the pigeon to get the altitude he needed to fly over the prison wall, although, observers reported that the brave pigeon tried in vain several times before taking a nap on the curb, where he was apprehended without incident.

The question that ornithologists are still trying to resolve is: When Is A Pigeon A MULE? When he smuggles drugs for a two legged creature too lazy to do it for himself? Or, is a pigeon a pigeon even when it is being used as a mule? "These are complex issues that must be resolved if we are to have a civil society", someone noted, but we are not sure who.

"The carrier pigeon, is a highly trained, professional dedicated to carrying letters and brief notes but not designed for hauling drugs into a prison camp yard. Unfortunately, with the world economy in shambles thanks to the Republican driven collapse of the financial markets, many fowl have had to turn to foul means to feed their flying flock and this type of activity is on the rise worldwide", noted The Very Revered Oral Fleece, who just happened to walk into the press conference unannounced, still smoking a "togy".

"If you see a lumbering pigeon with a large package tied to its leg flying around your favorite place of incarceration - DON'T TRY TO APPREHEND IT YOURSELF - Call the proper authorities," added Commander Jose Angel on his way to the local clay pigeon trap shoot.

"We have come a long way," noted "Doctored" Pigeon, "but, we still have a lot of work to do - but, then, who doesn't?"

PIGEON OFF - WAY OFF!

This is a true story (sort of, except for the parts that are lies). It was filed under protest by Juan Robertos, our roaming clubbed reporter from South of the Border, who is delighted that we didn't send him to Wisconsin.

Does MSNBC realize that even their headline is funny?

During a recent trance reading by Eduardo Casey, lead Seer at the Less Than Prestigious BIRD DROPPING INSTITUTE, A Right Wing, Left of Centered, Fundamentally Flawed, Conservative Conspirators THINK TANK FOR SMART ALEC'S, Just a Sharp Right Turn from Commonsense, in lovely, but, nearly all torn down, downtown, Mildew, Ohio, the exact location of the missing prophecies of ASTOR'S-DUMB-ASS MAN, a 5Th Century Aztec Math and Science teacher and 5Th generation "seer-er" were discovered under an rotting "Mickey D" container.

This earth shattering archaeological discovery has the scientific world running around in their shorts screaming, "Chicken Little, Chick Little is coming and I am, too." Sociologists, Psychologists, and just plain ignorant "dumb asses" are all scratching their oversized asses and asking themselves 'WTF" does this mean for Tea Republicans in 2012?

As an estranged member of the "human race" the great, sleeping "Doctor" Eduardo Casey is well know for his "Lies, Fabrications and Psychotic Predictions," first published while he was an inmate at the New Jersey State Hospital, where he worked on his imaginary Ph.d.

The centuries rumored, lost cryptic Prophecies of Astro-Dumb-ass Man is well know to hysterical historians and conspirator theorists of the highest and lowest order, which includes this fine institution, and has been the subject of eons of research. The newly unearthed hieroglyphics clay tablets are in a code that is yet to be decipher by even our most notorious scholars still in prison.

Therefore, we are asking for your help, because as newsvine posters, we know that you are some of the smartest people on the planet Delirium and we just don't have a clue and never will. Please send us your contributions, interpretations and we will post them on our prestigiousless website for all to shamefully mock!

The winner, selected from an impartial panel of gun freaks, will get a "free automatic machine gun" that you can shoot with your nuclear family, if you still have one, and, we will award you enough ammunition, courtesy of the NRA, to last a millennium.

Here is the first scroll:

You f(*&ing Dumb@#$#2 are (*&^^^^%_)(*&+%%$$#@ Tea Pukes +_)(*&^@345.

From a scientific point of view, we are soliciting your views, interpretations, reading and visions of these ancient codes and other things that you might want to send to us, like your watches, gold teeth, neighborhoods collectible, etc.

In the name of archaeologist everywhere, I remain, encoded, and enshrouded. Please spend some time solving this mystery, it could spell the end of mankind, and the emergence of a new, less intelligent species, the Tea Republicans on their downward march to extinction.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Livingston Pigeon, "Doctored"

CEO & FOUNDER

Bird Droppings Institute

A Fair & Unbalance Institution

A Polish domestic cleaning lady has spilled the dirt on her German employers in a new memoir, "Under German Beds." The book is a best-seller, but as Hannah Cleaver reports, heavy criticism is coming from unlikely places.

Doctor Funkinstein, a well known Phonologist and world class ass-toroid specialist fell backwards down the cellar stairs while listening to "Stairway to Heaven" on his Ipod and tumbled headlong into the Secret Domain of the Knights of the Illuminaughies at the less than illustrious Bird Droppings Institute, where, because Funkinstein was semi-literate, he was instantly made head of the Journalism department and locked in the basement laboratory, at his request, to work in solitude on his Funk Music Journalism Prognostication's for 2011 and beyond.

As a result, if you have a question, any question, just ask Doctored Funkinstein and he will answer your question to the best of his lying ability. You see, he is somewhat of a psycho and somewhat of a shake. So, if you are unable to get Dr. Phil on the phone and you need an answer to a life changing question: Write to THE FAKE, Dr. Funkinstein and be stupefied!

Here are just a few of his prediction for 2011:

• Scandal will erupt around Sarah Palin when it is discovered that she has had extensive plastic surgery and really is an Alaskan Gris-sly Bear. Charges will be filed against her husband for cross pollination.
• Palin's kids decide to return to High School to get their GED but are asked to leave for having unprotected sex with their instructors.
• Sarah Palin admits that she is really a drag queen and that her husband, Todd, is gay, only sad on Tuesdays when he pretends to be straight.
• Lindsey Graham says that he can't help it if he is a closet queen with a name like Lindsey, what did they expect?
• John Boehner slurs a few words at the Press Club and then is driven to the Betty Ford Clinic for an extensive stay.
• Glenn Beck bites a dog and the dog is given rabies shots.
• RUSH Limbaugh admits that he has never had sex with a human. His clitoris is in his throat, that is why he love to scream so much.
• Republicans fight for two years to repeal Health-care only to lose in the end and thrown off the planet earth, when it slows down to pick up an alien hitchhiker.
• Tea Party dissolves when it elect Michelle Bachman (R), Minnesota, as it spokesperson and she stick her foot in her mouth and like it.

Dr. Funinstein stated at a briefing for dwarfs that many strange people, especially "Lefties" have allusions and that they, too, can see the future. If you are such a "loser" write us with your visions and we will be more than happy to add it to our list, since our staff is burned out and unable to write anything else.

Working Towards A More Corrupt America Filled With Free Cheese and Socialistic Parties Sponsored by Democrats who Spend Their Vacations Burning Purloined Copies of the Constitution, While Trying To Take Money From the Right Wing Conservative Republican Knuckleheads That Work Hard For It and Give It to the Lazy Left!

For decades, now, our three readers, here, at the Pigeon Report have been sending us telepathic requests to use our extra-ordinary skills as a "seer" to answer some very pressing questions that have been weighing heavily on their little minds, which are the size of a small walnut.

So, I have finally agreed, after much badgering, and, a really good beating, to asked Edgar Jaycees, III to join us for a combined seance and mind meld. Edward, aka, Edgar, give his mysterious Atlanta's reading while a deep sleep, or, drunk on the couch. I, am the only unbiased and "civil" member of "The Newsvine Community" and it is my role to ask a question of him while he is in a trance and he telepathically answers through me, and, of course, because I am incapable of keeping a secret, I immediately, tell you.

However, at the moment, Edgar is giving a reading to a really "dense" client that is so enamoured with with Edgar Jaycees, III that the questionable client actually brings him a wagon load of turnips which he share (when not drunk) with the entire staff who devour them ravenously before they Flock off!

So, for that one "special - very, very special" reader, the really odd one, Vlad's dog, one of our more enlightened read that is alleged to be able to read our post without the aid of a tutor. I am please to say, that of our total readership of three, two nearly literate newsviners and one blind mouse, he, Vladamir Dogjinkencowski, is the most promising and the least likely to succeed.

I am making an exception, therefore, and, doing something that I will probably regret in the morning. But, what the heck, it isn't as if I hadn't done that several hundred times before and since there is no more bird seed, here, at the Bird Droppings Institute, and, I have lots of chores to do, I have decided, (after a considerable amount of reflections, approximately 7 seconds), to enter into a deep sleep and a mind meld with Edgar Jaycees, III, and, to answer, "to the best of our limited ability, in as truthful manner, as much, or as little, as we are capable of, when not sober"), to Devin these answers - that some will love - but, based on past experiences, most of you will vehemently despise.

Are you ready, Edgar? He signals, "Yes," by snoring loudly and giving me the finger. The question our reader wants to know is: "WHO IS GAY & WHO IS NOT?"

Instantly, and still in a deep trance, Edgar Jaycees, III, replies in a rapid, rabid manner not unlike that epileptic chicken and fellow Trance Talker, Glenn Beck, on his nightly Fox TV Network News & Delusional Fantasies Show, soon to be available "Free" to the "criminally insane", Conservative Right Wing Evangelical, Born Up-sided Down Republicans and their ill-legitimate Off-off springs the Tea Patriots.

Anwers, the great Jaycees, Who is gay and Who Is Not?

TRAVOLTA? Are You Kidding Me, You Don't Know By Now?

TOM CRUISE? My attorney says that I can't answer that question!

SARAH PALIN? No! - But, she is a "gay bash-er," according to our journalistic Bible,The National Enquirer, which I know that a lot of you cannot afford anymore since your jobs were shipped off to China, or India or Mexico, by your Republican friends, so, that they could get a little extra money from "kick backs" from their corporate lobbyists buddies. Try getting by on a measly Congressional salary of $187,000, plus the best benefits that government money can buy, and, I think, that you, too, would agreed that is "not enough" these days. So, if an enterprising Congressional person has an opportunity to sell their country out, why shouldn't they take it, especially, if they are Right Wing, Conservative Republicans that can shield their activity from the general public by embracing their Christian faith every 5 seconds on national TV? Why shouldn't they do a little "consulting" on the side? Anyways, our Journalistic Bible, the National Enquirer reported that Sarah Palin never corrects her daughter, Bristol, and, that other tramp, what's her face, when they make "inappropriate gay bashing remarks on their Face Book accounts,". Therefore, after careful consideration, I think that means that we are going to have to put her name in the "Gay Bather" column, don't you, Edgar?

MICHAEL JACKSON? Dead. But, the evidence is not all in to make a definitive determination between Child molester and Gay Banging, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Leader. We are, however, beaning towards gay, child day care provider, occasional molester and terrific rock singer.

Mac CAULAY CULKIN? He slept with Michael, do you have to ask?

GLENN BECK? Says That He Is "Not" - But, Those Big, Pig Lips Are Saying Something Else.

DICK CHENEY? I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO DISAPPOINT A LOT OF YOU, BUT, NO! He is an avowed and happy married "sadist", thank you."

GEORGE W BUSH? Wanted to, but, when he was a Cheerleader in college, but no one would take him up on his offer, so, he gave it up and married one.

OBAMA? "No, and, Hell No," said Michelle Obama, when we contacted her at the White-house through our special correspondent, Liberal Lefty, who is assigned to cover that "perch." Lefty ( a liberal leaning reporter) stated, after he regained consciousness and after he picked himself up off the floor, where The First Lady had ceremoniously thrown him. "Liberal Lefty" noted that he continued with the interview in a little less direct fashion - out of range of her right hook, and, she allegedly retorted, "Hell No, and No, you, little Contaminated Bird Bath!" In a slightly less hostile tone, The First Lady added, "I have two kids and the stretch marks to prove it! Do you want to see them," she asked, jerking upward her designer blouse. "No, thanks, that wouldn't be necessary," retorted our highly professional carrier pigeon, "Liberal Left, reporting, nearly dead from the Righteous-house, Washington, DC.

Hillary Clinton? Who Cares? Would you "do" her if she where face up on a barroom floor and you were really, really drunk? I think not!

And, thus, concluded the trance bringing, Edgar Jaycees, III abruptly to his feet. "When do we eat?" he inquired ever the paid professional and former Richard Simmons drop out, at 685 pounds and holding - holding every bit of fun he can get.

So, folks, just a friendly reminder, if you, or your loved ones, have a pressing issue and you can't book the Dr. Phil Show, and, you need an answer within 60 days, or so, please, feel free to contact us, well, its not exactly, "free,". . . just drop your wallet into the mail to us - make sure you have included all your credit cards and proper IDs and send it to us, here, at the less than prestigious Bird Dropping Institute, % A Right Wing, Left of Centered, Fundamentally Flawed, Conservative Conspirators THINK TANK For Smart Alec's, By Smart Alec's, So Help Me God, Vacated in Mildew, Ohio - "right dab" in the middle of Congressman, John A. Boner's, 8Th Congressional District, where there are no jobs, and, we like it that way, cause we just love that "free" government cheese!

As many of you, "the enlightened" readers of the highly praised, Pigeon Report, know, we, the extra terrestrials (E.T.s) formerly under contract to Warner Brothers, have been hanging out here for hundreds of thousands of years. Where? Where else? We have been hiding in the bathroom of Earth, the oceans. Waiting patiently until the Neanderthal Derivatives (a term of endearment in our universe) successfully evolved suficiently along Darwin's Evolutionary Path, provided that the Tea & Nut Party, hasn't out law evolution. Waiting patiently so that we could communicate, intermarry and one day "throw an Out Of This World - Gigantic Gay Celestial Coming Out" Party for our kind. Because, to be truthful, we are "horny" as Hell and want to get it on with our "Scientific Experiments" while we are still young enough and don't require hands full of Viagra and Oxycontin, like our fallen brother, Rush Lumbago.

Over the past ten years, we have grown weary of our uninteresting "cattle mutilation" experiments consisting of draining blood and spinal fluids from doe eyed cattle. It just isn't as much fun anymore since we don't get the press coverage like we used, to. Now a days, the crazy evolutionary throw backs, the Tea Republicans, steal all of the press headlines and our antics are buried in the Business Section of the Times, which no one reads.

Look, folks, we haven't travelled this FAR to be relegated to the back pages of all of the Rump-ert Murdoch media outlets, which is, now, 99.5% of all media, thanks to the Republicans, who have speed up the ability of monopolies to gobble up all the media sources under one heading, "entertainment" and allow NEWS, INC to own them all! I can categorically tell you that this would not be tolerated in any Universe worth its salt. Monopolies are anathema in most solar systems with intelligent life.

The question, of course, for our scientific expedition is to determine if their is any intelligent life, here, and, the jury is still out - leaning toward the negative column with the recent election of Michelle Bach-man, Tea Party Candidate, from the not so bright state of Minnesota to the 112th Congress, during the all too recent, mid-term Massacre.

We, the E.T.'s, are somewhat offended and quite pissed off, really, that those slow, low functioning Cro-Mag-nons have usurped our position and now no one knows much about us, except Steven Spielberg, who is a terrible canasta player, and, even he, has grown tired of our war stories. Yesiree, Ladies, we want back on the Front Page! We are perishing out her in synonymous land where Sarah Palin does everyone, but us. She is doing nothing for us! What a lumber head?

That is why we are advertising nation-wide for good looking, voluptuous wild women, looking for a "good time" and some far out intellectual stimulation to further the goals of "science". Of course, we cannot offer any monetary re-numeration - because we don't know what that means, and, we, also understand, that for some "silly" reason this planet prohibits "paid ladies of the night, afternoon and morning" from taking money for their much needed services, a practice, that is quite common in all of the enlightened galaxies!

Also, we do not believe in money - we do every thing my sucking each others necks and transferring information, goods and trade in that manner. It is cleaner, more surgical, and, there is a lot less loss of goods and blood.

If you are a voluptuous woman, or, think that you all, contact us, telepathically, and, one of our new, upgraded saucers will be tossed your way in a matter of seconds. Also, please wear loosely fitting clothes. A low neckline is appreciated. Our experiments are known to go on all night and into the next day, so, please pack accordingly.

Your neighborhood E.T.'s wishing you a Happy New Year and A Reproductive One!

New Edition Of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" & "Tom Sawyer" Removes Mark Twain's "Offensive" Words
Should we be editing era period books?

What might the long term results be? Our history as a society rests with our authors and storytellers. It would seem to me, if we edit out the history we are not comfortable with, we may be doomed to repeat it. Do we want to go the way of sanitizing our social history?

JMO

Maddad

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- A new edition of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer" plans to replace the N-word with "slave" in an effort not to offend readers.

If this man didn't want to be President of The United States of America, I would ignore this. But this isn't the first time Mr. Barbour has tried to rewrite history on this subject.

Colorado police have arrested the author of a guidebook that gives advice to paedophiles, and charged him with violating obscenity laws in Florida.

Philip R Greaves II sparked controversy last month after selling the Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover's Code of Conduct through the online retailer Amazon.

He was arrested after selling his guide to a detective, officials said.

Dear Reader,

Ooops. This is already harder than I remember. I am here at the first Philadelphia Type-In, "a pleasant afternoon of mqnual typewriting." I h ve forgotten how the keys stick, and how you can't just backspace and erase your letters.

Another 17 U.S. billionaires, including Facebook co-founders Mark Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz, have pledged to give away at least half their fortunes in a philanthropic campaign led by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

Red in the face (pun intended), a bunch of Chinese publishers have pulled a collection of Brothers Grimm fairy tales from children's shelves in book stores after mistakenly translating a Japanese pornographic reinterpretation of the tales. China Friendship Publishing Company and China Media Time
translated the erotic retelling of the stories by the Japanese duo, Kiryu-Misao after mistaking them for the originals, the Global Times newspaper reported.

Every fall, the Literary Review in Britain hands out its Bad Sex in Fiction Award, a sniggering exercise that generates plenty of press, mostly because the nominees are selected from the ranks of highly praised novelists. Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer and John Updike have been "winners" since the award was founded in the early 1990s, but more often than not the (non-)honor goes to the least-famous name among a list of the celebrated. (There appears to be some basis for the rumor that the prize is given to whomever is a good enough sport to show up for the ceremony.) This year, Rowan Somerville won it (for his novel "The Shape of Her") but the nominations of Jonathan Franzen and former Tony Blair spokesman Alastair Campbell are what garnered the most attention before the winner was announced last night at ... wait for it ... the In & Out Club in London.

Enough said

Music intro:

Put the shotgun down ma, pa's comin home

He's been away to long.

He's sorry for drinkin and runnin around,

Ma put that shotgun down.

Pa made a promise to ma long ago when he placed that ring on her hand

But pa takes to drinkin like a hog to slop, thats somethin that ma don't understand

Pa likes gambling with the boys in town, leaves us and ma here all alone

She stands in the front door with that loaded shotgun when he comes staggering home

Put the shotgun down ma, pa's comin home

He's been away to long.

He's sorry for drinkin and runnin around,

Ma put that shotgun down.

Music break:

I never will forget that day in June when pa came stumbling home around noon

He was headed to the out house when we heard that awful blast

We saw pa a running just holding his aaaaaaaaayyyy.

Put the shotgun down ma, pa's comin home

He's been away to long.

He's sorry for drinkin and runnin around,

Ma put that shotgun down.

She found pa's still that sat upon the hill, she proceeded to tear the darn thing down

Little did she know it was the preachers down the road that made apple cider for the old folks in town

Put the shotgun down ma, pa's comin home

He's been away to long.

He's sorry for drinkin and runnin around,

Ma put that shotgun down.

Music outro....(old man talking part: Dad gummit woman you do shot holes in my underwear....I know you told me I needed to watch my drinkin, that why I found me a bar with a BIG mirror behind it...so I could watch myself drinkin.)

J. Knowlton Music and words 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qmhOOUxpjU

Deranged killer Michael Brea "told the doctors that he saw the Devil, and that the Devil was somehow in his mother," a police source told the Daily News after the gruesome slaying.

My views and practices have changed on spanking over the 23 years I have been a father.

Growing up I experienced and witnessed 3 types of physical discipline.

The 1st we can call the Terror Type. This was my drunk mother's way of dealing with children. She would pick up this massive ash-tray she hovered over while she consumed vodka, and threaten to split my head open with it. She never did, but I was never certain what kind of new hell she was capable of that particular day. She was also habitual about swearing she was about to throw us down the stairs to the basement....again still here....but it scared the hell out of me for along time.

The next type was what I to this day considered basically Appropriate. I got the message quick at the private school I attended around 5th grade. That boat paddle over the principals desk really had a practical purpose. Never did that again! Then there was my grandfather. A very religious, hard working and charitable man. He never tried very hard to fill in for the father who was in prison, but the memories are good. One afternoon I was riding my tricycle on the sidewalk along side the garage. I was probably about 5 or 6. He had just planted some vegtables near the edge of the sidewalk. He said "don't ride off the sidewalk, be careful of the plants", I heard. "Ride straight through that row of veggies", he reached down and gave me one whack to my ass. I was certainly ashamed of myself, but I have no memory of physical pain at all. When I looked up he was wiping away a tear. I never intentionally wanted to cause him to be sad again, and didn't until I became an adult. Grandma never physically disciplined me that I remember. She used guilt to the max. She did go after my sister a couple of times with a dried willow branch....that was pretty borderline stuff.

The last is Criminal. My 3rd stepfather got off on getting drunk and beating the hell out of me. Kicking me around the outside of the house, broken ribs, more black eyes than I can remember...why? I looked him in the eye when he was yelling at me, because he told me to, but he didn't like the look in my eye. I went back to shoot the bastard in my 20's drunk one day. New owners at his house, he had died from an aggressive, painful cancer....Prison would have sucked!

The problem is the state, charged with protecting kids from intentional abuse has lumped all physical discipline into one bag. It would treat my grandfather and my stepfather the same.

Parents are now becoming unwilling to disciple their own children appropriately for fear they will be thrown into a foster care system that has less to do with reunifying families than it is a warehouse for children.

We have become a society that is so impressed with a well behaved, respectful and charitable kid, they are friggin front-page news. If our public school's put the paddle back over the desk & parents corrected their children with love and firmness without Dr. Spock, The Government & Dr. Phil peering over the back fence, we just might be able to live in a society again, that with all it's diversity, practiced more respect for our fellow humans. We could actually get the Criminal Justice budget under control in a generation or so.

Just My Opinion...

Maddad

Was it really so long ago that there wasn't an internet, much less internet dating? We didn't have internet when I was a kid - it was just emerging as a market force in the early 1990s when I was in middle school. I distinctly remember the first time we got dial-up internet service - I was 14 - and how cool I thought it was. I remember the getting my first web-based email account - Yahoo! - and AOL Instant Messenger. I still have the same AIM screen name that I first signed up for when I was 15. I loved these services because they were free and made it much easier to stay in touch with my friends that I'd left behind in NY when me moved to NC in 1993.

So, with that background, I finished high school, went to college, and scoffed at the idea of online dating. As internet dating emerged and grew in popularity, I wondered how desperate someone would have to be to sign up for an online dating service to find a complete stranger to date. I finished college, got a job, went to grad school, and struggled to find a job during The Great Recession. Time passed, and this past year, I turned 30, I am still single - and trying online dating. What I did not understand when I was young and in college was just how difficult it is to meet new - and single! - men once you are out of school.

I signed up for my first dating site this summer. I took the plunge (so to speak) and signed up for Plenty of Fish. It is free, so I figured I did not have much to lose. Summary: no luck. Messages I received tended to be along the lines of, "Hey sexy, what's up?" - and any resulting conversations (if any) tended to be just as short, as were many profiles (not all though). Kinda hard to get any kind of a picture of who someone is that way, at least for me. After months of bad matches, unresponded to messages, and guys looking for just sex, I have pretty much given up on Plenty of Fish.

So, two weeks ago, I decided to give one of those paid site a try - GULP! My hope is that the fact that the site costs real money will help weed out some of those who are less than serious about finding a real relationship. I decided on E-Harmony because one of my friends has been using the site for awhile now and seems to be having some luck - good conversations, good dates, and now seems to be in the early stages of an actual (gasp!) relationship with one of the guys she met through E-Harmony. Also, E-Harmony's extensive personality assessment approach to relationships makes intrinsic sense to me. So, I took a deep breath, got out my credit card, took another deep breath, crossed my fingers, and signed up.

Now, every morning, I have 6-8 new matches in my inbox. I've started communicating with some of these matches (E-Harmony has a communication process rather than simply starting to email each other blindly). At first glance, the profiles of these matches seem to be a better fit than anything I found on POF, so maybe there is some hope to this thing yet... I'll let you know how it turns out.

It's amazing how our view of the world changes over time, isn't it? When I was younger, even into my late 20s, I scorned the idea of using an online dating site. Now I find myself using the very sites I used to scorn. I shake my head and marvel at how much my views on this topic have changed in the course of the last decade. I wonder what views I will have on relationships 10 years from now.

I have recently come to the conclusion that my life has been based on 2 flawed principles.

I am no different than most people, I can see the mountain top of whatever challenge I wish to take on. However, I begin the accent, and as I come closer to the peak, I notice it is damn crowded up there, and the sea of people ahead of me make the climb impassable without knocking a few back to the bottom. So, I sink my flag on a ridge in sight of the peak and become complacent, or I parachute my ass to the base and go home. This line of perception has kept me in constant stress & anxiety. I have found it easier to accept things I can change and never move towards a more serene and fulfilled life.

The reasonable answer at this stage in my life, that makes sense to me, is to start making my own mountains. As long as I take a more active and creative role is my own future, I will not be drawn into the compliant, sheep to the slaughter, follow the leader garbage.

I have also lived with the sincere belief that most people are in one way or another, simply out to satisfy their own desires. The damage they do and the people they use means little or nothing to them. To a certain extent this belief will likely stay with me in one amount or another. However, although the world is full of jerks, even most jerks have a line they will not cross where it comes to abusing others. As I trust a little more, I may find a way to live in this world without the anger & isolation.

Follow your dreams and march to your own beat. If the climb is too crowded, you have been sucked in. In small measure find a way to connect to another human being, the worst thing that could happen is you identify another jerk.

Maddad

We started slow. I made hm wonder what was coming until it was time for the bus stop to start filling with kids.

5:00am- GET UP!

8:45am- Took trash bag & picked up all of front yard...about 3/4 of an acre. Just before the bus came, I had him walk the roadside across from the bus stop and pick up all the crap drivers throw out. I thought the audience would put some memory on it, especially since the little girl he "likes" was right in the front row.

9:30am- Our house is all ceramic tile, he swept every room to inspection. Cleaned his room & then the most fun I had all day....He was privileged enough to clean the toilet top to bottom that he shares with his 4 year old sister and 6 year old brother. When he finally passed inspection, he walked out of the bathroom and muttered..."I am never getting kicked off the bus again".....

10:30am- Started writing sentences, 250 times, I will obey the rules on the bus. then his full name. He had to do 50 of them if he wanted lunch.

11:45am- Lunch.

12:00-1:00pm- Rest in room.

1:00-3:00pm- Mopped entire house to inspection

I got sucked into a crisis with my other boy. We will continue tomorrow.

Maddad

No one said it would be like rolling in freakin' rose pedals.....and it just keeps stretching what I thought were my limits.

Parenting, what a deal. After 2 behavior referrals for acting out on the bus earlier this week, my oldest boy received the 3rd this morning. He is suspended from the bus for the next 3 school days. I was informed this afternoon. Alternative transportation is not an option. So my academy is opened starting first thing in the morning. He was restricted to his room from the time he came home till bed, except for supper and the restroom.

The school is sending the next 3 days of school work home with my other boy tomorrow. So till he gets home, I get to use "creative discipline".

I will post reports throughout the next 3 school days. This should be an interesting ride.

Maddad

I just took in a strange and a bit troubling story on television.

Apparently there is a new trend in the United States of teen girls as young as 16 years old getting Botox treatments for lines and wrinkles.

WTH? What kind of society are we becoming where a 16 year old would be allowed to start a medical treatment for wrinkles? Have we really become such a skin deep nation? Have parents who are signing the consent forms gone completely freakin' nuts?

I will not go on with the rest of my opinion about this insanity, I am more interested in yours.

Thanks for your participation & comments.

JMO

Maddad

On the evening of Monday, Oct. 18, 2010, a miracle happened. A cheap watch (mine) survived an ordeal with a commercial washer at a laundromat. 
 

The watch was marked 'no boundaries' and 'Advance.' Its construction is the standard base metal bezel (probably nickel in this case) and a stainless steel case back. The band is black leather with a blue woven insert. A serial number on the back is difficult to read but looks like NBS4719W. 
 

I probably picked it out because it has good contrast between the large white numbers and purple background. Getting older means that your watches, or at least the numbers on them, get larger. 
 

The washer: a Dexter commercial washer for those who want high speed spin and two rinse cycles. It washes a triple load, which takes a half hour no matter which cycle you choose. You can buy more minutes for really dirty loads of course. But I was pretty sure that going with the Heavy Duty wash cycle would be more than sufficient. 
 

This laundromat is a smallish establishment but it has a variety of machines and clientele. The machines range from ones that resemble an ordinary home washer (for $2), to an incredible jumbo that sounds like jet taking off when it starts up. The clientele includes Somalians, blacks, Asians and whites, twenty-somethings to sixty-plus, those doing just a load of quilts that won't fit in the home washer to people doing about 8 loads in one night. The senior men generally smile at me; I never dreamed gray hair might be a turn-on for some guys one day. There were no senior gentlemen there that night, although the caretaker seemed a bit past middle-age. He busied himself with sweeping, vacuuming lint from dryer filters, and general upkeep. 
 

Halfway through the wash cycle, a dime appeared. It parked itself on the inner rim of the circular door. Hmmm, I thought. This could be the start of something big (to quote an old song by Steve Allen). 
 

I went back to the car for something to read. I returned with a former library paperback titled The Informer, an old novel about the Irish radicals and assassination and selling out for a twenty pound reward. 
 

I did not make much progress in the novel when the cycle ended. I popped open the door of two adjacent machines which were doing different loads. The other machine was doing a gentle cycle for knits -- a winter sweater, a comforter and assorted smaller knits like dickies. 
 

As I pulled out items of clothing from the load of tops and pants, the phrase “Oh, my God” escaped my lips. 
 

I saw my watch, described above. The watch that I thought I had lost somewhere within the past couple days. The watch that was actually only pinch-hitting for a favored watch with a metal band whose battery needed replacing. 
 

The phrase “takes and licking and keeps on ticking” ran through my head. But I ruefully noted the fogged crystal face and tucked it in my pocket, assuming it was dead. 
 

After rolling my loads over to the commercial dryers and starting them, I sat down in one of the plastic chairs and pulled out the watch. 
 

To my shock, I saw that it was still ticking. 
 

I thought, it must have lost some time while in the high-speed spin dry segments, at least. I compared the watch's time to that shown on the clock on the wall. It was a couple minutes off, but close enough. 
 

I had to smile. So it did take a licking, after all. And I bet the watch cost me a whole eight dollars or something like that. Probably at Kohl's Department Store, where everything is priced for working folks. 
 

Just goes to prove that sometimes a product actually does NOT fall apart at the first untoward incident. 
 

While I sat by my dryer, I told the twenty-something woman a few feet down the row what had happened. No kidding, she said. Her face expressed surprise and amazement as she told me to hang on to that watch. I laughed. 
 

I also had to tell the caretaker that my watch had survived an accidental laundering. “Amazing! And wasn't that the high-speed machine that it went through?” he asked. I told him yes; he knows his machines, he does. I laughed again. 
 

“There's a commercial in that somewhere,” he assured me. I don't know about that, but there is a story in it, for Newsvine if nothing else. So cheers to all while you read it.

Everything we do, wrong or right, well intentioned or not, will come back to bite us square in the ass.

Just a little less than 5 years ago the boy run ended. After 3, close to carbon copies of the best of Maddad, I hit the jackpot and fathered my youngest and LAST child, an absolutely beautiful little daughter.

From day one she was "Daddy's Little Princess". This baby girl can move me to action with just the cut of her brow or look in her eyes. I love all my children with all that I am, but this one broke my heart.

All that was great till she figured out how to manipulate & make crap up. She is also very smart, already sounding out and correctly spelling words that seem advanced for her age to me. The problem is that she watched a bit of Disney and figured out what a Princess was.....So the negotiation begins....

I am waking to the fact that she is also a little girl that is more demanding of other people in the family, than she is cute. I am now saying "no" regularly and following through with it. She is slowly learning that the pouty lips and instant tear filled eyes, won't get her through real life. The times she forgets that??...well, it is amazing how loud and horribly pitched the screams of a 4 year old can be.

Negotiations continue.....She is still "Daddy's Little Princess", but the definition of that position in this particular kingdom is a matter of parenting & perspective.

Thanks for your time.

Maddad

• As we travel the path before us, sometimes running & jumping in the light of a noon day, & at other times we are groping & sensing our way to the next small step, terrified about what the next turn will bring....

• There is one thing for certain. We are traveling our own path. Where are the footsteps in the dirt ahead to show the way? Are the fairy-tales & myths we were told as a child just that, fairy-tales & myths?

• Even if we travel with a guide of some sort, there are moments, unavoidable & cruel...when even that guide has left us to wander. Alone, with the decisions of where to plant our next step. Right or Wrong it is our path and ours alone to bare.

• There are those about us, that will remember us when we are gone. They will however move on. What do we leave on this little rock in space, that will stand true, and make some change?

• I will never know all the answers as to why or how, we all end up in the same moment with that last breath of life, & look around and wonder, were we right or wrong....?

-Maddad

So like the title says, "Bad Decisions" make good stories. I think that must be because we learn the most when we get it wrong.

The way it felt back then was like I was "King Of The World", I was a 17 year old seaman apprentice on a old DDG that was commissioned in 1961. We hadn't seen land since Hawaii and we stepped onto foreign land.

They made an announcement that we were advised not to go to Subic City....I just followed the sea of white uniforms heading to Subic City....Whatever you wanted and more for pennies on the dollar. A red light district that caught me in it's lights. For $50.00 American dollars I had full run of a house with a beautiful companion for 5 days. I did, and changed houses every 5 days or so. Back then I thought there couldn't be a better place. Today I understand that I was helping fuel the engine of the sex industry in the Philippines, which at that time was forcing women into prostitution, many times by their own families and a child sex trade was and as far as I know still is active.

One night as I staggered from one bikini club to another, I looked down an alley, there stood a shipmate, sexually assaulting a girl that couldn't have been more than 8 or 9. I went down and had a firm discussion with him as the girl ran back to her pimp. By the time the shore patrol found him he apparently had to be taken to the base hospital, apparently he was mugged. He was shipped back to the states for medical treatment, never saw him again. That is why it was a bad decision to fuel that engine, there were no limits for these people, they were that desperate, and enough of us were beyond the pale that the need created the supply.

I am all for legalized adult prostitution anywhere the community allows it, give some of the power back to the states. But leave the kids alone.

This is just one story. It may have been a rare event. 99.9% of the men I served with may have been out of control, but they knew where the lines were.

I also know at that time many of the girls were brought in from the country, promised legitimate jobs, then forced into prostitution and dancing in the clubs.

Now 26 years later, I see my general behavior as being normal for the conditions, but a bad decision in the long run. As a survivor of childhood abuse I have always been a bit promiscuous, but that experience followed me into and through my first marriage. She finally cheated on me just to get me to move out. It worked. My drinking also became an obvious problem overseas and remained so for much of my life.

Now I understand the rants my mother would go on when she was drunk about women's rights, and equal pay for equal work. This was the early to mid 70's. Woman are more than sex. They are complicated, intelligent, capable human beings. I knew more about N.O.W. by age 5 than most men know in their 50's. Using other's merely for what they can offer sexually is a bad idea for me. We all deserve better.

But of course sex is great & as long as you are honest about what you are doing with your partner if you have one, then fly baby fly.

Just My Opinion & Experience,

Maddad

I know that people break down on tracks, and for some reason stay in their vehicles as this train smashes the hell out of them. I know people use and abuse chemicals, out of all of them I have tried along the way, and I admit I have tried a couple, only alcohol would cause me to miss a damn train! I am also aware that some people use trains to commit suicide, and I in no way wish to offend or make light of their memory.

So, the question is, other than the above possibilities, How The Hell Do You Get Hit By A Train? They are these large, noisey monsters bolting down a set of tracks. You couldn't miss them nearby if you were blind, the ground vibrates like a s.o.b.

When I was a kid, I used to ride the tracks on my bike to the other end of town to my grandparent's house. No one had to tell me not to actually ride on the track, you would destroy your bike. I rode close, but when I heard and felt that freakin' train coming I would get the hell away from the tracks, stop and wait for that monster to go by.

It seems like every other day I am reading an article about another person being hit by a train. I just don't get it. If it were just politicans roaming into an oncoming trains, I wouldn't be so concerned. But the regular folks, What The Hell? Stop hanging out on the track, and when you feel the ground vibrate stay off the damned things.

To make it clear to "The Man" I was just kidding about the politicians and oncoming trains....(sarcasm again)

So I am begging all my friends who don't believe "Fox News Is The Devil" or that "President Obama Is A Muslim" to watch out, trains are getting sneaky.....and apparently they are not just going after idiots nowadays.

Maddad

I have been forced over the past few months to be what others expect me to be. The exercise was not optional and surprisingly enough I may have learned a thing or two.

One thing is for certain there are some things about me I not only like, but have no intention to change much on.

1. I am a sarcastic son of a bitch sometimes. At times it is for the humor effect and at other times it is more about ending a conservation I am not prepared for. Still others a feeling is being stepped on and sarcasm is the safest response. Either way it works and I am keeping it.

2. I rarely have any real interest in debating politics. I try to keep up with the issues and the governments actions, but I avoid the commercial version. I tend never to debate politics because it always starts and ends with the commercial bull crap, and I apparently don't have the patience to wait for the fact based debaters to show up.

3. I love my children more then life itself. I will defend them with my life and am fully prepared to take out the next person that hurts any of them.

4. Although I am Independent in thought, I most closely associate myself with Libertarians.

Definition of LIBERTARIAN

1: an advocate of the doctrine of free will

2: a person who upholds the principles of individual liberty especially of thought and action b capitalized : a member of a political party advocating libertarian principles

— libertarian adjective

I believe this nation was built on the pure idea of free will. If others are not in danger and no one is threatening danger, stay the hell out of my business. Government must be in existence to care for community and national needs. Roads, Public Protection, Judiciary & serve the necessary community maintenance. As the "Independent Thinker" I already mentioned I am, there should be a safety net for the disabled and elderly and we must have a government to represent our nation in foreign affairs. And yes, like it or not taxes must be collected to pay for those services. I just disagree with the need for all the redundancy and incompetence we call government. Local, State & Federal. If we cut the repetitiveness and stupidity they could all work part time, hell they would still make better than the middle class.

5. I will continue to highlight the violent & sexual crimes committed against women & children because until the predators are treated properly by the judicial system and/or we find a way to protect our children, I feel it is important to keep these stories front & center. Although it is a side benefit that we get to make these criminals famous. If they are found not guilty the update will always be made.

Of course we will keep up with the funny stuff to, everyone needs a reality break now & then.

6. I will continue to share my story, not to relive it or stay stuck in the misery, but to tell someone, somewhere that may read it that it can and is being survived.

7. I will keep pointing out redundancy and ignorance when I see it, I am just going to try and be more civil about it.

8. I firmly believe what I was taught in the United States Navy, when it comes to military conflict, you don't consider who the Command In Chief is, you carry out the orders given. Our Men & Woman who are and have served in our armed forces deserve our respect & we should avail ourselves of their wisdom.

9. If I drink alcohol there are only 2 places I can go. Jail or the Morgue. I had a full tour of the lock-ups throughout the West Pacific. The stories I will never remember (or admit I do anyway...) So I really like Un-Sweet Tea with Lemon.

Just My Humble Opinion.

As Usual Thanks For Your Time & Comments. CoH Please.

Maddad

I have a quote on the header of my homepage by one of my heroes from the past Thomas Jefferson.....

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/

"When The People Fear The Government, There Is Tyranny: When The Government Fears The People, There Is Liberty."

It was recently pointed out to me that it is also a quote used by anti-government separatist. I must admit for a nano-second I considered changing it. But, then I remembered I also have it tattooed on the back side of my left arm. So I decided to give this some thought.....

I happened to be one of those weirdos that actually dose think the less government the better. A safety net should be in place for the disabled and aged, but short of that I have my doubts.

I may or may not have a gun in my home to protect my family, but we need to find some way to keep guns out of the hands of thugs.

Although when I was younger I grew up in a very redneck home and married into a hog farm family. (I couldn't wait to join the Navy....anything had to be better than walking in hog crap all day.) I was also taught from an early age that treating people differently because of the color of their skin, religion or lack thereof, was ignorant. I was blessed 2 years ago with the most beautiful bi-racial baby ever created, she is grandpa's little girl. I now, as then judge a man or woman by their character. I abhor the words and deeds of those that look to disrupt the peaceful growth of this nation.

So I will keep the header on my page. I will not allow the nut case skinheads or their cousins the klan to take it as their own and twist the words of a Great American.

JMHO

Maddad

On September 11, 2001, I awoke at The Woods at Parkside, a treatment center situated on eleven acres in a quiet neighborhood with a serene view of a golf course.

While the initial intentions were good, the end result was not so good, for both the cats and the humans.

Animal teases bigger, more dangerous animal. Not a good idea for animals or humans to tease or taunt each other.

Pet owner gone wild!

Lost cat found

Postal Worker Finds Unusual New Job

Truth Stranger Than Fiction

It is good this damnable act is getting so much attention. But as we all know there are copy cats who wll do or say anything to get their 15 minutes of fame.

Let us hope it just goes away, and, she needs to do some hard time, hard work. After telling the press, It was just a cat and a joke, she needs to be locked up somewhere, for a while and during her stay, put into a garbage can for 15 hours or so.

Common sense tells us, this is not the first time she has done this.

Still hard to believe it happened. But remember she is a "banker."

Warning: There can be limits to free speech and repercussions as well.

I came across an article this morning about a hypnotist amazing people on the street.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-hypnotist-lake-eola-new-20100820,0,4686346.story

I have some tolerance for the idea of hypnotism in a therapy environment, administered by a professional. But these street acts give me pause. I do think there are those that are more easily "suggestible", but generally I am left unconvinced. I have never been and am not planning to try it personally any time soon. Some things are better left uncovered if it is real.

Just My Opinion,

Maddad

My hometown of Auburn, Washington holds an annual celebration downtown with a big parade, live music, a Literary Event, lots of food-on-a-stick, and vendors galore. All the streets are closed to traffic, they don't give out any parking tickets, and you can jaywalk like a Wall Street banker late for a meeting. It's a lot of fun.

Adventure Books of Seattle is an active participant each year. They usually cajole yours truly or someone from the staff to show up at the Auburn Theatre for the Literary Event. This means local authors doing readings from their latest works, or poetry, or whatever they write. Since skyjacker 'D.B. Cooper' is a local Northwest hero, they asked me to drop by and talk about the investigation that led to our controversial book, Into The Blast - The True Story of D.B. Cooper. There's been a lot of curiousity about it, and I was happy to oblige. I placed an illustrated photo display in the lobby and spoke about the case for half an hour. I think I did okay, although I did warn the audience I was better with graphics and text than the spoken word.

Of course, the first chance I get I'm going to dodge outside the theatre and join the folks on the streets. I'm not much of an indoor person, especially when it's hitting 90 degrees outside. So as soon as I finished my presentation I headed out the door to get some stick food. The Lit Event is great, but they have no food there.

About the time I wolfed down my second corn dog I saw a sign next to the parade route. People were generally avoiding it like the plague, and I soon saw why. It was a big picture of The Prez adorned with a Hitler mustache. I looked closer and saw it was placed there by some Lyndon LaRouche supporters. Some people next to me were talking about driving them off, but I reminded them that there WAS a First Amendment, and perhaps there were other ways of addressing the sign - like making fun of it.

I had them snap my photo standing next to the sign - while wearing my Obama T-shirt. I thought it made a good contrast. On one side you've got hatred, and on the other a REAL picture of The Prez. I may make a poster out of it and hang it in my office for laughs. The LaRouche guys actually tried to recruit me, even with the shirt. I told them I supported most of The Prez's policies except about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wanted Obama to bring our boys home ASAP. Then I told them that even if they disagreed with The Prez, comparing him to a German guy who murdered six million Jews was probably overkill. It took them a few seconds to understand the reference, which didn't surprise me a whole lot. They're kind of an uneducated bunch. I came back a half hour later and the LaRouche hatemongers had gone. Or maybe they fell into the gutter drain next to their sign. I don't know. Either way worked for me.

Auburn's a fairly tolerant town, but also heavily Democratic.

I got a beef stick and a shaved ice and sat down to listen to some music. Every time a kid walked by with his parents, I did the same thing as last year. I asked their folks if I could give the kid a book and dropped a free copy of Pilot Down, Presumed Dead on them. Kids love that book, probably because of all the animals involved in the story. I even got a picture of the new Miss Auburn, and they sure made a good choice this year. She's the prettiest one yet. She said she's planning on attending the University of Washington and going into either fashion design or broadcasting.

About the time I was really starting to have fun, someone at the theatre found me and asked if I would do an encore presentation for the people who were late. So I went back to the theatre and talked about the Cooper book briefly, and a bit longer on the future of digital publishing.

The next time I went outside the streets were almost bare, and it was early. But I figured that out pretty quick. It was now hitting almost a hundred degrees and the excessive heat had driven people away from the celebration.

No matter, though. It goes again tomorrow and Sunday is the best day. Think I'll stop by for another corn dog. The ones they have downtown at the celebration beat the frozen dogs at Safeway any day.

Amazing, I came across this story the other day about a toddler that was left in a day care van by the driver. The child died.

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/08/06/4830951-toddler-found-dead-in-hot-van-at-day-care-

The 1st follow-up story I come across asks the very important question.....Do we have enough state regulations when it comes to not leaving children in secured vehicles ever, but especially when it is freakin' hot.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/fl-folo-delray-baby-death-20100806,0,7911447.story

Seriously??!! I am just above average in intelligence I think. I have managed to get 4 children to the point where they would get themselves out of this situation. That means for a long time I checked the vehicle to make certain I had not left a kid behind. I did not need the government to send me a reminder card! Maybe the question they need to ask is....Are we licensing day cares that employ incompetents??

Generally the question is, Are we giving up personal responsibility for a nanny state? Looks like it to me.

Just My Opinion,

Maddad

Another article I seeded today raised this issue, so...what do you think?

Should women have the same rights to go topless as men do, in appropriate places..ie..beach, working out..etc?

I say abso-tutin-lutely!

JMO,

Maddad

Originally published in August 2009, re-published here in part, copyright. Maddad

Part Six: http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/07/15/4686226-a-story-of-abuse-part-six

Part Seven

Next morning he headed to a payphone down the ramp. "Collect" he said. Maybe mom would help? "yea I guess I will accept the charges, operator" a irritated voice was heard on the other end. "Mom! I need help, listen to what is going on....", "just hold on there" she interrupted, I have decided to rent a house away from my husband so you can come back, he won't live with you anymore", "looks like your going to @!$%# up this relationship for me too". "Call back in 2 weeks and I will come pick you up". With that the phone went dead.

Two weeks might as well be forever, the boy thought. There was no way he was going to make it. As he turned from the phone and began to walk aimlessly, he found himself considering a more permanent solution. Without a clear intention he found himself standing on the edge of the racing traffic at the top of the overpass he called home. The only thought that was running through his head was "jump or step in front of the oncoming mass of steel & rubber". As he leaned against the concrete divider, one of the kids from camp came running up..."hey dude, come on....I know someone that will take care of your feelin' bad"....the boy followed...how much worse could it get?, he considered.

They arrived at a old storefront, there were no signs, nothing to even indicate it was occupied, as they walked in an old lady with the smile of a pissed off army drill instructor greeted them. "What you boy's need?" she bellowed. "My friend got hurt Sister George" the kid answered as he pushed the boy toward this hard battle worn angel. "Well come here, I don't bite", she lead him to the back, were a make shift treatment room stood. A half a bottle of vodka and several stitches later, the boy emerge, drunk, but definitely feeling better. The kid that had brought him was gone. "Where do I go now?" he studied. The old nun, with an almost mind reading ability said, "if where you came from, wasn't working, might want to head in a different direction". As he walked out the front of the building, he did just that and starting walking the opposite direction from where they had originally came from.

The next several days were spent wondering around the city, eating scrapes and hand outs when they came, shoplifting booze and tobacco when he could. Sleep was transient, he never slept sitting still, public buses he had jumped, a quick nap behind the over-growth in a park or behind a dumpster.

One night while clearing a space in an ally he found an old pocket knife. He spent the rest of that night sharpening it on the concrete ground of the city. Almost wishing someone would give him an excuse to use it, he walked a couple inches taller the next day.

My family and I recently moved from the busy Seattle suburbs out into a quieter, more rural part of the state. The air is clean, the farmland verdant, the trees large and mossy. Nature revels itself in every corner; sometimes with pleasant surprises (a cluster of wildflowers) and sometimes though an uncanny overabundance of spiders which, while keeping the mosquitoes at bay can nevertheless prove disconcerting to a "city girl".

I have settled amacably into this snug new life, pleased at the opportunity to own land. Used to my own habits, and happy to be free of apartment living, I wander outside inspecting the 1/3 acre that to a native of NJ is a sprawling wonderland.

With my hair tied back in a loose pony tail, dressed mainly for comfort, I break out my cell phone and a small garden shovel and plop myself down at the edge of my driveway to begin my battle with the encroaching weeds that have begun to lay claim to to the gravel. The cell phone provides my distraction. I set my b-berry on speaker and dial my parents. The call will be pleasant and last approximately 2 hours. More than enough time to wage my war on the forces of vegetative chaos.

Lost in a good conversation and the montony of pulling up each weed one by one (and uncerimously tossing them into one of the 10 gardens conveniently left by the previous homeowners) I do not notice as an elderly woman slowly approaches me.

I hear a quiet cough... "um... are you okay?"

I lift my head and shield my eyes from the sun as I gaze up at a tiny woman of about 85 years, carrying a disproportionately large broom. It is probably a foot higher than she is; she clutches it like a weapon.

"Hi, good to meet you" I say wondering why she's on my property. Perhaps she's the welcoming committee.

"What are you... doing" she asks. It suddenly occurs to me how I must look- in my sweats and tennies on my knees wrestling with dandylions and a bevy of strange northwestern plants I don't recognize. Sweat on my forehead, talking to some unknown source (the cell phone lies next to me several inches away). My parents hear me talking and offer their regards to the myserious figure. She doesn't hear them.

"Ah... I'm fighting back the tide of nature in my driveway- and talking to my parents on speaker phone" I quickly add, holding up my blackberry as evidence. I'm half inclined to blush but think better of it. I instead grin at the sense of entitlement to be silly on my own property. Then it occurs to me that she's in my front yard and must have specifically stopped what she was doing to check on my mental well being. "Thank you so much for checking on me, I'm so glad to meet you".

The woman still looks a bit confused, and perhaps a bit disappointed that I am not quite as unhinged as she had expected. I smile once more and point to her broom... "and what are you doing, out of curiosity?" The question is tinged with friendly curiosity.

"Me?" She asks. "Why, I'm chasing the squirrels out of your yard". I can hear the "pop" sound of her husband's .22 as he takes out any remaining rodents within firing range of his property.

I nod and wave as she wanders away. And I know at the moment that we will live happily and harmoniously for many years to come.

Well, I cannot let it go anymore. I will not watch any programing on the The Learnig Channel until such a time as they discontinue airing this Toddlers & Tiaras reality series.

I am not calling for a boycott, not only do I think they are ineffective, but it seems pretty cocky to think anyone would do anything based on my opinion. But for me and mine, enough is enough!

These shows are child abuse on parade. These toddlers are praised beyond merit, then forced to be subjected to the preparation and focus of a pageant, even though they are screaming they "don't want to go today"!

They are in many cases not only made up to look like older girls, but at times are encouraged as they present themselves in bikinis and enough makeup to cause permanent neck damage...(sarcasm alert). Not to mention putting these little girls in danger of becoming the object of some sexual-homicidal stalker.

The only people that can possibly be watching these pageants are other lunatic parents, or perverts. What the hell are we allowing to go on here!

There is always a motive. After having a daughter in the same age group as the little girls in these pageants, I can tell you even though I don't personally understand it, these parents are, knowingly or not, pimping their daughters out. The parents either are filling some emotional hole left in their life in their childhood, or they like the Scholarships, Monetary Awards & Crowns won at these "contests". I have read of winning being up to $10,000 at some levels of this "soft child pornography ring". Whoops, did I just type that?

Well there it is. Why The Learning Channel will not be tuned to my TV. Others can do as they please, they generally do anyway.

As Usual, I could be wrong.

Just My Opinion. It would be an personal honor to me if you could foward this article to your friends and family. Maybe even TLC? Thanks a bunch, MD

Maddad

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/about-toddlers-and-tiaras.html

I was going through the channels today and came across one of those court shows. A woman was suing her husband for divorce. I didn't watch long, but I watched long enough to realize this guy was a moron.

Right up front I am not running down all strippers/dancers. There are professional strippers/dancers that make a good living, do not provide "extras" and could one day be your boss if she saves & invests properly now.

That is NOT what this guy was dealing with. She was what we used to call in the business a "temporary dancer", or "part-timer". She reeled this idiot in with her body, and she definitely was impressive, and sex. All she wanted in return in a never ending well of money to spend on whatever she wanted to spend it on. She also continued to strip, even though one of the few reasons to continue doing that work was to hustle other stupid men.

Why the hell did this dude marry this woman? I can only deduct that either momma dropped him on his head when he was a baby, or he is just plain old fashion dumb. That would explain the little head taking over his thinking for him.

I spent several years managing, hiring, firing and bouncing in gentleman's clubs. If that is your thing now and then, go for it! But be warned these girls really do not think your the most sexy man they have seen since "they jusy got to town". They are looking you up and down, gauging how much money your ATM holds? There is one right there in the club. Tecnology & Sex, patners to the end!

Unless you are dealing with one of the professional strippers/dancers I mentioned above....... Enjoy your evening out and go home to a video or the wife, whatever you need to do. Just don't fall in love. You will end up broke, and my percentage never changed, so I wasn't too quick to warn anyone before. Now, all grown up, take the amount of cash you are willing to give away, call a cab or sober friend if you plan to drink and HAVE FUN!

Maddad

I have friends that have degrees from multiple Universities and Colleges that are dumb as rocks. I also have friends with G.E.Ds that have some life experience that are some of the most intelligent people I know.

I always wanted to go to college, but life happens.

I lived a pretty rough childhood, quit school in the 8th grade. Then at 17 I joined the United States Navy. They put me on a very old guided missile destroyer, USS Lynde McCormick DDG8, commissioned in 1961. I jumped on board in 1985 as a storekeeper. They woke me from a drunken coma one morning and said..."wake up sailor! it is time to take your G.E.D." HA HA, I couldn't even see good enough to read through my bifocals. I could see the little bubbles you have to fill in and did it in a pattern. Guess what? I passed the damn thing! I stayed in the Navy another 3 years after that. We served during the Iran-Iraq War in the Persian Gulf escorting oil barges through the war zone, with the Iranians using us for target practice with what thank goodness turned out to be lousy land to sea missiles. Hell of a "Cold War".

I came home and went to work for the state as a correctional officer at several maximum security prisons. After a couple of years of that I went to the Community College and took a couple semesters. I did well, I just couldn't do the student thing.

The next several years were spent managing and bouncing in adult bars.

I read a lot and write, some may not think well, but I enjoy it. I can think fairly objectively and would consider myself minimally intelligent.

So what is best for the development of a mind? Self Education through life experience or a degree from this university or another? Does it depend on the person?

MD

While waiting to have my picture with my niece at JC Penney's at the Park Meadows mall, I saw Metallica and Iron Maiden shirts nearby. Worse yet, I have seen Iron Maiden shirts at Wal-Mart, and guess which one? Killers.

Originally published in August 2009, re-published here in part, copyright. Maddad

Part One:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/12/4501645-a-story-of-abuse-part-one

Part Two:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/19/4527420-a-story-of-abuse-part-two

Part Three:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/30/4590866-a-story-of-abuse-part-three

Part Four

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/07/02/4603998-a-story-of-abuse-part-four

Part Five

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/07/09/4644145-a-story-of-abuse-part-five

Part Six

The boy woke up the next morning, laying in the sand of the beach outside the apartment building, he knew something had happened. His head had a huge goose egg on it, his clothes were on, but not buckled or zipped. As he went to get up he felt moister in his pants. Walking to the public restroom the pain grew greater, he almost past out when he pulled his pants down and found his underwear full of blood. Although he didn't realize at the time, his anus had been tore and some substantial damage to his insides achieved. He had been brutalized. Cleaning up, he headed for the overpass, hoping to find help and warn the others.

As he walked up to the concrete camp, the group was talking and laughing among themselves, the closer he got, the quieter they became. "hey! where did you guys go?, you wouldn't believe what happened to me"... the oldest kid giggled...:"we got a pretty good idea". There were pizza boxes and beer everywhere. "Here dude, you paid for this stuff, might as well enjoy what's left"...the assumed leader of the group said to him. "good work, we needed a break from the dumpster, newbie"...the kid said with contempt.......

And so the street initiation

The rest of that day and night were spent shaking, vomiting and hoping he would not die under this overpass. Every once in a while one of the lower ranking kids would bring him a shot of whatever booze was laying around, it made the pain more bearable, and seemed to help with the fevered hell of whatever his body was going through.

Maddad

The London Daily Telegraph reported on June 22, 2010 that more than 40% of Americans believe that Christ will return by 2050.

It is currently 10:21 in the morning. All I've done is write two articles, work out, study German and study French-other than that, I haven't done a damn thing today! I would have watched the idiot box, but that takes too much effort and concentration.

Originally published in August 2009, re-published here in part, copyright. Maddad

Part One:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/12/4501645-a-story-of-abuse-part-one

Part Two:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/19/4527420-a-story-of-abuse-part-two

Part Three:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/30/4590866-a-story-of-abuse-part-three

Part Four

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/07/02/4603998-a-story-of-abuse-part-four

Part Five

It was sunny and bright, the boy wished he had some clean clothes, and maybe some shorts would be nice, but at least he was "safe", he thought. The gang walked up to this guy sitting under a pavilion, the middle aged man with coke bottle glasses was playing solitaire with an old set of cards with naked pictures of woman on them. "What's shaken this morning kids?" he asked without missing a beat with the cards. ""Got a newbie today, Commodore" the oldest boy said. "well, let's have a look" the Commodore grunted, glancing up, almost dismissively, he looked the boy up and down. "well the party is at my place this afternoon" he said, "now get on outa here". As quickly as the group had walked up the whole bunch jetted up and walked away. The boy followed wondering what was next. After walking around for several hours, they arrived at a seaside apartment complex. Climbing up the fire escapes in the back they arrived at the dingy, dark apartment of "the Commodore", as they climbed in the widow he grunted...."who's ready for a drink?" The boy was hot and thirsty, and without a blink, said "me, i will take one." He was handed a tall glass of what appeared to be orange juice, but one sip confirmed it was much more. The boy drank it down like water. An instant feeling of ease and comfort enveloped him. As quick as it was gone the Commodore refilled it. There was music playing the other kids were laughing and drinking, a fat joint was being passed with ease. The boy thought to himself...maybe this won't be so bad after all.

For what seemed like hours they drank and laughed, the Commodore just sitting there smiling and filling the cups. As the sun began to dim in the late afternoon sky, the boy started feeling sleepy, the drinking and smoking had begun to take their toll. "why don't you go take a shower", the Commodore asked, you will feel better and it will wake you up a bit." The others were lounging around, some napping, some drinking and smoking with that 1000 yard stare in their eyes. "Ok", the boy said, "that would be nice". After a 30 minute shower, the boy stepped out of the bathroom to find all the others gone. "where is everyone?" the boy asked...."they will be back soon" the man said. As the boy moved across the living room past the Commodore a ringing slam came across the back of his head. All went black...........................

Originally published in August 2009, re-published here in part, copyright. Maddad

Part One:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/12/4501645-a-story-of-abuse-part-one

Part Two:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/19/4527420-a-story-of-abuse-part-two

Part Three:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/30/4590866-a-story-of-abuse-part-three

Part Four

It was late in the afternoon, there were pay phones around, but who the hell was he going to call? His mother's second husband had molested him from the age of 5 through around 8. He had told his mom several times and she insisted he was a liar and trouble maker. Who the hell would believe him, he thought. As he walked along he saw an overpass, under it were a couple kids that did not look much older than him. Maybe they would have a better idea about things. He walked up and again, as certain as he could be of himself said, "hi, what's goin' on?". Fortunately these kids were in the same or similar situation. They talked awhile, careful not to actually talk about the more horrible things they faced. "Need a place, man?" one of them asked. "Yes" the boy said, I think I would like to take a break for a couple days. Been traveling awhile." The first, of many lies he told and never knew why. They told him to follow them as they took him down farther into the overpass structure. A small camp was tucked away like a rat hole in a mansion, but it looked safe and the boy was tired.

That night sleep never really came, but rest was there. As he laid on the cold concrete, the thoughts of the previous night would not leave. His anger and rage were swelling inside him like a bomb. "I will get that bastard" he said to himself. But right now, survival and figuring out what to do next were of greater importance. These new "friends" seemed to be o.k., maybe they will show him the way.

The next morning brought the sounds of cars by the hundreds passing above his head. A new day. A new adventure. Food would be the first order of business. Wonder if McKie D's takes promissory notes?

The sun was shining, the boy's new friends seemed to have some routine to there moves, so he followed.

The first stop was the Denny's out by the highway, between two huge palm trees sat a metal box, not quite big enough to be a dumpster, but the smell was the same. Two of the kid's in the group swung the side doors open and began digging around. Out they came with bread, sausage patties and potatoes. None of it looked very appealing, but the boy couldn't remember the last real meal he had eaten, so something has to better than nothing. "Not bad", he said to the others..."nope and the price it right" answered the oldest looking of the group. "Don't waste it...that's all that was on top, the stuff underneath it's any good". After eating what they could, the group headed down toward the beach.

Maddad

As some of you may know I served in the United States Navy during the Iran- Iraq War. I was on a Guided Missle Destroyer, escorting oilers in and out of the Persian Gulf, as Iran took every opportuity to fire on them, with little regard for our presence.

Fun Times!

Anyway, this is about one night in Subic Bay. We had a little prematurely bald weird dude that worked in the mess, if my memory serves me, he was a Petty Officer 2nd Class. He really didn't fit in anywhere and generally hung out with the obvious homosexuals on-board, which believe it or not had no effect on moral that I could see. I never came across him much on Liberty, and that was fine with me, he made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

The 2nd night of debauchery that only a sailor could understand, a buddy and I walked down an ally next to the bar/brothel we just staggered out of. Suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks I was instantly sober. This little mess hall freak was standing there, with a Filipino girl that was 5 years old at best, preforming oral sex on him.

(this is where the story should be viewed as fiction based on fact, I wouldn't swear on it.)

I gently moved the little girl back, made "contact" with the freaky pervert. Emptied his pockets, and left him for dead. I gave the little girl all the money he had and all I had. Then sent her home with at least a one night reprieve. No doubt "Mommas-an" will have her working again tomorrow, I thought.

I never saw that pervert again. The story he told involved local muggers....he was transported back to the states for treatment & recovery.

Does this scenario tell as a story of criminal vigilantism, or a reasonable response under the circumstances? Look forward to your comments. COH

Maddad

Sorry for not posting this on Saturday as promised. Everyone needs to take a few days and be a father & husband.

Re-pubished here in part from article original posted August, 2009. copyright Maddad

Part One:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/12/4501645-a-story-of-abuse-part-one

Part Two:

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/19/4527420-a-story-of-abuse-part-two

Part Three:

The next morning the boy awakes. The smell of breakfast cooking and coffee brewing fills his senses. He cautiously ventures to the living room, where the stranger meets him, smiling and asking "how did you sleep?".. you must have been tired, it's almost noon."

The first full day of the adventure has passed...the boy must find away out and back to the comfort of the porch and the beatings, but how?

Well the 1st full day of this adventure was over. How could it possibly get worse? The stranger said he had some errands to run, so "hurry up and get ready" he said to the boy. "Can I use your phone?" the boy replied...."later, when we get back, I promise". The boy was fairly certain that was not true, they got in the car and drove off, at the first stop the man went to the back of a strip plaza, up to the service door of one of the shops. "Come on, I want someone to meet you" he said, the boy followed him into the shop where an obese, self contented man sat at a 55 gal drum, drinking from a jar. "Hey man, whatcha got there?" he asked the stranger. "A new friend" he replied. The boy knew he had to find a way to get away from this man and whatever he was planning next. The man told the boy.."go wait in the car, I need to talk to this guy a minute". As the boy exited the building, he ran. He had no idea where he was running to, but he damn sure knew what he was running from.

Maddad

A Tokyo-based syndicate has found a new modus operandi – passing off the skeletal remains of Filipinos as those of Japanese soldiers who died in the country during World War II.

Purple Prose is on the rise in literature. This overly descriptive flowery language which detracts from the imagery it is supposed to improve stalks writers of all genres. Even worse most victims of Purple Prose are unaware of the attack until after their writing has been made available to public scrutiny.

L.D. Rucks, a real sounding fictional writer speaks about her encounter with Purple Prose in vivid detail.

" I was stricken thrice with purple prose of a most divinely inspired nature, despite, or perhaps to-wit my Promethean endeavors hath failed to root out the sublimely melancholic demeanor of my intended interest in devilishly decadent descriptions."

Miss Rucks has recently leveled an accusation of Intellectual Rape against her alleged attacker. Purple Prose declined to comment.

The College Of Fictional Authors where Miss Rucks is enrolled recently received a letter from one A. Litteration claiming partial responsibility for the acts of 'creative terrorism' against the young writer.

" Truth to tell twas torturous, my mercenary mission, to tactically terrorize the wordy worldly writings of misguided Miss Rucks." A. Litteration candidly confessed before implicating Purple Prose as an accomplice;

"Purple Prose perfected the plot to precisely pinpoint the pejorative predicate present in the purported prose."

A.S. Sonance and H. Participle have sent similar letters outlining their involvement in the plot to derail the young authors work.

Palin Drome deinied involvement in the fiasco, claiming that the actual terrorists were hiding in Central America;

" A man a plan a canal Panama." he told 'Fictional Fiction Magazine' last Tuesday.

A freshwater crocodile measuring almost 16 1/2 feet long bit a bull shark in two at a river's upper flood plain in an Australian national park, officials say.

Believe it or not, a man known as a ''witch-buster'' in this town has helped police solve a number of mysterious crimes through his ''third eye'' which he claims sees past and future events in a person's life.

David S. Lungcay, a barangay kagawad in Imus town, is known for warding off alleged evil spirits, curses and spells by a ''mambabarang'' or ''mangkukulam'' (witches).

But police are among the hundreds who have sought his help because he could lead them in the right direction when investigating unsolved crimes. David said this is possible through his third eye.

Re-Published from Aug, 2009 Article.

Part One...

http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/12/4501645-a-story-of-abuse-part-one

Part Two...

The boy walks toward what looks like a park. Hell he thinks $50 is a decent chunk, 12 year old's can be like that. There's a group of older kids hanging out, smoking and laughing. "Hi..what's up?" the boy says as he walks up to them as certain of himself as he can be. The laughter stops. In a matter of seconds, the boy finds himself face down in the grass, his eye busted open, duffel bag gone, his pockets turned inside out and his big $50 pot of gold gone. The kid makes his way to the public restrooms, washes his wounds and wonders what to do now. Like an answer to a prayer that was never offered a man comes up..."Are you ok?" here let me help you. As he hands him a rag to wipe his face. "where do you live?, can I call someone for you?" "I'm ok" the boy replies. "well, come on" the stranger suggests as he leads the boy to the parking lot. "we will get you something to eat and get you home".

At a nearby hot dog stand the boy confides in this friendly stranger his real situation...."that's awful" the stranger states with conviction. "you certainly can't stay out here, you can come sleep on my couch tonight, we will figure out what to do in the morning". When they arrive at the man's duplex apartment, he asks the boy..."do you smoke pot?". The boy has had it before, but never did it again. The strong warnings of his grandparents and the seemingly hypocritical judgement of his mother about such things had kept him away since the first time. But, what the hell, it has been a crappy day, and he did remember it made him feel good. "yea, all the time" he answered. The man handed him what was to prove to be the never ending joint. After several hours of smoking & drinking the boy starts to nod out stoned. What seemed like only moments later the boy becomes aware of himself again. The pot & whatever was in it along with the living nightmare he awakes to has him paralyzed with terror. The boy is naked, his hands are secured with strips of cloth to the bed and this helpful, caring stranger is preforming oral sex on him like it is the only thing keeping him alive. The boy tries to speak, but his mouth will not move. The words bang against his forehead like a hammer..."stop, please. don't, I don't want......" but its no use. The kid slips back into the fog of a drug inducted consent. The boy's body reacts despite the mental disgust at the scene being played out. Death must be next.

Copyright

Maddad

I am, at best a sarcastically self described "militant agnostic"...But every now and then my mind wonders, so why suffer alone?

I was on my semi bi-weekly, ill advised walk this afternoon. The walk out was fairly enjoyable, the trip back...my body realized with the humidity it was figured at over 100 degrees...any who, back to the mind wondering..

On the main road I walk is a old sinkhole, it has become a stagnate spring and natural reservoir. It stinks to high hell and is surrounded by a 12ft fence, which is a good thing. As I walked by, I spotted a gator in the middle of the green muck. He wasn't moving, looked like he was napping. All I could see was it's eyes and tail, estimated 8-10 footer. I got to staring at it and thinking....

What if you can come back as some other living thing in the "next life"? I think I would come back as a gator. Now think about it. This species as been here, basically unchanged since prehistoric times. Their lives are made up of laying around, eating and waiting for mating season. Their only natural enemies are man, and if they stay away from us we pretty much leave them alone. I don't think for one minute that gator knew it was hotter than hell, the s.o.b. has a natural internal air conditioning unit and no electric bill!

So when I split this scene, if you come across a smiling gator, just throw me a chicken and keep moving....

Maybe this whole thing was just a result of heat stroke....?????

Maddad

This story was originally published in August, 2009. It is re-published here, in part.

This is a true story of one boy's life on the streets. His survival, the abuse he endured and the results of the life he was forced to live. He could be the kid you pass on the highway, the one you comment about...."damn I wouldn't let my kid out here by himself! what's wrong with those parent?' or the kid leaned up against the wall at the corner store or the mall...just killin' time...."another punk!...look Martha, are we not lucky to have such good children?"

This is about sharing this boy's story and hopefully making the reader more aware of the reality that faces the forgotten kids of the streets. I hope you will take a new prospective away & hopefully find a way to be part of the solution instead a member of the "too bad for them" club.

Step-dad and mom are drunk again. Come here boy! the step-dad yells. It is time for the daily humiliation of being belittled and verbally disassembled....."your a worthless piece of @!$%#".."you know that?", ...."no I am not" the timid, but very angry 12 year old responds. "What did you say boy!?" smack! a broad hit across the face comes without warning. "you don't talk to me like that boy". "look me in the eye, you coward!, only a little pussy can't look another person in the eye when they speak"......and so goes the after dinner routine in the nice southern sub-division. Mom just leaves the room and takes another drink. Hell before this knight in shining armor came along she was working full time to support her kids and dating "bums", this one has money, a nice home and the security that was so important.

Later that night as mom snores in her alcohol induced coma and the boy struggles for the little sleep afforded in a war zone, step-daddy gets bored. His Manhattan is watered down and cold. He walks in the boy's room (a converted enclosed porch) and throws the drink in the boy's face, followed by a hard slap across the face...."wake up pussy!" mommy isn't here to protect you now." He drags the kid outside, knocks him to the ground and commences to kick him in the ribs, legs and head as the boy struggles to get to his feet. The kid sees the neighbors closing their drapes, "I guess I do deserve it", the boy thinks through the pain. This phase of training only stops when the trainer gets tired of the game, then it's off to a blissful sleep.

Next morning normally brings mom telling the boy..."oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. I keep telling you, just do what he says and stay out of the way." But not this time, the boy is a bit confused....."son, I am concerned you are going to get really hurt here, we need to get you away from all this." It is finally over! The boy, although he feels a certain sense of misgiving, is so relieved, we're leaving he thinks to himself...finally. Mom helps him pack, puts him in the front seat and a duffel bag in the trunk and off they go. About 40 miles south to the biggest city in the area. She stops the car, they get out, she hands him the duffel bag and $50.00 and says.."good luck, call me. I will let you know when it is safe to come back." Then she drives off, leaving a 12 year old kid standing on the street. An adventure she called it. But as the boy was all too soon to find out, being beat by a drunk will seem like heaven.

Fear...not a new emotion for this kid, although he doesn't define it that way. By this time any emotion that comes down the pike is manifest by anger and internal misery.

Part Two: http://maddad0467.newsvine.com/_news/2010/06/19/4527420-a-story-of-abuse-part-two

copyright: Maddad

Now is May Ten. It is MAD APE DEN Day!

We say it is "Mad Ape Den Day" for a way of gab we dub "Mad Ape Den." For Mad Ape Den gab you try to use a vox of 1, 2, or 3... as I am now! If you use 4+, it is a big no no.

E.g., if I use Mad Ape Den to say "The USA is Rad," I may say or hum:

O say can you see,
by the AM sun,
how we did ken we were rad
at the end of the day

Our red-and-not-red set and sky-orb set
in the war so bad
o'er the hut-top we did see,
did fly in a so so rad way

And the red hue of the war gun set
The TNT did go POW in the air
did get us to ken in the eve
our USA-rag yet did fly...

You get it now? Mad Ape Den is fun, no?

So for the NV URL you are on and all on the WWW you can try to say a wee bit on it in 3 or less, and a pal may go "HA HA!" And if you do not, a pal or non pal may go HA HA, too. But if you do it on NV, use the CoH or you may get a mod, OK?

So for the day, gab it up as a Mad Ape to all you see, you lot, til the eve and the day is out!

The first week after we released the book Into The Blast - The True Story of D.B. Cooper, it was great. Sales at Amazon began rolling up, we got a few mail-in orders from bookstores and individuals, and everyone around the office was happy. Our local newspaper is doing a story, and we've been approached by an AAR agency about film and television rights.

Starting the second week however, the weird messages began to show up in our eMail boxes. Here are a few quotes:

'If you think D.B. Cooper did anything except bury the money, you are living in Never-Never land. Besides, everyone knows that the F.B.I. sponsored the whole thing, with the help of the newly-formed F.A.A....'

I actually responded to this one, informing the guy that the F.A.A. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were probably NOT in the skyjacking business. I also reminded him that the F.A.A. had been around for twelve years at the time of the Cooper hijacking.

'You are full of it, Adventure Books. Geoffrey Gray's new book will tell everything, and it was Duane Weber, not Kenny Christiansen...'

Geoff Gray's book comes out in November. It is a review of the case and ALL of the major suspects in the Cooper hijacking. Not a big deal, we like Geoff anyway. It was Geoff Gray's article in the New York Magazine that jump-started the investigation into Kenny Christiansen. I never considered Duane Weber a viable suspect. According to F.B.I. agent Ralph Himmelsbach, Mrs. Weber has changed her story several times when confronted with inconsistencies in her testimony.

'You say you know who D.B. Cooper was? What's next? Any thoughts about Bigfoot or J.F.K.? You guys are idiots...'

I thought that last one was so funny that I answered it with this: 'Bigfoot is very reclusive and there was probably a second shooter in the Kennedy assassination, but that's just a personal opinion...'

The wacko messages are beginning to slow down, but I expect more when the book hits the Ingram Annotation. That's the publication for bookstores, wholesalers, libraries, and retailers. It lists all new U.S. book releases and their wholesale trade terms and descriptions. They used to call it the Ingram Advance Release Notice.

Oh, look. Another message has come in. I have to check it. Some are funnier than others. :)